---
title: "Electra · Ἠλέκτρα"
author: "Sophocles"
translator: "Richard Jebb"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
url: https://scriptura.si/works/sophocles-electra/
cite: "Sophocles, tr. Richard Jebb, Electra · Ἠλέκτρα. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/sophocles-electra/"
---

# Electra · Ἠλέκτρα

*Sophocles, tr. Richard Jebb*

Electra waits for her brother Orestes to come home and avenge their father.

> Greek: ed. Francis Storr, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0011.tlg005, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Richard Jebb, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0011.tlg005.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 1–551](https://scriptura.si/works/sophocles-electra/1.md)
2. [Lines 552–1028](https://scriptura.si/works/sophocles-electra/2.md)
3. [Lines 1029–1510](https://scriptura.si/works/sophocles-electra/3.md)

## 1. Lines 1–551

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

[¶0] Paedagogus:
Son of him who once commanded our forces at Troy, son of Agamemnon!—now you may survey all that your heart has desired for so long. There is the ancient Argos of your yearning,
that consecrated land from which the gad-fly drove the daughter of Inachus; there, Orestes, is the Lycean market place, named from the wolf-slaying god; there on the left is Hera’s famous temple; and in this place to which we have come, know that you see Mycenae, the rich in gold,
and here the house of Pelops’ heirs, so often stained with bloodshed. Long ago from here, away from the murder of your father, I carried you for her whose blood is yours, your sister, and saved you and reared you up to manhood to be the avenger of your murdered father.

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
ὦ τοῦ στρατηγήσαντος ἐν Τροίᾳ ποτὲ
Ἀγαμέμνονος παῖ, νῦν ἐκεῖνʼ ἔξεστί σοι
παρόντι λεύσσειν, ὧν πρόθυμος ἦσθʼ ἀεί.
τὸ γὰρ παλαιὸν Ἄργος οὑπόθεις τόδε,
τῆς οἰστροπλῆγος ἄλσος Ἰνάχου κόρης·
αὕτη δʼ, Ὀρέστα, τοῦ λυκοκτόνου θεοῦ
ἀγορὰ Λύκειος· οὑξ ἀριστερᾶς δʼ ὅδε
Ἥρας ὁ κλεινὸς ναός· οἷ δʼ ἱκάνομεν,
φάσκειν Μυκήνας τὰς πολυχρύσους ὁρᾶν
πολύφθορόν τε δῶμα Πελοπιδῶν τόδε,
ὅθεν σε πατρὸς ἐκ φονῶν ἐγώ ποτε
πρὸς σῆς ὁμαίμου καὶ κασιγνήτης λαβὼν
ἤνεγκα κἀξέσωσα κἀξεθρεψάμην
τοσόνδʼ ἐς ἥβης, πατρὶ τιμωρὸν φόνου.

[¶1] Now, therefore, Orestes, and you, best of allies, Pylades, our plan of action must be quickly laid; for look, already the sun’s bright ray is stirring the birds’ songs into clarity, and the kindly darkness of the stars is spent.

> Greek: νῦν οὖν, Ὀρέστα καὶ σὺ φίλτατε ξένων
Πυλάδη, τί χρὴ δρᾶν ἐν τάχει βουλευτέον·
ὡς ἡμὶν ἤδη λαμπρὸν ἡλίου σέλας
ἑῷα κινεῖ φθέγματʼ ὀρνίθων σαφῆ
μέλαινά τʼ ἄστρων ἐκλέλοιπεν εὐφρόνη.

[¶2] Before, then, anyone comes out from the house, we must make our plans, since we are at the point where it is no longer opportune to hesitate, but it is the moment for action.

> Greek: πρὶν οὖν τινʼ ἀνδρῶν ἐξοδοιπορεῖν στέγης,
ξυνάπτετον λόγοισιν· ὡς ἐνταῦθʼ ἐμέν,
ἵνʼ οὐκέτʼ ὀκνεῖν καιρός, ἀλλʼ ἔργων ἀκμή.

[¶3] Orestes:
True friend and follower, how well you prove your loyalty to our house!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὦ φίλτατʼ ἀνδρῶν προσπόλων, ὥς μοι σαφῆ
σημεῖα φαίνεις ἐσθλὸς εἰς ἡμᾶς γεγώς.

[¶4] Just as a thoroughbred mount, even if advanced in years, does not lose courage in danger, but pricks up his ears, so you speed us forward and follow in the first ranks. I will tell you, then, what I have determined.
Listen closely to my words and correct me, if I miss the mark in any way. When I went to the Pythian oracle to learn how I might avenge my father on his murderers,
Phoebus gave me the commandment which you will now hear: that alone, and by stealth, without the aid of arms or large numbers, I should carry off my right hand’s just slaughters. Accordingly, since I received this divine declaration, you must go into that house there
when opportunity gives you entrance, and learn all that is happening, so that you may report to us out of sure knowledge. Your age and the lapse of time will prevent them from recognizing you; they will never suspect who you are with that silvered hair. Let your story be that you are a Phocian stranger
sent by Phanoteus, since he is the greatest of their allies. Tell them, and affirm it with your oath, that Orestes has perished by a fatal chance, hurled at the Pythian games
from his speeding chariot. Let that be the substance of your message. Meanwhile, we will first crown my father’s tomb as the god ordered with libations and the luxuriant tribute of a severed lock; then we will return here, bearing in our hands an urn of hammered bronze
—now hidden, as you no doubt know, in the brushwood—so that we may gladden them with the false tidings that this body of mine exists no more, but has been consumed with fire and reduced to ashes. How does it hurt me, when by feigned death
I find true life and win renown? No word is ill-omened, I trust, if it yields gain. For often before now I have seen clever men die in false report; then, when they return home, they are held in greater honor.

> Greek: ὥσπερ γὰρ ἵππος εὐγενής, κἂν ᾖ γέρων,
ἐν τοῖσι δεινοῖς θυμὸν οὐκ ἀπώλεσεν,
ἀλλʼ ὀρθὸν οὖς ἵστησιν, ὡσαύτως δὲ σὺ
ἡμᾶς τʼ ὀτρύνεις καὐτὸς ἐν πρώτοις ἕπει.
τοιγὰρ τὰ μὲν δόξαντα δηλώσω, σὺ δὲ
ὀξεῖαν ἀκοὴν τοῖς ἐμοῖς λόγοις διδούς,
εἰ μή τι καιροῦ τυγχάνω, μεθάρμοσον.
ἐγὼ γὰρ ἡνίχʼ ἱκόμην τὸ Πυθικὸν
μαντεῖον, ὡς μάθοιμʼ ὅτῳ τρόπῳ πατρὶ
δίκας ἀροίμην τῶν φονευσάντων πάρα,
χρῇ μοι τοιαῦθʼ ὁ Φοῖβος ὧν πεύσει τάχα·
ἄσκευον αὐτὸν ἀσπίδων τε καὶ στρατοῦ
δόλοισι κλέψαι χειρὸς ἐνδίκους σφαγάς.
ὅτʼ οὖν τοιόνδε χρησμὸν εἰσηκούσαμεν,
σὺ μὲν μολών, ὅταν σε καιρὸς εἰσάγῃ,
δόμων ἔσω τῶνδʼ, ἴσθι πᾶν τὸ δρώμενον,
ὅπως ἂν εἰδὼς ἡμὶν ἀγγείλῃς σαφῆ.
οὐ γάρ σε μὴ γήρᾳ τε καὶ χρόνῳ μακρῷ
γνῶσʼ, οὐδʼ ὑποπτεύσουσιν ὧδʼ ἠνθισμένον.
λόγῳ δὲ χρῶ τοιῷδʼ, ὅτι ξένος μὲν εἶ
Φωκέως παρʼ ἀνδρὸς Φανοτέως ἥκων· ὃ γὰρ
μέγιστος αὐτοῖς τυγχάνει δορυξένων.
ἄγγελλε δʼ ὅρκον προστιθεὶς ὁθούνεκα
τέθνηκʼ Ὀρέστης ἐξ ἀναγκαίας τύχης,
ἄθλοισι Πυθικοῖσιν ἐκ τροχηλάτων
δίφρων κυλισθείς· ὧδʼ ὁ μῦθος ἑστάτω.
Ὀρέστης:
ἡμεῖς δὲ πατρὸς τύμβον, ὡς ἐφίετο,
λοιβαῖσι πρῶτον καὶ καρατόμοις χλιδαῖς
στέψαντες εἶτʼ ἄψορρον ἥξομεν πάλιν,
τύπωμα χαλκόπλευρον ἠρμένοι χεροῖν,
ὃ καὶ σὺ θάμνοις οἶσθά που κεκρυμμένον,
ὅπως λόγῳ κλέπτοντες ἡδεῖαν φάτιν
φέρωμεν αὐτοῖς, τοὐμὸν ὡς ἔρρει δέμας
φλογιστὸν ἤδη καὶ κατηνθρακωμένον.
τί γάρ με λυπεῖ τοῦθʼ, ὅταν λόγῳ θανὼν
ἔργοισι σωθῶ κἀξενέγκωμαι κλέος;
δοκῶ μέν, οὐδὲν ῥῆμα σὺν κέρδει κακόν.
ἤδη γὰρ εἶδον πολλάκις καὶ τοὺς σοφοὺς
λόγῳ μάτην θνῄσκοντας· εἶθʼ, ὅταν δόμους
ἔλθωσιν αὖθις, ἐκτετίμηνται πλέον·

[¶5] And so for myself I trust that as a result of this rumor I, too, shall live, shining down like a star upon my enemies. But you, O my fatherland and native gods of my soil, receive me with good fortune in this journey, and you also, house of my ancestors,
since I come by divine mandate to cleanse you as justice demands. Do not dismiss me from this land in dishonor, but grant that I may rule over my possessions and restore my house! I have said enough. Go now, old one, and take care to watch over your task.

> Greek: ὡς κἄμʼ ἐπαυχῶ τῆσδε τῆς φήμης ἄπο
δεδορκότʼ ἐχθροῖς ἄστρον ὣς λάμψειν ἔτι.
ἀλλʼ, ὦ πατρῴα γῆ θεοί τʼ ἐγχώριοι,
δέξασθέ μʼ εὐτυχοῦντα ταῖσδε ταῖς ὁδοῖς,
σύ τʼ, ὦ πατρῷον δῶμα· σοῦ γὰρ ἔρχομαι
δίκῃ καθαρτὴς πρὸς θεῶν ὡρμημένος·
καὶ μή μʼ ἄτιμον τῆσδʼ ἀποστείλητε γῆς,
ἀλλʼ ἀρχέπλουτον καὶ καταστάτην δόμων.
εἴρηκα μέν νυν ταῦτα· σοὶ δʼ ἤδη, γέρον,
τὸ σὸν μελέσθω βάντι φρουρῆσαι χρέος.

[¶6] The two of us will depart; for so opportunity bids, chief ruler of every enterprise for men.
Within.

> Greek: νὼ δʼ ἔξιμεν· καιρὸς γάρ, ὅσπερ ἀνδράσιν
μέγιστος ἔργου παντός ἐστʼ ἐπιστάτης.

[¶7] Electra:
ah, me, ah, joyless me!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἰώ μοί μοι δύστηνος.

[¶8] Paedagogus:
Listen, my son; from the doors of the house, I think, came the sound of some serving girl moaning inside.

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
καὶ μὴν θυρῶν ἔδοξα προσπόλων τινὸς
ὑποστενούσης ἔνδον αἰσθέσθαι, τέκνον.

[¶9] Orestes:
Can it be my joyless Electra? Shall we remain here and listen to her cries?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἆρʼ ἐστὶν ἡ δύστηνος Ἠλέκτρα· θέλεις
μείνωμεν αὐτοῦ κἀπακούσωμεν γόων;

[¶10] Paedagogus:
No, no; before all else, let us strive to obey the commands of Loxias and from them make a fair beginning by pouring libations to your father. For such actions bring
victory within our grasp and give us mastery in all our doings. Exeunt Paedagogus on the spectators left, Orestes and Pylades on the right.
Enter Electra, from the house.

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
ἥκιστα· μηδὲν πρόσθεν ἢ τὰ Λοξίου
πειρώμεθʼ ἔρδειν κἀπὸ τῶνδʼ ἀρχηγετεῖν,
πατρὸς χέοντες λουτρά· ταῦτα γὰρ φέρει
νίκην τʼ ἐφʼ ἡμῖν καὶ κράτος τῶν δρωμένων.

[¶11] Electra:
O you pure sunlight, and you air, light’s equal partner over earth, how often have you heard the chords of my laments
and the thudding blows against this bloodied breast at the time of gloomy night’s leaving off! My accursed bed in that house of suffering there knows well already how I observe my night-long rites—how often I bewail my miserable
father, whom bloody Ares did not welcome with deadly gifts in a foreign land, but my mother and her bedfellow Aegisthus split his head with murderous axe, just as woodmen chop an oak.
And for this crime no pitying cry bursts from any lips but mine, when you, Father, have died a death so cruel and so deserving of pity!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὦ φάος ἁγνὸν
καὶ γῆς ἰσόμοιρʼ ἀήρ, ὥς μοι
πολλὰς μὲν θρήνων ᾠδάς,
πολλὰς δʼ ἀντήρεις ᾔσθου
στέρνων πληγὰς αἱμασσομένων,
ὁπόταν δνοφερὰ νὺξ ὑπολειφθῇ·
τὰ δὲ παννυχίδων ἤδη στυγεραὶ
ξυνίσασʼ εὐναὶ μογερῶν οἴκων,
ὅσα τὸν δύστηνον ἐμὸν θρηνῶ
πατέρʼ, ὃν κατὰ μὲν βάρβαρον αἶαν
φοίνιος Ἄρης οὐκ ἐξένισεν,
μήτηρ δʼ ἡμὴ χὠ κοινολεχὴς
Αἴγισθος ὅπως δρῦν ὑλοτόμοι
σχίζουσι κάρα φονίῳ πελέκει,
κοὐδεὶς τούτων οἶκτος ἀπʼ ἄλλης
ἢ ʼμοῦ φέρεται, σοῦ, πάτερ, οὕτως
αἰκῶς οἰκτρῶς τε θανόντος.

[¶12] But never will I end from cries and bitter lamentation,
while I look on the stars’ glistening flashes or on this light of day. No, like the nightingale, slayer of her offspring, I will wail without ceasing, and cry aloud to all here at the doors of my father.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἀλλʼ οὐ μὲν δὴ
λήξω θρήνων στυγερῶν τε γόων,
ἔστʼ ἂν παμφεγγεῖς ἄστρων
ῥιπάς, λεύσσω δὲ τόδʼ ἦμαρ,
μὴ οὐ τεκνολέτειρʼ ὥς τις ἀηδὼν
ἐπὶ κωκυτῷ τῶνδε πατρῴων
πρὸ θυρῶν ἠχὼ πᾶσι προφωνεῖν.

[¶13] O House of Hades and Persephone! O Hermes of the shades! O potent Curse, and you fearsome daughters of the gods, the Erinyes, who take note when a life is unjustly taken, when a marriage-bed is thievishly dishonored,
come, help me, bring vengeance for the murder of my father and send me my brother. I no longer have the strength to hold up alone against
the load of grief that crushes me.

> Greek: ὦ δῶμʼ Ἀΐδου καὶ Περσεφόνης,
ὦ χθόνιʼ Ἑρμῆ καὶ πότνιʼ Ἀρὰ
σεμναί τε θεῶν παῖδες Ἐρινύες,
αἳ τοὺς ἀδίκως θνῄσκοντας ὁρᾶθʼ,
αἳ τοὺς εὐνὰς ὑποκλεπτομένους,
ἔλθετʼ, ἀρήξατε, τίσασθε πατρὸς
φόνον ἡμετέρου,
καί μοι τὸν ἐμὸν πέμψατʼ ἀδελφόν·
μούνη γὰρ ἄγειν οὐκέτι σωκῶ
λύπης ἀντίρροπον ἄχθος.

[¶14] Chorus:
Ah, Electra, child of a most wretched mother, why are you always wasting away in this unsated mourning for Agamemnon, who long ago was godlessly
ensnared in your false mother’s wiles and betrayed by her corrupt hand? May the one who did that perish, if I may speak such a curse without breaking the gods’ laws.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ παῖ, παῖ δυστανοτάτας
Ἠλέκτρα ματρός, τίνʼ ἀεὶ
τάκεις ὧδʼ ἀκόρεστον οἰμωγὰν
τὸν πάλαι ἐκ δολερᾶς ἀθεώτατα
ματρὸς ἁλόντʼ ἀπάταις Ἀγαμέμνονα
κακᾷ τε χειρὶ πρόδοτον; ὡς ὁ τάδε πορὼν
ὄλοιτʼ, εἴ μοι θέμις τάδʼ αὐδᾶν.

[¶15] Electra:
Ah, noble-hearted girls,
you have come to relieve me in my troubles. I know and feel it: it does not escape me. Still I cannot leave this task undone, nor abandon this mourning for my poor father. Ah, friends whose love responds to mine in every mood,
allow me to rave as I am, oh, please, I beg you!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὦ γενέθλα γενναίων,
ἥκετʼ ἐμῶν καμάτων παραμύθιον.
οἶδά τε καὶ ξυνίημι τάδʼ, οὔ τί με
φυγγάνει, οὐδʼ ἐθέλω προλιπεῖν τόδε,
μὴ οὐ τὸν ἐμὸν στενάχειν πατέρʼ ἄθλιον.
ἀλλʼ ὦ παντοίας φιλότητος ἀμειβόμεναι χάριν,
ἐᾶτέ μʼ ὧδʼ ἀλύειν,
αἰαῖ, ἱκνοῦμαι.

[¶16] Chorus:
But never by weeping nor by prayer will you resurrect your father from the pool of Hades which receives all men.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀλλʼ οὔτοι τόν γʼ ἐξ Ἀΐδα
παγκοίνου λίμνας πατέρʼ ἀν-
στάσεις οὔτε γόοισιν οὔτʼ εὐχαῖς.

[¶17] No, by grieving without end and beyond due limits you will find cureless misery and your own ruin; in these actions there is no deliverance from evils. Tell us, why do you pursue such suffering?
Electra:
Foolish is the child who forgets a parent’s piteous death. No, closer to my heart is the mourner who eternally wails, “Itys, Itys,” that bird mad with grief, the messenger of Zeus.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ ἀπὸ τῶν μετρίων ἐπʼ ἀμήχανον
ἄλγος ἀεὶ στενάχουσα διόλλυσαι,
ἐν οἷς ἀνάλυσίς ἐστιν οὐδεμία κακῶν.
τί μοι τῶν δυσφόρων ἐφίει;
Ἠλέκτρα:
νήπιος ὃς τῶν οἰκτρῶς
οἰχομένων γονέων ἐπιλάθεται.
ἀλλʼ ἐμέ γʼ ἁ στονόεσσʼ ἄραρεν φρένας,
ἃ Ἴτυν, αἰὲν Ἴτυν ὀλοφύρεται,
ὄρνις ἀτυζομένα, Διὸς ἄγγελος.

[¶18] Ah, all-suffering Niobe, you I count divine, since you weep forever in your rocky tomb!
Chorus:
Not to you alone of mortals, my daughter, has sorrow come,
though you face it with less restraint than those girls inside, Chrysothemis and Iphianassa, whose parents and blood you share. They still live, as he, too, lives, sorrowing in his secluded youth,
yet happy in that this famous realm of the Mycenaeans shall one day receive him as a noble lord, if with the blessing of Zeus’s escort he, Orestes, returns to this land.

> Greek: ἰὼ παντλάμων Νιόβα, σὲ δʼ ἔγωγε νέμω θεόν,
ἅτʼ ἐν τάφῳ πετραίῳ
αἰεὶ δακρύεις.
Χορός:
οὔτοι σοὶ μούνᾳ, τέκνον,
ἄχος ἐφάνη βροτῶν,
πρὸς ὅ τι σὺ τῶν ἔνδον εἶ περισσά,
οἷς ὁμόθεν εἶ καὶ γονᾷ ξύναιμος,
οἵα Χρυσόθεμις ζώει καὶ Ἰφιάνασσα,
κρυπτᾷ τʼ ἀχέων ἐν ἥβᾳ,
ὄλβιος, ὃν ἁ κλεινὰ
γᾶ ποτε Μυκηναίων
δέξεται εὐπατρίδαν, Διὸς εὔφρονι
βήματι μολόντα τάνδε γᾶν Ὀρέσταν.

[¶19] Electra:
Yes, I await him with unwearied longing,
as I walk my sad path from day to day childless and unwed, bathed in tears, bearing that endless doom of evils. But he forgets all that he has suffered and learned.
What message comes to me that is not proven false? He constantly desires to be with us, but though he desires it, he does not choose to appear.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὅν γʼ ἐγὼ ἀκάματα προσμένουσʼ, ἄτεκνος,
τάλαινʼ, ἀνύμφευτος αἰὲν οἰχνῶ,
δάκρυσι μυδαλέα, τὸν ἀνήνυτον
οἶτον ἔχουσα κακῶν· ὁ δὲ λάθεται
ὧν τʼ ἔπαθʼ ὧν τʼ ἐδάη. τί γὰρ οὐκ ἐμοὶ
ἔρχεται ἀγγελίας ἀπατώμενον;
ἀεὶ μὲν γὰρ ποθεῖ,
ποθῶν δʼ οὐκ ἀξιοῖ φανῆναι.

[¶20] Chorus:
Courage, my daughter, courage; Zeus in the sky
is still mighty, and he sees and rules all. Leave your oversharp anger to him; be neither excessively hostile to those you hate, nor forgetful of them, since Time is a god who brings ease.

> Greek: Χορός:
θάρσει μοι, θάρσει, τέκνον.
ἔτι μέγας οὐρανῷ
Ζεύς, ὃς ἐφορᾷ πάντα καὶ κρατύνει·
ᾧ τὸν ὑπεραλγῆ χόλον νέμουσα
μήθʼ οἷς ἐχθαίρεις ὑπεράχθεο μήτʼ ἐπιλάθου·
χρόνος γὰρ εὐμαρὴς θεός.

[¶21] Neither the son of Agamemnon, who dwells by Crisa’s cattle-feeding shore nor the god who reigns beside Acheron is unmindful of you.

> Greek: οὔτε γὰρ ὁ τὰν Κρῖσαν
βούνομον ἔχων ἀκτὰν
παῖς Ἀγαμεμνονίδας ἀπερίτροπος
οὔθʼ ὁ παρὰ τὸν Ἀχέροντα θεὸς ἀνάσσων.

[¶22] Electra:
But the best part of life has passed away leaving me in hopelessness, and I have no strength left. I waste away without children and have no loving husband to champion me, but like some despised foreign slave,
I serve in the halls of my father, wrapped in shabby garments and standing to eat scanty meals.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἀλλʼ ἐμὲ μὲν ὁ πολὺς ἀπολέλοιπεν ἤδη
βίοτος ἀνέλπιστος, οὐδʼ ἔτʼ ἀρκῶ·
ἅτις ἄνευ τεκέων κατατάκομαι,
ἇς φίλος οὔτις ἀνὴρ ὑπερίσταται,
ἀλλʼ ἁπερεί τις ἔποικος ἀναξία
οἰκονομῶ θαλάμους πατρός, ὧδε μὲν
ἀεικεῖ σὺν στολᾷ,
κεναῖς δʼ ἀμφίσταμαι τραπέζαις.

[¶23] Chorus:
Mournful was the voice heard at his return, and mournful the voice amidst your father’s reclining banquet
when the straight, swift blow of the bronze-jawed axe was sped against him. Deceit was the plotter, Lust the slayer, two dread parents of a dreadful
phantom, whether it was god or mortal that did this deed.

> Greek: Χορός:
οἰκτρὰ μὲν νόστοις αὐδά,
οἰκτρὰ δʼ ἐν κοίταις πατρῴαις
ὅτε οἱ παγχάλκων ἀνταία
γενύων ὡρμάθη πλαγά.
δόλος ἦν ὁ φράσας, ἔρος ὁ κτείνας,
δεινὰν δεινῶς προφυτεύσαντες
μορφάν, εἴτʼ οὖν θεὸς εἴτε βροτῶν
ἦν ὁ ταῦτα πράσσων.

[¶24] Electra:
O that hated day, hated beyond all that have come to me; O that night, the terrible grief of that unutterable feast, the shameless death-strokes
my father saw from their twin hands, hands which took my life captive by treachery, which cast me to ruin! May the great god of Olympus
create for them sufferings in penalty, and may they never have enjoyment of their splendor since they have committed such crimes!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὦ πασᾶν κείνα πλέον ἁμέρα
ἐλθοῦσʼ ἐχθίστα δή μοι·
ὦ νύξ, ὦ δείπνων ἀρρήτων
ἔκπαγλʼ ἄχθη,
τοὺς ἐμὸς ἴδε πατὴρ
θανάτους αἰκεῖς διδύμαιν χειροῖν,
αἳ τὸν ἐμὸν εἷλον βίον πρόδοτον, αἵ μʼ ἀπώλεσαν·
οἷς θεὸς ὁ μέγας Ὀλύμπιος
ποίνιμα πάθεα παθεῖν πόροι,
μηδέ ποτʼ ἀγλαΐας ἀποναίατο
τοιάδʼ ἀνύσαντες ἔργα.

[¶25] Chorus:
Be advised to say no more; do you not see by what actions
under the present circumstances you plunge so shamefully into self-made miseries? You have far excelled in achieving misfortune, ever breeding wars in your hardhearted soul. But such strife
should not be pushed into a conflict with the powerful.

> Greek: Χορός:
φράζου μὴ πόρσω φωνεῖν.
οὐ γνώμαν ἴσχεις ἐξ οἵων
τὰ παρόντʼ οἰκείας εἰς ἄτας
ἐμπίπτεις οὕτως αἰκῶς;
πολὺ γάρ τι κακῶν ὑπερεκτήσω,
σᾷ δυσθύμῳ τίκτουσʼ ἀεὶ
ψυχᾷ πολέμους· τὰ δὲ τοῖς δυνατοῖς
οὐκ ἐριστὰ πλάθειν.

[¶26] Electra:
I have been forced to it, forced by a terrible compulsion. I know my own passion; it does not escape me; but, under such terrible compulsion, I will not restrain these disastrous cries of frenzy,
so long as life is in me. Who indeed, my noble friends, who that keeps what is appropriate in mind, would think any word of comfort right for my ears? Let me be, let me be, my comforters!
For these ills will be reckoned with those which have no cure; I will never know a respite from my pains, or the sum of this wailing.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
δεινοῖς ἠναγκάσθην, δεινοῖς·
ἔξοιδʼ, οὐ λάθει μʼ ὀργά.
ἀλλʼ ἐν γὰρ δεινοῖς οὐ σχήσω
ταύτας ἄτας,
ὄφρα με βίος ἔχῃ.
τίνι γάρ ποτʼ ἄν, ὦ φιλία γενέθλα,
πρόσφορον ἀκούσαιμʼ ἔπος, τίνι φρονοῦντι καίρια;
ἄνετέ μʼ ἄνετε, παράγοροι·
τάδε γὰρ ἄλυτα κεκλήσεται,
οὐδέ ποτʼ ἐκ καμάτων ἀποπαύσομαι
ἀνάριθμος ὧδε θρήνων.

[¶27] Chorus:
It is nevertheless with goodwill, like a true-hearted mother,
that I dissuade you from begetting misery upon miseries.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀλλʼ οὖν εὐνοίᾳ γʼ αὐδῶ,
μάτηρ ὡσεί τις πιστά,
μὴ τίκτειν σʼ ἄταν ἄταις.

[¶28] Electra:
But what limit has nature begot for my affliction? Tell me, how can it be right to neglect the dead? Has such a seed been sown in any mortal? May I never have such men’s esteem;
never, when I am close to prosperity, may I dwell in ease, hindering the wings of shrill lamentation so as to deprive my begetter of his honors! For if the dead is to lie a wretch, merely dust and nothingness,
while his slayers do not pay back to him blood for blood in penalty,
then shame and reverence will vanish from all humanity.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
καὶ τί μέτρον κακότατος ἔφυ; φέρε,
πῶς ἐπὶ τοῖς φθιμένοις ἀμελεῖν καλόν;
ἐν τίνι τοῦτʼ ἔβλαστʼ ἀνθρώπων;
μήτʼ εἴην ἔντιμος τούτοις
μήτʼ, εἴ τῳ πρόσκειμαι χρηστῷ,
ξυνναίοιμʼ εὔκηλος, γονέων
ἐκτίμους ἴσχουσα πτέρυγας
ὀξυτόνων γόων.
εἰ γὰρ ὁ μὲν θανὼν γᾶ τε καὶ οὐδὲν ὢν
κείσεται τάλας,
οἱ δὲ μὴ πάλιν
δώσουσʼ ἀντιφόνους δίκας,
ἔρροι τʼ ἂν αἰδὼς
ἁπάντων τʼ εὐσέβεια θνατῶν.

[¶29] Chorus:
I came, my child, mindful of your interests no less than my own. But if what I say is wrong, let your way prevail; for united we will follow you.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἐγὼ μέν, ὦ παῖ, καὶ τὸ σὸν σπεύδουσʼ ἅμα
καὶ τοὐμὸν αὐτῆς ἦλθον· εἰ δὲ μὴ καλῶς
λέγω, σὺ νίκα· σοὶ γὰρ ἑψόμεσθʼ ἅμα.

[¶30] Electra:
I am ashamed, my friends, if you judge me
too intolerant with my many laments; but, since rough compulsion forces me to act this way, forgive me. How indeed could any woman of noble nature not act, when she sees her father’s sufferings as I see them day and night continually,
and flourishing rather than fading? First, everything to do with the mother who bore me has become most hateful towards me; next, in my own home I live with my father’s murderers; they rule over me and from them
equally I either have or do without. And then think what manner of days I pass, when I see Aegisthus sitting on my father’s throne; when I look on him wearing the very robes which my father wore and
pouring libations at the hearth where he killed him; and when I see the chief outrage of them all, the murderer in my father’s bed at my wretched mother’s side, if I must call her mother, even though she shares her bed with that man.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
αἰσχύνομαι μέν, ὦ γυναῖκες, εἰ δοκῶ
πολλοῖσι θρήνοις δυσφορεῖν ὑμῖν ἄγαν.
ἀλλʼ ἡ βία γὰρ ταῦτʼ ἀναγκάζει με δρᾶν,
σύγγνωτε· πῶς γὰρ ἥτις εὐγενὴς γυνή,
πατρῷʼ ὁρῶσα πήματʼ, οὐ δρῴη τάδʼ ἄν;
ἁγὼ κατʼ ἦμαρ καὶ κατʼ εὐφρόνην ἀεὶ
θάλλοντα μᾶλλον ἢ καταφθίνονθʼ ὁρῶ·
ᾗ πρῶτα μὲν τὰ μητρός, ἥ μʼ ἐγείνατο,
ἔχθιστα συμβέβηκεν· εἶτα δώμασιν
ἐν τοῖς ἐμαυτῆς τοῖς φονεῦσι τοῦ πατρὸς
ξύνειμι, κἀκ τῶνδʼ ἄρχομαι κἀκ τῶνδέ μοι
λαβεῖν θʼ ὁμοίως καὶ τὸ τητᾶσθαι πέλει.
ἔπειτα ποίας ἡμέρας δοκεῖς μʼ ἄγειν,
ὅταν θρόνοις Αἴγισθον ἐνθακοῦντʼ ἴδω
τοῖσιν πατρῴοις, εἰσίδω δʼ ἐσθήματα
φοροῦντʼ ἐκείνῳ ταὐτὰ καὶ παρεστίους
σπένδοντα λοιβὰς ἔνθʼ ἐκεῖνον ὤλεσεν,
ἴδω δὲ τούτων τὴν τελευταίαν ὕβριν,
τὸν αὐτοέντην ἡμὶν ἐν κοίτῃ πατρὸς
ξὺν τῇ ταλαίνῃ μητρί, μητέρʼ εἰ χρεὼν
ταύτην προσαυδᾶν τῷδε συγκοιμωμένην·

[¶31] So hardened is she that she joins with this polluter, fearing no Erinys. No, as if laughing at her deeds, having found the day on which in the past she treacherously killed my father,
she celebrates it with dance and song, and in monthly rites she sacrifices sheep to the gods who worked her deliverance.

> Greek: ἡ δʼ ὧδε τλήμων ὥστε τῷ μιάστορι
ξύνεστʼ, ἐρινὺν οὔτινʼ ἐκφοβουμένη·
ἀλλʼ ὥσπερ ἐγγελῶσα τοῖς ποιουμένοις,
εὑροῦσʼ ἐκείνην ἡμέραν, ἐν ᾗ τότε
πατέρα τὸν ἀμὸν ἐκ δόλου κατέκτανεν,
ταύτῃ χοροὺς ἵστησι καὶ μηλοσφαγεῖ
θεοῖσιν ἔμμηνʼ ἱερὰ τοῖς σωτηρίοις.

[¶32] But I, as I joylessly witness it, cry out, waste away in the house and bewail the unholy feast named after my father,
in solitary weeping. For I cannot even grieve to the full extent which would please my heart, since this lady, who is in fact no lady, loudly reproaches me with such shameless taunts as these: “Wicked and hateful girl, have you alone lost your father, and is no one else in the world grieving? May your death be harsh, and may the gods below never free you from your current mourning.” Just so she abuses me, except when she gets word that Orestes is coming. Then, infuriated,
she comes up to me and cries;—“Have you not brought this upon me? Is this not your doing, since you stole Orestes from my hands and secretly sent him away? Yes—but rest assured that you will be justly punished.” Like this she barks, and in agreement
her glorious bridegroom by her side urges her on—that total impotent, that utter plague who fights his battles with the help of women. But my heart is broken by my suffering as I constantly wait for Orestes to come and end these troubles.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἐγὼ δʼ ὁρῶσʼ ἡ δύσμορος κατὰ στέγας
κλαίω, τέτηκα, κἀπικωκύω πατρὸς
τὴν δυστάλαιναν δαῖτʼ ἐπωνομασμένην
αὐτὴ πρὸς αὑτήν. οὐδὲ γὰρ κλαῦσαι πάρα
τοσόνδʼ ὅσον μοι θυμὸς ἡδονὴν φέρει.
αὕτη γὰρ ἡ λόγοισι γενναία γυνὴ
φωνοῦσα τοιάδʼ ἐξονειδίζει κακά·
ὦ δύσθεον μίσημα, σοὶ μόνῃ πατὴρ
τέθνηκεν; ἄλλος δʼ οὔτις ἐν πένθει βροτῶν;
κακῶς ὄλοιο, μηδέ σʼ ἐκ γόων ποτὲ
τῶν νῦν ἀπαλλάξειαν οἱ κάτω θεοί.
τάδʼ ἐξυβρίζει· πλὴν ὅταν κλύῃ τινὸς
ἥξοντʼ Ὀρέστην· τηνικαῦτα δʼ ἐμμανὴς
βοᾷ παραστᾶσʼ· οὐ σύ μοι τῶνδʼ αἰτία;
οὐ σὸν τόδʼ ἐστὶ τοὔργον, ἥτις ἐκ χερῶν
κλέψασʼ Ὀρέστην τῶν ἐμῶν ὑπεξέθου;
ἀλλʼ ἴσθι τοι τίσουσά γʼ ἀξίαν δίκην.
τοιαῦθʼ ὑλακτεῖ, σὺν δʼ ἐποτρύνει πέλας
ὁ κλεινὸς αὐτῇ ταὐτὰ νυμφίος παρών,
ὁ πάντʼ ἄναλκις οὗτος, ἡ πᾶσα βλάβη,
ὁ σὺν γυναιξὶ τὰς μάχας ποιούμενος.
ἐγὼ δʼ Ὀρέστην τῶνδε προσμένουσʼ ἀεὶ
παυστῆρʼ ἐφήξειν ἡ τάλαινʼ ἀπόλλυμαι.

[¶33] For the perpetual imminence of his actions has eradicated every hope that I could conceive. In such a state of affairs, then, friends, there is no room for self-restraint or for reverence. Rather, in these dire straits there is much need to pursue a dire course.

> Greek: μέλλων γὰρ ἀεὶ δρᾶν τι τὰς οὔσας τέ μου
καὶ τὰς ἀπούσας ἐλπίδας διέφθορεν.
ἐν οὖν τοιούτοις οὔτε σωφρονεῖν, φίλαι,
οὔτʼ εὐσεβεῖν πάρεστιν· ἀλλʼ ἔν τοι κακοῖς
πολλή ʼστʼ ἀνάγκη κἀπιτηδεύειν κακά.

[¶34] Chorus:
Tell me, is Aegisthus nearby as you speak these words to us, or has he left the house?

> Greek: Χορός:
φέρʼ εἰπέ, πότερον ὄντος Αἰγίσθου πέλας
λέγεις τάδʼ ἡμῖν ἢ βεβῶτος ἐκ δόμων;

[¶35] Electra:
He is gone, to be sure. Do not think that I would have come to the doors, if he were nearby. He happens now to be in the country.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἦ κάρτα· μὴ δόκει μʼ ἄν, εἴπερ ἦν πέλας,
θυραῖον οἰχνεῖν· νῦν δʼ ἀγροῖσι τυγχάνει.

[¶36] Chorus:
Might I converse with you
more boldly, if this is so?

> Greek: Χορός:
ἦ κἂν ἐγὼ θαρσοῦσα μᾶλλον ἐς λόγους
τοὺς σοὺς ἱκοίμην, εἴπερ ὧδε ταῦτʼ ἔχει;

[¶37] Electra:
He is not here, so question me. What is it you want?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὡς νῦν ἀπόντος ἱστόρει· τί σοι φίλον;

[¶38] Chorus:
I ask you, then, what report can you give of your brother? Will he come soon, or is he delaying? I wish to know.

> Greek: Χορός:
καὶ δή σʼ ἐρωτῶ· τοῦ κασιγνήτου τί φής,
ἥξοντος ἢ μέλλοντος; εἰδέναι θέλω.

[¶39] Electra:
He says he will come, but although he promises he never does what he says.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
φησίν γε· φάσκων δʼ οὐδὲν ὧν λέγει ποεῖ.

[¶40] Chorus:
True, a man will hesitate on the verge of a great undertaking.

> Greek: Χορός:
φιλεῖ γὰρ ὀκνεῖν πρᾶγμʼ ἀνὴρ πράσσων μέγα.

[¶41] Electra:
And yet I saved him with no hesitation.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
καὶ μὴν ἔγωγʼ ἔσωσʼ ἐκεῖνον οὐκ ὄκνῳ.

[¶42] Chorus:
Take heart: he is noble enough to stand by his friends.

> Greek: Χορός:
θάρσει· πέφυκεν ἐσθλός, ὥστʼ ἀρκεῖν φίλοις.

[¶43] Electra:
I believe it; otherwise I would not have remained alive so long.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
πέποιθʼ, ἐπεί τἂν οὐ μακρὰν ἔζων ἐγώ.

[¶44] Chorus:
Say no more now, since I see your sister
coming from the house, Chrysothemis, offspring of the same father and mother. In her hands are sepulchral offerings, such as are customary for those in the world below.
Enter Chrysothemis, from the house.

> Greek: Χορός:
μὴ νῦν ἔτʼ εἴπῃς μηδέν· ὡς δόμων ὁρῶ
τὴν σὴν ὅμαιμον ἐκ πατρὸς ταὐτοῦ φύσιν,
Χρυσόθεμιν, ἔκ τε μητρός, ἐντάφια χεροῖν
φέρουσαν, οἷα τοῖς κάτω νομίζεται.

[¶45] Chrysothemis:
What is this speech of yours, sister, which you have come forth yet again to speak at the public doors?
Will you not learn with any lapse of time to end your vain indulgence in futile anger? Yet this much I know—that I myself am saddened by our present circumstances; indeed so much so that, could I find the strength, I would bare my feelings towards them.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
τίνʼ αὖ σὺ τήνδε πρὸς θυρῶνος ἐξόδοις
ἐλθοῦσα φωνεῖς, ὦ κασιγνήτη, φάτιν,
κοὐδʼ ἐν χρόνῳ μακρῷ διδαχθῆναι θέλεις
θυμῷ ματαίῳ μὴ χαρίζεσθαι κενά;
καίτοι τοσοῦτόν γʼ οἶδα κἀμαυτήν, ὅτι
ἀλγῶ ʼπὶ τοῖς παροῦσιν· ὥστʼ ἄν, εἰ σθένος
λάβοιμι, δηλώσαιμʼ ἂν οἷʼ αὐτοῖς φρονῶ.

[¶46] But now, in these evil times I think it best to navigate with shortened sail so that I may not seem to be on the attack, when I am unable to cause harm. I wish that your own conduct were the same! Nevertheless, right is on the side which you favor, not on that which I advise. But if I am to live the life of the freeborn,
those in power must be obeyed in all things.

> Greek: νῦν δʼ ἐν κακοῖς μοι πλεῖν ὑφειμένῃ δοκεῖ,
καὶ μὴ δοκεῖν μὲν δρᾶν τι, πημαίνειν δὲ μή·
τοιαῦτα δʼ ἄλλα καὶ σὲ βούλομαι ποεῖν.
καίτοι τὸ μὲν δίκαιον οὐχ ᾗ ʼγὼ λέγω,
ἀλλʼ ᾗ σὺ κρίνεις· εἰ δʼ ἐλευθέραν με δεῖ
ζῆν, τῶν κρατούντων ἐστὶ πάντʼ ἀκουστέα.

[¶47] Electra:
It is strange, indeed, that you, the daughter of our father from whom you grew, should forget him and instead show concern for your mother! All your admonitions to me have been taught by her; you speak no word of your own.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
δεινόν γέ σʼ οὖσαν πατρὸς οὗ σὺ παῖς ἔφυς,
κείνου λελῆσθαι, τῆς δὲ τικτούσης μέλειν.
ἅπαντα γάρ σοι τἀμὰ νουθετήματα
κείνης διδακτά, κοὐδὲν ἐκ σαυτῆς λέγεις.

[¶48] So now take your choice: be imprudent, or be prudent, but forgetful of your friends. You have just said that if could you find the strength, you would show your hatred of them; yet, when I am doing my utmost to avenge our father,
you do not work with me, but seek to deflect your sister from her deed. Does this not add cowardice to our miseries? Therefore instruct me, or rather learn from me what gain there might be for me if I ended my lamentation. Am I not now alive? Miserably so, I know, but well enough for me.

> Greek: ἔπειθʼ ἑλοῦ γε θάτερʼ, ἢ φρονεῖν κακῶς
ἢ τῶν φίλων φρονοῦσα μὴ μνήμην ἔχειν·
ἥτις λέγεις μὲν ἀρτίως ὡς, εἰ λάβοις
σθένος, τὸ τούτων μῖσος ἐκδείξειας ἄν,
ἐμοῦ δὲ πατρὶ πάντα τιμωρουμένης
οὔτε ξυνέρδεις τήν τε δρῶσαν ἐκτρέπεις.
οὐ ταῦτα πρὸς κακοῖσι δειλίαν ἔχει;
ἐπεὶ δίδαξον, ἢ μάθʼ ἐξ ἐμοῦ, τί μοι
κέρδος γένοιτʼ ἂν τῶνδε ληξάσῃ γόων.
οὐ ζῶ; κακῶς μέν, οἶδʼ, ἐπαρκούντως δʼ ἐμοί.

[¶49] And I hurt them, and thereby affix an honorable tribute to the dead, in case those in that world can enjoy it and feel gratitude. But you, who tell me of your hatred, hate in word alone, while by your behavior you unite with the murderers of our father. I, however, would never yield to them, not even if
one of them were to bring to me the gifts in which you now glory. Let yours be the richly-spread table and superabundant lifestyle. As for me, let my sustenance be only that I do not wound my own conscience—I do not covet such privilege as yours and
neither would you, if you had self-control. But now, when you could be called the child of the noblest father among men, be called instead your mother’s daughter, for in this way your corruptness will be evident to the greatest number as you betray your dead father and your true friends.

> Greek: λυπῶ δὲ τούτους, ὥστε τῷ τεθνηκότι
τιμὰς προσάπτειν, εἴ τις ἔστʼ ἐκεῖ χάρις.
σὺ δʼ ἡμὶν ἡ μισοῦσα μισεῖς μὲν λόγῳ,
ἔργῳ δὲ τοῖς φονεῦσι τοῦ πατρὸς ξύνει.
ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν οὐκ ἄν ποτʼ, οὐδʼ εἴ μοι τὰ σὰ
μέλλοι τις οἴσειν δῶρʼ, ἐφʼ οἷσι νῦν χλιδᾷς,
τούτοις ὑπεικάθοιμι· σοὶ δὲ πλουσία
τράπεζα κείσθω καὶ περιρρείτω βίος.
ἐμοὶ γὰρ ἔστω τοὐμὲ μὴ λυπεῖν μόνον
βόσκημα· τῆς σῆς δʼ οὐκ ἐρῶ τιμῆς τυχεῖν,
οὐδʼ ἂν σύ, σώφρων γʼ οὖσα. νῦν δʼ ἐξὸν πατρὸς
πάντων ἀρίστου παῖδα κεκλῆσθαι, καλοῦ
τῆς μητρός· οὕτω γὰρ φανεῖ πλείστοις κακή,
θανόντα πατέρα καὶ φίλους προδοῦσα σούς.

[¶50] Chorus:
Away with anger, for the gods’ sake! There is
advantage for both of you in what is urged, if you, Electra, would learn to implement her advice, and she, again, yours.

> Greek: Χορός:
μηδὲν πρὸς ὀργήν, πρὸς θεῶν· ὡς τοῖς λόγοις
ἔνεστιν ἀμφοῖν κέρδος, εἰ σὺ μὲν μάθοις
τοῖς τῆσδε χρῆσθαι, τοῖς δὲ σοῖς αὕτη πάλιν.

[¶51] Chrysothemis:
For my part, friends, I am not at all unaccustomed to her insults, nor would I have mentioned this, if I had not heard that the greatest disaster is now rushing down on her,
one which will restrain her from her long mourning.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
ἐγὼ μέν, ὦ γυναῖκες, ἠθάς εἰμί πως
τῶν τῆσδε μύθων· οὐδʼ ἂν ἐμνήσθην ποτέ,
εἰ μὴ κακὸν μέγιστον εἰς αὐτὴν ἰὸν
ἤκουσʼ, ὃ ταύτην τῶν μακρῶν σχήσει γόων.

[¶52] Electra:
Come then, name this terror! If you can tell me of anything worse than my present condition, I would resist no more.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
φέρʼ εἰπὲ δὴ τὸ δεινόν· εἰ γὰρ τῶνδέ μοι
μεῖζόν τι λέξεις, οὐκ ἂν ἀντείποιμʼ ἔτι.

[¶53] Chrysothemis:
I will tell you all that I know. If you will not cease from your mourning, they intend
to send you where you will never look upon the sun’s brilliance, but passing your life in a covered chamber beyond this land’s borders you will make hymns of your calamity. Think on this, and do not blame me later, when you suffer. Now is the time to think wisely.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
ἀλλʼ ἐξερῶ σοι πᾶν ὅσον κάτοιδʼ ἐγώ.
μέλλουσι γάρ σʼ, εἰ τῶνδε μὴ λήξεις γόων,
ἐνταῦθα πέμψειν ἔνθα μή ποθʼ ἡλίου
φέγγος προσόψει, ζῶσα δʼ ἐν κατηρεφεῖ
στέγῃ χθονὸς τῆσδʼ ἐκτὸς ὑμνήσεις κακά.
πρὸς ταῦτα φράζου καί με μή ποθʼ ὕστερον
παθοῦσα μέμψῃ· νῦν γὰρ ἐν καλῷ φρονεῖν.

[¶54] Electra:
Have they in fact decided to do this to me?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἦ ταῦτα δή με καὶ βεβούλευνται ποεῖν;

[¶55] Chrysothemis:
They certainly have, as soon as Aegisthus comes home.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
μάλισθʼ· ὅταν περ οἴκαδʼ Αἴγισθος μόλῃ.

[¶56] Electra:
Then for this, may he arrive quickly!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἀλλʼ ἐξίκοιτο τοῦδέ γʼ οὕνεκʼ ἐν τάχει.

[¶57] Chrysothemis:
Troubled girl, what curse are you laying on yourself?

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
τίνʼ, ὦ τάλαινα, τόνδʼ ἐπηράσω λόγον;

[¶58] Electra:
That he may come, if he plans to do any of what you said.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἐλθεῖν ἐκεῖνον, εἴ τι τῶνδε δρᾶν νοεῖ.

[¶59] Chrysothemis:
So that you may suffer? In what way? Where are your wits?

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
ὅπως πάθῃς τί χρῆμα; ποῦ ποτʼ εἶ φρενῶν;

[¶60] Electra:
So that I may fly as far as possible from you all.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὅπως ἀφʼ ὑμῶν ὡς προσωτάτω φύγω.

[¶61] Chrysothemis:
Have you no care for the life you lead now?

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
βίου δὲ τοῦ παρόντος οὐ μνείαν ἔχεις;

[¶62] Electra:
oh, yes, my life is so wondrously fine.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
καλὸς γὰρ οὑμὸς βίοτος ὥστε θαυμάσαι.

[¶63] Chrysothemis:
It would be, if only you learned good sense.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
ἀλλʼ ἦν ἄν, εἰ σύ γʼ εὖ φρονεῖν ἠπίστασο.

[¶64] Electra:
Do not teach me to betray my friends.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
μή μʼ ἐκδίδασκε τοῖς φίλοις εἶναι κακήν.

[¶65] Chrysothemis:
I do not, but to bend before the strong.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
ἀλλʼ οὐ διδάσκω· τοῖς κρατοῦσι δʼ εἰκαθεῖν.

[¶66] Electra:
Keep your flattery to yourself; it is not in my character.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
σὺ ταῦτα θώπευʼ· οὐκ ἐμοὺς τρόπους λέγεις.

[¶67] Chrysothemis:
Regardless, it brings no honor to fall through senselessness.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
καλόν γε μέντοι μὴ ʼξ ἀβουλίας πεσεῖν.

[¶68] Electra:
I will fall, if need be, while honoring my father.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
πεσούμεθʼ, εἰ χρή, πατρὶ τιμωρούμενοι.

[¶69] Chrysothemis:
But our father, I know, pardons me for this.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
πατὴρ δὲ τούτων, οἶδα, συγγνώμην ἔχει.

[¶70] Electra:
It is for cowards to commend such sentiments.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ταῦτʼ ἐστὶ τἄπη πρὸς κακῶν ἐπαινέσαι.

[¶71] Chrysothemis:
So you will not be persuaded to agree with me?

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
σὺ δʼ οὐχὶ πείσει καὶ συναινέσεις ἐμοί;

[¶72] Electra:
No, indeed; may I not yet be so devoid of intelligence.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οὐ δῆτα· μή πω νοῦ τοσόνδʼ εἴην κενή.

[¶73] Chrysothemis:
Then I will move on to where I was sent.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
χωρήσομαί τἄρʼ οἷπερ ἐστάλην ὁδοῦ.

[¶74] Electra:
And where is it that you go? For whom do you take these offerings to be burned?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ποῖ δʼ ἐμπορεύει; τῷ φέρεις τάδʼ ἔμπυρα;

[¶75] Chrysothemis:
Mother sends me with funeral libations for our father.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
μήτηρ με πέμπει πατρὶ τυμβεῦσαι χοάς.

[¶76] Electra:
What are you saying? For her deadliest enemy?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
πῶς εἶπας; ἦ τῷ δυσμενεστάτῳ βροτῶν;

[¶77] Chrysothemis:
“Whom she herself killed,” no doubt you wanted to say this as well.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
ὃν ἔκτανʼ αὐτή· τοῦτο γὰρ λέξαι θέλεις.

[¶78] Electra:
What friend persuaded her? Whose idea was it?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἐκ τοῦ φίλων πεισθεῖσα; τῷ τοῦτʼ ἤρεσεν;

[¶79] Chrysothemis:
The cause, I think, was fear induced by some vision in the night.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
ἐκ δείματός του νυκτέρου, δοκεῖν ἐμοί;

[¶80] Electra:
My father’s Gods! Stand with me now at last!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὦ θεοὶ πατρῷοι, συγγένεσθέ γʼ ἀλλὰ νῦν.

[¶81] Chrysothemis:
Do you find something heartening in this terror?

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
ἔχεις τι θάρσος τοῦδε τοῦ τάρβους πέρι;

[¶82] Electra:
If you would tell me the vision, then I could answer.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
εἴ μοι λέγοις τὴν ὄψιν, εἴποιμʼ ἂν τότε.

[¶83] Chrysothemis:
I know no more than a small part of the story.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
ἀλλʼ οὐ κάτοιδα πλὴν ἐπὶ σμικρὸν φράσαι.

[¶84] Electra:
Tell me that, anyway; a small tale has often before now tripped men up, or set them upright.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
λέγʼ ἀλλὰ τοῦτο· πολλά τοι σμικροὶ λόγοι
ἔσφηλαν ἤδη καὶ κατώρθωσαν βροτούς.

[¶85] Chrysothemis:
It is said that she saw the father of you and of me restored to the sunlight and to her company once more. Then he took the scepter—
once his own, but now carried by Aegisthus—and planted it at the hearth. From it branched upward a flourishing limb, by which the whole land of the Mycenaeans was overshadowed. Such was the tale that I heard told by one who was present
when she revealed her dream to the Sun-god. More than this I do not know, except that she sent me by reason of this fear of hers. Now, I beg you by our ancestral gods, obey me, and do not fall in your senselessness!

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
λόγος τις αὐτήν ἐστιν εἰσιδεῖν πατρὸς
τοῦ σοῦ τε κἀμοῦ δευτέραν ὁμιλίαν
ἐλθόντος ἐς φῶς· εἶτα τόνδʼ ἐφέστιον
πῆξαι λαβόντα σκῆπτρον οὑφόρει ποτὲ
αὐτός, τανῦν δʼ Αἴγισθος· ἐκ δὲ τοῦδʼ ἄνω
βλαστεῖν βρύοντα θαλλόν, ᾧ κατάσκιον
πᾶσαν γενέσθαι τὴν Μυκηναίων χθόνα.
τοιαῦτά του παρόντος, ἡνίχʼ Ἡλίῳ
δείκνυσι τοὔναρ, ἔκλυον ἐξηγουμένου.
πλείω δὲ τούτων οὐ κάτοιδα, πλὴν ὅτι
πέμπει με κείνη τοῦδε τοῦ φόβου χάριν.
πρός νυν θεῶν σε λίσσομαι τῶν ἐγγενῶν
ἐμοὶ πιθέσθαι μηδʼ ἀβουλίᾳ πεσεῖν·

[¶86] If you reject me now, it is in misery that you will next seek me out.

> Greek: εἰ γάρ μʼ ἀπώσει, σὺν κακῷ μέτει πάλιν.

[¶87] Electra:
Dear sister, let none of these offerings in your hands touch the tomb. For neither divine law nor piety allows you to dedicate funeral gifts or bring libations to our father from his hateful wife.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἀλλʼ, ὦ φίλη, τούτων μὲν ὧν ἔχεις χεροῖν
τύμβῳ προσάψῃς μηδέν· οὐ γάρ σοι θέμις
οὐδʼ ὅσιον ἐχθρᾶς ἀπὸ γυναικὸς ἱστάναι
κτερίσματʼ οὐδὲ λουτρὰ προσφέρειν πατρί·

[¶88] No! To the winds with them! Or cover them in a deep, dusty hole, where not one of them will ever come near our father’s resting place. Rather let these treasures be preserved for her below when she dies. Were she not by nature the most audacious
of all women, she would never at all have tried to pour these ill-willed offerings to the man she killed. Consider whether you believe that the dead in his tomb will welcome this tribute with affection towards her, by whose hand he died dishonored and was mutilated
like an enemy? She, who, as if to wash herself clean, wiped off the bloodstains on his head? Surely you do not believe that your bringing these things will absolve her of the murder? It is not possible. No, be rid of them. Give him instead a lock of your hair’s ends, cut from your own head,
and from wretched me, too, give these gifts, poor as they are, though all I have. Take this hair, not glossy with unguents, and this girdle, decked with no rich ornament. Then fall down and pray that he himself may come in kindness to us from the world below, a helper against our enemies;
and that young Orestes may live to set his foot upon our enemies in superior might, so that hereafter we may crown our father’s tomb with wealthier hands than those with which we honor him now.I think, yes, I think that he too had some part
in sending her these appalling dreams. Still, sister, do yourself this service and help me, and him, too, that most beloved of all men, who rests in Hades’ domain, our shared father.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ ἢ πνοαῖσιν ἢ βαθυσκαφεῖ κόνει
κρύψον νιν, ἔνθα μή ποτʼ εἰς εὐνὴν πατρὸς
τούτων πρόσεισι μηδέν· ἀλλʼ ὅταν θάνῃ
κειμήλιʼ αὐτῇ ταῦτα σῳζέσθω κάτω.
ἀρχὴν δʼ ἄν, εἰ μὴ τλημονεστάτη γυνὴ
πασῶν ἔβλαστε, τάσδε δυσμενεῖς χοὰς
οὐκ ἄν ποθʼ ὅν γʼ ἔκτεινε, τῷδʼ ἐπέστεφε.
σκέψαι γὰρ εἴ σοι προσφιλῶς αὐτῇ δοκεῖ
γέρα τάδʼ οὑν τάφοισι δέξεσθαι νέκυς,
ὑφʼ ἧς θανὼν ἄτιμος, ὥστε δυσμενής,
ἐμασχαλίσθη, κἀπὶ λουτροῖσιν κάρᾳ
κηλῖδας ἐξέμαξεν. ἆρα μὴ δοκεῖς
λυτήριʼ αὐτῇ ταῦτα τοῦ φόνου φέρειν;
οὐχ ἔστιν. ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν μέθες· σὺ δὲ
τεμοῦσα κρατὸς βοστρύχων ἄκρας φόβας
κἀμοῦ ταλαίνης, σμικρὰ μὲν τάδʼ, ἀλλʼ ὅμως
ἅχω, δὸς αὐτῷ, τήνδʼ ἀλιπαρῆ τρίχα
καὶ ζῶμα τοὐμὸν οὐ χλιδαῖς ἠσκημένον.
αἰτοῦ δὲ προσπίτνουσα γῆθεν εὐμενῆ
ἡμῖν ἀρωγὸν αὐτὸν εἰς ἐχθροὺς μολεῖν,
καὶ παῖδʼ Ὀρέστην ἐξ ὑπερτέρας χερὸς
ἐχθροῖσιν αὐτοῦ ζῶντʼ ἐπεμβῆναι ποδί,
ὅπως τὸ λοιπὸν αὐτὸν ἀφνεωτέραις
χερσὶν στέφωμεν ἢ τανῦν δωρούμεθα.
οἶμαι μὲν οὖν, οἶμαί τι κἀκείνῳ μέλον
πέμψαι τάδʼ αὐτῇ δυσπρόσοπτʼ ὀνείρατα·
ὅμως δʼ, ἀδελφή, σοί θʼ ὑπούργησον τάδε
ἐμοί τʼ ἀρωγὰ τῷ τε φιλτάτῳ βροτῶν
πάντων, ἐν Ἅιδου κειμένῳ κοινῷ πατρί.

[¶89] Chorus:
The girl’s advice is pious; you,
dear friend, will do what she says, if you are wise.

> Greek: Χορός:
πρὸς εὐσέβειαν ἡ κόρη λέγει· σὺ δέ,
εἰ σωφρονήσεις, ὦ φίλη, δράσεις τάδε.

[¶90] Chrysothemis:
I will. In regard to a just deed, it is unreasonable for two people to argue, but reasonable to jump to action. But, by the gods, my friends, when I attempt this task, let me have your silence,
since if my mother hears of it, I believe that this attempt which I will dare shall in the end cause me bitterness. Exit Chrysothemis on the spectators’ right.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
δράσω· τὸ γὰρ δίκαιον οὐχ ἔχει λόγον
δυοῖν ἐρίζειν, ἀλλʼ ἐπισπεύδειν τὸ δρᾶν.
πειρωμένῃ δὲ τῶνδε τῶν ἔργων ἐμοὶ
σιγὴ παρʼ ὑμῶν, πρὸς θεῶν, ἔστω, φίλαι·
ὡς εἰ τάδʼ ἡ τεκοῦσα πεύσεται, πικρὰν
δοκῶ με πεῖραν τήνδε τολμήσειν ἔτι.

[¶91] Chorus:
If I am not a deranged prophet and one who lacks wise judgments,
Justice, the sender of the omen, will come, winning the just victory of her hands’ might. She will come in pursuit before long, my child. Courage is mine,
since I heard just now of this sweet-blowing dream. Never does the lord of the Hellenes, your producer forget,
nor does the axe of long ago forget, striking with bronze on its jaws, which in most shameless disgrace annihilated him.

> Greek: Χορός:
εἰ μὴ ʼγὼ παράφρων μάντις ἔφυν καὶ γνώμας
λειπομένα σοφᾶς,
εἶσιν ἁ πρόμαντις
Δίκα δίκαια φερομένα χεροῖν κράτη·
μέτεισιν, ὦ τέκνον, οὐ μακροῦ χρόνου.
ὕπεστί μοι θάρσος,
ἁδυπνόων κλύουσαν
ἀρτίως ὀνειράτων.
οὐ γάρ ποτʼ ἀμναστεῖ γʼ ὁ φύσας σʼ Ἑλλάνων ἄναξ,
οὐδʼ ἁ παλαιὰ χαλκόπλακτος ἀμφάκης γένυς,
ἅ νιν κατέπεφνεν αἰσχίσταις ἐν αἰκίαις.

[¶92] Chorus:
She, too, will come, she of many hands and many feet who lurks in her terrible ambush,
the bronze-shod Erinys. For an unwed, unbetrothed passion for a marriage polluted by murder seized the pair, though divine law forbade it to them.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἥξει καὶ πολύπους καὶ πολύχειρ ἁ δεινοῖς
κρυπτομένα λόχοις
χαλκόπους Ἐρινύς.
ἄλεκτρʼ ἄνυμφα γὰρ ἐπέβα μιαιφόνων
γάμων ἁμιλλήμαθʼ οἷσιν οὐ θέμις.

[¶93] Therefore I am confident that the portent—a wonder which I will never blame—will draw near to the criminals and conspirators. To be sure, mortal prophecy
from fearful dreams or divine signs exists no more, if this vision of the night does not find due fulfillment.
Chorus:
O chariot-race of Pelops long ago, source of many a sorrow,
what disaster you have brought upon this land! For ever since Myrtilus sank to rest beneath the waves,
hurled to utter destruction from his golden chariot in disgraceful outrage, from that time to this, outrage and its many sorrows
were never yet gone from this house.
Enter Clytaemnestra, with attendants, from the house.

> Greek: πρὸ τῶνδέ τοί μʼ ἔχει
μή ποτε μή ποθʼ ἡμῖν
ἀψεγὲς πελᾶν τέρας
τοῖς δρῶσι καὶ συνδρῶσιν. ἤ τοι μαντεῖαι βροτῶν
οὐκ εἰσὶν ἐν δεινοῖς ὀνείροις οὐδʼ ἐν θεσφάτοις,
εἰ μὴ τόδε φάσμα νυκτὸς εὖ κατασχήσει.
Χορός:
ὦ Πέλοπος ἁ πρόσθεν
πολύπονος ἱππεία,
ὡς ἔμολες αἰανὴς
τᾷδε γᾷ.
εὖτε γὰρ ὁ ποντισθεὶς
Μυρτίλος ἐκοιμάθη,
παγχρύσων δίφρων
δυστάνοις αἰκίαις
πρόρριζος ἐκριφθείς,
οὔ τί πω
ἔλειπεν ἐκ τοῦδʼ οἴκου
πολύπονος αἰκία.

[¶94] Clytaemnestra:
You run loose again, it seems, since Aegisthus is not here, who used always to keep you at least from coming out to the gates and shaming your family. But now, since he is absent, you pay
me no mind. And yet you have said of me often and to many listeners that I am a rash and unjust tyrant, who violently abuse you and yours. But it is not I who do violence; I only return the insults that I so often hear from you.

> Greek: Κλυταιμνήστρα:
ἀνειμένη μέν, ὡς ἔοικας, αὖ στρέφει·
οὐ γὰρ πάρεστʼ Αἴγισθος, ὅς σʼ ἐπεῖχʼ ἀεὶ
μή τοι θυραίαν γʼ οὖσαν αἰσχύνειν φίλους·
νῦν δʼ ὡς ἄπεστʼ ἐκεῖνος, οὐδὲν ἐντρέπει
ἐμοῦ γε· καίτοι πολλὰ πρὸς πολλούς με δὴ
ἐξεῖπας ὡς θρασεῖα καὶ πέρα δίκης
ἄρχω, καθυβρίζουσα καὶ σὲ καὶ τὰ σά·
ἐγὼ δʼ ὕβριν μὲν οὐκ ἔχω, κακῶς δέ σε
λέγω κακῶς κλύουσα πρὸς σέθεν θαμά.

[¶95] Your father—this and nothing else is your constant pretext—was slain by me. Yes, by me. I know it well. I make no denial. Justice took hold of him, not I alone—Justice, whom you ought to have supported, if you had been in your right mind.

> Greek: πατὴρ γάρ, οὐδὲν ἄλλο, σοὶ πρόσχημʼ ἀεὶ
ὡς ἐξ ἐμοῦ τέθνηκεν. ἐξ ἐμοῦ· καλῶς
ἔξοιδα· τῶνδʼ ἄρνησις οὐκ ἔνεστί μοι·
ἡ γὰρ Δίκη νιν εἷλεν, οὐκ ἐγὼ μόνη,
ᾗ χρῆν σʼ ἀρήγειν, εἰ φρονοῦσʼ ἐτύγχανες·

[¶96] For this father of yours whom you constantly bewail alone of all the Greeks had the heart to sacrifice your own blood, your sister, to the gods—he, who, when sowing his seed, felt none of the pains I did when I gave birth. Come, tell me now, why, or to please whom,
did he sacrifice her? To please the Argives, you will say? No, they had no right to kill my daughter. Or, if indeed it was for the sake of his brother Menelaus that he killed my child, was he not to pay me the penalty for that? Did Menelaus not have two children,
who should in fairness have died instead of my daughter, since the father and mother from whom they were sprung had caused that voyage? Did Hades have some greater desire to feast on my offspring than on hers? Or had all love of the children of my womb been
abandoned by their accursed father, while love for the children of Menelaus filled him? Were these not the marks of a thoughtless and malicious parent? I think so, even if I differ from your judgment. So, too, would the dead girl speak, if she could find a voice. For myself, then, I view the past without
dismay; but if you think my attitude criminal, see that your own judgment is just before you blame your neighbor.

> Greek: ἐπεὶ πατὴρ σὸς οὗτος, ὃν θρηνεῖς ἀεί,
τὴν σὴν ὅμαιμον μοῦνος Ἑλλήνων ἔτλη
θῦσαι θεοῖσιν, οὐκ ἴσον καμὼν ἐμοὶ
λύπης, ὅς ἔσπειρʼ, ὥσπερ ἡ τίκτουσʼ ἐγώ.
εἶεν, δίδαξον δή με τοῦ χάριν, τίνων
ἔθυσεν αὐτήν· πότερον Ἀργείων ἐρεῖς;
ἀλλʼ οὐ μετῆν αὐτοῖσι τήν γʼ ἐμὴν κτανεῖν.
ἀλλʼ ἀντʼ ἀδελφοῦ δῆτα Μενέλεω κτανὼν
τἄμʼ, οὐκ ἔμελλε τῶνδέ μοι δώσειν δίκην;
πότερον ἐκείνῳ παῖδες οὐκ ἦσαν διπλοῖ,
οὓς τῆσδε μᾶλλον εἰκὸς ἦν θνῄσκειν, πατρὸς
καὶ μητρὸς ὄντας, ἧς ὁ πλοῦς ὅδʼ ἦν χάριν;
ἢ τῶν ἐμῶν Ἅιδης τινʼ ἵμερον τέκνων
ἢ τῶν ἐκείνης ἔσχε δαίσασθαι πλέον;
ἢ τῷ πανώλει πατρὶ τῶν μὲν ἐξ ἐμοῦ
παίδων πόθος παρεῖτο, Μενέλεω δʼ ἐνῆν;
οὐ ταῦτʼ ἀβούλου καὶ κακοῦ γνώμην πατρός;
δοκῶ μέν, εἰ καὶ σῆς δίχα γνώμης λέγω·
φαίη δʼ ἂν ἡ θανοῦσά γʼ, εἰ φωνὴν λάβοι.
ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν οὐκ εἰμὶ τοῖς πεπραγμένοις
δύσθυμος· εἰ δὲ σοὶ δοκῶ φρονεῖν κακῶς,
γνώμην δικαίαν σχοῦσα τοὺς πέλας ψέγε.

## 2. Lines 552–1028

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

[¶0] Electra:
This time, at least, you cannot say that I first gave you cause for upset and thereby provoked such words from you. But, if you will permit me,
I would gladly declare the truth, on behalf of my dead father and my sister alike.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἐρεῖς μὲν οὐχὶ νῦν γέ μʼ ὡς ἄρξασά τι
λυπηρὸν εἶτα σοῦ τάδʼ ἐξήκουσʼ ὕπο·
ἀλλʼ ἢν ἐφῇς μοι, τοῦ τεθνηκότος θʼ ὕπερ
λέξαιμʼ ἂν ὀρθῶς τῆς κασιγνήτης θʼ ὁμοῦ.

[¶1] Clytaemnestra:
Certainly I permit you; and if you always addressed me in such a tone, you would not be difficult to listen to.

> Greek: Κλυταιμνήστρα:
καὶ μὴν ἐφίημʼ· εἰ δέ μʼ ὧδʼ ἀεὶ λόγους
ἐξῆρχες, οὐκ ἂν ἦσθα λυπηρὰ κλύειν.

[¶2] Electra:
Then I will speak. You admit that you killed my father. What statement could be more shameful still than that,
whether you did it justly or not? But I will demonstrate to you that you did not justly kill him. No, the persuasion of that wicked man with whom you now sleep dragged you to it. Ask the huntress Artemis what wrong she punished when she stayed the frequent winds at Aulis;

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
καὶ δὴ λέγω σοι. πατέρα φὴς κτεῖναι. τίς ἂν
τούτου λόγος γένοιτʼ ἂν αἰσχίων ἔτι,
εἴτʼ οὖν δικαίως εἴτε μή; λέξω δέ σοι
ὡς οὐ δίκῃ γʼ ἔκτεινας, ἀλλά σʼ ἔσπασεν
πειθὼ κακοῦ πρὸς ἀνδρός, ᾧ τανῦν ξύνει.
ἐροῦ δὲ τὴν κυναγὸν Ἄρτεμιν, τίνος
ποινὰς τὰ πολλὰ πνεύματʼ ἔσχʼ ἐν Αὐλίδι·

[¶3] or I will tell you, since we may not learn from her. My father, as I have heard, was once hunting in the grove of the goddess, when his footfall flushed a dappled and antlered stag; he shot it, and chanced to make a certain boast concerning its slaughter.

> Greek: ἢ ʼγὼ φράσω· κείνης γὰρ οὐ θέμις μαθεῖν.
πατήρ ποθʼ οὑμός, ὡς ἐγὼ κλύω, θεᾶς
παίζων κατʼ ἄλσος ἐξεκίνησεν ποδοῖν
στικτὸν κεράστην ἔλαφον, οὗ κατὰ σφαγὰς
ἐκκομπάσας ἔπος τι τυγχάνει βαλών.

[¶4] Angered by this, Leto’s daughter detained the Greeks so that in requital for the beast’s life my father should sacrifice his own daughter. So it was that she was sacrificed, since the fleet had no other release, neither homeward nor to Troy.

> Greek: κἀκ τοῦδε μηνίσασα Λητῴα κόρη
κατεῖχʼ Ἀχαιούς, ὡς πατὴρ ἀντίσταθμον
τοῦ θηρὸς ἐκθύσειε τὴν αὑτοῦ κόρην.
ὧδʼ ἦν τὰ κείνης θύματʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἦν λύσις
ἄλλη στρατῷ πρὸς οἶκον οὐδʼ εἰς Ἴλιον.

[¶5] For that reason, under fierce constraint and with much resistance, at last he sacrificed her—but it was not for the sake of Menelaus. But suppose—for I will make your own plea—suppose that the motive of his deed was to benefit his brother. Should you have killed him because of that? Under what sort of law?

> Greek: ἀνθʼ ὧν, βιασθεὶς πολλὰ κἀντιβάς, μόλις
ἔθυσεν αὐτήν, οὐχὶ Μενέλεω χάριν.
εἰ δʼ οὖν, ἐρῶ γὰρ καὶ τὸ σόν, κεῖνον θέλων
ἐπωφελῆσαι ταῦτʼ ἔδρα, τούτου θανεῖν
χρῆν αὐτὸν οὕνεκʼ ἐκ σέθεν; ποίῳ νόμῳ;

[¶6] See that by laying down such a law for men, you do not lay down trouble and remorse for yourself. For, if we are to take blood for blood, you surely would be the first to die, if you were to meet with justice. But consider whether this pretext is any excuse at all.

> Greek: ὅρα τιθεῖσα τόνδε τὸν νόμον βροτοῖς
μὴ πῆμα σαυτῇ καὶ μετάγνοιαν τιθῇς.
εἰ γὰρ κτενοῦμεν ἄλλον ἀντʼ ἄλλου, σύ τοι
πρώτη θάνοις ἄν, εἰ δίκης γε τυγχάνοις.
ἀλλʼ εἰσόρα μὴ σκῆψιν οὐκ οὖσαν τίθης.

[¶7] For tell me, if you please, what crime it is that you requite by doing the most shameless deeds of all: sharing your bed with that blood-guilty one, with whom you first destroyed my father and now bear his children
while you have cast out the earlier born, the pious offspring of a pious marriage? How can I commend these deeds? Or will you claim that this, too, is recompense for your daughter? No, it is a shameful plea, if you so plead, for there is nothing noble in marrying an enemy for a daughter’s sake.

> Greek: εἰ γὰρ θέλεις, δίδαξον ἀνθʼ ὅτου τανῦν
αἴσχιστα πάντων ἔργα δρῶσα τυγχάνεις,
ἥτις ξυνεύδεις τῷ παλαμναίῳ, μεθʼ οὗ
πατέρα τὸν ἀμὸν πρόσθεν ἐξαπώλεσας,
καὶ παιδοποιεῖς, τοὺς δὲ πρόσθεν εὐσεβεῖς
κἀξ εὐσεβῶν βλαστόντας ἐκβαλοῦσʼ ἔχεις.
πῶς ταῦτʼ ἐπαινέσαιμʼ ἄν; ἢ καὶ ταῦτʼ ἐρεῖς
ὡς τῆς θυγατρὸς ἀντίποινα λαμβάνεις;
αἰσχρῶς δʼ, ἐάν περ καὶ λέγῃς· οὐ γὰρ καλὸν
ἐχθροῖς γαμεῖσθαι τῆς θυγατρὸς οὕνεκα.

[¶8] But no, I can hardly even admonish you, when your every cry is that I slander my mother. I think, rather, that you are no less a mistress to me than a mother; so lowly is the life that I live,
ever beset with miseries come from you and your consort. And your other child, the exile who scarcely escaped your hand, poor Orestes, wastes away his unhappy life. You have often accused me of rearing him to punish your crime,
and I would have done so, if I could, you may be sure. As far as he is concerned, you can denounce me to all as disloyal, if you like, or loud-mouthed, or impudent. For if my nature is familiar with such wrongdoings, I hardly bring disgrace upon your nature.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ οὐ γὰρ οὐδὲ νουθετεῖν ἔξεστί σε,
ἣ πᾶσαν ἵης γλῶσσαν ὡς τὴν μητέρα
κακοστομοῦμεν. καί σʼ ἔγωγε δεσπότιν
ἢ μητέρʼ οὐκ ἔλασσον εἰς ἡμᾶς νέμω,
ἣ ζῶ βίον μοχθηρόν, ἔκ τε σοῦ κακοῖς
πολλοῖς ἀεὶ ξυνοῦσα τοῦ τε συννόμου·
ὃ δʼ ἄλλος ἔξω, χεῖρα σὴν μόλις φυγών,
τλήμων Ὀρέστης δυστυχῆ τρίβει βίον·
ὃν πολλὰ δή με σοὶ τρέφειν μιάστορα
ἐπῃτιάσω· καὶ τόδʼ, εἴπερ ἔσθενον,
ἔδρων ἄν, εὖ τοῦτʼ ἴσθι· τοῦδέ γʼ οὕνεκα
κήρυσσέ μʼ εἰς ἅπαντας, εἴτε χρῇς κακὴν
εἴτε στόμαργον εἴτʼ ἀναιδείας πλέαν.
εἰ γὰρ πέφυκα τῶνδε τῶν ἔργων ἴδρις,
σχεδόν τι τὴν σὴν οὐ καταισχύνω φύσιν.

[¶9] Chorus:
I see her breathing fury; but whether justice is with her, her concern for this I see no longer.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὁρῶ μένος πνέουσαν· εἰ δὲ σὺν δίκῃ
ξύνεστι, τοῦδε φροντίδʼ οὐκέτʼ εἰσορῶ.

[¶10] Clytaemnestra:
And what manner of concern should I use against her, who has abused her mother like this at her mature age? Do you not think
that she would go forward to any deed without shame?

> Greek: Κλυταιμνήστρα:
ποίας δʼ ἐμοὶ δεῖ πρός γε τήνδε φροντίδος,
ἥτις τοιαῦτα τὴν τεκοῦσαν ὕβρισεν,
καὶ ταῦτα τηλικοῦτος; ἆρά σοι δοκεῖ
χωρεῖν ἂν εἰς πᾶν ἔργον αἰσχύνης ἄτερ;

[¶11] Electra:
Now be assured that I do feel shame for it, though I seem not to you. I know that my behavior is unsuited to my age and inappropriate. But then the enmity I get from you and your
behavior compel me with harsh necessity to do this; for reprehensible deeds are learned from reprehensible examples.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
εὖ νυν ἐπίστω τῶνδέ μʼ αἰσχύνην ἔχειν,
κεἰ μὴ δοκῶ σοι· μανθάνω δʼ ὁθούνεκα
ἔξωρα πράσσω κοὐκ ἐμοὶ προσεικότα.
ἀλλʼ ἡ γὰρ ἐκ σοῦ δυσμένεια καὶ τὰ σὰ
ἔργʼ ἐξαναγκάζει με ταῦτα δρᾶν βίᾳ·
αἰσχροῖς γὰρ αἰσχρὰ πράγματʼ ἐκδιδάσκεται.

[¶12] Clytaemnestra:
You shameless creature! Truly I and my speech and my deeds give you too much to talk about.

> Greek: Κλυταιμνήστρα:
ὦ θρέμμʼ ἀναιδές, ἦ σʼ ἐγὼ καὶ τἄμʼ ἔπη
καὶ τἄργα τἀμὰ πόλλʼ ἄγαν λέγειν ποεῖ.

[¶13] Electra:
The words are yours, not mine; for yours
are the deeds, and they find their own expression.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
σύ τοι λέγεις νιν, οὐκ ἐγώ· σὺ γὰρ ποεῖς
τοὔργον· τὰ δʼ ἔργα τοὺς λόγους εὑρίσκεται.

[¶14] Clytaemnestra:
Now by our mistress Artemis, you shall not escape the consequences of this audacity once Aegisthus returns.

> Greek: Κλυταιμνήστρα:
ἀλλʼ οὐ μὰ τὴν δέσποιναν Ἄρτεμιν θράσους
τοῦδʼ οὐκ ἀλύξεις, εὖτʼ ἂν Αἴγισθος μόλῃ.

[¶15] Electra:
You see? You are driven to rage and, even though you grant me free speech, you have no patience to listen.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὁρᾷς; πρὸς ὀργὴν ἐκφέρει, μεθεῖσά μοι
λέγειν ἃ χρῄζοιμʼ, οὐδʼ ἐπίστασαι κλύειν.

[¶16] Clytaemnestra:
Will you not allow me to sacrifice without ominous shouting, when I have permitted you to say anything and everything you wished?

> Greek: Κλυταιμνήστρα:
οὔκουν ἐάσεις οὐδʼ ὑπʼ εὐφήμου βοῆς
θῦσαί μʼ, ἐπειδὴ σοί γʼ ἐφῆκα πᾶν λέγειν;

[¶17] Electra:
I allow it; I exhort you to it: sacrifice! But do not blame my voice, for I would not say another word.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἐῶ, κελεύω, θῦε· μηδʼ ἐπαιτιῶ
τοὐμὸν στόμʼ, ὡς οὐκ ἂν πέρα λέξαιμʼ ἔτι.

[¶18] Clytaemnestra:
Raise then, my attendant, the offerings
of many fruits, so that I may uplift my prayers for release from my present fears to this image of our King. Please, O Phoebus our defender, may you now listen to my prayer, though it is muffled; for I do not make my plea among friends, nor does it suit me to unfold it all
to the light while she stands near me, lest by her malice and a cry of her clamorous tongue she sow reckless rumors through the whole city. Nevertheless, hear me thus, since in this way I will speak. That vision which I saw last night
in ambiguous dreams—if its appearance was to my good, grant, Lycean king, that it be fulfilled; but if to my harm, then hurl it back upon those who would harm me. And if any are plotting to eject me by treachery from my present prosperity, do not permit them.
Rather grant that living forever unharmed as I am I may govern the house of the sons of Atreus and their throne, sharing prosperous days with the friends who share them now, and with those of my children who feel no enmity or bitterness towards me.

> Greek: Κλυταιμνήστρα:
ἔπαιρε δὴ σὺ θύμαθʼ ἡ παροῦσά μοι
πάγκαρπʼ, ἄνακτι τῷδʼ ὅπως λυτηρίους
εὐχὰς ἀνάσχω δειμάτων, ἃ νῦν ἔχω.
κλύοις ἂν ἤδη, Φοῖβε προστατήριε,
κεκρυμμένην μου βάξιν· οὐ γὰρ ἐν φίλοις
ὁ μῦθος, οὐδὲ πᾶν ἀναπτύξαι πρέπει
πρὸς φῶς παρούσης τῆσδε πλησίας ἐμοί,
μὴ σὺν φθόνῳ τε καὶ πολυγλώσσῳ βοῇ
σπείρῃ ματαίαν βάξιν εἰς πᾶσαν πόλιν.
ἀλλʼ ὧδʼ ἄκουε· τῇδε γὰρ κἀγὼ φράσω.
ἃ γὰρ προσεῖδον νυκτὶ τῇδε φάσματα
δισσῶν ὀνείρων, ταῦτά μοι, Λύκειʼ ἄναξ,
εἰ μὲν πέφηνεν ἐσθλά, δὸς τελεσφόρα,
εἰ δʼ ἐχθρά, τοῖς ἐχθροῖσιν ἔμπαλιν μέθες·
καὶ μή με πλούτου τοῦ παρόντος εἴ τινες
δόλοισι βουλεύουσιν ἐκβαλεῖν, ἐφῇς,
ἀλλʼ ὧδέ μʼ αἰεὶ ζῶσαν ἀβλαβεῖ βίῳ
δόμους Ἀτρειδῶν σκῆπτρά τʼ ἀμφέπειν τάδε,
φίλοισί τε ξυνοῦσαν οἷς ξύνειμι νῦν
εὐημεροῦσαν καὶ τέκνων ὅσων ἐμοὶ
δύσνοια μὴ πρόσεστιν ἢ λύπη πικρά.

[¶19] O Lycean Apollo, hear these prayers with favor, and grant them to us all just as we ask! As for all my other prayers, though I am silent, I judge that you, a god, must know them, since it is appropriate that Zeus’s children see all.
Enter the Paedagogus from the left.

> Greek: ταῦτʼ, ὦ Λύκειʼ Ἄπολλον, ἵλεως κλύων
δὸς πᾶσιν ἡμῖν ὥσπερ ἐξαιτούμεθα.
τὰ δʼ ἄλλα πάντα καὶ σιωπώσης ἐμοῦ
ἐπαξιῶ σε δαίμονʼ ὄντʼ ἐξειδέναι·
τοὺς ἐκ Διὸς γὰρ εἰκός ἐστι πάνθʼ ὁρᾶν.

[¶20] Paedagogus:
Foreign ladies, how might I know for certain if this be the palace of the king Aegisthus?

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
ξέναι γυναῖκες, πῶς ἂν εἰδείην σαφῶς
εἰ τοῦ τυράννου δώματʼ Αἰγίσθου τάδε;

[¶21] Chorus:
This is the palace, stranger; you yourself have guessed correctly.

> Greek: Χορός:
τάδʼ ἐστίν, ὦ ξένʼ· αὐτὸς ᾔκασας καλῶς.

[¶22] Paedagogus:
And am I on target when I surmise that this lady is his wife? She is indeed regal to look upon.

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
ἦ καὶ δάμαρτα τήνδʼ ἐπεικάζων κυρῶ
κείνου; πρέπει γὰρ ὡς τύραννος εἰσορᾶν.

[¶23] Chorus:
Exactly right; this is she before you.

> Greek: Χορός:
μάλιστα πάντων· ἥδε σοι κείνη πάρα.

[¶24] Paedagogus:
Greetings, royal lady! I bring happy news to you and to Aegisthus from a friend.

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
ὦ χαῖρʼ, ἄνασσα· σοὶ φέρων ἥκω λόγους
ἡδεῖς φίλου παρʼ ἀνδρὸς Αἰγίσθῳ θʼ ὁμοῦ.

[¶25] Clytaemnestra:
I welcome your greeting; but I would like first to know who may have sent you.

> Greek: Κλυταιμνήστρα:
ἐδεξάμην τὸ ῥηθέν· εἰδέναι δέ σου
πρώτιστα χρῄζω τίς σʼ ἀπέστειλεν βροτῶν.

[¶26] Paedagogus:
Phanoteus the Phocian provided me the weighty task.

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
Φανοτεὺς ὁ Φωκεύς, πρᾶγμα πορσύνων μέγα.

[¶27] Clytaemnestra:
And what is it, sir? Tell me. Coming from a friend you will bring, I know, a kindly message.

> Greek: Κλυταιμνήστρα:
τὸ ποῖον, ὦ ξένʼ; εἰπέ· παρὰ φίλου γὰρ ὢν
ἀνδρός, σάφʼ οἶδα, προσφιλεῖς λέξεις λόγους.

[¶28] Paedagogus:
Orestes is dead, to put it briefly.

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
τέθνηκʼ Ὀρέστης· ἐν βραχεῖ ξυνθεὶς λέγω.

[¶29] Electra:
Oh, miserable me! My ruin comes today!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οἲ ʼγὼ τάλαινʼ, ὄλωλα τῇδʼ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ.

[¶30] Clytaemnestra:
What, friend? What did you say? Do not listen to her!

> Greek: Κλυταιμνήστρα:
τί φής, τί φής, ὦ ξεῖνε; μὴ ταύτης κλύε.

[¶31] Paedagogus:
I said, and say again, “Orestes is dead.”

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
θανόντʼ Ὀρέστην νῦν τε καὶ πάλαι λέγω.

[¶32] Electra:
This is my wretched end! I am no more!
Clytaemnestra: To Electra.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἀπωλόμην δύστηνος, οὐδέν εἰμʼ ἔτι.

[¶33] You, go about your business! But you, sir, tell me exactly in what manner he was destroyed.

> Greek: Κλυταιμνήστρα:
σὺ μὲν τὰ σαυτῆς πρᾶσσʼ, ἐμοὶ δὲ σύ, ξένε,
τἀληθὲς εἰπέ, τῷ τρόπῳ διόλλυται;

[¶34] Paedagogus:
I was sent for that purpose, and will tell you all. Having gone to the shrine which is Greece’s common glory in order to compete for Delphi’s prizes and having heard the herald’s loud summons to the foot-race, the first contest,
he entered the lists, a brilliant form, a wonder in the eyes of all there. When he had finished the race at the point where it began, he went out with the glorious honor of victory. To say the most with the least words, I do not know the man whose deeds and triumphs have matched his.

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
κἀπεμπόμην πρὸς ταῦτα καὶ τὸ πᾶν φράσω.
κεῖνος γὰρ ἐλθὼν εἰς τὸ κλεινὸν Ἑλλάδος
πρόσχημʼ ἀγῶνος Δελφικῶν ἄθλων χάριν,
ὅτʼ ᾔσθετʼ ἀνδρὸς ὀρθίων κηρυγμάτων
δρόμον προκηρύξαντος, οὗ πρώτη κρίσις,
εἰσῆλθε λαμπρός, πᾶσι τοῖς ἐκεῖ σέβας·
δρόμου δʼ ἰσώσας τἀφέσει τὰ τέρματα
νίκης ἔχων ἐξῆλθε πάντιμον γέρας.
χὤπως μὲν ἐν πολλοῖσι παῦρά σοι λέγω
οὐκ οἶδα τοιοῦδʼ ἀνδρὸς ἔργα καὶ κράτη·

[¶35] But this one thing you must know: in all the contests that the judges announced, he carried away the prize, and men deemed him happy as often as the herald proclaimed him an Argive, by name Orestes, son of
Agamemnon, who once marshalled Greece’s famous expedition. So far Orestes fared as I described. But when a god sends harm, not even the strong man can escape. For on another day, when with the rising sun there was held the race of the swift-footed horses,
he entered it along with many charioteers. One was an Achaean, one from Sparta; two masters of yoked cars were Libyans; Orestes, driving Thessalian mares, came fifth among them; the sixth was from Aetolia,
with chestnut colts; a Magnesian was the seventh; the eighth, with white horses, was of Aenian stock; the ninth hailed from Athens, built of gods; there was a Boeotian too, making the tenth chariot. They took their stations where the appointed umpires
placed them by lot and ranged the cars. Then at the sound of the bronze trumpet, they started. All shouted to their horses, and shook the reins in their hands; the whole course was filled with the clatter of rattling chariots; and the dust flew upward.
All of them in a confused throng kept plying their goads unsparingly, so that one of them might pass the wheel-hubs and the snorting steeds of his rivals; for both at their backs and at their rolling wheels the breath of the horses foamed and smattered.

> Greek: ἓν δʼ ἴσθʼ· ὅσων γὰρ εἰσεκήρυξαν βραβῆς
[δρόμων διαύλων πένταθλʼ ἃ νομίζεται,]
τούτων ἐνεγκὼν πάντα τἀπινίκια
ὠλβίζετʼ, Ἀργεῖος μὲν ἀνακαλούμενος,
ὄνομα δʼ Ὀρέστης, τοῦ τὸ κλεινὸν Ἑλλάδος
Ἀγαμέμνονος στράτευμʼ ἀγείραντός ποτε.
καὶ ταῦτα μὲν τοιαῦθʼ· ὅταν δέ τις θεῶν
βλάπτῃ, δύναιτʼ ἂν οὐδʼ ἂν ἰσχύων φυγεῖν.
κεῖνος γὰρ ἄλλης ἡμέρας, ὅθʼ ἱππικῶν
ἦν ἡλίου τέλλοντος ὠκύπους ἀγών,
εἰσῆλθε πολλῶν ἁρματηλατῶν μέτα.
εἷς ἦν Ἀχαιός, εἷς ἀπὸ Σπάρτης, δύο
Λίβυες ζυγωτῶν ἁρμάτων ἐπιστάται·
κἀκεῖνος ἐν τούτοισι, Θεσσαλὰς ἔχων
ἵππους, ὁ πέμπτος· ἕκτος ἐξ Αἰτωλίας
ξανθαῖσι πώλοις· ἕβδομος Μάγνης ἀνήρ·
ὁ δʼ ὄγδοος λεύκιππος, Αἰνιὰν γένος·
ἔνατος Ἀθηνῶν τῶν θεοδμήτων ἄπο·
Βοιωτὸς ἄλλος, δέκατον ἐκπληρῶν ὄχον.
στάντες δʼ ἵνʼ αὐτοὺς οἱ τεταγμένοι βραβῆς
κλήροις ἔπηλαν καὶ κατέστησαν δίφρους,
χαλκῆς ὑπαὶ σάλπιγγος ᾖξαν· οἱ δʼ ἅμα
ἵπποις ὁμοκλήσαντες ἡνίας χεροῖν
ἔσεισαν· ἐν δὲ πᾶς ἐμεστώθη δρόμος
κτύπου κροτητῶν ἁρμάτων· κόνις δʼ ἄνω
φορεῖθʼ· ὁμοῦ δὲ πάντες ἀναμεμιγμένοι
φείδοντο κέντρων οὐδέν, ὡς ὑπερβάλοι
χνόας τις αὐτῶν καὶ φρυάγμαθʼ ἱππικά.
ὁμοῦ γὰρ ἀμφὶ νῶτα καὶ τροχῶν βάσεις
ἤφριζον, εἰσέβαλλον ἱππικαὶ πνοαί.

[¶36] Orestes, driving close to the near edge of the turning-post, almost grazed it with his wheel each time and, giving rein to the trace-horse on the right, he checked the horse on the inner side. To this point, all the chariots still stood upright. But then the Aenian’s
hard-mouthed colts carried him out of control as they passed out of the turn from the sixth into the seventh lap and dashed their foreheads against the rig of the Barcaean. Next, as a result of this one mishap, the cars kept smashing and colliding with each other, and the whole
race-ground of Crisa swelled with shipwrecked chariots.

> Greek: κεῖνος δʼ ὑπʼ αὐτὴν ἐσχάτην στήλην ἔχων
ἔχριμπτʼ ἀεὶ σύριγγα, δεξιὸν δʼ ἀνεὶς
σειραῖον ἵππον εἶργε τὸν προσκείμενον.
καὶ πρὶν μὲν ὀρθοὶ πάντες ἕστασαν δίφροι·
ἔπειτα δʼ Αἰνιᾶνος ἀνδρὸς ἄστομοι
πῶλοι βίᾳ φέρουσιν· ἐκ δʼ ὑποστροφῆς
τελοῦντες ἕκτον ἕβδομόν τʼ ἤδη δρόμον
μέτωπα συμπαίουσι Βαρκαίοις ὄχοις·
κἀντεῦθεν ἄλλος ἄλλον ἐξ ἑνὸς κακοῦ
ἔθραυε κἀνέπιπτε, πᾶν δʼ ἐπίμπλατο
ναυαγίων Κρισαῖον ἱππικῶν πέδον.

[¶37] Seeing this, the clever charioteer from Athens drew aside and paused, allowing the equestrian flood to pass in mid-crest. Orestes was driving last, keeping his horses
behind, as his trust was in the race’s end. But when he sees that the Athenian is alone left in, he sends a shrill cry ringing through the ears of his swift colts, and gives chase. Bringing yoke level with yoke the two of them raced, first one man, then the other,
showing his head in front of the other’s chariot. Up to now the ill-fated Orestes had driven upright safely through every circuit, upright in his upright car. But then he slackened his left rein while the horse was turning and unwittingly struck the edge of the pillar,
breaking the axle-box in two. He spilled forward over the chariot-rail and was caught in the trim reins, and as he fell to the ground, his colts were scattered into the middle of the course. But when the crowd saw that he had fallen
from the chariot, a cry of pity went up for the young man who had done such deeds and was allotted such bad fortune—now dashed against the earth, now tossed with his feet to the sky until the charioteers with difficulty reigned in the gallop of his horses and
freed him, so covered with blood that no friend who saw it would have known the pitiful corpse. Immediately they burned him on a pyre, and chosen men of Phocis now bring the sad dust of that mighty form in a small urn of bronze,
so that he may find due burial in his fatherland. Such is my story—it is grievous even to hear, but for us witnesses who looked on, it was the greatest of sorrows that these eyes have seen.

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
γνοὺς δʼ οὑξ Ἀθηνῶν δεινὸς ἡνιοστρόφος
ἔξω παρασπᾷ κἀνακωχεύει παρεὶς
κλύδωνʼ ἔφιππον ἐν μέσῳ κυκώμενον.
ἤλαυνε δʼ ἔσχατος μέν, ὑστέρας δʼ ἔχων
πώλους Ὀρέστης, τῷ τέλει πίστιν φέρων·
ὅπως δʼ ὁρᾷ μόνον νιν ἐλλελειμμένον,
ὀξὺν διʼ ὤτων κέλαδον ἐνσείσας θοαῖς
πώλοις διώκει, κἀξισώσαντε ζυγὰ
ἠλαυνέτην, τότʼ ἄλλος, ἄλλοθʼ ἅτερος
κάρα προβάλλων ἱππικῶν ὀχημάτων.
καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἄλλους πάντας ἀσφαλεῖς δρόμους
ὡρμᾶθʼ ὁ τλήμων ὀρθὸς ἐξ ὀρθῶν δίφρων·
ἔπειτα λύων ἡνίαν ἀριστερὰν
κάμπτοντος ἵππου λανθάνει στήλην ἄκραν
παίσας· ἔθραυσε δʼ ἄξονος μέσας χνόας
κἀξ ἀντύγων ὤλισθεν· ἐν δʼ ἑλίσσεται
τμητοῖς ἱμᾶσι· τοῦ δὲ πίπτοντος πέδῳ
πῶλοι διεσπάρησαν ἐς μέσον δρόμον.
στρατὸς δʼ ὅπως ὁρᾷ νιν ἐκπεπτωκότα
δίφρων, ἀνωλόλυξε τὸν νεανίαν,
οἷʼ ἔργα δράσας οἷα λαγχάνει κακά,
φορούμενος πρὸς οὖδας, ἄλλοτʼ οὐρανῷ
σκέλη προφαίνων, ἔς τέ νιν διφρηλάται,
μόλις κατασχεθόντες ἱππικὸν δρόμον,
ἔλυσαν αἱματηρόν, ὥστε μηδένα
γνῶναι φίλων ἰδόντʼ ἂν ἄθλιον δέμας.
καί νιν πυρᾷ κέαντες εὐθὺς ἐν βραχεῖ
χαλκῷ μέγιστον σῶμα δειλαίας σποδοῦ
φέρουσιν ἄνδρες Φωκέων τεταγμένοι,
ὅπως πατρῴας τύμβον ἐκλάχῃ χθονός.
τοιαῦτά σοι ταῦτʼ ἐστίν, ὡς μὲν ἐν λόγῳ
ἀλγεινά, τοῖς δʼ ἰδοῦσιν, οἵπερ εἴδομεν,
μέγιστα πάντων ὧν ὄπωπʼ ἐγὼ κακῶν.

[¶38] Chorus:
Oh, sorrow! It seems now that all the stock of our ancient masters
has been leveled clean down to the roots.

> Greek: Χορός:
φεῦ φεῦ· τὸ πᾶν δὴ δεσπόταισι τοῖς πάλαι
πρόρριζον, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἔφθαρται γένος.

[¶39] Clytaemnestra:
O Zeus, how shall I name this news—fortunate? Or terrible, but beneficial? It is a bitter thing, when by my own misery I preserve my life.

> Greek: Κλυταιμνήστρα:
ὦ Ζεῦ, τί ταῦτα, πότερον εὐτυχῆ λέγω,
ἢ δεινὰ μέν, κέρδη δέ; λυπηρῶς δʼ ἔχει,
εἰ τοῖς ἐμαυτῆς τὸν βίον σῴζω κακοῖς.

[¶40] Paedagogus:
Why are you so despondent, lady, at my news?

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
τί δʼ ὧδʼ ἀθυμεῖς, ὦ γύναι, τῷ νῦν λόγῳ;

[¶41] Clytaemnestra:
There is a terrible power in motherhood; a mother may be wronged, but she can feel no hate for those whom she bore.

> Greek: Κλυταιμνήστρα:
δεινὸν τὸ τίκτειν ἐστίν· οὐδὲ γὰρ κακῶς
πάσχοντι μῖσος ὧν τέκῃ προσγίγνεται.

[¶42] Paedagogus:
Then it seems that we have come in vain.

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
μάτην ἄρʼ ἡμεῖς, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἥκομεν.

[¶43] Clytaemnestra:
No, not in vain; how can you say “in vain” when you have brought me sure proofs of his death?
He sprang from my own life, yet deserting my breast and my nurture he became a fugitive, completely alien from me. And me, once he left this land, he saw no more; but, charging me with the murder of his father, he made terrible threats,
so that neither by night nor by day could sweet sleep cover me, but the imminent moment made me live always as if I were about to die. Now, however, since today I am rid of terror of him and of this girl—that greater plague
who shared my home while consuming undiluted my life-blood—now, I think, for all her threats, I shall pass my days in peace.

> Greek: Κλυταιμνήστρα:
οὔτοι μάτην γε· πῶς γὰρ ἂν μάτην λέγοις,
εἴ μοι θανόντος πίστʼ ἔχων τεκμήρια
προσῆλθες, ὅστις τῆς ἐμῆς ψυχῆς γεγώς,
μαστῶν ἀποστὰς καὶ τροφῆς ἐμῆς, φυγὰς
ἀπεξενοῦτο καί μʼ, ἐπεὶ τῆσδε χθονὸς
ἐξῆλθεν, οὐκέτʼ εἶδεν, ἐγκαλῶν δέ μοι
φόνους πατρῴους δείνʼ ἐπηπείλει τελεῖν;
ὥστʼ οὔτε νυκτὸς ὕπνον οὔτʼ ἐξ ἡμέρας
ἐμὲ στεγάζειν ἡδύν, ἀλλʼ ὁ προστατῶν
χρόνος διῆγέ μʼ αἰὲν ὡς θανουμένην.
νῦν δʼ—ἡμέρᾳ γὰρ τῇδʼ ἀπήλλαγμαι φόβου
πρὸς τῆσδʼ ἐκείνου θʼ· ἥδε γὰρ μείζων βλάβη
ξύνοικος ἦν μοι, τοὐμὸν ἐκπίνουσʼ ἀεὶ
ψυχῆς ἄκρατον αἷμα—νῦν δʼ ἕκηλά που
τῶν τῆσδʼ ἀπειλῶν οὕνεχʼ ἡμερεύσομεν.

[¶44] Electra:
Ah, what misery! Now, indeed, Orestes, I must mourn your misfortune, since even dead as you are
you are abused by this woman, your mother! Is it not just fine?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οἴμοι τάλαινα· νῦν γὰρ οἰμῶξαι πάρα,
Ὀρέστα, τὴν σὴν ξυμφοράν, ὅθʼ ὧδʼ ἔχων
πρὸς τῆσδʼ ὑβρίζει μητρός. ἆρʼ ἔχει καλῶς;

[¶45] Clytaemnestra:
You certainly are not, but he is fine as he is.

> Greek: Κλυταιμνήστρα:
οὔτοι σύ· κεῖνος δʼ ὡς ἔχει καλῶς ἔχει.

[¶46] Electra:
Listen to her, Nemesis of the recently departed!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἄκουε, Νέμεσι τοῦ θανόντος ἀρτίως.

[¶47] Clytaemnestra:
She has heard who should be heard, and has ordained well.

> Greek: Κλυταιμνήστρα:
ἤκουσεν ὧν δεῖ κἀπεκύρωσεν καλῶς.

[¶48] Electra:
Abuse us! Fortune is with you today.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὕβριζε· νῦν γὰρ εὐτυχοῦσα τυγχάνεις.

[¶49] Clytaemnestra:
You and Orestes will not stop me, then, will you?

> Greek: Κλυταιμνήστρα:
οὔκουν Ὀρέστης καὶ σὺ παύσετον τάδε.

[¶50] Electra:
It is we who are stopped; we cannot stop you.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
πεπαύμεθʼ ἡμεῖς, οὐχ ὅπως σὲ παύσομεν.

[¶51] Clytaemnestra:
Your coming, sir, deserves large recompense, if you have stopped her clamorous tongue.

> Greek: Κλυταιμνήστρα:
πολλῶν ἂν ἥκοις, ὦ ξένʼ, ἄξιος τυχεῖν,
εἰ τήνδʼ ἔπαυσας τῆς πολυγλώσσου βοῆς.

[¶52] Paedagogus:
Then I would take my leave, if all is well.

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
οὐκοῦν ἀποστείχοιμʼ ἄν, εἰ τάδʼ εὖ κυρεῖ.

[¶53] Clytaemnestra:
Not so; your welcome would then be unworthy of me, and of my ally who sent you. No, come in. Leave her out here to shout out loud her misfortunes and those of her friends. Clytaemnestra and the Paedagogus enter the house.

> Greek: Κλυταιμνήστρα:
ἥκιστʼ· ἐπείπερ οὔτʼ ἐμοῦ κατάξιʼ ἂν
πράξειας οὔτε τοῦ πορεύσαντος ξένου.
ἀλλʼ εἴσιθʼ εἴσω· τήνδε δʼ ἔκτοθεν βοᾶν
ἔα τά θʼ αὑτῆς καὶ τὰ τῶν φίλων κακά.

[¶54] Electra:
What do you think? Does it seem to you that she, poor woman, wept and wailed terribly,
like a grieving, anguished woman, over her son thus destroyed? No, she left us with a laugh! Ah, miserable me! Dearest Orestes, how your death has destroyed me! For your passing has torn from my heart
the only hopes which still were mine: that you would live to return some day as the avenger of our father, and also of me in my misery. But now, where shall I turn? I am alone, cheated of you, as of my father. Hereafter I must be a slave again
among those I most hate, my father’s murderers. Am I not in a fine way? But at least in the time remaining me I will never enter the house to dwell with them. No, lying down at these gates, without a friend, I shall wither away my days.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἆρʼ ὑμὶν ὡς ἀλγοῦσα κὠδυνωμένη
δεινῶς δακρῦσαι κἀπικωκῦσαι δοκεῖ
τὸν υἱὸν ἡ δύστηνος ὧδʼ ὀλωλότα;
ἀλλʼ ἐγγελῶσα φροῦδος· ὦ τάλαινʼ ἐγώ.
Ὀρέστα φίλταθʼ, ὥς μʼ ἀπώλεσας θανών.
ἀποσπάσας γὰρ τῆς ἐμῆς οἴχει φρενὸς
αἵ μοι μόναι παρῆσαν ἐλπίδων ἔτι,
σὲ πατρὸς ἥξειν ζῶντα τιμωρόν ποτε
κἀμοῦ ταλαίνης. νῦν δὲ ποῖ με χρὴ μολεῖν;
μόνη γάρ εἰμι, σοῦ τʼ ἀπεστερημένη
καὶ πατρός. ἤδη δεῖ με δουλεύειν πάλιν
ἐν τοῖσιν ἐχθίστοισιν ἀνθρώπων ἐμοὶ
φονεῦσι πατρός. ἆρά μοι καλῶς ἔχει;
ἀλλʼ οὔ τι μὴν ἔγωγε τοῦ λοιποῦ χρόνου
ξύνοικος, εἴσειμʼ, ἀλλὰ τῇδε πρὸς πύλῃ
παρεῖσʼ ἐμαυτὴν ἄφιλος αὐανῶ βίον.

[¶55] Therefore, if anyone in the house be angry, let him kill me. It is a favor, if I die, but a pain, if I live. I desire life no more.

> Greek: πρὸς ταῦτα καινέτω τις, εἰ βαρύνεται,
τῶν ἔνδον ὄντων· ὡς χάρις μέν, ἢν κτάνῃ,
λύπη δʼ, ἐὰν ζῶ· τοῦ βίου δʼ οὐδεὶς πόθος.

[¶56] Chorus:
Where are the thunderbolts of Zeus, or where the
shining Sun, if they look upon these things and quietly cover them over?

> Greek: Χορός:
ποῦ ποτε κεραυνοὶ Διὸς ἢ ποῦ φαέθων
Ἅλιος, εἰ ταῦτʼ ἐφορῶντες κρύπτουσιν ἕκηλοι;
Ἠλέκτρα:
ἒ ἔ, αἰαῖ.

[¶57] Electra:
Ah, me, ah, me!

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ παῖ, τί δακρύεις;

[¶58] Chorus:
My child, why do you weep?
Electra:
Oh!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
φεῦ.

[¶59] Chorus:
Give no cry of bad omen!

> Greek: Χορός:
μηδὲν μέγʼ ἀΰσῃς.

[¶60] Electra:
You will break my heart!
Chorus:
How do you mean?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἀπολεῖς.

[¶61] Electra:
If you suggest that I keep hope for those who have surely passed to Hades,
you will trample even harder upon me as I waste away.

> Greek: Χορός:
πῶς;
Ἠλέκτρα:
εἰ τῶν φανερῶς οἰχομένων
εἰς Ἀΐδαν ἐλπίδʼ ὑποίσεις, κατʼ ἐμοῦ τακομένας
μᾶλλον ἐπεμβάσει.

[¶62] Chorus:
No, for I know that the prince Amphiaraus was ensnared by a woman’s chain of gold and swallowed up. And now beneath the earth—

> Greek: Χορός:
οἶδα γὰρ ἄνακτʼ Ἀμφιάρεων χρυσοδέτοις
ἕρκεσι κρυφθέντα γυναικῶν· καὶ νῦν ὑπὸ γαίας

[¶63] Electra:
ah, me, ah, me!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἒ ἔ, ἰώ.

[¶64] Chorus:
—He reigns supreme with the wits of the living.

> Greek: Χορός:
πάμψυχος ἀνάσσει.

[¶65] Electra:
ah, me!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
φεῦ.

[¶66] Chorus:
ah, me, indeed! For the murderess—

> Greek: Χορός:
φεῦ δῆτʼ· ὀλοὰ γὰρ

[¶67] Electra:
Was slain.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἐδάμη.

[¶68] Chorus:
Yes.

> Greek: Χορός:
ναί.

[¶69] Electra:
I know it; I know it. For a champion arose to avenge the grieving dead. But for me no champion remains: he who yet remained has been snatched clean away.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οἶδʼ οἶδʼ· ἐφάνη γὰρ μελέτωρ
ἀμφὶ τὸν ἐν πένθει· ἐμοὶ δʼ οὔτις ἔτʼ ἔσθʼ· ὃς γὰρ ἔτʼ ἦν,
φροῦδος ἀναρπασθείς.

[¶70] Chorus:
Unhappy are you, unhappy your destiny!

> Greek: Χορός:
δειλαία δειλαίων κυρεῖς.

[¶71] Electra:
How well I know that, all too well, with my life swept through all the months by abundant terrors and horrors!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
κἀγὼ τοῦδʼ ἴστωρ, ὑπερίστωρ,
πανσύρτῳ παμμήνῳ πολλῶν
δεινῶν στυγνῶν τʼ αἰῶνι.

[¶72] Chorus:
We have witnessed the events for which you mourn.

> Greek: Χορός:
εἴδομεν ἁθρήνεις.

[¶73] Electra:
Cease, then, to divert me from it, since no longer—

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
μή μέ νυν μηκέτι
παραγάγῃς, ἵνʼ οὐ

[¶74] Chorus:
What do you say?

> Greek: Χορός:
τί φής;

[¶75] Electra:
—Since I no longer have hope in my brother, the seed of our shared noble line, to aid me.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
πάρεισιν ἐλπίδων ἔτι κοινοτόκων
εὐπατριδᾶν ἀρωγαί.

[¶76] Chorus:
Nature ordains death as the destiny of all mortals.

> Greek: Χορός:
πᾶσι θνατοῖς ἔφυ μόρος.

[¶77] Electra:
What, a death like the one which that ill-fated one died beneath a race of swift hooves, entangled in the cutting, dragging reins?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἦ καὶ χαλάργοις ἐν ἁμίλλαις
οὕτως, ὡς κείνῳ δυστάνῳ,
τμητοῖς ὁλκοῖς ἐγκῦρσαι;

[¶78] Chorus:
The mutilation is beyond thought!

> Greek: Χορός:
ἄσκοπος ἁ λώβα.

[¶79] Electra:
Yes, so it is, when in foreign soil, without being tended by my hands—

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
πῶς γὰρ οὔκ; εἰ ξένος
ἄτερ ἐμᾶν χερῶν

[¶80] Chorus:
Ah, no!

> Greek: Χορός:
παπαῖ.

[¶81] Electra:
—he has been buried not receiving from me either burial
or lamentation.
Enter Chrysothemis, from the right.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
κέκευθεν, οὔτε του τάφου ἀντιάσας
οὔτε γόων παρʼ ἡμῶν.

[¶82] Chrysothemis:
I am pursued by joy, dear sister, and I disregard seemliness in order to come with speed. I bring joyful news to relieve your former troubles and grief.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
ὑφʼ ἡδονῆς τοι, φιλτάτη, διώκομαι
τὸ κόσμιον μεθεῖσα σὺν τάχει μολεῖν·
φέρω γὰρ ἡδονάς τε κἀνάπαυλαν ὧν
πάροιθεν εἶχες καὶ κατέστενες κακῶν

[¶83] Electra:
And from where could you find help for my sufferings, when no cure for them can be imagined?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
πόθεν δʼ ἂν εὕροις τῶν ἐμῶν σὺ πημάτων
ἄρηξιν, οἷς ἴασιν οὐκ ἔνεστʼ ἰδεῖν;

[¶84] Chrysothemis:
Orestes is with us—know this from my lips—plainly visible, just as you see me now.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
πάρεστʼ Ὀρέστης ἡμίν, ἴσθι τοῦτʼ ἐμοῦ
κλύουσʼ, ἐναργῶς, ὥσπερ εἰσορᾷς ἐμέ.

[¶85] Electra:
What, are you insane, poor girl?
Do you laugh at my sorrows and your own?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἀλλʼ ἦ μέμηνας, ὦ τάλαινα, κἀπὶ τοῖς
σαυτῆς κακοῖσι κἀπὶ τοῖς ἐμοῖς γελᾷς;

[¶86] Chrysothemis:
No, by our father’s hearth, I do not speak in mockery. I tell you that he truly is with us.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
μὰ τὴν πατρῴαν ἑστίαν, ἀλλʼ οὐχ ὕβρει
λέγω τάδʼ, ἀλλʼ ἐκεῖνον ὡς παρόντα νῷν.

[¶87] Electra:
Ah, miserable girl! And from whom on earth have you heard this tale, which you believe so lightly?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οἴμοι τάλαινα· καὶ τίνος βροτῶν λόγον
τόνδʼ εἰσακούσασʼ ὧδε πιστεύεις ἄγαν;

[¶88] Chrysothemis:
I have it on my own knowledge, no one else’s; I have seen clear proofs.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
ἐγὼ μὲν ἐξ ἐμοῦ τε κοὐκ ἄλλης, σαφῆ
σημεῖʼ ἰδοῦσα, τῷδε πιστεύω λόγῳ.

[¶89] Electra:
What have you seen, poor girl, to warrant your belief? What did you see, that you are warmed by this unquenchable fire?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
τίνʼ, ὦ τάλαινʼ, ἔχουσα πίστιν; ἐς τί μοι
βλέψασα θάλπει τῷδʼ ἀνηκέστῳ πυρί;

[¶90] Chrysothemis:
Now, for the gods’ love, listen, so that you may know
the rest from me before deciding whether I am sane or foolish.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
πρός νυν θεῶν ἄκουσον, ὡς μαθοῦσά μου
τὸ λοιπὸν ἢ φρονοῦσαν ἢ μωρὰν λέγῃς.

[¶91] Electra:
Speak on, then, if you find pleasure in speaking.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
σὺ δʼ οὖν λέγʼ, εἴ σοι τῷ λόγῳ τις ἡδονή.

[¶92] Chrysothemis:
Well, I will tell you all that I have seen. When I came to Father’s ancestral tomb, I saw that streams of milk had recently flowed from the top of the mound
and that his sepulchre was encircled with garlands of all flowers that grow. I was astonished at the sight, and peered about lest somehow someone should approach close to me. But when I perceived that all the place was in stillness,
I crept nearer to the tomb, and on the mound’s edge I saw a lock of hair, freshly severed. And the very moment I see it—ah me!—a familiar image rushes into my mind, and I feel that I am looking at a token of him whom I most love, Orestes.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
καὶ δὴ λέγω σοι πᾶν ὅσον κατειδόμην.
ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἦλθον πατρὸς ἀρχαῖον τάφον,
ὁρῶ κολώνης ἐξ ἄκρας νεορρύτους
πηγὰς γάλακτος καὶ περιστεφῆ κύκλῳ
πάντων ὅσʼ ἐστὶν ἀνθέων θήκην πατρός.
ἰδοῦσα δʼ ἔσχον θαῦμα, καὶ περισκοπῶ
μή πού τις ἡμῖν ἐγγὺς ἐγχρίμπτῃ βροτῶν.
ὡς δʼ ἐν γαλήνῃ πάντʼ ἐδερκόμην τόπον,
τύμβου προσεῖρπον ἆσσον· ἐσχάτης δʼ ὁρῶ
πυρᾶς νεώρη βόστρυχον τετμημένον·
κεὐθὺς τάλαινʼ ὡς εἶδον, ἐμπαίει τί μοι
ψυχῇ σύνηθες ὄμμα, φιλτάτου βροτῶν
πάντων Ὀρέστου τοῦθʼ ὁρᾶν τεκμήριον·

[¶93] Then I lift it in my hands and make no sound of bad omen, but the tears of joy straightaway fill my eyes. Even now I know well, just as I knew then, that this fair tribute has come from no one but him. Whom else does that tomb concern, save me and you?

> Greek: καὶ χερσὶ βαστάσασα δυσφημῶ μὲν οὔ,
χαρᾷ δὲ πίμπλημʼ εὐθὺς ὄμμα δακρύων.
καὶ νῦν θʼ ὁμοίως καὶ τότʼ ἐξεπίσταμαι
μή του τόδʼ ἀγλάϊσμα πλὴν κείνου μολεῖν·
τῷ γὰρ προσήκει πλήν γʼ ἐμοῦ καὶ σοῦ τόδε;

[¶94] And I did not make those offerings, I know, nor did you. How could you, when you cannot leave this house even to worship the gods without later regretting it? Nor, again, does our mother’s heart incline to do such deeds, nor could she have done so without our knowledge.

> Greek: κἀγὼ μὲν οὐκ ἔδρασα, τοῦτʼ ἐπίσταμαι,
οὐδʼ αὖ σύ· πῶς γάρ; ᾗ γε μηδὲ πρὸς θεοὺς
ἔξεστʼ ἀκλαύστῳ τῆσδʼ ἀποστῆναι στέγης.
ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ μὲν δὴ μητρὸς οὔθʼ ὁ νοῦς φιλεῖ
τοιαῦτα πράσσειν οὔτε δρῶσʼ ἐλάνθανʼ ἄν·

[¶95] No, these offerings are from Orestes! Come, dear sister, have courage! Not always does the same fortune, it is true, attend the same individuals. Ours was once to be despised, but today, perhaps, will seal the promise of much good.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ ἔστʼ Ὀρέστου ταῦτα τἀπιτύμβια.
ἀλλʼ, ὦ φίλη, θάρσυνε· τοῖς αὐτοῖσί τοι
οὐχ αὑτὸς αἰεὶ δαιμόνων παραστατεῖ.
νῷν ἦν τὰ πρόσθεν στυγνός· ἡ δὲ νῦν ἴσως
πολλῶν ὑπάρξει κῦρος ἡμέρα καλῶν.

[¶96] Electra:
Oh, what foolishness! How I have been pitying you!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
φεῦ, τῆς ἀνοίας ὥς σʼ ἐποικτίρω πάλαι.

[¶97] Chrysothemis:
What, is my news unpleasing to you?

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
τί δʼ ἔστιν; οὐ πρὸς ἡδονὴν λέγω τάδε;

[¶98] Electra:
You do not know where on earth or into what dreams you wander.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οὐκ οἶσθʼ ὅποι γῆς οὐδʼ ὅποι γνώμης φέρει.

[¶99] Chrysothemis:
How could I not know what I have plainly seen?

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
πῶς δʼ οὐκ ἐγὼ κάτοιδʼ ἅ γʼ εἶδον ἐμφανῶς;

[¶100] Electra:
He is dead, poor girl, and your
salvation by him is gone. Do not look to him.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
τέθνηκεν, ὦ τάλαινα, τἀκείνου δέ σοι
σωτήριʼ ἔρρει· μηδὲν εἰς κεῖνόν γʼ ὅρα.

[¶101] Chrysothemis:
Ah, miserable me! From whom have you heard this?

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
οἴμοι τάλαινα· τοῦ τάδʼ ἤκουσας βροτῶν;

[¶102] Electra:
From the man who was present when he perished.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
τοῦ πλησίον παρόντος, ἡνίκʼ ὤλλυτο.

[¶103] Chrysothemis:
And where is he? Amazement steals over my mind.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
καὶ ποῦ ʼστιν οὗτος; θαῦμά τοί μʼ ὑπέρχεται.

[¶104] Electra:
He is inside, a welcome guest, not unpleasing to our mother.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
κατʼ οἶκον, ἡδὺς οὐδὲ μητρὶ δυσχερής.

[¶105] Chrysothemis:
Ah, misery! Who, then, can have made those ample offerings to my father’s tomb?

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
οἴμοι τάλαινα· τοῦ γὰρ ἀνθρώπων ποτʼ ἦν
τὰ πολλὰ πατρὸς πρὸς τάφον κτερίσματα;

[¶106] Electra:
Most likely, I think, someone placed those gifts in memory of the dead Orestes.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οἶμαι μάλιστʼ ἔγωγε τοῦ τεθνηκότος
μνημεῖʼ Ὀρέστου ταῦτα προσθεῖναί τινα.

[¶107] Chrysothemis:
Oh, my misfortune! And I was hurrying here
with such joyous nows, ignorant after all of our downfall. But now that I have arrived, I find fresh sorrows added to the old!

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
ὦ δυστυχής· ἐγὼ δὲ σὺν χαρᾷ λόγους
τοιούσδʼ ἔχουσʼ ἔσπευδον, οὐκ εἰδυῖʼ ἄρα
ἵνʼ ἦμεν ἄτης· ἀλλὰ νῦν, ὅθʼ ἱκόμην,
τά τʼ ὄντα πρόσθεν ἄλλα θʼ εὑρίσκω κακά.

[¶108] Electra:
So it stands with you. Yet if you will be persuaded by me, you will lighten the load of our present trouble.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οὕτως ἔχει σοι ταῦτʼ· ἐὰν δέ μοι πίθῃ,
τῆς νῦν παρούσης πημονῆς λύσεις βάρος.

[¶109] Chrysothemis:
How can I ever raise the dead back to life?

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
ἦ τοὺς θανόντας ἐξαναστήσω ποτέ;

[¶110] Electra:
That is not what I meant; I was not born so foolish.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οὐκ ἔσθʼ ὅ γʼ εἶπον· οὐ γὰρ ὧδʼ ἄφρων ἔφυν.

[¶111] Chrysothemis:
What do you urge, then, of those things that I am capable of doing?

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
τί γὰρ κελεύεις ὧν ἐγὼ φερέγγυος;

[¶112] Electra:
That you be brave in executing what I recommend.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
τλῆναί σε δρῶσαν ἃν ἐγὼ παραινέσω.

[¶113] Chrysothemis:
If any good can be done, I will not refuse.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
ἀλλʼ εἴ τις ὠφέλειά γʼ, οὐκ ἀπώσομαι.

[¶114] Electra:
Remember, nothing succeeds without toil.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὅρα, πόνου τοι χωρὶς οὐδὲν εὐτυχεῖ.

[¶115] Chrysothemis:
I know it, and I will share your burden with all my power.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
ὁρῶ. ξυνοίσω πᾶν ὅσονπερ ἂν σθένω.

[¶116] Electra:
Hear, then, in what way I have decided to take action. As for the support of friends, you yourself doubtless know that we have none. Hades has taken our friends away,
and we two are left alone. I, so long as I heard that my brother still lived and prospered, had hopes that he would yet come to avenge the murder of our father. But now that he is no more, I look next to you
and ask that you not flinch from aiding me, your sister, to slay our father’s murderer, Aegisthus. There—I can have no secrets from you anymore. How long will you wait in indifference? What hope is left standing, to which your eyes can turn? Now you are right to complain
that you are robbed of possession of your father’s estate; now you may mourn that you have advanced this far in years without wedded love or bridal song. And do not cling to hopes that you will ever meet with such joys. The man, Aegisthus, is not so unthinking
as ever to permit that offspring should shoot up from you or from me either to be a certain bane for himself. But if you will follow my plans, first you will win praise for piety from our dead father below, and from our brother, too;

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἄκουε δή νυν ᾗ βεβούλευμαι ποεῖν.
παρουσίαν μὲν οἶσθα καὶ σύ που φίλων
ὡς οὔτις ἡμῖν ἔστιν, ἀλλʼ Ἅιδης λαβὼν
ἀπεστέρηκε καὶ μόνα λελείμμεθον.
ἐγὼ δʼ ἕως μὲν τὸν κασίγνητον βίῳ
θάλλοντʼ ἔτʼ εἰσήκουον, εἶχον ἐλπίδας
φόνου ποτʼ αὐτὸν πράκτορʼ ἵξεσθαι πατρός·
νῦν δʼ ἡνίκʼ οὐκέτʼ ἔστιν, εἰς σὲ δὴ βλέπω,
ὅπως τὸν αὐτόχειρα πατρῴου φόνου
ξὺν τῇδʼ ἀδελφῇ μὴ κατοκνήσεις κτανεῖν
Αἴγισθον· οὐδὲν γάρ σε δεῖ κρύπτειν μʼ ἔτι.
ποῖ γὰρ μενεῖς ῥᾴθυμος, εἰς τίνʼ ἐλπίδων
βλέψασʼ ἔτʼ ὀρθήν; ᾗ πάρεστι μὲν στένειν
πλούτου πατρῴου κτῆσιν ἐστερημένῃ,
πάρεστι δʼ ἀλγεῖν ἐς τοσόνδε τοῦ χρόνου
ἄλεκτρα γηράσκουσαν ἀνυμέναιά τε.
καὶ τῶνδε μέντοι μηκέτʼ ἐλπίσῃς ὅπως
τεύξει ποτʼ· οὐ γὰρ ὧδʼ ἄβουλός ἐστʼ ἀνὴρ
Αἴγισθος ὥστε σόν ποτʼ ἢ κἀμὸν γένος
βλαστεῖν ἐᾶσαι, πημονὴν αὑτῷ σαφῆ.
ἀλλʼ ἢν ἐπίσπῃ τοῖς ἐμοῖς βουλεύμασιν,
πρῶτον μὲν εὐσέβειαν ἐκ πατρὸς κάτω
θανόντος οἴσει τοῦ κασιγνήτου θʼ ἅμα·

[¶117] next, you shall be called hereafter free, just as you were born, and shall find a worthy marriage. For noble natures draw the gaze of all. Then do you not see what fair fame you will procure for yourself and for me, by obeying me?

> Greek: ἔπειτα δʼ, ὥσπερ ἐξέφυς, ἐλευθέρα
καλεῖ τὸ λοιπὸν καὶ γάμων ἐπαξίων
τεύξει· φιλεῖ γὰρ πρὸς τὰ χρηστὰ πᾶς ὁρᾶν.
λόγων γε μὴν εὔκλειαν οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὅσην
σαυτῇ τε κἀμοὶ προσβαλεῖς πεισθεῖσʼ ἐμοί;

[¶118] What citizen or stranger when he sees us will not greet us with praises such as these: “Behold these two sisters, my friends! They saved their father’s house, and at a time when their foes were firmly established, they took their lives in their hands and administered bloodshed! Worthy of love is this pair, worthy of reverence from all. At festivals, and wherever the citizenry is assembled, let these two be honored by all men for their manly courage.” Thus will every one speak of us,
so that in life and in death our glory shall not fail. Come, dear sister, be persuaded! Toil with our father, share the burden of your brother, put an end to my troubles and an end to yours, keeping in mind that a shameful life brings shame upon the noble-born.

> Greek: τίς γάρ ποτʼ ἀστῶν ἢ ξένων ἡμᾶς ἰδὼν
τοιοῖσδʼ ἐπαίνοις οὐχὶ δεξιώσεται·
ἴδεσθε τώδε τὼ κασιγνήτω, φίλοι,
ὣ τὸν πατρῷον οἶκον ἐξεσωσάτην,
ὣ τοῖσιν ἐχθροῖς εὖ βεβηκόσιν ποτὲ
ψυχῆς ἀφειδήσαντε προὐστήτην φόνου·
τούτω φιλεῖν χρή, τώδε χρὴ πάντας σέβειν,
τώδʼ ἔν θʼ ἑορταῖς ἔν τε πανδήμῳ πόλει
τιμᾶν ἅπαντας οὕνεκʼ ἀνδρείας χρεών.
τοιαῦτά τοι νὼ πᾶς τις ἐξερεῖ βροτῶν,
ζώσαιν θανούσαιν θʼ ὥστε μὴ ʼκλιπεῖν κλέος.
ἀλλʼ, ὦ φίλη, πείσθητι, συμπόνει πατρί,
σύγκαμνʼ ἀδελφῷ, παῦσον ἐκ κακῶν ἐμέ,
παῦσον δὲ σαυτήν, τοῦτο γιγνώσκουσʼ ὅτι
ζῆν αἰσχρὸν αἰσχρῶς τοῖς καλῶς πεφυκόσιν.

[¶119] Chorus:
In a crisis such as this, forethought is an ally both to those who speak and those who listen.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις ἐστὶν ἡ προμηθία
καὶ τῷ λέγοντι καὶ κλύοντι σύμμαχος.

[¶120] Chrysothemis:
Yes, I agree. And before she spoke, my friends, if she were blessed with a sound mind, she would have remembered caution, even as she does not now.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
καὶ πρίν γε φωνεῖν, ὦ γυναῖκες, εἰ φρενῶν
ἐτύγχανʼ αὕτη μὴ κακῶν, ἐσῴζετʼ ἂν
τὴν εὐλάβειαν, ὥσπερ οὐχὶ σῴζεται.

[¶121] Where can you have turned your eyes, that you arm yourself with such rashness and call me to serve beneath you? Do you not see? Your nature is a woman’s, not a man’s, and the strength of your hand is less than that of your adversaries. And their fortune prospers day by day,
while ours ebbs and comes to nothing. Who, then, plotting to subdue such a man, would escape destruction unharmed? See to it that, badly as we fare now, we do not acquire greater evil, if any one hears this talk of yours.

> Greek: ποῖ γάρ ποτʼ ἐμβλέψασα τοιοῦτον θράσος
αὐτή θʼ ὁπλίζει κἄμʼ ὑπηρετεῖν καλεῖς;
οὐκ εἰσορᾷς; γυνὴ μὲν οὐδʼ ἀνὴρ ἔφυς,
σθένεις δʼ ἔλασσον τῶν ἐναντίων χερί.
δαίμων δὲ τοῖς μὲν εὐτυχεῖ καθʼ ἡμέραν,
ἡμῖν δʼ ἀπορρεῖ κἀπὶ μηδὲν ἔρχεται.
τίς οὖν τοιοῦτον ἄνδρα βουλεύων ἑλεῖν
ἄλυπος ἄτης ἐξαπαλλαχθήσεται;
ὅρα κακῶς πράσσοντε μὴ μείζω κακὰ
κτησώμεθʼ, εἴ τις τούσδʼ ἀκούσεται λόγους.

[¶122] It brings us no relief or benefit, if after winning fair fame we die an ignominious death. For death is not the most odious thing; it is rather craving death, but lacking the means to die. No, I plead with you, before we are utterly, totally destroyed
and before we leave our house desolate, restrain your rage! I will take care that your words remain secret and harmless for you. You in turn must get hold of good sense at long last and yield to the powerful since you have no strength.

> Greek: λύει γὰρ ἡμῖν οὐδὲν οὐδʼ ἐπωφελεῖ
βάξιν καλὴν λαβόντε δυσκλεῶς θανεῖν.
οὐ γὰρ θανεῖν ἔχθιστον, ἀλλʼ ὅταν θανεῖν
χρῄζων τις εἶτα μηδὲ τοῦτʼ ἔχῃ λαβεῖν.
ἀλλʼ ἀντιάζω, πρὶν πανωλέθρους τὸ πᾶν
ἡμᾶς τʼ ὀλέσθαι κἀξερημῶσαι γένος,
κατάσχες ὀργήν. καὶ τὰ μὲν λελεγμένα
ἄρρητʼ ἐγώ σοι κἀτελῆ φυλάξομαι,
αὐτὴ δὲ νοῦν σχὲς ἀλλὰ τῷ χρόνῳ ποτέ,
σθένουσα μηδὲν τοῖς κρατοῦσιν εἰκαθεῖν.

[¶123] Chorus:
Listen to her. There is no better gain for mortals to win than foresight and a prudent mind.

> Greek: Χορός:
πείθου· προνοίας οὐδὲν ἀνθρώποις ἔφυ
κέρδος λαβεῖν ἄμεινον οὐδὲ νοῦ σοφοῦ.

[¶124] Electra:
You have said nothing unexpected. Well I knew that you would reject what I proposed. But the deed must be done with my own hand, by me and me alone.
I certainly will not leave it unaccomplished.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἀπροσδόκητον οὐδὲν εἴρηκας· καλῶς δʼ
ᾔδη σʼ ἀπορρίψουσαν ἁπηγγελλόμην.
ἀλλʼ αὐτόχειρί μοι μόνῃ τε δραστέον
τοὔργον τόδʼ· οὐ γὰρ δὴ κενόν γʼ ἀφήσομεν.

[¶125] Chrysothemis:
Ah! If only you had had such resolve on the day of our father’s death! Then you would have accomplished everything!

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
φεῦ·
εἴθʼ ὤφελες τοιάδε τὴν γνώμην πατρὸς
θνῄσκοντος εἶναι· πᾶν γὰρ ἂν κατειργάσω.

[¶126] Electra:
My nature was the same then, but my mind was less ripe.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἀλλʼ ἦ φύσιν γε, τὸν δὲ νοῦν ἥσσων τότε.

[¶127] Chrysothemis:
Strive to keep your mind that way through all your life.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
ἄσκει τοιαύτη νοῦν διʼ αἰῶνος μένειν.

[¶128] Electra:
You make these admonitions like one who will not assist me.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὡς οὐχὶ συνδράσουσα νουθετεῖς τάδε.

[¶129] Chrysothemis:
I will not, for he who sets hand to the deed is likely also to suffer disaster.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
εἰκὸς γὰρ ἐγχειροῦντα καὶ πράσσειν κακῶς.

[¶130] Electra:
I admire you for your prudence. For your cowardice I hate you.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ζηλῶ σε τοῦ νοῦ, τῆς δὲ δειλίας στυγῶ.

[¶131] Chrysothemis:
I will listen no less calmly when you praise me.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
ἀνέξομαι κλύουσα χὤταν εὖ λέγῃς.

## 3. Lines 1029–1510

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

[¶0] Electra:
Never fear to suffer that from me, at least.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἀλλʼ οὔ ποτʼ ἐξ ἐμοῦ γε μὴ πάθῃς τόδε.

[¶1] Chrysothemis:
There is time enough in the future to decide that.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
μακρὸς τὸ κρῖναι ταῦτα χὠ λοιπὸς χρόνος.

[¶2] Electra:
Leave! You have no power to help.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἄπελθε· σοὶ γὰρ ὠφέλησις οὐκ ἔνι.

[¶3] Chrysothemis:
No, I have it, but you lack the ability to listen and learn.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
ἔνεστιν· ἀλλὰ σοὶ μάθησις οὐ πάρα.

[¶4] Electra:
Go, reveal everything to your mother!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἐλθοῦσα μητρὶ ταῦτα πάντʼ ἔξειπε σῇ.

[¶5] Chrysothemis:
But, again, I do not hate you with so great a hate.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
οὐδʼ αὖ τοσοῦτον ἔχθος ἐχθαίρω σʼ ἐγώ.

[¶6] Electra:
Yet know at least to what dishonor you drive me.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἀλλʼ οὖν ἐπίστω γʼ οἷ μʼ ἀτιμίας ἄγεις.

[¶7] Chrysothemis:
Dishonor, no! It is forethought for you.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
ἀτιμίας μὲν οὔ, προμηθίας δὲ σοῦ.

[¶8] Electra:
Am I bound, then, to follow your rule of right?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
τῷ σῷ δικαίῳ δῆτʼ ἐπισπέσθαι με δεῖ;

[¶9] Chrysothemis:
Yes, for when you are sensible, then at that time you shall lead the both of us.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
ὅταν γὰρ εὖ φρονῇς, τόθʼ ἡγήσει σὺ νῷν.

[¶10] Electra:
How terrible it is that one who speaks so well should be so wrong!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἦ δεινὸν εὖ λέγουσαν ἐξαμαρτάνειν.

[¶11] Chrysothemis:
You have well described the fault to which you devotedly cling.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
εἴρηκας ὀρθῶς ᾧ σὺ πρόσκεισαι κακῷ.

[¶12] Electra:
What? Do you think that my words are not the words of Justice?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
τί δʼ; οὐ δοκῶ σοι ταῦτα σὺν δίκῃ λέγειν;

[¶13] Chrysothemis:
But sometimes even Justice herself causes harm.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
ἀλλʼ ἔστιν ἔνθα χἠ δίκη βλάβην φέρει.

[¶14] Electra:
I do not care to live where that attitude is lawful.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
τούτοις ἐγὼ ζῆν τοῖς νόμοις οὐ βούλομαι.

[¶15] Chrysothemis:
Well, if you must do this, you will commend me yet.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
ἀλλʼ εἰ ποήσεις ταῦτʼ, ἐπαινέσεις ἐμέ.

[¶16] Electra:
And do it I will, not a bit disturbed by you.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
καὶ μὴν ποήσω γʼ οὐδὲν ἐκπλαγεῖσά σε.

[¶17] Chrysothemis:
Is this true? You will not reconsider your plan?

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
καὶ τοῦτʼ ἀληθές, οὐδὲ βουλεύσει πάλιν;

[¶18] Electra:
No, for no enemy is more damaging than bad advice.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
βουλῆς γὰρ οὐδέν ἐστιν ἔχθιον κακῆς.

[¶19] Chrysothemis:
You seem to agree with nothing that I say.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
φρονεῖν ἔοικας οὐδὲν ὧν ἐγὼ λέγω.

[¶20] Electra:
My resolve is not new, but long since fixed.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
πάλαι δέδοκται ταῦτα κοὐ νεωστί μοι.

[¶21] Chrysothemis:
Then I will go. You cannot be brought to approve my words, nor I your conduct.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
ἄπειμι τοίνυν· οὔτε γὰρ σὺ τἄμʼ ἔπη
τολμᾷς ἐπαινεῖν οὔτʼ ἐγὼ τοὺς σοὺς τρόπους.

[¶22] Electra:
No, go inside. I will never come after you, even though you may strongly desire it, since it is great folly even to attempt a useless quest.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἀλλʼ εἴσιθʼ. οὔ σοι μὴ μεθέψομαί ποτε,
οὐδʼ ἢν σφόδρʼ ἱμείρουσα τυγχάνῃς· ἐπεὶ
πολλῆς ἀνοίας καὶ τὸ θηρᾶσθαι κενά.

[¶23] Chrysothemis:
Well, if you seem to think straight in your own eyes, may you go on thinking so. Eventually, when you have fallen into trouble, you will approve my advice. Exit Chrysothemis into the house.

> Greek: Χρυσόθεμις:
ἀλλʼ εἰ σεαυτῇ τυγχάνεις δοκοῦσά τι
φρονεῖν, φρόνει τοιαῦθʼ. ὅταν γὰρ ἐν κακοῖς
ἤδη βεβήκῃς, τἄμʼ ἐπαινέσεις ἔπη.

[¶24] Chorus:
Why, though we see the birds above, most thoughtful creatures, taking care for the sustenance
of those from whom they derived life and enjoyment, why do we not pay these debts in like measure? No, by the lightning-flash of Zeus, by Themis throned in the sky,
we are not long unpunished. O Voice of the underworld that reaches to mortals, shout for me a piteous cry to the sons of Atreus below. Carry the reproaches not appropriate to my dancing!

> Greek: Χορός:
τί τοὺς ἄνωθεν φρονιμωτάτους οἰωνοὺς ἐσορώμενοι τροφᾶς
κηδομένους ἀφʼ ὧν τε βλάστωσιν ἀφʼ ὧν τʼ ὄνασιν εὕρ-
ωσι, τάδʼ οὐκ ἐπʼ ἴσας τελοῦμεν;
ἀλλʼ οὐ τὰν Διὸς ἀστραπὰν
καὶ τὰν οὐρανίαν Θέμιν,
δαρὸν οὐκ ἀπόνητοι.
ὦ χθονία βροτοῖσι φάμα, κατά μοι βόασον οἰκτρὰν
ὄπα τοῖς ἔνερθʼ Ἀτρείδαις, ἀχόρευτα φέρουσʼ
ὀνείδη·

[¶25] Chorus:
Tell them the affairs of their house, how it is now diseased; how among his children, double-sided strife has overwhelmed their loving manner.
Electra, betrayed, braves the storm alone. In misery she bewails her father’s fate without pause, like the all-grieving nightingale. She cares not at all about death, but is ready for that eternal blindness,
could she but subdue the double Erinys of her house. Who could grow to be so noble a daughter of so noble a father?

> Greek: Χορός:
ὅτι σφὶν ἤδη τὰ μὲν ἐκ δόμων νοσεῖ δή, τὰ δὲ πρὸς τέκνων διπλῆ
φύλοπις οὐκέτʼ ἐξισοῦται φιλοτασίῳ διαί-
τᾳ· πρόδοτος δὲ μόνα σαλεύει
Ἠλέκτρα, τὸν ἀεὶ πατρὸς
δειλαία στενάχουσʼ, ὅπως
ἁ πάνδυρτος ἀηδών,
οὔτε τι τοῦ θανεῖν προμηθὴς τό τε μὴ βλέπειν ἑτοίμα,
διδύμαν ἑλοῦσʼ Ἐρινύν· τίς ἂν εὔπατρις ὧδε βλάστοι;

[¶26] Chorus:
None of the good willingly clouds his fair repute and becomes nameless by leading a corrupt life, my child.

> Greek: Χορός:
οὐδεὶς τῶν ἀγαθῶν γὰρ
ζῶν κακῶς εὔκλειαν αἰσχῦναι θέλει
νώνυμος, ὦ παῖ παῖ.

[¶27] Similarly, you, too, have chosen a lifetime of shared mourning and have armed against dishonor, so that you might win in one breath a twofold praise as wise, and as the best of daughters.

> Greek: ὡς καὶ σὺ πάγκλαυτον αἰῶνα κοινὸν εἵλου,
τὸ μὴ καλὸν καθοπλίσασα, δύο φέρειν ἐν ἑνὶ λόγῳ,
σοφά τʼ ἀρίστα τε παῖς κεκλῆσθαι.

[¶28] Chorus:
May I yet see you live exalted in might and wealth above your enemies by as much as you now dwell beneath their hand! For I have found you enjoying no prosperous estate, yet
for observance of nature’s highest laws you win the noblest prize by your reverence toward Zeus.
Enter Orestes, with Pylades and two attendants.

> Greek: Χορός:
ζῴης μοι καθύπερθεν
χειρὶ καὶ πλούτῳ τεῶν ἐχθρῶν ὅσον
νῦν ὑπόχειρ ναίεις·
ἐπεί σʼ ἐφηύρηκα μοίρᾳ μὲν οὐκ ἐν ἐσθλᾷ
βεβῶσαν, ἃ δὲ μέγιστʼ ἔβλαστε νόμιμα, τῶνδε φερομέναν
ἄριστα τᾷ Ζηνὸς εὐσεβείᾳ.

[¶29] Orestes:
Ladies, have we been directed aright, and are we on the right path to our goal?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἆρʼ, ὦ γυναῖκες, ὀρθά τʼ εἰσηκούσαμεν
ὀρθῶς θʼ ὁδοιποροῦμεν ἔνθα χρῄζομεν;

[¶30] Chorus:
What do you seek? What desire brings you here?

> Greek: Χορός:
τί δʼ ἐξερευνᾷς καὶ τί βουληθεὶς πάρει;

[¶31] Orestes:
I have long been searching for the home of Aegisthus.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
Αἴγισθον ἔνθʼ ᾤκηκεν ἱστορῶ πάλαι.

[¶32] Chorus:
Well, you have found it, and your guide is blameless.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀλλʼ εὖ θʼ ἱκάνεις χὠ φράσας ἀζήμιος.

[¶33] Orestes:
Which of you, then, would tell those inside of the long-desired presence of us travelers?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τίς οὖν ἂν ὑμῶν τοῖς ἔσω φράσειεν ἂν
ἡμῶν ποθεινὴν κοινόπουν παρουσίαν;

[¶34] Chorus:
She will, if the nearest in kin should announce it.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἥδʼ, εἰ τὸν ἄγχιστόν γε κηρύσσειν χρεών.

[¶35] Orestes:
Go, lady, enter and make it known that certain men of Phocis seek Aegisthus.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἴθʼ, ὦ γύναι, δήλωσον εἰσελθοῦσʼ ὅτι
Φωκῆς ματεύουσʼ ἄνδρες Αἴγισθόν τινες,

[¶36] Electra:
Ah, miserable me! Surely you do not bring proof positive of that rumor which we heard?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οἴμοι τάλαινʼ, οὐ δή ποθʼ ἧς ἠκούσαμεν
φήμης φέροντες ἐμφανῆ τεκμήρια;

[¶37] Orestes:
I know nothing of your “rumor”; but the aged Strophius ordered me to give report of Orestes.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐκ οἶδα τὴν σὴν κληδόνʼ· ἀλλά μοι γέρων
ἐφεῖτʼ Ὀρέστου Στρόφιος ἀγγεῖλαι πέρι.

[¶38] Electra:
What is it, sir? Ah, how fear creeps over me!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
τί δʼ ἔστιν, ὦ ξένʼ; ὥς μʼ ὑπέρχεται φόβος.

[¶39] Orestes:
We come bearing his scanty remains in a small urn, as you see.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
φέροντες αὐτοῦ σμικρὰ λείψανʼ ἐν βραχεῖ
τεύχει θανόντος, ὡς ὁρᾷς, κομίζομεν.

[¶40] Electra:
Oh, the misery! Here, at last, my eyes look for certain, it seems, upon that grievous burden in your hand.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οἲ ʼγὼ τάλαινα, τοῦτʼ ἐκεῖνʼ ἤδη σαφὲς
πρόχειρον ἄχθος, ὡς ἔοικε, δέρκομαι.

[¶41] Orestes:
If your tears are for any of Orestes’ tribulations, know that this vessel is his body’s home.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
εἴπερ τι κλαίεις τῶν Ὀρεστείων κακῶν,
τόδʼ ἄγγος ἴσθι σῶμα τοὐκείνου στέγον.

[¶42] Electra:
Ah, sir, if this urn indeed contains him, then allow me,
by the gods, to take it in my hands, so that I may weep and wail, not for these ashes alone, but for myself and for all our house with them!
Orestes: To the attendants.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὦ ξεῖνε, δός νυν, πρὸς θεῶν, εἴπερ τόδε
κέκευθεν αὐτὸν τεῦχος, εἰς χεῖρας λαβεῖν,
ὅπως ἐμαυτὴν καὶ γένος τὸ πᾶν ὁμοῦ
ξὺν τῇδε κλαύσω κἀποδύρωμαι σποδῷ.

[¶43] Take it and give it to her, whoever she may be. For she asks this for herself not as if with hostile intent,
but like one who is his friend, or a kinswoman by blood. The urn is placed in Electra’s hands.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
δόθʼ, ἥτις ἐστί, προσφέροντες· οὐ γὰρ ὡς
ἐν δυσμενείᾳ γʼ οὖσʼ ἐπαιτεῖται τάδε,
ἀλλʼ ἢ φίλων τις ἢ πρὸς αἵματος φύσιν.

[¶44] Electra:
Memorial of him whom I loved best on earth, sole remnant of Orestes’ vitality! How contrary to the hopes with which I sent you away do I receive you back! Now I raise your nothingness in my hands;
but then, my child, you were radiant, when I sent you away from home! Would that I had first abandoned life, before, stealing you away with these hands, I sent you to a strange land and rescued you from death, in order that you might have lain dead on that same day
and had your share in the tomb of our father! But now, an exile from home and fatherland, you have perished miserably, far from your sister. Ah, me, these loving hands have not washed or decked your corpse, nor taken up
their sad burden from the all-consuming pyre, as was proper. No! At the hands of strangers, poor Orestes, you have been tended, and so have come to us, a small bulk in a small urn. Ah, I grieve at the uselessness of my nursing long ago, the service that I often bestowed
on you in sweet labor! For you were never your mother’s darling so much as mine, nor was any in the house your nurse but I, and by you I was ever called “sister.” But now all this has vanished in a day
with your death. Like a whirlwind you have swept everything away with you. Our father is gone; I am dead because of you; you yourself are dead and gone; our enemies laugh at us; and our mother, who is no mother, raves with joy. Unknown to her, you often
sent me messages about her, saying that you yourself would appear for vengeance. But our evil fortune, yours and mine, has torn all that away, and has sent you back to me in this state, ash and a useless shade in place of your beloved form.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὦ φιλτάτου μνημεῖον ἀνθρώπων ἐμοὶ
ψυχῆς Ὀρέστου λοιπόν, ὥς σʼ ἀπʼ ἐλπίδων
οὐχ ὧνπερ ἐξέπεμπον εἰσεδεξάμην.
νῦν μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲν ὄντα βαστάζω χεροῖν,
δόμων δέ σʼ, ὦ παῖ, λαμπρὸν ἐξέπεμψʼ ἐγώ.
ὡς ὤφελον πάροιθεν ἐκλιπεῖν βίον,
πρὶν ἐς ξένην σε γαῖαν ἐκπέμψαι χεροῖν
κλέψασα ταῖνδε κἀνασώσασθαι φόνου,
ὅπως θανὼν ἔκεισο τῇ τόθʼ ἡμέρᾳ,
τύμβου πατρῴου κοινὸν εἰληχὼς μέρος.
νῦν δʼ ἐκτὸς οἴκων κἀπὶ γῆς ἄλλης φυγὰς
κακῶς ἀπώλου, σῆς κασιγνήτης δίχα,
κοὔτʼ ἐν φίλαισι χερσὶν ἡ τάλαινʼ ἐγὼ
λουτροῖς σʼ ἐκόσμησʼ οὔτε παμφλέκτου πυρὸς
ἀνειλόμην, ὡς εἰκός, ἄθλιον βάρος,
ἀλλʼ ἐν ξέναισι χερσὶ κηδευθεὶς τάλας
σμικρὸς προσήκεις ὄγκος ἐν σμικρῷ κύτει.
οἴμοι τάλαινα τῆς ἐμῆς πάλαι τροφῆς
ἀνωφελήτου, τὴν ἐγὼ θάμʼ ἀμφὶ σοὶ
πόνῳ γλυκεῖ παρέσχον· οὔτε γάρ ποτε
μητρὸς σύ γʼ ἦσθα μᾶλλον ἢ κἀμοῦ φίλος,
οὔθʼ οἱ κατʼ οἶκον ἦσαν, ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ τροφός,
ἐγὼ δʼ ἀδελφὴ σοὶ προσηυδώμην ἀεί.
νῦν δʼ ἐκλέλοιπε ταῦτʼ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ
θανόντι σὺν σοί· πάντα γὰρ συναρπάσας
θύελλʼ ὅπως βέβηκας. οἴχεται πατήρ·
τέθνηκʼ ἐγὼ σοί· φροῦδος αὐτὸς εἶ θανών·
γελῶσι δʼ ἐχθροί· μαίνεται δʼ ὑφʼ ἡδονῆς
μήτηρ ἀμήτωρ, ἧς ἐμοὶ σὺ πολλάκις
φήμας λάθρᾳ προύπεμπες ὡς φανούμενος
τιμωρὸς αὐτός. ἀλλὰ ταῦθʼ ὁ δυστυχὴς
δαίμων ὁ σός τε κἀμὸς ἐξαφείλετο,
ὅς σʼ ὧδέ μοι προύπεμψεν ἀντὶ φιλτάτης
μορφῆς σποδόν τε καὶ σκιὰν ἀνωφελῆ.

[¶45] ah, me, ah, me! O pitiable body! Alas, dear one sent on a most dire journey, how you have destroyed me, destroyed me indeed, my brother!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οἴμοι μοι.
ὦ δέμας οἰκτρόν. φεῦ φεῦ.
ὦ δεινοτάτας, οἴμοι μοι,
πεμφθεὶς κελεύθους, φίλταθʼ, ὥς μʼ ἀπώλεσας·
ἀπώλεσας δῆτʼ, ὦ κασίγνητον κάρα.

[¶46] Therefore accept me into this abode of yours—me, a nothing, into your nothingness,—so that I may dwell with you hereafter below. For when you were on earth, we shared equally, and now I wish to die and not to be left out of your grave,
since I see that the dead are relieved of pain.

> Greek: τοιγὰρ σὺ δέξαι μʼ ἐς τὸ σὸν τόδε στέγος,
τὴν μηδὲν εἰς τὸ μηδέν, ὡς σὺν σοὶ κάτω
ναίω τὸ λοιπόν· καὶ γὰρ ἡνίκʼ ἦσθʼ ἄνω,
ξὺν σοὶ μετεῖχον τῶν ἴσων, καὶ νῦν ποθῶ
τοῦ σοῦ θανοῦσα μὴ ἀπολείπεσθαι τάφου.
τοὺς γὰρ θανόντας οὐχ ὁρῶ λυπουμένους.

[¶47] Chorus:
Remember, Electra, you are the child of a mortal father, and Orestes was mortal. Therefore do not grieve too much. Death is a debt which all of us must pay.

> Greek: Χορός:
θνητοῦ πέφυκας πατρός, Ἠλέκτρα, φρόνει,
θνητὸς δʼ Ὀρέστης. ὥστε μὴ λίαν στένε.
πᾶσιν γὰρ ἡμῖν τοῦτʼ ὀφείλεται παθεῖν.

[¶48] Orestes:
Ah, what shall I say? I am at a loss. To what words
can I turn? I no longer have the strength to master my tongue!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
φεῦ φεῦ. τί λέξω; ποῖ λόγων ἀμηχανῶν
ἔλθω; κρατεῖν γὰρ οὐκέτι γλώσσης σθένω.

[¶49] Electra:
What has troubled you? Why did you say that?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
τί δʼ ἔσχες ἄλγος; πρὸς τί τοῦτʼ εἰπὼν κυρεῖς;

[¶50] Orestes:
Is this the illustrious form of Electra?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἦ σὸν τὸ κλεινὸν εἶδος Ἠλέκτρας τόδε;

[¶51] Electra:
It is, though in a very wretched state.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
τόδʼ ἔστʼ ἐκεῖνο, καὶ μάλʼ ἀθλίως ἔχον.

[¶52] Orestes:
What pity, then, for this miserable fortune!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οἴμοι ταλαίνης ἆρα τῆσδε συμφορᾶς.

[¶53] Electra:
Surely, stranger, you are not saddened like this on my account?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οὐ δή ποτʼ, ὦ ξένʼ, ἀμφʼ ἐμοὶ στένεις τάδε;

[¶54] Orestes:
O frame dishonorably, godlessly wasted!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὦ σῶμʼ ἀτίμως κἀθέως ἐφθαρμένον.

[¶55] Electra:
Those ills of which you speak, stranger, are none other’s than mine.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οὔτοι ποτʼ ἄλλην ἢ ʼμὲ δυσφημεῖς, ξένε.

[¶56] Orestes:
Ah, pity for your unwed, ill-fated life!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
φεῦ τῆς ἀνύμφου δυσμόρου τε σῆς τροφῆς,

[¶57] Electra:
Why, stranger, do you stare and grieve in this way?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
τί δή ποτʼ, ὦ ξένʼ, ὧδʼ ἐπισκοπῶν στένεις;

[¶58] Orestes:
How I knew nothing, it seems, of my own sorrows!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὡς οὐκ ἄρʼ ᾔδη τῶν ἐμῶν οὐδὲν κακῶν.

[¶59] Electra:
What that has been said made you realize this?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἐν τῷ διέγνως τοῦτο τῶν εἰρημένων;

[¶60] Orestes:
It was the sight of you conspicuous in your many sufferings.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὁρῶν σε πολλοῖς ἐμπρέπουσαν ἄλγεσιν.

[¶61] Electra:
And yet you see but a few of my troubles.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
καὶ μὴν ὁρᾷς γε παῦρα τῶν ἐμῶν κακῶν.

[¶62] Orestes:
And how could there be any more odious to look on than these?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
καὶ πῶς γένοιτʼ ἂν τῶνδʼ ἔτʼ ἐχθίω βλέπειν;

[¶63] Electra:
Because I share house and table with the murderers.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὁθούνεκʼ εἰμὶ τοῖς φονεῦσι σύντροφος

[¶64] Orestes:
Whose murderers? Where lies the guilt at which you point?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τοῖς τοῦ; πόθεν τοῦτʼ ἐξεσήμηνας κακόν;

[¶65] Electra:
The murderers of my father. And, further, I am forced to slave for them.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
τοῖς πατρός· εἶτα τοῖσδε δουλεύω βίᾳ.

[¶66] Orestes:
Who is it that binds you with this compulsion?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τίς γάρ σʼ ἀνάγκῃ τῇδε προτρέπει βροτῶν;

[¶67] Electra:
She is called my mother, but in no respect is she like a mother.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
μήτηρ καλεῖται, μητρὶ δʼ οὐδὲν ἐξισοῖ.

[¶68] Orestes:
How does she do it? By violence or by inflicting hardship?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τί δρῶσα; πότερα χερσὶν ἢ λύμῃ βίου;

[¶69] Electra:
By violence and hardships and all manner of evil.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
καὶ χερσὶ καὶ λύμαισι καὶ πᾶσιν κακοῖς.

[¶70] Orestes:
And is there no one to help, or to prevent it?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐδʼ οὑπαρήξων οὐδʼ ὁ κωλύσων πάρα;

[¶71] Electra:
No one. The one I had, his ashes you have put before me.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οὐ δῆθʼ. ὃς ἦν γάρ μοι σὺ προὔθηκας σποδόν.

[¶72] Orestes:
Unfortunate girl, how seeing you stirs my pity!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὦ δύσποτμʼ, ὡς ὁρῶν σʼ ἐποικτίρω πάλαι.

[¶73] Electra:
Then know that you are the first who ever pitied me.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
μόνος βροτῶν νυν ἴσθʼ ἐποικτίρας ποτέ.

[¶74] Orestes:
Yes, for I alone have come and been pained by your troubles.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
μόνος γὰρ ἥκω τοῖς ἴσοις ἀλγῶν κακοῖς.

[¶75] Electra:
Surely you are not some unknown kinsman?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οὐ δή ποθʼ ἡμῖν ξυγγενὴς ἥκεις ποθέν;

[¶76] Orestes:
I would tell you, if these women bear you goodwill.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἐγὼ φράσαιμʼ ἄν, εἰ τὸ τῶνδʼ εὔνουν πάρα.

[¶77] Electra:
Indeed they do, so you will speak to trustworthy companions.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἀλλʼ ἐστὶν εὔνουν, ὥστε πρὸς πιστὰς ἐρεῖς.

[¶78] Orestes:
Give up this urn, then, and you shall know everything.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
μέθες τόδʼ ἄγγος νῦν, ὅπως τὸ πᾶν μάθῃς.

[¶79] Electra:
No, by the gods, do not do this to me, stranger!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
μὴ δῆτα πρὸς θεῶν τοῦτό μʼ ἐργάσῃ, ξένε.

[¶80] Orestes:
Do as I say, and you will never be mistaken.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
πείθου λέγοντι κοὐχ ἁμαρτήσει ποτέ.

[¶81] Electra:
No, I beg you, do not rip from me what I hold most dear!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
μή, πρὸς γενείου, μὴ ʼξέλῃ τὰ φίλτατα.

[¶82] Orestes:
You must not keep it.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὔ φημʼ ἐάσειν.

[¶83] Electra:
Ah, what misery I will have because of you,
Orestes, if I am robbed of your burial!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὦ τάλαινʼ ἐγὼ σέθεν,
Ὀρέστα, τῆς σῆς εἰ στερήσομαι ταφῆς.

[¶84] Orestes:
Hush! No ill-omened words! You have no right to grieve.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
εὔφημα φώνει· πρὸς δίκης γὰρ οὐ στένεις.

[¶85] Electra:
How is it not right for me to grieve for my dead brother?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
πῶς τὸν θανόντʼ ἀδελφὸν οὐ δίκῃ στένω;

[¶86] Orestes:
It is not proper for you to speak of him as you do.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὔ σοι προσήκει τήνδε προσφωνεῖν φάτιν.

[¶87] Electra:
Am I so without rights in the dead?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οὕτως ἄτιμός εἰμι τοῦ τεθνηκότος;

[¶88] Orestes:
You are without rights in nothing; but this burial is not your concern.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἄτιμος οὐδενὸς σύ· τοῦτο δʼ οὐχὶ σόν.

[¶89] Electra:
Yes it is, if these are the remains of Orestes that I hold.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
εἴπερ γʼ Ὀρέστου σῶμα βαστάζω τόδε;

[¶90] Orestes:
They are not his, except inasmuch as fiction alone contrives to make them so. He gently takes the urn from her.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἀλλʼ οὐκ Ὀρέστου, πλὴν λόγῳ γʼ ἠσκημένον.

[¶91] Electra:
And where is that sufferer’s tomb?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ποῦ δʼ ἔστʼ ἐκείνου τοῦ ταλαιπώρου τάφος;

[¶92] Orestes:
There is none; the living have no tomb.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐκ ἔστι· τοῦ γὰρ ζῶντος οὐκ ἔστιν τάφος.

[¶93] Electra:
What are you saying, boy?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
πῶς εἶπας, ὦ παῖ;
Ὀρέστης:
ψεῦδος οὐδὲν ὧν λέγω.

[¶94] Orestes:
Nothing that is untrue.
Electra:
The man is alive?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἦ ζῇ γὰρ ἁνήρ;
Ὀρέστης:
εἴπερ ἔμψυχός γʼ ἐγώ.

[¶95] Orestes:
If there is life in me.
Electra:
What? Are you he?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἦ γὰρ σὺ κεῖνος;

[¶96] Orestes:
Look at this signet, once our father’s, and know if I speak the truth.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τήνδε προσβλέψασά μου
σφραγῖδα πατρὸς ἔκμαθʼ εἰ σαφῆ λέγω.

[¶97] Electra:
O blissful day!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὦ φίλτατον φῶς.

[¶98] Orestes:
Blissful, I am your witness!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
φίλτατον, συμμαρτυρῶ.

[¶99] Electra:
Is this your voice?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὦ φθέγμʼ, ἀφίκου;

[¶100] Orestes:
Hear it from no other.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
μηκέτʼ ἄλλοθεν πύθῃ,

[¶101] Electra:
Do I hold you in my arms?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἔχω σε χερσίν;

[¶102] Orestes:
May you hold me so always hereafter!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὡς τὰ λοίπʼ ἔχοις ἀεί.

[¶103] Electra:
Ah, dear friends and fellow-citizens, see Orestes here, who was dead by design, and now by design has come safely home!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὦ φίλταται γυναῖκες, ὦ πολίτιδες,
ὁρᾶτʼ Ὀρέστην τόνδε, μηχαναῖσι μὲν
θανόντα, νῦν δὲ μηχαναῖς σεσωσμένον.

[¶104] Chorus:
We see him, daughter, and for this happy turn of fortune a tear of joy trickles from our eyes.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὁρῶμεν, ὦ παῖ, κἀπὶ συμφοραῖσί μοι
γεγηθὸς ἕρπει δάκρυον ὀμμάτων ἄπο.

[¶105] Electra:
O seed, seed of the person to me most dear, you have just now come,
you have come, and have found and seen her whom your heart desired!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἰὼ γοναί,
γοναὶ σωμάτων ἐμοὶ φιλτάτων,
ἐμόλετʼ ἀρτίως,
ἐφηύρετʼ, ἤλθετʼ, εἴδεθʼ οὓς ἐχρῄζετε.

[¶106] Orestes:
I am with you; but keep silence and wait.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
πάρεσμεν· ἀλλὰ σῖγʼ ἔχουσα πρόσμενε.

[¶107] Electra:
What do you mean?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
τί δʼ ἔστιν;

[¶108] Orestes:
It is better to be silent so that no one inside may hear.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
σιγᾶν ἄμεινον, μή τις ἔνδοθεν κλύῃ.

[¶109] Electra:
No, by ever-virgin Artemis,
I will never think it right to tremble before eternally house-bound women, that useless burden on the ground!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἀλλʼ οὐ μὰ τὴν ἄδμητον αἰὲν Ἄρτεμιν,
τόδε μὲν οὔ ποτʼ ἀξιώσω τρέσαι,
περισσὸν ἄχθος ἔνδον
γυναικῶν ὂν αἰεί.

[¶110] Orestes:
Yes, but remember that Ares dwells in women, too. You know this well by experience, I believe.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὅρα γε μὲν δὴ κἀν γυναιξὶν ὡς Ἄρης
ἔνεστιν· εὖ δʼ ἔξοισθα πειραθεῖσά που.

[¶111] Electra:
oh, no! ah, me! You have reminded me of my sorrow, one which by its nature cannot be veiled,
cannot be done away with, cannot be forgotten!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὀτοτοτοτοῖ τοτοῖ,
ἀνέφελον ἐνέβαλες οὔ ποτε καταλύσιμον,
οὐδέ ποτε λησόμενον ἁμέτερον
οἷον ἔφυ κακόν.

[¶112] Orestes:
I know this, too; but when occasion prompts, we must recall those crimes.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἔξοιδα, παῖ, ταῦτʼ· ἀλλʼ ὅταν παρουσία
φράζῃ, τότʼ ἔργων τῶνδε μεμνῆσθαι χρεών.

[¶113] Electra:
Each moment of all time, as it comes, would be a proper occasion
for me to make these just complaints. Scarcely now have I had my lips set free.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὁ πᾶς ἐμοί,
ὁ πᾶς ἂν πρέποι παρὼν ἐννέπειν
τάδε δίκᾳ χρόνος·
μόλις γὰρ ἔσχον νῦν ἐλεύθερον στόμα.

[¶114] Orestes:
Yes, I agree; therefore guard your freedom.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ξύμφημι κἀγώ· τοιγαροῦν σῴζου τόδε.

[¶115] Electra:
What must I do?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
τί δρῶσα;

[¶116] Orestes:
When it is inopportune, do not want to speak too much.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὗ μή ʼστι καιρὸς μὴ μακρὰν βούλου λέγειν.

[¶117] Electra:
No, who could exchange due silence for speech, when you have appeared? For now my eyes have seen you, beyond all thought and hope!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
τίς οὖν ἂν ἀξίαν γε σοῦ πεφηνότος
μεταβάλοιτʼ ἂν ὧδε σιγὰν λόγων;
ἐπεί σε νῦν ἀφράστως
ἀέλπτως τʼ ἐσεῖδον.

[¶118] Orestes:
You saw me when the gods moved me to come. …

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τότʼ εἶδες, εὖτε θεοί μʼ ἐπώτρυναν μολεῖν
…

[¶119] Electra:
You have told me of a grace higher still than the first, if a god brought you to our house;
I acknowledge in it the work of the divine.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἔφρασας ὑπερτέραν
τᾶς πάρος ἔτι χάριτος, εἴ σε θεὸς ἐπόρισεν
ἁμέτερα πρὸς μέλαθρα· δαιμόνιον
αὐτὸ τίθημʼ ἐγώ.

[¶120] Orestes:
On the one hand I hesitate to curb your gladness, but on the other I fear that you may be overwhelmed by too much joy.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τὰ μέν σʼ ὀκνῶ χαίρουσαν εἰργαθεῖν, τὰ δὲ
δέδοικα λίαν ἡδονῇ νικωμένην.

[¶121] Electra:
O you who, after such a long time, saw fit to make your most happy journey and appear to me,
do not, now that you have seen me in all my misery—

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἰὼ χρόνῳ μακρῷ φιλτάταν ὁδὸν
ἐπαξιώσας ὧδέ μοι φανῆναι,
μή τί με, πολύπονον ὧδʼ ἰδὼν

[¶122] Orestes:
What should I not do?—

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τί μὴ ποήσω;

[¶123] Electra:
—Do not rob me of the comfort of your face; do not force me to forego it!
Orestes:
I would be angry, indeed, if I saw another attempt it.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
μή μʼ ἀποστερήσῃς
τῶν σῶν προσώπων ἁδονὰν μεθέσθαι.

[¶124] Electra:
You give your consent?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἦ κάρτα κἂν ἄλλοισι θυμοίμην ἰδών.

[¶125] Orestes:
Why would I not?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ξυναινεῖς;

[¶126] Electra:
My friends, I heard a voice that I could never have hoped to hear; nor could I have restrained my emotion in silence and without a cry, when I heard it.
ah, me! But now I have you. You have appeared with that dear face, which I could never, even in misery, forget.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τί μὴν οὔ;
Ἠλέκτρα:
ὦ φίλαι, ἔκλυον ἃν ἐγὼ οὐδʼ ἂν ἤλπισʼ αὐδάν,
οὐδʼ ἂν ἔσχον ὁρμὰν
ἄναυδον οὐδὲ σὺν βοᾷ κλύουσα,
τάλαινα. νῦν δʼ ἔχω σε· προυφάνης δὲ
φιλτάταν ἔχων πρόσοψιν,
ἇς ἐγὼ οὐδʼ ἂν ἐν κακοῖς λαθοίμαν.

[¶127] Orestes:
Spare all superfluous words, and inform me neither of our mother’s wickedness,
nor how Aegisthus drains the wealth of our father’s house—what part he pours on the ground and what he squanders at random. For the story would preclude you from the opportunity afforded by the moment. Instead tell me that which will suit our present circumstances: where, either openly or in ambush,
we may put an end to our enemies’ laughter by means of my coming. Make sure that our mother does not discover you by your radiant face, when we two have gone into the house. Rather, make lament, as if for the feigned disaster. For when we succeed, then
there will be opportunity to rejoice and exult in freedom.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τὰ μὲν περισσεύοντα τῶν λόγων ἄφες,
καὶ μήτε μήτηρ ὡς κακὴ δίδασκέ με,
μήθʼ ὡς πατρῴαν κτῆσιν Αἴγισθος δόμων
ἀντλεῖ, τὰ δʼ ἐκχεῖ, τὰ δὲ διασπείρει μάτην·
χρόνου γὰρ ἄν σοι καιρὸν ἐξείργοι λόγος.
ἃ δʼ ἁρμόσει μοι τῷ παρόντι νῦν χρόνῳ
σήμαινʼ, ὅπου φανέντες ἢ κεκρυμμένοι
γελῶντας ἐχθροὺς παύσομεν τῇ νῦν ὁδῷ.
οὕτω δʼ ὅπως μήτηρ σε μὴ ʼπιγνώσεται
φαιδρῷ προσώπῳ νῷν ἐπελθόντοιν δόμους·
ἀλλʼ ὡς ἐπʼ ἄτῃ τῇ μάτην λελεγμένῃ
στέναζʼ· ὅταν γὰρ εὐτυχήσωμεν, τότε
χαίρειν παρέσται καὶ γελᾶν ἐλευθέρως.

[¶128] Electra:
Brother, be assured that my conduct will be as pleases you, since all my joy derives from you, and is not my own. Nor would I consent
to win a great good for myself at the cost of the slightest pain to you. For in doing so I would not honorably support the divine power that attends us now. But you know how matters stand here. I do not doubt it. You must have heard that Aegisthus is away from home, but that our mother is inside. And never fear that she
will ever see my face lit up with smiles. My old hatred of her has been welded to my heart, and since I have seen you, for very joy I will never cease to weep. How indeed could I stop when I have seen you come home on this one day first as dead,
and then in life? What you have done to me is inconceivable—so much so that, if my father were to return to me alive, I would no longer think it a portent, but would believe that I truly saw him. Therefore now that you have come to me by such a path, command me as your spirit bids you. For had I been alone,
I would not have failed in one of two things: a noble salvation, or a noble destruction.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἀλλʼ ὦ κασίγνηθʼ, ὧδʼ ὅπως καὶ σοὶ φίλον
καὶ τοὐμὸν ἔσται τῇδʼ· ἐπεὶ τὰς ἡδονὰς
πρὸς σοῦ λαβοῦσα κοὐκ ἐμὰς ἐκτησάμην,
κοὐδʼ ἄν σε λυπήσασα δεξαίμην βραχὺ
αὐτὴ μέγʼ εὑρεῖν κέρδος· οὐ γὰρ ἂν καλῶς
ὑπηρετοίην τῷ παρόντι δαίμονι.
ἀλλʼ οἶσθα μὲν τἀνθένδε, πῶς γὰρ οὔ; κλύων
ὁθούνεκʼ Αἴγισθος μὲν οὐ κατὰ στέγας,
μήτηρ δʼ ἐν οἴκοις· ἣν σὺ μὴ δείσῃς ποθʼ ὡς
γέλωτι τοὐμὸν φαιδρὸν ὄψεται κάρα.
μῖσός τε γὰρ παλαιὸν ἐντέτηκέ μοι,
κἀπεί σʼ ἐσεῖδον, οὔ ποτʼ ἐκλήξω χαρᾷ
δακρυρροοῦσα· πῶς γὰρ ἂν λήξαιμʼ ἐγώ,
ἥτις μιᾷ σε τῇδʼ ὁδῷ θανόντα τε
καὶ ζῶντʼ ἐσεῖδον; εἴργασαι δέ μʼ ἄσκοπα·
ὥστʼ εἰ πατήρ μοι ζῶν ἵκοιτο, μηκέτʼ ἂν
τέρας νομίζειν αὐτό, πιστεύειν δʼ ὁρᾶν.
ὅτʼ οὖν τοιαύτην ἡμὶν ἐξήκεις ὁδόν,
ἄρχʼ αὐτὸς ὥς σοι θυμός· ὡς ἐγὼ μόνη
οὐκ ἂν δυοῖν ἥμαρτον· ἢ γὰρ ἂν καλῶς
ἔσωσʼ ἐμαυτὴν ἢ καλῶς ἀπωλόμην.

[¶129] Orestes:
Silence! I hear someone walking inside as if to come out.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
σιγᾶν ἐπῄνεσʼ ὡς ἐπʼ ἐξόδῳ κλύω τῶν ἔνδοθεν χωροῦντος.

[¶130] Electra: To Orestes and Pylades.
Go in, strangers, especially since you bring a thing which no one
could either turn away from these doors, or rejoice at receiving.
Enter the Paedagogus.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
εἴσιτʼ, ὦ ξένοι,
ἄλλως τε καὶ φέροντες οἷʼ ἂν οὔτε τις
δόμων ἀπώσαιτʼ οὔτʼ ἂν ἡσθείη λαβών.

[¶131] Paedagogus:
Utterly foolish and senseless children! Are you weary of your lives, or is there no wit inborn in you, that you do not see how you stand not on the brink, but in the very midst
of immense danger? Had I not long kept watch at these doors, your doings would have been in the house before your bodies. But as it was, I put myself the task of averting that.

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
ὦ πλεῖστα μῶροι καὶ φρενῶν τητώμενοι,
πότερα παρʼ οὐδὲν τοῦ βίου κήδεσθʼ ἔτι
ἢ νοῦς ἔνεστιν οὔτις ὑμὶν ἐγγενής,
ὅτʼ οὐ παρʼ αὐτοῖς, ἀλλʼ ἐν αὐτοῖσιν κακοῖς
τοῖσιν μεγίστοις ὄντες οὐ γιγνώσκετε;
ἀλλʼ εἰ σταθμοῖσι τοῖσδε μὴ ʼκύρουν ἐγὼ
πάλαι φυλάσσων, ἦν ἂν ὑμὶν ἐν δόμοις
τὰ δρώμενʼ ὑμῶν πρόσθεν ἢ τὰ σώματα·
νῦν δʼ εὐλάβειαν τῶνδε προυθέμην ἐγώ.

[¶132] Be done now with your long speeches and this insatiable shouting for joy, and go inside. In dealings of this sort delay is harmful, but the time is ripe for being done.

> Greek: καὶ νῦν ἀπαλλαχθέντε τῶν μακρῶν λόγων
καὶ τῆς ἀπλήστου τῆσδε σὺν χαρᾷ βοῆς
εἴσω παρέλθεθʼ, ὡς τὸ μὲν μέλλειν κακὸν
ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις ἔστʼ, ἀπηλλάχθαι δʼ ἀκμή.

[¶133] Orestes:
Then how will things inside stand when I enter?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
πῶς οὖν ἔχει τἀντεῦθεν εἰσιόντι μοι;

[¶134] Paedagogus:
All is well. The fact is that no one will know you.

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
καλῶς· ὑπάρχει γάρ σε μὴ γνῶναί τινα.

[¶135] Orestes:
You have reported me as dead, I presume?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ἤγγειλας, ὡς ἔοικεν, ὡς τεθνηκότα.

[¶136] Paedagogus:
Know that here you are a man numbered with the shades.

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
εἷς τῶν ἐν Ἅιδου μάνθανʼ ἐνθάδʼ ὢν ἀνήρ.

[¶137] Orestes:
Do they rejoice, then, at the news? Or what do they say?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
χαίρουσιν οὖν τούτοισιν; ἢ τίνες λόγοι;

[¶138] Paedagogus:
I will tell when all is completed. Meanwhile,
all is favorable for us on their part, even that which is not favorable.

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
τελουμένων εἴποιμʼ ἄν· ὡς δὲ νῦν ἔχει,
καλῶς τὰ κείνων πάντα, καὶ τὰ μὴ καλῶς.

[¶139] Electra:
Who is this, brother? By the gods, tell me.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
τίς οὗτός ἐστʼ, ἀδελφέ; πρὸς θεῶν φράσον.

[¶140] Orestes:
Do you not know who he is?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐχὶ ξυνίης;

[¶141] Electra:
No, nor can I imagine.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οὐδέ γʼ ἐς θυμὸν φέρω.

[¶142] Orestes:
Do you not know the man to whose hands you gave me once?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐκ οἶσθʼ ὅτῳ μʼ ἔδωκας εἰς χέρας ποτέ;

[¶143] Electra:
What man? What do you mean?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ποίῳ; τί φωνεῖς;

[¶144] Orestes:
I mean him, by whose hands and through your forethought
I was secretly conveyed away to Phocian soil.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὗ τὸ Φωκέων πέδον
ὑπεξεπέμφθην σῇ προμηθίᾳ χεροῖν.

[¶145] Electra:
Is this he in whom alone out of many I once found a true ally at the time of our father’s murder?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἦ κεῖνος οὗτος, ὅν ποτʼ ἐκ πολλῶν ἐγὼ
μόνον προσηῦρον πιστὸν ἐν πατρὸς φόνῳ;

[¶146] Orestes:
This is he; question me no further.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
ὅδʼ ἐστί· μή μʼ ἔλεγχε πλείοσιν λόγοις.

[¶147] Electra:
O joyous day! O sole preserver of Agamemnon’s house,
how did you come here? Are you indeed the man who saved my brother and myself from many sorrows? O dearest hands, O messenger whose feet were kindly servants! How could you be with me so long and remain unknown, without giving a ray of illumination,
but instead afflicting me with stories, while possessed of sweetest reality? Welcome, Father, for it is a father that I seem to behold! Welcome, and know that in one day I have hated you and loved you as no man ever before!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὦ φίλτατον φῶς, ὦ μόνος σωτὴρ δόμων
Ἀγαμέμνονος, πῶς ἦλθες; ἦ σὺ κεῖνος εἶ,
ὃς τόνδε κἄμʼ ἔσωσας ἐκ πολλῶν πόνων;
ὦ φίλταται μὲν χεῖρες, ἥδιστον δʼ ἔχων
ποδῶν ὑπηρέτημα, πῶς οὕτω πάλαι
ξυνών μʼ ἔληθες οὐδʼ ἔφαινες, ἀλλά με
λόγοις ἀπώλλυς, ἔργʼ ἔχων ἥδιστʼ ἐμοί;
χαῖρʼ, ὦ πάτερ· πατέρα γὰρ εἰσορᾶν δοκῶ·
χαῖρʼ· ἴσθι δʼ ὡς μάλιστά σʼ ἀνθρώπων ἐγὼ
ἤχθηρα κἀφίλησʼ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ.

[¶148] Paedagogus:
That is enough, I think. As for the recounting of intervening events,
many are the circling nights and an equal number of days which will reveal them to you clearly, Electra.
To Orestes and Pylades.

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
ἀρκεῖν δοκεῖ μοι· τοὺς γὰρ ἐν μέσῳ λόγους
πολλαὶ κυκλοῦνται νύκτες ἡμέραι τʼ ἴσαι,
αἳ ταῦτά σοι δείξουσιν, Ἠλέκτρα, σαφῆ.

[¶149] And this is my advice to you two, since you stand there: now is your opportunity to act, now Clytaemnestra is alone, now no man is inside. But if you pause,
consider that you will have to fight both those inside and others mightier and better skilled.

> Greek: σφῷν δʼ ἐννέπω γε τοῖν παρεστώτοιν ὅτι
νῦν καιρὸς ἔρδειν· νῦν Κλυταιμνήστρα μόνη,
νῦν οὔτις ἀνδρῶν ἔνδον· εἰ δʼ ἐφέξετον,
φροντίζεθʼ ὡς τούτοις τε καὶ σοφωτέροις
ἄλλοισι τούτων πλείοσιν μαχούμενοι.

[¶150] Orestes:
Pylades, in no way does our task call any longer for many words, but rather demands that we enter the house immediately, after first adoring the shrines of my father’s
gods, the keepers of these gates. Orestes and Pylades enter the house, followed by the Paedagogus. Electra remains outside.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐκ ἂν μακρῶν ἔθʼ ἡμὶν οὐδὲν ἂν λόγων,
Πυλάδη, τόδʼ εἴη τοὔργον, ἀλλʼ ὅσον τάχος
χωρεῖν ἔσω, πατρῷα προσκύσανθʼ ἕδη
θεῶν, ὅσοιπερ πρόπυλα ναίουσιν τάδε.

[¶151] Electra:
King Apollo! Hear them with favor, and hear me besides, who so often have come before your altar with hands rich in such gifts as I could obtain! And now, O Lycean Apollo, with what means I have
I pray to you, I supplicate you, I implore you, be our ready champion in these designs, and show what rewards the gods bestow on humans in return for their impiety! Exit Electra, into the house.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἄναξ Ἄπολλον, ἵλεως αὐτοῖν κλύε
ἐμοῦ τε πρὸς τούτοισιν, ἥ σε πολλὰ δὴ
ἀφʼ ὧν ἔχοιμι λιπαρεῖ προύστην χερί.
νῦν δʼ, ὦ Λύκειʼ Ἄπολλον, ἐξ οἵων ἔχω
αἰτῶ, προπίτνω, λίσσομαι, γενοῦ πρόφρων
ἡμῖν ἀρωγὸς τῶνδε τῶν βουλευμάτων,
καὶ δεῖξον ἀνθρώποισι τἀπιτίμια
τῆς δυσσεβείας οἷα δωροῦνται θεοί.

[¶152] Chorus:
Behold how Ares stalks onward,
breathing bloody vengeance that is hard to oppose. Just now have the hunters of wicked crimes passed beneath that roof there, the hounds which none may flee. And so not long shall
the vision of my soul hang in suspense.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἴδεθʼ ὅποι προνέμεται
τὸ δυσέριστον αἷμα φυσῶν Ἄρης.
βεβᾶσιν ἄρτι δωμάτων ὑπόστεγοι
μετάδρομοι κακῶν πανουργημάτων ἄφυκτοι κύνες,
ὥστʼ οὐ μακρὰν ἔτʼ ἀμμενεῖ
τοὐμὸν φρενῶν ὄνειρον αἰωρούμενον.

[¶153] Chorus:
The champion of the spirits infernal is ushered on guileful feet into the house, the rich, ancestral palace of his father, and he bears keen-edged death in his hands.
Maia’s son Hermes, who has shrouded the guile in darkness, leads him right to his goal and delays no longer.
Enter Electra from the house.

> Greek: Χορός:
παράγεται γὰρ ἐνέρων
δολιόπους ἀρωγὸς εἴσω στέγας,
ἀρχαιόπλουτα πατρὸς εἰς ἑδώλια,
νεακόνητον αἷμα χειροῖν ἔχων· ὁ Μαίας δὲ παῖς
Ἑρμῆς σφʼ ἄγει δόλον σκότῳ
κρύψας πρὸς αὐτὸ τέρμα κοὐκέτʼ ἀμμένει.

[¶154] Electra:
My dearest friends, in a moment the men will do the deed. But wait in silence.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὦ φίλταται γυναῖκες, ἅνδρες αὐτίκα
τελοῦσι τοὔργον· ἀλλὰ σῖγα πρόσμενε.
Χορός:
πῶς δή; τί νῦν πράσσουσιν;

[¶155] Chorus:
How do they fare? What are they doing now?
Electra:
She is decking the urn for burial; the two of them stand close to her.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἡ μὲν ἐς τάφον
λέβητα κοσμεῖ, τὼ δʼ ἐφέστατον πέλας.

[¶156] Chorus:
And why have you hurried out?

> Greek: Χορός:
σὺ δʼ ἐκτὸς ᾖξας πρὸς τί;

[¶157] Electra:
To guard against Aegisthus entering before we are aware.
Clytaemnestra: Within.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
φρουρήσουσʼ ὅπως
Αἴγισθος ἡμᾶς μὴ λάθῃ μολὼν ἔσω.

[¶158] Oh! Oh! Our house
is empty of friends and filled with murderers!

> Greek: Κλυταιμνήστρα:
αἰαῖ. ἰὼ στέγαι
φίλων ἔρημοι, τῶν δʼ ἀπολλύντων πλέαι.

[¶159] Electra:
Someone shouts inside. Do you not hear, friends?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
βοᾷ τις ἔνδον· οὐκ ἀκούετʼ, ὦ φίλαι;

[¶160] Chorus:
I heard, ah, me, sounds unfit to be heard, and I shudder!
Clytaemnestra: Within.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἤκουσʼ ἀνήκουστα δύστανος, ὥστε φρῖξαι.

[¶161] Ah, misery! Aegisthus, where, where are you?

> Greek: Κλυταιμνήστρα:
οἴμοι τάλαινʼ· Αἴγισθε, ποῦ ποτʼ ὢν κυρεῖς;

[¶162] Electra:
Look, once more someone cries out!
Clytaemnestra: Within.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἰδοὺ μάλʼ αὖ θροεῖ τις.

[¶163] My son, my son, have pity on your mother!
Electra:
Why? You had none for him, nor for the father that begot him.

> Greek: Κλυταιμνήστρα:
ὦ τέκνον τέκνον, οἴκτιρε τὴν τεκοῦσαν.
Ἠλέκτρα:
ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐκ σέθεν
ᾠκτίρεθʼ οὗτος οὐδʼ ὁ γεννήσας πατήρ.

[¶164] Chorus:
Wretched city, wretched race, now the fate that has held you day by day perishes—it perishes!
Clytaemnestra: Within.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ πόλις, ὦ γενεὰ τάλαινα, νῦν σοι
μοῖρα καθαμερία φθίνει φθίνει.

[¶165] Oh, I am wounded!
Electra:
Stab her doubly, if you can!
Clytaemnestra: Within.

> Greek: Κλυταιμνήστρα:
ὤμοι πέπληγμαι.

[¶166] Ah, wounded again!
Electra:
Would that Aegisthus, too, were wounded!

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
παῖσον, εἰ σθένεις, διπλῆν.
Κλυταιμνήστρα:
ὤμοι μάλʼ αὖθις.

[¶167] Chorus:
The curses bring fulfillment: those who are buried live.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
εἰ γὰρ Αἰγίσθῳ θʼ ὁμοῦ.
Χορός:
τελοῦσʼ ἀραί· ζῶσιν οἱ γᾶς ὑπαὶ κείμενοι.

[¶168] For men long dead are draining their killers’ blood in a stream of requital.
Enter Orestes and Pylades from the house.

> Greek: παλίρρυτον γὰρ αἷμʼ ὑπεξαιροῦσι τῶν
κτανόντων οἱ πάλαι θανόντες.

[¶169] Chorus:
And now they are here! The red hand drips with sacrifice to Ares, and I cannot blame the deed.

> Greek: Χορός:
καὶ μὴν πάρεισιν οἵδε· φοινία δὲ χεὶρ
στάζει θυηλῆς Ἄρεος, οὐδʼ ἔχω ψέγειν.

[¶170] Electra:
Orestes, what happened?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
Ὀρέστα, πῶς κυρεῖτε;

[¶171] Orestes:
All is well within the house,
if Apollo’s oracle spoke well.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τἀν δόμοισι μὲν
καλῶς, Ἀπόλλων εἰ καλῶς ἐθέσπισεν.

[¶172] Electra:
The miserable woman is dead?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
τέθνηκεν ἡ τάλαινα;

[¶173] Orestes:
Have no more fear that your haughty mother will ever again trample on your rights.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
μηκέτʼ ἐκφοβοῦ
μητρῷον ὥς σε λῆμʼ ἀτιμάσει ποτέ.

[¶174] Chorus:
Quiet! For I see Aegisthus in plain sight.

> Greek: Χορός:
παύσασθε· λεύσσω γὰρ Αἴγισθον ἐκ προδήλου.

[¶175] Electra:
You, young men, get back inside!
Orestes:
Where do you see the man?

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ὦ παῖδες, οὐκ ἄψορρον;

[¶176] Electra:
He is at our mercy walking from the suburb, full of joy.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
εἰσορᾶτε ποῦ τὸν ἄνδρʼ;
Ἠλέκτρα:
ἐφʼ ἡμῖν οὗτος ἐκ προαστίου
χωρεῖ γεγηθὼς …

[¶177] Chorus:
Go with all speed to the vestibule, so that, just as your first task prospered, so this one again may prosper now.
Orestes:
Have courage. We will accomplish it.

> Greek: Χορός:
βᾶτε κατʼ ἀντιθύρων ὅσον τάχιστα,
νῦν, τὰ πρὶν εὖ θέμενοι, τάδʼ ὡς πάλιν.

[¶178] Electra:
Hurry, then, to wherever you wish.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
θάρσει· τελοῦμεν.

[¶179] Orestes:
See, I am gone.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ᾗ νοεῖς ἔπειγέ νυν.

[¶180] Electra:
Things here will be my concern. Exeunt Orestes and Pylades, into the house.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
καὶ δὴ βέβηκα.
Ἠλέκτρα:
τἀνθάδʼ ἂν μέλοιτʼ ἐμοί.

[¶181] Chorus:
It would be well to whisper into this man’s ear some few words of seeming gentleness,
so that he may rush blindly upon his trial before Justice.
Enter Aegisthus.

> Greek: Χορός:
διʼ ὠτὸς ἂν παῦρά γʼ ὡς ἠπίως ἐννέπειν
πρὸς ἄνδρα τόνδε συμφέροι, λαθραῖον ὡς
ὀρούσῃ πρὸς δίκας ἀγῶνα.

[¶182] Aegisthus:
Which of you can tell me where those Phocian strangers are, who are said to have brought report for us that Orestes passed away amidst the shipwrecked chariots?

> Greek: Αἴγισθος:
τίς οἶδεν ὑμῶν ποῦ ποθʼ οἱ Φωκῆς ξένοι,
οὕς φασʼ Ὀρέστην ἡμὶν ἀγγεῖλαι βίον
λελοιπόθʼ ἱππικοῖσιν ἐν ναυαγίοις;

[¶183] You, you I ask, yes, you, who were in former days so bold. It seems to me that this concerns you most, so you must know best, and can best tell me.

> Greek: σέ τοι, σὲ κρίνω, ναὶ σέ, τὴν ἐν τῷ πάρος
χρόνῳ θρασεῖαν· ὡς μάλιστα σοὶ μέλειν
οἶμαι, μάλιστα δʼ ἂν κατειδυῖαν φράσαι.

[¶184] Electra:
I do know. How could I not? Otherwise I would be an alien to the fortune of my nearest kinsmen.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἔξοιδα· πῶς γὰρ οὐχί; συμφορᾶς γὰρ ἂν
ἔξωθεν εἴην τῶν ἐμῶν τῆς φιλτάτης.

[¶185] Aegisthus:
Where, then, may the strangers be? Tell me.

> Greek: Αἴγισθος:
ποῦ δῆτʼ ἂν εἶεν οἱ ξένοι; δίδασκέ με.

[¶186] Electra:
Inside. They have found a way to the heart of their hostess.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
ἔνδον· φίλης γὰρ προξένου κατήνυσαν.

[¶187] Aegisthus:
Have they in fact reported him truly dead?

> Greek: Αἴγισθος:
ἦ καὶ θανόντʼ ἤγγειλαν ὡς ἐτητύμως;

[¶188] Electra:
No, not reported only. They have shown him.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
οὔκ, ἀλλὰ κἀπέδειξαν, οὐ λόγῳ μόνον.

[¶189] Aegisthus:
Then I can identify the corpse myself?

> Greek: Αἴγισθος:
πάρεστʼ ἄρʼ ἡμῖν ὥστε κἀμφανῆ μαθεῖν;

[¶190] Electra:
You can, indeed, though it is no enviable sight.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
πάρεστι δῆτα, καὶ μάλʼ ἄζηλος θέα.

[¶191] Aegisthus:
You have indeed given me a joyful greeting, beyond your custom.

> Greek: Αἴγισθος:
ἦ πολλὰ χαίρειν μʼ εἶπας οὐκ εἰωθότως.

[¶192] Electra:
May joy be yours, if joy is what you find in these things.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
χαίροις ἄν, εἴ σοι χαρτὰ τυγχάνοι τάδε.

[¶193] Aegisthus:
Silence, I say, and throw wide the gates for all Mycenaeans and Argives to see,
so that, if any one of them were once buoyed by empty hopes in this man, now by seeing his corpse, he may welcome my bit in his mouth, instead of waiting until my punishment makes him grow wits by force!

> Greek: Αἴγισθος:
σιγᾶν ἄνωγα κἀναδεικνύναι πύλας
πᾶσιν Μυκηναίοισιν Ἀργείοις θʼ ὁρᾶν,
ὡς εἴ τις αὐτῶν ἐλπίσιν κεναῖς πάρος
ἐξῄρετʼ ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε, νῦν ὁρῶν νεκρὸν
στόμια δέχηται τἀμὰ μηδὲ πρὸς βίαν
ἐμοῦ κολαστοῦ προστυχὼν φύσῃ φρένας.

[¶194] Electra:
All will be done on my part. Time
has given me the sense to comply with the stronger.
A shrouded corpse is disclosed. Orestes and Pylades stand near it.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
καὶ δὴ τελεῖται τἀπʼ ἐμοῦ· τῷ γὰρ χρόνῳ
νοῦν ἔσχον, ὥστε συμφέρειν τοῖς κρείσσοσιν.

[¶195] Aegisthus:
O Zeus, I see an image which could not have fallen without divine spite—but, if Nemesis attend what I say, let it be unsaid! To Orestes. Undo the coverings from his eyes, so that our kinship, at least, may receive due mourning from me also.

> Greek: Αἴγισθος:
ὦ Ζεῦ, δέδορκα φάσμʼ ἄνευ φθόνου μὲν οὐ
πεπτωκός· εἰ δʼ ἔπεστι νέμεσις, οὐ λέγω.
χαλᾶτε πᾶν κάλυμμʼ ἀπʼ ὀφθαλμῶν, ὅπως
τὸ συγγενές τοι κἀπʼ ἐμοῦ θρήνων τύχῃ.

[¶196] Orestes:
Lift the veil yourself. It is not for me, but for you to look upon these remains and greet them kindly.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
αὐτὸς σὺ βάσταζʼ· οὐκ ἐμὸν τόδʼ, ἀλλὰ σόν,
τὸ ταῦθʼ ὁρᾶν τε καὶ προσηγορεῖν φίλως.

[¶197] Aegisthus:
You advise well, and I will obey you. To Electra. But you, call Clytaemnestra for me, if she is at home.

> Greek: Αἴγισθος:
ἀλλʼ εὖ παραινεῖς κἀπιπείσομαι· σὺ δέ,
εἴ που κατʼ οἶκόν μοι Κλυταιμνήστρα, κάλει.

[¶198] Orestes:
She is near you; do not look elsewhere.
Aegisthus: Aegisthus removes the cloth from the face of the corpse.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
αὕτη πέλας σοῦ· μηκέτʼ ἄλλοσε σκόπει.

[¶199] O, what sight is this!
Orestes:
Why so scared? Is the face so strange?

> Greek: Αἴγισθος:
οἴμοι, τί λεύσσω;

[¶200] Aegisthus:
Who are the men into whose nets I have miserably fallen?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τίνα φοβεῖ; τίνʼ ἀγνοεῖς;
Αἴγισθος:
τίνων ποτʼ ἀνδρῶν ἐν μέσοις ἀρκυστάτοις πέπτωχʼ ὁ τλήμων;

[¶201] Orestes:
Do you not perceive how you have long been addressing the living in terms suited to the dead?

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
οὐ γὰρ αἰσθάνει πάλαι
ζῶντας θανοῦσιν οὕνεκʼ ἀνταυδᾷς ἴσα;

[¶202] Aegisthus:
Ah, I read the riddle! It cannot be that
this is not Orestes who speaks to me!
Orestes:
And, though so good a prophet, were you deceived so long?

> Greek: Αἴγισθος:
οἴμοι, ξυνῆκα τοὔπος· οὐ γὰρ ἔσθʼ ὅπως
ὅδʼ οὐκ Ὀρέστης ἔσθʼ ὁ προσφωνῶν ἐμέ.

[¶203] Aegisthus:
Oh, I am destroyed, undone! Yet allow me to speak just a little.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
καὶ μάντις ὢν ἄριστος ἐσφάλλου πάλαι.
Αἴγισθος:
ὄλωλα δὴ δείλαιος. ἀλλά μοι πάρες
κἂν σμικρὸν εἰπεῖν.

[¶204] Electra:
By the gods, brother, do not allow him to speak any more or to plead at length!
When mortals are embroiled in misfortunes, how can one who is to die benefit from lapse of time? No, kill him as quickly as you can, and throw his corpse to the creatures from whom his kind should have burial, throw it far from our sight! For in my eyes this
alone can bring us release from the misery of the past.

> Greek: Ἠλέκτρα:
μὴ πέρα λέγειν ἔα
πρὸς θεῶν, ἀδελφέ, μηδὲ μηκύνειν λόγους.
τί γὰρ βροτῶν ἂν σὺν κακοῖς μεμιγμένων
θνῄσκειν ὁ μέλλων οὐ χρόνου κέρδος φέροι;
ἀλλʼ ὡς τάχιστα κτεῖνε καὶ κτανὼν πρόθες
ταφεῦσιν, ὧν τόνδʼ εἰκός ἐστι τυγχάνειν,
ἄποπτον ἡμῶν· ὡς ἐμοὶ τόδʼ ἂν κακῶν
μόνον γένοιτο τῶν πάλαι λυτήριον.

[¶205] Orestes:
To Aegisthus. Go in, and quickly. Words are not at stake here, but your life.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
χωροῖς ἂν εἴσω σὺν τάχει· λόγων γὰρ οὐ
νῦν ἐστιν ἁγών, ἀλλὰ σῆς ψυχῆς πέρι.

[¶206] Aegisthus:
Why take me into the house? If this deed is just, what need is there of darkness? Why is your hand not quick to strike?

> Greek: Αἴγισθος:
τί δʼ ἐς δόμους ἄγεις με; πῶς, τόδʼ εἰ καλὸν
τοὔργον, σκότου δεῖ κοὐ πρόχειρος εἶ κτανεῖν;

[¶207] Orestes:
Do not give orders, but go to where you struck down my father, so that in that very place you may die.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
μὴ τάσσε· χώρει δʼ ἔνθαπερ κατέκτανες
πατέρα τὸν ἀμόν, ὡς ἂν ἐν ταὐτῷ θάνῃς.

[¶208] Aegisthus:
Is this dwelling doomed to see all the sufferings of us descendants of Pelops, both now and in time to come?

> Greek: Αἴγισθος:
ἦ πᾶσʼ ἀνάγκη τήνδε τὴν στέγην ἰδεῖν
τά τʼ ὄντα καὶ μέλλοντα Πελοπιδῶν κακά;

[¶209] Orestes:
Yours, at least. I am for you a consummate prophet in these matters.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
τὰ γοῦν σʼ· ἐγώ σοι μάντις εἰμὶ τῶνδʼ ἄκρος.

[¶210] Aegisthus:
The skill you boast about did not belong to your father.

> Greek: Αἴγισθος:
ἀλλʼ οὐ πατρῴαν τὴν τέχνην ἐκόμπασας.

[¶211] Orestes:
You bandy words, and our going is delayed. Move forward!

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
πόλλʼ ἀντιφωνεῖς, ἡ δʼ ὁδὸς βραδύνεται.
ἀλλʼ ἕρφʼ.

[¶212] Aegisthus:
You lead.

> Greek: Αἴγισθος:
ὑφηγοῦ.

[¶213] Orestes:
You must go first.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
σοὶ βαδιστέον πάρος.

[¶214] Aegisthus:
Lest I escape you?

> Greek: Αἴγισθος:
ἦ μὴ φύγω σε;

[¶215] Orestes:
No, lest you die in a manner which pleases you. I must be sure that your death is bitter for you.

> Greek: Ὀρέστης:
μὴ μὲν οὖν καθʼ ἡδονὴν
θάνῃς· φυλάξαι δεῖ με τοῦτό σοι πικρόν.

[¶216] This just penalty ought to come straightaway upon all who would break the laws: the penalty of death. Then wrongdoing would not abound.

> Greek: χρῆν δʼ εὐθὺς εἶναι τήνδε τοῖς πᾶσιν δίκην,
ὅστις πέρα πράσσειν τι τῶν νόμων θέλει,
κτείνειν· τὸ γὰρ πανοῦργον οὐκ ἂν ἦν πολύ.

[¶217] Chorus:
O seed of Atreus, through how many sufferings have you sprouted up at last in freedom,
fulfilled by this day’s enterprise!

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ σπέρμʼ Ἀτρέως, ὡς πολλὰ παθὸν
διʼ ἐλευθερίας μόλις ἐξῆλθες
τῇ νῦν ὁρμῇ τελεωθέν.