198
T H E O R E S T E IA'
O F AH
E S C H Y L U S
T RAN S LATED INTO
ENGLISH P ROSE BY
L E W I S C A M P B E L L
AN INTRODUCTION
fleetbuzn anti (EU.
18 BURY STREET, W.c.
LONDON
1 89 3
MAWP RE FACE
AVING alre ady pu b lish e d an Ae schylus in English
"Ve rse with M e ssrs e gan Pau l, Triib n e r and
Co .,I sh ou ld probably not have made the present
attempt had it not be e n demanded from me. But
‘ P oscimur,’ as Horace found, is a word of power.
And it remains so even where , as in this cas e , n e ither
Muse nor Lyre is called in aid. B e ing asked,and
having time at my disposal,I did not like to refuse .
And having ‘ tried both ways,
’ I find that each h as
its own advantage. If Verse comes ne arer to th e
Spirit, Prose ge n e rally— though by no means always
— keeps closer to the Words ; and both forms betwee n
them may be said to hammer out some partial
approximation to the great original .
A fe w prelimin ary pages have been adde d, that
th e English re ader may b e placed at th e outset in
a be tte r position for appreciating the Poet’s main
intention .
Whe n not otherwise noted,it may be assumed that
72789
fl P REFACE
P ale y’
s te xt has been followe d. But We ckle in’
s te xt
and commentary have be e n consulted th roughou t ;
and some of the e mendations which he admits have
been adopted . These are referred to in th e brie f
Notes appe nded to this volume . In some dispu ted
places, where I have departe d from my pre vious
re ndering,I would not be understood to dogmatize
e ither way. This vac illation is the expression of a
doubt .
LEWIS CAM PBELL.
KIRNAN , ST. ANDREWS ,
ju ly 16111 , 189 2 .
C O NT E NT S
THE ORESTEIAN TRILOGY
OUTLINE OF THE ACTION .
INTRODUCTION
AGAM EM NON
OHOEP HOROE .
EUM ENIDES
NOTES
OUTLINE OF THE ACTION
I . AGAM EM NON
LYTEM NESTRA has resolved to murder her hus
band, Agam e mnon, in revenge for the death
of the ir daughter Iph ige n e ia ,whom he had sacrificed at
the ou tset of the Trojan e xpedi tion . In this design
sh e is aide d by Aegisthus,who owes a grudge to the
Sh e h as set a watchman to look out for th e beacon-fireby which the fallgfji ay_was to b e an nounced . The
fire is seen,and Clytemnestra makes great de monstra
tion of joy. Th e Elde rs are doubtful until the H e rald
appe ars and annou nce s the arrival of th e King. Cly
temn e strarece ives her husband with a diss'embling
M u d induce s him to enter M u alace , like an
Easte rn conq ue ror, ove r a path strem ith pugle
has brought h omgu
wjth h imy t h emp roph e sie s p f his
M s fiaw xam A
from within, and wh il e the Elders are . h e sitating,ix
OUTLINE OF THE ACT ION
Clyt emnestra sudde nly appe ars and avows the murder.
The Elders remonstrate with h e r, and lame nt ove r th e
union with Aegisthus,who at last shows himse lf,
aggorg pani e d _
b y his guards. A conflict appe ars imA ‘
mine nt, but Clfi mn e stra depreca te s IITrtEe r violenceand th e play is ended .
II. cn ofirn oxon
Eight years have elapsed , and Orestes, the son of
Agame mnon and Clytemnestra,who has spent his
youth in P hocis,inW ,
now
M Pylade s, commissioned by Apollo to
avenge his father. At the same moment, Ele ctra ,
his sister,has been sent by Clytemnestra with offerings
to the grave of Agamemnon,in conse qu ence of a
warning dream . Sh e is accompani e d by th e Trojan
captive women,who have been attache d to the palace
since the retu rn of Agame mnon.
Electra pgurs the lib atiop . They chant over it,
and the re cognition of brother and siste r follows.
Oreste s, El e ctra, and the Chorus the n combine in a
prolonged invocation to the spirit of Agamemnon, and
to th e powers wOI'ld. with his
re solution thus con firme d, pre pares to act, and th e
scene changes to before the palace. Ore stes,in dis
guise, with Pylades, knocks at th e door. Whe n it is
OUTLINE OF THE ACTION
ope ned, Clytemnestra come s forth and receive s fromth e suppose d stran ger the news of h e r son
’s de ath .
She utte rs words of'
e f erba s not altoge the r
ordersfor the entertainme nt of th e‘men from Phocis .
’
m
AW romhom e ,is se nt for. H e goe s in
hastily to asce rtain the truth of the tidings . Pre sently
his cry is heard,and Clytemnestra is loudly called for.
‘
Sh e enters and divines the tru th
imperiously for a workman’ s axe. But there is no time
to fe tch it, for Orestes is discovered with th e d e ad
bpdy of éPQSM E i ‘ELhim . The encounter of son
and mothe r is brief and decisive . She is slain behind
the scen e .
Ore ste s re -e nte rs, and in self-de fe nce displays the
blood-staine d web in which Agamemnon h ad b e e n
ove rpowered. pre se ntly he is aware of th e
pye se nce“ of his moth e r’s Furies . Th e y are as ye t
invisible {Oz-
ll b u t h im, b IItTlI-
e-
y e ffe ctually drive h imforth. H e flies for sanctu ary to D e lphi.
III. EUM ENIDES
Ore ste s has found his w ay to the holy place at
De lphi, b u t has been pu rsue d by th e Furie s, an d all
b u t ove rtake n . OW ;
his pu rsu e rs have’
falle n asle e p. But Clytemne stra’
s
ghost awake ns them. A'
p
'
Ollo the n appe ars an
xii OUTLINE OF THE ACTION
chases them forth,having previously assure d Ore ste s
of his prote ction .
Afte r this prelude, the scene is changed to Athe ns .
A long time has interve ne d , during which th e Furies
have bee n hunting their victim. But his cause is
now ready for decision. H e clings to the image of
Athena, and his accusers thre aten him in vain . Athe na
herself comes and hears the ir accusations and his plea .
Sh e institutes the court of Are opEs to try the case .
Apollo appears in evide nce on Orestes’ side . Th e
votes are equal, and Athena gives her casting vote for
Orestes,who in the joy of his acquittal promises that the
league betwe en Athens and Argos shall be inviolabl e .
Th e re se ntme nt of the Furies at first appears in e xor
ab le,and they threaten all manner of evil to the
Athenian land . But Athena re asons with~
them ,and
ab ode‘pep e ath thLAreopagps, not now as th e Fu ries
(Erin e s but as Ge ntle P owers (Eume nide s). A
great torchlight procession of the conve rte d Furie s
— l o w
— 0
INTRODU CT ION
0dark E n'
nys , dre z“
: tlzy M fl .
’— SEVEN AGAINST Tu asas.
HE three dramas of which an Aeschylean Trilogyis compo se d are not to b e re garde d m e re ly as
acts of a single drama ; yet neither has any one ofthem,
take n apart,th e complete ness which belongs
to Tragedy in its pe rfe ction . In point of fact,the y
were re pre sente d con tinuously, and probably on th e
same day. And while other poe ts appear to have
been contented with slight or arbitrary links of con
n e ction be tween th e piece s which the y brought out for
compe tition, it is manife st that Aeschylu s pre fe rred to
avail himself of th e triple 1 pe rformance to deve lop
th e full proportions of on e great subject. Of this
uniqu e form of dramatic art, th e plays he re translate dafford th e only extant specime n . Each of them isso gre at in its e lf as freque ntly to have become th esu bject of separate treatment .
Edition s'
and translations of the Agamemnon as a
single play are too nume rou s to be me ntione d he re .
1Qu adr uple , if th e Satyric Drama is in clude d .
xiii
xiv INTRODUCTION
The C/zoéphoroe of th e late P rofessor Conington
(much more elaborate than his Agamemnon) is an
admirable example of th e scholarly treatment of a
difficult and important text,
l and K . O . M iille r’
s
e dition of the Eume n ide s may b e said to mark an
e poch in th e higher region of classical inte rp re tation
and criticism . More rece ntly it has become usu al totak e the whole Trilogy together
,as in the pres e nt
volume .
2
The Ore ste ia, as it is gene rally calle d, first appe ared
at Athen s in the 35 h’
of
th e date assigne d by tradition to the poet’s death in
Si ci ly, More obviously than is the case with most
great tragic poe ms, both the choice of the Fable , and
in some points the tre atme nt of it, have refe ren ce toth e circumstances of the time in which the dramas
we re produced .
ce mented by their common jealousy of Sparta, h adbe en conclude d four years pre viously (361 n o t and
was in full_vigour. T h e building of the long
“ wallsbe twee n Athe ns and the P iraeus in 458 B. C . marks a
culminating point in Athenian patriotism ,an d it w as
1 H is appointme nt to th e Latin Ch air at Oxfordmay have preve n te d th e continu ation of th e work .
2 To tre at th e Agamemn on se parate ly w ou ld b e like conclu dinga re pre se n tation o f {llama/I w ith th e Banqu e t Sce n e .
INTRODUCTION xv
CW “Phoc
’
i’
s,which was
Ore ste ia appeared .
1 Th e vindication of th e Argive
he ro,“s teaks /fi be rs , asst saézmsssfl sath e
a
‘
s
-
s’
im
staI
I
-
Icm
ez f gmglp h i, “had the re fore a“ l l“ . u m“ . -~ n 8
spe c ial interest for th e Athenian s-at the mome nt, and
Th e ta le re calls the glories as we ll as th e horrors of
th e dimly re me mbe re d p e riod wh e n Argos an d not
Sparta had bee n themistre ss of the Pe loponn e se and
Argos h ad re cently asserted hers e lf e ffe ctively,
at
le ast within th e valle y of Argolis,by crushin g th e
ancie nt powers of Myce nae and Tiryns . Th e e xtin ction
of Myce nae took plac e in 468 B .C . ,and this fact he lps
to account for the suppre ssion by Ae schylu s e ven of
th e name of what in Home r’s time was th e le gendary
home of Agam emnon . Sophocles,in this and othe r
re spe cts, re ve rts to the Epic form ofde ge nd, but the
boldne ss of Ae schylus w as no doubt excus e d by th e
coincide nce of his innovation with political e xi
ge n cie s.
In the Odyssey, as in lat e r Greek writings, M e nelaus
1 On amatte rof inte rn al politics, th e sialu r of th e Are opagu s,
th e poe t e vide n tly fe e ls strongly, as w as natural in a Salamin ianwarrior, b u t au thoritie s are toomuch divide d to e nable u s to sp e akwith confide n ce of th e phase which th e qu e stion had assume d at
this particu lartime .
xvi INTRODUCTION
lives and reigns at Sparta ; but in the Ore ste ian trilogy
Sparta as well as Mycenae is throughou t ignored, and
in the Agamemnon the two sons of Atre us are
imagined as having jointly ruled in Argos until the
the Pelo i Ar os not in Mycenae,as in th e
Ele ctra of Sophocle s) that the banque t of Thyestes
h_ad__taken was the re (and not in Sparta)
that Paris had been entertained, and from thenc e , not
M fi igm,he and Hele n had sail ed forth . . Frorn
thence also the y had been pursued by th e avenging
navy,_ le vi e d and led by the two joint kings, who, from
the ir palace in Argos, as sole centre , are supposed to
have dominate d H e llas.
Bu t wh il e this alte ration of the legend was rend e red
possible by e xtemal circumstances, it had for the poetan interest of a different kind . Under h is treatment
it is distinctly conducive to (b ag g i e unity and to tr_agiceffect. The city of Argos becomes th e me tmpplis ofan imErial realm . The two sons of Atreus leagued
in power and mind. andmrrie d to the two dag h te rs
of are supmse d there to have reigned and feastedslalfis smxb ils re st b snow ” were and th e
paean that rang forth after th e third libation in th e
of Iph iggggia, The child Orestes E ve the elder
sovereign assurance of succession .
W M
xviii INTRODUCTION
in deed, but unaccompanied, exce pt by the few fol
lowers who were with h imin his single ship,including
Talthybius the herald. The host has been scatt e red
by a tempest ; Menelaus, for anEh ing that is kn oyvn ,
may be no more. 1 Ae glst‘
hus and th e band of lawless
resolute s who form his ma fe e l
of overmastering the immediate followers of
Agamem u h o come wi th _lIiIII from_TLoy. And the
Elders,who have remained at home
,eve n those of
To what extent are the Elders firmly loyal ? Th e
Aeschylus th is is not so always . The Danai‘
de s at th e
end of the Suppliant Wome n are not unanimous, for avoice is heard inclin ing to Hypermnestra
’
s part ; an d in
the Se ve n agains t The be s one half-chorus joins with
Antigone,the other with Ismene. The dive rge n
out when
1 For some hints of th e situ ation de ve lope d he re se e Home r,Ody ssey iv. 514 f.
INTRODUCTION xix
lace was unsound, the fe ar of precipitating by n u
time ly action the revolution whi ch is imagined as almostripe, may also be
“reckoned as concurrent motiv'
es.The spell under which allM e d to
Cassandra might be M for e verything ;
sw ay"
gas;will“be prese ntly se en), whileth e su matural is all erva are
alW o. No merely magical effect is ever
admitted.
It is to b e observed that, while the majority of th e
council, at least, e xpre ss themselve s as eage r to do
1358- 1361,and 1 366 Nothing could be more
natural than that in a Gre e k council there should b e
an element of lukewarmness, if not of disloyalty .
These speakers are not to be cre dite d with the out
spoken reproaches afte rwards cast at Clytemnestra,or
with the open resistance offered to Aegisthus . It
would be an anachronism to treat eve ry utterance of
a chorus in Aeschylu s as if it we re dramatically in
ke e ping ; but th e points which have bee n obs e rve d
may su ffice to j ustify, or at least to make inte lligibl e ,
certain in c u aliti e s of tone on
in the earl ie r ortion of the la such as th e mix
towards Clytemnestra,an d the combination of sinc e re
INTRODUCTION
re gard for Agamemnon with unsparing criticism of
It is un necessary to make each individual chore ute s
a person in th e drama ; enough to say that th e Chorus
is weak,timorous, mistrustful not
_one in spirit , and
therefore in camb le of united action, although theirleaders
,when fired at leugh by the outrage th at has
been committed, show some sparks of affection and
The Watchman,l ike the Chorus-leader. is de e ply
loyalfl égai w i bp t full of uneasiness and fe ar ofClytemnestra, of whose wil l he is the u n q u e st Iomnginstrument. Agamemn on and A e gisthus are both prominent figu res , but the poet has not spent on either
of them the power of characterisation which is so
manife st in i Cbfi mp efl . I t may be
said,however
,without paradox, that the M e of
dramatic colouring has in both case s a dramatic effect .
There is_a coldp essthatmay be felt in the meeting ofthe h
King and Queen. Her speech, gfdifce sofuls-
ome
and gassimw ew—
M
M g
b ack on commonplaces, yet not taint of
e gotism“e qually appropriate to the
situation . H is death moves horror more th an pity ; it
is Cassandra of whom the Chorus say, ‘ I commi se rate
1 Thismuchmay b e conce de d to Dr. Ve rrall’s sugge stion of an
Aegisth ean faction of Conspirators.’
INTRODUCT ION
this more than the other.’ Ae gisthus is treated lightly
and with contempt. H e is a man of straw ,Whose
recital of the stogy of Thyestes completes th e account
Ow e s .
The H e rald,as such pe rsons often do in Aeschylus,
contributes much to the de ve lo me nt of the action
H is entrance de lays that of Agamemnon, and holds
the audience in suspe nse . H is efforts to b e che erfu l
in conversing with the Chorus only increase th e gather
ing atmo here of gloom . H is description of the
discomforts of the siege and the loss of friends,by
which vieto had been dm r its cl imax
the vividy picture of thEE—
t
-
dm
rm th e victorious
company w as parted, and Agamemnon was separatedfrom his brother.
Th e c e ntral interest of the Agamemnon turns, ofcourse
,upon the pe rson of Clytemnestra, whose crime
and its avowal form the ad’
s-
is”
or culminating point.Her heroic or daemonic daring, her defiance of
opin ion, and her owe r of u lat'
n have been
e xemplified in t_h_e , ppe ce ding scenes, while her eage r
ne ss for the approach in o ortu n ity has been india ” .
cated through the yVatchman’
s speech,which opens
th e play. And the motive of her act is manifest to
all who have heard th e Chorus te lling of the piteous
sacrific e of Iph ige n e ia . H e r guilt with Ae gisthus is a
subsidiary circumstance,and is only glanced at u ntil
INTRODUCTION
she herself avows it after the murder. Even then
th e Elders are slow in speaking of it. Bu t from
the beginning of the drama there has been brooding
over all minds, save those of the murderess and
her unconscious victim, the dim apprehension of
some approaching horror : e ven the Herald cannot
shake off sad presentiments amidst th e joy of his
return . And the impress ion thus produced is deepened
and intens ified by the“great scene be tween the
’
Chorus an{ Cassandra, w_ho supplie s th e element of
exclusively a tragedy of terror. She also serves tov
accentu ate the trpg'
c note of Destiny, by connecting
the present horrors of the house of P e lOps wwi__th_ the
pg ; Agamemnon has appeared together with theca tive Princess
,has been received with fawning
been prevaile d on by the wily importunity of th e
Que en to enter his own palace in th e manner of an
Eastern ppte n tate , over rich purple g angs — to
the horror of all Gre ek be holders, to whom such pride
appeared certain to provoke the envy of th e Gods, as
in th e case of Pausanias , also th e victorious le ade r of
an Hellenic army,it had manife stly led to disaster.
‘
lyt emn e stra has come forth for a moment and im
a ain rofe ssin haste to ae com l ish some hou se hold
INTRODUCTION
sacrifi e . Then , after long silence, the captive P rincess
and prophe tess utte rs her warnings , doomed as here
tofore to disbelief. Sh e sees in vision the impending
act,with all its circumstances
,and her own viole nt
death,which is immediately to follow. Then
,after
turning away more than once,she goes within the
palace. The exit of this most pathetic figure leaves
the Proscenium vacant, and while the spectators are
ye t thri lled with th e awe and pity of the great scene,
the Chorus chant a few moralising l ines.
Before they have well finished , the Kin g’ s death
shriek is heard . The council of Elders are amazed,
an d he sitate. They have j ust conclude d their fe eble
delibe rations,and are going within ,
when they are
su ddenly confron ted by the commanding figure of the
Quee n . By a de vice called theEk'ky cl ema, peculiarstage , she glides forward from the central
the palace (which is thrown Open) on a low
with the corpse . of Agamemnon beside her.
That of Cassandra i s also visible in the background .
A con vention of the the atre enables th e spectators to
imagine that the scene is within the house . Agar
memnon is still enve loped in the blood-stained webwith which he had b e e n entangled, and his body leans
against the side of the bath . Clyt emnestra probably
ds th e
xxiv INTRODUCTION
Aegisthus,
’ as is expressly stated in the Choéphoroe ,b
line This marks emphatically her relation to
the man, and the nature of his complicity in th e plot?“
He does not come upon the scene, howeve r , until the
Queen has gloried in h e r dee d to the Argive Elders,
who re monstrate fe e bly, but on the whole are loyal to
the King. Aegisthus has his E ards in readiness,and a
confl ict is imminent but Clyt emne stra has had enough
of bloodshed,and appeases the strife . She alone
,at
this moment,is fully conscious of the situation.
named from th e Chorus , who carry the libations which,
at the bidding of Clytemnestra, Electra, the surviving
He had been bu ried with his fathers ; but, as Clytemn e stra had threatened , had be en denied all fune ral
rites. Nay,more : to render his ghost more helpless
she had mangled his remains. And for the se eight
years his tomb had continued without due honours.
Bu t in the preceding night a terrific dream had visite d
1 S e e abov e , p. xv , note . Th e notion of th e axe in Sophocle sand e lse w he re is probably de rive d fromth e Home ric phrase , time !1 6 xa
‘
réx‘
rare fiofiv éIrZ M rvy, pe rhaps also fromC60. 889 , whe reC lytemn e stra ca l ls for a laboure r’s axe , whe re w ith to de fe nd h e rse lf against h e r son . Se e th e Fron tispie ce to this volume .
INTRODUCTION
be an error of interpretation to force a harmony
between these different aspects of their part. In some
of their religious utterances they are simply a mouth
piece for the poet, and in their formal capac ity (or as
sharers of the lu stral waters of the hearth) the y
lament the deaths of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra,
which they have eagerly de sired. But as human
beings the y contribute a necessary link to the main
action,which
,apart from them, would seem improbable
and repulsive
and gives fe lt and tangible supmrt to th e attempt ofthe youth Orestes. He has much need of su ch wild
smpathy, besides th e sacred friendship of fi lade s , tonerve his arm for the unnatural stroke to which he is
This is the pa g e gf Ill : gge at Commatic’
scene
if it should not rather be called a re ligiw rvice ,
W ad— in which Orestes, Electra, and
the s e veral members of the Chorus invoke the spirit of
Agamemngn to aid to_l_I:is avenger.
If this passage appears inordinately long in propor
tion to the compass of the play, it should b e measu re d
rather in comparison with the whole Trilogy ; an d it
is actually shorte r than the Cassan dra sce n e , whi ch
occupies th e corresponding place of the Agamemnon ,
INTRODUCTION xxvu
l e ading up as e ither does to th e catastrophe. It
b e longs to a class of sup e rnatural e ffe cts which, like
th e witch-scene s in M acb e th , are apt to be u n con
vin cing to th e modern re ader. But,if by an e ffort of
imagin ation we have once re alise d th e gloom of the
situation and the horror of the impending act, the
skill of th e poet in thus indicating th e e xtent of the
revulsion by whi ch th e son is moved to e xecute justice
upon his mothe r will b e entirely vindicated .
In the Ckoé'
phoroe , A e gisthus is first slain and put out
“fipalfi cmggmy w
natural violence . Moreove r,th e lame nt
loves, constitute s an imme diate provocation whichmakes th e deed of matricide more possible . There
still remains the most moving appeal of all : the sonhesitate s at th e sight of his mothe r
’ s breast. But
Pylades (the Delphian de votee ) is at hand , and recalls
point onward he is resolute . Th e intrepid woman,
who if time h ad been allowed her would e re this have
fe lle d h e r child with an axe , now threate ns h imwitha mothe r
’
s curs e . But th e thought of his father s
curse pre vails with him until the d e ed is accomplished .
The mother’s Furies are in reserve, an d do not yet
appal him . Thu s the crisis of th e whole Trilogy is
INTRODUCTION
reached, the point which, in a Shakespearian drama ,
would have concluded the th ird act. Th e change and
the conclusion are still to come ; and (paradoxical as it
may seem) the conclusion of this gre atest of tragic
productions is a happy one . Towards the end of th e
Choéphoroe the light is already bre aking, but the
clouds come down again before the close of this,the
second play. Orestes at once assumes the attitu de
of self-defence, not against the sympathi sing Chorus,
nor against his fellow-citizens whom he has delivere d
from the yoke of tyranny, but against the law of
domestic harmony which he has outwardly broken.
For the moment he pleads in vain . H is mothe r’
s
Furies are u pon h im,and pursue h imforth. And it
may be remarked here, parenthetically, what extra
ordinary histrionic powers must have been required in
the actor of the part of Orestes at this jun cture . To
see the Furie s who were still invis ible to others , and
make the whole concourse of spectators feel that he
sees them,and ‘to e xpre ss in thrilling tones the couse
que nt e motions, is an effort that might well task th e
most sple ndid of tragic powers . 1
1 K. O. M ulle r insists that th e Furie s are se e n by th e spe ctators,though no t by th e Chorus. H e al so thinks that th e Chorus in th eE ummide : are invisible to th e Are opagite s, e tc. The se are ove rre fin eme n ts. Bu t it may b e gran te d that, although th e Furie s inth e Cboéfl oroe are n ot ye t visible on th e sce n e
, the y are re ally
approach ing, and are notme re cre ations ofOre ste s’ fancy .
ON
Th e impression so far left on the spectator’s mind is
on e of horror, mingl e d with pity. These emotions donot all at once the k e y-note of the
concludin g drama This is
disturbed,b u t not finally overcom e , by th e thre ate ning
attitude of th e now at last assume a
bodily shape . It is no doubt partly owing to th e
ge nius of Aeschylus that Athens was in lat e r times
regarde d as the chief centre of th e worship of th e se
Powers,although we find seve ral traces of it
,possibly
more anci e nt, in othe r parts of Hellas . Their shrine
on the Areopagus was of historical inte re st, in that
the assass ination of Cylon and his fe llows by th e
Alcmae on idae , so fruitfu l in consequ e nces, h ad staine dthat altar . Th e obscure que stion of th e origin of this
particular ritual ne e d not b e tou che d on he re. Th e
elements that entere d into it in th e time of Aeschylu sare well stated in a fe w pre gnant words of K . O .
M ii lle r’
s famous Disse rtation‘ Although indeed of itse lf th e Erinys, that fe e l ing
of de e p affront, is of a divin e nature , the Erinys first
acquire d a note d and e xte nsive cu ltus, an d altoge th e r
more re ality an d pe rson ality, from th e conce ption of
both th e gre at te rre strial and in fe rnal deities,from
whom come life and prospe rity, as we l l as ruin and
de ath, to mankind, as offende d an d angry be ings,
where vermortal d e e ds have violate d those sacre d an d
xxx INTRODUCTION
e te rnal laws of nature’
M iille r has also po inte d
out that the duty of avenging blood,devolving on the
nearest kinsman,whil e belonging e sse ntially to th e
infancy of political li fe,and maintaining its existence
‘ more among isolated hordes of rude mountaineers
than among the more numerous and intermixed in
habitants of the plain ,
’
had notwithstanding become
firmly embedded in Attic law, and was ‘ still e n
twined in th e most intimate union with all that was
deemed sacred and venerable .
’
Bu t ‘ th e State had
now assumed the office of mediator, and as such, upon
the application of the relatives, it either took th e charge
of inflicting vengeance entirely off their hands,or
e lse assigned certain means and limits for its e xe cu
tion 4
From this and
legal ordinance,Aeschylus take s occasion to read his
fellow-citi zens the lesson of Equity ve rsus bare Revenge ,
of order and free dom, of revere nc e and boldn e ss, and
of th e virtue s of war and peace in the same community,
he seeks to stamp with a re ligious sanction the prin
c iple s to which he attributes his country’
s glorie s.
And here,as in th e P rmne the rw , he develops a
contrast between an earlier and a later dis usation .
The reciprocal horrors of the never-ending blood-fe u d
INTRODUCTION
are stayed by th e wisdomof Athe na, and the judicialimpartiality of h e r court of Areopagus. W e
God of Light, thus pre vails against th e powers of dark
W ran sforme d to in struments of blessin by remainingKmthe people of th e maj esty of those e ternal laws, whose
violation cause d the revious confusion .
Dramatically,th e Eume n ide s take s gup sgid continue s
the unfinished threads of th e two pre ce ding dramas .
kAt the close of th e Choé‘
phoroe th
swept over the house,the two form e r bein th e
banquet of Thye ste s and the murde r of Agame mnon .
It is observable that th e sacrifice of Iph ige n e ia, which
supplied the actu al human motive for Clyte mne stra’s
crime,is not re ferred to e ith e r he re or in th e prophe cy
of Cassandra . The Erinys of Thye stes, the n, ove rtake s
Agame mnon, the Erinys of Agamemnon overtakes
Clyte mnestra, and his mothe r’s Erinye s now pursue
Ore stes . Will these succe ssive waves of action and
re action e ver come to an e nd ? or, in the words of th e
Chorus, ‘whither will the sway of fate le ad forth th e
issue ? ’ That dou bt,at the opening of the Eumem'
de s ,
is still impending ove r the scene . Th e mind of th e
spectator is thenceforth carri e d up into a highe r re gion,
in which the mortal business which has thrilled him
becomes subordinated to the conflict of supernal
xxxii INTRODUCTION
powers, while the local centre of inte res t is transferred
from Argos to the sacre d hill of Athe ns . Clyt emnestra
was the principal figure in the Agamemnon , Oreste s inthe Choéphoroe but in the concluding play-M artof protagonist is assumed by the Furies themselves ,who now have take n visible shape. Th e drama thus
re verts to the earlier mode, in which , as in\the
Suppliant Wome n. and in the P e rsians, the action
turned upon th e fate of the Chorus ; and th e work
also ranks with those supernatural dramas in which
divine persons have a share in the dialogue .
The singular argument by which Apollo pleads th e
cause of Orestes, re verting to a point of vie w which in
the time of Aeschylus must have bee n already archaic,
belongs to a strain of re asoni ng which has ofte n
characterise d e cclesiastical or sacre d courts . Su ch
pleadings are apt to preserve , as flies in amber, re lics
of forgotten controve rsies,in this case descending from
a time whe n tribal diffe rence s be twee n those who, l ike
the Lycians (H e rod . i . trace d the ir ge ne alogy
through th e mothe r, and those amongst whom th e
patriarchal syste m pre vail e d , we re not yet fina lly
adjusted . Athena’s pre ference for th e fathe r appe rtains
to the same order of thought.
The Godde ss’
s casting vote,given by anticipation in
favour of Oreste s, has been the occasion of some u n
necessary discu ssion . A fairly constant tradi tion shows
xxxiv INTRODUCTION
The Eume nides concludes with a magnificent Sp e ctac le ,giving the note of triumph, which
2 1“contrasts with th e
gloom of the Agamemnon , and completes the Trilogy .
After a formal prayer,which it was needl e ss to re cord
in the text of the play,Athena marshals th e pro
cession,in which the torchbearing attendants lead,
followed by the twelve Areopagites and th e fifteen
Chore utae,
-no longer Erinye s and powers of darkness ,
but Eume n ide s, ‘ ge ntle powers ,’
— not for that reason
less revered as Semnae (dre ad, or awfu l).
When the Agamemnon, Choe'
p/w roe , and Eume nide sare regarde d as a single production, it£come s morethan ever manife st how little the genius of Aeschylus
time and place . The action of th e Aggmemnon,indeed
,requires no chg ge of sce n e __beyond what is
provide d for through the Ekkycle ilna ; altht th e
fi cti tors are carried in imagination to Ilipmgfl tpj h ecamp at Aul is, and to the Eh seas . Bu t with re
spect to the Choéphoroe one of two things must be
supposed . Either,according to K . O . M iille r
’
s hypo
thesis,which has lately been revived and emphasised
by Dr. Dorpfe ld in .connectionwith his own theories
,
the tomb of Agamemnon was represented by the
Thyme le, decorate d for the occasion with images of
Hermes and other gods ; or there are two distinct
INTRODUCTION xxxv
scene s,one before the tomb of Agamemnon, and one
in front of the palace gate— from line 649 to the end
of th e play. In the former case the action from line1 to line 582 must take place in the orchestra, the
palace front being practically left in the background,
whereas,on Orestes’ second entrance, h e and P ylades
move directly to the gate , which becomes now the
central point— the tomb in th e foreground, although
still visible,no lon ger formin g part of the scene .
The change from Delphi to the Athenian Acropoli s
at Eum. 234, howe ve r it was managed in representa
tion,is too obviou s not to have bee n acknowledged .
Bu t it has been treated as wholly exceptional. It is
so less in kind than in de gree, and might probably b e
paral le le d from other plays now lost to us .
The 1a se of tim xte ndin to months or years,
whio°
ned to intervene in the Eume n ide s b etween the roem or induction and the main body of
the drama is much more remarkable, and may well be
supmse d to have been unique . There are two reasonsW
fori t 2 16 first and W t i s the de th of
the consoler is also the purifier, accordin g to th e
E igp‘w i ggéjéfigj‘ Time
'£33535“all things,grpmigmli mmhgrm .
’ The other reason
is mgme xte rnal . While Athens and h e r patron
s to have had the last word in the trial
INTRODUCTION
oiOre ste s there were many other shrines in Hellas of
whose ritual and legend his ‘ ga
‘
u‘se hfqrme d an immrtan t
tofi g‘ fifimmn i h e nmnmdahad‘
bgi n fi ei over
th e habitable .
world from city to city,and on M g
atTe-
a—
c
-
l
—
i
-
h—
e-
w—
hearth had founda—
diffe’
zre n t purifier.
The flight of Athena from S ige umto Athens, b etween lines 298 and 4-00, i s re garded as miraculous,
indeed, but is still to be measure d by time. Even
granting her steeds to be sw ifi e r than the Furies, who
compared their own velocity to that of a ship (line
the most literal reader who accepts this incide nt need
not be so much offe nded , as some have been, by the
speed of Agamemnon, for whose voyage 473 l ines
(Agam. 23-496) have been allowed, and not only 100
as here . The first play of a trilogy necessarily contain s
some account of an te ce e nW W IW n
the Ore ste ian legend, are more than usually numerous
and complex . The immediate cause 0 the action liesten years back
,and has been preceded by a chain of
horrors to which the whole bears refe renc e . Hence
the more than epic discursiveness of the choral busine ss
in the earlie r half of the play, which may appe ar dis
proportionate, unless considered with reference to th e
whole Trilogy. And where the survey of tim e s is so
wide-sweeping,it is not unnatural that days shou ld
shrink to hours,or that th e ‘
u nity of time ’ should ,
INTRODUCTION xxxv n
as Pal e y remarks,be some what brusquely disregarde d .
In th e inte rval betwee n the appearance of the b e
l ight and the e ntranc e of the Kingw
th e re h as b e en
time at Argos for much searching of hearts and for
an extended colloquy. All this conceals from the
la e d h t f the h e rald . In the Chafplzoroe ,
although the action is, comparatively speaking, con
tin u ou s, it is observable that many things happpnafter more than one reference has been made to the
immedi ate coming on of night . All this is quite in
kem antique art and the
primitive conventions of the stage,and would never
have been question e d but for th e obse rvation of
Aristotle,who , truly e nou gh, speaks of the ge n e ral
te nde ncy of Trage dy to confine the action within one
re volution of the sun .
Th e idea of Fate has ofte n be en regarded as th e
Ce ntralM otive in Gree k Trage dy. And it would b e
idl e to deny that the chi e f p e rsons are continually
re pre se nte d as subj e ct to an inscru table and irre sistibl e
de stin y. Th e language which conve ys this notion is
by no mean s con siste nt, but whe the r as the decree of
Zeus,or th e act of M oira , or as both combin ed
,this
e le me nt is always pre se nt, and overrule s th e action .
xxxvii i INTRODUCTION
It is the dark background,which throws the moving
figure s into relief. Bu t that does not exhaust the in
te re st of the machine ry . The re is something e lse .
In Aeschylus e ve n more than in Sophocle s the power
of Fate is myste riously associated with Justice,and
(however contradictory this may appear) immsive of human volition . The poet had in fact a con
trove rsy with the dark tradition that was interwoven
with th e material with which h e worked. He was not
satisfied,as Herodotus appears to have been
,with th e
bare assumption that an individual was born to misery,
—that evil was bound to happen to him. Our poet
had looked more deeply into human things . He saw
clearly that conduct is the cardinal point. Nor is h e
contente d with indo-
rsing the supe rstitious fe eling that
high prospe rity ‘ comes before a fall.’
H is pecul iar
message, declared by himwith a vividne ss not to beparalle led exc e pt from H e bre w prophecy, islih at sinbrings retribution
,and that justice alone insure s true
happiness for familie s and individu alsfi rosmriiy isdange rous, b e cause it te mpts me n to tran sg e ss. The
work that ‘ stands for eve r and e ver’
is that which is‘ done in truth and equ ity.
’
Where A e schylus had
learned that lesson it would b e hard to say. Echoe s
from early philosophers may have pointe d to it . Medi
tation on life and de ath , encourage d by the Myste ri e s,
may have d e e pened it. As it was , h e foun d the
INTRODUCTION xxxix
confirmation of it in the events of contemporary history,
and read it into the old legends on which he worked .
The Erinys ’ was th e personification of certain crude
anticipations of this his central idea. But in order to
convey the thought of Aeschylus, the ‘ wild j u stice ’
re presented by the Erinys required to be pu rified and
civilise d by the imagined influence of Athena.
18
SW “
inculcate conjugal fide lity and filial piety. All life is
pr ion s in the si ht of the Gods but the u ilt of
e very criminal or violent act is indefinitely dee pened
b nearness of kindred. Respect for the suppliant
and for the stranger, above all w en e
give r of h ospitalityLalso stands high in the scal e of
religious duty. In the application of religious laws as
5555t there are occasional survivals of strange
inconsiste ncy, and even barbarity. But these e xce p
tions take little from the nobleness of the main out
lines. Nor do they diminish the importance of th e
fact that in the drama of Aeschylus a doctrine of
re storation is set over against the doctrine of re compense for sin .
P ERSONS OF THE DRAM A
WATCHMAN.
Cn onu s or 15 ARGIVE ELDERS.
CLv'
rsM NEsrRA. .
HERALD.
Aoanmmos .
CASSANDRA,the daughte r of P riam.
AEGIST l-IUS.
SCENE
Argos b efore the P alace of the P e lopidae .
AGAM EM NON
HE WATCHMAN (above ). Pray heaven I may b ere le as e d from this weary task of year-lon g ,
w atch ingl l Couched h e re upon the Atre idae
’
s roof,dog-l ike , reposing on my arm
,I have come to kn ow
by he art th e nightly assemblage of th e stars,
-the
wanings and the risings of those conste llations , bright
potentates that,glitte rin g in Ether, bring on forman
kin d the ir summers an d the ir winte r-seasons . And
now I amwatching for th e flame —toke n,that fie ry
ray which is to bring from the Trojan land the
rumour an d report of ove rthrow.
While thu s, night afte r n ight,I keepmy homeless,
de w -moistened b e d,not visite d by dreams -for Fe ar
u su rps th e place of Sle e p besid e me,so that I can n ot
close my e ye lids fast in slumb e r —th e n,if I thin k to
sing or h uma tu ne , pre paring su ch medicin e to charmofl
’
sl e e p, I groan inste ad and w e e p ove r th e disaste r
of this hous e hold,not manage d, as e rewhile it w as
,
in th e be st w ay— Bu t now I pray for a ble sse d re l e ase
frommy labou rs through th e sudde n shinin g amidstdarkn e ss of the be acon-l ight, th e bringe r of glad
tidings . [Th e light app e ars .
3
30
50
a acAM EM NON
All hail, thou torch of Night, that makest for us the
light as of a better day, and give st signal for the se t
ting u p of many a choir in Argos,to hai l with song and
dance this great intelligence .
Sola,Sola
Thus loudly I proclaim it to Agamemnon’s Queen,that she arise with haste and Spe edily rais e within th epalace an auspicious j oyful cry, to we lcome th is l ight .
For take n is the city of Troy ; so yonder be acon
brightly tel ls us . Nay, I mys e lf wil l dance for pre
lude . I'
ll score my maste r’s lu ck as having h ad a
happy throw . This be acon-game has turne d up for u s
thre e sixe s ! We ll , -let him come ! and may it b e
mine to hold in this my hand the dear hand of our
kind maste r ! Of what re main s,I speak not . A
ton’s weight is on my tongue . Th e hou se , if it could
find a voice , might tell a true story . I,if I can he lp
it,will not con fess my knowledge, exce pt to thos e
who know . [Ea-it.
Cnoaus or Anorvs ELDERS (e nte ring). We are now in
the te nth ye ar since Priam’s noble adversary,lord
Menelaus,and Agamemnon too
,— firmyoke-fe llows
indu ed by Ze us with twofold royalty,— twin-throned ,twin-sceptred
,— le d forth from he nce their Argive le vy
of a thousand ships to aid the army,shouting w ar from
angry he arts,as e agle s 3 do, that swe rvin g fromthe
home ward path in pain for the ir youn g, fly c irclin g
aloft their e yrie,on oarlike pinions, having lost th e
watchful care s the y h ad spent over theirbrood . IThe none aloft
,b e it Apollo , or Pan ,
or Z e u s,h e aring that
AGAM EM NON
bird-n ote,th e shrill complain t of those the ir j oin t
te nants of th e sky, se nds, for afte r-punishme n t of th ewrong-do e rs, an Eri
Eve n so again st Paris preme Lord of Hospi 60
ta lity se nt Atre u s’ son s . H is pu rpos e was in th e
con te ntion for a fickle woman to cau se the Dana‘
i an d
Trojans like wise many wrestling-bouts w e aryin g th e
limbs,while kne e s should pre ss th e dust, and spe ar
shafts shou ld b e snappe d in th e onse t . And now th e
con fl ict stands— e ve n wh e re it stands . Bu t it shal l3
e nd whe re fate hath de te rmin e d it . Ne ithe r by aft e r
sacrifice or l ibation,n or by te ars, shall th e sinner caj ol e
the ir re l e n tle ss 4 wrath,whose sacrifice s ne e d no fire . 70
But w e we re l e ft out of that day’ s l e vy by re ason of
our un re gard e d age d fram e s, an d stay b e hind support
ing u pon stave s ou r fe e bl e childlike ste ps . For as th e
you ngling in whose bre ast th e sap of life springs fre shly
is n o be tte r than th e age d , sin c e n o valou r is th e re ;so e xtreme old age ,
whose fading le af is ready to fall, 80/
move s in a thre e -foote d w ay, and, nomore val ian t thana child
,move s vagu e ly like a dre amin daylight .)
Now, Clytemn e stra, Tyn dare u s’ daughte r, what
ne w thing is be falle n —what tidings hast thou,Que e n ?
On what in te ll ige nce do thymissive s kin dle sacrifice sarou n d Th e altars of all Gods that dw e ll in our city
are ablaz e with offe rings — Gods of th e e arth an d sky, 90
of fi e ld andmarke t . As high as h e aven on e ve ry sid e
th e flame asce nds,fe d cu n n ingly by th e pu re u ngu e nt,
whose mild pe rsu asive promptings can not d e c e iveth e cake d pe rfume fromth e royal close t 5
AGAM EM NON
Spe ak what o f this thou canst,and mayest lawfully
te ll, and so bring healing for this care, which , as it is,
one while fi lls the mind with mise ry — a n othe r whil e
Hope shining from the sacrifice s with a kindly ray,bids back the ne ve r-satisfi e d thought of he art-de vour
ing sorrow .
[The Chorus , now ranged in the orche stra, chant
the follow ing strain .
I have fu l l power to sing the triumphantly aus
piciou s departure of the me n of valour. Still doth
he avenly influence inspire my song,still doth mine age
furnish me with might to te ll how th e tw in-throne d
n o Sovere ignty of th e ‘ Ach ae an s, th e rule rs , on e in mind,of Hellas’ youth, were sped with ve ngeful spe ar
armed hands towards the Teucrian country by an
ominous warlike bird . It was the King of birds,ap
pearing to the Kings of the fle e t,— two birds, on e
black,one backed with white . Fast by the man
sion they appe ared , on the spear-hand, conspicuously
pe rched , de vouring a pre gnant hare and her fu ll brood,1 20whose cours e was end e d e re begun . Say, Woe, woe,
w o e But le t good auspices prevail !
Th e he e dfu l prophet of the army, whe n h e looke don th e two warlike sons of Atre us with the ir diffe ring
stra in, pe rc e ive d in th e hare-d e vou re rs th e chi e fs in
command, and spake thus,inte rpre ting th e sign :
This e xpe dition doth at l e ngthmake booty of Priam ’s
1 3° town— and Fate shall ravage w i th hands of viole nce
all the riche s of the towe rs once cramme d with public
store s. Only,may no divine dislike prematurely dash
AGAMEMNON 7
with gloom th e gre at curb of Troy, to wit, th e embattle d army. For holy Artemis hath a grudge at th e
house , —at h e r sire’s winge d hounds that make av
"sacrifice of th e cowe ring thing in h e r caning-time
toge the r with h e r you ng. Sh e abhors th e e agl e s’
b an
qu e t . Say, Wo e , w oe , w o e Bu t le t good auspice s
pre vail !
Th e Love ly Goddess, although so kind to th e te nde r 140
cubs of ravenou s lions an d u nwe ane d younglings of all
fi e ld-roving be asts of chas e , con se nts 6 to ratify th e
happy fulfilme nt of th e sign . Th e ome ns are favou r
able , but not unmixe d with bane . To Apollo,god
of he a ling, I pray, that sh e pre pare not again st th e
Dan a‘
i some de laying, ship-b atfling adve rse gal e s , 150
in h e r e age rn e ss for a n e w sacrific e , un pre ce de nte d,pre luding no fe ast, worke r of strife within th e home ,annihilatin g wife ly aw e . Who ke e pe th hou se for h im,
awaiting his re tu rn — Wrath,unforge tting, child
ave ngin g, couche d in dark ambush,and pre paring th e
cou nte r spring .
’
tf’ So rang th e mice of Calchas
,te lling, toge the r with
great good, of fatal conse qu e nce atte nding th e royal
hou se fromth e omin ous birds . In symphony whe rewith, say, ‘Wo e , w oe
, w o e "But le t good au spice s
pre vail
Ze u s —howsoe v e r h e b e name d - assumin g this to 1 60
b e th e name that ple as e s h im,I so addre ss h im.
Scann in g all powe rs, and we ighing themtoge the rwithmy ne e d, I fin d non e othe r on whomto cast with fu l lassurance th e burde n of vain care s— save Ze us alone.
8 AGAMEMNON
Not h e that aforetime was the Mighty On e , abound
1 70 ing with all-daring violence , shall e ve n b e name d, since
his day is ove r. And h e that rose up afterward,h e too
is gone, for h e hath found his vanquisher. But the y
who call on Zeus with a zea lous mind,and ce le brate
his victories,shall attai n wisdom to th e height
,-Ze us
(who hath paved a way for human thought
,by ordain
ing this firm law H e l e arns, who sufl’
e rs.
’ In sl e e p
1 80 there ste al s before the heart the pain of re membe red
grief, a nd su bmission comes to me n who thought not
of it. For this one ought to thank the Powers,who
man resistle ssly the dre ad rowing-be nch above .
That day the elder admiral of the Achaean navy,
blaming in nowise th e soothsayer, but joining with the
blast of adverse fortun e, -(wha t time th e Achae an host
were afflicted with stre ss of we athe r draining the ir
x90 stores, as they he ld the coast over against Chalcis in
the tide-washed re gion of resounding Au lis z— For a
tempest had come from Strymon-mouth fraught with
e vil tarriance, with famine , with ill roadste ads, misguiding marine rs
,unsparing alike of b u lls and cordage
,
which batte red and deface d that flowe r of Argive
chivalry,re doubling th e loss of time through we ar and
te ar7 z— Whe n the re upon th e prophe t had e nounc e d a
remedy for th e sore storm, that to the chi e fs was still
200more grie vous, when he brought Arte mis again to
mind,where at th e Atre idae struck the ir stave s upon
th e ground and could not re frain from te ars —Eve n
the n th e e lde r chie fta in spake and said ‘A cru e l fate
were mine should I di sobey b u t not le ss crue l wil l it
10 AGAMEMNON
accompanyin g the third libation,that praye d for
prosperity to her d e ar sire .
What followed next I saw not and I speak not of it—Th e soothsaying crafi of Calchas was not be lied .
250There are thos e who shal l know of what is coming,
whe n they su ffer it through the award of jus tice . Bu t
farewell at once to liste ning for it ere it come , sincecome it will even though you hear. To he arke n b e
forehand is only to anticipate sorrow Cle ar and
unmistakable it will arrive,dawning with th e be ams of
day. Howbeit, may th e seque l b e propitiou s an d
answerable to the desires of this, th e sole bulwark left
to garrison the Apian land .
Ente r e su n ssrm.
LEADER or rm: Cn oau s. Clytemnestra, we are comehither
,bringing homage for thy maj e sty. Th e prince
’
s
260wife should have du e hon our when the man’
s se at is
empty. Our loyalty would gladly h e ar whe the r the
sacrifices thou art ordaining are prompte d by some
happy tidings thou hast rec e ived,and atte nde d with
good hopes, or not. But if thou still ke e pe st silence
w e sha ll not murmur.
CLYT . The re is a proverb that says,‘ Le t th e
Morn ing bring good tidin gs from theNigh t, h e rmoth e r.’
Ye are to le arn what is beyond your hopes, and will
de light your e ars. Th e Argive s have take n th e city
of Priam .
Cn on . What dost thou say The word escaped me
through incre dulity.
AGAMEMNON 1 1
CLYT . That Troy belongs to th e Achaeans . Is that
plain
Cn on . A joy is steal ing ove r me, summoning u p te ars .
CLYT .Your e ye th e n prove s your h e art to be loyal .
CHOR .Hast thou e vide nce of this report that may
be truste d ?
CLYT .Of course I have— unless some god has played
us false .
Cn on . Thou regardest, haply, some pe rsuasive vision
of a dre am?
CLYT . My ju dge ment could not b e convinced by
slumbe rou s fan cies .Cn on . Bu t some chance word that lighted hath
e late d the e .
CLYT . Y e floutmy wisdom,as if I were a silly girl .
Cn oa . How long sin ce , the n, hath th e city be e n
ransacke d
CLYT . I te ll you , in th e night that even now hath
give n birth to th e day.
Cn on . W'
hat n e w sb ringe r could arrive so spe e dily ?
CLYT. H e phae stu s,flashing it in brilliant flame from
Ida. Fire w as th e post,
an d be acon de spatch e d
b e acon onward hithe r. First Ida spe d th e light to the
H e rmaean b lufll of Lemnos : the n fromthat island th espiring flame w as take n up by Athos . H e re inforce d
th e trave lling torch with th e blaz ing pine , that, as with
a golde n su nrise , ove rpe e red th e broad-backe d se a,and
280
carri e d on th e tidings to th e watch-towe r on M acistu s’
top . M acistu s,thoroughly wak e fu l and al e rt, p e r
form e d his part in th e transmission, and his b e acon
290
12 AGAMEMNON
fires, far se e n ove r th e waters of Euripus, gave signal
to the watchmen who we re statione d on M e ssapiu s.
The y, whe n th e m e ssage came , flash e d back and sent
it forward, by kindling there a mighty he ap of age dhe ather. Th e flame w as nowise dimme d as yet
,but
in full strength ove rleaped the Asopian plain , and with
a steady radiance , l ike the orbed moon, be aming onth e forehead of Cithaeron, awake ne d the re a fre sh
300 re lay of condu ct for the courie r fire . Th e guard there
set gave we lcome to th e far-se nt rays and made a
greater blaze than those be fore the m ; th e glare
wh e re from shot over th e GorgOpian b ay, and arriving
at Mount Ae giplan ctus, bade fulfil my he st and bu rn
forme th e promised bonfire . Accordingly the y sped
th e n e ws, and with liberal hands fe d a gre at be ard of
flame that rose on high,a nd glanc e d be yond the cliff
that bee tle s ove r th e Saronic gulf. I t touched th e
goal it struck on ste e p Arach nac, our close ne ighbo u r
3 10 ing hill. And from the nce the fire , in lin e a l se que nce
from th e Idaean flame , was flashe d on this habitation of
th e Atre idae . Such was th e torch-race w e had orde re d
and pre pare d, each cou rse supplie d in tu rn fromthatpre ce ding it . But the runner first and last was on e
,
an d ran from e nd to e n d victoriously. Ye he ar th e
proof and fore-appointe d toke n,which my husband has
transmitted tome with true inte llige nce fromTroy.
Cn oa . Lady, our thanks to heave n shall b e give nhe reafter. Me anwhile , w e wou ld con tin u e to liste n
wond e ringly to thy tale , so thou wouldst speak again .
320 CLYT . Th e Achae ans at this hour are maste rs of
AGAM EMNON 1 3
the land of Troy. In yonde r tow n, me thin ks, the repre vails a loud discordant crying. Pour Vin e gar an d
oil into th e same jar, an d you will find them sundere d ,not kindly bl e ndin g. So the voices of the captor an d
of th e capture d the re , te ll in diffe rent tones of th e ir
wide ly differing fortune. Th e conquered , clinging to
th e prostrate bodie s of the ir de ar one s, siste rs to
brothe rs, wive s to the ir mate s, you n g children to the irgre y-haire d sires, lame nt th e fat e of those the y love dfroma throat no longe r fre e . The conque rors, sharp 330
se t by toilsome night-roving afte r battle , are range d
to bre ak the ir fast on what the city contains, not by
pre scription, but as e ach h as drawn his lot in th e
chance m e dley . So now they inhabit th e Trojans’
captive dwe ll ings, having e scape d from the frosts and
de ws of th e ope n fie ld . And, counting themse lve shappy
,they will sle e p al l night withou t se tting a
guard . Now if they re ve rence we ll th e gods that
pl'e
'
side ove r th e conqu ered land and re spe ct the ir
sh rin e s,"th ey
m
ma”
yavoid be ing taken afte r taking th e 34°
pre y. Bu t let’
no lust of sacrile gious booty meanwhile
in vad e th e army, vanqu ishe d by love of gain . For
th e y have ye t to measure th e re turn cours e 11, and win
th e ir w ay home safe ly . An d though the y should
withdraw without dire ct offe nce aga inst any god,th e
re se ntme nt of th e slain may wake n,should no cross
accide nt b arl
thl '
e
’
home ward jou rn e y. You he ar fromme a woman’s counse l. M ay th e good pre va il, u n
qu e stione d and man ife st ! There in I crave th e e n joy 350
me n t ofmymany ble ssings.
l 4 AGAMEM NON
LEADER or Cn oa. O Queen, thy speech would
become th e lips of a wis e and temperate man . Now
that we have h e ard from thee those c e rtain proofs, w e
are ready to addre ss th e Gods with due thanksgiving.
P ast labours have led to a fair and honourabl e clos e .
[Exit CLYT .
Cn oa . O kingly Ze u s, and thou Night, propitious
mistress of sple ndours manifold, that didst hurl ove r
th e towers of Troy th e close firm m e shes of that
360all-e ncompass ing net, that mighty snare of captivity,so that neithe r grown man nor youngling might rise
out of it,or avoid the universal ru in With aw e I wor
ship Zeus,the friend of hospitality, who hath e ffe cted
this . Long since he h ad bent his bow at P aris,with
a perfect aim, that neithe r should th e shaft fall short
of th e mark, nor ineffe ctually alight be yond the stars.
From Zeus came the stroke the y have expe rienced .
So far one may trace th e matter and not fail. The y
fared as he decreed. There was on e who said
370 it cou ld not be deemed worthy of Gods to care for
mortal doings, when any trample d on th e grace of
things inviolable . Bu t he was an impiousman .
Th e truth hath been re ve al e d to th e de scendants of
those whose warrior-spirits were be nt on de e ds of
e normous daring, ove rpassmg ju stice, whe n the ir hallswe re crammed unduly, beyond what is best. Let tha t
380 b e grante d ‘ be st,’ whe re sorrow comes not. That
shall fu lly satisfy whoeve r is wise . For riche s affor d
no she lte r to him who, waxing wanton, ki cks at th e
exalte d seat of justice , setting h e r at nought .
AGAM EM NON 1 5
Bu t the wretche d in flue nce , disastrous birth of
brooding infatu ation,force s its w ay till reme die s are
utte rly vain . Th e harmcann ot b e hid, but shin e s witha ruinous gle am. Like spurious me tal
,th e life , be ing 390
brought to th e t e st throu gh friction an d contact,shows
a dark stain . Boylike,th e man runs wilfu lly in chase
of a flying bird,an d brings intole rable h armupon his
pe ople . D e af to his praye rs, th e vin dictive gods
shal l ove rtake th e u nrighte ou s on e who walks in those
ways .
Eve n su ch an on e was Paris, who visite d th e home 400
of th e Atre idae , and de file d th e hospitabl e board by
ste aling the wife . She le ft b e hind h e r,for th e me n of
Argos,th e hu rtling of shi e lds and spe ars an d arming
of w ar-ve sse ls ; an d taking with h e r as a dowry th e
ru in of Troy,ste ppe d lightly through th e doorway,
me ditating un e n du rable crime : whil e thu s the homeinte rpre te rs 12, de e ply groan ing, spake Alas
,for 410
th e palace Alas,for our chief ! Alas for th e couch,
whithe r sh e came lovingly to m e e t h e r lord ! H e is
yon de r, sile n t, dishonoure d, unreproaching, th e witness
of his own irreparabl e sorrow 13. Through th e longing
for h e r who is be yond th e se a, a phantomshall se emto qu e e n it in th e hall . Th e love ly statue s th e re are
hate d by h e r lord . In the lack of living glanc e s the re
is no be autymore .
’
On ly in dre ams an apparition,born of gri e f, brings a 420
vain joy. For it is vain , whe n, j u st as on e thinks to b e
be holding good, th e vision fl e e ts ou t of his arms withwings that follow hard u pon th e footste ps of
l 6 AGAMEM NON
sleep. Such are the sorrows at the he arth wi thin the
home ; and othe rs too the re are , that transcend these .
And throughout H e llas, whe ncesoeve r on e went forth
430 to join that armament, th e signs are manife st of heart
re nding w oe . Much there is that pie rce s to the quick .
They know whom they sped forth,but what re turns to
each man’s home ? Not the person of the warrior,but
th e urn that holds his ashes. That heavy du st,blackened in the fire , disappointing the desire of tears ,
440 i s all that he, the War-god, who traffics in th e bodies
ofme n , th e grim usurer who sways his balance amidstthe hurtling fray
,se nds back to frie nds from Ilium.
In place of men , he freights with ashes the funeral
vase s,easily stowe d away . Then they groan out their
e ulogy over each warrior, saying of on e how that h e
was skilled in fight, and of one that h e fe ll nobly amidst
carnage , in the cause of anothe r’
s wife . These words
are muttered in hushed tone s, whi le an indignant
450grudge spreads cove rtly against Atreus’ sons, who stand
in the forefront of th e quarrel . Othe rs, without
sufl'
e ring change , are laid in the ir manly beauty within
Trojan earth,before th e e nemy’s wall . The con
que red land they occupy conce als the m .
M e anwhile the angry murmurs of the citizens are
fu l l of danger, meaning nothing l e ss than a people’
s
460 curse, which fails not. My an xious thought is look
ling for some dark lurking issue . Th e e ye s of th e
Gods are e ve r on th e man of blood . H e who with
out right is fortunate , is e nfe e bled late or soon by
the gloomy Erinys, and finds a dire re ve rse . H e sinks
l 8 AGAMEM NON
500 to e ntertain. Let the re be fair corroboration of what
5!O
promis e d fairly.
Cn on . Whosoever wou ld unspeak that prayer for
this our state , may he himself reap the frui ts of his
perversity
Ente r the HERALD, atte nded.
HERALD. O hallowed ground of Argolis, whe re my
fathers trod, in th e light of this tenth year I find thee !
This one th ing hoped for I obta in,though rude ly dis
appointed of so many. I h ad in d e e d d e spaire d e ve n
of dying upon Argive soil and sharing in the blessed
privi le ge of burial there . The n hail , famil iar Earth,familiar Sunlight Hail
,Zeus
,who sittest aloft pre sid
ing over this land ! Hail,Pytho’s lord ! No longer
mayst thou shower on us thy fatal shafts ! We fe lt
enough of thine enmity beside Scamande r. Now,lord
Apollo,be once more our saviour and our God of
healing ! Yea, all th e great Gods in their conclave I
address 15, and him in chi e f whom w e he ralds worship,
Hermes the dear herald,— and those he roes of old time
whose spirits sent us forth z— With kindly we lcome t e
ce ive ye back again this remnant that th e war hath le ft.
Dear roofs and palace-halls of our Kings ! dre ad
throne s beside the gateway, and Gods that front the
520morning, if e ver heretofore ye did so, with looks of fe sta l
cheer to-day re ce ive as ye ought our sove re ign lord who
has be e n so long away. He comes,— Prince Agamemnon comes
,-bringing a light to illuminate your gloom
,
a l ight wherein all who are here participate . Salute
AGAMEMNON 19
h im,all ye peopl e ,— it is m e et ye should,— for h e hath
dug up th e Trojan fi e ld with th e spade of re tribu tive
Ze us. The re with that grou nd is thoroughlyWork e d ove r.
The altars and th e shrin e s of Gods that were there
are no more see n ; all ge rms of life have been de
stroye d ou t of th e land .
Such a yoke hath b e en laid on the proud neck of
Troy by Atre us’ prince ly e ld e r son
,who is n ow 530
arrive d, thu s favoure d of H e ave n, and worthie st to
re ce ive homage of all who live this day. S ince n e ithe r
Paris,n or th e people , his abe ttors in crime , may boast
that the pu nishme nt hath falle n short of th e de e d .
Convicted of th e ft and robb e ry too 17, h e hath not only
lost his prize, but hath laid low in utte r ruin his native
coun try and his paternal home . Th e sons of Priam
have paid twofold for th e ir transgression .
LEADER or CHOR . All joy to thee , O herald of th e
e mbattl e d Achae ans
HERALD . I do re joice ; yea, and if H e ave n so wills
it,I re fuse not to die .
LEADER or CHOR . We rt thou so exercise d with long 540
ing for th e land of thy birth ?
HERALD . Yes . Te ars are we lling up into mine e yes
so glad I am.
LEADER orCHOR. There in thou we rt happily dise ased .
HERALD . How ? Te l lme . Let me unde rstand you .
LEADER or CHOR . Being smitten with longing for
those who love d you in re turn .
HERALD . Do you me an that th e country he re w as
longing for h e r army
20 AGAM EM NON
LEADER or Cn oa. From this dark Spirit I have heavedmany a sigh.
HERALDs Whence came the gloom that lay so
heavy upon your souls18
LEADER or Cn oa . S ilence has long be e n my remedy
aga inst mischance .
HERALD. How me an you Had you any on e to fear,whe n your sove re ign was abroad ?
550 LEADER or CHOR. So that , to echo your own words,I could have gladly died 19
HERALD . I meant it because succe ss has come.
Much e lse , in th e long retrospect, is mingled of things
smooth and questionable . Who,that is not a god,
passe th the whole of his existence without su ffe rin g ?
We re I to recount the labours, the rough lodging,th e narrow bunks on shipboard, with scant cove ring,what mourned we not th e lack of from day to day
20?
Our lot on shore was still more di smal. Our bivouac
560w as close be neath the enemy’
s wal l where rain fromabove and de ws from the ope n fie ld cove red u s with
drizzling moisture,that ruined our garme nts beyond
re me dy, and made our matte d hair like that of beasts .
Or should I te l l yo u of th e e agl e -killing storm,with
what intole rabl e forc e it came forth fromth e snows of
Ida, - or of th e swelte ring he at, whe n th e de e p
b ecalmed in his noon-day couch lay slumb ering
motionl e ss ? Why sorrow for past toil or suffe ring
past inde ed for the d e ad, who are too we ary to care to
570rise again . Why count the m ove r ? The y are spent.
Or why should th e l iving gri e ve at froward fortune ?
AGAMEMNON 2 1
‘ Fare w e ll to calamity,’
I say. For us of th e host of
Argos who remain , advantage outwe ighs distre ss,so that
,fle e ting ove r land and s e as, w e may boldly say
in pre s e nce of this day’s su n ‘Th e Argive armame n t,
having fin ally con que re d Troy,fix up the se spoils to
th e glory of th e H e lle nic gods,an add e d brightness
to th e ir templ e s for e ve rmore .
’ Give e ar,0 peopl e ; 580
and cal l your cou ntry and your ge n erals blesse d . So
th e grace of Ze u s, that hath accomplishe d this, shall
win due honou r. This,Argive s, is my tal e at full .
CHOR . Your words pre vail with me . I yie ld b e l ie f
to the m . For th e learnin g of good tidings th e old are
eve r young. And though Clytemne stra an d th e royal
house have natu rally the prime in te re st here in, it isb u t right that I too shou ld partake in th e gain.
Re -e nte r CLYTEMNESTRA.
CLYT . I shoute d for gladne ss long ago, when in th e
night th e fi e ry harbinge r came that first told of
conque st, of the de vastation of Troy . Some on e th e n 590u pbraide d me an d said
,Giving cre dence to fire
signals,dost thou be lie ve that at this mome nt Troy
h as be e n ove rthrown How womanlike to b e so e asilyuplifte d Su ch talk gave me ou t for a de lu ded on e .
But ye t I sacrific e d . An d in female strain s a cry of
joy w as raise d in e ve ry qu art e r of th e city, whil e to th e
au spicious sound, within th e holy pre cinct, the y allay e d
th e fragrant flame that consume d th e frankinc e n se .
You n e e d n ot in formme more at l e ngth . I shal l le arn
all fromth e ve ry lips of our gre at lord . But I mu st 600
AGAM EM NON
haste to receive most royally my revered husban d at
his retu rn . (What light to a woman's e ye s is sweeter
than when sh e opens th e gate s for him,her man
,whom
H e ave n had brought safe from the war P) Report this
message to him , that he come quickly,— the desire of
Argos . And let h im find a faithful wife , unaltered as
h e le ft h e r, th e watche r of his home , hostil e to hisen e mie s, but ever kind to him ; and , for the rest,
610untampere d with, a sealed possession,unimpaired in
all that length of time ? Of joy or guilty conve rse with
another man I am as ignorant as of the craft of the
smith 2‘ Such is my declaration, give n in al l
sincerity, and it is a boast which a princess need not
be ashamed to utter.
LEADER or Cn oa . (to the H e rald). That was fairly
spoke n . Your ears 22 could not fail to inte rpre t
clearly. But te ll us, h e rald : it is of Mene lau s I would
learn — Mene laus , whom this land delights to honour
and to obey . Comes he safe ly to his hom e along with
you ?
620 HERALD . We re I fal sely to give a good re port, my
friends would reap from it only a short-lived joy.
Cu on . Te ll truth, th e n , and may the truth behappy ! When good and true are sunde red, it can n ot
w e ll b e hid .
HERALD . He is lost from the Achaean army’s ken.
H is ship and he are vanished. That is th e truth .
Cn oa . Do you m e an that he was se e n lau n ching
forth from Ilios ? or was h e snatche d away fromth e
fle e t by a storm whose violence affected all
AGAMEMNON 23
HERALD . There you have hit the mark, l ike a first
rate arche r. You have expressed, in one short phrase,an immense disaste r.CHOR . But what saith Rumour ? Do other mariners 630
report of him as al ive or dead 9
HERALD . No on e knows e nough to answer that
in quiry cl e arly ; except the Sun-god, who fosters what
Earth brin gs forth .
CHOR. Say,how then did th e tempe st visit your
fle e t, to end with such an outcome of divin e ange r ?
HERALD . It beseems not to stain with evil tidings the
l ight of an auspicious day. Honours paid to H e avenly
P ow e rs‘
sh ould'
be unalloyed 23. This Pae an of th e
Fu ries might suit the lowering brows of one who from
a ru ined army brought news of horrible disaster, 640
how the city suffered fromthe wound that with onestroke affl icted the whole people
,while from many
s e ve ral homes full many a warrior had be e n strick e n
with the kee n scourge which th e War-god love s -h e
that was laden with that twofold burden of death,who
brought with him that doubly-arme d Ate’ , might chant
this burden also, and not break tun e . Bu t I , who am
come with happy tidings to a city e xulting in her
fair fortun e , wherefore should I dash my good with
bad by telling of the tempest that fe ll u pon th e
Achaeans, not without spite from H e aven ? Fire 650and the Se a, powe rs hithe rto irreconcilabl e , con
spired toge ther, and prove d th e ir leagu e by devas
tating the hapless host of the Argive s . At dead of
night came on th e bale ful billow y trou ble, while
24 AGAMEMNON
Thracian winds crashed the hu lls together in a j ostlin g
herd, that thrust one anothe r pe rforce at the will of th e
wild tempest,as it pelted the m with sleet and brine,
until the y founde red and sank from sight,drive n ruth
lessly by that bad he rdsman . Now when th e cl e ar day
light came again,the Sun reveale d to us th e fi e ld of
66. the broad Aege an, blossomed over with dead bodie s of
Achae an warriors and wre cks of warships. Ourselves,meanwhile , and our vesse l with u nscathed hull
,some
Power,whether by craft or influence, brought off : a
God it must have been, no mortal, that so handl e d the
ship,
-whe reon Fortune he rself as prese rver deigned
to pre side,— as neither to ride where h e avy seas broke
over her, nor run aground against a rock-lanced, iron
bound coast. Thereafte r, delivered as we were from
the dreadfu l se a, scarcely trusting in our good fortune,67. our thoughts began to tend upon a fresh grie f on
account of our navy thus battered and ill-bested . And
now,if any of our comrades are ye t alive , they doubt
l e ss talk of us as being no more, e ve n as w e imagin eabout them . Bu t may all e nd happily ! As for
M e ne laus, b e fore all else e xpect him to come . If anywhere the bright Sun beholds h imand knows of h imas livin g, by the grace of Zeus, who wills not that his
se ed shou ld p e rish, h e will re tu rn to his Argiv e home,we may we l l b e l ie ve . Y e have heard all I have to
680 te ll, and yo u may b e assured that all that I have
told is true .
CHOR . Who name d her so un erringly ? Was it someon e whom w e dre amnot of, foreknowing destiny, and
26 AGAMEM NON
with horrid slaughter of the flock . The house was
be dabbled with gore ; the despairing household stood
aghast with grief : the destruction was wide and irre
me diab le . By some Divine commission, to be a H igh
P riest of calamity, he had been nourished as an inmate
of that home.
Even su ch, methinks, was her coming to Ilios town,740a spirit as of a windless calm,
a tranquil joy for
wealth to brood over,an e ye whose glances soothe, a
blossom of love stinging desire into madne ss . But by
and by her aspect changed and issued in a bitter sequel
of consummated rites . It was the Ze us of hospital ity
who brought her amongst the sons of Priam,a Fury of
lament for bridal,a companion and an inmate full of
bane.
75° Mankind have an ancient saying, — it was framed
and u ttered of old,— that a mortal’
s happiness, whe n
grow n up to th e height, brings forth and di e s not
childless ; that out of good fortune Springs insatiablemisery to plague the race . But I have my own thought
apart,that impious deeds beget a mu ltitudinous brood
,
7601ike their progenitors, but the house that eve r holds
to right hath ever fair issue of good fortune.
P ast insol e nce give s birth to youthfu l insolence that
exults in human mis e ry, whene ve r the de stined hou r
of such nativity arrive s”,a godless Power of irre sistible
770boldness, a spirit of ru inous fatality darkly weighing
down the roof,a child resemblin g its pare nt.
The light of Justice shines in smoky dwe ll ings .
She re spects the modest life ; but hall s ove rlaid w ith
AGAMEMNON 27
gold,whe re han ds are unclean, she l e aves with ave rte d
e yes, to visit home s that are unprofan ed . Sh e bows
not be fore th e power of w e alth wh e n it is Spuriou sly 780
stampe d with praise . She is gu iding all things towards
th e final goal .
Ente r AGAMEMNON in a chariot w ith CASSANDRA,
ot/ze rsfollow ing.
LEADER or CHOR . O my King, despoiler of Troy
city, say, how shall I addre ss thee, in what t e rms pay
homage , n e ither coming short of du e kindne ss, n or
laun ching forth too far ? There are many in this world
who pre fe r appearan c e and ove rpass th e right . All 790
are ready to groan for th e unfortunate, but no pang
me anwhil e strikes down to the ir inward part . An d
with becoming se mblance, they feign a sympathe tic
joy,forcin g smiles on countenances wh e re smil e s are
none . But the skille d disc e rne r of th e flockmay wellre ad th e true e xpre ssion of those e ye s that with a
thin and waterish friendship flatter from a see mingly
loyal he art .
For the e , whe n formerly thou le dst forth an army in
the cause of H e le n ,-I will not hide it , — I picture d 800
the e in no fair colou rs,but re garded th ee as one that
managed ill th e h e lmof his mind, winnin g as thou
didst through sacrifice th e valou r of me n appoint e d to
de ath . Bu t nowmy loyalty is dee p and full of kin d
ne ss for thos e whose labours have h ad a happy e nd.
In time thou shalt discover,so thou b u t inqu ire i t ou t ,
w ho amongst thy citiz e n s at home have dealt right
28 AGAM EM NON
ou sly, and who have been unfaithful in their ste ward
ship.
810 AGAMEMNON (sp eaking fromthe chariot). My first
greeting must be given to Argos and the Gods who
dwell in her. They share with me the glory of my
home-coming and of my righteous act in punishing
th e city of P riam. The heavenly powers, h ea rkening
to th e cause not ple d with lips,cast the ir vote s with
one conse nt into th e red u rn,unanimous for th e
deathful ruin of Ilium. The oth e r vase was visite d
only by hope , and was re plenishe d by no han d“. The
city'
s capture is even now well seen by th e smoke of
her destruction. For Ate'
s fires of sacrifice have not
820yet died down . Troy’s e xpiring e mbers send out a
blast that reeks with wealth consumed . Wherefore
.th e gratitude we owe to Heaven is ete rn al . We cau ght
th e people in a close snare of ove rwhelming vengeance .
The city was leve lled in the du st for a woman’s sake ,by that miracle of Argive birth
,the shie ld-bearing
band,a fierce portent, child of the stee d , that . le apt
sudde nly forth about the se tting of th e Pleiades. A
rave ning lion , he bounde d over the fe nce d wall , and
lapped abundantly of th e blood of prin ce lyme n .
All this I have said,by way of prelude
,in honour of
830 the Gods . But I do not forge t the spirit of your words
to me . I he artily re spond to them ; ye a, I j oin in
your contention . Few inde ed are the y amongstmankind whos e inborn nature prompts the m to yie ld to
their prospe rous friend the tribut e of a re spe ct that is
u nalloyed with e nvy . The venom of unkindne ss se ttl e s
AGAMEMNON 29
at th e he art andmakes the owner of any trouble to bedou bly burde ned . H e is we ighe d down with his ow n
gri e f, and groans, more over, at th e sight of othe r
people’ s happiness . I can Spe ak of it advise dly ; for
I kn ow right well howme n who se emed most kind inthe ir loyalty to me we re b u t th e mirrore d like n e sse s 840of comrade ship
,mere u n substantial shadows . Odysse us
,
who was compe l le d to th e voyage, alone , wh e n once inharness
,prove d a willing yoke fe llow to me . I say it
of h im,whe the r h e be d e ad or ye t alive .
For th e re st, as tou ching th e c ity and the Gods, w e
will.
de libe rate in fu ll concours e , holding a ge n e ral
assembly. Ou r aim.
the re in shall b e to make pe r
pe tu al whate ve r in our state is we ll and if anywhe re
some healing re me dy is ne e d e d, w e will e n de avour,by
applyin g surge ry or cau te ry with good he e d , to ave rt 850
th e thre atene d mischie f.
Now pass I tomy halls, an d to th e chambe rs roundth e he arth
,wh e n first of all I will e xte nd my right
hand in honoure d gre e ting to th e Gods, who spe dmeon my distant voyage an d have broughtme home again .
M ay victory, who h as accompan ie d me , ne ve r mored e part !
CLYTEMNESTRA (re -e nte ring). M e n of ou r city,e lde rs
of th e Argive state , who are assemble d here , I will n otb e ashame d to spe ak b e fore you of my wife ly disposition . Timidity we ars away with time . I n e e d n o
hint fromanyman whe n I d e clare to yo u how he avilymy life was passe d, while h e who n ow is h e re w as 860
before Il ium. For a woman,in abse nce of th e man ,
AGAMEMNON
to sit forlorn in th e house , is in any case a te rrible
evil. Many a cross rumour vexes h e r,— on e witness
te lling in her e ar that h e is come ; anothe r harshly
whispe ring,
‘He brin gs home with him a mischief worse
than h is d e parture ’ ” If our he ro had re ce ive d as
many wounds as we re currently re ported hitherward,on e might say that he was pierced in more places than
a hunting-net. Or,had h e die d as often as h e was
870 rumoured to be dead , a se cond Ge ryon, h e mu st have
had thre e bodie s at least, and put on (above him— I
say nothing of th e groun d beneath) a thre e fold mantle
of earth,having die d once in e ach se ve ral form . By
reason of such cross, vexin g rumou rs, many a noose
upon my neck, su spended from above , hath bee n nu
tie d by those who laid violent hold ou me . In con
seque nce of thi s distre ss , h e who ought to have been
he re , our child Orestes, the firm pledge of our mutual
880faith, is absent he nce. Nay, marve l not ! Our kind
war-friend Strophius in P hocis took charge of him ,
forewarningme of a twofold peril— thine own at Troy,
and ours,if noisy popular tumult should overthrow the
Council as it is born in me n ,wh e n any one is down, to
trampl e on him . H e re in I urge a ple a that is innoc e nt
of guile . I we pt indeed until th e flushing tide of
tears h ad run dry and the re was no moisture le ft . And
890going late to rest on my sle e pless b e d, I mourned for
the still n e glected b e acon-fire s that had bee n pre pare d
to herald thy re turn . The shrill insiste nt buzz of the
gnat would wake me, while in my dreams about the e
I saw horrors more than the time of sle e p could hold .
AGAM EM NON
All this I su ffe re d ; but it is past. And now,with a
he art e xempt from care, it is min e to cry, Be hold th e
watch-dog of our fold,the mainstay of our vessel, the
pillar from ground to summit that supports our roof,an only son to his sire , or land tomarin e rs appe aring
be yond the ir hop e s ; fair daylight afte r te mpe st, Ol'
goo
flowing water-springs che e ring th e thirsty wayfare r.
Ever joyfu l it is to escape from distre ss.
With such words I count it mee t that I addre ss
the e . Le t envy re main aloof. We suffe re d mise rie senow in the past time. Now
,dear on e , desce nd, I
pray thee, from that ch ariot , n ot setting upon th e earth
thy foot, th e vanquisher of Troy.
Come,maidens
,why delay ye
,whose appointe d
task it is to pave th e ground of his pathway with
tap e stries ? Forthwith le t there b e made a pu rple9 10
strewn road,and let Justice l e ad him to the home h e
look e d not for !
As to what remains, thought yie lding not to slumber
shal l order it righteously according to Divine decree.
AGAM . Offspring ofLeda, sole guardian of my palacehall
,thy spee ch, in accord with my long abse nce ,
hath b e e n protract e d . Y e t for fitting comme ndation,
that rich guerdon,I must look e lsewhe re . And do
not,womanlike
,attempt to spoil and pampe rme
,n or
,
like a cringing Asiatic,approach me with prostrations 920
an d open-mouthed ‘ salaams,’ nor draw Envy on my
path by paving it with gorgeous webs . Su ch honours
are for th e Gods alone . I cannot think without alarmof a me re mortal se tting foot on fair e mbroideries . I
32 AGAMEMNON
claim your homage as a man, not as being Divine .
Fame sounds h e r note without rich carpets and
broidered fine ry. A modest he art is the best of bless
ings. The name of happy should be re served for him
930whose l ife is e nded in kindly wellbe ing 28. Live w e by
that rule in all things, and I shall have n o fe ar .
CLv'
r. Te ll me , your wi fe, on e thing, and honestlyspe ak yourmind.
ADAM . I’ll not disgu ise my mind, nor alter it, you
may b e sure .
CLYT . In danger you might have vowe d to the Gods
to do as I re quest you now .
ADAM . No man more easily . Experie nce prompts
me to th at re ply 29 .
CLYT . And what of Priam , if he had had the victory
to—dayADAM . H is pathway would have been resp le ndent,
I bel ie ve.
CLYT . Be not shamefast, now,be fore human censure .
ADAM . Ye t the outcry of a noisy populace is no light
thing.
CLv '
r. He who is not e nvie d is ne ver admire d .
ADAM . To be conte ntious is unbe coming in a woman .
CLv '
r. It is be coming in th e fortunate to give way .
ADAM . Are you really so be nt on victory in this war ?
CLYT . Conse nt, and with voluntary grace pass your
conquest on tome .
ADAM . Well, the n, since thou art so be nt on this ,le t some on e undo the slipper that slavishly sup
ports my tre ading . lest as I trampl e on yonde r purpl e
34 AGAMEMNON
Caoa. Wh y hovers before my boding mind this
warning finge r that will not remove ? Why sounds
93° unbidd e n, unhired, this prophesying strain ? Why
cannot my soul rej ect it l ike a puzzling dream,and
again have confide nt Hope enthrone d within h e r ?
That time is long since past, when the navy that had
se t forth for Troy lost its prime of youth, while the
mooring cables of its many ships remained fast upon
the sandy shore 31.
I am myse lf the witness of the King’s re turn . Mine
99° eyes declare it to me . Yet my spirit within me,self
in spired,still chants that lyre le ss lay of the Erinys ,
no whit enjoying the dear encourageme nt of Hope .
Not idle,assuredly
,is this inward monitor
,the heart
which throbs with ominous tumult against a truthful
breast. Yet may the end belie mine expectation, and
1000fall contrariwise, bringing augurie s to nought !
Great health is apt to end in dangerous presumption
thin is the wall that parts h e r from impending disease .
The man ’ s destiny as it sails forward with smooth
career strikes suddenly th e hidd e n reef.
1010 Then, if Caution fl ings overboard,with prude nt liber
ality, some part of h is possession s, the whol e fabric
doth not sink,over-we ighted with calamity , nor doth
he make utter shipwreck. Abundant bounty fromZe u s, and from unfailing harvest-fie lds, cause Famine
to disappear .
But whe n man ’ s dark blood hath once falle n to
1020 e arth at his fee t in death, who by any charmshall callit up aga in ? Why
,if that might b e , shou ld Ze us in
AGAM EM NON
prude nt care have made an e nd of him who had learned
rightly how to brin g back th e dead
We re it not that ov e r-maste ring de stiny from Heave ncon trolsmy lot, an dmak e s it of smal l e ffe ct, my he artshould have utte re d this, n ot waitin g for th e ton gu e .
But,as it is
,my soul crie s ou t u nhe ard
,b e in g pain e d 1030
to th e core , an d having no hope to e volve any time lycou n sel from her bu rnin g thought.
Re -e nte r CLYTEMNESTRA .
CLYT . Thou , too, Cassandra, get thee within !
H e ave n hath me rcifu lly rul e d it that in o u r house
thou shouldst be a Share r of the lustral fount,as on e
of many slave s that stand around the hou sehold altar.
Be not proud,th e re fore , but come down fromthat car.
The y say, Alcme na’
s son was once sold to bondage 1040
and e ndure d to eat th e bre ad of servitu de . And on e
on whom that irre vocable lot hath falle n shou ld b eduly thankfu l if his maste rs b e th e inheritors of
ancie nt we alth. Thos e who re ap an unexpecte d
harve st are e ve r harsh and e xorbitant in command .
Th e re , —that is my ordin ary w e lcome .
LEADER or CHOR . H e r Spe e ch to the e is ende d,and
its me an ing is manife st . Thou art e n compasse d inth e toils of fate , an d it remain s for the e to yie ld
,if
thou wilt yi e ld b u tme thinks thou wilt not .CLYT . Nay, u n le ss like th e twitte rin g swallow she 1050
b e th e posse ssor of an ou tlandish tongu e , my spe e chmu st fin d its w ay an d pre vail with h e r.
CHOR . Go with h e r. Sh e counse ls what is be st as
36 AGAM EM NON
things now are. Consent, and leave thy seat upon
the chariot yonder.
CLvr. I have no time to waste out here . Th e
victims at our midmost altar by now are standing for
sacrifice,a thank—offe ring for unlooked-for me rcies. If
thou wilt do my bidding then, do it at once,but if
1060 thou hast no sense , and takest not my meaning, te ll it
instead of speech with some gesture of thy barbarous
hand.
CRoa. The stranger seems to have nee d of an inter
prete r to make things cl e ar to her. Her way is that
of a wild creature newly caught.
CLvr. She must b e a maniac , govern e d by in sane
impu lse s, who comes hither from h e r n ewly captured
ci ty, and cannot be ar the curb u ntil sh e bre athe out
her spirit in bloody foam . I will not b e disgrac e d by
throwing more words away . [Exit CLe M NEsrRA.
LEADER or CHOR . Bu t I, for I pity the e , will not let
1070my ange r rise . Come , haple ss on e , leave yonder car
bereft of the e ; yi e ld to what is now inevitable . Try
th e yoke , which thou hast not fe lt till now.
Cams. 0w oe , w o e , woe ! Apollo ! Apollo !
Cn oa . Why criest thou of w o e to Phoe bus ? H e is
not on e to b e addre ssed with lame ntation.
CAss . O w o e , w oe , woe ! Apollo ! Apollo !
Cn oa. Aga in with evil-ome n e d crying she ca lls
on him whom it b e fits not to have to do with
mourning.
103° CAss. Apollo ! God of our streets ! Apollon!2 to me
AGAMEMNON 37
For thou hast with e ase de stroye d me this se condtime .
CHOR . She se e ms abou t to proph e sy of h e r own afllic
tion . Th e divine n ature abide s within h e r, although
a captive .
CASS . Apollo Apollo of ou r stre ets ! Apollon to
me l— Ah, whither then didst thou leadme ? To whatmansion
CHOR. Th e home of the Atre idae ; if thou art not
aware of that, I te l l it thee , and thou wilt not have
to say that I have told the e false ly.
CASS. Ah ! Ah ! Nay, an ungodly roof, acquainte d
with many horrible crime s of slaughte re d kin ,with
stranglings ! a murde rous re c e ptacle of human blood,
of infant gore 33.
CHOR . Th e strange r se e ms to b e ke e n-scente d, like
a qu e sting hound . Sh e sn ufl'
s afte r blood-marks, an dsh e will find the m .
CASS . Ah Ah ! Y e a, for I tru st the se tok e ns — th e
l ittle childre n yon de r,wailing of the ir viole nt de aths,
an d of th e roaste d fl e sh whe re of their fathe r ate
CHOR. Truly we h ad h e ard of thy prophe tic gift,but we are not se e king for a proph e t.
CASS . Oh horror ! what doth sh e int e nd ? what is 1 103
this gre at n e w grie f ? A mightymischie f Sh e in te n dswithin the se walls - th e d e spair of love rs, hard to
reme dy —while su ccour stands far aloof.'
CH0R. This oracle I know n ot . Th e forme r w as
cle ar. For th e whole city rings of it .
AGAMEM NON
CASS . Wre tch !wilt thou accomplish that ? Th e b us
band of thy b e d, -wh e n thou hast made him bright
with bathing him How shall I tell the e nd ? I t
1 1 10will come quickly. Blow after blow sh e de als at him.
CHOR. Still I comprehe nd not. Th e riddling thickly
veile d prophecy le ave s me at fault.
CASS. Oh ! what is he re ? what apparition ? Is it
a hunting-net of he ll“? Nay, it is the snare that
surprise s him in his re pose, that hath part in Slaying
him . Le t the troop that never has enough in de
vou ring the race shout e xu l tingly over th e heinous
sacrifice .
CHOR. Why summon e st thou that Fury to lift h e r1 1 20voice in the palace ? Thy words oppress me with
gloom. And to my he art the pale d e ath-drop runs“,
that in men morta lly wounde d sinks togethe r with the
setting rays of life .
CASS. Ah 1'
Look ! l ook ! look ! Hold off the Bull
th e re from th e Co w Sh e hath caught h imin the w e b ,
and is goring h imwith her iron horn ! H e falls in
the hollow wate r-vesse l . I amte lling you th e story ofth e crafty murde rous basin .
1 130 CHOR . I wou ld not boast great skill as an in te rprete r.
But to my mind,that prophe cy augurs harm . Ye t
what good word hath prophe cy for the world ! It
i s a voluble art that, by chanting sugge ste d evils in
me n’s ears
,strikes mortal apprehe nsions with a re ligious
aw e .
CASS. O ,alas for my fortune , ill-starre d maid ! I
AGAMEMNON 39
chant forth my own fate , that I may mingle it withthine 36. To what an end didst thou bringme homewith thee ! To di e along with th e e , —nought else '
only to die
CHOR . Thou art madde ne d, me thinks , and Heaven 1 140
possesse d ; an d utte re st wild mu sic conce rning thine
own lot,like the brown nightingale that with ne ver
weari e d note ou t of h e r fren zied min d mourns ‘ Itys,’
— e ve r Itys,
’- through a l ife that i s ove rgrown with
mise rie s.
CASS . Ah ! were my fate like hers, the high-voiced
songstress !— whom divine pow e r hath encase d in a
plume d body and surrounde d with a swee t e xiste nce
e xempt from sorrows ! Th e ke e n-e dged sword, that
cleave s in su nde r,is waiting forme .
CHOR . Whe nce rush on the e thin e inspired, unme an 1 130
ing fits of gri e f, whereunto thou give st lyric u tte rance
in shrill and te rrifying strain s with an e vil-ome ne d
cry ? What powe r hath ordain e d the limits of thy
proph e tic pathway, e ve r moving amidst bal e ful
soun ds ?
CASS . Oh Paris what a marriage was thine I t hath
de stroye d thy kin . Oh wate rs of Scamande r, whe re of
ou rfathe rs dran k ! On thy shore , thou winding stre am,
I gre w up to womanhood, u nhappy that I was Bu t 1 1 60
n ow me se eme th I shall soon chantmy prophecie s byCocytus an d the banks of Ache ron .
CHOR. What hast thou now utte re d ? That is clearly
said . A child,that he ard it, might u nde rstand . And
I am stricke n as with a death-pan g at thy grie vou s
40 AGAMEMNON
woe, whereof thou telle st in warbled notes . My heart
is crushe d on hearing thee .
CA SS. O my city, utterly destroyed ! Alas for thy
distress ! Dear fathe r ! how many poor victims, from
the grazing flock, thou didst kill in sacrifice before the
"70walls ! Yet the y have not availed to save Troy from
her destruction. And as for me,my fe vere d spirit
shall soon li e low 37
LEADER or Cu oa. Therein thou speakest consist
e ntly. Some malign heavenly power with rude assault
constrains thee to phrase melodiously thy lame ntable
deathfu l lot. But, for the final issue,that is dark to
me .
CASS. No longe r, then, like a bride in her first mar
1 180 ried hours, mine oracl e s shall peep from behind a veil,but with ope n veheme nce, l ike a storm-wind
,they
shall meet th e rising day, and dash against th e light
the billows of a calamity far more terrible . I will in
stru ct you, this time, in no riddling wis e . And ye
shall be ar me witness how close ly I follow and sce n t
out the track of troublous things enacted of old.
Yonder hou se is haunted by a band that n e ver le aves
it,a choir that sing in unison indeed
,but harshly
,for
their song is not of blessing. Lo, emboldene d with
1 190draughts of human blood,that reve l-rout of Furies
inborn in the race, abide within the re, not to be
e xorcised . Fast clinging to th e man sion, they hymn th e
primordial crime — th e n, by and by, the y chant
abhorre nce of the bed that still resents th e outrage
done by a brother. Say, missed I there ? Or like
42 AGAM EM NON
CASS . From the moment when I so offended,no man
believe dme .
CHOR. To us thy soothsaying seems to deservebelief.
CA SS . Oh horrible Again the terribl e travail of true
prophecy whirls me round,and dizzie s me with
irresistible promptings. Oh what affliction ! Behold
ye those young things that crouch on the palace-roof ?
pale dreamlike forms, children slain as by the ir1 220kindre d, their hands fi lled with meat of their own
flesh, seen manife stly, the ir Vitals and the ir inward
parts, whe reof the ir father tasted ! For this, I say,there is one who is plotting recompense
,a craven lion ,
rolling him upon the couch he ke pt warm for h imwhonow is come, my master.— Ah me ! th e captive mustbear th e yoke — Command e r of th e fl e e t, d e stroyer of
Ilium, he ye t is unaware with what wicked triumphth e hate ful cre ature yond e r, like a lu rking Até. will
1 23° follow up her long spee ch of be am ing we lcome . Su ch
a crime she dares. A woman, sh e is th e slay e r of th e
man . To what e x e crabl e monster shall I with tru th
compare h e r ? To some Amphisba e na or some Scylla,dwe ll ing among rocks, a bane to mariners , bre athing
trucele ss hostility to those she ought to hold most
d e ar 38 ? Dauntle ss in crim e , sh e raise d an e xultant
shout asme n do that have turn e d th e battle , pre te ndingto rejoice in his safe home-coming. Y e may be lie veanything of this, or nothing . It makes no difference .
1 240What is to come will come , and thou, beholding it, wilt
pity me and say I was too true a prophe te ss .
AGAM EM NON 43
CHOR. Th e banqu e t of Thye ste s u pon his chil
dre n’ s fl e sh I un d e rstood, and shu dde re d at it. Amaz e
me nt h e ld me wh e n I heard it described, not inshadowy ou tlin e
,but with Vivid tru th ; but in liste n
ing to th e remain de r of thy tal e I am u tte rly b e
wilde re d .
CASS. I tell the e , thou shalt behold th e d e ath of
Agame mnon .
CHOR . Hush ! wre tched one, compose thy lips to
Sfle n c e .
CASS. No healing God presides over my prese nt
saying.
CHOR . We re it accomplish e d, —no ! But may itne ver come to passCASS. Thou sayst thy prayers, while kill ing is the 1 250
busine ss yon der.
CHOR . What man i s perpetrating such an accursedcrime ?CASS . My prophe cy is in de e d dark to you .
CHOR . I cannot surmise how any on e should b e fou n d
to do it.
CASS. Y e t I have l e arn e d Gre e k parlance all too
we ll .
CHOR. So hath th e Pythian oracle , b u t it is obscu re
ne ve rthe le ss .
CASS . Oh th e pain How this fire bu rn s It come s
uponme . Wo e , woe Lyc e aian Apollo Woe , w o e is
me This bipe d lion e ss,cohabiting with a wolf in th e
abse nce of th e royal lion,shall kil lme
,u n happy that I 1 260
am . In th e potion of re venge which sh e pre pare s,I
44 AGAMEM NON
too am thought of,and thrown in : Sh e is resolved to
boast that in whetting the sword against her lord,she
has wreake d moreover. in our blood, his bringin g of me .
Why then do I retain these mockeries of my life, th is
proph e tic wand, the se fillets round my neck ? Thee 39 I
will break, before I myse lf am broke n go to de stru c
tion with you, I shall soon follow. Endow some other
wre tch,I have done with you. See now
,Apollo him
1 270 self is divesting me of this prophetic raiment Thou
didst behold me,how cru e lly l was mocke d, in this
attire, togethe r with my frie nd , by those who we re
alike our e ne mies,all idly ; as if a beggar-prieste ss, I
bore to be called a vagrant,— poor
,wre tche d , famished
creature that I was ‘0 And now the prophet, disrobin g
me, h is prophete ss, leads me forth to this doom of
dreadful death. In place of standing by my fath e r'
s
altar, the block awaits me, whe reon, being stricken,my warm life -blood will make the sacrifice complete“.
Bu t in our d e ath we shall not b e w i thout divinely
1 280 given honours . We too have our Avenger, —th e
matricidal offspring that is destined to requite h is
fathe r’
s murde rers . A wandering e xile , e stranged from
this land,he shall re turn and add the corn e r-stone to
this e difice of family disaste r. A mighty oath hasbeen sworn in H e aven
,that his father’s fall Shall be ckon
him home again . Why the n amI thu s give n up tosorrow and crying
,since first I saw th e city of Ilium
brought so low, and now her conque rors sink und e r
1 290divine judge ment ? I will go forward and shrink not.
I will dare to die . The gate of Hade s is before me ,
AGAMEMNON
and I bid it hail I pray moreover that I may receive
a mortal wou n d,that with no struggling, amid th e
de ath-stream of a painle ss end, I may close the seeyes .
CHOR. Un happy, inspired damsel, thou hast spoke nmuch . But how is it
,if of a tru th thou art aware of
thin e own immine n t doom,that like a God-led heifer
thou march e st fe arl e ssly to the sacrific eCASS. Oh strangers, there is no more evading it the
time is at hand .
CHOR . But th e latest mome nt is evermore pre 1 300
fe rre d 42.
CASS . The hour for this is come . Avoidance will
avai lme little .
CHOR . Assure dly, thou bravest misery with a
courage ou s he art .
CASS . None b u t th e wre tched are so praised .
CHOR . Y e t amortal life is grac e d by dying nobly.
CASS. Olfk
rny
'
Father,woe is me for thee ! and for
thy nobl e sons
[Sh e approache s th e pahzce , the n come s forw ard again .
CHOR . How n ow what is thy fe ar Why dosb th’
ou
tu rn away ?
CASS . Woe,woe !
CHOR . Whatmake s thee so cry out— some inward orsou l-fe lt horror ?
CASS . Th e halls are bre athing forth a de w of drip
ping gore .
CHOR . Nay, nay ; it is only th e savour of household 1 310
sacrific e s .
46 AGAM EM NON
CASS. I distinguish there an exh alation as from atomb.
CHOR . Thou tellest not of a hall perfumed with
Syrian odours .
CASS . Y e t will I go within to be wail my own andAgamemnon ’
s d e stin y . I have had e nough of life .
Oh frie nds, mine is no vain misdoubting, as of a bird
before a bush . Be ar me this witne ss afte r I am dead,
when for my woman’
s life a woman’s life shail be
take n, and for th e man, whose wife was e vil to him,a
1320man shal l fall. I appeal to your kind thoughts he rein
as one who is about to die .
CHOR . Oh hapless one , we pity thee for thy pro
ph e tically spoke n doom.
CASS. One more utterance, one more lamcn t overmyse lf ! I pray to the sun ,
now last be he ld byme,that
my hateful murde rers may pay my ave nge rs for me1330also, th e butchered captive, e as ily overcome.
CHOR . Alas for poor mortali ty ! Whe n care ering
prospe rously a shadow may tu rn it back, and if onceunfortunate , a w e t sponge thrown blurs out th e
picture . This move s my pity more than all .
LEADER or Cuoa . Gre at Fortune neve r satisfies th e
prosperou s man ; nor while othe rs point th e finge r at
his halls will h e dismiss h e r the nc e , re noun c ing h e r,and saying
,Come in nomore .
’
To Agamemn on herethe ble sse d ones have give n it to vanqu ish Priam’
s
city.Honoure d of th e Gods, he re turns home . But
if h e must now pay with his blood for forme r blood
1340 she dding, and by his death comple te th e recompense
AGAMEMNON 47
for othe r de aths to those who su ffe re d them,what
mortalman who he ars of it shall have confide nce thata scathle ss lot accompani e d his birthADAM . (w ithin). Oh me ! I am woun de d mortally
within h e re 43.
CHOR . Hu sh ! who is it that cried so ? Wounde d !
andmortally !ADAM . (w ithin). Ohme ! again— a s e con d wound
CHOR . It is th e King who cri e s. M e thin ks th e de e d
is done . Com e,le t u s take counse l togethe r as securely
as w e may.
CROR . 1 . I te ll you at once what I propose — That
we make proclamation to the citiz e ns to bring re scue
to th e palace hithe r.
2 . Nay, b u t hear me . Let us imme diate ly bre ak
within and de tect the deed while the sword ye t runs
with blood .
3 . I too share that counsel in a general w ay, and
vote for action ; it is high tiriie something we re done .
4. Can ye not se e This pre lude me ans that someare pre paring to re ar th e standard of tyranny in ou r
state .
5 . We are losing time,whilst th e y
,ale rt an d
e ne rge tic, are trampling dow n th e prid e of ou r pro
crastin ation .
6. I kn ow not haw to hit on a h e lpfu l course . We
have to form ou r plans abou t what is alre ady in act 44.
7. I amof that w ay of thinking too ; de bate it as
ye will, I find it a hard matte r by su ch me an s to re store
th e d e ad .
AGAMEMNON
Bu t are we really thus to b ow down in life-long
bondage to the ir supremacy, who have disgraced th e
royal home ?
9 . Nay, that were unendurable ; be tte r die at once.
Death is a milder lot than subjection to a tyrant’s
10. Bu t are the cries we heard sufficient warrant
for the guess that he is actually gone ?
1 1 . Ere we give way to ang e r let us know
cle arly. Conjecture and clear knowle dge are different
1 370 12. The sum of your votes empowers me to
confirm this as the prevailing counsel,that w e know
thoroughly of th e son of Atre us, how it goe s with him .
[The Chorus-le ade r, follow ed by th e membe rs of theChorus , is cautiously advancing tow ards the
palace-
gate , w he n CLYTEM NEs‘rRA is sudde nlydiscove red on th e Ehkyclema. The bath w ith
the corp se of ADAM EM NON, cove red w ith th e p urp lew e b
,is be side he r ; the corp se of CASSANDRA is
visib le in the background.
CLYT . I spake much h e re tofore to fit the mome ntary
n e e d, and now in speaking contrary I shall fe e l no
shame . Else how shou ld any one,in carrying out
sche mes of e nmity against an e nemy who is called a
fri e nd , make close th e n e t of disaste r to a he ight that
d e fie s ove rle aping ? This e ncounte r, long since medi
tate d byme , as I dwe lt u pon that ancient fe ud, came
round in the slow course of time . I smote him he re,1 380where now I stand ove r my accompli shed de ed . This
50 AGAM EM NON
cast him off ? didst thou sever himfrom life ? Th oushalt be outcast, hated mightily of the citize ns he re .
CLYT. Your present sente nce is that I must be an
exile ; that the pe ople’s curse and th e citize ns’ hate
Shall followme . You give that j udge ment, who in th e
former time had nought to say against him, when ingaie ty of heart, as on e might sacrifice a she e p orgoat, one of thousands teeming in the fle e cy fold, he
gave to the death his own child , the pre c ious travail
of my womb, to charm away a Thracian wind . Should
ye not have proclaim e d h iman e xile in re compens e
1420for that abomination— ye from whom the avowal of
my de e d provokes so harsh a ve rdict ? I bid you in
your threate n ings to know that I ampre pared, if yeconquer with a strong hand, to be ruled by you . Bu t
Should the contrary issue be determined by the powerof God
,ye shall b e taught, at least in that last hour,
the lesson of humility .
Cn oa. Thy mood is lofty and thy Speech rings
proudly. As thy spirit raves ove r its blood-stain ed
success,so that thine eye s shin e
,as if anointe d with
gore,e ven so one day, dishonoured and friendle ss, thou
1430art doome d to expiate stroke with stroke .
CLYT . H e ar this my solemn oath moreove r. By
1 Justice, who so signally hath vindicate d my child— b yAté and Erin ys, to whom I sacrifice d this man— I
look not to inhabit halls of fe ar, so long as fire upon
my hearth is kindled by Ae gisthus, loyal as he re tofore
in hi s love to me. H e ismy shield of confide nce , mystrong defender. Low lie s th e wronge r of my life , th e
AGAMEMNON 5 l
darling of prie sts’ daughte rs in th e le aguer of Troy .
And toge the r with h imthis his captive , this woman 1440
se e r, his be dfe llow and faithfulmistre ss, this prophe te ss that b e side h impre sse d th e planks on ship-board !The y are not baulke d of the ir de s e rving. H e di e d as
I have told you ; she, swan- like, having chante d h e r
last,her dying song
,lies the re , —his love r, whomh e
brought as a lu xu rious side -dish an d se t-off to myprou d marriage -b e d.
CHOR . Ah would that ou r fatemight find us swiftly,without e xce ssive pain or l inge rin g dise ase , and bring
to comfort us th e e ve rlasting sle e p, Sin ce h e our most 1450
ge ntle guardian, is su bdu e d . For a woman s sake h e
e ndure d those man y toils, and now at a woman’s hand
h e hath e xpire d . Oh infatuate H e le n, that singly didst
de stroy those live s innume rabl e in th e Trojan land,now
thou hast cau se d to bloom b e yon d th e re st a stain of
blood inde l ible , an e ndle ss memorial of the strifewhose foundations lay deep within th e house
,to a 1460
husband’s bitte r cost.
CLYT . Pray n ot for d e ath in thy horror at this act,
nor tu rn thy wrath on H e len, ave rring that sh e , th e
man -de stroye r, afte r singly causing de ath to man y
Dan a‘
i,hath b e e n th e au thor of an intole rable grie f.
CHOR . O Ge n ius, that dost oppre ss th e Palace and
th e twofold race45 of Tanta lus
’
lin e Thou w i e lde st to 1470
my ke e n sorrow a manlike spirit in female mou ld .
Like a hate fu l rave n sh e stands the re ove r th e corps e,
and with harsh and boastfu l notes chants forth h e r
strain .
AGAMEMNON
CLYT . Now thou di rectest aright th e me aning of thytongu e , naming as thou dost th e tre bly ove rgrown
Ge niu s of th is race . Th e blood-lapping lust still
gathe ring at its core is nursed by him. Ere the pain
1480 of the old wound ceases, blood breaks out afre sh.
CHOR . Thou te lle st of a mighty powe r, whose wrath
is dange rou s,haunting this house ; an e vil tale, alas !
5 of checkle ss disaste r. Ah w o e ! I t is the work of
Zeus, th e author and e ffe cter of all . What mortal busi
ne ss is accomplishe d an d he hath not done it ? Which
of the se e vents is not de termine d by Divine Power ?
1490 My king ! oh my king ! How shall I lame nt th e e ?
What shall I utter from an afl'
e ctionate mind ? Thou
liest the re in th e toils of th e spide r, e xpiring, impiouslyslain ; thus far from honour, subdued by violence with
th e edge of th e Sword .
CLvr. Thou de clare st this to be my de ed , but add
not the reunto that I am the wedded wi fe of Agamem1 500non . Tak ing the likeness of the dead man
’
s Queen, th e
ancient cruel Spirit of reve nge for th e act of Atre us in
providing that dire banque t, hath paid back this full
grown corpse in sacrifice ove r children slain .
CHDR . That thou art guiltle ss of this de e d of death,
who will bear th e e witne ss ? How shou ld that be ?
Some ve ngeful spirit , provoked by h is sire,might
indee d be thine ab e ttor herein . Th e powe r of dark
1 510 strife presses onward , accompanied with fre sh streamsof kindred blood
,advancing to th e poin t whe re h e
shall make full re qu ital for th e clotte d horror of that
u nnatural me al .
AGAMEMNON
My king ! oh my king ! How shal l I lament thee ?What Shall I u tter from an affe ctionate mind ? Thou
l ie st the re in th e toils of th e spid e r, e xpiring, impiou slyslain thus far from honour, subdue d by viole nce with 1 520
th e edge of th e sword .
CLYT . From honour, saye st thou ? I think othe r
wise": 6 Had h e not contrive d a guile fu l disaste r for the
home ? Nay, for what h e did to Iph ige n e ia, mu ch wept
for,his own fair sapling reare d fromme
,re ce ivin g
worthy re compe nse, le t him not ve nt high words in
Hade s, sin ce the sword that sle w him only re pa id him
his own d e ed .
CHOR. I falter, bere ft of thought, and know not 1 530
where to find a practicabl e way. The house is totte r
ing . The pe lting blood-storm, sapping the foundations,affrightsme with its noise. The drizzling rain is done .
Fate now is whe tting Ju stie e 47 on a new Wh e tstone for
fresh d e eds of ban e .
0Earth, 0Earth, would thou hadst received me in,ere mine eyes beheld him occupying his low bed in 1540
th e de ep Silver bath-vessel ! Who Shall bu ry h im?
who shall Sing his dirge ? Wilt thou have courage,
after slaying thin e own man ,to mourn for him
,
fulfilling wrongfully a wretched recompe nse for this
un happy deed Who,labouring in sin cerity of min d, 1 550
shal l rightly direct words of praise ove r his tomb, tohon our th e immortalman ?
CLYT . To care for that b e longs not to the e . At
my hand he fe ll, he died ; and I will bury h im,with
no accompaniment of household lamentation b u t
54 AGAM EMNON
Iph ige n e ia, h is daughter, as is meet, warmly welcomin g
her sire,at the further Shore of the quickly crossed
river of lamentation,shall fling her arms about h im
with a loving kiss.
1 560 Cu oa. Reproach there meets reproach ; j udgement
is baffled. The spoiler is spoiled ; th e slayer is slain.
Yet this remains while Zeus continue s upon his throne— H e who doeth must suffe r. That is a firm decre e .
Who then may extinguish the seed of curses withinthe home ? The race is welded to misfortu ne .
CLv'
r. You now Speak oracularly and with truth .
Howbe it I would compound with th e Genius of the race
1 570of P le isth e n e s 48, here making oath that I am willin g
to acquiesce in what has been,howeve r hard ; on ly
henceforth let him le ave this mansion and plague some
other family with the pollution of kindre d de aths. A
scanty share of wealth will satisfy me, if I have rid
the palace of the madness of reciprocal slaughter.
Ente rAEDisrRus. CLYTEM NES’I‘RA remains in the
AEG ISTHUS. Hail, kindly light of the day of re trib ution Now I am ready to confess that Gods survey from
above th e griefs of the earth, and care to vindicate
1580mortals ; since to my wish I see lyin g in the Furies’
woven coils,this man
,in requ i tal for his father’s guile
ful deeds . Atre us, his father, holding the sovereignty
of this land, had banished Thyestes, my father and hisbrothe r— to put it clearly, his rival in powe r,— an d
made him an outcast from his city and his home .
AGAMEMNON
Thyestes,haplessman , came back, and as a supplian t
at the hearth,obtained security from immediate dan ge r.
H is life was Spare d, so that his blood might not defile
th e ground of his fath e r’s dwelling-place . But in
cel e brating his return , with more ze al than kindness,Atreus
,the wick e d fath e r of this de adman , profe ssing
to hold a sacrificial festival , set before my fathe r a
fe ast of his own childre n’s flesh . Th e parts about th e
feet,and the hands
,with the finge r-nails, h e ke pt
unde r cove r, where he sat apart in the highest place ;and as the me at lacked these tokens 49
,my s ire un h e sitat
ingly took it and ate — a meal of ruinou s cons e quenc e s,as thou se est
,to his posterity. Thereafter
,when he
came to kn ow what abomin ation h ad been wrought, h eraise d a lamentable cry
,and fell backward
,vomiting
the murdered flesh — then praye d for th e Pelopidae
a cru shin g doom,as with the act of spurning that
su pper from him,he joine d a solemn cu rse , that in like
mann e r th e whole posterity of P le isth e n e s might fal l
down . There of thou mayst behold th e sequ el in th e
death of him who now lies he re . Who th e n could
have a better right than I had to contrive this deed
of blood ? I was my fath e r’s thirteenth child
,an d
,
be ing an infant in arms,I was drive n forth by Atre us
toge ther with him : b u t,notwithstanding
,I was reared
tomanhood, and Justice restored me to my land . And
although ye t a stranger to the palace, I laid my grasp
u pon th e King,by knitting the whole framework of this
H600
plan of e nmity . This being so,I cou ld e ve n we lcome 1 610
d e ath, Since I behold him in th e toils of retribution .
56 AGAM EM NON
CHOR . Ae gisthus , I have no respe ct for th e man whoinsults th e unfortunate. Thou avow e st , dost thou, to
have deliberately cause d his death,alone to have
plotted this pity-moving crime ? I warn thee,thou
shalt have thy due . Thou shalt not save thy head
from th e people’
s curses,e nforc e d by stoning.
AEGIST . Dost th c u thu s lift up thy voice— thou,sitting
at th e ne thermost oar, while th e spear is w ie lded by
those on the top be nche s ? Thou shalt find,old Sir,
1620how grievous at your age it is to be taught obedience.
Prison-bonds, and pangs of hunge r, combined with oldage, have a marve llous mystic power to heal pe rverse
n e ss. Are thine eyes not opened as thou lookest on
this ? Kick not against the goad,l e st pricking give
thee pain .
Cn on . (to Woman was this thy faithful
ness to those newly returned from w ar ? Entrusted
with the home , didst thou at once defile thy hu sband's
bed,and plot this mu rder against him, the army
’ s lord
[CLYTEMNESTRA remains sile nt.
AEGIST. That speech, too, is th e first parent of sorrow .
You r voice has the contrary effect to that of Orpheus .
1630H i s utterance dre w all after him with delight. But
thou,with thy foolish bark
,provokin g anger
,art lik e
to be dragged away. Howbe it, when once conquered ,thou wilt Show thyself more mild .
CHOR. Dost thou dre am, forsooth, to lord it over
Argive men , who, when thou hadst plotted th is man’
s
death,hadst not th e courage thyse lf to do th e murde r ?
AEDi sr. Craft clearly was the woman’
s part . I w as
58 AGAMEMNON
that thus it must be. If only this might prove enough
1660of misery, we would accept it, wounded as we are
disastrously with the malignity of Heaven“. So stands
my woman ’s counsel , he ed it whoso l ist .
AEDrSr. Nay to think that these men,te mpting the
Genius of the hour,should err from modest judgment
and break forth in idle reproache s, assail ing me with
words,in violation of authority.
CHOR. It would ill besee m Argive citizens to fawn
on villainy.
ABG IBT. I shall visit thee for this in days to come .
CRDR. Thy days to come shall not be many,if but
Heaven speed Orestes hitherward .
AEGIST. I know that hope is the exile’s daily food.
CHOR. Act it out, Since thou maye st P ollute
j ustice , and grow gre at.
1670 AEDisr. I tell thee, thou shalt pay me richly for this
folly.
CHOR. Ay, boast and fear not. The cock is vali ant
in presence of th e hen.
CLYT . Care not thou for their idl e noise Thou
and I , ruling this house together with supreme authority, will make all we ll .
T H E C H O E P H O R O E
L I B A T I O N - B E A RE RS
P ERSONS OF THE DRAM A
ORESTES.
P vLADES.
CHORUS of Trojan Captive s.
ELECTRA.
CLe M NEsrRA.
NURSE or ORESTES .
AEG ISTHUS.
SERVANT or AEGIS’I‘HUS.
AT‘
I‘
ENDANTS.
SCENE : Argos
A. Before the tomb of AgamemnonB. In front of the P alace of the P e lopidae .
Statu e s of HERMES and APOLLO P vrmu s are inthe foreground.
62 CHOEPHOROE
shall I be right in guessing that these women are
carrying l ibations in honour of my father— an offe ring
to appease th e dead ? That must be so ; for I se e
thatM Sister, come s on with them, con
spicuou s in her sad mou rning garb . O Zeus ! grant
that I may reve nge my father’S death, and be thou my
willing helper in the fight —Come , Pylades, le t us
20retire , that I may learn with certa inty what femalesupplication is before us here .
[They re tire . The Chorus e nte r w ith ELECTRA .
CHOR. I go from the palac e , vehem e ntly se nt forth,to accompany this l ibation with sharp sounds of smit
ing hands . My ch e ck is glowing with crimson furrows,
freshly ploughed thereon with lacerating nails,and
throughout all my days my heart feeds on lamentation,whi le
,by reason of my grief, the t e nding that destroys
the lin en woof resounds, as the folds of my raiment
30 that enshroud my breast are stricke n and torn, because
of gloomy sorrows . For P anic unmistakable,making
the hair to stand on end, dre am-proph e t of the palac e,bursting with rage out of the midst of slumber
, and
assailing violently the wome n’
s chambe r,raise d a loud
shout of te rror, that issued from th e royal close t at th e
d e ad of night. An d the inte rpreters of this vision,
b e ing made responsible to He ave n , spak e and said
40‘Those be ne ath th e ground are angrily d issatisfie d, and
cherish wrath against the murderers .’
On such a
grace less e rrand for the averting of ill (0 mother
Earth !) th e god-hated Queen in her eagerness se nds
me forth. Bu t I amafraid to utter such a message ;
CHoEPHOROE 63
for what redemption is there whe n blood hath dropped
upon th e ground ? O he arth, give n up to sorrow !
O house , that art doome d to de struction ! Sunle ss so
gloom of human hatred ? e nve lops th e palace by re ason
of its master’s d e ath . Th e aw e , that he re tofore w as
irre sistible , un subdue d, u nassailable , as it pe ne trate d
th e e ars andmind of th e whole people, is passing off,
and fe ar is e nte ring whe re the re w as no fe ar 3. For
mortals worship Prospe rity asmore than divine . But 60
th e stroke of Ju stice swiftly visits some who are still in
light,while th e punishment of othe rs gathe rs slowly in
th e glimm e ring twilight. Othe rs night ove rtake s
wi th their de stiny incomple te .
Because of blood once drained by Earth that nourishe d
it,the stain of blood that cries for ve nge ance stands
fast and will not pass away. Disaste r with soul—pie re
ing pain te ars h imto pie ce s who cau sed th e outbre akof th e far-ragingmalady . H e who hath once assaye d
to bre ak into th e bridal chambe r can find no
remedy,and all rivers u nited in on e cu rrent to dilute 70
th e stain of murde r on the hand would spe nd the ircle ansing powe r in vain . Howbe it, since th e Gods
brought an irre sistible fate to surrou nd our city,and
I w as take n frommy fath e r’s house into captivity,I,living thus unde r control, ambou nd to approve of
righte ous and u nrighte ou s courses,in spite of my own
thoughts, and to overcome th e bitte r abhorre nce of 80
my spirit . M e anwhile I we e p cove rtly be neath myve il, froze n at he art with se cre t sorrows, for mymaste r’s fall that is u nave nge d .
64 CHOEPHOROE
ELECTRA. Ye captive women,who attend to household
care s, Since ye are h e re to guide me in this act of supplication
,advise me how I must proc e e d . In she dding
on th e grave this libation to th e dead, how Shallmywords b e loyal ? what praye r must I address to myfathe r ? Sha ll I say that I bring this offe ring to a de ar
90husband froman affe ctionate wife , me aning from mymothe r ? I have not confide nc e for that, nor know I
how to spe ak in pouring ou t this draught upon my
fath e r's grave . Or shall I utte r the customary praye r,
that h e will make a due re turn to those who se nd the se
fune ral honours— me aning some gift that suits withthe ir ill-de se rt ? Or, after pouring it,— in sile nce and
dishonour, as my fathe r fe ll,— for th e earth to drink it
up, shall I de part, like on e who carrie s re fuse out,throwing th e vess e l be hind me, and turning not again
w e to look . Be Share rs with me in this de libe ration, Omy frie nds ! We are Share rs of a common Spirit ofhatre d in th e palac e yonder. H ide not your thought
wi thin your hearts from fear of any one. Th e same
destined hour awaits both the fre e man and him who
live s in subjection to a maste r’
s will. Speak on,if ye
have aught to offe r that is l e ft unsaid .
CHOR. I will spe ak at thy bidding, as my heartprompts me ; re ve re ncing, as if it we re an altar
,thy
fathe r’
s tomb.
ELECT. Say on, then, as thou dost revere my fathe r’s
burial-place .
CHOR. AS thou poure st th e libation, utte r words to
which loyal he artsmay liste n with respect .
66 CHOEPHOROE
from h e r womb, and re ars the m,and again rec e ive th
se e d from her own offspring. I too,in du ly pouring
1 30this lustral offe ring, say thus, appealing to my fathe r :
Have pity uponme,and provide some way for us to
bring our de ar Ore ste s home for, as it is, w e are home
less,outcast
,and sold away by our own mothe r, who as
our price hath take n,to be h e rmaster, Ae gisthus, h e r
accomplice in thy murder. My life is that of a Slave .
Ore ste s is e xi led from his patrimony, while the y in
du lge their pride , luxuriating in thy calamity’ 4
. My
praye r to thee, —hear it,0my father - is that Orestes
140may come with happy fortune hither. And grant to
me myself that my life may b e far more pure than mymothe r’s, and my hands more righteous .
Th e se praye rs are on our part. AS for our adve rsaries,I pray that thy ave nger, O my father, may appear tothem
,and that thy murdere rs may die a death of
righteous retribution . This evil prayer for the m inte r
rupts th e tenor of my holy praye r. Be it thine to
se nd us blessings from where thou art below, atte nded
with he avenly aid,and with th e power of Earth, and
with Righte ousness conferring victory .
The se praye rs I follow up with this libation, which
1 50 it be hoves you now to adorn with dirge s du e — chant
ing in honour of himwho is dead your auspicioushymn .
CHOR. Break sile nce 5, as ye send forth th e te ar to
perish over our perished lord, Since at this fortress,where good and evil are alike se cure 6, th e libation h as
bee n poured out, to avert the horror again st which w e
CHOEPHOROE 67
pray .H e ar thou my re ve re nt spee ch ; he ar it, O
our maste r, in thy shadowymin d !Oh ! w o e , w oe ! Whe re is th e mightyman of w ar
to re de e m th e hou se — a War-god that shall come 1 60
bran dishing in his hand the b e nde d Scythian bow in
action ,an d wi e lding th e weapon for close combat
graspe d by th e hilt ?
[While they are singing, ELECTRA se e s the lock ofha ir and take s it up . Sh e now come sforw ard,holding it.
ELECT. My fathe r hath now received the libation
which th e Earth has drained . But I would have you
share with me in a stran ge new matter which I haveto te ll .
CHOR . Spe ak on . My heart is bounding with sudden
alarm .
ELECT. I saw this curl of cut hair lying on th e tomb .
CHOR . Cu t fromwhose head ? A man’ s,or a de e p
zone d maid’
s
ELECT. There is nomystery in that. Any on e may
gue ss so mu ch .
Cn oa . Le t my age , the n, b e instructed by your
youth .
ELECT . Who is the re , unless I myse lf, who could have
offe re d it ?
CHOR. Tru e ! Those to whom e lse it might belongto offe rmou rn ing locks are e nemie s .ELECT. We ll ! this glossy curl is ve ry like
CHOR . To whose hair ? That is what I de sire to kn ow.
ELECT. M ost like to min e , if you compare them .
68 CHOEPHOROE
Cn oa . Co uld this then poss ibly be Orestes’ gift in
secret
ELECT. It most c e rtairfiy has the look of h is luxuri
an t hair.
CHOR . u t how cou ld he have dared to advance
1 80 ELECT . H e has sent this mourning token to grace
h is fathe r’s grave.
Cn oa . That idea relieves us not from weeping,if w e
are to think that he shall never set foot in Argolis .
ELECT. I , too, have surging at my he art a se a
of bitterness,and amsmitte n as with a hostile weapon
and from mine eye s are falling,not to be represse d ,
hot tears in a stormy shower,whe n I look upon this
curl . How could I imagin e that any othe r Argive
could possess this hair ? Yet sure ly she that slew my
I 9O father could not offer it, my mother, the mistress of
an impious mind towards h e r children, unworthy of
the name of moth e r. I know not how, indeed, I
should absolute ly affirm that this ornament h ad
graced the head of Orestes, dearest of the world to
me . But the hope thrillsme . Ah would that,l ike a
human me ssenger, it had a kindly voice For then I
should not b e thus shaken to an d fro with divers
thoughts —but it would have clearly told me either
to rej ect this lock as having be e n cut from a hatefu l
head,or as my brothe r’s it might have sorrowed with
200me, and so have adorn e d this tomb,and done honour
to our de ar fath e r.
I call the Gods to witness , for well they know,in
70 CHOEPHOROE
ELECT. Nay, but thou dost choose to mock at my
misfortu nes.
OREST. If I do, I mock atmy own likewise .
ELECT. Am I the n to speak to thee as very Orestes ?
OREST. You find it hard to know me when you se e
myse lf. Yet when you had seen this severed l k of
mou rning hair, and were scanning my foo tp 8, you
were all excitement,and imagined that you saw me
230 the re . Se t th e curl in the place whence it was taken and
consider it . I t is a curl from thy brothe r’
s h e ad, that
see me d conformable to those on thy own brow. And
look upon this cloth which thou didst weave . Obs e rve
the closeness of the weft,and the shapes embroidered
Contain thyse lf. Be not beside thyself with
joy We know of on e too near to us, whom we have
on it.
much cause to fe ar.
ELECT . O deare st obj e ct of care to thy fathe r’
s house,much-we pt-for hope of a Seed that shou ld not perish ,re lying on thy valour thou shalt win back thy fathe r
’
s
hall. Delight of mine eye s thou has t a fourfold
240part in me. For I mu st call thee ‘ Fathe r,’
and the
strain of love in me that should have be e n my mother’sis all thine — Since sh e i s utte rly abhorre d : and th e affe c
tion that b e longpd to our siste r, so cruelly sacrificed,that too is thin e . And all th e while thou artmy truebrother
,whom I re ve re . Onlymay Victory and Right
b e on thy side , toge the r with him,— third name d, but
highe st in powe r,— th e Saviour, Ze us
OREST. O Ze us, le t thine e ye be hold what is passing
here ! Lo ok upon th e orphane d brood of the eagle
CHOEPHOROE 71
Etc c . w 0 re d"
sire , who as entangl e d and slain in th e coils of th e
M 6 9 “d e adly se rp
/
ent. [Eli e in t e ir b e re aveme nt are
famishe d with hunge r s for the y are not ye t fu ll 250
grown,so as to bring home to th e e yrie their he re di
ta“N TI
G
ERso thou ma st be holdme and Ele ctraI'
Y pre y. V y
h e re , a fathe rle ss offspring, both e quallyau tcgs
’
gfrom
“
our native home . And if thou suffe re st to po
e rish t’
lifaS‘
e
w
you nglings of h imwho sacrificed to the e and honoure dthe e so highly, wh e nce shalt thou have h e re afte r th e
prize of rich ban qu e ts from a lik e lib e ral hand ? If
thou le tte st thine e agl e’s race b e brought to nought,
thou canst no more send forth th e toke ns which ove r
aw e mankind — an d if this ste m of sove re ignty shou ld 260
b e withe re d u tte rly away , thine altars will not have
th e su pport it re nde rs to themon sacrific ial days. If
thou wilt te nd it, thou shalt raise from lowness to an
e xalte d state a family which now se ems quite to have
falle n .
CHOR. 0 children, 0 re storers of your fathe r’ s
he arth,— de ar childre n, spe ak not aloud, l e st some on e
ove rhe ar you,
an d with a wanton tongue re port all
that you are sayi n g to those in pow e r. M ay I someday b e hold themexpiring amidst th e pitchy ooze ofconflagration
OREST. Most ce rtainly th e mighty oracle of Loxiaswill not failme , that hath bidde n me to carry this 270adve nture through
,adding loud d e nu n ciation an d
me n ace of stormy trouble s to ve x my living sou l,shou ld I not visit those gu ilty of my fathe r
’s de ath ;d e claring that I must slay them in re quital afte r the
72 CHOEPHOROE
same manner, being stun g to frenzy by th e wrong of
confiscation . And h e said that I,myse lf, should pay
for this in my own spirit,and should suffer many dark
afflictions.
For he proclaimed it to the world, that th e ground
should give forth such produce as Should comfort my
230enemies, whil e diseases should be min e , climbing upon
my flesh,to devour it crue lly
,a cance r that Should eat
away its primal substance , and that my te mples should
grow grey under this trouble . And he spake of othe r
assau lts of the Erinyes,that should b e accomplished
in consequence of my fathe r’s mu rd e r, —cle ar~ sighted
evils that move their e yes even in darkness 7. For the
vie wless shaft of the powe rs below that come s from
suppliant souls of kinsmen unn aturally sla in, and
frenzy and vain fears in the night-time should shake
290and harass me, and my body, with de grading marksfrom th e brazen scourge, should be expe lle d from
the city . A man so forbidde n has no claim to share
in the wine-bowl or th e liquor of libation . And fromth e altars my father
’
s invisible wrath shou ld drive meoff
,and no man should rece ive me or share my lodging.
Unhonoured of allme n , and without a fri e nd, I shou ld
di e at le ngth , shrive lle d up with th e misery of an
utte rly de stroying fate .
Sure ly on e is bound to rely on such an oracle as
this ; and though I did not re ly on it, the act must still
be performed . For many impuls e s coincide in on e ;
300th e God’s commandment
,my de e p sorrow for my
father,and withal th e lack of substance force s me on
74 CHOEPHOROE
as suppliants and as exiles. What happiness is there
in all this ? What else but w oe ? Will Calamity ever
be overcome
34° Cn on . A god, if he so will, may even out of this lowstate set up the occasion for more auspicious sounds.
Instead of lamentation over a tomb,the hymn of glad
ness in the royal halls should accompany the newly
welcomed fri e nd 10
OREST. Would that, O my sire, thou hadst been slain
with a spear-wound from some Lycian before th e wallsof Troy ! For then thou wouldst have l e ft a gloriou s
350renown in thy hall, and having e stablished, for thy
children to walk in,a life admire d of men , thou
shou ldst have occupied thy lofty barrow of e arth
be yond the sea , not burd e nsome to thy home .
Cn oa. Dear to his friends who di e d nobly ove r
there,he h ad be e n distin gui shed in the lower realm
with high prerogative,as fore most amongst the
ministers of the great Sove reigns the re be neath . For
360 in his life time he was indeed a king, fulfilling power
fu lly his de stin ed place of command, and wielding a
sceptre that was obe ye d byme n .
ELECT . I would not,father, have h ad thee buried
be side Scamande r-stream,or slain among those who
fell in th e war under the walls of Troy. Nay, e re it
came to that,I would that his murdere r h ad so falle n
370 in some death-bringing doom, that w e might have
heard of it from far away, and never have known this
affliction.
Cn on . Therein,daughte r, thou hast u ttered what
CHoEPHOROE 75
we re be tte r than gold e n ,a pie ce of more than Hype r
bore an happin e ss . Thou mayest u tte r it !me anwhileth e re is lashing u s this shrill an d tw ofold scou rge
Th e h e lpers of on e faction are bu ri e d beneath, while
th e de e ds of this hate fu l rul ing faction are impure .
And th e younge r ge n e ration find it more than e v e r
so 1 1
OREST. That pie rce s through mine e ar, as if it we re 380an arrow. 0Z e u s
,thou s e nde st forth calamity in late
re qu ital for th e ruthl e ss wick e d violence ofme n , an dit shal l b e accomplish e d, though upon a pare n t .
Cn oa . May it b e mine to raise the shril ling shou t ofe xultation whe n th e man is smitte n and th e woman ’
s
life is de stroye d Whe re fore shou ld I ke e p hidden
what sti ll is hoverin g at my heart ? Which way I 390
move,e ve r blowing at th e prow the re bu ffe tsme this
tempe st of ke en indign ation , this irremovable abhorren ce .
ELECT. Ay ; when will Ze u s, bl e ssing both ou r you ng
live s , bring down his han d (ah w oe l), cl e aving the ir
he ads asund e r ? Would that faith were k e pt with ou r
land ! I re qu ire justice to b e e xacte d from th e unright
e ou s. H e ar this, 0Earth ; he ar it, worshippe d powersbe low
Cu oa . It is th e e ve rlastin g rule that, when th e d e ath 400
drop falls to Earth,it demandsmore blood . De stru c
tion call s alou d upon th e Fury who brings down
e ve r fre sh calamity upon calamity sen t forth by thoseforme rly slain .
OREST. Woe ! ye sovereigns of the nethe r world '
76 CHOEPHOROE
O mighty curses of th e slain,be hold and se e this
remnant of the house of Atreus in deep distress and
humbled before their own palace-hall . O Ze us ! whi ch
w ay are we to turn ?
Cn oa . Again my he art within me shudders w h e n I
hear that piteous cry, and then one while I am in
despair,and my inmost core grows dark in liste ning to
the strain ; and then again, as I look on thy youthful
might, my confide nce returns and banishes that sense
of sorrow, turning it to nought.
ELECT. What should w e rightly speak of ? should we
utter the wrongs we have suffe re d at a mother'
s hand
+20 Fawn on us as sh e may, the sore is open still . Like a
wolf of savage heart,our anger is not to be soothe d by
ourmother’
s care ss.
Cn on . I mourne d wildly in P ersian-wise with h e atingof the breast, l ike a Cissian woman ; my hands dealt
blows , now here , now the re , with closed fist,in qu ick
succession , raised on high, and with the noise mv
wretche d batte re d h e ad was d e afe ned .
ELECT. 0mothe r, rife with e nmity, shrinking from430no crime , with fun e ral as of a foe thou couldst burythe Prince without his citize ns, thy husband nu
lame nted,without any mourning train.
OREST. All thou tellest me, alas ! is full of shame .
Bu t for that de spite to our fath e r shall sh e not pay, by
virtue of the Deitie s and by virtu e of our right hands ?
Might I but once cut off thos e guilty ones, I could
willingly die .
Cn on. M oreove r I tell you this : h e was mutilated ;
CHOEPHOROE
Oh,inborn trouble of the race, 0discordant death
ful note struck by calamity O lam e ntable intolerable
470care s ! O sorrow not to b e assuaged !
LEADER or Cn on . Re dress li es within the house,as
l int li es within the wound ; not to be procure d from
others abroad, but from yourse lves, in satisfying crue l
gory Strife . This hymn is addressed to the Gods
below th e ground.
Cnoa . O blessed ones beneath, give ear to this
supplication,and with zealous thoughts send to your
children succou r that shall end in victory .
OREST. O father, who wast slain in no kingly wise,430giveme ,
I pray the e, authority to rule thy mansion .
ELECT. I too, my fathe r, beg thee in like manner,that I may wreak condign ve ngeance on Aegisthu s
On sa'r . So customary feasts in honour of thee shall
be establishe d in the land b u t if thou wilt not do it,
thou shalt find thyself, alone of the feastful dead ,unhonoured with savour of burnt sacrifice .
ELECT. And I will bring forth from our paternal hall,
of my own bridal portion, libations in thy honou r on
my day of marriage, and I will pay homage to this thy
tomb before all else.
OREST. 0 Earth, rele ase my father, that he maywatch over this encounter !
490 ELECT. P e rsephone, grant to us victorious might !
OREST. My father, recollect th e bath whe rein th ou
wast cut off
ELECT. Ye a, call to mind how thou wast caught with
a strange net
CHOEPHOROE 79
OREST. Bound foot and hand,my father
,with
manacl e s not of brass
ELECT. And in a shrou d of bas e con triving
OREST. Is thy Spirit roused with these re proach e s ,father
ELECT. And dost thou raise e rect thy beloved h e ad ?
OREST. Eith e r s e n d forth Justice , to give succou r to
thy frie n ds,or grant that the ymay have a like advan
tage in the struggle ove r thin e e ne mies,if thou
wou ldst w in victory in retu rn for that where with thou
wast su bdu e d .
ELECT. H e ar,O my fathe r, on ce more this last cry . 500
Be hold this brood of thin e , here knee ling b e fore thy
tomb,an d le t the irmale an d femal e voices
,as the y are
ble nde d in lamentation ,move thy compassion .
OREST. Let not this se e d of th e Pe lopidae b e blottedou t. For whi le the y live, thou dost not perish eve n
though slain .
ELECT. For children are th e preservative s of th e dead
man’s name they are like th e corks that kee p th e n e t
afloat,sustain ing th e flaxe n cord in th e deep se a .
OREST. H e ar us This piteou s lame ntation is on thy
b e half : which if thou honourest,thou thyse lf art
vin dicate d .
Cn oa . In truth, this long-protracte d lament cann ot 510be blame d, wh e re with ye have worshippe d at th e
grave hithe rto unhonoure d . But now for what re
mains, since thy sou l h as tak e n its fu ll be n t, b e it thineto act
,an d prove what is th e pu rpose of D e stin y.
OREST. That shall b e done . But it li e s full in my
80 CHOEPHOROE
way to inquire ,— For what cause sent sh e the libation ?
Moved by what circums tance did she se e k,too late , to
atone with the se honours for an irrevocable wrong ?
It was a wretched grace that thus was offered to th e
unconscious dead — I cannot conjecture why. In any
case, it fell far sa srt of her transgression. Libation s,520no matter how or when, poured in recompense for a
s ingle death,are labour in vain . That is the simple
truth . But if you know and will explain this to me,I
shall b e glad.
Cu oa. I know, my son, for I was present . It was in
conseque nce of a dream ,and a sudde n fe ar in th e night
time which had shaken her, that the impiou s woman
sent this l ibation .
OREST. And did you hear the nature of th e dream ?
Can you describe it clearly ?
Cn oa . She dreamt that she gave birth to a serpent
so she said .
OREST. And what is th e end or issue of th e tal e ?
Cn oa . She said that she arranged it as an infant with
swaddling-bands .
530 OREST. An infant craving for what food , - th e n e w
born monste r
CHOR . She hers e lf gave it the breast in her dream.
OREST. Surely th e dug could not fail to b e wounded
by th e horrid thing ?0
Cn oa . It was wounded so that the milk th e cre ature
dre w was stained with blood .
OREST. That vision cannot be in vain .
Cn oa. Moreove r, in h e r alarm, she waked and cried
as CHOEPHOROE
frie nd and ally. We shall both of us assume the speech
of the Parnassian high lands, imitating the accent of th e
Phocian tongue and so it will be,that, since the house
is visited with a strange affliction, no one at th e door
will welcome us with che e rful gree tings . But we shall
linge r there, till some one passing by shall wonderingly
570 say : Wherefore doth Ae gisthus, if inde ed he is at
home,and knows of this, keep the suppliant outside
his doo rs ? At all events, if once I shall cross th e
thre shold of the courtyard gate , and find him upon my
father's seat, or should h e come in afterwards,and for
a moment stand before my face, appearing e ye to eye,ere h e shall have time to say, Wh ence are you I
shall make him a corpse, having spitted him with a
swift pass of my ke en we apon .— Th e Erinys, not
stinte d of bloodshed, shall drink a third draught of
unmingled gore“5 Now therefore (to Bu rma) do thouS80 carefully watch ove r what goes on within, that this
device may exactly answer its inte ntion. And you I
charge (to Cn oaus), to bear a discreet tongue, keeping
silence when you ought, and saying what befits the need.
The rest I le ave to H is watchfu l care , whose presence I
invoke , and whom I pray to dire ct and prospermy armedenterprise 16. [Exe u nt ORESTES, PYLADES, and ELECT RA .
Cn oa. Earth nourishes an abundant brood of sad
and terrible things, and the De ep e nfolds in his embrace
590 dangerous monsters innumerable. Also th e fires from
on high come near, and both winged creature s an d
those that walk th e ground may tell of the angry
vehe mence of wind and storm . But who may express
CHOEPHOROE 83
th e e normity of human pride , and th e uncontrolled
passion of daring woman-kind, joine d with fatal infatuation Th e love of wome n turning to hat e wrongfully 600pre vails ove r house hold fe llowship throughou t the
living world. Let h imbear witn e ss to this who is notfrivolous in his thoughts, wh e n he h as learn e d th e
torch-kindling d e vice , which th e wre tche d daughte r
of The stiu s contrive d, whe n she burn e d to th e e nd th e
ru ddy brand whose b e ing w as exactly m e asure d with 610
h e r son’s,fromth e mome nt when h e le ft his mothe r’s
womb,and u tte red his first cry, throughou t his e xist
e nce , un til the day that should determine his fate .
Le t u s u tte r ou r abhorre nce of her too, Scylla, th e crue l
daughte r, who, taking part with his enemies, destroyed
on e most de ar to h e r, tempted the re un to by th e Cre tan
ne cklace forge d of gold, the gift of Min os . Sh e se ve re d 620
from Nisus the lock of immortality— the he artless
creature — in his unsuspecting sleep ; and H e rme s
overtook h im.
Now since we have dwelt on harsh troubles,— calling
to min d the love l e ss, i ll-assorte d spousal, which th e
house abomin ates,and the plottings of d e ep female
thought,— (all re ve re nce attache s to th e armed warrior,th e man whose ange r is b e nt against his foe s but le t
th e domestic he arth be without such heat,if it is to
w in my worsh ip,—le t th e fe male spirit shrink from 630
viole n t acts”) — Of trou ble s, I re pe at,th e Lemnian
horror hath th e chie f plac e in story, a disaste r at once
lamente d an d abhorred z— each re cu rrin g t e rror of the
world is like n e d to the Lemnian w o e . Un de r su ch
84 CHOEPHOROE
God-abominated curse th e race of mortals, lost to
honour,withers away. For none reveres what th e Gods
hate .-Are not all my instances we ll chose n ?
640 But there is a sword approaching th e breast that
woundeth pie rcingly with an unerring stroke , by the
J agency of Justice . For the sin of one who un law q y
transgresses against the sovereign maj e sty pf Zeus is
not trodden underfoot,but rises up for judgeme nt.
The anvil-block of Justic e is firmly laid,and Fate is
forging the re the sword for exe cution . Sh e l e ads the
650Son of Venge ance home , and th e Erinys , of unfathom
able thoughts, winning renown after long laps e of tim e ,
procure s repayme nt of the guilt of former bloodshed .
SCENE B. Before the P alace -gate .
Ente r ORESTES, w ith Pru ne s, disguised.
OREST. Ho, porter ! answer when I knock thus at the
outer door. Again I ask, porter ! who is at home ?
Once more, the third time , I summon some one forth,ifwarlike Aegisthu s keeps here a hospitable house .
PORTER. 0 ye s ! I hear. What countryman are
you ? Whe nce are you come
OREST. Announce me to those who are the masters
660here . To them I come , bringing strange tidings . And
be quick, for Night’
s dark chariot is haste ning, and it is
time for travellers to drop anchor in some hospitable
haven . Let some one with full authority come forth,
— mistre ss if so b e , — though master were more b e fit
ting ; for then conve rsation is not obscured with shame
86 CHOEPHOROE
O curse upon this mansion, hard to overcome ! How
much that se e med carefu lly laid out of thy way thou
hast notwithstanding visited, subduing them from far
with thine unerring shafts All-hapl e ss that I am, thouart bereaving me of all that I held dear. Ore stes now
had providently withdrawn h is foot from the slough of
destru ction . Bu t to day this only hope we had for
remedying the furious re velry that possessed our hall ,come s home with you and is annihilated 13.
OREsT . It would have pl e ase d me be tt er to have
made th e acquaintance of such prosperous frie nds, as a
bringer of good tidings ; for what more kindly link is
there than that which binds th e guest to his e nter
tain e rs Howbeit I felt it would be a breach of
religious duty were I to fail in performing this office for
my good friends,w h e n I had undertaken it and had
be e n so well re c e ived .
CLV’
I‘
. You shall none the less b e treated according
to your full deserts,nor are you l ike ly to be l e ss welcome
in this house. Anothe r messenger might equally have
brought the news . Bu t it is the hour wh e n strangers
who have trave lled all day should have som e comfort
after the ir long journey. (To an atte ndant.) Take him
into our hospitable men’
s apartments,toge th e rwith this
his followe r and fe llow-trave lle r, and the re le t the m
have what shall supply their pe rsonal n e ed . I bid you
do this under pain of ou r disple asure . M e an w h ile l
will impart this news to the master of th e house , an d,
with good friends to aid us,w e will de libe rate over thi s
disaste r. [Exe unl se ve rally .
CHOEPHOROE 87
CHOR . D e ar captive s e rvants of the palace, when 720
shal l w e di splay our power of voice in cel e brating
Oreste s
Earth,re vere d Godd e ss, and thou, steep side of the
aw e - inspirin gmound that dost cove r the royal person ofhim who led the fleet, h e ar this our cry now succour
us ; for now is th e moment whe n guileful Persuasionshould e nter th e l ists along with our he ro, and when
H e rme s of th e shades should make cl e ar the w ay
for th e e ncoun ter of th e fatal sword .
LEADER or CHOR . It would s e e m that the foreign 730
man hath bee n contrivin g mischief ; for h e re I se e th en u rse of Ore ste s all in te ars . Wherefore
,Cilician
handmaid , com’
st thou towards the palace-gate,while a
gri e f that non e have hired is th e compan ion of thy w ay?
NURSE . Our mistre ss bids summon Aegisthus with allspe e d to m e et the stranger-me n , that he may comean d learn more ce rtainly, b e ing a man
,from a man’ s
mouth,this tidings re ce ntly annou nced . With us
dome stics sh e made a frowning cou nte nance,hiding
within h e r e ye s h e r laughter ove r what hath b e fal le n,so happily for her, —although for this man sion u tte r 740
mise ry is th e cons e quence of th e n e ws which th e
strange r-me n have clearly told . Most sure ly b e,whe n
h e he ars it, will have a cheerfulmind,on l e arning the
import of th e tale .
Un happy that I am,how d e eplymy soul within me
hath fe lt th e stre ss of those intole rable woe s that fromof old have accumu late d in this hou se of Atre us But
n e ve r ye t e ndured I su ch a sorrow as this . My he art
88 CHOEPHOROE
bore up against the rest, in suffering them; but myb e love d Ore stes — o ver whom I wore out my heart
,and
75° nursed him up eve n from his mother’ s womb
,minister
ing to him at many a shrill cry that broke my rest 19 .
Yea,many troublous things I had to bear that profited
me not. For the senseless infant must be tended, l ike
a calf ; of course it must. You must have your wi ts
about you For your child in arms cannot express h imself
,whether it be hun ger or thirs t or some oth e r
want that presses on him . The young body re lieves
itse lf at will. Having to act as prophe t of all this,
— o n e often falsified, I trow -in washing the child's
760garments, I acted as nurse and washe r-woman at once .
I then, fulfilling the se diverse offi ces, re ared Ore ste s
for his father. And now,to my unhappine ss, I learn
that he is dead . And I am going to find th e man who
has polluted this abode . Will ing enough will he be to
l earn what I have to tell .
CROR. How, then, does she bid him come arrayed ?
NURSE . What say you ? Repeat it,that I may
understand you bette r.
CHOR . I mean, wh e ther with his gu ards or by him
self alone ?
NURSE . She bids him bring his spearmen and fol
lowers .
77° CHOR. Now,do not carry this command to our
abhorred master ; but bid him come alone (he will be
less alarmed at he aring that), and to come qu ickly .
Do so with a Che e rful mind. A hidden meaning
prospers when a me ssenger is faithful .
90 CHOEPHOROE
Hear ye,too
, P owers, that with one mind wi thin
th e palace haunt the luxurious inner chambers. Wash
out the stain of ancient bloodshed with a fresh act of
righteousness . Le t aged Crime no longer beget h is
like ne ss in the palace ! And, 0 thou 23 that dwellestin the we ll-builded cavernous holy place
,grant that
the home of thy friend may look up ch e e rq y again ,and may see th e we lcome light of liberty, the gloomy
810veil being remove d .
And le t Maia’
s son,as rightfully he ought
,take
part in this attempt, s ince, when h e favou rs a design ,his breath best makes it to prosper. I speak mys
t e riou sly24; he ve il s his eyes wi th darkn e ss in th e
night-time,and in th e daylight he moves no le ss
invisibly.
Then, as w e cele brate our re le ase from terror, we
820shall utte r to the world loud female st rains accompanying th e ordered cause, and, chiming therewith, also a
note of lame ntation 25 . All goeth well : this ac t in
cre ase th our advantage, and calamity is re moved from
those I love .
Thou (to ORESTES w ithin), wh e n the mome nt for thypart shall have arrive d, intrepidly shouting thy fathe r
’ s
name to her whe n she crie s, O my child carry to the
830 bitter end th e disastrous but ofi'
e n ce le ss de ed . Ke e p
ing in thy bre ast the firm he art of P ers e us, enac t, both
for thy friends below the ground and thos e o n Earth
above,a kindness that is fraught with me lancholy
rage , fill ing thine own heart with homicidal horror, but
de stroying those who we re th e guilty cause of de ath .
CHOEPHOROE
Ente r AEG ISTHUS .
AEGIST . I com e in an swer to a m e ssage summon
ingme . I amtold that c e rtain fore igne rs have broughtstrange tidings
,— in no wise to b e desire d
,— no othe r 840
than the de ath of Ore ste s . This would involve that
th e hou se must be ar again a bloodstain e d burde n ,
wh e n alre ady pa in e d an d bl e e ding with form e r viole n t
de aths . How amI to ju dge of this as actually tru e ?
or are wome n he aping u p the ir panic-strick e n imaginin gs
,that flourish only to die away ? 26 What have you
to say thatmay re solve my doubts herein ?CHOR . We he ard the tale but pass thou within and
inquire at th e strange rs’ own lips . Inte rme diarie s
are of no e ffect compare d with learning at first 850
han d .
AEGIST. I wou ld se e the messenger,and question him
again,wheth e r h e was himse lf close by as an e ye
witne ss of th e d e ath, or re p e ats what h e has h e ard
fromsome fain t rumou r. He will not d e ce ive a mind
that is ope n -eye d . [Exit AEG ISTHUS .CHOR . O Ze u s
,what shall I spe ak ? whe re with shall
I b e gin thi s praye r and this appe al to H e ave n ? How
shall words e xpre ss aright my loyalty of sou l ? For 860
n ow th e e dge 27 of th e sword which sl e w th e he ro ,be in g staine d afre sh
,Shall e ithe r ru in Agamemnon ’
s
offspring u tte rly for eve rmore , or,kindlin g a radiant
fire to c e l e brate fre e dom,this hou se shall re cove r its
wide -ru ling powe r and we alth that flows to it fromform e r ge ne ration s.
92 CHOEPHOROF.
In such a wrestling-match, Orestes, with no seconder,i s about to cope with his two adversaries. May it end
in victory for him !
AEGIS‘I‘. (w ithin ). Oh oh !
CROR. Ah ! woe is me — Ye t anothe r cry ! How
goes it ? What hath been decide d there ? Stand we
apart while the issue is determined,that w e may se em
innocent of this deed of harm . Even now,methinks
,
the conflict is over.
Ente r a SERVANT.
SERv. Woe , woe unutterable Our master is stru ck
down. Woe , yet again ! I cry it forth the thi rd tim e ,Aegisthus is no more. Open the gate quickly. Uri -I
bolt the doors of th e women'
s chamber. Strong!
880 re scuers are ne e ded z— not in dee d for succour to .,the
slain . How should that be ? So-h o !
I am shouting to d e af ears, and b ow l in vain to
people in de e p slumber. Where is Clytemnestra ?
What doeth she For it would seem her neck is soon
to fall upon the block“!8 and receive the stroke ofrighteous retribution.
CLYT . (re -e nte ring). What is the matter ? What
means this h u e and cry thou art raising in the house ?
SERv. It means that the dead are slaying, and that
the living are being slain .
CLYT . Alas ! I unde rstand thy riddle. “fe‘
are to
perish by an act of gui l e,eve n as w e sl e w. A laboure r
’
s
890axe ! Where is it ? Qu ickly give it here ! Let
us know if we conquer or are conquered. That is
94 CHOEPHOROE
CLYT . Th e power of Fate was answerable for that act,0my child .
OREST. Then it is Fate who mu st answer for this
doom likewise .
CLYT . Child, have a parent's curses no aw e for thee ?
OREST. You w e re my pare nt,and the n re cklessly
e xpose d me to misfortune .
CLvT . Was it re ckle ss to se nd the e to th e home ofan ally ?
OREST. I was base ly bargained away— I that was so
nobly born .
CLYT . Where then is the price I took for the e ?
OREST. Shame forbids me to utter that reproach
distinctly.
CLYT . Nay, but tell in the same breath your fa the r'
s
indi scretions too.
OREST. Accuse not himwho labours while you sitqu ie tly indoors.
CLYT . A lon e ly life is a hard trial for women, 0myson.
OREST. Bu t it is th e man’s toil that supports them
sitting at the ir case within .
CLYT . Child, I see that thou w ilt de stroy thy mothe r.
OREST. It is not I, but thou that wilt d e stroy thyself.
CLvT . Look to it ! Be ware of thy moth e r’s aveng
ing Furie s
OREST. Bu t how shall I escape my fathe r’
s Furies, if I
negle ct this act ?
CLYT . My appeal is in vain,like the dirge of th e
liv ing at a de ad man ’s grave .
CHCEPHOROE 95
OREST. It ismy father’s doomthat de cide s th e que s
tion of thy de ath .
CLYT . Alas ! I bare thi s se rpe n t, and I re are d h im!OREST. Tru ly proph e tic w as th e te rror in spire d by
thy dre am.
[H e se iz e s CLYTEMNESTRA, w ho loohsjie rce ly at him.
Thy d e e d of blood w as horribl e — and horrible shall 930
b e th e mann e r of thy d e ath.
[They are w ithdraw n on th e Ehhyclema and the
gate s are closed.
V LEADER or CHOR . I mou rn inde e d for th e twofold
down fall of those now slain . Y e t sin ce Ore ste s,sad
though his fortun e is, hath rise n atop of this se a of
blood,it is ou r de lib e rate choice that this light of th e
royal dwe lling should not b e u tt e rly e xtinguishe d.
CHOR. On th e son s of Priamin cours e of time camere tribu tion, with a crushing pe nalty . And to th e homeof Agame mnon too is come a twofold lion
,a twofold
Spirit of War.
H e spare d not to fulfil his course , the e xile sent on 940
his re turn with oracle s from Pytho by th e well
conside re d cou nse ls of th e Gods.
Raise the glad shout for th e e scape of ourmaste rs ’
hall frommise ry, and fromth e wasting of his goods
by th e ill-guided prospe rity of two pollute rs of th e
home !H e too 29 is he re who takes in charge th e s e cre t
e n cou nte r, to bring abou t th e craftily-de vise d pe nalty.
But in th e actu al fray who b u t th e tru e daughte r of
th e H ighe st guid e d th e ave nge r’
s arm? H e r name 950
96 CHOEPHOROE
amongst us mortals,rightly naming her, is Justice ;
and she breathe s destroying anger upon her foe s.
The oracle that Loxias, lord of Parnassus, occupying
the great hollow of th e e arth above th e Omphalos,
gave forth, now brings to pass the guileful harm tha t
long hath tarried. And how should the counsel 30 of
God be ove rborne and made subservient to e vil ? On e
960must bow b e fore the authority that rules the sky. Th e
light is shining visibly,and th e great curb that gall e d
the house hold is remove d . Arise , O dwe lling-place !
Too long hast thou lain grovelling upon th e e arth .
Soon shall the tim e of fu ll accomplishment pass th e
porch-way of the palace,when from the hearth all
pollution shall have been drive n away,with purgation
that expels calami ty , and fortune shall breathe in a
970manner lovely to behold on those who cry, ‘ Th e
usurpers of the palace are fallen in their turn th e
l ight is shining visibly .
’
[ORESTES is discovered on the Ehltyclema, w ith the
de ad bodie s of AEmsrRUS and CLYTEMNESTRA .
Th e w e b w ith w hich CLYTEMNESTRA had e ntangledAGAMEMNON is laid be side them.
OREST. Behold ye the se j oint tyrants over th e land,who slew my fath e r and have made havoc of our hom eThey we re kin d before -time when they sat upon their
thrones,and they are friends now also as on e may
guess by th e ir condition . The oath of their coven
ant is not broken . Th e y swore a league to kill my
unhappy fathe r and to di e toge ther, and this is done
980as the y have sworn . (H e lifts th e w e b .) Behold, more
CHOEPHOROE
CROR. Alas ! alas ! for thes e unhappy dee ds !
Dreadful was th e death that ende d thee ! Ah ! And
sorrow is at h e ight for the survivor.xoxo OREST . Did she the deed or not ? This weft bears
me witness how the sword of Aegisthus crimsoned it.
The stain of blood hath j oined with th e lapse of time
in spoil ing the hues on much of the embroide ry .
Now am I indeed move d to speak of my father’
s
renown”,now I lament him as if I saw himdie an d as
I address myself to this web that murde red him, I am
full of pain for what is done and suffere d, and for our
whole race,po lluted as I feel myse lf by this unenvied
triumph .
[H e re sume : the w e b and the Ehhyclema is w ithdraw n .
CHOR . None of human mould shall pass his life
throughout exe mpt from crime and disaste r. Ah
1020and of sorrows one is coming ; anothe r is to come .
[ORESTES now e nte rs w ith an olive branch andfi lle t
in his hand.
OREST. Come, le t me say it to you, —(for I know not
what the end will be. I am like a chariote er whose
ste eds are sw e rving out of the cou rse . My spirit,
bre aking from control, overbears and carriesme away,
while Te rror be gins pre lu ding to my heart,that be ats
in unison,and danc e s to hismusic).— Whil e I kee p my
se n se , I de clare this to all who love me - In slaying
my mother, I had right upon my side . For,be ing my
father’
s murderess she pollute d th e land and provoked
the abhorre nce of the Gods . But more than all, as
CHOEPHOROE 99
having drawn me on to this violence , I dwell upon th e
fact that the Prophet of Delphi, Loxias himself, gave 1030
i t out that if I did this I shou ld be fre e from evil
accu sation ; b u t if I let it pass, - I will not repeat th e
penalty. No archer’s arrow could reach to such a
height of w o e .
And now,b e hold
,I go arme d with this olive branch
and fill e t to approach th e central se at of Earth,the
ground whe re Loxias abides, and whe re th e flame
lightens that is calle d impe rishable,— to defe nd my
cause for this kindred blood-Sheddi ng. Loxias e n
joined me that I should not b e take myself to anyoth e r sanctuary .
For the rest, I aver that all the Argives and Mene laus
in course of time shall h e ar me testimony how all thise vil came abou t 33.I go forth a wanderer, outcast fromthis land, but
le aving behind me this my declaration, whether I live
or die .
CHOR . Nay, but thou hast achieved gloriously. Yoke
not thy tongue to evil forebodings, nor revil e thou
thine own act . Thou hast se t at liberty th e whole
Argive state by severing at a blow the he ad of the
twofold se rpent .
OREST. Ah ! Captive women ! Here they come
in th e garb of Gorgons,dark-stoled, their locks thickly;
entwined with snake s. I must b e gon e .
CHOR . Thou who in filial love art of all men best
approve d, what fan cie s trouble thee ? Stay ; be not
ove rborne with terror !
1050
100 CHOEPHOROE
OREST. This is no fancied trouble that oppre sses me .
0
Here,unmistakable, I see the Furies of my moth e r
’s
revenge.
CHOR. Yea,the blood on thy hands is yet uncleansed.
That is the cause of the disorder that assails thy mind .
OREST. 0King Apollo ! They multiply. I see th e m
there . Gory hatre d is dripping from the ir eyes.
CHOR. One way of cleansing is thine . Go near to
1060Loxias, and he shall free the e for eve r from this sorrow.
OREST . Ye se e not these forms . Bu t I behold them.
I am driven forth . I may not stay .
LEADER or CHOR . Th e n fare thou happily. May he
that watches ove r the e divinely guard thee in a course
of prosperou s fortune
CROR. Now a third tempest hath blown with a
mighty 34 blast on this royal roof and is gone by. Th e
first was the feast of wretched Thyestes on his chil
1070dre n’
s flesh . The second was the murder of a royal
husband. He who le d the war for th e Achae ans w as
stricken down within the bath and there dest roye d .
And now is arrived upon a strange mi ssion a third
comer— shall I call him Saviour,or Destroye r
,or
Destiny ? Where shall th e force of calamity find its
issue ? When shall it be lulled to re st and change
and cease ?
THE DRAM A
THE PYTHONEss.
ORESTES.
GHOST or CLYTEMNESTRA.
CHORUS or FURrEs.
ATHENA.
TWELVE AREOPAGKTES .
ATT ENDANTme Rs.
SCENE.
B. The Acropolis at Athe ns .
EU M EN ID E S
SCENE A . Before the shrin e ofApollo at D e lphi.
HE PYTHONESS (discove red). First to be adored in
this my praye r, as first in honou r, shall b e th e
Earth-godde ss, e lde st of divine rs . The mis comes next,for sh e (so one strain Of lege nd te lls) succeeded, as
Earth’s daugh te rl,to thi s oracular seat. Th ird, by con
se nt Of The mis,all viole nce apart, another Earth-born
Titan e ss,P hoebe , sate here e nthroned. Sh e resigne d
h e r right by giving it to P hoebus,her nam e sake , on his
birth . He, l e aving th e De l ian rock that is e ncircl e d by
th e sea, and lan ding whe re Pallas holds the ship-visite d
shore , came on hither to occupy this Parnassian land .
H e w as worsh ipped highly,an d conducte d on his way
by children ofH e ph ae stu s,make rs of roads, b e fore whomthe savage ground be comes tame . On his arrival here,th e pe ople , with D e lphos, h e lmsman of th e country,at the ir he ad, paid h improfound homage . And Ze u s,his sire , inspiring his heart with divine skill, installe d
him as the fourth posse ssor of this prophe tic throne .
H e re Apollo Loxias sits, th e Interprete r of Zeus, his
Fathe r. These Powe rs I name in comme ncing my 20
praye r. And I yi eld honour also to Pallas of th e ante103
104 EUM ENIDES
chamber, and I reverence the nymphs who dwe ll
around the Corycian cavern , be loved re sort Of birds,wherein divine presences are ever moving. Nor is
Bacchus abse nt from my thought,who haunts this
ground ever since he divin e ly led the army of
the Bacchanals,when he contrived for P enth e us
the death Of a hunted hare . Once more I invoke the
fountains of P le istos and the mighty P oseidon, and
finally the absolute sove re ignty Of Zeus the Supreme .
Then I take my seat yonder as an inspired prophetess.
30May the powers I have named grant me by far th e
happiest access to the God Of all I have yet Obtaine d
and if any Of Greek race approach the oracle, let them
e nter in turn by lot, as th e custom is . I follow the
Divine leading in all my prophecies .
[She goe s in, and the the atre appears vacant for a
short space— the n she come : forth again, dis
tractedly .
A fearful sight,—terrible even to tell Of
,-hath
driven me forth again from the abode of Lo xias . I
have no strength le ft in me to sustain my footstepsmy hands must support me in my fl ight
,so e nfeeble d
are my limbs. An aged woman frighte ned is a thing
of nought, in strength no better than a child.
I was advancing towards the richly-garlande d rece ss,when I be held, seated suppliant on the Omphalos, one
40 blighted by a Divin e ban . H is hands had gou ts of
blood upon them,and he he ld a sword unsheathed,
and therewithal a twig from the topmost boughs Of
Olive-tree, modestly fille te d with a great soft tuft of
106 EUM ENIDES
pursuers have been overtaken . Oppressed with slee p
70 are those maidens abominable, with whom nor God
nor man nor brute hath ever any fellowship. To work
e vil was the purpose of their being , and evil is th e
gloom where they inh abit in nethermost Tartarus ,abhorred as the y are alike of humankind and Of the
Olympian Gods .
Bu t fly thou,notwithstanding , and be not remiss.
For they will hold thee in chase,whether, traversing
w ide contin ents in thy wandering, thou tread firm
ground,or whether thou pass ove r th e d e ep and ran ge
among sea-surrounded citi e s . Grow thou not we ary
of thy tendance upon this toil, until thou come to the80 citade l of Pallas . There se at thyse lf and cl ing wi th
thine armto th e ancie nt sacre d image of the Godde ss .And there we shall find a Cou rt that shall j udge thy
cause,and with persuasive pleadings w e will di scove r
a w ay to relieve the e utte rly for e ver from this affliction .
Thou knowest, it was I who move d the e to destroy the
life of thymothe r.OREST . 0 lord Apollo, thou knowest righte ou sness .
And since thou hast that knowle dge , b e it thin e to
prote ct the right. Thy power for doing good is amply
assure d .
APOLLO . Reme mber Let not terror pre vail u pon thyspirits . And thou (to HERMES), mine own brother, son
of Zeus,our common Sire
,— Herme s
,ke ep watch ove r
90this o ur friend. Conductor thou art name d, —give
him safe—conduct without fail . Be a she phe rd of my
suppliant he re. Thy herald’s office is one that Zeus
EUMENIDES 107
approves, when in its exercise it gives happy guidance
to mankind .
[AP OLLO disapp earing, the ghost of CLYTEMNESTRAappe ars.
CLYT. Ho !
Sleep on, forsooth —Of what use are you when
aslee p ? I,thu s deprived of honour among th e de ad
through your de fault, amcontinually reviled by the mon account of him whom I slew
,and am shamefully
banished the ir society. I d e clare to you that the y
reproach me grievously. Y e t for the viol e nce I suffe re d
from my nearest kin,no divin e powe r puts forth wrath
on my account,butchered as I was with matricidal
hands.
Be hold with thy spirit these my wounds 2 For the
mind in those who slumbe r hath the cle arer vision . A
narrow ou tlook is our portion in th e daylight. Mu ch
we alth of mine ye have lappe d up, wine less drinkoffe rings to soothe your sobe r hearts, and dre ad night
banqu e ts by the burning brazier,whe re in I sacrifice d
to you , at a season which ye share with none of th e
supemal powe rs . All this I se e disre garde d, — trodden
unde r foot . He hath stolen away from you , as a fawn
out of th e snare —ye a, nimbly springing ou t of the
midmost of your net he bounds away wi th eager e ye sthat mock at you .
H e ar me . It is of my soul’s welfare that I speak .
Atte nd, ye subte rrane an powe rs ! Clytemne stra, whois now a dre am,
invoke s you .
[A sound of snoring fromChorus .
13°
1 40
108 EUMENIDES
CLYT. Snore, if ye will . But he is flyin g onward,out of your reach . For he hath friends of a diffe re nt
quality from mine 3 [Snoring again he ard.
CLYT . Ye are too sound asleep to feel compassion
for my case . Meanwhile my murderer,Orestes— his
mother’s murderer— is escaped.
[M oam'
ng fromChorus .
CLYT . Ye are moaning in your sle ep. Arise , and
quickly too ! What deed have ye to boast of, save
contrivance of harm ? [M oaning aga in .
Cu rr. Slumber and weariness have confirmed their
league and have sunk in decrepitude the valour of th e
dreaded dragoness .
[A mrting sow td fmmChom, as if aw akb ig,
CHOR. 1 . Take hold ! CHOR . 2 . Take hold ! CROR.
3 . Take hold ! CROR. 4. Take hold ! CHOR. 5. Be
think thee
CLY'
r. Ye are hunting in a dream ,and whimpering
like a hound that leaves not to b anke r afte r the chase .
What art thou doing ? Rise Give not w ay to fatigue,nor let slumber soften in thee th e sense Of wrong !
Let thy inward part be pained with re proache s that arej ust . A goad pie rce s not more sharply to the vi rtuous
mind. Do thou, directing on his bark the gale of thy
gory breath, and withe ring him with vapour from the
fire within thee, keep up with h im; pursue him again tohis undoing. [Ghost of CLY
'
rEn NES'
rRA disappe ars .
LEADER or Cn on . Awake ! Waken thou her I
waken thee .
1 10 EUMENIDES
x7c ary with pollution that affects the hearth ; thou hast
done it of thine own impulsion, by thy sole com
mand ; contrave ning heavenly ordinance to honour
mortal claims, bringing to nought th e Fates whosebe ing is from of Old.
2 . P hoe bus may vex my heart,but shall not deliver
his favourite . Though h e be hidden in the grave,
h e finds no acquittance there . Craving purgation from
his guilt, he but gets a n e w punisher in place of th e
earthly ave nger 5.
APOLLO re -appe ars.
APOLLO . Begone,I bid you ! De part quickly from
1 80 this mansion . Make of frommine oracular sanctuary,
lest being ove rtaken by th e shining winged snake that
darts forth from th e firm golden b owstring,ye disgorge
with pain the dark froth from human flesh,as ye vomit
th e clotte d gore that ye have drain ed . It becomes
you not to e ncroach on this abode . Your place is
where sentence of beheading is e xe cuted,or of pluck
ing out e ye s , where human l ives are sacrifice d, and
where,by destroying in young boys all possibility of
seed, th e prime of manhood is marre d e re it arrive ;
whe re l imbs are mutilate d, whe re me n are stoned to
1 90de ath, or moan long and piteously, being impaled .
Do ye hear me tell what fe stival it is whe reof thecharms be long to you, whom th e Gods abhor ? Th e
whole fashion of your shape s suggests it. Such crea~
ture s should inhabit the cave of some ravenous gory
lion not taint w ith their pollu tion this wealthy oracu lar
EUMENIDES 1 1 1
seat . Depart,l ike a he rd of goats with none to herd
you ; for no God can be found to care for such a flock.
CHOR . My lord Apollo ! he ar ou r re ply. Thou art
not an ab e ttor of this crime, but principal age nt in it, 200
re sponsible for all .
APOLLO. How me an you ? You may explain yourse lf
so far.
CHOR. You gave it forth oracularly that this Argive
shou ldmurde r h e r that bare him .
APOLLO . I gave it forth that h e should execute
venge ance for his father.— What then
CHOR. Thereaft e r thou didst un d e rtake to afford
sanctuary to strange blood-guiltiness.
APOLLO . Yes, I e njoine d him to se e k purgation here .
CHOR. And having done so, wou ld you disparage us
who e scort h imhither ?APOLLO . It is not meet that ye shou ld approach to
this my temple .
CHOR . Nay, but, it is our appointed office
APOLLO . What pre rogative is that you claim ?
D e clare you r noble privil e ge .
CHOR . We drive th e matricide fromhome .
APOLLO . But what of wome n, when one hath de
spatch e d h e r husband ?
CHOR . That would not b e th e murde r of a kinsman,n or in volve blood-gu iltiness in the high e st degre e .
APOLLO. Assu re dly thou putte st off all re ve re nce for
th e pl e dge which H e ra gave , as the tru e an d pe rfe ct
wife of Ze u s . That cou nts for nou ght with th e e , an d
so do Aphrodite’
s honours,wh ich thou discarde st ; and
1 12 EUM ENIDES
yet they are the source of the dearest ti e s known to
mankind . For we dlock, ratified by dest iny, between
man and wife, while honestly maintained, hath the
mightiest of all sanctions ; but if you are slack in
visiting the ir mutu al violences , and neither punish
220these 5 nor look upon them in anger, I pronounce you r
following of Orestes to b e unrighteous . For I perc e ive
that one cause provokes you to excess of wrath, while
in regard to the other ye are manife stly unmoved .
Howbeit,the Goddess Athena shall re view this case .
01011. I promise you I will never leave my pursui t
of Orestes there .
APOLLO . P ursue him, then. It will but increase thy
labour .
CHOR. Do not thou curtail my honours w ith thywords.
APOLLO. Thy honou rs are not such as I should care
to have .
CHOR. Without them thou standest high enough, as
230 they say, at the right hand of Zeus. But I,for this
mother’s blood invites me, will follow up my suit
again st Orestes , and wil l hunt him down .
APOLLO. And I will su ccour h im, and vindicate my
suppliant. For, should I allow myself to betray his
cause,the re se ntme nt of him who sought purgation
fromme carrie s terror with it that is fe lt by Gods andme n . [Exe unt
B. The Sce ne cha nge s to the Acropolis atAthe ns . ORESTESis discove red, clinging to the ancie nt image of Athe na.
OREST. Lady Athena, by the bidding Of Loxias I am
1 14 EUM ENIDES
5 . Nay, thou art bound to yield requital, that I
Should dra in the ruddy drops from thy living limbs.
From thee I would obtain rich nourishment in draughts
that men abhor.
6. Even while thou livest I will withe r thee and
drag thee down to the grave, that thou mayst pay me
recompen se for thy mothe r’
s cruel agony.
7. And thou shalt se e whoe ver else of mortals hath
27o sinn e d again st a God or failed in reverence to some
stranger or to pare nts d e ar, —each suffering fu ll re compense for his transgression.
8. Yea, for bene ath the ground the unseen God is
mighty to take exact account. Clear-sighted is h is
thought,recording everything.
OREST. I am experienced in misfortune, and have
learned how seasonably to speak where speech is right,and to be Sile nt l ikew ise . In th e present business a
wise in structor has appointed me to lift up my voice .
280The stain of blood upon my hand is dull and fading,and th e pollution of matricide is washed away ; for
while still fresh it was dispersed at th e he arth of
Apollo’s temple with purifying sacrifice of sw ine . And
were I to tell the whole , I should have much to say of
many to whom I have come near, without harming the m
through inte rco urse with me . Old tim e make s all
things old,and purifies them and now with unpolluted
mouth I piously invoke Athena, Qu een of this country,to come and be mine aid. So without war sh e shall
acquire the firm and lasting alliance, faith fufly main
9 90 tain e d, both ofmyself, and Of my land and of the Argive
EUMENIDES
pe opl e . Th e n, whether in some re gion of th e Libyanlan d, ne ar to th e wate rs of Triton, that are associate d
wi th her birth , sh e move in state ly robes , or with a
nimble foot a iding those whom sh e loves ; or wh e ther
sh e visit th e P h le gra e an field, l ike a bold ge ne ral
marshalling h e r host,— may sh e come hither— (and a
God he ars though far away)— that she may prove my
de liverer from this affliction .
LEADER or CHOR. Most sure ly neither Apollo nor
mighty Athena shall rescue thee from wandering 300
forlorn,a stranger to all knowledge of j oy, a bloodle ss
pre y of Divine powe rs, a shadow of thyse lf — Wilt thou
not even answe rme , and dost thou re j e ct my words,
thou,my fatte d and conse crated victim I will fe ast
on the e while ye t thou livest, without altar or sacrificial
knife . Listen,then, to this my song that is to bind
thy spirit-Come now,
and le t us form for th e dance, sinc e w e
are re solve d to exhibit our hated power Of song, and to
de clare our Office , how this band of ours dire cts and 310
guide s human affairs . We are b e lievers in our own
righte ousne ss . No wrath from u s approaches th e manthat holds unpolluted hands be fore him . H e passe s
unscath e d through a long life time . But whosoe ve r
afte r transgre ssing, as this man hath done, hide s hishands that are imbru e d with blood : against h imweappe ar in righte ous witne ss on be half of th e de ad, and
prose cute him to the bitte r end for his blood-gu ilti 320
ne ss.
1 16 EUMENIDES
CHOR. 0mother Night,my mother that diddest bear
me for retribution to souls that are in l ight, and thos e
in darkness, hearme Latona’s offspring would balk meof my prerogative, and see ks to rob me of this cowering
creature whom his mother with full right con signs to
me as the guilty author of h e r death . On him,our
330de voted vict im,this song hath power
,for madness
,for
distraction, for the ruin of mind — this Furies’ hymn,
not attuned to the lyre, that binds the soul, that
shrive l smorta ls .
r This office Fate the unchangeable bound firmly on
me when she span my vital thre ad, that I shou ld follow
those morta ls upon whom guilt of wanton viole nce to
their own k in hath fallen, until the life Sinks beneath
340 the Earth — yea, e ven when de ad, the man is not
wholly free. On him, our devote d victim, this song
hath power, for madness, for distraction, for the ruin of
mind — this Furies’ hymn, not attune d to the lyre,that binds th e soul, that shrive ls morta ls.
At our very birth this office was appointed ours . But
from the immortals we are to refrain : nor is any one
350of the m a share r in our feast. Naught have I to do
at any time with white and fe sta l rob e s . For I have
mad e my own the undoin g of th e home , whe n theWan
spirit sitt in g by the dome stic hearth have slain one near
and dear. Pursuing such a man (Aha strong though
h e be, we make him feeble under the burde n of strange
guilt.
We hasten to relieve others of these cares, and
360acquit the high Gods of all Obligations coming from
EUM ENIDES
ATHENA appe ars.
Am. I heard th e noise of your summons to me far
away,by the Scamande r, where I was taking posse ssion
of th e land which, as is well known, the leaders and
400chiefs of the Achae ans, assigning to me a liberal
share of the fruits of conquest, allotted out and
out to be my lasting portion, a choice prize awarded
to the sons of These us .
Thence came I speeding on mine unwearied way,
not poised on wings, but whirring in stead the ample
folds of mine Ae gis, whe n I had harnessed these p
ste eds to my chariot he re . And now, on seeing such
unaccustomed visitants in my land, I fee l, not any fear,but astonishment in beholding them.
Say, who are ye ? I spe ak to you all,— at once to
410 this stranger who is knee ling beside mine image, and
to you,who are unlike all creature s born . Such forms
are ne ve r se e n by Gods amongst the Goddesse s, nor
be ar ye any re se mblance to mortal shapes. Bu t to
speak e vil of one’s ne ighbours without cau se of offe nce 1°
we re to depart from righte ousness and to be disowne d
by Equity.
CHOR. Daughter Of Ze u s, we will inform thee in fe w
words. We are Eternal Children Of Night. ‘ Curses ’
are we name d in our dwelling-place be ne ath the Earth.
ATH . That origin and su rname are famil iar tome .
CHOR. Soon thou shalt further know my quality and
rights .
420 Am. I shall, if they are pu t forth clearly.
EUM ENIDES l 19
CHOR. We drive away from their homes whoever
slay mank ind .
Am. And where does the ‘slayer find the limit of
his flight ?
CHOR . Where all j oy is abs e nt and unknown .
ATH . Is it into such banishm e nt your clamorous
pursuit would drive this man
CHOR . Since he elected to be his mother’s murde rer.
ATH . Was there no compulsive terror that con
straine d him to it ?
CHOR. What force is there so cogent as to compel a
man to matricide ?ATH . Two parties are in court, and we have heard
one .
CHOR. Nay, but h e will refuse either to receive or to
give the sanction of an oath .
Ara . Thou pre fe rre st the name of righteous to the 430
reality .
CHOR . How, I pray you ? Tell us that out Of your
rich treasury of wisdom .
ATH . I mean that you should not aimat an unfairvi ctory by appealing to the Oath .
CHOR . We ll then,examine h im
,and j udge the cause
in righte ousn e ss .
Am. Are you ready to refer to me as final arbiter ?
CHOR . Undoubtedly,with due regard for thy great
Worth .
ATH . Strange r, what dost thou choose to answer in
thy tu rn ? Declare thy country and thy kin,and thy
misfortune, and thereafter make thy defence against
120 EUM ENIDES
their indictment -if it b e so that in reliance on a just
440 cause thou art seated clinging to mine image he re ,be side my hearth, in the solemn suppliant fashion of
Ixion. To all this make some reply that shall be cle ar
to me .
OREST. 0Lady Athe na, first of all I will dissipate a
great anxiety with which thy last words are clouded.
I am not one who crave purgation, nor with pollution
cleaving to me have I taken my seat beside thine
image. Of this I bring before the e irrefragable te sti
mony. One guilty of homicide is bound to maintain
450 silence , until the sacrifice of a suck ling animal have
besprinkled him with purifying blood . This con se cra
tion hath long since passed upon me at other dwe lling
places,both with such victims, and with fresh streams
of water.
This care, then, mine explanation thus removes . As
for my kin,you Shall quickly be informed of th at. I
am an Argive,and my father is we ll known to you
Agamemnon— h e that organised th e he roic navy— with
whom for instrume nt thou madest th e Troj an land and
city of I lium to be no more a city . He perished in
gloriously on re turning to his home . M y black-hearted
460mother sl e w him ; afte r enfolding him within a subtle
snare,which out of the bath gave witness of his murde r.
I,beforetime an exile
,returne d home and slew my
mother,
-I will not deny it,— in bloody recompen se
for a s ire so de ar to me. And to this act Apollo, too,was accessory : who proclaimed that I shou ld havesorrows to goad my h e art with remorse, should I not
122 EUM ENIDES
bine all mortals in unanimity of recklessness. And in
th e time to come,many a parricidal deed, not in name
only,sh all be done to parents, sin ce from us , mad
500watchers of the world, no wrath for offe nces shall any
more proceed every death shall pass me by and they
shall learn from one another,as they tell of a neigh
bour’s disaster, concerning the remission and ending ofour 11 toil while some poor wretch shall vainly advise
precarious remedies .
Let noman make appeal when he is smitten with510misfortune, crying out, 0 Justice ! 0 e nthroned
Erinyes ! Such piteo u s utte rance perchance may
proceed from a father or a mothe r ne wly stricken, now
that the fabric of righteousn ess collapses.
In some place,fear and wisdom should have an
520abiding seat. It is we l l for him who is coerc e d to self
control . Bu twho,— what man
,what city, —whose heart
is pampered in th e absence Of fe ar, can any longer
have like reverence for Justice ?
Approve not of the life that is ungoverned, nor of
that which lie s beneath an absolute sway . Divine
Power,though varying in its dispe nsations , hath once
53° for all assigned th e victory to the middle sta te . And
in j ust accord therewith I say that Impie ty hath
In solence for his true-born child,whereas fromsoun d
and wholesome thoughts there is enge n dered Pro
spe rou s Life , much praye d for, e ve r beloved .
Thi s above all I say to thee,— Revere the throne of
Justice, nor spurn at it with godle ss heel whe n thou
540100kest upon gain . Such courses will not go u n
EUMENIDES 123
pu n ished . There remain e th the appointe d end . Where
fore le t eachman he edfully give chie f honour to hisparents’ reve re nce, an d respect the worth of stran gers
whe n they visit his abode .
He that uncon strain e d an d of his own free will
ke eps ju stice shall not b e unblest, nor shall he e ver 550
pe rish utte rly. But as for the froward rash trans
gre ssor12 who wre sts most things con fusedly away
fromj u stice,I de clare that h e in time, in spite of him
self, shall lowe r his canvas, ove rtaken by rough
we ather, when th e yard-arm is bre aking.
Then,as he struggl e s vainly amidst the overmaster
ing e ddy, he calls aloud on those who hear him not at all .
Th e Divine Power laughs at th e e xciteme nt of the 560
man, beholding one, who imagin e d thi s cou ld neve r be ,
subdue d beneath distre ss and hop e lessly submerged 13.
Th e happine ss that through all his pre viou s life w as
his, he has wre cked by ru nning against Ju stice , as a
sunken rock,and pe rishes
,u nwept for
,utterly e xtin
gu ish e d.
ATHENA re -app e ars. Th e AREOPAG ITES come in .
ATH . H e rald,mak e proclamation, an d hush the folk
to sile nce. And le t th e Tyrrhe ne trumpe t with itspie rcin g tone s
,b e ing fille d fu ll with human bre ath,
se nd forth its thrilling utterance among my pe ople.
Your sile nce assisting,whil e this Council -is asse mbling, 570
this city for e ve rmore shall u nde rstand my law ,an d
the se grave me n shal l l e arn it,that so this cause may
b e righte ou sly determine d .
EUM ENIDES
APOLLO appe ars.
LEADER or CHOR. Lord Apollo, seek not to use powerbeyond thy sphere. Say
,what hast thou to do in this
business
APOLLO . I come to give evidence — for Ore stes he re
hath been duly con stituted a suppliant of my hearth
and sanctuary,and I am he that have made purgation
of this homicide. I come , moreover, myse lf to meet
the accusation. For I share th e responsibili ty for the
580 violent de ath of this man’s mother. Open the case ,
Athena,and apply thy wisdom to bring it to an issue.
ATH . Thus I open it. Ye (to CHOR. ) have th e fore
most word. The prosecutor'
s full stateme nt, leading
th e way, shall duly instruct us in the n ature of the suit .
LEADER or CHOR. Though we are many, our spee chwill be concise . (To Oaz sr.) Re ply to our que stions,on e by one . CHOR. 2. First
,Didst thou kill thy mother ?
OREST . That cannot be de n ied . I sle w h e r.
CHOR. 3 . There ! One of the three wrestling-bouts
is already over.
590 OREST. Boast as you will, I am not down ye t.
CHOR . 4. Well, you mu st say furth e r how you slew
her.
OREST. With drawn sword in my hand I made incision
on h e r throat — It is said .
CHOR . 5. Unde r what in fluence and by whose coun
se l ?
OREST . Moved by Apollo’
s prophecies,as h e h e arsme
witness .
126 EUMENIDES
this act of blood was righteously or wrongfully per
formed,declare it, that I may inform the Court thereof.
APOLLO . To your high Court, the noble creation of
Athena, I declare th at it was done righteously. And
being a prophet,I shall not be belied . Neve r yet
have I spoke n anything on my sea t of prophecy,touching man or woman or state
,but what Zeus th e
father of Olympian Gods hath bidden me to Speak.
I would have you understand the w e ight of my de6301ive ran ce , and I forewarn you to abide bymy Fathe r
’s
counsel. For nothing exceeds the power of Zeus,
not even th e sanction of an oath.
CHOR. Th i s oracle, as thou de clare st, proceeded forth
from Zeus , that thou shouldst tell Orestes here in
reve nging h is father’
s death to lay aside all duty
to his mother ?
APOLLO. Incomparably more heinous is the murder of
a man,and of a man commanding homage through
the sceptre given him by Zeus,— murder done , too , by
a woman, not with far-darting arrows, as from anAmazon’s warlike how , but in the manne r whe re of ye
63o shall he ar,— thou, 0 Athe na, and ye who are now in
se ssmn to give you r decisive verdict on this case . H e
had re turne d from th e war, whe re in h e had bee n
mostly fortunate , and she had received him wi th
smooth we lcome ; the n in the bath, as he was ending
his ablutions, and was close upon th e goal of h is de s ires,she encased him in an intricate w e b , and b acke d h e r
husband when she had entangled him in those embroide red hangings.
EUMENIDES 1 27
I have told you th e mann e r of th e d e ath of th e manof highest worship
,th e admiral of th e gre at navy.
And of h e r I have spoken in such terms as must pro
voke the ir indignation who have bee n se t to dete rmine
this cause.
CHOR . Zeus cares more for the fath e r’s de ath
,accord 640
ing to you . Y e t he himse lf imprisoned his fathe r
Cronos . Is there no contradiction there ? Take note
of that, ye justice s, w e bese e ch you.
APOLLO . 0wild be asts that ye are , utterly hateful,dete ste d of the Gods
,— th e prisone rmay be re lease d
mere bondage is not an irre me diable e vil . Full many
are th e resource s for its undoing. But when on ce th e
dust hath dra ine d the blood of man in de ath, h e rise s
up no more . My fath e r has provide d no e ffe ctual
charm for this ; although, with an e nergy that knows
no bre athing-space,he turneth backward and forward 650
all othe r things,disposing th e m at his will .
CHOR. The n se e to it, what thou dost in advocating
this man’
s d e liverance,when h e hath she d upon th e
ground his mother’s kindre d blood . Shall h e there
afte r, in Argos, inhabit his fathe r’s hall ? What altars
of his country will suffer his approach ? What lustral
rite of brotherhood will acce pt of him ?
APOLLO . This also I will de clare. Attend, and unde r
stand the rightness of my speech . Th e mother is notth e parent of th e so-calle d child . Sh e only nurs e s th e
embryo-germ entrusted to h e r. The bege tter is th e
pare nt — she ke eps as for a stranger-friend (if God 660
prevent not birth) the you ng plant that is committed
128 EUM ENIDES
to her care. I will point ou t to you a manifest in
stance in proof of what I say. Fatherhood is possible
without a mother. Here at hand,to witness that, is
the daughter of Olympian Ze us, a child neve r carried
about or nursed in the darkne ss of the womb, ye t such
a sapling as no God in heaven could bring forth . I,
O Athe na , will both in othe r ways exalt to th e best
of my power thy citadel and thy pe ople , an d I have
67° brought Ore st e s to be a su ppliant at thy hearth,in
orde r that he may prove faithful to the e for all timeto come, and that thou , O Goddess , mayst win him
and his poste rity for thine allie s, and that this mayremain for an e verlasting ordinance , that the succe ssive
generations of thy citizens here should acquiesce in
this firm l e agu e .
ATH . Enough has been spoken . Now I bid the
judge s to give their honest votes with all sincerity of
mind .
CHOR . I have shot my last arrow ; but I wait to hear
how the conte st Shall b e determined .
ATH. How mean you ? How am I to vote so as to
satisfy you ?
APOLLO . Ye have heard the pleadings, strangers.
680Now,as ye give your vote s, be ar re ve re nce in your
inmost hearts for the oath ye have take n .
ATH . H e ar now mine ordin ance, ye Athe nians , who
are judging the first cause of human blood-she dding.
This Council shall re main to the people of Ae ge us for
evermore as a court for judgement. This b ill of Are s,wh e re th e Amazons pitched their camp when the y
130 EUM ENIDES
CHOR. Thou goest beyond thine office in show ing
this great care for offences of bloodshed . Thy pro
ph e cie s henceforth will proceed from an oracular
dwe lling-place that is no longe r clean .
APOLLO . Have my father’s purposes lost any of their
force since Ixion the first homicide craved purgation
from h im?
720 CHOR . Thou talkest. Bu t I, if my rights are t e
fused to me,will dwell within this land hereafter, a
ruinous guest.
APOLLO. Thy rights are scouted al ike by the young
and elde r deiti es . M y cause shall prevail.
CHOR . Such were thy doings in the home of P h cre swhere thou didst induce the Fates to e xe mpt a mortal
from death.
APOLLO. Ought on e not to benefit one’s worshipper,
above all when he stands in ne e d ?
CHOR. Thou didst bring to naught the ancient dis
pe n sation , and didst delude with wine the Destinie s,those primeval powe rs .
APOLLO . Ere long, when thou art cast in thy suit, the
730venom thou emitte st will henceforth b e harmless tothy foes.
CHOR . Thy youth would override our age . I remainthere fore eage rly liste ning, with a mind in su spe nse
whether or not to break forth in anger against this
city .
ATHENA . To me it falls to pronounce judge ment last.
H e re with I add my vote to th e side of Oreste s 1‘ I
have no mother who brought me forth . With my
EUMENIDES 13 1
whol e spirit, in everything I approve themale , e xceptfor marriage . Above all I take a fathe r’s part . It
follows that I shal l not care so mu ch for th e de ath of
a wife that sl e w h e r lord, the family’ s rightful head . 740
Now, e ve n should his trial issue in an e qual ity of ballot
ing, Orestes wins.
Shake out forthwith th e voting-pebbles from th e
urns, ye of th e court to whom this du ty hath been
assign e d .
[Th e te lle rs approach the urns and turn ou t th e ballots .
OREST . O Phoe bus Apollo, what will be th e issu e ?
CHOR. 0 Night, my dark-eyed mother,se e st thou
what is being done ?
OREST. Now comes the end for me, to be strangled,or b e al ive inde ed .
CHOR . The e nd for us, to pass away, or to maintain
our honours .
APOLLO. Count honestly th e pe bble s as the y fal l out,my frie nds In laying themapart k e ep re ve re nc e for
the right. Th e abse nc e Of on e vote brings on a 750
mighty sorrow,whil e its single pre sence 15 re store s
prospe rity. [The te llers report th e numb e rs to Ath e na .
ATH . Orestes is delive re d from th e sentence of
blood-guiltin e ss . The numbering of the ballots prove s
theme qu al .
OREST. O Pallas Athena, upholde r ofmine ancestral
home ! thou hast re store d me to my land, whe n I was
a home less e xile . Eve ry Greek Shal l say of me ,Ore ste s is again an Argive h e is e stablishe d in his
patrimony by the will Of Pallas and Of Loxias an d of
132 EUMENIDES
760him,third named but Supreme, the Saviour Zeus, who,
fe e ling for my father’
s d e ath, hath vindicated me ,looking in th e face th e se advocates of my mother’s
cause . I the re fore, e re returning home, will swear an
oath that shall be binding hence forth to all time ,making promise to thy land and people here, that no
man bearing sway over th e Argive country shall bring
against them hither th e well-appointe d war. And if
any trangre ss this my oath-bound promise, I , the n
with in my grave, will ve x them with baffling troubles ,
770 setting de spondency in their pathways, and ill auguries
where they think to pass,so that they shall repent
them of the ir own end e avour. But whi le my promise
is Obse rved, and whil e my citizens e ffe ctively honour
with firm alliance this city of Athe na, Imys e lf willShow them greater kindness .
Fare well, then , thou and thy whole people ! May
they,inhabiting this city, be e ver irresistible in wrest
l ing with the ir foes, ever unharmed . ever triumphant
in w ar.
CHOR. Ho Younger Gods, ye have over-ridden the
old ordinances, ye have wrested from my grasp .
w
780 I, all unhappy, robbe d ofmy rights— woe is me — will
drip upon this land, to destroy it, th e venom of my
he art’ s resentme nt, oozin g from within me — whe nce
cancerous growths, forbidding le afage, forbidding ch i ld
birth, spreading over th e plain — O Ju stice — shal l
inflict u pon th e lan d a stain that is ruinous to human
kin d . I groan in spirit. What are to b e my de e ds ?
790Shall I pre ss intol e rably on th e inhabitants of th e city,
134 EUM ENIDES
ATH . Ye are not mulcte d of your rights. Divine asye are
,be not wrathful to e xcess, nor fix upon poor
mortals the doom of lasting barrenness 17 for their
land . I also place my reliance upon Zeus. Need I
say more ? I,and I only
,can unlock the armoury
where in the thunder is stored . Bu t that shall not
830need . Thou wilt yie ld assent to me, and wilt not utter
rash words to bring fai lure on all fruit-bearing things .
Quiet the dark billows of bitter fury in thee, s ince
thou shalt have proud honours, and make thy dwellin g
with me . And when moreover thou re ce ive st for ever
more from this ample region first-fruits in sacrifice for
birth of children and for marriage-bless ing, you will
have reason to comme nd my words.
CHOR . Alas ! that I should b e thus wronged ! that I
dee p-thoughted age d one, Should dwe ll beneath theground (ah me !) a dishonoure d obj ect of abhorre nce !
840 I pant with vehement wrath , with utte r rage . O woe,
w oe , woe What pang is this that pierces deep within me ? Listen to my angry heart, 0 mother Night !
From mine ancient honours the baffl ing wiles of the
high Gods have uprooted me,settingme at naught.
ATH . I will bear with thine angry mood . Thou art
elder than I , and therein thou hast truly th e advan
850 tage ofme , but to me also Zeus hath grante d no meanintelligence. Let me forewarn you that if ye pass
forth to another region, ye will fall de eply in love with
this land. For the time that is coming on shall flow
with larger honours for her ci tizens here ; and thou
when thou hast thy worshipped seat beside th e man
EUMENIDES 1 35
sion of Erechtheus,shalt obtain from companie s Of
Athe nian men an d women more offe rin gs than thoucou lde st ever gain from other mortals. Then do not
thou infe st this my realm with thoughts that whe t to
bloodshe d ru ining young minds,and maddening them 860
with intoxication not of wine. Nor by causing he arts
to boil like thos e of fighting cocks,se t u p amongst my
citize ns a war of kindre d, inciting them to rash deeds
against e ach other. Le t there be foreign w ar ; that
comes e asily e nough ; wherein the dreadful lust of
glory may have scope . Bu t I abominate the fighting
of th e dome stic fowl . Su ch boons are offe red the e , an d
they are mine to give ; that bestowing and receiving
benefits,and highly hon oure d
,thou mayst have thy
share of rights in this country that is b e love d of Gods.
CHOR . Alas ! that I should b e thus wronge d ! that 870
I,d e e p-thoughted aged one
,should dwe l l ben e ath th e
grou n d (ah me a dishonoured Obj e ct of abhorrence !
I pant with ve hement wrath, with utte r rage . O woe,w o e , w o e What pang is this that pie rce s de e p with
inme ? Liste n to my angry h e art, 0moth e r Night !
From mine ancient honours the baffling wile s of th e
high Gods have uproot e d me, s e tting me at naught.
ATH . I will not be we ary of recounting good things 880
to th e e , l e st thou shouldst here after say that thine
ancient D e ity h ad b e e n allowe d byme thy junior, andby th e mortal inhabitants of a gre at city, to pass away
re j e cte d from this Ath e nian plain . That will not b e ,if thou at all re ve re st holy Pe rsuasion, or th e Winsome
influence of my sooth ing tongu e . In that case thou
136 EUMENIDES
wilt remain , but if thou choosest not to stay, at l e astthou wilt not in fairness bring down upon this state any
sudden wrath or l ingering grudge , or any affli ction of
890the people, since it is offe re d thee to be a sharer with
full rights in the occupation of this land, retaining all
thine honours .
CHOR . Lady Athena,what seat is that thou sayest
I shall occupy ?
ATH. One free from all annoyance,if thou wilt but
take it.
CHOR. Suppose it taken, what is the honou r I am to
retain
ATH. No household shall prosper without thee .
CHOR. Wil t thou bring it about that I should have
such power ?
ATH. Ye a , for I will secure happiness to thy true
worshippers .
CHOR . Wilt thou gu arantee this tome for all time ?ATH . Ye a, and I nee d not promise what I will not
perform .
900 CHOR . Methinks I begin to soften. My ange r de
parts .
ATH . Then thou wilt dwell here,and make many
friends
CHOR. What blessings dost thou bid me to chant
ove r this thy land
ATH . Such as secure avoidance of all evil strife .
And pray ye therewithal that from earth,and from
the moist dee p, and from the sky, blessings may comethat the breathing winds may blow with sunny
EUMENIDES
hurt — Thus I declare my favour —and let rust that
940kil ls th e ge rm of plants never cross your boundary, nor
plague of ste rility approach you, and at th e appointed
se ason, let Pan 19 foster your teeming ewes, e ach with
her two lambs,and let your soil, rich in mineral wealth,
produce the Divine gifts of Hermes .
ATH . Do ye hear, O guardians of my city, what
950ble ssings she determines for you ? S ince mighty is
the power of the dread Erinys both in Heaven and
below the Earth. And for some live s ofmen while yet
above the ground,they fu rnish delights and songs of
j oy,while others they bedim with w e e ping.
CHOR . Moreover, I forefend untimely deaths , and I
h id those who have the power,to grant your blooming
960maidens fortunate marriage. Confirm it,0 ye Fates ,
sisters of my mother whose ordinance faileth not,whose influence is felt in every home , whose righteous
prese nce we ighs on eve ry s e at of judgement —ye that
in al l re spects are honoured above eve ry God .
ATH . My heart is gladdened in me, whil e the y so
zealously retain these bless ings for our land ; and I
970 look with gratitude on the countenance of Persuasion ,because her eye hath guided th e utterance of my
tongue in address ing these dread powers, when the y
we re savagely bent on refusal . But the might of Zeus,
th e God of e loq u ence, hath prevailed . Our joint con
tention for th e good caus e i s evermore triumphant.
CHOR. I pray too that civic strife, that inexhaustiblesource Of e vils
,may never raise its harsh roar in this
980your town ; nor let the dust, having drunk the dark
EUMENIDES 1 39
blood of citize ns, wreak hastily u pon the city re trib u
tive disaster. Bu t may the y, wi th thou ghts of universal love , re ciprocate d e lights an dmay the ir hatre dsb e unanimou s . Therein li e s the remedy for many
human maladies.ATH . Have the y n ot fou nd their bette r mind
,which
guide s the ir utte rance on this path of ble ssing ? From
the se dread countenance s, I foresee gre at gain to these
my citize ns. For while with loyal he arts ye honour
highly these powe rs that are loyal to the state , your
l ive s wil l be conspicuous for j ustice,redounding to the
glory of your land and city.
CHOR. Farewell, farewe l l ! enjoy your rich an d
happy destiny . Fare we ll, people of the fair city nest
ling close by Ze us ; ye favourites of his favou rite
maide n daughter— ye who prese rve whole somethoughts that grow with tim e . Th e Fathe r counts you
sacre d, while ye harbour beneath Athena’
s win gs .
ATH . Fare ye we ll al so But I must go be fore youto point out your re sting-place, attende d by th e sacre d
torche s of this your e scort. Procee d,an d
, lighte d by
the se holy fires,d e sce nd b e neath th e ground ; whe re
ye shall re strain al l that is banefu l to our land, and
s e nd forth victoriou s advantage for our city. DO ye
(to Atte ndan t M aide ns) lead th e w ay for this compan ythat are to dwe ll with you ; ye childre n of Cranaus,dwe ll e rs in Athe n s . M ay good thoughts that lead to
good b e eve r withmy citiz e n sCHOR . Fare we ll
,farewe ll, once more — again I re
peat it— all ye that occupy the city, mortals and
990
1010
14-0 EUMENIDES
divine powers that dwell in Athe na’s town. Re vering
1020 truly my soj ourn amongst you , ye shall bless your for
tune s . [The procession forms and prayers are sung.
ATH . I approve the tenor of the prayers which
I have heard. Now by the light of flaring to rche s, I
will escort them to their subterranean dwelling-place ,with these atte ndants who guard mine image and it
is meet I should . A glorious band shall proceed to the
very eye and centre of the whole country of Theseus
a band of chi ldren and of women,and a troop of aged
dames, apparelled all in raiment of purple grain .
Forward— advance the torch-fire s, that this loyal
1030 company dwelling in your land h e nceforth may be dis
tingu ish e d by the blessings which the y bring.
ATTENDANT MA IDENS. Come to your home,great
children of night,ever childless , j ealous of your old
renown . Come,loyally escorted
,and let all the people
be hushed . Come down to the primeval hollow place
of Earth,that ye may rece ive supre me honours of
worship and sacrifice . Let all th e pe opl e b e hush e d
Propitious and loyal-hearte d towards our land, come
hither,ye dread Godde sse s
,cheered upon you r way
with the torch that is consumed by fire .
LEADER or THE ATT ENDANT M AxDENS . Shout au s
piciou sly, in e cho to th e song ! Be ever merciful to
the citizens of P allas,as the y pour libations to you .
On this condition all-seeing Zeus and Dest iny have
brought you home .
Now shout ausp iciously, in echo to the song
NOTES TO THE AGAMEMNON
1 Lin e 2 . It h as be e n u sual of late to con stru e afixoswith a im?» inlin e I :
‘ I have be e n e n tre ating th e Gods during th e le ngth Of
my tw e lve mon ths’ watch .
’Bu t although th e con stru ction is
harsh, th e se n se ismore n atural as give n in th e tran slation ,making[i ii/cos an accu sative in loose con struction w ith th e pre ce ding w ords :z’
. e . I spe ak with re fe re n ce to ,’e tc.
236. Th e e xplanation of th e ru stic saying Bails ér l yhdyaay is
still doubtfu l , b u t th e ge n e ral notion of a crushing w e ight se emsbe tte r than th e allu sion to a bribe , although th e latte r hasre ce ive d fre sh plausibility fromre ce nt inve stigations re spe ctingth e origin ofmon e y.
349 . Th e atyvmbs is said to b e a spe cie s Of vu lture , b u t th e
word ‘ vu ltu re in English , as associate d with th e carrion vu lture ,is be st avoide d he re . In w hat fol low s I tak e émrarlots to me an‘ dive rting fromth e dire ct pathw ay .
’Th e birds are imagin e d to
b e making a b e e -lin e for home , b u t w he n the y se e that the irn e sth as be e n rifle d , grie fmake s themsw e rve and towe r in circle sove r it.
470. Th e Scholiast e xplain s drapery iepc
’
bu as an al lu sion to th e
Fate s or Furi e s— w hose w orship , how e ve r, w as not w ithout burn tsacrifice (E um. Eithe r ( I ) th e act of th e Erinys in w ithe ring h e r victimis imagin e d as a sacrifice withou t fire (Emu.
or (2 ) th e sacrifice w ithou t fire simplyme an s n e gle ct of re ligiou sdu tie s (Ody ss. iv. 352 ; Pin dar, vii . Th e su lle n sacrificethat w i ll n ot bu rn ( Soph. An t. 1006) is n ot to b e thought Of he re .
595. Th e ince n se is ‘
w ithout gu ile ’ b e cau se it cou ld on lyb e brought forth by royal au thority, and this w ou ld n ot b e don ew ithout au the n tic in te l lige n ce — so that it cannot de ce ive .
6144. Re ading a live ? for alre i
’
.
144 NOTES
7 Line 196. rplfiq». Th e Scholiast e xplains th is word as e qualto Ocarptfifi,
‘ de lay ’
; b ut it se ems be tte r to give it its prope rse nse of rubbing ’
or we ar, ’ forwhich se e be low, lin e 39 1 .
a224. w pw rorfip w v has common ly be e n take n to re fe r to th e
primal disaste r or crime , which is regarde d as th e source of all
th e re st ( like rpo'
n'apxov d
-mv, be low, lin e I pre fer to
e xplain it of th e e fl'
e ct produce d by u nlooke d-for su ffering upon a
natu re hithe rto un e xe rcise d in adve rsity, de ve loping unfore se e npossibilitie s of crime .
246. Re ading r e t i re in ste ad of alik e w ith Hartung.
1°252 . Re ading with th e old editions M e i) h e lium 1 6
M 07 . rd 6? rpoxkée w , t an k , and inse rting d be fore ( M ats
(ér e l 7000"Gr, [cl] xhéou ).
345. Lite rally ‘to turn along th e othe r limb of th e double
race -course , ’ al e . fromth e goal back to th e starting-point, afte r
re aching th e goal.u409 . M um TW M ]. Cp. in] : 1099 , CM . 33, 38. Not
me re ly ‘ those qualifi e d to inte rpre t th e aroma of th e house , ’ b u tappare ntly a class ofpe rsons not he ard of e lse w he re , employe d toadvise th e family at critica l mome nts , as suppose d to b e gifte dwith supe rhuman insight.
13413. I sugge st M au ra rayon ?» lad".
469 . Some such re ad ing as pdw‘
rcu a'
dpéyrou (Ah re nsWe ckle in) se ems re quire d forW “yap dorms.
1“495.
‘Dry dust.’Th e dust rising fromth e thirsty plain of
Argolis as th e he rald and his compan ions approach , show s thath is is a re al bodily pre se nce and not a
‘ bodile ss ’ me sse nge r, as
th e be acon w as.
513. Th e 6.7d Gaol he re and in th e Suppliers appe ar to b eth e Gods w h o we re co lle ctive ly worshippe d in Argolis as publiclypre siding ove r th e State — pe rhaps th e twe lve gre ate st Gods ; cp.
xo woflamla, and th e Epic 066 » i t Orion M ama: 676 7 11 .’A‘
ya'
w in this conn e ction re tains some trace of what w as probablyits originalme aning, ‘
a place of le ading, ’ i . e . a public thoroughfare .
‘7534. Paris w as a M ief w he n h e stole away He le n and th e
tre asure with h e r. H e w as convicte d of robb e ry whe n h e re fuse dto re store them.
13547. Th e words 07670: o
'
rparéi are qu e stionabl e . Bu t the ymay possiblyme an to th e dislike of th e army — w hose de sire w as
that those at home might b e doingwe ll .
146 NOTES .
3°Line 976. Re ading 667114: with th e a ss.
31986-8. Re taining t amiflwo'e and re ad ing (Panni e rdu ds, Imake
ravfldras crparér th e subj e ct ofboth ve rbs, and suppose an allusionto th e de te ntion at Au lis (mpr. Th e phrase b ir
’ ‘
Duor 6pmhas the n a
‘
pre gnant’force :
‘se t ou t (to go) be n eath th e walls
ofTroy. ’as 1081 . Sh e associate s 1 1 6e with droXM nu ,
‘ tomin .
’
as 1092 . Reading t a t pparmplov with Dr. Ve rral l.1 1 16. JAN4pm4) Stir-mos. Cassandra in h e r ‘
se cond sight’
has first a ge n eral vision ofan assau lt ( 1 1 10iii ), the n more distinctlysh e pe rce ive s, first th e w e b in which th e king is e ntangle d ( 1 1and pre se ntly th e we apon with which h e is slain ( 1
1 12 1 . Th e pale de ath-drop.
’In on e who is ble e ding to de ath
it is imagine d that th e remain ing blood , having lost its h u e , re turnsto th e he art at th e last mome nt. This is use d as an image of
mortal fiaintn e ss.1 137. I re ad { rmémfor étmécw a of th e hi ss .
‘7 1 173. Th e difi cu lty about this line disappe ars if épfiaM i (bytme sis) is take n as on e word .
3'1235. Ae schylus se ems to ide ntify th e Scylla that dwe lls among
the rocks with th e hard-he arte d daughte r of Nisus ; cp. CM .
614 f. , Virg. Ed . vi. 74.
‘9 1266. Sh e first bre aks th e wan d (03 p l y ), the n proce e ds to te aroff the fil le ts, e tc. In what follow s I re ad 4706
’dp
’(wow w ith
Hermann .
1 270-1272 . I re ad ét u’mre ve ar. The re is some doubtwhe the rCassandra is thinking of th e time of h e r capture at Troy or of h e r
re ce ption at Argos. If th e forme r, some change is re qu ire d , ag.
xaraye ltwuémvrel-ya M y 0’ br ’éxOpOr 1
"06 dtxoppbrw r, pd
'mv‘ De e ply insu lte d , by frie nds alike and e n emie s ’
(since both despise dmy prophe tic gift), all idly (since the ir disbe lie fmade mysnfie rings vain ). I have trie d to ge t a me an ing ou t of th e wordsas the y stand in th e fromxaraye ltw plmv to Mm. ne rdWe »
me ans the n I and Agamemnon are both scorn e d , ’ of: Gtxoppb-rw rhis foe s aremin e aswe ll ,’ Mm(as be fore ) implie s my su ffe rings
are vain , be cause my prophe cy is disbe lie ve d .
’But th e follow ing
lin e smust the n re ferto some imaginary slight, fornothing that haspasse d on th e stage be ars themou t e xactly.‘1 Lin e 1278. I take f p66 ¢a7pa in this and othe r passage s to b e
a w ay of writing ‘an additional sacrifice , ’ ‘
a victimslain over th e de ad.
’
AGAM EMNON 147
421300. 6 flan-arose , sc. xpévos.
431343.
‘Within h e re’z é‘aw . In crying ou t for re scu e , th e
w ounde d man natural ly indicate s th e place whithe r re scu e shou ldcome . This in te rpre tation occurre d inde pe n de n tly to myse lf(American jou rnal of P h ilology ,
i . 4) and to th e late M r. H . A.
J. M unro , th e e ditorofLucre tiu s (Cambridgejou rna l of P /zilology ).“41359 .
‘That which is in act’z
'
roii (Spain-0s. Th is u se of th e
active participle n e u te r occurs in Sophocle s and Thu cydide s. Se e
my e dition of Sophocle s , Oea’. Col. 1. 1604.
451468-9 . Th e twofold race .
’ This phrase re cal ls th e pairs ofbrothe rs,— th e rivalry of Atre us and Thye ste s, th e conjointsove re ignty ofAgamemnon and M e n e lau s.
45152 1 -2 . The se lin e s have be e n much qu e stion e d, b u t (me re ly
re ading 068’for ofir
’
) I do not se e w hy Clytemn e stra shou ld n ot
Spe ak them. Sh e re gards th e de ath ofAgamemnon as th e de libe rate judicial act of a fre e born woman , —the re fore not dve h eflflepou .
Th e lin e swhich fol low are me ant to show that it w as n ot th e de athof a slave , b u t th e re su lt of a fair conflict of opposing claims.
47 1 536. Those w h o obj e ct to th e double pe rson ificationmay re adAim) Ow dvou s pdxatpav with M usgrave .
481568. Bat/s ow 7 93 IIlte w Oemdéiv. Cp . infr. 1602 , TaIDte w déx/ ovs
yévos. Th e place of P le isth e n e s in th e ge n e alogy is doubtfu l .Ae schylu s se ems to imagin e h imas in some w ay coming in be tw e e nPe lops andAtre u s. Possibly some le ge n dmay have trie d to softe nth e horror of th e Thye ste an banqu e t by making Atre u s son of
P le isth e n e s and Thye ste s’ brothe r on ly by adoption .
491596. I take aflrd
‘
w as th e ge n itive afte rth e privative adj e ctivew ithou t th e tok e n s of them,
’n ame ly of th e hands and fe e t, w hich
wou ld have be traye d th e natu re of th e me at.501657. Your appointe d place s .
’ I re ad vap or) : for 66mm.
Nonbs z haun t, ’ habitat. ’ Oth e rs re ad ominous, course s.
’
51 1660. With th e malign ity of h e ave n .
’ Lit. With th e he avyhe e l of a de ity .
’Compare th e image in Sophocle s, Oed. Ty r.
1 300 f. rt: 6 myth ic al : Iy e lg'ava daiy w u 7 63» Marlow e) » 1rpb s offavadalpompolpa.
148 NOTES
NOTES TO THE CHOEPHOROE.
1 Lin e 1 . Th e othe rme an ing of this place H e rme s, who in thewatch fu lne ss fu lfill e d an office confe rre d on the e by thy sire whichAristophan e s (Ran . 1 144)make s Dionysu s uphold , is de fe nded bymany exce l le nt scholars. Bu t othe r allusions to He rme s throughou t th e play sugge st that an image of th e God w as re pre se nte d asstan ding n e ar th e grave . This wou ld give sign ifican ce to th e
w ords as I have re nde re d them. And thisme aning is con firme dby th e use of ( rot -redo e lsewh e re in th e Ckolpkoroe , e g. 489.352 . Not hated bymortals.
’
58. 1 1 : he re re fe rs to Clytemn e stra andAegisthu s.137. Agamemnon is still in e vil case while h e remains un
ave nge d and r6roc= xaxd. Se e Soph. Aj. 1 151 , £6. 1007.
Othe rs take to a b out ; to me an ‘ in th e we alth which thylabour w on .
’
5152. bdxpv xaraxér is take n tome an th e plashing
’or patte r
ing’ te ar. I pre fe r to unde rstan d by th e sound ing tear
’
the te arthat is accompanie d w ith sounds ofmourn ing.
154. Or ‘where acce ss both to good and e vil things is de n ie d.’
But th e Trojan wome nmay we ll regard th e race of th e Pe lopidaeasmixe d ofgood and e vil pe rsons.7 285. The re is a suspicion of a lacuna he re . I take th e w ords
as n e ute r in appod tion with rpw flokas’Epo éw =mxd.
3319. In e arly philosophy , th e re alms of light and darkn e ss
we re imagin e d as co e xte nsive and con te rminous.
330. Re ading rdxémov with Grote fe nd— doubtfu lly.1°334. Or ‘
th e n ewly mingle d bowl of libation , ’ if M 1”n oxpiira (We ckle in ) is re ad .
1 1 Conington re nde rs ‘th e childre n have th e advantage .
1’439. Th e mutilation of th e de adman w as suppose d to make
h is ave nge r he lple ss.
1’447. Re ading “0x06 with th e M SS. Otherwise , m6, in
close confin eme nt. ’1‘482 . Some words are lost, and th e se nse is incomple te .
We ekle in sugge sts rvxe tv pf w pfipoi’
z,‘ that Imay w in a bride
m15578. We e kle in , re fe rring to infra 1063 f. , unde rstands th e
thre e blood-draughts’to b e — ( l ) th e Thye ste an banqu e t, (2 ) th e
de ath ofAgamemnon , (3) th e de ath ofAegisthus. I pre fe r to takeWimp roomas a sile nt re fe re nce to Clytemn e stra. H e r de ath is
1 50 NOTES
NOTES TO THE EUMENIDES .
1 Lin e 3. Themis is he re Earth’s daughte r, as in He siod. In the
P rometh eu s (l . 2 10) sh e is ide ntifie d w ith Earth.103. Re ad ing xapdlg ! w e : with th e M 55. andWe ckle in .
1 19 . Re ading M 04 yap claw our épo‘
t'
s t w e a k s : withWe ckle in .
164. I take th e accusative W OW Opbpflov in a loose con
struction with what follow s.5178. Re ad ing 61: xe lrov for éxe lvov.220. Re ading rh eaflcu , with M e in e ke . But w h e n ; pe rhaps
admits of a possible me aning, so that you’
(th e Erinys) ne ve r
arise or e xist e fl'
e ctive ly.
’
’371 . amps ram: is an accu sa tive (of appofi tion ) in
th e same construction with 6m, eq u ivale nt to t pdV
54011 or th e like .
3388.
‘ For cle ar-sighte d me n and blin d. ’ This, like M i
sal 8¢80px6¢mv, supra 323, has be e n e xplaine d to me an ‘
the livingand th e de ad .
’Bu t is not Sw ouudrots rathe r a forced e xpre ssion
for this393. Re ading En not flb fi with He rmann.
1°413. Or, re ading w ith We ckle in , duopw Gn u mrate s,
one ’s n e ighbourwho is lacking in be au ty.
’
1 1506 8. So I pre fe r to take the se words, which are variously
e xplain e d . We ckle in would re nder themas fo llows On e he re ,one the re , re porting a n e ighbour
’
s woe s , shall inqu ire h ow to
e n d or alle viate h is trou ble . And h is haple ss informant shallvain ly re comme nd un ce rtain remedie s.
’
‘3553. Th e te xt of this passage is still u nce rtain . We ckle in
adopts M e ine ke’
s conje cture fiaptfiar marin e r’) for"parade” of
th e M SS. Bu t although th e image ry is thu s made more distinct,and a cle ar me an ing is give n to dyorra (
‘w rying goods on
board th e me taphor is in troduce d too sudden ly.
‘3563. We ckle in quote s Eur. fr. 232 of; yap h eparin»“w as
dxpar Gw dy e co’ £7 1 yup t e vla, xaxbr !w
'
ror, w h e n 6’
N os. This is quote d also by L. and S . , b u t doe s not supportthe ir re nde ring.
735. On Ath e na’s vote se e Introduction , p. xxxiii.‘5751 . Th e corre ction of W e . to rapoik a, which has
EUMENIDES 1 5 1
occurre d inde pe nde n tly to se ve ral critics, appe ars to have be e nfirst thought of by H . Voss.
1“Lin e 782 . We ckle in , follow ingAb re tsch , note s an hiatus he re .
17 825. Th e te xt is unce rtain : M on ike r h as be e n e xplain e d as
made by false analogy frome dxnh ov (Féxnh ov), and h as again be e nre j e cte d as a wax Bu tmay it n ot b e a le gitimate de rivativefromth e root of axéhh w , o
'
xxnpés, e tc. ? We ckle in re ads M ammal!xékov, w rath hard tomuz z le , ’ -w hich ce rtain ly agre e s be tte rwith01 760117 6 .
189 10. We ckle in fo llow sWe il in re ading E’Kgbopos ar opd. w éh oz.
19944. Adopting (w ithWe ckle in )M e in e ke
’
s corre ction e éde vofivmIIc
'
iv for e ude vofirr’dyu u .
20962 . We ckle in , w ith K . O . M u lle r and othe rs, fo llow ing
He siod’s Tfie ogony (l . 2 17) in te rpre ts uarpoxaaw vfi‘
raz,‘siste rs by
ou rmothe r’s side (be cau se th e childre n of Night in H e siod haven o fathe r). Bu t Ae schylu s (se e on 1. 3) do e s not con siste n tly adoptany ve rsion ofmytho logy . And why shou ld n ot th e Fate s, likeThemis, b e daughte rs of Earth ? The y are ce rtain ly o lde r thanth e Furie s, at whose birth the y pre side d (11. 339 , and are
calle d ‘
prime val ’ (l . and ‘of an cie nt birth ’
(1. by th eErinye s themse lve s. Th e n aturalme an ing, siste rs ofourmothe r, ’is ridicu le d by K . O. M ulle r, appare ntly for no be tte r re ason thanthat some ludicrous associations have gath e re d about th e Ge rmanwords D ie
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