§1431εἰσορᾶτε ποῦ τὸν ἄνδρʼ;
Electra: Do you see where the man is?
Chorus: He is coming from the suburbs towards us, walking with joy.
Electra: Go behind the opposite doors as quickly as possible, now, having settled the former things well, do this in turn.
§1436θάρσει· τελοῦμεν.
Orestes: Be of good courage; we will accomplish it.
§1437ᾗ νοεῖς ἔπειγέ νυν.
Electra: Hurry then, as you intend.
§1438καὶ δὴ βέβηκα.
Orestes: And indeed I am gone.
§1438aτἀνθάδʼ ἂν μέλοιτʼ ἐμοί.
Electra: The things here shall be my care.
§1439διʼ ὠτὸς ἂν παῦρά γʼ ὡς ἠπίως ἐννέπειν §1440πρὸς ἄνδρα τόνδε συμφέροι, λαθραῖον ὡς §1441ὀρούσῃ πρὸς δίκας ἀγῶνα.
Chorus: It would be useful to whisper a few words gently into his ear, to this man, so that he may rush secretly into the struggle of justice.
§1442τίς οἶδεν ὑμῶν ποῦ ποθʼ οἱ Φωκῆς ξένοι, §1443οὕς φασʼ Ὀρέστην ἡμὶν ἀγγεῖλαι βίον §1444λελοιπόθʼ ἱππικοῖσιν ἐν ναυαγίοις;
Aegisthus: Who of you knows where the Phocian strangers are, who they say have brought us news that Orestes has lost his life in a chariot wreck?
§1445σέ τοι, σὲ κρίνω, ναὶ σέ, τὴν ἐν τῷ πάρος §1446χρόνῳ θρασεῖαν· ὡς μάλιστα σοὶ μέλειν §1447οἶμαι, μάλιστα δʼ ἂν κατειδυῖαν φράσαι.
You there, yes you, I ask, who in former time were so bold; for I think it concerns you most, and that you, knowing best, could tell.
§1448ἔξοιδα· πῶς γὰρ οὐχί;
Electra: I know it well; for how could I not?
συμφορᾶς γὰρ ἂν §1449ἔξωθεν εἴην τῶν ἐμῶν τῆς φιλτάτης.
Otherwise I should be a stranger to the misfortune of my dearest relative.
§1450ποῦ δῆτʼ ἂν εἶεν οἱ ξένοι;
Aegisthus: Where then might the strangers be?
δίδασκέ με.
Teach me.
§1451ἔνδον· φίλης γὰρ προξένου κατήνυσαν.
Electra: Inside; for they have made their way to a friendly hostess.
§1452ἦ καὶ θανόντʼ ἤγγειλαν ὡς ἐτητύμως;
Aegisthus: Did they really report that he was dead in truth?
§1453οὔκ, ἀλλὰ κἀπέδειξαν, οὐ λόγῳ μόνον.
Electra: No, but they have even shown it, not in words alone.
§1454πάρεστʼ ἄρʼ ἡμῖν ὥστε κἀμφανῆ μαθεῖν;
Aegisthus: Is it present then for us to learn clearly?
§1455πάρεστι δῆτα, καὶ μάλʼ ἄζηλος θέα.
Electra: It is indeed present, and a most unenviable sight.
§1456ἦ πολλὰ χαίρειν μʼ εἶπας οὐκ εἰωθότως.
Aegisthus: Indeed, you have given me much joy, contrary to your custom.
§1457χαίροις ἄν, εἴ σοι χαρτὰ τυγχάνοι τάδε.
Electra: You may rejoice, if these things happen to be joyful to you.
§1458σιγᾶν ἄνωγα κἀναδεικνύναι πύλας §1459πᾶσιν Μυκηναίοισιν Ἀργείοις θʼ ὁρᾶν, §1460ὡς εἴ τις αὐτῶν ἐλπίσιν κεναῖς πάρος §1461ἐξῄρετʼ ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε, νῦν ὁρῶν νεκρὸν §1462στόμια δέχηται τἀμὰ μηδὲ πρὸς βίαν §1463ἐμοῦ κολαστοῦ προστυχὼν φύσῃ φρένας.
Aegisthus: I command you to keep silence and to throw open the gates for all Mycenaeans and Argives to see, so that if any of them was previously puffed up by empty hopes of this man, now seeing him dead he may accept my bit, and not, meeting with me as a chastiser, be made wise by force.
Electra: And indeed my part is being performed; for with time I have gained sense, so as to agree with the stronger.
Aegisthus: O Zeus, I see a sight which has not fallen without divine envy; but if Nemesis is there, I do not say so.
Loose every covering from the eyes, so that kinship may receive laments from me too.
Orestes: Lift it yourself; this is not my part, but yours, both to look upon these things and to address them lovingly.
Aegisthus: Indeed you advise well, and I will obey; but you, if Clytemnestra is anywhere in the house, call her.
§1474αὕτη πέλας σοῦ· μηκέτʼ ἄλλοσε σκόπει.
Orestes: She is near you; look no longer elsewhere.
§1475οἴμοι, τί λεύσσω;
Aegisthus: Alas, what do I see?
§1476τίνα φοβεῖ;
Orestes: Whom do you fear?
τίνʼ ἀγνοεῖς;
Whom do you fail to recognize?
§1477τίνων ποτʼ ἀνδρῶν ἐν μέσοις ἀρκυστάτοις πέπτωχʼ ὁ τλήμων;
Aegisthus: Into the midst of what men's nets have I fallen, wretched that I am?
Orestes: Do you not perceive that you have long been addressing the living on equal terms as if they were dead?
Aegisthus: Alas, I understand the word; for it cannot be but that this one addressing me is Orestes.
§1482καὶ μάντις ὢν ἄριστος ἐσφάλλου πάλαι.
Orestes: Though you are a most excellent prophet, you were deceived all along.
Aegisthus: I am ruined, wretched that I am. But permit me to speak even a little.
Electra: Do not let him speak further, by the gods, brother, nor prolong the discourse.
For what advantage of time could a mortal mixed with evils, who is about to die, gain by delay?
§1488ἀλλʼ ὡς τάχιστα κτεῖνε καὶ κτανὼν πρόθες §1489ταφεῦσιν, ὧν τόνδʼ εἰκός ἐστι τυγχάνειν, §1490ἄποπτον ἡμῶν· ὡς ἐμοὶ τόδʼ ἂν κακῶν §1490aμόνον γένοιτο τῶν πάλαι λυτήριον.
But kill him as quickly as possible, and, having killed him, expose him to such buriers as it is fitting for him to obtain, out of our sight; since this alone would be the sole deliverance from past evils.
Orestes: Go inside with speed; for the contest now is not about words, but about your life.
§1493τί δʼ ἐς δόμους ἄγεις με;
Aegisthus: But why do you lead me into the house?
πῶς, τόδʼ εἰ καλὸν §1494τοὔργον, σκότου δεῖ κοὐ πρόχειρος εἶ κτανεῖν;
How, if this deed is honorable, does it need darkness, and why are you not ready to kill me at once?
Orestes: Do not command; but go to the very place where you slew my father, so that you may die in the same place.
Aegisthus: Is it absolutely necessary for this roof to behold the present and future evils of the Pelopidae?
§1499τὰ γοῦν σʼ· ἐγώ σοι μάντις εἰμὶ τῶνδʼ ἄκρος.
Orestes: Yours, at least; I am a most excellent prophet to you of these.
§1500ἀλλʼ οὐ πατρῴαν τὴν τέχνην ἐκόμπασας.
Aegisthus: But you did not inherit this art from your father.
§1501πόλλʼ ἀντιφωνεῖς, ἡ δʼ ὁδὸς βραδύνεται.
Orestes: You reply too much, and our journey is delayed.
§1502ἀλλʼ ἕρφʼ.
Aegisthus: Go on then.
§1502aὑφηγοῦ.
Orestes: Lead the way.
§1502bσοὶ βαδιστέον πάρος.
Aegisthus: You must walk first.
§1503ἦ μὴ φύγω σε;
Orestes: Lest I escape you?
Aegisthus: No, rather lest you should die pleasurably; I must keep this bitter for you.