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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
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
Iphigenia in Tauris. Euripides. Edward P. Coleridge (Translator). London. 1891.
Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.
Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.