ORES. O Loxian prophet, thou wert not then a false prophet in thine oracles, but a true one. And yet a fear comes upon me, that having heard one of the Furies, I might think that I have been hearing thy voice. But it is well fulfilled, and I will obey thy words. Behold I let go Hermione from slaughter, and approve her alliance, whenever her father shall give her.
MEN. O Helen, daughter of Jove, hail! but I bless thee inhabiting the happy mansions of the Gods. But to thee, Orestes, do I betroth my daughter at Phoebus’s commands, but illustrious thyself marrying from an illustrious family, be happy, both thou and I who give her.
APOL. Now depart each of you whither we have appointed, and dissolve your quarrels.
MEN. It is our duty to obey.
ORES. I too entertain the same sentiments, and I receive with friendship thee in thy sufferings, O Menelaus, and thy oracles, O Apollo.
APOL. Go now, each his own way, honoring the most excellent goddess Peace; but I will convey Helen to the mansions of Jove, passing through the pole of the shining stars, where sitting by Juno, and Hercules’s Hebe, a goddess, she shall ever be honored by mortals with libations, in conjunction with the Tyndaridae, the sons of Jove, presiding over the sea to the benefit of mariners.
CHOR. O greatly glorious Victory, mayest thou uphold my life, and cease not from crowning me!
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NOTES ON ORESTES
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[1] [Greek: stemmata, eria], Schol. “eo quod colum cingant seu coronant,” Scapula explains it.
[2] “Then” is not to be considered as signifying point of time, but it is meant to express [Greek: oun], continuativam. See Hoogeveen de Particula [Greek: oun], Sect. ii. Sec. 6.
[3] The original Greek phrase was [Greek: elpidos leptes], which Euripides has changed to [Greek: asthenous rhomes], though the other had equally suited the metre. But Euripides is fond of slight alterations in proverbs. PORSON.