n pious. But now has he come to the same fate with his mother. For
with justice thinking her wicked, himself has become more wicked in slaying
his mother.

But thus much, Menelaus, will I ask thee; If the wife that shared his bed
were to kill him, and his son again kills his mother in return, and he that
is born of him shall expiate the murder with murder, whither then will the
extremes of these evils proceed? Well did our fathers of old lay down these
things; they suffered not him to come into the sight of their eyes, not to
their converse, who was under an attainder[14] of blood; but they made him
atone by banishment; they suffered however none to kill him in return. For
always were one about to be attainted of murder, taking the pollution last
into his hands. But I hate indeed impious women, but first among them my
daughter, who slew her husband. But never will I approve of Helen thy wife,
nor would I speak to her, neither do I commend[15] thee for going to the
plain of Troy on account of a perfidious woman. But I will defend the law,
as far at least as I am able, putting a stop to this brutish and murderous
practice, which is ever destructive both of the country and the state.--For
what feelings of humanity hadst thou, thou wretched man, when she bared her
breast in supplication, thy mother? I indeed, though I witnessed not that
scene of misery, melt in my aged eyes with tears through wretchedness. One
thing however goes to the scale of my arguments; thou art both hated by the
Gods, and sufferest vengeance of thy mother, wandering about with madness
and terrors; why must I hear by the testimony of others, what it is in my
power to see? That thou mayest know then _once for all_, Menelaus, do not
things contrary to the Gods, through thy wishes to assist this man. But
suffer him to be slain by the citizens with stones, or set not thy foot on
Spartan ground. But my daughter in dying met with justice, but it was not
fitting that she should die by him.[16] In other respects indeed have I
been a happy man, except in my daughters, but in this I am not happy.

CHOR. He is enviable, who is fortunate in his children, and has not on him
some notorious calamities.

ORES. O old man, I tremble to speak to thee, wherein I am about to grieve
thee and thy mind. But I am unholy in that I slew my mother; but holy at
least in another point of view, having avenged my father. Let then thine
age, which hinders me through fear from speaking