Of adverse fortune, ever near at hand
Is woman, to augment the woes of man,
Since, flush'd with brutal arrogance you pay No deference to my arguments, but make Such harsh replies as wound my inmost soul, The more my just resentment will
you rouse, Till I your death have compass'd; to the toils Of an unwelcome office, the adorning
My daughter's tomb, which caus'd ine to come hither,
Hence shall I add renown: for I will go
To the assembled Argives, and stir up
The citizens, already well dispos'd
Without reluctance to drag forth and stone
You and your sister, who deserves to die
Yet more than you, because she 'gainst your mother
Embitter'd you: she ever did instil
Into your ear words to provoke your hate,
Recounting dreams by Agamemnon sent,
And how the powers of hell beneath abhorr'd
Ægisthus' nuptials; on this theme she long
With rancor dwelt, till, kindled by her breath,
These mansions caught a flame yet more intense
Than that of Vulcan's forge. O Menelaus,
What I to thee profess, I will perform,
If thou the least regard to my resentment
Or our affinity would'st pay, that wretch
Protect not in defiance of the Gods:
Suffer the citizens with stones to slay him,
Or thou to Sparta never shalt return.
Remember the advice thou hear'st, nor choose
The impious for thy friends, and slight the good.
Lead me, my servants, from this loath'd abode.
[Exit TYNDARUS.
Depart, that what I have to say may reach
His hear without disturbance, and escape
Thy virulent old age. But whither turn
Your feet, O Menelaus, with that air
Of anxious thought, 'twixt two opinions lost,
As if you enter'd on a road obscure
O leave me! many thoughts
In my own soul revolving, I yet know not
With whom I in this crisis ought to side.
Form no conclusive judgement now; but, hearing My arguments, on them your counsels ground.
Proceed in thy defence; 'twas wisely urg'd: For silence, and a fluency of words,
Each in due season may the preference claim.
Encourag'd thus, I speak: a long narration
Hath in my case th' advantage of a brief one,
And is by far more clear. On me bestow
None of your wealth, but make a due return
For bounties which on you my father shower'd:
I mean not to solicit you for gold,
But a possession to my soul most dear,
If you my life preserye. Do I exceed
The bounds of justice in this fond request?
From you, since I am wretched, I deserve.
Somewhat beyond what I could justly claim:
For Agamemnon, my illustrious Sire,
Generous, not merely just, the host of Greece
Assembling, sail'd for Troy; the Chief himself
Transgress'd not, but came forward to exact
Atonement for the crime of him who stole
Your Consort. Sure a benefit like this
Claims an equivalent. As for their friends
Friends ought to act, in battle he expos'd
For you his person to severest toils,
That you the ravish'd Helen might regain.
Then grant me back this favour in the stead
Of all which you at Ilion have receiv'd;
By danger unappall'd, one single day
Stand forth to save me, not ten tedious years.
To you my sister I resign, who bled
A spotless victim at the straits of Aulis;
Slay not Hermione to make atonement.
For you were born, on me while fortune lours
As at the present moment, to be blest
And merciful to me: but spare my life,
Both for the sake of my unhappy father,
And of my sister, who hath long remain'd
A virgin: since, by dying, I shall leave
Without an heir the mansions of my Sire.
You'll say;
"that 'tis impossible to grant
What I request." But it behoves a friend,
His friends in their calamity to aid:
For when with bounteous hand propitious Fortune
Scatters her gifts, what need have we of friends?
Sufficient is the Goddess, if dispos'd
Her votaries to protect. To all the Greeks,
You seem to love your Consort; this I say not
Tinsinuate myself by flattering arts
Into your favor: in her name I sue.
Wretch that I am, how low doth my distress
Force me to stoop! yet why should I be loth
To use entreaties, since for our whole house
I intercede! O Brother of my Sire,
Think the deceas'd amid the shades beneath
Now hears my voice, and, hov'ring o'er your head
A disembodied spirit, in such words
As I have done, accosts you. This I utter
Midst tears, and plaints, and woes, and crouch for life Which all, and not I only, strive to save.
With him, I too, a female suppliant join In these entreaties; succour the distrest, For thou art able!
MENELAUS.
I for thee, Orestes,
A strong attachment feel, and would partake
In thy disastrous fortunes; for we ought
Thus to relieve our kinsman's woes, if Heaven
With strength endue us, midst impending death,
And cover'd with the slaughter of our foes.
Yet need I the assistance of the Gods
Tenable me for in a bark unfurnish'd
With combatants I come, a wanderer harass'd
By toils unnumber'd; my surviving friends
Are but a feeble, and a scanty band:
In battle therefore cannot I subdue
Pelasgian Argos; but, if gentle words
Have any force, on them my hopes I ground.
How should the efforts of the weak prevail
Over the mighty? to indulge a wish
Like this, were madness. For when anger once
Finds entrance in the people's breasts, to tame
Their fury, is as hard as to extinguish
A conflagration; but if we give way
To their impetuous spirit, and observe
Our proper season, it perhaps will spend
Its vehemence, and when their heat subsides,
We easily may mold them to our will;
Great is their pity and their rage: to those
Who watch their opportunity, they prove
The best of friends. But I will go and strive
On Tyndarus and the City to prevail
To make a moderate use of power supreme.
For when its rudder's strain'd, beneath the waves
The vessel sinks; but if we loose the bands,
Again it rises. Courage unrestrain'd
To Jove himself is odious, and abhorr'd
By all mankind; to save thee now from foes
Mightier than we, discretion and not strength
Is what I need, nor speak I thus at random.
Not by my prowess in th' embattled field,
As thou perhaps may'st deem, could I protect thee:
Nor were it easy for one single lance
Amidst the evils which around thee swarm,
To raise the victor's trophies; else I ne'er
Would have accosted, in a soothing strain
Th' inhabitants of Argos: but the wise
Are now constrain'd to be the slaves of fortune. [Exit MENELAUS.
O thou, in all things else devoid of merit,
Except to combat in a woman's cause,
Who hast no spirit to protect thy friends,
Dost thou forsake me with averted eyes?
Were Agamemnon's benefits in vain
Lavish'd on thee? in thy distress, my father,
Thou hadst no friend. Ah me! I am betray'd,
No hopes of any shelter now remain
Whither I may betake me, to escape
From Argos and from death: for I in him
As a secure asylum plac'd my trust.
But lo my Pylades, that best of men,
From Phocis hastening, greets my raptur'd eyes.
In our adversity the faithful friend
Is a more pleasing object than a calm
PYLADES, ORESTES, CHORUS.
I, with the utmost speed,
Came through the city, when I heard and saw
The people were assembled to pass judgement
On you and on your sister, whom they seem
Resolv❜d to slay immediately. How fare you,
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