Stories from the Greek Tragedians by Alfred Church

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Then the old men bade her speak on, for that they would give her with
all willingness such counsel as they could. After this the Queen set
forth the matter to them, saying--

"I have been visited with many dreams and visions of the night since the
day when King Xerxes my son departed hence with his army, purposing to
subdue the men of Greece; but never have I seen vision so clear as that
which I beheld in this night that is last past. I saw two women clothed
with fair garments, the one being clad in Persian apparel, and the other
in that which Grecian women used to wear. Very tall were they, above the
stature of women in these days, and fair, so that no man might blame
their beauty. Sisters also were they of the same race; but the one dwelt
in the land of the Greeks, and the other in the land of Asia. Between
these two there arose a strife; and my son took and soothed them, and
would have yoked them to his chariot. Then she that wore the Persian
garb was quiet and obedient to the bit; but the other fought against
him, and tare with her hands the trappings of the chariot, and brake the
yoke in the midst, so that my son fell upon the ground; and when he was
fallen, lo! his father Darius stood over him, pitying him. This was my
dream; and when I had risen and washed my hands in the running stream, I
went to the altar, that I might offer incense to the Gods that avert
evil from men; and there I saw an eagle fleeing to the altar of
Phoebus, and a kite pursued after him, and flew upon him, and tare his
head with his claws; nor did the eagle aught but yield himself up to his
adversary. Now these are fearful things for me to see and also for you
to hear. But remember that if my son shall prosper, all men will do him
honour; and if he shall fail, yet shall he give account to no man, but
be still ruler of this land."

To this the chief of the old men made answer, "O lady, we would counsel
thee first to ask the Gods that they turn away all evils, and bring to
pass all that is good; and next to make offerings to Earth and to the
dead, and specially to thy husband King Darius, whom thou sawest in
visions of the night, that he may send blessings from below to thy son,
and turn away all trouble into darkness and nothingness."

"This will I do," said the Queen, "so soon as I shall have gone back to
the palace. But first I would hear certain things of you. Tell me, my
friends, in what land is this Athens of which they speak?"

"It is far to the west," the old men made reply, "towards the setting of
the sun."

"And why did my son seek to subdue this city?"

"Because he knew that if he prevailed against it all Greece should be
subject unto him."

"Hath it, then, so many men that draw the sword?"

"Such an army it hath as hath wrought great damage to the Medes."

"And hath it aught else, as wealth sufficient?"

"There is a spring of silver, a treasure hid in their earth."

"Do the men make war with bows?"

[Illustration: ATOSSA'S DREAM.]

"Not so; they have spears for close fighting and shields."

"And who is master of their army?"

"They are not slaves or subjects to any man."

"How, then, can they abide the onset of the Persians?"

"Nay, but so well they abide it that they slew a great army of King
Darius."

"What thou sayest is ill to hear for the mothers of them that are gone."

And when the Queen had thus spoken, the counsellors espied a man of
Persia running to them with all speed, and knew that he bare tidings
from the hosts, whether good or evil. And when the man was come, he
cried out, "O land of Persia, abode of proud wealth, how are thy riches
destroyed, and the flower of thy strength perished! 'Tis an ill task to
bring such tidings, yet I am constrained to tell all our trouble. O men
of Persia, the whole army of our land hath perished."

Then the old men cried out, bewailing themselves that they had lived to
see this day. And the messenger told them how he had himself seen this
great trouble befall the Persians, and had not heard it from others, and
that it was at Salamis that the army had perished, and the city of
Athens that had been chief among their enemies, the old men breaking in
upon his story as he spake with their lamentations. But after a while
the Queen Atossa stood forward, saying, "For a while I was dumb, for the
trouble that I heard suffered me not to speak. But we must bear what the
Gods send. Tell me, therefore, who is yet alive? and for whom must we
make lamentation?"

"Know, O Queen," said the messenger, "that thy son, King Xerxes, is yet
alive."

And the Queen cried, "What thou sayest is as light after darkness to me;
but say on."

And when the messenger had told the names of many chiefs that had
perished, the Queen said, "Come, let us hear the whole matter from the
beginning. How many in number were the ships of the Greeks that they
dared to meet the Persians in battle array?"

Then the man made reply, "In numbers, indeed, they might not compare
with us; for the Greeks had three hundred ships in all, and ten besides
that were chosen for their swiftness; but King Xerxes, as thou knowest,
had a thousand, and of ships excelling in speed two hundred and seven.
Of a truth, we wanted not for strength; but some God hath destroyed our
host, weighing us against our enemies in deceitful balances."

And the Queen made reply, "'Tis even so: the Gods preserve the city of
Pallas."

"Yea," said the man, "Athens is safe, though it be laid waste with fire;
for the city that hath true men hath a sure defence."

"But say," said the Queen, "who began this battle of ships? Did the
Greeks begin, or my son, trusting in the greatness of his host?"

Then the messenger answered, "Some evil demon set on foot all this
trouble. For there came a man from the army of the Athenians to King
Xerxes, saying that when night should come the Greeks would not abide in
their place, but, taking with haste to their ships, would fly as best
they could, and so save their lives. And he straightway, not knowing
that the man lied, and that the Gods were jealous of him, made a
proclamation to all the captains. "So soon as the sun be set upon the
earth and the heavens dark, order your ships in three companies, and
keep the channels this way and that, and compass about the whole island
of Salamis; for if by any means the Greeks escape, know that ye shall
pay your lives for their lives." This commandment did he give in his
pride, not knowing what should come to pass. Whereupon all the people in
due order made provision of meat and fitted their oars to the rowlocks;
and when night was come, every man-at-arms embarked upon the ships. And
the word of the command passed from line to line, and they sailed each
to his appointed place. They then watched the channels all the night,
yet nowhere was there seen any stir among the Greeks as of men that
would fly by stealth. And when the fiery chariot of the Sun was seen in
heaven, the Greeks set up with one accord a great shout, to which the
echo from the rocks of the island made reply; and the Persians were
troubled, knowing that they had been deceived, for the Greeks shouted
not as men that were afraid. And after this there came the voice of a
trumpet exceeding loud, and then, when the word was given, the dash of
many oars that struck the water together, and, clearly heard above all,
the sound of many voices, saying, 'RISE, CHILDREN OF THE GREEKS; SET
FREE YOUR COUNTRY AND YOUR CHILDREN AND YOUR WIVES, AND THE HOUSES OF
YOUR GODS, AND THE SEPULCHRES OF YOUR FOREFATHERS. NOW MUST YE FIGHT FOR
ALL THAT YE HOLD DEAR.' And from us there came a great tumult of Persian
speech, and the battle began, ship striking against ship. And a ship of
the Greeks led the way, breaking off all the forepart of a ship of
Phoenicia. For a while, indeed, the Persian fleet bare up; but seeing
that there were many crowded together in narrow space, and that they
could not help one another, they began to smite their prows together,
and to break the oars one of the other. And the ships of the Greeks in a
circle round about them drave against them right skilfully; and many
hulls were overset, till a man could not see the sea, so full was it of
wrecks and of bodies of dead men, with which also all the shores and
rocks were filled. Then did all the fleet of the Persians take to flight
without order, and our enemies with oars and pieces of wreck smote us,
as men smite tunnies or a shoal of other fish; and there went up a
dreadful cry, till the darkness fell and they ceased from pursuing. But
all the evils that befell us I could not tell, no, not in ten days; only
be sure of this, that never before in one day died such a multitude of
men."

[Illustration: THE HORSES OF THE MORNING.]

Then the Queen said, "'Tis surely a great sea of troubles that hath
broken upon our race."

But the messenger made reply, "Listen yet again, for I have yet more to
tell. There is an island over against Salamis, small, not easy of
approach to ships. Hither the King, thy son, sent the chosen men of his
army, being in the vigour of their age, and noble of birth, and faithful
to himself. For it was in his mind that they should slay such of the
Greeks as should seek to save themselves out of the ships, and should
help any of his own people that might be in need. But he judged ill of
what should come to pass. For when the ships of the Greeks had prevailed
as I have said, certain of their host clad themselves in arms, and
leapt out of the ships on to the island, which they circled about so
that the Persians knew not whither they should turn. And many were
smitten down with stones, and many with arrows, till at the last the men
of Greece, making an onslaught together, slew them with their swords so
that there was not a man left alive. Which thing when the King beheld,
for he sat on a hill nigh unto the shore of the sea, whence he could
regard the whole army, he uttered a great cry, and rent his garments,
and bade his army that was on the land fly with all speed."

And when the Queen heard these things she said, "O my son, ill hast thou
avenged thyself on this city of Athens! But tell me, messenger, what
befell them that escaped from the battle?"

"As for the ships," he said; "O Queen, such as perished not in the bay
fled without order, the wind favouring them. But of the army many indeed
perished of thirst in the land of Boeotia, and the rest departed with
all speed through the land of Phocis and the coasts of Doris till we
came to the region of Thessaly, being in sore straits for food. And here
also many perished of hunger and thirst; but such as were left came
into the land of Macedonia, and thence to the coasts of Thrace, even to
the great river of Strymon. And there the Gods caused that there should
be a frost out of season, so that the river was covered with ice in one
night; which marvel when we beheld we worshipped the Gods, yea, such as
had said before in their hearts that there were no Gods. And when our
prayers were ended we crossed over; and with such as crossed before the
sun was risen high upon the earth, it was well; for as the day grew
towards noon, the ice was melted in the midst of the river, and the
people fell through, one upon the other, and perished miserably, so that
he might be counted happiest that died most speedily. But such as
remained fled across the plains of Thrace with much toil and trouble,
and are now come to our homes, being but a very few out of many."

Then said the Queen, "Truly my dream is fulfilled to the utmost. But now
let us do what we may. For the past no man may change; but for the
future we may take thought. Wherefore I will offer incense to the Gods
and to the dead; and do you take faithful counsel together, and if the
King my son should come before I be returned, comfort him and bring him
to the palace, lest a yet worse thing befall us."

Then the Queen departed; and the old men made lamentation for the dead,
and bewailed themselves for the trouble that had befallen the land of
Persia. But after a while she returned, walking on her feet and in sober
array, for she would put away all pride and pomp, knowing that the Gods
were wroth with the land and its rulers. And she brought with her such
things as men are wont to offer to the dead--milk and honey, and pure
water from a fountain, and pure juice of a wild vine; also the fruit of
the olive, and garlands of flowers; and she bade the old men sing a hymn
to the dead, and call up the spirit of King Darius, while she offered
her offerings to them that bear rule in hell.

So the old men chanted their hymn. To Earth they cried and to Hermes
that they would send up the spirit of King Darius; also to the King
himself they cried, that he would come and give them counsel in their
need.

And after a while the spirit of the King rose up from his sepulchre,
having a royal crown upon his head, and a purple robe about him, and
sandals of saffron upon his feet. And the spirit spake, saying, "What
trouble is this that seemeth to have come upon the land? For my wife
standeth near to my tomb with offerings; and ye have called me with the
cries that raise the dead. Of a truth this is a hard journey to take;
for they that bear rule below are more ready to take than to give back.
Yet am I come, for I have power among them. Yet hasten, for my time is
short. Tell me, what trouble hath come upon the land of Persia?"

But the old men could not answer him for fear. Whereupon he turned him
to the Queen, and said, "My wife that was in time past, cease awhile
from these lamentations and tell me what hath befallen this land."

And when she had told him all, he said, "Truly the Gods have brought
speedy fulfilment to the oracles, which I had hoped might yet be delayed
for many years. But what madness was this in Xerxes my son! Much do I
fear lest our wealth be the prey of the spoiler."

Then the Queen made reply, "O my lord, Xerxes hath been taught by evil
counsellors; for they told him that thou didst win great wealth for thy
country by thy spear, but that he sat idly at home; wherefore he planned
this thing that hath now had so ill an end."

With this the old men, taking heart, would know of the King what counsel
he gave them for the time to come. And he said, "Take heed that ye make
not war again upon these men of Greece." And when they doubted whether
they might not yet prevail, he said, "Listen, for ye know not yet all
that shall be. When the King, my son, departed, he took not with him his
whole army, but left behind him many chosen men of war in the land of
Boeotia by the river AEsopus. And for these there is a grievous fate in
store. For they shall suffer punishment for all that they have done
against Gods and men, seeing that they spared not the temples of the
Gods, but threw down their altars, and brake their images in pieces.
Wherefore they shall perish miserably, for the spear of the Greeks shall
slay them in the land of Plataea. For the Gods will not that a man should
have thoughts that are above the measure of a man. Also full-flowered
insolence groweth to the fruit of destructions, and men reap from it a
harvest of many tears. Do ye then bear Athens and the land of Greece in
mind, and let no man, despising what is his and coveting another man's
goods, so bring great wealth to ruin. For Zeus is ever ready to punish
them that think more highly than they ought to think, and taketh a stern
account. Wherefore do ye instruct the King with counsels that he cease
to sin against the Gods in the pride of his heart. And do thou that art
his mother go to thy house, and take from it such apparel as is seemly,
and go to meet thy son, for the many rents that he hath made for grief
gape in his garments about him. Comfort him also with gentle words; for
I know that 'tis thy voice only that he will hear. And to you old men,
farewell; and live happily while ye may, for there is no profit of
wealth in the grave whither ye go."

And with these words the spirit of King Darius departed.

THE STORY OF ION.

In the temple of Apollo at Delphi there dwelt a fair youth, whose name
was Ion. Tall he was and comely, like to the son of a King, but of his
birth no man knew anything; for he had been laid, being yet a babe, at
the door of the temple, and the priestess had brought him up for her
son. So he had served the God from a child, being fed from the altar and
from the gifts of the strangers that were wont to resort to the place.
Now it was the lad's custom to rise early in the morning and to sweep
the temple with boughs of bay, and to sprinkle it with water from the
fountain of Castalia. Also he was wont to keep the birds from the
temple--for they would come from the woods of Parnassus hard by, eagles,
and swans, and others--lest they should settle on the pinnacles or
defile the altar with their prey. And for this end he carried arrows
and a bow, slaying the birds if need was, but rather seeking to frighten
them away, for he knew that some carried messages from the Gods to
mortal men, and warned them of things to come, even as did Apollo that
was his master.

Now it befell on a day, when he had done his office in the temple, that
there drew near to the doors a company of women. Maidens they were from
the land of Attica, and they had come with Creuesa, who was Queen of the
country. And first they marvelled at the graved work that was on the
doors and in the porch, for some cunning workmen had wrought thereon
Hercules slaying the great dragon of Lerna, and Iolaues standing with a
torch to sear that which he cut with his knife. Also Bellerophon was to
be seen on a horse with wings, slaying the Chimaera; and Pallas fighting
against the Sons of Earth, with the thunderbolt of her father Zeus and
the shield of the Gorgon head. And when they had made an end of seeing
these things came the Queen Creuesa herself and had speech with Ion. And
she told him that she was the daughter of Erechtheus, King of Athens,
and that she was married to Xuthus, a Prince from the island of Pelops.
And when Ion would know how it had come to pass that Xuthus, being a
stranger and a foreigner, had received her that was a Princess of the
land in marriage, she said that the Prince had fought for the men of
Athens against the land of Euboea, and had subdued it, and so had won
for himself this reward. Also when the youth would know for what end she
had come to the oracles of Delphi, she said that she had come because
having been long married she was yet childless, and that her husband
also was with her, and that he was even then making inquiry about this
same matter in the cave of Trophonius. For there also was an oracle
giving answers to men about things to come. Then the Queen asked Ion of
his estate, and heard from him that the priestess of Apollo had brought
him up, having found him laid at the door of the temple.

After these things came King Xuthus himself, who, after he had greeted
the Queen, said that Trophonius would not indeed go before the answer of
Apollo, yet promised this, that he should not go to his home childless.
So the two went together into the shrine that they might inquire yet
further of the matter; and Ion abode without, meditating much on the
things which these strangers had said.

But after a while the King came forth in great joy, and when he saw the
youth Ion standing without the shrine, he caught him by the hand, and
would have thrown his arms about him, but the youth drew back, thinking
that the God had smitten him with madness, and even would have drawn his
bow against him. Then the King set forth to him the answer that Apollo
had given him. For the God had said, "Thou art not childless as thou
thinkest, but the father of a fair son. And thy son is he whom first
thou shalt meet going forth from my shrine." "And now," said the King,
"thou art he whom first I meet coming forth, and I claim thee to be my
son." And when Ion would know how this might be, the King said that in
days past, before he had married the Princess Creuesa, being young and
foolish, he had taken to wife a maiden of low degree in this very city
of Delphi, and that if she had borne him a son--for that he knew not,
having left her long since--the child would bear such age as Ion. And
when Ion heard this he was glad, for he had feared lest haply he should
be found to be the son of some slave. Only he said to himself, "O my
dear mother, shall I ever see thee? For now do I long more than ever to
look upon thee; but haply thou art dead and this may never be."

And the maidens of Athens standing by heard the talk between the two,
and said, "It is well for the people that the royal house should
prosper. Yet it had pleased us well that our lady the Queen should have
hope of offspring, and that the house of Erechtheus should not be left
without an heir."

Then said the King to Ion, "My son, it is well both with thee and me,
for I have found that which I most desired and thou also. And as to that
which thou now sayest about thy mother, haply, if only we have patience,
this also shall be as thou wouldst have it. But now I would have thee
leave the temple of Apollo and this thy subsistence of alms, and come
with me to the great city of Athens, where thou shalt have great wealth,
and in due time this sceptre that I hold. But why art thou silent and
castest thine eyes to the ground? Suddenly art thou changed from joy to
sorrow, and the heart of thy father misgiveth him."

Then spoke Ion, saying, "My father, the aspect of many things changeth
according as a man seeth them, whether it be near or afar off. Right
glad was I to find a father in thee; but as to what else thou sayest,
hearken to me. Men say that the Athenians are a people that have dwelt
in the land from the beginning. Wherefore I shall have among them a
double reproach, being both basely born and also a foreigner. And if I
come to high place in the state, they that are beneath me shall hate me,
seeing that men love not those that are above them. Also those that are
of high account among the citizens shall have much jealousy against me,
for such men have ever great enmity against their rivals. Think also of
thy house, how matters shall stand there. For before, thy wife the Queen
shared with thee this reproach of childlessness, but now will she stand
alone and bear her sorrow by herself. How then shall she not hate me
when she seeth me at thy right hand? And so shalt thou either for love
of her go back from what thou hast promised to me, or else, seeking my
profit, shalt trouble thine own house. For thou knowest what deadly
deeds with the sword and with poison women holding themselves to be
wronged have wrought against their husbands. And of a truth, my father,
I hold that thy wife, seeing that she groweth old without hope of
children, is most miserable among women. And then as to kingship, I
count that this is more pleasant to regard from afar than to possess;
for how can he be happy who liveth in daily fear of death? And if thou
sayest that great store of wealth out-weigheth all other things, and
that it is pleasant to be rich, I hold otherwise. I would have neither
poverty nor riches, but to live quietly and without trouble. For listen,
my father, to the good things that I have had in this place--that which
all men count dear, even leisure; and such labour as I did, not
toilsome, and to be free from all ill company, and to be constant in
prayers to the Gods, or in talk with men, ever consorting with new
company among such as came to inquire of the god. Surely, my father,
this life is better than that which thou promisest to me."

"My son," the King made answer, "learn to take the good which the Gods
have provided for thee. First, then, I will bring thee to the feast
which I purpose to hold in this place as though thou wert a stranger.
And afterwards I will take thee to the city of Athens, yet not declaring
at the first thy birth, for I would not vex my wife with my good luck,
seeing that she is yet childless. Only in time I will work with her that
thou shalt bear rule in the land with her good will. And now call such
of thy friends as thou wilt to the feast, for thou must even bid
farewell to this city of Delphi."

And Ion made answer, "Let it be so; only if I find not my mother, my
life is nothing worth."

And to the maidens the King said, "Take heed that ye keep silence on
these matters, or ye shall surely die."

But they were much troubled in heart for their mistress that she should
be childless, while the King her husband had found a son. Also they
doubted much whether they should not tell the Queen the things which
they had heard.

And now there was seen to come near to the shrine an old man who had in
days past been servant to King Erechtheus; and when the Queen saw him,
she reached her hand to him, and helped him to climb the steps of the
temple, for he was very feeble with age. And when he was come to the
top, the Queen turned her to the maidens that stood by and inquired of
them whether they knew aught of the answer which the God had given to
her husband in the matter of his childlessness. But they were loath to
make answer, remembering that the King had bidden them to be silent
under pain of death; but at the last, for the thing pleased them not,
both for pity of their mistress and also for hatred that a stranger
should be King in Athens, they said, "O lady, thou must never hold a
child in thy arms or nurse a babe at thy breast." And when the old man
asked--for the Queen was distraught with grief--whether the King also
shared this trouble, they said, "Not so, old man; to him Apollo giveth a
son."

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