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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） And thou； whose age
The miseries of thy Xerxes sink with sorrow；
Go to thy house； thence choose the richest robe；
And meet thy son； for through the rage of grief
His gorgeous vestments from his royal limbs
Are foully rent。 With gentlest courtesy
Soothe his affliction； for is duteous ear；
I know； will listen to thy voice alone。
Now to the realms of darkness I descend。
My ancient friends； farewell； and mid these ills
Each day in pleasures battle your drooping spirits；
For treasured riches naught avail the dead。
（The GHOST OF DARIUS vanishes into the tomb。）
LEADER
These many present； many future ills
Denounced on Persia； sink my soul with grief。
ATOSSA
Unhappy fortune； what a tide of ills
Bursts o'er me！ Chief this foul disgrace； which shows
My son divested of his rich attire；
His royal robes all rent； distracts my thoughts。
But I will go； choose the most gorgeous vest；
And liaste to meet my son。 Ne'er in his woes
Will I forsake whom my soul holds most dear。
（ATOSSA departs as the CHORUS begins its song。）
CHORUS
strophe 1
Ye powers that rule the skies；
Memory recalls our great； our happy fate；
Our well…appointed state；
The scenes of glory opening to our eyes；
When this vast empire o'er
The good Darius； with each virtue bless'd
That forms a monarch's breast；
Shielding his subjects with a father's care
Invincible in war；
Extended like a god his awful power；
Then spread our arms their glory wide；
Guarding to peace her golden reign：
Each tower'd city saw with pride
Safe from the toils of war her homeward…marching train。
antistrophe 1
Nor Haly's shallow strand
He pass'd； nor from his palace moved his state；
He spoke； his word was Fate。
What strong…based cities could his might withstand？
Not those that lift their heads
Where to the sea the floods of Strymon pass；
Leaving the huts of Thrace；
Nor those； that far the extended ocean o'er
Stand girt with many a tower；
Nor where the Hellespont his broad wave spreads；
Nor the firm bastions' rampired might；
Whose foot the deep Propontis laves；
Nor those； that glorying in their height
Frown o'er the Pontic sea； and shade his darken'd waves。
strophe 2
Each sea…girt isle around
Bow'd to this monarch： humbled Lesbos bow'd；
Paros； of its marble proud；
Naxos with vines； with olives Samos crown'd：
Him Myconos adored；
Chios； the seat of beauty； Andros steep；
That stretches o'er the deep
To meet the wat'ry Tenos； him each bay
Bound by the Icarian sea；
Him Melos； Gnidus； Rhodes confess'd their lord；
O'er Cyprus stretch'd his sceptred hand：
Paphos and Solos own'd his power；
And Salamis； whose hostile strand；
The cause of all our wo； is red with Persian gore。
antistrophe 2
Ev'n the proud towns； that rear'd
Sublime along the lonian coast their towers；
Where wealth her treasures pours；
Peopled from Greece； his prudent reign revered。
With such unconquer'd might
His hardy warriors shook the embattled fields；
Heroes that Persia yields；
And those from distant realms that took their way；
And wedged in close array
Beneath his glitt'ring banners claim'd the fight。
But now these glories are no more：
Farewell the big war's plumed pride：
The gods have crush'd this trophied power；
Sunk are our vanquish'd arms beneath the indignant tide。
（XERXES enters； with a few followers。 His royal raiment is torn；
The entire closing scene is sung or chanted。）
XERXES
Ah me； how sudden have the storms of Fate；
Beyond all thought； all apprehension； burst
On my devoted head！ O Fortune； Fortune！
With what relentless fury hath thy hand
Hurl'd desolation on the Persian race！
Wo unsupportable！ The torturing thought
Of our lost youth comes rushing on my mind；
And sinks me to the ground。 O Jove； that
Had died with those brave men that died in fight I
CHORUS
O thou afflicted monarch； once the lord
Of marshall'd armies； of the lustre beam'd
From glory's ray o'er Persia； of her sons
The pride； the grace； whom ruin now hath sunk
In blood！ The unpeopled land laments her youth
By Xerxes led to slaughter； till the realms
Of death are gorged with Persians； for the flower
Of all the realm； thousands； whose dreadful bows
With arrowy shower annoy'd the foe； are fall'n。
XERXES
Your fall； heroic youths； distracts my soul。
CHORUS
And Asia sinking on her knee； O king；
Oppress'd； with griefs oppress'd； bends to the earth。
XERXES
And I； O wretched fortune； I was born
To crush； to desolate my ruin'd country！
CHORUS
I have no voice； no swelling harmony；
No descant； save these notes of wo；
Harsh； and responsive to the sullen sigh；
Rude strains； that unmelodious flow；
To welcome thy return。
XERXES
Then bid them flow； bid the wild measures flow
Hollow； unmusical； the notes of grief；
They suit my fortune； and dejected state。
CHORUS
Yes； at thy royal bidding shall the strain
Pour the deep sorrows of my soul；
The suff'rings of my bleeding country plain；
And bid the mournful measures roll。
Again the voice of wild despair
With thrilling shrieks shall pierce the air；
For high the god of war his flaming crest
Raised； with the fleet of Greece surrounded；
The haughty arms of Greece with conquest bless'd；
And Persia's wither'd force confounded；
Dash'd on the dreary beach her heroes slain；
Or whelm'd them in the darken'd main。
XERXES
To swell thy griefs ask ev'ry circumstance。
CHORUS
Where are thy valiant friends； thy chieftains where？
Pharnaces； Susas； and the might
Of Pelagon； and Dotamas？ The spear
Of Agabates bold in fight？
Psammis in mailed cuirass dress'd；
And Susiscanes' glitt'ring crest？
XERXES
Dash'd from the Tyrian vessel on the rocks
Of Salamis they sunk； and smear'd with gore
The heroes on the dreary strand are stretch'd。
CHORUS
Where is Pharnuchus？ Ariomardus where；
With ev'ry gentle virtue graced？
Lilaeus； that from chiefs renown'd in war
His high…descended lineage traced？
Where rears Sebalces his crown…circled head：
Where Tharybis to battles bred；
Artembares； Hystaechmes bold；
Memphis； Masistress sheath'd in gold？
XERXES
Wretch that I am！ These on the abhorred town
Ogygian Athens； roll'd their glowing eyes
Indignant； but at once in the fierce shock
Of battle fell； dash'd breathless on the ground。
CHORUS
There does the son of Batanochus lie；
Through whose rich veins the unsullied blood
Of Susamus； down from the lineage high
Of noble Mygabatas flow'd：
Alpistus； who with faithful care
Number'd the deep'ning files of war；
The monarch's eye； on the ensanguined plain
Low is the mighty warrior laid？
Is great Aebares 'mong the heroes slain；
And Partheus number'd with the dead？…
Ah me！ those bursting groans； deep…charged with wo；
The fate of Persia's princes show。
XERXES
To my grieved memory thy mournful voice；
Tuned to the saddest notes of wo； recalls
My brave friends lost； and my rent heart returns
In dreadful symphony the sorrowing strain。
CHORUS
Yet once more shall I ask thee； yet once more；
Where is the Mardian Xanthes' might；
The daring chief； that from the Pontic shore
Led his strong phalanx to the fight？
Anchares where； whose high…raised shield
Flamed foremost in the embattled field？
Where the high leaders of thy mail…clad horse；
Daixis and Arsaces where？
Where Cigdadatas and Lythimnas' force；
Waving untired his purple spear？
XERXES
Entomb'd； I saw them in the earth entomb'd；
Nor did the rolling car with solemn state
Attend their rites： I follow'd： low they lie
（Ah me； the once great leaders of my host！
Low in the earth； without their honours lie。
CHORUS
O wo； wo； wo！ Unutterable wo
The demons of revenge have spread；
And Ate from her drear abode below