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　children；　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。
  HERMIONE
  As　for　thee；　thou　dost　not　speak　thereof；　but；　as　thou　canst；　dost
  put　it　into　action　against　me。
  ANDROMACHE
  Canst　thou　not　conceal　thy　pangs　of　jealousy？
  HERMIONE
  What！　doth　not　every　woman　put　this　first　of　all？
  ANDROMACHE
  Yes；　if　her　experiences　are　happy；　otherwise；　there　is　no　honour
  in　speaking　of　them。
  HERMIONE
  Barbarians'　laws　are　not　a　standard　for　our　city。
  ANDROMACHE
  Alike　in　Asia　and　in　Hellas　infamy　attends　base　actions。
  HERMIONE
  Clever；　clever　quibbler！　yet　die　thou　must　and　shalt。
  ANDROMACHE
  Dost　see　the　image　of　Thetis　with　her　eye　upon　thee？
  HERMIONE
  A　bitter　foe　to　thy　country　because　of　the　death　of　Achilles。
  ANDROMACHE
  'Twas　not　I　that　slew　him；　but　Helen　that　mother　of　thine。
  HERMIONE
  Pray；　is　it　thy　intention　to　probe　my　wounds　yet　deeper？
  ANDROMACHE
  Behold；　I　am　dumb；　my　lips　are　closed。
  HERMIONE
  Tell　me　that　which　was　my　only　reason　for　coming　hither。
  ANDROMACHE
  No！　all　I　tell　thee　is；　thou　hast　less　wisdom　than　thou　needest。
  HERMIONE
  Wilt　thou　leave　these　hallowed　precincts　of　the　sea…goddess？
  ANDROMACHE
  Yes；　if　I　am　not　to　die　for　it；　otherwise；　I　never　will。
  HERMIONE
  Since　that　is　thy　resolve；　I　shall　not　even　wait　my　lord's　return。
  ANDROMACHE
  Nor　yet　will　I；　at　any　rate　ere　that；　surrender　to　thee。
  HERMIONE
  I　will　bring　fire　to　bear　on　thee；　and　pay　no　heed　to　thy
  entreaties。
  ANDROMACHE
  Kindle　thy　blaze　then；　the　gods　will　witness　it。
  HERMIONE
  And　make　thy　flesh　to　writhe　by　cruel　wounds。
  ANDROMACHE
  Begin　thy　butchery；　stain　the　altar　of　the　goddess　with　blood；　for
  she　will　visit　thy　iniquity。
  HERMIONE
  Barbarian　creature；　hardened　in　impudence；　wilt　thou　brave　death
  itself？　Still　will　I　find　speedy　means　to　make　these　quit　this　seat　of
  thy　free　will；　such　a　bait　have　I　to　lure　thee　with。　But　I　will　hide
  my　meaning；　which　the　event　itself　shall　soon　declare。　Yes；　keep　thy
  seat；　for　I　will　make　thee　rise；　though　molten　lead　is　holding　thee
  there；　before　Achilles'　son；　thy　trusted　champion；　arrive。
  （HERMIONE　departs。）
  ANDROMACHE
  My　trusted　champion；　yes！　how　strange　it　is；　that　though　some
  god　hath　devised　cures　for　mortals　against　the　venom　of　reptiles；　no
  man　ever　yet　hath　discovered　aught　to　cure　a　woman's　venom；　which　is
  far　worse　than　viper's　sting　or　scorching　flame；　so　terrible　a　curse
  are　we　to　mankind。
  CHORUS　（singing）
  strophe　1
  Ah！　what　sorrows　did　the　son　of　Zeus　and　Maia　herald；　in　the　day
  he　came　to　Ida's　glen；　guiding　that　fair　young　trio　of　goddesses；
  all　girded　for　the　fray　in　bitter　rivalry　about　their　beauty；　to　the
  shepherd's　fold　where　dwelt　the　youthful　herdsman　all　alone　by　the
  hearth　of　his　lonely　hut。
  antistrophe　1
  Soon　as　they　reached　the　wooded　glen；　in　gushing　mountain
  springs　they　bathed　their　dazzling　skin；　then　sought　the　son　of　Priam；
  comparing　their　rival　charms　in　more　than　rancorous　phrase。　But　Cypris
  won　the　day　by　her　deceitful　promises；　sweet…sounding　words；　but
  fraught　with　ruthless　overthrow　to　Phrygia's　hapless　town　and
  Ilium's　towers。
  strophe　2
  Would　God　his　mother　had　smitten　him　a　cruel　death…blow　on　the
  head　before　he　made　his　home　on　Ida's　slopes；　in　the　hour　Cassandra；
  standing　by　the　holy　bay…tree；　cried　out；　〃Slay　him；　for　he　will　bring
  most　grievous　bane　on　Priam's　town。〃　To　every　prince　she　went；　to
  every　elder　sued　for　the　babe's　destruction。
  antistrophe　2
  Ah！　had　they　listened；　Ilium's　daughters　neer　had　felt　the　yoke　of
  slavery；　and　thou；　lady；　hadst　been　established　in　the　royal　palace；
  and　Hellas　had　been　freed