DIONYSUS
My women! that man’s now entangled in our net.
He’ll go to those Bacchae, and there he’ll die.
That will be his punishment. Dionysus,
you’re not far away. Now it’s up to you.
Punish him. First, make sure he goes insane
with some crazed fantasy. If his mind is strong,
he’ll not agree to put on women’s clothes.
But he’ll do it, if you make him mad.
I want him made the laughing stock of Thebes,
while I lead him through the city, mincing
as he moves along in women’s clothing,
after he made himself so terrifying
with all those earlier threats. Now I’ll be off,
to fit Pentheus into the costume
he’ll wear when he goes down to Hades,
once he’s butchered by his mother’s hands.
...
CHORUS 1
Up now, you hounds of madness,
go up now into the mountains,
go where Cadmus’ daughters
keep their company of worshippers,
goad them into furious revenge
against that man, that raving spy,
all dressed up in his women’s clothes,
so keen to glimpse the maenads.