Page:Sophocles - Seven Plays, 1900.djvu/79

67–100]

And tell to the Argives all I show thee here.

Only stand firm and shrink not; I will turn

His eyes askance, not to distinguish thee;

Fear nought.—Ho! thou that bindest to thy will

The limbs of those thy captives, come thou forth!

Aias! advance before thy palace-gate!

. My Queen! what dost thou? Never call him forth.

. Hush, hush! Be not so timorous, but endure.

. Nay, nay! Enough. He is there, and let him bide.

. What fear you? Dates his valour from to-day?

. He was and is my valiant enemy.

. Then is not laughter sweetest o’er a foe?

. No more! I care not he should pass abroad.

. You flinch from seeing the madman in full view.

. When sane, I ne’er had flinched before his face.

. Well, but even now he shall not know thee near.

. How, if his eyes be not transformed or lost?

. I will confound his sense although he see.

. Well, nothing is too hard for Deity.

. Stand still and keep thy place without a word.

. I must. Would I were far away from here!

. Aias! Again I summon thee. Why pay

So scanty heed to her who fights for thee?

. Hail, offspring of the Highest! Pallas, hail!

Well hast thou stood by me. Triumphal gold

Shall crown thy temple for this lordly prey.

. A fair intention! But resolve me this:

Hast dyed thy falchion deep in Argive blood?

. There is my boast; that charge I’ll ne’er deny.

. Have Atreus’ sons felt thy victorious might?

. They have. No more they’ll make a scorn of me!

. I take it, then, they are dead.

. Ay, now they are dead,

Let them arise and rob me of mine arms!