Wherein I travailed, roving Hellas through.
Thou bad'st me go unto the Taurian coasts85
Where Artemis thy sister hath her altars,
And take the Goddess' image, which, men say,
Here fell into this temple out of heaven,
And, winning it by craft or happy chance,
All danger braved, to the Athenians' land90
To give it—nought beyond was bidden me;—
This done, should I have respite from my toils.
I come, thy words obeying, hitherward
To a strange land and cheerless. Thee I ask,
Pylades, thee mine helper in this toil, —95
What shall we do? Thou seest the engirdling walls,
How high they be. Up yonder temple-steps[1]
Shall we ascend? How then could we learn more,[2]
Except our levers force the brazen bolts
Whereof we know nought? If we be surprised100
Opening gates, and plotting entrance here,
Die shall we. Nay, ere dying, let us flee
Back to the ship wherein we hither sailed.
Pylades.
Flee?—'twere intolerable!—'twas ne'er our wont:
Nor cravens may we be to the oracle.105
Withdraw we from the temple; let us hide
In caves by the dark sea-wash oversprayed,
Far from our ship, lest some one spy her hull,
- ↑ A much-disputed passage, both as to text and interpretation. The above follows Paley. England's reading gives,
"By ladder-escalade
Shall we ascend? But how then let us down,
Or force with levers the brass-welded bolts,
And enter so? But if, etc." - ↑ MS. reading, λάθοιμεν, "How then be unperceived."
