Yea, have I not the fullest reason to rejoice at these tidings of my lord's happy fortune? To such fortune, such joy must needs respond. And yet a prudent mind can see room for misgiving lest he who prospers should one day suffer reverse. A strange pity hath come over me, friends, at the sight of these ill-fated exiles, homeless and fatherless in a foreign land; once the daughters, perchance, of free-born sires, but now doomed to the life of slaves. O Zeus, who turnest the tide of battle, never may I see child of mine thus visited by thy hand; nay, if such visitation is to be, may it not fall while Deianeira lives! Such dread do I feel, beholding these.

Ah, hapless girl, say, who art thou? A maiden, or a mother? To judge by thine aspect, an innocent maiden, and of a noble race. Lichas, whose daughter is this stranger? Who is her mother, who her sire? Speak, I pity her more than all the rest, when I behold her; as she alone shows due feeling for her plight.

How should I know? Why should'st thou ask me? Perchance the off, spring of not the meanest in yonder land.

Can she be of royal race? Had Eurytus a daughter?

I know not; indeed, I asked not many questions.

And thou hast not heard her name from any of her companions?

No, indeed, I went through my task in silence.

Unhappy girl, let me, at least, hear it from thine own mouth. It is indeed distressing not to know thy name.

It will be unlike her former behaviour, then, I can tell thee, if she opens her lips: for she hath not uttered one word, but hath ever been travailing with the burden of her sorrow, and weeping bitterly, poor girl, since she left her wind-swept home. Such a state is grievous for herself, but claims our forbearance.

Then let her be left in peace, and pass under our roof as she wishes; her present woes must not be crowned with fresh pains at my hands; she hath enough already.-Now let us all go in, that thou mayest start speedily on thy journey, while I make all things ready in the house.

Ay, but first tarry here a brief space, that thou mayest learn, apart from yonder folk, whom thou art taking to thy hearth, and mayest gain the needful knowledge of things which have not been told to thee. Of these I am in full possession.

What means this? Why wouldest thou stay my departure?

Pause and listen. My former story was worth thy hearing, and so will this one be, methinks.

Shall I call those others back? Or wilt thou speak before me and these maidens?

To thee and these I can speak freely; never mind the others.

Well, they are gone;- so thy story can proceed.

Yonder man was not speaking the straight-forward truth in aught that he has just told. He has given false tidings now, or else his former report was dishonest.

How sayest thou? Explain thy whole drift clearly; thus far, thy words are riddles to me.