§816an viros tellus dare militares §817aptior Phthie meliorque fetu §818fortis armenti lapidosa Trachin, §823quae sub Oetaeis latebrosa silvis §824misit infestos Troiae ruinis §825non semel arcus?
Or is it Phthie, a land more fit for producing warlike men, or stony Trachin, better in the breeding of hardy herds, which, hidden beneath the forests of Oeta, sent once and more than once against the ruins of Troy its hostile bows?
§826Olenos tectis habitata raris, §827virgini Pleuron inimica divae, §828an maris lati sinuosa Troezen?
Olenos inhabited with scattered dwellings, Pleuron hated by the virgin goddess, or curved Troezen of the wide sea?
§829Pelion regnum Prothoi superbum, §830tertius caelo gradus? (hic recumbens §831montis exesi spatiosus antro §832iam trucis Chiron pueri magister, §833tinnulas plectro feriente chordas, §834tunc quoque ingentes acuebat iras §835bella canendo) §836An ferax varii lapidis Carystos, §820urbibus centum spatiosa Crete, §837an premens litus maris inquieti §838semper Euripo properante Chalcis?
Pelion, the proud kingdom of Prothous, the third step to heaven? (Here, reclining in the spacious cave of the hollowed mountain, Chiron, the master of the already fierce boy, while his plectrum struck the resounding strings, even then was sharpening his mighty rages by singing of wars) Or Carystos rich in varied stone, Crete spacious with its hundred cities, or Chalcis pressing upon the shore of the restless sea, with Euripus ever rushing by?
§839quolibet vento faciles Calydnae, §840an carens numquam Gonoessa vento §841quaeque formidat Borean Enispe?
Calydnae easy of access in any wind, or Gonoessa never lacking wind, and Enispe which dreads the North Wind?
Peparethos hanging over the Attic coast, or Eleusin rejoicing in silent rites?
§843l* §844numquid Aiacis Salamina veram §845aut fera notam Calydona saeva, §846quasque perfundit subiturus aequor §847segnibus terras Titaressos undis?
* Or is it the true Salamis of Ajax, or Calydon known for the fierce, savage beast, and the lands which Titaressos, about to enter the sea, bathes with its sluggish waters?
§848Bessan et Scarphen, Pylon an senilem?
Bessa and Scarphe, or aged Pylos?
Pharis, or Pisa, and Elis famous for the crowns of Jove?
§851Quolibet tristis miseras procella §852mittat et donet cuicumque terrae, §853dum luem tantam Troiae atque Achivis §854quae tulit, Sparte, procul absit, absit
Let the sad storm send and give us wretched women to whatever land it pleases, so long as Sparta, which brought such plague to Troy and the Achaians, be far away, far away!
§855Argos et saevi Pelopis Mycenae, §856Neritos parva brevior Zacyntho §857et nocens saxis Ithace dolosis.
Argos and Mycenae of cruel Pelops, Neritos smaller than tiny Zacynthos, and Ithace harmful with its treacherous rocks.
What fate awaits you, and what master, Hecuba, will lead you to be seen, or to what lands?
§860ducet? in cuius moriere regno?
In whose kingdom will you die?
§861Quicumque hymen funestas, inlaetabilis §862lamenta caedes sanguinem gemitus habet §863est auspice Helena dignus, eversis quoque
Whatever marriage holds death, joylessness, laments, slaughter, blood, and groans is worthy of Helena's auspices.
§864nocere cogor Phrygibus: ego Pyrrhi toros §865narrare falsos iubeor, ego cultus dare §866habitusque Graios.
Forced as I am, I must harm even the ruined Phrygians: I am ordered to tell of a false marriage-bed with Pyrrhus, I am ordered to give the garments and Greek attire.
arte capietur mea §867meaque fraude concidet Paridis soror,
By my cunning she shall be captured, and by my fraud the sister of Paris shall fall.
Let her be deceived; indeed I think this is lighter for her: to die without fear of death is a death to be wished for.
§870quid iussa cessas agere? ad auctorem redit
Why do you hesitate to do what is commanded?
§871sceleris coacti culpa. — Dardaniae domus §872generosa virgo, melior afflictos deus §873respicere coepit teque felici parat §874dotare thalamo; tale coniugium tibi §875non ipsa sospes Troia, non Priamus daret.
The blame of forced crime returns to its author. — Noble virgin of the house of Dardania, a better god has begun to look back upon the afflicted, and prepares to endow you with a happy marriage-bed; such a marriage neither safe Troy itself nor Priam would have given you.
§876nam te Pelasgae maximum gentis decus, §878cui regna campi lata Thessalici patent, §877ad sancta lecti iura legitimi petit.
For the greatest glory of the Pelasgian race, to whom the wide kingdoms of the Thessalian plain lie open, seeks you for the sacred rites of a lawful bed.
§879te magna Tethys teque tot pelagi deae §880placidumque numen aequoris tumidi Thetis §881suam vocabunt, te datam Pyrrho socer §882Peleus nurum vocabit et Nereus nurum.
Great Tethys and so many goddesses of the sea, and Thetis, the gentle divinity of the swelling ocean, will call you their own; Peleus your father-in-law will call you his daughter-in-law when given to Pyrrhus, and Nereus will call you his daughter-in-law.
§883depone cultus squalidos, festos cape.
Lay aside your squalid garments, put on festive ones.
Forget that you are a captive; smooth your wild hair and let your locks be parted by a skilled hand.
This turn of fortune will perhaps restore you to a more exalted throne.
profuit multis capi.
Captivity has profited many.
§888Hoc derat unum Phrygibus eversis malum, §889gaudere— flagrant strata passim Pergama: §890o coniugale tempus! an quisquam audeat
This was the only evil lacking to the ruined Phrygians, to rejoice! — Pergama lies burning everywhere: o time for marriage! Would anyone dare to refuse?
Would anyone go hesitantly to the marriage-bed which Helena recommends?
You plague, destruction, and ruin of both peoples, do you see these tombs of leaders and the bare bones that lie everywhere unburied on all the plains?
§895inhumata campis? haec hymen sparsit tuus.
Your marriage has scattered these.
§896tibi fluxit Asiae, fluxit Europae cruor, §897cum dimicantes lenta prospiceres viros, §898incerta voti— perge, thalamos appara.
For you flowed the blood of Asia, and of Europe, when you calmly watched the fighting men, uncertain of your prayer — go on, prepare the marriage chambers.
§899taedis quid opus est quidve solemni face?
What need is there of torches or of the solemn bridal fire?
§900quid igne? thalamis Troia praelucet novis.
What need of fire? Troy shines before your new marriage.
Celebrate Pyrrhus' marriage, Trojan women, celebrate it worthily: let wailing and groans resound.
§903Ratione quamvis careat et flecti neget §904magnus dolor sociosque nonnumquam sui §905maeroris ipsos oderit: causam tamen §906possum tueri iudice infesto meam, §907graviora passa, luget Andromacha Hectorem §908et Hecuba Priamum: solus occulte Paris §909lugendus Helenae est.
Though great grief lacks reason and refuses to be turned, and sometimes hates the very companions of its own sorrow: yet I can defend my cause even before a hostile judge, since I have suffered heavier things. Andromache mourns Hector, and Hecuba Priam: Paris alone must be mourned secretly by Helena.
dirum et invisum et grave est §910servitia ferre? patior hoc olim iugum, §911annis decem captiva, prostratum Ilium est, §912versi penates? perdere est patriam grave, §913gravius timere, vos levat tanti mali §914comitatus: in me victor et victus furit,
Is it dreadful, hateful, and heavy to bear slavery? I have long suffered this yoke, a captive for ten years. Is Ilium prostrate, and the household gods overthrown? To lose one's country is heavy, but to fear is heavier. You are relieved of so great an evil by companionship: against me both victor and vanquished rage.