Page:Tragedies of Sophocles (Plumptre 1878).djvu/413

Rh Chor. He is not there within, but now is gone,

Changed counsels forming for his changing mood.

Mess. Ah me! Or he who sent me on my way,

Sent me too late, or I too late have come.

Chor. What then is lacking in thy business here?

Mess. Teucros forbade our chief to pass outside

His tent, till he himself were present here.

Chor. But he is gone, to best of tempers turned,

That he may 'scape the anger of the Gods.

Mess. These words of thine are full of foolishness,

If Calchas be a prophet wise and true.

Chor. What meanest thou? What know'st thou of all these things?

Mess. Thus much I know, and chanced, being there, to hear;

For from the council where the rulers sat,

Calchas alone, withdrawing from the Atreidæ,

His right hand placing with all kindliness

In Teucros' hand, urged him by every art,

For this one day, this very day, to keep

Our Aias in his tent, nor let him go,

If he desired to see him yet alive;

For that on this day only, so he spake,

Athena's wrath would vex him. For the seer

Said that the over-proud and foolish ones

Fall into sore misfortunes from the Gods,

When one, who draws his life from human birth,

Then thinks and feels as he were more than man.

And he, when starting hither from his home,

Showed himself foolish son of prudent sire;

For thus he bade him: "With thy spear, my son,

Strive thou to win, but win with help of God!"

And he replied, in foolish, vaunting speech,

"My father, with God's help, a man of nought