IPHIGENIA

King Agamemnon sat in his tent at Aulis, where the army of the Greeks

was gathered together, being about to sail against the great city of

Troy. It was now past midnight. But the King slept not, for he was

careful and troubled about many things. And he had a lamp before him,

and in his hand a tablet of pine wood, whereon he wrote. But he seemed

not to remain in the same mind about that which he wrote; for now he

would blot out the letters, and then would write them again; and now

he fastened the seal upon the tablet and then brake it. And as he did

this he wept, and was like to a man distracted. But after a while he

called to an old man, his attendant (the man had been given in time

past by Tyndareus to his daughter, Queen Clytaemnestra), and said:

"Old man, thou knowest how Galchas the soothsayer bade me offer for a

sacrifice to Artemis, who is goddess of this place, my daughter

Iphigenia, saying that so only should the army have a prosperous

voyage from this place to Troy, and should take the city and destroy

it; and how when I heard these words I bade Talthybius the herald go

throughout the army and bid them depart, every man to his own country,

for that I would not do this thing; and how my brother, King Menelaus,

persuaded me so that I consented to it. Now, therefore, hearken to

this, for what I am about to tell thee three men only know, namely,

Calchas, the soothsayer, and Menelaus, and Ulysses, King of Ithaca. I

wrote a letter to my wife the Queen, that she should send her daughter

to this place, that she might be married to King Achilles; and I

magnified the man to her, saying that he would in no wise sail with us

unless I would give him my daughter in marriage. But now I have

changed my purpose, and have written another letter after this

fashion, as I will now set forth to thee: 'DAUGHTER OF LEDA, SEND

NOT THY CHILD TO THE LAND OF EUBOEA, FOR I WILL GIVE HER IN MARRIAGE

AT ANOTHER TIME.'"

"Ay," said the old man, "but how wilt thou deal with King Achilles?

Will he not be wroth, hearing that he hath been cheated of his wife?"

"Not so," answered the King, "for we have indeed used his name, but he

knoweth nothing of this marriage. And now make haste. Sit not thou

down by any fountain in the woods, and suffer not thine eyes to sleep.

And beware lest the chariot bearing the Queen and her daughter pass

thee where the roads divide. And see that thou keep the seal upon this

letter unbroken."

So the old man departed with the letter. But scarcely had he left the

tent when King Menelaus spied him and laid hands on him, taking the

letter and breaking the seal. And the old man cried out:

"Help, my lord; here is one hath taken thy letter!"

Then King Agamemnon came forth from his tent, saying:

"What meaneth this uproar and disputing that I hear?"

But even as he spake there came a messenger, saying:

"King Agamemnon, I am come, as thou badest me, with thy daughter

Iphigenia. Also her mother, Queen Clytaemnestra, is come, bringing

with her her little son, Orestes. And now they are resting themselves

and their horses by the side of a spring, for indeed the way is long

and weary. And all the army is gathered about them. And men question

much wherefore they are come, saying, 'Doth the King make a marriage

for his daughter; or hath he sent for her, desiring to see her?'"

King Agamemnon was sore dismayed when he knew that the Queen was come,

and spake to himself:

"Now what shall I say to my wife? For that she is rightly come to the

marriage of her daughter who can deny? But what will she say when she

knoweth my purpose? And of the maiden, what shall I say? Unhappy

maiden whose bridegroom shall be Death! For she will cry to me, 'Wilt

thou kill me, my father?' And the little Orestes will wail, not

knowing what he doeth, seeing he is but a babe."

And now King Menelaus came, saying that he repented, "For why should

thy child die for me? What hath she to do with war? Let the army be

scattered, so that wrong be not done."

Then said King Agamemnon:

"But how shall I escape from this strait? For the whole host will

compel me to this deed?"

"Not so," said King Menelaus, "if thou wilt send back the maiden to

Argos."

"But what shall that profit," said the King; "for Calchas will cause

the matter to be known; or Ulysses, saying that I have failed of my

promise; and if I fly to Argos, they will come and destroy my city and

lay waste my land. Woe is me! in what a strait am I set! But take

care, my brother, that Clytaemnestra hear nothing of these things."

When he had ended speaking, the Queen herself came unto the tent,

riding in a chariot, having her daughter by her side. And she bade one

of the attendants take out with care the caskets which she had brought

for her daughter and bade others help her daughter to alight, and

herself also, and to a fourth she said that he should take the young

Orestes. Then Iphigenia greeted her father, saying:

"Thou hast done well to send for me, my father."

"'Tis true and yet not true, my child."

"Thou lookest not well pleased to see me, my father."

"He that is a king and commandeth a host hath many cares."

"Put away thy cares awhile, and give thyself to me."

"I am glad beyond measure to see thee."

"Glad art thou? Then why dost thou weep?"

"I weep because thou must be long time absent from me."

"Perish all these fightings and troubles!"

"They will cause many to perish, and me most miserably of all."

"Art thou going a journey from me, my father?"

"Ay, and thou also hast a journey to make."

"Must I make it alone, or with my mother?"

"Alone; neither father nor mother may be with thee."

"Sendest thou me to dwell elsewhere?"

"Hold thy peace: such things are not for maidens to inquire."

"Well, my father, order matters with the Phrygians, and then make

haste to return."

"I must first make a sacrifice to the gods."

"'Tis well. The gods should have due honour."

"Ay, and thou wilt stand close to the altar."

"Shall I lead the dances, my father?"

"O my child, how I envy thee, that thou knowest naught! And now go

into the tent; but first kiss me, and give me thy hand, for thou shalt

be parted from thy father for many days."

And when she was gone within, he cried:

"O fair bosom and very lovely cheeks and yellow hair of my child! O

city of Priam, what woe thou bringest on me! But I must say no more."

Then he turned to the Queen, and excused himself that he wept when he

should rather have rejoiced for the marriage of his daughter. And when

the Queen would know of the estate of the bridegroom, he told her that

his name was Achilles, and that he was the son of Peleus and Thetis,

daughter of Nereus of the sea, and that he dwelt in Phthia. And when

she inquired of the time of the marriage, he said that it should be in

the same moon, on the first lucky day; and as to the place, that it

must be where the bridegroom was sojourning, that is to say, in the

camp. "And I," said the King, "will give the maiden to her husband."

"But where," answered the Queen, "is it your pleasure that I should

be?"

"Thou must return to Argos, and care for the maidens there."

"Sayest thou that I return? Who then will hold up the torch for the

bride?"

"I will do that which is needful. For it is not seemly that thou

shouldst be present where the whole army is gathered together."

"Ay, but it is seemly that a mother should give her daughter in

marriage."

"But the maidens at home should not be left alone."

"They are well kept."

"Be persuaded, lady."

"Not so; thou shalt order that which is without the house, but I that

which is within."

But now came Achilles, to tell the King that the army was growing

impatient, saying, that unless they might sail speedily, they would

return each man to his home. And when the Queen heard his name--for he

had said to the attendant, "Tell thy master that Achilles, the son of

Peleus, would speak with him"--she came forth from the tent and

greeted him, and bade him give her his right hand. And when the young

man was abashed she said:

"But why art thou abashed, seeing that thou art about to marry my

daughter?"

And he answered:

"What sayest thou, lady? I cannot speak for wonder at thy words."

"Often men are ashamed when they see new friends, and the talk is of

marriage."

"But lady, I never was suitor for thy daughter. Nor have the sons of

Atreus said aught to me of the matter."

The Queen was beyond measure astonished, and cried:

"Now this is shameful indeed, that I should seek a bridegroom for my

daughter in such fashion."

But when Achilles would have departed, to inquire of the King what

this thing might mean, the old man that had at the first carried the

letter came forth, and bade him stay. And when he had assurance that

he would receive no harm for what he should tell them, he unfolded

the whole matter. And when the Queen had heard it, she cried to

Achilles:

"O son of Thetis of the sea! help me now in this strait, and help this

maiden that hath been called thy bride! 'Twill be a shame to thee if

such wrong be done under thy name; for it is thy name that hath undone

us. Nor have I any altar to which I may flee, nor any friend but thee

only in this army."

Then Achilles made answer:

"Lady, I learnt from the most righteous of men to be true and honest.

Know, then, that thy daughter, seeing that she hath been given, though

but in word only, to me, shall not be slain by her father. For if she

so die, then shall my name be brought to great dishonour, since

through it thou hast been persuaded to come with her to this place.

This sword shall see right soon whether anyone will dare to take this

maiden from me."

And now King Agamemnon came forth, saying that all things were ready

for the marriage, and that they waited for the maiden.

"Tell me," cried the Queen, "dost thou purpose to slay thy daughter

and mine?" And when he was silent, not knowing, indeed, what to say,

she reproached him with many words, that she had been a loving and

faithful wife to him, for which he made an ill recompense slaying her

child.

And when she had made an end of speaking, the maiden came forth from

the tent, holding the young child Orestes in her arms, and cast

herself upon her knees before her father, and besought him, saying:

"I would, my father, that I had the voice of Orpheus, who made even

the rocks to follow him, that I might persuade thee; but now all that

I have I give, even these tears. O my father, I am thy child; slay me

not before my time. This light is sweet to look upon. Drive me not

from it to the land of darkness. I was the first to call thee father;

and the first to whom thou didst say 'my child.' And thou wouldst say

to me, 'Some day, my child, I shall see thee a happy wife in the home

of a husband.' And I would answer, 'And I will receive thee with all

love when thou art old, and pay thee back for all the benefits thou

hast done unto me.' This I indeed remember, but thou forgettest; for

thou art ready to slay me. Do it not, I beseech thee, by Pelops thy

grandsire, and Atreus thy father, and this my mother. And thou, O my

brother, though thou art but a babe, help me. Weep with me; beseech

thy father that he slay not thy sister. O my father, though he be

silent, yet, indeed, he beseecheth thee. For his sake, therefore, yea,

and for mine own, have pity upon me, and slay me not."

But the King was sore distracted, knowing not what he should say or

do, for a terrible necessity was upon him, seeing that the army could

not make their journey to Troy unless this deed should first be done.

And while he doubted came Achilles, saying that there was a horrible

tumult in the camp, the men crying out that the maiden must be

sacrificed, and that when he would have stayed them from their

purpose, the people had stoned him with stones. Nevertheless, he said

that he would fight for the maiden, even to the utmost; and that there

were faithful men who would stand with and help him. But when the

maiden heard these words, she stood forth and said:

"Hearken, my mother. Be not wroth with my father, for we cannot fight

against Fate. Also we must take thought that this young man suffer

not, for his help will avail naught, and he himself will perish.

Therefore I am resolved to die. All Greece looketh to me. Without me

the ships cannot make their voyage, nor the city of Troy be taken.

Wherefore I will give myself for the people. Offer me for an offering;

and let the Greeks take the city of Troy, for this shall be my

memorial for ever."

Then said Achilles:

"Lady, I should count myself most happy if the gods would grant thee

to be my wife. For I love thee well, when I see thee how noble thou

art. And if thou wilt, I will carry thee to my home. And I doubt not

that I shall save thee, though all the men of Greece be against me."

But the maiden answered:

"What I say, I say with full purpose. Nor will I that any man should

die for me, but rather will I save this land of Greece."

And Achilles said:

"If this be thy will, lady, I cannot say nay. It is a noble thing that

thou doest."

Nor was the maiden turned from her purpose though her mother besought

her with many tears. So they that were appointed led her to the grove

of Artemis, where there was built an altar, and the whole army of the

Greeks gathered about. When the King saw her going to her death he

covered his face with his mantle; but she stood by him, and said:

"I give my body with a willing heart to die for my country and for the

whole land of Greece. I pray the gods that ye may prosper, and win the

victory in this war, and come back safe to your homes. And now let no

man touch me, for I will offer my neck to the sword with a good

heart."

And all men marvelled to see the maiden of what a good courage she

was. Then the herald Talthybius stood in the midst and commanded

silence to the people; and Calchas the soothsayer put a garland about

her head, and drew a sharp knife from his sheath. And all the army

stood regarding the maiden and the priest and the altar.

Then there befell a marvellous thing. Calchas struck with his knife,

for the sound of the stroke all men heard, but the maiden was not

there. Whither she had gone no one knew; but in her stead there lay a

great hind, and all the altar was red with the blood thereof.

And Calchas said:

"See ye this, men of Greece, how the goddess hath provided this

offering in the place of the maiden, for she would not that her altar

should be defiled with innocent blood. Be of good courage, therefore,

and depart every man to his ship, for this day ye shall sail across

the sea to the land of Troy."