Page:Tragedies of Sophocles (Plumptre 1878).djvu/322

224 Ores. Alas, for this thy life of lonely woe!

Elec. Why, in thy care for me, friend, groanest thou?

Ores. How little knew I of my fortune's ills!

Elec. What have I said to throw such light on them?

Ores. Now that I see thee clad with many woes.

Elec. And yet thou see'st but few of all mine ills.

Ores. What could be sadder than all this to see?

Elec. This, that I sit at meat with murderers.

Ores. With whose? What evil dost thou mean by this?

Elec. My father's; next, I 'm forced to be their slave.

Ores. And who constrains thee to this loathèd task?

Elec. My mother she is called, no mother like.

Ores. How so? By blows, or life with hardships full?

Elec. Both blows and hardships, and all forms of ill.

Ores. And is there none to help, not one to check?

Elec. No, none. Who was thou bringest him as dust.

Ores. Ο sad one! Long I pitied as I gazed!

Elec. Know, then, that thou alone dost pity me.

Ores. For I alone come suffering woes like thine.

Elec. What? Can it be thou art of kin to us?

Ores. If these are friendly, I could tell thee more.

Elec. Friendly are they; thou 'lt speak to faithful ones.

Ores. Put by that urn, that thou may'st hear the whole.

Elec. Ah, by the Gods, Ο stranger, ask not that.

Ores. Do what I bid thee, and thou shalt not err.

Elec. Nay, by thy beard, of that prize rob me not.

Ores. I may not have it so.

Elec. Ah me, Orestes,

How wretched I, bereaved of this thy tomb!

Ores. Hush, hush such words: thou hast no cause for wailing.

Elec. Have I no cause, who mourn a brother's death?

Ores. Thou hast no call to utter speech like this.