IPH.  I entertained the desire to reach Argos, and behold thee, my brother, even before thou camest.  But I wish, as you do, both to save thee, and to restore again our sickening ancestral home from troubles, in no wise wrath with him who would have slain me.  For I should both release my hand from thy slaughter, and preserve mine house.  But I fear how I shall be able to escape the notice of the Goddess and the king, when he shall find the stone pedestal bared of the image.  And how shall I escape death?  What account can I give?  But if indeed these matters can be effected at once, and thou wilt bear away the image, and lead me in the fair-pooped ship, the risk will be a glorious one.  But separated from this I perish, but you, arranging your own affairs, would obtain a prosperous return.  Yet in no wise will I fly, not even if I needs must perish, having preserved thee.  In no wise, I say;[136] for a man who dies from among his household is regretted, but a woman is of little account.

OR.  I would not be the murderer both of thee and of my mother.  Her blood is enough, and being of the same mind with you, [with you] I should wish, living or dying, to obtain an equal lot. +But I will lead thee, even though I myself fall here, to my house, or, remaining with thee, will die.[137]+ But hear my opinion.  If this had been disagreeable to Diana, how would Loxias have answered, that I should remove the image of the Goddess to the city of Pallas, and behold thy face?  For, putting all these matters together, I hope to obtain a return.

IPH.  How then can it happen that neither you die, and that we obtain what we wish?  For it is in this respect that our journey homeward is at fault, but the will is not wanting.

OR.  Could we possibly destroy the tyrant?

IPH, Thou tellest a fearful thing, for strangers to slay their receivers.

OR.  But if it will preserve thee and me, one must run the risk.

IPH.  I could not—­yet I approve your zeal.

OR.  But what if you were secretly to hide me in this temple?

IPH.  In order, forsooth, that, taking advantage of darkness, we might be saved?

OR.  For night is the time for thieves, the light for truth.

IPH.  But within are the sacred keepers,[138] whom we can not escape.

OR.  Alas! we are undone.  How can we then be saved?

IPH.  I seem to have a certain new device.

OR.  Of what kind?  Make me a sharer in your opinion, that I also may learn.

IPH.  I will make use of thy ravings as a contrivance.

OR.  Ay, cunning are women to find out tricks.

IPH.  I will say that thou, being slayer of thy mother, art come from Argos.

OR.  Make use of my troubles, if you can turn them to account.

IPH.  I will say that it is not lawful to sacrifice thee to the Goddess.

OR.  Having what pretext?  For I partly suspect.