Andromache (529-605)

Why fall at my knees in supplication? hard as the rock and deaf as the wave am I. My own friends have I helped,

but for thee have I no tie of affection; for verily it cost me a great part of my life to capture Troy and thy mother; so thou shalt reap the fruit thereof and into Hades’ halls descend.

Behold! I see Peleus drawing nigh; with aged step he hasteth hither.

calling out as he comes in sight. What means this? I ask you and your executioner; why is the palace in an uproar? give a reason; what mean your lawless machinations?

Menelaus, hold thy hand. Seek not to outrun justice. To his attendant. Forward! faster, faster! for this matter, methinks, admits of no delay; now if ever would I fain[*] resume the vigour of my youth. First however

will I breathe new life into this captive, being to her as the breeze that blows a ship before the wind. Tell me, by what right have they pinioned thine arms and are dragging thee and thy child away? like a ewe with her lamb art thou led to the slaughter, while I and thy lord were far away.

Behold them that are haling me and my child to death,

e’en as thou seest, aged prince. Why should I tell thee? For not by one urgent summons alone but by countless messengers have I sent for thee. No doubt thou knowest by hearsay of the strife in this house with this man’s daughter, and the reason of my ruin.

So now they have torn and are dragging me from the altar of Thetis, the goddess of thy chiefest adoration and the mother of thy gallant son, without any proper trial, yea, and without waiting for my absent master; because, forsooth, they knew my defencelessness

and my child’s, whom they mean to slay with me his hapless mother, though he has done no harm. But to thee, O sire, I make my supplication, prostrate at thy knees, though my hand cannot touch thy friendly beard; save me, I adjure thee, reverend sir,

or to thy shame and my sorrow shall we be slain.

Loose her bonds, I say, ere some one rue it; untie her folded hands.

I forbid it, for besides[*] being a match for thee,

I have a far better right to her.

What! art thou come hither to set my house in order? Art not content with ruling thy Spartans?

She is my captive; I took her from Troy.

Aye, but my son’s son received her as his prize.

Is not all I have his, and all his mine?

For good, but not evil ends; and surely not for murderous violence.

Never shalt thou wrest her from my grasp.

With this good staff I’ll stain thy head with blood!

Just touch me and see! Approach one step!

What! shalt thou rank with men? chief of cowards, son of cowards! What right hast thou to any place ’mongst men? Thou who didst let a Phrygian rob thee of thy wife, leaving thy home without bolt or guard,[*] as if forsooth the cursed woman thou hadst there was a model of virtue.

No! a Spartan! maid could not be chaste, e’en if she would, who leaves her home and bares her limbs and lets her robe float free, to share; with youths their races and their sports,--

customs I cannot away with. Is it any wonder then that ye fail to educate your women in virtue? Helen might have asked thee this, seeing that she said goodbye to thy affection and tripped off with her young gallant to a foreign land.

And yet for her sake thou didst marshal all the hosts of Hellas and lead them to Ilium, whereas thou shouldst have shown thy loathing for her by refusing to stir a spear, once thou hadst found her false; yea, thou shouldst have let her stay there, and even paid a price to save ever having her back again.