Page:Tragedies of Sophocles (Plumptre 1878).djvu/379

Rh Who haunt the hills, and sleep upon the earth,

Wrote down from that tall oak of many tongues,

To Zeus, my father, sacred. And it said

That in the time that liveth, and now is,

Should come the end of labours. And I thought

That all would prosper; yet it meant nought else

Than this my death, for unto those that die

No labour comes. And now since this has come,

Most clearly, Ο my son, 'tis meet for thee

To come as helper to this sufferer here,

And not by lingering make my speech more sharp,

But yielding, working with me, finding thus

Thy noblest law, thy father to obey.

Hyllos. I dread, my father, bandying words with thee,

And will obey in all thou thinkest right.

Hera. Give me thy right hand then as surest pledge.

Hyllos. To what end turnest thou an oath so dread?

Hera. Wilt thou not give it, and obey my voice?

Hyllos. Lo, then, I give it, and will gainsay nought.

Hera. Swear by the head of Zeus who gave me life.

Hyllos. Swear to do what? Shall that be told me too?

Hera. That thou wilt do the work I set on thee.

Hyllos. So swear I, calling Zeus to bind the oath.

Hera. Pray thou that thou may'st suffer if thou fail.

Hyllos. I shall not suffer, for I'll act; yet still,

I pray as thou dost bid me.

Hera. Thou dost know

The topmost peak of Œta, claimed by Zeus?

Hyllos. Right well, for there I oft have sacrificed.

Hera. There thou must bear my body, thou thyself,

With friends whom thou may'st wish for, and must pluck

Full many a branch of deeply-rooted oak,