Matheson Collection > Togail na Tebe

THE THEBAID
visit to thee in the form in which he visits Juno." And Semele
asked of Jove to visit her thus, and Jove visited her in the
guise of broadcast fiery lightning, as he usually did to Juno, so
that Semele was at once burnt, for she could not endure the
blaze of the divinity that touched her. And it was because of
that necklace that a toad wounded that maiden, as those lying-
heathen fables testify. And it is told that Jocasta, mother of
Polynices, had that invidious sinful ornament ; and it was by
that means that her own son, to wit, Oedipus, had her to wife,
and that she bore him two sons, to wit, Eteocles and Polynices.
And thereafter Polynices gave it to his own spouse, Argia,
Adrastus' beautiful daughter. Mean and contemptible in the
eyes of her sister Deipyle, were her own substantial bridal
ornaments, as she gazed at that huge golden necklace. And
moreover when Eriphyle, Amphiaraus' fair spouse, had seen
that thing, an ever craving lust for it seized her, so that she
preferred not her life apart from it. And Argia gave her that
gift, and thereafter she sent Amphiaraus by force unto the war
along with Adrastus and Polynices with the hosts and the seven
kings, to carry on the war against the Thebans and Eteocles.
Thereafter battle was joined, and Adrastus and Polynices were
defeated, and the seven kings and Polynices were slain there,
and no man came out of it alive save Adrastus alone; and
Amphiaraus was drowned. As for Alcmaeon, again, son of
Amphiaraus, he slew his mother, Eriphyle ; for it was she that
caused his father, to wit, Amphiaraus, to be drowned. Thereupon
madness seized Alcmaeon after his mother was killed by him.
After that his wife, to wit, Callirrhoe was she, desired of
Alcmaeon the necklace ; for she thought it likely that he would
obtain health, if the necklace were parted from him. After that
the necklace was given her, and for all that none the more
did he obtain health. After that his mother's father, to wit,
Phegeus, came to Alcmaeon, and he slew Alcmaeon, to wit, his
daughter's son, for the crimes of his daughter, Alcmaeon's own
mother. Alcmaeon's wife, Callirrhoe, requested of Jove that he
would guard her two little sons for her until they could avenge
their father; Amphoterus and Acarnan were their names. After
that they arose, and gathered a great, an exceeding great, host
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