Ῥῆσος παῖς μὲν ἦν Στρυμόνος τοῦ ποταμοῦ καὶ Τερψιχόρης Μουσῶν μιᾶς, Θρακῶν δὲ ἡγούμενος εἰς Ἴλιον παραγίνεται νυκτός, στρατοπεδευομένων τῶν Τρώων παρὰ ταῖς ναυσὶ τῶν Ἑλλήνων.
τοῦτον Ὀδυσσεὺς καὶ Διομήδης κατάσκοποι ὄντες ἀναιροῦσιν, Ἀθηνᾶ αὐτοῖς ὑποθεμένης· μέγαν γὰρ ἔσεσθαι τοῖς Ἕλλησι κίνδυνον ἐκ τούτου. Τερψιχόρη δὲ ἐπιφανεῖσα τὸ τοῦ παιδὸς σῶμα ἀνείλετο.
ὡς ἐν παρόδῳ δὲ διαλαμβάνει καὶ περὶ τοῦ φόνου τοῦ Δόλωνος.
ἡ σκηνὴ τοῦ δράματος ἐν Τροίᾳ. ὁ χορὸς συνέστηκε ἐκ φυλάκων Τρωϊκῶν, οἵ καὶ προλογίζουσι. περιέχει δὲ τὴν Νυκτεγερσίαν.
Πρόσωπα:
χορὸς φυλάκων, Ἕκτωρ, Αἰνείας, Δόλων, ἄγγελος ποιμήν, Ῥῆσος, Ὀδυσσεύς, Διομήδης, Ἀθηνᾶ, Πάρις, Ῥήσου ἡνίοχος, Μοῦσα.
Rhesus was the son of the river Strymon and of Terpsichore, one of the Muses. He was the leader of the Thracians and arrives at Troy by night, while the Trojans are encamped beside the ships of the Greeks.
Odysseus and Diomedes, acting as spies, kill him, at the suggestion of Athena, because a great danger was said to threaten the Greeks from him. Terpsichore appears and takes up the body of her son.
In a side episode, there is also mention of the murder of Dolon.
The scene of the play is set in Troy. The chorus is composed of Trojan guards, who also deliver the prologue. The play includes the Night Watch episode.
Dramatis Personae:
Chorus of guards, Hector, Aeneas, Dolon, a messenger shepherd, Rhesus, Odysseus, Diomedes, Athena, Paris, Rhesus’ charioteer, Muse.