["TANTALUS\tAND\tNIOBE Tantalus\t was\t the\t son\t of\t Zeus\t and\t honored\t by\t the\t gods\t beyond\t all\t the\t mortal children\t of\t Zeus.\t They\t allowed\t him\t to\t eat\t at\t their\t table,\t to\t taste\t the\t nectar\t and ambrosia\t which\t except\t for\t him\t alone\t none\t but\t the\t immortals\t could\t partake\t of. They\tdid\tmore;\tthey\tcame\tto\ta\tbanquet\tin\this\tpalace;\tthey\tcondescended\tto\tdine with\thim.\tIn\treturn\tfor\ttheir\tfavor\the\tacted\tso\tatrociously\tthat\tno\tpoet\tever\ttried to\t explain\t his\t conduct.\t He\t had\t his\t only\t son\t Pelops\t killed,\t boiled\t in\t a\t great cauldron,\t and\t served\t to\t the\t gods.\t Apparently\t he\t was\t driven\t by\t a\t passion\t of hatred\tagainst\tthem\twhich\tmade\thim\twilling\tto\tsacrifice\this\tson\tin\torder\tto\tbring upon\tthem\tthe\thorror\tof\tbeing\tcannibals.\tIt\tmay\tbe,\ttoo,\tthat\the\twanted\tto\tshow in\t the\t most\t startling\t and\t shocking\t way\t possible\t how\t easy\t it\t was\t to\t deceive\t the awful,\t venerated,\t humbly\t adored\t divinities.\t In\t his\t scorn\t of\t the\t gods\t and\t his measureless\tself-confidence\the\tnever\tdreamed\tthat\this\tguests\twould\trealize\twhat manner\tof\tfood\the\thad\tset\tbefore\tthem. He\t was\t a\t fool.\t The\t Olympians\t knew.\t They\t drew\t back\t from\t the\t horrible banquet\tand\tthey\tturned\tupon\tthe\tcriminal\twho\thad\tcontrived\tit.\tHe\tshould\tbe\tso punished,\t they\t declared,\t that\t no\t man\t to\t come,\t hearing\t what\t this\t man\t had suffered,\twould\tdare\tever\tagain\tto\tinsult\tthem.\tThey\tset\tthe\tarch-sinner\tin\ta\tpool in\tHades,\tbut\twhenever\tin\this\ttormenting\tthirst\the\tstooped\tto\tdrink\the\tcould\tnot reach\tthe\twater.\tIt\tdisappeared,\tdrained\tinto\tthe\tground\tas\the\tbent\tdown.\tWhen he\t stood\t up\t it\t was\t there\t again.\t Over\t the\t pool\t fruit\t trees\t hung\t heavy\t laden\t with pears,\tpomegranates,\trosy\tapples,\tsweet\tfigs.\tEach\ttime\the\tstretched\tout\this\thand to\t grasp\t them\t the\t wind\t tossed\t them\t high\t away\t out\t of\t reach.\t Thus\t he\t stood forever,\this\tundying\tthroat\talways\tathirst,\this\thunger\tin\tthe\tmidst\tof\tplenty\tnever satisfied. His\t son\t Pelops\t was\t restored\t to\t life\t by\t the\t gods,\t but\t they\t had\t to\t fashion\t a shoulder\t for\t him\t out\t of\t ivory.\t One\t of\t the\t goddesses,\t some\t say\t Demeter,\t some Thetis,\tinadvertently\thad\teaten\tof\tthe\tloathsome\tdish\tand\twhen\tthe\tboy\u2019s\tlimbs were\t reassembled\t one\t shoulder\t was\t wanting.\t This\t ugly\t story\t seems\t to\t have come\t down\t in\t its\t early\t brutal\t form\t quite\t unsoftened.\t The\t latter\t Greeks\t did\t not like\tit\tand\tprotested\tagainst\tit.\tThe\tpoet\tPindar\tcalled\tit A\ttale\tdecked\tout\twith\tglittering\tlies\tagainst\tthe\tword\tof\ttruth.","Let\ta\tman\tnot\tspeak\tof\tcannibal\tdeeds\tamong\tthe\tblessed\tgods. However\t that\t might\t be,\t the\t rest\t of\t Pelops\u2019\t life\t was\t successful.\t He\t was\t the only\tone\tof\tTantalus\u2019\tdescendants\tnot\tmarked\tout\tby\tmisfortune.\tHe\twas\thappy in\this\tmarriage,\talthough\the\twooed\ta\tdangerous\tlady\twho\thad\tbeen\tthe\tcause\tof many\tdeaths,\tthe\tPrincess\tHippodamia.\tThe\treason\tmen\tdied\tfor\ther\twas\tnot\ther own\t fault,\t but\t her\t father\u2019s.\t This\t King\t had\t a\t wonderful\t pair\t of\t horses\t Ares\t had given\t him\u2014superior,\t of\t course,\t to\t all\t mortal\t horses.\t He\t did\t not\t want\t his daughter\tto\tmarry,\tand\twhenever\ta\tsuitor\tcame\tfor\ther\thand\tthe\tyouth\twas\ttold he\t could\t race\t with\t her\t father\t for\t her.\t If\t the\t suitor\u2019s\t horses\t won,\t she\t would\t be his;\t if\t her\t father\u2019s\t won,\t the\t suitor\t must\t pay\t with\t his\t life\t for\t his\t defeat.\t In\t this way\ta\tnumber\tof\trash\tyoung\tmen\tmet\ttheir\tdeath.\tEven\tso,\tPelops\tdared.\tHe\thad horses\t he\t could\t trust,\t a\t present\t from\t Poseidon.\t He\t won\t the\t race;\t but\t there\t is\t a story\t that\t Hippodamia\t had\t more\t to\t do\t with\t the\t victory\t than\t Poseidon\u2019s\t horses. Either\tshe\tfell\tin\tlove\twith\tPelops\tor\tshe\tfelt\tthe\ttime\thad\tcome\tto\tput\ta\tstop\tto that\tsort\tof\tracing.\tShe\tbribed\ther\tfather\u2019s\tcharioteer,\ta\tman\tnamed\tMyrtilus,\tto help\ther.\tHe\tpulled\tout\tthe\tbolts\tthat\theld\tthe\twheels\tof\tthe\tKing\u2019s\tchariot,\tand the\t victory\t was\t Pelops\u2019\t with\t no\t trouble\t at\t all.\t Later,\t Myrtilus\t was\t killed\t by Pelops,\t cursing\t him\t as\t he\t died,\t and\t some\t said\t that\t this\t was\t the\t cause\t of\t the misfortunes\t that\t afterward\t followed\t the\t family.\t But\t most\t writers\t said,\t and certainly\t with\t better\t reason,\t that\t it\t was\t the\t wickedness\t of\t Tantalus\t which doomed\this\tdescendants. None\tof\tthem\tsuffered\ta\tworse\tdoom\tthan\this\tdaughter\tNiobe.\tAnd\tyet\tit\tseemed at\tfirst\tthat\tthe\tgods\thad\tchosen\ther\tout\tfor\tgood\tfortune\tas\tthey\thad\ther\tbrother Pelops.\t She\t was\t happy\t in\t her\t marriage.\t Her\t husband\t was\t Amphion,\t a\t son\t of Zeus\t and\t an\t incomparable\t musician.\t He\t and\t his\t twin\t brother\t Zethus\t undertook once\tto\tfortify\tThebes,\tbuilding\ta\tlofty\twall\taround\tit.\tZethus\twas\ta\tman\tof\tgreat physical\t strength\t who\t despised\t his\t brother\u2019s\t neglect\t of\t manly\t sports\t and\t his devotion\tto\this\tart.\tYet\twhen\tit\tcame\tto\tthe\theavy\ttask\tof\tgetting\tenough\trocks for\t the\t wall,\t the\t gentle\t musician\t outdid\t the\t strong\t athlete:\t he\t drew\t such entrancing\t sounds\t from\t his\t lyre\t that\t the\t very\t stones\t were\t moved\t and\t followed him\tto\tThebes. There\t he\t and\t Niobe\t ruled\t in\t entire\t content\t until\t she\t showed\t that\t the\t mad arrogance\t of\t Tantalus\t lived\t on\t in\t her.\t She\t held\t herself\t raised\t by\t her\t great","prosperity\t above\t all\t that\t ordinary\t mortals\t fear\t and\t reverence.\t She\t was\t rich\t and nobly\t born\t and\t powerful.\t Seven\t sons\t had\t been\t born\t to\t her,\t brave\t and\t beautiful young\t men,\t and\t seven\t daughters,\t the\t fairest\t of\t the\t fair.\t She\t thought\t herself strong\t enough\t not\t only\t to\t deceive\t the\t gods\t as\t her\t father\t had\t tried\t to\t do,\t but\t to defy\tthem\topenly. She\t called\t upon\t the\t people\t of\t Thebes\t to\t worship\t her.\t \u201cYou\t burn\t incense\t to Leto,\u201d\t she\t said,\t \u201cand\t what\t is\t she\t as\t compared\t with\t me?\t She\t had\t but\t two children,\tApollo\tand\tArtemis.\tI\thave\tseven\ttimes\tas\tmany.\tI\tam\tqueen.\tShe\twas a\t homeless\t wanderer\t until\t tiny\t Delos\t alone\t of\t all\t places\t on\t earth\t consented\t to receive\ther.\tI\tam\thappy,\tstrong,\tgreat\u2014too\tgreat\tfor\tany,\tmen\tor\tgods,\tto\tdo\tme harm.\tMake\tyour\tsacrifices\tto\tme\tin\tLeto\u2019s\ttemple,\tmine\tnow,\tnot\thers.\u201d Insolent\t words\t uttered\t in\t the\t arrogant\t consciousness\t of\t power\t were\t always heard\t in\t heaven\t and\t always\t punished.\t Apollo\t and\t Artemis\t glided\t swiftly\t to Thebes\tfrom\tOlympus,\tthe\tarcher\tgod\tand\tthe\tdivine\thuntress,\tand\tshooting\twith deadly\t aim\t they\t struck\t down\t all\t of\t Niobe\u2019s\t sons\t and\t daughters.\t She\t saw\t them die\t with\t anguish\t too\t great\t for\t expression.\t Beside\t those\t bodies\t so\t lately\t young and\t strong,\t she\t sank\t down\t motionless\t in\t stony\t grief,\t dumb\t as\t a\t stone\t and\t her heart\tlike\ta\tstone\twithin\ther.\tOnly\ther\ttears\tflowed\tand\tcould\tnot\tstop.\tShe\twas changed\tinto\ta\tstone\twhich\tforever,\tnight\tand\tday,\twas\twet\twith\ttears. To\t Pelops\t two\t sons\t were\t born,\t Atreus\t and\t Thyestes.\t The\t inheritance\t of\t evil descended\tto\tthem\tin\tfull\tforce.\tThyestes\tfell\tin\tlove\twith\this\tbrother\u2019s\twife\tand succeeded\tin\tmaking\ther\tfalse\tto\ther\tmarriage\tvows.\tAtreus\tfound\tout\tand\tswore that\t Thyestes\t should\t pay\t as\t no\t man\t ever\t had.\t He\t killed\t his\t brother\u2019s\t two\t little children,\t had\t them\t cut\t limb\t from\t limb,\t boiled,\t and\t served\t up\t to\t their\t father. When\the\thad\teaten\u2014 Poor\twretch,\twhen\the\thad\tlearned\tthe\tdeed\tabhorrent, He\tcried\ta\tgreat\tcry,\tfalling\tback\u2014spewed\tout That\tflesh,\tcalled\tdown\tupon\tthat\thouse\ta\tdoom Intolerable,\tthe\tbanquet\tboard\tsent\tcrashing. Atreus\t was\t King.\t Thyestes\t had\t no\t power.\t The\t atrocious\t crime\t was\t not avenged\tin\tAtreus\u2019\tlifetime,\tbut\this\tchildren\tand\this\tchildren\u2019s\tchildren\tsuffered.","AGAMEMNON\tAND\tHIS\tCHILDREN On\t Olympus\t the\t gods\t were\t met\t in\t full\t assembly.\t The\t father\t of\t Gods\t and\t Men began\t first\t to\t speak.\t Zeus\t was\t sorely\t vexed\t at\t the\t mean\t way\t men\t perpetually acted\ttoward\tthe\tgods,\tblaming\tthe\tdivine\tpowers\tfor\twhat\ttheir\town\twickedness brought\t about,\t and\t that,\t too,\t even\t when\t the\t Olympians\t had\t tried\t to\t hold\t them back.\t \u201cYou\t all\t know\t about\t Aegisthus,\t whom\t Agamemnon\u2019s\t son\t Orestes\t has slain,\u201d\tZeus\tsaid,\t\u201chow\the\tloved\tthe\twife\tof\tAgamemnon\tand\tkilled\thim\ton\this return\t from\t Troy.\t Certainly\t no\t blame\t attaches\t to\t us\t from\t that.\t We\t warned\t him by\t the\t mouth\t of\t Hermes.\t \u2018The\t death\t of\t the\t son\t of\t Atreus\t will\t be\t avenged\t by Orestes.\u2019\t Those\t were\t Hermes\u2019\t very\t words,\t but\t not\t even\t such\t friendly\t advice could\trestrain\tAegisthus,\twho\tnow\tpays\tthe\tfinal\tpenalty.\u201d This\t passage\t in\t the\t Illiad\t is\t the\t first\t mention\t of\t the\t House\t of\t Atreus.\t In\t the Odyssey\twhen\tOdysseus\treached\tthe\tland\tof\tthe\tPhaeacians\tand\twas\ttelling\tthem about\this\tdescent\tto\tHades\tand\tthe\tghosts\the\tencountered,\the\tsaid\tthat,\tof\tthem all,\tthe\tspirit\tof\tAgamemnon\thad\tmost\tmoved\thim\tto\tpity.\tHe\thad\tbegged\thim\tto say\thow\the\tdied\tand\tthe\tchief\ttold\thim\tthat\the\twas\tkilled\tingloriously\tas\the\tsat\tat table,\tstruck\tdown\tas\tone\tbutchers\tan\tox.\t\u201cIt\twas\tAegisthus,\u201d\the\tsaid,\t\u201cwith\tthe aid\t of\t my\t accursed\t wife.\t He\t invited\t me\t to\t his\t house\t and\t as\t I\t feasted\t he\t killed me.\t My\t men,\t too.\t You\t have\t seen\t many\t die\t in\t single\t combat\t or\t in\t battle,\t but never\tone\twho\tdied\tas\twe\tdid,\tby\tthe\twine\tbowl\tand\tthe\tloaded\ttables\tin\ta\thall where\tthe\tfloor\tflowed\twith\tblood.\tCassandra\u2019s\tdeath-shriek\trang\tin\tmy\tears\tas she\tfell.\tClytemnestra\tslew\ther\tover\tmy\tbody.\tI\ttried\tto\tlift\tup\tmy\thands\tfor\ther, but\tthey\tfell\tback.\tI\twas\tdying\tthen.\u201d That\twas\tthe\tway\tthe\tstory\twas\tfirst\ttold:\tAgamemnon\thad\tbeen\tkilled\tby\this wife\u2019s\tlover.\tIt\twas\ta\tsordid\ttale.\tHow\tlong\tit\theld\tthe\tstage\twe\tdo\tnot\tknow,\tbut the\tnext\taccount\twe\thave,\tcenturies\tlater,\twritten\tby\tAeschylus\tabout\t450\tB.C.,\tis very\t different.\t It\t is\t a\t great\t story\t now\t of\t implacable\t vengeance\t and\t tragic passions\tand\tinevitable\tdoom.\tThe\tmotive\tfor\tAgamemnon\u2019s\tdeath\tis\tno\tlonger the\tguilty\tlove\tof\ta\tman\tand\ta\twoman,\tbut\ta\tmother\u2019s\tlove\tfor\ta\tdaughter\tkilled by\ther\town\tfather,\tand\ta\twife\u2019s\tdetermination\tto\tavenge\tthat\tdeath\tby\tkilling\ther husband.\tAegisthus\tfades;\the\tis\thardly\tin\tthe\tpicture.\tThe\twife\tof\tAgamemnon, Clytemnestra,\thas\tall\tthe\tforeground\tto\therself. The\ttwo\tsons\tof\tAtreus,\tAgamemnon,\tthe\tcommander\tof\tthe\tGreek\tforces\tat","Troy,\t and\t Menelaus,\t the\t husband\t of\t Helen,\t ended\t their\t lives\t very\t differently. Menelaus,\t at\t first\t the\t less\t successful,\t was\t notably\t prosperous\t in\t his\t later\t years. He\t lost\t his\t wife\t for\t a\t time,\t but\t after\t the\t fall\t of\t Troy\t he\t got\t her\t back.\t His\t ship was\tdriven\tall\tthe\tway\tto\tEgypt\tby\tthe\tstorm\tAthena\tsent\tto\tthe\tGreek\tFleet,\tbut finally\the\treached\thome\tsafely\tand\tlived\thappily\twith\tHelen\tever\tafter.\tIt\twas\tfar otherwise\twith\this\tbrother. When\t Troy\t fell,\t Agamemnon\t was\t the\t most\t fortunate\t of\t the\t victorious chieftains.\t His\t ship\t came\t safely\t through\t the\t storm\t which\t wrecked\t or\t drove\t to distant\tcountries\tso\tmany\tothers.\tHe\tentered\this\tcity\tnot\tonly\tsafe\tafter\tperil\tby land\t and\t sea,\t but\t triumphant,\t the\t proud\t conqueror\t of\t Troy.\t His\t home\t was expecting\t him.\t Word\t had\t been\t sent\t that\t he\t had\t landed,\t and\t the\t townspeople joined\t in\t a\t great\t welcome\t to\t him.\t It\t seemed\t that\t he\t was\t of\t all\t men\t the\t most gloriously\tsuccessful,\tafter\ta\tbrilliant\tvictory\tback\twith\this\town\tagain,\tpeace\tand prosperity\tbefore\thim. But\tin\tthe\tcrowd\tthat\tgreeted\thim\twith\tthanksgiving\tfor\this\treturn\tthere\twere anxious\t faces,\t and\t words\t of\t dark\t foreboding\t passed\t from\t one\t man\t to\t another. \u201cHe\twill\tfind\tevil\thappenings,\u201d\tthey\tmuttered.\t\u201cThings\tonce\twere\tright\tthere\tin the\tpalace,\tbut\tno\tmore.\tThat\thouse\tcould\ttell\ta\ttale\tif\tit\tcould\tspeak.\u201d Before\tthe\tpalace\tthe\telders\tof\tthe\tcity\twere\tgathered\tto\tdo\ttheir\tking\thonor, but\t they,\t too,\t were\t in\t distress,\t with\t a\t still\t heavier\t anxiety,\t a\t darker\t foreboding, than\tthat\twhich\tweighed\tupon\tthe\tdoubtful\tcrowd.\tAs\tthey\twaited\tthey\ttalked\tin low\t tones\t of\t the\t past.\t They\t were\t old\t and\t it\t was\t almost\t more\t real\t to\t them\t than the\t present.\t They\t recalled\t the\t sacrifice\t of\t Iphigenia,\t lovely,\t innocent\t young thing,\t trusting\t her\t father\t utterly,\t and\t then\t confronted\t with\t the\t altar,\t the\t cruel knives,\t and\t only\t pitiless\t faces\t around\t her.\t As\t the\t old\t men\t spoke,\t it\t was\t like\t a vivid\tmemory\tto\tthem,\tas\tif\tthey\tthemselves\thad\tbeen\tthere,\tas\tif\tthey\thad\theard with\ther\tthe\tfather\tshe\tloved\ttelling\tmen\tto\tlift\ther\tand\thold\ther\tover\tthe\taltar\tto slay\t her.\t He\t had\t killed\t her,\t not\t willingly,\t but\t driven\t by\t the\t Army\t impatient\t for good\t winds\t to\t sail\t to\t Troy.\t And\t yet\t the\t matter\t was\t not\t as\t simple\t as\t that.\t He yielded\tto\tthe\tArmy\tbecause\tthe\told\twickedness\tin\tgeneration\tafter\tgeneration\tof his\t race\t was\t bound\t to\t work\t out\t in\t evil\t for\t him,\t too.\t The\t elders\t knew\t the\t curse that\thung\tover\tthe\thouse. \u2026\tThe\tthirst\tfor\tblood\u2014 It\tis\tin\ttheir\tflesh.\tBefore\tthe\told\twound Can\tbe\thealed,\tthere\tis\tfresh\tblood\tflowing.","Ten\t years\t had\t passed\t since\t Iphigenia\t died,\t but\t the\t results\t of\t her\t death reached\t through\t to\t the\t present.\t The\t elders\t were\t wise.\t They\t had\t learned\t that every\t sin\t causes\t fresh\t sin;\t every\t wrong\t brings\t another\t in\t its\t train.\t A\t menace from\tthe\tdead\tgirl\thung\tover\ther\tfather\tin\tthis\thour\tof\ttriumph.\tAnd\tyet\tperhaps, they\tsaid\tto\teach\tother,\tperhaps\tit\twould\tnot\ttake\tactual\tshape\tfor\ta\ttime.\tSo\tthey tried\t to\t find\t some\t bit\t of\t hope,\t but\t at\t the\t bottom\t of\t their\t hearts\t they\t knew\t and dared\t not\t say\t aloud\t that\t vengeance\t was\t already\t there\t in\t the\t palace\t waiting\t for Agamemnon. It\thad\twaited\tever\tsince\tthe\tQueen,\tClytemnestra,\thad\tcome\tback\tfrom\tAulis, where\t she\t had\t seen\t her\t daughter\t die.\t She\t did\t not\t keep\t faith\t with\t her\t husband who\t had\t killed\t her\t child\t and\t his;\t she\t took\t a\t lover\t and\t all\t the\t people\t knew\t it. They\tknew,\ttoo,\tthat\tshe\thad\tnot\tsent\thim\taway\twhen\tthe\tnews\tof\tAgamemnon\u2019s return\treached\ther.\tHe\twas\tstill\tthere\twith\ther.\tWhat\twas\tbeing\tplanned\tbehind the\tpalace\tdoors?\tAs\tthey\twondered\tand\tfeared,\ta\ttumult\tof\tnoise\treached\tthem, chariots\trolling,\tvoices\tshouting.\tInto\tthe\tcourtyard\tswept\tthe\troyal\tcar\twith\tthe King\tand\tbeside\thim\ta\tgirl,\tvery\tbeautiful,\tbut\tvery\tstrange-looking.\tAttendants and\ttownspeople\twere\tfollowing\tthem\tand\tas\tthey\tcame\tto\ta\thalt\tthe\tdoors\tof\tthe great\thouse\tswung\topen\tand\tthe\tQueen\tappeared. The\t King\t dismounted,\t praying\t aloud,\t \u201cO\t Victory\t now\t mine,\t be\t mine forever.\u201d\t His\t wife\t advanced\t to\t meet\t him.\t Her\t face\t was\t radiant,\t her\t head\t high. She\tknew\tthat\tevery\tman\tthere\texcept\tAgamemnon\twas\taware\tof\ther\tinfidelity, but\tshe\tfaced\tthem\tall\tand\ttold\tthem\twith\tsmiling\tlips\tthat\teven\tin\ttheir\tpresence she\tmust\tat\tsuch\ta\tmoment\tspeak\tout\tthe\tgreat\tlove\tshe\tbore\ther\thusband\tand\tthe agonizing\t grief\t she\t had\t suffered\t in\t his\t absence.\t Then\t in\t words\t of\t exultant\t joy she\t bade\t him\t welcome.\t \u201cYou\t are\t our\t safety,\u201d\t she\t told\t him,\t \u201cour\t sure\t defense. The\tsight\tof\tyou\tis\tdear\tas\tland\tafter\tstorm\tto\tthe\tsailor,\tas\ta\tgushing\tstream\tto\ta thirsty\twayfarer.\u201d He\tanswered\ther,\tbut\twith\treserve,\tand\the\tturned\tto\tgo\tinto\tthe\tpalace.\tFirst he\t pointed\t to\t the\t girl\t in\t the\t chariot.\t She\t was\t Cassandra,\t Priam\u2019s\t daughter,\t he told\this\twife\u2014the\tArmy\u2019s\tgift\tto\thim,\tthe\tflower\tof\tall\tthe\tcaptive\twomen.\tLet Clytemnestra\tsee\tto\ther\tand\ttreat\ther\twell.\tWith\tthat\the\tentered\tthe\thouse\tand\tthe doors\tclosed\tbehind\tthe\thusband\tand\tthe\twife.\tThey\twould\tnever\topen\tagain\tfor both\tof\tthem. The\tcrowd\thad\tgone.\tOnly\tthe\told\tmen\tstill\twaited\tuneasily\tbefore\tthe\tsilent building\t and\t the\t blank\t doors.\t The\t captive\t princess\t caught\t their\t attention\t and they\tlooked\tcuriously\tat\ther.\tThey\thad\theard\tof\ther\tstrange\tfame\tas\ta\tprophetess whom\t no\t one\t ever\t believed\t and\t yet\t whose\t prophecies\t were\t always\t proved\t true","by\t the\t event.\t She\t turned\t a\t terrified\t face\t to\t them.\t Where\t had\t she\t been\t brought, she\tasked\tthem\twildly\u2014What\thouse\twas\tthis?\tThey\tanswered\tsoothingly\tthat\tit was\twhere\tthe\tson\tof\tAtreus\tlived.\tShe\tcried\tout,\t\u201cNo!\tIt\tis\ta\thouse\tGod\thates, where\t men\t are\t killed\t and\t the\t floor\t is\t red\t with\t blood.\u201d\t The\t old\t men\t stole frightened\t glances\t at\t each\t other.\t Blood,\t men\t killed,\t that\t was\t what\t they,\t too, were\t thinking\t of,\t the\t dark\t past\t with\t its\t promise\t of\t more\t darkness.\t How\t could she,\t a\t stranger\t and\t a\t foreigner,\t know\t that\t past?\t \u201cI\t hear\t children\t crying,\u201d\t she wailed, \u2026\tCrying\tfor\twounds\tthat\tbleed. A\tfather\tfeasted\u2014and\tthe\tflesh\this\tchildren. Thyestes\t and\t his\t sons\u2026\t Where\t had\t she\t heard\t of\t that?\t More\t wild\t words poured\t from\t her\t lips.\t It\t seemed\t as\t if\t she\t had\t seen\t what\t had\t happened\t in\t that house\tthrough\tthe\tyears,\tas\tif\tshe\thad\tstood\tby\twhile\tdeath\tfollowed\tdeath,\teach a\tcrime\tand\tall\tworking\ttogether\tto\tproduce\tmore\tcrime.\tThen\tfrom\tthe\tpast\tshe turned\tto\tthe\tfuture.\tShe\tcried\tout\tthat\ton\tthat\tvery\tday\ttwo\tmore\tdeaths\twould be\tadded\tto\tthe\tlist,\tone\ther\town.\t\u201cI\twill\tendure\tto\tdie,\u201d\tshe\tsaid,\tas\tshe\tturned away\t and\t moved\t toward\t the\t palace.\t They\t tried\t to\t hold\t her\t back\t from\t that ominous\t house,\t but\t she\t would\t not\t have\t it;\t she\t entered\t and\t the\t doors\t closed forever\ton\ther,\ttoo.\tThe\tsilence\tthat\tfollowed\twhen\tshe\thad\tgone\twas\tsuddenly and\t terribly\t broken.\t A\t cry\t rang\t out,\t the\t voice\t of\t a\t man\t in\t agony:\t \u201cGod!\t I\t am struck!\tMy\tdeath\tblow\u2014\u201d\tand\tsilence\tagain.\tThe\told\tmen,\tterrified,\tbewildered, huddled\ttogether.\tThat\twas\tthe\tKing\u2019s\tvoice.\tWhat\tshould\tthey\tdo?\t\u201cBreak\tinto the\tpalace?\tQuick,\tbe\tquick,\u201d\tthey\turged\teach\tother.\t\u201cWe\tmust\tknow.\u201d\tBut\tthere was\tno\tneed\tnow\tof\tany\tviolence.\tThe\tdoors\topened\tand\ton\tthe\tthreshold\tstood the\tQueen. Dark\tred\tstains\twere\ton\ther\tdress,\ther\thands,\ther\tface,\tyet\tshe\therself\tlooked unshaken,\tstrongly\tsure\tof\therself.\tShe\tproclaimed\tfor\tall\tto\thear\twhat\thad\tbeen done.\t\u201cHere\tlies\tmy\thusband\tdead,\tstruck\tdown\tjustly\tby\tmy\thand,\u201d\tshe\tsaid.\tIt was\this\tblood\tthat\tstained\ther\tdress\tand\tface\tand\tshe\twas\tglad. He\tfell\tand\tas\the\tgasped,\this\tblood Spouted\tand\tsplashed\tme\twith\tdark\tspray,\ta\tdew Of\tdeath,\tsweet\tto\tme\tas\theaven\u2019s\tsweet\traindrops When\tthe\tcorn-land\tbuds.","She\tsaw\tno\treason\tto\texplain\ther\tact\tor\texcuse\tit.\tShe\twas\tnot\ta\tmurderer\tin her\t own\t eyes,\t she\t was\t an\t executioner.\t She\t had\t punished\t a\t murderer,\t the murderer\tof\this\town\tchild. Who\tcared\tno\tmore\tthan\tif\ta\tbeast\tshould\tdie When\tflocks\tare\tplenty\tin\tthe\tfleecy\tfold, But\tslew\this\tdaughter\u2014slew\ther\tfor\ta\tcharm Against\tthe\tThracian\twinds. Her\t lover\t followed\t her\t and\t stood\t beside\t her\u2014Aegisthus,\t the\t youngest\t child\t of Thyestes,\t born\t after\t that\t horrible\t feast.\t He\t had\t no\t quarrel\t with\t Agamemnon himself,\t but\t Atreus,\t who\t had\t had\t the\t children\t slaughtered\t and\t placed\t on\t the banquet\t table\t for\t their\t father,\t was\t dead\t and\t vengeance\t could\t not\t reach\t him. Therefore\this\tson\tmust\tpay\tthe\tpenalty. The\t two,\t the\t Queen\t and\t her\t lover,\t had\t reason\t to\t know\t that\t wickedness cannot\t be\t ended\t by\t wickedness.\t The\t dead\t body\t of\t the\t man\t they\t had\t just\t killed was\t a\t proof.\t But\t in\t their\t triumph\t they\t did\t not\t stop\t to\t think\t that\t this\t death,\t too, like\t all\t the\t others,\t would\t surely\t bring\t evil\t in\t its\t train.\t \u201cNo\t more\t blood\t for\t you and\tme,\u201d\tClytemnestra\tsaid\tto\tAegisthus.\t\u201cWe\tare\tlords\there\tnow.\tWe\ttwo\twill order\tall\tthings\twell.\u201d\tIt\twas\ta\tbaseless\thope. Iphigenia\t had\t been\t one\t of\t three\t children.\t The\t other\t two\t were\t a\t girl\t and\t a boy,\t Electra\t and\t Orestes.\t Aegisthus\t would\t certainly\t have\t killed\t the\t boy\t if Orestes\t had\t been\t there,\t but\t he\t had\t been\t sent\t away\t to\t a\t trusted\t friend.\t The\t girl Aegisthus\t disdained\t to\t kill;\t he\t only\t made\t her\t utterly\t wretched\t in\t every\t way possible\t until\t her\t whole\t life\t was\t concentrated\t in\t one\t hope,\t that\t Orestes\t would come\t back\t and\t avenge\t their\t father.\t That\t vengeance\u2014what\t would\t it\t be?\t Over and\t over\t she\t asked\t herself\t this.\t Aegisthus,\t of\t course,\t must\t die,\t but\t to\t kill\t him alone\twould\tnever\tsatisfy\tjustice.\tHis\tcrime\twas\tless\tblack\tthan\tanother\u2019s.\tWhat then?\t Could\t it\t be\t justice\t that\t a\t son\t should\t take\t a\t mother\u2019s\t life\t to\t avenge\t a father\u2019s\t death?\t So\t she\t brooded\t through\t the\t bitter\t days\t of\t the\t long\t years\t that followed,\twhile\tClytemnestra\tand\tAegisthus\truled\tthe\tland. As\t the\t boy\t grew\t to\t manhood\t he\t saw\t even\t more\t clearly\t than\t she\t the\t terrible situation.\t It\t was\t a\t son\u2019s\t duty\t to\t kill\t his\t father\u2019s\t murderers,\t a\t duty\t that\t came before\tall\tothers.\tBut\ta\tson\twho\tkilled\this\tmother\twas\tabhorrent\tto\tgods\tand\tto men.\t A\t most\t sacred\t obligation\t was\t bound\t up\t with\t a\t most\t atrocious\t crime.\t He who\t wanted\t only\t to\t do\t right\t was\t so\t placed\t that\t he\t must\t choose\t between\t two hideous\twrongs.\tHe\tmust\tbe\ta\ttraitor\tto\this\tfather\tor\the\tmust\tbe\tthe\tmurderer\tof","his\tmother. In\t his\t agony\t of\t doubt\t he\t journeyed\t to\t Delphi\t to\t ask\t the\t oracle\t to\t help\t him, and\tApollo\tspoke\tto\thim\tin\tclear\twords\tbidding\thim, Slay\tthe\ttwo\twho\tslew. Atone\tfor\tdeath\tby\tdeath. Shed\tblood\tfor\told\tblood\tshed. And\t Orestes\t knew\t that\t he\t must\t work\t out\t the\t curse\t of\t his\t house,\t exact vengeance,\t and\t pay\t with\t his\t own\t ruin.\t He\t went\t to\t the\t home\t he\t had\t not\t seen since\the\twas\ta\tlittle\tboy,\tand\twith\thim\twent\this\tcousin\tand\tfriend\tPylades.\tThe two\t had\t grown\t up\t together\t and\t were\t devoted\t in\t a\t way\t far\t beyond\t usual friendship.\tElectra,\twith\tno\tidea\tthat\tthey\twere\tactually\tarriving,\twas\tyet\ton\tthe watch.\t Her\t life\t was\t spent\t in\t watching\t for\t the\t brother\t who\t would\t bring\t her\t the only\tthing\tlife\theld\tfor\ther. One\tday\tat\ther\tfather\u2019s\ttomb\tshe\tmade\tan\toffering\tto\tthe\tdead\tand\tprayed,\t\u201cO Father,\tguide\tOrestes\tto\this\thome.\u201d\tSuddenly\the\twas\tbeside\ther,\tclaiming\ther\tas his\tsister,\tshowing\ther\tas\tproof\tthe\tcloak\the\twore,\tthe\twork\tof\ther\thands,\twhich she\thad\twrapped\thim\tin\twhen\the\twent\taway.\tBut\tshe\tdid\tnot\tneed\ta\tproof.\tShe cried,\t\u201cYour\tface\tis\tmy\tfather\u2019s\tface.\u201d\tAnd\tshe\tpoured\tout\tto\thim\tall\tthe\tlove\tno one\thad\twanted\tfrom\ther\tthrough\tthe\twretched\tyears:\u2014 All,\tall\tis\tyours, The\tlove\tI\towed\tmy\tfather\twho\tis\tdead, The\tlove\tI\tmight\thave\tgiven\tto\tmy\tmother, And\tmy\tpoor\tsister\tcruelly\tdoomed\tto\tdie. All\tyours\tnow,\tonly\tyours. He\t was\t too\t sunk\t in\t his\t own\t thought,\t too\t intent\t upon\t the\t thing\t he\t faced,\t to answer\t her\t or\t even\t to\t listen.\t He\t broke\t in\t upon\t her\t words\t to\t tell\t her\t what\t filled his\t mind\t so\t that\t nothing\t else\t could\t reach\t it:\t the\t terrible\t words\t of\t the\t oracle\t of Apollo.\tOrestes\tspoke\twith\thorror:\u2014 He\ttold\tme\tto\tappease\tthe\tangry\tdead. That\twho\thears\tnot\twhen\this\tdead\tcry\tto\thim, For\tsuch\tthere\tis\tno\thome,\tno\trefuge\tanywhere.","No\taltarfire\tburns\tfor\thim,\tno\tfriend\tgreets\thim. He\tdies\talone\tand\tvile.\tO\tGod,\tshall\tI\tbelieve Such\toracles?\tBut\tyet\u2014but\tyet The\tdeed\tis\tto\tbe\tdone\tand\tI\tmust\tdo\tit. The\t three\t made\t their\t plans.\t Orestes\t and\t Pylades\t were\t to\t go\t to\t the\t palace claiming\tto\tbe\tthe\tbearers\tof\ta\tmessage\tthat\tOrestes\thad\tdied.\tIt\twould\tbe\tjoyful news\t to\t Clytemnestra\t and\t Aegisthus\t who\t had\t always\t feared\t what\t he\t might\t do, and\t they\t would\t certainly\t want\t to\t see\t the\t messengers.\t Once\t in\t the\t palace\t the brother\tand\this\tfriend\tcould\ttrust\tto\ttheir\town\tswords\tand\tthe\tcomplete\tsurprise of\ttheir\tattack. They\t were\t admitted\t and\t Electra\t waited.\t That\t had\t been\t her\t bitter\t part\t all through\ther\tlife.\tThen\tthe\tdoors\topened\tslowly\tand\ta\twoman\tcame\tout\tand\tstood tranquilly\ton\tthe\tsteps.\tIt\twas\tClytemnestra.\tShe\thad\tbeen\tthere\tonly\ta\tmoment or\t so\t when\t a\t slave\t rushed\t out\t screaming,\t \u201cTreason!\t Our\t master!\t Treason!\u201d\t He saw\t Clytemnestra\t and\t gasped,\t \u201cOrestes\u2014alive\u2014here.\u201d\t She\t knew\t then. Everything\t was\t clear\t to\t her,\t what\t had\t happened\t and\t what\t was\t still\t to\t come. Sternly\tshe\tbade\tthe\tslave\tbring\ther\ta\tbattle-ax.\tShe\twas\tresolved\tto\tfight\tfor\ther life,\t but\t the\t weapon\t was\t no\t sooner\t in\t her\t hand\t than\t she\t changed\t her\t mind.\t A man\t came\t through\t the\t doors,\t his\t sword\t red\t with\t blood,\t whose\t blood\t she\t knew and\tshe\tknew,\ttoo,\twho\theld\tthe\tsword.\tInstantly\tshe\tsaw\ta\tsurer\tway\tto\tdefend herself\t than\t with\t an\t ax.\t She\t was\t the\t mother\t of\t the\t man\t before\t her.\t \u201cStop,\t my son,\u201d\tshe\tsaid.\t\u201cLook\u2014my\tbreast.\tYour\theavy\thead\tdropped\ton\tit\tand\tyou\tslept, oh,\t many\t a\t time.\t Your\t baby\t mouth,\t where\t never\t a\t tooth\t was,\t sucked\t the\t milk, and\t so\t you\t grew\u2014\u201d\t Orestes\t cried,\t \u201cO\t Pylades,\t she\t is\t my\t mother.\t May\t I\t spare \u2014\u201d\tHis\tfriend\ttold\thim\tsolemnly:\tNo.\tApollo\thad\tcommanded.\tThe\tgod\tmust\tbe obeyed.\t\u201cI\twill\tobey,\u201d\tOrestes\tsaid.\t\u201cYou\u2014follow\tme.\u201d\tClytemnestra\tknew\tthat she\thad\tlost.\tShe\tsaid\tcalmly,\t\u201cIt\tseems,\tmy\tson,\tthat\tyou\twill\tkill\tyour\tmother.\u201d He\tmotioned\ther\tinto\tthe\thouse.\tShe\twent\tand\the\tfollowed\ther. When\t he\t came\t out\t again\t those\t waiting\t in\t the\t courtyard\t did\t not\t need\t to\t be told\twhat\the\thad\tdone.\tAsking\tno\tquestions\tthey\twatched\thim,\ttheir\tmaster\tnow, with\tcompassion.\tHe\tseemed\tnot\tto\tsee\tthem;\the\twas\tlooking\tat\ta\thorror\tbeyond them.\tStammering\twords\tcame\tfrom\this\tlips:\t\u201cThe\tman\tis\tdead.\tI\tam\tnot\tguilty there.\tAn\tadulterer.\tHe\thad\tto\tdie.\tBut\tshe\u2014Did\tshe\tdo\tit\tor\tdid\tshe\tnot?\tO\tyou, my\tfriends.\tI\tsay\tI\tkilled\tmy\tmother\u2014yet\tnot\twithout\treason\u2014she\twas\tvile\tand she\tkilled\tmy\tfather\tand\tGod\thated\ther.\u201d His\t eyes\t were\t fixed\t always\t on\t that\t unseen\t horror.\t He\t screamed,\t \u201cLook!","Look!\tWomen\tthere.\tBlack,\tall\tblack,\tand\tlong\thair\tlike\tsnakes.\u201d\tThey\ttold\thim eagerly\tthere\twere\tno\twomen.\t\u201cIt\tis\tonly\tyour\tfancy.\tOh,\tdo\tnot\tfear.\u201d\t\u201cYou\tdo not\t see\t them?\u201d\t he\t cried.\t \u201cNo\t fancy.\t I\u2014I\t see\t them.\t My\t mother\t has\t sent\t them. They\t crowd\t around\t me\t and\t their\t eyes\t drip\t blood.\t Oh,\t let\t me\t go.\u201d\t He\t rushed away,\talone\texcept\tfor\tthose\tinvisible\tcompanions. When\tnext\the\tcame\tto\this\tcountry,\tyears\thad\tpassed.\tHe\thad\tbeen\ta\twanderer in\t many\t lands,\t always\t pursued\t by\t the\t same\t terrible\t shapes.\t He\t was\t worn\t with suffering,\t but\t in\t his\t loss\t of\t everything\t men\t prize\t there\t was\t a\t gain,\t too.\t \u201cI\t have been\t taught\t by\t misery,\u201d\t he\t said.\t He\t had\t learned\t that\t no\t crime\t was\t beyond atonement,\t that\t even\t he,\t defiled\t by\t a\t mother\u2019s\t murder,\t could\t be\t made\t clean again.\t He\t traveled\t to\t Athens,\t sent\t there\t by\t Apollo\t to\t plead\t his\t case\t before Athena.\t He\t had\t come\t to\t beg\t for\t help;\t nevertheless,\t in\t his\t heart\t there\t was confidence.\t Those\t who\t desire\t to\t be\t purified\t cannot\t be\t refused\t and\t the\t black stain\t of\t his\t guilt\t had\t grown\t fainter\t and\t fainter\t through\t his\t years\t of\t lonely wandering\tand\tpain.\tHe\tbelieved\tthat\tby\tnow\tit\thad\tfaded\taway.\t\u201cI\tcan\tspeak\tto Athena\twith\tpure\tlips,\u201d\the\tsaid. The\t goddess\t listened\t to\t his\t plea.\t Apollo\t was\t beside\t him.\t \u201cIt\t is\t I\t who\t am answerable\t for\t what\t he\t did,\u201d\t he\t said.\t \u201cHe\t killed\t at\t my\t command.\u201d\t The\t dread forms\t of\t his\t pursuers,\t the\t Erinyes,\t the\t Furies,\t were\t arrayed\t against\t him,\t but Orestes\tlistened\tcalmly\tto\ttheir\tdemand\tfor\tvengeance.\t\u201cI,\tnot\tApollo,\twas\tguilty of\tmy\tmother\u2019s\tmurder,\u201d\the\tsaid,\t\u201cbut\tI\thave\tbeen\tcleansed\tof\tmy\tguilt.\u201d\tThese were\t words\t never\t spoken\t before\t by\t any\t of\t the\t House\t of\t Atreus.\t The\t killers\t of that\trace\thad\tnever\tsuffered\tfrom\ttheir\tguilt\tand\tsought\tto\tbe\tmade\tclean.\tAthena accepted\t the\t plea.\t She\t persuaded\t the\t avenging\t goddesses\t also\t to\t accept\t it,\t and with\tthis\tnew\tlaw\tof\tmercy\testablished\tthey\tthemselves\twere\tchanged.\tFrom\tthe Furies\t of\t frightful\t aspect\t they\t became\t the\t Benignant\t Ones,\t the\t Eumenides, protectors\t of\t the\t suppliant.\t They\t acquitted\t Orestes,\t and\t with\t the\t words\t of acquittal\tthe\tspirit\tof\tevil\twhich\thad\thaunted\this\thouse\tfor\tso\tlong\twas\tbanished. Orestes\t went\t forth\t from\t Athena\u2019s\t tribunal\t a\t free\t man.\t Neither\t he\t nor\t any descendant\t of\t his\t would\t ever\t again\t be\t driven\t into\t evil\t by\t the\t irresistible\t power of\tthe\tpast.\tThe\tcurse\tof\tthe\tHouse\tof\tAtreus\twas\tended.","IPHIGENIA\tAMONG\tTHE\tTAURIANS I\t have\t taken\t this\t story\t entirely\t from\t two\t plays\t of\t Euripides,\t the\t fifth-century tragic\tpoet.\tNo\tother\twriter\ttells\tthe\tstory\tin\tfull.\tThe\thappy\tend\tbrought\tabout by\ta\tdivinity,\tthe\tdeus\tex\tmachina,\tis\ta\tcommon\tdevice\twith\tEuripides\talone\tof the\tthree\ttragic\tpoets.\tAccording\tto\tour\tideas\tit\tis\ta\tweakness;\tand\tcertainly\tit\tis unnecessary\tin\tthis\tcase,\twhere\tthe\tsame\tend\tcould\thave\tbeen\tsecured\tby\tmerely omitting\t the\t head\t wind.\t Athena\u2019s\t appearance,\t in\t point\t of\t fact,\t harms\t a\t good plot.\tA\tpossible\treason\tfor\tthis\tlapse\ton\tthe\tpart\tof\tone\tof\tthe\tgreatest\tpoets\tthe world\t has\t known\t is\t that\t the\t Athenians,\t who\t were\t suffering\t greatly\t at\t the\t time from\t the\t war\t with\t Sparta,\t were\t eager\t for\t miracles\t and\t that\t Euripides\t chose\t to humor\tthem. The\t Greeks,\t as\t has\t been\t said,\t did\t not\t like\t stories\t in\t which\t human\t beings\t were offered\tup,\twhether\tto\tappease\tangry\tgods\tor\tto\tmake\tMother\tEarth\tbear\ta\tgood harvest\t or\t to\t bring\t about\t anything\t whatsoever.\t They\t thought\t about\t such sacrifices\tas\twe\tdo.\tThey\twere\tabominable.\tAny\tdeity\twho\tdemanded\tthem\twas thereby\t proved\t to\t be\t evil,\t and,\t as\t the\t poet\t Euripides\t said,\t \u201cIf\t gods\t do\t evil\t then they\tare\tnot\tgods.\u201d\tIt\twas\tinevitable\ttherefore\tthat\tanother\tstory\tshould\tgrow\tup about\t the\t sacrifice\t of\t Iphigenia\t at\t Aulis.\t According\t to\t the\t old\t account,\t she\t was killed\t because\t one\t of\t the\t wild\t animals\t Artemis\t loved\t had\t been\t slain\t by\t the Greeks\t and\t the\t guilty\t hunters\t could\t win\t back\t the\t goddess\u2019s\t favor\t only\t by\t the death\tof\ta\tyoung\tgirl.\tBut\tto\tthe\tlater\tGreeks\tthis\twas\tto\tslander\tArtemis.\tNever would\t such\t a\t demand\t have\t been\t made\t by\t the\t lovely\t lady\t of\t the\t woodland\t and the\tforest,\twho\twas\tespecially\tthe\tprotector\tof\tlittle\thelpless\tcreatures. So\tgentle\tis\tshe,\tArtemis\tthe\tholy, To\tdewy\tyouth,\tto\ttender\tnurslings, The\tyoung\tof\tall\tthat\troam\tthe\tmeadow, Of\tall\twho\tlive\twithin\tthe\tforest. So\t another\t ending\t was\t given\t to\t the\t story.\t When\t the\t Greek\t soldiers\t at\t Aulis came\t to\t get\t Iphigenia\t where\t she\t was\t waiting\t for\t the\t summons\t to\t death,\t her","mother\t beside\t her,\t she\t forbade\t Clytemnestra\t to\t go\t with\t her\t to\t the\t altar.\t \u201cIt\t is better\tso\tfor\tme\tas\twell\tas\tfor\tyou,\u201d\tshe\tsaid.\tThe\tmother\twas\tleft\talone.\tAt\tlast she\t saw\t a\t man\t approaching.\t He\t was\t running\t and\t she\t wondered\t why\t anyone should\t hasten\t to\t bring\t her\t the\t tidings\t he\t must\t bear.\t But\t he\t cried\t out\t to\t her, \u201cWonderful\t news!\u201d\t Her\t daughter\t had\t not\t been\t sacrificed,\t he\t said.\t That\t was certain,\t but\t exactly\t what\t had\t happened\t to\t her\t no\t one\t knew.\t As\t the\t priest\t was about\tto\tstrike\ther,\tanguish\ttroubled\tevery\tman\tthere\tand\tall\tbowed\ttheir\theads. But\ta\tcry\tcame\tfrom\tthe\tpriest\tand\tthey\tlooked\tup\tto\tsee\ta\tmarvel\thardly\tto\tbe believed.\tThe\tgirl\thad\tvanished,\tbut\ton\tthe\tground\tbeside\tthe\taltar\tlay\ta\tdeer,\tits throat\t cut.\t \u201cThis\t is\t Artemis\u2019\t doing,\u201d\t the\t priest\t proclaimed.\t \u201cShe\t will\t not\t have her\taltar\tstained\twith\thuman\tblood.\tShe\thas\therself\tfurnished\tthe\tvictim\tand\tshe receives\t the\t sacrifice.\u201d\t \u201cI\t tell\t you,\t O\t Queen,\u201d\t the\t messenger\t said,\t \u201cI\t was\t there and\t the\t thing\t happened\t thus.\t Clearly\t your\t child\t has\t been\t borne\t away\t to\t the gods.\u201d But\t Iphigenia\t had\t not\t been\t carried\t to\t heaven.\t Artemis\t had\t taken\t her\t to\t the land\t of\t the\t Taurians\t (today\t the\t Crimea)\t on\t the\t shore\t of\t the\t Unfriendly\t Sea\u2014a fierce\tpeople\twhose\tsavage\tcustom\tit\twas\tto\tsacrifice\tto\tthe\tgoddess\tany\tGreek found\tin\tthe\tcountry.\tArtemis\ttook\tcare\tthat\tIphigenia\tshould\tbe\tsafe;\tshe\tmade her\t priestess\t of\t her\t temple.\t But\t as\t such\t it\t was\t her\t terrible\t task\t to\t conduct\t the sacrifices,\tnot\tactually\therself\tkill\ther\tcountrymen,\tbut\tconsecrate\tthem\tby\tlong- established\trites\tand\tdeliver\tthem\tover\tto\tthose\twho\twould\tkill\tthem. She\t had\t been\t serving\t the\t goddess\t thus\t for\t many\t years\t when\t a\t Greek\t galley put\t in\t at\t the\t inhospitable\t shore,\t not\t under\t stern\t necessity,\t storm-driven,\t but voluntarily.\t And\t yet\t it\t was\t known\t everywhere\t what\t the\t Taurians\t did\t to\t the Greeks\t they\t captured.\t An\t overwhelmingly\t strong\t motive\t made\t the\t ship\t anchor there.\tFrom\tit\tin\tthe\tearly\tdawn\ttwo\tyoung\tmen\tcame\tand\tstealthily\tfound\ttheir way\tto\tthe\ttemple.\tBoth\twere\tclearly\tof\texalted\tbirth;\tthey\tlooked\tlike\tthe\tsons of\tkings,\tbut\tthe\tface\tof\tone\twas\tdeeply\tmarked\twith\tlines\tof\tpain.\tIt\twas\the\twho whispered\t to\t his\t friend,\t \u201cDon\u2019t\t you\t think\t this\t is\t the\t temple,\t Pylades?\u201d\t \u201cYes, Orestes,\u201d\tthe\tother\tanswered.\t\u201cIt\tmust\tbe\tthat\tbloodstained\tspot.\u201d Orestes\t here\t and\t his\t faithful\t friend?\t What\t were\t they\t doing\t in\t a\t country\t so perilous\tto\tGreeks?\tDid\tthis\thappen\tbefore\tor\tafter\tOrestes\thad\tbeen\tabsolved\tof the\t guilt\t of\t his\t mother\u2019s\t murder?\t It\t was\t some\t time\t after.\t Although\t Athena\t had pronounced\thim\tclear\tof\tguilt,\tin\tthis\tstory\tall\tthe\tErinyes\thad\tnot\taccepted\tthe verdict.\tSome\tof\tthem\tcontinued\tto\tpursue\thim,\tor\telse\tOrestes\tthought\tthat\tthey did.\tEven\tthe\tacquittal\tpronounced\tby\tAthena\thad\tnot\trestored\tto\thim\this\tpeace of\tmind.\tHis\tpursuers\twere\tfewer,\tbut\tthey\twere\tstill\twith\thim.","In\this\tdespair\the\twent\tto\tDelphi.\tIf\the\tcould\tnot\tfind\thelp\tthere,\tin\tthe\tholiest place\t of\t Greece,\t he\t could\t find\t it\t nowhere.\t Apollo\u2019s\t oracle\t gave\t him\t hope,\t but only\t at\t the\t risk\t of\t his\t life.\t He\t must\t go\t to\t the\t Taurian\t country,\t the\t Delphic priestess\t said,\t and\t bring\t away\t the\t sacred\t image\t of\t Artemis\t from\t her\t temple. When\t he\t had\t set\t it\t up\t in\t Athens\t he\t would\t at\t last\t be\t healed\t and\t at\t peace.\t He would\t never\t again\t see\t terrible\t forms\t haunting\t him.\t It\t was\t a\t most\t perilous enterprise,\t but\t everything\t for\t him\t depended\t on\t it.\t At\t whatever\t cost\t he\t was bound\tto\tmake\tthe\tattempt\tand\tPylades\twould\tnot\tlet\thim\tmake\tit\talone. When\tthe\ttwo\treached\tthe\ttemple\tthey\tsaw\tat\tonce\tthat\tthey\tmust\twait\tfor\tthe night\t before\t doing\t anything.\t There\t was\t no\t chance\t by\t day\t of\t getting\t into\t the place\tunseen.\tThey\tretreated\tto\tkeep\tunder\tcover\tin\tsome\tdark\tlonely\tspot. Iphigenia,\tsorrowful\tas\talways,\twas\tgoing\tthrough\ther\tround\tof\tduties\tto\tthe goddess\t when\t she\t was\t interrupted\t by\t a\t messenger\t who\t told\t her\t that\t the\t two young\tmen,\tGreeks,\thad\tbeen\ttaken\tprisoners\tand\twere\tto\tbe\tsacrificed\tat\tonce. He\t had\t been\t sent\t on\t to\t bid\t her\t make\t all\t ready\t for\t the\t sacred\t rites.\t The\t horror which\t she\t had\t felt\t so\t often\t seized\t her\t again.\t She\t shuddered\t at\t the\t thought, terribly\t familiar\t though\t it\t was,\t of\t the\t hideous\t bloodshed,\t of\t the\t agony\t of\t the victims.\tBut\tthis\ttime\ta\tnew\tthought\tcame\tas\twell.\tShe\tasked\therself,\t\u201cWould\ta goddess\tcommand\tsuch\tthings?\tWould\tshe\ttake\tpleasure\tin\tsacrificial\tmurder?\tI do\t not\t believe\t it,\u201d\t she\t told\t herself.\t \u201cIt\t is\t the\t men\t of\t this\t land\t who\t are bloodthirsty\tand\tthey\tlay\ttheir\town\tguilt\ton\tthe\tgods.\u201d As\tshe\tstood\tthus,\tdeep\tin\tmeditation,\tthe\tcaptives\twere\tled\tin.\tShe\tsent\tthe attendants\t into\t the\t temple\t to\t make\t ready\t for\t them,\t and\t when\t the\t three\t were alone\ttogether\tshe\t spoke\tto\t the\tyoung\tmen.\tWhere\t was\ttheir\thome,\tshe\tasked, the\thome\twhich\tthey\twould\tnever\tsee\tagain?\tShe\tcould\tnot\tkeep\ther\ttears\tback and\t they\t wondered\t to\t see\t her\t so\t compassionate.\t Orestes\t told\t her\t gently\t not\t to grieve\t for\t them.\t When\t they\t came\t to\t the\t land\t they\t had\t faced\t what\t might\t befall them.\tBut\tshe\tcontinued\tquestioning.\tWere\tthey\tbrothers?\tYes,\tin\tlove,\tOrestes replied,\tbut\tnot\tby\tbirth.\tWhat\twere\ttheir\tnames?\t\u201cWhy\task\tthat\tof\ta\tman\tabout to\tdie?\u201d\tOrestes\tsaid. \u201cWill\tyou\tnot\teven\ttell\tme\twhat\tyour\tcity\tis?\u201d\tshe\tasked. \u201cI\tcome\tfrom\tMycenae,\u201d\tOrestes\tanswered,\t\u201cThat\tcity\tonce\tso\tprosperous.\u201d \u201cThe\t King\t of\t it\t was\t certainly\t prosperous,\u201d\t Iphigenia\t said.\t \u201cHis\t name\t was Agamemnon.\u201d \u201cI\tdo\tnot\tknow\tabout\thim,\u201d\tOrestes\tsaid\tabruptly.\t\u201cLet\tus\tend\tthis\ttalk.\u201d \u201cNo\u2014no.\tTell\tme\tof\thim,\u201d\tshe\tbegged. \u201cDead,\u201d\tsaid\tOrestes.\t\u201cHis\town\twife\tkilled\thim.\tAsk\tme\tno\tmore.\u201d","\u201cOne\tthing\tmore,\u201d\tshe\tcried.\t\u201cIs\tshe\u2014the\twife\u2014alive?\u201d \u201cNo,\u201d\tOrestes\ttold\ther.\t\u201cHer\tson\tkilled\ther.\u201d The\tthree\tlooked\tat\teach\tother\tin\tsilence. \u201cIt\twas\tjust,\u201d\tIphigenia\twhispered\tshuddering;\t\u201cjust\u2014yet\tevil,\thorrible.\u201d\tShe tried\tto\tcollect\therself.\tThen\tshe\tasked,\t\u201cDo\tthey\tever\tspeak\tof\tthe\tdaughter\twho was\tsacrificed?\u201d \u201cOnly\tas\tone\tspeaks\tof\tthe\tdead,\u201d\tOrestes\tsaid.\tIphigenia\u2019s\tface\tchanged.\tShe looked\teager,\talert. \u201cI\thave\tthought\tof\ta\tplan\tto\thelp\tboth\tyou\tand\tme,\u201d\tshe\tsaid.\t\u201cWould\tyou\tbe willing\tto\tcarry\ta\tletter\tto\tmy\tfriends\tin\tMycenae\tif\tI\tcan\tsave\tyou?\u201d \u201cNo,\t not\t I,\u201d\t Orestes\t said.\t \u201cBut\t my\t friend\t will.\t He\t came\t here\t only\t for\t my sake.\tGive\thim\tyour\tletter\tand\tkill\tme.\u201d \u201cSo\t be\t it,\u201d\t Iphigenia\t answered.\t \u201cWait\t while\t I\t fetch\t the\t letter.\u201d\t She\t hurried away\tand\tPylades\tturned\tto\tOrestes. \u201cI\t will\t not\t leave\t you\t here\t to\t die\t alone,\u201d\t he\t told\t him.\t \u201cAll\t will\t call\t me\t a coward\tif\tI\tdo\tso.\tNo.\tI\tlove\tyou\u2014and\tI\tfear\twhat\tmen\tmay\tsay.\u201d \u201cI\tgave\tmy\tsister\tto\tyou\tto\tprotect,\u201d\tOrestes\tsaid.\t\u201cElectra\tis\tyour\twife.\tYou cannot\t abandon\t her.\t As\t for\t me\u2014it\t is\t no\t misfortune\t for\t me\t to\t die.\u201d\t As\t they spoke\t to\t each\t other\t in\t hurried\t whispers,\t Iphigenia\t entered\t with\t a\t letter\t in\t her hand.\t \u201cI\t will\t persuade\t the\t King.\t He\t will\t let\t my\t messenger\t go,\t I\t am\t sure.\t But first\u2014\u201d\tshe\tturned\tto\tPylades\u2014\u201cI\twill\ttell\tyou\twhat\tis\tin\tthe\tletter\tso\tthat\teven\tif through\t some\t mischance\t you\t lose\t your\t belongings,\t you\t will\t carry\t my\t message in\tyour\tmemory\tand\tbear\tit\tto\tmy\tfriends.\u201d \u201cA\tgood\tplan,\u201d\tPylades\tsaid.\t\u201cTo\twhom\tam\tI\tto\tbear\tit?\u201d \u201cTo\tOrestes,\u201d\tIphigenia\tsaid.\t\u201cAgamemnon\u2019s\tson.\u201d She\t was\t looking\t away,\t her\t thoughts\t were\t in\t Mycenae.\t She\t did\t not\t see\t the startled\tgaze\tthe\ttwo\tmen\tfixed\ton\ther. \u201cYou\t must\t say\t to\t him,\u201d\t she\t went\t on,\t \u201cthat\t she\t who\t was\t sacrificed\t at\t Aulis sends\tthis\tmessage.\tShe\tis\tnot\tdead\u2014\u201d \u201cCan\tthe\tdead\treturn\tto\tlife?\u201d\tOrestes\tcried. \u201cBe\tstill,\u201d\tIphigenia\tsaid\twith\tanger.\t\u201cThe\ttime\tis\tshort.\tSay\tto\thim,\t\u2018Brother, bring\t me\t back\t home.\t Free\t me\t from\t this\t murderous\t priesthood,\t this\t barbarous land.\u2019\tMark\twell,\tyoung\tman,\tthe\tname\tis\tOrestes.\u201d \u201cOh\tGod,\tGod,\u201d\tOrestes\tgroaned.\t\u201cIt\tis\tnot\tcredible.\u201d \u201cI\t am\t speaking\t to\t you,\t not\t to\t him,\u201d\t Iphigenia\t said\t to\t Pylades.\t \u201cYou\t will remember\tthe\tname?\u201d \u201cYes,\u201d\t Pylades\t answered,\t \u201cbut\t it\t will\t not\t take\t me\t long\t to\t deliver\t your","message.\tOrestes,\there\tis\ta\tletter.\tI\tbring\tit\tfrom\tyour\tsister.\u201d \u201cAnd\tI\taccept\tit,\u201d\tOrestes\tsaid,\t\u201cwith\ta\thappiness\twords\tcannot\tutter.\u201d The\tnext\tmoment\the\theld\tIphigenia\tin\this\tarms.\tBut\tshe\tfreed\therself. \u201cI\tdo\tnot\tknow,\u201d\tshe\tcried.\t\u201cHow\tcan\tI\tknow?\tWhat\tproof\tis\tthere?\u201d \u201cDo\t you\t remember\t the\t last\t bit\t of\t embroidery\t you\t did\t before\t you\t went\t to Aulis?\u201d\t Orestes\t asked.\t \u201cI\t will\t describe\t it\t to\t you.\t Do\t you\t remember\t your chamber\tin\tthe\tpalace?\tI\twill\ttell\tyou\twhat\twas\tthere.\u201d He\t convinced\t her\t and\t she\t threw\t herself\t into\t his\t arms.\t She\t sobbed\t out, \u201cDearest!\t You\t are\t my\t dearest,\t my\t darling,\t my\t dear\t one.\t A\t baby,\t a\t little\t baby, when\tI\tleft\tyou.\tMore\tthan\tmarvelous\tis\tthis\tthing\tthat\thas\tcome\tto\tme.\u201d \u201cPoor\t girl,\u201d\t Orestes\t said,\t \u201cmated\t to\t sorrow,\t as\t I\t have\t been.\t And\t you\t might have\tkilled\tyour\town\tbrother.\u201d \u201cOh,\t horrible,\u201d\t Iphigenia\t cried.\t \u201cBut\t I\t have\t brought\t myself\t to\t do\t horrible things.\tThese\thands\tmight\thave\tslain\tyou.\tAnd\teven\tnow\u2014how\tcan\tI\tsave\tyou? What\t god,\t what\t man,\t will\t help\t us?\u201d\t Pylades\t had\t been\t waiting\t in\t silence, sympathetic,\t but\t impatient.\t He\t thought\t the\t hour\t for\t action\t had\t emphatically arrived.\t \u201cWe\t can\t talk,\u201d\t he\t reminded\t the\t brother\t and\t sister,\t \u201cwhen\t once\t we\t are out\tof\tthis\tdreadful\tplace.\u201d \u201cSuppose\twe\tkill\tthe\tKing,\u201d\tOrestes\tproposed\teagerly,\tbut\tIphigenia\trejected the\tidea\twith\tindignation.\tKing\tThoas\thad\tbeen\tkind\tto\ther.\tShe\twould\tnot\tharm him.\t At\t that\t moment\t a\t plan\t flashed\t into\t her\t mind,\t perfect,\t down\t to\t the\t last detail.\t Hurriedly\t she\t explained\t it\t and\t the\t young\t men\t agreed\t at\t once.\t All\t three then\tentered\tthe\ttemple. After\t a\t few\t moments\t Iphigenia\t came\t out\t bearing\t an\t image\t in\t her\t arms.\t A man\t was\t just\t stepping\t across\t the\t threshold\t of\t the\t temple\t enclosure.\t Iphigenia cried\tout,\t\u201cO\tKing,\thalt.\tStay\twhere\tyou\tare.\u201d\tIn\tastonishment\the\tasked\ther\twhat was\t happening.\t She\t told\t him\t that\t the\t two\t men\t he\t had\t sent\t her\t for\t the\t goddess were\tnot\tpure.\tThey\twere\ttainted,\tvile;\tthey\thad\tkilled\ttheir\tmother,\tand\tArtemis was\tangry. \u201cI\tam\ttaking\tthe\timage\tto\tthe\tseashore\tto\tpurify\tit,\u201d\tshe\tsaid.\t\u201cAnd\tthere,\ttoo, I\t will\t cleanse\t the\t men\t from\t their\t pollution.\t Only\t after\t that\t can\t the\t sacrifice\t be made.\t All\t that\t I\t do\t must\t be\t done\t in\t solitude.\t Let\t the\t captives\t be\t brought\t forth and\tproclaim\tto\tthe\tcity\tthat\tno\tone\tmay\tdraw\tnear\tto\tme.\u201d \u201cDo\t as\t you\t wish,\u201d\t Thoas\t answered,\t \u201cand\t take\t all\t the\t time\t you\t need.\u201d\t He watched\tthe\tprocession\tmove\toff,\tIphigenia\tleading\twith\tthe\timage,\tOrestes\tand Pylades\t following,\t and\t attendants\t carrying\t vessels\t for\t the\t purifying\t rite. Iphigenia\t was\t praying\t aloud:\t \u201cMaiden\t and\t Queen,\t daughter\t of\t Zeus\t and\t Leto,","you\tshall\tdwell\twhere\tpurity\tis,\tand\twe\tshall\tbe\thappy.\u201d\tThey\tpassed\tout\tof\tsight on\ttheir\tway\tto\tthe\tinlet\twhere\tOrestes\u2019\tship\tlay.\tIt\tseemed\tas\tif\tIphigenia\u2019s\tplan could\tnot\tfail. And\t yet\t it\t did.\t She\t was\t able\t indeed\t to\t make\t the\t attendants\t leave\t her\t alone with\ther\tbrother\tand\tPylades\tbefore\tthey\treached\tthe\tsea.\tThey\tstood\tin\tawe\tof her\t and\t they\t did\t just\t what\t she\t bade\t them.\t Then\t the\t three\t made\t all\t haste\t and boarded\t the\t ship\t and\t the\t crew\t pushed\t it\t off.\t But\t at\t the\t mouth\t of\t the\t harbor where\tit\topened\tout\tto\tthe\tsea\ta\theavy\twind\tblowing\tlandward\tstruck\tthem\tand they\t could\t make\t no\t headway\t against\t it.\t They\t were\t driven\t back\t in\t spite\t of\t all they\tcould\tdo.\tThe\tvessel\tseemed\trushing\ton\tthe\trocks.\tThe\tmen\tof\tthe\tcountry by\t now\t were\t aroused\t to\t what\t was\t being\t done.\t Some\t watched\t to\t seize\t the\t ship when\t it\t was\t stranded;\t others\t ran\t with\t the\t news\t to\t King\t Thoas.\t Furious\t with anger,\the\twas\thurrying\tfrom\tthe\ttemple\tto\tcapture\tand\tput\tto\tdeath\tthe\timpious strangers\t and\t the\t treacherous\t priestess,\t when\t suddenly\t above\t him\t in\t the\t air\t a radiant\t form\t appeared\u2014manifestly\t a\t goddess.\t The\t King\t started\t back\t and\t awe checked\this\tsteps. \u201cStop,\tO\tKing,\u201d\tthe\tPresence\tsaid.\t\u201cI\tam\tAthena.\tThis\tis\tmy\tword\tto\tyou.\tLet the\t ship\t go.\t Even\t now\t Poseidon\t is\t calming\t the\t winds\t and\t waves\t to\t give\t it\t safe passage.\tIphigenia\tand\tthe\tothers\tare\tacting\tunder\tdivine\tguidance.\tDismiss\tyour anger.\u201d Thoas\tanswered\tsubmissively,\t\u201cWhatever\tis\tyour\tpleasure,\tGoddess,\tshall\tbe done.\u201d\tAnd\tthe\twatchers\ton\tthe\tshore\tsaw\tthe\twind\tshift,\tthe\twaves\tsubside,\tand the\tGreek\tship\tleave\tthe\tharbor,\tflying\tunder\tfull\tsail\tto\tthe\tsea\tbeyond.","II The\tstory\tof\tthe\tTheban\tfamily\trivals\tthat\tof\tthe\tHouse\tof\tAtreus\tin\tfame\tand\tfor the\tsame\treason.\tJust\tas\tthe\tgreatest\tplays\tof\tAeschylus,\tin\tthe\tfifth\tcentury,\tare about\tAtreus\u2019\tdescendants,\tso\tthe\tgreatest\tplays\tof\this\tcontemporary\tSophocles are\tabout\tOedipus\tand\this\tchildren.","CADMUS\tAND\tHIS\tCHILDREN The\ttale\tof\tCadmus\tand\this\tdaughters\tis\tonly\ta\tprologue\tto\tthe\tgreater\tstory.\tIt was\tpopular\tin\tclassical\tdays,\tand\tseveral\twriters\ttold\tit\tin\twhole\tor\tpart.\tI\thave preferred\t the\t account\t of\t Apollodorus,\t who\t wrote\t in\t the\t first\t or\t second\t century A.D.\tHe\ttells\tit\tsimply\tand\tclearly. When\t Europa\t was\t carried\t away\t by\t the\t bull,\t her\t father\t sent\t her\t brothers\t to search\tfor\ther,\tbidding\tthem\tnot\tto\treturn\tuntil\tthey\thad\tfound\ther.\tOne\tof\tthem, Cadmus,\tinstead\tof\tlooking\tvaguely\there\tand\tthere,\twent\tvery\tsensibly\tto\tDelphi to\task\tApollo\twhere\tshe\twas.\tThe\tgod\ttold\thim\tnot\tto\ttrouble\tfurther\tabout\ther or\t his\t father\u2019s\t determination\t not\t to\t receive\t him\t without\t her,\t but\t to\t found\t a\t city of\t his\t own.\t He\t would\t come\t upon\t a\t heifer\t when\t he\t left\t Delphi,\t Apollo\t said;\t he was\tto\tfollow\ther\tand\tbuild\this\tcity\tat\tthe\tspot\twhere\tshe\tlay\tdown\tto\trest.\tIn\tthis way\t Thebes\t was\t founded\t and\t the\t country\t round\t about\t got\t the\t name\t of\t the heifer\u2019s\t land,\t Boeotia.\t First,\t however,\t Cadmus\t had\t to\t fight\t and\t kill\t a\t terrible dragon\t which\t guarded\t a\t spring\t near\t by\t and\t slew\t all\t his\t companions\t when\t they went\tto\tget\twater.\tAlone\the\tcould\tnever\thave\tbuilt\tthe\tcity,\tbut\twhen\tthe\tdragon was\t dead\t Athena\t appeared\t to\t him\t and\t told\t him\t to\t sow\t the\t earth\t with\t the dragon\u2019s\t teeth.\t He\t obeyed\t with\t no\t idea\t what\t was\t to\t happen,\t and\t to\t his\t terror saw\tarmed\tmen\tspring\tup\tfrom\tthe\tfurrows.\tHowever,\tthey\tpaid\tno\tattention\tto him,\tbut\tturned\tupon\teach\tother\tuntil\tall\twere\tkilled\texcept\tfive\twhom\tCadmus induced\tto\tbecome\this\thelpers. With\tthe\taid\tof\tthe\tfive\tCadmus\tmade\tThebes\ta\tglorious\tcity\tand\truled\tover it\t in\t great\t prosperity\t and\t with\t great\t wisdom.\t Herodotus\t says\t that\t he\t introduced the\t alphabet\t into\t Greece.\t His\t wife\t was\t Harmonia,\t the\t daughter\t of\t Ares\t and Aphrodite.\t The\t gods\t graced\t their\t marriage\t with\t their\t presence\t and\t Aphrodite gave\t Harmonia\t a\t wondrous\t necklace\t which\t had\t been\t made\t by\t Hephaestus,\t the workman\tof\tOlympus,\tbut\twhich\tfor\tall\tits\tdivine\torigin\twas\tto\tbring\tdisaster\tin a\tlater\tgeneration. They\thad\tfour\tdaughters\tand\tone\tson,\tand\tthey\tlearned\tthrough\ttheir\tchildren that\t the\t wind\t of\t the\t gods\u2019\t favor\t never\t blows\t steadily\t for\t long.\t All\t of\t their daughters\twere\tvisited\tby\tgreat\tmisfortunes.\tOne\tof\tthem\twas\tSemele,\tmother\tof","Dionysus,\twho\tperished\tbefore\tthe\tunveiled\tglory\tof\tZeus.\tIno\twas\tanother.\tShe was\tthe\twicked\tstepmother\tof\tPhrixus,\tthe\tboy\twho\twas\tsaved\tfrom\tdeath\tby\tthe ram\tof\tthe\tGolden\tFleece.\tHer\thusband\twas\tstruck\twith\tmadness\tand\tkilled\ttheir son,\t Melicertes.\t With\t his\t dead\t body\t in\t her\t arms\t she\t leaped\t into\t the\t sea.\t The gods\t saved\t them\t both,\t however.\t She\t became\t a\t sea-goddess,\t the\t one\t who\t saved Odysseus\tfrom\tdrowning\twhen\this\traft\twas\tshattered,\tand\ther\tson\tbecame\ta\tsea- god.\t In\t the\t Odyssey\t she\t is\t still\t called\t Ino,\t but\t later\t her\t name\t was\t changed\t to Leucothea\t and\t her\t son\t was\t called\t Palaemon.\t Like\t her\t sister\t Semele\t she\t was fortunate\tin\tthe\tend.\tThe\ttwo\tothers\twere\tnot.\tBoth\tsuffered\tthrough\ttheir\tsons. Agave\t was\t the\t most\t wretched\t of\t all\t mothers,\t driven\t mad\t by\t Dionysus\t so\t that she\t believed\t her\t son\t Pentheus\t was\t a\t lion\t and\t killed\t him\t with\t her\t own\t hands. Autonoe\u2019s\t son\t was\t Actaeon,\t a\t great\t hunter.\t Autonoe\t was\t less\t wretched\t than Agave,\tin\tthat\tshe\tdid\tnot\therself\tkill\ther\tson,\tbut\tshe\thad\tto\tendure\this\tdying\ta terrible\t death\t in\t the\t strength\t of\t his\t young\t manhood,\t a\t death,\t too,\t completely undeserved;\the\thad\tdone\tno\twrong. He\twas\tout\thunting\tand\thot\tand\tthirsty\tentered\ta\tgrotto\twhere\ta\tlittle\tstream widened\tinto\ta\tpool.\tHe\twanted\tonly\tto\tcool\thimself\tin\tthe\tcrystal\twater.\tBut\tall unknowing\t he\t had\t chanced\t upon\t the\t favorite\t bathing\t place\t of\t Artemis\u2014and\t at the\t very\t moment\t when\t the\t goddess\t had\t let\t fall\t her\t garments\t and\t stood\t in\t her naked\t beauty\t on\t the\t water\u2019s\t edge.\t The\t offended\t divinity\t gave\t not\t a\t thought\t to whether\tthe\tyouth\thad\tpurposely\tinsulted\ther\tor\thad\tcome\tthere\tin\tall\tinnocence. She\tflung\tinto\this\tface\tdrops\tfrom\ther\twet\thand\tand\tas\tthey\tfell\tupon\thim\the\twas changed\tinto\ta\tstag.\tNot\tonly\toutwardly.\tHis\theart\tbecame\ta\tdeer\u2019s\theart\tand\the who\thad\tnever\tknown\tfear\tbefore\twas\tafraid\tand\tfled.\tHis\tdogs\tsaw\thim\trunning and\t chased\t him.\t Even\t his\t agony\t of\t terror\t could\t not\t make\t him\t swift\t enough\t to outstrip\tthe\tkeen-scented\tpack.\tThey\tfell\tupon\thim,\this\town\tfaithful\thounds,\tand killed\thim. Thus\t great\t sorrows\t for\t their\t children\t and\t grandchildren\t came\t upon\t Cadmus and\t Harmonia\t in\t old\t age\t after\t great\t prosperity.\t After\t Pentheus\t died\t they\t fled from\t Thebes\t as\t if\t trying\t to\t flee\t also\t from\t misfortune.\t But\t misfortune\t followed them.\tWhen\tthey\treached\tfar-distant\tIllyria\tthe\tgods\tchanged\tthem\tinto\tserpents, not\tas\ta\tpunishment,\tfor\tthey\thad\tdone\tno\twrong.\tTheir\tfate\tindeed\twas\ta\tproof that\t suffering\t was\t not\t a\t punishment\t for\t wrongdoing;\t the\t innocent\t suffered\t as often\tas\tthe\tguilty. Of\t all\t that\t unfortunate\t race\t no\t one\t was\t more\t innocent\t of\t wrongdoing\t than Oedipus,\ta\tgreat-great-grandson\tof\tCadmus,\tand\tno\tone\tsuffered\tso\tgreatly.","OEDIPUS I\thave\ttaken\tthis\tstory\tentirely\tfrom\tSophocles\u2019\tplay\tof\tthat\tname\texcept\tfor\tthe riddle\t of\t the\t Sphinx\t which\t Sophocles\t merely\t alludes\t to.\t It\t is\t given\t by\t many writers,\talways\tin\tsubstantially\tthe\tsame\tform. King\t Laius\t of\t Thebes\t was\t the\t third\t in\t descent\t from\t Cadmus.\t He\t married\t a distant\tcousin,\tJocasta.\tWith\ttheir\treign\tApollo\u2019s\toracle\tat\tDelphi\tbegan\tto\tplay a\tleading\tpart\tin\tthe\tfamily\u2019s\tfortunes. Apollo\t was\t the\t God\t of\t Truth.\t Whatever\t the\t priestess\t at\t Delphi\t said\t would happen\tinfallibly\tcame\tto\tpass.\tTo\tattempt\tto\tact\tin\tsuch\ta\tway\tthat\tthe\tprophecy would\t be\t made\t void\t was\t as\t futile\t as\t to\t set\t oneself\t against\t the\t decrees\t of\t fate. Nevertheless,\twhen\tthe\toracle\twarned\tLaius\tthat\the\twould\tdie\tat\tthe\thands\tof\this son\the\tdetermined\tthat\tthis\tshould\tnot\tbe.\tWhen\tthe\tchild\twas\tborn\the\tbound\tits feet\ttogether\tand\thad\tit\texposed\ton\ta\tlonely\tmountain\twhere\tit\tmust\tsoon\tdie.\tHe felt\tno\tmore\tfear;\the\twas\tsure\tthat\ton\tthis\tpoint\the\tcould\tforetell\tthe\tfuture\tbetter than\tthe\tgod.\tHis\tfolly\twas\tnot\tbrought\thome\tto\thim.\tHe\twas\tkilled,\tindeed,\tbut he\tthought\tthe\tman\twho\tattacked\thim\twas\ta\tstranger.\tHe\tnever\tknew\tthat\tin\this death\the\thad\tproved\tApollo\u2019s\ttruth. When\the\tdied\the\twas\taway\tfrom\thome\tand\tmany\tyears\thad\tpassed\tsince\tthe baby\t had\t been\t left\t on\t the\t mountain.\t It\t was\t reported\t that\t a\t band\t of\t robbers\t had slain\t him\t together\t with\t his\t attendants,\t all\t except\t one,\t who\t brought\t the\t news home.\t The\t matter\t was\t not\t carefully\t investigated\t because\t Thebes\t was\t in\t sore straits\t at\t the\t time.\t The\t country\t around\t was\t beset\t by\t a\t frightful\t monster,\t the Sphinx,\ta\tcreature\t shaped\tlike\ta\twinged\tlion,\tbut\twith\tthe\tbreast\tand\tface\tof\ta woman.\t She\t lay\t in\t wait\t for\t the\t wayfarers\t along\t the\t roads\t to\t the\t city\t and whomever\t she\t seized\t she\t put\t a\t riddle\t to,\t telling\t him\t if\t he\t could\t answer\t it,\t she would\t let\t him\t go.\t No\t one\t could,\t and\t the\t horrible\t creature\t devoured\t man\t after man\tuntil\tthe\tcity\twas\tin\ta\tstate\tof\tsiege.\tThe\tseven\tgreat\tgates\twhich\twere\tthe Thebans\u2019\tpride\tremained\tclosed,\tand\tfamine\tdrew\tnear\tto\tthe\tcitizens. So\tmatters\tstood\twhen\tthere\tcame\tinto\tthe\tstricken\tcountry\ta\tstranger,\ta\tman of\t great\t courage\t and\t great\t intelligence,\t whose\t name\t was\t Oedipus.\t He\t had\t left his\thome,\tCorinth,\twhere\the\twas\theld\tto\tbe\tthe\tson\tof\tthe\tKing,\tPolybus,\tand\tthe reason\tfor\this\tself-exile\twas\tanother\tDelphic\toracle.\tApollo\thad\tdeclared\tthat\the","was\tfated\tto\tkill\this\tfather.\tHe,\ttoo,\tlike\tLaius,\tthought\tto\tmake\tit\timpossible\tfor the\t oracle\t to\t come\t true;\t he\t resolved\t never\t to\t see\t Polybus\t again.\t In\t his\t lonely wanderings\t he\t came\t into\t the\t country\t around\t Thebes\t and\t he\t heard\t what\t was happening\t there.\t He\t was\t a\t homeless,\t friendless\t man\t to\t whom\t life\t meant\t little and\t he\t determined\t to\t seek\t the\t Sphinx\t out\t and\t try\t to\t solve\t the\t riddle.\t \u201cWhat creature,\u201d\t the\t Sphinx\t asked\t him,\t \u201cgoes\t on\t four\t feet\t in\t the\t morning,\t on\t two\t at noonday,\ton\tthree\tin\tthe\tevening?\u201d\t\u201cMan,\u201d\tanswered\tOedipus.\t\u201cIn\tchildhood\the creeps\ton\thands\tand\tfeet;\tin\tmanhood\the\twalks\terect;\tin\told\tage\the\thelps\thimself with\t a\t staff.\u201d\t It\t was\t the\t right\t answer.\t The\t Sphinx,\t inexplicably,\t but\t most fortunately,\tkilled\therself;\tthe\tThebans\twere\tsaved.\tOedipus\tgained\tall\tand\tmore than\t he\t had\t left.\t The\t grateful\t citizens\t made\t him\t their\t King\t and\t he\t married\t the dead\t King\u2019s\t wife,\t Jocasta.\t For\t many\t years\t they\t lived\t happily.\t It\t seemed\t that\t in this\tcase\tApollo\u2019s\twords\thad\tbeen\tproved\tto\tbe\tfalse. But\t when\t their\t two\t sons\t had\t grown\t to\t manhood\t Thebes\t was\t visited\t by\t a terrible\t plague.\t A\t blight\t fell\t upon\t everything.\t Not\t only\t were\t men\t dying throughout\t the\t country,\t the\t flocks\t and\t herds\t and\t the\t fruits\t of\t the\t field\t were blasted\tas\twell.\tThose\twho\twere\tspared\tdeath\tby\tdisease\tfaced\tdeath\tby\tfamine. No\t one\t suffered\t more\t than\t Oedipus.\t He\t regarded\t himself\t as\t the\t father\t of\t the whole\t state;\t the\t people\t in\t it\t were\t his\t children;\t the\t misery\t of\t each\t one\t was\t his,","too.\tHe\tdispatched\tJocasta\u2019s\tbrother\tCreon\tto\tDelphi\tto\timplore\tthe\tgod\u2019s\thelp. Creon\t returned\t with\t good\t news.\t Apollo\t had\t declared\t that\t the\t plague\t would be\t stayed\t upon\t one\t condition:\t whoever\t had\t murdered\t King\t Laius\t must\t be punished.\tOedipus\twas\tenormously\trelieved.\tSurely\tthe\tmen\tor\tthe\tman\tcould\tbe found\teven\tafter\tall\tthese\tyears,\tand\tthey\twould\tknow\twell\thow\tto\tpunish\thim. He\t proclaimed\t to\t the\t people\t gathered\t to\t hear\t the\t message\t Creon\t brought\t back: \u2014 \u2026\tLet\tno\tone\tof\tthis\tland Give\tshelter\tto\thim.\tBar\thim\tfrom\tyour\thomes, As\tone\tdefiled,\tcompanioned\tby\tpollution. And\tsolemnly\tI\tpray,\tmay\the\twho\tkilled Wear\tout\this\tlife\tin\tevil,\tbeing\tevil. Oedipus\t took\t the\t matter\t in\t hand\t with\t energy.\t He\t sent\t for\t Teiresias,\t the\t old blind\tprophet,\tthe\tmost\trevered\tof\tThebans.\tHad\the\tany\tmeans\tof\tfinding\tout,\the asked\t him,\t who\t the\t guilty\t were?\t To\t his\t amazement\t and\t indignation\t the\t seer\t at first\t refused\t to\t answer.\t \u201cFor\t the\t love\t of\t God,\u201d\t Oedipus\t implored\t him.\t \u201cIf\t you have\tknowledge\u2014\u201d\t\u201cFools,\u201d\tTeiresias\tsaid.\t\u201cFools\tall\tof\tyou.\tI\twill\tnot\tanswer.\u201d But\twhen\t Oedipus\t went\t so\t far\t as\t to\taccuse\t him\t of\tkeeping\t silence\t because\t he had\t himself\t taken\t part\t in\t the\t murder,\t the\t prophet\t in\t his\t turn\t was\t angered\t and words\the\thad\tmeant\tnever\tto\tspeak\tfell\theavily\tfrom\this\tlips:\t\u201cYou\tare\tyourself the\tmurderer\tyou\tseek.\u201d\tTo\tOedipus\tthe\told\tman\u2019s\tmind\twas\twandering;\twhat\the said\t was\t sheer\t madness.\t He\t ordered\t him\t out\t of\t his\t sight\t and\t never\t again\t to appear\tbefore\thim.","Jocasta\t too\t treated\t the\t assertion\t with\t scorn.\t \u201cNeither\t prophets\t nor\t oracles have\tany\tknowledge,\u201d\tshe\tsaid.\tShe\ttold\ther\thusband\thow\tthe\tpriestess\tat\tDelphi had\tprophesied\tthat\tLaius\tshould\tdie\tat\tthe\thand\tof\this\tson\tand\thow\the\tand\tshe together\t had\t seen\t to\t it\t that\t this\t should\t not\t happen\t by\t having\t the\t child\t killed. \u201cAnd\t Laius\t was\t murdered\t by\t robbers,\t where\t three\t roads\t meet\t on\t the\t way\t to Delphi,\u201d\t she\t concluded\t triumphantly.\t Oedipus\t gave\t her\t a\t strange\t look.\t \u201cWhen did\tthis\thappen?\u201d\the\tasked\tslowly.\t\u201cJust\tbefore\tyou\tcame\tto\tThebes,\u201d\tshe\tsaid.","\u201cHow\tmany\twere\twith\thim?\u201d\tOedipus\tasked.\t\u201cThey\twere\tfive\tin\tall,\u201d\tJocasta spoke\tquickly,\t\u201call\tkilled\tbut\tone.\u201d\t\u201cI\tmust\tsee\tthat\tman,\u201d\the\ttold\ther.\t\u201cSend\tfor him.\u201d\t \u201cI\t will,\u201d\t she\t said.\t \u201cAt\t once.\t But\t I\t have\t a\t right\t to\t know\t what\t is\t in\t your mind.\u201d\t \u201cYou\t shall\t know\t all\t that\t I\t know,\u201d\t he\t answered.\t \u201cI\t went\t to\t Delphi\t just before\tI\tcame\there\tbecause\ta\tman\thad\tflung\tit\tin\tmy\tface\tthat\tI\twas\tnot\tthe\tson of\tPolybus.\tI\twent\tto\task\tthe\tgod.\tHe\tdid\tnot\tanswer\tme,\tbut\the\ttold\tme\thorrible things\u2014that\t I\t should\t kill\t my\t father,\t marry\t my\t mother,\t and\t have\t children\t men would\t shudder\t to\t look\t upon.\t I\t never\t went\t back\t to\t Corinth.\t On\t my\t way\t from Delphi,\t at\t a\t place\t where\t three\t roads\t met,\t I\t came\t upon\t a\t man\t with\t four attendants.\t He\t tried\t to\t force\t me\t from\t the\t path;\t he\t struck\t me\t with\t his\t stick. Angered\t I\t fell\t upon\t them\t and\t I\t killed\t them.\t Could\t it\t be\t the\t leader\t was\t Laius?\u201d \u201cThe\tone\tman\tleft\talive\tbrought\tback\ta\ttale\tof\trobbers,\u201d\tJocasta\tsaid.\t\u201cLaius\twas killed\t by\t robbers,\t not\t by\t his\t son\u2014the\t poor\t innocent\t who\t died\t upon\t the mountain.\u201d As\t they\t talked\t a\t further\t proof\t seemed\t given\t them\t that\t Apollo\t could\t speak falsely.\t A\t messenger\t came\t from\t Corinth\t to\t announce\t to\t Oedipus\t the\t death\t of Polybus.\t \u201cO\t oracle\t of\t the\t god,\u201d\t Jocasta\t cried,\t \u201cwhere\t are\t you\t now?\t The\t man died,\tbut\tnot\tby\this\tson\u2019s\thand.\u201d\tThe\tmessenger\tsmiled\twisely.\t\u201cDid\tthe\tfear\tof killing\t your\t father\t drive\t you\t from\t Corinth?\u201d\t he\t asked.\t \u201cAh,\t King,\t you\t were\t in error.\t You\t never\t had\t reason\t to\t fear\u2014for\t you\t were\t not\t the\t son\t of\t Polybus.\t He brought\t you\t up\t as\t though\t you\t were\t his,\t but\t he\t took\t you\t from\t my\t hands.\u201d \u201cWhere\tdid\tyou\tget\tme?\u201d\tOedipus\tasked.\t\u201cWho\twere\tmy\tfather\tand\tmother?\u201d\t\u201cI know\tnothing\tof\tthem,\u201d\tthe\tmessenger\tsaid.\t\u201cA\twandering\tshepherd\tgave\tyou\tto me,\ta\tservant\tof\tLaius.\u201d Jocasta\tturned\twhite;\ta\tlook\tof\thorror\twas\ton\ther\tface.\t\u201cWhy\twaste\ta\tthought upon\t what\t such\t a\t fellow\t says?\u201d\t she\t cried.\t \u201cNothing\t he\t says\t can\t matter.\u201d\t She spoke\thurriedly,\tyet\tfiercely.\tOedipus\tcould\tnot\tunderstand\ther.\t\u201cMy\tbirth\tdoes not\tmatter?\u201d\the\tasked.\t\u201cFor\tGod\u2019s\tsake,\tgo\tno\tfurther,\u201d\tshe\tsaid.\t\u201cMy\tmisery\tis enough.\u201d\tShe\tbroke\taway\tand\trushed\tinto\tthe\tpalace. At\t that\t moment\t an\t old\t man\t entered.\t He\t and\t the\t messenger\t eyed\t each\t other curiously.\t \u201cThe\t very\t man,\t O\t King,\u201d\t the\t messenger\t cried.\t \u201cThe\t shepherd\t who gave\tyou\tto\tme.\u201d\t\u201cAnd\tyou,\u201d\tOedipus\tasked\tthe\tother,\t\u201cdo\tyou\tknow\thim\tas\the knows\t you?\u201d\t The\t old\t man\t did\t not\t answer,\t but\t the\t messenger\t insisted.\t \u201cYou must\t remember.\t You\t gave\t me\t once\t a\t little\t child\t you\t had\t found\u2014and\t the\t King here\t is\t that\t child.\u201d\t \u201cCurse\t you,\u201d\t the\t other\t muttered.\t \u201cHold\t your\t tongue.\u201d \u201cWhat!\u201d\t Oedipus\t said\t angrily.\t \u201cYou\t would\t conspire\t with\t him\t to\t hide\t from\t me what\tI\tdesire\tto\tknow?\tThere\tare\tways,\tbe\tsure,\tto\tmake\tyou\tspeak.\u201d","The\told\tman\twailed,\t\u201cOh,\tdo\tnot\thurt\tme.\tI\tdid\tgive\thim\tthe\tchild,\tbut\tdo\tnot ask\tmore,\tmaster,\tfor\tthe\tlove\tof\tGod.\u201d\t\u201cIf\tI\thave\tto\torder\tyou\ta\tsecond\ttime\tto tell\tme\twhere\tyou\tgot\thim,\tyou\tare\tlost,\u201d\tOedipus\tsaid.\t\u201cAsk\tyour\tlady,\u201d\tthe\told man\tcried.\t\u201cShe\tcan\ttell\tyou\tbest.\u201d\t\u201cShe\tgave\thim\tto\tyou?\u201d\tasked\tOedipus.\t\u201cOh, yes,\t oh,\t yes,\u201d\t the\t other\t groaned.\t \u201cI\t was\t to\t kill\t the\t child.\t There\t was\t a\t prophecy \u2014\u201d\t \u201cA\t prophecy!\u201d\t Oedipus\t repeated.\t \u201cThat\t he\t should\t kill\t his\t father?\u201d\t \u201cYes,\u201d the\told\tman\twhispered. A\t cry\t of\t agony\t came\t from\t the\t King.\t At\t last\t he\t understood.\t \u201cAll\t true!\t Now shall\t my\t light\t be\t changed\t to\t darkness.\t I\t am\t accursed.\u201d\t He\t had\t murdered\t his father,\the\thad\tmarried\this\tfather\u2019s\twife,\this\town\tmother.\tThere\twas\tno\thelp\tfor him,\tfor\ther,\tfor\ttheir\tchildren.\tAll\twere\taccursed. Within\tthe\tpalace\tOedipus\twildly\tsought\tfor\this\twife\tthat\twas\this\tmother.\tHe found\ther\tin\ther\tchamber.\tShe\twas\tdead.\tWhen\tthe\ttruth\tbroke\tupon\ther\tshe\thad killed\t herself.\t Standing\t beside\t her\t he,\t too,\t turned\t his\t hand\t against\t himself,\t but not\t to\t end\t his\t life.\t He\t changed\t his\t light\t to\t darkness.\t He\t put\t out\t his\t eyes.\t The black\tworld\tof\tblindness\twas\ta\trefuge;\tbetter\tto\tbe\tthere\tthan\tto\tsee\twith\tstrange shamed\teyes\tthe\told\tworld\tthat\thad\tbeen\tso\tbright.","ANTIGONE I\t have\t taken\t this\t story\t from\t the\t Antigone\t and\t the\t Oedipus\t at\t Colonus,\t two\t of Sophocles\u2019\tplays,\twith\tthe\texception\tof\tthe\tdeath\tof\tMenoeceus,\twhich\tis\ttold\tin a\tplay\tof\tEuripides,\tThe\tSuppliants. After\t Jocasta\u2019s\t death\t and\t all\t the\t evils\t that\t came\t with\t it,\t Oedipus\t lived\t on\t in Thebes\t while\t his\t children\t were\t growing\t up.\t He\t had\t two\t sons,\t Polyneices\t and Eteocles,\tand\ttwo\tdaughters,\tAntigone\tand\tIsmene.\tThey\twere\tvery\tunfortunate young\tpeople,\tbut\tthey\twere\tfar\tfrom\tbeing\tmonsters\tall\twould\tshudder\tto\tlook at,\tas\tthe\toracle\thad\ttold\tOedipus.\tThe\ttwo\tlads\twere\twell\tliked\tby\tthe\tThebans and\tthe\ttwo\tgirls\twere\tas\tgood\tdaughters\tas\ta\tman\tcould\thave. Oedipus\t of\t course\t resigned\t the\t throne.\t Polyneices,\t the\t elder\t son,\t did\t the same.\tThe\tThebans\tfelt\tthat\tthis\twas\twise\tbecause\tof\tthe\tterrible\tposition\tof\tthe family,\tand\tthey\taccepted\tCreon,\tJocasta\u2019s\tbrother,\tas\tthe\tregent.\tFor\tmany\tyears they\t treated\t Oedipus\t with\t kindness,\t but\t at\t last\t they\t decided\t to\t expel\t him\t from the\t city.\t What\t induced\t them\t to\t do\t this\t is\t not\t known,\t but\t Creon\t urged\t it\t and Oedipus\u2019\tsons\tconsented\tto\tit.\tThe\tonly\tfriends\tOedipus\thad\twere\this\tdaughters. Through\t all\t his\t misfortunes\t they\t were\t faithful\t to\t him.\t When\t he\t was\t driven\t out of\t the\t city\t Antigone\t went\t with\t him\t to\t guide\t him\t in\t his\t blindness\t and\t care\t for him,\t and\t Ismene\t stayed\t in\t Thebes\t to\t look\t out\t for\t his\t interests\t and\t keep\t him informed\tof\twhatever\thappened\tthat\ttouched\thim. After\t he\t had\t gone\t his\t two\t sons\t asserted\t their\t right\t to\t the\t throne,\t and\t each tried\tto\tbe\tmade\tking.\tEteocles\tsucceeded\talthough\the\twas\tthe\tyounger,\tand\the expelled\this\tbrother\tfrom\tThebes.\tPolyneices\ttook\trefuge\tin\tArgos\tand\tdid\tall\the could\t to\t arouse\t enmity\t against\t Thebes.\t His\t intention\t was\t to\t collect\t an\t army\t to march\tagainst\tthe\tcity. In\t the\t course\t of\t their\t desolate\t wanderings\t Oedipus\t and\t Antigone\t came\t to Colonus,\ta\tlovely\tspot\tnear\tAthens,\twhere\tthe\tone-time\tErinyes,\tthe\tFuries,\tnow the\tBenignant\tGoddesses,\thad\ta\tplace\tsacred\tto\tthem\tand\ttherefore\ta\trefuge\tfor suppliants.\tThe\tblind\told\tman\tand\this\tdaughter\tfelt\tsafe\tthere,\tand\tthere\tOedipus died.\t Most\t unhappy\t in\t much\t of\t his\t life,\t he\t was\t happy\t at\t the\t end.\t The\t oracle which\tonce\thad\tspoken\tterrible\twords\tto\thim\tcomforted\thim\twhen\the\twas\tdying. Apollo\t promised\t that\t he,\t the\t disgraced,\t the\t homeless\t wanderer,\t would\t bring\t to","the\t place\t where\t his\t grave\t should\t be\t a\t mysterious\t blessing\t from\t the\t gods. Theseus,\tthe\tKing\tof\tAthens,\treceived\thim\twith\tall\thonor,\tand\tthe\told\tman\tdied rejoicing\tthat\the\twas\tno\tlonger\thateful\tto\tmen,\tbut\twelcomed\tas\ta\tbenefactor\tto the\tland\tthat\tharbored\thim. Ismene,\t who\t had\t come\t to\t tell\t her\t father\t the\t good\t news\t of\t this\t oracle,\t was with\t her\t sister\t when\t he\t died\t and\t afterward\t they\t were\t both\t sent\t safely\t home\t by Theseus.\tThey\tarrived\tto\tfind\tone\tbrother\tmarching\tagainst\ttheir\tcity,\tresolved\tto capture\t it,\t and\t the\t other\t determined\t to\t defend\t it\t to\t the\t end.\t Polyneices,\t the\t one who\tattacked\tit,\thad\tthe\tbetter\tright\tto\tit,\tbut\tthe\tyounger,\tEteocles,\twas\tfighting for\tThebes,\tto\tsave\ther\tfrom\tcapture.\tIt\twas\timpossible\tfor\tthe\ttwo\tsisters\tto\ttake sides\tagainst\teither\tbrother. Polyneices\thad\tbeen\tjoined\tby\tsix\tchieftains,\tone\tof\tthem\tthe\tKing\tof\tArgos, Adrastus,\tand\tanother\tAdrastus\u2019\tbrother-in-law,\tAmphiaraus.\tThis\tlast\tjoined\tthe enterprise\tmost\tunwillingly\tbecause\the\twas\ta\tprophet\tand\the\tknew\tthat\tnone\tof the\tseven\twould\tcome\tback\talive\texcept\tAdrastus.\tHowever,\the\twas\tunder\toath to\t let\t his\t wife\t Eriphyle\t decide\t whenever\t there\t was\t a\t dispute\t between\t him\t and her\t brother.\t He\t had\t sworn\t this\t once\t when\t he\t and\t Adrastus\t had\t quarreled\t and Eriphyle\thad\treconciled\tthem.\tPolyneices\twon\ther\tover\tto\this\tside\tby\tbribing\ther with\t the\t wonderful\t necklace\t that\t had\t been\t the\t wedding\t gift\t of\t his\t ancestress Harmonia,\tand\tshe\tmade\ther\thusband\tgo\tto\tthe\twar. There\t were\t seven\t champions\t to\t attack\t the\t seven\t gates\t of\t Thebes,\t and\t seven others\t within\t as\t bold\t to\t defend\t them.\t Eteocles\t defended\t the\t gate\t which Polyneices\t attacked,\t and\t Antigone\t and\t Ismene\t within\t the\t palace\t waited\t to\t hear which\t had\t killed\t the\t other.\t But\t before\t any\t decisive\t combat\t had\t taken\t place,\t a youth\t in\t Thebes\t not\t yet\t grown\t to\t manhood\t had\t died\t for\t his\t country\t and\t in\t his death\t had\t shown\t himself\t the\t noblest\t of\t all.\t This\t was\t Creon\u2019s\t younger\t son, Menoeceus. Teiresias,\tthe\tprophet\twho\thad\tbrought\tso\tmany\tdistressful\tprophecies\tto\tthe royal\t family,\t came\t to\t bring\t still\t another.\t He\t told\t Creon\t that\t Thebes\t would\t be saved\t only\t if\t Menoeceus\t was\t killed.\t The\t father\t utterly\t refused\t to\t bring\t this about.\t He\t would\t be\t willing\t to\t die\t himself,\t he\t said\u2014\u201cBut\t not\t even\t for\t my\t own city\t will\t I\t slay\t my\t son.\u201d\t He\t bade\t the\t boy,\t who\t was\t present\t when\t Teiresias spoke,\t \u201cUp,\t my\t child,\t and\t fly\t with\t all\t speed\t from\t the\t land\t before\t the\t city learns.\u201d\t \u201cWhere,\t Father?\u201d\t asked\t the\t lad.\t \u201cWhat\t city\t seek\u2014what\t friend?\u201d\t \u201cFar, far\taway,\u201d\tthe\tfather\tanswered.\t\u201cI\twill\tfind\tmeans\u2014I\twill\tfind\tgold.\u201d\t\u201cGo\tget\tit then,\u201d\tsaid\tMenoeceus,\tbut\twhen\tCreon\thad\thurried\taway\the\tspoke\tother\twords: \u2014","My\tfather\u2014he\twould\trob\tour\ttown\tof\thope, Make\tme\ta\tcoward.\tAh\twell\u2014he\tis\told And\tso\tto\tbe\tforgiven.\tBut\tI\tam\tyoung. If\tI\tbetray\tThebes\tthere\tis\tno\tforgiveness. How\tcan\the\tthink\tI\twill\tnot\tsave\tthe\tcity And\tfor\ther\tsake\tgo\tforth\tto\tmeet\tmy\tdeath? What\twould\tmy\tlife\tbe\tif\tI\tfled\taway When\tI\tcan\tfree\tmy\tcountry? He\twent\tto\tjoin\tthe\tbattle\tand,\tall\tunskilled\tin\twarfare,\the\twas\tkilled\tat\tonce. Neither\t the\t besiegers\t nor\t the\t besieged\t could\t gain\t any\t real\t advantage\t and finally\t both\t sides\t agreed\t to\t let\t the\t matter\t be\t decided\t by\t a\t combat\t between\t the brothers.\t If\t Eteocles\t was\t the\t victor,\t the\t Argive\t Army\t would\t withdraw;\t if Eteocles\t was\t conquered,\t Polyneices\t should\t be\t king.\t Neither\t was\t victor;\t they killed\t each\t other,\t Eteocles\t dying\t looked\t upon\t his\t brother\t and\t wept;\t he\t had\t no strength\t to\t speak.\t Polyneices\t could\t murmur\t a\t few\t words:\t \u201cMy\t brother,\t my enemy,\tbut\tloved,\talways\tloved.\tBury\tme\tin\tmy\thomeland\u2014to\thave\tso\tmuch\tat least\tof\tmy\tcity.\u201d The\tcombat\thad\tdecided\tnothing\tand\tthe\tbattle\twas\trenewed.\tBut\tMenoeceus had\t not\t died\t in\t vain;\t in\t the\t end\t the\t Thebans\t prevailed\t and\t of\t the\t seven champions\t all\t were\t killed\t except\t Adrastus\t only.\t He\t fled\t with\t the\t broken\t Army to\tAthens.\tIn\tThebes,\tCreon\twas\tin\tcontrol\tand\the\tproclaimed\tthat\tnone\tof\tthose who\t had\t fought\t against\t the\t city\t should\t be\t given\t burial.\t Eteocles\t should\t be honored\twith\tevery\trite\tthat\tthe\tnoblest\treceived\tat\tdeath,\tbut\tPolyneices\tshould be\t left\t for\t beasts\t and\t birds\t to\t tear\t and\t devour.\t This\t was\t to\t carry\t vengeance beyond\t the\t ordinance\t of\t the\t gods,\t beyond\t the\t law\t of\t right;\t it\t was\t to\t punish\t the dead.\t The\t souls\t of\t the\t unburied\t might\t not\t pass\t the\t river\t that\t encircles\t the kingdom\tof\tdeath,\tbut\tmust\twander\tin\tdesolation,\twith\tno\tabiding-place,\tno\trest ever\t for\t their\t weariness.\t To\t bury\t the\t dead\t was\t a\t most\t sacred\t duty,\t not\t only\t to bury\t one\u2019s\t own,\t but\t any\t stranger\t one\t might\t come\t upon.\t But\t this\t duty,\t Creon\u2019s proclamation\t said,\t was\t changed\t in\t the\t cause\t of\t Polyneices\t to\t a\t crime.\t He\t who buried\thim\twould\tbe\tput\tto\tdeath. Antigone\tand\tIsmene\theard\twith\thorror\twhat\tCreon\thad\tdecided.\tTo\tIsmene, shocking\tas\tit\twas,\toverwhelming\ther\twith\tanguish\tfor\tthe\tpitiful\tdead\tbody\tand the\t lonely,\t homeless\t soul,\t it\t seemed,\t nevertheless,\t that\t nothing\t could\t be\t done except\t to\t acquiesce.\t She\t and\t Antigone\t were\t utterly\t alone.\t All\t Thebes\t was exulting\t that\t the\t man\t who\t had\t brought\t war\t upon\t them\t should\t be\t thus\t terribly","punished.\t \u201cWe\t are\t women,\u201d\t she\t told\t her\t sister.\t \u201cWe\t must\t obey.\t We\t have\t no strength\tto\tdefy\tthe\tState.\u201d\t\u201cChoose\tyour\town\tpart,\u201d\tAntigone\tsaid.\t\u201cI\tgo\tto\tbury the\t brother\t I\t love.\u201d\t \u201cYou\t are\t not\t strong\t enough,\u201d\t Ismene\t cried.\t \u201cWhy,\t then when\tmy\tstrength\tfails,\u201d\tAntigone\tanswered,\t\u201cI\twill\tgive\tup.\u201d\tShe\tleft\ther\tsister; Ismene\tdared\tnot\tfollow\ther. Some\thours\tlater,\tCreon\tin\tthe\tpalace\twas\tstartled\tby\ta\tshout,\t\u201cAgainst\tyour orders\t Polyneices\t has\t been\t buried.\u201d\t He\t hurried\t out\t to\t be\t confronted\t with\t the guards\t he\t had\t set\t on\t the\t dead\t body\t and\t with\t Antigone.\t \u201cThis\t girl\t buried\t him,\u201d they\t cried.\t \u201cWe\t saw\t her.\t A\t thick\t dust-storm\t gave\t her\t her\t chance.\t When\t it cleared,\t the\t body\t had\t been\t buried\t and\t the\t girl\t was\t making\t an\t offering\t to\t the dead.\u201d\t\u201cYou\tknew\tmy\tedict?\u201d\tCreon\tasked.\t\u201cYes,\u201d\tAntigone\treplied.\t\u201cAnd\tyou transgressed\tthe\tlaw?\u201d\t\u201cYour\tlaw,\tbut\tnot\tthe\tlaw\tof\tJustice\twho\tdwells\twith\tthe gods,\u201d\t Antigone\t said.\t \u201cThe\t unwritten\t laws\t of\t heaven\t are\t not\t of\t today\t nor yesterday,\tbut\tfrom\tall\ttime.\u201d Ismene\t weeping\t came\t from\t the\t palace\t to\t stand\t with\t her\t sister.\t \u201cI\t helped\t do it,\u201d\tshe\tsaid.\tBut\tAntigone\twould\tnot\thave\tthat.\t\u201cShe\thad\tno\tshare\tin\tit,\u201d\tshe\ttold Creon.\tAnd\tshe\tbade\ther\tsister\tsay\tno\tmore.\t\u201cYour\tchoice\twas\tto\tlive,\u201d\tshe\tsaid, \u201cmine\tto\tdie.\u201d As\tshe\twas\tled\taway\tto\tdeath,\tshe\tspoke\tto\tthe\tby-standers:\u2014 \u2026\tBehold\tme,\twhat\tI\tsuffer Because\tI\thave\tupheld\tthat\twhich\tis\thigh. Ismene\t disappears.\t There\t is\t no\t story,\t no\t poem,\t about\t her.\t The\t House\t of Oedipus,\tthe\tlast\tof\tthe\troyal\tfamily\tof\tThebes,\twas\tknown\tno\tmore.","THE\tSEVEN\tAGAINST\tTHEBES Two\tgreat\twriters\ttold\tthis\tstory.\tIt\tis\tthe\tsubject\tof\tone\tof\tAeschylus\u2019\tplays\tand one\tof\tEuripides\u2019.\tI\thave\tchosen\tEuripides\u2019\tversion\twhich,\tas\tso\toften\twith\thim, reflects\t remarkably\t our\t own\t point\t of\t view.\t Aeschylus\t tells\t the\t tale\t splendidly, but\t in\t his\t hands\t it\t is\t a\t stirring\t martial\t poem.\t Euripides\u2019\t play,\t The\t Suppliants, shows\this\tmodern\tmind\tbetter\tthan\tany\tof\this\tother\tplays. Polyneices\thad\tbeen\tgiven\tburial\tat\tthe\tprice\tof\this\tsister\u2019s\tlife;\this\tsoul\twas\tfree to\t be\t ferried\t across\t the\t river\t and\t find\t a\t home\t among\t the\t dead.\t But\t five\t of\t the chieftains\twho\thad\tmarched\twith\thim\tto\tThebes\tlay\tunburied,\tand\taccording\tto Creon\u2019s\tdecree\twould\tbe\tleft\tso\tforever. Adrastus,\t the\t only\t one\t alive\t of\t the\t seven\t who\t had\t started\t the\t war,\t came\t to Theseus,\t King\t of\t Athens,\t to\t beseech\t him\t to\t induce\t the\t Thebans\t to\t allow\t the bodies\t to\t be\t buried.\t With\t him\t were\t the\t mothers\t and\t the\t sons\t of\t the\t dead\t men. \u201cAll\twe\tseek,\u201d\the\ttold\tTheseus,\t\u201cis\tburial\tfor\tour\tdead.\tWe\tcome\tto\tyou\tfor\thelp, because\tAthens\tof\tall\tcities\tis\tcompassionate.\u201d \u201cI\t will\t not\t be\t your\t ally,\u201d\t Theseus\t answered.\t \u201cYou\t led\t your\t people\t against Thebes.\tThe\twar\twas\tof\tyour\tdoing,\tnot\thers.\u201d But\t Aethra,\t Theseus\u2019\t mother,\t to\t whom\t those\t other\t sorrowing\t mothers\t had first\t turned,\t was\t bold\t to\t interrupt\t the\t two\t Kings.\t \u201cMy\t son,\u201d\t she\t said,\t \u201cmay\t I speak\tfor\tyour\thonor\tand\tfor\tAthens?\u201d \u201cYes,\tspeak,\u201d\the\tanswered\tand\tlistened\tintently\twhile\tshe\ttold\thim\twhat\twas in\ther\tmind. \u201cYou\t are\t bound\t to\t defend\t all\t who\t are\t wronged,\u201d\t she\t said.\t \u201cThese\t men\t of violence\twho\trefuse\tthe\tdead\ttheir\tright\tof\tburial,\tyou\tare\tbound\tto\tcompel\tthem to\t obey\t the\t law.\t It\t is\t sacred\t through\t all\t Greece.\t What\t holds\t our\t states\t together and\t all\t states\t everywhere,\t except\t this,\t that\t each\t one\t honors\t the\t great\t laws\t of right?\u201d \u201cMother,\u201d\t Theseus\t cried,\t \u201cthese\t are\t true\t words.\t Yet\t of\t myself\t I\t cannot decide\t the\t matter.\t For\t I\t have\t made\t this\t land\t a\t free\t state\t with\t an\t equal\t vote\t for all.\tIf\tthe\tcitizens\tconsent,\tthen\tI\twill\tgo\tto\tThebes.\u201d The\t poor\t women\t waited,\t Aethra\t with\t them,\t while\t he\t went\t to\t summon\t the assembly\t which\t would\t decide\t the\t misery\t or\t happiness\t of\t their\t dead\t children.","They\tprayed:\t\u201cO\tcity\tof\tAthena,\thelp\tus,\tso\tthat\tthe\tlaws\tof\tjustice\tshall\tnot\tbe defiled\t and\t through\t all\t lands\t the\t helpless\t and\t oppressed\t shall\t be\t delivered.\u201d When\t Theseus\t returned\t he\t brought\t good\t news.\t The\t assembly\t had\t voted\t to\t tell the\t Thebans\t that\t Athens\t wished\t to\t be\t a\t good\t neighbor,\t but\t that\t she\t could\t not stand\t by\t and\t see\t a\t great\t wrong\t done.\t \u201cYield\t to\t our\t request,\u201d\t they\t would\t ask Thebes.\t\u201cWe\twant\tonly\twhat\tis\tright.\tBut\tif\tyou\twill\tnot,\tthen\tyou\tchoose\twar, for\twe\tmust\tfight\tto\tdefend\tthose\twho\tare\tdefenseless.\u201d Before\t he\t finished\t speaking\t a\t herald\t entered.\t He\t asked\t \u201cWho\t is\t the\t master here,\tthe\tlord\tof\tAthens?\tI\tbring\ta\tmessage\tto\thim\tfrom\tthe\tmaster\tof\tThebes.\u201d \u201cYou\t seek\t one\t who\t does\t not\t exist,\u201d\t Theseus\t answered.\t \u201cThere\t is\t no\t master here.\tAthens\tis\tfree.\tHer\tpeople\trule.\u201d \u201cThat\t is\t well\t for\t Thebes,\u201d\t the\t herald\t cried.\t \u201cOur\t city\t is\t not\t governed\t by\t a mob\t which\t twists\t this\t way\t and\t that,\t but\t by\t one\t man.\t How\t can\t the\t ignorant crowd\twisely\tdirect\ta\tnation\u2019s\tcourse?\u201d \u201cWe\t in\t Athens,\u201d\t Theseus\t said,\t \u201cwrite\t our\t own\t laws\t and\t then\t are\t ruled\t by them.\tWe\thold\tthere\tis\tno\tworse\tenemy\tto\ta\tstate\tthan\the\twho\tkeeps\tthe\tlaw\tin his\town\thands.\tThis\tgreat\tadvantage\tthen\tis\tours,\tthat\tour\tland\trejoices\tin\tall\ther sons\t who\t are\t strong\t and\t powerful\t by\t reason\t of\t their\t wisdom\t and\t just\t dealing. But\tto\ta\ttyrant\tsuch\tare\thateful.\tHe\tkills\tthem,\tfearing\tthey\twill\tshake\this\tpower. \u201cGo\tback\tto\tThebes\tand\ttell\ther\twe\tknow\thow\tmuch\tbetter\tpeace\tis\tfor\tmen than\twar.\tFools\trush\ton\twar\tto\tmake\ta\tweaker\tcountry\ttheir\tslave.\tWe\twould\tnot harm\tyour\tstate.\tWe\tseek\tthe\tdead\tonly,\tto\treturn\tto\tearth\tthe\tbody,\tof\twhich\tno man\tis\tthe\towner,\tbut\tonly\tfor\ta\tbrief\tmoment\tthe\tguest.\tDust\tmust\treturn\tto\tdust again.\u201d Creon\twould\tnot\tlisten\tto\tTheseus\u2019\tplea,\tand\tthe\tAthenians\tmarched\tagainst Thebes.\t They\t conquered.\t The\t panic-stricken\t people\t in\t the\t town\t thought\t only that\tthey\twould\tbe\tkilled\tor\tenslaved\tand\ttheir\tcity\truined.\tBut\talthough\tthe\tway lay\t clear\t to\t the\t victorious\t Athenian\t Army,\t Theseus\t held\t them\t back.\t \u201cWe\t came not\t to\t destroy\t the\t town,\u201d\t he\t said,\t \u201cbut\t only\t to\t reclaim\t the\t dead.\u201d\t \u201cAnd\t our King,\u201d\tsaid\tthe\tmessenger\twho\tbrought\tthe\tnews\tto\tthe\tanxiously\twaiting\tpeople of\t Athens,\t \u201cTheseus\t himself,\t made\t ready\t for\t the\t grave\t those\t five\t poor\t bodies, washed\tthem\tand\tcovered\tthem\tand\tset\tthem\ton\ta\tbier.\u201d Some\t measure\t of\t comfort\t came\t to\t the\t sorrowful\t mothers\t as\t their\t sons\t were laid\tupon\tthe\tfuneral\tpyre\twith\tall\treverence\tand\thonor.\tAdrastus\tspoke\tthe\tlast words\t for\t each:\t \u201cCapaneus\t lies\t here,\t a\t mighty\t man\t of\t wealth,\t yet\t humble\t as\t a poor\t man\t always\t and\t a\t true\t friend\t to\t all.\t He\t knew\t no\t guile;\t upon\t his\t lips\t were kind\t words\t only.\t Eteocles\t is\t next,\t poor\t in\t everything\t save\t honor.\t There\t he\t was","rich\tindeed.\tWhen\tmen\twould\tgive\thim\tgold\the\twould\tnot\ttake\tit.\tHe\twould\tnot be\ta\tslave\tto\twealth.\tBeside\thim\tHippomedon\tlies.\tHe\twas\ta\tman\twho\tsuffered hardship\tgladly,\ta\thunter\tand\ta\tsoldier.\tFrom\tboyhood\the\tdisdained\tan\teasy\tlife. Atalanta\u2019s\tson\tis\tnext,\tParthenopaeus,\tof\tmany\ta\tman,\tof\tmany\ta\twoman\tloved, and\tone\twho\tnever\tdid\ta\twrong\tto\tany\tman.\tHis\tjoy\twas\tin\this\tcountry\u2019s\tgood, his\tgrief\twhen\tit\twent\till\twith\ther.\tThe\tlast\tis\tTydeus,\ta\tsilent\tman.\tHe\tcould\tbest reason\twith\this\tsword\tand\tshield.\tHis\tsoul\twas\tlofty;\tdeeds,\tnot\twords,\trevealed how\thigh\tit\tsoared.\u201d As\t the\t pyre\t was\t kindled,\t on\t a\t rocky\t height\t above\t it\t a\t woman\t appeared.\t It was\tEvadne,\tthe\twife\tof\tCapaneus.\tShe\tcried, I\thave\tfound\tthe\tlight\tof\tyour\tpyre,\tyour\ttomb. I\twill\tend\tthere\tthe\tgrief\tand\tthe\tanguish\tof\tlife. Oh,\tsweet\tdeath\tto\tdie\twith\tthe\tdear\tdead\tI\tlove. She\t leaped\t down\t to\t the\t blazing\t pyre\t and\t went\t with\t her\t husband\t to\t the\t world below. Peace\t came\t to\t the\t mothers,\t with\t the\t knowledge\t that\t at\t last\t their\t children\u2019s spirits\t were\t at\t rest.\t Not\t so\t to\t the\t young\t sons\t of\t the\t dead\t men.\t They\t vowed\t as they\t watched\t the\t pyre\t burn\t that\t when\t they\t were\t grown\t they\t would\t take vengeance\t upon\t Thebes.\t \u201cOur\t fathers\t sleep\t in\t the\t tomb,\t but\t the\t wrong\t done\t to them\tcan\tnever\tsleep,\u201d\tthey\tsaid.\tTen\tyears\tlater\tthey\tmarched\tto\tThebes.\tThey were\t victorious;\t the\t conquered\t Thebans\t fled\t and\t their\t city\t was\t leveled\t to\t the ground.\t Teiresias\t the\t prophet\t perished\t during\t the\t flight.\t All\t that\t was\t left\t of\t the old\t Thebes\t was\t Harmonia\u2019s\t necklace,\t which\t was\t taken\t to\t Delphi\t and\t for hundreds\tof\tyears\tshown\tto\tthe\tpilgrims\tthere.\tThe\tsons\tof\tthe\tseven\tchampions, although\t they\t succeeded\t where\t their\t fathers\t failed,\t were\t always\t called\t the Epigoni,\t \u201cthe\t After-Born,\u201d\t as\t if\t they\t had\t come\t into\t the\t world\t too\t late,\t after\t all great\t deeds\t had\t been\t done.\t But\t when\t Thebes\t fell,\t the\t Greek\t ships\t had\t not\t yet sailed\tto\tthe\tTrojan\tland;\tand\tthe\tson\tof\tTydeus,\tDiomedes,\twas\tto\tbe\tfamed\tas one\tof\tthe\tmost\tglorious\tof\tthe\twarriors\twho\tfought\tbefore\tthe\twalls\tof\tTroy.","","III I\t have\t taken\t the\t Procne\t and\t Philomela\t story\t from\t Ovid.\t He\t tells\t it\t better\t than anyone\t else,\t but\t even\t so\t he\t is\t sometimes\t inconceivably\t bad.\t He\t describes\t in fifteen\tlong\tlines\t(which\tI\tomit)\texactly\thow\tPhilomela\u2019s\ttongue\twas\tcut\tout\tand what\tit\tlooked\tlike\tas\tit\tlay\t\u201cpalpitating\u201d\ton\tthe\tearth\twhere\tTereus\thad\tflung\tit. The\tGreek\tpoets\twere\tnot\tgiven\tto\tsuch\tdetails,\tbut\tthe\tLatin\thad\tno\tmanner\tof objection\t to\t them.\t I\t have\t followed\t Ovid,\t too,\t for\t the\t most\t part\t in\t the\t stories\t of Procris\tand\tOrithyia,\ttaking\ta\tfew\tdetails\tfrom\tApollodorus.\tThe\ttale\tof\tCre\u00fcsa and\tIon\tis\tthe\tsubject\tof\ta\tplay\tof\tEuripides,\tone\tof\tthe\tmany\tplays\tin\twhich\the tried\tto\tshow\tthe\tAthenians\twhat\tthe\tgods\tof\tthe\tmyths\treally\twere\twhen\tjudged by\tthe\tordinary\thuman\tstandards\tof\tmercy,\thonor,\tself-control.\tGreek\tmythology was\t full\t of\t stories\t such\t as\t that\t of\t the\t rape\t of\t Europa,\t in\t which\t never\t a suggestion\twas\tallowed\tthat\tthe\tdeity\tin\tquestion\thad\tacted\tsomewhat\tless\tthan divinely.\t In\t his\t version\t of\t the\t story\t of\t Cre\u00fcsa\t Euripides\t said\t to\t his\t audience, \u201cLook\t at\t your\t Apollo,\t the\t sun-bright\t Lord\t of\t the\t Lyre,\t the\t pure\t God\t of\t Truth. This\t is\t what\t he\t did.\t He\t brutally\t forced\t a\t helpless\t young\t girl\t and\t then\t he abandoned\t her.\u201d\t The\t end\t of\t Greek\t mythology\t was\t at\t hand\t when\t such\t plays drew\tfull\thouses\tin\tAthens.","This\t family\t was\t especially\t marked,\t even\t among\t the\t other\t remarkable mythological\t families,\t by\t the\t very\t peculiar\t happenings\t which\t visited\t its members.\tThere\tis\tnothing\tstranger\ttold\tin\tany\tstory\tthan\tsome\tof\tthe\tevents\tin their\tlives.","CECROPS The\tfirst\tKing\tof\tAttica\twas\tnamed\tCecrops.\tHe\thad\tno\thuman\tancestor\tand\the was\thimself\tonly\thalf\thuman. Cecrops,\tlord\tand\thero, Born\tof\ta\tdragon, Dragon-shaped\tbelow. He\t was\t the\t person\t usually\t held\t to\t be\t responsible\t for\t Athena\u2019s\t becoming\t the protector\t of\t Athens.\t Poseidon,\t too,\t wanted\t the\t city,\t and\t to\t show\t how\t great\t a benefactor\the\tcould\tbe,\the\tstruck\topen\tthe\trock\tof\tthe\tAcropolis\twith\this\ttrident so\tthat\tsalt\twater\tleaped\tforth\tfrom\tthe\tcleft\tand\tsubsided\tinto\ta\tdeep\twell.\tBut Athena\tdid\tstill\tbetter.\tShe\tmade\tan\tolive\ttree\tgrow\tthere,\tthe\tmost\tprized\tof\tall the\ttrees\tof\tGreece. The\tgray-gleaming\tolive Athena\tshowed\tto\tmen, The\tglory\tof\tshining\tAthens, Her\tcrown\tfrom\ton\thigh. In\treturn\tfor\tthis\tgood\tgift\tCecrops,\twho\thad\tbeen\tmade\tarbiter,\tdecided\tthat Athens\t was\t hers.\t Poseidon\t was\t greatly\t angered\t and\t punished\t the\t people\t by sending\ta\tdisastrous\tflood. In\tone\tstory\tof\tthis\tcontest\tbetween\tthe\ttwo\tdeities,\twoman\u2019s\tsuffrage\tplays\ta part.\t In\t those\t early\t days,\t we\t are\t told,\t women\t voted\t as\t well\t as\t men.\t All\t the women\tvoted\tfor\tthe\tgoddess,\tand\tall\tthe\tmen\tfor\tthe\tgod.\tThere\twas\tone\tmore woman\tthan\tthere\twere\tmen,\tso\tAthena\twon.\tBut\tthe\tmen,\talong\twith\tPoseidon, were\tgreatly\tchagrined\tat\tthis\tfemale\ttriumph;\tand\twhile\tPoseidon\tproceeded\tto flood\t the\t land\t the\t men\t decided\t to\t take\t the\t vote\t away\t from\t the\t women. Nevertheless,\tAthena\tkept\tAthens. Most\t writers\t say\t that\t these\t events\t happened\t before\t the\t Deluge,\t and\t that\t the Cecrops\twho\tbelonged\tto\tthe\tfamous\tAthenian\tfamily\twas\tnot\tthe\tancient\thalf- dragon,\thalf-human\tcreature\tbut\tan\tordinary\tman,\timportant\tonly\tbecause\tof\this","relatives.\t He\t was\t the\t son\t of\t a\t distinguished\t king,\t a\t nephew\t of\t two\t well-known mythological\t heroines,\t and\t the\t brother\t of\t three.\t Above\t all,\t he\t was\t the\t great- grandfather\tof\tAthens\u2019\thero,\tTheseus. His\t father,\t King\t Erechtheus\t of\t Athens,\t was\t usually\t said\t to\t be\t the\t king\t in whose\treign\tDemeter\tcame\tto\tEleusis\tand\tagriculture\tbegan.\tHe\thad\ttwo\tsisters, Procne\tand\tPhilomela,\tnoted\tfor\ttheir\tmisfortunes.\tTheir\tstory\twas\ttragic\tin\tthe extreme.","PROCNE\tAND\tPHILOMELA Procne,\t the\t elder\t of\t the\t two,\t was\t married\t to\t Tereus\t of\t Thrace,\t a\t son\t of\t Ares, who\tproved\tto\thave\tinherited\tall\this\tfather\u2019s\tdetestable\tqualities.\tThe\ttwo\thad\ta son,\t Itys,\t and\t when\t he\t was\t five\t years\t old\t Procne,\t who\t had\t all\t this\t while\t been living\tin\t Thrace\tseparated\tfrom\t her\tfamily,\tbegged\tTereus\t to\tlet\ther\tinvite\ther sister\tPhilomela\tto\tvisit\ther.\tHe\tagreed,\tand\tsaid\the\twould\tgo\tto\tAthens\thimself and\tescort\ther.\tBut\tas\tsoon\tas\the\tset\teyes\ton\tthe\tgirl\the\tfell\tin\tlove\twith\ther.\tShe was\tbeautiful\tas\ta\tnymph\tor\ta\tnaiad.\tHe\teasily\tpersuaded\ther\tfather\tto\tallow\ther to\t go\t back\t with\t him,\t and\t she\t herself\t was\t happy\t beyond\t words\t at\t the\t prospect. All\t went\t well\t on\t the\t voyage,\t but\t when\t they\t disembarked\t and\t started\t overland for\t the\t palace,\t Tereus\t told\t Philomela\t that\t he\t had\t received\t news\t of\t Procne\u2019s death\t and\t he\t forced\t her\t into\t a\t pretended\t marriage.\t Within\t a\t very\t short\t time, however,\t she\t learned\t the\t truth,\t and\t she\t was\t ill-advised\t enough\t to\t threaten\t him. She\t would\t surely\t find\t means\t to\t let\t the\t world\t know\t what\t he\t had\t done,\t she\t told him,\tand\the\twould\tbe\tan\toutcast\tamong\tmen.\tShe\taroused\tboth\this\tfury\tand\this fear.\tHe\tseized\ther\tand\tcut\tout\ther\ttongue.\tThen\the\tleft\ther\tin\ta\tstrongly\tguarded place\tand\twent\tto\tProcne\twith\ta\tstory\tthat\tPhilomela\thad\tdied\ton\tthe\tjourney. Philomela\u2019s\t case\t looked\t hopeless.\t She\t was\t shut\t up;\t she\t could\t not\t speak;\t in those\t days\t there\t was\t no\t writing.\t It\t seemed\t that\t Tereus\t was\t safe.\t However, although\t people\t then\t could\t not\t write,\t they\t could\t tell\t a\t story\t without\t speaking because\t they\t were\t marvelous\t craftsmen,\t such\t as\t have\t never\t been\t known\t since. A\tsmith\tcould\tmake\ta\tshield\twhich\tshowed\ton\tits\tsurface\ta\tlion-hunt,\ttwo\tlions devouring\ta\tbull\twhile\therdsmen\turged\ttheir\tdogs\ton\tto\tattack\tthem.\tOr\the\tcould depict\t a\t harvest\t scene,\t a\t field\t with\t reapers\t and\t sheaf-binders,\t and\t a\t vineyard teeming\twith\tclusters\tof\tgrapes\twhich\tyouths\tand\tmaidens\tgathered\tinto\tbaskets while\tone\tof\tthem\tplayed\ton\ta\tshepherd\u2019s\tpipe\tto\tcheer\ttheir\tlabors.\tThe\twomen were\t equally\t remarkable\t in\t their\t kind\t of\t work.\t They\t could\t weave,\t into\t the lovely\t stuffs\t they\t made,\t forms\t so\t lifelike\t anyone\t could\t see\t what\t tale\t they illustrated.\t Philomela\t accordingly\t turned\t to\t her\t loom.\t She\t had\t a\t greater\t motive to\tmake\tclear\tthe\tstory\tshe\twove\tthan\tany\tartist\tever\thad.\tWith\tinfinite\tpains\tand surpassing\t skill\t she\t produced\t a\t wondrous\t tapestry\t on\t which\t the\t whole\t account of\ther\twrongs\twas\tunfolded.\tShe\tgave\tit\tto\tthe\told\twoman\twho\tattended\ther\tand signified\tthat\tit\twas\tfor\tthe\tQueen.","Proud\t of\t bearing\t so\t beautiful\t a\t gift\t the\t aged\t creature\t carried\t it\t to\t Procne, who\t was\t still\t wearing\t deep\t mourning\t for\t her\t sister\t and\t whose\t spirit\t was\t as mournful\t as\t her\t garments.\t She\t unrolled\t the\t web.\t There\t she\t saw\t Philomela,\t her very\tface\tand\tform,\tand\tTereus\tequally\tunmistakable.\tWith\thorror\tshe\tread\twhat had\thappened,\tall\tas\tplain\tto\ther\tas\tif\tin\tprint.\tHer\tdeep\tsense\tof\toutrage\thelped her\tto\tself-control.\tHere\twas\tno\troom\tfor\ttears\tor\tfor\twords,\teither.\tShe\tbent\ther whole\t mind\t to\t delivering\t her\t sister\t and\t devising\t a\t fit\t punishment\t for\t her husband.\t First,\t she\t made\t her\t way\t to\t Philomela,\t doubtless\t through\t the\t old woman\t messenger,\t and\t when\t she\t had\t told\t her,\t who\t could\t not\t speak\t in\t return, that\tshe\tknew\tall,\tshe\ttook\ther\tback\tto\tthe\tpalace.\tThere\twhile\tPhilomela\twept, Procne\t thought.\t \u201cLet\t us\t weep\t hereafter,\u201d\t she\t told\t her\t sister.\t \u201cI\t am\t prepared\t for any\t deed\t that\t will\t make\t Tereus\t pay\t for\t what\t he\t has\t done\t to\t you.\u201d\t At\t this moment\ther\tlittle\tson\tItys,\tran\tinto\tthe\troom\tand\tsuddenly\tas\tshe\tlooked\tat\thim\tit seemed\t to\t her\t that\t she\t hated\t him.\t \u201cHow\t like\t your\t father\t you\t are,\u201d\t she\t said slowly,\t and\t with\t the\t words\t her\t plan\t was\t clear\t to\t her.\t She\t killed\t the\t child\t with one\tstroke\tof\tthe\tdagger.\tShe\tcut\tthe\tlittle\tdead\tbody\tup,\tput\tthe\tlimbs\tin\ta\tkettle over\tthe\tfire,\tand\tserved\tthem\tto\tTereus\tthat\tnight\tfor\tsupper.\tShe\twatched\thim as\the\tate;\tthen\tshe\ttold\thim\twhat\the\thad\tfeasted\ton. In\this\tfirst\tsickening\thorror\the\tcould\tnot\tmove,\tand\tthe\ttwo\tsisters\twere\table to\t flee.\t Near\t Daulis,\t however,\t he\t overtook\t them,\t and\t was\t about\t to\t kill\t them when\t suddenly\t the\t gods\t turned\t them\t into\t birds,\t Procne\t into\t a\t nightingale\t and Philomela\t into\t a\t swallow,\t which,\t because\t her\t tongue\t was\t cut\t out,\t only\t twitters and\tcan\tnever\tsing.\tProcne, The\tbird\twith\twings\tof\tbrown, Musical\tnightingale, Mourns\tforever;\tO\tItys,\tchild, Lost\tto\tme,\tlost. Of\t all\t the\t birds\t her\t song\t is\t sweetest\t because\t it\t is\t saddest.\t She\t never\t forgets the\tson\tshe\tkilled. The\twretched\tTereus,\ttoo,\twas\tchanged\tinto\ta\tbird,\tan\tugly\tbird\twith\ta\thuge beak,\tsaid\tsometimes\tto\tbe\ta\thawk. The\tRoman\twriters\twho\ttold\tthe\tstory\tsomehow\tgot\tthe\tsisters\tconfused\tand said\t that\t the\t tongueless\t Philomela\t was\t the\t nightingale,\t which\t was\t obviously absurd.\tBut\tso\tshe\tis\talways\tcalled\tin\tEnglish\tpoetry.","PROCRIS\tAND\tCEPHALUS The\t niece\t of\t these\t unfortunate\t women\t was\t Procris,\t and\t she\t was\t almost\t as unfortunate\t as\t they.\t She\t was\t married\t very\t happily\t to\t Cephalus,\t a\t grandson\t of the\t King\t of\t the\t Winds,\t Aeolus;\t but\t they\t had\t been\t married\t only\t a\t few\t weeks when\t Cephalus\t was\t carried\t off\t by\t no\t less\t a\t personage\t than\t Aurora\t herself,\t the Goddess\tof\tthe\tDawn.\tHe\twas\ta\tlover\tof\tthe\tchase\tand\tused\tto\trise\tearly\tto\ttrack the\tdeer.\tSo\tit\thappened\tthat\tmany\ta\ttime\tas\tthe\tday\tbroke\tDawn\tsaw\tthe\tyoung hunter,\t and\t finally\t she\t fell\t in\t love\t with\t him.\t But\t Cephalus\t loved\t Procris.\t Not even\t the\t radiant\t goddess\t could\t make\t him\t faithless.\t Procris\t alone\t was\t in\t his heart.\tEnraged\tat\tthis\tobstinate\tdevotion\twhich\tnone\tof\ther\twiles\tcould\tweaken, Aurora\t at\t last\t dismissed\t him\t and\t told\t him\t to\t go\t back\t to\t his\t wife,\t but\t to\t make sure\tthat\tshe\thad\tbeen\tas\ttrue\tto\thim\tduring\this\tabsence\tas\the\tto\ther. This\tmalicious\tsuggestion\tdrove\tCephalus\tmad\twith\tjealousy.\tHe\thad\tbeen\tso long\t away\t and\t Procris\t was\t so\t beautiful.\u2026\t He\t decided\t that\t he\t could\t never\t rest satisfied\t unless\t he\t proved\t to\t himself\t beyond\t all\t doubt\t that\t she\t loved\t him\t alone and\twould\tnot\tyield\tto\tany\tother\tlover.\tAccordingly,\the\tdisguised\thimself.\tSome say\tthat\tAurora\thelped\thim,\tbut\tat\tall\tevents,\tthe\tdisguise\twas\tso\tgood\tthat\twhen he\twent\tback\tto\this\thome\tno\tone\trecognized\thim.\tIt\twas\tcomforting\tto\tsee\tthat the\twhole\thousehold\twas\tlonging\tfor\this\treturn,\tbut\this\tpurpose\theld\tfirm.\tWhen he\t was\t admitted\t to\t Procris\u2019\t presence,\t however,\t her\t manifest\t grief,\t her\t sad\t face and\tsubdued\tmanner,\tcame\tnear\tto\tmaking\thim\tgive\tup\tthe\ttest\the\thad\tplanned. He\t did\t not\t do\t so,\t however;\t he\t could\t not\t forget\t Aurora\u2019s\t mocking\t words.\t He began\t at\t once\t to\t try\t to\t get\t Procris\t to\t fall\t in\t love\t with\t him,\t a\t stranger,\t as\t she supposed\thim\tto\tbe.\tHe\tmade\tpassionate\tlove\tto\ther,\talways\treminding\ther,\ttoo, that\t her\t husband\t had\t forsaken\t her.\t Nevertheless\t for\t a\t long\t time\t he\t could\t not move\t her.\t To\t all\t his\t pleas\t she\t made\t the\t same\t answer,\t \u201cI\t belong\t to\t him. Wherever\the\tis\tI\tkeep\tmy\tlove\tfor\thim.\u201d But\t one\t day\t when\t he\t was\t pouring\t out\t petitions,\t persuasions,\t promises,\t she hesitated.\tShe\tdid\tnot\tgive\tin;\tshe\tonly\tdid\tnot\tfirmly\toppose\thim,\tbut\tthat\twas enough\t for\t Cephalus.\t He\t cried\t out,\t \u201cO\t false\t and\t shameless\t woman,\t I\t am\t your husband.\tBy\tmy\town\twitness\tyou\tare\ta\ttraitor.\u201d\tProcris\tlooked\tat\thim.\tThen\tshe turned\tand\twithout\ta\tword\tleft\thim\tand\tthe\thouse,\ttoo.\tHer\tlove\tfor\thim\tseemed turned\t into\t hate;\t she\t loathed\t the\t whole\t race\t of\t men\t and\t she\t went\t to\t the mountains\tto\tlive\talone.\tCephalus,\thowever,\thad\tquickly\tcome\tto\this\tsenses\tand","realized\t the\t poor\t part\t he\t had\t played.\t He\t searched\t everywhere\t for\t her\t until\t he found\ther.\tThen\the\thumbly\tbegged\ther\tforgiveness. She\t could\t not\t give\t it\t to\t him\t at\t once,\t she\t had\t resented\t too\t deeply\t the deception\the\thad\tpractised\tupon\ther.\tIn\tthe\tend,\thowever,\the\twon\ther\tback\tand they\tspent\tsome\thappy\tyears\ttogether.\tThen\tone\tday\tthey\twent\thunting,\tas\tthey often\tdid.\tProcris\thad\tgiven\tCephalus\ta\tjavelin\tthat\tnever\tfailed\tto\tstrike\twhat\tit was\taimed\tat.\tThe\thusband\tand\twife,\treaching\tthe\twoods,\tseparated\tin\tsearch\tof game.\tCephalus\tlooking\tkeenly\taround\tsaw\tsomething\tmove\tin\tthe\tthicket\tahead and\t threw\t the\t javelin.\t It\t found\t the\t mark.\t Procris\t was\t there\t and\t she\t sank\t to\t the ground\tdead,\tpierced\tto\tthe\theart.","ORITHYIA\tAND\tBOREAS One\t of\t the\t sisters\t of\t Procris\t was\t Orithyia.\t Boreas,\t the\t North\t Wind,\t fell\t in\t love with\ther,\tbut\ther\tfather,\tErechtheus,\tand\tthe\tpeople\tof\tAthens,\ttoo,\twere\topposed to\t his\t suit.\t Because\t of\t Procne\u2019s\t and\t Philomela\u2019s\t sad\t fate\t and\t the\t fact\t that\t the wicked\t Tereus\t came\t from\t the\t North,\t they\t had\t conceived\t a\t hatred\t for\t all\t who lived\tthere\tand\tthey\trefused\tto\tgive\tthe\tmaiden\tto\tBoreas.\tBut\tthey\twere\tfoolish to\t think\t they\t could\t keep\t what\t the\t great\t North\t Wind\t wanted.\t One\t day\t when Orithyia\twas\tplaying\twith\ther\tsisters\ton\tthe\tbank\tof\ta\triver,\tBoreas\tswept\tdown in\t a\t great\t gust\t and\t carried\t her\t away.\t The\t two\t sons\t she\t bore\t him,\t Zetes\t and Calais,\twent\ton\tthe\tQuest\tof\tthe\tGolden\tFleece\twith\tJason. Once\t Socrates,\t the\t great\t Athenian\t teacher,\t who\t lived\t hundreds\t of\t years, thousands,\tperhaps,\tafter\tthe\tmythological\tstories\twere\tfirst\ttold,\twent\ton\ta\twalk with\t a\t young\t man\t he\t was\t fond\t of\t named\t Phaedrus.\t They\t talked\t as\t they wandered\t idly\t on\t and\t Phaedrus\t asked,\t \u201cIs\t not\t the\t place\t somewhere\t near\t here where\tBoreas\tis\tsaid\tto\thave\tcarried\toff\tOrithyia\tfrom\tthe\tbanks\tof\tthe\tIlissus?\u201d \u201cThat\tis\tthe\tstory,\u201d\tSocrates\tanswered. \u201cDo\t you\t suppose\t this\t is\t the\t exact\t spot?\u201d\t Phaedrus\t wondered.\t \u201cThe\t little stream\t is\t delightfully\t clear\t and\t bright.\t I\t can\t fancy\t that\t there\t might\t be\t maidens playing\tnear.\u201d \u201cI\t believe,\u201d\t replied\t Socrates,\t \u201cthe\t spot\t is\t about\t a\t quarter\t of\t a\t mile\t lower down,\tand\tthere\tis,\tI\tthink,\tsome\tsort\tof\taltar\tto\tBoreas\tthere.\u201d \u201cTell\tme,\tSocrates,\u201d\tsaid\tPhaedrus.\t\u201cDo\tyou\tbelieve\tthe\tstory?\u201d \u201cThe\twise\tare\tdoubtful,\u201d\tSocrates\treturned,\t\u201cand\tI\tshould\tnot\tbe\tsingular\tif\tI, too,\tdoubted.\u201d This\t conversation\t took\t place\t in\t the\t last\t part\t of\t the\t fifth\t century\t B.C.\t The\t old stories\thad\tbegun\tby\tthen\tto\tlose\ttheir\thold\ton\tmen\u2019s\tminds.","CRE\u00dcSA\tAND\tION Cre\u00fcsa\t was\t the\t sister\t of\t Procris\t and\t Orithyia,\t and\t she,\t too,\t was\t an\t unfortunate woman.\t One\t day\t when\t she\t was\t hardly\t more\t than\t a\t child\t she\t was\t gathering crocuses\ton\ta\tcliff\twhere\tthere\twas\ta\tdeep\tcave.\tHer\tveil,\twhich\tshe\thad\tused\tfor a\tbasket,\twas\tfull\tof\tthe\tyellow\tblooms\tand\tshe\thad\tturned\tto\tgo\thome\twhen\tshe was\t caught\t up\t in\t the\t arms\t of\t a\t man\t who\t had\t appeared\t from\t nowhere,\t as\t if\t the invisible\t had\t suddenly\t become\t visible.\t He\t was\t divinely\t beautiful,\t but\t in\t her agony\tof\tterror\tshe\tnever\tnoticed\twhat\the\twas\tlike.\tShe\tscreamed\tfor\ther\tmother, but\tthere\twas\tno\thelp\tfor\ther.\tHer\tabductor\twas\tApollo\thimself.\tHe\tcarried\ther off\tto\tthe\tdark\tcave. God\t though\t he\t was\t she\t hated\t him,\t especially\t when\t the\t time\t came\t for\t her child\tto\tbe\tborn\tand\the\tshowed\ther\tno\tsign,\tgave\ther\tno\taid.\tShe\tdid\tnot\tdare\ttell her\t parents.\t The\t fact\t that\t the\t lover\t was\t a\t god\t and\t could\t not\t be\t resisted\t was,\t as many\t stories\t show,\t not\t accepted\t as\t an\t excuse.\t A\t girl\t ran\t every\t risk\t of\t being killed\tif\tshe\tconfessed. When\tCre\u00fcsa\u2019s\ttime\thad\tcome\tshe\twent\tall\talone\tto\tthat\tsame\tdark\tcave,\tand there\ther\tson\twas\tborn.\tThere,\ttoo,\tshe\tleft\thim\tto\tdie.\tLater,\tdriven\tby\tan\tagony of\t longing\t to\t know\t what\t had\t happened\t to\t him,\t she\t went\t back.\t The\t cave\t was empty\t and\t no\t bloodstains\t could\t be\t seen\t anywhere.\t The\t child\t had\t certainly\t not been\t killed\t by\t a\t wild\t animal.\t Also,\t what\t was\t very\t strange,\t the\t soft\t things\t she had\t wrapped\t him\t in,\t her\t veil\t and\t a\t cloak\t woven\t by\t her\t own\t hands,\t were\t gone. She\twondered\tfearfully\tif\ta\tgreat\teagle\tor\tvulture\thad\tentered\tand\thad\tcarried\tall away\tin\tits\tcruel\ttalons,\tthe\tclothing\twith\tthe\tbaby.\tIt\tseemed\tthe\tonly\tpossible explanation. After\ta\ttime\tshe\twas\tmarried.\tKing\tErechtheus,\ther\tfather,\trewarded\twith\ther hand\ta\tforeigner\twho\thad\thelped\thim\tin\ta\twar.\tThis\tman,\tXuthus\tby\tname,\twas\ta Greek,\t to\t be\t sure,\t but\t he\t did\t not\t belong\t to\t Athens\t or\t to\t Attica,\t and\t he\t was considered\ta\tstranger\tand\tan\talien,\tand\tas\tsuch\twas\tso\tlooked\tdown\ton\tthat\twhen he\t and\t Cre\u00fcsa\t had\t no\t children\t the\t Athenians\t did\t not\t think\t it\t a\t misfortune. Xuthus\t did,\t however.\t He\t more\t than\t Cre\u00fcsa\t passionately\t desired\t a\t son.\t They went\taccordingly\tto\tDelphi,\tthe\tGreeks\u2019\trefuge\tin\ttime\tof\ttrouble,\tto\task\tthe\tgod if\tthey\tcould\thope\tfor\ta\tchild. Cre\u00fcsa,\t leaving\t her\t husband\t in\t the\t town\t with\t one\t of\t the\t priests,\t went\t on\t up","to\tthe\tsanctuary\tby\therself.\tShe\tfound\tin\tthe\touter\tcourt\ta\tbeautiful\tlad\tin\tpriestly attire\t intent\t on\t purifying\t the\t sacred\t place\t with\t water\t from\t a\t golden\t vessel, singing\tas\the\tworked\ta\thymn\tof\tpraise\tto\tthe\tgod.\tHe\tlooked\tat\tthe\tlovely\tstately lady\t with\t kindness\t and\t she\t at\t him,\t and\t they\t began\t to\t talk.\t He\t told\t her\t that\t he could\t see\t that\t she\t was\t highly\t born\t and\t blessed\t by\t good\t fortune.\t She\t answered bitterly,\t \u201cGood\t fortune!\t Say,\t rather,\t sorrow\t that\t makes\t life\t insupportable.\u201d\t All her\tmisery\twas\tin\tthe\twords,\ther\tterror\tand\ther\tpain\tof\tlong\tago,\ther\tgrief\tfor\ther child,\t the\t burden\t of\t the\t secret\t she\t had\t carried\t through\t the\t years.\t But\t at\t the wonder\t in\t the\t boy\u2019s\t eyes\t she\t collected\t herself\t and\t asked\t him\t who\t he\t was,\t so young\t and\t yet\t seemingly\t so\t dedicated\t to\t this\t high\t service\t in\t Greece\u2019s\t holy\t of holies.\tHe\ttold\ther\tthat\this\tname\twas\tIon,\tbut\tthat\the\tdid\tnot\tknow\twhere\the\thad come\t from.\t The\t Pythoness,\t Apollo\u2019s\t priestess\t and\t prophetess,\t had\t found\t him one\tmorning,\ta\tlittle\tbaby,\tlying\ton\tthe\ttemple\tstairway,\tand\thad\tbrought\thim\tup as\t tenderly\t as\t a\t mother.\t Always\t he\t had\t been\t happy,\t working\t joyfully\t in\t the temple,\tproud\tto\tserve\tnot\tmen,\tbut\tgods. He\tventured\tthen\tto\tquestion\ther.\tWhy,\the\tasked\ther\tgently,\twas\tshe\tso\tsad, her\t eyes\t wet\t with\t tears?\t That\t was\t not\t the\t way\t pilgrims\t to\t Delphi\t came,\t but rejoicing\tto\tapproach\tthe\tpure\tshrine\tof\tApollo,\tthe\tGod\tof\tTruth. \u201cApollo!\u201d\tCre\u00fcsa\tsaid.\t\u201cNo!\tI\tdo\tnot\tapproach\thim.\u201d\tThen,\tin\tanswer\tto\tIon\u2019s startled\t reproachful\t look,\t she\t told\t him\t that\t she\t had\t come\t on\t a\t secret\t errand\t to Delphi.\tHer\thusband\twas\there\tto\task\tif\the\tmight\thope\tfor\ta\tson,\tbut\ther\tpurpose was\t to\t find\t out\t what\t had\t been\t the\t fate\t of\t a\t child\t who\t was\t the\t son\t of\u2026\t She faltered,\t and\t was\t silent.\t Then\t she\t spoke\t quickly,\t \u201c\u2026\t of\t a\t friend\t of\t mine,\t a wretched\twoman\twhom\tthis\tDelphic\tholy\tgod\tof\tyours\twronged.\tAnd\twhen\tthe child\t was\t born\t that\t he\t forced\t her\t to\t bear,\t she\t abandoned\t it.\t It\t must\t be\t dead. Years\tago\tit\thappened.\tBut\tshe\tlongs\tto\tbe\tsure,\tand\tto\tknow\thow\tit\tdied.\tSo\tI am\there\tto\task\tApollo\tfor\ther.\u201d Ion\t was\t horrified\t at\t the\t accusation\t she\t brought\t against\t his\t lord\t and\t master. \u201cIt\tis\tnot\ttrue,\u201d\the\tsaid\thotly.\t\u201cIt\twas\tsome\tman,\tand\tshe\texcused\ther\tshame\tby putting\tit\ton\tthe\tgod.\u201d \u201cNo,\u201d\tCre\u00fcsa\tsaid\tpositively.\t\u201cIt\twas\tApollo.\u201d Ion\twas\tsilent.\tThen\the\tshook\this\thead.\t\u201cEven\tif\tit\twere\ttrue,\u201d\the\tsaid,\t\u201cwhat you\twould\tdo\tis\tfolly.\tYou\tmust\tnot\tapproach\tthe\tgod\u2019s\taltar\tto\ttry\tto\tprove\thim a\tvillain.\u201d Cre\u00fcsa\t felt\t her\t purpose\t grow\t weak\t and\t ebb\t away\t while\t the\t strange\t boy spoke.\t\u201cI\twill\tnot,\u201d\tshe\tsaid\tsubmissively.\t\u201cI\twill\tdo\tas\tyou\tsay.\u201d Feelings\t she\t did\t not\t understand\t were\t stirring\t within\t her.\t As\t the\t two\t stood","looking\t at\t each\t other\t Xuthus\t entered,\t triumph\t in\t his\t face\t and\t bearing.\t He\t held out\t his\t arms\t to\t Ion,\t who\t stepped\t back\t in\t cold\t distaste.\t But\t Xuthus\t managed\t to enfold\thim,\tto\this\tgreat\tdiscomfort. \u201cYou\tare\tmy\tson,\u201d\the\tcried.\t\u201cApollo\thas\tdeclared\tit.\u201d A\t sense\t of\t bitter\t antagonism\t stirred\t in\t Cre\u00fcsa\u2019s\t heart.\t \u201cYour\t son?\u201d\t she questioned\tclearly.\t\u201cWho\tis\this\tmother?\u201d \u201cI\tdon\u2019t\tknow.\u201d\tXuthus\twas\tconfused.\t\u201cI\tthink\the\tis\tmy\tson,\tbut\tperhaps\tthe god\tgave\thim\tto\tme.\tEither\tway\the\tis\tmine.\u201d To\tthis\tgroup,\tIon\ticily\tremote,\tXuthus\tbewildered\tbut\thappy,\tCre\u00fcsa\tfeeling that\t she\t hated\t men\t and\t that\t she\t would\t not\t put\t up\t with\t having\t the\t son\t of\t some unknown,\t low\t woman\t foisted\t on\t her,\t there\t entered\t the\t aged\t priestess,\t Apollo\u2019s prophetess.\t In\t her\t hands\t she\t carried\t two\t things\t that\t made\t Cre\u00fcsa,\t in\t all\t her preoccupation,\t start\t and\t look\t sharply\t at\t them.\t One\t was\t a\t veil\t and\t the\t other\t a maiden\u2019s\tcloak.\tThe\tholy\twoman\ttold\tXuthus\tthat\tthe\tpriest\twished\tto\tspeak\tto him,\tand\twhen\the\twas\tgone\tshe\theld\tout\tto\tIon\twhat\tshe\twas\tcarrying. \u201cDear\t lad,\u201d\t she\t said,\t \u201cyou\t must\t take\t these\t with\t you\t when\t you\t go\t to\t Athens with\t your\t new-found\t father.\t They\t are\t the\t clothes\t you\t were\t wrapped\t in\t when\t I found\tyou.\u201d \u201cOh,\u201d\tIon\tcried,\t\u201cmy\tmother\tmust\thave\tput\tthem\taround\tme.\tThey\tare\ta\tclue to\tmy\tmother.\tI\twill\tseek\ther\teverywhere\u2014through\tEurope\tand\tthrough\tAsia.\u201d But\t Cre\u00fcsa\t had\t stolen\t up\t to\t him\t and,\t before\t he\t could\t draw\t back\t offended\t a second\t time,\t she\t had\t thrown\t her\t arms\t around\t his\t neck;\t and\t weeping\t and pressing\ther\tface\tto\this\tshe\twas\tcalling\thim,\t\u201cMy\tson\u2014my\tson!\u201d This\twas\ttoo\tmuch\tfor\tIon.\t\u201cShe\tmust\tbe\tmad,\u201d\the\tcried. \u201cNo,\t no,\u201d\t Cre\u00fcsa\t said.\t \u201cThat\t veil,\t that\t cloak,\t they\t are\t mine.\t I\t covered\t you with\tthem\twhen\tI\tleft\tyou.\tSee.\tThat\tfriend\tI\ttold\tyou\tof.\u2026\tIt\twas\tno\tfriend,\tbut my\town\tself.\tApollo\tis\tyour\tfather.\tOh,\tdo\tnot\tturn\taway.\tI\tcan\tprove\tit.\tUnfold these\twrappings.\tI\twill\ttell\tyou\tall\tthe\tembroideries\ton\tthem.\tI\tmade\tthem\twith these\t hands.\t And\t look.\t You\t will\t find\t two\t little\t serpents\t of\t gold\t fastened\t to\t the cloak.\tI\tput\tthem\tthere.\u201d Ion\t found\t the\t jewels\t and\t looked\t from\t them\t to\t her.\t \u201cMy\t mother,\u201d\t he\t said wonderingly.\t\u201cBut\tthen\tis\tthe\tGod\tof\tTruth\tfalse?\tHe\tsaid\tI\twas\tXuthus\u2019\tson.\tO Mother,\tI\tam\ttroubled.\u201d \u201cApollo\t did\t not\t say\t you\t were\t Xuthus\u2019\t own\t son.\t He\t gave\t you\t to\t him\t as\t a gift,\u201d\tCre\u00fcsa\tcried,\tbut\tshe\twas\ttrembling,\ttoo. A\tsudden\tradiance\tfrom\ton\thigh\tfell\ton\tthe\ttwo\tand\tmade\tthem\tlook\tup.\tThen all\t their\t distress\t was\t forgotten\t in\t awe\t and\t wonder.\t A\t divine\t form\t stood\t above","them,\tbeautiful\tand\tmajestic\tbeyond\tcompare. \u201cI\tam\tPallas\tAthena,\u201d\tthe\tvision\tsaid.\t\u201cApollo\thas\tsent\tme\tto\tyou\tto\ttell\tyou that\tIon\tis\this\tson\tand\tyours.\tHe\thad\thim\tbrought\there\tfrom\tthe\tcave\twhere\tyou left\t him.\t Take\t him\t with\t you\t to\t Athens,\t Cre\u00fcsa.\t He\t is\t worthy\t to\t rule\t over\t my land\tand\tcity.\u201d She\tvanished.\tThe\tmother\tand\tson\tlooked\tat\teach\tother,\tIon\twith\tperfect\tjoy. But\t Cre\u00fcsa?\t Did\t Apollo\u2019s\t late\t reparation\t make\t up\t to\t her\t for\t all\t that\t she\t had suffered?\tWe\tcan\tonly\tguess;\tthe\tstory\tdoes\tnot\tsay.","PART VI","","I The\tstory\tof\tMidas\tis\ttold\tbest\tby\tOvid\tfrom\twhom\tI\thave\ttaken\tit.\tPindar\tis\tmy authority\t for\t Aesculapius,\t whose\t life\t he\t tells\t in\t full.\t These\t Dana\u00efds\t are\t the subject\t of\t one\t of\t the\t plays\t of\t Aeschylus.\t Glaucus\t and\t Scylla,\t Pomona\t and Vertumnus,\tErysichthon,\tall\tcome\tfrom\tOvid. Midas,\twhose\tname\thas\tbecome\ta\tsynonym\tfor\ta\trich\tman,\thad\tvery\tlittle\tprofit from\this\triches.\tThe\texperience\tof\tpossessing\tthem\tlasted\tfor\tless\tthan\ta\tday\tand it\tthreatened\thim\twith\tspeedy\tdeath.\tHe\twas\tan\texample\tof\tfolly\tbeing\tas\tfatal\tas sin,\t for\t he\t meant\t no\t harm;\t he\t merely\t did\t not\t use\t any\t intelligence.\t His\t story suggests\tthat\the\thad\tnone\tto\tuse. He\twas\tKing\tof\tPhrygia,\tthe\tland\tof\troses,\tand\the\thad\tgreat\trose\tgardens\tnear his\t palace.\t Into\t them\t once\t strayed\t old\t Silenus,\t who,\t intoxicated\t as\t always,\t had wandered\t off\t from\t Bacchus\u2019\t train\t where\t he\t belonged\t and\t lost\t his\t way.\t The\t fat old\tdrunkard\twas\tfound\tasleep\tin\ta\tbower\tof\troses\tby\tsome\tof\tthe\tservants\tof\tthe palace.\tThey\tbound\thim\twith\trosy\tgarlands,\tset\ta\tflowering\twreath\ton\this\thead, woke\t him\t up,\t and\t bore\t him\t in\t this\t ridiculous\t guise\t to\t Midas\t as\t a\t great\t joke. Midas\t welcomed\t him\t and\t entertained\t him\t for\t ten\t days.\t Then\t he\t led\t him\t to Bacchus,\t who,\t delighted\t to\t get\t him\t back,\t told\t Midas\t whatever\t wish\t he\t made would\tcome\ttrue.\tWithout\tgiving\ta\tthought\tto\tthe\tinevitable\tresult\tMidas\twished"]
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