ETEO. Mother, I am present; giving this grace to thee, I have come; what
must I do? Let some one begin the conference. Since arranging also around
the walls the chariots of the bands, I restrained the city, that I may hear
from thee the common terms[24] of reconciliation, for which thou hast
permitted this man to come within the walls under sanction of a truce,
having persuaded me.
JOC. Stay; precipitate haste has not justice; but slow counsels perform
most deeds in wisdom. But repress that fierce eye and those blasts of rage;
for thou art not looking on the Gorgon's head cut off at the neck, but thou
art looking on thy brother who is come to thee. And do thou again,
Polynices, turn thy face toward thy brother; for looking at the same point
with thine eyes, thou wilt both speak better, and receive his words better.
But I wish to give you a wise piece of advice. When a friend is enraged
with a man his friend, having met him face to face, let him fix his eyes on
his friend's eyes, this only ought he to consider, the end for which he is
come, but to have no recollection of former grievances. Thy words then
first, my son, Polynices; for thou art come leading an army of Argives,
having suffered injustice, as thou sayest; and may some God be umpire and
the reconciler of your strife.
POL. The speech of truth is simple, and those things which are just need
not wily interpretations; for they have energy themselves; but the unjust
speech, unsound in itself, requires cunning preparations to gloze it. But I
have previously considered for my father's house, and my own advantage and
that of this man; desiring to escape the curses, which Œdipus denounced
formerly against us, I myself of my own accord departed from this land,
having given him to rule over his own country for the space of a year, so
that I myself should have the government again, having received it in turn,
and not having come into enmity and bloodshed with this man to perform some
evil deed, and to suffer what is now taking place. But he having assented
to this, and having brought the Gods to witness his oaths, has performed
nothing of what he promised, but himself holds the regal power and my share
of the palace. And now I am ready, having received my own right, to send
the army away from out of this land, and to regulate my house, having
received it in my turn, and to give it up again to this man for the same
space of time, and neither to lay my country waste, nor to apply to its
towers the means of ascent by the firmly-fixed ladders. Which, should I not
meet with justice, will I endeavor to put in execution: and I call the Gods
as witnesses of this, that acting in every thing with justice, I am without
justice deprived of my country in the most unrighteous manner. These
individual circumstances, mother, not having collected together intricacies
of argument, have I declared, but both to the wise and to the illiterate
just, as appears to me.
CHOR. To me indeed, although we have not been brought up according to the
Grecian land, nevertheless to me thou appearest to speak with judgment.
ETEO. If the same thing were judged honorable alike by all, and at the same
time wise, there would not be doubtful strife among men. But now nothing is
similar, nothing the same among mortals, except in names; but the sense is
not the same, for I, my mother, will speak having kept nothing back; I
would mount to the rising of the stars, and sink beneath the earth, were I
able to perform this, so that I might possess the greatest of the
Goddesses, kingly power.[25] This prize then, my mother, I am not willing
rather to give up to another, than to preserve for myself. For it implies
cowardice in him, whoever having lost the greater share, hath received the
less; but in addition to this I feel ashamed, that this man having come
with arms, and laying the country waste, should obtain what he wishes; for
to Thebes this would be a reproach, if through fear of the Mycenæan spear I
should give up my sceptre for this man to hold. But he ought, my mother, to
effect a reconciliation, not by arms: for speech does every thing which
even the sword of the enemy could do. But if he is desirous of inhabiting
this land in any other way, it is in his power; but the other point I will
never give up willingly. When it is in my power to rule, ever to be a slave
to him? Wherefore come fire, come sword, yoke thy steeds, fill the plains
with chariots, since I will not give up my kingly power to this man. For if
one must be unjust, it is most glorious to be unjust concerning empire, but
in every thing else one should be just.
CHOR. It is not right to speak well, where the deeds are not glorious; for
this is not honorable, but galling to justice.
JOC. My son, Eteocles, not every ill is added to age, but experience has it
in its power to evince more wisdom than youth.[26] Why, my child, dost thou
so desirously court ambition, the most baneful of the deities? do not thou;
the Goddess is unjust. But she hath entered into many families and happy
states and hath come forth again, to the destruction of those who have to
do with her. Of whom thou art madly enamored. This is more noble, my son,
to honor equality, which ever links friends with friends, and states with
states, and allies with allies: for equality is sanctioned by law among
men. But the lesser share is ever at enmity with the greater, and straight
begins the day of hatred. For equality arranged also among mortals
measures, and the divisions of weights, and defined numbers. And the dark
eye of night, and the light of the sun, equally walk their annual round,
and neither of them being overcome hath envy of the other. Thus the sun and
the night are subservient to men, but wilt not thou brook having an equal
share of government, and give his share to him? Then where is justice? Why
dost thou honor so unboundedly that prosperous injustice, royalty, and
think so highly of her? Is the being conspicuous honorable? At least, it is
empty honor. Or dost thou desire to labor much, possessing much in thy
house? but what is superfluity? It possesses but a name; since a
sufficiency indeed to the temperate is abundance. Neither do men enjoy
riches as their own, but having the property of the Gods do we cherish
them. And when they list, again do they take them away. Come, if I ask
thee, having proposed together two measures, whether it is thy wish to
reign, or save the city? Wilt thou say, to reign? But should he conquer
thee, and the Argive spears overcome the Cadmæanforces, thou wilt behold
this city of the Thebans vanquished, thou wilt behold many captive maidens
with violence ravished by men your foes. Bitter then to Thebes will be the
power which thou seekest to hold; but yet thou art ambitious of it. To thee
I say this: but to thee, Polynices, say I, that Adrastus hath conferred an
unwise favor on thee; and foolishly hast thou also come to destroy this
city. Come, if thou wilt subdue this land (may which never happen), by the
Gods, how wilt thou erect trophies of thy spear? And how again wilt thou
sacrifice the first-fruits, having conquered thy country? and how wilt thou
engrave upon the spoils by the waters of Inachus, "Having laid Thebes in
ashes, Polynices consecrated these shields to the Gods?" Never, my son, may
it come to thee to receive such glory from the Greeks. But again, shouldest
thou be conquered, and should the arms of the other prevail, how wilt thou
return to Argos having left behind ten thousand dead? Surely some one will
say, O! unfortunate marriage alliance! O Adrastus, who placed them on us,
through the nuptials of one bride we are lost! Thou art hastening two ills,
my son, to be deprived of those, and to fail in this. Give up your too
great ardor, give it up; the follies of two when they clash together in the
same point, are the most hateful ill.
CHOR. O ye Gods, may ye be averters of these ills, and grant to the
children of Œdipus some means of agreement.
ETEO. My mother, this is not a contest of words, but intervening time is
fruitlessly wasted; and thy earnestness avails nothing; for we shall not
agree in any other way, than on the terms proposed, that I holding the
sceptre be monarch of this land. Forbearing then tedious admonitions, let
me have my way; and do thou begone from out these walls, or thou shalt die.
POL. By whose hand? Who is there so invulnerable, who having pointed the
murderous sword against me, shall not bear the same fate?
ETEO. He is near, not far removed from thee: dost thou look on these my
hands?
POL. I see them. But wealth is cowardly, and feeble, loving life.
ETEO. And therefore hast thou come, with such a host against one who is
nothing in arms?
POL. For a cautious general is better than one daring.
ETEO. Thou art insolent, having trusted in the truce, which preserves you
from death.
POL. A second time again I demand of you the sceptre and my share of the
land.
ETEO. I will admit no demand, for I will regulate my own family.
POL. Holding more than your share?
ETEO. I own it; but quit this land.
POL. O ye altars of my paternal Gods.
ETEO. Which thou art come to destroy?
POL. Do ye hear me?
ETEO. Who will hear thee, who art marching against thy country?
POL. And ye shrines of the Gods[27] delighting in the milk-white steeds;
ETEO. Who hate thee.
POL. I am driven out of my own country.
ETEO. For thou hast come to destroy it.
POL. With injustice indeed, O ye Gods!
ETEO. At Mycenæ call upon the Gods, not here.
POL. Thou art impious.
ETEO. But not my country's enemy, as thou art.
POL. Who drives me out without my share.
ETEO. And I will put thee to death in addition.
POL. My father, hearest thou what I suffer?
ETEO. For he hears what wrongs thou doest.
POL. And thou, my mother?
ETEO. It is not lawful for thee to mention thy mother.
POL. O my city!
ETEO. To Argos go, and call on Lerna's stream.
POL. I will go, do not distress thyself; but thee, my mother, I mention
with honor.
ETEO. Depart from out of the country.
POL. I will go out; but grant me to see my father.
ETEO. You will not obtain your request.
POL. But my virgin sisters then.
ETEO. Never shalt thou behold these.
POL. O my sisters!
ETEO. Why callest thou on these--being their greatest enemy?
POL. My mother, but thou farewell.
JOC. Do I experience any thing that is well, my son?
POL. I am no longer thy child.
JOC. To many troubles was I born.
POL. For he throws insults on us.
ETEO. For I am insulted in turn.
POL. Where wilt thou stand before the towers?
ETEO. Why dost thou ask me this question?
POL. I will oppose myself to thee, to slay thee.
ETEO. Desire of this seizes me also.
JOC. Wretched me! what will ye do, my children?
POL. The deed itself will show.
JOC. Will ye not escape your father's curses?
ETEO. Let the whole house perish!
POL. Since soon my blood-stained sword will not remain any longer in
inactivity. But I call to witness the land that nurtured me, and the Gods,
how dishonored I am driven from this land, suffering such foul treatment,
as a slave and not born of the same father Œdipus. And if any thing befalls
thee, my city, blame not me, but him; for against my will have I come, and
against my will am I driven from this land. And thou, king Apollo, God of
our streets, and ye shrines, farewell, and ye my equals, and ye altars of
the Gods receiving the victims; for I know not if it is allowed me ever
again to address you. But hope does not yet slumber, in which I have
trusted with the favor of the Gods, that having slain this man, I shall be
master of this Theban land.
ETEO. Depart from out of the country; with truth indeed did your father
give you the name of Polynices by some divine foreknowledge, a name
corresponding with strife.