Unhappy in his fate. Syennesis,


Cilicia's warlike chief, who dared to front

The foremost dangers, singly to the foes


A terror, there too found a glorious death.

These chieftains to my sad remembrance rise,


Relating but a few of many ills.

ATOSSA


This is the height of ill, ah me! and shame

To Persia, grief, and lamentation loud.


But tell me this, afresh renew thy tale:

What was the number of the Grecian fleet,


That in fierceconflict their bold barks should dare

Rush to encounter with the Persian hosts.


MESSENGER

Know then, in numbers the barbaric fleet


Was far superior: in ten squadrons, each

Of thirty ships, Greece plough'd the deep; of these


One held a distant station. Xerxes led

A thousand ships; their number well I know;


Two hundred more, and seven, that swept the seas

With speediest sail: this was their full amount.


And in the engagement seem'd we not secure

Of victory? But unequal fortune sunk


Our scale in fight, discomfiting our host.

ATOSSA


The gods preserve the city of Minerva.

MESSENGER


The walls of Athens are impregnable,

Their firmest bulwarks her heroic sons.


ATOSSA

Which navy first advanced to the attack?


Who led to the onset, tell me; the bold Greeks,

Or, glorying in his numerous fleet, my son?


MESSENGER

Our evil genius, lady, or some god


Hostile to Persia, led to ev'ry ill.

Forth from the troops of Athens came a Greek,


And thus address'd thy son, the imperial Xerxes:-

"Soon as the shades of night descend, the Grecians


Shall quit their station; rushing to their oars

They mean to separate, and in secret flight


Seek safety." At these words, the royal chief,

Little conceiving of the wiles of Greece


And gods averse, to all the naval leaders

Gave his high charge:-"Soon as yon sun shall cease


To dart his radiant beams, and dark'ning night

Ascends the temple of the sky, arrange


In three divisions your well-ordered ships,

And guard each pass, each outlet of the seas:


Others enring around this rocky isle

Of Salamis. Should Greece escape her fate,


And work her way by secret flight, your heads

Shall answer the neglect." This harsh command


He gave, exulting in his mind, nor knew

What Fate design'd. With martial discipline


And promptobedience, snatching a repast,

Each mariner fix'd well his ready oar.


Soon as the golden sun was set, and night

Advanced, each train'd to ply the dashing oar,


Assumed his seat; in arms each warrior stood,

Troop cheering troop through all the ships of war.


Each to the appointed station steers his course;

And through the night his naval force each chief


Fix'd to secure the passes. Night advanced,

But not by secret flight did Greece attempt


To escape. The morn, all beauteous to behold,

Drawn by white steeds bounds o'er the enlighten'd earth;


At once from ev'ry Greek with glad acclaim

Burst forth the song of war, whose lofty notes


The echo of the island rocks return'd,

Spreading dismay through Persia's hosts, thus fallen


From their high hopes; no flight this solemn strain

Portended, but deliberatevalour bent


On daring battle; while the trumpet's sound

Kindled the flames of war. But when their oars


The paean ended, with impetuous force

Dash'd the resounding surges, instant all


Rush'd on in view: in orderly array

The squadron on the right first led, behind


Rode their whole fleet; and now distinct we heard

From ev'ry part this voice of exhortation:-


"Advance, ye sons of Greece, from thraldom save

Your country, save your wives, your children save,


The temples of your gods, the sacred tomb

Where rest your honour'd ancestors; this day


The common cause of all demands your valour."

Meantime from Persia's hosts the deep'ning shout


Answer'd their shout; no time for cold delay;

But ship 'gainst ship its brazen beak impell'd.


First to the charge a Grecian galley rush'd;

Ill the Phoenician bore the rough attack,


Its sculptured prow all shatter'd. Each advanced

Daring an opposite. The deep array


Of Persia at the first sustain'd the encounter;

But their throng'd numbers, in the narrow seas


Confined, want room for action; and, deprived

Of mutual aid, beaks clash with beaks, and each


Breaks all the other's oars: with skill disposed

The Grecian navy circled them around


With fierceassault; and rushing from its height

The inverted vessel sinks: the sea no more


Wears its accustomed aspect, with foul wrecks

And blood disfigured; floating carcasses


Roll on the rocky shores: the poor remains

Of the barbaric armament to flight


Ply every oar inglorious: onward rush

The Greeks amid the ruins of the fleet,


As through a shoal of fish caught in the net,

Spreading destruction: the wide ocean o'er


Wailings are heard, and loud laments, till night

With darkness on her brow brought grateful truce.


Should I recount each circumstance of wo,

Ten times on my unfinished tale the sun


Would set; for be assured that not one day

Could close the ruin of so vast a host.


ATOSSA

Ah, what a boundless sea of wo hath burst


On Persia, and the whole barbaric race!