Scaife ATLAS

CTS Library / Hecuba

Hecuba (930-998)

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0006.tlg007.perseus-eng2:930-998
Refs {'start': {'reference': '930', 'human_reference': 'Line 930'}, 'end': {'reference': '998', 'human_reference': 'Line 998'}}
Ancestors []
Children []
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sons of Hellas, when, oh! when will you sack the citadel of Ilium, and seek your homes?
933
Chorus
I left my bed, wearing only a tunic, like a Dorian girl,
and sought in vain, ah me! to station myself at the holy hearth of Artemis; for, after seeing my husband slain, I was led away over the broad sea; with many a backward look at my city,
when the ship began her homeward voyage and parted me from Ilium’s strand; till alas! for very grief I fainted,
943
Chorus
Cursing Helen the sister of the Dioscuri, and Paris the baleful shepherd of Ida;
for it was their marriage, which was no marriage but misery sent by some demon, that robbed me of my country and drove me from my home.
Oh! may the sea’s salt flood never carry her home again; and may she never set foot in her father’s halls!
953
Hecuba comes out of the tent as Polymestor, his children and guards enter.
Polymestor
My dear friend Priam, and you no less, Hecuba, I weep to see you and your city thus, and your daughter lately slain.
Ah! there is nothing to be relied on; fair fame is insecure, nor is there any guarantee that prosperity will not be turned to woe. For the gods confound our fortunes, tossing them to and fro, and introduce confusion, so that our perplexity
may make us worship them. But what use is it to lament these things, and make no advance ahead of trouble? If you are blaming me at all for my absence, stop a moment; I happened to be away in the very heart of Thrace when you came here; but on my return,
just as I was starting from my home for the same purpose, your maid fell in with me, and gave me your message, which brought me here at once.
Hecuba
Polymestor, I am held in such wretchedness that I blush to meet your eye;
for my present evil case makes me ashamed to face you who saw me in happier days, and I could not look on you with unfaltering gaze. Do not then think it ill-will towards you, Polymestor; there is another cause as well,
I mean the custom which forbids women to meet men’s gaze.
Polymestor
No wonder, surely. But what need do you have of me? Why did you send for me to come here from my house?
Hecuba
I wish to tell you and your children a private matter of my own; please bid
your attendants withdraw from the tent.
Polymestorto his attendants
Retire; this desert spot is safe enough. The guards go out; to Hecuba You are my friend, and this Achaean army is well-disposed to me. But you must tell me how prosperity
is to help its unlucky friends; for I am ready to do so.
986
Hecuba
First tell me of the child Polydorus, whom you are keeping in your house, received from me and his father; is he alive? The rest I will ask you after that.
Polymestor
Yes, you still have a share in fortune there.
Hecuba
Well said, dear friend! how worthy of you!
Polymestor
What next would you learn of me?
Hecuba
has he any recollection of me his mother?
Polymestor
Yes, he was longing to steal away here to you.
Hecuba
Is the gold safe, which he brought with him from Troy?
Polymestor
Safe under lock and key in my halls.
Hecuba
Do save it, but do not desire your neighbor’s goods.
Polymestor
Not I; may I benefit by what I have, lady!
Hecuba
Do you know what I wish to say to you and your children?

Tokens

sons 1 w 4
of 1 w 6
Hellas 1 w 12
when 1 w 17
oh 1 w 20
when 2 w 25
will 1 w 29
you 1 w 32
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the 1 w 39
citadel 1 w 46
of 2 w 48
Ilium 1 w 53
and 1 w 57
seek 1 w 61
your 1 w 65
homes 1 w 70
Chorus 1 w 77
I 2 w 78
left 1 w 82
my 1 w 84
bed 1 w 87
wearing 1 w 95
only 1 w 99
a 6 w 100
tunic 1 w 105
like 1 w 110
a 7 w 111
Dorian 1 w 117
girl 1 w 121
and 2 w 125
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vain 1 w 137
ah 1 w 140
me 2 w 142
to 1 w 145
station 1 w 152
myself 1 w 158
at 2 w 160
the 2 w 163
holy 1 w 167
hearth 1 w 173
of 3 w 175
Artemis 1 w 182
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after 1 w 192
seeing 1 w 198
my 3 w 200
husband 1 w 207
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I 3 w 214
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the 3 w 231
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the 4 w 277
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her 1 w 289
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and 4 w 306
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me 4 w 314
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Ilium 2 w 323
s 18 w 325
strand 1 w 331
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for 2 w 344
very 1 w 348
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I 5 w 354
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Chorus 2 w 368
Cursing 1 w 375
Helen 1 w 380
the 5 w 383
sister 1 w 389
of 4 w 391
the 6 w 394
Dioscuri 1 w 402
and 6 w 406
Paris 1 w 411
the 7 w 414
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shepherd 1 w 429
of 5 w 431
Ida 1 w 434
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it 4 w 440
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their 1 w 448
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no 1 w 467
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me 6 w 512
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my 5 w 516
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and 7 w 526
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me 7 w 533
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my 6 w 539
home 3 w 543
Oh 1 w 546
may 1 w 550
the 9 w 553
sea 2 w 556
s 34 w 558
salt 1 w 562
flood 1 w 567
never 1 w 572
carry 1 w 577
her 3 w 580
home 4 w 584
again 1 w 589
and 8 w 593
may 2 w 596
she 2 w 599
never 2 w 604
set 1 w 607
foot 1 w 611
in 9 w 613
her 4 w 616
father 1 w 622
s 38 w 624
halls 1 w 629
Hecuba 1 w 636
comes 1 w 641
out 1 w 644
of 7 w 646
the 11 w 649
tent 1 w 653
as 6 w 655
Polymestor 1 w 665
his 1 w 669
children 1 w 677
and 9 w 680
guards 1 w 686
enter 1 w 691
Polymestor 2 w 702
My 1 w 704
dear 1 w 708
friend 1 w 714
Priam 1 w 719
and 10 w 723
you 3 w 726
no 2 w 728
less 1 w 732
Hecuba 2 w 739
I 7 w 741
weep 1 w 745
to 4 w 747
see 3 w 750
you 4 w 753
and 11 w 756
your 2 w 760
city 2 w 764
thus 1 w 768
and 12 w 772
your 3 w 776
daughter 1 w 784
lately 1 w 790
slain 2 w 795
Ah 1 w 798
there 1 w 804
is 6 w 806
nothing 1 w 813
to 5 w 815
be 4 w 817
relied 1 w 823
on 5 w 825
fair 1 w 830
fame 1 w 834
is 7 w 836
insecure 1 w 844
nor 1 w 848
is 8 w 850
there 2 w 855
any 2 w 858
guarantee 1 w 867
that 2 w 871
prosperity 1 w 881
will 2 w 885
not 2 w 888
be 5 w 890
turned 1 w 896
to 6 w 898
woe 1 w 901
For 1 w 905
the 14 w 908
gods 1 w 912
confound 1 w 920
our 4 w 923
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tossing 1 w 939
them 1 w 943
to 8 w 945
and 13 w 948
fro 3 w 951
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introduce 1 w 964
confusion 1 w 973
so 4 w 976
that 3 w 980
our 5 w 983
perplexity 1 w 993
may 3 w 996
make 1 w 1000
us 6 w 1002
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them 2 w 1013
But 1 w 1017
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and 15 w 1051
make 2 w 1055
no 6 w 1057
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ahead 1 w 1069
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trouble 1 w 1078
If 1 w 1081
you 7 w 1084
are 1 w 1087
blaming 1 w 1094
me 15 w 1096
at 10 w 1098
all 2 w 1101
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my 7 w 1106
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stop 1 w 1118
a 96 w 1119
moment 1 w 1125
I 9 w 1127
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to 11 w 1137
be 6 w 1139
away 2 w 1143
in 17 w 1145
the 18 w 1148
very 2 w 1152
heart 2 w 1157
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Thrace 1 w 1165
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you 8 w 1172
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my 8 w 1188
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just 1 w 1199
as 7 w 1201
I 10 w 1202
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starting 1 w 1213
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my 9 w 1219
home 5 w 1223
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the 19 w 1229
same 1 w 1233
purpose 1 w 1240
your 4 w 1245
maid 1 w 1249
fell 1 w 1253
in 19 w 1255
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me 20 w 1261
and 16 w 1265
gave 1 w 1269
me 21 w 1271
your 5 w 1275
message 1 w 1282
which 2 w 1288
brought 1 w 1295
me 23 w 1297
here 4 w 1301
at 11 w 1303
once 1 w 1307
Hecuba 3 w 1314
Polymestor 3 w 1324
I 11 w 1326
am 7 w 1328
held 1 w 1332
in 20 w 1334
such 1 w 1338
wretchedness 1 w 1350
that 4 w 1354
I 12 w 1355
blush 1 w 1360
to 13 w 1362
meet 1 w 1366
your 6 w 1370
eye 1 w 1373
for 7 w 1377
my 10 w 1379
present 1 w 1386
evil 1 w 1390
case 1 w 1394
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me 26 w 1401
ashamed 1 w 1408
to 14 w 1410
face 1 w 1414
you 12 w 1417
who 1 w 1420
saw 1 w 1423
me 28 w 1425
in 21 w 1427
happier 1 w 1434
days 1 w 1438
and 17 w 1442
I 13 w 1443
could 1 w 1448
not 3 w 1451
look 2 w 1455
on 11 w 1457
you 13 w 1460
with 3 w 1464
unfaltering 1 w 1475
gaze 1 w 1479
Do 2 w 1482
not 4 w 1485
then 1 w 1489
think 1 w 1494
it 11 w 1496
ill-will 1 w 1504
towards 1 w 1511
you 14 w 1514
Polymestor 4 w 1525
there 3 w 1531
is 10 w 1533
another 1 w 1540
cause 1 w 1545
as 11 w 1547
well 1 w 1551
I 14 w 1553
mean 1 w 1557
the 23 w 1560
custom 1 w 1566
which 3 w 1571
forbids 1 w 1578
women 1 w 1583
to 18 w 1585
meet 2 w 1589
men 4 w 1592
s 96 w 1594
gaze 2 w 1598
Polymestor 5 w 1609
No 1 w 1611
wonder 1 w 1617
surely 1 w 1624
But 2 w 1628
what 2 w 1632
need 1 w 1636
do 1 w 1638
you 15 w 1641
have 1 w 1645
of 10 w 1647
me 35 w 1649
Why 1 w 1653
did 1 w 1656
you 16 w 1659
send 1 w 1663
for 9 w 1666
me 36 w 1668
to 20 w 1670
come 2 w 1674
here 6 w 1678
from 4 w 1682
my 11 w 1684
house 1 w 1689
Hecuba 4 w 1696
I 15 w 1697
wish 1 w 1701
to 21 w 1703
tell 1 w 1707
you 17 w 1710
and 18 w 1713
your 7 w 1717
children 2 w 1725
a 136 w 1726
private 1 w 1733
matter 1 w 1739
of 11 w 1741
my 12 w 1743
own 1 w 1746
please 1 w 1753
bid 2 w 1756
your 8 w 1760
attendants 1 w 1770
withdraw 1 w 1778
from 5 w 1782
the 24 w 1785
tent 2 w 1789
Polymestor 6 w 1800
to 23 w 1802
his 2 w 1805
attendants 2 w 1815
Retire 1 w 1821
this 1 w 1826
desert 1 w 1832
spot 1 w 1836
is 14 w 1838
safe 1 w 1842
enough 1 w 1848
The 1 w 1852
guards 2 w 1858
go 2 w 1860
out 2 w 1863
to 24 w 1866
Hecuba 5 w 1872
You 1 w 1875
are 2 w 1878
my 13 w 1880
friend 2 w 1886
and 19 w 1890
this 2 w 1894
Achaean 1 w 1901
army 1 w 1905
is 16 w 1907
well-disposed 1 w 1920
to 25 w 1922
me 39 w 1924
But 3 w 1928
you 20 w 1931
must 1 w 1935
tell 2 w 1939
me 40 w 1941
how 1 w 1944
prosperity 2 w 1954
is 18 w 1956
to 26 w 1958
help 1 w 1962
its 1 w 1965
unlucky 1 w 1972
friends 1 w 1979
for 10 w 1983
I 16 w 1984
am 9 w 1986
ready 1 w 1991
to 27 w 1993
do 2 w 1995
so 5 w 1997
Hecuba 6 w 2004
First 1 w 2009
tell 3 w 2013
me 41 w 2015
of 12 w 2017
the 25 w 2020
child 3 w 2025
Polydorus 1 w 2034
whom 1 w 2039
you 21 w 2042
are 3 w 2045
keeping 1 w 2052
in 25 w 2054
your 9 w 2058
house 2 w 2063
received 1 w 2072
from 6 w 2076
me 42 w 2078
and 20 w 2081
his 5 w 2084
father 2 w 2090
is 20 w 2093
he 47 w 2095
alive 1 w 2100
The 2 w 2104
rest 1 w 2108
I 17 w 2109
will 4 w 2113
ask 1 w 2116
you 23 w 2119
after 2 w 2124
that 5 w 2128
Polymestor 7 w 2139
Yes 1 w 2142
you 24 w 2146
still 1 w 2151
have 2 w 2155
a 164 w 2156
share 1 w 2161
in 26 w 2163
fortune 2 w 2170
there 4 w 2175
Hecuba 7 w 2182
Well 1 w 2186
said 1 w 2190
dear 2 w 2195
friend 4 w 2201
how 2 w 2205
worthy 1 w 2211
of 13 w 2213
you 25 w 2216
Polymestor 8 w 2227
What 1 w 2231
next 1 w 2235
would 1 w 2240
you 26 w 2243
learn 1 w 2248
of 14 w 2250
me 45 w 2252
Hecuba 8 w 2259
has 1 w 2262
he 50 w 2264
any 3 w 2267
recollection 1 w 2279
of 15 w 2281
me 46 w 2283
his 6 w 2286
mother 1 w 2292
Polymestor 9 w 2303
Yes 2 w 2306
he 52 w 2309
was 5 w 2312
longing 1 w 2319
to 31 w 2321
steal 1 w 2326
away 3 w 2330
here 8 w 2334
to 32 w 2336
you 27 w 2339
Hecuba 9 w 2346
Is 1 w 2348
the 29 w 2351
gold 1 w 2355
safe 2 w 2359
which 4 w 2365
he 55 w 2367
brought 2 w 2374
with 5 w 2378
him 1 w 2381
from 7 w 2385
Troy 1 w 2389
Polymestor 10 w 2400
Safe 1 w 2404
under 1 w 2409
lock 1 w 2413
and 21 w 2416
key 1 w 2419
in 28 w 2421
my 15 w 2423
halls 2 w 2428
Hecuba 10 w 2435
Do 3 w 2437
save 1 w 2441
it 16 w 2443
but 3 w 2447
do 4 w 2449
not 6 w 2452
desire 1 w 2458
your 10 w 2462
neighbor 1 w 2470
s 148 w 2472
goods 1 w 2477
Polymestor 11 w 2488
Not 1 w 2491
I 19 w 2492
may 4 w 2496
I 20 w 2497
benefit 1 w 2504
by 2 w 2506
what 3 w 2510
I 21 w 2511
have 3 w 2515
lady 1 w 2520
Hecuba 11 w 2527
Do 4 w 2529
you 29 w 2532
know 1 w 2536
what 4 w 2540
I 22 w 2541
wish 2 w 2545
to 35 w 2547
say 1 w 2550
to 36 w 2552
you 30 w 2555
and 22 w 2558
your 11 w 2562
children 3 w 2570