g to the will of heaven; and for
its women to be dragged away captives, alas! alas! both the young and
the aged, like horses by their hair, while their vestments are rent
about their persons. And the emptied city cries aloud, while its booty
is wasted amid confused clamors; verily I fearfully forbode heavy
calamities. And a mournful thing it is for [maidens] just
marriageable,[116] before the celebration of rites for culling the fresh
flower of their virginity, to have to traverse a hateful journey from
their homes. What? I pronounce that the dead fares better than these;
for full many are the calamities, alas! alas! which a city undergoes
when it has been reduced. One drags another,[117] slaughters, and to
parts he sets fire--the whole city is defiled with smoke, and raving
Mars that tramples down the nations, violating piety, inspires them.
Throughout the town are uproars, against the city rises the turreted
circumvallation,[118] and man is slain by man with the spear. And the
cries of children at the breast all bloody resound, and there is rapine
sister of pell-mell confusion. Pillager meets pillager, and the
empty-handed shouts to the empty-handed, wishing to have a partner,
greedy for a portion that shall be neither less nor equal. What of these
things can speech picture? Fruits of every possible kind strewn[119]
upon the ground occasion sorrow, and dismal is the face of the
stewards. And full many a gift of earth is swept along in the worthless
streams, in undistinguished medley. And young female slaves have new
sorrows, a foe being superior[120] and fortunate as to their wretched
captive couch, so that they hope for life's gloomy close to come, a
guardian against their all-mournful sorrows.

SEMI-CH. The scout, methinks, my friends, is bringing us some fresh
tidings from the army, urging in haste the forwarding axles[121] of his
feet.

SEMI-CH. Ay, and in very truth, here comes our prince, son of OEdipus,
very opportunely for learning the messenger's report--and haste does not
allow him to make equal footsteps.[122]

[_Re-enter_ MESSENGER _and_ ETEOCLES _from different sides_.

MES. I would fain tell, for I know them well, the arrangements of our
adversaries, and how each has obtained his lot at our gate. Tydeus now
for some time has been raging hard by the gates of Proetus; but the
seer allows him not to cross the stream of Ismenus, for the sacrifices
are not auspicious. So Tydeus, raving and greedy for th