Scaife ATLAS

CTS Library / Seven Against Thebes

Seven Against Thebes (128-220)

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0085.tlg004.perseus-eng2:128-220
Refs {'start': {'reference': '128', 'human_reference': 'Line 128'}, 'end': {'reference': '220', 'human_reference': 'Line 220'}}
Ancestors []
Children []
prev
plain textXML
next
Pallas, Zeus-born power delighting in battle, prove yourself the savior of the city!
And you, lord of steeds, ruler of the deep, Poseidon, with your fish-striking weapon grant us release from our fears, grant us release!
You too, Arespity us!—guard the city named for Cadmus and make evident your closeness[*] to us!
And Cypris, you who are the first mother of our race, defend us who are sprung from your blood. We come to you, crying out in prayers for your divine ears.
And you, Apollo, lord of the Wolf,[*] be a wolf to the enemy force and give them groan for groan! You too, maiden child of Leto, ready your bow!
149
Chorus
Ah! Ah!
I hear the rattle of chariots encircling the town. O lady Hera! The hubs are creaking beneath the axles load. Beloved Artemis!
The air rages at the shaking of spears! What is happening to our city? What will the future bring? And where does God finally lead us?
158
Chorus
Ah! Ah! A hail of stones strikes our battlements from afar. O beloved Apollo!
There is the clang of bronze-bound shields at the gates. O son of Zeus, in whom dwells the sacred power to decide in battle wars outcome! And you, blessed queen Onca,[*] on behalf of the city,
defend your seven- gated home!
166
Chorus
All-powerful divinities, you gods and goddesses who wield the power to guard the towers of our land, do not betray our city that now toils under the spear
to an alien-tongued army. Hear us, hear, as is right, the prayers we maidens offer with outstretched hands.
174
Chorus
Beloved spirits,
encompass the city to deliver it from ruin and show that you love it. Consider the peoples offerings, and as you consider, help us.
Remember, I beg, our citys worship, rich in sacrifice..
181
Eteocles
You intolerable things! I ask you, is this the best way to save the city? Does it hearten our army here besieged,
when you fall before the images of the gods that guard the city and shout and shriekbehavior that moderate people despise? May I never share my home with the female race, neither in time of evil nor in pleasant prosperity! When things go well for her, her boldness is unbearable,
but when she is afraid, she is an even greater evil for home and city. So now your cries as you rushed here and there in panicked flight have rattled the citizens into dispirited cowardice. The cause of the enemy outside our gates is excellently strengthened by your behavior, while we inside are ruined by our own people.
This is the sort of trouble you will have if you dwell with women. Now if anyone fails to obey my authoritywhether man or woman or something in betweena sentence of death will be decreed for him and by no means whatsoever will he escape destruction by stoning at the peoples hands.
It is for the man to take care of business outside the house; let no woman make decrees in those matters. Keep inside and do no harm! Do you hear me or not? Am I speaking to the deaf?
203
Chorus
Dear son of Oedipus, I grew afraid when I heard the clatter of the crashing chariots,
when the hubs screamed as they whirled around the wheel, and when I heard the sound of the steering gear, fire-forged bits, in the horses mouths.
Eteocles
Well, then, has a helmsman ever found a way to safety by fleeing from stern to prow,
when his ship is foundering in high seas?
211
Chorus
But trusting in the gods I came in haste to their ancient statues, when the deadly blizzard of falling stones thundered against the gates. Just then I set out in fear to pray to the Blessed Ones
that they spread their protection over the city.
Eteocles
Pray that the rampart withstand the enemy spear. Yes, the outcome is in the gods handsbut then, it is said that the gods of a captured city abandon it.
219
Chorus
Never so long as I live may this divine assembly abandon us,
nor may I live to see the city overrun and the army seizing it with hostile fire!
Pallas 1 w 6
Zeus-born 1 w 16
power 1 w 21
delighting 1 w 31
in 2 w 33
battle 1 w 39
prove 1 w 45
yourself 1 w 53
the 1 w 56
savior 1 w 62
of 1 w 64
the 2 w 67
city 1 w 71
And 1 w 75
you 2 w 78
lord 1 w 83
of 2 w 85
steeds 1 w 91
ruler 1 w 97
of 3 w 99
the 3 w 102
deep 1 w 106
Poseidon 1 w 115
with 1 w 120
your 2 w 124
fish-striking 1 w 137
weapon 1 w 143
grant 1 w 148
us 2 w 150
release 1 w 157
from 1 w 161
our 3 w 164
fears 1 w 169
grant 2 w 175
us 3 w 177
release 2 w 184
You 1 w 188
too 1 w 191
Ares 1 w 196
pity 1 w 201
us 4 w 203
guard 1 w 210
the 4 w 213
city 2 w 217
named 1 w 222
for 1 w 225
Cadmus 1 w 231
and 1 w 234
make 1 w 238
evident 1 w 245
your 3 w 249
closeness 1 w 258
κῆδος 1 w 263
means 1 w 268
both 1 w 272
kinship 1 w 279
and 2 w 282
care 1 w 286
The 1 w 290
wife 1 w 294
of 4 w 296
Cadmus 2 w 302
was 1 w 305
Harmonia 1 w 313
daughter 1 w 322
of 5 w 324
Ares 2 w 328
and 3 w 331
Aphrodite 1 w 340
to 2 w 343
us 7 w 345
And 2 w 349
Cypris 1 w 355
you 5 w 359
who 1 w 362
are 2 w 365
the 5 w 368
first 1 w 373
mother 1 w 379
of 6 w 381
our 5 w 384
race 1 w 388
defend 1 w 395
us 8 w 397
who 2 w 400
are 3 w 403
sprung 1 w 409
from 2 w 413
your 4 w 417
blood 1 w 422
We 1 w 425
come 1 w 429
to 3 w 431
you 7 w 434
crying 1 w 441
out 1 w 444
in 6 w 446
prayers 1 w 453
for 2 w 456
your 5 w 460
divine 1 w 466
ears 2 w 470
And 3 w 474
you 9 w 477
Apollo 1 w 484
lord 2 w 489
of 7 w 491
the 7 w 494
Wolf 1 w 498
See 1 w 502
the 8 w 505
note 1 w 509
on 4 w 511
Aesch 1 w 516
Suppl 1 w 522
686 1 w 526
be 1 w 529
a 30 w 530
wolf 1 w 534
to 4 w 536
the 9 w 539
enemy 1 w 544
force 1 w 549
and 4 w 552
give 1 w 556
them 1 w 560
groan 1 w 565
for 4 w 568
groan 2 w 573
You 2 w 577
too 2 w 580
maiden 1 w 587
child 1 w 592
of 8 w 594
Leto 1 w 598
ready 1 w 604
your 6 w 608
bow 1 w 611
Chorus 1 w 618
Ah 1 w 620
Ah 2 w 623
I 1 w 625
hear 1 w 629
the 11 w 632
rattle 1 w 638
of 9 w 640
chariots 1 w 648
encircling 1 w 658
the 12 w 661
town 1 w 665
O 1 w 667
lady 1 w 671
Hera 1 w 675
The 2 w 679
hubs 1 w 683
are 4 w 686
creaking 1 w 694
beneath 1 w 701
the 13 w 704
axles 1 w 709
load 1 w 714
Beloved 1 w 722
Artemis 1 w 729
The 3 w 733
air 1 w 736
rages 1 w 741
at 4 w 743
the 14 w 746
shaking 1 w 753
of 10 w 755
spears 1 w 761
What 1 w 766
is 4 w 768
happening 1 w 777
to 8 w 779
our 9 w 782
city 3 w 786
What 2 w 791
will 1 w 795
the 15 w 798
future 1 w 804
bring 1 w 809
And 4 w 813
where 1 w 818
does 1 w 822
God 1 w 825
finally 1 w 832
lead 1 w 836
us 10 w 838
Chorus 2 w 845
Ah 3 w 847
Ah 4 w 850
A 15 w 852
hail 1 w 856
of 11 w 858
stones 1 w 864
strikes 1 w 871
our 10 w 874
battlements 1 w 885
from 3 w 889
afar 1 w 893
O 2 w 895
beloved 1 w 902
Apollo 2 w 908
There 1 w 914
is 5 w 916
the 16 w 919
clang 1 w 924
of 12 w 926
bronze-bound 1 w 938
shields 1 w 945
at 8 w 947
the 17 w 950
gates 1 w 955
O 3 w 957
son 1 w 960
of 13 w 962
Zeus 2 w 966
in 14 w 969
whom 1 w 973
dwells 1 w 979
the 18 w 982
sacred 1 w 988
power 2 w 993
to 10 w 995
decide 1 w 1001
in 15 w 1003
battle 3 w 1009
war 1 w 1012
s 60 w 1014
outcome 1 w 1021
And 5 w 1025
you 11 w 1028
blessed 1 w 1036
queen 1 w 1041
Onca 1 w 1045
Onca 2 w 1050
the 19 w 1054
name 2 w 1058
of 14 w 1060
a 69 w 1061
Phoenician 1 w 1071
goddess 1 w 1078
is 6 w 1081
identified 1 w 1091
with 2 w 1095
Athena 1 w 1101
cp 1 w 1104
1 1 w 1106
487 1 w 1110
on 8 w 1114
behalf 1 w 1120
of 15 w 1122
the 21 w 1125
city 4 w 1129
defend 2 w 1136
your 7 w 1140
seven- 1 w 1146
gated 1 w 1151
home 1 w 1155
Chorus 3 w 1162
All-powerful 1 w 1174
divinities 1 w 1184
you 13 w 1188
gods 1 w 1192
and 5 w 1195
goddesses 1 w 1204
who 4 w 1207
wield 1 w 1212
the 22 w 1215
power 4 w 1220
to 11 w 1222
guard 2 w 1227
the 23 w 1230
towers 1 w 1236
of 16 w 1238
our 12 w 1241
land 1 w 1245
do 3 w 1248
not 2 w 1251
betray 1 w 1257
our 13 w 1260
city 5 w 1264
that 1 w 1268
now 1 w 1271
toils 1 w 1276
under 1 w 1281
the 24 w 1284
spear 2 w 1289
to 14 w 1291
an 14 w 1293
alien-tongued 1 w 1306
army 1 w 1310
Hear 1 w 1315
us 14 w 1317
hear 2 w 1322
as 5 w 1325
is 7 w 1327
right 1 w 1332
the 25 w 1336
prayers 2 w 1343
we 8 w 1345
maidens 1 w 1352
offer 1 w 1357
with 3 w 1361
outstretched 1 w 1373
hands 1 w 1378
Chorus 4 w 1385
Beloved 2 w 1392
spirits 1 w 1399
encompass 1 w 1409
the 26 w 1412
city 6 w 1416
to 16 w 1418
deliver 1 w 1425
it 14 w 1427
from 4 w 1431
ruin 1 w 1435
and 8 w 1438
show 1 w 1442
that 2 w 1446
you 14 w 1449
love 4 w 1453
it 15 w 1455
Consider 1 w 1464
the 27 w 1467
people 1 w 1473
s 90 w 1475
offerings 1 w 1484
and 9 w 1488
as 7 w 1490
you 15 w 1493
consider 1 w 1501
help 1 w 1506
us 16 w 1508
Remember 1 w 1517
I 2 w 1519
beg 1 w 1522
our 14 w 1526
city 7 w 1530
s 95 w 1532
worship 1 w 1539
rich 1 w 1544
in 19 w 1546
sacrifice 1 w 1555
Eteocles 1 w 1565
You 3 w 1568
intolerable 1 w 1579
things 1 w 1585
I 3 w 1587
ask 1 w 1590
you 16 w 1593
is 8 w 1596
this 1 w 1600
the 28 w 1603
best 1 w 1607
way 1 w 1610
to 18 w 1612
save 1 w 1616
the 29 w 1619
city 8 w 1623
Does 1 w 1628
it 18 w 1630
hearten 1 w 1637
our 15 w 1640
army 2 w 1644
here 3 w 1648
besieged 1 w 1656
when 1 w 1661
you 17 w 1664
fall 1 w 1668
before 1 w 1674
the 30 w 1677
images 1 w 1683
of 19 w 1685
the 31 w 1688
gods 2 w 1692
that 3 w 1696
guard 3 w 1701
the 32 w 1704
city 9 w 1708
and 10 w 1711
shout 1 w 1716
and 11 w 1719
shriek 1 w 1725
behavior 1 w 1734
that 4 w 1738
moderate 1 w 1746
people 2 w 1752
despise 1 w 1759
May 1 w 1763
I 4 w 1764
never 1 w 1769
share 1 w 1774
my 4 w 1776
home 2 w 1780
with 4 w 1784
the 33 w 1787
female 1 w 1793
race 2 w 1797
neither 1 w 1805
in 22 w 1807
time 1 w 1811
of 20 w 1813
evil 1 w 1817
nor 1 w 1820
in 23 w 1822
pleasant 1 w 1830
prosperity 1 w 1840
When 1 w 1845
things 2 w 1851
go 5 w 1853
well 2 w 1857
for 6 w 1860
her 6 w 1863
her 7 w 1867
boldness 1 w 1875
is 11 w 1877
unbearable 1 w 1887
but 1 w 1891
when 2 w 1895
she 1 w 1898
is 12 w 1900
afraid 1 w 1906
she 2 w 1910
is 13 w 1912
an 21 w 1914
even 2 w 1918
greater 1 w 1925
evil 2 w 1929
for 7 w 1932
home 3 w 1936
and 12 w 1939
city 10 w 1943
So 1 w 1946
now 2 w 1949
your 8 w 1953
cries 1 w 1958
as 10 w 1960
you 19 w 1963
rushed 1 w 1969
here 4 w 1973
and 13 w 1976
there 1 w 1981
in 25 w 1983
panicked 1 w 1991
flight 1 w 1997
have 1 w 2001
rattled 1 w 2008
the 36 w 2011
citizens 1 w 2019
into 2 w 2023
dispirited 1 w 2033
cowardice 1 w 2042
The 5 w 2046
cause 1 w 2051
of 21 w 2053
the 37 w 2056
enemy 2 w 2061
outside 1 w 2068
our 17 w 2071
gates 2 w 2076
is 15 w 2078
excellently 1 w 2089
strengthened 1 w 2101
by 1 w 2103
your 9 w 2107
behavior 2 w 2115
while 1 w 2121
we 10 w 2123
inside 1 w 2129
are 6 w 2132
ruined 1 w 2138
by 2 w 2140
our 19 w 2143
own 2 w 2146
people 3 w 2152
This 1 w 2157
is 17 w 2159
the 39 w 2162
sort 1 w 2166
of 22 w 2168
trouble 1 w 2175
you 21 w 2178
will 2 w 2182
have 2 w 2186
if 4 w 2188
you 22 w 2191
dwell 2 w 2196
with 5 w 2200
women 1 w 2205
Now 1 w 2209
if 5 w 2211
anyone 1 w 2217
fails 1 w 2222
to 20 w 2224
obey 1 w 2228
my 6 w 2230
authority 1 w 2239
whether 1 w 2247
man 1 w 2250
or 22 w 2252
woman 1 w 2257
or 23 w 2259
something 1 w 2268
in 30 w 2270
between 1 w 2277
a 139 w 2279
sentence 1 w 2287
of 23 w 2289
death 1 w 2294
will 3 w 2298
be 16 w 2300
decreed 1 w 2307
for 8 w 2310
him 1 w 2313
and 14 w 2316
by 3 w 2318
no 6 w 2320
means 2 w 2325
whatsoever 1 w 2335
will 4 w 2339
he 63 w 2341
escape 1 w 2347
destruction 1 w 2358
by 4 w 2360
stoning 1 w 2367
at 22 w 2369
the 41 w 2372
people 4 w 2378
s 146 w 2380
hands 2 w 2385
It 1 w 2388
is 18 w 2390
for 9 w 2393
the 42 w 2396
man 3 w 2399
to 22 w 2401
take 1 w 2405
care 2 w 2409
of 24 w 2411
business 1 w 2419
outside 2 w 2426
the 43 w 2429
house 1 w 2434
let 1 w 2438
no 7 w 2440
woman 2 w 2445
make 2 w 2449
decrees 1 w 2456
in 33 w 2458
those 1 w 2463
matters 1 w 2470
Keep 1 w 2475
inside 2 w 2481
and 16 w 2484
do 4 w 2486
no 8 w 2488
harm 1 w 2492
Do 2 w 2495
you 23 w 2498
hear 4 w 2502
me 15 w 2504
or 26 w 2506
not 3 w 2509
Am 1 w 2512
I 6 w 2513
speaking 1 w 2521
to 23 w 2523
the 44 w 2526
deaf 1 w 2530
Chorus 5 w 2537
Dear 1 w 2541
son 2 w 2544
of 25 w 2546
Oedipus 1 w 2553
I 7 w 2555
grew 1 w 2559
afraid 2 w 2565
when 3 w 2569
I 8 w 2570
heard 1 w 2575
the 45 w 2578
clatter 1 w 2585
of 26 w 2587
the 46 w 2590
crashing 1 w 2598
chariots 2 w 2606
when 4 w 2611
the 47 w 2614
hubs 2 w 2618
screamed 1 w 2626
as 12 w 2628
they 1 w 2632
whirled 1 w 2639
around 1 w 2645
the 49 w 2648
wheel 1 w 2653
and 17 w 2657
when 5 w 2661
I 9 w 2662
heard 2 w 2667
the 50 w 2670
sound 1 w 2675
of 27 w 2677
the 51 w 2680
steering 1 w 2688
gear 1 w 2692
fire-forged 1 w 2704
bits 1 w 2708
in 38 w 2711
the 52 w 2714
horses 1 w 2720
mouths 1 w 2727
Eteocles 2 w 2736
Well 1 w 2740
then 3 w 2745
has 1 w 2749
a 172 w 2750
helmsman 1 w 2758
ever 3 w 2762
found 1 w 2767
a 174 w 2768
way 2 w 2771
to 24 w 2773
safety 1 w 2779
by 5 w 2781
fleeing 1 w 2788
from 5 w 2792
stern 1 w 2797
to 25 w 2799
prow 1 w 2803
when 6 w 2808
his 3 w 2811
ship 3 w 2815
is 20 w 2817
foundering 1 w 2827
in 41 w 2829
high 1 w 2833
seas 1 w 2837
Chorus 6 w 2844
But 1 w 2847
trusting 1 w 2855
in 43 w 2857
the 54 w 2860
gods 3 w 2864
I 10 w 2865
came 1 w 2869
in 44 w 2871
haste 1 w 2876
to 26 w 2878
their 1 w 2883
ancient 1 w 2890
statues 1 w 2897
when 7 w 2902
the 56 w 2905
deadly 1 w 2911
blizzard 1 w 2919
of 28 w 2921
falling 1 w 2928
stones 2 w 2934
thundered 1 w 2943
against 1 w 2950
the 57 w 2953
gates 3 w 2958
Just 1 w 2963
then 4 w 2967
I 11 w 2968
set 1 w 2971
out 8 w 2974
in 47 w 2976
fear 2 w 2980
to 28 w 2982
pray 3 w 2986
to 29 w 2988
the 59 w 2991
Blessed 1 w 2998
Ones 1 w 3002
that 5 w 3006
they 2 w 3010
spread 1 w 3016
their 2 w 3021
protection 1 w 3031
over 1 w 3035
the 62 w 3038
city 11 w 3042
Eteocles 3 w 3051
Pray 1 w 3055
that 6 w 3059
the 63 w 3062
rampart 1 w 3069
withstand 1 w 3078
the 64 w 3081
enemy 3 w 3086
spear 3 w 3091
Yes 1 w 3095
the 65 w 3099
outcome 2 w 3106
is 21 w 3108
in 48 w 3110
the 66 w 3113
gods 4 w 3117
hands 3 w 3123
but 2 w 3127
then 5 w 3131
it 31 w 3134
is 22 w 3136
said 1 w 3140
that 7 w 3144
the 68 w 3147
gods 5 w 3151
of 29 w 3153
a 201 w 3154
captured 1 w 3162
city 12 w 3166
abandon 1 w 3173
it 33 w 3175
Chorus 7 w 3182
Never 1 w 3187
so 7 w 3189
long 1 w 3193
as 16 w 3195
I 12 w 3196
live 2 w 3200
may 1 w 3203
this 2 w 3207
divine 2 w 3213
assembly 1 w 3221
abandon 2 w 3228
us 27 w 3230
nor 2 w 3234
may 2 w 3237
I 13 w 3238
live 3 w 3242
to 30 w 3244
see 1 w 3247
the 69 w 3250
city 13 w 3254
overrun 1 w 3261
and 22 w 3264
the 70 w 3267
army 3 w 3271
seizing 1 w 3278
it 35 w 3280
with 7 w 3284
hostile 1 w 3291
fire 2 w 3295