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Orestes
Who will sacrifice me and dare such a dreadful deed ?
Who will sacrifice me and dare such a dreadful deed ?
Iphigenia
I will; for I hold the office of this goddess.
I will; for I hold the office of this goddess.
Orestes
It is not envied, lady, and not blessed.
It is not envied, lady, and not blessed.
Iphigenia
But I am dedicated to necessity, which must be kept.
620
But I am dedicated to necessity, which must be kept.
620
Orestes
Do you yourself, a woman, sacrifice men with the sword?
Do you yourself, a woman, sacrifice men with the sword?
Iphigenia
No; but I sprinkle the holy water around your hair.
No; but I sprinkle the holy water around your hair.
Orestes
Who is the slayer? If I may ask this.
Who is the slayer? If I may ask this.
Iphigenia
That charge belongs to those within this temple.
That charge belongs to those within this temple.
Orestes
What sort of tomb will receive me, when I die?
625
What sort of tomb will receive me, when I die?
625
Iphigenia
The sacred fire within and the wide hollow of a cave.
The sacred fire within and the wide hollow of a cave.
Orestes
Ah! Would that my sister’s hand might lay out my body!
Ah! Would that my sister’s hand might lay out my body!
Iphigenia
You have prayed in vain, unhappy youth, whoever you are; for she lives far from a barbarian land.
Yet indeed, since you happen to be an
Argive
, I too will not leave out any favor that I can do. I will set much ornament on the tomb and quench your body with yellow oil, and throw onto your funeral pyre the gleaming honey, that streams from flowers,
630
of the tawny mountain bee.
635
But I will go and bring the tablet from the temple of the goddess; take care not to bear me ill-will.
Guard them, attendants, without chains. Perhaps I will send unexpected news to one of my friends,
whom I especially love, in
Argos
; and the tablet, in telling him that those whom he thought dead are alive, will report a joy that can be believed.
Exit Iphigenia.
640
You have prayed in vain, unhappy youth, whoever you are; for she lives far from a barbarian land.
Yet indeed, since you happen to be an
Argive
, I too will not leave out any favor that I can do. I will set much ornament on the tomb and quench your body with yellow oil, and throw onto your funeral pyre the gleaming honey, that streams from flowers,
630
of the tawny mountain bee.
635
But I will go and bring the tablet from the temple of the goddess; take care not to bear me ill-will.
Guard them, attendants, without chains. Perhaps I will send unexpected news to one of my friends,
whom I especially love, in
Argos
; and the tablet, in telling him that those whom he thought dead are alive, will report a joy that can be believed.
Exit Iphigenia.
640
Iphigenia in Tauris. Euripides. Edward P. Coleridge (Translator). London. 1891.
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