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.