Epeisodion 3
Adrastus
beyond their mark, and only by suffering many evils as ye deserve, though deaf to friends, yet yield to circumstances; ye cities likewise, though ye might by parley end your mischief, yet ye choose the sword instead of reason to settle all disputes.
745
But wherefore these reflections? This I fain would learn, the way thou didst escape; and after that I will ask thee of the rest.
750
Messenger
During the uproar which prevailed in the city owing to the battle, I passed the gates, just as the host had entered them.
Adrastus
Are ye bringing the bodies, for the which the strife arose?
Messenger
Ay, each of the seven chiefs who led their famous hosts.
755
Adrastus
What sayest thou? the rest who fell—say, where are they?
Messenger
They have found burial in the dells of Cithseron.
Adrastus
On this or that side of the mount? And who did bury them?
Messenger
Theseus buried them ’neath the shadow of Eleutherae’s cliff.
Adrastus
Where didst thou leave the dead he hath not buried?
760
Messenger
Not far away; earnest haste makes every goal look close.
Adrastus
No doubt in sorrow slaves would gather them from the carnage.
Messenger
Slaves! not one of them was set to do this toil.
Adrastus
Hermann detected the loss of a line here. Subsequent editors have followed his hint.
Messenger
Thou wouldst say so, hadst thou been there to see his loving tendance of the dead.
Adrastus
Did he himself wash the bloody wounds of the hapless youths?
765
Messenger
Ay, and strewed their biers and wrapped them in their shrouds.
Adrastus
An awful burdenReading οὖν for ἧν (Elmsley.) this, involving some disgrace.
Messenger
Why, what disgrace to men are their fellows’ sorrows?
Adrastus
Ah me! how much rather had I died with them!
Messenger
’Tis vain to weep and move to tears these women.
770
Adrastus
Methinks ’tis they who give the lesson. EnoughElmsley reads ἀλλ’ εἶμ’, ἐπάρω for MS. ἀλλ’ εἶεν, αἴρω. Some correction of the kind does seem necessary, for the dead bodies are not noticed as arriving till later. of that! My hands I lift at meeting of the dead, and pour forth a tearful dirge to Hades, calling on my friends,
whose loss I mourn in wretched solitude; for this one thing, when once ’tis spent, man cannot recover, the breath of life, though he knoweth ways to get his wealth again.
775
