---
title: "Helen · Ἑλένη"
author: "Euripides"
translator: "Edward P. Coleridge"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
url: https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-helen/
cite: "Euripides, tr. Edward P. Coleridge, Helen · Ἑλένη. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-helen/"
---

# Helen · Ἑλένη

*Euripides, tr. Edward P. Coleridge*

The real Helen spent the Trojan War in Egypt; only her phantom went to Troy.

> Greek: ed. Gilbert Murray, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0006.tlg014, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Edward P. Coleridge, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0006.tlg014.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (line numbers), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## Contents

1. [Lines 1–596](https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-helen/1.md)
2. [Lines 566–1121](https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-helen/2.md)
3. [Lines 1122–1692](https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-helen/3.md)

## 1. Lines 1–596

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-helen/1/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-helen/1/#p-N

[¶0] Scene.— Tomb of Proteus in the island of Pharos.
Helen:
These are the lovely pure streams of the Nile, which waters the plain and lands of Egypt, fed by white melting snow instead of rain from heaven. Proteus was king of this land when he was alive,
living on the island of Pharos and lord of Egypt; and he married one of the daughters of the sea, Psamathe, after she left Aiakos’ bed. She bore two children in his palace here: a son Theoklymenos, [because he spent his life in reverence of the gods,]
and a noble daughter, her mother’s pride, called Eido in her infancy. But when she came to youth, the season of marriage, she was called Theonoe; for she knew whatever the gods design, both present and to come,
having received this honor from her grandfather Nereus.
My own fatherland, Sparta, is not without fame, and my father is Tyndareus; but there is indeed a story that Zeus flew to my mother Leda, taking the form of a bird, a swan,
which accomplished the deceitful union, fleeing the pursuit of an eagle, if this story is true. My name is Helen; I will tell the evils I have suffered. For the sake of beauty, three goddesses came to a deep valley on Mount Ida, to Paris:
Hera and Kypris, and the virgin daughter of Zeus, wishing to have the judgment of their loveliness decided. Kypris offered my beauty, if misfortune is beautiful, for Paris to marry, and so she won. Paris, the shepherd of Ida, left his ox-stalls
and came to Sparta, to have me in marriage.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
Νείλου μὲν αἵδε καλλιπάρθενοι ῥοαί,
ὃς ἀντὶ δίας ψακάδος Αἰγύπτου πέδον
λευκῆς τακείσης χιόνος ὑγραίνει γύας.
Πρωτεὺς δʼ ὅτʼ ἔζη τῆσδε γῆς τύραννος ἦν,
Φάρον μὲν οἰκῶν νῆσον, Αἰγύπτου δʼ ἄναξ,
ὃς τῶν κατʼ οἶδμα παρθένων μίαν γαμεῖ,
Ψαμάθην, ἐπειδὴ λέκτρʼ ἀφῆκεν Αἰακοῦ.
τίκτει δὲ τέκνα δισσὰ τοῖσδε δώμασι,
Θεοκλύμενον ἄρσενʼ [ὅτι δὴ θεοὺς σέβων]
[βίον διήνεγκʼ] εὐγενῆ τε παρθένον
Εἰδώ, τὸ μητρὸς ἀγλάισμʼ, ὅτʼ ἦν βρέφος·
ἐπεὶ δʼ ἐς ἥβην ἦλθεν ὡραίαν γάμων,
καλοῦσιν αὐτὴν Θεονόην· τὰ θεῖα γὰρ
τά τʼ ὄντα καὶ μέλλοντα πάντʼ ἠπίστατο,
προγόνου λαβοῦσα Νηρέως τιμὰς πάρα.
ἡμῖν δὲ γῆ μὲν πατρὶς οὐκ ἀνώνυμος
Σπάρτη, πατὴρ δὲ Τυνδάρεως· ἔστιν δὲ δὴ
λόγος τις ὡς Ζεὺς μητέρʼ ἔπτατʼ εἰς ἐμὴν
Λήδαν κύκνου μορφώματʼ ὄρνιθος λαβών,
ὃς δόλιον εὐνὴν ἐξέπραξʼ ὑπʼ αἰετοῦ
δίωγμα φεύγων, εἰ σαφὴς οὗτος λόγος·
Ἑλένη δʼ ἐκλήθην. ἃ δὲ πεπόνθαμεν κακὰ
λέγοιμʼ ἄν. ἦλθον τρεῖς θεαὶ κάλλους πέρι
Ἰδαῖον ἐς κευθμῶνʼ Ἀλέξανδρον πάρα,
Ἥρα Κύπρις τε διογενής τε παρθένος,
μορφῆς θέλουσαι διαπεράνασθαι κρίσιν.
τοὐμὸν δὲ κάλλος, εἰ καλὸν τὸ δυστυχές,
Κύπρις προτείνασʼ ὡς Ἀλέξανδρος γαμεῖ,
νικᾷ. λιπὼν δὲ βούσταθμʼ Ἰδαῖος Πάρις
Σπάρτην ἀφίκεθʼ ὡς ἐμὸν σχήσων λέχος.

[¶1] But Hera, indignant at not defeating the goddesses, made an airy nothing of my marriage with Paris; she gave to the son of king Priam not me, but an image, alive and breathing, that she fashioned out of the sky and made to look like me;
and he thinks he has me—an idle fancy, for he doesn’t have me. And in turn the plans of Zeus added further troubles to these; for he brought a war upon the land of the Hellenes and the unhappy Phrygians, so that he might lighten mother earth
of her crowded mass of mortals, and bring fame to the bravest man of Hellas. So I was set up as the Hellenes’ spear-prize, to test the courage of the Trojans; or rather not me, but my name. Hermes caught me up in the folds of the air and
hid me in a cloud—for Zeus was not neglectful of me—and he set me down here in the house of Proteus, having selected the most self-controlled of all mankind, so that I might keep my bed pure for Menelaos. And so I am here, while my wretched husband
has gathered an army and gone over to the towers of Ilion to hunt down and recover me. And many lives have been lost for my sake by the streams of Skamandros; and I who have endured all this am accursed, and have in appearance betrayed my husband
and brought a great war to the Hellenes. Why then am I still alive? I heard the god Hermes declare that I would yet live in the glorious country of Sparta, with my husband—for Hermes knew I never went to Ilion—so that I would not go to bed with another man.
Well, as long as Proteus saw this light of the sun, I was safe from marriage; but now that he is hidden in the dark earth, the dead man’s son hunts after a marriage with me. But I, out of regard to my husband of long ago, am throwing myself down as a suppliant before this tomb of Proteus,
for him to keep my bed safe for my husband, so that, if I bear a name infamous throughout Hellas, at least my body may not incur disgrace here.

> Greek: Ἥρα δὲ μεμφθεῖσʼ οὕνεκʼ οὐ νικᾷ θεάς,
ἐξηνέμωσε τἄμʼ Ἀλεξάνδρῳ λέχη,
δίδωσι δʼ οὐκ ἔμʼ, ἀλλʼ ὁμοιώσασʼ ἐμοὶ
εἴδωλον ἔμπνουν οὐρανοῦ ξυνθεῖσʼ ἄπο,
Πριάμου τυράννου παιδί· καὶ δοκεῖ μʼ ἔχειν —
κενὴν δόκησιν, οὐκ ἔχων. τὰ δʼ αὖ Διὸς
βουλεύματʼ ἄλλα τοῖσδε συμβαίνει κακοῖς·
πόλεμον γὰρ εἰσήνεγκεν Ἑλλήνων χθονὶ
καὶ Φρυξὶ δυστήνοισιν, ὡς ὄχλου βροτῶν
πλήθους τε κουφίσειε μητέρα χθόνα
γνωτόν τε θείη τὸν κράτιστον Ἑλλάδος.
Φρυγῶν δʼ ἐς ἀλκὴν προυτέθην ἐγὼ μὲν οὔ,
τὸ δʼ ὄνομα τοὐμόν, ἆθλον Ἕλλησιν δορός.
λαβὼν δέ μʼ Ἑρμῆς ἐν πτυχαῖσιν αἰθέρος
νεφέλῃ καλύψας — οὐ γὰρ ἠμέλησέ μου
Ζεύς — τόνδʼ ἐς οἶκον Πρωτέως ἱδρύσατο,
πάντων προκρίνας σωφρονέστατον βροτῶν,
ἀκέραιον ὡς σῴσαιμι Μενέλεῳ λέχος.
κἀγὼ μὲν ἐνθάδʼ εἴμʼ, ὁ δʼ ἄθλιος πόσις
στράτευμʼ ἀθροίσας τὰς ἐμὰς ἀναρπαγὰς
θηρᾷ πορευθεὶς Ἰλίου πυργώματα.
ψυχαὶ δὲ πολλαὶ διʼ ἔμʼ ἐπὶ Σκαμανδρίοις
ῥοαῖσιν ἔθανον· ἡ δὲ πάντα τλᾶσʼ ἐγὼ
κατάρατός εἰμι καὶ δοκῶ προδοῦσʼ ἐμὸν
πόσιν συνάψαι πόλεμον Ἕλλησιν μέγαν.
τί δῆτʼ ἔτι ζῶ; θεοῦ τόδʼ εἰσήκουσʼ ἔπος
Ἑρμοῦ, τὸ κλεινὸν ἔτι κατοικήσειν πέδον
Σπάρτης σὺν ἀνδρί, γνόντος ὡς ἐς Ἴλιον
οὐκ ἦλθον, ἵνα μὴ λέκτρʼ ὑποστρώσω τινί.
ἕως μὲν οὖν φῶς ἡλίου τόδʼ ἔβλεπεν
Πρωτεύς, ἄσυλος ἦ γάμων· ἐπεὶ δὲ γῆς
σκότῳ κέκρυπται, παῖς ὁ τοῦ τεθνηκότος
θηρᾷ γαμεῖν με. τὸν πάλαι δʼ ἐγὼ πόσιν
τιμῶσα Πρωτέως μνῆμα προσπίτνω τόδε
ἱκέτις, ἵνʼ ἀνδρὶ τἀμὰ διασῴσῃ λέχη,
ὡς, εἰ καθʼ Ἑλλάδʼ ὄνομα δυσκλεὲς φέρω,
μή μοι τὸ σῶμά γʼ ἐνθάδʼ αἰσχύνην ὄφλῃ.

[¶2] Teucer:
Who holds power over this fortified house? The dwelling is worthy of comparison with Ploutos’,
its royal enclosures and towering buildings. Ah! Oh gods, what sight is here? I see the hateful deadly likeness of the woman who ruined me and all the Achaeans. May the gods spurn you, so much do you look like
Helen! If I were not in a foreign land, you would have died by this well-aimed arrow as a reward for your likeness to the daughter of Zeus.

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
τίς τῶνδʼ ἐρυμνῶν δωμάτων ἔχει κράτος;
πλούτου γὰρ οἶκος ἄξιος προσεικάσαι,
βασίλειά τʼ ἀμφιβλήματʼ εὔθριγκοί θʼ ἕδραι.
ἔα·
ὦ θεοί, τίνʼ εἶδον ὄψιν; ἐχθίστην ὁρῶ
γυναικὸς εἰκὼ φόνιον, ἥ μʼ ἀπώλεσεν
πάντας τʼ Ἀχαιούς. θεοί σʼ, ὅσον μίμημʼ ἔχεις
Ἑλένης, ἀποπτύσειαν. εἰ δὲ μὴ ʼν ξένῃ
γαίᾳ πόδʼ εἶχον, τῷδʼ ἂν εὐστόχῳ πτερῷ
ἀπόλαυσιν εἰκοῦς ἔθανες ἂν Διὸς κόρης.

[¶3] Helen:
What is it, poor man—who are you, that you have turned away from me and loathe me for the misfortunes of that one?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
τί δʼ, ὦ ταλαίπωρʼ — ὅστις ὤν μʼ ἀπεστράφης
καὶ ταῖς ἐκείνης συμφοραῖς ἐμὲ στυγεῖς;

[¶4] Teucer:
I was wrong; I gave way to my anger more than I should, for all Hellas hates that daughter of Zeus. Forgive me for what I said, lady.

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
ἥμαρτον· ὀργῇ δʼ εἶξα μᾶλλον ἤ με χρῆν·
μισεῖ γὰρ Ἑλλὰς πᾶσα τὴν Διὸς κόρην.
σύγγνωθι δʼ ἡμῖν τοῖς λελεγμένοις, γύναι.

[¶5] Helen:
Who are you? Where have you come from, to visit this land?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
τίς δʼ εἶ; πόθεν γῆς τῆσδʼ ἐπεστράφης πέδον;

[¶6] Teucer:
I am one of those unfortunate Achaeans, lady.

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
εἷς τῶν Ἀχαιῶν, ὦ γύναι, τῶν ἀθλίων.

[¶7] Helen:
Then it is no wonder that you loathe Helen. But who are you and where do you come from? Whose son should I call you?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
οὐ τἄρα σʼ Ἑλένην εἰ στυγεῖς θαυμαστέον.
ἀτὰρ τίς εἶ πόθεν; τίνος δʼ αὐδᾶν σε χρή;

[¶8] Teucer:
My name is Teucer, my father is Telamon, and Salamis is the land that nurtured me.

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
ὄνομα μὲν ἡμῖν Τεῦκρος, ὁ δὲ φύσας πατὴρ
Τελαμών, Σαλαμὶς δὲ πατρὶς ἡ θρέψασά με.

[¶9] Helen:
Then why are you visiting these lands of the Nile?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
τί δῆτα Νείλου τούσδʼ ἐπιστρέφῃ γύας;

[¶10] Teucer:
I am an exile, driven out of my native land.

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
φυγὰς πατρῴας ἐξελήλαμαι χθονός.

[¶11] Helen:
You must be unhappy! Who banished you from your fatherland?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
τλήμων ἂν εἴης· τίς δέ σʼ ἐκβάλλει πάτρας;

[¶12] Teucer:
My father Telamon. Could you find anyone closer to me?

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
Τελαμὼν ὁ φύσας. τίνʼ ἂν ἔχοις μᾶλλον φίλον;

[¶13] Helen:
But why? This matter is surely an unfortunate one.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἐκ τοῦ; τὸ γάρ τοι πρᾶγμα συμφορὰν ἔχει.

[¶14] Teucer:
The death of my brother Aias at Troy was my ruin.

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
Αἴας μʼ ἀδελφὸς ὤλεσʼ ἐν Τροίᾳ θανών.

[¶15] Helen:
How so? You didn’t take his life with your sword, did you?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
πῶς; οὔ τί που σῷ φασγάνῳ βίον στερείς;

[¶16] Teucer:
He threw himself on his own sword and died.

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
οἰκεῖον αὐτὸν ὤλεσʼ ἅλμʼ ἐπὶ ξίφος.

[¶17] Helen:
Was he mad? For what sensible man would dare such a thing?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
μανέντʼ; ἐπεὶ τίς σωφρονῶν τλαίη τάδʼ ἄν;

[¶18] Teucer:
Do you know a certain Achilleus, the son of Peleus?

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
τὸν Πηλέως τινʼ οἶσθʼ Ἀχιλλέα γόνον;

[¶19] Helen:
Yes; he came to woo Helen once, so I hear.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ναί·
μνηστήρ ποθʼ Ἑλένης ἦλθεν, ὡς ἀκούομεν.

[¶20] Teucer:
When he died, he left a contest for his armor to his allies.

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
θανὼν ὅδʼ ὅπλων ἔριν ἔθηκε συμμάχοις.

[¶21] Helen:
Well, if he did, what harm is this to Aias?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
καὶ δὴ τί τοῦτʼ Αἴαντι γίγνεται κακόν;

[¶22] Teucer:
When someone else got the arms, he took his own life.

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
ἄλλου λαβόντος ὅπλʼ ἀπηλλάχθη βίου.

[¶23] Helen:
Then are you ill through his suffering?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
σὺ τοῖς ἐκείνου δῆτα πήμασιν νοσεῖς;

[¶24] Teucer:
Yes, because I did not die together with him.

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
ὁθούνεκʼ αὐτῷ γʼ οὐ ξυνωλόμην ὁμοῦ.

[¶25] Helen:
So you went to the famous city of Ilion, stranger?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἦλθες γάρ, ὦ ξένʼ, Ἰλίου κλεινὴν πόλιν;

[¶26] Teucer:
Yes, and by helping to sack it, I destroyed myself as well.

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
καὶ ξύν γε πέρσας αὐτὸς ἀνταπωλόμην.

[¶27] Helen:
Has it already been set alight and completely consumed by fire?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἤδη γὰρ ἧπται καὶ κατείργασται πυρί;

[¶28] Teucer:
So that not even a trace of the walls is evident.

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
ὥστʼ οὐδʼ ἴχνος γε τειχέων εἶναι σαφές.

[¶29] Helen:
O miserable Helen! Because of you, the Phrygians have been destroyed.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ὦ τλῆμον Ἑλένη, διὰ σʼ ἀπόλλυνται Φρύγες.

[¶30] Teucer:
And also the Achaeans; great evils have been committed.

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
καὶ πρός γʼ Ἀχαιοί· μεγάλα δʼ εἴργασται κακά.

[¶31] Helen:
How long is it since the city was sacked?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
πόσον χρόνον γὰρ διαπεπόρθηται πόλις;

[¶32] Teucer:
Almost seven years have gone full circle, with their harvests.

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
ἑπτὰ σχεδόν τι καρπίμους ἐτῶν κύκλους.

[¶33] Helen:
And how much longer were you waiting at Troy?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
χρόνον δʼ ἐμείνατʼ ἄλλον ἐν Τροίᾳ πόσον;

[¶34] Teucer:
For many months; the moon held its course through ten years.

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
πολλὰς σελήνας, δέκα διελθούσας ἔτη.

[¶35] Helen:
And did you capture the Spartan woman?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἦ καὶ γυναῖκα Σπαρτιᾶτιν εἵλετε;

[¶36] Teucer:
Menelaos caught her by the hair to drag her away.

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
Μενέλαος αὐτὴν ἦγʼ ἐπισπάσας κόμης.

[¶37] Helen:
Did you yourself see the wretched creature? Or do you speak from hearsay?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
εἶδες σὺ τὴν δύστηνον; ἢ κλύων λέγεις;

[¶38] Teucer:
I saw her with my own eyes, just as I see you, no less.

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
ὥσπερ γε σέ, οὐδὲν ἧσσον, ὀφθαλμοῖς ὁρῶ.

[¶39] Helen:
Consider whether you had some fancy, sent by the gods.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
σκοπεῖτε μὴ δόκησιν εἴχετʼ ἐκ θεῶν.

[¶40] Teucer:
Think of some other topic, not that woman still!

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
ἄλλου λόγου μέμνησο, μὴ κείνης ἔτι.

[¶41] Helen:
Are you so sure this fancy was reliable?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
οὕτω δοκεῖτε τὴν δόκησιν ἀσφαλῆ;

[¶42] Teucer:
I saw it with my own eyes; and the mind has sight.

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
αὐτὸς γὰρ ὄσσοις εἰδόμην· καὶ νοῦς ὁρᾷ.

[¶43] Helen:
Is Menelaos already at home with his wife?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἤδη δʼ ἐν οἴκοις σὺν δάμαρτι Μενέλεως;

[¶44] Teucer:
No; he is neither in Argos nor by the streams of the Eurotas.

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
οὔκουν ἐν Ἄργει ⟨γʼ⟩ οὐδʼ ἐπʼ Εὐρώτα ῥοαῖς.

[¶45] Helen:
Alas! This is evil news for those to whom you bring it.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
αἰαῖ· κακὸν τόδʼ εἶπας οἷς κακὸν λέγεις.

[¶46] Teucer:
He is said to have disappeared with his wife.

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
ὡς κεῖνος ἀφανὴς σὺν δάμαρτι κλῄζεται.

[¶47] Helen:
Wasn’t there the same passage for all the Argives?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
οὐ πᾶσι πορθμὸς αὑτὸς Ἀργείοισιν ἦν;

[¶48] Teucer:
Yes; but a tempest scattered them in every direction.

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
ἦν, ἀλλὰ χειμὼν ἄλλοσʼ ἄλλον ὥρισεν.

[¶49] Helen:
On which surface of the salty ocean?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ποίοισιν ἐν νώτοισι ποντίας ἁλός;

[¶50] Teucer:
While they were crossing the Aegean in mid-channel.

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
μέσον περῶσι πέλαγος Αἰγαίου πόρου.

[¶51] Helen:
And from that time does no one know of Menelaos’ arrival?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
κἀκ τοῦδε Μενέλαν οὔτις εἶδʼ ἀφιγμένον;

[¶52] Teucer:
No one; but throughout Hellas he is reported to be dead.

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
οὐδείς· θανὼν δὲ κλῄζεται καθʼ Ἑλλάδα.

[¶53] Helen:
I am wholly lost. Is the daughter of Thestius alive?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἀπωλόμεσθα· Θεστιὰς δʼ ἔστιν κόρη;

[¶54] Teucer:
You speak of Leda? She is dead and gone, indeed.

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
Λήδαν ἔλεξας; οἴχεται θανοῦσα δή.

[¶55] Helen:
It wasn’t Helen’s disgraceful fame that killed her, surely?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
οὔ πού νιν Ἑλένης αἰσχρὸν ὤλεσεν κλέος;

[¶56] Teucer:
Yes, they say she tied a noose around her noble neck.

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
φασίν, βρόχῳ γʼ ἅψασαν εὐγενῆ δέρην.

[¶57] Helen:
Are the sons of Tyndareus still alive or not?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
οἱ Τυνδάρειοι δʼ εἰσὶν ἢ οὐκ εἰσὶν κόροι;

[¶58] Teucer:
They are dead, and not dead: it is a double story.

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
τεθνᾶσι καὶ οὐ τεθνᾶσι· δύο δʼ ἐστὸν λόγω.

[¶59] Helen:
Which report is the stronger? I am so unhappy at these evils!

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
πότερος ὁ κρείσσων; ὦ τάλαινʼ ἐγὼ κακῶν.

[¶60] Teucer:
Men say that they are gods in the likeness of stars.

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
ἄστροις σφʼ ὁμοιωθέντε φάσʼ εἶναι θεώ.

[¶61] Helen:
That is good news; but what is the other story?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
καλῶς ἔλεξας τοῦτο· θάτερον δὲ τί;

[¶62] Teucer:
That they killed themselves because of their sister. But enough of such talk! I do not need to grieve twice. As to why I came to this royal palace,
wanting to see the prophetess Theonoe, you be my patron, so I might obtain an oracle: how I should steer a favorable course to the island of Cyprus, where Apollo has declared I am to live, giving it the island name of
Salamis in honor of that fatherland over there.

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
σφαγαῖς ἀδελφῆς οὕνεκʼ ἐκπνεῦσαι βίον.
ἅλις δὲ μύθων· οὐ διπλᾶ χρῄζω στένειν.
ὧν δʼ οὕνεκʼ ἦλθον τούσδε βασιλείους δόμους,
τὴν θεσπιῳδὸν Θεονόην χρῄζων ἰδεῖν,
σὺ προξένησον, ὡς τύχω μαντευμάτων
ὅπῃ νεὼς στείλαιμʼ ἂν οὔριον πτερὸν
ἐς γῆν ἐναλίαν Κύπρον, οὗ μʼ ἐθέσπισεν
οἰκεῖν Ἀπόλλων, ὄνομα νησιωτικὸν
Σαλαμῖνα θέμενον τῆς ἐκεῖ χάριν πάτρας.

[¶63] Helen:
The voyage itself will explain that, stranger; leave this land and escape, before the son of Proteus, the ruler of this land, catches sight of you; now he is away with his trusty hounds tracking his savage quarry to the death;
for he kills every visitor from Hellas that he catches. Do not seek to learn his reason, and I will not say; for how could I help you?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
πλοῦς, ὦ ξένʼ, αὐτὸς σημανεῖ· σὺ δʼ ἐκλιπὼν
γῆν τήνδε φεῦγε πρίν σε παῖδα Πρωτέως
ἰδεῖν, ὃς ἄρχει τῆσδε γῆς· ἄπεστι δὲ
κυσὶν πεποιθὼς ἐν φοναῖς θηροκτόνοις·
κτείνει γὰρ Ἕλληνʼ ὅντινʼ ἂν λάβῃ ξένον.
ὅτου δʼ ἕκατι, μήτε σὺ ζήτει μαθεῖν
ἐγώ τε σιγῶ· τί γὰρ ἂν ὠφελοῖμί σε;

[¶64] Teucer:
Lady, you have spoken well. May the gods grant you a return for your kindness!
Although you have a body like Helen’s, your heart is not like hers, but very different. May she die miserably, and never reach the streams of Eurotas! But may you always have good fortune, lady.

> Greek: Τεῦκρος:
καλῶς ἔλεξας, ὦ γύναι· θεοὶ δέ σοι
ἐσθλῶν ἀμοιβὰς ἀντιδωρησαίατο.
Ἑλένῃ δʼ ὅμοιον σῶμʼ ἔχουσʼ οὐ τὰς φρένας
ἔχεις ὁμοίας, ἀλλὰ διαφόρους πολύ.
κακῶς δʼ ὄλοιτο μηδʼ ἐπʼ Εὐρώτα ῥοὰς
ἔλθοι· σὺ δʼ εἴης εὐτυχὴς ἀεί, γύναι.

[¶65] Exit Teucer.
Helen:
Oh, as I begin the great lament of my great distress,
what mourning shall I strive to utter? or what Muse shall I approach with tears or songs of death or woe? Alas!

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ὤ, μεγάλων ἀχέων καταβαλλομένα μέγαν οἶκτον
ποῖον ἁμιλλαθῶ γόον; ἢ τίνα μοῦσαν ἐπέλθω
δάκρυσιν ἢ θρήνοις ἢ πένθεσιν; αἰαῖ.

[¶66] Helen:
Winged maidens, virgin daughters of Earth, the Sirens, may you come to my mourning
with Libyan flute or pipe or lyre, tears to match my plaintive woes; grief for grief and mournful chant for chant, may Persephone send choirs of death
in harmony with my lamentation, so that she may receive as thanks from me, in addition to my tears, a paean for the departed dead beneath her gloomy roof.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
πτεροφόροι νεάνιδες,
παρθένοι Χθονὸς κόραι
Σειρῆνες, εἴθʼ ἐμοῖς γόοις
μόλοιτʼ ἔχουσαι Λίβυν
λωτὸν ἢ σύριγγας ἢ
φόρμιγγας, αἰλίνοις κακοῖς
τοῖς ἐμοῖσι σύνοχα δάκρυα·
πάθεσι πάθεα, μέλεσι μέλεα,
μουσεῖα θρηνήμα-
σι ξυνῳδὰ πέμψειε
Φερσέφασσα
φόνια, χάριτας ἵνʼ ἐπὶ δάκρυσι
παρʼ ἐμέθεν ὑπὸ μέλαθρα νύχια
παιᾶνα
νέκυσιν ὀλομένοις λάβῃ.

[¶67] Chorus:
Beside the deep-blue water
and on the tangled grass, I happened to be drying purple robes in the sun’s golden blaze near the young reed shoots; from my mistress, from where she cried aloud her misery,
I heard a sound, a mournful song not fit for the lyre, because she was then shrieking, lamenting with her wails; just as a Naiad nymph, who sends a song of woe ringing over the hills, cries out, under the rocky hollows, with screams
at the rape of Pan.

> Greek: Χορός:
κυανοειδὲς ἀμφʼ ὕδωρ
ἔτυχον ἕλικά τʼ ἀνὰ χλόαν
φοίνικας ἁλίου πέπλους
αὐγαῖσιν ἐν χρυσέαις
ἀμφὶ δόνακος ἔρνεσιν
θάλπουσα· ⟨ποτνίας δʼ ἐμᾶς,⟩
ἔνθεν οἰκτρὸν ἀνεβόασεν,
ὅμαδον ἔκλυον, ἄλυρον ἔλεγον,
ὅτι ποτʼ ἔλακεν αἰάγμα-
σι στένουσα, Νύμφα τις
οἷα Ναῒς
ὄρεσι φυγάδα νόμον ἱεῖσα
γοερόν, ὑπὸ δὲ πέτρινα γύαλα
κλαγγαῖσι
Πανὸς ἀναβοᾷ γάμους.

[¶68] Helen:
Oh! Oh! Maidens of Hellas, the prey of barbarian sailors! An Achaean sailor
came, he came bringing tears upon tears to me. Ilion has been destroyed and is left to the enemy’s fire through me, the death-giver, through my name, full of suffering.
Leda sought death by hanging, in anguish over my disgrace. My husband, after much wandering in the sea, has died and is gone;
and Castor and his brother, twin glory of their native land, have vanished, vanished, leaving the plains that shook to their galloping horses,
and the schools of reed-fringed Eurotas, scene of youthful labors.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἰὼ ἰώ·
θήραμα βαρβάρου πλάτας,
Ἑλλανίδες κόραι,
ναύτας Ἀχαιῶν
τις ἔμολεν ἔμολε δάκρυα δάκρυσί μοι φέρων.
Ἰλίου κατασκαφαὶ
πυρὶ μέλουσι δαΐῳ
διʼ ἐμὲ τὰν πολυκτόνον,
διʼ ἐμὸν ὄνομα πολύπονον.
Λήδα δʼ ἐν ἀγχόναις
θάνατον ἔλαβεν αἰσχύ-
νας ἐμᾶς ὑπʼ ἀλγέων.
ὁ δʼ ἐμὸς ἐν ἁλὶ πολυπλανὴς
πόσις ὀλόμενος οἴχεται,
κάστορός τε συγγόνου τε
διδυμογενὲς ἄγαλμα πατρίδος
ἀφανὲς ἀφανὲς ἱππόκροτα λέ-
λοιπε δάπεδα γυμνάσιά τε
δονακόεντος Εὐρώ-
τα, νεανιᾶν πόνον.

[¶69] Chorus:
Alas, alas! for your mournful fate and destiny, lady! You were fated, fated to have a life full of pain, when Zeus begot you on your mother,
shining through the air on the wings of a snow-white swan. What evil is not yours? What life have you not endured? Your mother is dead;
the twin beloved sons of Zeus do not enjoy happiness; and you do not see your fatherland, while through the cities a rumor goes, mistress, which hands you over
to the bed of a barbarian; your husband has lost his life in the salty waves, and never again will you bring glee to your father’s halls and Athene of the Bronze House.

> Greek: Χορός:
αἰαῖ αἰαῖ·
ὦ δαίμονος πολυστόνου
μοίρας τε σᾶς, γύναι.
αἰὼν δυσαίων
τις ἔλαχεν ἔλαχεν, ὅτε σʼ ἐτέκετο ματρόθεν
χιονόχρως κύκνου πτερῷ
Ζεὺς πρέπων διʼ αἰθέρος·
τί γὰρ ἄπεστί σοι κακῶν;
τίνα δὲ βίοτον οὐκ ἔτλας;
μάτηρ μὲν οἴχεται,
δίδυμά τε Διὸς οὐκ εὐ-
δαιμονεῖ τέκεα φίλα,
χθόνα δὲ πάτριον οὐχ ὁρᾷς,
διὰ δὲ πόλεας ἔρχεται
βάξις, ἅ σε βαρβάροισι,
πότνια, παραδίδωσι λέχεσιν,
ὁ δὲ σὸς ἐν ἁλὶ κύμασί τε λέ-
λοιπε βίοτον, οὐδέ ποτʼ ἔτι
πάτρια μέλαθρα καὶ τὰν
Χαλκίοικον ὀλβιεῖς.

[¶70] Helen:
Ah! Who was it, either from Phrygia
or from Hellas, who cut the pine that brought tears to Ilion? From this wood the son of Priam built his deadly ship, and sailed by barbarian oars
to my home, to that most ill-fated beauty, to win me as his wife; and with him sailed deceitful and murderous Kypris, bearing death for the Danaans.
Oh, unhappy in my misfortune! But Hera, the holy beloved of Zeus on her golden throne, sent the swift-footed son of Maia. I was gathering fresh rose leaves in the folds of my robe,
so that I might go to the goddess of the Bronze House; he carried me off through the air to this luckless land, and made me an object of miserable strife, of strife between Hellas and the sons of Priam. And my name
beside the streams of Simois bears a false rumor.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
φεῦ φεῦ, τίς ἢ Φρυγῶν
ἢ τίς Ἑλλανίας ἀπὸ χθονὸς
ἔτεμε τὰν δακρυόεσσαν
Ἰλίῳ πεύκαν;
ἔνθεν ὀλόμενον σκάφος
συναρμόσας ὁ Πριαμίδας
ἔπλευσε βαρβάρῳ πλάτᾳ
τὰν ἐμὰν ἐφʼ ἑστίαν,
ἐπὶ τὸ δυστυχέστατον
κάλλος, ὡς ἕλοι, γάμων
ἀμῶν· ἅ τε δόλιος
ἁ πολυκτόνος Κύπρις
Δαναΐδαις ἄγουσα θάνατον [Πριαμίδαις],
ὦ τάλαινα συμφορᾶς.
ἁ δὲ χρυσέοις θρόνοις
Διὸς ὑπαγκάλισμα σεμνὸν
Ἥρα τὸν ὠκύπουν
ἔπεμψε Μαιάδος γόνον·
ὅς με χλοερὰ δρεπομέναν
ἔσω πέπλων ῥόδεα πέταλα,
Χαλκίοικον ὡς [Ἀθάναν] μόλοιμʼ,
ἀναρπάσας διʼ αἰθέρος
τάνδε γαῖαν εἰς ἄνολβον
ἔριν ἔριν τάλαιναν ἔθετο
Πριαμίδαισιν Ἑλλάδος.
τὸ δʼ ἐμὸν ὄνομα
παρὰ Σιμουντίοις ῥοαῖσι
μαψίδιον ἔχει φάτιν.

[¶71] Chorus Leader:
You have sorrows, I know; but it is best to bear as lightly as we can the necessary evils of life.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἔχεις μὲν ἀλγείνʼ, οἶδα· σύμφορον δέ τοι
ὡς ῥᾷστα τἀναγκαῖα τοῦ βίου φέρειν.

[¶72] Helen:
Dear friends, to what a fate am I yoked? Did my mother bear me as a wonder to mankind? [For no other woman, Hellene or barbarian, gives birth to a white vessel of chicks, in which they say Leda bore me to Zeus.]
My life and all I do is a wonder, partly because of Hera, and partly my beauty is to blame. If only I could be rubbed out like a painting, and have again in turn a plainer form instead of beauty, and the Hellenes would have forgotten the evil fate that I now have,
and would remember what part of my life is not evil, as they now remember what is.
When someone looks to one event only, and is ill-treated by the gods, it is hard, but all the same it can be borne. But I am involved in countless troubles.
First, although I never acted wrongly, my good name is gone. And this trouble is stronger than the reality, if someone incurs blame for wrongs that are not his own. Next, the gods have removed me from my native country to barbarian habits, and bereft of friends
I have become a slave although I am free by birth; for among barbarians all are slaves except one. And the only anchor of my fortunes is gone, the hope that my husband would come one day and free me of my woes—he is dead, he no longer exists.
My mother is dead, and I am called her murderer—unjustly, but that injustice is mine to bear; while the one who was born the glory of the house, my daughter, is growing gray as a virgin, without a husband; and those two Dioskouroi, called the sons of Zeus, are no more.
But with all my misfortunes, I am as good as dead in my circumstances, though not in fact. And this is the last evil of all: if ever I should come home, I would be shut out by barred doors, for people would think I was that Helen of Troy, coming back with Menelaos.
If my husband were still alive, we could have recognized each other by recourse to tokens which are evident to us alone. But now this is not so, and he can never be saved.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
φίλαι γυναῖκες, τίνι πότμῳ συνεζύγην;
ἆρʼ ἡ τεκοῦσά μʼ ἔτεκεν ἀνθρώποις τέρας;
[γυνὴ γὰρ οὔθʼ Ἑλληνὶς οὔτε βάρβαρος]
[τεῦχος νεοσσῶν λευκὸν ἐκλοχεύεται,]
[ἐν ᾧ με Λήδαν φασὶν ἐκ Διὸς τεκεῖν.]
τέρας γὰρ ὁ βίος καὶ τὰ πράγματʼ ἐστί μου,
τὰ μὲν διʼ Ἥραν, τὰ δὲ τὸ κάλλος αἴτιον.
εἴθʼ ἐξαλειφθεῖσʼ ὡς ἄγαλμʼ αὖθις πάλιν
αἴσχιον εἶδος ἔλαβον ἀντὶ τοῦ καλοῦ,
καὶ τὰς τύχας μὲν τὰς κακὰς ἃς νῦν ἔχω
Ἕλληνες ἐπελάθοντο, τὰς δὲ μὴ κακὰς
ἔσῳζον ὥσπερ τὰς κακὰς σῴζουσί μου.
ὅστις μὲν οὖν ἐς μίαν ἀποβλέπων τύχην
πρὸς θεῶν κακοῦται, βαρὺ μέν, οἰστέον δʼ ὅμως·
ἡμεῖς δὲ πολλαῖς συμφοραῖς ἐγκείμεθα.
πρῶτον μὲν οὐκ οὖσʼ ἄδικος, εἰμὶ δυσκλεής·
καὶ τοῦτο μεῖζον τῆς ἀληθείας κακόν,
ὅστις τὰ μὴ προσόντα κέκτηται κακά.
ἔπειτα πατρίδος θεοί μʼ ἀφιδρύσαντο γῆς
ἐς βάρβαρʼ ἤθη, καὶ φίλων τητωμένη
δούλη καθέστηκʼ οὖσʼ ἐλευθέρων ἄπο·
τὰ βαρβάρων γὰρ δοῦλα πάντα πλὴν ἑνός.
ἄγκυρα δʼ ἥ μου τὰς τύχας ὤχει μόνη,
πόσιν ποθʼ ἥξειν καί μʼ ἀπαλλάξειν κακῶν —
οὗτος τέθνηκεν, οὗτος οὐκέτʼ ἔστι δή.
μήτηρ δʼ ὄλωλε, καὶ φονεὺς αὐτῆς ἐγώ,
ἀδίκως μέν, ἀλλὰ τἄδικον τοῦτʼ ἔστʼ ἐμόν·
ὃ δʼ ἀγλάισμα δωμάτων ἐμοῦ τʼ ἔφυ,
θυγάτηρ ἄνανδρος πολιὰ παρθενεύεται·
τὼ τοῦ Διὸς δὲ λεγομένω Διοσκόρω
οὐκ ἐστόν. ἀλλὰ πάντʼ ἔχουσα δυστυχῆ
τοῖς πράγμασιν τέθνηκα, τοῖς δʼ ἔργοισιν οὔ.
τὸ δʼ ἔσχατον τοῦτʼ, εἰ μόλοιμεν ἐς πάτραν,
κλῄθροις ἂν εἰργοίμεσθα — τὴν ὑπʼ Ἰλίῳ
δοκοῦντες Ἑλένην Μενέλεώ μʼ ἐλθεῖν μέτα.
εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἔζη πόσις, ἀνεγνώσθημεν ἂν
ἐλθόντες, ἃ φανέρʼ ἦν μόνοις, ἐς ξύμβολα.
νῦν δʼ οὔτε τοῦτʼ ἔστʼ οὔτε μὴ σωθῇ ποτε.

[¶73] Why then do I still live? What fortune do I have left? Shall I choose marriage in exchange for evils,
and live with a barbarian man, seated at his sumptuous table? But whenever a husband she hates lives with a woman, her own body is also hateful to her. It is best to die; how could this not be well done? [To hang oneself, high in the air, is unseemly,]
[even slaves consider it undignified; but to stab oneself is noble and good, and the moment of rending life from the body is short.] For I have come to such a depth of misery; other women have good fortune from their beauty,
but the same thing has destroyed me.
Chorus Leader:
Helen, do not suppose that stranger who came here, whoever he was, has spoken the whole truth.

> Greek: τί δῆτʼ ἔτι ζῶ; τίνʼ ὑπολείπομαι τύχην;
γάμους ἑλομένη τῶν κακῶν ὑπαλλαγάς,
μετʼ ἀνδρὸς οἰκεῖν βαρβάρου πρὸς πλουσίαν
τράπεζαν ἵζουσʼ; ἀλλʼ ὅταν πόσις πικρὸς
ξυνῇ γυναικί, καὶ τὸ σῶμʼ ἐστιν πικρόν.
θανεῖν κράτιστον· πῶς θάνοιμʼ ἂν οὐ καλῶς;
[ἀσχήμονες μὲν ἀγχόναι μετάρσιοι,]
[κἀν τοῖσι δούλοις δυσπρεπὲς νομίζεται·]
[σφαγαὶ δʼ ἔχουσιν εὐγενές τι καὶ καλόν,]
[σμικρὸν δʼ ὁ καιρὸς σάρκʼ ἀπαλλάξαι βίου.]
ἐς γὰρ τοσοῦτον ἤλθομεν βάθος κακῶν·
αἱ μὲν γὰρ ἄλλαι διὰ τὸ κάλλος εὐτυχεῖς
γυναῖκες, ἡμᾶς δʼ αὐτὸ τοῦτʼ ἀπώλεσεν.
Χορός:
Ἑλένη, τὸν ἐλθόνθʼ, ὅστις ἐστὶν ὁ ξένος,
μὴ πάντʼ ἀληθῆ δοξάσῃς εἰρηκέναι.

[¶74] Helen:
And yet he said very clearly that my husband was dead.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
καὶ μὴν σαφῶς γʼ ἔλεξʼ ὀλωλέναι πόσιν.

[¶75] Chorus Leader:
Many words might be said in falsehood also.

> Greek: Χορός:
πόλλʼ ἂν γένοιτο καὶ διὰ ψευδῶν ἔπη.

[¶76] Helen:
And the opposite of falsehood is clear in its truth.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
καὶ τἄμπαλίν γε τῶνδʼ ἀληθείᾳ σαφῆ.

[¶77] Chorus Leader:
You are carried towards misfortune instead of what is good.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἐς ξυμφορὰν γὰρ ἀντὶ τἀγαθοῦ φέρῃ.

[¶78] Helen:
Yes, for terror has embraced me and leads me to the thing I fear.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
φόβος γὰρ ἐς τὸ δεῖμα περιβαλών μʼ ἄγει.

[¶79] Chorus Leader:
How much goodwill is there in this house for you?

> Greek: Χορός:
πῶς δʼ εὐμενείας τοισίδʼ ἐν δόμοις ἔχεις;

[¶80] Helen:
All are my friends, except the one who hunts me in marriage.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
πάντες φίλοι μοι πλὴν ὁ θηρεύων γάμους.

[¶81] Chorus Leader:
Then do you know what you should do? Leave your seat at the monument—

> Greek: Χορός:
οἶσθʼ οὖν ὃ δρᾶσον; μνήματος λιποῦσʼ ἕδραν —

[¶82] Helen:
What sort of word of advice are you coming to?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἐς ποῖον ἕρπεις μῦθον ἢ παραίνεσιν;

[¶83] Chorus Leader:
Go inside and question the daughter of the sea-nymph, Theonoe, who knows all things, about your husband, whether he is still alive, or has left the light of day;
and when you know for certain, rejoice or be full of mourning, according to your fortune. Before you know anything correctly, what good would it do you to grieve? But be persuaded by me; leave this tomb and join the girl;
when you have someone in this house from whom you can learn the whole truth, why do you look further? And I myself want to go in and ask about the prophecies of the maiden with you; for, truly, women ought to help each other.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἐλθοῦσʼ ἐς οἴκους, ἣ τὰ πάντʼ ἐπίσταται,
τῆς ποντίας Νηρῇδος ἐκγόνου κόρης,
πυθοῦ πόσιν σὸν Θεονόης, εἴτʼ ἔστʼ ἔτι
εἴτʼ ἐκλέλοιπε φέγγος· ἐκμαθοῦσα δʼ εὖ
πρὸς τὰς τύχας τὸ χάρμα τοὺς γόους τʼ ἔχε.
πρὶν δʼ οὐδὲν ὀρθῶς εἰδέναι, τί σοι πλέον
λυπουμένῃ γένοιτʼ ἄν; ἀλλʼ ἐμοὶ πιθοῦ·
τάφον λιποῦσα τόνδε σύμμειξον κόρῃ·
ὅθενπερ εἴσῃ πάντα τἀληθῆ μαθεῖν
ἔχουσʼ ἐν οἴκοις τοῖσδε, τί βλέπεις πρόσω;
θέλω δὲ κἀγὼ σοὶ συνεισελθεῖν δόμους
καὶ συμπυθέσθαι παρθένου θεσπίσματα·
γυναῖκα γὰρ δὴ συμπονεῖν γυναικὶ χρή.

[¶84] Helen:
Dear friends, I welcome your advice. Come in, come into the house, to learn within about my struggles.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
φίλαι, λόγους ἐδεξάμαν·
βᾶτε βᾶτε δʼ ἐς δόμους,
ἀγῶνας ἐντὸς οἴκων
ὡς πύθησθε τοὺς ἐμούς.

[¶85] Chorus:
You are calling on one who is wholly willing.

> Greek: Χορός:
θέλουσαν οὐ μόλις καλεῖς.

[¶86] Helen:
Oh, what an unhappy day! What tearful word shall I hear, unhappy as I am?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἰὼ μέλεος ἁμέρα.
τίνʼ ἄρα τάλαινα τίνα δακρυό-
εντα λόγον ἀκούσομαι;

[¶87] Chorus:
Do not be a prophetess of sorrow, dear friend, anticipating lamentation.

> Greek: Χορός:
μὴ πρόμαντις ἀλγέων
προλάμβανʼ, ὦ φίλα, γόους.

[¶88] Helen:
What has my poor husband suffered? Does he see the light and the sun’s chariot and the paths of the stars? Or does he have a lasting fate
among the dead beneath the earth?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
τί μοι πόσις μέλεος ἔτλα;
πότερα δέρκεται φάος
τέθριππά θʼ ἁλίου κέλευθά τʼ ἀστέρων,
ἢ ʼν νέκυσι κατὰ χθονὸς
τὰν χρόνιον ἔχει τύχαν;

[¶89] Chorus:
Take a brighter view of the future, whatever will happen.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἐς τὸ φέρτερον τίθει
τὸ μέλλον, ὅ τι γενήσεται.

[¶90] Helen:
For I call on you, I swear to you, Eurotas green with watery reeds,
if this rumor of my husband’s death is true—and what was obscure in those words?—I will stretch a deadly noose about my neck, or drive inward a murderous thrust of slaughter that gushes from the throat,
a contest of the blade through my flesh, as a sacrifice to the three goddesses and to the son of Priam, who once sat on the hollows of Ida, near the ox-stalls.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
σὲ γὰρ ἐκάλεσα, σὲ δὲ κατόμοσα,
τὸν ὑδρόεντι δόνακι χλωρὸν
Εὐρώταν, θανόντος
εἰ βάξις ἔτυμος ἀνδρὸς
ἅδε μοι — τί τάδʼ ἀσύνετα; —
φόνιον αἰώρημα
διὰ δέρης ὀρέξομαι,
ἢ ξιφοκτόνον δίωγμα
λαιμορρύτου σφαγᾶς
αὐτοσίδαρον ἔσω πελάσω διὰ σαρκὸς ἅμιλλαν,
θῦμα τριζύγοις θεαῖσι
τῷ τε σήραγγας Ἰδαί-
ας ἐνίζοντι Πριαμί-
δᾳ ποτʼ ἀμφὶ βουστάθμους.

[¶91] Chorus:
May sorrow be turned aside elsewhere, and may your lot be fortunate!

> Greek: Χορός:
ἄλλοσʼ ἀποτροπὰ κακῶν
γένοιτο, τὸ δὲ σὸν εὐτυχές.

[¶92] Helen:
Oh, unhappy Troy! Through deeds not done by yourself, you are ruined, and have suffered pitiably; for the gift that Kypris gave me has caused much blood
and many tears; it has added grief to grief and tear to tear, sorrows.... Mothers have lost their children and virgin sisters of the slain have cut off their hair by the swollen tide of Phrygian Skamandros.
And Hellas has cried aloud, aloud, and broken forth in wailing, beating her head, and drenching her soft-skinned cheek with the bloody strokes of her nails.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἰὼ Τροία τάλαινα,
διʼ ἔργʼ ἄνεργʼ ὄλλυσαι
μέλεά τʼ ἔτλας· τὰ δʼ ἐμὰ δῶρα
Κύπριδος ἔτεκε πολὺ μὲν αἷμα,
πολὺ δὲ δάκρυον· ἄχεά τʼ ἄχεσι,
δάκρυα δάκρυσιν ἔλαβε, πάθεα …
ματέρες τε παῖδας ὄλεσαν,
ἀπὸ δὲ παρθένοι κόμας
ἔθεντο σύγγονοι νεκρῶν Σκαμάνδριον
ἀμφὶ Φρύγιον οἶδμα.
βοὰν βοὰν δʼ Ἑλλὰς
κελάδησε κἀνοτότυξεν,
ἐπὶ δὲ κρατὶ χέρας ἔθηκεν,
ὄνυχι δʼ ἁπαλόχροα γένυν
δεῦσε φονίαισι πλαγαῖς.

[¶93] O maiden Kallisto, blessed once in Arcadia, who climbed into the bed of Zeus on four paws, how much happier was your lot than my mother’s, you who in the form of a shaggy-limbed beast—the bearing of a lioness with your fierce eye—changed your burden of sorrow;
and also the one whom Artemis once drove from her chorus, as a deer with horns of gold, the Titan girl, daughter of Merops, because of her loveliness; but the beauty of my body has destroyed the Dardanian towers, it has destroyed them and
the lost Achaeans.

> Greek: ὦ μάκαρ Ἀρκαδίᾳ ποτὲ παρθένε Καλλιστοῖ, Διὸς
ἃ λεχέων ἐπέβας τετραβάμοσι γυίοις,
ὡς πολὺ ματρὸς ἐμᾶς ἔλαχες πλέον,
ἁ μορφᾷ θηρῶν λαχνογυίων —
ὄμματι λάβρῷ σχῆμα λεαίνης —
ἐξαλλάξασʼ ἄχθεα λύπης·
ἅν τέ ποτʼ Ἄρτεμις ἐξεχορεύσατο
χρυσοκέρατʼ ἔλαφον Μέροπος Τιτανίδα κούραν
καλλοσύνας ἕνεκεν· τὸ δʼ ἐμὸν δέμας
ὤλεσεν ὤλεσε πέργαμα Δαρδανίας
ὀλομένους τʼ Ἀχαιούς.

[¶94] Exit Helen.
Menelaos:
O Pelops, who once held that chariot-race contest with Oinomaos over Pisa, if only, when you were persuaded to make a banquet for the gods, you had left your life then, inside the gods,
before you ever begot my father, Atreus, to whom were born, from his marriage with Airope, Agamemnon and myself, Menelaos, a famous pair; for I believe that I carried a mighty army—and I say this not in boast—in ships to Troy,
no tyrant commanding any troops by force, but leading the young men of Hellas by voluntary consent. And some of these can be counted no longer alive, others as having a joyful escape from the sea, bringing home again names thought to be of the dead.
But I wander miserably over the swelling waves of the gray ocean, ever since I sacked the towers of Ilion; and although I long to come home, I am not thought worthy by the gods to achieve this. I have sailed to Libya’s deserts and all its inhospitable landing-places;
and whenever I draw near my native land, the blast drives me back again, and no favoring wind has ever entered my sails to let me come home.
And now I am cast up on this shore, a miserable shipwrecked sailor who has lost his friends; and my ship is
broken into many pieces against the rocks. But out of its cleverly-wrought fastenings the keel was left, on which I made my difficult escape by an unexpected chance, and also Helen with me, whom I dragged away from Troy. But I do not know the name of this country
and its people; for I was embarrassed to burst into a crowd and make inquiries, and so I concealed these shabby clothes, in shame over my misfortune. For whenever a man of high degree is badly off, he falls into an unaccustomed state which is worse than that of one who has long been unfortunate.
But poverty is wearing me away; for I have neither food, nor clothes around my body; one can compare what I am wearing to rags cast out of the ship. The sea snatched away all the robes I once wore, splendid clothes and ornaments. Deep in a cave
I hid the woman who caused all my troubles, and have come here, after compelling those of my friends who survived to guard my wife. I have come alone, seeking help for those friends there, if I may find it somehow after careful search.
When I saw this home, surrounded by walls, and the majestic gateways of some prosperous man, I came near; sailors can hope to get something from wealthy homes; but from those who have no livelihood—they could not help us, even if they wanted to.
Hello! Is there some gatekeeper who might come from the house and announce my troubles within?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ὦ τὰς τεθρίππους Οἰνομάῳ Πῖσαν κάτα
Πέλοψ ἁμίλλας ἐξαμιλληθείς ποτε,
εἴθʼ ὤφελες τόθʼ, ἡνίκʼ ἔρανον εἰς θεοὺς
πεισθεὶς ἐποίεις, ἐν θεοῖς λιπεῖν βίον,
πρὶν τὸν ἐμὸν Ἀτρέα πατέρα γεννῆσαί ποτε,
ὃς ἐξέφυσεν Ἀερόπης λέκτρων ἄπο
Ἀγαμέμνονʼ ἐμέ τε Μενέλεων, κλεινὸν ζυγόν·
πλεῖστον γὰρ οἶμαι — καὶ τόδʼ οὐ κόμπῳ λέγω —
στράτευμα κώπῃ διορίσαι Τροίαν ἔπι,
τύραννος οὐδὲν πρὸς βίαν στρατηλατῶν,
ἑκοῦσι δʼ ἄρξας Ἑλλάδος νεανίαις.
καὶ τοὺς μὲν οὐκέτʼ ὄντας ἀριθμῆσαι πάρα,
τοὺς δʼ ἐκ θαλάσσης ἀσμένους πεφευγότας,
νεκρῶν φέροντας ὀνόματʼ εἰς οἴκους πάλιν.
ἐγὼ δʼ ἐπʼ οἶδμα πόντιον γλαυκῆς ἁλὸς
τλήμων ἀλῶμαι χρόνον ὅσονπερ Ἰλίου
πύργους ἔπερσα, κἀς πάτραν χρῄζων μολεῖν
οὐκ ἀξιοῦμαι τοῦδε πρὸς θεῶν τυχεῖν.
Λιβύης τʼ ἐρήμους ἀξένους τʼ ἐπιδρομὰς
πέπλευκα πάσας· χὥταν ἐγγὺς ὦ πάτρας,
πάλιν μʼ ἀπωθεῖ πνεῦμα, κοὔποτʼ οὔριον
ἐσῆλθε λαῖφος ὥστε μʼ ἐς πάτραν μολεῖν.
καὶ νῦν τάλας ναυαγὸς ἀπολέσας φίλους
ἐξέπεσον ἐς γῆν τήνδε· ναῦς δὲ πρὸς πέτρας
πολλοὺς ἀριθμοὺς ἄγνυται ναυαγίων.
τρόπις δʼ ἐλείφθη ποικίλων ἁρμοσμάτων,
ἐφʼ ἧς ἐσώθην μόλις ἀνελπίστῳ τύχῃ
Ἑλένη τε, Τροίας ἣν ἀποσπάσας ἔχω.
ὄνομα δὲ χώρας ἥτις ἥδε καὶ λεὼς
οὐκ οἶδα· ὄχλον γὰρ ἐσπεσεῖν ᾐσχυνόμην
ὥσθʼ ἱστορῆσαι, τὰς ἐμὰς δυσχλαινίας
κρύπτων ὑπʼ αἰδοῦς τῆς τύχης. ὅταν δʼ ἀνὴρ
πράξῃ κακῶς ὑψηλός, εἰς ἀηθίαν
πίπτει κακίω τοῦ πάλαι δυσδαίμονος.
χρεία δὲ τείρει μʼ· οὔτε γὰρ σῖτος πάρα
οὔτʼ ἀμφὶ χρῶτʼ ἐσθῆτες· αὐτὰ δʼ εἰκάσαι
πάρεστι ναὸς ἐκβόλοις ἃ ἀμπίσχομαι.
πέπλους δὲ τοὺς πρὶν λαμπρά τʼ ἀμφιβλήματα
χλιδάς τε πόντος ἥρπασʼ· ἐν δʼ ἄντρου μυχοῖς
κρύψας γυναῖκα τὴν κακῶν πάντων ἐμοὶ
ἄρξασαν ἥκω τούς τε περιλελειμμένους
φίλων φυλάσσειν τἄμʼ ἀναγκάσας λέχη.
μόνος δὲ νοστῶ, τοῖς ἐκεῖ ζητῶν φίλοις
τὰ πρόσφορʼ ἤν πως ἐξερευνήσας λάβω.
ἰδὼν δὲ δῶμα περιφερὲς θριγκοῖς τόδε
πύλας τε σεμνὰς ἀνδρὸς ὀλβίου τινός,
προσῆλθον· ἐλπὶς δʼ ἔκ γε πλουσίων δόμων
λαβεῖν τι ναύταις· ἐκ δὲ μὴ ἐχόντων βίον —
οὐδʼ εἰ θέλοιεν, ὠφελεῖν ἔχοιεν ἄν.
ὠή· τίς ἂν πυλωρὸς ἐκ δόμων μόλοι,
ὅστις διαγγείλειε τἄμʼ ἔσω κακά;

[¶95] Old woman:
Who’s at the door? Get away from the house and don’t annoy my master by standing at the court-yard gate! Or else you will die because you are
a Hellene, and they have no business here.

> Greek: Γραῦς:
τίς πρὸς πύλαισιν; οὐκ ἀπαλλάξῃ δόμων
καὶ μὴ πρὸς αὐλείοισιν ἑστηκὼς πύλαις
ὄχλον παρέξεις δεσπόταις; ἢ κατθανῇ
Ἕλλην πεφυκώς, οἷσιν οὐκ ἐπιστροφαί.

[¶96] Menelaos:
My good woman, you can say these same words in a different tone, for I shall be persuaded; but let go your angry speech.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ὦ γραῖα, ταὐτὰ ταῦτʼ ἔπη κἄλλως λέγειν
ἔξεστι, πείσομαι γάρ· ἀλλʼ ἄνες λόγον.

[¶97] Old woman:
Go away! Stranger, my orders are to let no Hellene come near this house.

> Greek: Γραῦς:
ἄπελθʼ· ἐμοὶ γὰρ τοῦτο πρόσκειται, ξένε,
μηδένα πελάζειν τοισίδʼ Ἑλλήνων δόμοις.

[¶98] Menelaos:
Ah! Do not push me, or thrust me away by force.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ἆ· μὴ προσείλει χεῖρα μηδʼ ὤθει βίᾳ.

[¶99] Old woman:
You are to blame, for not heeding what I say.

> Greek: Γραῦς:
πείθῃ γὰρ οὐδὲν ὧν λέγω, σὺ δʼ αἴτιος.

[¶100] Menelaos:
Announce to your master inside—

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ἄγγειλον εἴσω δεσπόταισι τοῖσι σοῖς …

[¶101] Old woman:
I think someone would be sorry, if I announced your words.

> Greek: Γραῦς:
πικρῶς ἄρʼ οἶμαί γʼ ἀγγελεῖν τοὺς σοὺς λόγους.

[¶102] Menelaos:
I come as a shipwrecked man and a guest; such people are safe from violence.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ναυαγὸς ἥκω ξένος, ἀσύλητον γένος.

[¶103] Old woman:
Well, go to some other house instead of this one.

> Greek: Γραῦς:
οἶκον πρὸς ἄλλον νύν τινʼ ἀντὶ τοῦδʼ ἴθι.

[¶104] Menelaos:
No; I am going inside. You listen to me.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
οὔκ, ἀλλʼ ἔσω πάρειμι· καὶ σύ μοι πιθοῦ.

[¶105] Old woman:
Know that you’re only causing trouble; and soon you’ll be thrown out by force.

> Greek: Γραῦς:
ὀχληρὸς ἴσθʼ ὤν· καὶ τάχʼ ὠσθήσῃ βίᾳ.

[¶106] Menelaos:
Alas! Where are those glorious armies of mine?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
αἰαῖ· τὰ κλεινὰ ποῦ ʼστί μοι στρατεύματα;

[¶107] Old woman:
Perhaps you were grand somewhere, but not here.

> Greek: Γραῦς:
οὐκοῦν ἐκεῖ που σεμνὸς ἦσθʼ, οὐκ ἐνθάδε.

[¶108] Menelaos:
O my fortune, how we have been unworthily dishonored.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ὦ δαῖμον, ὡς ἀνάξιʼ ἠτιμώμεθα.

[¶109] Old woman:
Why are your eyes wet with tears? To whom are you lamenting?

> Greek: Γραῦς:
τί βλέφαρα τέγγεις δάκρυσι; πρὸς τίνʼ οἰκτρὸς εἶ;

[¶110] Menelaos:
To my fortunes, which were happy before this.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
πρὸς τὰς πάροιθεν συμφορὰς εὐδαίμονας.

[¶111] Old woman:
Well then, why don’t you go away and give these tears to your friends.

> Greek: Γραῦς:
οὔκουν ἀπελθὼν δάκρυα σοῖς δώσεις φίλοις;

[¶112] Menelaos:
What is this land? Whose palace is this?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
τίς δʼ ἥδε χώρα; τοῦ δὲ βασίλειοι δόμοι;

[¶113] Old woman:
Proteus lives here, the land is Egypt.

> Greek: Γραῦς:
Πρωτεὺς τάδʼ οἰκεῖ δώματʼ, Αἴγυπτος δὲ γῆ.

[¶114] Menelaos:
Egypt? O wretched, that I have sailed here!

> Greek: Μενελέως:
Αἴγυπτος; ὦ δύστηνος, οἷ πέπλευκʼ ἄρα.

[¶115] Old woman:
And why do you blame the bright gleam of the Nile?

> Greek: Γραῦς:
τί δὴ τὸ Νείλου μεμπτόν ἐστί σοι γάνος;

[¶116] Menelaos:
I do not blame it; I am sighing for my fate.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
οὐ τοῦτʼ ἐμέμφθην· τὰς ἐμὰς στένω τύχας.

[¶117] Old woman:
Many people are doing badly; you are not the only one.

> Greek: Γραῦς:
πολλοὶ κακῶς πράσσουσιν, οὐ σὺ δὴ μόνος.

[¶118] Menelaos:
Is the king you name in the house?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ἔστʼ οὖν ἐν οἴκοις ὅντινʼ ὀνομάζεις ἄναξ;

[¶119] Old woman:
This is his tomb; his son rules the land.

> Greek: Γραῦς:
τόδʼ ἐστὶν αὐτοῦ μνῆμα, παῖς δʼ ἄρχει χθονός.

[¶120] Menelaos:
And where might he be? Abroad, or in the house?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ποῦ δῆτʼ ἂν εἴη; πότερον ἐκτὸς ἢ ʼν δόμοις;

[¶121] Old woman:
He is not inside; he is most bitterly opposed to the Hellenes.

> Greek: Γραῦς:
οὐκ ἔνδον· Ἕλλησιν δὲ πολεμιώτατος.

[¶122] Menelaos:
What cause does he have? I have felt the consequences of it!

> Greek: Μενελέως:
τίνʼ αἰτίαν σχὼν ἧς ἐπηυρόμην ἐγώ;

[¶123] Old woman:
Helen, the daughter of Zeus, is in this house.

> Greek: Γραῦς:
Ἑλένη κατʼ οἴκους ἐστὶ τούσδʼ ἡ τοῦ Διός.

[¶124] Menelaos:
What do you mean? What did you say? Tell me again.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
πῶς φῄς; τίνʼ εἶπας μῦθον; αὖθίς μοι φράσον.

[¶125] Old woman:
The daughter of Tyndareus, who once lived in Sparta.

> Greek: Γραῦς:
ἡ Τυνδαρὶς παῖς, ἣ κατὰ Σπάρτην ποτʼ ἦν.

[¶126] Menelaos:
Where did she come from? What is the meaning of this?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
πόθεν μολοῦσα; τίνα τὸ πρᾶγμʼ ἔχει λόγον;

[¶127] Old woman:
She came here from the land of Lakedaimon.

> Greek: Γραῦς:
Λακεδαίμονος γῆς δεῦρο νοστήσασʼ ἄπο.

[¶128] Menelaos:
When? Surely I have not been robbed of my wife from the cave?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
πότε; οὔ τί που λελῄσμεθʼ ἐξ ἄντρων λέχος;

[¶129] Old woman:
Before the Achaeans went to Troy, stranger. But get away from the house; for something is happening within, by which the palace is thrown into confusion. You have not come at the right time; and if my master
catches you, death will be your guest-gift. For I am well-disposed to Hellenes, for all that I spoke harshly to you in fear of my master.
Exit Old woman.

> Greek: Γραῦς:
πρὶν τοὺς Ἀχαιούς, ὦ ξένʼ, ἐς Τροίαν μολεῖν.
ἀλλʼ ἕρπʼ ἀπʼ οἴκων· ἔστι γάρ τις ἐν δόμοις
τύχη, τύραννος ᾗ ταράσσεται δόμος.
καιρὸν γὰρ οὐδένʼ ἦλθες· ἢν δὲ δεσπότης
λάβῃ σε, θάνατος ξένιά σοι γενήσεται.
εὔνους γάρ εἰμʼ Ἕλλησιν, οὐχ ὅσον πικροὺς
λόγους ἔδωκα δεσπότην φοβουμένη.

[¶130] Menelaos:
What can I say? For after my former troubles, this present event that I hear of is an unhappy one,
if I have come here, bringing my wife who was taken from Troy, and she is kept safe in the cave, but some other woman who has the same name as my wife lives in this house. She said the woman was born the child of Zeus.
Can there be a man with the name of Zeus by the banks of Nile? For there is only one in heaven. Where in the world is there a Sparta, except by the streams of Eurotas, with its lovely reeds? The name of Tyndareus is the name of one alone.
Is there any land of the same name as Lakedaimon or Troy? I do not know what to say; for there are probably many things in the wide world that have the same names, both cities and women; there is nothing, then, to marvel at.
Besides, I will not run away from a servant’s fears; for no man is so barbaric at heart as to refuse me food when he has heard my name. The fire of Troy is famous, and I, Menelaos, who lighted it, am well known in every land.
I will wait for the master of the house; he gives me two things to look out for: if he is a cruel sort of person, I will keep myself hidden and go back to the shipwreck; but if he shows any softening, I will ask for help in my present state.
This is the worst evil for me in my misery, to beg the means of life from other kings, when I am myself a king; but it is necessary. The saying is not mine, but it is a wise word: nothing is stronger than dreadful necessity.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
τί φῶ; τί λέξω; συμφορὰς γὰρ ἀθλίας
ἐκ τῶν πάροιθεν τὰς παρεστώσας κλύω,
εἰ τὴν μὲν αἱρεθεῖσαν ἐκ Τροίας ἄγων
ἥκω δάμαρτα καὶ κατʼ ἄντρα σῴζεται,
ὄνομα δὲ ταὐτὸν τῆς ἐμῆς ἔχουσά τις
δάμαρτος ἄλλη τοισίδʼ ἐνναίει δόμοις.
Διὸς δʼ ἔλεξε παῖδά νιν πεφυκέναι.
ἀλλʼ ἦ τις ἔστι Ζηνὸς ὄνομʼ ἔχων ἀνὴρ
Νείλου παρʼ ὄχθας; εἷς γὰρ ὅ γε κατʼ οὐρανόν.
Σπάρτη δὲ ποῦ γῆς ἐστι πλὴν ἵνα ῥοαὶ
τοῦ καλλιδόνακός εἰσιν Εὐρώτα μόνον;
ἁπλοῦν δὲ Τυνδάρειον ὄνομα κλῄζεται.
Λακεδαίμονος δὲ γαῖα τίς ξυνώνυμος
Τροίας τε; ἐγὼ μὲν οὐκ ἔχω τί χρὴ λέγειν.
πολλοὶ γάρ, ὡς εἴξασιν, ἐν πολλῇ χθονὶ
ὀνόματα ταὔτʼ ἔχουσι καὶ πόλις πόλει
γυνὴ γυναικί τʼ· οὐδὲν οὖν θαυμαστέον.
οὐδʼ αὖ τὸ δεινὸν προσπόλου φευξούμεθα·
ἀνὴρ γὰρ οὐδεὶς ὧδε βάρβαρος φρένας,
ὃς ὄνομʼ ἀκούσας τοὐμὸν οὐ δώσει βοράν.
κλεινὸν τὸ Τροίας πῦρ ἐγώ θʼ ὃς ἧψά νιν,
Μενέλαος, οὐκ ἄγνωστος ἐν πάσῃ χθονί.
δόμων ἄνακτα προσμενῶ· δισσὰς δέ μοι
ἔχει φυλάξεις· ἢν μὲν ὠμόφρων τις ᾖ,
κρύψας ἐμαυτὸν εἶμι πρὸς ναυάγια·
ἢν δʼ ἐνδιδῷ τι μαλθακόν, τὰ πρόσφορα
τῆς νῦν παρούσης συμφορᾶς αἰτήσομαι.
κακῶν μὲν ἡμῖν ἔσχατον τοῖς ἀθλίοις,
ἄλλους τυράννους αὐτὸν ὄντα βασιλέα
βίον προσαιτεῖν· ἀλλʼ ἀναγκαίως ἔχει.
λόγος γάρ ἐστιν οὐκ ἐμός, σοφὸν δʼ ἔπος,
δεινῆς ἀνάγκης οὐδὲν ἰσχύειν πλέον.

[¶131] Chorus:
I have heard the prophetic maiden, who gave a clear answer within the palace: Menelaos is not yet dead and buried, gone to the land of shadows where darkness takes the place of light;
but he is still wearing out his life on the ocean swell and has not yet reached the haven of his country, wretched in his wandering life,
bereft of every friend, approaching every land in his sea-going ship from the land of Troy.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἤκουσα τᾶς θεσπιῳδοῦ κόρας,
ἃ χρῄζουσʼ ἐφάνη τυράννοις
δόμοις, ὡς Μενέλαος οὔ-
πω μελαμφαὲς οἴχεται
διʼ ἔρεβος χθονὶ κρυφθείς,
ἀλλʼ ἔτι κατʼ οἶδμʼ ἅλιον
τρυχόμενος οὔπω λιμένων
ψαύσειεν πατρίας γᾶς,
ἀλατείᾳ βιότου
ταλαίφρων, ἄφιλος φίλων,
παντοδαπᾶς ἐπὶ γᾶς πόδα
χριμπτόμενος εἰναλίῳ
κώπᾳ Τρῳάδος ἐκ γᾶς.

[¶132] Helen:
Here I am, once again coming back to the sanctuary of this tomb, after learning the welcome words of Theonoe,
who knows all things truly; she says my husband is alive and sees the light of day; he is roaming here and there on countless voyages, not without practice in wandering, and he shall come here when he finds an end to his suffering.
But she left one thing unsaid: if he will escape when he has come? And I refrained from asking that question clearly; I was so glad when she told me he was safe. She said that he was near this land somewhere, cast up, shipwrecked, with a few friends.
Oh, when will you come? How much I long for your arrival!
Ah! Who is this? I am not being ambushed by the plots of Proteus’ impious son, am I? Shall I not, like a young racehorse or a worshipper of Bacchus, reach the tomb? There is something wild
about the looks of this man who is hunting me down.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἥδʼ αὖ τάφου τοῦδʼ εἰς ἕδρας ἐγὼ πάλιν
στείχω, μαθοῦσα Θεονόης φίλους λόγους,
ἣ πάντʼ ἀληθῶς οἶδε· φησὶ δʼ ἐν φάει
πόσιν τὸν ἁμὸν ζῶντα φέγγος εἰσορᾶν,
πορθμοὺς δʼ ἀλᾶσθαι μυρίους πεπλωκότα
ἐκεῖσε κἀκεῖσʼ οὐδʼ ἀγύμναστον πλάνοις,
ἥξειν ⟨δʼ⟩ ὅταν δὴ πημάτων λάβῃ τέλος.
ἓν δʼ οὐκ ἔλεξεν, εἰ μολὼν σωθήσεται.
ἐγὼ δʼ ἀπέστην τοῦτʼ ἐρωτῆσαι σαφῶς,
ἡσθεῖσʼ ἐπεί νιν εἶπέ μοι σεσῳσμένον.
ἐγγὺς δέ νίν που τῆσδʼ ἔφασκʼ εἶναι χθονός,
ναυαγὸν ἐκπεσόντα σὺν παύροις φίλοις.
ὤμοι, πόθʼ ἥξεις; ὡς ποθεινὸς ἂν μόλοις.
ἔα, τίς οὗτος; οὔ τί που κρυπτεύομαι
Πρωτέως ἀσέπτου παιδὸς ἐκ βουλευμάτων;
οὐχ ὡς δρομαία πῶλος ἢ Βάκχη θεοῦ
τάφῳ ξυνάψω κῶλον; ἄγριος δέ τις
μορφὴν ὅδʼ ἐστίν, ὅς με θηρᾶται λαβεῖν.

[¶133] Menelaos:
You there! the one trying with fearful effort to reach the base of the tomb and the pillars of burnt sacrifice, stay where you are. Why do you flee? I am amazed and speechless at the sight of your body.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
σὲ τὴν ὄρεγμα δεινὸν ἡμιλλημένην
τύμβου ʼπὶ κρηπῖδʼ ἐμπύρους τʼ ὀρθοστάτας,
μεῖνον· τί φεύγεις; ὡς δέμας δείξασα σὸν
ἔκπληξιν ἡμῖν ἀφασίαν τε προστίθης.

[¶134] Helen:
Women, I am being ill-treated. This man is keeping me from the tomb, and he wants to take me and give me to the king, whose wooing I was seeking to avoid.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἀδικούμεθʼ, ὦ γυναῖκες· εἰργόμεσθα γὰρ
τάφου πρὸς ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε, καί μʼ ἑλὼν θέλει
δοῦναι τυράννοις ὧν ἐφεύγομεν γάμους.

[¶135] Menelaos:
I am no thief, nor a servant of evil men.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
οὐ κλῶπές ἐσμεν, οὐχ ὑπηρέται κακῶν.

[¶136] Helen:
And yet the clothes you are wearing are unsightly enough.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
καὶ μὴν στολήν γʼ ἄμορφον ἀμφὶ σῶμʼ ἔχεις.

[¶137] Menelaos:
Put fear aside and stop your rapid flight.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
στῆσον, φόβου μεθεῖσα, λαιψηρὸν πόδα.

[¶138] Helen:
I do so, now that I have reached this spot.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἵστημʼ, ἐπεί γε τοῦδʼ ἐφάπτομαι τόπου.

[¶139] Menelaos:
Who are you? Whom do I see in you, lady?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
τίς εἶ; τίνʼ ὄψιν σήν, γύναι, προσδέρκομαι;

[¶140] Helen:
But who are you? The same reason prompts us both.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
σὺ δʼ εἶ τίς; αὑτὸς γὰρ σὲ κἄμʼ ἔχει λόγος.

[¶141] Menelaos:
I never saw a closer resemblance.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
οὐπώποτʼ εἶδον προσφερέστερον δέμας.

[¶142] Helen:
O gods! For the recognizing of friends is a god.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ὦ θεοί· θεὸς γὰρ καὶ τὸ γιγνώσκειν φίλους.
⟨⟩

[¶143] Menelaos:
Are you a woman from Hellas, or a native of this land?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
⟨Ἑλληνὶς εἶ τις ἢ ἐπιχωρία γυνή;⟩

[¶144] Helen:
From Hellas; but I want to learn your story too.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
Ἑλληνίς· ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ σὸν θέλω μαθεῖν.

[¶145] Menelaos:
You seem to me very much like Helen, lady.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
Ἑλένῃ σʼ ὁμοίαν δὴ μάλιστʼ εἶδον, γύναι.

[¶146] Helen:
And you seem to me like Menelaos; I don’t know what to say.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἐγὼ δὲ Μενέλεῴ γε σέ· οὐδʼ ἔχω τί φῶ.

[¶147] Menelaos:
Well, you have correctly recognized a most unfortunate man.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ἔγνως γὰρ ὀρθῶς ἄνδρα δυστυχέστατον.

[¶148] Helen:
Oh, at last you have come to the arms of your wife!

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ὦ χρόνιος ἐλθὼν σῆς δάμαρτος ἐς χέρας.

[¶149] Menelaos:
What do you mean by wife? Do not touch my robe.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ποίας δάμαρτος; μὴ θίγῃς ἐμῶν πέπλων.

[¶150] Helen:
The one whom Tyndareus, my father, gave to you.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἥν σοι δίδωσι Τυνδάρεως, ἐμὸς πατήρ.

[¶151] Menelaos:
O torch-bearing Hekate, send visions that are favorable!

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ὦ φωσφόρʼ Ἑκάτη, πέμπε φάσματʼ εὐμενῆ.

[¶152] Helen:
You see in me no specter of the night, attendant on the queen of phantoms.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
οὐ νυκτίφαντον πρόπολον Ἐνοδίας μʼ ὁρᾷς.

[¶153] Menelaos:
As one man, I am certainly not the husband of two women.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
οὐ μὴν γυναικῶν γʼ εἷς δυοῖν ἔφυν πόσις.

[¶154] Helen:
You are the master of what other wife?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ποίων δὲ λέκτρων δεσπότης ἄλλων ἔφυς;

[¶155] Menelaos:
The one hidden in the cave, whom I am bringing from Troy.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ἣν ἄντρα κεύθει κἀκ Φρυγῶν κομίζομαι.

[¶156] Helen:
You have no other wife but me.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
οὐκ ἔστιν ἄλλη σή τις ἀντʼ ἐμοῦ γυνή.

[¶157] Menelaos:
Can it be that I am in my right mind, but my sight is failing?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
οὔ που φρονῶ μὲν εὖ, τὸ δʼ ὄμμα μου νοσεῖ;

[¶158] Helen:
Don’t you think that when you look at me you see your wife?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
οὐ γάρ με λεύσσων σὴν δάμαρθʼ ὁρᾶν δοκεῖς;

[¶159] Menelaos:
Your body resembles hers, but the real truth robs me of this belief.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
τὸ σῶμʼ ὅμοιον, τὸ δὲ σαφές μʼ ἀποστερεῖ.

## 2. Lines 566–1121

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-helen/2/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-helen/2/#p-N

[¶0] Helen:
Look; what more do you need? Who knows better than you?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
σκέψαι· τί σοὐνδεῖ; τίς δὲ σοῦ σοφώτερος;

[¶1] Menelaos:
You are like her; I will not deny that at least.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ἔοικας· οὔτοι τοῦτό γʼ ἐξαρνήσομαι.

[¶2] Helen:
Who then shall teach you, if not your own eyes?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
τίς οὖν διδάξει σʼ ἄλλος ἢ τὰ σʼ ὄμματα;

[¶3] Menelaos:
It is there that I am ailing, because I have another wife.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ἐκεῖ νοσοῦμεν, ὅτι δάμαρτʼ ἄλλην ἔχω.

[¶4] Helen:
I did not go to Troy; that was a phantom.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
οὐκ ἦλθον ἐς γῆν Τρῳάδʼ, ἀλλʼ εἴδωλον ἦν.

[¶5] Menelaos:
And who fashions living bodies?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
καὶ τίς βλέποντα σώματʼ ἐξεργάζεται;

[¶6] Helen:
The air, out of which you have a wife that the gods labored over.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
αἰθήρ, ὅθεν σὺ θεοπόνητʼ ἔχεις λέχη.

[¶7] Menelaos:
What god’s handiwork? You are saying things beyond hope.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
τίνος πλάσαντος θεῶν; ἄελπτα γὰρ λέγεις.

[¶8] Helen:
Hera’s, as a substitute, so that Paris would not have me.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
Ἥρας, διάλλαγμʼ, ὡς Πάρις με μὴ λάβοι.

[¶9] Menelaos:
How then could you be here and in Troy at the same time?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
πῶς οὖν ἂν ἐνθάδʼ ἦσθά ⟨τʼ⟩ ἐν Τροίᾳ θʼ ἅμα;

[¶10] Helen:
The name may be in many places, though not the body.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
τοὔνομα γένοιτʼ ἂν πολλαχοῦ, τὸ σῶμα δʼ οὔ.

[¶11] Menelaos:
Let me go! I have come here with enough pain.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
μέθες με, λύπης ἅλις ἔχων ἐλήλυθα.

[¶12] Helen:
Will you leave me, and take that phantom bride away?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
λείψεις γὰρ ἡμᾶς, τὰ δὲ κένʼ ἐξάξεις λέχη;

[¶13] Menelaos:
Yes, and fare well, for your likeness to Helen.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
καὶ χαῖρέ γʼ, Ἑλένῃ προσφερὴς ὁθούνεκʼ εἶ.

[¶14] Helen:
I am ruined! I found you, my husband, but I will not have you.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἀπωλόμην· λαβοῦσά σʼ οὐχ ἕξω πόσιν.

[¶15] Menelaos:
The greatness of my troubles over there convinces me; you do not.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
τοὐκεῖ με μέγεθος τῶν πόνων πείθει, σὺ δʼ οὔ.

[¶16] Helen:
Ah me! Who was ever more miserable than I am?
Those whom I love best are leaving me, and I shall never reach the Hellenes or my own country.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
οἲ ἐγώ· τίς ἡμῶν ἐγένετʼ ἀθλιωτέρα;
οἱ φίλτατοι λείπουσί μʼ οὐδʼ ἀφίξομαι
Ἕλληνας οὐδὲ πατρίδα τὴν ἐμήν ποτε.

[¶17] Messenger:
(entering hurriedly.) Menelaos, I find you, after taking great trouble to look for you, wandering over the whole of this foreign land; I am sent by the comrades whom you left behind.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
Μενέλαε, μαστεύων σε κιγχάνω μόλις
πᾶσαν πλανηθεὶς τήνδε βάρβαρον χθόνα,
πεμφθεὶς ἑταίρων τῶν λελειμμένων ὕπο.

[¶18] Menelaos:
What is it? Surely you are not being plundered by the foreigners?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
τί δʼ ἔστιν; οὔ που βαρβάρων συλᾶσθʼ ὕπο;

[¶19] Messenger:
It is a miracle; what I say is of less account than what happened.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
θαῦμʼ ἔστʼ, ἔλασσον τοὔνομʼ ἢ τὸ πρᾶγμʼ ἔχον.

[¶20] Menelaos:
Tell me; for, judging by this eagerness, you are certainly bringing something new.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
λέγʼ· ὡς φέρεις τι τῇδε τῇ σπουδῇ νέον.

[¶21] Messenger:
I say that you have suffered countless labors in vain.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
λέγω πόνους σε μυρίους τλῆναι μάτην.

[¶22] Menelaos:
You are mourning over old sorrows; what is your message?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
παλαιὰ θρηνεῖς πήματʼ· ἀγγέλλεις δὲ τί;

[¶23] Messenger:
Your wife has disappeared, taken up into the folds of the unseen air; she is hidden in heaven, and as she left the hallowed cave where we were keeping her, she said this: “Miserable Phrygians, and all the Achaeans! On my account you were dying by the banks of Skamandros,”
“through Hera’s contrivance, for you thought that Paris had Helen when he didn’t. But I, since I have stayed my appointed time, and kept the laws of fate, will now depart into the sky, my father; but the unhappy daughter of Tyndareus,”
“guilty in no way, has borne an evil name without reason.”
Catching sight of Helen
Welcome, daughter of Leda, were you here after all? I was just announcing your departure up to the hidden starry realms, not knowing that you had a winged body. I will not let you mock us like this again,
for you gave your fill of trouble to your husband and his allies in Ilion.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
βέβηκεν ἄλοχος σὴ πρὸς αἰθέρος πτυχὰς
ἀρθεῖσʼ ἄφαντος· οὐρανῷ δὲ κρύπτεται
λιποῦσα σεμνὸν ἄντρον οὗ σφʼ ἐσῴζομεν,
τοσόνδε λέξασʼ· ὦ ταλαίπωροι Φρύγες
πάντες τʼ Ἀχαιοί, διʼ ἔμʼ ἐπὶ Σκαμανδρίοις
ἀκταῖσιν Ἥρας μηχαναῖς ἐθνῄσκετε,
δοκοῦντες Ἑλένην οὐκ ἔχοντʼ ἔχειν Πάριν.
ἐγὼ δʼ, ἐπειδὴ χρόνον ἔμεινʼ ὅσον με χρῆν,
τὸ μόρσιμον σῴσασα, πατέρʼ ἐς οὐρανὸν
ἄπειμι· φήμας δʼ ἡ τάλαινα Τυνδαρὶς
ἄλλως κακὰς ἤκουσεν οὐδὲν αἰτία.
ὦ χαῖρε, Λήδας θύγατερ, ἐνθάδʼ ἦσθʼ ἄρα;
ἐγὼ δέ σʼ ἄστρων ὡς βεβηκυῖαν μυχοὺς
ἤγγελλον εἰδὼς οὐδὲν ὡς ὑπόπτερον
δέμας φοροίης. οὐκ ἐῶ σε κερτομεῖν
ἡμᾶς τόδʼ αὖθις, ὡς ἄδην ἐν Ἰλίῳ
πόνους παρεῖχες σῷ πόσει καὶ συμμάχοις.

[¶24] Menelaos:
This is the meaning of that; her words have turned out to be true. O longed-for day, that has given you to my arms!

> Greek: Μενελέως:
τοῦτʼ ἔστʼ ἐκεῖνο· ξυμβεβᾶσιν οἱ λόγοι
οἱ τῆσδʼ ἀληθεῖς. ὦ ποθεινὸς ἡμέρα,
ἥ σʼ εἰς ἐμὰς ἔδωκεν ὠλένας λαβεῖν.

[¶25] Helen:
O Menelaos, dearest of men, the time was long, but delight is just now ours.
With joy I have found my husband, friends, I have embraced my dear one, after long days of blazing light.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ὦ φίλτατʼ ἀνδρῶν Μενέλεως, ὁ μὲν χρόνος
παλαιός, ἡ δὲ τέρψις ἀρτίως πάρα.
ἔλαβον ἀσμένα πόσιν ἐμόν, φίλαι,
περί τʼ ἐπέτασα χέρα
φίλιον ἐν μακρᾷ φλογὶ φαεσφόρῳ.

[¶26] Menelaos:
And I have found you; but I have many questions about t; now I do not know what to begin with first.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
κἀγὼ σέ· πολλοὺς δʼ ἐν μέσῳ λόγους ἔχων
οὐκ οἶδʼ ὁποίου πρῶτον ἄρξωμαι τὰ νῦν.

[¶27] Helen:
I am so happy, the hair rises on my head and my tears run down. I fling my arms around your neck,
dear husband, to have my delight.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
γέγηθα, κρατὶ δʼ ὀρθίους ἐθείρας
ἀνεπτέρωκα καὶ δάκρυ σταλάσσω,
περὶ δὲ γυῖα χέρας ἔβαλον, ἡδονάν,
ὦ πόσις, ὡς λάβω.

[¶28] Menelaos:
O dearest sight! I have no fault to find: I have my wife, the daughter of Zeus and Leda; your brothers on their snow-white steeds
blessed you, blessed you at an earlier time, while torches blazed, but the god who took you from my home is driving us on to another fortune, better than this. An evil that was good brought you together with me, your husband
after a long time, but may I still benefit by my good luck.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ὦ φιλτάτη πρόσοψις, οὐκ ἐμέμφθην·
ἔχω τὰ τῆς Διός τε λέκτρα Λήδας θʼ,
ἃν ὑπὸ λαμπάδων κόροι λεύκιπποι
ξυνομαίμονες ὤλβισαν ὤλβισαν
τὸ πρόσθεν, ἐκ δόμων δὲ νοσφίσας σʼ ἐμοῦ
πρὸς ἄλλαν ἐλαύνει
θεὸς συμφορὰν τᾶσδε κρείσσω.
τὸ κακὸν δʼ ἀγαθὸν σέ τε κἀμὲ συνάγαγε, πόσιν
χρόνιον, ἀλλʼ ὅμως ὀναίμαν τύχας.

[¶29] Chorus:
May you benefit indeed, and I join in the same prayer; for when there are two, it is not possible for one to be unhappy and the other not.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὄναιο δῆτα. ταὐτὰ δὴ ξυνεύχομαι·
δυοῖν γὰρ ὄντοιν οὐχ ὃ μὲν τλήμων, ὃ δʼ οὔ.

[¶30] Helen:
My dear friends, I no longer sigh or grieve over what is past.
I have my husband, for whom I have been waiting to come from Troy for many years.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
φίλαι φίλαι, τὰ πάρος οὐκέτι
στένομεν οὐδʼ ἀλγῶ.
πόσιν ἐμὸν ἔχομεν [ἔχομεν,] ὃν [ἔμενον]
ἔμενον ἐκ Τροίας πολυετῆ μολεῖν.

[¶31] Menelaos:
You have me, and I have you; although it was hard to live through so many days, I now understand the actions of the goddess. My joy is tearful; it has more
delight than sorrow.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ἔχεις, ἐγώ τε σέ· ἡλίους δὲ μυρίους
μόλις διελθὼν ᾐσθόμην τὰ τῆς θεοῦ.
ἐμὰ δὲ χαρμονὰ δάκρυα· πλέον ἔχει
χάριτος ἢ λύπας.

[¶32] Helen:
What can I say? What mortal could ever have hoped for this? I hold you to my heart, little as I ever thought to.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
τί φῶ; τίς ἂν τάδʼ ἤλπισεν βροτῶν ποτε;
ἀδόκητον ἔχω σε πρὸς στέρνοις.

[¶33] Menelaos:
And I hold you, whom we thought to have gone to Ida’s city and the unhappy towers of Ilion.
By the gods, how were you taken from my home?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
κἀγὼ σὲ τὴν δοκοῦσαν Ἰδαίαν πόλιν
μολεῖν Ἰλίου τε μελέους πύργους.
πρὸς θεῶν, δόμων πῶς τῶν ἐμῶν ἀπεστάλης;

[¶34] Helen:
Ah! ah! You are setting out on a bitter beginning. Ah! ah! You are asking about a bitter tale.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἒ ἔ· πικρὰς ἐς ἀρχὰς βαίνεις,
ἒ ἔ· πικρὰν δʼ ἐρευνᾷς φάτιν.

[¶35] Menelaos:
Speak; all gifts from the gods should be heard.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
λέγʼ· ὡς ἀκουστὰ πάντα δῶρα δαιμόνων.

[¶36] Helen:
I detest the story I am now to introduce.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἀπέπτυσα μὲν λόγον, οἷον οἷον ἐσοίσομαι.

[¶37] Menelaos:
Tell it anyway. It is sweet to hear of troubles.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ὅμως δὲ λέξον· ἡδύ τοι μόχθων κλύειν.

[¶38] Helen:
Not to the bed of the young barbarian, on the wings of oars, on the wings of desire for lawless marriage—

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
οὐκ ἐπὶ βαρβάρου λέκτρα νεανία
πετομένας κώπας,
πετομένου δʼ ἔρωτος ἀδίκων γάμων …

[¶39] Menelaos:
What god or fate tore you from your country?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
τίς ⟨γάρ⟩ σε δαίμων ἢ πότμος συλᾷ πάτρας;

[¶40] Helen:
Ah, my husband! The son of Zeus, of Zeus, brought me to the Nile.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ὁ Διὸς ὁ Διός, ὦ πόσι, παῖς μʼ …
ἐπέλασεν Νείλῳ.

[¶41] Menelaos:
Amazing! Who sent you there? O dreadful story!

> Greek: Μενελέως:
θαυμαστά· τοῦ πέμψαντος; ὦ δεινοὶ λόγοι.

[¶42] Helen:
I have wept bitterly, and my eyes are wet with tears; the wife of Zeus ruined me.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
κατεδάκρυσα καὶ βλέφαρον ὑγραίνω
δάκρυσιν· ἁ Διός μʼ ἄλοχος ὤλεσεν.

[¶43] Menelaos:
Hera? Why did she want to bring trouble to the two of us?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
Ἥρα; τί νῷν χρῄζουσα προσθεῖναι κακόν;

[¶44] Helen:
Alas for my terrible fate, the baths and springs, where the goddesses brightened the beauty from which the judgment came.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ὤμοι ἐμῶν δεινῶν, λουτρῶν καὶ κρηνῶν,
ἵνα θεαὶ μορφὰν
ἐφαίδρυναν, ἔνθεν ἔμολεν κρίσις.

[¶45] Menelaos:
Regarding the judgment, Hera made it a cause of these troubles for you?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
τὰ δʼ ἐς κρίσιν σοι τῶνδʼ ἔθηχʼ Ἥρα κακῶν —;

[¶46] Helen:
To take me away from Paris—

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
Πάριν ὡς ἀφέλοιτο —

[¶47] Menelaos:
How? Tell me.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
πῶς; αὔδα.

[¶48] Helen:
To whom Kypris had promised me.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
Κύπρις ᾧ μʼ ἐπένευσεν —

[¶49] Menelaos:
O unhappy one!

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ὦ τλᾶμον.

[¶50] Helen:
Unhappy, unhappy; and so she brought me to Egypt.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
τλάμων, τλάμων· ὧδʼ ἐπέλασʼ Αἰγύπτῳ.

[¶51] Menelaos:
Then she gave him a phantom instead, as I hear from you.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
εἶτʼ ἀντέδωκʼ εἴδωλον, ὡς σέθεν κλύω.

[¶52] Helen:
Sorrow, sorrow to your house,
mother, alas.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
τὰ δὲ ⟨σὰ⟩ κατὰ μέλαθρα πάθεα πάθεα, μᾶ-
τερ, οἲ ʼγώ.

[¶53] Menelaos:
What do you mean?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
τί φῄς;

[¶54] Helen:
My mother is no more; through shame of my disgraceful marriage she tied a noose around her neck.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
οὐκ ἔστι μάτηρ· ἀγχόνιον δὲ βρόχον
διʼ ἐμὰν κατεδήσατο δυσγάμου αἰσχύναν.

[¶55] Menelaos:
Alas! Is our daughter Hermione alive?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ὤμοι· θυγατρὸς δʼ Ἑρμιόνης ἔστιν βίος;

[¶56] Helen:
Ah, my husband! Unmarried, and without children, she mourns my
fatal marriage.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἄγαμος ἄτεκνος, ὦ πόσι, καταστένει
γάμον ἄγαμον ⟨ἐμόν⟩.

[¶57] Menelaos:
O Paris, who utterly destroyed my whole house, these things ruined you also, and countless bronze-clad Danaans.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ὦ πᾶν κατʼ ἄκρας δῶμʼ ἐμὸν πέρσας Πάρις,
τάδε καὶ σὲ διώλεσε μυριάδας τε
χαλκεόπλων Δαναῶν.

[¶58] Helen:
The god cast me out, ill-fated and accursed, from my country,
from my city, and from you, when I left my home and bed—yet I did not leave them—for a shameful marriage.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἐμὲ δὲ πατρίδος ἄπο κακόποτμον ἀραίαν
ἔβαλε θεὸς ἀπό ⟨τε⟩ πόλεος ἀπό τε σέθεν,
ὅτε μέλαθρα λέχεά τʼ ἔλιπον — οὐ λιποῦσʼ
ἐπʼ αἰσχροῖς γάμοις.

[¶59] Chorus Leader:
If indeed you should find happiness in the future, it would be a match for the past.

> Greek: Χορός:
εἰ καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τῆς τύχης εὐδαίμονος
τύχοιτε, πρὸς τὰ πρόσθεν ἀρκέσειεν ἄν.

[¶60] Messenger:
Menelaos, give me as well a share of that joy which I understand, but not clearly.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
Μενέλαε, κἀμοὶ πρόσδοτον τῆς ἡδονῆς,
ἣν μανθάνω μὲν καὐτός, οὐ σαφῶς δʼ ἔχω.

[¶61] Menelaos:
Come and take part in our talk, old man, you too.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ἀλλʼ, ὦ γεραιέ, καὶ σὺ κοινώνει λόγων.

[¶62] Messenger:
This woman is not the arbitrator of all the trouble in Troy?

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
οὐχ ἥδε μόχθων τῶν ἐν Ἰλίῳ βραβεύς;

[¶63] Menelaos:
She is not; I was tricked by the gods
and had in my arms the baneful image of a cloud.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
οὐχ ἥδε, πρὸς θεῶν δʼ ἦμεν ἠπατημένοι,
νεφέλης ἄγαλμʼ ἔχοντες ἐν χεροῖν λυγρόν.

[¶64] Messenger:
What are you saying? We suffered in vain for the sake of a cloud?

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
τί φῄς;
νεφέλης ἄρʼ ἄλλως εἴχομεν πόνους πέρι;

[¶65] Menelaos:
It was the work of Hera, and the rivalry of the three goddesses.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
Ἥρας τάδʼ ἔργα καὶ θεῶν τρισσῶν ἔρις.

[¶66] Messenger:
And the one who is truly your wife is this woman here?

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ἡ δʼ οὖσʼ ἀληθῶς ἐστιν ἥδε σὴ δάμαρ;

[¶67] Menelaos:
This is she; trust my word for that.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
αὕτη· λόγοις [δʼ] ἐμοῖσι πίστευσον τάδε.

[¶68] Messenger:
O daughter, how intricate and hard to trace out is the nature of the god! In some way that is good, he twists everything about, now up, now down; one man suffers, and one who has not suffered comes afterwards to a bad end,
having no security in his current fortune. You and your husband have had your share of trouble, you in repute, he in the heat of battle. In his eagerness, while he was eager, he got nothing; but now that he has achieved the greatest good fortune, he has it without cause.
You did not, after all, bring shame upon your old father or on the twin sons of Zeus, nor did you do such things as were spoken of. Now again I renew your wedding rites and remember the blazing torch I bore, running beside the four yoked horses; and you,
in the chariot as a bride, were leaving your happy home with this man here. Whoever pays no reverence to his master’s affairs, rejoicing with him and grieving with his troubles, is worthless. Although I was born a servant, let me still be numbered among honest
slaves; my mind is free, if not my name. For this is better than to suffer double misery as one man: to have a worthless heart and, being a slave, to owe obedience to any other.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ὦ θύγατερ, ὁ θεὸς ὡς ἔφυ τι ποικίλον
καὶ δυστέκμαρτον. εὖ δέ πως πάντα στρέφει
ἐκεῖσε κἀκεῖσʼ ἀναφέρων· ὃ μὲν πονεῖ,
ὃ δʼ οὐ πονήσας αὖθις ὄλλυται κακῶς,
βέβαιον οὐδὲν τῆς ἀεὶ τύχης ἔχων.
σὺ γὰρ πόσις τε σὸς πόνων μετέσχετε,
σὺ μὲν λόγοισιν, ὃ δὲ δορὸς προθυμίᾳ.
σπεύδων δʼ ὅτʼ ἔσπευδʼ οὐδὲν εἶχε· νῦν δʼ ἔχει
αὐτόματα πράξας τἀγάθʼ εὐτυχέστατα.
οὐκ ἄρα γέροντα πατέρα καὶ Διοσκόρω
ᾔσχυνας, οὐδʼ ἔδρασας οἷα κλῄζεται.
νῦν ἀνανεοῦμαι τὸν σὸν ὑμέναιον πάλιν
καὶ λαμπάδων μεμνήμεθʼ ἃς τετραόροις
ἵπποις τροχάζων παρέφερον· σὺ δʼ ἐν δίφροις
ξὺν τῷδε νύμφη δῶμʼ ἔλειπες ὄλβιον.
κακὸς γὰρ ὅστις μὴ σέβει τὰ δεσποτῶν
καὶ ξυγγέγηθε καὶ συνωδίνει κακοῖς.
ἐγὼ μὲν εἴην, κεἰ πέφυχʼ ὅμως λάτρις,
ἐν τοῖσι γενναίοισιν ἠριθμημένος
δούλοισι, τοὔνομʼ οὐκ ἔχων ἐλεύθερον,
τὸν νοῦν δέ· κρεῖσσον γὰρ τόδʼ ἢ δυοῖν κακοῖν
ἕνʼ ὄντα χρῆσθαι, τὰς φρένας τʼ ἔχειν κακὰς
ἄλλων τʼ ἀκούειν δοῦλον ὄντα τῶν πέλας.

[¶69] Menelaos:
Come, old man—often by my shield
you have had your full share of trouble and hard work—now also have a share in my success, and go tell the friends I left behind the state of matters here, as you found them, and how my fortune stands; and bid them wait at the beach and watch eagerly for the
struggle which I expect awaits me; and if we should be able somehow to steal this woman away from the land, tell them to keep good watch so that we may share the luck and escape, if we can, from the barbarians.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ἄγʼ, ὦ γεραιέ, πολλὰ μὲν παρʼ ἀσπίδα
μοχθήματʼ ἐξέπλησας ἐκπονῶν ἐμοί,
καὶ νῦν μετασχὼν τῆς ἐμῆς εὐπραξίας
ἄγγειλον ἐλθὼν τοῖς λελειμμένοις φίλοις
τάδʼ ὡς ἔχονθʼ ηὕρηκας οἷ τʼ ἐσμὲν τύχης,
μένειν τʼ ἐπʼ ἀκταῖς τούς τʼ ἐμοὺς καραδοκεῖν
ἀγῶνας οἳ μένουσί μʼ, ὡς ἐλπίζομεν,
κεἰ τήνδε πως δυναίμεθʼ ἐκκλέψαι χθονός,
φρουρεῖν ὅπως ἂν εἰς ἓν ἐλθόντες τύχης
ἐκ βαρβάρων σωθῶμεν, ἢν δυνώμεθα.

[¶70] Messenger:
It shall be done, lord. Now indeed I see how worthless
the seers’ doings are, and how full of falsehood; there was no health in the blaze of sacrifice after all, or in the cry of winged birds; even to think that birds can help mankind is certainly foolish. For Calchas gave no word or sign to the army,
when he saw his friends dying on behalf of a cloud, nor did Helenos; but the city was taken by storm in vain. You might say: because the god did not want them to? Then why do we consult prophets? We ought to sacrifice to the gods and ask a blessing, but leave divination alone;
for this was invented otherwise, as a bait for a livelihood, and no man grows rich by sacrifices if he is idle. But sound judgment and discernment are the best of seers. Exit Messenger.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ἔσται τάδʼ, ὦναξ. ἀλλά τοι τὰ μάντεων
ἐσεῖδον ὡς φαῦλʼ ἐστὶ καὶ ψευδῶν πλέα.
οὐδʼ ἦν ἄρʼ ὑγιὲς οὐδὲν ἐμπύρου φλογὸς
οὐδὲ πτερωτῶν φθέγματʼ· εὔηθες δέ τοι
τὸ καὶ δοκεῖν ὄρνιθας ὠφελεῖν βροτούς.
Κάλχας γὰρ οὐκ εἶπʼ οὐδʼ ἐσήμηνε στρατῷ
νεφέλης ὑπερθνῄσκοντας εἰσορῶν φίλους
οὐδʼ Ἕλενος, ἀλλὰ πόλις ἀνηρπάσθη μάτην.
εἴποις ἄν· οὕνεχʼ ὁ θεὸς οὐκ ἠβούλετο;
τί δῆτα μαντευόμεθα; τοῖς θεοῖσι χρὴ
θύοντας αἰτεῖν ἀγαθά, μαντείας δʼ ἐᾶν·
βίου γὰρ ἄλλως δέλεαρ ηὑρέθη τόδε,
κοὐδεὶς ἐπλούτησʼ ἐμπύροισιν ἀργὸς ὤν·
γνώμη δʼ ἀρίστη μάντις ἥ τʼ εὐβουλία.

[¶71] Chorus Leader:
My views about seers coincide exactly with this old man’s; whoever has the gods as friends
would have the best prophecy at home.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἐς ταὐτὸ κἀμοὶ δόξα μαντειῶν πέρι
χωρεῖ γέροντι· τοὺς θεοὺς ἔχων τις ἂν
φίλους ἀρίστην μαντικὴν ἔχοι δόμοις.

[¶72] Helen:
All right; so far all is well. But how you were saved, my poor husband, from Troy, there is no gain in knowing, yet friends have a desire to learn what their friends have suffered.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
εἶἑν· τὰ μὲν δὴ δεῦρʼ ἀεὶ καλῶς ἔχει.
ὅπως δʼ ἐσώθης, ὦ τάλας, Τροίας ἄπο,
κέρδος μὲν οὐδὲν εἰδέναι, πόθος δέ τις
τὰ τῶν φίλων φίλοισιν αἰσθέσθαι κακά.

[¶73] Menelaos:
Truly you have asked a great deal all at once. Why should I tell you about our losses in the Aegean, and Nauplios’ beacons on Euboia, and my visits to Crete and the cities of Libya, and the mountain-peaks of Perseus? For I would not satisfy you with the tale,
and by telling you these evils I would suffer still, as I did when I experienced them; and so my grief would be doubled.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ἦ πόλλʼ ἀνήρου μʼ ἑνὶ λόγῳ μιᾷ θʼ ὁδῷ.
τί σοι λέγοιμʼ ἂν τὰς ἐν Αἰγαίῳ φθορὰς
τὰ Ναυπλίου τʼ Εὐβοικὰ πυρπολήματα
Κρήτην τε Λιβύης θʼ ἃς ἐπεστράφην πόλεις,
σκοπιάς τε Περσέως; οὐ γὰρ ἐμπλήσαιμί σʼ ⟨ἂν⟩
μύθων, λέγων τʼ ἄν σοι κάκʼ ἀλγοίην ἔτι,
πάσχων τʼ ἔκαμνον· δὶς δὲ λυπηθεῖμεν ἄν.

[¶74] Helen:
Your answer is better than my question. Leave out the rest, and tell me only this: how long were you a weary wanderer over the surface of the sea?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
κάλλιον εἶπας ἤ σʼ ἀνηρόμην ἐγώ.
ἓν δʼ εἰπὲ πάντα παραλιπών, πόσον χρόνον
πόντου ʼπὶ νώτοις ἅλιον ἐφθείρου πλάνον;

[¶75] Menelaos:
Besides those ten years in Troy, I went through seven cycles of years on board ship.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ἐν ναυσὶν ὢν πρὸς τοῖσιν ἐν Τροίᾳ δέκα
ἔτεσι διῆλθον ἑπτὰ περιδρομὰς ἐτῶν.

[¶76] Helen:
Alas, poor man, you have spoken of a long time; and, saved from there, you have come here to the slaughter.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
φεῦ φεῦ· μακρόν γʼ ἔλεξας, ὦ τάλας, χρόνον
σωθεὶς δʼ ἐκεῖθεν ἐνθάδʼ ἦλθες ἐς σφαγάς.

[¶77] Menelaos:
What do you mean? What will you say? Ah, my wife, you have ruined me.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
πῶς φῄς; τί λέξεις; ὥς μʼ ἀπώλεσας, γύναι.

[¶78] Helen:
Escape from this land and flee as quickly as possible. The man who lives in this house will kill you.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
φεῦγʼ ὡς τάχιστα τῆσδʼ ἀπαλλαχθεὶς χθονός.
θανῇ πρὸς ἀνδρὸς οὗ τάδʼ ἐστὶ δώματα.

[¶79] Menelaos:
What have I done to deserve such a fate?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
τί χρῆμα δράσας ἄξιον τῆς συμφορᾶς;

[¶80] Helen:
You have come unexpectedly to hinder my marriage.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἥκεις ἄελπτος ἐμποδὼν ἐμοῖς γάμοις.

[¶81] Menelaos:
What! Does someone plan to marry my wife?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ἦ γὰρ γαμεῖν τις τἄμʼ ἐβουλήθη λέχη;

[¶82] Helen:
And to act in violence against me, which I have endured.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ὕβριν θʼ ὑβρίζειν εἰς ἔμʼ, ἣν ἔτλην ἐγώ.

[¶83] Menelaos:
Does he have private power, or is he the ruler of the country?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ἰδίᾳ σθένων τις ἢ τυραννεύων χθονός;

[¶84] Helen:
He is the lord of this land, the son of Proteus.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ὃς γῆς ἀνάσσει τῆσδε Πρωτέως γόνος.

[¶85] Menelaos:
This is that riddle I heard from the servant.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
τόδʼ ἔστʼ ἐκεῖνʼ αἴνιγμʼ ὃ προσπόλου κλύω.

[¶86] Helen:
Which one of the barbarian’s gates were you standing beside?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ποίοις ἐπιστὰς βαρβάροις πυλώμασιν;

[¶87] Menelaos:
This one, from which I was being driven away like a beggar.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
τοῖσδʼ, ἔνθεν ὥσπερ πτωχὸς ἐξηλαυνόμην.

[¶88] Helen:
You were surely not begging for food, were you? How unhappy I am!

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
οὔ που προσῄτεις βίοτον; ὦ τάλαινʼ ἐγώ.

[¶89] Menelaos:
That was the deed, though it did not have that name.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
τοὔργον μὲν ἦν τοῦτʼ, ὄνομα δʼ οὐκ εἶχεν τόδε.

[¶90] Helen:
Then you know everything, it seems, about my marriage.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
πάντʼ οἶσθʼ ἄρʼ, ὡς ἔοικας, ἀμφʼ ἐμῶν γάμων.

[¶91] Menelaos:
I do. But if you have escaped his bed—that I do not know.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
οἶδʼ· εἰ δὲ λέκτρα διέφυγες τάδʼ οὐκ ἔχω.

[¶92] Helen:
Know that I have saved myself untouched for you.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἄθικτον εὐνὴν ἴσθι σοι σεσῳσμένην.

[¶93] Menelaos:
What could persuade me of this? If true, your words are sweet.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
τίς τοῦδε πειθώ; φίλα γάρ, εἰ σαφῆ λέγεις.

[¶94] Helen:
Do you see my wretched sanctuary at this tomb?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ὁρᾷς τάφου τοῦδʼ ἀθλίους ἕδρας ἐμάς;

[¶95] Menelaos:
I see a miserable bed of straw, but what do you have to do with it?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ὁρῶ ταλαίνας στιβάδας, ὧν τί σοὶ μέτα;

[¶96] Helen:
Here, as a suppliant, I am asking for an escape from his bed.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἐνταῦθα λέκτρων ἱκετεύομεν φυγάς.

[¶97] Menelaos:
For want of an altar, or because it is the barbarians’ way?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
βωμοῦ σπανίζουσʼ ἢ νόμοισι βαρβάροις;

[¶98] Helen:
This was as good a protection to me as the temples of the gods.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἐρρύεθʼ ἡμᾶς τοῦτʼ ἴσον ναοῖς θεῶν.

[¶99] Menelaos:
Then it’s not possible for me to take you home by ship?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
οὐδʼ ἄρα πρὸς οἴκους ναυστολεῖν ⟨σʼ⟩ ἔξεστί μοι;

[¶100] Helen:
A sword is waiting for you, rather than my bed.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ξίφος μένει σε μᾶλλον ἢ τοὐμὸν λέχος.

[¶101] Menelaos:
So I would be the most wretched of mortals.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
οὕτως ἂν εἴην ἀθλιώτατος βροτῶν.

[¶102] Helen:
Do not feel shame now, but escape from this land.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
μή νυν καταιδοῦ, φεῦγε δʼ ἐκ τῆσδε χθονός.

[¶103] Menelaos:
Leaving you behind? I ravaged Troy for your sake.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
λιπών σε; Τροίαν ἐξέπερσα σὴν χάριν.

[¶104] Helen:
Yes, for that is better than that our union should cause your death.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
κρεῖσσον γὰρ ἤ σε τἄμʼ ἀποκτεῖναι λέχη.

[¶105] Menelaos:
Oh! these are coward’s words, unworthy of those days at Troy.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ἄνανδρά γʼ εἶπας Ἰλίου τʼ οὐκ ἄξια.

[¶106] Helen:
You could not kill the tyrant, your possible intention.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
οὐκ ἂν κτάνοις τύραννον, ὃ σπεύδεις ἴσως.

[¶107] Menelaos:
Does he then have a body that cannot be wounded by a sword?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
οὕτω σιδήρῳ τρωτὸν οὐκ ἔχει δέμας;

[¶108] Helen:
You will hear. But to undertake impossibilities is no mark of wisdom.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
εἴσῃ. τὸ τολμᾶν δʼ ἀδύνατʼ ἀνδρὸς οὐ σοφοῦ.

[¶109] Menelaos:
And so I am to offer my hands to be bound, in silence?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
σιγῇ παράσχω δῆτʼ ἐμὰς δῆσαι χέρας;

[¶110] Helen:
You are in a dilemma; we need some contrivance.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἐς ἄπορον ἥκεις· δεῖ δὲ μηχανῆς τινος.

[¶111] Menelaos:
Yes, for it is sweeter to die in action than by not acting.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
δρῶντας γὰρ ἢ μὴ δρῶντας ἥδιον θανεῖν.

[¶112] Helen:
There is one hope, and only one, for our safety.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
μίʼ ἔστιν ἐλπίς, ᾗ μόνῃ σωθεῖμεν ἄν.

[¶113] Menelaos:
Are we to buy it, or dare it, or win it with words?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ὠνητὸς ἢ τολμητὸς ἢ λόγων ὕπο;

[¶114] Helen:
If the tyrant were not to learn of your arrival.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
εἰ μὴ τύραννός ⟨σʼ⟩ ἐκπύθοιτʼ ἀφιγμένον.

[¶115] Menelaos:
Will any one tell him about me? He will certainly not know who I am.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ἐρεῖ δὲ τίς μʼ; οὐ γνώσεταί γʼ ὅς εἰμʼ ἐγώ.

[¶116] Helen:
He has within an ally equal to the gods.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἔστʼ ἔνδον αὐτῷ ξύμμαχος θεοῖς ἴση.

[¶117] Menelaos:
A voice that has settled in the inmost parts of his house?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
φήμη τις οἴκων ἐν μυχοῖς ἱδρυμένη;

[¶118] Helen:
No, but his sister; she is called Theonoe.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
οὔκ, ἀλλʼ ἀδελφή· Θεονόην καλοῦσί νιν.

[¶119] Menelaos:
The name is prophetic; tell me what she does.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
χρηστήριον μὲν τοὔνομʼ· ὅ τι δὲ δρᾷ φράσον.

[¶120] Helen:
She knows everything, and she will tell her brother that you are here.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
πάντʼ οἶδʼ, ἐρεῖ τε συγγόνῳ παρόντα σε.

[¶121] Menelaos:
We must die; for I cannot escape her notice.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
θνῄσκοιμεν ἄν· λαθεῖν γὰρ οὐχ οἷόν τέ μοι.

[¶122] Helen:
Perhaps we might persuade her by supplication—

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἴσως ἂν ἀναπείσαιμεν ἱκετεύοντέ νιν —

[¶123] Menelaos:
To do what? What hope are you leading me to?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
τί χρῆμα δρᾶσαι; τίνʼ ὑπάγεις μʼ ἐς ἐλπίδα;

[¶124] Helen:
Not to tell her brother that you are here in this land.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
παρόντα γαίᾳ μὴ φράσαι σε συγγόνῳ.

[¶125] Menelaos:
If we persuade her, could we get away from this country?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
πείσαντε δʼ ἐκ γῆς διορίσαιμεν ἂν πόδα;

[¶126] Helen:
Easily, in common with her; but secretly we could not.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
κοινῇ γʼ ἐκείνῃ ῥᾳδίως, λάθρᾳ δʼ ἂν οὔ.

[¶127] Menelaos:
The task is yours; it is suitable for women to deal with women.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
σὸν ἔργον, ὡς γυναικὶ πρόσφορον γυνή.

[¶128] Helen:
Be sure that I will clasp her knees.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ὡς οὐκ ἄχρωστα γόνατʼ ἐμῶν ἕξει χερῶν.

[¶129] Menelaos:
Well, then, what if she rejects our proposals?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
φέρʼ, ἢν δὲ δὴ νῷν μὴ ἀποδέξηται λόγους;

[¶130] Helen:
You will die. And I, the unhappy one, will be married by force.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
θανῇ· γαμοῦμαι δʼ ἡ τάλαινʼ ἐγὼ βίᾳ.

[¶131] Menelaos:
You would be a traitor; that force of yours is all an excuse.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
προδότις ἂν εἴης· τὴν βίαν σκήψασʼ ἔχεις.

[¶132] Helen:
But I have sworn a sacred oath by your life—

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἀλλʼ ἁγνὸν ὅρκον σὸν κάρα κατώμοσα …

[¶133] Menelaos:
What do you mean? To die? And never to take his bed in exchange for mine?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
τί φῄς; θανεῖσθαι; κοὔποτʼ ἀλλάξεις λέχη;

[¶134] Helen:
Yes, by the same sword; I will lie at your side.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ταὐτῷ ξίφει γε· κείσομαι δὲ σοῦ πέλας.

[¶135] Menelaos:
Then on these conditions touch my right hand.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ἐπὶ τοῖσδε τοίνυν δεξιᾶς ἐμῆς θίγε.

[¶136] Helen:
I touch it, swearing that I will leave the light of day if you die.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ψαύω, θανόντος σοῦ τόδʼ ἐκλείψειν φάος.

[¶137] Menelaos:
And I will end my life if I lose you.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
κἀγὼ στερηθεὶς σοῦ τελευτήσειν βίον.

[¶138] Helen:
How then shall we die so as to insure our reputation for this?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
πῶς οὖν θανούμεθʼ ὥστε καὶ δόξαν λαβεῖν;

[¶139] Menelaos:
I will kill you on the tomb’s surface, and then kill myself. But first I will fight a great contest for your bed. Let anyone who wishes come near!
For I will not disgrace my Trojan fame, nor, on my return to Hellas, will I receive great blame—I who robbed Thetis of Achilleus, and saw the slaughter of Aias, son of Telamon, and the son of Neleus made childless;
shall I not resolve to die for my wife? Most certainly; for if the gods are wise, they lightly bury in the earth a brave man who has been killed by his enemies, while cowards they cast up out of the earth onto a harsh rock.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
τύμβου ʼπὶ νώτῳ σὲ κτανὼν ἐμὲ κτενῶ.
πρῶτον δʼ ἀγῶνα μέγαν ἀγωνιούμεθα
λέκτρων ὑπὲρ σῶν. ὁ δὲ θέλων ἴτω πέλας·
τὸ Τρωικὸν γὰρ οὐ καταισχυνῶ κλέος
οὐδʼ Ἑλλάδʼ ἐλθὼν λήψομαι πολὺν ψόγον,
ὅστις Θέτιν μὲν ἐστέρησʼ Ἀχιλλέως,
Τελαμωνίου δʼ Αἴαντος εἰσεῖδον σφαγάς,
τὸν Νηλέως τʼ ἄπαιδα· διὰ δὲ τὴν ἐμὴν
οὐκ ἀξιώσω κατθανεῖν δάμαρτʼ ἐγώ;
μάλιστά γε· εἰ γάρ εἰσιν οἱ θεοὶ σοφοί,
εὔψυχον ἄνδρα πολεμίων θανόνθʼ ὕπο
κούφῃ καταμπίσχουσιν ἐν τύμβῳ χθονί,
κακοὺς δʼ ἐφʼ ἕρμα στερεὸν ἐκβάλλουσι γῆς.

[¶140] Chorus Leader:
O gods, may the race of Tantalos be fortunate at last, and may it be set free from evils!

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ θεοί, γενέσθω δή ποτʼ εὐτυχὲς γένος
τὸ Ταντάλειον καὶ μεταστήτω κακῶν.

[¶141] Helen:
Ah, I am unhappy, for so is my fate! Menelaos, we are destroyed. The prophetess Theonoe is coming out of the house; it resounds as the
bolts are unfastened. Try to escape! But what is the use of trying? For whether she is absent or present she knows of your arrival here. Oh, I am lost, unfortunate! Saved from Troy and from a barbarian land, you have come only to fall upon barbarian swords.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
οἲ ἐγὼ τάλαινα· τῆς τύχης γὰρ ὧδʼ ἔχω.
Μενέλαε, διαπεπράγμεθʼ· ἐκβαίνει δόμων
ἡ θεσπιῳδὸς Θεονόη· κτυπεῖ δόμος
κλῄθρων λυθέντων. φεῦγʼ· ἀτὰρ τί φευκτέον;
ἀποῦσα γάρ σε καὶ παροῦσʼ ἀφιγμένον
δεῦρʼ οἶδεν· ὦ δύστηνος, ὡς ἀπωλόμην.
Τροίας δὲ σωθεὶς κἀπὸ βαρβάρου χθονὸς
ἐς βάρβαρʼ ἐλθὼν φάσγανʼ αὖθις ἐμπεσῇ.

[¶142] Theonoe:
Please lead the way with blazing torches, and purify, according to the sacred law, the inmost corners of the air, so I may receive the pure breath of heaven; and you in turn, if someone has harmed the path by treading with unholy foot, submit it to the cleansing fire,
and strike the torch in front of me, so that I may pass through. And when you have paid back to the gods my customary observance, take the household flame within.
Helen, what about my prophecy—how is it? This man, your husband Menelaos, has openly arrived,
robbed of his ships and of your counterfeit. O unhappy man! What troubles you have escaped to come here; nor do you know whether you are to return home or to stay here. For there will be strife among the gods, and a solemn assembly held by Zeus on your account this very day.
Hera, who was hostile to you before, is now friendly and wants to bring you safely home, with this woman, so that Hellas may learn that the marriage of Paris, Kypris’ gift, was false; but Kypris wishes to ruin your journey home,
so that she may not be convicted, or seem to have bought the prize of beauty by a marriage that was profitless as regards Helen. Now the decision rests with me, whether to ruin you, as Kypris wishes, by telling my brother of your presence here, or to save your life by taking Hera’s side,
keeping my brother in the dark, for his orders are for me to tell him, whenever you happen to come to this land.
One of you, go show my brother this man is here, so that I may secure my position.

> Greek: Θεονόη:
ἡγοῦ σύ μοι φέρουσα λαμπτήρων σέλας
θείου δε σεμνὸν θεσμὸν αἰθέρος μυχούς,
ὡς πνεῦμα καθαρὸν οὐρανοῦ δεξώμεθα·
σὺ δʼ αὖ κέλευθον εἴ τις ἔβλαψεν ποδὶ
στείβων ἀνοσίῳ, δὸς καθαρσίῳ φλογί,
κροῦσον δὲ πεύκην, ἵνα διεξέλθω, πυρός.
νόμον δὲ τὸν ἐμὸν θεοῖσιν ἀποδοῦσαι πάρος
ἐφέστιον φλόγʼ ἐς δόμους κομίζετε.
Ἑλένη, τί τἀμὰ — πῶς ἔχει — θεσπίσματα;
ἥκει πόσις σοι Μενέλεως ὅδʼ ἐμφανής,
νεῶν στερηθεὶς τοῦ τε σοῦ μιμήματος.
ὦ τλῆμον, οἵους διαφυγὼν ἦλθες πόνους,
οὐδʼ οἶσθα νόστον οἴκαδʼ εἴτʼ αὐτοῦ μενεῖς·
ἔρις γὰρ ἐν θεοῖς σύλλογός τε σοῦ πέρι
ἔσται πάρεδρος Ζηνὶ τῷδʼ ἐν ἤματι.
Ἥρα μέν, ἥ σοι δυσμενὴς πάροιθεν ἦν,
νῦν ἐστιν εὔνους κἀς πάτραν σῷσαι θέλει
ξὺν τῇδʼ, ἵνʼ Ἑλλὰς τοὺς Ἀλεξάνδρου γάμους,
δώρημα Κύπριδος, ψευδονυμφεύτους μάθῃ·
Κύπρις δὲ νόστον σὸν διαφθεῖραι θέλει,
ὡς μὴ ʼξελεγχθῇ μηδὲ πριαμένη φανῇ
τὸ κάλλος, Ἑλένης οὕνεκʼ, ἀνονήτοις γάμοις.
τέλος δʼ ἐφʼ ἡμῖν, εἴθʼ, ἃ βούλεται Κύπρις,
λέξασʼ ἀδελφῷ σʼ ἐνθάδʼ ὄντα διολέσω,
εἴτʼ αὖ μεθʼ Ἥρας στᾶσα σὸν σώσω βίον,
κρύψασʼ ὁμαίμονʼ, ὅς με προστάσσει τάδε
εἰπεῖν, ὅταν γῆν τήνδε νοστήσας τύχῃς …
τίς εἶσʼ ἀδελφῷ τόνδε σημανῶν ἐμῷ
παρόνθʼ, ὅπως ἂν τοὐμὸν ἀσφαλῶς ἔχῃ;

[¶143] Helen:
Maiden, I fall at your knees as a suppliant,
and seat myself in this sad posture on behalf of myself and of this man; I am on the point of seeing him slain, after I have found him with such difficulty. Please do not tell your brother that my husband has returned to my loving arms,
but save us, I beseech you; do not forsake the piety that was once yours for your brother’s sake, buying favors that are wicked and unjust. For the god hates violence, and commands everyone to have their possessions without robbery.
[Wealth that is unjust, though it may bring some power, ought to be avoided.] Heaven is common to all mortals, and so is the earth, where people ought to fill up their homes without having another’s property, or taking it away by force.
At a critical time, but unhappily for me, Hermes gave me to your father to keep safe for my husband, this man who is here and wishes to have me back. But how could he recover me if he is dead? How could your father ever restore the living to the dead? Now examine the will of the god and of your father;
would the deity and your dead father be willing to give back again their neighbor’s goods, or would they not? I think they would. It is not, therefore, right that you should attach more importance to a thoughtless brother more than a good father. If you, who are a prophet and believe in divine affairs,
ruin the lawful intention of your father and gratify your lawless brother, it is disgraceful that you should have full knowledge of divine matters, both what is and what will be, and yet not know what is right. Save me, the unhappy one, enveloped in these troubles,
and give me this addition to my fate; for there is no mortal who does not hate Helen; I am famous throughout Hellas as the one who betrayed my husband and lived in Phrygia’s golden halls. If I come to Hellas and set foot once more in Sparta,
they will hear and see how they were ruined by the wiles of gods, while I was no traitor to my friends after all; and so they will lead me back to virtue again, and I shall betroth my daughter, whom no man now will marry; and, leaving this bitter beggar’s life here, shall enjoy the goods that are in my home.
And if this man were dead and slaughtered on a funeral pyre, I would be cherishing his memory with tears far away; but shall I be robbed of him when he is now alive and safe?
Ah! not that, maiden, I beseech you:
grant me this favor, and imitate the character of a just father; for this is the fairest glory for children, when the child of a good father resembles its parents in character.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ὦ παρθένʼ, ἱκέτις ἀμφὶ σὸν πίτνω γόνυ
καὶ προσκαθίζω θᾶκον οὐκ εὐδαίμονα
ὑπέρ τʼ ἐμαυτῆς τοῦδέ θʼ, ὃν μόλις ποτὲ
λαβοῦσʼ ἐπʼ ἀκμῆς εἰμι κατθανόντʼ ἰδεῖν·
μή μοι κατείπῃς σῷ κασιγνήτῳ πόσιν
τόνδʼ εἰς ἐμὰς ἥκοντα φιλτάτας χέρας,
σῷσον δέ, λίσσομαί σε· συγγόνῳ δὲ σῷ
τὴν εὐσέβειαν μὴ προδῷς τὴν σήν ποτε,
χάριτας πονηρὰς κἀδίκους ὠνουμένη.
μισεῖ γὰρ ὁ θεὸς τὴν βίαν, τὰ κτητὰ δὲ
κτᾶσθαι κελεύει πάντας οὐκ ἐς ἁρπαγάς.
[ἐατέος δʼ ὁ πλοῦτος ἄδικός τις ὤν.]
κοινὸς γάρ ἐστιν οὐρανὸς πᾶσιν βροτοῖς
καὶ γαῖʼ, ἐν ᾗ χρὴ δώματʼ ἀναπληρουμένους
τἀλλότρια μὴ σχεῖν μηδʼ ἀφαιρεῖσθαι βίᾳ.
ἡμᾶς δὲ καιρίως μέν, ἀθλίως δʼ ἐμοί,
Ἑρμῆς ἔδωκε πατρὶ σῷ σῴζειν πόσει
τῷδʼ ὃς πάρεστι κἀπολάζυσθαι θέλει.
πῶς οὖν θανὼν ἂν ἀπολάβοι; κεῖνος δὲ πῶς
τὰ ζῶντα τοῖς θανοῦσιν ἀποδοίη ποτʼ ἄν;
ἤδη τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τὰ τοῦ πατρὸς σκόπει·
πότερον ὁ δαίμων χὡ θανὼν τὰ τῶν πέλας
βούλοιντʼ ἂν ἢ οὐ βούλοιντʼ ἂν ἀποδοῦναι πάλιν;
δοκῶ μέν. οὔκουν χρή σε συγγόνῳ πλέον
νέμειν ματαίῳ μᾶλλον ἢ χρηστῷ πατρί.
εἰ δʼ οὖσα μάντις καὶ τὰ θεῖʼ ἡγουμένη
τὸ μὲν δίκαιον τοῦ πατρὸς διαφθερεῖς,
τῷ δʼ οὐ δικαίῳ συγγόνῳ σώσεις χάριν,
αἰσχρὸν τὰ μέν σε θεῖα πάντʼ ἐξειδέναι,
τά τʼ ὄντα καὶ μέλλοντα, τὰ δὲ δίκαια μή.
τήν τʼ ἀθλίαν ἔμʼ, οἷσιν ἔγκειμαι κακοῖς,
ῥῦσαι, πάρεργον δοῦσα τοῦτο τῆς τύχης·
Ἑλένην γὰρ οὐδεὶς ὅστις οὐ στυγεῖ βροτῶν·
ἣ κλῄζομαι καθʼ Ἑλλάδʼ ὡς προδοῦσʼ ἐμὸν
πόσιν Φρυγῶν ᾤκησα πολυχρύσους δόμους.
ἢν δʼ Ἑλλάδʼ ἔλθω κἀπιβῶ Σπάρτης ⟨πάλιν⟩,
κλύοντες εἰσιδόντες ὡς τέχναις θεῶν
ὤλοντʼ, ἐγὼ δὲ προδότις οὐκ ἄρʼ ἦ φίλων,
πάλιν μʼ ἀνάξουσʼ ἐς τὸ σῶφρον αὖθις αὖ,
ἑδνώσομαί τε θυγατέρʼ, ἣν οὐδεὶς γαμεῖ,
τὴν δʼ ἐνθάδʼ ἐκλιποῦσʼ ἀλητείαν πικρὰν
ὄντων ἐν οἴκοις χρημάτων ὀνήσομαι.
κεἰ μὲν θανὼν ὅδʼ ἐν πυρᾷ κατεσφάγη,
πρόσω σφʼ ἀπόντα δακρύοις ἂν ἠγάπων·
νῦν δʼ ὄντα καὶ σωθέντʼ ἀφαιρεθήσομαι;
μὴ δῆτα, παρθένʼ, ἀλλά σʼ ἱκετεύω τόδε·
δὸς τὴν χάριν μοι τήνδε καὶ μιμοῦ τρόπους
πατρὸς δικαίου· παισὶ γὰρ κλέος τόδε
κάλλιστον, ὅστις ἐκ πατρὸς χρηστοῦ γεγὼς
ἐς ταὐτὸν ἦλθε τοῖς τεκοῦσι τοὺς τρόπους.

[¶144] Chorus Leader:
The arguments here proposed are worthy of pity,
and so are you. But I am anxious to hear what Menelaos will say to save his life.

> Greek: Χορός:
οἰκτρὸν μὲν οἱ παρόντες ἐν μέσῳ λόγοι,
οἰκτρὰ δὲ καὶ σύ. τοὺς δὲ Μενέλεω ποθῶ
λόγους ἀκοῦσαι τίνας ἐρεῖ ψυχῆς πέρι.

[¶145] Menelaos:
I could not endure to fall at your knees, or wet my eyes with tears; for if I were cowardly, I would greatly dishonor Troy.
And yet they say that it is fitting for a noble man to let tears fall from his eyes in misfortune. But I will not choose this honorable course, if it is honorable, in preference to bravery. But, if you think it right to save a stranger
seeking justly to recover his wife, then restore her and save us in addition; if not, I would be wretched, not now for the first time but as often before, and you will seem to be an evil woman. What I consider honest and worthy of me,
and what will touch your heart most closely, these things I will say at the tomb of your father, with regret for his loss.
Old man, dwelling in this tomb of stone, give her back, I demand of you my wife, whom Zeus sent here for you to keep for me.
I know you will never restore her to me yourself, for you are dead; but this woman here will not think it right that her father, invoked from below, once so glorious, should bear a tarnished name; for she is the one in authority now.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ἐγὼ σὸν οὔτʼ ἂν προσπεσεῖν τλαίην γόνυ
οὔτʼ ἂν δακρῦσαι βλέφαρα· τὴν Τροίαν γὰρ ἂν
δειλοὶ γενόμενοι πλεῖστον αἰσχύνοιμεν ἄν.
καίτοι λέγουσιν ὡς πρὸς ἀνδρὸς εὐγενοῦς
ἐν ξυμφοραῖσι δάκρυʼ ἀπʼ ὀφθαλμῶν βαλεῖν.
ἀλλʼ οὐχὶ τοῦτο τὸ καλόν, εἰ καλὸν τόδε,
αἱρήσομαι ʼγὼ πρόσθε τῆς εὐψυχίας.
ἀλλʼ, εἰ μὲν ἄνδρα σοι δοκεῖ σῷσαι ξένον
ζητοῦντά γʼ ὀρθῶς ἀπολαβεῖν δάμαρτʼ ἐμήν,
ἀπόδος τε καὶ πρὸς σῷσον· εἰ δὲ μὴ δοκεῖ,
ἐγὼ μὲν οὐ νῦν πρῶτον ἀλλὰ πολλάκις
ἄθλιος ἂν εἴην, σὺ δὲ γυνὴ κακὴ φανῇ.
ἃ δʼ ἄξιʼ ἡμῶν καὶ δίκαιʼ ἡγούμεθα
καὶ σῆς μάλιστα καρδίας ἀνθάψεται,
λέξω τάδʼ ἀμφὶ μνῆμα σοῦ πατρὸς πόθῳ·
ὦ γέρον, ὃς οἰκεῖς τόνδε λάινον τάφον,
ἀπόδος, ἀπαιτῶ τὴν ἐμὴν δάμαρτά σε,
ἣν Ζεὺς ἔπεμψε δεῦρό σοι σῴζειν ἐμοί.
οἶδʼ οὕνεκʼ ἡμῖν οὔποτʼ ἀποδώσεις θανών·
ἀλλʼ ἥδε πατέρα νέρθεν ἀνακαλούμενον
οὐκ ἀξιώσει τὸν πρὶν εὐκλεέστατον
κακῶς ἀκοῦσαι· κυρία γάρ ἐστι νῦν.

[¶146] You, too, Hades of the world below, I call as an ally;
you who have received so many bodies slain by my sword for Helen’s sake, you have your payment; either restore them to life again now, or compel this woman to show herself better than her pious father, and give me back my wife.
But if you will rob me of her, I will tell you what she omitted in her speech. So that you may know, maiden, I am bound by an oath, first to go into battle with your brother; he or I must die; the matter is simple.
If he refuses to meet me face to face, but hunts us down, two suppliants at the tomb, by starvation, I am resolved to kill this woman, and then to plunge this two-edged sword through my heart, on the surface of the tomb, so that streams of blood may
run down the grave; we will lie, two corpses side by side upon this polished slab, a deathless grief to you, and a reproach to your father. Your brother will never marry this woman, nor will any other; but I will carry her off,
if not to my house, at any rate to death.
Why do I say this? If I turned to women’s ways with tears, rather than being active, I would be pitied more. Kill me, if it seems good to you; you will not kill those who are without fame; but it is better to yield to what I say,
so that you may act with justice, and I recover my wife.
Chorus Leader:
You must judge these arguments, maiden. Decide in such a way as to please all.

> Greek: ὦ νέρτερʼ Ἅιδη, καὶ σὲ σύμμαχον καλῶ,
ὃς πόλλʼ ἐδέξω τῆσδʼ ἕκατι σώματα
πεσόντα τὠμῷ φασγάνῳ, μισθὸν δʼ ἔχεις·
ἢ νῦν ἐκείνους ἀπόδος ἐμψύχους πάλιν,
ἢ τήνδε πατρὸς εὐσεβοῦς ἀνάγκασον
κρείσσω φανεῖσαν τἀμά γʼ ἀποδοῦναι λέχη.
εἰ δʼ ἐμὲ γυναῖκα τὴν ἐμὴν συλήσετε,
ἅ σοι παρέλιπεν ἥδε τῶν λόγων, φράσω.
ὅρκοις κεκλῄμεθʼ, ὡς μάθῃς, ὦ παρθένε,
πρῶτον μὲν ἐλθεῖν διὰ μάχης σῷ συγγόνῳ
κἀκεῖνον ἢ ʼμὲ δεῖ θανεῖν· ἁπλοῦς λόγος.
ἢν δʼ ἐς μὲν ἀλκὴν μὴ πόδʼ ἀντιθῇ ποδί,
λιμῷ δὲ θηρᾷ τύμβον ἱκετεύοντε νώ,
κτανεῖν δέδοκται τήνδε μοι κἄπειτʼ ἐμὸν
πρὸς ἧπαρ ὦσαι δίστομον ξίφος τόδε
τύμβου ʼπὶ νώτοις τοῦδʼ, ἵνʼ αἵματος ῥοαὶ
τάφου καταστάζωσι· κεισόμεσθα δὲ
νεκρὼ δύʼ ἑξῆς τῷδʼ ἐπὶ ξεστῷ τάφῳ,
ἀθάνατον ἄλγος σοί, ψόγος δὲ σῷ πατρί.
οὐ γὰρ γαμεῖ τήνδʼ οὔτε σύγγονος σέθεν
οὔτʼ ἄλλος οὐδείς· ἀλλʼ ἐγώ σφʼ ἀπάξομαι,
εἰ μὴ πρὸς οἴκους δυνάμεθʼ, ἀλλὰ πρὸς νεκρούς.
τί ταῦτα; δακρύοις ἐς τὸ θῆλυ τρεπόμενος
ἐλεινὸς ἦν ἂν μᾶλλον ἢ δραστήριος.
κτεῖνʼ, εἰ δοκεῖ σοι· δυσκλεᾶς γὰρ οὐ κτενεῖς·
μᾶλλόν γε μέντοι τοῖς ἐμοῖς πείθου λόγοις,
ἵνʼ ᾖς δικαία καὶ δάμαρτʼ ἐγὼ λάβω.
Χορός:
ἐν σοὶ βραβεύειν, ὦ νεᾶνι, τοὺς λόγους·
οὕτω δὲ κρῖνον, ὡς ἅπασιν ἁνδάνῃς.

[¶147] Theonoe:
My nature and my inclination lean towards piety; and I respect myself, and I would not defile
my father’s fame, or gratify my brother at the cost of seeming infamous. There is a great temple of justice in my nature; and having this heritage from Nereus, I will try to keep it, Menelaos.
Since Hera wishes to serve you, I will cast my vote on her side. May Kypris be gracious to me; but she has had nothing to do with me, and I will try to remain a virgin always. As for your reproaches against my father at this tomb,
I have the same words to say. I would be doing wrong if I do not give her back; for that man, if he were alive, would have given her back for you to have, and you to her.
For truly there is retribution for these things, both among the dead and among all men living. The mind
of the dead does not live, yet it has eternal thought as it falls into eternal ether. So as not to give advice at length, I will be silent as to what you have entreated, and I will never aid my brother’s folly with my counsel.
For I am doing him a service, though he does not think it, if I turn him from his godless life to holiness. You yourselves devise some course of action; I will stand out of your way by my silence. Begin with the gods, and beg
Kypris to allow you to return to your country, and Hera that her intention to save you and your husband may remain the same. And you, my own dead father, never, as far as I have strength, shall you be called impious instead of pious. Exit Theonoe.

> Greek: Θεονόη:
ἐγὼ πέφυκά τʼ εὐσεβεῖν καὶ βούλομαι,
φιλῶ τʼ ἐμαυτήν, καὶ κλέος τοὐμοῦ πατρὸς
οὐκ ἂν μιάναιμʼ, οὐδὲ συγγόνῳ χάριν
δοίην ἂν ἐξ ἧς δυσκλεὴς φανήσομαι.
ἔνεστι δʼ ἱερὸν τῆς δίκης ἐμοὶ μέγα
ἐν τῇ φύσει· καὶ τοῦτο Νηρέως πάρα
ἔχουσα σῴζειν, Μενέλεως, πειράσομαι.
Ἥρᾳ δʼ, ἐπείπερ βούλεταί σʼ εὐεργετεῖν,
ἐς ταὐτὸν οἴσω ψῆφον· ἡ Κύπρις δʼ ἐμοὶ
ἵλεως μὲν εἴη, ξυμβέβηκε δʼ οὐδαμοῦ·
πειράσομαι δὲ παρθένος μένειν ἀεί.
ἃ δʼ ἀμφὶ τύμβῳ τῷδʼ ὀνειδίζεις πατρί,
ἡμῖν ὅδʼ αὑτὸς μῦθος. ἀδικοίημεν ἄν,
εἰ μὴ ἀποδώσω· καὶ γὰρ ἂν κεῖνος βλέπων
ἀπέδωκεν ἂν σοὶ τήνδʼ ἔχειν, ταύτῃ δὲ σέ.
καὶ γὰρ τίσις τῶνδʼ ἐστὶ τοῖς τε νερτέροις
καὶ τοῖς ἄνωθεν πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις· ὁ νοῦς
τῶν κατθανόντων ζῇ μὲν οὔ, γνώμην δʼ ἔχει
ἀθάνατον εἰς ἀθάνατον αἰθέρʼ ἐμπεσών.
ὡς οὖν παραινῶ μὴ μακράν, σιγήσομαι
ἅ μου καθικετεύσατʼ, οὐδὲ μωρίᾳ
ξύμβουλος ἔσομαι τῇ κασιγνήτου ποτέ.
εὐεργετῶ γὰρ κεῖνον οὐ δοκοῦσʼ ὅμως,
ἐκ δυσσεβείας ὅσιον εἰ τίθημί νιν.
αὐτοὶ μὲν οὖν ὁδόν τινʼ ἐξευρίσκετε,
ἐγὼ δʼ ἀποστᾶσʼ ἐκποδὼν σιγήσομαι.
ἐκ τῶν θεῶν δʼ ἄρχεσθε χἱκετεύετε
τὴν μέν σʼ ἐᾶσαι πατρίδα νοστῆσαι Κύπριν,
Ἥρας δὲ τὴν ἔννοιαν ἐν ταὐτῷ μένειν
ἣν ἐς σὲ καὶ σὸν πόσιν ἔχει σωτηρίας.
σὺ δʼ, ὦ θανών μοι πάτερ, ὅσον γʼ ἐγὼ σθένω,
οὔποτε κεκλήσῃ δυσσεβὴς ἀντʼ εὐσεβοῦς.

[¶148] Chorus Leader:
No one born lawless ever prospered, but in a lawful cause there is hope of safety.

> Greek: Χορός:
οὐδείς ποτʼ εὐτύχησεν ἔκδικος γεγώς,
ἐν τῷ δικαίῳ δʼ ἐλπίδες σωτηρίας.

[¶149] Helen:
Menelaos, as far as the maiden is concerned, we are safe. For the rest, you must contribute your advice and frame a device to save ourselves.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
Μενέλαε, πρὸς μὲν παρθένου σεσῴσμεθα·
τοὐνθένδε δὴ σὲ τοὺς λόγους φέροντα χρὴ
κοινὴν ξυνάπτειν μηχανὴν σωτηρίας.

[¶150] Menelaos:
Then listen; you have been in the house for a long time and are intimate with the king’s servants.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ἄκουε δή νυν· χρόνιος εἶ κατὰ στέγας
καὶ συντέθραψαι προσπόλοισι βασιλέως.

[¶151] Helen:
What do you mean by that? You are offering hope, as if you were really about to do something useful for both of us.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
τί τοῦτʼ ἔλεξας; ἐσφέρεις γὰρ ἐλπίδας
ὡς δή τι δράσων χρηστὸν ἐς κοινόν γε νῷν.

[¶152] Menelaos:
Could you persuade someone in charge of the wagons
and horses to give us a chariot?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
πείσειας ἄν τινʼ οἵτινες τετραζύγων
ὄχων ἀνάσσουσʼ, ὥστε νῷν δοῦναι δίφρους;

[¶153] Helen:
I might; but how will we escape, in our ignorance of the country and the barbarian land?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
πείσαιμʼ ⟨ἄν⟩· ἀλλὰ τίνα φυγὴν φευξούμεθα
πεδίων ἄπειροι βαρβάρου τʼ ὄντες χθονός;

[¶154] Menelaos:
You are right; a dilemma. Well, what if I were to hide in the house and kill the king with this two-edged sword?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ἀδύνατον εἶπας. φέρε, τί δʼ, εἰ κρυφθεὶς δόμοις
κτάνοιμʼ ἄνακτα τῷδε διστόμῳ ξίφει;

[¶155] Helen:
His sister would never be silent or allow you to intend her own brother’s death.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
οὐκ ἄν σʼ ἀνάσχοιτʼ οὐδὲ σιγήσειεν ἂν
μέλλοντʼ ἀδελφὴ σύγγονον κατακτενεῖν.

[¶156] Menelaos:
Nor indeed is there a ship in which we might safely escape; for the sea holds the one we had.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ μὴν ναῦς ἔστιν ᾗ σωθεῖμεν ἂν
φεύγοντες· ἣν γὰρ εἴχομεν θάλασσʼ ἔχει.

[¶157] Helen:
Listen to me, if even a woman can say something wise.
Are you willing to be called dead in word, though you are not dead?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἄκουσον, ἤν τι καὶ γυνὴ λέξῃ σοφόν.
βούλῃ λέγεσθαι, μὴ θανών, λόγῳ θανεῖν;

[¶158] Menelaos:
It is a bad omen; but if I profit by it, I am ready to be called dead in word, though I am not dead.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
κακὸς μὲν ὄρνις· εἰ δὲ κερδανῶ, λέγειν
ἕτοιμός εἰμι μὴ θανὼν λόγῳ θανεῖν.

[¶159] Helen:
And truly I would mourn you, as women do, with hair cut short and laments before this impious man.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
καὶ μὴν γυναικείοις σʼ ἂν οἰκτισαίμεθα
κουραῖσι καὶ θρήνοισι πρὸς τὸν ἀνόσιον.

[¶160] Menelaos:
What saving remedy does this have for us two? There is a flavor of deception in your scheme.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
σωτηρίας δὲ τοῦτʼ ἔχει τί νῷν ἄκος;
παλαιότης γὰρ τῷ λόγῳ γʼ ἔνεστί τις.

[¶161] Helen:
I will beg the tyrant of this country for permission to bury you in an empty tomb, as if you had really died at sea.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ὡς δὴ θανόντα σʼ ἐνάλιον κενῷ τάφῳ
θάψαι τύραννον τῆσδε γῆς αἰτήσομαι.

[¶162] Menelaos:
Soppose he allows it; then how shall we escape with no ship,
when we have buried my body in the empty tomb?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
καὶ δὴ παρεῖκεν· εἶτα πῶς ἄνευ νεὼς
σωθησόμεσθα κενοταφοῦντʼ ἐμὸν δέμας;

[¶163] Helen:
I will urge him to give me a vessel, from which I shall have the offerings from your tomb let down into the sea’s embrace.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
δοῦναι κελεύσω πορθμίδʼ, ᾗ καθήσομαι
κόσμον τάφῳ σῷ πελαγίους ἐς ἀγκάλας.

[¶164] Menelaos:
You have spoken well, except for one thing: if he commands you to set up a tomb on the dry land, your pretext comes to nothing.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ὡς εὖ τόδʼ εἶπας πλὴν ἕν· εἰ χέρσῳ ταφὰς
θεῖναι κελεύσει σʼ, οὐδὲν ἡ σκῆψις φέρει.

[¶165] Helen:
But I will say it is not the custom in Hellas to bury those who have died at sea on the dry land.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἀλλʼ οὐ νομίζειν φήσομεν καθʼ Ἑλλάδα
χέρσῳ καλύπτειν τοὺς θανόντας ἐναλίους.

[¶166] Menelaos:
You are setting this right, too; then I will sail with you, and help let down the funeral offerings, in the same ship.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
τοῦτʼ αὖ κατορθοῖς· εἶτʼ ἐγὼ συμπλεύσομαι
καὶ συγκαθήσω κόσμον ἐν ταὐτῷ σκάφει.

[¶167] Helen:
You must above all be at hand,
with your sailors who escaped from the wreck.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
σὲ καὶ παρεῖναι δεῖ μάλιστα τούς τε σοὺς
πλωτῆρας οἵπερ ἔφυγον ἐκ ναυαγίας.

[¶168] Menelaos:
Be sure that if I have a ship at anchor, they will be posted, man beside man, each with his sword.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
καὶ μὴν ἐάνπερ ναῦν ἐπʼ ἀγκύρας λάβω,
ἀνὴρ παρʼ ἄνδρα στήσεται ξιφηφόρος.

[¶169] Helen:
You must direct everything; only let there be winds in our sails to guide us, and a speedy ship.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
σὲ χρὴ βραβεύειν πάντα· πόμπιμοι μόνον
λαίφει πνοαὶ γένοιντο καὶ νεὼς δρόμος.

[¶170] Menelaos:
It will be so; for the deities will bring my troubles to an end. But from whom will you say that you heard I was dead?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ἔσται· πόνους γὰρ δαίμονες παύσουσί μου.
ἀτὰρ θανόντα τοῦ μʼ ἐρεῖς πεπυσμένη;

[¶171] Helen:
From you; allege that you were the only one to escape death, when you were sailing with the son of Atreus, and that you saw him dead.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
σοῦ· καὶ μόνος γε φάσκε διαφυγεῖν μόρον
Ἀτρέως πλέων σὺν παιδὶ καὶ θανόνθʼ ὁρᾶν.

[¶172] Menelaos:
It is true that these rags thrown around my body
will bear witness with me as to the shipwreck.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
καὶ μὴν τάδʼ ἀμφίβληστρα σώματος ῥάκη
ξυμμαρτυρήσει ναυτικῶν ἐρειπίων.

[¶173] Helen:
They have come at the right time, although then they seemed an ill-timed loss. Perhaps that misery may turn to good fortune.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἐς καιρὸν ἦλθε, τότε δʼ ἄκαιρʼ ἀπώλλυτο·
τὸ δʼ ἄθλιον κεῖνʼ εὐτυχὲς τάχʼ ἂν πέσοι.

[¶174] Menelaos:
Should I to enter the house with you, or am I to sit quietly here at this tomb?

> Greek: Μενελέως:
πότερα δʼ ἐς οἴκους σοὶ συνεισελθεῖν με χρὴ
ἢ πρὸς τάφῳ τῷδʼ ἥσυχοι καθώμεθα;

[¶175] Helen:
Stay here; for if he does something harsh to you, this tomb and your sword would protect you. But I will go into the house, cut off my hair, exchange my white robe for a dark one, and tear my cheek with nails that make the flesh bloody.
For the contest is a great one, and I see two turns of the scale: either I must die if I am detected in my plot, or else come home and save you as well.
Lady Hera, you who lie in the bed of Zeus, grant relief from their labors to two pitiable creatures;
we beg you, casting our arms straight towards heaven, where you have your home in an embroidery of stars. And you, who won the prize of beauty at the price of my marriage, Kypris, daughter of Dione, do not destroy me utterly. You have maltreated me enough before now,
handing over my name, though not my body, to barbarians. Let me die, if you want to kill me, in my native land. Why are you so insatiable for mischief, practising arts of love, deceits, and treacherous schemes, and magic spells that bring bloodshed on families?
If you were only moderate, in other ways you are by nature the sweetest of gods for men; I don’t deny it. Exeunt Helen and Menelaos.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
αὐτοῦ μένʼ· ἢν γὰρ καί τι πλημμελές σε δρᾷ,
τάφος σʼ ὅδʼ ἂν ῥύσαιτο φάσγανόν τε σόν.
ἐγὼ δʼ ἐς οἴκους βᾶσα βοστρύχους τεμῶ
πέπλων τε λευκῶν μέλανας ἀνταλλάξομαι
παρῇδί τʼ ὄνυχα φόνιον ἐμβαλῶ χροός.
μέγας γὰρ ἁγών, καὶ βλέπω δύο ῥοπάς·
ἢ γὰρ θανεῖν δεῖ μʼ, ἢν ἁλῶ τεχνωμένη,
ἢ πατρίδα τʼ ἐλθεῖν καὶ σὸν ἐκσῷσαι δέμας.
ὦ πότνιʼ ἣ Δίοισιν ἐν λέκτροις πίτνεις
Ἥρα, δύʼ οἰκτρὼ φῶτʼ ἀνάψυξον πόνων,
αἰτούμεθʼ ὀρθὰς ὠλένας πρὸς οὐρανὸν
ῥίπτονθʼ, ἵνʼ οἰκεῖς ἀστέρων ποικίλματα.
σύ θʼ, ἣ ʼπὶ τὠμῷ κάλλος ἐκτήσω γάμῳ,
κόρη Διώνης Κύπρι, μή μʼ ἐξεργάσῃ.
ἅλις δὲ λύμης ἥν μʼ ἐλυμήνω πάρος
τοὔνομα παρασχοῦσʼ, οὐ τὸ σῶμʼ, ἐν βαρβάροις.
θανεῖν δʼ ἔασόν μʼ, εἰ κατακτεῖναι θέλεις,
ἐν γῇ πατρῴᾳ. τί ποτʼ ἄπληστος εἶ κακῶν,
ἔρωτας ἀπάτας δόλιά τʼ ἐξευρήματα
ἀσκοῦσα φίλτρα θʼ αἱματηρὰ δωμάτων;
εἰ δʼ ἦσθα μετρία, τἄλλα γʼ ἡδίστη θεῶν
πέφυκας ἀνθρώποισιν· οὐκ ἄλλως λέγω.

[¶176] Chorus:
Let me call on you, beneath leafy haunts, sitting in your place of song, you, the most sweetly singing bird,
tearful nightingale, oh, come, trilling through your tawny throat, to aid me in my lament, as I sing the piteous woes of Helen and
the tearful fate of Trojan women under the Achaeans’ spears; when he sped over the surging plains with foreign oar, when he came, came bringing to Priam’s race from Lacedaemon
you, Helen, his unhappy bride—Paris, fatally wedded, under the guidance of Aphrodite.

> Greek: Χορός:
σὲ τὰν ἐναύλοις ὑπὸ δενδροκόμοις
μουσεῖα καὶ θάκους ἐνί-
ζουσαν ἀναβοάσω,
σὲ τὰν ἀοιδοτάταν ὄρνιθα μελῳδὸν
ἀηδόνα δακρυόεσσαν,
ἔλθʼ ὦ διὰ ξουθᾶν
γενύων ἐλελιζομένα
θρήνων ἐμοὶ ξυνεργός,
Ἑλένας μελέας πόνους
τὸν Ἰλιάδων τʼ ἀει-
δούσᾳ δακρυόεντα πότμον
Ἀχαιῶν ὑπὸ λόγχαις·
ὅτʼ ἔδραμε ῥόθια πεδία βαρβάρῳ πλάτᾳ
ὅτʼ ἔμολεν ἔμολε, μέλεα Πριαμίδαις ἄγων
Λακεδαίμονος ἄπο λέχεα
σέθεν, ὦ Ἑλένα, Πάρις αἰνόγαμος
πομπαῖσιν Ἀφροδίτας.

## 3. Lines 1122–1692

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-helen/3/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-helen/3/#p-N

[¶0] Chorus:
Many of the Achaeans have breathed out their last amid the spears and hurling stones and have gone to unhappy Hades; their wives have cut off their hair in sorrow,
and their homes are left without a bride; an Achaean man, who had only a single ship, lit a blazing beacon on sea-girt Euboia, and destroyed many of them, casting them onto the rocks of Kaphareus
and the sea-shores of the Aegean, by the treacherous flame he kindled. The mountains of Malea provided no harbor, in the gusts of the storm, when Menelaos sped far away from his country, bearing on his ships a prize of the barbarian expedition, no prize but strife
with the Danaans, Hera’s holy phantom.

> Greek: Χορός:
πολλοὶ δʼ Ἀχαιῶν δορὶ καὶ πετρίναις
ῥιπαῖσιν ἐκπνεύσαντες Ἅι-
δαν μέλεον ἔχουσιν,
ταλαινᾶν ἀλόχων κείραντες ἔθειραν·
ἄνυμφα δὲ μέλαθρα κεῖται·
πολλοὺς δὲ πυρσεύσας
φλογερὸν σέλας ἀμφιρύταν
Εὔβοιαν εἷλʼ Ἀχαιῶν
μονόκωπος ἀνήρ, πέτραις
Καφηρίσιν ἐμβαλὼν
Αἰγαίαις τʼ ἐνάλοις δόλιον
ἀκταῖς ἀστέρα λάμψας.
ἀλίμενα δʼ ὄρεα Μάλεα χειμάτων πνοᾷ,
ὅτʼ ἔσυτο πατρίδος ἀποπρό, βαρβάρου στολᾶς
γέρας, οὐ γέρας ἀλλʼ ἔριν,
Δαναῶν Μενέλας ἐπὶ ναυσὶν ἄγων,
εἴδωλον ἱερὸν Ἥρας.

[¶1] Chorus:
What is god, or what is not god, or what is in between— what mortal says he has found it by searching the farthest limit,
when he sees divine affairs leaping here and there again and back, in contradictory and unexpected chances? You, Helen, are the daughter of Zeus;
for a winged father begot you in Leda’s womb; and then you were proclaimed throughout Hellas, betrayer, faithless, lawless, godless. I do not know whatever certainty is among mortals,
but the word of the gods I have found true.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὅ τι θεὸς ἢ μὴ θεὸς ἢ τὸ μέσον,
τίς φησʼ ἐρευνήσας βροτῶν
μακρότατον πέρας εὑρεῖν
ὃς τὰ θεῶν ἐσορᾷ
δεῦρο καὶ αὖθις ἐκεῖσε
καὶ πάλιν ἀντιλόγοις
πηδῶντʼ ἀνελπίστοις τύχαις;
σὺ Διὸς ἔφυς, ὦ Ἑλένα, θυγάτηρ·
πτανὸς γὰρ ἐν κόλποις σε Λή-
δας ἐτέκνωσε πατήρ.
κᾆτʼ ἰαχήθης καθʼ Ἑλλανίαν
προδότις ἄπιστος ἄδικος ἄθεος· οὐδʼ ἔχω
τί τὸ σαφὲς ἔτι ποτʼ ἐν βροτοῖς·
τὸ τῶν θεῶν ⟨δʼ⟩ ἔπος ἀλαθὲς ηὗρον.

[¶2] Chorus:
You are fools, who try to win a reputation for virtue through war and marshalled lines of spears, senselessly putting an end to mortal troubles;
for if a bloody quarrel is to decide it, strife will never leave off in the towns of men; by it they won as their lot bed-chambers of Priam’s earth, when they could have set right by discussion
the strife over you, O Helen. And now they are below in Hades’ keeping, and fire has darted onto the walls like the bolt of Zeus, and you are bringing woe on woe....

> Greek: Χορός:
ἄφρονες ὅσοι τὰς ἀρετὰς πολέμῳ
λόγχαισί τʼ ἀλκαίου δορὸς
κτᾶσθε, πόνους ἀμαθῶς θνα-
τῶν καταπαυόμενοι·
εἰ γὰρ ἅμιλλα κρινεῖ νιν
αἵματος, οὔποτʼ ἔρις
λείψει κατʼ ἀνθρώπων πόλεις·
ᾇ Πριαμίδος γᾶς ἔλαχον θαλάμους,
ἐξὸν διορθῶσαι λόγοις
σὰν ἔριν, ὦ Ἑλένα.
νῦν δʼ οἳ μὲν Ἅιδᾳ μέλονται κάτω,
τείχεα δὲ φλογμὸς ὥστε Διός ἐπέσυτο φλόξ,
ἐπὶ δὲ πάθεα πάθεσι φέρεις
ἀθλίοις συμφοραῖς αἰλίνοις.

[¶3] Theoklymenos:
Greetings, tomb of my father! For I buried you, Proteus, in the passageway so that I could address you; and always as I leave and enter the house, I, your son Theoklymenos, call on you, father. You servants, take the hounds and hunting nets
into the palace. I have rebuked myself many times; for do we not punish evil men with death? And now I have heard that some Hellene has come openly to the land, without the guards’ notice,
either as a spy or thievishly hunting after Helen; he will die if only I can catch him. Ah! But it seems I have found everything in ruins; for the daughter of Tyndareus has deserted her seat at the tomb and has been carried away from the land.
Ho there! undo the bars; loose the horses from their stalls, servants, and bring out my chariot, so that the wife whom I long for may not be carried away from this land without my notice, for want of effort.
Wait! for I see that the one I am pursuing
is still in the house, and has not fled.
You there, why have you put black robes instead of white on your body, and cut the hair from your noble head with a sword, and why do you drench your cheeks with pale tears,
lamenting? Do you mourn, persuaded by dreams in the night, or have you broken your heart with grief because you heard some voice within?

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
ὦ χαῖρε, πατρὸς μνῆμʼ· ἐπʼ ἐξόδοισι γὰρ
ἔθαψα, Πρωτεῦ, σʼ ἕνεκʼ ἐμῆς προσρήσεως·
ἀεὶ δέ σʼ ἐξιών τε κἀσιὼν δόμους
Θεοκλύμενος παῖς ὅδε προσεννέπει, πάτερ.
ὑμεῖς μὲν οὖν κύνας τε καὶ θηρῶν βρόχους,
δμῶες, κομίζετʼ ἐς δόμους τυραννικούς·
ἐγὼ δʼ ἐμαυτὸν πόλλʼ ἐλοιδόρησα δή·
οὐ γάρ τι θανάτῳ τοὺς κακοὺς κολάζομεν;
καὶ νῦν πέπυσμαι φανερὸν Ἑλλήνων τινὰ
ἐς γῆν ἀφῖχθαι καὶ λεληθέναι σκοπούς,
ἤτοι κατόπτην ἢ κλοπαῖς θηρώμενον
Ἑλένην· θανεῖται δʼ, ἤν γε δὴ ληφθῇ μόνον.
ἔα·
ἀλλʼ, ὡς ἔοικε, πάντα διαπεπραγμένα
ηὕρηκα· τύμβου γὰρ κενὰς λιποῦσʼ ἕδρας
ἡ Τυνδαρὶς παῖς ἐκπεπόρθμευται χθονός.
ὠή, χαλᾶτε κλῇθρα· λύεθʼ ἱππικὰ
φάτνης, ὀπαδοί, κἀκκομίζεθʼ ἅρματα,
ὡς ἂν πόνου γʼ ἕκατι μὴ λάθῃ με γῆς
τῆσδʼ ἐκκομισθεῖσʼ ἄλοχος, ἧς ἐφίεμαι. —
ἐπίσχετʼ· εἰσορῶ γὰρ οὓς διώκομεν
παρόντας ἐν δόμοισι κοὐ πεφευγότας.
αὕτη, τί πέπλους μέλανας ἐξήψω χροὸς
λευκῶν ἀμείψασʼ ἔκ τε κρατὸς εὐγενοῦς
κόμας σίδηρον ἐμβαλοῦσʼ ἀπέθρισας
χλωροῖς τε τέγγεις δάκρυσι σὴν παρηίδα
κλαίουσα; πότερον ἐννύχοις πεπεισμένη
στένεις ὀνείροις, ἢ φάτιν τινʼ οἴκοθεν
κλύουσα λύπῃ σὰς διέφθαρσαι φρένας;

[¶4] Helen:
My lord—for now I give you that name—I am destroyed; everything of mine is gone and I am nothing.
Theokylmenos:
In what misfortune are you plunged? What has happened?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ὦ δέσποτʼ — ἤδη γὰρ τόδʼ ὀνομάζω σʼ ἔπος —
ὄλωλα· φροῦδα τἀμὰ κοὐδέν εἰμʼ ἔτι.
Θεοκλύμενος:
ἐν τῷ δὲ κεῖσαι συμφορᾶς; τίς ἡ τύχη;

[¶5] Helen:
Menelaos—alas, how shall I say it?—is dead, my husband.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
Μενέλαος — οἴμοι, πῶς φράσω; — τέθνηκέ μοι.

[¶6] Theoklymenos:
I do not rejoice at your words, but it is good fortune for me. How do you know? Did Theonoe tell you this?

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
οὐδέν τι χαίρω σοῖς λόγοις, τὰ δʼ εὐτυχῶ.
πῶς ⟨δʼ⟩ οἶσθα; μῶν σοι Θεονόη λέγει τάδε;

[¶7] Helen:
Both she, and one who was there when he perished.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
κείνη τε φησὶν ὅ τε παρὼν ὅτʼ ὤλλυτο.

[¶8] Theoklymenos:
Someone has come who announces this for certain?

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
ἥκει γὰρ ὅστις καὶ τάδʼ ἀγγέλλει σαφῆ;

[¶9] Helen:
Someone has come; and may he go where I want him to go!

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἥκει· μόλοι γὰρ οἷ σφʼ ἐγὼ χρῄζω μολεῖν.

[¶10] Theoklymenos:
Who is it? Where is he? so that I may learn this more clearly.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
τίς ἐστι; ποῦ ʼστιν; ἵνα σαφέστερον μάθω.

[¶11] Helen:
That one, who is sitting crouched at this tomb.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ὅδʼ ὃς κάθηται τῷδʼ ὑποπτήξας τάφῳ.

[¶12] Theoklymenos:
Apollo! He certainly has unattractive clothing.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
Ἄπολλον, ὡς ἐσθῆτι δυσμόρφῳ πρέπει.

[¶13] Helen:
Alas! I think my husband is in the same situation also.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
οἴμοι, δοκῶ μὲν κἀμὸν ὧδʼ ἔχειν πόσιν.

[¶14] Theoklymenos:
What is this man’s country, and where did he come from, to land here?

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
ποδαπὸς δʼ ὅδʼ ἁνὴρ καὶ πόθεν κατέσχε γῆν;

[¶15] Helen:
He is a Hellene, one of the Achaeans who saiIed with my husband.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
Ἕλλην, Ἀχαιῶν εἷς ἐμῷ σύμπλους πόσει.

[¶16] Theoklymenos:
What kind of death does he say Menelaos died?

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
θανάτῳ δὲ ποίῳ φησὶ Μενέλεων θανεῖν;

[¶17] Helen:
The most piteous, in the watery waves at sea.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
οἰκτρόταθʼ, ὑγροῖσιν ἐν κλυδωνίοις ἁλός.

[¶18] Theoklymenos:
On what part of the barbarous ocean was he sailing?

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
ποῦ βαρβάροισι πελάγεσιν ναυσθλούμενον;

[¶19] Helen:
He was cast up on the harborless rocks of Libya.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
Λιβύης ἀλιμένοις ἐκπεσόντα πρὸς πέτραις.

[¶20] Theoklymenos:
How did this man not perish if he was sailing with him?

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
καὶ πῶς ὅδʼ οὐκ ὄλωλε κοινωνῶν πλάτης;

[¶21] Helen:
There are times when common men have more luck than their betters.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἐσθλῶν κακίους ἐνίοτʼ εὐτυχέστεροι.

[¶22] Theoklymenos:
Where did he leave the wreckage of his ship before coming here?

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
λιπὼν δὲ ναὸς ποῦ πάρεστιν ἔκβολα;

[¶23] Helen:
Where ruin may come upon it— but not on Menelaos!

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ὅπου κακῶς ὄλοιτο, Μενέλεως δὲ μή.

[¶24] Theoklymenos:
He is already ruined. In what ship did this man come?

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
ὄλωλʼ ἐκεῖνος. ἦλθε δʼ ἐν ποίῳ σκάφει;

[¶25] Helen:
Sailors happened to meet him and took him up, as he says.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ναῦταί σφʼ ἀνείλοντʼ ἐντυχόντες, ὡς λέγει.

[¶26] Theoklymenos:
Where then is that mischievous creature that was sent to Troy in your place?

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
ποῦ δὴ τὸ πεμφθὲν ἀντὶ σοῦ Τροίᾳ κακόν;

[¶27] Helen:
You mean the cloud image? It has gone into the air.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
νεφέλης λέγεις ἄγαλμα; ἐς αἰθέρʼ οἴχεται.

[¶28] Theoklymenos:
O Priam, and Trojan lands, how you have perished in vain!

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
ὦ Πρίαμε καὶ γῆ Τρῳάς, ⟨ὡς⟩ ἔρρεις μάτην.

[¶29] Helen:
I too have shared misfortunes with Priam’s race.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
κἀγὼ μετέσχον Πριαμίδαις δυσπραξίας.

[¶30] Theoklymenos:
Did he leave your husband unburied, or did he hide him in the earth?

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
πόσιν δʼ ἄθαπτον ἔλιπεν ἢ κρύπτει χθονί;

[¶31] Helen:
He is unburied; I am so unhappy in my troubles!

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἄθαπτον· οἲ ἐγὼ τῶν ἐμῶν τλήμων κακῶν.

[¶32] Theoklymenos:
It is for this that you have cut your locks of golden hair?

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
τῶνδʼ οὕνεκʼ ἔταμες βοστρύχους ξανθῆς κόμης·

[¶33] Helen:
Yes, for he is dear to me, whoever he is, being here.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
φίλος γάρ ἐστιν, ὅς ποτʼ ἐστίν, ἐνθάδʼ ὤν.

[¶34] Theoklymenos:
She rightly weeps for this misfortune...

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
ὀρθῶς μὲν ἥδε συμφορὰ δακρύεται —

[¶35] Helen:
It is certainly easy to escape your sister’s notice!

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἐν εὐμαρεῖ γοῦν σὴν κασιγνήτην λαθεῖν.

[¶36] Theoklymenos:
No, indeed. Well, what now? Will you continue to live at this tomb?

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
οὐ δῆτα. πῶς οὖν; τόνδʼ ἔτʼ οἰκήσεις τάφον;

[¶37] Helen:
Why do you jeer at me? Won’t you let the dead man be?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
τί κερτομεῖς με, τὸν θανόντα δʼ οὐκ ἐᾷς;

[¶38] Theoklymenos:
No, for you are loyal to your husband and avoid me.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
πιστὴ γὰρ εἶ σὺ σῷ πόσει φεύγουσά με.

[¶39] Helen:
No longer; begin my wedding now.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἀλλʼ οὐκέτʼ· ἤδη δʼ ἄρχε τῶν ἐμῶν γάμων.

[¶40] Theoklymenos:
It has come after a long time, but still I commend you for it.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
χρόνια μὲν ἦλθεν, ἀλλʼ ὅμως αἰνῶ τάδε.

[¶41] Helen:
Do you know what you should do? Let us forget what is past.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
οἶσθʼ οὖν ὃ δρᾶσον; τῶν πάρος λαθώμεθα.

[¶42] Theoklymenos:
On what terms? One good turn deserves another.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
ἐπὶ τῷ; χάρις γὰρ ἀντὶ χάριτος ἐλθέτω.

[¶43] Helen:
Let us make a truce; be reconciled to me.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
σπονδὰς τέμωμεν καὶ διαλλάχθητί μοι.

[¶44] Theoklymenos:
I relinquish my quarrel with you; may it go away on wings.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
μεθίημι νεῖκος τὸ σόν, ἴτω δʼ ὑπόπτερον.

[¶45] Helen:
Now by your knees, since you are indeed a friend—

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
πρός νύν σε γονάτων τῶνδʼ, ἐπείπερ εἶ φίλος —

[¶46] Theoklymenos:
What thing do you hunt after, that you stretch out a suppliant hand to me?

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
τί χρῆμα θηρῶσʼ ἱκέτις ὠρέχθης ἐμοῦ;

[¶47] Helen:
I wish to bury my dead husband.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
τὸν κατθανόντα πόσιν ἐμὸν θάψαι θέλω.

[¶48] Theoklymenos:
What? Is there a tomb for the absent? Or will you bury a shadow?

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
τί δʼ; ἔστʼ ἀπόντων τύμβος; ἢ θάψεις σκιάν;

[¶49] Helen:
It is customary among the Hellenes, whenever someone dies at sea—

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
Ἕλλησίν ἐστι νόμος, ὃς ἂν πόντῳ θάνῃ —

[¶50] Theoklymenos:
To do what? The race of Pelops is certainly clever in such matters.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
τί δρᾶν; σοφοί τοι Πελοπίδαι τὰ τοιάδε.

[¶51] Helen:
To carry out the funeral rites in empty woven robes.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
κενοῖσι θάπτειν ἐν πέπλων ὑφάσμασιν.

[¶52] Theoklymenos:
Hold the funeral; set up the tomb wherever you wish.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
κτέριζʼ· ἀνίστη τύμβον οὗ χρῄζεις χθονός.

[¶53] Helen:
We do not give burial like this to sailors who have perished.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
οὐχ ὧδε ναύτας ὀλομένους τυμβεύομεν.

[¶54] Theoklymenos:
How then? I know nothing of the customs in Hellas.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
πῶς δαί; λέλειμμαι τῶν ἐν Ἕλλησιν νόμων.

[¶55] Helen:
We take out of harbor to the sea all that is the dead man’s due.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἐς πόντον ὅσα χρὴ νέκυσιν ἐξορμίζομεν.

[¶56] Theoklymenos:
Then what am I to give you for the dead man?

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
τί σοι παράσχω δῆτα τῷ τεθνηκότι;

[¶57] Helen:
This man knows, but I have no experience, as I was fortunate before.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ὅδʼ οἶδʼ, ἐγὼ δʼ ἄπειρος, εὐτυχοῦσα πρίν.

[¶58] Theoklymenos:
Stranger, you have brought welcome news.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
ὦ ξένε, λόγων μὲν κληδόνʼ ἤνεγκας φίλην.

[¶59] Menelaos:
Not for me, certainly, nor for the dead man.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
οὔκουν ἐμαυτῷ γʼ οὐδὲ τῷ τεθνηκότι.

[¶60] Theoklymenos:
How do you bury those who have died at sea?

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
πῶς τοὺς θανόντας θάπτετʼ ἐν πόντῳ νεκρούς;

[¶61] Menelaos:
Each according to his means.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ὡς ἂν παρούσης οὐσίας ἕκαστος ᾖ.

[¶62] Theoklymenos:
As far as wealth goes, say what you want, for her sake.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
πλούτου λέγʼ οὕνεχʼ ὅ τι θέλεις ταύτης χάριν.

[¶63] Menelaos:
There must be a blood-offering first to the dead.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
προσφάζεται μὲν αἷμα πρῶτα νερτέροις.

[¶64] Theoklymenos:
Blood of what? Explain it to me, and I will obey.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
τίνος; σύ μοι σήμαινε, πείσομαι δʼ ἐγώ.

[¶65] Menelaos:
You decide that yourself; whatever you give will suffice.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
αὐτὸς σὺ γίγνωσκʼ· ἀρκέσει γὰρ ἃν διδῷς.

[¶66] Theoklymenos:
Among barbarians it is customary to sacrifice a horse or a bull.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
ἐν βαρβάροις μὲν ἵππον ἢ ταῦρον νόμος.

[¶67] Menelaos:
If you make a gift, take care to give nothing mean.
Theokylemnos:
I have no lack of such in my rich herds.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
διδούς γε μὲν δὴ δυσγενὲς μηδὲν δίδου.
Θεοκλύμενος:
οὐ τῶνδʼ ἐν ἀγέλαις ὀλβίαις σπανίζομεν.

[¶68] Menelaos:
Next, a couch empty of the body is decked and carried in procession.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
καὶ στρωτὰ φέρεται λέκτρα σώματος κενά.

[¶69] Theoklymenos:
It wall be done; what else is it customary to add?

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
ἔσται· τί δʼ ἄλλο προσφέρειν νομίζεται;

[¶70] Menelaos:
Bronze arms; for war was his delight.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
χαλκήλαθʼ ὅπλα· καὶ γὰρ ἦν φίλος δορί.

[¶71] Theoklymenos:
These will be worthy of the race of Pelops, and these we will give.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
ἄξια τάδʼ ἔσται Πελοπιδῶν ἃ δώσομεν.

[¶72] Menelaos:
And for the rest, all the lovely offspring that the earth bears.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
καὶ τἄλλʼ ὅσα χθὼν καλὰ φέρει βλαστήματα.

[¶73] Theoklymenos:
How then? In what way do you let them fall into the waves?

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
πῶς οὖν; ἐς οἶδμα τίνι τρόπῳ καθίετε;

[¶74] Menelaos:
A ship must be ready, and rowers.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ναῦν δεῖ παρεῖναι κἀρετμῶν ἐπιστάτας.

[¶75] Theoklymenos:
How far from the shore does the ship put out?

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
πόσον δʼ ἀπείργει μῆκος ἐκ γαίας δόρυ;

[¶76] Menelaos:
So far that the foam in her wake can scarcely be seen from the land.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ὥστʼ ἐξορᾶσθαι ῥόθια χερσόθεν μόλις.

[¶77] Theoklymenos:
But why? Why does Hellas observe this custom.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
τί δή; τόδʼ Ἑλλὰς νόμιμον ἐκ τίνος σέβει;

[¶78] Menelaos:
So that the waves may not wash pollution back ashore.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ὡς μὴ πάλιν γῇ λύματʼ ἐκβάλῃ κλύδων.

[¶79] Theoklymenos:
A swift Phoenician ship will be there.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
Φοίνισσα κώπη ταχύπορος γενήσεται.

[¶80] Menelaos:
That would be well done, and pleasing to Menelaos, too.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
καλῶς ἂν εἴη Μενέλεῴ τε πρὸς χάριν.

[¶81] Theoklymenos:
Can you not perform these rites well enough without Helen?

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
οὔκουν σὺ χωρὶς τῆσδε δρῶν ἀρκεῖς τάδε;

[¶82] Menelaos:
This task belongs to mother, or wife, or children.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
μητρὸς τόδʼ ἔργον ἢ γυναικὸς ἢ τέκνων.

[¶83] Theoklymenos:
According to you, the work of burying her husband belongs to her.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
ταύτης ὁ μόχθος, ὡς λέγεις, θάπτειν πόσιν.

[¶84] Menelaos:
Yes indeed; piety demands that the dead be not robbed of their due.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ἐν εὐσεβεῖ γοῦν νόμιμα μὴ κλέπτειν νεκρῶν.

[¶85] Theoklymenos:
Let her go; it is in my interest to foster piety in a wife. Go inside and choose adornment for the dead;
I will not send you away from the land empty-handed either, since you have done her a favor. As you have brought me good news, you will receive clothing instead of going in rags, and food, so that you may reach your country, since now I see you doing very badly indeed.
As for you, poor lady, do not wear yourself out in a hopeless case; Menelaos has met his doom, and your dead husband could not return to life.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
ἴτω· πρὸς ἡμῶν ἄλοχον εὐσεβῆ τρέφειν.
ἐλθὼν δʼ ἐς οἴκους ἐξελοῦ κόσμον νεκρῷ·
καὶ σὲ οὐ κεναῖσι χερσὶ γῆς ἀποστελῶ,
δράσαντα τῇδε πρὸς χάριν· φήμας δʼ ἐμοὶ
ἐσθλὰς ἐνεγκὼν ἀντὶ τῆς ἀχλαινίας
ἐσθῆτα λήψῃ σῖτά θʼ, ὥστε σʼ ἐς πάτραν
ἐλθεῖν, ἐπεὶ νῦν γʼ ἀθλίως ἔχονθʼ ὁρῶ.
σὺ δʼ, ὦ τάλαινα, μὴ ʼπὶ τοῖς ἀνηνύτοις
τρύχουσα σαυτήν — Μενέλεως δʼ ἔχει πότμον,
κοὐκ ἂν δύναιτο ζῆν ὁ κατθανὼν πόσις.

[¶86] Menelaos:
This is your duty, young woman; you must be content with the husband at your side, and let go the one that no longer exists;
for this is best for you, according to what has happened. And if I come to Hellas and find safety, I will put to an end your former bad reputation, if you are such a wife as you ought to be to your husband.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
σὸν ἔργον, ὦ νεᾶνι· τὸν παρόντα μὲν
στέργειν πόσιν χρή, τὸν δὲ μηκέτʼ ὄντʼ ἐᾶν·
ἄριστα γάρ σοι ταῦτα πρὸς τὸ τυγχάνον.
ἢν δʼ Ἑλλάδʼ ἔλθω καὶ τύχω σωτηρίας,
παύσω ψόγου σε τοῦ πρίν, ἢν γυνὴ γένῃ
οἵαν γενέσθαι χρή σε σῷ ξυνευνέτῃ.

[¶87] Helen:
I will; my husband will never find fault with me;
you yourself will be at hand to know it. Now go inside, unhappy man, and find the bath, and change your clothes. I will show my kindness to you without delay. For you will perform the due services with more kindly feeling for my dearest Menelaos,
if you get from me what you ought to have. Exeunt Theoklymenos, Helen, Menelaos.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἔσται τάδʼ· οὐδὲ μέμψεται πόσις ποτὲ
ἡμῖν· σὺ δʼ αὐτὸς ἐγγὺς ὢν εἴσῃ τάδε.
ἀλλʼ, ὦ τάλας, εἴσελθε καὶ λουτρῶν τύχε
ἐσθῆτά τʼ ἐξάλλαξον. οὐκ ἐς ἀμβολὰς
εὐεργετήσω σʼ· εὐμενέστερον γὰρ ἂν
τῷ φιλτάτῳ μοι Μενέλεῳ τὰ πρόσφορα
δρῴης ἄν, ἡμῶν τυγχάνων οἵων σε χρή.

[¶88] Chorus:
Once with swift foot the mountain mother of the gods rushed through the wooded glen, and the river’s streams
and the deep-thundering sea wave, yearning for her lost daughter, whose name may not be spoken. The loudly rattling castanets cried out a shrill sound,
when they, swift-footed as whirlwinds, followed the goddess on her chariot yoked to wild creatures, after the girl that was snatched away from the circling chorus of maidens—
here Artemis with her bow, and there the grim-eyed goddess, in full armor, with her spear. But Zeus, who sees clearly from his throne in heaven, brought to pass another destiny.

> Greek: Χορός:
Ὀρεία ποτὲ δρομάδι κώ-
λῳ μάτηρ θεῶν ἐσύθη ἀνʼ
ὑλάεντα νάπη
ποτάμιόν τε χεῦμʼ ὑδάτων
βαρύβρομόν τε κῦμʼ ἅλιον
πόθῳ τᾶς ἀποιχομένας
ἀρρήτου κούρας.
κρόταλα δὲ βρόμια διαπρύσιον
ἱέντα κέλαδον ἀνεβόα,
θηρῶν ὅτε ζυγίους
ζευξάσᾳ θεᾷ σατίνας
τὰν ἁρπασθεῖσαν κυκλίων
χορῶν ἔξω παρθενίων
μετὰ κούραν, ἀελλόποδες,
ἃ μὲν τόξοις Ἄρτεμις, ἃ δʼ
ἔγχει Γοργῶπις πάνοπλος,
⟨συνείποντο. Ζεὺς δʼ ἑδράνων⟩
αὐγάζων ἐξ οὐρανίων
ἄλλαν μοῖραν ἔκραινε.

[¶89] Chorus:
When the mother ceased from her wild
wandering toil, searching for the treacherous rape of her daughter, she crossed the snow-capped heights of the nymphs of Mount Ida;
and in sorrow cast herself down in the rocky woods deep in snow; and, by not making fruitful with crops the barren fields of the earth for mortals, she destroyed the human race.
She would not send forth the rich nourishment of leafy tendrils for the herds, and life was leaving the cities. No sacrifice was offered to the gods, and on the altars were no cakes to burn;
she made the dew-fed springs of clear water cease flowing, the avenger in sorrow for her child.

> Greek: Χορός:
δρομαῖον δʼ ὅτε πολυπλάνη-
τον μάτηρ ἔπαυσε πόνον,
μαστεύουσα πόνους
θυγατρὸς ἁρπαγὰς δολίους,
χιονοθρέμμονάς γʼ ἐπέρασʼ
Ἰδαιᾶν Νυμφᾶν σκοπιάς·
ῥίπτει δʼ ἐν πένθει
πέτρινα κατὰ δρία πολυνιφέα·
βροτοῖσι δʼ ἄχλοα πεδία γᾶς
οὐ καρπίζουσʼ ἀρότοις
λαῶν [δὲ] φθείρει γενεάν·
ποίμναις δʼ οὐχ ἵει θαλερὰς
βοσκὰς εὐφύλλων ἑλίκων,
πόλεων δʼ ἀπέλειπε βίος·
οὐδʼ ἦσαν θεῶν θυσίαι,
βωμοῖς δʼ ἄφλεκτοι πέλανοι·
πηγὰς δʼ ἀμπαύει δροσερὰς
λευκῶν ἐκβάλλειν ὑδάτων
πένθει παιδὸς ἀλάστωρ.

[¶90] Chorus:
When she made an end to banquets for gods and the race of men, Zeus spoke out, appeasing the
Mother’s gloomy wrath: “Go, holy Graces, go and with a loud cry take from Demeter’s angry heart her grief for the maiden;”
“and you, Muses, with song and dance.” Then Kypris, fairest of the blessed gods, first took up the rumbling voice of bronze and the drum with tight-stretched skin; and the goddess smiled,
and received in her hand the deep-toned flute, pleased with its loud note.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἐπεὶ δʼ ἔπαυσʼ εἰλαπίνας
θεοῖς βροτείῳ τε γένει,
Ζεὺς μειλίσσων στυγίους
ματρὸς ὀργὰς ἐνέπει·
βᾶτε, σεμναὶ Χάριτες,
ἴτε, τᾷ περὶ παρθένῳ
Δηοῖ θυμωσαμένᾳ
λύπαν ἐξαλλάξατʼ ἀλαλᾷ,
Μοῦσαί θʼ ὕμνοισι χορῶν.
χαλκοῦ δʼ αὐδὰν χθονίαν
τύπανά τʼ ἔλαβε βυρσοτενῆ
καλλίστα τότε πρῶτα μακά-
ρων Κύπρις· γέλασέν τε θεὰ
δέξατό τʼ ἐς χέρας
βαρύβρομον αὐλὸν
τερφθεῖσʼ ἀλαλαγμῷ.

[¶91] Chorus:
You made burnt offerings that were neither right nor holy, in the chambers of the gods,
and you have incurred the wrath of the great mother, child, by not honoring her sacrifices. Oh! Great is the power of dappled fawn-skin robes,
and green ivy that crowns a sacred thyrsos, the whirling beat of the tambourine circling in the air, hair streaming wildly for the revelry of Bromios,
and the night-long festivals of the goddess.... You gloried in your beauty alone.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὧν οὐ θέμις ⟨σʼ⟩ οὔθʼ ὁσία
ʼπʼύρωσας ἐν ⟨θεῶν⟩ θαλάμοις,
μῆνιν δʼ ἔσχες μεγάλας
ματρός, ὦ παῖ, θυσίας
οὐ σεβίζουσα θεᾶς.
μέγα τοι δύναται νεβρῶν
παμποίκιλοι στολίδες
κισσοῦ τε στεφθεῖσα χλόα
νάρθηκας εἰς ἱερούς,
ῥόμβου θʼ εἱλισσομένα
κύκλιος ἔνοσις αἰθερία,
βακχεύουσά τʼ ἔθειρα Βρομί-
ῳ καὶ παννυχίδες θεᾶς.
εὖ δέ νιν ἄμασιν
ὑπέρβαλε σελάνα
μορφᾷ μόνον ηὔχεις.

[¶92] Helen:
My friends, all goes well for us inside;
for the daughter of Proteus, who aids us in our theft, has told her brother nothing when questioned as to my husband’s coming; for my sake she said that he was not alive, but dead and buried.... My husband has snatched up by chance fine things indeed;
for he is carrying away the armor he was intending to let fall into the sea, putting his noble arm through the shield-strap and holding a spear in his right hand, on pretence of joining in the service to the dead. He has equipped his body with weapons conveniently for the battle,
in order to to set up the trophies of countless barbarians, whenever we embark on the oared ship. I adorned him with robes in place of his shipwrecked garments, and I washed him, a long-delayed bath in water from the stream.
But I must be silent, for the man is coming from the house who thinks he holds my marriage ready in his hands; and I claim your goodwill and strict silence, so that, when we have saved ourselves, we may be able some day to save you also.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
τὰ μὲν κατʼ οἴκους εὐτυχοῦμεν, ὦ φίλαι·
ἡ γὰρ συνεκκλέπτουσα Πρωτέως κόρη
πόσιν παρόντα τὸν ἐμὸν ἱστορουμένη
οὐκ εἶπʼ ἀδελφῷ· κατθανόντα δʼ ἐν χθονὶ
οὔ φησιν αὐγὰς εἰσορᾶν ἐμὴν χάριν.
⟨… ⟩
κάλλιστα δῆτʼ ἀνήρπασʼ ἐν τύχῃ πόσις·
ἃ γὰρ καθήσειν ὅπλʼ ἔμελλεν εἰς ἅλα,
ταῦτʼ ἐμβαλὼν πόρπακι γενναίαν χέρα
αὐτὸς κομίζει δόρυ τε δεξιᾷ λαβών,
ὡς τῷ θανόντι χάριτα δὴ συνεκπονῶν.
προύργου δʼ ἐς ἀλκὴν σῶμʼ ὅπλοις ἠσκήσατο,
ὡς βαρβάρων τρόπαια μυρίων χερὶ
θήσων, ὅταν κωπῆρες ἐσβῶμεν σκάφος,
πέπλους δʼ ἀμείψασʼ ἀντὶ ναυφθόρου στολῆς
ἐγώ νιν ἐξήσκησα, καὶ λουτροῖς χρόα
ἔδωκα, χρόνια νίπτρα ποταμίας δρόσου.
ἀλλʼ, ἐκπερᾷ γὰρ δωμάτων ὁ τοὺς ἐμοὺς
γάμους ἑτοίμους ἐν χεροῖν ἔχειν δοκῶν,
σιγητέον μοι· καὶ σὲ προσποιούμεθα
εὔνουν κρατεῖν τε στόματος, ἢν δυνώμεθα
σωθέντες αὐτοὶ καὶ σὲ συνσῶσαί ποτε.

[¶93] Theoklymenos:
Advance in order, servants, as the stranger directed, bearing the funeral gifts for the sea. But you, Helen, if you will agree with my words, be persuaded and stay here; for you will do your husband equal service whether you are present or not.
For I am afraid that some sudden passion should persuade you to throw your body into the swelling waves, stricken by love for your former husband; you are grieving for him too much, although he is lost.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
χωρεῖτʼ ἐφεξῆς, ὡς ἔταξεν ὁ ξένος,
δμῶες, φέροντες ἐνάλια κτερίσματα.
Ἑλένη, σὺ δʼ, ἤν σοι μὴ κακῶς δόξω λέγειν,
πείθου, μένʼ αὐτοῦ· ταὐτὰ γὰρ παροῦσά τε
πράξεις τὸν ἄνδρα τὸν σὸν ἤν τε μὴ παρῇς.
δέδοικα γάρ σε μή τις ἐμπεσὼν πόθος
πείσῃ μεθεῖναι σῶμʼ ἐς οἶδμα πόντιον
τοῦ πρόσθεν ἀνδρὸς χάρισιν ἐκπεπληγμένην·
ἄγαν γὰρ αὐτὸν οὐ παρόνθʼ ὅμως στένεις.

[¶94] Helen:
O my new husband, I must honor
my first marriage-bed and the one whose company I shared as a bride; for I could even die with my husband, I loved him so much. But how could he thank me, if I were to share death with him? Let me go and pay funeral rites to the dead in person.
May the gods give to you the things I wish and also to this stranger here, for his assistance! And you will have in me such a wife at home as you ought to have, since you are doing a good service to Menelaos and to me; for surely these events are leading to some good fortune.
But now appoint someone to give us a ship in which to carry these gifts, so that I may have your kindness in full.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ὦ καινὸς ἡμῖν πόσις, ἀναγκαίως ἔχει
τὰ πρῶτα λέκτρα νυμφικάς θʼ ὁμιλίας
τιμᾶν· ἐγὼ δὲ διὰ τὸ μὲν στέργειν πόσιν
καὶ ξυνθάνοιμʼ ἄν· ἀλλὰ τίς κείνῳ χάρις
ξὺν κατθανόντι κατθανεῖν; ἔα δέ με
αὐτὴν μολοῦσαν ἐντάφια δοῦναι νεκρῷ.
θεοὶ δὲ σοί τε δοῖεν οἷʼ ἐγὼ θέλω,
καὶ τῷ ξένῳ τῷδʼ, ὅτι συνεκπονεῖ τάδε.
ἕξεις δέ μʼ οἵαν χρή σʼ ἔχειν ἐν δώμασι
γυναῖκʼ, ἐπειδὴ Μενέλεων εὐεργετεῖς
κἄμʼ· ἔρχεται γὰρ δή τινʼ ἐς τύχην τάδε.
ὅστις δὲ δώσει ναῦν ἐν ᾗ τάδʼ ἄξομεν,
πρόσταξον, ὡς ἂν τὴν χάριν πλήρη λάβω.

[¶95] Theoklymenos:
(to an attendant.) You, go and give them a Sidonian ship of fifty oars, and rowers also.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
χώρει σὺ καὶ ναῦν τοῖσδε πεντηκόντορον
Σιδωνίαν δὸς κἀρετμῶν ἐπιστάτας.

[¶96] Helen:
This man who is ordering the funeral will be in command of the ship, won’t he?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
οὔκουν ὅδʼ ἄρξει ναὸς ὃς κοσμεῖ τάφον;

[¶97] Theoklymenos:
Most certainly; my sailors must obey him.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
μάλιστʼ· ἀκούειν τοῦδε χρὴ ναύτας ἐμούς.

[¶98] Helen:
Repeat the order, so that they may clearly understand you.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
αὖθις κέλευσον, ἵνα σαφῶς μάθωσί σου.

[¶99] Theoklymenos:
I repeat the order, and a third time too, if you wish it.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
αὖθις κελεύω καὶ τρίτον γʼ, εἴ σοι φίλον.

[¶100] Helen:
May you have benefit from it—and I from my plans!
Thoeklymenos:
Do not ruin your skin with too much weeping now.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ὄναιο· κἀγὼ τῶν ἐμῶν βουλευμάτων.
Θεοκλύμενος:
μή νυν ἄγαν σὸν δάκρυσιν ἐκτήξῃς χρόα.

[¶101] Helen:
This day will show my gratitude to you.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἥδʼ ἡμέρα σοι τὴν ἐμὴν δείξει χάριν.

[¶102] Theoklymenos:
The state of the dead is nothingness; toil for them is vain.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
τὰ τῶν θανόντων οὐδέν, ἀλλʼ ἄλλως πόνος.

[¶103] Helen:
There is something of what I say both there and here.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἔστιν τι κἀκεῖ κἀνθάδʼ ὧν ἐγὼ λέγω.

[¶104] Theoklymenos:
You will not find in me a husband at all inferior to Menelaos.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
οὐδὲν κακίω Μενέλεώ μʼ ἕξεις πόσιν.

[¶105] Helen:
You are not at fault in any way; good luck is all I need.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
οὐδὲν σὺ μεμπτός· τῆς τύχης με δεῖ μόνον.

[¶106] Theoklymenos:
That is in your power, if you show kindness to me.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
ἐν σοὶ τόδʼ, ἢν σὴν εἰς ἔμʼ εὔνοιαν διδῷς.

[¶107] Helen:
This is not a lesson I shall have to learn now, to love my friends.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
οὐ νῦν διδαξόμεσθα τοὺς φίλους φιλεῖν.

[¶108] Theoklymenos:
Would you like me to send out the equipment in person, working together with you?

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
βούλῃ ξυνεργῶν αὐτὸς ἐκπέμψω στόλον;

[¶109] Helen:
Not at all! Do not become a slave to your slaves, lord.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἥκιστα· μὴ δούλευε σοῖς δούλοις, ἄναξ.

[¶110] Theoklymenos:
Come then! I have no concern with the customs of the race of Pelops.
My house is pure; for Menelaos did not die here. Let someone go and tell my chieftans to bring marriage-offerings to my house; the whole earth must ring with joyful wedding-songs
in celebration of my wedding with Helen, so that it may be envied. You, stranger, go and give to the sea’s embrace these offerings to this woman’s husband, who was once alive; and then hurry back home with my wife, so that after sharing with me her marriage-feast, you may
set out for home or remain here in happiness. Exit Theoklymenos.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
ἀλλʼ εἶα· τοὺς μὲν Πελοπιδῶν ἐῶ νόμους·
καθαρὰ γὰρ ἡμῖν δώματʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἐνθάδε
ψυχὴν ἀφῆκε Μενέλεως· ἴτω δέ τις
φράσων ὑπάρχοις τοῖς ἐμοῖς φέρειν γάμων
ἀγάλματʼ οἴκους εἰς ἐμούς· πᾶσαν δὲ χρὴ
γαῖαν βοᾶσθαι μακαρίαις ὑμνῳδίαις
ὑμέναιον Ἑλένης κἀμόν, ὡς ζηλωτὸς ᾖ.
σὺ δʼ, ὦ ξένʼ, ἐλθών, πελαγίους ἐς ἀγκάλας
τῷ τῆσδε πρίν ποτʼ ὄντι δοὺς πόσει τάδε,
πάλιν πρὸς οἴκους σπεῦδʼ ἐμὴν δάμαρτʼ ἔχων,
ὡς τοὺς γάμους τοὺς τῆσδε συνδαίσας ἐμοὶ
στέλλῃ πρὸς οἴκους ἢ μένων εὐδαιμονῇς.

[¶111] Menelaos:
O Zeus, called father and god of wisdom, look on us and alter our woes! As we drag our fortunes to the rocky hill, make haste to join with us; if you touch us with your finger-tip only,
we shall reach our longed-for goal. There has been enough distress in what we have suffered before. I have invoked you, gods, with many names, good and painful; I am not bound to be unfortunate forever, but to advance in a straight course. If you grant me one favor,
you will make me fortunate hereafter. Exeunt Menelaos and Helen.

> Greek: Μενελέως:
ὦ Ζεῦ, πατήρ τε καὶ σοφὸς κλῄζῃ θεός,
βλέψον πρὸς ἡμᾶς καὶ μετάστησον κακῶν.
ἕλκουσι δʼ ἡμῖν πρὸς λέπας τὰς συμφορὰς
σπουδῇ σύναψαι· κἂν ἄκρᾳ θίγῃς χερί,
ἥξομεν ἵνʼ ἐλθεῖν βουλόμεσθα τῆς τύχης.
ἅλις δὲ μόχθων οὓς ἐμοχθοῦμεν πάρος.
κέκλησθέ μοι, θεοί, πολλά χρήσθʼ ἐμοῦ κλύειν
καὶ λύπρʼ· ὀφείλω δʼ οὐκ ἀεὶ πράσσειν κακῶς,
ὀρθῷ δὲ βῆναι ποδί· μίαν δέ μοι χάριν
δόντες τὸ λοιπὸν εὐτυχῆ με θήσετε.

[¶112] Chorus:
O swift Phoenician ship of Sidon, dear to the surging waves, mother of the oar, leader of the lovely dancing
of dolphins, when the sea is clear of breezes and Ocean’s gray-green daughter, spirit of calm, says these words: “Spread your sails”
“to the sea-breezes, as you go on your way, grasp your oars of pine, oh! sailors, sailors, speeding Helen on her way to the shore with good harbor, where once Perseus lived.”.

> Greek: Χορός:
Φοίνισσα Σιδωνιὰς ὦ
ταχεῖα κώπα, ῥοθίοισι μάτηρ
εἰρεσίας φίλα,
χοραγὲ τῶν καλλιχόρων
δελφίνων, ὅταν αὔραις
πέλαγος ἀνήνεμον ᾖ,
γλαυκὰ δὲ Πόντου θυγάτηρ
Γαλάνεια τάδʼ εἴπῃ·
κατὰ μὲν ἱστία πετάσατʼ αὔ-
ραις λιπόντες εἰναλίαις,
λάβετε δʼ εἰλατίνας πλάτας,
ὦ ναῦται, ναῦται,
πέμποντες εὐλιμένους
Περσείων οἴκων Ἑλέναν ἐπʼ ἀκτάς.

[¶113] Chorus:
Perhaps you may find the daughters of Leukippos beside the swell of the river or before the temple of Pallas, when at last you join in the dances or the revels of Hyakinthos
in night-long joy—Hyakinthos, whom Phoebus killed with the round discus, contesting for the farthest throw—a day of the sacrifice of oxen in the Lakonian land;
the son of Zeus declared that his race would be honored; and you may find the girl whom you left at home, Hermione, for as yet no torch has lit the way to her marriage.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἦ που κόρας ἂν ποταμοῦ
παρʼ οἶδμα Λευκιππίδας ἢ πρὸ ναοῦ
Παλλάδος ἂν λάβοις
χρόνῳ ξυνελθοῦσα χοροῖς
ἢ κώμοις Ὑακίνθου
νύχιον ἐς εὐφροσύναν,
ὃν ἐξαμιλλησάμενος
τροχῷ τέρμονα δίσκου
ἔκανε Φοῖβος, τᾷ Λακαί-
νᾳ γᾷ βούθυτον ἁμέραν·
ὁ Διὸς δʼ εἶπε σέβειν γόνος·
μόσχον θʼ, ἃν οἴκοις
⟨ἔλειπες, Ἑρμιόναν,⟩
ἇς οὔπω πεῦκαι πρὸ γάμων ἔλαμψαν.

[¶114] Chorus:
Oh, that we had wings to cleave the air, where the birds of Libya go in their ranks,
leaving the winter rain, obedient to the piping of their veteran leader, who raises his exultant cry
as he wings his way over unmoistened and crop-bearing plains of the earth. O you winged long-necked comrades of the racing clouds, go on beneath the Pleiades in their central station
and Orion of the night; deliver the message, as you settle on Eurotas’ banks, that Menelaos has sacked the city of Dardanos, and will come home.

> Greek: Χορός:
διʼ ἀέρος εἴθε ποτανοὶ
γενοίμεσθʼ ᾇ Λιβύας
οἰωνοὶ στοχάδες
ὄμβρον λιποῦσαι χειμέριον
νίσονται πρεσβυτάτᾳ
σύριγγι πειθόμεναι
ποιμένος, ὃς ἄβροχα πεδία καρποφόρα τε γᾶς
ἐπιπετόμενος ἰαχεῖ.
ὦ πταναὶ δολιχαύχενες,
σύννομοι νεφέων δρόμου,
βᾶτε Πλειάδας ὑπὸ μέσας
ὠρίωνά τʼ ἐννύχιον·
καρύξατʼ ἀγγελίαν,
Εὐρώταν ἐφεζόμεναι,
Μενέλεως ὅτι Δαρδάνου
πόλιν ἑλὼν δόμον ἥξει.

[¶115] Chorus:
May you come at last, speeding over your horses’ path through the sky, sons of Tyndareus, under the whirling of the radiant stars; you who dwell in heaven, Helen’s rescuers,
go over the gray-green swell and the dark gray surge of sea-waves, sending the sailors
favoring breezes from Zeus; and cast away from your sister her ill-fame from marriage with a barbarian, the punishment she received from the contest on Ida;
but she never went to the land of Ilion, to the towers of Phoebus.

> Greek: Χορός:
μόλοιτέ ποθʼ ἵππιον οἶμον
διʼ αἰθέρος ἱέμενοι
παῖδες Τυνδαρίδαι,
λαμπρῶν ἄστρων ὑπʼ ἀέλλαισιν·
οἳ ναίετʼ οὐράνιοι,
σωτῆρες τᾶς Ἑλένας,
γλαυκὸν ἔπιτʼ οἶδμα κυανόχροά τε κυμάτων
ῥόθια πολιὰ θαλάσσας,
ναύταις εὐαεῖς ἀνέμων
πέμποντες Διόθεν πνοάς·
δύσκλειαν δʼ ἀπὸ συγγόνου
βάλετε βαρβάρων λεχέων,
ἃν Ἰδαίων ἐρίδων
ποιναθεῖσʼ ἐκτήσατο, γᾶν
οὐκ ἐλθοῦσά ⟨ποτʼ⟩ Ἰλίου
Φοιβείους ἐπὶ πύργους.

[¶116] Second Messenger:
(entering hurriedly.) O king, [at last have I found thee in the palace; for new]... troubles are you soon to hear from me.
Theoklymenos:
What is it?

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ἄναξ, τὰ κάκιστʼ ἐν δόμοις εὑρήκαμεν·
ὡς καίνʼ ἀκούσῃ πήματʼ ἐξ ἐμοῦ τάχα.
Θεοκλύμενος:
τί δʼ ἔστιν;

[¶117] Messenger:
Go to work on the courtship of another
woman; for Helen has left the country.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ἄλλης ἐκπόνει μνηστεύματα
γυναικός· Ἑλένη γὰρ βέβηκʼ ἔξω χθονός.

[¶118] Theoklymenos:
Carried up on wings, or treading on the earth?

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
πτεροῖσιν ἀρθεῖσʼ ἢ πεδοστιβεῖ ποδί;

[¶119] Messenger:
Menelaos has taken her off as plunder, out of the land; he was the one that came with the news of his own death.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
Μενέλαος αὐτὴν ἐκπεπόρθμευται χθονός,
ὃς αὐτὸς αὑτὸν ἦλθεν ἀγγέλλων θανεῖν.

[¶120] Theoklymenos:
O dreadful story! What ship carried her
off from this land? Your story is unbelievable.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
ὦ δεινὰ λέξας· τίς δέ νιν ναυκληρία
ἐκ τῆσδʼ ἀπῆρε χθονός; ἄπιστα γὰρ λέγεις.

[¶121] Messenger:
The very one that you gave to the stranger; and he has gone with your sailors, so that you may know everything in brief.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ἥν γε ξένῳ δίδως σύ· τούς τε σοὺς ἔχων
ναύτας βέβηκεν, ὡς ἂν ἐν βραχεῖ μάθῃς.

[¶122] Theoklymenos:
How? I am eager to know; for I never expected that a single hand could excel over
so many sailors, with whom you were sent.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
πῶς; εἰδέναι πρόθυμος· οὐ γὰρ ἐλπίδων
ἔσω βέβηκα μίαν ὑπερδραμεῖν χέρα
τοσούσδε ναύτας, ὧν ἀπεστάλης μέτα.

[¶123] Messenger:
When the daughter of Zeus had left this royal house and started for the sea, delicately picking her way, she most cleverly began to mourn her husband, though he was close at hand and not dead.
When we reached the enclosure of your dockyards, we began to launch the Sidonian ship on her first voyage, with her fifty benches and full measure of rowers. Task gave way to task: one set up the mast, another set up the oars... and the rudders were lowered by their cross-bars. And during this labor, men of Hellas who had been fellow-voyagers with Menelaos were watching us, it seems, and they drew near to the beach, clad in the rags of shipwrecked men,
handsome, but rough to look upon. And the son of Atreus, when he saw them approach, spoke to them, craftily introducing the reason for his mourning: “Unhappy sailors, how have you arrived? From the wreckage of what Achaean ship?”
“Are you here to help bury the dead son of Atreus, whose missing body this lady, daughter of Tyndareus, is honoring with an empty grave?” They wept in a feigned manner, and went to the ship, carrying aboard the offerings to be thrown into the sea for Menelaos. We were suspicious at this,
and said to each other that there would be a crowd of those additional passengers; but still we remained silent, out of respect for your orders; for by bidding the stranger command the vessel, you threw everything into confusion.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ἐπεὶ λιποῦσα τούσδε βασιλείους δόμους
ἡ τοῦ Διὸς παῖς πρὸς θάλασσαν ἐστάλη
σοφώταθʼ ἁβρὸν πόδα τιθεῖσʼ ἀνέστενε
πόσιν πέλας παρόντα κοὐ τεθνηκότα.
ὡς δʼ ἤλθομεν σῶν περίβολον νεωρίων,
Σιδωνίαν ναῦν πρωτόπλουν καθείλκομεν
ζυγῶν τε πεντήκοντα κἀρετμῶν μέτρα
ἔχουσαν. ἔργου δʼ ἔργον ἐξημείβετο·
ὃ μὲν γὰρ ἱστόν, ὃ δὲ πλάτην καθίσατο
ταρσόν τε χειρί, λευκά θʼ ἱστίʼ εἰς ἓν ἦν
πηδάλιά τε ζεύγλαισι παρακαθίετο.
κἀν τῷδε μόχθῳ, τοῦτʼ ἄρα σκοπούμενοι,
Ἕλληνες ἄνδρες Μενέλεῳ ξυνέμποροι
προσῆλθον ἀκταῖς ναυφθόροις ἠσθημένοι
πέπλοισιν, εὐειδεῖς μέν, αὐχμηροὶ δʼ ὁρᾶν.
ἰδὼν δέ νιν παρόντας Ἀτρέως γόνος
προσεῖπε δόλιον οἶκτον ἐς μέσον φέρων·
ὦ τλήμονες, πῶς ἐκ τίνος νεώς ποτε
Ἀχαιίδος θραύσαντες ἥκετε σκάφος;
ἆρʼ Ἀτρέως παῖδʼ ὀλόμενον συνθάπτετε,
ὃν Τυνδαρὶς παῖς ἥδʼ ἀπόντα κενοταφεῖ;
οἳ δʼ ἐκβαλόντες δάκρυα ποιητῷ τρόπῳ,
ἐς ναῦν ἐχώρουν Μενέλεῳ ποντίσματα
φέροντες. ἡμῖν δʼ ἦν μὲν ἥδʼ ὑποψία
λόγος τʼ ἐν ἀλλήλοισι, τῶν ἐπεσβατῶν
ὡς πλῆθος εἴη· διεσιωπῶμεν δʼ ὅμως
τοὺς σοὺς λόγους σῴζοντες· ἄρχειν γὰρ νεὼς
ξένον κελεύσας πάντα συνέχεας τάδε.

[¶124] Well, we easily put the other victims on the ship, for they were light;
but the bull did not want to go forward along the plank, but kept bellowing loudly, rolling his eyes around; and, arching his back and peering along his horns, he prevented us from touching him. But Helen’s husband
called out: “O you who sacked the town of Ilion, come pick up this bull on young shoulders, as is the way in Hellas, and cast him into the prow... the sacrifice to the dead man.”
Then they came at his summons, and caught up the bull and carried him on to the deck. And Menelaos stroked the horse on neck and brow, coaxing it to go aboard.
Finally, when the ship was fully loaded,
Helen climbed up the ladder with elegant step, and took her seat in the middle of the rowers’ benches, and he was near by, Menelaos who was called dead. The rest, equally divided on the right and left sides of the ship, sat down, each beside his man, with swords concealed beneath their cloaks,
and the waves were filled with shouting as we heard the voice of the boatswain.

> Greek: καὶ τἄλλα μὲν δὴ ῥᾳδίως ἔσω νεὼς
ἐθέμεθα κουφίζοντα· ταύρειος δὲ ποὺς
οὐκ ἤθελʼ ὀρθὸς σανίδα προσβῆναι κάτα,
ἀλλʼ ἐξεβρυχᾶτʼ ὄμμʼ ἀναστρέφων κύκλῳ
κυρτῶν τε νῶτα κἀς κέρας παρεμβλέπων
μὴ θιγγάνειν ἀπεῖργεν. ὁ δʼ Ἑλένης πόσις
ἐκάλεσεν· ὦ πέρσαντες Ἰλίου πόλιν,
οὐκ εἶʼ ἀναρπάσαντες Ἑλλήνων νόμῳ
νεανίαις ὤμοισι ταύρειον δέμας
ἐς πρῷραν ἐμβαλεῖτε, φάσγανόν θʼ ἅμα
πρόχειρον ὤσει σφάγια τῷ τεθνηκότι;
οἳ δʼ ἐς κέλευσμʼ ἐλθόντες ἐξανήρπασαν
ταῦρον φέροντές τʼ εἰσέθεντο σέλματα.
μονάμπυκον δὲ Μενέλεως ψήχων δέρην
μέτωπά τʼ ἐξέπεισεν ἐσβῆναι δόρυ.
τέλος δʼ, ἐπειδὴ ναῦς τὰ πάντʼ ἐδέξατο,
πλήσασα κλιμακτῆρας εὐσφύρῳ ποδί
Ἑλένη καθέζετʼ ἐν μέσοις ἑδωλίοις,
ὅ τʼ οὐκέτʼ ὢν λόγοισι Μενέλεως πέλας·
ἄλλοι δὲ τοίχους δεξιοὺς λαιούς τʼ ἴσοι
ἀνὴρ παρʼ ἄνδρʼ ἕζονθʼ, ὑφʼ εἵμασι ξίφη
λαθραῖʼ ἔχοντες, ῥόθιά τʼ ἐξεπίμπλατο
βοῆς κελευστοῦ φθέγμαθʼ ὡς ἠκούσαμεν.

[¶125] Now when we had put out from land, neither very far nor very near, the helmsman asked, “Shall we sail yet further, stranger, or is this far enough?”
“For the command of this ship is yours.” And he answered, “Far enough for me.” Holding a sword in his right hand, he stepped into the prow; and, standing over the bull to slay it, with no mention of any dead man, he cut its throat and prayed: “O Poseidon of the sea,”
“who lives in the deep, and you holy daughters of Nereus, bring me and my wife safe and sound from here to Nauplia’s shore!” Streams of blood, a good omen for the stranger, darted into the waves. And someone said, “There is treachery in this voyage;”
“let us sail back again! You, give an order for the right oar, you, turn your rudder.” But the son of Atreus, standing where he slew the bull, cried out to his comrades, “Why do you, the pick of Hellas, delay to slaughter and kill the barbarians”
“and hurl them from the ship into the waves?” And the boatswain cried the opposite command to your rowers: “Some of you catch up planks at the end, break up the benches, or snatch the oars from the locks, and make the heads of these foreign enemies bloody!”.
They all leapt upright, some with oars in their hands, others with swords; and the ship ran with blood. Helen cheered them on from the stern: “Where is the fame you won in Troy? Show it against the barbarians!” In their eagerness, some would
fall, some stood upright, you would have seen others lying dead. But Menelaos, in full armor, wherever he spied that his comrades were suffering, would go there, sword in hand; and so we dived
from the ship, and he cleared the benches of your rowers. Then going to the helmsman he told him to sail a straight course to Hellas. So they set up the mast, and favoring breezes blew.
They are gone from here. But I escaped death and let myself down by the anchor into the sea;
and just as I was worn out, some fisherman took me up, and put me out on land, to bring you this report. Nothing is more useful to mankind than a prudent distrust.
Chorus Leader:
I never would have believed that Menelaos could have eluded both us
and you, O king, the way he did on his arrival.

> Greek: ἐπεὶ δὲ γαίας ἦμεν οὔτʼ ἄγαν πρόσω
οὔτʼ ἐγγύς, οὕτως ἤρετʼ οἰάκων φύλαξ·
ἔτʼ, ὦ ξένʼ, ἐς τὸ πρόσθεν — ἢ καλῶς ἔχει —
πλεύσωμεν; ἀρχαὶ γὰρ νεὼς μέλουσι σοί.
ὃ δʼ εἶφʼ· ἅλις μοι. δεξιᾷ δʼ ἑλὼν ξίφος
ἐς πρῷραν εἷρπε κἀπὶ ταυρείῳ σφαγῇ
σταθεὶς νεκρῶν μὲν οὐδενὸς μνήμην ἔχων,
τέμνων δὲ λαιμὸν ηὔχετʼ· ὦ ναίων ἅλα
πόντιε Πόσειδον Νηρέως θʼ ἁγναὶ κόραι,
σώσατέ μʼ ἐπʼ ἀκτὰς Ναυπλίας δάμαρτά τε
ἄσυλον ἐκ γῆς. αἵματος δʼ ἀπορροαὶ
ἐς οἶδμʼ ἐσηκόντιζον οὔριοι ξένῳ.
καί τις τόδʼ εἶπε· δόλιος ἡ ναυκληρία.
πάλιν πλέωμεν· δεξιὰν κέλευε σύ,
σὺ δὲ στρέφʼ οἴακʼ. ἐκ δὲ ταυρείου φόνου
Ἀτρέως σταθεὶς παῖς ἀνεβόησε συμμάχους·
τί μέλλετʼ, ὦ γῆς Ἑλλάδος λωτίσματα,
σφάζειν φονεύειν βαρβάρους νεώς τʼ ἄπο
ῥίπτειν ἐς οἶδμα; ναυβάταις δὲ τοῖσι σοῖς
βοᾷ κελευστὴς τὴν ἐναντίαν ὄπα·
οὐκ εἶʼ ὃ μέν τις λοῖσθον ἀρεῖται δόρυ,
ὃ δὲ ζύγʼ ἄξας, ὃ δʼ ἀφελὼν σκαλμοῦ πλάτην
καθαιματώσει κρᾶτα πολεμίων ξένων;
ὀρθοὶ δʼ ἀνῇξαν πάντες, οἳ μὲν ἐν χεροῖν
κορμοὺς ἔχοντες ναυτικούς, οἳ δὲ ξίφη·
φόνῳ δὲ ναῦς ἐρρεῖτο. παρακέλευσμα δʼ ἦν
πρύμνηθεν Ἑλένης· ποῦ τὸ Τρωικὸν κλέος;
δείξατε πρὸς ἄνδρας βαρβάρους· σπουδῆς δʼ ὕπο
ἔπιπτον, οἳ δʼ ὠρθοῦντο, τοὺς δὲ κειμένους
νεκροὺς ἂν εἶδες. Μενέλεως δʼ ἔχων ὅπλα,
ὅποι νοσοῖεν ξύμμαχοι κατασκοπῶν,
ταύτῃ προσῆγε χειρὶ δεξιᾷ ξίφος,
ὥστʼ ἐκκολυμβᾶν ναός, ἠρήμωσε δὲ
σῶν ναυβατῶν ἐρετμά. ἐπʼ οἰάκων δὲ βὰς
ἄνακτʼ ἐς Ἑλλάδʼ εἶπεν εὐθύνειν δόρυ.
οἳ δʼ ἱστὸν ᾖρον, οὔριαι δʼ ἧκον πνοαί.
βεβᾶσι δʼ ἐκ γῆς. διαφυγὼν δʼ ἐγὼ φόνον
καθῆκʼ ἐμαυτὸν εἰς ἅλʼ ἄγκυραν πάρα·
ἤδη δὲ κάμνονθʼ ὁρμιατόνων μέ τις
ἀνείλετʼ, ἐς δὲ γαῖαν ἐξέβησέ σοι
τάδʼ ἀγγελοῦντα. σώφρονος δʼ ἀπιστίας
οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδὲν χρησιμώτερον βροτοῖς.
Χορός:
οὐκ ἄν ποτʼ ηὔχουν οὔτε σʼ οὔθʼ ἡμᾶς λαθεῖν
Μενέλαον, ὦναξ, ὡς ἐλάνθανεν παρών.

[¶126] Theoklymenos:
Caught by a woman’s tricks, unhappy that I am! My bride has escaped me. If the ship could have been pursued and overtaken, I would have made an effort to catch the strangers at once; but now I will avenge myself upon my treacherous sister,
for she saw Menelaos in my house and did not tell me. Therefore she will never deceive another man by her oracles.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
ὦ γυναικείαις τέχναισιν αἱρεθεὶς ἐγὼ τάλας·
ἐκπεφεύγασιν γάμοι με. κεἰ μὲν ἦν ἁλώσιμος
ναῦς διώγμασιν, πονήσας εἷλον ἂν τάχα ξένους·
νῦν δὲ τὴν προδοῦσαν ἡμᾶς τεισόμεσθα σύγγονον,
ἥτις ἐν δόμοις ὁρῶσα Μενέλεων οὐκ εἶπέ μοι.
τοιγὰρ οὔποτʼ ἄλλον ἄνδρα ψεύσεται μαντεύμασιν.

[¶127] Servant:
You, there! Where are you rushing off to, my lord? to what bloody deed?

> Greek: Θεράπων:
οὗτος ὤ, ποῖ σὸν πόδʼ αἴρεις, δέσποτʼ, ἐς ποῖον φόνον;

[¶128] Theoklymenos:
Where justice calls me. Get out of my way!

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
οἷπερ ἡ δίκη κελεύει με· ἀλλʼ ἀφίστασʼ ἐκποδών.

[¶129] Servant:
I will not let go of your robe, for you are striving after great wickedness.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
οὐκ ἀφήσομαι πέπλων σῶν· μεγάλα ⟨γὰρ⟩ σπεύδεις κακά.

[¶130] Theoklymenos:
Will you rule over your master, although you are a slave?

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
ἀλλὰ δεσποτῶν κρατήσεις δοῦλος ὤν;

[¶131] Servant:
Yes, for I am in my right mind.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
φρονῶ γὰρ εὖ.

[¶132] Theoklymenos:
Not in my opinion, if you will not let me—

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
οὐκ ἔμοιγʼ, εἰ μή μʼ ἐάσεις —

[¶133] Servant:
No, I will not let you!

> Greek: Θεράπων:
οὐ μὲν οὖν σʼ ἐάσομεν.

[¶134] Theoklymenos:
Let me kill my most wicked sister—

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
σύγγονον κτανεῖν κακίστην —

[¶135] Servant:
No, she is most pious.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
εὐσεβεστάτην μὲν οὖν.

[¶136] Theoklymenos:
Who betrayed me—

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
ἥ με προύδωκεν —

[¶137] Servant:
It was a noble betrayal, correctly done.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
καλήν γε προδοσίαν, δίκαια δρᾶν.

[¶138] Theoklymenos:
When she gave my bride to another.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
τἀμὰ λέκτρʼ ἄλλῳ διδοῦσα.

[¶139] Servant:
To the one who had a better right.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
τοῖς γε κυριωτέροις.

[¶140] Theoklymenos:
Who has rights over my property?

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
κύριος δὲ τῶν ἐμῶν τίς;

[¶141] Servant:
The one who received her from her father.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
ὃς ἔλαβεν πατρὸς πάρα.

[¶142] Theoklymenos:
But fortune gave her to me.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
ἀλλʼ ἔδωκεν ἡ τύχη μοι.

[¶143] Servant:
And necessity took her away.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
τὸ δὲ χρεὼν ἀφείλετο.

[¶144] Theoklymenos:
It is not for you to judge my affairs.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
οὐ σὲ τἀμὰ χρὴ δικάζειν.

[¶145] Servant:
Yes, if my counsel is better.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
ἤν γε βελτίω λέγω.

[¶146] Theoklymenos:
So I am your subject, not your ruler.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
ἀρχόμεσθʼ ἄρʼ, οὐ κρατοῦμεν.

[¶147] Servant:
Subject to do right, not wrong.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
ὅσια δρᾶν, τὰ δʼ ἔκδικʼ οὔ.

[¶148] Theoklymenos:
It seems you desire to be killed.

> Greek: Θεοκλύμενος:
κατθανεῖν ἐρᾶν ἔοικας.

[¶149] Servant:
Kill me;
you will not kill your sister with my consent, but me instead; to die for their masters is the most glorious act for noble slaves.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
κτεῖνε· σύγγονον δὲ σὴν
οὐ κτενεῖς ἡμῶν ἑκόντων, ἀλλʼ ἔμε· ⟨ὡς⟩ πρὸ δεσποτῶν
τοῖσι γενναίοισι δούλοις εὐκλεέστατον θανεῖν.

[¶150] Dioskouroi:
Restrain the anger that is wrongly carrying you away, Theoklymenos, king of this land. We, the twin sons of Zeus, are calling you; Leda once gave birth to us,
with Helen, who has fled from your home. For you are angry about a marriage that is not destined for you; and your sister Theonoe, daughter of a Nereid goddess, does not wrong you when she honors the word of the gods and her father’s just commands.
For it was ordained that Helen should live in your house up to the present time; but no longer, since Troy is wholly destroyed and she has provided her name to the gods; she must be united in her own marriage,
and come home and live with her husband. But hold your black sword away from your sister, and believe that she is acting with discretion in this matter. Long ago, before this, we would have saved our sister, seeing that Zeus has made us gods;
but we are weaker than fate and also than the gods, who decreed these things to happen in this way.
This is my bidding to you, while I say to my sister: “Sail on with your husband; and you shall have a favorable breeze; for we, your two savior brothers,”
“riding over the sea, will send you to your fatherland. And when you make the last turn of the race-course and end your life, you will be named as a goddess, and share libations with the Dioskouroi, and receive gifts from men with us; for such is the will of Zeus.”
“And the place where the son of Maia first set the boundary to your course through the air, when he took you away from Sparta, stealing your body so that Paris would not marry you—I mean the island stretched like a sentinel along the coast of Attica—shall be called by your name among men for the future, since it welcomed you”
“when you were stolen from your home. And it is destined by the gods that the wanderer Menelaos will dwell in the islands of the blessed; for deities do not hate the well-born, but the sufferings of the multitude are greater.”
Theoklymenos:
You sons of Leda and Zeus, I will let go my former quarrel over your sister; and mine I shall no longer try to kill. Let Helen go home, if the gods think it right. Know that you are born from the same blood as a sister
who is the best and also most self-controlled; may you fare well, for the sake of Helen’s most noble mind, a quality not to be found in many women.

> Greek: Διόσκοροι:
ἐπίσχες ὀργὰς αἷσιν οὐκ ὀρθῶς φέρῃ,
Θεοκλύμενε, γαίας τῆσδʼ ἄναξ· δισσοὶ δέ σε
Διόσκοροι καλοῦμεν, οὓς Λήδα ποτὲ
ἔτικτεν Ἑλένην θʼ, ἣ πέφευγε σοὺς δόμους·
οὐ γὰρ πεπρωμένοισιν ὀργίζῃ γάμοις,
οὐδʼ ἡ θεᾶς Νηρῇδος ἔκγονος κόρη
ἀδικεῖ σʼ ἀδελφὴ Θεονόη, τὰ τῶν θεῶν
τιμῶσα πατρός τʼ ἐνδίκους ἐπιστολάς.
ἐς μὲν γὰρ αἰεὶ τὸν παρόντα νῦν χρόνον
κείνην κατοικεῖν σοῖσιν ἐν δόμοις ἐχρῆν·
ἐπεὶ δὲ Τροίας ἐξανεστάθη βάθρα,
καὶ τοῖς θεοῖς παρέσχε τοὔνομʼ, οὐκέτι·
ἐν τοῖσι δʼ αὑτῆς δεῖ νιν ἐζεῦχθαι γάμοις
ἐλθεῖν τʼ ἐς οἴκους καὶ συνοικῆσαι πόσει.
ἀλλʼ ἴσχε μὲν σῆς συγγόνου μέλαν ξίφος,
νόμιζε δʼ αὐτὴν σωφρόνως πράσσειν τάδε.
πάλαι δʼ ἀδελφὴν κἂν πρὶν ἐξεσώσαμεν,
ἐπείπερ ἡμᾶς Ζεὺς ἐποίησεν θεούς·
ἀλλʼ ἥσσονʼ ἦμεν τοῦ πεπρωμένου θʼ ἅμα
καὶ τῶν θεῶν, οἷς ταῦτʼ ἔδοξεν ὧδʼ ἔχειν.
σοὶ μὲν τάδʼ αὐδῶ, συγγόνῳ δʼ ἐμῇ λέγω·
πλεῖ ξὺν πόσει σῷ· πνεῦμα δʼ ἕξετʼ οὔριον·
σωτῆρε δʼ ἡμεῖς σὼ κασιγνήτω διπλῶ
πόντον παριππεύοντε πέμψομεν πάτραν.
ὅταν δὲ κάμψῃς καὶ τελευτήσῃς βίον,
θεὸς κεκλήσῃ καὶ Διοσκόρων μέτα
σπονδῶν μεθέξεις ξένιά τʼ ἀνθρώπων πάρα
ἕξεις μεθʼ ἡμῶν· Ζεὺς γὰρ ὧδε βούλεται.
οὗ δʼ ὥρισέν σοι πρῶτα Μαιάδος τόκος,
Σπάρτης ἀπάρας, τὸν κατʼ οὐρανὸν δρόμον,
κλέψας δέμας σὸν μὴ Πάρις γήμειέ σε,
— φρουρὸν παρʼ Ἀκτὴν τεταμένην νῆσον λέγω —
Ἑλένη τὸ λοιπὸν ἐν βροτοῖς κεκλήσεται,
ἐπεὶ κλοπαίαν σʼ ἐκ δόμων ἐδέξατο.
καὶ τῷ πλανήτῃ Μενέλεῳ θεῶν πάρα
μακάρων κατοικεῖν νῆσόν ἐστι μόρσιμον·
τοὺς εὐγενεῖς γὰρ οὐ στυγοῦσι δαίμονες,
τῶν δʼ ἀναριθμήτων μᾶλλόν εἰσιν οἱ πόνοι.
Θεοκλύμενος:
ὦ παῖδε Λήδας καὶ Διός, τὰ μὲν πάρος
νείκη μεθήσω σφῶν κασιγνήτης πέρι·
ἐγὼ δʼ ἀδελφὴν οὐκέτʼ ἂν κτάνοιμʼ ἐμήν.
κείνη δʼ ἴτω πρὸς οἶκον, εἰ θεοῖς δοκεῖ.
ἴστον δʼ ἀρίστης σωφρονεστάτης θʼ ἅμα
γεγῶτʼ ἀδελφῆς ὁμογενοῦς ἀφʼ αἵματος.
καὶ χαίρεθʼ Ἑλένης οὕνεκʼ εὐγενεστάτης
γνώμης, ὃ πολλαῖς ἐν γυναιξὶν οὐκ ἔνι.

[¶151] Chorus:
Many are the forms of divinities, and many things the gods bring to pass unhoped for.
And what was expected has not been fulfilled; for what was not expected, a god finds a way. Such was the result of this action.

> Greek: Χορός:
πολλαὶ μορφαὶ τῶν δαιμονίων,
πολλὰ δʼ ἀέλπτως κραίνουσι θεοί·
καὶ τὰ δοκηθέντʼ οὐκ ἐτελέσθη,
τῶν δʼ ἀδοκήτων πόρον ηὗρε θεός.
τοιόνδʼ ἀπέβη τόδε πρᾶγμα.