MESS. In order to preserve Orestes, for at this thou wilt marvel.
TH. What [Orestes]? Him, whom the daughter of Tyndarus bore?
MESS. Him whom she consecrated to the Goddess at these altars.
TH. Oh marvel! How can I rightly[176] call thee by a greater name?
MESS. Do not turn thine attention to this, but listen to me; and having
perceived and heard, clearly consider what pursuit will catch the
strangers.
TH. Speak, for thou sayest well, for they do not flee by the way of the
neighboring sea, so as to be able to escape my fleet.
MESS. When we came to the sea-shore, where the vessel of Orestes was
anchored in secret, to us indeed, whom thou didst send with her, bearing
fetters for the strangers, the daughter of Agamemnon made signs that we
should get far out of the way, as she was about to offer the secret[177]
flame and expiation, for which she had come. But she, holding the fetters
of the strangers in her hands, followed behind them. And these matters were
suspicious, but they satisfied your attendants, O king. But at length, in
order forsooth that she might seem to us to be doing something, she
screamed aloud, and chanted barbarian songs like a sorceress, as if washing
out the stain of murder. But after we had remained sitting a long time, it
occurred to us whether the strangers set at liberty might not slay her, and
take to flight. And through fear lest we might behold what was not fitting,
we sat in silence, but at length the same words were in every body's mouth,
that we should go to where they were, although not permitted. And upon this
we behold the hull of the Grecian ship, [the rowing winged with well-fitted
oars,[178]] and fifty sailors holding their oars in the tholes, and the
youths, freed from their fetters, standing [on the shore] astern of the
ship.[179] But some held in the prow with their oars, and others from the
epotides let down the anchor, and others hastily applying the ladders, drew
the stern-cables through their hands, and giving them to the sea, let them
down to the strangers.[180] But we unsparing [of the toil,] when we beheld
the crafty stratagem, laid hold of the female stranger and of the cables,
and tried to drag the rudders from the fair-prowed ship from the
steerage-place. But words ensued: "On what plea do ye take to the sea,
stealing from this land the images and priestess? Whose son art thou, who
thyself, who art carrying this woman from the land?" But he replied,
"Orestes, her brother, that you may know, the son of Agamemnon, I, having
taken this my sister, whom I had lost from my house, am bearing her off."
But naught the less we clung to the female stranger, and compelled them by
force to follow us to thee, upon which arose sad smitings of the cheeks.
For they had not arms in their hands, nor had we; but fists were sounding
against fists, and the arms of both the youths at once were aimed against
our sides and to the liver, so that we at once were exhausted[181] and worn
out in our limbs. But stamped with horrid marks we fled to a precipice,
some having bloody wounds on the head, others in the eyes, and standing on
the heights, we waged a safer warfare, and pelted stones. But archers,
standing on the poop, hindered us with their darts, so that we returned
back. And meanwhile--for a tremendous wave drove the ship against the land,
and there was alarm [on board] lest she might dip her
sheet-line[182]--Orestes, taking his sister on his left shoulder, walked
into the sea, and leaping upon the ladder, placed her within the
well-banked ship, and also the image of the daughter of Jove, that fell
from heaven. And from the middle of the ship a voice spake thus, "O
mariners of the Grecian ship, seize[183] on your oars, and make white the
surge, for we have obtained the things on account of which we sailed o'er
the Euxine within the Symplegades." But they shouting forth a pleasant cry,
smote the brine. The ship, as long indeed as it was within the port, went
on; but, passing the outlet, meeting with a strong tide, it was driven
back. For a terrible gale coming suddenly, drives [the bark winged with
well-fitted oars] poop-wise,[184] but they persevered, kicking against the
wave, but an ebbing tide brought them again aground. But the daughter of
Agamemnon stood up and prayed, "O daughter of Latona, bring me, thy
priestess, safe into Greece from a barbarian land, and pardon the stealing
away of me. Thou also, O Goddess, lovest thy brother, and think thou that I
also love my kindred." But the sailors shouted a pæan in assent to the
prayers of the girl, applying on a given signal the point of the
shoulders,[185] bared from their hands, to the oars. But more and more the
vessel kept nearing the rocks, and one indeed leaped into the sea with his
feet, and another fastened woven nooses.[186] And I was immediately sent
hither to thee, to tell thee, O king, what had happened there. But go,
taking fetters and halters in your hands, for, unless the wave shall become
tranquil, there is no hope of safety for the strangers. For the ruler of
the sea, the revered Neptune, both favorably regards Troy, and is at enmity
with the Pelopidæ. And he will now, as it seems, deliver up to thee and the
citizens the son of Agamemnon, to take him into your hands, and his sister,
who is detected ungratefully forgetting the Goddess in respect to the
sacrifice at Aulis.[187]
CHOR. O hapless Iphigenia, with thy brother wilt thou die, again coming
into the hands of thy masters.
TH. O all ye citizens of this barbarian land, will ye not, casting bridles
on your horses, run to the shore, and receive the casting on of the Grecian
ship? But hastening, by the favor of the Goddess, will ye not hunt down the
impious men, and some of you haul the swift barks down to the sea, that by
sea, and by horse-coursings on the land seizing them, we may either hurl
them down the broken rock, or impale their bodies upon stakes. But you
women, the accomplices in these plots, I will punish hereafter, when I have
leisure, but now, having such a present duty, we will not remain idle.
[MINERVA _appears_.]
MIN. Whither, whither sendest thou this troop to follow [the fugitives,]
king Thoas? List to the words of me, Minerva. Cease pursuing, and stirring
on the onset of your host. For by the destined oracles of Loxias Orestes
came hither, fleeing the wrath of the Erinnyes, and in order to conduct his
sister's person to Argos, and to bear the sacred image into my land, by way
of respite from his present troubles. Thus are our words for thee, but as
to him, Orestes, whom you wish to slay, having caught him in a tempest at
sea, Neptune has already, for my sake, rendered the surface of the sea
waveless, piloting him along in the ship. But do thou, Orestes, learning my
commands, (for thou hearest the voice of a Goddess, although not present,)
go, taking the image and thy sister. And when thou art come to heaven-built
Athens, there is a certain sacred district in the farthest bounds of
Atthis, near the Carystian rock, which my people call Alœ--here, having
built a temple, do thou enshrine the image named after the Tauric land and
thy toils, which thou hast labored through, wandering over Greece, under
the goad of the Erinnyes. But mortals hereafter shall celebrate her as the
Tauric Goddess Diana. And do thou ordain this law, that, when the people
celebrate a feast in grateful commemoration of thy release from
slaughter,[188] let them apply the sword to the neck of a man, and let
blood flow on account of the holy Goddess, that she may have honor. But, O
Iphigenia, thou must needs be guardian of the temple of this Goddess at the
hallowed ascent of Brauron;[189] where also thou shalt be buried at thy
death, and they shall offer to you the honor of rich woven vestments, which
women, dying in childbed, may leave in their houses. But I command thee to
let these Grecian women depart from the land on account of their
disinterested disposition,[190] I, having saved thee also on a former
occasion, by determining the equal votes in the Field of Mars, Orestes, and
that, according to the same law, he should conquer, whoever receive equal
suffrages. But, O son of Agamemnon, do thou remove thy sister from this
land, nor be thou angered, Thoas.
TH. Queen Minerva, whosoever, on hearing the words of the Gods, is
disobedient, thinks not wisely. But I will not be angry with Orestes, if he
has carried away the image of the Goddess with him, nor with his sister.
For what credit is there in contending with the potent Gods? Let them
depart to thy land with the image of the Goddess, and let them prosperously
enshrine the effigy. But I will also send these women to blest Greece, as
thy mandate bids. And I will stop the spear which I raised against the
strangers, and the oars of the ships, as this seems fit to thee, O Goddess.
MIN. I commend your words, for fate commands both thee and the Gods
[themselves.] Go, ye breezes, conduct the vessel of Agamemnon's son to
Athens. And I will journey with you, to guard the hallowed image of my
sister.
CHOR. Go ye, happy because of your preserved fortune. But, O Athenian
Pallas, hallowed among both immortals and mortals, we will do even as thou
biddest. For I have received a very delightful and unhoped-for voice in my
hearing. O thou all hallowed Victory, mayest thou possess my life, and
cease not to crown it.[191]
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