_Dar._ Ah me! Full swift the oracles' fulfilment! And on my son hath Zeus their end directed. I hoped the Gods would work them out more slowly; But when man hastens, God too with him worketh. And now for all my friends a fount of evils Seems to be found. And this my son, not knowing, 740 In youth's rash mood, hath wrought; for he did purpose To curb the sacred Hellespont with fetters, As though it were his slave, and sought to alter The stream of God, the Bosporos, full-flowing, And his well-hammered chains around it casting, Prevailed to make his mighty host a highway; And though a mortal, thought, with no good counsel, To master all the Gods, yea, e'en Poseidon. Nay, was not my poor son oppressed with madness? And much I fear lest all my heaped-up treasure Become the spoil and prey of the first comer. _Atoss._ Such things the o'er-hasty Xerxes learns from others,750 By intercourse with men of evil counsel;[54] Who say that thou great wealth for thy son gained'st By thy spear's might, while he with coward spirit Does his spear-work indoors, and nothing addeth Unto his father's glory. Such reproaches Hearing full oft from men of evil counsel, He planned this expedition against Hellas. _Dar._ Thus then a deed portentous hath been wrought, Ever to be remembered, such as ne'er Falling on Susa made it desolate, Since Zeus our king ordained this dignity, That one man should be lord of Asia's plains. Where feed her thousand flocks, and hold the rod 760 Of sovran guidance: for the Median first[55] Ruled o'er the host, and then his son in turn Finished the work, for reason steered his soul; And Kyros came as third, full richly blest, And ruled, and gained great peace for all his friends; And he won o'er the Lydians and the Phrygians, And conquered all the wide Ionian land;[56] For such his wisdom, he provoked not God. And Kyros' son came fourth, and ruled the host; And Mardos fifth held sway, his country's shame,[57] 770 Shame to the ancient throne; and him with guile Artaphrenes[58] the brave smote down, close leagued With men, his friends, to whom the work was given. [Sixth, Maraphis and seventh Artaphrenes,] And I obtained this post that I desired, And with a mighty host great victories won. Yet no such evil brought I on the state; But my son Xerxes, young, thinks like a youth, And all my solemn charge remembers not; For know this well, my old companions true, 780 That none of us who swayed the realm of old, Did e'er appear as working ills like these. _Chor._ What then, O King Dareios? To what end Lead'st thou thy speech? And how, in this our plight, Could we, the Persian people, prosper best? _Dar._ If ye no more attack the Hellenes' land, E'en though the Median host outnumbers theirs. To them the very land is true ally. _Chor._ What meanest thou? How fights the land for them?