Orestes

Boy! Boy! Hear my knocking at the outer door! Who is inside? Boy! Boy! I say again, who is at home?

Again for the third time I call for some one to come out of the house, if by Aegisthus’ will it offers welcome to strangers.

655

Servant

Yes, yes, I hear. Of what land is the stranger, and whence?

Orestes

Announce me to the masters of the house, for it is in fact to them that I come bearing news.

And hurry, since the chariot of night is speeding on with darkness, and it is time for wayfarers to drop anchor in some house friendly to all guests. Tell some one to come forth who has authority over the house, the mistress in charge. But the master would be more fitting,

660

for then no delicacy in speaking makes words obscure: man speaks boldly to man and reveals his meaning without reserve. The Servant withdraws. Clytaemestra appears at the door with a maid-servant in attendance

665

Clytaemestra

Strangers, you have only to declare your need, for we have everything that suits this house: warm baths, beds to charm away fatigue,

and the presence of honest faces. But if there is another matter requiring graver counsel, that is the concern of men, and we will communicate with them.

670

Orestes

I am a stranger, a Daulian of the Phocians. As I was on my way, carrying my pack on business of my own to Argos ,

just as I ended my journey here, ¹ a man, a stranger to me as I to him, fell in with me, and inquired about my destination and told me his. He was Strophius, a Phocian (for as we talked I learned his name), and he said to me,

675

Stranger, since in any case you are bound for Argos , keep my message in mind most faithfully and tell his parents Orestes is dead, and by no means let it escape you. Whether his friends decide to bring him home or to bury him in the land of his sojourn, a foreigner utterly forever,

680

convey their wishes back to me. In the meantime a bronze urn contains the ashes of a man rightly lamented. This much I tell you as I heard it. Whether by any chance I am speaking to those with whom the question rests and whose concern it is,

685

I do not know. But his parent should know the truth.

690

Clytaemestra

Oh no! Your story spells our utter undoing. O curse that haunts this house, so hard to wrestle down: how far forward you look! Even what was laid well out of harm’s way you bring down with your well-aimed shafts from far off,

and you strip me of those I love, utterly wretched as I am. And now Orestes: he was indeed prudent in keeping his foot out of the mire of destruction, but now mark down as having abandoned us what was once the one hope in our house of a cure for its fine revelry. ²

695

Orestes

As for me, I am sure that with hosts so prosperous I would rather have been made known and welcomed for favorable news. For where is goodwill greater than from guest to host? Yet to my mind it would have been irreverent

700

not to fulfill for friends a charge like this when I was bound by promise and hospitality pledged to me.

705

Clytaemestra

Rest assured you will receive no less a reward than you deserve nor be the less welcome to this house: someone else might just as well have brought your message.

But it is the hour when strangers who have been travelling on a long day’s journey should have their proper entertainment. To an attendant Conduct him to the rooms where the men are hospitably lodged, him and his attendants here and his fellow-traveller, and let them be tended to there as is proper in our house.

710

I command you to do this as you shall be held to strict account. Meantime we will communicate this matter to the master of the house, and since we have no lack of friends we will confer on this occurrence.

715

DOMESTIC

Well, well—I hear you. What countryman is the stranger? whence comes he 3

?

ORESTES

Bear word to the masters of the mansion, unto whom I am come and am bringing news; and be quick, since also night's dusky car is speeding on, and 'tis time for wayfarers to let go their anchor in houses that welcome all strangers. Let there come forth some lady-mistress of the house, that hath power: but it were more decorous that a man should [come to us], for that bashfulness does not in the course of conversation make words obscure: man is wont to speak with confidence to man, and expresses his thoughts with certainty.

CLYTEMNESTRA

Guests, say whatsoever is necessary; for there are at hand things such as beseem this dwelling of ours, both warm baths 4

, and the couch that soothes fatigues, and the presence of benignant eyes. But if ye are bound to transact any other business that requires somewhat of consultation, this is the concern of men, to whom we will communicate it.

ORESTES

I am a stranger of Daulis, come from the Phocians; and as I was journeying to Argos, self freighted with my own baggage, just as I set forth hither on foot, a stranger who met me said to me a stranger, after having particularly inquired and clearly explained to me my road, Strophius the Phocian,—for I ascertain his name in course of conversation:—“Since on other business, stranger, thou art going to Argos, tell his parents that Orestes is dead, strictly remembering it, let it by no means be forgotten; whether the determination of his friends shall prevail to convey him away, or whether to bury him in the land of his sojourn, altogether estranged for ever, bring back with thee their commands on this subject; for now the sides of a brazen urn conceal the ashes of the man who hath been duly bewailed." Thus much I tell thee as I heard it. And whether I am speaking to the heads of the family and to his relations I know not, but it is proper that his parents know it.

ELECTRA

ORESTE.

Oreste et Pylade rentrent par la gauche et se dirigent vers le palais. Ils sont suivis d'un ou deux serviteurs qui portent leurs bagages.

Esclave, esclave, entends frapper aux portes de la cour. N'y a-t-il personne au palais? Esclave, esclave,
encore un coup! Voilà trois fois que j'appelle: que quel- qu'un sorte enfin, si la maison, sous Égisthe, pratique l'hospitalité.

L'ESCLAVE.

Voilà! j'écoute. De quel pays est l'étran- ger? d'où vient-il ?

ORESTE.

Répète ces mots à ceux qui commandent ici
et pour qui je viens porteur de nouvelles — mais hâte-toi, car le char ténébreux de la nuit se hâte aussi, et l'heure est venue pour le voyageur de laisser tomber l'ancre dans les logis ouverts à l'étranger — « Qu'un des maîtres de la maison daigne donc venir, une femme ayant autorité ici
ou plutôt un homme; car alors nulle gêne au cours de l'entretien n'obscurcit les propos : l'homme avec l'homme parle sans crainte et tient un clair langage. »

CLYTEMNESTRE.

Étrangers, dites ce qu'il vous faut. Vous trouverez dans ce palais ce qu'on est en droit d'y
attendre: un bain chaud, un lit qui endormira vos fatigues, et l'accueil d'un regard loyal. Si vous venez pour chose sérieuse, c'est l'affaire des hommes, à qui nous en référe- rons.

ORESTE.

Étranger, je viens de Daulis, en Phocide.
Mais, comme je faisais route vers Argos, chargé de mon

[ORESTE]

bagage ² , dans l'équipage même où je débarque ici ³ , soudain, sans me connaître et sans m'être connu, un homme m'aborde, et, après m'avoir parlé de son voyage, questionné sur le mien, voici ce que me dit Strophios de Phocide — j'appris
son nom en causant — « Puisque aussi bien tu vas à Ar- gos, étranger, sans faute, songe à dire aux parents d'Oreste qu'il n'est plus; ne l'oublie pas, de grâce. L'avis prévaudra- t-il parmi les siens de le ramener auprès d'eux ? ou au con- traire de l'enterrer chez nous, étranger devenu notre hôte
à tout jamais ? rapporte-moi leurs ordres. A cette heure, les flancs d'une urne d'airain enferment ses cendres pleurées comme il convient. » Je t'ai répété tout ce qu'il m'a dit ⁴ . Parlé-je à des parents qualifiés pour m'entendre ? je l'i-
gnore, mais qui lui a donné le jour, sans doute, ne l'ignore pas ⁵ .

CLYTEMNESTRE.

SERVANT.

Forbear, I hear, Who art thou, and from whence?

ORESTES.

Go tell the lords of this fair house, to them

I come, charg’d with ſtrange tidings:

735

haſte;

For now the ſable chariot of the night

Rolls on apace; and the dark hour exhorts

The way-ſpent traveller to repoſe beneath

The hoſpitable roof.

740

Call forth the matron,

That has the charge of these domestic cares;

More decent, if a man; for modesty

There checks the falt'ring tongue, but to a man

More confident a man ſpeaks free and open.

745

CLYTEMNESTRA, ORESTES, PYLADES, ELECTRA, CHORUS. CLYTEMNESTRA.

Speak, ſtrangers, what your wants x

; here ſhall you find

All that becomes an house like this; warm baths

Refreshment of your toils, the well-ſpread couch

Inviting ſoft repoſe, and over all

CLYTEMNESTRA.

An eye regarding justice. If your buſineſs

750

Be of more serious import, aſking counsel,

The province this of men; we will inform them.

ORESTES.

A Phocian am I, from the town of Daulis y

.

Occasions of my own call’d me to Argos,

Nor aſk’d a better dreſs, than this coarse garb

755

Familiar to me:

onwards as I travel’d

I met a man unknown, myself to him

Unknown; he courteous queſtion’d me how far

I journey’d, and inform’d me of my way,

760

Strophius of Phocis, so I chanc'd to learn;

“Stranger, ſays he, ſince buſineſs of thy own

“Leads thee to Argos, let me charge thy honour

“To tell his parents that the young Oreſtes

“Is dead.

765

Forget it not. Whether his friends

“With ſolemn obſequies will fetch him hence,

“Or in eternal reſt our friendly earth

“Shall lay him in her hoſpitable bosom,

“Bring back their pleasure;

770

for the brazen urn

“Now holds the ashes of the honour'd youth,

“Whom we lament.”

This, faithful to my charge,

Have I deliver’d; if to kindred ears,

775

And those, whoſe pow’r is ſovereign here, I know not.

But it is meet his parent knew the event.

ELECTRA.

SERVO

Ho sentito! Chi sei? Donde giungi, ospite?

ORESTE

La mia venuta ai tuoi signori annunzia,

e che novelle ad essi reco. Sbrígati:

ché della notte il tenebroso carro

530

s'affretta in cielo, e tempo è già che l'àncora

i vïatori in tetti ospiti gittino.

Venga qualcuno della casa, o donna

che vi presieda, o meglio un uom: ché allora,

nel discorso, il pudor cieche non rende

535

le parole; ma l'uom con l'uomo parla

liberamente, e chiaro il tutto esprime.

CLITENNESTRA

Ospiti, dite che vi occorre. Tutto

che a simil reggia si conviene, è pronto:

e caldi bagni, e letti che ristorino

540

dalla fatica, e sorridenti visi.

Se poi si chiede maggior cosa, è compito

d'uomini; ed io ne li farò partecipi.

ORESTE

Straniero io son, della focese Daulide;

e venivo, recando il mio fardello,

545

ad Argo. Or, come il piede alla via mossi,

in un uom m'imbattei: non m'era noto,

né gli ero noto. Ei la sua via mi disse,

e mi chiese la mia. Parlando, seppi

ch'era Strofio focense. « O forestiere,

550

giacché, mi disse, ad Argo vai, la morte

d'Oreste, annuncia ai genitori. Fa'

di non dimenticarlo. O sia che bramino

i cari suoi di riaverlo in patria,

o che meteco ed ospite in eterno

555

resti qui seppellito. E tu riportami

gli ordini loro. Intanto il cavo fianco

del lebète di bronzo accoglie il cenere

dell'uomo tanto lagrimato ».

Questo

560

mi disse, e questo dico. Ora non so

se ai signori parlai, se ai suoi parenti;

ma tutto al padre riferire è d'uopo.

CLITENNESTRA

Puer.

Esto, audio. cuias es hoſpes? unde?

Ore.

Nuncis illis dominis domus,

610

Ore.

Ad quos uenio, fero noua uerba.

Festina uerò nam currus noctis impellitur

Tenebroſus. uide uerò mercatores diſcedere

Anchoram in ædibus recipientibus hoſpites.

Exeat aliqua domorum gubernatrix

615

Mulier, præfects, uirum uerò meliorem exire iubeat.

Pudore affectus enim in dictis non obſcura

Verba facit. dixit confidens uir

Ad uirum ſignificauitq; manifestum fignum.

Cl.

Hospites diceretis ſi oportet, adſunt enim

620

Quædam domi in his ædibus conceſsa

Et calida lauacra, & laborum oblectamenta,

Lectus, iustorumq; oculorum libertas.

Si aliud agere oportet conſultorum

Virorum, hoc est opus, quibus participamus.

625

Ore.

Hospes enim ſum Dauliensis ex Phocēſibus.

Euntem cum mercibus proprio ſcuto

Argos quemadmodum hunc adduxi pedes,

Ignotus ad ignotum dixit conijciens uir,

Narrans & manifestans uiam,

630

Strophius Phocensis, interroga enim in uerbis,

Poſtquam aliter o hoſpes Argos uadis,

Ad parentes iuſtè memorans,

Mortuam Oreſtem dic, nequaquam obliuifcaris.

Deinde igitur uenire opinio uincet amicos.

635

Deinde colonum omnino ſemper hoſpitem

Sepelire, mandata hæc fer rurſus.

Ore.

Nunc uerò lebetis ænei latera

Sinere occultauit uiri bene plorati.

Hæc audiens dixi, ſiue ſum

640

Dominis & conuenientibus dicens.

Non noui parentem meritò scire oportet.

Ele.

Pförtner.

Ja doch, ich höre. Wer ist da? Wo kommt ihr her?

Orestes.

Geh' mich zu melden bei der Herrschaft, denn zu ihr

bin ich gekommen, neue Zeitung bring' ich ihr,

660 beeile dich. Auf schwarzen Rossen naht die Nacht,

Zeit wird es, daſs der Wandrer zur Herberge sich,

zum Hafen wende, wo er Anker werfen kann.

Pförtner ab.

Doch jemand, der endgiltigen Bescheid erteilt,

muſs kommen, Hausfrau oder schicklicher der Herr.

665 Denn dunkel wird die Botschaft, wenn sie Zartgefühl

verschleiert. Mann zu Manne redet rund heraus

und giebt mit off'nem Worte deutlichen Bericht.

Klytaimestra.

Sagt eure Wünsche. Was von unserm Haus ein Gast

erwarten darf, steht zu Befehl. Ein warmes Bad,

Klytaimestra.

670 ein Lager, das den wegemüden Leib erquickt,

und ehrbar aufmerksamer Diener Gegenwart.

Doch so ihr weiter ernsteres Geschäft betreibt,

ist es der Männer Sache: denen leg' ich's vor.

Orestes.

Ich bin zu Haus in Daulis, fern im Phokerland,

675 und machte mich mit eigener Geschäfte Last

befrachtet auf die Fahrt nach Argos. Unterwegs

traf mich ein Mann; wir kannten beid' einander nicht;

doch als wir gegenseitig unser Ziel erfragt,

sprach Strophios der Phoker (also nannt' er sich

680 in dem Gespräche): 'Wenn du doch nach Argos ziehst,

so bring', ein treuer Bote, von Orestes' Tod

die Nachricht seinen Eltern. Bitte, denke dran.

Und wie sie sich entscheiden, ob sie ihn zurück

verlangen, ob für ewig ihn ein fremdes Grab

685 aufnehmen soll, darüber bring' mir Weisung heim.

Jetzt halten wir nach feierlichem Totenfest

in eh'rnem Krug des Jünglings Asche wohlverwahrt'.

Das war mir aufgetragen, das hab' ich bestellt;

ob an die Angehörigen und Zuständigen,

690 das weiſs ich nicht. Die Eltern wissen es gewiſs.

Klytaimestra.

Slave (from within).

Anon, anon! [ Opens the door.

Speak, from what land art thou, and sent from whom?

Orestes.

Go, tell to them who rule the palace-halls,

Since 'tis to them I come with tidings new—

735

(Delay not—Night's dark car is speeding on,

And time is now for wayfarers to cast

Anchor in haven, wheresoe'er a house

Doth welcome strangers)—that there now come forth

Some one who holds authority within—

740

The queen, or, if some man, more seemly were it;

For when man standeth face to face with man,

No stammering modesty confounds their speech,

But each to each doth tell his meaning clear.

[ Enter Clytemnestra.

Clytemnestra.

Speak on, strangers: have ye need of aught?

745

Here is whate'er beseems a house like this—

Warm bath and bed, tired Nature's soft restorer,

And courteous eyes to greet you; and if aught

Of graver import needeth act as well,

That, as man's charge, I to a man will tell.

750

Orestes.

A Daulian man am I, from Phocis bound;

And as with mine own travel-scrip self-laden

I went toward Argos, parting hitherward

With travelling foot, there did encounter me

One whom I knew not and who knew not me,

755

But asked my purposed way nor hid his own,

And, as we talked together, told his name—

Strophius of Phocis; then he said, "Good sir,

Since in all case thou art to Argos bound,

Forget not this my message, heed it well,

760

Tell to his own, Orestes is no more.

And—whatsoe'er his kinsfolk shall resolve,

Whether to bear his dust unto his home,

Or lay him here, in death as erst in life

Exiled for aye, a child of banishment—

765

Bring me their hest, upon thy backward road;

For now in brazen compass of an urn

His ashes lie, their dues of weeping paid."

So much I heard, and so much tell to thee,

Not knowing if I speak unto his kin

770

Who rule his home; but well, I deem, it were,

Such news should earliest reach a parent's ear.

Clytemnestra.

Ein Diener.

(An der Pforte.)

Ja doch, ich höre! Wer, o Fremdling, und woher?

Orestes.

Freund, melde bei des Hauses hohen Herrn mich an,

Bei welchen ich mit neuen Kunden angelangt.

Doch schnell! In dunklem Wagen eilt die Nacht heran;

655

Zeit ist es, daß der müde Wandersmann im Port

Der offnen Herberg' Anker wirft, um auszuruh'n.

Es komme Jemand, der Gewalt im Hause hat, -

Die Frau des Hauses; doch der Mann kommt schicklicher!

Dann führt ja nicht verlegne, scheue Scham das Wort,

660

Und macht es dunkel; dreister spricht der Mann zum Mann,

Und deutlich, ohn' Umschweise, legt er Zeugniß ab.

(Der Diener ab. Bald darauf erscheint Klhtämnestra mit Begleitung.)

Klytämnestra.

Sagt, Freunde, wenn ihr Etwas wünscht; hier steht bereit,

Was irgend solchem Hause nur geziemen mag:

Ein warmes Bad, ein Lager, das die müde Kraft

665

Verjüngt, und biedrer Augen treubesorgte Hut.

Doch wenn ihr Andres wünschet, was Bedacht verlangt,

Das ist der Männer Sorge; die befragen wir.

Orestes.

Aus Phokis' Lande komm' ich her, ein Daulier.

Als ich, mit eignem Bündel nur beschwert, den Pfad

670

Herging nach Argos, wie du hier mich kommen siehst,

Gesellte sich ein Fremder mir, dem Fremden, zu,

- Der Phoker Strophios, im Gespräch erfuhr ich das, -

Forscht meinen Weg aus, nennt den seinen mir und spricht:

„Da doch dein Gang, o Fremdling, dich nach Argos führt,

675

So meld' Orestes' Aeltern, doch vergiß es nicht,

Den Tod Orestens: daß es dir ja nicht entfällt!

Ob dann die Seinen wollen, daß er heimgebracht,

Ob, daß er auswärts, wie verbannt auf immerdar,

Bestattet werde, dessen bring' uns Kunde zu.

680

Denn jetzt bewahrt ein erzgetriebner Aschenkrug

Des vielbeweinten Mannes Staub in seinem Schooß."

Was ich vernommen, sagt' ich. Ob ich's aber auch

Den Rechten sage, denen es zu hören ziemt,

Nicht weiß ich's; hören muß es wohl, wer ihn gezeugt.

685

Klytämnestra.