Page:Four Plays of Aeschylus (1908) Morshead.djvu/186

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Against him stood this wretch, and brought a horde

Of foreign foemen, to beset our town.

He therefore shall receive his recompense,

Buried ignobly in the maw of kites—

No women-wailers to escort his corpse

Nor pile his tomb nor shrill his dirge anew—

Unhouselled, unattended, cast away!

So, for these brothers, doth our State ordain.

And I—to those who make such claims of rule

In Cadmus' town—I, though no other help,

(Pointing to the body of )

I, I will bury this my brother's corse

And risk your wrath and what may come of it!

It shames me not to face the State, and set

Will against power, rebellion resolute:

Deep in my heart is set my sisterhood,

My common birthright with my brothers, born

All of one womb, her children who, for woe,

Brought forth sad offspring to a sire ill-starred.

Therefore, my soul! take thou thy willing share,

In aid of him who now can will no more,

Against this outrage: be a sister true,

While yet thou livest, to a brother dead!

Him never shall the wolves with ravening maw

Rend and devour: I do forbid the thought!

I for him, I—albeit a woman weak—

In place of burial-pit, will give him rest

By this protecting handful of light dust

Which, in the lap of this poor linen robe,

I bear to hallow and bestrew his corpse

With the due covering. Let none gainsay!

Courage and craft shall arm me, this to do.