and the spear of Hector was in its glory, why didst thou not then, if thou wert willing to lay him under this obligation, bringing up my child, and retaining him in thy palace, why didst thou not then slay him, or go and take him alive to the Greeks?  But when we were no longer in the light of prosperity, and the city by its smoke showed that it was in the power of the enemy, thou slewest thy guest who had come to thy hearth.  Now hear besides how thou wilt appear vile:  thou oughtest, if thou wert the friend of the Greeks, to have given the gold, which thou confessedst thou hast, not thine, but his, distributing to those who were in need, and had long been strangers to their native land.  But thou, even now, hast not courage to part with it from thy hand, but having it, thou still art keeping it close in thine house.  And yet, in bringing up my child, as it was thy duty to bring him up, and in preserving him, thou hadst had fair honor.  For in adversity friends are most clearly proved good.  But good circumstances have in every case their friends.  But if thou wert in want of money, and he in a flourishing condition, my son had been to thee a vast treasure; but now, thou neither hast him for thy friend, and the benefit from the gold is gone, and thy sons are gone, and thou art—­as thou art.  But to thee, Agamemnon, I say; if thou aidest this man, thou wilt appear to be doing wrong.  For thou wilt be conferring a benefit on a host, who is neither pious, nor faithful to those to whom he ought, not holy, not just.  But we shall say that thou delightest in the bad, if thus thou actest:  but I speak no offense to my lords.

Chor.  Ah!  Ah!  How do good deeds ever supply to men the source of good words!

Aga.  Thankless my office to decide on others’ grievances; but still I must, for it brings disgrace on a man, having taken a thing in hand, to give it up.  But to me, be assured, thou neither appearest for my sake, nor for the sake of the Grecians, to have killed this man thy guest, but that thou mightest possess the gold in thy palace.  But thou talkest of thy advantage, when thou art in calamities.[21] Perhaps with you it is a slight thing to kill your guests; but with us Grecians this thing is abhorred.  How then, in giving my decision that thou hast not injured, can I escape blame?  I can not; but as thou hast dared to do things dishonorable, endure now things unpleasant.

Poly.  Alas me! worsted, as it seems, by a woman who is a slave, I shall submit to the vengeance of my inferiors.

Aga.  Will it not then be justly, seeing thou hast acted wrong?

Poly.  Alas me! wretched on account of these children and on account of my eyes.

Hec.  Thou sufferest? but what do I?  Thinkest thou I suffer not for my child?

Poly.  Thou rejoicest in insulting me, O thou malicious woman.

Hec.  For ought not I to rejoice on having avenged myself on thee?