Why, what misfortune could happen to a woman as yet childless, unless her honour is concerned? Hermione My very complaint! Thou hast hit my case exactly. Orestes On whom has thy husband set his affections in thy stead? Hermione On his captive, Hector’s wife. Orestes An evil case indeed, for a man to have two wives! Hermione ’Tis even thus. So I resented it. Orestes Didst thou with woman’s craft devise a plot against thy rival? Hermione Yes, to slay her and her bastard child. Orestes And didst thou slay them, or did something happen to rescue them from thee? Hermione It was old Peleus, who showed regard to the weaker side. Orestes Hadst thou any accomplice in this attempted murder? Hermione My father came from Sparta for this very purpose. Orestes And was he after all defeated by that old man’s prowess ? Hermione Oh no! but by shame; and he hath gone and left me all alone. Orestes I understand; thou art afraid of thy husband for that thou hast done. Hermione Thou hast guessed it; for he will have a right to me. What can I say for myself? Yet I beseech thee by Zeus the god of our family, send me to a land as far as possible from this, or to my father’s house; for these very Reading οἵδε γε . walls seem to cry out Begone!