TUT. O thou fair bud in thy father's house, Antigone, since thy mother has
permitted thee to leave the virgin's apartments for the extreme chamber[7]
of the mansion, in order to view the Argive army in compliance with thy
entreaties, yet stay, until I shall first investigate the path, lest any
citizen should appear in the pass, and to me taunts should come as a slave,
and to thee as a princess: and I who well know each circumstance will tell
you all that I saw or heard from the Argives, when I went bearing the offer
of a truce to thy brother, from this place thither, and again to this place
from him. But no citizen approaches this house; come, ascend with thy steps
these ancient stairs of cedar, and survey the plains, and by the streams of
Ismenus and Dirce's fount how great is the host of the enemy.
ANT. Stretch forth now, stretch forth thine aged hand from the stairs to my
youth, raising up the steps of my feet.
TUT. Behold, join thy hand, virgin, thou hast come in lucky hour, for the
Pelasgian host is now in motion, and they are separating the bands from one
another.
ANT. O awful daughter of Latona, Hecate, the field all brass[8] gleaming
like lightning.
TUT. For Polynices hath not come tamely to this land, raging with host of
horsemen, and ten thousand shields.
ANT. Are the gates fastened with bars, and is the brazen bolt fitted to the
stone-work of Amphion's wall?
TUT. Take courage; as to the interior the city is safe, But view the first
chief, if thou desirest to know.
ANT. Who is he with the white-plumed helmet, who commands in the van of the
army, moving lightly round on his arm his brazen shield?
TUT. He is a leader, lady.
ANT. Who is he? From whom sprung? Speak, aged man, what is he called by
name?
TUT. He indeed is called by birth a Mycenæan, and he dwells at the streams
of Lerna,[9] the king Hippomedon.
ANT. Ah! how haughty, how terrible to behold! like to an earth-born giant,
starlike in countenance amidst his painted devices,[10] he corresponds not
with the race of mortals.
TUT. Dost thou not see him now passing the stream of Dirce, a general?
ANT. Here is another, another fashion of arms. But who is he?
TUT. He is the son of Œneus, Tydeus, and bears on his breast the Ætolian
Mars.
ANT. Is this the prince, O aged man, who is husband to the sister of my
brother's wife?[11] In his arms how different of color, of barbaric
mixture!
TUT. For all the Ætolians, my child, bear the target, and hurl with the
lance, most certain in their aim.
ANT. But how, O aged man, dost thou know these things so perfectly?
TUT. Having seen the devices of the shields, then I remarked them, when I
went to bear the offer of a truce to thy brother, beholding which, I
recognize the warriors.
ANT. But who is this, who is passing round the tomb of Zethus, with
clustering locks, in his eyes a Gorgon to behold, in appearance a youth?