Her father, he that begot her, is on the point of slaying your daughter with his own hand.ClytemnestraHow? That for your story, old man! you are mad.Old manSevering with a sword the hapless girl’s white throat.ClytemnestraAh, alas for me! Does my husband happen to have gone mad?Old manNo; he is sane, except where you and your daughter are concerned; there he is mad.ClytemnestraWhat is his reason? what vengeful fiend impels him?Old manOracles, at least so Calchas says, in order that the army may start—ClytemnestraWhere? Alas for me, and for the one her father is going to kill!Old manTo the halls of Dardanus, that Menelaus may recover Helen.ClytemnestraSo Helen’s return then was fated to affect Iphigenia?Old manYou know all; her father is about to offer your child to Artemis.ClytemnestraBut that marriage—what pretext had it for bringing me from home?Old manAn inducement to you to bring your daughter cheerfully, to wed her to Achilles.ClytemnestraOn a deadly errand have you come, my daughter, both you, and I, your mother.Old manPiteous the lot of both of you, and dreadful Agamemnon’s venture.ClytemnestraAlas, I am undone; my eyes can no longer hold their tears.Old manIf the lossReading with Wecklein εἴπερ ἄλλ᾽ εἰκὸς. Paley retains the old reading εἴπερ ἀλγεινὸν. Hartung gives οὐ γὰρ ἄλογόν ἐστι. Kirchhoff οὐ γὰρ ἀλλ᾽ εἰκὸς. of children is painful, shed your tears.ClytemnestraFrom where, old man, do you say you had this news?Old manI had started to carry you a letter referring to the former writing.ClytemnestraForbidding or combining to urge my bringing the child to her death?