e blood was dropping from the top
of her head mixed with fire. But her flesh was dropping off her bones, as
the tear from the pine-tree, by the hidden fangs of the poison; a sight of
horror. But all feared to touch the body, for we had her fate to warn us.
But the hapless father, through ignorance of her suffering, having come
with haste into the apartment, falls on the corpse, and groans immediately;
and having folded his arms round her, kisses her, saying these words; O
miserable child, what Deity hath thus cruelly destroyed thee? who makes an
aged father bowing to the tomb[40] bereaved of thee? Alas me! let me die
with thee, my child. But after he had ceased from his lamentations and
cries, desiring to raise his aged body, he was held, as the ivy by the
boughs of the laurel, by the fine-wrought robes; and dreadful was the
struggle, for he wished to raise his knee, but she held him back; but if he
drew himself away by force he tore the aged flesh from his bones. But at
length the wretched man swooned away, and gave up his life; for no longer
was he able to endure the agony. But they lie corses, the daughter and aged
father near one another; a calamity that demands tears. And let thy affairs
indeed be not matter for my words; for thou thyself wilt know a refuge from
punishment. But the affairs of mortals not now for the first time I deem a
shadow, and I would venture to say that those persons who seem to be wise
and are researchers of arguments, these I say, run into the greatest folly.
For no mortal man is happy; but wealth pouring in, one man may be more
fortunate than another, but happy he can not be.

CHOR. The Deity, it seems, will in this day justly heap on Jason a variety
of ills. O hapless lady, how we pity thy sufferings, daughter of Creon, who
art gone to the house of darkness, through thy marriage with Jason.

MED. The deed is determined on by me, my friends, to slay my children as
soon as possible, and to hasten from this land; and not by delaying to give
my sons for another hand more hostile to murder. But come, be armed, my
heart; why do we delay to do dreadful but necessary deeds? Come, O wretched
hand of mine, grasp the sword, grasp it, advance to the bitter goal of
life, and be not cowardly, nor remember thy children how dear they are, how
thou broughtest them into the world; but for this short day at least forget
thy children; hereafter lament. For although thou slayest them,
nevertheless they at least