Persians (284-385)

Long have I kept silent in my misery, struck with dismay at our disaster; for this calamity is so great that it is not possible to say or even to ask about its extent. Nevertheless mortals must endure affliction when it is heaven-sent.

Compose yourself, and even though you groan at our loss, relate the sum of our disaster and speak out! Who is there that is not dead? Whom of our leaders must we bewail? Who, appointed to wield command, by death left his post empty, without its chief?

Xerxes himself lives and beholds the light.

The words you utter bring a great light of joy into my house, and bright day after night wrapped in gloom.

But Artembares, commander of ten thousand cavalrymen, is being battered now against Silenia’s cruel shore. And Dadaces, leader of a thousand men, leapt, struck by a spear,

with a nimble bound from his ship. Tenagon, the true-born Bactrians’ chieftain, is ranging now around the surf-beaten isle of Ajax. Lilaeus and Arsames, and, third, Argestes,

kept buffeting against its rugged shore, whirled around about the island,[*]the breeding-place of doves. Arcteus, too, who lived by the waters of the Egyptian Nile, Adeues, and Pharnuchus of the mighty shield—all these were hurled out of one ship. Matallus of Chrysa, commander of ten thousand,

leader of the Black Cavalry, thirty thousand strong, in death dyed red his thick and shaggy beard, changing its color with a deep crimson stain. Arabus, too, the Magian, perished there, and Bactrian Artabes, a settler now in a rugged land.

Amistris, and Amphistreus, wielder of a painful spear, and brave Ariomardus, whose death brought grief to Sardis, and Seisames the Mysian, and Tharybis, admiral of five times fifty ships, a Lyrnaean by descent, a man of physical beauty,

lies dead in a state of misery, no longer attended by good fortune.[*] Syennesis, also, the governor of the Cilicians, foremost in courage, he whose prowess did the foe most harm, found there a glorious death. Such were the leaders about whom I was making my report.

Although our losses were many, I announce but few.

Alas! The words I hear put the very crown upon our woes; a disgrace to the Persians and cause for shrill lament. But retrace your tale and tell me this clearly:

how great was the number of the Greek ships which gave them confidence enough to go into battle with their armed prows against the Persian army?

If numbers had been the only factor, be assured that the barbarians would have gained the victory with their fleet. For the whole number of the ships of Hellas amounted to ten times thirty,

and, in addition to these, there was a chosen squadron of ten. But Xerxes, this I know, had under his command a thousand, while those excelling in speed were twice a hundred, and seven more. This is the total of their respective numbers. Do you think that we were simply outnumbered in this contest?

No, it was some divine power that tipped the scale of fortune with unequal weight and thus destroyed our host. The gods preserve the city of the goddess Pallas.

Is then the city of Athens not yet despoiled?

No, while her men still live, her ramparts are impregnable.

But the beginning of the encounter of the fleets, tell me about it. Who began the onset? Was it the Hellenes? Or my son, exulting in the multitude of his ships?

My Queen, some destructive power or evil spirit, appearing from somewhere or other, caused the beginning of our utter rout.

A Hellene, from the Athenian host, came to your son Xerxes and told this tale: that, when the gloom of black night should set in, the Hellenes would not remain in place, but, springing upon the rowing benches of their ships, would seek, some here, some there,

to preserve their lives by stealthy flight. But Xerxes, when he heard this, comprehending neither the cleverness of the Greek nor that the gods grudged him success, straightway gave all his captains orders to this effect—that, when the sun had ceased to illumine the earth with his beams,

and darkness had covered the region of the sky, they should bring up in a tight group the main body of the fleet, disposed in triple line, to bar the exits and the sounding straits, and station other ships in a circle around the island of Ajax. He gave them a warning too that, should the Hellenes escape an evil doom,

finding by stealth some means of flight for their fleet, it had been decreed that every captain should lose his head. These commands he made with complete confidence of heart, since he knew not the issue intended by the gods. Our crews then, with no lack of order but with an obedient spirit,

prepared their evening meal, while each sailor looped his oar about its thole-pin so that it fitted well. But when the light of the sun had faded and night drew on, each master of an oar and each man versed in arms went on board.

The long galleys cheered each other, line by line; and they held their course as each captain had been ordered, and all through the night the commanders of the fleet kept their whole force cruising to and fro across the strait. Night began to wane,

yet the fleet of the Hellenes in no way attempted to put forth by stealth. When, however, radiant Day with her white horses shone over all the land, a loud cheer like a song of triumph first rang out from the Hellenes, and, at the same instant,