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Maid
Mistress mine, be sure I do not hesitate to call thee by that name, seeing that I thought it thy right in thine own house also, when we dwelt in Troy-land: as I was ever thy friend and thy husband’s while yet he was alive,
so now have I come with strange tidings, in terror lest any of our masters learn hereof but still out of pity for thee; for Menelaus and his daughter are forming dire plots against thee, whereof thou must beware.
60
Mistress mine, be sure I do not hesitate to call thee by that name, seeing that I thought it thy right in thine own house also, when we dwelt in Troy-land: as I was ever thy friend and thy husband’s while yet he was alive,
so now have I come with strange tidings, in terror lest any of our masters learn hereof but still out of pity for thee; for Menelaus and his daughter are forming dire plots against thee, whereof thou must beware.
60
Andromache
Ah! kind companion of my bondage, for such thou art to her, who, erst thy queen, is now sunk in misery; what are they doing? What new schemes are they devising in their eagerness to take away my wretched life?
Ah! kind companion of my bondage, for such thou art to her, who, erst thy queen, is now sunk in misery; what are they doing? What new schemes are they devising in their eagerness to take away my wretched life?
Maid
Alas! poor lady, they intend to slay thy son, whom thou hast privily conveyed from out the house.
Alas! poor lady, they intend to slay thy son, whom thou hast privily conveyed from out the house.
Andromache
Ah me! Has she
1
heard that my babe was put out of her reach? Who told her? Woe is me! how utterly undone!
70
Ah me! Has she
1
heard that my babe was put out of her reach? Who told her? Woe is me! how utterly undone!
70
Maid
I know not, but thus much of their schemes I heard myself; and Menelaus has left the house to fetch him.
I know not, but thus much of their schemes I heard myself; and Menelaus has left the house to fetch him.
Andromache
Then am I lost; ah, my child! those
vultures twain will take and slay thee; while he who is called thy father lingers still in Delphi.
75
Then am I lost; ah, my child! those
vultures twain will take and slay thee; while he who is called thy father lingers still in Delphi.
75
Maid
True, for had he been here thou wouldst not have fared so hardly, I am sure; but, as it is, thou art friendless.
True, for had he been here thou wouldst not have fared so hardly, I am sure; but, as it is, thou art friendless.
Andromache
Have no tidings come of the possible arrival of Peleus?
Have no tidings come of the possible arrival of Peleus?
Maid
He is too old to help thee if he came.
80
He is too old to help thee if he came.
80
Andromache
And yet I sent for him more than once.
And yet I sent for him more than once.
Maid
Surely thou dost not suppose that any of thy messengers heed thee?
Surely thou dost not suppose that any of thy messengers heed thee?
Andromache
Why should they? Wilt thou then go for me?
Why should they? Wilt thou then go for me?
Maid
How shall I explain my long absence from the house?
How shall I explain my long absence from the house?
Andromache
Thou art a woman; thou canst invent a hundred ways.
85
Thou art a woman; thou canst invent a hundred ways.
85
Maid
There is a risk, for Hermione keeps no careless guard.
There is a risk, for Hermione keeps no careless guard.
Andromache
Dost look to that? Thou art disowning thy friends in distress.
Dost look to that? Thou art disowning thy friends in distress.
Maid
Not so; never taunt me with that. I will go, for of a truth a
woman and a slave is not of much account, e’en if aught befall, me.
90
Not so; never taunt me with that. I will go, for of a truth a
woman and a slave is not of much account, e’en if aught befall, me.
90
Andromache
Go then, while I will tell to heaven the lengthy tale of lamentation, mourning, and weeping, that has ever been my hard lot; for ’tis woman’s way to delight in present misfortunes
even to keeping them always on her tongue and lips. But I have many reasons, not merely one for tears,–my city’s fall, my Hector’s death, the hardness of the lot to which I am bound, since I fell on slavery’s evil days undeservedly.
95
’Tis never right to call a son of man happy, till thou hast seen his end, to judge from the way he passes it how he will descend to that other world.
100
Go then, while I will tell to heaven the lengthy tale of lamentation, mourning, and weeping, that has ever been my hard lot; for ’tis woman’s way to delight in present misfortunes
even to keeping them always on her tongue and lips. But I have many reasons, not merely one for tears,–my city’s fall, my Hector’s death, the hardness of the lot to which I am bound, since I fell on slavery’s evil days undeservedly.
95
’Tis never right to call a son of man happy, till thou hast seen his end, to judge from the way he passes it how he will descend to that other world.
100
Andromache. Euripides. Edward P. Coleridge (Translator). London. 1891.
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