Chorus Remember, Electra, you are the child of a mortal father, and Orestes was mortal. Therefore do not grieve too much. Death is a debt which all of us must pay.
Orestes Ah, what shall I say? I am at a loss. To what words can I turn? I no longer have the strength to master my tongue!
Electra What has troubled you? Why did you say that?
Orestes Is this the illustrious form of Electra?
Electra It is, though in a very wretched state.
Orestes What pity, then, for this miserable fortune!
Electra Surely, stranger, you are not saddened like this on my account?
Orestes O frame dishonorably, godlessly wasted!
Electra Those ills of which you speak, stranger, are none other’s than mine.
Orestes Ah, pity for your unwed, ill-fated life!
Electra Why, stranger, do you stare and grieve in this way?
Orestes How I knew nothing, it seems, of my own sorrows!
Electra What that has been said made you realize this?
Orestes It was the sight of you conspicuous in your many sufferings.
Electra And yet you see but a few of my troubles.
Orestes And how could there be any more odious to look on than these?
Electra Because I share house and table with the murderers.
Orestes Whose murderers? Where lies the guilt at which you point?
Electra The murderers of my father. And, further, I am forced to slave for them.
Orestes Who is it that binds you with this compulsion?
Electra She is called my mother, but in no respect is she like a mother.
Orestes How does she do it? By violence or by inflicting hardship?
Electra By violence and hardships and all manner of evil.
Orestes And is there no one to help, or to prevent it?
Electra No one. The one I had, his ashes you have put before me.
Orestes Unfortunate girl, how seeing you stirs my pity!
Electra Then know that you are the first who ever pitied me.
Orestes Yes, for I alone have come and been pained by your troubles.
Electra Surely you are not some unknown kinsman?
Orestes I would tell you, if these women bear you goodwill.
Electra Indeed they do, so you will speak to trustworthy companions.
Orestes Give up this urn, then, and you shall know everything.
Electra No, by the gods, do not do this to me, stranger!
Orestes Do as I say, and you will never be mistaken.
Electra No, I beg you, do not rip from me what I hold most dear!
Orestes You must not keep it.
Electra Ah, what misery I will have because of you, Orestes, if I am robbed of your burial!
Orestes Hush! No ill-omened words! You have no right to grieve.
Electra How is it not right for me to grieve for my dead brother?
Orestes It is not proper for you to speak of him as you do.
Electra Am I so without rights in the dead?
Orestes You are without rights in nothing; but this burial is not your concern.
Electra Yes it is, if these are the remains of Orestes that I hold.
Orestes They are not his, except inasmuch as fiction alone contrives to make them so.
Electra And where is that sufferer’s tomb?
Orestes There is none; the living have no tomb.
Electra What are you saying, boy?
Orestes Nothing that is untrue.
Electra The man is alive?
Orestes If there is life in me.
Electra What? Are you he?
Orestes Look at this signet, once our father’s, and know if I speak the truth.
Electra O blissful day!
Orestes Blissful, I am your witness!
Electra Is this your voice?
Orestes Hear it from no other.
Electra Do I hold you in my arms?
Orestes May you hold me so always hereafter!
Electra Ah, dear friends and fellow-citizens, see Orestes here, who was dead by design, and now by design has come safely home!
Chorus We see him, daughter, and for this happy turn of fortune a tear of joy trickles from our eyes.
Electra O seed, seed of the person to me most dear, you have just now come, you have come, and have found and seen her whom your heart desired!
Orestes I am with you; but keep silence and wait.
Electra What do you mean?
Orestes It is better to be silent so that no one inside may hear.
Electra No, by ever-virgin Artemis, I will never think it right to tremble before eternally house-bound women, that useless burden on the ground!
Orestes Yes, but remember that Ares dwells in women, too. You know this well by experience, I believe.
Electra oh, no! ah, me! You have reminded me of my sorrow, one which by its nature cannot be veiled, cannot be done away with, cannot be forgotten!
Orestes I know this, too; but when occasion prompts, we must recall those crimes.
Electra Each moment of all time, as it comes, would be a proper occasion for me to make these just complaints. Scarcely now have I had my lips set free.
Orestes Yes, I agree; therefore guard your freedom.
Electra What must I do?
Orestes When it is inopportune, do not want to speak too much.
Electra No, who could exchange due silence for speech, when you have appeared? For now my eyes have seen you, beyond all thought and hope!
Orestes You saw me when the gods moved me to come. […]
Electra You have told me of a grace higher still than the first, if a god brought you to our house; I acknowledge in it the work of the divine.
Orestes On the one hand I hesitate to curb your gladness, but on the other I fear that you may be overwhelmed by too much joy.
Electra O you who, after such a long time, saw fit to make your most happy journey and appear to me, do not, now that you have seen me in all my misery—
Orestes What should I not do?—
Electra —Do not rob me of the comfort of your face; do not force me to forego it!
Orestes I would be angry, indeed, if I saw another attempt it.
Electra You give your consent?
Orestes Why would I not?
Electra My friends, I heard a voice that I could never have hoped to hear; nor could I have restrained my emotion in silence and without a cry, when I heard it. ah, me! But now I have you. You have appeared with that dear face, which I could never, even in misery, forget.
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