Stasimon 5
[Episode]
Lead me away, the destroyer of Ilium’s town and the Phrygians; give me wreaths to cast about me; bring them here; here are my tresses to crown; bring lustral water too.
1475
Iphigenia
Dance to Artemis, queen Artemis the blest, around her shrine and altar; for by the blood of my sacrifice I will blot out the oracle,
1480
O mother, lady revered! I will, not give you my tears;
for at the holy rites it is not fitting.Lines 1488-90 are assigned by some editors to the Chorus, but there seems little reason for the arrangement.
1490
Sing with me, maidens, sing the praises of Artemis, whose temple faces Chalcis,
where angry spearmen madly chafe, here in the narrow havens of Aulis, because of me.
1495
O Pelasgia, land of my birth, and Mycenae, my home!
Chorus
Is it on Perseus’ citadel you call, that town Cyclopean workmen built?
1500
Iphigenia
To be a light to Hellas did you rear me, and so I do not say No to death.
Chorus
You are right; no fear that fame will ever desert you!
Iphigenia
Hail to you, bright lamp of day and light of Zeus! A different life, a different lot is henceforth mine. Farewell I bid you, light beloved! Exit Iphigenia. .
1505
Chorus
Behold the maiden on her way, the destroyer of Ilium’s town and the Phrygians, with garlands twined about her head, and drops of lustral water on her, soon to be sprinkled with her gushing blood
1510
the altar of a murderous goddess, when her shapely neck is severed.Lines 1514-16 read διαίμονος with Markland for γε δαίμονοσ; ῥανοῦσαν, Markland for θανοῦσαν; and omit τε with Bothe after εὐφυᾶ.
1515
For you fair streams of a father’s pouring and lustral waters are in store, for you Achaea’s army is waiting, eager
to reach the citadel of Ilium. But let us celebrate Artemis, the daughter of Zeus, queen among the gods, as if upon some happy chance.
1520
O lady revered, delighting in human
sacrifice, send on its way to Phrygia’s land the army of the Hellenes, to Troy’s abodes of guile, and grant that Agamemnon may wreathe his head with deathless fame,
1525
a crown of fairest glory for the spearmen of Hellas.
1530
Messenger
Come forth, O Clytemnestra, daughter of Tyndareus, from the tent, to hear my news.
Clytemnestra
I heard your voice and have come
in sad dismay and fearful dread, not sure but what you have arrived with tidings of some fresh trouble for me besides the present woe.
1535
Messenger
No, rather I want to unfold to you a strange and marvellous story about your child.
Clytemnestra
Do not delay, then, but speak at once.
Messenger
Dear mistress, you shall learn all clearly; from the outset will I tell it, unless my memory fails me somewhat and confuses my tongue in its account. As soon as we reached the grove of Artemis, the child of Zeus, and the flowery meadows,
1540
where the Achaean troops were gathered, bringing your daughter with us, at once the Argive army began assembling; but when king Agamemnon saw the maiden on her way to the grove to be sacrificed, he gave one groan, and, turning away his face, let the tears burst
1545
from his eyes, as he held his robe before them. But the maid, standing close by her father, spoke thus: O my father, here I am; willingly I offer my body for my country and all Hellas,
1550
that you may lead me to the altar of the goddess and sacrifice me, since this is Heaven’s ordinance. May good luck be yours for any help that I afford! and may you obtain the victor’s gift and come again to the land of your fathers. So then let none of the Argives lay hands on me,
1555
for I will bravely yield my neck without a word.
1560
She spoke; and each man marvelled, as he heard the maiden’s brave speech. But in the midst Talthybius stood up, for this was his duty, and bade the army refrain from word or deed;
and Calchas, the seer, drawing a sharp sword from its scabbard laid it in a basket of beaten gold, and crowned the maiden’s head. Then the son of Peleus, taking the basket and with it lustral water in his hand, ran round the altar of the goddess
1565
uttering these words: O Artemis, you child of Zeus, slayer of wild beasts, that wheel your dazzling light amid the gloom, accept this sacrifice which we, the army of the Achaeans and Agamemnon with us, offer to you, pure blood from a beautiful maiden’s neck;
1570
and grant us safe sailing for our ships and the sack of Troy’s towers by our spears.
1575
Meanwhile the sons of Atreus and all the army stood looking on the ground.
[But the priest, seizing his knife, offered up a prayer and was closely scanning the maiden’s throat to see where he should strike.
It was no slight sorrow filled my heart, as I stood by with bowed head; when there was a sudden miracle! Each one of us distinctly heard the sound of a blow,Reading πληγῆς σαφῶς γὰρ πᾶς τις ᾔσθετο κτύπον (Weil). but none saw the spot where the maiden vanished. The priest cried out, and all the army took up the cry
1580
at the sight of a marvel all unlooked for, due to some god’s agency, and passing all belief, although it was seen; for there upon the ground lay a deer of immense size, magnificent to see, gasping out her life, with whose blood the altar of the goddess was thoroughly bedewed.
1585
Then spoke Calchas thus—his joy you can imagine—You captains of this leagued Achaean army, do you see this victim, which the goddess has set before her altar, a mountain-roaming deer? This is more welcome to her by far than the maid,
1590
that she may not defile her altar by shedding noble blood. Gladly she has accepted it, and is granting us a prosperous voyage forReading Ἰλίου πρὸς for Ἰλίου τ᾽ with Hermann. our attack on Ilium. Therefore take heart, sailors, each man of you, and away to your ships, for today
1595
we must leave the hollow bays of Aulis and cross the Aegean main.
1600
Then, when the sacrifice was wholly burnt to ashes in the blazing flame, he offered such prayers as were fitting, that the army might win return; but Agamemnon sends me to tell you this,
and say what heaven-sent luck is his, and how he has secured undying fame throughout the length of Hellas. Now I was there myself and speak as an eyewitness; without a doubt your child flew away to the gods. A truce then to your sorrowing, and cease to be angry with your husband;
1605
for the gods’ ways with man are not what we expect, and those whom they love, they keep safe; yes, for this day has seen your daughter dead and living.
1610
Chorus Leader
What joy to hear these tidings from the messenger! He tells you your child is living still, among the gods.
Clytemnestra
Which of the gods, my child, has stolen you? How am I to address you? How can I be sureBy omitting the stop after φῶ as Nauck edits, and making the sentence continuous, perhaps the simplest explanation of this passage is obtained. that this is not an idle tale told to cheer me, to make me cease my piteous lamentation for you?
1615
Chorus
See! king Agamemnon approaches,
to confirm this story for you.
1620
Agamemnon
Lady, we may be countedTo correct the scansion Hennann proposes ὀλβιζοίμεθ᾽ ἄν. happy, as far as concerns our daughter; for in truth she has fellowship with gods. But you must take this tenderνεαγενῆ, for which Porson gives εὐγενῆ to correct the metre. child and start for home, for the army is looking now to sail.
Fare you well! it is long before I shall greet you on my return from Troy; may it be well with you!
1625
Chorus
Son of Atreus, start for Phrygia’s land with joy and so return, I pray, after taking from Troy her fairest spoils.