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MENELAUS
O happy； happy sight！ I have no fault to find； my wife； he
daughter of Zeus and Leda； is mine again； she whom her brothers on
their snow…white steeds； whilst torches blazed； made my happy bride；
but gods removed her from my home。 Now is the deity guiding us to a
new destiny； happier than of yore。
HELEN
Evil into good transformed hath brought us twain together at last；
dear husband； but late though it be； God grant me joy of my good luck！
MENELAUS
God grant thee joy！ I join thee in the self…same prayer； for of us
twain one cannot suffer without the other。
HELEN
No more； my friends； I mourn the past； no longer now I grieve。
My own dear husband is restored to me； whose coming from Troy I have
waited many a long year。
MENELAUS
I to thee； and thou to me。 And after these long； long years I have
at last discovered the fraud of the goddess。 But these tears； in
gladness shed； are tears of thankfulness rather than of sorrow。
HELEN
What can I say？ What mortal heart could e'er have had such hope？
To my bosom I press thee； little as I ever thought to。
MENELAUS
And I to mine press thee； who all men thought hadst gone to
Ida's town and the hapless towers of Ilium。
HELEN
Ah me！ ah me！ that is a bitter subject to begin on。
MENELAUS
Tell me； I adjure thee； how wert thou from my home conveyed？
HELEN
Alas！ alas！ 'tis a bitter tale thou askest to hear。
MENELAUS
Speak； for I must hear it； all that comes is Heaven's gift。
HELEN
I loathe the story I am now to tell。
MENELAUS
Tell it for all that。 'Tis sweet to hear of trouble past。
HELEN
I ne'er set forth to be the young barbarian's bride； with oars and
wings of lawless love to speed me on my way。
MENELAUS
What deity or fate tore thee from thy country； then？
HELEN
Ah； my lord！ 'twas Hermes； the son of Zeus； that brought and
placed me by the banks of Nile。
MENELAUS
A miracle！ Who sent thee thither？ O monstrous story！
HELEN
I wept； and still my eyes are wet with tears。 'Twas the wife of
Zeus that ruined me。
MENELAUS
Hera？ wherefore should she afflict us twain？
HELEN
Woe is me for my awful fate！ Woe for those founts and baths
where the goddesses made brighter still that beauty； which evoked
the fatal verdict！
MENELAUS
Why did Hera visit thee with evil regarding this verdict？
HELEN
To wrest the promise of Cypris…
MENELAUS
How now？ Say on。
HELEN
From Paris； to whom that goddess pledged me。
MENELAUS
Woe for thee！
HELEN
And so she brought me hither to Egypt to my sorrow。
MENELAUS
Then she gave him a phantom in thy stead； as thou tellest me？
HELEN
And then began those woes of thine； ah； mother！ woe is me！
MENELAUS
What meanest thou？
HELEN
My mother is no more； my shameful marriage made her fix the
noose about her neck。
MENELAUS
Ah me！ is our daughter Hermione yet alive？
HELEN
Still unwed； childless still； she mourns my fatal marriage。
MENELAUS
O Paris； who didst utterly o'erthrow my home； here was thy ruin
too and theirs； those countless mail…clad Danai。
HELEN
From my country； city； and from thee heaven cast me forth
unhappy and accursed； because I left；…and yet not I；…home and
husband for union of foul shame。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
If haply ye find happiness in the future； it will suffice when
to the past ye look。
MESSENGER
Menelaus； grant me too a portion of that joy which； though mine
own eyes see； I scarcely comprehend。
MENELAUS
Come then； old friend； and share with us our talk。
MESSENGER
Was it not then in her power to decide all the trouble in Troy？
MENELAUS
It was not； I was tricked by the gods into taking to my arms a
misty phantom…form； to my sorrow。
MESSENGER
How so？ was it then for this we vainly toiled？
MENELAUS
'Twas Hera's handiwork； and the jealousy of three goddesses。
MESSENGER
Is this real woman； then； thy wife？
MENELAUS
This is she； trust my word for that。
MESSENGER
Daughter； how changeful and inscrutable is the nature of God！ With
some good end doth he vary men's fortune…now up； now down； one
suffers； another who ne'er knew suffering； is in his turn to awful
ruin brought； having no assurance in his lot from day to day。 Thou and
thy husband have had your share of trouble…thou in what the world
has said； he in battle's heat。 For all the striving that he strove； he
got him naught； while now； without an effort made； every blessing
fortune boasts is his。 And thou； in spite of all； hast brought no
shame upon thy aged sire； or those twin sons of Zeus； nor art thou
guilty of those rumoured crimes。 Now again do I recall thy wedding
rites； remembering the blazing torch I bore beside thee in a
four…horsed chariot at full gallop； while thou with this thy lord； a
new…made bride； wert driving forth from thy happy home。 A sorry
servant he； whoso regardeth not his master's interest； sympathizing
with his sorrows and his joys。 Slave though I was born； yet may I be
numbered amongst honest servants； for in heart； though not in name；
I am free。 For this is better far than in my single person to suffer
these two evils； to feel my heart corrupt； and as the slave of
others to be at my neighbour's beck and call。
MENELAUS
Come； old friend； oft hast thou stood side by side with me and
taken thy full share of toil； so now be partner in my happiness。 Go；
tell my comrades； whom I left behind； the state of matters here； as
thou hast found them； and the issue of my fortunes； and bid them
wait upon the beach and abide the result of the struggle； which I trow
awaits me； and if mayhap we find a way to take this lady from the land
by stealth； tell them to keep good watch that we may share the luck
and escape； if possible； from the barbarian's clutch。
MESSENGER
It shall be done； O king。 Now I see how worthless are the seers'
tricks； how full of falsehood； nor is there after all aught
trustworthy in the blaze of sacrifice or in the cry of feathered
fowls； 'tis folly； the very notion that birds can help mankind。
Calchas never by word or sign showed the host the truth； when he saw
his friends dying on behalf of a phantom； nor yet did Helenus； but the
city was stormed in vain。 Perhaps thou wilt say； 'twas not heaven's
will that they should do so。 Then why do we employ these prophets？
Better were it to sacrifice to the gods； and crave a blessing； leaving
prophecy alone； for this was but devised as a bait to catch
livelihood； and no man grows rich by divination if he is idle。 No！
sound judgment and discernment are the best of seers。
（The MESSENGER departs。）
LEADER
My views about seers agree exactly with this old man's： whoso hath
the gods upon his side will have the best seer in his house。
HELEN
Good！ so far all is well。 But how camest thou； poor husband；
safe from Troy？ though 'tis no gain to know； yet friends feel a
longing to learn all that their friends have suffered。
MENELAUS
That one short sentence of thine contains a host of questions。 Why
should I tell thee of our losses in the Aegean； or of the beacon
Nauplius lighted on Euboea？ or of my visits to Crete and the cities of
Libya； or of the peaks of Perseus？ For I should never satisfy thee
with the tale； and by telling thee should add to my own pain； though I
suffered enough at the time； and so would my grief be doubled。
HELEN
Thy answer shows more wisdom than my question。 Omit the rest；
and tell me only this； how long wert thou a weary wanderer o'er the
wide sea's face？
MENELAUS
Seven long years did I see come and go； besides those ten in Troy。
HELEN
Alas； poor sufferer！ 'twas a weary while。 And thou hast thence
escaped only to bleed here。
MENELAUS
How so？ what wilt thou tell？ Ah wife； thou hast ruined me。
HELEN
Escape and fly with all thy speed from this land。 Thou wilt be
slain by him whose house this is。
MENELAUS
What have I done to merit such a fate？
HELEN
Thou hast arrived unexpectedly to thwart my marriage。
MENELAUS
What！ is some man bent on wedding my wife？
HELEN
Aye； and on heaping those insults on me； which I have hitherto
endured。
MENELAUS
Is he some private prince； or a ruler of this land？
HELEN
The son of Proteus； king of the country。
MENELAUS
This was that dark saying I heard the servant tell。
HELEN
At which of the barbarian's gates wert thou standing？
MENELAUS
Here； whence like a beggar I was like to be driven。
HELEN
Surely thou wert not begging food？ Ah； woe is me！
MENELAUS
That was what I was doing； though I had not the name of beggar。