it only doubles burdens and causes faction amongst the citizens. Often too will the Muse sow strife ’twixt rivalsReading τόνων θ᾽ ὕμνου σθνεργάταιν δυοῖν for τεκτόνοιν θ᾽ ὕμνοιν ἐργάταιν. The emendation was due to Hermann (τόνων) and Duport. in the art of minstrelsy.
ChorusAgain, when strong winds are drifting mariners, the divided counsel of the wise is not conducive to steering, and their collective wisdom has less weight than the inferior intelligence of the single man who has sole authority;Such is Paley’s interpretation of this very difficult piece of Greek. He reads διδύμα γνώμα (nom.) with a colon after the latter word; and ὃ δυωασις, the correction of Hermann for ἁ. for this is the essence of power alike in house and state, whene’er men care to find the proper moment.
ChorusThis Spartan, the daughter of the great chief Menelaus, proves this; for she hath kindled hot fury against a rival, and is bent on slaying the hapless Trojan maid and her child to further her bitter quarrel. Tis a murder gods and laws and kindness all forbid. Ah! lady, retribution for this deed will visit thee yet.
ChorusBut lo! before the house I see those two united souls, condemned to die. Alas! for thee, poor lady, and for thee, unhappy child, who art dying on account of thy mother’s marriage, though thou hast no share therein and canst not be blamed by the royal house. AndromacheBehold me journeying on the downward path, my hands so tightly bound with cords that they bleed.MolossusO mother, mother mine! I too share thy downward path, nestling ’neath thy wing.AndromacheA cruel sacrifice! ye rulers of Phthia!MolossusCome, father! succour those thou lovest.AndromacheRestκεῖσο δὴ, Nauck. there, my babe, my darling! on thy mother’s bosom, e’en in death and in the grave.MolossusAh, woe is me! what will become of me and thee too, mother mine?
MenelausAway, to the world below! from hostile towers ye came, the pair of you; two different causes necessitate your deaths; my sentence takes away thy life, and my daughter Hermione’s requires his; for it would be the height of folly to leave our foemen’s sons, when we might kill them and remove the danger from our house.
AndromacheO husband mine! I would I had thy strong arm and spear to aid me, son of Priam.MolossusAh, woe is me! what spell can I now find to turn death’s stroke aside?