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Messenger
Ladies, I bring you tidings of great joy, myself escaped—for I was taken prisoner in the battle
which cost those chieftains seven their lives near Dirce’s fount—to bear the news of Theseus’ victory. But I will save thee tedious questioning; I was the servant of Capaneus,
635
whom Zeus with scorching bolt to ashes burnt.
640
Ladies, I bring you tidings of great joy, myself escaped—for I was taken prisoner in the battle
which cost those chieftains seven their lives near Dirce’s fount—to bear the news of Theseus’ victory. But I will save thee tedious questioning; I was the servant of Capaneus,
635
whom Zeus with scorching bolt to ashes burnt.
640
Chorus
Friend of friends, fair thy news of thy own return, nor less the news about Theseus; and if the host of
Athens
, too, is safe, welcome will all thy message be.
Friend of friends, fair thy news of thy own return, nor less the news about Theseus; and if the host of
Athens
, too, is safe, welcome will all thy message be.
Messenger
’Tis safe, and all hath happened as I would it had befallen Adrastus
and his Argives, whom from Inachus he led, to march against the city of the Cadmeans.
645
’Tis safe, and all hath happened as I would it had befallen Adrastus
and his Argives, whom from Inachus he led, to march against the city of the Cadmeans.
645
Chorus
How did the son of Aegeus and his fellow-warriors raise their trophy to Zeus? Tell us, for thou wert there and canst gladden us who were not.
How did the son of Aegeus and his fellow-warriors raise their trophy to Zeus? Tell us, for thou wert there and canst gladden us who were not.
Messenger
Bright shone the sun, one levelled line of light, upon the world, as by Electra’s gate I stood to watch, from a turret with a far outlook. And lo! I saw the host in three divisions, deploying its mail-clad warriors
650
on the high ground by the banks of Ismenus; this last I heard;
1
and with them was the king himself, famous son of Aegeus; his own men, natives of old Cecropia, were ranged upon the right; while on the left,
655
hard by the fountain of Ares, were the dwellers by the sea, harnessed spearmen they; on either wing were posted cavalry, in equal numbers, and chariots were stationed in the shelter of Amphion’s holy tomb. Meantime, the folk of Cadmus set themselves before the walls,
660
placing in the rear the bodies for which they fought. Horse to horse, and car to car stood ranged. Then did the herald of Theseus cry aloud to all:
Be still, ye folk! hush, ye ranks of Cadmus,
665
hearken! we are come to fetch the bodies of the slain, wishing to bury them in observance of the universal law of
Hellas
; no wish have we to lengthen out the slaughter.
670
Bright shone the sun, one levelled line of light, upon the world, as by Electra’s gate I stood to watch, from a turret with a far outlook. And lo! I saw the host in three divisions, deploying its mail-clad warriors
650
on the high ground by the banks of Ismenus; this last I heard;
1
and with them was the king himself, famous son of Aegeus; his own men, natives of old Cecropia, were ranged upon the right; while on the left,
655
hard by the fountain of Ares, were the dwellers by the sea, harnessed spearmen they; on either wing were posted cavalry, in equal numbers, and chariots were stationed in the shelter of Amphion’s holy tomb. Meantime, the folk of Cadmus set themselves before the walls,
660
placing in the rear the bodies for which they fought. Horse to horse, and car to car stood ranged. Then did the herald of Theseus cry aloud to all:
Be still, ye folk! hush, ye ranks of Cadmus,
665
hearken! we are come to fetch the bodies of the slain, wishing to bury them in observance of the universal law of
Hellas
; no wish have we to lengthen out the slaughter.
670
The Suppliant Maidens. Euripides. E. P. Coleridge (Translator). London. 1906.
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