Page:Statius (Mozley 1928) v2.djvu/63

tain,^[1] where he had offered sacrifice^[2] to the angry Thunderer, and was shaking his head as he returned from the ill-omened entrails. Here he abides without share in the Argolic war, not lacking in courage, but the temples and the altars kept him back; nor had the gods’ response and ancient warning yet faded from his mind, nor the words received from the innermost shrine: “In the Dircaean war, Lycurgus, the first death shall be thine to give.” Of that he is afraid, and, saddened by the dust of neighbouring armies, he is tortured at the trumpets’ sound, and envies the doomed hosts.

But lo!—so the gods keep faith!—the daughter of Thoas accompanies the mangled infant’s funeral train, and his mother comes to meet her, leading a band of women and troops of mourners. But not sluggish was the devotion of great-souled Lycurgus: grief emboldened him, the father’s mad rage thrust back the tears, and with long strides he covers the fields that stay his wrath, and cries aloud: “Where now is she, who recks little or is glad of the shedding of my blood? Lives she? Then seize her, comrades, and bring her speedily! I will make her insolence forget all her tale of Lemnos and her father and her lies about a race divine!” He advanced and prepared to deal the death-blow, his sword drawn in rage; but as he came, the Oeneian hero,^[3] quick to act, thrust his shield against his breast and barred the way, with stern rebuke: “Abate thy fury, madman, whoe’er thou art!” and Capaneus likewise and brave Hippomedon, with sword drawn back, and the Erymanthian, with levelled blade, were there to succour, and the prince is dazzled by their flashing swords: but on the other side the rustic bands