Page:Tragedies of Seneca (1907) Miller.djvu/374

---

Still other years of slaughter, and thy Troy,
Still unsubdued. This fear one cause alone 550
Doth raise—another Hector. Free the Greeks
From dread of war. For this and this alone
Our idle ships still wait along the shore.
And let me not seem cruel in thy sight,
For that, compelled of fate, I seek thy son:
I should have sought our chieftain's son as well.
Then gently suffer what the victor bids. 555
Andromache: Oh, that thou wert within my power to give,
My son, and that I knew what cruel fate
Doth hold thee now, snatched from my eager arms—
Where thou dost lie; then, though my breast were
pierced
With hostile spears, and though my hands with chains
Were bound, and scorching flames begirt my sides, 560
Thy mother's faith would ne'er betray her child.
O son, what place, what lot doth hold thee now?
Dost thou with wandering footsteps roam the fields?
Wast thou consumed amid the raging flames?
Hath some rude victor reveled in thy blood? 565
Or, by some ravening beast hast thou been slain,
And liest now a prey for savage birds?
Ulysses: Away with feignéd speech; no easy task
For thee to catch Ulysses: 'tis my boast
That mother's snares, and even goddesses'
I have o'ercome. Have done with vain deceit. 570
Where is thy son?
Andromache: And where is Hector too?
Where agéd Priam and the Phrygians?
Thou seekest one; my quest includes them all.
Ulysses: By stern necessity thou soon shalt speak
What thy free will withholds.
Andromache: But safe is she,
Who can face death, who ought and longs to die.
Ulysses: But death brought near would still thy haughty words.
Andromache: If 'tis thy will, Ulysses, to inspire 575
Andromache with fear, then threaten life;
For death has long been object of my prayer.