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Helen
You have told the truth and have convinced me, maiden.
Yes, I will send my daughter for you are right.
Calling. Hermione, my child, come out, before the palace. Take these libations and these tresses of mine in your hands, and go pour round Clytemnestra’s tomb
110
a mingled cup of honey, milk, and frothing wine; then stand upon the heaped-up grave, and say this:
Helen, your sister, sends you these libations as her gift, fearing herself to approach your tomb from terror of the
Argive
mob and bid her harbor kindly thoughts
115
towards me and you and my husband; towards these two wretched sufferers, too, whom the gods have destroyed. And promise that I will pay in full whatever funeral gifts are due from me to a sister. Now go, my child, and hurry;
120
and soon as you have made the libations at the tomb, think of your return.
Exit Helen.
125
You have told the truth and have convinced me, maiden.
Yes, I will send my daughter for you are right.
Calling. Hermione, my child, come out, before the palace. Take these libations and these tresses of mine in your hands, and go pour round Clytemnestra’s tomb
110
a mingled cup of honey, milk, and frothing wine; then stand upon the heaped-up grave, and say this:
Helen, your sister, sends you these libations as her gift, fearing herself to approach your tomb from terror of the
Argive
mob and bid her harbor kindly thoughts
115
towards me and you and my husband; towards these two wretched sufferers, too, whom the gods have destroyed. And promise that I will pay in full whatever funeral gifts are due from me to a sister. Now go, my child, and hurry;
120
and soon as you have made the libations at the tomb, think of your return.
Exit Helen.
125
Electra
O human nature, how great an evil you are in men! and what salvation, too, to those who have a goodly heritage there.
Did you see how she cut off her hair only at the ends, to preserve its beauty? She is the same woman as of old.
May the gods hate you! for you have proved the ruin of me and my brother and all
Hellas
.
130
Alas! here are my friends once more, coming to unite their plaintive dirge with mine; they will soon put an end to my brother’s peaceful sleep, and cause my tears to flow
when I see him in frenzy.
135
Dearest friends, step softly; not a sound; not a whisper! For though this kindness of yours is well-meant, rouse him and I shall rue it.
O human nature, how great an evil you are in men! and what salvation, too, to those who have a goodly heritage there.
Did you see how she cut off her hair only at the ends, to preserve its beauty? She is the same woman as of old.
May the gods hate you! for you have proved the ruin of me and my brother and all
Hellas
.
130
Alas! here are my friends once more, coming to unite their plaintive dirge with mine; they will soon put an end to my brother’s peaceful sleep, and cause my tears to flow
when I see him in frenzy.
135
Dearest friends, step softly; not a sound; not a whisper! For though this kindness of yours is well-meant, rouse him and I shall rue it.
Orestes. Euripides. Edward P. Coleridge (Translator). London. 1891.
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