Page:Tragedies of Euripides (Way 1894) v1.djvu/288

252 These wretched eyeballs—grasping their brooch-pins—

They stab, they flood with gore. Then through the tents

Fleeing they went. Up from the earth I leapt,

And like a wild beast chased the blood-stained hounds,

Groping o'er all the wall, like tracking huntsman,

Smiting and battering. All for my zeal's sake

For thee, I suffered this, who slew thy foe,

Agamemnon. Wherefore needeth many words?

Whoso ere now hath spoken ill of women,

Or speaketh now, or shall hereafter speak,

All this in one word will I close and say:—

Nor sea nor land doth nurture such a breed:

He knoweth, who hath converse with them most.

Be nowise reckless, nor, for thine own ills,

Include in this thy curse all womankind.

For some, yea many of us, deserve not blame,

Though some by vice of blood count midst the bad.

Agamemnon, never should this thing have been,

That words with men should more avail than deeds,

But good deeds should with reasonings good be paired,