I PHI G EN IA IN TA U RIS
AN ENGLISH ! ERSIO N BY
W ITTER BYNNER
NEW YO RK , MIT C HELL KENNERLEY MCM! !
TO
BARRY FA ULKNER
Wh ere that corner-house then s to od ,
h er o u r o m a a n d o u r ta s W e y r o w s, lk ,
Laths a n d do o rs a n d tu mbled b ric ks
a Pile th eir d ust u p o n th e w lks ,
h r o o m T o wn by n o s lo w t u ch f ti e,
N o u c b ma re q i k las t of gic fi ,
B u t b s u r e d tr o in ha n ds y , es y g ,
H n d h r a d o b u ders b u i in i e . s f il , l g h g
Yet th e b u ilders with th eir derric ks,
Th ey s ha ll n ever r ea ch s o high
A s a blu e- as cen ding t o wer
n We w ere b u ildi g in the s hy .
0 rememb er h o w w e b uilt it
Higher th an in a ll th e la n ds A n d b e min dfu l o f that co rn er Where a t opless tower s tan ds ! D n ca s n r Isadora u n aid o e day, If only the e were P I IA a simple English version of I H GEN , as human as f the Greek , no rhymes , no inversions , no loss o mean ! ing in the sound ! And when I wrote her this , she liked and used it . Therefore the blame or praise be partly hers .
WITTER RYNNEK. I PHI G EN IA IN TA U RIS
o m e h te O n the s eas h re s ta n ds a great Te pl , wit s ps lead n b o o -s ta t r h n r est i g to a l d in ed a l a . Ip ige ia , th e P i ess, c om es o u t o f th e Temple.
IPHIGENIA . f Pelops , the son o T antalus , by speed
h . Of chariot earned a bride , w o bore him Atreus
o n And Atreus had tw sons, o e Menelaus,
The n h other Agamem on , w o in turn I By Clytemnestra had a child , and
Am she , Iphigenia . It is thought T hat I was sacrificed by my own father
T o f Artemis , in the great quest o Helen , f Upon an altar near the bay o Aulis , There where the long deep waves are caught and bro ken
Hither and thither by the winds . That bay ! Held Agamemnon s fleet, the thousand ships m Fro Hellas , waiting to avenge o n T roy The wrong done Menelaus by the 1055
Of Helen . But a storm came up and still Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
n Another storm , and neither sea o r W ind
Would favor Agamemn on . So he aske d
o o Calchas the soothsayer t c nsult the flame .
And this is what was answered ! Agamemnon ,
o f Captain Hellas, there can be no way Of setting free thy ships till Artemis H as had fulfilled Her promised sacrifice. Fo r thou hadst vowed to sacrifice each year
The e fair st thing the year produced . And due T o Her long since was one whom Clyt emnestra
h o f Bore t ee, the fairest the year , thy daughter
Iphigenia Let her be brought and killed . They sent Odysseus with his lying tongue
o n To lure me from my mother, the plea
That I should wed Achilles. When I came
T o me Aulis, they laid hold of and led
Me to the flame , and would have struck I saw
! r s The knife But A temis deceived their eye ,
e Leaving a d er instead , an d stole me through Th e radiant blue until She set me down
Here in the town of T auris, where there live
Barbaric men ruled by their uncouth King,
T s . hoas , a rider reckle s as the wind
H e made o f me a priestess in Her Temple,
I o n And here serve Her Her festal days .
It has a holy sound , that word , but far From holy are the rites I Yet I dare
I fi Not question . Dumbly must sacri ce
wh o T o Her delight strangers happen here . 2 Iphigen ia in Ta uris
It was their custom long before I came .
My hands ordain the victim. Other hands, T Inside the Inner emple, drain his blood ,
- Which then is poured upon this altar stone.
(Sh e c o m es do wn th e s teps )
I dreamed last night a deathly dream . Perhaps
The morning will dispel it if I speak it .
I dreamed myself at home again in Argos , Asleep among my maidens — when a roll
Of thunder shook the ground . I ran outside .
I watched the house . I saw the coping fall .
Then the whole palace plunged from roof to base.
o n e o f Only column stood untouched , all ! n e My father s home . And that o stood alive ,
A man with bright brown hair and breathing lips . Then I began unwillingly to touch His brow with the water that means woe to strangers f And with the tears o my interpretation .
a ? —! ! Must it not me n Orestes Dead , dead
It was my brother whom I touched with tears .
T h e f pillar o a family is the son ,
And in those waters is the sign of death .
- Let me then pour the funeral cup , for him
ho f W is to o far away o r nearer rites .
(Sh e go es u p th e s teps again ) 3 Iphigen ia in Tau ris
Come now, my maidens , my Hellenic maidens , O captives of the king ! — Enslaved to serve
Th e living , let us freely serve the dead .
u I m st go in and pray , then call to them
- By the great summons of the Temple bell .
(She go es in to th e Temple )
ORESTES .
(Cau tio us ly fo llo wing Pylades t o ward the pie ) Take care lest someone should be coming by !
PYLADES .
I looked both ways and there is no one co ming .
ORESTES .
Is this the Shrine of Artemis , which we Set out from Argos over many seas — T o find ? 0 Pylades ! is this the Shrine ?
D PYLA ES .
So . I think it is, Orestes . dost thou
ORESTES .
o f ? Is that the stone , dark with the blood Greeks
PYLADES . I — If ever saw blood look , on the edge ! 4 Iphigen ia in Tau ris
(DRESTES.
And there beneath the roof, spoils o f the dead !
PYLADES . T rophies o f strangers whom these men have mur
dered .
ORESTES . — B e careful how thou goest then be watchful !
h Th 0 W y has y oracle , t hus , sent This thing upon me and the sight o f blood Again ? Have I not seen enough o f blood ? ! o My mother shed my father s blo d , I hers.
e And then the Furies , with their yes bloody,
Hunted me down , a wanderer through the world
T to T o ill fugitive I went hee , t pray An end of all the cycles o f despair T hat Sped me , maddened me , hurled me through
Hellas, Thy answer came ! Go seek the T aurian land
Where Artemis my Sister has Her Shrine . Discover there Her effigy that fell
From Heaven into the T emple . T hen by skill Or by goo d - fortune take it and proc eed
Surviving every hazard , and co nvey
Th e to f Image the holy land o Athens .
No more was said , except that by this deed I was to be relieved of my afflictions Iphigen ia in Tau ris
0 And here I am , Phoebus , far from home — Upon this dismal shore obeying Thee .
No w o f , Pylades, companion my tas k , What course are we t o take ? To scale these walls
Would be imp ossible . Are we to climb Th e open stairs ? - and s o be seen ? Are we
o T force the brazen locks, not knowing where
e T hey lead ? For if th y come upon us here ,
It will be certain death . Shall we not turn
In time and take our ship ? 0 , let me face h T e Furies , rather than inflict this thing On thee !
PYLADES . What do we know o f flight ? How dare We take a course o f which o u r hearts know nothing ? Why should we disobey Apollo ! s voice And offer Him dishonor ? No ! T here must T Be ways . Come , let us leave the emple , hide Ourselves in some dark cave and shun the ship
Lest it should be attacked and we be captured . Look ! through that opening between the beams A man might lower himself inside the wall ! ! A coward drops the cup . But a brave man s drink
Is hardship . And by all the Go ds shall we , ? Coming as far as this, now at the end turn back
ORESTES . t No . Thou art saying what I o o should say. 6 Iphigen ia in Tauris
o u r - So let us go and find hiding place. t b us would nev er tolerate defeat
Of His commandment. Come ! Have we youth ?
Add youth to courage, we can move the world .
(They go o ut )
e (Th e great b ell rings . O n e by o n e the Templ Maidens ass emble)
A MAIDEN . O ye wh o dwell upon these Clashing Rocks
That guard the Euxine Sea , ! Keep silence now before Latona s Daughter,
o f Artemis , Go ddess the pointed hills !
(Turn ing t oward th e A ltar )
0 Artemis , I come Th On consecrated feet into y co urt, I hail Thee beautiful In Thy gold dome above the colonnades !
A SECOND MAIDEN .
Th who Th y priestess calls me , she keeps y T Who left behind , for hee ,
Her land of Hellas , the embattled walls ,
o f The shore horses , and the quiet fields 7 Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
Wherein my father lived . I must obey her call and worship T hee In this embittered land
Far from Eurotas and from happiness.
A THIRD MAIDEN .
a e a e t r ro m t em (G ing to Iphig n i , wh o n e s f he T 1518 )
O daughter o f the king that gathered ships A thousand strong and led
- T Unnumbered men against high towering roy ,
to I heard thee call and I have come thee . Why hast thou summoned us ? What makes thy cheek so thoughtful and so pale ?
What has thy tongue to tell , That thy brow is dark and bowed upon thy hands ?
IPHIGENIA .
My maidens, listen ! Listen while I tell
Th e e What I have seen . Muse has hid Her fac
And I am mourning for a kinsman lo st .
Last night I had a dream o f destiny. 0 weep with me ! I saw my brother dead ! w ! My dream as clear . My father s house is ended ,
o My race broken and g ne, Orestes dea d !
r What anguish , Argos , art thou made to bea When Fate purs ues me still and takes from me My only brother ! 8 Iphigen ia in Tau ris
To the v anished dead ff Let me now! pour this o ering, this gift m Upon the earth , co mingled o f the milk Of mountain - kine and o f the wine o f Bacchus And o f the honey that the russet bees
G — a f r athered , soothing gift o him I loved.
o f o Give me the heavy urn gold , t hold
My offering to the God o f Death .
This urn ,
e o f Or stes , son Agamemnon , thou
That liest dead beneath the earth , I bring
fo r And pour thee . Better I cannot bring,
to I cannot bring thee my heavy locks,
o I cannot lay them , weeping , n thy grave .
And yet , though men believ e me long since dead,
I still can weep , far from my home and thee.
A FO URTH MAIDEN .
woe wo e 0 Lady, is in me for thy , My song is like the song Of o ld that mourners in the far-o ff east
C fo r hant the dead , reciting only death , The o f very song hell ,
f n o A wail o returning and no hope, f Using no note o glory, th f Only e desolation o the grave.
TH E FIRST MAIDEN .
f the Mourn o r sons of Atreus , in whose house 9 Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
The hearth can never burn !
Mourn for their bitter heritage, a home T hat waits the coming of some happy King But cannot give him welcome ! Trouble is born forever in their sky Since t b u s turned His car Of toppling horses o u t o f the course o f
H T E T HIRD MAIDEN . T here was desired long since a golden lamb , And out o f the dispute Mischief aro se to tantalize thy house
H T E FOU RTH MAIDEN . ! engean ce has made its unappeased way With every dart Of death
And visited thy family one by one, A n d now with eager hand Th Fate is pursuing thee . y turn has come.
IPHIGENIA . O bitter my beginning In the womb h Of her w o bore me , from the very night That she conceived ! Appointed by the Fates
T o f suf er in this world , I was a child
firs t - Accursed . Yet how she cherished me, her born ,
r f And th illed that I , of all the girls o Argos , Should be a bride upon the way to T roy ! What had she borne me for and loved me for ? 10 Iphigen ia in Tauris
! T t u ! o come o nothing , through my father s fa lt f T o come, behind the horses o delight, — Not to Achilles but to grief and horror ! And no w beside this melancholy sea
— n o n o I live my days lonely, love, friends, f f o Wife o n o man and mother o n child .
I know n o home . I sing n o Argive song
W ith Argive women to the ! ueen o f Heaven . I weave upon the whirring loom n o tale d Of Pallas routing T itans O , instea ,
I see an altar stained with bloo dy death . I hear the cry for pity and the moans
Of men a woe too hideous to be told . Yet even that is little to me now No w that a th rone is empty and his eyes
Are pas t all weeping, as I wish mine were. Fo r I who loved Orestes all those years
o Shall never see him n w but as I left him , A little baby at his mother ! s breast
to I who had thought see him as a King .
TH E SECOND MAIDEN .
Look ! from the beach a herdsman comes to thee , Comes like a man with news !
HERDSMAN .
(A rriving b reathless )
f f n O daughter o the house o Agamem on , I I Iphigen ia in Tau ris
I have a thing to tell !
IPHIGENIA . Is it a thing To war rant this intrusion ?
HERDSMAN . Yes A ship Fro m sea has rounded the Symplegades
And in the mist two men have come ashore ,
f o n ! Young, worthy to be O fered the altar M ake ready then the Feast of Artemis !
IPHIGENIA . Where are they from ? — what country ? Couldst thou tell ?
M HERDS AN .
no sa From Hellas , but I could t y what part.
I IPHIGEN A . Wh at were their names ? Thou must have heard their names !
One of them called the other Pylades .
IPHIGENIA . And th e one who spoke ? 12
Iphigen ia in Tau ris
Not men but Gods ! ! And then another herds
man ,
C o f aught sight them , raised up his hands and prayed
d Palmmo n l Go in whose keeping are all ships ,
Have mercy o n us , whether these be Sons Of Zeus o r Brothers o f the Fifty Nereids !
r But another mocked o u fear and laughed aloud ,
Daring the poss ible anger Of the Go ds . Fo r he maintained there must have been a wreck And these were mariners wh o chose that cave
T o hide in , having heard that strangers here
s Are sacrificed . And he persuaded mo t Of us ! and we were planning what t o do — To capture them when o n e o f them came out
Into full view and , standing there a moment , Stared n o t at us nor anything we saw
o But straight ab ve him , groaning , shuddering , And bent his head from o n e side to the other
n Behind his arms , like o e delirious, And th en cried o u t as sharply as a hunter
0 o ! 0 ! Look , Pylades ! lo k at her look — There ! there ! Dost thou not see her n o w ? that Fury From hell ! Look at the serpent o n her head
f r With mouth wide Open , writhing o my blood ! — Another ! and another ! Lo ok at her
o n f High the clif , belching a flame at me And holding in her hands my mother ! s body 1 4 Iphigen ia in Tau ris
T ill she can hurl it down on me and kill me ! 0 they are all around me ! Pylades ! And we could tell by the motion o f his head Wh en the dogs barked or when the cattle lowed That some invisible Fury mocking him
Became a threat to him in every sound . In o u r amazement we were sitting there — Like stricken men when o u t he whipp ed his sword
o u r And , quick as a lion , leapt upon herd
s As if attacking Furies there. H e sla hed Their sides with might and main until the rim
Of the sea was rolling thick with gore . We saw Our herd wounded and dying and we looked Fo r sticks to arm ourselves and blew o u r horns
r Fo help . An d then when slowly we approached him
His madness left him. I can see him n ow h Standing a moment. W ile I watch he drops
In a heap and foaming at the lips . Our chance ! Our chance ! Forward we hurried with our cudgels
And rocks . But still his comrade , unafraid , Le aned over him and wiped his lips and held A linen fold above his face protecting him T ill suddenly the fallen man stood up Calm and himself again and saw the rush
Of stones that neared him like a breaking wave . He gave o n e groan as we surrounded him ! And then we heard his voice ring clear and say I S Iphigen ia in Tau ris
D T eath , Pylades ! hen let us meet it well Like men ! Out with thy sword and follow me !
o t e Back from the glittering sw rds we ran , o lur
Them to the glen . Fo r there when so me of us Would run to shelter others could hurl rocks TO draw the pursuers o ff and then could fly
And let the first come b ack again with sto nes.
And yet the destined offering stood clean .
Fo r a , str nge as it may sound , of all the stones
o ne We volleyed at those men , not went true !
Al l we co uld hope for was to wear them out.
So , working round them in a ring, we struck T heir swords with stones , until they lost their hold
n o fo e And had breath r the r covery . i And then we took them captive to the K ng, Who ordered us to bring them here to thee T f o be prepared and bled o r Artemis .
Ask Artemis, O priestess , to direct Other such wanderers as these to Tauris ! Let men from Hellas shed their blood fo r thine Which men from Hellas clamo red fo r at Aulis !
THE FIRST MAIDEN . T his is n o common man who came away From the land o f Hellas to an alien shore And battled like a God !
IPHIGENIA . w Go back and bring me the t o mariners. I 6 Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
fo r I shall be ready them with the rites .
(Exit th e Herds man )
f Poor heart o mine , which in the days gone by
Was tender and compassionate to strangers , And even yesterday grew pitiful
At thought of men from Hellas coming here,
A cruel dream has changed thee overnight .
Fo r n since Orestes is o more alive ,
Now, where my heart was , there is stone
wh e d n ho And you o com to ay, o matter w , h Will find in me a woman wit out tears .
Friends, by my o wn unhappiness I know That the experience of evil days f Brings disregard for lesser suf erers . NO heaven-sent wind has ever forced a ship R Between the Clashing ocks , bringing me Helen , T hat Helen whom I hate, and Menelaus , T f hat I might make o them the sacrifice, Let a new Aulis expiate the o ld ! And have my vengeance ! It was Helen s fault
And his, that Greek hands lifted me at Aulis And led me like a beas t before the altar
wh o o Where he held the knife was my wn father.
I live it all again . My hands groping Go out to him again and touch his beard I 7 Iphigen ia in Tau ris
And cling about his knees . I cry t o him
O thou thyself, thyself , hast brought me here ! Thou hast deceived my maidens and my mother !
- T hey sing my marriage song at home , they fill Th e house with happiness and all the time
am — e Here I dying slain, father, by th e ! t Thou hast led me in thy chariot, o take
Achilles for my lord . But here is death ! And o n my lips n o kiss but only blood ! And I had left my ho me with my white veil
Drawn down . I had not taken in my arms
wh no r My brother, o is dead , kissed my sister. I had saved all my kisses and embraces For him I thought to marry Yet my heart Was homesick even then and ached with hope
That I should so on come back again to Argos.
And thou art dead , Orestes, and thou too
Fo re oes o u r ! g t our inheritance , home
O what has Artemis desired o f me ? She wh o forbids Her court to any man Whose hand is stained with bloodshed o r with touch f Of childbirth o r o burial , calls him Unclean and bans him She so scrupulous In all these things — will yet receive the blood Of human beings on Her altar- stone ?
It is not credible . Latona bo re To Zeus no daughter so unkind ! Tlie thing 1 8 Iphigen ia in Tau ris
Is n o more true than are the tales they tell Of Tantal us preparing for the Gods
A child whom T hey devoured Artemis, T hese people being murderers themselves,
Impute to T hee their o wn iniquity . No ! I will not believe it of a God !
TH E C SE OND MAIDEN . Who can these be that left the holy streams
Of Dirce , o r the reeds
- o Green growing in Eurotas , t prefer T t his bitter beach , o dare the ominous rocks f Where the seas meet in o g,
Where Artemis, among Her colonnades
Demanding sacrifice , Receives upon Her altars human blood ?
T H E FO U RTH MAIDEN . Why have they urged the oarsmen o n their ship TO shake the clinging sea
With a great stroke , and to accelerate With rush o f rivalry the racing wind ? Was it to sweep the shores
i For riches and to vie in bear ng home ,
Each to upbuild his house, The treasures and the trophies o f the world ?
Th at glittering hope is immemorial And beckons many men I 9 Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
T O their undoing. Ever insatiate , They sail the sea and look to foreign towns
T o fill their ships with spoil .
But some men never find prosperity, Fo r all their voyaging !
n o While others find it with voyaging .
TH T I E HIRD MA DEN . Ho w have they passed the peril o f the rocks T hat clash ? and of the beach Of Phineus heavy with broken waves ? How have they turned their rudder to the land Where the Fifty Nereids
Hand in hand dance and circle round and sing ,
Where the wings of ocean brood , And where Achilles rode by the dark water ?
TH E S FIR T MAIDEN .
My Lady prayed that Fate might hither bring ,
On the way home from T roy,
T h e cause o f her great misery. 0 would T hat Helen , Helen had been blown ashore,
T o n hat her fatal head ,
For recompense , the holy drops might fall And that my Lady ! s knife Might find in her the fitting sacrifice !
TH E SECOND MAIDEN .
But I have prayed for a deliverer, 20
Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
Prepare the altar for the ritual .
(Tu rn ing to the cap tives ) — I wonder who your mother w as ? your father ? Whether you had a sister who has lost Her brothers and laments their bravery ?
Invisible and mute, Fate comes and goes And never whispers where Her blow shall fall ! None of us ever sees Her in the dark
Or understands Her cruel mysteries .
T ell me , unhappy men , where are you from ? You who are far from home and yet must gO Farther away from home even than this !
O RESTEs .
o u r lo t ? What woman art thou , weeping for Wh t at can we mean to thee , o draw thy pity, T o make o u r tribulation difficult ? There is n o W isdom in lamenting death
And only fools, when they behold it near ,
T h e Meet it with tears. man who doubles death By the cowardice Of pitying himself Earns fo r himself co ntempt as well as death Let us accept our fortune as it comes
o ! r N pity and no tears We dared o u fate . — And what we undertook we undertook .
IPHIGENIA . f One o your names was brought me by a herdsman . 2 2 Iphigen ia in Tauris
f o u Tell me then , which o y is Pylades ?
w He, if it does thee any good to kno .
IPHIGENIA . And from what town in Hellas ?
Does it matter ?
And are you brothers ?
In all else but birth .
IPHIGENIA . And what may I call thee ?
Unfortunate
IPHIOEN IA .
! n o That would be pity s name for thee, t mine .
T no hen say I have name and call me nothing . 23 Iphigen ia in Tau ris
IPHIGENIA . Art thou s o j ealous for thy reputation ?
ORESTES .
o s b C me, acrifice my ody, not my name !
IPHIGENIA . Thou wilt not even name fo r me thy town ?
ORESTES .
o n I am s soon a townsman o f o town .
IPHIGENIA .
n o t Surely it is t much o tell me that .
ORESTES .
— n Ah , but it is when o e can answer, Argos
IPHIGENIA . Argos ? n o t Argos ? thou art n o t from Argos ?
ORESTES .
M cen a w My town , y , as a lordly place .
IP H IC EN IA . Then what could bring thee from it ? ment ?
ORESTES .
— e - o se A kind of banishment yet s lf imp d. 24 Iphigen ia in Ta uris
IPHIGENIA . How fortunate to see a son of Argos !
ORESTES . But n o t to be o n e in thy company !
IPHIGEN IA . And let me ask about another town
ORESTES . But why this questioning ?
IPHIGEN IA . 0 tell me news Of that mos t talked -o i town in all the world ! ? Wh at hast thou heard o f Troy
ORESTES .
By all the Gods , I wish that I had never heard its name !
IPHIGENIA . But is it true that Troy is overthrown ?
ORESTES .
Its towers lie broken in the dust .
IP H IC EN IA . And Helen ? Has Menelaus taken Helen back ? 25 Iphigen ia in Tau ris
ORESTES .
And soo n repented . For she brings him sorrow .
IPHICENIA .
She brought me so rro w to o . Where is she now ?
ORESTES .
o Gone back with him t Sparta.
IPHIGENIA . How I hate The name o f Helen ! HOW all Hellas hates it!
S ORE TES .
I have my own good cause for hating it .
IPHIGENIA . Did the A chman s return ho me contented ?
ORESTES . t It would take many tongues o answer that .
IPHIGENIA .
But tell me quickly, while there still is time !
ORESTES T hen ask me quickly. I will answer thee .
IPHICEN IA . f What o the soothsayer, Calchas ? Where is he ? 2 6 Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
ORESTES .
o Rep rted dead at home .
IPHIGENIA .
0 Artemis , Hail for that news ! And is Odysseus dead ?
ORESTES . — Neither at home nor dead but wandering.
IPHI GENIA . 0 ho w I pray he never reaches home !
ORESTES . Why wish him that ? Has he not borne enough ?
I PHIGENIA . What Of Achilles ?
ORESTES .
Dead . His marriage planned
At Aulis never happened .
IPHIGENIA . Thos e who knew
About that plan knew it a cruel lie.
ORESTES .
s Knowing the e things , art thou thyself from Hellas ? 2 7 Iphigen ia in Ta uris
IPHIGENIA .
I was, but lost my home long, long ago .
R O ESTES . N o wonder thou art asking me these questions !
IPHIGENIA . What o f that king they called The Happy King ?
ORESTES .
h e o T one I think thou meanest was n t happy.
IPHIGENIA .
I ask o f Agamemno n .
ORESTES .
I know nothing ,
n Nothing o f him . O ask me o more questions !
IPHIGENIA . But no news must be good news ! Say it is !
ORESTES . — ! Th e news is death his and another s death .
IPHIGENIA . O Agamemnon ! 0 King Agamemnon !
OR ESTES .
so ? Could he be kin to thee , thou carest 2 8
Iphigen ia in Tau ris
ORESTES . o And well thou mayest . NO G d pities
IPHIGENIA. ! Not o n e o f Agamemnon s children left ?
ORESTES . o him Electra, yes. But l s es she loves !
IPHIGENIA. What h as been said o f her they sacrificed ?
ORESTES. f x Nothing o her, e cept that she is dead .
IPHIGENIA .
O miserable king, willing to slay her !
ORESTES.
O wicked war caused by a wicked woman , And all the waste and wicked consequence !
IPHIGENIA . Th e so n of the dead king alive in Argos ?
ORESTES .
n o Living, but not in Argos, t in Argos !
IPHIGENIA.
e to My dr am was nothing then , it lied me ! 30 Iphigenia in Tauris
ORESTES .
a ! Dreams , lies , lies , dre ms, nothing but emptiness Even the Gods with all Their n ame for wisdom
Have only dreams and lies and lose Their course,
Blinded , confused and ignorant as we . The wisest man is he who goes his way
And listens to n o prophet guiding him .
Th e who fool is he follows oracles ,
o rsakin w F g his o n judgment. T hose who know w m an Kno such a can only come to wreck.
C THE SE OND MAIDEN . O who will bring us news whether o u r kin Are living or are dead !
IPHIGENIA .
Let me suggest a plan that I have thought o f ,
T o o u r advantage , yours as well as mine . An d nothing makes more surely for achievement T T han interests in common . ell me this
o Wilt thou g back , if I can grant thee leave , Bearing fo r me to Argos and my friends A letter that has been prepared fo r them ? My words were written down by o n e wh o died
Here at my ritual but pitied me, a Bl ming his blood on Artemis, not me.
n No one had come from Hellas , not o e Greek , Whose life might be conceded to bear home
My message. But in thee I find a man
to r Worthy car y it, knowing the names 3 1 Iphigen ia in Tauris
as And places dear to me . And so I k Thy help and Off er in exchange thy life
With o n e condition ! that thy friend remain ,
To pay the sacrifice to Artemis.
ORESTES . f s I thank thee, Lady, o r a fair propo al ,
Save in that o n e respect . What would my life ? Be worth t o me , earned by deserting him
I am the captain o f this misadventure ,
And he but sailed With me to comfort me . It wo uld be wrong if he should pay the cost
And I repudiate my enterprise .
Thy errand shall be done but not by me .
Give him thy confidence , give him thy letter. T O thee it makes n o difference which o f us
o Carries the message homeward . And t me
n r h w It makes o difference when I die o o . But if I brought disaster o n a friend
And yet myself went free , then there would be
NO n o n faith left in me , respect , o love.
Besides, his life is dear to me as mine .
Fo — I His life is mine . r in his life live.
IPHIGENIA . T hou hast a heart o f gold and must be sprung
s m s . From o e great eed , to be so true a friend If only the survivor o f my race
May be like thee ! I have a brother left, 32 Iphigen ia in Tau ris
Al though I should n o t know him by his face .
o . As thou hast ch sen then , so let it be Thy friend shall take the letter and thou
Thy love by laying down thy life for him .
ORESTES. Whose is the hand that sacrifices me ?
IPHIOEN IA .
e so Whos hand but mine ! Artemis willed it .
ORESTES.
Th Th o y hand ! y po r , unenviable hand !
IPHIGENIA.
o n m What is imposed me I ust obey.
ORESTES . ! A woman hold the knife to shed men s blood !
IPHIGENIA . ! — 0 ! Not that not the knife Only the water,
The sacrificial water for thy brow .
ORESTES . Wh o is it then that strikes the fin al blow ?
IPHIGENIA .
who do Inside the Shrine are men that part . 33 Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
ORESTES . ? When I am burnt , what happ ens to my body
IPHIGENIA .
T hey seal the ashes in a rocky cleft .
ORESTES . ! 0 that my sister s hand might tend my b ody !
IPHIGENIA . She is to o far away from thee to hear
Petition for the gift she cannot give .
fo r t Being from Argos , let me care hee, Let me do everything that she might do ! I will array thy body in rich robes Then p our upon the embers yellow Oil Coo ling and clean and the golden essences
- fl e That bees collect from every mountain ow r,
O T make thee pure and sweet . No w I must go
And bring my letter. I have kept it here f SO long a while. 0 think o me with pity.
n See that you guard these men , but do o t bind them .
0 if at last my letter should arrive In Ar gos and be o pened by the hand
- f Of him I love, a letter never dreamed o , Then he would listen through the opening grave And hear my living lips cry o u t to him ! 34 Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
(Sh e go es in t o the Temple )
TH E FIRST MAIDEN . I pity thee upon whose fated head The water shall be sprinkled !
ORESTES .
But choose not pity. Change it into hope.
TH E SECOND MAIDEN .
fo r Let me then hope, but not for thee , him , That he may come again ! Into his father s co untry and be blest .
PYLADES . But how can he be bles t who leaves his friend ?
THE FIRST MAIDEN . Or I hold back my pity fo r thy death ?
T H E FO URTH MAIDEN .
to And yet I pity thee , having live.
THE THIRD MAIDEN . Which is unhappier ?
T H E FOU RTH MAIDEN . — I cannot tell , I watch and cannot tell
to o Whether pity thee , or thee , the m re . 35 Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
ORESTES .
o f ? O Pylades, what art thou thinking
lt ADEs . What dost thou think that I am thinking of ?
ORESTES . T his woman ! Thou rememberest her questions,
th e Each one so apt ! of defeat Of T roy, ! e o f Of the Acha ans homecoming , Calchas,
Of Achilles, and her great concern ! At Agamemnon s death and then her questi ons About his wife and children ? I believe T hat she herself , she too , belongs in Argos ! O r she would never send a letter there And make all these inquiries anxiously
As w if the fate of Argos were her o n .
PYLADES . T hou hast expressed what I was wondering. And yet I thought it natural enough That in a city at all civilized People should ask about the fate o f kings
n o t so But that was what troubled me , much as
ORESTES . ? T As what ell me and let me help thee solve it.
D PYLA ES .
e n How canst thou g me , thinking I would live 36
Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
Thou hast the blessing Of thy happy blood
T o make thee W ish to live . And so I pray T hat by thy life a co mfort may be brought T fl O my af icted house . 0 Pylades , h When t ou art home , there with thy wife , my sister,
Beget for me, dear friend , my happiness . Let my n ame live again and in thy children h T e house Of Agamemnon be renewed .
Therefore go back and make my home thy home . And having come to Hellas and the Shore Where the Argive horsemen ride give me thy hand And swear that tho u wilt make a grave for me And lay o n it memorials and let
My sister bring, remembering me , a lock
Of her long hair. T ell her that I was led Before the altar by the hand Of one h ! W o came from Argos , by a woman s hand ,
o And how my blo d at last was purified .
t o O Pylades , be good her , be true !
And fare thee well , my best and truest friend , Loved in my boyhoo d when I shared my sport Over the hills with thee and in my manhood When my sorrows came and thou wert with me still !
By falsely prophesying , t b us lied T o me and tricked me ! luring me away
From home , lest watchful eyes in Hellas s ee T hat Gods, like men , can break Their promises . 38 Iphigen ia in Ta uris
I gave Him everything , my faith , my will, I killed my mother for He bade me strike
An d in return He has forsaken me .
PYLADES . Let me Obey then not myself but thee
And build thy tomb in Hellas . Be assured T hat I shall love thy sister well and always .
And having loved thee living, I shall know How to receive thee closer in thy death
If death it be . We marvel at the Gods And their mysterious way of keeping b id
Th e O f face life behind a mask Of death , T hen showing the true face .
S ORE TES . T h e time is gone
to For the Gods show that face for she has come .
IPHIGENIA .
(Retu rn ing an d address ing th e A tten dan ts)
be Precede me into the Temple and ready.
(Th e A tten da n ts en ter th e Temple )
Here is my letter, all this length of it
Yet I have wondered . When a man arrives 39 Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
Out of his danger , he forgets his fear
And sometimes he forgets his promises . th Wherefore my apprehension lest y friend ,
When he is freed and on his way again ,
Forget how much this letter means to me .
ORESTES .
And what dost thou propose , to ease thy mind ?
IPHIGENIA . T t hat he shall swear o take this where I say .
ORESTES . An d wilt thou make an o ath matching his oath ?
IPHIGENIA .
T O d r o what , o undo what ?
ORESTES . T o Obtain
Safe quittance for him from this wretched place.
IPHIGENIA .
What would his o ath be good for , lacking mine ?
ORESTES . But will the King o f Tauris let him sail ?
IPHIGENIA . I can persuade the King and will myself
GO to the ship and put thy friend aboard . 40 Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
ORESTES.
Then state the o ath that thou wilt have swear.
IPHIGENIA .
Promise to give this letter to my friend .
PYLADES .
I swear to give this letter to thy friend .
IPHIGENIA .
And I to give thee safegu ard from this place .
PYLADES . Thou sweares t by what name ?
IPHIGENIA .
By Artemis, Whos e favor be upon me in Her temple !
PYLADES . ! And I by Zeus Himself, by Heaven s King .
IPHIGENIA . And if thou failest to fulfill thy oath ?
PYLADES . Then may I never see Argos again ! !And if thou failest in fulfilling thine ? 41 Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
IPHIGENIA .
Then let me fail ever to come to Argos .
PYLADES .
There is o n e chance that we have not considered .
IPHIGENIA . ff ? A chance , thou meanest, that a ects thy word
PYLADES . The oath would no t be fair if it should happen T hat in a storm the vess el should be wrecked Or strike a rock and everything go down
And yet my life be saved and not the letter. x In that event I ask to be e empted .
IPHIGENIA .
tw n e In any plan , o ways make o way sure T hen let me tell thee carefully word by word Th e contents of my letter , thou in turn
T o tell it to my friend . And that insures us. Fo r either thou shalt place it in his hand And let the silent writing speak o r else Th e writing, los t, shall echo still in thee.
PYLADES .
That will be safer both for thee and me . SO tell me whom t o find fo r thee in Argos
And what to say to him . 42 Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
IPHIGENIA .
Say this to him , f Say to Orestes , son o Agamemnon , A greeting co mes from one he thought was T him his sister is not dead at Aulis ! ell
But is alive .
ORESTES . Alive ? Iphigenia ? — O n o l Unless the dead come back again !
IPHIGENIA . T hou art beholding her, for I am she . But let me finish what I ask of him
0 s brother , re cue me ! Let me not live The priestess of a loathly ritual !
Let me not die forlorn , in a wild land !
ORESTES . ? Where am I , Pylades What am I hearing ?
IPHIGENIA . ! n Lest thou , remembering me , shalt have o peace ! !
The name, thou must repeat it, is Orestes .
PYLADES . Ye Go ds ! 43 Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
IPH ICEN IA .
Not Gods but a woman speaks to thee .
PYLADES . It seemed I heard the Gods — and yet heard thee ! 0 let me listen further and make sure !
IPHICENIA .
Tell him that Artemis put o ut Her hand
And Spared my life at Aulis , leaving a deer
T o bleed for me instead , and that my father,
Not looking when he struck , thought he slew me .
Artemis brought me here . Th e letter ends .
PYLADES . O what an easy oath it is to keep ! — I Lady, keep thine or not keep mine now.
I bring thee this , Orestes, from thy sister .
ORESTES . How can I look at letters ? - Come to me ! 0 let me look at thee whom I had lost ! O let me touch thee with my hands and prove
T hat thou art real and hold thee close, close !
T H E THIRD MAIDEN .
Lay not thy hands , no matter who thou art , Upon those holy robes ! Bring not indignity to Artemis ! 44
Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
IPHIGENIA . It was about a golden lamb they quarreled !
ORESTES .
And thy hands made , with fine embroideries,
A pattern of the quarrel .
IPHIGENIA . Art thou he ? Art thou in truth my brother ? — art thou he ?
ORESTES .
T O f Phtr b u s here was a picture , on thy loom ,
Changing His course . Hast thou fo rgotten that ?
IPHIGENIA . 0 not one thread Of it have I forgotten !
ORESTES . T here was a bath of bridal fragrances Th y mother sent to Aulis . Thou rememberes t ?
IPHIGENIA . Everything on that day I can remember
But happiness.
ORESTES .
A lock Of hair that came,
Sent to thy mother . 46 Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
IPHIGENIA . A memorial
fo r o I meant it , commem rating me
To mark a grave where I could never lie .
ORESTES .
And I recall a keepsake in thy roo m , Th e ancient spear that Pelops once had used
T o win his bride .
IPHIOENIA .
Orestes , O my brother ! My home has come to me from far away !
Fo r thou art come, I have thee in my arms !
ORESTES .
And I have thee in mine, whom I thought dead ! NO wonder that the tears are in our eyes !
— o Of joy , not sorrow ! yet of sorrow t o !
IPHIGENIA . T hou wert a baby, when I came away,
to see Lifted me . And thy little arms
o u t t o Held me are come to me again ,
t o Grown strong comfort me . How can I speak My joy ! There is no language sweet enough !
T n here is o j oy like this . There never was !
THE U FO RTH MAIDEN . And would that we might say it need not end ! 47 Iphigen ia in Tau ris
IPHIGENIA .
I am bewildered . And I cannot think
- I What I should say, my friends ? cannot think Of anything but joy — except a fear
That he might vanish as he came . O Argos ,
Land of my love, my heart is full of thee , And o f my brother thou hast borne and bred T O be a living glory to thy n ame !
ORESTES . We wh o were born to happiness have lived
And learned unhappiness .
IPHIGEN IA . Unhappiness ? 0 how I learned it when against my throat My o wn unhappy father held the knife !
ORESTES . f I have a vision O his stricken face .
IPHIGENIA .
- And the false marriage , when the marriage hymn ! O f ! No t to Was made tears r Achilles arms s I went, but to the coldne s of the altar
And felt the bitter waters on my head .
ORESTES . Unhappy daughter an d unhappy father ! 48 Iphigen ia in Ta uris
IPHIOEN IA . But why have pity o n a pitiless man Wh o brought me all this grief ?
ORESTES . And might have brought
- — On thee to day the slaying o f thy brother !
IPHIGEN IA .
Some God prevented . But I came so near,
s My hand was o impending on the deed , T hat I am shaken with the thought o f thee Dead ! We have seen today a miracle
B egin . How shall it end for thee and me ? HOW shall I speed thee safely from this place Of horror home again ? For there are swords T O face ! a question fitter for thy wit
o o . T o weigh than mine , though thou art shaken t Shouldst thou be safer travelling by foot
NO no — I Than by the ship ? , ! see thee go Losing thy way among barbarians
Ashore , encompassed by a thousand deaths . T h e ship is better even that sharp return
e — Between the Clashing Rocks . G l dare the sea , Take to the ship again ! And yet who knows If God or man shall guide thee on the sea — T O liberation ? o r if any chance Can save thee now to make o u r home a glory ? 49 Iphigen ia in Tau ris
H T E T HIRD MAIDEN .
- I have heard marvellous tales from story tellers, But nothing to compare
With this event which my own eyes have seen .
L PY ADES .
Orestes , it is natural for thee T o greet thy sister and recount with her
Th e happenings of thy house. But there are things Of urgency to think o f ! o u r escape
o f o Out this land and how t compas s it. Fo r he is wise who makes a friend o f Fortune
t e And goes o meet her wh n she comes to him .
ORESTES. — Well s aid l and let her be well met to -day l
For every Go d helps him who helps himself .
IPHIGENIA .
But he shall tell me first about my sister, About Electra ! —T ell me of my sister !
ORESTES .
T his is her husband . He has made her happy.
IPHIGENIA . This man ? But who
ORESTES . !
so n . A Phocian . Strophius 5 0 Iphigen ia in Tau ris
N IPHIGE IA . ! Then he is Atreus grandson ! Our o wn house !
ORESTES . Th y cousin ! my one friend .
IPHIGENIA . AS yet unborn That day I came away to die !
Th e son
Of Strophius in o ld age .
IPHIGENIA .
I welcome thee , ! My sister s husband .
Closer to me than brother.
I PHIGENIA . But O our mother ? fo r thou hast no t told me
no t o f — Let us Speak her l she killed my father.
IPHIGENIA .
T n o hou hast t told me why. 5 1 Iphigen ia in Tau ris
ORESTES . T d hen o not ask me .
IPHIGENIA . May I not as k if thou art King o f Argos ?
ORESTES .
No t King but exile. Menelaus is
IPHIGENIA . ? e ? .What in thy time of grief he banished the
ORESTES . — Not he but Fu ries the avenging Fien ds !
IPHICEN IA .
Thy madness on the beach it was the Fien ds ?
ORESTES . ! Yes , yes One seeing me might think me mad .
IPHIGENIA . ! And they pursue thee for thy mo ther s death ?
ORESTES . T O catch me and to curb me with her blood !
IPHIGENIA . Thy coming here ? 5 2
Iphigen ia in Tau ris
My sorrow with a feast , the Pitcher Feast , In which each man drinks his own cup in si
lence .
When I had come to judgment on that hill , I on one side and on the other side Th e eldest of the Avengers charging me
With murder, Pho ebus rose to my defence
And by His eloquence redeemed my life .
For Pallas , in the chair, finding the votes
Cast evenly , for and against me , added
Her o wn vote for me and acquitted me . Some o f the Furies acquiesced and chose T TO infest a Temple close to the ribunal . Others defied the verdict as unjust
And turned on me again , tormenting me ,
T u s ill I fled back to t b for His aid ,
Fell down before the Shrine , faint with despair, And swore to take my life — unless the God
Who had confounded me would rescue me .
o u t And then pealed His voice, His golden voice
o Ab ve the tripod , telling me to go
Among the T aurians , to take away T heir Artemis of stone carven in Heaven And to es tablish it and worship it
In Athens . Help me now to do this thing ! 0 help me, sister , to obey the God
And carry out His mission ! Help me, sister ! If only I may take within my hands 5 4 Iphigen ia in Tauris
h e T image Of the Goddess , I am rid Of madness ! And I urge thee with a gift Of rugged rowers to row thee back to Argos ! !
! O sister , sister, for our father s house
I beg thy aid , to save that house and me !
Unless we take the Image with thy help ,
T his very day shall see o u r house destroyed .
TH E FO U RTH MAIDEN . Some Go d is visiting ancestral sin
n Up on new generatio s .
IPHIGENIA .
How long, before thy coming, had I dreamed Of thee and Of my country ! How I wish With thee the restoration of our house
Even his house who would have slain me ! Brother,
My heart has melted in our misery.
I have no anger left , but only thought
Of thee escaping and our house revived . What can I do ? - how hide from Artemis ? And how put o ff the King when he perceives But empty air upon the pedestal ?
— o f I am afraid no , not death itself
But of the interim , the dying hope . If we might take the Image and be quick And flee together on thy leaping ship !
But we should fail . Yet if I stay to hide Th y flight, when the discovery is made 5 5 Iphigen ia in Ta uris
— — Th e ravished Image l Ah but death is good If by my dying thou retu rn es t home
— a s If a man die house , a name , is lo t . — But if a woman die what does it matter ?
ORESTES .
It mattered when my mother died . I f now h T y death were added , I should have to take Tw o deaths upon my head . Instead Of that ,
o Let come what may, I mean t share thy fate
Al r . ive in Greece , o here beside thee dead
But it is evident the Gods are with us .
I f Artemis opposed , should I have been Expressly sent by Her o wn Brother here T O bring Her Image back ? She wishes it For in the very T emple o f the Image As a good omen I have seen thy face ! 0 what does all this mean but our return ?
IPHIGENIA . How can we steal the Image and not die ?
ORESTES . Can we not kill the King ?
IPHIGENIA . And dare the Go ds — w Again ? for he as kind to me . 56 Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
And yet — It might be dared if it wo uld save our lives !
I like thy boldness . But it cannot be .
Shall I stay hidden in the shrine till dark ?
And then at night escape ?
Are we not thieves ?
Th e day for honest men , the night for thieves !
IPHICEN IA .
We could not pass the guards .
What can we do then ?
IPHIGENIA . Perhaps we
S7 Iphigen ia in Ta uris
IPHIGENIA . May use our own misfortune !
ORESTES . Women have ways o f changing ill to
IPHIGENIA . I shall announce thee as a matricide !
ORESTES .
If there is good in that , make use Of it !
IPHIGENIA . As o n e unworthy to be sacrificed !
ORESTES . Thou meanest ? — ah but I can guess !
IPHIGENIA . l Unc ean , U n p u rified and unacceptable !
ORESTES . But how does that attain o u r purpose ?
IPHIGENIA. Pure Sea-water must be used to cleanse thy sin ! 5 8 Iphigen ia in Ta uris
But that would mean the Image left behind
And all our labor unfulfilled .
IPHIGENIA .
She to o , e e Having be n touched by thy approach, must b
Washed clean , the Image too !
And might it be
There , by the inlet
IPHIGENIA .
Where thy ship is moored .
And who will bring the Image ? - n one but thee ?
IPHIGENIA .
a For none may ever c rry it but me .
ORESTES . — And Pylades ? is he a murderer too ?
IPHIGENIA .
He aided thee . H e also must be cleansed .
ORESTES . A story for the guards — but for the King ? 5 9 Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
IPHIGENIA .
In any case I could not keep it from him .
SO he shall b ear it and shall be persuaded .
ORESTES.
Th e oarsmen shall be ready for their orders ,
But here as hore thine is the sole command .
Yet let me ask one question . Will these women Be true to thee and not betray thee ? Pray
Fo r their assistance . Urge them and convince them . T hou , as a woman , knowest woman well . Then use the power of thy need Of pity ! And , after that, let Heaven s high will be done !
IPHIGENIA.
0 o friends who have been near and dear t me , ! I trust you On you depends my destiny,
r Whether I keep o lose my home, my kin . t Woman o women , I appeal to you .
o u n For, knowing r o w weakness , we are bound ! TO feel a woman s need and t o defend
Our sex and to be loyal . Will you not
fo r Be silent now my sake ? This is all ,
o Yes , all I ask of you , nly your silence .
By honoring us , do yourselves honor too ! See how a single chance is left us three !
Discovery means death . Escape means home !
If I escape , shall I not work for you Till I deliver you ? - till thou and thou 60
Iphigen ia in Tau ris
And men forsake His oracle ! O come
In gracious might away from this bleak place , — Away fro m gloo m to Athens and to glory !
(Sh e fo llows in to th e Temple)
H T E SECOND MAIDEN .
- - O sad voiced ocean bird , heard in the foam Lo w by the rocky ledge
Singing a note unhappy hearts can hear, he f T song o separation from thy mate , f T h e moan o separation ,
I have n o wings to seek like thee , but I
Can sing a song like thee ,
o A s ng o f separation from my mates .
At home in Hellas now are gathering
My kinsmen . Artemis Blesses the new-bo rn from Her Cynthian hill A n d soothes the mothers with the cooling palm
- And bay and Olive tree , Where once Latona loved the winding streams And watched the rounded pools
- White with the song like motion of th e swans.
s Ala ! the falling tears, the towers fallen , The taking of o u r towns ! Alas ! the clash o f bright and angry spears That captured me aboard an alien ship 62 Iphigen ia in Ta uris
Whence I was sold away
To be an exile here , a handmaiden ! With Agamemnon s daughter , t f Doomed o the bloody rites o Artemis .
T H E FOU RTH MAIDEN . And at these altars where the sacrifice f Is not o sheep but men , I envy those unhappy fro m their birth ! For to be bred and seasoned in misfortune b Is to e iron to it . 0 there is something in the pang of change More than the heart can bear
Unhappily remembering happiness .
TH E FIRST MAIDEN .
to Lady, a Ship is here take thee home, And in the rowers! ears
Pan shall be sounding all his pointed notes,
Great mountains echoing to his little reed , And Phaeb us on his lyre Shall strike profound the seven strings and sing
T O thee Of Attica , f Shall sing to thee o home and lead thee there .
ar Oar after o shall dip and carry thee ,
Lady, away from me , Oar after o ar shall push the empty sea
Wider, wider, leaving me lonely here, 63 Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
Leaving me here W ithout thee . And forward over the unceasing bow T h y sail shall faster run ,
Ever refilling with the unspent wind .
TH E SECOND MAIDEN . O to go swiftly like the winged sun Upon his dazzling track And not to let my golden light be folded
o Until I touched my house, my roof , my ro m ! T hen I should go again To noble marriages and take my place
In the bright company,
Give them my hands and circle round and dance.
And I should strive to be the loveliest
In all my looks and ways , In my unrivalled brightness o f attire And in the motion o f my hands and feet ! And my embro idered veil I should hold closely round me as I danced And I should hide my cheek
In the soft shadow of my clustering curls .
(En ter King Th o as with S o ldiers)
THOAS .
- Where is the keeper of the Temple gates, ? The maid o f Hellas Is her labor done ? 64 Iphigen ia in Ta uris
Are the victims! bodies burning in the shrine ?
A MAIDEN .
See where she comes, to answer thee herself .
I hi en ia c o me o u t o th e Tem le carr in ( p g s f p , y g th e Image)
T HOAS . ? What does this mean , daughter of Agamemnon Why hast thou brought the Image from its place ?
IPHIGENIA .
b ack — 0 King, stand l stand back beyond the threshold !
T H o A s . Is it some new observance in the Temple ?
IPHIGENIA .
Stay back , I tell thee , from Her holy presence !
THOAS .
I will stay back , but tell me , tell me why
T hou bearest Her like this.
IPHIGENIA . The sacrifice
T o hou gavest t the Goddess was unclean . 65 Iphigen ia in Tau ris
THOAS . Ho w dost thou know ? - what makes thee think
IPHIGENIA . She turned m Away fro them , away when they
THOAS . Might it n o t be some tremor Of the ground
o That m ved Her.
IPHIGENIA .
No wn . By Her o will She moved
And even for a moment shut Her eyes.
THOAS . ! Because o f blood upon the strangers hands ?
IPHIGENIA .
It was Her divination Of their guilt .
T HOAS . ! Whose blood ? A T aurian s blood ? killed o n the beach
IPHIGENIA . Th e guilt was with them when they came ! the stain Of killing their o wn kin ! 66 Iphigen ia in Tauris
Their kin ? What kin ?
IPHIGENIA . A mother ! — whom they murdered in cold
0 great Apollo , what barbarian Would do the thing these Greeks have done ?
IPHICENIA . But Greeks
Disowned and homeless, hunted out of Hellas .
Even then why bring the Image here ?
IPHIGENIA .
fil e De d,
She must be purified , be touched again
By Her o wn firmam en t .
How dost thou know So well the nature o f their infamy ?
IPHIGENIA .
Seeing Her turn away , I asked them why. 67 Iphigen ia in Ta uris
T HOAS .
T - hou art a Greek , quick witted , a true
IPHIGENIA .
T o o hey t are Greeks . T hey thought they appease me
With pleasant news .
T HOAS . Of Argos ?
IPHIGENIA .
Of my brother, f News o Orestes .
THOAS . T o inveigle thee !
IPHIGENIA . — And of my father that he lives and prospers .
T HOAS . T f hou hadst no doubt , however, o thy duty ?
IPHIGENIA . Has not all Hellas well des erved my hate ?
THOAS . What must we do with them ? 68
Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
IPHIGENIA .
o And I must purify the Image t o .
T HOAS . Have they contaminated even Her ?
IPHIGENIA .
o S that I had to bring Her from Her place.
THOAS .
Thanks for thy reverential car e .
IPHIGENIA . 0 King,
Co mmand the help I need .
T HOAS .
IPHIGENIA . Then let th e strangers be well
T HOAS . Why that ? Where could they think to flee ?
IPHIGENIA . B eware Of Greeks ! Iphigen ia in Tau ris
To his Servan ts)
GO, bind them .
IPHIGENIA .
Have them brought to me.
And bring them .
But hang a heavy veil over their heads.
F r n o o they must t be witnessed by the sun .
IPHIGENIA .
Send soldiers with me.
THOAS .
o Choose thy guard fr m these .
IPHIGENIA.
And let a herald warn all citizens .
Of what ?
IPHIGENIA .
T o stay indoors till this is do ne. 7 1 Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
T HOAS . Lest they as well might suffer the contagion ?
IPHIGENIA.
From matricide .
T HOAS .
GO tell the herald this .
IPHIGENIA . And anyone I care for
T HOAS . Meaning me ?
IPHIGENIA .
Him above all I caution against harm ,
Not to come near.
THOAS .
Thou carest what we do.
IPHIGENIA .
T hou sees t.
THOAS . And what thou dost me ans much to
IPHIGENIA . 0 — Wait here, King thy share is in the 72 Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
IPHIOENIA .
Purify it with the smoke of torches .
THOAS .
It shall be fragrant, priestess , to receive thee .
IPHIGENIA . When they come by
THOAS . What must I do ?
IPHIGENIA . Ho ld up
Thy robe and look away.
THOAS .
From the contagion .
IPHIOEN IA . And if I seem delayed
How shall I tell ?
IPHIGENIA .
n o t Be surprised , but patient. 73 Iphigen ia in Tau ris
T HOAS . T ake thy time
And serve the Goddess to the uttermost.
IPHIGENIA . I f it but end as I desire !
T HOAS . And I
IPHIGENIA . ! — Ah , here they come the strangers and the robes ,
And lambs whose blood shall off set other bloo d , And burning torches and all instruments
Pu rification needs for them and Her .
0 ! Away, citizens, be not polluted
Yo e u ke pers of the gates , keep clean your hands ! wh Men who would marry , women o would bear, Be not polluted ! look away away !
0 ! irgin Go ddess , if these murderers Be cleansed as I would have them cleansed and Thou Be brought as well where I would have T hee
brought , Thy T emple shall be clean and we be blest ! I say n o more but Thou and those who know
o f May render the c nclusion o my prayer . 74 Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
h e o t o as en ter (T pr cessio n pass es o u . Th s Temple)
TH E THIRD MAIDEN .
Latona bore one day a golden Child , 0 T h Artemis, y Brother ,
bus s t , the darling of the vales of Delo
T H E FIRST MAIDEN . Whose little fingers hovered o n the harp
And pulled at archery.
TH E THIRD MAIDEN . ! Leaving His birthplace, to Parnassus top The Mother brought Her Bo y
I T HE SECOND MA DEN .
Where Dionysus flings the waterfall .
TH E THIRD MAIDEN . There hidden coiling in the leafy laurels
A serpent, with bright scales
- And bloo d red eyes , a creature born of Earth , ! G uarded the cave that held Earth s oracle .
Phoebus, beholding it , leaped u p ! Out of His Mother s arms, a little Child , A n d struck the serpent dead
TH E SECOND MAIDEN .
And o n that day began His prophec ies . 75 Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
T H E FO U RTH MAIDEN .
o T Phoebus Apoll , hou hast won the throne, Th e tripod Of the truth ! And in the very centre o f the earth T h hou hearest wisdom ! and T y voice conveys, Accompanied by all
The run and ripple of Castalian springs , Th e inmost oracles T t hat ever Heaven whispered o the Earth .
THE T HIRD MAIDEN . But Earth had wished the oracles to go
T o T wn hemis , Her o daughter , And in Her anger bred a band of dreams T hat in the night should be oracular
T O men , foretelling truth . And this impaired the dignity of Phoebus And o f His oracles
T HE C SE OND MAIDEN .
And the baby God went hurrying to Zeus , Coaxed with His little hands and begged Of Zeus T O send the dreams away
TH E FIRST MAIDEN . And He was very pleased to have His so n
to Come straight Him with troubles. And head Decided with a nod
Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
T HE FIRS T MAIDEN .
I do not know which way.
H E C T SE OND MAIDEN . ! Go look for him , go find him with thy story
TH E MESSENGER . ff O treacherous women ! You would put me o , You are in the plot yourselves !
THE THIRD MAIDEN . Art thou gone mad ? What are these men t o us ? ! uick ! T O the Palace !
TH E MESSENGER .
No o wn t till I kn w to my o satisfaction , No t till I rouse the keepers o f the Shrine T O answer me ! Ho ! You inside ! Unbar
The The door ! King, if he is there , tell him A mes senger h as come with evil news !
(He b ea ts a t the do o r)
THOAS .
(A ppearing at the Temple-Do o r)
s Who makes this outcry, desecrate the door And shakes this holy place ? 78 Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
H T E MESSENGER . — Their fau lt l their fault !
T se hey told me thou wert ab nt from the Temple , T ff hey put me O from finding thee .
THOAS. But why ? Why should they wish
TH E MESSENGER .
Let that come afterward . O listen first t o what I have to tell ! Iphigenia who was priestess here
Has j oined the strangers , fled with them and Artemis! Image ! — the cleansing was a lie !
THOAS . Unthinkable ! What evil influence
H T E MESSENGER .
The ! chance to save Orestes yes , Orestes
THOAS . Orestes ? which Orestes ? No t her brother ?
TH E MESSENGER . f Yes , whom the Go ddess wanted o r Her altar.
THOAS .
It is impossible , I can not grasp it ! 79 Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
T H E MESSENGER . it l — But do not stop to grasp listen first, Consider what to do l — and then command What means may intercept and capture them !
T HOAS . T here is no danger in these T aurian Seas
! Of their escaping . For the way is shut Stationed and cordoned with a ring of ships !
T H E MESSENGER . No soo ner had we reached the bend of shore ! Which hid their Ship , than Agamemnon s daughter Made signs to us to drop the rope that bound h T e men , to leave them and fall back . It seemed T hat she was ready to perform the rites , T o light the mystic flame and bless the sea . She took the rope herself and followed them
Still further. And we felt presentiment
do Of something wrong. But W hat were we to ? We heard her voice chant a high mystery
Of phrases in an unkn own tongue, seeming
T O us the ceremonial incantation ,
Th e ritual of purifying sin .
And then we waited a long time . At last Th e fear occurred to us that they had burst T heir bonds , had killed her and escaped . But still
We waited , fearing with an equal fear T o see what was forbidden us to see 80 Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
Until wi th one accord agreeing to it
We disobeyed and went to find them . There
We saw the Ship from Hellas near the shore , And fitted in the tholes were fifty oars
Like feathers in a wing , and just astern
The o tw youths boarding her. Some held the prow
With poles thrust in the water , Others brought
he f The anchor up . T rest had made o rope
A ladder hanging from the rail . By this
We knew their scheme . And we laid hold at once Of the Greek maid and seized the trailing ladder And pulled their rudder- oar away from them ! To crip ple them and cried ! What treachery — Is this ? to steal our priestess and o u r Go d ? W h o art thou and whose son to raid o u r land ! And bear o u r priestess O ff ? And he replied
I am Orestes , son of Agamemnon ,
No w I am her brother. you know the truth .
u And she is bound for Greece, o t of which land — ! I los t her long ago bound home ! We clung T o her and meant to drag her from her friends
T o thee ! which is the way I came by these , T — his bruise an d this . They struck my face both
sides .
T n o hey had weapons , we had none . We used
Our fists and they their fists, even their feet With kicks well- aimed at us from where they stood 8I Iphigen ia in Ta u ris
s — u Above u at o r heads and Sides. We fought T T ill we were breathless . hen , with bruises
- filled f And cuts and blood eyes , we climbed the clif
o And , from u r vantage , pelted them with stones Till the Greek archers had arranged their bows
And kept us a distance with their arrows. T hen when a giant wave bore them inshore, Orestes quickly lifted up his sister f Out o f the rush o it . Holding her high t On his left shoulder, plunging s ride by stride,
e He caught th ladder, swung aboard the ship
n And held her safe o deck. And she, she held
— o u t o f She had it still the Image Heaven , The Image Of the Daughter o f high Zeus ! T hen a glad call exulted through the ship
o f s O mariners Hella , grip your oars And clip the sea to foam ! 0 let your arms
w n Be strong, for we have won , have o , have won Wh at we set o u t to win ! We have defied — The j agged Clashing Rocks and we have won ! A shout of jo y responded and the ship
! uivered with dipping oars and shot ahead . But this was only while the shelter lasted ! For at the harbor-mouth a high wave met her
And threw her o ff her course . She turned about ,
Caught by the stormy wind , until her stern
e Was foremost and her prow toward shore . T h y tugged
T r — he oa s , rallied and strained but every time 82 Iphigen ia in Tauris
T t e hey brought her round , h deep wave dragged her back ! An Again . d Agamemnon s daughter stood
And prayed ! O save me, Artemis, from this — — Unhappy place to Hellas l and forgive As My theft ! Thou , O Goddess, lovest well ! bus h no ? t , T y brother , shall I t love mine ! he T sailors praises echoing her prayer , They bent their bo dies and their great bare arms
And shoulders, swaying like the sea , ! T o the boa tswain s cry. But closer to the cliff , s Closer and clo er still they drew. And some
Sprang o u t into the sea . And some began Attempts to fasten hold o n the Sharp shore
o With ro pes . And then u r men despatched me
here ,
f . 0 King , to tell thee o this thing So come
— fo r With chains and cords while the sea is high , There is n o earthly chance Of their escape !
f m Poseidon , God o the Sea , re embering Troy, Th od e city that He loved , confounds t ay Th e wretched children of her enemies And will deliver up to thee and thine Th e so n and daughter o f the King o f Argos
T ho hat daughter w , forgetful now of Aulis , h Betrays the Goddess w o was kind to her.
(Th e Messenger go es o u t ) 83 Iphigen ia in Tau ris
H T E FIRST MAIDEN .
0 Lady, Lady ! O alas for thee !
In T aurian hands again , Thou and thy brother surely now Shall die !
T HOAS.
o C me , citizens , and be uncivilized ! Leap o n your horses ! Whip them to the b each ! Wait with me there until a wave Shall break T — hat ship from Hellas . Then b e after them !
And hunt them down , each damned dog o f them !
Do this for Artemis . And some o f you
GO f launch my galleys , lest one man O them Should die untortured ! Ru n them down by sea And land ! GO hurl them fro m the cliff s !
O catch them , kill them , crucify them , end them !
A d n as for you , you miserable women , Count on the punishment you have deserved By treachery ! I have not time for you
o With this to d . But 0 when this is done !
In th e c o n u io n a e rs t n a o ( f s pp a , wi h i s t n t d o min i n , Pa llas A the n a )
ATHENA .
al Be c m , King T hoas ! What is this pursuit ? ! to Hold back and listen Athena s word . 84
Iphigen ia in Tauris
Iphigenia ! — there are steps for thee Hewn to the rocky Shrine o f Artemis
r o At B au r n . T here the keys be in thy keeping.
T here shalt thou die, be buried and receive
Upon thy grave most honorable gifts, Th e purely- wo ven raiment of dead mothers
Wh o honorably died in giving birth .
s O Thoas , I command thee, send to Hella
e T hese women . T h y were true .
I saved thee once , ! o n Orestes , when Ares hill I j udged thee
And voted for thee when the votes were equal . Now let it be the law that he who earns An equally- divided verdict wins T His case. herefore go safely from this land , 0 f o . son Agamemnon And thou , T hoas ,
to Be thou content put thy wrath away.
THOAS . He who is discontented when the Gods
u d n — Have given j grn e t is a fool . For my part ,
n Goddess , I bear o grudge against Orestes
ho Nor against her w took away the Image .
n I make o Opposition to a God , Fo r where would be the use ? So let them go Th In peace and set the Image in y land . — T hese women too may go they shall be sent T o . Th Hellas to be happy At y word , 86 Iphigen ia in Tau ris
I b id my ships turn back from the pursuit
Behold my spirit and my spear bowed down .
ATHENA . Well- spoken ! For thy spirit learns a law
Greater than thou and greater than the Gods .
f O winds o heaven , blow Orestes home
And I will guide him o n his way to Athens , T Guarding hy Image , Artemis , my Sister .
T HE FIRST MAIDEN . Fare well in yo ur good- fortune ! May it bring
! o y to you always .
TH E FO U RTH MAIDEN .
Pallas Athena, blessed is Thy name
as o n In Heaven the earth . Let us be mindful that Thy words are wise And welcome and unloc ked - fo r and complete h And let us do T y will , O Conqueror o f hatred and o f fear !
Th e m o re in Th ee we l os e
O ur lives th e mo re we n d o r , fi u life in Th ee.
THE END