Page:Tragedies of Euripides (Way 1896) v2.djvu/216

But bitter thrall? If thou wouldst overbear
Gods, this thy wish is folly unto thee. 965

Stand up for children and for country, Queen!
Shatter her specious pleading; for her words
Ring fair—a wanton's words; foul shame is this.

First, champion will I be of Goddesses,
And will convict her of a slanderous tongue. 970
Never, I ween, would Hera, or the Maid,
Pallas, have stooped unto such folly's depth,
That Hera would to aliens Argos sell,
Or Pallas bow 'neath Phrygians Athens' neck.
For sport they came and mirth in beauty's strife 975
To Ida. Why should Goddess Hera yearn
So hotly for the prize of loveliness?
That she might win a mightier lord than Zeus?
Or sought Athena mid the Gods a spouse,
Who of her sire, for hate of marriage, craved 980
Maidenhood?—Charge not Goddesses with folly,
To gloze thy sin: thou cozenest not the wise.
And Kypris, say'st thou—who but laughs to hear?—
Came with my son to Menelaus' halls!
How, could she not in peace have stayed in heaven, 985
And thee—Amyklæ too—to Ilium brought?
My son in goodlihead had never peer:
Thou sawest, and thine heart became thy Kypris!
All folly is to men their Aphroditê:
Sensual—senseless—consonant they ring! 990
Him in barbaric bravery sawest thou
Gold-glittering, and thy senses were distraught.