378 ANNALS OF THE ROAD. 



of a description of a chariot-race from the ' Electra ' of 

 Sophocles. 



When, on the second day, in order next 

 Came on the contest of the rapid car. 

 As o'er the Phocian plain the orient sun 

 Shot his impurpled beams, the Pythic course 

 Orestes enter'd, circled with a troop 

 Of charioteers, his bold antagonists. 



One from Achaia came ; from Sparta one ; 

 Two from the Libyan shores ; well practised each 

 To rule the whirling car : with these, the fifth, 

 Orestes, vaunting his Thessalian mares : 

 ^Etolia sent a sixth, with youthful steeds 

 In native gold arrayed : the next in rank 

 From fair Magnesia sprang : of Thrace the eighth 

 His snow-white coursers from Thesprotia drove : 

 From heaven-built Athens the ninth hero came : 

 A huge Boeotian the tenth chariot filled. 



These, when the judges of the games by lot 

 Had fixed their order, and arranged their cars, 

 All, at the trumpet's signal, all at once 

 Burst from the barrier, all together cheer'd 

 Their fiery steeds, and shook the floating reins. 

 Soon with the din of rattling cars was fill'd 

 The sounding Hippodrome, and clouds of dust 

 Ascending tainted the fresh breath of morn. 



Now mix'd, and press'd together, on they drove, 

 Nor spared the smarting lash ; impatient each 

 To clear his chariot, and outstrip the throng 

 Of clashing axles, and short blowing steeds, 

 They panted on each other's necks, and threw 

 On each contiguous yoke the milky foam. 



