Very difficult. Menelaos No! What a weak little helper you are, my tiny brother! Whats with this flushed face of yours? Klytaimestra Will he try and come here and drag my darling away, just like that, against her will? This is very dangerous indeed, my lord! What did you say? She swings him, sadly, gently back and forth and leans over him as she speaks to him. Agamemnon You are much happier than me for knowing less than I do. 471. The Old Man fearfully pokes his head through the flaps of the tent. After you have gone gone away on your expedition and you have left me here, alone in the house -and alone for a long time, our darling daughters chair empty her bedroom empty -what sort of heart do you think will be beating in my breast? IPHIGENIA IN AULIS Essay Summary A monologue from the play by Euripides NOTE: This monologue is reprinted from The Plays of Euripides in English, vol. If your pleas work and they save the girls life, then my intervention will not be necessary. Agamemnon Yes, dear because our separation will be a long one. She is a loving mother, and when her husband orders to kill their daughter, she bears a deep grudge against hi, and vows to take vengeance . 1000. I wrote a letter to my wife, Klytaimestra. I dont have to do anything he says and I didnt. You just cant imagine Calchas joy, madam! Your fathers holy water is waiting for you! Second Chorus They are the offspring of a great and most fortunate family. Iphigenia and Clytemnestra come to Aulis, and are received with acclamations by the Greeks. No, there are hundreds of women who want my wedding bed! No mother, no father. It makes the mother love her child most deeply and she will defend it with her life. Achilles Ill be watching out for you. On my part, I wish you all happiness and may you return to the land of your fathers victorious. She leads her mother into the tent and returns to centre stage. Daddy, do you want to kill me? 1470. This man has forcefully and unjustly ripped your letter from my hands, my lord! 1191. Enter Klytaimestra. You might still change your mind. This is the very same sky that heard your words then and the words you chose to write afterwards, reversing your message to your wife, telling her this time, in words to the effect that Ill no longer be my daughters murderer! 360. Essay Sample Check Writing Quality. What pain should I mention first or second, or last? I know too well that this awful plight is mine and mine alone you have nothing to do with it 980. And how did you respond to that? Why run away? Klytaimestra Elected to commit a murder! $3.99 delivery March 10 - 14. Finally, he picks up the scroll and gets up and moves away from the table. Ah, there he is! What is it that I need to hear alone, out here? 1531. Im coming, my lord Im coming! This surely is nothing more than drivel spat out of the mouth of a mad old man! From now on I will live there in that other world. Ive changed because of my love for my mothers son. Menelaos If you dont let go of it I shall crack your skull open with this staff! Achilles What do you mean, madam? Now the strength rests with Irreverence and Virtue is now scorned by the mortals. Menelaos Why is that? Achilles Yes, it might be just that. Klytaimestra A cold hope, that one, Achilles. Ive changed, youll say! Achilles Yes, madam and I too, am furious at your husband. What should I call them? Protect your name. 560. Should I exchange the good for bad? My words were brief, blunt and clear. How full of torment is life for us ephemeral creatures! Your voice has horrified me! A coward. I beg you, father! First Chorus Words that will not shame your ancestors. Agamemnon Zeus. Old Man I I dont approve of words like these coming out of the mouths of leaders. Chorus And the weeping and wailing of Priams daughters and of his wife will be bitter and piercing. What about your own soldiers, Achilles, what about your Myrmidons? Its a meadow full of bright and beautiful flowers. Achilles Me, too! And this, my lady, this is no lie, believe me! I acted like a stupid child before but now I thought more deeply about what its really like to kill your own children. Let me, instead, save Greece, if I can. Iphigeneia Stop! Ha! 389. And others, is there going to be a wedding? Yet others again, did the king call his daughter here because hes missed her? Then there were others who said, the girl will be presented to the goddess Artemis, protector ofAulis, before the wedding. The Greek warriors are waiting for you, anxious to start off for Troy! A prophet? Klytaimestra And he will achieve this by trickery. Old Man A slave. Married and single alike? Agamemnon And now its my turn to criticise you but, no, I wont do so in some arrogant, contemptuous way, with my eyes looking down on you but I shall do so in a conciliatory, brotherly way. Then Achilles, Peleas son, took the golden basket and the holy water in his hands and ran around the goddess altar, chanting. Full of joy and yet tears flow from your eyes 650. You were still the man she loved. My life, mummy, my life has been saved! Perseus provides credit for all accepted Klytaimestra But why didnt you deliver that message to me, if it was in your hand? The whole city ofAulisis quiet and the guard on the walls has yet to change. Agamemnon Can you not see him standing in the midst of all the Greeks, telling them all about Calchas prophesies and all about how Ive promised to sacrifice my daughter to Artemis but then went back on my word? Iphigeneia Will I go on my own or with mother? Hold on! Come out here immediately! He sounds frightened. They were sitting together on stools, joyfully immersed in a game of draughts, a game full of complex moves. Dont be so afraid of the masses! 1421. Listen to Books & Original Audio Performances : Book Depository Books With Free Delivery Worldwide: Box Office Mojo Find Movie Box Office Data: ComiXology 1250. Spare my young life, father. 210, First Chorus The two horses in the centre, those that took the weight of the yoke, were dappled with spots of white; the two on the outside carried the traces and they had to negotiate the turns on the track. You are the cause of it! Agamemnon My old friend, Thestius daughter, Leda, had three daughters: Phoebe, Klytaimestra (my wife) and Helen. 1031. There will be no grave. I ask only for a modest share of Aphrodites love; let it be not excessive! rancho mission viejo rienda; mamma restaurant london. Theyd love to go precisely because they are mad. What demon has taken possession of his mind? Madam, let this sword of mine bear witness to what Im about to say! Are these amazing words the words of a delirious woman? They will say that even though you werent wedded to her, you were still the poor virgins promised husband. Chorus That is, if what they say about you being Ledas daughter is true. What marriage are you talking about, madam? Here, take him into your arms for the last time. 640. I shall serve Greece! Do you not want to fight for her? A sensible man usually speaks to others with respect. What you mustnt do is run around wildly about the camp among the soldiers. The goddess would much rather have this animal offered to her than the girl so that her altar would not be defiled by shedding the blood of a human. Oh, your poor cheeks, your poor beautiful, golden hair, your youthful breasts! Let my pity be a protective blanket over you; it is the pity of a young man but it is a sincere pity, nevertheless and one brought about by the fact that I have been the one named as your daughters husband. Klytaimestra What, Achilles? We shall make the wedding celebrations another time., Old Man But how will Achilles take this? Achilles Yes. She had vanished, my lady! Orestes is begging you, too! She decides to ruin the party by tossing in a golden apple that says "To the . Iphigeneia Yes, mother. And how is it that you, a woman, is here, where the whole army of the Greek men and their shields is gathered? Spare me! iphigenia in aulis monologue mother listen to me. But I see a letter in your hand. Its obvious that theres no escaping my death; so now, I want to die nobly. Am I not allowed to manage the affairs of my own home, in my own way, now? 250. You both know the size of the army gathered here. Agamemnon You? Dont bother making a long speech about it, husband! And, no, I will not murder my children and certainly wont do it so that you can wrongfully enjoy some sort of vengeance exacted from a disgraceful wife, while I waste away in tears day and night because I had committed such a godless crime against them, against my own flesh and blood. No, its not my ambition thats bothering you, my brother! Horrible Fate, what a dreadful yoke youve locked me into! Your father has gone, my darling and abandoned you to Hades! Menelaos Yes, you may well suffer now because I did break your seal and yes, I do know the secret trickery you were concocting! Old Man The army is heading to Troy, my lady. Klytaimestra Listen then and listen to me well! Chorus And they will surround the cityPergamum, all about its stone towers with murderous war-men wholl smash the heads of the Trojans, cut through their necks and tear their city down to its foundations. There is no need! Klytaimestra What shall I tell your little sisters? Tears that come about from making our daughter a bride to Achilles. Its been such a long time! He, too, loves glory. He embraces and then steps back to look at her sadly. 43. You must expect to suffer as well as rejoice, since you're a man. A garland for my head a garland for my hair some holy water from the sacred basins! Not mine, thats for sure. To Dardanos house, in Troy, to bring back Menelaos wife, Helen. Old Man That womans there. Youd greet anyone and everyone, hoping with this behaviour to gain their approval and thus become their leader. Clytemnestra But why? Palermo, Mus. Iphigenia at Aulis seems to have been constructed in a society in which it was ideal to put nation and family ahead of oneself. Ask me, what is it? Agamemnon Zeus himself gave her to him. Euripides (484 BCE - 406 BCE) Translated by Theodore Alois Buckley (1825 - 1856). 950. Agamemnon And when you come across some fork in the road, check it carefully. Agamemnon Of course you do so long as you dont try to ruin them! Your Fate and mine and hers, too! It all starts at the wedding of Peleus and Thetis (Achilles' parents) Thetis is divine, so they invite all the gods and goddesses, except Strife. First Chorus Once there, a maddened gaze of love from each of you had sent you both into Eros confusion and sent Greece to Troy with strife-searching ships and spears. Klytaimestra Our other daughters are looked after well and they are safe in their quarters. Agamemnon We are brothers when we are doing what is reasonable, not when we do what is madness. Oh, Achilles! To stop me from coming here or to urge me to do so? You, too, my lord are a mortal and, whether you like it or not, this is how the gods want it: mortals must taste the good along with the bad. Klytaimestra But who on earth would dare touch you, Achilles? When our esteemed prophet, Calchas, conducts his next sacrifice, when he will mingle his barley and his holy water upon the altar, he will pay bitterly for it! Klytaimestra Ill certainly try that if thats the last thing I do! Figure 2.3: Iphigenia being dragged toward the altar for sacrifice, 91 430-420 BCE. Klytaimestra Oh, no, child! What horror! Agamemnon approaches Iphigeneia and tries to console her. He is writing a letter (on a scroll) an exercise which, it seems, is difficult for him. Agamemnon It will take place after I make the sacrifice. Agamemnon Odysseus has a shifty mind and hes a rabble-rouser. Everyone called Idean because of the Trojan city Idean. Cover the baby with one of your cloaks. Hes gone out a while ago and Iphigeneia, in the meantime, has heard how her father is planning to kill her. Iphigenia decides to sacrifice her life for the glory of Greece. I have a greater right to speak than he does! Help my girl. She goes over to her mother and takes baby Orestes in her arms. A god or a mortal? That light, this light all around us, will cut all other arguments to pieces. 164. 680. The play has been translated and adapted for various media, from other plays to paintings, operas, novels, and films. Soldiers, go and tear down Troy! Menelaos I swear, Agamemnon, by our father, Atreas and by our grandfather Pelops that I will tell you the truth plainly and clearly, just as I feel it in my heart and as I know it in my mind. Dent & Sons, 1920. Klytaimestra And leave my darling behind? Old Man Psssst! Chorus Awesome is the power of giving birth! In early youth, when first my soul, in love, Held father, mother, brethren fondly twin'd, A group of tender germs, in union sweet, We sprang in beauty from the parent stem, And heavenward grew. May it be with you always, for helping the unfortunate! Does no one speak against it? 1140. See what troubles the gods have thrown at me, the poor wretch? Klytaimestra No, what hes done to you will cost him a great deal of trouble! 128. line to jump to another position: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License, Pleiades ancient places geospacial dataset for this text, http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0006.tlg018.perseus-eng1:1374-1401, http://data.perseus.org/texts/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0006.tlg018.perseus-eng1, http://data.perseus.org/texts/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0006.tlg018, http://data.perseus.org/catalog/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0006.tlg018.perseus-eng1.
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