Epeisodion 3
Loveliest day to see after a tempest,
900
To the wayfaring-one athirst a well-spring,
— The joy, in short, of ’scaping all that ’s — fatal!
I judge him worth addresses such as these are
— Envy stand off! — for many those old evils
We underwent. And now, to me — dear headship! —
905
Dismount thou from this car, not earthward setting
The foot of thine, O king, that’s Ilion’s spoiler!
Slave-maids, why tarry? — whose the task allotted
To strew the soil o’ the road with carpet-spreadings.
Immediately be purple-strewn the pathway,
910
So that to home unhoped may lead him — Justice!
As for the rest, care shall — by no sleep conquered —
Dispose things — justly (gods to aid!) appointed.
AGAMEMNON.
Offspring of Leda, of my household warder,
Suitably to my absence hast thou spoken,
915
For long the speech thou didst outstretch! But aptly
To praise — from others ought to go this favour.
And for the rest, —-not me, in woman’s fashion,
Mollify, nor — as mode of barbarous man is —
To me gape forth a groundward-falling clamour!
920
Nor, strewing it with garments, make my passage
Envied! Gods, sure, with these behoves we honour:
But, for a mortal on these varied beauties
To walk — to me, indeed, is nowise fear-free.
I say — as man, not god, to me do homage!
925
Apart from foot-mats both and varied vestures,
Renown is loud, and — not to lose one’s senses,
God’s greatest gift. Behoves we him call happy
Who has brought life to end in loved well-being.
