fair fame. Next when Calchas bade thee offer thy daughter in sacrifice

to Artemis, declaring that the Danai should then sail, thou wert



overjoyed, and didst gladlyundertake to offer the maid, and of

thine own accord-never allege compulsion!-thou art sending word to thy



wife to despatch thy daughter hither on pretence of wedding

Achilles. This is the same air that heard thee say it; and after all



thou turnest round and hast been caught recasting thy letter to this

effect, "I will no longer be my daughter's murderer." Exactly so!



Countless others have gone through this phase in their conduct of

public affairs; they make an effort while in power, and then retire



dishonourably, sometimes owing to the senselessness of the citizens,

sometimes deservedly, because they are too feeble of themselves to



maintain their watch upon the state. For my part, I am more sorry

for our unhappy Hellas, whose purpose was to read these worthless



foreigners a lesson, while now she will let them escape and mock

her, thanks to thee and thy daughter. May I never then appoint a man



to rule my country or lead its warriors because his kinship! Ability

what the general must have; since any man, with ordinary intelligence,



can govern a state.

CHORUS



For brethren to come to words and blows, whene'er they disagree,

is terrible.



AGAMEMNON

I wish to rebuke thee in turn, briefly, not lifting mine eyes



too high in shameless wise, but in more sober fashion, as a brother;

for it is a good man's way to be considerate. Prithee, why this



burst of fury, these bloodshot eyes? who wrongs thee? what is it

thou wantest? Thou art fain to win a virtuous bride. Well, I cannot



supply thee; for she, whom thou once hadst, was ill controlled by

thee. Am I then, a man who never went astray, to suffer for thy



sins? or is it my popularity that galls thee? No! it is the longing

thou hast to keep a fair wife in thy embrace, casting reason and



honour to the winds. A bad man's pleasures are like himself Am I

mad, if I change to wiser counsels, after previously" target="_blank" title="ad.预先；以前">previously deciding amiss?



Thine is the madness rather in wishing to recover a wicked wife,

once thou hadst lost her-a stroke of Heaven-sent luck. Those foolish



suitors swore that oath to Tyndareus in their longing to wed; but Hope

was the goddess that led them on, I trow, and she it was that



brought it about rather then thou and thy mightiness. So take the

field with them; they are ready for it in the folly of their hearts;



for the deity is not without insight, but is able to discern where

oaths have been wrongly pledged or forcibly extorted. I will not



slay my children, nor shall thy interests be prospered by justice in

thy vengeance for a worthless wife, while I am left wasting, night and



day, in sorrow for what I did to one of my own flesh and blood,

contrary to all law and justice. There is thy answer shortly' given,



clear and easy to understand; and if thou wilt not come to thy senses,

I shall do the best for myself.



CHORUS

This differs from thy previousdeclaration, but there is good in



it-thy child's reprieve.

MENELAUS



Ah me, how sad my lot! I have no friends then after all.

AGAMEMNON



Friends thou hast, if thou seek not their destruction.

MENELAUS



Where wilt thou find any proof that thou art sprung from the

same sire as I?



AGAMEMNON

Thy moderation, not thy madness do I share by nature.



MENELAUS

Friends should sympathize with friends in sorrow.



AGAMEMNON

Claim my help by kindly service, not by paining me.



MENELAUS

So thou hast no mind to share this trouble with Hellas?



AGAMEMNON

No, Hellas is diseased like thee according to some god's design.



MENELAUS

Go vaunt thee then on thy sceptre, after betraying thine own



brother! while seek some different means and other friends.

• goddess [´gɔdis] n.女神 (初中英语单词)


• dragon [´drægən] n.龙 (初中英语单词)


• foreigner [´fɔrinə] n.外国人 (初中英语单词)


• moreover [mɔ:´rəuvə] ad.再者，此外，而且 (初中英语单词)


• likewise [´laikwaiz] ad.同样地；也，又 (初中英语单词)


• obtain [əb´tein] v.获得；买到；得到承认 (初中英语单词)


• surrender [sə´rendə] vt.&n.交出；引渡；放弃 (初中英语单词)


• contents [´kɔ:ntents] n.容纳物；要旨 (初中英语单词)


• arrival [ə´raivəl] n.到达；到达的人(物) (初中英语单词)


• doings [´du:iŋz] n.行动；所作的事 (初中英语单词)


• management [´mænidʒmənt] n.管理；处理；经营 (初中英语单词)


• anxious [´æŋkʃəs] a.担忧的；渴望的 (初中英语单词)


• humble [´hʌmbəl] a.谦卑的 vt.贬抑 (初中英语单词)


• account [ə´kaunt] vi.说明 vt.认为 n.帐目 (初中英语单词)


• breeze [bri:z] n.微风；不费力的事 (初中英语单词)


• dismay [dis´mei] n.惊慌 vt.使惊慌 (初中英语单词)


• confusion [kən´fju:ʒən] n.混乱(状态)；骚乱 (初中英语单词)


• counsel [´kaunsəl] n.商议；劝告；律师 (初中英语单词)


• scheme [ski:m] n.计划；阴谋，诡计 (初中英语单词)


• undertake [,ʌndə´teik] vt.从事；承担；担保 (初中英语单词)


• hither [´hiðə] ad.到此处 (初中英语单词)


• feeble [´fi:bəl] a.虚弱的，无力的 (初中英语单词)


• unhappy [ʌn´hæpi] a.不幸的；不快乐的 (初中英语单词)


• appoint [ə´pɔint] vt.安排；委派；任命 (初中英语单词)


• govern [´gʌvən] v.统治；控制；指导 (初中英语单词)


• briefly [´bri:fli] ad.简短地；简略地 (初中英语单词)


• embrace [im´breis] vt.&n.拥抱；采纳；信奉 (初中英语单词)


• wicked [´wikid] a.邪恶的；不道德的 (初中英语单词)


• previous [´pri:viəs] a.先，前，以前的 (初中英语单词)


• squadron [´skwɔdrən] n.(骑兵)中队；团体 (高中英语单词)


• loyalty [´lɔiəlti] n.忠诚；忠心；忠实 (高中英语单词)


• reproach [ri´prəutʃ] vt.&n.责备；指责；耻辱 (高中英语单词)


• meddle [´medl] vi.干涉(预)；乱弄 (高中英语单词)


• violently [´vaiələntli] ad.强暴地；猛烈地 (高中英语单词)


• bearer [´beərə] n.持票人；送信人 (高中英语单词)


• crooked [´krukid] a.弯曲的；畸形的 (高中英语单词)


• exquisite [ik´skwizit] a.精巧的；敏锐的 (高中英语单词)


• eagerness [´i:gənis] n.渴望；热忱 (高中英语单词)


• pretence [pri´tens] n.假装；托词；无理要求 (高中英语单词)


• cordial [´kɔ:diəl] a.热忱的；亲切的 (高中英语单词)


• access [´ækses] n.接近；通路；进入 (高中英语单词)


• vainly [´veinli] ad.虚荣地；自负地 (高中英语单词)


• devise [di´vaiz] vt.设计，发明 (高中英语单词)


• gladly [´glædli] ad.愉快地，高兴地 (高中英语单词)


• allege [ə´ledʒ] vt.断言；声称；推说 (高中英语单词)


• despatch [di´spætʃ] n.&v.发送；派遣；调度 (高中英语单词)


• rebuke [ri´bju:k] vt.&n.指责；训斥 (高中英语单词)


• popularity [,pɔpju´læriti] n.普及；流行；名望 (高中英语单词)


• previously [´pri:viəsli] ad.预先；以前 (高中英语单词)


• madness [´mædnis] n.疯狂；狂热 (高中英语单词)


• longing [´lɔŋiŋ] n.&a.渴望(的) (高中英语单词)


• discern [di´sə:n] v.辩认出 (高中英语单词)


• vengeance [´vendʒəns] n.报复，复仇 (高中英语单词)


• worthless [´wə:θləs] a.无价值的 (高中英语单词)


• declaration [,deklə´reiʃən] n.宣布；宣言；申报 (高中英语单词)


• sprung [sprʌŋ] spring的过去分词 (高中英语单词)


• armament [´ɑ:məmənt] n.军备；重武器 (英语四级单词)


• lastly [´lɑ:stli] ad.最后，终于 (英语四级单词)


• obedient [ə´bi:djənt] a.服从的，恭顺的 (英语四级单词)


• daring [´deəriŋ] a.&n.勇敢(的) (英语四级单词)


• uproar [´ʌprɔ:] n.喧嚣；骚动；轰鸣，轰动 (英语四级单词)


• shameful [´ʃeimfəl] a.可耻的；猥亵的 (英语四级单词)


• hateful [´heitfəl] a.可恨的，可憎的 (英语四级单词)


• unjust [ʌn´dʒʌst] a.不公平(正)的 (英语四级单词)


• virtuous [´və:tjuəs] a.道德的；善良的 (英语四级单词)


• astray [ə´strei] ad.&a.在歧途上(的) (英语四级单词)


• wasting [´weistiŋ] a.&n.浪费(的) (英语四级单词)


• moderation [,mɔdə´reiʃən] n.适度；温和；节制 (英语四级单词)


• ensign [´ensain] n.旗；徽章；标志 (英语六级单词)


• grandsire [´grændsaiə] n.老人；祖先 (英语六级单词)


• holding [´həuldiŋ] n.保持，固定，存储 (英语六级单词)


• citadel [´sitədl] n.城堡；堡垒；避难所 (英语六级单词)


• grapple [´græpəl] vt.抓住 (英语六级单词)


• scroll [skrəul] n.卷轴；纸卷 (英语六级单词)


• taking [´teikiŋ] a.迷人的 n.捕获物 (英语六级单词)


• effectually [i´fektjuəli] ad.有效地 (英语六级单词)


• reprove [ri´pru:v] vt.责骂，谴责；非难 (英语六级单词)


• consternation [,kɔnstə´neiʃən] n.惊愕；惊恐；惊慌失措 (英语六级单词)


• considerate [kən´sidərit] a.考虑周到的；体谅的 (英语六级单词)


• insight [´insait] n.洞悉；洞察力；见识 (英语六级单词)


• forcibly [´fɔ:səbli] ad.强行地，强烈地 (英语六级单词)


• diseased [di´zi:zd] a.生病的；有病的 (英语六级单词)