View:
By Scene
Agamemnon
While loving my own children, I yet understand what should move my pity and what should not; I would be a madman otherwise. It is terrible for me to bring myself to this, nor is it less terrible to refuse, daughter; for I must do this.
1
You see the vastness of that naval army,
1255
and the numbers of bronze-clad warriors from Hellas, who can neither make their way to
Ilium
’s towers nor raze the far-famed citadel of
Troy
, unless I offer you according to the word of Calchas the seer.
2
Some mad desire possesses the army of
Hellas
1260
to sail at once to the land of the barbarians, and put a stop to the rape of wives from
Hellas
, and they will slay my daughter in
Argos
as well as you and me, if I disregard the goddess’s commands. It is not Menelaus who has enslaved me to him, child,
1265
nor have I followed his wish; no, it is
Hellas
, for whom I must sacrifice you whether I will or not; to this necessity I bow my head; for her freedom must be preserved, as far as any help of yours daughter, or mine can go; or they, who are the sons of
Hellas
, must be
1270
pillaged of their wives by barbarian robbery.
Exit Agamemnon.
1275
While loving my own children, I yet understand what should move my pity and what should not; I would be a madman otherwise. It is terrible for me to bring myself to this, nor is it less terrible to refuse, daughter; for I must do this.
1
You see the vastness of that naval army,
1255
and the numbers of bronze-clad warriors from Hellas, who can neither make their way to
Ilium
’s towers nor raze the far-famed citadel of
Troy
, unless I offer you according to the word of Calchas the seer.
2
Some mad desire possesses the army of
Hellas
1260
to sail at once to the land of the barbarians, and put a stop to the rape of wives from
Hellas
, and they will slay my daughter in
Argos
as well as you and me, if I disregard the goddess’s commands. It is not Menelaus who has enslaved me to him, child,
1265
nor have I followed his wish; no, it is
Hellas
, for whom I must sacrifice you whether I will or not; to this necessity I bow my head; for her freedom must be preserved, as far as any help of yours daughter, or mine can go; or they, who are the sons of
Hellas
, must be
1270
pillaged of their wives by barbarian robbery.
Exit Agamemnon.
1275
Iphigenia in Aulis. Euripides. Edward P. Coleridge (Translator). London. 1891.
Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.
Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.