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-bom 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.
Agamemnon: I could have checked thy words, and curbed thy tongue,
Too bold in evil speech; but this my sword 350
Knows how to spare. But rather let them call