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  AGAMEMNON

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

  MENELAUS

    Yes; and good for nothing and useless; when amongst us。

  AGAMEMNON

    Has the thought; which is rising in my mind; no terrors for thee?

  MENELAUS

    How can I understand thy meaning; unless thou declare it?

  AGAMEMNON

    The son of Sisyphus knows all。

  MENELAUS

    Odysseus cannot possibly hurt us。

  AGAMEMNON

    He was ever shifty by nature; siding with the mob。

  MENELAUS

    True; he is enslaved by the love of popularity; a fearful evil。

  AGAMEMNON

    Bethink thee then; will he not arise among the Argives and tell

them the oracles that Calchas delivered; saying of me that I undertook

to offer Artemis a victim; and after all am proving false? Then;

when he has carried the army away with him; he will bid the Argives

slay us and sacrifice the maiden; and if I escape to Argos; they

will come and destroy the place; razing it to the ground; Cyclopean

walls and all。 That is my trouble。 Woe is me! to what straits Heaven

has brought me at this pass! Take one precaution for me; Menelaus;

as thou goest through the host; that Clytemnestra learn this not; till

I have taken my child and devoted her to death; that my affliction may

be attended with the fewest tears。 (Turning to the CHORUS) And you; ye

stranger dames; keep silence。



                                       Exeunt AGAMEMNON and MENELAUS。



  CHORUS

    Happy they who find the goddess come in moderate might; sharing

with self…restraint in Aphrodite's gift of marriage and enjoying

calm and rest from frenzied passions; wilerein the Love…god;

golden…haired; stretches his charmed bow with arrows twain; and one is

aimed at happiness; the other at life's confusion。 O lady Cypris;

queen of beauty! far from my bridal bower I ban the last。 Be mine

delight in moderation and pure desires; and may I have a share in

love; but shun excess therein

   Men's natures vary; and their habits differ; but true virtue is

always manifest。 Likewise the training that comes of education

conduces greatly to virtue; for not only is modesty wisdom; but it has

also the rare grace of seeing by its better judgment what is right;

whereby glory; ever young; is shed o'er life by reputation。 A great

thing it is to follow virtue's footsteps…for women in their secret

loves; while in men again an inborn sense of order; shown in countless

ways; adds to a city's greatness。

    Thou camest; O Paris; to the place where thou wert reared to

herd the kine amid the white heifers of Ida; piping in foreign

strain and breathing on thy reeds an echo of the Phrygian airs Olympus

played。 Full…uddered cows were browsing at the spot where that verdict

'twixt goddesses was awaiting thee the cause of thy going to Hellas to

stand before the ivory palace; kindling love in Helen's tranced eyes

and feeling its flutter in thine own breast; whence the fiend of

strife brought Hellas with her chivalry and ships to the towers of

Troy。

    Oh! great is the bliss the great enjoy。 Behold Iphigenia; the

king's royal child; and Clytaemnestra; the daughter of Tyndareus;

how proud their lineage! how high their pinnacle of fortune! These

mighty ones; whom wealth attends; are very gods in the eyes of less

favoured folk。

    Halt we here; maidens of Chalcis; and lift the queen from her

chariot to the ground without stumbling; supporting her gently in

our arms; with kind intent; that the renowned daughter of Agamemnon

but just arrived may feel no fear; strangers ourselves; avoid we aught

that may disturb or frighten the strangers from Argos。



                   Enter CLYTAEMNESTRA and IPHIGENIA。



  CLYTAEMNESTRA

    I take this as a lucky omen; thy kindness and auspicious greeting;

and have good hope that it is to a happy marriage I conduct the bride。

(To Attendants) Take from the chariot the dowry I am bringing for my

daughter and convey it within with careful heed。

    My daughter; leave the horse…drawn car; planting thy faltering

footstep delicately。 (To the CHORUS) Maidens; take her in your arms

and lift her from the chariot; and let one of you give me the

support of her hand; that I may quit my seat in the carriage with

fitting grace。

    Some or you stand at the horses' heads; for the horse has a

timid eye; easily frightened; here take this child Orestes; son of

Agamemnon; babe as he still is。

    What! sleeping; little one; tired out by thy ride in the

chariot? Awake to bless thy sister's wedding; for thou; my gallant

boy; shalt get by this marriage a kinsman gallant as thyself; the

Nereid's godlike offspring。 Come hither to thy mother; my daughter;

Iphigenia; and seat thyself beside me; and stationed near show my

happiness to these strangers; yes; come hither and welcome the sire

thou lovest so dearly。

    Hail! my honoured lord; king Agamemnon! we have obeyed thy

commands and are come。



                            Enter AGAMEMNON。



  IPHIGENIA (Throwing herself into AGAMEMNON'S arms)

    Be not wroth with me; mother; if I run from thy side and throw

myself on my father's breast。

    O my father! I long to outrun others and embrace thee after this

long while; for I yearn to see thy face; be not wroth with me。

  CLYTAEMNESTRA

    Thou mayst do so; daughter; for of all the children I have born;

thou hast ever loved thy father best。

  IPHIGENIA

    I see thee; father; joyfully after a long season。

  AGAMEMNON


    And I thy father thee; thy words do equal duty for both of us。

  IPHIGENIA

    All hail; father! thou didst well in bringing me hither to thee。

  AGAMEMNON

    I know not how I am to say yes or no to that; my child。

  IPHIGENIA

    Ha! how wildly thou art looking; spite of thy joy at seeing me。

  AGAMEMNON

    A man has many cares when he is king and general too。

  IPHIGENIA

    Be mine; all mine to…day; turn not unto moody thoughts。

  AGAMEMNON

    Why so I am; all thine to…day; I have no other thought。

  IPHIGENIA

    Then smooth thy knitted brow; unbend and smile。

  AGAMEMNON

    Lo! my child; my joy at seeing thee is even as it is。

  IPHIGENIA

    And hast thou then the tear…drop streaming from thy eyes?

  AGAMEMNON

    Ave; for long is the absence from each other; that awalts us。

  IPHIGENIA

    I know not; dear father mine; I know not of what thou art

speaking。

  AGAMEMNON

    Thou art moving my pity all the more by speaking so sensibly。

  IPHIGENIA

    My words shall turn to senselessness; if that will cheer thee

more。

  AGAMEMNON (Aside)

    Ah; woe is me! this silence is too much。 (To IPHIGENIA) Thou

hast my thanks。

  IPHIGENIA

    Stay with thy children at home; father。

  AGAMEMNON

    My own wish! but to my sorrow I may not humour it。

  IPHIGENIA

    Ruin seize their warring and the woes of Menelaus!

  AGAMEMNON

    First will that; which has been my life…long ruin; bring ruin unto

others。

  IPHIGENIA

    How long thou wert absent in the bays of Aulis!

  AGAMEMNON

    Aye; and there is still a hindrance to my sending the army

forward。

  IPHIGENIA

    Where do men say the Phrygians live; father?

  AGAMEMNON

    In a land where I would Paris; the son of Priam; ne'er had dwelt。

  IPHIGENIA

    'Tis a long voyage thou art bound on; father; after thou leavest

me。

  AGAMEMNON

    Thou wilt meet thy father again; my daughter。

  IPHIGENIA

    Ah! would it were seemly that thou shouldst take me as a

fellow…voyager!

  AGAMEMNON

    Thou too hast a voyage to make to a haven where thou wilt remember

thy father。

  IPHIGENIA

    Shall I sail thither with my mother or alone?

  AGAMEMNON

    All alone; without father or mother。

  IPHIGENIA

    What! hast thou found me a new home; father!

  AGAMEMNON

    Enough of this! 'tis not for girls to know such things。

  IPHIGENIA

    Speed home from Troy; I pray thee; father; as soon as thou hast

triumphed there。

  AGAMEMNON

    There is a sacrifice have first to offer here。

  IPHIGENIA

    Yea; 'tis thy duty to heed religion with aid of holy rites。

  AGAMEMNON

    Thou wilt witness it; for thou wilt be standing near the laver。

  IPHIGENIA

    Am I to lead the dance then round the altar; father?

  AGAMEMNON (Aside)

    I count thee happier than myself because thou knowest nothing。 (To

IPHIGENIA) Go within into the presence of maidens; after thou hast

given me thy hand and one sad kiss; on the eve of thy lengthy

sojourn far from thy father's side。

    Bosom; cheek; and golden hair! ah; how grievous ye have found

Helen and the Phrygians' city! I can no more; the tears come welling

to my eyes; the moment I touch thee。

                                                      Exit IPHIGENIA。



    (Turning to CLYTAEMNESTRA) Herein I crave thy pardon; daughter

of Leda; if I showed excessive grief at the thought of resigning my

daughter to Achi

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