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CHORUS
Cadmus, I am sorry for thy fate; for though thy daughter's child
hath met but his deserts, 'tis bitter grief to thee.
AGAVE
O father, thou seest how sadly my fortune is changed.[*]
[* After this a very large lacuna occurs in the MS.]
DIONYSUS
Thou shalt be changed into a serpent; and thy wife Harmonia, Ares'
child, whom thou in thy human life didst wed, shall change her
nature for a snake's, and take its form. With her shalt thou, as
leader of barbarian tribes, drive thy team of steers, so saith an
oracle of Zeus; and many a city shalt thou sack with an army
numberless; but in the day they plunder the oracle of Loxias, shall
they rue their homeward march; but thee and Harmonia will Ares rescue,
and set thee to live henceforth in the land of the blessed. This do
I declare, I Dionysus, son of no mortal father but of Zeus. Had ye
learnt wisdom when ye would not, ye would now be happy with the son of
Zeus for your ally.
AGAVE
O Dionysus! we have sinned; thy pardon we implore.
DIONYSUS
Too late have ye learnt to know me; ye knew me not at the proper
time.
AGAVE
We recognize our error; but thou art too revengeful.
DIONYSUS
Yea, for I, though a god, was slighted by you.
AGAVE
Gods should not let their passion sink to man's level.
DIONYSUS
Long ago my father Zeus ordained it thus.
AGAVE
Alas! my aged sire, our doom is fixed; 'tis woful exile.
DIONYSUS
Why then delay the inevitable? Exit.
CADMUS
Daughter, to what an awful pass are we now come, thou too, poor
child, and thy sisters, while I alas! in my old age must seek
barbarian shores, to sojourn there; but the oracle declares that I
shall yet lead an army, half-barbarian, half-Hellene, to Hellas; and
in serpent's shape shall I carry my wife Harmonia, the daughter of
Ares, transformed like me to a savage snake, against the altars and
tombs of Hellas at the head of my troops; nor shall I ever cease
from my woes, ah me! nor ever cross the downward stream of Acheron and
be at rest.
AGAVE
Father, I shall be parted from thee and exiled.
CADMUS
Alas! my child, why fling thy arms around me, as a snowy cygnet
folds its wings about the frail old swan?
AGAVE
Whither can I turn, an exile from my country?
CADMUS
I know not, my daughter; small help is thy father now.
AGAVE
Farewell, my home! farewell, my native city! with sorrow I am
leaving thee, an exile from my bridal bower.
CADMUS
Go, daughter, to the house of Aristaeus,[*]
[* Another large lacuna follows.]
AGAVE
Father, I mourn for thee.
CADMUS
And I for thee, my child; for thy sisters too I shed a tear.
AGAVE
Ah! terribly was king Dionysus bringing this outrage on thy house.
CADMUS
Yea, for he suffered insults dire from you, his name receiving
no meed of honour in Thebes.
AGAVE
Farewell, father mine!
CADMUS
Farewell, my hapless daughter and yet thou scarce canst reach that
bourn.
AGAVE
Oh! lead me, guide me to the place where I shall find my
sisters, sharers in my exile to their sorrow! Oh! to reach a spot
where cursed Cithaeron ne'er shall see me more nor I Cithaeron with
mine eyes; where no memorial of the thyrsus is set up! Be they to
other Bacchantes dear!
CHORUS
Many are the forms the heavenly will assumes, and many a thing the
gods fulfil contrary to all hope; that which was expected is not
brought to pass, while for the unlooked-for Heaven finds out a way.
E'en such hath been the issue here.
Exeunt OMNES.
THE END
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