And thou, O Kypris, of our race the mother, Ward off these ills, for we are thine by blood: To thee in many a prayer, 130 With voice that calls upon the Gods we cry, And unto thee draw near as suppliants: And Thou, Lykeian king, Lykeian be,[82] Foe of our hated foes, For this our wailing cry; And Thou, O child of Leto, Artemis, Make ready now thy bow. STROPHE II Ah! ah! I hear a din of chariot wheels Around the city walls; O Hera great and dread! The heavy axles of the chariots groan, 140 O Artemis beloved! And the air maddens with the clash of spears; What must our city bear? What now shall come on us? When will God give the end? ANTISTROPHE II Ah! ah! a voice of stones is falling fast On battlements attacked;[83] O Lord, Apollo loved, A din of bronze-bound shields is in the gates; And oh! that Zeus may give 150 A faultless issue of this war we wage! And Thou, O blessed queen, As Guardian Onca known,[84] Save thy seven-gated seat. STROPHE III And ye, all-working Gods, Of either sex divine, Protectors of our towers, Give not our city, captured by the spear, To host of alien speech.[85] Hear ye our maidens; hear, 160 As is most meet, our prayers with outstretched hands. ANTISTROPHE III O all ye loving Powers, Compass our State to save; Show how that State ye love; Think on our public votive offerings, And as ye think, oh, help: Be mindful ye, I pray, Of all our city's rites of sacrifice. _Re-enter_ ETEOCLES _Eteoc._ (_to the Chorus_) I ask you, O ye brood intolerable, Is this course best and safest for our city? 170 Will it give heart to our beleaguered host, That ye before the forms of guardian Gods Should wail and howl, ye loathèd of the wise;[86] Ne'er be it mine, in ill estate or good, To dwell together with the race of women; For when they rule, their daring bars approach, And when they fear, alike to house and State Comes greater ill; and now with these your rushings Hither and thither, ye have troubled sore Our subjects with a coward want of heart; And do your best for those our foes without; 180 And we are harassed by ourselves within. This comes to one who dwells with womankind. And if there be that will not own my sway, Or man or woman in their prime, or those Who can be classed with neither, they shall take Their trial for their life, nor shall they 'scape The fate of stoning. Things outdoors are still The man's to look to: let not woman counsel. Stay thou within, and do no mischief more. Hear'st thou, or no? or speak I to the deaf?