§1295Νυμφᾶν κεῖνται §1296λειμών τʼ ἔρνεσι θάλλων §1297χλωροῖς καὶ ῥοδόεντʼ §1299ἄνθεʼ ὑακίνθινά τε θεαῖς δρέπειν·
[Iphigenia] The nymphs' [meadows] lie, [Iphigenia] and the meadow flourishing with fresh [Iphigenia] shoots and rose-colored [Iphigenia] flowers and hyacinths for the goddesses to gather.
ἔνθα ποτὲ §1300Παλλὰς ἔμολε καὶ δολιόφρων Κύπρις §1302Ἥρα θʼ Ἑρμᾶς θʼ, ὁ Διὸς ἄγγελος, §1304ἃ μὲν ἐπὶ πόθῳ τρυφῶσα §1305Κύπρις, ἃ δὲ δορὶ Παλλάς, §1306Ἥρα τε Διὸς ἄνακτος §1307εὐναῖσι βασιλίσιν, §1308κρίσιν ἐπὶ στυγνὰν ἔριν τε §1309καλλονᾶς, ἐμοὶ δὲ θάνατον — §1310ὄνομα μὲν φέροντα Δαναΐ- §1310aδαισιν, ὦ κόραι, πρόθυμα δʼ §1311ἔλαβεν Ἄρτεμις πρὸς Ἴλιον.
There once came [Iphigenia] Pallas, and wily-minded Cypris, [Iphigenia] and Hera, and Hermes, the messenger of Zeus— [Iphigenia] Cypris, prideful in her desire, [Iphigenia] and Pallas in her spear, [Iphigenia] and Hera in her royal marriage [Iphigenia] with king Zeus— [Iphigenia] for the hateful judgment and rivalry [Iphigenia] of beauty, but for me, death— [Iphigenia] bringing indeed a name to the daughters of Danaus, [Iphigenia] O maidens, but Artemis took me [Iphigenia] as a welcome offering for Ilium.
[Iphigenia] And the father who begot me, wretched woman, [Iphigenia] O mother, O mother, [Iphigenia] has gone, leaving me abandoned.
§1315ὦ δυστάλαινʼ ἐγώ, πικρὰν §1316πικρὰν ἰδοῦσα δυσελέναν, §1317φονεύομαι διόλλυμαι §1318σφαγαῖσιν ἀνοσίοισιν ἀνοσίου πατρός.
[Iphigenia] O wretched me, having seen [Iphigenia] bitter, bitter Helen, [Iphigenia] I am slaughtered, I am destroyed [Iphigenia] by the unholy sacrifices of an unholy father.
[Iphigenia] Would that Aulis had never received [Iphigenia] into these harbors the envoy fir-tree ship, [Iphigenia] the sterns of the bronze-beaked ships!
§1321τούσδʼ εἰς ὅρμους §1322ὤφελεν ἐλάταν πομπαίαν, §1323μηδʼ ἀνταίαν Εὐρίπῳ §1324πνεῦσαι πομπὰν Ζεύς, μειλίσσων §1325αὔραν ἄλλοις ἄλλαν θνατῶν §1326λαίφεσι χαίρειν, §1327τοῖσι δὲ λύπαν, τοῖσι δʼ ἀνάγκαν, §1328τοῖς δʼ ἐξορμᾶν, τοῖς δὲ στέλλειν, §1329τοῖσι δὲ μέλλειν.
[Iphigenia] Would that Zeus had never breathed [Iphigenia] upon Euripus an adverse sending breeze, [Iphigenia] softening for some of mortals [Iphigenia] one wind, and for others another, so that they rejoice [Iphigenia] in their sails, [Iphigenia] but to some grief, to others necessity, [Iphigenia] to some to set sail, to others to furl sails, [Iphigenia] and to others to wait!
§1330ἦ πολύμοχθον ἄρʼ ἦν γένος, ἦ πολύμοχθον
[Iphigenia] How full of toil indeed is the race of mortals, [Iphigenia] how full of toil!
It is some ill-fated necessity [Iphigenia] that men must find.
[Iphigenia] Alas, alas, [Iphigenia] bringing great suffering and great griefs [Iphigenia] to the daughters of Danaus, O daughter of Tyndareus!
[Chorus] I pity you who have met [Chorus] with an evil fate, such as you should never have met.
§1338ὦ τεκοῦσα μῆτερ, ἀνδρῶν ὄχλον εἰσορῶ πέλας.
[Iphigenia] O mother who bore me, I see a crowd of men near.
§1339τόν τε τῆς θεᾶς παῖδα, τέκνον, ᾧ σὺ δεῦρʼ ἐλήλυθας.
[Clytemnestra] And the son of the goddess, child, for whom you came here.
§1340διαχαλᾶτέ μοι μέλαθρα, δμῶες, ὡς κρύψω δέμας.
[Iphigenia] Open the shelter for me, servants, so that I may hide my body.
§1341τί δὲ τέκνον, φεύγεις;
[Clytemnestra] Why do you flee, child?
§1341bἈχιλλέα τόνδʼ ἰδεῖν αἰσχύνομαι.
[Iphigenia] I am ashamed to see this Achilles.
§1342ὡς τί δή;
[Clytemnestra] For what reason?
§1342bτὸ δυστυχές μοι τῶν γάμων αἰδῶ φέρει.
[Iphigenia] The misfortune of my marriage brings me shame.
§1343οὐκ ἐν ἁβρότητι κεῖσαι πρὸς τὰ νῦν πεπτωκότα.
[Clytemnestra] You are not in a position to indulge in refinement in your present plight.
§1344ἀλλὰ μίμνʼ· οὐ σεμνότητος ἔργον, ἢν ὀνώμεθα.
[Clytemnestra] But stay; this is no time for pride, if we can be helped.
[Achilles] O wretched woman, daughter of Leda— [Clytemnestra] What you say is not false.
[Achilles] A terrible cry is being shouted among the Argives— [Clytemnestra] What cry?
σήμαινέ μοι.
Tell me.
[Achilles] Concerning your child— [Clytemnestra] You speak an evil omen.
§1348ὡς χρεὼν σφάξαι νιν.
[Achilles] That it is necessary to sacrifice her.
§1348bοὐδεὶς τοῖσδʼ ἐναντίον λέγει;
[Clytemnestra] Does no one speak against this?
[Achilles] I myself also came into danger of— [Clytemnestra] Of what, stranger?
§1350σῶμα λευσθῆναι πέτροισι.
[Achilles] Being stoned with stones.
§1350bμῶν κόρην σῴζων ἐμήν;
[Clytemnestra] Surely not while trying to save my daughter?
§1351αὐτὸ τοῦτο.
[Achilles] That very thing.
§1351bτίς δʼ ἂν ἔτλη σώματος τοῦ σοῦ θιγεῖν;
[Clytemnestra] And who would have dared to touch your body?
§1352πάντες Ἕλληνες.
[Achilles] All the Greeks.
§1352bστρατὸς δὲ Μυρμιδὼν οὔ σοι παρῆν;
[Clytemnestra] Was the Myrmidon host not present with you?
§1353πρῶτος ἦν ἐκεῖνος ἐχθρός.
[Achilles] They were the first to be hostile.
§1353bδιʼ ἄρʼ ὀλώλαμεν, τέκνον.
[Clytemnestra] We are undone indeed, my child.
§1354οἵ με τὸν γάμων ἀπεκάλουν ἥσσονα.
[Achilles] They called me the slave of my marriage.
§1354bἀπεκρίνω δὲ τί;
[Clytemnestra] And what did you answer?
[Achilles] Not to kill my intended bride— [Clytemnestra] Yes, for that was just.
§1356ἣν ἐφήμισεν πατήρ μοι.
[Achilles] Whom her father promised to me.
§1356bκαὶ Ἀργόθεν γʼ ἐπέμψατο.
[Clytemnestra] And sent for from Argos.
§1357ἀλλʼ ἐνικώμην κεκραγμοῦ.
[Achilles] But I was overcome by the shouting.
§1357bτὸ πολὺ γὰρ δεινὸν κακόν.
[Clytemnestra] For the crowd is a terrible evil.
§1358ἀλλʼ ὅμως ἀρήξομέν σοι.
[Achilles] But nevertheless we will defend you.
§1358bκαὶ μαχῇ πολλοῖσιν εἷς;
[Clytemnestra] And will you, one man, fight against many?
§1359εἰσορᾷς τεύχη φέροντας τούσδε;
[Achilles] Do you see these men carrying arms?
§1359bὄναιο τῶν φρενῶν.
[Clytemnestra] May you benefit from your noble heart.
§1360ἀλλʼ ὀνησόμεσθα.
[Achilles] But we shall benefit.
§1360bπαῖς ἄρʼ οὐκέτι σφαγήσεται;
[Clytemnestra] Will my child then not be sacrificed?
§1361οὔκ, ἐμοῦ γʼ ἑκόντος.
[Achilles] Not with my consent, at least.
§1361bἥξει δʼ ὅστις ἅψεται κόρης;
[Clytemnestra] But will someone come to lay hands on the maiden?
§1362μυρίοι γʼ, ἄξει δʼ Ὀδυσσεύς.
[Achilles] Myriads, and Odysseus will lead her.
§1362bἆρʼ ὁ Σισύφου γόνος;
[Clytemnestra] Is it the offspring of Sisyphus?
§1363αὐτὸς οὗτος.
[Achilles] That very man.
§1363bἴδια πράσσων, ἢ στρατοῦ ταχθεὶς ὕπο;
[Clytemnestra] Acting on his own, or appointed by the army?
§1364αἱρεθεὶς ἑκών.
[Achilles] Chosen willingly.
§1364bπονηράν γʼ αἵρεσιν, μιαιφονεῖν.
[Clytemnestra] A wicked choice indeed, to commit murder!
§1365ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ σχήσω νιν.
[Achilles] But I will hold him back.
§1365bἄξει δʼ οὐχ ἑκοῦσαν ἁρπάσας;
[Clytemnestra] Will he not seize and drag her against her will?
§1366δηλαδὴ ξανθῆς ἐθείρας.
[Achilles] Yes, by her golden hair, clearly.
§1366bἐμὲ δὲ δρᾶν τί χρὴ τότε;
[Clytemnestra] And what must I do then?
§1367ἀντέχου θυγατρός.
[Achilles] Hold fast to your daughter.
§1367bὡς τοῦδʼ εἵνεκʼ οὐ σφαγήσεται.
[Clytemnestra] If for this reason she will not be sacrificed.
§1368ἀλλὰ μὴν ἐς τοῦτό γʼ ἥξει.
[Achilles] But indeed it will come to this.
μάτην γάρ σʼ εἰσορῶ θυμουμένην §1370σῷ πόσει· τὰ δʼ ἀδύναθʼ ἡμῖν καρτερεῖν οὐ ῥᾴδιον.
[Iphigenia] For I see you are angry in vain with your husband; [Iphigenia] but it is not easy for us to endure impossible things.
§1371τὸν μὲν οὖν ξένον δίκαιον αἰνέσαι προθυμίας· §1372ἀλλὰ καὶ σὲ τοῦθʼ ὁρᾶν χρή, μὴ διαβληθῇ στρατῷ, §1373καὶ πλέον πράξωμεν οὐδέν, ὅδε δὲ συμφορᾶς τύχῃ.
[Iphigenia] It is indeed just to praise the stranger for his zeal; [Iphigenia] but you must also see to this, that he is not slandered by the army, [Iphigenia] and we accomplish nothing more, while he meets with misfortune.
§1374οἷα δʼ εἰσῆλθέν μʼ, ἄκουσον, μῆτερ, ἐννοουμένην· §1375κατθανεῖν μέν μοι δέδοκται· τοῦτο δʼ αὐτὸ βούλομαι §1376εὐκλεῶς πρᾶξαι, παρεῖσά γʼ ἐκποδὼν τὸ δυσγενές.
[Iphigenia] Hear, mother, what thoughts have come to me: [Iphigenia] I have resolved to die; and this very thing I wish [Iphigenia] to do gloriously, putting far away all noble-lacking baseness.
§1377δεῦρο δὴ σκέψαι μεθʼ ἡμῶν, μῆτερ, ὡς καλῶς λέγω·
[Iphigenia] Come now, consider with me, mother, how well I speak.