The Tragedies of Euripides, Volume I.. Euripides

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      PYL. Surely thou art wide astray from my purposes. Nor may the fruitful plain receive my blood, nor the bright air, if ever I betraying thee, having freed myself, forsake thee; for I committed the slaughter with thee (I will not deny it), and I planned all things, for which now thou sufferest vengeance. Die then I must with thee and her together, for her, whose marriage I have courted, I consider as my wife; for what good excuse ever shall I give, going to the Delphian land to the citadel of the Phocians, I, who was present with you, your friend, before indeed you were unfortunate, but now, when you are unfortunate, am no longer thy friend? It is not possible – but these things are my care also. But since we are about to die, let us come to a common conference, how Menelaus may be involved in our calamity.

      ORES. O thou dearest man: for would I see this and die.

      PYL. Be persuaded then, but defer the slaughtering sword.

      ORES. I will defer, if any how I can avenge myself on my enemy.

      PYL. Be silent then, for I have but small confidence in women.

      ORES. Do not at all fear these, for they are friends that are present.

      PYL. Let us kill Helen, which will cause great grief to Menelaus.

      ORES. How? for the will is here, if it can be done with glory.

      PYL. Stabbing her; but she is lurking in thy house.

      ORES. Yes indeed, and is putting her seal on all my effects.

      PYL. But she shall seal no more, having Pluto for her bridegroom.

      ORES. And how can this be? for she has a train of barbarian attendants.

      PYL. Whom? for I would be afraid of no Phrygian.

      ORES. Such men as should preside over mirrors and scents.

      PYL. For has she brought hither her Trojan fineries?

      ORES. Oh yes! so that Greece is but a cottage for her.

      PYL. A race of slaves is a mere nothing against a race that will not be slaves.

      ORES. In good truth, this if I could achieve, I shrink not from two deaths.

      PYL. But neither do I indeed, if I could revenge thee at least.

      ORES. Disclose thy purpose, and go through it as thou sayest.

      PYL. We will enter then the house, as men about to die.

      ORES. Thus far I comprehend, but the rest I do not comprehend.

      PYL. We will make our lamentation to her of the things we suffer.

      ORES. So that she shall weep, though joyed within her heart.

      PYL. And the same things will be for us to do afterward, which she does then.

      ORES. Then how shall we finish the contest?

      PYL. We will wear our swords concealed beneath our robes.

      ORES. But what slaughter can there be before her attendants?

      PYL. We will bolt them out, scattered in different parts of the house.

      ORES. And him that is not silent we must kill.

      PYL. Then the circumstances of the moment will point out what steps to take.

      ORES. To kill Helen, I understand the sign.

      PYL. Thou seest: but hear on what honorable principles I meditate it. For, if we draw our sword on a more modest woman, the murder will blot our names with infamy. But in the present instance, she shall suffer vengeance for the whole of Greece, whose fathers she slew, and made the brides bereaved of their spouses; there shall be a shout, and they will kindle up fire to the Gods, praying for many blessings to fall to thee and me, inasmuch as we shed the blood of a wicked woman. But thou shalt not be called the matricide, when thou hast slain her, but dropping this name thou shalt arrive at better things, being styled the slayer of the havoc-dealing Helen. It never, never were right that Menelaus should be prosperous, and that thy father, and thou, and thy sister should die, and thy mother; (this I forbear, for it is not decorous to mention;) and that he should seize thy house, having recovered his bride by the means of Agamemnon's valor. For may I live no longer, if I draw not my black sword upon her. But if then we do not compass the murder of Helen, having fired the palace we will die, for we shall have glory, succeeding in one of these two things, nobly dying, or nobly rescued.

      CHOR. The daughter of Tyndarus is an object of detestation to all women, being one that has given rise to scandal against the sex.

      ORES. Alas! There is no better thing than a real friend, not riches, not kingdoms; but the popular applause becomes a thing of no account to receive in exchange for a generous friend. For thou contrivedst the destruction that befell Ægisthus, and wast close to me in my dangers. But now again thou givest me to revenge me on mine enemies, and art not out of the way – but I will leave off praising thee, since there is some burden even in this "to be praised to excess." But I altogether in a state of death, wish to do something to my foes and die, that I may in turn destroy those who betrayed me, and those may groan who also made me unhappy. I am the son of Agamemnon, who ruled over Greece by general consent; no tyrant, but yet he had the power as it were of a God, whom I will not disgrace, suffering a slavish death, but breathe out my soul in freedom, but on Menelaus will I revenge me. For if we could gain this one thing, we should be prosperous, if from any chance safety should come unhoped for on the slayers then, not the slain: this I pray for. For what I wish is sweet to delight the mind without fear of cost, though with but fleeting words uttered through the mouth.

      ELEC. I, O brother, think that this very thing brings safety to thee, and thy friend, and in the third place to me.

      ORES. Thou meanest the providence of the Gods: but where is this? for I know that there is understanding in thy mind.

      ELEC. Hear me then, and thou too give thy attention.

      ORES. Speak, since the existing prospect of good affords some pleasure.

      ELEC. Art thou acquainted with the daughter of Helen? Thou knowest her of whom I ask.

      ORES. I know her, Hermione, whom my mother brought up.

      ELEC. She is gone to Clytæmnestra's tomb.

      ORES. For what purpose? what hope dost thou suggest?

      ELEC. To pour libations on the tomb in behalf of her mother.

      ORES. And what is this, thou hast told me of, that regards our safety?

      ELEC. Seize her as a pledge as she is coming back.

      ORES. What remedy for the three friends is this thou sayest?

      ELEC. When Helen is dead, if Menelaus does any harm to thee or Pylades, or me (for this firm of friendship is all one), say that thou wilt kill Hermione; but thou oughtest to draw thy sword, and hold it to the neck of the virgin. And if indeed Menelaus save thee, anxious that the virgin may not die; when he sees Helen's corse weltering in blood, give back the virgin for her father to enjoy; but should he, not governing his angry temper, slay thee, do thou also plunge the sword into the virgin's neck, and I think that he, though at first he come to us very big, will after a season soften his heart; for neither is he brave nor СКАЧАТЬ