Page:Tragedies of Euripides (Way 1898) v3.djvu/153

Rh Leave him to die by stoning of the folk,

Or never set thou foot on Spartan ground.

Dying, my daughter paid but justice' debt;

Yet it beseemed not him to deal her death.

I in all else have been a happy man

Save in my daughters: herein most ill-starred.

Well fares he who is in his children blest,

And hath not won misfortune world-renowned.

Ancient, I fear to make defence to thee,

Wherein I cannot but offend thy soul.

Let thine old age, which overawes my tongue,

Untrammelled leave the path of my defence,

And I will on, who fear thy grey hairs now.

I know me guilt-stained with a mother's death,

Yet pure herein, that I avenged my sire.

What ought I to have done? Let plea face plea:—

My sire begat me, thy child gave me birth—

The field that from another gat the seed.

Without the father, might no offspring be.

I reasoned then—better defend my source

Of life, than her that did but foster me.

Thy daughter—I take shame to call her mother—