JOC. Did not thy noble birth raise thee to great distinction? POL. To want is wretched; high birth fed me not. JOC. Their own country, it appears, is the dearest thing to men. POL. You can not express by words how dear it is. JOC. But how camest thou to Argos? What intention hadst thou? POL. Apollo gave a certain oracle to Adrastus. JOC. What is this thou hast mentioned? I am unable to discover. POL. To unite his daughters in marriage with a boar and lion. JOC. And what part of the name of beasts belongs to you, my son. POL. I know not. The God called me to this fortune. JOC. For the God is wise. But in what manner didst thou obtain her bed? POL. It was night; but I came to the portals of Adrastus. JOC. In search of a couch to rest on, as a wandering exile? POL. This was the case, and then indeed there came a second exile. JOC. Who was this? how unfortunate then was he also! POL. Tydeus, who they say sprung from Œneus his sire. JOC. In what then did Adrastus liken you to beasts? POL. Because we came to blows for lodging. JOC. In this the son of Talaus understood the oracle. POL. And gave in marriage to us two his two virgin daughters. JOC. Art thou fortunate then in thy marriage alliance, or unfortunate? POL. My marriage can not be found fault with up to this day. JOC. But how didst thou persuade an army to follow you hither? POL. Adrastus swore this oath to his two sons-in-law, that he would replace both in their own country, but me first. And many princes of the Argives and Mycenæans are at hand, rendering to me a sad, but necessary favor; for I am leading an army against this my own city; but I have called the Gods to witness how unwillingly I have raised the spear against my dearest parents. But the dissolution of these ills extends to thee, my mother, that having reconciled the friendly brothers, you may free from toil me and thyself, and the whole city. It is a proverb long ago chanted, but nevertheless I will repeat it; wealth is honored most of all things by men, and has the greatest influence of any thing among men. In pursuit of which I am come, leading hither ten thousand spears: for a nobly-born man in poverty is nothing. CHOR. And see Eteocles here comes to this mediation; thy business it is, O Jocasta, being their mother, to speak words, with which thou shalt reconcile thy children. ETEOCLES, POLYNICES, JOCASTA, CHORUS. ETEO. Mother, I am present; giving this grace to thee, I have come; what must I do? Let some one begin the conference. Since arranging also around the walls the chariots of the bands, I restrained the city, that I may hear from thee the common terms[24] of reconciliation, for which thou hast permitted this man to come within the walls under sanction of a truce, having persuaded me.