THE HECUBA, ORESTES, PHOENICIAN VIRGINS, AND MEDEA, OF EURIPIDES; LITERALLY TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH PROSE, FROM THE TEXT OF PORSON. OXFORD, PRINTED FOR D. A. TALBOYS: SOLD ALSO BY LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN, LONDON. 2927.4.1 PERSONS REPRESENTED. GHOST OF POLYDORE. HECUBA. CHORUS OF FEMALE CAPTIVES. POLYXENA. ULYSSES. TALTHYBIUS. FEMALE ATTENDANT. AGAMEMNON. POLYMESTOR AND HIS CHILDREN. The scene lies before the Grecian tents, on the coast of the Thracian Chersonese. THE ARGUMENT. AFTER the capture of Troy, the Greeks put into the Chersonese over against Troas. But Achilles, having appeared by night, demanded one of the daughters of Priam to be slain. The Greeks therefore, in honour to their hero, tore Polyxena from her mother, and offered her up in sacrifice. Polymestor moreover, the king of the Thracians, murdered Polydore, a son of Priam's. Now Polymestor had received him from the hands of Priam, as a charge to take care of, together with some money. But when the city was taken, wishing to seize upon his wealth, he determined to despatch him, and disregarded the ill-fated friendship that subsisted between them; but his body being cast out into the sea, the wave threw him up on the shore before the tents of the captive women. Hecuba, on seeing the corse, recognized it; and having imparted her design to Agamemnon, sent for Polymestor to come to her with his sons, concealing what had happened, under pretence that she might discover to him some treasures hidden in Ilium. But on his arrival she slew his sons, and put out his eyes; but pleading her cause before the Greeks, she gained it over her accuser (Polymestor.) For it was decided that she did not begin the cruelty, but only avenged herself on him who did begin it. |