Euripides' RHESUS Complete

Translated by E. Coleridge.

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Aeneas: Would thou wert as sage as thou art bold But lo! among mortals
the same man is not dowered by nature with universal knowledge; each
hath his special gift appointed him, thine is arms, another's is sage
counsel. Thou hearest their torches are blazing, and art fired with
the hope that the Achaeans are flying, and wouldst lead on our troops
across the trenches in the calm still night. Now after crossing the
deep yawning trench, supposing thou shouldst find the enemy are not
flying from the land, but are awaiting thy onset, beware lest thou
suffer defeat and so never reach this city again; for how wilt thou
pass the palisades in a rout? And how shall thy charioteers cross
the bridges without dashing the axles of their cars to pieces? And,
if victorious, thou hast next the son of Peleus to engage; he will
ne'er suffer thee to cast the firebrand on the fleet, no, nor to harry
the Achaeans as thou dost fondly fancy. Nay, for yon man is fierce
as fire, a very tower of valiancy. Let us rather then leave our men
to sleep calmly under arms after the weariness of battle, while we
send, as I advise, whoe'er will volunteer, to spy upon the enemy;
and if they really are preparing to fly, let us arise and fall upon
the Argive host, but if this signalling is a trap to catch us, we
shall discover from the spy the enemy's designs and take our measures;
such is my advice, O King.

Chorus: It likes me well; so change thy mind and adopt this counsel.
I love not hazardous commands in generals. What better scheme could
be than for a fleet spy to approach the ships and learn why our foes
are lighting fires in front of their naval station?

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