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SOPHOCLES’ ELECTRA lines 254–471:
Electra, Chorus and Chrysothemis. Electra’s first rhesis describes her predicament to the chorus. She focuses sharply upon the feel and texture of her daily experience, on Aegisthus’ humiliating possession of Agamemnon’s throne, his clothes, his hearth, his bed, and on Clytaemnestra’s vindictive festival . . . and her ferocious outburst against Electra herself.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
αἰσχύνομαι[PH1] μέν, ὦ γυναῖκες, εἰ δοκῶ[PH2]
255
πολλοῖσι θρήνοις[PH3] δυσφορεῖν[PH4] ὑμῖν ἄγαν[PH5] .
ἀλλ᾿, ἡ βία γὰρ ταῦτ᾿ ἀναγκάζει[PH6] με δρᾶν,
σύγγνωτε[PH7] . πῶς γάρ, ἥτις εὐγενὴς[PH8] γυνή,
πατρῷ[PH9] ᾿ ὁρῶσα[PH10] πήματ᾿, οὐ δρῴη[PH11] τάδ᾿ ἄν,
ἁγὼ[PH12] κατ᾿ ἦμαρ καὶ κατ᾿ εὐφρόνην[PH13] ἀεὶ
260
θάλλοντα[PH14] μᾶλλον ἢ καταφθίνονθ[PH15] ᾿ ὁρῶ;
ᾗ[PH16] πρῶτα μὲν τὰ μητρός[PH17] , ἥ μ᾿ ἐγείνατο,
ἔχθιστα συμβέβηκεν[PH18] · εἶτα δώμασιν
ἐν τοῖς ἐμαυτῆς τοῖς φονεῦσι[PH19] τοῦ πατρὸς
ξύνειμι, κἀκ τῶνδ᾿ ἄρχομαι κἀκ τῶνδέ μοι[PH20]
265
λαβεῖν θ᾿ ὁμοίως καὶ τὸ τητᾶσθαι[PH21] πέλει.
ἔπειτα ποίας ἡμέρας δοκεῖς μ᾿ ἄγειν,
ὅταν θρόνοις Αἴγισθον ἐνθακοῦντ[PH22] ᾿ ἴδω
τοῖσιν πατρῴοις, εἰσίδω [PH23] δ᾿ ἐσθήματα
φοροῦντ᾿ ἐκείνῳ ταὐτά, καὶ παρεστίους[PH24]
270
σπένδοντα λοιβὰς[PH25] ἔνθ᾿ ἐκεῖνον ὤλεσεν[PH26] ,
ἴδω δὲ τούτων τὴν τελευταίαν ὕβριν[PH27] ,
τὸν αὐτοφόντην ἡμὶν [PH28] ἐν κοίτῃ[PH29] πατρὸς
ξὺν τῇ ταλαίνῃ μητρί, μητέρ᾿ εἰ χρεὼν[PH30]
ταύτην προσαυδᾶν[PH31] τῷδε συγκοιμωμένην.
275
ἡ δ᾿ ὧδε τλήμων ὥστε τῷ μιάστορι[PH32]
ξύνεστ᾿, Ἐρινὺν [PH33] οὔτιν᾿ ἐκφοβουμένη·
ἀλλ᾿ ὥσπερ ἐγγελῶσα[PH34] τοῖς ποιουμένοις,
εὑροῦσ᾿ ἐκείνην ἡμέραν[PH35] , ἐν ᾗ τότε
πατέρα τὸν ἀμὸν[PH36] ἐκ δόλου [PH37] κατέκτανεν,
280
ταύτῃ χοροὺς ἵστησι καὶ μηλοσφαγεῖ
[PH38] θεοῖσιν ἔμμην[PH39] ᾿ ἱερὰ τοῖς σωτηρίοις[PH40] .
ἐγὼ δ᾿ ὁρῶσα δύσμορος κατὰ στέγας[PH41]
κλαίω, τέτηκα, κἀπικωκύω[PH42] πατρὸς[PH43]
τὴν δυστάλαιναν δαῖτ᾿ ἐπωνομασμένην[PH44]
285
αὐτὴ πρὸς αὐτήν[PH45] · οὐδὲ γὰρ κλαῦσαι πάρα[PH46]
τοσόνδ᾿ ὅσον μοι θυμὸς ἡδονὴν φέρει.
αὕτη γὰρ ἡ λόγοισι γενναία [PH47] γυνὴ
φωνοῦσα τοιάδ᾿ ἐξονειδίζει[PH48] κακά,
“ὦ δύσθεον [PH49] μίσημα[PH50] , σοὶ μόνῃ πατὴρ
290
τέθνηκεν; ἄλλος δ᾿ οὔτις ἐν πένθει βροτῶν;
κακῶς ὄλοιο, μηδέ σ᾿ ἐκ γόων ποτὲ
τῶν νῦν ἀπαλλάξειαν[PH51] οἱ κάτω θεοί[PH52] .”
τάδ᾿ ἐξυβρίζει[PH53] · πλὴν [PH54] ὅταν κλύῃ τινὸς
ἥξοντ[PH55] ᾿ Ὀρέστην[PH56] · τηνικαῦτα[PH57] δ᾿ ἐμμανὴς[PH58]
295
βοᾷ παραστᾶσ[PH59] [PH60] ᾿, “οὐ σύ μοι[PH61] τῶνδ᾿ αἰτία;
οὐ σὸν τόδ᾿ ἐστὶ τοὔργον, ἥτις ἐκ χερῶν
κλέψασ᾿ Ὀρέστην τῶν ἐμῶν ὑπεξέθου[PH62] [PH63] ;
ἀλλ᾿ ἴσθι τοι τείσουσά γ᾿ ἀξίαν δίκην.”
τοιαῦθ᾿ ὑλακτεῖ[PH64] , σὺν δ᾿ ἐποτρύνει πέλας
300
ὁ κλεινὸς αὐτῇ ταὐτὰ νυμφίος[PH65] παρών,
ὁ πάντ᾿ ἄναλκις[PH66] οὗτος, ἡ πᾶσα βλάβη[PH67] ,
ὁ σὺν γυναιξὶ τὰς μάχας ποιούμενος[PH68] .
ἐγὼ δ᾿ Ὀρέστην τῶνδε προσμένουσ᾿ ἀεὶ
παυστῆρ[PH69] ᾿ ἐφήξειν[PH70] ἡ τάλαιν᾿ ἀπόλλυμαι.
305
μέλλων γὰρ ἀεὶ δρᾶν τι[PH71] τὰς οὔσας τέ μου
καὶ τὰς ἀπούσας ἐλπίδας διέφθορεν[PH72] .
ἐν οὖν τοιούτοις οὔτε σωφρονεῖν, φίλαι,
οὔτ᾿ εὐσεβεῖν[PH73] [PH74] πάρεστιν· ἀλλ᾿ ἐν τοῖς κακοῖς
πολλή ᾽στ᾽ ἀνάγκη κἀπιτηδεύειν[PH75] κακά[PH76] .
ΧΟΡΟΣ[PH77]
310
φέρ᾿ εἰπέ[PH78] , πότερον ὄντος Αἰγίσθου πέλας
λέγεις τάδ᾿ ἡμῖν, ἢ βεβῶτος[PH79] ἐκ δόμων;
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
ἦ κάρτα. μὴ δόκει μ᾿ ἄν, εἴπερ ἦν πέλας,
θυραῖον[PH80] οἰχνεῖν[PH81] · νῦν δ᾿ ἀγροῖσι τυγχάνει[PH82] .
ΧΟΡΟΣ
ἦ δὴ ἂν ἐγὼ θαρσοῦσα μᾶλλον ἐς λόγους
315
τοὺς σοὺς ἱκοίμην, εἴπερ ὧδε ταῦτ᾿ ἔχει.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
ὡς νῦν ἀπόντος ἱστόρει[PH83] · τί σοι φίλον;
ΧΟΡΟΣ
καὶ δή σ᾿ ἐρωτῶ, τοῦ κασιγνήτου τί φής,
ἥξοντος, ἢ μέλλοντος; εἰδέναι θέλω.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
φησίν γε[PH84] · φάσκων[PH85] δ᾿ οὐδὲν ὧν λέγει ποεῖ.
ΧΟΡΟΣ
320
φιλεῖ γὰρ ὀκνεῖν[PH86] [PH87] πρᾶγμ᾿ ἀνὴρ πράσσων μέγα.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
καὶ μὴν[PH88] ἔγωγ᾿ ἔσωσ᾿ ἐκεῖνον οὐκ ὄκνῳ[PH89] .
ΧΟΡΟΣ
θάρσει· πέφυκεν[PH90] [PH91] ἐσθλός, ὥστ᾿ ἀρκεῖν φίλοις.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
πέποιθ[PH92] ᾿, ἐπεί τἂν οὐ μακρὰν ἔζων ἐγώ.
ΧΟΡΟΣ
μὴ νῦν ἔτ᾿ εἴπῃς μηδέν[PH93] · ὡς δόμων ὁρῶ
325
τὴν σὴν ὅμαιμον[PH94] , ἐκ πατρὸς ταὐτοῦ φύσιν,
Χρυσόθεμιν[PH95] [PH96] , ἔκ τε μητρός, ἐντάφια χεροῖν
φέρουσαν, οἷα τοῖς κάτω νομίζεται[PH97] .
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
τίν᾿ αὖ σὺ τήνδε πρὸς θυρῶνος[PH98] ἐξόδοις
ἐλθοῦσα φωνεῖς, ὦ κασιγνήτη, φάτιν[PH99] ,
330
κοὐδ᾿ ἐν χρόνῳ μακρῷ διδαχθῆναι[PH100] θέλεις
θυμῷ ματαίῳ μὴ χαρίζεσθαι κενά[PH101] ;
καίτοι τοσοῦτόν γ᾿ οἶδα κἀμαυτήν[PH102] [PH103] , ὅτι
ἀλγῶ ᾿πὶ τοῖς παροῦσιν· ὥστ᾿ ἄν, εἰ σθένος
λάβοιμι, δηλώσαιμ᾿ ἂν οἷ᾿ αὐτοῖς φρονῶ[PH104] .
335
νῦν δ᾿ ἐν κακοῖς μοι πλεῖν ὑφειμένῃ[PH105] δοκεῖ[PH106] ,
καὶ μὴ δοκεῖν μὲν δρᾶν τι, πημαίνειν δὲ μή.
τοιαῦτα δ᾿ ἄλλα καὶ σὲ βούλομαι ποεῖν.
καίτοι τὸ μὲν δίκαιον οὐχ ᾗ ᾿γὼ λέγω,
ἀλλ᾿ ᾗ σὺ κρίνεις[PH107] . εἰ δ᾿ ἐλευθέραν[PH108] με δεῖ
340
ζῆν, τῶν κρατούντων ἐστὶ πάντ᾿ ἀκουστέα[PH109] .
δεινόν[PH110] γέ σ᾿ οὖσαν πατρὸς οὗ σὺ παῖς ἔφυς
κείνου λελῆσθαι[PH111] , τῆς δὲ τικτούσης [PH112] μέλειν.
ἅπαντα γάρ σοι τἀμὰ νουθετήματα
κείνης διδακτά, κοὐδὲν ἐκ σαυτῆς λέγεις.
345
ἐπεί γ᾿ ἑλοῦ σὺ θἄτερ[PH113] ᾿, ἢ φρονεῖν κακῶς,
ἢ τῶν φίλων φρονοῦσα μὴ μνήμην ἔχειν·
ἥτις λέγεις μὲν ἀρτίως[PH114] , ὡς εἰ λάβοις
σθένος[PH115] [PH116] , τὸ τούτων μῖσος ἐκδείξειας[PH117] ἄν·
ἐμοῦ δὲ πατρὶ πάντα τιμωρουμένης[PH118]
350
οὔτε ξυνέρδεις[PH119] τήν τε δρῶσαν ἐκτρέπεις.
οὐ ταῦτα πρὸς κακοῖσι δειλίαν[PH120] ἔχει;
ἐπεὶ δίδαξον, ἢ μάθ᾿ ἐξ ἐμοῦ, τί μοι
κέρδος γένοιτ᾿ ἂν τῶνδε ληξάσῃ γόων.
οὐ ζῶ; κακῶς μέν, οἶδ᾿, ἐπαρκούντως δ᾿ ἐμοί[PH121] .
355
λυπῶ δὲ τούτους, ὥστε τῷ τεθνηκότι
τιμὰς προσάπτειν, εἴ τις ἔστ᾿ ἐκεῖ χάρις.
σὺ δ᾿ ἡμὶν ἡ μισοῦσα μισεῖς μὲν λόγῳ,
ἔργῳ δὲ τοῖς φονεῦσι τοῦ πατρὸς ξύνει.
ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν οὐκ ἄν ποτ᾿, οὐδ᾿ εἴ μοι τὰ σὰ
360
μέλλοι τις οἴσειν δῶρ᾿, ἐφ᾿ οἷσι νῦν χλιδᾷς,
τούτοις ὑπεικάθοιμι· σοὶ δὲ πλουσία
τράπεζα κείσθω καὶ περιρρείτω βίος.
ἐμοὶ γὰρ ἔστω τοὐμὲ μὴ λυπεῖν μόνον
βόσκημα· τῆς σῆς δ᾿ οὐκ ἐρῶ τιμῆς λαχεῖν.
365
οὐδ᾿ ἂν σύ, σώφρων γ᾿ οὖσα. νῦν δ᾿ ἐξὸν
πατρὸς
πάντων ἀρίστου παῖδα κεκλῆσθαι, καλοῦ
τῆς μητρός. οὕτω γὰρ φανῇ πλείστοις κακή,
θανόντα πατέρα καὶ φίλους προδοῦσα σούς.
ΧΟΡΟΣ
μηδὲν πρὸς ὀργὴν πρὸς θεῶν· ὡς τοῖς λόγοις
370
ἔνεστιν ἀμφοῖν κέρδος, εἰ σὺ μὲν μάθοις
τοῖς τῆσδε χρῆσθαι, τοῖς δὲ σοῖς αὕτη πάλιν.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
ἐγὼ μέν, ὦ γυναῖκες, ἠθάς εἰμί πως
τῶν τῆσδε μύθων· οὐδ᾿ ἂν ἐμνήσθην ποτέ,
εἰ μὴ κακὸν μέγιστον εἰς αὐτὴν ἰὸν
375
ἤκουσ᾿, ὃ ταύτην τῶν μακρῶν σχήσει γόων.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
φέρ᾿ εἰπὲ δὴ τὸ δεινόν. εἰ γὰρ τῶνδέ μοι
μεῖζόν τι λέξεις, οὐκ ἂν ἀντείποιμ᾿ ἔτι.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
ἀλλ᾿ ἐξερῶ σοι πᾶν ὅσον κάτοιδ᾿ ἐγώ.
μέλλουσι γάρ σ᾿, εἰ τῶνδε μὴ λήξεις γόων,
380
ἐνταῦθα πέμψειν ἔνθα μή ποθ᾿ ἡλίου
φέγγος προσόψῃ, ζῶσα δ᾿ ἐν κατηρεφεῖ
στέγῃ χθονὸς τῆσδ᾿ ἐκτὸς ὑμνήσεις κακά.
πρὸς ταῦτα φράζου, καί με μή ποθ᾿ ὕστερον
παθοῦσα μέμψῃ. νῦν γὰρ ἐν καλῷ φρονεῖν.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
385
ἦ ταῦτα δή με καὶ βεβούλευνται ποεῖν;
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
μάλισθ᾿· ὅταν περ οἴκαδ᾿ Αἴγισθος μόλῃ.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
ἀλλ᾿ ἐξίκοιτο τοῦδέ γ᾿ οὕνεκ᾿ ἐν τάχει.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
τίν᾿, ὦ τάλαινα, τόνδ᾿ ἐπηράσω λόγον;
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
ἐλθεῖν ἐκεῖνον, εἴ τι τῶνδε δρᾶν νοεῖ.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
390
ὅπως πάθῃς τί χρῆμα; ποῦ ποτ᾿ εἶ φρενῶν;
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
ὅπως ἀφ᾿ ὑμῶν ὡς προσώτατ᾿ ἐκφύγω.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
βίου δὲ τοῦ παρόντος οὐ μνείαν ἔχεις;
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
καλὸς γὰρ οὑμὸς βίοτος ὥστε θαυμάσαι.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
ἀλλ᾿ ἦν ἄν, εἰ σύ γ᾿ εὖ φρονεῖν ἠπίστασο.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
395
μή μ᾿ ἐκδίδασκε τοῖς φίλοις εἶναι κακήν.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
ἀλλ᾿ οὐ διδάσκω· τοῖς κρατοῦσι δ᾿ εἰκαθεῖν.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
σὺ ταῦτα θώπευ᾿· οὐκ ἐμοὺς τρόπους λέγεις.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
καλόν γε μέντοι μὴ ᾿ξ ἀβουλίας πεσεῖν.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
πεσούμεθ᾿, εἰ χρή, πατρὶ τιμωρούμενοι.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
400
πατὴρ δὲ τούτων, οἶδα, συγγνώμην ἔχει.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
ταῦτ᾿ ἐστὶ τἄπη πρὸς κακῶν ἐπαινέσαι.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
σὺ δ᾿ οὐχὶ πείσῃ καὶ συναινέσεις ἐμοί;
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
οὐ δῆτα. μή πω νοῦ τοσόνδ᾿ εἴην κενή.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
χωρήσομαί τἄρ᾿ οἷπερ ἐστάλην ὁδοῦ.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
405
ποῖ δ᾿ ἐμπορεύῃ; τῷ φέρεις τάδ᾿ ἔμπυρα;
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
μήτηρ με πέμπει πατρὶ τυμβεῦσαι χοάς.
πῶς εἶπας; ἦ τῷ δυσμενεστάτῳ βροτῶν;
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
ὃν ἔκταν᾿ αὐτή· τοῦτο γὰρ λέξαι θέλεις.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
ἐκ τοῦ φίλων πεισθεῖσα; τῷ τοῦτ᾿ ἤρεσεν;
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
410
ἐκ δείματός του νυκτέρου, δοκεῖν ἐμοί.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
ὦ θεοὶ πατρῷοι, συγγένεσθέ γ᾿ ἀλλὰ νῦν.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
ἔχεις τι θάρσος τοῦδε τοῦ τάρβους πέρι;
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
εἴ μοι λέγοις τὴν ὄψιν, εἴποιμ᾿ ἂν τότε.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
ἀλλ᾿ οὐ κάτοιδα πλὴν ἐπὶ σμικρὸν φράσαι.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
415
λέγ᾿ ἀλλὰ τοῦτο. πολλά τοι σμικροὶ λόγοι
ἔσφηλαν ἤδη καὶ κατώρθωσαν βροτούς.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
λόγος τις αὐτήν ἐστιν εἰσιδεῖν πατρὸς
τοῦ σοῦ τε κἀμοῦ δευτέραν ὁμιλίαν
ἐλθόντος ἐς φῶς· εἶτα τόνδ᾿ ἐφέστιον
420
πῆξαι λαβόντα σκῆπτρον οὑφόρει ποτὲ
αὐτός, τανῦν δ᾿ Αἴγισθος· ἔκ τε τοῦδ᾿ ἄνω
βλαστεῖν βρύοντα θαλλόν, ᾧ κατάσκιον
πᾶσαν γενέσθαι τὴν Μυκηναίων χθόνα.
τοιαῦτά του παρόντος, ἡνίχ᾿ Ἡλίῳ
425
δείκνυσι τοὔναρ, ἔκλυον ἐξηγουμένου.
πλείω δὲ τούτων οὐ κάτοιδα, πλὴν ὅτι
πέμπει μ᾿ ἐκείνη τοῦδε τοῦ φόβου χάριν.
[πρός νυν θεῶν σε λίσσομαι τῶν ἐγγενῶν
ἐμοὶ πιθέσθαι μηδ᾿ ἀβουλίᾳ πεσεῖν·
430
εἰ γάρ μ᾿ ἀπώσῃ, σὺν κακῷ μέτει πάλιν.]
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
ἀλλ᾿, ὦ φίλη, τούτων μὲν ὧν ἔχεις χεροῖν
τύμβῳ προσάψῃς μηδέν· οὐ γάρ σοι θέμις
οὐδ᾿ ὅσιον ἐχθρᾶς ἀπὸ γυναικὸς ἱστάναι
κτερίσματ᾿ οὐδὲ λουτρὰ προσφέρειν πατρί·
435
ἀλλ᾿ ἢ πνοαῖσιν ἢ βαθυσκαφεῖ κόνει
κρύψον νιν, ἔνθα μή ποτ᾿ εἰς εὐνὴν πατρὸς
τούτων πρόσεισι μηδέν· ἀλλ᾿ ὅταν θάνῃ,
κειμήλι᾿ αὐτῇ ταῦτα σῳζέσθω κάτω.
ἀρχὴν δ᾿ ἄν, εἰ μὴ τλημονεστάτη γυνὴ
440
πασῶν ἔβλαστε, τάσδε δυσμενεῖς χοὰς
οὐκ ἄν ποθ᾿ ὅν γ᾿ ἔκτεινε τῷδ᾿ ἐπέστεφε.
σκέψαι γὰρ εἴ σοι προσφιλῶς αὐτῇ δοκεῖ
γέρα τάδ᾿ οὑν τάφοισι δέξεσθαι νέκυς
ὑφ᾿ ἧς θανὼν ἄτιμος ὥστε δυσμενὴς
445
ἐμασχαλίσθη κἀπὶ λουτροῖσιν κάρᾳ
κηλῖδας ἐξέμαξεν. ἆρα μὴ δοκεῖς
λυτήρι᾿ αὐτῇ ταῦτα τοῦ φόνου φέρειν;
οὐκ ἔστιν. ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν μέθες· σὺ δὲ
τεμοῦσα κρατὸς βοστρύχων ἄκρας φόβας
450
κἀμοῦ ταλαίνης, σμικρὰ μὲν τάδ᾿, ἀλλ᾿ ὅμως
ἅχω, δὸς αὐτῷ, τήνδε λιπαρῆ τρίχα
καὶ ζῶμα τοὐμὸν οὐ χλιδαῖς ἠσκημένον.
αἰτοῦ δὲ προσπίτνουσα γῆθεν εὐμενῆ
ἡμῖν ἀρωγὸν αὐτὸν εἰς ἐχθροὺς μολεῖν,
455
καὶ παῖδ᾿ Ὀρέστην ἐξ ὑπερτέρας χερὸς
ἐχθροῖσιν αὐτοῦ ζῶντ᾿ ἐπεμβῆναι ποδί,
ὅπως τὸ λοιπὸν αὐτὸν ἀφνεωτέραις
χερσὶ στέφωμεν ἢ τανῦν δωρούμεθα.
οἶμαι μὲν οὖν, οἶμαί τι κἀκείνῳ μέλειν
460
πέμψαι τάδ᾿ αὐτῇ δυσπρόσοπτ᾿ ὀνείρατα·
ὅμως δ᾿, ἀδελφή, σοί θ᾿ ὑπούργησον τάδε
ἐμοί τ᾿ ἀρωγά, τῷ τε φιλτάτῳ βροτῶν
πάντων, ἐν Ἅιδου κειμένῳ κοινῷ πατρί.
ΧΟΡΟΣ
πρὸς εὐσέβειαν ἡ κόρη λέγει· σὺ δέ,
465
εἰ σωφρονήσεις, ὦ φίλη, δράσεις τάδε.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
δράσω· τὸ γὰρ δίκαιον οὐκ ἔχει λόγον
δυοῖν ἐρίζειν, ἀλλ᾿ ἐπισπεύδει τὸ δρᾶν.
πειρωμένῃ δὲ τῶνδε τῶν ἔργων ἐμοὶ
σιγὴ παρ᾿ ὑμῶν πρὸς θεῶν ἔστω, φίλαι·
470
ὡς εἰ τάδ᾿ ἡ τεκοῦσα πεύσεται, πικρὰν
δοκῶ με πεῖραν τήνδε τολμήσειν ἔτι.
Electra, Chorus and Chrysothemis. Electra’s first rhesis describes her predicament to the chorus. She focuses sharply upon the feel and texture of her daily experience, on Aegisthus’ humiliating possession of Agamemnon’s throne, his clothes, his hearth, his bed, and on Clytaemnestra’s vindictive festival . . . and her ferocious outburst against Electra herself.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
αἰσχύνομαι[PH1] μέν, ὦ γυναῖκες, εἰ δοκῶ[PH2]
255
πολλοῖσι θρήνοις[PH3] δυσφορεῖν[PH4] ὑμῖν ἄγαν[PH5] .
ἀλλ᾿, ἡ βία γὰρ ταῦτ᾿ ἀναγκάζει[PH6] με δρᾶν,
σύγγνωτε[PH7] . πῶς γάρ, ἥτις εὐγενὴς[PH8] γυνή,
πατρῷ[PH9] ᾿ ὁρῶσα[PH10] πήματ᾿, οὐ δρῴη[PH11] τάδ᾿ ἄν,
ἁγὼ[PH12] κατ᾿ ἦμαρ καὶ κατ᾿ εὐφρόνην[PH13] ἀεὶ
260
θάλλοντα[PH14] μᾶλλον ἢ καταφθίνονθ[PH15] ᾿ ὁρῶ;
ᾗ[PH16] πρῶτα μὲν τὰ μητρός[PH17] , ἥ μ᾿ ἐγείνατο,
ἔχθιστα συμβέβηκεν[PH18] · εἶτα δώμασιν
ἐν τοῖς ἐμαυτῆς τοῖς φονεῦσι[PH19] τοῦ πατρὸς
ξύνειμι, κἀκ τῶνδ᾿ ἄρχομαι κἀκ τῶνδέ μοι[PH20]
265
λαβεῖν θ᾿ ὁμοίως καὶ τὸ τητᾶσθαι[PH21] πέλει.
ἔπειτα ποίας ἡμέρας δοκεῖς μ᾿ ἄγειν,
ὅταν θρόνοις Αἴγισθον ἐνθακοῦντ[PH22] ᾿ ἴδω
τοῖσιν πατρῴοις, εἰσίδω [PH23] δ᾿ ἐσθήματα
φοροῦντ᾿ ἐκείνῳ ταὐτά, καὶ παρεστίους[PH24]
270
σπένδοντα λοιβὰς[PH25] ἔνθ᾿ ἐκεῖνον ὤλεσεν[PH26] ,
ἴδω δὲ τούτων τὴν τελευταίαν ὕβριν[PH27] ,
τὸν αὐτοφόντην ἡμὶν [PH28] ἐν κοίτῃ[PH29] πατρὸς
ξὺν τῇ ταλαίνῃ μητρί, μητέρ᾿ εἰ χρεὼν[PH30]
ταύτην προσαυδᾶν[PH31] τῷδε συγκοιμωμένην.
275
ἡ δ᾿ ὧδε τλήμων ὥστε τῷ μιάστορι[PH32]
ξύνεστ᾿, Ἐρινὺν [PH33] οὔτιν᾿ ἐκφοβουμένη·
ἀλλ᾿ ὥσπερ ἐγγελῶσα[PH34] τοῖς ποιουμένοις,
εὑροῦσ᾿ ἐκείνην ἡμέραν[PH35] , ἐν ᾗ τότε
πατέρα τὸν ἀμὸν[PH36] ἐκ δόλου [PH37] κατέκτανεν,
280
ταύτῃ χοροὺς ἵστησι καὶ μηλοσφαγεῖ
[PH38] θεοῖσιν ἔμμην[PH39] ᾿ ἱερὰ τοῖς σωτηρίοις[PH40] .
ἐγὼ δ᾿ ὁρῶσα δύσμορος κατὰ στέγας[PH41]
κλαίω, τέτηκα, κἀπικωκύω[PH42] πατρὸς[PH43]
τὴν δυστάλαιναν δαῖτ᾿ ἐπωνομασμένην[PH44]
285
αὐτὴ πρὸς αὐτήν[PH45] · οὐδὲ γὰρ κλαῦσαι πάρα[PH46]
τοσόνδ᾿ ὅσον μοι θυμὸς ἡδονὴν φέρει.
αὕτη γὰρ ἡ λόγοισι γενναία [PH47] γυνὴ
φωνοῦσα τοιάδ᾿ ἐξονειδίζει[PH48] κακά,
“ὦ δύσθεον [PH49] μίσημα[PH50] , σοὶ μόνῃ πατὴρ
290
τέθνηκεν; ἄλλος δ᾿ οὔτις ἐν πένθει βροτῶν;
κακῶς ὄλοιο, μηδέ σ᾿ ἐκ γόων ποτὲ
τῶν νῦν ἀπαλλάξειαν[PH51] οἱ κάτω θεοί[PH52] .”
τάδ᾿ ἐξυβρίζει[PH53] · πλὴν [PH54] ὅταν κλύῃ τινὸς
ἥξοντ[PH55] ᾿ Ὀρέστην[PH56] · τηνικαῦτα[PH57] δ᾿ ἐμμανὴς[PH58]
295
βοᾷ παραστᾶσ[PH59] [PH60] ᾿, “οὐ σύ μοι[PH61] τῶνδ᾿ αἰτία;
οὐ σὸν τόδ᾿ ἐστὶ τοὔργον, ἥτις ἐκ χερῶν
κλέψασ᾿ Ὀρέστην τῶν ἐμῶν ὑπεξέθου[PH62] [PH63] ;
ἀλλ᾿ ἴσθι τοι τείσουσά γ᾿ ἀξίαν δίκην.”
τοιαῦθ᾿ ὑλακτεῖ[PH64] , σὺν δ᾿ ἐποτρύνει πέλας
300
ὁ κλεινὸς αὐτῇ ταὐτὰ νυμφίος[PH65] παρών,
ὁ πάντ᾿ ἄναλκις[PH66] οὗτος, ἡ πᾶσα βλάβη[PH67] ,
ὁ σὺν γυναιξὶ τὰς μάχας ποιούμενος[PH68] .
ἐγὼ δ᾿ Ὀρέστην τῶνδε προσμένουσ᾿ ἀεὶ
παυστῆρ[PH69] ᾿ ἐφήξειν[PH70] ἡ τάλαιν᾿ ἀπόλλυμαι.
305
μέλλων γὰρ ἀεὶ δρᾶν τι[PH71] τὰς οὔσας τέ μου
καὶ τὰς ἀπούσας ἐλπίδας διέφθορεν[PH72] .
ἐν οὖν τοιούτοις οὔτε σωφρονεῖν, φίλαι,
οὔτ᾿ εὐσεβεῖν[PH73] [PH74] πάρεστιν· ἀλλ᾿ ἐν τοῖς κακοῖς
πολλή ᾽στ᾽ ἀνάγκη κἀπιτηδεύειν[PH75] κακά[PH76] .
ΧΟΡΟΣ[PH77]
310
φέρ᾿ εἰπέ[PH78] , πότερον ὄντος Αἰγίσθου πέλας
λέγεις τάδ᾿ ἡμῖν, ἢ βεβῶτος[PH79] ἐκ δόμων;
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
ἦ κάρτα. μὴ δόκει μ᾿ ἄν, εἴπερ ἦν πέλας,
θυραῖον[PH80] οἰχνεῖν[PH81] · νῦν δ᾿ ἀγροῖσι τυγχάνει[PH82] .
ΧΟΡΟΣ
ἦ δὴ ἂν ἐγὼ θαρσοῦσα μᾶλλον ἐς λόγους
315
τοὺς σοὺς ἱκοίμην, εἴπερ ὧδε ταῦτ᾿ ἔχει.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
ὡς νῦν ἀπόντος ἱστόρει[PH83] · τί σοι φίλον;
ΧΟΡΟΣ
καὶ δή σ᾿ ἐρωτῶ, τοῦ κασιγνήτου τί φής,
ἥξοντος, ἢ μέλλοντος; εἰδέναι θέλω.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
φησίν γε[PH84] · φάσκων[PH85] δ᾿ οὐδὲν ὧν λέγει ποεῖ.
ΧΟΡΟΣ
320
φιλεῖ γὰρ ὀκνεῖν[PH86] [PH87] πρᾶγμ᾿ ἀνὴρ πράσσων μέγα.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
καὶ μὴν[PH88] ἔγωγ᾿ ἔσωσ᾿ ἐκεῖνον οὐκ ὄκνῳ[PH89] .
ΧΟΡΟΣ
θάρσει· πέφυκεν[PH90] [PH91] ἐσθλός, ὥστ᾿ ἀρκεῖν φίλοις.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
πέποιθ[PH92] ᾿, ἐπεί τἂν οὐ μακρὰν ἔζων ἐγώ.
ΧΟΡΟΣ
μὴ νῦν ἔτ᾿ εἴπῃς μηδέν[PH93] · ὡς δόμων ὁρῶ
325
τὴν σὴν ὅμαιμον[PH94] , ἐκ πατρὸς ταὐτοῦ φύσιν,
Χρυσόθεμιν[PH95] [PH96] , ἔκ τε μητρός, ἐντάφια χεροῖν
φέρουσαν, οἷα τοῖς κάτω νομίζεται[PH97] .
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
τίν᾿ αὖ σὺ τήνδε πρὸς θυρῶνος[PH98] ἐξόδοις
ἐλθοῦσα φωνεῖς, ὦ κασιγνήτη, φάτιν[PH99] ,
330
κοὐδ᾿ ἐν χρόνῳ μακρῷ διδαχθῆναι[PH100] θέλεις
θυμῷ ματαίῳ μὴ χαρίζεσθαι κενά[PH101] ;
καίτοι τοσοῦτόν γ᾿ οἶδα κἀμαυτήν[PH102] [PH103] , ὅτι
ἀλγῶ ᾿πὶ τοῖς παροῦσιν· ὥστ᾿ ἄν, εἰ σθένος
λάβοιμι, δηλώσαιμ᾿ ἂν οἷ᾿ αὐτοῖς φρονῶ[PH104] .
335
νῦν δ᾿ ἐν κακοῖς μοι πλεῖν ὑφειμένῃ[PH105] δοκεῖ[PH106] ,
καὶ μὴ δοκεῖν μὲν δρᾶν τι, πημαίνειν δὲ μή.
τοιαῦτα δ᾿ ἄλλα καὶ σὲ βούλομαι ποεῖν.
καίτοι τὸ μὲν δίκαιον οὐχ ᾗ ᾿γὼ λέγω,
ἀλλ᾿ ᾗ σὺ κρίνεις[PH107] . εἰ δ᾿ ἐλευθέραν[PH108] με δεῖ
340
ζῆν, τῶν κρατούντων ἐστὶ πάντ᾿ ἀκουστέα[PH109] .
δεινόν[PH110] γέ σ᾿ οὖσαν πατρὸς οὗ σὺ παῖς ἔφυς
κείνου λελῆσθαι[PH111] , τῆς δὲ τικτούσης [PH112] μέλειν.
ἅπαντα γάρ σοι τἀμὰ νουθετήματα
κείνης διδακτά, κοὐδὲν ἐκ σαυτῆς λέγεις.
345
ἐπεί γ᾿ ἑλοῦ σὺ θἄτερ[PH113] ᾿, ἢ φρονεῖν κακῶς,
ἢ τῶν φίλων φρονοῦσα μὴ μνήμην ἔχειν·
ἥτις λέγεις μὲν ἀρτίως[PH114] , ὡς εἰ λάβοις
σθένος[PH115] [PH116] , τὸ τούτων μῖσος ἐκδείξειας[PH117] ἄν·
ἐμοῦ δὲ πατρὶ πάντα τιμωρουμένης[PH118]
350
οὔτε ξυνέρδεις[PH119] τήν τε δρῶσαν ἐκτρέπεις.
οὐ ταῦτα πρὸς κακοῖσι δειλίαν[PH120] ἔχει;
ἐπεὶ δίδαξον, ἢ μάθ᾿ ἐξ ἐμοῦ, τί μοι
κέρδος γένοιτ᾿ ἂν τῶνδε ληξάσῃ γόων.
οὐ ζῶ; κακῶς μέν, οἶδ᾿, ἐπαρκούντως δ᾿ ἐμοί[PH121] .
355
λυπῶ δὲ τούτους, ὥστε τῷ τεθνηκότι
τιμὰς προσάπτειν, εἴ τις ἔστ᾿ ἐκεῖ χάρις.
σὺ δ᾿ ἡμὶν ἡ μισοῦσα μισεῖς μὲν λόγῳ,
ἔργῳ δὲ τοῖς φονεῦσι τοῦ πατρὸς ξύνει.
ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν οὐκ ἄν ποτ᾿, οὐδ᾿ εἴ μοι τὰ σὰ
360
μέλλοι τις οἴσειν δῶρ᾿, ἐφ᾿ οἷσι νῦν χλιδᾷς,
τούτοις ὑπεικάθοιμι· σοὶ δὲ πλουσία
τράπεζα κείσθω καὶ περιρρείτω βίος.
ἐμοὶ γὰρ ἔστω τοὐμὲ μὴ λυπεῖν μόνον
βόσκημα· τῆς σῆς δ᾿ οὐκ ἐρῶ τιμῆς λαχεῖν.
365
οὐδ᾿ ἂν σύ, σώφρων γ᾿ οὖσα. νῦν δ᾿ ἐξὸν
πατρὸς
πάντων ἀρίστου παῖδα κεκλῆσθαι, καλοῦ
τῆς μητρός. οὕτω γὰρ φανῇ πλείστοις κακή,
θανόντα πατέρα καὶ φίλους προδοῦσα σούς.
ΧΟΡΟΣ
μηδὲν πρὸς ὀργὴν πρὸς θεῶν· ὡς τοῖς λόγοις
370
ἔνεστιν ἀμφοῖν κέρδος, εἰ σὺ μὲν μάθοις
τοῖς τῆσδε χρῆσθαι, τοῖς δὲ σοῖς αὕτη πάλιν.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
ἐγὼ μέν, ὦ γυναῖκες, ἠθάς εἰμί πως
τῶν τῆσδε μύθων· οὐδ᾿ ἂν ἐμνήσθην ποτέ,
εἰ μὴ κακὸν μέγιστον εἰς αὐτὴν ἰὸν
375
ἤκουσ᾿, ὃ ταύτην τῶν μακρῶν σχήσει γόων.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
φέρ᾿ εἰπὲ δὴ τὸ δεινόν. εἰ γὰρ τῶνδέ μοι
μεῖζόν τι λέξεις, οὐκ ἂν ἀντείποιμ᾿ ἔτι.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
ἀλλ᾿ ἐξερῶ σοι πᾶν ὅσον κάτοιδ᾿ ἐγώ.
μέλλουσι γάρ σ᾿, εἰ τῶνδε μὴ λήξεις γόων,
380
ἐνταῦθα πέμψειν ἔνθα μή ποθ᾿ ἡλίου
φέγγος προσόψῃ, ζῶσα δ᾿ ἐν κατηρεφεῖ
στέγῃ χθονὸς τῆσδ᾿ ἐκτὸς ὑμνήσεις κακά.
πρὸς ταῦτα φράζου, καί με μή ποθ᾿ ὕστερον
παθοῦσα μέμψῃ. νῦν γὰρ ἐν καλῷ φρονεῖν.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
385
ἦ ταῦτα δή με καὶ βεβούλευνται ποεῖν;
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
μάλισθ᾿· ὅταν περ οἴκαδ᾿ Αἴγισθος μόλῃ.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
ἀλλ᾿ ἐξίκοιτο τοῦδέ γ᾿ οὕνεκ᾿ ἐν τάχει.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
τίν᾿, ὦ τάλαινα, τόνδ᾿ ἐπηράσω λόγον;
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
ἐλθεῖν ἐκεῖνον, εἴ τι τῶνδε δρᾶν νοεῖ.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
390
ὅπως πάθῃς τί χρῆμα; ποῦ ποτ᾿ εἶ φρενῶν;
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
ὅπως ἀφ᾿ ὑμῶν ὡς προσώτατ᾿ ἐκφύγω.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
βίου δὲ τοῦ παρόντος οὐ μνείαν ἔχεις;
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
καλὸς γὰρ οὑμὸς βίοτος ὥστε θαυμάσαι.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
ἀλλ᾿ ἦν ἄν, εἰ σύ γ᾿ εὖ φρονεῖν ἠπίστασο.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
395
μή μ᾿ ἐκδίδασκε τοῖς φίλοις εἶναι κακήν.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
ἀλλ᾿ οὐ διδάσκω· τοῖς κρατοῦσι δ᾿ εἰκαθεῖν.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
σὺ ταῦτα θώπευ᾿· οὐκ ἐμοὺς τρόπους λέγεις.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
καλόν γε μέντοι μὴ ᾿ξ ἀβουλίας πεσεῖν.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
πεσούμεθ᾿, εἰ χρή, πατρὶ τιμωρούμενοι.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
400
πατὴρ δὲ τούτων, οἶδα, συγγνώμην ἔχει.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
ταῦτ᾿ ἐστὶ τἄπη πρὸς κακῶν ἐπαινέσαι.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
σὺ δ᾿ οὐχὶ πείσῃ καὶ συναινέσεις ἐμοί;
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
οὐ δῆτα. μή πω νοῦ τοσόνδ᾿ εἴην κενή.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
χωρήσομαί τἄρ᾿ οἷπερ ἐστάλην ὁδοῦ.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
405
ποῖ δ᾿ ἐμπορεύῃ; τῷ φέρεις τάδ᾿ ἔμπυρα;
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
μήτηρ με πέμπει πατρὶ τυμβεῦσαι χοάς.
πῶς εἶπας; ἦ τῷ δυσμενεστάτῳ βροτῶν;
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
ὃν ἔκταν᾿ αὐτή· τοῦτο γὰρ λέξαι θέλεις.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
ἐκ τοῦ φίλων πεισθεῖσα; τῷ τοῦτ᾿ ἤρεσεν;
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
410
ἐκ δείματός του νυκτέρου, δοκεῖν ἐμοί.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
ὦ θεοὶ πατρῷοι, συγγένεσθέ γ᾿ ἀλλὰ νῦν.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
ἔχεις τι θάρσος τοῦδε τοῦ τάρβους πέρι;
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
εἴ μοι λέγοις τὴν ὄψιν, εἴποιμ᾿ ἂν τότε.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
ἀλλ᾿ οὐ κάτοιδα πλὴν ἐπὶ σμικρὸν φράσαι.
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
415
λέγ᾿ ἀλλὰ τοῦτο. πολλά τοι σμικροὶ λόγοι
ἔσφηλαν ἤδη καὶ κατώρθωσαν βροτούς.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
λόγος τις αὐτήν ἐστιν εἰσιδεῖν πατρὸς
τοῦ σοῦ τε κἀμοῦ δευτέραν ὁμιλίαν
ἐλθόντος ἐς φῶς· εἶτα τόνδ᾿ ἐφέστιον
420
πῆξαι λαβόντα σκῆπτρον οὑφόρει ποτὲ
αὐτός, τανῦν δ᾿ Αἴγισθος· ἔκ τε τοῦδ᾿ ἄνω
βλαστεῖν βρύοντα θαλλόν, ᾧ κατάσκιον
πᾶσαν γενέσθαι τὴν Μυκηναίων χθόνα.
τοιαῦτά του παρόντος, ἡνίχ᾿ Ἡλίῳ
425
δείκνυσι τοὔναρ, ἔκλυον ἐξηγουμένου.
πλείω δὲ τούτων οὐ κάτοιδα, πλὴν ὅτι
πέμπει μ᾿ ἐκείνη τοῦδε τοῦ φόβου χάριν.
[πρός νυν θεῶν σε λίσσομαι τῶν ἐγγενῶν
ἐμοὶ πιθέσθαι μηδ᾿ ἀβουλίᾳ πεσεῖν·
430
εἰ γάρ μ᾿ ἀπώσῃ, σὺν κακῷ μέτει πάλιν.]
ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ
ἀλλ᾿, ὦ φίλη, τούτων μὲν ὧν ἔχεις χεροῖν
τύμβῳ προσάψῃς μηδέν· οὐ γάρ σοι θέμις
οὐδ᾿ ὅσιον ἐχθρᾶς ἀπὸ γυναικὸς ἱστάναι
κτερίσματ᾿ οὐδὲ λουτρὰ προσφέρειν πατρί·
435
ἀλλ᾿ ἢ πνοαῖσιν ἢ βαθυσκαφεῖ κόνει
κρύψον νιν, ἔνθα μή ποτ᾿ εἰς εὐνὴν πατρὸς
τούτων πρόσεισι μηδέν· ἀλλ᾿ ὅταν θάνῃ,
κειμήλι᾿ αὐτῇ ταῦτα σῳζέσθω κάτω.
ἀρχὴν δ᾿ ἄν, εἰ μὴ τλημονεστάτη γυνὴ
440
πασῶν ἔβλαστε, τάσδε δυσμενεῖς χοὰς
οὐκ ἄν ποθ᾿ ὅν γ᾿ ἔκτεινε τῷδ᾿ ἐπέστεφε.
σκέψαι γὰρ εἴ σοι προσφιλῶς αὐτῇ δοκεῖ
γέρα τάδ᾿ οὑν τάφοισι δέξεσθαι νέκυς
ὑφ᾿ ἧς θανὼν ἄτιμος ὥστε δυσμενὴς
445
ἐμασχαλίσθη κἀπὶ λουτροῖσιν κάρᾳ
κηλῖδας ἐξέμαξεν. ἆρα μὴ δοκεῖς
λυτήρι᾿ αὐτῇ ταῦτα τοῦ φόνου φέρειν;
οὐκ ἔστιν. ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν μέθες· σὺ δὲ
τεμοῦσα κρατὸς βοστρύχων ἄκρας φόβας
450
κἀμοῦ ταλαίνης, σμικρὰ μὲν τάδ᾿, ἀλλ᾿ ὅμως
ἅχω, δὸς αὐτῷ, τήνδε λιπαρῆ τρίχα
καὶ ζῶμα τοὐμὸν οὐ χλιδαῖς ἠσκημένον.
αἰτοῦ δὲ προσπίτνουσα γῆθεν εὐμενῆ
ἡμῖν ἀρωγὸν αὐτὸν εἰς ἐχθροὺς μολεῖν,
455
καὶ παῖδ᾿ Ὀρέστην ἐξ ὑπερτέρας χερὸς
ἐχθροῖσιν αὐτοῦ ζῶντ᾿ ἐπεμβῆναι ποδί,
ὅπως τὸ λοιπὸν αὐτὸν ἀφνεωτέραις
χερσὶ στέφωμεν ἢ τανῦν δωρούμεθα.
οἶμαι μὲν οὖν, οἶμαί τι κἀκείνῳ μέλειν
460
πέμψαι τάδ᾿ αὐτῇ δυσπρόσοπτ᾿ ὀνείρατα·
ὅμως δ᾿, ἀδελφή, σοί θ᾿ ὑπούργησον τάδε
ἐμοί τ᾿ ἀρωγά, τῷ τε φιλτάτῳ βροτῶν
πάντων, ἐν Ἅιδου κειμένῳ κοινῷ πατρί.
ΧΟΡΟΣ
πρὸς εὐσέβειαν ἡ κόρη λέγει· σὺ δέ,
465
εἰ σωφρονήσεις, ὦ φίλη, δράσεις τάδε.
ΧΡΥΣΟΘΕΜΙΣ
δράσω· τὸ γὰρ δίκαιον οὐκ ἔχει λόγον
δυοῖν ἐρίζειν, ἀλλ᾿ ἐπισπεύδει τὸ δρᾶν.
πειρωμένῃ δὲ τῶνδε τῶν ἔργων ἐμοὶ
σιγὴ παρ᾿ ὑμῶν πρὸς θεῶν ἔστω, φίλαι·
470
ὡς εἰ τάδ᾿ ἡ τεκοῦσα πεύσεται, πικρὰν
δοκῶ με πεῖραν τήνδε τολμήσειν ἔτι.
I am ashamed, women, if you think I grieve too much with my numerous laments; but since a hard compulsion forces me to do this, you must bear with me! Why, how could any woman nobly born not do this, looking at the sufferings of her father’s house, sufferings which I see by day and night always growing worse and not declining? First, my relation with the mother who bore me is one of bitter enmity; next, I am living in my own home with my father’s murderers; they are my rulers, and it rests with them whether I receive or go without. And then what kind of days do you think I pass when I see Aegisthus sitting on my father’s throne, and when I see him wearing the same clothes he wore, and pouring libations by the same hearth at which he murdered him; and when I see their final outrage, the murderer in my father’s bed with my miserable mother, if she can be called mother when she sleeps with him? But she is so abandoned that she lives with the polluter, having no fear of any Erinys; but as though she is gloating over what she has done, she finds the day on which she treacherously killed my father and on it sets up dances and slaughters cattle, sacrificing monthly victims to the gods that have preserved her. But I, poor creature, in the house weep, and pine away, and lament alone and to myself the abominable feast that bears my father’s name; for I am not permitted even to weep as much as my heart desires. Yes, this woman, who is said to be so noble, gives tongue and utters insults such as these: “Accursed, hateful creature, are you the only one that has lost a father? Does no other mortal mourn a loss? May you perish miserably, and may the gods below never release you from your lamentations!” These are her insults; only when she hears anyone say that Orestes will come, then she stands by me in a fury and shouts, “Are not you the cause of this? Is this not your work, you who stole Orestes out of my arms and smuggled him away? Well, know that you will pay the penalty you deserve!” She barks out words like these, and her noble husband stands by her to encourage her, this utter coward, this total plague, this man who fights his battles with women’s aid. And as I wait forever for Orestes to come and put a stop to this, I perish in my misery, for by always putting off his action he has destroyed the hopes I had and the hopes I had not! When things are so, my friends, there can be no good sense or piety, but since things are bad, then inevitably one’s conduct must be bad also.
chorus
Tell me, is Aegisthus near while you are saying this, or is he away from home?
electra
Indeed he is away! Do not suppose that I would be wandering out of doors if he were near! But now he is in the country.
chorus
To be sure I would converse with you with more confidence, if indeed this is so.
electra
Know that he is now away and ask your question; what is your pleasure?
chorus
Well, I ask you, what do you say about your brother? Will he come, or will he put off coming? I would like to know.
electra
He says that he will come; but though he says so, he does none of the things he says he will do.
chorus
Yes, a man often hesitates when he is engaged in a great task. electra
Well, it was not by hesitation that I saved him!
chorus
Be assured, he is of noble nature, so he will help his friends.
electra
I believe it, since otherwise I would not have remained long alive.
chorus
Now say no more; for I see your sister, born of the same father and the same mother, Chrysothemis, carrying from the house offerings such as men make to those below the earth.
Enter chrysothemis.
chrysothemis
What are these things that you have come out to say by the door we leave the house by, my sister? And will you not learn, after so long, not to indulge in futile fashion your useless anger? Why, I know this much about myself, that the present situation grieves me; so that if I had the power I should show them what are my feelings towards them. But as things are I think that in time of trouble I must lower my sails, and not seem to perform some deed, but do them no harm; and I would like you to follow suit. I know, justice lies not in what I say, but in what you judge; but if I am to live in freedom, I must obey those in power in everything.
electra
It is terrible that you, the daughter of your father, forget him and respect your mother; for all your lecturing of me is learned from her, and none of what you say comes from yourself. Why, choose one or the other, either to be foolish or to be wise but forgetful of your own, you that said just now that if you had power you would show how much you hate them, but when I do all I can to honour my father, do not act with me and try to deter me from my action! Does this not add to your woes the reproach of being a coward? Why, explain to me, or learn from me, what I would gain if I left off these lamentations. Do I not live, miserably, but sufficiently for me? And I give pain to them, so that I do honour to the dead, if any pleasure can be felt where the dead are. But you who say you hate them hate them in words, but in your actions you keep company with your father’s murderers. Well, I would never give in to them, not even if someone were to offer me your privileges, on which you now plume yourself; but you may have a rich diet and your life may comfortably flow on. For me it is food enough not to give pain to myself, and I have no desire to enjoy your honours. Neither would you, if you thought rightly; but as things are, when you could be called the daughter of the noblest of men, be called the child of your mother! In that way you will seem to most people a traitor, who have betrayed your dead father and those who are your own!
chorus
I beg you, say nothing in anger! There is profit in the words of both, if you would learn to make use of hers and she in turn of yours.
chrysothemis
For my part, women, I am accustomed somehow to her way of speaking; and I should not have spoken of these things, if it were not that I have heard of a great evil coming upon her, which will restrain her from her long lamentations.
electra
Come, tell me what is the terrible thing! If you are going to tell me of something worse than my present condition, I shall argue with you no more.
chrysothemis
Well, I will tell you all I know! If you do not leave off these lamentations, they plan to send you to where you shall no longer see the light of the sun, but while still alive in a dungeon, outside this country, you shall bewail your troubles. In the face of that take thought, and do not blame me later, after you have suffered; now you have the chance to show good sense!
electra
Is that what they have decided to do to me?
chrysothemis
Yes, whenever Aegisthus returns home. So far as that goes, let him arrive quickly!
chrysothemis
Unhappy one, what is this imprecation that you have uttered against yourself?
electra
That he should come, if he is minded to do any of these things.
chrysothemis
So that what may happen to you? What kind of madness is this?
electra
So that I can escape as far away as possible from you all.
chrysothemis
But do you feel no concern for the kind of life you now enjoy?
electra
Yes, my life is wonderfully agreeable!
chrysothemis
Why, it would be, if you knew how to think sensibly!
electra
Do not try to teach me to be disloyal to my own!
chrysothemis
It is not that that I am trying to teach you, but to yield to those in power. That kind of subservience is for you! What you suggest is not my way!
chrysothemis
But honour requires that one should not come to grief through foolishness.
electra
I shall come to grief, if I must, defending the honour of my father.
chrysothemis
But our father, I know, excuses this.
electra
These are the kind of words that cowards approve of.
chrysothemis
But will you not comply and join with me in approving them?
electra
No! May I never be so empty-headed!
chrysothemis
Then I will depart on the mission I was sent on.
electra
Where are you going? For whom are you carrying these vessels?
chrysothemis
My mother is sending me to offer libations at my father’s tomb.
What did you say? Libations to her worst enemy among mankind?
chrysothemis
To the man she killed; that is what you mean.
electra
Which of her friends persuaded her? Who approved this?
chrysothemis
I think it was some midnight terror.
electra
Gods of my fathers, come to my help now at last!
chrysothemis
Does this fear of hers give you some kind of confidence?
electra
If you could tell me her dream, then I could say.
chrysothemis
But I know and can tell you only a little.
electra
Well, tell me that! Telling about little things has often in the past brought disaster or success to mortals.
chrysothemis
They say that she was once more in company with your father and mine, who had come to the world of light; and then he took the staff which he used to carry, and which Aegisthus carries now, and planted it beside the hearth;
and from it grew up a fruitful bough, which overshadowed all the land of the Mycenaeans. That is the story I heard from someone who was present when she told her dream to the Sun. But I know no more than this, except that it is because of this fear that she is sending me. [So I implore you by the gods of the family to do as I say, and not to come to grief through folly; for if you repulse me, you will regret it and will come to me again.]
electra
My dear, do not place on the tomb any of the things you are carrying! It is not right in the eyes of gods or men that you should place burial offerings or bring libations from a hateful woman to our father. Throw them to the winds, or hide them deep in the dust, where none of them will approach my father’s place of rest; but let them be preserved down below as possessions for her when she comes to die! Had she not been the most shameless of all women, she would never have placed these hateful libations on the tomb of him whom she murdered. Yes, see if you think the dead man in the tomb will receive these honours in a manner favourable to her, to her who killed him without honour, like an enemy, mutilated his corpse and by way of ablution wiped off the bloodstains on his head! Can you believe that these offerings will absolve her of the murder? It cannot be! Abandon these, and cut locks from your hair and from that of this unhappy person—a small gift, but all that I possess—and give them to him, this hair denoting supplication and my girdle, decorated with no ornaments. Kneel and pray him to come in kindness from below the earth to help us against our enemies, and pray that his son Orestes may get the upper hand and may trample, alive and well, upon his enemies, so that in the future we may honour him with hands richer than those with which we now bring him gifts! I believe, yes, I believe that it is he who was concerned to send these ugly dreams to her. But none the less, my sister, perform this service in aid of both yourself and me, and of the dearest of all mortals, the father of us both who lies in Hades.
chorus
The girl’s words are pious; and if you are wise, my dear, you will perform this action.
chrysothemis
I will; for when an act is right, reason demands that two voices should not contend, but hastens on the deed. But when I attempt the task, dear friends, do you, I beg you, keep silent, for if my mother hears of this, I think I shall have reason to regret my daring venture.
Exit chrysothemis; electra remains on stage during the singing of the First Stasimon.
chorus
Tell me, is Aegisthus near while you are saying this, or is he away from home?
electra
Indeed he is away! Do not suppose that I would be wandering out of doors if he were near! But now he is in the country.
chorus
To be sure I would converse with you with more confidence, if indeed this is so.
electra
Know that he is now away and ask your question; what is your pleasure?
chorus
Well, I ask you, what do you say about your brother? Will he come, or will he put off coming? I would like to know.
electra
He says that he will come; but though he says so, he does none of the things he says he will do.
chorus
Yes, a man often hesitates when he is engaged in a great task. electra
Well, it was not by hesitation that I saved him!
chorus
Be assured, he is of noble nature, so he will help his friends.
electra
I believe it, since otherwise I would not have remained long alive.
chorus
Now say no more; for I see your sister, born of the same father and the same mother, Chrysothemis, carrying from the house offerings such as men make to those below the earth.
Enter chrysothemis.
chrysothemis
What are these things that you have come out to say by the door we leave the house by, my sister? And will you not learn, after so long, not to indulge in futile fashion your useless anger? Why, I know this much about myself, that the present situation grieves me; so that if I had the power I should show them what are my feelings towards them. But as things are I think that in time of trouble I must lower my sails, and not seem to perform some deed, but do them no harm; and I would like you to follow suit. I know, justice lies not in what I say, but in what you judge; but if I am to live in freedom, I must obey those in power in everything.
electra
It is terrible that you, the daughter of your father, forget him and respect your mother; for all your lecturing of me is learned from her, and none of what you say comes from yourself. Why, choose one or the other, either to be foolish or to be wise but forgetful of your own, you that said just now that if you had power you would show how much you hate them, but when I do all I can to honour my father, do not act with me and try to deter me from my action! Does this not add to your woes the reproach of being a coward? Why, explain to me, or learn from me, what I would gain if I left off these lamentations. Do I not live, miserably, but sufficiently for me? And I give pain to them, so that I do honour to the dead, if any pleasure can be felt where the dead are. But you who say you hate them hate them in words, but in your actions you keep company with your father’s murderers. Well, I would never give in to them, not even if someone were to offer me your privileges, on which you now plume yourself; but you may have a rich diet and your life may comfortably flow on. For me it is food enough not to give pain to myself, and I have no desire to enjoy your honours. Neither would you, if you thought rightly; but as things are, when you could be called the daughter of the noblest of men, be called the child of your mother! In that way you will seem to most people a traitor, who have betrayed your dead father and those who are your own!
chorus
I beg you, say nothing in anger! There is profit in the words of both, if you would learn to make use of hers and she in turn of yours.
chrysothemis
For my part, women, I am accustomed somehow to her way of speaking; and I should not have spoken of these things, if it were not that I have heard of a great evil coming upon her, which will restrain her from her long lamentations.
electra
Come, tell me what is the terrible thing! If you are going to tell me of something worse than my present condition, I shall argue with you no more.
chrysothemis
Well, I will tell you all I know! If you do not leave off these lamentations, they plan to send you to where you shall no longer see the light of the sun, but while still alive in a dungeon, outside this country, you shall bewail your troubles. In the face of that take thought, and do not blame me later, after you have suffered; now you have the chance to show good sense!
electra
Is that what they have decided to do to me?
chrysothemis
Yes, whenever Aegisthus returns home. So far as that goes, let him arrive quickly!
chrysothemis
Unhappy one, what is this imprecation that you have uttered against yourself?
electra
That he should come, if he is minded to do any of these things.
chrysothemis
So that what may happen to you? What kind of madness is this?
electra
So that I can escape as far away as possible from you all.
chrysothemis
But do you feel no concern for the kind of life you now enjoy?
electra
Yes, my life is wonderfully agreeable!
chrysothemis
Why, it would be, if you knew how to think sensibly!
electra
Do not try to teach me to be disloyal to my own!
chrysothemis
It is not that that I am trying to teach you, but to yield to those in power. That kind of subservience is for you! What you suggest is not my way!
chrysothemis
But honour requires that one should not come to grief through foolishness.
electra
I shall come to grief, if I must, defending the honour of my father.
chrysothemis
But our father, I know, excuses this.
electra
These are the kind of words that cowards approve of.
chrysothemis
But will you not comply and join with me in approving them?
electra
No! May I never be so empty-headed!
chrysothemis
Then I will depart on the mission I was sent on.
electra
Where are you going? For whom are you carrying these vessels?
chrysothemis
My mother is sending me to offer libations at my father’s tomb.
What did you say? Libations to her worst enemy among mankind?
chrysothemis
To the man she killed; that is what you mean.
electra
Which of her friends persuaded her? Who approved this?
chrysothemis
I think it was some midnight terror.
electra
Gods of my fathers, come to my help now at last!
chrysothemis
Does this fear of hers give you some kind of confidence?
electra
If you could tell me her dream, then I could say.
chrysothemis
But I know and can tell you only a little.
electra
Well, tell me that! Telling about little things has often in the past brought disaster or success to mortals.
chrysothemis
They say that she was once more in company with your father and mine, who had come to the world of light; and then he took the staff which he used to carry, and which Aegisthus carries now, and planted it beside the hearth;
and from it grew up a fruitful bough, which overshadowed all the land of the Mycenaeans. That is the story I heard from someone who was present when she told her dream to the Sun. But I know no more than this, except that it is because of this fear that she is sending me. [So I implore you by the gods of the family to do as I say, and not to come to grief through folly; for if you repulse me, you will regret it and will come to me again.]
electra
My dear, do not place on the tomb any of the things you are carrying! It is not right in the eyes of gods or men that you should place burial offerings or bring libations from a hateful woman to our father. Throw them to the winds, or hide them deep in the dust, where none of them will approach my father’s place of rest; but let them be preserved down below as possessions for her when she comes to die! Had she not been the most shameless of all women, she would never have placed these hateful libations on the tomb of him whom she murdered. Yes, see if you think the dead man in the tomb will receive these honours in a manner favourable to her, to her who killed him without honour, like an enemy, mutilated his corpse and by way of ablution wiped off the bloodstains on his head! Can you believe that these offerings will absolve her of the murder? It cannot be! Abandon these, and cut locks from your hair and from that of this unhappy person—a small gift, but all that I possess—and give them to him, this hair denoting supplication and my girdle, decorated with no ornaments. Kneel and pray him to come in kindness from below the earth to help us against our enemies, and pray that his son Orestes may get the upper hand and may trample, alive and well, upon his enemies, so that in the future we may honour him with hands richer than those with which we now bring him gifts! I believe, yes, I believe that it is he who was concerned to send these ugly dreams to her. But none the less, my sister, perform this service in aid of both yourself and me, and of the dearest of all mortals, the father of us both who lies in Hades.
chorus
The girl’s words are pious; and if you are wise, my dear, you will perform this action.
chrysothemis
I will; for when an act is right, reason demands that two voices should not contend, but hastens on the deed. But when I attempt the task, dear friends, do you, I beg you, keep silent, for if my mother hears of this, I think I shall have reason to regret my daring venture.
Exit chrysothemis; electra remains on stage during the singing of the First Stasimon.
[PH1]to be ashamed, feel shame
[PH2]to seem
[PH3]θρῆνος , ὁ, (>θρέομαι) dirge, lamen
[PH4]δυσφορέω: to be impatient, angry, vexed
[PH5]Adv. very much, chiefly
[PH6]ἀναγκάζω: force, constrain
[PH7]to forgive, pardon (σύγγνωτε is 2nd pl aor imperat act
[PH8]εὐγενής , ές: noble, well-born.
[PH9]πατρῷος , α, ον: of or belonging to one’s father.
[PH10]ὁράω: to see (ὁρῶσα part sg pres act fem nom attic epic doric ionic contr)
[PH11]3rd sg pres opt act attic epic doric aeolic contr
[PH12]ἁ+ἐγώ
[PH13]εὐφρόνη , ἡ, (>εὔφρων)
the kindly time, euphem. for νύξ, night
[PH14]θάλλω: to flourish
[PH15]καταφθίνω: to waste away, decay
[PH16]Causal relative: ‘for which reason’ The three elements of the sentence introduce progressively longer grievances.
[PH17]τὰ μητρὸς is not a mere synonym for “ἡ μήτηρ”, but rather denotes her mother's relations with her
[PH18]have come to be hostile
[PH19]φονεύς , ὁ, gen. έως: murderer, slayer. Association with a kindsman’s killer is the worst of crimes.
[PH20]The repetitions stress the bitterness of her life. The lines have great emotional impact.
[PH21]τητάομαι: to be in want
[PH22]Representations of the death of Aegisthus regularly show him on a chair or throne. ἐνθακέω ,
to sit in or on. The word apparently only occurs here in Classical literature.
[PH23]ἴδω then εἰσίδω [PH23]strengthens the Rhetoric.
[PH24]Libations to Hestia precede and follow a feast. Here the guilty man is not only παρέστιος but pouring libations as the head of the household. It marks his usurpation.
[PH25]λοιβή , ἡ, (>λείβω) pouring. only in religious sense, drink-offering
[PH26]ὄλλυμι: to destroy (ὤλεσεν [PH26] is the aorist)
[PH27]The accusative delays the climatic description of Clytemnestra’s adultery.
[PH28]A kind of dative od disadvantage.
[PH29]κοίτη , ἡ: bed.
[PH30]In Trag. χρεών ( = χρή) appears without ἐστί or ἦν: ‘ it is right’.
[PH31]προσαυδάω: to speak of. The juxtaposition with πατρὸς emphasises the polarisation of Electra’s relations with her parents.
[PH32]‘polluted killer’ Aegisthus is polluted because he is sleeping with his victim’s wife. μιάστωρ , ορος, ὁ, (>μιαίνω)
‘crime-stained wretch who pollutes others’
[PH33]The mention of the Erinys is prompted by the reference to pollution in the previous line. The chorus will see the Erinys as the punisher of Clytemnestra’s adultery.
[PH34]Sophocles’ heroes cannot bear mockery. Mocking the dead is especially reprehensible.
[PH35]This text seems doubtful: ‘finding the day’ seems a very odd phrase. ἱεροῦσα??
[PH36]‘my’.
[PH37]The secrecy of the killing contrasts with the openness of the celebrations.
[PH38]‘dancing and sacrifices’ μηλοσφαγέω: slay sheep, ἱερὰ μ. offer sheep in sacrifice.
[PH39]ἔμμηνος –ον: every month.
[PH40]There is irony in these words: the gods who betrayed Agamemnon have preserved Clytemnestra.
[PH41]Electra remains inside while the others have gone to the festival.
[PH42]ἐπικωκύω: lament over
[PH43]A strong ascending tricolon.
[PH44]The usurpers even name their feasts after Agamemnon, like as hero cult.
[PH45]The phrase, coming at the end of the long sentence, gives great emphasis to Electra’s isolation.
[PH46]=πάρεστι: it is possible.
[PH47]‘supposedly noble’. The incorporated ‘oratio recta’ adds increased vividness to Electra’s speech and provides an insight into C’s character before her arrival.
[PH48]ἐξονειδίζω , strengthd. for ὀνειδίζω:cast in one's teeth
[PH49]‘hated by the gods’
[PH50]The fact that this reference to Electra is framed as a neuter noun must add to the power of the invective. Also the phrases are short and striking in their simplicity. Homeric warriors, when remonstrating, often open with a volley of questions.
[PH51]ἀπαλλάσσω: to set free, deliver from
[PH52]The gods of the underworld, who will later assist in the revenge.
[PH53]ἐξυβρίζω: to say insolently
[PH54]At first suggests that C. occasionally relents from her aggressive behaviour but what we see is an intensification of it.
[PH55]ἥκω ,fut. ἥξω: to come.
[PH56]Orestes' name is insistently repeated over a short passage, (297, 303)
[PH57]τηνικαῦτα:at that time, then
[PH58]ἐμμανής –ές: furious, raving.
[PH59]βοάω: to shout (βοᾷ is 3rd. sing. present).
[PH60]παρίστημι: to stand by the side of. This is the aorist part. fem. nom.
[PH61]Dative of disadvantage with αἴτιος.
[PH62]The prefix ὑπό conveys secrecy.
[PH63]ὑπεκτίθεμαι: Med.,bring one's property to a place of safety (this is 2nd sg imperf ind mid attic contr).
[PH64]‘barks like a dog’-gives the impression of wild, reckless speech.
[PH65]Calling Aegisthus 'the bridegroom' so long after his marriage emphasises that his relationship with C. is his only source of authority.
[PH66]ἄναλκις , ιδος: without strength, impotent, feeble, of unwarlike men
[PH67]300-2 A chant like diatribe, the sound and rhythm of which make present the monotony and intensity of her hatred.
[PH68]Referring to his killing of Agamemnon
[PH69]παυστήρ , ῆρος, ὁ: one who stops or relieves
[PH70]ἐφήκω , fut. -ξω: to have arrived,
[PH71]'something (of value)'
[PH72]διαφθείρω: to destroy (this is 3rd sg perf ind act nu_movable
[PH73]σωφρονέω: to be sound of mind
[PH74]εὐσεβέω: to live or act piously or reverently,
[PH75]ἐπιτηδεύω: to pursue or practise a thing, make it one's business
[PH76]307-9: Through ring composition we return first to Electra's sorrow, and then to her admission of wrongdoing. The address to the chorus also balances that of 234.
[PH77]Electra's description of her step-father had been characterised by scorn rather than fear but the Chorus' elaborate attempts to check that he is away betray its apprehension.
[PH78]Marks a slight break with what has preceded.
[PH79]sg perf act masc gen of βαίνω.
[PH80]θυρ-αῖος -α, -ον: at the door or just outside the door
[PH81]οἰχνέω: go, come
[PH82]Perhaps refers to the lack of freedom accorded to women in Athenian society, though that is debatable. However, Electra's presence outside is a transgressive act. C. later associates her presence outside with Aegisthus' absence.
[PH83]ἱστορέω (>ἵστωρ): inquire into or about a thing
[PH84]A brief and contemptuous reply to a roundabout question.
[PH85]φής . . . φησίν . . . φάσκων: the verb alters, but the sense does not.
[PH86]The dramatic irony is strong: time and again in the prologue the need for immediate action was stressed.
[PH87]ὀκνέω: to shrink from doing, scruple, hesitate to do a thing
[PH88]A strong adversative combination.
[PH89]A further powerful retort to the chorus’ bland generalisations.
[PH90]Stresses Orestes' nobility in terms of his lineage.
[PH91]φύω (perf inf act epic poetic intrans): of persons, to be begotten or born, most freq. in aor. 2 and pf
[PH92]πείθω: trust, rely on(πέποιθα is 1st sg perf ind act)
[PH93]Chrysothemis is apparently not to be trusted
[PH94]The emphasis on the shared heredity of the sisters makes their subsequent arguments the more striking.
[PH95]Chrysothemis acts as a foil to her sister: her willingness to cooperate with her father's killers highlights Electra's intransigence.
[PH96]A red-figure pelike ascribed to the Berlin painter shows Chrysothemis, standing to the side as Orestes murders a seated Aegisthus.
[PH97]'As is customary to the gods below'.
[PH98]'vestibule' or the part of the house immediately inside the main door.
[PH99]Maybe the wide separation of τίνα and φάτιν denotes colloquial speech coloured by a degree of emotion.
[PH100]δι^δάσκω: to teach (this is the aor inf pass pres_redupl)
[PH101]=an accusation of self-indulgent emotion?
[PH102]Combative in tone, accentuating the quarrelsome mood of C.'s speech.
[PH103]
[PH104]'I would show them what I think'
[PH105]Middle participle of ὑφιέμαι to 'lower one's sails (sc. in the face of danger').
[PH106]δοκεῖ [PH106] . . . δοκεῖν. Sophocles doesn’t mind repeating the same word.
[PH107]Chrysothemis ironically defers to Electra’s judgment. A contrast between the pronouns as much as the verbs.
[PH108]The apodosis makes clear the extent of her ‘freedom’.
[PH109]ἀκουστέον: one must hear or hearken to, c. gen. pers. For the form and the construction see Smyth §2149
[PH110]Electra rejects her sister’s recommendations in a speech that becomes more forceful as it progresses. Its first ten lines are made up of five couplets, each a single sense unit. There is something of Achilles about Electra. She begins with angry remonstrance.
[PH111]λανθάνω: to forget (verb perf inf).
[PH112]The present denotes a continuing relationship. There is a contrast here between remembering and, what is in Electra’s eyes a great sin, forgetting.
[PH113]‘Then make your choice (θἄτερ [PH113]-one of two), either be imprudent or prudent but forgetful of your friends’ The text here is doubtful.
[PH114]Adv. ἀρτίως just, newly
[PH115]See line 333, though Chrys. avoided words like τὸ τούτων μῖσος.
[PH116]
[PH117]ἐκδείκνυμι: exhibit, display.
[PH118]The middle of this verb usually means ‘punish’; here it means ‘avenge’.
[PH119]ξυνέρδω: co-operate, help
[PH120]‘cowardice’
[PH121]What a joy for the actor this line must have been! The broken rhythm reflects the angry sarcasm: note the two elisions, punchy opening monosyllables, an unusually strong pause in second position, and parenthetic οἶδ, in the middle with sense breaks either side.