Eksodos
Messenger
O you that guard the temple and stand by the altar,
where has Thoas, the lord of this land, gone? Open the well-fastened gates, and call forth from this shrine the ruler of the land.
1285
Chorus Leader
What is it, if I may speak when not commanded?
Messenger
The two young men are gone away,
through the plots of Agamemnon’s daughter; they are escaping from this land, with the holy image deep within a Hellene ship.
1290
Chorus Leader
What you say is incredible; but the one you want to see, the lord of the country, has gone in haste from the temple.
Messenger
Where? For he should know what has been done.
1295
Chorus Leader
We don’t know; but go after him, and report these things to him where you find him.
Messenger
See, what a faithless race you women are! You also have a share in what has been done.
Chorus Leader
You are mad! What do we have to do the the flight of the strangers? Go as quickly as you can to the ruler’s door!
1300
Messenger
No! Not until this interpreter brings word if the king is inside or not. Ho there! Unbar the doors—I am speaking to those within—
and inform the master that I am at the gate with a burden of bad news.
1305
Thoas
(appearing at the temple door.) Who is raising this clamor at the temple of the goddess, striking at the gates and sending his noise within?
Messenger
Ah! These women told me that you were outside; they would have driven me away from the temple,
but you were inside after all.
1310
Thoas
What advantage were they expecting and hunting after?
Messenger
I will tell you about them later; hear what is currently at hand. The girl who presided at this altar, Iphigenia, has left the country
with the strangers, and takes with her the holy statue of the goddess; the purification was a cheat.
1315
Thoas
What are you saying? What influence in her character brought her to this?
Messenger
To save Orestes; here is a marvel for you!
Thoas
To save whom? Clytemnestra’s son?
Messenger
The one whom the goddess was dedicating to herself at this altar.
1320
Thoas
Marvelous! for what more can it be called?
Messenger
Do not think of that, but listen to me; consider it clearly and when you hear, devise a pursuit to hunt down the strangers.
Thoas
Speak; you have said well; for their flight is not so brief a voyage as to escape my spear.
1325
Messenger
When we came to the sea-shore, where Orestes’ ship was moored in hiding,
Agamemnon’s daughter motioned to those of us you sent with the strangers’ bonds to stand far off, as if her sacrifice of purifying flame, that she had come for, were secret. But she went on alone, holding the strangers’ chains in her hands, behind them. Your servants, lord, were suspicious,
1330
but we allowed it. After a while, so that we might think that she was accomplishing something, she raised a shout, and chanted strange songs and spells, as if she were washing off the pollution of murder. When we had sat a long time,
1335
it occurred to us that the strangers, loosed from their bonds, might kill her and escape by flight. But we were afraid of seeing what we ought not, and sat in silence. But at length we all resolved to go where they were, although we were not allowed.
1340
There we saw a Hellene ship, winged with ready blade for the stroke, and at the oar-locks were fifty rowers with their oars; the two youths stood by the stern, freed from their chains.
1345
Some were holding the prow in place with poles; others were fastening the anchor from the cat-heads; others were drawing the stern-cables through their hands, and making haste to let down the ladders into the sea for the strangers. Without sparing ourselves, when we saw
1350
their treacherous wiles, we seized the priestess and the cables, and tried to draw the ship’s rudder-oars out through their holes. Then there was a debate: What is your reason for carrying the statue and the priestess away from the land by theft?
1355
Who is your father, who are you, to smuggle her away? He said: Know that I am Orestes, her brother, Agamemnon’s son, and I have come to take my sister, whom I lost from her home.
1360
and were leading her to you by force, for which I received these dreadful blows on my cheeks; they had no swords, nor did we. Both the youths gave rattling blows with their fists,
1365
darting their limbs against our sides and breasts, so that as soon as we joined battle, we were worn out. We were fleeing to the cliff, stamped with dreadful marks, some with bloody wounds on their heads, others on their eyes;
1370
when we stood on the on the heights, we fought more cautiously and hurled rocks at them. But, standing on the stern, the archers with their arrows kept us off and drove us away. And now an immense swelling wave ran the ship aground,
1375
and the maiden was afraid to get her feet wet. Orestes bore his sister on his left arm, going into the sea and quickly up the ladder, and he set her on the ship, along with the statue of Zeus’ daughter, fallen from heaven.
1380
From the middle of the ship, he cried out: Sailors of Hellas, seize the ship with the oars and make the waves white with foam; for we possess those things for which we sailed the inhospitable straits, within the clashing rocks.
1385
They gave a cheerful shout, and struck the salt wave. The ship, while it was within the harbor, was headed for the mouth; but when it had crossed, it met with a violent swell aand was hard pressed; and the wind, rising with sudden dreadful gusts,
1390
forced it astern. They beat the waves strongly; but the swell was driving the ship back towards the land. Agamemnon’s daughter stood up and prayed: O daughter of Leto, bring me, your priestess, safely to Hellas
1395
from this barbaric land, and forgive my thefts. For you, goddess, love your brother; believe that I love mine also. The sailors shouted the paean in response to her prayer, and applied their naked shoulders
1400
to the oars, at the command. But the ship came nearer and nearer to the rocks; some of us rushed into the sea, others grasped the woven ropes. And I set out here to you at once, lord,
1405
to tell you what has happened there. But go, take chains and nets with you; for if the swell does not become calm, there is no hope of safety for the strangers.
1410
Revered Poseidon, ruler of the sea, watches over Troy and is hostile to the race of Pelops; he will now allow you and your citizens, as is right, to have in your hands the son of Agamemnon and his sister; she stands convicted as betrayer of her unremembered sacrifice to the goddess in Aulis.
1415
Chorus Leader
Unhappy Iphigenia, you will die with your brother, if you come again into the hands of the king.
1420
Thoas
All citizens of this barbarian land, hurl the reins on your horses, rush to the coast and seize what the Hellene ship
casts forth! With the goddess’ help, be eager to hunt down these impious men! Drag the swift ships to the sea! So that by sea and with pursuit on horseback by land, you may take them; and hurl their bodies from the hard rock,
1425
or impale them on the stake.
1430
(Turning to the Chorus.) As for you women, who knew about these plots, I will punish you later, when I am at leisure. But now in this present urgency, I will not remain still.
Athena
Where, where are you carrying this pursuit, lord Thoas? Listen the words of Athena, who is here. Cease to follow or to send an army pouring forth; for Orestes came here, destined by the oracles of Loxias, to flee from the anger of the Furies,
1435
and to bring his sister to Argos and take the holy statue to my land, thus gaining a release from his present miseries. Thoas, I am speaking to you: you expect to take Orestes in the sea-swell and kill him; but Poseidon, for my sake,
1440
now lets him sail over the back of the waveless sea.
1445
And you, Orestes, attend to my commands, for you hear the goddess’ voice even though not present: go away with the statue and your sister; and when you come to Athens, built by the gods,
there is a place on the farthest borders of the Attic land, neighbor to the ridge of Carystia, sacred, and my people call it Halae. There build a temple and set up the image in it; it will have its name from the Tauric land and from your labors,
1450
which you have endured, wandering through Hellas and goaded by the Furies. And mortals will in future times celebrate Artemis Tauropolos with hymns. And establish this law: whenever the people keep the festival, let a sword be held
1455
to a man’s throat and draw out blood, in atonement for your sacrifice, so that the goddess may have her honors, and holiness is revered.
1460
You, Iphigenia, must be key-holder for this goddess on the hallowed stairs of Brauron, and will die there and be buried;
and they will dedicate adornment to you, finely-woven robes which women who have died in childbirth leave in their homes. I charge you to send these Hellene women to their country, for their correct intentions. . . . For I saved you
1465
before also, Orestes, on Ares’ hill when the votes were equal; and this will be the custom, for the one with equal votes to win. But, son of Agamemnon, take your sister away from this land. And you, Thoas, do not be angry.
1470
Thoas
Lady Athena, whoever hears the words of the gods and does not obey, is not thinking rightly. I am not angry at Orestes, for going off with the goddess’ image, or at his sister; for what good is it to contend against the strength of gods?
1475
Let them go to your land with the statue of the goddess, and let them establish it there, with good fortune. I will send these women also to fortunate Hellas, as you bid me. And I will stop the army
1480
and the ships I raised against the strangers, as you think this right, goddess.
1485
Athena
I commend you; for necessity rules both you and the gods.
Go, winds, carry the son of Agamemnon to Athens by sea; I will journey with them, and keep safe the holy image of my sister.