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140For the Athenians had sent men to Delphi to inquire and were preparing to consult the Oracle; and after these had performed the usual rites in the sacred precincts, when they had entered the sanctuary[120] and were sitting down there, the Pythian prophetess, whose name was Aristonike, uttered to them this oracle:
"Why do ye sit, O ye wretched? Flee thou[121] to the uttermost
limits, Leaving thy home and the heights of the wheel-round city
behind thee! Lo, there remaineth now nor the head nor the body in
safety,—Neither the feet below nor the hands nor the middle are
left thee,—All are destroyed[122] together; for fire and the
passionate War-god,[123] Urging the Syrian[124] car to speed, doth
hurl them[125] to ruin. Not thine alone, he shall cause many more
great strongholds to perish, Yes, many temples of gods to the
ravening fire shall deliver,—Temples which stand now surely with
sweat of their terror down-streaming, Quaking with dread; and lo!
from the topmost roof to the pavement Dark blood trickles,
forecasting the dire unavoidable evil. Forth with you, forth from
the shrine, and steep your soul in the sorrow!"[126]
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Notes
[120] {to megaron}.
[121] The form of address changes abruptly to the singular number, referring to the Athenian people.
[122] {azela}, probably for {aionla}, which has been proposed as a correction: or possibly "wretched."
[123] {oxus Ares}.
[124] i.e. Assyrian, cp. ch. 63.
[125] {min}, i.e. the city, to which belong the head, feet, and body which have been mentioned.
[126] {kakois d' epikidnate thumon}: this might perhaps mean (as it is taken by several Editors), "show a courageous soul in your troubles," but that would hardly suit with the discouraging tone of the context.