But upon friends and parents leans her cause.
Do I not justly then to aid mine own?
Dotard—thou dotard!—thou wouldst help me more
By praise than slurring of my leadership!
Not of her will, but Heaven's, came Helen's trouble; 680
And a great boon bestowed she thus on Greece;
For they which were unschooled to arms and fight
Turned them to brave deeds: fellowship in arms
Is the great teacher of all things to men.
And if I, soon as I beheld my wife, 685
Forebore to slay her, wise was I herein.
'Twere well had Phokus ne'er been slain by thee.[1]
Thus have I met thee in goodwill, not wrath.
If thou wax passionate, thou shalt but win
An aching tongue : my gain in forethought lies. 690
Chorus.
Refrain, refrain you—better far were this—
From idle words, lest both together err.
Peleus.
Ah me, what evil customs hold in Greece!
When hosts rear trophies over vanquished foes,
Men count not this the battle-toiler's work; 695
Nay, but their captain filcheth the renown:
Amidst ten thousand one, he raised a spear,
Wrought one man's work—no more; yet hath more praise.
In proud authority's pomp men sit, and scorn
- ↑ Half-brother of Peleus and Telamon, murdered because he surpassed them in heroic exercises.
