1 EURIPIDES' TROJAN WOMEN PREFACE, TRANSLATION, and ...

and luxury means little to the dead; it is just vain show for the living. 1250
[Keening]
Io io.
Chorus
Your poor mother who had such great hopes for you.
You had so much wealth and luxury, and came from noble ancestors.
Ea ea.
What is this I see?
People brandishing flaming torches
On the heights of Ilium?
New evils on top of the old
Assail Troy.
Talthybius
I speak to you captains who are ordered to set Troy on fire,
don’t hold back any longer, but do your work quickly.
After the city is leveled to the ground, then we’ll sail happily home from Troy.
You women, I have two messages for you. When the army leaders
sound the trumpet, go to the Greek ships to sail away from this land.
[Pointing to some soldiers]
And you, old woman, unhappiest of all, follow them. They have come
from Odysseus; the lot gave you to him as a slave and takes you away from this land.
Hecuba
Oh miserable. This is the last and worst of all the sorrows I’ve suffered.
I leave my country and my city burns. Old feet, make an effort,
carry me to the embrace of the flame so that I may die along with my city.
O Troy, great among all the barbarian cities, soon your famous name
will be forgotten. They have set you on fire, and me they take away
from this land as a slave. O gods! But why do I call on the gods?
They never listened to my prayers before. Come, let’s run
into the fire, so that I may die gloriously in my city’s flames.
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