and that beneath a
hail of spears he would stand his ground where posted, a loyal and brave
comrade in the battle line. But there is no evil worse than
disobedience. This destroys cities; this overturns homes; this
breaks the ranks of allied spears into headlong rout. But the
lives of men who prosper upright, of these obedience has saved the
greatest part. Therefore we must defend those who respect order, and in
no way can we let a woman defeat us. It is better to fall from power, if
it is fated, by a man’s hand,than that we be called weaker than
women.ChorusTo us, unless our years have stolen our wit, you seem to say what you say
wisely.HaemonFather, the gods implant reason in men, the highest of all things that we
call our own. For my part, to
state how you are wrong to say those things is beyond my power and my
desire, although another man, too, might have a useful thought. In any
case, it is my natural duty to watch on your behalf all that men say, or
do, or find to blame. For dread of
your glance forbids the ordinary citizen to speak such words as would
offend your ear. But I can hear these murmurs in the dark, how the city
moans for this girl, saying: No woman ever merited death
less—