Page:Tragedies of Euripides (Way 1896) v2.djvu/91

Rh The city's common folk, though they be naught.

Yet are those others wiser a thousandfold,—

Had wisdom but audacity for ally.

Even so thou and thy brother sit enthroned,

For Troy puffed up, and that your generalship,

By others' toils and pains exalted high.

But I will teach thee nevermore to count

Paris of Ida foe more stern than Peleus,

Except thou vanish from this roof with speed,

Thou and thy childless daughter, whom my son

By the hair shall grasp and hale her through these halls,—

The barren heifer, who will not endure

The fruitful, seeing herself hath children none!

What, if her womb from bearing is shut up,

Childless of issue must mine house abide?

Hence from her, thralls!—E'en let me see the man

Will let me from unmanacling her hands!

Uplift thee, that the trembling hands of eld

May now unravel these thongs' twisted knots.

Thus, O thou dastard, hast thou galled her wrists?

Didst think to enmesh a bull or lion here?

Didst fear lest she should snatch a sword, and chase

Thee hence? Steal hither 'neath mine arms, my bairn:

Help loose thy mother's bonds. I'll rear thee yet

In Phthia, their grim foe. If spear-renown