MESSENGER. The sixth a sober man, a seer of might, Before the Homoloidian gate stands forth,[n33] And speaks harsh words against the might of Tydeus, Rating him murderer, teacher of all ill To Argos, troubler of the city's peace, The Furies' herald, crimson slaughter's minion, And councillor of folly to Adrastus. Thy brother too, the might of Polynices, He whips with keen reproaches, and upcasts With bitter taunts his evil-omened name, Making it spell his ugly sin that owns it.[n34] O fair and pious deed, even thus he cries, To blot thy native soil with war, and lead A foreign host against thy country's gods! Soothly a worthy deed, a pleasant tale For future years to tell! Most specious right, To stop the sacred fountain up whence sprung Thy traitor life! How canst thou hope to live A ruler well acknowledged in the land, That thou hast wounded with invading spear? Myself this foreign soil, on which I tread, Shall feed with prophet's blood. I hope to die, Since die I must, an undishonoured death. Thus spake the seer, and waved his full-orb'd shield Of solid brass, but plain, without device. Of substance studious, careless of the show, The wise man is what fools but seem to be,[n35] Reaping rich harvest from the mellow soil {279} Of quiet thought, the mother of great deeds. Choose thou a wise and virtuous man to meet The wise and virtuous. Whoso fears the gods Is fearful to oppose. ETEOCLES. Alas! the fate That mingles up the godless and the just In one companionship! wise was the man Who taught that evil converse is the worst Of evils, that death's unblest fruit is reaped By him who sows in Até's fields.[f16] The man Who, being godly, with ungodly men And hot-brained sailors mounts the brittle bark, He, when the god-detested crew goes down, Shall with the guilty guiltless perish. When One righteous man is common citizen With godless and unhospitable men, One god-sent scourge must smite the whole, one net Snare bad and good. Even so, Oïcleus' son, This sober, just, and good, and pious man, This mighty prophet and soothsayer, he, Leagued with the cause of bad and bold-mouthed men In his own despite--so Jove hath willed--shall lead Down to the distant city of the dead The murky march with them. He will not even Approach the walls, so I may justly judge. No dastard soul is his, no wavering will; But well he knows, if Loxias' words bear fruit, (And, when he speaks not true, the god is dumb) Amphiaraus dies by Theban spear. Yet to oppose this man I will dispatch The valiant Lasthenes, a Theban true, Who wastes no love on strangers; swift his eye, Nor slow his hand to make the eager spear Leap from behind the shield. The gods be with him! ANTISTROPHE III. CHORUS. May the gods our just entreaties For the cause of Cadmus hear! Jove! when the sharp spear approaches, Sit enthroned upon our rampires, Darting bolts, and darting fear! {280}