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.
Παιδαγωγός:ὦ τοῦ στρατηγήσαντος ἐν Τροίᾳ ποτὲἈγαμέμνονος παῖ, νῦν ἐκεῖνʼ ἔξεστί σοιπαρόντι λεύσσειν, ὧν πρόθυμος ἦσθʼ ἀεί.τὸ γὰρ παλαιὸν Ἄργος οὑπόθεις τόδε,τῆς οἰστροπλῆγος ἄλσος Ἰνάχου κόρης·αὕτη δʼ, Ὀρέστα, τοῦ λυκοκτόνου θεοῦἀγορὰ Λύκειος· οὑξ ἀριστερᾶς δʼ ὅδεἭρας ὁ κλεινὸς ναός· οἷ δʼ ἱκάνομεν,φάσκειν Μυκήνας τὰς πολυχρύσους ὁρᾶνπολύφθορόν τε δῶμα Πελοπιδῶν τόδε,ὅθεν σε πατρὸς ἐκ φονῶν ἐγώ ποτεπρὸς σῆς ὁμαίμου καὶ κασιγνήτης λαβὼνἤνεγκα κἀξέσωσα κἀξεθρεψάμηντοσόνδʼ ἐς ἥβης, πατρὶ τιμωρὸν φόνου.
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.
νῦν οὖν, Ὀρέστα καὶ σὺ φίλτατε ξένωνΠυλάδη, τί χρὴ δρᾶν ἐν τάχει βουλευτέον·ὡς ἡμὶν ἤδη λαμπρὸν ἡλίου σέλαςἑῷα κινεῖ φθέγματʼ ὀρνίθων σαφῆμέλαινά τʼ ἄστρων ἐκλέλοιπεν εὐφρόνη.
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.
πρὶν οὖν τινʼ ἀνδρῶν ἐξοδοιπορεῖν στέγης,ξυνάπτετον λόγοισιν· ὡς ἐνταῦθʼ ἐμέν,ἵνʼ οὐκέτʼ ὀκνεῖν καιρός, ἀλλʼ ἔργων ἀκμή.
Orestes:True friend and follower, how well you prove your loyalty to our house!
Ὀρέστης:ὦ φίλτατʼ ἀνδρῶν προσπόλων, ὥς μοι σαφῆσημεῖα φαίνεις ἐσθλὸς εἰς ἡμᾶς γεγώς.
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 therewhen 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 strangersent 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 gamesfrom 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 deathI 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.
ὥσπερ γὰρ ἵππος εὐγενής, κἂν ᾖ γέρων,ἐν τοῖσι δεινοῖς θυμὸν οὐκ ἀπώλεσεν,ἀλλʼ ὀρθὸν οὖς ἵστησιν, ὡσαύτως δὲ σὺἡμᾶς τʼ ὀτρύνεις καὐτὸς ἐν πρώτοις ἕπει.τοιγὰρ τὰ μὲν δόξαντα δηλώσω, σὺ δὲὀξεῖαν ἀκοὴν τοῖς ἐμοῖς λόγοις διδούς,εἰ μή τι καιροῦ τυγχάνω, μεθάρμοσον.ἐγὼ γὰρ ἡνίχʼ ἱκόμην τὸ Πυθικὸνμαντεῖον, ὡς μάθοιμʼ ὅτῳ τρόπῳ πατρὶδίκας ἀροίμην τῶν φονευσάντων πάρα,χρῇ μοι τοιαῦθʼ ὁ Φοῖβος ὧν πεύσει τάχα·ἄσκευον αὐτὸν ἀσπίδων τε καὶ στρατοῦδόλοισι 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 μακρῷγνῶσʼ, οὐδʼ ὑποπτεύσουσιν ὧδʼ ἠνθισμένον.λόγῳ δὲ χρῶ τοιῷδʼ, ὅτι ξένος μὲν εἶΦωκέως παρʼ ἀνδρὸς Φανοτέως ἥκων· ὃ γὰρμέγιστος αὐτοῖς τυγχάνει δορυξένων.ἄγγελλε δʼ ὅρκον προστιθεὶς ὁθούνεκατέθνηκʼ Ὀρέστης ἐξ ἀναγκαίας τύχης,ἄθλοισι Πυθικοῖσιν ἐκ τροχηλάτωνδίφρων κυλισθείς· ὧδʼ ὁ μῦθος ἑστάτω.Ὀρέστης:ἡμεῖς δὲ πατρὸς τύμβον, ὡς ἐφίετο,λοιβαῖσι πρῶτον καὶ καρατόμοις χλιδαῖςστέψαντες εἶτʼ ἄψορρον ἥξομεν πάλιν,τύπωμα χαλκόπλευρον ἠρμένοι χεροῖν,ὃ καὶ σὺ θάμνοις οἶσθά που κεκρυμμένον,ὅπως λόγῳ κλέπτοντες ἡδεῖαν φάτινφέρωμεν αὐτοῖς, τοὐμὸν ὡς ἔρρει δέμαςφλογιστὸν ἤδη καὶ κατηνθρακωμένον.τί γάρ με λυπεῖ τοῦθʼ, ὅταν λόγῳ θανὼνἔργοισι σωθῶ κἀξενέγκωμαι κλέος;δοκῶ μέν, οὐδὲν ῥῆμα σὺν κέρδει κακόν.ἤδη γὰρ εἶδον πολλάκις καὶ τοὺς σοφοὺςλόγῳ μάτην θνῄσκοντας· εἶθʼ, ὅταν δόμουςἔλθωσιν αὖθις, ἐκτετίμηνται πλέον·
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.
ὡς κἄμʼ ἐπαυχῶ τῆσδε τῆς φήμης ἄποδεδορκότʼ 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 ἔρχομαιδίκῃ 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.
The two of us will depart; for so opportunity bids, chief ruler of every enterprise for men.Within.
νὼ δʼ ἔξιμεν· καιρὸς γάρ, ὅσπερ ἀνδράσινμέγιστος ἔργου παντός ἐστʼ ἐπιστάτης.
Electra:ah, me, ah, joyless me!
Ἠλέκτρα:ἰώ μοί μοι δύστηνος.
Paedagogus:Listen, my son; from the doors of the house, I think, came the sound of some serving girl moaning inside.
Παιδαγωγός:καὶ μὴν θυρῶν ἔδοξα προσπόλων τινὸςὑποστενούσης ἔνδον αἰσθέσθαι, τέκνον.
Orestes:Can it be my joyless Electra? Shall we remain here and listen to her cries?
Ὀρέστης:ἆρʼ ἐστὶν ἡ δύστηνος Ἠλέκτρα· θέλειςμείνωμεν αὐτοῦ κἀπακούσωμεν γόων;
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 bringvictory 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.
Παιδαγωγός:ἥκιστα· μηδὲν πρόσθεν ἢ τὰ Λοξίουπειρώμεθʼ ἔρδειν κἀπὸ τῶνδʼ ἀρχηγετεῖν,πατρὸς χέοντες λουτρά· ταῦτα γὰρ φέρεινίκην τʼ ἐφʼ ἡμῖν καὶ κράτος τῶν δρωμένων.
Electra:O you pure sunlight, and you air, light’s equal partner over earth, how often have you heard the chords of my lamentsand 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 miserablefather, 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!
Ἠλέκτρα:ὦ φάος ἁγνὸνκαὶ γῆς ἰσόμοιρʼ ἀήρ, ὥς μοιπολλὰς μὲν θρήνων ᾠδάς,πολλὰς δʼ ἀντήρεις ᾔσθουστέρνων πληγὰς αἱμασσομένων,ὁπόταν δνοφερὰ νὺξ ὑπολειφθῇ·τὰ δὲ παννυχίδων ἤδη στυγεραὶξυνίσασʼ εὐναὶ μογερῶν οἴκων,ὅσα τὸν δύστηνον ἐμὸν θρηνῶπατέρʼ, ὃν κατὰ μὲν βάρβαρον αἶανφοίνιος Ἄρης οὐκ ἐξένισεν,μήτηρ δʼ ἡμὴ χὠ κοινολεχὴςΑἴγισθος ὅπως δρῦν ὑλοτόμοισχίζουσι κάρα φονίῳ πελέκει,κοὐδεὶς τούτων οἶκτος ἀπʼ ἄλληςἢ ʼμοῦ φέρεται, σοῦ, πάτερ, οὕτωςαἰκῶς οἰκτρῶς τε θανόντος.
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.
Ἠλέκτρα:ἀλλʼ οὐ μὲν δὴλήξω θρήνων στυγερῶν τε γόων,ἔστʼ ἂν παμφεγγεῖς ἄστρωνῥιπάς, λεύσσω δὲ τόδʼ ἦμαρ,μὴ οὐ τεκνολέτειρʼ ὥς τις ἀηδὼνἐπὶ κωκυτῷ τῶνδε πατρῴωνπρὸ θυρῶν ἠχὼ πᾶσι προφωνεῖν.
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 againstthe load of grief that crushes me.
ὦ δῶμʼ Ἀΐδου καὶ Περσεφόνης,ὦ χθόνιʼ Ἑρμῆ καὶ πότνιʼ Ἀρὰσεμναί τε θεῶν παῖδες Ἐρινύες,αἳ τοὺς ἀδίκως θνῄσκοντας ὁρᾶθʼ,αἳ τοὺς εὐνὰς ὑποκλεπτομένους,ἔλθετʼ, ἀρήξατε, τίσασθε πατρὸςφόνον ἡμετέρου,καί μοι τὸν ἐμὸν πέμψατʼ ἀδελφόν·μούνη γὰρ ἄγειν οὐκέτι σωκῶλύπης ἀντίρροπον ἄχθος.
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 godlesslyensnared 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.
Χορός:ὦ παῖ, παῖ δυστανοτάταςἨλέκτρα ματρός, τίνʼ ἀεὶτάκεις ὧδʼ ἀκόρεστον οἰμωγὰντὸν πάλαι ἐκ δολερᾶς ἀθεώταταματρὸς ἁλόντʼ ἀπάταις Ἀγαμέμνονακακᾷ τε χειρὶ πρόδοτον; ὡς ὁ τάδε πορὼνὄλοιτʼ, εἴ μοι θέμις τάδʼ αὐδᾶν.
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!
Ἠλέκτρα:ὦ γενέθλα γενναίων,ἥκετʼ ἐμῶν καμάτων παραμύθιον.οἶδά τε καὶ ξυνίημι τάδʼ, οὔ τί μεφυγγάνει, οὐδʼ ἐθέλω προλιπεῖν τόδε,μὴ οὐ τὸν ἐμὸν στενάχειν πατέρʼ ἄθλιον.ἀλλʼ ὦ παντοίας φιλότητος ἀμειβόμεναι χάριν,ἐᾶτέ μʼ ὧδʼ ἀλύειν,αἰαῖ, ἱκνοῦμαι.
Chorus:But never by weeping nor by prayer will you resurrect your father from the pool of Hades which receives all men.
Χορός:ἀλλʼ οὔτοι τόν γʼ ἐξ Ἀΐδαπαγκοίνου λίμνας πατέρʼ ἀν-στάσεις οὔτε γόοισιν οὔτʼ εὐχαῖς.
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.
ἀλλʼ ἀπὸ τῶν μετρίων ἐπʼ ἀμήχανονἄλγος ἀεὶ στενάχουσα διόλλυσαι,ἐν οἷς ἀνάλυσίς ἐστιν οὐδεμία κακῶν.τί μοι τῶν δυσφόρων ἐφίει;Ἠλέκτρα:νήπιος ὃς τῶν οἰκτρῶςοἰχομένων γονέων ἐπιλάθεται.ἀλλʼ ἐμέ γʼ ἁ στονόεσσʼ ἄραρεν φρένας,ἃ Ἴτυν, αἰὲν Ἴτυν ὀλοφύρεται,ὄρνις ἀτυζομένα, Διὸς ἄγγελος.
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.
ἰὼ παντλάμων Νιόβα, σὲ δʼ ἔγωγε νέμω θεόν,ἅτʼ ἐν τάφῳ πετραίῳαἰεὶ 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 κλεινὰγᾶ ποτε Μυκηναίωνδέξεται εὐπατρίδαν, Διὸς εὔφρονιβήματι μολόντα τάνδε γᾶν Ὀρέσταν.
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.
Ἠλέκτρα:ὅν γʼ ἐγὼ ἀκάματα προσμένουσʼ, ἄτεκνος,τάλαινʼ, ἀνύμφευτος αἰὲν οἰχνῶ,δάκρυσι μυδαλέα, τὸν ἀνήνυτονοἶτον ἔχουσα κακῶν· ὁ δὲ λάθεταιὧν τʼ ἔπαθʼ ὧν τʼ ἐδάη. τί γὰρ οὐκ ἐμοὶἔρχεται ἀγγελίας ἀπατώμενον;ἀεὶ μὲν γὰρ ποθεῖ,ποθῶν δʼ οὐκ ἀξιοῖ φανῆναι.
Chorus:Courage, my daughter, courage; Zeus in the skyis 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.
Χορός:θάρσει μοι, θάρσει, τέκνον.ἔτι μέγας οὐρανῷΖεύς, ὃς ἐφορᾷ πάντα καὶ κρατύνει·ᾧ τὸν ὑπεραλγῆ χόλον νέμουσαμήθʼ οἷς ἐχθαίρεις ὑπεράχθεο μήτʼ ἐπιλάθου·χρόνος γὰρ εὐμαρὴς θεός.
Neither the son of Agamemnon, who dwells by Crisa’s cattle-feeding shore nor the god who reigns beside Acheron is unmindful of you.
οὔτε γὰρ ὁ τὰν Κρῖσανβούνομον ἔχων ἀκτὰνπαῖς Ἀγαμεμνονίδας ἀπερίτροποςοὔθʼ ὁ παρὰ τὸν Ἀχέροντα θεὸς ἀνάσσων.
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.
Ἠλέκτρα:ἀλλʼ ἐμὲ μὲν ὁ πολὺς ἀπολέλοιπεν ἤδηβίοτος ἀνέλπιστος, οὐδʼ ἔτʼ ἀρκῶ·ἅτις ἄνευ τεκέων κατατάκομαι,ἇς φίλος οὔτις ἀνὴρ ὑπερίσταται,ἀλλʼ ἁπερεί τις ἔποικος ἀναξίαοἰκονομῶ θαλάμους πατρός, ὧδε μὲνἀεικεῖ σὺν στολᾷ,κεναῖς δʼ ἀμφίσταμαι τραπέζαις.
Chorus:Mournful was the voice heard at his return, and mournful the voice amidst your father’s reclining banquetwhen 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 dreadfulphantom, whether it was god or mortal that did this deed.
Χορός:οἰκτρὰ μὲν νόστοις αὐδά,οἰκτρὰ δʼ ἐν κοίταις πατρῴαιςὅτε οἱ παγχάλκων ἀνταίαγενύων ὡρμάθη πλαγά.δόλος ἦν ὁ φράσας, ἔρος ὁ κτείνας,δεινὰν δεινῶς προφυτεύσαντεςμορφάν, εἴτʼ οὖν θεὸς εἴτε βροτῶνἦν ὁ ταῦτα πράσσων.
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-strokesmy father saw from their twin hands, hands which took my life captive by treachery, which cast me to ruin! May the great god of Olympuscreate for them sufferings in penalty, and may they never have enjoyment of their splendor since they have committed such crimes!
Ἠλέκτρα:ὦ πασᾶν κείνα πλέον ἁμέραἐλθοῦσʼ ἐχθίστα δή μοι·ὦ νύξ, ὦ δείπνων ἀρρήτωνἔκπαγλʼ ἄχθη,τοὺς ἐμὸς ἴδε πατὴρθανάτους αἰκεῖς διδύμαιν χειροῖν,αἳ τὸν ἐμὸν εἷλον βίον πρόδοτον, αἵ μʼ ἀπώλεσαν·οἷς θεὸς ὁ μέγας Ὀλύμπιοςποίνιμα πάθεα παθεῖν πόροι,μηδέ ποτʼ ἀγλαΐας ἀποναίατοτοιάδʼ ἀνύσαντες ἔργα.
Chorus:Be advised to say no more; do you not see by what actionsunder 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 strifeshould not be pushed into a conflict with the powerful.
Χορός:φράζου μὴ πόρσω φωνεῖν.οὐ γνώμαν ἴσχεις ἐξ οἵωντὰ παρόντʼ οἰκείας εἰς ἄταςἐμπίπτεις οὕτως αἰκῶς;πολὺ γάρ τι κακῶν ὑπερεκτήσω,σᾷ δυσθύμῳ τίκτουσʼ ἀεὶψυχᾷ πολέμους· τὰ δὲ τοῖς δυνατοῖςοὐκ ἐριστὰ πλάθειν.
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.
Ἠλέκτρα:δεινοῖς ἠναγκάσθην, δεινοῖς·ἔξοιδʼ, οὐ λάθει μʼ ὀργά.ἀλλʼ ἐν γὰρ δεινοῖς οὐ σχήσωταύτας 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 ἀποπαύσομαιἀνάριθμος ὧδε θρήνων.
Chorus:It is nevertheless with goodwill, like a true-hearted mother,that I dissuade you from begetting misery upon miseries.
Χορός:ἀλλʼ οὖν εὐνοίᾳ γʼ αὐδῶ,μάτηρ ὡσεί τις πιστά,μὴ τίκτειν σʼ ἄταν ἄταις.
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.
Ἠλέκτρα:καὶ τί μέτρον κακότατος ἔφυ; φέρε,πῶς ἐπὶ τοῖς φθιμένοις ἀμελεῖν καλόν;ἐν τίνι τοῦτʼ ἔβλαστʼ ἀνθρώπων;μήτʼ εἴην ἔντιμος τούτοιςμήτʼ, εἴ τῳ πρόσκειμαι χρηστῷ,ξυνναίοιμʼ εὔκηλος, γονέωνἐκτίμους ἴσχουσα πτέρυγαςὀξυτόνων γόων.εἰ γὰρ ὁ μὲν θανὼν γᾶ τε καὶ οὐδὲν ὢνκείσεται τάλας,οἱ δὲ μὴ πάλινδώσουσʼ ἀντιφόνους δίκας,ἔρροι τʼ ἂν αἰδὼςἁπάντων τʼ εὐσέβεια θνατῶν.
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.
Χορός:ἐγὼ μέν, ὦ παῖ, καὶ τὸ σὸν σπεύδουσʼ ἅμακαὶ τοὐμὸν αὐτῆς ἦλθον· εἰ δὲ μὴ καλῶςλέγω, σὺ νίκα· σοὶ γὰρ ἑψόμεσθʼ ἅμα.
Electra:I am ashamed, my friends, if you judge metoo 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 themequally 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 andpouring 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.
Ἠλέκτρα:αἰσχύνομαι μέν, ὦ γυναῖκες, εἰ δοκῶπολλοῖσι 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 ἀεὶθάλλοντα μᾶλλον ἢ καταφθίνονθʼ ὁρῶ·ᾗ πρῶτα μὲν τὰ μητρός, ἥ μʼ ἐγείνατο,ἔχθιστα συμβέβηκεν· εἶτα δώμασινἐν τοῖς ἐμαυτῆς τοῖς φονεῦσι τοῦ πατρὸςξύνειμι, κἀκ τῶνδʼ ἄρχομαι κἀκ τῶνδέ μοιλαβεῖν θʼ ὁμοίως καὶ τὸ τητᾶσθαι πέλει.ἔπειτα ποίας ἡμέρας δοκεῖς μʼ ἄγειν,ὅταν θρόνοις Αἴγισθον ἐνθακοῦντʼ ἴδωτοῖσιν πατρῴοις, εἰσίδω δʼ ἐσθήματαφοροῦντʼ ἐκείνῳ ταὐτὰ καὶ παρεστίουςσπένδοντα λοιβὰς ἔνθʼ ἐκεῖνον ὤλεσεν,ἴδω δὲ τούτων τὴν τελευταίαν ὕβριν,τὸν αὐτοέντην ἡμὶν ἐν κοίτῃ πατρὸςξὺν τῇ ταλαίνῃ μητρί, μητέρʼ εἰ χρεὼνταύτην προσαυδᾶν τῷδε συγκοιμωμένην·
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.
ἡ δʼ ὧδε τλήμων ὥστε τῷ μιάστοριξύνεστʼ, ἐρινὺν οὔτινʼ ἐκφοβουμένη·ἀλλʼ ὥσπερ ἐγγελῶσα τοῖς ποιουμένοις,εὑροῦσʼ ἐκείνην ἡμέραν, ἐν ᾗ τότεπατέρα τὸν ἀμὸν ἐκ δόλου κατέκτανεν,ταύτῃ χοροὺς ἵστησι καὶ μηλοσφαγεῖθεοῖσιν ἔμμηνʼ ἱερὰ τοῖς σωτηρίοις.
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 agreementher 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.
Ἠλέκτρα:ἐγὼ δʼ ὁρῶσʼ ἡ δύσμορος κατὰ στέγαςκλαίω, τέτηκα, κἀπικωκύω πατρὸςτὴν δυστάλαιναν δαῖτʼ ἐπωνομασμένηναὐτὴ πρὸς αὑτήν. οὐδὲ γὰρ κλαῦσαι πάρατοσόνδʼ ὅσον μοι θυμὸς ἡδονὴν φέρει.αὕτη γὰρ ἡ λόγοισι γενναία γυνὴφωνοῦσα τοιάδʼ ἐξονειδίζει κακά·ὦ δύσθεον μίσημα, σοὶ μόνῃ πατὴρτέθνηκεν; ἄλλος δʼ οὔτις ἐν πένθει βροτῶν;κακῶς ὄλοιο, μηδέ σʼ ἐκ γόων ποτὲτῶν νῦν ἀπαλλάξειαν οἱ κάτω θεοί.τάδʼ ἐξυβρίζει· πλὴν ὅταν κλύῃ τινὸςἥξοντʼ Ὀρέστην· τηνικαῦτα δʼ ἐμμανὴςβοᾷ παραστᾶσʼ· οὐ σύ μοι τῶνδʼ αἰτία;οὐ σὸν τόδʼ ἐστὶ τοὔργον, ἥτις ἐκ χερῶνκλέψασʼ Ὀρέστην τῶν ἐμῶν ὑπεξέθου;ἀλλʼ ἴσθι τοι τίσουσά γʼ ἀξίαν δίκην.τοιαῦθʼ ὑλακτεῖ, σὺν δʼ ἐποτρύνει πέλαςὁ κλεινὸς αὐτῇ ταὐτὰ νυμφίος παρών,ὁ πάντʼ ἄναλκις οὗτος, ἡ πᾶσα βλάβη,ὁ σὺν γυναιξὶ τὰς μάχας ποιούμενος.ἐγὼ δʼ Ὀρέστην τῶνδε προσμένουσʼ ἀεὶπαυστῆρʼ ἐφήξειν ἡ τάλαινʼ ἀπόλλυμαι.
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.
μέλλων γὰρ ἀεὶ δρᾶν τι τὰς οὔσας τέ μουκαὶ τὰς ἀπούσας ἐλπίδας διέφθορεν.ἐν οὖν τοιούτοις οὔτε σωφρονεῖν, φίλαι,οὔτʼ εὐσεβεῖν πάρεστιν· ἀλλʼ ἔν τοι κακοῖςπολλή ʼστʼ ἀνάγκη κἀπιτηδεύειν κακά.
Chorus:Tell me, is Aegisthus nearby as you speak these words to us, or has he left the house?
Χορός:φέρʼ εἰπέ, πότερον ὄντος Αἰγίσθου πέλαςλέγεις τάδʼ ἡμῖν ἢ βεβῶτος ἐκ δόμων;
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.
Ἠλέκτρα:ἦ κάρτα· μὴ δόκει μʼ ἄν, εἴπερ ἦν πέλας,θυραῖον οἰχνεῖν· νῦν δʼ ἀγροῖσι τυγχάνει.
Chorus:Might I converse with youmore boldly, if this is so?
Χορός:ἦ κἂν ἐγὼ θαρσοῦσα μᾶλλον ἐς λόγουςτοὺς σοὺς ἱκοίμην, εἴπερ ὧδε ταῦτʼ ἔχει;
Electra:He is not here, so question me. What is it you want?
Ἠλέκτρα:ὡς νῦν ἀπόντος ἱστόρει· τί σοι φίλον;
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.
Χορός:καὶ δή σʼ ἐρωτῶ· τοῦ κασιγνήτου τί φής,ἥξοντος ἢ μέλλοντος; εἰδέναι θέλω.
Electra:He says he will come, but although he promises he never does what he says.
Ἠλέκτρα:φησίν γε· φάσκων δʼ οὐδὲν ὧν λέγει ποεῖ.
Chorus:True, a man will hesitate on the verge of a great undertaking.
Χορός:φιλεῖ γὰρ ὀκνεῖν πρᾶγμʼ ἀνὴρ πράσσων μέγα.
Electra:And yet I saved him with no hesitation.
Ἠλέκτρα:καὶ μὴν ἔγωγʼ ἔσωσʼ ἐκεῖνον οὐκ ὄκνῳ.
Chorus:Take heart: he is noble enough to stand by his friends.
Χορός:θάρσει· πέφυκεν ἐσθλός, ὥστʼ ἀρκεῖν φίλοις.
Electra:I believe it; otherwise I would not have remained alive so long.
Ἠλέκτρα:πέποιθʼ, ἐπεί τἂν οὐ μακρὰν ἔζων ἐγώ.
Chorus:Say no more now, since I see your sistercoming 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.
Χορός:μὴ νῦν ἔτʼ εἴπῃς μηδέν· ὡς δόμων ὁρῶτὴν σὴν ὅμαιμον ἐκ πατρὸς ταὐτοῦ φύσιν,Χρυσόθεμιν, ἔκ τε μητρός, ἐντάφια χεροῖνφέρουσαν, οἷα τοῖς κάτω νομίζεται.
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.
Χρυσόθεμις:τίνʼ αὖ σὺ τήνδε πρὸς θυρῶνος ἐξόδοιςἐλθοῦσα φωνεῖς, ὦ κασιγνήτη, φάτιν,κοὐδʼ ἐν χρόνῳ μακρῷ διδαχθῆναι θέλειςθυμῷ ματαίῳ μὴ χαρίζεσθαι κενά;καίτοι τοσοῦτόν γʼ οἶδα κἀμαυτήν, ὅτιἀλγῶ ʼπὶ τοῖς παροῦσιν· ὥστʼ ἄν, εἰ σθένοςλάβοιμι, δηλώσαιμʼ ἂν οἷʼ αὐτοῖς φρονῶ.
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.
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 δεῖζῆν, τῶν κρατούντων ἐστὶ πάντʼ ἀκουστέα.
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.
Ἠλέκτρα:δεινόν γέ σʼ οὖσαν πατρὸς οὗ σὺ παῖς ἔφυς,κείνου λελῆσθαι, τῆς δὲ τικτούσης μέλειν.ἅπαντα γάρ σοι τἀμὰ νουθετήματακείνης διδακτά, κοὐδὲν ἐκ σαυτῆς λέγεις.
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.
ἔπειθʼ ἑλοῦ γε θάτερʼ, ἢ φρονεῖν κακῶςἢ τῶν φίλων φρονοῦσα μὴ μνήμην ἔχειν·ἥτις λέγεις μὲν ἀρτίως ὡς, εἰ λάβοιςσθένος, τὸ τούτων μῖσος ἐκδείξειας ἄν,ἐμοῦ δὲ πατρὶ πάντα τιμωρουμένηςοὔτε ξυνέρδεις τήν τε δρῶσαν ἐκτρέπεις.οὐ ταῦτα πρὸς κακοῖσι δειλίαν ἔχει;ἐπεὶ δίδαξον, ἢ μάθʼ ἐξ ἐμοῦ, τί μοικέρδος γένοιτʼ ἂν τῶνδε ληξάσῃ γόων.οὐ ζῶ; κακῶς μέν, οἶδʼ, ἐπαρκούντως δʼ ἐμοί.
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 ifone 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 andneither 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.
λυπῶ δὲ τούτους, ὥστε τῷ τεθνηκότιτιμὰς 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 σὰμέλλοι τις οἴσειν δῶρʼ, ἐφʼ οἷσι νῦν χλιδᾷς,τούτοις ὑπεικάθοιμι· σοὶ δὲ πλουσίατράπεζα κείσθω καὶ περιρρείτω βίος.ἐμοὶ γὰρ ἔστω τοὐμὲ μὴ λυπεῖν μόνονβόσκημα· τῆς σῆς δʼ οὐκ ἐρῶ τιμῆς τυχεῖν,οὐδʼ ἂν σύ, σώφρων γʼ οὖσα. νῦν δʼ ἐξὸν πατρὸςπάντων ἀρίστου παῖδα κεκλῆσθαι, καλοῦτῆς μητρός· οὕτω γὰρ φανεῖ πλείστοις κακή,θανόντα πατέρα καὶ φίλους προδοῦσα σούς.
Chorus:Away with anger, for the gods’ sake! There isadvantage for both of you in what is urged, if you, Electra, would learn to implement her advice, and she, again, yours.
Χορός:μηδὲν πρὸς ὀργήν, πρὸς θεῶν· ὡς τοῖς λόγοιςἔνεστιν ἀμφοῖν κέρδος, εἰ σὺ μὲν μάθοιςτοῖς τῆσδε χρῆσθαι, τοῖς δὲ σοῖς αὕτη πάλιν.
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.
Χρυσόθεμις:ἐγὼ μέν, ὦ γυναῖκες, ἠθάς εἰμί πωςτῶν τῆσδε μύθων· οὐδʼ ἂν ἐμνήσθην ποτέ,εἰ μὴ κακὸν μέγιστον εἰς αὐτὴν ἰὸνἤκουσʼ, ὃ ταύτην τῶν μακρῶν σχήσει γόων.
Electra:Come then, name this terror! If you can tell me of anything worse than my present condition, I would resist no more.
Ἠλέκτρα:φέρʼ εἰπὲ δὴ τὸ δεινόν· εἰ γὰρ τῶνδέ μοιμεῖζόν τι λέξεις, οὐκ ἂν ἀντείποιμʼ ἔτι.
Chrysothemis:I will tell you all that I know. If you will not cease from your mourning, they intendto 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.
Χρυσόθεμις:ἀλλʼ ἐξερῶ σοι πᾶν ὅσον κάτοιδʼ ἐγώ.μέλλουσι γάρ σʼ, εἰ τῶνδε μὴ λήξεις γόων,ἐνταῦθα πέμψειν ἔνθα μή ποθʼ ἡλίουφέγγος προσόψει, ζῶσα δʼ ἐν κατηρεφεῖστέγῃ χθονὸς τῆσδʼ ἐκτὸς ὑμνήσεις κακά.πρὸς ταῦτα φράζου καί με μή ποθʼ ὕστερονπαθοῦσα μέμψῃ· νῦν γὰρ ἐν καλῷ φρονεῖν.
Electra:Have they in fact decided to do this to me?
Ἠλέκτρα:ἦ ταῦτα δή με καὶ βεβούλευνται ποεῖν;
Chrysothemis:They certainly have, as soon as Aegisthus comes home.
Χρυσόθεμις:μάλισθʼ· ὅταν περ οἴκαδʼ Αἴγισθος μόλῃ.
Electra:Then for this, may he arrive quickly!
Ἠλέκτρα:ἀλλʼ ἐξίκοιτο τοῦδέ γʼ οὕνεκʼ ἐν τάχει.
Chrysothemis:Troubled girl, what curse are you laying on yourself?
Χρυσόθεμις:τίνʼ, ὦ τάλαινα, τόνδʼ ἐπηράσω λόγον;
Electra:That he may come, if he plans to do any of what you said.
Ἠλέκτρα:ἐλθεῖν ἐκεῖνον, εἴ τι τῶνδε δρᾶν νοεῖ.
Chrysothemis:So that you may suffer? In what way? Where are your wits?
Χρυσόθεμις:ὅπως πάθῃς τί χρῆμα; ποῦ ποτʼ εἶ φρενῶν;
Electra:So that I may fly as far as possible from you all.
Ἠλέκτρα:ὅπως ἀφʼ ὑμῶν ὡς προσωτάτω φύγω.
Chrysothemis:Have you no care for the life you lead now?
Χρυσόθεμις:βίου δὲ τοῦ παρόντος οὐ μνείαν ἔχεις;
Electra:oh, yes, my life is so wondrously fine.
Ἠλέκτρα:καλὸς γὰρ οὑμὸς βίοτος ὥστε θαυμάσαι.
Chrysothemis:It would be, if only you learned good sense.
Χρυσόθεμις:ἀλλʼ ἦν ἄν, εἰ σύ γʼ εὖ φρονεῖν ἠπίστασο.
Electra:Do not teach me to betray my friends.
Ἠλέκτρα:μή μʼ ἐκδίδασκε τοῖς φίλοις εἶναι κακήν.
Chrysothemis:I do not, but to bend before the strong.
Χρυσόθεμις:ἀλλʼ οὐ διδάσκω· τοῖς κρατοῦσι δʼ εἰκαθεῖν.
Electra:Keep your flattery to yourself; it is not in my character.
Ἠλέκτρα:σὺ ταῦτα θώπευʼ· οὐκ ἐμοὺς τρόπους λέγεις.
Chrysothemis:Regardless, it brings no honor to fall through senselessness.
Χρυσόθεμις:καλόν γε μέντοι μὴ ʼξ ἀβουλίας πεσεῖν.
Electra:I will fall, if need be, while honoring my father.
Ἠλέκτρα:πεσούμεθʼ, εἰ χρή, πατρὶ τιμωρούμενοι.
Chrysothemis:But our father, I know, pardons me for this.
Χρυσόθεμις:πατὴρ δὲ τούτων, οἶδα, συγγνώμην ἔχει.
Electra:It is for cowards to commend such sentiments.
Ἠλέκτρα:ταῦτʼ ἐστὶ τἄπη πρὸς κακῶν ἐπαινέσαι.
Chrysothemis:So you will not be persuaded to agree with me?
Χρυσόθεμις:σὺ δʼ οὐχὶ πείσει καὶ συναινέσεις ἐμοί;
Electra:No, indeed; may I not yet be so devoid of intelligence.
Ἠλέκτρα:οὐ δῆτα· μή πω νοῦ τοσόνδʼ εἴην κενή.
Chrysothemis:Then I will move on to where I was sent.
Χρυσόθεμις:χωρήσομαί τἄρʼ οἷπερ ἐστάλην ὁδοῦ.
Electra:And where is it that you go? For whom do you take these offerings to be burned?
Ἠλέκτρα:ποῖ δʼ ἐμπορεύει; τῷ φέρεις τάδʼ ἔμπυρα;
Chrysothemis:Mother sends me with funeral libations for our father.
Χρυσόθεμις:μήτηρ με πέμπει πατρὶ τυμβεῦσαι χοάς.
Electra:What are you saying? For her deadliest enemy?
Ἠλέκτρα:πῶς εἶπας; ἦ τῷ δυσμενεστάτῳ βροτῶν;
Chrysothemis:“Whom she herself killed,” no doubt you wanted to say this as well.
Χρυσόθεμις:ὃν ἔκτανʼ αὐτή· τοῦτο γὰρ λέξαι θέλεις.
Electra:What friend persuaded her? Whose idea was it?
Ἠλέκτρα:ἐκ τοῦ φίλων πεισθεῖσα; τῷ τοῦτʼ ἤρεσεν;
Chrysothemis:The cause, I think, was fear induced by some vision in the night.
Χρυσόθεμις:ἐκ δείματός του νυκτέρου, δοκεῖν ἐμοί;
Electra:My father’s Gods! Stand with me now at last!
Ἠλέκτρα:ὦ θεοὶ πατρῷοι, συγγένεσθέ γʼ ἀλλὰ νῦν.
Chrysothemis:Do you find something heartening in this terror?
Χρυσόθεμις:ἔχεις τι θάρσος τοῦδε τοῦ τάρβους πέρι;
Electra:If you would tell me the vision, then I could answer.
Ἠλέκτρα:εἴ μοι λέγοις τὴν ὄψιν, εἴποιμʼ ἂν τότε.
Chrysothemis:I know no more than a small part of the story.
Χρυσόθεμις:ἀλλʼ οὐ κάτοιδα πλὴν ἐπὶ σμικρὸν φράσαι.
Electra:Tell me that, anyway; a small tale has often before now tripped men up, or set them upright.
Ἠλέκτρα:λέγʼ ἀλλὰ τοῦτο· πολλά τοι σμικροὶ λόγοιἔσφηλαν ἤδη καὶ κατώρθωσαν βροτούς.
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 presentwhen 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!
Χρυσόθεμις:λόγος τις αὐτήν ἐστιν εἰσιδεῖν πατρὸςτοῦ σοῦ τε κἀμοῦ δευτέραν ὁμιλίανἐλθόντος ἐς φῶς· εἶτα τόνδʼ ἐφέστιονπῆξαι λαβόντα σκῆπτρον οὑφόρει ποτὲαὐτός, τανῦν δʼ Αἴγισθος· ἐκ δὲ τοῦδʼ ἄνωβλαστεῖν βρύοντα θαλλόν, ᾧ κατάσκιονπᾶσαν γενέσθαι τὴν Μυκηναίων χθόνα.τοιαῦτά του παρόντος, ἡνίχʼ Ἡλίῳδείκνυσι τοὔναρ, ἔκλυον ἐξηγουμένου.πλείω δὲ τούτων οὐ κάτοιδα, πλὴν ὅτιπέμπει με κείνη τοῦδε τοῦ φόβου χάριν.πρός νυν θεῶν σε λίσσομαι τῶν ἐγγενῶνἐμοὶ πιθέσθαι μηδʼ ἀβουλίᾳ πεσεῖν·
If you reject me now, it is in misery that you will next seek me out.
εἰ γάρ μʼ ἀπώσει, σὺν κακῷ μέτει πάλιν.
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.
Ἠλέκτρα:ἀλλʼ, ὦ φίλη, τούτων μὲν ὧν ἔχεις χεροῖντύμβῳ προσάψῃς μηδέν· οὐ γάρ σοι θέμιςοὐδʼ ὅσιον ἐχθρᾶς ἀπὸ γυναικὸς ἱστάναικτερίσματʼ οὐδὲ λουτρὰ προσφέρειν πατρί·
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 audaciousof 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 mutilatedlike 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 partin 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.
ἀλλʼ ἢ πνοαῖσιν ἢ βαθυσκαφεῖ κόνεικρύψον νιν, ἔνθα μή ποτʼ εἰς εὐνὴν πατρὸςτούτων πρόσεισι μηδέν· ἀλλʼ ὅταν θάνῃκειμήλιʼ αὐτῇ ταῦτα σῳζέσθω κάτω.ἀρχὴν δʼ ἄν, εἰ μὴ τλημονεστάτη γυνὴπασῶν ἔβλαστε, τάσδε δυσμενεῖς χοὰςοὐκ ἄν ποθʼ ὅν γʼ ἔκτεινε, τῷδʼ ἐπέστεφε.σκέψαι γὰρ εἴ σοι προσφιλῶς αὐτῇ δοκεῖγέρα τάδʼ οὑν τάφοισι δέξεσθαι νέκυς,ὑφʼ ἧς θανὼν ἄτιμος, ὥστε δυσμενής,ἐμασχαλίσθη, κἀπὶ λουτροῖσιν κάρᾳκηλῖδας ἐξέμαξεν. ἆρα μὴ δοκεῖςλυτήριʼ αὐτῇ ταῦτα τοῦ φόνου φέρειν;οὐχ ἔστιν. ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν μέθες· σὺ δὲτεμοῦσα κρατὸς βοστρύχων ἄκρας φόβαςκἀμοῦ ταλαίνης, σμικρὰ μὲν τάδʼ, ἀλλʼ ὅμωςἅχω, δὸς αὐτῷ, τήνδʼ ἀλιπαρῆ τρίχακαὶ ζῶμα τοὐμὸν οὐ χλιδαῖς ἠσκημένον.αἰτοῦ δὲ προσπίτνουσα γῆθεν εὐμενῆἡμῖν ἀρωγὸν αὐτὸν εἰς ἐχθροὺς μολεῖν,καὶ παῖδʼ Ὀρέστην ἐξ ὑπερτέρας χερὸςἐχθροῖσιν αὐτοῦ ζῶντʼ ἐπεμβῆναι ποδί,ὅπως τὸ λοιπὸν αὐτὸν ἀφνεωτέραιςχερσὶν στέφωμεν ἢ τανῦν δωρούμεθα.οἶμαι μὲν οὖν, οἶμαί τι κἀκείνῳ μέλονπέμψαι τάδʼ αὐτῇ δυσπρόσοπτʼ ὀνείρατα·ὅμως δʼ, ἀδελφή, σοί θʼ ὑπούργησον τάδεἐμοί τʼ ἀρωγὰ τῷ τε φιλτάτῳ βροτῶνπάντων, ἐν Ἅιδου κειμένῳ κοινῷ πατρί.
Chorus:The girl’s advice is pious; you,dear friend, will do what she says, if you are wise.
Χορός:πρὸς εὐσέβειαν ἡ κόρη λέγει· σὺ δέ,εἰ σωφρονήσεις, ὦ φίλη, δράσεις τάδε.
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.
Χρυσόθεμις:δράσω· τὸ γὰρ δίκαιον οὐχ ἔχει λόγονδυοῖν ἐρίζειν, ἀλλʼ ἐπισπεύδειν τὸ δρᾶν.πειρωμένῃ δὲ τῶνδε τῶν ἔργων ἐμοὶσιγὴ παρʼ ὑμῶν, πρὸς θεῶν, ἔστω, φίλαι·ὡς εἰ τάδʼ ἡ τεκοῦσα πεύσεται, πικρὰνδοκῶ με πεῖραν τήνδε τολμήσειν ἔτι.
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.
Χορός:εἰ μὴ ʼγὼ παράφρων μάντις ἔφυν καὶ γνώμαςλειπομένα σοφᾶς,εἶσιν ἁ πρόμαντιςΔίκα δίκαια φερομένα χεροῖν κράτη·μέτεισιν, ὦ τέκνον, οὐ μακροῦ χρόνου.ὕπεστί μοι θάρσος,ἁδυπνόων κλύουσανἀρτίως ὀνειράτων.οὐ γάρ ποτʼ ἀμναστεῖ γʼ ὁ φύσας σʼ Ἑλλάνων ἄναξ,οὐδʼ ἁ παλαιὰ χαλκόπλακτος ἀμφάκης γένυς,ἅ νιν κατέπεφνεν αἰσχίσταις ἐν αἰκίαις.
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.
Χορός:ἥξει καὶ πολύπους καὶ πολύχειρ ἁ δεινοῖςκρυπτομένα λόχοιςχαλκόπους Ἐρινύς.ἄλεκτρʼ ἄνυμφα γὰρ ἐπέβα μιαιφόνωνγάμων ἁμιλλήμαθʼ οἷσιν οὐ θέμις.
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 prophecyfrom 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 sorrowswere never yet gone from this house.Enter Clytaemnestra, with attendants, from the house.
πρὸ τῶνδέ τοί μʼ ἔχειμή ποτε μή ποθʼ ἡμῖνἀψεγὲς πελᾶν τέραςτοῖς δρῶσι καὶ συνδρῶσιν. ἤ τοι μαντεῖαι βροτῶνοὐκ εἰσὶν ἐν δεινοῖς ὀνείροις οὐδʼ ἐν θεσφάτοις,εἰ μὴ τόδε φάσμα νυκτὸς εὖ κατασχήσει.Χορός:ὦ Πέλοπος ἁ πρόσθενπολύπονος ἱππεία,ὡς ἔμολες αἰανὴςτᾷδε γᾷ.εὖτε γὰρ ὁ ποντισθεὶςΜυρτίλος ἐκοιμάθη,παγχρύσων δίφρωνδυστάνοις αἰκίαιςπρόρριζος ἐκριφθείς,οὔ τί πωἔλειπεν ἐκ τοῦδʼ οἴκουπολύπονος αἰκία.
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 payme 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.
Κλυταιμνήστρα:ἀνειμένη μέν, ὡς ἔοικας, αὖ στρέφει·οὐ γὰρ πάρεστʼ Αἴγισθος, ὅς σʼ ἐπεῖχʼ ἀεὶμή τοι θυραίαν γʼ οὖσαν αἰσχύνειν φίλους·νῦν δʼ ὡς ἄπεστʼ ἐκεῖνος, οὐδὲν ἐντρέπειἐμοῦ γε· καίτοι πολλὰ πρὸς πολλούς με δὴἐξεῖπας ὡς θρασεῖα καὶ πέρα δίκηςἄρχω, καθυβρίζουσα καὶ σὲ καὶ τὰ σά·ἐγὼ δʼ ὕβριν μὲν οὐκ ἔχω, κακῶς δέ σελέγω κακῶς κλύουσα πρὸς σέθεν θαμά.
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.
πατὴρ γάρ, οὐδὲν ἄλλο, σοὶ πρόσχημʼ ἀεὶὡς ἐξ ἐμοῦ τέθνηκεν. ἐξ ἐμοῦ· καλῶςἔξοιδα· τῶνδʼ ἄρνησις οὐκ ἔνεστί μοι·ἡ γὰρ Δίκη νιν εἷλεν, οὐκ ἐγὼ μόνη,ᾗ χρῆν σʼ ἀρήγειν, εἰ φρονοῦσʼ ἐτύγχανες·
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 beenabandoned 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 withoutdismay; but if you think my attitude criminal, see that your own judgment is just before you blame your neighbor.
ἐπεὶ πατὴρ σὸς οὗτος, ὃν θρηνεῖς ἀεί,τὴν σὴν ὅμαιμον μοῦνος Ἑλλήνων ἔτληθῦσαι θεοῖσιν, οὐκ ἴσον καμὼν ἐμοὶλύπης, ὅς ἔσπειρʼ, ὥσπερ ἡ τίκτουσʼ ἐγώ.εἶεν, δίδαξον δή με τοῦ χάριν, τίνωνἔθυσεν αὐτήν· πότερον Ἀργείων ἐρεῖς;ἀλλʼ οὐ μετῆν αὐτοῖσι τήν γʼ ἐμὴν κτανεῖν.ἀλλʼ ἀντʼ ἀδελφοῦ δῆτα Μενέλεω κτανὼντἄμʼ, οὐκ ἔμελλε τῶνδέ μοι δώσειν δίκην;πότερον ἐκείνῳ παῖδες οὐκ ἦσαν διπλοῖ,οὓς τῆσδε μᾶλλον εἰκὸς ἦν θνῄσκειν, πατρὸςκαὶ μητρὸς ὄντας, ἧς ὁ πλοῦς ὅδʼ ἦν χάριν;ἢ τῶν ἐμῶν Ἅιδης τινʼ ἵμερον τέκνωνἢ τῶν ἐκείνης ἔσχε δαίσασθαι πλέον;ἢ τῷ πανώλει πατρὶ τῶν μὲν ἐξ ἐμοῦπαίδων 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 πεπραγμένοιςδύσθυμος· εἰ δὲ σοὶ δοκῶ φρονεῖν κακῶς,γνώμην δικαίαν σχοῦσα τοὺς πέλας ψέγε.