my royal mistress from her happy home, to crown her queen ’mongst sorrow’s brides! Surely evil omens from either port, at least from Crete, were with that ship, what time to glorious Athens it sped its way, and the crew made fast its twisted cable-ends upon the beach of
 Munychus, and on the land stept out.

ChorusWhence comes it that her heart is crushed, cruelly afflicted by Aphrodite with unholy love; so she by bitter grief o’erwhelmed will tie a noose within her bridal bower to fit it to her fair white neck, too modest for this hateful lot in life, prizing o’er all her name and fame, and striving thus to rid her soul of passion’s sting.

MessengerHelp!Messenger lines attributed to the Nurse in the Greek. ho! To the rescue all who near the palace stand! She hath hung herself, our queen, the wife of Theseus.ChorusWoe worth the day! the deed is done; our royal mistress is no more, dead she hangs in the dangling noose.MessengerHaste!Messenger lines attributed to the Nurse in the Greek. some one bring a two-edged knife wherewith to cut the knot about her neck!1st Half ChorusFriends, what shall we do? think you we should enter the house, and loose the queen from the tight-drawn noose?2nd Half ChorusWhy should we? Are there not young servants here? To do too much is not a safe course in life.MessengerLayMessenger lines attributed to the Nurse in the Greek. out the hapless corpse, straighten the limbs. This was a bitter way to sit at home and keep my master’s house! [Exit Messenger. ChorusShe is dead, poor lady, so I hear. Already are they laying out the corpse.TheseusLadies, can ye tell me what the uproar in the palace means? There came the sound of servants weeping bitterly to mine ear. None of my household deign to open wide the gates and give me glad welcome as a traveller from prophetic shrines. Hath aught befallen old Pittheus? No. Though he be well advanced in years, yet should I mourn, were he to quit this house.Chorus’Tis not against the old, Theseus, that fate, to strike thee, aims this blow; prepare thy sorrow for a younger corpse.TheseusWoe is me! is it a child’s life death robs me of?ChorusThey live; but, cruellest news of all for thee, their mother is no more.TheseusWhat! my wife dead? By what cruel mischance?ChorusAbout her neck she tied the hangman’s knot.TheseusHad grief so chilled her blood? or what had befallen her?ChorusI know but this, for I am myself but now arrived at the houseto mourn thy sorrows, O Theseus.TheseusWoe is me! why have I crowned my head with woven garlands, when misfortune greets my embassage? Unbolt the doors, servants, loose their fastenings, that I may see the piteous sight, my wife, whose death is death to me. [The palace opens, disclosing the corpse.

ChorusWoe! woe is thee for thy piteous lot! thou hast done thyself a hurt deep enough to overthrow this family. Ah! ah! the daring of it! done to death by violence and unnatural means, the desperate effortof thy own poor hand! Who cast the shadow o’er thy life, poor lady?

TheseusAh me, my cruel lot! sorrow hath done her worst on me. O fortune, how heavily hast thou set thy foot on me and on my house,