man　than　children　better　born。　Take　thy　daughter　hence　with　thee！
  Far　better　is　it　for　mortals　to　have　a　poor　honest　man　either　as
  married　kin　or　friend　than　a　wealthy　knave；　but　as　for　thee；　thou
  art　a　thing　of　naught。
  LEADER
  The　tongue　from　trifling　causes　contrives　to　breed　great　strife
  'mongst　men；　wherefore　are　the　wise　most　careful　not　to　bring　about
  a　quarrel　with　their　friends。
  MENELAUS
  Why；　pray；　should　one　call　these　old　men　wise；　or　those　who　once
  had　a　reputation　in　Hellas　for　being　so？　when　thou；　the　great
  Peleus；　son　of　famous　father；　kin　to　me　through　marriage；　employest
  language　disgraceful　to　thyself　and　abusive　of　me　because　of　a
  barbarian　woman；　though　thou　shouldst　have　banished　her　far　beyond　the
  streams　of　Nile　or　Phasis；　and　ever　encouraged　me；　seeing　that　she
  comes　from　Asia's　continent　where　fell　so　many　of　the　sons　of
  Hellas；　victims　to　the　spear；　and　likewise　because　she　shared　in　the
  spilling　of　thy　son's　blood；　for　Paris　who　slew　thy　son　Achilles；
  was　brother　to　Hector；　whose　wife　she　was。　And　dost　thou　enter　the
  same　abode　with　her；　and　deign　to　let　her　share　thy　board；　and
  suffer　her　to　rear　her　brood　of　vipers　in　thy　house？　But　I；　after
  all　this　foresight　for　thee；　old　man；　and　myself；　am　to　have　her
  torn　from　my　clutches　for　wishing　to　slay　her。　Yet　come　now；　for
  'tis　no　disgrace　to　argue；　suppose　my　daughter　has　no　child；　while
  this　woman's　sons　grow　up；　wilt　thou　set　them　up　to　rule　the　land　of
  Phthia；　barbarians　born　and　bred　to　lord　it　over　Hellenes？　Am　I　then
  so　void　of　sense　because　I　hate　injustice；　and　thou　so　full　of
  cleverness？　Consider　yet　another　point；　say　thou　hadst　given　a
  daughter　of　thine　to　some　citizen；　and　hadst　then　seen　her　thus
  treated；　wouldst　thou　have　sat　looking　on　in　silence？　I　trow　not。　Dost
  thou　then　for　a　foreigner　rail　thus　at　thy　nearest　friends？　Again；
  thou　mayst　say；　husband　and　wife　have　an　equally　strong　case　if　she　is
  wronged　by　him；　and　similarly　if　he　find　her　guilty　of　indiscretion　in
  his　house；　yet　while　he　has　ample　powers　in　his　own　hands；　she　depends
  on　parents　and　friends　for　her　case。　Surely　then　I　am　right　in　helping
  my　own　kin！　Thou　art　in　thy　dotage；　for　thou　wilt　do　me　more　good　by
  speaking　of　my　generalship　than　by　concealing　it。　Helen's　trouble
  was　not　of　her　own　choosing；　but　sent　by　heaven；　and　it　proved　a　great
  benefit　to　Hellas；　her　sons；　till　then　untried　in　war　or　arms；
  turned　to　deeds　of　prowess；　and　it　is　experience　which　teaches　man　all
  he　knows。　I　showed　my　wisdom　in　refraining　from　slaying　my　wife；
  directly　I　caught　sight　of　her。　Would　that　thou　too　hadst　ne'er
  slain　Phocus！　All　this　I　bring　before　thee　in　pure　good…will；　not　from
  anger。　But　if　thou　resent　it；　thy　tongue　may　wag　till　it　ache；　yet
  shall　I　gain　by　prudent　forethought。
  LEADER
  Cease　now　from　idle　words；　'twere　better　far；　for　fear　ye　both
  alike　go　wrong。
  PELEUS
  Alas！　what　evil　customs　now　prevail　in　Hellas！　Whene'er　the　host
  sets　up　a　trophy　o'er　the　foe；　men　no　more　consider　this　the　work　of
  those　who　really　toiled；　but　the　general　gets　the　credit　for　it。　Now
  he　was　but　one　among　ten　thousand　others　to　brandish　his　spear；　he
  only　did　the　work　of　one；　but　yet　he　wins　more　praise　than　they。
  Again；　as　magistrates　in　all　the　grandeur　of　office　they　scorn　the
  common　folk；　though　they　are　naught　themselves；　whereas　those　others
  are　ten　thousand　times　more　wise　than　they；　if　daring　combine　with
  judgment。　Even　so　thou　and　thy　brother；　exalted　by　the　toilsome
  efforts　of　others；　now　take　your　seats　in　all　the　swollen　pride　of
  Trojan　fame　and　Trojan　generalship。　But　I　will　teach　thee　henceforth
  to　consider　Idaean　Paris　a　foe　less　terrible　than　Peleus；　unless
  forthwith　thou　pack　from　this　roof；　thou　and　thy　childless　daughter
  too；　whom　my　own　true　son　will　hale　through　his　halls　by　the　hair　of
  her　head；　for　her　barrenness　will　not　let　her　endure　fruitfulness　in
  others；　because　she　has　no　children　herself。　Still　if　misfortune
  prevents　her　bearing　offspring；　is　that　a　reason　why　we　should　be　left
  childless？　Begone！　ye　varlets；　let　her　go！　I　will　soon　see　if　anyone
  will　hinder　me　from　loosing　her　hands。　（to　ANDROMACHE）　Arise；　these
  trembling　hands　of　mine　will　untie　the　twisted　thongs　that　bind
  thee。　Out　on　thee；　coward！　is　this　how　thou　hast　galled　her　wrists？
  Didst　think　thou　wert　lashing　up　a　lion　or　bull？　or　wert　afraid　she
  would　snatch　a　sword　and　defend　herself　against　thee？　Come；　child；
  nestle　to　thy　mother's　arms；　help　me　loose　her　bonds；　I　will　yet
  rear　thee　in　Phthia　to　be　their　bitter　foe。　If　your　reputation　for
  prowess　and　the　battles　ye　have　fought　were　taken　from　you　Spartans；
  in　all　else；　be　very　sure；　you　have　not　your　inferiors。
  LEADER
  The　race　of　old　men　practises　no　restraint；　and　their　testiness
  makes　it　hard　to　check　them。
  MENELAUS
  Thou　art　only　too　ready　to　rush　into　abuse；　while；　as　for　me；　I
  came　to　Phthia　by　constraint　and　have　therefore　no　intention　either　of
  doing　or　suffering　anything　mean。　Now　must　I　return　home；　for　I　have
  no　time　to　waste；　for　there　is　a　city　not　so　very　far　from　Sparta；
  which　aforetime　was　friendly　but　now　is　hostile；　against　her　will　I
  march　with　my　army　and　bring　her　into　subjection。　And　when　I　have
  arranged　that　matter　as　I　wish；　I　will　return；　and　face　to　face　with
  my　son…in…law　I　will　give　my　version　of　the　story　and　hear　his。　And　if
  he　punish　her；　and　for　the　future　she　exercise　self…control；　she　shall
  find　me　do　the　like；　but　if　he　storm；　I'll　storm　as　well；　and　every
  act　of　mine　shall　be　a　reflex　of　his　own。　As　for　thy　babbling；　I　can
  bear　it　easily；　for；　like　to　a　shadow　as　thou　art；　thy　voice　is　all
  thou　hast；　and　thou　art　powerless　to　do　aught　but　talk。
  （MENELAUS　and　his　retinue　withdraw。）
  PELEUS
  Lead　on；　my　child；　safe　beneath　my　sheltering　wing；　and　thou
  too；　poor　lady；　for　thou　art　come　into　a　quiet　haven　after　the　rude
  storm。
  ANDROMACHE
  Heaven　reward　thee　and　all　thy　race；　old　sire；　for　having　saved　my
  child　and　me　his　hapless　mother！　Only　beware　lest　they　fall　upon　us
  twain　in　some　lonely　spot　upon　the　road　and　force　me　from　thee；　when
  they　see　thy　age；　my　weakness；　and　this　child's　tender　years；　take
  heed　to　this；　that　we　be　not　a　second　time　made　captive；　after
  escaping　now。
  PELEUS
  Forbear　such　words；　prompted　by　a　woman's　cowardice。　Go　on　thy
  way；　who　will　lay　a　finger　on　you？　Methinks　he　will　do　it　to　his　cost；
  For　by　heaven's　grace　I　rule　o'er　many　a　knight　and　spearman　bold　in
  my　kingdom　of　Phthia；　yea；　and　myself　can　still　stand　straight；　no
  bent　old　man　as　thou　dost　think；　such　a　fellow　as　that　a　mere　look
  from　me　will　put　to　flight　in　spite　of　my　years。　For　e'en　an　old
  man；　be　he　brave；　is　worth　a　host　of　raw　youths；　for　what　avails　a
  fine　figure　if　a　man　is　coward？
  （PELEUS；　ANDROMACHE；　and　MOLOSSUS　go　out。）
  CHORUS　（singing）
  strophe
  Oh！　to　have　never　been　born；　or　sprung　from　noble　sires；　the
  heir　to　mansions　richly　stored；　for　if　aught　untoward　e'er　befall；
  there　is　no　lack　of　champions　for　sons　of　noble　parents；　and　there
  is　honour　and　glory　for　them　when　they　are　proclaimed　scions　of
  illustrious　lines；　time　detracts　not　from　the　legacy　these　good　men
  leave；　but　the　light　of　their　goodness　still　burns　on　when　they　are
  dead。
  antistrophe
  Better　is　it　not　to　win　a　discreditable　victory；　than　to　make
  justice　miscarry　by　an　invidious　exercise　of　power；　for　such　a
  victory；　though　men　think　it　sweet　for　the　moment；　grows　barren　in
  time　and　comes　near　being　a　stain　on　a　house。　This　is　the　life　I
  commend；　this　the　life　I　set　before　me　as　my　ideal；　to　exercise　no
  authority　beyond　what　is　right　either　in　the　marriage…chamber　or　in
  the　state。
  epode
  O　aged　son　of　Aeacus！　now　am　I　sure　that　thou　wert　with　the
  Lapithae；　wielding　thy　famous　spear；　when　they　fought　the　Centaurs；
  and　on　Argo's　deck　didst　pass　the　cheerless　strait　beyond　the　sea…beat
  Symplegades　on　her　voyage　famed；　and　when　in　days　long　gone　the　son　of
  Zeus　spread　slaughter　round　Troy's　famous　town；　thou　too　didst　share
  his　triumphant　return　to　Europe。
  （The　NURSE　OF　HERMIONE　enters。）
  NURSE
  Alas！　good　friends；　what　a　succession　of　troubles　is　to…day
  provided　us！　My　mistress　Hermione　within　the　house；　deserted　by　her
  father　and　in　remorse　for　her　monstrous　deed　in　plotting　the　death
  of　Andromache　and　her　child；　is　bent　on　dying；　for　she　is　afraid　her
  husband　will　in　requital　for　this　expel　her　with　dishonour　from　his
  house　or　put　her　to　death；　because　she　tried　to　slay　the　innocent。　And
  the　servants　that　watch　her　can　scarce　restrain　her　efforts　to　hang
  herself；