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Old man
calling through the tent door.
Stranger of the race of Aeacus, stay awhile! Ho there! I mean you, O goddess-born, and you, daughter of Leda.
855
Stranger of the race of Aeacus, stay awhile! Ho there! I mean you, O goddess-born, and you, daughter of Leda.
855
Achilles
Who is it calling through the half-opened door? What fear his voice betrays!
Who is it calling through the half-opened door? What fear his voice betrays!
Old man
A slave; of that I am not proud, for fortune does not permit it.
A slave; of that I am not proud, for fortune does not permit it.
Achilles
Whose slave are you? not mine; for mine and Agamemnon’s goods are separate.
Whose slave are you? not mine; for mine and Agamemnon’s goods are separate.
Old man
I belong to this lady who stands before the tent, a gift to her from Tyndareus her father.
860
I belong to this lady who stands before the tent, a gift to her from Tyndareus her father.
860
Achilles
I am waiting; tell me, if you are desirous, why you have stopped me.
I am waiting; tell me, if you are desirous, why you have stopped me.
Old man
Are you really all alone here at the door?
Are you really all alone here at the door?
Achilles
To us alone will you address yourself; come forth from the king’s tent.
To us alone will you address yourself; come forth from the king’s tent.
Old man
coming out.
O Fortune and my own foresight, preserve whom I desire!
O Fortune and my own foresight, preserve whom I desire!
Achilles
That speech will save
1
them in the future; it has a certain pompous air.
865
That speech will save
1
them in the future; it has a certain pompous air.
865
Clytemnestra
Delay not for the sake of touching my right hand, if there is anything that you would say to me.
Delay not for the sake of touching my right hand, if there is anything that you would say to me.
Old man
Well, you know my character and my devotion to you and your children.
Well, you know my character and my devotion to you and your children.
Clytemnestra
I know you have grown old in the service of my house.
I know you have grown old in the service of my house.
Old man
Likewise you know it was in your dowry king Agamemnon received me.
Likewise you know it was in your dowry king Agamemnon received me.
Clytemnestra
Yes, you came to
Argos
with me, and have been mine this long time past.
870
Yes, you came to
Argos
with me, and have been mine this long time past.
870
Old man
True; and I bear all goodwill to you, less to your husband.
True; and I bear all goodwill to you, less to your husband.
Clytemnestra
Come, come, unfold whatever you have to say.
Come, come, unfold whatever you have to say.
Old man
Her father, he that begot her, is on the point of slaying your daughter with his own hand.
Her father, he that begot her, is on the point of slaying your daughter with his own hand.
Clytemnestra
How? That for your story, old man! you are mad.
How? That for your story, old man! you are mad.
Old man
Severing with a sword the hapless girl’s white throat.
875
Severing with a sword the hapless girl’s white throat.
875
Clytemnestra
Ah, alas for me! Does my husband happen to have gone mad?
Ah, alas for me! Does my husband happen to have gone mad?
Old man
No; he is sane, except where you and your daughter are concerned; there he is mad.
No; he is sane, except where you and your daughter are concerned; there he is mad.
Clytemnestra
What is his reason? what vengeful fiend impels him?
What is his reason? what vengeful fiend impels him?
Old man
Oracles, at least so Calchas says, in order that the army may start—
Oracles, at least so Calchas says, in order that the army may start—
Clytemnestra
Where? Alas for me, and for the one her father is going to kill!
880
Where? Alas for me, and for the one her father is going to kill!
880
Old man
To the halls of Dardanus, that Menelaus may recover Helen.
To the halls of Dardanus, that Menelaus may recover Helen.
Clytemnestra
So Helen’s return then was fated to affect Iphigenia?
So Helen’s return then was fated to affect Iphigenia?
Old man
You know all; her father is about to offer your child to Artemis.
You know all; her father is about to offer your child to Artemis.
Clytemnestra
But that marriage—what pretext had it for bringing me from home?
But that marriage—what pretext had it for bringing me from home?
Old man
An inducement to you to bring your daughter cheerfully, to wed her to Achilles.
885
An inducement to you to bring your daughter cheerfully, to wed her to Achilles.
885
Clytemnestra
On a deadly errand have you come, my daughter, both you, and I, your mother.
On a deadly errand have you come, my daughter, both you, and I, your mother.
Old man
Piteous the lot of both of you, and dreadful Agamemnon’s venture.
Piteous the lot of both of you, and dreadful Agamemnon’s venture.
Clytemnestra
Alas, I am undone; my eyes can no longer hold their tears.
Alas, I am undone; my eyes can no longer hold their tears.
Old man
If the loss
2
of children is painful, shed your tears.
If the loss
2
of children is painful, shed your tears.
Clytemnestra
From where, old man, do you say you had this news?
890
From where, old man, do you say you had this news?
890
Old man
I had started to carry you a letter referring to the former writing.
I had started to carry you a letter referring to the former writing.
Clytemnestra
Forbidding or combining to urge my bringing the child to her death?
Forbidding or combining to urge my bringing the child to her death?
Old man
No, forbidding it, for your lord was then in his sober senses.
No, forbidding it, for your lord was then in his sober senses.
Clytemnestra
How comes it then, if you were really bringing me a letter, that you do not now deliver it into my hands?
How comes it then, if you were really bringing me a letter, that you do not now deliver it into my hands?
Old man
Menelaus snatched it from me, he who caused this trouble.
895
Menelaus snatched it from me, he who caused this trouble.
895
Clytemnestra
Do you hear that, son of Peleus, the Nereid’s child?
Do you hear that, son of Peleus, the Nereid’s child?
Achilles
I have been listening to the tale of your sufferings, and I do not bear my own lightly.
I have been listening to the tale of your sufferings, and I do not bear my own lightly.
Clytemnestra
They will slay my child; they have tricked her with your marriage.
They will slay my child; they have tricked her with your marriage.
Achilles
Like you I blame your lord, nor do I view it with mere indifference.
Like you I blame your lord, nor do I view it with mere indifference.
Iphigenia in Aulis. Euripides. Edward P. Coleridge (Translator). London. 1891.
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