Pure　to　the　gods　thy　hands；　or　nuptial　rites
  Dost　thou　prepare；　or　pregnant　matron；　hence；
  Begone；　that　this　defilement　none　may　touch。
  Thou；　daughter　of　Latona　and　high　Jove；
  O　royal　virgin；　if　I　cleanse　the　stain
  Of　these；　and　where　I　ought　with　holy　rites
  Address　thee；　thou　shalt　hold　thy　residence
  In　a　pure　mansion；　we　too　shall　be　bless'd。
  More　though　I　speak　not；　goddess；　unexpress'd；
  All　things　to　thee　and　to　the　gods　are　known。
  （IPHIGENIA；　carrying　the　statue；　joins　the　procession　as　is　goes
  out。　THOAS　and　his　retinue　enter　the　temple。）
  CHORUS　（singing）
  strophe
  Latona's　glorious　offspring　claims　the　song；
  Born　the　hallow'd　shades　among；
  Where　fruitful　Delos　winds　her　valleys　low；
  Bright…hair'd　Phoebus；　skill'd　to　inspire
  Raptures；　as　he　sweeps　the　lyre；
  And　she　that　glories　in　the　unerring　bow。
  From　the　rocky　ridges　steep；
  At　whose　feet　the　hush'd　waves　sleep；
  Left　their　far…famed　native　shore；
  Them　the　exulting　mother　bore
  To　Parnassus；　on　whose　heights
  Bacchus　shouting　holds　his　rites；
  Glittering　in　the　burnish'd　shade；
  By　the　laurel's　branches　made；
  Where　the　enormous　dragon　lies；
  Brass　his　scales；　and　flame　his　eyes；
  Earth…born　monster；　that　around
  Rolling　guards　the　oracular　ground；
  Him；　while　yet　a　sportive　child；
  In　his　mother's　arms　that　smiled；
  Phoebus　slew；　and　seized　the　shrine
  Whence　proceeds　the　voice　divine：
  On　the　golden　tripod　placed；
  Throne　by　falsehood　ne'er　disgraced；
  Where　Castalia's　pure　stream　flows；
  He　the　fates　to　mortal　shows。
  antistrophe
  But　when　Themis；　whom　of　yore
  Earth；　her　fruitful　mother；　bore；
  From　her　hallow'd　seat　he　drove；
  Earth　to　avenge　her　daughter　strove；
  Forming　visions　of　the　night；
  Which；　in　rapt　dreams　hovering　light；
  All　that　Time's　dark　volumes　hold
  Might　to　mortal　sense　unfold；
  When　in　midnight's　sable　shades
  Sleep　the　silent　couch　invades：
  Thus　did　Earth　her　vengeance　boast。
  His　prophetic　honours　lost；
  Royal　Phoebus　speeds　his　flight
  To　Olympus；　on　whose　height
  At　the　throne　of　Jove　he　stands；
  Stretching　forth　his　little　hands；
  Suppliant　that　the　Pythian　shrine
  Feel　no　more　the　wrath　divine；
  That　the　goddess　he　appease；
  That　her　nightly　visions　cease。
  Jove　with　smiles　beheld　his　son
  Early　thus　address　his　throne；
  Suing　with　ambitious　pride
  O'er　the　rich　shrine　to　preside；
  He；　assenting；　bow'd　his　head。
  Straight　the　nightly　visions　fled；
  And　prophetic　dreams　no　more
  Hover'd　slumbering　mortals　o'er：
  Now　to　Phoebus　given　again；
  All　his　honours　pure　remain；
  Votaries　distant　regions　send
  His　frequented　throne　to　attend：
  And　the　firm　decrees　of　fate
  On　his　faithful　voice　await。
  （A　MESSENGER　enters。）
  MESSENGER
  Say　you；　that　keep　the　temple；　and　attend
  The　altar；　where　is　Thoas；　Scythia's　king？
  Open　these　strong…compacted　gates；　and　cal
  Forth　from　the　shrine　the　monarch　of　the　land。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  Wherefore？　at　thy　command　if　I　must　speak。
  MESSENGER
  The　two　young　men　are　gone；　through　the　device
  Of　Agamemnon's　daughter：　from　this　land
  They　fly；　and；　in　their　Grecian　galley　placed；
  The　sacred　image　of　the　goddess　bear。
  LEADER
  Incredible　thy　tale：　but　whom　thou　seek'st；
  The　monarch；　from　the　temple　went　in　haste。
  MESSENGER
  Whither？　for　what　is　doing　he　should　know。
  LEADER
  We　know　not：　but　go　thou；　and　seek　for　him：
  Where'er　thou　find　him；　thou　wilt　tell　him　this。
  MESSENGER
  See；　what　a　faithless　race　you　women　are！
  In　all　that　hath　been　done　you　have　a　part。
  LEADER
  Sure　thou　art　mad！　what　with　the　strangers'　flight
  Have　we　to　do？　But　wilt　thou　not；　with　all
  The　speed　thou　mayst；　go　to　the　monarch's　house？
  MESSENGER
  Not　till　I　first　am　well　inform'd；　if　here
  Within　the　temple　be　the　king；　or　not。
  （Shouting）
  Unbar　the　gates　（to　you　within　I　speak）；
  And　tell　your　lord　that　at　the　portal　here
  I　stand；　and　bring　him　tidings　of　fresh　ills。
  （THOAS　and　his　attendants　enter　from　the　temple。）
  THOAS
  Who　at　the　temple　of　the　goddess　dares
  This　clamour　raise；　and；　thundering　at　the　gates；
  Strikes　terror　through　the　ample　space　within？
  MESSENGER
  With　falsehoods　would　these　women　drive　me　hence；
  Without　to　seek　thee：　thou　wast　in　the　shrine。
  THOAS
  With　what　intent？　or　what　advantage　sought？
  MESSENGER
  Of　these　hereafter；　what　more　urgent　now
  Imports　thee；　hear：　the　virgin；　in　this　place
  Presiding　at　the　altars；　from　this　land
  Is　with　the　strangers　fled；　and　bears　with　her
  The　sacred　image　of　the　goddess；　all
  Of　her　ablutions　but　a　false　pretence。
  THOAS
  How　say'st　thou？　What　is　her　accursed　design？
  MESSENGER
  To　save　Orestes：　this　too　will　amaze　thee。
  THOAS
  Whom？　What　Orestes？　Clytemnestra's　son？
  MESSENGER
  Him　at　the　altar　hallow'd　now　to　bleed。
  THOAS
  Portentous！　for　what　less　can　it　be　call'd？
  MESSENGER
  Think　not　on　that；　but　hear　me；　with　deep　thought
  Reflect：　weigh　well　what　thou　shalt　hear；　devise
  By　what　pursuit　to　reach　and　seize　the　strangers。
  THOAS
  Speak：　thou　advisest　well：　the　sea　though　nigh；
  They　fly　not　so　as　to　escape　my　spear。
  MESSENGER
  When　to　the　shore　we　came；　where　station'd　rode
  The　galley　of　Orestes；　by　the　rocks
  Conceal'd　to　us；　whom　thou　hadst　sent　with　her
  To　hold　the　strangers'　chains；　the　royal　maid
  Made　signs　that　we　retire；　and　stand　aloof；
  As　if　with　secret　rites　she　would　perform
  The　purposed　expiation：　on　she　went；
  In　her　own　hands　holding　the　strangers'　chains
  Behind　them：　not　without　suspicion…this；
  Yet　by　thy　servants；　king；　allow'd。　At　length；
  That　we　might　deem　her　in　some　purpose　high
  Employ'd；　she　raised　her　voice；　and　chanted　loud
  Barbaric　strains；　as　if　with　mystic　rites
  She　cleansed　the　stain　of　blood。　When　we　had　sat
  A　tedious　while；　it　came　into　our　thought；
  That　from　their　chains　unloosed；　the　stranger　youths
  Might　kill　her；　and　escape　by　flight：　yet　fear
  Of　seeing　what　we　ought　not；　kept　us　still
  In　silence；　but　at　length　we　all　resolved
  To　go；　though　not　permitted；　where　they　were。
  There　we　behold　the　Grecian　bark　with　oars
  Well　furnish'd；　wing'd　for　flight；　and　at　their　seats；
  Grasping　their　oars；　were　fifty　rowers；　free
  From　chains　beside　the　stern　the　two　youths　stood
  Some　from　the　prow　relieved　the　keel　with　poles；
  Some　weigh'd　the　anchors　up；　the　climbing　ropes
  Some　hasten'd；　through　their　hands　the　cables　drew；
  Launch'd　the　light　bark；　and　gave　her　to　the　main。
  But　when　we　saw　their　treacherous　wiles；　we　rush'd
  Heedless　of　danger；　seized　the　priestess；　seized
  The　halsers；　hung　upon　the　helm；　and　strove
  To　rend　the　rudder…bands　away。　Debate
  Now　rose：…〃What　mean　you；　sailing　o'er　the　seas；
  The　statue　and　the　priestess　from　the　land
  By　stealth　conveying？　Whence　art　thou；　and　who；
  That　bear'st　her；　like　a　purchased　slave；　away？〃
  He　said；　〃I　am　her　brother；　be　of　this
  Inform'd；　Orestes；　son　of　Agamemnon：
  My　sister；　so　long　lost；　I　bear　away；
  Recover'd　here。〃　But　naught　the　less　for　that
  Held　we　the　priestess；　and　by　force　would　lead
  Again　to　thee：　hence　dreadful　on　our　cheeks
  The　blows；　for　in　their　hands　no　sword　they　held；
  Nor　we；　but　many　a　rattling　stroke　the　youths
  Dealt　witb　their　fists；　against　our　sides　and　breasts
  Their　arms　fierce　darting；　till　our　batter'd　limbs
  Were　all　disabled：　now　with　dreadful　marks
  Disfigured；　up　the　precipice　we　fly；
  Some　bearing　on　their　heads；　some　in　their　eyes
  The　bloody　bruises：　standing　on　the　heights；
  Our　fight　was　safer；　and　we　hurl'd　at　them
  Fragments　of　rocks；　but；　standing　on　the　stern；
  The　archers　with　their　arrows　drove　us　thence；
  And　now　a　swelling　wave　roll'd　in；　which　drove
  The　galley　towards　the　land。　The　sailors　fear'd
  The　sudden　swell：　on　his　left　arm　sustain'd；
  Orestes　bore　his　sister　through　the　tide；
  Mounted　the　bark's　tall　side；　and　on　the　deck
  Safe　placed　her；　and　Diana's　holy　image；
  Which　fell　from　heaven；　from　the　midship　his　voice
  He　sent　aloud：…〃Ye　youths；　that　in　this　bark
  From　Argos　plou