em be kept
for her, when she shall die. And surely, but that she is the most
shameless of women, she had not sought to pay this honour to him whom
she slew so foully. Thinketh she to atone in such sort for the blood
that she hath shed? Not so. Put these things away; but thou and I will
lay upon this tomb hair from thy head and from mine; small gifts, in
truth, yet what we have. And do thou pray to our father that he will
help us even where he dwelleth below the earth, and also that Orestes
may come speedily, and set his foot upon the necks of them that hate
us."

This Chrysothemis promised that she would do, and so departed. And in a
short space came forth the Queen Clytaemnestra, and, finding her
daughter Electra without the gate of the palace, was very wroth, saying
that King AEgisthus had forbidden her to do this thing, and that it was
not well that, he being absent, she should take no account of her
mother.

"But now," she said, "let us reason together. Thou speakest ill of me,
because I slew thy father. 'Tis even so. I deny it not. But mark,
Justice slew him, not I only; and thou shouldest be on the side of
Justice. He slew thy sister, sacrificing her to the Gods, as no other
Greek had done. For what cause did he slay her? 'For the sake of the
Greeks,' thou wilt say. But what had the Greeks to do with child of
mine? Or was it for the sake of King Menelaues his brother? But had not
Menelaues two children, and should not one of these have the rather died,
seeing of what father and mother they came, even of those for whose sake
the Greeks waged this war? Had Death, thinkest thou, desire for my
children rather than for his? Or had this accursed father no care for my
children, but only for the children of his brother? Surely this was the
deed of a foolish and wicked man. Aye, I say it, whatever thou mayest
think, and so would say she who died, could she take voice and speak."

Then said Electra, "If thou permittest, I would say somewhat for him and
for her."

And the Queen answered, "Say on. Didst thou always speak in such mood,
thou wert not so ill to hear."

Then Electra spake: "Thou sayest, 'I slew thy father,' 'Tis enough.
Worse thou couldst not say, whether 'twere justly done or no. But of
justice thou hadst never a thought. 'Twas the ill persuasion of him with
whom thou now consortest that urged thee to this deed. And as for my
sister, thou knowest well that my father slew a stag in the grove of
Artemis, an