Chorus.
Hearing of Persia's sorrows manifold,
Present and yet to come, sorely I grieved. 840
Atossa.
Fate unblest! How many grievous ills
Upon me fall, yet most this sorrow stings,
That of my son's dishonour I must hear,
His royal limbs in tatter'd garb arrayed.
But I will go, and taking from my home
Costly attire, meet, if I may, my son.
For ne'er will we our dearest fail in woe.
Chorus. Strophe I.
Noble and blest in sooth our city-ruling life,
What time our monarch hoar, 850
Resourceful, blameless, unsubdued in strife,
Godlike Darius ruled our country o'er.
Antistrophe I.
As chiefs of glorious hosts were we displayed,
†Firm laws did all things guide,
While scathless and unworn, when war was laid,
†In triumph to their homes our warriors hied.
Strophe II.
How many a town he took, yet seldom he 860
The Halys crossed, or from his hearth would roam;[1]
- ↑ The Halys (which has been identified with the modern Kizil Irmaq) was the ancient boundary of the Lydian and Persian monarchies. It was moreover a very dangerous
