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Plough'd with a thousand keels the strand
And ranged in arms shook Troy's proud towers
Beneath the Atreidae's great command！
IPHIGENIA （singing）
O ye attendant train；
How is my heart oppress'd with wo！
What notes； save notes of grief； can flow；
A harsh and unmelodious strain？
My soul domestic ills oppress with dread；
And bid me mourn a brother dead。
What visions did my sleeping sense appall
In the past dark and midnight hour！
'Tis ruin； ruin all。
My father's houses…it is no more：
No more is his illustrious line。
What dreadful deeds hath Argos known！
One only brother； Fate； was mine；
And dost thou rend him from me？ Is he gone
To Pluto's dreary realms below？
For him； as dead； with pious care
This goblet I prepare；
And on the bosom of the earth shall flow
Streams from the heifer mountain…bred；
The grape's rich juice； and； mix'd with these；
The labour of the yellow bees；
Libations soothing to the dead。
Give me the oblation： let me hold
The foaming goblet's hallow'd gold。
O thou； the earth beneath；
Who didst from Agamemnon spring；
To thee； deprived of vital breath；
I these libations bring。
Accept them： to thy honour'd tomb；
Never； ah！ never shall I come；
Never these golden tresses bear；
To place them there； there shed the tear；
For from my country far； a hind
There deem'd as slain； my wild abode I find。
CHORUS （singing）
To thee thy faithful train
The Asiatic hymn will raise；
A doleful； a barbaric strain；
Responsive to thy lays；
And steep in tears the mournful song；…
Notes； which to the dead belong；
Dismal notes； attuned to woe
By Pluto in the realms below：
No sprightly air shall we employ
To cheer the soul； and wake the sense of joy。
IPHIGENIA （singing）
The Atreidae are no more；
Extinct their sceptre's golden light；
My father's house from its proud height
Is fallen： its ruins I deplore。
Who of her kings at Argos holds his reign；
Her kings once bless'd？ But Sorrow's train
Rolls on impetuous for the rapid steeds
Which o'er the strand with Pelops fly。
From what atrocious deeds
Starts the sun back； his sacred eye
Of brightness； loathing； turn'd aside？
And fatal to their house arose；
From the rich ram； Thessalia's golden pride；
Slaughter on slaughter； woes on woes：
Thence； from the dead ages past；
Vengeance came rushing on its prey；
And swept the race of Tantalus away。
Fatal to thee its ruthless haste；
To me too fatal； from the hour
My mother wedded； from the night
She gave me to life's opening light；
Nursed by affliction's cruel power。
Early to me； the Fates unkind；
To know what sorrow is assign'd：
Me Leda's daughter； hapless dame；
First blooming offspring of her bed
（A father's conduct here I blame）；
A joyless victim bred；
When o'er the strand of Aulis； in the pride
Of beauty kindling flames of love；
High on my splendid car I move；
Betrothed to Thetis' son a bride：
Ah； hapless bride； to all the train
Of Grecian fair preferr'd in vain！
But now； a stranger on this strand；
'Gainst which the wild waves beat；
I hold my dreary； joyless seat；
Far distant from my native land；
Nor nuptial bed is mine； nor child； nor friend。
At Argos now no more I raise
The festal song in Juno's praise；
Nor o'er the loom sweet…sounding bend；
As the creative shuttle flies；
Give forms of Titans fierce to rise；
And； dreadful with her purple spear；
Image Athenian Pallas there：
But on this barbarous shore
The unhappy stranger's fate I moan；
The ruthless altar stain'd with gore；
His deep and dying groan；
And； for each tear that weeps his woes；
From me a tear of pity flows。
Of these the sad remembrance now must sleep：
A brother dead； ah me！ I weep：
At Argos him； by fate oppress'd；
I left an infant at the breast；
A beauteous bud； whose opening charms
Then blossom'd in his mother's arms；
Orestes； born to high command；
The imperial sceptre of the Argive land。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Leaving the sea…wash'd shore a herdsman comes
Speeding； with some fresh tidings to thee fraught。
（A HERDSMAN enters。）
HERDSMAN
Daughter of Agamemnon； and bright gem
Of Clytemnestra； hear strange things from me。
IPHIGENIA
And what of terror doth thy tale import？
HERDSMAN
Two youths； swift…rowing 'twixt the clashing rocks
Of our wild sea； are landed on the beach；
A grateful offering at Diana's shrine；
And victims to the goddess。 Haste； prepare
The sacred lavers； and the previous rites。
IPHIGENIA
Whence are the strangers？ from what country named？
HERDSMAN
From Greece： this only； nothing more； I know。
IPHIGENIA
Didst thou not hear what names the strangers bear？
HERDSMAN
One by the other was call'd Pylades。
IPHIGENIA
How is the stranger； his companion； named？
HERDSMAN
This none of us can tell： we heard it not。
IPHIGENIA
How saw you them？ how seized them？ by what chance？
HERDSMAN
Mid the rude cliffs that o'er the Euxine hang…
IPHIGENIA
And what concern have herdsmen with the sea？
HERDSMAN
To wash our herds in the salt wave we came。
IPHIGENIA
To what I ask'd return： how seized you them？
Tell me the manner； this I wish to know：
For slow the victims come； nor hath some while
The altar of the goddess； as was wont；
Been crimson'd with the streams of Grecian blood。
HERDSMAN
Our herds； which in the forest feed； we drove
Amid the tide that rushes to the shore；
'Twixt the Symplegades： it was the place；
Where in the rifted rock the chafing surge
Hath hallow'd a rude cave； the haunt of those
Whose quest is purple。 Of our number there
A herdsman saw two youths； and back return'd
With soft and silent step； then pointing； said；
〃Do you not see them？ These are deities
That sit there。〃 One； who with religious awe
Revered the gods； with hands uplifted pray'd；
His eyes fix'd on them；…〃Son of the sea…nymph
Leucothoe； guardian of the labouring bark；
Our lord Palaemon； be propitious to us！
Or sit you on our shores； bright sons of Jove；
Castor and Pollux？ Or the glorious boast
Of Nereus； father of the noble choir
Of fifty Nereids？〃 One； whose untaught mind
Audacious folly harden'd 'gainst the sense
Of holy awe； scoff'd at his prayers； and said；…
〃These are wreck'd mariners； that take their seat
In the cleft rock through fear； as they have heard
Our prescribed rite； that here we sacrifice
The stranger。〃 To the greater part he seem'd
Well to have spoken； and we judged it meet
To seize the victims； by our country's law
Due to the goddess。 Of the stranger youths；
One at this instant started from the rock：
Awhile he stood； and wildly toss'd his head；
And groan'd； his loose arms trembling all their length；
Convulsed with madness； and a hunter loud
Then cried；…〃Dost thou behold her； Pylades？
Dost thou not see this dragon fierce from hell
Rushing to kill me； and against me rousing
Her horrid vipers？ See this other here；
Emitting fire and slaughter from her vests；
Sails on her wings； my mother in her arms
Bearing； to hurl this mass of rock upon me！
Ah； she will kill me！ Whither shall I fly？〃
His visage might we see no more the same；
And his voice varied； now the roar of bulls；
The howl of dogs now uttering； mimic sounds
Sent by the maddening Furies； as they say。
Together thronging； as of death assured；
We sit in silence； but he drew his sword；
And； like a lion rushing mid our herds；
Plunged in their sides the weapon； weening thus
To drive the Furies； till the briny wave
Foam'd with their blood。 But when among our herds
We saw this havoc made； we all 'gan rouse
To arms； and blew our sounding shells to alarm
The neighbouring peasants； for we thought in fight
Rude herdsmen to these youthful strangers； train'd
To arms； ill match'd； and forthwith to our aid
Flock'd numbers。 But； his frenzy of its force
Abating； on the earth the stranger falls；
Foam bursting from his mouth： but when he saw
The advantage； each adventured on and hurl'd
What might annoy him fallen： the other youth
Wiped off the foam； took of his person care；
His fine…wrought