136 EURIPIDES. [l. 120-213 warrior host of Hellas, some being in favour of offering the sacrifice at the tomb, others dissenting. There was Agamemnon, all eagerness in thy interest, because of his love for the frenzied prophetess; but the two sons of Theseus, scions of Athens, though supporting different proposals, yet agreed on the same decision, which was to crown Achilles' tomb with fresh-spilt blood ; for they said they never would set Cassandra's love before Achilles' valour. Now the zeal of the rival disputants was almost equal, until that shifty, smooth-mouthed varlet, the son of Laertes, whose tongue is ever at the service of the mob, per- suaded the army not to put aside the best of all the Danai for want of a bond-maid's sacrifice, nor have it said by any of the dead that stand beside Persephone, "The Danai have left the plains of Troy without one thought of grati- tude for their brethren who died for Hellas." Odysseus will be here in an instant, to drag the tender maiden from thy breast and tear her from thy aged arms. To the temples, to the alters with thee ! at Agamemnon's knees throw thy- self as a suppliant ! Invoke alike the gods in heaven and those beneath the earth. For either shall thy prayers avail to spare thee the loss of thy unhappy child, or thou must live to see thy daughter fall before the tomb, her crimson blood spurting in deep dark jets from her neck with gold en- circled. Hec. Woe, woe is me ! What words, or cries, or lamen- tations can I utter ? Ah me ! for the sorrows of my closing years ! for slavery too cruel to brook or bear ! Woe, woe is me ! What champion have I ? Sons, and city — where are they ? Aged Priam is no more ; no more my children now. Which way am I to go, or this or that ? Whither shall I turn my steps? Where is any god or power divine to succour me ? Ah, Trojan maids ! bringers of evil tidings ! messengers of woe I ye have made an end, an utter end of me; life on earth has no more charm for me. Ah! luckless
Page:The Plays of Euripides Vol. 2- Edward P. Coleridge (1913).djvu/148
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