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To match the need！ but aid availeth nought
To him laid low for ever。 Help； help； help
Sure to deaf ears I shout； and call in vain
To slumber ineffectual。 What ho！
The queen！ how fareth Clytemnestra's self？
Her neck too； hers； is close upon the steel；
And soon shall sing； hewn thro' as justice wills。
（CLYTEMNESTRA enters。）
CLYTEMNESTRA
What ails thee； raising this ado for us？
ATTENDANT
I say the dead are come to slay the living。
CLYTEMNESTRA
Alack； I read thy riddles all too clear…
We slew by craft and by like craft shall die。
Swift； bring the axe that slew my lord of old；
I'll know anon or death or victory…
So stands the curse； so I confront it here。
（ORESTES rushes from the palace； his sword dripping with
blood。 PYLADES is with him。）
ORESTES
Thee too I seek： for him what's done will serve。
CLYTEMNESTRA
Woe； woe！ Aegisthus； spouse and champion； slain！
ORESTES
What； lov'st the man？ then in his grave lie down；
Be his in death； desert him nevermore！
CLYTEMNESTRA
Stay； child； and fear to strike。 O son； this breast
Pillowed thine head full oft； while； drowsed with sleep；
Thy toothless mouth drew mother's milk from me。
ORESTES
Can I my mother spare？ speak； Pylades。
PYLADES
Where then would fall the hest Apollo gave
At Delphi； where the solemn compact sworn？
Choose thou the hate of all men； not of gods。
ORESTES
Thou dost prevail； I hold thy counsel good。
（To CLYTEMNESTRA）
Follow； I will to slay thee at his side。
With him whom in his life thou loved'st more
Than Agamemnon； sleep in death； the meed
For hate where love； and love where hate was due！
CLYTEMNESTRA
I nursed thee young； must I forego mine eld？
ORESTES
Thou slew'st my father； shalt thou dwell with me？
CLYTEMNESTRA
Fate bore a share in these things； O my child
ORESTES
Fate also doth provide this doom for thee。
CLYTEMNESTRA
Beware； O child； a parent's dying curse。
ORESTES
A parent who did cast me out to ill！
CLYTEMNESTRA
Not cast thee out； but to a friendly home。
ORESTES
Born free； I was by twofold bargain sold。
CLYTEMNESTRA
Where then the price that I received for thee？
ORESTES
The price of shame； I taunt thee not more plainly。
CLYTEMNESTRA
Nay； but recount thy father's lewdness too。
ORESTES
Home…keeping； chide not him who toils without。
CLYTEMNESTRA
'Tis hard for wives to live as widows； child。
ORESTES
The absent husband toils for them at home。
CLYTEMNESTRA
Thou growest fain to slay thy mother； child。
ORESTES
Nay； 'tis thyself wilt slay thyself； not I。
CLYTEMNESTRA
Beware thy mother's vengeful hounds from hell。
ORESTES
How shall I 'scape my father's； sparing thee？
CLYTEMNESTRA
Living； I cry as to a tomb； unheard。
ORESTES
My father's fate ordains this doom for thee。
CLYTEMNESTRA
Ah me！ this snake it was I bore and nursed。
ORESTES
Ay； right prophetic was thy visioned fear。
Shameful thy deed was…die the death of shame！
（He drives her into the house before him。）
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Lo； even for these I mourn； a double death：
Yet since Orestes； driven on by doom；
Thus crowns the height of murders manifold；
I say； 'tis well…that not in night and death
Should sink the eye and light of this our home。
CHORUS （singing）
strophe 1
There came on Priam's race and name
A vengeance； though it tarried long；
With heavy doom it came。
Came； too； on Agamemnon's hall
A lion…pair； twin swordsmen strong。
And last； the heritage doth fall
To him； to whom from Pythian cave
The god his deepest counsel gave。
refrain 1
Cry out； rejoice！ our kingly hall
Hath 'scaped from ruin…ne'er again
Its ancient wealth be wasted all
By two usurpers； sin…defiled…
An evil path of woe and bane！
antistrophe 1
On him who dealt the dastard blow
Comes Craft； Revenge's scheming child。
And hand in hand with him doth go；
Eager for fight；
The child of Zeus； whom men below
Call justice； naming her aright。
And on her foes her breath
Is as the blast of death；
strophe 2
For her the god who dwells in deep recess
Beneath Parnassus' brow；
Summons with loud acclaim
To rise； though late and lame；
And come with craft that worketh righteousness。
For even o'er Powers divine this law is strong…
Thou shalt not serve the wrong。
refrain 2
To that which ruleth heaven beseems it that we bow
Lo； freedom's light hath come！
Lo； now is rent away
The grim and curbing bit that held us dumb。
Up to the light； ye halls I this many a day
Too low on earth ye lay。
antistrophe 2
And Time； the great Accomplisher；
Shall cross the threshold； whensoe'er
He choose with purging hand to cleanse
The palace； driving all pollution thence。
And fair the cast of Fortune's die
Before our state's new lords shall lie；
Not as of old； but bringing fairer doom。
Lo； freedom's light hath come！
（The central doors of the palace open； disclosing ORESTES
standing over the corpses of AEGISTHUS and CLYTEMNESTRA； in
one hand he holds his sword； in the other the robe in which
AGAMEMNON was entangled and slain。）
ORESTES
There lies our country's twofold tyranny；
My father's slayers； spoilers of my home。
Erst were they royal； sitting on the throne；
And loving are they yet；…their common fate
Tells the tale truly； shows their trothplight firm。
They swore to work mine ill…starred father's death；
They swore to die together； 'tis fulfilled。
O ye who stand； this great doom's witnesses；
Behold this too； the dark device which bound
My sire unhappy to his death；…behold
The mesh which trapped his hands； enwound his feet
Stand round； unfold it…'tis the trammel…net
That wrapped a chieftain； hold it that he see；
The father…not my sire； but he whose eye
Is judge of all things； the all…seeing Sun！
Let him behold my mother's damned deed；
Then let him stand； when need shall be to me；
Witness that justly I have sought and slain
My mother； blameless was Aegisthus' doom…
He died the death law bids adulterers die。
But she who plotted this accursed thing
To slay her lord； by whom she bare beneath
Her girdle once the burden of her babes；
Beloved erewhile； now turned to hateful foes…
What deem ye of her？ or what venomed thing；
Sea…snake or adder； had more power than she
To poison with a touch the flesh unscarred？
So great her daring； such her impious will。
How name her； if I may not speak a curse？
A lion…springe！ a laver's swathing cloth；
Wrapping a dead man； twining round his feet…
A net； a trammel； an entangling robe？
Such were the weapon of some strangling thief；
The terror of the road； a cut…purse hound…
With such device full many might he kill；
Full oft exult in heat of villainy。
Ne'er have my house so cursed an indweller…
Heaven send me； rather； childless to be slain！
CHORUS （chanting）
Woe for each desperate deed！
Woe for the queen； with shame of life bereft！
And ah； for him who still is left；
Madness； dark blossom of a bloody seed！
ORESTES
Did she the deed or not？ this robe gives proof；
Imbrued with blood that bathed Aegisthus' sword：
Look； how the spurted stain combines with time
To blur the many dyes that once adorned
Its pattern manifold！ I now stand here；
Made glad； made sad with blood； exulting； wailing…
Hear； O thou woven web that slew my sire！
I grieve for deed and death and all my home…
Victor； pollution's damned stain for prize。
CHORUS （chanting）
Alas； that none of mortal men
Can pass his life untouched by pain！
Behold； one woe is here…
Another loometh near。
ORESTES
Hark ye and learn…for what the end s