Electra
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Original / primary: Perseus Eng2
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Electra
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I have been looking for a long time, to see whether you have lost your mind.
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Old man
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Lost my mind, because I see your brother?
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Electra
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What do you mean, old man, by this word, unhoped for?
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Old man
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That I see Orestes here, Agamemnon’s son.
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Electra
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What mark do you see, by which I shall be persuaded?
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Old man
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A scar along his brow, where he fell and drew blood one day in his father’s home when chasing a fawn with you.
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Electra
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What are you saying? I see the sign of the fall.
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Old man
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Then do you hesitate to embrace your dearest one?
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Electra
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Not any longer, old man; for my heart is persuaded by your tokens. O you who have appeared at last, I hold you, beyond all hope.
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Electra
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I never expected it.
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Electra
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Are you that one?
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Chorus
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You have come, you have come, oh, long-delayed day, you have lighted up, you have made visible a beacon to the city, who in long ago exile went forth from his father’s house, unhappily wandering.
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A god, now, a god brings our victory, my dear. Lift up your hands, lift up your words, send prayers to the gods for your brother with fortune, with fortune,
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to enter the city.
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Orestes
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Well; I have the loving pleasures of your greeting and later I will give them back in turn. You, old man, for you have come at the right time, tell me, what should I do to avenge myself on my father’s murderer
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and on my mother,the partner in his unholy marriage? Do I still have any well-disposed friends in Argos? Or am I wholly bankrupt, just as my fortunes are? With whom shall I ally myself? By night or day? What course shall I take against my enemies?
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Old man
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Child, you have no friend in your misfortune. For this thing is a godsend indeed, to share in common, both good and bad. But you—for you have been destroyed from the foundations, in the eyes of your friends, and you have left them no hope—hear it from me and know:
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all that you have is in your own arm and fortune, to win your father’s home and your city.
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Orestes
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What must I do then to accomplish this?
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Old man
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Kill Thyestes’ son and your mother.
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Orestes
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I have come for that victor’s crown; but how shall I grasp it?
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Old man
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Not by going within the walls, even if you wanted to.
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Orestes
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Is he well furnished with garrisons and body-guards?
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Old man
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You have understood; for, clearly, he is afraid of you, and does not sleep.
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Orestes
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Well; it is for you to plan the next step, old man.
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Old man
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Hear me then; for something has just come to me.
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Orestes
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May you reveal something good, and may I understand it.
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Old man
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I saw Aegisthus, when I was on my way here.
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Orestes
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I approve what you have said. Where was he?
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Old man
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Near these fields, at his stables.
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Orestes
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What was he doing? I see some hope, out of difficulties.
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Old man
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He was preparing a feast for the Nymphs, I thought.
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Orestes
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In return for the bringing up of children or for a coming birth?
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Old man
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I only know this: he was preparing to sacrifice an ox.
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Orestes
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With how many men? Or alone with his slaves?
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Old man
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No Argive was there, but a band of his own servants.
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Orestes
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Surely there isn’t anyone who will know me if he sees me, old man?
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Old man
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There are slaves, who have never even seen you.
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Orestes
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Would they be well disposed to me, if I should prevail?
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Old man
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Yes, for that is the way of slaves, luckily for you.
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Orestes
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However might I approach him then?
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Old man
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By going where he will see you as he sacrifices.
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Orestes
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He has fields by the road, it seems?
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Old man
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Yes, and when he sees you there, he will invite you to the feast.
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Orestes
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I shall be a bitter companion in the feast, if the god wishes it.
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Old man
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After that, you yourself invent something, as it falls out.
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Orestes
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Well said. But my mother, where is she?
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Old man
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At Argos; but she will join her husband for the feast.
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Orestes
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Why didn’t my mother set out with her husband?
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Old man
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From fear of the citizens’ reproach she stayed behind.
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Orestes
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I understand; she knows that the city suspects her.
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Old man
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Something like that; for an unholy woman is an object of hatred.
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Orestes
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How then shall I kill her and him at once?
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Electra
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I shall prepare my mother’s slaughter!
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Orestes
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And as for the other matter, fortune will ordain well.
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Electra
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Let this man here help us with both.
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Old man
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I will; but how will you find a way to kill your mother?
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Electra
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Go to Clytemnestra, old man, and say this: report that I have given birth to a male child.
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Old man
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That you have given birth some time ago, or quite recently?
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Electra
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Ten days ago, in which a woman who has given birth stays pure.
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Old man
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And how does this grant us the slaughter of your mother?
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Electra
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She will come, when she hears of my childbirth pangs.
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Old man
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How is that? Do you think she cares for you, child?
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Electra
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Yes; and she will weep, surely, over my child’s low rank.
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Old man
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Perhaps; bring your story back again to the turning-point.
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Electra
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Well then, if she comes, it is clear that she will die.
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Old man
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Yes, she will come right up to the door of your house.
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Electra
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Won’t it then be a little thing for her to turn aside to Hades?
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Old man
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May I die, once I have seen this!
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Electra
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First of all, old man, guide my brother—
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Old man
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To the place where Aegisthus is now sacrificing to the gods?
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Electra
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Then, going to meet my mother, give her my message.
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Old man
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So that the very words will seem to have been said by you.
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Electra
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Your work begins at once; you have drawn the first lot in the slaughter.
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Orestes
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I would go, if some one would show me the way.
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Old man
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Yes, I can escort you myself, not against my will.
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Orestes
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O Zeus, god of my fathers, be also the vanquisher of my enemies—
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Electra
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And have pity on us; for we have suffered pitiably—
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Old man
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Yes, indeed, have pity on your own descendants.
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Electra
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And Hera, you who rule Mycenae’s altars—
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Orestes
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Give us victory, if we are asking for what is right.
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Old man
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Yes, indeed, give them the right of vengeance for their father.
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Orestes
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You too, father, living below the earth through an unholy deed—
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Electra
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And Lady Earth, to whom I give my hands—
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Old man
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Defend, defend these, your dearest children.
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Orestes
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Now come and bring with you all the dead as allies.
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Electra
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Those who destroyed the Trojans in war with you—
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Old man
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And all who hate the unholy and polluted.
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Electra
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Do you hear me, you who suffered dreadful things from my mother?
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Old man
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Your father hears everything, I know; but it is time to be on our way.
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Electra
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And I tell you therefore that Aegisthus is to die; if you fall dead in the struggle, I am also dead, do not count me as alive; for I will strike my heart with a two-edged sword. I will go indoors and make things ready there.
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So that if a good report comes from you, the whole house will cry aloud in triumph; but, if you die, it will be the opposite of that. These are my words to you.
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Orestes
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I know it all.
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a shout in signal of this contest. I will keep a sword ready, holding it in my hand, for I will not ever, if defeated, submit to my enemies the right to insult my body. Exit Electra.
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Chorus
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The story remains in old legends
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that Pan, the keeper of wild beasts, breathing sweet-voiced music on his well-joined pipes, once brought from its tender mother on Argive hills
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a lamb with beautiful golden fleece. A herald stood on the stone platform and cried aloud, To assembly, Mycenaeans, go to assembly
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to see the omens given to our blessed rulers. . . . and they honored the house of Atreus.
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Chorus
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The altars of beaten gold were set out; and through the town the
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altar fires of the Argives blazed; the flute, handmaid of the Muse’s song, sounded its note sweetly, and lovely songs of the golden lamb swelled forth, saying that Thyestes had the luck; for he