Phoenissae
Choose a text
id="mobileReaderAuthor" class="mobile-reader-author" href="/authors/euripides" aria-label="More works by Euripides">
—
⋯
Original / primary: Perseus Eng2
307
by his curses it may be that he will slay us too.
308
One thing we still have to do: ask Teiresias, the seer, if he has anything to say of heaven’s will. I will send your son Menoeceus, who bears your father’s name,
309
to fetch Teiresias here, Creon; for he will readily converse with you, but I have before now so scorned his prophetic art to his face, that he has reasons to reproach me. This commandment, Creon, I lay upon the city and you:
310
if my cause should prevail, never give Polyneices’ corpse a grave in Theban soil, and let the one who buries him die, even if it is a friend. This I say to you; and this to my servants Bring out my weapons and armor,
311
so that I may start at once for the appointed combat, with justice to lead to victory. We will pray to Caution, the most useful goddess, to save our city. Exit Eteocles.
312
312
Chorus
312
O Ares, god of much suffering! Why, why are you possessed by a love of blood and
313
death, out of harmony with the festivals of Bromius? Not for young girls crowned in the lovely dance do you toss your curls, singing to the flute’s breath a song to charm the dancers’ feet; no, with warriors clad in armor you inspire the Argive army with a lust
314
for Theban blood, leading your revels that are held without music. Nor do you rush with wild waving of the thyrsus, clad in fawnskin, but with chariots and horses you go to the waters of Ismenus, inspiring the Argives
315
with hatred for the Spartans, arraying in bronze armor against these stone-built walls a band of warriors and their shields.
798a
Truly Strife is a goddess to fear, who devised these troubles for the princes of this land,
316
for the much-suffering sons of Labdacus.
317
317
Chorus
317
O snow-capped Cithaeron, dear to Artemis, holy vale of leaves, crowded with wild animals, would that you had never reared the one exposed to die, Oedipus, Jocasta’s child, when as a baby he was cast forth from his home,
318
marked with a golden brooch; and would that the Sphinx, that winged maid, monster from the hills, had never come as a grief to our land with her inharmonious songs, she that once drew near our walls and snatched the sons of Cadmus away in her taloned feet to the untrodden light of heaven,
319
sent by Hades from hell to plague the men of Thebes; once more unhappy strife is coming into bloom between the sons of Oedipus in home and city. For never can wrong be right,
320
nor can there be good in unlawful children, their mother’s birth pangs, their father’s pollution; she came to the bed of her son. . . .
321
321
Chorus
321
O Earth, you once bore—as I heard, I heard the story told by foreigners once in my own home—you bore
322
a race which sprang of the teeth of a snake with blood-red crest, that fed on beasts, to be the glory and reproach of Thebes.
323
In days gone by the sons of heaven came to the wedding of Harmonia, and the walls and towers of Thebes rose to the sound of Amphion’s lyre,
324
in the midst between the double streams where Dirce waters the grass-green field before Ismenus; and Io, our horned ancestress, was mother of the kings of Thebes;
325
thus our city, through an endless succession of various blessings, has set herself upon the heights, crowned with the glory of war.
326
326
Teiresias
326
led in by his daughter. Lead on, my daughter; for you are an eye
327
to my blind feet, as a star is to sailors; lead my steps on to level ground; then go before, so that I do not stumble, for your father has no strength; keep safe for me in your maiden hand the auguries I took when I observed omens from birds,
328
seated in my holy prophet’s chair. Tell me, Menoeceus, son of Creon, how much further toward the city is it, to your father? For my knees grow weary, I have come a long way and can scarcely go on.
329
329
Creon
329
Take heart, Teiresias, for you have reached your harbor and are near your friends; take him by the hand, my child; for just as every chariot has to wait for outside help to lighten it, so does the step of old age.
330
330
Teiresias
330
Enough; I have arrived; why, Creon, do you summon me so urgently?
331
331
Creon
331
I have not forgotten that; but first collect your strength and regain your breath, shaking off the fatigue of your journey.
332
332
Teiresias
332
I am indeed worn out, for I arrived here only yesterday from the court of the Erechtheidae; they too were at war, fighting with Eumolpus.
333
I gave the victory to Cecrops’ sons, and I received this golden crown, as you see, the first-fruits of the enemy’s spoils.
334
334
Creon
334
I take your crown of victory as an omen. We, as you know, are exposed to the waves
335
of war with the Danaids, and great is the struggle for Thebes. Eteocles, our king, is already gone in full armor to meet Mycenae’s champions; and he has bidden me inquire of you our best course to save the city.
336
336
Teiresias
336
For Eteocles I would have closed my lips and refrained from all response, but to you I will speak, since it is your wish to learn. This country, Creon, has been long afflicted, ever since Laius became a father against the will of the gods, begetting hapless Oedipus to be his own mother’s husband.
337
That bloody destruction of his eyes was planned by the gods as an example to Hellas; and the sons of Oedipus went foolishly astray in wishing to throw over it the veil of time—as if they could outrun the gods! For by robbing their father of his due honor
338
and allowing him no freedom, they exasperated the poor sufferer; so he, suffering and disgraced as well, breathed dreadful curses against them. And I, because I left nothing undone or unsaid, incurred the hatred of the sons of Oedipus.
339
But death inflicted by each other’s hands awaits them, Creon; and the many heaps of the slain, some from Argive, some from Theban spears, shall cause bitter lamentation in the land of Thebes. Alas for you, poor city, you are being involved in their ruin,
340
unless I can persuade one man. The best course was to prevent any child of Oedipus becoming either citizen or king in this land, on the ground that they were under a ban and would overthrow the city. But since evil has the mastery of good, there is
341
one other means of safety; but—for it is unsafe for me to tell, and painful too for those whose fortune it is to supply their city with the saving cure—I will go away. Farewell; among the rest
342
I will endure what is to come, if I must; for what else can I do?
343
343
Creon
343
Stay here, old man.
344
344
Creon
344
Wait; why do you try to escape?
345
345
Creon
345
Tell me what can save Thebes and her citizens.
346
346
Teiresias
346
Though you want this now, you will not want it soon.
347
347
Creon
347
Not wish to save my country? how can that be?
348
348
Teiresias
348
Do you really wish to hear it, eagerly?
349
349
Creon
349
Yes; for where should I show greater zeal?
350
350
Teiresias
350
Then you will presently hear my prophetic words. But first I would know for certain
351
where Menoeceus is, who led me here.
352
352
Creon
352
Here, not far away, but at your side.
353
353
Teiresias
353
Let him go far from my prophecies.
354
354
Creon
354
He is my own son and will be silent as he ought.
355
355
Teiresias
355
Do you want me to tell you in his presence?
356
356
Creon
356
Yes, for he will rejoice to hear the means of safety.
357
357
Teiresias
357
Then hear the intent of my oracle; if you observe it, you will save the city of Cadmus you must sacrifice Menoeceus, your son here, for your country, since you yourself are calling on fate.
358
358
Creon
358
What do you mean? What is this you have said, old man?
359
359
Teiresias
359
I have said what is, and you must do it.
360
360
Creon
360
O great evil, spoken so briefly!
361
361
Teiresias
361
Evil to you, but to your country great salvation.
362
362
Creon
362
I did not hear; I never listened; I renounce my city!
363
363
Teiresias
363
The man is no longer himself; he is drawing back.
364
364
Creon
364
Go in peace; it is not your prophecy I need.
365
365
Teiresias
365
Is truth dead, because you are unfortunate?
366
366
Creon
366
By your knees and gray hair—
367
367
Teiresias
367
Why implore me? You are demanding evils that are hard to prevent.
368
368
Creon
368
Be silent; do not tell the city your news.
369
369
Teiresias
369
You bid me to act unjustly; I cannot be silent.
370
370
Creon
370
What will you do to me? Kill my child?
371
371
Teiresias
371
That is for others to decide; it is for me to speak.
372
372
Creon
372
How did this curse come on me and my son?
373
373
Teiresias
373
You do right to ask me and to test what I have said. In the chamber where the earth-born dragon kept watch over Dirce’s springs, he must be offered as a sacrifice and shed his blood on the ground, a libation of Cadmus, because of the ancient wrath of Ares,
374
who now avenges the slaughter of his earth-born snake. If you do this, you shall win Ares as an ally. If the earth receives fruit for fruit and human blood for blood, you shall find her kind to you again, who once
375
sent up to us a crop of Sown-men with golden helmets; for one of those born from the dragon’s teeth must die.
376
Now you are our only survivor of the Sown race, pure-blooded both on your mother’s and your father’s side, you and your sons. Haemon’s marriage
377
holds him back from the slaughter, for he is no longer single; even if he has not consummated his marriage, yet he is betrothed. But this tender youth, consecrated to his city, might by dying rescue his country; and bitter will he make the return of Adrastus and his Argives,
378
flinging over their eyes a black spirit of death, and he will glorify Thebes. Choose one of these two destinies: either save the city or your son.
379
Now you have all that I had to say. Daughter, lead me home. The man who practices the prophet’s art
380
is a fool; for if he happens to give an adverse answer, he makes himself disliked by those for whom he takes the omens; while if he pities and deceives those who are consulting him, he wrongs the gods. Phoebus should have been man’s only prophet, for he fears no one. Exit Teiresias.
381
381
Chorus Leader
381
Creon, why are you so silent, without a word? I too am no less amazed.
382
382
Creon
382
What can one say? It is clear what my words must be. For I will never come to such misfortune as to devote my son to death for the city;
383
for all men love their children, and no one would give his own son to die. Let no man praise me, and kill my child at the same time. I myself, for I am in the prime of life, am ready to die to save my country.
384
But come, my son, before the whole city learns this, fly with all haste away from this land, regardless of these prophets’ reckless warnings; for he will tell all this to our rulers and generals going to the seven gates and the captains;
385
now if we can forestall him, you are saved, but if you are too late, we are ruined and you will die.
386
386
Menoeceus
386
Where can I escape? To what city? To which of our guest-friends?
387
387
Creon
387
Where you will be furthest removed from this land.
388
388
Menoeceus
388
It is for you to name a place, for me to carry out your bidding.
389
389
Creon
389
After passing Delphi—
390
390
Creon
390
To Aetolia.
391
391
Creon
391
To the land of Thesprotia.
392
392
Creon
392
You understand.
393
393
Creon
393
The god will send you on your way.
394
394
Creon
394
I will supply you with money.
395
Come, come! be going; it isn’t your part to hinder me. Exit Creon.
396
How cleverly, ladies, I banished my father’s fears by crafty words to gain my end; for he is trying to get me away, depriving the city of its chance and surrendering me to cowardice. Though an old man may be pardoned,
397
yet in my case there is no pardon for betraying the country that gave me birth. Know this, I will go and save the city, and give my life up for this land. For it is shameful: those whom no oracles bind
398
and who have not come under divine necessity, stand there, shoulder to shoulder, with no fear of death, and fight for their country before her towers; while I leave the land like a coward, a traitor to my father and brother and city;
399
wherever I live, I shall seem base.
400
No, by Zeus and all his stars, by Ares, god of blood, who established the Sown-men that sprung one day from earth as lords of this land! I will go, and standing on the topmost battlements,
401
will sacrifice myself over the dragon’s deep, dark den, the spot the seer described, and will set my country free. I have spoken. Now I go to make the city a present of my life, no mean offering, to rid this kingdom of its affliction.
402
For if each were to take and expend all the good within his power, contributing it to the common good of his country, our states would experience fewer troubles and would prosper for the future. Exit Menoeceus.
403
403
Chorus
403
You came, you came, O winged creature, born of earth
404
and hellish viper, to prey upon the sons of Cadmus, full of death, full of sorrow, half a maiden, a murderous monster, with roving wings
405
and ravening claws; you once caught up youths from the haunts of Dirce, with discordant song,