e to converse with women. (_Is going_.)

CLY. Remain, (why dost thou fly?) at least join thy right hand with mine,
as a happy commencement of betrothal.

ACH. What sayest thou? I [give] thee my right hand? I should be ashamed of
Agamemnon, if I touched what is not lawful for me.

CLY. It is particularly lawful, since you are going to wed my daughter, O
son of the sea Goddess, daughter of Nereus.

ACH. What marriage dost thou say? Surprise possesses me, lady, unless,
being beside yourself, you speak this new thing.

CLY. This is the nature of all people, to be ashamed when they behold new
friends, and are put in mind of nuptials.

ACH. I never wooed thy daughter, lady, nor has any thing been said to me on
the subject of marriage by the Atrides.

CLY. What can it be? Do you in turn marvel at my words, for thine are a
marvel to me.

ACH. Conjecture; these matters are a common subject for conjecture, for
both of us perhaps are deceived in our words.[68]

CLY. But surely I have suffered terrible things! I am acting as match-maker
in regard to a marriage that has no existence. I am ashamed of this.

ACH. Perhaps some one has trifled with both me and thee. But pay no
attention to it, and bear it with indifference.

CLY. Farewell, for I can no longer behold thee with uplifted eyes, having
appeared as a liar, and suffered unworthy things.

ACH. And this same [farewell] is thine from me. But I will go seek thy
husband within this house.

[_The_ OLD MAN _appears at the door of the house_.]

OLD M. O stranger, grandson of AEacus, remain. Ho! thee, I say, the son of
the Goddess, and thee, the daughter of Leda.

ACM. Who is it that calls, partially opening the doors? With what terror he
calls!

OLD M. A slave. I will not be nice about the title, for fortune allows it
not.

ACH. Of whom? for thou art not mine. My property and Agamemnon's are
different.

OLD M. Of this lady who is before the house, the gift of her father
Tyndarus.

ACH. We are still. Say if thou wantest any thing, for which thou hast
stopped me.

OLD M. Are ye sure that ye alone stand before these gates?

CLY. Ay, so that you may speak to us only. But come out from the royal
dwelling.

OLD M. (Coming forward) O fortune, and foresight mine, preserve whom I
wish.

ACH. These words will do for[69] a future occasion, for they have some
weight.

CLY. By thy right hand [I beseech thee,] delay not, if thou hast aught to
say to me.

OLD M. Th