Prevail that it fall not upon us! the sign for their onset is The doom is unloosened and cometh! O kings and O queens of
#Sunless sea soulless torrent#
Hoof-trampled, the land of my love bears onward the din to mineĪs a torrent descending a mountain, it thunders and echoes and Their horsemen are swift in the forefront, the dust rises up to theĪ signal, though speechless, of doom, a herald more clear than a The foemen roll forth from their camp as a billow, and onward they They appear terror-stricken.ĬHORUS singing I wail in the stress of my terror, and shrill is my cry of
Should bow this land of freedom, Cadmus' hold!īe ye her help! your cause I plead with mine-Ī city saved doth honour to her gods! ETEOCLES, his attendants and most of the crowd go out. Spare ye at least this town, nor root it up,īy violence of the foemen, stock and stem!įor here, from home and hearth, rings Hellas' tongue. Shall keep thee scatheless of the coming storm.ĮTEOCLES O Zeus and Earth and city-guarding gods,Īnd thou, my father's Curse, of baneful might, Take Fortune by the forelock! for the rest,īy yonder dawn-light will I scan the field Of the great landstorm with its waves of men Of war comes darting on them! hark, the roar Thou therefore, chieftain! like a steersman skilled,Įnshield the city's bulwarks, ere the blast White foamy flakes like snow bedew the plain. The dust whirls up, and from their panting steeds Hard by the gates, to dash on them, for now,įull-armed, the onward ranks of Argos come! Rank then thy bravest, with what speed thou may'st, With eyes tear-dropping, but no word of moan.įor their steeled spirit glowed with high resolve,Īs lions pant, with battle in their eyes.Įven as they cast the lots, how each should lead, Or, dying here, to make the foemen's land Of Cadmus-strive his children as they may. Have shed a bull's blood, and, with hands immersedīlood-lapping Terror, Let our oath be heard-Įither to raze the walls, make void the hold Seven warriors yonder, doughty chiefs of might, I stand here with news certified and sureįrom Argos' camp, things by myself descried. THE SPY Eteocles, high king of Cadmus' folk, They will not fail nor tremble at their task,Īnd, with their news, I fear no foeman's guile. Have sent forth scouts, and confidence is mine Sent on you from afar: some god will guard! Nor hold too heinous a respect for hordes Stand firm for sudden sallies at the gates, On the floorings of the towers, and with good heart The gates, the bulwarks! don your panoplies,Īrray you at the breast-work, take your stand To fall in double strength upon our walls. Have with our sallies struck the foemen hard.īut now the seer, the feeder of the birds Mark now! until to-day, luck rules our scale įor we, though long beleaguered, in the main Your waxing youth, was patient of the toil,Īnd cherished you on the land's gracious lap,Īlike to plant the hearth and bear the shield To our sweet mother-land and to her brood.įor she it was who to their guest-right called Who guard our land that ne'er, to end of time, Of city, shrines, and altars of all powers To lusty manhood, men gone past the primeĪnd those whom youth and manhood well combined Make good his title here, in Cadmus' hold! Would bear the bruit and rumour of the time, One name on many lips, from street to street, Who sets the course and steers the ship of Stateįor if all go aright, thank Heaven, men say,īut if adversely-which may God forefend!. A crowd of citizens are present as ETEOCLES enters with his attendants.ĮTEOCLES Clansmen of Cadmus, at the signal given There is an altar with the statues of several gods visible.
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