Page:The Plays of Euripides Vol. 1- Edward P. Coleridge (1910).djvu/164

136 wide is thine, and acres broad I will leave to thee, for from my father did I inherit them. How, pray, have I wronged thee? of what am I robbing thee? Die not thou for me, nor I for thee. Thy joy is in the light; think'st thou thy sire's is not? By Heaven! 'tis a weary while, I trow, that time beneath the earth, and life, though short, is sweet. Thou at least didst struggle hard to 'scape thy death, lost to shame, and by her death dost live beyond thy destined term. Dost thou then speak of cowardice in me, thou craven heart! no match for thy wife, who hath died for thee, her fine young lord? A clever scheme hast thou devised to stave off death for ever, if thou canst persuade each new wife to die instead of thee; and dost thou then taunt thy friends, who will not do the like, coward as thou art thyself? Hold thy peace; reflect, if thou dost love thy life so well, this love by all is shared; yet if thou wilt speak ill of me, thyself shalt hear a full and truthful list of thy own crimes.

. Too long that list both now and heretofore; cease, father, to revile thy son.

. Say on, for I have said my say; but if it vexes thee to hear the truth, thou shouldst not have sinned against me.

. My sin had been the deeper, had I died for thee.

. What! is it all one for young or old to die?

. To live one life, not twain, is all our due.

. Outlive then Zeus himself!

. Dost curse thy parents, though unharmed by them?

. Yea, for I see thy heart is set on length of days.

. Is it not to save thyself thou art carrying to the tomb this corpse?

. A proof of thy cowardice, thou craven heart!

. At any rate her death was not due to me; this thou canst not say.

. Ah! mayst thou some day come to need my aid!

. Woo many wives, that there may be the more to die.