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Far distant in the country: were he near,
Think not I thus might walk before the gates.
Far distant in the country: were he near,
Think not I thus might walk before the gates.
Chorus
If it be so, more freely may we hold
Discourse, and unrestrain'd inquiry make.
If it be so, more freely may we hold
Discourse, and unrestrain'd inquiry make.
Electra
What thy mind prompts thee, ask, from him secure.
What thy mind prompts thee, ask, from him secure.
Chorus
First of thy brother then it is my wish
390
To know. Returns he, or delays he still?
390
First of thy brother then it is my wish
390
To know. Returns he, or delays he still?
390
Electra
Oft hath he promised; nothing he performs.
Oft hath he promised; nothing he performs.
Chorus
In arduous actions men must oft delay.
In arduous actions men must oft delay.
Electra
But him without delay I fondly saved.
But him without delay I fondly saved.
Chorus
But of his noble nature be assured;
This will impel him to protect his friends.
But of his noble nature be assured;
This will impel him to protect his friends.
Electra
Of this my soul hath ever been assured;
395
Else in this state I had not lived so long.!!
395
Of this my soul hath ever been assured;
395
Else in this state I had not lived so long.!!
395
Chorus
Speak now no more; for from the gates I see
Chrysothemis advance, thy sister sprung
From the same parents: in her hands she bears
Sepulchral offerings, honours to the dead.
CHRY. Why, O my sister, is thy voice thus raised
Before the portal? Will no length of time
Teach thee no more to feed thy feeble rage
With thoughts as vain? I feel these present ills,
And, if I know myself, had I the pow'r,
Would show my thoughts: but while the storm is high,
I deem it prudent to let down my sails,
Nor dream of mighty deeds, while void of force
I cannot hurt. Thus would I thou shou'dst act.
Yet what I say perhaps hath not such strength
Of reason as thy firmer conduct shows;
But, as becomes my birth if I would live,
The potent must in all things be obey'd.
Speak now no more; for from the gates I see
Chrysothemis advance, thy sister sprung
From the same parents: in her hands she bears
Sepulchral offerings, honours to the dead.
CHRY. Why, O my sister, is thy voice thus raised
Before the portal? Will no length of time
Teach thee no more to feed thy feeble rage
With thoughts as vain? I feel these present ills,
And, if I know myself, had I the pow'r,
Would show my thoughts: but while the storm is high,
I deem it prudent to let down my sails,
Nor dream of mighty deeds, while void of force
I cannot hurt. Thus would I thou shou'dst act.
Yet what I say perhaps hath not such strength
Of reason as thy firmer conduct shows;
But, as becomes my birth if I would live,
The potent must in all things be obey'd.
Electra
How shameful this, descended as thou art
From such a father, to forget his worth,
And court thy mother's favour! For by her
All thy monitions to me were enjoin'd,
Her teaching, not the dictates of thy heart.
What should I think? Thy nature must be base;
Or, if not base, no memory of thy friends
Dost thou retain. Thou said'st, hadst thou the pow'r,
How shameful this, descended as thou art
From such a father, to forget his worth,
And court thy mother's favour! For by her
All thy monitions to me were enjoin'd,
Her teaching, not the dictates of thy heart.
What should I think? Thy nature must be base;
Or, if not base, no memory of thy friends
Dost thou retain. Thou said'st, hadst thou the pow'r,
Chrysothemis
Thy hate thou soon wou'dst show them: yet with me,
On vengeance for my father always bent,
Thou wilt not act, but rather wish to check
My purpose. Is not this to add to ills
Base cowardice? But tell me, or learn thou
From me, what good should I obtain, my griefs
Should I command to cease? Do I not live?
But ill, I know; yet I am satisfied.
I grieve their hearts in paying to the dead.
Thy hate thou soon wou'dst show them: yet with me,
On vengeance for my father always bent,
Thou wilt not act, but rather wish to check
My purpose. Is not this to add to ills
Base cowardice? But tell me, or learn thou
From me, what good should I obtain, my griefs
Should I command to cease? Do I not live?
But ill, I know; yet I am satisfied.
I grieve their hearts in paying to the dead.
Theseus
if the dead have yet a sense
Of honours. Thou dost hate them: but thy hate
Is in words only; thou canst bear to live
Amidst thy father's murderers. But my soul
Would never bend, would never yield to them,
No, should they bring me all those gorgeous gifts
With which thou now art deck'd. To thee be placed
A table richly spread, with dishes piled;
But let my homely fare be only such
As nature loaths not. I have not a wish
To gain thy honours; nor indeed wou'dst thou,
Did reason rule thee. Now thou might'st he call'd
The daughter of a father first in fame;
Be call'd thy mother's: so shalt thou appear,
To all that judge aright, of nature base,
False to thy murder'd father, and his friends.
if the dead have yet a sense
Of honours. Thou dost hate them: but thy hate
Is in words only; thou canst bear to live
Amidst thy father's murderers. But my soul
Would never bend, would never yield to them,
No, should they bring me all those gorgeous gifts
With which thou now art deck'd. To thee be placed
A table richly spread, with dishes piled;
But let my homely fare be only such
As nature loaths not. I have not a wish
To gain thy honours; nor indeed wou'dst thou,
Did reason rule thee. Now thou might'st he call'd
The daughter of a father first in fame;
Be call'd thy mother's: so shalt thou appear,
To all that judge aright, of nature base,
False to thy murder'd father, and his friends.
Chorus
Now, by the gods, let nothing pass in wrath.
400
Much mutual good your reasonings might produce,
400
Wert thou to hers attentive, she to thine.
400
CHRY. I have been long accustom'd to such words
400
From her, my friends; and never had I touch'd
400
This tender point, but that some dreadful ill
400
Advances on her, which will check her griefs.
400
Now, by the gods, let nothing pass in wrath.
400
Much mutual good your reasonings might produce,
400
Wert thou to hers attentive, she to thine.
400
CHRY. I have been long accustom'd to such words
400
From her, my friends; and never had I touch'd
400
This tender point, but that some dreadful ill
400
Advances on her, which will check her griefs.
400
Electra
What dreadful ill is this? If more severe
Than these, thy counsel I no more oppose.
CHRY. Far as I know it I will tell thee all.
They purpose, if thou cease not thy loud griefs,
What dreadful ill is this? If more severe
Than these, thy counsel I no more oppose.
CHRY. Far as I know it I will tell thee all.
They purpose, if thou cease not thy loud griefs,
Chrysothemis
To send thee where no more thou shalt behold
The sun's bright radiance, in some cheerless vault
To live, far distant, there to chant thy woes.
Reflect; nor henceforth blame me when these ills
Fall heavy on thee: this is wisdom's hour.
To send thee where no more thou shalt behold
The sun's bright radiance, in some cheerless vault
To live, far distant, there to chant thy woes.
Reflect; nor henceforth blame me when these ills
Fall heavy on thee: this is wisdom's hour.
Electra
Thus will they treat me? Is their purpose fix'd?..
CHRY. Soon as Ægisthus shall return.
And soon
May he for this return.
What dreadful wish
Hast thou thus rashly form'd?
That he may come,
If thus he thinks to act.
That thou may'st feel
Thus will they treat me? Is their purpose fix'd?..
CHRY. Soon as Ægisthus shall return.
And soon
May he for this return.
What dreadful wish
Hast thou thus rashly form'd?
That he may come,
If thus he thinks to act.
That thou may'st feel
Chrysothemis
Their vengeance! What thy meaning?
Far from you
That I may fly.
And hast thou for thy life
No care, no thought?
Mine is a glorious life,
Exciting admiration!
Wou'dst thou take
Calm prudence for thy guide, it might be such.
Their vengeance! What thy meaning?
Far from you
That I may fly.
And hast thou for thy life
No care, no thought?
Mine is a glorious life,
Exciting admiration!
Wou'dst thou take
Calm prudence for thy guide, it might be such.
Electra
CHRY.
CHRY.
CHRY.
CHRY.
Teach me not baseness to my friends.
405
I teach
405
No baseness, but submission to the great,
405
Who hold the sovereign pow'r.
405
Cringe to them thou;
405
I scorn to cringe.
405
Well were it not to fall
405
Through wayward wilfulness.
405
If I must fall,
405
My father's death avenging let me fall.
405
CHRY. Of us our father, well am I assured,
405
Requires not this.
405
Teach me not baseness to my friends.
405
I teach
405
No baseness, but submission to the great,
405
Who hold the sovereign pow'r.
405
Cringe to them thou;
405
I scorn to cringe.
405
Well were it not to fall
405
Through wayward wilfulness.
405
If I must fall,
405
My father's death avenging let me fall.
405
CHRY. Of us our father, well am I assured,
405
Requires not this.
405
Chrysothemis
Such words the base alone
Can e'er applaud.
Will no persuasions move
Thy heart to yield assent?
None: from my heart
Far be such weakness.
Hence then will I go,
And execute my charge.
What charge? To whom
Bear'st thou those offerings?
By my mother sent
She most abhorr'd!
To pour libations at my father's tomb.
Such words the base alone
Can e'er applaud.
Will no persuasions move
Thy heart to yield assent?
None: from my heart
Far be such weakness.
Hence then will I go,
And execute my charge.
What charge? To whom
Bear'st thou those offerings?
By my mother sent
She most abhorr'd!
To pour libations at my father's tomb.
Electra
CHRY.
CHRY.
CHRY.
CHRY.
CHRY.
CHRY.
What say'st thou? Sent to him whom, when he lived,
And with her own hand slew,
So wou'dst thou say.
Persuaded by her friends?
What say'st thou? Sent to him whom, when he lived,
And with her own hand slew,
So wou'dst thou say.
Persuaded by her friends?
Chrysothemis
Who thus advised her ?
She was moved, I think,
By dreadful visions, terrors of the night.
Who thus advised her ?
She was moved, I think,
By dreadful visions, terrors of the night.
Electra
CHRY.
Gods of my fathers, give us now your aid !
Gods of my fathers, give us now your aid !
Chrysothemis
CHRY. What from these terrors animates thy hope ?
410
CHRY. What from these terrors animates thy hope ?
410
Electra
Tell me the vision, thou shalt know my hopes.
Tell me the vision, thou shalt know my hopes.
Chrysothemis
CHRY. I know not all; but little can I speak.
CHRY. I know not all; but little can I speak.
Electra
Tell me that little: oft imperfect words
Sink mortals low, or raise their spirits high.
Tell me that little: oft imperfect words
Sink mortals low, or raise their spirits high.
Chorus
This is the voice of rumour, that she saw
Thine and my father, to the light return'd,
Once more her husband; in the earth he fix'd
The sceptre of his ancestors, which once
He bore, but now Ægisthus; from its top
Sprouted a vigorous branch, and spread its shade
Wide o'er Mycenæ and its ample realms...
This from one present, when she told her dream
To the bright Sun, I heard. No more than this
I know, but that she sent me to the tomb
Struck with this fear. Now by our country's gods
I pray thee, be persuaded; do not rush、
On ruin through perverseness: shou'dst thou now
Reject me, thou wilt seek me in thy ills.
This is the voice of rumour, that she saw
Thine and my father, to the light return'd,
Once more her husband; in the earth he fix'd
The sceptre of his ancestors, which once
He bore, but now Ægisthus; from its top
Sprouted a vigorous branch, and spread its shade
Wide o'er Mycenæ and its ample realms...
This from one present, when she told her dream
To the bright Sun, I heard. No more than this
I know, but that she sent me to the tomb
Struck with this fear. Now by our country's gods
I pray thee, be persuaded; do not rush、
On ruin through perverseness: shou'dst thou now
Reject me, thou wilt seek me in thy ills.
Electra
Electra. Sophocles. Robert Potter (Translator). London. 1820.