View:
By Scene
Old woman
Who’s at the door? Get away from the house and don’t annoy my master by standing at the court-yard gate! Or else you will die because you are
a Hellene, and they have no business here.
440
Who’s at the door? Get away from the house and don’t annoy my master by standing at the court-yard gate! Or else you will die because you are
a Hellene, and they have no business here.
440
Menelaos
My good woman, you can say these same words in a different tone, for I shall be persuaded; but let go your angry speech.
My good woman, you can say these same words in a different tone, for I shall be persuaded; but let go your angry speech.
Old woman
Go away! Stranger, my orders are to let no Hellene come near this house.
Go away! Stranger, my orders are to let no Hellene come near this house.
Menelaos
Ah! Do not push me, or thrust me away by force.
445
Ah! Do not push me, or thrust me away by force.
445
Old woman
You are to blame, for not heeding what I say.
You are to blame, for not heeding what I say.
Menelaos
Announce to your master inside—
Announce to your master inside—
Old woman
I think someone would be sorry, if I announced your words.
I think someone would be sorry, if I announced your words.
Menelaos
I come as a shipwrecked man and a guest; such people are safe from violence.
I come as a shipwrecked man and a guest; such people are safe from violence.
Old woman
Well, go to some other house instead of this one.
450
Well, go to some other house instead of this one.
450
Menelaos
No; I am going inside. You listen to me.
No; I am going inside. You listen to me.
Old woman
Know that you’re only causing trouble; and soon you’ll be thrown out by force.
Know that you’re only causing trouble; and soon you’ll be thrown out by force.
Menelaos
Alas! Where are those glorious armies of mine?
Alas! Where are those glorious armies of mine?
Old woman
Perhaps you were grand somewhere, but not here.
Perhaps you were grand somewhere, but not here.
Menelaos
O my fortune, how we have been unworthily dishonored.
455
O my fortune, how we have been unworthily dishonored.
455
Old woman
Why are your eyes wet with tears? To whom are you lamenting?
Why are your eyes wet with tears? To whom are you lamenting?
Menelaos
To my fortunes, which were happy before this.
To my fortunes, which were happy before this.
Old woman
Well then, why don’t you go away and give these tears to your friends.
Well then, why don’t you go away and give these tears to your friends.
Menelaos
What is this land? Whose palace is this?
What is this land? Whose palace is this?
Old woman
Proteus lives here, the land is
Egypt
.
460
Proteus lives here, the land is
Egypt
.
460
Menelaos
Egypt
? O wretched, that I have sailed here!
Egypt
? O wretched, that I have sailed here!
Old woman
And why do you blame the bright gleam of the
Nile
?
And why do you blame the bright gleam of the
Nile
?
Menelaos
I do not blame it; I am sighing for my fate.
I do not blame it; I am sighing for my fate.
Old woman
Many people are doing badly; you are not the only one.
Many people are doing badly; you are not the only one.
Menelaos
Is the king you name in the house?
465
Is the king you name in the house?
465
Old woman
This is his tomb; his son rules the land.
This is his tomb; his son rules the land.
Menelaos
And where might he be? Abroad, or in the house?
And where might he be? Abroad, or in the house?
Old woman
He is not inside; he is most bitterly opposed to the Hellenes.
He is not inside; he is most bitterly opposed to the Hellenes.
Menelaos
What cause does he have? I have felt the consequences of it!
What cause does he have? I have felt the consequences of it!
Old woman
Helen, the daughter of Zeus, is in this house.
470
Helen, the daughter of Zeus, is in this house.
470
Menelaos
What do you mean? What did you say? Tell me again.
What do you mean? What did you say? Tell me again.
Old woman
The daughter of Tyndareus, who once lived in
Sparta
.
The daughter of Tyndareus, who once lived in
Sparta
.
Menelaos
Where did she come from? What is the meaning of this?
Where did she come from? What is the meaning of this?
Old woman
She came here from the land of Lakedaimon.
She came here from the land of Lakedaimon.
Menelaos
When? Surely I have not been robbed of my wife from the cave?
475
When? Surely I have not been robbed of my wife from the cave?
475
Helen. Euripides. Edward P. Coleridge (Translator). London. 1906.
Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.
Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.