Page:Tragedies of Euripides (Way 1896) v2.djvu/470

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414
EURIPIDES.

"Shall I quit life, and haply prove me craven?"
For he who knoweth not, being mortal-born,
To bear misfortune as a man should bear,
He even before a mere man's spear would blench. 1350
I will be strong to await death. To thy town
I go. For thy gifts thanks a thousandfold.
Ah, I have tasted travail measureless,
Nor ever flinched from any, never shed
Tear from mine eyes, no, nor had ever thought 1355
That I should come to this, to weep the tear!
But now, meseems, I must be thrall to fate.
Ay so!—thou seëst, ancient, mine exile;
Thou seëst me a murderer of my sons.
Give these a tomb, and shroud the dead, with tears 1360
For honour,—me the law withholds therefrom,—
Laid on the mother's breast, clasped in her arms,
Sad fellowship, which I—O wretch!—destroyed
Unknowing. When thou hast hid them in the tomb,
Live on in Thebes,—in misery, yet still 1365
Constrain thy soul to share my load of woe.
Ah children, your begetter and your sire
Slew you!—ye had no profit of my glory,
Of all my travail and strenuous toil[1] to win
Renown for you—a sire's best legacy. 1370
And thee, lost love, not in such wise I slew
As thou didst save, didst keep mine honour safe
Through all that weary warding of mine house![2]
Woe for my wife and children! woe for me!

  1. ↑ Retaining MS. βίᾳ. Editors generally adopt the emendation βίου, "Of all my travail and toil to win for you An honoured life—."
  2. ↑ The period of his long absence when the wife had been warder of his house.
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