HERACLES
ANTISTROPHE 2
The gods of heaven do prevail:
they raise the good and scourge the bad.
Excess of happiness—it drives
men's minds awry; in its train 775
comes on corrupted power.
No man foresees the final stretch of time.
Evil lures him, justice races by,
until he wrecks at last the somber car
that holds his happiness, 780
STROPHE 3
O Isrnenus, come with crowns!
Dance and sing: you gleaming streets
of seven-gated Thebes!
Come, O Dirce, lovely river,
leave your father's waters, bring
the nymphs, Asopus' daughters! 785
Come and sing the famous crown
of Heracles the victor!
O wooded crag of Delphi, 790
O Muses' homes on Helicon!
make my city's walls resound,
echo back the joy of Thebes,
city where the sown men rose
with shields of bronze, where still 795
their children's children dwell,
a blessed light to Thebes!
ANTISTROPHE 3
O marriage-bed two bridegrooms shared!
One was man; the other, Zeus,
who entered in the bridal bed 800
and with Alcmene lay.
How true, O Zeus, that marriage
proves to be! Your part therein,
against all doubt, is proven true!
For time at last has clearly shown the strength 805
337