o within.

AG. I envy thee, old man, and I envy that man who has passed through a life
without danger, unknown, unglorious; but I less envy those in honor.

OLD M. And yet 'tis in this that the glory of life is.

AG. But this very glory is uncertain, for the love of popularity is
pleasant indeed, but hurts when present. Sometimes the worship of the Gods
not rightly conducted upturns one's life, and sometimes the many and
dissatisfied opinions of men harass.

OLD M. I praise not these remarks in a chieftain. O Agamemnon, Atreus did
not beget thee upon a condition of complete good fortune.[3] But thou needs
must rejoice and grieve; [in turn,] for thou art a mortal born, and even
though you wish it not, the will of the Gods will be thus. But thou,
opening the light of a lamp, art both writing this letter, which thou still
art carrying in thy hands, and again you blot out the same characters, and
seal, and loose again, and cast the tablet to the ground, pouring abundant
tears, and thou lackest naught of the unwonted things that tend to madness.
Why art thou troubled, why art thou troubled? What new thing, what new
thing [has happened] concerning thee, O king? Come, communicate discourse
with me. But thou wilt speak to a good and faithful man, for to thy wife
Tyndarus sent me once on a time, as a dower-gift, and disinterested
companion.[4]

AG. To Leda, daughter of Thestias, were born three virgins, Phoebe, and
Clytaemnestra my spouse, and Helen. Of this latter, the youths of Greece
that were in the first state of prosperity came as suitors. But terrible
threats of bloodshed[5] arose against one another, from whoever should not
obtain the virgin. But the matter was difficult for her father Tyndarus,
whether to give, or not to give [her in marriage,] and how he might best
deal with the circumstances, when this occurred to him; that the suitors
should join oaths and plight right hands with one another, and over
burnt-offerings should enter into treaty, and bind themselves by this oath,
"Of whomsoever the daughter of Tyndarus shall become wife, that they will
join to assist him, if any one should depart from his house taking [her]
with him, and excluding the possessor from his bed, and that they will make
an expedition in arms, and sack the city [of the ravisher,] Greek or
barbarian alike." But after they had pledged themselves, the old man
Tyndarus somehow cleverly overreached them by a cunning plan. He permits
his daughte