Prologos
Attendant
I heard one say, pretending not to listen as I approached the place where our greybeards sit playing draughtsπεσσοὺς literally the game itself; here; explained by the Scholiast as the place where it was habitually played. near Pirene’s sacred spring,
that Creon, the ruler of this land, is bent on driving these children and their mother from the boundaries of Corinth; but I know not whether the news is to be relied upon, and would fain it were not.
70
Nurse
What! will Jason brook such treatment of his sons,
even though he be at variance with their mother?
75
Attendant
Old ties give way to new; he bears no longer any love to this family.
Nurse
Undone, it seems, are we, if to old woes fresh ones we add, ere we have drained the former to the dregs.
Attendant
Hold thou thy peace, say not a word of this; ’tis no time for our mistress to learn hereof.
80
Nurse
O children, do ye hear how your father feels towards you? Perdition catch him, but no! he is my master still; yet is he proved a veiy traitor to his nearest and dearest.
Attendant
And who ’mongst men is not? Art learning only now, that every single man cares for himself more than for his neighbour, some from honest, motives, others for mere gain’s sake? seeing that to indulge his passion their father has ceased to love these children.
85
Nurse
Go, children, within the house; all will be well.
Do thou keep them as far away as may be, and bring them not near their mother in her evil hour. For ere this have I seen her eyeing them savagely, as though she were minded to do them some hurt, and well I know she will not cease from her fury till she have pounced on some victim.
90
At least may she turn her hand against her foes, and not against her friends.
95
