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to the flames and dedicated these shields to the<br />
gods"? Ohl never, my son, be it thine to win such<br />
fame from Hellas! If, on the other hand, thou art<br />
worsted and thy brother's cause prevail, how shalt<br />
thou return to Argos, leaving countless dead behind?<br />
Some one will be sure to say, "Out on thee! Adrastus,<br />
for the evil bridegroom thou hast brought unto<br />
thy house; thanks to one maid's marriage, ruin is<br />
come on us."<br />
Towards two evils, my son, art. thou hastingloss<br />
of influence there and ruin in the midst of thv<br />
efforts here. Oh! my children, lay aside your violence;<br />
two men's follies, once they meet, result in<br />
very deadl y mischief.<br />
Ch. 0 heaven, avert these troubles and reconcile<br />
the sons of CEdi pus in some wa y I<br />
Et. Mother, the season for parley is past; the time<br />
we still delay is idle waste; thy good wishes are of no<br />
avail, for we shall never be reconciled except upon<br />
the terms already named, namely, that I should<br />
keep the sceptre and be king of this land: wherefore<br />
cease these tedious warnings and let me be. (Turning<br />
to POLYNICES) And as for thee, outside the walls, or<br />
diel<br />
Po. Who will slay me? who is so invulnerable as<br />
to plunge his sword in my body without reaping the<br />
self-samefate?<br />
Et. Thou art near him, aye, very near; dost see my<br />
arm?<br />
Po. I see it; but wealth is cowardly, a craven too<br />
fond oflife.<br />
Et. Was it then to meet a dastard thou camest<br />
with all that host to war?<br />
Po. Ina general caution is better than foolhardiness.<br />
Et. Relying on the truce, which saves thy life,<br />
thou turn est boaster.<br />
Po. Once more I ask thee to restore my sceptre<br />
and share in the kiqgdom.<br />
Et. I have naught to restore; 'tis my own house,<br />
and I will dwell therein.<br />
Po. What! and keep more than thy share?<br />
Et. Yes, I will. Begone!<br />
Po. 0 altars of my fathers' gods!<br />
Et. Which thou art here to raze.<br />
Po. Hear me.<br />
Et. Who would hear thee after thou hast marched<br />
against thy fatherland?<br />
Po. 0 temples of those gods that ride on SIlOWwhite<br />
steeds!l<br />
Et. They hate thee.<br />
Po. I am being driven from my country.<br />
Et. Because thou earnest to drive others thence.<br />
Po. Unjustly, 0 ye gods!<br />
Et. Call on the gods at Mycenre, not here.<br />
Po. Thou hast outraged right-<br />
Et. But I have not like thee become my country's<br />
foe.<br />
Po. By driving me forth without my portion.<br />
E!. I will slay thee to boot.<br />
Po. 0 father, dost thou hear what I am suffering?<br />
lAmphion and Zethus, the Theban Dioscuri.<br />
THE PHCENICIAN MAIDENS<br />
383<br />
E!. Yea, and he hears what thou art doing.<br />
Po. Thou too, mother mine?<br />
Et. Thou hast no right to mention thy mother.<br />
Po.Omycity!<br />
Et. Get thee to Argos, and invoke the waters of<br />
Lerna.<br />
Po. I will; trouble not thyself; all thanks to thee<br />
though, mother mine.<br />
Et. Forth from the land!<br />
Po. I go, yet grant me to behold my father.<br />
EI. Thou shalt not have thy wish.<br />
Po. At least then mv tender sisters.<br />
EI. No! them too thou shalt never see.<br />
Po. Ah, sisters mine!<br />
Et. Why dost thou, their bitterest foe, call on<br />
them?<br />
Po. Mother dear, to thee at least farewell!<br />
Jo. A joyous faring mine in sooth, my son!<br />
Po. Thy son no more!<br />
Jo. Born to sorrow, endless sorrow, I!<br />
Po. 'Tis because my brother treats me despitefully.<br />
Et. I am treated just the same.<br />
Po. Where wilt thou be stationed before the towers?<br />
Et. Why ask me this?<br />
Po. I will array myself against thee for thy death.<br />
Et. I too have the same desire.<br />
Jo. Woe is mel what will ye do, my sons?<br />
Po. The event will show.<br />
Jo. Oh, fly your father's curse! Exit YOCAsn.<br />
Et. Destruction seize our whole house!<br />
Po. Soon shall my sword be busy, plunged in gore.<br />
But I call my native land and heaven too to witness,<br />
with what contumely and bitter treatment I am being<br />
driven forth, as though I were a slave, not a son<br />
of CEdipus as much as he. If aught happen to thee,<br />
my city, blame him, not me; for I came not willingly,<br />
and all unwillingly am I driven hence. Farewell,<br />
king Phrebus, lord of highways; farewell palace<br />
and comrades; farewell ye statues of the gods, at<br />
which men offer sheep; for I know not ifI shall ever<br />
address you again, though hope is still awake, which<br />
makes me confident that with heaven's help I shall<br />
slay this fellow and rule my native Thebes.<br />
Exit POLYNICES.<br />
Et. Forth from the landl 'twas a true name our<br />
father gave thee, when, prompted by some god, he<br />
called thee Polynices, a name denoting strife.<br />
Ch. To this land came Cadmus of Tyre, at whose<br />
feet an unyoked heifer threw itself down, giving<br />
effect to an oracle on the spot where the god's response<br />
bade him take up his abode in Aonia's rich<br />
corn-lands, where gushing Dirce's fair rivers of water<br />
pour o'er verdant fruitful fields; here was born the<br />
Bromian god by her whom Zeus made a mother,<br />
round whom the ivy twined its wreaths while he<br />
was yet a babe, swathing him amid the covert of its<br />
green foliage as a child of happy destiny, to be a<br />
theme for Bacchic revelry among the maids and<br />
wives inspired in Thebes.<br />
There lay Ares' murderous dragon, a savage<br />
warder, watching with roving eye the watered glens
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