Page:Sophocles (Storr 1912) v1.djvu/307



The gods themselves are heralds of my fate;

Of their appointed warnings nothing fails.

THESEUS

How sayest thou they signify their will?

This thunder, peal on peal, this lightning hurled

Flash upon flash, from the unconquered hand.

THESEUS

I must believe thee, having found thee oft

A prophet true; then speak what must be done.

O son of Aegeus, for this state will I

Unfold a treasure age cannot corrupt.

Myself anon without a guiding hand

Will take thee to the spot where I must end.

This secret ne’er reveal to mortal man,

Neither the spot nor whereabouts it lies,

So shall it ever serve thee for defence

Better than native shields and near allies.

But those dread mysteries speech may not profane

Thyself shalt gather coming there alone;

Since not to any of thy subjects, nor

To my own children, though I love them dearly,

Can I reveal what thou must guard alone,

And whisper to thy chosen heir alone,

So to be handed down from heir to heir.

Thus shalt thou hold this land inviolate

From the dread Dragon’s brood. The justest State

By countless wanton neighbours may be wronged,

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