Page:Statius (Mozley 1928) v2.djvu/17

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THEBAID, V. 19–42

beneath an aged ash-tree, and leaned on Polynices’ spear hard by him, thus spoke: “Nay, tell us, thou, whoe’er thou art, to whom—such is thy glory—fate[1] has brought our countless cohorts owing thee such high honour as the Sire of the gods himself would not despise—tell us, now that we are departing in all speed from thy waters, what is thy home or native land, from what stars didst thou draw thy life?[2] And who was that sire thou spakest of? For heaven is not far to seek in thy descent, though fortune may have been traitorous; a nobler birth is in thy looks, and even in affliction thy countenance breathes majesty.”

The Lemnian sighed, and, stayed by shamefast tears awhile, then makes reply: “Deep are the wounds, O prince, thou biddest me revive, the tale of Lemnos and its Furies and of murder done even in the bed’s embrace, and of the shameful sword whereby our manhood perished; ah! the wickedness comes back upon me, the freezing Horror grips my heart! Ah! miserable they, upon whom this frenzy came! alas, that night! alas, my father! for I am she—lest haply ye feel shame for your kindly host—I am she, O chieftains, who alone did steal away and hide her father. But why do I. weave the long prelude to my woes? Moreover battle summons you and your hearts’ high enterprise. Thus much doth it suffice to tell: I am Hypsipyle, born of renowned Thoas, and captive thrall to your Lycurgus.”

Close heed they gave her then, and nobler she seemed and worthy of honour, and equal to such a deed; then all craved to learn her story, and father Adrastus foremost urged her: “Ay, verily, while

  1. ↑ If “fatum” of most MSS. is kept = “our lives,” then “honorem,” etc., must be in a kind of apposition to the preceding sentence, e.g., “to owe our lives, an honour which . . .” In any case “venimus debere” is doubtful Latin, and the line has been variously emended.
  2. ↑ i.e., where were you born?

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