§967λέγουσα μύθους, ὧν κλύων ἀφικόμην.
Polymestor:...telling words, hearing which I came.
Hecuba: I am ashamed to look you in the face, Polymestor, lying in such evils as these.
§970ὅτῳ γὰρ ὤφθην εὐτυχοῦσʼ, αἰδώς μʼ ἔχει §971ἐν τῷδε πότμῳ τυγχάνουσʼ ἵνʼ εἰμὶ νῦν §972κοὐκ ἂν δυναίμην προσβλέπειν ὀρθαῖς κόραις.
For before whomsoever I was seen in prosperity, shame possesses me when I am in this fortune in which I now am, and I would not be able to look at you with direct gaze.
§973ἀλλʼ αὐτὸ μὴ δύσνοιαν ἡγήσῃ σέθεν, §974Πολυμῆστορ· ἄλλως δʼ αἴτιόν τι καὶ νόμος, §975γυναῖκας ἀνδρῶν μὴ βλέπειν ἐναντίον.
But do not consider this as ill-will towards you, Polymestor; besides, there is another reason, and also custom, that women do not look men in the face.
§976καὶ θαῦμά γʼ οὐδέν.
Polymestor: Indeed, it is no wonder.
ἀλλὰ τίς χρεία σʼ ἐμοῦ;
But what need of me do you have?
§977τί χρῆμʼ ἐπέμψω τὸν ἐμὸν ἐκ δόμων πόδα·
Why did you send my foot out of my house?
§978ἴδιον ἐμαυτῆς δή τι πρὸς σὲ βούλομαι §979καὶ παῖδας εἰπεῖν σούς· ὀπάονας δέ μοι §980χωρὶς κέλευσον τῶνδʼ ἀποστῆναι δόμων.
Hecuba: I wish to say a certain private matter of my own to you and your children; but order your attendants to stand apart from these tents for me.
§981χωρεῖτʼ· ἐν ἀσφαλεῖ γὰρ ἥδʼ ἐρημία.
Polymestor: Depart; for this solitude is safe.
You indeed are dear, and this Achaean army is friendly to me.
But you must declare: how one who fares well must help friends who do not fare well?
ὡς ἕτοιμός εἰμʼ ἐγώ.
For I am ready.
§986πρῶτον μὲν εἰπὲ παῖδʼ ὃν ἐξ ἐμῆς χερὸς §987Πολύδωρον ἔκ τε πατρὸς ἐν δόμοις ἔχεις, §988εἰ ζῇ· τὰ δʼ ἄλλα δεύτερόν σʼ ἐρήσομαι.
Hecuba: First indeed, tell me about the boy Polydorus, whom you have in your house from my hand and his father's, if he lives; as for other things, I will ask you second.
§989μάλιστα· τοὐκείνου μὲν εὐτυχεῖς μέρος.
Polymestor: Assuredly; as far as his part is concerned, you are fortunate.
§990ὦ φίλταθʼ, ὡς εὖ κἀξίως λέγεις σέθεν.
Hecuba: O dearest one, how well and worthily of yourself you speak!
§991τί δῆτα βούλῃ δεύτερον μαθεῖν ἐμοῦ;
Polymestor: What then do you wish to learn from me second?
§992εἰ τῆς τεκούσης τῆσδε μέμνηταί τί μου;
Hecuba: If he remembers at all me, his mother here?
§993καὶ δεῦρό γʼ ὡς σὲ κρύφιος ἐζήτει μολεῖν.
Polymestor: Yes, indeed, and he was seeking to come to you here secretly.
§994χρυσὸς δὲ σῶς ὃν ἦλθεν ἐκ Τροίας ἔχων;
Hecuba: And is the gold safe, which he came having from Troy?
§995σῶς, ἐν δόμοις γε τοῖς ἐμοῖς φρουρούμενος.
Polymestor: Safe, guarded indeed in my house.
§996σῶσόν νυν αὐτὸν μηδʼ ἔρα τῶν πλησίον.
Hecuba: Save it then, and do not covet what belongs to your neighbor.
§997ἥκιστʼ· ὀναίμην τοῦ παρόντος, ὦ γύναι.
Polymestor: Least of all; may I enjoy what is present, O woman.
§998οἶσθʼ οὖν ἃ λέξαι σοί τε καὶ παισὶν θέλω;
Hecuba: Do you know then what I wish to say to you and your children?
§999οὐκ οἶδα· τῷ σῷ τοῦτο σημανεῖς λόγῳ.
Polymestor: I do not know; you will make this clear by your speech.
Hecuba: There are... O you who are loved, as you are now loved by me — Polymestor: What is the thing which both me and my children must know?
§1002χρυσοῦ παλαιαὶ Πριαμιδῶν κατώρυχες.
Hecuba: Ancient underground hiding-places of the gold of the Priamidae.
§1003ταῦτʼ ἔσθʼ ἃ βούλῃ παιδὶ σημῆναι σέθεν;
Polymestor: Is this what you wish to point out to your boy?
§1004μάλιστα, διὰ σοῦ γʼ· εἶ γὰρ εὐσεβὴς ἀνήρ.
Hecuba: Yes, through you indeed; for you are a pious man.
§1005τί δῆτα τέκνων τῶνδε δεῖ παρουσίας;
Polymestor: Why then is there need of the presence of these children?
§1006ἄμεινον, ἢν σὺ κατθάνῃς, τούσδʼ εἰδέναι.
Hecuba: It is better, if you should die, for these to know.
§1007καλῶς ἔλεξας· τῇδε καὶ σοφώτερον.
Polymestor: Well said; in this way it is also wiser.
§1008οἶσθʼ οὖν Ἀθάνας Ἰλίας ἵνα στέγαι;
Hecuba: Do you know then where the temple of Trojan Athena is?
§1009ἐνταῦθʼ ὁ χρυσός ἐστι;
Polymestor: Is the gold there?
σημεῖον δὲ τί;
And what is the sign?
§1010μέλαινα πέτρα γῆς ὑπερτέλλουσʼ ἄνω.
Hecuba: A black rock rising up above the earth.
§1011ἔτʼ οὖν τι βούλῃ τῶν ἐκεῖ φράζειν ἐμοί;
Polymestor: Is there anything more of the things there that you wish to tell me?
§1012σῶσαί σε χρήμαθʼ οἷς συνεξῆλθον θέλω.
Hecuba: I wish you to keep safe the valuables with which I came out.
§1013ποῦ δῆτα;
Polymestor: Where indeed?
πέπλων ἐντὸς ἢ κρύψασʼ ἔχεις;
Inside your robes, or do you have them hidden?
§1014σκύλων ἐν ὄχλῳ ταῖσδε σῴζεται στέγαις.
Hecuba: They are kept safe in these tents, among a heap of spoils.
§1015ποῦ δʼ;
Polymestor: But where?
αἵδʼ Ἀχαιῶν ναύλοχοι περιπτυχαί.
These are the ship-stations of the Achaeans.
§1016ἰδίᾳ γυναικῶν αἰχμαλωτίδων στέγαι.
Hecuba: They are the private tents of the captive women.
§1017τἄνδον δὲ πιστὰ κἀρσένων ἐρημία;
Polymestor: Is it safe inside, and is there an absence of men?
§1018οὐδεὶς Ἀχαιῶν ἔνδον, ἀλλʼ ἡμεῖς μόναι.
Hecuba: No one of the Achaeans is inside, but we are alone.
§1019ἀλλʼ ἕρπʼ ἐς οἴκους· καὶ γὰρ Ἀργεῖοι νεῶν §1020λῦσαι ποθοῦσιν οἴκαδʼ ἐκ Τροίας πόδα· §1021ὡς πάντα πράξας ὧν σε δεῖ στείχῃς πάλιν §1022ξὺν παισὶν οὗπερ τὸν ἐμὸν ᾤκισας γόνον.
Polymestor: Then enter the tents; for indeed the Argives are eager to loose the foot of their ships homeward from Troy; so that, having done all things which you must, you may go back again with your children to where you settled my offspring.
§1024οὔπω δέδωκας, ἀλλʼ ἴσως δώσεις δίκην· §1025ἀλίμενόν τις ὡς εἰς ἄντλον πεσὼν §1026λέχριος ἐκπεσῇ φίλας καρδίας, §1027ἀμέρσας βίοτον.
Chorus: You have not yet paid, but perhaps you will pay the penalty; like someone falling into a harborless bilge-water, sideways you shall fall out of your dear life, having been deprived of existence.
For that which is bound to Justice and the gods does not coincide; a destructive, destructive evil!
§1031ψεύσει σʼ ὁδοῦ τῆσδʼ ἐλπὶς ἥ σʼ ἐπήγαγεν §1032θανάσιμον πρὸς Ἅιδαν, ἰὼ τάλας· §1033ἀπολέμῳ δὲ χειρὶ λείψεις βίον.
The hope of this journey will deceive you, which led you to deadly Hades, oh wretched man; and by an unwarlike hand you shall leave your life.
§1034ἔσωθεν
Polymestor: Woe is me!
§1035ὤμοι, τυφλοῦμαι φέγγος ὀμμάτων τάλας.
I am blinded of the light of my eyes, wretched man!
§1036— ἠκούσατʼ ἀνδρὸς Θρῃκὸς οἰμωγήν, φίλαι;
Chorus: — Did you hear, friends, the wailing of the Thracian man?
§1037ὤμοι μάλʼ αὖθις, τέκνα, δυστήνου σφαγῆς.
Polymestor: Woe is me again indeed, children, of your miserable slaughter!
§1038— φίλαι, πέπρακται καίνʼ ἔσω δόμων κακά.
Chorus: — Friends, new evils have been done within the tents.
Polymestor: But you shall by no means escape with swift foot; for by striking I will break open the recesses of these tents!
§1041— ἰδού, βαρείας χειρὸς ὁρμᾶται βέλος.
Chorus: — Look, the missile of a heavy hand is set in motion.
§1042— βούλεσθʼ ἐπεσπέσωμεν;
— Do you wish that we burst in?
ὡς ἀκμὴ καλεῖ §1043Ἑκάβῃ παρεῖναι Τρῳάσιν τε συμμάχους.
Since the critical moment calls us to be present as allies to Hecuba and the Trojan women.
§1044ἄρασσε, φείδου μηδέν, ἐκβάλλων πύλας·
Hecuba: Strike, spare nothing, breaking down the doors!