HECUBA [2]
of the queen of sorrows; listen to thy mother's voice, my child, that thou mayst know the hideous rumour I now hear about thy life.
(POLYXENA enters from the tent.)
POLYXENA O mother, mother mine! why dost thou call so loud? what news is it thou hast proclaimed, scaring me, like a cowering bird, from my chamber by this alarm? HECUBA Alas, my daughter! POLYXENA Why this ominous address? it bodeth sorrow for me. HECUBA Woe for thy life! POLYXENA Tell all, hide it no longer. Ah mother! how I dread, ay dread the import of thy loud laments. HECUBA Ah my daughter! a luckless mother's child! POLYXENA Why dost thou tell me this? HECUBA The Argives with one consent are eager for thy sacrifice to the son of Peleus at his tomb. POLYXENA Ah! mother mine! how canst thou speak of such a horror? Yet tell me all, yes all, O mother dear! HECUBA 'Tis a rumour ill-boding I tell, my child; they bring me word that sentence is passed upon thy life by the Argives' vote. POLYXENA Alas, for thy cruel sufferings! my persecuted mother! woe for thy life of grief! What grievous outrage some fiend hath sent on thee, hateful, horrible! No more shall I thy daughter share thy bondage, hapless youth on hapless age attending. For thou, alas! wilt see thy hapless child torn from thy arms, as a calf of the hills is torn from its mother, and sent beneath the darkness of the earth with severed throat for Hades, where with the dead shall I be laid, ah me! For thee I weep with plaintive wail, mother doomed to a life of sorrow! for my own life, its ruin and its outrage, never a tear I shed; nay, death is become to me a happier lot than life. LEADER OF THE CHORUS See where Odysseus comes in haste, to announce some fresh command to thee, Hecuba.
(ODYSSEUS enters, with his attendants.)
ODYSSEUS Lady, methinks thou knowest already the intention of the host, and the vote that has been passed; still will I declare it. It is the Achaeans' will to sacrifice thy daughter Polyxena at the mound heaped o'er Achilles' grave; and they appoint me to take the maid and bring her thither, while the son of Achilles is chosen to preside o'er the sacrifice and act as priest. Dost know then what to do? Be not forcibly torn from her, nor match thy might 'gainst mine; recognize the limits of thy strength, and the presence of thy troubles. Even in adversity 'tis wise to yield to reason's dictates. HECUBA Ah me! an awful trial is nigh, it seems, fraught with mourning, rich in tears. Yes, I too escaped death where death had been my due, and Zeus destroyed me not but is still preserving my life, that I may witness in my misery fresh sorrows surpassing all before. Still if the bond may ask the free of things that grieve them not nor wrench their heart-strings, 'tis well that thou shouldst make an end and hearken to my questioning. ODYSSEUS Granted; put thy questions; that short delay I grudge thee not. HECUBA Dost remember the day thou camest to spy on Ilium, disguised in rags and tatters, while down thy cheek ran drops of blood? ODYSSEUS Remember it! yes; 'twas no slight impression it made upon my heart. HECUBA Did Helen recognize thee and tell me only? ODYSSEUS I well remember the awful risk I ran. HECUBA Didst thou embrace my knees in all humility? ODYSSEUS Yea, so that my hand grew dead and cold upon thy robe. HECUBA What saidst thou then, when in my power? ODYSSEUS Doubtless I found plenty to say, to save my life. HECUBA Was it I that saved and sent thee forth again? ODYSSEUS Thou didst, and so I still behold the light of day. HECUBA Art not thou then playing a sorry part to plot against me thus, after the kind treatment thou didst by thy own confession receive from me, showing me no gratitude but all the ill thou canst? A thankless race! all ye who covet honour from the mob for your oratory. Oh that ye were unknown to me ye who harm your friends and think no more of it, if ye can but say a
(POLYXENA enters from the tent.)
POLYXENA O mother, mother mine! why dost thou call so loud? what news is it thou hast proclaimed, scaring me, like a cowering bird, from my chamber by this alarm? HECUBA Alas, my daughter! POLYXENA Why this ominous address? it bodeth sorrow for me. HECUBA Woe for thy life! POLYXENA Tell all, hide it no longer. Ah mother! how I dread, ay dread the import of thy loud laments. HECUBA Ah my daughter! a luckless mother's child! POLYXENA Why dost thou tell me this? HECUBA The Argives with one consent are eager for thy sacrifice to the son of Peleus at his tomb. POLYXENA Ah! mother mine! how canst thou speak of such a horror? Yet tell me all, yes all, O mother dear! HECUBA 'Tis a rumour ill-boding I tell, my child; they bring me word that sentence is passed upon thy life by the Argives' vote. POLYXENA Alas, for thy cruel sufferings! my persecuted mother! woe for thy life of grief! What grievous outrage some fiend hath sent on thee, hateful, horrible! No more shall I thy daughter share thy bondage, hapless youth on hapless age attending. For thou, alas! wilt see thy hapless child torn from thy arms, as a calf of the hills is torn from its mother, and sent beneath the darkness of the earth with severed throat for Hades, where with the dead shall I be laid, ah me! For thee I weep with plaintive wail, mother doomed to a life of sorrow! for my own life, its ruin and its outrage, never a tear I shed; nay, death is become to me a happier lot than life. LEADER OF THE CHORUS See where Odysseus comes in haste, to announce some fresh command to thee, Hecuba.
(ODYSSEUS enters, with his attendants.)
ODYSSEUS Lady, methinks thou knowest already the intention of the host, and the vote that has been passed; still will I declare it. It is the Achaeans' will to sacrifice thy daughter Polyxena at the mound heaped o'er Achilles' grave; and they appoint me to take the maid and bring her thither, while the son of Achilles is chosen to preside o'er the sacrifice and act as priest. Dost know then what to do? Be not forcibly torn from her, nor match thy might 'gainst mine; recognize the limits of thy strength, and the presence of thy troubles. Even in adversity 'tis wise to yield to reason's dictates. HECUBA Ah me! an awful trial is nigh, it seems, fraught with mourning, rich in tears. Yes, I too escaped death where death had been my due, and Zeus destroyed me not but is still preserving my life, that I may witness in my misery fresh sorrows surpassing all before. Still if the bond may ask the free of things that grieve them not nor wrench their heart-strings, 'tis well that thou shouldst make an end and hearken to my questioning. ODYSSEUS Granted; put thy questions; that short delay I grudge thee not. HECUBA Dost remember the day thou camest to spy on Ilium, disguised in rags and tatters, while down thy cheek ran drops of blood? ODYSSEUS Remember it! yes; 'twas no slight impression it made upon my heart. HECUBA Did Helen recognize thee and tell me only? ODYSSEUS I well remember the awful risk I ran. HECUBA Didst thou embrace my knees in all humility? ODYSSEUS Yea, so that my hand grew dead and cold upon thy robe. HECUBA What saidst thou then, when in my power? ODYSSEUS Doubtless I found plenty to say, to save my life. HECUBA Was it I that saved and sent thee forth again? ODYSSEUS Thou didst, and so I still behold the light of day. HECUBA Art not thou then playing a sorry part to plot against me thus, after the kind treatment thou didst by thy own confession receive from me, showing me no gratitude but all the ill thou canst? A thankless race! all ye who covet honour from the mob for your oratory. Oh that ye were unknown to me ye who harm your friends and think no more of it, if ye can but say a