Stasimon 4
[Episode]
I twine my arms with all the force of sacred fillets.
895
Orestes
Ha! what is this? Am I mistaken or do I really see before me the queen of this palace, the daughter of Menelaus?
Hermione
The same, that only child whom Helen, daughter of Tyndareus, bore my father in his halls; never doubt that.
Orestes
O saviour Phoebus, grant us respite from our woe! But what is the matter? art thou afflicted by gods or men?
900
Hermione
Partly by myself, partly by the man who wedded me, and partly by some god. On every side I see ruin.
Orestes
Why, what misfortune could happen to a woman as yet childless,
unless her honour is concerned?
905
Hermione
My very complaint! Thou hast hit my case exactly.
Orestes
On whom has thy husband set his affections in thy stead?
Hermione
On his captive, Hector’s wife.
Orestes
An evil case indeed, for a man to have two wives!
Hermione
’Tis even thus. So I resented it.
910
Orestes
Didst thou with woman’s craft devise a plot against thy rival?
Hermione
Yes, to slay her and her bastard child.
Orestes
And didst thou slay them, or did something happen to rescue them from thee?
Hermione
It was old Peleus, who showed regard to the weaker side.
Orestes
Hadst thou any accomplice in this attempted murder?
915
Hermione
My father came from Sparta for this very purpose.
Orestes
And was he after all defeated by that old man’s prowess ?
Hermione
Oh no! but by shame; and he hath gone and left me all alone.
Orestes
I understand; thou art afraid of thy husband for that thou hast done.
Hermione
Thou hast guessed it; for he will have a right to me. What can I say for myself? Yet I beseech thee by Zeus the god of our family, send me to a land as far as possible from this, or to my father’s house; for these veryReading οἵδε γε. walls seem to cry out Begone!
920
and all the land of Phthia bates me. But if my lord return ere that from the oracle of Phoebus, he will put me to death on a shameful charge, or enslave me to his mistress, whom I ruled before. MaybeReading πῶς οὖν ἃν ἔιποι τις τάδ᾽ ἐξημάρτανες. some one will say, How was it thou didst go thus astray?
925
I was ruined by mischievous women who came to me and puffed me up with words like these: What! wilt thou suffer that vile captive, a mere bondmaid, to dwell within thy house and share thy wedded rights? By Heaven’s queen! if it were my house
930
she should not live to reap my marriage-harvest! And I listened to the words of these Sirens, the cunning, knavish, subtle praters, and was filled with silly thoughts. What need had I to care about my lord?
935
I had all I wanted, wealth in plenty, a house in which I was mistress, and as for children, mine would be born in wedlock, while hers would be bastards, half-slaves to mine. Oh! never, never,–this truth will I repeat,–should men of sense, who have wives,
940
allow women-folk to visit them in their homes, for they teach them mischief; one, to gain some private end, helps to corrupt their honour; another, having made a slip herself, wants a companion in misfortune, while many are wantons; and hence it is
945
men’s houses are tainted. Wherefore keep strict guard upon the portals of your houses with bolts and bars; for these visits of strange women lead to no good result, but a world of mischief.Nauck incloses line 953 in brackets.
950
Chorus
Thou hast given thy tongue too free a rein regarding thy own sex.
I can pardon thee in this case, but still women ought to smooth over their sisters’ weaknesses.
955
