T HE O REST EIA

O F A ESC HY L U S
A G A M EM N O N , C H O E PH O R I ,
E U M E N I D ES

T RAN SLATB D

R . C . T R EV EL Y A N

I HE
‘
UNI VERSITY PRE SS OF LI VE RPOOL ,
LTD
.

‘
HODDER 8c STOUGHTON ,
LIMITED LOND ON
 EM I LY

G O R D ON B OT T OML EY
 I N T RO D U C TI O N
TH E seven surviving play s of Aeschy lus (B c 52 5—456) are
“ N . M r
. .

the e arliest complete

”
ag vfi
dramatic works that we possess Yet .

already ln them the art of has b een carried

t the same kind O f an d imaginative
a
o

m s tery that is foun d in the e s o f Bee t hoven

’
.

The fragments of Aeschylus s predecessors are too scanty

to give us any clear idea of the debt he may have owed to
them But i t seems pr obable that d rama as one of the
.

supreme forms o f art was the creation of hi s o wn unique

,

p ersonal genius Within the limits of a short in troduction

no adequate account can be given of his art or of its rela ,

tions to the plays of hi s rivals and successors I mus t .

confine myself to a few remarks upon the traditional drama

tic forms whi ch he inherited and developed and upon my ,

o wn methods of translation .

The lost plays of the earlier Athenian dramatists must

v
a
h e b eel r i the m ain lyrical Between long stretches f i
g
n O

ch oric singi n a
.

n d d ancin g there would be interludes o f i

,

a
dialogue S poken in trochaic or iambic verse by a single
f ctor ; and
,

the leader of the chorus A e schylus is said to

.
_

h ave introduced a s econd actor yet two thirds of th e

,

Suppliants his first surviving play were sung by t h e

a
, ,

chorus and even in the three pl y s here translated which

ritten in his Old age the choruses are s till o f far i
, ,

were w ,

g l n '
reater e gth and dramatic importance than 111 any work

of So p h ocles or Euripides . i n deed t h e , ,

while 111 th e
 a
égm e m n on and the Choephori they are mo r e tha n a
mere poetic c ommentary and ba c kgro u nd t o the act ion
’
.

They are the chief interp r ete r s o f th e poet s imaginative

and r eligious ideas Through them t r agi c events are fo r e
.

shadowed and they give full expression t o the emotions o f

pity a
,

a
n d te rr or aroused by tragedy when it come s
general imagin tive si gnificance is usually clear e n o u g
but 1n detail they must O ften have b een O bscure e v en to a
Their .

. .

contempora ry audience Time h a

“

s deepened this obs c urity

.

for us wh o a r e unfamiliar with the ethical and religious

,

ideas that underlie them with the myths to which they ,

allude and with their highly artificial language and

,

metrical forms Yet if we make the e ff ort we shall

.
, ,

find in t h e m poetry of a greatn ess that has neve r been

surpass ed .

My obj ect in this t r anslation has b een t o reprod u c e

as faithfully a s I can for those wh o canno t r ead Gre e k n Ot
' ‘

, ,

only the meaning but the form phr asin g and movement
, ,

o f the original . I n the dialogu e the problem 13 a relatively

simple one A no r mal English blan k v erse though shorte r
by t wo syllables than a Greek ia
.
,

m bic lin e and of a different

'

rhythmical s t r ucture is yet not dissim ila ri n movement a

,

,
n d

general e ff ect Moreover as English words tend to b e

.
,

shorte r than Greek words a close translation O f an iambic

line will prove o n an a v e r age to b e o f about the s a
,

, ,
me
length as a blank verse It o ug h t t h e n t o b e possible
.
_
,

without either omissions or padding to translate the ,

‘

iambic di alogue into blank ve r se line for line Literaln ess .

must sometimes be sacrificed nor can crabb ed rhythms ,

and awkward phrasing b e always avoided Yet on the .

whole this method seems to m e to con v ey t he general

eff e c t more truly than one which 18 ready to disregard the
r elation o f the Greek phrasing t o the indi vidual line
fi
.

In the lyri c s and anapaests the di f culties are far

greater and n o solution c an be altoge t he r satis factory
, .

I ha v e tried to imitate as clos ely as possible the metrical

patte r n and ph r asing in s u ch a wa , y that one m u src al
8
s etting would fit bo th the G r ee k and the English wo r ds In .

orde r t o do this va rious compromise s are necessa ry

All Gre e k poet ry wa s q u antitative ; that i s t o s a the
.
,

y
metri c al design wa
,

s determined by the length o r shortness

es an d n o t by st r ess o r pit c h N o w the

"

o f the syllab l , 6
.

structure o f English vers e depends in the main upon

-

str ess The part played by quantity o r length is no doubt

.

o f great importance but we are not generally cqq sc io u s

,

a
’
o f it If then we are t OTe prOdu c e th e pattern of a G reek
'

rhythmic l phrase 1n English we must a

.

s it were translate

quant i ty int o str e ss that is t o sa

,

, y English syllables o f ,

su f ficie n t stress must b e made to correspond with those

Gree k syllables (usually though n o t always long) upon
,

which the metrical b eat falls I t is also necessar y so far .

,

as po ssible t o make English short syllables correspond

,

with Greek short syllables othe rwise the structure O f the

v erse might be obscured a
,

n d the movem ent becom e hea v y

,

and lu mbering as is the cas e with German hexamet ers

, .

Owin g however to the fact that there are fewer short o r

,

light syllables in English than in Gre ek un satisfa c to ry ,

compromi ses must O ften b e made I have moreover fo und .

it necessary to insert unemphatic short syllables to which

the re is n o equivalent in the G r eek Sometim es again .
,

when there might b e some ambi g uity as to the rhyt hm

I ha
,

Ve taken the liberty of marking t h e met rical beat by

accents placed o v er the syllables that sho uld b e made
prominent .

The following pass age from the Agamemnon (42 0 4 2 6) -

will illustrate the method I have used E v ery bar should .

b eg in with a metrical b eat ; and the signs and indicate O

t h e length and shortness o f the Greek syllables A long .

Gr e e k syll able should b e considered as twice the length o f

a short o n e except where a long syllable o c cupies a whole
,

bar when it is equivalent t o th r ee shorts

, .

O n e iro ph a , to i dé pei 65
c o m e 1 dr ea
t!
A n on t h ere ea
m e v le d-
r a
se m b l n c es ,

9
 pa r e i si d 6x a
i ph e r

be g i li g ha
u p es n s . B ri e f t h e jo y ,

a
i h ip in m t i na aa
a
s c
v
.

i n th e s we e t d e lu sio n .

M aaga t n r, éu t a n és t h l a ti s d ok On h Or a
va
n
v phat
.

For i n ly , wh e n he se e m s to iew th e n o m bli ss ,

pa a r ll a x a ss a
di c h ér On
be t we e n h i s am r s, 10 ! t h e vi sio n i s fl o wn

a m et h
a va h I awa
bé b k én Opsi s ou us t er On
n d y wit h n is es o u t re c all
pt ér o is Op a d o is
h up n o fiké fi
le th o i s
ha pa
.

on s d o wy win g s d o wn t h e th s of l
s u m b er .

I t will b e seen that in the fifth line I have inserted the

“ “
extra light syllable his and in the last line on
shadowy wings does not exactly correspond with pterois
a
df
’
o
p
Fo r te chnical reasons whi ch it would take too much ,

space to explain I have found it impossible to translate

,

the anapaestic pa ssages in such a way that the English

metre should always correspond exactly with the Greek
However a stage performance of portions of t hi s tr ns
lation by Cambridge undergraduates in which two a ctors
a .

, ,

representing the chorus each took turns at S peaking the ,

anapaests has convinced m e that by intelligent recitation

,

such lines can b e made to sound well as an English metre .

I t is not f or me to say how far I have succeeded in

translating these elaborate poetic forms into verse whi c h
c an b e read without difficul ty by those wh o have no know
ledge O f the original Greek l yrical poetry was intended .

to b e sung not to b e spoken or read The general design

,
.

o f a complex strophe and the rhythmical phrases which ,

compo sed it were no doubt made easily comprehensible

,

to the vocal setting and by the accompaniment of dancing ,

movements Under those conditions a more elaborately

.
,

organised structure and more daring changes o f rhythm ,

Wit hi n the same strophe were possible than we are accus

IO
to me d t o in our simpler lyrical form s where th e stru cture,

is generally delineated and emphasised by rhym e rather

than by complicated variations and changes o f intern a
,

l
rhythm Even where rhyme is dispen sed with as in the
.
,

choruses of Samson Agonistes th e rhythm is far more ,

uniform than in even the simples t Greek lyrical poems .

For these reasons an unaccustomed reader may well find

,

it hard to accept as natural and e ff ective English verse

, ,

such adaptations of alien metrical forms Yet I hope

-

that the di ffi
.

culty may not in all cases prove in su rm o u n t

able My own personal belief is that English poets might
.

learn m u c h by the study of Greek lyrical structure and

‘

might so discover n e w and unexpected rhythmical po ssi

bilit ie s in our language that would prove of r e al practical
,

value as a means of enlarging the range of poetic expr e ssion .

However that may b e I shall feel that the success or failure

,

of this experiment will depen d upon the degree to which a

reader wh o knows no Greek can feel that he is reading a ,

translation no doubt bu t a translation into intelligible

,

English metre and poetry .

The text O f these plays has b een so mangled and cor

ru t e d by ignorant copyists that in many passages there
p ,

can b e no hope O f certainty as to the true reading The .

conj ectural restorations o f s cholars are in general as diver

gent and unconvincing as are their interpretations of the
numerous obscurities of language and sense I have b een .

compelled to form for myself the eclectic text whi ch is here

translated but which the limited scale of this boo k makes
,

it impossible to print opposite to the Englis h s I coul d

have wished However i t is perhaps fortunate for m e
,
a
.

that my deficiencies of scholars hi p should b e thus in some ,

degre e screened from expert criticism I ha v e ventured

,
.

a
upon no emendatio n s o r interpretations of my own but ,

in each case h ve chosen what has s eemed to m e the most

plausible a mong various con flicting views But although
I have thus made my translation as scholarly as I wa
.

able it is primarily intended not for scholars or students

, ,

11
but for those wh o c annot r ead Greek n d yet c are fo r
great poet ry .
,
a
I wish here t o acknowledge the g r eat deb t I o we t o
Mr Austin Smyth f or h is kindness in allowing me t o
.

u s e his unp u blished notes o n the Agamemnon and the

Choephori I have adopted a considerable numb er
In particul a
.

o f his emendations and interpretations r I .

have accepted the whole O f his bold reconstructions of

Choephori lin es 78 3 8 37 and 952 971 where the t ext - -

ha
, ,

s been given up by most scholars as cor r upt b e yond

hope o f emendation In such cases n o restoration can

b e altogether c onvincing ; but at least Mr Smyth h a
.

s .

pro vided me with both sense and me t re to transla t e which ,

no other text does I much regret that the scheme o f th e

.
-

book does n o t allow me to print his emendations and ,

hi s ingenio u sly persuasi v e account of h o w he has ar rived

a t them .

The lines a r e numb e r ed throughout in exact a cc ordance

’
with A Sidgwick s edition o f Aeschylus in the O xford
.

Classi c al Texts (Clarendon Press) .

THE STORY
Atreus the so n o f Pelops and King o f Ar gos b anished
, ,

his b rother Thyestes wh o had seduced his wife and plo t te d

,

agai n s t hi s thron e Afte rwards Atreus pretending t o be

.
,

reconciled with his brother, invited him to a feast at Argos ,

and s e t before him the minced flesh of his two mur dered
child ren Thyestes ate ; but soon discovering the de c e p
.

tion c u r sed the whole hous e of Atreus and fled bac k t o

, ,

exile Agamemnon the s o n of Atreus succeeded his fa t her

’
.
, ,

as King o f Ar gos During Agamemnon s absence on the ten

’
.

years siege of Troy Aig ist h o s a surviving son o f Thyes t es

s edu c ed his wife Klyt a e m n e st rawh o had come to h ate
, , ,

her husb and o n ac c ount o f his cruel sacrifice o f h eir t

daughte r Iph ig e n e iaat Aulis When Agamemnon re t u v fled

f rom Tro y sh e mu r de r ed him and his co n c ubine Kassa r ira

.

, ,

12
 with her o wn hands and pro c l irn e d Aig
,
a is t h o s a
s her h u s

band and King of Argos Eight years later Ores tes the
s o n of Agamemnon and Kl t a e m n e str ag aining entran ce
.
,

into the pa la c e jn

moth er and the usurping Aig

y
the disguise o f a merch nt slew h is
isth o s To this deed he had
.
,

a ,

been impelled by the commands and thr eats o f Apollo ,

the g o d o f Delphi at whose sh r in e he afterwards received

,

ceremonial purification f o r blood gu iltiness But the -

.

B ri mn es the a v engers O f kindr e d mu r der did n o t cease t o

,
-
,

hunt Orestes fr om land to land until afte r long wande r

s he came to Athens a
,

in g n d the r e sought prote c tion at

,

t h e sanctuary o f Athena wh o thereupo n cons tit u ted the

,

c ourt o f Ar eopagus that hi s cas e might b e t ried by a jury

,

o f he r citizens . The v otes fo r a c quittal and condemnation

b eing equal the goddes s rej ect ing the l e gal subtl eties o f
, ,

the accusing Furies gave he r casting vote as president f o r

,

the acquittal of Orestes and at length with much di fficulty

, , ,

c on c iliated the aggrieved Erin u e s pe rs uadin g them t o ,

accept an abode in a ca v e r n b eneath the Acropolis where ,

they we r e thenceforth wors hi pped u nder th e c hanged ,

a
name o f the E u menides o r Kindly Goddes ses as the friends
, ,

n d p r o te c tors o f the Athenian peopl e .

13
 D RAM ATI S PERSON AE

AO A M E M N O N , K in go f A rg o s , s o n o f A tr e u r
.

K L Y TA E M N E ST R A , bis wife “
a aa
A1 G I S T HO S, bis c o u s in n d e n e my, p r mo u r o f K lytamne e s tr a
a
,

K A S SAN D RA, du n g bie r o f Pr z m, K in g

'

o f Tro
.
y

A H E RAL D .

C H O R U S OF T W E LVE A RG I V E EL D E R s .

16
 THE AG AM EM N N
Q
B ef ore tbe ro a
l
y pala a t A g ceO th r os n e ro o f a
d aa a
.

MAN i tli
s se e n g i
out i
n e
gbt n s n sk
y .

WAT CHMAN
The Gods have I bes o ught f o r my r eleas e
This whole long year o f vi g il wherei n c o u ched
On the At re ida ’
,

e s roof on ben t arms do g wis e , ,

I ha v e learnt the nightly sessions o f the stars ,

Tho se chiefly that b ring storm and heat to men ,

Th e bright conspicuous dynasts of the sky ,

An d noted well their setti n gs and their risin gs .

Still am I watching for the sign al flame ,

A b eam O f fire carrying news from Troy

And tidings of its capture so di c tates
’ ’
A woman s sanguine hea r t to a man s will j oi n ed
, .

No w when upon my restless dew damp couch -

I have laid me down this b ed O f mine where dreams

,

—
Haunt n o t for fear instead o f sleep stands by ,

Ale r t lest sleep securely seal my lids

Oft a s I have a mind to sing or hum
’
A tune in sl umber s stead by wa
,

y of sal v e ,

Then do I weep the fo rtun es of this house

.
N o m o r e so wisely managed as of old .

But n o w bless ed r eleas e from toil b e mine

’
,

An d the fi r e s happy tidings shin e through gloom .

His a
tt en tio n a
is dr wn to s o me tbin gin i be a
dis t n ce .

Oh hail thou lamp o f night that da

wn e st c lear
As daybre a
, ,

k heralding in Argos many

,

B 17
A c ho r al dan c e f o r Jo y at this good hap
fi’
. .

I Oii I o
.

Ag a me m n o n s q u een th u s loudly do I s u mmon

TD a ri se fro m h e i t o u ch and lift within
' '

The house forthwith a shout o f holy Jo y

To greet yo n light if verily Ilion s town’
,

B e captured as the announcing beacon boasts

, .

The dancing wh o should prelude if not I i

’
Fo r mme t o o will I deem my lord s good luck ,

Since s ixes three this watch has thrown f o r me .

Well soon may it b e given m e to clasp

’
,

Our returned master s friendly hand in mine .

F o r the rest I keep silence : on my tongue

A great o x treads though had 1t S peech thi s hou se
.
, ,

Might tell a plain tale I f o r folk wh o kn ow .

,

Spea k gladly : for know nothings I forget

,

! -
.

Exit WAT C H MAN

’
K LY TA E M N E ST RA S c ry o f triu mp
is be a
.

r d wit/yin En te r C H O R U S O F EL D E R s
‘

lo win gc bor u s tbc da radu a

. .

D u r in gtlye f o l wn g lly
bre ks a .

CHORU S
’ ’
Tis the tenth year n o w since Priam s mighty
Av enging fo e
M e n e la
,

o s and king Agamemnon t o o

, ,

Twain children o f A t r eus dowered by Z eu s

Wi t h stablished glory o f sceptre and throne
From the sho r es o f Gree c e launched forth with a thous a
,

nd
Ar give c rews
Un ited in a rm ed federation .

Loud rang their wrathful war c ry fo rth

'

As the s c ream o f vultures robb ed O f their young ,

When in mountain solitudes over their eyrie

They wheel and circl e
With endless b eating o f oarlike wings ,

Reft of the nestlings

Thei r watchful labour had tended .

18
Glowing with gifts are the altars .

An d o n all sides one by o n e bright flames

Skyward are leaping ,

Medicined and nursed by the innocent spell

An d soft persuasion o f hallowed gums
’
,

Rich unguent stored for a king s u se .

Hereof what can and may b e revealed

Deign thou t o decl are ,

And so b e the heal er o f t hi s m y doub t -

Whi ch now t o an e vil bo ding sin k s ,

But anon from the sacrifice H ope gr own kind

Drives back from the so u l those ra v ening tho u ght s ,

That grief that gnaws at the hea rt roots -

.

S trophe 1
S till have I virtu e t o sing the auspicio u s sailing o f he r oes
Hardy in b attl e (for still I inbreathe the enchantment
’
,

Which is the strength o f song Heaven s gi ft t o the aged )

,

Telling how the twin throned -

Single hearted c hi efs o f the youthful

-

Warriors o f Hellas
Launched forth vengefu lly p r ompted and a r med
F or the Teuc rian land by a glorious omen
1
,

When the black king o f the birds t o the kings O f the ships
wa s revealed and beside him the white tailed
,
-
,

By the royal tents s oping t o earth o n the sid e o f the

spea r arm
-
,

I n c onspicuous quarters ,

Rending the flesh O f a hare and the yo u ng in the womb

o f the mother
’
,

That n e er shall race and gambol more

a
1 20 .

Wailfully wailfully c hant we ; but m y g

,
o éd t riumph

Antistrophe 1
‘
Then the wise see r rega r ding the valiant c hildren o f Atreus
, ,

Ho wzth e y in tempe r were twain in the chiefs o f the host kn ew

,

Ka lc ha 3 s .

20
Those h a re f e a
st e r s sp
ake then r eading the o men ,

In tim e this a rm ed fleet

Shall capture the fortress O f P riam .

Under the rampa rts

H e rd by herd shall the wealth o f the townsfol k
Dwindl e a spoil foredoomed t o the rei v er s 1 30 .

On ly let n o t the lowe ring Wrath o f a Go d f o re smi t e the

embattled avengers
’
,
'

Troy s mighty curb ; f o r g rieving in ru th holy Art emis

hateth
Tho se winged hounds o f her father ,

Thus immolating the brood yet unborn in t he c owe ring

c r eature .

Such feast of eagl e s sh e abho rs .

Wailfully wail fully chant we ; b u t may good t ri u mph !

,

Epode
Though tho u 0 Q u een tenderly g uar de st ove r the yo un g
1
, ,

brood ,

Like dewdrops fr ail even o f rav ening lions

, ,

Yea and all suckling whelps o f the beasts that roam thr ough
the wild wood ,

Yet to these signs grant j oyful a c hievement .

Fo r help I c r y unto t he h e al er Paian ‘

,

Lest sh e s houl d hinde r the Danaan fleet fr om its vo yage ,

arousing
Stubborn adve r se winds 1 5O
’
,

Urging a n e w sacrifi c e an u nwonted an impious Off ering

, , ,

Seed o f st rife and revolt from awe

,

Du e t o the husband Fo r haunting the home there abides

.

a remorsel ess

a child slain ”
Wrath that forgets n o t a gu ileful v engean c e s c hemed for
,

Such wa
.

s the c hant o f Kalcha s anno u n c ing a p r osperou s

omen
1 Art e mi Ap o ll o
afi e n eia
s. .

3 Th e s c ri ce of I ph i g .

21
Unto the royal house fro m the flight o f bi rds by the wayside ,

Fo r tu nate auguries n o t without flaw wherewith in

ac c ordan c e
Wail fully wa ilfully chant we ; b u t may g
,
ood t riumph !
’
Ze u s wh Oso e e r he b e —if s u ch the n a
'

,
me
That delighteth most his ea r ,

Then will I invo k e him so

Naught may I c onj ect u re else ,

Pondering upon all things deep ,

Save alone Z eus if indeed from the bur den

,
thought
I wo uld se t my spirit fr ee .

’
He wh éso e e r he wa s so g r eat o f yo r e An t 2
’
, , , .

Swollen with v i c to ry s ar r ogance ,

E v en his n ame is n o w forgot .

He t hat n ex t a r ose hath fo u nd

’
,

His o e rt h ro we r and is gone 1

.

Only t o Zeus eve r chant we a paean o f t r iu mph ;

So the e v ent shall p r ove us wis e

Zeus wh o in to wisdom s wa ’
, y
Gu ide t h mo r tals stablishing
,

This dec r ee By su ff ering Tru th

’
.
,

Woe s aching m emo ries before the mind

Ooze in sleep drop by drop
So t o men wisd o m comes without their will .

H ow could human love b e paid t o v iolen c e

Dei fied and throned in a
we 3

SO the elder o f those twain

Chieftains O f the Achaian fleet
’
,

Loth t o doubt a prophet s S kill

’
,

Bowed lo w n eath the angry blasts

,
o f fate .

Thus when n o w sore distressed

, ,

1 All di g t o o t wo r n divin i tie s t ha

u n u t wer e fa
ble d , ha
ve pre
c e d e d th e ru l e o f Z e s u .

22
Lay the host weatherbound with dwindling store ,

By the stra its o f Chal kis where the shifting ,

Tides o f Aulis s u c k the shore

And when the while gal es from St rym o n b ea ring S tr 4 ,

l
.

Ill anchorage idlen ess starvation

, ,

To aimless men and evermore wasting s h ips and tac kle

, ,

The slow time to half its length pr olongin g ,

H ad c r ushed down the flower O f Greece withe ri ng i t away ,

2
And when another c ure ,

Hea vier t o the p rinces

E v en than the cruel tempest ,

Broke from the see r urging the wrath ,

Of Artemis yea t h én on the ground

, ,

Smiting their sta v es th en the two kings ,

Wept an d un che c ked the tea r s flowed

,

An d, findin g v oice S pake the elder king th u s

,

A grievous doom it were should I obey n o t

’
,

And g rievous should I slay my chil d my proud home s ,

adornment
’
,

With a maid s life S pilt b efore the alta r

In red stre a ’
, ,

ms polluting so he r own fathe r s hand s 2 1 0

’ ’
.

Whate er I choose tis woe , .

Ho w can I fail my fleet now ,

F aith less to our a lliance

S ince with a fierce longing to c r ave

a
Such sac rifice staying the winds
,

With blood o f a maid th t were n o sin ,

Surely Oh might it end well

.

But once he had donned the harn ess O f comp u lsion ,

With veering mood impiously blowing

A gale unholy unblest he straight
, ,

Res igned his hea rt t o utmost reckless outrage .

F o r men by wild bas e sugg esting frenzy

,
-

Th e afi
s c ri ce of I phi g
eneia .

23
Infatuated are soon steeled t o ill deeds
,
.

SO he found heart to slay h is o wn

‘

I nno c ent child to aid a war

’
Waged for a stolen Wife s s ake
’
,

A ritual t o bless a fleet s voyage .

Her p rayers appeals pleading cries o f Fathe r

, , ,

Her girlish years all were disregarded

,

B y j udges smitten with lust Of war .

Then having prayed the father bade the attendants

, ,

a
As it were a kid high above the altar
,

To lift her s with her rob es wrapped a r o u nd he r

,
’
She bow ed down in agony ,

B ade them restrain her lovely lips ,

S ealing them up (that n o curs e

,

Thence o n his house sho uld issue ) ,

’
By a cr u el gag s silen c ing violen c e .

But sh e ddin gdo wn t o earth a saff ron stained ro b e

“

-
,

She smote her S layers each in turn

Wounding them with pit eous pl e adi ng eye glan c e
A painted form as O f o n e wh o fain would S pe a
-
.

,
k ,

She seemed for o f t where within

’
,

Her father s hall men were nobly f easting ,

She sang with pure V 1rg 1n v o 1 ce ,

Lo vingly gracing so
’
The festal hour o e r the third libation
Poured by her lo ving fathe r .

The rest my eyes s a w n o t neither do I tell An t 6

’
, . .

But Kalchas art never lacks fulfilment .

As even scaled Justice wills

-
,

Those wh o su ff er learn the truth The f u t u re .

h

Though ere it come men may know it —l et it b e

’ ’
, ,

Twere b u t t o weep ere tis need .

iTwill b e revealed clearly when the da wn b r eaks .

But now betide fair su c cess ,

24
Even as the moment needs ,

An d as desires yonder sole protec tin g

Shield of the land o f Apia 1

En ter K LY TA E M N E ST R A .

LEADE R
I am come Klyt a e m n e s t ra
,
r everencing ,

Thy will for it is just that we should hono u r

’
The so v ereign s wife when the throne lacks it s lo r d
,

N o w whether certified or but in hope ,

Of happy n ews thou makest sac rifice

, ,

F ain would I know yet shall not grudge thee silen c e .

K LY TAEMN E STRA

a
With happy tidings so the p r overb runs
, ,

May the d wn issue from her mother night

But hear now j oy greater than any hope
’
Fo r the Argi v es have capt ur ed Priam s town .

LEAD E R
How s ayest tho u I s c ar c e hea r d through u nb elie f .

KL YTAEMN ESTRA
The Achaians n o w hold Troy . DO I S p ea k plain
LEADE R
o y o v erwhelms m e c allin g f o r t h a tea r
J , .

K LYTAEMN ESTRA
Thine eye con vi c ts thee of a loyal jo y .

LEADER
’
But where s thy wa rr ant Hast tho u proo f o f this
K LY TAEMN ESTRA
I have . Why not Un less a deceiv s m e
Go d e .

LEADE R
’
Dost thou respect a dream s delusive phantom s l
1
e m n e s tra Ap ia
K lyt a is t h P e l p o n n e se
. e o .

25
 ’
A d r owsi n g min d s fancy I sho uld n ot heed .

LEAD ER
H ath some v agu e u n winged ru mou r chee r ed thy so ul l

K LY TAEMNESTRA
My wits thou wouldst dispa r age li k e a g ’
i rl s .

LEADE R
Ho w long then is it sin c e the to wn wa
s s a ck ed

K LYTAEMN ESTRA
This very nig
ht that gi v es b i r th to yo u da
wn .

LEAD E R
And what me ssenge r c o uld a rr i v e so S peedily
K LY TAEMN ESTRA
a
He ph ist o s, f r om I da flinging
I
the b right gla r e .

Then b ea c on hithe rward with posting flame

Sped b ea c on I da first to H ermes roc k ’
On Lemnos from whose isle Athos the pea k
Of Z eus wa
,

s third t o accept the mighty brand

And lifted high t o b ridge the Wide backed s e a

,

The pinewood heaped t o please the travelling to rc h

, ,

Sustain e d the bla z e gold gleaming like a su n

a
-

’
Passing it onwar d t o M kistos height .
,

H e tarrying naught no r heedlessly by sleep

Subdued neglected n o t his task a
, ,

s messenger
’ ’
,
‘

But o e r Eu rlpo s streams arrived from fa r

’
His b ea c on s glow signalled Me ssa i
’
s watch
p o ,

Wh o with an answering light passed o n the sign ,

Kindling a great stack o f o ld withered heath .

Thence vigorously the light as yet undimmed

’
Leaping across ASO POS plain most like
A bright full moon o n to K it h a ’
,

, iro n s crag ,

Roused there a fresh relay of cou rier fire .

N o r did the watch deny the fa r S ped glow -

,

Th e F ir e g
1
od -
.

26
Within the captured palaces of Troy
They are housing now delivered from the frosts
,

And dews of the bare sky and blessedly

Without watch will they sleep the whole night long .

Now if they S how due reverence t o the Gods

,

That guard the conquered land and S pare their shrines ,

Then may the S poilers not in turn b e S poiled .

But let n o ill timed lust assail the host

-

Mastered by greed to plunder what they ought not .

For they have n eed to win safe passage home

’
Back o e r the last lap of thei r double cours e
’
. .

And if the r e t u rm n ghost escape Heaven s wr ath ,

Yet some day might the vengeance of the dead

Prove wakeful though n o sudden ill befall
, .

To such fears I a woman must give voice

, , .

Yet may good t r iumph manifestly past doubt ;

Of many blessings now would I taste thi s fruit .

LEADE R
’
Lady sober like a wis e man s is thy S peech .
,

Now having heard proof so trustworthy from thee

, ,

I will address myself to thank the Gods

Th e ir grace is recompense for a
.

llour toils .

Exit K LY TA E M N E ST R A .

a
CHORU S
O so v ereign Z eus O gr cious Night
Wh o hast wo n so measureless a glory
,

Wh o over the towers of Troy didst cast

Such a close drawn net that none of the great
-
, ,

Nor yet of the young should escape the immense

Ensnaring mesh
Of thraldom and doom universal .

Zeus God of guest right great I confess him

,
-
, ,

Who hath wrought t h is vengeance against Alexander 1

His h o w did he hold long bent that neither ,

28
Sh o rt
‘
o mar k h is bolt should light
f th e a ,

No r beyond the stars S peed idly .

a
From Zeus c me the stroke that felled them : yea
Is sure tru th clearly may we trace it .
x

As he determined so they fared The fool said

,
.
,

The Gods above heed not when the lo v elin e ss

By mortals ”
Of sanctity is trampled down
Oh blasphemy
’
.

=
Tis plain HOW and manifest
The wage paid for reckless sin ,

The doom due to insolent presumption

’ ’
,

Whene er in kings houses wealth superfluous

Beyond t lie mean t e e m e t h Yea let there b e
.
,

What contents Without want

Soberly minded Wisdom .

N O S trong fortress against fate

’
Hath that man Who in wealth s pride
Spurns from sight as a thing of naught
The mighty a ltar of Justice .

Yet s trOn gis that ob stinate Temptation ,

Ant . 1
The dire child O f fore designing Ate .

Then all i n vain is remedy : unhidden

The mischief glows balefu l is the gleam thereof .

Like metal base touched and rubbed

,

By a testing stone even so ,

In him too trial reveals

A black S tain Like a child
.

A winged bird vainly he pursueth .

A dire taint lays he on all his people

’ ’
To prayers the Gods ears a r e deaf Wh o so e e r
.

Even consorts with such m e n ,

Shares in their g uilt and ru in .

1
In fa tio n t h at l ea
tu a ds to Sin ad m i
n n .
 Even so P a ris a h Ou se gu e s t -

Honoured by the At re ida

,

e
’
,

Did foul wr o ng t o hi s host s board

By h is theft o f a woman .

Bequeathing t o her count rymen no rse o f shields S tr 2 .

'
Together clashed thronging S pears stir o f vess els a rm ing
, , ,

An d be a ring death instead o f dower t o I lion ,

With light st ep thr ough the gates sh e is flo wn

On reckless v enture Sore the Wailing then
.

Throughout the halls dole f ul voices crying :

,

Ah home o f wo e ! Home and woeful pri nces wail ! 4 1 0

’
,

Ah woe ful bed printed yet with love S embrace !

,

Behold the spous e ! Bowed with S hame there he sit s apa rt ,

In silent unreviling grief .

F o r her b eyond seas he yearns

Pined with dreams sits he a sceptr ed phantom , .

Hateful n o w to his mood S eems

The g r ace o f loveliest statues .

Lo st the light o f her eyes and lost ,

N o w that lo v e they enkindled .

Anon ther e c ome dr eam r e v ealed semblances An t 2

a
-
-
,

B eguiling sh pes Brief the jo y vain the sweet de lusion

.
,
.

F o r v ainly when he see ms to v iew the phantom bliss

, ,

B etw een h is a rms 10 l the vision is flown

,

And vanishes a way b eyon d recall

On shadowy wings down the paths of slumb e r .

Besi d e t h e hearth Within the royal pala c e such

, ,

Th e grief that haunts yea and woes transcending these

’
.
,

But f o r the host all wh o on c e laun c hed from Hellas shore

Some wo m a
, ,

n n o w With su ff ering heart

'

430

In e v ery hous e mournin sits g

Wounds enough pierce the m t o the soul s core ’
.

Whom they s ent t o the war them

’
,

They kno w : but n o w in the man s stead

30
 Naught comes bac k t o the hom e o f ea ch
Sa v e an u rn and so me ashes .

The merchant Ar es— ’

dead men s bodi es are his
He whose scal es weigh the poisin g fate o f wa
r ,

From pyres beneath Ilion ,

To those that loved them sendeth home

Heavy sore—lamente d dust ,

Stowing ash that once was man

Into the compass o f a j ar .

Then mourning each they t e llhis praise

Ho w o n e in craft o f war wa
,

s s killed ,

Ho w that o n e nobly shed his blood ,

All for a woman wife to another

, ,

SO an angry whisper snarls forth

An d against the sons of Atreus
An accusing grief spreads .

Others under the wall slain ,

In their beauty possess graves

’
,

There neath Ilian earth that now ,

Hides in hate her posses sors .

’
A people s talk c harged with wrath is pe rilo u s
’
.
, ,

Oft tis proved potent as a public c urs e .

My bo ding heart waits to hear

Some news that night S h ro u de th still
’
.

F o r o n men of blood the Gods

Eyes are fixed and late or soon
Will the dark Erin u e s doom
1

The man wh o thrives un righteously

TO waste and dwindle luckless down ,

Until hi s light be quenched and once

Lost in the darkness wh o shall help him
,
i
In excess o f glory is peril :
F o r on mortal s ove rweenin g
Are the bolts of Zeus S ped .

3 1
 Mine be fortune unenvied .

N o walled towns would I conquer ,

N o r yet live t o behold my age

Slave t o alien masters .

ELDER 1
The fire hath brought tidings glad
An d through the town swift report
Speeds but hath it S poken true 1
’ ’
Who knoweth Tis some miracle o r els e tis false :
,

ELDE R 2
Oh wh o could be so childish o r so crazed o f wit
As from a fla ’ ,

a
m e s messaging
At once to c tch fire at heart and hazard so
,

Worse despair at altered news

ELDER 3
’ ’
Tis like a woman s sangu ine mood
To indulge belief ere the fact be surely known
, .

ELDE R 4 .

’
Feminine imaginings are plausible and o e r the mind
,

Q uic kly domineer : but as quick to die

’ ’
Is rumour oft when tis voiced by woman s tongu e .
,

LEADE R
Soon shall we k now of all these torch bearings -
,

Watches and s equences of b eacon fire ,

I f they b e true or as in flatteri ng dreams

,

This glad light came but t o b eguile our sense .

Lo yonder from the shore a herald crown ed

Wi th S prays of O live and the thirsty dust ,

Sister and neighbour t o the mire assures me

, ,

That not with voiceless signs nor kindling flame

,

Of mountain timb er in smoke will he discours e

, ,

But either in plain S peech will bid rej oice

Nay the opposite I will not contemplate
,
.

May glad assu r ance by glad truth b e crowned .

3 2
 Whoso against the s tate pe rv e rts t his prayer
'

Himself let him r eap the fruit o f his own folly .

En te r aH ERA LD .

HERALD
0 land of Argos thou my native soil , ,

To thee this tenth bo rn year do I return -

Of many broken hopes s t ill grasping one

’
.

a
Ne er could I dream here in this Argive earth
Dying to sh re that burial I so lo n ged for .

N OW hail my country hail light of the sun

’ ’
, , , ,

And Zeus the land s high lord and Pytho s king 1

,

a , .

At us hi s sh fts never more shall he shoot

Enough beside Ska ma ’
n de r hi s wrath smote us .

No w once more b e our Saviour and our Healer ,

0 king Apollo And these assembled Gods

.

All I invoke hi m too my patron Hermes

Herald beloved whom heralds rev
, ,

e r ence
And the heroes wh o sent forth the host n o w kindly
—

May they receive back what the sword hath spared .

O palace of our kings beloved abode , ,

Ye solemn seats and ye dawn frontin g Deiti es -

’
, , ,

If e er o f o ld with radiant eyes thi s day

,

Welcome with pomp our king s o long time gone .

Fo r to you and to all these alike returns

P r ince Agamemnon bringing light in gloom , .

Come ye must greet him j oyfully as b es e ems

, , ,

Wh o with the mattock of Avenging Ze us

Hath digged down Troy and ploughed he r
Her a
“
lt ars ’and her tem les are erased ,_

And the la n d 8 increase utterly de st rOy e d .

Having laid on Troy so fell a yoke the elder

’
,

Of Atreus children fortunate among princes , ,

Returns o f all men living worthiest prais e

, .

Fo r neither Pa ris nor his accomplice city

A po llo
1 . A riv
e r o f T ro y 1 .

C 33
C an boast their crime exceeds it s punishment
Cast in a suit of theft a n d ra
.

in e too
p ,

a
He hath lost th e forfeit and in on e great r uin
Ha ’
,

th razed his f ather s house and the Whole l nd .

Thus twofold c ost the sons of Priam ha v e paid .

LEADER
J y
o t o thee he r ald o f the Achaian host
,

HE RALD
is mine I f the Gods will let death c ome n ow
Joy .
,
.

LEADE R
H ath longin g f o r thy fatherland so tortu r ed thee
HE RALD
SO that f o r j oy mine eyes weep tears upon it .

LEADE R
Sweet then wa s the d iseas e with which you langu ished .

HE RALD
HO W so 1 N o t yet do I understand you r words .

LE ADER
Not unreturned wa s this thy yea r ning lo v e .

HERALD
Our c ountry pined then for its pining host
LEADE R
F ull oft with desolate heart W e sighed fo r yo u .

HE RAL D
’
Whence came this gloom clouding the host s retu rn
,

LEADE R
’
Silence I have long used as harm s best c ure
, .

HERALD
How so i The kings being gone didst thou fea r someone
,

LEADE R
As thou didst s a
y but n o w, it were j oy to die .

34
 e m n e st ra
But t h e house and Klyt a this news most
Sho uld interest and make me t o o rich in jo y
, .

Re -
en te r K LY TA E M N E ST R A .

KL YTAEMN E STRA
I lifted up a j ubilant cry long sin c e
When first by night came that fi
,

re messenge r -

’
Telling o f Ilion s capture and destruction .

And some rebuked me saying SO by bea c ons

,

Art thou persuaded that Troy now is sacked

’
HO W like a woman s heart t o soar so lightly
On such grounds wa s I proved t o b e deluded ,

Yet did I sacrifice and in womanish strains

Glad hymns o f thankfulness throughout the t own
The pe ople lifted up in every shrine ,

Where with heaped spice they nursed the fragrant flame .

But thou why tell the full tale n o w t o me 1

’
,

Soon from the king s s elf shall I learn it all .

Rather that I may best make S peed to welcome

My r evered husband to his home (f o r wh a
,

t
’ ’
More sweet t o a wife s e yes than that day s light
,

When t o her spouse whom heaven has s aved from wa

,

,
r ,
“
She unb ars the gate I) this t o my lord declare
f

’
Let him S peed hither t o meet his people s love
And at home may he find a faithful wife ,

Even such as he left her a house dog kind ,

-

To him sh e loves t o ill wi shers a foe -

’
, ,

And in all els e unchanged ne er having yet ,

Broken o n e seal in all that length O f time

’
.

No more o f dalliance (no nor o f scandal s breath)

With anothe r ma
,

n do I know than o f dipping b r on z e ,

.

z Exit KL Y TAE M N E STRA .

AN ELDE R
Big is the bo ast yet weighted wellwith t ru th
, ,

No r uns ee mly for a noble wife t o utter .

36
LEADER
Thus to thi ne unde rstanding hath S he S poken ,

Most S peciously t o shr ewd interpreters

But tell me herald what of Me n e la
.

, ,
os

Tell me but whether he is returning with you

’
S afe to his home o u r land s beloved p rince .
,

HERALD
I know not how t o make a false tale fair
For friends to gar n er gladness from it long .

LE AD ER
Ah couldst th o u tell a tale both tru e and good
'

When truth confli c ts with good words cannot hide it

, .

HE RALD
The prince is vanished from the Achaian hos t ,

Himself and his ship t o o That is t h e truth

. .

LEADE R
Did he put forth from Ilion in fu ll sight ,

Or snatched from the host by storms aff licting all

HE RALD
Like a skilled bowman thou hast hit the mark ,

And in b rief phrase c ompressed a length o f wo e .

LEADER
But of himself how as alive o r dead
, , ,

Did ru mour S peak among the o t her c rews

a
HERALD
That With sure k nowledge may no man decl re ,

Sa v e the Sun wh o fosters life throu g

h all the ea rt h .

LEADER
Relate how r ose this storm and how it ended ,

S ent thus upon our fleet by ang ry powe rs .

HE RALD
A day of j oy n o tongu e o f e vil ti di ng
s
37
S h ould dese cr ate Such rites O ffend the Gods
. .

When a gloom visaged messenger brings home

-
’

’
The tragic tale of an army s overt h r ow ,

One public wound dealt to the commonwealth ,

And many a victim doomed from many a home

By the double pointed weapon Ares wields
-
,

That two pronged horror each fork red with g

-
,
ore ,

If he b e laden with such a pa c k o f woes ,

Well may he chant a hymn t o the Avengers .

B u t c oming with fair tidings o f success

To a town rej oicing in prosperity ,

Ho w should I mingle good with ill thi s tale ,

Of shipwreck odious to the A c haian Gods

,

A c ovenant did those erst most deadly foes

Fire and s e aconclude and p r oved their bond
,

, ,

De st r oy n the unhappy Argive host

I n the night fierce swelling waves rose grimly thre a
.

tening ,

An d ship against S hip by the Thracian blasts

Wa s dashed till butting violently t ogethe r
,

In hu rrican e storm and beating rain and S pray

’
,

They vanished lashed by that Wild shepherd s whi rl

, .

B u t when the bright light o f the su n shone fo rth

'

We s a a ea n se a
,

w the Ae g b e flo we re d with corpses

Of dr owned Achaian men and shattered ships .

We and o u r vessel a hull yet uns c athed

, ,

We r e stolen away o r b egged o ff by some Go d

a
,

(N mortal w it ) g verning helm

‘

o s o o u r .

But saviour F ortune deigned t o ride th e ship ,

That neithe r in the roads should the surf swamp u s “

N o r should we strike upon a r oc k b o und sho r e -

Therea f ter having sc a ed a

.

, p watery death_ ,

Beneath white dawn scarce sure Of o u r good hap

We brooded darkly o n the str a
, ,

nge disaste r
Befallen o u r fleet, so sorely bruised and broken .

And n o w if any o f tbe m yet lives and b r eathes

, ,

T hey speak o f u s as
p erished like enough , ,

While we f o r them imagine the same fate .

3 8
Befall the best that may For Me n e la os .
,

Let it be first presumed he will return .

At worst if any sun ray now b e finding him

,
-

Alive and hal e then is there hope that Zeus

, ,

Who scarce c an wish to exterminate his race

May contrive me a
,

ns to bring him safely home .

Thus much may I relate as surely tru e .

Exit H ERAL D .

CHORUS
Who was he that gave the name ,

Found s o ma rv ellously tr ue 1
Was it some mysterious Power One inspi r ed ,

By prophetic glimpse of fate

Thus t o guide a right his tongue ,

Nam in g the bride of S pear and stri f e

Helen Alas a very Helen ,

When a Hell to hero and ship and town

From those delicate curtains
Of her costly bower she sailed forth
ru f fi
an Zephyr wa
,

By
‘
the ited ,

And behind her sped a swarm of shi elded hunters

On the v anished trail of oar blades -

’
,

Towards green Simo is wooded shores

1
,

Soon n o w t o b e stript bare

By the avenging blood feud -
.

Thus to Troy a fatal bride

Came she by vindictive Wrath
,

—
Unrelentingly pursued Wrath that bides ,

Till for board and hearth in scorn ,

Of Zeus di shonoured it may wreak

,

Vengeance upon those insolent

Honourers o f the bridal anthem ,

Mer ry groomsmen chanting a j oyo u s song

Without thought f Or the morrow .

A rive r o f Tro y
1
.

39
 an altered song the years teach
Fo r
To the ancient town o f Priam ,

And in lo ng fierce lamentation she re v

ile t h
Paris him the mate o f Ruin
, , .

Yea consumed with lamenting sighs

’
,

Allher days for her children s

Piteous slaughter sh e mourneth .

’ ’
A lion s whelp from its mother s breast
Still unweaned did a herdsman once
Feed and rear in his household .

First in its infancy gentle

An d tame with the children it gambolled
’
Gravity s self wa s enchanted .

Many a morsel would it win

Pre t t ily li ke a b ab e in arms
i
, ,

Bright eyed gazing upon the hand

-
,

Taught to fawn by its belly .

But time passed and at length it showed

,
An t . 2

The mood it had from its sire for now ,

Paying tha n ks f o r its nurture ,

Grimly it leapt on the sh eepfold

'

Snatching a feast uninvited :

Dabbled with blood was the hom e stead .

Panic and anguish seized the hinds

Watching the slaughterous havoc spread .

S ent by Heaven to that hous e it seemed ,

A priest of doom and disaster .

No less I ween unto the town o f Ilion

, ,

There came first a s eeming calm Windless and

’
,

A proud pearl ; languid wealth s adornment ,

Glances with gentlest arrows arm ed

’
,

Lo v e that flowers t o the heart s soft anguish .

But a change came and a sour end ,

To the bliss the bride had promised

4 0
 F o r anill neighbour an ill guest ,

To the sons of Priam came she ,

Thither S ped by Zeus Go d of guests , ,

A b ride of wailing a vampire , .

iA proverb O ld framed by ancient wisdom

’ ’
, ,

That a man s fortune once tis grown t o ,

pitch o f
greatn es s ,

Engendering dies not c h ildless ever ;

,

i For from the womb of prosperous ho u rs

gUn a pp easa ble sorrow is su e t h .

But with such doctrine I hold not

’
.

Tis the deed of sin begetteth

a
In its own likenes s a s e quent
Gener tion of disaster
None save the house of the j ust
.

, ,

Is e v er blest in its children .

Str 4
’
.

But t is the wont O f Insolen ce past and gone , ,

t o bring to bi r th
Soon or late in evil men
A youthful Insolence when the appointed time is come
, ,

A gloom enwrapped
-

Demon o f revenge ter rible in vincible

, , ,

Wicked and r eckless Arrogance ,

Dooming the house a black curse ,

Lik e t o the sin that S pawned it .

B u t Justi c e shines e v en b eneath lowly r oofs ,

begrimed ,

Honouring the righteous man

And gold b espangled palaces where the hands a r e
-
,

With averted eyes

Abandoning sh e seeks fello wship with Inno c ence
Flattering not the might o f wealth
-

’
,

Fa lse coin stamped with men s prais e .

All t o an end sh e gu ide t h .

4 1
 A tr iu mph a
lm ab rc A G AMEMN O N in a
En te r c bari o t

K AS SAN D RA in awa
.
, ,

f o llo we d
by g p
on ile d w it b
tbc spo il
s o
f Tro
y .

LE AD E R
Come n o w 0 king despoile r o f Troy
, , ,

Of fspring O f Atreus
Ho w s h all I hail thee Ho w pay thee homage
’
Neither o e rsh o o tin gnor yet scanting
,

D u e gratulation P
Fo r most men pra c tising outward shows
Hide thoughts perv erse and unrighteous
’
.

Sighs prompt and apt for another s mischance

’
E a c h hath in plenty ; yet ne er doth an unfeigned
Sting o f anguish pier c e to the heart strings -

And copying the looks of those that rej oice

They c ompel their lips t o a counterfeit smile .

Yet sho u ld the wisely discerning shepherd

’
Ne er b e de c eived by the eyes of fawners ,

That dissembling a loyal and cordial lo v e

Flatter him with wate ry a ff ection .

An d o f O ld when thou wast levying war

’
,

For Helen s sake then I deny not

Graceless ind e ed wa
, , ,

s the image I formed o f thee

Ill steered did thy wits seem thus t o b e S pending

-
,

The life blood o f heroes

-

To r edeem a consenting adultress .

f But n o w w e greet thee with heart deep love -

.

H appy endings make happy labours .

Thou by inq uisition erelong shalt learn

Whose stewardship of thy state is n o w
P r o v ed faith ful and whos e un f aith ful
,
.

AGAMEMNON
F irst t o Argos and her native Gods my praye r s
Ar e due since they have aided my return
, ,

And the j ustice I have wreaked upon the town

O f P r iam Fo r the Gods when they had hea r d
.
,

2
4
 No w t o my palace and domestic hea rth
I pass within there first to greet the Go ds
, ,

Who s ent me forth and thus have brought me home .

May vi c t o ry still bide with me to the end .

K L Y TA E M N E ST RA b a s en tered du r in g g
A me mn a on
’
s

a
l s t wo r ds .

K LYTAEMN ESTRA
s To wnsmen o f Argos reverend counsello r s
, ,

I blush n o t t o confess t o you my love

’
And woman s fondness As years pass timidity
.
,

Wanes in us all N o witness but my o wn

I need to tell what grievous life wa
.

s mine

All that long while my lord lay beneath Ilion

’
.

First fo r a woman tis a woeful trial

To sit at home fo r lorn her husband fa r
, ,

H er ears filled eve r with persistent tales

’
,

One close upon the other s heels with news

E a c h Of some worse disaster than the l st a
An d a
.

s for wounds if my lord had re c eived

,

As many as rumour deluged us withal ,

N O net had been more full o f holes than he .

And had he died oft as repo rt declare d ,

A second Geryon with triple body

A thr eefold vest o f earth he might have boasted ,

Dying once for each several shape anew .

By reason o f such persistent rumours o f t ,

Have o thers loosened from my neck perfor c e

The hanging noose foiling my fond desir e
”
.
,

Hence t o o the bo y Orestes the true bon d ,

O f confiden c e between us stands n o t here ,

Beside me as he should Nor t hi nk it strange

, . .

He is in safe keeping with o u r good ally

St rO ph io s the Ph o kia
,

n wh o has warned me o f t
,

Of double mischief thine o wn peril first

,

Befo r e Troy and the fear lest tu r bulent ana r chy

,
’
Might r isk some plot again st u s as men s wont ,

44
Is purn him the m o re wh o has been cast down
'

to S .

Su c h were my reasons honest and wi t hout guil e

But a
.
,

s for me the fountains of my tears

,

Have run themselves quite d ry N O dr op is le f t . .

An d my late watching eyes have su ff ered hu r t

-

Weeping thy nightly pomp o f torch bearers -

Neglected ever And the wailing gnat

.

With faintest pulse of Wing would startle me

From dr eams wherein I s a w thee pass th r ough mo r e
Than could be f all within the time I slept .

N o w after all these trials with heart u n pin e d , ,

I hail my husband watch dog O f the fol d -

’ ’
,

The ship s s e curing stay the lofty roof s

’
,

F i rm grounded pillar the father s sole bo rn child

-
,
-

Or as land espied by seamen beyond hope ,

Daylight as it looks fairest after storm ,

A fresh S pring to the thirs ty wayfarer .

Ah swe e t is all deliverance f rom d istr e ss

’

Su c h a fi
,

re the terms I choos e to praise him tly .

Let envy keep afar sin c e woes in plenty

“

We endured before Now most dear lord des c end

.
, ,

From yonder ca r ; but set not upon earth

Tha t foot 0 king wherewith thou hast trampled Tr o y
, , .

Women delay n o t Know ye not your task i

, .
‘

St r ew ye the path he treads with tapest ries

Straight let his wa
.

y b e carpeted with purple ,

That Justice lead him to a home scarce hoped f o r .

Fo r the rest a never S lumbering vigilance -

Shall order j ustly as fate I trust intends , ,

.

Offspring of Leda guardian of my home , ,

Lengthily to the measure o f my absence

, ,

Hast thou stretched out thy speech but seemly p r aise ,

Such tribu t e should proceed from other lips

v
.

Moreo er shame not me with womanish foppe ries

“M m -Ch um “ a
m fi ,

No r g rov el before me with loud mouthed c lamour ,

45
As tho u gh I were some oriental k ing
’
N o r with strown ga r ments make my st e ps t h e gaze
Of en vy To the Go ds such pomp belongs
fi
. .

To t r ead a mortal Ov er b roidered n e rie s

'

, , ,

That t o my conscience were a thing o f fea r .

As man not God I bid yo u re v eren c e me

, , .

N O need o f foot cloths and embroideries -

’ ’
F ame s v oice rings loud enough Heaven s g r eatest gi f t .

I s a san e mind Happy let him be c alled

Whos e lif e h a
.

s ended in felicity
'

A c ting in all thi ngs thus naught need I fear ,

.

KLYTAEMNESTRA
Come n o w, i f j ud gmen t san c tion , tell me this

AGAMEMNON
My j udgment b e assur ed I shall
, ,
n ot cha
nge .

KLY TAEMN ESTRA

Wo uld ’
in pe ril s ho ur have v owed this ritual
yo u

AGAMEMNON
Yes ha
d advised autho r ity p r es cr ibed it
,
.

K LYTAEMN ESTRA
What thin k
-

y o u Priam had done we re his this t r iumph

,

011 b r oidered r ob es be do u btless wo uld ha v e t r od .

KLY TAEMN ESTRA

Then let n o t human c ens ur e ma k e thee a shamed .

Yet mighty is _
’
the people s m urmu ring v oi c e .

KLYTAEMN ESTRA
Wh o sti rs n o j ealousy,
‘
n eithe r is he en vied .

AGAMEMNON
’
Tis n o t a
’
woman s pa r t to thirst for stri f e .

4 6
KLYTAEMN ESTRA
The fo r tunate may yield vi c to ry wi th grace .

AGAM E MNON
Dost thou t o o deem this vi c to ry wo r th a c ontes t
KLY TAEMN ESTRA
Yield victor still , sin c e vanquished willingly .

AGAM EMNON
Well if it please thee quick let o n e u n loose
, , ,

My shoes thes e in so lent slaves beneath my f eet

Lest a
,

,
s with these I walk t h e sacred pu rpl e s ,

Some evil glance should st rike me from afar

’
.

Tis shame enough to waste o u r wealth by trampling

And S poiling silver purchased tape stries
-
.

Of that enough This stranger damsel now

.

Rec eive with kin dn e ss A gentle master wins

’
.

Approving glances from God s distant eye .

None willingly endur e s the yoke of thraldom

And sh e the chosen flower of o u r rich S po il
’
, ,

The a rmy s gift hath followed in my train

, .

Since then I am reduced herein to O bey thee ,

To the palace will I g o trampling o n purples .

KL Y TAEMN ESTRA
a
There is a s e , (and wh o shall drain it dry
Breedi n g abundant purple costly a s silve r
, ,

Forever oozing fresh to dip robes in 960

.

And o f such Heaven b e thanked goo d sto r e my king

, , , ,

Is ours Thi s house knows naught o f pen u ry

. .

Full many a robe for trampling had I vowed ,

Had the oracl es enj oined it when I Sought ,

Some means to ransom home so dear a life .

Thou art the living root whence S p rings the fo liage

’
That screens o u r house against the do gsta r s gla r e -
.

So thou returning to thy home and hea rth

’
B e t o ke n e st wa rmth in winter s midst return e d
’
.

And when Zeus fr om the u n ripe grape s v i r gin i ty

47
Matu r es wine then like cooln ess in the house
,

I s the a dvent o f the crowned and pe r fe c t lord .

A G AMEMN O N g
(A s o e s in )

Z eus Zeus wh o crownest a

, ,
ll crown now my p r aye r s ,

Thereafter as thou wilt mayst thou dispose .

la
Exit K LYTA E M N E STRA in to tle pa ce .

CHORUS
Whe r efore obstinately thus
Round my e v il boding heart -

Ho v e r e t h still this hauntin g breath o f te r ro r

Wherefore this chant unin vited o f ominous p r e sage

Ca n I not S pit it from me far

Like an u n e xpla in éd dream ,

So t o reach firm assurance

’
,

The mind s contented throne For long the time

Since furrowing down the sandy shore
H auled astern came the ch a
,

,
fed
Hawsers when the warrior crews
,

S ailed to sack the to wers o f Tr oy .

And to day mine eyes have j oy

-
Ant 1 .

Witnes sn th eir safe re t urn .

None the less my soul w it hi n me unbidden

Dro n e t h a dirge wit hout lyre as o f doom and disaste r .

Fair assu r ance o f good h O pe

Never throughly may it know .

N o t for naught my inward boding .

In eddies o f tempestuo u s f ear my heart

'

Beats o n my tru th presaging b r east

.
-
.

Yet I pray Heaven belie

’
, ,

My thought s dread expe c tancy

Let it p erish u nfulfilled . 1 0 00

Verily Health grown o v e r great may n o t abide

,
-
,

Within narrow bounds But a thin wall stays .

4 8
 a
Its neighbour Disease from encroaching
’
.

So may the ship o f man s

P rosperous fate unawares
Strike on a reef of unseen disaste r .

Yet if tim ely C auti o n fling

Overboard excess o f wealth
’
Jettisoned from Measure s sling ,

Then the house with balefu lstore

O verladen S hall not S ink ,

F o u n de rin glike a ship in storm .

Rich and plentiful still are the boun t ies of

Ever yearly from furrow and garn er

’
F amine s plague they drive afa r .

Ant 2 .

But to t h e earth let but the bloo d red from the he art ,

Of a man b e S pilt and who then shall have might

, ,
1 0 20

TO recall it wi th hymn s of enchantment

Once there was on e wh o had skill 1

a
To r ise from the dead but his zeal
Zeus in his j ealousy checked and slew him .

Were it not that Heaven ordained -

Fate with fate conflicting oft

Either s o the other curbs ,

E re my tongu e could speak my heart ,

H ad discharged its boding thought

But now muttering in the gloom 1 0 30 ,

Anguished smouldering darkly it broods witho ut hope

, , ,

While as yet there is time to unravel ,

The tangled mysteries of doom .

Re -
e n ter K L Y T A E M N E ST R A .

KLY TAEMN ESTRA

Thou too ,
get thee wit h in Kassan d ra ,
thou ,
.

Since Ze u s in mercy hat h brought thee to a house

Where by the household altar thou mayst share
The lustral water mid the crowd of sla ves ,

Askl e p io s wh o es t e d H ipp ly t o s t o life

1
,
r or o .

49
Descend from y wain be n o t overproud
ou

Alkm e n a ’s so n
1
hims elf they s a y w as sold
’
, ,

And endur e d bon d age spite o f the slave s c oa r se fa r e

, .

I f by ill hap such fate must needs be yours ,

Masters o f ancient wealth are luck indeed .

Those wh o have heaped rich piles o f wealth u nhoped fo r ,

Are e v er brutal and o v erstrict with sla v e s .

F rom us thou sha lt recei v e what custom bids .

LEAD E R
To thee sh e S peaks plain words and pauses f o r thee
, , .

Snared as thou art within the toils o f fate ,

If s o thou c anst yield o r per c han c e thou c a n st n o t

, .

K LY TAEMN ESTRA
’
Nay unless her sp e ech b e like a twittering swallow s 1 0 50
, ,

Some ba r barous u nintelligible tongue

, ,

She wil l unde r stand my reasoning and O bey .

AN ELDE R
Go with her As t hi ngs stand she counsels best
.
,
.

Come b e persuaded quit thy wagon thron e

,
.

KLYTAEMN ESTRA
I have n o leisure t o stand trifling here
Ou t side when round the c ent r al hearth al r eady
,

The victims wait the sacrifice of fire ,

a
y
Or if my words thou c anst not understand
Instead o f S peech signal with foreign ha
,

nd .

AN ELDE R
’
Methinks tis an inte r prete r she needs
’
.

Her mien is like some wild n e w taken creature s -

.

K LY TAEMN ESTRA
Yes she is mad swayed by some vicious mood
,
'

,
.

1H e ra
kle s wh o wa
s o n c e s o ld a
, s a ve t o O mph a
sl a le , qu e e n of

SO
Go d f Ways , Apollo indeed t o me
o

Ah whither hast thou led me yea , to what abode

ELDE R 4
The At re ida’
e s palace . I f thou knowest n o t that ,

Take my assuran c e thou shalt n o t find it false .

KAS SAND RA
’
Nay tis abhorred o f Heaven much 1s it pr ivy t o St r
, , .
3
Unnat u ral mu r ders and butcheries
A human shambles S prin kled a r e the floo r s with b lood .

ELDE R 5
Keen as a hound upon the scent sh e seems .

This trail shall lead her soon whe r e m ur der lies .

KASSAND RA
There are the witnes ses— the r e am I c e r tified
Babes yonder bewailing their sa c rifice
Wailing their flesh by a father roasted and dev o u r ed
E LDE R 6
We were acqu ainted with thy mantic fame
But of these things we seek n o p r ophet here .

KASSANDRA
Alas ! Ye Gods ! What 13 sh e pu r posing
w
What 13 t h is n e and monstrous deed ,

This deed o f wo e sh e purposes within t his ho u se

’
,

Beyond lo v e s enduring ,

Beyond cure and aloof stands

Succouring strength afar .

ELDE R 7
I know not what these prophesyings mean .

The first I guessed with them the whole c ity is loud .

KASSAN DRA
Oh c ru el cruel Verily wilt thou so
,

Him wh o hath sha r ed th y nuptial bed ,

5?
When thou h ast lav
e d and cleansed him
t
-
h o w sh llI a tell
the end
Apace s e e the deed nears
, ,

With a swift reach sh e shoots forth I I IO

Mu rderous hand upo n hand .

ELDE R 8
Not yet do I understand Dark riddles first .
,

Dim visioned oracles perplex me n o w

-
.

KAS SANDRA
Ey ! Ey ! Papa r papai What is t h is n o w I s e e 2 St r 5
’
.
,

Some net of death tis surely

’
But she s the snare wh o shared the bed wh o sha r es th e
, ,

crime
Of blood Let Strife ravening against the race
.
, ,

Utter a jubilant c ry
’
O er the abhorred sac rifi c e .

E LDE R 9
’
What fiend is this thou bids t lift o e r the house
A cry of triumph Thy words bring me n o cheer 1 1 20 .

Back to my heart the drops yellow and pale ha v e run

’
, , ,

As when o e r the face of one fa llen in fight

Pallor of death is S pread
’
Ti med with life s sinking rays
An d the end h eareth swi f t .

'

KAS SANDRA An t 5
Ah Ah ! Beware bewa
.

r e ! Fr om his
,
a cc urs ed mate
Keep far the bull In ves tments
.

She entangles him and with her blac k and crafty ho rn

’
,

Go r es him He falls into the cauldr on s steam

. .

Treacherous murdering bath ,

Thus thy dark story is told .

ELDE R 1 0
I cannot boast t o be a s kilful judge
Of oracles
’
but t is wo e I S pell fr om t he se .

53
 ’
When from a prophet s mo u th e v er t o mortal ears
H ave good tidings S pe d ’Tis naught else but wo e
Volubly chanted forth ,

Teaching fear fear alone

, ,

I n ski lled monotone .

KAS SAND RA
Alas alas What hap le s s so rr owful doom is mine
Fo r o f my o wn s a
, ,

d fate min gled with his I tell, , .

Ah whi ther hast thou brought me n 0w the hapless o n e i ,

Fo r naught sa v e only t o sha r e death with thee What else ?

Fr enzied and h ea v en possessed e v e r thine o wn despai r

-
,

I n wild lawle ss strains

, 1 1 4!
Thou art uttering even as doth hea r t so r e
, ,
-
,

Neve r with wailing satiate ,

S ome brown nightingale .

Ity u I t yn she sighs mo ur n ing in anguish all

, ,

He r wo e plenished life
- 1
.

KASSANDRA
Alas alas
,
The doom o f the m u si c al nightingale
F o r with a winged and soft feather ed fo rm the Go ds -

Ar rayed her a gentle su f f ering a tearle s s ch ange

, .
.

B u t me awaits the cleaving o f a t wo edged b lade -

.

C HORUS

a
Agony fierce and v ain passionate manti c t hr oes
, ,

Oh wh en c e h st thou these ,

Su c h a terrible chant in wild harsh c ries

F ashioning forth yet clea r v oiced
,
-

In lo ud rhythm ic strains
What may it b e th a
,

t thus guides and inspi r es thy wo r d

On its ill bodin g
-
path
KASSANDRA
Alas the rape the rape o f Paris a ruin f o r all
, , ,
St r 7 .

1 P hil o m e lath e j e a lo u s wife o f K in g Te re u s sle w th eir so n I tys

an d wa s c ha n g e d in t o a n ig h tin g a
, , .

le .

54
His kin Alas Ska ma n de r stre a
m of my fatherland
Was it n o t there that once there o n thy banks al a
, ,

,
s , ,

Tend e rly I was reared

But now bes ide Kokyt os and the wailful shores
1

Of Acheron my prophet song will soon be sung

1
.

CHORUS
What is this saying o f thine this presage all t o o plain
,

A child could listen and understand .

My heart smitten bleeds as with a deadly wound

’ ’
, ,

At woe s shrill lament misery s passionate wail

, ,

Shatte ring the heart t o hear .

KASSANDRA
Alas t h e t o ils the toils o f Ilion utterly thus
’
, ,

Destroyed Alas my sire s prodigal offerings

, ,

Many a grazing herd slain for her walls Yet n aught

S e rv
ed they at all t o save 1 1 70

The city from enduring what it n o w endures

’
.

And I no les s must soon draw near my misery s bourne .

CHOR US
Still as at first thy lips p r esage of wo e renew ,

As though some tyrannous ove r mastering

Power maddened thee melodiously t o sing
’
Of doom s swift approach lamentable shadows o f death .
,

Dark is the end t o me .

KAS SANDRA
Lo n o w my oracle no more th r ough a veil
Sha ll look forth dimly like a bride new wed
,
-

But clear and strong towards the rising sun

S hall it come blowing and before it roll
,

Wave like against t he light a wo e than th is

-

M ore huge No longer in riddl es will I monish you

. .

Come follow and bear me witness while I s c ent

The traces out of deeds done long a
, ,

g
o .

This house is ever haunte d by a quire

1 Rive rs o f H e ll
.

55
Of hideous cb n c o r d for the son is foul
,

Lo dr u nken with human blood till they wa x bold

g .

A n d insolent they abide within a rout

, , ,

Hard to expel of revelling ki n dred fiends

, .

They infest the chamber doors chanting their c hant

-

Of that first sin anon they execrate

The abhorred de fi ’
le r of a brother s b ed ,
l

Say have I mi ssed or was my shaft aimed home

, ,

Or am I a false s eer a prating vagabond

,

Bear witness with an oath that well I know

The ancient tale of the sins of this hou se .

LEADE R
’
How should an oath though n e er s o truly plighted
, ,

Bring remedy But I much admire that thou 11

99 ,

Though bred b eyond the sea shouldst S peak as certainly

,

Of a strange land as though thou hadst soj ourned the r e .

KAS SANDRA
The seer Apollo endowed me with this skill .

LEADE R
Smitten with lo v e perchan c e God thou h he be
, g
KASSANDRA
Hitherto shame f orb ade me to confess it .

LEADE R
Yes we are all more delicate in prosperity
, .

KASSANDRA
Vehement and mighty was the lo v e he breathed .

LEADER
And in due course came you to child bearing -

KAS SANDRA
I gave consent then kept not faith wit h Loxias
, .

LEADE R
Already wast thou possessed by powe r o f prophe c y
Th y st e s 1
e .

56
KASSANDRA
’
Already Tr o y s whole agony I fo r etold .

LEADER
How then Couldst thou es c ape t he wrath of Lo xias
KASSANDRA
None would be lie v
g u
mz wo r ds W e d .

LEADER
Yet to us thy wo r ds seem worthy of belief .

KAS SANDRA
I o fi I o fi Oh agony
Again di re pangs of clear vision whi rl
And rack my soul with awful pre lu din g s .

Behold them the r e sitting before the house

, ,

Young children like to phantom shapes in dream

,

B oys slai n by their own kindred they appear

’
.

Their hands are filled with flesh yea tis their own ,
. 1 2 20
The heart the inward parts see they are holding
, , , ,

(Oh piteous burden ) whereof their

,
father tasted .

a
For this I tell you vengeance is devised
, ,

By a recre nt lion wh o lurking in the bed

1

Keeps watch ah me for the returning lo r d

’
,

My lord for the slave s yoke I must endure

’ ’
.

The fleet s high captain Ilion s ravager

’
, ,

He knows not what the abhorred she hound s t ongu e -

After long drawn fawning welcom e — what accurst

-

Treacherous stroke she aims with deadly stealth .

O wickedness horrible Of her lord the wife

I s murderess By what loathsome monster s name’
S hould I describe her fi
.

tly An amphisbaena
- ’
Or some cli ff lairing S kylla bane of ma riners , ,

A raging demon mother breathing havoc ,

Against her dearest And h o w she cried in triumph ,

The all shameles s fiend as when a b attle b r e a k s

-

, ,

Feigning t o glo ry in his sa f e return

1Aig ist h o s . M yt h ic a
l m o n st e r s .

57
 ’
Herein though I gain no credence tis all o n e , .

What must b e shall b e and thou beholding Soon

,

Shalt call me in pity a prophet all t o o t ru e .

LEADE R
’ ’
Th yestes banquet o f his o wn children s flesh
Shuddering I understood Yea horror seized me
.

Hea ring the t ru e tale without fabling told .

But i n all else I wander f a r ast r ay .

KAS SANDRA
Agamemnon s death I sa
’
y thou shalt b ehold .

LEAD ER
Pea c e wretched woman Hu sh t h y ill omened lips
,
‘ -
.

KAS SANDRA
This word n o Healing Go d c an r emedy .

LEADE R
N o t i f it must b e s o but Heaven a v e r t it
KAS SANDRA
“f liile thou p r ayest the S layers a r e ma king r eady
, .

LEADE R
What man is the c ont ri v e r of this wo e
KASSANDRA
Wide indeed o f my wa r ning m u st thou ha v e loo k ed .

LEADE R
Fo r I pe rc eive n ot h o w the deed is possible .

KAS SANDRA
S ee n o w I kno w the Gree k tong
,
u e all to o w ell .

LEADE R
So doth the Pythoness 1
y e t he r words are da rk .

KASSANDRA
P apai What is this fi r e I t su r ges upon me .

1 Ap o llo s D e lphi a
’
n p rie st e ss .

58
And that the stroke b e mortal is my p rayer
So swiftly and easily shall my blood gush forth ,

And without struggle shall I clos e my eyes .

Sbe mo v
e s slowly to w ad
r s the do o rs .

LEADER
Woman so hapless yet withal so wise
, , ,

Long hast thou held us listening yet i f verily

Thou knowest thine o wn doom how as some hea v en led , ,
-

vi c tim ,

Patiently t o the altar c anst thou mo v e

KAS SANDRA pa ,
u s in
g .

The r e is n o escap e f riends none when time is f ull

, , , .

LEADE R
’
Y e s but time s last hour still is found the best .
,

KAS SANDRA
The day is come Little were gained by flight
. .

LEADE R
Tru ly a patient fo r titude is t h ine .

KASSANDRA
Such praise none heareth t o whom fate is kind .

LEAD E R
Yet is the r e c om fo r t in a gloriou s death .

KASSANDRA
Alas my fa t he r thou and thy noble c hi ld r en
Sbe a
pp ah
ro c e s tbe do o rs, bu t a bak
s t rt: c s bu dde r in
g
.

LEADE R
Why dost thou start What terror t u rns thee bac k
KASSANDR A
Fou l Foul
LEAD ER
Why criest tho u f oul Is it some b r ainsi ck loat hing
60
KASSAND RA
H orror this house exhales from blood dript wall s -
.

LEAD ER
Wh y how
,
’
Tis naught but odo u rs o f hearth -
afi
s c ri c e.

KASSANDRA
’
Tis such a reek as ris e th from a S ep u lchre .

LEADER
N o Syrian in c ense luxu r y we r e that .

KASSANDRA
Yet will I enter and there bewail my fate
’
,

And Agamemnon s I have lived long enough

. .

Alas my friends
,

I clamour not like a bird that d r eads a bush

I dly When I am d e ad confirm my words
.
,

When another woman fo r my death shall di e ,

And for a man ill mated a man falls

-
.

I claim this o ffice as at point to die .

LEAD E R
Poor wretch I pity thee thy death f o r e k nown
, .

KAS SANDRA
—
Ye t once m o re would I S peak o r is not t hi s
'

My own dirge rather To the sun I pray ,

This last seen by me that when my champions c om e

’
, ,

My foes may pay murder s p rice for me t o o

’
,

For this poor slave s death their inglorious p r ey

’
.
,

Alas fo r man s estate His happiness

Shows like a s k etch a shadow but his mise ry
’ ,

Tis a picture by a wet S ponge dashed clean o u t .

And this is the more pitiable by far .

S be g
o es in tbr o u g
b tbe do o rs o
f i be paa
l ce .

CHORUS
By a prosperous Fortune a quenc hless thi rst
Is kindled in all men None will rej ect her .
‘

61
Th ru st from the doors o f illustrio u s palaces
Sa ying Here n o more shalt thou enter ”
,

So u nto this king by the Gods wa

, .

s assign ed
’
Priam s town f o r a S poil
H eaven exalted home he r eturneth
-
.

Yet if f o r blood long shed he must pay n o w

’
, ,

If dying f o r the dead he must crown doom 8 pile

With yet othe r deaths 1n r equital
Wh o o f mortals hearing o f this would boast
,

T0 b e bo r n t o a destiny unscathed
1

TH E VOI C E O F AGAMEMNON witbin tbe pa lace , .

Ah me I am smitten— t o the heart a mortal strok e ,

LEAD ER
S ilen c e ! Wh o is that cr i e s out as smitten b y a mo rtal
wo u nd
TH E VOI CE O F AGAMEMNON .

Ah me Again A se c ond time a m u rde r ous stro k e

,

LEAD ER
D one is now the dee d I f ea r me That is the death g roan
, .
-

o f the k ing .

C o m e let u s c ons ult if haply some safe c o u nsel w e may find

, .

ELD ER 1
This is my co u n s el that we su m m o n hi the r
, .

A rescue o f the townsfol k t o the palace .

ELDER 2
An d I s a y w
,
ith all S peed let us b u rst in ,

An d p r o v e the fo u l deed while the swo r d yet drips .

ELD E R 3
Thu s far I sha r e that counsel that my v ote t o o
,

Is all f o r a c tion
. It is n o time f o r ta r rying .

ELDE R 3
’
Tis manife st this prelude gi v es clea r w ar n ing
They a r e c onsp iring t o ensla v e the c ity .

62
ELDER 5
Yes for we linger whil e they trampling down
’
, ,

Deliberate caution s prais e sleep no t but a c t

, , .

ELDER 6
I know not what advice were best t o give .

Let him wh o a c ts advise thereon himself .

ELDER 7
I sa
y so t o o f o r it passes me to know

Ho w by mere words we may raise up the dead .

w
ELDER 8
What To prol o n g our li v es shall e bow do wn
fi
Beneath these foul de le rs of the house
ELDE R 9
’
Nay t is intolerable Death were b ette r .
, .

That were a milde r lo t than tyranny .

ELDE R 1 0
Ar e we upon the evidence o f mere groans
, ,

To surmise lightly that the king is dead

ELD ER 1 1
B est k now the facts ere we give vent t o wr ath
To gu ess is n o t the same thing a
.

s t o know .

LEADE R
From all sides am I fortified in this resolve $ 370
’
To have clear knowledge how it fares with Atreus so n 3
,

aa aa
As they re bo u t to e n tc r j be p l c e , tbe s c e n e em

a
n d dis c lo se s K L Y TA E M N E ST R A st n din gov er a '

tbe bo dies o f A G AMEM N O N an d K AS SAN D RA .

KLY TAEMN ESTRA

All that I S poke before to se r ve the time ,

I shall feel no shame n o w to contradict .

Fo r how by avowing O pen hate t o enemies ,

P resumed to b e o u r friends could we build up

,

63
 ’
D e stru c tion s toils high to be overleapt
to o
By me long S ince against v ictory long defer r ed -

Was planned this duel yet at last it c a ,

me
‘

Here stand I where I struck my work ac hi eved , .

Even so I wrought t hi s too will I not deny

—

That neither should he escape nor ward his doom .

A blind entanglement l ike a net for fish

I swathe around him an evil we a
, ,

,
lth of robe .

And twice do I smite him till at the second g r oan ,

There did his limbs sink down and as he lies ,

A third stroke do I deal him unto Hades , ,

Safe keeper o f dead men a votive gift

-

, .

Therewith he lies still gasping out his life

,

An d S pouting forth a vehement j et o f blood

S trikes me with a dark splash of murderous dew
’
,

N o le ss r ej oicing than 1n Heaven S sweet rain

The c orn doth at the birth throes of the ear .

The truth being such ye grave elders o f Argos

a
, ,

Rej oice if so ye m y M t
Ah d We rhfi lig ’
,
.
, “
w

nkj o ff e rin g
'

s seemly o er a corpse
'

a
m w l a
w n -M o fir
a g
u ,

Here j ustly might we p our them and more than j ustly

o

,
m - t m
‘
h V h t A o p

A bowl so full of curses did th1as m n brim

Wh o now comes home hims elf to drin k it up
,
r m -n u n 4

LEADE R
We marvel at thine au dacity of tongue
To glo ry in such terms o v er thy lord .

KLY TAEMN ESTRA

Ye assail me as though I were a witles s woman .

But I with heart unshaken what all know

Declar e — whether thou praise me or condemn
’
,

—
Tis all o n e this is Agamemnon mine
’
,

Own husband done to death by this right hand s

,

Most righteous workmanship The case stands so . .

CH ORUS
Woman what earth eng endered
,
-

64
 ‘

Venomous herb o r what evil drug

, ,

Scum of the restless sea canst thou have tasted of

’
, ,

Thus to incur the loud fury of a people s curse

Away thou hast cast away thou hast cle f t away shall the
, ,

city fling thee ,

1 10
4
A monstrous burden o f loathin g .

K LYTAEMN E STRA
Yes , n o w f o r me thou do o m e st banishment,
’ ’
A city s loathi n g and a pe0 p1e s curses :
Yet once no whi t dids t thou withstand this man ,
’
Who recking not as twere a beast that died
, ,

Although woolly flocks bare sheep enough

his
Sa c rifi
,

c e d his own child that clear delight ,

Born of my pangs to charm the winds of Thrace

, .

Was it not he you should have exiled hence

For that polluting sin Yet now thou seest
My deed thou art a rigorous j udge Now hear me
, .

Threaten thy worst and if on equal terms

Thou canst by force subdue me b e it so ,

I yield But if Fate othe rwise ordain

.
,

Wisdom late though it b e shalt thou b e taught

, , .

CHORUS
Insolent is thy mood ,

Thi ne utterance arrogant Therefore even

“

As with the deed of blood frenzied is now thy soul

So do th a gory smear fi
,

tly adorn thy br o w .

With none to a v enge none t o befriend ve rily yet shall you

, ,

pay
St r oke f o r str oke in re prrsal .

KLYTAEMN ESTRA
This likewise shalt thou hear my solemn oath ,

By the Justice here accomplished fo r my child ,

By the Sin and Doom whose victim here I have,

Not for me doth Hope tr ead the halls of Fear ,

While yet fi r e o n my hearth is kindled by

E 65
Aig
isth o s,my kind friend a s hereto f o r e .

For yonder n o small s hi eld for o u r assurance

, ,

Lies lo w the man wh o outraged hi s o wn wife ,

Darling of each Chrys eis unde r Troy

An d by him this bond —slave and a
,

g
u u r e ss ,

His oracle delivering concubine

-
,

Who as hi s faithful couch mate shared with him -

’
, ,

The mariners bench But punished are they n o w

. .

Fo r he fare thus and sh e now sh e has wailed ,

Swan like her last lamenting song o f death

-
,

Lies th ere his lover adding a delicate

, ,

New seasoning to the luxu ry of my couch .

CHORUS
Oh for a S peedy death painless witho u t a throe
, ,

N O lingering bedridden sickness ,

A gentle death bearing sleep eternal

, ,

Sleep without end ; for t o us the kindest ,

Truest o f guardians is los t

’
,

Wh o f o r a woman s sin endured toils untold

’
Yea and by a woman s hand he fell
, .

0 fi
thou from a re brand named He lena
-
, ,
l

Wh o alone those many lives didst destroy ,

Many past all numbe r beneath Tr oy

N o w it is thou wh o hast brought t o its flowering
Thus by uncleansable blood the r en owned c ontention
Wa
a
ged once within this pala c e ,

A wo e d eath fr ught fo r many a hero

-
.

K LY TAEMN ESTRA
Invoke n o t death for thy po r tion in grief
F o r what thou b eholdest
Nor yet upon Helena turn thy wrath ,

As murderess o f men as though sh e alone ,

Many lives o f Danaan men had destroyed ,

An d wr ought unexampled a ffliction

H e la
1 n e is t h e G r e k f o r aree d t o rc h
e -
.

66
Nay fan c y n o t e v en
’
,

That in me Agamemnon s S p o use yo u behold

But disguised as the wife o f the man wh o is slain
Yonder the ancient wrathful Avenge r
,

Of Atreus that grim f easter hath found

, ,

Yonde r a full grown -

Vi c tim f o r the ghosts o f the c hild r en .

C HORUS
That thou o f the blood here shed
Ar t innocent wh o shall essay to witness
,

No n o Yet the Fiend a v enging

,
’
The father s sin may ha v e aided ;
And swept along o n floods o f gore
From slaught ered kindr ed by the r ed
Deity o f Stri f e he c omes where he m ust pay
,
n o w
Fo r the c aked blood o f the mangled infants .

Ay me Ay me My k ing my king Eph ymn io n

,

How shall I weep thee

What word shall I S peak f rom a loyal heart
’
In this S pider s we b t o b e lying thu s c aught ,

By a foul death gasping thy soul forth

‘

Ah me me couche d thus shamefully lik e a sla v e

Stricken down by a deadly ha
, , ,

nd
Craftily armed with a cleaving swo r d blade -

K LY TAEMN ESTRA
What did n o t he t o o w r ea k o n his household
,

As c rafty a crime
Nay but the branch he grafted upon me
e n e ia
,

My long wept for I phig- -

,

a
Even as he dealt with he r so is he fari n g
ie re f o r e 1n Ha
,

Il de S IEf lii m not 50

'
now .

As h e sm n e d B t h e swo rH,
y
So i s eat t e s wo r h is atonement .

68
CHORUS
’
In blank amaze reft o f tho ught s r eso u r c eful
,

Counselling aid I know not

,

Which way to turn n o w the house is falling

,
.

I dread the fierce crashing storm that wrecks the home

, ,

The storm o f blood Ceased is now the small rain

.

But Justice is but whetting for some othe r deed

’
Of bale her sword s edge o n other whetstones .

Ant z .

Ay me E a rth Earth ! Would thou hads t c o v ered me

, ,

Or ere in the silver sided bath

-

Outstretched in death I had seen him 15 0

4
Who shall make hi s grave Who sh a ll sing his dirge l
Who by the tomb o f the deified hero weepin g
Shall chant his praise a n d bowed down
In un f éig
n e d grief of heart lament hi m

K LY TAEMN ESTRA
Thee it beseems not herein t o conce r n thee
No for beneath u s
,

He bowed he lay dead and below shall we bury him

’
, , ,

Not t o a mourning household s dirg e s

’Twere a graceless retu rn for hi s great good deeds
,

Unworthi ly so to bewail his soul

e n e ia
,

But Iph ig with welcome blithe ,

AS a daughter should ,

Shall encounter her sire at the swift flo win gstrait -

Of Wailing and there

,

Fling around him her a rms and S hall kiss him .

a
CHORUS
R eviling th us nswereth re vili ng . Ant 6 .

Hard t o adj udge the strife seems .

The S poiler is S poiled the slayer pays rep risal

, .

Whi le o n hi s throne Zeus abides abides the t ru th

,

Who doth the deed suffereth ,

so the law stands .

Who from the house shall cast the brood o f c u rses forth l
The whole race is welded fast to ru in .

69
K LYTAEMN ESTRA
When yo u stumbled upon this sa ’
w twas t r uth ,

Led yo u But I n o w
.

With the Fiend o f the Ple ist h e n id r a c e consent

This t r eaty t o swear what is done w e a c cept , ,

H ard b e it t o bea r i f he will but quit

Henceforth this ho u se and a
,

fllic t with kindr ed

,

Murde r some other r a c e in stead

Though mine be a sm a
.

ll
Po r tion o f wealth that m full shall s uf c e me
,
fi ,

If I thu s may cleanse

These halls f r om t h e fren z y o f blood feud -
.

En te r Arc rsr n o s a
tte n de d by a d —
bo y u gad r o f s
pa
e r

AI GI STHOS
d da wn o f the day that brings redress !
N o w c an I s a y that from abo v e earth God s

Look down t o a v enge the so rr ows o f m

, ,

an kind ,

Now that I s e e this man in wo v en robes

Of Retrib u tion st r etched dead t o my jo y
’
,

Paying 111 full f o r a fathe r s crafty si n

’
.

F o r At r e u s lo r d o f Argos t hi s man S sire

, , ,

When by my sire Thyeste s his o wn brothe r

a a
, ,

(T 0 m ke all clear ) his so v e r eignty w s questioned ,

He banished him from co u ntry and fr om home .

a
Thereafter a suppliant o f the hea rth r eturning
, ,

Haples s Thyes t es found S fety so f a r

That h is life blood stained n o t his ancest ral soil
-

’
F o r thwith b u t f o r wel c ome thi s man s impiou s f athe r ,

At r eus with z eal sca r ce friendly t o my f athe r

,
1 59 1 ,

F e ig n in g t o hol d a j oyful feasting day

a
Served hi m a b nquet o f his children s fle sh
,
’
,

The extremities the feet and finge r ed hands

, ,

He kept c on c ealed the r est disguised he se t

Befo r e Thyestes whe r e he sa
,

,
t apa r t

t Th e h o u se o f P e lo p s .

70
Who at the first unwitting too k and ate
That food now proved unwholesome to hi s race .

Then recognizing the unhallowed deed

, ,

He groaned and falls back vomiting the sacrifice

, ,

An d calls a fell doom on the so n s of Pelops ,

Kicking the table away to aid hi s curs e

That thus might perish all the race of Ple ist h e n e s .

For s u ch cause do you s e e thi s man laid low .

And justly so did I contrive this slaughter .

Fo r me the third heir with my luckless father

, , ,

He dr ove forth too a babe in swaddling clothes

,
.

Now grown to manhood Justice brings me home .

While yet I dwelt abroad I reached my foe

’
,

Weaving this dark conspiracy s whole plot .

Th u s g
h
lo rio u s were death itself to me ,

N o w I h ave seen him caught in toils of Justice .

LEAD E R
Ai g I scorn to insult distress
ist h o s,
But dost thou o wn wilfully to have slain him ,

And alone t o have contrived this woeful murder

Kn ow thine o wn head judged guilty shall not scape
, ,

The c urses o f a people flung in stones .

AI G I STHOS
Thou to prate so benched at the lowest o a
,
r ,

While those of the uppe r tier control the S hi p

You r o ld age shall b e taught h o w bitter it is
To b e schooled in discreetness at your years .

Bonds and the pangs of hunger are supreme

Physicians to instruct even senile minds
In wisdom Doth not thi s sight make thee s e e
.

Kick not against the p ricks lest the wound smart

,
.

LEADE R
Thou woman in wait f or returning war riors
Lu rking at home de fi ’
, ,

lin ga man s bed

,

Fo r a mighty captain didst thou plot thi s death

7 1
 AlGI STHOS
These words likewise shall pro v e the sour c e of tears
’
.

The c o ntrary to Orpheus tongue is thine

For he drew all t h ings charmed by his voice along ;
But thou provo king us by childish howlings
, ,

Shalt be haled o ff and by constraint made tame .

AN ELDE R
Thou to be despot of our Argive folk ,

Who durst not when thou hadst co n trived his death

, ,

Durst not achieve the crime with thine Own hand !

A I GI STHOS
The b eguiling wa ’
s the wife s part manifestly .

I was suspected a foe by my birth

’
.
,

Now with the dead kin g s treasure will I strive

To rule t hi s people but the mutinous man
I shall yoke ste r nly not like a c orn fed colt,
-

I n traces no but grim starvation lodged

,

With darkness shall not le v e him till he is tam ed

,
a ,

LEADE R
Why craven soul didst thou n o t kill thy foe
, ,

Unaided but must j oin with thee a woman

De fi
, ,

le m e n t of our country and its Gods ,

To slay him 3 Oh is Orestes living yet ,

That he by fortune s grace returning home

Victoriously may put both these to death ?
I

AI GI STHOS
Nay if thus in word and deed you threaten soon shall you
, ,

b e taught .

Fo rward now my trusty S pea rm en

,
He r e is work for us
at hand . 1 6 50

LEADE R
Forward now ! His sword unsheath ing each man stan d ,

upon his guard .

72
AI GI STHOS
Nay I t o o my sword unsh e athing shrink n o t back though
, , , ,

I must die .

AN ELDE R
Die thou sayest
,
The word is welcome . Ou r s be n o wt o
make it good .

KLY TAEMN ESTRA

Nay forbear my dearest husband Let us do no further ill
, . .

Miseries are here to reap in plenty a pitiable crop

a
.
,

Harm 1 0 11 2h 1s d one already let no bl oo d b u s be S llt

.

y
o

’
. .
_

ow tis t im e th t 56 8 0 See I e1r e st1n e

n
“
u

dwellings each ,

Ere some rash deed bring repentan c e — since we have come

to such a pass .

Then if haply these aff lictions prove enough there let us ,

stop ,

Sorely smitten thus already by the heavy heel of fate 1 660

’
.

So doth a woman s reason counsel if s o be that any heed ,

.

AIGI STHO S
But for these to let their foolish tongues thus blossom into
speech ,

Flinging out such overweening words as though to tempt ,

their fate
’
,

Reft o f wisdom and dis c retion b r a ving thus the ru ler s ,

power
AN ELDER
Never was it Ar give fashi on to fawn upon a villainous m an .

AI G I STHOS
’
Well I ll visit this upon ou Soon or late 1n days to come
, y .

LEADE R
That thou shalt not if but Heaven guide Orestes back
,
to
his home .

73
AI GI STHOS
Y e s, I know full we ll myself how banished men will feed
on h o pes .

AN ELDE R
Do thy worst wa x fat befouling righteousness whi le yet
, ,

thou mayest .

AI GI STHOS
Take my warning ; for t his folly thou shalt make amends
some day . 16 0
7
LEADER
Brag : be v aliant like a co c k wh o c rows and st ruts beside
his hen .

KLY TAEMN ESTRA

Treat with the contempt they merit these vain yelpings .

Thou and I ,

N o w the maste r s in this palace will rule all things right

,

e o u sl
y .

74
 D RAM ATI S PERSON AE

O RE S T E S a
So n o f Agme mn o n
a a
.
,

E L E K T RA ,
d ug bte r o f Agme mn o n .

PY L AD E S ,
s o n o f Str o bio s , fr ie n d o f Ore ste s
p .

K L Y TA E M N E ST RA .

AI G I S T H O S .

S ERV A N T .

N URS E .

C H O RU S O F T W E L V E T RO J AN B O N DW OME N .
 THE C HO EPHO RI

ga a
Agme mn a a a
'

‘
Tbe r oe o
f t b p l on ,
n e r c ce o
f
En te r OR fi DJQ
E STE S ad EXLA N
S .

a
ORE STES
Nethe r Hermes gu rdian o f pate rnal rights
, ,

Preserve me and fight with me at my praye r .

a
F o r t o t hi s land an e xile I return
’ ’
,

And o e r this grave s mo u nd o n my sire I c ll

To hearken to gi v e heed
,
’ .

this l o ck t o Inachus for nurture 3

,

This second t o o in token O f my mournin g .

i Q

I was not there fathe r t o wail thy dea t h

, , ,

Nor did I stretch my hand towards thy bier .

E LE K T RA a
En te r n d Me C H O R U S .

What is it I see What is this troop o f women

Approachi ng in c onspicuous black rob es
Of mourning To what c ause S hould I assign it i
Hath some new sorrow fallen upon the hous e
Or should I guess they are bringing these libation s
To appease my father in t he world b elo w i
Naught else Yonder it must be walks Ele c t r a
, , ,

My sister By the bitte r ness o f her grief

.

I know her 0 Zeus grant me now t o a v enge

.
,

Th e m a n s h er e be e n m u til a
sc ri p t h a t ed a
n d an u mbe r
ha
u
v be e l o st
,

e n .

3 A rive r O f Argo lis .

77
 ’
My sire s death my side deign tho u t o fight
on .

Pylades stand we asid e that I may learn

, ,

More surely wh o these suppliant women a r e .

Tbey

CHORUS
”
“
GO ,
said sh e from the pala c e bear
,
St r . 1
Lib ations forth with sharp res o un ding stroke o f hand
, .

Be h Old my cheek 18 newly scarred With Cr im son

, ,

a
Rent by the bloodily furrowin g na il !
At llho urs feeds my heart o n lamen tatio n c easelessly .

A scream was heard o f lin en torn ,

As in my agony I ripped it u p
’
,

Thes e folds o e r my breast ,

Robes cruelly mangled ,

Victims O f my j oyless task .

Fo r thrilling Fea r with li f ted hair An t 1 , .

Prophetic t o the house 1n dreams and breathing wr ath ,

From sleep at dead o f night with pani c out cry

,

Utt ered a shriek from the 1n n e r recess ,

A fier c e wail bursting o n the ch ambe rs whe r e the women

,

sle Dt
I .

And t h ey Wh o r ead thi s dr eam decla r ed ,

Pledging a verity by heaven r e v ealed ,

That ghosts under groun d ,

Souls wrathfully plainti v e

'

Still against their Slayers r aged .

St r 2 .
’

TO a v ert such ho rr o r the impious woman wh o sends m e

,

forth ,

(Alas ,
E arth Mothe r ,

Plans a v ain appeasement

’
That can ne er appease But I .

Fear t o S peak the words sh e bade .

F o r what redemption can there b e f o r b l o od on c e S p ilt

Woe f o r this mise r able hearth
78
Wo for this house t o ruin doomed
e

A sunless gloom abhorred of men

’ , ,

A shroud of hate broods o e r a house

Death b ereaved o f its master
-
.

That venerable resistles s in vincible maj esty An t 2

That once found a wa

.
, , ,

y th r ough
The ears and hearts o f all men
’Tis F e a
,

N O W has fallen away r .

-“ N

Rei gns instead Prosperity .

That among mortals is a Go d and more than ,

But Justice watching with her scale

, ,

On some by daylight swiftly swoops ,

Or in the borderland of dark

Her lingering wrath ripening bides
Others u t terly the night whelms .

Str .
3
B ecause of bloodshed d runk by E a rth its foster nurs e ,
-
,

( r v engeful gore lies cu rded indi ssolvably)

F o

Long persisting Doom

-

Tar rieth till the sinner teems

With inexhaustible disease .

When once the b ridal bower is opened ther e can be Am 3

So t o o a
, .

N o remedy . ll the wate rs in the world ,

Into a single stream

Flo wi ng together strive t o purge ,

The blood polluted hand in v ain

-
.

But as fo r me (since with c ru el fo r ce the Gods

,

Encircling my city led me captive ,

From a free home here t o endure the lot o f S la v

,
er y ) ,

Obey I must b e they right eous

,

Or unrighteous those wh o now ,

Usurp the governance of my lif e and must suppress 80

’
,

My soul s bitter loathing Yet beneath my ro b es I weep.

79
The cruel fates that have befalle n
My lords the while with hidden grief my heart
, is chilled .

ELE KTRA
Maidens wh o serve o u r house and gi v e it order
, ,

Sin c e you are here t o attend me in these rites

Of prayer lend me your counsel 1n this doubt
, .

a
As I pour forth these funeral off erings ,

How must I Spe k h ow pray t o appease my si r e

Shall I sa
, , “

y that I bring a gift o f love

—
From wife to loving husband f rOm my mother
Nay that I dare n o t I know n o t what to s a y
’
.
,

As I pour t hi s O ffering o n my father s tomb .

Or shall I S peak t hi s customary phrase

DO thou requite with blessing those wh o send
—
These wreaths such recompense as their sin deserves
Or with n o word no rite as when my father
"

, ,

Died shall I pour this forth f o r earth to drink

, ,

Then g o back home like o n e that casts o u t f ilth

Flinging the vessel from me Without a gl a

, ,

nce
I n these doubts aid me With your counsel friends ,

For in the house o n e common hate is ours

Hide naught within thy heart f o r fear o f someone .

For destiny awaits alike the free

’
And those wh o are subj ect t o another s hand .

If thou canst give me Wise r c ounsel S peak , .

LEAD ER
Revering like an altar thy f a ’
t h e r s t o mb
’
,

I will S peak as thou bidde st my heart s thought

, , .

ELE KTRA
Speak as in r e v e r ence for
’
my f ather s gra v e .
,

LEADE R
While you pou r utte r blessings
,
for the loyal .

ELE KTRA
To whom shall I gi v e that name among our friends i
80
L EAD E R
Fi rst t o thy self and a
,
llwh o hate Ai g is t h o s .

ELE KTRA
F o r m ys elf must I pray then and f o r thee
,

LEADER
Y o u know the truth
- ’t is yo ur s n o w t o de cide .

ELE KTRA
Whom else then t o this c o mpany should I add
LEADER
Rememb e r Orestes banished though he be
, .

ELE KTRA
’Tis well said Wisely ha v e yo u a dmonishe d me
. .

LEADER
Next mindful o f those guilty o f that bloo dshed — r
,

ELE KTRA
Well what
,
Di r ect me inst ruc t my igno r an c e .

LEADER
P r ay that upon them come some g o d o r mo rt al

ELE KTRA
To judge o r t o a v enge P Which do yo u mean
LEADER
S ay simply this a
o n e t o t ke lif c ig
l
r if e
n
.

ELE KTRA
I s that a holy p r aye r f o r me t o u tte r
LEADE R
Why n o t i t o r equite f o e s w
—
_
it h inj u ry
, '

ELE KTRA
Mighty H e r ald between wo rl ds a bo v e and unde r ,

me O nethe ermes Su m m o m n g
A i d ,
r H ,

The powers beneath the earth t o hear my praye rs

Utte red for wrongs done to a father s home ’
E arth t oo he rself wh o b rings a
,

,
ll things to bi rth ,

F 81
 Rea r s the m a rid t o he r womb recei v es them back
Pou ring this lust r al water t o de a
.
,

I d men ,

I call upon my si r e Have pity o n me .

With dear Orestes kindle thy dark halls .

F o r n o w we are homeless vagrants sold away , ,

‘ N I -P ,

Ia m em s lave O r estes from his wealth

An exile while they in o v

,

,
e rwe e m n gp u de
Ar e revelling in the luxury thou didst toil fo r
But hither in good hour may Orestes c ome
That is my p r ayer to thee Oh hear it father .
, .

An d f o r me grant that I pro v e chaste r fa r

Tha n wa s my mother more innocent my han d ,
.

F o r us these prayers But for o u r ad v e r saries .

On e t o avenge thee father I bid rise , ,

An d that thy S layers j ustly in turn be S lain .

Thus do I interrupt my prayer fo r good ,

Utte ring against tbe m t hi s my prayer f o r e v il .

To u s do thou send blessings from below ,

Sped by th e Gods and E arth and conquering Justic e

, ,
.

Such are the praye r s wherewith I pour thes e O ff erings .

Your due part is to crown them with flowers o f wailing ,

Chanting alo u d a paean for the dead a ) .

CHORUS
Shed we the tea r that falls with a plash and is gone ,

Gone as o u r lost f allen lord , ,

In tun e with the plash o f u nholy drops ,

This impious O ffering poured to ave r t

a
Evil and good alike Hearken I pray thee H ear k en .
,

O revered master rouse thy d rk sOu l to hea r,

.

Ot ét o t Ot o t ét O t o i
Oh wh en , wh en will
a man Wh o wi elds the S p e a r

aa
Come to redeem the house brandishing in hi s hand
’
,

The Scythi an bow bent in W t s de dly st ress

.
, ,

On e wh o will close and thru st with sword fi rmly gr ipped

82
LEAD E R
Thy wo r ds give me mo r e cause fo r tears than e v e r
’
,

I f n e e r again his foot s h all tou c h this soil .

ELE KTRA
In my heart t o o a sur ge o f bitte r thought
’
Rises I feel a dagge r s pie r cing stab
And from my ey e s b r eak thirstily forth and fall
Some few d r ops from the pent u p stormy flood
-
,

When I behold this loc k : f o r h o w suppose

That any nati v e els e might o wn this hair
N o r ye t was it the m u rderess w h o c ut it ,

My mother sh e wh o towards her c hildren bears

,
’
N O mother s f eelings in her impiou s hea r t
fi
.

But h o w t o a f rm with su r ety that this O f fe r ing

Ado rned the head o f hi m whom most I lo v e ,
—
Orestes yet I am flatte r ed b y the h Ope .

Alas
Wo u ld that it had a kindly wa r ning v oice ,

That so I might n o t wa v e r between t wo minds ,

Being bidden plainly S pu r n this lo ck a w ay ,

I f it were severed fro m a hated head

Or els e b eing kin would it might share my grief
, , ,

Gracing this tomb and honou r ing my si r e

, .

Nay but the Gods whom we appeal t o k now

, , ,

By What storms we like marin ers a r e tossed

, ,

And whirled Yet i f we a r e destined t o find sa f ety

From a small s eed m a
.
,

y grow a mighty stem .

But loo k Tr a ck s o n the g r ound a se c ond p r oo f

Tr acks o f f eet— simila r— and lik e my o wn .

Y e s here a r e outlines o f t wo different footsteps

, ,

Thos e o f hu n se lf and t h ose o f some co mpanion

, .

The tracings o f the tendons and the heels

Agree in meas u rement with the prints o f mine .

Oh this is agony dest r oying

,

84
ORE STE S c o min gfo rwa
,
rd .

Tell t h e Gods that t h y prayers ha v e been fulfilled ,

And pray hereafte r for like good s u ccess .

ELE KTRA
Why for what boon ha v e I
,
to than k them n o w
ORE STE S
The S ight O f t hat for whi ch tho u hast prayed so long .

ELE KTRA
Whom canst thou kn ow that I was summoning
ORESTE S
Whom but Or e stes the idol o f thy so u l
,

ELE KTRA
And what p r oof ha v e I that my p r ayers a r e answered
ORE STE S
He r e am I . S eek n o nearer fri e nd than me .

ELE KTRA
0 Sir is t hi s some snare you are wea
,
ving r ound me
ORE STE S
Against mysel f then am I fr amin g it .

ELE KTRA
I se e you Wish to mo c k at my a ff lic tions .

ORE STE S
Then at my o wn too , if indeed at t hine .

ELE KTRA
As if thou wert O r estes then I bid thee .

ORE STE S
’
Nay tis himself thou seest and wilt n o t kn o w .
,

Yet when you saw this lock o f mourning hair

’ a
,

Your mind took Wing and deeme d tw as m e yo u s w

So t o o when yo u w er e ques ting in my footp r ints
'

35
 ’
Yo ur o wn br othe r s p r opo r tioned li k e yo urse l f
’
.
,

Loo k well twas from thi s pla c e I c ut the tress .

An d s e e this weaving yo ur o wn handiwor k , ,

These b atten stro k es these beasts in the design

-
, .

Contain yourself lea v e n o t thy wits f o r jo y

F o r those wh o a r e nea r est hate u s b ot h I kno w
.

.
,

LEADER
’
O thou b elo v ed child o f thy f ather s ho u se ,

Thou hope o f sa ving seed wate r ed by tea r s ,

T ru st in thy strength and win thy h e ritage ba ck

, .

ELE KTRA
O thou sweet eye glan c ing f o r me with lo ve
,

F o u rf o ld To thee must needs be gi v en the nam e

O f fathe r t o thee f alls t h e lo v e I o we
TO a mother mine h a
—
'
s m erited utmo st hate

And t o a siste r cr uelly sa cr ificed

, .

P r o v ed n o w a brothe r true I re v erence thee , .

Only may Powe r and Justice and with these ,

Z eus mightiest o f all b e o n thy side

, , .

ORE STE S
Zeus Zeus loo k do wn Witness what he r e is done
, , .

Behold the orphan brood o f an eagle sire

That perished in the tw i nes and writhing c oil s
O f a fell vipe r F a
'

. t h e rle ss are they gripped ,

By hung ry want f o r s tr ength is n o t yet thei rs

’
,

To bring home t o the nest thei r father s prey .

Like them mayst thou behold me and he r t o o ,

Ele k tra children f atherless and forlo r n

, ,

Bo th su ff ering t h e same e xil e fr om o u r home .

If tho u destroy these younglings o f that S 1re ;

Wh o wors hi pped thee with bounteous gifts whe r e else
Wilt t h o u find hands’so generou s o f rich feasts
,

And as if the eagle s brood thou shouldst d e str o y

, ,

N O mo r e coulds t thou send signs tha t men c o u ld t ru st ,

So if this r oyal stem be withered Wholly

, ,

86
No altars Will it se rv e o n days o f sacrifi c e .

Save it From lowness thou canst raise t o might

.

A house that n o w s e ems to lie fallen indeed .

LEADER
0 childr en sa viou rs o f the ancest r al hea r th
, ,

Silence I pray lest someone o v erhear

, , ,

And to ease a babbling tongu e r epo r t all t hi s

To those that rule Ah may I o n e day wat c h
.
,

Their corpses in the S plutte ring r esinous flame

ORE STE S
’
Never S hall Lo xias mig h tym r acle

Betray us H e it wa
. s wh o b ade me endure

This peril threateni n g d

Woes t o make c o ld a
,
'

I f I a v enged not those th at S lew my s ir e

Wh o ba de me slay the mev en as they slew
’ '

Sg py li g
n upon the offer of all their wealth
Els e he said I myself with my o wn life
, ,

Should pay the deb t after wo es long and dire .

How the powers of und ergro und appease their wrath

His voice proclaimed t o men ci ting such pla
,

gu es
’
,

As leprous ulcers crawling o e r the fles h ,

E ating its health away with cruel j aws

And how upon this plagu e awhit e down g r ows .

Yet other onslaughts of the avenging fiends

’
Sprang from a father s blood so he foretold ,

For the unseen weapon o f the nether powers ,

Stirred by slain kinsmen calling for revenge ,

Frenzy and causeless terror of t h e night ,

(Se e n clearly while

, 111 darkness the eyeb r ows twit c h ) ,

Perturb and harass till by the bra z en scourge

,

His marred carcase is chased forth from the town .

Nor is it for such outcasts t o partake

The win e bo wl nor the genial lib ation
’
.
,

A father s wrath unseen drives him away

Fr om alta r s none re c ei v es none lodges with him
,
.

87
 At last without r ites with ou t friends he dies
, , ,

Utterly wasted t o a vile mummied corpse .

Should I not tr u st such aa

o r a c les as these 1
Th o u gh l t rust tth g
i n t “

m st yet be done
.

k
n
j u .

For many motiv es t o o n e end conc u r

The God s c o mf n a
’ n ds

a
my g r eat grief f o r my fathe r : 300
‘ ‘

“ Besides there is m y poverty th t galls me

Then shame t h a t m
y
‘

worl df in Ous c ou n t r ymen

-
a
Whose glorious v
,
'

hlo u r
Should thus b e ap air o f women
For a woman he is at hea r t s o o n sha
.

llhe learn, a
.

C HORUS
O powerful Fates let Ze u s n o w send
,

Prospe r ous fo r tune

‘
Unto us whom r ighteousness aideth
, .

Enmity o f tongue for enmity o f tongu e

Be paid in re quital c ries Justice alo ud ”
Exacti n g the deb t that is O w
, ,

ed her .

Murderous blow for murderous blow

”
Let him take f o r h is payment
So S peaks immemori l wisdom a
To the deed its r ewa r d
.

O RE STE S
a
F the r O fathe r O f wo e what word
,

Am I t o S peak o r what do
,

,
'
To waft this m essage afar t o thee ,

Whe r e in the gra v e thou c o u c h e st

As darkness and light are sundered ,

Lo ving rites cannot reach thee ,

The d ir ge chanted o f o ld t o praise

Ki ngs o f the ho u se o f Atreus .

C HORU S
My so n the ra v ening j a
, w St r 2 .

Of fire s u bdu e s n o t Wholly

The S pirit o f him wh o is dead .

Someday his mood he re v ealeth

When the slain ma
.

n is b e w ailed then ,

88
IS t he
inj u r erdis co v e r ed .

And a rightful lamentation

For a parent hu n ts and ranges
With wide séa rc h till the
g
uilt,
is t r ac k ed down .

ELE KTRA
Hear then 0 f ather a ,
swe in t u r n ,

Utter o u r tearful angu ish .

Thy t wo children are we Whose d rge

i

’
Wails fo r thee o e r thy grave mound -
.

The suppliant and the exile

To thy tomb we draw near .

What here is well What is fr ee fro m wo e

Vain with o u r doom to wres tle .

LEADER
Yet e v en so Go d,
if he will may ch ange
“

Ou r dirge t o a chant o f happier strain

'

N o t lamentations at a tomb but instead ,

Shall a paean o f j oy in the royal halls

With a lovin g pledge wel c ome a friend home .

ORE STE S
Would that i n sight o f Troy
’
,

By some Ly cian hero s S pea r

’
Thy d eath s w6und f ather had been dealt thee .

lo iy t o us th y childre n
, ,

Bequeathing so g ‘ '

a
At home praise abroad fame , ,

The a dmired gaze o f lleyes ,

Thou hadst lain in a tomb piled ‘

With alien ea rth an easy

Bu rden f o r u S had that b een
'

CHORUS
To friends hi p wel c ome t he r e Ant . 2 1

By n o bly fallen heroes ,

A pri nce i n t h e unde rwo r ld

u

Famed re v ered and maj esti c

, ,

A c ompanion t o the highes t

89
Wh o a r e ru le rs o f that da rk r ealm
Fo r in lif e tho u wast a mona rc h
O v er k ings Wh o Wield the sceptre
That dooms men and c ommands Ob edie n c e
'
.

ELE KTRA
Nay but beneath Troy walls
, ,

Fathe r let u s n o t Wish that thou

Hadst died n o r mid h éa
,

s O f Sl aughtered wa r rio r s
'

p
Been laid in earth there beside Ska ma
,

,
n de r .

Ah would those th at slew him

By a like death had died first
F rom afar had we t h én heard
The tale o f t h ejggn d byall thes e
Miseries u n a
,

f flic t e d .

LEADE R
F iner than gold dea r child yea greate r
, ,
Mesod e
Then even Hyperb orean bliss a r e the hopes 1

Thou utte r est Wishin g is easy

. .

Yet (f o r the two fold lash o f o u r t h udding

,
-

Scourge goeth home ) you r cause undergr o u nd ,

Alr eady finds ch ampions Foul with pollution .

Are the c rime s u lli e d hands o f the loathly u surpers

-
.

Victo ry must sid e with the childr en .

ORE STES
This will ha v e pie rc ed t o it s a
im ,

Sped like a shaft from the bo w

Z eu s Zeus that from b elow dost send
,

Tardily s miting v engeance

’
On man s sinful and reckless ill deeds ,

Sins that c on c eive an a v enging O ff sp ring

CHORUS
Be it mind t o li ft a lusty c hant o f jo y
Over the S troke that fells
1 A c c o din g to th e G e e k s a ea r t hly p a adis e e xist e d in th e
H yp e rb o e a
r n r r
n re gio
r o r th c n t r y be hin d t h
n , o r t h win d
e ou e n .

90
E LE KTRA
What S peech else might avail us save o f those Ant 7 .

Mise ries we ha v e endu r ed from her by whom we we r e born

F o r all her blandishments yet shall n o t th ey be soothed
, .

F o r like a g rim w61f the mood , 4 2 1

f
‘i 0 f
Ou r mothe r ga v e c annot b e pla c ated
, .
1

CHORUS St r 8 .

I be at my b r east t o an Arian dirge and in the mode 1

,

Of K issla u wailing women slaves

1 -
,

With clutching and bespatte ring stro k es behold m y hands

I n quick succession uplifted h igher and hi gher still
To fall in b attering blows u ntil my miserabl e
,

Belaboured head r eso u nds b eneath the c r uel shock .

ELE KTRA
Oh fie Cruel fiend
Thou wic k ed mother Cru el wa s that funeral .

Without his folk him a king , , ,

Without lam e nt unb ewailed

, ,

Thou ha dst the heart so t o inte r a husband .

O RE STE S
N O r ites at all Wa s it so then Oh shame Str 1 0
’
.
_

a
Nay verily f o r my father s shaming
,

a
By help of he v en sh é shall pay ,

By help O f th ese h nds o f mine

An d t h e n whe n I h a v e sla
.

iph e let me perish

,
W “ W
f , "
m
.

CHOR U S
This also k now h is lim b s wgeloppe d and mangled Ant 1 0
’
,

Twa s he r design hers wh o so c o u i b u ry him

, ,

To make hi s death such that th o u

44 0 a “ ”w - ‘w

,
. .

a
Shouldst n o t endu r e S
Thou n OW h a sf he r d
’
e was out r aged .

E LE KTR A Ant 8
’ Twas thus my fathe r pe rished and I the while wa
.

s k ept

Aloof despised o f n o a cc o u nt
, , .

9 2
Shu t m and kennelled as I had b een a vicio u s houn d
a
, ,

In mood mo r e r eady f o r tears th n laughing I wept and ,

” M “

poured
My miserable lamentation fo rth fr om where I lurked .

What I ha v e told thee gr a v e it deep within thy so u l 450

, “
,
"

CHORUS
Yea h Ome thr o ugh thi n e ea rs
Let sin k the tale within a fi rm and tr anquil mind
Fo r th u s it wa
.

s such the deed .

Be stubbo rn tho u t o prove the e v e n t

A tempe r ste r n a
.

s steel befits the a v enge r .

ORE STE S
On thee l c all ; f athe r stand b eside thine o wn Str
‘

,
. . 11

ELEKTRA
And I t o his all in tea r s wo uld add my v oice
, , .

a
CHORUS
And we t o o llc ry aloud with o n e a cc o r d
Oh hearken visit thou t h e light
’
Ai d us against o u r f oes hate .

ORE STE S Ant 1 1 .

Let swo r d with swo r d right en c ountering meet with right

,
.

ELE KTRA
Ye Deities judge the r ight with righteousnes s
, .

’ a
A shudder ste ls O e r me a s I hea r
,
praye rs .

v
Though destiny hath bided long ,

Yet shall you r praye r r e eal 1t .

CHORU S
Alas f o r the inb r ed wo e ! St r . 12

Bloody and ha rsh the disco r d

Struck by the hand o f Ruin
Alas tuneless and hea vy sor r ows
,

Alas pa in u nappeas e d f o r e v e r
,

93
Thus only the house may sta u n c h Ant . 12
'

Wo unds su ch as these I t s o wn sons .

,

None from without s hall cu r e it

,

By grim S hedding o f blood f o r blood shed .

The Gods u nde r the ea r th so hymn we .

Hea rk en we pray ye nethe rw orld D eities

, ,

Grant o u r petition with ready will send

Vi c to r ious aid t o the child r en .

ORE STES
O father wh o wast so u n kin gly slain
‘

, ,

G r ant I implo r e thee lo r dship in thy house

, , .

ELE KTRA
A like boon fathe r do I a s k o f thee

Let me escap e, a ég pgi g

, ,
'

n d l i i t hé h
'

et s s .

ORE STE S
Yea so f o r thee would solemn funeral f easts
Be stablished e lse wh en sa v ou ry b ur nt Off e rings
,

Ar e paid t o E a r th n o t r i b ute shall be thin e

, .

ELEKTRA
I t o o shall bring thee O ff e rings from my dow er
’
,

When I am wedded from a fathe r s ho u s e ,

And will re v e r e this tomb be fo r e all el s e .

O RE STE S
0 Earth r elease my si r e t o g
,
u ide me in fight .

ELE KTRA
O Pe rse ph a ssag r ant f ai r vi c to r y
l
, .

ORE STE S
Remembe r the bath whe re with they slew thee f athe r , .

Remember what S t r ange cl o a k net they de vise d -

.

ORE STE S
I n f ette r s n o smith f o r ged tho u w a st sna r ed father , .

1 Per se ph o n e g o dd ess o f th e
. u n d erwor ld .

94
Y e s, in a wr apping plotted for a
thy sh me .

ORE STE S
Ar t thou n o t Wa k ened by t hes e tauntin gs f a t he r
,

ELE KTRA
Dost thou n o t lift u p thy b el o v ed h ead
ORE STE S
Either send Justi c e t o fight beside thine o wn ,

Or grant us the lik e g rip o f them in tu rn ,

I f thou by victo ry wouldst r et riev e defeat .

ELE KTRA
Hearken once more t o this last c ry fathe r , .

Behold these nestlings c r ouching at thy to mb ,

And pity us both thy daughte r and thy so n

, .

ORE STE S
’
An d blot n o t o u t this seed o f Pe10 ps lin e
'

F or thus though thou hast died thou art n o t dead

, , .

Fo r children are v oices that rv e the f a me

Of o n e dead and lilre c q s

, ~
the net , “

om t h e 11565 the
,

ORE STE S
Hear k en ’Tis for thy sa k e we a r e wailing thu s .

Thys elf art sa v ed i f this plea thou wilt honou r

, .

LEAD ER
Come amply ha v e yo u lengthened o u t yo ur dirge
’
, ,

Due tribute t o the tomb s unwept di shonour .

F o r the rest S ince n o w thy hea rt is s e t o n deeds

, ,

Get thee t o work f o r th wi t h and test thy fo rtun e

, .

ORE STE S
That will I Yet first it we r e well t o enq uire
.
,

Wherefore sh e sent li bations wha t could mo v e he r

So late t o m ak e amends f o r wr ongs pa st c ure
9S
 To a man dead and Witless did sh e send
This palt ry boon I cannot think t as so ’ w .

Yet the gifts a r e t o o small f o r the O ff ence .

Though a man pou r ed forth his all t o atone o n e deed

’
Of blood twe r e la bour los t the saying goes .
, ,

Gladly if yo u k no w it wo uld I lea r n the tr u th

, , .

LEAD E R
I know my so n f o r I wa
,
s there By dreams
.

“ A n d p r owling te rr ors o f the night perturbed ,

The godle ss woman sent these o ff erings .

ORE STE S
‘
And did yo u lea r n the dr eam 1 Then tell it me .

LEADER
Sh e ga v e bi r th in he r dr ea m t o a a
sn k e s h e says , .

OR ESTE S
Ho w did he r sto ry e n d What was it s su m
LEADER
She c ou c hed 1t l ik e aba b e 1n swaddlin gbands I
.

ORESTE S
Fo r what fo o d did it cr a v e this new b o r n monste r
,
-

LEADE R
She o ff ered it her o wn br east in he r dream .

ORE STE S
Su r ely the fo u l thin gle f t n o t the teat u nhur t
LEADE R
No with the mil k it sucked a cur d
,
of blo o d .

ORE STE S
Be su r e s uch
,
-
_
avision c annot b e f or na u ght .

LEADE R
Th en sh e awo k e f rom S leep shrieking f o r terror
And many a lamp Whose light the dark had blinded
’
, ,

Fla r ed u p thr ough out the house at the queen s need .

96
 ’
There fore t hes e pious O ff erings sh e sends
a
,

In hope to lance rid cu re the mischi ef s o

‘

ORE STE S
Now to this E arth and to my father s grave ’
I pray that in me this dream may be fulfilled .

And it tallies as I read it at all points

, , .

If the snake came from the same place as I

And thereupon was wra
,

e d j n swaddling clothes
pp ,

And gaped about th e breast that s u ckled me ,

Mingling the kindly milk with curds of blood ,

While sh e for terror shrieked aloud thereat ,

Then surely sh e wh o nursed so dread a prodigy

Must die by force and I e n se rpe n t e d
, , ,

Shall be her S layer as this dream foretells

, .

LEADER
Ia ccept thy divination o f thes e S igns .

So may it prove Teach now thy friends their part

.
,

Telling what each should do or sho uld not do .

ORE STE S
’Tis simple Let Ele k t r a go wi t hin
. .

These women I bid keep concealed my plan .

Then as by craft they slew a noble prin c e ,

By craft they S hall be caught in the same noos e ,

And perish e v en as Loxias foretold

, ,

Sovereign Apollo a prophet never false

, .

For like a traveller and 111 full”disguise

To the main gate will I c O riie W
, ,

ith P ylades he r e
A guest to the hous e a a a g
,

fp
' m
'

y e n d itS S é f uE ST t OO -

And both of us will don Pa rria Ssia

.
,

p
n s eech

Copyin gt he accent of a Ph o kia

_ ,

n tongue .

But say no door k ee per gives us gla d welcome

-
,

Because the house 1S woe struck by the Gods -

Then we shall wait till as he passes by

So m eo n e m a
, , ,

y thus give v oice to his surmise

Why should Aig is t h o s if he is here at home
, ,

Knowingly shut his gate against his visitor

97
Then on c e I have c r ossed the threshold o f the c ou rt
’
,

And found bim seated in my fath er s throne ,

Or if afterwards he meet me face to face

—
And S peak dropping hi s c raven eyes be sure ,

Ere he can say Whence comes this stranger

,
dead ,

Snared by my nimble weapon will I smite him

’
.
,

The Avenging Spirit S tinted n e er o f slaughter

fi
Shall drin k i b lm d m HEHh er d I d fi fi st dra fi
, ,

ug
h
a
'

Do tho u then keepg ood w tch Withi n the ho us e .

“
gy
o t may p i ece together ri htl
''
.

And y o u I charge you b e5i 5 c a utious tongu e “

a
,

F o rS peech Of Si l ence as t h e moment n ee d

‘
“ A

L st thou friend follow me and Sta n d at watch

, ,

To succou r me 1n th e c ontest o f the sword .

Exe u n t O RE S T E S E LE K T RA a
,
n d P Y L A D ES .

CH ORUS
Many woes strange and di r e
, ,

Many ter r o r s earth has b r ed

’
An d the sea s vast embrace fa r and Wide
Teems with baleful monste r s
While from the interspace the r e flash
F ie ry lightnings that destroy 590

The birds and the four footed beasts o f the hurricane

-

wr ath
Of win ds t o o ma rv els might b e told
, .

’
But o f man s overbold Ant . 1

P ride O f S pirit none may tell

’
,

No r of h o w passion s wild reckless power , ,

F r aught with human ruin

’ ’
,

Rules o e r woman s stubborn mind .

When per v erse reb ellious love

Masters the feminin e heart then destroyed ,
is the u nion
Of mated lives fo r b east o r man . 60 1

Who so is n o t fledge d wi t h wings of thought ,

St r . 2

Let him l e a r n the tal e ,

9 8
I n story An d when haply men b ewail some fo u l
.

Horror then they liken it

,

E ach time anew unto the Lemnian tale of wo e .

Th r ough h eaven wr ought pu n iSh m e n t

-

That race is gone perished from among mankind

,

a
Dishonoured None reverence What the Gods abho r
. .

What instance h ve I n o t j ustly cited

But n o w the sword that nears the breast

With keen s tab will strike a piercing hea r t wound -

As Ju stice bids Fo r is n o t murder due

.

Punishm ent f o r him whose foot

Has trampled down
The sanctity o f Zeu s with lawless outrage

But Justice plants he r an v il firm ,

Whereon Fate already a sword is fo rging .

A Child sh e brings t o heal the hous e till then c e

Purged at length is e v ery stain
Of O lder blood
By that r enowned deep designing Fury ,
-
.

Tbe s c e n e c b n g a
e s to i be fr o n t o tbe
f p l c e aa
a a a
.

En te r O RES T E S n d P Y L AD E S , disg u ise d s tr vlli g e n

a a
me r c b n ts , n d f o llo we d by tte n d n ts a a .

ORE STES
HO , slave open the gates Y o u hear me k no ck .

I s any there wit hi n doors l Ho S lave ho

—
, ,

Yet a third time I call come someo ne forth

’
,

If guests are welcomed in Aig ist h o s house .

A at o pe
v
se r n n s tbc a
g
'
tes .

E nough I hear . Of what land are yo u When c e

ORE STE S
Announce me to the masters o f the ho u se .

100
The tidin gs I come b rin ging are for th em
)

’
.

And make haste for night s dusky chariot m

-

’
Comes on apace Tis time we travellers found
.

Some public gu est house to cast anchor in -

.

Let someone in authority come forth

A woman it may b e but a man were see mlier
F o r S peech is free then no constrain t or shame
Compels talk to be veiled Man S peaks to man .

Boldly and shows hi s meaning by clear pr o o fs

, .

En te r K L Y T A E M N E ST R A .

K LYTAEMN ESTRA
Friends S peak your wishes At your se rvice here
, .

Are all such comforts as beseem this house ,

Warm baths and to refresh your wea riness

, ,

Soft couches and tru e eyes to attend you r wants

, .

But if you have affairs of weightier counsel ,

That is work for men to whom we will impart it , .

ORE STES
I am a Danlian traveller from Ph o kis .

As at my own risk I was carrying goods

To Argos where now my long j ourney ends
, ,

There met me a man I knew n o t nor he me

St ro ph io s a Pho kia
, ,

,
n so I learnt in talk , .

Having asked my way and told me his he said ,

Since anyhow you are bound for Argos Sir

B ear h e e df u lly 1n mind to tellhis pa
, ,

. rents
That Orestes 13 dead DOnot forget . .

SO Whether his friends resolve to fetch him home ,

Or bury hi m o u r denizen and guest

Forev
,

er bring me their injunctions back

,
.

Meanwhile the curved sides of a brazen urn

Enclose his ashes in due form bewept ,
.
”
I have told my Whole message Whether n o w .

I am S peaking to the rulers and hi s kindred , ,

I k now not but his parent should b e t o ld .

I OI
Ah me we are taken ruthlessly by sto rm .

O thou all —conquering Cu rs e that haunts this house ,

Ho w wide thy vision with su r e aim thy shafts

St rik e even that we have hidden with care afar
St ripping my dear on e s fr om me unha
,

ppy woma n ! ,

And n o w Oreste f o r he prudently

s —

Was keeping h is foot o u t O f the deadly mir

Bu t n o w What healing hope o f fine c arouse
In the hou se the r e wa
s tho u wr itest do wn fulfilled
, .

ORE STE S
Well f o r my part I c ould ha v e hoped with gu ests
, ,

So p rin c ely t o commend m yself and earn

, ,

A welcome by more f o r t u nate news Fo r Where .

Is g oodwillgreate r than from guest t o host

Bu t t o my thought it we r e an impi ous fault
, ,

No t t o fu lfil a task like this f o r friends ,

Af te r my p r omis e and yo u r hospitality ,

KLYTAEMN ESTRA
Nay d u e r ewa r d sh a
,
ll n one the les s b e thin e ,

N o r s hall yo u find yourself less welcome here .

Some othe r wo u ld have brought this news instead

’ ’
.

But n o w tis the hou r when gu es ts tired by the day s

Long j ou r ney should b e tended a
,

s befits
’
.
,

Take him and lodge him well in the men s chamb e r s

With thes e his fellow travellers and attendants
-
.

Let them r eceive the r e what beseems o u r house .

I wa r n yo u f o r their c omfort yo u must answe r

, .

This news meanwhile we will impa r t t o those

Wh o bea r rule he r e Ha vin g n o la ck o f friends
We will take c ounsel o n thi s s a
.
,

d e v ent .

ll in to the pa
Exe u n t a lace .

Tbe C H O R U S en te rs .

LEAD E R
Ah sla v es o f th e ho u se loyal and faith ful
, ,

10 2
 And then those shrill Cries summoning me by night ,

And all those weary tasks m ere trouble wasted ,

” They were for a senseless thing one needs must nurs e

q ,

L ike a dumb beast how else P by h umouring it

— —

The cry o f a boy in s wa

.

ddlin g
s tells
y o u nothing ,

Whether hunger thirst o r wanting to make water

Grips him a child s young body will have it s wa
’
,

y .

Thes e wants I would forecast but ofte n it may be , ,

Would guess wrong and so ha v e to cleanse h is linen

Laundress and nurse re ckoning as o n e offi
, ,

ce .

Aye these t wo handicrafts both fell t o me

, ,

When I received Orestes from hi s fathe r .

Now wo e is me I learn that he is dead

,
.

SO I must fetch the man who has brought this house

To ruin Glad will he be t o hear my tale
. .

LEADE R
Tell us h o w does S he bid him come ar r ayed
,

NURSE
Arraye d Speak plain I understand yo u not
. .

L EADE R
Whethe r with escort o r may b e alone ,

NURSE

LEADE R
Bear no su gh message then t o our hated master
But bid b ri m
,

may hea r
w Without al arm at once with c heer ful heart
A b ent word by the bearer is m a
, , .

de straight '
.

NURSE
Can you b e loo king kindly o n these tidings
LEADER
But what if Z eus should change 111 Winds t o fair
NURSE
How when Orestes hope of the hous e is gone i
, , ,

10 4
LEADER
Not yet A seer . o f S mall s ki ll might kn ow that .

NURSE
What Know you aught outside what has been told
‘

LEADE R
Go take thy message D O as thou we rt charged
,
. .

That whi ch concerns the Gods is their concern .

NURSE
Well I will go following thy advice
Ma ’
.
, ,

y it prove all for the best by the Gods gra c e .

Exit N U RS E .

CHORUS
Hear me now Hear my prayer thou O Zeus , , ,

a
Fa ther of the Olympian Gods .

Grant that f ir fortune bl ess l oyal hearts

That long to b ehold righteousness here p r e v ail .

So do I pray Justice prom pts

.

Every word Zeus do thou uphold it

.
,
.

Ey ! Ey ! Su cc our bim there ,

In the halls bim not hi s foes Zeus

, , ,

For if hi m thou exaltest ,

Doubly and triply if so it please thee , ,

Shall thank O f f erings réc o m pén se thee

-
.

See the c o lt sired by a man dear to thee Ant 1

’
, , .

Yoked in danger s chariot .

Rule his steps even paced bid him speed -

With steady and swift rhythmi c al energy ,

Till behold ove r the plain

, ,

On to the goal stride by stride he hastens .

Ye wh o dwell wit hi n the house ,

Str 2 .

S hrined in nooks filled with gladsome sto r e o f Wealth 80 1 ,

Listen 0 kindly Deities

, .

10 5
Suffe r the blood o f deeds done long ago
N o w by fr esh revenge t o be redeemed
’
.

Th erefo r e may elder bloodsh ed ne er beget

Within this ho u se yo u nger bloodshed any mo r e .

Go d O f the vast c a v e rn and b eauteous te mple Mesode 1

’
,

Grant us with flowers gaily to garland a man s house

Grant that o u r welco mi ng eyes
S o on may b ehold it emerge
Radiant o u t o f the v eil o f da rk gloom .

’
Rightly here should Maia s so n Ant 2

Lend his aid None so f a

.

. irly if so he wills
,
.

Safe t o harbo u r wa f ts a deed .

Many a time his purpose brings t o light

S ec r ets yet when S peech he would obscure
’
,

Dar kn e ss of night he wr aps around men s eyes

An d e v en by day none the plainer doth he seem .

Then as the v oyage nea r s its end

, ,

N o dirge o f W ailers but a glad

’
,

Paean o e r the house se t fr ee

’
Will we launch women s voi c es
,

Blent in a blithe wafting song :

The ve ssel S peeds .

Min e is the gain mine that riseth here

,

N o w depa r ts f rom those I lo v e .

” c u r se

Ey Ey l With a firm heart ,

Eph ym n io n
When the time c omes for the stern deed
Though her lips plea d O my child
,

a
Rush o n her with the c ry My f ather
,

Nor shr ink b c k from the c ru el death st r o k e -

.

Bea ring a hea r t strong as Perseus

,

Once withi n hi s bosom bo r e ,

Apo llo
1
.
3 H erm e s .

106
E dges o f cle aving man slaying sword blades - -

Must utterly whelm in destruction the hous e

Of great Agamemnon f o r all time
Or else he kindling a fire and a light
,

For the cause of freedom and lawful rul e ,

Shall win the great wealth o f his fathers .

Such now is the prize for which one against two , ,

Our heaven guided champion Orestes

-

Must wrestle Oh yet may he conquer

. .

THE VOICE OF AI GI STHOS witbin tbc pa la

ce , .

Ey ! Ey l O t o t o t o i !

CHORUS
Ah What is it
How is it n o w How doth Fate cro wn the e v ent 1
Stand we aside while the issue is in doubt ,

That so we may seem blameless of these woes

’
.

Fo r t is by the sword the ve r di c t must be sealed .

En te r S ERV AN T .

SE RVANT
Woe is me Utter wo e My lord is slain .

Wo e yet once more a third last farewell c ry

,
’
Aig ist h o s is n o more But O pen open
’
.
, ,

An d with all S peed ; Unbar the women s gates .

Draw the bolts And right lusty hands are needed

.

Though not to help the dead What use were that

—

Io fi! I fi
o l

I am shouti ng t o the dea f and wasting words

On idl e sleep
ers . Where is Klyt a e m n e s t ra

What doth Sh e Her o wn ne c k is li k e t o fall

Beside the block beneath the stro k e of Justice .

En te r K L Y TA E M N E ST RA .

K LY TAEMNESTRA
What is it n o w What clamour are y
ou r aising

The dead I tell yo u a r e mu r dering the li ving

, , .

10 8
KLYTAEMN ESTRA
Ay me I read the purpo rt O f your riddle .

Even as by craft we S lew so must we perish

Haste someon e giv e m e a m a
.
,

n de s troying axe -

Let u s kn owif we are conquer o rs or conquered

.
, ,

To such a pass this woeful way has brought me .

En ter O RES T E S witb bis s wo r d dr awn fo llo we d ,

by
P Y L AD E S .

ORE S TE S
’
Tis thee I S eek For him it is enough
.
, .

K LY TAEMN ESTRA
Ah me , beloved Aig
isth o s Art thou dead
ORE STES
Thou lovest the man Why then in the same gr ave
’
Shalt thou lie ne er to abandon him in death .
,

K LY TAEMN ESTRA
F o rb e a
r my so n
,
Reverence this dear child
.
, ,

This breast at which thou oft slumbering the while , ,

Didst suck with toothless gums the fostering milk .

ORE STE S
Pylades Shall I fea r to slay my mother
PYLADE S
Wh o then will heed henceforth the voice o f Lo xias ,

His Pythian o racles aye and the faith of oaths

,

Rath er hold all men enemies than the Go ds .

O RE STE S
I approve thy sentence Well dost thou exhort me
’
. .

Come now I mean to slay you at yon man s side

. .

In his life you deemed him better than my sire

Sleep with him then in death since he is the man
You love and him you should have loved yo u hate
, , .

KLYTAEMN ESTRA
I reared thee and with thee would I grow
,
old .

10
9
ORE STE S
’
My f ather s m ur deress wo u ldst tho u sha r e my home
,

KLY TAEMN ESTRA

Nay child the blame in pa r t must lie with Fate
, , .

ORE STE S
Then this doom also F ate has brought to pass .

KLY TAEMN E STRA

H a st tho u n o awe , c hild,
.
of
’
a pa r e nt s c u r s e
ORE STES
’
A mo the r s wh o c ould c ast me f o rth to mise r y
, .

K LYTAEMN ESTRA
To a friendly house That wa
s n o c asting f o r th .

ORESTES
F o ully wa
s I sold I , ,
so n Of a fre e si r e .

KLYTAEMN ESTRA
Whe r e is the pri c e then I r e c ei v ed for thee l

ORE STE S
That ta u nt for shame I c annot plainly u tte r .

KLYTAEMN ESTRA
Nay, b u t S pea k lik ewise o f
’
thy f athe r s follies .

ORE STE S
I dlin g at home c ens ur e,
n ot him wh o to ils .

KLYTAEMN ESTRA
’
Ti s grie f f o r a wo m n , a c hild ,
to la ck a mate .

bo ur maintain s he r in idlenes s .

KLYTAEMN ESTRA
Tho u meanest then my c hild , , la y thy mothe r
to s .

ORE STES
’
Tis tho u wilt be th ine o wn slaye r n ot I .
,

1 10
 Ant . 1
Now upon him wh o lo v ed trea c herous fight 13 come ,

Cunningly plotted doom

’
.

An d in the strife twas she guided aright his hand ,

The veritable c h ild o f Z e us

Ju s t rg
g t h e n m a
e whereby

She 18 called by men truthfully

Dea dly the wr ath she breat h es against those sh e hates .

Eph ym n io n 1

Utte r a c ry o f j o y n o w that o u r ’
master s house
,

Thus hath escaped 1t s woes yea and the waste

,
o f wealth
By an unclean and gu ilty pa i r
A hard weary road !
,

Even as Loxias without

Out O f the cave r n vast O eE
il
a g
g
g
ro c l

rn a
aim e d
ssia

a
n shrine ,

So on the sin n d t h
e g
uile ,

a
A strict f te forbids divine power itself
To serve e vil ends
Re v ere then the la
.

w whe r eby H ea v en is b ound .

Eph ym n io n 2

Kindled is n o w the light : gone is the mighty curb

Holding the house 1n thrall .

Up then a ris e ye halls Grovelling o n the ground

, , .

TO O long ha v e ye been lying wrapped in drear v eils o f gloom .

Verily soon shall Time he that f u l lle t h all fiAnt 2

Pass through the palace doo r s when from the hea r th he h a
.
, ,

s
,

purg ed
Every pollution away ,

With due cleansing rites driving the c u rses forth .

The dice now shall change with fair falling face -

,

And o h j oy the home

, ,

Shall Once m Ore behold its exiles restored .

1 12
 Eph ym n io n 2

is n o w the light gone is the mighty c u rb _ _

ding the house in thrall .

then a rise ye hall s ! Grovelling o n the ground

, ,

0 long have ye been lying wrapped in drear veils of gloom .

Tbe s c en e o pe n s a
n d O RE S T E S is s ee n s ta
n din
gbe s ide

ad A
,

tbe bo dies o f K L Y TA E M N E ST RA n I G I ST H O S .

twofold t yranny O f o u r land ,

and d e spoiled the ho u se .

heir thrones
And lo ving even now a
,

s from their p l ight

,

I S manifest Tru e t o its pl edge their oath still stands

B o m swo re my father s murder a
’
. .

n d to die
'

Together Tha
,

t t o o has been faithfully kept

. .

Behold too ye that j udge these deeds of wo e

The snare wherewith my unhappy sire wa
, ,

s bound ,

For his hands a fetter for his feet a trap , .

Open it o u t and standing round display

, ,

This man enwrapping sheet that so the Father

-

Not min e but he whose eye sees a

, ,

ll things here
’
, ,

The Sun may behold my mother s unclean work

a
, ,
c fl
d
An d some day at my trial may appe r
To witness that I wrought this slaying j ustly
’ ’
,

My mother s for Aig

— ist h o s death I count not
’
His the seducer s penalty by law
Bu t sh e wh o p a
l nn ed th 13 horror against her lord
Whose children Sh e had borne beneath her gir dle
.

That once dear burden proved now a deadly foe , ,

What think you of her 3 Were she sea snake or vi per -

’
,

Her touch would rot another s flesh unbitten ,

If cru elty and wicked will could do it

’
.

What can I name it S peak I ne er so mildly

o r else a c o f fi
,

A trap for a be ast n cloth -

To wrap the feet of a corpse ’

Nay tis a net ,

Toils you might say or long foot trammelling rob es 1 0 0 0

,
-

n 1 13
 Just such a thing some cozener might contrive ,

On e wh o tricks travell ers practi s i ng the trade

Of robbery Many with this knavish sn a
,

. re i n

Might he destroy and his heart O ften glow

, .

With such a woman never may I S hare

My home Sooner let heaven S lay me ch ildless
.
,
.

CHORUS
Ah me Ah me ’
Twas a wicked deed .

By a terrible death tho u art laid lo w .

Alas
Wo e is flowering t o o f o r the li ving .

ORE STE S
Did sh e the deed o r did she not I call 10 10
’
,

Thi s rob e to witness dyed by Aig ist h o s sword

’
.
,

Tis gushi ng blood that here hath aided time

’
In spoiling the embroidery s many hues .

Now can I praise now wail him where he fell

,

An d as I address t hi s we b that S lew my S ire ,

I gr ieve for the crime the penance the whole race

,
.

Su ch v
,

ic t o ry win s not en vy but po llution ,

.

CHORUS

Alas
a
No mortal man may pass th r ough his li f e
Without sc the if he pay not in sorrow
, .

Wo e m ust b e t o day o r herea f ter

,
-
. 10 20

ORE STES
Now hear m e for I know n o t how it will end
,

Yea like a driver mastered by his steeds

, ,

My restive Wits are whirling me astray

Far from the cours e while Terror fain would sing
To my heart and s e t her dancing to his tune
, .

-
So while I am sane proclaiming to my friends
, I

I say with j ustice did I slay m y mother

, ’ ,

My s i re S foul murderess abhorred Of h eaven .

An d for the S pells that rie rv

,

e d me to this deed ,

11
4
ORE STES
So v erei gn Apollo yonder they c ome n o w th r ongin g
,

An d from thei r eye s is d ripping a loathsome go r e .

LEADER
One only purge awaits thee Loxi as
Shall fr ee th e e fr om thes e ho rr o rs by hi s to uch .

ORESTE S
Ye do n o t se e the se beings but I se e them
, .

I am hu nted by them I c an sta y n o mo r e

. .

LEADE R
Blessings g o with thee and magra cio u s God s
, y
Wat c h o v e r and keep th ee sa f e with happy c han c e .

Exit O R E S T E S.

CH ORU S
Thus again f o r a third time risen fro m the r a c e
, ,

Hath a S to rm swe pt o v. er

The hou se o f o u r kings and subs ided

Fi rst wa
.

s the cru el doom o f the c hild r en

Slain at the b a n qu et
Next wa
.

s the angui sh o f a man o f a king

’
, ,

When the Ac haians warrio r Chiefta i n

In the bath fell S lain .

Now c omes yet a third a deli v e r er na y

‘

, , ,

Rather dest r oyer

When sh a
.

What end shall there be ll t h e fury

‘
Of r e v enge sin k lu lled into sl u mbe r l

1 16
EUM EN I DES , O R THE K I N DLY
G O DDESS ES

1 17
 D RAM ATI S PERSON AE

THE P Y TH I AN P R O P H E T ES S
.

O RES T E S .

A P O LLO .

H ERM ES .

”
G H O S T O F K LY TAE M N E STR A .

ATH E NA .

C H ORU S o r T W E LV E FU R i Es .

ATH E N I AN J U RO RS .

C HO RU S O F TH E E S C O RT .
Sin c e marshalling a s a Go d h is Bac chant host
’
, ,

A to rn hare s death for Pentheus he contrived

’
.

The springs o f Ple ist o s and Poseidon s might

I invoke and Zeus supreme the crown o f all
, , ,

Then seat myself as prophetess o n my throne .

May they now bless my entrance more than e v er

In past days Let all Hellenes present he r e
.

Approach as custom bids by fall o f lot

, , .

As the God leads me so do I gi v e r esponse

,
.

Tbe P RO P H E T E S S en te rs tbe s br in e , bu t qu ic kly r e t u rn s .

Things terrible t o S peak ter r ible t o s e e

’
, ,

Have driven m e forth again from Loxias house ,

With n o strength l eft me even to walk ere c t .

I S peed with hands t o steady totte ring feet

An aged woman scared is naugh t a
.

— mere child .

When I drew near the wreath decked inmost cell -

Upon the navel stone I s a

,

-
w a man
Polluted in a suppliant attitude
, .

With blood his hands were dripping and he held ,

A drawn sword and a high grown branch of olive -

Decently wreathed a
,

round with a broad fillet

Of white wool that I can avouch with truth
‘
.

Between me and thi s man a fearful troop

Of women S lumbered seated upon C hairs
, .

Yet not women Gorgons call them rather .

Nor yet t o Gorgon shapes do I liken them

Such fiends I once sa
.

w pictured snatchi ng away ,

The banquet o f Phi neus Y et o f wingless form

.

Are thes e dusky and loathsome altogether

a
, .

They snore with such blasts none m y venture near

An d from their eye s a f oul rheum oozes forth .

Their garb is neither fit to approach the statues

Of deities nor to enter homes o f m en
‘

’
.
,

The rac e whence this trib e S p r ang ne er have I seen ,

N o r know what land may boast t o have r ea r ed su c h O ff

S pring
1
1 20
 ’
Unha rmed without rep enting he r tra v a il
, .

Fo r what may ensue let mightiest Lo xias

Wh o is maste r of this hou se himself pro vide
, ,

.
,

He is healing seer and j udge o f prodigies

An d Ca
,

n purge houses other than his o wn .

‘
Exit P RO P H E T E S S I be in te rio r o f tbc s br in c is dis
O RE S T E S is s e e n kn ee lin ga a
.

clo se d n d cl spin g
tbc n a n c tu a
a
.

v
e l s to n e
f o r s -
r
y s u rr o u n de d b
y tb c

a a
,

sl
p g
ee in F U R i ES A PO LL O n d HE R ME S re

adi gv bim
.

st n n o er .

AP OLLO
I shall n o t f a
il To the end will I protect th e e
N ea
. .
,

r shall I be even though far away

,

Nor will I p r ove soft to thy enemies .

Awhile thou seest yon r aveners subdued .

Lo sunken in sleep the loat hly virgins lie

, ,

These hoary ancient maidens with whom n ever ,

Hath any Go d mingled nor man nor beast

Evil wa
, ,

s cause of their creation evil

;
The murky pit of Tartarus where they dwell
Abhorred by men and by the Olympian Gods .

Yet do n o t thou grow faint but fly far hence ,

For they will chase thee across the long mainland ,

Ever new soil beneath thy wandering tread ,

And b eyon d seas and past wave girded towns -

"
.

Let not thy heart faint brooding o n t h y penan c e ,

Till tho u take refuge in the city of Pallas

And clasp h er ancient image in thy arms .

There before j udges of thy cause with S pee ch ,

Of soothi ng power we will di scover means ,

To s e t thee free f ore v e r f r om these woes .

For I did c ounsel thee t o slay thy mothe r .

ORE STE S
Sovereign Apollo what is just thou knowes t
,

N o w therefore study t o neglect it n o t .

Thy power to suc c o ur n eeds no warranty .

12 1
APOLLO
Rememb e r : let n o t fea r sub due thy soul .

And thou born o f o n e father my o wn brother

, , ,

He rm e s protect him prove thy title tru e

,

As Guide by shepherding my suppliant he r e

, .

Th e sanctity o f an outlaw Zeus respects ,

When thus with prospe ro u s escort he is S ped .

A PO LLO o a
n is be s O RES T E S le a
ve s tbe te m l
.
pe g u ide d ,

by HE RM E S Tbe G H O S T O F K L Y TA E M N E ST RA
‘

a a
.

pp e rs .

GHOST OF KLY TAEMN ESTRA

Sleep wo u ld you Shame What need o f sleepers he r e
,

And I by you thus held in slight regard

Among the other dead and followed S till ,

By the reproach of murde r among the shades ,

—
Wande ring shamed t o you do I declare ,

By them I am most grievously accused .

Yet wronged so foully by my nearest kin ,

N o S pirit power S hows wr ath o n my b eha lf

Though sl a
,

ught ered by the hands of a matrici de .

Look now upon these wounds look with thy soul .

For while it sleeps the mind is lit with eyes,

‘

But by day mortal fate is not foreseen .

Oft indeed o f my offerings have you lapped

Wineless libations sob er soothing draughts , ,

Dread midnight banquets when no God but yo u ,

I s wors hi pped o n the altar would I sac rifice

, .

All this I s e e is S purn ed b eneath your feet

, , .

The man is gone escaping like a fawn

’
, ,

Aye from the ve ry snare s midst has he S prung

,

Lightly making great m o n t h s at you in S corn

’
, .

Hear me Tis for my very soul I plead

.

Awake O Goddesses of the nether world

In dream n o w do I Klyt a e m n e s t ra
, .

call yo u
, , .

CH ORUS
M u t t e rin g
( s
) .

122
LEADE R
Awake D O tho u wake be r— while I wa k e tbe e
-
.

Dost thou sleep Rise and spurning sleep afa r ,

Let u s se e i f this warning dream pro v e false .

CHO RUS (o u tbu rs ts by s epa ra te FU R i E s ) St r 1 . .

Behold Behold Oh shame See we have su ff ered wr ong ,

Mu ch painful toil have I endu r ed and all in vain , .

Bitte r indeed the w r ong done t o us Oh the shame .

De feat hard t o b ear

Ou r game has slipped right through the meshes and is gone , .

By sleep subdued lo I ha v e lost lost the p r ey

, , .

A PO LLO re a pp e a
rs .

Aha so n o f Zeu s Thou a r t a thief a kna v e

, , .

Thy you t h rides trampling ove r elder deities

What b u t a godless ma
.

What is thy suppliant n ,

A cruel so n 3 Yet him ,

This matricide thou hast stolen f ro m u s thou a God

,
'

, , .

Wh o dares pr etend none that such deeds a r e j u st 3

— -

St r 2 .

But unto me a dream heard v oi c e there c ame Rep r oa c h

,
-
, ,

That struck (like a charioteer wh o smi tes

G ripping hi s mi d goad fi
,

rm )
-
,

S truck unde r the ribs t o the hea r t .

I feel it n o w: so r e the sma r t

Which the f ell scourge has w r ought .

Oh agony agony n o t t o b e bo r ne
,

Ant 2 .

Su c h are the doings o f those younge r Gods wh o grasp ,

Beyond right the lords hi p over all .

D ripping fr om head t o foot

With blood yo u may s e e it the th rone
’
,

That is the E a rth s na v el ston e -

.

Lo the foul stain O f go r e

That cli ngs t o it horribly thus e v e r mo re
A p r ophet deity he hath b r ought pollution home St r 3
, .

’
To his o wn hol y sh r ine, s elf bidden s el f in vited-
1 70 ,
-
.

1 24
H ea v enly law he S purns hono uring h u man crime
,

An d elde r doo ms of Fate he dest r oys .

Ant 3 .

He hath m y hate n o r shall he set yo u murderer loos e

’
.

Though b eneath earth he flee ne er shall he win deli v erance

,
.

Never from gu ilt absolved still an avenger there

TO h a
,

u n t h is h e ad a ccur st he shall find .

AP OLLO
Out I command yo u from these p r e cin c ts Hen c e
, ,

With S peed Begone from my prophetic s h r in e

Lest smitten by a winged glistening snake
Sped from my gold wrought bow st ring thou i n angu ish
- -
,

Shouldst spit fo rth foam darkened with human blood ,

Vomiting Clots o f gore which thou hast s u cked .

This is n o dwellin g fit for your approach .

GO r ather where doomed heads are lopped eyes go u ged , ,

Thr oats cut where by dest r uction O f the seed

The virile strength o f boys is maimed where men ,

Are S liced o r S toned O r wa il in long drawn moans

,
-

Impaled b eneath the spine DO you not hear me .

Such is the feast that charms you and so makes ,

The Gods abhor you Your whole form and fas h ion
’
.

Betrays you In some bloo d gorg e d lion s cave

.
-

Su c h as yo u should inhabit n o t in this place

,

Of prophecy infecting all you touch

, .

Vile flock without a shepherd get you hen c e ,

Fo r su c h a herd n o Go d has love to give .

LEADE R
Sovereign Apollo hear n o w o u r reply
, .

Thou thyself art not guil t y O f this in pa rt

Thou alone didst all the whole guilt is thine .

APOLLO
Ho w r
Ma
ke that clea r . I grant thee S pee c h so fa r .

LEAD E R
Thy v oi c e enj oined this man a
t o sl y h is mo the r
'

125
 APOLLO
I enj oined him to a v enge his sire . What then 3

LEADE R
And next didst p r omise shelte r to blood new S pilt -
.

APOLLO
And bade him seek purgation in thi s temple .

LEADER
Us then wh o S ped him hither dost tho u r e v ile
, ,

AP OLLO
B e c ause yo u are n o t fit t o approach this house .

LEADE R
But thu s t o a c t is o u r appointed o ffi ce .

AP OLLO
What is this o ffice this pro u d p rivilege P
,

LEAD E R
We hunt fo r th mother S layers from all homes
-
.

APOLLO
Ho w deal yo u then with wiv e s who slay th e ir lords

LEADE R
That were n o tru e m ai m ed .

APOLLO
Then Of S light honour and n o wo rth yo u ma k e
The troth plight between Zeus and crowning H e r a
-
.

By this plea t o o yo u c ast into contempt

’
Love s Goddess from whom come man s dearest j oys’ .
,

The fate sealed marriage bed of man and Wife

-
,

Fenced with its rights is mightier than all oaths

,
.

If then t o those wh o slay their mates yo u are lenient

So a
,

s not even to cast them a look o f wra th

I sa
,

y witho u t right y o u pursue Orestes .

Fo r while yo u r passion in o n e C ase is r oused ,

In another I pe r ceive yo u judge more c al mly .

B u t Pallas at this t rial S hall arbitrate .

1 26
 a
a
Fo r s a hound pu r sues a wounded f awn ,

So by the dropping bloo d we t r ck him down .

Broken by many killing toils my breast

Pants f o r through every land my S earch has ranged ,

And speeding over seas with wingless flight

Have I pu r sued s wi f t a
s a S hip can sail
, .

Bu t n o whe must b e cowering somewhe r e near .

The smell o f human blood smiles sweetly upo n me .

CHORUS (o u tbu rsts by s epa rate F U R i E s ) .

Again s ea rc h again
,

Spy into e v e ry nook ,

F o r fear the mat r icide

St ealthily slip from o u r wrath .

Y e s there again safe he lurks

, ,

Clin ging around the image o f the deathless Go d

Trial he n o w would claim for his foul handiwork .

To g a hard
t h e r u p;
That wh iéh o n e a
’
indeed
rt h is 3 Ed vanishes and i s gone
.

, .

N o w thou in turn must yield me from thy living self ,

Ruddy and rich from the heart liquor to lap : and o n thee
I mean t o thrive well evil dra ii h t though i t b e
,

’
_ g , .

I ll wither thee ali v e and drag thee down below

’
,

There to atone pang f o r pang thy mother s agony :

, ,

There shalt thou s e e all impio u s mortals else wh o sinned

Be i t against a God , 7
2 0

B e i t against g
u est
’
,

o r dear parent s life ,

Re c eiving each the penan c e that is justly theirs .

F o r Hades there the mighty doomster O f mankind

, ,

Beneath earth enthroned ,

Wat c heth and j udgeth all with mind truth inscribed -

.

ORE STE S
Schooled by my miseries I ha v e expe rience ,

I n purifying rites Where speech b efits

.

I k now whe r e silen c e t o o But in this case

,
.

128
A wise instructor charges me to S peak .

a
For the blood sleeps and is fading from my hand

av
The stain of ma t ricid e is w she d away “

’
.

Whi le yet f r eshj t di ine Apollo ! hear th

i

I t was expelled by purging bloo d o f swine .

A long tale we r e it t o recount all t h ose

I have visited with harmless intercours e .

N o w with pure lips religiously I call

’
, ,

On this land s Q ueen Athena that sh e come , ,

Hithe r t o aid m e and so without strife win

,

Mys elf my c ount ry and the Ar gi v e p eople

,

As tru e allies faithful for e v ermore

,
.

So whether in some Libyan region n o w

’
,

B eside he r natal river Triton s stream ,

She plant an u pright o r a covered f oot ,

Succou ring her friends o r else like marshal bold

ra
’
, ,

And manly she b e watching Phle g s plain

Oh let her haste a God hears e v en from f a

, ,

— n

And bring t o me deliverance from thes e woes .

LEADER
’ ’
Ne er shall Apollo nor Athena s might
Protect thee but abandoned shalt thou perish
, ,

Finding n o place for gla dness in thy soul .

Thou bloodless meat of S pirits thou mere shadow , ,

Wilt thou n o t answer wilt thou scorn my words , ,

Though for me thou art bred and consecrated

“

Ali v e slain at n o altar shalt thou f eed me

, ,
.

N o w shalt tho u hea r a hymn t o bin d thee fast .

CHORUS
Come n o w o u r cho ric dan c e fo r m we for n o w
’
, ,

Tis time t o r e v eal

The destroying ch a r m o f o u r music ,

Expoun ding the f unctions of this o u r band

To a dminister des tiny among men .

Right e ous and j u s t we deem is o u r j ustice .

That man wh o displays hand s pure witho u t stain ,

I 1 29
 ’
Ne er do we launch anger against him
Unscathed his days he f u lfi
our

lle t h .

But wh en having sinned like unto t h is man

He hides from u s h a n ds t h a t a
, ,

re guilt S tained
'
-

fi
Then for the slain true wit n ess e m we
And in wr h Wéfi
,

i iSE T S t unappeasable
‘ ‘

e rn , ,

To exact a revenge f o r the bloo d s pilt .

“ a“

Mother wh o didst b ear me (0 Mother

Night) to be judge of thos e wh o s ee and wh o s e e not
’
,

H ear : for he Leto s whelp from my rights f ain would ous t

, ,

me
g
,

Stealin yon cowering

Creature mine though he b e
’
, ,

S ealed thus by a mother s blood .

Over his death dedicate head - Eph ym n io n I

Sing we the S pell madding t h e bra in ,
'

Scattering s ense and b ewilde ring

Our Erin u a
,

n litany ,

Binding fast the will a chant ,

Lyrele ss witherin g men away

, .

This th e eternal function which changeless Ant I .

Fate as s h e S pan decreed shou ld b e our o wn all men ,

Whos o incurs wantonly guilt of foul kindred bloodshed ,

Such we hau n t till b eneath

Ea a a
,
X '

rt h
h _
e pass N yf ie e .t h

a
\g v\

He shall st ifl b e none t o o free

Q

34°
—
“

,
.

Over his de a
-

thL dedi cat e lie d

‘ ' ‘

Eph ym n io n I
Sing we the S pell madding the brain , ,

S cattering sense and b ewildering

Ou r Eri n u a
,

n litany ,

Bindin g fast the will a chant

‘

Lyre le s s withering men away

,
.

Str 2 .

Such when we ros e into b eing the functions assigned us .

Let n o Immortal e n c ro a
, ,

c h o n o u n righ t s 51 9 1; o f them there is

None shall share in ou r banquets 3S I .

r 3o
We claim a n o ffi c e dishono ur ed anti s c o r ned

By Gods abo v e A s u nles s mu r k

.

Di videth them and u s ,

Shado wy pathles s and ru gg

,
ed ali k e ,

Fo r seeing and f o r sightless eyes .

What mo rtal then qu a ile t h n o t

In a we and d r ead when he hea rs,

Ou r o r dinance stablished
,

By F ate and by t h e Gods assigned

,

I n pe rpetuity Yea fr om o f o ld
This p ri vilege hath been o ur s N o lac k .

O f honour do w e meet ,

Though b eneath ea rth is o u r dwelling appointed

”
,

An d in su n fo r sa k en gloom
-
.

Em AT HE N A
,
.

I heard a suppli ant cry fr o m f a r away

Whe r e by Ska ma n de r s s tream I wa
’
,

s oc c upying

A land whi c h the Achaian chiefs assigned

In full pos session and enti r e t o me
A might y po r tion o f thei r S pea r wo n wealt h -
,

A c hosen gif t u nto the sons o f Theseus .

Then c e came I S pe e ding with u nwearied foot ,

To the wingless ru stling o f my b ellying aegis

Thi s wa s the c a r my lusty steeds were yo k ed to .

B eholding thes e st r ange visitants in my land ,

The sight dismays m e n o t though it asto u nds

a
Wh o re yo u I wo u ld q u e stion all alike
.
,

sit s a s uppliant at my im age ,

otten o f seed ,

by Gods ,

N o r ye t res emblin g shapes o f mo r tal men

é .

Yet t o S pea k illo f othe r s u np r o v o k ed

The j ust lik e n o t a n d r ighteo u sness abho rs
, .

LEADE R
Tho u shalt hea r a llin brie f da u ghte r o f Ze u s
, .

1 32
We a ’
gflg E
r l i h t s ternal c hild
a
r en I n o u r homes .

Below the ea r th t h ECurses a r e we c alled

m n
‘

, .

You r birth I k now n o w and the name

, yo u bea r .

LEAD E R
,
fi
Aye and my o f c e tho u shalt lea rn f o r thwith .

I shall understand y ou, if yo ur wo r ds a r e plainer

"

LEAD ER
Slaye r s o f men we hu nt f o r t h f rom all hom es .

ATHENA
’ —
And the S laye r s flight whe r e is the end of it
LE AD ER
Where happi n es s is n o mo r e t o b e fo u nd .

Is the flig
ht s u ch whe r eon yo u ho u nd thi s man 2

LEADER
Y e s f o r he da r ed to b e his ’
mother s m ur de r e r
, .

Was there n o othe r po we r wh o s e w r ath h e f ea r ed

,

LEADER
What goad so st r ong a s t o compel mat r i cide

There are t wo pa r ties he r e and b u t ,

on e plea .

t h, he will n ot ta k e n or tende r it .

ATHENA
Thou woulds t be c alled j u st r athe r than a c t j u stl y .

LEADER
How so Expla in . Thou art not poor in subtlety .

I 3S
ATHENA
I sa
y that w r ong must n ot p r e v ail by o aths .

LEAD ER
Well question
,
him , then judge with equity .

ATHENA
Will you ent ru st the c a u se to my decision
LEADE R
Ho w else Thy noble f ame and bi r th we r e v e r en c e .

ATHENA
What reply st r ange r wo u ld st tho u make t o this
, ,

But tell me first thy country and thy lineage ,

An d thy misfortunes then r epel this charge ,

If in tr u th with right assured tho u sittes t here

Clasping this holy image nea r my altar ,

A sacred suppliant like I xion once .

To all these q u estions gi v e me a plain r eply .

ORE STE S
Sovereign Athena first o f a gr a v e s cr uple
, ,

Answering thy last words will I r elie v e thee ,

.

I seek n o absolution n o r with hand ,

Polluted t o t hi ne i m age do I cling .

And of this w eigh t y proo f S hall I allege

,
.

By law the slayer is deba rr ed from S peech

Till o n e wh o h a
,

s power t o p uri f f rom mu r de r

y
’
Sprinkle him with a suc kl ing vi c tim s blood
Long a
.

g o ha v e I thus b een duly p ur ged

Elsewhere wi th victim and with lustral stream
,
.

With these words do I se t at rest thy doubt .

Hea r n o w my ra c e In Ar gos was I bo rn

fi
. .

My si r e t o whom thy question t ly leads

Wa
, ,

s Agamemno n C h ieftain o f wa rr io r s eamen

, ,

With whos e aid tho u didst ma k e the city o f Tr oy

1 F a
bl d t e o b e th e fi
rst m u rd e r e r o f akin sma
n b u t p u rifi
. ed
bl o o d -
g il t by
u th e G o ds .

1 34
Yonder mothe r murderer s
-
’
Wrongful plea he r e prevail .

All men n o w
Shall b e taught by su c h a crime
’
Ho w tis easy and s afe t o s in .

Yea and many a time hereafter

, ,

Cruelly stricken by his o wn

Children shall a pa r ent f all
, .

S tern and j ealous on c e we watched

Human sin n o w n o more
Shall we visit them with wrath .

Death at large will we launch .

Men shall ask

One another (while they sigh
’ ’
,

O er a neighbour s evil fate ) ,

How to mi nish o r end their miseries .

Remedy there is none alas ,

Every counsel is in vain .

Nor let him o n whom the st r o k e Str . 2

Of c alamity shall fall ,

Thus in v oke u s wailing lo u d

,

Justice hear ,

Hear ye throned Eri n u e s j

, 0
”
Such perchance the piteous plaint
’
Of some father o r mother s soul
’
,

Anguish smitten since o e r t h ro wn

-

Is the house of J u stic e n o w .

There are times when Fea r is well An t 2

’
. .

As the heart s inquisito r

E ver must it bide enthroned .

Su ff ering oft
\
Teacheth wisdom b est to men .

Yet wh o never in th e light

Freely r e c reates his so u l ,

1 36
Be it city o r be it man ,

Can he rev erence Justice still

N e ithe r un c ont r olled n o r yet

,

Despot ridden such the life

-
,

Thou shouldst p r a 1s e .

Go d t o the mean giveth e v er t h e v i c to ry ,

Though his rule vary in all els e .

Even s o the proverb saith

Pride is the o ff spring engendered o f impious thought
’
But from the soul s health
There cometh forth happin e ss
Prayed for and lo v ed by all men .

Neve r then forget thou thi s

,

Reverence the thron e o f Right .

Let not gain

Tempt thee t o S purn and abase it with impious f oot
Else punishment follows ,

Biding till its time b e ripe .

Therefore let each honour those wh o ha v e given him bir t h

Next t o the Stranger
,

Within thy halls s e e thou pay

Re v erence and respe c t du e .

Whoso is just willingly without constraint ,

Shall n o t fail to pr o sper ,

Nor ever sink whelmed in utte r ruin

,
.

But he wh o dares bold in sin to car ry freight

, ,

O f wealth unjustly swept together f rom all sides ,

In due time perforce shall haul his sail down

‘
,

When on the labouring boat the S to rm

Bursts an d the yard is breaking
,
.

Then loud he cries unto ears that will not hear

Mid the wr estling whirlpool .

The da emon power laughs t o s e e the rash fo ol

I 37
Wh o once defied fate but by disaste r now
,

Is b r oken helpless to override the whelming wave

, .

With his Once pro ud wealth he sinks for eve r ,

Dashed o n the reef of Justice lost , ,

Vanishing unlamented .

Tbe sc e n e eb n ag t es o tbe A RE OPA G U S En te r ATH E NA

a
.

wz tb twe lv
’
e A tbe n
'

z n c it iz e n s, us j u r o rs

ad tb
,

by O RE S T E S n e C H O RU S .

Proclaim n o w H erald bid the folk b e still

, .

An d le t the Tyrrhene trumpet with shrill note ,

Piercing the heavens fill ed with breath o f man

, ,

U tte r it s high pitched messag e t o the th ro ng

-
.

A tr u mpet s o u n ds .

Let there b e S ilence while this place of c ouncil

Is filling that my ordinance may b e heard
,

By this whole city for all time t o come ,

And by these that the suit b e rightly j udged

,
.

En ter AP O L L O .

LEADER
Sovereign Apollo rule what is thine o wn
, .

How in this business p r a y art thou conce r ned

, ,

APOLLO
—
I come first t o give witness f o r my house
, , ,

M y hearth received t hi s man as suppliant

And it wa
,

s I wh o purged hi m of this murder

To plead t o o for myself for I wa

,

s caus e
’
,

Of his mother s S laying Open thou the case .

In such form as thy wisdom may thin k best .

ATHENA
The word is n o w with yo u The c as e is opened
Let the pu rsu e rb a
. .

a
s is right speak first

And so lay in f o rm a
, ,

t ibn Of the c u se .

1 38
LE ADE R
Ho w so Explain thy meaning t o thes e j u r o r s .

ORE STE S
She sl ew m f athe r when sh e slew he r h u sband
yn
.

LEADER
So s be I S q u it by death while yo u still l iv e
, .

ORE STES
Why did yo u n o t p ur s u e h er while she li v ed
LEAD E R
She wa s n o t o f o n e blood with the man sh e slew .

ORE STE S
Am I then kin dred t o my mothe r s bl o o d ’
LEADE R
How else beneath he r girdle did sh e bre ed thee
’
,

Wretch Thine o wn mothe r s blood dost thou disda in

ORESTE S
Apollo b e thou witness n o w : pronoun c e
Whether it wa
,

s with j ustice that I slew her .

F o r that I did th e deed I ha v e confessed

But whether j ustly o r n o t hi s blood wa
.

s shed ,

De clare thy thought that I may answer these

, .

APOLLO
To yo u t h e H igh Co ur t o f Athena hones t
, ,

Shall be my words A prophet may not lie

. .

Never from manti c throne ha v e I said aught ,

Whether concernin g man woman or people

, , ,

S ave by command o f Zeus the Olympian Fathe r

, .

What force 13 in this plea I bid yo u note

’
, ,

And b e obedient t o my Fa t her s will

F or an oath h a s n o more potency than Z e us .

LEADER
SO Zeus g a v e t h e e this o r acle that bade
'

’
,

This Orestes to a v enge his father s blood

’
Regardless o f a mother s claim t o awe
1 40
APOLLO
Nay it was f a r worse shame that a noble man
, ,

Endowed with g o d given royalty should di e

-

’
, ,

And that by a woman s hand n o t slain by sha f ts

’
,

As from some Am azon s fie r ce far shooting bo w -

But in su c h wis e a
,

s o u are n o w t o hear
y ,

Pallas and ye whose v otes dec ide this case

, .

Retu rning from the wa r whe r e in the main

He h a
‘
,

d t r aded p r osperously with kin dly words

She greeted him then a
,

s he r e ached the end

,

Of his abl u tions in the bath sh e flung

’
,

The tented cloa k and trapped in the c unning r o b e s

,

Inextri c able maze smote do wn her lord

, .

Such is the tale o f h o w that hero died ,

The all reverenced the admiral o f the fleet

-
,
.

Such t o o ha v e I sho wn ber t o pri ck you r hea r ts ,

All ye whose cha rge it is t o judge this plea .

LEADER
’
SO a fathe r s f ate yo u s a y,
wins mo r e r espect
,

From Zeus who hims elf ench ined hi s o ld s ir e Krono s

,

HO W re c oncile thine argument with this

a .

Y o u j udges I invi t e y o u t o t a k e not e

,
.

0 loathly b ru tish mon ster s hea v en abho r red

, ,
-

F ette r s he might u ndo the r e i s cure for that

.
,

Yea many the means t o loosen what i s bound

’
.

B ut when the dust hath swallowed a man s blood ,

On c e dead there 18 n o r aising O f him then

,
.

No healing charm hath Z eus my fathe r made

Fo r tha t all else n o w high now low he shifts
And tu rns abo u t With n o least b reath o f to il .

LEADER
S ee what it means thy plea in his defence
’
.
.
,

His mothe r s kind r ed blood he S pilt o n the ea r th

’
.

Sha ll his f athe r s ho u se in Ar gos yet b e his

1 1
4
What altar of public worship S hall he use
What brotherhood will admit him t o it s rites

Thi s t o o Will I expound and mar k h o w j ustly .

The mothe r O f he r s o called child i s n o t

-

Parent but nurs e o t e young 1 e sown in her

m
, .

k s
Keeps s a f e his growing plant unless fate blight
, it .

Of this tru th I will S how yo u eviden c e .

A sire may b eget without a mothe r Here .

My witness stands child o f Olympian Zeus

, ,

Yet plant so f air n o goddess could bring fo r th .

As in all els e Pallas it shall be my aim

, ,

TO make thy city and people great so n o w ,

I sent t hi s man as suppliant t o thy house ,

F o r all time t o become thy f aith ful f riend .

So mayst thou Goddess find allies in him

, ,

And h is he r eafter While eternally

This people shall maintain thei r stablished bond .

ATHENA
Has enough n o w b een said and may I bid
These j udges gi v e thei r t ru e and honest v ote
LEADE R
F o r o u r pa r t all o u r sha f ts ha v e n o w been S h o t
, .

I wait t o hea r h o w the issue shall be j udged .

ATHENA
An d yo u Ar e yo u c onten t I o r de r so
APOLLO
Y o u ha v e heard what yo u ha v e heard Friends
.
,

vote s
An d let yo ur hea r ts pay re v e r en c e t o yo ur oa t h .

ATHENA
Hear n o w my ordinan c e people o f Athens
, ,

Judges o f the fi r st t rial f o r she d blo o d .

1
4 2
Maintain n o t a bloody cause ’
tis
n o t thine o fli c e .

N o longer pure will be thy shr ines and oracles .

APOLLO
I s my S i r e n o mo r e Wise beca u se he purged
,

Suppliant Ixion that fi r st mu r dere r

,

F URY 3
Yo u tal k But I i f I gain n o t my c ause
, ,

Will soon r e visit and c hastise t hi s land .

AP OLLO
Among the young Gods and the elde r t o o
Yo u a r e despised .The v i c to ry sh allb e mine .

F URY 4
Such a part did yo u play i n Ph e re s house ’
,

When yo u b egu iled the F ates t o ma k e men deathless ‘

.

APOLLO
I s it n o t j ust t o befriend a worshipper ,

And mo r e than e v e r when h is need is sore

FURY 5
Thou tho u ab olishing ancient ordinance
, , ,

D idst co z en thos e p rimae v al powers with wine .

APOLLO
Thou thou de f eated in thy suit shalt soo n
, , ,

Spit forth thy v enom v ainly o n thy f oes .

LEAD E R
Since thy yo u ng v iolence o v er rides o u r age ,

I wait t o hea r the v e r di c t still in doubt

,

Whethe r t o wrea k my w r ath against the town .

Mine shall this tas k b e t o gi v e judgment last

An d this my v ote t oa Ores tes W
,

a
illI re ck on
F o r Of n o mothe r wa
.
“ fl

s I b orii : iii l l
1 P e rsu a
din g t he m t o ac c e pt as b stitu te f o r A dm etu s th e
u so n of
Ph e res .

1
44
S a v e t o b e wedded with whole h eart I appro ve
’
,

The male I am s t ro n g ly Of the father s S ide

’
. .
_

Therefore a wife S f ate shall I less esteem

Wh o slew her husb an d the master of her house
,

.
,

Orestes wins even with e qual v ,

otes .

F o rt h Wi t h turn out the ballots from t he urns

Y o u j udges t o Whom that fun c t i on 18 a
,

g
SS1 n e d .

ORE STE S
O bright Apollo how will the j udgment go,

LEADE R
0 Night dar k Mothe r dost tho u behold these th ings
, ,

ORE STE S
’
F o r me tis ’
n o w the noose o r life s light still .
,

LEADE R
Fo r us ruin, ,
or worshi p without end .

APOLLO
Number aright the votes c ast o u t my friends , .

“
As yo u divide th e m reverence honesty , .

I f a vote fa il great mischief may ensue

’
,

And a single pebble s cas t lifts up a house .

ATHENA
This man is acquitted of blo o d g uiltiness -

;
For e qu a
I is tlfe numbe r of the lots .

ORE STE S
O Pallas O thou sa v iour o f my hous e !
Yea t h u s t o my lost fatherland hast thou
'

Restored m e and through Hellas men shall say

a
,

He i s again an Argive n d may dwell

’
,

In his sire s heritage by help o f Pallas

And Loxias last of Him wh o o rda ia
, ,

The Saviour
,
” ’
in e t l ll
Pitying my s ire s fate he looked
,

’
.
,

On these my mother s advocates and saved me

, , .

I n o w unto this land and to thy folk -

K 145
E r e t o my home I g o will swea r thi s oa th
,

That shall b e v alid for all time t o c ome

Ne v e r let Ar give c aptain hither mar c h
Wit h S pears i n o r de r r anked t o do yo u wrong .

F o r we oursel v es from the gra v e where we shall lie

, ,

Will plagu e thos e wh o t r ansgr ess these o aths o f ou r s

With despe r ate misadventu r es till beset ,

By e vil omens as they march their heart s ,

Fail them and they r epent thei r ente r pris e

, .

But while there is n o de f ault While still they honour ,

This c ity o f Pallas with c onfederate S pear ,

Towa r ds them the greater will b e o u r good will -

’
.

Farewell May thou and thi s thy city s people

.

Gr apple yo ur foes in a r esistle ss gr ip ,

Till sa f ety and v i c to r iou s a r ms b e you r s .

Exe u n t O RE S T E S an d A PO LLO .

Oh shame ye yo u nge r D eities ! The o ld h oly la

,
ws Str 1 , h
.

Ye ha v e r idden down and stolen from o u r hands the prey

,
.

a
But I dishonoured g ri ef wr oth 7 80

On this l nd a
, , ,

ccurst
Poison poison wo e f o r wo e drops o f ste r ile influence
, , ,

Will I drip déwn t o earth h o t from my heart and thence,

Bi r th k illing blight b u d withering (Oh rev enge

-
,
-
,

Scatte ring over the ground ,

Shall so w the soil with man destroying blots o f plagu e -

.

Oh wail wail l Ho w a c t n o w i
—
—
I am mocked mo ck ed A so r e gr ie f
, .

To Athens b e my wrongs !
Alas hea v y the w r ongs
We h e a
,

r Maids o f Night
, ,

Mo u rning o u r loss o f hono ur .

ATHENA
I pray yo u do n o t g rie v e thu s bitterly
, ,

Y o u a r e n o t v anquished but in eq u al v otes

The c ause ends , fairly not t o yo ur dishonou r, .

14 6
 ’
Calm the blac k b illowing wa v e s e r ce v iolence fi
Become the revered pa r tner o f my home .

When the prim e off erings Of this s pacious land

Fo r o ff spring and f o r ma rr iage rite are t hi n e ,

Fo r eve r tho u Wilt yet c om mend t hi s o ff e r

, .

CHORUS
We t o endure such a shame Str 2 .

We the primae v ally Wise thu s domiciled thus housed ,

Dishonou r ing shame ful thought

’
,

I br eathe for th my rage my soul s passionate w r ath 840

, .

Oh Oh ! Shame Foul
—
What i t h is agony this that ass ails my breast
s ,

Hea r my fu r y 0 Mothe r,

Night : f o r the Gods ha v e robb ed m e by vile crafty t ricks

, , ,

S tolen my an cie nt hono ur s bréu g h t low my p ride

, .

I Will indulge thy moods f o r thou art elde r

,
.

And yet though thou art Wiser far than !

, ,

TO me t o o Zeus hath gi v en n o foolish wit .

But if yo u pass t o a land o f other f olk ,

Y o u will regret o u r Athens I forewarn you

’
.
,

Fo r t o her citiz ens time s st r eam shall flow

_
‘

With larger honour whilst thou hon ourably

’
,

Enshrined by E rechthe u s temple shalt recei v e ,

l

From adoring troop s o f men and women more ,

Than thou couldst hope in the Wide world b esides .

And thou Within my bounds must n ever plant

Whetstones of bloodshed su c h as mar the breast
,

Of yout h madden ing with worse rage than wine

,

N o r take t o graft it in my citizens

, ,

The hea r t o f fightin g cocks a S pi rit o f wa r

,

Domes tic v aliant only against kin

Let them s eek wa
.
,

r abroad n o t hard t o find

,

F o r men swayed by a mighty lust f o r glory .

F arm ya r d fowls and thei r battles I despis e

-
.

Th e sh rin e o f a
1 n c ie n t m yt hic a
n a l ki g n .

14 8
Such then the choi c e tha t n o w I O ff e r thee
Blessin g and blest an d wors hi pped blessedly
, , ,

To share in this most hea v en fa v o ur ed land -

.

CHORUS
We t o endure s u ch a shame Ant 2 .

We the primae v ally wise thus do mi c iled thu s ho u sed ! ,

Disho n o uring shameful thought !

I br eathe f ért h my rage my so ul s passiona
’
,

,
te wr ath .

Oh ! Oh Shame ! Foul !
.

What i s t h is a g —
on y t his that assails my b reast
,

Hear my f u ry 0 Mother
,

Night : f o r the God s ha v e r obb ed me by vile cr a f ty t r icks

, , ,

Stole n m y an c ient h o n Ou rs bréu g h t 1OW my p

,
ride 880 .

ATHENA
I will n o t wea ry o f S pea king thee fair w ords
Ne e r shalt tho u s a
’
.

y that tho u an an c ient Goddess

, ,

By me thy younge r and these mortal c itiz ens

, ,

Wert thrust forth h ence inhospitably sco rned .

N O if divine Persuasion the soo t hing cha r m

, ,

And magic o f my tongu e be sacred to thee

, ,

Then here abide : but if thou wouldst n o t stay

’
Tho u canst n o t j ustly a fflict thi s c ity s fol k
,

With wrath o r hat e o r do th emany hurt

, .

For t hou mayst claim t h y p ortion in he r soil

Rightfully wit h all hono u rable wo rshi p
, .

LEAD ER
Athena what is this home tho u o ff e re st me 1
,

One from all so r row fr ee Ac c ept it n o w

. .

LEADE R
Say I accept What p r ivilege shall b e mine '
i

That without thee n o household shall ha v e increase .

LEADE R
Canst tho u endo w me With such power as that i
1
49
Aye we wi ll ble ss thy vo ta ries with good fo r t u ne
, .

LEAD E R
An d Wilt tho u gi v e me w a rr ant a
f o r ll time i

No need to p r omise What I wo u l d n o t do .

LEAD E R
I feel thy soothing cha r m my w r ath ab ates .

Abide then he r e and tho u shalt win thee friends

, .

LEAD E R
But what st r a in s m u st I c hant to b les s y o ur land 1

Su c h a s
pre g fi
u re vi c to ry Witho u t flaw

Blessings fr om earth and f rom the wate ry deep

, ,

And from the sky let e v e r y Wind that blows

— ’
Pass in fai r su n lit b r eezes o e r the fiel ds
Let fru its o f earth and c attle fo r o u r folk
I ncrease in streaming plenty ne v e r tired -

And f o r the seed o f men b e safe deliv erance .

Yet f a v ou r mo r e the bir th o f r ighteous o ffspring

Fo r e v en as o n e Wh o n u rse t h plants I love ,

The sort that fr om the just hath taken gra f t .

Such is thy pa r t while I in the renowned

’
,

Trials o f wa r will n e er fo r ego my claim

,

To glorify my to wn with public v i c tory .

CHORUS
We ac c ept He r e with Pallas let u s dwell
. .

S c orn we n o t her citadel

By almighty Z eus and Ar e s c he rished
As the fortress o f the Gods ,

Crown o f Hellas gua r ding

,

The alta rs o f he r deities .

1 50
Bestowing o n o n e man gladness and song ,

And a lif e tea r dimmed o n his neighb our

-
.

a
CHORUS
’
Let n o t de th s s udden st r oke St r 2 .

On her sons u ntimely fall .

To e v ery young and lovely maid

Grant that a mate b e assigned 0 ye po we r s hymeneal ,

And ye O divine Fates

, ,

Daughters o f Night wh o bare u s ,

Deities truthfu l and just ,

Partne r s in e v e ry household ,

Powe r ful over all seasons

Righteo u s visit a
,

aa
nts o f man ,

In lll nds fi r st in honou r mid the Gods

ATHENA
With a j oyful heart I hea r thei r a ss ur an c e
Of kindness and z eal
To my land An d thankful am I t o Pe r s u asion
.
,

That h er e ye S ke pt watch ove r my lips

‘

Whe n in such savage wrath they rej ected o u r plea

But might wa
.

s with Zeus wh o is patron o f wise speech .

Though victory is mine

’Tis in blessing alone we a r e r i v al s
,

CHORUS
Let not fierce Faction s moan’ Ant 2 .
,

Hungering after evil deeds

’
,

I n this city e er b e heard

N O1 may t he du stfi t hfih a
.

s dr un k the r ed b lood o f the

fl

t o wn sm e ri
' '

980

In wrath grow v enge ful ,

Lu sting f or fre sh bloodshed ,

Payment for citi z en s slain .

Rather in lo v ing kindness -

Ma y
‘

th e y r e me e o n e another
j ,

An d Wi t h o n e soul le t t h e m hate
'

In s uch wlse m an y human ills a r e cur ed

‘

1 52
Hear with what wise speech into the pathway
Of blessing they enter .

Stern and ter rib le though they appear yet ,

Great gain shall they bring you people o f Athen s , .

a
If you repay them for kindn es s with kindness
And reverent worship this Sh ll your fame b e
To guid e bo t h yOu r la ”
, ,

n d
'
'

And c ity in th e s t raight path o f justi c e

.
.

CHORUS Str 3
’
.

Joy y j y ’
t o o,
u o in the wealth that is each man s po r tion
b e t o thi s city s folk
J y
'

Lovers are you and beloved

, ,

Of the Virgin throned by Zeus .

Timely Wisdom now is yours Iooo

’
,

Sheltered under Pallas Wings

’
,

Sacred in the Father s eyes .

ATHENA
Joy to you also But before y o u I go
For now will I S how yo u your cavern S h rines
By the sacred light of these your conductors .

With solemn sacrifice now let us speed you

To your h omes in the earth What will hurt this city
’
.
,

Imprison it there but Whate er bringeth gain ,

S end fo r th t o increase her with glory .

Lead now thes e new c omers o n their way 10 10

You my citizens children of K ra n a

,

,
os

And still in your hearts

For a kind deed let the r e be kind thoughts .

CHORUS
Joy to you j
,
oy yet again With a double blessing ,
Ant .
3
Allye dwellers in thi s land
Deities and mortal men
’
While in Pallas town ye li v e
And our rights a
,

s denizens

I
S3
Re v eren c e st ill yo u shall n o t find
’
,

In you r life s lo t aught unkind .

a
Yo un pr ye rs o f benedi c tion I commend ,

And by bright gleaming torch light Will c onduc t yo u

- -

Unto you r nethe r subter r aneo u s homes ,

E s c orted by thes e ministrants wh o guard

’
,

My image (and with right f o r t is the e ye

’
,

Of Theseus land) a f ai r f amed c ompany -

Of maiden s an d o f wi v es and aged dame s .

Drap e n o w o u r gu ests in honourable rob es

O f crimson Let the lights mo v e o n b efo r e
. .

E relong shall these n e w r esidents S how thei r lo v e

By p r ospering the manhood o f o u r land .

CHORU S O F TH E E SCORT
Pa s s o n you r wa y in the p r ide o f yo ur wo r ship
’
,

Night s dread Children with glad hea rted es c o r t

,
-
.

(Silen c e f r,
iends f o r o u r sa cr
,
ed song )
1

’
There within E a r th s immemo rial c a v e r n s
Ritual worship and o ff erings await y ou.

(Silence all for o u r sacred song

Kind and loyal o f heart t o o u r lan d ,

Come ye revered ones pleas ed with the f estive

, ,

Flame de v oured tor c h as yo u pass t o yo ur home

-
,
.

(Cry aloud a re fr ain t o o u r chorus

Let Pea c e follow With flarin g O f to r ches .

Burghers o f Pallas unto thi s ending ,

Ze u s the all seeing and Fate ha v e conspi r ed

-
.

C
( y
r aloud a r e f rain t o o u r c ho ru s

TH E EN D

1 54