ngled with the vulgar,
to leave his children a reproach instead of pleasure; for noble birth wards
off misfortune better than low descent; for we, having fallen into the
extremity of evils, find these men friends and relations, who alone, in so
large a country as Greece, have stood forward [on our behalf.] Give, O
children, give them your right hand; and do ye give yours to the children,
and draw near to them. O children, we have come to experience of our
friends; and if you ever have a return to your country, and [again] possess
the homes and honors of your father, always consider them your saviors and
friends, and never lift the hostile spear against the land, remembering
these things; but consider it the dearest city of all. And they are worthy
that you should revere them, who have chosen to have so great a country and
the Pelasgic people as enemies instead of us, though seeing us to be
beggared wanderers; but still they have not given us up, nor driven us from
their land. But I, living and dying, when I do die, with much praise, my
friend, will extol you when I am in company with Theseus; and telling this,
I will delight him, saying how well you received and aided the children of
Hercules; and, being noble, you preserve through Greece your ancestral
glory; and being born of noble parents, you are nowise inferior to your
father, with but few others; for among many you may find perhaps but one
who is not inferior to his father.[10]

CHOR. This land is ever willing to aid in a just cause those in difficulty;
therefore it has borne numberless toils for its friends, and now I see this
contest at hand.

DE. Thou hast spoken well; and I boast, old man, that their disposition is
such that the kindness will be remembered. And I will make an assembly of
the citizens, and draw them up so as to receive the army of the Mycenaeans
with a large force. First, I will send spies toward it, that it may not
fall upon me by surprise: for in Argos every warrior is eager to run to
assistance. And having collected the soothsayers, I will sacrifice. And do
you go to my palace with the children, leaving the hearth of Jove, for
there are those who, even if I be from home, will take care of you; go
then, old man, to my palace.

IOL. I will not leave the altar; but we will sit here, as suppliants,
waiting till the city is successful; and when you are well freed from this
contest, we will go to thy palace. But we have Gods as allies not inferio