Say, virgins, if by right instruction led
This way, I tend to
Chorus
Whither wouldst thou
1100
Orestes
The palace of ^gisthus.
Chorus
Sti'iinger, well
Wert thou directed ; thou art there already.
Orestes
Who then amongst your train shall Idndly
speak
A friend's approach, who comes with joyful news
Of highest import?
Chorus
{jpointing to Electra]. Be that office hers
Orestes
The palace of ^gisthus.
Chorus
Sti'iinger, well
Wert thou directed ; thou art there already.
Orestes
Who then amongst your train shall Idndly
speak
A friend's approach, who comes with joyful news
Of highest import?
Chorus
{jpointing to Electra]. Be that office hers
Electra. Sophocles. Thomas Francklin (Translator). London. 1758–1759.
Current edition Experimental
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) (English) (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759))
Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.
Editions (2)
Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 1098 focus
ὀρθῶς θ᾽ ὁδοιποροῦμεν ἔνθα χρήζομεν ;
ΧΟ.
τί δ᾽ ἐξερευνᾷς καὶ τί βουληθεὶς πάρει;
1100
ΟΡ.
Αἴγισθον ἔνθ᾽ ᾤκηκεν
ἱστορῶ
γρ. μαστεύω C2. πάλαι.
ΧΟ.
ἀλλ᾽ εὐ θ᾽ ἱκάνεις χώ φράσας ἀζήμιος.
ΟΡ.
τίς οὖν ἂν ὑμῶν τοῖς ἔσω φράσειεν ἂν
ἡμῶν ποθεινὴν κοινόπουν παρουσίαν ;
ΧΟ.
ἥδ᾽, εἰ τὸν ἄγχιστόν γε κηρύσσειν χρεών.
1105
ΟΡ.
ἴθ᾽, ὦ γύναι, δήλωσον εἰσελθοῦσ᾽ ὅτι
Φωκῆς
ματεύουσ᾽
μα. στεύουσ' L. ματεύουσ' A. μαστεύουσ᾽ FL2 Pal. ἄνδρες Αἴγισθόν τινες.
ΗΛ.
οἴμοι τάλαιν, οὐ δή ποθ᾿ ἧς ἠκούσαμεν
φήμης φέροντες ἐμφανῆ τεκμήρια;
ΟΡ.
οὐκ οἶδα τὴν σὴν κληδόν· ἀλλά μοι γέρων
1110
ἐφεῖτ᾽ Ὀρέστου
Στρόφιος
στροφίος L. ἀγγεῖλαι πέρι.
ΗΛ.
τί δ᾽ ἔστιν, ὦ ξέν᾽; ὥς μ᾽ ὑπέρχεται φόβος.
ΟΡ.
φέροντες αὐτοῦ σμικρὰ λείψαν ἐν βραχεῖ
τεύχει θανόντος, ὡς ὁρᾷς, κομίζομεν.
ΗΛ.
οἴ ἐγὼ
οἱ ἐγὼ LA Pal. Vat. ac. τάλαινα, τοῦτ᾽ ἐκεῖν᾽ ἤδη σαφές.
1115
πρόχειρον ἄχθος, ὡς ἔοικε, δέρκομαι.
ΟΡ.
εἴπερ τι κλαίεις τῶν Ὀρεστείων κακῶν,
τόδ᾽ ἄγγος ἴσθι σῶμα τοὐκείνου στέγον.
ΗΛ.
ὦ ξεῖνε,
δός νυν
δὸς νῦν LA Pal. πρὸς θεῶν, εἴπερ τόδε
κέκευθεν αὐτὸν τεῦχος, εἰς χεῖρας λαβεῖν,
1120
ὅπως ἐμαυτὴν καὶ γένος τὸ πᾶν ὁμοῦ
ξὺν τῇδε κλαύσω κἀποδύρωμαι σποδῷ.
ΟΡ.
δόθ᾽ ἥτις ἐστὶ προσφέροντες· οὐ γὰρ ὡς
ἐν δυσμενείᾳ γ᾽ οὖσ᾽
ἐπαιτεῖται τάδε
ἐπαιτεῖ τόδε L. ἐπαιτεῖται τάδε AC7.,
ἀλλ᾽ ἢ φίλων τις, ἢ πρὸς αἵματος φύσιν.
1125
ΗΛ.
Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 1097-1231 focus
Ὀρέστης
ἆρʼ, ὦ γυναῖκες, ὀρθά τʼ εἰσηκούσαμεν
ὀρθῶς θʼ ὁδοιποροῦμεν ἔνθα χρῄζομεν;
Χορός
τί δʼ ἐξερευνᾷς καὶ τί βουληθεὶς πάρει;
1100
Ὀρέστης
Αἴγισθον ἔνθʼ ᾤκηκεν ἱστορῶ πάλαι.
Χορός
ἀλλʼ εὖ θʼ ἱκάνεις χὠ φράσας ἀζήμιος.
Ὀρέστης
τίς οὖν ἂν ὑμῶν τοῖς ἔσω φράσειεν ἂν
ἡμῶν ποθεινὴν κοινόπουν παρουσίαν;
Χορός
ἥδʼ, εἰ τὸν ἄγχιστόν γε κηρύσσειν χρεών.
1105
Ὀρέστης
ἴθʼ, ὦ γύναι, δήλωσον εἰσελθοῦσʼ ὅτι
Φωκῆς ματεύουσʼ ἄνδρες Αἴγισθόν τινες,
Ἠλέκτρα
οἴμοι τάλαινʼ, οὐ δή ποθʼ ἧς ἠκούσαμεν
φήμης φέροντες ἐμφανῆ τεκμήρια;
Ὀρέστης
οὐκ οἶδα τὴν σὴν κληδόνʼ· ἀλλά μοι γέρων
1110
ἐφεῖτʼ Ὀρέστου Στρόφιος ἀγγεῖλαι πέρι.
Ἠλέκτρα
τί δʼ ἔστιν, ὦ ξένʼ; ὥς μʼ ὑπέρχεται φόβος.
Ὀρέστης
φέροντες αὐτοῦ σμικρὰ λείψανʼ ἐν βραχεῖ
τεύχει θανόντος, ὡς ὁρᾷς, κομίζομεν.
Ἠλέκτρα
οἲ ʼγὼ τάλαινα, τοῦτʼ ἐκεῖνʼ ἤδη σαφὲς
1115
πρόχειρον ἄχθος, ὡς ἔοικε, δέρκομαι.
Ὀρέστης
εἴπερ τι κλαίεις τῶν Ὀρεστείων κακῶν,
τόδʼ ἄγγος ἴσθι σῶμα τοὐκείνου στέγον.
Ἠλέκτρα
ὦ ξεῖνε, δός νυν, πρὸς θεῶν, εἴπερ τόδε
κέκευθεν αὐτὸν τεῦχος, εἰς χεῖρας λαβεῖν,
1120
ὅπως ἐμαυτὴν καὶ γένος τὸ πᾶν ὁμοῦ
ξὺν τῇδε κλαύσω κἀποδύρωμαι σποδῷ.
Ὀρέστης
δόθʼ, ἥτις ἐστί, προσφέροντες· οὐ γὰρ ὡς
ἐν δυσμενείᾳ γʼ οὖσʼ ἐπαιτεῖται τάδε,
ἀλλʼ ἢ φίλων τις ἢ πρὸς αἵματος φύσιν.
1125
1126
Ἠλέκτρα
ὦ φιλτάτου μνημεῖον ἀνθρώπων ἐμοὶ
ψυχῆς Ὀρέστου λοιπόν, ὥς σʼ ἀπʼ ἐλπίδων
οὐχ ὧνπερ ἐξέπεμπον εἰσεδεξάμην.
νῦν μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲν ὄντα βαστάζω χεροῖν,
δόμων δέ σʼ, ὦ παῖ, λαμπρὸν ἐξέπεμψʼ ἐγώ.
1130
ὡς ὤφελον πάροιθεν ἐκλιπεῖν βίον,
πρὶν ἐς ξένην σε γαῖαν ἐκπέμψαι χεροῖν
κλέψασα ταῖνδε κἀνασώσασθαι φόνου,
ὅπως θανὼν ἔκεισο τῇ τόθʼ ἡμέρᾳ,
τύμβου πατρῴου κοινὸν εἰληχὼς μέρος.
1135
νῦν δʼ ἐκτὸς οἴκων κἀπὶ γῆς ἄλλης φυγὰς
κακῶς ἀπώλου, σῆς κασιγνήτης δίχα,
κοὔτʼ ἐν φίλαισι χερσὶν ἡ τάλαινʼ ἐγὼ
λουτροῖς σʼ ἐκόσμησʼ οὔτε παμφλέκτου πυρὸς
ἀνειλόμην, ὡς εἰκός, ἄθλιον βάρος,
1140
ἀλλʼ ἐν ξέναισι χερσὶ κηδευθεὶς τάλας
σμικρὸς προσήκεις ὄγκος ἐν σμικρῷ κύτει.
οἴμοι τάλαινα τῆς ἐμῆς πάλαι τροφῆς
ἀνωφελήτου, τὴν ἐγὼ θάμʼ ἀμφὶ σοὶ
πόνῳ γλυκεῖ παρέσχον· οὔτε γάρ ποτε
1145
μητρὸς σύ γʼ ἦσθα μᾶλλον ἢ κἀμοῦ φίλος,
οὔθʼ οἱ κατʼ οἶκον ἦσαν, ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ τροφός,
ἐγὼ δʼ ἀδελφὴ σοὶ προσηυδώμην ἀεί.
νῦν δʼ ἐκλέλοιπε ταῦτʼ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ
θανόντι σὺν σοί· πάντα γὰρ συναρπάσας
1150
θύελλʼ ὅπως βέβηκας. οἴχεται πατήρ·
τέθνηκʼ ἐγὼ σοί· φροῦδος αὐτὸς εἶ θανών·
γελῶσι δʼ ἐχθροί· μαίνεται δʼ ὑφʼ ἡδονῆς
μήτηρ ἀμήτωρ, ἧς ἐμοὶ σὺ πολλάκις
φήμας λάθρᾳ προύπεμπες ὡς φανούμενος
1155
τιμωρὸς αὐτός. ἀλλὰ ταῦθʼ ὁ δυστυχὴς
δαίμων ὁ σός τε κἀμὸς ἐξαφείλετο,
ὅς σʼ ὧδέ μοι προύπεμψεν ἀντὶ φιλτάτης
μορφῆς σποδόν τε καὶ σκιὰν ἀνωφελῆ.
1160
Ἠλέκτρα
οἴμοι μοι.
1160
ὦ δέμας οἰκτρόν. φεῦ φεῦ.
ὦ δεινοτάτας, οἴμοι μοι,
πεμφθεὶς κελεύθους, φίλταθʼ, ὥς μʼ ἀπώλεσας·
ἀπώλεσας δῆτʼ, ὦ κασίγνητον κάρα.
τοιγὰρ σὺ δέξαι μʼ ἐς τὸ σὸν τόδε στέγος,
1165
τὴν μηδὲν εἰς τὸ μηδέν, ὡς σὺν σοὶ κάτω
ναίω τὸ λοιπόν· καὶ γὰρ ἡνίκʼ ἦσθʼ ἄνω,
ξὺν σοὶ μετεῖχον τῶν ἴσων, καὶ νῦν ποθῶ
τοῦ σοῦ θανοῦσα μὴ ἀπολείπεσθαι τάφου.
τοὺς γὰρ θανόντας οὐχ ὁρῶ λυπουμένους.
1170
1171
Χορός
θνητοῦ πέφυκας πατρός, Ἠλέκτρα, φρόνει,
θνητὸς δʼ Ὀρέστης. ὥστε μὴ λίαν στένε.
πᾶσιν γὰρ ἡμῖν τοῦτʼ ὀφείλεται παθεῖν.
Ὀρέστης
φεῦ φεῦ. τί λέξω; ποῖ λόγων ἀμηχανῶν
ἔλθω; κρατεῖν γὰρ οὐκέτι γλώσσης σθένω.
1175
Ἠλέκτρα
τί δʼ ἔσχες ἄλγος; πρὸς τί τοῦτʼ εἰπὼν κυρεῖς;
Ὀρέστης
ἦ σὸν τὸ κλεινὸν εἶδος Ἠλέκτρας τόδε;
Ἠλέκτρα
τόδʼ ἔστʼ ἐκεῖνο, καὶ μάλʼ ἀθλίως ἔχον.
Ὀρέστης
οἴμοι ταλαίνης ἆρα τῆσδε συμφορᾶς.
Ἠλέκτρα
οὐ δή ποτʼ, ὦ ξένʼ, ἀμφʼ ἐμοὶ στένεις τάδε;
1180
Ὀρέστης
ὦ σῶμʼ ἀτίμως κἀθέως ἐφθαρμένον.
Ἠλέκτρα
οὔτοι ποτʼ ἄλλην ἢ ʼμὲ δυσφημεῖς, ξένε.
Ὀρέστης
φεῦ τῆς ἀνύμφου δυσμόρου τε σῆς τροφῆς,
Ἠλέκτρα
τί δή ποτʼ, ὦ ξένʼ, ὧδʼ ἐπισκοπῶν στένεις;
Ὀρέστης
ὡς οὐκ ἄρʼ ᾔδη τῶν ἐμῶν οὐδὲν κακῶν.
1185
Ἠλέκτρα
ἐν τῷ διέγνως τοῦτο τῶν εἰρημένων;
Ὀρέστης
ὁρῶν σε πολλοῖς ἐμπρέπουσαν ἄλγεσιν.
Ἠλέκτρα
καὶ μὴν ὁρᾷς γε παῦρα τῶν ἐμῶν κακῶν.
Ὀρέστης
καὶ πῶς γένοιτʼ ἂν τῶνδʼ ἔτʼ ἐχθίω βλέπειν;
Ἠλέκτρα
ὁθούνεκʼ εἰμὶ τοῖς φονεῦσι σύντροφος
1190
Ὀρέστης
τοῖς τοῦ; πόθεν τοῦτʼ ἐξεσήμηνας κακόν;
Ἠλέκτρα
τοῖς πατρός· εἶτα τοῖσδε δουλεύω βίᾳ.
Ὀρέστης
τίς γάρ σʼ ἀνάγκῃ τῇδε προτρέπει βροτῶν;
Ἠλέκτρα
μήτηρ καλεῖται, μητρὶ δʼ οὐδὲν ἐξισοῖ.
Ὀρέστης
τί δρῶσα; πότερα χερσὶν ἢ λύμῃ βίου;
1195
Ἠλέκτρα
καὶ χερσὶ καὶ λύμαισι καὶ πᾶσιν κακοῖς.
Ὀρέστης
οὐδʼ οὑπαρήξων οὐδʼ ὁ κωλύσων πάρα;
Ἠλέκτρα
οὐ δῆθʼ. ὃς ἦν γάρ μοι σὺ προὔθηκας σποδόν.
Ὀρέστης
ὦ δύσποτμʼ, ὡς ὁρῶν σʼ ἐποικτίρω πάλαι.
1200
Ἠλέκτρα
μόνος βροτῶν νυν ἴσθʼ ἐποικτίρας ποτέ.
1200
Ὀρέστης
μόνος γὰρ ἥκω τοῖς ἴσοις ἀλγῶν κακοῖς.
Ἠλέκτρα
οὐ δή ποθʼ ἡμῖν ξυγγενὴς ἥκεις ποθέν;
Ὀρέστης
ἐγὼ φράσαιμʼ ἄν, εἰ τὸ τῶνδʼ εὔνουν πάρα.
Ἠλέκτρα
ἀλλʼ ἐστὶν εὔνουν, ὥστε πρὸς πιστὰς ἐρεῖς.
Ὀρέστης
μέθες τόδʼ ἄγγος νῦν, ὅπως τὸ πᾶν μάθῃς.
1205
Ἠλέκτρα
μὴ δῆτα πρὸς θεῶν τοῦτό μʼ ἐργάσῃ, ξένε.
Ὀρέστης
πείθου λέγοντι κοὐχ ἁμαρτήσει ποτέ.
Ἠλέκτρα
μή, πρὸς γενείου, μὴ ʼξέλῃ τὰ φίλτατα.
Ὀρέστης
οὔ φημʼ ἐάσειν.
Ἠλέκτρα
ὦ τάλαινʼ ἐγὼ σέθεν,
Ὀρέστα, τῆς σῆς εἰ στερήσομαι ταφῆς.
1210
Ὀρέστης
εὔφημα φώνει· πρὸς δίκης γὰρ οὐ στένεις.
Ἠλέκτρα
πῶς τὸν θανόντʼ ἀδελφὸν οὐ δίκῃ στένω;
Ὀρέστης
οὔ σοι προσήκει τήνδε προσφωνεῖν φάτιν.
Ἠλέκτρα
οὕτως ἄτιμός εἰμι τοῦ τεθνηκότος;
Ὀρέστης
ἄτιμος οὐδενὸς σύ· τοῦτο δʼ οὐχὶ σόν.
1215
Ἠλέκτρα
εἴπερ γʼ Ὀρέστου σῶμα βαστάζω τόδε;
Ὀρέστης
ἀλλʼ οὐκ Ὀρέστου, πλὴν λόγῳ γʼ ἠσκημένον.
Ἠλέκτρα
ποῦ δʼ ἔστʼ ἐκείνου τοῦ ταλαιπώρου τάφος;
Ὀρέστης
οὐκ ἔστι· τοῦ γὰρ ζῶντος οὐκ ἔστιν τάφος.
Ἠλέκτρα
πῶς εἶπας, ὦ παῖ;
1220
Ὀρέστης
ψεῦδος οὐδὲν ὧν λέγω.
Ἠλέκτρα
ἦ ζῇ γὰρ ἁνήρ;
Ὀρέστης
εἴπερ ἔμψυχός γʼ ἐγώ.
Ἠλέκτρα
ἦ γὰρ σὺ κεῖνος;
Ὀρέστης
τήνδε προσβλέψασά μου
σφραγῖδα πατρὸς ἔκμαθʼ εἰ σαφῆ λέγω.
Ἠλέκτρα
ὦ φίλτατον φῶς.
Ὀρέστης
φίλτατον, συμμαρτυρῶ.
Ἠλέκτρα
ὦ φθέγμʼ, ἀφίκου;
1225
Ὀρέστης
μηκέτʼ ἄλλοθεν πύθῃ,
Ἠλέκτρα
ἔχω σε χερσίν;
Ὀρέστης
ὡς τὰ λοίπʼ ἔχοις ἀεί.
Ἠλέκτρα
ὦ φίλταται γυναῖκες, ὦ πολίτιδες,
ὁρᾶτʼ Ὀρέστην τόνδε, μηχαναῖσι μὲν
θανόντα, νῦν δὲ μηχαναῖς σεσωσμένον.
Χορός
ὁρῶμεν, ὦ παῖ, κἀπὶ συμφοραῖσί μοι
1230
γεγηθὸς ἕρπει δάκρυον ὀμμάτων ἄπο.
Translations (4)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 1098 focus
Say, dames and damsels, have we heard aright,
And speed we to the goal of our desire?
CH
And what desire or quest hath brought thee hither?
1100
OR
I seek Aegisthus’ dwelling all this while.
CH
Welcome. The tongue that told thee hath no blame.
OR
Which of you all will signify within
Our joint arrival,—not unwelcome here.
CH
This maiden, if the nearest should report.
1105
OR
Mistress, wilt thou go yonder and make known,
That certain Phocians on Aegisthus wait?
EL
Oh! can it be that you are come to bring
Clear proofs of the sad rumour we have heard?
OR
I know not what ye have heard. Old Strophius
1110
Charged me with tidings of Orestes’ fate.
EL
What, stranger? How this terror steals on me!
OR
Bearing scant remnants of his body dead
In this small vase thou seest, we bring them home.
EL
O sorrow! thou art here: I see full well
1115
That burden of my heart in present view.
OR
If thou hast tears for aught Orestes suffered,
Know that he lies within this vessel’s room.
EL
Ah, sir! by all in Heaven, if yonder urn
Hide him, ah! give it once into my hand,
1120
That o’er that dust I may lament and mourn
Myself and mine own house and all our woe!
OR
Bring it and give her, whosoe’er she be.
For not an enemy—this petition shows it—
But of his friends or kindred, is this maid.
1125
EL
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 1098 focus
Ihr Frauen, sagt uns, haben wir auch recht gehört,
Sind wir auf rechtem Wege hier nach unserm Ziel?
Der Chor.
Was willst du wissen, welch Verlangen führt dich her?
Orestes.
Wo hier Aegisthos wohne, forsch' ich lange schon.
1075
Der Chor.
Recht gingst du: der dir's sagte, hat dich nicht getäuscht.
Orestes.
Wer unter euch wohl kündet dort im Haus es an,
Daß wir zusammen, längstersehnt, gekommen sind?
(auf Elektra deutend)
Der Chor.
Hier diese, wenn's die Nächstverwandte melden soll.
Orestes.
Frau, geh' hinein und sage, daß hier Einige
1080
Den König suchen, Männer aus dem Phokerland.
Elektra.
Ihr kommt doch nicht, die Sage, die wir hörten, ach!
Mit klaren, sichern Zeichen uns bekräftigend?
Orestes.
Ich weiß von deiner Sache nicht; mit Kunden von
Orestes hat mich Strophios, der Greis, gesandt.
1085
Elektra.
Was ist es, Fremdling? Wie die Furcht mich übermannt!
Orestes.
In kleiner Urne bringen wir vom Todten hier
Die kleinen Ueberreste, wie du siehst, o Frau.
Elektra.
Ich Arme, weh! Das ist es: sichtbar seh' ich jezt
Vor meinen Augen, scheint es, diese Schmerzenslast!
1090
Orestes.
Wenn deine Klag' Orestes' herbem Loose gilt,
So wisse: dieses Erzgefäß birgt seinen Leib.
Gib denn, o Fremdling, wenn die Urne hier ihn birgt,
Gib, bei den Göttern, das Gefäß in meine Hand,
Auf daß ich mich und meinen ganzen Stamm zugleich
1095
Mit dieser Asche weinen und betrauern mag.
(zu den Dienern)
Gebt, wer sie sein mag, bringt es ihr; denn sicher nicht
Als eine Feindin bittet sie sich solches aus,
Nein, als die Freundin, oder ihm durch Blut verwandt.
(die Urne umfassend)
Elektra.
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 1098 focus
Say, female Argives, are we well inform'd,
Our steps unerring guided as we wish?
Chorus
What wou'dst thou ask? Why hither art thou come?
1100
Orestes
I seek the mansion where Ægisthus dwells.
Chorus
Right are thy steps: no blame thy guide deserves.
Orestes
To those within which of you will announce
Our presence, charged in common with affairs
Of no unwelcome nature to your lords?
Chorus
She, as by birth nearest to them allied.
1105
Orestes
Go, lady, let them be with speed inform'd
That men from Phocis sent Ægisthus seek.
Electra
Unhappy me! Bring you undoubted proofs
Of that report, which reach'd our ears before ?
Orestes
I know not: of Orestes is my charge
1110
To speak, by aged Strophius hither sent.
Electra
What, stranger? How am I oppress'd with fear!
Orestes
Of the dead youth the poor remains we bear,
As thou may'st see, in this small vase enclosed.
Electra
Then I indeed am wretched: now my grief
1115
Is certain; it is brought before my eyes.
Orestes
If for the poor Orestes flow thy tears,
Know that within this urn his body lies.
Electra
Now by the gods, O stranger, if this vase
Contain Orestes, give it to my hands;
1120
That o'er his ashes as I pour my tears,
Myself and all my race I may bewail.
Orestes
Whoe'er she be, entrust it to her hands;
For not in hatred makes she this request,
But as a friend, or one by blood allied.
1125
Electra
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 1098-1230 focus
Orestes
Ladies, have we been directed aright, and are we on the right path to our goal?
Chorus
What do you seek? What desire brings you here?
1100
Orestes
I have long been searching for the home of Aegisthus.
Chorus
Well, you have found it, and your guide is blameless.
Orestes
Which of you, then, would tell those inside of the long-desired presence of us travelers?
Chorus
She will, if the nearest in kin should announce it.
1105
Orestes
Go, lady, enter and make it known that certain men of
Phocis
seek Aegisthus.
Electra
Ah, miserable me! Surely you do not bring proof positive of that rumor which we heard?
Orestes
I know nothing of your
rumor; but the aged Strophius ordered me to give report of Orestes.
1110
Electra
What is it, sir? Ah, how fear creeps over me!
Orestes
We come bearing his scanty remains in a small urn, as you see.
Electra
Oh, the misery! Here, at last, my eyes look for certain, it seems, upon that grievous burden in your hand.
1115
Orestes
If your tears are for any of Orestes’ tribulations, know that this vessel is his body’s home.
Electra
Ah, sir, if this urn indeed contains him, then allow me,
by the gods, to take it in my hands, so that I may weep and wail, not for these ashes alone, but for myself and for all our house with them!
1120
Orestes
To the attendants.
Take it and give it to her, whoever she may be. For she asks this for herself not as if with hostile intent,
but like one who is his friend, or a kinswoman by blood.
The urn is placed in Electra’s hands.
1125
1126
Electra
Memorial of him whom I loved best on earth, sole remnant of Orestes’ vitality! How contrary to the hopes with which I sent you away do I receive you back! Now I raise your nothingness in my hands;
but then, my child, you were radiant, when I sent you away from home! Would that I had first abandoned life, before, stealing you away with these hands, I sent you to a strange land and rescued you from death, in order that you might have lain dead on that same day
1130
and had your share in the tomb of our father!
But now, an exile from home and fatherland, you have perished miserably, far from your sister. Ah, me, these loving hands have not washed or decked your corpse, nor taken up
1135
their sad burden from the all-consuming pyre, as was proper. No! At the hands of strangers, poor Orestes, you have been tended, and so have come to us, a small bulk in a small urn.
Ah, I grieve at the uselessness of my nursing long ago, the service that I often bestowed
1140
on you in sweet labor! For you were never your mother’s darling so much as mine, nor was any in the house your nurse but I, and by you I was ever called
sister. But now all this has vanished in a day
1145
with your death. Like a whirlwind you have swept everything away with you. Our father is gone; I am dead because of you; you yourself are dead and gone; our enemies laugh at us; and our mother, who is no mother, raves with joy. Unknown to her, you often
1150
sent me messages about her, saying that you yourself would appear for vengeance. But our evil fortune, yours and mine, has torn all that away, and has sent you back to me in this state, ash and a useless shade in place of your beloved form.
1155
1160
But now, an exile from home and fatherland, you have perished miserably, far from your sister. Ah, me, these loving hands have not washed or decked your corpse, nor taken up
Ah, I grieve at the uselessness of my nursing long ago, the service that I often bestowed
ah, me, ah, me! O pitiable body! Alas, dear one sent on a most dire journey, how you have destroyed me, destroyed me indeed, my brother!
1160
Therefore accept me into this abode of yours—me, a nothing, into your nothingness,—so that I may dwell with you hereafter below. For when you were on earth, we shared equally, and now I wish to die and not to be left out of your grave,
1165
since I see that the dead are relieved of pain.
1170
1171
Chorus
Remember, Electra, you are the child of a mortal father, and Orestes was mortal. Therefore do not grieve too much. Death is a debt which all of us must pay.
Orestes
Ah, what shall I say? I am at a loss. To what words
can I turn? I no longer have the strength to master my tongue!
1175
Electra
What has troubled you? Why did you say that?
Orestes
Is this the illustrious form of Electra?
Electra
It is, though in a very wretched state.
Orestes
What pity, then, for this miserable fortune!
Electra
Surely, stranger, you are not saddened like this on my account?
1180
Orestes
O frame dishonorably, godlessly wasted!
Electra
Those ills of which you speak, stranger, are none other’s than mine.
Orestes
Ah, pity for your unwed, ill-fated life!
Electra
Why, stranger, do you stare and grieve in this way?
Orestes
How I knew nothing, it seems, of my own sorrows!
1185
Electra
What that has been said made you realize this?
Orestes
It was the sight of you conspicuous in your many sufferings.
Electra
And yet you see but a few of my troubles.
Orestes
And how could there be any more odious to look on than these?
Electra
Because I share house and table with the murderers.
1190
Orestes
Whose murderers? Where lies the guilt at which you point?
Electra
The murderers of my father. And, further, I am forced to slave for them.
Orestes
Who is it that binds you with this compulsion?
Electra
She is called my mother, but in no respect is she like a mother.
Orestes
How does she do it? By violence or by inflicting hardship?
1195
Electra
By violence and hardships and all manner of evil.
Orestes
And is there no one to help, or to prevent it?
Electra
No one. The one I had, his ashes you have put before me.
Orestes
Unfortunate girl, how seeing you stirs my pity!
1200
Electra
Then know that you are the first who ever pitied me.
1200
Orestes
Yes, for I alone have come and been pained by your troubles .
Electra
Surely you are not some unknown kinsman?
Orestes
I would tell you, if these women bear you goodwill.
Electra
Indeed they do, so you will speak to trustworthy companions.
Orestes
Give up this urn, then, and you shall know everything.
1205
Electra
No, by the gods, do not do this to me, stranger!
Orestes
Do as I say, and you will never be mistaken.
Electra
No, I beg you, do not rip from me what I hold most dear!
Orestes
You must not keep it.
Electra
Ah, what misery I will have because of you,
Orestes, if I am robbed of your burial!
1210
Orestes
Hush! No ill-omened words! You have no right to grieve.
Electra
How is it not right for me to grieve for my dead brother?
Orestes
It is not proper for you to speak of him as you do.
Electra
Am I so without rights in the dead?
Orestes
You are without rights in nothing; but this burial is not your concern.
1215
Electra
Yes it is, if these are the remains of Orestes that I hold.
Orestes
They are not his, except inasmuch as fiction alone contrives to make them so.
He gently takes the urn from her.
Electra
And where is that sufferer’s tomb?
Orestes
There is none; the living have no tomb.
Electra
What are you saying, boy?
1220
Orestes
Nothing that is untrue.
Electra
The man is alive?
Orestes
If there is life in me.
Electra
What? Are you he?
Orestes
Look at this signet, once our father’s, and know if I speak the truth.
Electra
O blissful day!
Orestes
Blissful, I am your witness!
Electra
Is this your voice?
1225
Orestes
Hear it from no other.
Electra
Do I hold you in my arms?
Orestes
May you hold me so always hereafter!
Electra
Ah, dear friends and fellow-citizens, see Orestes here, who was dead by design, and now by design has come safely home!
Chorus
We see him, daughter, and for this happy turn of fortune a tear of joy trickles from our eyes.
1230
Commentary
Commentary (R. C. Jebb) (OCR draft) (Commentary (R. C. Jebb))
mvp-comment-624-1 εἰσηκούσαμεν 1
mvp-comment-624-2 ὀρθῶς θ’ 2 δ’ 3 θ’ 4 τε 5 δέ 6
mvp-comment-624-3 ἔνθα 7
mvp-comment-625-1 Αἴγισθον 8 ᾤκηκεν 9
mvp-comment-626-1 ἀλλ’ 10
mvp-comment-626-2 χὡ φράσας 11
mvp-comment-626-3 ἀζήμιος 12
mvp-comment-627-1 τίς … φράσειεν ἄν 13
mvp-comment-627-2 ποθεινὴν 14
mvp-comment-627-3 κοινόπουν 15
mvp-comment-628-1 τὸν ἄγχιστον 16
mvp-comment-629-1 ἴθ’, ὦ γύναι 17
mvp-comment-630-1 οὐ δή ποθ’ 18
mvp-comment-631-1 τὴν σὴν κληδόν’ 19
mvp-comment-631-2 Στρόφιος 20
mvp-comment-632-1 φέροντες 21 κομίζομεν 22
mvp-comment-633-1 τοῦτ’ ἐκεῖν’ 23
mvp-comment-633-2 πρόχειρον 24
mvp-comment-633-3 ἄχθος 25
mvp-comment-634-1 κέκευθεν 26
mvp-comment-634-2
1122 Cp.
Aesch.
P. V. 637
mvp-comment-635-1 δότε 27 ἥτις ἐστί 28
mvp-comment-635-2 ἐπαιτεῖται 29
mvp-comment-635-3 πρὸς αἵματος 30
mvp-comment-635-4 φύσιν 31
mvp-comment-636-1 ψυχῆς Ὀρέστου λοιπόν 32
mvp-comment-636-2 ἀπ’ ἐλπίδων 33
mvp-comment-636-3 Then οὐχ ὧνπερ 34
mvp-comment-636-4
Other possibilities are the following. (1) Keeping both
mvp-comment-636-5
(2) Still keeping
mvp-comment-636-6
(3) Keeping
mvp-comment-636-7
On the whole, I retain the traditional reading, though not without a suspicion that either
mvp-comment-637-1 νῦν μὲν γὰρ 37
mvp-comment-637-2 οὐδὲν ὄντα 38
mvp-comment-637-3 βαστάζω 39
mvp-comment-637-4 λαμπρὸν 40
mvp-comment-638-1 ὡς ὤφελον 41
mvp-comment-638-2 The v.l. ὤφελες 42 κλέψασα 43
mvp-comment-638-3 τοῖνδε 44
mvp-comment-638-4 κἀνασώσασθαι 45
mvp-comment-638-5 φόνου 46
mvp-comment-639-1 ὅπως … ἔκεισο 47
mvp-comment-639-2 τύμβου πατρῴου 48
mvp-comment-640-1 φυγὰς 49
mvp-comment-641-1 ἐν 50
mvp-comment-641-2 φίλαισι 51
mvp-comment-642-1 λουτροῖς σ’ ἐκόσμης’ 52
mvp-comment-643-1 ἄθλιον βάρος 53
mvp-comment-644-1 ἐν ξέναισι χερσὶ κηδευθεὶς 54
mvp-comment-644-2 σμικρὸς … ὄγκος 55
mvp-comment-645-1 τῆς ἐμῆς … τρ. ἀνωφελήτου 56
mvp-comment-645-2 παρέσχον 57
mvp-comment-646-1 ἢ κἀμοῦ 58
mvp-comment-646-2 μητρὸς … φίλος 59
mvp-comment-646-3
The schol. on 1146 has,
mvp-comment-647-1 οἱ κατ’ οἶκον 60 ἦσαν 61
mvp-comment-647-2 ἀλλ’ ἐγὼ τροφός 62
mvp-comment-648-1 ἀδελφὴ σοὶ 63
mvp-comment-648-2 προσηυδώμην 64
mvp-comment-649-1 ἐκλέλοιπε 65
mvp-comment-649-2 θανόντι 66
mvp-comment-649-3 συναρπάσας 67
mvp-comment-649-4 θύελλ’ 68
mvp-comment-650-1 τέθνηκ’ ἐγὼ σοί 69 σοί 70 τέθνηκ’ ἐγώ σοι 71
mvp-comment-650-2
Others explain: (1) ‘I am dead
because of thee’; ‘thou hast been the death of me.’ The dat. is then like that in
Ai. 1128
mvp-comment-651-1 μήτηρ ἀμήτωρ 73
mvp-comment-651-2 ἧς 74
mvp-comment-651-3 1160—
mvp-comment-652-1 οἴμοι μοί 75
mvp-comment-653-1 κελεύθους 76
mvp-comment-653-2 ἀπώλεσας 77
mvp-comment-653-3 δῆτ’ 78
mvp-comment-654-1 τοιγὰρ σὺ δέξαι μ’ 79
mvp-comment-654-2 τὴν μηδὲν 80
mvp-comment-654-3 τὸ μηδὲν 81
mvp-comment-655-1 μετεῖχον τῶν ἴσων 82
mvp-comment-655-2 μὴ ἀπολείπεσθαι 83
mvp-comment-656-1 τοὺς 84 θανόντας 85
mvp-comment-657-1 θνητοῦ 86 θνητὸς 87
mvp-comment-657-2 φρόνει 88
Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) focus
1101. mvp-comment-530-1 ᾤκηκεν] Hath his abode.' The perfect tense ironically suggests the supposed permanence of Aegisthus' rule.
1104. mvp-comment-531-1 ποθεινήν] ‘Wishful, i. e. with desire to see them. It is a courteous phrase, for which cp. Shak. Mids. N. D. 1. 1, 'With duty and desire we follow you,'-but may have suggested to the spectators Orestes longing for his home and Electra's longing for him. For the active use of ποθεινός, cp. Eur. Phoen. 1737, ποθεινὰ δάκρυα.
1105. mvp-comment-532-1 τὸν ἄγχιστον] 'Nearest,' i.e. as daughter to the Queen. But the word is calculated to move Orestes, to whom Electra is indeed nearest. The masculine gives generality. Cp. supr. 1026, and note.
1110. mvp-comment-533-1 οὐκ οἶδα .. κληδόν] ‘I know not what report you speak of.' Orestes must seem ignorant of the coming of the Paedagogus, who professed to have been sent by Phanoteus, and had therefore nothing to do with Strophius, from whom Orestes is supposed to come. The evidence appears to flow through two channels, which are independent of each other.
1115. mvp-comment-534-1 Some editors punctuate after ἐκεῖνο, some do not punctuate at all between τοῦτ᾽ .. ἄχθος. The pause at σαφές seems on the whole most probable. Ah! here is that we heard of now made clear. I see the burden ready (as it would seem) to my hand.'
1116. mvp-comment-535-1 πρόχειρον may either mean (1) 'Before my hand,' i. e. ready to be taken up; or (2) Held in the hand' of another.'
1117. mvp-comment-536-1 τι .. τῶν Ὀρεστείων κακῶν] The litotes suggests not only his death, but the ruin of his house. Cp. ll. 1121, 2.
1123-1124. mvp-comment-537-1 οὐ γὰρ οὐσ'] The form of expression may be simply occasioned by antithesis. But friends of Strophius might have reason to suspect those about Aegisthus of being unfriendly to Orestes.
1125. mvp-comment-538-1 ἢ.. φύσιν] ‘Or of his natural kin.' For πρὸς αἵματος, cp. Aj. 1305, τοὺς πρὸς αἵματος, and for φύσιν, see Essay on L. § 17. p. 25. 4, and cp. supr. 325-
1126-1128. mvp-comment-539-1 O sole memorial and relic of the living Orestes, dearest of mankind to me, how far otherwise than I had hoped do I receive thee! with thoughts how different from those with which I sent thee forth!" By a confusion to which double negatives are liable (Essay on L. § 29. p. 49), the negative implied in ἀπό is first expanded in a negative sense, and then ἀπό is resumed with ὧνπερ in a different (positive) sense. For a negative similarly ignored in the relative clause, cp. Ant. 1064-7, κάτισθι, μὴ πολλοὺς .. τελῶν | ἐν οἷσι, κ.τ.λ. Wecklein in l. 1128 reads οὐχ ὅνπερ with an inferior MS. • How contrary to my hopes I receive- not him whom I sent forth.'
1130. mvp-comment-540-1 λαμπρόν] 'Bright,' i.e. full of promise. Cp. supr. 685, εἰσῆλθε λαμπρός. ἐγώ has a pathetic, not a logical emphasis, and reminds the spectator that Electra's action at the critical moment was the saving of her father's house. Cp. supr. 12.
1131. mvp-comment-541-1 The v. r. ὡς ὤφελες (suggested by 1134) is far inferior to ὡς ὤφελον. The struggle of the intervening years now seems worse than yain.
1139-1140. mvp-comment-542-1 οὔτε .. βάρος] ‘Nor took up, as I should have done, from the all-consuming fire, the miserable remains.' See E. on L. § 8. p. 11. For βάρος, cp. Aesch. Ag. 442, βαρὺ ψήγμα, παμφλέκτου suggests that the fire has done its utmost. Cp. Od. 11. 220, 1, ἀλλὰ τὰ μέν τε πυρὸς κρατερὸν μένος αἰθομένοιο | δαμνᾷ, ἐπεί κε πρῶτα λίπῃ λεύκ᾿ ὄστεα θυμός. See Essay on L. $ 53. p. 98.
1143. mvp-comment-543-1 She now goes back in memory to the happier time before the death of Agamemnon.
1143-1144. mvp-comment-544-1 τῆς ἐμῆς ἀνωφελήτου] 'The care which of old I spent on thee-in vain!' τροφή is active here, as in Eur. Tro. 1187, αἵ τ᾿ ἐμαὶ τροφαί.
1145-1146. mvp-comment-545-1 οὔτε . . φίλος] ‘For never wast thou bound to thy mother by such close ties as thou wast to me.' φίλος implies reciprocal affection. Clytemnestra was already alienated from Agamemnon's offspring in those early days. καί marks the stress on ἐμοῦ. Cp. Ο.Τ. 94, ἢ καὶ τῆς ἐμῆς, κ.τ.λ.
1147. mvp-comment-546-1 And I was more thy nurse than the domestics were.' A natural picture of the fondness of an elder sister for a little brother.
1148. mvp-comment-547-1 (1) 'And thou didst ever call me "sister."" Or (2) And the sister of Orestes was the name by which I was ever called,' ie. I was the one sister who was specially connected with thee. At this word, as Wecklein observes, all doubt is removed from the mind of Orestes.
1152. mvp-comment-548-1 τέθνηκ᾽ ἐγώ σοι] 'I am dead because of thee,' or 'Thou hast been the death of me.' Cp. supr. 808, ὥς μ' ἀπώλεσας θανών: Eur. Androm. 334, τέθνηκα τῇ σῇ θυγατρὶ καί μ᾿ ἀπώλεσε. E. on L. § 13. p. 20.
1154-1156. mvp-comment-549-1 ἧς is governed first by φήμας, = περὶ ἧς, and is then placed in a more definite construction with τιμωρός. Essay on L. § 9. p. 13. 3.
1158. mvp-comment-550-1 προϋπεμψεν] The same word (l. 1155) is repeated in a different connection. See Essay on L. § 44. pp. 83, 84.
1159. mvp-comment-551-1 καὶ σκιὰν ἀνωφελῆ] 'And a vain shadow of thee;' i. e. the remembrance of him revived by the sight of the urn, an imagination which brought no help with it.
1160-1162. mvp-comment-552-1 For this short lyric (anapaestic) outburst, cp. especially Trach. 1085, 6, ὦναξ ᾿Αίδη, κ.τ.λ.
1161. mvp-comment-553-1 ὦ δέμας οἰκτρόν] ‘Poor form!' She sees in imagination the mangled body of Orestes: supr. 756.
1162-1163. mvp-comment-554-1 δεινοτάτας κελεύθους] Sent on a terrible journey;' i.e. dismissed from life by a calamitous death. Cp. Trach. 874, 5, βέβηκε Δῃάνειρα τὴν πανυστάτην | ὁδῶν ἁπασῶν ἐξ ἀκινήτου ποδός. Others explain this of the bringing of the ashes from Phocis to Argos.
1164. mvp-comment-555-1 Still gazing at the urn, she calls her brother by the most endearing name: Ant. 899, 915.
1169. mvp-comment-556-1 To die and share thy burial.'
1170. mvp-comment-557-1 She contrasts the tranquillity of the lifeless ashes before her with her own sorrow.
1171-1173. mvp-comment-558-1 Unable to give real consolation, the Chorus fall back on the common-place that loss is common to the race.' Ср. О. Т. 1319, 20, and note. For a speech of three lines in a similar position, cp. Aj. 784-6.
1174. mvp-comment-559-1 Orestes is overcome by compassion in witnessing Electra's grief for him, and, contrary to his first intention, now prepares to disclose himself to her.
1174-1175. mvp-comment-560-1 ποῖ .. ἔλθω] «Το what words must I have recourse, when I know not what to say?' Cp. Phil. 897-9, Ν. οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅποι χρὴ τάπορον τρέ τρέπειν ἔπος. Φ. ἀπορεῖς δὲ τοῦ σύ; μὴ λέγ', ὦ τέκνον, τάδε. Ν. ἀλλ᾽ ἐνθάδ᾽ ἤδη τοῦδε τοῦ πάθους κυρῶ.