HEC. O Polymestor, I am ashamed to look thee in the face, sunk as I am in such miseries; for before one who has seen me in prosperity, shame overwhelms me, being in the state in which I now am, nor can I look upon thee with unmoved eyes. But impute not this to any enmity I bear thee; but there are other causes, and in some degree this law; "that women ought not to gaze at men."
POLY. And 'tis indeed no wonder; but what need hast thou of me? for what purpose didst thou send for me to come from home?
HEC. I am desirous of communicating a private affair of my own to thee and thy children; but order thy attendants to retire from these tents.
POLY. Depart, for here to be alone is safe. Friendly thou art, this Grecian army too is friendly toward me, but it is for thee to signify, in what manner I, who am in good circumstances, ought to succor my friends in distress; since, on my part, I am ready.
HEC. First then tell me of my son Polydore, whom thou retainest, receiving him from mine, and from his father's hand, if he live; but the rest I shall inquire of thee afterward.
POLY. He lives, and in good health; as far as regards him indeed thou art happy.
HEC. O my best friend, how well thou speakest, and how worthily of thyself!
POLY. What dost thou wish then to inquire of me in the next place?
HEC. Whether he remembers at all me, his mother?
POLY. Yes: and he even sought to come to thee by stealth.
HEC. And is the gold safe, which he brought with him from Troy?
POLY. It is safe, at least it is guarded in my house.
HEC. Preserve it therefore, nor covet the goods of others.
POLY. Certainly not. May I enjoy what is mine own, O lady.
HEC. Knowest thou then, what I wish to say to thee and thy children?
POLY. I do not: this shalt thou signify by thy speech.
HEC. Be my son loved by thee, as thou art now loved of me.
POLY. What is it, that I and my sons must know?
HEC. The ancient buried treasures of the family of Priam.
POLY. Is it this thou wishest me to inform thy son of?
HEC. Yes, certainly; through thee at least, for thou art a pious man.
POLY. What necessity then is there for the presence of these children?
HEC. 'Tis better in case of thy death, that these should know.
POLY. Well hast thou thus said, and 'tis the wiser plan.
HEC. Thou knowest then where the temple of Minerva in Troy is
POLY. Is the gold there! but what is the mark?
HEC. A black rock rising above the earth.
POLY. Hast any thing further to tell me of what is there?
HEC. No, but I wish thee to take care of some treasures, with which I came out of the city.
POLY. Where are they then? Hast thou them hidden beneath thy robes?
HEC. Amidst a heap of spoils they are preserved in this tent.
POLY. But where? These are the naval encampments of the Grecians.
HEC. The habitations of the captive women are private.
POLY. And is all secure within, and untenanted by men?
HEC. Not one of the Greeks is within, but we women only. But come into the tent, for the Greeks are desirous of loosing the sheets of their vessels homeward from Troy; so that, having done every thing that thou oughtest, thou mayest go with thy children to that place where thou hast given my son to dwell.
CHOR. Not yet hast thou suffered, but peradventure thou wilt suffer vengeance; as a man falling headlong into the gulf where no harbor is, shalt thou be hurled from thy dear heart, having lost thy life;26 for where the rites of hospitality coincide27 with justice, and with the Gods, on the villain who dares to violate these destructive, destructive indeed impends the evil. But thy hopes will deceive thee, which thou entertainedst from this journey, which has brought thee, thou wretched man, to the deadly mansions of Pluto; but thou shalt quit thy life by no warrior's hand.
POLYMESTOR, HECUBA, SEMICHORUS
POLY. Oh me! I wretch am deprived of the sight of mine eyes.
SEMI. Heard ye the shriek of the man of Thrace, my friends?
POLY. Oh me; there again Oh my children, thy miserable butchery!
SEMI. My friends, some strange ills have been perpetrated within the tents.
POLY. But for all your nimble feet, ye never can escape me, for by my blows will I burst open the recesses of these tents.
SEMI. Behold, he uses violently the weapon of his heavy hand. Will ye that we fall on; since the instant calls on us to be present with assistance to Hecuba and the Trojan dames?
HEC. Dash on, spare nothing, break down the gates, for thou never shalt replace the clear sight in those pupils, nor shalt thou behold alive those children which I have slain.
SEMI. What! hast thou vanquished the Thracian? and hast thou got the mastery over this host, my mistress? and hast thou done such deeds, as thou sayest?
HEC. Thou wilt see him quickly before the house, blind, with blind wandering steps approaching, and the bodies of his two children, whom I have slain with these most valiant Trojan women; but he has felt my vengeance; but he is coming as thou seest from the tent. But I will retire out of his way, and make good my retreat from the boiling rage of this most desperate Thracian.
POLY. Alas me! whither can I go? where stand? whither shall I direct my way, advancing my steps like the four-footed mountain beast on my hands and on my feet in pursuit? What new path shall I take in this direction or in that, desirous of seizing these murderous Trojan dames, who have utterly destroyed me; O ye impious, impious Phrygian daughters! Ah the accursed, in what corner do they shrink from me in flight? Would that thou, O sun, could'st heal, could'st heal these bleeding lids of my eyes, and remove this gloomy-darkness. Ah, hush, hush! I hear the carefully-concealed step of these women. Whither shall I direct my course in order that I may glut myself on the flesh and bones of these, making the wild beasts' banquet, inflicting vengeance on them, in return for the injuries done me. Wretch that I am! Whither, whither am I borne, having left my children deserted, for these fiends of hell to tear piecemeal, a mangled, bleeding, savage prey to dogs, and a thing to cast out on the mountains? Where shall I stand? Whither turn? Whither go, as a ship setting her yellow canvas sails with her sea-washed palsers, rushing to this lair of death, the protector of my children?
CHOR. O miserable man, what intolerable evils have been perpetrated by thee! but on thee having done base deeds the God hath sent dreadful punishment, whoever he be that presses heavy on thee.
POLY. Alas! alas! O Thracian nation, brandishing the spear, warlike, bestriding the steed, nation ruled by Mars; O ye Greeks, sons of Atreus; I raise the cry, the cry, the cry; Come, come, hasten, I entreat you by the Gods. Does any hear, or will no one assist me? Why do ye delay? The women have destroyed me, the captive women. Horrible, horrible treatment have I suffered. Alas me for my ruin! Whither can I turn? Whither can I go? Shall I soar through the ethereal skies to the lofty mansions where Orion or Sirius dart from their eyes the flaming rays of fire: or shall I hapless rush to the gloomy shore of Pluto?
CHOR. It is pardonable, when any one suffers greater misfortunes than he can bear, for him to be desirous to quit a miserable life.
AGAMEMNON, POLYMESTOR, HECUBA, CHORUS
AGA. I came having heard the clamor: for Echo, the mountain's daughter, did not sound in gentle strains through the army, causing a disturbance. But did we not know that the Phrygian towers are fallen beneath the Grecian spear, this tumult might have caused no little terror.