To　Argos；　O　my　brother；　ere　I　die；
  Bear　me　from　this　barbaric　land；　and　far
  Remove　me　from　this　altar's　bloody　rites；
  At　which　to　slay　the　stranger　is　my　charge。…
  ORESTES
  What　shall　I　say？　Where　are　we；　Pylades？
  IPHIGENIA
  Or　on　thy　house　for　vengeance　will　I　call；
  Orestes。　Twice　repeated；　learn　the　name。
  ORESTES
  Ye　gods！
  IPHIGENIA
  In　my　cause　why　invoke　the　gods？
  ORESTES
  Nothing：　proceed：　my　thoughts　were　wandering　wide：
  Strange　things　of　thee　unask'd　I　soon　shall　learn。
  IPHIGENIA
  Tell　him　the　goddess　saved　me；　in　exchange
  A　hind　presenting；　which　my　father　slew
  A　victim；　deeming　that　he　plunged　his　sword
  Deep　in　my　breast：　me　in　this　land　she　placed。
  Thou　hast　my　charge：　and　this　my　letter　speaks。
  PYLADES
  O；　thou　hast　bound　me　with　an　easy　oath：
  What　I　have　sworn　with　honest　purpose；　long
  Defer　I　not；　but　thus　discharge　mine　oath。
  To　thee　a　letter　from　thy　sister；　lo；
  I　bear；　Orestes；　and　I　give　it　thee。
  （PYLADES　hands　the　letter　to　ORESTES。）
  ORESTES
  I　do　receive　it；　but　forbear　to　unclose
  its　foldings；　greater　pleasure　first　to　enjoy
  Than　words　can　give。　My　sister；　O　most　dear；
  Astonish'd　ev'n　to　disbelief；　I　throw
  Mine　arms　around　thee　with　a　fond　embrace；
  In　transport　at　the　wondrous　things　I　hear。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  Stranger；　thou　dost　not　well　with　hands　profane
  Thus　to　pollute　the　priestess　of　the　shrine；
  Grasping　her　garments　hallow'd　from　the　touch。
  ORESTES
  My　sister；　my　dear　sister；　from　one　sire；
  From　Agamemnon　sprung；　turn　not　away；
  Holding　thy　brother　thus　beyond　all　hope。
  IPHIGENIA
  My　brother！　Thou　my　brother！　Wilt　thou　not
  Unsay　these　words？　At　Argos　far　he　dwells。
  ORESTES
  Thy　brother；　O　unhappy！　is　not　there。
  IPHIGENIA
  Thee　did　the　Spartan　Tyndarus　bring　forth？
  ORESTES
  And　from　the　son　of　Pelops'　son　I　sprung；
  IPHIGENIA
  What　say'st　thou？　Canst　thou　give　me　proof　of　this？
  ORESTES
  I　can：　ask　something　of　my　father's　house。
  IPHIGENIA
  Nay；　it　is　thine　to　speak；　mine　to　attend。
  ORESTES
  First　let　me　mention　things　which　I　have　heard
  Electra　speak：　to　thee　is　known　the　strife
  Which　fierce　'twixt　Atreus　and　Thyestes　rose。
  IPHIGENIA
  Yes；　I　have　heard　it；　for　the　golden　ram；…
  ORESTES
  In　the　rich　texture　didst　thou　not　inweave　it？
  IPHIGENIA
  O　thou　most　dear！　Thou　windest　near　my　heart。
  ORESTES
  And　image　in　the　web　the　averted　sun？
  IPHIGENIA
  In　the　fine　threads　that　figure　did　I　work。
  ORESTES
  For　Aulis　did　thy　mother　bathe　thy　limbs？
  IPHIGENIA
  I　know　it；　to　unlucky　spousals　led。
  ORESTES
  Why　to　thy　mother　didst　thou　send　thy　locks？
  IPHIGENIA
  Devoted　for　my　body　to　the　tomb。
  ORESTES
  What　I　myself　have　seen　I　now　as　proofs
  Will　mention。　In　thy　father's　house；　hung　high
  Within　thy　virgin　chambers；　the　old　spear
  Of　Pelops；　which　he　brandish'd　when　he　slew
  Oenomaus；　and　won　his　beauteous　bride；
  The　virgin　Hippodamia；　Pisa's　boast。
  IPHIGENIA
  O　thou　most　dear　（for　thou　art　he）；　most　dear
  Acknowledged；　thee；　Orestes；　do　I　hold；
  From　Argos；　from　thy　country　distant　far？
  ORESTES
  And　hold　I　thee；　my　sister；　long　deem'd　dead？
  Grief　mix'd　with　joy；　and　tears；　not　taught　by　woe
  To　rise；　stand　melting　in　thy　eyes　and　mine。
  IPHIGENIA
  Thee　yet　an　infant　in　thy　nurse's　arms
  I　left；　a　babe　I　left　thee　in　the　house。
  Thou　art　more　happy；　O　my　soul；　than　speech
  Knows　to　express。　What　shall　I　say？　'tis　all
  Surpassing　wonder　and　the　power　of　words。
  ORESTES
  May　we　together　from　this　hour　be　bless'd！
  IPHIGENIA
  An　unexpected　pleasure；　O　my　friends；
  Have　I　received；　yet　fear　I　from　my　hands
  Lest　to　the　air　it　fly。　O　sacred　hearths
  Raised　by　the　Cyclops！　O　my　country；　loved
  Mycenae！　Now　that　thou　didst　give　me　birth；
  T　thank　thee；　now　I　thank　thee；　that　my　youth
  Thou　trainedst；　since　my　brother　thou　has　train'd；
  A　beam　of　light；　the　glory　of　his　house。
  ORESTES
  We　in　our　race　are　happy；　but　our　life；
  My　sister；　by　misfortunes　is　unhappy。
  IPHIGENIA
  I　was；　I　know；　unhappy；　when　the　sword
  My　father；　frantic；　pointed　at　my　neck。
  ORESTES
  Ah　me！　methinks　ev'n　now　I　see　thee　there。
  IPHIGENIA
  When　to　Achilles；　brother；　not　a　bride；
  I　to　the　sacrifice　by　guile　was　led；
  And　tears　and　groans　the　altar　compass'd　round。
  ORESTES
  Alas；　the　lavers　there！
  IPHIGENIA
  I　mourn'd　the　deed
  My　father　dared；　unlike　a　father's　love；
  Cruel；　unlike　a　father's　love；　to　me。
  ORESTES
  Ill　deeds　succeed　to　ill：　if　thou　hadst　slain
  Thy　brother；　by　some　god　impell'd；　what　griefs
  Must　have　been　thine　at　such　a　dreadful　deed！
  IPHIGENIA　（chanting）
  Dreadful　my　brother；　O　how　dreadful！　scarce
  Hast　thou　escaped　a　foul；　unhallow'd　death；
  Slain　by　my　hands。　But　how　will　these　things　end？
  What　Fortune　will　assist　me？　What　safe　means
  Shall　I　devise　to　send　thee　from　this　state；
  From　slaughter；　to　thy　native　land；　to　Argos；
  Ere　with　thy　blood　the　cruel　sword　be　stain'd？
  This　to　devise；　O　my　unhappy　soul！
  This　to　devise　is　thine。　Wilt　thou　by　land；
  Thy　bark　deserted；　speed　thy　flight　on　foot？
  Perils　await　thee　mid　these　barbarous　tribes；
  Through　pathless　wilds；　and　'twixt　the　clashing　rocks；
  Narrow　the　passage　for　the　flying　bark；
  And　long。　Unhappy；　ah；　unhappy　me！
  What　god；　what　mortal；　what　unlook'd…for　chance
  Will　expedite　our　dangerous　way；　and　show
  Two　sprung　from　Atreus　a　release　from　ills？
  LEADER
  What　having　seen　and　heard　I　shall　relate；
  Is　marvellous；　and　passes　fabling　tales。
  PYLADES
  When　after　absence　long；　Orestes；　friend
  Meets　friend；　embraces　will　express　their　joy。
  Behooves　us　now；　bidding　farewell　to　grief；
  And　heedful　to　obtain　the　glorious　name
  Of　safety；　from　this　barbarous　land　to　fly。
  The　wise；　of　fortune　not　regardless；　seize
  The　occasion；　and　to　happiness　advance。
  ORESTES
  Well　hast　thou　said；　and　Fortune　here；　I　ween；
  Will　aid　us；　to　the　firm　and　strenuous　mind
  More　potent　works　the　influence　divine。
  IPHIGENIA
  Nothing　shall　check；　nothing　restrain　my　speech：
  First　will　I　question　thee　what　fortune　waits
  Electra：　this　to　know　would　yield　me　joy。
  ORESTES
  With　him　（pointing　to　Pylades）　she　dwells；　and　happy　is　her　life；
  IPHIGENIA
  Whence　then　is　he？　and　from　what　father　sprung？
  ORESTES
  From　Phocis：　Strophius　is　his　father　named。
  IPHIGENIA
  By　Atreus'　daughter　to　my　blood　allied？
  ORESTES
  Nearly　allied：　my　only　faithful　friend。
  IPHIGENIA
  He　was　not　then；　me　when　my　father　slew。
  ORESTES
  Childless　was　Strophius　for　some　length　of　time。
  IPHIGENIA
  O　thou；　the　husband　of　my　sister；　hail
  ORESTES
  More　than　relation；　my　preserver　too。
  IPHIGENIA
  But　to　thy　mother　why　that　dreadful　deed？
  ORESTES
  Of　that　no　more：　to　avenge　my　father's　death。
  IPHIGENIA
  But　for　what　cause　did　she　her　husband　slay？
  ORESTES
  Of　her　inquire　not：　thou　wouldst　blush　to　hear。
  IPHIGENIA
  The　eyes　of　Argos　now　are　raised　to　thee。
  ORESTES
  There　Menelaus　is　lord；　I；　outcast；　fly。
  IPHIGENIA
  Hath　he　then　wrong'd　his　brother's　ruin'd　house？
  ORESTES
  Not　so：　the　Furies　fright　me　from　the　land。
  IPHIGENIA
  The　madness　this；　which　seized　thee　on　the　shore？
  ORESTES
  I　was　not　first　beheld　unhappy　there。
  IPHIGENIA
  Stern　powers！　they　haunt　thee　for　thy　mother's　blood。
  ORESTES
  And　ruthless　make　me　champ　the　bloody　bit。
  IPHIGENIA
  Why　to　this　region　has　thou　steer'd　thy　course？
  ORESTES
  Commanded　by　Apollo's　voice；　I　come。
  IPHIGENIA
  With　what　intent？　if　that　may　be　disclosed。
  ORESTES
  I　will　inform　thee；　though　to　length　of　speech
  This　leads。　When　vengeance　from　my　hands　o'ertook
  My　mother's　deeds…foul　deeds；　which　let　me　pass
  In　silence…by　the　Furies'　fierce　assaults
  To　flight　I　was　impell'd：　to　Athens　then
  Apollo　sent　me；　that；　my　cause　there　heard；
  I　might　appease　the　vengeful　powers；　whose　names
  May　not　be　utter'd：　the　tribunal　there
  Is　holy；　which　for　Mars；　when　stain'd　with　blood；
  Jove　in　old　times　establish'd。　There　arrived；
  None　willingly　received　me；　by　the　gods
  As　one　abhorr'd；　and　they；　who　felt　the　touch
  Of　shame；　the　hospitable　board　alone
  Yielded；　and　though　one　common　roof　beneath；
  Their　silence　showing　they　disdain'd　to　hold