---
title: "Orestes · Ὀρέστης"
author: "Euripides"
translator: "Edward P. Coleridge"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
url: https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-orestes/
cite: "Euripides, tr. Edward P. Coleridge, Orestes · Ὀρέστης. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-orestes/"
---

# Orestes · Ὀρέστης

*Euripides, tr. Edward P. Coleridge*

After killing his mother, Orestes waits with Electra for Argos to pass sentence.

> Greek: ed. Gilbert Murray, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0006.tlg016, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Edward P. Coleridge, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0006.tlg016.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 1–584](https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-orestes/1.md)
2. [Lines 585–1120](https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-orestes/2.md)
3. [Lines 1121–1693](https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-orestes/3.md)

## 1. Lines 1–584

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

[¶0] Before the royal palace at Argos. Orestes lies sleeping on a couch in the background.
Electra:
There is nothing so terrible to describe, or suffering, or heaven-sent affliction, that human nature may not have to bear the burden of it. The blessed Tantalus—and I am not now taunting him with his misfortunes—
Tantalus, the reputed son of Zeus, flies in the air, quailing at the rock which looms above his head; paying this penalty, they say, for the shameful weakness he displayed in failing to keep a bridle on his lips, when admitted by gods, though he was a man,
to share the honors of their feasts like one of them.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
Οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδὲν δεινὸν ὧδʼ εἰπεῖν ἔπος
οὐδὲ πάθος οὐδὲ ξυμφορὰ θεήλατος,
ἧς οὐκ ἂν ἄραιτʼ ἄχθος ἀνθρώπου φύσις.
ὁ γὰρ μακάριος — κοὐκ ὀνειδίζω τύχας —
Διὸς πεφυκώς, ὡς λέγουσι, Τάνταλος
κορυφῆς ὑπερτέλλοντα δειμαίνων πέτρον
ἀέρι ποτᾶται· καὶ τίνει ταύτην δίκην,
ὡς μὲν λέγουσιν, ὅτι θεοῖς ἄνθρωπος ὢν
κοινῆς τραπέζης ἀξίωμʼ ἔχων ἴσον,
ἀκόλαστον ἔσχε γλῶσσαν, αἰσχίστην νόσον.

[¶1] He begot Pelops, the father of Atreus, for whom the goddess, when she had carded her wool, spun a web of strife—to make war with his own brother Thyestes. But why need I retrace that hideous tale?

> Greek: οὗτος φυτεύει Πέλοπα, τοῦ δʼ Ἀτρεὺς ἔφυ,
ᾧ στέμματα ξήνασʼ ἐπέκλωσεν θεὰ
ἔριν, Θυέστῃ πόλεμον ὄντι συγγόνῳ
θέσθαι. τί τἄρρητʼ ἀναμετρήσασθαί με δεῖ;

[¶2] Well, Atreus slew Thyestes’ children and feasted him on them. Atreus, now; I pass over intermediate events; from Atreus and Aerope of Crete were born the famous Agamemnon, if he really was famous, and Menelaus. Now Menelaus married Helen,
the gods’ abhorrence; while lord Agamemnon married Clytemnestra, notorious in Hellas; and we three daughters were born: Chrysothemis, Iphigenia, and myself, Electra; also a son Orestes; all from that one accursed mother,
who slew her husband, after snaring him in an inextricable robe. Her reason a maiden’s lips may not declare, and so I leave it unclear for the world to guess at. What need for me to charge Phoebus with wrong-doing? Though he persuaded Orestes
to slay his own mother, a deed that few approved. Still it was his obedience to the god that made him kill her; I had a share in the murder, in so far as a woman could, [and Pylades, who helped us to bring it about.]

> Greek: ἔδαισε δʼ οὖν νιν τέκνʼ ἀποκτείνας Ἀτρεύς.
Ἀτρέως δέ· τὰς γὰρ ἐν μέσῳ σιγῶ τύχας·
ὁ κλεινός, εἰ δὴ κλεινός, Ἀγαμέμνων ἔφυ
Μενέλεώς τε Κρήσσης μητρὸς Ἀερόπης ἄπο.
γαμεῖ δʼ ὃ μὲν δὴ τὴν θεοῖς στυγουμένην
Μενέλαος Ἑλένην, ὃ δὲ Κλυταιμήστρας λέχος
ἐπίσημον εἰς Ἕλληνας Ἀγαμέμνων ἄναξ·
ᾧ παρθένοι μὲν τρεῖς ἔφυμεν ἐκ μιᾶς,
Χρυσόθεμις Ἰφιγένειά τʼ Ἠλέκτρα τʼ ἐγώ,
ἄρσην δʼ Ὀρέστης, μητρὸς ἀνοσιωτάτης,
ἣ πόσιν ἀπείρῳ περιβαλοῦσʼ ὑφάσματι
ἔκτεινεν· ὧν δʼ ἕκατι, παρθένῳ λέγειν
οὐ καλόν· ἐῶ τοῦτʼ ἀσαφὲς ἐν κοινῷ σκοπεῖν.
Φοίβου δʼ ἀδικίαν μὲν τί δεῖ κατηγορεῖν;
πείθει δʼ Ὀρέστην μητέρʼ ἥ σφʼ ἐγείνατο
κτεῖναι, πρὸς οὐχ ἅπαντας εὔκλειαν φέρον.
ὅμως δʼ ἀπέκτεινʼ οὐκ ἀπειθήσας θεῷ·
κἀγὼ μετέσχον, οἷα δὴ γυνή, φόνου.
[Πυλάδης θʼ, ὃς ἡμῖν συγκατείργασται τάδε.]

[¶3] After this my poor Orestes, wasting away in a cruel disease,
lies fallen on his couch, and it is his mother’s blood that drives him round and round in frenzied fits; I am ashamed to name the goddesses, whose terrors are chasing him—the Eumenides. It is now the sixth day
since the body of his murdered mother was committed to the cleansing fire; since then no food has gone down his throat, nor has he washed his skin; but wrapped in his cloak he weeps in his lucid moments, whenever the fever leaves him;
at other times he bounds headlong from his couch, as a colt when it is loosed from the yoke. This city of Argos has decreed that no man give us shelter in home or hearth, or speak to matricides like us; and this is the fateful day on which the Argives will take a vote,
whether we are both to die by stoning. [or to whet the steel and plunge it in our necks.] There is, it is true, one hope of escape from death: Menelaus has landed from Troy; his fleet now crowds the haven of Nauplia where he has come to anchor on the shore, returned at last from Troy
after ceaseless wanderings; but Helen, that so-called lady of sorrows, he has sent on to our palace, waiting for the night, lest any of those parents whose sons died at Troy might see her if she went by day, and set to stoning her.
Within she sits, weeping for her sister and the calamities of her family, and yet she has still some solace in her woe; for Hermione, the child she left at home when she sailed for Troy, the maid whom Menelaus brought from Sparta
and entrusted to my mother’s keeping, is still a cause of joy to her and a reason to forget her sorrows.

> Greek: ἐντεῦθεν ἀγρίᾳ συντακεὶς νόσῳ [νοσεῖ]
τλήμων Ὀρέστης ὅδε πεσὼν ἐν δεμνίοις
κεῖται, τὸ μητρὸς δʼ αἷμά νιν τροχηλατεῖ
μανίαισιν· ὀνομάζειν γὰρ αἰδοῦμαι θεὰς
εὐμενίδας, αἳ τόνδʼ ἐξαμιλλῶνται φόβῳ.
ἕκτον δὲ δὴ τόδʼ ἦμαρ ἐξ ὅτου σφαγαῖς
θανοῦσα μήτηρ πυρὶ καθήγνισται δέμας,
ὧν οὔτε σῖτα διὰ δέρης ἐδέξατο,
οὐ λούτρʼ ἔδωκε χρωτί· χλανιδίων δʼ ἔσω
κρυφθείς, ὅταν μὲν σῶμα κουφισθῇ νόσου,
ἔμφρων δακρύει, ποτὲ δὲ δεμνίων ἄπο
πηδᾷ δρομαῖος, πῶλος ὣς ὑπὸ ζυγοῦ.
ἔδοξε δʼ Ἄργει τῷδε μήθʼ ἡμᾶς στέγαις,
μὴ πυρὶ δέχεσθαι, μήτε προσφωνεῖν τινα
μητροκτονοῦντας· κυρία δʼ ἥδʼ ἡμέρα,
ἐν ᾗ διοίσει ψῆφον Ἀργείων πόλις,
εἰ χρὴ θανεῖν νὼ λευσίμῳ πετρώματι.
[ἢ φάσγανον θήξαντʼ ἐπʼ αὐχένος βαλεῖν.]
ἐλπίδα δὲ δή τινʼ ἔχομεν ὥστε μὴ θανεῖν·
ἥκει γὰρ ἐς γῆν Μενέλεως Τροίας ἄπο,
λιμένα δὲ Ναυπλίειον ἐκπληρῶν πλάτῃ
ἀκταῖσιν ὁρμεῖ, δαρὸν ἐκ Τροίας χρόνον
ἄλαισι πλαγχθείς· τὴν δὲ δὴ πολύστονον
Ἑλένην, φυλάξας νύκτα, μή τις εἰσιδὼν
μεθʼ ἡμέραν στείχουσαν, ὧν ὑπʼ Ἰλίῳ
παῖδες τεθνᾶσιν, ἐς πέτρων ἔλθῃ βολάς,
προύπεμψεν ἐς δῶμʼ ἡμέτερον· ἔστιν δʼ ἔσω
κλαίουσʼ ἀδελφὴν συμφοράν τε δωμάτων.
ἔχει δὲ δή τινʼ ἀλγέων παραψυχήν·
ἣν γὰρ κατʼ οἴκους ἔλιφʼ, ὅτʼ ἐς Τροίαν ἔπλει,
παρθένον ἐμῇ τε μητρὶ παρέδωκεν τρέφειν
Μενέλαος ἀγαγὼν Ἑρμιόνην Σπάρτης ἄπο,
ταύτῃ γέγηθε κἀπιλήθεται κακῶν.

[¶4] I am watching each approach, until I see Menelaus arriving; for unless we find some safety from him, we have only a feeble anchor to ride on otherwise.
A helpless thing, an unlucky house!

> Greek: βλέπω δὲ πᾶσαν εἰς ὁδόν, πότʼ ὄψομαι
Μενέλαον ἥκονθʼ· ὡς τά γʼ ἄλλʼ ἐπʼ ἀσθενοῦς
ῥώμης ὀχούμεθʼ, ἤν τι μὴ κείνου πάρα
σωθῶμεν. ἄπορον χρῆμα δυστυχῶν δόμος.

[¶5] Helen:
Daughter of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon, unhappy Electra, a maiden for so long, how is it with you and your brother, this ill-starred Orestes who slew his mother?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ὦ παῖ Κλυταιμήστρας τε καὶ Ἀγαμέμνονος,
παρθένε μακρὸν δὴ μῆκος Ἠλέκτρα χρόνου,
πῶς, ὦ τάλαινα, σύ τε κασίγνητός τε σὸς
τλήμων Ὀρέστης μητρὸς ὅδε φονεὺς ἔχει;

[¶6] For referring the sin as I do to Phoebus, I incur no pollution by addressing you; and yet I am truly sorry for the death of my sister Clytemnestra, whom I never saw after I was driven by heaven-sent frenzy to sail as I did to Ilium;
but now that I am parted from her, I bewail our misfortunes.

> Greek: προσφθέγμασιν γὰρ οὐ μιαίνομαι σέθεν,
ἐς Φοῖβον ἀναφέρουσα τὴν ἁμαρτίαν.
καίτοι στένω γε τὸν Κλυταιμήστρας μόρον,
ἐμῆς ἀδελφῆς, ἥν, ἐπεὶ πρὸς Ἴλιον
ἔπλευσʼ ὅπως ἔπλευσα θεομανεῖ πότμῳ,
οὐκ εἶδον, ἀπολειφθεῖσα δʼ αἰάζω τύχας.

[¶7] Electra:
Helen, why should I speak of that which your own eyes can see? [Agamemnon’s house in misfortune?]
Beside his wretched corpse I sit, sleepless—for corpse he is, so faint his breath—
not that I reproach him with his sufferings; but you are highly blessed and your husband too. [you have come upon us in the hour of adversity]

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
Ἑλένη, τί σοι λέγοιμʼ ἂν ἅ γε παροῦσʼ ὁρᾷς;
[ἐν συμφοραῖσι τὸν Ἀγαμέμνονος δόμον]
ἐγὼ μὲν ἄυπνος πάρεδρος ἀθλίῳ νεκρῷ
— νεκρὸς γὰρ οὗτος οὕνεκα σμικρᾶς πνοῆς —
θάσσω· τὰ τούτου δʼ οὐκ ὀνειδίζω κακά.
σὺ δʼ εἶ μακαρία μακάριός θʼ ὁ σὸς πόσις.
[ἥκετον ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς ἀθλίως πεπραγότας]

[¶8] Helen:
How long has he lain in this way on the couch?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
πόσον χρόνον δʼ ἐν δεμνίοις πέπτωχʼ ὅδε;

[¶9] Electra:
Ever since he spilt his mother’s blood.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἐξ οὗπερ αἷμα γενέθλιον κατήνυσεν.

[¶10] Helen:
Unhappy wretch! unhappy mother! what a death she died.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ὢ μέλεος· ἡ τεκοῦσά θʼ, ὡς διώλετο.

[¶11] Electra:
Unhappy enough to succumb to his misery.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οὕτως ἔχει τάδʼ, ὥστʼ ἀπείρηκεν κακοῖς.

[¶12] Helen:
By the gods, would you hear me a moment, maiden?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
πρὸς θεῶν, πίθοιʼ ἂν δῆτά μοί τι, παρθένε;

[¶13] Electra:
Yes, with such leisure as this watching over a brother leaves.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὡς ἄσχολός γε συγγόνου προσεδρίᾳ.

[¶14] Helen:
Will you go for me to my sister’s tomb?

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
βούλῃ τάφον μοι πρὸς κασιγνήτης μολεῖν;

[¶15] Electra:
Would you have me seek my mother’s tomb? Why?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
μητρὸς κελεύεις τῆς ἐμῆς; τίνος χάριν;

[¶16] Helen:
To carry an offering of hair and a libation from me.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
κόμης ἀπαρχὰς καὶ χοὰς φέρουσʼ ἐμάς.

[¶17] Electra:
Isn’t it right for you to go to the tomb of one you love?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
σοὶ δʼ οὐχὶ θεμιτὸν πρὸς φίλων στείχειν τάφον;

[¶18] Helen:
No, for I am ashamed to show myself in Argos.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
δεῖξαι γὰρ Ἀργείοισι σῶμʼ αἰσχύνομαι.

[¶19] Electra:
A late repentance surely for one who left her home so shamefully then.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὀψέ γε φρονεῖς εὖ, τότε λιποῦσʼ αἰσχρῶς δόμους.

[¶20] Helen:
You have told the truth, but your telling is not kind to me.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ὀρθῶς ἔλεξας, οὐ φίλως δʼ ἐμοὶ λέγεις.

[¶21] Electra:
What is this supposed shame before the eyes of Mycenae that possesses you?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
αἰδὼς δὲ δὴ τίς σʼ ἐς Μυκηναίους ἔχει;

[¶22] Helen:
I am afraid of the fathers of those who lie dead at Ilium.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
δέδοικα πατέρας τῶν ὑπʼ Ἰλίῳ νεκρῶν.

[¶23] Electra:
Good cause for fear; your name is on every tongue in Argos.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
δεινὸν γάρ· Ἄργει τʼ ἀναβοᾷ διὰ στόμα.

[¶24] Helen:
Then free me of my fear and grant me this favor.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
σύ νυν χάριν μοι τὸν φόβον λύσασα δός.

[¶25] Electra:
I could not bear to look upon my mother’s grave.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οὐκ ἂν δυναίμην μητρὸς ἐσβλέψαι τάφον.

[¶26] Helen:
And yet it would be shame indeed for servants to bear these offerings.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
αἰσχρόν γε μέντοι προσπόλους φέρειν τάδε.

[¶27] Electra:
Then why not send your daughter Hermione?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
τί δʼ οὐχὶ θυγατρὸς Ἑρμιόνης πέμπεις δέμας;

[¶28] Helen:
It is not good for maidens to go into a crowd.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἐς ὄχλον ἕρπειν παρθένοισιν οὐ καλόν.

[¶29] Electra:
And yet she would be repaying her dead foster-mother’s care.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
καὶ μὴν τίνοι γʼ ἂν τῇ τεθνηκυίᾳ τροφάς.

[¶30] Helen:
You have told the truth and have convinced me, maiden. [Yes, I will send my daughter for you are right.] Calling. Hermione, my child, come out, before the palace. Take these libations and these tresses of mine in your hands, and go pour round Clytemnestra’s tomb
a mingled cup of honey, milk, and frothing wine; then stand upon the heaped-up grave, and say this: “Helen, your sister, sends you these libations as her gift, fearing herself to approach your tomb from terror of the Argive mob” and bid her harbor kindly thoughts
towards me and you and my husband; towards these two wretched sufferers, too, whom the gods have destroyed. And promise that I will pay in full whatever funeral gifts are due from me to a sister. Now go, my child, and hurry;
and soon as you have made the libations at the tomb, think of your return. Exit Helen.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ὀρθῶς ἔλεξας, πείθομαί τέ σοι, κόρη.
[καὶ πέμψομέν γε θυγατέρʼ· εὖ γάρ τοι λέγεις.]
ὦ τέκνον, ἔξελθʼ, Ἑρμιόνη, δόμων πάρος
καὶ λαβὲ χοὰς τάσδʼ ἐν χεροῖν κόμας τʼ ἐμάς·
ἐλθοῦσα δʼ ἀμφὶ τὸν Κλυταιμήστρας τάφον
μελίκρατʼ ἄφες γάλακτος οἰνωπόν τʼ ἄχνην,
καὶ στᾶσʼ ἐπʼ ἄκρου χώματος λέξον τάδε·
Ἑλένη σʼ ἀδελφὴ ταῖσδε δωρεῖται χοαῖς,
φόβῳ προσελθεῖν μνῆμα σόν, ταρβοῦσά τε
Ἀργεῖον ὄχλον. πρευμενῆ δʼ ἄνωγέ νιν
ἐμοί τε καὶ σοὶ καὶ πόσει γνώμην ἔχειν
τοῖν τʼ ἀθλίοιν τοῖνδʼ, οὓς ἀπώλεσεν θεός.
ἃ δʼ εἰς ἀδελφὴν καιρὸς ἐκπονεῖν ἐμέ,
ἅπανθʼ ὑπισχνοῦ νερτέρων δωρήματα.
ἴθʼ, ὦ τέκνον μοι, σπεῦδε καὶ χοὰς τάφῳ
δοῦσʼ ὡς τάχιστα τῆς πάλιν μέμνησʼ ὁδοῦ.

[¶31] Electra:
O human nature, how great an evil you are in men! and what salvation, too, to those who have a goodly heritage there.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὦ φύσις, ἐν ἀνθρώποισιν ὡς μέγʼ εἶ κακόν,
σωτήριόν τε τοῖς καλῶς κεκτημένοις.

[¶32] Did you see how she cut off her hair only at the ends, to preserve its beauty? She is the same woman as of old.

> Greek: εἴδετε παρʼ ἄκρας ὡς ἀπέθρισεν τρίχας,
σῴζουσα κάλλος; ἔστι δʼ ἡ πάλαι γυνή.

[¶33] May the gods hate you! for you have proved the ruin of me and my brother and all Hellas.

> Greek: θεοί σε μισήσειαν, ὥς μʼ ἀπώλεσας
καὶ τόνδε πᾶσάν θʼ Ἑλλάδα. ὦ τάλαινʼ ἐγώ·

[¶34] Alas! here are my friends once more, coming to unite their plaintive dirge with mine; they will soon put an end to my brother’s peaceful sleep, and cause my tears to flow
when I see him in frenzy.

> Greek: αἵδʼ αὖ πάρεισι τοῖς ἐμοῖς θρηνήμασι
φίλαι ξυνῳδοί· τάχα μεταστήσουσʼ ὕπνου
τόνδʼ ἡσυχάζοντʼ, ὄμμα δʼ ἐκτήξουσʼ ἐμὸν
δακρύοις, ἀδελφὸν ὅταν ὁρῶ μεμηνότα.

[¶35] [Dearest friends, step softly; not a sound; not a whisper! For though this kindness of yours is well-meant, rouse him and I shall rue it.]
The Chorus of Argive Maidens enters quietly. The following lines between Electra and the Chorus are chanted responsively.

> Greek: [ὦ φίλταται γυναῖκες, ἡσύχῳ ποδὶ]
[χωρεῖτε, μὴ ψοφεῖτε, μηδʼ ἔστω κτύπος.]
[φιλία γὰρ ἡ σὴ πρευμενὴς μέν, ἀλλʼ ἐμοὶ]
[τόνδʼ ἐξεγεῖραι συμφορὰ γενήσεται.]

[¶36] Chorus:
Hush, hush! let your footsteps fall lightly! not a sound!

> Greek: Χορός:
σῖγα σῖγα, λεπτὸν ἴχνος ἀρβύλης
τίθετε, μὴ κτυπεῖτʼ.

[¶37] Electra:
Go further from his couch, further, I beseech you!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἀποπρὸ βᾶτʼ ἐκεῖσʼ, ἀποπρό μοι κοίτας.

[¶38] Chorus:
There, I obey.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἰδού, πείθομαι.

[¶39] Electra:
Ah, ah! Speak like the breath of a slender reed-pipe, my dear, I pray.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἆ ἆ σύριγγος ὅπως πνοὰ
λεπτοῦ δόνακος, ὦ φίλα, φώνει μοι.

[¶40] Chorus:
See, how soft and low I drop my voice.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἴδʼ, ἀτρεμαῖον ὡς ὑπόροφον φέρω
βοάν.

[¶41] Electra:
Yes, do so; approach now, softly, softly!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ναί, οὕτως·
κάταγε κάταγε, πρόσιθʼ ἀτρέμας, ἀτρέμας ἴθι·

[¶42] Give me an account of why you have come here. For at last he has lain down, and sleeps.

> Greek: λόγον ἀπόδος ἐφʼ ὅ τι χρέος ἐμόλετέ ποτε.
χρόνια γὰρ πεσὼν ὅδʼ εὐνάζεται.

[¶43] Chorus:
How is he? You give us an account, my dear; what has happened, what misfortune?

> Greek: Χορός:
πῶς ἔχει; λόγου μετάδος, ὦ φίλα·
τίνα τύχαν εἴπω; τίνα δὲ συμφοράν;

[¶44] Electra:
He is still breathing, but his moans grow feeble.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἔτι μὲν ἐμπνέει, βραχὺ δʼ ἀναστένει.

[¶45] Chorus:
What are you saying? turning to Orestes. Unhappy Orestes!

> Greek: Χορός:
τί φῄς; ὦ τάλας.

[¶46] Electra:
You will kill him, if you disturb him from the sweet sleep he now enjoys.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὀλεῖς, εἰ βλέφαρα κινήσεις
ὕπνου γλυκυτάταν φερομένῳ χάριν.

[¶47] Chorus:
Poor sufferer, for his hateful deeds, inspired by a god!

> Greek: Χορός:
μέλεος ἐχθίστων θεόθεν ἐργμάτων,
τάλας.

[¶48] Electra:
Ah, misery! Injustice it was, after all, from an unjust mouth, when Loxias on the tripod of Themis
decreed my mother’s most unnatural murder.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
φεῦ μόχθων.
ἄδικος ἄδικα τότʼ ἄρʼ ἔλακεν ἔλακεν, ἀπό-
φονον ὅτʼ ἐπὶ τρίποδι Θέμιδος ἄρʼ ἐδίκασε
φόνον ὁ Λοξίας ἐμᾶς ματέρος.

[¶49] Chorus:
Do you see? He stirs beneath his robe!

> Greek: Χορός:
ὁρᾷς; ἐν πέπλοισι κινεῖ δέμας.

[¶50] Electra:
Alas! Your noisy chatter has roused him from his sleep.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
σὺ γάρ νιν, ὦ τάλαινα,
θωΰξασʼ ἔβαλες ἐξ ὕπνου.

[¶51] Chorus:
No, I think he is asleep.

> Greek: Χορός:
εὕδειν μὲν οὖν ἔδοξα.

[¶52] Electra:
Leave us, go away from the house! circle back again! cease this noise!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οὐκ ἀφʼ ἡμῶν, οὐκ ἀπʼ οἴκων
πάλιν ἀνὰ πόδα σὸν εἱλίξεις
μεθεμένα κτύπου;

[¶53] Chorus:
He is asleep.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὑπνώσσει.

[¶54] Electra:
You are right. O Lady Night,
giver of sleep to hard-working mortals, come from Erebus, come, wing your way to the palace of Agamemnon.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
λέγεις εὖ.
πότνια, πότνια νύξ,
ὑπνοδότειρα τῶν πολυπόνων βροτῶν,
ἐρεβόθεν ἴθι, μόλε μόλε κατάπτερος
τὸν Ἀγαμεμνόνιον ἐπὶ δόμον.

[¶55] For with misery and woe we are lost, we are gone.
There! To the Chorus. that noise again! Do be still and keep the sound of your voice
away from his couch; let him enjoy his sleep in peace, my dear!

> Greek: ὑπὸ γὰρ ἀλγέων ὑπό τε συμφορᾶς
διοιχόμεθʼ, οἰχόμεθα. κτύπον ἠγάγετʼ· οὐχὶ σῖγα
σῖγα φυλασσομένα στόματος
ἄνα κέλαδον ἀπὸ λέχεος ἥ-
συχον ὕπνου χάριν παρέξεις, φίλα;

[¶56] Chorus:
Tell me, what end of troubles awaits him.

> Greek: Χορός:
θρόει τίς κακῶν τελευτὰ μένει.

[¶57] Electra:
Death, death; what else? For he has no desire for food.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
θανεῖν ⟨θανεῖν⟩, τί δʼ ἄλλο;
οὐδὲ γὰρ πόθον ἔχει βορᾶς.

[¶58] Chorus:
Then his destiny is already clear.

> Greek: Χορός:
πρόδηλος ἆρʼ ὁ πότμος.

[¶59] Electra:
Phoebus offered us up for sacrifice, when he ordered the pitiable, unnatural murder of our mother, who killed our father.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἐξέθυσʼ ὁ Φοῖβος ἡμᾶς
μέλεον ἀπόφονον αἷμα δοὺς
πατροφόνου ματρός.

[¶60] Chorus:
It was just.

> Greek: Χορός:
δίκᾳ μέν.

[¶61] Electra:
But it was not well done.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
καλῶς δʼ οὔ.

[¶62] You killed and were killed, my mother! and you have slain a father and your own children;

> Greek: ἔκανες ἔθανες, ὦ
τεκομένα με μᾶτερ, ἀπὸ δʼ ὤλεσας
πατέρα τέκνα τε τάδε σέθεν ἀφʼ αἵματος·

[¶63] for we are dead or as good as dead. You are in your grave, and the greater part of my life is spent in weeping and wailing,
and tears at night; unmarried, childless, I drag out forever a joyless existence.

> Greek: ὀλόμεθʼ ἰσονέκυες, ὀλόμεθα.
σύ τε γὰρ ἐν νεκροῖς, τό τʼ ἐμὸν οἴχεται
βίου τὸ πλέον μέρος ἐν στοναχαῖσί τε καὶ γόοισι
δάκρυσί τʼ ἐννυχίοις, ἄγαμος
[ἐπὶ δʼ] ἄτεκνος ἅτε βίοτον ἁ
μέλεος ἐς τὸν αἰὲν ἕλκω χρόνον.

[¶64] Chorus Leader:
Electra, you are nearby; see whether your brother has not died without your knowing it;

> Greek: Χορός:
ὅρα παροῦσα, παρθένʼ Ἠλέκτρα, πέλας,
μὴ κατθανών σε σύγγονος λέληθʼ ὅδε·

[¶65] for I do not like his utter prostration.
Orestes: awaking refreshed
Sweet charm of sleep, savior in sickness, how sweetly you came to me, how needed! Revered forgetfulness of troubles, how wise a goddess you are, and invoked by every suffering soul!

> Greek: οὐ γάρ μʼ ἀρέσκει τῷ λίαν παρειμένῳ.
Ὀρέστης:
ὦ φίλον ὕπνου θέλγητρον, ἐπίκουρον νόσου,
ὡς ἡδύ μοι προσῆλθες — ἐν δέοντί γε.
ὦ πότνια Λήθη τῶν κακῶν, ὡς εἶ σοφὴ
καὶ τοῖσι δυστυχοῦσιν εὐκταία θεός.

[¶66] Addressing Electra. Where have I come from? How am I here? For I have lost all previous recollection and remember nothing.

> Greek: πόθεν ποτʼ ἦλθον δεῦρο; πῶς δʼ ἀφικόμην;
ἀμνημονῶ γάρ, τῶν πρὶν ἀπολειφθεὶς φρενῶν.

[¶67] Electra:
My dearest, how glad I was to see you fall asleep! Do you want me take you in my arms and lift your body?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὦ φίλταθʼ, ὥς μʼ ηὔφρανας εἰς ὕπνον πεσών.
βούλῃ θίγω σου κἀνακουφίσω δέμας;

[¶68] Orestes:
Take, oh! take me in your arms, and from this sufferer’s mouth
and eyes wipe off the flakes of foam.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
λαβοῦ λαβοῦ δῆτʼ, ἐκ δʼ ὄμορξον ἀθλίου
στόματος ἀφρώδη πέλανον ὀμμάτων τʼ ἐμῶν.

[¶69] Electra:
There! The service is sweet, and I do not refuse to tend a brother’s limbs with a sister’s hand.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἰδού· τὸ δούλευμʼ ἡδύ, κοὐκ ἀναίνομαι
ἀδέλφʼ ἀδελφῇ χειρὶ θεραπεύειν μέλη.

[¶70] Orestes:
Prop me up, your side to mine; brush the matted hair from my face, for I see dimly.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὑπόβαλε πλευροῖς πλευρά, καὐχμώδη κόμην
ἄφελε προσώπου· λεπτὰ γὰρ λεύσσω κόραις.

[¶71] Electra:
Ah, poor head, how dirty your hair! How savage you look, remaining so long unwashed!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὦ βοστρύχων πινῶδες ἄθλιον κάρα,
ὡς ἠγρίωσαι διὰ μακρᾶς ἀλουσίας.

[¶72] Orestes:
Put me once more upon the couch; whenever the madness leaves me, I am unnerved and weak.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
κλῖνόν μʼ ἐς εὐνὴν αὖθις· ὅταν ἀνῇ νόσος
μανίας, ἄναρθρός εἰμι κἀσθενῶ μέλη.

[¶73] Electra:
As she lays him down. There! His couch is welcome to the sick man,
a painful possession, but a necessary one.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἰδού. φίλον τοι τῷ νοσοῦντι δέμνιον,
ἀνιαρὸν ὂν τὸ κτῆμʼ, ἀναγκαῖον δʼ ὅμως.

[¶74] Orestes:
Set me upright once again, turn my body round; it is their helplessness that makes the sick so hard to please.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
αὖθίς μʼ ἐς ὀρθὸν στῆσον, ἀνακύκλει δέμας·
δυσάρεστον οἱ νοσοῦντες ἀπορίας ὕπο.

[¶75] Electra:
Will you set your feet upon the ground and take a step at last? Change is always pleasant.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἦ κἀπὶ γαίας ἁρμόσαι πόδας θέλεις,
χρόνιον ἴχνος θείς; μεταβολὴ πάντων γλυκύ.

[¶76] Orestes:
Oh, yes; for that has a semblance of health; and the semblance is preferable, though it is far from the truth.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
μάλιστα· δόξαν γὰρ τόδʼ ὑγιείας ἔχει.
κρεῖσσον δὲ τὸ δοκεῖν, κἂν ἀληθείας ἀπῇ.

[¶77] Electra:
Hear me now, my brother, while the Furies permit you to use your senses.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἄκουε δὴ νῦν, ὦ κασίγνητον κάρα,
ἕως ἐῶσιν εὖ φρονεῖν Ἐρινύες.

[¶78] Orestes:
You have news to tell; if it is good, you do me a kindness;

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
λέξεις τι καινόν· κεἰ μὲν εὖ, χάριν φέρεις·

[¶79] but if it tends to my hurt, I have suffered enough.

> Greek: εἰ δʼ ἐς βλάβην τινʼ, ἅλις ἔχω τὸ δυστυχεῖν.

[¶80] Electra:
Menelaus, your father’s brother, has come; his ships are moored in Nauplia.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
Μενέλαος ἥκει, σοῦ κασίγνητος πατρός,
ἐν Ναυπλίᾳ δὲ σέλμαθʼ ὥρμισται νεῶν.

[¶81] Orestes:
What did you say? Has he come to be a light in our troubles, a man of our own family, who owes gratitude to our father?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
πῶς εἶπας; ἥκει φῶς ἐμοῖς καὶ σοῖς κακοῖς
ἀνὴρ ὁμογενὴς καὶ χάριτας ἔχων πατρός;

[¶82] Electra:
He has come, and is bringing Helen from the walls of Troy—accept this as proof of what I say.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἥκει — τὸ πιστὸν τόδε λόγων ἐμῶν δέχου —
Ἑλένην ἀγόμενος Τρωικῶν ἐκ τειχέων.

[¶83] Orestes:
If he had returned alone in safety, he would be more enviable; but if he is bringing his wife, he has come with great mischief.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
εἰ μόνος ἐσώθη, μᾶλλον ἂν ζηλωτὸς ἦν·
εἰ δʼ ἄλοχον ἄγεται, κακὸν ἔχων ἥκει μέγα.

[¶84] Electra:
Tyndareus begot a race of daughters notorious for blame,
infamous throughout Hellas.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἐπίσημον ἔτεκε Τυνδάρεως ἐς τὸν ψόγον
γένος θυγατέρων δυσκλεές τʼ ἀνʼ Ἑλλάδα.

[¶85] Orestes:
Then you be different from that evil brood, for you can be; and not only in words, but also in heart.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
σύ νυν διάφερε τῶν κακῶν· ἔξεστι γάρ·
καὶ μὴ μόνον λέγʼ, ἀλλὰ καὶ φρόνει τάδε.

[¶86] Electra:
Ah! brother, your eye is growing wild, and in a moment you are turning mad again, when you were just now sane.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οἴμοι, κασίγνητʼ, ὄμμα σὸν ταράσσεται,
ταχὺς δὲ μετέθου λύσσαν, ἄρτι σωφρονῶν.

[¶87] Orestes: starting up wildly
Mother, I implore you! Do not shake at me those maidens with their bloodshot eyes and snaky hair. Here they are, close by, to leap on me!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὦ μῆτερ, ἱκετεύω σε, μὴ ʼπίσειέ μοι
τὰς αἱματωποὺς καὶ δρακοντώδεις κόρας.
αὗται γὰρ αὗται πλησίον θρῴσκουσί μου.

[¶88] Electra:
Lie still, poor sufferer, on your couch; your eye sees nothing, you only imagine that you recognize them.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
μένʼ, ὦ ταλαίπωρʼ, ἀτρέμα σοῖς ἐν δεμνίοις·
ὁρᾷς γὰρ οὐδὲν ὧν δοκεῖς σάφʼ εἰδέναι.

[¶89] Orestes:
O Phoebus! they will kill me, the hounds of hell, death’s priestesses with glaring eyes, the dreadful goddesses.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὦ Φοῖβʼ, ἀποκτενοῦσί μʼ αἱ κυνώπιδες
γοργῶπες, ἐνέρων ἱέρεαι, δειναὶ θεαί.

[¶90] Electra:
I will not let you go; but with arms twined round you, I will prevent your piteous leaping.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οὔτοι μεθήσω· χεῖρα δʼ ἐμπλέξασʼ ἐμὴν
σχήσω σε πηδᾶν δυστυχῆ πηδήματα.

[¶91] Orestes:
Let me go! you are one of my Furies,
and are gripping me by the waist to hurl me into Tartarus!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
μέθες· μίʼ οὖσα τῶν ἐμῶν Ἐρινύων
μέσον μʼ ὀχμάζεις, ὡς βάλῃς ἐς Τάρταρον.

[¶92] Electra:
Alas for me! What aid can I find, when we have Heaven’s forces set against us?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οἲ ʼγὼ τάλαινα, τίνʼ ἐπικουρίαν λάβω,
ἐπεὶ τὸ θεῖον δυσμενὲς κεκτήμεθα;

[¶93] Orestes:
Give me my horn-tipped bow, Apollo’s gift, with which he told me to ward off the goddesses,
if ever they sought to scare me with wild transports of madness.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
δὸς τόξα μοι κερουλκά, δῶρα Λοξίου,
οἷς μʼ εἶπʼ Ἀπόλλων ἐξαμύνασθαι θεάς,
εἴ μʼ ἐκφοβοῖεν μανιάσιν λυσσήμασιν.

[¶94] A mortal hand will wound one of them, unless she departs from my sight. Don’t you hear me? Don’t you see the feathered arrows springing out from my far-shooting bow? What!

> Greek: βεβλήσεταί τις θεῶν βροτησίᾳ χερί,
εἰ μὴ ʼξαμείψει χωρὶς ὀμμάτων ἐμῶν.
οὐκ εἰσακούετʼ; οὐχ ὁρᾶθʼ ἑκηβόλων
τόξων πτερωτὰς γλυφίδας ἐξορμωμένας;
ἆ ἆ·

[¶95] Do you linger still? Mount the sky on your wings, and blame those oracles of Phoebus.
Ah! why am I raving, gasping? Where, oh! where have I leapt, from my couch? Once more the storm is past, I see a calm.

> Greek: τί δῆτα μέλλετʼ; ἐξακρίζετʼ αἰθέρα
πτεροῖς· τὰ Φοίβου δʼ αἰτιᾶσθε θέσφατα.
ἔα·
τί χρῆμʼ ἀλύω, πνεῦμʼ ἀνεὶς ἐκ πλευμόνων;
ποῖ ποῖ ποθʼ ἡλάμεσθα δεμνίων ἄπο;
ἐκ κυμάτων γὰρ αὖθις αὖ γαλήνʼ ὁρῶ.

[¶96] Sister, why do you weep, your head wrapped in your robe? I am ashamed that I should make you a partner in my sufferings and distress a maiden like you through my sickness. Do not waste away over my troubles; for though you consented to it, yet I was the one that spilled
our mother’s blood. I blame Loxias, for urging me on to do a deed most unholy, encouraging me with words but not in deed. I believe that, if I had asked my father to his face whether I must slay my mother,
he would have strongly entreated me, by this beard, never to plunge a sword into her throat, since he would not regain his life, and I, poor wretch, would accomplish such evil!

> Greek: σύγγονε, τί κλαίεις κρᾶτα θεῖσʼ ἔσω πέπλων;
αἰσχύνομαί σε, μεταδιδοὺς πόνων ἐμῶν
ὄχλον τε παρέχων παρθένῳ νόσοις ἐμαῖς.
μὴ τῶν ἐμῶν ἕκατι συντήκου κακῶν·
σὺ μὲν γὰρ ἐπένευσας τάδʼ, εἴργασται δʼ ἐμοὶ
μητρῷον αἷμα· Λοξίᾳ δὲ μέμφομαι,
ὅστις μʼ ἐπάρας ἔργον ἀνοσιώτατον,
τοῖς μὲν λόγοις ηὔφρανε, τοῖς δʼ ἔργοισιν οὔ.
οἶμαι δὲ πατέρα τὸν ἐμόν, εἰ κατʼ ὄμματα
ἐξιστόρουν νιν, μητέρʼ εἰ κτεῖναι χρεών,
πολλὰς γενείου τοῦδʼ ἂν ἐκτεῖναι λιτὰς
μήποτε τεκούσης ἐς σφαγὰς ὦσαι ξίφος,
εἰ μήτʼ ἐκεῖνος ἀναλαβεῖν ἔμελλε φῶς,
ἐγώ θʼ ὁ τλήμων τοιάδʼ ἐκπλήσειν κακά.

[¶97] And now, my sister, unveil your face
and cease to weep, despite our misery. Whenever you see me give way to despair, it is for you to calm and soothe the terrors and distorted fancies of my brain. Whenever sorrow comes to you, I must be at your side and give you comforting advice;

> Greek: καὶ νῦν ἀνακάλυπτʼ, ὦ κασιγνήτη, κάρα,
ἐκ δακρύων τʼ ἄπελθε, κεἰ μάλʼ ἀθλίως
ἔχομεν. ὅταν δὲ τἄμʼ ἀθυμήσαντʼ ἴδῃς,
σύ μου τὸ δεινὸν καὶ διαφθαρὲν φρενῶν
ἴσχναινε παραμυθοῦ θʼ· ὅταν δὲ σὺ στένῃς,
ἡμᾶς παρόντας χρή σε νουθετεῖν φίλα·

[¶98] for to help our friends like this is noble.

> Greek: ἐπικουρίαι γὰρ αἵδε τοῖς φίλοις καλαί.

[¶99] Go in the house now, my poor sister; lie down and close your sleepless eyes; take food and bathe your body. For if you leave me or fall sick from nursing me,
I am lost. You are my only ally; I am deserted by all the rest, as you see.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ, ὦ τάλαινα, βᾶσα δωμάτων ἔσω
ὕπνῳ τʼ ἄυπνον βλέφαρον ἐκταθεῖσα δός,
σίτων τʼ ὄρεξαι λουτρά τʼ ἐπιβαλοῦ χροΐ.
εἰ γὰρ προλείψεις ἢ προσεδρείᾳ νόσον
κτήσῃ τινʼ, οἰχόμεσθα· σὲ γὰρ ἔχω μόνην
ἐπίκουρον, ἄλλων, ὡς ὁρᾷς, ἔρημος ὤν.

[¶100] Electra:
I will not leave you; with you I will choose to live and die; for it is the same: if you die, what shall I, a woman, do? How shall I escape alone,
with no brother, or father, or friends? Still, if you think it right, I must do your bidding. But lie down upon your couch, and do not pay too great heed to the terrors and alarm that scare you from your rest; lie still upon your pallet. For even if you are not sick, but only think you are,
this brings weariness and perplexity to mortals. Exit Electra.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οὐκ ἔστι· σὺν σοὶ καὶ θανεῖν αἱρήσομαι
καὶ ζῆν· ἔχει γὰρ ταὐτόν· ἢν σὺ κατθάνῃς,
γυνὴ τί δράσω; πῶς μόνη σωθήσομαι,
ἀνάδελφος ἀπάτωρ ἄφιλος; εἰ δὲ σοὶ δοκεῖ,
δρᾶν χρὴ τάδʼ. ἀλλὰ κλῖνον εἰς εὐνὴν δέμας,
καὶ μὴ τὸ ταρβοῦν κἀκφοβοῦν σʼ ἐκ δεμνίων
ἄγαν ἀποδέχου, μένε δʼ ἐπὶ στρωτοῦ λέχους.
κἂν μὴ νοσῇς γάρ, ἀλλὰ δοξάζῃς νοσεῖν,
κάματος βροτοῖσιν ἀπορία τε γίγνεται.

[¶101] Chorus:
Ah! ah! you goddesses swiftly careering on your wings, whose lot it is to hold a revel, not with Bacchic rites,
in tears and groans; you black-skinned avenging spirits, that dart along the spacious air, exacting a penalty for blood, a penalty for murder, I beg you, I beg you!
Allow the son of Agamemnon to forget his wild whirling frenzy.
Alas for the toils which you, poor wretch, strove after to your ruin, when you heard the voice from the tripod, proclaimed by Phoebus,
at his sanctuary, where the hollows are called the navel of the earth.

> Greek: Χορός:
αἰαῖ,
δρομάδες ὦ πτεροφόροι
ποτνιάδες θεαί,
ἀβάκχευτον αἳ θίασον ἐλάχετʼ ἐν
δάκρυσι καὶ γόοις,
μελάγχρωτες εὐμενίδες, αἵτε τὸν
ταναὸν αἰθέρʼ ἀμπάλλεσθʼ, αἵματος
τινύμεναι δίκαν, τινύμεναι φόνον,
καθικετεύομαι καθικετεύομαι,
τὸν Ἀγαμέμνονος
γόνον ἐάσατʼ ἐκλαθέσθαι λύσσας
μανιάδος φοιταλέου. φεῦ μόχθων,
οἵων, ὦ τάλας, ὀρεχθεὶς ἔρρεις,
τρίποδος ἄπο φάτιν, ἃν ὁ Φοῖβος ἔλακε, δε-
ξάμενος ἀνὰ δάπεδον,
ἵνα μεσόμφαλοι λέγονται μυχοί.

[¶102] Chorus:
O Zeus! What pity, what deadly struggle is here,
hurrying you on, the wretch on whom some avenging fiend is heaping tears upon tears, bringing to the house your mother’s blood, which drives you raving mad?

> Greek: Χορός:
ἰὼ Ζεῦ,
τίς ἔλεος, τίς ὅδʼ ἀγὼν
φόνιος ἔρχεται,
θοάζων σε τὸν μέλεον, ᾧ δάκρυα
δάκρυσι συμβάλλει
πορεύων τις ἐς δόμον ἀλαστόρων
ματέρος αἷμα σᾶς, ὅ σʼ ἀναβακχεύει;

[¶103] Great prosperity is not secure among mortals. I lament, I lament! But some divine power, shaking it to and fro like the sail of a swift ship, plunges it deep in the waves of grievous affliction, violent and deadly as the waves of the sea.

> Greek: ὁ μέγας ὄλβος οὐ μόνιμος ἐν βροτοῖς·
κατολοφύρομαι κατολοφύρομαι.
ἀνὰ δὲ λαῖφος ὥς
τις ἀκάτου θοᾶς τινάξας δαίμων
κατέκλυσεν δεινῶν πόνων ὡς πόντου
λάβροις ὀλεθρίοισιν ἐν κύμασιν.

[¶104] For what other family must I still revere, rather than the one from a divine marriage, from Tantalus.

> Greek: τίνα γὰρ ἔτι πάρος οἶκον ἕτερον ἢ τὸν ἀπὸ
θεογόνων γάμων,
τὸν ἀπὸ Ταντάλου, σέβεσθαί με χρή;

[¶105] Chorus Leader:
And see, a king draws near, lord Menelaus; from his magnificence it is plain to see
that he belongs to the blood of the Tantalids.

> Greek: Χορός:
καὶ μὴν βασιλεὺς ὅδε δὴ στείχει,
Μενέλαος ἄναξ, πολλῇ ἁβροσύνῃ
δῆλος ὁρᾶσθαι
τῶν Τανταλιδῶν ἐξ αἵματος ὤν.

[¶106] All hail! you that set out with a thousand ships to Asia’s land; good fortune is your friend,
for you have accomplished, with divine aid, all that you prayed for.

> Greek: ὦ χιλιόναυν στρατὸν ὁρμήσας
ἐς γῆν Ἀσίαν,
χαῖρʼ, εὐτυχίᾳ δʼ αὐτὸς ὁμιλεῖς,
θεόθεν πράξας ἅπερ ηὔχου.

[¶107] Menelaus:
O my home, some joy I feel to see you again on my return from Troy, but I also grieve at the sight; for never have I seen another house more closely encircled by dire affliction.

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ὦ δῶμα, τῇ μέν σʼ ἡδέως προσδέρκομαι
Τροίαθεν ἐλθών, τῇ δʼ ἰδὼν καταστένω·
κύκλῳ γὰρ εἱλιχθεῖσαν ἀθλίως κακοῖς
οὐπώποτʼ ἄλλην μᾶλλον εἶδον ἑστίαν.

[¶108] For I learned Agamemnon’s fate and the death he died at his wife’s hands, as I was trying to put in at Malea; when the sailors’ prophet, the truthful god Glaucus, Nereus’ seer, brought the news to me from the waves;
he stationed himself in full view and told me this: “Menelaus, your brother lies dead, plunged in a fatal bath, the last his wife will ever give him.” My sailors and I wept greatly at his words. When I arrived at Nauplia,
my wife already on the point of starting here, I was expecting to give a fond embrace to Orestes, Agamemnon’s son, and his mother, thinking that they were doing well, when I heard from a sailor the unholy murder of Tyndareus’ child.

> Greek: Ἀγαμέμνονος μὲν γὰρ τύχας ἠπιστάμην
καὶ θάνατον, οἵῳ πρὸς δάμαρτος ὤλετο,
Μαλέᾳ προσίσχων πρῷραν· ἐκ δὲ κυμάτων
ὁ ναυτίλοισι μάντις ἐξήγγειλέ μοι
Νηρέως προφήτης Γλαῦκος, ἀψευδὴς θεός,
ὅς μοι τόδʼ εἶπεν ἐμφανῶς κατασταθείς·
Μενέλαε, κεῖται σὸς κασίγνητος θανών,
λουτροῖσιν ἀλόχου περιπεσὼν πανυστάτοις.
δακρύων δʼ ἔπλησεν ἐμέ τε καὶ ναύτας ἐμοὺς
πολλῶν. ἐπεὶ δὲ Ναυπλίας ψαύω χθονός,
ἤδη δάμαρτος ἐνθάδʼ ἐξορμωμένης,
δοκῶν Ὀρέστην παῖδα τὸν Ἀγαμέμνονος
φίλαισι χερσὶ περιβαλεῖν καὶ μητέρα,
ὡς εὐτυχοῦντας, ἔκλυον ἁλιτύπων τινὸς
τῆς Τυνδαρείας παιδὸς ἀνόσιον φόνον.

[¶109] And now tell me, young ladies, where to find the son of Agamemnon, who dared such evil. For he was a baby in Clytemnestra’s arms when I left my home to go to Troy, so that I would not recognize him if I saw him.
Orestes: Staggering towards him from the couch.

> Greek: καὶ νῦν ὅπου ʼστὶν εἴπατʼ, ὦ νεάνιδες,
Ἀγαμέμνονος παῖς, ὃς τὰ δείνʼ ἔτλη κακά.
βρέφος γὰρ ἦν τότʼ ἐν Κλυταιμήστρας χεροῖν,
ὅτʼ ἐξέλειπον μέλαθρον ἐς Τροίαν ἰών,
ὥστʼ οὐκ ἂν αὐτὸν γνωρίσαιμʼ ἂν εἰσιδών.

[¶110] Menelaus, I am Orestes, whom you are asking about. I will of my own accord inform you of my sufferings. But as my first portion, I clasp your knees as a suppliant, giving you prayers from the mouth of one without the suppliant’s bough; save me, for you have come at the crisis of my troubles.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὅδʼ εἴμʼ Ὀρέστης, Μενέλεως, ὃν ἱστορεῖς.
ἑκὼν ἐγώ σοι τἀμὰ μηνύσω κακά.
τῶν σῶν δὲ γονάτων πρωτόλεια θιγγάνω
ἱκέτης, ἀφύλλου στόματος ἐξάπτων λιτάς·
σῷσόν μʼ· ἀφῖξαι δʼ αὐτὸς ἐς καιρὸν κακῶν.

[¶111] Menelaus:
O gods, what do I see? What living corpse greets my sight?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ὦ θεοί, τί λεύσσω; τίνα δέδορκα νερτέρων;

[¶112] Orestes:
You are right; I am dead through misery, though I still gaze upon the light.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
εὖ γʼ εἶπας· οὐ γὰρ ζῶ κακοῖς, φάος δʼ ὁρῶ.

[¶113] Menelaus:
How savage the look your unkempt hair gives you, poor wretch!

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ὡς ἠγρίωσαι πλόκαμον αὐχμηρόν, τάλας.

[¶114] Orestes:
It is not my looks, but my deeds that torture me.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐχ ἡ πρόσοψίς μʼ, ἀλλὰ τἄργʼ αἰκίζεται.

[¶115] Menelaus:
Your tearless eyes glare dreadfully!

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
δεινὸν δὲ λεύσσεις ὀμμάτων ξηραῖς κόραις.

[¶116] Orestes:
My body is gone, though my name has not deserted me.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τὸ σῶμα φροῦδον· τὸ δʼ ὄνομʼ οὐ λέλοιπέ μοι.

[¶117] Menelaus:
Unsightly apparition, so different from what I expected!

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ὦ παρὰ λόγον μοι σὴ φανεῖσʼ ἀμορφία.

[¶118] Orestes:
Here I am, the murderer of my wretched mother.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὅδʼ εἰμὶ μητρὸς τῆς ταλαιπώρου φονεύς.

[¶119] Menelaus:
I have heard, spare your words; evils should be seldom spoken.

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ἤκουσα, φείδου δʼ· ὀλιγάκις λέγειν κακά.

[¶120] Orestes:
I will be sparing; but the deity is lavish of woe in my case.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
φειδόμεθʼ· ὁ δαίμων δʼ ἐς ἐμὲ πλούσιος κακῶν.

[¶121] Menelaus:
What ails you? what is your deadly sickness?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
τί χρῆμα πάσχεις; τίς σʼ ἀπόλλυσιν νόσος;

[¶122] Orestes:
My conscience; I know that I am guilty of a dreadful crime.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἡ σύνεσις, ὅτι σύνοιδα δείνʼ εἰργασμένος.

[¶123] Menelaus:
What do you mean? Wisdom is shown in clarity, not in obscurity.

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
πῶς φῄς; σοφόν τοι τὸ σαφές, οὐ τὸ μὴ σαφές.

[¶124] Orestes:
Grief especially has ruined me—

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
λύπη μάλιστά γʼ ἡ διαφθείρουσά με —

[¶125] Menelaus:
Yes, she is a dreadful goddess, yet are there cures for her.

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
δεινὴ γὰρ ἡ θεός, ἀλλʼ ὅμως ἰάσιμος.

[¶126] Orestes:
And fits of madness, the vengeance of a mother’s blood.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
μανίαι τε, μητρὸς αἵματος τιμωρίαι.

[¶127] Menelaus:
When did your madness begin? Which day was it?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ἤρξω δὲ λύσσης πότε; τίς ἡμέρα τότʼ ἦν;

[¶128] Orestes:
On the day I was heaping the mound over my poor mother’s grave.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἐν ᾗ τάλαιναν μητέρʼ ἐξώγκουν τάφῳ.

[¶129] Menelaus:
When you were in the house, or watching by the pyre?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
πότερα κατʼ οἴκους ἢ προσεδρεύων πυρᾷ;

[¶130] Orestes:
As I was waiting by night to gather up her bones.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
νυκτὸς φυλάσσων ὀστέων ἀναίρεσιν.

[¶131] Menelaus:
Was any one else there, to help you rise?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
παρῆν τις ἄλλος, ὃς σὸν ὤρθευεν δέμας;

[¶132] Orestes:
Pylades who shared with me the bloody deed, my mother’s murder.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
Πυλάδης, ὁ συνδρῶν αἷμα καὶ μητρὸς φόνον.

[¶133] Menelaus:
You are sick from phantom shapes; what sort?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ἐκ φασμάτων δὲ τάδε νοσεῖς· ποίων ὕπο;

[¶134] Orestes:
I seemed to see three maidens, black as night.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἔδοξʼ ἰδεῖν τρεῖς νυκτὶ προσφερεῖς κόρας.

[¶135] Menelaus:
I know whom you mean, but I do not want to name them.

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
οἶδʼ ἃς ἔλεξας, ὀνομάσαι δʼ οὐ βούλομαι.

[¶136] Orestes:
Yes, for they are revered; you were well-informed, to avoid naming them.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
σεμναὶ γάρ· εὐπαίδευτα δʼ ἀπετρέπου λέγειν.

[¶137] Menelaus:
Are these the ones that drive you to frenzy, with the curse of kindred blood?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
αὗταί σε βακχεύουσι συγγενῆ φόνον;

[¶138] Orestes:
Oh! the torment I endure from their pursuit!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οἴμοι διωγμῶν, οἷς ἐλαύνομαι τάλας.

[¶139] Menelaus:
It is not strange, if those who have done dreadful things should suffer them.

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
οὐ δεινὰ πάσχειν δεινὰ τοὺς εἰργασμένους.

[¶140] Orestes:
But I have a way to recover from these troubles.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἀλλʼ ἔστιν ἡμῖν ἀναφορὰ τῆς συμφορᾶς.

[¶141] Menelaus:
Do not speak of death; that is not wise.

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
μὴ θάνατον εἴπῃς· τοῦτο μὲν γὰρ οὐ σοφόν.

[¶142] Orestes:
It is Phoebus, who commanded me to kill my mother.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
Φοῖβος, κελεύσας μητρὸς ἐκπρᾶξαι φόνον.

[¶143] Menelaus:
Showing a strange ignorance of what is fair and right.

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ἀμαθέστερός γʼ ὢν τοῦ καλοῦ καὶ τῆς δίκης.

[¶144] Orestes:
We are slaves to the gods, whatever those gods are.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
δουλεύομεν θεοῖς, ὅ τι ποτʼ εἰσὶν οἱ θεοί.

[¶145] Menelaus:
And does Loxias not help your affliction?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
κᾆτʼ οὐκ ἀμύνει Λοξίας τοῖς σοῖς κακοῖς;

[¶146] Orestes:
He will in time; this is the nature of gods.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
μέλλει· τὸ θεῖον δʼ ἐστὶ τοιοῦτον φύσει.

[¶147] Menelaus:
How long is it since your mother breathed her last?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
πόσον χρόνον δὲ μητρὸς οἴχονται πνοαί;

[¶148] Orestes:
This is the sixth day; her funeral pyre is still warm.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἕκτον τόδʼ ἦμαρ· ἔτι πυρὰ θερμὴ τάφου.

[¶149] Menelaus:
How soon the goddesses arrived to avenge your mother’s blood!

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ὡς ταχὺ μετῆλθόν σʼ αἷμα μητέρος θεαί.

[¶150] Orestes:
I am not clever, but I am by nature a true friend to my friends.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐ σοφός, ἀληθὴς δʼ ἐς φίλους ⟨ἔφυν φίλος.⟩

[¶151] Menelaus:
Does your father give you any help at all, for your avenging him?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
πατρὸς δὲ δή τι σʼ ὠφελεῖ τιμωρία;

[¶152] Orestes:
Not yet; I call delay the equal of inaction.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὔπω· τὸ μέλλον δʼ ἴσον ἀπραξίᾳ λέγω.

[¶153] Menelaus:
How do you stand in the city after that deed of yours?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
τὰ πρὸς πόλιν δὲ πῶς ἔχεις δράσας τάδε;

[¶154] Orestes:
I am so hated that no one will speak to me.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
μισούμεθʼ οὕτως ὥστε μὴ προσεννέπειν.

[¶155] Menelaus:
Have your hands not even been cleaned of blood, according to custom?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
οὐδʼ ἥγνισαι σὸν αἷμα κατὰ νόμον χεροῖν;

[¶156] Orestes:
No, for wherever I go, the door is shut against me.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἐκκλῄομαι γὰρ δωμάτων ὅποι μόλω.

[¶157] Menelaus:
Which citizens are driving you from the land?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
τίνες πολιτῶν ἐξαμιλλῶνταί σε γῆς;

[¶158] Orestes:
Oeax, who refers to my father his reason for hating Troy.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
Οἴαξ, τὸ Τροίας μῖσος ἀναφέρων πατρί.

[¶159] Menelaus:
I understand; he is avenging on you the blood of Palamedes.

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
συνῆκα· Παλαμήδους σε τιμωρεῖ φόνου.

[¶160] Orestes:
That was nothing to do with me; yet I am destroyed for three reasons.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὗ γʼ οὐ μετῆν μοι· διὰ τριῶν δʼ ἀπόλλυμαι.

[¶161] Menelaus:
Who else? Some of the friends of Aegisthus, I suppose?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
τίς δʼ ἄλλος; ἦ που τῶν ἀπʼ Αἰγίσθου φίλων;

[¶162] Orestes:
They insult me, and the city listens to them now.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὗτοί μʼ ὑβρίζουσʼ, ὧν πόλις τὰ νῦν κλύει.

[¶163] Menelaus:
Will the city allow you to keep the scepter of Agamemnon?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
Ἀγαμέμνονος δὲ σκῆπτρʼ ἐᾷ σʼ ἔχειν πόλις;

[¶164] Orestes:
How, seeing that they will not allow me to remain alive?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
πῶς, οἵτινες ζῆν οὐκ ἐῶσʼ ἡμᾶς ἔτι;

[¶165] Menelaus:
What is their method? Can you tell me plainly?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
τί δρῶντες ὅ τι καὶ σαφὲς ἔχεις εἰπεῖν ἐμοί;

[¶166] Orestes:
A vote will be taken against us today.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ψῆφος καθʼ ἡμῶν οἴσεται τῇδʼ ἡμέρᾳ.

[¶167] Menelaus:
To leave the city? Or to die, or not to die?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
φεύγειν πόλιν τήνδʼ; ἢ θανεῖν ἢ μὴ θανεῖν;

[¶168] Orestes:
Death by stoning at the hands of the citizens.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
θανεῖν ὑπʼ ἀστῶν λευσίμῳ πετρώματι.

[¶169] Menelaus:
Then why not cross the border and try to escape?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
κᾆτʼ οὐχὶ φεύγεις γῆς ὑπερβαλὼν ὅρους;

[¶170] Orestes:
Because we are encircled by men fully armed.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
κύκλῳ γὰρ εἱλισσόμεθα παγχάλκοις ὅπλοις.

[¶171] Menelaus:
Private foes or Argive troops?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ἰδίᾳ πρὸς ἐχθρῶν ἢ πρὸς Ἀργείας χερός;

[¶172] Orestes:
All the citizens, so that I may die; it is shortly told.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
πάντων πρὸς ἀστῶν, ὡς θάνω· βραχὺς λόγος.

[¶173] Menelaus:
Poor wretch! you have arrived at the extremity of woe.

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ὦ μέλεος, ἥκεις συμφορᾶς ἐς τοὔσχατον.

[¶174] Orestes:
In you I have hopes of escape from my troubles. But since you have come with good fortune,
share with your friends, who are wretched, your prosperity; do not hold aside that goodness for yourself alone; but partake of troubles in your turn, and so pay back my father’s kindness to those who have a claim on you. For such friends as desert us in adversity
are friends in name but not in deed.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἐς σὲ ἐλπὶς ἡμὴ καταφυγὰς ἔχει κακῶν.
ἀλλʼ ἀθλίως πράσσουσιν εὐτυχὴς μολὼν
μετάδος φίλοισι σοῖσι σῆς εὐπραξίας,
καὶ μὴ μόνος τὸ χρηστὸν ἀπολαβὼν ἔχε,
ἀλλʼ ἀντιλάζου καὶ πόνων ἐν τῷ μέρει,
χάριτας πατρῴας ἐκτίνων ἐς οὕς σε δεῖ.
ὄνομα γάρ, ἔργον δʼ οὐκ ἔχουσιν οἱ φίλοι
οἱ μὴ ʼπὶ ταῖσι συμφοραῖς ὄντες φίλοι.

[¶175] Chorus Leader:
And here is Tyndareus, the Spartan, struggling with aged step, clad in black robes, with his hair cut short in mourning for his daughter.

> Greek: Χορός:
καὶ μὴν γέροντι δεῦρʼ ἁμιλλᾶται ποδὶ
ὁ Σπαρτιάτης Τυνδάρεως, μελάμπεπλος
κουρᾷ τε θυγατρὸς πενθίμῳ κεκαρμένος.

[¶176] Orestes:
Menelaus, I am ruined. See, Tyndareus
approaches us, the man of all others I most shrink from facing, because of the deed I have done. For he nursed me when I was small, and lavished on me many a fond caress, carrying me about in his arms as the son of Agamemnon; and so did Leda;
for they both honored me no less than the Dioscuri.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἀπωλόμην, Μενέλαε· Τυνδάρεως ὅδε
στείχει πρὸς ἡμᾶς, οὗ μάλιστʼ αἰδώς μʼ ἔχει
ἐς ὄμματʼ ἐλθεῖν τοῖσιν ἐξειργασμένοις.
καὶ γάρ μʼ ἔθρεψε σμικρὸν ὄντα, πολλὰ δὲ
φιλήματʼ ἐξέπλησε, τὸν Ἀγαμέμνονος
παῖδʼ ἀγκάλαισι περιφέρων, Λήδα θʼ ἅμα,
τιμῶντέ μʼ οὐδὲν ἧσσον ἢ Διοσκόρω·

[¶177] Ah me! my wretched heart and soul, it was a sorry return I made them! What darkness can I find for my face? What cloud can I spread before me in my efforts to escape the old man’s eye?

> Greek: οἷς, ὦ τάλαινα καρδία ψυχή τʼ ἐμή,
ἀπέδωκʼ ἀμοιβὰς οὐ καλάς. τίνα σκότον
λάβω προσώπῳ; ποῖον ἐπίπροσθεν νέφος
θῶμαι, γέροντος ὀμμάτων φεύγων κόρας;

[¶178] Tyndareus:
Where, where may I see Menelaus, my daughter’s husband? For as I was pouring libations on Clytemnestra’s grave I heard that he had come to Nauplia with his wife, safe home again after many years. Lead me to him; for I want to approach him
and clasp his hand, as a friend whom at last I see again.

> Greek: Τυνδάρεως:
ποῦ ποῦ θυγατρὸς τῆς ἐμῆς ἴδω πόσιν,
Μενέλαον; ἐπὶ γὰρ τῷ Κλυταιμήστρας τάφῳ
χοὰς χεόμενος ἔκλυον ὡς ἐς Ναυπλίαν
ἥκοι σὺν ἀλόχῳ πολυετὴς σεσῳσμένος.
ἄγετέ με· πρὸς γὰρ δεξιὰν αὐτοῦ θέλω
στὰς ἀσπάσασθαι, χρόνιος εἰσιδὼν φίλον.

[¶179] Menelaus:
Hail, old man, rival of Zeus for a bride!

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ὦ πρέσβυ, χαῖρε, Ζηνὸς ὁμόλεκτρον κάρα.

[¶180] Tyndareus:
All hail to you, Menelaus, my kinsman!

> Greek: Τυνδάρεως:
ὦ χαῖρε καὶ σύ, Μενέλεως, κήδευμʼ ἐμόν.

[¶181] Catching sight of Orestes. Ah! What an evil it is to be ignorant of the future! There is that matricide before the house, a viper darting venomous flashes from his eyes, whom I loathe.
Menelaus, are you speaking to that godless wretch?

> Greek: ἔα· τὸ μέλλον ὡς κακὸν τὸ μὴ εἰδέναι.
ὁ μητροφόντης ὅδε πρὸ δωμάτων δράκων
στίλβει νοσώδεις ἀστραπάς, στύγημʼ ἐμόν.
Μενέλαε, προσφθέγγῃ νιν, ἀνόσιον κάρα;

[¶182] Menelaus:
And why not? He is the son of one whom I loved.

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
τί γάρ; φίλου μοι πατρός ἐστιν ἔκγονος.

[¶183] Tyndareus:
This is his son, this creature here?

> Greek: Τυνδάρεως:
κείνου γὰρ ὅδε πέφυκε, τοιοῦτος γεγώς;

[¶184] Menelaus:
Yes, his son; if he is in misfortune, he ought to be honored.

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
πέφυκεν· εἰ δὲ δυστυχεῖ, τιμητέος.

[¶185] Tyndareus:
You have been so long among barbarians that you have become one of them.

> Greek: Τυνδάρεως:
βεβαρβάρωσαι, χρόνιος ὢν ἐν βαρβάροις.

[¶186] Menelaus:
Always to honor one’s kin is a custom in Hellas.

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
Ἑλληνικόν τοι τὸν ὁμόθεν τιμᾶν ἀεί.

[¶187] Tyndareus:
And another custom is to yield a willing deference to the laws.

> Greek: Τυνδάρεως:
καὶ τῶν νόμων γε μὴ πρότερον εἶναι θέλειν.

[¶188] Menelaus:
The wise hold that everything which depends on necessity is a slave.

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
πᾶν τοὐξ ἀνάγκης δοῦλόν ἐστʼ ἐν τοῖς σοφοῖς.

[¶189] Tyndareus:
Keep that wisdom for yourself; I will not have it.

> Greek: Τυνδάρεως:
κέκτησό νυν σὺ τοῦτʼ, ἐγὼ δʼ οὐ κτήσομαι.

[¶190] Menelaus:
Yes, for you are angry, and also old age is not wise.

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ὀργὴ γὰρ ἅμα σου καὶ τὸ γῆρας οὐ σοφόν.

[¶191] Tyndareus:
What does a dispute about foolishness have to do with him? If right and wrong are clear to all, who was ever more senseless than this man, because he never weighed the justice of the case,
nor appealed to the universal law of Hellas? For instance, when Agamemnon breathed his last [struck on his head by my daughter] a most foul deed, which I will never defend,
he should have brought a charge against his mother and inflicted a holy penalty for bloodshed, banishing her from his house; thus he would have gained moderation instead of calamity, keeping strictly to the law and showing his piety as well. As it is, he has come into the same fate as his mother.

> Greek: Τυνδάρεως:
πρὸς τόνδʼ ἀγὼν τίς ἀσοφίας ἥκει πέρι;
εἰ τὰ καλὰ πᾶσι φανερὰ καὶ τὰ μὴ καλά,
τούτου τίς ἀνδρῶν ἐγένετʼ ἀσυνετώτερος,
ὅστις τὸ μὲν δίκαιον οὐκ ἐσκέψατο
οὐδʼ ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὸν κοινὸν Ἑλλήνων νόμον;
ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἐξέπνευσεν Ἀγαμέμνων βίον
πληγεὶς θυγατρὸς τῆς ἐμῆς ὑπὲρ κάρα,
αἴσχιστον ἔργον — οὐ γὰρ αἰνέσω ποτέ —
χρῆν αὐτὸν ἐπιθεῖναι μὲν αἵματος δίκην,
ὁσίαν διώκοντʼ, ἐκβαλεῖν τε δωμάτων
μητέρα· τὸ σῶφρόν τʼ ἔλαβεν ἀντὶ συμφορᾶς
καὶ τοῦ νόμου τʼ ἂν εἴχετʼ εὐσεβής τʼ ἂν ἦν.
νῦν δʼ ἐς τὸν αὐτὸν δαίμονʼ ἦλθε μητέρι.

[¶192] for though he had just cause for thinking her a wicked woman, he has become more wicked by murdering her.

> Greek: κακὴν γὰρ αὐτὴν ἐνδίκως ἡγούμενος,
αὐτὸς κακίων μητέρʼ ἐγένετο κτανών.

[¶193] I will ask you, Menelaus, just one question. If a man’s wedded wife should kill him, and his son in turn will kill his mother in revenge;
next the avenger’s son to expiate this murder will commit another: where will the chain of horrors end?

> Greek: ἐρήσομαι δέ, Μενέλεως, τοσόνδε σε·
εἰ τόνδʼ ἀποκτείνειεν ὁμόλεκτρος γυνή,
χὡ τοῦδε παῖς αὖ μητέρʼ ἀνταποκτενεῖ,
κἄπειθʼ ὁ κείνου γενόμενος φόνῳ φόνον
λύσει, πέρας δὴ ποῖ κακῶν προβήσεται;

[¶194] Our forefathers settled these matters the right way. They forbade any one with blood upon his hands to appear in their sight or cross their path;
but they purified him by exile, they did not kill him in revenge. Otherwise someone, by taking the pollution last upon his hands, is always going to be liable to have his own blood shed.

> Greek: καλῶς ἔθεντο ταῦτα πατέρες οἱ πάλαι·
ἐς ὀμμάτων μὲν ὄψιν οὐκ εἴων περᾶν
οὐδʼ εἰς ἀπάντημʼ, ὅστις αἷμʼ ἔχων κυροῖ,
φυγαῖσι δʼ ὁσιοῦν, ἀνταποκτείνειν δὲ μή.
αἰεὶ γὰρ εἷς ἔμελλʼ ἐνέξεσθαι φόνῳ,
τὸ λοίσθιον μίασμα λαμβάνων χεροῖν.

[¶195] Now I hate wicked women, especially my daughter who killed her husband;

> Greek: ἐγὼ δὲ μισῶ μὲν γυναῖκας ἀνοσίους,
πρώτην δὲ θυγατέρʼ, ἣ πόσιν κατέκτανεν·

[¶196] Helen, too, your own wife, I will never commend, nor would I even speak to her; and I do not envy you a voyage to Troy for a worthless woman. But the law I will defend with all my might, to put an end to this brutal spirit of murder,
which is always the ruin of countries and cities alike. Turning to Orestes Wretch! Had you no heart when your mother was baring her breast in her appeal to you? I, who did not see that awful deed, weep unhappy tears from my old eyes.

> Greek: Ἑλένην τε, τὴν σὴν ἄλοχον, οὔποτʼ αἰνέσω
οὐδʼ ἂν προσείποιμʼ· οὐδὲ σὲ ζηλῶ, κακῆς
γυναικὸς ἐλθόνθʼ οὕνεκʼ ἐς Τροίας πέδον.
ἀμυνῶ δʼ, ὅσονπερ δυνατός εἰμι, τῷ νόμῳ,
τὸ θηριῶδες τοῦτο καὶ μιαιφόνον
παύων, ὃ καὶ γῆν καὶ πόλεις ὄλλυσʼ ἀεί.
ἐπεὶ τίνʼ εἶχες, ὦ τάλας, ψυχὴν τότε,
ὅτʼ ἐξέβαλλε μαστὸν ἱκετεύουσά σε
μήτηρ; ἐγὼ μὲν οὐκ ἰδὼν τἀκεῖ κακά,
δακρύοις γέροντʼ ὀφθαλμὸν ἐκτήκω τάλας.

[¶197] One thing at least agrees with what I say: you are hated by the gods, and you pay atonement for your mother by your fits of madness and terror. Why do I need to hear from other witnesses what I can see for myself? Therefore, Menelaus, take heed;
do not oppose the gods in your wish to help this man; but leave him to be stoned to death by the citizens, or do not set foot on Spartan land. My daughter is dead, and rightly; but it should not have been his hand that slew her.

> Greek: ἓν ⟨δʼ⟩ οὖν λόγοισι τοῖς ἐμοῖς ὁμορροθεῖ·
μισῇ γε πρὸς θεῶν καὶ τίνεις μητρὸς δίκας,
μανίαις ἀλαίνων καὶ φόβοις. τί μαρτύρων
ἄλλων ἀκούειν δεῖ μʼ, ἅ γʼ εἰσορᾶν πάρα;
ὡς οὖν ἂν εἰδῇς, Μενέλεως, τοῖσιν θεοῖς
μὴ πρᾶσσʼ ἐναντίʼ, ὠφελεῖν τοῦτον θέλων,
ἔα δʼ ὑπʼ ἀστῶν καταφονευθῆναι πέτροις,
ἢ μὴ ʼπίβαινε Σπαρτιάτιδος χθονός.
θυγάτηρ δʼ ἐμὴ θανοῦσʼ ἔπραξεν ἔνδικα·
ἀλλʼ οὐχὶ πρὸς τοῦτʼ εἰκὸς ἦν αὐτὴν θανεῖν.

[¶198] In all except my daughters I have been a happy man; there I am not blessed.

> Greek: ἐγὼ δὲ τἄλλα μακάριος πέφυκʼ ἀνήρ,
πλὴν ἐς θυγατέρας· τοῦτο δʼ οὐκ εὐδαιμονῶ.

[¶199] Chorus Leader:
He is enviable, who is fortunate in his children, and does not bring hazardous notoriety on himself.

> Greek: Χορός:
ζηλωτὸς ὅστις εὐτύχησεν ἐς τέκνα
καὶ μὴ ʼπισήμους συμφορὰς ἐκτήσατο.

[¶200] Orestes:
Old man, I am afraid to speak before you,
in a matter where I am sure to grieve you to the heart. I am unholy because I killed my mother, I know it, yet holy on another count, because I avenged my father. Only let your years, which frighten me from speaking, set no barrier in the path of my words,
and I will go forward; but now I fear your gray hairs.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὦ γέρον, ἐγώ τοι πρὸς σὲ δειμαίνω λέγειν,
ὅπου σὲ μέλλω σήν τε λυπήσειν φρένα.
ἐγᾦδʼ, ἀνόσιός εἰμι μητέρα κτανών,
ὅσιος δέ γʼ ἕτερον ὄνομα, τιμωρῶν πατρί.
ἀπελθέτω δὴ τοῖς λόγοισιν ἐκποδὼν
τὸ γῆρας ἡμῖν τὸ σόν, ὅ μʼ ἐκπλήσσει λόγου,
καὶ καθʼ ὁδὸν εἶμι· νῦν δὲ σὴν ταρβῶ τρίχα.

[¶201] What ought I to have done? Set one thing against another. My father begot me; your daughter gave me birth, being the field that received the seed from another; for without a father no child would ever be born.

> Greek: τί χρῆν με δρᾶσαι; δύο γὰρ ἀντίθες δυοῖν·
πατὴρ μὲν ἐφύτευσέν με, σὴ δʼ ἔτικτε παῖς,
τὸ σπέρμʼ ἄρουρα παραλαβοῦσʼ ἄλλου πάρα·
ἄνευ δὲ πατρὸς τέκνον οὐκ εἴη ποτʼ ἄν.

[¶202] So I reasoned that I ought to stand by the author of my being rather than the woman who undertook to rear me. Now your daughter—I am ashamed to call her mother—came to a man’s bed in a private and unchaste wedding; I speak against myself when I speak
badly of her, yet I will speak. Aegisthus was her secret husband in the home; I killed him, and I sacrificed my mother, an unholy crime, no doubt, but done to avenge my father.

> Greek: ἐλογισάμην οὖν τῷ γένους ἀρχηγέτῃ
μᾶλλόν με φῦναι τῆς ὑποστάσης τροφάς.
ἡ σὴ δὲ θυγάτηρ — μητέρʼ αἰδοῦμαι λέγειν —
ἰδίοισιν ὑμεναίοισι κοὐχὶ σώφροσιν
ἐς ἀνδρὸς ᾔει λέκτρʼ· ἐμαυτόν, ἢν λέγω
κακῶς ἐκείνην, ἐξερῶ· λέξω δʼ ὅμως.
Αἴγισθος ἦν ὁ κρυπτὸς ἐν δόμοις πόσις.
τοῦτον κατέκτεινʼ, ἐπὶ δʼ ἔθυσα μητέρα,
ἀνόσια μὲν δρῶν, ἀλλὰ τιμωρῶν πατρί.

[¶203] Now, as regards the matters for which I deserve to be stoned as you threatened,
hear the service I am conferring on all Hellas. For if women become so bold as to murder their husbands, taking refuge in their children, with the mother’s breast to catch the pity, they would think nothing of destroying their husbands
on any charge whatsoever. But I, by a horrible crime, as you boast it to be, have put an end to this custom. I hated my mother and killed her justly. She was false to her husband when he was gone from his home to fight for all Hellas at the head of its armies,
and she did not keep his bed undefiled; and when her sin had found her out, she did not impose punishment on herself, but, to avoid paying the penalty to her husband, punished my father by death. By the gods! it is not a good time for me to mention the gods,
when defending the charge of murder; but if I consented by my silence to my mother’s conduct, what would the murdered man have done to me? Would he not now in hatred be tormenting me with the Furies? Or does my mother have goddesses as allies, but he does not, in his deeper wrong?

> Greek: ἐφʼ οἷς δʼ ἀπειλεῖς ὡς πετρωθῆναί με χρή,
ἄκουσον ὡς ἅπασαν Ἑλλάδʼ ὠφελῶ.
εἰ γὰρ γυναῖκες ἐς τόδʼ ἥξουσιν θράσους,
ἄνδρας φονεύειν, καταφυγὰς ποιούμεναι
ἐς τέκνα, μαστοῖς τὸν ἔλεον θηρώμεναι,
παρʼ οὐδὲν αὐταῖς ἦν ἂν ὀλλύναι πόσεις
ἐπίκλημʼ ἐχούσαις ὅ τι τύχοι. δράσας δʼ ἐγὼ
δείνʼ, ὡς σὺ κομπεῖς, τόνδʼ ἔπαυσα τὸν νόμον.
μισῶν δὲ μητέρʼ ἐνδίκως ἀπώλεσα,
ἥτις μεθʼ ὅπλων ἄνδρʼ ἀπόντʼ ἐκ δωμάτων
πάσης ὑπὲρ γῆς Ἑλλάδος στρατηλάτην
προύδωκε κοὐκ ἔσῳσʼ ἀκήρατον λέχος·
ἐπεὶ δʼ ἁμαρτοῦσʼ ᾔσθετʼ, οὐχ αὑτῇ δίκην
ἐπέθηκεν, ἀλλʼ, ὡς μὴ δίκην δοίη πόσει,
ἐζημίωσε πατέρα κἀπέκτεινʼ ἐμόν.
πρὸς θεῶν — ἐν οὐ καλῷ μὲν ἐμνήσθην θεῶν,
φόνον δικάζων· εἰ δὲ δὴ τὰ μητέρος
σιγῶν ἐπῄνουν, τί μʼ ἂν ἔδρασʼ ὁ κατθανών;
οὐκ ἄν με μισῶν ἀνεχόρευʼ Ἐρινύσιν;
ἢ μητρὶ μὲν πάρεισι σύμμαχοι θεαί,
τῷ δʼ οὐ πάρεισι, μᾶλλον ἠδικημένῳ;

## 2. Lines 585–1120

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

[¶0] You, yes! you, old man, have been my ruin by begetting a wicked daughter; for it was owing to her audacious deed that I lost my father and became my mother’s murderer.

> Greek: σύ τοι φυτεύσας θυγατέρʼ, ὦ γέρον, κακὴν
ἀπώλεσάς με· διὰ τὸ γὰρ κείνης θράσος
πατρὸς στερηθεὶς ἐγενόμην μητροκτόνος.

[¶1] You see, Telemachus did not kill the wife of Odysseus, because she did not marry husband upon husband,
but the marriage-bed remained untainted in her home.

> Greek: ὁρᾷς, Ὀδυσσέως ἄλοχον οὐ κατέκτανε
Τηλέμαχος· οὐ γὰρ ἐπεγάμει πόσει πόσιν,
μένει δʼ ἐν οἴκοις ὑγιὲς εὐνατήριον.

[¶2] And you see Apollo, who makes the navel of the earth his home, dispensing to mortals unerring prophecies, whom we obey in all he says; I killed my mother in obedience to him.

> Greek: ὁρᾷς δʼ Ἀπόλλωνʼ, ὃς μεσομφάλους ἕδρας
ναίων βροτοῖσι στόμα νέμει σαφέστατον,
ᾧ πειθόμεσθα πάνθʼ ὅσʼ ἂν κεῖνος λέγῃ·
τούτῳ πιθόμενος τὴν τεκοῦσαν ἔκτανον.

[¶3] Find him guilty of the crime, slay him; his was the sin, not mine. What ought I to have done? or is the god not competent to expiate the pollution when I refer it to him? Where then should anyone flee, if he will not rescue me from death after giving his commands?

> Greek: ἐκεῖνον ἡγεῖσθʼ ἀνόσιον καὶ κτείνετε·
ἐκεῖνος ἥμαρτʼ, οὐκ ἐγώ. τί χρῆν με δρᾶν;
ἢ οὐκ ἀξιόχρεως ὁ θεὸς ἀναφέροντί μοι
μίασμα λῦσαι; ποῖ τις οὖν ἔτʼ ἂν φύγοι,
εἰ μὴ ὁ κελεύσας ῥύσεταί με μὴ θανεῖν;

[¶4] Do not say that the deed was done badly, but unfortunately for the ones who did it.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ ὡς μὲν οὐκ εὖ μὴ λέγʼ εἴργασται τάδε,
ἡμῖν δὲ τοῖς δράσασιν οὐκ εὐδαιμόνως.

[¶5] A blessed life those mortals lead who make wise marriages; but those for whom it does not fall out well are unfortunate in their public and private concerns.

> Greek: γάμοι δʼ ὅσοις μὲν εὖ καθεστᾶσιν βροτῶν,
μακάριος αἰών· οἷς δὲ μὴ πίπτουσιν εὖ,
τά τʼ ἔνδον εἰσὶ τά τε θύραζε δυστυχεῖς.

[¶6] Chorus Leader:
Women by nature always meddle in the doings of men, with unfortunate results.

> Greek: Χορός:
αἰεὶ γυναῖκες ἐμποδὼν ταῖς συμφοραῖς
ἔφυσαν ἀνδρῶν πρὸς τὸ δυστυχέστερον.

[¶7] Tyndareus:
Since you are so bold and suppress nothing, but answer me back in such a way as to vex my heart, you will lead me to go to greater lengths in procuring your execution;

> Greek: Τυνδάρεως:
ἐπεὶ θρασύνῃ κοὐχ ὑποστέλλῃ λόγῳ,
οὕτω δʼ ἀμείβῃ μʼ ὥστε μʼ ἀλγῆσαι φρένα,
μᾶλλόν μʼ ἀνάξεις ἐπὶ σὸν ἐξελθεῖν φόνον·

[¶8] and I shall regard this as a fine addition to my labors in coming here to adorn my daughter’s grave. Yes, I will go to the chosen band of Argives and set the city, willing or not, on you and your sister, to pay the penalty of stoning.

> Greek: καλὸν πάρεργον δʼ αὐτὸ θήσομαι πόνων
ὧν εἵνεκʼ ἦλθον θυγατρὶ κοσμήσων τάφον.
μολὼν γὰρ εἰς ἔκκλητον Ἀργείων ὄχλον
ἑκοῦσαν οὐχ ἑκοῦσαν ἐπισείσω πόλιν
σοὶ σῇ τʼ ἀδελφῇ, λεύσιμον δοῦναι δίκην.

[¶9] She deserves to die even more than you, for it was she who embittered you against your mother, always carrying tales to your ear to increase your hate the more, announcing dreams from Agamemnon, and Aegisthus’ bed,
may the gods in Hades loathe it! for even here on earth it was bitter; till she set the house ablaze with fires never kindled by Hephaestus.

> Greek: μᾶλλον δʼ ἐκείνη σοῦ θανεῖν ἐστʼ ἀξία,
ἣ τῇ τεκούσῃ σʼ ἠγρίωσʼ, ἐς οὖς ἀεὶ
πέμπουσα μύθους ἐπὶ τὸ δυσμενέστερον,
ὀνείρατʼ ἀγγέλλουσα τὰ Ἀγαμέμνονος,
καὶ τοῦθʼ — ὃ μισήσειαν — Αἰγίσθου λέχος —
οἱ νέρτεροι θεοί· καὶ γὰρ ἐνθάδʼ ἦν πικρόν·
ἕως ὑφῆψε δῶμʼ ἀνηφαίστῳ πυρί.

[¶10] Menelaus, I tell you this, and I will do it, too: if you then consider my hatred or our marriage connection of any account, do not ward off this man’s doom in defiance of the gods,
but leave him to be stoned to death by the citizens, or do not set foot on Spartan land. Remember you have been told all this, and do not choose the ungodly as friends, pushing aside the more righteous. Servants, lead me from this house. Exit Tyndareus.

> Greek: Μενέλαε, σοὶ δὲ τάδε λέγω δράσω τε πρός·
εἰ τοὐμὸν ἔχθος ἐναριθμῇ κῆδός τʼ ἐμόν,
μὴ τῷδʼ ἀμύνειν φόνον ἐναντίον θεοῖς·
ἔα δʼ ὑπʼ ἀστῶν καταφονευθῆναι πέτροις,
ἢ μὴ ʼπίβαινε Σπαρτιάτιδος χθονός.
τοσαῦτʼ ἀκούσας ἴσθι, μηδὲ δυσσεβεῖς
ἕλῃ, παρώσας εὐσεβεστέρους φίλους·
ἡμᾶς δʼ ἀπʼ οἴκων ἄγετε τῶνδε, πρόσπολοι.

[¶11] Orestes:
Go, so that the remainder of my speech may come to this man without interruption, free from your old age.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
στεῖχʼ, ὡς ἀθορύβως οὑπιὼν ἡμῖν λόγος
πρὸς τόνδʼ ἵκηται, γῆρας ἀποφυγὼν τὸ σόν.

[¶12] Menelaus, why are you pacing round and round in thought, going back and forth, in a dilemma?

> Greek: Μενέλαε, ποῖ σὸν πόδʼ ἐπὶ συννοίᾳ κυκλεῖς,
διπλῆς μερίμνης διπτύχους ἰὼν ὁδούς;

[¶13] Menelaus:
Let me alone! When I think it over,
I am perplexed to know where to turn in these events.

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ἔασον· ἐν ἐμαυτῷ τι συννοούμενος
ὅποι τράπωμαι τῆς τύχης ἀμηχανῶ.

[¶14] Orestes:
Do not come to a final decision now, but after first hearing what I have to say, then make up your mind.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
μή νυν πέραινε τὴν δόκησιν, ἀλλʼ ἐμοὺς
λόγους ἀκούσας πρόσθε, βουλεύου τότε.

[¶15] Menelaus:
Good advice! Speak. There are times when silence would be better than speech, and the reverse also.

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
λέγʼ· εὖ γὰρ εἶπας· ἔστι δʼ οὗ σιγὴ λόγου
κρείσσων γένοιτʼ ἄν. ἔστι δʼ οὗ σιγῆς λόγος.

[¶16] Orestes:
I will speak now. A long statement has advantages over a short one and is more intelligible to listen to. Give me nothing of your own, Menelaus, but repay what you received from my father. As Menelaus makes a deprecating gesture. I am not speaking of possessions; if you save my life,
you will save my dearest possession.
I have done wrong; I ought to have a little wrong-doing from you to requite that evil, for my father Agamemnon also did wrong in gathering the Hellenes and going to Ilium, not that he had sinned himself,
but he was trying to find a cure for the sin and wrong-doing of your wife. So this is one thing you are bound to pay me back. For he really gave his life, as friends should, toiling hard in battle with you, so that you might have your wife again.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
λέγοιμʼ ἂν ἤδη. τὰ μακρὰ τῶν σμικρῶν λόγων
ἐπίπροσθέν ἐστι καὶ σαφῆ μᾶλλον κλύειν.
ἐμοὶ σὺ τῶν σῶν, Μενέλεως, μηδὲν δίδου,
ἃ δʼ ἔλαβες ἀπόδος πατρὸς ἐμοῦ λαβὼν πάρα.
— οὐ χρήματʼ εἶπον· χρήματʼ, ἢν ψυχὴν ἐμὴν
σῴσῃς, ἅπερ μοι φίλτατʼ ἐστὶ τῶν ἐμῶν. —
ἀδικῶ· λαβεῖν χρή μʼ ἀντὶ τοῦδε τοῦ κακοῦ
ἄδικόν τι παρὰ σοῦ· καὶ γὰρ Ἀγαμέμνων πατὴρ
ἀδίκως ἀθροίσας Ἑλλάδʼ ἦλθʼ ὑπʼ Ἴλιον,
οὐκ ἐξαμαρτὼν αὐτός, ἀλλʼ ἁμαρτίαν
τῆς σῆς γυναικὸς ἀδικίαν τʼ ἰώμενος.
ἓν μὲν τόδʼ ἡμῖν ἀνθʼ ἑνὸς δοῦναί σε χρή.
ἀπέδοτο δʼ, ὡς χρὴ τοῖς φίλοισι τοὺς φίλους,
τὸ σῶμʼ ἀληθῶς, σοὶ παρʼ ἀσπίδʼ ἐκπονῶν,
ὅπως σὺ τὴν σὴν ἀπολάβοις ξυνάορον.

[¶17] Pay back to me the same thing you got there. For one day exert yourself, on my behalf standing up in my defense, not ten full years.

> Greek: ἀπότεισον οὖν μοι ταὐτὸ τοῦτʼ ἐκεῖ λαβών,
μίαν πονήσας ἡμέραν, ἡμῶν ὕπερ
σωτήριος στάς, μὴ δέκʼ ἐκπλήσας ἔτη.

[¶18] As for what Aulis took, the sacrifice of my sister, I let you have that; do not kill Hermione.

> Greek: ἃ δʼ Αὐλὶς ἔλαβε σφάγιʼ ἐμῆς ὁμοσπόρου,
ἐῶ σʼ ἔχειν ταῦθʼ· Ἑρμιόνην μὴ κτεῖνε σύ.

[¶19] For in my present plight, you must have an advantage over me and I must pardon it. But give to my miserable father my life and the life of my sister, a maiden so long; for by my death I shall leave my father’s house without an heir.

> Greek: δεῖ γὰρ σʼ ἐμοῦ πράσσοντος ὡς πράσσω τὰ νῦν
πλέον φέρεσθαι, κἀμὲ συγγνώμην ἔχειν.
ψυχὴν δʼ ἐμὴν δὸς τῷ ταλαιπώρῳ πατρὶ
κἀμῆς ἀδελφῆς, παρθένου μακρὸν χρόνον·
θανὼν γὰρ οἶκον ὀρφανὸν λείψω πατρός.

[¶20] You will say it is impossible. That’s the point; friends are bound to help friends in trouble. But when fortune gives of its best, what need of friends? For the god’s help is enough of itself when he is willing to give it.

> Greek: ἐρεῖς· ἀδύνατον. αὐτὸ τοῦτο· τοὺς φίλους
ἐν τοῖς κακοῖς χρὴ τοῖς φίλοισιν ὠφελεῖν·
ὅταν δʼ ὁ δαίμων εὖ διδῷ, τί δεῖ φίλων;
ἀρκεῖ γὰρ αὐτὸς ὁ θεὸς ὠφελεῖν θέλων.

[¶21] All Hellas believes that you love your wife,
and I am not saying this to flatter or wheedle you; by her I implore you.

> Greek: φιλεῖν δάμαρτα πᾶσιν Ἕλλησιν δοκεῖς·
κοὐχ ὑποτρέχων σε τοῦτο θωπείᾳ λέγω·

[¶22] As Menelaus turns away. Ah me, my misery! to what have I come! Well? (preparing to make a final appeal) I must suffer, for I am making this appeal on behalf of my whole family. O my uncle, my father’s own brother! Imagine that the dead man in his grave
is listening, that his spirit is hovering over you and saying what I say, this much for tears and groans and misfortunes. I have spoken and I have begged for my safety, hunting what all seek, not myself alone.

> Greek: ταύτης ἱκνοῦμαί σʼ — ὦ μέλεος ἐμῶν κακῶν,
ἐς οἷον ἥκω. τί δέ; ταλαιπωρεῖν με δεῖ·
ὑπὲρ γὰρ οἴκου παντὸς ἱκετεύω τάδε.
ὦ πατρὸς ὅμαιμε θεῖε, τὸν κατὰ χθονὸς
θανόντʼ ἀκούειν τάδε δόκει, ποτωμένην
ψυχὴν ὑπὲρ σοῦ, καὶ λέγειν ἃ ἐγὼ λέγω,
ταὔτʼ ἔς τε δάκρυα καὶ γόους καὶ συμφοράς.
εἴρηκα κἀπῄτηκα τὴν σωτηρίαν,
θηρῶν ὃ πάντες κοὐκ ἐγὼ ζητῶ μόνος.

[¶23] Chorus Leader:
I, too, though I am only a woman, beseech you to help those who need it; for you have the power.

> Greek: Χορός:
κἀγώ σʼ ἱκνοῦμαι καὶ γυνή περ οὖσʼ ὅμως
τοῖς δεομένοισιν ὠφελεῖν· οἷός τε δʼ εἶ.

[¶24] Menelaus:
Orestes, you are a man for whom I have a deep regard, and I want to take part in your troubles; it is a duty, too, to help relatives bear their ills,
by dying or killing enemies, if god gives the power to do so. I wish I had that power granted me by the gods. For I have come quite destitute of allies, after my long weary wanderings,
with the small strength of my surviving friends. We should never get the better of Pelasgian Argos by fighting; if we should prevail by soothing speeches, we will come to some hope there. For how can you win a great cause by small
[efforts? It is foolish even to wish it.]

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
Ὀρέστʼ, ἐγώ τοι σὸν καταιδοῦμαι κάρα
καὶ ξυμπονῆσαι σοῖς κακοῖσι βούλομαι·
καὶ χρὴ γὰρ οὕτω τῶν ὁμαιμόνων κακὰ
ξυνεκκομίζειν, δύναμιν ἢν διδῷ θεός,
θνῄσκοντα καὶ κτείνοντα τοὺς ἐναντίους·
τὸ δʼ αὖ δύνασθαι πρὸς θεῶν χρῄζω τυχεῖν.
ἥκω γὰρ ἀνδρῶν συμμάχων κενὸν δόρυ
ἔχων, πόνοισι μυρίοις ἀλώμενος,
σμικρᾷ σὺν ἀλκῇ τῶν λελειμμένων φίλων.
μάχῃ μὲν οὖν ἂν οὐχ ὑπερβαλοίμεθα
Πελασγὸν Ἄργος· εἰ δὲ μαλθακοῖς λόγοις
δυναίμεθʼ, ἐνταῦθʼ ἐλπίδος προσήκομεν.
σμικροῖσι μὲν γὰρ μεγάλα πῶς ἕλοι τις ἄν;
[πόνοισιν; ἀμαθὲς καὶ τὸ βούλεσθαι τάδε.]

[¶25] For when the people fall into a vigorous fury, they are as hard to quench as a raging fire; but if you gently slacken your hold and yield a little to their tension, cautiously watching your opportunity,
they may possibly calm down; if their gusts abate, you may obtain whatever you want from them easily. They have pity, and a hot temper too, an invaluable quality if you watch it closely. So for you I will go and try to persuade Tyndareus
and the city to moderation. A ship also dips if its sheet is hauled too taut, but rights itself again if it is let go.

> Greek: ὅταν γὰρ ἡβᾷ δῆμος εἰς ὀργὴν πεσών,
ὅμοιον ὥστε πῦρ κατασβέσαι λάβρον·
εἰ δʼ ἡσύχως τις αὑτὸν ἐντείνοντι μὲν
χαλῶν ὑπείκοι καιρὸν εὐλαβούμενος,
ἴσως ἂν ἐκπνεύσειεν· ἢν δʼ ἀνῇ πνοάς,
τύχοις ἂν αὐτοῦ ῥᾳδίως ὅσον θέλεις.
ἔνεστι δʼ οἶκτος, ἔνι δὲ καὶ θυμὸς μέγας,
καραδοκοῦντι κτῆμα τιμιώτατον.
ἐλθὼν δὲ Τυνδάρεών τέ σοι πειράσομαι
πόλιν τε πεῖσαι τῷ λίαν χρῆσθαι καλῶς.
καὶ ναῦς γὰρ ἐνταθεῖσα πρὸς βίαν ποδὶ
ἔβαψεν, ἔστη δʼ αὖθις, ἢν χαλᾷ πόδα.

[¶26] The god hates excessive eagerness, and the citizens do also; I must save you, I don’t deny it,
by cleverness, not by violence against those who are stronger. I could not do it by strength, as you perhaps imagine; for it is not easy to triumph single-handed over the troubles that beset you. I would never have tried to bring the Argive land over to softness;
but it is necessary. [for the wise to be slaves to fortune.] Exit Menelaus.
Orestes:
O you that have no use, except to lead an army in a woman’s cause! O worst of men in your friends’ defense,
do you turn your back on me and flee, the deeds of Agamemnon lost and gone?
After all, father, you had no friends in adversity. Alas! I am betrayed; no longer do I have any hope of finding a refuge where I may escape the death-sentence of Argos; for this man was my haven of safety.

> Greek: μισεῖ γὰρ ὁ θεὸς τὰς ἄγαν προθυμίας,
μισοῦσι δʼ ἀστοί· δεῖ δέ μʼ — οὐκ ἄλλως λέγω —
σῴζειν σε σοφίᾳ, μὴ βίᾳ τῶν κρεισσόνων.
ἀλκῇ δέ σʼ οὐκ ἄν, ᾗ σὺ δοξάζεις ἴσως,
σῴσαιμʼ ἄν· οὐ γὰρ ῥᾴδιον λόγχῃ μιᾷ
στῆσαι τροπαῖα τῶν κακῶν ἅ σοι πάρα.
οὐ γάρ ποτʼ Ἄργους γαῖαν ἐς τὸ μαλθακὸν
προσηγόμεσθα· νῦν δʼ ἀναγκαίως ἔχει.
[δούλοισιν εἶναι τοῖς σοφοῖσι τῆς τύχης]
Ὀρέστης:
ὦ πλὴν γυναικὸς οὕνεκα στρατηλατεῖν
τἄλλʼ οὐδέν, ὦ κάκιστε τιμωρεῖν φίλοις,
φεύγεις ἀποστραφείς με, τὰ δʼ Ἀγαμέμνονος
φροῦδʼ; ἄφιλος ἦσθʼ ἄρʼ, ὦ πάτερ, πράσσων κακῶς.
οἴμοι, προδέδομαι, κοὐκέτʼ εἰσὶν ἐλπίδες,
ὅποι τραπόμενος θάνατον Ἀργείων φύγω·
οὗτος γὰρ ἦν μοι καταφυγὴ σωτηρίας.

[¶27] But I see Pylades, the best of friends, coming at a run from Phocis—a pleasant sight! A man who can be trusted in troubles is a better sight than a calm to sailors.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ εἰσορῶ γὰρ τόνδε φίλτατον βροτῶν
Πυλάδην δρόμῳ στείχοντα Φωκέων ἄπο,
ἡδεῖαν ὄψιν· πιστὸς ἐν κακοῖς ἀνὴρ
κρείσσων γαλήνης ναυτίλοισιν εἰσορᾶν.

[¶28] Pylades:
I have come through the city quickly, as I should,
having heard and myself clearly seen the citizens assembling, against you and your sister, to kill you at once. What is happening? How is it with you? How are you doing, my best of comrades, friends and kin? For you are all these to me.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
θᾶσσον ᾗ με χρῆν προβαίνων ἱκόμην διʼ ἄστεως,
σύλλογον πόλεως ἀκούσας, τὸν δʼ ἰδὼν αὐτὸς σαφῶς,
ἐπὶ σὲ σύγγονόν τε τὴν σήν, ὡς κτενοῦντας αὐτίκα.
τί τάδε; πῶς ἔχεις; τί πράσσεις, φίλταθʼ ἡλίκων ἐμοὶ
καὶ φίλων καὶ συγγενείας; πάντα γὰρ τάδʼ εἶ σύ μοι.

[¶29] Orestes:
I am ruined, to make plain to you my troubles in brief.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οἰχόμεσθʼ, ὡς ἐν βραχεῖ σοι τἀμὰ δηλώσω κακά.

[¶30] Pylades:
You must destroy me also; for friends have all in common.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
συγκατασκάπτοις ἂν ἡμᾶς· κοινὰ γὰρ τὰ τῶν φίλων.

[¶31] Orestes:
Menelaus is the worst of men to me and my sister.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
Μενέλεως κάκιστος ἐς ἐμὲ καὶ κασιγνήτην ἐμήν.

[¶32] Pylades:
It is natural for the husband of an evil woman to become evil.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
εἰκότως, κακῆς γυναικὸς ἄνδρα γίγνεσθαι κακόν.

[¶33] Orestes:
He no more repaid me by coming here, than if he had never come.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὥσπερ οὐκ ἐλθὼν ἔμοιγε ταὐτὸν ἀπέδωκεν μολών.

[¶34] Pylades:
Oh, has he really arrived in this land?

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ἦ γάρ ἐστιν ὡς ἀληθῶς τήνδʼ ἀφιγμένος χθόνα;

[¶35] Orestes:
He took a long time, but he was very soon detected as evil to his friends.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
χρόνιος· ἀλλʼ ὅμως τάχιστα κακὸς ἐφωράθη φίλοις.

[¶36] Pylades:
And did he bring his wife, the worst of women, with him on his ship?

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
καὶ δάμαρτα τὴν κακίστην ναυστολῶν ἐλήλυθεν;

[¶37] Orestes:
It was not he who brought her here, but she who brought him.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐκ ἐκεῖνος, ἀλλʼ ἐκείνη κεῖνον ἐνθάδʼ ἤγαγεν.

[¶38] Pylades:
Where is she, the one woman who proved the ruin of so many Achaeans?

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ποῦ ʼστιν ἣ πλείστους Ἀχαιῶν ὤλεσεν γυνὴ μία;

[¶39] Orestes:
In my house; if, that is, I ought to call it mine.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἐν δόμοις ἐμοῖσιν, εἰ δὴ τούσδʼ ἐμοὺς καλεῖν χρεών.

[¶40] Pylades:
And what did you say to your father’s brother?

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
σὺ δὲ τίνας λόγους ἔλεξας σοῦ κασιγνήτῳ πατρός;

[¶41] Orestes:
Not to see me and my sister killed by the citizens.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
μή μʼ ἰδεῖν θανόνθʼ ὑπʼ ἀστῶν καὶ κασιγνήτην ἐμήν.

[¶42] Pylades:
By the gods! What did he say to that? I would like know this.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
πρὸς θεῶν, τί πρὸς τάδʼ εἶπε; τόδε γὰρ εἰδέναι θέλω.

[¶43] Orestes:
He was cautious, the usual policy of ignoble friends.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
εὐλαβεῖθʼ, ὃ τοῖς φίλοισι δρῶσιν οἱ κακοὶ φίλοι.

[¶44] Pylades:
What excuse did he advance? When I have learned that, I know everything.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
σκῆψιν ἐς ποίαν προβαίνων; τοῦτο πάντʼ ἔχω μαθών.

[¶45] Orestes:
There was a new arrival, the father who begot those noble daughters.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὗτος ἦλθʼ, ὁ τὰς ἀρίστας θυγατέρας σπείρας πατήρ.

[¶46] Pylades:
You mean Tyndareus; he was angry with you, perhaps, for his daughter’s sake?

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
Τυνδάρεων λέγεις· ἴσως σοι θυγατέρος θυμούμενος;

[¶47] Orestes:
You understand. And Menelaus preferred the family relationship with him to that with my father.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
αἰσθάνῃ. τὸ τοῦδε κῆδος μᾶλλον εἵλετʼ ἢ πατρός.

[¶48] Pylades:
He did not have the courage to share your troubles, when he was here?

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
κοὐκ ἐτόλμησεν πόνων σῶν ἀντιλάζυσθαι παρών;

[¶49] Orestes:
No, for he was not born a warrior, though strong among women!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐ γὰρ αἰχμητὴς πέφυκεν, ἐν γυναιξὶ δʼ ἄλκιμος.

[¶50] Pylades:
Your case is desperate, it seems, and you must die.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ἐν κακοῖς ἄρʼ εἶ μεγίστοις· καί σʼ ἀναγκαῖον θανεῖν;

[¶51] Orestes:
The citizens must give their vote about us on the murder.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ψῆφον ἀμφʼ ἡμῶν πολίτας ἐπὶ φόνῳ θέσθαι χρεών.

[¶52] Pylades:
And what is that to decide? Tell me, for I am alarmed.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ἣ κρινεῖ τί χρῆμα; λέξον· διὰ φόβου γὰρ ἔρχομαι.

[¶53] Orestes:
Our life or death; a brief speech on a large subject.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἢ θανεῖν ἢ ζῆν· ὁ μῦθος οὐ μακρὸς μακρῶν πέρι.

[¶54] Pylades:
Leave the palace with your sister now and try to escape.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
φεῦγέ νυν λιπὼν μέλαθρα σὺν κασιγνήτῃ σέθεν.

[¶55] Orestes:
Don’t you see? We are being watched by guards on every side.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐχ ὁρᾷς; φυλασσόμεσθα φρουρίοισι πανταχῇ.

[¶56] Pylades:
I saw that the streets of the city were secured with armed men.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
εἶδον ἄστεως ἀγυιὰς τεύχεσιν πεφραγμένας.

[¶57] Orestes:
We are as closely beleaguered as a city by its foes.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὡσπερεὶ πόλις πρὸς ἐχθρῶν σῶμα πυργηρούμεθα.

[¶58] Pylades:
Ask me now of my state; for I too am ruined.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
κἀμὲ νῦν ἐροῦ τί πάσχω· καὶ γὰρ αὐτὸς οἴχομαι.

[¶59] Orestes:
By whom? This would be a further trouble to add to mine.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
πρὸς τίνος; τοῦτʼ ἂν προσείη τοῖς ἐμοῖς κακοῖς κακόν.

[¶60] Pylades:
Strophius, my father, in a fit of anger, has banished me from his house.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
Στρόφιος ἤλασέν μʼ ἀπʼ οἴκων φυγάδα θυμωθεὶς πατήρ.

[¶61] Orestes:
Bringing against you a private charge, or one in which the citizens share?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἴδιον ἢ κοινὸν πολίταις ἐπιφέρων ἔγκλημά τι;

[¶62] Pylades:
He says it is an unholy crime to have helped you slay your mother.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ὅτι συνηράμην φόνον σοι μητρός, ἀνόσιον λέγων.

[¶63] Orestes:
Alas! It seems my troubles will cause you grief as well.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὦ τάλας, ἔοικε καὶ σὲ τἀμὰ λυπήσειν κακά.

[¶64] Pylades:
I am not like Menelaus in character; this must be endured.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
οὐχὶ Μενέλεω τρόποισι χρώμεθʼ· οἰστέον τάδε.

[¶65] Orestes:
Are you not afraid that Argos will desire your death as well as mine?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐ φοβῇ μή σʼ Ἄργος ὥσπερ κἄμʼ ἀποκτεῖναι θέλῃ;

[¶66] Pylades:
I am not theirs to punish; I belong to Phocis.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
οὐ προσήκομεν κολάζειν τοῖσδε, Φωκέων δὲ γῇ.

[¶67] Orestes:
A terrible thing is the mob, whenever it has villains to lead it.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
δεινὸν οἱ πολλοί, κακούργους ὅταν ἔχωσι προστάτας.

[¶68] Pylades:
But with honest leaders its counsels are always honest.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ἀλλʼ ὅταν χρηστοὺς λάβωσι, χρηστὰ βουλεύουσʼ ἀεί.

[¶69] Orestes:
Very well; we must consult together.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
εἶἑν. ἐς κοινὸν λέγειν χρή.

[¶70] Pylades:
About what necessity?

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
τίνος ἀναγκαίου πέρι;

[¶71] Orestes:
Suppose I go and tell the citizens—

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
εἰ λέγοιμʼ ἀστοῖσιν ἐλθὼν —

[¶72] Pylades:
That your action was just?

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ὡς ἔδρασας ἔνδικα;

[¶73] Orestes:
In avenging my father?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
πατρὶ τιμωρῶν ἐμαυτοῦ;

[¶74] Pylades:
I am afraid they would be glad to catch you.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
μὴ λάβωσί σʼ ἄσμενοι.

[¶75] Orestes:
Well, am I to crouch in fear and die without a word?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἀλλʼ ὑποπτήξας σιωπῇ κατθάνω;

[¶76] Pylades:
That is cowardly.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
δειλὸν τόδε.

[¶77] Orestes:
How then should I act?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
πῶς ἂν οὖν δρῴην;

[¶78] Pylades:
Suppose you stay here, what means of safety do you have?

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ἔχεις τινʼ, ἢν μένῃς, σωτηρίαν;

[¶79] Orestes:
I have none.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐκ ἔχω.

[¶80] Pylades:
And if you go, is there any hope of escaping your troubles?

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
μολόντι δʼ ἐλπίς ἐστι σωθῆναι κακῶν;

[¶81] Orestes:
There might be, possibly.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
εἰ τύχοι, γένοιτʼ ἄν.

[¶82] Pylades:
Then that is better than staying.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
οὐκοῦν τοῦτο κρεῖσσον ἢ μένειν.

[¶83] Orestes:
Then I will go.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἀλλὰ δῆτʼ ἔλθω.

[¶84] Pylades:
At least you die in this way, you will die more honorably.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
θανὼν γοῦν ὧδε κάλλιον θανῇ.
Ὀρέστης:
εὖ λέγεις· φεύγω τὸ δειλὸν τῇδε.
Πυλάδης:
μᾶλλον ἢ μένων.

[¶85] Orestes:
You are right; in this way I escape cowardice.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
καὶ τὸ πρᾶγμά γʼ ἔνδικόν μοι.

[¶86] Pylades:
Better than by staying.
Orestes:
After all, my action was just.
Pylades:
Pray that this may be the only view they take.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
τῷ Δοκεῖν εὔχου μόνον.

[¶87] Orestes:
Some one or two might pity me—

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
καί τις ἄν γέ μʼ οἰκτίσειε …

[¶88] Pylades:
Yes, your noble birth is a great point.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
μέγα γὰρ ἡ εὐγένειά σου.

[¶89] Orestes:
Resenting my father’s death.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
θάνατον ἀσχάλλων πατρῷον.

[¶90] Pylades:
That is all quite clear.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
πάντα ταῦτʼ ἐν ὄμμασιν.

[¶91] Orestes:
I must go, for to die ignobly is a coward’s part.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἰτέον, ὡς ἄνανδρον ἀκλεῶς κατθανεῖν.

[¶92] Pylades:
Well said.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
αἰνῶ τάδε.

[¶93] Orestes:
Shall we tell my sister?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἦ λέγωμεν οὖν ἀδελφῇ ταῦτʼ ἐμῇ;

[¶94] Pylades:
God forbid!

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
μὴ πρὸς θεῶν.

[¶95] Orestes:
True, there might be tears.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
δάκρυα γοῦν γένοιτʼ ἄν.

[¶96] Pylades:
That would be a grave omen.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
οὐκοῦν οὗτος οἰωνὸς μέγας.

[¶97] Orestes:
Yes, silence is clearly better.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
δηλαδὴ σιγᾶν ἄμεινον.

[¶98] Pylades:
And you will gain time.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
τῷ χρόνῳ δὲ κερδανεῖς.

[¶99] Orestes:
There is only one obstacle in my way.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
κεῖνό μοι μόνον πρόσαντες.

[¶100] Pylades:
What fresh objection now?

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
τί τόδε καινὸν αὖ λέγεις;

[¶101] Orestes:
I am afraid the goddesses will prevent me by madness.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
μὴ θεαί μʼ οἴστρῳ κατάσχωσι.

[¶102] Pylades:
But I will take care of you.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ἀλλὰ κηδεύσω σʼ ἐγώ.

[¶103] Orestes:
It is annoying to have to touch a sick man.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
δυσχερὲς ψαύειν νοσοῦντος ἀνδρός.

[¶104] Pylades:
Not to me, when it is you.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
οὐκ ἔμοιγε σοῦ.

[¶105] Orestes:
Beware of becoming a partner in my madness.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
εὐλαβοῦ λύσσης μετασχεῖν τῆς ἐμῆς.

[¶106] Pylades:
Let that pass.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
τόδʼ οὖν ἴτω.

[¶107] Orestes:
You will not hesitate?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐκ ἄρʼ ὀκνήσεις;

[¶108] Pylades:
No, for hesitation is a grave mischief among friends.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ὄκνος γὰρ τοῖς φίλοις κακὸν μέγα.

[¶109] Orestes:
On then, pilot of my course!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἕρπε νυν οἴαξ ποδός μοι.

[¶110] Pylades:
A service I am glad to render.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
φίλα γʼ ἔχων κηδεύματα.

[¶111] Orestes:
And guide me to my father’s tomb.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
καί με πρὸς τύμβον πόρευσον πατρός.

[¶112] Pylades:
For what purpose?

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ὡς τί δὴ τόδε;

[¶113] Orestes:
That I may appeal to him to save me.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὥς νιν ἱκετεύσω με σῶσαι.

[¶114] Pylades:
Yes, that is the proper way.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
τό γε δίκαιον ὧδʼ ἔχει.

[¶115] Orestes:
May I not see my mother’s grave!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
μητέρος δὲ μηδʼ ἴδοιμι μνῆμα.

[¶116] Pylades:
No; she was an enemy. But hasten, so that the vote of Argos may not catch you first,
supporting those limbs, slow from sickness, on mine; for I will carry you through the town, thinking little of the mob and unashamed. For how shall I prove my friendship, if not by helping you in sore distress?

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
πολεμία γὰρ ἦν.
ἀλλʼ ἔπειγʼ, ὡς μή σε πρόσθε ψῆφος Ἀργείων ἕλῃ,
περιβαλὼν πλευροῖς ἐμοῖσι πλευρὰ νωχελῆ νόσῳ·
ὡς ἐγὼ διʼ ἄστεώς σε, σμικρὰ φροντίζων ὄχλου,
οὐδὲν αἰσχυνθεὶς ὀχήσω. ποῦ γὰρ ὢν δείξω φίλος,
εἴ σε μὴ ʼν δειναῖσιν ὄντα συμφοραῖς ἐπαρκέσω;

[¶117] Orestes:
Ah! the old saying again, “get friends, not relations only.”

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τοῦτʼ ἐκεῖνο, κτᾶσθʼ ἑταίρους, μὴ τὸ συγγενὲς μόνον·

[¶118] For a man who fuses into your ways, though he is an outsider, is better for a man to possess as a friend than a whole host of relations. Exeunt Orestes and Pylades.

> Greek: ὡς ἀνὴρ ὅστις τρόποισι συντακῇ, θυραῖος ὢν
μυρίων κρείσσων ὁμαίμων ἀνδρὶ κεκτῆσθαι φίλος.

[¶119] Chorus:
The great prosperity and the prowess, proudly boasted throughout Hellas and by the streams of Simois,
went back again from good fortune for the Atreidae long ago, from an old misfortune to their house, when strife came to the sons of Tantalus over a golden ram, to end in most pitiable banqueting and
the slaughter of high-born children; and this is why murder exchanges for murder, through blood, and does not leave the two Atreidae.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὁ μέγας ὄλβος ἅ τʼ ἀρετὰ
μέγα φρονοῦσʼ ἀνʼ Ἑλλάδα καὶ
παρὰ Σιμουντίοις ὀχετοῖς
πάλιν ἀνῆλθʼ ἐξ εὐτυχίας Ἀτρείδαις
πάλαι παλαιᾶς ἀπὸ συμφορᾶς δόμων,
ὁπότε χρυσείας ἔρις ἀρνὸς
ἤλυθε Τανταλίδαις,
οἰκτρότατα θοινάματα καὶ
σφάγια γενναίων τεκέων·
ὅθεν φόνῳ φόνος ἐξαμεί-
βων διʼ αἵματος οὐ προλεί-
πει δισσοῖσιν Ἀτρείδαις.

[¶120] Chorus:
What seemed good was not good,
to cut a mother’s flesh with ruthless hand and show the sword stained black with blood to the sun’s bright beams; “to commit a noble crime” is an impious, subtle, malignant madness!

> Greek: Χορός:
τὸ καλὸν οὐ καλόν, τοκέων
πυριγενεῖ τεμεῖν παλάμᾳ
χρόα μελάνδετον δὲ φόνῳ
ξίφος ἐς αὐγὰς ἀελίοιο δεῖξαι·
τὸ δʼ εὖ κακουργεῖν ἀσέβεια ποικίλα
κακοφρόνων τʼ ἀνδρῶν παράνοια.

[¶121] The wretched daughter of Tyndareus in terror of death screamed to him: “My son, this is unholy, your bold attempt upon your mother’s life; do not, while honoring your father,”
“fasten on yourself an eternity of shame.”

> Greek: θανάτου γὰρ ἀμφὶ φόβῳ
Τυνδαρὶς ἰάχησε τάλαι-
να· Τέκνον, οὐ τολμᾷς ὅσια
κτείνων σὰν ματέρα· μὴ πατρῴ-
αν τιμῶν χάριν ἐξανά-
ψῃ δύσκλειαν ἐς αἰεί.

[¶122] Chorus:
What affliction on earth surpasses this? What calls for keener grief or pity, than to shed with your hand a mother’s blood? Oh! what a dreadful crime he committed,
and now is raving mad, a prey to the Furies, whirling blood with racing eyes, the son of Agamemnon! O the wretch! when
he saw a mother’s bosom over her robe of golden weave, and yet he made her his victim, in recompense for his father’s sufferings.

> Greek: Χορός:
τίς νόσος ἢ τίνα δάκρυα καὶ
τίς ἔλεος μείζων κατὰ γᾶν
ἢ ματροκτόνον αἷμα χειρὶ θέσθαι;
οἷον ἔργον τελέσας
βεβάκχευται μανίαις,
Εὐμενίσι θήραμα, φόνον
δρομάσι δινεύων βλεφάροις,
Ἀγαμεμνόνιος παῖς.
ὦ μέλεος, ματρὸς ὅτε
χρυσεοπηνήτων φαρέων
μαστὸν ὑπερτέλλοντʼ ἐσιδὼν
σφάγιον ἔθετο ματέρα, πατρῴ-
ων παθέων ἀμοιβάν.

[¶123] Electra:
Women, has my poor Orestes left the house,
mastered by the heaven-sent madness?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
γυναῖκες, ἦ που τῶνδʼ ἀφώρμηται δόμων
τλήμων Ὀρέστης θεομανεῖ λύσσῃ δαμείς;

[¶124] Chorus Leader:
Not at all; he has gone to the Argive people to stand the appointed trial for his life, in which he and you must live or die.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἥκιστα· πρὸς δʼ Ἀργεῖον οἴχεται λεών,
ψυχῆς ἀγῶνα τὸν προκείμενον πέρι
δώσων, ἐν ᾧ ζῆν ἢ θανεῖν ὑμᾶς χρεών.

[¶125] Electra:
Oh! Why did he do it? Who persuaded him?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οἴμοι· τί χρῆμʼ ἔδρασε; τίς δʼ ἔπεισέ νιν;

[¶126] Chorus Leader:
Pylades; but this messenger will no doubt soon tell us what happened to your brother there.

> Greek: Χορός:
Πυλάδης· ἔοικε δʼ οὐ μακρὰν ὅδʼ ἄγγελος
λέξειν τὰ κεῖθεν σοῦ κασιγνήτου πέρι.

[¶127] Messenger:
Wretched, unhappy daughter of the general Agamemnon, my lady Electra, hear the sad tidings I bring you.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ὦ τλῆμον, ὦ δύστηνε τοῦ στρατηλάτου
Ἀγαμέμνονος παῖ, πότνιʼ Ἠλέκτρα, λόγους
ἄκουσον οὕς σοι δυστυχεῖς ἥκω φέρων.

[¶128] Electra:
Alas! we are ruined; your words show it; you have clearly come with tidings of woe.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
αἰαῖ, διοιχόμεσθα· δῆλος εἶ λόγῳ.
κακῶν γὰρ ἥκεις, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἄγγελος.

[¶129] Messenger:
The Pelasgians have decided by vote that you, poor lady, and your brother are to die this day.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ψήφῳ Πελασγῶν σὸν κασίγνητον θανεῖν
καὶ σέ, ὦ τάλαινʼ, ἔδοξε τῇδʼ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ.

[¶130] Electra:
Alas! my expectations are realized; I have long feared this,
and have been wasting away in mourning for what was sure to happen. But what was the trial, what was said by the Argives, to condemn us and ratify our death? Tell me, old friend; must I die by stoning or the sword?
For I share my brother’s misfortunes.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οἴμοι· προσῆλθεν ἐλπίς, ἣν φοβουμένη
πάλαι τὸ μέλλον ἐξετηκόμην γόοις.
ἀτὰρ τίς ἁγών, τίνες ἐν Ἀργείοις λόγοι
καθεῖλον ἡμᾶς κἀπεκύρωσαν θανεῖν;
λέγʼ, ὦ γεραιέ· πότερα λευσίμῳ χερὶ
ἢ διὰ σιδήρου πνεῦμʼ ἀπορρῆξαί με δεῖ,
κοινὰς ἀδελφῷ συμφορὰς κεκτημένην;

[¶131] Messenger:
I had just come from the country and was entering the gates, needing to learn what was decided about you and Orestes, for I was always well disposed to your father when he was alive, and it was your house that reared me,
poor indeed, yet loyal in the service of friends. I saw a crowd going and taking their seats on the height, where they say Danaus first gathered his people for a meeting, making amends to Aegyptus. So, when I saw the throng, I asked a citizen:

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ἐτύγχανον μὲν ἀγρόθεν πυλῶν ἔσω
βαίνων, πυθέσθαι δεόμενος τά τʼ ἀμφὶ σοῦ
τά τʼ ἀμφʼ Ὀρέστου· σῷ γὰρ εὔνοιαν πατρὶ
ἀεί ποτʼ εἶχον, καί μʼ ἔφερβε σὸς δόμος
πένητα μέν, χρῆσθαι δὲ γενναῖον φίλοις.
ὁρῶ δʼ ὄχλον στείχοντα καὶ θάσσοντʼ ἄκραν,
οὗ φασι πρῶτον Δαναὸν Αἰγύπτῳ δίκας
διδόντʼ ἀθροῖσαι λαὸν ἐς κοινὰς ἕδρας.
ἀστῶν δὲ δή τινʼ ἠρόμην ἄθροισμʼ ἰδών·

[¶132] “What news in Argos? Tidings of the enemy haven’t ruffled the city of Danaus, have they?” But he said: “Don’t you see Orestes there, on his way to he tried for his life?” I saw an unexpected sight, which I wish I had not seen,
Pylades and your brother approaching together, the one with his head down, weakened by sickness; the other sharing his friend’s sorrow like a brother, tending his illness with constant care.

> Greek: Τί καινὸν Ἄργει; μῶν τι πολεμίων πάρα
ἄγγελμʼ ἀνεπτέρωκε Δαναϊδῶν πόλιν;
ὃ δʼ εἶπʼ· Ὀρέστην κεῖνον οὐχ ὁρᾷς πέλας
στείχοντʼ, ἀγῶνα θανάσιμον δραμούμενον;
ὁρῶ δʼ ἄελπτον φάσμʼ, ὃ μήποτʼ ὤφελον,
Πυλάδην τε καὶ σὸν σύγγονον στείχονθʼ ὁμοῦ,
τὸν μὲν κατηφῆ καὶ παρειμένον νόσῳ,
τὸν δʼ ὥστʼ ἀδελφὸν ἴσα φίλῳ λυπούμενον,
νόσημα κηδεύοντα παιδαγωγίᾳ.

[¶133] Now when the Argives were fully gathered,
a herald rose and said: “Who wishes to give his opinion whether Orestes should be slain or not for the murder of his mother?” Then up stood Talthybius, who helped your father sack the Phrygians. He spoke out of both sides of his mouth, a mere tool of those in power as he always is,
expressing high admiration for your father, but not praising your brother, urging his crooked sentiments in specious words, that it would establish laws as to parents that are not good; and all the while he was darting lively glances at the friends of Aegisthus.

> Greek: ἐπεὶ δὲ πλήρης ἐγένετʼ Ἀργείων ὄχλος,
κῆρυξ ἀναστὰς εἶπε· Τίς χρῄζει λέγειν,
πότερον Ὀρέστην κατθανεῖν ἢ μὴ χρεών,
μητροκτονοῦντα; κἀπὶ τῷδʼ ἀνίσταται
Ταλθύβιος, ὃς σῷ πατρὶ συνεπόρθει Φρύγας.
ἔλεξε δʼ, ὑπὸ τοῖς δυναμένοισιν ὢν ἀεί,
διχόμυθα, πατέρα μὲν σὸν ἐκπαγλούμενος,
σὸν δʼ οὐκ ἐπαινῶν σύγγονον, καλοὺς κακοὺς
λόγους ἑλίσσων, ὅτι καθισταίη νόμους
ἐς τοὺς τεκόντας οὐ καλούς· τὸ δʼ ὄμμʼ ἀεὶ
φαιδρωπὸν ἐδίδου τοῖσιν Αἰγίσθου φίλοις.

[¶134] Such is that tribe; heralds always trip across to the lucky side; the one who has power in the city or a post in the government is their friend.

> Greek: τὸ γὰρ γένος τοιοῦτον· ἐπὶ τὸν εὐτυχῆ
πηδῶσʼ ἀεὶ κήρυκες· ὅδε δʼ αὐτοῖς φίλος,
ὃς ἂν δύνηται πόλεος ἔν τʼ ἀρχαῖσιν ᾖ.

[¶135] After him lord Diomedes made a speech; he said they should not kill you and your brother,
but keep clear of guilt by punishing you with exile. Some roared out that his words were good, but others disapproved.
Next stood up a fellow, who cannot close his lips; one whose impudence is his strength; an Argive, but not of Argos, forced on us;
confident in bluster and ignorant free speech, and plausible enough to involve them in some mischief sooner or later; [for whenever a man with a pleasing trick of speech, but of unsound principles, persuades the mob, it is a serious evil to the state; but those who give sound and sensible advice on all occasions,]
[if not immediately useful to the state, yet prove so afterwards. And this is the way in which to regard a party leader; for the position is much the same in the case of an orator and a man in office.] He was for stoning you and Orestes to death,
but it was Tyndareus who kept suggesting arguments of this kind to him as he urged the death of both of you.

> Greek: ἐπὶ τῷδε δʼ ἠγόρευε Διομήδης ἄναξ.
οὗτος κτανεῖν μὲν οὔτε σὲ οὔτε σύγγονον
εἴα, φυγῇ δὲ ζημιοῦντας εὐσεβεῖν.
ἐπερρόθησαν δʼ οἳ μὲν ὡς καλῶς λέγοι,
οἳ δʼ οὐκ ἐπῄνουν. κἀπὶ τῷδʼ ἀνίσταται
ἀνήρ τις ἀθυρόγλωσσος, ἰσχύων θράσει,
Ἀργεῖος οὐκ Ἀργεῖος, ἠναγκασμένος,
θορύβῳ τε πίσυνος κἀμαθεῖ παρρησίᾳ,
πιθανὸς ἔτʼ αὐτοὺς περιβαλεῖν κακῷ τινι·
[ὅταν γὰρ ἡδύς τις λόγοις φρονῶν κακῶς]
[πείθῃ τὸ πλῆθος, τῇ πόλει κακὸν μέγα·]
[ὅσοι δὲ σὺν νῷ χρηστὰ βουλεύουσʼ ἀεί,]
[κἂν μὴ παραυτίκʼ, αὖθίς εἰσι χρήσιμοι]
[πόλει. θεᾶσθαι δʼ ὧδε χρὴ τὸν προστάτην]
[ἰδόνθʼ· ὅμοιον γὰρ τὸ χρῆμα γίγνεται]
[τῷ τοὺς λόγους λέγοντι καὶ τιμωμένῳ.]
ὃς εἶπʼ Ὀρέστην καὶ σὲ ἀποκτεῖναι πέτροις
βάλλοντας· ὑπὸ δʼ ἔτεινε Τυνδάρεως λόγους
τῷ σφὼ κατακτείνοντι τοιούτους λέγειν.

[¶136] Another then stood up and said the opposite; he was not handsome in appearance, but a brave man, rarely coming in contact with the town or the circle in the market-place;
a farmer—and they are the only ones who preserve our land—but clever, and eager to grapple with the arguments, his character without a blemish, his walk in life beyond reproach. He said that they should crown Orestes, the son of Agamemnon, for showing his willingness to avenge a father
by the murder of a wicked and godless woman who would prevent men from taking up arms and going on foreign service, if those who remain behind, corrupt and seduce wives left at home to keep house.

> Greek: ἄλλος δʼ ἀναστὰς ἔλεγε τῷδʼ ἐναντία,
μορφῇ μὲν οὐκ εὐωπός, ἀνδρεῖος δʼ ἀνήρ,
ὀλιγάκις ἄστυ κἀγορᾶς χραίνων κύκλον,
αὐτουργός — οἵπερ καὶ μόνοι σῴζουσι γῆν —
ξυνετὸς δέ, χωρεῖν ὁμόσε τοῖς λόγοις θέλων,
ἀκέραιος, ἀνεπίπληκτον ἠσκηκὼς βίον·
ὃς εἶπʼ Ὀρέστην παῖδα τὸν Ἀγαμέμνονος
στεφανοῦν, ὃς ἠθέλησε τιμωρεῖν πατρί,
κακὴν γυναῖκα κἄθεον κατακτανών,
ἣ κεῖνʼ ἀφῄρει, μήθʼ ὁπλίζεσθαι χέρα
μήτε στρατεύειν ἐκλιπόντα δώματα,
εἰ τἄνδον οἰκουρήμαθʼ οἱ λελειμμένοι
φθείρουσιν, ἀνδρῶν εὔνιδας λωβώμενοι.

[¶137] To the better sort, at least, his word carried conviction.

> Greek: καὶ τοῖς γε χρηστοῖς εὖ λέγειν ἐφαίνετο.

[¶138] No one spoke after him. Then your brother came forward and said: “You dwellers in the land of Inachus! [Pelasgians in ancient times, and later Danaids] I helped you no less than my father”
“when I slew my mother; for if the murder of men by women is to be sanctioned, then the sooner you die, the better, or you must become the slaves of women; and that will be doing the very reverse of what you should. As it is, she who betrayed my father’s bed”
“has died, but if you take my life, the law becomes relaxed, and the sooner each one of you dies, the better; for it will never be daring at any rate that they will lack.” Yet, for all he seemed to speak well, he did not persuade the assembly; but that villain who spoke in favor of slaying you and your brother
gained his point by appealing to the mob.

> Greek: κοὐδεὶς ἔτʼ εἶπε. σὸς δʼ ἐπῆλθε σύγγονος,
ἔλεξε δʼ· ὦ γῆν Ἰνάχου κεκτημένοι,
[πάλαι Πελασγοί, Δαναΐδαι δεύτερον,]
ὑμῖν ἀμύνων οὐδὲν ἧσσον ἢ πατρὶ
ἔκτεινα μητέρʼ. εἰ γὰρ ἀρσένων φόνος
ἔσται γυναιξὶν ὅσιος, οὐ φθάνοιτʼ ἔτʼ ἂν
θνῄσκοντες, ἢ γυναιξὶ δουλεύειν χρεών·
τοὐναντίον δὲ δράσετʼ ἢ δρᾶσαι χρεών.
νῦν μὲν γὰρ ἡ προδοῦσα λέκτρʼ ἐμοῦ πατρὸς
τέθνηκεν· εἰ δὲ δὴ κατακτενεῖτʼ ἐμέ,
ὁ νόμος ἀνεῖται, κοὐ φθάνοι θνῄσκων τις ἄν·
ὡς τῆς γε τόλμης οὐ σπάνις γενήσεται.
ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἔπειθʼ ὅμιλον, εὖ δοκῶν λέγειν.
νικᾷ δʼ ἐκεῖνος ὁ κακὸς ἐν πλήθει λέγων,
ὃς ἠγόρευσε σύγγονον σέ τε κτανεῖν.

[¶139] Poor Orestes scarcely persuaded them not to kill him by stoning, promising to die by his own hand, with you, on this day. Pylades, in tears, is now bringing him from the conclave;
and his friends bear him company, with wailing and lamentation; so he comes, a bitter sight and piteous vision. Make ready the sword or prepare the noose for your neck, for you must leave the light; your noble birth
availed you nothing, nor did Phoebus from his seat on the tripod at Delphi; he was your undoing. Exit Messenger.
[]
Chorus Leader:
[Ah, hapless maiden! How silent you are, your face covered and bent to the ground, as if about to dash upon a course of lamentation and wailing.]

> Greek: μόλις δʼ ἔπεισε μὴ πετρουμένους θανεῖν
τλήμων Ὀρέστης· αὐτόχειρι δὲ σφαγῇ
ὑπέσχετʼ ἐν τῇδʼ ἡμέρᾳ λείψειν βίον
σὺν σοί. πορεύει δʼ αὐτὸν ἐκκλήτων ἄπο
Πυλάδης δακρύων· σὺν δʼ ὁμαρτοῦσιν φίλοι
κλαίοντες, οἰκτίροντες· ἔρχεται δέ σοι
πικρὸν θέαμα καὶ πρόσοψις ἀθλία.
ἀλλʼ εὐτρέπιζε φάσγανʼ ἢ βρόχον δέρῃ·
ὡς δεῖ λιπεῖν σε φέγγος· ἡ εὐγένεια δὲ
οὐδέν σʼ ἐπωφέλησεν, οὐδʼ ὁ Πύθιος
τρίποδα καθίζων Φοῖβος, ἀλλʼ ἀπώλεσεν.
Χορός:
ὦ δυστάλαινα παρθένʼ, ὡς ξυνηρεφὲς
πρόσωπον εἰς γῆν σὸν βαλοῦσʼ ἄφθογγος εἶ,
ὡς εἰς στεναγμοὺς καὶ γόους δραμουμένη.

[¶140] Electra:
O Pelasgia, I take up the dirge, doing bloody outrage on my cheeks with white nail, and beating on my head; these are the portion of Persephone, fair young goddess of the nether world.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
κατάρχομαι στεναγμόν, ὦ Πελασγία,
τιθεῖσα λευκὸν ὄνυχα διὰ παρηίδων,
αἱματηρὸν ἄταν,
κτύπον τε κρατός, ὃν ἔλαχʼ ἁ κατὰ χθονὸς
νερτέρων Περσέφασσα καλλίπαις θεά.

[¶141] Let the Cyclopian land break forth into wailing for the sorrows of our house, laying the steel upon the head to crop it close. This is the piteous, piteous strain that goes up for those who are about to die,
once the battle-leaders of Hellas.

> Greek: ἰαχείτω δὲ γᾶ Κυκλωπία,
σίδαρον ἐπὶ κάρα τιθεῖσα κούριμον,
πήματʼ οἴκων.
ἔλεος ἔλεος ὅδʼ ἔρχεται
τῶν θανουμένων ὕπερ,
στρατηλατᾶν Ἑλλάδος ποτʼ ὄντων.

[¶142] Electra:
It has gone, it has gone, and is lost, all the race of Pelops, and the glory that crowned their happy home once; the envy of heaven seized them and that cruel
murdering vote among the citizens.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
βέβακε γὰρ βέβακεν, οἴχεται τέκνων
πρόπασα γέννα Πέλοπος ὅ τʼ ἐπὶ μακαρίοις
ζῆλος ὤν ποτʼ οἴκοις·
φθόνος νιν εἷλε θεόθεν, ἅ τε δυσμενὴς
φοινία ψῆφος ἐν πολίταις.

[¶143] Oh, oh! you tribes of short-lived men, full of tears, full of suffering, see how fate runs counter to your hopes! All receive in turn their different
troubles in length of time; and the whole of mortal life is uncertain.

> Greek: ἰὼ ἰώ, πανδάκρυτʼ ἐφαμέρων
ἔθνη πολύπονα, λεύσσεθʼ, ὡς παρʼ ἐλπίδας
μοῖρα βαίνει.
ἕτερα δʼ ἕτερος ἀμείβεται
πήματʼ ἐν χρόνῳ μακρῷ·
βροτῶν δʼ ὁ πᾶς ἀστάθμητος αἰών.

[¶144] Electra:
Oh! to reach that rock which hangs suspended midway between earth and heaven, that fragment from Olympus, which swings on chains of gold, so that I may utter my lament
to Tantalus, my forefather, who begot the ancestors of my house. They saw infatuate ruin, the chase of winged steeds, when Pelops in four-horse chariot
drove over the sea, hurling the body of murdered Myrtilus into the ocean swell, after his race near Geraestus’ strand, foam-flecked from the tossing sea.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
μόλοιμι τὰν οὐρανοῦ
μέσον χθονός ⟨τε⟩ τεταμέναν
αἰωρήμασι πέτραν,
ἁλύσεσιν χρυσέαισι φερομέναν δίναισι,
βῶλον ἐξ Ὀλύμπου,
ἵνʼ ἐν θρήνοισιν ἀναβοάσω
γέροντι πατρὶ Ταντάλῳ
ὃς ἔτεκεν ἔτεκε γενέτορας ἐμέθεν δόμων,
οἳ κατεῖδον ἄτας,
ποτανὸν μὲν δίωγμα πώλων
τεθριπποβάμονι στόλῳ Πέλοψ ὅτε
πελάγεσι διεδίφρευσε, Μυρτίλου φόνον
δικὼν ἐς οἶδμα πόντου,
λευκοκύμοσιν
πρὸς Γεραιστίαις
ποντίων σάλων
ᾐόσιν ἁρματεύσας.

[¶145] From this came a woeful curse upon my house, brought to birth among the sheep by the son of Maia, when there appeared a baleful, baleful portent of a lamb with golden fleece,
for Atreus, breeder of horses; from which Strife changed the course of the sun’s winged chariot, fitting the westward path of the sky towards the single horse of Dawn;
and Zeus diverted the career of the seven Pleiads into a new track and exchanged... death for death: both the banquet to which Thyestes gave his name, and the treacherous love of Cretan Aerope,
in her treacherous marriage; but the crowning woe has come on me and on my father by the bitter constraints of our house.

> Greek: ὅθεν δόμοισι τοῖς ἐμοῖς
ἦλθʼ ἀρὰ πολύστονος,
λόχευμα ποιμνίοισι Μαιάδος τόκου,
τὸ χρυσόμαλλον ἀρνὸς ὁπότʼ
ἐγένετο τέρας ὀλοὸν ὀλοὸν
Ἀτρέος ἱπποβώτα·
ὅθεν Ἔρις τό τε πτερωτὸν
ἁλίου μετέβαλεν ἅρμα,
τὰν πρὸς ἑσπέραν κέλευθον
οὐρανοῦ προσαρμόσα-
σα μονόπωλον ἐς Ἀῶ,
ἑπταπόρου τε δράμημα Πελειάδος
εἰς ὁδὸν ἄλλαν Ζεὺς μεταβάλλει,
τῶνδέ τʼ ἀμείβει … θανάτους θανά-
των τά τʼ ἐπώνυμα δεῖπνα Θυέστου
λέκτρα τε Κρήσσας Ἀερόπας δολί-
ας δολίοισι γάμοις· τὰ πανύστατα δʼ
εἰς ἐμὲ καὶ γενέταν ἐμὸν ἤλυθε
δόμων πολυπόνοις ἀνάγκαις.

[¶146] Chorus Leader:
Look, here comes your brother, condemned to die, and with him Pylades, most loyal of friends,
true as a brother, guiding his feeble steps, his yoke-fellow, pacing carefully.

> Greek: Χορός:
καὶ μὴν ὅδε σὸς σύγγονος ἕρπει
ψήφῳ θανάτου κατακυρωθείς,
ὅ τε πιστότατος πάντων Πυλάδης,
ἰσάδελφος ἀνήρ, ἰθύνων
νοσερὸν κῶλον [Ὀρέστου],
ποδὶ κηδοσύνῳ παράσειρος.

[¶147] Electra:
Alas! I weep to see you stand before the tomb, my brother, face to face with the funeral pyre.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οἲ ἐγώ· πρὸ τύμβου γάρ σʼ ὁρῶσʼ ἀναστένω,
ἀδελφέ, καὶ πάροιθε νερτέρου πυρᾶς.

[¶148] Alas, again! as I take my last look at you, my senses leave me.

> Greek: οἲ ἐγὼ μάλʼ αὖθις· ὥς σʼ ἰδοῦσʼ ἐν ὄμμασιν
πανυστάτην πρόσοψιν ἐξέστην φρενῶν.

[¶149] Orestes:
Be silent! an end to womanish lamenting! resign yourself to your fate. It is piteous, but nevertheless [you must bear the present fate.]

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐ σῖγʼ ἀφεῖσα τοὺς γυναικείους γόους
στέρξεις τὰ κρανθέντʼ; οἰκτρὰ μὲν τάδʼ, ἀλλʼ ὅμως
[φέρειν σʼ ἀνάγκη τὰς παρεστώσας τύχας].

[¶150] Electra:
How can I be silent, when we poor sufferers are no longer to gaze upon the sun-god’s light?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
καὶ πῶς σιωπῶ; φέγγος εἰσορᾶν θεοῦ
τόδʼ οὐκέθʼ ἡμῖν τοῖς ταλαιπώροις μέτα.

[¶151] Orestes:
Oh! spare me that death! Enough that this unhappy wretch is already slain by Argives; let our present sufferings be.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
σὺ μή μʼ ἀπόκτεινʼ· ἅλις ὑπʼ Ἀργείας χερὸς
τέθνηχʼ ὁ τλήμων· τὰ δὲ παρόντʼ ἔα κακά.

[¶152] Electra:
Alas for your unhappy youth, Orestes, and for your fated
untimely death! When you should have lived, you are going to die.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὦ μέλεος ἥβης σῆς, Ὀρέστα, καὶ πότμου
θανάτου τʼ ἀώρου. ζῆν ἐχρῆν σʼ, ὅτʼ οὐκέτʼ εἶ.

[¶153] Orestes:
By the gods, do not unman me, bringing me to tears by the recollection of my sorrows.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
μὴ πρὸς θεῶν μοι περιβάλῃς ἀνανδρίαν,
ἐς δάκρυα πορθμεύουσʼ ὑπομνήσει κακῶν.

[¶154] Electra:
We are about to die; it is not possible for me not to grieve over our troubles; it is a piteous thing for all men to lose life, that is so sweet.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
θανούμεθʼ· οὐχ οἷόν τε μὴ στένειν κακά.
πᾶσιν γὰρ οἰκτρὸν ἡ φίλη ψυχὴ βροτοῖς.

[¶155] Orestes:
This is the day appointed for us; we must fit the dangling noose about our necks or whet the sword for use.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τόδʼ ἦμαρ ἡμῖν κύριον· δεῖ δʼ ἢ βρόχους
ἅπτειν κρεμαστοὺς ἢ ξίφος θήγειν χερί.

[¶156] Electra:
You be the one to kill me, brother, so that no Argive may insult Agamemnon’s son by my death.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
σύ νύν μʼ, ἀδελφέ, μή τις Ἀργείων κτάνῃ
ὕβρισμα θέμενος τὸν Ἀγαμέμνονος γόνον.

[¶157] Orestes:
Enough that I have a mother’s blood upon me; I will not kill you,
but die by your own hand, however you wish.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἅλις τὸ μητρὸς αἷμʼ ἔχω· σὲ δʼ οὐ κτενῶ,
ἀλλʼ αὐτόχειρι θνῇσχʼ ὅτῳ βούλῃ τρόπῳ.

[¶158] Electra:
Agreed; I will not be behind you in using the sword; only I long to throw my arms about your neck.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἔσται τάδʼ· οὐδὲν σοῦ ξίφους λελείψομαι.
ἀλλʼ ἀμφιθεῖναι σῇ δέρῃ θέλω χέρας.

[¶159] Orestes:
Enjoy that empty satisfaction, if embraces have any joy for those who have come so near to death.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τέρπου κενὴν ὄνησιν, εἰ τερπνὸν τόδε
θανάτου πέλας βεβῶσι, περιβαλεῖν χέρας.

[¶160] Electra:
My dearest, you who have a name that sounds most loved and sweet to your sister, partner in one soul with her!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὦ φίλτατʼ, ὦ ποθεινὸν ἥδιστόν τʼ ἔχων
τῆς σῆς ἀδελφῆς ὄνομα καὶ ψυχὴν μίαν.

[¶161] Orestes:
Oh, you will melt my heart! I want to give you back a fond embrace. And why should such a wretch as I still feel any shame? Embracing Electra Heart to heart, my sister! how sweet to me this close embrace!
In place of children and the marriage bed [this greeting is all that is possible to us poor sufferers].

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἔκ τοί με τήξεις· καί σʼ ἀμείψασθαι θέλω
φιλότητι χειρῶν. τί γὰρ ἔτʼ αἰδοῦμαι τάλας;
ὦ στέρνʼ ἀδελφῆς, ὦ φίλον πρόσπτυγμʼ ἐμόν,
τάδʼ ἀντὶ παίδων καὶ γαμηλίου λέχους —
[προσφθέγματʼ ἀμφοῖν τοῖς ταλαιπώροις πάρα].

[¶162] Electra:
Ah! If only the same sword, if it is right, could kill us both, and one coffin of cedar-wood receive us!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
φεῦ·
πῶς ἂν ξίφος νὼ ταὐτόν, εἰ θέμις, κτάνοι
καὶ μνῆμα δέξαιθʼ ἕν, κέδρου τεχνάσματα;

[¶163] Orestes:
That would be very sweet; but surely you see
we are too destitute of friends to be allowed one tomb between us.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἥδιστʼ ἂν εἴη ταῦθʼ· ὁρᾷς δὲ δὴ φίλων
ὡς ἐσπανίσμεθʼ, ὥστε κοινωνεῖν τάφου.

[¶164] Electra:
Did that coward Menelaus, that traitor to my father, not even speak for you, or make an effort to save your life?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οὐδʼ εἶφʼ ὑπὲρ σοῦ, μὴ θανεῖν σπουδὴν ἔχων,
Μενέλαος ὁ κακός, ὁ προδότης τοὐμοῦ πατρός;

[¶165] Orestes:
He did not even show himself, but, with his hopes centered on the throne, he was careful not to attempt the rescue of his friends.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐδʼ ὄμμʼ ἔδειξεν, ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ σκήπτροις ἔχων
τὴν ἐλπίδʼ, εὐλαβεῖτο μὴ σῴζειν φίλους.

[¶166] But let us see how we may die a noble death, one most worthy of Agamemnon. I, for my part, will let the city see my noble spirit when I plunge the sword to my heart, and you in turn must imitate my daring.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ εἶʼ ὅπως γενναῖα καὶ Ἀγαμέμνονος
δράσαντε κατθανούμεθʼ ἀξιώτατα.
κἀγὼ μὲν εὐγένειαν ἀποδείξω πόλει,
παίσας πρὸς ἧπαρ φασγάνῳ· σὲ δʼ αὖ χρεὼν
ὅμοια πράσσειν τοῖς ἐμοῖς τολμήμασιν.

[¶167] Pylades, be the arbitrator of our slaughter and, when we both are dead, lay out our bodies decently; carry them to our father’s grave and bury us there with him. Farewell, now; I am leaving for the deed, as you see.

> Greek: Πυλάδη, σὺ δʼ ἡμῖν τοῦ φόνου γενοῦ βραβεύς,
καὶ κατθανόντοιν εὖ περίστειλον δέμας
θάψον τε κοινῇ πρὸς πατρὸς τύμβον φέρων.
καὶ χαῖρʼ· ἐπʼ ἔργον δʼ, ὡς ὁρᾷς, πορεύομαι.

[¶168] Pylades:
Stop! there is first one point I have to blame you for,
if you thought I would care to live when you are dead.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ἐπίσχες. ἓν μὲν πρῶτά σοι μομφὴν ἔχω,
εἰ ζῆν με χρῄζειν σοῦ θανόντος ἤλπισας.

[¶169] Orestes:
But why are you called on to die with me?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τί γὰρ προσήκει κατθανεῖν σʼ ἐμοῦ μέτα;

[¶170] Pylades:
Do you ask? What is life to me without your companionship?

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ἤρου; τί δὲ ζῆν σῆς ἑταιρίας ἄτερ;

[¶171] Orestes:
You did not kill your mother, as I did to my sorrow.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐκ ἔκτανες σὴν μητέρʼ, ὡς ἐγὼ τάλας.

[¶172] Pylades:
At least I helped you; and so I ought to suffer the same penalty.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
σὺν σοί γε κοινῇ· ταὐτὰ καὶ πάσχειν με δεῖ.

[¶173] Orestes:
Surrender to your father, do not die with me. You still have a city, while I no longer have, and your father’s home, and a great refuge of wealth. You have failed to marry my poor sister, whom I betrothed to you from a deep regard for your companionship;

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἀπόδος τὸ σῶμα πατρί, μὴ σύνθνῃσκέ μοι.
σοὶ μὲν γὰρ ἔστι πόλις, ἐμοὶ δʼ οὐκ ἔστι δή,
καὶ δῶμα πατρὸς καὶ μέγας πλούτου λιμήν.
γάμων δὲ τῆς μὲν δυσπότμου τῆσδʼ ἐσφάλης,
ἥν σοι κατηγγύησʼ ἑταιρίαν σέβων·

[¶174] but find another bride and rear a family; for the marriage-tie which bound us is no more. Farewell, be happy, my beloved friend; we cannot, but you may; for we, the dead, are robbed of happiness.

> Greek: σὺ δʼ ἄλλο λέκτρον παιδοποίησαι λαβών,
κῆδος δὲ τοὐμὸν καὶ σὸν οὐκέτʼ ἔστι δή.
ἀλλʼ, ὦ ποθεινὸν ὄμμʼ ὁμιλίας ἐμῆς,
χαῖρʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἡμῖν ἔστι τοῦτο, σοί γε μήν·
οἱ γὰρ θανόντες χαρμάτων τητώμεθα.

[¶175] Pylades:
How far you are from grasping what I mean! May the fruitful earth, the radiant sky refuse to hold my blood, if ever I turn traitor and desert you when I have freed myself. For I shared in the murder, which I will not deny,
and also schemed the whole plot, for which you are now paying the penalty; and so I ought to die together with you and her. For I consider her, whom you betrothed to me, as my wife. Whatever shall I say, when I reach Delphi, the citadel of Phocis,
if I was your friend before your misfortunes, but ceased to be your friend, when you were unfortunate? That must not be; no, this concerns me, too. But since we are to die, let us take counsel together that Menelaus may share our misfortune.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ἦ πολὺ λέλειψαι τῶν ἐμῶν βουλευμάτων.
μήθʼ αἷμά μου δέξαιτο κάρπιμον πέδον,
μὴ λαμπρὸς αἰθήρ, εἴ σʼ ἐγὼ προδούς ποτε
ἐλευθερώσας τοὐμὸν ἀπολίποιμι σέ.
καὶ συγκατέκτανον γάρ, οὐκ ἀρνήσομαι,
καὶ πάντʼ ἐβούλευσʼ ὧν σὺ νῦν τίνεις δίκας·
καὶ ξυνθανεῖν οὖν δεῖ με σοὶ καὶ τῇδʼ ὁμοῦ.
ἐμὴν γὰρ αὐτήν, ἧς ⟨γε⟩ λέχος ἐπῄνεσα,
κρίνω δάμαρτα· τί γὰρ ἐρῶ κἀγώ ποτε
γῆν Δελφίδʼ ἐλθὼν Φωκέων ἀκρόπτολιν,
ὃς πρὶν μὲν ὑμᾶς δυστυχεῖν φίλος παρῆ,
νῦν δʼ οὐκέτʼ εἰμὶ δυστυχοῦντί σοι φίλος;
οὐκ ἔστιν. ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν κἀμοὶ μέλει·
ἐπεὶ δὲ κατθανούμεθʼ, ἐς κοινοὺς λόγους
ἔλθωμεν, ὡς ἂν Μενέλεως συνδυστυχῇ.

[¶176] Orestes:
Best of friends! if only I could see this before I die.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὦ φίλτατʼ, εἰ γὰρ τοῦτο κατθάνοιμʼ ἰδών.

[¶177] Pylades:
Listen to me, and delay the stroke of the sword.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
πιθοῦ νυν, ἄμμεινόν τε φασγάνου τομάς.

[¶178] Orestes:
I will, if I may take vengeance on my enemy.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
μενῶ, τὸν ἐχθρὸν εἴ τι τιμωρήσομαι.

[¶179] Pylades:
Hush now! I have small confidence in women.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
σίγα νυν· ὡς γυναιξὶ πιστεύω βραχύ.

[¶180] Orestes:
Have no fear of these; for they are our friends who are here.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
μηδὲν τρέσῃς τάσδʼ· ὡς πάρεισʼ ἡμῖν φίλαι.

[¶181] Pylades:
Let us kill Helen, a bitter grief to Menelaus.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
Ἑλένην κτάνωμεν, Μενέλεῳ λύπην πικράν.

[¶182] Orestes:
How? I am ready, if there is any chance of success.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
πῶς; τὸ γὰρ ἕτοιμον ἔστιν, εἴ γʼ ἔσται καλῶς.

[¶183] Pylades:
With our swords; she is hiding in your house.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
σφάξαντες. ἐν δόμοις δὲ κρύπτεται σέθεν.

[¶184] Orestes:
Indeed she is; and already she is putting her seal on everything.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
μάλιστα· καὶ δὴ πάντʼ ἀποσφραγίζεται.

[¶185] Pylades:
No longer, after she is married to Hades.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ἀλλʼ οὐκέθʼ, Ἅιδην νυμφίον κεκτημένη.

[¶186] Orestes:
But how? She has her barbarian attendants.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
καὶ πῶς; ἔχει γὰρ βαρβάρους ὀπάονας.

[¶187] Pylades:
Barbarians indeed! I am not the man to fear any Phrygian.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
τίνας; Φρυγῶν γὰρ οὐδένʼ ἂν τρέσαιμʼ ἐγώ.

[¶188] Orestes:
They are only fit to look after mirrors and perfumes!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οἵους ἐνόπτρων καὶ μύρων ἐπιστάτας.

[¶189] Pylades:
Has she brought Trojan luxury with her here?

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
τρυφὰς γὰρ ἥκει δεῦρʼ ἔχουσα Τρωικάς;

[¶190] Orestes:
So much so, that Hellas is too small for her to live in.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὥσθʼ Ἑλλὰς αὐτῇ σμικρὸν οἰκητήριον.

[¶191] Pylades:
The race of slaves is nothing to those who are free.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
οὐδὲν τὸ δοῦλον πρὸς τὸ μὴ δοῦλον γένος.

[¶192] Orestes:
Well, if I can do this deed, I do not shrink from dying twice over.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
καὶ μὴν τόδʼ ἔρξας δὶς θανεῖν οὐχ ἅζομαι.

[¶193] Pylades:
No, nor I either, if it is you I am avenging.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ἐγὼ μήν, σοί γε τιμωρούμενος.

[¶194] Orestes:
Explain the matter, and continue describing your plan.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τὸ πρᾶγμα δήλου καὶ πέραινʼ, ὅπως λέγεις.

[¶195] Pylades:
We will enter the house on the pretence of going to our death.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ἔσιμεν ἐς οἴκους δῆθεν ὡς θανούμενοι.

[¶196] Orestes:
So far I follow you, but not beyond.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἔχω τοσοῦτον, τἀπίλοιπα δʼ οὐκ ἔχω.

## 3. Lines 1121–1693

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

[¶0] Pylades:
We will lament our sufferings to her.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
γόους πρὸς αὐτὴν θησόμεσθʼ ἃ πάσχομεν.

[¶1] Orestes:
So that she will shed tears, although her heart is glad.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὥστʼ ἐκδακρῦσαί γʼ ἔνδοθεν κεχαρμένην.

[¶2] Pylades:
And our condition will be like hers.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
καὶ νῷν παρέσται ταῦθʼ ἅπερ κείνῃ τότε.

[¶3] Orestes:
How shall we proceed next in our contest?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἔπειτʼ ἀγῶνα πῶς ἀγωνιούμεθα;

[¶4] Pylades:
We shall have swords concealed in our cloaks.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
κρύπτʼ ἐν πέπλοισι τοισίδʼ ἕξομεν ξίφη.

[¶5] Orestes:
Will we dispose of her attendants first?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
πρόσθεν δʼ ὀπαδῶν τίς ὄλεθρος γενήσεται;

[¶6] Pylades:
We will shut them up in different parts of the house.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ἐκκλῄσομεν σφᾶς ἄλλον ἄλλοσε στέγης.

[¶7] Orestes:
And whoever refuses to be quiet, we must kill.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
καὶ τόν γε μὴ σιγῶντʼ ἀποκτείνειν χρεών.

[¶8] Pylades:
And then the deed itself shows us where we must exert ourselves.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
εἶτʼ αὐτὸ δηλοῖ τοὔργον οἷ τείνειν χρεών.

[¶9] Oretes:
To kill Helen; I understand that watchword.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
Ἑλένην φονεύειν· μανθάνω τὸ σύμβολον.

[¶10] Pylades:
You have it; now hear how sound my scheme is. If we drew the sword upon a woman of greater chastity, the murder would be infamous; but, as it is, she will be punished for the sake of all Hellas,
whose fathers she slew, whose children she destroyed, and made widows out of brides. There will be shouts of joy, and they will kindle the altars of the gods, invoking on our heads many blessings, because we shed a wicked woman’s blood.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ἔγνως· ἄκουσον δʼ ὡς καλῶς βουλεύομαι.
εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἐς γυναῖκα σωφρονεστέραν
ξίφος μεθεῖμεν, δυσκλεὴς ἂν ἦν φόνος·
νῦν δʼ ὑπὲρ ἁπάσης Ἑλλάδος δώσει δίκην,
ὧν πατέρας ἔκτεινʼ, ὧν δʼ ἀπώλεσεν τέκνα,
νύμφας τʼ ἔθηκεν ὀρφανὰς ξυναόρων.
ὀλολυγμὸς ἔσται, πῦρ τʼ ἀνάψουσιν θεοῖς,
σοὶ πολλὰ κἀμοὶ κέδνʼ ἀρώμενοι τυχεῖν,
κακῆς γυναικὸς οὕνεχʼ αἷμʼ ἐπράξαμεν.

[¶11] After killing her, you will not be called “the matricide,” but, resigning that title, you will succeed to a better, and be called the slayer of Helen the murderess. It can never, never be right that Menelaus should prosper, and your father, your sister and you should die,
and your mother—but I pass that by, for it is not seemly to mention it—and for him to possess your home, though it was by Agamemnon’s prowess that he recovered his bride. May I die, if we do not draw our swords upon her! But if we do not accomplish Helen’s death,
we will set fire to the house and die. For we will not fail to achieve one distinction, an honorable death or an honorable escape.

> Greek: ὁ μητροφόντης δʼ οὐ καλῇ ταύτην κτανών,
ἀλλʼ ἀπολιπὼν τοῦτʼ ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον πεσῇ,
Ἑλένης λεγόμενος τῆς πολυκτόνου φονεύς.
οὐ δεῖ ποτʼ, οὐ δεῖ, Μενέλεων μὲν εὐτυχεῖν,
τὸν σὸν δὲ πατέρα καὶ σὲ κἀδελφὴν θανεῖν,
μητέρα τε — ἐῶ τοῦτʼ· οὐ γὰρ εὐπρεπὲς λέγειν —
δόμους δʼ ἔχειν σοὺς διʼ Ἀγαμέμνονος δόρυ
λαβόντα νύμφην· μὴ γὰρ οὖν ζῴην ἔτι,
ἢν μὴ ʼπʼ ἐκείνῃ φάσγανον σπασώμεθα.
ἢν δʼ οὖν τὸν Ἑλένης μὴ κατάσχωμεν φόνον,
πρήσαντες οἴκους τούσδε κατθανούμεθα.
ἑνὸς γὰρ οὐ σφαλέντες ἕξομεν κλέος,
καλῶς θανόντες ἢ καλῶς σεσῳσμένοι.

[¶12] Chorus Leader:
The daughter of Tyndareus, who has brought shame on her sex, has justly earned the hatred of every woman.

> Greek: Χορός:
πάσαις γυναιξὶν ἀξία στυγεῖν ἔφυ
ἡ Τυνδαρὶς παῖς, ἣ κατῄσχυνεν γένος.

[¶13] Orestes:
Ah! there is nothing better than a trusty friend, neither wealth nor monarchy; a crowd of people is of no account in exchange for a noble friend. You were the one who devised the vengeance against Aegisthus, and stood by me in danger,
and now again you are offering me a means to punish my foes and do not stand aside—but I will cease praising you, for there is something wearisome even in being praised to excess. Now since in any case I must breathe my last, I want to do something to my enemies before my death,
so that I may requite with ruin those who betrayed me, and so that those who made me suffer may grieve. Yes! I am the son of Agamemnon, who was considered worthy to rule Hellas, no tyrant but yet god-like in power; I will not disgrace him
by submitting to die like a slave; my last breath shall be free and I will take vengeance on Menelaus. For if we could secure one object, we would be lucky, if a means of safety should unexpectedly come our way from somewhere, and we should be the slayers, not the slain; this is what I pray for.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
φεῦ·
οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδὲν κρεῖσσον ἢ φίλος σαφής,
οὐ πλοῦτος, οὐ τυραννίς· ἀλόγιστον δέ τι
τὸ πλῆθος ἀντάλλαγμα γενναίου φίλου.
σὺ γὰρ τά τʼ εἰς Αἴγισθον ἐξηῦρες κακὰ
καὶ πλησίον παρῆσθα κινδύνων ἐμοί,
νῦν τʼ αὖ δίδως μοι πολεμίων τιμωρίαν
κοὐκ ἐκποδὼν εἶ — παύσομαί σʼ αἰνῶν, ἐπεὶ
βάρος τι κἀν τῷδʼ ἐστίν, αἰνεῖσθαι λίαν.
ἐγὼ δὲ πάντως ἐκπνέων ψυχὴν ἐμὴν
δράσας τι χρῄζω τοὺς ἐμοὺς ἐχθροὺς θανεῖν,
ἵνʼ ἀνταναλώσω μὲν οἵ με προύδοσαν,
στένωσι δʼ οἵπερ κἄμʼ ἔθηκαν ἄθλιον.
Ἀγαμέμνονός τοι παῖς πέφυχʼ, ὃς Ἑλλάδος
ἦρξʼ ἀξιωθείς, οὐ τύραννος, ἀλλʼ ὅμως
ῥώμην θεοῦ τινʼ ἔσχε· ὃν οὐ καταισχυνῶ
δοῦλον παρασχὼν θάνατον, ἀλλʼ ἐλευθέρως
ψυχὴν ἀφήσω, Μενέλεων δὲ τείσομαι.
ἑνὸς γὰρ εἰ λαβοίμεθʼ, εὐτυχοῖμεν ἄν,
εἴ ποθεν ἄελπτος παραπέσοι σωτηρία
κτανοῦσι μὴ θανοῦσιν· εὔχομαι τάδε.

[¶14] This wish of mine is a pleasant dream to cheer the heart, without cost, by means of the mouth’s winged words.

> Greek: ὃ βούλομαι γάρ, ἡδὺ καὶ διὰ στόμα
πτηνοῖσι μύθοις ἀδαπάνως τέρψαι φρένα.

[¶15] Electra:
I think I have it, brother, a means of safety for you, and for him and thirdly for myself.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἐγώ, κασίγνητʼ, αὐτὸ τοῦτʼ ἔχειν δοκῶ,
σωτηρίαν σοὶ τῷδέ τʼ ἐκ τρίτων τʼ ἐμοί.

[¶16] Orestes:
You mean divine providence. But why do I say that?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
θεοῦ λέγεις πρόνοιαν. ἀλλὰ ποῦ τόδε;

[¶17] Since I know the natural shrewdness of your heart.

> Greek: ἐπεὶ τὸ συνετόν γʼ οἶδα σῇ ψυχῇ παρόν.

[¶18] Electra:
Listen to me now; and you (to Pylades) pay attention also.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἄκουε δή νυν· καὶ σὺ δεῦρο νοῦν ἔχε.

[¶19] Orestes:
Speak; the prospect of good news holds a certain pleasure.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
λέγʼ· ὡς τὸ μέλλειν ἀγάθʼ ἔχει τινʼ ἡδονήν.

[¶20] Electra:
You know Helen’s daughter? Of course you do.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
Ἑλένης κάτοισθα θυγατέρʼ; εἰδότʼ ἠρόμην.

[¶21] Orestes:
I know her, Hermione, whom my mother reared.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οἶδʼ, ἣν ἔθρεψεν Ἑρμιόνην μήτηρ ἐμή.

[¶22] Electra:
She has gone to Clytemnestra’s tomb.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
αὕτη βέβηκε πρὸς Κλυταιμήστρας τάφον.

[¶23] Orestes:
To do what? What hope are you hinting at?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τί χρῆμα δράσουσʼ; ὑποτίθης τίνʼ ἐλπίδα;

[¶24] Electra:
She was going to pour a libation over the tomb of our mother.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
χοὰς κατασπείσουσʼ ὑπὲρ μητρὸς τάφῳ.

[¶25] Orestes:
Well, how does what you have said lead to our safety?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
καὶ δὴ τί μοι τοῦτʼ εἶπας ἐς σωτηρίαν;

[¶26] Electra:
Seize her as a hostage on her way back.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ξυλλάβεθʼ ὅμηρον τήνδʼ, ὅταν στείχῃ πάλιν.

[¶27] Orestes:
What good can your suggested remedy do us three friends?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τίνος τόδʼ εἶπας φάρμακον τρισσοῖς φίλοις;

[¶28] Electra:
If, after Helen’s slaughter, Menelaus tries to do anything to you or to Pylades and me—for this bond of friendship is wholly one—say that you will kill Hermione; you must draw your sword and hold it to the maiden’s throat.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
Ἑλένης θανούσης, ἤν τι Μενέλεώς σε δρᾷ
ἢ τόνδε κἀμέ — πᾶν γὰρ ἓν φίλον τόδε —
λέγʼ ὡς φονεύσεις Ἑρμιόνην· ξίφος δὲ χρὴ
δέρῃ πρὸς αὐτῇ παρθένου σπάσαντʼ ἔχειν.

[¶29] If Menelaus, when he sees Helen fallen in her blood, tries to save you to insure the girl’s life, allow him to take his daughter to his arms; but if he makes no effort to curb the angry outburst and leaves you to die, then cut the maiden’s throat.

> Greek: κἂν μέν σε σῴζῃ μὴ θανεῖν χρῄζων κόρην
Ἑλένης Μενέλεως πτῶμʼ ἰδὼν ἐν αἵματι,
μέθες πεπᾶσθαι πατρὶ παρθένου δέμας·
ἢν δʼ ὀξυθύμου μὴ κρατῶν φρονήματος
κτείνῃ σε, καὶ σὺ σφάζε παρθένου δέρην.

[¶30] And I think if he puts in a mighty appearance at first, he will calm down in time; for he is not bold or brave by nature. That is my line of defense for our safety. My speech is over.

> Greek: καί νιν δοκῶ, τὸ πρῶτον ἢν πολὺς παρῇ,
χρόνῳ μαλάξειν σπλάγχνον· οὔτε γὰρ θρασὺς
οὔτʼ ἄλκιμος πέφυκε. τήνδʼ ἡμῖν ἔχω
σωτηρίας ἔπαλξιν. εἴρηται λόγος.

[¶31] Orestes:
O you that have the spirit of a man,
though your body shows you to be a woman, how far more worthy you are to live than to die! Pylades, you will lose such a woman to your sorrow, or if you live, you will have a blessed marriage.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὦ τὰς φρένας μὲν ἄρσενας κεκτημένη,
τὸ σῶμα δʼ ἐν γυναιξὶ θηλείαις πρέπον,
ὡς ἀξία ζῆν μᾶλλον ἢ θανεῖν ἔφυς.
Πυλάδη, τοιαύτης ἆρʼ ἁμαρτήσῃ τάλας
γυναικὸς ἢ ζῶν μακάριον κτήσῃ λέχος.

[¶32] Pylades:
Then may it be so, and may she come to the city of Phocis
with all the honors of a happy wedding.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
εἰ γὰρ γένοιτο, Φωκέων δʼ ἔλθοι πόλιν
καλοῖσιν ὑμεναίοισιν ἀξιουμένη.

[¶33] Orestes:
How soon will Hermione return to the palace? All the rest was very well said, if we succeed in catching this impious father’s cub.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἥξει δʼ ἐς οἴκους Ἑρμιόνη τίνος χρόνου;
ὡς τἄλλα γʼ εἶπας, εἴπερ εὐτυχήσομεν,
κάλλισθʼ, ἑλόντες σκύμνον ἀνοσίου πατρός.

[¶34] Electra:
Well, I expect she is near the house already,
for the length of time agrees exactly.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
καὶ δὴ πέλας νιν δωμάτων εἶναι δοκῶ·
τοῦ γὰρ χρόνου τὸ μῆκος αὐτὸ συντρέχει.

[¶35] Orestes:
Good; you, Electra, my sister, stay before the palace and await the maiden’s approach; keep watch in case any one, whether an ally or my father’s brother, forestalls us by his entry before the murder is complete;
and then make a signal to the house, either by beating on a panel of the door or calling to us within.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
καλῶς· σὺ μέν νυν, σύγγονʼ Ἠλέκτρα, δόμων
πάρος μένουσα παρθένου δέχου πόδα,
φύλασσε δʼ ἤν τις, πρὶν τελευτηθῇ φόνος,
ἢ ξύμμαχός τις ἢ κασίγνητος πατρός,
ἐλθὼν ἐς οἴκους φθῇ, γέγωνέ τʼ ἐς δόμους,
ἢ σανίδα παίσασʼ ἢ λόγους πέμψασʼ ἔσω·

[¶36] Let us enter now and arm ourselves with swords for the final struggle, [Pylades, for you share the labor with me.]

> Greek: ἡμεῖς δʼ ἔσω στείχοντες ἐπὶ τὸν ἔσχατον
ἀγῶνʼ ὁπλιζώμεσθα φασγάνῳ χέρας,
[Πυλάδη· σὺ γὰρ δὴ συμπονεῖς ἐμοὶ πόνους.]

[¶37] O father, in your home of gloomy night, your son Orestes calls you to come to the rescue of the destitute. It is on your account I am wrongfully suffering, and it is by your brother that I have been betrayed for doing right; it is his wife I wish to take
and kill; you be our accomplice for this deed.

> Greek: ὦ δῶμα ναίων νυκτὸς ὀρφναίας πάτερ,
καλεῖ σʼ Ὀρέστης παῖς σὸς ἐπίκουρον μολεῖν
τοῖς δεομένοισι. διὰ σὲ γὰρ πάσχω τάλας
ἀδίκως· προδέδομαι δʼ ὑπὸ κασιγνήτου σέθεν,
δίκαια πράξας· οὗ θέλω δάμαρθʼ ἑλὼν
κτεῖναι· σὺ δʼ ἡμῖν τοῦδε συλλήπτωρ γενοῦ.

[¶38] Electra:
Oh father, come! if within the ground you hear the cry of your children, who are dying for your sake.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὦ πάτερ, ἱκοῦ δῆτʼ, εἰ κλύεις ἔσω χθονὸς
τέκνων καλούντων, οἳ σέθεν θνῄσκουσʼ ὕπερ.

[¶39] Pylades:
O kinsman of my father, Agamemnon, hear my prayers also; save your children.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ὦ συγγένεια πατρὸς ἐμοῦ, κἀμὰς λιτάς,
Ἀγάμεμνον, εἰσάκουσον· ἔκσῳσον τέκνα.

[¶40] Orestes:
I killed my mother—

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἔκτεινα μητέρα —

[¶41] Electra:
I held the sword—

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἡψάμην δʼ ἐγὼ ξίφους —

[¶42] Pylades:
I... set them free from fear—

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
ἐγὼ δʼ ἐπεβούλευσα κἀπέλυσʼ ὄκνου —

[¶43] Orestes:
To aid you, father.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
σοί, πάτερ, ἀρήγων.

[¶44] Electra:
Nor did I betray you.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οὐδʼ ἐγὼ προύδωκά σε.

[¶45] Pylades:
Will you not hear these reproaches and rescue your children?

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
οὔκουν ὀνείδη τάδε κλύων ῥύσῃ τέκνα;

[¶46] Orestes:
With tears I pour you a libation.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
δακρύοις κατασπένδω σε.

[¶47] Electra:
And I with laments.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἐγὼ δʼ οἴκτοισί γε.

[¶48] Pylades:
Cease, and let us set about our business. If prayers really do pierce the ground, he hears. O Zeus, god of my fathers, and holy Justice, give success to him and me and her; for there is one struggle for three friends, and one penalty,
for all to live or—pay death’s account. Exeunt Orestes and Pylades.

> Greek: Πυλάδης:
παύσασθε, καὶ πρὸς ἔργον ἐξορμώμεθα.
εἴπερ γὰρ εἴσω γῆς ἀκοντίζουσʼ ἀραί,
κλύει. σὺ δʼ, ὦ Ζεῦ πρόγονε καὶ Δίκης σέβας,
δότʼ εὐτυχῆσαι τῷδʼ ἐμοί τε τῇδέ τε·
τρισσοῖς φίλοις γὰρ εἷς ἀγών, δίκη μία,
ἢ ζῆν ἅπασιν ἢ — θανεῖν ὀφείλεται.

[¶49] Electra:
My dear friends of Mycenae, of foremost rank in Argos, the home of the Pelasgians.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
Μυκηνίδες ὦ φίλαι,
τὰ πρῶτα κατὰ Πελασγὸν ἕδος Ἀργείων.

[¶50] Chorus:
What are you saying to us, mistress?
For this honored name is still left for you in the Danaid town.

> Greek: Χορός:
τίνα θροεῖς αὐδάν, πότνια; παραμένει
γὰρ ἔτι σοι τόδʼ ἐν Δαναϊδῶν πόλει.

[¶51] Electra:
Station yourselves, some here along the high road, others there on some other path, to watch the house.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
στῆθʼ αἳ μὲν ὑμῶν τόνδʼ ἁμαξήρη τρίβον,
αἳ δʼ ἐνθάδʼ ἄλλον οἶμον ἐς φρουρὰν δόμων.

[¶52] Chorus:
But why do you call me to this service? Tell me, my dear.

> Greek: Χορός:
τί δέ με τόδε χρέος ἀπύεις;
ἔνεπέ μοι, φίλα.

[¶53] Electra:
I am afraid that some one, who is stationed at the house for slaughter, may find trouble upon trouble.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
φόβος ἔχει με μή τις ἐπὶ δώμασι
σταθεὶς ἐπὶ φοίνιον αἷμα
πήματα πήμασιν ἐξεύρῃ.

[¶54] First Semi-Chorus:
Let us make haste and go on; I will keep careful watch upon this road towards the east.

> Greek: Ἡμίχορος Α:
χωρεῖτʼ, ἐπειγώμεσθʼ· ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν τρίβον
τόνδʼ ἐκφυλάξω, τὸν πρὸς ἡλίου βολάς.

[¶55] Second Semi-Chorus:
And I on this one, that leads westward.

> Greek: Ἡμίχορος Β:
καὶ μὴν ἐγὼ τόνδʼ, ὃς πρὸς ἑσπέραν φέρει.

[¶56] Electra:
Throw a glance sideways.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
δόχμιά νυν κόρας διάφερʼ ὀμμάτων.

[¶57] Chorus:
Here and there, then we are looking back again,
as you tell us.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἐκεῖθεν ἐνθάδʼ, εἶτα παλινσκοπιὰν
ἔχομεν, ὡς θροεῖς.

[¶58] Electra:
Cast your eyes around, let them see everything, through your tresses.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἑλίσσετέ νυν βλέφαρα,
κόραισι δίδοτε πάντα διὰ βοστρύχων.

[¶59] First Semi-Chorus:
Who is that on the road? Who is this
country-man wandering round your house?

> Greek: Ἡμίχορος Α:
ὅδε τις ἐν τρίβῳ [προσέρχεται]. τίς ὅδʼ ἄρʼ ἀμ-
φὶ μέλαθρον πολεῖ σὸν ἀγρότας ἀνήρ;

[¶60] Electra:
Ah! friends, we are ruined; he will at once reveal to our enemies the armed ambush.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἀπωλόμεσθʼ ἄρʼ, ὦ φίλαι· κεκρυμμένους
θῆρας ξιφήρεις αὐτίκʼ ἐχθροῖσιν φανεῖ.

[¶61] Second Semi-Chorus:
(Reconnoitring. Calm your fears; the road is not occupied, as you think, my dear.

> Greek: Ἡμίχορος Α:
ἄφοβος ἔχε· κενός, ὦ φίλα,
στίβος ὃν οὐ δοκεῖς.

[¶62] Electra:
(Turning to the other watchers.) Well? Is your side still secure? Give me a good report, if the space before the court-yard is deserted.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
τί δέ; τὸ σὸν βέβαιον ἔτι μοι μένει;
δὸς ἀγγελίαν ἀγαθάν τινʼ,
εἰ τάδʼ ἔρημα τὰ πρόσθʼ αὐλᾶς.

[¶63] First Semi-Chorus:
All goes well here; look to your own watch, for no Danaid is approaching us.

> Greek: Ἡμίχορος Β:
καλῶς τά γʼ ἐνθένδʼ. ἀλλὰ τἀπὶ σοῦ σκόπει·
ὡς οὔτις ἡμῖν Δαναϊδῶν πελάζεται.

[¶64] Second Semi-Chorus:
Your report agrees with mine; there is no noise here either.

> Greek: Ἡμίχορος Α:
ἐς ταὐτὸν ἥκεις· καὶ γὰρ οὐδὲ τῇδʼ ὄχλος.

[¶65] Electra:
Well then, I will listen in the gateway.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
φέρε νυν ἐν πύλαισιν ἀκοὰν βάλω.

[¶66] Chorus:
(Calling through the door.) You within the house, why are you delaying to spill your victim’s blood,
now that all is quiet?

> Greek: Χορός:
τί μέλλεθʼ οἱ κατʼ οἶκον ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ
σφάγια φοινίσσειν;

[¶67] Electra: spoken
They do not hear; alas for my troubles! Can it be that her beauty has blunted their swords?
sung
Soon some Argive in full armor, hurrying
to her rescue, will attack the palace.
spoken
Keep a better look-out; it is not a contest of sitting still; turn about, some here, some there.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οὐκ εἰσακούουσʼ· ὦ τάλαινʼ ἐγὼ κακῶν.
ἆρʼ ἐς τὸ κάλλος ἐκκεκώφηται ξίφη;
τάχα τις Ἀργείων ἔνοπλος ὁρμήσας
ποδὶ βοηδρόμῳ μέλαθρα προσμείξει.
σκέψασθέ νυν ἄμεινον· οὐχ ἕδρας ἀγών·
ἀλλʼ αἳ μὲν ἐνθάδʼ, αἳ δʼ ἐκεῖσʼ ἑλίσσετε.

[¶68] Chorus: sung
I am looking everywhere in turn along the road.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀμείβω κέλευθον σκοποῦσα πάντῃ.

[¶69] Helen: within
Oh, Pelasgian Argos! I am being foully murdered.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
ἰὼ Πελασγὸν Ἄργος, ὄλλυμαι κακῶς.

[¶70] Chorus:
Did you hear? The men have put their hand to the slaughter.

> Greek: Χορός:
— ἠκούσαθʼ; ἅνδρες χεῖρʼ ἔχουσιν ἐν φόνῳ.

[¶71] It is Helen screaming, at a guess.
Electra: sung
O eternal might of Zeus, of Zeus, only come to help my friends!

> Greek: — Ἑλένης τὸ κώκυμʼ ἐστίν, ὡς ἀπεικάσαι.
Ἠλέκτρα:
ὦ Διός, ὦ Διὸς ἀέναον κράτος,
ἔλθʼ ἐπίκουρος ἐμοῖς φίλοισι πάντως.

[¶72] Helen: within
Menelaus, I am dying, but you do not help me, though you are near.

> Greek: Ἑλένη:
Μενέλαε, θνῄσκω· σὺ δὲ παρών μʼ οὐκ ὠφελεῖς.

[¶73] Electra: sung
Slay her, kill her, destroy her! Stab with your twin double-edged swords
the woman who left her father, left her husband, and killed so many of the men of Hellas, slain beside the river-bank, where tears rained down, by the iron darts
all round the eddies of Scamander.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
φονεύετε, καίνετε,
ὄλλυτε, δίπτυχα δίστομα φάσγανα
ἐκ χερὸς ἱέμενοι
τὰν λιποπάτορα λιπόγαμον, ἃ
πλείστους ἔκανεν Ἑλλάνων
δορὶ παρὰ ποταμὸν ὀλομένους,
ὅθι δάκρυα δάκρυσιν ἔπεσεν
σιδαρέοισι βέλεσιν ἀμ-
φὶ τὰς Σκαμάνδρου δίνας.

[¶74] Chorus Leader:
Hush! hush! I caught the sound of a foot-fall on the road near the house.

> Greek: Χορός:
σιγᾶτε σιγᾶτʼ· ᾐσθόμην κτύπου τινὸς
κέλευθον ἐσπεσόντος ἀμφὶ δώματα.

[¶75] Electra:
My dearest friends, it is Hermione advancing into the middle of the bloodshed; let our clamor cease.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὦ φίλταται γυναῖκες, ἐς μέσον φόνον
ἥδʼ Ἑρμιόνη πάρεστι· παύσωμεν βοήν.

[¶76] For she comes headlong into the meshes of the net. The prey will be good, if it is caught. Take up your places again with looks composed and faces not betraying what has happened; I too will have a gloomy look,
as if I knew nothing of what has been done. Addressing Hermione as she approaches. Ah! maiden, have you come from wreathing Clytemnestra’s grave and pouring libations to the dead?

> Greek: στείχει γὰρ ἐσπεσοῦσα δικτύων βρόχους.
καλὸν τὸ θήραμʼ, ἢν ἁλῷ, γενήσεται.
πάλιν κατάστηθʼ ἡσύχῳ μὲν ὄμματι,
χρόᾳ δʼ ἀδήλῳ τῶν δεδραμένων πέρι·
κἀγὼ σκυθρωποὺς ὀμμάτων ἕξω κόρας,
ὡς δῆθεν οὐκ εἰδυῖα τἀξειργασμένα.
ὦ παρθένʼ, ἥκεις τὸν Κλυταιμήστρας τάφον
στέψασα καὶ σπείσασα νερτέροις χοάς;

[¶77] Hermione:
Yes, I have returned after securing her favor; but I was filled with some alarm about a cry I heard from the palace
as I was still at a distance.

> Greek: Ἑρμιόνη:
ἥκω, λαβοῦσα πρευμένειαν. ἀλλά μοι
φόβος τις εἰσελήλυθʼ, ἥντινʼ ἐν δόμοις
τηλουρὸς οὖσα δωμάτων κλύω βοήν.

[¶78] Electra:
But why? Our present lot gives cause for groans.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
τί δʼ; ἄξιʼ ἡμῖν τυγχάνει στεναγμάτων.

[¶79] Hermione:
Oh, don’t say so! What is your news?

> Greek: Ἑρμιόνη:
εὔφημος ἴσθι· τί δὲ νεώτερον λέγεις;

[¶80] Electra:
Argos has sentenced Orestes and me to death.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
θανεῖν Ὀρέστην κἄμʼ ἔδοξε τῇδε γῇ.

[¶81] Hermione:
Oh no! not my own relatives!

> Greek: Ἑρμιόνη:
μὴ δῆτʼ, ἐμοῦ γε συγγενεῖς πεφυκότας.

[¶82] Electra:
It is decreed; we have put on the yoke of necessity.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἄραρʼ· ἀνάγκης δʼ ἐς ζυγὸν καθέσταμεν.

[¶83] Hermione:
Was this the reason of the cry within?

> Greek: Ἑρμιόνη:
ἦ τοῦδʼ ἕκατι καὶ βοὴ κατὰ στέγας;

[¶84] Electra:
Yes, a suppliant cried out as he fell at Helen’s knees—

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἱκέτης γὰρ Ἑλένης γόνασι προσπεσὼν βοᾷ —

[¶85] Hermione:
Who is he? I know nothing more, if you do not tell me.

> Greek: Ἑρμιόνη:
τίς; οὐδὲν οἶδα μᾶλλον, ἢν σὺ μὴ λέγῃς.

[¶86] Electra:
Unhappy Orestes, entreating mercy for himself and me.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
τλήμων Ὀρέστης· μὴ θανεῖν, ἐμοῦ θʼ ὕπερ.

[¶87] Hermione:
The house then has good reason to shout.

> Greek: Ἑρμιόνη:
ἐπʼ ἀξίοισί τἄρʼ ἀνευφημεῖ δόμος.

[¶88] Electra:
What else would make someone entreat more earnestly? But come and throw yourself before your mother in her prosperity, join your friends’ supplication that Menelaus may not see us die.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
περὶ τοῦ γὰρ ἄλλου μᾶλλον ἂν φθέγξαιτό τις;
ἀλλʼ ἐλθὲ καὶ μετάσχες ἱκεσίας φίλοις,
σῇ μητρὶ προσπεσοῦσα τῇ μέγʼ ὀλβίᾳ,
Μενέλαον ἡμᾶς μὴ θανόντας εἰσιδεῖν.

[¶89] O you that were nursed in my mother’s arms, have pity on us and relieve our pain. Come here to the struggle, and I myself will be your guide; for you alone have power over our safety.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ, ὦ τραφεῖσα μητρὸς ἐν χεροῖν ἐμῆς,
οἴκτιρον ἡμᾶς κἀπικούφισον κακῶν.
ἴθʼ εἰς ἀγῶνα δεῦρʼ, ἐγὼ δʼ ἡγήσομαι·
σωτηρίας γὰρ τέρμʼ ἔχεις ἡμῖν μόνη.

[¶90] Hermione:
See, I am hastening to the house;

> Greek: Ἑρμιόνη:
ἰδού, διώκω τὸν ἐμὸν ἐς δόμους πόδα.

[¶91] as far it as rests with me, regard yourselves as safe. Exit Hermione.
Electra:
Now, friends in the house with swords, seize the prey!

> Greek: σώθηθʼ ὅσον γε τοὐπʼ ἐμέ.
Ἠλέκτρα:
ὦ κατὰ στέγας
φίλοι ξιφήρεις, οὐχὶ συλλήψεσθʼ ἄγραν;

[¶92] Hermione: calling from within
Oh no! Who are these I see?

> Greek: Ἑρμιόνη:
οἲ ἐγώ· τίνας τούσδʼ εἰσορῶ;

[¶93] Orestes:
(within.) Silence! You are here for our safety, not yours.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
σιγᾶν χρεών·
ἡμῖν γὰρ ἥκεις, οὐχὶ σοί, σωτηρία.

[¶94] Electra:
Hold her, hold her! Point a sword at her throat,
then wait in silence, that Menelaus may learn that he has found men, not Phrygian cowards, and he has been treated as cowards deserve.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἔχεσθʼ ἔχεσθε· φάσγανον δὲ πρὸς δέρῃ
βάλλοντες ἡσυχάζεθʼ, ὡς εἰδῇ τόδε
Μενέλαος, οὕνεκʼ ἄνδρας, οὐ Φρύγας κακούς,
εὑρὼν ἔπραξεν οἷα χρὴ πράσσειν κακούς.

[¶95] Chorus:
Oh, oh, friends! raise a din, a din and shouting before the house, that the murder when done
may not inspire the Argives with wild alarm, to make them bring aid to the palace, before I see for certain that Helen’s corpse lies bloody in the house, or hear the news from one of her attendants;

> Greek: Χορός:
— ἰὼ ἰὼ φίλαι,
κτύπον ἐγείρετε, κτύπον καὶ βοὰν
πρὸ μελάθρων, ὅπως ὁ πραχθεὶς φόνος
μὴ δεινὸν Ἀργείοισιν ἐμβάλῃ φόβον,
βοηδρομῆσαι πρὸς δόμους τυραννικούς,
πρὶν ἐτύμως ἴδω τὸν Ἑλένας φόνον
καθαιμακτὸν ἐν δόμοις κείμενον,
ἢ καὶ λόγον του προσπόλων πυθώμεθα·

[¶96] for I know a part of the tragedy, of the rest I am not sure. In justice, retribution from the gods has come to Helen; for she filled all Hellas with tears, through that accursed, accursed Paris of Ida,
who drew Hellas to Troy.

> Greek: τὰ μὲν γὰρ οἶδα συμφορᾶς, τὰ δʼ οὐ σαφῶς.
— διὰ δίκας ἔβα θεῶν
νέμεσις ἐς Ἑλέναν.
δακρύοισι γὰρ Ἑλλάδʼ ἅπασαν ἔπλησε,
διὰ τὸν ὀλόμενον ὀλόμενον Ἰδαῖον
Πάριν, ὃς ἄγαγʼ Ἑλλάδʼ εἰς Ἴλιον.

[¶97] Chorus Leader:
[But the bolts of the palace-doors rattle; be silent; for one of the Phrygians is coming out, from whom we will inquire of the state of matters within.]

> Greek: Χορός:
[ἀλλὰ κτυπεῖ γὰρ κλῇθρα βασιλείων δόμων,]
[σιγήσατʼ· ἔξω γάρ τις ἐκβαίνει Φρυγῶν,]
[οὗ πευσόμεσθα τἀν δόμοις ὅπως ἔχει.]

[¶98] Phrygian:
(expressing the most abject terror.) I have escaped from death by Argive sword,
in my Asian slippers, by clambering over the cedar-beams that roof the porch and the Doric triglyphs, away, away! O Earth, Earth! in barbaric flight!

> Greek: Φρύξ:
Ἀργέϊον ξίφος ἐκ θανάτου πέφευγα
βαρβάροις ἐν εὐμάρι-
σιν, κεδρωτὰ παστάδων ὑπὲρ τέραμνα
Δωρικάς τε τριγλύφους,
φροῦδα φροῦδα, γᾶ γᾶ,
βαρβάροισι δρασμοῖς.

[¶99] Alas! You foreign women, where can I escape, flying through the clear sky or over the sea, which bull-headed Ocean rolls about as he circles the world in his embrace?

> Greek: αἰαῖ·
πᾷ φύγω, ξέναι, πολιὸν αἰθέρʼ ἀμ-
πτάμενος ἢ πόντον, Ὠκεανὸς ὃν
ταυρόκρανος ἀγκάλαις
ἑλίσσων κυκλοῖ χθόνα;

[¶100] Chorus Leader:
What is it, Helen’s slave, creature from Ida?

> Greek: Χορός:
τί δʼ ἔστιν, Ἑλένης πρόσπολʼ. Ἰδαῖον κάρα;

[¶101] Phrygian:
Ilium, Ilium, oh me! city of Phrygia, and Ida’s holy hill with fruitful soil, how I mourn for your destruction [a shrill song]
with barbarian cry; destroyed through her beauty, born from a bird, swan-feathered, Leda’s cub, hellish Helen! to be a curse to Apollo’s tower of polished stone. Ah! Alas!

> Greek: Φρύξ:
Ἴλιον Ἴλιον, ὤμοι μοι,
Φρύγιον ἄστυ καὶ καλλίβωλον Ἴ-
δας ὄρος ἱερόν, ὥς σʼ ὀλόμενον στένω
[ἁρμάτειον ἁρμάτειον μέλος]
βαρβάρῳ βοᾷ διʼ ὀρνιθόγονον
ὄμμα κυκνοπτέρου καλλοσύνας, Λήδας
σκύμνου, δυσελένας
δυσελένας,
ξεστῶν περγάμων Ἀπολλωνίων
ἐρινύν· ὀττοτοῖ·

[¶102] woe to Dardania, its wailing, wailing, for the horsemanship of Ganymede, bedfellow of Zeus.

> Greek: ἰαλέμων ἰαλέμων
Δαρδανία τλᾶμον Γανυμήδεος
ἱπποσύνᾳ, Διὸς εὐνέτα.

[¶103] Chorus Leader:
Tell us clearly each event within the house. [for till now I have been guessing at what I do not clearly understand.]

> Greek: Χορός:
σαφῶς λέγʼ ἡμῖν αὔθʼ ἕκαστα τἀν δόμοις.
[τὰ γὰρ πρὶν οὐκ εὔγνωστα συμβαλοῦσʼ ἔχω.]

[¶104] Phrygian:
Ah, for Linus! Ah, for Linus! That is what barbarians say, alas, in their eastern tongue as a prelude to death, whenever royal blood is spilled upon the ground by deadly iron blades.

> Greek: Φρύξ:
αἴλινον αἴλινον ἀρχὰν θανάτου
βάρβαροι λέγουσιν, αἰαῖ,
Ἀσιάδι φωνᾷ, βασιλέων
ὅταν αἷμα χυθῇ κατὰ γᾶν ξίφεσιν
σιδαρέοισιν Ἅιδα.

[¶105] To tell you everything in turn, they came into the house, two twin lions of Hellas; one was called the general’s son; the other was the son of Strophius, a crafty plotter, like Odysseus, treacherous in silence,
but true to his friends, bold for the fight, clever in war and a deadly serpent. Curse him for his quiet plotting, the villain!

> Greek: ἦλθον ἐς δόμους, ἵνʼ αὔθʼ ἕ-
καστά σοι λέγω, λέοντες
Ἕλλανες δύο διδύμω·
τῷ μὲν ὁ στρατηλάτας πατὴρ ἐκλῄζεθʼ,
ὃ δὲ παῖς Στροφίου, κακόμητις ἀνήρ,
οἷος Ὀδυσσεύς, σιγᾷ δόλιος,
πιστὸς δὲ φίλοις, θρασὺς εἰς ἀλκάν,
ξυνετὸς πολέμου, φόνιός τε δράκων.
ἔρροι τᾶς ἡσύχου
προνοίας κακοῦργος ὤν.

[¶106] In they came to the throne of the wife of Paris the archer,
faces wet with tears, and took their seats in all humility, one on this side, one on that, each with weapons. They threw, they threw their suppliant arms round the knees
of Helen. Her Phrygian servants sprang up frantic, frantic; they called to each other in terror that there was treachery.

> Greek: οἳ δὲ πρὸς θρόνους ἔσω
μολόντες ἇς ἔγημʼ ὁ τοξότας Πάρις
γυναικός, ὄμμα δακρύοις
πεφυρμένοι, ταπεινοὶ
ἕζονθʼ, ὃ μὲν τὸ κεῖθεν, ὃ δὲ
τὸ κεῖθεν, ἄλλος ἄλλοθεν πεφραγμένοι.
περὶ δὲ γόνυ χέρας ἱκεσίους ἔβαλον ἔβαλον
Ἑλένας ἄμφω.
ἀνὰ δὲ δρομάδες ἔθορον ἔθορον
ἀμφίπολοι Φρύγες·
προσεῖπε δʼ ἄλλος ἄλλον ἐν φόβῳ πεσών,
μή τις εἴη δόλος.

[¶107] To some there seemed no cause, but others thought that the viper who killed his mother was entangling the daughter of Tyndareus in the snare of his plot.

> Greek: κἀδόκει τοῖς μὲν οὔ,
τοῖς δʼ ἐς ἀρκυστάταν
μηχανὰν ἐμπλέκειν
παῖδα τὰν Τυνδαρίδʼ ὁ
μητροφόντας δράκων.

[¶108] Chorus Leader:
And where were you? fled long before in terror?

> Greek: Χορός:
σὺ δʼ ἦσθα ποῦ τότʼ; ἢ πάλαι φεύγεις φόβῳ,

[¶109] Phrygian:
It happened that I, in Phrygian style, Phrygian, was wafting the breeze, the breeze by the curls of Helen, Helen, with a round feathered fan, before her face,
in barbarian style; and she was twisting flax on her distaff with her fingers, and letting her yarn fall on the floor, for she wanted to sew with her flax purple cloth
as adornment for the tomb from the Trojan spoils, a gift to Clytemnestra.

> Greek: Φρύξ:
Φρυγίοις ἔτυχον Φρυγίοισι νόμοις
παρὰ βόστρυχον αὔραν αὔραν
Ἑλένας Ἑλένας εὐπαγεῖ
κύκλῳ πτερίνῳ πρὸ παρηίδος
ἀίσσων βαρβάροις νόμοισιν.
ἃ δὲ λίνον ἠλακάτᾳ
δακτύλοις ἕλισσεν,
νῆμα δʼ ἵετο πέδῳ,
σκύλων Φρυγίων ἐπὶ τύμβον ἀγάλ-
ματα συστολίσαι χρῄζουσα λίνῳ,
φάρεα πορφύρεα, δῶρα Κλυταιμήστρᾳ.

[¶110] Orestes said to the Spartan girl: “Daughter of Zeus, get up from your chair”
“and come here to the old hearth of Pelops, our ancestor, to hear something I have to say.” He led her, led her, and she followed,
no prophet of the future. But his accomplice, the Phocian villain, was off on other business: “Out of my way! Well, Phrygians always were cowards.” So he shut them up in different parts of the house, some in the stables, others in the halls,
one here, one there, disposing of them [severally] at a distance from their mistress.

> Greek: προσεῖπεν δʼ Ὀρέστας
Λάκαιναν κόραν· ὦ
Διὸς παῖ, θὲς ἴχνος
πέδῳ δεῦρʼ ἀποστᾶσα κλισμοῦ,
Πέλοπος ἐπὶ προπάτορος ἕδραν
παλαιᾶς ἑστίας,
ἵνʼ εἰδῇς λόγους ἐμούς. —
ἄγει δʼ ἄγει νιν· ἃ δʼ ἐφείπετʼ,
οὐ πρόμαντις ὧν ἔμελλεν·
ὁ δὲ συνεργὸς ἄλλʼ ἔπρασσʼ
ἰὼν κακὸς Φωκεύς·
οὐκ ἐκποδὼν ἴτʼ; ἀλλʼ ἀεὶ κακοὶ Φρύγες.
ἔκλῃσε δʼ ἄλλον ἄλλοσʼ ἐν
στέγαισι· τοὺς μὲν ἐν σταθμοῖ-
σιν ἱππικοῖσι, τοὺς δʼ ἐν ἐξ-
έδραισι, τοὺς δʼ ἐκεῖσʼ ἐκεῖθεν [ἄλλον ἄλ-]
[λοσε] διαρμόσας ἀποπρὸ δεσποίνας.

[¶111] Chorus Leader:
What happened next?

> Greek: Χορός:
τί τοὐπὶ τῷδε συμφορᾶς ἐγίγνετο;

[¶112] Phrygian:
Mother of Ida, great, great mother!
Oh! the murderous scenes and lawless wickedness that I saw, I saw, in the palace! They drew forth swords from hiding under their purple-bordered cloaks, each darting his eye a different way, lest anyone should be near. Like boar of the hills,
they stood opposite the woman and said: “You will die, you will die; your cowardly husband is killing you, because he betrayed his brother’s son to death in Argos.”

> Greek: Φρύξ:
Ἰδαία μᾶτερ
μᾶτερ ὀβρίμα ὀβρίμα,
αἰαὶ φονίων παθέων ἀνόμων
τε κακῶν ἅπερ ἔδρακον ἔδρακον
ἐν δόμοις τυράννων.
ἀμφιπορφυρέων πέπλων
ὑπὸ σκότου ξίφη σπάσα-
ντες ἄλλος ἄλλοσʼ ἐν χεροῖν
δίνασεν ὄμμα, μή τις παρὼν τύχοι.
ὡς κάπροι δʼ ὀρέστεροι γυ-
ναικὸς ἀντίοι σταθέντες
ἐννέπουσι· Κατθανῇ
κατθανῇ,
κακός σʼ ἀποκτείνει πόσις,
κασιγνήτου προδοὺς
ἐν Ἄργει θανεῖν γόνον.

[¶113] She screamed, oh, oh! she screamed, and brought down her white arm upon her breast and beat her poor head; then turned her golden-sandalled steps in flight, in flight; but Orestes got before her in his Mycenean boots and clutched his fingers in her hair,
and, bending back her neck on to her left shoulder, was on the point of driving the black sword into her throat.

> Greek: ἃ δʼ ἀνίαχεν ἴ-
αχεν· Ὤμοι μοι.
λευκὸν δʼ ἐμβαλοῦσα πῆχυν στέρνοις
κτύπησε κρᾶτα μέλεον πλαγᾷ·
φυγᾷ δὲ ποδὶ τὸ χρυσεοσάνδαλον
ἴχνος ἔφερεν ἔφερεν· ἐς
κόμας δὲ δακτύλους δικὼν Ὀρέστας,
Μυκηνίδʼ ἀρβύλαν προβάς,
ὤμοις ἀριστεροῖσιν ἀνακλάσας δέρην,
παίειν λαιμῶν ἔμελ-
λεν εἴσω μέλαν ξίφος.

[¶114] Chorus Leader:
Where were you Phrygians in the house to help her?

> Greek: Χορός:
ποῦ δʼ ἦτʼ ἀμύνειν οἱ κατὰ στέγας Φρύγες;

[¶115] Phrygian:
With a loud cry from the house we battered down with bars the doors and doorposts where we had been,
and ran to her assistance from every direction, one with stones, another with javelins, a third with a drawn sword; but Pylades came to meet us, undaunted, like
Hector of Troy or Ajax triple-plumed, as I saw him, saw him, in Priam’s gateway; and we met at sword’s point. But then it was very clear how the Phrygians were,
how much less we were in battle strength to the Hellene might. There was one man gone in flight, another slain, another wounded, yet another pleading to stave off death; but we escaped under cover of the darkness; while some were falling, some were about to fall, and others were lying dead.

> Greek: Φρύξ:
ἰαχᾷ
δόμων θύρετρα καὶ σταθμοὺς
μοχλοῖσιν ἐκβαλόντες, ἔνθʼ ἐμίμνομεν,
βοηδρομοῦμεν ἄλλος ἄλλοθεν στέγης,
ὃ μὲν πέτρους, ὃ δʼ ἀγκύλας,
ὃ δὲ ξίφος πρόκωπον ἐν χεροῖν ἔχων.
ἔναντα δʼ ἦλθε Πυλάδης
ἀλίαστος, οἷος οἷος Ἕκ-
τωρ ὁ Φρύγιος ἢ τρικόρυθος Αἴας,
ὃν εἶδον εἶδον ἐν πύλαις
Πριαμίσι· φασγάνων δʼ ἀκμὰς
συνήψαμεν.
δὴ τότε διαπρεπεῖς τότʼ ἐγένοντο Φρύγες,
ὅσον Ἄρεως ἀλκὰν
ἥσσονες Ἑλλάδος ἐγενόμεθʼ αἰχμᾶς,
ὃ μὲν οἰχόμενος φυγάς, ὃ δὲ νέκυς ὤν,
ὃ δὲ τραῦμα φέρων, ὃ δὲ λισσόμενος,
θανάτου προβολάν·
ὑπὸ σκότον δʼ ἐφεύγομεν·
νεκροὶ δʼ ἔπιπτον, οἳ δʼ ἔμελλον, οἳ δʼ ἔκειντʼ.

[¶116] And just as her unhappy mother sank to the ground to die, the luckless Hermione came in. Those two, like Bacchantes when they drop the thyrsus for a mountain cub, rushed and seized her; then turned again to the daughter of Zeus to slay her; but she had vanished from the room,
passing right through the house, O Zeus and Earth and light and night! whether by magic spells or wizards’ arts or heavenly theft.

> Greek: ἔμολε δʼ ἁ τάλαινʼ Ἑρμιόνα δόμους
ἐπὶ φόνῳ χαμαιπετεῖ ματρός, ἅ
νιν ἔτεκεν τλάμων.
ἄθυρσοι δʼ
οἷά νιν δραμόντε Βάκχαι
σκύμνον ἐν χεροῖν ὀρείαν
ξυνήρπασαν· πάλιν δὲ τὰν Διὸς κόραν
ἐπὶ σφαγὰν ἔτεινον· ἃ δʼ
ἐκ θαλάμων
ἐγένετο διαπρὸ δωμάτων
ἄφαντος, ὦ Ζεῦ καὶ γᾶ
καὶ φῶς καὶ νύξ,
ἤτοι φαρμάκοισιν ἢ
μάγων τέχναις ἢ θεῶν κλοπαῖς.

[¶117] What happened afterwards I do not know; for I stole out of the palace, a runaway.

> Greek: τὰ δʼ ὕστερʼ οὐκέτʼ οἶδα· δρα-
πέτην γὰρ ἐξέκλεπτον ἐκ δόμων πόδα.

[¶118] So Menelaus endured his painful, painful suffering to recover his wife Helen from Troy to no purpose.

> Greek: πολύπονα δὲ πολύπονα πάθεα
Μενέλεως ἀνασχόμενος ἀνόνητον ἀ-
πὸ Τροίας ἔλαβε τὸν Ἑλένας γάμον.

[¶119] Chorus Leader:
And look, here is a strange sight succeeding others; for I see Orestes sword in hand before the palace,
advancing with excited steps.

> Greek: Χορός:
καὶ μὴν ἀμείβει καινὸν ἐκ καινῶν τόδε·
ξιφηφόρον γὰρ εἰσορῶ πρὸ δωμάτων
βαίνοντʼ Ὀρέστην ἐπτοημένῳ ποδί.

[¶120] Orestes:
Where is the one who fled from the palace to escape my sword?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ποῦ ʼστιν οὗτος ὃς πέφευγεν ἐκ δόμων τοὐμὸν ξίφος;

[¶121] Phrygian: falling at the feet of Orestes
Before you I prostrate myself, lord, and supplicate you in my foreign way.

> Greek: Φρύξ:
προσκυνῶ σʼ, ἄναξ, νόμοισι βαρβάροισι προσπίτνων.

[¶122] Orestes:
We are not in Ilium, but the land of Argos.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐκ ἐν Ἰλίῳ τάδʼ ἐστίν, ἀλλʼ ἐν Ἀργείᾳ χθονί.

[¶123] Phrygian:
Everywhere, the wise find life sweeter than death.

> Greek: Φρύξ:
πανταχοῦ ζῆν ἡδὺ μᾶλλον ἢ θανεῖν τοῖς σώφροσιν.

[¶124] Orestes:
I suppose that shouting of yours was not for Menelaus to come to the rescue?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὔτι που κραυγὴν ἔθηκας Μενέλεῳ βοηδρομεῖν;

[¶125] Phrygian:
Oh no! it was to help you I called out, for you are more deserving.

> Greek: Φρύξ:
σοὶ μὲν οὖν ἔγωγʼ ἀμύνειν· ἀξιώτερος γὰρ εἶ.

[¶126] Orestes:
Did the daughter of Tyndareus die justly, then?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἐνδίκως ἡ Τυνδάρειος ἆρα παῖς διώλετο;

[¶127] Phrygian:
Most justly, even if she had three throats to die with.

> Greek: Φρύξ:
ἐνδικώτατʼ, εἴ γε λαιμοὺς εἶχε τριπτύχους θανεῖν.

[¶128] Orestes:
Your cowardice makes you glib; this is not what you really think.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
δειλίᾳ γλώσσῃ χαρίζῃ, τἄνδον οὐχ οὕτω φρονῶν.

[¶129] Phrygian:
Why, surely she deserved it, the one who destroyed Hellas and the Phrygians too?

> Greek: Φρύξ:
οὐ γάρ, ἥτις Ἑλλάδʼ αὐτοῖς Φρυξὶ διελυμήνατο;

[¶130] Orestes:
Swear you are not saying this to humor me, or I will kill you.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὄμοσον — εἰ δὲ μή, κτενῶ σε — μὴ λέγειν ἐμὴν χάριν.

[¶131] Phrygian:
I swear by my life, an oath I would keep!

> Greek: Φρύξ:
τὴν ἐμὴν ψυχὴν κατώμοσʼ, ἣν ἂν εὐορκοῖμʼ ἐγώ.

[¶132] Orestes:
Did every Phrygian in Troy show the same terror of steel as you do?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὧδε κἀν Τροίᾳ σίδηρος πᾶσι Φρυξὶν ἦν φόβος;

[¶133] Phrygian:
Take your sword away! Held so near it flashes a dreadful gleam of blood.

> Greek: Φρύξ:
ἄπεχε φάσγανον· πέλας γὰρ δεινὸν ἀνταυγεῖ φόνον.

[¶134] Orestes:
Are you afraid of being turned to a stone, as if you had seen a Gorgon?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
μὴ πέτρος γένῃ δέδοικας ὥστε Γοργόνʼ εἰσιδών;

[¶135] Phrygian:
To a stone, no! but to a corpse; I don’t know this Gorgon’s head.

> Greek: Φρύξ:
μὴ μὲν οὖν νεκρός· τὸ Γοργοῦς δʼ οὐ κάτοιδʼ ἐγὼ κάρα.

[¶136] Orestes:
A slave, and yet you fear death, which will release you from trouble?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
δοῦλος ὢν φοβῇ τὸν Ἅιδην, ὅς σʼ ἀπαλλάξει κακῶν;

[¶137] Phrygian:
Slave or free, every one is glad to gaze upon the light.

> Greek: Φρύξ:
πᾶς ἀνήρ, κἂν δοῦλος ᾖ τις, ἥδεται τὸ φῶς ὁρῶν.

[¶138] Orestes:
Well said! Your shrewdness saves you; go inside.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
εὖ λέγεις· σῴζει σε σύνεσις. ἀλλὰ βαῖνʼ ἔσω δόμων.

[¶139] Phrygian:
You will not kill me after all?

> Greek: Φρύξ:
οὐκ ἄρα κτενεῖς με;

[¶140] Orestes:
You are spared.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἀφεῖσαι.

[¶141] Phrygian:
How well you said that!

> Greek: Φρύξ:
καλὸν ἔπος λέγεις τόδε.

[¶142] Orestes:
Now it’s time to change my plans.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἀλλὰ μεταβουλευσόμεσθα.

[¶143] Phrygian:
You didn’t say that well!

> Greek: Φρύξ:
τοῦτο δʼ οὐ καλῶς λέγεις.

[¶144] Orestes:
You fool! Do you think I could endure to make your throat bloody? You weren’t born a woman, nor do you belong among men. The reason I left the palace was to stop your shouting;

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
μῶρος, εἰ δοκεῖς με τλῆναι σὴν καθαιμάξαι δέρην·
οὔτε γὰρ γυνὴ πέφυκας — οὔτʼ ἐν ἀνδράσιν σύ γʼ εἶ.
τοῦ δὲ μὴ στῆσαί σε κραυγὴν οὕνεκʼ ἐξῆλθον δόμων·

[¶145] for Argos is quickly roused, once it hears a cry to the rescue. As for Menelaus, I am not afraid of measuring swords with him; let him come, proud of the golden ringlets on his shoulders; for if, to avenge the slaying of Helen, he gathers the Argives and leads them against the palace, refusing to attempt the rescue of me,
my sister, and Pylades, my fellow conspirator, he will have two corpses to behold, his daughter’s as well as his wife’s. Exeunt Orestes and The Phrygian Slave.

> Greek: ὀξὺ γὰρ βοῆς ἀκοῦσαν Ἄργος ἐξεγείρεται.
Μενέλεων δʼ οὐ τάρβος ἡμῖν ἀναλαβεῖν ἔσω ξίφους·
ἀλλʼ ἴτω ξανθοῖς ἐπʼ ὤμων βοστρύχοις γαυρούμενος·
εἰ γὰρ Ἀργείους ἐπάξει τοῖσδε δώμασιν λαβών,
τὸν Ἑλένης φόνον διώκων, κἀμὲ μὴ σῴζειν θέλει
σύγγονόν τʼ ἐμὴν Πυλάδην τε τὸν τάδε ξυνδρῶντά μοι,
παρθένον τε καὶ δάμαρτα δύο νεκρὼ κατόψεται.

[¶146] Chorus:
Ah, fortune! Again and yet again the house comes to a fearful contest, for the race of Atreus.

> Greek: Χορός:
— ἰὼ ἰὼ τύχα,
ἕτερον εἰς ἀγῶνʼ, ἕτερον αὖ δόμος
φοβερὸν ἀμφὶ τοὺς Ἀτρείδας πίτνει.

[¶147] What are we to do? Carry tidings to the town?

> Greek: — τί δρῶμεν; ἀγγέλλωμεν ἐς πόλιν τάδε;

[¶148] Or hold our peace? It is safer, friends.

> Greek: ἢ σῖγʼ ἔχωμεν; ἀσφαλέστερον, φίλαι.

[¶149] Look, look at that sudden rush of smoke to the sky in front of the palace, telling its tale!

> Greek: — ἴδε πρὸ δωμάτων ἴδε προκηρύσσει
θοάζων ὅδʼ αἰθέρος ἄνω καπνός.

[¶150] They are kindling torches to fire the halls of Tantalus; nor do they hold back from murder.

> Greek: — ἅπτουσι πεύκας, ὡς πυρώσοντες δόμους
τοὺς Τανταλείους, οὐδʼ ἀφίστανται φόνου.

[¶151] A god determines the end where he wishes, for mortals.

> Greek: — τέλος ἔχει δαίμων βροτοῖς,
τέλος ὅπᾳ θέλῃ.

[¶152] Great is the power; by avenging fiends, this house has fallen, fallen, through blood, by reason of the hurling Myrtilus from the chariot.

> Greek: — μεγάλα δέ τις ἁ δύναμις διʼ ἀλαστόρων
ἔπεσʼ ἔπεσε μέλαθρα τάδε διʼ αἱμάτων
διὰ τὸ Μυρτίλου πέσημʼ ἐκ δίφρου.

[¶153] Chorus Leader:
But look! I see Menelaus approaching the palace
in haste; no doubt he has heard what is happening here. Descendants of Atreus within, make haste and secure the doors with bars. A man in luck is a dangerous adversary for luckless wretches like you, Orestes.
Orestes and Pylades appear on the roof, holding Hermione.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ τόνδε λεύσσω Μενέλεων δόμων πέλας
ὀξύπουν, ᾐσθημένον που τὴν τύχην ἣ νῦν πάρα.
οὐκέτʼ ἂν φθάνοιτε κλῇθρα συμπεραίνοντες μοχλοῖς,
ὦ κατὰ στέγας Ἀτρεῖδαι. δεινὸν εὐτυχῶν ἀνὴρ
πρὸς κακῶς πράσσοντας, ὡς σὺ νῦν, Ὀρέστα, δυστυχεῖς.

[¶154] Menelaus:
I have come at the report of strange and violent deeds perpetrated
by a pair of lions, men I do not call them. What I heard was that my wife was not dead, but had vanished out of sight, an idle rumor which someone fooled by his own fear brought me. But that is a plot
of the matricide’s—ridiculous!

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ἥκω κλύων τὰ δεινὰ καὶ δραστήρια
δισσοῖν λεόντοιν· οὐ γὰρ ἄνδρʼ αὐτὼ καλῶ.
ἤκουσα γὰρ δὴ τὴν ἐμὴν ξυνάορον
ὡς οὐ τέθνηκεν, ἀλλʼ ἄφαντος οἴχεται —
κενὴν ἀκούσας βάξιν, ἣν φόβῳ σφαλεὶς
ἤγγειλέ μοί τις. ἀλλὰ τοῦ μητροκτόνου
τεχνάσματʼ ἐστὶ ταῦτα καὶ πολὺς γέλως.

[¶155] Open the doors! I tell my servants to force the gates, so that I may rescue my child at any rate from the hands of those blood-stained men and recover my poor wretched wife,
while the ones who destroyed her must die at my hands.
Orestes: from the roof.

> Greek: ἀνοιγέτω τις δῶμα· προσπόλοις λέγω
ὠθεῖν πύλας τάσδʼ, ὡς ἂν ἀλλὰ παῖδʼ ἐμὴν
ῥυσώμεθʼ ἀνδρῶν ἐκ χερῶν μιαιφόνων,
καὶ τὴν τάλαιναν ἀθλίαν δάμαρτʼ ἐμὴν
λάβωμεν, ᾗ δεῖ ξυνθανεῖν ἐμῇ χερὶ
τοὺς διολέσαντας τὴν ἐμὴν ξυνάορον.

[¶156] You there! Keep your hands off those bolts; I mean you, Menelaus, towering in your audacity! Or I will tear off the ancient parapet, the work of masons,
and shatter your skull with this coping-stone. The doors are bolted and barred, which will prevent your eagerness to bring aid and keep you from entering.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὗτος σύ, κλῄθρων τῶνδε μὴ ψαύσῃς χερί·
Μενέλαον εἶπον, ὃς πεπύργωσαι θράσει·
ἢ τῷδε θριγκῷ κρᾶτα συνθραύσω σέθεν,
ῥήξας παλαιὰ γεῖσα, τεκτόνων πόνον.
μοχλοῖς δʼ ἄραρε κλῇθρα, σῆς βοηδρόμου
σπουδῆς ἅ σʼ εἴρξει, μὴ δόμων ἔσω περᾶν.

[¶157] Menelaus:
Oh! What is this? I see a blaze of torches and men standing at bay on the top of the house,
with a sword guarding my daughter’s throat.

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ἔα, τί χρῆμα; λαμπάδων ὁρῶ σέλας,
δόμων δʼ ἐπʼ ἄκρων τούσδε πυργηρουμένους,
ξίφος δʼ ἐμῆς θυγατρὸς ἐπίφρουρον δέρῃ.

[¶158] Orestes:
Would you question me or hear me speak?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
πότερον ἐρωτᾶν ἢ κλύειν ἐμοῦ θέλεις;

[¶159] Menelaus:
Neither; but I suppose I must hear you.

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
οὐδέτερʼ· ἀνάγκη δʼ, ὡς ἔοικε, σου κλύειν.

[¶160] Orestes:
I intend to kill your daughter, if you want to know.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
μέλλω κτενεῖν σου θυγατέρʼ, εἰ βούλῃ μαθεῖν.

[¶161] Menelaus:
After slaying Helen, you will add murder to murder?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
Ἑλένην φονεύσας ἐπὶ φόνῳ πράσσεις φόνον;

[¶162] Orestes:
Would I had accomplished that, instead of being duped by the gods!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
εἰ γὰρ κατέσχον μὴ θεῶν κλεφθεὶς ὕπο.

[¶163] Menelaus:
Do you deny having slain her, and say this out of wanton insult?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ἀρνῇ κατακτὰς κἀφʼ ὕβρει λέγεις τάδε;

[¶164] Orestes:
Yes, I do deny it, to my sorrow. If only I had—

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
λυπράν γε τὴν ἄρνησιν· εἰ γὰρ ὤφελον —

[¶165] Menelaus:
Done what? You frighten me!

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
τί χρῆμα δρᾶσαι; παρακαλεῖς γὰρ ἐς φόβον.

[¶166] Orestes:
Hurled the pollution of Hellas to Hades!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τὴν Ἑλλάδος μιάστορʼ εἰς Ἅιδου βαλεῖν.

[¶167] Menelaus:
Give back my wife’s dead body, so that I may bury her.

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ἀπόδος δάμαρτος νέκυν, ὅπως χώσω τάφῳ.

[¶168] Orestes:
Ask the gods for her; but I will kill your daughter.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
θεοὺς ἀπαίτει. παῖδα δὲ κτενῶ σέθεν.

[¶169] Menelaus:
This matricide is adding murder to murder.

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ὁ μητροφόντης ἐπὶ φόνῳ πράσσει φόνον;

[¶170] Orestes:
This champion of his father, betrayed by you to death.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὁ πατρὸς ἀμύντωρ, ὃν σὺ προύδωκας θανεῖν.

[¶171] Menelaus:
Are you not content with the present stain of your mother’s blood?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
οὐκ ἤρκεσέν σοι τὸ παρὸν αἷμα μητέρος;

[¶172] Orestes:
I would not grow tired if I had these wicked women to slay for ever.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐκ ἂν κάμοιμι τὰς κακὰς κτείνων ἀεί.

[¶173] Menelaus:
Are you too, Pylades, a partner in this bloody work?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ἦ καὶ σύ, Πυλάδη, τοῦδε κοινωνεῖς φόνου;

[¶174] Orestes:
His silence says he is; let it suffice for me to say it.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
φησὶν σιωπῶν· ἀρκέσω δʼ ἐγὼ λέγων.

[¶175] Menelaus:
You’ll say it to your cost, unless you fly away!

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ἀλλʼ οὔτι χαίρων, ἤν γε μὴ φύγῃς πτεροῖς.

[¶176] Orestes:
We will not try to escape; we will set fire to the palace.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐ φευξόμεσθα· πυρὶ δʼ ἀνάψομεν δόμους.

[¶177] Menelaus:
What! will you destroy the home of your ancestors?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ἦ γὰρ πατρῷον δῶμα πορθήσεις τόδε;

[¶178] Orestes:
Yes, so that you don’t have it, and I will offer this girl in sacrifice on the fire.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὡς μή γʼ ἔχῃς σύ, τήνδʼ ἐπισφάξας πυρί.

[¶179] Menelaus:
Kill her; and if you do, I will punish you for it.

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
κτεῖνʼ· ὡς κτανών γε τῶνδέ μοι δώσεις δίκην.

[¶180] Orestes:
All right, then.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἔσται τάδε.

[¶181] Menelaus:
No, no! Don’t do it!

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ἆ ἆ, μηδαμῶς δράσῃς τάδε.

[¶182] Orestes:
Silence! Your sufferings are just; endure them.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
σίγα νυν, ἀνέχου δʼ ἐνδίκως πράσσων κακῶς.

[¶183] Menelaus:
Well, is it just that you should live?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ἦ γὰρ δίκαιον ζῆν σε;

[¶184] Orestes:
And rule a kingdom, yes.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
καὶ κρατεῖν γε γῆς.

[¶185] Menelaus:
A kingdom, where?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ποίας;

[¶186] Orestes:
Here in Pelasgian Argos.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἐν Ἄργει τῷδε τῷ Πελασγικῷ.

[¶187] Menelaus:
You are so well qualified to handle holy water!

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
εὖ γοῦν θίγοις ἂν χερνίβων —

[¶188] Orestes:
And why not?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τί δὴ γὰρ οὔ;

[¶189] Menelaus:
And to slay victims before battle!

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
καὶ σφάγια πρὸ δορὸς καταβάλοις.

[¶190] Orestes:
Well, are you?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
σὺ δʼ ἂν καλῶς;

[¶191] Menelaus:
Yes, my hands are clean.

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ἁγνὸς γάρ εἰμι χεῖρας.

[¶192] Orestes:
But not your heart.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἀλλʼ οὐ τὰς φρένας.

[¶193] Menelaus:
Who would speak to you?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
τίς δʼ ἂν προσείποι σέ;

[¶194] Orestes:
The one who loves his father.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὅστις ἐστὶ φιλοπάτωρ.

[¶195] Menelaus:
And the one who honors his mother?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ὅστις δὲ τιμᾷ μητέρα;

[¶196] Orestes:
He was born fortunate.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
εὐδαίμων ἔφυ.

[¶197] Menelaus:
Not like you!

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
οὔκουν σύ γε.

[¶198] Orestes:
No, for I do not delight in these wicked women.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐ γὰρ ἁνδάνουσιν αἱ κακαί.

[¶199] Menelaus:
Remove that sword from my daughter!

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ἄπαιρε θυγατρὸς φάσγανον.

[¶200] Orestes:
You are a liar.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ψευδὴς ἔφυς.

[¶201] Menelaus:
Will you kill my daughter?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ἀλλὰ κτενεῖς μου θυγατέρα;

[¶202] Orestes:
Now you are not a liar!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐ ψευδὴς ἔτʼ εἶ.

[¶203] Menelaus:
Ah me! what shall I do?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
οἴμοι, τί δράσω;

[¶204] Orestes:
Go to the Argives and persuade them—

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
πεῖθʼ ἐς Ἀργείους μολὼν —

[¶205] Menelaus:
Persuade them what?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
πειθὼ τίνα;

[¶206] Orestes:
Not to kill us; entreat the city.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἡμᾶς μὴ θανεῖν· αἰτοῦ πόλιν.

[¶207] Menelaus:
Or you will slay my child?

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ἢ παῖδά μου φονεύσετε;

[¶208] Orestes:
That is correct.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὧδʼ ἔχει τάδε.

[¶209] Menelaus:
O wretched Helen—

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ὦ τλῆμον Ἑλένη —

[¶210] Orestes:
Am I not wretched?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τἀμὰ δʼ οὐχὶ τλήμονα;

[¶211] Menelaus:
I brought you back from Troy to be a victim—

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
σὲ σφάγιον ἐκόμισʼ ἐκ Φρυγῶν —

[¶212] Orestes:
If only she had been!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
εἰ γὰρ τόδʼ ἦν.

[¶213] Menelaus:
After innumerable troubles.

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
πόνους πονήσας μυρίους.

[¶214] Orestes:
Except where I was concerned.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
πλήν γʼ εἰς ἐμέ.

[¶215] Menelaus:
I have suffered dreadfully!

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
πέπονθα δεινά.

[¶216] Orestes:
Yes, for you would not help me then.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τότε γὰρ ἦσθʼ ἀνωφελής.

[¶217] Menelaus:
You have me there.

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ἔχεις με.

[¶218] Orestes:
Your own cowardice has you. Calling from the roof to Electra Fire the palace from beneath, Electra; and, Pylades, my most trusty friend,
kindle the parapet of these walls. The palace is seen to be ablaze.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
σαυτὸν σύ γʼ ἔλαβες κακὸς γεγώς.
ἀλλʼ εἶʼ, ὕφαπτε δώματʼ, Ἠλέκτρα, τάδε·
σύ τʼ, ὦ φίλων μοι τῶν ἐμῶν σαφέστατε,
Πυλάδη, κάταιθε γεῖσα τειχέων τάδε.

[¶219] Menelaus:
O Danaid earth! Dwellers in Argos, city of horses, put on your armor and come to help! For this fellow is forcing his life from your whole city, though he has caused pollution by shedding his mother’s blood.

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ὦ γαῖα Δαναῶν ἱππίου τʼ Ἄργους κτίται,
οὐκ εἶʼ ἐνόπλῳ ποδὶ βοηδρομήσετε;
πᾶσαν γὰρ ὑμῶν ὅδε βιάζεται πόλιν
ζῆν, αἷμα μητρὸς μυσαρὸν ἐξειργασμένος.

[¶220] Apollo:
Appearing in the clouds. Menelaus, calm your anger that has been whetted; I am Phoebus, the son of Leto, drawing near to call you by name. And you also, Orestes, who are keeping guard on the girl, sword in hand, so that you may hear what I have come to say. Helen, whom all your eagerness
failed to destroy, when you were seeking to anger Menelaus, [is here as you see in the enfolding air, rescued from death and not slain by you.] I saved her and snatched her from beneath your sword at the bidding of father Zeus,
for she, his child, must be immortal, and take her seat with Castor and Polydeuces in the enfolding air, a savior to mariners. Choose another bride and take her to your home; for the gods by that one’s loveliness
joined Troy and Hellas in battle, causing death so that they might draw off from the earth the outrage of unstinting numbers of mortals.

> Greek: Ἀπόλλων:
Μενέλαε, παῦσαι λῆμʼ ἔχων τεθηγμένον·
Φοῖβός σʼ ὁ Λητοῦς παῖς ὅδʼ ἐγγὺς ὢν καλῶ·
σύ θʼ ὃς ξιφήρης τῇδʼ ἐφεδρεύεις κόρῃ,
Ὀρέσθʼ, ἵνʼ εἰδῇς οὓς φέρων ἥκω λόγους.
Ἑλένην μὲν ἣν σὺ διολέσαι πρόθυμος ὢν
ἥμαρτες, ὀργὴν Μενέλεῳ ποιούμενος,
[ἥδʼ ἐστίν, ἣν ὁρᾶτʼ ἐν αἰθέρος πτυχαῖς,]
[σεσῳσμένη τε κοὐ θανοῦσα πρὸς σέθεν.]
ἐγώ νιν ἐξέσῳσα κἀπὸ φασγάνου
τοῦ σοῦ κελευσθεὶς ἥρπασʼ ἐκ Διὸς πατρός.
Ζηνὸς γὰρ οὖσαν ζῆν νιν ἄφθιτον χρεών,
Κάστορί τε Πολυδεύκει τʼ ἐν αἰθέρος πτυχαῖς
σύνθακος ἔσται, ναυτίλοις σωτήριος.
ἄλλην δὲ νύμφην ἐς δόμους κτῆσαι λαβών,
ἐπεὶ θεοὶ τῷ τῆσδε καλλιστεύματι
Ἕλληνας εἰς ἓν καὶ Φρύγας συνήγαγον,
θανάτους τʼ ἔθηκαν, ὡς ἀπαντλοῖεν χθονὸς
ὕβρισμα θνητῶν ἀφθόνου πληρώματος.

[¶221] So much for Helen; as for you, Orestes, you must cross the broders of this land
and dwell for one whole year on Parrhasian soil, which from your flight shall be called the land of Orestes by Azanians and Arcadians. And when you return from there to the city of Athens, undergo your trial by the Avenging Three for your mother’s murder;
the gods will be arbitrators of your trial, and will take a most righteous vote on you at the hill of Ares, where you are to win your case. And it is destined, Orestes, that you will marry Hermione, at whose neck you are holding your sword;
Neoptolemus shall never marry her, though he thinks he will; for he is fated to die by a Delphian sword, when he claims satisfaction of me for the death of his father Achilles. Give your sister in marriage to Pylades, to whom you formerly promised her; the life awaiting him is one of happiness.

> Greek: τὰ μὲν καθʼ Ἑλένην ὧδʼ ἔχει· σὲ δʼ αὖ χρεών,
Ὀρέστα, γαίας τῆσδʼ ὑπερβαλόνθʼ ὅρους
Παρράσιον οἰκεῖν δάπεδον ἐνιαυτοῦ κύκλον.
κεκλήσεται δὲ σῆς φυγῆς ἐπώνυμον
Ἀζᾶσιν Ἀρκάσιν τʼ Ὀρέστειον καλεῖν.
ἐνθένδε δʼ ἐλθὼν τὴν Ἀθηναίων πόλιν
δίκην ὑπόσχες αἵματος μητροκτόνου
Εὐμενίσι τρισσαῖς· θεοὶ δέ σοι δίκης βραβῆς
πάγοισιν ἐν Ἀρείοισιν εὐσεβεστάτην
ψῆφον διοίσουσʼ, ἔνθα νικῆσαί σε χρή.
ἐφʼ ἧς δʼ ἔχεις, Ὀρέστα, φάσγανον δέρῃ,
γῆμαι πέπρωταί σʼ Ἑρμιόνην· ὃς δʼ οἴεται
Νεοπτόλεμος γαμεῖν νιν, οὐ γαμεῖ ποτε.
θανεῖν γὰρ αὐτῷ μοῖρα Δελφικῷ ξίφει,
δίκας Ἀχιλλέως πατρὸς ἐξαιτοῦντά με.
Πυλάδῃ δʼ ἀδελφῆς λέκτρον, ὥς ποτʼ ᾔνεσας,
δός· ὁ δʼ ἐπιών νιν βίοτος εὐδαίμων μένει.

[¶222] Menelaus, leave Orestes to rule Argos; go and reign over the Spartan land, keeping it as the dowry of a wife who till this day never ceased causing you innumerable troubles. I will set matters straight between Orestes and the citizens,
for I forced him to murder his mother.

> Greek: Ἄργους δʼ Ὀρέστην, Μενέλεως, ἔα κρατεῖν,
ἐλθὼν δʼ ἄνασσε Σπαρτιάτιδος χθονός,
φερνὰς ἔχων δάμαρτος, ἥ σε μυρίοις
πόνοις διδοῦσα δεῦρʼ ἀεὶ διήνυσεν.
τὰ πρὸς πόλιν δὲ τῷδʼ ἐγὼ θήσω καλῶς,
ὅς νιν φονεῦσαι μητέρʼ ἐξηνάγκασα.

[¶223] Orestes:
Hail, prophetic Loxias, for your oracles! You were not a lying prophet after all, but a true seer; and yet I was afraid that it was some fiend I had listened to, when I seemed to hear your voice;

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὦ Λοξία μαντεῖε, σῶν θεσπισμάτων.
οὐ ψευδόμαντις ἦσθʼ ἄρʼ, ἀλλʼ ἐτήτυμος.
καίτοι μʼ ἐσῄει δεῖμα, μή τινος κλύων
ἀλαστόρων δόξαιμι σὴν κλύειν ὄπα.

[¶224] but all is ending well, and I obey your word. There! I release Hermione from slaughter and agree to make her my wife whenever her father gives her.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ εὖ τελεῖται, πείσομαι δὲ σοῖς λόγοις.
ἰδού, μεθίημʼ Ἑρμιόνην ἀπὸ σφαγῆς,
καὶ λέκτρʼ ἐπῄνεσʼ, ἡνίκʼ ἂν διδῷ πατήρ.

[¶225] Menelaus:
All hail, Helen, daughter of Zeus! I wish you joy of your home in heaven’s happy courts.

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
ὦ Ζηνὸς Ἑλένη χαῖρε παῖ· ζηλῶ δέ σε
θεῶν κατοικήσασαν ὄλβιον δόμον.

[¶226] To you, Orestes, I betroth my daughter, as Phoebus said; being noble yourself, may you have benefit from a noble wife, and may I also, in giving her to you.

> Greek: Ὀρέστα, σοὶ δὲ παῖδʼ ἐγὼ κατεγγυῶ,
Φοίβου λέγοντος· εὐγενὴς δʼ ἀπʼ εὐγενοῦς
γήμας ὄναιο καὶ σὺ χὡ διδοὺς ἐγώ.

[¶227] Apollo:
Go now each one to the place appointed by me; reconcile your quarrels.

> Greek: Ἀπόλλων:
χωρεῖτέ νυν ἕκαστος οἷ προστάσσομεν,
νείκας τε διαλύεσθε.

[¶228] Menelaus:
I must obey.

> Greek: Μενέλαος:
πείθεσθαι χρεών.

[¶229] Orestes:
And so must I; I make a truce with my fate, Menelaus, and with your oracles, Loxias.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
κἀγὼ τοιοῦτος· σπένδομαι δὲ συμφοραῖς,
Μενέλαε, καὶ σοῖς, Λοξία, θεσπίσμασιν.

[¶230] Apollo:
Go your ways, and honor Peace, fairest of goddesses; I will bring Helen to the halls of Zeus,
when I have come to the sky, bright with stars. There, enthroned beside Hera and Hebe, the bride of Heracles, she will be honored by men with libations as a goddess for ever; along with those Zeus-born sons of Tyndareus,
she will be a guardian of the sea, for the good of sailors.

> Greek: Ἀπόλλων:
ἴτε νυν καθʼ ὁδόν, τὴν καλλίστην
θεῶν Εἰρήνην τιμῶντες· ἐγὼ δʼ
Ἑλένην Δίοις μελάθροις πελάσω,
λαμπρῶν ἄστρων πόλον ἐξανύσας,
ἔνθα παρʼ Ἥρᾳ τῇ θʼ Ἡρακλέους
Ἥβῃ πάρεδρος θεὸς ἀνθρώποις
ἔσται σπονδαῖς ἔντιμος ἀεί,
σὺν Τυνδαρίδαις, τοῖς Διὸς υἱοῖς,
ναύταις μεδέουσα θαλάσσης.

[¶231] Chorus:
Greatly revered Victory, may you occupy my life, and never cease to crown me!

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ μέγα σεμνὴ Νίκη, τὸν ἐμὸν
βίοτον κατέχοις
καὶ μὴ λήγοις στεφανοῦσα.