Euripides' HECUBA Complete

Translated by E. Coleridge.

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Chorus: (singing) Hecuba, I have hastened away to thee, leaving my
master's tent, where the lot assigned me as his appointed slave, in
the day that was driven from the city of Ilium, hunted by Achaeans
thence at the point of the spear; no alleviation bring I for thy sufferings;
nay have laden myself with heavy news, and am a herald of sorrow to
thee, lady. 'Tis said the Achaeans have determined in full assembly
to offer thy daughter in sacrifice to Achilles; for thou knowest how
one day he appeared standing on his tomb in golden harness, and stayed
the sea-borne barques, though they had their sails already hoisted,
with this pealing cry, "Whither away so fast, ye Danai, leaving my
tomb without its prize?" Thereon arose a violent dispute with stormy
altercation, and opinion was divided in the warrior host of Hellas,
some being in favour of offering the sacrifice at the tomb, others
dissenting. There was Agamemnon, all eagerness in thy interest, because
of his love for the frenzied prophetess; but the two sons of Theseus,
scions of Athens, though supporting different proposals, yet agreed
on the same decision, which was to crown Achilles' tomb with fresh-spilt
blood; for they said they never would set Cassandra's love before
Achilles' valour. Now the zeal of the rival disputants was almost
equal, until that shifty, smooth-mouthed varlet, the son of Laertes,
whose tongue is ever at the service of the mob, persuaded the army
not to put aside the best of all the Danai for want of a bond-maid's
sacrifice, nor have it said by any of the dead that stand beside Persephone,
"The Danai have left the plains of Troy without one thought of gratitude
for their brethren who died for Hellas." Odysseus will be here in
an instant, to drag the tender maiden from thy breast and tear her
from thy aged arms. To the temples, to the altars with thee! at Agamemnon's
knees throw thyself as a suppliant! Invoke alike the gods in heaven
and those beneath the earth. For either shall thy prayers avail to
spare thee the loss of thy unhappy child, or thou must live to see
thy daughter fall before the tomb, her crimson blood spurting in deep
dark jets from her neck with gold encircled. (The following lines
between Hecuba and Polyxena are chanted responsively.)

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