Report of Orestes' Death and Clytemnestra's Reaction — Sophocles, Electra, lines 718–803, Greek & English

718

ὁμοῦ γὰρ ἀμφὶ νῶτα καὶ τροχῶν βάσεις

For at the same time, the breath of the horses kept foaming

ἤφριζον, εἰσέβαλλον ἱππικαὶ πνοαί.

and blowing around their backs and the wheels’ tracks.

720

κεῖνος δʼ ὑπʼ αὐτὴν ἐσχάτην στήλην ἔχων

And he, keeping his wheel-axle always close to the very edge of the pillar,

ἔχριμπτʼ ἀεὶ σύριγγα, δεξιὸν δʼ ἀνεὶς

let go the right trace-horse while

σειραῖον ἵππον εἶργε τὸν προσκείμενον.¹

holding back the inner one.

καὶ πρὶν μὲν ὀρθοὶ πάντες ἕστασαν δίφροι·

And before indeed, all the chariots stood upright;

ἔπειτα δʼ Αἰνιᾶνος ἀνδρὸς ἄστομοι

but then the hard-mouthed fillies of the Aenian man

725

πῶλοι βίᾳ φέρουσιν· ἐκ δʼ ὑποστροφῆς

carried him away by force, and turning back,

τελοῦντες ἕκτον ἕβδομόν τʼ ἤδη δρόμον

as they were completing already their sixth and seventh course,

μέτωπα συμπαίουσι Βαρκαίοις ὄχοις·

they crashed their foreheads against the Barcaean chariot.

κἀντεῦθεν ἄλλος ἄλλον ἐξ ἑνὸς κακοῦ

And from then on, one from another, from a single mishap, was crashing

ἔθραυε κἀνέπιπτε, πᾶν δʼ ἐπίμπλατο

and falling upon each other, and all was filled

730

ναυαγίων Κρισαῖον ἱππικῶν πέδον.

with chariot-wreckage in the Crisaean plain of horses.

γνοὺς δʼ οὑξ Ἀθηνῶν δεινὸς ἡνιοστρόφος

But the clever charioteer from Athens, perceiving this,

ἔξω παρασπᾷ κἀνακωχεύει παρεὶς

pulled his horses aside and held them back, letting pass

κλύδωνʼ ἔφιππον ἐν μέσῳ κυκώμενον.

the wave of horses and chariots that was surging in the middle.

ἤλαυνε δʼ ἔσχατος μέν, ὑστέρας δʼ ἔχων

And Orestes was driving last, keeping

735

πώλους Ὀρέστης, τῷ τέλει πίστιν φέρων·

his fillies behind, placing his trust in the finish.

ὅπως δʼ ὁρᾷ μόνον νιν ἐλλελειμμένον,

But as soon as he saw him left alone,

ὀξὺν διʼ ὤτων κέλαδον ἐνσείσας θοαῖς

sending a sharp shout through the ears of his swift

πώλοις διώκει, κἀξισώσαντε ζυγὰ

fillies, he pursued him; and having leveled their yokes

ἠλαυνέτην, τότʼ ἄλλος, ἄλλοθʼ ἅτερος

they drove together, now one, now the other

740

κάρα προβάλλων ἱππικῶν ὀχημάτων.

putting the heads of their chariots in front.

καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἄλλους πάντας ἀσφαλεῖς δρόμους

And through all the other courses indeed,

ὡρμᾶθʼ ὁ τλήμων ὀρθὸς ἐξ ὀρθῶν δίφρων·

the wretched man urged on safely, upright from his upright chariot.

ἔπειτα λύων ἡνίαν ἀριστερὰν

But then, while loosening the left rein

κάμπτοντος ἵππου λανθάνει στήλην ἄκραν

as the horse was turning, he struck the very edge of the pillar without realizing it,

745

παίσας·² ἔθραυσε δʼ ἄξονος μέσας χνόας

and shattered the middle wheel-hubs of the axle.

κἀξ ἀντύγων ὤλισθεν· ἐν δʼ ἑλίσσεται

And he slipped from the chariot-rim and was entangled

τμητοῖς ἱμᾶσι· τοῦ δὲ πίπτοντος πέδῳ

in the cut reins; and as he fell to the ground,

πῶλοι διεσπάρησαν ἐς μέσον δρόμον.

the fillies dispersed toward the middle of the course.

στρατὸς δʼ ὅπως ὁρᾷ νιν ἐκπεπτωκότα

And when the crowd saw him fallen

750

δίφρων, ἀνωλόλυξε τὸν νεανίαν,

from the chariot, they raised a shriek for the young man,

οἷʼ ἔργα δράσας οἷα λαγχάνει κακά,³

that having done such deeds, he meets with such evils,

φορούμενος πρὸς οὖδας, ἄλλοτʼ οὐρανῷ

now being dragged along the ground, now showing

σκέλη προφαίνων, ἔς τέ νιν διφρηλάται,

his legs to the sky, until the charioteers,

μόλις κατασχεθόντες ἱππικὸν δρόμον,

having with difficulty stopped the horses’ course,

755

ἔλυσαν αἱματηρόν, ὥστε μηδένα

released him all bloody, so that no

γνῶναι φίλων ἰδόντʼ ἂν ἄθλιον δέμας.

friend on seeing it would have recognized his wretched body.

καί νιν πυρᾷ κέαντες εὐθὺς ἐν βραχεῖ

And having burned him on a pyre straightway,

χαλκῷ μέγιστον σῶμα δειλαίας σποδοῦ

in a small bronze urn the mighty body of wretched ashes

φέρουσιν ἄνδρες Φωκέων τεταγμένοι,

men of the Phocians appointed for this bring,

760

ὅπως πατρῴας τύμβον ἐκλάχῃ χθονός.

so that he may obtain a tomb in his fatherland.

τοιαῦτά σοι ταῦτʼ ἐστίν, ὡς μὲν ἐν λόγῳ

Such indeed are these things for you, painful

ἀλγεινά, τοῖς δʼ ἰδοῦσιν, οἵπερ εἴδομεν,

in story, but to those who saw them, as we did,

μέγιστα πάντων ὧν ὄπωπʼ ἐγὼ κακῶν.

the greatest of all evils I have ever beheld.

φεῦ φεῦ· τὸ πᾶν δὴ δεσπόταισι τοῖς πάλαι

Chorus: Alas, alas! The whole race of our ancient masters,

765

πρόρριζον, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἔφθαρται γένος.

as it seems, is destroyed root and branch.

ὦ Ζεῦ, τί ταῦτα, πότερον εὐτυχῆ λέγω,

Clytemnestra: O Zeus, what is this? Am I to call it fortunate,

ἢ δεινὰ μέν, κέρδη δέ; λυπηρῶς δʼ ἔχει,

or terrible but gainful? Yet it is painful

εἰ τοῖς ἐμαυτῆς τὸν βίον σῴζω κακοῖς.⁴

if I save my life through my own misfortunes.

τί δʼ ὧδʼ ἀθυμεῖς, ὦ γύναι, τῷ νῦν λόγῳ;

Tutor: Why are you so despondent, lady, at the present news?

770

δεινὸν τὸ τίκτειν ἐστίν· οὐδὲ γὰρ κακῶς

Clytemnestra: To give birth is a wondrously powerful thing; for not

πάσχοντι μῖσος ὧν τέκῃ προσγίγνεται.

even when suffering ill does hatred come upon one toward those whom she bore.

μάτην ἄρʼ ἡμεῖς, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἥκομεν.

Tutor: In vain then, as it seems, have we come.

οὔτοι μάτην γε· πῶς γὰρ ἂν μάτην λέγοις,

Clytemnestra: Not in vain indeed; for how could you say in vain,

εἴ μοι θανόντος πίστʼ ἔχων τεκμήρια

if you came to me having sure proofs of his death?

775

προσῆλθες, ὅστις τῆς ἐμῆς ψυχῆς γεγώς,

He who, born of my own soul,

μαστῶν ἀποστὰς καὶ τροφῆς ἐμῆς, φυγὰς

departed from my breasts and my nurture,

ἀπεξενοῦτο⁵ καί μʼ, ἐπεὶ τῆσδε χθονὸς

became a stranger and an exile, and after he left

ἐξῆλθεν, οὐκέτʼ εἶδεν, ἐγκαλῶν δέ μοι

this land, saw me no more, but accusing me of

φόνους πατρῴους δείνʼ ἐπηπείλει τελεῖν;

his father’s murder, threatened to perform terrible deeds.

780

ὥστʼ οὔτε νυκτὸς ὕπνον οὔτʼ ἐξ ἡμέρας

So that neither by night could sweet sleep

ἐμὲ στεγάζειν ἡδύν, ἀλλʼ ὁ προστατῶν

cover me, nor by day, but the impending

χρόνος διῆγέ μʼ αἰὲν ὡς θανουμένην.

time always led me as one about to die.

νῦν δʼ—ἡμέρᾳ γὰρ τῇδʼ ἀπήλλαγμαι φόβου

But now—for on this day I am freed from fear

πρὸς τῆσδʼ ἐκείνου θʼ· ἥδε γὰρ μείζων βλάβη

of her and of him; for she was a greater bane

785

ξύνοικος ἦν μοι, τοὐμὸν ἐκπίνουσʼ ἀεὶ

dwelling with me, always drinking up

ψυχῆς ἄκρατον αἷμα—νῦν δʼ ἕκηλά που

my soul’s unmixed blood—now indeed we

τῶν τῆσδʼ ἀπειλῶν οὕνεχʼ ἡμερεύσομεν.

shall pass our days in peace, as far as her threats are concerned.

οἴμοι τάλαινα· νῦν γὰρ οἰμῶξαι πάρα,

Electra: Wretched me! For now is the time to lament

Ὀρέστα, τὴν σὴν ξυμφοράν, ὅθʼ ὧδʼ ἔχων

your misfortune, Orestes, when being in this state

790

πρὸς τῆσδʼ ὑβρίζει μητρός. ἆρʼ ἔχει καλῶς;

you are insulted by this mother of yours. Is it well with things?

οὔτοι σύ· κεῖνος δʼ ὡς ἔχει καλῶς ἔχει.

Clytemnestra: Not indeed for you; but as he is, it is well with him.

ἄκουε, Νέμεσι τοῦ θανόντος ἀρτίως.

Electra: Hear, Nemesis of him who has recently died!

ἤκουσεν ὧν δεῖ κἀπεκύρωσεν καλῶς.

Clytemnestra: She heard what was necessary and ordained it well.

ὕβριζε· νῦν γὰρ εὐτυχοῦσα τυγχάνεις.

Electra: Insult on; for now you happen to be prosperous.

795

οὔκουν Ὀρέστης καὶ σὺ παύσετον τάδε.

Clytemnestra: Certainly Orestes and you will not stop this.

πεπαύμεθʼ ἡμεῖς, οὐχ ὅπως σὲ παύσομεν.

Electra: We have been stopped, not so that we might stop you.

πολλῶν ἂν ἥκοις, ὦ ξένʼ, ἄξιος τυχεῖν,

Clytemnestra: You would have come, stranger, worthy to obtain many things,

εἰ τήνδʼ ἔπαυσας τῆς πολυγλώσσου βοῆς.

if you have stopped this woman from her loud-tongued clamor.

οὐκοῦν ἀποστείχοιμʼ ἄν, εἰ τάδʼ εὖ κυρεῖ.

Tutor: Then I might depart, if these things are well.

800

ἥκιστʼ· ἐπείπερ οὔτʼ ἐμοῦ κατάξιʼ ἂν

Clytemnestra: By no means; since you would act worthily

πράξειας οὔτε τοῦ πορεύσαντος ξένου.

neither of me nor of the host who sent you.

ἀλλʼ εἴσιθʼ εἴσω· τήνδε δʼ ἔκτοθεν βοᾶν

But enter within; and let her

ἔα τά θʼ αὑτῆς καὶ τὰ τῶν φίλων κακά.

shout outside, and bewail her own and her friends’ evils.

Syntax notes5 items

721δεξιὸν δʼ ἀνεὶς / σειραῖον ἵππον εἶργε τὸν προσκείμενον.
It describes the chariot driving technique where the driver slackens (ἀνείς) the right trace-horse (δεξιὸν ... σειραῖον ἵππον) to let it run faster, while restraining (εἶργε) the inner horse (τὸν προσκείμενον) to turn tightly around the post.
744λανθάνει στήλην ἄκραν / παίσας
The verb λανθάνω combined with the participle (παίσας) expresses doing something without realizing it ("he struck the pillar without noticing"). It describes how Orestes struck the corner of the post unawares.
751οἷʼ ἔργα δράσας οἷα λαγχάνει κακά
An exclamatory clause with repeated relative pronouns (οἷος). It contrasts the participle clause οἷʼ ἔργα δράσας ("having done such glorious deeds") with the main clause οἷα λαγχάνει κακά ("what terrible evils he meets with"), emphasizing the tragic fall of his fortune.
767λυπηρῶς δʼ ἔχει, / εἰ τοῖς ἐμαυτῆς τὸν βίον σῴζω κακοῖς
λυπηρῶς ἔχει is an impersonal expression meaning "it is painful/grievous." The following εἰ clause, while conditional in form ("if I save my life"), functions as a factual noun or causal clause explaining why the situation is painful ("that I save my life by my own misfortunes").
775ὅτις τῆς ἐμῆς ψυχῆς γεγώς ... ἀπεξενοῦτο
A long relative clause introduced by the nominative relative pronoun ὅστις, referring back to the genitive antecedent θανόντος ("him who died"). The main verbs governed by ὅστις are ἀπεξενοῦτο ("became an exile/stranger") and ἐπηπείλει ("threatened"), with several participles (γεγώς, ἀποστάς, ἐγκαλῶν) interposed.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0011.tlg005.humanitext-grc2:718-803