s did the Furies cry out against him that he was accursed
and given over to them as a prey; for that they were appointed of the
Gods to execute vengeance upon evildoers, of whom he was the chief,
seeing that he had slain the mother that bare him.

But while they thus cried out against him, there appeared the Goddess
Athene, very fair to see, with the spear of gold in her hand; and she
spake, saying, "From the banks of Scamander am I come, for I heard the
cry of one that called upon my name. And now I would fain know what
meaneth all this that I see. Who art thou, stranger, that sittest
clasping this image? And who are ye that are so strange of aspect, being
like neither to the Gods nor to the daughters of men?"

Then the Furies made answer, "We will tell thee the matter shortly,
daughter of Zeus. We are the children of Night, and we are called the
Curses, and our office is to drive the murderer from his home."

Then said the goddess, "And whither do ye drive him?"

"We drive him to the land where no joy abideth."

"And why do ye pursue this man?"

"Because he dared to slay his mother."

"Did aught compel him to this deed?"

"What should compel a man to such wickedness?"

"There are two stories to be told, and I have heard but one."

And when they had thus talked together for a while the Furies said that
they would abide by the judgment of the goddess. Whereupon she turned
herself to Orestes, and bade him set forth his case; who he was, and
what deed he had done. To which he made this answer: "I am a man of
Argos, and my sire, King Agamemnon, thou knowest well; for he was ruler
of the host of the Greeks, and by his hands thou madest the great city
of Troy to be no city. Now this man perished in a most unrighteous
fashion, when he was returned to his home, for my mother, having an evil
heart, slew him foully in the bath. And I, coming back to my country,
from which in time past I had fled, slew her that bare me. This I deny
not. Yea, I slew her, taking vengeance for my father. And in this matter
Apollo hath a common share with me, for he said that great woes should
pierce my heart if I recompensed not them that had done this deed. But
do thou judge this matter; for with thy judgment, whatsoever it be, I
will be content."

Then the goddess said, "This is a hard matter to judge; for thou,
Orestes, art come as a suppliant to this house, being innocent of
guilt, and I may not reject thee. And yet these have a suit