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.
Ἠλέκτρα:ἐρεῖς μὲν οὐχὶ νῦν γέ μʼ ὡς ἄρξασά τιλυπηρὸν εἶτα σοῦ τάδʼ ἐξήκουσʼ ὕπο·ἀλλʼ ἢν ἐφῇς μοι, τοῦ τεθνηκότος θʼ ὕπερλέξαιμʼ ἂν ὀρθῶς τῆς κασιγνήτης θʼ ὁμοῦ.
Clytaemnestra:Certainly I permit you; and if you always addressed me in such a tone, you would not be difficult to listen to.
Κλυταιμνήστρα:καὶ μὴν ἐφίημʼ· εἰ δέ μʼ ὧδʼ ἀεὶ λόγουςἐξῆρχες, οὐκ ἂν ἦσθα λυπηρὰ κλύειν.
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;
Ἠλέκτρα:καὶ δὴ λέγω σοι. πατέρα φὴς κτεῖναι. τίς ἂντούτου λόγος γένοιτʼ ἂν αἰσχίων ἔτι,εἴτʼ οὖν δικαίως εἴτε μή; λέξω δέ σοιὡς οὐ δίκῃ γʼ ἔκτεινας, ἀλλά σʼ ἔσπασενπειθὼ κακοῦ πρὸς ἀνδρός, ᾧ τανῦν ξύνει.ἐροῦ δὲ τὴν κυναγὸν Ἄρτεμιν, τίνοςποινὰς τὰ πολλὰ πνεύματʼ ἔσχʼ ἐν Αὐλίδι·
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.
ἢ ʼγὼ φράσω· κείνης γὰρ οὐ θέμις μαθεῖν.πατήρ ποθʼ οὑμός, ὡς ἐγὼ κλύω, θεᾶςπαίζων κατʼ ἄλσος ἐξεκίνησεν ποδοῖνστικτὸν κεράστην ἔλαφον, οὗ κατὰ σφαγὰςἐκκομπάσας ἔπος τι τυγχάνει βαλών.
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.
κἀκ τοῦδε μηνίσασα Λητῴα κόρηκατεῖχʼ Ἀχαιούς, ὡς πατὴρ ἀντίσταθμοντοῦ θηρὸς ἐκθύσειε τὴν αὑτοῦ κόρην.ὧδʼ ἦν τὰ κείνης θύματʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἦν λύσιςἄλλη στρατῷ πρὸς οἶκον οὐδʼ εἰς Ἴλιον.
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?
ἀνθʼ ὧν, βιασθεὶς πολλὰ κἀντιβάς, μόλιςἔθυσεν αὐτήν, οὐχὶ Μενέλεω χάριν.εἰ δʼ οὖν, ἐρῶ γὰρ καὶ τὸ σόν, κεῖνον θέλωνἐπωφελῆσαι ταῦτʼ ἔδρα, τούτου θανεῖνχρῆν αὐτὸν οὕνεκʼ ἐκ σέθεν; ποίῳ νόμῳ;
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.
ὅρα τιθεῖσα τόνδε τὸν νόμον βροτοῖςμὴ πῆμα σαυτῇ καὶ μετάγνοιαν τιθῇς.εἰ γὰρ κτενοῦμεν ἄλλον ἀντʼ ἄλλου, σύ τοιπρώτη θάνοις ἄν, εἰ δίκης γε τυγχάνοις.ἀλλʼ εἰσόρα μὴ σκῆψιν οὐκ οὖσαν τίθης.
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 childrenwhile 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.
εἰ γὰρ θέλεις, δίδαξον ἀνθʼ ὅτου τανῦναἴσχιστα πάντων ἔργα δρῶσα τυγχάνεις,ἥτις ξυνεύδεις τῷ παλαμναίῳ, μεθʼ οὗπατέρα τὸν ἀμὸν πρόσθεν ἐξαπώλεσας,καὶ παιδοποιεῖς, τοὺς δὲ πρόσθεν εὐσεβεῖςκἀξ εὐσεβῶν βλαστόντας ἐκβαλοῦσʼ ἔχεις.πῶς ταῦτʼ ἐπαινέσαιμʼ ἄν; ἢ καὶ ταῦτʼ ἐρεῖςὡς τῆς θυγατρὸς ἀντίποινα λαμβάνεις;αἰσχρῶς δʼ, ἐάν περ καὶ λέγῃς· οὐ γὰρ καλὸνἐχθροῖς γαμεῖσθαι τῆς θυγατρὸς οὕνεκα.
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.
ἀλλʼ οὐ γὰρ οὐδὲ νουθετεῖν ἔξεστί σε,ἣ πᾶσαν ἵης γλῶσσαν ὡς τὴν μητέρακακοστομοῦμεν. καί σʼ ἔγωγε δεσπότινἢ μητέρʼ οὐκ ἔλασσον εἰς ἡμᾶς νέμω,ἣ ζῶ βίον μοχθηρόν, ἔκ τε σοῦ κακοῖςπολλοῖς ἀεὶ ξυνοῦσα τοῦ τε συννόμου·ὃ δʼ ἄλλος ἔξω, χεῖρα σὴν μόλις φυγών,τλήμων Ὀρέστης δυστυχῆ τρίβει βίον·ὃν πολλὰ δή με σοὶ τρέφειν μιάστοραἐπῃτιάσω· καὶ τόδʼ, εἴπερ ἔσθενον,ἔδρων ἄν, εὖ τοῦτʼ ἴσθι· τοῦδέ γʼ οὕνεκακήρυσσέ μʼ εἰς ἅπαντας, εἴτε χρῇς κακὴνεἴτε στόμαργον εἴτʼ ἀναιδείας πλέαν.εἰ γὰρ πέφυκα τῶνδε τῶν ἔργων ἴδρις,σχεδόν τι τὴν σὴν οὐ καταισχύνω φύσιν.
Chorus:I see her breathing fury; but whether justice is with her, her concern for this I see no longer.
Χορός:ὁρῶ μένος πνέουσαν· εἰ δὲ σὺν δίκῃξύνεστι, τοῦδε φροντίδʼ οὐκέτʼ εἰσορῶ.
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 thinkthat she would go forward to any deed without shame?
Κλυταιμνήστρα:ποίας δʼ ἐμοὶ δεῖ πρός γε τήνδε φροντίδος,ἥτις τοιαῦτα τὴν τεκοῦσαν ὕβρισεν,καὶ ταῦτα τηλικοῦτος; ἆρά σοι δοκεῖχωρεῖν ἂν εἰς πᾶν ἔργον αἰσχύνης ἄτερ;
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 yourbehavior compel me with harsh necessity to do this; for reprehensible deeds are learned from reprehensible examples.
Ἠλέκτρα:εὖ νυν ἐπίστω τῶνδέ μʼ αἰσχύνην ἔχειν,κεἰ μὴ δοκῶ σοι· μανθάνω δʼ ὁθούνεκαἔξωρα πράσσω κοὐκ ἐμοὶ προσεικότα.ἀλλʼ ἡ γὰρ ἐκ σοῦ δυσμένεια καὶ τὰ σὰἔργʼ ἐξαναγκάζει με ταῦτα δρᾶν βίᾳ·αἰσχροῖς γὰρ αἰσχρὰ πράγματʼ ἐκδιδάσκεται.
Clytaemnestra:You shameless creature! Truly I and my speech and my deeds give you too much to talk about.
Κλυταιμνήστρα:ὦ θρέμμʼ ἀναιδές, ἦ σʼ ἐγὼ καὶ τἄμʼ ἔπηκαὶ τἄργα τἀμὰ πόλλʼ ἄγαν λέγειν ποεῖ.
Electra:The words are yours, not mine; for yoursare the deeds, and they find their own expression.
Ἠλέκτρα:σύ τοι λέγεις νιν, οὐκ ἐγώ· σὺ γὰρ ποεῖςτοὔργον· τὰ δʼ ἔργα τοὺς λόγους εὑρίσκεται.
Clytaemnestra:Now by our mistress Artemis, you shall not escape the consequences of this audacity once Aegisthus returns.
Κλυταιμνήστρα:ἀλλʼ οὐ μὰ τὴν δέσποιναν Ἄρτεμιν θράσουςτοῦδʼ οὐκ ἀλύξεις, εὖτʼ ἂν Αἴγισθος μόλῃ.
Electra:You see? You are driven to rage and, even though you grant me free speech, you have no patience to listen.
Ἠλέκτρα:ὁρᾷς; πρὸς ὀργὴν ἐκφέρει, μεθεῖσά μοιλέγειν ἃ χρῄζοιμʼ, οὐδʼ ἐπίστασαι κλύειν.
Clytaemnestra:Will you not allow me to sacrifice without ominous shouting, when I have permitted you to say anything and everything you wished?
Κλυταιμνήστρα:οὔκουν ἐάσεις οὐδʼ ὑπʼ εὐφήμου βοῆςθῦσαί μʼ, ἐπειδὴ σοί γʼ ἐφῆκα πᾶν λέγειν;
Electra:I allow it; I exhort you to it: sacrifice! But do not blame my voice, for I would not say another word.
Ἠλέκτρα:ἐῶ, κελεύω, θῦε· μηδʼ ἐπαιτιῶτοὐμὸν στόμʼ, ὡς οὐκ ἂν πέρα λέξαιμʼ ἔτι.
Clytaemnestra:Raise then, my attendant, the offeringsof 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 allto 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 nightin 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.
Κλυταιμνήστρα:ἔπαιρε δὴ σὺ θύμαθʼ ἡ παροῦσά μοιπάγκαρπʼ, ἄνακτι τῷδʼ ὅπως λυτηρίουςεὐχὰς ἀνάσχω δειμάτων, ἃ νῦν ἔχω.κλύοις ἂν ἤδη, Φοῖβε προστατήριε,κεκρυμμένην μου βάξιν· οὐ γὰρ ἐν φίλοιςὁ μῦθος, οὐδὲ πᾶν ἀναπτύξαι πρέπειπρὸς φῶς παρούσης τῆσδε πλησίας ἐμοί,μὴ σὺν φθόνῳ τε καὶ πολυγλώσσῳ βοῇσπείρῃ ματαίαν βάξιν εἰς πᾶσαν πόλιν.ἀλλʼ ὧδʼ ἄκουε· τῇδε γὰρ κἀγὼ φράσω.ἃ γὰρ προσεῖδον νυκτὶ τῇδε φάσματαδισσῶν 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 τινεςδόλοισι βουλεύουσιν ἐκβαλεῖν, ἐφῇς,ἀλλʼ ὧδέ μʼ αἰεὶ ζῶσαν ἀβλαβεῖ βίῳδόμους Ἀτρειδῶν σκῆπτρά τʼ ἀμφέπειν τάδε,φίλοισί τε ξυνοῦσαν οἷς ξύνειμι νῦνεὐημεροῦσαν καὶ τέκνων ὅσων ἐμοὶδύσνοια μὴ πρόσεστιν ἢ λύπη πικρά.
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.
ταῦτʼ, ὦ Λύκειʼ Ἄπολλον, ἵλεως κλύωνδὸς πᾶσιν ἡμῖν ὥσπερ ἐξαιτούμεθα.τὰ δʼ ἄλλα πάντα καὶ σιωπώσης ἐμοῦἐπαξιῶ σε δαίμονʼ ὄντʼ ἐξειδέναι·τοὺς ἐκ Διὸς γὰρ εἰκός ἐστι πάνθʼ ὁρᾶν.
Paedagogus:Foreign ladies, how might I know for certain if this be the palace of the king Aegisthus?
Παιδαγωγός:ξέναι γυναῖκες, πῶς ἂν εἰδείην σαφῶςεἰ τοῦ τυράννου δώματʼ Αἰγίσθου τάδε;
Chorus:This is the palace, stranger; you yourself have guessed correctly.
Χορός:τάδʼ ἐστίν, ὦ ξένʼ· αὐτὸς ᾔκασας καλῶς.
Paedagogus:And am I on target when I surmise that this lady is his wife? She is indeed regal to look upon.
Παιδαγωγός:ἦ καὶ δάμαρτα τήνδʼ ἐπεικάζων κυρῶκείνου; πρέπει γὰρ ὡς τύραννος εἰσορᾶν.
Chorus:Exactly right; this is she before you.
Χορός:μάλιστα πάντων· ἥδε σοι κείνη πάρα.
Paedagogus:Greetings, royal lady! I bring happy news to you and to Aegisthus from a friend.
Παιδαγωγός:ὦ χαῖρʼ, ἄνασσα· σοὶ φέρων ἥκω λόγουςἡδεῖς φίλου παρʼ ἀνδρὸς Αἰγίσθῳ θʼ ὁμοῦ.
Clytaemnestra:I welcome your greeting; but I would like first to know who may have sent you.
Κλυταιμνήστρα:ἐδεξάμην τὸ ῥηθέν· εἰδέναι δέ σουπρώτιστα χρῄζω τίς σʼ ἀπέστειλεν βροτῶν.
Paedagogus:Phanoteus the Phocian provided me the weighty task.
Παιδαγωγός:Φανοτεὺς ὁ Φωκεύς, πρᾶγμα πορσύνων μέγα.
Clytaemnestra:And what is it, sir? Tell me. Coming from a friend you will bring, I know, a kindly message.
Κλυταιμνήστρα:τὸ ποῖον, ὦ ξένʼ; εἰπέ· παρὰ φίλου γὰρ ὢνἀνδρός, σάφʼ οἶδα, προσφιλεῖς λέξεις λόγους.
Paedagogus:Orestes is dead, to put it briefly.
Παιδαγωγός:τέθνηκʼ Ὀρέστης· ἐν βραχεῖ ξυνθεὶς λέγω.
Electra:Oh, miserable me! My ruin comes today!
Ἠλέκτρα:οἲ ʼγὼ τάλαινʼ, ὄλωλα τῇδʼ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ.
Clytaemnestra:What, friend? What did you say? Do not listen to her!
Κλυταιμνήστρα:τί φής, τί φής, ὦ ξεῖνε; μὴ ταύτης κλύε.
Paedagogus:I said, and say again, “Orestes is dead.”
Παιδαγωγός:θανόντʼ Ὀρέστην νῦν τε καὶ πάλαι λέγω.
Electra:This is my wretched end! I am no more!Clytaemnestra: To Electra.
Ἠλέκτρα:ἀπωλόμην δύστηνος, οὐδέν εἰμʼ ἔτι.
You, go about your business! But you, sir, tell me exactly in what manner he was destroyed.
Κλυταιμνήστρα:σὺ μὲν τὰ σαυτῆς πρᾶσσʼ, ἐμοὶ δὲ σύ, ξένε,τἀληθὲς εἰπέ, τῷ τρόπῳ διόλλυται;
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.
Παιδαγωγός:κἀπεμπόμην πρὸς ταῦτα καὶ τὸ πᾶν φράσω.κεῖνος γὰρ ἐλθὼν εἰς τὸ κλεινὸν Ἑλλάδοςπρόσχημʼ ἀγῶνος Δελφικῶν ἄθλων χάριν,ὅτʼ ᾔσθετʼ ἀνδρὸς ὀρθίων κηρυγμάτωνδρόμον προκηρύξαντος, οὗ πρώτη κρίσις,εἰσῆλθε λαμπρός, πᾶσι τοῖς ἐκεῖ σέβας·δρόμου δʼ ἰσώσας τἀφέσει τὰ τέρματανίκης ἔχων ἐξῆλθε πάντιμον γέρας.χὤπως μὲν ἐν πολλοῖσι παῦρά σοι λέγωοὐκ οἶδα τοιοῦδʼ ἀνδρὸς ἔργα καὶ κράτη·
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 ofAgamemnon, 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 umpiresplaced 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.
ἓν δʼ ἴσθʼ· ὅσων γὰρ εἰσεκήρυξαν βραβῆς[δρόμων διαύλων πένταθλʼ ἃ νομίζεται,]τούτων ἐνεγκὼν πάντα τἀπινίκιαὠλβίζετʼ, Ἀργεῖος μὲν ἀνακαλούμενος,ὄνομα δʼ Ὀρέστης, τοῦ τὸ κλεινὸν ἙλλάδοςἈγαμέμνονος στράτευμʼ ἀγείραντός ποτε.καὶ ταῦτα μὲν τοιαῦθʼ· ὅταν δέ τις θεῶνβλάπτῃ, δύναιτʼ ἂν οὐδʼ ἂν ἰσχύων φυγεῖν.κεῖνος γὰρ ἄλλης ἡμέρας, ὅθʼ ἱππικῶνἦν ἡλίου τέλλοντος ὠκύπους ἀγών,εἰσῆλθε πολλῶν ἁρματηλατῶν μέτα.εἷς ἦν Ἀχαιός, εἷς ἀπὸ Σπάρτης, δύοΛίβυες ζυγωτῶν ἁρμάτων ἐπιστάται·κἀκεῖνος ἐν τούτοισι, Θεσσαλὰς ἔχωνἵππους, ὁ πέμπτος· ἕκτος ἐξ Αἰτωλίαςξανθαῖσι 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 βραβῆςκλήροις ἔπηλαν καὶ κατέστησαν δίφρους,χαλκῆς ὑπαὶ σάλπιγγος ᾖξαν· οἱ δʼ ἅμαἵπποις ὁμοκλήσαντες ἡνίας χεροῖνἔσεισαν· ἐν δὲ πᾶς ἐμεστώθη δρόμοςκτύπου κροτητῶν ἁρμάτων· κόνις δʼ ἄνωφορεῖθʼ· ὁμοῦ δὲ πάντες ἀναμεμιγμένοιφείδοντο κέντρων οὐδέν, ὡς ὑπερβάλοιχνόας τις αὐτῶν καὶ φρυάγμαθʼ ἱππικά.ὁμοῦ γὰρ ἀμφὶ νῶτα καὶ τροχῶν βάσειςἤφριζον, εἰσέβαλλον ἱππικαὶ πνοαί.
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’shard-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 wholerace-ground of Crisa swelled with shipwrecked chariots.
κεῖνος δʼ ὑπʼ αὐτὴν ἐσχάτην στήλην ἔχωνἔχριμπτʼ ἀεὶ σύριγγα, δεξιὸν δʼ ἀνεὶςσειραῖον ἵππον εἶργε τὸν προσκείμενον.καὶ πρὶν μὲν ὀρθοὶ πάντες ἕστασαν δίφροι·ἔπειτα δʼ Αἰνιᾶνος ἀνδρὸς ἄστομοιπῶλοι βίᾳ φέρουσιν· ἐκ δʼ ὑποστροφῆςτελοῦντες ἕκτον ἕβδομόν τʼ ἤδη δρόμονμέτωπα συμπαίουσι Βαρκαίοις ὄχοις·κἀντεῦθεν ἄλλος ἄλλον ἐξ ἑνὸς κακοῦἔθραυε κἀνέπιπτε, πᾶν δʼ ἐπίμπλατοναυαγίων Κρισαῖον ἱππικῶν πέδον.
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 horsesbehind, 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 fallenfrom 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 andfreed 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.
Παιδαγωγός:γνοὺς δʼ οὑξ Ἀθηνῶν δεινὸς ἡνιοστρόφοςἔξω παρασπᾷ κἀνακωχεύει παρεὶςκλύδωνʼ ἔφιππον ἐν μέσῳ κυκώμενον.ἤλαυνε δʼ ἔσχατος μέν, ὑστέρας δʼ ἔχωνπώλους Ὀρέστης, τῷ τέλει πίστιν φέρων·ὅπως δʼ ὁρᾷ μόνον νιν ἐλλελειμμένον,ὀξὺν διʼ ὤτων κέλαδον ἐνσείσας θοαῖςπώλοις διώκει, κἀξισώσαντε ζυγὰἠλαυνέτην, τότʼ ἄλλος, ἄλλοθʼ ἅτεροςκάρα προβάλλων ἱππικῶν ὀχημάτων.καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἄλλους πάντας ἀσφαλεῖς δρόμουςὡρμᾶθʼ ὁ τλήμων ὀρθὸς ἐξ ὀρθῶν δίφρων·ἔπειτα λύων ἡνίαν ἀριστερὰνκάμπτοντος ἵππου λανθάνει στήλην ἄκρανπαίσας· ἔθραυσε δʼ ἄξονος μέσας χνόαςκἀξ ἀντύγων ὤλισθεν· ἐν δʼ ἑλίσσεταιτμητοῖς ἱμᾶσι· τοῦ δὲ πίπτοντος πέδῳπῶλοι διεσπάρησαν ἐς μέσον δρόμον.στρατὸς δʼ ὅπως ὁρᾷ νιν ἐκπεπτωκόταδίφρων, ἀνωλόλυξε τὸν νεανίαν,οἷʼ ἔργα δράσας οἷα λαγχάνει κακά,φορούμενος πρὸς οὖδας, ἄλλοτʼ οὐρανῷσκέλη προφαίνων, ἔς τέ νιν διφρηλάται,μόλις κατασχεθόντες ἱππικὸν δρόμον,ἔλυσαν αἱματηρόν, ὥστε μηδέναγνῶναι φίλων ἰδόντʼ ἂν ἄθλιον δέμας.καί νιν πυρᾷ κέαντες εὐθὺς ἐν βραχεῖχαλκῷ μέγιστον σῶμα δειλαίας σποδοῦφέρουσιν ἄνδρες Φωκέων τεταγμένοι,ὅπως πατρῴας τύμβον ἐκλάχῃ χθονός.τοιαῦτά σοι ταῦτʼ ἐστίν, ὡς μὲν ἐν λόγῳἀλγεινά, τοῖς δʼ ἰδοῦσιν, οἵπερ εἴδομεν,μέγιστα πάντων ὧν ὄπωπʼ ἐγὼ κακῶν.
Chorus:Oh, sorrow! It seems now that all the stock of our ancient mastershas been leveled clean down to the roots.
Χορός:φεῦ φεῦ· τὸ πᾶν δὴ δεσπόταισι τοῖς πάλαιπρόρριζον, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἔφθαρται γένος.
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.
Κλυταιμνήστρα:ὦ Ζεῦ, τί ταῦτα, πότερον εὐτυχῆ λέγω,ἢ δεινὰ μέν, κέρδη δέ; λυπηρῶς δʼ ἔχει,εἰ τοῖς ἐμαυτῆς τὸν βίον σῴζω κακοῖς.
Paedagogus:Why are you so despondent, lady, at my news?
Παιδαγωγός:τί δʼ ὧδʼ ἀθυμεῖς, ὦ γύναι, τῷ νῦν λόγῳ;
Clytaemnestra:There is a terrible power in motherhood; a mother may be wronged, but she can feel no hate for those whom she bore.
Κλυταιμνήστρα:δεινὸν τὸ τίκτειν ἐστίν· οὐδὲ γὰρ κακῶςπάσχοντι μῖσος ὧν τέκῃ προσγίγνεται.
Paedagogus:Then it seems that we have come in vain.
Παιδαγωγός:μάτην ἄρʼ ἡμεῖς, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἥκομεν.
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 plaguewho shared my home while consuming undiluted my life-blood—now, I think, for all her threats, I shall pass my days in peace.
Κλυταιμνήστρα:οὔτοι μάτην γε· πῶς γὰρ ἂν μάτην λέγοις,εἴ μοι θανόντος πίστʼ ἔχων τεκμήριαπροσῆλθες, ὅστις τῆς ἐμῆς ψυχῆς γεγώς,μαστῶν ἀποστὰς καὶ τροφῆς ἐμῆς, φυγὰςἀπεξενοῦτο καί μʼ, ἐπεὶ τῆσδε χθονὸςἐξῆλθεν, οὐκέτʼ εἶδεν, ἐγκαλῶν δέ μοιφόνους πατρῴους δείνʼ ἐπηπείλει τελεῖν;ὥστʼ οὔτε νυκτὸς ὕπνον οὔτʼ ἐξ ἡμέραςἐμὲ στεγάζειν ἡδύν, ἀλλʼ ὁ προστατῶνχρόνος διῆγέ μʼ αἰὲν ὡς θανουμένην.νῦν δʼ—ἡμέρᾳ γὰρ τῇδʼ ἀπήλλαγμαι φόβουπρὸς τῆσδʼ ἐκείνου θʼ· ἥδε γὰρ μείζων βλάβηξύνοικος ἦν μοι, τοὐμὸν ἐκπίνουσʼ ἀεὶψυχῆς ἄκρατον αἷμα—νῦν δʼ ἕκηλά πουτῶν τῆσδʼ ἀπειλῶν οὕνεχʼ ἡμερεύσομεν.
Electra:Ah, what misery! Now, indeed, Orestes, I must mourn your misfortune, since even dead as you areyou are abused by this woman, your mother! Is it not just fine?
Ἠλέκτρα:οἴμοι τάλαινα· νῦν γὰρ οἰμῶξαι πάρα,Ὀρέστα, τὴν σὴν ξυμφοράν, ὅθʼ ὧδʼ ἔχωνπρὸς τῆσδʼ ὑβρίζει μητρός. ἆρʼ ἔχει καλῶς;
Clytaemnestra:You certainly are not, but he is fine as he is.
Κλυταιμνήστρα:οὔτοι σύ· κεῖνος δʼ ὡς ἔχει καλῶς ἔχει.
Electra:Listen to her, Nemesis of the recently departed!
Ἠλέκτρα:ἄκουε, Νέμεσι τοῦ θανόντος ἀρτίως.
Clytaemnestra:She has heard who should be heard, and has ordained well.
Κλυταιμνήστρα:ἤκουσεν ὧν δεῖ κἀπεκύρωσεν καλῶς.
Electra:Abuse us! Fortune is with you today.
Ἠλέκτρα:ὕβριζε· νῦν γὰρ εὐτυχοῦσα τυγχάνεις.
Clytaemnestra:You and Orestes will not stop me, then, will you?
Κλυταιμνήστρα:οὔκουν Ὀρέστης καὶ σὺ παύσετον τάδε.
Electra:It is we who are stopped; we cannot stop you.
Ἠλέκτρα:πεπαύμεθʼ ἡμεῖς, οὐχ ὅπως σὲ παύσομεν.
Clytaemnestra:Your coming, sir, deserves large recompense, if you have stopped her clamorous tongue.
Κλυταιμνήστρα:πολλῶν ἂν ἥκοις, ὦ ξένʼ, ἄξιος τυχεῖν,εἰ τήνδʼ ἔπαυσας τῆς πολυγλώσσου βοῆς.
Paedagogus:Then I would take my leave, if all is well.
Παιδαγωγός:οὐκοῦν ἀποστείχοιμʼ ἄν, εἰ τάδʼ εὖ κυρεῖ.
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.
Κλυταιμνήστρα:ἥκιστʼ· ἐπείπερ οὔτʼ ἐμοῦ κατάξιʼ ἂνπράξειας οὔτε τοῦ πορεύσαντος ξένου.ἀλλʼ εἴσιθʼ εἴσω· τήνδε δʼ ἔκτοθεν βοᾶνἔα τά θʼ αὑτῆς καὶ τὰ τῶν φίλων κακά.
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 heartthe 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 againamong 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.
Ἠλέκτρα:ἆρʼ ὑμὶν ὡς ἀλγοῦσα κὠδυνωμένηδεινῶς δακρῦσαι κἀπικωκῦσαι δοκεῖτὸν υἱὸν ἡ δύστηνος ὧδʼ ὀλωλότα;ἀλλʼ ἐγγελῶσα φροῦδος· ὦ τάλαινʼ ἐγώ.Ὀρέστα φίλταθʼ, ὥς μʼ ἀπώλεσας θανών.ἀποσπάσας γὰρ τῆς ἐμῆς οἴχει φρενὸςαἵ μοι μόναι παρῆσαν ἐλπίδων ἔτι,σὲ πατρὸς ἥξειν ζῶντα τιμωρόν ποτεκἀμοῦ ταλαίνης. νῦν δὲ ποῖ με χρὴ μολεῖν;μόνη γάρ εἰμι, σοῦ τʼ ἀπεστερημένηκαὶ πατρός. ἤδη δεῖ με δουλεύειν πάλινἐν τοῖσιν ἐχθίστοισιν ἀνθρώπων ἐμοὶφονεῦσι πατρός. ἆρά μοι καλῶς ἔχει;ἀλλʼ οὔ τι μὴν ἔγωγε τοῦ λοιποῦ χρόνουξύνοικος, εἴσειμʼ, ἀλλὰ τῇδε πρὸς πύλῃπαρεῖσʼ ἐμαυτὴν ἄφιλος αὐανῶ βίον.
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.
πρὸς ταῦτα καινέτω τις, εἰ βαρύνεται,τῶν ἔνδον ὄντων· ὡς χάρις μέν, ἢν κτάνῃ,λύπη δʼ, ἐὰν ζῶ· τοῦ βίου δʼ οὐδεὶς πόθος.
Chorus:Where are the thunderbolts of Zeus, or where theshining Sun, if they look upon these things and quietly cover them over?
Χορός:ποῦ ποτε κεραυνοὶ Διὸς ἢ ποῦ φαέθωνἍλιος, εἰ ταῦτʼ ἐφορῶντες κρύπτουσιν ἕκηλοι;Ἠλέκτρα:ἒ ἔ, αἰαῖ.
Electra:Ah, me, ah, me!
Χορός:ὦ παῖ, τί δακρύεις;
Chorus:My child, why do you weep?Electra:Oh!
Ἠλέκτρα:φεῦ.
Chorus:Give no cry of bad omen!
Χορός:μηδὲν μέγʼ ἀΰσῃς.
Electra:You will break my heart!Chorus:How do you mean?
Ἠλέκτρα:ἀπολεῖς.
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.
Χορός:πῶς;Ἠλέκτρα:εἰ τῶν φανερῶς οἰχομένωνεἰς Ἀΐδαν ἐλπίδʼ ὑποίσεις, κατʼ ἐμοῦ τακομέναςμᾶλλον ἐπεμβάσει.
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—
Χορός:οἶδα γὰρ ἄνακτʼ Ἀμφιάρεων χρυσοδέτοιςἕρκεσι κρυφθέντα γυναικῶν· καὶ νῦν ὑπὸ γαίας
Electra:ah, me, ah, me!
Ἠλέκτρα:ἒ ἔ, ἰώ.
Chorus:—He reigns supreme with the wits of the living.
Χορός:πάμψυχος ἀνάσσει.
Electra:ah, me!
Ἠλέκτρα:φεῦ.
Chorus:ah, me, indeed! For the murderess—
Χορός:φεῦ δῆτʼ· ὀλοὰ γὰρ
Electra:Was slain.
Ἠλέκτρα:ἐδάμη.
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.
Ἠλέκτρα:οἶδʼ οἶδʼ· ἐφάνη γὰρ μελέτωρἀμφὶ τὸν ἐν πένθει· ἐμοὶ δʼ οὔτις ἔτʼ ἔσθʼ· ὃς γὰρ ἔτʼ ἦν,φροῦδος ἀναρπασθείς.
Chorus:Unhappy are you, unhappy your destiny!
Χορός:δειλαία δειλαίων κυρεῖς.
Electra:How well I know that, all too well, with my life swept through all the months by abundant terrors and horrors!
Ἠλέκτρα:κἀγὼ τοῦδʼ ἴστωρ, ὑπερίστωρ,πανσύρτῳ παμμήνῳ πολλῶνδεινῶν στυγνῶν τʼ αἰῶνι.
Chorus:We have witnessed the events for which you mourn.
Χορός:εἴδομεν ἁθρήνεις.
Electra:Cease, then, to divert me from it, since no longer—
Ἠλέκτρα:μή μέ νυν μηκέτιπαραγάγῃς, ἵνʼ οὐ
Chorus:What do you say?
Χορός:τί φής;
Electra:—Since I no longer have hope in my brother, the seed of our shared noble line, to aid me.
Ἠλέκτρα:πάρεισιν ἐλπίδων ἔτι κοινοτόκωνεὐπατριδᾶν ἀρωγαί.
Chorus:Nature ordains death as the destiny of all mortals.
Χορός:πᾶσι θνατοῖς ἔφυ μόρος.
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?
Ἠλέκτρα:ἦ καὶ χαλάργοις ἐν ἁμίλλαιςοὕτως, ὡς κείνῳ δυστάνῳ,τμητοῖς ὁλκοῖς ἐγκῦρσαι;
Chorus:The mutilation is beyond thought!
Χορός:ἄσκοπος ἁ λώβα.
Electra:Yes, so it is, when in foreign soil, without being tended by my hands—
Ἠλέκτρα:πῶς γὰρ οὔκ; εἰ ξένοςἄτερ ἐμᾶν χερῶν
Chorus:Ah, no!
Χορός:παπαῖ.
Electra:—he has been buried not receiving from me either burialor lamentation.Enter Chrysothemis, from the right.
Ἠλέκτρα:κέκευθεν, οὔτε του τάφου ἀντιάσαςοὔτε γόων παρʼ ἡμῶν.
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.
Χρυσόθεμις:ὑφʼ ἡδονῆς τοι, φιλτάτη, διώκομαιτὸ κόσμιον μεθεῖσα σὺν τάχει μολεῖν·φέρω γὰρ ἡδονάς τε κἀνάπαυλαν ὧνπάροιθεν εἶχες καὶ κατέστενες κακῶν
Electra:And from where could you find help for my sufferings, when no cure for them can be imagined?
Ἠλέκτρα:πόθεν δʼ ἂν εὕροις τῶν ἐμῶν σὺ πημάτωνἄρηξιν, οἷς ἴασιν οὐκ ἔνεστʼ ἰδεῖν;
Chrysothemis:Orestes is with us—know this from my lips—plainly visible, just as you see me now.
Χρυσόθεμις:πάρεστʼ Ὀρέστης ἡμίν, ἴσθι τοῦτʼ ἐμοῦκλύουσʼ, ἐναργῶς, ὥσπερ εἰσορᾷς ἐμέ.
Electra:What, are you insane, poor girl?Do you laugh at my sorrows and your own?
Ἠλέκτρα:ἀλλʼ ἦ μέμηνας, ὦ τάλαινα, κἀπὶ τοῖςσαυτῆς κακοῖσι κἀπὶ τοῖς ἐμοῖς γελᾷς;
Chrysothemis:No, by our father’s hearth, I do not speak in mockery. I tell you that he truly is with us.
Χρυσόθεμις:μὰ τὴν πατρῴαν ἑστίαν, ἀλλʼ οὐχ ὕβρειλέγω τάδʼ, ἀλλʼ ἐκεῖνον ὡς παρόντα νῷν.
Electra:Ah, miserable girl! And from whom on earth have you heard this tale, which you believe so lightly?
Ἠλέκτρα:οἴμοι τάλαινα· καὶ τίνος βροτῶν λόγοντόνδʼ εἰσακούσασʼ ὧδε πιστεύεις ἄγαν;
Chrysothemis:I have it on my own knowledge, no one else’s; I have seen clear proofs.
Χρυσόθεμις:ἐγὼ μὲν ἐξ ἐμοῦ τε κοὐκ ἄλλης, σαφῆσημεῖʼ ἰδοῦσα, τῷδε πιστεύω λόγῳ.
Electra:What have you seen, poor girl, to warrant your belief? What did you see, that you are warmed by this unquenchable fire?
Ἠλέκτρα:τίνʼ, ὦ τάλαινʼ, ἔχουσα πίστιν; ἐς τί μοιβλέψασα θάλπει τῷδʼ ἀνηκέστῳ πυρί;
Chrysothemis:Now, for the gods’ love, listen, so that you may knowthe rest from me before deciding whether I am sane or foolish.
Χρυσόθεμις:πρός νυν θεῶν ἄκουσον, ὡς μαθοῦσά μουτὸ λοιπὸν ἢ φρονοῦσαν ἢ μωρὰν λέγῃς.
Electra:Speak on, then, if you find pleasure in speaking.
Ἠλέκτρα:σὺ δʼ οὖν λέγʼ, εἴ σοι τῷ λόγῳ τις ἡδονή.
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 moundand 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.
Χρυσόθεμις:καὶ δὴ λέγω σοι πᾶν ὅσον κατειδόμην.ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἦλθον πατρὸς ἀρχαῖον τάφον,ὁρῶ κολώνης ἐξ ἄκρας νεορρύτουςπηγὰς γάλακτος καὶ περιστεφῆ κύκλῳπάντων ὅσʼ ἐστὶν ἀνθέων θήκην πατρός.ἰδοῦσα δʼ ἔσχον θαῦμα, καὶ περισκοπῶμή πού τις ἡμῖν ἐγγὺς ἐγχρίμπτῃ βροτῶν.ὡς δʼ ἐν γαλήνῃ πάντʼ ἐδερκόμην τόπον,τύμβου προσεῖρπον ἆσσον· ἐσχάτης δʼ ὁρῶπυρᾶς νεώρη βόστρυχον τετμημένον·κεὐθὺς τάλαινʼ ὡς εἶδον, ἐμπαίει τί μοιψυχῇ σύνηθες ὄμμα, φιλτάτου βροτῶνπάντων Ὀρέστου τοῦθʼ ὁρᾶν τεκμήριον·
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?
καὶ χερσὶ βαστάσασα δυσφημῶ μὲν οὔ,χαρᾷ δὲ πίμπλημʼ εὐθὺς ὄμμα δακρύων.καὶ νῦν θʼ ὁμοίως καὶ τότʼ ἐξεπίσταμαιμή του τόδʼ ἀγλάϊσμα πλὴν κείνου μολεῖν·τῷ γὰρ προσήκει πλήν γʼ ἐμοῦ καὶ σοῦ τόδε;
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.
κἀγὼ μὲν οὐκ ἔδρασα, τοῦτʼ ἐπίσταμαι,οὐδʼ αὖ σύ· πῶς γάρ; ᾗ γε μηδὲ πρὸς θεοὺςἔξεστʼ ἀκλαύστῳ τῆσδʼ ἀποστῆναι στέγης.ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ μὲν δὴ μητρὸς οὔθʼ ὁ νοῦς φιλεῖτοιαῦτα πράσσειν οὔτε δρῶσʼ ἐλάνθανʼ ἄν·
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.
ἀλλʼ ἔστʼ Ὀρέστου ταῦτα τἀπιτύμβια.ἀλλʼ, ὦ φίλη, θάρσυνε· τοῖς αὐτοῖσί τοιοὐχ αὑτὸς αἰεὶ δαιμόνων παραστατεῖ.νῷν ἦν τὰ πρόσθεν στυγνός· ἡ δὲ νῦν ἴσωςπολλῶν ὑπάρξει κῦρος ἡμέρα καλῶν.
Electra:Oh, what foolishness! How I have been pitying you!
Ἠλέκτρα:φεῦ, τῆς ἀνοίας ὥς σʼ ἐποικτίρω πάλαι.
Chrysothemis:What, is my news unpleasing to you?
Χρυσόθεμις:τί δʼ ἔστιν; οὐ πρὸς ἡδονὴν λέγω τάδε;
Electra:You do not know where on earth or into what dreams you wander.
Ἠλέκτρα:οὐκ οἶσθʼ ὅποι γῆς οὐδʼ ὅποι γνώμης φέρει.
Chrysothemis:How could I not know what I have plainly seen?
Χρυσόθεμις:πῶς δʼ οὐκ ἐγὼ κάτοιδʼ ἅ γʼ εἶδον ἐμφανῶς;
Electra:He is dead, poor girl, and yoursalvation by him is gone. Do not look to him.
Ἠλέκτρα:τέθνηκεν, ὦ τάλαινα, τἀκείνου δέ σοισωτήριʼ ἔρρει· μηδὲν εἰς κεῖνόν γʼ ὅρα.
Chrysothemis:Ah, miserable me! From whom have you heard this?
Χρυσόθεμις:οἴμοι τάλαινα· τοῦ τάδʼ ἤκουσας βροτῶν;
Electra:From the man who was present when he perished.
Ἠλέκτρα:τοῦ πλησίον παρόντος, ἡνίκʼ ὤλλυτο.
Chrysothemis:And where is he? Amazement steals over my mind.
Χρυσόθεμις:καὶ ποῦ ʼστιν οὗτος; θαῦμά τοί μʼ ὑπέρχεται.
Electra:He is inside, a welcome guest, not unpleasing to our mother.
Ἠλέκτρα:κατʼ οἶκον, ἡδὺς οὐδὲ μητρὶ δυσχερής.
Chrysothemis:Ah, misery! Who, then, can have made those ample offerings to my father’s tomb?
Χρυσόθεμις:οἴμοι τάλαινα· τοῦ γὰρ ἀνθρώπων ποτʼ ἦντὰ πολλὰ πατρὸς πρὸς τάφον κτερίσματα;
Electra:Most likely, I think, someone placed those gifts in memory of the dead Orestes.
Ἠλέκτρα:οἶμαι μάλιστʼ ἔγωγε τοῦ τεθνηκότοςμνημεῖʼ Ὀρέστου ταῦτα προσθεῖναί τινα.
Chrysothemis:Oh, my misfortune! And I was hurrying herewith such joyous nows, ignorant after all of our downfall. But now that I have arrived, I find fresh sorrows added to the old!
Χρυσόθεμις:ὦ δυστυχής· ἐγὼ δὲ σὺν χαρᾷ λόγουςτοιούσδʼ ἔχουσʼ ἔσπευδον, οὐκ εἰδυῖʼ ἄραἵνʼ ἦμεν ἄτης· ἀλλὰ νῦν, ὅθʼ ἱκόμην,τά τʼ ὄντα πρόσθεν ἄλλα θʼ εὑρίσκω κακά.
Electra:So it stands with you. Yet if you will be persuaded by me, you will lighten the load of our present trouble.
Ἠλέκτρα:οὕτως ἔχει σοι ταῦτʼ· ἐὰν δέ μοι πίθῃ,τῆς νῦν παρούσης πημονῆς λύσεις βάρος.
Chrysothemis:How can I ever raise the dead back to life?
Χρυσόθεμις:ἦ τοὺς θανόντας ἐξαναστήσω ποτέ;
Electra:That is not what I meant; I was not born so foolish.
Ἠλέκτρα:οὐκ ἔσθʼ ὅ γʼ εἶπον· οὐ γὰρ ὧδʼ ἄφρων ἔφυν.
Chrysothemis:What do you urge, then, of those things that I am capable of doing?
Χρυσόθεμις:τί γὰρ κελεύεις ὧν ἐγὼ φερέγγυος;
Electra:That you be brave in executing what I recommend.
Ἠλέκτρα:τλῆναί σε δρῶσαν ἃν ἐγὼ παραινέσω.
Chrysothemis:If any good can be done, I will not refuse.
Χρυσόθεμις:ἀλλʼ εἴ τις ὠφέλειά γʼ, οὐκ ἀπώσομαι.
Electra:Remember, nothing succeeds without toil.
Ἠλέκτρα:ὅρα, πόνου τοι χωρὶς οὐδὲν εὐτυχεῖ.
Chrysothemis:I know it, and I will share your burden with all my power.
Χρυσόθεμις:ὁρῶ. ξυνοίσω πᾶν ὅσονπερ ἂν σθένω.
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 youand 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 complainthat 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 unthinkingas 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;
Ἠλέκτρα:ἄκουε δή νυν ᾗ βεβούλευμαι ποεῖν.παρουσίαν μὲν οἶσθα καὶ σύ που φίλωνὡς οὔτις ἡμῖν ἔστιν, ἀλλʼ Ἅιδης λαβὼνἀπεστέρηκε καὶ μόνα λελείμμεθον.ἐγὼ δʼ ἕως μὲν τὸν κασίγνητον βίῳθάλλοντʼ ἔτʼ εἰσήκουον, εἶχον ἐλπίδαςφόνου ποτʼ αὐτὸν πράκτορʼ ἵξεσθαι πατρός·νῦν δʼ ἡνίκʼ οὐκέτʼ ἔστιν, εἰς σὲ δὴ βλέπω,ὅπως τὸν αὐτόχειρα πατρῴου φόνουξὺν τῇδʼ ἀδελφῇ μὴ κατοκνήσεις κτανεῖνΑἴγισθον· οὐδὲν γάρ σε δεῖ κρύπτειν μʼ ἔτι.ποῖ γὰρ μενεῖς ῥᾴθυμος, εἰς τίνʼ ἐλπίδωνβλέψασʼ ἔτʼ ὀρθήν; ᾗ πάρεστι μὲν στένεινπλούτου πατρῴου κτῆσιν ἐστερημένῃ,πάρεστι δʼ ἀλγεῖν ἐς τοσόνδε τοῦ χρόνουἄλεκτρα γηράσκουσαν ἀνυμέναιά τε.καὶ τῶνδε μέντοι μηκέτʼ ἐλπίσῃς ὅπωςτεύξει ποτʼ· οὐ γὰρ ὧδʼ ἄβουλός ἐστʼ ἀνὴρΑἴγισθος ὥστε σόν ποτʼ ἢ κἀμὸν γένοςβλαστεῖν ἐᾶσαι, πημονὴν αὑτῷ σαφῆ.ἀλλʼ ἢν ἐπίσπῃ τοῖς ἐμοῖς βουλεύμασιν,πρῶτον μὲν εὐσέβειαν ἐκ πατρὸς κάτωθανόντος οἴσει τοῦ κασιγνήτου θʼ ἅμα·
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?
ἔπειτα δʼ, ὥσπερ ἐξέφυς, ἐλευθέρακαλεῖ τὸ λοιπὸν καὶ γάμων ἐπαξίωντεύξει· φιλεῖ γὰρ πρὸς τὰ χρηστὰ πᾶς ὁρᾶν.λόγων γε μὴν εὔκλειαν οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὅσηνσαυτῇ τε κἀμοὶ προσβαλεῖς πεισθεῖσʼ ἐμοί;
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.
τίς γάρ ποτʼ ἀστῶν ἢ ξένων ἡμᾶς ἰδὼντοιοῖσδʼ ἐπαίνοις οὐχὶ δεξιώσεται·ἴδεσθε τώδε τὼ κασιγνήτω, φίλοι,ὣ τὸν πατρῷον οἶκον ἐξεσωσάτην,ὣ τοῖσιν ἐχθροῖς εὖ βεβηκόσιν ποτὲψυχῆς ἀφειδήσαντε προὐστήτην φόνου·τούτω φιλεῖν χρή, τώδε χρὴ πάντας σέβειν,τώδʼ ἔν θʼ ἑορταῖς ἔν τε πανδήμῳ πόλειτιμᾶν 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 ὅτιζῆν αἰσχρὸν αἰσχρῶς τοῖς καλῶς πεφυκόσιν.
Chorus:In a crisis such as this, forethought is an ally both to those who speak and those who listen.
Χορός:ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις ἐστὶν ἡ προμηθίακαὶ τῷ λέγοντι καὶ κλύοντι σύμμαχος.
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.
Χρυσόθεμις:καὶ πρίν γε φωνεῖν, ὦ γυναῖκες, εἰ φρενῶνἐτύγχανʼ αὕτη μὴ κακῶν, ἐσῴζετʼ ἂντὴν εὐλάβειαν, ὥσπερ οὐχὶ σῴζεται.
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.
ποῖ γάρ ποτʼ ἐμβλέψασα τοιοῦτον θράσοςαὐτή 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 ἑλεῖνἄλυπος ἄτης ἐξαπαλλαχθήσεται;ὅρα κακῶς πράσσοντε μὴ μείζω κακὰκτησώμεθʼ, εἴ τις τούσδʼ ἀκούσεται λόγους.
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 destroyedand 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.
λύει γὰρ ἡμῖν οὐδὲν οὐδʼ ἐπωφελεῖβάξιν καλὴν λαβόντε δυσκλεῶς θανεῖν.οὐ γὰρ θανεῖν ἔχθιστον, ἀλλʼ ὅταν θανεῖνχρῄζων τις εἶτα μηδὲ τοῦτʼ ἔχῃ λαβεῖν.ἀλλʼ ἀντιάζω, πρὶν πανωλέθρους τὸ πᾶνἡμᾶς τʼ ὀλέσθαι κἀξερημῶσαι γένος,κατάσχες ὀργήν. καὶ τὰ μὲν λελεγμέναἄρρητʼ ἐγώ σοι κἀτελῆ φυλάξομαι,αὐτὴ δὲ νοῦν σχὲς ἀλλὰ τῷ χρόνῳ ποτέ,σθένουσα μηδὲν τοῖς κρατοῦσιν εἰκαθεῖν.
Chorus:Listen to her. There is no better gain for mortals to win than foresight and a prudent mind.
Χορός:πείθου· προνοίας οὐδὲν ἀνθρώποις ἔφυκέρδος λαβεῖν ἄμεινον οὐδὲ νοῦ σοφοῦ.
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.
Ἠλέκτρα:ἀπροσδόκητον οὐδὲν εἴρηκας· καλῶς δʼᾔδη σʼ ἀπορρίψουσαν ἁπηγγελλόμην.ἀλλʼ αὐτόχειρί μοι μόνῃ τε δραστέοντοὔργον τόδʼ· οὐ γὰρ δὴ κενόν γʼ ἀφήσομεν.
Chrysothemis:Ah! If only you had had such resolve on the day of our father’s death! Then you would have accomplished everything!
Χρυσόθεμις:φεῦ·εἴθʼ ὤφελες τοιάδε τὴν γνώμην πατρὸςθνῄσκοντος εἶναι· πᾶν γὰρ ἂν κατειργάσω.
Electra:My nature was the same then, but my mind was less ripe.
Ἠλέκτρα:ἀλλʼ ἦ φύσιν γε, τὸν δὲ νοῦν ἥσσων τότε.
Chrysothemis:Strive to keep your mind that way through all your life.
Χρυσόθεμις:ἄσκει τοιαύτη νοῦν διʼ αἰῶνος μένειν.
Electra:You make these admonitions like one who will not assist me.
Ἠλέκτρα:ὡς οὐχὶ συνδράσουσα νουθετεῖς τάδε.
Chrysothemis:I will not, for he who sets hand to the deed is likely also to suffer disaster.
Χρυσόθεμις:εἰκὸς γὰρ ἐγχειροῦντα καὶ πράσσειν κακῶς.
Electra:I admire you for your prudence. For your cowardice I hate you.
Ἠλέκτρα:ζηλῶ σε τοῦ νοῦ, τῆς δὲ δειλίας στυγῶ.
Chrysothemis:I will listen no less calmly when you praise me.
Χρυσόθεμις:ἀνέξομαι κλύουσα χὤταν εὖ λέγῃς.