Maid.
Yes, but the curse, Queen——
Hermione.
[Not heeding her.] It brings my home back to me. In Lacedæmon we all wore chains of gold about our necks.
Maid.
Queen, the man laid a curse upon it!
Hermione.
[Putting it back.] I meant no evil; and that dear gold of the South will never hurt me—— In Agamemnon's palace the men had gold in their armour, and even in the blades of their swords! And the gold was wrought into lions and wild bulls and trees, and strange sea-beasts like this.
Alcimedon.
A plain haft and a plain blade cuts the steadiest.