Orestes Ah, Phoebus! you proclaimed in song unclear justice, but you have brought about clear woes, and granted me a bloody destiny far from the land of Hellas. To what other city can I go? What host, what pious man will look at me, who killed my mother?
Electra Ah me! Where can I go, to what dance, to what marriage? What husband will receive me into the bridal bed?
Chorus Again, again your thought changes with the breeze; for now you think piously, though you did not before, and you did dreadful things, my dear, to your unwilling brother.
Orestes Did you see how the unhappy one threw off her robe and showed her bosom in the slaughter, alas, hurling to the ground the limbs that gave me birth? And her hair, I—
Chorus I know it well; you passed through agony, hearing the mournful wail of the mother that bore you.
Orestes She uttered this cry, putting her hand to my chin: My child, I entreat you! And she clung to my cheeks, so that the sword fell from my hand.
Chorus The unhappy one! How did you endure to see the blood of your mother, breathing her last before your eyes?
Orestes I threw my cloak over my eyes, and began the sacrifice by plunging the sword into my mother’s throat.
Electra And I urged you on and put my hand to the sword together with you.
Chorus You have done the most dreadful of deeds.
Orestes Take and hide the limbs of our mother beneath a robe, and close the wounds. Ah! You gave birth to your own murderers.
Electra There, I am putting this cloak over the one loved and not loved.
Chorus An end of great troubles for the house.
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