410　BC
  IPHIGENIA　IN　TAURIS
  by　Euripides
  translated　by　Robert　Potter
  CHARACTERS　IN　THE　PLAY
  IPHIGENIA；　daughter　of　Agamemnon
  ORESTES；　brother　of　IPHIGENIA
  PYLADES；　friend　Of　ORESTES
  THOAS；　King　of　the　Taurians
  HERDSMAN
  MESSENGER
  MINERVA
  CHORUS　OF　GREEK　WOMEN；　captives；　attendants　on　IPHIGENIA　in　the
  temple
  IPHIGENIA　IN　TAURIS
  （SCENE：…Before　the　great　temple　of　Diana　of　the　Taurians。　A　blood…
  stained　altar　is　prominently　in　view。　IPHIGENIA；　clad　as　a
  priestess；　enters　from　the　temple。）
  IPHIGENIA
  To　Pisa；　by　the　fleetest　coursers　borne；
  Comes　Pelops；　son　of　Tantalus；　and　weds
  The　virgin　daughter　of　Oenomaus：
  From　her　sprung　Atreus；　Menelaus　from　him；
  And　Agamemnon；　I　from　him　derive
  My　birth；　his　Iphigenia；　by　his　queen；
  Daughter　of　Tyndarus。　Where　frequent　winds
  Swell　the　vex'd　Euripus　with　eddying　blasts；
  And　roll　the　darkening　waves；　my　father　slew　me；
  A　victim　to　Diana；　so　he　thought；
  For　Helen's　sake；　its　bay　where　Aulis　winds；
  To　fame　well　known；　for　there　his　thousand　ships；
  The　armament　of　Greece；　the　imperial　chief
  Convened；　desirous　that　his　Greeks　should　snatch
  The　glorious　crown　of　victory　from　Troy；
  And　punish　the　base　insult　to　the　bed
  Of　Helen；　vengeance　grateful　to　the　soul
  Of　Menelaus。　But　'gainst　his　ships　the　sea
  Long　barr'd；　and　not　one　favouring　breeze　to　swell
  His　flagging　sails；　the　hallow'd　flames　the　chief
  Consults；　and　Calchas　thus　disclosed　the　fates：…
  〃Imperial　leader　of　the　Grecian　host；
  Hence　shalt　thou　not　unmoor　thy　vessels；　ere
  Diana　as　a　victim　shall　receive
  Thy　daughter　Iphigenia：　what　the　year
  Most　beauteous　should　produce；　thou　to　the　queen
  Dispensing　light　didst　vow　to　sacrifice：
  A　daughter　Clytemnestra　in　thy　house
  Then　bore　（the　peerless　grace　of　beauty　thus
  To　me　assigning）；　her　must　thou　devote
  The　victim。〃　Then　Ulysses　by　his　arts；
  Me；　to　Achilles　as　design'd　a　bride；
  Won　from　my　mother。　My　unhappy　fate
  To　Aulis　brought　me；　on　the　altar　there
  High　was　I　placed；　and　o'er　me　gleam'd　the　sword；
  Aiming　the　fatal　wound：　but　from　the　stroke
  Diana　snatch'd　me；　in　exchange　a　hind
  Giving　the　Grecians；　through　the　lucid　air
  Me　she　conveyed　to　Tauris；　here　to　dwell；
  Where　o'er　barbarians　a　barbaric　king
  Holds　his　rude　sway；　named　Thoas；　whose　swift　foot
  Equals　the　rapid　wing：　me　he　appoints
  The　priestess　of　this　temple；　where　such　rites
  Are　pleasing　to　Diana；　that　the　name
  Alone　claims　honour；　for　I　sacrifice
  （Such；　ere　I　came；　the　custom　of　the　state）
  Whatever　Grecian　to　this　savage　shore
  Is　driven：　the　previous　rites　are　mine；　the　deed
  Of　blood；　too　horrid　to　be　told；　devolves
  On　others　in　the　temple：　but　the　rest；
  In　reverence　to　the　goddess；　I　forbear。
  But　the　strange　visions　which　the　night　now　past
  Brought　with　it；　to　the　air；　if　that　may　soothe
  My　troubled　thought；　I　will　relate。　I　seem'd；
  As　I　lay　sleeping；　from　this　land　removed；
  To　dwell　at　Argos；　resting　on　my　couch
  Mid　the　apartments　of　the　virgin　train。
  Sudden　the　firm　earth　shook：　I　fled；　and　stood
  Without；　the　battlements　I　saw；　and　all
  The　rocking　roof　fall　from　its　lofty　height
  In　ruins　to　the　ground：　of　all　the　house；
  My　father's　house；　one　pillar；　as　I　thought；
  Alone　was　left；　which　from　its　cornice　waved
  A　length　of　auburn　locks；　and　human　voice
  Assumed：　the　bloody　office；　which　is　mine
  To　strangers　here；　respecting；　I　to　death；
  Sprinkling　the　lustral　drops；　devoted　it
  With　many　tears。　My　dream　I　thus　expound：…
  Orestes；　whom　I　hallow'd　by　my　rites；
  Is　dead：　for　sons　are　pillars　of　the　house；
  They；　whom　my　lustral　lavers　sprinkle；　die。
  I　cannot　to　my　friends　apply　my　dream；
  For　Strophius；　when　I　perish'd；　had　no　son。
  Now；　to　my　brother；　absent　though　he　be；
  Libations　will　I　offer：　this；　at　least；
  With　the　attendants　given　me　by　the　king；
  Virgins　of　Greece；　I　can：　but　what　the　cause
  They　yet　attend　me　not　within　the　house；
  The　temple　of　the　goddess；　where　I　dwell？
  （She　goes　into　the　temple。　ORESTES　and　PYLADES　enter　cautiously。）
  ORESTES
  Keep　careful　watch；　lest　some　one　come　this　way。
  PYLADES
  I　watch；　and　turn　mine　eye　to　every　part。
  ORESTES
  And　dost　thou；　Pylades；　imagine　this
  The　temple　of　the　goddess；　which　we　seek；
  Our　sails　from　Argos　sweeping　o'er　the　main？
  PYLADES
  Orestes；　such　my　thought；　and　must　be　thine。
  ORESTES
  And　this　the　altar　wet　with　Grecian　blood？
  PYLADES
  Crimson'd　with　gore　behold　its　sculptured　wreaths。
  ORESTES
  See；　from　the　battlements　what　trophies　hang！
  PYLADES
  The　spoils　of　strangers　that　have　here　been　slain。
  ORESTES
  Behooves　us　then　to　watch　with　careful　eye。
  O　Phoebus；　by　thy　oracles　again
  Why　hast　thou　led　me　to　these　toils？　E'er　since；
  In　vengeance　for　my　father's　blood；　I　slew
  My　mother；　ceaseless　by　the　Furies　driven；
  Vagrant；　an　outcast；　many　a　bending　course
  My　feet　have　trod：　to　thee　I　came；　of　the
  Inquired　this　whirling　frenzy　by　what　means；
  And　by　what　means　my　labours　I　might　end。
  Thy　voice　commanded　me　to　speed　my　course
  To　this　wild　coast　of　Tauris；　where　a　shrine
  Thy　sister　hath；　Diana；　thence　to　take
  The　statue　of　the　goddess；　which　from　heaven
  （So　say　the　natives）　to　this　temple　fell：
  This　image；　or　by　fraud　or　fortune　won；
  The　dangerous　toil　achieved；　to　place　the　prize
  In　the　Athenian　land：　no　more　was　said；
  But　that；　performing　this；　I　should　obtain
  Rest　from　my　toils。　Obedient　to　thy　words；
  On　this　unknown；　inhospitable　coast
  Am　I　arrived。　Now；　Pylades　（for　thou
  Art　my　associate　in　this　dangerous　task）；
  Of　thee　I　ask；　What　shall　we　do？　for　high
  The　walls；　thou　seest；　which　fence　the　temple　round。
  Shall　we　ascend　their　height？　But　how　escape
  Observing　eyes？　Or　burst　the　brazen　bars？
  Of　these　we　nothing　know：　in　the　attempt
  To　force　the　gates；　or　meditating　means
  To　enter；　if　detected；　we　shall　die。
  Shall　we　then；　ere　we　die；　by　flight　regain
  The　ship　in　which　we　hither　plough'd　the　sea？
  PYLADES
  Of　flight　we　brook　no　thought；　nor　such　hath　been
  Our　wont；　nor　may　the　god's　commanding　voice
  Be　disobey'd；　but　from　the　temple　now
  Retiring；　in　some　cave；　which　the　black　sea
  Beats　with　its　billows；　we　may　lie　conceal'd
  At　distance　from　our　bark；　lest　some；　whose　eyes
  May　note　it；　bear　the　tidings　to　the　king；
  And　we　be　seized　by　force。　But　when　the　eye
  Of　night　comes　darkling　on；　then　must　we　dare；
  And　take　the　polish'd　image　from　the　shrine；
  Attempting　all　things：　and　the　vacant　space
  Between　the　triglyphs　（mark　it　well）　enough
  Is　open　to　admit　us；　by　that　way
  Attempt　we　to　descend：　in　toils　the　brave
  Are　daring；　of　no　worth　the　abject　soul。
  ORESTES
  This　length　of　sea　we　plough'd　not；　from　this　coast；
  Nothing　effected；　to　return：　but　well
  Hast　thou　advised；　the　god　must　be　obey'd。
  Retire　we　then　where　we　may　lie　conceal'd；
  For　never　from　the　god　will　come　the　cause；
  That　what　his　sacred　voice　commands　should　fall
  Effectless。　We　must　dare。　No　toil　to　youth
  Excuse；　which　justifies　inaction；　brings。
  （They　go　out。　IPHIGENIA　and　the　CHORUS　enter　from　the　temple。）
  IPHIGENIA　（singing）
  You；　who　your　savage　dwellings　hold
  Nigh　this　inhospitable　main；
  'Gainst　clashing　rocks　with　fury　roll'd；
  From　all　but　hallow'd　words　abstain。
  Virgin　queen；　Latona's　grace；
  joying　in　the　mountain　chase；
  To　thy　court；　thy　rich　domain；
  To　thy　beauteous…pillar'd　fane
  Where　our　wondering　eyes　behold
  Battlements　that　blaze　with　gold；
  Thus　my　virgin　steps　I　bend；
  Holy；　the　holy　to　attend；
  Servant；　virgin　queen；　to　thee；
  Power；　who　bear'st　life's　golden　key；
  Far　from　Greece　for　steeds　renown'd；
  From　her　walls　with　towers　crown'd；
  From　the　beauteous…planted　meads
  Where　his　train　Eurotas　leads；
  Visiting　the　loved　retreats；
  Once　my　father's　royal　seats。
  CHORUS　（singing）
  I　come。　What　cares　disturb　thy　rest？
  Why　hast　thou　brought　me　to　the　shrine？
  Doth　some　fresh　grief　afflict　thy　breast？
  Why　bring　me　to　this　seat　divine？
  Thou　daughter　of　that　chief；　whose　powers
  Plough'd　with　a　thousand　keels　the　strand
  And　ranged　in　arms　shook