152 EURIPIDES. [L. 716-773 laws 'twixt guest and host ? Accursed monster ! how hast thou mangled his flesh, slashing the poor child's limbs with ruthless sword, lost to all sense of pity ! Cho. Alas for thee ! how some deity, whose hand is heavy on thee, hath sent thee troubles beyond all other mortals! But yonder I see our lord and master Agamemnon coming ; so let us be still henceforth, my friends. Aga. Hecuba, why art thou delaying to come and bury thy daughter? for it was for this that Talthybius brought me thy message begging that none of the Argives should touch thy child. And so I granted this, and none is touching her, but this long delay of thine fills me with wonder. Wherefore am I come to send thee hence ; for our part there is well performed; if herein there be any place for
- 'well."
Ha ! what man is this I see near the tents, some Trojan's corpse ? 'tis not an Argive's body ; that the garments it is clad in tell me. Hec. {aside.) Unhappy one ! in naming thee I name myself; O Hecuba, what shall I do? throw myself here at Agamemnon's knees, or bear my sorrows in silence ? Aga. Why dost thou turn thy back towards me and weep, refusing to say what has happened, or who this is ? Hec. (aside.) But should he count me as a slave and foe and spurn me from his knees, I should but add to my anguish. Aga. I am no prophet born ; wherefore, if I be not told, I cannot learn the current of thy thoughts. Hec. {aside.) Can it be that in estimating this man's feelings I make him out too ill-disposed, when he is not really so ? Aga. If thy wish really is that I should remain in igno- rance, we are of one mind ; for I have no wish myself to listen. Hec. {aside.) Without his aid I shall not be able to
