Iphigenia in Aulis
Euripides
Euripides. The Plays of Euripides, Translated into English Prose from the Text of Paley. Vol. II. Coleridge, Edward P., translator. London: George Bell and Sons, 1891.
- a different breeze to different men, so that some have joy in setting sail, and sorrow some, and others hard constraint, to make some start and others prepare and others delay!
- Full of trouble then, it seems, is the race of mortals, full of trouble indeed; and it is Fate’s decree that man should find distress.
- Woe! woe to you, you child of Tyndareus,
- for the suffering and anguish sore, which you are causing the Danaids!
- I pity you for your cruel fate—a fate I would you never had met!
- O mother that bore me! I see a throng of men approaching.
- It is the goddess’ son you see, child, for whom you came here.
- Open the tent-door to me, servants, that I may hide myself
- Why seek to escape, my child?
- I am ashamed to face Achilles.
- But why?
- The luckless ending to our marriage causes me to feel abashed.
- No time for affectation now in face of what has happened. Stay then; reserve will do no good, if we may profit.[*](The sentence is left unfinished, owing to the sudden address of Achilles; possibly it would have run if only we can enlist his aid.)
- Daughter of Leda, lady of sorrows!
- No misnomer that.
- A fearful cry is heard among the Argives.
- What is it? tell me.
- It concerns your child.
- An evil omen for your words.
- They say her sacrifice is necessary.