And this word is true concerning Kadmos' fair-throned daughters, whose
calamities were great, yet their sore grief fell before greater
good. Amid the Olympians long-haired Semele still liveth, albeit she
perished in the thunder's roar, and Pallas cherisheth her ever, and
Father Zeus exceedingly, and her son, the ivy-bearing god. And in the
sea too they say that to Ino, among the sea-maids of Nereus, life
incorruptible hath been ordained for evermore.

Ay but to mortals the day of death is certain never, neither at what
time we shall see in calm the end of one of the Sun's children, the
Days, with good thitherto unfailing; now this way and now that run
currents bringing joys or toils to men.

Thus destiny which from their fathers holdeth the happy fortune of
this race[3], together with prosperity heaven-sent bringeth ever at
some other time better reverse: from the day when Laïos was slain by
his destined son[4] who met him on the road and made fulfilment of the
oracle spoken of old at Pytho. Then swift Erinys when she saw it slew
by each other's hand his war-like sons: yet after that Polyneikes fell
Thersander[5] lived after him and won honour in the Second Strife[6]
and in the fights of war, a saviour scion to the Adrastid house.

From him they have beginning of their race: meet is it that
Ainesidamos receive our hymn of triumph, on the lyre. For at Olympia
he himself received a prize and at Pytho, and at the Isthmus to his
brother of no less a lot did kindred Graces bring crowns for the
twelve rounds of the four-horse chariot-race.

Victory setteth free the essayer from the struggle's griefs, yea and