Iphigenia in Tauris
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Original / primary: Perseus Eng2
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Pylades
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Give me this exception: if the ship suffers and the tablet is lost with its cargo in the waves, and I rescue myself only, may this oath not hinder me.
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Iphigenia
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Do you know what I will do? For many attempts hit many targets.
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I will tell you what is written in the folds of this tablet for you to report to my friends. For this is secure: if you preserve the writing, itself, though silent, will speak its message; if the writing is lost in the sea,
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when you save yourself, you will save my words.
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Pylades
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You have spoken well, on behalf of the gods and me. Make clear to whom I must bring this letter in Argos, and what I must say when I have heard it from you.
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Iphigenia
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Report to Orestes, the son of Agamemnon:
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the one slain at Aulis sends you this, Iphigenia, who is alive, though no longer alive to those there—
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Orestes
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Where is she? Has she come back from the dead??
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Iphigenia
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The one you are looking at; don’t confuse me by your talk. Bring me to Argos, my brother, before I die.
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Take me away from the barbarian land and the sacrifices of the goddess, where I hold the office of killing foreigners.
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Orestes
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Pylades, what shall I say? Where have we found ourselves?
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Iphigenia
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Or I will be a curse to your house.
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Pylades
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Orestes?
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Pylades
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O gods!
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Pylades
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No reason; finish your words; my thoughts were elsewhere. Perhaps, if I question you, I will not arrive at things I cannot believe.
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Iphigenia
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Tell him that Artemis saved me, by giving a deer in exchange for me; my father sacrificed it,
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thinking that he drove the sword sharply into me; and she settled me in this land. This is my letter, this is the writing in the tablet.
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Pylades
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You have bound me with an easy oath, and sworn very well. I will not take much time
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to carry out the oath I swore.
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See, Orestes, I bring you a tablet from your sister here, and give it to you.
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Orestes
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I do receive it, but first I will pass over the letter’s folds to take a joy that is not in words.
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(Approaching to embrace Iphigenia.) My dearest sister, with what astonishment and delight I hold you in my unbelieving arms, after learning these marvels!
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Chorus Leader
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Stranger, you are wrongly defiling the attendant of the goddess, by putting your hands on her robe that should not be touched.
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Orestes
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My own sister, born from my father Agamemnon, do not turn away from me, when you hold your brother and thought you never would!
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Iphigenia
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You are my brother? Stop this talk! He is well known in Argos and Nauplia.
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Orestes
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Unhappy girl, your brother is not there.
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Iphigenia
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But did Tyndareus’ daughter, the Spartan, give birth to you?
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Orestes
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Yes, and my father was Pelops’ grandson.
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Iphigenia
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What are you saying? Do you have some proof of this for me?
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Orestes
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I do; ask me something about our father’s home.
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Iphigenia
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Well, it is for you to speak, for me to learn.
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Orestes
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I will say first what I have heard from Electra. Do you know of the strife that was between Atreus and Thyestes?
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Iphigenia
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I have heard of it; the quarrel concerned a golden ram.
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Orestes
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Did you not weave these things in a fine-textured web?
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Iphigenia
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O dearest, you are bending your course near to my heart!
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Orestes
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And the image of the sun in the middle of the loom?
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Iphigenia
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I wove that shape also, in fine threads.
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Orestes
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And you received a ceremonial bath from your mother, for Aulis?
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Iphigenia
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I know; for no happy marriage has taken that memory from me.
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Orestes
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What about this? You gave locks of your hair to be brought to your mother?
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Iphigenia
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As a memorial, in place of my body, in the tomb.
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Orestes
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What I myself have seen, I will say for proof: an old spear of Pelops, in my father’s house, which he brandished in his hand when he won Hippodamia,
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the maiden of Pisa, and killed Oenomaus; it was hung up in your rooms.
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Iphigenia
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O dearest, for you are my dearest, none other, I have you, Orestes,
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far from our country of Argos, my darling.
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Orestes
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And I have you, who were thought to be dead. Tears, and laments mixed with joy, fill your eyes and also mine.
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Iphigenia
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I left you still a baby,
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young in the arms of your nurse, young in the house. O my soul, you have been more fortunate than words can say.
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I have come upon things that are beyond wonder, far from speech.
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Orestes
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For the rest of time, may we be fortunate with each other!
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Iphigenia
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O my friends, I have found an extraordinary joy; I am afraid that he will fly from my hands into the air.
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O Cyclopean hearths; o my country, dear Mycenae, I thank you for his life, for his nourishment, because you brought up this light of the house, my brother.
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Orestes
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We are fortunate in our family, but in our circumstances, my sister, we were born to be unfortunate in life.
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Iphigenia
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I was unhappy, I know, when my wretched father put the sword to my throat.
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Orestes
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Alas! Though I was not present, I seem to see you there.
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Iphigenia
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O brother, when I was brought, not a bride, to the treacherous bed of Achilles;
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but beside the altar there were tears and wails. Alas for the libations there!
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Orestes
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I also mourned for the daring act of our father.
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Iphigenia
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Fatherless was the fate I received, fatherless.
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One thing comes from another, by divine fortune.
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Orestes
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Yes, if you had killed your brother, unhappy one!
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Iphigenia
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O wretched, in my dreadful daring!
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How dreadful were the things I endured, alas, my brother! By only a little you escaped an unholy death, slain by my hands. But how will these things end? What fortune will assist me?
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What way will I find to send you from this city, from slaughter, to your native Argos,
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before the sword draws near to your blood? This is your business, unhappy soul, to find out. On the dry land, not in a ship?
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But if you go on foot, through trackless paths and barbarian tribes, you will draw near to death.
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But through the dark rocks of the narrow passage is a long way for flight by ship.
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I am unhappy, unhappy!
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Who, either god or mortal or something unexpected, might accomplish a way that is no way, and reveal a release from troubles for the only two children of the house of Atreus?
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Chorus Leader
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It is marvelous and surpasses a fable, this event that I myself have have seen and shall relate, not as hearsay.
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Pylades
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When friends come into the sight of friends, Orestes, it is reasonable to embrace; but we must leave off wailing and turn to other matters:
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how we shall get the glorious name of safety and leave the foreign land. For wise men take opportunities, and do not overstep their fate to get other pleasures.
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Orestes
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Well said; but I think fortune will take care
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of that with us; when one is eager, divine strength is likely to be greater.
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Iphigenia
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(to Pylades.) Let nothing hold me back; nor will it prevent me speaking before I first find out Electra’s fate, for you are all dear to me.
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Orestes
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She lives with this man, (pointing to Pylades) and has a happy life.
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Iphigenia
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What country is he from, and who is his father?
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Orestes
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Strophius of Phocis is the name of his father.
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Iphigenia
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He is related to me, by the daughter of Atreus?
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Orestes
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He is a cousin, and my only true friend.
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Iphigenia
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He was not born when my father tried to kill me.
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Orestes
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He was not; for Strophius was childless for some time.
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Iphigenia
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Welcome, husband of my sister!
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Orestes
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And also my savior, not only a relation.
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Iphigenia
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But how did you dare that dreadful deed with our mother?
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Orestes
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Let us be silent on that; I was avenging my father.
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Iphigenia
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What reason did she have to kill her husband?
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Orestes
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Let our mother’s affairs be; nor is it good for you to hear.
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Iphigenia
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I am silent; does Argos now look to you?
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Orestes
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Menelaus rules there; I am an exile from my country
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Iphigenia
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Our uncle has surely not maltreated our afflicted house, has he?
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Orestes
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No, but fear of the Furies drives me out of the land.
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Iphigenia
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That was the madness that they reported there on the shore?
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Orestes
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That was not the first time that I was seen to be wretched.
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Iphigenia
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I know; the goddesses were driving you for the sake of your mother.
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Orestes
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So as to put a bloody bit in my mouth.
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Iphigenia
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Why have you made a journey to this land?
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Orestes
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I have come at the commands of Phoebus’ oracles.
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Iphigenia
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To do what? Can you speak of it, or must you be silent?
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Orestes
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I will tell you; this is the beginning of my many troubles.