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663—692] . And am I right in surmising that this lady is his consort? She is of queenly aspect.

. Assuredly; thou art in the presence of the queen.

. Hail, royal lady! I bring glad tidings to thee and to Aegisthus, from a friend.

. I welcome the omen; but I would fain know from thee, first, who may have sent thee.

. Phanoteus the Phocian, on a weighty mission.

. What is it, sir? Tell me: coming from a friend, thou wilt bring, I know, a kindly message.

. Orestes is dead; that is the sum.

. Oh, miserable that I am! I am lost this day!

. What sayest thou, friend, what sayest thou?—listen not to her!

. I said, and say again—Orestes is dead.

. I am lost, hapless one, I am undone!

. (to ). See thou to thine own concerns.—But do thou, sir, tell me exactly,—how did he perish?

. I was sent for that purpose, and will tell thee all. Having gone to the renowned festival, the pride of Greece, for the Delphian games, when he heard the loud summons to the foot-race which was first to be decided, he entered the lists, a brilliant form, a wonder in the eyes of all there; and, having finished his course at the point where it began, he went out with the glorious meed of victory. To speak briefly, where there is much to tell, I know not the man whose deeds and triumphs have matched his; but one thing thou must know; in all the contests that the judges announced, he bore