Iphigenia in Tauris [1]
though he be, Libations will I offer: this, at least, With the attendants given me by the king, Virgins of Greece, I can: but what the cause They yet attend me not within the house, The temple of the goddess, where I dwell?
(She goes into the temple. ORESTES and PYLADES enter cautiously.)
ORESTES Keep careful watch, lest some one come this way. PYLADES I watch, and turn mine eye to every part. ORESTES And dost thou, Pylades, imagine this The temple of the goddess, which we seek, Our sails from Argos sweeping o'er the main? PYLADES Orestes, such my thought, and must be thine. ORESTES And this the altar wet with Grecian blood? PYLADES Crimson'd with gore behold its sculptured wreaths. ORESTES See, from the battlements what trophies hang! PYLADES The spoils of strangers that have here been slain. ORESTES Behooves us then to watch with careful eye. O Phoebus, by thy oracles again Why hast thou led me to these toils? E'er since, In vengeance for my father's blood, I slew My mother, ceaseless by the Furies driven, Vagrant, an outcast, many a bending course My feet have trod: to thee I came, of the Inquired this whirling frenzy by what means, And by what means my labours I might end. Thy voice commanded me to speed my course To this wild coast of Tauris, where a shrine Thy sister hath, Diana; thence to take The statue of the goddess, which from heaven (So say the natives) to this temple fell: This image, or by fraud or fortune won, The dangerous toil achieved, to place the prize In the Athenian land: no more was said; But that, performing this, I should obtain Rest from my toils. Obedient to thy words, On this unknown, inhospitable coast Am I arrived. Now, Pylades (for thou Art my associate in this dangerous task), Of thee I ask, What shall we do? for high The walls, thou seest, which fence the temple round. Shall we ascend their height? But how escape Observing eyes? Or burst the brazen bars? Of these we nothing know: in the attempt To force the gates, or meditating means To enter, if detected, we shall die. Shall we then, ere we die, by flight regain The ship in which we hither plough'd the sea? PYLADES Of flight we brook no thought, nor such hath been Our wont; nor may the god's commanding voice Be disobey'd; but from the temple now Retiring, in some cave, which the black sea Beats with its billows, we may lie conceal'd At distance from our bark, lest some, whose eyes May note it, bear the tidings to the king, And we be seized by force. But when the eye Of night comes darkling on, then must we dare, And take the polish'd image from the shrine, Attempting all things: and the vacant space Between the triglyphs (mark it well) enough Is open to admit us; by that way Attempt we to descend: in toils the brave Are daring; of no worth the abject soul. ORESTES This length of sea we plough'd not, from this coast, Nothing effected, to return: but well Hast thou advised; the god must be obey'd. Retire we then where we may lie conceal'd; For never from the god will come the cause, That what his sacred voice commands should fall Effectless. We must dare. No toil to youth Excuse, which justifies inaction, brings.
(They go out. IPHIGENIA and the CHORUS enter from the temple.)
IPHIGENIA (singing) You, who your savage dwellings hold Nigh this inhospitable main, 'Gainst clashing rocks with fury roll'd, From all but hallow'd words abstain. Virgin queen, Latona's grace, joying in the mountain chase, To thy court, thy rich domain, To thy beauteous-pillar'd fane Where our wondering eyes behold Battlements that blaze with gold, Thus my virgin steps I bend, Holy, the holy to attend; Servant, virgin queen, to thee; Power, who bear'st life's golden key, Far from Greece for steeds
(She goes into the temple. ORESTES and PYLADES enter cautiously.)
ORESTES Keep careful watch, lest some one come this way. PYLADES I watch, and turn mine eye to every part. ORESTES And dost thou, Pylades, imagine this The temple of the goddess, which we seek, Our sails from Argos sweeping o'er the main? PYLADES Orestes, such my thought, and must be thine. ORESTES And this the altar wet with Grecian blood? PYLADES Crimson'd with gore behold its sculptured wreaths. ORESTES See, from the battlements what trophies hang! PYLADES The spoils of strangers that have here been slain. ORESTES Behooves us then to watch with careful eye. O Phoebus, by thy oracles again Why hast thou led me to these toils? E'er since, In vengeance for my father's blood, I slew My mother, ceaseless by the Furies driven, Vagrant, an outcast, many a bending course My feet have trod: to thee I came, of the Inquired this whirling frenzy by what means, And by what means my labours I might end. Thy voice commanded me to speed my course To this wild coast of Tauris, where a shrine Thy sister hath, Diana; thence to take The statue of the goddess, which from heaven (So say the natives) to this temple fell: This image, or by fraud or fortune won, The dangerous toil achieved, to place the prize In the Athenian land: no more was said; But that, performing this, I should obtain Rest from my toils. Obedient to thy words, On this unknown, inhospitable coast Am I arrived. Now, Pylades (for thou Art my associate in this dangerous task), Of thee I ask, What shall we do? for high The walls, thou seest, which fence the temple round. Shall we ascend their height? But how escape Observing eyes? Or burst the brazen bars? Of these we nothing know: in the attempt To force the gates, or meditating means To enter, if detected, we shall die. Shall we then, ere we die, by flight regain The ship in which we hither plough'd the sea? PYLADES Of flight we brook no thought, nor such hath been Our wont; nor may the god's commanding voice Be disobey'd; but from the temple now Retiring, in some cave, which the black sea Beats with its billows, we may lie conceal'd At distance from our bark, lest some, whose eyes May note it, bear the tidings to the king, And we be seized by force. But when the eye Of night comes darkling on, then must we dare, And take the polish'd image from the shrine, Attempting all things: and the vacant space Between the triglyphs (mark it well) enough Is open to admit us; by that way Attempt we to descend: in toils the brave Are daring; of no worth the abject soul. ORESTES This length of sea we plough'd not, from this coast, Nothing effected, to return: but well Hast thou advised; the god must be obey'd. Retire we then where we may lie conceal'd; For never from the god will come the cause, That what his sacred voice commands should fall Effectless. We must dare. No toil to youth Excuse, which justifies inaction, brings.
(They go out. IPHIGENIA and the CHORUS enter from the temple.)
IPHIGENIA (singing) You, who your savage dwellings hold Nigh this inhospitable main, 'Gainst clashing rocks with fury roll'd, From all but hallow'd words abstain. Virgin queen, Latona's grace, joying in the mountain chase, To thy court, thy rich domain, To thy beauteous-pillar'd fane Where our wondering eyes behold Battlements that blaze with gold, Thus my virgin steps I bend, Holy, the holy to attend; Servant, virgin queen, to thee; Power, who bear'st life's golden key, Far from Greece for steeds