Page:Tragedies of Sophocles (Plumptre 1878).djvu/217

Rh Zeus from the dark depths thundered, and the girls

Heard it, and shuddering, at their father's knees

Falling they wept: nor did they then forbear

Smiting their breasts, nor groanings lengthened out;

And when he heard their bitter cry, forthwith

Folding his arms around them, thus he spake:

"My children! on this day ye cease to have

A father. All my days are spent and gone;

And ye no more shall lead your wretched life,

Caring for me. Hard was it, that I know,

My children! yet one word is strong to loose,

Although alone, the burden of these toils,

For love in larger store ye could not have

From any than from him who standeth here,

Of whom bereaved ye now shall live your life."

So intertwined, all wept and sobbed: and when

They ended all their wailing, and the cry

No longer rose, there came a silence. Then

A voice from some one cried aloud to him,

And filled them all with fear, that made each hair

To stand on end. For, many a time, the God

From many a quarter calls to him. "Ho there!

Come, come, thou Œdipus, why stay we yet?

Long time thy footsteps linger on the way."

And he, when he perceived the God had called,

Bade Theseus come, the ruler of the land;

And when he came, he said, "Ah, dearest friend,

Give me thy hand's old pledge to these my girls;

And ye, give yours to him. And do thou swear,

Of thy free will never to give them up,

But ever to fulfil what thou shalt judge,

With clearest insight, best." And he, as one

Of noble nature, wept not, but did vow

With solemn oath to do his friend's behest.