(SCENE:-Before the palace of THEOCLYMENUS in Egypt. It is near the mouth of the Nile. The tomb of Proteus, the father of THEOCLYMENUSis visible. HELEN is discovered alone before the tomb.)HELENLo! These are the fair virgin streams of Nile, the river that waters Egypt's tilth, fed by pure melting snow instead of rain from heaven. Proteus during his life-time was king of this land, dwelling in the isle of Pharos, and ruling o'er Egypt; and he took to wife one of the daughters of the sea, Psamathe, after she left the embraces of Aeacus. Two children she bare in this his palace, a son Theoclymenus, who hath passed his life in duteous service to the gods, and likewise a noble daughter, her mother's pride, called Eido in her infancy, but when she reached her youthful prime, the age for wedded joys, renamed Theonoe; for well she knew whate'er the gods design, both present and to come, for she had won this guerdon from her grandsire Nereus. Nor is my fatherland unknown to fame, e'en Sparta, or my sire Tyndareus; for a legend tells how Zeus winged his way to my mother Leda's breast, in the semblance of a bird, even a swan, and thus as he fled from an eagle's pursuit, achieved by guile his amorous purpose, if this tale be true. My name is Helen, and Iwill now recount the sorrows I have suffered. To a hollow vale on Ida came three goddesses to Paris, for beauty's prize contending, Hera and Cypris, and the virgin child of Zeus, eager to secure his verdict on their loveliness. Now Cypris held out my beauty,-if aught so wretched deserves that name,-as a bride before the eyes of Paris, saying he should marry me; and so she won the day; wherefore the shepherd of Ida left his steading, and came to Sparta, thinking to win me for his bride. But Hera, indignant at not defeating the goddesses, brought to naught my marriage with Paris, and gave to Priam's princely son not Helen, but a phantom endowed with life, that she made in my image out of the breath of heaven; and Paris thought that I was his, although I never was,-an idle fancy! Moreover, the counsels of Zeus added further troubles unto these; for upon the land of Hellas and the hapless Phrygians he brought a war, that he might lighten mother-earth of her myriad hosts of men, and to the bravest of the sons of Hellas bring renown. So I was set up as a prize for all the chivalry of Hellas, to test the might of Phrygia, yet not I, but my name alone; for Hermes caught me up in the embracing air, and veiled me in a cloud; for Zeus was not unmindful of me; and he set me down here in the house of Proteus, judging him to be the most virtuous of all mankind; that so I might preserve my marriage with Menelaus free from taint. Here then I abide, while my hapless lord has gathered an army, and is setting out for the towers of Ilium to track and recover me. And there by Scamander's streams hath many a life breathed out its last, and all for me; and I, that have endured all this, am accursed, and seem to have embroiled all Hellas in a mighty war by proving a traitress to my husband. Why, then, do I prolong my life? Because I heard Hermes declare, that I should yet again make my home on Sparta's glorious soil, with my lord,-for Hermes knew I never went to Ilium,-that so I might never submit to any other's wooing. Now as long as Proteus gazed upon yon glorious sun, I was safe from marriage; but when o'er him the dark grave closed, the dead man's son was eager for my hand. But I, from regard to my former husband, am throwing myself down in suppliant wise before this tomb of Proteus, praying him to guard my husband's honour, that, though through Hellas I bear a name dishonoured, at least my body here may not incur disgrace.
(TEUCER enters.)
TEUCER
Who is lord and master of this fenced palace? The house is one Imay compare to the halls of Plutus, with its royal bulwarks and towering buildings. Ha! great gods! what sight is here? I see the counterfeit of that fell murderous dame, who ruined me and all the Achaeans. May Heaven show its loathing for thee, so much dost thou resemble Helen! Were I not standing on a foreign soil, with this well-aimed shaft had worked thy death, thy reward for resembling the daughter of Zeus.
HELEN
Oh! why, poor man, whoe'er thou art, dost thou turn from me, loathing me for those troubles Helen caused?
TEUCER
I was wrong; I yielded to my anger more than I ought; my reason was, the hate all Hellas bears to that daughter of Zeus. Pardon me, lady, for the words I uttered.
HELEN
Who art thou? whence comest thou to visit this land?
TEUCER
One of those hapless Achaeans am I, lady.
HELEN
No wonder then that thou dost bate Helen. But say, who art thou?
Whence comest? By what name am I to call thee?
TEUCER
My name is Teucer; my sire was Telamon, and Salamis is the land that nurtured me.
HELEN
Then why art thou visiting these meadows by the Nile?
TEUCER
A wanderer I, an exile from my native land.
HELEN
Thine must be a piteous lot; who from thy country drives thee out?
TEUCER
My father Telamon. Couldst find a nearer and a dearer?
HELEN
But why? This case is surely fraught with woe.
TEUCER
The death of Ajax my brother at Troy was my ruin.
HELEN
How so? surely 'twas not thy sword that stole his life away?
TEUCER
He threw himself on his own blade and died.
HELEN
Was he mad? for who with sense endowed would bring himself to this?
TEUCER
Dost thou know aught of Achilles. son of Peleus?
HELEN
He came, so I have heard, to woo Helen once.
TEUCER
When he died, he left his arms for his comrades to contest.
HELEN
Well, if he did, what harm herein to Ajax?
TEUCER
When another won these arms, to himself he put an end.
HELEN
Art thou then a sufferer by woes that he inflicted?
TEUCER
Yes, because I did not join him in his death.
HELEN
So thou camest, sir stranger, to Ilium's famous town?
TEUCER
Aye, and, after helping to sack it, myself did learn what ruin meant.
HELEN
Is Troy already fired and utterly by flames consumed?
TEUCER
Yea, so that not so much as one vestige of her walls is now to be seen.
HELEN
Woe is thee, poor Helen! thou art the cause of Phrygia's ruin.
TEUCER
