CAD. He was like you, not reverencing the God, therefore he joined all in
one ruin, both ye and this one, so as to ruin the house, and me, who being
childless of male children, see this branch of thy womb, O unhappy woman!
most miserably and shamefully slain--whom the house respected; you, O
child, who supported my house, born of my daughter, and was an object of
fear to the city; and no one wished to insult the old man, seeing you; for
he would have received a worthy punishment. But now I shall be cast out of
my house dishonored, I, the mighty Cadmus, who sowed the Theban race, and
reaped a most glorious crop; O dearest of men, for although no longer in
being, still thou shalt be counted by me as dearest of my children; no
longer touching this, my chin, with thy hand, addressing me, your mother's
father, wilt thou embrace me, my son, saying, Who injures, who insults you,
O father, who harasses your heart, being troublesome I say, that I may
punish him who does you wrong, O father. But now I am miserable, and thou
art wretched, and thy mother is pitiable, and thy relations are wretched.
But if there is any one who despises the Gods, looking on this man's death,
let him acknowledge the Gods.
CHOR. I grieve for thy state, O Cadmus; but your child has the punishment
of your daughter, deserved indeed, but grievous to you.
AG. O father, for you see how I am changed ...
BAC ... changing, you shall become a dragon, and your wife becoming a
beast, shall receive in exchange the form of a serpent, Harmonia, the
daughter of Mars, whom you had, being a mortal. And as the oracle of Jove
says, you shall drive with your wife a chariot of heifers, ruling over
barbarians; and with an innumerable army you shall sack many cities; and
when they plunder the temple of Apollo, they shall have a miserable return,
but Mars shall defend you and Harmonia, and shall settle your life in the
islands of the blessed. I say this, I, Bacchus, not born of a mortal
father, but of Jove; and if ye had known how to be wise when ye would not,
ye would have been happy, having the son of Jupiter for your ally.
CAD. Bacchus, we beseech thee, we have erred.
BAC. Ye have learned it too late; but when it behooved you, you knew it
not.
CAD. I knew it, but you press on us too severely.
BAC. [Ay,] for I, being a God, was insulted by you.