_Suddenly over the Permanent Scene two Supernatural Beings appear and
move along, recognized by the Chorus as Castor and Pollux, the Family
Deities_. {1364}
Hear, son of Agamemnon: for to thee
Thy mother's brothers, twin-born sons of Jove
Castor, and this my brother Pollux, speak.
Late, having calmed the ocean waves, that swell'd
The lab'ring vessel menacing, we came
To Argos, where our sister we beheld,
Thy mother, slain: with justice vengeance falls
On her; in thee unholy is the deed.
Yet Phoebus, Phoebus--but, my king is he;
I will be silent: yet, though wise, he gave
To thee response not wise; but I must praise
Perforce these things. Thou now must do what Fate
And Jove decree.
Electra is to marry Pylades, and Orestes to flee to Athens and be
purified by the Court on the Hill of Mars: Apollo assisting. Orestes'
future life is foretold [thus working out various details of the
Orestes legends].--With awe Orestes, Electra, and Chorus enter into
converse with the gods, and the word is confirmed. They failed to
avert the trouble from their house on account of dire Fate and 'the
voice unwise of Phoebus from his shrine.' There has been a Demon
hostile to Electra's parents.--Then the brother and sister's thoughts
turn to the life-long separation, and the painful wandering, sorrows
e'en to the gods mournful to hear. Farewell to Argos: the Gods hurry
Orestes away for the Furies are already on his track, and conclude:
To the impious thro' the ethereal tract
We no assistance bring: but those to whom
Justice and sanctity of life is dear,
We from their dangerous toils relieve and save.
Let no one then unjustly will to act,
Nor in one vessel with the perjured sail:
A god to mortals this monition gives.
_Chor._ Oh, be you blest! And those, to whom is given
Calmly the course of mortal life to pass,
By no affliction sunk, pronounce we blest.
[1] The quotations of Euripides are from Potter's translation.