_Pyrrhus:_ I know full well My father's suppliants--and well I know His enemies. Yet royal Priam came, And made his plea before my father's face; 315 But thou, o'ercome with fear, not brave enough Thyself to make request, within thy tent Didst trembling hide, and thy desires consign To braver men, that they might plead for thee. _Agamemnon:_ But, of a truth, no fear thy father felt; But while our Greece lay bleeding, and her ships With hostile fire were threatened, there he lay Supine and thoughtless of his warlike arms, 320 And idly strumming on his tuneful lyre. _Pyrrhus:_ Then mighty Hector, scornful of thy arms, Yet felt such wholesome fear of that same lyre, That our Thessalian ships were left in peace. _Agamemnon:_ An equal peace did Hector's father find When he betook him to Achilles' ships. 325 _Pyrrhus:_ 'Tis regal thus to spare a kingly life. _Agamemnon:_ Why then didst thou a kingly life despoil? _Pyrrhus:_ But mercy oft doth offer death for life. _Agamemnon:_ Doth mercy now demand a maiden's blood? 330 _Pyrrhus:_ Canst _thou_ proclaim such sacrifice a sin? _Agamemnon:_ A king must love his country more than child. _Pyrrhus:_ No law the wretched captive's life doth spare. _Agamemnon:_ What law forbids not, this let shame forbid. _Pyrrhus:_ 'Tis victor's right to do whate'er he will. 335 _Agamemnon:_ Then should he will the least who most can do. _Pyrrhus:_ Dost thou boast thus, from whose tyrannic reign Of ten long years but now the Greeks I freed? _Agamemnon:_ Such airs from Scyros! _Pyrrhus:_ Thence no brother's blood. _Agamemnon:_ Hemmed by the sea! _Pyrrhus:_ Yet that same sea is ours. 340 But as for Pelops' house, I know it well. _Agamemnon:_ Thou base-born son of maiden's secret sin, And young Achilles, scarce of man's estate-- _Pyrrhus:_ Yea, that Achilles who, by right of birth, Claims equal sovereignty of triple realms: 345 His mother rules the sea, to Aeacus The shades submit, to mighty Jove the heavens. _Agamemnon:_ Yet that Achilles lies by Paris slain! _Pyrrhus:_ But by Apollo's aid, who aimed the dart; For no god dared to meet him face to face.