Page:Tragedies of Sophocles (Plumptre 1878).djvu/491

Rh And robbed thee of thy father's treasured arms,

And slighting Aias, to Odysseus gave them;]

And art thou their ally, and wilt constrain

Me to their will? Nay, nay, not so, my son;

But, as thou swarest, send me to my home,

While thou, in Skyros tarrying, leavest them,

Evil of heart, to die an evil death.

And thus wilt thou gain double thanks from me,

And double from my father, nor wilt seem,

Helping the base, to be as base thyself.

Neop. Thou speakest what shows fair, and yet I wish

That thou should'st trust the Gods, and these my words,

And sail from these shores, I thy friend with thee.

Phil. What! with this wretched foot to Troïa's plains,

And Atreus' son, my bitterest foe of all?

Neop. Nay, but to those who'll free thy ulcerous foot

From pain, and save thee from thy sore disease.

Phil. What mean'st thou, friend, who givest counsel strange?

Neop. That which I see works best for both of us.

Phil. Hast thou no awe of Gods, who say'st such words!

Neop. What cause of shame is there in gaining good?

Phil. And speak'st thou of the Atreidæ's good, or mine?

Neop. Thine, for I am thy friend, and such my speech.

Phil. How so, when thou would'st give me to my foes?

Neop. Learn thou, my friend, to be less rash in ills.