Dead, old friend, to beasts exposed. Old Servant Dead? did Apollo, evil god, no help afford? Creusa None; my boy is in the halls of Hades. Old Servant Who then exposed him? surely not thyself. Creusa Myself, when ’neath the gloom of night I had wrapped him in my robe. Old Servant Did no one share thy secret of the babe’s exposure? Creusa Ill-fortune and secrecy alone. Old Servant How couldst thou in the cavern leave thy babe? Creusa Ah! how? but still I did, with many a word of pity uttered o’er him. Old Servant Oh for thy hard heart! Oh for the god’s, more hard than thine! Creusa Hadst thou but seen the babe stretch forth his hands to me! Old Servant To find thy mother’s breast, to nestle in thy arms? Creusa By being kept therefrom he suffered grievous wrong from me. Old Servant How earnest thou to think of casting forth thy babe? Creusa Methought the god would save his own begotten child. Old Servant Ah me! what storms assail thy family’s prosperity! Creusa Why weepest thou, old man, with head close-veiled? Old Servant To see the sorrows of thy sire and thee. Creusa Such is our mortal life; naught abideth in one stay. Old Servant Daughter, let us cease to dwell on themes of woe. Creusa What must I do? Misfortune leaves us helpless. Old Servant Avenge thee on the god who first did injure thee.