CHORUS

Woman! didst thou, guardian of the house of this man just arrived from battle 2

, having at the same time defiled his bed, resolve on the destruction of this warrior-chief here?

AEGISTHUS

These words too are the first parents of mourning. Thou hast a tongue quite opposite to that of Orpheus; for he. indeed, led all things along for joy of his voice. whereas thou having angered us by thy silly yelpings 3

, shalt be dragged away: but when overpowered thou wilt show thyself more tame.

CHORUS

As if thou forsooth shouldst be sovereign of the Argives, thou, that when thou hadst resolved on his destruction, daredst not to do this deed by a stroke of thine own hand 4

?

AEGISTHUS

Aye! for to plot was plainly a woman's part; and I, an ancient foe, was a suspicious object. However, by means of this man's wealth, I will try to rule the citizens; and the over-fed colt that is unruly, and draws not as I direct, I will yoke in heavy harness 1

; but famine, that dwells with hated darkness, shall see him softened.

CHORUS

O why didst not thou thyself with thy dastard heart slay this man here? but his wife, a pollution of her country and her country's gods, killed him. Does then Orestes anywhere behold the light, so that, returning hither under the guidance of gracious Fortune, he may become the mastering slayer of these twain?

AEGISTHUS

ÉGISTHE

C'est toi qui, du dernier banc des rameurs, oses ainsi élever la voix qui commande donc à bord, sinon ceux qui sont sur le pont ? Malgré ton âge, tu vas
voir comme il est dur à un vieux d'être mis au dressage, quand l'ordre est d'être raisonnable. Pour dresser même la vieillesse, les fers, les tourments de la faim sont des magiciens sans rivaux. Tes yeux ne s'ouvrent pas à voir ce que tu vois ? Ne regimbe donc pas contre l'aiguillon : si tu t'enferres, il t'en cuira.

LE CORYPHÉE

Et c'est toi — une femme ! puisque tu restes à la maison attendant que les hommes reviennent du combat — c'est toi qui tout ensemble souillas la couche d'un héros et machinas la mort d'un chef d'armée !

ÉGISTHE

Voilà encore des mots qui vont faire naître des larmes. Ta voix est le contraire de la voix d'Orphée :
lui, par ses accents, enchaînait la nature charmée ; toi, pour nous provoquer par de sots hurlements, tu seras enchaîné, et la force t'apprivoisera.

LE CORYPHÉE

Quoi ! je te verrais roi d'Argos, toi
qui machinas le meurtre de cet homme, sans même oser agir ni frapper de ton bras !

ÉGISTHE

La ruse clairement revenait à la femme. Moi, le vieil ennemi, j'aurais été suspect. Mais, avec les biens de cet homme, je compte maintenant commander
aux citoyens. Le rebelle, je l'attellerai sous un joug pesant : qu'il ne compte pas être nourri d'orge comme un poulain de volée ! La faim cruelle associée aux ténèbres le verra devenir plus doux.

LE CORYPHÉE

Et pourquoi, dans ta lâcheté, ne frappais-tu pas toi-même le héros ? pourquoi est-ce une
femme, souillure du pays et des dieux du pays, qui a été sa meurtrière ? Mais Oreste — Oreste ne vit-il pas toujours, pour revenir guidé par quelque heureuse chance et les tuer

CHORUS.

And cou’d thy ſoſter ſex, whilſt the rough war

Demands its chieftain, violate his bed,

And on his firſt return contrive his death?

ÆGISTHUS.

No more: this ſounds th' alarm to rude complaints.

1815

The voice of Orpheus with its ſoothing notes

Attracted e’en the ſavage; whilſt thy yells

To rage inflame the gentle: but take heed;

Dungeons and chains may teach thee moderation.

CHORUS.

Shalt thou reign king in Argos? Thou, whoſe ſoul

1820

Plotted this murder; whilſt thy coward hand

Shrunk back, nor dared to execute the deed?

ÆGISTHUS.

Wiles and deceit are female qualities:

The memory of my ancient enmity

Had wak’d ſuſpicion.

1825

Maſter of his treaſures,

Be it my next attempt to gain the people:

Whome’er I find unwilling to ſubmit,

Him, like an high-fed and unruly horſe

Reluctant to the harness, rigor ſoon

1830

Shall tame: confinement, and her meagre comrade

Keen hunger, will abate his firey mettle.

CHORUS.

Did not the baſeneſs of thy coward ſoul

Unman thee to this murder, that a woman,

Shame to her country and her country’s Gods,

1835

Muſt dare the horrid deed?

But when Oreſtes,

Where’er he breathes the vital air, returns,

Good fortune be his guide, ſhall not his hand

Take a bold vengeance in the death of both?

1840

ÆGISTHUS.

CORIFEO

Ah! Femminetta! E tu, seduto in casa,

dopo macchiato il letto dall'eroe,

che ritornato appena era dal campo,

questa sorte hai tramata al nostro duce!

EGISTO

Anche queste parole saran fonte

1925

di lagrime. La tua voce è l'opposto

EGISTO

della voce d'Orfeo; quegli traeva

con la dolcezza del suo canto ogni uomo:

tu che m'incíti coi latrati stolti,

sarai nei ceppi trascinato;

1930

e sotto

l'altrui potere, sembrerai men fiero.

CORIFEO

Come sarai signore d'Argo tu,

che, tramata l'insidia, non osasti

neppure di tua man compier l'eccidio?

1935

EGISTO

Tramar l'inganno, compito di femmina

era di certo: ero io da lungo tempo

inimico sospetto.

Ora, padrone

dei beni di costui, sui cittadini

1940

tenterò comandare.

E chi men docile

sarà, lo aggraverò di duro giogo,

non lo terrò puledro di volata,

satollo d'orzo.

1945

Fame, della tenebra

aspra compagna, l'ammorbidirà.

CORIFEO

Perché non ti bastò l'animo tristo

a ucciderlo? Una donna lo sgozzò,

lordura d'Argo e dei paterni Numi.

1950

Ah! Ma la luce vede ancora Oreste!

Con la prospera sorte giunga, abbatta

ogni ostacolo, e tutte e due vi scanni!

EGISTO

Klytaimestra.

Was ist schmählich denn an seinem Tode?

was verräterisch an meinen Künsten?

Auch das Leid, das er den Seinen anthat,

1640

war ja nicht Verrat, noch war es Tücke.

1525 Nur die Blume, die aus meinem Schoße

ihm emporgeblüht, Iphigeneia,

seine Tochter, schlachtete der Vater.

Was er that, das war sein Recht; sein Recht ist,

1645

was er leidet. Nein, er soll im Hades

über List und Mord sich nicht beschweren,

denn er erntet nur, was er gesät.

Chor.

1530

Chorus.

Woman, home-watcher for thy lord who came

But now from war, didst thou his couch defile

And for the chief himself devise this doom?

Ægisthus.

Bold words again! but they shall end in tears.

1915

The very converse, thine, of Orpheus' tongue:

He roused and led in ecstasy of joy

All things that heard his voice melodious;

But thou as with the futile cry of curs

Wilt draw men wrathfully upon thee. Peace!

1920

Or strong subjection soon shall tame thy tongue.

Chorus.

Ay, thou art one to hold an Argive down,

Thou, skilled to plan the murder of the king,

But not with thine own hand to smite the blow!

Ægisthus.

That fraudful force was woman's very part,

1925

Not mine, whom deep suspicion from of old

Would have debarred. Now by his treasure's aid

My purpose holds to rule the citizens.

But whoso will not bear my guiding hand,

Him for his corn-fed mettle I will drive

1930

Not as a trace-horse, light-caparisoned,

But to the shafts with heaviest harness bound.

Famine, the grim mate of the dungeon dark,

Shall look on him and shall behold him tame.

Chorus.

Thou losel soul, was then thy strength too slight

1935

To deal in murder, while a woman's hand,

Staining and shaming Argos and its gods,

Availed to slay him? Ho, if anywhere

The light of life smite on Orestes' eyes,

Let him, returning by some guardian fate,

1940

Hew down with force her paramour and her!

Ægisthus.

Der Chorführer.

Weib, das dem Helden, welcher jüngst heimkam vom Streit,

Das Haus gehütet und entweiht des Mannes Bett,

Du hast dem Feldherrn ausgedacht dies Todesloos?

Aegifthos.

Auch diese Worte werden Quell der Thränen dir.

Du hast von Orpheus' Zunge ganz das Widerspiel.

1580

Er riß bezaubernd durch Gesang einst Alles fort:

Du regst mit kühnem Schmähen auch die Milden auf,

Und wirst dahingerissen, bis die Zucht dich zähmt!

Der Chorführer.

Und also du willst Herrscher mir in Argos sein,

Der, ihm den Tod ersinnend, doch mit eigner Hand

1585

Die That hinauszuführen nicht den Muth besaß?

Aegisthos.

Ihn überlisten ziemte ja dem Weibe nur:

Ich schien verdächtig als des Mannes alter Feind.

Doch nun mit seinem reichen Schas versuch' ich es

Das Bürgervolk zu knechten! Wer mir nicht gehorcht,

1590

Den will ich zäumen, daß das überkecke Noß

Der Hafer nicht mehr steche; düstrer Kerkernacht

Unholder Gast, der Hunger, soll bald zahm ihn seh'n!

Der Chorführer.

Warum so feigen Sinnes hast du diesen Mann

Nicht selbst erschlagen? Morden mußt' ihn dir ein Weib,

1595

Des Landes Scheusal und der Landesgötter Schmach!

Schaut nicht Orestes irgendwo die Sonne noch,

Auf daß er, heimwärts kehrend auf des Glückes Pfad,

Mit starkem Arme Mörder sei der beiden hier?

Aegifthos.