Herdman.
I have seen wild Bacchanals, who from this land
Have darted forth with white feet, frenzy-stung. 665
I come, King, fain to tell to thee and Thebes
What strange, what passing wondrous deeds they do.
Yet would I hear if freely I may tell
Things there beheld, or reef my story's sail.
For, King, I fear thy spirit's hasty mood, 670
Thy passion and thine over-royal wrath.
Pentheus.
Say on: of me shalt thou go all unscathed.
For we may not be wroth with honest men.
The direr sounds thy tale of the Bacchanals,
The sterner punishment will I inflict 675
On him who taught our dames this wickedness.
Herdman.
Thine herds of pasturing kine were even now
Scaling the steep hill-side, what time the sun
First darted forth his rays to warm the earth,
When lo, I see three Bacchant women-bands,— 680
Autonoë chief of one, of one thy mother
Agavê, and the third band Ino led.
All sleeping lay, with bodies restful-strown;
Some backward leaned on leafy sprays of pine,
Some, with oak-leaves for pillows, on the ground 685
Flung careless;—modestly, not, as thou say'st,
Drunken with wine, amid the sighing of flutes
Hunting desire through woodland shades alone.
Then to her feet sprang in the Bacchanals' midst
Thy mother, crying aloud, "Shake from you sleep!" 690
