Page:Tragedies of Euripides (Way 1896) v2.djvu/115

Rh With that child, who alone is left alive

Of Aiakus' line. And kings Molossian

From him, one after other long shall reign

In bliss: for, ancient, nowise thus thy line

And mine is destined to be brought to nought:

No, neither Troy; the Gods yet hold her dear,

Albeit by Pallas' eager hate she fell.

Thee too—so learn what grace comes of my couch;

A Goddess I, whose father was a God—

Will I deliver from all mortal ills,

And set thee above decay and death, a God.

Henceforth in Nereus' palace thou with me,

As God with Goddess, shalt for ever dwell.

Thence rising dry-shod from the sea, shalt thou

Behold Achilles, thy beloved son

And mine, abiding in his island home

On the White Strand, within the Euxine Sea.

Now fare thou to the Delphians' God-built burg

Bearing this corpse, and hide it in the ground.

Then seek the deep cave 'neath the ancient rock

Sepias; abide there: tarry till I rise

With fifty chanting Nereids from the sea,

To lead thee thence; for all the doom of fate

Must thou accomplish: Zeus's will is this.

Refrain thou then from grieving for the dead;

For unto all men is this lot ordained

Of heaven: from all the debt of death is due.

O couch-mate mine, O high-born Majesty,

Offspring of Nereus, hail thou! Worthy thee,

Worthy thy children, are the things thou dost.

Goddess, at thy command my grief shall cease.