Their country； have my slumbers been disturb'd
With dreams of dread portent； but most last night；
With marks of plainest proof。 I'll tell thee then：
Alethought two women stood before my eyes
Gorgeously vested； one in Persian robes
Adorn'd； the other in the Doric garb。
With more than mortal majesty they moved；
Of peerless beauty； sisters too they seem'd；
Though distant each from each they chanced to dwell；
In Greece the one； on the barbaric coast
The other。 'Twixt them soon dissension rose：
My son then hasted to compose their strife；
Soothed them to fair accord； beneath his car
Yokes them； and reins their harness'd necks。 The one；
Exulting in her rich array； with pride
Arching her stately neck； obey'd the reins；
The other with indignant fury spurn'd
The car； and dash'd it piecemeal； rent the reins；
And tore the yoke asunder； down my son
Fell from the seat； and instant at his side
His father stands； Darius； at his fall
Impress'd with pity： him when Xerxes saw；
Glowing with grief and shame he rends his robes。
This was the dreadful vision of the night。
When I arose； in the sweet…flowing stream
I bathed my hands； and on the incensed altars
Presenting my oblations to the gods
To avert these ills； an eagle I behold
Fly to the altar of the sun； aghast
I stood； my friends； and speechless； when a hawk
With eager speed runs thither； furious cuffs
The eagle with his wings； and with his talons
Unplumes his head； meantime the imperial bird
Cowers to the blows defenceless。 Dreadful this
To me that saw it； and to you that hear。
My son； let conquest crown his arms； would shine
With dazzling glory； but should Fortune frown；
The state indeed presumes not to arraign
His sovereignty； yet how； his honour lost；
How shall he sway the sceptre of this land？
LEADER
We would not； royal lady； sink thy soul
With fear in the excess； nor raise it high
With confidence。 Go then； address the gods；
If thou hast seen aught ill； entreat their power
To avert that ill； and perfect ev'ry good
To thee； thy sons； the state； and all thy friends。
Then to the earth； and to the mighty dead
Behooves thee pour libations； gently cal
Him that was once thy husband； whom thou saw'st
In visions of the night； entreat his shade
From the deep realms beneath to send to light
Triumph to thee and to thy son； whate'er
Bears other import； to inwrap； to hide it
Close in the covering earth's profoundest gloom。
This； in the presage of my thoughts that flow
Benevolent to thee； have I proposed；
And all； we trust； shall be successful to thee。
ATOSSA
Thy friendly judgment first hath placed these dreams
In a fair light； confirming the event
Benevolent to my son and to my house。
May all the good be ratified！ These rites
Shall； at thy bidding； to the powers of heaven；
And to the manes of our friends； be paid
In order meet； when I return； meanwhile
Indulge me； friends； who wish to be inform'd
Where； in what clime； the towers of Athens rise。
LEADER
Far in the west； where sets the imperial sun。
ATOSSA
Yet my son will'd the conquest of this town。
LEADER
May Greece through all her states bend to his power！
ATOSSA
Send they embattled numbers to the field？
LEADER
A force that to the Medes hath wrought much wo。
ATOSSA
Have they sufficient treasures in their houses？
LEADER
Their rich earth yields a copious fount of silver。
ATOSSA
From the strong bow wing they the barbed shaft？
LEADER
They grasp the stout spear； and the massy shield。
ATOSSA
What monarch reigns； whose power commands their ranks？
LEADER
Slaves to no lord； they own no kingly power。
ATOSSA
How can they then resist the invading foe？
LEADER
As to spread havoc through the numerous host；
That round Darius form'd their glitt'ring files。
ATOSSA
Thy words strike deep； and wound the parent's breast
Whose sons are march'd to such a dangerous field。
LEADER
But； if I judge aright； thou soon shalt hear
Each circumstance； for this way； mark him； speeds
A Persian messenger； he bears； be sure；
Tidings of high import； or good or ill。
（A MESSENGER enters。）
MESSENGER
Wo to the towns through Asia's peopled realms！
Wo to the land of Persia； once the port
Of boundless wealth； how is thy glorious state
Vanish'd at once； and all thy spreading honours
Fall'n； lost！ Ah me！ unhappy is his task
That bears unhappy tidings： but constraint
Compels me to relate this tale of wo。
Persians； the whole barbaric host is fall'n。
CHORUS （chanting）
O horror； horror！ What a baleful train
Of recent ills！ Ah； Persians； as he speaks
Of ruin； let your tears stream to the earth。
MESSENGER
It is ev'n so； all ruin； and myself；
Beyond all hope returning； view this light。
CHORUS （chanting）
How tedious and oppressive is the weight
Of age； reserved to hear these hopeless ills！
MESSENGER
I speak not from report； but these mine eyes
Beheld the ruin which my tongue would utter。
CHORUS （chanting）
Wo； wo is me！ Then has the iron storm；
That darken'd from the realms of Asia； pour'd
In vain its arrowy shower on sacred Greece。
MESSENGER
In heaps the unhappy dead lie on the strand
Of Salamis； and all the neighbouring shores。
CHORUS （chanting）
Unhappy friends； sunk； perish'd in the sea；
Their bodies； mid the wreck of shatter'd ships；
Mangled； and rolling on the encumber'd waves！
MESSENGER
Naught did their bows avail； but all the troops
In the first conflict of the ships were lost。
CHORUS （chanting）
Raise the funereal cry； with dismal notes
Wailing the wretched Persians。 Oh； how ill
They plann'd their measures； all their army perish'd！
MESSENGER
O Salamis； how hateful is thy name！
And groans burst from me when I think of Athens。
CHORUS （chanting）
How dreadful to her foes！ Call to remembrance
How many Persian dames； wedded in vain；
Hath Athens of their noble husbands widow'd？
ATOSSA
Astonied with these ills； my voice thus long
Hath wanted utterance： griefs like these exceed
The power of speech or question： yet ev'n such；
Inflicted by the gods； must mortal man
Constrain'd by hard necessity endure。
But tell me all； without distraction tell me；
All this calamity； though many a groan
Burst from thy labouring heart。 Who is not fallen？
What leader must we wail？ What sceptred chief
Dying hath left his troops without a lord？
MESSENGER
Xerxes himself lives； and beholds the light。
ATOSSA
That word beams comfort on my house； a ray
That brightens through the melancholy gloom。
MESSENGER
Artembares； the potent chief that led
Ten thousand horse； lies slaughtered on the rocks
Of rough Sileniae。 The great Dadaces；
Beneath whose standard march'd a thousand horse；
Pierced by a spear； fell headlong from the ship。
Tenagon； bravest of the Bactrians； lies
Roll'd on the wave…worn beach of Ajax' isle。
Lilaeus； Arsames； Argestes； dash
With violence in death against the rocks
Where nest the silver doves。 Arcteus； that dwelt
Near to the fountains of the Egyptian Nile；
Adeues； and Pheresba； and Pharnuchus
Fell from one ship。 Matallus； Chrysa's chief；
That led his dark'ning squadrons； thrice ten thousand；
On jet…black steeds； with purple gore distain'd
The yellow of his thick and shaggy beard。
The Magian Arabus； and Artames
From Bactra； mould'ring on the dreary shore
Lie low。 Amistris； and Amphistreus there
Grasps his war…wear spear； there prostrate lies
The illustrious Ariomardus； long his los
Shall Sardis weep： thy Mysian Sisames；
And Tharybis； that o'er the burden'd deep
Led five times fifty vessels； Lerna gave
The hero birth； and manly race adorn'd
His pleasing form； but low in death he lies
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 fierce conflict 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 sec