Hath thrust me forth, not baffling me in speech,
Nor coming to the test of strength and deed,
But winning o'er the state. Of this, I say,
Thy dread Erinnyes is the chiefest cause;
And next, I hear thus much by prophets told:1300
For when I came to Argos, Dorian named,
Making the daughter of Adrastos mine,
I gathered as confederates in my cause,
All who are chiefest in the Apian land,[1]
Renowned in battle, that this armament,
With seven great chiefs, might follow me to Thebes,
And I might either die a noble death,
Or drive to exile those who did me wrong.
Well then, what chance has brought me hitherward?
This, Ο my father. With a suppliant's prayers
Both for myself, and my allies, I come,1310
The seven great armies by seven captains led,
That gird the plain of Thebes. And first, there comes
Amphiaraos, wielding mighty spear,
Supreme in war, supreme in auguries;
Then next in order, the Ætolian son
Of Œneus, Tydeus named; and Argive born,
Eteoclos the third; Hippomedon,
By Talaos sent, the fourth; and Capaneus
The fifth, boasts loud that he with fiery blaze,
Will soon lay waste the citadel of Thebes,
And utterly destroy it. Sixth, there comes
Parthenopæos, the Arcadian, named1320
From his chaste mother, true and worthy son
Of Atalanta. And I, last, thy son,
Or if not thine, the child of evil Fate,
Yet known as thine, I lead the Argive host
- ↑ Apian land, sc., the Peloponnesus, so named, mythically, from Apis, the son of Apollo, who freed it from wild beasts and monsters.
