Complete Works of Euripides

by Euripides

DI. Oh unhappy one! she is, to thee the most dear of deities.

  HIPP. Mistress, thou seest wretched me, in what state I am.

  DI. I see; but it is not lawful for me to shed a tear down mine eyes.

  HIPP. Thy hunter, and thy servant is no more.

  DI. No in sooth; but beloved by me thou perishest.

  HIPP. And he that managed they steeds, and guarded thy statutes.

  DI. Ay, for the crafty Venus hath so wrought.

  HIPP. Ah me! I perceive indeed the power that hath destroyed me.

  DI. She thought her honor aggrieved, and hated thee for being chaste.

  HIPP. One Venus hath destroyed us three.

  DI. Thy father, and thee, and his wife the third.

  HIPP. I mourn therefore also my father’s misery.

  DI. He was deceived by the devices of the Goddess.

  HIPP. Oh! unhappy thou, because of this calamity, my father!

  THES. I perish, my son, nor have I delight in life.

  HIPP. I lament thee rather than myself on account of thy error.

  THES. My son, would that I could die in thy stead!

  HIPP. Oh! the bitter gifts of thy father Neptune!

  THES. Would that the prayer had never come into my mouth.

  HIPP. Wherefore this wish? thou wouldst have slain me, so enraged wert thou then.

  THES. For I was deceived in my notions by the Gods.

  HIPP. Alas! would that the race of mortals could curse the Gods!

  DI. Let be; for not even when thou art under the darkness of the earth shall the rage arising from the bent of the Goddess Venus descend upon thy body unrevenged: by reason of thy piety and thy excellent mind. For with these inevitable weapons from mine own hand will I revenge me on another, whoever to her be the dearest of mortals. But to thee, O unhappy one, in recompense for these evils, will I give the greatest honors in the land of Trœzene; for the unwedded virgins before their nuptials shall shear their locks to thee for many an age, owning the greatest sorrow tears can give; but ever among the virgins shall there be a remembrance of thee that shall awake the song, nor dying away without a name shall Phædra’s love toward thee pass unrecorded: — But thou, O son of the aged Ægeus, take thy son in thine arms and clasp him to thee; for unwillingly thou didst destroy him, but that men should err, when the Gods dispose events, is but to be expected! — and thee, Hippolytus, I exhort not to remain at enmity with thy father; for thou perceivest the fate, whereby thou wert destroyed. And farewell! for it is not lawful for me to behold the dead, nor to pollute mine eye with the gasps of the dying; but I see that thou art now near this calamity.

  HIPP. Go thou too, and farewell, blessed virgin! But thou easily quittest a long companionship. But I give up all enmity against my father at thy request, for before also I was wont to obey thy words. Ah! ah! darkness now covers me over mine eyes. Take hold on me, my father, and lift up my body.

  THES. Ah me! my son, what dost thou, do to me unhappy?

  HIPP. I perish, and do indeed see the gates of hell.

  THES. What? leaving my mind uncleansed from thy blood?

  HIPP. No in sooth, since I free thee from this murder.

  THES. What sayest thou? dost thou remit me free from the guilt of blood?

  HIPP. I call to witness Dian that slays with the bow.

  THES. O most dear, how noble thou appearest to thy father!

  HIPP. O farewell thou too, take my best farewell, my father!

  THES. Oh me! for thy pious and brave soul!

  HIPP. Pray to have legitimate sons like me.

  THES. Do not, I prithee, leave me, my son, but be strong.

  HIPP. My time of strength is past; for I perish, my father: but cover my face as quickly as possible with robes.

  THES. O famous realms of Athens and of Pallas, of what a man will ye have been bereaved! Oh unhappy I! What abundant reason, Venus, shall I have to remember thy ills!

  CHOR. This common grief to all the citizens hath come unexpectedly. There will be a fast falling of many tears; for the mournful stories of great men rather obtain.

  ANDROMACHE

  Translated by Edward P. Coleridge

  Andromache dramatises Hector’s wife’s time as a slave, years after the events of the Trojan War, and her conflict with her master’s new wife, Hermione. The date of its first performance is unknown, although scholars place it sometime between 428 and 425 BC. A Byzantine scholion to the play suggests that its first production was staged outside of Athens, though modern scholarship regards this claim as dubious.

  Prior to the action of the play, during the Trojan War, Achilles killed Andromache’s husband Hector. The Greeks threw Andromache and Hector’s child Astyanax from the Trojan walls for fear that he would grow up and avenge his father. Andromache was made a slave of Achilles’ son Neoptolemus. Euripides dramatised these events ten years after Andromache in his famous tragedy The Trojan Women.

  Years pass and Andromache has a child with Neoptolemus, who then weds Hermione, daughter of Menelaus and Helen. As Andromache is still devoted to her dead husband, Hector, Hermione is deeply jealous and plots her revenge. Fearing for her life and the life of her child, Andromache hides the infant and seeks refuge in the temple of Thetis, who was the mother of Achilles. Clinging to the altar of the sea-goddess Thetis for sanctuary, Andromache delivers the play’s prologue, in which she mourns her misfortune and her persecution at the hands of Neoptolemos’ new wife Hermione and her father Menelaus, King of Sparta. She reveals that Neoptolemos has left for the oracle at Delphi and that she has hidden the son she bore him for fear that Menelaus will try to kill him as well as her.

  ‘Captive Andromache’ by Frederic Leighton

  CONTENTS

  CHARACTERS IN THE PLAY

  ANDROMACHE

  CHARACTERS IN THE PLAY

  Andromache

  Maid of Andromache

  Chorus of Phthian Women

  Hermione, daughter of Menelaus and wife of Neoptolemus

  Menelaus, King of Sparta

  Molossus, son of Andromache and Neoptolemus

  Peleus, father of Achilles

  Nurse of Hermione

  Orestes, son of Agamemnon

  Messenger

  Thetis, the goddess, wife of Peleus

  Various attendants

  ANDROMACHE

  (SCENE: Before the temple of Thetis in Thessaly. Andromache, dressed as a suppliant, is clinging to the altar in front of the temple. The palace of Achilles is nearby.)

  Andromache O CITY of Thebes, glory of Asia, whence on a day I came to Priam’s princely home with many a rich and costly thing in my dower, affianced unto Hector to be the mother of his children, I Andromache, envied name in days of yore, but now of all women that have been or yet shall be the most unfortunate; for I have lived to see my husband Hector slain by Achilles, and the babe Astyanax, whom I bore my lord, hurled from the towering battlements, when the Hellenes sacked our Trojan home; and I myself am come to Hellas as a slave, though I was esteemed a daughter of a race most free, given to Neoptolemus that island-prince, and set apart for him as his special prize from the spoils of Troy. And here I dwell upon the boundaries of Phthia and Pharsalia’s town, where Thetis erst, the goddess of the sea, abode with Peleus apart from the world, avoiding the throng of men; wherefore the folk of Thessaly call it the sacred place of Thetis, in honour of the goddess’s marriage. Here dwells the son of Achilles and suffers Peleus still to rule Pharsalia, not wishing to assume the sceptre while the old man lives. Within these halls have borne a boy to the son of Achilles, my master. Now aforetime for all my misery I ever had a hope to lead me on, that, if my child were safe, I might find some help and protection from my woes; but since my lord in scorn of his bondmaid’s charms hath wedded that Spartan Hermione, I am tormented by her most cruelly; for she saith that I by secret enchantment am making her barren and distasteful to her husband, and that I design to take her place in this house, ousting her the rightful mistress by force; whereas I at first
submitted against my will and now have resigned my place; be almighty Zeus my witness that it was not of my own free will I became her rival!

  But I cannot convince her, and she longs to kill me, and her father Menelaus is an accomplice in this. E’en now is he within, arrived from Sparta for this very purpose, while I in terror am come to take up position here in the shrine of Thetis adjoining the house, if haply it may save me from death; for Peleus and his descendants hold it in honour as symbol of his marriage with the Nereid. My only son am I secretly conveying to a neighbour’s house in fear for his life. For his sire stands not by my side to lend his aid and cannot avail his child at all, being absent in the land of Delphi, where he is offering recompense to Loxias for the madness he committed, when on a day he went to Pytho and demanded of Phoebus satisfaction for his father’s death, if haply his prayer might avert those past sins and win for him the god’s goodwill hereafter.

  (The Maid of Andromache enters.)

  Maid Mistress mine, be sure I do not hesitate to call thee by that name, seeing that I thought it thy right in thine own house also, when we dwelt in Troy-land; as I was ever thy friend and thy husband’s while yet he was alive, so now have I come with strange tidings, in terror lest any of our masters learn hereof but still out of pity for thee; for Menelaus and his daughter are forming dire plots against thee, whereof thou must beware.

  Andromache Ah! kind companion of my bondage, for such thou art to her, who, erst thy queen, is now sunk in misery; what are they doing? What new schemes are they devising in their eagerness to take away my wretched life?

  Maid Alas! poor lady, they intend to slay thy son, whom thou hast privily conveyed from out the house.

  Andromache Ah me! Has she heard that my babe was put out of her reach? Who told her? Woe is me! how utterly undone!

  Maid I know not, but thus much of their schemes I heard myself; and Menelaus has left the house to fetch him.

  Andromache Then am I lost; ah, my child! those vultures twain will take and slay thee; while he who is called thy father lingers still in Delphi.

  Maid True, for had he been here thou wouldst not have fared so hardly, am sure; but, as it is, thou art friendless.

  Andromache Have no tidings come that Peleus may arrive?

  Maid He is too old to help thee if he came.

  Andromache And yet I sent for him more than once.

  Maid Surely thou dost not suppose that any of thy messengers heed thee?

  Andromache Why should they? Wilt thou then go for me?

  Maid How shall I explain my long absence from the house?

  Andromache Thou art a woman; thou canst invent a hundred ways.

  Maid There is a risk, for Hermione keeps no careless guard.

  Andromache Dost look to that? Thou art disowning thy friends in distress.

  Maid Not so; never taunt me with that. I will go, for of a truth a woman and a slave is not of much account, e’en if aught befall me.

  (The Maid withdraws.)

  Andromache Go then, while I will tell to heaven the lengthy tale of lamentation, mourning, and weeping, that has ever been my hard lot; for ’tis woman’s way to delight in present misfortunes even to keeping them always on her tongue and lips. But I have many reasons, not merely one for tears — my city’s fall, my Hector’s death, the hardness of the lot to which I am bound, since I fell on slavery’s evil days undeservedly. ’Tis never right to call a son of man happy, till thou hast seen his end, to judge from the way he passes it how he will descend to that other world.

  (She begins to chant.)

  ’Twas no bride Paris took with him to the towers of Ilium, but curse to his bed when he brought Helen to her bower. For her sake, Troy, did eager warriors, sailing from Hellas in a thousand ships, capture and make thee a prey to fire and sword; and the son of sea-born Thetis mounted on his chariot dragged my husband Hector round the walls, ah woe is me! while I was hurried from my chamber to the beach, with slavery’s hateful pall upon me. And many tear I shed as I left my city, my bridal bower, and my husband in the dust. Woe, woe is me! why should I prolong my life, to serve Hermione? Her cruelty it is that drives me hither to the image of the goddess to throw my suppliant arms about it, melting to tears as doth a spring that gushes from the rock.

  (The Chorus of Phthian Women enters.)

  Chorus (singing) Lady, thus keeping thy weary station without pause upon the floor of Thetis’ shrine, Phthian though I am, to thee a daughter of Asia I come, to see if I can devise some remedy for these perplexing troubles, which have involved thee and Hermione in fell discord, because to thy sorrow thou sharest with her the love of Achilles’ son.

  Recognize thy position, weigh the present evil into the which thou art come. Thou art a Trojan captive; thy rival is thy mistress, a true-born daughter of Sparta. Leave then this home of sacrifice, the shrine of our sea-goddess. How can it avail thee to waste thy comeliness and disfigure it by weeping by reason of a mistress’s harsh usage? Might will prevail against thee; why vainly toil in thy feebleness?

  Come, quit the bright sanctuary of the Nereid divine. Recognize that thou art in bondage on a foreign soil, in a strange city, where thou seest none of all thy friends, luckless lady, cast on evil days.

  Yea, I did pity thee most truly, Trojan dame, when thou camest to this house; but from fear of my mistress I hold my peace, albeit I sympathize with thee, lest she, whom Zeus’s daughter bore, discover my good will toward thee.

  (Hermione enters, in complete royal regalia.)

  Hermione With a crown of golden workmanship upon my head and about my body this embroidered robe am I come hither; no presents these I wear from the palace of Achilles or Peleus, but gifts my father Menelaus gave me together with a sumptuous dower from Sparta in Laconia, to insure me freedom of speech. Such is my answer to you (to the Chorus); but as for thee, slave and captive, thou wouldst fain oust me and secure this palace for thyself, and thanks to thy enchantment I am hated by my husband; thou it is that hast made my womb barren and cheated my hopes; for Asia’s daughters have clever heads for such villainy; yet will I check thee therefrom, nor shall this temple of the Nereid avail thee aught, no! neither its altar or shrine, but thou shalt die. But if or god or man should haply wish to save thee, thou must atone for thy proud thoughts of happier days now past by humbling thyself and crouching prostrate at my knees, by sweeping out my halls, and by learning, as thou sprinklest water from a golden ewer, where thou now art. Here is no Hector, no Priam with his gold, but a city of Hellas. Yet thou, miserable woman, hast gone so far in wantonness that thou canst lay thee down with the son of the very man that slew thy husband, and bear children to the murderer. Such is all the race of barbarians; father and daughter, mother and son, sister and brother mate together; the nearest and dearest stain their path with each other’s blood, and no law restrains such horrors. Bring not these crimes amongst us, for here we count it shame that one man should have the control of two wives, and men are content to turn to one lawful love, that is, all who care to live an honourable life.

  Leader of the Chorus Women are by nature somewhat jealous, and do ever show the keenest hate to rivals in their love.

  Andromache Ah! well-a-day! Youth is a bane to mortals, in every case, that is, where a man embraces injustice in his early days. Now I am afraid that my being a slave will prevent thee listening to me in spite of many a just plea, or if I win my case, I fear I may be damaged on this very ground, for the high and mighty cannot brook refuting arguments from their inferiors; still I will not be convicted of betraying my own cause. Tell me, proud young wife, what assurance can make me confident of wresting from thee thy lawful lord? Is it that Laconia’s capital yields to Phrygia? is it that my fortune outstrips thine? or that in me thou seest a free woman? Am I so elated by my youth, my full healthy figure, the extent of my city, the number of my friends that I wish to supplant thee in thy home? Is my purpose to take thy place and rear myself a race of slaves, mere appendages to my misery? or, supposing thou bear no ch
ildren, will any one endure that sons of mine should rule o’er Phthia? Ah no! there is the love that Hellas bears me, both for Hector’s sake and for my own humble rank forsooth, that never knew a queen’s estate in Troy. ’Tis not my sorcery that makes thy husband hate thee, nay, but thy own failure to prove thyself his help-meet. Herein lies love’s only charm; ’tis not beauty, lady, but virtuous acts that win our husbands’ hearts. And though it gall thee to be told so, albeit thy city in Laconia is no doubt mighty fact, yet thou findest no place for his Scyros, displaying wealth ‘midst poverty and setting Menelaus above Achilles: and that is what alienates thy lord. Take heed; for a woman, though bestowed upon worthless husband, must be with him content, and ne’er advance presumptuous claims. Suppose thou hadst wedded a prince of Thrace, the land of flood and melting snow, where one lord shares his affections with a host of wives, wouldst thou have slain them? If so, thou wouldst have set a stigma of insatiate lust on all our sex. A shameful charge! And yet herein we suffer more than men, though we make a good stand against it. Ah! my dear lord Hector, for thy sake would I e’en brook a rival, if ever Cypris led thee astray, and oft in days gone by I held thy bastard babes to my own breast, to spare thee any cause for grief. By this course I bound my husband to me by virtue’s chains, whereas thou wilt never so much as let the drops of dew from heaven above settle on thy lord, in thy jealous fear. Oh! seek not to surpass thy mother in hankering after men, for ’tis well that all wise children should avoid the habits of such evil mothers.

  Leader Mistress mine, be persuaded to come to terms with her, as far as readily comes within thy power.

  Hermione Why this haughty tone, this bandying of words, as if, forsooth, thou, not I, wert the virtuous wife?

  Andromache Thy present claims at any rate give thee small title thereto.

  Hermione Woman, may my bosom never harbour such ideas as thine!

  Andromache Thou art young to speak on such a theme as this.