Hector In good season you come, although your tidings are full of terror; for those men are bent on giving me the slip and stealing away from this land in their ships by night; their midnight signalling pleases me. Ah! Fortune, to rob me in my hour of triumph, a lion of his prey, before this spear had made an end of the whole Argive army in one line! Yes, if the sun’s bright lamp had not withheld his light, I would not have stayed my victor’s spear, before I had fired their ships and made my way from tent to tent, drenching this hand in Achaean blood. I was eager to make a night attack and take advantage of the stroke of luck sent by heaven; but those wise seers of mine, who have heaven’s will so pat, persuaded me to wait for dawn, and then leave not one Achaean in the land. But those others do not await the counsels of my soothsayers; darkness turns runaways to heroes. But we must now without delay pass this word to the army to take up arms and cease from slumber, so that many an Achaean, as he leaps aboard his ship, shall be smitten through the back and sprinkle the ladders with blood, and others shall be fast bound with cords and learn to till our Phrygian fields.
Chorus Leader You hasten, Hector, before you know clearly what is happening; for we do not know for certain whether the men are flying.
Hector What other reason did the Argive army have to kindle fires?
Chorus Leader I do not know; I am very suspicious.
Hector If you fear this, be sure there’s nothing you would not fear.
Chorus Leader Never before did the enemy kindle such a blaze.
Hector No, nor ever before did they suffer such shameful defeat and rout.
Chorus Leader This you have achieved; look now to what remains to do.
Hector A simple tale, to arm against the enemy.
Chorus Leader Look! Here comes Aeneas, in great haste too, with news to tell his friends.
Aeneas Hector, why have the sentinels in terror made their way through the army at night to your couch to hold a midnight conclave and disturb the army?
Hector Encase yourself in your armor, Aeneas.
Aeneas What is it? Have tidings come of some secret stratagem set on foot during the night by the foe?
Hector The men are flying, and going aboard their ships.
Aeneas What sure proof can you give of this?
Hector The whole night they are kindling blazing torches; I think they will not wait for tomorrow, but after lighting brands upon their ships’ decks will leave this land and fly to their homes.
Aeneas And you, why do you gird on your sword?
Hector With my spear I will stop them even as they fly and leap aboard their ships, and my hand shall be heavy upon them; for it is shameful in us, yes, and cowardly as well as shameful, when the god gives them into our hands, to let our foes escape without battle, after all the injuries they have done us.
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