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, Ares—pity us!—guard the city named for Cadmus and make evident your closeness κῆδος means both kinship and care. The wife of Cadmus was Harmonia, daughter of Ares and Aphrodite. 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, See the note on Aesch. Suppl. 686 . be a wolf to the enemy force and give them groan for groan!
 You too, maiden child of Leto, ready your bow!
 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?
 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 war’s outcome! And you, blessed queen Onca, Onca, the name of a Phoenician goddess, is identified with Athena (cp. 1. 487). on behalf of the city, defend your seven- gated home!
 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.
 Chorus Beloved spirits, encompass the city to deliver it from ruin and show that you love it. Consider the people’s offerings, and as you consider, help us. Remember, I beg, our city’s worship, rich in sacrifice..
 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 shriek—behavior 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 authority—whether man or woman or something in between—a sentence of death will be decreed for him and by no means whatsoever will he escape destruction by stoning at the people’s 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?
 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?
 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’ hands—but then, it is said that the gods of a captured city abandon it.
 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!