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SPEECH OF CASSANDRA.
FROM THE AGAMEMNON. (1178.)
Cassandra, after the storming of Troy, was included in the General-in-chief's allotted portion of the spoil. She accompanied him, as his slave, on his return to Argos; and was murdered, together with him, by Clytemnestra. Æschylus represents her, after Agamemnon has crossed the fatal threshold of his palace, as remaining for a short time on the stage with the Chorus of aged Argives. She breaks out into prophetic wailings of her coming doom; and on the Chorus terming her words vague and aimless, though of fearful omen, she challenges their confession of her inspired knowledge of the ancient crimes of the House of Agamemnon.
Καὶ μὴν ὁ χρησμὸς οὐκέτ᾽ ἐκ καλυμμάτων
Ἔσται δεδορκὼς νεογάμου νύμφης δίκην
Λαμπρὸς δ᾽ ἔοικεν ἡλίου πρὸς ἀντολὰς
Πνέων ἐσήξειν, ὥστε κύματος δίκην
Κλύζειν πρὸς αὐγὰς τοῦδε πήματος πολὺ
Μεῑζον· κ.τ.λ.
Ἔσται δεδορκὼς νεογάμου νύμφης δίκην
Λαμπρὸς δ᾽ ἔοικεν ἡλίου πρὸς ἀντολὰς
Πνέων ἐσήξειν, ὥστε κύματος δίκην
Κλύζειν πρὸς αὐγὰς τοῦδε πήματος πολὺ
Μεῑζον· κ.τ.λ.
CASSANDRA.
No longer then shall the Oracular Power
Look dimly forth from dark mysterious words,
Like a bride muffled in her nuptial veil.
Full into light it rushes, like the blast,
The mighty Western blast, impetuously
Bursting upon the regions of the East.[1]
No longer then shall the Oracular Power
Look dimly forth from dark mysterious words,
Like a bride muffled in her nuptial veil.
Full into light it rushes, like the blast,
The mighty Western blast, impetuously
Bursting upon the regions of the East.[1]
- ↑ I have expanded the translation into what I believe to be the full meaning of the Greek. Æschylus alludes to the West wind, which is the one most strongly felt on the eastern coasts of the Ægæan. He elsewhere, in this play, calls it the Ζέφυρου γίγαντος αὔρα.