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effrontery to misfortune。
CLYTAEMNESTRA
Well； listen； for I will now unfold my meaning and no longer
employ dark riddles。 In the first place…to reproach thee first with
this…it was not of my own free will but by force that thou didst
take and wed me； after slaying Tantalus； my former husband； and
dashing my babe on the ground alive； when thou hadst torn him from
my breast with brutal violence。 Then； when those two sons of Zeus； who
were likewise my brothers； came flashing on horseback to war with
thee； Tyndareus； my aged sire； rescued thee because of thy suppliant
prayers； and thou in turn hadst me to wife。 Once reconciled to thee
upon this footing； thou wilt bear me witness I have been a blameless
wife to thee and thy family； chaste in love； an honour to thy house；
that so thy coming in might be with joy and thy going out with
gladness。 And 'tis seldom a man secures a wife like this； though the
getting of a worthless woman is no rarity。
Besides three daughters； of one of whom thou art heartlessly
depriving me； I am the mother of this son of thine。 If anyone asks
thee thy reason for slaying her； tell me； what wilt thou say？ or
must say it for thee？ 〃It is that Menelaus may recover Helen。〃 An
honourable exchange； indeed； to pay a wicked woman's price in
children's lives！ 'Tis buying what we most detest with what we hold
most dear。 Again； if thou go forth with the host； leaving me in thy
halls； and art long absent at Troy； what will my feelings be at
home； dost think？ when I behold each vacant chair and her chamber
now deserted； and then sit down alone in tears； making ceaseless
lamentation for her； 〃Ah！ my child； he that begat thee hath slain thee
himself； he and no one else； nor was it by another's hand。。。to thy
home； after leaving such a price to be paid； for it needs now but a
trifling pretext for me and the daughters remaining to give thee the
reception it is right thou shouldst receive。 I adjure thee by the
gods； compel me not to sin against thee； nor sin thyself。 Go to；
suppose thou sacrifice the child； what prayer wilt thou utter； when
'tis done？ what will the blessing be that thou wilt invoke upon
thyself as thou art slaying our daughter？ an ill returning maybe；
seeing the disgrace that speeds thy going forth。 Is it right that I
should pray for any luck to attend thee？ Surely we should deem the
gods devoid of sense； if we harboured a kindly feeling towards
murderers。 Shalt thou embrace thy children on thy coming back to
Argos？ Nay； thou hast no right。 Will any child of thing e'er face
thee； if thou have surrendered one of them to death？ Has this ever
entered into thy calculations； or does thy one duty consist in
carrying a sceptre about and marching at the head of an army？ when
thou mightest have made this fair proposal among the Argives； 〃Is it
your wish； Achaeans； to sail for Phrygia's shores？ Why then； cast lots
whose daughter has to die。〃 For that would have been a fair course for
thee to pursue； instead of picking out thy own child for the victim
and presenting her to the Danai； or Menelaus； inasmuch as it was his
concern； should have slain Hermione for her mother。 As it is； I； who
still am true to thee； must lose my child； while she； who went astray；
will return with her daughter； and live in happiness at Sparta。 If I
am wrong in aught herein； answer me； but if my words have been
fairly urged； do not still slay thy child； who is mine too； and thou
wilt be wise。
CHORUS
Hearken to her Agamemnon； for to join in saving thy children's
lives is surely a noble deed； none would gainsay this。
IPHIGENIA
Had I the eloquence of Orpheus； my father； to move the rocks by
chanted spells to follow me； or to charm by speaking whom I would； I
had resorted to it。 But as it is； I'll bring my tears…the only art I
know； for that I might attempt。 And about thy knees； in suppliant
wise； I twine my limbs these limbs thy wife here bore。 Destroy me
not before my time； for sweet is to look upon the light； and force
me not to visit scenes below。 I was the first to call thee father；
thou the first to call me child； the first was I to sit upon thy
knee and give and take the fond caress。 And this was what thou then
wouldst say； 〃Shall I see thee； my child； living a happy prosperous
life in a husband's home one day； in a manner worthy of myself？〃 And I
in my turn would ask； as I hung about thy beard； whereto I now am
clinging； 〃How shall I see thee？ Shall I be giving thee a glad
reception in my halls； father； in thy old age； repaying all thy
anxious care in rearing me？
I remember all we said； 'tis thou who hast forgotten and now
wouldst take my life。 By Pelops； I entreat thee spare me； by thy
father Atreus and my mother here； who suffers now a second time the
pangs she felt before when bearing me！ What have I to do with the
marriage of Paris and Helen？ why is his coming to prove my ruin；
father？ Look upon me； one glance； one kiss bestow； that this at
least I may carry to my death as a memorial of thee； though thou
heed not my pleading。
（Holding up the babe to ORESTES） Feeble ally though thou art；
brother； to thy loved ones； yet add thy tears to mine and entreat
our father for thy sister's life； even in babes there is a natural
sense of ill。 O father； see this speechless supplication made to thee；
pity me； have mercy on my tender years！ Yea； by thy beard we two
fond hearts implore thy pity； the one a babe； a full…grown maid the
other。 By summing all my pleas in one； I will prevail in what I say。
To gaze upon yon light is man's most cherished gift； that life below
is nothingness； and whoso longs for death is mad。 Better live a life
of woe than die a death of glory！
CHORUS
Ah； wretched Helen！ Awful the struggle that has come to the sons
of Atreus and their children； thanks to thee and those marriages of
thine。
AGAMEMNON
While loving my own children； I yet understand what should move my
pity and what should not； I were a madman else。 'Tis terrible for me
to bring myself to this； nor less terrible is it to refuse；
daughter； for I must fare the same。 Ye see the vastness of von naval
host； and the numbers of bronze clad warriors from Hellas； who can
neither make their way to Ilium's towers nor raze the far…famed
citadel of Troy； unless I offer thee according to the word of
Calchas the seer。 Some mad desire possesses the host of Hellas to sail
forthwith to the land of the barbarians； and put a stop to the rape of
wives from Hellas； and they will slay my daughters in Argos as well as
you and me； if I disregard the goddess's behests。 It is not Menelaus
who hath enslaved me to him； child； nor have I followed wish of his；
nay； 'tis Hellas； for whom I must sacrifice thee whether I will or no；
to this necessity I bow my head； for her freedom must be preserved； as
far as any help of thine； daughter； or mine can go； nor must they； who
are the sons Hellas； be pillaged of their wives by barbarian robbery。
AGAMEMNON rushes from the stage；
CLYTAEMNESTRA
My child Ye stranger ladies！
Woe is me for this thy death！ Thy father flies； surrendering
thee to Hades。
IPHIGENIA
Woe is me； O mother mine！ for the same strain hath fallen to
both of us in our fortune。 No more for me the light of day！ no more
the beams of yonder sun！ Woe for that snow…beat glen in Phrygia and
the hills of Ida； where Priam once exposed a tender babe； torn from
his mother's arms to meet a deadly doom； e'en Paris； called the
child of Ida in the Phrygians' town。 Would Priam ne'er had settled
him； the herdsman reared amid the herds； beside that water
crystal…clear； where are fountains of the Nymphs and their meadow rich
with blooming flowers； where hyacinths and rose…buds blow for
goddesses to gather！ Hither one day came Pallas and Cypris of the
subtle heart； Hera too and Hermes messenger of Zeus…Cypris； proud of
the longing she causes； Pallas of her prowess； and Hera of her royal
marriage with king Zeus…to decide a hateful strife about their beauty；
but it is my death； maidens…fraught； 'tis true； with glory to the
Danai…that Artemis has received as an offering； before they begin
the voyage to Ilium。
O mother； mother！ he that begat me to this life of sorrow has gone
and left me all alone。 Ah！ woe is me！ a bitter； bitter sight for me
was Helen； evil Helen！ to me now doomed to bleed and die；
slaughtered by an impious sire。
I would this Aulis had never received in its havens here the
sterns of their bronze…beaked ships； the fleet which was speeding them
to Troy； and would that Zeus had never breathed on the Euripus a
wind to stop the expedition； tempering； as he doth； a different breeze
to different men； so that some have joy in setting sail； and sorrow
some； and others hard constraint； to make some start and others stay
and others furl their sails！ Full of trouble then； it seems； is the