Euripides' HELEN Complete

Translated by E. Coleridge.

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Helen: That shall the voyage itself explain, sir stranger; but do
thou leave these shores and fly, ere the son of Proteus, the ruler
of this land, catch sight of thee. Now is he away with his trusty
hounds tracking his savage quarry to the death; for every stranger
that he catcheth from the land of Hellas doth he slay. His reason
never ask to know; my lips are sealed; for what could word of mine
avail thee?

Teucer: Lady, thy words are fair. Heaven grant thee a fair requital
for this kindness! For though in form thou dost resemble Helen, thy
soul is not like hers, nay, very different. Perdition seize her! May
she never reach the streams of Eurotas! But thine be joy for evermore,
lady! (Teucer departs. The Chorus of Captive Greek Women enter. They
sing responsively with Helen.)

Helen: Ah me! what piteous dirge shall I strive to utter, now that
I am beginning my strain of bitter lamentation? What Muse shall I
approach with tears or songs of death or woe? Ah me! ye Sirens, Earth's
virgin daughters, winged maids, come, oh! come to aid my mourning,
bringing with you the Libyan flute or pipe, to waft to Persephone's
ear a tearful plaint, the echo of my sorrow, with grief for grief,
and mournful chant for chant, with songs of death and doom to match
my lamentation, that in return she may receive from me, besides my
tears, dirges for the departed dead beneath her gloomy roof!

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