Page:Tragedies of Sophocles (Plumptre 1878).djvu/110

12 Than to depart uninjured from the land;

Or, if there be that knows an alien arm

As guilty, let him hold his peace no more;

I will secure his gain and thanks beside.

But if ye hold your peace, if one through fear,

Or for himself, or friend, shall hide this thing,

What then I purpose let him hear from me.

That man I banish, whosoe'er he be,

From out this land whose power and throne are mine;

And none may give him shelter, none speak to him,

Nor join with him in prayers and sacrifice,

Nor give him share in holy lustral stream;

But all shall thrust him from their homes, declared

Our curse and our pollution, as but now

The Pythian God's prophetic word has shown:

With acts like this, I stand before you here,

A helper to the God and to the dead.

All this I charge you do, for mine own sake,

And for the God's, and for this land that pines,

Barren and god-deserted. Wrong 'twould be

E'en if no voice from heaven had urged us on,

That ye should leave the stain of guilt uncleansed,

Your noblest chief, your king himself, being slain.

Yea, rather, seek and find. And since I reign,

Wielding the might his hand did wield before,

Filling his couch, and calling his wife mine,

Yea, and our offspring too, but for the fate

That fell on his, had grown in brotherhood;

But now an evil chance on his head swooped;

And therefore will I strive my best for him,

As for my father, and will go all lengths

To seek and find the murderer, him who slew

The son of Labdacos, and Polydore,