By the shores of Salamis , dashing against its rugged shore, I left them, fallen in death from a Tyrian ship.
 Chorus Woe! woe! cry aloud! Where is your beloved Pharnuchus, and the courageous Ariomardus? Where is prince Seualces, or Lilaeus of noble lineage, Memphis , Tharybis and Masistras, Artembares and Hystaechmas? This I ask you.
 Xerxes Woe, woe is me! They beheld ancient and hateful Athens and with one convulsive struggle (alas, alas !) poor wretches, they lie gasping on the shore.
 Chorus Did you really lose your trusty eye The Persian kings had in their service officers called their eyes and ears, charged to make report of what they saw and heard. there, that which counted tens upon tens of thousands of the Persians, Batanochus’ son Alpistus . . . son of Sesames, Megabates’ son, Parthos and mighty Oebares, did you leave these behind? Alas, alas, the unhappy men! You speak of woe, surpassing woe, for noble Persians.
 Xerxes In truth you stir yearning in me for my gallant comrades when you tell me of woe, surpassing woe, hateful and unforgettable. The heart within me cries out aloud for the wretched ones.
 Chorus And yet there are others too whom we miss: Xanthis, commander of a myriad Mardian men, and warlike Anchares, Diaexis, too, and Arsaces, captains of the horse, Cegdadatas and Lythimnas, and Tolmus, insatiate in war. I marvel, that they do not follow behind around your wheeled tent.
 Xerxes Gone are they who were leaders of the host.
 Chorus Gone, alas, ingloriously.
 Xerxes Alas, alas!
 Chorus Alas, alas, you powers divine, you brought ruin upon us, unexpected, unmistakable to see, as is the glance of calamity.
 Xerxes We have been stricken by misfortune such as will endure for ages.
 Chorus We have been stricken; it is abundantly clear.
 Xerxes By strange woe, strange woe!
 Chorus It was with bad luck that we encountered Ionia ’s mariners. Unfortunate in war, indeed, is Persia ’s race.
 Xerxes How true it is. In the loss of so great an army I have indeed been dealt a blow, wretched as I am.
 Chorus What that belonged to Persia , unfortunate one, has not been destroyed?
 Xerxes Do you see this remnant of my royal robe?
 Chorus Yes, I do indeed.
 Xerxes And this quiver—
 Chorus What is this you say has been saved?
 Xerxes Treasury for shafts?