§1378εἰς ἔμʼ Ἑλλὰς ἡ μεγίστη πᾶσα νῦν ἀποβλέπει, §1379κἀν ἐμοὶ πορθμός τε ναῶν καὶ Φρυγῶν κατασκαφαὶ §1380τάς τε μελλούσας γυναῖκας, ἤν τι δρῶσι βάρβαροι, §1381μηκέθʼ ἁρπάζειν ἐᾶν τούσδʼ ὀλβίας ἐξ Ἑλλάδος, §1382τὸν Ἑλένης τείσαντας ὄλεθρον, ἣν ἀνήρπασεν Πάρις.
[Iphigenia] Now all of greatest Greece looks toward me, [Iphigenia] and upon me depend the passage of the ships and the destruction of the Phrygians, [Iphigenia] and the prevention of any future seizure of women from rich Greece by barbarians, [Iphigenia] if they should attempt anything, [Iphigenia] by making them pay for the destruction of Helen, whom Paris snatched away.
[Iphigenia] All these things I shall rescue by dying, and my fame, [Iphigenia] as the one who set Greece free, will become blessed.
§1385καὶ γὰρ οὐδέ τοί τι λίαν ἐμὲ φιλοψυχεῖν χρεών· §1386πᾶσι γάρ μʼ Ἕλλησι κοινὸν ἔτεκες, οὐχὶ σοὶ μόνῃ.
[Iphigenia] For indeed, I ought not to cling to life too much; [Iphigenia] for you bore me for all Greeks in common, not for yourself alone.
§1387ἀλλὰ μυρίοι μὲν ἄνδρες ἀσπίσιν πεφραγμένοι, §1388μυρίοι δʼ ἐρέτμʼ ἔχοντες, πατρίδος ἠδικημένης, §1389δρᾶν τι τολμήσουσιν ἐχθροὺς χὑπὲρ Ἑλλάδος θανεῖν, §1390ἡ δʼ ἐμὴ ψυχὴ μίʼ οὖσα πάντα κωλύσει τάδε;
[Iphigenia] But myriads of men fenced with shields, [Iphigenia] and myriads having oars, since their fatherland was wronged, [Iphigenia] will dare to act against the enemies and die for Greece— [Iphigenia] and shall my single life prevent all of this?
§1391τί τὸ δίκαιον τοῦτό γε;
[Iphigenia] What justice is there in this?
ἆρʼ ἔχοιμʼ ἂν ἀντειπεῖν ἔπος;
Could I have any word to say against it?
§1392κἀπʼ ἐκεῖνʼ ἔλθωμεν· οὐ δεῖ τόνδε διὰ μάχης μολεῖν §1393πᾶσιν Ἀργείοις γυναικὸς εἵνεκʼ οὐδὲ κατθανεῖν.
[Iphigenia] And let us come to that point: this man must not go to battle [Iphigenia] with all the Argives for the sake of a woman, nor must he die.
§1394εἷς γʼ ἀνὴρ κρείσσων γυναικῶν μυρίων ὁρᾶν φάος.
[Iphigenia] For one man indeed is better to see the light of day than ten thousand women.
[Iphigenia] And if Artemis has willed to take my body, [Iphigenia] shall I, being mortal, become an obstacle to the goddess?
§1397ἀλλʼ ἀμήχανον· δίδωμι σῶμα τοὐμὸν Ἑλλάδι.
[Iphigenia] No, it is impossible; I give my body to Greece.
§1398θύετʼ, ἐκπορθεῖτε Τροίαν.
[Iphigenia] Sacrifice me, destroy Troy!
ταῦτα γὰρ μνημεῖά μου §1399διὰ μακροῦ, καὶ παῖδες οὗτοι καὶ γάμοι καὶ δόξʼ ἐμή.
For these are my monuments [Iphigenia] through the long ages, and these are my children, my marriage, and my glory.
§1400βαρβάρων δʼ Ἕλληνας ἄρχειν εἰκός, ἀλλʼ οὐ βαρβάρους, §1401μῆτερ, Ἑλλήνων· τὸ μὲν γὰρ δοῦλον, οἳ δʼ ἐλεύθεροι.
[Iphigenia] It is fitting for Greeks to rule barbarians, but not barbarians, [Iphigenia] mother, to rule Greeks; for the former is slave, but the latter are free.
[Chorus] Your part, O maiden, is noble; [Chorus] but that of fortune and that of the goddess is diseased.
[Achilles] O child of Agamemnon, some of the gods [Achilles] was destined to make me happy, if I should obtain your marriage.
§1406ζηλῶ δὲ σοῦ μὲν Ἑλλάδʼ, Ἑλλάδος δὲ σέ.
[Achilles] I envy Greece for your sake, and you for Greece's sake.
§1407εὖ γὰρ τόδʼ εἶπας ἀξίως τε πατρίδος· §1408τὸ θεομαχεῖν γὰρ ἀπολιποῦσʼ, ὅ σου κρατεῖ, §1409ἐξελογίσω τὰ χρηστὰ τἀναγκαῖά τε.
[Achilles] For you have spoken this well and worthily of your country; [Achilles] since, leaving aside fighting against the god who rules over you, [Achilles] you have calculated what is good and necessary.
[Achilles] But even more desire for your marriage comes upon me [Achilles] when I look at your nature; for you are noble.
§1412ὅρα δʼ· ἐγὼ γὰρ βούλομαί σʼ εὐεργετεῖν §1413λαβεῖν τʼ ἐς οἴκους· ἄχθομαί τʼ, ἴστω Θέτις, §1414εἰ μή σε σώσω Δαναΐδαισι διὰ μάχης §1415ἐλθών.
[Achilles] But see to it; for I wish to benefit you [Achilles] and to receive you into my home; and I shall grieve, let Thetis know, [Achilles] if I do not save you by going to battle against the sons of Danaus.
ἄθρησον· ὁ θάνατος δεινὸν κακόν.
[Achilles] Consider: death is a terrible evil.
§1416λέγω τάδʼ οὐδὲν οὐδένʼ εὐλαβουμένη.
[Iphigenia] I say these things without fearing anyone.
§1417ἡ Τυνδαρὶς παῖς διὰ τὸ σῶμʼ ἀρκεῖ μάχας §1418ἀνδρῶν τιθεῖσα καὶ φόνους· σὺ δʼ, ὦ ξένε, §1419μὴ θνῇσκε διʼ ἐμὲ μηδʼ ἀποκτείνῃς τινά, §1420ἔα δὲ σῷσαί μʼ Ἑλλάδʼ, ἢν δυνώμεθα.
[Iphigenia] The daughter of Tyndareus is sufficient by causing battles [Iphigenia] and slaughters of men because of her body; but you, O stranger, [Iphigenia] do not die because of me, nor kill anyone, [Iphigenia] but let me save Greece, if we are able.
§1421ὦ λῆμʼ ἄριστον, οὐκ ἔχω πρὸς τοῦτʼ ἔτι §1422λέγειν, ἐπεί σοι τάδε δοκεῖ· γενναῖα γὰρ §1423φρονεῖς· τί γὰρ τἀληθὲς οὐκ εἴποι τις ἄν;
[Achilles] O most noble spirit, I have nothing more to say [Achilles] against this, since this seems good to you; for you think [Achilles] noble thoughts; for why should anyone not speak the truth?
§1424ὅμως δʼ, ἴσως γὰρ κἂν μεταγνοίης τάδε, §1426ἐλθὼν τάδʼ ὅπλα θήσομαι βωμοῦ πέλας, §1427ὡς οὐκ ἐάσων σʼ ἀλλὰ κωλύσων θανεῖν.
[Achilles] But nevertheless, since perhaps you might change your mind about this, [Achilles] I will go and place these arms near the altar, [Achilles] as one who will not permit you but will prevent you from dying.
[Achilles] And you too will perhaps make use of my words, [Achilles] when you see the sword near your neck.
§1430οὔκουν ἐάσω σʼ ἀφροσύνῃ τῇ σῇ θανεῖν· §1431ἐλθὼν δὲ σὺν ὅπλοις τοῖσδε πρὸς ναὸν θεᾶς §1432καραδοκήσω σὴν ἐκεῖ παρουσίαν.
[Achilles] Therefore I will not allow you to die through your folly; [Achilles] but going with these arms to the temple of the goddess, [Achilles] I will wait there for your arrival.
§1433μῆτερ, τί σιγῇ δακρύοις τέγγεις κόρας;
[Iphigenia] Mother, why do you silently wet your eyes with tears?
§1434ἔχω τάλαινα πρόφασιν ὥστʼ ἀλγεῖν φρένα.
[Clytemnestra] I, wretched woman, have a pretext so as to grieve in my heart.
§1435παῦσαι· ʼμὲ μὴ κάκιζε· τάδε δέ μοι πιθοῦ.
[Iphigenia] Cease; do not make me a coward; but obey me in this.
§1436λέγʼ· ὡς παρʼ ἡμῶν οὐδὲν ἀδικήσῃ, τέκνον.
[Clytemnestra] Speak; for you will not be wronged in any way by us, child.
[Iphigenia] Do not, then, cut off your lock of hair, [Iphigenia] nor put black robes around your body.
§1439τί δὴ τόδʼ εἶπας, τέκνον; ἀπολέσασά σε;
[Clytemnestra] Why indeed do you say this, child, when I am losing you?
§1440οὐ σύ γε· σέσῳσμαι, κατʼ ἐμὲ δʼ εὐκλεὴς ἔσῃ.
[Iphigenia] Not indeed losing; I am saved, and because of me you will be glorious.
§1441πῶς εἶπας;
[Clytemnestra] How do you say?
οὐ πενθεῖν με σὴν ψυχὴν χρεών;
Ought I not to mourn your life?
§1442ἥκιστʼ, ἐπεί μοι τύμβος οὐ χωσθήσεται.
[Iphigenia] Least of all, since no tomb will be heaped up for me.
§1443τί δαί;
[Clytemnestra] Why so?
τὸ θνῄσκειν, οὐ τάφος, νομίζεται.
To die is customarily thought to involve a tomb.
§1444βωμὸς θεᾶς μοι μνῆμα τῆς Διὸς κόρης.
[Iphigenia] The altar of the goddess, the daughter of Zeus, is my monument.
§1445ἀλλʼ, ὦ τέκνον, σοὶ πείσομαι· λέγεις γὰρ εὖ.
[Clytemnestra] But, O child, I will obey you; for you speak well.
§1446ὡς εὐτυχοῦσά γʼ Ἑλλάδος τʼ εὐεργέτις.
[Iphigenia] Yes, as one who is fortunate and a benefactor of Greece.