Page:Sophocles - Seven Plays, 1900.djvu/254

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. Why through deceit? May not persuasion fetch him?

. Never. And force as certainly will fail.

. Miat lends him such assurance of defence?

. Arrows, the unerring harbingers of Death.

. Then to go near him is a perilous thing.

. Unless with subtlety, as I have said.

. And is not lying shameful to thy soul?

. Not if by lying I can save my soul.

. How must one look in speaking such a word?

. Where gain invites, this shrinking is not good.

. What gain I through his coming back to Troy?

. His arms alone have power to take Troy-town.

. Then am not I the spoiler, as ye said?

. Thou without them, they without thee, are powerless.

. If it be so, they must be sought and won.

. Yea, for in this two prizes will be thine.

. What? When I learn them, I will not refuse.

. Wisdom and valour joined in one good name.

. Shame, to the winds! Come, I will do this thing.

. Say, dost thou bear my bidding full in mind?

. Doubt not, since once for all I have embraced it.

. Thou, then, await him here. I will retire,

For fear my hated presence should be known,

And take back our attendant to the ship.

And then once more, should ye appear to waste

The time unduly, I will send again

This same man hither in disguise, transformed

To the strange semblance of a merchantman;

From dark suggestion of whose crafty tongue,

Thou, O my son, shalt gather timely counsel.

Now to my ship. This charge I leave to thee.

May secret Hermes guide us to our end,

And civic Pallas, named of victory,

The sure protectress of my devious way.