Or for thy brother; wherefore look thou well
Not to my business only but thine own;
For should'st thou hurt me, thou shalt wish to be
A coward rather than wax bold on me.
Enter Odysseus.
Chor. Thou com'st, Ο King Odysseus, seasonably,
If thou art here to stop, not stir the strife.
Odys. What is it, sirs? for from afar I heard
The Atreidæ's clamour o'er this noble corpse.
Agam. And have we not, Ο King Odysseus, heard1320
But now most shameful language from this man?
Odys. What was it? I can much forgive a man
Who, hearing vile things, answers evil words.
Agam. Foul words he heard, for such his deeds to me.
Odys. And what was this he did that injured thee?
Agam. He says he will not leave this corpse untombed,
But, spite of my command, will bury it.
Odys. And may I, as a friend who speaks the truth,
Row in thy boat, as welcome as before?
Agam. Speak on; or else I should be most unwise,1330
Who count thee, of all Argives, truest friend.
Odys. Hear then; by all the Gods, I thee entreat,
Cast not this man out so unfeelingly,
Nor leave him there unburied. Let not wrath
Prevail on thee that thou should'st hate so far
As upon right to trample. Unto me
This man of all the host was greatest foe,
Since I prevailed to gain Achilles' arms;
But, though he were so, being what he was,
I would not put so foul a shame on him,
As not to own I looked upon a man,
