Page:Sophocles (Storr 1919) v2.djvu/259



Thou mayst, but ’tis a gruesome spectacle.

Thou givest me much joy against thy wont.

I wish thee joy, if here is food for joy.

Silence! attend! throw open wide the gate,

For all Mycenae, Argos all, to see.

If any heretofore was puffed with hopes

Of this pretender, now he sees him dead,

Let him in time accept my yoke, nor wait

Wisdom by chastisement to learn too late.

My lesson’s learnt already; time hath taught me

The wisdom of consenting with the strong.

O Zeus, I look upon this form laid low

By jealousy of Heaven, but if my words

Seem to thee overbold, be they unsaid.

Take from the face the face-cloth; I, as kin,

I too would pay my tribute of lament.

Lift it thyself; ’tis not for me but thee

To see and kindly greet what lieth here.

Well said, so will I. (To .) If she be within

Go call me Clytemnestra, I would see her—

She is beside thee; look not otherwhere.

( lifts the face-cloth.) 247