
In this scene, the slave of Agamemnon is carrying a letter which could jeopardize the progress of the Greek armed trip against Troy (it is to stop the sacrifice of Agamemnon’s daughter to satisfy Artemis). Menelaus, the husband of Helen, and thus the one who most personally desires the war against Troy, stops the slave and tries to take the letter away from him.
It is interesting how strong the slave stands against a king in this short scene. The original Greek is set forth below the translation. As the original is verse, I worked the translation out as blank verse. I have tried to maintain some of the wordplay of Euripides.
Slave:
Menelaus, dang’rously you dare
Such things as you should never dare.
Menelaus
Back off: you’re far too loyal to your lord.
Slave:
Honor for me by your spite to be despised
Menelaus:
Tears for you if you do such things as you
Should never do.
Slave:
It’s not for you to pry
Into this message which here I bear.
Menelaus:
Nor you to bear this evil for the Greeks.
Slave:
Others will contend about these things
But you, release this scroll to me.
Menelaus:
I will never move.
Slave:
I will never go.
Menelaus:
Well then, my scepter soon will bleed your crown.
Slave:
What fame to die in service of my lord.
Menelaus:
Such big words for such a slave to spout –move!
Slave:
O Master, we shall be defamed — the letter!
By violence torn, without the will of right,
From out my very hand, Agamemnon.
Πρεσβύτης
Μενέλαε, τολμᾷς δείνʼ, ἅ σʼ ουʼ τολμᾶν χρεών.
Μενέλαος
ἄπελθε· λίαν δεσπόταισι πιστὸς εἶ.
Πρεσβύτης
[305] καλόν γέ μοι τοὔνειδος ἐξωνείδισας.
Μενέλαος
κλαίοις ἄν, ειʼ πράσσοις ἃ μὴ πράσσειν σε δεῖ.
Πρεσβύτης
ουʼ χρῆν σε λῦσαι δέλτον, ἣν ἐγὼ ʼφερον.
Μενέλαος
οὐδέ γε φέρειν σὲ πᾶσιν Ἕλλησιν κακά.
Πρεσβύτης
ἄλλοις ἁμιλλῶ ταῦτʼ· ἄφες δὲ τήνδʼ ἐμοί.
Μενέλαος
[310] οὐκ ἂν μεθείμην.
Πρεσβύτης
οὐδʼ ἔγωγʼ ἀφήσομαι.
Μενέλαος
σκήπτρῳ τάχʼ ἆρα σὸν καθαιμάξω κάρα.
Πρεσβύτης
ἀλλʼ εὐκλεές τοι δεσποτῶν θνῄσκειν ὕπερ.
Μενέλαος
μέθες· μακροὺς δὲ δοῦλος ὢν λέγεις λόγους.
Πρεσβύτης
ὦ δέσποτʼ, ἀδικούμεσθα. σὰς δʼ ἐπιστολὰς
[315] ἐξαρπάσας ὅδʼ ἐκ χερῶν ἐμῶν βίᾳ,
Ἀγάμεμνον, οὐδὲν τῇ δίκῃ χρῆσθαι θέλει.
Euripides, Euripidis Fabulae, Ed. Gilbert Murray, Vol. 3, ed. Gilbert Murray (Medford, MA: Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1913).