Togail na Tebe = The Thebiad of Statius : the Irish text

aTHE THEBAIDbeautiful pure-white swans which I see coming from the Northfrom the chill icy stream, to wit, Strymon, as well as from theSouth, from the pure bright river Nile. And do thou understandby the unwinging swans the silent taciturn Thebans at peace instrong cities," said he. "And behold !brood bolder than themselvesapproaching them, to wit, seven awful eagles, and these,"said he, "are the seven kings of the Greeks, plundering andslaying the Thebans. And behold !" said he, "one of the eaglesgoing aloft until it has been burnt and destroyed; and that,"said he, " is the proud evil-hearted king, to wit, Capaneus oneof the seven kings of the Greeks. Fiery lightning will burn himat the great war of Thebes. And I know," said he, " that thiseagle which has fallen for weariness of wing-power is the foolishperturbed boy, Parthenopaeus, and also that this bird which hasfallen on the neck of his fellow is great Polynices, son of Oedipus,and his brother is Eteocles king of the Thebans. And the eaglethat has amyea safe and sound is noble Adrastus alone. Andthis bird which thou seest to be drowned," said he, " is Hippomedon;and the bird which thou seest gnawing another's head,that is Tydeus, son of Oeneus, and Melanippus."Then Amphiaraus burst into weeping, and Melampus asked :" Wherefore dost thou weep, O sad one, just now ? " Melampussaid. " Sad indeed is that, thou noble and venerable Melampus,"said Amphiaraus. " I recognise," said he, " by yon bird that hasfallen without finding a place or position that it is I myself thatwill fall down through the earth at the great war of Thebes."Now a great quaking fear seized those prophets and wizards,and the seeing of that vision they thought terrible, and Amphiarausdoffed his noble sacrificial garment, and he came intothe mountain gloomily dejectedly, so that he could not put fromhis thoughts the war of Thebes, as if it were carried on at thathour.And he went not into the house of king Adrastus, nor toconverse with the nobles of the assembly ; but he hid himselfin a trackless unknown mound without the knowledge of anyone.79