THE RAPE OF HELEN 



not blame. Have the smooth waters covered thee in 

 the depths, swimming in the wet streams of murmur- 

 ing Eurotas ? but even in the rivers and in the depths 

 of the sea the Xaiads Uve and do not slav women." 



Thus she wailed, and leaning back her neck 

 beeathed Sleep who walks with Death ; for verily it 

 was ordained that both should have all things in 

 common and pursue the works of the elder brother : • 

 hence women, weighed down with sorrowing eyes, 

 oft-times, while they weep, fall asleep. And wander- 

 ing amid the deceits of dreams she fancied that she 

 saw her mother ; and, amazed, the maiden, in her 

 grief cried out : 



" Yesterday to my sorrow thou didst fly from me 

 out of the house and left me sleeping on my father's 

 bed. VVTiat mountain have I left alone ? What hill 

 have I neglected ? Followest thou thus the love of 

 fair-tressed Aphrodite } 



Then the daughter of Tyndareus* spake to her 

 and said : 



" My sorrowful child, blaine me not, who have 

 suffered terrible things. The deceitful man who 

 came yesterday hath carried me away ! " 



So she spake. And the maiden leapt up, and 

 seeing not her mother, uttered a yet more piercing 

 crj' and wailed : 



" Birds, winged children of the brood of air, go 

 ye to Crete and say to Menelaus : ' Yesterdav a 

 lawless man came to Sparta and hath laid waste all 

 the glory of thy halls ! ' " 



So spake she with many tears to the air, and 

 seeking for her mother wandered in vain. Ajid to 

 the towns of the Cicones'^ and the straits of 



• Helen. « Horn. Od. ix. 39 ; a people of Thracev 



569 



