Instead of this, when our sun was set and the smoke of our city showed it was in the enemy's power, thou didst murder the guest who had come to thy hearth. Furthermore, to prove thy villainly, hear this; if thou wert really a friend to those Achaeans, thou shouldst have brought the gold, which thou sayst thou art keeping not for thyself but for Agamemnon, and given it to them, for they were in need and had endured a long exile from their native land. Whereas not even now canst thou bring thyself to part with it, but persistest in keeping it in thy palace. Again, hadst thou kept my son safe and sound, as thy duty was, a fair renown would have been thy reward, for it is in trouble's hour that the good most clearly show their friendship;though prosperity of itself in every case finds friends. Wert thou in need of money and he prosperous, that son of mine would have been as a mighty treasure for thee to draw upon; but now thou hast him no longer to be thy friend, and the benefit of the gold is gone from thee, thy children too are dead, and thyself art in this sorry plight.
To thee, Agamemnon, I say, if thou help this man, thou wilt show thy worthlessness; for thou wilt be serving one devoid of honour or piety, a stranger to the claims of good faith, a wicked host; while I shall say thou delightest in evil-doers, being such an one thyself; but I rail not at my masters.
LEADER
Look you! how a good cause ever affords men an opening for a good speech.
AGAMEMNON
To be judge in a stranger's troubles goes much against my grain, but still I must; yea, for to take this matter in hand and then put it from me is a shameful course. My opinion, that thou mayst know it, is that it was not for the sake of the Achaeans or me that thou didst slay thy guest, but to keep that gold in thy own house. In thy trouble thou makest a case in thy own interests. Maybe amongst you 'tis a light thing to murder guests, but with us in Hellas 'tis a disgrace. How can I escape reproach if I judge the not guilty? Icannot do it. Nay, since thou didst dare thy horrid crime, endure as well its painful consequence.
POLYMESTOR
Woe is me! worsted by a woman and a slave, I am, it seems, to suffer by unworthy hands.
HECUBA
Is it not just for thy atrocious crime?
POLYMESTOR
Ah, my children! ah, my blinded eyes! woe is me!
HECUBA
Dost thou grieve? what of me? thinkst thou I grieve not for my son?
POLYMESTOR
Thou wicked wretch! thy delight is in mocking me.
1
I am avenged on thee; have I not cause for joy?
POLYMESTOR
The joy will soon cease, in the day when ocean's flood-HECUBAShall convey me to the shores of Hellas?
POLYMESTOR
Nay, but close o'er thee when thou fallest from the masthead.
HECUBA
Who will force me to take the leap?
POLYMESTOR
Of thy own accord wilt thou climb the ship's mast.
HECUBA
With wings upon my back, or by what means?
POLYMESTOR
Thou wilt become a dog with bloodshot eyes.
HECUBA
How knowest thou of my transformation?
POLYMESTOR
Dionysus, our Thracian prophet, told me so.
HECUBA
And did he tell thee nothing of thy present trouble?
POLYMESTOR
No; else hadst thou never caught me thus by guile.
HECUBA
Shall I die or live, and so complete my life on earth?
POLYMESTOR
Die shalt thou; and to thy tomb shall be given a name-HECUBARecalling my form, or what wilt thou tell me?
POLYMESTOR
"The hapless hound's grave," a mark for mariners."HECUBA'Tis naught to me, now that thou hast paid me forfeit.
POLYMESTOR
Further, thy daughter Cassandra must die.
HECUBA
I scorn the prophecy! I give it to thee to keep for thyself.
POLYMESTOR
Her shall the wife of Agamemnon, grim keeper of his palace, slay.
HECUBA
Never may the daughter of Tyndareus do such a frantic deed!
POLYMESTOR
And she shall slay this king as well, lifting high the axe.
AGAMEMNON
Ha! sirrah, art thou mad? art so eager to find sorrow?
POLYMESTOR
Kill me, for in Argos there awaits thee a murderous bath.
AGAMEMNON
Ho! servants, hale him from my sight POLYMESTORHa! my words gall thee?
AGAMEMNON
Stop his mouth!
POLYMESTOR
Close it now; for I have spoken.
AGAMEMNON
Haste and cast him upon some desert island, since his mouth is full of such exceeding presumption. Go thou, unhappy Hecuba, and bury thy two corpses; and you, Trojan women, to your masters' tents repair, for lo! I perceive a breeze just rising to waft us home. God grant we reach our country and find all well at home, released from troubles here!
(POLYMESTOR is dragged away by AGAMEMNON'S guards.)CHORUS (chanting)Away to the harbour and the tents, my friends, to prove the toils of slavery! for such is fate's relentless hest.
-THE END-
