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To Argos； O my brother； ere I die；
Bear me from this barbaric land； and far
Remove me from this altar's bloody rites；
At which to slay the stranger is my charge。…
ORESTES
What shall I say？ Where are we； Pylades？
IPHIGENIA
Or on thy house for vengeance will I call；
Orestes。 Twice repeated； learn the name。
ORESTES
Ye gods！
IPHIGENIA
In my cause why invoke the gods？
ORESTES
Nothing： proceed： my thoughts were wandering wide：
Strange things of thee unask'd I soon shall learn。
IPHIGENIA
Tell him the goddess saved me； in exchange
A hind presenting； which my father slew
A victim； deeming that he plunged his sword
Deep in my breast： me in this land she placed。
Thou hast my charge： and this my letter speaks。
PYLADES
O； thou hast bound me with an easy oath：
What I have sworn with honest purpose； long
Defer I not； but thus discharge mine oath。
To thee a letter from thy sister； lo；
I bear； Orestes； and I give it thee。
（PYLADES hands the letter to ORESTES。）
ORESTES
I do receive it； but forbear to unclose
its foldings； greater pleasure first to enjoy
Than words can give。 My sister； O most dear；
Astonish'd ev'n to disbelief； I throw
Mine arms around thee with a fond embrace；
In transport at the wondrous things I hear。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Stranger； thou dost not well with hands profane
Thus to pollute the priestess of the shrine；
Grasping her garments hallow'd from the touch。
ORESTES
My sister； my dear sister； from one sire；
From Agamemnon sprung； turn not away；
Holding thy brother thus beyond all hope。
IPHIGENIA
My brother！ Thou my brother！ Wilt thou not
Unsay these words？ At Argos far he dwells。
ORESTES
Thy brother； O unhappy！ is not there。
IPHIGENIA
Thee did the Spartan Tyndarus bring forth？
ORESTES
And from the son of Pelops' son I sprung；
IPHIGENIA
What say'st thou？ Canst thou give me proof of this？
ORESTES
I can： ask something of my father's house。
IPHIGENIA
Nay； it is thine to speak； mine to attend。
ORESTES
First let me mention things which I have heard
Electra speak： to thee is known the strife
Which fierce 'twixt Atreus and Thyestes rose。
IPHIGENIA
Yes； I have heard it； for the golden ram；…
ORESTES
In the rich texture didst thou not inweave it？
IPHIGENIA
O thou most dear！ Thou windest near my heart。
ORESTES
And image in the web the averted sun？
IPHIGENIA
In the fine threads that figure did I work。
ORESTES
For Aulis did thy mother bathe thy limbs？
IPHIGENIA
I know it； to unlucky spousals led。
ORESTES
Why to thy mother didst thou send thy locks？
IPHIGENIA
Devoted for my body to the tomb。
ORESTES
What I myself have seen I now as proofs
Will mention。 In thy father's house； hung high
Within thy virgin chambers； the old spear
Of Pelops； which he brandish'd when he slew
Oenomaus； and won his beauteous bride；
The virgin Hippodamia； Pisa's boast。
IPHIGENIA
O thou most dear （for thou art he）； most dear
Acknowledged； thee； Orestes； do I hold；
From Argos； from thy country distant far？
ORESTES
And hold I thee； my sister； long deem'd dead？
Grief mix'd with joy； and tears； not taught by woe
To rise； stand melting in thy eyes and mine。
IPHIGENIA
Thee yet an infant in thy nurse's arms
I left； a babe I left thee in the house。
Thou art more happy； O my soul； than speech
Knows to express。 What shall I say？ 'tis all
Surpassing wonder and the power of words。
ORESTES
May we together from this hour be bless'd！
IPHIGENIA
An unexpected pleasure； O my friends；
Have I received； yet fear I from my hands
Lest to the air it fly。 O sacred hearths
Raised by the Cyclops！ O my country； loved
Mycenae！ Now that thou didst give me birth；
T thank thee； now I thank thee； that my youth
Thou trainedst； since my brother thou has train'd；
A beam of light； the glory of his house。
ORESTES
We in our race are happy； but our life；
My sister； by misfortunes is unhappy。
IPHIGENIA
I was； I know； unhappy； when the sword
My father； frantic； pointed at my neck。
ORESTES
Ah me！ methinks ev'n now I see thee there。
IPHIGENIA
When to Achilles； brother； not a bride；
I to the sacrifice by guile was led；
And tears and groans the altar compass'd round。
ORESTES
Alas； the lavers there！
IPHIGENIA
I mourn'd the deed
My father dared； unlike a father's love；
Cruel； unlike a father's love； to me。
ORESTES
Ill deeds succeed to ill： if thou hadst slain
Thy brother； by some god impell'd； what griefs
Must have been thine at such a dreadful deed！
IPHIGENIA （chanting）
Dreadful my brother； O how dreadful！ scarce
Hast thou escaped a foul； unhallow'd death；
Slain by my hands。 But how will these things end？
What Fortune will assist me？ What safe means
Shall I devise to send thee from this state；
From slaughter； to thy native land； to Argos；
Ere with thy blood the cruel sword be stain'd？
This to devise； O my unhappy soul！
This to devise is thine。 Wilt thou by land；
Thy bark deserted； speed thy flight on foot？
Perils await thee mid these barbarous tribes；
Through pathless wilds； and 'twixt the clashing rocks；
Narrow the passage for the flying bark；
And long。 Unhappy； ah； unhappy me！
What god； what mortal； what unlook'd…for chance
Will expedite our dangerous way； and show
Two sprung from Atreus a release from ills？
LEADER
What having seen and heard I shall relate；
Is marvellous； and passes fabling tales。
PYLADES
When after absence long； Orestes； friend
Meets friend； embraces will express their joy。
Behooves us now； bidding farewell to grief；
And heedful to obtain the glorious name
Of safety； from this barbarous land to fly。
The wise； of fortune not regardless； seize
The occasion； and to happiness advance。
ORESTES
Well hast thou said； and Fortune here； I ween；
Will aid us； to the firm and strenuous mind
More potent works the influence divine。
IPHIGENIA
Nothing shall check； nothing restrain my speech：
First will I question thee what fortune waits
Electra： this to know would yield me joy。
ORESTES
With him （pointing to Pylades） she dwells； and happy is her life；
IPHIGENIA
Whence then is he？ and from what father sprung？
ORESTES
From Phocis： Strophius is his father named。
IPHIGENIA
By Atreus' daughter to my blood allied？
ORESTES
Nearly allied： my only faithful friend。
IPHIGENIA
He was not then； me when my father slew。
ORESTES
Childless was Strophius for some length of time。
IPHIGENIA
O thou； the husband of my sister； hail
ORESTES
More than relation； my preserver too。
IPHIGENIA
But to thy mother why that dreadful deed？
ORESTES
Of that no more： to avenge my father's death。
IPHIGENIA
But for what cause did she her husband slay？
ORESTES
Of her inquire not： thou wouldst blush to hear。
IPHIGENIA
The eyes of Argos now are raised to thee。
ORESTES
There Menelaus is lord； I； outcast； fly。
IPHIGENIA
Hath he then wrong'd his brother's ruin'd house？
ORESTES
Not so： the Furies fright me from the land。
IPHIGENIA
The madness this； which seized thee on the shore？
ORESTES
I was not first beheld unhappy there。
IPHIGENIA
Stern powers！ they haunt thee for thy mother's blood。
ORESTES
And ruthless make me champ the bloody bit。
IPHIGENIA
Why to this region has thou steer'd thy course？
ORESTES
Commanded by Apollo's voice； I come。
IPHIGENIA
With what intent？ if that may be disclosed。
ORESTES
I will inform thee； though to length of speech
This leads。 When vengeance from my hands o'ertook
My mother's deeds…foul deeds； which let me pass
In silence…by the Furies' fierce assaults
To flight I was impell'd： to Athens then
Apollo sent me； that； my cause there heard；
I might appease the vengeful powers； whose names
May not be utter'd： the tribunal there
Is holy； which for Mars； when stain'd with blood；
Jove in old times establish'd。 There arrived；
None willingly received me； by the gods
As one abhorr'd； and they； who felt the touch
Of shame； the hospitable board alone
Yielded； and though one common roof beneath；
Their silence showing they disdain'd to hold