Page:Sophocles - Seven Plays, 1900.djvu/46

12

Current among mankind so mischievous

As money. This brings cities to their fall:

This drives men homeless, and moves honest minds

To base contrivings. This hath taught mankind

The use of wickedness, and how to give

An impious turn to every kind of act.

But whosoe’er hath done this for reward

Hath found his way at length to punishment.

If Zeus have still my worship, be assured

Of that which here on oath I say to thee—

Unless ye find the man who made this grave

And bring him bodily before mine eye,

Death shall not be enough, till ye have hung

Alive for an example of your guilt,

That henceforth in your rapine ye may know

Whence gain is to be gotten, and may learn

Pelf from all quarters is not to be loved.

For in base getting, ’tis a common proof,

More find disaster than deliverance.

. Am I to speak? or must I turn and go?

. What? know you not your speech offends even now?

. Doth the mind smart withal, or only the ear?

. Art thou to probe the seat of mine annoy?

. If I offend, ’tis in your ear alone,

The malefactor wounds ye to the soul.

. Out on thee! thou art nothing but a tongue.

. Then was I ne’er the doer of this deed.

. Yea, verily: self-hired to crime for gold.

. Pity so clear a mind should clearly err!

. Gloze now on clearness! But unless ye bring

The burier, without glozing ye shall tell,

Craven advantage clearly worketh bane.

By all means let the man be found; one thing

I know right well:—caught or not caught, howe’er

Fate rules his fortune, me you ne’er will see

Standing in presence here. Even now I owe

Deep thanks to Heaven for mine escape, so far

Beyond my hope and highest expectancy.

[Exeunt severally