Aegis.—­Thou withdraw thyself
From him?  I have already said to thee
That now ’tis utterly impossible.

Cly.—­What other step remains for me to take? ...

Aegis.—­None.

    Cly.—­Now I understand thee.—­What a flash. 

Oh, what a deadly, instantaneous flash
Of criminal conviction rushes through
My obtuse mind!  What throbbing turbulence
In ev’ry vein I feel!—­I understand thee: 
The cruel remedy ... the only one ... 
Is Agamemnon’s life-blood.

Aegis.—­I am silent ...

Cly.—­Yet, by thy silence, thou dost ask that blood.

          Aegis.—­Nay, rather I forbid it.—­To our love
     And to thy life (of mine I do not speak)
     His living is the only obstacle;
     But yet, thou knowest that his life is sacred: 
     To love, respect, defend it, thou art bound;
     And I to tremble at it.—­Let us cease: 
     The hour advances now; my long discourse
     Might give occasion to suspicious thoughts.—­
     At length receive ...  Aegisthus’s last farewell.

          Cly.—­Ah! hear me ...  Agamemnon to our love ... 
     And to thy life? ...  Ah, yes; there are, besides him,
     No other obstacles:  too certainly
     His life is death to us!

          Aegis.—­Ah! do not heed
     My words:  they spring from too much love.

          Cly.—­And love
     Revealed to me their meaning.

          Aegis.—­Hast thou not
     Thy mind o’erwhelmed with horror?

          Cly.—­Horror? ... yes; ... 
     But then to part from thee! ...

     Aegis.—­Wouldst have the courage? ...

     Cly.—­So vast my love, it puts an end to fear.

     Aegis.—­But the king lives surrounded by his friends: 
     What sword would find a passage to his heart?

     Cly.—­What sword?

     Aegis.—­Here open violence were vain.

     Cly.—­Yet, ... treachery! ...

          Aegis.—­’Tis true, he merits not
     To be betrayed, Atrides:  he who loves
     His wife so well; he who, enchained from Troy,
     In semblance of a slave in fetters, brought
     Cassandra, whom he loves, to whom he is
     Himself a slave ...

     Cly.—­What do I hear!

          Aegis.—­Meanwhile
     Expect that when of thee his love is wearied,
     He will divide with her his throne and bed;
     Expect that, to thy many other wrongs,
     Shame will be added:  and do thou alone
     Not be exasperated at a deed
     That rouses every Argive.

          Cly.—­What said’st thou? ... 
     Cassandra chosen as my rival? ...

     Aegis.—­So Atrides wills.