Page:Tragedies of Sophocles (Plumptre 1878).djvu/585

Rh Mighty in strife of war;

And now, in dreary loneliness of soul,

To all his friends around

Great sorrow is he found;

And deeds that did in noblest good abound,

With Atreus' sons, as deeds of foe to foe,

Are fallen, fallen low.

Now of a truth outworn

With length of years,

In hoary age his mother loud shall mourn,

When she with bitter tears

Of that his frenzied mood shall hear the tale,

And weep, ah, well-a-day!

Nor will she utter wail

Like mourning nightingale,

That sadly sings in tone of mood distressed;

But echoing hands shall smite upon her breast,

And she, her grey hair tearing, shall lament alway.

Far better did he lie

In Hades drear,

Who is sore vexed, sore vexed with vanity,

Who doth no more appear

(Though boasting high descent in long array)

Steadfast in temper true,

But wanders far astray;

Ah, father, dark the day!

So sad a tale awaits thee now to hear,

Thy child's sore trouble, woe that none may bear,

Which until now the sons of Æacos ne'er knew.