§1032κακῶς ἀκούειν· ἐν γὰρ Ἕλλησιν μέγας.
[Achilles] of ill repute; for he is a great man among the Greeks.
§1033ἔστιν τάδʼ· ἄρχε· σοί με δουλεύειν χρεών.
[Clytemnestra] It is so; lead on; I must be your servant.
[Clytemnestra] And if there are gods, you, being a just man, [Clytemnestra] will obtain good things from them; but if not, why must we toil?
§1036τίνʼ ἄρʼ Ὑμέναιος διὰ λωτοῦ Λίβυος §1037μετά τε φιλοχόρου κιθάρας §1038συρίγγων θʼ ὑπὸ καλαμοεσ- §1039σᾶν ἔστασεν ἰαχάν, §1040ὅτʼ ἀνὰ Πήλιον αἱ καλλιπλόκαμοι §1041δαιτὶ θεῶν ἔνι Πιερίδες §1042χρυσεοσάνδαλον ἴχνος §1043ἐν γᾷ κρούουσαι §1044Πηλέως ἐς γάμον ἦλθον, §1045μελῳδοῖς Θέτιν ἀχήμασι τόν τʼ Αἰακίδαν, §1046Κενταύρων ἐν ὄρεσι κλέουσαι §1047Πηλιάδα καθʼ ὕλαν.
[Chorus] What cry did Hymenaios raise to the sound of the Libyan flute [Chorus] and the dance-loving lyre, [Chorus] and under the reedy [Chorus] pipes, [Chorus] when on Pelion the fair-haired [Chorus] Pierides, at the feast of the gods, [Chorus] striking with golden-sandaled feet [Chorus] upon the ground, [Chorus] came to the wedding of Peleus, [Chorus] celebrating Thetis and the grandson of Aeacus in melodic songs, [Chorus] on the mountains of the Centaurs, [Chorus] through the Pelian wood?
§1049ὁ δὲ Δαρδανίδας, Διὸς §1050λέκτρων τρύφημα φίλον, §1051χρυσέοισιν ἄφυσσε λοιβὰν §1052ἐν κρατήρων γυάλοις, §1053ὁ Φρύγιος Γανυμήδης.
[Chorus] And the descendant of Dardanus, the beloved [Chorus] darling of Zeus's bed, [Chorus] drew libations in golden [Chorus] hollows of mixing-bowls, [Chorus] the Phrygian Ganymede.
§1054παρὰ δὲ λευκοφαῆ ψάμαθον §1055εἱλισσόμεναι κύκλια §1056πεντήκοντα κόραι γάμους §1057Νηρέως ἐχόρευσαν.
[Chorus] And along the white-shining sand, [Chorus] whirling in circles, [Chorus] the fifty daughters [Chorus] of Nereus danced for the wedding.
§1058ἀνὰ δʼ ἐλάταισι στεφανώδει τε χλόᾳ §1059θίασος ἔμολεν ἱπποβάτας §1060Κενταύρων ἐπὶ δαῖτα τὰν §1061θεῶν κρατῆρά τε Βάκχου.
[Chorus] and with pine branches and crowned greenery [Chorus] the horse-riding band of Centaurs came [Chorus] to the feast of the gods [Chorus] and the mixing-bowl of Bacchus.
§1062μέγα δʼ ἀνέκλαγον· Ὦ Νηρηὶ κόρα, §1063παῖδα σὲ Θεσσαλίᾳ μέγα φῶς §1064μάντις ὁ φοιβάδα μοῦσαν §1065εἰδὼς γεννάσειν §1066Χείρων ἐξονόμαζεν, §1068ὃς ἥξει χθόνα λογχήρεσι σὺν Μυρμιδόνων §1069ἀσπισταῖς Πριάμοιο κλεινὰν §1070γαῖαν ἐκπυρώσων, §1071περὶ σώματι χρυσέων §1072ὅπλων Ἡφαιστοπόνων §1073κεκορυθμένος ἔνδυτʼ, ἐκ θεᾶς §1074ματρὸς δωρήματʼ ἔχων §1075Θέτιδος, ἅ νιν ἔτικτεν. §1076μακάριον τότε δαίμονες §1077τᾶς εὐπάτριδος γάμον §1078Νηρῄδων ἔθεσαν πρώτας §1079Πηλέως θʼ ὑμεναίους.
[Chorus] And they shouted aloud: "O Nereid maiden, [Chorus] the prophet who knows the Phoebéan Muse, [Chorus] Chiron, declared that you would give birth [Chorus] to a child, a great light [Chorus] for Thessaly, [Chorus] who shall come to the land of Priam with the spear-bearing [Chorus] shield-bearers of the Myrmidons, to burn down the famous [Chorus] country, [Chorus] armed about his body with the clothing [Chorus] of golden armor wrought by Hephaestus, [Chorus] having them as gifts from his goddess [Chorus] mother Thetis, who bore him." [Chorus] Then the gods made [Chorus] the marriage of the noble [Chorus] Nereid, the first among them, [Chorus] and the wedding-song of Peleus [Chorus] blessed.
§1080—σὲ δʼ ἐπὶ κάρα στέψουσι καλλικόμαν §1081πλόκαμον Ἀργεῖοι, βαλιὰν §1082ὥστε πετραίων ἀπʼ ἄντρων §1082aἐλθοῦσαν ὀρέων §1083μόσχον ἀκήρατον, βρότειον §1084αἱμάσσοντες λαιμόν· §1085οὐ σύριγγι τραφεῖσαν οὐδʼ §1086ἐν ῥοιβδήσεσι βουκόλων, §1087παρὰ δὲ ματέρι νυμφοκόμον §1088Ἰναχίδαις γάμον.
[Chorus] —But you, on your head, on your beautiful hair, [Chorus] the Argives will crown, like a dappled [Chorus] heifer coming from the rocky caves [Chorus] of the mountains, [Chorus] an unblemished heifer, making human [Chorus] throat bloody; [Chorus] you who were not reared by the pipe nor [Chorus] amid the whistling of herdsmen, [Chorus] but by your mother's side as a bride-adorned [Chorus] wedding for the sons of Inachus.
§1089ποῦ τὸ τᾶς Αἰδοῦς §1090ἢ τὸ τᾶς Ἀρετᾶς ἔχει §1091σθένειν τι πρόσωπον, §1092ὁπότε τὸ μὲν ἄσεπτον ἔχει §1093δύνασιν, ἁ δʼ Ἀρετὰ κατόπι- §1094σθεν θνατοῖς ἀμελεῖται, §1095Ἀνομία δὲ νόμων κρατεῖ, §1096καὶ μὴ κοινὸς ἀγὼν βροτοῖς §1097μή τις θεῶν φθόνος ἔλθῃ;
[Chorus] Where does the face of Shame [Chorus] or of Virtue have [Chorus] any power, [Chorus] since impiety has [Chorus] power, and Virtue is neglected [Chorus] behind by mortals, [Chorus] and Lawlessness rules over laws, [Chorus] and mortals do not join in a common struggle [Chorus] lest some jealousy of the gods come upon them?
[Clytemnestra] I have come out of the house looking for my husband, [Clytemnestra] who has been absent a long time and has left our dwelling.
§1100ἐν δακρύοισι δʼ ἡ τάλαινα παῖς ἐμή, §1101πολλὰς ἱεῖσα μεταβολὰς ὀδυρμάτων, §1102θάνατον ἀκούσασʼ, ὃν πατὴρ βουλεύεται.
[Clytemnestra] And in tears is my wretched child, [Clytemnestra] pouring out many changing wails, [Clytemnestra] having heard of the death her father plans.
§1103μνήμην δʼ ἄρʼ εἶχον πλησίον βεβηκότος §1104Ἀγαμέμνονος τοῦδʼ, ὃς ἐπὶ τοῖς αὑτοῦ τέκνοις §1105ἀνόσια πράσσων αὐτίχʼ εὑρεθήσεται.
[Clytemnestra] And indeed, I spoke of Agamemnon who has just approached near, [Clytemnestra] who will immediately be found committing unholy deeds [Clytemnestra] against his own children.
§1106Λήδας γένεθλον, ἐν καλῷ σʼ ἔξω δόμων §1107ηὕρηχʼ, ἵνʼ εἴπω παρθένου χωρὶς λόγους §1108οὓς οὐκ ἀκούειν τὰς γαμουμένας πρέπει.
[Agamemnon] Offspring of Leda, I have found you outside the house opportunely, [Agamemnon] so that I may speak, apart from the maiden, words [Agamemnon] which it is not fitting for brides-to-be to hear.
§1109τί δʼ ἔστιν, οὗ σοι καιρὸς ἀντιλάζυται;
[Clytemnestra] What is it, the opportunity of which seizes you?
§1110ἔκπεμπε παῖδα δωμάτων πατρὸς μέτα· §1111ὡς χέρνιβες πάρεισιν εὐτρεπισμέναι, §1112προχύται τε βάλλειν πῦρ καθάρσιον χεροῖν, §1113μόσχοι τε, πρὸ γάμων ἃς θεᾷ πεσεῖν χρεών.
[Agamemnon] Send out your child from the house with her father; [Agamemnon] since the lustral waters are ready, [Agamemnon] and the barley-meal to throw with hands into the purifying fire, [Agamemnon] and the heifers which must fall before the goddess before the marriage.
[Clytemnestra] In your words you speak well, but as for your deeds, [Clytemnestra] I do not know how I can name them and speak well.
§1117χώρει δέ, θύγατερ, ἐκτός — οἶσθα γὰρ πατρὸς §1118πάντως ἃ μέλλει — χὑπὸ τοῖς πέπλοις ἄγε §1119λαβοῦσʼ Ὀρέστην, σὸν κασίγνητον, τέκνον.
[Clytemnestra] Come out, daughter—for you know indeed [Clytemnestra] all that your father intends—and bring under your robes, [Clytemnestra] taking him with you, Orestes, your brother, child.
§1120ἰδοὺ πάρεστιν ἥδε πειθαρχοῦσά σοι.
[Clytemnestra] Look, she is here, obeying you.
§1121τὰ δʼ ἄλλʼ ἐγὼ πρὸ τῆσδε κἀμαυτῆς φράσω.
[Clytemnestra] And the rest I shall speak on behalf of her and myself.
[Agamemnon] Child, why do you weep, and no longer look upon me with pleasure, [Agamemnon] but keeping your eyes cast to the ground, hold your veil before them?
§1124φεῦ·
[Clytemnestra] Alas!
§1124aτίνʼ ἂν λάβοιμι τῶν ἐμῶν ἀρχὴν κακῶν;
[Clytemnestra] What beginning of my evils should I take?
[Clytemnestra] For it is possible to use them all as first, [Clytemnestra] and in last, and in middle, everywhere.
§1127τί δʼ ἔστιν;
[Agamemnon] What is it?
ὥς μοι πάντες εἰς ἓν ἥκετε, §1128σύγχυσιν ἔχοντες καὶ ταραγμὸν ὀμμάτων.
How you have all come to one point, [Agamemnon] having confusion and trouble in your eyes.
§1129εἴφʼ ἃν ἐρωτήσω σε γενναίως, πόσι.
[Clytemnestra] Answer nobly what I shall ask you, husband.
§1130οὐδὲν κελευσμοῦ δεῖ σʼ· ἐρωτᾶσθαι θέλω.
[Agamemnon] There is no need of command; I wish to be questioned.
§1131τὴν παῖδα τὴν σὴν τήν τʼ ἐμὴν μέλλεις κτενεῖν;
[Clytemnestra] Do you intend to kill your child and mine?
§1132ἔα·
[Agamemnon] Ah!
§1132aτλήμονά γʼ ἔλεξας, ὑπονοεῖς θʼ ἃ μή σε χρή.
[Agamemnon] Cruel words you have spoken, and you suspect what you should not.
§1133ἔχʼ ἥσυχος.
[Clytemnestra] Be calm.
§1133aκἀκεῖνό μοι τὸ πρῶτον ἀπόκριναι πάλιν.
[Clytemnestra] And answer me that first again.
§1134σὺ δʼ, ἤν γʼ ἐρωτᾷς εἰκότʼ, εἰκότʼ ἂν κλύοις.
[Agamemnon] If you ask what is reasonable, you will hear what is reasonable.
§1135οὐκ ἄλλʼ ἐρωτῶ, καὶ σὺ μὴ λέγʼ ἄλλα μοι.
[Clytemnestra] I ask nothing else, and do you tell me nothing else.