Page:Statius (Mozley 1928) v1.djvu/397

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THEBAID, I. 232–256

period of day or passing night avail me to recount the impious doings of the race. Nay, this unnatural heir has even ventured to climb his father’s couch and defile the womb of his innocent mother, returning (oh! horror!) to his own life’s origin. Yet he has made atonement everlasting to the gods above, casting forth from himself the light of day, nor any more feeds upon the air of heaven; but his sons (a deed unspeakable) trampled on his eyes as they fell. Now, now are thy prayers fulfilled, terrible old man! deserving art thou, yea, deserving in thy blindness to hope for Jove as thy avenger. New strife will I send upon the guilty realm, and uproot the whole stock of the deadly race. Let the gift of Adrastus’ daughter^[1] and her ill-omened nuptials furnish me the seeds of war. This race too I am resolved to scourge with punishment: for never hath the deceit of Tantalus, nor the crime of the pitiless banquet^[2] been forgotten in the secret counsels of my heart.”

So spake the Almighty Sire. But wounded by his words and nursing sudden wrath in a heart aflame Juno thus makes answer: “’Tis I, then, justest of gods, I whom thou biddest to engage in war? for thou knowest how I ever give aid of men and might to the Cyclopean towers and the far-famed sceptre of great Phoroneus, although there thou didst ruthlessly cast on sleep and slay the guardian of the Pharian heifer, ay, and dost enter barred turrets in a shower of gold.^[3] Concealed amours I pardon thee:

↑ Lit. “Adrastus as a father-in-law,” i.e., “giving his daughter in marriage.”
↑ When Tantalus, according to one legend, cut up his son Pelops and boiled him as a feast for the gods. Tantalus was king of Argos, though in some legends king of Lydia or Phrygia. “hanc” therefore means “Argive.”
↑ Phoroneus, son of Inachus, was commonly considered as the founder of Argos, whose walls, like those of other ancient cities, were thought to have been built by the Cyclopes. Argus, the watcher of Io, daughter of Inachus, was slain there, and there Danaë, daughter of king Acrisius, was visited by Jupiter.

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[1] Lit. “Adrastus as a father-in-law,” i.e., “giving his daughter in marriage.”

[2] When Tantalus, according to one legend, cut up his son Pelops and boiled him as a feast for the gods. Tantalus was king of Argos, though in some legends king of Lydia or Phrygia. “hanc” therefore means “Argive.”

[3] Phoroneus, son of Inachus, was commonly considered as the founder of Argos, whose walls, like those of other ancient cities, were thought to have been built by the Cyclopes. Argus, the watcher of Io, daughter of Inachus, was slain there, and there Danaë, daughter of king Acrisius, was visited by Jupiter.

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