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Dionysus
You who are eager to see what you ought not and hasty in pursuit of what ought not to be pursued—I mean you, Pentheus, come forth before the house, be seen by me,
wearing the clothing of a woman, of an inspired maenad, a spy upon your mother and her company.
Pentheus emerges. In appearance you are like one of Kadmos’ daughters.
915
You who are eager to see what you ought not and hasty in pursuit of what ought not to be pursued—I mean you, Pentheus, come forth before the house, be seen by me,
wearing the clothing of a woman, of an inspired maenad, a spy upon your mother and her company.
Pentheus emerges. In appearance you are like one of Kadmos’ daughters.
915
Pentheus
Oh look! I think I see two suns, and twin
Thebes
, the seven-gated city.
And you seem to lead me, being like a bull and horns seem to grow on your head. But were you ever before a beast? For you have certainly now become a bull.
920
Oh look! I think I see two suns, and twin
Thebes
, the seven-gated city.
And you seem to lead me, being like a bull and horns seem to grow on your head. But were you ever before a beast? For you have certainly now become a bull.
920
Dionysus
The god accompanies us, now at truce with us, though formerly not propitious. Now you see what you should see.
The god accompanies us, now at truce with us, though formerly not propitious. Now you see what you should see.
Pentheus
How do I look? Don’t I have the posture of Ino, or of my mother Agave?
925
How do I look? Don’t I have the posture of Ino, or of my mother Agave?
925
Dionysus
Looking at you I think I see them. But this lock of your hair has come out of place, not the way I arranged it under your headband.
Looking at you I think I see them. But this lock of your hair has come out of place, not the way I arranged it under your headband.
Pentheus
I displaced it indoors, shaking my head forwards and backwards and practising my Bacchic revelry.
930
I displaced it indoors, shaking my head forwards and backwards and practising my Bacchic revelry.
930
Dionysus
But I who ought to wait on you will re-arrange it. Hold up your head.
But I who ought to wait on you will re-arrange it. Hold up your head.
Pentheus
Here, you arrange it; for I depend on you, indeed.
Here, you arrange it; for I depend on you, indeed.
Dionysus
Your girdle has come loose, and the pleats of your gown do not extend regularly down around your ankles.
935
Your girdle has come loose, and the pleats of your gown do not extend regularly down around your ankles.
935
Pentheus
At least on my right leg, I believe they don’t. But on this side the robe sits well around the back of my leg.
At least on my right leg, I believe they don’t. But on this side the robe sits well around the back of my leg.
Dionysus
You will surely consider me the best of your friends,
when contrary to your expectation you see the Bacchae acting modestly.
940
You will surely consider me the best of your friends,
when contrary to your expectation you see the Bacchae acting modestly.
940
Pentheus
But shall I be more like a maenad holding the thyrsos in my right hand, or in my left?
But shall I be more like a maenad holding the thyrsos in my right hand, or in my left?
Dionysus
You must hold it in your right hand and raise your right foot in unison with it. I praise you for having changed your mind.
You must hold it in your right hand and raise your right foot in unison with it. I praise you for having changed your mind.
Bacchae. Euripides. T. A. Buckley (Translator). London. 1850.
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