Euripides' HECUBA Complete

Translated by E. Coleridge.

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Talthybius: Lady, thou art bent on making mine a double meed of tears
in pity for thy child; for now too as I tell the sad tale a tear will
wet my eye, as it did at the tomb when she was dying.

All Achaea's host was gathered there in full array before the tomb
to see thy daughter offered; and the son of Achilles took Polyxena
by the hand and set her on the top of the mound, while I stood near;
and a chosen band of young Achaeans followed to hold thy child and
prevent her struggling. Then did Achilles' son take in his hands a
brimming cup of gold and poured an offering to his dead sire, making
a sign to me to proclaim silence throughout the Achaean host. So I
stood at his side and in their midst proclaimed, "Silence, ye Achaeans!
hushed be the people all! peace! be still! "Therewith I hushed the
host. Then spake he, "Son of Peleus, father mine, accept the offering
I pour thee to appease thy spirit, strong to raise the dead; and come
to drink the black blood of a virgin pure, which I and the host are
offering thee; oh! be propitious to us; grant that we may loose our
prows and the cables of our ships, and, meeting with prosperous voyage
from Ilium, all to our country come." So he; and all the army echoed
his prayer. Then seizing his golden sword by the hilt he drew it from
its scabbard, signing the while to the picked young Argive warriors
to hold the maid. But she, when she was ware thereof, uttered her
voice and said: "O Argives, who have sacked my city! of my free will
I die; let none lay hand on me; for bravely will I yield my neck.

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