Euripides, Iphigenia in Tauris, ed. Gilbert Murray, 1327

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Ἄγγελος

ἐπεὶ πρὸς ἀκτὰς ἤλθομεν θαλασσίας,

οὗ ναῦς Ὀρέστου κρύφιος ἦν ὡρμισμένη,

ἡμᾶς μέν, οὓς σὺ δεσμὰ συμπέμπεις ξένων

ἔχοντας, ἐξένευσʼ ἀποστῆναι πρόσω
1330

Ἀγαμέμνονος παῖς, ὡς ἀπόρρητον φλόγα

θύουσα καὶ καθαρμὸν ὃν μετῴχετο,

αὐτὴ δʼ ὄπισθε δέσμʼ ἔχουσα τοῖν ξένοιν

ἔστειχε χερσί. καὶ τάδʼ ἦν ὕποπτα μέν,

ἤρεσκε μέντοι σοῖσι προσπόλοις, ἄναξ.
1335

χρόνῳ δʼ, ἵνʼ ἡμῖν δρᾶν τι δὴ δοκοῖ πλέον,

ἀνωλόλυξε καὶ κατῇδε βάρβαρα

μέλη μαγεύουσʼ, ὡς φόνον νίζουσα δή.

ἐπεὶ δὲ δαρὸν ἦμεν ἥμενοι χρόνον,

ἐσῆλθεν ἡμᾶς μὴ λυθέντες οἱ ξένοι
1340

κτάνοιεν αὐτὴν δραπέται τʼ οἰχοίατο.

φόβῳ δʼ ἃ μὴ χρῆν εἰσορᾶν καθήμεθα

σιγῇ· τέλος δὲ πᾶσιν ἦν αὑτὸς λόγος

στείχειν ἵνʼ ἦσαν, καίπερ οὐκ ἐωμένοις.

κἀνταῦθʼ ὁρῶμεν Ἑλλάδος νεὼς σκάφος
1345

ταρσῷ κατήρει πίτυλον ἐπτερωμένον,

ναύτας τε πεντήκοντʼ ἐπὶ σκαλμῶν πλάτας

ἔχοντας, ἐκ δεσμῶν δὲ τοὺς νεανίας

ἐλευθέρους πρύμνηθεν ἑστῶτας νεώς.

κοντοῖς δὲ πρῷραν εἶχον, οἳ δʼ ἐπωτίδων
1350

ἄγκυραν ἐξανῆπτον· οἳ δέ, κλίμακας

σπεύδοντες, ἦγον διὰ χερῶν πρυμνήσια,

πόντῳ δὲ δόντες τοῖν ξένοιν καθίεσαν.

ἡμεῖς δʼ ἀφειδήσαντες, ὡς ἐσείδομεν

δόλια τεχνήματʼ, εἰχόμεσθα τῆς ξένης
1355

πρυμνησίων τε, καὶ διʼ εὐθυντηρίας

οἴακας ἐξῃροῦμεν εὐπρύμνου νεώς.

λόγοι δʼ ἐχώρουν· Τίνι λόγῳ πορθμεύετε

κλέπτοντες ἐκ γῆς ξόανα καὶ θυηπόλους;

τίνος τίς ὢν σὺ τήνδʼ ἀπεμπολᾷς χθονός;
1360

ὁ δʼ εἶπʼ· Ὀρέστης, τῆσδʼ ὅμαιμος, ὡς μάθῃς,

Ἀγαμέμνονος παῖς, τήνδʼ ἐμὴν κομίζομαι

λαβὼν ἀδελφήν, ἣν ἀπώλεσʼ ἐκ δόμων.

Iphigenia in Tauris. Euripides. ed. Gilbert Murray. Oxford. 1913.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Perseus

Ἰφιγένεια ἐν Ταύροις (Greek) (Euripides. Euripidis Fabulae, Vol. II. Murray, Gilbert, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913. (Reprinted 1921-1962))

Translations (3)

Iphigenia Among the Tauri Perseus (Euripides. The Plays of Euripides, Vol. II. Coleridge, Edward P., translator. London: George Bell and Sons, 1891. (Modernized by Perseus.)) — 1327 focus

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

Iphigenia in Tauris (OCR draft) Experimental (Iphigenia in Tauris. Robert Potter's English verse translation, first published in 1781–1783; text from the 1808 Oxford printing.)

No corresponding passage available

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1845; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (Euripides. Deutsch in den Versmaßen der Urschrift. Volume 2, Heidelberg: C. F. Winter, 1845. Harvard OCR compared with an independent BSB copy. Native Donner verse citations, Murray reference cards, explicitly located notes and page facsimiles. Unresolved OCR, verse divisions, unlocated notes and printed errata are documented in the source review.) — 1327 focus

Sobald wir hingelangten an des Meeres Strand,

Woselbst Orestes' Barke still vor Anker lag,
1280

Winkt' Agamemnons Tochter uns, die, deinem Ruf

Dienstbar, an Fesseln fortgeführt die Fremdlinge,

Fern stehnzubleiben, weil sie nun das heilige

Brandopferfeuer rüstet und die Reinigung.

Sie selber trug die Fesseln beider Fremdlinge,
1285

Und schritt zum Meer nach. Dieses schien verdächtig zwar;

Doch deinen Dienern, edler Herr, gefiel es so.¹

Bulezt, damit sie fürder nicht unthatig uns

Erscheine, schrie sie, sang Beschwörungsformeln ab

In fremden Lauten, als versöhne sie den Mord.
1290

Nachdem wir lang gesessen, kam es uns zu Sinn,

Die Fremden könnten sich der Band' entlediget,

Die Frau getödtet haben, und entsprungen sein.

Doch Furcht, Verbotnes anzuschaun, bewog uns, still²

Zu sizen; endlich aber kam uns Ein Entschluß,
1295

Ihr nachzugehen, ob's uns gleich verboten war.

Und nun gewahrten unsre Blick' ein Griechenschiff,

Mit hohen Ruderblättern schon zur Fahrt beschwingt,

Und funfzig Schiffer sahn wir auf den Bänkereihn

Die Ruder haltend, und von ihren Fesseln frei
1300

Am Hintertheil des Schiffes stehn die Junglinge.

Mit Stangen stüzt man hier den Bug, dort hången sie³

Den aufgewundnen Anker ein, Zugbrücken eilt

Man hier zu legen, windet an des Spiegels Tau'n,

Und låßt die Leitern nieder für die Fremdlinge.
1305

Wir schonten nun nicht långer, und das falsche Spiel,

Den Trug erkennend, faßten wir das fremde Weib,

Zugleich die Spiegeltaue; dann versuchten wir

Die Rudergriffe loszudrehn am Hinterschiff.

Da gingen Reden: „Was entflieht ihr über Meer,
1310

Stehlt aus dem Lande Götterbild und Priester uns?

Wer, wessen Sohn du, daß du die fortführst von hier?"

Der sprach: „Orestes, Agamemnons Sohn, bin ich,

Ihr Bruder, daß ihr's wisset, und entführe sie,

Sie, meine Schwester, die daheim ich einst verlor."
1315

Euripides Iphigenia in Tauris 1327

ed. Gilbert Murray

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