and of the evils which I saw, I saw in the royal palace.
§1457ἀμφιπορφυρέων πέπλων §1458ὑπὸ σκότου ξίφη σπάσα- §1458aντες ἄλλος ἄλλοσʼ ἐν χεροῖν §1459δίνασεν ὄμμα, μή τις παρὼν τύχοι.
From under the shadow of their purple robes drawing their swords, here and there with them in their hands, they cast their eyes around, lest anyone should happen to be present.
And like mountain boars standing opposite the woman, they said: "You shall die, you shall die!
§1461aκατθανῇ, §1462κακός σʼ ἀποκτείνει πόσις, §1463κασιγνήτου προδοὺς §1464ἐν Ἄργει θανεῖν γόνον. §1465ἃ δʼ ἀνίαχεν ἴ- §1465aαχεν· Ὤμοι μοι. §1466λευκὸν δʼ ἐμβαλοῦσα πῆχυν στέρνοις §1467κτύπησε κρᾶτα μέλεον πλαγᾷ· §1468φυγᾷ δὲ ποδὶ τὸ χρυσεοσάνδαλον §1469ἴχνος ἔφερεν ἔφερεν·
Your cowardly husband kills you, having betrayed his brother's child to die in Argos." And she shrieked, she shrieked: "Ah me, ah me!" And throwing her white arm upon her chest, she struck her head a pitiable blow; and in flight she bore, she bore her golden-sandaled foot.
ἐς §1469aκόμας δὲ δακτύλους δικὼν Ὀρέστας, §1470Μυκηνίδʼ ἀρβύλαν προβάς, §1471ὤμοις ἀριστεροῖσιν ἀνακλάσας δέρην, §1472παίειν λαιμῶν ἔμελ- §1472bλεν εἴσω μέλαν ξίφος.
But flinging his fingers into her hair, Orestes, stepping forward with Mycenaean boot, bending back her neck onto his left shoulder, was about to strike his black sword into her throat.
§1473ποῦ δʼ ἦτʼ ἀμύνειν οἱ κατὰ στέγας Φρύγες;
And where were you, the Phrygians in the house, to help?
§1474ἰαχᾷ §1474aδόμων θύρετρα καὶ σταθμοὺς §1474bμοχλοῖσιν ἐκβαλόντες, ἔνθʼ ἐμίμνομεν, §1475βοηδρομοῦμεν ἄλλος ἄλλοθεν στέγης, §1476ὃ μὲν πέτρους, ὃ δʼ ἀγκύλας, §1477ὃ δὲ ξίφος πρόκωπον ἐν χεροῖν ἔχων.
With a shout, breaking down the doors and doorposts of the chambers with bars, where we were waiting, we ran to help, one from here, another from there in the house, one having stones, another javelins, and another holding a drawn sword in his hands.
§1478ἔναντα δʼ ἦλθε Πυλάδης §1479ἀλίαστος, οἷος οἷος Ἕκ- §1480τωρ ὁ Φρύγιος ἢ τρικόρυθος Αἴας, §1481ὃν εἶδον εἶδον ἐν πύλαις §1482Πριαμίσι· φασγάνων δʼ ἀκμὰς §1482aσυνήψαμεν.
But Pylades came against us unyielding, such as, such as Hector the Phrygian, or triple-plumed Ajax, whom I saw, I saw at the gates of Priam; and we joined the edges of our swords.
§1483δὴ τότε διαπρεπεῖς τότʼ ἐγένοντο Φρύγες, §1484ὅσον Ἄρεως ἀλκὰν §1485ἥσσονες Ἑλλάδος ἐγενόμεθʼ αἰχμᾶς,
Indeed, then the Phrygians were made manifest, how much in Ares' prowess we were inferior to the spear of Greece!
§1486ὃ μὲν οἰχόμενος φυγάς, ὃ δὲ νέκυς ὤν, §1487ὃ δὲ τραῦμα φέρων, ὃ δὲ λισσόμενος, §1488θανάτου προβολάν·
One was gone in flight, another was a corpse, another was carrying a wound, another was entreating to ward off death.
And we fled into the darkness; and corpses fell, some were about to die, and others lay there.
And the wretched Hermione came to the palace at the moment of her mother's fall to the ground in murder, she who bore her, wretched girl.
And like thyrseless Bacchanals running, they seized her in their hands like a mountain cub and carried her off.
And again they turned to the daughter of Zeus to slaughter her; but she, out of the chambers and through the palace, was gone, vanished!
Whether by drugs, or by the arts of magicians, or by the theft of the gods.
But the things that followed I no longer know; for I stole my fleeing foot out of the palace.
§1500πολύπονα δὲ πολύπονα πάθεα §1501Μενέλεως ἀνασχόμενος ἀνόνητον ἀ- §1502πὸ Τροίας ἔλαβε τὸν Ἑλένας γάμον.
And many-troubled, many-troubled sufferings Menelaus endured, only to receive a profitless marriage with Helen from Troy.
§1503καὶ μὴν ἀμείβει καινὸν ἐκ καινῶν τόδε· §1504ξιφηφόρον γὰρ εἰσορῶ πρὸ δωμάτων §1505βαίνοντʼ Ὀρέστην ἐπτοημένῳ ποδί.
And lo, this changes from new things to new; for I see Orestes walking before the house, bearing a sword with excited foot.
§1506ποῦ ʼστιν οὗτος ὃς πέφευγεν ἐκ δόμων τοὐμὸν ξίφος;
Where is he who has fled from my sword out of the palace?
§1507προσκυνῶ σʼ, ἄναξ, νόμοισι βαρβάροισι προσπίτνων.
I do obeisance to you, lord, falling down in barbarian fashion.
§1508οὐκ ἐν Ἰλίῳ τάδʼ ἐστίν, ἀλλʼ ἐν Ἀργείᾳ χθονί.
This is not in Ilium, but in the Argive land.
§1509πανταχοῦ ζῆν ἡδὺ μᾶλλον ἢ θανεῖν τοῖς σώφροσιν.
Everywhere to live is sweeter than to die, for the wise.
§1510οὔτι που κραυγὴν ἔθηκας Μενέλεῳ βοηδρομεῖν;
You did not, I suppose, raise a cry for Menelaus to come to help?
§1511σοὶ μὲν οὖν ἔγωγʼ ἀμύνειν· ἀξιώτερος γὰρ εἶ.
On the contrary, I would help you; for you are more worthy.
§1512ἐνδίκως ἡ Τυνδάρειος ἆρα παῖς διώλετο;
Did the daughter of Tyndareus perish justly then?
§1513ἐνδικώτατʼ, εἴ γε λαιμοὺς εἶχε τριπτύχους θανεῖν.
Most justly, even if she had three necks to die.
§1514δειλίᾳ γλώσσῃ χαρίζῃ, τἄνδον οὐχ οὕτω φρονῶν.
You favor me with a cowardly tongue, not thinking so within.
§1515οὐ γάρ, ἥτις Ἑλλάδʼ αὐτοῖς Φρυξὶ διελυμήνατο;
No, for did she not ruin Greece together with the Phrygians themselves?
§1516ὄμοσον — εἰ δὲ μή, κτενῶ σε — μὴ λέγειν ἐμὴν χάριν.
Swear—otherwise, I will kill you—that you are not speaking to curry favor with me.
§1517τὴν ἐμὴν ψυχὴν κατώμοσʼ, ἣν ἂν εὐορκοῖμʼ ἐγώ.
I swear by my life, which oath I would keep.
§1518ὧδε κἀν Τροίᾳ σίδηρος πᾶσι Φρυξὶν ἦν φόβος;
Was iron thus a fear to all Phrygians in Troy too?
§1519ἄπεχε φάσγανον· πέλας γὰρ δεινὸν ἀνταυγεῖ φόνον.
Keep away the sword; for nearby it reflects a terrible slaughter.
§1520μὴ πέτρος γένῃ δέδοικας ὥστε Γοργόνʼ εἰσιδών;
Are you afraid of becoming a stone, as if seeing the Gorgon?
§1521μὴ μὲν οὖν νεκρός· τὸ Γοργοῦς δʼ οὐ κάτοιδʼ ἐγὼ κάρα.
No, but a corpse; I do not know the Gorgon's head.
§1522δοῦλος ὢν φοβῇ τὸν Ἅιδην, ὅς σʼ ἀπαλλάξει κακῶν;
Being a slave, do you fear Hades, who will release you from evils?
§1523πᾶς ἀνήρ, κἂν δοῦλος ᾖ τις, ἥδεται τὸ φῶς ὁρῶν.
Every man, even if he is a slave, rejoices to see the light.
§1524εὖ λέγεις· σῴζει σε σύνεσις.
You speak well; your understanding saves you.
ἀλλὰ βαῖνʼ ἔσω δόμων.
But go inside the house.
§1525οὐκ ἄρα κτενεῖς με;
You will not kill me then?
§1525bἀφεῖσαι.
You are released.
§1525cκαλὸν ἔπος λέγεις τόδε.
A fine word you speak.
§1526ἀλλὰ μεταβουλευσόμεσθα.
But I may change my mind.
§1526bτοῦτο δʼ οὐ καλῶς λέγεις.
This you do not speak well.
§1527μῶρος, εἰ δοκεῖς με τλῆναι σὴν καθαιμάξαι δέρην· §1528οὔτε γὰρ γυνὴ πέφυκας — οὔτʼ ἐν ἀνδράσιν σύ γʼ εἶ.
Fool, if you think I would deign to bloody your throat; for you are neither a woman, nor are you among men.
I came out of the palace so that you would not raise a cry; for Argos, hearing a sharp shout, is quickly aroused.