---
title: "Iphigenia among the Taurians · Ἰφιγένεια ἐν Ταύροις"
author: "Euripides"
translator: "Edward P. Coleridge"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
url: https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-iphigenia-in-tauris/
cite: "Euripides, tr. Edward P. Coleridge, Iphigenia among the Taurians · Ἰφιγένεια ἐν Ταύροις. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-iphigenia-in-tauris/"
---

# Iphigenia among the Taurians · Ἰφιγένεια ἐν Ταύροις

*Euripides, tr. Edward P. Coleridge*

Rescued from the altar at Aulis, Iphigenia serves a savage cult until her brother arrives.

> Greek: ed. Gilbert Murray, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0006.tlg013, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Edward P. Coleridge, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0006.tlg013.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (line numbers), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## Contents

1. [Lines 1–537](https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-iphigenia-in-tauris/1.md)
2. [Lines 538–1016](https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-iphigenia-in-tauris/2.md)
3. [Lines 1017–1499](https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-iphigenia-in-tauris/3.md)

## 1. Lines 1–537

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-iphigenia-in-tauris/1/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-iphigenia-in-tauris/1/#p-N

[¶0] On the sea-shore, in the Tauric Chersonese, near a temple of Artemis.
Iphigenia:
Pelops, son of Tantalus, coming to Pisa with swift horses, married Oenomaus’ daughter, and she gave birth to Atreus, whose children are Menelaus and Agamemnon; from him I was born,
his child Iphigenia, by the daughter of Tyndareus. Where Euripus rolls about its whirlpools in the frequent winds and twists the darkening waves, my father sacrificed me to Artemis for Helen’s sake, or so he thought, in the famous clefts of Aulis.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
Πέλοψ ὁ Ταντάλειος ἐς Πῖσαν μολὼν
θοαῖσιν ἵπποις Οἰνομάου γαμεῖ κόρην,
ἐξ ἧς Ἀτρεὺς ἔβλαστεν· Ἀτρέως δὲ παῖς
Μενέλαος Ἀγαμέμνων τε· τοῦ δʼ ἔφυν ἐγώ
τῆς Τυνδαρείας θυγατρὸς Ἰφιγένεια παῖς,
ἣν ἀμφὶ δίναις ἃς θάμʼ Εὔριπος πυκναῖς
αὔραις ἑλίσσων κυανέαν ἅλα στρέφει,
ἔσφαξεν Ἑλένης οὕνεχʼ, ὡς δοκεῖ, πατὴρ
Ἀρτέμιδι κλειναῖς ἐν πτυχαῖσιν Αὐλίδος.

[¶1] For there lord Agamemnon mustered his expedition of a thousand ships of Hellas, wanting to take the crown of Troy in glorious victory and avenge the outrage to Helen’s marriage, doing this favor for Menelaus.

> Greek: ἐνταῦθα γὰρ δὴ χιλίων ναῶν στόλον
Ἑλληνικὸν συνήγαγʼ Ἀγαμέμνων ἄναξ,
τὸν καλλίνικον στέφανον Ἰλίου θέλων
λαβεῖν Ἀχαιοῖς τούς θʼ ὑβρισθέντας γάμους
Ἑλένης μετελθεῖν, Μενέλεῳ χάριν φέρων.

[¶2] But when he met with dreadful winds that would not let him sail, he went to burnt sacrifices, and Calchas had this to say: “Lord and general of Hellas, Agamemnon, you will not set free your ships from land until Artemis has your daughter Iphigenia”
“as a victim. For you once vowed to sacrifice to the torch-bearing goddess the most beautiful creature brought forth that year; then your wife, Clytemnestra, bore a child in your house—ascribing the prize of beauty to me—whom you must sacrifice.” And by the craft of Odysseus,
they took me from my mother, pretending a marriage with Achilles. I came to Aulis; held up high over the altar, I, the unhappy one, was about to die by the sword; but Artemis gave the Achaeans a deer in exchange for me and stole me from them; conducting me through the bright air,
she settled me here in the land of the Taurians. A barbarian rules this land of barbarians: Thoas, who runs as quickly as the flight of birds, and so he received his name for his swiftness of foot. Artemis has made me the priestess in this temple.

> Greek: δεινῆς δʼ ἀπλοίας πνευμάτων τε τυγχάνων,
ἐς ἔμπυρʼ ἦλθε, καὶ λέγει Κάλχας τάδε·
ὦ τῆσδʼ ἀνάσσων Ἑλλάδος στρατηγίας,
Ἀγάμεμνον, οὐ μὴ ναῦς ἀφορμίσῃ χθονός,
πρὶν ἂν κόρην σὴν Ἰφιγένειαν Ἄρτεμις
λάβῃ σφαγεῖσαν· ὅ τι γὰρ ἐνιαυτὸς τέκοι
κάλλιστον, ηὔξω φωσφόρῳ θύσειν θεᾷ.
παῖδʼ οὖν ἐν οἴκοις σὴ Κλυταιμήστρα δάμαρ
τίκτει — τὸ καλλιστεῖον εἰς ἔμʼ ἀναφέρων —
ἣν χρή σε θῦσαι. καί μʼ Ὀδυσσέως τέχναις
μητρὸς παρείλοντʼ ἐπὶ γάμοις Ἀχιλλέως.
ἐλθοῦσα δʼ Αὐλίδʼ ἡ τάλαινʼ ὑπὲρ πυρᾶς
μεταρσία ληφθεῖσʼ ἐκαινόμην ξίφει·
ἀλλʼ ἐξέκλεψεν ἔλαφον ἀντιδοῦσά μου
Ἄρτεμις Ἀχαιοῖς, διὰ δὲ λαμπρὸν αἰθέρα
πέμψασά μʼ ἐς τήνδʼ ᾤκισεν Ταύρων χθόνα,
οὗ γῆς ἀνάσσει βαρβάροισι βάρβαρος
Θόας, ὃς ὠκὺν πόδα τιθεὶς ἴσον πτεροῖς
ἐς τοὔνομʼ ἦλθε τόδε ποδωκείας χάριν.
ναοῖσι δʼ ἐν τοῖσδʼ ἱερέαν τίθησί με·

[¶3] Here I begin the rites, which the goddess delights in, of a banquet noble in name only—I am silent as to the rest, for I fear the goddess— [for I sacrifice, by a custom of the city established earlier, any Hellene who comes to this land.]

> Greek: ὅθεν νόμοισι τοῖσιν ἥδεται θεὰ
Ἄρτεμις, ἑορτῆς, τοὔνομʼ ἧς καλὸν μόνον —
τὰ δʼ ἄλλα σιγῶ, τὴν θεὸν φοβουμένη —
[θύω γὰρ ὄντος τοῦ νόμου καὶ πρὶν πόλει,]
[ὃς ἂν κατέλθῃ τήνδε γῆν Ἕλλην ἀνήρ.]

[¶4] But others carry out the sacrifices, not to be spoken of, within the temple of the goddess.

> Greek: κατάρχομαι μέν, σφάγια δʼ ἄλλοισιν μέλει
ἄρρητʼ ἔσωθεν τῶνδʼ ἀνακτόρων θεᾶς.

[¶5] But the strange visions which the night brought with it, I will tell to the air, if that is any relief. I dreamed that I had left this land
to live in Argos, and to sleep in the midst of the maidens’ rooms; but the earth’s back was shaken by a tossing swell. When I escaped and stood outside, I saw the cornice of the house fall, and the whole roof hurled in ruins on the ground, from the highest pillars.

> Greek: ἃ καινὰ δʼ ἥκει νὺξ φέρουσα φάσματα,
λέξω πρὸς αἰθέρʼ, εἴ τι δὴ τόδʼ ἔστʼ ἄκος.
ἔδοξʼ ἐν ὕπνῳ τῆσδʼ ἀπαλλαχθεῖσα γῆς
οἰκεῖν ἐν Ἄργει, παρθένοισι δʼ ἐν μέσαις
εὕδειν, χθονὸς δὲ νῶτα σεισθῆναι σάλῳ,
φεύγειν δὲ κἄξω στᾶσα θριγκὸν εἰσιδεῖν
δόμων πίτνοντα, πᾶν δʼ ἐρείψιμον στέγος
βεβλημένον πρὸς οὖδας ἐξ ἄκρων σταθμῶν.

[¶6] One support of my father’s house was left, I thought, and it had yellow locks of hair waving from its capital, and took on human voice. In observance of the art of slaughtering strangers that I practice here, I gave it holy water as if it were about to die, while I wept.
This is my interpretation of this dream: Orestes, whom I consecrated by my rites, is dead. For male children are the supports of the house; and those whom I purify with holy water die. [I cannot connect this dream to my friends,]
[for Strophius, when I perished, had no son.] Now I wish to give libations to my brother, though he is absent from me—for I would be able to do this—with the attendants given me by the king, Hellene women. But why
are they not yet here? I will go inside this temple of the goddess where I live. Exit Iphigenia.

> Greek: μόνος λελεῖφθαι στῦλος εἷς ἔδοξέ μοι
δόμων πατρῴων, ἐκ δʼ ἐπικράνων κόμας
ξανθὰς καθεῖναι, φθέγμα δʼ ἀνθρώπου λαβεῖν,
κἀγὼ τέχνην τήνδʼ ἣν ἔχω ξενοκτόνον
τιμῶσʼ ὑδραίνειν αὐτὸν ὡς θανούμενον,
κλαίουσα. τοὔναρ δʼ ὧδε συμβάλλω τόδε·
τέθνηκʼ Ὀρέστης, οὗ κατηρξάμην ἐγώ.
στῦλοι γὰρ οἴκων παῖδές εἰσιν ἄρσενες·
θνῄσκουσι δʼ οὓς ἂν χέρνιβες βάλωσʼ ἐμαί.
[οὐδʼ αὖ συνάψαι τοὔναρ ἐς φίλους ἔχω·]
[Στροφίῳ γὰρ οὐκ ἦν παῖς, ὅτʼ ὠλλύμην ἐγώ.]
νῦν οὖν ἀδελφῷ βούλομαι δοῦναι χοὰς
παροῦσʼ ἀπόντι — ταῦτα γὰρ δυναίμεθʼ ἄν —
σὺν προσπόλοισιν, ἃς ἔδωχʼ ἡμῖν ἄναξ
Ἑλληνίδας γυναῖκας. ἀλλʼ ἐξ αἰτίας
οὔπω τίνος πάρεισιν; εἶμʼ ἔσω δόμων
ἐν οἷσι ναίω τῶνδʼ ἀνακτόρων θεᾶς.

[¶7] Orestes:
(entering cautiously.) Look out, take care that no one is in the path.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὅρα, φυλάσσου μή τις ἐν στίβῳ βροτῶν.

[¶8] Pylades:
I am looking, and turning my eyes everywhere, in examination.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ὁρῶ, σκοποῦμαι δʼ ὄμμα πανταχῆ στρέφων.

[¶9] Orestes:
Pylades, do you think this is the hall of the goddess,
for which we set sail from Argos?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
Πυλάδη, δοκεῖ σοι μέλαθρα ταῦτʼ εἶναι θεᾶς
ἔνθʼ Ἀργόθεν ναῦν ποντίαν ἐστείλαμεν;

[¶10] Pylades:
Yes, Orestes; and you must think so too.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ἔμοιγʼ, Ὀρέστα· σοὶ δὲ συνδοκεῖν χρεών.

[¶11] Orestes:
And the altar, that drips with the slaughter of Hellenes?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
καὶ βωμός, Ἕλλην οὗ καταστάζει φόνος;

[¶12] Pylades:
Its dedications of hair, at least, are red with blood.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ἐξ αἱμάτων γοῦν ξάνθʼ ἔχει τριχώματα.

[¶13] Orestes:
Do you see the spoils hanging from the very walls?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
θριγκοῖς δʼ ὑπʼ αὐτοῖς σκῦλʼ ὁρᾷς ἠρτημένα;

[¶14] Pylades:
Trophies of strangers that have been slain. But I must look all around and keep careful watch.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
τῶν κατθανόντων γʼ ἀκροθίνια ξένων.
ἀλλʼ ἐγκυκλοῦντʼ ὀφθαλμὸν εὖ σκοπεῖν χρεών.

[¶15] Orestes:
O Phoebus, where have you again brought me into the snare, by your oracles, since I avenged my father’s blood by the murder of my mother, and was driven by successive Furies,
a fugitive, away from the land, and completed many winding courses; and coming to you I asked how I might arrive at an end to whirling madness and my labors, which I have carried out, wandering all over Hellas....
And you told me to go to the boundaries of the Tauric land, where Artemis, your sister, has an altar, and to take the statue of the goddess, which is said here to have fallen to this temple from heaven; and, taking it by craft of some stroke of luck,
to complete the venture by giving it to the Athenian land—what was to come next was not spoken of—and if I did this, I would have rest from my labors.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὦ Φοῖβε, ποῖ μʼ αὖ τήνδʼ ἐς ἄρκυν ἤγαγες
χρήσας, ἐπειδὴ πατρὸς αἷμʼ ἐτεισάμην,
μητέρα κατακτάς, διαδοχαῖς δʼ Ἐρινύων
ἠλαυνόμεσθα φυγάδες ἔξεδροι χθονὸς
δρόμους τε πολλοὺς ἐξέπλησα καμπίμους,
ἐλθὼν δέ σʼ ἠρώτησα πῶς τροχηλάτου
μανίας ἂν ἔλθοιμʼ ἐς τέλος πόνων τʼ ἐμῶν,
οὓς ἐξεμόχθουν περιπολῶν καθʼ Ἑλλάδα —
σὺ δʼ εἶπας ἐλθεῖν Ταυρικῆς μʼ ὅρους χθονός,
ἔνθʼ Ἄρτεμίς σοι σύγγονος βωμοὺς ἔχοι,
λαβεῖν τʼ ἄγαλμα θεᾶς, ὅ φασιν ἐνθάδε
ἐς τούσδε ναοὺς οὐρανοῦ πεσεῖν ἄπο·
λαβόντα δʼ ἢ τέχναισιν ἢ τύχῃ τινί,
κίνδυνον ἐκπλήσαντʼ, Ἀθηναίων χθονὶ
δοῦναι — τὸ δʼ ἐνθένδʼ οὐδὲν ἐρρήθη πέρα —
καὶ ταῦτα δράσαντʼ ἀμπνοὰς ἕξειν πόνων.

[¶16] I have come here, obedient to your words, to an unknown, inhospitable land. I ask you,
Pylades, for you are my accomplice in this task, what shall we do? You see that the surrounding walls are high; shall we ascend the steps leading up to the house? But how might we escape notice? Or loosening the bronze bars of the door with levers,
of which we know nothing? If we are caught opening the gates and contriving an entrance, we shall die. No, but before we die, let us escape on the ship in which we sailed here.

> Greek: ἥκω δὲ πεισθεὶς σοῖς λόγοισιν ἐνθάδε
ἄγνωστον ἐς γῆν, ἄξενον. σὲ δʼ ἱστορῶ,
Πυλάδη — σὺ γάρ μοι τοῦδε συλλήπτωρ πόνου —
τί δρῶμεν; ἀμφίβληστρα γὰρ τοίχων ὁρᾷς
ὑψηλά· πότερα δωμάτων προσαμβάσεις
ἐκβησόμεσθα; πῶς ἂν οὖν λάθοιμεν ἄν;
ἢ χαλκότευκτα κλῇθρα λύσαντες μοχλοῖς —
ὧν οὐδὲν ἴσμεν; ἢν δʼ ἀνοίγοντες πύλας
ληφθῶμεν ἐσβάσεις τε μηχανώμενοι,
θανούμεθʼ. ἀλλὰ πρὶν θανεῖν, νεὼς ἔπι
φεύγωμεν, ᾗπερ δεῦρʼ ἐναυστολήσαμεν.

[¶17] Pylades:
Flight is not to be endured, nor are we accustomed to it,
and we must not bring reproach on the god’s oracle; let us leave the temple and hide in a cave which the black sea washes with its moisture—far from the ship, so that no one, seeing it, may tell the ruler, and then seize us by force.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
φεύγειν μὲν οὐκ ἀνεκτὸν οὐδʼ εἰώθαμεν,
τὸν τοῦ θεοῦ δὲ χρησμὸν οὐ κακιστέον·
ναοῦ δʼ ἀπαλλαχθέντε κρύψωμεν δέμας
κατʼ ἄντρʼ ἃ πόντος νοτίδι διακλύζει μέλας —
νεὼς ἄπωθεν, μή τις εἰσιδὼν σκάφος
βασιλεῦσιν εἴπῃ κᾆτα ληφθῶμεν βίᾳ.

[¶18] But when the eye of gloomy night comes on, then we must dare to take the polished statue from the shrine, by any means. See where between the triglyphs there is an empty space to let ourselves down. The brave endure their labors,
the cowardly are worth nothing at all.

> Greek: ὅταν δὲ νυκτὸς ὄμμα λυγαίας μόλῃ,
τολμητέον τοι ξεστὸν ἐκ ναοῦ λαβεῖν
ἄγαλμα πάσας προσφέροντε μηχανάς.
ὅρα δέ γʼ εἴσω τριγλύφων ὅποι κενὸν
δέμας καθεῖναι· τοὺς πόνους γὰρ ἁγαθοὶ
τολμῶσι, δειλοὶ δʼ εἰσὶν οὐδὲν οὐδαμοῦ.

[¶19] Orestes:
Yes, we did not come on a long sea voyage only to undertake a return home before the end; but you have spoken wel, we must obey. We should go wherever we can hide and escape notice.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὔ τοι μακρὸν μὲν ἤλθομεν κώπῃ πόρον,
ἐκ τερμάτων δὲ νόστον ἀροῦμεν πάλιν.
ἀλλʼ εὖ γὰρ εἶπας, πειστέον· χωρεῖν χρεὼν
ὅποι χθονὸς κρύψαντε λήσομεν δέμας.

[¶20] For it will not be the god’s fault if his sacred oracle falls to the ground without effect. We must endure. Exeunt Orestes and Pylades.

> Greek: οὐ γὰρ τὸ τοῦ θεοῦ γʼ αἴτιον γενήσεται
πεσεῖν ἄχρηστον θέσφατον· τολμητέον·
μόχθος γὰρ οὐδεὶς τοῖς νέοις σκῆψιν φέρει.

[¶21] Chorus:
Keep a holy silence, you who inhabit the double clashing
rocks of the Black Sea!

> Greek: Χορός:
εὐφαμεῖτʼ, ὦ
πόντου δισσὰς συγχωρούσας
πέτρας Ἀξείνου ναίοντες.

[¶22] O daughter of Leto, Dictynna of the mountains, to your hall, to the golden walls of your temple with beautiful pillars,
I, the servant of the holy key-holder, bend my holy virgin steps. For I have left the towers and walls of Hellas, famous for horses, and
Europe with its forests, my father’s home.

> Greek: ὦ παῖ τᾶς Λατοῦς,
Δίκτυννʼ οὐρεία,
πρὸς σὰν αὐλάν, εὐστύλων
ναῶν χρυσήρεις θριγκούς,
πόδα παρθένιον ὅσιον ὁσίας
κλῃδούχου δούλα πέμπω,
Ἑλλάδος εὐίππου πύργους
καὶ τείχη χόρτων τʼ εὐδένδρων
ἐξαλλάξασʼ Εὐρώπαν,
πατρῴων οἴκων ἕδρας.

[¶23] I have come. What is the news? What is troubling you? Why have you brought me, brought me to the shrine, you who are the daughter of Atreus’ son, master of a thousand ships and ten thousand soldiers,
who came to the towers of Troy with a famous fleet?

> Greek: ἔμολον· τί νέον; τίνα φροντίδʼ ἔχεις;
τί με πρὸς ναοὺς ἄγαγες ἄγαγες,
ὦ παῖ τοῦ τᾶς Τροίας πύργους
ἐλθόντος κλεινᾷ σὺν κώπᾳ
χιλιοναύτα
μυριοτευχοῦς Ἀτρείδα; [τῶν κλεινῶν;]

[¶24] Iphigenia:
Oh! My servants, how I am involved in mournful dirges,
in laments unfit for the lyre, of a song that is not melodious, alas! alas! wailing for my family. Ruin has come to me; I am lamenting the life of my brother,
such a vision I saw in my dreams, in the night whose darkness is now over.
I am lost, lost! My father’s house is no more; alas for my vanished family,
alas for the sufferings of Argos! O fate, I had one brother only and you carry him off and send him to Hades. For him,
I am about to pour over the back of the earth these libations and the bowl of the dead: streams of milk from mountain cows, and offerings of wine from Bacchus,
and the labor of the tawny bees; these sacrifices are soothing to the dead.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἰὼ δμωαί,
δυσθρηνήτοις ὡς θρήνοις
ἔγκειμαι, τᾶς οὐκ εὐμούσου
μολπᾶς [βοὰν] ἀλύροις ἐλέγοις, αἰαῖ,
αἰαῖ, κηδείοις οἴκτοισιν·
αἵ μοι συμβαίνουσʼ ἆται,
σύγγονον ἁμὸν κατακλαιομένα
ζωᾶς, οἵαν ⟨οἵαν⟩ ἰδόμαν
ὄψιν ὀνείρων
νυκτός, τᾶς ἐξῆλθʼ ὄρφνα.
ὀλόμαν ὀλόμαν·
οὐκ εἴσʼ οἶκοι πατρῷοι·
οἴμοι ⟨μοι⟩ φροῦδος γέννα.
φεῦ φεῦ τῶν Ἄργει μόχθων.
ἰὼ δαῖμον,
μόνον ὅς με κασίγνητον συλᾷς
Ἀίδᾳ πέμψας, ᾧ τάσδε χοὰς
μέλλω κρατῆρά τε τὸν φθιμένων
ὑδραίνειν γαίας ἐν νώτοις
πηγάς τʼ οὐρείων ἐκ μόσχων
Βάκχου τʼ οἰνηρὰς λοιβὰς
ξουθᾶν τε πόνημα μελισσᾶν,
ἃ νεκροῖς θελκτήρια κεῖται.

[¶25] (To a servant) Give me the golden vessel and the libation of Hades.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ ἔνδος μοι πάγχρυσον
τεῦχος καὶ λοιβὰν Ἅιδα.

[¶26] O child of Agamemnon beneath the earth, I send these to you as one dead. Accept them; for I will not bring to your tomb my yellow hair or my tears.

> Greek: ὦ κατὰ γαίας Ἀγαμεμνόνιον
θάλος, ὡς φθιμένῳ τάδε σοι πέμπω·
δέξαι δʼ· οὐ γὰρ πρὸς τύμβον σοι
ξανθὰν χαίταν, οὐ δάκρυʼ οἴσω.

[¶27] I live far indeed from your country and mine, where I am thought to lie, unhappily slaughtered.

> Greek: τηλόσε γὰρ δὴ σᾶς ἀπενάσθην
πατρίδος καὶ ἐμᾶς, ἔνθα δοκήμασι
κεῖμαι σφαχθεῖσʼ ἁ τλάμων.

[¶28] Chorus:
I will sing for you, my mistress, responsive songs and
a barbarian cry of Asian hymns; this song, dear to the dead,
Hades sings in laments, in chants—not songs of triumph.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀντιψάλμους ᾠδὰς ὕμνων τʼ
Ἀσιητᾶν σοι βάρβαρον ἀχὰν
δεσποίνᾳ γʼ ἐξαυδάσω,
τὰν ἐν θρήνοισιν μοῦσαν
νέκυσι μελομέναν, τὰν ἐν μολπαῖς
Ἅιδας ὑμνεῖ δίχα παιάνων.

[¶29] Alas for the house of the Atreidae; the light of their scepter, alas, of the ancestral house, is lost. Once they ruled
as prosperous kings in Argos, but troubles dart out from troubles: Pelops, on his horses swiftly whirling, made his cast; the sun changed from its seat the holy beam of its rays.
One pain comes after another, to the house of the golden lamb.... from that earlier time when the Tantalids were killed,
punishment came to the house, and fate presses what you do not want upon you.

> Greek: οἴμοι, τῶν Ἀτρειδᾶν οἴκων·
ἔρρει φῶς σκήπτρων, οἴμοι,
πατρῴων οἴκων.
ἦν ἐκ τῶν εὐόλβων Ἄργει
βασιλέων ἀρχά,
μόχθος δʼ ἐκ μόχθων ᾄσσει·
δινευούσαις ἵπποισι ⟨ῥιφαὶ⟩
⟨Πέλοπος⟩ πταναῖς· ἀλλάξας δʼ ἐξ
ἕδρας ἱερὸν ⟨ἱερὸν⟩ ὄμμʼ αὐγᾶς
ἅλιος. ἄλλαις δʼ ἄλλα προσέβα
χρυσέας ἀρνὸς μελάθροις ὀδύνα,
φόνος ἐπὶ φόνῳ, ἄχεα ἄχεσιν
ἔνθεν τῶν πρόσθεν δμαθέντων
Τανταλιδᾶν ἐκβαίνει ποινά γʼ
εἰς οἴκους, σπεύδει δʼ ἀσπούδαστʼ
ἐπὶ σοὶ δαίμων.

[¶30] Iphigenia:
From the beginning my fate was unhappy, from that first night of my mather’s marriage;
from the beginning the Fates attendant on my birth directed a hard upbringing for me, wooed by Hellenes, the first-born child in the home,
whom the unhappy daughter of Leda, by my father’s fault, bore as a victim and a sacrifice not joyful, she brought me up as an offering. In the horse-drawn chariot,
they set me as a bride on the sands of Aulis, oh woe, a wretched bride for the son of the Nereid, alas! But now, as a stranger I live in an unfertile home on this sea that is hostile to strangers,
without marriage, or children, or city, or friends, not raising hymns to Hera at Argos, nor embroidering with my shuttle, in the singing loom, the likeness of Athenian Pallas and the Titans; but... a bloody fate, not to be hymned by the lyre, of strangers who wail a piteous cry and weep piteous tears. And now I must forget these things,
and lament my brother, killed in Argos, whom I left at the breast, still a baby, still an infant, still a young child in his mother’s arms and at her breast,
the holder of the scepter in Argos, Orestes.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἐξ ἀρχᾶς μοι δυσδαίμων
δαίμων τᾶς ματρὸς ζώνας
καὶ νυκτὸς κείνας· ἐξ ἀρχᾶς
λόχιαι στερρὰν παιδείαν
Μοῖραι ξυντείνουσιν θεαί,
τᾷ μναστευθείσᾳ ʼξ Ἑλλάνων,
ἃν πρωτόγονον θάλος ἐν θαλάμοις
Λήδας ἁ τλάμων κούρα
σφάγιον πατρῴᾳ λώβᾳ
καὶ θῦμʼ οὐκ εὐγάθητον
ἔτεκεν, ἔτρεφεν εὐκταίαν·
ἱππείοις δʼ ἐν δίφροισι
ψαμάθων Αὐλίδος ἐπέβασαν
νύμφαιον, οἴμοι, δύσνυμφον
τῷ τᾶς Νηρέως κούρας, αἰαῖ.
νῦν δʼ ἀξείνου πόντου ξείνα
δυσχόρτους οἴκους ναίω,
ἄγαμος ἄτεκνος ἄπολις ἄφιλος,
οὐ τὰν Ἄργει μέλπουσʼ Ἥραν
οὐδʼ ἱστοῖς ἐν καλλιφθόγγοις
κερκίδι Παλλάδος Ἀτθίδος εἰκὼ
⟨καὶ⟩ Τιτάνων ποικίλλουσʼ, ἀλλʼ
αἱμόρραντον δυσφόρμιγγα
ξείνων αἱμάσσουσʼ ἄταν βωμούς,
οἰκτράν τʼ αἰαζόντων αὐδὰν
οἰκτρόν τʼ ἐκβαλλόντων δάκρυον.
καὶ νῦν κείνων μέν μοι λάθα,
τὸν δʼ Ἄργει δμαθέντα κλαίω
σύγγονον, ὃν ἔλιπον ἐπιμαστίδιον,
ἔτι βρέφος, ἔτι νέον, ἔτι θάλος
ἐν χερσὶν ματρὸς πρὸς στέρνοις τʼ
Ἄργει σκηπτοῦχον Ὀρέσταν.

[¶31] Chorus Leader:
Look, here comes a herdsman, who has left the shores of the sea to bring you some new message.

> Greek: Χορός:
καὶ μὴν ὅδʼ ἀκτὰς ἐκλιπὼν θαλασσίους
βουφορβὸς ἥκει σημανῶν τί σοι νέον.

[¶32] Herdsman:
Daughter of Agamemnon, and of Clytemnestra, hear a strange report from me.

> Greek: Βουκόλος:
Ἀγαμέμνονός τε καὶ Κλυταιμήστρας τέκνον,
ἄκουε καινῶν ἐξ ἐμοῦ κηρυγμάτων.

[¶33] Iphigenia:
And what is amazing in your news?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
τί δʼ ἔστι τοῦ παρόντος ἐκπλῆσσον λόγου;

[¶34] Herdsman:
Two young men have come to this land, fleeing the dark Symplegades in their ship, an offering and sacrifice pleasing to the goddess Artemis. Be quick to prepare
the purifications and the first offerings.

> Greek: Βουκόλος:
ἥκουσιν ἐς γῆν, κυανέαν Συμπληγάδα
πλάτῃ φυγόντες, δίπτυχοι νεανίαι,
θεᾷ φίλον πρόσφαγμα καὶ θυτήριον
Ἀρτέμιδι. χέρνιβας δὲ καὶ κατάργματα
οὐκ ἂν φθάνοις ἂν εὐτρεπῆ ποιουμένη.

[¶35] Iphigenia:
What country are the strangers from? How are they dressed?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ποδαποί; τίνος γῆς σχῆμʼ ἔχουσιν οἱ ξένοι;

[¶36] Herdsman:
They are Hellenes; I know this one thing, and nothing further.

> Greek: Βουκόλος:
Ἕλληνες· ἓν τοῦτʼ οἶδα κοὐ περαιτέρω.

[¶37] Iphigenia:
Can’t you tell me their names? Did you hear them?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
οὐδʼ ὄνομʼ ἀκούσας οἶσθα τῶν ξένων φράσαι;

[¶38] Herdsman:
One was called Pylades by the other.

> Greek: Βουκόλος:
Πυλάδης ἐκλῄζεθʼ ἅτερος πρὸς θατέρου.

[¶39] Iphigenia:
What is the name of his companion?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
τοῦ ξυζύγου δὲ τοῦ ξένου τί τοὔνομʼ ἦν;

[¶40] Herdsman:
No one knows; we didn’t hear it.

> Greek: Βουκόλος:
οὐδεὶς τόδʼ οἶδεν· οὐ γὰρ εἰσηκούσαμεν.

[¶41] Iphigenia:
How did you see them? How did you come upon them and catch them?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
πῶς δʼ εἴδετʼ αὐτοὺς κἀντυχόντες εἵλετε;

[¶42] Herdsman:
At the edge of the breakers of the Black Sea—

> Greek: Βουκόλος:
ἄκραις ἐπὶ ῥηγμῖσιν ἀξένου πόρου —

[¶43] Iphigenia:
And what do herdsmen have to do with the sea?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
καὶ τίς θαλάσσης βουκόλοις κοινωνία;

[¶44] Herdsman:
We came to wash our cattle in the salt water.

> Greek: Βουκόλος:
βοῦς ἤλθομεν νίψοντες ἐναλίᾳ δρόσῳ.

[¶45] Iphigenia:
Go back to the earlier question, how did you take them, and in what way, for I want to know this. They have come after a long time; the altar of the goddess has not yet been reddened by streams of Hellene blood.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἐκεῖσε δὴ ʼπάνελθε, πῶς νιν εἵλετε
τρόπῳ θʼ ὁποίῳ· τοῦτο γὰρ μαθεῖν θέλω.
χρόνιοι γὰρ ἥκουσʼ· οὐδέ πω βωμὸς θεᾶς
Ἑλληνικαῖσιν ἐξεφοινίχθη ῥοαῖς.

[¶46] Herdsman:
When we were driving the cattle, that feed in the forest, into the sea that flows through the Symplegades, there was a broken cleft, hollowed by the constant surge of waves, shelter for those who hunt the purple-fish. Here one of the herdsmen saw two youths,
and made a retreat on tip-toe. He said: “Don’t you see them? These are deities that sit there.” One of us, who revered the gods, lifted up his hands and prayed, as he saw them:

> Greek: Βουκόλος:
ἐπεὶ τὸν ἐσρέοντα διὰ Συμπληγάδων
βοῦς ὑλοφορβοὺς πόντον εἰσεβάλλομεν,
ἦν τις διαρρὼξ κυμάτων πολλῷ σάλῳ
κοιλωπὸς ἀγμός, πορφυρευτικαὶ στέγαι.
ἐνταῦθα δισσοὺς εἶδέ τις νεανίας
βουφορβὸς ἡμῶν, κἀπεχώρησεν πάλιν
ἄκροισι δακτύλοισι πορθμεύων ἴχνος.
ἔλεξε δʼ· Οὐχ ὁρᾶτε; δαίμονές τινες
θάσσουσιν οἵδε. — θεοσεβὴς δʼ ἡμῶν τις ὢν
ἀνέσχε χεῖρα καὶ προσηύξατʼ εἰσιδών·

[¶47] “O son of the sea-goddess Leukothea, guardian of ships, lord Palaemon, be propitious to us! Or do you sit on our shores, twin sons of Zeus? Or the darlings of Nereus, father of the chorus of fifty Nereids?”

> Greek: ὦ ποντίας παῖ Λευκοθέας, νεῶν φύλαξ,
δέσποτα Παλαῖμον, ἵλεως ἡμῖν γενοῦ,
εἴτʼ οὖν ἐπʼ ἀκταῖς θάσσετον Διοσκόρω,
ἢ Νηρέως ἀγάλμαθʼ, ὃς τὸν εὐγενῆ
ἔτικτε πεντήκοντα Νηρῄδων χορόν.

[¶48] Another, who was foolish and bold in his lawlessness, laughed at the prayers and asserted that ship-wrecked sailors were sitting on the cliff, in fear of our custom, having heard that we sacrifice strangers here.

> Greek: ἄλλος δέ τις μάταιος, ἀνομίᾳ θρασύς,
ἐγέλασεν εὐχαῖς, ναυτίλους δʼ ἐφθαρμένους
θάσσειν φάραγγʼ ἔφασκε τοῦ νόμου φόβῳ,
κλύοντας ὡς θύοιμεν ἐνθάδε ξένους.

[¶49] Most of us thought that he spoke well,
and that we ought to hunt down the customary offerings to the goddess. At this moment, one of the strangers left the rock, and stood, shaking his head up and down and groaning, with hands trembling, wandering in madness; and like a hunter, he cried aloud:

> Greek: ἔδοξε δʼ ἡμῶν εὖ λέγειν τοῖς πλείοσι,
θηρᾶν τε τῇ θεῷ σφάγια τἀπιχώρια.
κἀν τῷδε πέτραν ἅτερος λιπὼν ξένοιν
ἔστη κάρα τε διετίναξʼ ἄνω κάτω
κἀπεστέναξεν ὠλένας τρέμων ἄκρας,
μανίαις ἀλαίνων, καὶ βοᾷ κυναγὸς ὥς·

[¶50] “Pylades, do you see her? Don’t you see hell’s dragon, how she wants to kill me, fringed with her dreadful vipers against me? and the one who breathes fire and slaughter from her robe and wings her way, my mother”
“in her arms—the rocky mass, how she hurls it at me! Ah, she will kill me! Where can I escape?”
We could not see these shapes; but he alternated the sounds of sheep and howling of dogs... to send forth the Furies’ imitations.

> Greek: Πυλάδη, δέδορκας τήνδε; τήνδε δʼ οὐχ ὁρᾷς
Ἅιδου δράκαιναν, ὥς με βούλεται κτανεῖν
δειναῖς ἐχίδναις εἰς ἔμʼ ἐστομωμένη;
ἣ δʼ ἐκ χιτώνων πῦρ πνέουσα καὶ φόνον
πτεροῖς ἐρέσσει, μητέρʼ ἀγκάλαις ἐμὴν
ἔχουσα — πέτρινον ὄχθον, ὡς ἐπεμβάλῃ.
οἴμοι, κτενεῖ με· ποῖ φύγω;
παρῆν δʼ ὁρᾶν
οὐ ταῦτα μορφῆς σχήματʼ, ἀλλʼ ἠλλάσσετο
φθογγάς τε μόσχων καὶ κυνῶν ὑλάγματα,
ἃς φᾶσʼ Ἐρινῦς ἱέναι μιμήματα.

[¶51] Astonished, we cowered together and sat in silence; but he drew his sword and rushed like a lion into the midst of our cattle, striking their flanks with his iron sword and thrusting it into their sides, thinking in this way to ward off the Furies,
so that the waves of the sea blossomed red with blood. And all of us, as we saw our herds falling and ravaged, took arms, blew our conch shells, and collected the neighbors; for we thought cowherds would make a poor fight of it
against well-grown and young foreigners. After a long time, our numbers were complete. But the stranger fell down, his pulsing beat of madness gone, his chin dripping with foam; when we saw him, so conveniently fallen, each of us went to work,
hurling and striking at him. The other stranger wiped off the foam and tended his body, covering him with a finely-woven robe, looking out for the attacking blows, treating his friend kindly with his care.

> Greek: ἡμεῖς δὲ συσταλέντες, ὡς θαμβούμενοι,
σιγῇ καθήμεθʼ· ὃ δὲ χερὶ σπάσας ξίφος,
μόσχους ὀρούσας ἐς μέσας λέων ὅπως,
παίει σιδήρῳ λαγόνας ἐς πλευράς θʼ ἱείς,
δοκῶν Ἐρινῦς θεὰς ἀμύνεσθαι τάδε,
ὡς αἱματηρὸν πέλαγος ἐξανθεῖν ἁλός.
κἀν τῷδε πᾶς τις, ὡς ὁρᾷ βουφόρβια
πίπτοντα καὶ πορθούμενʼ, ἐξωπλίζετο,
κόχλους τε φυσῶν συλλέγων τʼ ἐγχωρίους·
πρὸς εὐτραφεῖς γὰρ καὶ νεανίας ξένους
φαύλους μάχεσθαι βουκόλους ἡγούμεθα.
πολλοὶ δʼ ἐπληρώθημεν ἐν μακρῷ χρόνῳ.
πίπτει δὲ μανίας πίτυλον ὁ ξένος μεθείς,
στάζων ἀφρῷ γένειον· ὡς δʼ ἐσείδομεν
προύργου πεσόντα, πᾶς ἀνὴρ ἔσχεν πόνον
βάλλων ἀράσσων. ἅτερος δὲ τοῖν ξένοιν
ἀφρόν τʼ ἀπέψη σώματός τʼ ἐτημέλει
πέπλων τε προυκάλυπτεν εὐπήνους ὑφάς,
καραδοκῶν μὲν τἀπιόντα τραύματα,
φίλον δὲ θεραπείαισιν ἄνδρʼ εὐεργετῶν.

[¶52] The stranger, now in his senses, started up from his fall and realized the surge of enemies close at hand and the present danger to them both, with a groan; we did not let up our attack with stones, pressing hard from all sides.

> Greek: ἔμφρων δʼ ἀνᾴξας ὁ ξένος πεσήματος
ἔγνω κλύδωνα πολεμίων προσκείμενον
καὶ τὴν παροῦσαν συμφορὰν αὐτοῖν πέλας,
ᾤμωξέ θʼ· ἡμεῖς δʼ οὐκ ἀνίεμεν πέτροις
βάλλοντες, ἄλλος ἄλλοθεν προσκείμενοι.

[¶53] Then we heard his dreadful exhortation: “Pylades, we shall die, but let us die with glory; draw your sword, and follow me.”
But when we saw our enemies brandishing their two swords, we fled and filled up the rocky glens.

> Greek: οὗ δὴ τὸ δεινὸν παρακέλευσμʼ ἠκούσαμεν·
Πυλάδη, θανούμεθʼ, ἀλλʼ ὅπως θανούμεθα
κάλλισθʼ· ἕπου μοι, φάσγανον σπάσας χερί. —
ὡς δʼ εἴδομεν δίπαλτα πολεμίων ξίφη,
φυγῇ λεπαίας ἐξεπίμπλαμεν νάπας.

[¶54] But while some would flee, others pressed on and attacked them; if they drove those back, the ones who had just given way struck them with stones again. But it was hard to believe; with so many hands, no one succeeded in hitting these offerings to the goddess.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ, εἰ φύγοι τις, ἅτεροι προσκείμενοι
ἔβαλλον αὐτούς· εἰ δὲ τούσδʼ ὠσαίατο,
αὖθις τὸ νῦν ὑπεῖκον ἤρασσεν πέτροις.
ἀλλʼ ἦν ἄπιστον· μυρίων γὰρ ἐκ χερῶν
οὐδεὶς τὰ τῆς θεοῦ θύματʼ εὐτύχει βαλών.

[¶55] We got the better of them with difficulty; not by daring, but by surrounding them in a circle, with stones we took away their swords; they sank on their knees to the ground, in weariness. Then we brought them to the lord of this land. He saw them, and at once
sent them to you, for purification and slaughter. You have prayed for such sacrificial victims as these strangers, lady; if you destroy them, Hellas will make atonement for your murder and pay the penalty for the sacrifice in Aulis.

> Greek: μόλις δέ νιν τόλμῃ μὲν οὐ χειρούμεθα,
κύκλῳ δὲ περιβαλόντες ἐξεκλέψαμεν
πέτροισι χειρῶν φάσγανʼ, ἐς δὲ γῆν γόνυ
καμάτῳ καθεῖσαν. πρὸς δʼ ἄνακτα τῆσδε γῆς
κομίζομέν νιν. ὃ δʼ ἐσιδὼν ὅσον τάχος
ἐς χέρνιβάς τε καὶ σφαγεῖʼ ἔπεμπέ σοι.
ηὔχου δὲ τοιάδʼ, ὦ νεᾶνί, σοι ξένων
σφάγια παρεῖναι· κἂν ἀναλίσκῃς ξένους
τοιούσδε, τὸν σὸν Ἑλλὰς ἀποτείσει φόνον
δίκας τίνουσα τῆς ἐν Αὐλίδι σφαγῆς.

[¶56] Chorus Leader:
You have told an amazing story about this madman, whoever he is, who has come from Hellas to the Black Sea.

> Greek: Χορός:
θαυμάστʼ ἔλεξας τὸν μανένθʼ, ὅστις ποτὲ
Ἕλληνος ἐκ γῆς πόντον ἦλθεν ἄξενον.

[¶57] Iphigenia:
Very well. You go and bring the strangers here; the holy rites will be my concern. Exit Herdsman.
O my unhappy heart, you were gentle to strangers before,
and always full of pity, measuring out tears for the sake of our common race, whenever Hellenes came into your hands. But now, after those dreams that have made me savage, thinking that Orestes is no longer alive,
whoever comes here will find me harsh to them. This is true after all, my friends, I have realized: the unfortunate, when themselves doing badly, do not have kind thoughts towards those who are more unfortunate.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
εἶἑν· σὺ μὲν κόμιζε τοὺς ξένους μολών,
τὰ δʼ ἐνθάδʼ ἡμεῖς ὅσια φροντιούμεθα —
ὦ καρδία τάλαινα, πρὶν μὲν ἐς ξένους
γαληνὸς ἦσθα καὶ φιλοικτίρμων ἀεί,
ἐς θοὑμόφυλον ἀναμετρουμένη δάκρυ,
Ἕλληνας ἄνδρας ἡνίκʼ ἐς χέρας λάβοις.
νῦν δʼ ἐξ ὀνείρων οἷσιν ἠγριώμεθα,
δοκοῦσʼ Ὀρέστην μηκέθʼ ἥλιον βλέπειν,
δύσνουν με λήψεσθʼ, οἵτινές ποθʼ ἥκετε.
καὶ τοῦτʼ ἄρʼ ἦν ἀληθές, ᾐσθόμην, φίλαι·
οἱ δυστυχεῖς γὰρ τοῖσι δυστυχεστέροις
αὐτοὶ κακῶς πράξαντες οὐ φρονοῦσιν εὖ.

[¶58] But no breeze from Zeus ever came,
or a boat, bringing Helen here, through the rocks of the Symplegedes—Helen who destroyed me, with Menelaus, so that I might avenge myself on them, setting an Aulis here against that one there, where the Danaids overpowered me and were going to sacrifice me like a calf,
and my own father was the priest.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ οὔτε πνεῦμα Διόθεν ἦλθε πώποτε,
οὐ πορθμίς, ἥτις διὰ πέτρας Συμπληγάδας
Ἑλένην ἀπήγαγʼ ἐνθάδʼ, ἥ μʼ ἀπώλεσεν,
Μενέλεών θʼ, ἵνʼ αὐτοὺς ἀντετιμωρησάμην,
τὴν ἐνθάδʼ Αὖλιν ἀντιθεῖσα τῆς ἐκεῖ,
οὗ μʼ ὥστε μόσχον Δαναΐδαι χειρούμενοι
ἔσφαζον, ἱερεὺς δʼ ἦν ὁ γεννήσας πατήρ.

[¶59] Ah me!—I cannot forget those past evils—how often did I stroke my father’s cheek and, hanging on his knees, told him: “O father, I am brought”
“to a shameful betrothal by you; but while you are killing me, my mother and the Argive women are singing wedding hymns, and the whole house is filled with the music of flutes; but I am being destroyed by you. For Achilles was Hades after all, not the son of Peleus,”
“whom you held out to me as a husband, and you brought me in a chariot to a bloody wedding by treachery.” But I was modestly looking out through a fine veil, and did not take up my brother in my arms—and now he is dead—did not kiss my sister,
because I was going to the house of Peleus; I put off many embraces to another time, thinking that I would come back again to Argos.

> Greek: οἴμοι — κακῶν γὰρ τῶν τότʼ οὐκ ἀμνημονῶ —
ὅσας γενείου χεῖρας ἐξηκόντισα
γονάτων τε τοῦ τεκόντος, ἐξαρτωμένη,
λέγουσα τοιάδʼ· ὦ πάτερ, νυμφεύομαι
νυμφεύματʼ αἰσχρὰ πρὸς σέθεν· μήτηρ δʼ ἐμὲ
σέθεν κατακτείνοντος Ἀργεῖαί τε νῦν
ὑμνοῦσιν ὑμεναίοισιν, αὐλεῖται δὲ πᾶν
μέλαθρον· ἡμεῖς δʼ ὀλλύμεσθα πρὸς σέθεν.
Ἅιδης Ἀχιλλεὺς ἦν ἄρʼ, οὐχ ὁ Πηλέως,
ὅν μοι προσείσας πόσιν, ἐν ἁρμάτων ὄχοις
ἐς αἱματηρὸν γάμον ἐπόρθμευσας δόλῳ.
ἐγὼ δὲ λεπτῶν ὄμμα διὰ καλυμμάτων
ἔχουσʼ, ἀδελφόν τʼ οὐκ ἀνειλόμην χεροῖν,
— ὃς νῦν ὄλωλεν — οὐ κασιγνήτῃ στόμα
συνῆψʼ ὑπʼ αἰδοῦς, ὡς ἰοῦσʼ ἐς Πηλέως
μέλαθρα· πολλὰ δʼ ἀπεθέμην ἀσπάσματα
ἐς αὖθις, ὡς ἥξουσʼ ἐς Ἄργος αὖ πάλιν.

[¶60] My unhappy Orestes, if you are dead, what glories have you left, what achievements of a father!
I blame the goddess’ subtleties; whichever mortal has engaged in murder, or has touched a woman in childbirth or a corpse, she drives from her altars, thinking him impure; but she herself delights in human sacrifices.

> Greek: ὦ τλῆμον, εἰ τέθνηκας, ἐξ οἵων καλῶν
ἔρρεις, Ὀρέστα, καὶ πατρὸς ζηλωμάτων —
τὰ τῆς θεοῦ δὲ μέμφομαι σοφίσματα,
ἥτις βροτῶν μὲν ἤν τις ἅψηται φόνου,
ἢ καὶ λοχείας ἢ νεκροῦ θίγῃ χεροῖν,
βωμῶν ἀπείργει, μυσαρὸν ὡς ἡγουμένη,
αὐτὴ δὲ θυσίαις ἥδεται βροτοκτόνοις.

[¶61] It is not possible that Leto, the wife of Zeus, gave birth to such folly. I judge that the feast prepared by Tantalus for the gods is not to be believed, that they fed on the flesh of his son; and I think that the people here, who are themselves killers of men,
ascribe to the goddess their sorry behavior. For I believe that no god is evil.

> Greek: οὐκ ἔσθʼ ὅπως ἔτεκεν ἂν ἡ Διὸς δάμαρ
Λητὼ τοσαύτην ἀμαθίαν. ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν
τὰ Ταντάλου θεοῖσιν ἑστιάματα
ἄπιστα κρίνω, παιδὸς ἡσθῆναι βορᾷ,
τοὺς δʼ ἐνθάδʼ, αὐτοὺς ὄντας ἀνθρωποκτόνους,
ἐς τὴν θεὸν τὸ φαῦλον ἀναφέρειν δοκῶ·
οὐδένα γὰρ οἶμαι δαιμόνων εἶναι κακόν.

[¶62] Chorus:
Dark straits of the sea, dark, where the gadfly flying from Argos
crossed over the inhospitable wave... taking the Asian land in exchange for Europe. Whoever are the ones who left the lovely waters
of Eurotas, green with reeds, or the holy streams of Dirce, to come here, to come to the unsociable land, where, for the divine maiden, the blood of mortals stains
the altars and columned temples?

> Greek: Χορός:
κυάνεαι κυάνεαι
σύνοδοι θαλάσσας, ἵνʼ οἶ-
στρος ὁ πετόμενος Ἀργόθεν ἄ-
ξενον ἐπʼ οἶδμα διεπέρασεν —
Ἀσιήτιδα γαῖαν
Εὐρώπας διαμείψας.
τίνες ποτʼ ἄρα τὸν εὔυδρον δονακόχλοα
λιπόντες Εὐρώταν ἢ
ῥεύματα σεμνὰ Δίρκας
ἔβασαν ἔβασαν ἄμεικτον αἶαν, ἔνθα κούρᾳ
δίᾳ τέγγει
βωμοὺς καὶ περικίονας
ναοὺς αἷμα βρότειον;

[¶63] Chorus:
Did they sail the pine-wood oars with double beat of surge, over the waves of the sea,
a chariot of a ship in breezes that move the linen sails, to increase the contest of wealth for their halls? For hope is sweet, and
insatiable in mortals, to their hurt, for those who bear away the weight of wealth, wandering over the wave and crossing to barbarian cities, with one expectation. But thought of wealth comes at the wrong time for some,
while for others it comes moderately.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἦ ῥοθίοις εἰλατίνας
δικρότοισι κώπας ἔπλευ-
σαν ἐπὶ πόντια κύματα, νά-
ιον ὄχημα λινοπόροις αὔραις,
φιλόπλουτον ἅμιλλαν
αὔξοντες μελάθροισιν;
φίλα γὰρ ἐλπίς γʼ, ἐπί τε πήμασιν βροτῶν
ἄπληστος ἀνθρώποις, ὄλ-
βου βάρος οἳ φέρονται
πλάνητες ἐπʼ οἶδμα πόλεις τε βαρβάρους περῶντες,
κοινᾷ δόξᾳ·
γνώμα δʼ οἷς μὲν ἄκαιρος ὄλ-
βου, τοῖς δʼ ἐς μέσον ἥκει.

[¶64] Chorus:
The rocks that rush together, the sleepless shores of Phineus—how did they cross them, running along the salty coast
on Amphitrite’s surge, where the fifty daughters of Nereus... the circular choruses sing,
with wind in the sails, the guiding rudder creaking under the stern, with southern breezes or by the blasts of the west wind,
to the land of many birds, the white strand, Achilles’ lovely race-course, over the Black Sea?

> Greek: Χορός:
πῶς πέτρας τὰς συνδρομάδας,
πῶς Φινεϊδᾶν ἀΰ-
πνους ἀκτὰς ἐπέρασαν
παρʼ ἅλιον
αἰγιαλὸν ἐπʼ Ἀμφιτρί-
τας ῥοθίῳ δραμόντες,
ὅπου πεντήκοντα κορᾶν
Νηρῄδων … χοροὶ
μέλπουσιν ἐγκύκλιοι,
πλησιστίοισι πνοαῖς
συριζόντων κατὰ πρύμναν
εὐναίων πηδαλίων
αὔραις ⟨σὺν⟩ νοτίαις
ἢ πνεύμασι Ζεφύρου,
τὰν πολυόρνιθον ἐπʼ αἶ-
αν, λευκὰν ἀκτάν, Ἀχιλῆ-
ος δρόμους καλλισταδίους,
ἄξεινον κατὰ πόντον;

[¶65] Chorus:
Would that, by my mistress’ prayers, Helen, Leda’s dear child,
might happen to leave Troy and come here, where she might die, crowned over her hair by the bloody water,
her throat cut by the hands of my mistress, and so pay her requital. But what a sweet message I should receive, if a sailor came from Hellas,
to put an end to my wretched slavery! For may I even in dreams be at home and in my ancestral city, the enjoyment of pleasant sleep,
a grace we have in common with prosperity.

> Greek: Χορός:
εἴθʼ εὐχαῖσιν δεσποσύνοις
Λήδας Ἑλένα φίλα
παῖς ἐλθοῦσα τύχοι τὰν
Τρῳάδα λι-
ποῦσα πόλιν, ἵνʼ ἀμφὶ χαί-
τᾳ δρόσον αἱματηρὰν
ἑλιχθεῖσα λαιμοτόμῳ
δεσποίνας χειρὶ θάνοι
ποινὰς δοῦσʼ ἀντιπάλους.
ἁδίσταν δʼ ἀγγελίαν
δεξαίμεσθʼ, Ἑλλάδος ἐκ γᾶς
πλωτήρων εἴ τις ἔβα,
δουλείας ἐμέθεν
δειλαίας παυσίπονος·
κἀν γὰρ ὀνείροισι συνεί-
ην δόμοις πόλει τε πατρῴ-
ᾳ, τερπνῶν ὕπνων ἀπόλαυ-
σιν, κοινὰν χάριν ὄλβου.

[¶66] Chorus Leader:
But here come the two youths, with tightly bound hands, the new sacrifice for the goddess; silence, my friends. These first-fruits of Hellas are indeed
approaching the temple; the herdman did not deliver a false message.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀλλʼ οἵδε χέρας δεσμοῖς δίδυμοι
συνερεισθέντες χωροῦσι, νέον
πρόσφαγμα θεᾶς· σιγᾶτε, φίλαι.
τὰ γὰρ Ἑλλήνων ἀκροθίνια δὴ
ναοῖσι πέλας τάδε βαίνει·
οὐδʼ ἀγγελίας ψευδεῖς ἔλακεν
βουφορβὸς ἀνήρ.

[¶67] Lady Artemis, if this city carries out the rites in a way pleasing to you, accept the victims,
which the custom among us declares to be unholy.

> Greek: ὦ πότνιʼ, εἴ σοι τάδʼ ἀρεσκόντως
πόλις ἥδε τελεῖ, δέξαι θυσίας,
ἃς ὁ παρʼ ἡμῖν νόμος οὐχ ὁσίας
[Ἕλλησι διδοὺς] ἀναφαίνει.

[¶68] Iphigenia:
Enough; first, it will be my care to perform well the rites of the goddess. Unbind the strangers’ hands, so that, as holy victims, they may no longer be in chains.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
εἶἑν·
τὰ τῆς θεοῦ μὲν πρῶτον ὡς καλῶς ἔχῃ
φροντιστέον μοι. μέθετε τῶν ξένων χέρας,
ὡς ὄντες ἱεροὶ μηκέτʼ ὦσι δέσμιοι.

[¶69] Then go into the temple and make ready what is necessary and customary at the present time.

> Greek: ναοῦ δʼ ἔσω στείχοντες εὐτρεπίζετε
ἃ χρὴ ʼπὶ τοῖς παροῦσι καὶ νομίζεται.

[¶70] (Turning to the prisoners.) Ah! Who was your mother, who gave you birth, and your father? And your sister, if you happen to have one... such two youths as she has lost,
and will be without a brother! Who knows where such fortunes will arrive? For all the gods’ affairs creep on in darkness, and no one knows evil... fate leads us on towards what we cannot know.

> Greek: φεῦ·
τίς ἆρα μήτηρ ἡ τεκοῦσʼ ὑμᾶς ποτε
πατήρ τʼ; ἀδελφή τʼ, εἰ γεγῶσα τυγχάνει —
οἵων στερεῖσα διπτύχων νεανιῶν
ἀνάδελφος ἔσται. — τὰς τύχας τίς οἶδʼ ὅτῳ
τοιαίδʼ ἔσονται; πάντα γὰρ τὰ τῶν θεῶν
ἐς ἀφανὲς ἕρπει, κοὐδὲν οἶδʼ οὐδεὶς κακὸν
⟨… ⟩
ἡ γὰρ τύχη παρήγαγʼ ἐς τὸ δυσμαθές.

[¶71] Unhappy strangers, where have you come from?

> Greek: πόθεν ποθʼ ἥκετʼ, ὦ ταλαίπωροι ξένοι;

[¶72] For you have sailed a long time to reach this land, and you will be away from your home a long time, in the world below.

> Greek: ὡς διὰ μακροῦ μὲν τήνδʼ ἐπλεύσατε χθόνα,
μακρὸν δʼ ἀπʼ οἴκων χρόνον ἔσεσθʼ ἀεὶ κάτω.

[¶73] Orestes:
Why do you lament these things, and mourn for the evils about to come upon us, lady, whoever you are? I do not think the one who is about to die wise,
if he wishes to conquer the fear of death by wailing, nor the one who laments when Hades is near and there is no hope of safety; for so he puts together two ills out of one, incurring a charge of folly and dying all the same; we must let fate alone.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τί ταῦτʼ ὀδύρῃ, κἀπὶ τοῖς μέλλουσι νῷν
κακοῖσι λυπεῖς, ἥτις εἶ ποτʼ, ὦ γύναι;
οὔτοι νομίζω σοφόν, ὃς ἂν μέλλων κτενεῖν
οἴκτῳ τὸ δεῖμα τοὐλέθρου νικᾶν θέλῃ.
οὐχ ὅστις Ἅιδην ἐγγὺς ὄντʼ οἰκτίζεται
σωτηρίας ἄνελπις· ὡς δύʼ ἐξ ἑνὸς
κακὼ συνάπτει, μωρίαν τʼ ὀφλισκάνει
θνῄσκει θʼ ὁμοίως· τὴν τύχην δʼ ἐᾶν χρεών.

[¶74] Do not grieve for us; for we are acquainted with the sacrifices here and we know them.

> Greek: ἡμᾶς δὲ μὴ θρήνει σύ· τὰς γὰρ ἐνθάδε
θυσίας ἐπιστάμεσθα καὶ γιγνώσκομεν.

[¶75] Iphigenia:
Which of you is called by the name of Pylades? I want to know this first.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
πότερος ἄρʼ ὑμῶν ἐνθάδʼ ὠνομασμένος
Πυλάδης κέκληται; τόδε μαθεῖν πρῶτον θέλω.

[¶76] Orestes:
That one, if you have any pleasure in the knowledge.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὅδʼ, εἴ τι δή σοι τοῦτʼ ἐν ἡδονῇ μαθεῖν.

[¶77] Iphigenia:
Of what city of Hellas were you born a citizen?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ποίας πολίτης πατρίδος Ἕλληνος γεγώς;

[¶78] Orestes:
What would you gain by learning this, lady?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τί δʼ ἂν μαθοῦσα τόδε πλέον λάβοις, γύναι;

[¶79] Iphigenia:
Are you brothers, from one mother?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
πότερον ἀδελφὼ μητρός ἐστον ἐκ μιᾶς;

[¶80] Orestes:
By friendship, yes; we are not brothers by birth, lady.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
φιλότητί γʼ· ἐσμὲν δʼ οὐ κασιγνήτω, γύναι.

[¶81] Iphigenia:
What name did your father give you?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
σοὶ δʼ ὄνομα ποῖον ἔθεθʼ ὁ γεννήσας πατήρ;

[¶82] Orestes:
I might rightly be called Unfortunate.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τὸ μὲν δίκαιον Δυστυχὴς καλοίμεθʼ ἄν.

[¶83] Iphigenia:
I do not ask that; ascribe that to fortune.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
οὐ τοῦτʼ ἐρωτῶ· τοῦτο μὲν δὸς τῇ τύχῃ.

[¶84] Orestes:
If I die unnamed, I would not be mocked at.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἀνώνυμοι θανόντες οὐ γελῴμεθʼ ἄν.

[¶85] Iphigenia:
Why do you begrudge this? Are you so proud?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
τί δὲ φθονεῖς τοῦτο; ἦ φρονεῖς οὕτω μέγα;

[¶86] Orestes:
You will sacrifice my body, not my name.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τὸ σῶμα θύσεις τοὐμόν, οὐχὶ τοὔνομα.

[¶87] Iphigenia:
Can you not say what city you are from?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
οὐδʼ ἂν πόλιν φράσειας ἥτις ἐστί σοι;

[¶88] Orestes:
You are seeking nothing profitable, since I am going to die.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ζητεῖς γὰρ οὐδὲν κέρδος, ὡς θανουμένῳ.

[¶89] Iphigenia:
What hinders you from doing me this favor?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
χάριν δὲ δοῦναι τήνδε κωλύει τί σε;

[¶90] Orestes:
The famous Argos I claim as my native land.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τὸ κλεινὸν Ἄργος πατρίδʼ ἐμὴν ἐπεύχομαι.

[¶91] Iphigenia:
By the gods, truly, stranger, were you born there?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
πρὸς θεῶν, ἀληθῶς, ὦ ξένʼ, εἶ κεῖθεν γεγώς;

[¶92] Orestes:
Yes, from Mycenae, which was once prosperous.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἐκ τῶν Μυκηνῶν ⟨γʼ⟩, αἵ ποτʼ ἦσαν ὄλβιαι.

[¶93] Iphigenia:
Have you left your country as an exile, or by what fate?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
φυγὰς ⟨δʼ⟩ ἀπῆρας πατρίδος, ἢ ποίᾳ τύχῃ;

[¶94] Orestes:
My flight is in some manner willed and unwilled.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
φεύγω τρόπον γε δή τινʼ οὐχ ἑκὼν ἑκών.

[¶95] Iphigenia:
Could you then tell me something that I wish to know?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἆρʼ ἄν τί μοι φράσειας ὧν ἐγὼ θέλω;

[¶96] Orestes:
It will be no great addition to my own misfortune.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὡς ἐν παρέργῳ τῆς ἐμῆς δυσπραξίας.

[¶97] Iphigenia:
Indeed, I am so glad that you have come from Argos!

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
καὶ μὴν ποθεινός γʼ ἦλθες ἐξ Ἄργους μολών.

[¶98] Orestes:
I am not; but if you are, take pleasure in it.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὔκουν ἐμαυτῷ γʼ· εἰ δὲ σοί, σὺ τοῦτʼ ἔρα.

[¶99] Iphigenia:
Perhaps you know Troy, whose fame is everywhere.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
Τροίαν ἴσως οἶσθʼ, ἧς ἁπανταχοῦ λόγος.

[¶100] Orestes:
Would that I did not, even seen in a dream!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὡς μήποτʼ ὤφελόν γε μηδʼ ἰδὼν ὄναρ.

[¶101] Iphigenia:
They say it is no more, lost to the spear.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
φασίν νιν οὐκέτʼ οὖσαν οἴχεσθαι δορί.

[¶102] Orestes:
It is so; you have heard nothing that has not happened.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἔστιν γὰρ οὕτως οὐδʼ ἄκραντʼ ἠκούσατε.

[¶103] Iphigenia:
Has Helen come back to Menelaus’ home?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
Ἑλένη δʼ ἀφῖκται δῶμα Μενέλεω πάλιν;

[¶104] Orestes:
She has; it was an unfortunate arrival for one dear to me.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἥκει, κακῶς γʼ ἐλθοῦσα τῶν ἐμῶν τινι.

[¶105] Iphigenia:
And where is she? She deserves an ill turn from me also.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
καὶ ποῦ ʼστι; κἀμοὶ γάρ τι προυφείλει κακόν.

[¶106] Orestes:
She lives at Sparta with her former bedfellow.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
Σπάρτῃ ξυνοικεῖ τῷ πάρος ξυνευνέτῃ.

[¶107] Iphigenia:
Creature hated by Hellas, not by me alone!

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ὦ μῖσος εἰς Ἕλληνας, οὐκ ἐμοὶ μόνῃ.

[¶108] Orestes:
I have also had some benefit from the marriage of that woman!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἀπέλαυσα κἀγὼ δή τι τῶν κείνης γάμων.

[¶109] Iphigenia:
Have the Achaeans returned, as reported?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
νόστος δʼ Ἀχαιῶν ἐγένεθʼ, ὡς κηρύσσεται;

[¶110] Orestes:
How you put everything together and ask me all at once!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὡς πάνθʼ ἅπαξ με συλλαβοῦσʼ ἀνιστορεῖς.

[¶111] Iphigenia:
Before you die, I want to profit by your answers.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
πρὶν γὰρ θανεῖν σε, τοῦδʼ ἐπαυρέσθαι θέλω.

[¶112] Orestes:
Question me, since you desire this; I will tell you.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἔλεγχʼ, ἐπειδὴ τοῦδʼ ἐρᾷς· λέξω δʼ ἐγώ.

[¶113] Iphigenia:
Has a certain Calchas, a prophet, come back from Troy?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
Κάλχας τις ἦλθε μάντις ἐκ Τροίας πάλιν;

[¶114] Orestes:
He is dead, as the story goes in Mycenae.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὄλωλεν, ὡς ἦν ἐν Μυκηναίοις λόγος.

[¶115] Iphigenia:
O goddess, how good that is! What about Odysseus?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ὦ πότνιʼ, ὡς εὖ. — τί γὰρ ὁ Λαέρτου γόνος;

[¶116] Orestes:
He has not yet returned, but is alive, they say.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὔπω νενόστηκʼ οἶκον, ἔστι δʼ, ὡς λόγος.

[¶117] Iphigenia:
May he die and never achieve a return to his country!

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ὄλοιτο, νόστου μήποτʼ ἐς πάτραν τυχών.

[¶118] Orestes:
Do not pray against that man; all is misery for him.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
μηδὲν κατεύχου· πάντα τἀκείνου νοσεῖ.

[¶119] Iphigenia:
But is the son of Thetis the Nereid still alive?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
Θέτιδος δʼ ὁ τῆς Νηρῇδος ἔστι παῖς ἔτι;

## 2. Lines 538–1016

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-iphigenia-in-tauris/2/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-iphigenia-in-tauris/2/#p-N

[¶0] Orestes:
He is not; his marriage at Aulis was in vain.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐκ ἔστιν· ἄλλως λέκτρʼ ἔγημʼ ἐν Αὐλίδι.

[¶1] Iphigenia:
Yes, for it was a cheat, as those who experienced it know.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
δόλια γάρ, ὡς ἴσασιν οἱ πεπονθότες.

[¶2] Orestes:
Who are you? How well you ask about Hellas!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τίς εἶ ποθʼ; ὡς εὖ πυνθάνῃ τἀφʼ Ἑλλάδος.

[¶3] Iphigenia:
I am from there; while still a child I was lost.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἐκεῖθέν εἰμι· παῖς ἔτʼ οὖσʼ ἀπωλόμην.

[¶4] Orestes:
Then rightly you desire to know what has happened there, lady.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὀρθῶς ποθεῖς ἄρʼ εἰδέναι τἀκεῖ, γύναι.

[¶5] Iphigenia:
What about the general, who is said to be happy?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
τί δʼ ὁ στρατηγός, ὃν λέγουσʼ εὐδαιμονεῖν;

[¶6] Orestes:
Who? The one I knew was not happy.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τίς; οὐ γὰρ ὅν γʼ ἐγᾦδα τῶν εὐδαιμόνων.

[¶7] Iphigenia:
There was said to be a certain lord, Agamemnon, son of Atreus.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
Ἀτρέως ἐλέγετο δή τις Ἀγαμέμνων ἄναξ.

[¶8] Orestes:
I do not know; leave this subject, lady.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐκ οἶδʼ· ἄπελθε τοῦ λόγου τούτου, γύναι.

[¶9] Iphigenia:
No, by the gods, but tell me, stranger, to delight me.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
μὴ πρὸς θεῶν, ἀλλʼ εἴφʼ, ἵνʼ εὐφρανθῶ, ξένε.

[¶10] Orestes:
The wretched man is dead, and in addition he destroyed another.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τέθνηχʼ ὁ τλήμων, πρὸς δʼ ἀπώλεσέν τινα.

[¶11] Iphigenia:
Dead? By what fate? I am unhappy!

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
τέθνηκε; ποίᾳ συμφορᾷ; τάλαινʼ ἐγώ.

[¶12] Orestes:
Why do you mourn for this? It doesn’t concern you, does it?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τί δʼ ἐστέναξας τοῦτο; μῶν προσῆκέ σοι;

[¶13] Iphigenia:
I grieve for his former prosperity.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
τὸν ὄλβον αὐτοῦ τὸν πάροιθʼ ἀναστένω.

[¶14] Orestes:
Yes, for he was dreadfully murdered by a woman.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
δεινῶς γὰρ ἐκ γυναικὸς οἴχεται σφαγείς.

[¶15] Iphigenia:
O miserable the slayer... and the slain!

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ὦ πανδάκρυτος ἡ κτανοῦσα … χὡ κτανών.

[¶16] Orestes:
Stop now, and do not ask further.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
παῦσαί νυν ἤδη μηδʼ ἐρωτήσῃς πέρα.

[¶17] Iphigenia:
Only this much, if the wife of the wretched man is alive.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
τοσόνδε γʼ, εἰ ζῇ τοῦ ταλαιπώρου δάμαρ.

[¶18] Orestes:
She is not; she was killed by the son that she bore.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐκ ἔστι· παῖς νιν ὃν ἔτεχʼ, οὗτος ὤλεσεν.

[¶19] Iphigenia:
O house thrown into confusion! What was his intent?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ὦ συνταραχθεὶς οἶκος. ὡς τί δὴ θέλων;

[¶20] Orestes:
To avenge on her the death of his father.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
πατρὸς θανόντος τήνδε τιμωρούμενος.

[¶21] Iphigenia:
Ah! How well he exacted an evil justice!

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
φεῦ·
ὡς εὖ κακὸν δίκαιον εἰσεπράξατο.

[¶22] Orestes:
Though he is just, he does not have good fortune from the gods.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἀλλʼ οὐ τὰ πρὸς θεῶν εὐτυχεῖ δίκαιος ὤν.

[¶23] Iphigenia:
Did Agamemnon leave any other children in his house?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
λείπει δʼ ἐν οἴκοις ἄλλον Ἀγαμέμνων γόνον;

[¶24] Orestes:
He left one virgin daughter, Electra.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
λέλοιπεν Ἠλέκτραν γε παρθένον μίαν.

[¶25] Iphigenia:
What else? Is there any report of the daughter who was sacrificed?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
τί δέ; σφαγείσης θυγατρὸς ἔστι τις λόγος;

[¶26] Orestes:
None, except that she is dead and does not see the light.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐδείς γε, πλὴν θανοῦσαν οὐχ ὁρᾶν φάος.

[¶27] Iphigenia:
Unhappy girl, and also the father that killed her!

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
τάλαινʼ ἐκείνη χὡ κτανὼν αὐτὴν πατήρ.

[¶28] Orestes:
As a thankless favor to an evil woman, she died.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
κακῆς γυναικὸς χάριν ἄχαριν ἀπώλετο.

[¶29] Iphigenia:
Does the dead father’s son live at Argos?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ὁ τοῦ θανόντος δʼ ἔστι παῖς Ἄργει πατρός;

[¶30] Orestes:
He lives, the miserable one, both nowhere and everywhere.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἔστʼ, ἄθλιός γε, κοὐδαμοῦ καὶ πανταχοῦ.

[¶31] Iphigenia:
False dreams, farewell; after all, you were nothing.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ψευδεῖς ὄνειροι, χαίρετʼ· οὐδὲν ἦτʼ ἄρα.

[¶32] Orestes:
And those who are called wise divinities are not less false than winged dreams. These is much confusion, both in divine affairs and in human; but only this is a grief to the one who was not foolish, but trusted in the words of prophets
and died—as he died to those that know.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐδʼ οἱ σοφοί γε δαίμονες κεκλημένοι
πτηνῶν ὀνείρων εἰσὶν ἀψευδέστεροι.
πολὺς ταραγμὸς ἔν τε τοῖς θείοις ἔνι
κἀν τοῖς βροτείοις· ἓν δὲ λυπεῖται μόνον,
ὃς οὐκ ἄφρων ὢν μάντεων πεισθεὶς λόγοις
ὄλωλεν — ὡς ὄλωλε τοῖσιν εἰδόσιν.

[¶33] Chorus Leader:
Ah! What about me, and my parents? Are they alive? Are they not? Who can say?

> Greek: Χορός:
φεῦ φεῦ· τί δʼ ἡμεῖς οἵ τʼ ἐμοὶ γεννήτορες;
ἆρʼ εἰσίν; ἆρʼ οὐκ εἰσί; τίς φράσειεν ἄν;

[¶34] Iphigenia:
Listen to me; I have come to a subject which means benefit both to you, strangers,
and to me, by your efforts. A good action is especially so, if the same matter is pleasing to all. Would you, if I should save you, go to Argos and take a report of me to my friends there, and bring a tablet,
which a captive wrote for me in pity? He did not think my hand murderous, but that the victims of the goddess, who holds these things just, die under the law. For I have had no one to go back to Argos with that message, who,
being saved, would send my letter to one of my friends. But you—if, as it seems, you are not hostile to me, and you know Mycenae and those whom I want you to know—be rescued, and have this reward, not a shameful one, safety for the sake of this small letter.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἀκούσατʼ· ἐς γὰρ δή τινʼ ἥκομεν λόγον,
ὑμῖν τʼ ὄνησιν, ὦ ξένοι, σπουδῆς ἅμα
κἀμοί. τὸ δʼ εὖ μάλιστά γʼ οὕτω γίγνεται,
εἰ πᾶσι ταὐτὸν πρᾶγμʼ ἀρεσκόντως ἔχει.
θέλοις ἄν, εἰ σῴσαιμί σʼ, ἀγγεῖλαί τί μοι
πρὸς Ἄργος ἐλθὼν τοῖς ἐμοῖς ἐκεῖ φίλοις,
δέλτον τʼ ἐνεγκεῖν, ἥν τις οἰκτίρας ἐμὲ
ἔγραψεν αἰχμάλωτος, οὐχὶ τὴν ἐμὴν
φονέα νομίζων χεῖρα, τοῦ νόμου δʼ ὕπο
θνῄσκειν τὰ τῆς θεοῦ, τάδε δίκαιʼ ἡγουμένης;
οὐδένα γὰρ εἶχον ὅστις ἀγγείλαι μολὼν
ἐς Ἄργος αὖθις, τάς ⟨τʼ⟩ ἐμὰς ἐπιστολὰς
πέμψειε σωθεὶς τῶν ἐμῶν φίλων τινί.
σὺ δʼ — εἶ γάρ, ὡς ἔοικας, οὔτε δυσμενὴς
καὶ τὰς Μυκήνας οἶσθα χοὓς κἀγὼ θέλω —
σώθητι, καὶ σὺ μισθὸν οὐκ αἰσχρὸν λαβών,
κούφων ἕκατι γραμμάτων σωτηρίαν.

[¶35] But let him, since the city exacts it, be the offering to the goddess, separated from you.

> Greek: οὗτος δʼ, ἐπείπερ πόλις ἀναγκάζει τάδε,
θεᾷ γενέσθω θῦμα χωρισθεὶς σέθεν.

[¶36] Orestes:
Stranger, you have spoken all well but this: to sacrifice him would be a heavy grief to me. I am the pilot of these misfortunes,
he sailed with me for the sake of my troubles. For it is not right for me to do you a favor and get out of danger, on condition of his death. But let it happen this way: give him the letter and he will take it to to Argos, for your well-being;

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
καλῶς ἔλεξας τἄλλα πλὴν ἕν, ὦ ξένη·
τὸ γὰρ σφαγῆναι τόνδε μοι βάρος μέγα.
ὁ ναυστολῶν γάρ εἰμʼ ἐγὼ τὰς συμφοράς,
οὗτος δὲ συμπλεῖ τῶν ἐμῶν μόχθων χάριν.
οὔκουν δίκαιον ἐπʼ ὀλέθρῳ τῷ τοῦδʼ ἐμὲ
χάριν τίθεσθαι καὐτὸν ἐκδῦναι κακῶν.
ἀλλʼ ὣς γενέσθω· τῷδε μὲν δέλτον δίδου·
πέμψει γὰρ Ἄργος, ὥστε σοι καλῶς ἔχειν·

[¶37] let anyone who wishes kill me. It is most shameful for anyone to save himself by hurling his friends’ affairs into catastrophe. That man is my friend, and I wish him to live, no less than myself.

> Greek: ἡμᾶς δʼ ὁ χρῄζων κτεινέτω. τὰ τῶν φίλων
αἴσχιστον ὅστις καταβαλὼν ἐς ξυμφορὰς
αὐτὸς σέσῳσται. τυγχάνει δʼ ὅδʼ ὢν φίλος,
ὃν οὐδὲν ἧσσον ἢ ʼμὲ φῶς ὁρᾶν θέλω.

[¶38] Iphigenia:
O brave spirit! How you were born from some noble
stock, and are rightly a friend to your friends! May that one of my relatives who is left be such as you! For I am not without a brother, strangers, except in so far as I do not see him.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ὦ λῆμʼ ἄριστον, ὡς ἀπʼ εὐγενοῦς τινος
ῥίζης πέφυκας τοῖς φίλοις τʼ ὀρθῶς φίλος.
τοιοῦτος εἴη τῶν ἐμῶν ὁμοσπόρων
ὅσπερ λέλειπται. καὶ γὰρ οὐδʼ ἐγώ, ξένοι,
ἀνάδελφός εἰμι, πλὴν ὅσʼ οὐχ ὁρῶσά νιν.

[¶39] Since you wish it, I will send this man
with the tablet, and you will die; a great eagerness for this seems to possess you.

> Greek: ἐπεὶ δὲ βούλῃ ταῦτα, τόνδε πέμψομεν
δέλτον φέροντα, σὺ δὲ θανῇ· πολλὴ δέ τις
προθυμία σε τοῦδʼ ἔχουσα τυγχάνει.

[¶40] Orestes:
Who will sacrifice me and dare such a dreadful deed?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
θύσει δὲ τίς με καὶ τὰ δεινὰ τλήσεται;

[¶41] Iphigenia:
I will; for I hold the office of this goddess.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἐγώ· θεᾶς γὰρ τῆσδε προστροπὴν ἔχω.

[¶42] Orestes:
It is not envied, lady, and not blessed.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἄζηλά γʼ, ὦ νεᾶνι, κοὐκ εὐδαίμονα.

[¶43] Iphigenia:
But I am dedicated to necessity, which must be kept.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἀλλʼ εἰς ἀνάγκην κείμεθʼ, ἣν φυλακτέον.

[¶44] Orestes:
Do you yourself, a woman, sacrifice men with the sword?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
αὐτὴ ξίφει θύουσα θῆλυς ἄρσενας;

[¶45] Iphigenia:
No; but I sprinkle the holy water around your hair.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
οὔκ, ἀλλὰ χαίτην ἀμφὶ σὴν χερνίψομαι.

[¶46] Orestes:
Who is the slayer? If I may ask this.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὁ δὲ σφαγεὺς τίς; εἰ τάδʼ ἱστορεῖν με χρή.

[¶47] Iphigenia:
That charge belongs to those within this temple.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἔσω δόμων τῶνδʼ εἰσὶν οἷς μέλει τάδε.

[¶48] Orestes:
What sort of tomb will receive me, when I die?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τάφος δὲ ποῖος δέξεταί μʼ, ὅταν θάνω;

[¶49] Iphigenia:
The sacred fire within and the wide hollow of a cave.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
πῦρ ἱερὸν ἔνδον χάσμα τʼ εὐρωπὸν πέτρας.

[¶50] Orestes:
Ah! Would that my sister’s hand might lay out my body!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
φεῦ·
πῶς ἄν μʼ ἀδελφῆς χεὶρ περιστείλειεν ἄν;

[¶51] Iphigenia:
You have prayed in vain, unhappy youth, whoever you are; for she lives far from a barbarian land.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
μάταιον εὐχήν, ὦ τάλας, ὅστις ποτʼ εἶ,
ηὔξω· μακρὰν γὰρ βαρβάρου ναίει χθονός.

[¶52] Yet indeed, since you happen to be an Argive, I too will not leave out any favor that I can do. I will set much ornament on the tomb and quench your body with yellow oil, and throw onto your funeral pyre the gleaming honey, that streams from flowers,
of the tawny mountain bee.

> Greek: οὐ μήν, ἐπειδὴ τυγχάνεις Ἀργεῖος ὤν,
ἀλλʼ ὧν γε δυνατὸν οὐδʼ ἐγὼ λείψω χάριν.
πολύν τε γάρ σοι κόσμον ἐνθήσω τάφῳ,
ξανθῷ τʼ ἐλαίῳ σῶμα σὸν κατασβέσω,
καὶ τῆς ὀρείας ἀνθεμόρρυτον γάνος
ξουθῆς μελίσσης ἐς πυρὰν βαλῶ σέθεν.

[¶53] But I will go and bring the tablet from the temple of the goddess; take care not to bear me ill-will.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ εἶμι δέλτον τʼ ἐκ θεᾶς ἀνακτόρων
οἴσω· τὸ μέντοι δυσμενὲς μὴ ʼμοὶ λάβῃς.

[¶54] Guard them, attendants, without chains. Perhaps I will send unexpected news to one of my friends,
whom I especially love, in Argos; and the tablet, in telling him that those whom he thought dead are alive, will report a joy that can be believed. Exit Iphigenia.

> Greek: φυλάσσετʼ αὐτούς, πρόσπολοι, δεσμῶν ἄτερ —
ἴσως ἄελπτα τῶν ἐμῶν φίλων τινὶ
πέμψω πρὸς Ἄργος, ὃν μάλιστʼ ἐγὼ φιλῶ,
καὶ δέλτος αὐτῷ ζῶντας οὓς δοκεῖ θανεῖν
λέγουσα πιστὰς ἡδονὰς ἀπαγγελεῖ.

[¶55] Chorus:
(to Orestes.) I raise a lament for you; the drops from the holy water,
mingled with blood, will soon take you into their care.

> Greek: Χορός:
κατολοφύρομαι σὲ τὸν χερνίβων
ῥανίσι μελόμενον αἱμακταῖς.

[¶56] Orestes:
This is not a case for pity, but farewell, strangers.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οἶκτος γὰρ οὐ ταῦτʼ, ἀλλὰ χαίρετʼ, ὦ ξέναι.

[¶57] Chorus:
(to Pylades.) We honor you, young man, for your happy fate, because you will tread on your native land some day.

> Greek: Χορός:
σὲ δὲ τύχας μάκαρος, ὦ
νεανία, σεβόμεθʼ, ἐς
πάτραν ὅτι ποτʼ ἐπεμβάσῃ.

[¶58] Pylades:
An unenviable fate indeed for a friend, when his friend is to die.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ἄζηλά τοι φίλοισι, θνῃσκόντων φίλων.

[¶59] Chorus:
O cruel mission!

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ σχέτλιοι πομπαί.

[¶60] Ah, ah! You are destroyed! Alas, alas! Which is better?

> Greek: φεῦ φεῦ, διόλλυσαι.
αἰαῖ αἰαῖ. πότερος ὁ μᾶλλον;

[¶61] For still my mind disputes a double argument, shall I mourn for you or rather for you.

> Greek: ἔτι γὰρ ἀμφίλογα δίδυμα μέμονε φρήν,
σὲ πάρος ἢ σὲ ἀναστενάξω γόοις.

[¶62] Orestes:
By the gods, Pylades, do you feel the same thing I do?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
Πυλάδη, πέπονθας ταὐτὸ πρὸς θεῶν ἐμοί;

[¶63] Pylades:
I do not know; I have no reply to your question.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
οὐκ οἶδʼ· ἐρωτᾷς οὐ λέγειν ἔχοντά με.

[¶64] Orestes:
Who is the girl? How like a Hellene she questioned me about the labors in Ilium and the return of the Achaeans, and Calchas, wise in omens, and Achilles’ name; and how she pitied the wretched Agamemnon, and asked me about
his wife and children! This stranger is an Argive by race, and from that land; or she would not be sending the tablet and examining these things, as if she had some share in Argos’ prosperity.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τίς ἐστὶν ἡ νεᾶνις; ὡς Ἑλληνικῶς
ἀνήρεθʼ ἡμᾶς τούς τʼ ἐν Ἰλίῳ πόνους
νόστον τʼ Ἀχαιῶν τόν τʼ ἐν οἰωνοῖς σοφὸν
Κάλχαντʼ Ἀχιλλέως τʼ ὄνομα, καὶ τὸν ἄθλιον
Ἀγαμέμνονʼ ὡς ᾤκτιρʼ ἀνηρώτα τέ με
γυναῖκα παῖδάς τε. ἔστιν ἡ ξένη γένος
ἐκεῖθεν Ἀργεία τις· οὐ γὰρ ἄν ποτε
δέλτον τʼ ἔπεμπε καὶ τάδʼ ἐξεμάνθανεν,
ὡς κοινὰ πράσσουσʼ, Ἄργος εἰ πράσσει καλῶς.

[¶65] Pylades:
You are not much ahead of me: I was about to say the same things you said,
except this: all who move about in the world know what happens to kings. But I have arrived at another consideration.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ἔφθης με μικρόν· ταὐτὰ δὲ φθάσας λέγεις,
πλὴν ἕν· τὰ γὰρ τῶν βασιλέων παθήματα
ἴσασι πάντες, ὧν ἐπιστροφή τις ἦν.
ἀτὰρ διῆλθον χἅτερον λόγον τινά.

[¶66] Orestes:
What is it? Share it with me so that you may know better.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τίνʼ; ἐς τὸ κοινὸν δοὺς ἄμεινον ἂν μάθοις.

[¶67] Pylades:
It is shameful for me to live when you are dead;

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
αἰσχρὸν θανόντος σοῦ βλέπειν ἡμᾶς φάος·

[¶68] I sailed together with you, and I ought to die together with you. For I will seem a coward and base in Argos and Phocis of the many mountain folds. Most will think—for most people are base—that I betrayed you and saved myself to come home alone,
or I plotted your death, in the afflictions of your house, for the sake of your kingdom, since I married your sister and heiress. I fear these things and I am ashamed; and I must breathe my last with you,
be slaughtered with you and consumed on the pyre; because I am your friend and I fear reproach.

> Greek: κοινῇ τʼ ἔπλευσα … δεῖ με καὶ κοινῇ θανεῖν.
καὶ δειλίαν γὰρ καὶ κάκην κεκτήσομαι
Ἄργει τε Φωκέων τʼ ἐν πολυπτύχῳ χθονί,
δόξω δὲ τοῖς πολλοῖσι — πολλοὶ γὰρ κακοί —
προδοὺς σεσῷσθαί σʼ αὐτὸς εἰς οἴκους μόνος
ἢ καὶ φονεύσας ἐπὶ νοσοῦσι δώμασι
ῥάψαι μόρον σοι σῆς τυραννίδος χάριν,
ἔγκληρον ὡς δὴ σὴν κασιγνήτην γαμῶν.
ταῦτʼ οὖν φοβοῦμαι καὶ διʼ αἰσχύνης ἔχω,
κοὐκ ἔσθʼ ὅπως οὐ χρὴ συνεκπνεῦσαί μέ σοι
καὶ σὺν σφαγῆναι καὶ πυρωθῆναι δέμας,
φίλον γεγῶτα καὶ φοβούμενον ψόγον.

[¶69] Orestes:
Hush! I must bear my own ills, and when the grief is single, I will not bear it double. What you call vile and infamous,
would be mine, if I cause you, who have toiled with me, to die; for it is not a hardship for me, suffering as I do at the hands of the gods, to give up my life. But you are prosperous, and you have a house that is pure, not afflicted, while mine is impious and unfortunate.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
εὔφημα φώνει· τἀμὰ δεῖ φέρειν κακά,
ἁπλᾶς δὲ λύπας ἐξόν, οὐκ οἴσω διπλᾶς.
ὃ γὰρ σὺ λυπρὸν κἀπονείδιστον λέγεις,
ταὔτʼ ἔστιν ἡμῖν, εἴ σε συμμοχθοῦντʼ ἐμοὶ
κτενῶ· τὸ μὲν γὰρ εἰς ἔμʼ οὐ κακῶς ἔχει,
πράσσονθʼ ἃ πράσσω πρὸς θεῶν, λῦσαι βίον.
σὺ δʼ ὄλβιός τʼ εἶ, καθαρά τʼ, οὐ νοσοῦντʼ, ἔχεις
μέλαθρʼ, ἐγὼ δὲ δυσσεβῆ καὶ δυστυχῆ.

[¶70] If you are saved and get sons from my sister, whom I gave to you for wife, my name would remain and the whole house of my father would not be wiped out in childlessness. But go, and live, and dwell in my father’s house.

> Greek: σωθεὶς δέ, παῖδας ἐξ ἐμῆς ὁμοσπόρου
κτησάμενος, ἣν ἔδωκά σοι δάμαρτʼ ἔχειν —
ὄνομά τʼ ἐμοῦ γένοιτʼ ἄν, οὐδʼ ἄπαις δόμος
πατρῷος οὑμὸς ἐξαλειφθείη ποτʼ ἄν.
ἀλλʼ ἕρπε καὶ ζῆ καὶ δόμους οἴκει πατρός.

[¶71] And when you come to Hellas and to Argos of the horses, I charge you, by this right hand: heap up a tomb and build a memorial for me, and let my sister give her hair and tears to the tomb. Report that I died at the hand of an Argive
woman, at an altar, purified for death. Do not ever betray my sister, when you see how lonely is my father’s house that you have joined by marriage. And now farewell; I have found you the dearest of my friends, you who have hunted with me, grown up with me,
and borne with me many miseries. Phoebus, though a prophet, has deceived me; creating his plot, he drove me far away from Hellas, ashamed of his earlier prophecies. I gave him my all and trusted in his words,
killed my mother, and myself perish in turn.

> Greek: ὅταν δʼ ἐς Ἑλλάδʼ ἵππιόν τʼ Ἄργος μόλῃς,
πρὸς δεξιᾶς σε τῆσδʼ ἐπισκήπτω τάδε·
τύμβον τε χῶσον κἀπίθες μνημεῖά μοι,
καὶ δάκρυʼ ἀδελφὴ καὶ κόμας δότω τάφῳ.
ἄγγελλε δʼ ὡς ὄλωλʼ ὑπʼ Ἀργείας τινὸς
γυναικός, ἀμφὶ βωμὸν ἁγνισθεὶς φόνῳ.
καὶ μὴ προδῷς μου τὴν κασιγνήτην ποτέ,
ἔρημα κήδη καὶ δόμους ὁρῶν πατρός.
καὶ χαῖρʼ· ἐμῶν γὰρ φίλτατόν σʼ ηὗρον φίλων,
ὦ συγκυναγὲ καὶ συνεκτραφεὶς ἐμοί,
ὦ πόλλʼ ἐνεγκὼν τῶν ἐμῶν ἄχθη κακῶν.
ἡμᾶς δʼ ὁ Φοῖβος μάντις ὢν ἐψεύσατο·
τέχνην δὲ θέμενος ὡς προσώταθʼ Ἑλλάδος
ἀπήλασʼ, αἰδοῖ τῶν πάρος μαντευμάτων.
ᾧ πάντʼ ἐγὼ δοὺς τἀμὰ καὶ πεισθεὶς λόγοις,
μητέρα κατακτὰς αὐτὸς ἀνταπόλλυμαι.

[¶72] Pylades:
You will have a tomb, and I will never betray your sister’s bed, unhappy youth, since I will hold you dearer when dead than when alive. But the prophecy of the god has not destroyed you yet;
although you stand near to slaughter. Great misfortune can offer great reversals, when it is fated; it can indeed.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ἔσται τάφος σοι, καὶ κασιγνήτης λέχος
οὐκ ἂν προδοίην, ὦ τάλας, ἐπεί σʼ ἐγὼ
θανόντα μᾶλλον ἢ βλέπονθʼ ἕξω φίλον.
ἀτὰρ τὸ τοῦ θεοῦ σʼ οὐ διέφθορέν γέ πω
μάντευμα· καίτοι γʼ ἐγγὺς ἕστηκας φόνου.
ἀλλʼ ἔστιν, ἔστιν, ἡ λίαν δυσπραξία
λίαν διδοῦσα μεταβολάς, ὅταν τύχῃ.

[¶73] Orestes:
Silence; the words of Phoebus are no benefit to me; here comes the woman out of the temple.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
σίγα· τὰ Φοίβου δʼ οὐδὲν ὠφελεῖ μʼ ἔπη·
γυνὴ γὰρ ἥδε δωμάτων ἔξω περᾷ.

[¶74] Iphigenia:
(to the guard.) Go away and make the preparations within for those who attend to the sacrifice.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἀπέλθεθʼ ὑμεῖς καὶ παρευτρεπίζετε
τἄνδον μολόντες τοῖς ἐφεστῶσι σφαγῇ.

[¶75] Here are the many folds of the tablet, strangers. Hear what I want in addition. No man is the same when he is in troubles
and when he falls out of fear into courage. I am afraid that when the one who is going to take this tablet to Argos leaves this land, he will put aside my letter as worth nothing.

> Greek: δέλτου μὲν αἵδε πολύθυροι διαπτυχαί,
ξένοι, πάρεισιν· ἃ δʼ ἐπὶ τοῖσδε βούλομαι,
ἀκούσατʼ. οὐδεὶς αὑτὸς ἐν πόνοις ⟨τʼ⟩ ἀνὴρ
ὅταν τε πρὸς τὸ θάρσος ἐκ φόβου πέσῃ.
ἐγὼ δὲ ταρβῶ μὴ ἀπονοστήσας χθονὸς
θῆται παρʼ οὐδὲν τὰς ἐμὰς ἐπιστολὰς
ὁ τήνδε μέλλων δέλτον εἰς Ἄργος φέρειν.

[¶76] Orestes:
What do you want, then? What are you perplexed about?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τί δῆτα βούλῃ; τίνος ἀμηχανεῖς πέρι;

[¶77] Iphigenia:
Let him give me an oath that he will convey this letter to Argos, to the friends to whom I wish to send it.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ὅρκον δότω μοι τάσδε πορθμεύσειν γραφὰς
πρὸς Ἄργος, οἷσι βούλομαι πέμψαι φίλων.

[¶78] Orestes:
And will you give in return the same words to him?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἦ κἀντιδώσεις τῷδε τοὺς αὐτοὺς λόγους;

[¶79] Iphigenia:
To do what, or refrain from doing? Tell me.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
τί χρῆμα δράσειν ἢ τί μὴ δράσειν; λέγε.

[¶80] Orestes:
To send him from this barbarous land alive.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἐκ γῆς ἀφήσειν μὴ θανόντα βαρβάρου.

[¶81] Iphigenia:
What you say is right; how else could he deliver it?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
δίκαιον εἶπας· πῶς γὰρ ἀγγείλειεν ἄν;

[¶82] Orestes:
Will the king agree to this?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἦ καὶ τύραννος ταῦτα συγχωρήσεται;

[¶83] Iphigenia:
Yes. I will persuade the king, and I myself will put this man on the ship.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ναί.
πείσω σφε, καὐτὴ ναὸς εἰσβήσω σκάφος.

[¶84] Orestes:
(to Pylades.) Swear; begin a pious oath.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὄμνυ· σὺ δʼ ἔξαρχʼ ὅρκον ὅστις εὐσεβής.

[¶85] Iphigenia:
(to Pylades.) You must say: I will give this to your friends.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
δώσω, λέγειν χρή, τήνδε τοῖσι σοῖς φίλοις.

[¶86] Pylades:
I will give this letter to your friends.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
τοῖς σοῖς φίλοισι γράμματʼ ἀποδώσω τάδε.

[¶87] Iphigenia:
And I will see you safely outside the dark rocks.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
κἀγὼ σὲ σώσω κυανέας ἔξω πέτρας.

[¶88] Pylades:
What god do you do you swear by, as witness to your oath?

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
τίνʼ οὖν ἐπόμνυς τοισίδʼ ὅρκιον θεῶν;

[¶89] Iphigenia:
Artemis, in whose temple I hold office.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
Ἄρτεμιν, ἐν ἧσπερ δώμασιν τιμὰς ἔχω.

[¶90] Pylades:
And I swear by the king of heaven, revered Zeus.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ἐγὼ δʼ ἄνακτά γʼ οὐρανοῦ, σεμνὸν Δία.

[¶91] Iphigenia:
But if you leave off your oath, and wrong me?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
εἰ δʼ ἐκλιπὼν τὸν ὅρκον ἀδικοίης ἐμέ;

[¶92] Pylades:
May I not return. What about you, if you do not save me?

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ἄνοστος εἴην· τί δὲ σύ, μὴ σῴσασά με;

[¶93] Iphigenia:
May I never set foot in Argos alive.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
μήποτε κατʼ Ἄργος ζῶσʼ ἴχνος θείην ποδός.

[¶94] Pylades:
Now listen to a consideration we have passed over.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ἄκουε δή νυν ὃν παρήλθομεν λόγον.

[¶95] Iphigenia:
But it will be something new, if it is good.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἀλλʼ αὖθις ἔσται καινός, ἢν καλῶς ἔχῃ.

[¶96] Pylades:
Give me this exception: if the ship suffers and the tablet is lost with its cargo in the waves, and I rescue myself only, may this oath not hinder me.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ἐξαίρετόν μοι δὸς τόδʼ, ἤν τι ναῦς πάθῃ,
χἡ δέλτος ἐν κλύδωνι χρημάτων μέτα
ἀφανὴς γένηται, σῶμα δʼ ἐκσῴσω μόνον,
τὸν ὅρκον εἶναι τόνδε μηκέτʼ ἔμπεδον.

[¶97] Iphigenia:
Do you know what I will do? For many attempts hit many targets.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἀλλʼ οἶσθʼ ὃ δράσω; πολλὰ γὰρ πολλῶν κυρεῖ·

[¶98] I will tell you what is written in the folds of this tablet for you to report to my friends. For this is secure: if you preserve the writing, itself, though silent, will speak its message; if the writing is lost in the sea,
when you save yourself, you will save my words.

> Greek: τἀνόντα κἀγγεγραμμένʼ ἐν δέλτου πτυχαῖς
λόγῳ φράσω σοι πάντʼ ἀναγγεῖλαι φίλοις.
ἐν ἀσφαλεῖ γάρ· ἢν μὲν ἐκσῴσῃς γραφήν,
αὐτὴν φράσει σιγῶσα τἀγγεγραμμένα·
ἢν δʼ ἐν θαλάσσῃ γράμματʼ ἀφανισθῇ τάδε,
τὸ σῶμα σῴσας τοὺς λόγους σῴσεις ἐμοί.

[¶99] Pylades:
You have spoken well, on behalf of the gods and me. Make clear to whom I must bring this letter in Argos, and what I must say when I have heard it from you.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
καλῶς ἔλεξας τῶν θεῶν ἐμοῦ θʼ ὕπερ.
σήμαινε δʼ ᾧ χρὴ τάσδʼ ἐπιστολὰς φέρειν
πρὸς Ἄργος ὅ τι τε χρὴ κλύοντα σοῦ λέγειν.

[¶100] Iphigenia:
Report to Orestes, the son of Agamemnon:

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἄγγελλʼ Ὀρέστῃ, παιδὶ τῷ Ἀγαμέμνονος·

[¶101] the one slain at Aulis sends you this, Iphigenia, who is alive, though no longer alive to those there—
Orestes:
Where is she? Has she come back from the dead??

> Greek: Ἡ ʼν Αὐλίδι σφαγεῖσʼ ἐπιστέλλει τάδε
ζῶσʼ Ἰφιγένεια, τοῖς ἐκεῖ δʼ οὐ ζῶσʼ ἔτι —
Ὀρέστης:
ποῦ δʼ ἔστʼ ἐκείνη; κατθανοῦσʼ ἥκει πάλιν;

[¶102] Iphigenia:
The one you are looking at; don’t confuse me by your talk. Bring me to Argos, my brother, before I die.
Take me away from the barbarian land and the sacrifices of the goddess, where I hold the office of killing foreigners.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἥδʼ ἣν ὁρᾷς σύ· μὴ λόγοις ἔκπλησσέ με.
Κόμισαί μʼ ἐς Ἄργος, ὦ σύναιμε, πρὶν θανεῖν,
ἐκ βαρβάρου γῆς καὶ μετάστησον θεᾶς
σφαγίων, ἐφʼ οἷσι ξενοφόνους τιμὰς ἔχω.

[¶103] Orestes:
Pylades, what shall I say? Where have we found ourselves?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
Πυλάδη, τί λέξω; ποῦ ποτʼ ὄνθʼ ηὑρήμεθα;

[¶104] Iphigenia:
Or I will be a curse to your house.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἢ σοῖς ἀραία δώμασιν γενήσομαι.

[¶105] Pylades:
Orestes?

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
Ὀρέστα —;

[¶106] Iphigenia:
(stopping to address Pylades.) So that you may know the name, hearing it twice.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἵνʼ αὖθις ὄνομα δὶς κλύων μάθῃς.

[¶107] Pylades:
O gods!

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ὦ θεοί.

[¶108] Iphigenia:
Why do you invoke the gods in my affairs?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
τί τοὺς θεοὺς ἀνακαλεῖς ἐν τοῖς ἐμοῖς;

[¶109] Pylades:
No reason; finish your words; my thoughts were elsewhere. Perhaps, if I question you, I will not arrive at things I cannot believe.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
οὐδέν· πέραινε δʼ· ἐξέβην γὰρ ἄλλοσε.
τάχʼ οὐκ ἐρωτῶν σʼ εἰς ἄπιστʼ ἀφίξομαι.

[¶110] Iphigenia:
Tell him that Artemis saved me, by giving a deer in exchange for me; my father sacrificed it,
thinking that he drove the sword sharply into me; and she settled me in this land. This is my letter, this is the writing in the tablet.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
λέγʼ οὕνεκʼ ἔλαφον ἀντιδοῦσά μου θεὰ
Ἄρτεμις ἔσῳσέ μʼ, ἣν ἔθυσʼ ἐμὸς πατήρ,
δοκῶν ἐς ἡμᾶς ὀξὺ φάσγανον βαλεῖν,
ἐς τήνδε δʼ ᾤκισʼ αἶαν. αἵδʼ ἐπιστολαί,
τάδʼ ἐστὶ τἀν δέλτοισιν ἐγγεγραμμένα.

[¶111] Pylades:
You have bound me with an easy oath, and sworn very well. I will not take much time
to carry out the oath I swore.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ὦ ῥᾳδίοις ὅρκοισι περιβαλοῦσά με,
κάλλιστα δʼ ὀμόσασʼ, οὐ πολὺν σχήσω χρόνον,
τὸν δʼ ὅρκον ὃν κατώμοσʼ ἐμπεδώσομεν.

[¶112] See, Orestes, I bring you a tablet from your sister here, and give it to you.

> Greek: ἰδού, φέρω σοι δέλτον ἀποδίδωμί τε,
Ὀρέστα, τῆσδε σῆς κασιγνήτης πάρα.

[¶113] Orestes:
I do receive it, but first I will pass over the letter’s folds to take a joy that is not in words.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
δέχομαι· παρεὶς δὲ γραμμάτων διαπτυχὰς
τὴν ἡδονὴν πρῶτʼ οὐ λόγοις αἱρήσομαι.

[¶114] (Approaching to embrace Iphigenia.) My dearest sister, with what astonishment and delight I hold you in my unbelieving arms, after learning these marvels!

> Greek: ὦ φιλτάτη μοι σύγγονʼ, ἐκπεπληγμένος
ὅμως σʼ ἀπίστῳ περιβαλὼν βραχίονι
ἐς τέρψιν εἶμι, πυθόμενος θαυμάστʼ ἐμοί.

[¶115] Chorus Leader:
Stranger, you are wrongly defiling the attendant of the goddess, by putting your hands on her robe that should not be touched.

> Greek: Χορός:
ξένʼ, οὐ δικαίως τῆς θεοῦ τὴν πρόσπολον
χραίνεις ἀθίκτοις περιβαλὼν πέπλοις χέρα.

[¶116] Orestes:
My own sister, born from my father Agamemnon, do not turn away from me, when you hold your brother and thought you never would!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὦ συγκασιγνήτη τε κἀκ ταὐτοῦ πατρὸς
Ἀγαμέμνονος γεγῶσα, μή μʼ ἀποστρέφου,
ἔχουσʼ ἀδελφόν, οὐ δοκοῦσʼ ἕξειν ποτέ.

[¶117] Iphigenia:
You are my brother? Stop this talk! He is well known in Argos and Nauplia.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἐγώ σʼ ἀδελφὸν τὸν ἐμόν; οὐ παύσῃ λέγων;
τὸ δʼ Ἄργος αὐτοῦ μεστὸν ἥ τε Ναυπλία.

[¶118] Orestes:
Unhappy girl, your brother is not there.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐκ ἔστʼ ἐκεῖ σός, ὦ τάλαινα, σύγγονος.

[¶119] Iphigenia:
But did Tyndareus’ daughter, the Spartan, give birth to you?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἀλλʼ ἡ Λάκαινα Τυνδαρίς σʼ ἐγείνατο;

[¶120] Orestes:
Yes, and my father was Pelops’ grandson.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
Πέλοπός γε παιδὶ παιδός, οὗ ʼκπέφυκʼ ἐγώ.

[¶121] Iphigenia:
What are you saying? Do you have some proof of this for me?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
τί φῄς; ἔχεις τι τῶνδέ μοι τεκμήριον;

[¶122] Orestes:
I do; ask me something about our father’s home.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἔχω· πατρῴων ἐκ δόμων τι πυνθάνου.

[¶123] Iphigenia:
Well, it is for you to speak, for me to learn.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
οὐκοῦν λέγειν μὲν χρὴ σέ, μανθάνειν δʼ ἐμέ.

[¶124] Orestes:
I will say first what I have heard from Electra. Do you know of the strife that was between Atreus and Thyestes?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
λέγοιμʼ ἄν, ἀκοῇ πρῶτον Ἠλέκτρας τάδε·
Ἀτρέως Θυέστου τʼ οἶσθα γενομένην ἔριν;

[¶125] Iphigenia:
I have heard of it; the quarrel concerned a golden ram.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἤκουσα· χρυσῆς ἀρνὸς ἦν νείκη πέρι.

[¶126] Orestes:
Did you not weave these things in a fine-textured web?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ταῦτʼ οὖν ὑφήνασʼ οἶσθʼ ἐν εὐπήνοις ὑφαῖς;

[¶127] Iphigenia:
O dearest, you are bending your course near to my heart!

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ὦ φίλτατʼ, ἐγγὺς τῶν ἐμῶν κάμπτεις φρενῶν.

[¶128] Orestes:
And the image of the sun in the middle of the loom?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
εἰκώ τʼ ἐν ἱστοῖς ἡλίου μετάστασιν;

[¶129] Iphigenia:
I wove that shape also, in fine threads.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ὕφηνα καὶ τόδʼ εἶδος εὐμίτοις πλοκαῖς.

[¶130] Orestes:
And you received a ceremonial bath from your mother, for Aulis?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
καὶ λούτρʼ ἐς Αὖλιν μητρὸς ἀνεδέξω πάρα;

[¶131] Iphigenia:
I know; for no happy marriage has taken that memory from me.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
οἶδʼ· οὐ γὰρ ὁ γάμος ἐσθλὸς ὤν μʼ ἀφείλετο.

[¶132] Orestes:
What about this? You gave locks of your hair to be brought to your mother?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τί γάρ; κόμας σὰς μητρὶ δοῦσα σῇ φέρειν;

[¶133] Iphigenia:
As a memorial, in place of my body, in the tomb.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
μνημεῖά γʼ ἀντὶ σώματος τοὐμοῦ τάφῳ.

[¶134] Orestes:
What I myself have seen, I will say for proof: an old spear of Pelops, in my father’s house, which he brandished in his hand when he won Hippodamia,
the maiden of Pisa, and killed Oenomaus; it was hung up in your rooms.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἃ δʼ εἶδον αὐτός, τάδε φράσω τεκμήρια·
Πέλοπος παλαιὰν ἐν δόμοις λόγχην πατρός,
ἣν χερσὶ πάλλων παρθένον Πισάτιδα
ἐκτήσαθʼ Ἱπποδάμειαν, Οἰνόμαον κτανών,
ἐν παρθενῶσι τοῖσι σοῖς κεκρυμμένην.

[¶135] Iphigenia:
O dearest, for you are my dearest, none other, I have you, Orestes,
far from our country of Argos, my darling.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ὦ φίλτατʼ, οὐδὲν ἄλλο, φίλτατος γὰρ εἶ,
ἔχω σʼ, Ὀρέστα, τηλύγετον [χθονὸς] ἀπὸ πατρίδος
Ἀργόθεν, ὦ φίλος.

[¶136] Orestes:
And I have you, who were thought to be dead. Tears, and laments mixed with joy, fill your eyes and also mine.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
κἀγώ σε τὴν θανοῦσαν, ὡς δοξάζεται.
κατὰ δὲ δάκρυ, κατὰ δὲ γόος ἅμα χαρᾷ
τὸ σὸν νοτίζει βλέφαρον, ὡσαύτως δʼ ἐμόν.

[¶137] Iphigenia:
I left you still a baby,
young in the arms of your nurse, young in the house. O my soul, you have been more fortunate than words can say.
I have come upon things that are beyond wonder, far from speech.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
τόδʼ ἔτι βρέφος
ἔλιπον ἀγκάλαισι νεαρὸν τροφοῦ
νεαρὸν ἐν δόμοις.
ὦ κρεῖσσον ἢ λόγοισιν εὐτυχοῦσά μου
ψυχά, τί φῶ; θαυμάτων
πέρα καὶ λόγου πρόσω τάδʼ ἐπέβα.

[¶138] Orestes:
For the rest of time, may we be fortunate with each other!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τὸ λοιπὸν εὐτυχοῖμεν ἀλλήλων μέτα.

[¶139] Iphigenia:
O my friends, I have found an extraordinary joy; I am afraid that he will fly from my hands into the air.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἄτοπον ἁδονὰν ἔλαβον, ὦ φίλαι·
δέδοικα δʼ ἐκ χερῶν με μὴ πρὸς αἰθέρα
ἀμπτάμενος φύγῃ·

[¶140] O Cyclopean hearths; o my country, dear Mycenae, I thank you for his life, for his nourishment, because you brought up this light of the house, my brother.

> Greek: ἰὼ Κυκλωπὶς ἑστία· ἰὼ πατρίς,
Μυκήνα φίλα,
χάριν ἔχω ζόας, χάριν ἔχω τροφᾶς,
ὅτι μοι συνομαίμονα τόνδε δόμοις
ἐξεθρέψω φάος.

[¶141] Orestes:
We are fortunate in our family, but in our circumstances, my sister, we were born to be unfortunate in life.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
γένει μὲν εὐτυχοῦμεν, ἐς δὲ συμφοράς,
ὦ σύγγονʼ, ἡμῶν δυστυχὴς ἔφυ βίος.

[¶142] Iphigenia:
I was unhappy, I know, when my wretched father put the sword to my throat.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἐγᾦδʼ ἁ μέλεος, οἶδʼ, ὅτε φάσγανον
δέρᾳ θῆκέ μοι μελεόφρων πατήρ.

[¶143] Orestes:
Alas! Though I was not present, I seem to see you there.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οἴμοι. δοκῶ γὰρ οὐ παρών σʼ ὁρᾶν ἐκεῖ.

[¶144] Iphigenia:
O brother, when I was brought, not a bride, to the treacherous bed of Achilles;

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἀνυμέναιος, ⟨ὦ⟩ σύγγονʼ, Ἀχιλλέως
ἐς κλισίαν λέκτρων
δολίαν ὅτʼ ἀγόμαν·

[¶145] but beside the altar there were tears and wails. Alas for the libations there!

> Greek: παρὰ δὲ βωμὸν ἦν δάκρυα καὶ γόοι.
φεῦ φεῦ χερνίβων ⟨τῶν⟩ ἐκεῖ.

[¶146] Orestes:
I also mourned for the daring act of our father.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ᾤμωξα κἀγὼ τόλμαν ἣν ἔτλη πατήρ.

[¶147] Iphigenia:
Fatherless was the fate I received, fatherless.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἀπάτορʼ ἀπάτορα πότμον ἔλαχον.

[¶148] One thing comes from another, by divine fortune.

> Greek: ἄλλα δʼ ἐξ ἄλλων κυρεῖ
δαίμονος τύχᾳ τινός.

[¶149] Orestes:
Yes, if you had killed your brother, unhappy one!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
εἰ σόν γʼ ἀδελφόν, ὦ τάλαινʼ, ἀπώλεσας.

[¶150] Iphigenia:
O wretched, in my dreadful daring!
How dreadful were the things I endured, alas, my brother! By only a little you escaped an unholy death, slain by my hands. But how will these things end? What fortune will assist me?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ὦ μελέα δεινᾶς τόλμας. δείνʼ ἔτλαν
δείνʼ ἔτλαν, ὤμοι σύγγονε. παρὰ δʼ ὀλίγον
ἀπέφυγες ὄλεθρον ἀνόσιον ἐξ ἐμᾶν
δαϊχθεὶς χερῶν.
ἁ δʼ ἐπʼ αὐτοῖσι τίς τελευτά;
τίς τύχα μοι συγχωρήσει;

[¶151] What way will I find to send you from this city, from slaughter, to your native Argos,
before the sword draws near to your blood? This is your business, unhappy soul, to find out. On the dry land, not in a ship?

> Greek: τίνα σοι πόρον εὑρομένα —
πάλιν ἀπὸ πόλεως, ἀπὸ φόνου πέμψω
πατρίδʼ ἐς Ἀργείαν,
πρὶν ἐπὶ ξίφος αἵματι σῷ πελάσαι;
τόδε τόδε σόν, ὦ μελέα ψυχά,
χρέος ἀνευρίσκειν.
πότερον κατὰ χέρσον, οὐχὶ ναΐ —;

[¶152] But if you go on foot, through trackless paths and barbarian tribes, you will draw near to death.
But through the dark rocks of the narrow passage is a long way for flight by ship.

> Greek: ἀλλὰ ποδῶν ῥιπᾷ
θανάτῳ πελάσεις ἄρα βάρβαρα φῦλα
καὶ διʼ ὁδοὺς ἀνόδους στείχων· διὰ κυανέας μὴν
στενοπόρου πέτρας μακρὰ κέλευθα να-
ΐοισιν δρασμοῖς.

[¶153] I am unhappy, unhappy!

> Greek: τάλαινα, τάλαινα.

[¶154] Who, either god or mortal or something unexpected, might accomplish a way that is no way, and reveal a release from troubles for the only two children of the house of Atreus?

> Greek: τίς ἂν οὖν τάδʼ ἂν ἢ θεὸς ἢ βροτὸς ἢ
τί τῶν ἀδοκήτων,
πόρον ἄπορον ἐξανύσας, δυοῖν
τοῖν μόνοιν Ἀτρείδαιν ⟨φαίνοι⟩
κακῶν ἔκλυσιν;

[¶155] Chorus Leader:
It is marvelous and surpasses a fable, this event that I myself have have seen and shall relate, not as hearsay.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἐν τοῖσι θαυμαστοῖσι καὶ μύθων πέρα
τάδʼ εἶδον αὐτὴ κοὐ κλύουσʼ ἀπαγγελῶ.

[¶156] Pylades:
When friends come into the sight of friends, Orestes, it is reasonable to embrace; but we must leave off wailing and turn to other matters:
how we shall get the glorious name of safety and leave the foreign land. For wise men take opportunities, and do not overstep their fate to get other pleasures.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
τὸ μὲν φίλους ἐλθόντας εἰς ὄψιν φίλων,
Ὀρέστα, χειρῶν περιβολὰς εἰκὸς λαβεῖν·
λήξαντα δʼ οἴκτων κἀπʼ ἐκεῖνʼ ἐλθεῖν χρεών,
ὅπως τὸ κλεινὸν ὄνομα τῆς σωτηρίας
λαβόντες ἐκ γῆς βησόμεσθα βαρβάρου.
σοφῶν γὰρ ἀνδρῶν ταῦτα, μὴ ʼκβάντας τύχης,
καιρὸν λαβόντας, ἡδονὰς ἄλλας λαβεῖν.

[¶157] Orestes:
Well said; but I think fortune will take care
of that with us; when one is eager, divine strength is likely to be greater.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
καλῶς ἔλεξας· τῇ τύχῃ δʼ οἶμαι μέλειν
τοῦδε ξὺν ἡμῖν· ἢν δέ τις πρόθυμος ᾖ,
σθένειν τὸ θεῖον μᾶλλον εἰκότως ἔχει.

[¶158] Iphigenia:
(to Pylades.) Let nothing hold me back; nor will it prevent me speaking before I first find out Electra’s fate, for you are all dear to me.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
μηδέν μʼ ἐπίσχῃ γʼ· οὐδʼ ἀποστήσει λόγου,
πρῶτον πυθέσθαι τίνα ποτʼ Ἠλέκτρα πότμον
εἴληχε βιότου· φίλα γὰρ ἔστε πάντʼ ἐμοί.

[¶159] Orestes:
She lives with this man, (pointing to Pylades) and has a happy life.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τῷδε ξυνοικεῖ βίον ἔχουσʼ εὐδαίμονα.

[¶160] Iphigenia:
What country is he from, and who is his father?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
οὗτος δὲ ποδαπὸς καὶ τίνος πέφυκε παῖς;

[¶161] Orestes:
Strophius of Phocis is the name of his father.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
Στρόφιος ὁ Φωκεὺς τοῦδε κλῄζεται πατήρ.

[¶162] Iphigenia:
He is related to me, by the daughter of Atreus?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ὁ δʼ ἐστί γʼ Ἀτρέως θυγατρός, ὁμογενὴς ἐμός;

[¶163] Orestes:
He is a cousin, and my only true friend.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἀνεψιός γε, μόνος ἐμοὶ σαφὴς φίλος.

[¶164] Iphigenia:
He was not born when my father tried to kill me.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
οὐκ ἦν τόθʼ οὗτος ὅτε πατὴρ ἔκτεινέ με.

[¶165] Orestes:
He was not; for Strophius was childless for some time.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐκ ἦν· χρόνον γὰρ Στρόφιος ἦν ἄπαις τινά.

[¶166] Iphigenia:
Welcome, husband of my sister!

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
χαῖρʼ ὦ πόσις μοι τῆς ἐμῆς ὁμοσπόρου.

[¶167] Orestes:
And also my savior, not only a relation.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
κἀμός γε σωτήρ, οὐχὶ συγγενὴς μόνον.

[¶168] Iphigenia:
But how did you dare that dreadful deed with our mother?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
τὰ δεινὰ δʼ ἔργα πῶς ἔτλης μητρὸς πέρι;

[¶169] Orestes:
Let us be silent on that; I was avenging my father.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
σιγῶμεν αὐτά· πατρὶ τιμωρῶν ἐμῷ.

[¶170] Iphigenia:
What reason did she have to kill her husband?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἡ δʼ αἰτία τίς ἀνθʼ ὅτου κτείνει πόσιν;

[¶171] Orestes:
Let our mother’s affairs be; nor is it good for you to hear.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἔα τὰ μητρός· οὐδὲ σοὶ κλύειν καλόν.

[¶172] Iphigenia:
I am silent; does Argos now look to you?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
σιγῶ· τὸ δʼ Ἄργος πρὸς σὲ νῦν ἀποβλέπει;

[¶173] Orestes:
Menelaus rules there; I am an exile from my country

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
Μενέλαος ἄρχει· φυγάδες ἐσμὲν ἐκ πάτρας.

[¶174] Iphigenia:
Our uncle has surely not maltreated our afflicted house, has he?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
οὔ που νοσοῦντας θεῖος ὕβρισεν δόμους;

[¶175] Orestes:
No, but fear of the Furies drives me out of the land.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὔκ, ἀλλʼ Ἐρινύων δεῖμά μʼ ἐκβάλλει χθονός.

[¶176] Iphigenia:
That was the madness that they reported there on the shore?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ταῦτʼ ἆρʼ ἐπʼ ἀκταῖς κἀνθάδʼ ἠγγέλης μανείς;

[¶177] Orestes:
That was not the first time that I was seen to be wretched.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὤφθημεν οὐ νῦν πρῶτον ὄντες ἄθλιοι.

[¶178] Iphigenia:
I know; the goddesses were driving you for the sake of your mother.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἔγνωκα· μητρός σʼ οὕνεκʼ ἠλάστρουν θεαί.

[¶179] Orestes:
So as to put a bloody bit in my mouth.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὥσθʼ αἱματηρὰ στόμιʼ ἐπεμβαλεῖν ἐμοί.

[¶180] Iphigenia:
Why have you made a journey to this land?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
τί γάρ ποτʼ ἐς γῆν τήνδʼ ἐπόρθμευσας πόδα;

[¶181] Orestes:
I have come at the commands of Phoebus’ oracles.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
Φοίβου κελευσθεὶς θεσφάτοις ἀφικόμην.

[¶182] Iphigenia:
To do what? Can you speak of it, or must you be silent?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
τί χρῆμα δράσειν; ῥητὸν ἢ σιγώμενον;

[¶183] Orestes:
I will tell you; this is the beginning of my many troubles.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
λέγοιμʼ ἄν· ἀρχαὶ δʼ αἵδε μοι πολλῶν πόνων.

[¶184] When my mother’s evil deeds, that I cannot speak of, came into my hands, I was driven to flight by the Furies’ pursuit; then Loxias sent me to Athens, to stand trial with the goddesses who may not be named.

> Greek: ἐπεὶ τὰ μητρὸς ταῦθʼ ἃ σιγῶμεν κακὰ
ἐς χεῖρας ἦλθε, μεταδρομαῖς Ἐρινύων
ἠλαυνόμεσθα φυγάδες, ἔνθεν μοι πόδα
ἐς τὰς Ἀθήνας δῆτʼ ἔπεμψε Λοξίας,
δίκην παρασχεῖν ταῖς ἀνωνύμοις θεαῖς.

[¶185] For there is a holy tribunal there, which Zeus once established for Ares, when his hands were stained with blood-pollution. I came there... at first, no host would willingly take me in, as one hated by the gods; then some who felt shame offered me a table apart, as a guest,
themselves being under the same roof, and in silence they kept me from speaking, so that I might be apart from them in food and drink, and into each private cup they poured an equal measure of wine and had their delight.

> Greek: ἔστιν γὰρ ὁσία ψῆφος, ἣν Ἄρει ποτὲ
Ζεὺς εἵσατʼ ἔκ του δὴ χερῶν μιάσματος.
ἐλθὼν δʼ ἐκεῖσε — πρῶτα μέν μʼ οὐδεὶς ξένων
ἑκὼν ἐδέξαθʼ, ὡς θεοῖς στυγούμενον·
οἳ δʼ ἔσχον αἰδῶ, ξένια μονοτράπεζά μοι
παρέσχον, οἴκων ὄντες ἐν ταὐτῷ στέγει,
σιγῇ δʼ ἐτεκτήναντʼ ἀπόφθεγκτόν μʼ, ὅπως
δαιτὸς γενοίμην πώματός τʼ αὐτοῖς δίχα,
ἐς δʼ ἄγγος ἴδιον ἴσον ἅπασι βακχίου
μέτρημα πληρώσαντες εἶχον ἡδονήν.

[¶186] And I did not think it right to blame my hosts, but I grieved in silence and seemed not to know, while I sighed deeply, that I was the murderer of my mother. I hear that my misfortunes have become a festival at Athens, and they still hold this custom
and the people of Pallas honor the cup that belongs to the Feast of Pitchers. When I came to the hill of Ares to stand my trial, I took one seat, and the eldest of the Furies took the other. I spoke and heard arguments on the murder of my mother,
and Phoebus saved me by bearing witness; Pallas counted out equal votes for me; and I went away victorious in my ordeal of blood. Some of the Furies who sat there, persuaded by the judgment, marked out a holy place for themselves beside this very tribunal;

> Greek: κἀγὼ ʼξελέγξαι μὲν ξένους οὐκ ἠξίουν,
ἤλγουν δὲ σιγῇ κἀδόκουν οὐκ εἰδέναι,
μέγα στενάζων οὕνεκʼ ἦ μητρὸς φονεύς.
κλύω δʼ Ἀθηναίοισι τἀμὰ δυστυχῆ
τελετὴν γενέσθαι, κἄτι τὸν νόμον μένειν,
χοῆρες ἄγγος Παλλάδος τιμᾶν λεών.
ὡς δʼ εἰς Ἄρειον ὄχθον ἧκον, ἐς δίκην
ἔστην, ἐγὼ μὲν θάτερον λαβὼν βάθρον,
τὸ δʼ ἄλλο πρέσβειρʼ ἥπερ ἦν Ἐρινύων.
εἰπὼν ⟨δʼ⟩ ἀκούσας θʼ αἵματος μητρὸς πέρι,
Φοῖβός μʼ ἔσῳσε μαρτυρῶν, ἴσας δέ μοι
ψήφους διηρίθμησε Παλλὰς ὠλένῃ·
νικῶν δʼ ἀπῆρα φόνια πειρατήρια.
ὅσαι μὲν οὖν ἕζοντο πεισθεῖσαι δίκῃ,
ψῆφον παρʼ αὐτὴν ἱερὸν ὡρίσαντʼ ἔχειν·

[¶187] but others were not persuaded by the law, and drove me always in vagabond courses until I came to the holy plain of Phoebus in turn. Stretched out before his shrine and fasting, I swore to break off my life and die there,
if Phoebus, who had destroyed me, did not save me. And then Phoebus cried out a golden voice from the tripod, and sent me here, to get the image Zeus hurled down, and set it up in Athena’s land. But what he marked out for my safety
you must help me with; for if we possess the statue of the goddess, I will be released from madness and will put you on my ship of many oars and establish you again in Mycenae. But, my beloved sister, save our father’s house and save me;

> Greek: ὅσαι δʼ Ἐρινύων οὐκ ἐπείσθησαν νόμῳ,
δρόμοις ἀνιδρύτοισιν ἠλάστρουν μʼ ἀεί,
ἕως ἐς ἁγνὸν ἦλθον αὖ Φοίβου πέδον,
καὶ πρόσθεν ἀδύτων ἐκταθείς, νῆστις βορᾶς,
ἐπώμοσʼ αὐτοῦ βίον ἀπορρήξειν θανών,
εἰ μή με σώσει Φοῖβος, ὅς μʼ ἀπώλεσεν.
ἐντεῦθεν αὐδὴν τρίποδος ἐκ χρυσοῦ λακὼν
Φοῖβός μʼ ἔπεμψε δεῦρο, διοπετὲς λαβεῖν
ἄγαλμʼ Ἀθηνῶν τʼ ἐγκαθιδρῦσαι χθονί.
ἀλλʼ ἥνπερ ἡμῖν ὥρισεν σωτηρίαν,
σύμπραξον· ἢν γὰρ θεᾶς κατάσχωμεν βρέτας,
μανιῶν τε λήξω καὶ σὲ πολυκώπῳ σκάφει
στείλας Μυκήναις ἐγκαταστήσω πάλιν.
ἀλλʼ, ὦ φιληθεῖσʼ, ὦ κασίγνητον κάρα,
σῷσον πατρῷον οἶκον, ἔκσῳσον δʼ ἐμέ·

[¶188] for so I perish and all the race of Pelops, unless we take the heavenly image of the goddess.

> Greek: ὡς τἄμʼ ὄλωλε πάντα καὶ τὰ Πελοπιδῶν,
οὐράνιον εἰ μὴ ληψόμεσθα θεᾶς βρέτας.

[¶189] Chorus Leader:
A terrible anger from the gods has boiled up against the race of Tantalus and drives them through torments.

> Greek: Χορός:
δεινή τις ὀργὴ δαιμόνων ἐπέζεσε
τὸ Ταντάλειον σπέρμα διὰ πόνων τʼ ἄγει.

[¶190] Iphigenia:
Before you came here, I was eager
to be in Argos and see you, my brother. Your wish is mine: to release you from torment, and restore our father’s afflicted house, for I am not angry at the one who killed me; it is my wish. I would set my hand free from your slaughter
and save our house. But I worry about concealment from the goddess and the king, when he finds the stone pedestal empty of the statue. How will I escape death? What argument will I have? But if this one thing happens all together,
that you take the statue and bear me away on your lovely ship, the venture is a noble one. If I am separated from this, I am lost, but you might settle your affairs well and have a safe return. Indeed, I do not shrink from it, not even if I must die
to save you. No, for when a man dies and is gone from the home, he is longed for; but women are powerless.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
τὸ μὲν πρόθυμον, πρίν σε δεῦρʼ ἐλθεῖν, ἔχω
Ἄργει γενέσθαι καὶ σέ, σύγγονʼ, εἰσιδεῖν.
θέλω δʼ ἅπερ σύ, σέ τε μεταστῆσαι πόνων
νοσοῦντά τʼ οἶκον, οὐχὶ τῷ κτανόντι με
θυμουμένη, πατρῷον ὀρθῶσαι· θέλω·
σφαγῆς τε γὰρ σῆς χεῖρʼ ἀπαλλάξαιμεν ἂν
σῴσαιμί τʼ οἴκους. τὴν θεὸν δʼ ὅπως λάθω
δέδοικα καὶ τύραννον, ἡνίκʼ ἂν κενὰς
κρηπῖδας εὕρῃ λαΐνας ἀγάλματος.
πῶς δʼ οὐ θανοῦμαι; τίς δʼ ἔνεστί μοι λόγος;
ἀλλʼ, εἰ μὲν — ἕν τι — τοῦθʼ ὁμοῦ γενήσεται,
ἄγαλμά τʼ οἴσεις κἄμʼ ἐπʼ εὐπρύμνου νεὼς
ἄξεις, τὸ κινδύνευμα γίγνεται καλόν·
τούτου δὲ χωρισθεῖσʼ — ἐγὼ μὲν ὄλλυμαι,
σὺ δʼ ἂν τὸ σαυτοῦ θέμενος εὖ νόστου τύχοις.
οὐ μήν τι φεύγω γʼ, οὐδέ σʼ εἰ θανεῖν χρεὼν
σῴσασαν· οὐ γὰρ ἀλλʼ ἀνὴρ μὲν ἐκ δόμων
θανὼν ποθεινός, τὰ δὲ γυναικὸς ἀσθενῆ.

[¶191] Orestes:
I would not be the murderer of you as well as my mother; her blood is enough; I would rather have an equal share of life or death, in common with you.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐκ ἂν γενοίμην σοῦ τε καὶ μητρὸς φονεύς·
ἅλις τὸ κείνης αἷμα· κοινόφρων δὲ σοὶ
καὶ ζῆν θέλοιμʼ ἂν καὶ θανὼν λαχεῖν ἴσον.

[¶192] I will bring you home, if I myself escape from here, or if I die, I will remain here with you. Listen to what I think: if Artemis were hostile to this, how could Loxias have prophesied that I would take the statue of the goddess to Pallas’ city...
and see your face. Putting all these things together, I have hope of our return.

> Greek: ἄξω δέ γʼ, ἤνπερ καὐτὸς ἐνταυθοῖ περῶ,
πρὸς οἶκον, ἢ σοῦ κατθανὼν μενῶ μέτα.
γνώμης δʼ ἄκουσον· εἰ πρόσαντες ἦν τόδε
Ἀρτέμιδι, πῶς ἂν Λοξίας ἐθέσπισε
κομίσαι μʼ ἄγαλμα θεᾶς πόλισμʼ ἐς Παλλάδος
⟨… ⟩
καὶ σὸν πρόσωπον εἰσιδεῖν; ἅπαντα γὰρ
συνθεὶς τάδʼ εἰς ἓν νόστον ἐλπίζω λαβεῖν.

## 3. Lines 1017–1499

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-iphigenia-in-tauris/3/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-iphigenia-in-tauris/3/#p-N

[¶0] Iphigenia:
But how may we live, and take what we want? For our return home suffers from this; but the will is present.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
πῶς οὖν γένοιτʼ ἂν ὥστε μήθʼ ἡμᾶς θανεῖν,
λαβεῖν θʼ ἃ βουλόμεσθα; τῇδε γὰρ νοσεῖ
νόστος πρὸς οἴκους· ἡ δὲ βούλησις πάρα.

[¶1] Orestes:
Could we murder the king?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἆρʼ ἂν τύραννον διολέσαι δυναίμεθʼ ἄν;

[¶2] Iphigenia:
A fearful suggestion, for foreigners to kill their host!

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
δεινὸν τόδʼ εἶπας, ξενοφονεῖν ἐπήλυδας.

[¶3] Orestes:
But we must dare it, if it brings our safety.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἀλλʼ, εἰ σὲ σώσει κἀμέ, κινδυνευτέον.

[¶4] Iphigenia:
I could not; yet I approve your eagerness.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
οὐκ ἂν δυναίμην· τὸ δὲ πρόθυμον ᾔνεσα.

[¶5] Orestes:
What if you were to hide me secretly in the shrine?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τί δʼ, εἴ με ναῷ τῷδε κρύψειας λάθρα;

[¶6] Iphigenia:
So that we might take advantage of the darkness and escape?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ὡς δὴ σκότον λαβόντες ἐκσωθεῖμεν ἄν;

[¶7] Orestes:
Yes, for the night belongs to thieves, the light to truth.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
κλεπτῶν γὰρ ἡ νύξ, τῆς δʼ ἀληθείας τὸ φῶς.

[¶8] Iphigenia:
There are secred guards within, who will notice us.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
εἴσʼ ἔνδον ἱεροὶ φύλακες, οὓς οὐ λήσομεν.

[¶9] Orestes:
Alas, we are ruined! How can we be saved?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οἴμοι, διεφθάρμεσθα· πῶς σωθεῖμεν ἄν;

[¶10] Iphigenia:
I think I have a new stratagem.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἔχειν δοκῶ μοι καινὸν ἐξεύρημά τι.

[¶11] Orestes:
What is it? Let me know; share your thought.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ποῖόν τι; δόξης μετάδος, ὡς κἀγὼ μάθω.

[¶12] Iphigenia:
I will use your sorrows as my contrivance.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ταῖς σαῖς ἀνίαις χρήσομαι σοφίσμασι.

[¶13] Orestes:
Women are wonderfully good at devising crafty plans!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
δειναὶ γὰρ αἱ γυναῖκες εὑρίσκειν τέχνας.

[¶14] Iphigenia:
I will say that you came from Argos after killing your mother.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
φονέα σε φήσω μητρὸς ἐξ Ἄργους μολεῖν.

[¶15] Orestes:
Make use of my troubles, if you gain by it.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
χρῆσαι κακοῖσι τοῖς ἐμοῖς, εἰ κερδανεῖς.

[¶16] Iphigenia:
And that it is not right to sacrifice you to the goddess.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ὡς οὐ θέμις γε λέξομεν θύειν θεᾷ,

[¶17] Orestes:
With what reason? I have a suspicion.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τίνʼ αἰτίαν ἔχουσʼ; ὑποπτεύω τι γάρ.

[¶18] Iphigenia:
Because you are not pure; I will frighten what is sacred.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
οὐ καθαρὸν ὄντα· τὸ δʼ ὅσιον δώσω φόβῳ.

[¶19] Orestes:
How does this help us to seize the statue of the goddess?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τί δῆτα μᾶλλον θεᾶς ἄγαλμʼ ἁλίσκεται;

[¶20] Iphigenia:
I shall want to purify you in the waves of the sea—

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
πόντου σε πηγαῖς ἁγνίσαι βουλήσομαι,

[¶21] Orestes:
The image that we have sailed for is still in the temple.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἔτʼ ἐν δόμοισι βρέτας, ἐφʼ ᾧ πεπλεύκαμεν.

[¶22] Iphigenia:
I will say that I have washed that also, since you have touched it.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
κἀκεῖνο νίψαι, σοῦ θιγόντος ὥς, ἐρῶ.

[¶23] Orestes:
Where? Do you mean the watery inlet of the sea?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ποῖ δῆτα; πόντου νοτερὸν εἶπας ἔκβολον;

[¶24] Iphigenia:
Where your ship is moored by its roped anchor.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
οὗ ναῦς χαλινοῖς λινοδέτοις ὁρμεῖ σέθεν.

[¶25] Orestes:
Will you or some other bear the image in your hands?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
σὺ δʼ ἤ τις ἄλλος ἐν χεροῖν οἴσει βρέτας;

[¶26] Iphigenia:
I shall; it is holy for me alone to touch it.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἐγώ· θιγεῖν γὰρ ὅσιόν ἐστʼ ἐμοὶ μόνῃ.

[¶27] Orestes:
But Pylades here—how will he be assigned to our labor?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
Πυλάδης δʼ ὅδʼ ἡμῖν ποῦ τετάξεται πόνου;

[¶28] Iphigenia:
His hands, it will be said, are stained like yours with blood-pollution.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ταὐτὸν χεροῖν σοὶ λέξεται μίασμʼ ἔχων.

[¶29] Orestes:
Will you do all this secretly from the king, or with his knowledge?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
λάθρα δʼ ἄνακτος ἢ εἰδότος δράσεις τάδε;

[¶30] Iphigenia:
I shall persuade him; I could not hide it from him.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
πείσασα μύθοις· οὐ γὰρ ἂν λάθοιμί γε.

[¶31] Orestes:
Well then, my ship, with its quick stroke of oars, is at hand.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
καὶ μὴν νεώς γε πίτυλος εὐήρης πάρα.

[¶32] Iphigenia:
You must indeed take care of the rest, so that it goes well.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
σοὶ δὴ μέλειν χρὴ τἄλλʼ ὅπως ἕξει καλῶς.

[¶33] Orestes:
We need only one thing more, that these women conceal our plans; you approach them and find persuasive words. A woman has power over pity.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἑνὸς μόνου δεῖ, τάσδε συγκρύψαι τάδε.
ἀλλʼ ἀντίαζε καὶ λόγους πειστηρίους
εὕρισκʼ· ἔχει τοι δύναμιν εἰς οἶκτον γυνή.

[¶34] The rest, perhaps—. May all turn out well!

> Greek: τὰ δʼ ἄλλʼ ἴσως —. ἅπαντα συμβαίη καλῶς.

[¶35] Iphigenia:
My dearest friends, I look to you; I am in your hands, whether I am to succeed, or come to nothing and lose my country, and my dear brother and dearest sister.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ὦ φίλταται γυναῖκες, εἰς ὑμᾶς βλέπω,
καὶ τἄμʼ ἐν ὑμῖν ἐστιν ἢ καλῶς ἔχειν
ἢ μηδὲν εἶναι καὶ στερηθῆναι πάτρας
φίλου τʼ ἀδελφοῦ φιλτάτης τε συγγόνου.

[¶36] And first of all, I begin my speech with this: we are women, and have hearts naturally formed to love each other, and keep our common interests most secure. Be silent for us and assist us in our flight. It is good to have trustworthy speech.

> Greek: καὶ πρῶτα μέν μοι τοῦ λόγου τάδʼ ἀρχέτω·
γυναῖκές ἐσμεν, φιλόφρον ἀλλήλαις γένος
σῴζειν τε κοινὰ πράγματʼ ἀσφαλέσταται.
σιγήσαθʼ ἡμῖν καὶ συνεκπονήσατε
φυγάς. καλόν τοι γλῶσσʼ ὅτῳ πιστὴ παρῇ.

[¶37] You see how one fortune holds us three, most dear to each other, either to return to our native land, or to die. If I am saved, I will bring you safe to Hellas, so that you may share my fortune. By your right hand, I entreat you, and you, and you; (addressing different members of the Chorus.) you by your dear face,
by your knees, by all that is dearest to you in your home: father, mother, child, if you have children. What do you reply? Who agrees with us, or is not willing to do this—speak! For if you do not acquiesce in my words, both I and my unhappy brother must die.

> Greek: ὁρᾶτε δʼ ὡς τρεῖς μία τύχη τοὺς φιλτάτους,
ἢ γῆς πατρῴας νόστον ἢ θανεῖν ἔχει.
σωθεῖσα δʼ, ὡς ἂν καὶ σὺ κοινωνῇς τύχης,
σώσω σʼ ἐς Ἑλλάδʼ. ἀλλὰ πρός σε δεξιᾶς
σὲ καὶ σὲ ἱκνοῦμαι, σὲ δὲ φίλης παρηίδος,
γονάτων τε καὶ τῶν ἐν δόμοισι φιλτάτων
μητρὸς πατρός τε καὶ τέκνων ὅτῳ κυρεῖ.
τί φατέ; τίς ὑμῶν φησιν ἢ τίς οὐ θέλειν —
φθέγξασθε — ταῦτα; μὴ γὰρ αἰνουσῶν λόγους
ὄλωλα κἀγὼ καὶ κασίγνητος τάλας.

[¶38] Chorus Leader:
Have courage, dear mistress, only see to your safety; I will be silent on all that you have charged me with—great Zeus be my witness.

> Greek: Χορός:
θάρσει, φίλη δέσποινα, καὶ σῴζου μόνον·
ὡς ἔκ γʼ ἐμοῦ σοι πάντα σιγηθήσεται —
ἴστω μέγας Ζεύς — ὧν ἐπισκήπτεις πέρι.

[¶39] Iphigenia:
Bless you for your words, may you be happy! It is your work now, and yours, To Orestes and Pylades to enter the temple;

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ὄναισθε μύθων καὶ γένοισθʼ εὐδαίμονες.
σὸν ἔργον ἤδη καὶ σὸν ἐσβαίνειν δόμους·

[¶40] for soon the ruler of this land will come, inquiring if the sacrifice of the strangers has been carried out.

> Greek: ὡς αὐτίχʼ ἥξει τῆσδε κοίρανος χθονός,
θυσίαν ἐλέγχων εἰ κατείργασται ξένων.

[¶41] Lady Artemis, you who saved me from my father’s slaughtering hand by the clefts of Aulis, save me now also, and these men; or through you Loxias’
prophetic voice will no longer be held true by mortals But leave this barbarian land for Athens with good will; it is not fitting for you to dwell here, when you could have so fortunate a city. Exeunt Iphigenia, Orestes, and Pylades.

> Greek: >ὦ πότνιʼ, ἥπερ μʼ Αὐλίδος κατὰ πτυχὰς
δεινῆς ἔσωσας ἐκ πατροκτόνου χερός,
σῶσόν με καὶ νῦν τούσδε τʼ· ἢ τὸ Λοξίου
οὐκέτι βροτοῖσι διὰ σὲ ἐτήτυμον στόμα.
ἀλλʼ εὐμενὴς ἔκβηθι βαρβάρου χθονὸς
ἐς τὰς Ἀθήνας· καὶ γὰρ ἐνθάδʼ οὐ πρέπει
ναίειν, παρόν σοι πόλιν ἔχειν εὐδαίμονα.

[¶42] Chorus:
Halcyon bird, you that sing your fate as a lament
beside the rocky ridges of the sea, a cry easily understood by the wise, that you are always chanting for your husband; I, wingless bird that I am, compare
my laments with yours, in my longing for the festivals of Hellas, and for Artemis of childbirth, who dwells beside the Cynthian mountain and the palm with delicate leaves
and the well-grown laurel and the holy shoot of gray-green olive, Leto’s dear child, and the lake that rolls about its ripples, where the melodious swan
serves the Muses.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὄρνις, ἃ παρὰ πετρίνας
πόντου δειράδας, ἀλκυών,
ἔλεγον οἶτον ἀείδεις,
εὐξύνετον ξυνετοῖς βοάν,
ὅτι πόσιν κελαδεῖς ἀεὶ μολπαῖς,
ἐγώ σοι παραβάλλομαι
θρήνους, ἄπτερος ὅρνις,
ποθοῦσʼ Ἑλλάνων ἀγόρους,
ποθοῦσʼ Ἄρτεμιν λοχίαν,
ἃ παρὰ Κύνθιον ὄχθον οἰ-
κεῖ φοίνικά θʼ ἁβροκόμαν
δάφναν τʼ εὐερνέα καὶ
γλαυκᾶς θαλλὸν ἱερὸν ἐλαί-
ας, Λατοῦς ὠδῖνα φίλαν,
λίμναν θʼ εἱλίσσουσαν ὕδωρ
κύκλιον, ἔνθα κύκνος μελῳ-
δὸς Μούσας θεραπεύει.

[¶43] Chorus:
O streams of tears that fell onto my cheeks, when my city was destroyed and the enemy forced me to sail,
by their oars, by their spears! Purchased by gold, I came to a barbarian home, where I serve Agamemnon’s daughter,
the attendant maid of the deer-killing goddess, and the altars where no sheep are sacrificed; and I envy ruin that is wretched throughout, for when you are brought up in harsh necessity, you do not suffer.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ πολλαὶ δακρύων λιβάδες,
αἳ παρηίδας εἰς ἐμὰς
ἔπεσον, ἁνίκα πύργων
ὀλομένων ἐν ναυσὶν ἔβαν
πολεμίων ἐρετμοῖσι καὶ λόγχαις.
ζαχρύσου δὲ διʼ ἐμπολᾶς
νόστον βάρβαρον ἦλθον,
ἔνθα τᾶς ἐλαφοκτόνου
θεᾶς ἀμφίπολον κόραν
παῖδʼ Ἀγαμεμνονίαν λατρεύ-
ω βωμούς τʼ οὐ μηλοθύτας,
ζηλοῦσʼ ἄταν διὰ παν-
τὸς δυσδαίμονʼ· ἐν γὰρ ἀνάγ-
καις οὐ κάμνεις σύντροφος ὤν.

[¶44] Misery changes; life is hard for mortals, when they are treated badly after happiness.

> Greek: μεταβάλλει δυσδαιμονία·
τὸ δὲ μετʼ εὐτυχίας κακοῦ-
σθαι θνατοῖς βαρὺς αἰών.

[¶45] Chorus:
And you, lady, the Argive penteconter will bear you home;

> Greek: Χορός:
καὶ σὲ μέν, πότνιʼ, Ἀργεία
πεντηκόντορος οἶκον ἄξει·

[¶46] the wax-bound reed of the mountain god Pan, piping, will shout to the oars, and Phoebus the prophet, with the ring of his seven-stringed lyre,
singing, will guide you well to the gleaming land of the Athenians. Leaving me here, you will go with splashing oars. In the breeze, the forestays of the ship that carries you swiftly
will spread out over the front beyond the prow.

> Greek: συρίζων θʼ ὁ κηροδέτας
κάλαμος οὐρείου Πανὸς
κώπαις ἐπιθωΰξει,
ὁ Φοῖβός θʼ ὁ μάντις ἔχων
κέλαδον ἑπτατόνου λύρας
ἀείδων ἄξει λιπαρὰν
εὖ σʼ Ἀθηναίων ἐπὶ γᾶν.
ἐμὲ δʼ αὐτοῦ λιποῦσα
βήσῃ ῥοθίοισι πλάταις·
ἀέρι δὲ [ἱστία] πρότονοι κατὰ πρῷραν ὑ-
πὲρ στόλον ἐκπετάσουσι πόδα
ναὸς ὠκυπόμπου.

[¶47] Chorus:
May I come to the bright race-course, where the sun’s fire goes;

> Greek: Χορός:
λαμπροὺς ἱπποδρόμους βαίην,
ἔνθʼ εὐάλιον ἔρχεται πῦρ·

[¶48] over the chambers of my home, may I cease to flutter the wings on my back. May I take my stand in the dances of glorious marriages, where I stood as a maiden,
twirling about in the dancing bands of other girls, away from my dear mother; rushing on to the contest of charms, the luxuriant strife of hair, I covered my cheeks with the multi-colored veil
and shadowed them with the locks of my hair.

> Greek: οἰκείων δʼ ὑπὲρ θαλάμων
πτέρυγας ἐν νώτοις ἁμοῖς
λήξαιμι θοάζουσα·
χοροῖς δʼ ἑσταίην, ὅθι καὶ
παρθένος, εὐδοκίμων γάμων,
παρὰ πόδʼ εἱλίσσουσα φίλας
ματρὸς ἡλίκων θιάσους,
χαρίτων εἰς ἁμίλλας,
χαίτας ἁβρόπλουτον ἔριν,
ὀρνυμένα, πολυποίκιλα φάρεα
καὶ πλοκάμους περιβαλλομένα
γένυσιν ἐσκίαζον.

[¶49] Thoas:
Where is the gate-keeper of this temple, the woman of Hellas? Has she already begun the rites on the strangers?

> Greek: Θόας:
ποῦ ʼσθʼ ἡ πυλωρὸς τῶνδε δωμάτων γυνὴ
Ἑλληνίς; ἤδη τῶν ξένων κατήρξατο;

[¶50] Are they glowing with fire in the holy sanctuary?

> Greek: ἀδύτοις ἐν ἁγνοῖς σῶμα λάμπονται πυρί;

[¶51] Chorus Leader:
Here she is, to tell you everything clearly, lord.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἥδʼ ἐστίν, ἥ σοι πάντʼ, ἄναξ, ἐρεῖ σαφῶς.

[¶52] Thoas:
Oh! Daughter of Agamemnon, why have you lifted up in your arms the statue of the goddess from its pedestal that must not be moved?

> Greek: Θόας:
ἔα·
τί τόδε μεταίρεις ἐξ ἀκινήτων βάθρων,
Ἀγαμέμνονος παῖ, θεᾶς ἄγαλμʼ ἐν ὠλέναις;

[¶53] Iphigenia:
Lord, stand there in the entrance!

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἄναξ, ἔχʼ αὐτοῦ πόδα σὸν ἐν παραστάσιν.

[¶54] Thoas:
Iphigenia, what has happened in the temple?

> Greek: Θόας:
τί δʼ ἔστιν, Ἰφιγένεια, καινὸν ἐν δόμοις;

[¶55] Iphigenia:
I spit out the pollution; (turning to Thoas to explain.) I say this for Holiness.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἀπέπτυσʼ· Ὁσίᾳ γὰρ δίδωμʼ ἔπος τόδε.

[¶56] Thoas:
What is this news in your introduction? Tell it clearly.

> Greek: Θόας:
τί φροιμιάζῃ νεοχμόν; ἐξαύδα σαφῶς.

[¶57] Iphigenia:
The victims you caught for me are not pure, lord.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
οὐ καθαρά μοι τὰ θύματʼ ἠγρεύσασθʼ, ἄναξ.

[¶58] Thoas:
What taught you this? Or are you only saying what you think?

> Greek: Θόας:
τί τοὐκδιδάξαν τοῦτό σʼ; ἢ δόξαν λέγεις;

[¶59] Iphigenia:
The image of the goddess turned back from its place.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
βρέτας τὸ τῆς θεοῦ πάλιν ἕδρας ἀπεστράφη.

[¶60] Thoas:
By itself, or did an earthquake turn it?

> Greek: Θόας:
αὐτόματον, ἤ νιν σεισμὸς ἔστρεψε χθονός;

[¶61] Iphigenia:
By itself; it closed up its eyes.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
αὐτόματον· ὄψιν δʼ ὀμμάτων ξυνήρμοσεν.

[¶62] Thoas:
What was the reason? Was it the uncleanness of the strangers?

> Greek: Θόας:
ἡ δʼ αἰτία τίς; ἦ τὸ τῶν ξένων μύσος;

[¶63] Iphigenia:
That was the reason, and nothing else; for they have done dreadful things.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἥδʼ, οὐδὲν ἄλλο· δεινὰ γὰρ δεδράκατον.

[¶64] Thoas:
What, have they killed one of the barbarians on the shore?

> Greek: Θόας:
ἀλλʼ ἦ τινʼ ἔκανον βαρβάρων ἀκτῆς ἔπι;

[¶65] Iphigenia:
They come with murder done at home.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
οἰκεῖον ἦλθον τὸν φόνον κεκτημένοι.

[¶66] Thoas:
What murder? For I strongly want to know.

> Greek: Θόας:
τίνʼ; εἰς ἔρον γὰρ τοῦ μαθεῖν πεπτώκαμεν.

[¶67] Iphigenia:
They killed their mother together with their swords.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
μητέρα κατειργάσαντο κοινωνῷ ξίφει.

[¶68] Thoas:
Apollo! No barbarian would have dared this.

> Greek: Θόας:
Ἄπολλον, οὐδʼ ἐν βαρβάροις ἔτλη τις ἄν.

[¶69] Iphigenia:
They were driven in pursuit from all of Hellas.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
πάσης διωγμοῖς ἠλάθησαν Ἑλλάδος.

[¶70] Thoas:
Is it for this that you bring the statue outside?

> Greek: Θόας:
ἦ τῶνδʼ ἕκατι δῆτʼ ἄγαλμʼ ἔξω φέρεις;

[¶71] Iphigenia:
Yes, to the holy air, to remove it from slaughter.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
σεμνόν γʼ ὑπʼ αἰθέρʼ, ὡς μεταστήσω φόνου.

[¶72] Thoas:
How did you know the blood-pollution of the strangers?

> Greek: Θόας:
μίασμα δʼ ἔγνως τοῖν ξένοιν ποίῳ τρόπῳ;

[¶73] Iphigenia:
I questioned them, because the image of the goddess had turned back.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἤλεγχον, ὡς θεᾶς βρέτας ἀπεστράφη πάλιν.

[¶74] Thoas:
Hellas has brought you up to be clever; how well you understood this.

> Greek: Θόας:
σοφήν σʼ ἔθρεψεν Ἑλλάς, ὡς ᾔσθου καλῶς.

[¶75] Iphigenia:
And yet they dangled a sweet lure for my heart.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
καὶ μὴν καθεῖσαν δέλεαρ ἡδύ μοι φρενῶν.

[¶76] Thoas:
Reporting to you some charm of news from Argos?

> Greek: Θόας:
τῶν Ἀργόθεν τι φίλτρον ἀγγέλλοντέ σοι;

[¶77] Iphigenia:
That Orestes, my only brother, is happy.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
τὸν μόνον Ὀρέστην ἐμὸν ἀδελφὸν εὐτυχεῖν.

[¶78] Thoas:
So that you might save them, for the delight of their messages.

> Greek: Θόας:
ὡς δή σφε σῴσαις ἡδοναῖς ἀγγελμάτων.

[¶79] Iphigenia:
And that my father is alive and doing well.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
καὶ πατέρα γε ζῆν καὶ καλῶς πράσσειν ἐμόν.

[¶80] Thoas:
But you turned to the goddess, with reason.

> Greek: Θόας:
σὺ δʼ ἐς τὸ τῆς θεοῦ γʼ ἐξένευσας εἰκότως.

[¶81] Iphigenia:
Yes, for I hate all Hellas, which has ruined me.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
πᾶσάν γε μισοῦσʼ Ἑλλάδʼ, ἥ μʼ ἀπώλεσεν.

[¶82] Thoas:
Tell me, what shall we do with the strangers?

> Greek: Θόας:
τί δῆτα δρῶμεν, φράζε, τοῖν ξένοιν πέρι;

[¶83] Iphigenia:
We must reverence the law as it stands.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
τὸν νόμον ἀνάγκη τὸν προκείμενον σέβειν.

[¶84] Thoas:
But the libations and your sword are not at work?

> Greek: Θόας:
οὔκουν ἐν ἔργῳ χέρνιβες ξίφος τε σόν;

[¶85] Iphigenia:
First I want to wash them, with holy purification.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἁγνοῖς καθαρμοῖς πρῶτά νιν νίψαι θέλω.

[¶86] Thoas:
In fountain waters, or the drops of the sea?

> Greek: Θόας:
πηγαῖσιν ὑδάτων ἢ θαλασσίᾳ δρόσῳ;

[¶87] Iphigenia:
The sea washes away all men’s evils.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
θάλασσα κλύζει πάντα τἀνθρώπων κακά.

[¶88] Thoas:
They would certainly be holier victims for the goddess.

> Greek: Θόας:
ὁσιώτερον γοῦν τῇ θεῷ πέσοιεν ἄν.

[¶89] Iphigenia:
And in this way my plans would succeed better.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
καὶ τἀμά γʼ οὕτω μᾶλλον ἂν καλῶς ἔχοι.

[¶90] Thoas:
Doesn’t the wave beat against this very temple?

> Greek: Θόας:
οὔκουν πρὸς αὐτὸν ναὸν ἐκπίπτει κλύδων;

[¶91] Iphigenia:
This requires solitude; and I shall do more.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἐρημίας δεῖ· καὶ γὰρ ἄλλα δράσομεν.

[¶92] Thoas:
Then where you wish; I do not want to see what should not be seen.

> Greek: Θόας:
ἄγʼ ἔνθα χρῄζεις· οὐ φιλῶ τἄρρηθʼ ὁρᾶν.

[¶93] Iphigenia:
I must purify the image of the goddess also.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἁγνιστέον μοι καὶ τὸ τῆς θεοῦ βρέτας.

[¶94] Thoas:
Yes, if a stain from the matricide has fallen on it.

> Greek: Θόας:
εἴπερ γε κηλὶς ἔβαλέ νιν μητροκτόνος.

[¶95] Iphigenia:
For I would not have lifted it from its base otherwise.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
οὐ γάρ ποτʼ ἄν νιν ἠράμην βάθρων ἄπο.

[¶96] Thoas:
Your piety and forethought are correct.

> Greek: Θόας:
δίκαιος ηὑσέβεια καὶ προμηθία.

[¶97] Iphigenia:
Do you know what to do for me now?

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
οἶσθά νυν ἅ μοι γενέσθω;

[¶98] Thoas:
It is for you to make it known.

> Greek: Θόας:
σὸν τὸ σημαίνειν τόδε.

[¶99] Iphigenia:
Put chains on the strangers.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
δεσμὰ τοῖς ξένοισι πρόσθες.

[¶100] Thoas:
Where could they escape you?

> Greek: Θόας:
ποῖ δέ σʼ ἐκφύγοιεν ἄν;

[¶101] Iphigenia:
Hellas knows no faith.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
πιστὸν Ἑλλὰς οἶδεν οὐδέν.

[¶102] Thoas:
(to his servants.) Go to get chains, attendants.

> Greek: Θόας:
ἴτʼ ἐπὶ δεσμά, πρόσπολοι.

[¶103] Iphigenia:
And let them bring the strangers here.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
κἀκκομιζόντων δὲ δεῦρο τοὺς ξένους —

[¶104] Thoas:
It will be so.

> Greek: Θόας:
ἔσται τάδε.

[¶105] Iphigenia:
And veil their faces with their robes.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
κρᾶτα κρύψαντες πέπλοισιν.

[¶106] Thoas:
Before the light of the sun.

> Greek: Θόας:
ἡλίου πρόσθεν φλογός.

[¶107] Iphigenia:
And send some of your servants with me.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
σῶν τέ μοι σύμπεμπʼ ὀπαδῶν.

[¶108] Thoas:
These will attend you.

> Greek: Θόας:
οἵδʼ ὁμαρτήσουσί σοι.

[¶109] Iphigenia:
And send someone to announce to the city—

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
καὶ πόλει πέμψον τινʼ ὅστις σημανεῖ —

[¶110] Thoas:
That what has happened?

> Greek: Θόας:
ποίας τύχας;

[¶111] Iphigenia:
That all remain indoors.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἐν δόμοις μίμνειν ἅπαντας.

[¶112] Thoas:
So that they do not come in contact with murder?

> Greek: Θόας:
μὴ συναντῷεν φόνῳ;

[¶113] Iphigenia:
Yes, for such things are polluted.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
μυσαρὰ γὰρ τὰ τοιάδʼ ἐστί.

[¶114] Thoas:
(to a servant.) Go and announce—

> Greek: Θόας:
στεῖχε καὶ σήμαινε σύ —

[¶115] Iphigenia:
That no one come near the sight. An attendant departs.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
μηδένʼ εἰς ὄψιν πελάζειν.

[¶116] Thoas:
You are taking good care of the city

> Greek: Θόας:
εὖ γε κηδεύεις πόλιν.

[¶117] Iphigenia:
And of the friends to whom I owe the most.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
καὶ φίλων γʼ οὓς δεῖ μάλιστα.

[¶118] Thoas:
You mean this for me.

> Greek: Θόας:
τοῦτʼ ἔλεξας εἰς ἐμέ.

[¶119] Iphigenia:...
Thoas:
The whole city marvels at you, with reason.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
…
Θόας:
ὡς εἰκότως σε πᾶσα θαυμάζει πόλις.

[¶120] Iphigenia:
You stay here before the shrine of the goddess.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
σὺ δὲ μένων αὐτοῦ πρὸ ναῶν τῇ θεῷ —

[¶121] Thoas:
What shall I do?

> Greek: Θόας:
τί χρῆμα δρῶ;

[¶122] Iphigenia:
Purify the house with fire.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἅγνισον πυρσῷ μέλαθρον.

[¶123] Thoas:
So that you may return to find it pure.

> Greek: Θόας:
καθαρὸν ὡς μόλῃς πάλιν.

[¶124] Iphigenia:
When the strangers come outside—

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἡνίκʼ ἂν δʼ ἔξω περῶσιν οἱ ξένοι —

[¶125] Thoas:
What must I do?

> Greek: Θόας:
τί χρή με δρᾶν;

[¶126] Iphigenia:
Hold your robe over your eyes.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
πέπλον ὀμμάτων προθέσθαι.

[¶127] Thoas:
So that I do not receive the pollution.

> Greek: Θόας:
μὴ παλαμναῖον λάβω.

[¶128] Iphigenia:
If I seem to delay too long—

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
ἢν δʼ ἄγαν δοκῶ χρονίζειν —

[¶129] Thoas:
What limit of the delay should I keep in mind?

> Greek: Θόας:
τοῦδʼ ὅρος τίς ἐστί μοι;

[¶130] Iphigenia:
Do not wonder at it.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
θαυμάσῃς μηδέν.

[¶131] Thoas:
Carry out the rites of the goddess well, since you have leisure.

> Greek: Θόας:
τὰ τῆς θεοῦ πρᾶσσʼ — ἐπεὶ σχολή — καλῶς.

[¶132] Iphigenia:
May this purification fall out as I wish!

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
εἰ γὰρ ὡς θέλω καθαρμὸς ὅδε πέσοι.

[¶133] Thoas:
I pray along with you.
(Exit Thoas.)

> Greek: Θόας:
συνεύχομαι.

[¶134] Iphigenia:
I see the strangers coming out of the temple now, and the ornaments of the goddess and the new-born lambs, because I will wash blood-pollution away with blood, and the flash of torches and all the rest that
I have set out as purification for the strangers and the goddess.

> Greek: Ἰφιγένεια:
τούσδʼ ἄρʼ ἐκβαίνοντας ἤδη δωμάτων ὁρῶ ξένους
καὶ θεᾶς κόσμους νεογνούς τʼ ἄρνας, ὡς φόνῳ φόνον
μυσαρὸν ἐκνίψω, σέλας τε λαμπάδων τά τʼ ἄλλʼ ὅσα
προυθέμην ἐγὼ ξένοισι καὶ θεᾷ καθάρσια.

[¶135] I proclaim to the citizens to keep away from this pollution, if any guard of the temple is purifying his hands for the gods, or if anyone is coming to form a marriage alliance, or is weighted down by childbirth— begone, stand away, so that this defilement does not fall on anyone.

> Greek: ἐκποδὼν δʼ αὐδῶ πολίταις τοῦδʼ ἔχειν μιάσματος,
εἴ τις ἢ ναῶν πυλωρὸς χεῖρας ἁγνεύει θεοῖς
ἢ γάμον στείχει συνάψων ἢ τόκοις βαρύνεται,
φεύγετʼ, ἐξίστασθε, μή τῳ προσπέσῃ μύσος τόδε.

[¶136] (Aside.) O lady, maiden daughter of of Leto and Zeus, if I cleanse the stain of murder from these men, and make the sacrifice where I ought to make it, you will dwell in a pure home, and we will be fortunate. I do not speak the rest, but I indicate it to those who know more, the gods and you, goddess. Exit Iphigenia.

> Greek: ὦ Διὸς Λητοῦς τʼ ἄνασσα παρθένʼ, ἢν νίψω φόνον
τῶνδε καὶ θύσωμεν οὗ χρή, καθαρὸν οἰκήσεις δόμον,
εὐτυχεῖς δʼ ἡμεῖς ἐσόμεθα. τἄλλα δʼ οὐ λέγουσʼ, ὅμως
τοῖς τὰ πλείονʼ εἰδόσιν θεοῖς σοί τε σημαίνω, θεά.

[¶137] Chorus:
Lovely is the son of Leto,
whom she, the Delian, once bore in the fruitful valleys, golden-haired, skilled at the lyre; and also the one who glories in her well-aimed arrows.
For the mother, leaving the famous birth-place, brought him from the ridges of the sea to the heights of Parnassus, with its gushing waters, which celebrate the revels for Dionysus. Here the dark-faced serpent
with brightly colored back, his scales of bronze in the leaf-shaded laurel, huge monster of the earth, guarded Earth’s prophetic shrine. You killed him, o Phoebus, while still a baby,
still leaping in the arms of your dear mother, and you entered the holy shrine, and sit on the golden tripod, on your truthful throne
distributing prophecies from the gods to mortals, up from the sanctuary, neighbor of Castalia’s streams, as you dwell in the middle of the earth.

> Greek: Χορός:
εὔπαις ὁ Λατοῦς γόνος,
τόν ποτε Δηλιὰς ἐν καρποφόροις γυάλοις
⟨ἔτικτε,⟩ χρυσοκόμαν
ἐν κιθάρᾳ σοφόν, ἅ τʼ ἐπὶ τόξων
εὐστοχίᾳ γάνυται· φέρε ⟨δʼ αὐτά⟩
νιν ἀπὸ δειράδος εἰναλίας,
λοχεῖα κλεινὰ λιποῦσα μά-
τηρ, τὰν ἀστάκτων ὑδάτων
βακχεύουσαν Διονύ-
σῳ Παρνάσιον κορυφάν·
ὅθι ποικιλόνωτος οἰ-
νωπὸς δράκων,
σκιερᾷ κατάχαλκος εὐ-
φύλλῳ δάφνᾳ,
γᾶς πελώριον τέρας, ἄμφεπε μαντεῖ-
ον Χθόνιον.
ἔτι μιν ἔτι βρέφος, ἔτι φίλας
ἐπὶ ματέρος ἀγκάλαισι θρῴσκων
ἔκανες, ὦ Φοῖβε, μαντείων δʼ ἐπέβας ζαθέων,
τρίποδί τʼ ἐν χρυσέῳ θάσσεις, ἐν ἀψευδεῖ θρόνῳ
μαντείας βροτοῖς θεσφάτων νέμων
ἀδύτων ὕπο, Κασταλίας ῥεέθρων γείτων, μέσον
γᾶς ἔχων μέλαθρον.

[¶138] Chorus:
But when he came and sent Themis,
the child of Earth, away from the holy oracle of Pytho, Earth gave birth to dream visions of the night; and they told to the cities of men the present,
and what will happen in the future, through dark beds of sleep on the ground; and so Earth took the office of prophecy away from Phoebus, in envy, because of her daughter. The lord made his swift way to Olympus
and wound his baby hands around the throne of Zeus, to take the wrath of the earth goddess from the Pythian home. Zeus smiled, that the child so quickly came
to ask for worship that pays in gold. He shook his locks of hair, to put an end to the night voices, and took away from mortals the truth that appears in darkness,
and gave the privilege back again to Loxias, and to mortals confidence in the songs of prophecy at the throne visited by many men.

> Greek: Χορός:
Θέμιν δʼ ἐπεὶ γᾶς ἰὼν
παῖδʼ ἀπενάσσατο ⟨Πυθῶνος⟩ ἀπὸ ζαθέων
χρηστηρίων, νύχια
Χθὼν ἐτεκνώσατο φάσματʼ ὀ⟨νείρων⟩,
οἳ πολέσιν μερόπων τά τε πρῶτα, τά τʼ
ἔπειθʼ, ὅσσα τʼ ἔμελλε τυχεῖν,
ὕπνου κατὰ δνοφερὰς γᾶς εὐ-
νὰς ἔφραζον· Γαῖα δὲ τὰν
μαντεῖον ἀφείλετο τι-
μὰν Φοῖβον, φθόνῳ θυγατρός.
ταχύπους δʼ ἐς Ὄλυμπον ὁρ-
μαθεὶς ἄναξ
χέρα παιδνὸν ἕλιξεν ἐκ
Διὸς θρόνων
Πυθίων δόμων χθονίαν ἀφελεῖν μῆ-
νιν θεᾶς. [νυχίους τʼ ἐνοπὰς.]
γέλασε δʼ, ὅτι τέκος ἄφαρ ἔβα
πολύχρυσα θέλων λατρεύματα σχεῖν·
ἐπὶ δʼ ἔσεισεν κόμαν, παῦσαι νυχίους ἐνοπάς,
ἀπὸ δʼ ἀλαθοσύναν νυκτωπὸν ἐξεῖλεν βροτῶν,
καὶ τιμὰς πάλιν θῆκε Λοξίᾳ,
πολυάνορι δʼ ἐν ξενόεντι θρόνῳ θάρση βροτοῖς
θεσφάτων ἀοιδαῖς.

[¶139] Messenger:
O you that guard the temple and stand by the altar,
where has Thoas, the lord of this land, gone? Open the well-fastened gates, and call forth from this shrine the ruler of the land.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ὦ ναοφύλακες βώμιοί τʼ ἐπιστάται,
Θόας ἄναξ γῆς τῆσδε ποῦ κυρεῖ βεβώς;
καλεῖτʼ ἀναπτύξαντες εὐγόμφους πύλας
ἔξω μελάθρων τῶνδε κοίρανον χθονός.

[¶140] Chorus Leader:
What is it, if I may speak when not commanded?

> Greek: Χορός:
τί δʼ ἔστιν, εἰ χρὴ μὴ κελευσθεῖσαν λέγειν;

[¶141] Messenger:
The two young men are gone away,
through the plots of Agamemnon’s daughter; they are escaping from this land, with the holy image deep within a Hellene ship.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
βεβᾶσι φροῦδοι δίπτυχοι νεανίαι
Ἀγαμεμνονείας παιδὸς ἐκ βουλευμάτων
φεύγοντες ἐκ γῆς τῆσδε καὶ σεμνὸν βρέτας
λαβόντες ἐν κόλποισιν Ἑλλάδος νεώς.

[¶142] Chorus Leader:
What you say is incredible; but the one you want to see, the lord of the country, has gone in haste from the temple.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἄπιστον εἶπας μῦθον· ὃν δʼ ἰδεῖν θέλεις
ἄνακτα χώρας, φροῦδος ἐκ ναοῦ συθείς.

[¶143] Messenger:
Where? For he should know what has been done.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ποῖ; δεῖ γὰρ αὐτὸν εἰδέναι τὰ δρώμενα.

[¶144] Chorus Leader:
We don’t know; but go after him, and report these things to him where you find him.

> Greek: Χορός:
οὐκ ἴσμεν· ἀλλὰ στεῖχε καὶ δίωκέ νιν
ὅπου κυρήσας τούσδʼ ἀπαγγελεῖς λόγους.

[¶145] Messenger:
See, what a faithless race you women are! You also have a share in what has been done.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ὁρᾶτʼ, ἄπιστον ὡς γυναικεῖον γένος·
μέτεστι χὑμῖν τῶν πεπραγμένων μέρος.

[¶146] Chorus Leader:
You are mad! What do we have to do the the flight of the strangers? Go as quickly as you can to the ruler’s door!

> Greek: Χορός:
μαίνῃ· τί δʼ ἡμῖν τῶν ξένων δρασμοῦ μέτα;
οὐκ εἶ κρατούντων πρὸς πύλας ὅσον τάχος;

[¶147] Messenger:
No! Not until this interpreter brings word if the king is inside or not. Ho there! Unbar the doors—I am speaking to those within—
and inform the master that I am at the gate with a burden of bad news.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
οὔ, πρίν γʼ ἂν εἴπῃ τοὔπος ἑρμηνεὺς ὅδε,
εἴτʼ ἔνδον εἴτʼ οὐκ ἔνδον ἀρχηγὸς χθονός.
ὠή, χαλᾶτε κλῇθρα, τοῖς ἔνδον λέγω,
καὶ δεσπότῃ σημήναθʼ οὕνεκʼ ἐν πύλαις
πάρειμι, καινῶν φόρτον ἀγγέλλων κακῶν.

[¶148] Thoas:
(appearing at the temple door.) Who is raising this clamor at the temple of the goddess, striking at the gates and sending his noise within?

> Greek: Θόας:
τίς ἀμφὶ δῶμα θεᾶς τόδʼ ἵστησιν βοήν,
πύλας ἀράξας καὶ ψόφον πέμψας ἔσω;

[¶149] Messenger:
Ah! These women told me that you were outside; they would have driven me away from the temple,
but you were inside after all.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
φεῦ·
πῶς ἔλεγον αἵδε, καί μʼ ἀπήλαυνον δόμων,
ὡς ἐκτὸς εἴης· σὺ δὲ κατʼ οἶκον ἦσθʼ ἄρα.

[¶150] Thoas:
What advantage were they expecting and hunting after?

> Greek: Θόας:
τί προσδοκῶσαι κέρδος ἢ θηρώμεναι;

[¶151] Messenger:
I will tell you about them later; hear what is currently at hand. The girl who presided at this altar, Iphigenia, has left the country
with the strangers, and takes with her the holy statue of the goddess; the purification was a cheat.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
αὖθις τὰ τῶνδε σημανῶ· τὰ δʼ ἐν ποσὶ
παρόντʼ ἄκουσον. ἡ νεᾶνις ἣ ʼνθάδε
βωμοῖς παρίστατʼ, Ἰφιγένειʼ, ἔξω χθονὸς
σὺν τοῖς ξένοισιν οἴχεται, σεμνὸν θεᾶς
ἄγαλμʼ ἔχουσα· δόλια δʼ ἦν καθάρματα.

[¶152] Thoas:
What are you saying? What influence in her character brought her to this?

> Greek: Θόας:
πῶς φῄς; τί πνεῦμα συμφορᾶς κεκτημένη;

[¶153] Messenger:
To save Orestes; here is a marvel for you!

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
σῴζουσʼ Ὀρέστην· τοῦτο γὰρ σὺ θαυμάσῃ.

[¶154] Thoas:
To save whom? Clytemnestra’s son?

> Greek: Θόας:
τὸν ποῖον; ἆρʼ ὃν Τυνδαρὶς τίκτει κόρη;

[¶155] Messenger:
The one whom the goddess was dedicating to herself at this altar.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ὃν τοῖσδε βωμοῖς θεὰ καθωσιώσατο.

[¶156] Thoas:
Marvelous! for what more can it be called?

> Greek: Θόας:
ὦ θαῦμα — πῶς σε μεῖζον ὀνομάσας τύχω;

[¶157] Messenger:
Do not think of that, but listen to me; consider it clearly and when you hear, devise a pursuit to hunt down the strangers.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
μὴ ʼνταῦθα τρέψῃς σὴν φρένʼ, ἀλλʼ ἄκουέ μου·
σαφῶς δʼ ἀθρήσας καὶ κλύων ἐκφρόντισον
διωγμὸς ὅστις τοὺς ξένους θηράσεται.

[¶158] Thoas:
Speak; you have said well; for their flight is not so brief a voyage as to escape my spear.

> Greek: Θόας:
λέγʼ· εὖ γὰρ εἶπας· οὐ γὰρ ἀγχίπλουν πόρον
φεύγουσιν, ὥστε διαφυγεῖν τοὐμὸν δόρυ.

[¶159] Messenger:
When we came to the sea-shore, where Orestes’ ship was moored in hiding,
Agamemnon’s daughter motioned to those of us you sent with the strangers’ bonds to stand far off, as if her sacrifice of purifying flame, that she had come for, were secret. But she went on alone, holding the strangers’ chains in her hands, behind them. Your servants, lord, were suspicious,
but we allowed it. After a while, so that we might think that she was accomplishing something, she raised a shout, and chanted strange songs and spells, as if she were washing off the pollution of murder. When we had sat a long time,
it occurred to us that the strangers, loosed from their bonds, might kill her and escape by flight. But we were afraid of seeing what we ought not, and sat in silence. But at length we all resolved to go where they were, although we were not allowed.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ἐπεὶ πρὸς ἀκτὰς ἤλθομεν θαλασσίας,
οὗ ναῦς Ὀρέστου κρύφιος ἦν ὡρμισμένη,
ἡμᾶς μέν, οὓς σὺ δεσμὰ συμπέμπεις ξένων
ἔχοντας, ἐξένευσʼ ἀποστῆναι πρόσω
Ἀγαμέμνονος παῖς, ὡς ἀπόρρητον φλόγα
θύουσα καὶ καθαρμὸν ὃν μετῴχετο,
αὐτὴ δʼ ὄπισθε δέσμʼ ἔχουσα τοῖν ξένοιν
ἔστειχε χερσί. καὶ τάδʼ ἦν ὕποπτα μέν,
ἤρεσκε μέντοι σοῖσι προσπόλοις, ἄναξ.
χρόνῳ δʼ, ἵνʼ ἡμῖν δρᾶν τι δὴ δοκοῖ πλέον,
ἀνωλόλυξε καὶ κατῇδε βάρβαρα
μέλη μαγεύουσʼ, ὡς φόνον νίζουσα δή.
ἐπεὶ δὲ δαρὸν ἦμεν ἥμενοι χρόνον,
ἐσῆλθεν ἡμᾶς μὴ λυθέντες οἱ ξένοι
κτάνοιεν αὐτὴν δραπέται τʼ οἰχοίατο.
φόβῳ δʼ ἃ μὴ χρῆν εἰσορᾶν καθήμεθα
σιγῇ· τέλος δὲ πᾶσιν ἦν αὑτὸς λόγος
στείχειν ἵνʼ ἦσαν, καίπερ οὐκ ἐωμένοις.

[¶160] There we saw a Hellene ship, winged with ready blade for the stroke, and at the oar-locks were fifty rowers with their oars; the two youths stood by the stern, freed from their chains.

> Greek: κἀνταῦθʼ ὁρῶμεν Ἑλλάδος νεὼς σκάφος
ταρσῷ κατήρει πίτυλον ἐπτερωμένον,
ναύτας τε πεντήκοντʼ ἐπὶ σκαλμῶν πλάτας
ἔχοντας, ἐκ δεσμῶν δὲ τοὺς νεανίας
ἐλευθέρους πρύμνηθεν ἑστῶτας νεώς.

[¶161] Some were holding the prow in place with poles; others were fastening the anchor from the cat-heads; others were drawing the stern-cables through their hands, and making haste to let down the ladders into the sea for the strangers. Without sparing ourselves, when we saw
their treacherous wiles, we seized the priestess and the cables, and tried to draw the ship’s rudder-oars out through their holes. Then there was a debate: “What is your reason for carrying the statue and the priestess away from the land by theft?”

> Greek: κοντοῖς δὲ πρῷραν εἶχον, οἳ δʼ ἐπωτίδων
ἄγκυραν ἐξανῆπτον· οἳ δέ, κλίμακας
σπεύδοντες, ἦγον διὰ χερῶν πρυμνήσια,
πόντῳ δὲ δόντες τοῖν ξένοιν καθίεσαν.
ἡμεῖς δʼ ἀφειδήσαντες, ὡς ἐσείδομεν
δόλια τεχνήματʼ, εἰχόμεσθα τῆς ξένης
πρυμνησίων τε, καὶ διʼ εὐθυντηρίας
οἴακας ἐξῃροῦμεν εὐπρύμνου νεώς.
λόγοι δʼ ἐχώρουν· Τίνι λόγῳ πορθμεύετε
κλέπτοντες ἐκ γῆς ξόανα καὶ θυηπόλους;

[¶162] “Who is your father, who are you, to smuggle her away?” He said: “Know that I am Orestes, her brother, Agamemnon’s son, and I have come to take my sister, whom I lost from her home.”

> Greek: τίνος τίς ὢν σὺ τήνδʼ ἀπεμπολᾷς χθονός;
ὁ δʼ εἶπʼ· Ὀρέστης, τῆσδʼ ὅμαιμος, ὡς μάθῃς,
Ἀγαμέμνονος παῖς, τήνδʼ ἐμὴν κομίζομαι
λαβὼν ἀδελφήν, ἣν ἀπώλεσʼ ἐκ δόμων.

[¶163] But we held her no less,
and were leading her to you by force, for which I received these dreadful blows on my cheeks; they had no swords, nor did we. Both the youths gave rattling blows with their fists,
darting their limbs against our sides and breasts, so that as soon as we joined battle, we were worn out. We were fleeing to the cliff, stamped with dreadful marks, some with bloody wounds on their heads, others on their eyes;

> Greek: ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν ἧσσον εἰχόμεσθα τῆς ξένης
καὶ πρὸς σὲ ἕπεσθαι διεβιαζόμεσθά νιν·
ὅθεν τὰ δεινὰ πλήγματʼ ἦν γενειάδων.
κεῖνοί τε γὰρ σίδηρον οὐκ εἶχον χεροῖν
ἡμεῖς τε· πυγμαί τʼ ἦσαν ἐγκροτούμεναι,
καὶ κῶλʼ ἀπʼ ἀμφοῖν τοῖν νεανίαιν ἅμα
ἐς πλευρὰ καὶ πρὸς ἧπαρ ἠκοντίζετο,
ὡς τῷ ξυνάπτειν καὶ συναποκαμεῖν μέλη.
δεινοῖς δὲ σημάντροισιν ἐσφραγισμένοι
ἐφεύγομεν πρὸς κρημνόν, οἳ μὲν ἐν κάρᾳ
κάθαιμʼ ἔχοντες τραύμαθʼ, οἳ δʼ ἐν ὄμμασιν·

[¶164] when we stood on the on the heights, we fought more cautiously and hurled rocks at them. But, standing on the stern, the archers with their arrows kept us off and drove us away. And now an immense swelling wave ran the ship aground,
and the maiden was afraid to get her feet wet. Orestes bore his sister on his left arm, going into the sea and quickly up the ladder, and he set her on the ship, along with the statue of Zeus’ daughter, fallen from heaven.
From the middle of the ship, he cried out: “Sailors of Hellas, seize the ship with the oars and make the waves white with foam; for we possess those things for which we sailed the inhospitable straits, within the clashing rocks.”

> Greek: ὄχθοις δʼ ἐπισταθέντες εὐλαβεστέρως
ἐμαρνάμεσθα καὶ πέτρους ἐβάλλομεν.
ἀλλʼ εἶργον ἡμᾶς τοξόται πρύμνης ἔπι
σταθέντες ἰοῖς, ὥστʼ ἀναστεῖλαι πρόσω.
κἀν τῷδε — δεινὸς γὰρ κλύδων ὤκειλε ναῦν
πρὸς γῆν, φόβος δʼ ἦν ⟨παρθένῳ⟩ τέγξαι πόδα —
λαβὼν Ὀρέστης ὦμον εἰς ἀριστερόν,
βὰς ἐς θάλασσαν κἀπὶ κλίμακος θορών,
ἔθηκʼ ἀδελφὴν ἐντὸς εὐσήμου νεώς,
τό τʼ οὐρανοῦ πέσημα, τῆς Διὸς κόρης
ἄγαλμα. ναὸς ⟨δʼ⟩ ἐκ μέσης ἐφθέγξατο
βοή τις· ὦ γῆς Ἑλλάδος ναῦται, νεὼς
λάβεσθε κώπαις ῥόθιά τʼ ἐκλευκαίνετε·
ἔχομεν γὰρ ὧνπερ οὕνεκʼ ἄξενον πόρον
Συμπληγάδων ἔσωθεν εἰσεπλεύσαμεν.

[¶165] They gave a cheerful shout, and struck the salt wave. The ship, while it was within the harbor, was headed for the mouth; but when it had crossed, it met with a violent swell aand was hard pressed; and the wind, rising with sudden dreadful gusts,
forced it astern. They beat the waves strongly; but the swell was driving the ship back towards the land. Agamemnon’s daughter stood up and prayed: “O daughter of Leto, bring me, your priestess, safely to Hellas”
“from this barbaric land, and forgive my thefts. For you, goddess, love your brother; believe that I love mine also.” The sailors shouted the paean in response to her prayer, and applied their naked shoulders
to the oars, at the command. But the ship came nearer and nearer to the rocks; some of us rushed into the sea, others grasped the woven ropes. And I set out here to you at once, lord,
to tell you what has happened there. But go, take chains and nets with you; for if the swell does not become calm, there is no hope of safety for the strangers.
Revered Poseidon, ruler of the sea, watches over Troy and is hostile to the race of Pelops; he will now allow you and your citizens, as is right, to have in your hands the son of Agamemnon and his sister; she stands convicted as betrayer of her unremembered sacrifice to the goddess in Aulis.

> Greek: οἳ δὲ στεναγμὸν ἡδὺν ἐκβρυχώμενοι
ἔπαισαν ἅλμην. ναῦς δʼ, ἕως μὲν ἐντὸς ἦν
λιμένος, ἐχώρει στόμια, διαπερῶσα δὲ
λάβρῳ κλύδωνι συμπεσοῦσʼ ἠπείγετο·
δεινὸς γὰρ ἐλθὼν ἄνεμος ἐξαίφνης νεὼς
ὠθεῖ παλίμπρυμνʼ ἱστίʼ· οἳ δʼ ἐκαρτέρουν
πρὸς κῦμα λακτίζοντες· ἐς δὲ γῆν πάλιν
κλύδων παλίρρους ἦγε ναῦν. σταθεῖσα δὲ
Ἀγαμέμνονος παῖς ηὔξατʼ· ὦ Λητοῦς κόρη
σῷσόν με τὴν σὴν ἱερέαν πρὸς Ἑλλάδα
ἐκ βαρβάρου γῆς καὶ κλοπαῖς σύγγνωθʼ ἐμαῖς.
φιλεῖς δὲ καὶ σὺ σὸν κασίγνητον, θεά·
φιλεῖν δὲ κἀμὲ τοὺς ὁμαίμονας δόκει.
ναῦται δʼ ἐπευφήμησαν εὐχαῖσιν κόρης
παιᾶνα, γυμνὰς ἐκ ⟨πέπλων⟩ ἐπωμίδας
κώπῃ προσαρμόσαντες ἐκ κελεύσματος.
μᾶλλον δὲ μᾶλλον πρὸς πέτρας ᾔει σκάφος·
χὣ μέν τις ἐς θάλασσαν ὡρμήθη ποσίν,
ἄλλος δὲ πλεκτὰς ἐξανῆπτεν ἀγκύλας.
κἀγὼ μὲν εὐθὺς πρὸς σὲ δεῦρʼ ἀπεστάλην,
σοὶ τὰς ἐκεῖθεν σημανῶν, ἄναξ, τύχας.
ἀλλʼ ἕρπε, δεσμὰ καὶ βρόχους λαβὼν χεροῖν·
εἰ μὴ γὰρ οἶδμα νήνεμον γενήσεται,
οὐκ ἔστιν ἐλπὶς τοῖς ξένοις σωτηρίας.
πόντου δʼ ἀνάκτωρ Ἴλιόν τʼ ἐπισκοπεῖ
σεμνὸς Ποσειδῶν, Πελοπίδαις ἐναντίος,
καὶ νῦν παρέξει τὸν Ἀγαμέμνονος γόνον
σοὶ καὶ πολίταις, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἐν χεροῖν
λαβεῖν, ἀδελφήν θʼ, ἣ φόνον τὸν Αὐλίδι
ἀμνημόνευτον θεᾷ προδοῦσʼ ἁλίσκεται.

[¶166] Chorus Leader:
Unhappy Iphigenia, you will die with your brother, if you come again into the hands of the king.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ τλῆμον Ἰφιγένεια, συγγόνου μέτα
θανῇ πάλιν μολοῦσα δεσποτῶν χέρας.

[¶167] Thoas:
All citizens of this barbarian land, hurl the reins on your horses, rush to the coast and seize what the Hellene ship
casts forth! With the goddess’ help, be eager to hunt down these impious men! Drag the swift ships to the sea! So that by sea and with pursuit on horseback by land, you may take them; and hurl their bodies from the hard rock,
or impale them on the stake.

> Greek: Θόας:
ὦ πάντες ἀστοὶ τῆσδε βαρβάρου χθονός,
οὐκ εἶα πώλοις ἐμβαλόντες ἡνίας
παράκτιοι δραμεῖσθε κἀκβολὰς νεὼς
Ἑλληνίδος δέξεσθε, σὺν δὲ τῇ θεῷ
σπεύδοντες ἄνδρας δυσσεβεῖς θηράσετε,
οἳ δʼ ὠκυπομποὺς ἕλξετʼ ἐς πόντον πλάτας;
ὡς ἐκ θαλάσσης ἔκ τε γῆς ἱππεύμασι
λαβόντες αὐτοὺς ἢ κατὰ στύφλου πέτρας
ῥίψωμεν, ἢ σκόλοψι πήξωμεν δέμας.

[¶168] (Turning to the Chorus.) As for you women, who knew about these plots, I will punish you later, when I am at leisure. But now in this present urgency, I will not remain still.

> Greek: ὑμᾶς δὲ τὰς τῶνδʼ ἴστορας βουλευμάτων,
γυναῖκες, αὖθις, ἡνίκʼ ἂν σχολὴν λάβω,
ποινασόμεσθα· νῦν δὲ τὴν προκειμένην
σπουδὴν ἔχοντες οὐ μενοῦμεν ἥσυχοι.

[¶169] Athena:
Where, where are you carrying this pursuit, lord Thoas? Listen the words of Athena, who is here. Cease to follow or to send an army pouring forth; for Orestes came here, destined by the oracles of Loxias, to flee from the anger of the Furies,
and to bring his sister to Argos and take the holy statue to my land, thus gaining a release from his present miseries. Thoas, I am speaking to you: you expect to take Orestes in the sea-swell and kill him; but Poseidon, for my sake,
now lets him sail over the back of the waveless sea.

> Greek: Ἀθήνα:
ποῖ ποῖ διωγμὸν τόνδε πορθμεύεις, ἄναξ
Θόας; ἄκουσον τῆσδʼ Ἀθηναίας λόγους.
παῦσαι διώκων ῥεῦμά τʼ ἐξορμῶν στρατοῦ·
πεπρωμένος γὰρ θεσφάτοισι Λοξίου
δεῦρʼ ἦλθʼ Ὀρέστης, τόν τʼ Ἐρινύων χόλον
φεύγων ἀδελφῆς τʼ Ἄργος ἐσπέμψων δέμας
ἄγαλμά θʼ ἱερὸν εἰς ἐμὴν ἄξων χθόνα,
τῶν νῦν παρόντων πημάτων ἀναψυχάς.
πρὸς μὲν σὲ ὅδʼ ἡμῖν μῦθος· ὃν δʼ ἀποκτενεῖν
δοκεῖς Ὀρέστην ποντίῳ λαβὼν σάλῳ,
ἤδη Ποσειδῶν χάριν ἐμὴν ἀκύμονα
πόντου τίθησι νῶτα πορθμεύειν πλάτῃ.

[¶170] And you, Orestes, attend to my commands, for you hear the goddess’ voice even though not present: go away with the statue and your sister; and when you come to Athens, built by the gods,
there is a place on the farthest borders of the Attic land, neighbor to the ridge of Carystia, sacred, and my people call it Halae. There build a temple and set up the image in it; it will have its name from the Tauric land and from your labors,
which you have endured, wandering through Hellas and goaded by the Furies. And mortals will in future times celebrate Artemis Tauropolos with hymns. And establish this law: whenever the people keep the festival, let a sword be held
to a man’s throat and draw out blood, in atonement for your sacrifice, so that the goddess may have her honors, and holiness is revered.

> Greek: μαθὼν δʼ, Ὀρέστα, τὰς ἐμὰς ἐπιστολάς —
κλύεις γὰρ αὐδὴν καίπερ οὐ παρὼν θεᾶς —
χώρει λαβὼν ἄγαλμα σύγγονόν τε σήν.
ὅταν δʼ Ἀθήνας τὰς θεοδμήτους μόλῃς,
χῶρός τις ἔστιν Ἀτθίδος πρὸς ἐσχάτοις
ὅροισι, γείτων δειράδος Καρυστίας,
ἱερός, Ἁλάς νιν οὑμὸς ὀνομάζει λεώς·
ἐνταῦθα τεύξας ναὸν ἵδρυσαι βρέτας,
ἐπώνυμον γῆς Ταυρικῆς πόνων τε σῶν,
οὓς ἐξεμόχθεις περιπολῶν καθʼ Ἑλλάδα
οἴστροις Ἐρινύων. Ἄρτεμιν δέ νιν βροτοὶ
τὸ λοιπὸν ὑμνήσουσι Ταυροπόλον θεάν.
νόμον τε θὲς τόνδʼ· ὅταν ἑορτάζῃ λεώς,
τῆς σῆς σφαγῆς ἄποινʼ ἐπισχέτω ξίφος
δέρῃ πρὸς ἀνδρὸς αἷμά τʼ ἐξανιέτω,
ὁσίας ἕκατι θεά θʼ ὅπως τιμὰς ἔχῃ.

[¶171] You, Iphigenia, must be key-holder for this goddess on the hallowed stairs of Brauron, and will die there and be buried;
and they will dedicate adornment to you, finely-woven robes which women who have died in childbirth leave in their homes. I charge you to send these Hellene women to their country, for their correct intentions.... For I saved you
before also, Orestes, on Ares’ hill when the votes were equal; and this will be the custom, for the one with equal votes to win. But, son of Agamemnon, take your sister away from this land. And you, Thoas, do not be angry.

> Greek: σὲ δʼ ἀμφὶ σεμνάς, Ἰφιγένεια, κλίμακας
Βραυρωνίας δεῖ τῇδε κλῃδουχεῖν θεᾷ·
οὗ καὶ τεθάψῃ κατθανοῦσα, καὶ πέπλων
ἄγαλμά σοι θήσουσιν εὐπήνους ὑφάς,
ἃς ἂν γυναῖκες ἐν τόκοις ψυχορραγεῖς
λίπωσʼ ἐν οἴκοις. τάσδε δʼ ἐκπέμπειν χθονὸς
Ἑλληνίδας γυναῖκας ἐξεφίεμαι
γνώμης δικαίας οὕνεκʼ
⟨… ⟩
ἐκσῴσασα δὲ
καὶ πρίν σʼ Ἀρείοις ἐν πάγοις ψήφους ἴσας
κρίνασʼ, Ὀρέστα· καὶ νόμισμʼ ἔσται τόδε,
νικᾶν ἰσήρεις ὅστις ἂν ψήφους λάβῃ.
ἀλλʼ ἐκκομίζου σὴν κασιγνήτην χθονός,
Ἀγαμέμνονος παῖ. — καὶ σὺ μὴ θυμοῦ, Θόας.

[¶172] Thoas:
Lady Athena, whoever hears the words of the gods and does not obey, is not thinking rightly. I am not angry at Orestes, for going off with the goddess’ image, or at his sister; for what good is it to contend against the strength of gods?

> Greek: Θόας:
ἄνασσʼ Ἀθάνα, τοῖσι τῶν θεῶν λόγοις
ὅστις κλύων ἄπιστος, οὐκ ὀρθῶς φρονεῖ.
ἐγὼ δʼ Ὀρέστῃ τʼ, εἰ φέρων βρέτας θεᾶς
βέβηκʼ, ἀδελφῇ τʼ οὐχὶ θυμοῦμαι· τί γὰρ
πρὸς τοὺς σθένοντας θεοὺς ἁμιλλᾶσθαι καλόν;

[¶173] Let them go to your land with the statue of the goddess, and let them establish it there, with good fortune. I will send these women also to fortunate Hellas, as you bid me. And I will stop the army
and the ships I raised against the strangers, as you think this right, goddess.

> Greek: ἴτωσαν ἐς σὴν σὺν θεᾶς ἀγάλματι
γαῖαν, καθιδρύσαιντό τʼ εὐτυχῶς βρέτας.
πέμψω δὲ καὶ τάσδʼ Ἑλλάδʼ εἰς εὐδαίμονα
γυναῖκας, ὥσπερ σὸν κέλευσμʼ ἐφίεται.
παύσω δὲ λόγχην ἣν ἐπαίρομαι ξένοις
ναῶν τʼ ἐρετμά, σοὶ τάδʼ ὡς δοκεῖ, θεά.

[¶174] Athena:
I commend you; for necessity rules both you and the gods.

> Greek: Ἀθήνα:
αἰνῶ· τὸ γὰρ χρεὼν σοῦ τε καὶ θεῶν κρατεῖ.

[¶175] Go, winds, carry the son of Agamemnon to Athens by sea; I will journey with them, and keep safe the holy image of my sister.

> Greek: ἴτʼ, ὦ πνοαί, ναυσθλοῦσθε τὸν Ἀγαμέμνονος
παῖδʼ εἰς Ἀθήνας· συμπορεύσομαι δʼ ἐγὼ
σῴζουσʼ ἀδελφῆς τῆς ἐμῆς σεμνὸν βρέτας.

[¶176] Chorus:
Go with good fortune, blessed in having your portion of safety.
Pallas Athena, holy among immortals and mortals, we will do as you command.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἴτʼ ἐπʼ εὐτυχίᾳ τῆς σῳζομένης
μοίρας εὐδαίμονες ὄντες.
ἀλλʼ, ὦ σεμνὴ παρά τʼ ἀθανάτοις
καὶ παρὰ θνητοῖς, Παλλὰς Ἀθάνα,
δράσομεν οὕτως ὡς σὺ κελεύεις.

[¶177] For we receive your voice in our ears with great and unexpected pleasure.
Greatly revered Victory, may you occupy my life and never cease to crown me!

> Greek: μάλα γὰρ τερπνὴν κἀνέλπιστον
φήμην ἀκοαῖσι δέδεγμαι.
— — —
ὦ μέγα σεμνὴ Νίκη, τὸν ἐμὸν
βίοτον κατέχοις
καὶ μὴ λήγοις στεφανοῦσα.