Orestes
Silence; the words of Phoebus are no benefit to me; here comes the woman out of the temple.
Iphigenia Go away and make the preparations within for those who attend to the sacrifice. Here are the many folds of the tablet, strangers. Hear what I want in addition. No man is the same when he is in troubles and when he falls out of fear into courage. I am afraid that when the one who is going to take this tablet to Argos leaves this land, he will put aside my letter as worth nothing.
Orestes What do you want, then? What are you perplexed about?
Iphigenia Let him give me an oath that he will convey this letter to Argos, to the friends to whom I wish to send it.
Orestes And will you give in return the same words to him?
Iphigenia To do what, or refrain from doing? Tell me.
Orestes To send him from this barbarous land alive.
Iphigenia What you say is right; how else could he deliver it?
Orestes Will the king agree to this?
Iphigenia Yes. I will persuade the king, and I myself will put this man on the ship.
Orestes Swear; begin a pious oath.
Iphigenia You must say: I will give this to your friends.
Pylades I will give this letter to your friends.
Iphigenia And I will see you safely outside the dark rocks.
Pylades What god do you swear by, as witness to your oath?
Iphigenia Artemis, in whose temple I hold office.
Pylades And I swear by the king of heaven, revered Zeus.
Iphigenia But if you leave off your oath, and wrong me?
Pylades May I not return. What about you, if you do not save me?
Iphigenia May I never set foot in Argos alive.
Pylades Now listen to a consideration we have passed over.
Iphigenia But it will be something new, if it is good.
Pylades Give me this exception: if the ship suffers and the tablet is lost with its cargo in the waves, and I rescue myself only, may this oath not hinder me.
Iphigenia Do you know what I will do? For many attempts hit many targets. I will tell you what is written in the folds of this tablet for you to report to my friends. For this is secure: if you preserve the writing, itself, though silent, will speak its message; if the writing is lost in the sea, when you save yourself, you will save my words.
Pylades You have spoken well, on behalf of the gods and me. Make clear to whom I must bring this letter in Argos, and what I must say when I have heard it from you.
Iphigenia Report to Orestes, the son of Agamemnon: the one slain at Aulis sends you this, Iphigenia, who is alive, though no longer alive to those there—
Orestes Where is she? Has she come back from the dead?
Iphigenia The one you are looking at; don’t confuse me by your talk. Bring me to Argos, my brother, before I die. Take me away from the barbarian land and the sacrifices of the goddess, where I hold the office of killing foreigners.
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