Page:Tragedies of Sophocles (Jebb 1917).djvu/321

874—898] . Deianeira hath departed on the last of all her journeys, departed without stirring foot.

. Thou speakest not of death?

. My tale is told.

. Dead, hapless one?

. Again thou hearest it.

. Hapless, lost one! Say, what was the manner of her death?

. Oh, a cruel deed was there!

. Speak, woman, how hath she met her doom?

. By her own hand hath she died.

. What fury, what pangs of frenzy have cut her off by the edge of a dire weapon? How contrived she this death, following death,—all wrought by her alone?

. By the stroke of the sword that makes sorrow.

. Sawest thou that violent deed, poor helpless one?

. I saw it; yea, I was standing near.

. Whence came it? How was it done? Oh, speak!

. 'Twas the work of her own mind and her own hand.

. What dost thou tell us?

. The sure truth.

. The first-born, the first-born of that new bride is a dread Erinys for this house!

. Too true; and, hadst thou been an eye-witness of the action, verily thy pity would have been yet deeper.

. And could a woman's hand dare to do such deeds?