Return of Orestes and Plan for Vengeance — Sophocles, Electra, lines 1–87, Greek & English

ὦ τοῦ στρατηγήσαντος ἐν Τροίᾳ ποτὲ

O son of Agamemnon who once commanded the army at Troy,

Ἀγαμέμνονος παῖ, νῦν ἐκεῖνʼ ἔξεστί σοι

now it is permitted for you, present here,

παρόντι λεύσσειν, ὧν πρόθυμος ἦσθʼ ἀεί.

to behold those things which you were always eager to see.

τὸ γὰρ παλαιὸν Ἄργος οὑπόθεις τόδε,

For this is the ancient Argos which you used to desire,

τῆς οἰστροπλῆγος ἄλσος Ἰνάχου κόρης·

the grove of the gadfly-stung daughter of Inachus;

αὕτη δʼ, Ὀρέστα, τοῦ λυκοκτόνου θεοῦ

and this, Orestes, is the Lycean marketplace of the wolf-slaying god;

ἀγορὰ Λύκειος· οὑξ ἀριστερᾶς δʼ ὅδε

and on the left here is

Ἥρας ὁ κλεινὸς ναός· οἷ δʼ ἱκάνομεν,

the famous temple of Hera; and as for the place where we have arrived,

φάσκειν¹ Μυκήνας τὰς πολυχρύσους ὁρᾶν

say that you see Mycenae rich in gold

πολύφθορόν τε δῶμα Πελοπιδῶν τόδε,

and this ruin-laden house of the Pelopidae,

ὅθεν σε πατρὸς ἐκ φονῶν ἐγώ ποτε

from which, after your father’s murder, I once

πρὸς σῆς ὁμαίμου καὶ κασιγνήτης λαβὼν

took you from your sister, who is of the same blood,

ἤνεγκα κἀξέσωσα κἀξεθρεψάμην

and carried you away, saved you, and reared you

τοσόνδʼ ἐς ἥβης, πατρὶ τιμωρὸν φόνου.

to this point of youth, as an avenger of your father’s murder.

νῦν οὖν, Ὀρέστα καὶ σὺ φίλτατε ξένων

Now therefore, Orestes, and you, Pylades, dearest of guest-friends,

Πυλάδη, τί χρὴ δρᾶν ἐν τάχει βουλευτέον·

we must deliberate quickly what needs to be done;

ὡς ἡμὶν ἤδη λαμπρὸν ἡλίου σέλας

since the bright light of the sun already

ἑῷα κινεῖ φθέγματʼ ὀρνίθων σαφῆ

awakens for us the clear morning songs of birds,

μέλαινά τʼ ἄστρων ἐκλέλοιπεν εὐφρόνη.

and the dark night of stars has vanished.

πρὶν οὖν τινʼ ἀνδρῶν ἐξοδοιπορεῖν στέγης,

Therefore, before any of the men come forth from the house,

ξυνάπτετον λόγοισιν· ὡς ἐνταῦθʼ ἐμέν,

join together in counsel; for we are at that point

ἵνʼ οὐκέτʼ ὀκνεῖν καιρός, ἀλλʼ ἔργων ἀκμή.

where there is no longer time to hesitate, but it is the peak of action.

ὦ φίλτατʼ ἀνδρῶν προσπόλων, ὥς μοι σαφῆ

O dearest of servant-men, how clearly

σημεῖα φαίνεις ἐσθλὸς εἰς ἡμᾶς γεγώς.

you show signs of being noble toward us.

ὥσπερ γὰρ ἵππος εὐγενής, κἂν ᾖ γέρων,

For just as a noble horse, even if he is old,

ἐν τοῖσι δεινοῖς θυμὸν οὐκ ἀπώλεσεν,

does not lose his spirit in dangers

ἀλλʼ ὀρθὸν οὖς ἵστησιν, ὡσαύτως δὲ σὺ

but pricks up his ears, in the same way you

ἡμᾶς τʼ ὀτρύνεις καὐτὸς ἐν πρώτοις ἕπει.

both urge us on and yourself follow among the first.

τοιγὰρ τὰ μὲν δόξαντα δηλώσω, σὺ δὲ

Therefore, I will declare what seems best; and you,

ὀξεῖαν ἀκοὴν τοῖς ἐμοῖς λόγοις διδούς,

giving sharp hearing to my words,

εἰ μή τι καιροῦ τυγχάνω, μεθάρμοσον.

if I do not hit the mark, correct me.

ἐγὼ γὰρ ἡνίχʼ ἱκόμην τὸ Πυθικὸν

For when I came to the Pythian

μαντεῖον, ὡς μάθοιμʼ ὅτῳ τρόπῳ πατρὶ

oracle, in order that I might learn in what way

δίκας ἀροίμην τῶν φονευσάντων πάρα,

I might exact vengeance for my father from his murderers,

χρῇ μοι τοιαῦθʼ ὁ Φοῖβος ὧν πεύσει τάχα·

Phoebus declared to me such things as you shall soon hear:

ἄσκευον αὐτὸν ἀσπίδων τε καὶ στρατοῦ

that I myself, without the equipment of shields or an army,

δόλοισι κλέψαι χειρὸς ἐνδίκους σφαγάς.

should steal by stealth the just slaughter of my hand.

ὅτʼ οὖν τοιόνδε χρησμὸν εἰσηκούσαμεν,

Therefore, since we heard such an oracle,

σὺ μὲν μολών, ὅταν σε καιρὸς εἰσάγῃ,

you, going inside these chambers when opportunity leads you in,

δόμων ἔσω τῶνδʼ, ἴσθι πᾶν τὸ δρώμενον,

find out all that is being done,

ὅπως ἂν εἰδὼς ἡμὶν ἀγγείλῃς σαφῆ.

so that, knowing, you may report to us clearly.

οὐ γάρ σε μὴ γήρᾳ τε καὶ χρόνῳ μακρῷ

For they will certainly not recognize you through your old age and the long time,

γνῶσʼ,² οὐδʼ ὑποπτεύσουσιν ὧδʼ ἠνθισμένον.

nor will they suspect you, thus adorned with grey hair.

λόγῳ δὲ χρῶ τοιῷδʼ, ὅτι ξένος μὲν εἶ

And use such a story: that you are a stranger,

Φωκέως παρʼ ἀνδρὸς Φανοτέως ἥκων· ὃ γὰρ

coming from Phanoteus, a man of Phocis; for he

μέγιστος αὐτοῖς τυγχάνει δορυξένων.

happens to be the greatest of their spear-allies.

ἄγγελλε δʼ ὅρκον προστιθεὶς ὁθούνεκα

And announce, adding an oath, that

τέθνηκʼ Ὀρέστης ἐξ ἀναγκαίας τύχης,

Orestes is dead by a fatal accident,

ἄθλοισι Πυθικοῖσιν ἐκ τροχηλάτων

thrown from his wheel-driven chariot

δίφρων κυλισθείς· ὧδʼ ὁ μῦθος ἑστάτω.³

at the Pythian games; let the story stand thus.

ἡμεῖς δὲ πατρὸς τύμβον, ὡς ἐφίετο,

And we, having first crowned my father’s tomb, as he commanded,

λοιβαῖσι πρῶτον καὶ καρατόμοις χλιδαῖς

with libations and offerings of shorn hair,

στέψαντες εἶτʼ ἄψορρον ἥξομεν πάλιν,

will then come back again,

τύπωμα χαλκόπλευρον ἠρμένοι χεροῖν,

carrying in our hands a bronze-sided urn,

ὃ καὶ σὺ θάμνοις οἶσθά που κεκρυμμένον,

which you also know is hidden somewhere in the bushes,

ὅπως λόγῳ κλέπτοντες ἡδεῖαν φάτιν

so that, deceiving them by our story,

φέρωμεν αὐτοῖς, τοὐμὸν ὡς ἔρρει δέμας

we may bring them glad news, that my body is gone,

φλογιστὸν ἤδη καὶ κατηνθρακωμένον.

already burned and turned to ashes.

τί γάρ με λυπεῖ τοῦθʼ, ὅταν λόγῳ θανὼν

For what does this pain me, when, dead in word,

ἔργοισι σωθῶ κἀξενέγκωμαι κλέος;

I am saved in deed and win glory?

δοκῶ μέν, οὐδὲν ῥῆμα σὺν κέρδει κακόν.

I think no word is bad if it brings profit.

ἤδη γὰρ εἶδον πολλάκις καὶ τοὺς σοφοὺς

For already I have often seen even the wise

λόγῳ μάτην θνῄσκοντας· εἶθʼ, ὅταν δόμους

falsely dying in report; then, when

ἔλθωσιν αὖθις, ἐκτετίμηνται πλέον·

they return home again, they are honored even more.

ὡς κἄμʼ ἐπαυχῶ τῆσδε τῆς φήμης ἄπο

So I boast that from this rumor I too,

δεδορκότʼ ἐχθροῖς ἄστρον ὣς λάμψειν ἔτι.

alive, will yet shine upon my enemies like a star.

ἀλλʼ, ὦ πατρῴα γῆ θεοί τʼ ἐγχώριοι,

But, O ancestral land and gods of the country,

δέξασθέ μʼ εὐτυχοῦντα ταῖσδε ταῖς ὁδοῖς,

receive me with good fortune on these journeys,

σύ τʼ, ὦ πατρῷον δῶμα· σοῦ γὰρ ἔρχομαι

and you, O ancestral house; for I come

δίκῃ καθαρτὴς πρὸς θεῶν ὡρμημένος·

as a purifier of you by justice, sent by the gods.

καὶ μή μʼ ἄτιμον τῆσδʼ ἀποστείλητε γῆς,

And do not send me away in dishonor from this land,

ἀλλʼ ἀρχέπλουτον καὶ καταστάτην δόμων.

but as master of its wealth and restorer of my house.

εἴρηκα μέν νυν ταῦτα· σοὶ δʼ ἤδη, γέρον,

Now I have said these things; but for you, old man,

τὸ σὸν μελέσθω βάντι φρουρῆσαι χρέος.

let your duty be your care as you go to keep watch.

νὼ δʼ ἔξιμεν· καιρὸς γάρ, ὅσπερ ἀνδράσιν

And we two shall go forth; for it is the opportune moment, which

μέγιστος ἔργου παντός ἐστʼ ἐπιστάτης.

is the greatest director of every action for men.

ἰώ μοί μοι δύστηνος.

Alas, wretched me!

καὶ μὴν θυρῶν⁴ ἔδοξα προσπόλων τινὸς

And indeed, child, I thought I heard one of the servants

ὑποστενούσης ἔνδον αἰσθέσθαι, τέκνον.

inside groaning low near the doors.

ἆρʼ ἐστὶν ἡ δύστηνος Ἠλέκτρα· θέλεις

Can it be the wretched Electra? Do you wish

μείνωμεν αὐτοῦ κἀπακούσωμεν γόων;

us to remain here and listen to her laments?

ἥκιστα· μηδὲν πρόσθεν ἢ τὰ Λοξίου

By no means. Let us attempt nothing before

πειρώμεθʼ ἔρδειν κἀπὸ τῶνδʼ ἀρχηγετεῖν,

we perform the commands of Loxias, and make our beginning from these,

πατρὸς χέοντες λουτρά· ταῦτα γὰρ φέρει

pouring libations to your father; for this brings

νίκην τʼ ἐφʼ ἡμῖν καὶ κράτος τῶν δρωμένων.

victory to us and power over what is to be done.

ὦ φάος ἁγνὸν

O holy light,

καὶ γῆς ἰσόμοιρʼ ἀήρ, ὥς μοι

and air co-extensive with the earth, how many...

Syntax notes4 items

9φάσκειν
An absolute infinitive used in place of an imperative. Although it could theoretically depend on ἔξεστί σοι (§2), it is best understood as an independent command ('say that...', 'declare that...').
42οὐ γάρ σε μὴ ... γνῶσʼ
The construction οὐ μή with the subjunctive (here the aorist 3rd person plural γνῶσι, elided to γνῶσʼ) expresses a strong, emphatic negative future assertion ('for they will certainly not recognize you').
50ὧδʼ ὁ μῦθος ἑστάτω
An idiomatic expression using ἑστάτω (perfect active imperative 3rd person singular of ἵστημι), meaning 'let the story be established in this way' or 'let this be the official tale.'
78θυρῶν
A genitive of place, or depending on ἔνδον ('inside the doors'). Although the verb of perception αἰσθέσθαι governs the genitive of the person (τινός), θυρῶν functions independently to indicate the location of the sound.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0011.tlg005.humanitext-grc2:1-87