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Euripides · Helen Ἑλένη

Euripides, Helen 1619–1641: Exodos: Theoclymenus' rage and the servant's defence of Theonoe

Ancient Sources / Euripides / Helen / 1619–1641

The Chorus Leader says that she never believed that Menelaus could escape. Theoclymenus says that he has been tricked by a woman, and rushes to kill Theonoe for her silence. A servant seizes his robe and argues that she acted justly.

Lines 1619–1641 · 312 words · click a number to copy its link

Chorus Leader

1619–1620
1619οὐκ ἄν ποτʼ ηὔχουν οὔτε σʼ οὔθʼ ἡμᾶς λαθεῖν 1620Μενέλαον, ὦναξ, ὡς ἐλάνθανεν παρών.

I never would have believed that Menelaos could have eluded both us and you, O king, the way he did on his arrival.

1621–1641
Θεοκλύμενος 1621ὦ γυναικείαις τέχναισιν αἱρεθεὶς ἐγὼ τάλας· ἐκπεφεύγασιν γάμοι με. κεἰ μὲν ἦν ἁλώσιμος ναῦς διώγμασιν, πονήσας εἷλον ἂν τάχα ξένους· νῦν δὲ τὴν προδοῦσαν ἡμᾶς τεισόμεσθα σύγγονον, 1625ἥτις ἐν δόμοις ὁρῶσα Μενέλεων οὐκ εἶπέ μοι. τοιγὰρ οὔποτʼ ἄλλον ἄνδρα ψεύσεται μαντεύμασιν. Θεράπων οὗτος ὤ, ποῖ σὸν πόδʼ αἴρεις, δέσποτʼ, ἐς ποῖον φόνον; Θεοκλύμενος οἷπερ ἡ δίκη κελεύει με· ἀλλʼ ἀφίστασʼ ἐκποδών. Θεράπων οὐκ ἀφήσομαι πέπλων σῶν· μεγάλα γὰρ σπεύδεις κακά. Θεοκλύμενος 1630ἀλλὰ δεσποτῶν κρατήσεις δοῦλος ὤν; Θεράπων φρονῶ γὰρ εὖ. Θεοκλύμενος οὐκ ἔμοιγʼ, εἰ μή μʼ ἐάσεις — Θεράπων οὐ μὲν οὖν σʼ ἐάσομεν. Θεοκλύμενος σύγγονον κτανεῖν κακίστην — Θεράπων εὐσεβεστάτην μὲν οὖν. Θεοκλύμενος ἥ με προύδωκεν — Θεράπων καλήν γε προδοσίαν, δίκαια δρᾶν. Θεοκλύμενος τἀμὰ λέκτρʼ ἄλλῳ διδοῦσα. Θεράπων τοῖς γε κυριωτέροις. Θεοκλύμενος 1635κύριος δὲ τῶν ἐμῶν τίς; Θεράπων ὃς ἔλαβεν πατρὸς πάρα. Θεοκλύμενος ἀλλʼ ἔδωκεν ἡ τύχη μοι. Θεράπων τὸ δὲ χρεὼν ἀφείλετο. Θεοκλύμενος οὐ σὲ τἀμὰ χρὴ δικάζειν. Θεράπων ἤν γε βελτίω λέγω. Θεοκλύμενος ἀρχόμεσθʼ ἄρʼ, οὐ κρατοῦμεν. Θεράπων ὅσια δρᾶν, τὰ δʼ ἔκδικʼ οὔ. Θεοκλύμενος κατθανεῖν ἐρᾶν ἔοικας. Θεράπων κτεῖνε· σύγγονον δὲ σὴν 1640οὐ κτενεῖς ἡμῶν ἑκόντων, ἀλλʼ ἔμε· ὡς πρὸ δεσποτῶν τοῖσι γενναίοισι δούλοις εὐκλεέστατον θανεῖν.

Theoklymenos Caught by a woman’s tricks, unhappy that I am! My bride has escaped me. If the ship could have been pursued and overtaken, I would have made an effort to catch the strangers at once; but now I will avenge myself upon my treacherous sister, for she saw Menelaos in my house and did not tell me. Therefore she will never deceive another man by her oracles.

Servant You, there! Where are you rushing off to, my lord? to what bloody deed?

Theoklymenos Where justice calls me. Get out of my way!

Servant I will not let go of your robe, for you are striving after great wickedness.

Theoklymenos Will you rule over your master, although you are a slave?

Servant Yes, for I am in my right mind.

Theoklymenos Not in my opinion, if you will not let me—

Servant No, I will not let you!

Theoklymenos Let me kill my most wicked sister—

Servant No, she is most pious.

Theoklymenos Who betrayed me—

Servant It was a noble betrayal, correctly done.

Theoklymenos When she gave my bride to another.

Servant To the one who had a better right.

Theoklymenos Who has rights over my property?

Servant The one who received her from her father.

Theoklymenos But fortune gave her to me.

Servant And necessity took her away.

Theoklymenos It is not for you to judge my affairs.

Servant Yes, if my counsel is better.

Theoklymenos So I am your subject, not your ruler.

Servant Subject to do right, not wrong.

Theoklymenos It seems you desire to be killed.

Servant Kill me; you will not kill your sister with my consent, but me instead; to die for their masters is the most glorious act for noble slaves.

People and places in this passage

English translation by Edward P. Coleridge (1891). Original text: Greek text: Gilbert Murray (ed.), Euripidis Fabulae, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913, as digitised by Perseus. English: Edward P. Coleridge, The Plays of Euripides, London: George Bell and Sons, first published 1891 (Bohn's Classical Library; the Perseus header records a later printing).

Greek text and translation from the Perseus Digital Library, Tufts University, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Perseus Digital Library); translation public domain. Introductions, summaries and notes © GreekMythology.com.