HELENA
Who in the mistress' presence chides her handmaidens,
Audacious, doth o'erstep her household privilege;
For her alone beseems, the praise-worthy to praise,
As also that to punish which doth merit blame.
Moreover with the service am I well-content,
Which these have rendered me, what time proud Ilion's strength
Beleaguer'd stood, and fell and sank; nor less indeed
When we, of our sea-voyage the dreary changeful woe
Endured, where commonly each thinks but of himself.
Here also I expect the like from this blithe train;
Not what the servant is, we ask, but how he serves.
Therefore be silent thou, and snarl at them no more!
If thou the monarch's house till now hast guarded well,
Filling the mistress' place, that for thy praise shall count;
But now herself is come, therefore do thou retire,
Lest chastisement be thine, instead of well-earn'd meed!
PHORKYAS
The menial train to threat, a sacred right remains,
Which the illustrious spouse of heaven-favor'd lord
Through many a year doth earn of prudent governance.
Since that, now recognized, thy ancient place as queen,
And mistress of the house, once more thou dost resume,
The long-time loosen'd reins grasp thou; be ruler here,
And in possession take the treasures, us with them!
Me before all protect, who am the elder-born,
From this young brood, who seem, thy swan-like beauty near,
But as a basely wingèd flock of cackling geese!
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
How hideous beside beauty showeth hideousness!
PHORKYAS
How foolish by discretion's side shows foolishness!
[Henceforth the choristers respond in turn, stepping forth singly from the chorus.]
FIRST CHORISTER
Tell us of Father Erebus, tell us of Mother Night!
PHORKYAS
Speak thou of Scylla, speak of her, thy sister-born!
SECOND CHORISTER
From thy ancestral tree springs many a monster forth.
PHORKYAS
To Orcus hence, away! Seek thou thy kindred there!
THIRD CHORISTER
Who yonder dwell, in sooth, for thee are far too young.
PHORKYAS
Tiresias, the hoary, go, make love to him!
FOURTH CHORISTER
Orion's nurse of old, was thy great-grand-daughter.
PHORKYAS
Harpies, so I suspect, did rear thee up in filth.
FIFTH CHORISTER
Thy cherished meagreness, whereon dost nourish that?
PHORKYAS
'Tis not with blood, for which so keenly thou dost thirst.
SIXTH CHORISTER
For corpses dost thou hunger, loathsome corpse thyself!
PHORKYAS
Within thy shameless jaw the teeth of vampires gleam.
SEVENTH CHORISTER
Thine I should stop were I to tell thee who thou art.
PHORKYAS
First do thou name thyself; the riddle then is solved.