EURIPIDES
The gods, although I had my doubts before.
Children, just think! You're safe from danger now!
Safe from the king, who's going to die like
A dog. You'll soon set eyes upon your own 875
Country and have the soil that's yours by right
Beneath your feet. At last you'll worship those
Gods of your fathers who were banned for you
While you were poor and homeless. Tell me, though,
Why -didn't lolaus kill the king? 880
What's back of it? To me there is no point
In being kind to captured enemies.
Attendant
But it was done for you, so you could see
Eurystheus in his glory, in our hands.
It was brute force that brought him in, and not 885
His own accord, since he'd no heart to see
Your face, or pay the price for what he'd done.
And now goodbye. Please don't forget what you
First said when I began, that you would set
Me free; since I should think it's best to keep 890
Faith in these things. Noblesse oblige, you know.
(Exit Attendant.)
Chorus
STROPHE
There's nothing like the flute's sound when
We dance and sing and eat our fill
And love in all its sweetness. Then
I feel too glad for words and thrill 895
To see the happy ending for
Those near my heart, in brief, to see
Poor devils had good luck in store
For themselves, thanks to Destiny
And Change and Time. 900
ANTISTROPHE
I. hope we keep along the right
Road. Up to now we've paid the high
166