View:
By Scene
Herald
Who is the despot of this land? To whom must I announce
the message of Creon, who rules o’er the land of Cadmus, since Eteocles was slain by the hand of his brother Polynices, at the sevenfold gates of
Thebes
?
400
Who is the despot of this land? To whom must I announce
the message of Creon, who rules o’er the land of Cadmus, since Eteocles was slain by the hand of his brother Polynices, at the sevenfold gates of
Thebes
?
400
Theseus
Sir stranger, thou hast made a false beginning to thy speech, in seeking here a despot. For this city is not ruled
by one man, but is free. The people rule in succession year by year, allowing no preference to wealth, but the poor man shares equally with the rich.
405
Sir stranger, thou hast made a false beginning to thy speech, in seeking here a despot. For this city is not ruled
by one man, but is free. The people rule in succession year by year, allowing no preference to wealth, but the poor man shares equally with the rich.
405
Herald
Thou givest me here an advantage, as it might be in a game of draughts
1
;
for the city, whence I come, is ruled by one man only, not by the mob; none there puffs up the citizens with specious words, and for his own advantage twists them this way or that,—one moment dear to them and lavish of his favours,
410
the next a bane to all; and yet by fresh calumnies of others he hides his former failures and escapes punishment. Besides, how shall the people, if it cannot form true judgments, be able rightly to direct the state? Nay, ’tis time, not haste, that affords a better
415
understanding. A poor hind, granted he be not all unschooled, would still be unable from his toil to give his mind to politics. Verily
2
the better sort count it no healthy sign when the worthless man obtains a reputation
420
by beguiling with words the populace, though aforetime he was naught.
425
Thou givest me here an advantage, as it might be in a game of draughts
1
;
for the city, whence I come, is ruled by one man only, not by the mob; none there puffs up the citizens with specious words, and for his own advantage twists them this way or that,—one moment dear to them and lavish of his favours,
410
the next a bane to all; and yet by fresh calumnies of others he hides his former failures and escapes punishment. Besides, how shall the people, if it cannot form true judgments, be able rightly to direct the state? Nay, ’tis time, not haste, that affords a better
415
understanding. A poor hind, granted he be not all unschooled, would still be unable from his toil to give his mind to politics. Verily
2
the better sort count it no healthy sign when the worthless man obtains a reputation
420
by beguiling with words the populace, though aforetime he was naught.
425
The Suppliant Maidens. Euripides. E. P. Coleridge (Translator). London. 1906.
Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.
Funding provided by Tufts University.