I am present, having left the secret dwellings of the dead and the gates of
darkness, where Pluto has his abode apart from the other Gods, Polydore the
son of Hecuba the daughter of Cisseus,[1] and Priam my sire, who when the
danger of falling by the spear of Greece was threatening the city of the
Phrygians, in fear, privately sent me from the Trojan land to the house of
Polymestor, his Thracian friend, who cultivates the most fruitful soil of
the Chersonese, ruling a warlike people with his spear.[2] But my father
sends privately with me a large quantity of gold, in order that, if at any
time the walls of Troy should fall, there might not be a lack of sustenance
for his surviving children. But I was the youngest of the sons of Priam; on
which account also he sent me privately from the land, for I was able
neither to bear arms nor the spear with my youthful arm. As long then
indeed as the landmarks of the country remained erect, and the towers of
Troy were unshaken, and Hector my brother prevailed with his spear, I
miserable increased vigorously as some young branch, by the nurture I
received at the hands of the Thracian, my father's friend. But after that
both Troy and the life of Hector were put an end to, and my father's
mansions razed to the ground, and himself falls at the altar built by the
God, slain by the blood-polluted son of Achilles, the friend of my father
slays me, wretched man, for the sake of my gold, and having slain me threw
me into the surf of the sea, that he might possess the gold himself in his
palace. But I am exposed on the shore, at another time on the ocean's
surge, borne about by many ebbings and flowings of the waves, unwept,
unburied; but at present I am hastening on my dear mother's account, having
left my body, borne aloft this day already the third,[3] for so long has my
wretched mother been present in this territory of the Chersonese from Troy.
But all the Grecians, holding their ships at anchor, are sitting quiet on
the shores of this land of Thrace. For Achilles the son of Peleus,
appearing above his tomb, stayed all the army of the Grecians as they were
directing homeward their sea dipped oars; and asks to receive my sister
Polyxena as a dear victim, and a tribute of honor to his tomb. And this he
will obtain, nor will he be without this gift from his friends; and fate
this day leads forth my sister to death. But my mother will see the two
corses of her two children, both mine and the unhappy virgin's; for I shall
appear on a breaker before the feet of a female slave, that I wretched may
obtain sepulture; for I have successfully entreated those who have power
beneath to find a tomb, and to fall into my mother's hands. As much then as
I wish to have shall be mine; but I will withdraw myself out of the way of
the aged Hecuba, for she is advancing her step beyond the tent of
Agamemnon, dreading my phantom. Alas! O my mother, who, from kingly
palaces, hast beheld the day of slavery, how unfortunate art thou now, in
the degree that thou wert once fortunate! but some one of the Gods
counterpoising your state, destroys you on account of your ancient
prosperity.