him; but she sits apart in her grief; and some
doom has destroyed him, before they have had pleasure of each other's
charms; and she with heart on fire silently weeps, beholding her widowed
couch, in fear lest the women should mock and revile her; like to her
did Medea lament. And suddenly as she was in the midst of her tears, one
of the handmaids came forth and noticed her, one who was her youthful
attendant; and straightway she told Chalciope, who sat in the midst of
her sons devising how to win over her sister. And when Chalciope heard
the strange tale from the handmaid, not even so did she disregard it.
And she rushed in dismay from her chamber right on to the chamber where
the maiden lay in her anguish, having torn her cheeks on each side; and
when Chalciope saw her eyes all dimmed with tears, she thus addressed
her:

(ll. 674-680) "Ah me, Medea, why dost thou weep so? What hath befallen
thee? What terrible grief has entered thy heart? Has some heaven-sent
disease enwrapt thy frame, or hast thou heard from our father some
deadly threat concerning me and my sons? Would that I did not behold
this home of my parents, or the city, but dwelt at the ends of the
earth, where not even the name of Colchians is known!"

(ll. 681-687) Thus she spake, and her sister's cheeks flushed; and
though she was eager to reply, long did maiden shame restrain her.
At one moment the word rose on the end of her tongue, at another it
fluttered back deep within her breast. And often through her lovely lips
it strove for utterance; but no sound came forth; till at last she spoke
with guileful words; for the bold Loves were pressing her hard:

(ll. 688-692) "Chalciope, my heart is all trembling for thy sons, lest
my father forthwith destroy them together with the strangers. Slumbering
just now in a short-lived sleep such a ghastly dream did I see--may some
god forbid its fulfilment and never mayst thou win for thyself bitter
care on thy sons' account."

(ll. 693-704) She spake, making trial of her sister to see if she first
would entreat help for her sons. And utterly unbearable grief surged
over Chalciope's soul for fear at what she heard; and then she replied:
"Yea, I myself too have come to thee in eager furtherance of this
purpose, if thou wouldst haply devise with me and prepare some help. But
swear by Earth and Heaven that thou wilt keep secret in thy heart what
I shall tell thee, and be fellow-worker with me. I implore thee by the
b