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[762-790] The Suppliants 939
ADRASTUS
No doubt in sorrow slaves would gather them from the carnage.
MESSENGER
Slaves! not one of them was set to do this toil.
[A speech belonging to ADRASTUS has been lost.]
MESSENGER
Thou wouldst say so, hadst thou been there to see his loving tendance
of the dead.
ADRASTUS
Did he himself wash the bloody wounds of the hapless youths?
MESSENGER
Ay, and strewed their biers and wrapped them in their shrouds.
ADRASTUS
An awful burden this, involving some disgrace.
MESSENGER
Why, what disgrace to men are their fellows' sorrows?
ADRASTUS
Ah me! how much rather had I died with them!
MESSENGER
'Tis vain to weep and move to tears these women.
ADRASTUS
Methinks 'tis they who give the lesson. Enough of that! My hands I
lift at meeting of the dead, and pour forth a tearful dirge to Hades, calling
on my friends, whose loss I mourn in wretched solitude; for this one thing,
when once 'tis spent, man cannot recover, the breath of life, though he
knoweth ways to get his wealth again.
CHORUS (singing)
strophe
Joy is here and sorrow too,—for the state fair fame, and for our
captains double meed of honour. Bitter for me it is to see the limbs
of my dead sons, and yet a welcome sight withal, because I shall behold
the unexpected day after sorrow's cup was full.
antistrophe
Would that Father Time had kept me unwed from my youth up
e'en till now when I am old! What need had I of children? Methinks