Page:Tragedies of Sophocles (Plumptre 1878).djvu/315

Rh Toil for thy father, for thy brother work,

Free me from all my evils, free thyself,

Knowing this, that living basely is for those

Who have been born of noble stock most base.

Chor. Forethought at such a crisis is for those

Who speak and those that hear, the best ally.

Chrys. And she, Ο women, ere she spoke, had kept

(Had she not chanced to be of mind diseased)

That cautious reverence which she keeps not now.

What hast thou seen that thou dost arm thyself

In such foolhardy rashness, and dost call

On me to help thee? Wilt thou never see?

Lo, thou wast born a woman, not a man,

And art less strong than those thine enemies.

And their good fortune prospers every day,

While ours falls off, and doth to nothing come.

Who, plotting to attack a man like that,

Shall pass unscathed, unvexed by bitter woe?

Take heed lest we who fare but badly now

Should fare yet worse, if any hear thy speech;

For nothing does it help or profit us,

Gaining fair fame, a shameful death to die;

[Yet death is not the worst, but when one seeks

To die, and fails e'en that poor gain to win.]

Come, I implore thee, and before thou work

Our utter ruin, and our house lay waste,

Restrain thine anger. What thou now hast said

I will keep secret, and no ill result

From this shall come. But thou, be wise at last,

Powerless thyself, to yield before the strong.

Chor. Yes, hearken thou! No gain that men can reap

Surpasses forethought and wise-counselled mind.

Elec. Thou hast said nought unlooked for. Well I knew