therefore, am willing to plight oaths with the dæmon of the Pleisthenidæ, to acquiesce in these things, all hard to endure though they be; and for him, henceforth, quitting this dwelling, to wear out another race by kindred murders. And a small portion of wealth is amply sufficient for me to possess, if I have put away the phrenzy of mutual murder from the halls. Enter ÆGISTHUS. Now I O kindly light of the day that brings retribution. would pronounce that gods, the punishers of mortals from on high, look down upon the abominations of earth, beholding this man here lying, as is delightful to me, in the woven robes of the Furies, paying the penalty of the devices of his father's hand. For Atreus, the ruler of this land, his father, being a rival about the power, that I may speak clearly, banished from his city and his house Thyestes my father, his own brother. And wretched Thyestes, having come again a suppliant at the hearth, found a secure lot, so that he should not dying stain his paternal soil with his blood. But Atreus, the godless father of this man, with more zeal than love, pretending cheerfully to hold a day of banqueting by way of welcome to my father, served him a banquet of his children's flesh. The parts about the feet indeed, and the comb-like tips of the fingers, seated apart, he broke from those above'. And, having immediately in ignorance taken that part of the flesh which could not be distinguished, he eats a food, as thou seest, destructive to the race. And then, having discovered the unholy deed, he screamed, and falls back from the butchery vomiting: and on the descendants of Pelops he imprecates an intolerable doom, rightfully devoted to a curse the insult of the board2, 1 So Peile, with Conington's approbation. I have no doubt that the whole passage corrupt. 2 Conington, after Peile, (and apparently, Sewell,) has laboured to shew that λákrioμa deiπvov means that Thyestes spurned the banquet with his feet. Although I grant that this clever scholar has shown much taste in his note, still I cannot suppose that T10ɛiç apa would have then been used. The words can only mean "putting under a curse the trampling of the board." Linwood prefers joining τιθεὶς λάκτισμα λakrilov. In support of the proverbial sense I have preferred, compare ν. 384, λακτίσαντι μέγαν δίκας βωμόν. Choeph. 641, τὸ μὴ θέμις γὰρ οὐ λὰξ πέδον πατούμενον. Εum. 540, μηδέ νιν κέρδος ἰδὼν ἀθέῳ ποδὶ λὰξ ἀτίσης. Lycophron (quoted by Schutz), 137, λάξας τρα πεζαν. = of so perish the whole race of Pleisthenes! In consequence these things you may see this man fallen: and I am the righteous contriver of his slaughter, for he drives into exile me, the thirteenth child, along with my wretched sire, being a little one in swaddling-clothes. But Justice brought me back again when I had grown up. And I have reached this man though I was at a distance, having put together every contrivance for the sad conspiracy. Thus it is indeed glorious for me even to fall after I have seen him within the toils of Justice. CH. Ægisthus! I honour not insolence amidst guilt. And dost thou say, that thou didst wilfully slay this man, and that thou alone didst plot this piteous murder? I declare that thy head shall not escape, be sure of it, curses of stoning, hurled by the populace. EGIS. Dost thou say these things sitting at the lower oar, while those upon the middle bench1 of the vessel bear sway? Thou shalt know, old as thou art, how bitter it is for a man of thy years to be schooled, when discretion is prescribed him. But bondage and the pangs of starvation are the best physicians of the mind to school even old age. Having eyes seest thou not this? Kick not against the pricks, lest thou, stumbling, suffer. CH. Woman! didst thou, guardian of the house of this man just arrived from battle2, having at the same time defiled his bed, resolve on the destruction of this warrior-chief here? ÆGIS. 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, shalt be dragged away: but when overpowered thou wilt show thyself more tame. CH. 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'! 1 See Blomfield. ? So Dindorf, with Stanley. Conington defends the common reading, τούσδ ̓ ἤκοντας. 3 Dindorf approves of Jacobs' conjecture vηíos for ios. Cf. v. 1672, ματαίων τῶνδ ̓ ὑλαγμάτων. 4 Compare the taunts of Lady Macbeth, ii. 2, to her husband, and of Beatrice to the murderers, Cenci, iv. 3. EGIS. 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 harness1; but famine, that dwells with hated darkness, shall see him softened. CH. 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? EGIS. Well, since thou art determined to act thus and use this language, thou shalt know quickly CH. Come on, comrades dear, this business is not far off. CH. Come on, let each man have his drawn sword in readiness. EGIS. I'faith I refuse not to die with hand on hilt. CH. Thou talkest of dying to those who welcome the omen, and let us take our fortune. CLYT. By no means, dearest of men, let us perpetrate any further ills. But to reap even these is in many respects a wretched harvest. And enough of misery assuredly is ours; let us not at all stain ourselves with blood. Repair, old men, forthwith to your appointed homes, before you suffer by your deeds: we must take these things and be contented with them since we did them; and if any one has a share of troubles, we at all events shall have enough of these, miserably smitten by the dæmon in his fell wrath. Such is a woman's advice, if any one condescends to heed it. EGIS. But that these men should thus blossom forth a foolish tongue in my presence, and blurt forth such expressions, tempting their fate, and miss sobriety of judgment, and [insult] the ruler * * * * * 1 Blomfield supplies ζεύγλαις from ζεύξω. 2 I have borrowed the old translation of this passage, having little desire to re-translate the corruptions of the original. I have, however, used Hermann's emendation, πρὶν παθεῖν ἔρξαντας αἴρειν χρῆν, and μαθεῖν for παθεῖν. Conington's πένοιτο for γένοιτο is ingenious, but the whole passage seems desperate. CH. This never can be the conduct of Argives, to fawn on the base. ÆGIS. Yet on some future day I will pursue thee yet. CH. Not so, if a divine power shall guide Orestes to come hither. ÆGIS. I know that exiles feed themselves on hopes. CH. Do thy pleasure! batten! while thou pollutest justice; since it is permitted thee. ÆGIS. Rest assured that thou shalt make me a requital for this folly. CH. Brag boldly like the cock beside his partlet. CLYT. Make not thou any account of these vain yelpings; I and thou mastering this house, will order things aright. ORESTES, returning from Phocis, recognizes his sister offering libations at the tomb of Agamemnon, and with her concerts a plan for revenging their father's death. Encouraged by the ill-omened dream of Clytemnestra, he resolves to enter the palace with his companion Pylades, and having deceived Clytemnæstra with a pretended account of his death, he wreaks vengeance upon her and Ægisthus. The play concludes with his horror at the deed, and determination to go to Delphi to receive purification. است ORESTES. MERCURY of the shades! presiding over the power delegated from the sire', be thou a saviour and ally to me beseeching it; for I am come into this land, and I return from exile. And over this mound of his sepulchre too I call upon my father to listen, to give ear3. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * a ringlet cherished in honour of 1 Aristophanes, Ran. 1141, makes Euripides quibble at the meaning of Tarрwα kpárη, which might mean Agamemnon's realm. πότερ ̓ οὖν τὸν Ἑρμῆν, ὡς ὁ πατὴρ ἀπώλετο δόλοις λαθραίοις, ταῦτ ̓ ἐποπτεύειν ἔφη ; 2 On this Euripides observes, δὶς ταυτὸν ἡμῖν εἶπεν ὁ σοφὸς Αἰσχύλος. |