Page:Electra of Euripides (Murray 1913).djvu/81

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Child, the war-slaves are here;

Thou needst not toil.

What was it but the spear

Of war, drove me forth too? Mine enemies

Have sacked my father's house, and, even as these,

Captives and fatherless, made me their prey.

It was thy father cast his child away,

A child he might have loved! Shall I speak out?

(Controlling herself) Nay; when a woman once is caught about

With evil fame, there riseth in her tongue

A bitter spirit—wrong, I know! Yet, wrong

Or right, I charge ye look on the deeds done;

And if ye needs must hate, when all is known,

Hate on! What profits loathing ere ye know?

My father gave me to be his. 'Tis so.

But was it his to kill me, or to kill

The babes I bore? Yet, lo, he tricked my will

With fables of Achilles' love: he bore

To Aulis and the dark ship-clutching shore,

He held above the altar-flame, and smote,

Cool as one reaping, through the strainèd throat,

My white Iphigenia. Had it been

To save some falling city, leaguered in