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ELECTRA
Nay； I beseech thee be not so cruel to me； sir！
ORESTES
Do as I say； and never fear to do amiss。
ELECTRA
I conjure thee； rob me not of my chief treasure！
ORESTES
Thou must not keep it。
ELECTRA
Ah woe is me for thee； Orestes； if I am not to give thee burial
ORESTES
Hush！…no such word！…Thou hast no right to lament。
ELECTRA
No right to lament for my dead brother？
ORESTES
It is not meet for thee to speak of him thus。
ELECTRA
Am I so dishonoured of the dead？
ORESTES
Dishonoured of none：… but this is not thy part。
ELECTRA
Yes； if these are the ashes of Orestes that I hold。
ORESTES
They are not； a fiction dothed them with his name。
（He gently takes the urn from her。）
ELECTRA
And where is that unhappy one's tomb？
ORESTES
There is none； the living have no tomb。
ELECTRA
What sayest thou； boy？
ORESTES
Nothing that is not true。
ELECTRA
The man is alive？
ORESTES
If there be life in me。
ELECTRA
What？ Art thou he？
ORESTES
Look at this signet； once our father's； and judge if I speak
truth。
ELECTRA
O blissful day！
ORESTES
Blissful； in very deed！
ELECTRA
Is this thy voice？
ORESTES
Let no other voice reply。
ELECTRA
Do I hold thee in my arms？
ORESTES
As mayest thou hold me always！
ELECTRA
Ah； dear friends and fellow…citizens； behold Orestes here； who was
feigned dead； and now； by that feigning hath come safely home！
LEADER
We see him； daughter； and for this happy fortune a tear of joy
trickles from our eyes。
（The following lines between ORESTES
and ELECTRA are chanted responsively。）
ELECTRA
strophe
Offspring of him whom I loved best； thou hast come even now；
thou hast come； and found and seen her whom thy heart desired！
ORESTES
I am with thee；… but keep silence for a while。
ELECTRA
What meanest thou？
ORESTES
'Tis better to be silent； lest some one within should hear。
ELECTRA
Nay； by ever…virgin Artemis； I will never stoop to fear women；
stay…at…homes； vain burdens of the ground！
ORESTES
Yet remember that in women； too； dwells the spirit of battle； thou
hast had good proof of that； I ween。
ELECTRA
Alas！ ah me！ Thou hast reminded me of my sorrow； one which； from
its nature； cannot be veiled； cannot be done away with； cannot forget！
ORESTES
I know this also； but when occasion prompts； then will be the
moment to recall those deeds。
ELECTRA
antistrophe
Each moment of all time； as it comes； would be meet occasion for
these my just complaints； scarcely now have I had my lips set free。
ORESTES
I grant it； therefore guard thy freedom。
ELECTRA
What must I do？
ORESTES
When the season serves not； do not wish to speak too much。
ELECTRA
Nay； who could fitly exchange speech for such silence； when thou
hast appeared？ For now I have seen thy face； beyond all thought and
hope！
ORESTES
Thou sawest it； when the gods moved me to come。。。。
ELECTRA
Thou hast told me of a grace above the first； if a god hath indeed
brought thee to our house； I acknowledge therein the work of heaven。
ORESTES
I am loth； indeed； to curb thy gladness； but yet this excess of
joy moves my fear。
ELECTRA
epode
O thou who； after many a year； hast deigned thus to gladden mine
eyes by thy return； do not； now that thou hast seen me in all my woe…
ORESTES
What is thy prayer？
ELECTRA
…do not rob me of the comfort of thy face； do not force me to
forego it！
ORESTES
I should be wroth； indeed； if I saw another attempt it。
ELECTRA
My prayer is granted？
ORESTES
Canst thou doubt？
ELECTRA
Ah； friends； I heard a voice that I could never have hoped to
hear； nor could I have restrained my emotion in silence； and without
cry； when I heard it。
Ah me！ But now I have thee； thou art come to me with the light
of that dear countenance； which never； even in sorrow； could I forget。
（The chant is concluded。）
ORESTES
Spare all superfluous words； tell me not of our mother's
wickedness； or how Aegisthus drains the wealth of our father's house
by lavish luxury or aimless waste； for the story would not suffer thee
to keep due limit。 Tell me rather that which will serve our present
need；… where we must show ourselves； or wait in ambush； that this
our coming may confound the triumph of our foes。
And look that our mother read not thy secret in thy radiant
face； when we twain have advanced into the house； but make lament；
as for the feigned disaster； for when we have prospered； then there
will be leisure to rejoice and exult in freedom。
ELECTRA
Nay； brother； as it pleases thee； so shall be my conduct also； for
all my joy is a gift from thee； and not mine own。 Nor would I
consent to win great good for myself at the cost of the least pain
to thee； for so should I ill serve the divine power that befriends
us now。
But thou knowest how matters stand here； I doubt not： thou must
have beard that Aegisthus is from home； but our mother within；… and
fear not that she will ever see my face lit up with smiles； for mine
old hatred of her hath sunk into my heart； and； since I have beheld
thee； for very joy I shall never cease to weep。 How indeed should I
cease； who have seen thee come home this day； first as dead； and
then in life？ Strangely hast thou wrought on me； so that； if my father
should return alive； I should no longer doubt my senses； but should
believe that I saw him。 Now； therefore； that thou hast come to me so
wondrously； command me as thou wilt； for； had I been alone； I should
have achieved one of two things；… a noble deliverance； or a noble
death。
ORESTES
Thou hadst best be silent； for I hear some one within preparing to
go forth。
ELECTRA （to ORESTES and PYLADES）
Enter； sirs； especially as ye bring that which no one could
repulse from these doors； though he receive it without joy。
（The PAEDAGOGUS enters from the palace。）
PAEDAGOGUS
Foolish and senseless children！ Are ye weary of your lives； or was
there no wit born in you； that ye see not how ye stand； not on the
brink； but in the very midst of deadly perils？ Nay； had I not kept
watch this long while at these doors； your plans would have been in
the house before yourselves； but； as it is； my care shielded you
from that。 Now have done with this long discourse； these insatiate
cries of joy； and pass within； for in such deeds delay is evil； and
'tis well to make an end。
ORESTES
What； then； will be my prospects when I enter？
PAEDAGOGUS
Good； for thou art secured from recognition。
ORESTES
Thou hast reported me； I presume； as dead？
PAEDAGOGUS
Know that here thou art numbered with the shades。
ORESTES
Do they rejoice； then； at these tidings？ Or what say they？
PAEDAGOGUS
I will tell thee at the end； meanwhile； all is well for us on
their party…even that which is not well。
ELECTRA
Who is this； brother？ I pray thee； tell me。
ORESTES
Dost thou not perceive？
ELECTRA
I cannot guess。
ORESTES
Knowest thou not the man to whose hands thou gavest me once？
ELECTRA
What man？ How sayest thou？
ORESTES
By whose hands； through thy forethought； I was secretly conveyed
forth to Phocian soil。
ELECTRA
Is this he in whom； alone of many； I found a true ally of old；
when our sire was slain？
ORESTES
'Tis he； question me no further。
ELECTRA
O joyous day！ O sole preserver of Agamemnon's house； how hast thou
come？ Art thou he indeed； who didst save my brother and myself from
many sorrows？ O dearest hands； O messenger whose feet were kindly
servants！ How couldst thou be with me so long； and remain unknown； nor
give a ray of light； but afflict me by fables； while possessed of
truths most sweet？ Hail； father；… for 'tis a father that I seem to
behold！ All hail；… and know that I have hated thee； and loved thee； in
one day； as never man before！
PAEDAGOGUS
Enough； methinks； as for the story of the past； many are the
circling nights； and days as many； which shall show it thee；
Electra； in its fulness。 （To ORESTES and PYLADES） But this is my
counsel to you twain； who stand there… now is the time to act； now
Clytemnestra is alone；… no man is now within： but； if ye pause；
consider that ye will