No, to share with him his stealthy love. Hecuba What! Phoebus’ virgin-priestess, to whom the god with golden locks granted the gift of maidenhood? Talthybius The dart of love has pierced his heart, love for the frenzied maid. Hecuba Daughter, cast from you the sacred keys, and from your body tear the holy wreaths that drape you in their folds. Talthybius Why! is it not an honor that she should win our monarch’s love? Hecuba What have you done to her whom recently you took from me, my child? Talthybius Do you mean Polyxena, or whom do you inquire about? Hecuba Yes, that one; to whom has the lot assigned her? Talthybius To minister at Achilles’ tomb has been appointed her. Hecuba Woe is me! I the mother of a dead man’s slave! What custom, what ordinance is this among Hellenes, friend? Talthybius Count your daughter happy; it is well with her. Hecuba What wild words are these? Please tell me, is she still alive? Talthybius Her fate is one that sets her free from trouble. Hecuba And what of the wife of Hector skilled in arms, sad Andromache? declare her fate. Talthybius She too was a chosen prize; Achilles’ son took her. Hecuba As for me whose hair is white with age, who need to hold a staff to be to me a third foot, whose servant am I to be? Talthybius Odysseus, king of Ithaca , has taken you to be his slave. Hecuba Oh, oh! Now smite the close-shorn head! tear your cheeks with your nails! Ah me! I have fallen as a slave to a treacherous foe I hate, a monster of lawlessness, one that by his double tongue has turned against us all that once was friendly in his camp, changing this for that and that for this again. Oh weep for me, you Trojan women! Lost and ill-fated! Ah woe! a victim to a most unhappy lot! Chorus Leader Your fate, royal mistress, now you know; but for me, what Helene or Achaean is master of my destiny? Talthybius Go, servants, and bring Cassandra forth to me here at once, that I may place her in our captain’s hands, and then conduct to the rest of the chiefs the captives each has had assigned. Ha! what is the blaze of torches there within? What are they doing? Are they firing the chambers, because they must leave this land and be carried away to Argos ? Are they setting themselves aflame in their longing for death? Truly the free bear their troubles in cases like this with a stiff neck. Open up! lest their deed, which suits them well but finds small favor with the Achaeans, bring blame on me. Hecuba It is not that they are setting anything ablaze, but my child Cassandra , frenzied maid, comes rushing wildly here. Cassandra Bring the light, uplift and show its flame! I am doing the god’s service, see! see! making his shrine to glow with tapers bright. O Hymen, lord of marriage! blessed is the bridegroom; blessed am I also, soon to wed a princely lord in Argos . Hail Hymen, lord of marriage!