| Euripidis Index |
ELECTRA
No god hearkens to the voice of lost Electra, or heeds the
sacrifices offered by my father long ago. Ah woe for the dead! woe for
the living wanderer, who dwelleth in some foreign land, an outcast and
vagabond at a menial board, sprung though he is of a famous sire!
Myself, too, in a poor man's hut do dwell, wasting my soul with grief,
an exile from my father's halls, here by the scarred hill-side;
while my mother is wedded to a new husband in a marriage stained by
blood.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Many a woe to Hellas and thy house did Helen, thy mother's sister,
cause.
ELECTRA (catching sight of ORESTES and PYLADES)
Ha! Friends, I break off my lament; yonder are strangers just
leaving the place of ambush where they were couching, and making for
the house. We must seek to escape the villains by flying, thou along
the path and I into my cottage.
ORESTES
Stay, poor maid; fear no violence from me.
ELECTRA
O Phoebus Apollo I beseech thee spare my life.
ORESTES
Give me the lives of others more my foes than thou!
ELECTRA
Begone! touch me not! thou hast no right to.
ORESTES
There is none I have a better right to touch.
ELECTRA
How is it then thou waylayest me, sword in hand, near my house?
ORESTES
Wait and hear, and thou wilt soon agree with me
ELECTRA
Here I stand; I am in thy power in any case, since thou art the
stronger.
ORESTES
I am come to thee with news of thy brother.
ELECTRA
O best of friends! is he alive or dead?
ORESTES
Alive; I would fain give thee my good news first.
ELECTRA
God bless thee! in return for thy welcome tidings.
ORESTES
I am prepared to share that blessing between us.
ELECTRA
In what land is my poor brother spending his dreary exile?
ORESTES
His ruined life does not conform to the customs of any one city.
ELECTRA
Surely he does not want for daily bread?
ORESTES
Bread he has, but an exile is a helpless man at best.
ELECTRA
What is this message thou hast brought from him?
ORESTES
He asks, "Art thou alive? and if so, How art thou faring?"
ELECTRA
Well, first thou seest how haggard I am grown.
ORESTES
So wasted with sorrow that I weep for thee.
ELECTRA
Next mark my head, shorn and shaven like a Scythian's.
ORESTES
Thy brother's fate and father's death no doubt disturb thee.
ELECTRA
Yes, alas! for what have I more dear than these?
ORESTES
Ah! and what dost thou suppose is dearer to thy brother?
ELECTRA
He is far away, not here to show his love to me.
ORESTES
Wherefore art thou living here far from the city?
ELECTRA
I am wedded, sir; a fatal match!
ORESTES
Alas! for thy brother; I pity him. Is thy husband of Mycenae?
ELECTRA
He is not the man to whom my father ever thought of betrothing me.
ORESTES
Tell me all, that I may report it to thy brother.
ELECTRA
I live apart from my husband in this house.
ORESTES
The only fit inmate would be a hind or herd.
ELECTRA
Poor he is, yet he displays a generous consideration for me.
ORESTES
Why, what is this consideration that attaches to thy husband?
ELECTRA
He has never presumed to claim from me a husband's rights.
ORESTES
Is he under a vow of chastity? or does he disdain thee?
ELECTRA
He thought he had no right to flout my ancestry.
ORESTES
How was it he was not overjoyed at winning such a bride?
ELECTRA
He does not recognize the right of him who disposed of my hand.
ORESTES
I understand; he was afraid of the vengeance of Orestes hereafter.
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