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GHOST OF DARIUS
Ye faithful Persians； honour'd now in age；
Once the companions of my youth； what ills
Afflict the state？ The firm earth groans； it opes；
Disclosing its vast deeps； and near my tomb
I see my wife： this shakes my troubled soul
With fearful apprehensions； yet her off'rings
Pleased I receive。 And you around my tomb
Chanting the lofty strain； whose solemn air
Draws forth the dead； with grief…attemper'd notes
Mournfully call me： not with ease the way
Leads to this upper air； and the stern gods；
Prompt to admit； yield not a passage back
But with reluctance： much with them my power
Availing； with no tardy step I come。
Say then； with what new ill doth Persia groan？
CHORUS （chanting）
My wonted awe o'ercomes me； in thy presence
I dare not raise my eyes； I dare not speak。
GHOST OF DARIUS
Since from the realms below； by thy sad strains
Adjured； I come； speak； let thy words be brief；
Say whence thy grief； tell me unawed by fear。
I dread to forge a flattering tale； I dread
To grieve thee with a harsh offensive truth。
GHOST OF DARIUS
Since fear hath chained his tongue； high…honour'd dame；
Once my imperial consort； check thy tears；
Thy griefs； and speak distinctly。 Mortal man
Must bear his lot of wo； afflictions rise
Many from sea； many from land； if life
Be haply measured through a lengthen'd course。
ATOSSA
O thou that graced with Fortune's choicest gifts
Surpassing mortals； while thine eye beheld
Yon sun's ethereal rays； lived'st like a god
Bless'd amid thy Persians； bless'd I deem thee now
In death； ere sunk in this abyss of ills；
Darius； hear at once our sum of wo；
Ruin through all her states hath crush'd thy Persia。
GHOST OF DARIUS
By pestilence； or faction's furious storms？
ATOSSA
Not so： near Athens perish'd all our troops。
GHOST OF DARIUS
Say； of my sons； which led the forces thither？
ATOSSA
The impetuous Xerxes； thinning all the land。
GHOST OF DARIUS
By sea or land dared he this rash attempt？
ATOSSA
By both： a double front the war presented。
GHOST OF DARIUS
A host so vast what march conducted o'er？
ATOSSA
From shore to shore he bridged the Hellespont。
GHOST OF DARIUS
What！ could he chain the mighty Bosphorus？
ATOSSA
Ev'n so； some god assisting his design。
GHOST OF DARIUS
Some god of power to cloud his better sense。
ATOSSA
The event now shows what mischiefs he achieved。
GHOST OF DARIUS
What suffer'd they； for whom your sorrows flow？
ATOSSA
His navy sunk spreads ruin through the camp。
GHOST OF DARIUS
Fell all his host beneath the slaught'ring spear？
ATOSSA
Susa； through all her streets； mourns her lost sons。
GHOST OF DARIUS
How vain the succour； the defence of arms？
ATOSSA
In Bactra age and grief are only left。
GHOST OF DARIUS
Ah； what a train of warlike youth is lost！
ATOSSA
Xerxes； astonished； desolate； alone…
GHOST OF DARIUS
How will this end？ Nay； pause not。 Is he safe？
ATOSSA
Fled o'er the bridge； that join'd the adverse strands。
GHOST OF DARIUS
And reach'd this shore in safety？ Is this true？
ATOSSA
True are thy words； and not to be gainsay'd。
GHOST OF DARIUS
With what a winged course the oracles
Haste their completion！ With the lightning's speed
Jove on my son hath hurled his threaten'd vengeance：
Yet I implored the gods that it might fall
In time's late process： but when rashness drives
Impetuous on； the scourge of Heaven upraised
Lashes the Fury forward； hence these ills
Pour headlong on my friends。 Not weighing this；
My son； with all the fiery pride of youth；
Hath quickened their arrival； while he hoped
To bind the sacred Hellespont； to hold
The raging Bosphorus； like a slave； in chains；
And dared the advent'rous passage； bridging firm
With links of solid iron his wondrous way；
To lead his numerous host； and swell'd with thoughts
Presumptuous； deem'd； vain mortal！ that his power
Should rise above the gods； and Neptune's might。
And was riot this the phrensy of the soul？
But much I fear lest all my treasured wealth
Fall to some daring hand an easy prey。
ATOSSA
This from too frequent converse with bad men
The impetuous Xerxes learn'd； these caught his ear
With thy great deeds； as winning for thy sons
Vast riches with thy conquering spear； while he
Tim'rous and slothful； never； save in sport；
Lifted his lance； nor added to the wealth
Won by his noble fathers。 This reproach
Oft by bad men repeated； urged his soul
To attempt this war； and lead his troops to Greece。
GHOST OF DARIUS
Great deeds have they achieved； and memorable
For ages： never hath this wasted state
Suffer'd such ruin； since heaven's awful king
Gave to one lord Asia's extended plains
White with innumerous flocks； and to his hands
Consign'd the imperial sceptre。 Her brave hosts
A Mede first led； the virtues of his son
Fix'd firm the empire； for his temperate soul
Breathed prudence。 Cyrus next； by fortune graced；
Adorn'd the throne； and bless'd his grateful friends
With peace： he to his mighty monarchy
Join'd Lydia； and the Phrygians； to his power
Ionia bent reluctant； but the gods
His son then wore the regal diadem。
With victory his gentle virtues crown'd
His son then wore the regal diadem。
Next to disgrace his country； and to stain
The splendid glories of this ancient throne；
Rose Mardus： him； with righteous vengeance fired
Artaphernes； and his confederate chiefs
Crush'd in his palace： Maraphis assumed
The sceptre： after him Artaphernes。
Me next to this exalted eminence；
Crowning my great ambition； Fortune raised。
In many a glorious field my glittering spear
Flamed in the van of Persia's numerous hosts；
But never wrought such ruin to the state。
Xerxes； my son； in all the pride of youth
Listens to youthful counsels； my commands
No more remember'd； hence； my hoary friends；
Not the whole line of Persia's sceptred lords；
You know it well； so wasted her brave sons。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Why this？ To what fair end are these thy words
Directed？ Sovereign lord； instruct thy Persians
How； mid this ruin； best to guide their state。
GHOST OF DARIUS
No more 'gainst Greece lead your embattled hosts；
Not though your deep'ning phalanx spreads the field
Outnumb'ring theirs： their very earth fights for them。
LEADER
What may thy words import？ How fight for them？
GHOST OF DARIUS
With famine it destroys your cumbrous train。
LEADER
Choice levies； prompt for action； will we send；
GHOST OF DARIUS
Those； in the fields of Greece that now remain；
Shall not revisit safe the Persian shore。
LEADER
What！ shall not all the host of Persia pass
Again from Europe o'er the Hellespont？
GHOST OF DARIUS
Of all their numbers few； if aught avails
The faith of heaven…sent oracles to him
That weighs the past； in their accomplishment
Not partial： hence he left； in faithless hope
Confiding； his selected train of heroes。
These have their station where Asopus flows
Wat'ring the plain； whose grateful currents roll
Diffusing plenty through Boeotia's fields。
There misery waits to crush them with the load
Of heaviest ills； in vengeance for their proud
And impious daring； for where'er they held
Through Greece their march； they fear'd not to profane
The statues of the gods； their hallow'd shrines
Emblazed； o'erturn'd their altars； and in ruins；
Rent from their firm foundations； to the ground
Levell'd their temples； such their frantic deeds；
Nor less their suff'rings； greater still await them；
For Vengeance hath not wasted all her stores；
The heap yet swells； for in Plataea's plains
Beneath the Doric spear the clotted mas
Of carnage shall arise； that the high mounds；
Piled o'er the dead； to late posterity
Shall give this silent record to men's eyes；
That proud aspiring thoughts but ill beseem
Weak mortals： for oppression； when it springs；
Puts forth the blade of vengeance； and its fruit
Yields a ripe harvest of repentant wo。
Behold this vengeance； and remember Greece；
Remember Athens： henceforth let not pride；
Her present state disdaining； strive to grasp
Another's； and her treasured happiness
Shed on the ground： such insolent attempts
Awake the vengeance of offended Jove。
But you； whose age demands more temperate thoughts；
With words of well…placed counsel teach his youth
To curb that pride； which from the gods calls down
Destruction on his head。 （To ATOSSA） A