talons in the eagle’s head, and the eagle did

nothing,

only cringed and offered up

its flesh.

Terrors! I saw them!

Now you’ve heard them.

And you surely know

that if my son succeeds, he’ll be marveled at,

but if he fails,

his people cannot call him to account.

When he is safely home,

he’ll rule the country as he always has.

CHORUS. Mother,

here’s advice

meant neither to alarm

nor overgladden you.

Gods abide:

turn toward them suppliant,

if anything you saw stirs faintest doubt,

praying them

to turn it away and bring

goodness to its peak

for you and

children in your line,

for Persia, too,

and those you love.

Afterward, pour out

the drink due Earth

and give the thirsty dead their sip

and pray, appeasing him,

your husband Darius—

you say you saw him

in the kind-hearted night—

asking him to send up

from his depth into our light

blessings for you and your son

and hold the reverse back

earth-coffined

till it molders in that dark.

For this advice

I have consulted

my prophetic heart.

Be appeased,

for as we

read the signs,

everything

shall

turn out well.

ATOSSA. Yes, you

the first

to read my dream,

with goodwill toward my son and house,

have found

its true interpretation.

Would that the omens

turn out well!

I’ll do all you say

for gods and old friends under earth

when I go home.

But first

I’d like to know, dear friends,

where

Athens is.

CHORUSLEADER. Far west where the Lord Sun fades out.

ATOSSA. My son really wanted to hunt down this city?

CHORUSLEADER. Yes, so all Greece would bend beneath a Shah.

ATOSSA. Does it field a manhorde of an army?

CHORUSLEADER. Such that it has worked evils on the Medes.

ATOSSA. Then bowtugging arrows glint in their hands?

CHORUSLEADER. No. Spears held steady, and heavy shields.

ATOSSA. What else? Wealth in their houses?

CHORUSLEADER. Treasure, a fountain of silver, lies in their soil.

ATOSSA. But who herds the manflock? Who lords the army?

CHORUSLEADER. They’re not anyone’s slaves or subjects.

ATOSSA. Then how can they resist invaders?

CHORUSLEADER. So well that they crushed Darius’ huge and shining army.

ATOSSA. Terrible words! You make the parents of those gone shudder.

CHORUS. [Severally]

But I think you will soon hear the whole story.

Someone’s coming!

He’s ours—

a Persian clearly by the way he runs.

Something’s happened. Good or bad,

he brings the plain truth.

[The MESSENGER enters left.]

MESSENGER.

Listen! cities that people vast Asia.

Listen! Persian earth, great harbor of wealth.

One stroke, one single stroke has smashed

great prosperity,

and Persia’s flower is gone, cut down.

Bitter, being first to tell you bitter news,

But need presses me to unroll the full disaster.

Persians,

our whole expedition is lost.

CHORUS.

Cruel cruelest evil

newmade, consuming Oh

weep, Persians, who hear

this pain

MESSENGER. Everything over there has ended. And I—