Page:Sophocles - Seven Plays, 1900.djvu/92

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. My praise she shall not miss, if she perform

My bidding with firm heart, and fail not here.

. Dear Aias, I will fail in nought thou bidst me.

. Bring me my boy, that I may see his face.

. Oh, in my terror I conveyed him hence!

. Clear of this mischief, mean’st thou? or for what?

. Lest he might run to thee, poor child, and die.

. That issue had been worthy of my fate!

. But I kept watch to fence his life from harm.

. ’Twas wisely done. I praise thy foresight there.

. Well, since ’tis so, how can I help thee now?

. Give me to speak to him and see him near.

. He stands close by with servants tending him.

. Then why doth he not come, but still delay?

. Thy father calls thee, child. Come, lead him hither,

Whichever of you holds him by the hand.

. Moves he? or do thine accents idly fall?

. See, where thy people bring him to thine eye.

. Lift him to me: lift him! He will not fear

At sight of this fresh havoc of the sword,

If rightly he be fathered of my blood.

Like some young colt he must be trained and taught

To run fierce courses with his warrior sire.

Be luckier than thy father, boy! but else

Be like him, and thy life will not be low.

One thing even now I envy thee, that none

Of all this misery pierces to thy mind.

For life is sweetest in the void of sense,

Ere thou know joy or sorrow. But when this

Hath found thee, make thy father’s enemies

Feel the great parent in the valiant child.

Meantime grow on in tender youthfulness,

Nursed by light breezes, gladdening this thy mother.

No Greek shall trample thee with brutal harm,

That I know well, though I shall not be near—

So stout a warder to protect thy life

I leave in Teucer. He’ll not fail, though now

He follow far the chase upon his foes.

My trusty warriors, people of the sea,