Erechtheus

If to another land of alien men ye go, too late shall ye feel longing deep for mine.

The rolling tides of time bring round a day of brighter glory for this town; and thou, enshrined in honour by the halls where dwelt Erechtheus, shalt a worship win from men and from the train of womankind, greater than any tribe elsewhere shall pay.

Cast thou not, therefore, on this soil of mine whetstones that sharpen souls to bloodshedding, the burning goads of youthful hearts, made hot with frenzy of the spirit, not of wine; nor pluck as 'twere the heart from cocks that strive, to set it in the breast of citizens of mine, a war-god's spirit, keen for fight, made stern against their country and their kin.

The man who grievously doth lust for fame, warful, immitigable, let him wage against the stranger.

Such then are the contradictions in which these matters are involved.

In Cleusis moreover he out-wrestled Cercyon the Arcadian and killed him; and going on a little farther, at Erechtheus he killed Damastes, surnamed Procrustes, by compelling him to make his own body fit his bed, as he had been wont to do with those of strangers.

And he did this in imitation of Heracles; for that hero punished those who offered him violence in the manner in which they had plotted to serve him, and therefore sacrificed Busiris, wrestled Antaeus to death, slew Cycnus in single combat, and killed Termerus by dashing in his skull.

It is from him indeed, as they say, that the name Termerian mischief comes; for Termerus, as it would seem, used to kill those who encountered him by dashing his head against theirs.

This is true, first, because there were so many, for he carried off Ariadne, Antiope, an Axo of Treason, and at last Helen, when he was past his prime and she had not reached her prime, but was an unripe child, while he was already of an age too great for even lawful wedlock.

It is true, secondly, because of the reason for them.

For the daughters of Trezonians and Laconians and Amazons were not betrothed to him, and were no worthier, surely, to be the mothers of his children than the daughters of Erechtheus and Cecrops at Athens.

But one may suspect that these deeds of his were done in lustful wantonness.

Oh, thou beloved Leto's maid, chase comrade, fellow-rester in the glade, lo, I am driven with a caitiff's hand forth from great Athens.

Fare ye well, O land and city of old Erechtheus.

Thou Troezen, what riches of glad youth mine eyes have seen in thy broad plain.

Farewell.

Zetes and Calais they were named.

Their mother was Arethia, the daughter of Erechtheus, king of Athens, and their father was Boreas, the north wind.

These two brothers had on their ankles wings that gleamed with golden scales.

Their black hair was thick upon their shoulders, and it was always being shaken by the wind.

This land of Sisyphus will I constrain with solemn festival and rites to atone for this unhallowed murder.

But I, I go unto Erechtheus' land, with Aegeus to abide, Pandion's son.

Thou, as is meet, foul wretch, shalt foully die, by Argo's wreckage smitten on the skull, now thou hast seen this bridal's bitter ending.

Jason: Now the Fury avenger of children smite thee, and Justice that looketh on murder requite thee.

Zetes and Calais they were named.

Their mother was Oreithyia, the daughter of Erechtheus, king of Athens, and their father was Boreas, the North Wind.

These two brothers had on their ankles wings that gleamed with golden scales.

Their black hair was thick upon their shoulders, and it was always being shaken by the wind.

Alcon his father sent him forth; yet no other sons had he to care for his old age and livelihood; but him, his well-beloved and only son, he sent forth that amid bold heroes he might shine conspicuous.

But Theseus, who surpassed all the sons of Erechtheus, an unseen bond kept beneath the land of Taenarus, for he had followed that path with Pirithous; assuredly both would have lightened for all the fulfilment of their toil.

Tiphys son of Hagnaeus left the Siphaean people of the Thespians, well skilled to foretell the rising wave on the broad sea, and well skilled to infer from sun and star the stormy winds and the time for sailing.

Tritonian Athena herself urged him to join the band of chiefs, and he came among them a welcome comrade.