56 Ernest Heinrich Klotsche 



12. The Helena 



This play is founded on a strange variation of the Helen-legend, 

 in which Helen was borne away by Hermes to Egypt and detained 

 there, while only a wraith of Helen passed to Troy. She lived 

 like a true wife in Egypt until Menelaus rescued her from Theo- 

 clymenus, king of the land, and brought her safely back to Greece. 



The play is not one of the poet's happier efforts ; it furnishes, 

 however, considerable material of the supernatural element. 



Helen's prayer to Hera and Aphrodite is a fine and impressive 

 one inspired by the energy of despair : 



Hel. 1093 fif. : 



d) TVOTVC fj AioLffLV kv XeKTpOLS 



Hpa, dv OLKTpih (J3cioT Lvaxpv^ov Tr6v<j}i', 

 airovfjiei}' op&as (iXefas irpos ovpavbv k. t. X. 



" O Queen, who restest on the couch of Zeus, 

 Hera, to hapless twam grant pause from ills, 

 We pray, with arms flung upward to the sky, 

 Thy mansion wrought with arabesque of stars. 

 And thou, by mine hand winner of beauty's prize, 

 Cypris, Dione's child, destroy me not ! 

 Enough the scathe thou hast done me heretofore, 

 Lending my name, not me, to alien men : 

 But let me die, if 'tis thy will to slay, 

 In homeland, etc." 



Of the same character is Menelaus' prayer to Poseidon : 



Hel. 1584-87: 



CO vaiuv aXa 

 ■KOTvie Ttloaeibov k. t. X. 



" . . . O Sea-abider 

 Poseidon, and ye, Nereus's daughters pure. 

 Me bring ye and my wife to Naupha's shores, 

 Safe from this land." 



Menelaus sends another impressive prayer to Zeus, in which he 

 points out that he had acted toward the Gods the part of a pious 

 man, yet he adds, as if upbraiding them for their present neglect : 

 " Not endless ills I merit." 



Hel. 1441-51 : 



Jj Tied, iraTTjp re Kal cT0<p6s KX^jfet t?e6s, 



. . . 64>e'LKco 5' om ael irpaaaeiv KaKws k. t. X. 



I 10 



