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sometimes deservedly; because they are too feeble of themselves to

maintain their watch upon the state。 For my part; I am more sorry

for our unhappy Hellas; whose purpose was to read these worthless

foreigners a lesson; while now she will let them escape and mock

her; thanks to thee and thy daughter。 May I never then appoint a man

to rule my country or lead its warriors because his kinship! Ability

what the general must have; since any man; with ordinary intelligence;

can govern a state。

  CHORUS

    For brethren to come to words and blows; whene'er they disagree;

is terrible。

  AGAMEMNON

    I wish to rebuke thee in turn; briefly; not lifting mine eyes

too high in shameless wise; but in more sober fashion; as a brother;

for it is a good man's way to be considerate。 Prithee; why this

burst of fury; these bloodshot eyes? who wrongs thee? what is it

thou wantest? Thou art fain to win a virtuous bride。 Well; I cannot

supply thee; for she; whom thou once hadst; was ill controlled by

thee。 Am I then; a man who never went astray; to suffer for thy

sins? or is it my popularity that galls thee? No! it is the longing

thou hast to keep a fair wife in thy embrace; casting reason and

honour to the winds。 A bad man's pleasures are like himself Am I

mad; if I change to wiser counsels; after previously deciding amiss?

Thine is the madness rather in wishing to recover a wicked wife;

once thou hadst lost her…a stroke of Heaven…sent luck。 Those foolish

suitors swore that oath to Tyndareus in their longing to wed; but Hope

was the goddess that led them on; I trow; and she it was that

brought it about rather then thou and thy mightiness。 So take the

field with them; they are ready for it in the folly of their hearts;

for the deity is not without insight; but is able to discern where

oaths have been wrongly pledged or forcibly extorted。 I will not

slay my children; nor shall thy interests be prospered by justice in

thy vengeance for a worthless wife; while I am left wasting; night and

day; in sorrow for what I did to one of my own flesh and blood;

contrary to all law and justice。 There is thy answer shortly' given;

clear and easy to understand; and if thou wilt not come to thy senses;

I shall do the best for myself。

  CHORUS

    This differs from thy previous declaration; but there is good in

it…thy child's reprieve。

  MENELAUS

    Ah me; how sad my lot! I have no friends then after all。

  AGAMEMNON

    Friends thou hast; if thou seek not their destruction。

  MENELAUS

    Where wilt thou find any proof that thou art sprung from the

same sire as I?

  AGAMEMNON

    Thy moderation; not thy madness do I share by nature。

  MENELAUS

    Friends should sympathize with friends in sorrow。

  AGAMEMNON

    Claim my help by kindly service; not by paining me。

  MENELAUS

    So thou hast no mind to share this trouble with Hellas?

  AGAMEMNON

    No; Hellas is diseased like thee according to some god's design。

  MENELAUS

    Go vaunt thee then on thy sceptre; after betraying thine own

brother! while seek some different means and other friends。



                         Enter MESSENGER。



  MESSENGER

    Agamemnon; lord of all Hellenes! I am come and bring thee thy

daughter; whom thou didst call Iphigenia in thy home; and her

mother; thy wife Clytemnestra; is with her; and the child Orestes; a

sight to gladden thee after thy long absence from thy palace; but;

as they had been travelling long and far; they are now refreshing

their tender feet at the waters of a fair spring; they and their

horses; for we turned these loose in the grassy meadow to browse their

fill; but I am come as their forerunner to prepare thee for their

reception; for the army knows already of thy daughter's arrival; so

quickly did the rumour spread; and all the folk are running together

to the sight; that they may see thy child; for Fortune's favourites

enjoy a worldwide fame and have all eyes fixed on them。 〃Is it a

wedding?〃 some ask; 〃or what is happening? or has king Agamemnon

from fond yearning summoned his daughter hither?〃 From others thou

wouldst have heard: 〃They are presenting the maiden to Artemis;

queen of Aulis; previous to marriage; who can the bridegroom be;

that is to lead her home?〃

    Come; then; begin the rites…that is the next step…by getting the

baskets ready; crown your heads; prepare the wedding…hymn; thou and

prince Menelaus with thee; let flutes resound throughout the tents

with noise of dancer's feet; for this is a happy day; that is come for

the maid。

  AGAMEMNON

    Thou hast my thanks; now go within; for the rest it will be

well; as Fate proceeds。



                                                      Exit MESSENGER。



    Ah; woe is me! unhappy wretch; what can I say? where shall I

begin? Into what cruel straits have I been plunged! Fortune has

outwitted me; proving far cleverer than any cunning of mine。 What an

advantage humble birth possesses! for it is easy for her sons to

weep and tell out all their sorrows; while to the high…born man come

these same sorrows; but we have dignity throned o'er our life and

are the people's slaves。 I; for instance; am ashamed to weep; nor

less; poor wretch; to check my tears at the awful pass to which I am

brought。 Oh! what am I to tell my wife? how shall I welcome her?

with what face meet her? for she too has undone me by coming uninvited

in this my hour of sorrow; yet it was but natural she should come with

her daughter to prepare the bride and perform the fondest duties;

where she will discover my villainy。 And for this poor maid…why

maid? Death; methinks; will soon make her his bride…how I pity her!

Thus will she plead to me; I trow: 〃My father will thou slay me? Be

such the wedding thou thyself mayst find; and whosoever is a friend to

thee!〃 while Orestes; from his station near us; will cry in childish

accents; inarticulate; yet fraught with meaning。 Alas! to what utter

ruin Paris; the son of Priam; the cause of these troubles; has brought

me by his union with Helen!

  CHORUS

    I pity her myself; in such wise as a woman; and she a stranger;

may bemoan the misfortunes of royalty。

  MENELAUS (Offering his hand)

    Thy hand; brother! let me grasp it。

  AGAMEMNON

    I give it; thine is the victory; mine the sorrow。

  MENELAUS

    By Pelops our reputed grandsire and Atreus our father I swear to

tell thee the truth from my heart; without any covert purpose; but

only what I think。 The sight of thee in tears made me pity thee; and

in return I shed a tear for thee myself; I withdraw from my former

proposals; ceasing to be a cause of fear to thee; yea; and I will

put myself in thy present position; and I counsel thee; slay not thy

child nor prefer my interests to thine; for it is not just that thou

shouldst grieve; while I am glad; or that thy children should die;

while mine still see the light of day。 What is it; after all; I

seek? If I am set on marriage; could I not find a bride as choice

elsewhere? Was I to lose a brother…the last I should have lost…to

win a Helen; getting bad for good? I was mad; impetuous as a youth;

till I perceived; on closer view; what slaying children really

meant。 Moreover I am filled with compassion for the hapless maiden;

doomed to bleed that I may wed; when I reflect that we are kin。 What

has thy daughter to do with Helen? Let the army be disbanded and leave

Aulis; dry those streaming eyes; brother; and provoke me not to tears。

Whatever concern thou hast in oracles that affect thy child; let it be

none of mine; into thy hands I resign my share therein。 A sudden

change; thou'lt say; from my fell proposals! A natural course for

me; affection for my brother caused the change。 These are the ways

of a man not void of virtue; to pursue on each occasion what is best。

  CHORUS

    A generous speech; worthy of Tantalus; the son of Zeus! Thou

dost not shame thy ancestry。

  AGAMEMNON

    I thank thee; Menelaus; for this unexpected suggestion; 'tis an

honourable proposal; worthy of thee。

  MENELAUS

    Sometimes love; sometimes the selfishness of their families causes

a quarrel between brothers; I loathe a relationship of this kind which

is bitterness to both。

  AGAMEMNON

    'Tis useless; for circumstances compel me to carry out the

murderous sacrifice of my daughter。

  MENELAUS

    How so? who will compel thee to slay thine own child?

  AGAMEMNON

    The whole Achaean army here assembled。

  MENELAUS

    Not if thou send her back to Argos。

  AGAMEMNON

    I might do that unnoticed; but there will be another thing I

cannot。

  MENELAUS

    What is that? Thou must not fear the mob too much。

  AGAMEMNON

    Calchas will tell the Argive host his oracles。

  MENELAUS

    Not if he be killed ere that…an easy matter。

  AGAMEMNON

    The whole tribe of seers is a curse with its ambition。

  MENELAUS

    Yes; and good for no

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