Page:Tragedies of Euripides (Way 1896) v2.djvu/292

---

She, torn from home—yet fain to be undone; 1065
Thou, murderess of Hellas' noblest son,
Pleading that for a daughter's sake thou slew'st
A husband!—ah, men knew thee not as I,
Thee, who, before thy daughter's death was doomed,
When from thine home thy lord had newly passed, 1070
Wert sleeking at the mirror thy bright hair!
The woman who, her husband far from home,
Bedecks herself, blot out her name as vile!
She needeth not to flaunt abroad a face
Made fair, except she be on mischief bent. 1075
Of Hellas' daughters none save thee I know,
Who, when the might of Troy prevailed, was glad,
Whose eyes were clouded when her fortunes sank,
Who wished not Agamemnon home from Troy.
Yet reason fair thou hadst to be true wife: 1080
Not worser than Aegisthus was thy lord,
Whom Hellas chose to lead her war-array.
And, when thy sister Helen so had sinned,
High praise was thine to win; for sinners' deeds
Lift up the good for ensamples in men's sight. 1085
If, as thou say'st, my father slew thy daughter,
How did I wrong thee, and my brother how?
Why, having slain thy lord, didst thou on us
Bestow not our sire's halls, but buy therewith
An alien couch, and pay a price for shame? 1090
Nor is thy spouse now exiled for thy son,
Nor for me slain, who hath dealt me living death
Twice crueller than my sister's: yea, if blood
'Gainst blood in judgment rise, I and thy son,
Orestes, must slay thee to avenge our sire: 1095
For, if thy claim was just, this too is just.
Whoso, regarding wealth, or birth, shall wed