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

THE THEBAIDunto Phegeus ; and they declared war on him. Phegeus, again,gathered his household and his soldiers. Nevertheless Phegeusasked of the sons a year's truce with no war waged on him.They said that they would give it, if they might have his headshorn from his neck within that year. Phegeus said that hewould not give them his head with his consent.After that theyjoined battle furiously, wildly, wrathfully side on side, and anuncounted countless host was killed between them. NeverthelessPhegeus was defeated, and the two sons of Alcmaeoncame up to him, and said to him: "Hast thou brought Alcmaeonwith thee " ? said they. " I have not," said he, " but if I had himnow, I should bring him." After that Alcmaeon's sons struckoff Phegeus' head, and inflicted exceeding great slaughter uponhis following, including children and women. Thereafter theycame home, having carried off victory and triumph.Flint to the tale of the necklace.After that, however, at the end of a year, Polynices senta messenger to his brother Eteocles—the name of the messengerwas Tydeus—and the messenger told him to give up the kingdomto his brother. Great anger seized Eteocles, and he saidthat what he had seized he would not let go, and he wouldnot do right or reason respecting it, unless superiority innumbers or in battle should take it from him. " And I raise,"said he, "no feud or jealousy about the high headship of allGreece through the friendship of king Adrastus, providedye leave to me the rocky narrow farms of greenswardedThebes. And my belief is that my father was Oedipus ; andthere are of his compeers, to wit, great Pelops, son of Tantalus,and Jove, happy son of Saturn. And it is I," said he, " that thispeople were used to have over them, and they do not wish,"said he, " to be under the sway of a doubtful leader but tobelong to one distinguished king of their own ; for every kingdomthat will not be constant, is not sparing of tribes. And dost thounot see the terror and the fear that lie upon my people at mygoing from them ?And, indeed, the nobles of the Theban tribeswill not let me away at all, or let me give the kingdom to him."But then Tydeus could not endure to hear or listen to thosefoolish wordy chirpings of Eteocles.53