Klytaimestra goes into the tent. And the gods will see to that, whether you like it or not. No one was ever born to a life free of misery. Youd greet anyone and everyone, hoping with this behaviour to gain their approval and thus become their leader. The plain truth. 785, Chorus Do you hear them, Helen? Your father, my lord, Atreas, didnt bring you into this world so that you may taste only its pleasures, my lord. The whole world loves to talk about the famous and to see them in their flesh. Klytaimestra The whole of the Greek army? You will say that youve killed our daughter so that Menelaos, your brother, can get back his Helen! Iphigenia was sacrificed in the Boeotian harbor of Aulis, opposite the island of Euboea, or as others say, was saved at the last moment by Artemis, who substituted for her a deer or a bull at the altar, and transported her to Tauris where she later, having met his brother Orestes 2, was brought by him back home. Iphigenia's mother Clytemnestra is also determined to save her. Still, its not proper for me to be talking with a woman. "Iphigenia" marks Steele and Lorca's fourth collaboration on a Greek tragedy. She goes to her death, so her father won't have to carry the guilt of. Iphigeneia But there is no loss, mummy! Agamemnon What? 1130. Menelaos No, they can do nothing if you secretly send her back toArgos. A god or a mortal? You began and ended your speech with fine sentiments. You say youre happy to see me but your face looks worried! Be careful not to disgrace your ancestors house. Klytaimestra What? Let hers be the last one to do so! ATTENDANT I come; what new schemes now, king Agamemnon? I accepted my fortune and youll admit that I have always been a good wife to you. Stuffed full with men and spears. His wifes doing, so, let him kill his wifes daughter. The King feared the prophets words that the boy would grow up to destroy him him and his city and so he tore the baby away from its mothers arms and cast him on the mountainside, hoping that he would die. Chorus How the dance-loving lyre and the enchanting notes of the reedy flute brought the fair haired Muses up from their home, the Pierian Springs, to the top of Mount Pelios! And then theres yet this: We are asking this good friend of ours here to fight with the whole Greek army and be killed for what? Old Man And, my lord, if I say all these things youve just told me, will your daughter and your wife believe me? After that, Paris, the man who, according to the legend, judged the three goddesses, Hera, Aphrodite and Athena, for their beauty, arrived atSparta. Madam, let this sword of mine bear witness to what Im about to say! 730. Iphigenia calling into the tent. I would have given it if the Greeks couldnt get to Troy without my doing so. And then, if his prophesies are found to be false, he vanishes! View a map of the most frequently mentioned places in this document. materials crossword clue 9 letters. Am I not allowed to manage the affairs of my own home, in my own way, now? Our daughters marriage is my concern! Has my husband gone insane? Klytaimestra O, my darling daughter! 1010. Old Man A slave. Can you not see these men in full armour? Good bye. Let me hug him tightly against my breast before you do! They first worked. So, calm yourself now, Klytaimestra. I wont let anyone take your life even though it would be against your wish. How could I ever speak the truth now? See what troubles the gods have thrown at me, the poor wretch? The barbarians will no longer abduct them and carry them off from our wealthy shores, once Helens abduction by Paris has been avenged. Come out here immediately! The fleet of the war-loving Taphians, with its foaming oars, was commanded by their king, Phyleus son, Meges who had left the Echinae, islands that are far too unwelcoming for sailors. Ultimately, Euripides uses Iphigenia at Aulis to argue that the ancient Greek impulse to revere one's lineage or parentage while effectively ignoring the duty one has to one's living, breathing family is one which creates sadness, discord, anger, and even the impulse for revenge. The news spread quickly and so the whole army already knows that your daughter has arrived. 280. First Chorus And it is a great thing to follow the footprints of virtue like a hunter follows the footprints of his prey. Or else, we might as well call Mount Sipylus, the Asian city where his barbarous ancestors came from a great city and wipe out of our mind the name of Phthia! Thats Sirius, my lord. 402. Agamemnon Curse Calchas and his whole horde of glory-loving prophets! What star could that be, that one, gliding across the sky up there? 471. Because the workings of your mind always have been, are now and always will be, deceitful. So now, go on, take them all, take all these lunatics, all these soldiers and lead them on to the expedition. That would be bad for both of us. Iphigenia in Aulis (a.k.a. I dont have to do anything he says and I didnt. So this is the armada I saw here and about which I had heard back home earlier. Leave now, Achilles. All right, youve stopped me Im waiting. Iphigenia in Aulis is an Attic, or Greek, tragedy composed by Euripides (circa 480-406 BCE). Chorus Ah! It makes the mother love her child most deeply and she will defend it with her life. Im giving you my tears! Old Man You have dared to do a most frightening thing, my lord, Agamemnon! No man is blessed or happy for ever. Just answer my question! Pleas or no pleas the result will be the same with me because I have only one thing in mind, now: to save you both from this disaster! We would be treating gods as fools if we thought that they would act kindly towards murderers. The Greek army is getting ready to sail. What can I possibly say now? IPHIGENIA Had I, my father, the persuasive voice Of Orpheus, and his skill to charm the rocks To follow me, and soothe whome'er I please With winning words, I would make trial of it; But I have nothing to present thee now Save tears, my only eloquence; and those I can present thee. Whats with this flushed face of yours? No, I will not shed any tears now. 9.1", "denarius"). 1540. Iphigeneia Are you sending me to live with another family, daddy? Klytaimestra A sweet word of love from you? 272. Those two had hair the colour of fire and were spotted from below the ankles of their great hooves. I shall do as you say. Are we not all wasting our time here, by the banks ofEpirus? Agamemnon I was out of my wits, old man! But they cant, my darling daughter. Son of the Nereid, you are marrying my daughter. Let my pity be a protective blanket over you; it is the pity of a young man but it is a sincere pity, nevertheless and one brought about by the fact that I have been the one named as your daughters husband. "Iphigenia at Aulis" (Gr: "Iphigeneia en Aulidi") is the last extant tragedy by the ancient Greek playwright Euripides. I just heard your voice from inside and came out to greet you. But I will talk: the strong ought to help the weak where they can, even if they have little to do with their plight. What will you ask the gods to grant you as your knife cuts through your daughters throat? 1200. I wrote a letter to my wife, Klytaimestra. Please, father! Make sure this golden hair god stays far away from my bed chamber! The world beneath the earth is a world of nothing. Indeed no! If Im right, do the sensible thing and dont kill out darling. A goddess, mother, the goddess Artemis has called for my body. Please refer to our Privacy Policy. He lifted his cloak up and dug his face deep into it, trying to hide the tears that flooded his eyes. But, alas, the road was long, my lord and so the women are now having a rest by the refreshing waters of a spring. Agamemnon You? Run! Ah, there he is! What is all this loud brawling in front of my tent? No, mother, let one of daddys servants accompany me to Artemis woods, the place where I shall be sacrificed. She is in there, crying and falling from one abyss of misery into another. He is the son of the goddess Thetis, and his tutor was Cheiron, the most honourable of all the centaurs. How can you prove that you and I have the same father? 1590, He spoke and he said, Chiefs of the Greek army, can you see this offering? 450. And if I tried to run off toArgos, the whole lot of them will come over and destroy the place, raze the whole city to the ground, Cyclopean walls and all! Dont suppose for one minute that Ill be asking them to treat you well. What does the army want? Now, Ill tell you everything Ive written in this folded scroll because you are a true and loyal servant to my house and to my wife. Youll fight them all? Klytaimestra But why didnt you deliver that message to me, if it was in your hand? There, alongside of them, ran Achilles, Peleas son, in his full armour. Agamemnon Nods, then looks around him. However, it is considered to be not an authentic part of the original text. Rest assured, we are alone. Current location in this text. Chorus They tell me that Cassandra, Apollos priestess is there. Klytaimestra But it is rightfully yours, Achilles! The gods deserted you and they wouldnt give you a favourable wind for our sails. Iphigenia and Clytemnestra come to Aulis, and are received with acclamations by the Greeks. To the lowly and weak mortals, the fortunate always appear like gods. 1560. But go! Ive missed you so much. They were sitting together on stools, joyfully immersed in a game of draughts, a game full of complex moves. 990. Have you thought of any of this, or do you just go wandering about the army camp proudly waving about the sceptre of a General? Poor, poor child! This breath that quieted the breezes in the Greek sails! You ask me what theyve done to me? 80. Agamemnon No need to tell me to answer you honestly. See that there are no wheel marks on the road. Then you seal the letter. 250. Klytaimestra Unfortunate, Achilles, yes, that is true! What a sweet joy! Dent & Sons, 1920. Of all of my children, you, Iphigeneia, have always loved your father the most! How I cry for you! Leaders are but slaves to the common folk. What a shocking thing that would be! The Iphigenia at Aulis Community Note includes chapter-by-chapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. Iphigeneia Make your worries go away, daddy. What a disgraceful behaviour! Should you not be expecting a poisonous welcome since youre departing like a snake? I am going to go and speak with your husband. Klytaimestra Listen then and listen to me well! That in itself is your admission. CLYTEMNESTRA: Now hear me, for my thoughts will I unfold In no obscure and coloured mode of speech. Our daughter now lives among the gods. Youll be back inArgos, taking care of our other daughters. Menelaos I swear, Agamemnon, by our father, Atreas and by our grandfather Pelops that I will tell you the truth plainly and clearly, just as I feel it in my heart and as I know it in my mind. Enough! What about your own soldiers, Achilles, what about your Myrmidons? Then Achilles, Peleas son, took the golden basket and the holy water in his hands and ran around the goddess altar, chanting 1570. I was not going to slaughter my own daughter, old man! Chorus Go, young girl! They will say that even though you werent wedded to her, you were still the poor virgins promised husband. Klytaimestra Was he picked by the army to do this or is this his own private doing? On my part, I wish you all happiness and may you return to the land of your fathers victorious. It is a bitter thing for a father to take, a father who has worked hard but who must send his daughters away away to another household. You find my words strange but I find yours equally odd! Achilles Yes. The sacrifice of Iphigenia would be covered by Euripides in 'Iphigenia at Aulis' and in this version Agamemnon has second thoughts. But my brother, using all sorts of arguments, finally persuaded me to commit this dreadful deed! 1350. Chorus Let Agamemnons name live for ever in glory! Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License. Famously, they partnered on Seamus Heaney's "The Burial at Thebes" at the Guthrie in fall 2011. Agamemnon He covers his face with his hands in shame and groans. Iphigenia in Aulis. Have no fear, the pain will soften with custom and with the passage of time. That! Here, father, here is the body of a suppliant! Promise me that you wont cut even a strand of your hair in mourning nor wear black! As she imagines Agamemnon killing Iphigenia, Clytemnestra. Pause. Klytaimestra And leave my darling behind? You have declared the girl to be the bride of a goddess son, yet you bring her here to be a sacrificial offering for the benefit of the Greeks! We use cookies for essential site functions and for social media integration. Klytaimestra Oh, no, child! Exit Agamemnon. IPHIGENIA (Daughter of Agamemnon and Klytaimestra) ACHILLES (Chief of the Myrmidons, an army) FIRST MESSENGER SECOND MESSENGER FIRST CHORUS (Of women from Chalkis) SECOND CHORUS (Men and women of Argos, attendants to Klytaimestra and Iphigeneia) THE BABY ORESTES (Silent) GUARDS (Silent) VARIOUS OTHER ATTENDANTS (Silent) Whether I want to do so or not, I must obey Hellas. First Chorus And I saw Gerenian Nestor who came from Pylos. The Chorus turns in the direction of the scream and responds! Its going past those seven stars, the Pleiades, my lord straight through the very centre of the heavens. 1000. Here, take it now and carry it over toArgos. Old Man Yes, dear lady! Thats true, Ive changed and Ive changed because I love you, brother. It is, in fact, at that time when his friends should be able to rely on him because it is at that time, the time when things are going well with him, that he can help them the most. Has the carriage lulled you to sleep? Ha, ha, ha! Iphigenia in Aulis demonstrates how conflict and choices based around pride can lead to tragic results. A safe return? Come, son of a goddess! Which one will not wonder if it will be the next one you take to the slaughter? Menelaos Yes, you may well suffer now because I did break your seal and yes, I do know the secret trickery you were concocting! In front of the tent is a small table at which sits Agamemnon. Daughter of Tyndareus! Another, Pallas, was proud of her war spear and the third, Hera, proud of the fact that she shared her bed with Lord Zeus. Thats what Im afraid of! I will be led to a godless slaughter by a godless father! Your voice has horrified me! After all, what is it exactly that I want? 1318. Spare me! The trilogy won first prize at the City Dionysia at Athens. Go away old man! Married and single alike? Mother, wholl come with me when theyll come and drag me by my hair? Agamemnon, her father will sacrifice her to the goddess Artemis. Klytaimestra bursts into tears. Old Man You should not have opened this letter! Hes gone mad only so far as your daughter and you are concerned. Iphigeneia Whats wrong, daddy? Achilles Yes, it might be just that. And you can see how I, a woman, have come here to the camp of soldiers, tough men, brave and ready for war and violence. Its obvious that theres no escaping my death; so now, I want to die nobly. CLYTEMNESTRA: Now hear me, for my thoughts will I unfold In no obscure and coloured mode of speech. Essay Sample Check Writing Quality. MENELAOS (Agamemnons brother, King ofSparta), IPHIGENIA (Daughter of Agamemnon and Klytaimestra), ACHILLES (Chief of the Myrmidons, an army), SECOND CHORUS (Men and women ofArgos, attendants to Klytaimestra and Iphigeneia). Agamemnon What? A wise man must keep in his house a good and faithful woman, or else he should never marry! Let our friends here see how happy you make me. Iphigenia decides to sacrifice her life for the glory of Greece. Sweet daughter! That child was Paris. Hold on! Iphigeneia Separation? I have a greater right to speak than he does! Then he placed a garland upon the girls head and sprinkled holy water on her hair. Come out! Lets think through this together, my lady. Iphigeneia begins towards the tent but is stopped by her father. Pensively, anxiously. Exit Achilles. Are these amazing words the words of a delirious woman? AGAMEMNON Old man, come hither and stand before my dwelling. Image from Vermeule and Chapman (1971) Plate 71. I see a throng of men approaching. The first one to call you father, the first one you called daughter. He is afraid of his own soldiers. Iphigeneias scream of grief is suddenly heard from within the tent. 821. See this letter, this contemptible letter with the contemptible message inside it? Achilles By the goddess Modesty! What a price to pay for the sake of saving a slut! Orpheus, who could charm even the heartless rocks into following him! Old Man In all other things, no, my lady. Sacrifice me. Then Talthybius stood up amongst them all and told them to be silent. Iphigenia in Aulis is an Ancient Greek play written by Euripides. Open Document. IPHIGENIA IN AULIS A monologue from the play by Euripides NOTE: This monologue is reprinted from The Plays of Euripides in English, vol. First Chorus I sped through Artemis woods, a place rich with sacrifices, my youthful shyness blushing my cheeks, anxious to see the armys might, the tents of the Greeks and their countless horses. Klytaimestra You, alone? Im coming, my lord Im coming! There is nothing that I would not do for my darling Iphigeneia. Awful! Iphigenia O mother that bore me! Come, darling Iphigeneia, come down from the carriage now. How could I, a mortal, go against that? Chorus Go, young girl! Gone are the harsh words, suddenly! Agamemnon Can you not see him standing in the midst of all the Greeks, telling them all about Calchas prophesies and all about how Ive promised to sacrifice my daughter to Artemis but then went back on my word? To Dardanos house, in Troy, to bring back Menelaos wife, Helen. Shelley Dean Milman. 1050. The play was set in the small amphitheater at the Getty Villa. Me, Leda's daughter, hapless dame, First blooming offspring of her bed. Agamemnon shall never lay a finger on your daughter not even to touch her robes! They will reach the silvery eddies of the Simois river that runs through Apollos stronghold, the rocky plains ofTroy. Achilles Ah! Old Man The army is heading to Troy, my lady. The play provides some backstory to the more well-known classical tales of the Trojan War. Klytaimestra Who then was the heir to the House of Aeacus? You havent given birth to me simply for your own sake! But tell me what I must do. This is the letter which you saw me writing in the dark, opening it and shutting it, labouring over it. The play is co-produced by the Court Theatre of Chicago, directed by Charles Newell, and translated by Nicholas Rudall. Last Updated on July 14, 2022, by eNotes Editorial. 510. Iphigeneia I am ashamed because my marriage has turned out to be such a dismal failure. 860. Klytaimestra Yes. Old man, come out here! Iphegenia at Aulis) was left unfinished at Euripides' death in 406 BCE, and so the beginning and the ending especially are mutilated and choppy.Completed by someone else, it along with The Bacchae and the lost Alcmaeon formed a trio produced in Athens which won Euripides a fifth albeit posthumous first prize.. Agamemnon recounts the recent history of Helen's suitors . Agamemnon Calchas will reveal his oracles to the men. It is my name that he will be using as his sword to slaughter Iphigeneia and this awful man will disgrace my body if I let your daughter, who was about to marry me and who has suffered this insufferable fete die because of me. Out here, in front of the tent! There are times when the gods shun you, reject you, thwart your every effort and there are times, too, when the whining and the moaning of your men crush you! I hate such relationships; they bring bitter pain to all. The whole thing is a game played by the heavens! Klytaimestra Have you made the pre-natal offerings to the goddess yet? During those days you shook the hand of everyone you came across and, whether they wanted it or not, your doors were always wide open and ready to receive everyone. 1230. Old Man No, madam! 231. Chorus That is the city of Perseus, youre calling to! A sensible man usually speaks to others with respect. Be thankful to her because it is she who was looking after you and brought about all this for you, because, the truth is, neither you nor all of your power had anything to do with it. Summary of Iphigenia in Aulis Prologue The play opens with a prologue which starts with a dubitable, suspiciously non-Euripidean discussion between Agamemnon and a loyal Servant of his, in which the commander of the Greeks under Troy expresses second thoughts over the content of a previously sent letter to his wife Clytemnestra. Anger and impatience which I must control. Menelaos How else, then, can you, Agamemnon, prove that we are brothers? Agamemnon Thank goodness youre out here, Ledas daughter. She decides to ruin the party by tossing in a golden apple that says "To the . Iphigeneia Come, now, mother, dont make me lose heart! He embraces and then steps back to look at her sadly. He walks slowly about the stage for a moment, anxiously searching the starry sky. 110. There is no need! There is a small oil lamp on the table as well as various writing implements. Rather, I have an amazing story to tell you about your daughter. 751. 940. First Chorus This is the naval force I saw with my own eyes and about which I had heard earlier. First Chorus We saw him, racing in full armour upon the shells of the shore, in a contest against a chariot pulled by a team of four horses, a contest out of which he came victorious. My hair! 710. 890, Old Man He had sent me off to bring you a letter, madam about the first message. The whole city ofAulisis quiet and the guard on the walls has yet to change. Women, help her. 762. 1340. Returned soldiers emerge as protagonists in Pierre-Michel Tremblay's Au Champ de Mars, Hannah Moscovitch's This Is War, and George F. Walker's Dead Metaphor while Evan Webber and Frank Cox-O'Connell Little Iliad deals with a soldier about to be dispatched to Afghanistan. Death is a dreadful thing! Still, by then it is too late. He and no one else! 1180. July 4, 2022 . Achilles My lady, I have never proposed to your daughter Atreas sons have never talked to me about a marriage! They fuse into one. Klytaimestra Darling, no! Not mine, thats for sure. Chiron, the wise teacher, was entrusted by a wiser parent! 691. Step gently down, onto the earth. But now? Moderate. Clytemnestra But why? IPHIGENIA: Had I, my father, the persuasive voice Of Orpheus, and his skill to charm the rocks To follow me, and soothe whome'er I please With winning words, I would make trial of it; But I have nothing to present thee now Save tears, my only eloquence; and those I can present thee. 670. It seems that the generals do as they please with me. Then Agamemnon came to me and ordered me to come here and tell you what Fate the gods have granted to your daughter. And Im very pleased to see you, too! Will he not get furious with you and with your wife if you deprive him of his bride? Vile trickery, unworthy of his father, Atreas! No! Chorus He is the Trojan Ganymede, the loving delight of Zeus bed! Klytaimestra I know well that you are an old servant of my house. Achilles, stay! Weve been robbed! Iphigeneia How wonderful it is to see you again, daddy! Your own baby! Enter Menelaos and the OldMan. First Chorus Our husbands told us they are all gathered here, under the helm of Agamemnon and his fair haired brother, Menelaos, noblemen both, preparing to launch an expedition againstTroy. Agamemnon My old friend, Thestius daughter, Leda, had three daughters: Phoebe, Klytaimestra (my wife) and Helen. November 1, 2021 . I see. Free to mock her! You were totally bewildered by the change of your luck! Agamemnon Yes, my darling. Directing his question to the chorus. Mahathma Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital > Blog Classic > Uncategorized > iphigenia in aulis monologue mother listen to me. I can see you there now: a nobleman becoming a brother-in-law to a nobleman, to the divine Achilles, the son of Thetis the Nereid. Whats in your mind, this time, my lord Agamemnon? The goddess son. Youre the one, after all, who, even though the gods have helped you rid yourself of a bad wife, there you are, still intent on getting her back! The sun should rise slowly until full daylight is reached just before line 164. George Bell and Sons. Still, the girl came up close to him and said, Daddy, here I am, ready to do as you say. Fate gave me nothing to be proud of. Please dont do it! With him also was his close friend, Adrastus, their commander, ready to exact vengeance forHellas sake, against the woman who fled her husbands halls so as to marry a barbarian. 43. His baby sounds will make no sense but theyll be full of meaning. Old Man anxiously takes Klytaimestras hand and kisses it. You have chosen logic and good intentions to that of continuing a war against Fate and against Necessity. What shocking news of disaster is this? Achilles You must grab her and not let go of her. Agamemnon Zeus himself gave her to him. Help us! He is interrupted by Klytaimestras entrance. Menelaos And what aboutGreece? 411, Menelaos Enjoy the glory of your sceptre then! She swings him, sadly, gently back and forth and leans over him as she speaks to him. Agamemnon We are brothers when we are doing what is reasonable, not when we do what is madness. Some madness has overtaken their hearts and they want to sail immediately over to Troy to the land of those barbarians and to put an end to this raping and stealing of our women, to tearing them away from their marital beds. Cry! It is for Hellas that I am forced to sacrifice you. My Pelasgia! Youre overdoing your loyalty to your master! I am resolved to die; and this I want to do with honor, dismissing from me what is mean. i. Trans. ancient Greek wedding ritual, Iphigenia comes to Aulis accompanied by her mother and brother. On the stern of his ships was an emblem portraying the riverAlpheus, his neighbour, who, on that emblem was given four feet and made to look like a bull. A good man, my brother, must not change his manner just because his life is going well. A nanny is holding the baby Orestes in her arms. Achilles I told them that if thats what they thought, then they should not kill my intended wife. Here I am. I offer my neck quietly and with no fear for the knife. 1550, Thats what she said and every man there was amazed at the bravery and the virtue of the young girl. A garland for my head a garland for my hair some holy water from the sacred basins! Then the priest took hold of the sword and, after a few words of prayer, began searching the girls neck looking for the best place to strike. It was upon the forests of Trojan Ida, its woods covered thickly by the shroud of snow where King Priam once abandoned his child boy, Paris. London: J.M. Your wit is truly far greater than mine. How. Achilles Whos that? Second Chorus Look there: our Lords daughter, Iphigeneia, our princess; and there, his wife and Tyndareus daughter, our Lady, Klytaimestra! Everyone called Idean because of the Trojan city Idean. Dance, girls, dance around Artemis altar! Where did you catch him? Do you hear them, Helen? line to jump to another position: The Annenberg CPB/Project provided support for entering this text. What is it that I need to hear alone, out here? [1375] Agamemnon to trick Iphigenia into coming to Aulis. First Chorus Joy will come to those who share their marriage bed with the calm of Aphrodites love and not with the frenzy of Eros stinging arrows! This light is the sweetest thing that can fill the eyes! Klytaimestra Oh, Gods! Copyright 2000-2023 A. S. Kline, All Rights Reserved. Enter from Stage Left Klytaimestra and Iphigeneia, accompanied by an entourage of men and women, some of whom are carrying gifts into Agamemnons tent. Agamemnon Zeus. Chorus Agamemnon, son of Atreas, begin now your journey to Troy and may it be a happy one! Klytaimestra May joy be with you for ever, Achilles.
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