_Prom._ I had not else addressed a slave like thee. _Herm._ Thou wilt say nought the Father asks, 'twould seem. _Prom._ Fine debt I owe him, favour to repay. _Herm._ Me as a boy thou scornest then, forsooth. _Prom._ And art thou not a boy, and sillier far, If that thou thinkest to learn aught from me? There is no torture nor device by which 1010 Zeus can impel me to disclose these things Before these bonds that outrage me be loosed. Let then the blazing levin-flash be hurled; With white-winged snow-storm and with earth-born thunders Let Him disturb and trouble all that is; Nought of these things shall force me to declare Whose hand shall drive him from his sovereignty. _Herm._ See if thou findest any help in this. _Prom._ Long since all this I've seen, and formed my plans. 1020 _Herm._ O fool, take heart, take heart at last in time, To form right thoughts for these thy present woes. _Prom._ Like one who soothes a wave, thy speech in vain Vexes my soul. But deem not thou that I, Fearing the will of Zeus, shall e'er become As womanised in mind, or shall entreat Him whom I greatly loathe, with upturned hand, In woman's fashion, from these bonds of mine To set me free. Far, far am I from that. _Herm._ It seems that I, saying much, shall speak in vain; For thou in nought by prayers art pacified, Or softened in thy heart, but like a colt 1030 Fresh harnessed, thou dost champ thy bit, and strive, And fight against the reins. Yet thou art stiff In weak device; for self-will, by itself, In one who is not wise, is less than nought. Look to it, if thou disobey my words, How great a storm and triple wave of ills,[203] Not to be 'scaped, shall come on thee; for first, With thunder and the levin's blazing flash The Father this ravine of rock shall crush, And shall thy carcase hide, and stern embrace Of stony arms shall keep thee in thy place. 1040 And having traversed space of time full long, Thou shalt come back to light, and then his hound, The wingèd hound of Zeus, the ravening eagle, Shall greedily make banquet of thy flesh, Coming all day an uninvited guest, And glut himself upon thy liver dark. And of that anguish look not for the end, Before some God shall come to bear thy woes, And will to pass to Hades' sunless realm, And the dark cloudy depths of Tartaros.[204] 1050 Wherefore take heed. No feigned boast is this, But spoken all too truly; for the lips Of Zeus know not to speak a lying speech, But will perform each single word. And thou, Search well, be wise, nor think that self-willed pride Shall ever better prove than counsel good. _Chor._ To us doth Hermes seem to utter words Not out of season; for he bids thee quit Thy self-willed pride and seek for counsel good. Hearken thou to him. To the wise of soul It is foul shame to sin persistently. 1060