The Capture of Aegisthus and Completion of Revenge — Sophocles, Electra, lines 1431–1510, Greek & English

1431

εἰσορᾶτε ποῦ τὸν ἄνδρʼ;

Electra: Do you see where the man is?

ἐφʼ ἡμῖν οὗτος ἐκ προαστίου

Chorus: He is coming from the suburbs towards us,

χωρεῖ γεγηθὼς

walking with joy.

βᾶτε κατʼ ἀντιθύρων ὅσον τάχιστα,

Electra: Go behind the opposite doors as quickly as possible,

1435

νῦν, τὰ πρὶν εὖ θέμενοι, τάδʼ ὡς πάλιν.

now, having settled the former things well, do this in turn.

θάρσει· τελοῦμεν.

Orestes: Be of good courage; we will accomplish it.

ᾗ νοεῖς ἔπειγέ νυν.

Electra: Hurry then, as you intend.

καὶ δὴ βέβηκα.

Orestes: And indeed I am gone.

τἀνθάδʼ ἂν μέλοιτʼ ἐμοί.

Electra: The things here shall be my care.

διʼ ὠτὸς ἂν παῦρά γʼ ὡς ἠπίως ἐννέπειν¹

Chorus: It would be useful to whisper a few words gently into his ear,

1440

πρὸς ἄνδρα τόνδε συμφέροι, λαθραῖον ὡς

to this man, so that he may rush secretly

ὀρούσῃ πρὸς δίκας ἀγῶνα.

into the struggle of justice.

τίς οἶδεν ὑμῶν ποῦ ποθʼ οἱ Φωκῆς ξένοι,

Aegisthus: Who of you knows where the Phocian strangers are,

οὕς φασʼ Ὀρέστην ἡμὶν ἀγγεῖλαι βίον

who they say have brought us news that Orestes

λελοιπόθʼ ἱππικοῖσιν ἐν ναυαγίοις;

has lost his life in a chariot wreck?

1445

σέ τοι, σὲ κρίνω, ναὶ σέ, τὴν ἐν τῷ πάρος

You there, yes you, I ask, who in former

χρόνῳ θρασεῖαν· ὡς μάλιστα σοὶ μέλειν

time were so bold; for I think it concerns you most,

οἶμαι, μάλιστα δʼ ἂν κατειδυῖαν φράσαι.

and that you, knowing best, could tell.

ἔξοιδα· πῶς γὰρ οὐχί; συμφορᾶς γὰρ ἂν

Electra: I know it well; for how could I not? Otherwise I should be

ἔξωθεν εἴην τῶν ἐμῶν τῆς φιλτάτης.²

a stranger to the misfortune of my dearest relative.

1450

ποῦ δῆτʼ ἂν εἶεν οἱ ξένοι; δίδασκέ με.

Aegisthus: Where then might the strangers be? Teach me.

ἔνδον· φίλης γὰρ προξένου κατήνυσαν.

Electra: Inside; for they have made their way to a friendly hostess.

ἦ καὶ θανόντʼ ἤγγειλαν ὡς ἐτητύμως;

Aegisthus: Did they really report that he was dead in truth?

οὔκ, ἀλλὰ κἀπέδειξαν, οὐ λόγῳ μόνον.

Electra: No, but they have even shown it, not in words alone.

πάρεστʼ ἄρʼ ἡμῖν ὥστε κἀμφανῆ μαθεῖν;

Aegisthus: Is it present then for us to learn clearly?

1455

πάρεστι δῆτα, καὶ μάλʼ ἄζηλος θέα.

Electra: It is indeed present, and a most unenviable sight.

ἦ πολλὰ χαίρειν μʼ εἶπας οὐκ εἰωθότως.

Aegisthus: Indeed, you have given me much joy, contrary to your custom.

χαίροις ἄν, εἴ σοι χαρτὰ τυγχάνοι τάδε.

Electra: You may rejoice, if these things happen to be joyful to you.

σιγᾶν ἄνωγα κἀναδεικνύναι πύλας

Aegisthus: I command you to keep silence and to throw open the gates

πᾶσιν Μυκηναίοισιν Ἀργείοις θʼ ὁρᾶν,

for all Mycenaeans and Argives to see,

1460

ὡς εἴ τις αὐτῶν ἐλπίσιν κεναῖς πάρος

so that if any of them was previously puffed up

ἐξῄρετʼ ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε, νῦν ὁρῶν νεκρὸν

by empty hopes of this man, now seeing him dead

στόμια δέχηται τἀμὰ μηδὲ πρὸς βίαν

he may accept my bit, and not, meeting with me

ἐμοῦ κολαστοῦ προστυχὼν φύσῃ φρένας.

as a chastiser, be made wise by force.

καὶ δὴ τελεῖται τἀπʼ ἐμοῦ· τῷ γὰρ χρόνῳ

Electra: And indeed my part is being performed; for with time

1465

νοῦν ἔσχον, ὥστε συμφέρειν τοῖς κρείσσοσιν.

I have gained sense, so as to agree with the stronger.

ὦ Ζεῦ, δέδορκα φάσμʼ ἄνευ φθόνου μὲν οὐ

Aegisthus: O Zeus, I see a sight which has not fallen without divine envy;

πεπτωκός·³ εἰ δʼ ἔπεστι νέμεσις, οὐ λέγω.

but if Nemesis is there, I do not say so.

χαλᾶτε πᾶν κάλυμμʼ ἀπʼ ὀφθαλμῶν, ὅπως

Loose every covering from the eyes, so that

τὸ συγγενές τοι κἀπʼ ἐμοῦ θρήνων τύχῃ.

kinship may receive laments from me too.

1470

αὐτὸς σὺ βάσταζʼ· οὐκ ἐμὸν τόδʼ, ἀλλὰ σόν,

Orestes: Lift it yourself; this is not my part, but yours,

τὸ ταῦθʼ ὁρᾶν τε καὶ προσηγορεῖν φίλως.

both to look upon these things and to address them lovingly.

ἀλλʼ εὖ παραινεῖς κἀπιπείσομαι· σὺ δέ,

Aegisthus: Indeed you advise well, and I will obey; but you,

εἴ που κατʼ οἶκόν μοι Κλυταιμνήστρα, κάλει.

if Clytemnestra is anywhere in the house, call her.

αὕτη πέλας σοῦ· μηκέτʼ ἄλλοσε σκόπει.

Orestes: She is near you; look no longer elsewhere.

1475

οἴμοι, τί λεύσσω;

Aegisthus: Alas, what do I see?

τίνα φοβεῖ; τίνʼ ἀγνοεῖς;

Orestes: Whom do you fear? Whom do you fail to recognize?

τίνων ποτʼ ἀνδρῶν ἐν μέσοις ἀρκυστάτοις πέπτωχʼ ὁ τλήμων;

Aegisthus: Into the midst of what men’s nets have I fallen, wretched that I am?

οὐ γὰρ αἰσθάνει πάλαι

Orestes: Do you not perceive that you have long

ζῶντας θανοῦσιν οὕνεκʼ ἀνταυδᾷς ἴσα;⁴

been addressing the living on equal terms as if they were dead?

1480

οἴμοι, ξυνῆκα τοὔπος· οὐ γὰρ ἔσθʼ ὅπως

Aegisthus: Alas, I understand the word; for it cannot be but that

ὅδʼ οὐκ Ὀρέστης ἔσθʼ ὁ προσφωνῶν ἐμέ.

this one addressing me is Orestes.

καὶ μάντις ὢν ἄριστος ἐσφάλλου πάλαι.

Orestes: Though you are a most excellent prophet, you were deceived all along.

ὄλωλα δὴ δείλαιος. ἀλλά μοι πάρες

Aegisthus: I am ruined, wretched that I am. But permit me

κἂν σμικρὸν εἰπεῖν.

to speak even a little.

μὴ πέρα λέγειν ἔα

Electra: Do not let him speak further,

1485

πρὸς θεῶν, ἀδελφέ, μηδὲ μηκύνειν λόγους.

by the gods, brother, nor prolong the discourse.

τί γὰρ βροτῶν ἂν σὺν κακοῖς μεμιγμένων

For what advantage of time could a mortal mixed with evils,

θνῄσκειν ὁ μέλλων οὐ χρόνου κέρδος φέροι;

who is about to die, gain by delay?

ἀλλʼ ὡς τάχιστα κτεῖνε καὶ κτανὼν πρόθες

But kill him as quickly as possible, and, having killed him, expose him

ταφεῦσιν, ὧν τόνδʼ εἰκός ἐστι τυγχάνειν,

to such buriers as it is fitting for him to obtain,

1490

ἄποπτον ἡμῶν· ὡς ἐμοὶ τόδʼ ἂν κακῶν

out of our sight; since this alone would be

μόνον γένοιτο τῶν πάλαι λυτήριον.

the sole deliverance from past evils.

χωροῖς ἂν εἴσω σὺν τάχει· λόγων γὰρ οὐ

Orestes: Go inside with speed; for the contest now

νῦν ἐστιν ἁγών, ἀλλὰ σῆς ψυχῆς πέρι.

is not about words, but about your life.

τί δʼ ἐς δόμους ἄγεις με; πῶς, τόδʼ εἰ καλὸν

Aegisthus: But why do you lead me into the house? How, if this deed is honorable,

τοὔργον, σκότου δεῖ κοὐ πρόχειρος εἶ κτανεῖν;

does it need darkness, and why are you not ready to kill me at once?

1495

μὴ τάσσε· χώρει δʼ ἔνθαπερ κατέκτανες

Orestes: Do not command; but go to the very place where you slew

πατέρα τὸν ἀμόν, ὡς ἂν ἐν ταὐτῷ θάνῃς.

my father, so that you may die in the same place.

ἦ πᾶσʼ ἀνάγκη τήνδε τὴν στέγην ἰδεῖν

Aegisthus: Is it absolutely necessary for this roof to behold

τά τʼ ὄντα καὶ μέλλοντα Πελοπιδῶν κακά;

the present and future evils of the Pelopidae?

τὰ γοῦν σʼ· ἐγώ σοι μάντις εἰμὶ τῶνδʼ ἄκρος.

Orestes: Yours, at least; I am a most excellent prophet to you of these.

1500

ἀλλʼ οὐ πατρῴαν τὴν τέχνην ἐκόμπασας.

Aegisthus: But you did not inherit this art from your father.

πόλλʼ ἀντιφωνεῖς, ἡ δʼ ὁδὸς βραδύνεται.

Orestes: You reply too much, and our journey is delayed.

ἀλλʼ ἕρφʼ.

Aegisthus: Go on then.

ὑφηγοῦ.

Orestes: Lead the way.

σοὶ βαδιστέον πάρος.

Aegisthus: You must walk first.

ἦ μὴ φύγω σε;

Orestes: Lest I escape you?

μὴ μὲν οὖν καθʼ ἡδονὴν

Orestes: No, rather lest you should die

θάνῃς· φυλάξαι δεῖ με τοῦτό σοι πικρόν.

pleasurably; I must keep this bitter for you.

1505

χρῆν δʼ εὐθὺς εἶναι τήνδε τοῖς πᾶσιν δίκην,

Orestes: Indeed, this punishment should be direct for all,

ὅστις πέρα πράσσειν τι τῶν νόμων θέλει,

whoever wishes to act beyond the laws,

κτείνειν· τὸ γὰρ πανοῦργον οὐκ ἂν ἦν πολύ.

to kill them; for then wickedness would not be abundant.

ὦ σπέρμʼ Ἀτρέως, ὡς πολλὰ παθὸν

Chorus: O seed of Atreus, how, having suffered many things,

διʼ ἐλευθερίας μόλις ἐξῆλθες

you have with difficulty emerged into freedom,

1510

τῇ νῦν ὁρμῇ τελεωθέν.

brought to fulfillment by this present onset.

Syntax notes4 items

1439διʼ ὠτὸς ἂν παῦρά γʼ ὡς ἠπίως ἐννέπειν
The infinitive clause ἐννέπειν serves as the subject for the main verb ἂν συμφέροι in line 1440. The particle ἄν at the beginning of the clause anticipates the optative συμφέροι.
1448συμφορᾶς γὰρ ἂν ἔξωθεν εἴην τῶν ἐμῶν τῆς φιλτάτης
The adverb ἔξωθεν governs the genitive συμφορᾶς. τῶν ἐμῶν (possessive) and τῆς φιλτάτης (the dearest) form a double genitive structure of apposition or partitive relation, underscoring Electra's tragic irony.
1466φάσμʼ ἄνευ φθόνου μὲν οὐ πεπτωκός
The double negative ἄνευ φθόνου ... οὐ forms a litotes, meaning 'a sight that has fallen not without divine envy (jealousy)', implying that the sight of the corpse is of momentous consequence, worthy of divine retribution.
1479ζῶντας θανοῦσιν οὕνεκʼ ἀνταυδᾷς ἴσα
The accusative ζῶντας is the object of ἀνταυδᾷς, and the dative θανοῦσιν is governed by the adverbial ἴσα ('equally to'). Orestes points out the tragic irony that Aegisthus has been addressing the living (Orestes) on equal terms as if they were dead.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)

2026-09-21 AI review — translation 1

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0011.tlg005.humanitext-grc2:1431-1510