Sophocles' TRACHINIAE Complete

Translated by R. Jebb.

Sophocles Bilingual Anthology  Studies  Sophocles in Print

57 Pages

Page 23

Chorus: (singing, strophe)

Great and mighty is the victory which the Cyprian queen ever bears
away. I stay not now to speak of the gods; I spare to tell how she
beguiled the son of Cronus, and Hades, the lord of darkness, or Poseidon,
shaker of the earth.

But, when this bride was to be won, who were the valiant rivals that
entered the contest for her hand? Who went forth to the ordeal of
battle, to the fierce blows and the blinding dust?

(antistrophe)

One was a mighty river-god, the dread form of a horned and four-legged
bull, Achelous, from Oeniadae: the other came from Thebe, dear to
Bacchus, with curved bow, and spears, and brandished club, the son
of Zeus: who then met in combat, fain to win a bride: and the Cyprian
goddess of nuptial joy was there with them, sole umpire of their strife.

(epode)

Then was there clatter of fists and clang of bow, and the noise of
bull's horns therewith; then were there close-locked grapplings, and
deadly blows from the forehead, and loud deep cries from both.

Meanwhile, she, in her delicate beauty, sat on the side of a hill
that could be seen afar, awaiting the husband that should be hers.

So the battle rages, as I have told; but the fair bride who is the
prize of the strife abides the end in piteous anguish. And suddenly
she is parted from her mother, as when a heifer is taken from its
dam. (Deianeira enters from the house alone, carrying in her arms
a casket containing a robe.)

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