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Euripides · Rhesus Ῥῆσος

Euripides, Rhesus 105–148: First episode: Aeneas advises sending a spy

Ancient Sources / Euripides / Rhesus / 105–148

Aeneas says that Hector is bold but not wise in counsel, and warns him that leading the troops across the trench by night is dangerous if the enemy are waiting for him, and that Achilles is still to be reckoned with. He advises sending a spy to learn what the fires mean, and the Chorus agrees. Hector yields and asks who will volunteer.

Lines 105–148 · 416 words · click a number to copy its link

Aeneas

105–130
105εἴθʼ ἦσθʼ ἀνὴρ εὔβουλος ὡς δρᾶσαι χερί. ἀλλʼ οὐ γὰρ αὑτὸς πάντʼ ἐπίστασθαι βροτῶν πέφυκεν· ἄλλῳ δʼ ἄλλο πρόσκειται γέρας, σὲ μὲν μάχεσθαι, τοὺς δὲ βουλεύειν καλῶς· ὅστις πυρὸς λαμπτῆρας ἐξήρθης κλύων 110φλέγειν Ἀχαιούς, καὶ στρατὸν μέλλεις ἄγειν τάφρους ὑπερβὰς νυκτὸς ἐν καταστάσει. καίτοι περάσας κοῖλον αὐλώνων βάθος, εἰ μὴ κυρήσεις πολεμίους ἀπὸ χθονὸς φεύγοντας, ἀλλὰ σὸν βλέποντας ἐς δόρυ, 115νικώμενος μὲν οὔτι μὴ μόλῃς πάλιν· πῶς γὰρ περάσει σκόλοπας ἐν τροπῇ στρατός; πῶς δʼ αὖ γεφύρας διαβαλοῦσʼ ἱππηλάται, ἢν ἆρα μὴ θραύσαντες ἀντύγων χνόας; νικῶν δʼ ἔφεδρον παῖδʼ ἔχεις τὸν Πηλέως, 120ὅς σʼ οὐκ ἐάσει ναυσὶν ἐμβαλεῖν φλόγα, οὐδʼ ὧδʼ Ἀχαιούς, ὡς δοκεῖς, ἀναρπάσαι. αἴθων γὰρ ἁνὴρ καὶ πεπύργωται χερί. ἀλλὰ στρατὸν μὲν ἥσυχον παρʼ ἀσπίδας εὕδειν ἐῶμεν ἐκ κόπων ἀρειφάτων, 125κατάσκοπον δὲ πολεμίων, ὃς ἂν θέλῃ, πέμπειν δοκεῖ μοι· κἂν μὲν αἴρωνται φυγήν, στείχοντες ἐμπέσωμεν Ἀργείων στρατῷ· εἰ δʼ ἐς δόλον τινʼ ἥδʼ ἄγει φρυκτωρία, μαθόντες ἐχθρῶν μηχανὰς κατασκόπου 130βουλευσόμεσθα· τήνδʼ ἔχω γνώμην, ἄναξ.

Would you were as sage as you are bold! But, to be sure, among mortals the same man is not dowered by nature with universal knowledge; each has his special gift appointed him, yours is battle, another’s is sage counsel. You are excited to hear that the Achaeans are lighting blazing torches, and you would lead on our troops across the ditches in the calm still night. Now after crossing the deep yawning trench, supposing you should find the enemy are not flying from the land, but are awaiting your onset, beware lest you suffer defeat and so never reach this city again; for how will you pass the palisades in a rout? And how shall your charioteers cross the bridges without dashing the axles of their cars to pieces? And, if victorious, you have next the son of Peleus to engage; he will never allow you to cast the firebrand on the fleet or harry the Achaeans, as you believe. No, for that man is fierce as fire, a very tower of might. Let us rather then leave our men to sleep calmly under arms after the weariness of battle, while we send, as I advise, whoever will volunteer to spy upon the enemy; and if they really are preparing to fly, let us arise and fall upon the Argive army, but if this signalling is a trap to catch us, we shall discover from the spy the enemy’s designs and take counsel; such is my advice, lord.

Chorus

131–136
131τάδε δοκεῖ, τάδε μεταθέμενος νόει. σφαλερὰ δʼ οὐ φιλῶ στρατηγῶν κράτη. τί γὰρ ἄμεινον ἢ ταχυβάταν νεῶν κατόπταν μολεῖν 135πέλας ὅ τί ποτʼ ἄρα δαΐοις πυρὰ κατʼ ἀντίπρῳρα ναυστάθμων δαίεται;

It pleases me well; so change your mind and adopt this counsel. I do not love hazardous commands in generals. What is better than for a swift-footed spy to approach the ships and learn why our foes are lighting fires in front of their naval station?

137–148
Ἕκτωρ 137νικᾶτʼ, ἐπειδὴ πᾶσιν ἁνδάνει τάδε. στείχων δὲ κοίμα συμμάχους· τάχʼ ἂν στρατὸς κινοῖτʼ ἀκούσας νυκτέρους ἐκκλησίας. 140ἐγὼ δὲ πέμψω πολεμίων κατάσκοπον. κἂν μέν τινʼ ἐχθρῶν μηχανὴν πυθώμεθα, σὺ πάντʼ ἀκούσῃ καὶ παρὼν εἴσῃ λόγον· ἐὰν δʼ ἀπαίρωσʼ ἐς φυγὴν ὁρμώμενοι, σάλπιγγος αὐδὴν προσδοκῶν καραδόκει, 145ὡς οὐ μενοῦντά μʼ· ἀλλὰ προσμείξω νεῶν ὁλκοῖσι νυκτὸς τῆσδʼ ἐπʼ Ἀργείων στρατῷ. Αἰνείας πέμφʼ ὡς τάχιστα· νῦν γὰρ ἀσφαλῶς φρονεῖς. σὺν σοὶ δʼ ἔμʼ ὄψῃ καρτεροῦνθʼ, ὅταν δέῃ.

Hector Since this finds favor with you all, prevail. Go and calm the allies; perhaps the army hearing of our midnight council is disturbed. Mine shall it be to send one forth to spy upon the foe. And if I discover any plot among them, you shall fully hear of it and be present to learn the report; but in case they are starting off in flight, with eager ear await the trumpet’s call, for then I will not stay, but will this very night engage the Argive army there where their ships are hauled up.

Aeneas Send out the spy at once; there’s safety in your counsels now. And you shall find me steadfast at your side, whenever occasion calls.

People and places in this passage

Passages in other works that tell of the same people and places, oldest and closest first.

  1. Homer, Iliad 20.75–155Apollo rouses Aeneas; the gods sit apart
  2. Homer, Iliad 17.656–761Antilochus is sent to Achilles; the body is carried off
  3. Quintus Smyrnaeus, The Fall of Troy (Posthomerica) 11.129–282Apollo rouses the Trojans
  4. Quintus Smyrnaeus, The Fall of Troy (Posthomerica) 8.1–107Neoptolemus and the Myrmidons attack
  5. Pausanias, Description of Greece 10.26.1–9Delphi: Polygnotus' painting of Troy after its capture (2): captive women, Epeus, Ajax and Neoptolemus
  6. Epic Cycle, Summaries and Fragments 7.1–26Little Iliad

English translation by Edward P. Coleridge (1891). Original text: Greek text: Gilbert Murray (ed.), Euripidis Fabulae, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913, as digitised by Perseus. English: Edward P. Coleridge, The Plays of Euripides, London: George Bell and Sons, first published 1891 (Bohn's Classical Library; the Perseus header records a later printing).

Greek text and translation from the Perseus Digital Library, Tufts University, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Perseus Digital Library); translation public domain. Introductions, summaries and notes © GreekMythology.com.