62 Ernest Heinrich Klotsche 



Polyneices having resigned and abjured his native Gods, prays 

 to the Argive Hera, whose votary he had become, to assist him in 

 slaying his brother : 



Phoen. 1365-68: 



(b TroTVL Hpa, aos yap eifx', kirel ya/xois 

 efen^' ' Adpaarov 7raI6a /cat paioi x^ova, 

 56s IJ.OL KTaveiv a8eK<p6v, avTr^pt] 5' kixriv 

 Kax^aifxarchaaL Se^iav VLK7)4)bpov . 



" Queen Hera, — for thine am I since I wed 

 Adrastus' child, and dwell within thy land, — 

 Grant me to slay my brother, and to stain 

 My warring hands with blood of victory! " 



Eteocles prays to Pallas : 



Phoen. 1373-76 : 



u> At OS Kopr], 

 dos eyxos y^plv koXXLvlkov e/c x^P^s 

 els arepy' a8e\4>ov rrjad' air' ch\evr]s ^akelv 

 KTaveiv ■& OS ^X«?e irarplba irop^iicroiv ep.i]v. 



"... Daughter of Zeus, 

 Grant that the conquering spear, of mine hand sped, 

 Yea, from this arm, may smite my brother's breast, 

 And slay him who hath come to waste my land ! " 



The two brothers met their doom owing to a curse pronounced . 

 upon them by their father. In a fit of anger CEdipus had pro- 

 nounced on his sons that they might share the kingdom with the 

 sword : 



Phoen. 67-68: 



apas apdrai Tratcrlv avoffLccTaras, 

 d^rjKTcb ctSiyptp Scoria StaXaxetj' roSe. 



"A curse most impious hurled he at his sons. 

 That they might share their heritage with the sword." 



They fearing the accomplishment of the curse had agreed to rule 

 by turns for a year : 



" They terror-stricken lest, if they should dwell 

 Together, Gods might bring the curse to pass, 

 Made covenant that Polyneices first, 

 The younger, self-exiled, should leave the land, 



116 



