Kadmos Child, what a terrible disaster we have all come to—unhappy you, your sisters, and unhappy me. I shall reach a foreign land as an aged immigrant. Still it is foretold that I shall bring into Hellas a motley barbarian army. Leading their spears, I, having the fierce nature of a serpent, will bring my wife Harmonia, daughter of Ares, to the altars and tombs of Hellas. I will neither rest from my troubles in my misery, nor will I sail over the downward flowing Acheron and be at peace.
Agave O father, I will go into exile deprived of you.
Kadmos Why do you embrace me with your hands, child, like a swan for its exhausted gray-haired parent?
Agave For where can I turn, banished from my father-land?
Kadmos I do not know, child; your father is a poor ally.
Agave Farewell, house, farewell, city of my forefathers. In misfortune I leave you, a fugitive from my chamber.
Kadmos Go now, child, to the land of Aristaeus . . . […]
Agave I grieve for you, father.
Kadmos And I for you, child, and I weep for your sisters.
Agave Terribly indeed has lord Dionysus brought this misery to your home.
Dionysus Yes, for I suffered terrible things at your hands, with my name not honored in Thebes.
Agave Farewell, my father.
Kadmos Farewell, unhappy daughter; and yet you cannot easily fare well.
Agave Lead me, escorts, where I may take my pitiful sisters as companions to my exile. May I go where accursed Kithairon may not see me, nor I see Kithairon with my eyes, nor where a memorial of a thyrsos has been dedicated; let these concern other Bacchae.
Chorus Many are the forms of divine things, and the gods bring to pass many things unexpectedly; what is expected has not been accomplished, but the god has found out a means for doing things unthought of. So too has this event turned out.
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