Page:Tragedies of Euripides (Way 1896) v2.djvu/399

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HELEN.
343

Chorus.

For righteousness, and not for wrong.


Theoklymenus.

Fain thou art to die, methinks!


Chorus.

        Ah slay me: but thy sister ne'er
1640Shalt thou kill, with my consent!—Slay me! For noble slaves that dare
Death, to shield their lords, the doom of death is glorious past compare.

The Twin-brethren appear in air above the stage.


Pollux.

Refrain thy wrath whereby thou art folly-driven,
King of this land, Theoklymenus. Thee we name,
We the Twin-brethren, with whom Leda bare
Helen of yore, who now hath fled thine halls. 1645
Thou art wroth for spousals destined not for thee:
Nor doth the Nereid's daughter do thee wrong,
Theonoë thy sister, reverencing
The Gods' will and her father's just behests.
For this was fate, that to this present still 1650
Within thy mansions Helen should abide:
But, now that Troy's foundations are destroyed,
[And to the Gods she hath lent her name, no more][1]
In that same marriage-bond must she be linked:

  1. ↑ This line is generally rejected. If it be retained, the next line must refer to the expected marriage on which Theoklymenus had so confidently built.
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