Euripides, Iphigenia in Aulis, ed. Gilbert Murray, 1255

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Ἀγαμέμνων

ἐγὼ τά τʼ οἰκτρὰ συνετός εἰμι καὶ τὰ μή,
1255

φιλῶ τʼ ἐμαυτοῦ τέκνα· μαινοίμην γὰρ ἄν.

δεινῶς δʼ ἔχει μοι ταῦτα τολμῆσαι, γύναι,

δεινῶς δὲ καὶ μή· τοῦτο γὰρ πρᾶξαί με δεῖ.

ὁρᾶθʼ ὅσον στράτευμα ναύφρακτον τόδε,

χαλκέων θʼ ὅπλων ἄνακτες Ἑλλήνων ὅσοι,
1260

οἷς νόστος οὐκ ἔστʼ Ἰλίου πύργους ἔπι,

εἰ μή σε θύσω, μάντις ὡς Κάλχας λέγει,

οὐδʼ ἔστι Τροίας ἐξελεῖν κλεινὸν βάθρον.

μέμηνε δʼ Ἀφροδίτη τις Ἑλλήνων στρατῷ

πλεῖν ὡς τάχιστα βαρβάρων ἐπὶ χθόνα,
1265

παῦσαί τε λέκτρων ἁρπαγὰς Ἑλληνικῶν·

οἳ τὰς ἐν Ἄργει παρθένους κτενοῦσί μου

ὑμᾶς τε κἀμέ, θέσφατʼ εἰ λύσω θεᾶς.

οὐ Μενέλεώς με καταδεδούλωται, τέκνον,

οὐδʼ ἐπὶ τὸ κείνου βουλόμενον ἐλήλυθα,
1270

ἀλλʼ Ἑλλάς, ᾗ δεῖ, κἂν θέλω κἂν μὴ θέλω,

θῦσαί σε· τούτου δʼ ἥσσονες καθέσταμεν.

ἐλευθέραν γὰρ δεῖ νιν ὅσον ἐν σοί, τέκνον,

κἀμοὶ γενέσθαι, μηδὲ βαρβάροις ὕπο

Ἕλληνας ὄντας λέκτρα συλᾶσθαι βίᾳ.
1275

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

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Perseus

Ἰφιγένεια ἐν Αὐλίδι (Greek) (Euripides. Euripidis Fabulae, Vol. III. Murray, Gilbert, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913. (Reprinted 1920-1978))

Translations (3)

Iphigenia at Aulis Perseus (Euripides. The Plays of Euripides, Vol. II. Coleridge, Edward P., translator. London: George Bell and Sons, 1891. (Modernized by Perseus.)) — 1255 focus

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. ²Some 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 (OCR draft) Experimental (Iphigenia in Aulis. 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.) — 1255 focus

Ich kenne Mitleid, wo das Mitleid mir geziemt,

Und liebe meine Kinder; anders rast' ich ja.

Entsezlich ist mir's, diese That zu wagen, Frau,

Entsezlich, sie zu lassen; doch ich muß sie thun.¹
1245

Ihr seht des Schiffheers große hier vereinte Macht,

Der Fürsten Hellas' große Zahl im Erzgewand;

Zur Veste Troja's finden sie niemals die Bahn,

Erobern niemals Ilion's gepriesnen Siz,

So redet Kalchas, wenn ich dich nicht opfere.
1250

Ein wild Verlangen sezt' in Wuth Achaa's Heer,

Hinauszusegeln unverweilt in's Phrygerland,

Zu wehren, daß man Hellas' Fraun hinfort entführt.

Sie morden, widerstreb' ich diesem Gottesspruch,

Die Tochter mir in Argos, morden euch und mich.
1255

O Tochter, nicht Menelaos unterjochte mich,

Und nicht in seinen Willen hab' ich mich gefugt;

Nein, Hellas zwingt mich, dem ich, wollend oder nicht,

Dich opfern muß; an diesem scheitert unsre Macht.²

Denn frei, so viel, o Tochter, du vermagst und ich,
1260

Muß Hellas werden, - nicht Barbaren unterthan,

Sich seine Frauen mit Gewalt entreißen sehn.

Euripides Iphigenia in Aulis 1255

ed. Gilbert Murray

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