Ὡς φάτο. τὸνδ' οὔ τι προσέφη κρατερὸς Διομήδης
αἰδεσθεὶς βασιλῆος ἐνιπὴν αἰδοίοιο:
τὸνδ' υἱὸς Καπανῆος ἀμείψατο κυδαλίμοιο:
Ἀτρείδη: μὴ ψεύδε' ἐπιστάμενος σάφα εἰπεῖν:
ἡμεῖς τοι πατέρων μέγ' ἀμείνονες εὐχόμεθ' εἶναι:
ἡμεῖς καὶ Θήβης ἕδος εἵλομεν ἑπταπύλοιο
παυρότερον λαὸν ἀγαγόνθ' ὑπὸ τεῖχος ἄρειον:
πειθόμενοι τεράεσσι θεῶν καὶ Ζηνὸς ἀρωγῇ:
κεῖνοι δὲ, σφετέρῃσιν ἀτασθαλίῃσιν ὄλοντο:
τῶ μή μοι πατέρας πόθ' ὁμοίῃ ἔνθεο τιμῇ:
So he spake, and stalwart Diomedes answered him not a word, but had respect to the reproof of the king revered. But the son of glorious Capaneus made answer: "Son of Atreus, utter not lies, when thou knowest how to speak truly. We declare ourselves to be better men by far than our fathers: we took the seat of Thebe of the seven gates, when we twain had gathered a lesser host against a stronger wall, putting our trust in the portents of the gods and in the aid of Zeus; whereas they perished through their own blind folly. Wherefore I bid thee put not our fathers in like honour with us."
