“Against this Arcadian will I set Actor, brother to Hyperbius, no boaster but a man of deeds, who will not let this hateful monster, the Sphinx, pass thus into the city; but will rather make it ill content to have come hither, so many and fierce blows shall he deal it.”

“Hear now of the sixth among the chiefs, the wise soothsayer, Amphiaraues.  Ill pleased is he with these things, for against Tydeus he uttereth many reproaches, that he is an evil counsellor to Argos and to King Adrastus, stirring up strife and slaughter.  And to thy brother also he speaketh in like fashion, saying, ’Is this a thing that the Gods love, and that men shall praise in the days to come, that thou bringest a host of strangers to lay waste the city of thy fathers?  Shall this land, if thou subduest it by the spear of the enemy, ever make alliance with thee?  As for me I shall fall in this land, for am I not a seer?  Be it so.  I shall not die without honour!’ No device hath this man on his shield, for he seeketh not to seem, but to be in very deed most excellent.  Thou must need send some wise man to stand against him.”

“It is an ill fate that bringeth a just man into company with the wicked.  And of a truth there is not a worse thing upon the earth than ill companionship, wherein the sowing is madness and the harvest is death.  For thus a god-fearing man being on shipboard with godless companions perisheth with them; and one that is righteous, if he dwell in one city with the wicked, is destroyed with the same destruction.  So shall it fare with this Amphiaraues; for though he be a good man and righteous, and that feareth God, yet shall he perish because he beareth these boasters company.  And I think that he will not come near to the gates, so well knoweth he what shall befall him.  Yet have I set Lasthenes to stand against him, young in years but old in counsel, very keen of eye, and swift of hand to cast his javelin from under his shield.”

“And now, O King! hear how thy brother beareth himself, for he it is who standeth yonder at the seventh gate.  For he crieth aloud that he will climb upon the wall and slay thee, even though he die with thee, or drive thee forth into banishment, even as thou, he saith, hast driven him.  And on his shield there is this device:  a woman leading an armed man, and while she leadeth him, she saith, ’I am justice, and I will bring back this man to the kingdom which is his of right.’”

But when the King heard this he brake forth in much fury, “Now will the curse of this house be fulfilled to the uttermost.  Yet must I not bewail myself, lest there should fall upon us an evil that is yet greater than this.  And as for this Polynices, thinketh he that signs and devices will give him that which he coveteth?  Thinketh he that Justice is on his side?  Nay, but from the day that he came forth from the womb he hath had no converse with her, neither will she stand by him this day.  I will fight against him.  Who more fit than I?  Bring forth my armour that I may make ready.”