her child.

And when she had made an end of speaking, the maiden came forth from the
tent, holding the young child Orestes in her arms, and cast herself upon
her knees before her father and besought him, saying, "I would, my
father, that I had the voice of Orpheus, who made even the rocks to
follow him, that I might persuade thee; but now all that I have I give,
even these tears. O my father, I am thy child; slay me not before my
time. This light is sweet to look upon. Drive me not from it to the land
of darkness. I was the first to call thee father; and the first to whom
thou didst say 'my child.' And thou wouldst say to me, 'Some day, my
child, I shall see thee a happy wife in the home of a good husband.' And
I would answer, 'And I will receive thee with all love when thou art
old, and pay thee back for all the benefits thou hast done unto me,'
This I indeed remember, but thou forgettest; for thou art ready to slay
me. Do it not, I beseech thee, by Pelops thy grandsire, and Atreus thy
father, and this my mother, who travailed in childbirth of me and now
travaileth again in her sorrow. And thou, O my brother, though thou art
but a babe, help me. Weep with me; beseech thy father that he slay not
thy sister. O my father, though he be silent, yet, indeed, he beseecheth
thee. For his sake, therefore, yea, and for mine own, have pity upon me
and slay me not."

But the king was sore distracted; knowing not what he should say or do,
for a terrible necessity was upon him, seeing that the army could not
make their journey to Troy unless this deed should first be done. And
while he doubted came Achilles, saying that there was a horrible tumult
in the camp, the men crying out that the maiden must be sacrificed, and
that when he would have stayed them from their purpose, the people had
stoned him with stones, and that his own Myrmidons helped him not, but
rather were the first to assail him. Nevertheless, he said that he would
fight for the maiden, even to the utmost, and that there were faithful
men who would stand with him and help him. But when the maiden heard
these words, she stood forth and said, "Hearken to me, my mother. Be not
wroth with my father, for we cannot fight against fate. Also we must
take thought that this young man suffer not, for his help will avail
naught and he himself will perish. Therefore I am resolved to die; for
all Greece looketh to me; for without me the ships cannot make their
voyage, nor the city