Page:Tragedies of Euripides (Way 1896) v2.djvu/360
Theonoë the seer: the palace clangs
With bolts shot back:—flee!—yet to what end flee? 860
Present or absent still she knows of thee,
How thou art come. O wretched I, undone!
Thou, saved from Troy and from the alien land,
Hast come to fall again by alien swords!
Enter Theonoë attired as a priestess, with train of handmaids in solemn procession.
Theonoe (to a torch-hearer).
Thou, bearing splendour of torches, pass before; 865
In solemn ritual incense all the air,
That pure heaven's breath may be, ere we receive it.
And thou, if any have marred our path with tread
Of foot unclean, sweep o'er it cleansing flame,
And shake the torch before, that I may pass. 870
And, when ye have paid the Gods my wonted service,
Bear back again the hearth-flame to the halls.
Attendants pass on.
Helen, how fall my words prophetic now?
Thy lord is come, Menelaus, here in sight,
Spoiled of his ships, and of thy counterfeit. 875
Hapless, escaped what perils art thou come,
Unsure of home-return or tarrying here!
For strife in heaven and high debate shall be
On this day in Zeus' presence touching thee.
Hera, who was thy foe in days gone by, 880
Is gracious now, would bring thee with thy wife
Safe home, that Hellas so may learn the cheat
Of Alexander's bridal, Kypris' gift.
But Kypris fain would wreck thine home-return,
That her shame be not blazoned, hers who bought 885