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Euripides · Iphigenia at Aulis Ἰφιγένεια ἐν Αὐλίδι

Euripides, Iphigenia at Aulis 1336–1367b: Fifth episode: Achilles reports that the army demands the sacrifice

Ancient Sources / Euripides / Iphigenia at Aulis / 1336–1367b

The Chorus Leader pities Iphigenia, who sees Achilles approaching with armed men and is ashamed to face him, and Clytemnestra tells her that there is no time for affectation. Achilles says that a fearful cry has risen among the Argives that her sacrifice is necessary, and that he was nearly stoned for trying to save her. He says that Odysseus has been chosen to take her, and that he will defend her.

Lines 1336–1367b · 475 words · click a number to copy its link

Chorus Leader

1336–1337
1336ἐγὼ μὲν οἰκτίρω σε συμφορᾶς κακῆς τυχοῦσαν, οἵας μήποτʼ ὤφελες τυχεῖν.

I pity you for your cruel fate—a fate I would you never had met!

1338–1367b
Ἰφιγένεια 1338ὦ τεκοῦσα μῆτερ, ἀνδρῶν ὄχλον εἰσορῶ πέλας. Κλυταιμήστρα τόν τε τῆς θεᾶς παῖδα, τέκνον, ᾧ σὺ δεῦρʼ ἐλήλυθας. Ἰφιγένεια 1340διαχαλᾶτέ μοι μέλαθρα, δμῶες, ὡς κρύψω δέμας. Κλυταιμήστρα τί δὲ τέκνον, φεύγεις; Ἰφιγένεια Ἀχιλλέα τόνδʼ ἰδεῖν αἰσχύνομαι. Κλυταιμήστρα ὡς τί δή; Ἰφιγένεια τὸ δυστυχές μοι τῶν γάμων αἰδῶ φέρει. Κλυταιμήστρα οὐκ ἐν ἁβρότητι κεῖσαι πρὸς τὰ νῦν πεπτωκότα. ἀλλὰ μίμνʼ· οὐ σεμνότητος ἔργον, ἢν ὀνώμεθα. Ἀχιλλεύς 1345ὦ γύναι τάλαινα, Λήδας θύγατερ— Κλυταιμήστρα οὐ ψευδῆ θροεῖς. Ἀχιλλεύς δείνʼ ἐν Ἀργείοις βοᾶται— Κλυταιμήστρα τίνα βοήν; σήμαινέ μοι. Ἀχιλλεύς ἀμφὶ σῆς παιδός— Κλυταιμήστρα πονηρὸν εἶπας οἰωνὸν λόγον. Ἀχιλλεύς ὡς χρεὼν σφάξαι νιν. Κλυταιμήστρα οὐδεὶς τοῖσδʼ ἐναντίον λέγει; Ἀχιλλεύς ἐς θόρυβον ἐγώ τι καὐτὸς ἤλυθον— Κλυταιμήστρα τίνʼ, ὦ ξένε; Ἀχιλλεύς 1350σῶμα λευσθῆναι πέτροισι. Κλυταιμήστρα μῶν κόρην σῴζων ἐμήν; Ἀχιλλεύς αὐτὸ τοῦτο. Κλυταιμήστρα τίς δʼ ἂν ἔτλη σώματος τοῦ σοῦ θιγεῖν; Ἀχιλλεύς πάντες Ἕλληνες. Κλυταιμήστρα στρατὸς δὲ Μυρμιδὼν οὔ σοι παρῆν; Ἀχιλλεύς πρῶτος ἦν ἐκεῖνος ἐχθρός. Κλυταιμήστρα διʼ ἄρʼ ὀλώλαμεν, τέκνον. Ἀχιλλεύς οἵ με τὸν γάμων ἀπεκάλουν ἥσσονα. Κλυταιμήστρα ἀπεκρίνω δὲ τί; Ἀχιλλεύς 1355τὴν ἐμὴν μέλλουσαν εὐνὴν μὴ κτανεῖν— Κλυταιμήστρα δίκαια γάρ. Ἀχιλλεύς ἣν ἐφήμισεν πατήρ μοι. Κλυταιμήστρα καὶ Ἀργόθεν γʼ ἐπέμψατο. Ἀχιλλεύς ἀλλʼ ἐνικώμην κεκραγμοῦ. Κλυταιμήστρα τὸ πολὺ γὰρ δεινὸν κακόν. Ἀχιλλεύς ἀλλʼ ὅμως ἀρήξομέν σοι. Κλυταιμήστρα καὶ μαχῇ πολλοῖσιν εἷς; Ἀχιλλεύς εἰσορᾷς τεύχη φέροντας τούσδε; Κλυταιμήστρα ὄναιο τῶν φρενῶν. Ἀχιλλεύς 1360ἀλλʼ ὀνησόμεσθα. Κλυταιμήστρα παῖς ἄρʼ οὐκέτι σφαγήσεται; Ἀχιλλεύς οὔκ, ἐμοῦ γʼ ἑκόντος. Κλυταιμήστρα ἥξει δʼ ὅστις ἅψεται κόρης; Ἀχιλλεύς μυρίοι γʼ, ἄξει δʼ Ὀδυσσεύς. Κλυταιμήστρα ἆρʼ ὁ Σισύφου γόνος; Ἀχιλλεύς αὐτὸς οὗτος. Κλυταιμήστρα ἴδια πράσσων, ἢ στρατοῦ ταχθεὶς ὕπο; Ἀχιλλεύς αἱρεθεὶς ἑκών. Κλυταιμήστρα πονηράν γʼ αἵρεσιν, μιαιφονεῖν. Ἀχιλλεύς 1365ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ σχήσω νιν. Κλυταιμήστρα ἄξει δʼ οὐχ ἑκοῦσαν ἁρπάσας; Ἀχιλλεύς δηλαδὴ ξανθῆς ἐθείρας. Κλυταιμήστρα ἐμὲ δὲ δρᾶν τί χρὴ τότε; Ἀχιλλεύς ἀντέχου θυγατρός. Κλυταιμήστρα ὡς τοῦδʼ εἵνεκʼ οὐ σφαγήσεται.

Iphigenia O mother that bore me! I see a throng of men approaching.

Clytemnestra It is the goddess’ son you see, child, for whom you came here.

Iphigenia Open the tent-door to me, servants, that I may hide myself

Clytemnestra Why seek to escape, my child?

Iphigenia I am ashamed to face Achilles.

Clytemnestra But why?

Iphigenia The luckless ending to our marriage causes me to feel abashed.

Clytemnestra No time for affectation now in face of what has happened. Stay then; reserve will do no good, if we may profit.

Achilles Daughter of Leda, lady of sorrows!

Clytemnestra No misnomer that.

Achilles A fearful cry is heard among the Argives.

Clytemnestra What is it? tell me.

Achilles It concerns your child.

Clytemnestra An evil omen for your words.

Achilles They say her sacrifice is necessary.

Clytemnestra And is there no one to say a word against them?

Achilles Indeed I was in some danger myself from the tumult.

Clytemnestra In danger of what, stranger?

Achilles Of being stoned.

Clytemnestra Surely not for trying to save my daughter?

Achilles The very reason.

Clytemnestra Who would have dared to lay a finger on you?

Achilles All the men of Hellas.

Clytemnestra Were not your Myrmidon warriors at your side?

Achilles They were the first who turned against me.

Clytemnestra My child! we are lost, it seems.

Achilles They taunted me as the man whom marriage had enslaved.

Clytemnestra And what did you answer them?

Achilles Not to kill the one I meant to wed—

Clytemnestra Justly so.

Achilles The wife her father promised me.

Clytemnestra Yes, and sent to fetch from Argos.

Achilles But I was overcome by clamorous cries.

Clytemnestra Truly the mob is a dire mischief.

Achilles But I will help you for all that.

Clytemnestra Will you really fight them single-handed?

Achilles Do you see these warriors here, carrying my arms?

Clytemnestra Bless you for your kind intent!

Achilles Well, I shall be blessed.

Clytemnestra Then my child will not be slaughtered now?

Achilles No, not with my consent at any rate.

Clytemnestra But will any of them come to lay hands on the maid?

Achilles Thousands of them, with Odysseus at their head.

Clytemnestra The son of Sisyphus?

Achilles The very same.

Clytemnestra Acting for himself or by the army’s order?

Achilles By their choice—and his own.

Clytemnestra An evil choice indeed, to stain his hands in blood.

Achilles But I will hold him back.

Clytemnestra Will he seize and bear her off against her will?

Achilles Yes, by her golden hair no doubt.

Clytemnestra What must I do, when it comes to that?

Achilles Keep hold of your daughter.

Clytemnestra Be sure that she shall not be slain, as far as that can help her.

People and places in this passage

Passages in other works that tell of the same people and places, oldest and closest first.

  1. Homer, Iliad 21.136–232Achilles and Asteropaeus; the river rises
  2. Homer, Iliad 21.514–611Priam on the wall; Agenor and Apollo's trick
  3. Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome E.3.1–35Paris and Helen; the muster at Aulis and the landing at Troy
  4. Ovid, Metamorphoses 12.64–145Achilles and Cycnus
  5. Epic Cycle, Summaries and Fragments 5.1–38Cypria
  6. Euripides, Electra 1111–1146Exodos: Electra lures Clytemnestra into the house

English translation by Edward P. Coleridge (1891). Original text: Greek text: Gilbert Murray (ed.), Euripidis Fabulae, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913, as digitised by Perseus. English: Edward P. Coleridge, The Plays of Euripides, London: George Bell and Sons, first published 1891 (Bohn's Classical Library; the Perseus header records a later printing).

Greek text and translation from the Perseus Digital Library, Tufts University, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Perseus Digital Library); translation public domain. Introductions, summaries and notes © GreekMythology.com.