The Suppliants (450-475)

What boots it to acquire wealth and livelihood for children, merely[*] to add to the tyrant’s substance by one’s toil? Why train up virgin daughters virtuously in our homes to gratify a tyrant’s whim, whenso he will, and cause tears to those who rear them? May my life end

if ever my children are to be wedded by violence! This bolt I launch in answer to thy words. Now say, why art thou come? what needest thou of this land? Had not thy city sent thee, to thy cost hadst thou come with thy outrageous utterances; for it is the herald’s duty

to tell the message he is bidden and hie him back in haste. Henceforth forth let Creon send to my city some other messenger less talkative than thee.

Look you! how insolent the villains are, when Fortune is kind to them, just as if it would be well with them for ever.

Now will I speak. On these disputed points hold thou this view, but I the contrary.

So I and all the people of Cadmus forbid thee to admit Adrastus to this land, but if he is here,

drive him forth in disregard of the holy suppliant[*] bough he bears, ere sinks yon blazing sun, and attempt not violently to take up the dead, seeing thou hast naught to do with the city of Argos. And if thou wilt hearken to me, thou shalt bring thy barque of state into port unharmed by the billows; but if not, fierce shall the surge of battle be,

that we and our allies shall raise. Take good thought, nor, angered at my words, because forsooth thou rulest thy city with freedom, return a vaunting answer from[*] thy feebler means. Hope is man’s curse; many a state hath it involved