AGAMEMNON.

First, indeed, Argos , and the gods, the local,

810

’T is right addressing — those with me the partners

In this return and right things done the city

Of Priamos: gods who, from no tongue hearing

The rights o’ the cause, for Ilion ’s fate man-slaught’rous

Into the bloody vase, not oscillating,

815

Put the vote-pebbles, while, o’ the rival vessel,

Hope rose up to the lip-edge: filled it was not.

By smoke the captured city is still conspicuous:

Até’s burnt offerings live: and, dying with them,

The ash sends forth the fulsome blasts of riches.

820

Of these things, to the gods grace many-mindful

’T is right I render, since both nets outrageous

We built them round with, and, for sake of woman,

It did the city to dust — the Argeian monster,

The horse’s nestling, the shield-bearing people

825

That made a leap, at setting of the Pleiads,

And, vaulting o’er the tower, the raw-flesh-feeding

Lion licked up his fill of blood tyrannic.

I to the gods indeed prolonged this preface;

But — as for thy thought, I remember hearing —

830

I say the same, and thou co-pleader hast me.

Since few of men this faculty is born with —

To honour, without grudge, their friend, successful.

For moody, on the heart, a poison seated

Its burthen doubles to who gained the sickness:

835

By his own griefs he is himself made heavy,

And out-of-door prosperity seeing groans at.

Knowing, I’d call (for well have I experienced)

Fellowship’s mirror, phantom of a shadow,

Those seeming to be mighty gracious to me:

840

While just Odusseus — he who sailed not willing —

When joined on, was to me the ready trace-horse.

This of him, whether dead or whether living,

I say. For other city-and-gods’ concernment —

Appointing common courts, in full assemblage

845

We will consult. And as for what holds seemly —

How it may lasting stay well, must be counselled:

While what has need of medicines Paionian

We, either burning or else cutting kindly,

Will make endeavour to turn pain from sickness.

850

And now into the domes and homes by altar

Going, I to the gods first raise the right-hand —

They who, far sending, back again have brought me.

And Victory, since she followed, fixed remain she!

KLUTAIMNESTRA.

Men, citizens, Argeians here, my worships!

855

I shall not shame me, consort-loving manners

To tell before you: for in time there dies off

The diffidence from people. Not from others

Learning, I of myself will tell the hard life

I bore so long as this man was ’neath Ilion .

860

First: for a woman, from the male divided,

To sit at home alone, is monstrous evil —

Hearing the many rumours back-revenging:

And for now This to come, now That bring after

Woe, and still worse woe, bawling in the household!

865

And truly, if so many wounds had chanced on

My husband here, as homeward used to dribble

Report, he’s pierced more than a net to speak of!

While, were he dying (as the words abounded)

A triple-bodied Geruon the Second,

870

Plenty above — for loads below I count not —

Of earth a three-share cloak he’d boast of taking,

Once only dying in each several figure!

Because of suchlike rumours back-revenging,

Many the halters from my neck, above head,

875

Others than I loosed — loosed from neck by main force!

From this cause, sure, the boy stands not beside me —

Possessor of our troth-plights, thine and mine too —

As ought Orestes: be not thou astonished!

For, him brings up our well-disposed guest-captive

880

Strophios the Phokian — ills that told on both sides

To me predicting — both of thee ’neath Ilion

The danger, and if anarchy’s mob-uproar

Should overthrow thy council; since ’t is born with

Mortals, — whoe’er has fallen, the more to kick him.

885

Such an excuse, I think, no cunning carries!

As for myself — why, of my wails the rushing

Fountains are dried up: not in them a drop more!

And in my late-to-bed eyes I have damage,

Bewailing what concerned thee, those torch-holdings

890

For ever unattended to. In dreams — why,

Beneath the light wing-beats o’ the gnat, I woke up

As he went buzzing — sorrows that concerned thee

Seeing, that filled more than their fellow-sleep-time.

Now, all this having suffered, from soul grief-free

895

I would style this man here the dog o’ the stables,

The saviour forestay of the ship, the high roof’s

Ground-prop, son sole-begotten to his father,

— Ay, land appearing to the sailors past hope,

Loveliest day to see after a tempest,

900

To the wayfaring-one athirst a well-spring,

— The joy, in short, of ’scaping all that ’s — fatal!

I judge him worth addresses such as these are

— Envy stand off! — for many those old evils

We underwent. And now, to me — dear headship! —

905

Dismount thou from this car, not earthward setting

The foot of thine, O king, that’s Ilion ’s spoiler!

Slave-maids, why tarry? — whose the task allotted

To strew the soil o’ the road with carpet-spreadings.

Immediately be purple-strewn the pathway,

910

So that to home unhoped may lead him — Justice!

As for the rest, care shall — by no sleep conquered —

Dispose things — justly (gods to aid!) appointed.

AGAMEMNON.

Offspring of Leda, of my household warder,

Suitably to my absence hast thou spoken,

915

For long the speech thou didst outstretch! But aptly

To praise — from others ought to go this favour.

And for the rest, —-not me, in woman’s fashion,

Mollify, nor — as mode of barbarous man is —

To me gape forth a groundward-falling clamour!

920

Nor, strewing it with garments, make my passage

Envied! Gods, sure, with these behoves we honour:

But, for a mortal on these varied beauties

To walk — to me, indeed, is nowise fear-free.

I say — as man, not god, to me do homage!

925

Apart from foot-mats both and varied vestures,

Renown is loud, and — not to lose one’s senses,

God’s greatest gift. Behoves we him call happy

Who has brought life to end in loved well-being.

If all things I might manage thus — brave man, I!

930

KLUTAIMNESTRA.

Come now, this say, nor feign a feeling to me!

AGAMEMNON.

With feeling, know indeed, I do not tamper!

KLUTAIMNESTRA

Vowed’st thou to the gods, in fear, to act thus?

AGAMEMNON.

If any, I well knew resolve I outspoke.

KLUTAIMNESTRA.

What think’st thou Priamos had done, thus victor?

935

AGAMEMNON.

On varied vests — I do think — he had passaged.

KLUTAIMNESTRA

Then, do not, struck with awe at human censure ....

AGAMEMNON.

Well, popular mob-outcry much avails too.

KLUTAIMNESTRA.

Ay, but the unenvied is not the much valued.

AGAMEMNON.

Sure, ’t is no woman’s part to long for battle.

940

KLUTAIMNESTRA.

Why, to the prosperous, even suits a beating.

AGAMEMNON.

What? thou this beating us in war dost prize too?

KLUTAIMNESTRA.

Persuade thee! power, for once, grant me — and willing!

AGAMEMNON.

But if this seem so to thee — shoes, let someone

Loose under, quick — foot’s serviceable carriage!

945

And me, on these sea-products walking, may no

Grudge from a distance, from the god’s eye, strike at!

For great shame were my strewment-spoiling — riches

Spoiling with feet, and silver-purchased textures!

Of these things, thus then. But this female-stranger

950

Tenderly take inside! Who conquers mildly

God, from afar, benignantly regardeth.

For, willing, no one wears a yoke that’s servile:

And she, of many valuables, outpicked

The flower, the army’s gift, myself has followed.

955

So, — since to hear thee, I am brought about thus, —

I go into the palace — purples treading.

KLUTAIMNESTRA.

There is the sea — and what man shall exhaust it? —

Feeding much purple’s worth-its-weight-in-silver

Dye, ever fresh and fresh, our garments’ tincture;

960

At home, such wealth, king, we begin — by gods’ help —

With having, and to lack, the household knows not.

Of many garments had I vowed a treading

(In oracles if fore-enjoined the household)

Of this dear soul the safe-return-price scheming!

965

For, root existing, foliage goes up houses,

O’erspreading shadow against Seirios dog-star;

And, thou returning to the hearth domestic,

Warmth, yea, in winter dost thou show returning.

And when, too, Zeus works, from the green-grape acrid,

970

Vine — then, already, cool in houses cometh —

The perfect man his home perambulating!

Zeus, Zeus Perfecter, these my prayers perfect thou!

Thy care be — yea — of things thou mayst make perfect!

AGAMEMNON

CLYTEMNESTRE

vive qui désaltère le voyageur. Qui triomphe du sort goûte joie sans mélange : ces noms sont ceux qui lui conviennent.
Et que l'envie ici se taise : nous avons, pour cette joie, supporté assez de misères ! Et maintenant, tête chérie, descends de ce char, sans poser à terre, ô maître, ce pied qui renversa Troie. Que tardez-vous ? captives à qui j'avais confié le soin de joncher de tapis le sol qu'il doit fouler. Que
sur ses pas naisse un chemin de pourpre, par où la Justice le mène dans un séjour qui passe son attente ³ ! Le reste, une pensée que le sommeil ne dompte pas le réglera comme il convient, avec l'aide des dieux, dans le sens voulu

AGAMEMNON.

CLITENNESTRA

d'una zanzara mi destava; e tue

sciagure viste avea, piú che del sonno

non ne capesse il tempo.

1035

Ed or che il male

sofferto è già, con cuor lieto, quest' uomo

dirò cane fedel della sua casa,

gómena che salvezza è della nave,

saldo pilastro dell' eccelso tetto,

1040

figliuolo unico al padre, terra apparsa

ai naviganti contro ogni speranza,

giorno fulgente dopo il turbine, acqua

di vena al peregrino arso di sete.

Questo è il saluto ond'io t'onoro: e lunge

1045

rimanga invidia: ché da troppi mali

fummo di già colpiti.

Ora, o diletto,

dal cocchio scendi; e non poggiare al suolo,

quel piede, o sire, ch'llio calpestò.

1050

Che indugiate, fantesche ? E' vostro il compito

di ricoprire coi tappeti il suolo:

presto, velata sia la via di porpora,

sí che Giustizia lo conduca ai tetti

com' egli non credea.

1055

Quanto altro bramo,

col voler degli Dei provvederà

che si compia, un pensier che non assonna.

AGAMENNONE

Klytaimestra.

Agamemnon.

Agamemnon.