HERALD OF AEGYPTUS

Peace! if ye have not ears to hear my words, Lo, by these tresses must I hale you hence.

CHORUS

Undone we are, O king! all hope is gone.

HERALD OF AEGYPTUS

Ay, kings enow ye shall behold anon, Aegyptus' sons-Ye shall not want for kings.

[Enter the KING OF ARGOS.

THE KING OF ARGOS

Sirrah, what dost thou? in what arrogance Darest thou thus insult Pelasgia's realm?

Deemest thou this a woman-hearted town?

Thou art too full of thy barbarian scorn For us of Grecian blood, and, erring thus, Thou dost bewray thyself a fool in all!

HERALD OF AEGYPTUS

Say thou wherein my deeds transgress my right.

THE KING OF ARGOS

First, that thou play'st a stranger's part amiss.

HERALD OF AEGYPTUS

Wherein? I do but search and claim mine own.

THE KING OF ARGOS

To whom of our guest-champions hast appealed?

HERALD OF AEGYPTUS

To Hermes, herald's champion, lord of search.

THE KING OF ARGOS

Yea, to a G.o.d-yet dost thou wrong the G.o.ds!

HERALD OF AEGYPTUS

The G.o.ds that rule by Nilus I revere.

THE KING OF ARGOS

Hear I aright? our Argive G.o.ds are nought?

HERALD OF AEGYPTUS

The prey is mine, unless force rend it from me.

THE KING OF ARGOS

At thine own peril touch them-'ware, and soon!

HERALD OF AEGYPTUS

I hear thy speech, no hospitable word.

THE KING OF ARGOS

I am no host for sacrilegious hands.

HERALD OF AEGYPTUS

I will go tell this to Aegyptus' sons.

THE KING OF ARGOS

Tell it! my pride will ponder not thy word.

HERALD OF AEGYPTUS

Yet, that I have my message clear to say (For it behooves that heralds' words be clear, Be they or ill or good), how art thou named?

By whom despoiled of this sister-band Of maidens pa.s.s I homeward?-speak and say!

For lo, henceforth in Ares' court we stand, Who judges not by witness but by war: No pledge of silver now can bring the cause To issue: ere this thing end, there must be Corpse piled on corpse and many lives gasped forth.

THE KING OF ARGOS

What skills it that I tell my name to thee?

Thou and thy mates shall learn it ere the end.

Know that if words unstained by violence Can change these maidens' choice, then mayest thou, With full consent of theirs, conduct them hence.

But thus the city with one voice ordained- No force shall bear away the maiden band.

Firmly this word upon the temple wall Is by a rivet clenched, and shall abide: Not upon wax inscribed and delible, Nor upon parchment sealed and stored away.- Lo, thou hast heard our free mouths speak their will: Out from our presence-tarry not, but go!

HERALD OF AEGYPTUS

Methinks we stand on some new edge of war: Be strength and triumph on the young men's side!

THE KING OF ARGOS

Nay but here also shall ye find young men, Unsodden with the juices oozed from grain.[6]

[Exit HERALD OF AEGYPTUS But ye, O maids, with your attendants true, Pa.s.s hence with trust into the fenced town, Ringed with a wide confine of guarding towers.

Therein are many dwellings for such guests As the State honours; there myself am housed Within a palace neither scant nor strait.

There dwell ye, if ye will to lodge at ease In halls well-thronged: yet, if your soul prefer, Tarry secluded in a separate home.

Choose ye and cull, from these our proffered gifts, Whiche'er is best and sweetest to your will: And I and all these citizens whose vote Stands thus decreed, will your protectors be.

Look not to find elsewhere more loyal guard.

[Footnote: 6: For this curious taunt, strongly ill.u.s.trative of what Browning calls "nationality in drinks," see Herodotus, ii. 77. A similar feeling may perhaps be traced in Tacitus' description of the national beverage of the Germans: "Potui humor ex hordeo aut frumento, in quandam similitudinem vini corruptus" (Germania, chap, xxiii).]

CHORUS