The Tragedies of Euripides, Volume I.. Euripides

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My father is Œdipus the son of Laius; Jocasta daughter of Menœceus brought me forth; the Theban people call me Polynices.

      CHOR. O thou allied to the sons of Agenor, my lords, by whom I was sent, I fall at thy knees in lowly posture, O king, preserving my country's custom. Thou hast come, thou hast come, after a length of time, to thy paternal land. O venerable matron, come forth quickly, open the doors; dost thou hear, O mother, that producedst this hero? why dost thou delay to leave thy lofty mansion, and to embrace thy child with thine arms?

      JOCASTA, POLYNICES, CHORUS

      JOC. Hearing the Phœnician tongue, ye virgins, within this mansion, I drag my steps trembling with age. Ah! my son, after length of time, after numberless days, I behold thy countenance; clasp thy mother's bosom in thine arms, throw around her104 thy kisses, and the dark ringlets of thy clustering hair, shading my neck. Ah! scarce possible is it that thou appearest in thy mother's arms so unhoped for, and so unexpected. How shall I address thee? how shall I perform all? how shall I, walking in rapture around thee on that side and this, both with my hands and words, reap the varied pleasure, the delight of my former joys? O my son, thou hast left thy father's house deserted, sent away an exile by wrongful treatment from thy brother. How longed for by thy friends! how longed for by Thebes! From which time I am both shorn of my hoary locks, letting them fall with tears, with wailing;105 deprived, my child, of the white robes, I receive in exchange around me these dark and dismal weeds. But the old man in the palace deprived of sight, always preserving with tears regret for the unanimity of the brothers which is separated from the family, has madly rushed on self-destruction with the sword and with the noose above the beams of the house, bewailing the curse imprecated on his children; and with cries of woe he is always hidden in darkness. But thou, my child, I hear, art both joined in marriage, and hast the joys of love in a foreign family, and cherishest a foreign alliance; intolerable to this thy mother and to the aged Laius, the woe of a foreign marriage brought upon us. But neither did I light the torch of fire for you, as is customary in the marriage rites, as befits the happy mother; nor was Ismenus careful of the bridal rites in the luxury of the bath: and the entrance of thy bride was made in silence through the Theban city. May these ills perish, whether the sword, or discord, or thy father is the cause, or whether fate has rushed with violence upon the house of Œdipus; for the weight of these sorrows has fallen upon me.

      CHOR. Parturition with the attendant throes has a wonderful effect on women;106 and somehow the whole race of women have strong affection toward their children.

      POL. My mother, determining wisely, and yet not determining wisely, have I come to men my foes; but it is necessary that all must be enamored of their country; but whoever says otherwise, pleases himself with vain words, but has his heart there. But so far have I come to trouble and terror, lest any treachery from my brother should slay me, so that having my hand on my sword I proceeded through the city rolling round my eye; but one thing is on my side, the truce and thy faith, which has brought me within my paternal walls: but I have come with many tears, after a length of time beholding the courts and the altars of the Gods, and the schools wherein I was brought up, and the fount of Dirce, from which banished by injustice, I inhabit a foreign city, having a stream of tears flowing through my eyes. But, for from one woe springs a second, I behold thee having thy head shorn of its locks, and these sable garments; alas me! on account of my misfortunes. How dreadful a thing, mother, is the enmity of relations, having means of reconciliation seldom to be brought about! For how fares the old man my father in the palace, vainly looking upon darkness; and how fare my two sisters? Are they indeed bewailing my wretched banishment?

      JOC. Some God miserably destroys the race of Œdipus; for thus began it, when I brought forth children in that unhallowed manner, and thy father married me in evil hour, and thou didst spring forth. But why relate these things? What is sent by the Gods we must bear. But how I may ask the questions I wish, I know not, for I fear lest I wound at all thy feelings; but I have a great desire.

      POL. But inquire freely, leave nothing out. For what you wish, my mother, this is dear to me.

      JOC. I ask thee therefore, first, for the information that I wish to obtain. What is the being deprived of one's country, is it a great ill?

      POL. The greatest: and greater is it in deed than in word.

      JOC. What is the reason of that? What is that so harsh to exiles?

      POL. One thing, and that the greatest, not to have the liberty of speaking.

      JOC. This that you have mentioned belongs to a slave, not to give utterance to what one thinks.

      POL. It is necessary to bear with the follies of those in power.

      JOC. And this is painful, to be unwise with the unwise.

      POL. But for interest we must bend to slavery contrary to our nature.

      JOC. But hopes support exiles, as report goes.

      POL. They look upon them with favorable eyes, at least, but are slow of foot.

      JOC. Hath not time shown them to be vain?

      POL. They have a certain sweet delight to set against misfortunes.

      JOC. But whence wert thou supported, before thou foundest means of sustenance by thy marriage?

      POL. At one time I had food for the day, at another I had not.

      JOC. And did the friends and hosts of your father not assist you?

      POL. Be prosperous, and thou shalt have friends:107 but friends are none, should one be in adversity.

      JOC. Did not thy noble birth raise thee to great distinction?

      POL. To want is wretched; high birth fed me not.

      JOC. Their own country, it appears, is the dearest thing to men.

      POL. You can not express by words how dear it is.

      JOC. But how camest thou to Argos? What intention hadst thou?

      POL. Apollo gave a certain oracle to Adrastus.

      JOC. What is this thou hast mentioned? I am unable to discover.

      POL. To unite his daughters in marriage with a boar and lion.

      JOC. And what part of the name of beasts belongs to you, my son.

      POL. I know not. The God called me to this fortune.

      JOC. For the God is wise. But in what manner didst thou obtain her bed?

      POL. It was night; but I came to the portals of Adrastus.

      JOC. In search of a couch to rest on, as a wandering exile?

      POL. This was the case, and then indeed there came a second exile.

      JOC. Who was this? how unfortunate then was he also!

      POL. Tydeus, who they say sprung from Œneus his sire.

      JOC. In what then did Adrastus liken you to beasts?

      POL. Because we came to blows for lodging.

      JOC. In this the son of Talaus understood the oracle.

      POL. And gave

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