orresponding to your
counsels.

CHOR. Alas! alas! how wretched is the state of slavery, and to endure
indignities compelled by superior force! (Note [B].)

HEC. O daughter, my words respecting thy death are vanished in the air, set
forth in vain; but thou, if thou hast greater powers [of persuasion] than
thy mother, use all thy influence, uttering every note as the throat of the
nightingale, that thou mayest not be deprived of life. But fall before the
knees of Ulysses in all the eloquence of grief, and persuade him; thou hast
a pretext, for he also hath children; so that he may be inclined to pity
thy fortune.

POLYX. I see, Ulysses, that thou art hiding thy hand beneath thy robe, and
turnest thy face away, that I may not touch thy beard. Be not afraid; thou
hast avoided my suppliant Jove; for I will follow thee both on account of
fate, and even wishing to die; but if I were not willing, I should appear
base, and too fond of life. For wherefore should I live, whose father was
monarch of all the Trojans; this my dawn of life. Then was I nurtured under
fair hope, a bride for princes, having no small competition for my hand, to
whose palace and hearth I should come. But I, wretched now, was mistress
among the Trojan women, and conspicuous in the train of virgins, equal to
goddesses, death only excepted. But now I am a slave; first of all the very
name, not being familiar, persuades me to love death. Then perhaps I might
meet with masters cruel in disposition, who will buy me for silver, the
sister both of Hector and many other [heroes.] And imposing the task of
making bread in his palace, will compel me, passing the day in misery, both
to sweep the house, and stand at the loom. And some slave somewhere
purchased will defile my bed, before wooed by princes. This never shall be.
I will quit this light from mine eyes free, offering my body to Pluto. Lead
on then, Ulysses, conduct me to death; for I see neither confidence of
hope, nor of expectation, present to me that I can ever enjoy good fortune.
But do thou, my mother, in no wise hinder me by your words or by your
actions; but assent to my death before I meet with indignities unsuited to
my rank. For one who has not been accustomed to taste misfortunes bears
indeed, but grieves, to put his neck under the yoke. But he would be far
more blessed in death than in life; for to live otherwise than honorably is
a great burden.

CHOR. It is a great and distinguishing feature a