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Euripides · c. 480-406 BC

Hecuba

Ἑκάβη
Ancient Sources / Euripides / Hecuba

Read our guide to Hecuba

Hecuba was probably staged in the 420s BC. The Greek fleet, held by contrary winds on the Thracian Chersonese after the sack of Troy, has with it the captive queen Hecuba. In one day she loses her daughter Polyxena, sacrificed at the tomb of Achilles, and finds her youngest son Polydorus dead on the shore, murdered by his host Polymestor, and she takes her revenge. The sections follow the play's own units (prologue, parodos, episodes, choral songs and exodos) and keep the standard line numbers of the Greek text.

Read from the start
Text
Greek original with English translation, 26 passages, about 11300 words in English.
Translator
Edward P. Coleridge (1891)
Edition
Greek text: Gilbert Murray (ed.), Euripidis Fabulae, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1902, as digitised by Perseus. English: Edward P. Coleridge, The Plays of Euripides, London: George Bell and Sons, first published 1891 (Bohn's Classical Library; the Perseus header records a later printing)
Cite as
Euripides, Hecuba 1 (by line number)

Contents · 26 passages

  1. 1–58Prologue: the ghost of Polydorus announces Hecuba's sorrows530 words
  2. 59–153Parodos: Hecuba's dream and the Greek decision to sacrifice Polyxena635 words
  3. 154–217First episode: Hecuba tells Polyxena that she is to die417 words
  4. 218–250First episode: Odysseus announces the sacrifice of Polyxena334 words
  5. 251–295First episode: Hecuba pleads with Odysseus for her daughter455 words
  6. 296–333First episode: Odysseus refuses and defends the honour due to Achilles343 words
  7. 334–388First episode: Polyxena chooses death over slavery495 words
  8. 389–443First episode: Polyxena's farewell to Hecuba569 words
  9. 444–517First choral song; Talthybius finds Hecuba lying on the ground548 words
  10. 518–582Second episode: Talthybius describes the death of Polyxena589 words
  11. 583–628Hecuba mourns Polyxena and the Chorus answers435 words
  12. 629–677Second choral song; a maid brings a corpse332 words
  13. 678–720Third episode: Hecuba finds the body of Polydorus324 words
  14. 722–748Third episode: Agamemnon arrives and Hecuba hesitates to speak283 words
  15. 749–785Third episode: Hecuba asks Agamemnon to avenge her son387 words
  16. 786–845Third episode: Hecuba argues that guest-friendship must be avenged552 words
  17. 846–875Third episode: Agamemnon hesitates to help289 words
  18. 876–904Third episode: Hecuba plans her revenge on Polymestor281 words
  19. 905–952Third choral song: the fall of Ilium308 words
  20. 953–985Fourth episode: Polymestor arrives at Hecuba's summons304 words
  21. 986–1022Fourth episode: Hecuba lures Polymestor into the tent394 words
  22. 1024–1055Fourth choral song; Polymestor is blinded inside the tent302 words
  23. 1056–1131Exodos: the blinded Polymestor appeals to Agamemnon560 words
  24. 1132–1182Exodos: Polymestor accuses Hecuba and the Trojan women487 words
  25. 1183–1239Exodos: Hecuba answers Polymestor568 words
  26. 1240–1295Exodos: Agamemnon's verdict and Polymestor's prophecy567 words

More by Euripides

English translation by Edward P. Coleridge (1891). Original text: Greek text: Gilbert Murray (ed.), Euripidis Fabulae, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1902, as digitised by Perseus. English: Edward P. Coleridge, The Plays of Euripides, London: George Bell and Sons, first published 1891 (Bohn's Classical Library; the Perseus header records a later printing).

Greek text and translation from the Perseus Digital Library, Tufts University, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Perseus Digital Library); translation public domain. Introductions, summaries and notes © GreekMythology.com.