03 - Herald
From: Agamemnon, by Aeschylus
Genre: Drama
Topic: Hope, message
Character: Male
It’s not right I talk of our misfortunes, and spoil such an auspicious day as this. We ought to keep such matters separate in deference to the gods. When a messenger arrives distraught, bringing dreadful news about some slaughtered army, that’s one wound inflicted on the city. Beyond that, from many houses many men are driven to their destruction by the double whip which Ares, god of war, so loves— disaster with two prongs, a bloody pair. A messenger weighed down with news like this should report the Furies’ song of triumph. But when he brings good news of men being saved to a city full of joyful celebrations . . . How can I mix the good news and the bad, telling of the storm which hit Achaeans, a storm linked to the anger of the gods? For fire and sea, before now enemies, swore a common oath and then proclaimed it by destroying Achaea’s helpless forces. At night malevolent seas rose up, as winds from Thrace smashed ships together. Pushed round by the power of that storm, and driven by great bursts of rain, the ships scattered, then disappeared, blown apart by the evil shepherd’s whirlwind. Later, when the sun’s bright light appeared again, we witnessed the Aegean sea in bloom with corpses of Achaean troops and ships. As for us, some god saved us in secret or interceded for us—our boat survived, its hull intact. That was no human feat. Some divine hand was on our steering oar, some stroke of Fortune wanted our ship saved, not swamped by surf as we rode at anchor or smashed upon the rocky coast. And then, once we’d avoided Hades on those seas, we couldn’t believe our luck, as we brooded, in the bright light of day, on all our troubles, this new disaster which destroyed our fleet, dispersing it so badly. So on those ships if anyone’s still breathing, he’ll now say we’re the ones who’ve been destroyed. Why not, when we say much the same of them? But let’s hope things all turn out for the best. As for Menelaus, wait for his return— that should be your first priority. If some ray of sunlight finds him still alive, his vision still intact, thanks to Zeus, whose crafty plans at this point don’t include destruction of the entire race, there’s hope he’ll soon come home again. Now you’ve heard this, you’ve listened to the truth.
