Page:Statius (Mozley 1928) v1.djvu/591

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THEBAID, IV. 601–626

Ye have fulfilled your fate; for us cruel war remains, and Tydeus yet again.” He spake, and as they swarmed upon his wool-bound chaplets he drove them off and pointed them to the blood.[1]

Reft of his comrade ghosts stood Laius on Cocytus’ dreary strand—for already had the winged god restored him to unpitying Avernus[2]—and glancing sidelong at his dire grandson, for he knew him by his face, came not like the rest of the multitude to drink the blood or the other outpourings, but breathed immortal hatred. But the Aonian seer delays not to lure him forward: “Renowned prince of Tyrian Thebes, since whose death no day has looked with kindly aspect on Amphion’s citadel, O thou who hast now enough avenged thy bloody murder, O shade to whom thy issue have made full atonement, whom dost thou fly, unhappy one? He[3] against whom thou ragest lies a living corpse, and feels Death joined with him in linked companionship, his sunken visage besmeared with blood and filth, and all the light of day put out. Trust me, ’tis a fate far worse than any dying! What cause hast thou to shun thy innocent grandson? Turn thy gaze hither, and take thy fill of sacrificial blood; then tell the chances that shall be, and the war’s victims, whether thou art in hostile mood or pityest thy kindred’s fortunes. Then will I grant thee to cross forbidden Lethe in the bark thou dost desire, and set thee again at peace in the blessed land, in the safe keeping of the gods of Styx.” Soothed is he by the proffered honour, and brings the colour to his cheeks,[4] then thus replies: “Why, when thou wert marshalling the spirits, O prophet equal to me

  1. ↑ The ghosts were to drink of the blood which would enable them to speak of the future. In fact only Laius drinks; cf. line 625, where “tingit genas” means that the invigorating blood makes his cheeks ruddy and lifelike.
  2. ↑ Laius in Bk. ii. (init.) had been brought from the underworld to appear to Eteocles in a dream.
  3. ↑ i.e., Oedipus, his son, who slew him.
  4. ↑ See note a.

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