CHOROS.

What evil, O woman, food or drink, earth-bred

Or sent from the flowing sea,

Of such having fed

Didst thou set on thee

This sacrifice

And popular cries

Of a curse on thy head?

1410

Off thou hast thrown him, off hast cut

The man from the city: but —

Off from the city thyself shalt be

Cut — to the citizens

A hate immense!

KLUTAIMNESTRA.

Now, indeed, thou adjudgest exile to me,

And citizens’ hate, and to have popular curses:

Nothing of this against the man here bringing,

Who, no more awe-checked than as ’t were a beast’s fate, —

1415

With sheep abundant in the well-fleeced graze-flocks, —

Sacrificed his child, — dearest fruit of travail

To me, — as song-spell against Threkian blowings.

Not him did it behove thee hence to banish

— Pollution’s penalty? But hearing mzy deeds

1420

Justicer rough thou art! Now, this I tell thee:

To threaten thus — me, one prepared to have thee

(On like conditions, thy hand conquering) o’er me

Rule: but if God the opposite ordain us,

Thou shalt learn — late taught, certes — to be modest.

1425

CHOROS.

Greatly-intending thou art:

Much-mindful, too, hast thou cried

(Since thy mind, with its slaughter-outpouring part,

Is frantic) that over the eyes, a patch

Of blood — with blood to match —

Is plain for a pride!

Yet still, bereft of friends, thy fate

Is — blow with blow to expiate!

1430

CHORUS 5

But to me it seems best that we should, as quick as possible, burst in and detect the deed by the fresh-dripping sword.

CHORUS 6

And I agreeing in such an opinion, vote that we do something—and high time it is that we dally not.

CHORUS 7

We may see that plainly; for they are preluding, as though displaying signs of a tyranny over the city.

CHORUS 8

Aye, for we are tardy 2

: but they, trampling to the ground the reputation of delay, are not slumbering in hand.

CHORUS 9

I know not what plan I have to tell you—'tis the doer's part also to take counsel.

CHORUS 10

I too am in the same state, since I am unable to raise the dead again by my words.

CHORUS 11

What! shall we prolong our lives thus submitting to these rulers that disgrace the house?

CHORUS 12

Nay, 'tis beyond endurance; to die is better; for 'tis a milder doom than tyranny.

CHORUS 13

Shall we augur as though the king has perished, on proofs drawn from outcries?

CHORUS 14

We ought to speak of these things, having clear knowledge; for to guess is distinct from clearly knowing.

CHORUS 15

I am inclined on all accounts to recommend that we clearly learn how Atrides fares 3

.

CLYTEMNESTRA

DEUXIÈME CHOREUTE

Mon avis, le voici : crier aux citoyens : « A l'aide ! ici, tous ! au palais ! »

TROISIÈME CHOREUTE

Et le mien : y bondir nous-mêmes au plus vite et surprendre le crime l'épée sanglante encore.

QUATRIÈME CHOREUTE

Oui, je partagerai tout avis de ce genre : agir d'abord, ce n'est plus l'heure d'hésiter.

CINQUIÈME CHOREUTE

On peut attendre et voir ; ce
n'est là qu'un début, l'annonce de la tyrannie qu'ils préparent à la cité.

SIXIÈME CHOREUTE

Parce que nous balançons ! Eux, foulent aux pieds la gloire d'hésiter et ne laissent pas s'endormir leurs bras.

SEPTIÈME CHOREUTE

Je ne sais vraiment quel conseil formuler ; même à qui veut agir il appartient de consulter d'abord.

HUITIÈME CHOREUTE

C'est aussi mon avis : car je ne crois pas que des mots puissent ressusciter un mort.

NEUVIÈME CHOREUTE

Quoi donc ! uniquement pour prolonger nos jours, plier devant des maîtres qui souillent ce palais !

DIXIÈME CHOREUTE

Intolérable honte ! mourir vaut
encore mieux ; la mort est plus douce que la tyrannie.

ONZIÈME CHOREUTE

Oui, mais pourquoi, sans autre indice qu'une plainte, vouloir prophétiser la mort de notre roi !

DOUZIÈME CHOREUTE

Ce n'est que lorsqu'on sait que l'on doit s'indigner : conjecturer n'est pas savoir.

LE CORYPHÉE

Ma voix donne du moins le nombre à cet avis : savoir exactement le sort

SEMICHORUS.

Nay rather ruſh we in, and prove the deed,

1515

Whilſt the freſh blood is reeking on the ſword.

SEMICHORUS.

I readily concur; determine then;

For ſomething must be done, and inſtantly.

SEMICHORUS.

That’s evident. This bloody prelude threatens

More deeds of violence and tyranny.

1520

SEMICHORUS.

We linger: thoſe that tread the paths of honour,

Late tho' ſhe meets them, ſleep not in their taſk.

SEMICHORUS.

Perplexity and doubt diſſtract my thoughts:

Deeds of high import aſk maturest counſel.

SEMICHORUS.

Such are my thoughts, ſince fruitleſs were th' attempt

1525

By all our pleas to raiſe the dead to life.

SEMICHORUS.

To ſave our wretched lives then ſhall we bow

To these imperious lords, these ſtains of honour?

SEMICHORUS.

That were a ſhame indeed: No: let us die;

Death is more welcome than ſuch tyranny.

1530

SEMICHORUS.

Shall we then take these outcries, which we heard,

For proofs, and thence conclude the king is ſlain?

SEMICHORUS.

We ſhou'd be well aſſur’d e’er we pronounce:

To know, and to conjecture, differ widely.

SEMICHORUS.

There’s reaſon in thy words. Beſt enter then,

1535

And ſee what fate attends the ſon of Atreus.

CLYTEMNESTRA.

CLYTEMNESTRA, CHORUS.

COREUTA IV

Piombiamo dentro, dico io: cogliamo

gli assassini col ferro ancor grondante!

COREUTA V

Anch'io dico cosí: bisogna agire :

1575

non è momento d' indugiare, questo!

COREUTA VI

E' chiaro! Questi son preludî: poi

la tirannia sopra Argo piomberà.

COREUTA IV

Perdiamo tempo! E quelli, sotto i piedi

cacciandosi ogni indugio, opran, non dormono!

1580

CORIFEO

Non so quale partito approvar debba :

chi agisce, deve ben prender consiglio!

COREUTA I

E' pure il mio parer: tanto, non posso

richiamar, coi discorsi, in vita il morto!

COREUTA II

Ci curverem tutta la vita a questi,

1585

che svergognan la reggia e spadroneggiano?

COREUTA III

Tollerar non si può: meglio è morire:

prima che la tirannide, la morte.

CORIFEO

Argomentar dobbiam dunque dai gèmiti,

e profetar che spento è il nostro re?

1590

COREUTA I

Veder chiaro, bisogna, e poi discorrere:

altro è congetturare, altro è sapere!

CORIFEO

Questa m'ha proprio persuaso a pieno:

sapere prima come sta l'Atride!

CLITENNESTRA

Chor.

1295 Weib, groß ist deine Weisheit, groß dein Elend auch.

1370

Du sprachst so viel, und wenn du denn so ganz gewiß

Another.

Better, I deem, ourselves to bear the aid,

And drag the deed to light, while drips the blade.

Another.

Such will is mine, and what thou say'st I say:

Swiftly to act! the time brooks no delay.

1560

Another.

Ay, for 'tis plain, this prelude of their song

Foretells its close in tyranny and wrong.

Another.

Behold, we tarry—but thy name, Delay,

They spurn, and press with sleepless hand to slay.

Another.

I know not what 'twere well to counsel now—

1565

Who wills to act, 'tis his to counsel how.

Another.

Thy doubt is mine: for when a man is slain,

I have no words to bring his life again.

Another.

What? e'en for life's sake, bow us to obey

These house-defilers and their tyrant sway?

1570

Another.

Unmanly doom! 'twere better far to die—

Death is a gentler lord than tyranny.

Another.

Think well—must cry or sign of woe or pain

Fix our conclusion that the chief is slain?

Another.

Such talk befits us when the deed we see—

1575

Conjecture dwells afar from certainty.

Leader of the Chorus.

I read one will from many a diverse word,

To know aright, how stands it with our lord!

[ The scene opens, disclosing Clytemnestra, who comes forward. The body of Agamemnon lies, muffled in a long robe, within a silver-sided laver; the corpse of Cassandra is laid beside him.

Clytemnestra.

Zweiter.

Und mir bedünkt: wir stürzen unverweilt hinein,

Den Thätern nachzuforschen, kühn das Schwert gezückt.

1300

Dritter.

Auch ich, zu gleichem Rathe mich vereinigend,

Will, daß gehandelt werde: nicht zu säumen gilt's.

Vierter.

Das sieht man leicht: wer Herrscherwillkür üben will,

Mit solchem Vorspiel kündigt er dem Land sich an.

Fünfter.

Wir säumen freilich. Aber die des Zögerns Ruhm

1305

Zu Boden treten, schlummern nicht mit träger Hand.

Sechster.

Ich schwanke zweifelnd, welchen Nath ich geben soll.

Wer handelt, muß auch wetterhin zu Rathe geh'n.

Siebenter.

Ich bin desselben Sinnes; denn ich sehe nicht,

Wie Menschenwort die Todten wieder wecken mag.

1310

Achter.

Das Leben uns zu fristen, wollten wir so feig

Des Hauses Schändern weichen als den Oberherrn?

Neunter.

Das trüg' ich nimmer, wählte lieber mir den Tod;

Denn Sterben ist ein milder Loos als Herrschgewalt.

Zehnter.

Doch dürfen wir aus jenen Weherufen auch

1315

Sogleich vermuthend schließen auf des Mannes Tod?

Eilfter.

Erst wenn wir's klar erkannten, ziemt Berathen uns.

Klar wissen und vermuthen ist ja zweierlei.

Zwölfter.

Dem Worte beizustimmen drängt mich's überall:

Wir müssen klar sein, wie's mit Atreus' Sohne steht.

1320

(Aus den Pforten des Palastes tritt Klytämnestra mit dem Beile über der Schulter. Die Leichen Agamemnon's und Kassandra's werden unter rothen Decken ihr nachgetragen. Großes Gefolge.)

Klytämnestra.