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164 164 SOPHOCLES

He must not hope to gather praise from me.

No ! we must follow whom the State appoints, 720

In things or just and trivial, or, may be,

The opposite of these. For anarchy

Is our worst evil, brings our commonwealth

To utter ruin, lays whole houses low,

In battle strife hurls firm allies in flight ; 725

But they who yield to guidance, — these shall find

Obedience saves most men. Thus health should come

To what our rulers order ; least of all

Ought men to bow before a woman's sway.

Far better, if it must be so, to fall 730

By a man's hand, than thus to bear reproach,

By woman conquered.

Chorus. Unto us, Ο king.

Unless our years have robbed us of our wit, Thou seemest to say wisely what thou say'st.

Haemon. The Gods, my father, have bestowed on man 735

His reason, noblest of all earthly gifts ; And that thou speakest wrongly these thy words I cannot say (God grant I ne'er know how Such things to utter !), yet another's thoughts May have some reason. 'T is my lot to watch 740

What each man says or does, or blames in thee, For dread thy face to one of low estate. Who speaks what thou wilt not rejoice to hear. But I can hear the things in darkness said. How the whole city wails this maiden's fate, 745

As one " who of all women most unjustly, For noblest deed must die the foulest death. Who her own brother, fallen in the fray, Would neither leave unburied, nor expose To carrion dogs, or any bird of prey, 750