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410 BC
IPHIGENIA IN TAURIS
by Euripides
translated by Robert Potter
CHARACTERS IN THE PLAY
IPHIGENIA； daughter of Agamemnon
ORESTES； brother of IPHIGENIA
PYLADES； friend Of ORESTES
THOAS； King of the Taurians
HERDSMAN
MESSENGER
MINERVA
CHORUS OF GREEK WOMEN； captives； attendants on IPHIGENIA in the
temple
IPHIGENIA IN TAURIS
（SCENE：…Before the great temple of Diana of the Taurians。 A blood…
stained altar is prominently in view。 IPHIGENIA； clad as a
priestess； enters from the temple。）
IPHIGENIA
To Pisa； by the fleetest coursers borne；
Comes Pelops； son of Tantalus； and weds
The virgin daughter of Oenomaus：
From her sprung Atreus； Menelaus from him；
And Agamemnon； I from him derive
My birth； his Iphigenia； by his queen；
Daughter of Tyndarus。 Where frequent winds
Swell the vex'd Euripus with eddying blasts；
And roll the darkening waves； my father slew me；
A victim to Diana； so he thought；
For Helen's sake； its bay where Aulis winds；
To fame well known； for there his thousand ships；
The armament of Greece； the imperial chief
Convened； desirous that his Greeks should snatch
The glorious crown of victory from Troy；
And punish the base insult to the bed
Of Helen； vengeance grateful to the soul
Of Menelaus。 But 'gainst his ships the sea
Long barr'd； and not one favouring breeze to swell
His flagging sails； the hallow'd flames the chief
Consults； and Calchas thus disclosed the fates：…
〃Imperial leader of the Grecian host；
Hence shalt thou not unmoor thy vessels； ere
Diana as a victim shall receive
Thy daughter Iphigenia： what the year
Most beauteous should produce； thou to the queen
Dispensing light didst vow to sacrifice：
A daughter Clytemnestra in thy house
Then bore （the peerless grace of beauty thus
To me assigning）； her must thou devote
The victim。〃 Then Ulysses by his arts；
Me； to Achilles as design'd a bride；
Won from my mother。 My unhappy fate
To Aulis brought me； on the altar there
High was I placed； and o'er me gleam'd the sword；
Aiming the fatal wound： but from the stroke
Diana snatch'd me； in exchange a hind
Giving the Grecians； through the lucid air
Me she conveyed to Tauris； here to dwell；
Where o'er barbarians a barbaric king
Holds his rude sway； named Thoas； whose swift foot
Equals the rapid wing： me he appoints
The priestess of this temple； where such rites
Are pleasing to Diana； that the name
Alone claims honour； for I sacrifice
（Such； ere I came； the custom of the state）
Whatever Grecian to this savage shore
Is driven： the previous rites are mine； the deed
Of blood； too horrid to be told； devolves
On others in the temple： but the rest；
In reverence to the goddess； I forbear。
But the strange visions which the night now past
Brought with it； to the air； if that may soothe
My troubled thought； I will relate。 I seem'd；
As I lay sleeping； from this land removed；
To dwell at Argos； resting on my couch
Mid the apartments of the virgin train。
Sudden the firm earth shook： I fled； and stood
Without； the battlements I saw； and all
The rocking roof fall from its lofty height
In ruins to the ground： of all the house；
My father's house； one pillar； as I thought；
Alone was left； which from its cornice waved
A length of auburn locks； and human voice
Assumed： the bloody office； which is mine
To strangers here； respecting； I to death；
Sprinkling the lustral drops； devoted it
With many tears。 My dream I thus expound：…
Orestes； whom I hallow'd by my rites；
Is dead： for sons are pillars of the house；
They； whom my lustral lavers sprinkle； die。
I cannot to my friends apply my dream；
For Strophius； when I perish'd； had no son。
Now； to my brother； absent though he be；
Libations will I offer： this； at least；
With the attendants given me by the king；
Virgins of Greece； I can： but what the cause
They yet attend me not within the house；
The temple of the goddess； where I dwell？
（She goes into the temple。 ORESTES and PYLADES enter cautiously。）
ORESTES
Keep careful watch； lest some one come this way。
PYLADES
I watch； and turn mine eye to every part。
ORESTES
And dost thou； Pylades； imagine this
The temple of the goddess； which we seek；
Our sails from Argos sweeping o'er the main？
PYLADES
Orestes； such my thought； and must be thine。
ORESTES
And this the altar wet with Grecian blood？
PYLADES
Crimson'd with gore behold its sculptured wreaths。
ORESTES
See； from the battlements what trophies hang！
PYLADES
The spoils of strangers that have here been slain。
ORESTES
Behooves us then to watch with careful eye。
O Phoebus； by thy oracles again
Why hast thou led me to these toils？ E'er since；
In vengeance for my father's blood； I slew
My mother； ceaseless by the Furies driven；
Vagrant； an outcast； many a bending course
My feet have trod： to thee I came； of the
Inquired this whirling frenzy by what means；
And by what means my labours I might end。
Thy voice commanded me to speed my course
To this wild coast of Tauris； where a shrine
Thy sister hath； Diana； thence to take
The statue of the goddess； which from heaven
（So say the natives） to this temple fell：
This image； or by fraud or fortune won；
The dangerous toil achieved； to place the prize
In the Athenian land： no more was said；
But that； performing this； I should obtain
Rest from my toils。 Obedient to thy words；
On this unknown； inhospitable coast
Am I arrived。 Now； Pylades （for thou
Art my associate in this dangerous task）；
Of thee I ask； What shall we do？ for high
The walls； thou seest； which fence the temple round。
Shall we ascend their height？ But how escape
Observing eyes？ Or burst the brazen bars？
Of these we nothing know： in the attempt
To force the gates； or meditating means
To enter； if detected； we shall die。
Shall we then； ere we die； by flight regain
The ship in which we hither plough'd the sea？
PYLADES
Of flight we brook no thought； nor such hath been
Our wont； nor may the god's commanding voice
Be disobey'd； but from the temple now
Retiring； in some cave； which the black sea
Beats with its billows； we may lie conceal'd
At distance from our bark； lest some； whose eyes
May note it； bear the tidings to the king；
And we be seized by force。 But when the eye
Of night comes darkling on； then must we dare；
And take the polish'd image from the shrine；
Attempting all things： and the vacant space
Between the triglyphs （mark it well） enough
Is open to admit us； by that way
Attempt we to descend： in toils the brave
Are daring； of no worth the abject soul。
ORESTES
This length of sea we plough'd not； from this coast；
Nothing effected； to return： but well
Hast thou advised； the god must be obey'd。
Retire we then where we may lie conceal'd；
For never from the god will come the cause；
That what his sacred voice commands should fall
Effectless。 We must dare。 No toil to youth
Excuse； which justifies inaction； brings。
（They go out。 IPHIGENIA and the CHORUS enter from the temple。）
IPHIGENIA （singing）
You； who your savage dwellings hold
Nigh this inhospitable main；
'Gainst clashing rocks with fury roll'd；
From all but hallow'd words abstain。
Virgin queen； Latona's grace；
joying in the mountain chase；
To thy court； thy rich domain；
To thy beauteous…pillar'd fane
Where our wondering eyes behold
Battlements that blaze with gold；
Thus my virgin steps I bend；
Holy； the holy to attend；
Servant； virgin queen； to thee；
Power； who bear'st life's golden key；
Far from Greece for steeds renown'd；
From her walls with towers crown'd；
From the beauteous…planted meads
Where his train Eurotas leads；
Visiting the loved retreats；
Once my father's royal seats。
CHORUS （singing）
I come。 What cares disturb thy rest？
Why hast thou brought me to the shrine？
Doth some fresh grief afflict thy breast？
Why bring me to this seat divine？
Thou daughter of that chief； whose powers
Plough'd with a thousand keels the strand
And ranged in arms shook