Stasimon 3
[Episode]
O my son, child of a luckless mother,
Hecuba
what was the manner of your death? by what fate do you lie here? by whose hands?
695
Maid-servant
I do not know. I found him on the sea-shore.
Hecuba
Cast up on the smooth sand, or thrown there
after the murderous blow?
700
Maid-servant
The waves had washed him ashore.
Hecuba
Alas! alas! I now know the vision I saw in my sleep; the dusky-winged phantom
did not escape me, the vision I saw of you, my son, now no more within the bright sunshine.
705
Chorus Leader
Who slew him then? Can your dream-lore tell us that?
Hecuba
It was my own familiar friend, the knight of Thrace, with whom his aged father had placed the boy in hiding.
710
Chorus Leader
O horror! what will you say? did he slay him to get the gold?
Hecuba
O dreadful crime! O deed without a name! beyond wonder!
impious! intolerable! Where are the laws between guest and host? Accursed of men! how have you mangled his flesh, slashing the poor child’s limbs
715
with ruthless sword, lost to all sense of pity!
720
Chorus Leader
Alas for you! how some deity, whose hand is heavy on you, has sent you troubles beyond all other mortals! But I see our lord and master
Agamemnon; so let us be still from now on, my friends.
725
Agamemnon
Hecuba, why are you delaying to come and bury your daughter? for it was for this that Talthybius brought me your message begging that no one of the Argives should touch your child. And so we granted this, and are not touching her,
but this delay of yours fills me with wonder. And so I have come to send you from here; for our part there is well performed—if here there is any place for well.
730
He sees the body. Oh! what man is this I see near the tents, some Trojan’s corpse? It is not an Argive’s body;
that the garments it is clad in tell me.
735
Hecuba
Unhappy one! in naming you I name myself; Hecuba, what shall I do? throw myself here at Agamemnon’s knees, or bear my sorrows in silence?
Agamemnon
Why do you turn your back towards me and
weep, refusing to say what has happened? Who is this?
740
Hecuba
But if he should count me as a slave and foe and spurn me from his knees, I would add to my anguish.
Agamemnon
I am no prophet born; therefore, if I am not told, I cannot learn the current of your thoughts.
Hecuba
Can it be that in estimating this man’s feelings I make him out too ill-disposed, when he is not really so?
745
Agamemnon
If your wish really is that I should remain in ignorance, we are of one mind; for I have no wish myself to listen.
Hecuba
Without his aid I shall not be able to avenge
my children. Why do I still ponder the matter? I must do and dare whether I win or lose. Turning to Agamemnon Agamemnon, by your knees, by your beard and conquering hand I implore you—
750
Agamemnon
What is your desire? to be
