Adr. The sons of Danaus, one and all, implore thee to bury the dead.
The. Why didst lead thy seven armies against Thebes?
Adr. To confer that favour on the husbands of my daughters twain.
The. To which of the Argives didst thou give thy daughters in marriage?
Adr. I made no match for them with kinsmen of my family.
The. What! didst give Argive maids to foreign lords?
Adr. Yea, to Tydeus, and to Polynices, who was Theban-born.
The. What induced thee to select this alliance?
Adr. Dark riddles of Phœbus stole away my judgment.
The. What said Apollo to determine the maidens' marriage?
Adr. That I should give my daughters twain to a wild boar and a lion.
The. How dost thou explain the message of the god?
Adr. One night came to my door two exiles.
The. The name of each declare; thou art speaking of both together.
Adr. They fought together, Tydeus with Polynices.
The. Didst thou give thy daughters to them as to wild beasts?
Adr. Yea, for, as they fought, I likened them to those monsters twain.
The. Why had they left the borders of their native land and come to thee?
Adr. Tydeus was exiled for the murder of a kinsman.
The. Wherefore had the son of Œdipus left Thebes?
Adr. By reason of his father's curse, not to spill his brother's blood.
The. Wise no doubt that voluntary exile.
Adr. But those who stayed at home were for injuring the absent.
