I know not, but thus much of their schemes I heard myself; and Menelaus has left the house to fetch him.AndromacheThen am I lost; ah, my child! those vultures twain will take and slay thee; while he who is called thy father lingers still in Delphi.MaidTrue, for had he been here thou wouldst not have fared so hardly, I am sure; but, as it is, thou art friendless.AndromacheHave no tidings come of the possible arrival of Peleus?MaidHe is too old to help thee if he came.AndromacheAnd yet I sent for him more than once.MaidSurely thou dost not suppose that any of thy messengers heed thee?AndromacheWhy should they? Wilt thou then go for me?MaidHow shall I explain my long absence from the house?AndromacheThou art a woman; thou canst invent a hundred ways.MaidThere is a risk, for Hermione keeps no careless guard.AndromacheDost look to that? Thou art disowning thy friends in distress.MaidNot so; never taunt me with that. I will go, for of a truth a woman and a slave is not of much account, e’en if aught befall, me.AndromacheGo then, while I will tell to heaven the lengthy tale of lamentation, mourning, and weeping, that has ever been my hard lot; for ’tis woman’s way to delight in present misfortunes even to keeping them always on her tongue and lips. But I have many reasons, not merely one for tears,–my city’s fall, my Hector’s death, the hardness of the lot to which I am bound, since I fell on slavery’s evil days undeservedly.’Tis never right to call a son of man happy, till thou hast seen his end, to judge from the way he passes it how he will descend to that other world.

Andromache’Twas no bride Paris took with him to the towers of Ilium, but a curse to his bed when he brought Helen to her bower.For her sake, O Troy, did eager warriors, sailing from Hellas in a thousand ships, capture and make thee a prey to fire and sword; and the son of sea-born Thetis mounted on his chariot dragged my husband Hector round the walls, ah woe is me! while I was hurried from my chamber to the beach,