Page:Tragedies of Seneca (1907) Miller.djvu/366

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But while our Greece lay bleeding, and her ships
With hostile fire were threatened, there he lay
Supine and thoughtless of his warlike arms, 320
And idly strumming on his tuneful lyre.
Pyrrhus: ⁠Then mighty Hector, scornful of thy arms,
Yet felt such wholesome fear of that same lyre,
That our Thessalian ships were left in peace.
Agamemnon: An equal peace did Hector's father find
When he betook him to Achilles' ships. 325
Pyrrhus: ⁠'Tis regal thus to spare a kingly life.
Agamemnon: Why then didst thou a kingly life despoil?
Pyrrhus: ⁠But mercy oft doth offer death for life.
Agamemnon: Doth mercy now demand a maiden's blood? 330
Pyrrhus: ⁠Canst thou proclaim such sacrifice a sin?
Agamemnon: A king must love his country more than child.
Pyrrhus: ⁠No law the wretched captive's life doth spare.
Agamemnon: What law forbids not, this let shame forbid.
Pyrrhus: ⁠'Tis victor's right to do whate'er he will. 335
Agamemnon: Then should he will the least who most can do.
Pyrrhus: ⁠Dost thou boast thus, from whose tyrannic reign
Of ten long years but now the Greeks I freed?
Agamemnon: Such airs from Scyros!
Pyrrhus: ⁠Thence no brother's blood.
Agamemnon: Hemmed by the sea!
Pyrrhus: ⁠Yet that same sea is ours. 340
But as for Pelops' house, I know it well.
Agamemnon: Thou base-born son of maiden's secret sin,
And young Achilles, scarce of man's estate—
Pyrrhus: ⁠Yea, that Achilles who, by right of birth,
Claims equal sovereignty of triple realms: 345
His mother rules the sea, to Aeacus
The shades submit, to mighty Jove the heavens.
Agamemnon: Yet that Achilles lies by Paris slain!
Pyrrhus: ⁠But by Apollo's aid, who aimed the dart;
For no god dared to meet him face to face.
Agamemnon: I could have checked thy words, and curbed thy tongue,
Too bold in evil speech; but this my sword 350
Knows how to spare. But rather let them call
The prophet Calchas, who the will of heaven