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I fear it nought； yet are mine eyes amazed
With wonder。 Who are ye？ of all I ask；
And of this stranger to my statue clinging。
But ye…your shape is like no human form；
Like to no goddess whom the gods behold；
Like to no shape which mortal women wear。
Yet to stand by and chide a monstrous form
Is all unjust…from such words Right revolts。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
O child of Zeus； one word shall tell thee all。
We are the children of eternal Night；
And Furies in the underworld are called。
ATHENA
I know your lineage now and eke your name。
LEADER
Yea； and eftsoons indeed my rights shalt know。
ATHENA
Fain would I learn them； speak them clearly forth；
LEADER
We chase from home the murderers of men。
ATHENA
And where at last can he that slew make pause？
LEADER
Where this is law…All joy abandon here。
ATHENA
Say； do ye bay this man to such a flight？
LEADER
Yea； for of choice he did his mother slay。
ATHENA
Urged by no fear of other wrath and doom？
LEADER
What spur can rightly goad to matricide？
ATHENA
Two stand to plead…one only have I heard。
LEADER
He wiR not swear nor challenge us to oath。
ATHENA
The form of justice； not its deed； thou willest。
LEADER
Prove thou that word； thou art not scant of skill。
ATHENA
I say that oaths shall not enforce the wrong。
LEADER
Then test the cause； judge and award the right。
ATHENA
Will ye to me then this decision trust？
LEADER
Yea； reverencing true child of worthy sire。
ATHENA （to ORESTES）
O man unknown； make thou thy plea in turn。
Speak forth thy land； thy lineage； and thy woes；
Then； if thou canst； avert this bitter blame…
If； as I deem； in confidence of right
Thou sittest hard beside my holy place；
Clasping this statue； as Ixion sat；
A sacred suppliant for Zeus to cleanse；…
To all this answer me in words made plain。
ORESTES
O queen Athena； first from thy last words
Will I a great solicitude remove。
Not one blood…guilty am I； no foul stain
Clings to thine image from my clinging hand；
Whereof one potent proof I have to tell。
Lo； the law stands…The slayer shall not plead；
Till by the hand of him who cleanses blood
A suckling creature's blood besprinkle him。
Long since have I this expiation done；…
In many a home； slain beasts and running streams
Have cleansed me。 Thus I speak away that fear。
Next； of my lineage quickly thou shalt learn：
An Argive am I； and right well thou know'st
My sire； that Agamemnon who arrayed
The fleet and them that went therein to war…
That chief with whom thy hand combined to crush
To an uncitied heap what once was Troy；
That Agamemnon； when he homeward came；
Was brought unto no honourable death；
Slain by the dark…souled wife who brought me forth
To him；…enwound and slain in wily nets；
Blazoned with blood that in the laver ran。
And I； returning from an exiled youth；
Slew her； my mother…lo； it stands avowed！
With blood for blood avenging my loved sire；
And in this deed doth Loxias bear part；
Decreeing agonies； to goad my will；
Unless by me the guilty found their doom。
Do thou decide if right or wrong were done…
Thy dooming； whatsoe'er it be； contents me。
ATHENA
Too mighty is this matter； whosoe'er
Of mortals claims to judge hereof aright。
Yea； me； even me； eternal Right forbids
To judge the issues of blood…guilt； and wrath
That follows swift behind。 This too gives pause；
That thou as one with all due rites performed
Dost come； unsinning； pure； unto my shrine。
Whate'er thou art； in this my city's name；
As uncondemned； I take thee to my side。…
Yet have these foes of thine such dues by fate；
O'erthrown in judgment of the cause； forthwith
Their anger's poison shall infect the land…
A dropping plague…spot of eternal ill。
Thus stand we with a woe on either hand：
Stay they； or go at my commandment forth；
Perplexity or pain must needs befall。
Yet； as on me Fate hath imposed the cause；
I choose unto me judges that shall be
An ordinance for ever； set to rule
The dues of blood…guilt； upon oath declared。
But ye； call forth your witness and your proof；
Words strong for justice； fortified by oath；
And I； whoe'er are truest in my town；
Them will I choose and bring； and straitly charge；
Look on this cause； discriminating well；
And pledge your oath to utter nought of wrong。
（ATHENA withdraws。）
CHORUS （singing）
strophe 1
Now are they all undone； the ancient laws；
If here the slayer's cause
Prevail； new wrong for ancient right shall be
If matricide go free。
Henceforth a deed like his by all shall stand；
Too ready to the hand：
Too oft shall parents in the aftertime
Rue and lament this crime；…
Taught； not in false imagining； to feel
Their children's thrusting steel：
No more the wrath； that erst on murder fell
From us； the queens of Hell；
Shall fall； no more our watching gaze impend…
Death shall smite unrestrained。
antistrophe 1
Henceforth shall one unto another cry
Lo； they are stricken； lo； they fall and die
Around me！ and that other answers him；
O thou that lookest that thy woes should cease；
Behold； with dark increase
They throng and press upon thee； yea； and dim
Is all the cure； and every comfort vain！
strophe 2
Let none henceforth cry out； when falls the blow
Of sudden…smiting woe；
Cry out in sad reiterated strain
O Justice； aid！ aid； O ye thrones of Hell！
So though a father or a mother wail
New…smitten by a son； it shall no more avail；
Since； overthrown by wrong； the fane of justice fell！
antistrophe 2
Know； that a throne there is that may not pass away；
And one that sitteth on it…even Fear；
Searching with steadfast eyes man's inner soul：
Wisdom is child of pain； and born with many a tear；
But who henceforth；
What man of mortal men； what nation upon earth；
That holdeth nought in awe nor in the light
Of inner reverence； shall worship Right
As in the older day？
strophe 3
Praise not； O man； the life beyond control；
Nor that which bows unto a tyrant's sway。
Know that the middle way
Is dearest unto God； and they thereon who wend；
They shall achieve the end；
But they who wander or to left or right
Are sinners in his sight。
Take to thy heart this one； this soothfast word…
Of wantonness impiety is sire；
Only from calm control and sanity unstirred
Cometh true weal； the goal of every man's desire。
antistrophe 3
Yea； whatsoe'er befall； hold thou this word of mine：
Bow down at Justice' shrine；
Turn thou thine eyes away from earthly lure；
Nor witk a godless foot that altar spurn。
For as thou dost shall Fate do in return；
And the great doom is sure。
Therefore let each adore a parent's trust；
And each with loyalty revere the guest
That in his halls doth rest。
strophe 4
For whoso uncompelled doth follow what is just；
He ne'er shall be unblest；
Yea； never to the gulf of doom
That man shall come。
But he whose will is set against the gods；
Who treads beyond the law with foot impure；
Till o'er the wreck of Right confusion broods；…
Know that for him； though now he sail secure；
The day of storm shall be； then shall he strive and fail
Down from the shivered yard to furl the sail；
antistrophe 4
And call on Powers； that heed him nought； to save；
And vainly wrestle with the whirling wave。
Hot was his heart with pride…
I shall not fall； he cried。
But him with watching scorn
The god beholds； forlorn；
Tangled in toils of Fate beyond escape；
Hopeless of haven s