_Atoss._ [O God, how many evils fall on me![63] And yet this one woe biteth more than all, Hearing my son's shame in the rags of robes That clothe his limbs. But I will go and take A fit adornment from my house, and try To meet my son. We will not in his troubles Basely abandon him whom most we love.] STROPHE I _Chor._ Ah me! a glorious and a blessed life Had we as subjects once, When our old king, Dareios, ruled the land, 850 Meeting all wants, dispassionate, supreme, A monarch like a God. ANTISTROPHE I For first we showed the world our noble hosts; And laws of tower-like strength Directed all things; and our backward march After our wars unhurt, unsuffering led Our prospering armies home. STROPHE II How many towns he took, Not crossing Halys' stream[64] 860 Nor issuing from his home, There where in Strymon's sea, The Acheloian Isles[65] Lie near the coasts of Thrakian colonies. ANTISTROPHE II And those that lie outside the Ægæan main, The cities girt with towers, They hearkened to our king; And those who boast their site By Hellè's full, wide stream, Propontis with its bays, and mouth of Pontos broad. 870 STROPHE III And all the isles that lie Facing the headland jutting in the sea,[66] Close bound to this our coast; Lesbos, and Samos with its olive groves; Chios and Paros too; Naxos and Myconos, and Andros too On Tenos bordering. ANTISTROPHE III And so he ruled the isles That lie midway between the continents, Lemnos, and Icaros, Rhodes and Cnidos and the Kyprian towns, 880 Paphos and Soli famed, And with them Salamis, Whose parent city now our groans doth cause;[67] EPODE And many a wealthy town and populous, Of Hellenes in the Ionian region dwelling, He by his counsel ruled; His was the unconquered strength of warrior host, Allies of mingled race. And now, beyond all doubt, In strife of war defeated utterly, We find this high estate Through wrath of God o'erturned, 890 And we are smitten low, By bitter loss at sea. _Enter_ XERXES _in kingly apparel, but with his robes rent, with_ Attendants.