Euripides' ANDROMACHE Complete

Translated by E. Coleridge.

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51 pages - You are on Page 27

Wherefore, ye wooers, take heed to this my warning: "Choose the daughter
of a good mother." And more than this, with what wanton insult didst
thou treat thy brother, bidding him sacrifice his daughter in his
simpleness! So fearful wast thou of losing thy worthless wife. Then
after capturing Troy,-for thither too will I accompany thee,-thou
didst not slay that woman, when she was in thy power; but as soon
as thine eyes caught sight of her breast, thy sword was dropped and
thou didst take her kisses, fondling the shameless traitress, too
weak to stem thy hot desire, thou caitiff wretch! Yet spite of all
thou art the man to come and work havoc in my grandson's halls when
he is absent, seeking to slay with all indignity a poor weak woman
and her babe: but that babe shall one day make thee and thy daughter
in thy home rue it, e'en though his birth be trebly base. Yea, for
oft ere now hath seed, sown on barren soil, prevailed o'er rich deep
tilth, and many bastard has proved a better man than children better
born. Take thy daughter hence with thee! Far better is it for mortals
to have a poor honest man either as married kin or friend than a wealthy
knave; but as for thee, thou art a thing of naught.


Leader: The tongue from trifling causes contrives to breed great strife
'mongst men; wherefore are the wise most careful not to bring about
a quarrel with their friends.

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