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are passing strange to me。
ACHILLES
Hazard a guess； that we can both do in this matter； for it may
be we are both correct in our statements。
CLYTAEMNESTRA
What！ have I suffered such indignity？ The marriage I am courting
has no reality； it seems； I am ashamed of it。
ACHILLES
Some one perhaps has made a mock of thee and me； pay no heed
thereto； make light of it。
CLYTAEMNESTRA
Farewell； I can no longer face thee with unfaltering eyes； after
being made a liar and suffering this indignity。
ACHILLES
'Tis 〃farewell〃 too I bid thee； lady； and now I go within the tent
to seek thy husband。
ATTENDANT （Calling through the tent…door）
Stranger of the race of Aeacus； stay awhile！ Ho there！ thee I
mean； O goddess…born； and thee； daughter of Leda。
ACHILLES
Who is it calling through the half…opened door？ what fear his
voice betrays！
ATTENDANT
A slave am I； of that I am not proud； for fortune permits it not。
ACHILLES
Whose slave art thou？ not mine； for mine and Agamemnon's goods are
separate。
ATTENDANT
I belong to this lady who stands before the tent； a gift to her
from Tyndareus her father。
ACHILLES
I am waiting； tell me； if thou art desirous； why thou hast
stayed me。
ATTENDANT
Are ye really all alone here at the door？
CLYTAEMNESTRA
To us alone wilt thou address thyself； come forth from the
king's tent。
ATTENDANT （Coming out）
O Fortune and my own foresight； preserve whom I desire！
ACHILLES
That speech will save them…in the future； it has a certain pompous
air。
CLYTAEMNESTRA
Delay not for the sake of touching my right hand； if there is
aught that thou wouldst say to me。
ATTENDANT
Well； thou knowest my character and my devotion to thee and thy
children。
CLYTAEMNESTRA
I know thou hast grown old in the service of my house。
ATTENDANT
Likewise thou knowest it was in thy dowry king Agamemnon
received me。
CLYTAEMNESTRA
Yes； thou camest to Argos with me； and hast been mine this long
time past。
ATTENDANT
True； and though I bear thee all goodwill； I like not thy lord
so well。
CLYTAEMNESTRA
Come； come； unfold whate'er thou hast to say。
ATTENDANT
Her father； he that begat her； is on the point of slaying thy
daughter with his own hand。
CLYTAEMNESTRA
How？ Out upon thy story； old dotard！ thou art mad。
ATTENDANT
Severing with a sword the hapless maid's white throat。
CLYTAEMNESTRA
Ah； woe is me！ Is my husband haply mad？
ATTENDANT
Nay； sane； except where thou and thy daughter are concerned； there
he is mad。
CLYTAEMNESTRA
What is his reason？ what vengeful fiend impels him？
ATTENDANT
Oracles…at least so Calchas says； in order that the host may start
CLYTAEMNESTRA
Whither？ Woe is me； and woe is thee； thy father's destined victim！
ATTENDANT
To the halls of Dardanus； that Menelaus may recover Helen。
CLYTAEMNESTRA
So Helen's return then was fated to affect Iphigenia？
ATTENDANT
Thou knowest all； her father is about to offer thy child to
Artemis。
CLYTAEMNESTRA
But that marriage…what pretext had it for bringing me from home？
ATTENDANT
An inducement to thee to bring thy daughter cheerfully； to wed her
to Achilles。
CLYTAEMNESTRA
On a deadly errand art thou come； my daughter； both thou； and I；
thy mother。
ATTENDANT
Piteous the lot of both of you…and fearful Agamemnon's venture。
CLYTAEMNESTRA
Alas！ I am undone； my eyes can no longer stem their tears。
ATTENDANT
What more natural than to weep the loss of thy children？
CLYTAEMNESTRA
Whence； old man； dost say thou hadst this news？
ATTENDANT
I had started to carry thee a letter referring to the former
writing。
CLYTAEMNESTRA
Forbidding or combining to urge my bringing the child to her
death？
ATTENDANT
Nay； forbidding it； for thy lord was then in his sober senses。
CLYTAEMNESTRA
How comes it then； if thou wert really bringing me a letter；
that thou dost not now deliver into my hands？
ATTENDANT
Menelaus snatched it from me…he who caused this trouble。
CLYTAEMNESTRA
Dost thou hear that； son of Peleus； the Nereid's child？
ACHILLES
I have been listening to the tale of thy sufferings； and I am
indignant to think I was used as a tool。
CLYTAEMNESTRA
They will slay my child； they have tricked her with thy marriage。
ACHILLES
Like thee I blame thy lord； nor do I view it with mere
indifference。
CLYTAEMNESTRA
No longer will I let shame prevent my kneeling to thee； a mortal
to one goddess…born； why do I affect reserve？ whose interests should I
consult before my child's？ （Throwing herself before ACHILLES）
Oh！ help me； goddess…born； in my sore distress； and her that was
called thy bride…in vain； 'tis true； yet called she was。 For thee it
was I wreathed her head and led her forth as if to marriage； but now
it is to slaughter I am bringing her。 On thee will come reproach
because thou didst not help her； for though not wedded to her； yet
wert thou the loving husband of my hapless maid in name at any rate。
By thy beard； right hand； and mother too I do implore thee； for thy
name it was that worked my ruin； and thou art bound to stand by
that。 Except thy knees I have no altar whereunto to fly； and not a
friend stands at my side。 Thou hast heard the cruel abandoned scheme
of Agamemnon； and I； a woman； am come； as thou seest； to a camp of
lawless sailor…folk； bold in evil's cause； though useful when they
list； wherefore if thou boldly stretch forth thine arm in my behalf；
our safety is assured； but if thou withhold it； we are lost。
CHORUS
A wondrous thing is motherhood； carrying with it a potent spell；
wherein all share； so that for their children's sake they will
endure affliction。
ACHILLES
My proud spirit is stirred to range aloft； but it has learnt to
grieve in misfortune and rejoice in high prosperity with equal
moderation。 For these are the men who can count on ordering all
their life aright by wisdom's rules。 True； there are cases where
'tis pleasant not to be too wise； but there are others； where some
store of wisdom helps。 Brought up in godly Chiron's halls myself； I
learnt to keep a single heart； and provided the Atridae lead aright； I
will obey them； but when they cease therefrom； no more will I obey。
Nay； but here and in Troy I will show the freedom of my nature； and；
as far as in me lies； do honour to Ares with my spear。 Thee； lady； who
hast suffered so cruelly from thy nearest and dearest； will I； by
every effort in a young man's power； set right； investing thee with
that amount of pity； and never shall thy daughter； after being once
called my bride； die by her father's hand； for I will not lend
myself to thy husband's subtle tricks； no！ for it will be my name that
kills thy child； although it wieldeth not the steel。 Thy own husband
is the actual cause； but I shall no longer be guiltless； if； because
of me and my marriage； this maiden perishes； she that hath suffered
past endurance and been the victim of affronts most strangely
undeserved。 So am I made the poorest wretch in Argos； I a thing of
naught； and Menelaus counting for a man！ No son of Peleus I； but the
issue of a vengeful fiend； if my name shall serve thy husband for
the murder。 Nay！ by Nereus； who begat my mother Thetis； in his home
amid the flowing waves； never shall king Agamemnon touch thy daughter；
no！ not even to the laying of a finger…tip upon her robe； else will
Sipylus； that frontier town of barbarism； the cradle of those
chieftains' line； be henceforth a city indeed； while Phthia's name
will nowhere find mention。 Calchas； the seer； shall rue beginning
the sacrifice with his barley…meal and lustral water。 Why； what is a
seer？ A man who with luck tells the truth sometimes； with frequent
falsehoods； but when his luck deserts him； collapses then and there。
It is not to secure a bride that I have spoken thus…there be maids
unnumbered eager to have my love…no！ but king Agamemnon has put an
insult on me； he should have asked my leave to use my name as a
means to catch the child； for it was I chiefly who induced
Clytaemnestra to betroth her daughter to me； verily I had yielded this
to Hellas； if that was where our going to Ilium broke down； I would
never have refused to further my fellow soldiers' common interest。
But； as it is； I am as naught in the eyes of those chieftains； and
little they reck of treating me well or ill。 My sword shall soon
know if any one is to snatch thy daughter from me； for then will I
make it reek with the bloody stains of slaughter； ere it reach
Phrygia。 Calm thyself then； as a god in his might I appeared to
thee； without being so； but such will I show myself for all that。
CHORUS
Son