Electra

Perseus Greek · Perseus Greek · 471 sections

618
Well; it is for you to plan the next step, old man.
619
Hear me then; for something has just come to me.
620
May you reveal something good, and may I understand it.
621
I saw Aegisthus, when I was on my way here.
622
I approve what you have said. Where was he?
623
Near these fields, at his stables.
624
What was he doing? I see some hope, out of difficulties.
625
He was preparing a feast for the Nymphs, I thought.
626
In return for the bringing up of children or for a coming birth?
627
I only know this: he was preparing to sacrifice an ox.
628
With how many men? Or alone with his slaves?
629
No Argive was there, but a band of his own servants.
630
Surely there isn’t anyone who will know me if he sees me, old man?
631
There are slaves, who have never even seen you.
632
Would they be well disposed to me, if I should prevail?
633
Yes, for that is the way of slaves, luckily for you.
634
However might I approach him then?
635
By going where he will see you as he sacrifices.
636
He has fields by the road, it seems?
637
Yes, and when he sees you there, he will invite you to the feast.
638
I shall be a bitter companion in the feast, if the god wishes it.
639
After that, you yourself invent something, as it falls out.
640
Well said. But my mother, where is she?
641
At Argos; but she will join her husband for the feast.
642
Why didn’t my mother set out with her husband?
643
From fear of the citizens’ reproach she stayed behind.
644
I understand; she knows that the city suspects her.
645
Something like that; for an unholy woman is an object of hatred.
646
How then shall I kill her and him at once?
647
I shall prepare my mother’s slaughter!
648
And as for the other matter, fortune will ordain well.
649
Let this man here help us with both.
650
I will; but how will you find a way to kill your mother?
651
Go to Clytemnestra, old man, and say this: report that I have given birth to a male child.
653
That you have given birth some time ago, or quite recently?
654
Ten days ago, in which a woman who has given birth stays pure.
655
And how does this grant us the slaughter of your mother?
656
She will come, when she hears of my childbirth pangs.
657
How is that? Do you think she cares for you, child?
658
Yes; and she will weep, surely, over my child’s low rank.
659
Perhaps; bring your story back again to the turning-point.
660
Well then, if she comes, it is clear that she will die.
661
Yes, she will come right up to the door of your house.
662
Won’t it then be a little thing for her to turn aside to Hades?
663
May I die, once I have seen this!
664
First of all, old man, guide my brother—
665
To the place where Aegisthus is now sacrificing to the gods?
666
Then, going to meet my mother, give her my message.
667
So that the very words will seem to have been said by you.
668
Your work begins at once; you have drawn the first lot in the slaughter.
669
I would go, if some one would show me the way.
670
Yes, I can escort you myself, not against my will.
671
O Zeus, god of my fathers, be also the vanquisher of my enemies—
672
And have pity on us; for we have suffered pitiably—
673
Yes, indeed, have pity on your own descendants.
674
And Hera, you who rule Mycenae’s altars—
675
Give us victory, if we are asking for what is right.
676
Yes, indeed, give them the right of vengeance for their father.
677
You too, father, living below the earth through an unholy deed—
678
And Lady Earth, to whom I give my hands—
679
Defend, defend these, your dearest children.
680
Now come and bring with you all the dead as allies.
681
Those who destroyed the Trojans in war with you—
682
And all who hate the unholy and polluted.
683
Do you hear me, you who suffered dreadful things from my mother?
684
Your father hears everything, I know; but it is time to be on our way.
685
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.
690
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.
693
I know it all.
693b
Therefore you must be a man. Exeunt Orestes, Pylades, and Old Man. And you, women, please take care to give
695
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.
1.699
The story remains in old legends
1.700
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
1.705
a lamb with beautiful golden fleece. A herald stood on the stone platform and cried aloud, To assembly, Mycenaeans, go to assembly
1.710
to see the omens given to our blessed rulers. . . . and they honored the house of Atreus.
1.713
The altars of beaten gold were set out; and through the town the
1.715
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
1.720
persuaded Atreus’ own wife to secret love, and carried off to his house the portent; coming before the assembly he declared that he had in his
1.725
house the horned sheep with fleece of gold.
2.726
Then, it was then that Zeus changed the radiant paths of the stars, and the light of the sun, and the
2.730
bright face of dawn; and the sun drove across the western back of the sky with hot flame from heaven’s fires, while the rain-clouds went northward and Ammon’s
2.735
lands grew parched and faint, not knowing moisture, robbed of heaven’s fairest showers of rain.
2.737
It is said, but I have small belief in it, that the sun turned round his glowing
2.740
throne of gold, changing it to the misfortune of mankind, for the punishment of mortals. But tales that frighten men are profitable for service to the gods; of whom you had no thought, when you
2.745
killed your husband, you who are the relative of famous brothers.
747
Oh, oh! My friends, did you hear a noise—or did an empty notion come to me?—like the underground rumbling from Zeus? Look, the breeze rises, bringing with it a sign.
750
Mistress, Electra, leave the house!
751
My friends, what is it? How do we stand in the contest?
752
I only know this; I hear a wailing that means bloodshed.
753
I heard it also, far off, but still heard.
754
Yes, the sound is coming a long way, but it is clear.
755
The groan was of an Argive; was it from my friends?
756
I don’t know; for the whole tune of the shout is confused.
757
You are calling out to me my death; why do I delay?
758
Hold back, to learn your fortune clearly.
759
No, no; we are vanquished; where are the messengers?
760
They will come; it is no trivial matter to kill a king.
761
O victorious maidens of Mycenae, I report to all his friends that Orestes has conquered, and Aegisthus, the murderer of Agamemnon, lies on the ground; but we must offer prayers to the gods.
765
Who are you? How trustworthy is your announcement?
766
Don’t you know your brother’s servant when you look at me?

Perseus Greek. CTS URN tlg0006.tlg012.perseus-eng2. Via the Perseus Digital Library / Open Greek and Latin TEI corpora. Licence: Available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source.