SCENE.—Argos, _in front of the palace of the Atreidæ. The tomb of_
AGAMEMNON _(a raised mound of earth) is seen in the background._
_Enter_ ORESTES _and_ PYLADES _from the left;_ ORESTES _advances to
the mound, and, as he speaks, lays on it a lock of his hair._
_Orest._ O Hermes of the darkness 'neath the earth,
Who hast the charge of all thy Father's[401] sway,
To me who pray deliverer, helper be;
For I to this land come, from exile come,
And on the raised mound of this monument
I bid my father hear and list. One tress,
Thank-offering for the gifts that fed my youth,
To Inachos I consecrate, and this
The second as the token of my grief;[402]
For mine it was not, father, being by,
Over thy death to groan, nor yet to stretch
My hand forth for the burial of thy corpse.
[_As he speaks_, ELECTRA, _followed by a train of
captive women in black garments, bearing libations,
wailing and tearing their clothes, comes
forth from the palace_
What see I now? What company of women
Is this that comes in mourning garb attired?
What chance shall I conjecture as its cause? 10
Does a new sorrow fall upon this house?
Or am I right in guessing that they bring
Libations to my father, soothing gifts
To those beneath? It cannot but be so.
I think Electra, mine own sister, comes,
By wailing grief conspicuous. Thou, O Zeus,
Grant me full vengeance for my father's death,
And of thine own good will my helper be!
Come, Pylades, and let us stand aside,
That I may clearly learn what means this train
Of women offering prayers. 20