HERALD OF AEGYPTUS
Wherein? I do but search and claim
mine own.
To whom of our guest-champions hast appealed?
HERALD OF AEGYPTUS
To Hermes, herald’s champion, lord
of search.
Yea, to a god—yet dost thou
wrong the gods!
HERALD OF AEGYPTUS
The gods that rule by Nilus I revere.
Hear I aright? our Argive gods are nought?
HERALD OF AEGYPTUS
The prey is mine, unless force rend it
from me.
At thine own peril touch them—’ware,
and soon!
HERALD OF AEGYPTUS
I hear thy speech, no hospitable word.
I am no host for sacrilegious hands.
HERALD OF AEGYPTUS
I will go tell this to Aegyptus’
sons.
Tell it! my pride will ponder not thy
word.
HERALD OF AEGYPTUS
Yet, that I have my message clear to say
(For it behooves that heralds’ words
be clear,
Be they or ill or good), how art thou
named?
By whom despoiled of this sister-band
Of maidens pass I homeward?—speak
and say!
For lo, henceforth in Ares’ court
we stand,
Who judges not by witness but by war:
No pledge of silver now can bring the
cause
To issue: ere this thing end, there
must be
Corpse piled on corpse and many lives
gasped forth.
What skills it that I tell my name to
thee?
Thou and thy mates shall learn it ere
the end.
Know that if words unstained by violence
Can change these maidens’ choice,
then mayest thou,
With full consent of theirs, conduct them
hence.
But thus the city with one voice ordained—
No force shall bear away
the maiden band.
Firmly this word upon the temple wall
Is by a rivet clenched, and shall abide:
Not upon wax inscribed and delible,
Nor upon parchment sealed and stored away.—
Lo, thou hast heard our free mouths speak
their will:
Out from our presence—tarry
not, but go!
HERALD OF AEGYPTUS
Methinks we stand on some new edge
of war:
Be strength and triumph on the young men’s
side!
