Antigone appears beside him. In the following scene, most of the Servant's lines are spoken, most of Antigone's are sung.
Antigone
Stretch out your hand to me from the stairs now, stretch it out, the hand of age to youth,
[105]
helping me to rise.
Old servant
There! clasp it, maiden; you have come at the right time; for Pelasgia's army is just upon the move, and they are separating the companies.
Antigone
O Lady Hecate,
[110]
child of Leto! The plain is one lightning-flash of bronze.
Old servant
Ah! this is no ordinary home-coming of Polyneices, with the clash of many horses, many arms.
Antigone
Are the gates barred, and the brazen bolts
[115]
fitted into Amphion's walls of stone?
Old servant
Never fear! All is safe within the town. But see the first one, if you want to know him.
Antigone
Who is that one with the white crest,
[120]
who marches before the army, lightly bearing on his arm a shield all of bronze?
Old servant
A captain, mistress.
Antigone
Who is he? Who is his family? Tell me his name, old man.
Old servant
[125]
He claims to be Mycenaean; by Lerna's streams he dwells, the lord Hippomedon.
Antigone
Ah, ah! How proud, how fearful to see, like an earth-born giant, with stars engraved on his shield, not resembling
[130]
mortal race.
Old servant
Do you see the one crossing Dirce's stream?
Antigone
His armor is quite different. Who is that?
Old servant
Tydeus, the son of Oeneus, Aetolian battle-spirit in his breast.
Antigone
[135]
Is this the one, old man, who married a sister of Polyneices' wife? What a foreign look his armor has, half-barbarian!
Old servant
Yes, my child; all Aetolians carry shields,
[140]
and are most unerring marksmen with their darts.
[Antigone
How do you know them so clearly, old man?
Old servant
I saw and learned the devices on their shields before, when I went with the terms of the truce to your brother, since I looked closely at them, I know the armed men.]