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The Orestea of Ęschylus, Tr. Into Engl. Verse by C.n. Dalton
The Orestea of schylus Tr Into Engl Verse by Cn Dalton Author:Aeschylus General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1868 Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million book... more »s for free. Excerpt: THE AGAMEMNON. Scene I. Night. -- The Palace Roof at Argos. Sentinel. I ever pray the gods these toils may end, All through my year's watch, keeping which by night On the Atridae's housetop, head on arm, Outstretch'd dog-fashion, I grow intimate With the assembly of the nightly stars, And those who bring the cold and heat to men. The brilliant powers conspicuous in the sky. And now I wait, what time the beacon's sign, The blaze of light, shall bring from Troy the news And tidings of her capture : such hope lies In a wife's heart with manly counsels strong. And ever while I keep my restless bed, This dewy spot, unvisited by dreams, (For fear in place of sleep stands at my side, So that mine eyelids never fairly close,) And ever when I think to hum or sing, Mixing the opiate song, sleep's substitute, Then weeping I lament this house's woes, Not rightly order'd as in the olden time. But may my toils have happy ending soon, The fire's fair message shining through the gloom. [A pause. He catches sight of the beacon. Oh ! hail! torch of the night, that makest known A daylight, and sett'st up in Argos here Many a dance for joy of this event. Hoia! Hoik! To Agamemnon's wife I give shrill sign, That rising speedily she lift on high Throughout the house a woman's piercing note In honour of the beacon, since the town Of Troy has fallen, as the bright fires announce. And I myself will dance a prelude first, Thinking my lords have had a lucky throw, Three sixes, judging from these signal fires. May it be mine in this my hand to take The house's lord's lov'd hand on his return. ...« less