Part 6 (2/2)

HERMIONE.

May a Queen in Phthia not give commands to her own slaves?

MAID.

[_At the shrine._] Holy Aphrodite! some one has put gold upon the shrine!

ALCIMEDON.

'Twas a stranger that the Priest has taken in. Have a care: the dog laid a curse on any who should move it.

HERMIONE.

A stranger! He comes from the South, then; from Athens, or Argos, or Mycenae----

ALCIMEDON.

No, Queen, he is only an Acarnanian. But belike he has journeyed to the South.

HERMIONE.

That is no Acarnanian gold! [_Taking it up._] See you the sea-beast wrought on it, with many feet?

[_To_ MAID.

MAID.

Yes, but the curse, Queen----

HERMIONE.

[_Not heeding her._] It brings my home back to me. In Lacedaemon 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.

HERMIONE.

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