Page:Tragedies of Euripides (Way 1896) v2.djvu/238

182 Aegisthus then, in fear lest she should bear

To a prince a son, avenger of Agamemnon,

Kept her at home, betrothed her unto none.

But, since this too with haunting dread was fraught,

Lest she should bear some noble a child of stealth,

He would have slain her; yet, how cruel soe'er,

Her mother saved her from Aegisthus' hand;—

A plea she had for murder of her lord,

But feared to be abhorred for children's blood:—

Wherefore Aegisthus found out this device:

On Agamemnon's son, who had fled the land,

He set a price, even gold to whoso slew;

But to me gives Electra, her to have

To wife,—from sires Mycenian sprung indeed

Am I, herein I may not be contemned;

Noble my line is, I in this world's goods

Am poor, whereby men's high descent is marred,—

To make his fear naught by this spouse of naught.

For, had she wed a man of high repute,

Agamemnon's slumbering blood-feud had he waked;

Then on Aegisthus vengeance might have fallen.

But never I—Kypris my witness is—

Have shamed her couch: a virgin is she yet.

Myself think shame to take a prince's child

And outrage—I, in birth unmeet for her!

Yea, and for him I sigh, in name my kin,

Hapless Orestes, if to Argos e'er

He come, and see his sister's wretched marriage.

If any name me fool, that I should take

A young maid to mine home, and touch her not,

Let him know that he meteth chastity

By his own soul's base measure—base as he.