THE HERACLEIDAE
Though legally condemned to death at home.
We have a perfect right to carry out
The laws we make for our own sovereign land.
I've often made this point, each time I reached
A new "protector." Not a single one 145
Was ever rash enough to play with fire.
Now they've come here. Why, they must take you for
Colossal fools, or else they want to take
One reckless chance and get it over with.
They can't think seriously that you alone 150
Of all the Greeks they've seen would feel for them
In their sad state, unless you'd lost your minds;
Consider what you stand to gain if you
Should let them in or let us take them out.
For our part we can offer to you all 155
The weight of power; our king's great influence
Will be behind your town in all you do.
But if their artful talk and wailing move
Your pity, that can only mean one thing.
A total war! Don't you believe that we'll 160
Give up our fight and bring no steel into play.
But why should you provoke us? Have we seized
What's yours? Are we aggressors? Or is your
Allies' security at stake? What kind
Of cause is this to die for? Your own men 165
Will surely curse your name if you insist
On scuttling everything so recklessly
For these young brats and this half-dead old man.
You may believe the long view bears you out,
But that will hardly help you now, my friend. 170
These boys would never stand against our arms,
Not even as grown men, as you may hope.
Well, anyhow that day's far off, and you'll
Be dealt with in the meantime; take my word
For that. We're asking nothing, but we want 175
To take back what is ours. I know that you
Are in the habit of declaring for
The underdog by choice. I warn you. Don't.