The Messenger's False Report of Orestes' Death — Sophocles, Electra, lines 633–717, Greek & English

633

τοὐμὸν στόμʼ,¹ ὡς οὐκ ἂν πέρα λέξαιμʼ ἔτι.

[I will close] my mouth, so that I may say no more.

ἔπαιρε δὴ σὺ θύμαθʼ ἡ παροῦσά μοιπάγκαρπʼ, ἄνακτι τῷδʼ ὅπως λυτηρίουςεὐχὰς ἀνάσχω δειμάτων, ἃ νῦν ἔχω.

Do you, my handmaid who are present, raise the offerings of all kinds of fruits, so that I may offer to this king prayers that release me from the fears which I now have.

κλύοις ἂν ἤδη, Φοῖβε προστατήριε,κεκρυμμένην μου βάξιν· οὐ γὰρ ἐν φίλοιςὁ μῦθος, οὐδὲ πᾶν ἀναπτύξαι πρέπειπρὸς φῶς παρούσης τῆσδε πλησίας ἐμοί,μὴ σὺν φθόνῳ τε καὶ πολυγλώσσῳ βοῇσπείρῃ ματαίαν βάξιν εἰς πᾶσαν πόλιν.

Hear now, Phoebus our protector, my hidden speech; for my words are not among friends, nor is it fitting to unfold everything to the light when this girl is present near me, lest with malice and loud-tongued clamor she sow a vain rumor throughout the whole city.

ἀλλʼ ὧδʼ ἄκουε· τῇδε γὰρ κἀγὼ φράσω.

But hear me thus; for in this way I also will speak.

ἃ γὰρ προσεῖδον νυκτὶ τῇδε φάσματαδισσῶν ὀνείρων, ταῦτά μοι, Λύκειʼ ἄναξ,εἰ μὲν πέφηνεν ἐσθλά, δὸς τελεσφόρα,εἰ δʼ ἐχθρά, τοῖς ἐχθροῖσιν ἔμπαλιν μέθες·

The phantoms of double dreams which I saw this night, these, O King Lyceus, if they have appeared as good, grant that they be fulfilled, but if as hostile, turn them back upon my enemies.

καὶ μή με πλούτου τοῦ παρόντος εἴ τινεςδόλοισι βουλεύουσιν ἐκβαλεῖν, ἐφῇς,ἀλλʼ ὧδέ μʼ αἰεὶ ζῶσαν ἀβλαβεῖ βίῳδόμους Ἀτρειδῶν σκῆπτρά τʼ ἀμφέπειν τάδε,φίλοισί τε ξυνοῦσαν οἷς ξύνειμι νῦνεὐημεροῦσαν καὶ τέκνων ὅσων ἐμοὶδύσνοια μὴ πρόσεστιν ἢ λύπη πικρά.

And if any are plotting by guile to cast me out from my present wealth, do not permit it, but let me always live thus in a harmless life, managing the house of the Atreidae and these sceptres, living with the friends with whom I live now, in prosperity, and with such of my children from whom no ill-will or bitter pain is present to me.

655

ταῦτʼ, ὦ Λύκειʼ Ἄπολλον, ἵλεως κλύωνδὸς πᾶσιν ἡμῖν ὥσπερ ἐξαιτούμεθα.

Hear these things, O Lycean Apollo, with favor, and grant them to us all just as we pray.

τὰ δʼ ἄλλα πάντα καὶ σιωπώσης ἐμοῦἐπαξιῶ σε δαίμονʼ ὄντʼ ἐξειδέναι·τοὺς ἐκ Διὸς γὰρ εἰκός ἐστι πάνθʼ ὁρᾶν.

As for all other things, even if I am silent, I deem it right that you, being a god, should know them; for it is natural for those born of Zeus to see all things.

660

ξέναι γυναῖκες, πῶς ἂν εἰδείην σαφῶςεἰ τοῦ τυράννου δώματʼ Αἰγίσθου τάδε;

Foreign women, how might I know clearly if these are the dwellings of the ruler Aegisthus?

τάδʼ ἐστίν, ὦ ξένʼ· αὐτὸς ᾔκασας καλῶς.

These are they, stranger; you yourself have guessed well.

ἦ καὶ δάμαρτα τήνδʼ ἐπεικάζων κυρῶκείνου; πρέπει γὰρ ὡς τύραννος εἰσορᾶν.

Do I then hit the mark in guessing this lady to be his wife? For she is fitting to look upon as a queen.

665

μάλιστα πάντων· ἥδε σοι κείνη πάρα.

Most of all; this is she who is present before you.

ὦ χαῖρʼ, ἄνασσα· σοὶ φέρων ἥκω λόγουςἡδεῖς φίλου παρʼ ἀνδρὸς Αἰγίσθῳ θʼ ὁμοῦ.

O hail, queen; I come bringing pleasant words to you and to Aegisthus alike from a friendly man.

ἐδεξάμην τὸ ῥηθέν· εἰδέναι δέ σουπρώτιστα χρῄζω τίς σʼ ἀπέστειλεν βροτῶν.

I accept what has been said; but first of all I wish to know from you who of mortals sent you.

670

Φανοτεὺς ὁ Φωκεύς, πρᾶγμα πορσύνων μέγα.

Phanoteus of Phocis, preparing a great matter.

τὸ ποῖον, ὦ ξένʼ; εἰπέ· παρὰ φίλου γὰρ ὢν

Of what kind, stranger? Speak; for being from a friendly man, I know well, you will speak friendly words.

ἀνδρός, σάφʼ οἶδα, προσφιλεῖς λέξεις λόγους.τέθνηκʼ Ὀρέστης· ἐν βραχεῖ ξυνθεὶς λέγω.

Orestes is dead; I speak summing it up in brief.

οἲ ʼγὼ τάλαινʼ, ὄλωλα τῇδʼ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ.

Ah, wretched me, I am destroyed on this day!

675

τί φής, τί φής, ὦ ξεῖνε; μὴ ταύτης κλύε.

What do you say, what do you say, stranger? Do not listen to her!

θανόντʼ Ὀρέστην νῦν τε καὶ πάλαι λέγω.

I say now and of old that Orestes is dead.

ἀπωλόμην δύστηνος, οὐδέν εἰμʼ ἔτι.

I am destroyed, miserable one, I am nothing anymore!

σὺ μὲν τὰ σαυτῆς πρᾶσσʼ, ἐμοὶ δὲ σύ, ξένε,τἀληθὲς εἰπέ, τῷ τρόπῳ διόλλυται;

You indeed mind your own business; but you, stranger, tell me the truth, in what way does he perish?

680

κἀπεμπόμην πρὸς ταῦτα καὶ τὸ πᾶν φράσω.

I was sent for this, and I will tell the whole story.

κεῖνος γὰρ ἐλθὼν εἰς τὸ κλεινὸν Ἑλλάδοςπρόσχημʼ ἀγῶνος Δελφικῶν ἄθλων χάριν,ὅτʼ ᾔσθετʼ ἀνδρὸς ὀρθίων κηρυγμάτωνδρόμον προκηρύξαντος, οὗ πρώτη κρίσις,εἰσῆλθε λαμπρός, πᾶσι τοῖς ἐκεῖ σέβας·

For he, having come to the glorious ornament of Greece for the sake of the Delphic games, when he heard the loud herald announcing the race, of which the trial is first, entered shining, an object of reverence to all who were there.

δρόμου δʼ ἰσώσας τἀφέσει τὰ τέρματα²νίκης ἔχων ἐξῆλθε πάντιμον γέρας.

And having made the end of his course equal to the start, he came out holding the all-honored prize of victory.

χὤπως μὲν ἐν πολλοῖσι παῦρά σοι λέγωοὐκ οἶδα τοιοῦδʼ ἀνδρὸς ἔργα καὶ κράτη·ἓν δʼ ἴσθʼ· ὅσων γὰρ εἰσεκήρυξαν βραβῆς

And that I may tell you few things out of many, I do not know the deeds and victories of such a man; but know one thing: of all the prizes which the judges proclaimed,

τούτων ἐνεγκὼν πάντα τἀπινίκιαὠλβίζετʼ, Ἀργεῖος μὲν ἀνακαλούμενος,ὄνομα δʼ Ὀρέστης, τοῦ τὸ κλεινὸν ἙλλάδοςἈγαμέμνονος στράτευμʼ ἀγείραντός ποτε.

he carried off all the victories and was congratulated, being proclaimed an Argive, Orestes by name, the son of Agamemnon who once gathered the glorious host of Greece.

καὶ ταῦτα μὲν τοιαῦθʼ· ὅταν δέ τις θεῶνβλάπτῃ, δύναιτʼ ἂν οὐδʼ ἂν ἰσχύων φυγεῖν.

And these things indeed were so; but when some god brings harm, not even a strong man could escape.

κεῖνος γὰρ ἄλλης ἡμέρας, ὅθʼ ἱππικῶνἦν ἡλίου τέλλοντος ὠκύπους ἀγών,εἰσῆλθε πολλῶν ἁρματηλατῶν μέτα.

For he on another day, when at sunrise there was the swift-footed contest of chariot-racing, entered with many charioteers.

εἷς ἦν Ἀχαιός, εἷς ἀπὸ Σπάρτης, δύοΛίβυες ζυγωτῶν ἁρμάτων ἐπιστάται·κἀκεῖνος ἐν τούτοισι, Θεσσαλὰς ἔχωνἵππους, ὁ πέμπτος· ἕκτος ἐξ Αἰτωλίαςξανθαῖσι πώλοις· ἕβδομος Μάγνης ἀνήρ·ὁ δʼ ὄγδοος λεύκιππος, Αἰνιὰν γένος·ἔνατος Ἀθηνῶν τῶν θεοδμήτων ἄπο·Βοιωτὸς ἄλλος, δέκατον ἐκπληρῶν ὄχον.

One was an Achaean, one from Sparta, two Libyans, masters of yoked chariots; and he among them, having Thessalian horses, was the fifth; the sixth from Aetolia with chestnut fillies; the seventh a Magnesian man; the eighth with white horses, an Aenian by race; the ninth from Athens built by gods; another a Boeotian, completing the tenth chariot.

στάντες δʼ ἵνʼ αὐτοὺς οἱ τεταγμένοι βραβῆςκλήροις ἔπηλαν καὶ κατέστησαν δίφρους,χαλκῆς ὑπαὶ σάλπιγγος ᾖξαν· οἱ δʼ ἅμαἵπποις ὁμοκλήσαντες ἡνίας χεροῖνἔσεισαν· ἐν δὲ πᾶς ἐμεστώθη δρόμοςκτύπου κροτητῶν ἁρμάτων· κόνις δʼ ἄνωφορεῖθʼ· ὁμοῦ δὲ πάντες ἀναμεμιγμένοιφείδοντο κέντρων οὐδέν, ὡς ὑπερβάλοιχνόας τις αὐτῶν καὶ φρυάγμαθʼ ἱππικά.

And standing where the appointed judges had shaken them by lot and established their chariots, they started at the sound of the bronze trumpet; and all together, shouting to their horses, shook the reins with their hands; and the whole course was filled with the din of rattling chariots; and the dust was carried upwards; and all mixed together, spared the whips not at all, so that each might pass the wheels and the snorting of the horses of the others.

Syntax notes2 items

633τοὐμὸν στόμʼ
An accusative meaning 'my mouth', with an implied verb meaning 'to close' or 'to keep silent' (such as κλείω or ἐῶ). Following the previous exchange, this indicates Clytemnestra's determination to keep quiet now that Electra has finished speaking, so that she can proceed with the sacred sacrifice in solemn silence.
686δρόμου δʼ ἰσώσας τἀφέσει τὰ τέρματα
Literally 'having made the end (τέρμα) equal to the start (ἄφεσις) of the race.' This is an idiomatic expression indicating that Orestes maintained a consistently superb speed from beginning to end, running flawlessly throughout the course.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0011.tlg005.humanitext-grc2:633-717