slavery；　and　thou；　lady；　hadst　been　established　in　the　royal　palace；
  and　Hellas　had　been　freed　of　all　the　anguish　she　suffered　during　those
  ten　long　years　her　sons　went　wandering；　spear　in　hand；　around　the
  walls　of　Troy；　brides　had　never　been　left　desolate；　nor　hoary
  fathers　childless。
  （MENELAUS　and　his　retinue　enter。　He　is　leading　MOLOSSUS　by　the　hand。）
  MENELAUS
  Behold　I　bring　thy　son　with　me；　whom　thou　didst　steal　away　to　a
  neighbour's　house　without　my　daughter's　knowledge。　Thou　wert　so　sure
  this　image　of　the　goddess　would　protect　thee　and　those　who　hid　him；
  but　thou　hast　not　proved　clever　enough　for　Menelaus。　And　so　if　thou
  refuse　to　leave　thy　station　here；　he　shall　be　slain　instead　of　thee。
  Wherefore　weigh　it　well：　wilt　die　thyself；　or　see　him　slain　for　the
  sin　whereof　thou　art　guilty　against　me　and　my　daughter？
  ANDROMACHE
  O　fame；　fame！　full　many　a　man　ere　now　of　no　account　hast　thou　to
  high　estate　exalted。　Those；　indeed；　who　truly　have　a　fair　repute；　I
  count　blest；　but　those　who　get　it　by　false　pretences；　I　will　never
  allow　have　aught　but　the　accidental　appearance　of　wisdom。　Thou　for
  instance；　caitiff　that　thou　art；　didst　thou　ever　wrest　Troy　from　Priam
  with　thy　picked　troops　of　Hellenes？　thou　that　hast　raised　such　a
  storm；　at　the　word　of　thy　daughter；　a　mere　child；　and　hast　entered　the
  lists　with　a　poor　captive；　unworthy　I　count　thee　of　Troy's　capture；
  and　Troy　still　more　disgraced　by　thy　victory。　Those　who　only　in
  appearance　are　men　of　sense　make　an　outward　show；　but　inwardly
  resemble　the　common　herd；　save　it　be　in　wealth；　which　is　their
  chiefest　strength。
  Come　now；　Menelaus；　let　us　carry　through　this　argument。　Suppose
  I　am　slain　by　thy　daughter；　and　she　work　her　will　on　me；　yet　can　she
  never　escape　the　pollution　of　murder；　and　public　opinion　will　make
  thee　too　an　accomplice　in　this　deed　of　blood；　for　thy　share　in　the
  business　must　needs　implicate　thee。　But　even　supposing　I　escape
  death　myself；　will　ye　kill　my　child？　Even　then；　how　will　his　father
  brook　the　murder　of　his　child？　Troy　has　no　such　coward's　tale　to
  tell　of　him；　nay；　he　will　follow　duty's　call；　his　actions　will　prove
  him　a　worthy　scion　of　Peleus　and　Achilles。　Thy　daughter　will　be　thrust
  forth　from　his　house；　and　what　wilt　thou　say　when　seeking　to　betroth
  her　to　another？　wilt　say　her　virtue　made　her　leave　a　worthless　lord？
  Nay；　that　will　be　false。　Who　then　will　wed　her？　wilt　thou　keep　her
  without　a　husband　in　thy　halls；　grown　grey　in　widowhood？　Unhappy
  wretch！　dost　not　see　the　flood…gates　of　trouble　opening　wide　for　thee？
  How　many　a　wrong　against　a　wife　wouldst　thou　prefer　thy　daughter　to
  have　found　to　suffering　what　I　now　describe？　We　ought　not　on
  trifling　grounds　to　promote　great　ills；　nor　should　men；　if　we　women
  are　so　deadly　a　curse；　bring　their　nature　down　to　our　level。　No！　if；
  as　thy　daughter　asserts；　I　am　practising　sorcery　against　her　and
  making　her　barren；　right　willingly　will　I；　without　any　crouching　at
  altars；　submit　in　my　own　person　to　the　penalty　that　lies　in　her
  husband's　hands；　seeing　that　I　am　no　less　chargeable　with　injuring　him
  if　I　make　him　childless。　This　is　my　case；　but　for　thee；　there　is　one
  thing　I　fear　in　thy　disposition；　it　was　a　quarrel　for　a　woman　that
  really　induced　thee　to　destroy　poor　Ilium's　town。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  Thou　hast　said　too　much　for　a　woman　speaking　to　men；　that
  discretion　hath　shot　away　its　last　shaft　from　thy　soul's　quiver。
  MENELAUS
  Women；　these　are　petty　matters；　unworthy；　as　thou　sayest；　of　my
  despotic　sway；　unworthy　too　of　Hellas。　Yet　mark　this　well；　his　special
  fancy　of　the　hour　is　of　more　moment　to　a　man　than　Troy's　capture。　I
  then　have　set　myself　to　help　my　daughter　because　I　consider　her　loss
  of　wife's　rights　most　grave；　for　whatever　else　a　woman　suffers　is
  second　to　this；　if　she　loses　her　husband's　love　she　loses　her　life
  therewith。　Now；　as　it　is　right　Neoptolemus　should　rule　my　slaves；　so
  my　friends　and　I　should　have　control　of　his；　for　friends；　if　they　be
  really　friends；　keep　nothing　to　themselves；　but　have　all　in　common。　So
  if　I　wait　for　the　absent　instead　of　making　the　best　arrangement　I
  can　at　once　of　my　affairs；　I　show　weakness；　not　wisdom。　Arise　then；
  leave　the　goddess's　shrine；　for　by　thy　death　this　child　escapeth
  his；　whereas；　if　thou　refuse　to　die；　I　will　slay　him；　for　one　of　you
  twain　must　perish。
  ANDROMACHE
  Ah　me！　'tis　a　bitter　lot　thou　art　offering　about　my　life；
  whether　I　take　it　or　not　I　am　equally　unfortunate。　Attend　to　me；
  thou　who　for　a　trifling　cause　art　committing　an　awful　crime。　Why　art
  thou　bent　on　slaying　me？　What　reason　hast　thou？　What　city　have　I
  betrayed？　Which　of　thy　children　was　ever　slain　by　me？　What　house
  have　I　fired？　I　was　forced　to　be　my　master's　concubine；　and　spite　of
  that　wilt　thou　slay　me；　not　him　who　is　to　blame；　passing　by　the
  cause　and　hurrying　to　the　inevitable　result？　Ah　me！　my　sorrows！　Woe
  for　my　hapless　country！　How　cruel　my　fate！　Why　had　I　to　be　a　mother
  too　and　take　upon　me　a　double　load　of　suffering？　Yet　why　do　I　mourn
  the　past；　and　o'er　the　present　never　shed　a　tear　or　compute　its
  griefs？　I　that　saw　Hector　butchered　and　dragged　behind　the　chariot；
  and　Ilium；　piteous　sight！　one　sheet　of　flame；　while　I　was　baled　away
  by　the　hair　of　my　head　to　the　Argive　ships　in　slavery；　and　on　my
  arrival　in　Phthia　was　given　to　Hector's　murderer　as　his　mistress。　What
  pleasure　then　has　life　for　me？　Whither　am　I　to　turn　my　gaze？　to　the
  present　or　the　past？　My　babe　alone　was　left　me；　the　light　of　my
  life；　and　him　these　ministers　of　death　would　slay。　No！　they　shall　not；
  if　my　poor　life　can　save　him；　for　if　he　be　saved；　hope　in　him　lives
  on；　while　to　me　'twere　shame　to　refuse　to　die　for　my　son。　Lo！　here　I
  leave　the　altar　and　give　myself　into　your　hands；　to　cut　or　stab；　to
  bind　or　hang。　Ah！　my　child；　to　Hades　now　thy　mother　passes　to　save　thy
  dear　life。　Yet　if　thou　escape　thy　doom；　remember　me；　my　sufferings　and
  my　death；　and　tell　thy　father　how　I　fared；　with　fond　caress　and
  streaming　eye　and　arms　thrown　round　his　neck。　Ah！　yes；　his　children
  are　to　every　man　as　his　own　soul；　and　whoso　sneers　at　this　through
  inexperience；　though　he　suffers　less　anguish；　yet　tastes　the　bitter　in
  his　cup　of　bliss。
  LEADER
  Thy　tale　with　pity　fills　me；　for　every　man　alike；　stranger
  though　he　be；　feels　pity　for　another's　distress。　Menelaus；　'tis　thy
  duty　to　reconcile　thy　daughter　and　this　captive；　giving　her　a
  respite　from　sorrow。
  MENELAUS
  Ho！　sirrahs；　seize　this　woman　（His　attendants　swiftly　carry　out
  the　order。）；　hold　her　fast；　for　'tis　no　welcome　story　she　will　have　to
  hear。　It　was　to　make　thee　leave　the　holy　altar　of　the　goddess　that　I
  held　thy　child's　death　before　thy　eyes；　and　so　induced　thee　to　give
  thyself　up　to　me　to　die。　So　stands　thy　case；　be　well　assured；　but　as
  for　this　child；　my　daughter　shall　decide　whether　she　will　slay　him
  or　no。　Get　thee　hence　into　the　house；　and　there　learn　to　bridle　thy
  insolence　in　speaking　to　the　free；　slave　that　thou　art。
  ANDROMACHE
  Alas！　thou　hast　by　treachery　beguiled　me；　I　was　deceived。
  MENELAUS
  Proclaim　it　to　the　world；　I　do　not　deny　it。
  ANDROMACHE
  Is　this　counted　cleverness　amongst　you　who　dwell　by　the　Eurotas？
  MENELAUS
  Yes；　and　amongst　Trojans　too；　that　those　who　suffer　should
  retaliate。
  ANDROMACHE
  Thinkest　thou　God's　hand　is　shortened；　and　that　thou　wilt　not　be
  punished？
  MENELAUS
  Whene'er　that　comes；　I　am　ready　to　bear　it。　But　thy　life　will　I
  have。
  ANDROMACHE
  Wilt　likewise　slay　this　tender　chick；　whom　thou　hast　snatched　from
  'neath　my　wing？
  MENELAUS
  Not　I；　but　I　will　give　him　to　my　daughter　to　slay　if　she　will。
  ANDROMACHE
  Ah　me！　why　not　begin　my　mourning　then　for　thee；　my　child？
  MENELAUS
  Of　a　truth　'tis　no　very　sure　hope　that　he　has　left。
  ANDROMACHE
  O　citizens　of　Sparta；　the　bane　of　all　the　race　of　men；　schemers　of
  guile；　and　masters　in　lying；　devisers　of　evil　plots；　with　crooked
  minds　and　tortuous　methods　and　ne'er　one　honest　thought；　'tis　wrong
  that　ye　should　thrive　in　Hellas。　What　crime　is　wanting　in　your　list？
  How　rife　is　murder　with　you！　How　covetous　ye　are！　One　word　upon　your
  lips；　another　in　your　heart；　this　is　what　men　always　find　with　you。
  Perdition　catch　ye！　Still　death　is　not　so　grievous；　as　thou
  thinkest；　to　me。　No！　for　my　life　ended　in　the　day　that　hapless　Troy
  was　destroyed　with　my　lord；　that　glorious　warrior；　whose　spear　oft
  made　a　coward　like　thee　quit　the　field　and　seek　thy　ship。　But　now
  against　a　woman　hast　thou　displayed　the　terrors　of　thy　panoply；　my
  would…be　murderer。　Strike　then！　for　this　my　tongue　shall　never　flatter
  thee　or　that　daughter　of　thine。　For　though　thou　wert　of　great
  account　in　Sparta；　why　so　was　I　in　Troy。　And　if　I　am　now　in　sorry
  plight；　presume　not　thou　on　this；　thou　too　mayst　be　so　yet。
  （MENELAUS　and　his　guards　lead　ANDROMACHE　out。）
  CHORU