ithful to his friends, bold in battle, skilled in war, cruel as the
dragon. May he perish for his deep concealed design, the worker of evil!
But they having advanced within her chamber, whom the archer Paris had as
his wife, their eyes bathed with tears, they sat down in humble mien, one
on each side of her, on the right and on the left, armed with swords. And
around her knees did they both fling their suppliant hands, around the
knees of Helen did they fling them. But the Phrygian attendants sprung up,
and fled in amazement: and one called out to another in terror, _See_, lest
there be treachery. To some indeed there appeared no danger; but to others
the dragon stained with his mother's blood appeared bent to infold in his
closest toils the daughter of Tyndarus.

CHOR. But where wert thou then, or hadst thou long before fled through
fear?

PHRY. After the Phrygian fashion I chanced with the close circle of
feathers to be fanning the gale, _that sported_ in the ringlets of Helen,
before her cheek, after the barbaric fashion. But she was winding with her
fingers the flax round the distaff, but what she had spun she let fall on
the ground, desirous of making from the Phrygian spoils a robe of purple as
an ornament for the tomb, a gift to Clytaemnestra. But Orestes entreated the
Spartan girl; "O daughter of Jove, here, place thy footstep on the ground,
rising from thy seat, come to the place of our ancestor Pelops, the ancient
altar, that thou mayest hear my words." And he leads her, but she followed,
not dreaming of what was about to happen. But his accomplice, the wicked
Phocian, attended to other points. "Will ye not depart from out of the way,
but are the Phrygians always vile?" and he bolted us out scattered in
different parts of the house, some in the stables of the horses, and some
in the outhouses, and some here and there, dispersing them some one way,
some another, afar from their mistress.

CHOR. What calamity took place after this?

PHRY. O powerful, powerful Idean mother, alas! alas! the murderous
sufferings, and the lawless evils, which I saw, I saw in the royal palace!
From beneath their purple robes concealed having their drawn swords in
their hands, they turned each his eye on either side, lest any one might
chance to be present. But like mountain boars standing over against the
lady, they say, "Thou shalt die, thou shalt die! thy vile husband kills
thee, having given up the offspring of his brother to di