（MENELAUS　and　his　guards　lead　ANDROMACHE　out。）
  CHORUS　（singing）
  strophe　1
  Never；　oh！　never　will　I　commend　rival　wives　or　sons　of　different
  mothers；　a　cause　of　strife；　of　bitterness；　and　grief　in　every　house。
  would　have　a　husband　content　with　one　wife　whose　rights　he　shareth
  with　no　other。
  antistrophe　1
  Not　even　in　states　is　dual　monarchy　better　to　bear　than
  undivided　rule；　it　only　doubles　burdens　and　causes　faction　amongst　the
  citizens。　Often　too　will　the　Muse　sow　strife　'twixt　rivals　in　the
  art　of　minstrelsy。
  strophe　2
  Again；　when　strong　winds　are　drifting　mariners；　the　divided
  counsel　of　the　wise　does　not　best　avail　for　steering；　and　their
  collective　wisdom　has　less　weight　than　the　inferior　mind　of　the　single
  man　who　has　sole　authority；　for　this　is　the　essence　of　power　alike
  in　house　and　state；　whene'er　men　care　to　find　the　proper　moment。
  antistrophe　2
  This　Spartan；　the　daughter　of　the　great　chief　Menelaus；　proves
  this；　for　she　hath　kindled　hot　fury　against　a　rival；　and　is　bent　on
  slaying　the　hapless　Trojan　maid　and　her　child　to　further　her　bitter
  quarrel。　'Tis　a　murder　gods　and　laws　and　kindness　all　forbid。　Ah！
  lady；　retribution　for　this　deed　will　yet　visit　thee。
  But　lo！　before　the　house　I　see　those　two　united　souls；　condemned
  to　die。　Alas！　for　thee；　poor　lady；　and　for　thee；　unhappy　child；　who
  art　dying　on　account　of　thy　mother's　marriage；　though　thou　hast　no
  share　therein　and　canst　not　be　blamed　by　the　royal　house。
  （ANDROMACHE　enters；　her　arms　bound。　Her　son　clings
  to　her。　MENELAUS　and　the　guards　follow；　intent
  on　accomplishing　the　murder。　The　following
  lines　are　chanted　responsively。）
  ANDROMACHE
  Behold　me　journeying　on　the　downward　path；　my　hands　so　tightly
  bound　with　cords　that　they　bleed。
  MOLOSSUS
  O　mother；　mother　mine！　I　too　share　thy　downward　path；　nestling
  'neath　thy　wing。
  ANDROMACHE
  A　cruel　sacrifice！　ye　rulers　of　Phthia！
  MOLOSSUS
  Come；　father！　succour　those　thou　lovest。
  ANDROMACHE
  Rest　there；　my　babe；　my　darling！　on　thy　mother's　bosom；　e'en　in
  death　and　in　the　grave。
  MOLOSSUS
  Ah；　woe　is　me！　what　will　become　of　me　and　thee　too；　mother　mine？
  MENELAUS
  Away；　to　the　world　below！　from　hostile　towers　ye　came；　the　pair　of
  you；　two　different　causes　necessitate　your　deaths；　my　sentence　takes
  away　thy　life；　and　my　daughter　Hermione's　requires　his；　for　it　would
  be　the　height　of　folly　to　leave　our　foemen's　sons；　when　we　might
  kill　them　and　remove　the　danger　from　our　house。
  ANDROMACHE
  O　husband　mine！　I　would　I　had　thy　strong　arm　and　spear　to　aid
  me；　son　of　Priam。
  MOLOSSUS
  Ah；　woe　is　me！　what　spell　can　I　now　find　to　turn　death's　stroke
  aside？
  ANDROMACHE
  Embrace　thy　master's　knees；　my　child；　and　pray　to　him。
  MOLOSSUS
  Spare；　O　spare　my　life；　kind　master！
  ANDROMACHE
  Mine　eyes　are　wet　with　tears；　which　trickle　down　my　cheeks；　as
  doth　a　sunless　spring　from　a　smooth　rock。　Ah　me！
  MOLOSSUS
  What　remedy；　alas！　can　I　provide　me　'gainst　my　ills？
  MENELAUS
  Why　fall　at　my　knees　in　supplication？　hard　as　the　rock　and　deaf　as
  the　wave　am　I。　My　own　friends　have　I　helped；　but　for　thee　have　no
  tie　of　affection；　for　verily　it　cost　me　a　great　part　of　my　life　to
  capture　Troy　and　thy　mother；　so　thou　shalt　reap　the　fruit　thereof
  and　into　Hades'　halls　descend。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  Behold！　I　see　Peleus　drawing　nigh；　with　aged　step　he　hasteth
  hither。
  （PELEUS　enters　with　an　attendant。）
  PELEUS　（calling　out　as　he　comes　in　sight）
  What　means　this？　I　ask　you　and　your　executioner；　why　is　the　palace
  in　an　uproar？　give　a　reason；　what　mean　your　lawless　machinations？
  Menelaus；　hold　thy　hand。　Seek　not　to　outrun　justice。　（To　his
  attendant）　Forward！　faster；　faster！　for　this　matter；　methinks；
  admits　of　no　delay；　now　if　ever　would　I　fain　resume　the　vigour　of　my
  youth。　First　however　will　breathe　new　life　into　this　captive；　being　to
  her　as　the　breeze　that　blows　a　ship　before　the　wind。　Tell　me；　by
  what　right　have　they　pinioned　thine　arms　and　are　dragging　thee　and　thy
  child　away？　Like　a　ewe　with　her　lamb　art　thou　led　to　the　slaughter；
  while　I　and　thy　lord　were　far　away。
  ANDROMACHE
  Behold　them　that　are　haling　me　and　my　child　to　death；　e'en　as　thou
  seest；　aged　prince。　Why　should　I　tell　thee？　For　not　by　one　urgent
  summons　alone　but　by　countless　messengers　have　I　sent　for　thee。　No
  doubt　thou　knowest　by　hearsay　of　the　strife　in　this　house　with　this
  man's　daughter；　and　the　reason　of　my　ruin。　So　now　they　have　torn　and
  are　dragging　me　from　the　altar　of　Thetis；　the　goddess　of　thy
  chiefest　adoration　and　the　mother　of　thy　gallant　son；　without　any
  proper　trial；　yea；　and　without　waiting　for　my　absent　master；
  because；　forsooth；　they　knew　my　defencelessness　and　my　child's；　whom
  they　mean　to　slay　with　me　his　hapless　mother；　though　he　has　done　no
  harm。　But　to　thee；　O　sire；　I　make　my　supplication；　prostrate　at　thy
  knees；　though　my　hand　cannot　touch　thy　friendly　beard；　save　me；　I
  adjure　thee；　reverend　sir；　or　to　thy　shame　and　my　sorrow　shall　we　be
  slain。
  PELEUS
  Loose　her　bonds；　I　say；　ere　some　one　rue　it；　untie　her　folded
  hands。
  MENELAUS
  I　forbid　it；　for　besides　being　a　match　for　thee；　I　have　a　far
  better　right　to　her。
  PELEUS
  What！　art　thou　come　hither　to　set　my　house　in　order？　Art　not
  content　with　ruling　thy　Spartans？
  MENELAUS
  She　is　my　captive；　I　took　her　from　Troy。
  PELEUS
  Aye；　but　my　son's　son　received　her　as　his　prize。
  MENELAUS
  Is　not　all　I　have　his；　and　all　his　mine？
  PELEUS
  For　good；　but　not　evil　ends；　and　surely　not　for　murderous
  violence。
  MENELAUS
  Never　shalt　thou　wrest　her　from　my　grasp。
  PELEUS
  With　this　good　staff　I'll　stain　thy　head　with　blood！
  MENELAUS
  Just　touch　me　and　see！　Approach　one　step！
  PELEUS
  What！　shalt　thou　rank　with　men？　chief　of　cowards；　son　of
  cowards！　What　right　hast　thou　to　any　place　'mongst　men？　Thou　who　didst
  let　Phrygian　rob　thee　of　thy　wife；　leaving　thy　home　without　bolt　or
  guard；　as　if　forsooth　the　cursed　woman　thou　hadst　there　was　a　model　of
  virtue。　No！　a　Spartan　maid　could　not　be　chaste；　e'en　if　she　would；　who
  leaves　her　home　and　bares　her　limbs　and　lets　her　robe　float　free；　to
  share　with　youths　their　races　and　their　sports；…customs　I　cannot
  away　with。　Is　it　any　wonder　then　that　ye　fail　to　educate　your　women　in
  virtue？　Helen　might　have　asked　thee　this；　seeing　that　she　said　goodbye
  to　thy　affection　and　tripped　off　with　her　young　gallant　to　a　foreign
  land。　And　yet　for　her　sake　thou　didst　marshal　all　the　hosts　of
  Hellas　and　lead　them　to　Ilium；　whereas　thou　shouldst　have　shown　thy
  loathing　for　her　by　refusing　to　stir　a　spear；　once　thou　hadst　found
  her　false；　yea；　thou　shouldst　have　let　her　stay　there；　and　even　paid　a
  price　to　save　ever　having　her　back　again。　But　that　was　not　at　all
  the　way　thy　thoughts　were　turned；　wherefore　many　a　brave　life　hast
  thou　ended；　and　many　an　aged　mother　hast　thou　left　childless　in　her
  home；　and　grey…haired　sires　of　gallant　sons　hast　reft。　Of　that　sad
  band　am　I　member；　seeing　in　thee　Achilles'　murderer　like　a　malignant
  fiend；　for　thou　and　thou　alone　hast　returned　from　Troy　without　a
  scratch；　bringing　back　thy　splendid　weapons　in　their　splendid　cases
  just　as　they　went。　As　for　me；　I　ever　told　that　amorous　boy　to　form
  no　alliance　with　thee　nor　take　unto　his　home　an　evil　mother's　child；
  for　daughters　bear　the　marks　of　their　mothers'　ill…repute　into　their
  new　homes。　Wherefore；　ye　wooers；　take　heed　to　this　my　warning：　〃Choose
  the　daughter　of　a　good　mother。〃　And　more　than　this；　with　what　wanton
  insult　didst　thou　treat　thy　brother；　bidding　him　sacrifice　his
  daughter　in　his　simpleness！　So　fearful　wast　thou　of　losing　thy
  worthless　wife。　Then　after　capturing　Troy；…for　thither　too　will　I
  accompany　thee；…thou　didst　not　slay　that　woman；　when　she　was　in　thy
  power；　but　as　soon　as　thine　eyes　caught　sight　of　her　breast；　thy　sword
  was　dropped　and　thou　didst　take　her　kisses；　fondling　the　shameless
  traitress；　too　weak　to　stem　thy　hot　desire；　thou　caitiff　wretch！　Yet
  spite　of　all　thou　art　the　man　to　come　and　work　havoc　in　my
  grandson's　halls　when　he　is　absent；　seeking　to　slay　with　all　indignity
  a　poor　weak　woman　and　her　babe：　but　that　babe　shall　one　day　make
  thee　and　thy　daughter　in　thy　home　rue　it；　e'en　though　his　birth　be
  trebly　base。　Yea；　for　oft　ere　now　hath　seed；　sown　on　barren　soil；
  prevailed　o'er　rich　deep　tilth；　and　many　bastard　has　proved　a　better
  man　than　children　better　born。　Take　thy　daughter　hence　with　thee！
  Far　be