Helen (820-870)

A voice that has settled in the inmost parts of his house?

No, but his sister; she is called Theonoe.

The name is prophetic; tell me what she does.

She knows everything, and she will tell her brother that you are here.

We must die; for I cannot escape her notice.

Perhaps we might persuade her by supplication—

To do what? What hope are you leading me to?

Not to tell her brother that you are here in this land.

If we persuade her, could we get away from this country?

Easily, in common with her; but secretly we could not.

The task is yours; it is suitable for women to deal with women.

Be sure that I will clasp her knees.

Well, then, what if she rejects our proposals?

You will die. And I, the unhappy one, will be married by force.

You would be a traitor; that force of yours is all an excuse.

But I have sworn a sacred oath by your life—

What do you mean? To die? And never to take his bed in exchange for mine?

Yes, by the same sword; I will lie at your side.

Then on these conditions touch my right hand.

I touch it, swearing that I will leave the light of day if you die.

And I will end my life if I lose you.

How then shall we die so as to insure our reputation for this?

I will kill you on the tomb’s surface, and then kill myself. But first I will fight a great contest for your bed. Let anyone who wishes come near!

For I will not disgrace my Trojan fame, nor, on my return to Hellas, will I receive great blame—I who robbed Thetis of Achilleus, and saw the slaughter of Aias, son of Telamon, and the son of Neleus made childless;

shall I not resolve to die for my wife? Most certainly; for if the gods are wise, they lightly bury in the earth a brave man who has been killed by his enemies, while cowards they cast up out of the earth onto a harsh rock.

O gods, may the race of Tantalos be fortunate at last, and may it be set free from evils!

Ah, I am unhappy, for so is my fate! Menelaos, we are destroyed. The prophetess Theonoe is coming out of the house; it resounds as the

bolts are unfastened. Try to escape! But what is the use of trying? For whether she is absent or present she knows of your arrival here. Oh, I am lost, unfortunate! Saved from Troy and from a barbarian land, you have come only to fall upon barbarian swords.

Please lead the way with blazing torches, and purify, according to the sacred law, the inmost corners of the air, so I may receive the pure breath of heaven; and you in turn, if someone has harmed the path by treading with unholy foot, submit it to the cleansing fire,

and strike the torch in front of me, so that I may pass through. And when you have paid back to the gods my customary observance, take the household flame within.