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 die at Argos.”  But she shrieked out, Ah me! ah me! and throwing her white arm on her breast inflicted on her head miserable blows, and, her feet turned to flight, she stepped, she stepped with her golden sandals; but Orestes thrusting his fingers into her hair, outstripping her flight,[41] bending back her neck over his left shoulder, was about to plunge the black sword into her throat.

CHOR.  Where then were the Phrygians, who dwell under the same roof, to assist her?