MEN. Was any one else present, who supported thy body?
ORES. Pylades, who perpetrated with me the vengeance and death of my
mother.
MEN. But by what visions art thou thus afflicted?
ORES. I appear to behold three virgins like the night.
MEN. I know whom thou meanest, but am unwilling to name them.
ORES. Yes: for they are awful; but forbear from speaking such high polished
words.[10]
MEN. Do these drive thee to distraction on account of this kindred murder?
ORES. Alas me for the persecutions, with which wretched I am driven!
MEN. It is not strange that those who do strange deeds should suffer them.
ORES. But we have whereto we may transfer the criminality[11] of the
mischance.
MEN. Say not the death _of thy father;_ for this is not wise.
ORES. Phœbus who commanded us to perpetrate the slaying of our mother.
MEN. Being more ignorant than to know equity, and justice.
ORES. We are servants of the Gods, whatever those Gods be.
MEN. And then does not Apollo assist thee in thy miseries?
ORES. He is always about to do it, but such are the Gods by nature.
MEN. But how long a time has thy mother's breath gone from her?
ORES. This is the sixth day since; the funeral pyre is yet warm.
MEN. How quickly have the Goddesses come to demand of thee thy mother's
blood!
ORES. I am not wise, but a true friend to my friends.
MEN. But what then doth the revenge of thy father profit thee?
ORES. Nothing yet; but I consider what is in prospect in the same light as
a thing not done.
MEN. But regarding the city how standest thou, having done these things?
ORES. We are hated to that degree, that no one speaks to us.
MEN. Nor hast thou washed thy blood from thy hands according to the laws?
ORES. _How can I?_ for I am shut out from the houses, whithersoever I go.
MEN. Who of the citizens thus contend to drive thee from the land?
ORES. Œax,[12] imputing to my father the hatred which arose on account of
Troy.
MEN. I understand. The death of Palamede takes its vengeance on thee.
ORES. In which at least I had no share--but I perish by the three.
MEN. But who else? Is it perchance one of the friends of Ægisthus?
ORES. They persecute me, whom now the city obeys.
MEN. But does the city suffer thee to wield Agamemnon's sceptre?
ORES. How should they? who no longer suffer us to live.
MEN. Doing what, which thou canst tell me as a clear fact?
ORES. This very day sentence will be passed upon us.
MEN. To be exiled from this city? or to die? or not to die?
ORES. To die, by being stoned with stones by the citizens.
MEN. And dost thou not fly then, escaping beyond the boundaries of the
country?
ORES. _How can we?_ for we are surrounded on every side by brazen arms.
MEN. By private enemies, or by the hand of Argos?
ORES. By all the citizens, that I may die--the word is brief.
MEN. O unhappy man! thou art come to the extreme of misfortune.
ORES. On thee my hope builds her escape from evils, but, thyself happy,
coming among the distressed, impart thy good fortune to thy friends, and be
not the only man to retain a benefit thou hast received, but undertake also
services in thy turn, paying their father's kindness to those to whom thou
oughtest. For those friends have the name, not the reality, who are not
friends in adversity.
CHOR. And see the Spartan Tyndarus is toiling hither with his aged foot, in
a black vest, and shorn, his locks cut off in mourning for his daughter.
ORES. I am undone, O Menelaus! Lo! Tyndarus is coming toward us, to come
before whose presence, most of all men's, shame covereth me, on account of
what has been done. For he used to nurture me when I was little, and
satiated me with many kisses, dandling in his arms Agamemnon's boy, and
Leda with him, honoring me no less than the twin-born of Jove. For which, O
my wretched heart and soul, I have given no good return: what dark veil can
I take for my countenance? what cloud can I place before me, that I may
avoid the glances of the old man's eyes?