Accosted mild.[25] My brother! who in me Hast found a sister worthy of thy hate, Authoress of all calamity to Troy, Oh that the winds, the day when I was born, Had swept me out of sight, whirl’d me aloft425 To some inhospitable mountain-top, Or plunged me in the deep; there I had sunk O’erwhelm’d, and all these ills had never been. But since the Gods would bring these ills to pass, I should, at least, some worthier mate have chosen,430 One not insensible to public shame. But this, oh this, nor hath nor will acquire Hereafter, aught which like discretion shows Or reason, and shall find his just reward. But enter; take this seat; for who as thou435 Labors, or who hath cause like thee to rue The crime, my brother, for which Heaven hath doom’d Both Paris and my most detested self To be the burthens of an endless song? To whom the warlike Hector huge[26] replied.440 Me bid not, Helen, to a seat, howe’er Thou wish my stay, for thou must not prevail. The Trojans miss me, and myself no less Am anxious to return. But urge in haste This loiterer forth; yea, let him urge himself445 To overtake me ere I quit the town. For I must home in haste, that I may see My loved Andromache, my infant boy, And my domestics, ignorant if e’er I shall behold them more, or if my fate450 Ordain me now to fall by Grecian hands. So spake the dauntless hero, and withdrew. But reaching soon his own well-built abode He found not fair Andromache; she stood Lamenting Hector, with the nurse who bore455 Her infant, on a turret’s top sublime. He then, not finding his chaste spouse within, Thus from the portal, of her train inquired. Tell me, ye maidens, whither went from home Andromache the fair?[27] Went she to see460 Her female kindred of my father’s house, Or to Minerva’s temple, where convened The bright-hair’d matrons of the city seek To soothe the awful Goddess? Tell me true. To whom his household’s governess discreet.465 Since, Hector, truth is thy demand, receive True answer. Neither went she forth to see Her female kindred of thy father’s house, Nor to Minerva’s temple, where convened The bright-haired matrons of the city seek470 To soothe the awful Goddess; but she went Hence to the tower of Troy: for she had heard That the Achaians had prevail’d, and driven The Trojans to the walls; she, therefore, wild With grief, flew thither, and the nurse her steps475 Attended, with thy infant in her arms. So spake the prudent governess; whose words When Hector heard, issuing from his door He backward trod with hasty steps the streets Of lofty Troy, and having traversed all480 The spacious city, when he now approach’d The Scæan gate, whence he must seek the field, There, hasting home again his noble wife Met him, Andromache the rich-endow’d Fair daughter of Eëtion famed in arms.485 Eëtion, who in Hypoplacian Thebes Umbrageous dwelt, Cilicia’s mighty lord— His daughter valiant Hector had espoused. There she encounter’d him, and with herself The nurse came also, bearing in her arms490