Page:Tragedies of Sophocles (Plumptre 1878).djvu/559

Rh Then truly awe will die,

And all men lose their natural piety.

Unless I be a brainstruck, erring seer,

Wanting in wisdom true,

Right doth her course pursue,

With dim foreshadowing:

She in her hands doth righteous victory bring,

And will ere long appear.

Yes, courage comes to me,

Hearing but now the tidings that they bring,

These visions breathing forth sweet hope and glee.

For never shall thy father, Lord and King

Of all the Hellenes' race,

Forget the dire disgrace,

Nor that sharp brazen axe of yon far time,

Which slew him with all shame of foulest crime.

And so with many a foot and many a hand,

Lurking in ambush dread,

Shall come with brazen tread,

Erinnys terrible;

For lo! the clasp of blood-stained marriage-bed

Came in foul wedlock's band

On those who might not wed;

And now, in face of these things, I must deem

That those who did or shared the deed of guilt

Shall have good reason to mislike their dream: