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.
- Young women,[*](νεάνιδές, νίν so Pierson for νεανίδασιν.) take her in your arms and lift her from the chariot, and let one of you give me the support of her hand, that I may quit my seat in the carriage with fitting grace.
- Some of you stand at the horses’ heads;
- for the horse has a timid eye, easily frightened; here, take this child Orestes, son of Agamemnon, baby as he still is.
- What! sleeping, little one, tired out by your ride in the chariot? Awake to bless your sister’s wedding; for you, my gallant boy,
- shall get by this marriage a kinsman gallant as yourself, the Nereid’s godlike offspring. Come here to your mother, my daughter, Iphigenia, and seat yourself beside me, and stationed near show my happiness to these strangers;
- yes, come here and welcome the father you love so dearly.[*](The passages indosed in brackets are regarded by Paley and Dindorf, and, in the main, by Kirchhoff, as spurious. Monk only oraits 11. 627-30, and 11.635-7.)
- Do not be angry with me, mother, if I run from your side and throw myself on my father’s breast.
- Hail! my honored lord, king Agamemnon! we have obeyed your commands and have come.[*](These two lines were placed here by Porson instead of after the next distich; the same critic read προσβαλῶ and περιβαλεῖν instead of περιβαλῶ and προσβαλεῖν; both of which changes are followed in the translation, though Paley, while mentioning the second, has not actually adopted it in his text.)
- O my father! I long to outrun others and embrace you after this long while; for I yearn to see your face; do not be angry with me.
- You may do so, daughter; for of all the children I have borne, you have always loved your father best.
- I see you, father, joyfully after a long time.
- And I, your father, see you; your words do equal duty for both of us.
- All hail, father! you did well in bringing me here to you.
- I know not how I am to say yes or no to that, my child.
- Ah! how wildly you are looking, spite of your joy at seeing me.
- A man has many cares when he is king and general too.
- Be mine, all mine today; do not turn to moody thoughts.
- Why so I am, all yours today; I have no other thought.
- Then smooth your knitted brow, unbend and smile.
- See! my child, my joy at seeing you is even as it is.