of betraying my own cause. Tell me, proud young wife, what assurance
can make me confident of wresting from thee thy lawful lord? Is it

that Laconia's capital yields to Phrygia? is it that my fortune
outstrips thine? or that in me thou seest a free woman? Am I so elated

by my youth, my full healthy figure, the extent of my city, the number
of my friends that I wish to supplant thee in thy home? Is my

purpose to take thy place and rear myself a race of slaves, mere
appendages to my misery? or, supposing thou bear no children, will any

one endure that sons of mine should rule o'er Phthia? Ah no! there
is the love that Hellas bears me, both for Hector's sake and for my

own humble rank forsooth, that never knew a queen's estate in Troy.
'Tis not my sorcery that makes thy husband hate thee, nay, but thy own

failure to prove thyself his help-meet. Herein lies love's only charm;
'tis not beauty, lady, but virtuous acts that win our husbands'

hearts. And though it gall thee to be told so, albeit thy city in
Laconia is no doubt mighty fact, yet thou findest no place for his

Scyros, displaying wealth 'midst poverty and setting Menelaus above
Achilles: and that is what alienates thy lord. Take heed; for a woman,

though bestowed upon worthless husband, must be with him content,
and ne'er advance presumptuous claims. Suppose thou hadst wedded a

prince of Thrace, the land of flood and melting snow, where one lord
shares his affections with a host of wives, wouldst thou have slain

them? If so, thou wouldst have set a stigma of insatiate lust on all
our sex. A shameful charge! And yet herein we suffer more than men,

though we make a good stand against it. Ah! my dear lord Hector, for
thy sake would I e'en brook a rival, if ever Cypris led thee astray,

and oft in days gone by I held thy bastard babes to my own breast,
to spare thee any cause for grief. By this course I bound my husband

to me by virtue's chains, whereas thou wilt never so much as let the
drops of dew from heaven above settle on thy lord, in thy jealous

fear. Oh! seek not to surpass thy mother in hankering after men, for
'tis well that all wise children should avoid the habits of such

evil mothers.
LEADER

Mistress mine, be persuaded to come to terms with her, as far as
readily comes within thy power.

HERMIONE
Why this haughty tone, this bandying of words, as if, forsooth,

thou, not I, wert the virtuous wife?
ANDROMACHE

Thy present claims at any rate give thee small title thereto.
HERMIONE

Woman, may my bosom never harbour such ideas as thine!
ANDROMACHE

Thou art young to speak on such a theme as this.
HERMIONE

As for thee, thou dost not speak thereof, but, as thou canst, dost
put it into action against me.

ANDROMACHE
Canst thou not conceal thy pangs of jealousy?

HERMIONE
What! doth not every woman put this first of all?

ANDROMACHE
Yes, if her experiences are happy; otherwise, there is no honour

in speaking of them.
HERMIONE

Barbarians' laws are not a standard for our city.
ANDROMACHE

Alike in Asia and in Hellas infamy attends base actions.
HERMIONE

Clever, clever quibbler! yet die thou must and shalt.
ANDROMACHE

Dost see the image of Thetis with her eye upon thee?
HERMIONE

A bitter foe to thy country because of the death of Achilles.
ANDROMACHE

'Twas not I that slew him, but Helen that mother of thine.
HERMIONE

Pray, is it thy intention to probe my wounds yet deeper?
ANDROMACHE

Behold, I am dumb, my lips are closed.
HERMIONE

Tell me that which was my only reason for coming hither.
ANDROMACHE

No! all I tell thee is, thou hast less wisdom than thou needest.
HERMIONE

Wilt thou leave these hallowed precincts of the sea-goddess?
ANDROMACHE

Yes, if I am not to die for it; otherwise, I never will.
HERMIONE

Since that is thy resolve, I shall not even wait my lord's return.
ANDROMACHE

Nor yet will I, at any rate ere that, surrender to thee.
HERMIONE

I will bring fire to bear on thee, and pay no heed to thy
entreaties.

ANDROMACHE
Kindle thy blaze then; the gods will witness it.

HERMIONE
And make thy flesh to writhe by cruel wounds.

ANDROMACHE
Begin thy butchery, stain the altar of the goddess with blood, for

she will visit thy iniquity.
HERMIONE

Barbarian creature, hardened in impudence, wilt thou brave death
itself? Still will I find speedy means to make these quit this seat of

thy free will; such a bait have I to lure thee with. But I will hide
my meaning, which the event itself shall soon declare. Yes, keep thy

seat, for I will make thee rise, though molten lead is holding thee
there, before Achilles' son, thy trusted champion, arrive.

(HERMIONE departs.)
ANDROMACHE

My trusted champion, yes! how strange it is, that though some
god hath devised cures for mortals against the venom of reptiles, no

man ever yet hath discovered aught to cure a woman's venom, which is
far worse than viper's sting or scorching flame; so terrible a curse

are we to mankind.
CHORUS (singing)

strophe 1
Ah! what sorrows did the son of Zeus and Maia herald, in the day

he came to Ida's glen, guiding that fair young trio of goddesses,
all girded for the fray in bitter rivalry about their beauty, to the

shepherd's fold where dwelt the youthfulherdsman all alone by the
hearth of his lonely hut.

antistrophe 1
Soon as they reached the wooded glen, in gushing mountain

springs they bathed their dazzling skin, then sought the son of Priam,
comparing their rival charms in more than rancorous phrase. But Cypris

won the day by her deceitful promises, sweet-sounding words, but
fraught with ruthlessoverthrow to Phrygia's hapless town and

Ilium's towers.
strophe 2

Would God his mother had smitten him a cruel death-blow on the
head before he made his home on Ida's slopes, in the hour Cassandra,

standing by the holy bay-tree, cried out, "Slay him, for he will bring
most grievous bane on Priam's town." To every prince she went, to

every elder sued for the babe's destruction.
antistrophe 2

Ah! had they listened, Ilium's daughters neer had felt the yoke of
slavery, and thou, lady, hadst been established in the royal palace;