The Suppliant Maidens
Euripides
Euripides. The Plays of Euripides, Translated into English Prose from the Text of Paley. Vol. I. Coleridge, Edward P., translator. London: George Bell and Sons, 1906.
- Theseus, that they dared to die before the towers; for noble nurture carries honour with it, and every man, when once he hath practised virtue, scorns the name of villain. Courage may be learnt, for even a babe doth learn
- to speak and hear things it cannot comprehend; and whatso’er a child[*](Reading παῖς with Valckenaer.) hath learnt, this it is his wont to treasure up till he is old. So train up your children in a virtuous way.
- Alas! my son, to sorrow I bare thee and carried thee within my womb,
- enduring the pangs of travail; but now Hades takes the fruit of all my hapless toil, and I that; had a son am left, ah me! with none to nurse my age.
- As for the noble son of Oecleus, him, while yet he lived, the gods snatched hence to the bowels of the earth, and. his chariot too, manifestly blessing him; while I myself may truthfully tell the praises of the son of Oedipus, that is, Polynices,
- for he was my guest-friend ere he left the town of Cadmus and crossed to Argos in voluntary exile. But dost thou know what I would have thee do in this matter?
- I know naught save this,—to yield obedience to thy hests.
- As for yon Capaneus, stricken by the bolt of Zeus—
- Wilt bury him apart as a consecrated corpse?
- Even so; but all the rest on one funeral pyre.
- Where wilt thou set the tomb apart for him?
- Here near this temple have I builded him a sepulchre.
- Thy thralls forthwith must undertake this toil.
- Myself will look to those others; let the biers advance.
- Approach your sons, unhappy mothers.
- This thy proposal, Adrastus, is anything but good.