Page:Tragedies of Sophocles (Plumptre 1878).djvu/484

386 Chor. Welcome, right welcome are the things thou say'st.

And we desire to do them. Let us go,

Come, let us go, and each his own set place

Take in our ship.

Phil. By Zeus, who hears

The prayers of those that curse, go not, I pray.

Chor. Be calm, be calm.

Phil. Ο friends, by all the Gods,

I pray you tarry.

Chor. Why this eager cry?

Phil. Ah me! ah me! Ο God, Ο God, I die,

Die in my misery!

Ο foot, Ο foot, what shall I do with thee

Henceforth in this my woe?

Ο friends, come back, and tarry once again.

Chor. What should we come to do

With any hope of altered purpose here,

Other than that thou showed'st to us before?

Phil. Ye must not be too wroth

That one so tempest-tost with stormy grief

Should speak against his better, truer thoughts.

Chor. Come, then, poor sufferer, as we bid thee come.

Phil. Never, yea, nevermore, be sure of that;

Not though the fiery thunderbolt that falls

With sudden blaze of light,

Should burn me with its dreaded lightning-flash.

Yea, perish Ilion; with it perish there

Those that could dare cast forth this foot of mine.

But oh, my friends, grant me at least one prayer.

Chor. What is 't thou askest?

Phil. Give me but a sword,

If thou hast one, or axe, or any weapon.

Chor. What deed of prowess wilt thou work with them?