How could I possibly express my gratitude to you in a modest way? The world beneath the earth is a world of nothing. From now on I will live there in that other world. Oh, what a joy it is to see you, Iphigeneia! Good bye. And others, is there going to be a wedding? Yet others again, did the king call his daughter here because hes missed her? Then there were others who said, the girl will be presented to the goddess Artemis, protector ofAulis, before the wedding. No, its not my ambition thats bothering you, my brother! After that, Paris, the man who, according to the legend, judged the three goddesses, Hera, Aphrodite and Athena, for their beauty, arrived atSparta. Do you think Im some slave of yours? Calchas. Agamemnon I praise you, Menelaos for these unexpected words, proper words, words truly worthy of you. Dont become an evil man! What a wonderful excuse! The altar of Zeus daughter. Shelley Dean Milman. Every one of them is just as unbearable! Klytaimestra Really? You are the cause of it! I, too feel the same pain so I wont be angry with you. Dent & Sons, 1920. All of you! 150. She will be begging me, my sweet young girl! 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! First Chorus The left flank of the Greek armada ended with the twelve trim and fast ships, led byAjaxwhose birthplace isSalamis. I I am shocked, my lady! I shall think of nothing else but you from now on. Then Talthybius stood up amongst them all and told them to be silent. These ships, too, were adorned with emblems at their high sterns, this time of Cadmus, holding a golden serpent in his hands. Some members of the chorus rush about her, placing garlands on her hair and sprinkling water upon her head. How dare you! Listen to their words: 790, Who will it be, I wonder, who will bring tears to my eyes, drag me by my beautiful hair and pluck me from my ruined land?. Ah! Now call her out here so she can follow me to the altar. One goddess, Aphrodite, was proud of her insatiable love. 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. That will be very easy to accomplish. Ill now stand by you and so I advise you not to kill your daughter or put my own interests before yours. Klytaimestra And you will abandon your mother like this? Klytaimestra Sounds ideal to me. After a while, Calchas, our prophet, came up to us and suggested much to our dismay- that we should sacrifice my own daughter, Iphigenia, to the goddess Artemis, whose shrine is in these parts! Iphigeneia hands baby Orestes to her mother, Iphigeneia If only I could sing like Orpheus, father! Iphigenia At Aulis By Euripides Written 410 B.C.E Dramatis Personae Agamemnon Attendant, an old man Chorus of Women of Chalcis Menelaus Clytaemnestra Iphigenia Achilles Scene The sea-coast at Aulis. Agamemnon There! Chorus Let Agamemnons name live for ever in glory! 751. Come, son of a goddess! Here we are, eagerly obedient to your wish! No, dont bury your face inside your cloak! She will be saved if you will it. 1590, He spoke and he said, Chiefs of the Greek army, can you see this offering? Perhaps were both being deceived. Promise me that you wont cut even a strand of your hair in mourning nor wear black! Volume II. Dont suppose for one minute that Ill be asking them to treat you well. Clytemnestra But why? Klytaimestra Whats wrong? 65. 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 Look at you? Agamemnon This is scandalous! Klytaimestra But who on earth would dare touch you, Achilles? Iphigeneia is crying. And you, you will carry the honour of my deed wherever you go! 570. Klytaimestra who was married to whom? Iphigenia in Aulis is an Attic, or Greek, tragedy composed by Euripides (circa 480-406 BCE). I want to marry you, to take you to my home and to protect you. First Chorus And fast-footed Achilles, too, whose feet fly faster than the wind. Come, folks come and take down from the carriage the wedding gifts Ive brought and carefully carry them into the tent. Old Man You should not have opened this letter! Iphigeneia rushes and embraces Agamemnon. Enter Klytaimestra. Klytaimestra A cold hope, that one, Achilles. I know hes around here somewhere. Ive rushed here before them so that you can be ready to receive them. Klytaimestra Why? New troubles are now added upon those Im already suffering. Klytaimestra goes into the tent. Wont you cry with me, Orestes? Poor, poor girl! Has my husband gone insane? Whos done you wrong and what is it that you want? Clytemnestra It is the goddess' son you see, child, for whom you came here. AGAMEMNON Old man, come hither and stand before my dwelling. Thats what Im afraid of! Agamemnon Yes, dear because our separation will be a long one. The young heifers that will be sacrificed and that will deliver their abundant dark blood to the goddess Artemis are ready. Klytaimestra And the feast for us women? IPHIGENIA IN AULIS - Monologue (Clytemnestra) A monologue from the play by Euripides NOTE: This monologue is reprinted from The Plays of Euripides in English, vol. Cassandra who shakes loose her golden hair beneath the green garland of laurel whenever the god grips her with his prophetic gasp. The barbarians will no longer abduct them and carry them off from our wealthy shores, once Helens abduction by Paris has been avenged. Im very pleased that you, too, honour the goddess Modesty, Achilles! Thus, like a significant number of Euripidean lyrics,' the third stasimon of the Iphigenia in Aulis stands out in contrast to the dramatic Iphigenia has arrived in Aulis, and soon the army will be demanding her death. Menelaos Who gave me the right? Tell me! I ask only for a modest share of Aphrodites love; let it be not excessive! What a shocking thing that would be! Dont waste any time! Did they not side with you? 450. Intelligence, brother, can turn any man into a head of State. No, there are hundreds of women who want my wedding bed! Klytaimestra I am Klytaimestra, Ledas daughter and Agamemnons wife. What shall I say to my wife, then? First Chorus Words that will not shame your ancestors. Old Man Yes, my lady and so, I am more loyal to you than I am to your husband. All this is his own doing. First Chorus Women protect it well by avoiding immoderate love and men by bringing civil order in their city, thus making it great. The whole place glitters with the bronze armour of the warriors. Are we not all wasting our time here, by the banks ofEpirus? 880. Whats with this flushed face of yours? Klytaimestra But tell me, good servant, where did you hear all this? Think about your daughter for once, Agamemnon and make a fair proposal to your army: Ask them all if they really want to go to Troy and if they do, well then, let them draw lots that will include their own children also! No, mother, let one of daddys servants accompany me to Artemis woods, the place where I shall be sacrificed. Please dont be offended now! If only this town, if only Aulis, had refused to let all these Troy-destined ships enter her harbour! Achilles They jeered at me! Does no one speak against it? Its covered with a cloak. My lord! Sacrifice me. Figure 2.2: Black-figure lekythos showing Iphigenia 89 led to the altar, c. 470 BCE. It is what a mother must do! After all, what is it exactly that I want? No, I will not shed any tears now. Go, now! If youre wise youll heed them; if not then, have no fear, I know how to settle my own affairs well. I will be led to a godless slaughter by a godless father! Promise me, mummy! Not a sound to be heard anywhere, old man! It all starts at the wedding of Peleus and Thetis (Achilles' parents) Thetis is divine, so they invite all the gods and goddesses, except Strife. Dance around the temple of the blessed goddess! Just before Dawn. Agamemnon! Agamemnon The heir was Peleas. Klytaimestra May the gods give your heart strength! / Malvaux > Non class > iphigenia in aulis monologue mother listen to me / 15.02.22 iphigenia in aulis monologue mother listen to me . Here comes the king himself, my lady. Achilles Her father had promised her to me! Come, tell me, share your story with me. Should I exchange the good for bad? Klytaimestra I am not so insensitive, Agamemnon. View a map of the most frequently mentioned places in this document. When Agamemnon tries to avoid sacrificing Iphigenia, Menelaus calls Agamemnon a traitor to both Greece and his own brother. She was falsely called your future wife. 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. You, Paris, you son of Priam! Too glad to commit the girl to the goddess. 1050. We are a free people, whereas they are slaves. A good man, my brother, must not change his manner just because his life is going well. Soldiers who have been gathered together, away from the chores of their homes and are idle have malice and gossip ready at their tongue. Achilles What do you mean, madam? That would be bad for both of us. I was the first to play on your knees, the first one of your children to enjoy your love and the first one to give you a childs love. The true leader of a city and of an army is not merely brave but intelligent. The goddess would much rather have this animal offered to her than the girl so that her altar would not be defiled by shedding the blood of a human. I shall serve Greece! I wrap its limbs around your knees and beg you: Please father, do not cut off my life short. So angry were my twin brothers, the Dioscuri, that they came charging down from Zeus side on their glistening horses to fight you but you went begging to my old father, Tyndareus and he, not only saved you but made me your wife! How much more time do we need to waste on this expedition toTroy? Your own father has slaughtered you with his own hand! Hell grab her by her blond hair, if he has to and. Ah, but the common folk have it easy. So, we have all gathered here and here we are still, tied down by the weather! Chorus Friends, let us sing our prayer to Artemis! Here! 1540. Fate gave me nothing to be proud of. Clytemnestra and Iphigenia try to Not from any birds, not from the sea and not from any of the winds that rule over the waters between us andEpirus Total silence! Chiron, they cried out, Chiron who knows well the meaning of Apollos words, foretells that youll give Thessaly a son, a boy wholl be its brightest light. Agamemnon Yes, so you see what sort of a man your future son-in-law is! This last one, Helen, had received the most famous, the greatest sons of the whole ofHellasas her suitors ferocious threats of murder were uttered by those who had missed out on her. I Im not so sure. Tell me, Agamemnon: Tell me what will you say to someone who asks you why youve killed your daughter? For a slave you have just too much to say! By your chin, Achilles, by your right hand and by your mother, stand by us! Klytaimestra What? Iphigeneia at Aulis Quotes THE OLD MAN: Atreus did not sire you, Agamemnon, into a world of pure happiness. 583. Agamemnon Pleasure! Who is this exquisite looking woman I see here? He, too, loves glory. Old Man A slave. The first one to call you father, the first one you called daughter. Agamemnon Calchas will reveal his oracles to the men. Klytaimestra Peers into the distance anxiously for a moment but is finally relieved. Help us, Achilles! Iphigeneia Then I shall be stupid and make you laugh! These are things you should know nothing about! Agamemnon And still something is holding back the expedition. Download Pleiades ancient places geospacial dataset for this text. Raise a hymn now to the goddess Artemis, Zeus daughter, for the sad honour she has asked me to endure and let the women of Argos, the daughters of Danaus, hold a silence of reverence. Agamemnon He covers his face with his hands in shame and groans. Agamemnon No, the wedding was held in the sacred valleys of Pelion, where Cheiron lives. But listen to me, Iphigeneia. Iphigenia at Aulis was first performed in 405 B.C.E., the year after Euripides' death. Awful! Where is the army going? Klytaimestra The whole of the Greek army? Second Chorus They are the offspring of a great and most fortunate family. Id only be speaking lies and Id be adding disgrace to my miserable Fate! Then thats the end, my sweetheart! She swings him, sadly, gently back and forth and leans over him as she speaks to him. Ive missed you so much. Klytaimestra But youre saying that I can not mourn your death, my darling! In early youth, when first my soul, in love, Held father, mother, brethren fondly twin'd, A group of tender germs, in union sweet, We sprang in beauty from the parent stem, And heavenward grew. When is the wedding? Achilles Yes, madam and I too, am furious at your husband. Agamemnon I would, but some god has made both you andGreeceinsane! How I wish he never lived near the gurgling white waters of those springs, the springs where nymphs gathered. Will he not get furious with you and with your wife if you deprive him of his bride? Chorus They tell me that Cassandra, Apollos priestess is there. I was a very good house keeper for you. I feel too humiliated to face you after the lies Ive uttered, after the dreadful way Ive been treated! Klytaimestra But why didnt you deliver that message to me, if it was in your hand? Ah, heres your father, go to him, darling! Dent & Sons, 1920. Klytaimestra Go ahead then, speak. 1340. Let them all see which one should be sacrificed. 1040. Run! But then, suddenly a miracle happened, my lady! Come, give me your right hand and lets make this the beginning of a blessed marriage! A terrible love." Euripides, Iphigenia in Aulis tags: euripides , greek-tragedy , iphigenia-at-aulis , power , power-hungry 11 likes Like I need to tell you things that our daughter should not hear. Not before I tell all the Greeks what it says! Klytaimestra Will he try and come here and drag my darling away, just like that, against her will? Hes gone mad only so far as your daughter and you are concerned. 1230. I see a throng of men approaching. What can I possibly say now? Youve forgotten them and so, now, you want to kill me. Do you not want to fight for her? On my part, I wish you all happiness and may you return to the land of your fathers victorious. CLYTEMNESTRA: Now hear me, for my thoughts will I unfold In no obscure and coloured mode of speech. 220, First Chorus I came to take a look at the great number of ships, a sight most pleasant and most able to satisfy my girlish eyes. Full of joy and yet tears flow from your eyes 650. The plain truth. I dont understand, father. Enter Achilles with fellow soldiers in full armour. Your father has gone, my darling and abandoned you to Hades! Those worthy of praise find it a hateful thing when they are praised too profusely. This man has forcefully and unjustly ripped your letter from my hands, my lord! Klytaimestra My dear Lord, Agamemnon! Klytaimestra A sweet word of love from you? 500. You became a nobody. They fuse into one. 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? Look here, father! Next to these were the Athenian ships -sixty of them, and these were captained by Theseus son. Iphigeneia No, mother. What is it that I need to hear alone, out here? 43. Ask me, what is it? Then, without anyone forcing you, totally of your accord and dont claim it wasnt- you had sent a letter to your wife to bring Iphigenia here, in the pretence that shed be marrying Achilles. He has used my name without my permission! I have left Pharsalia and Peleas, my father, to come here. He walks slowly about the stage for a moment, anxiously searching the starry sky. So, tell me, my brother: What is all this violent fury? Now make your answer reasonable also! Cheiron, the centaur did, so that the child might be brought up not knowing the behaviour of evil men. Then he placed a garland upon the girls head and sprinkled holy water on her hair. She decides to ruin the party by tossing in a golden apple that says "To the . What star could that be, that one, gliding across the sky up there? Agamemnon and I have separate properties. Dance, girls, dance around Artemis altar! No tomb, no tombstone! Of all of my children, you, Iphigeneia, have always loved your father the most! How could I? If Im right, do the sensible thing and dont kill out darling. Directing his question to the chorus. He, madam, hes the cause of all your torment, madam. Klytaimestra She stretches her right hand 830. 1410. Now go inside, my good man and everything will happen according to the will of Fate. Click anywhere in the Exit Achilles. And this, my lady, this is no lie, believe me! 1140. Klytaimestra No, I wont. Details. Ha! Iphigeneia Hands Orestes back to her mother. Iphigeneia Mother, Im too ashamed to face Achilles. Achilles The whole army wants her your daughter- killed! Were working on it right now. Madam, let this sword of mine bear witness to what Im about to say! Old Man He tricked you about the marriage with Achilles, my lady, so that youd be willing to come here. Helen, wife of Menelaus, king of Sparta, had eloped to Troy with Paris, son of King Priam. The only voice I have, father, my only skill, is in my tears and, here, father, Im giving them to you! Menelaos I was waiting to see if your daughter would leaveArgosto come to the army camp. And so, the Greeks ordered you to let them board their ships and go back home and to stop wasting their efforts here. The circumstances are too dire now for modesty and for polite coyness! Pensively, anxiously. My mother! Ah! Youve come to your death you and me also! Klytaimestra Thats what a mob is like! - Taken from "Iphigenia in Aulis" written by Euripides Read more Previous page Print length 94 pages Language English Publication date February 10, 2022 Dimensions line to jump to another position: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License, Pleiades ancient places geospacial dataset for this text, http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0006.tlg018.perseus-eng1:1374-1401, http://data.perseus.org/texts/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0006.tlg018.perseus-eng1, http://data.perseus.org/texts/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0006.tlg018, http://data.perseus.org/catalog/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0006.tlg018.perseus-eng1. No mother, no father. If this works out well, then the result will be good for you and your family without my getting mixed up in the affair. Messenger Agamemnon, leader of all the Greeks! Agamemnon Yes, I see it and, before you start youd better hand it back to me! The whole of Greece is gathered here and they all want one thing: to go to the famous city of Troy and tear down her towers. I must go. 620. And there, along the white sands below, Nereus fifty daughters whirled and weaved their dance circles and made splendid the wedding of the Nereid. Agamemnon And now its my turn to criticise you but, no, I wont do so in some arrogant, contemptuous way, with my eyes looking down on you but I shall do so in a conciliatory, brotherly way. One of the most performed Greek tragedies, the play explores the breakdown of social norms in times of war and how war breeds inhuman habits in the most human of men. Ive also missed you! Enter Second Chorus of men and women, Attendants of Klytaimestra, Second Chorus Indicating behind the curtains (Stage Left) 590. 411, Menelaos Enjoy the glory of your sceptre then! Iphigeneia The same song, mother, the same words tell both our fates, dear mother and I Ive lost the days sweet light, the sweet light of the suns rays! 27. Chorus There goes the girl with garlands on her hair and holy water upon her head! 1380. Your old father-in-law, Tyndareus, gave me to your wife, Klytaimestra, as part of her dowry, to be her loyal servant. You write down some words, then you scratch them out and write other words in their place. Achilles I told them that if thats what they thought, then they should not kill my intended wife. Klytaimestra My question is nothing but reasonable. I was not going to slaughter my own daughter, old man! And then I also realised that were brothers and my heart went out for the poor girl who would be sacrificed for the sake of my own marriage. Agamemnon My thoughts exactly, my darling. First Chorus Come, children of Chalkis, let us go and give the Argive Queen our gentle and firm hand to help her step down safely from her carriage and let us look welcoming towards Agamemnons glorious daughter lest she be afraid of having arrived here at this place and at this time; and let us also make sure that the Argive women feel no distress or concern for being strangers in a strange place. 9.1", "denarius"). Klytaimestra bursts into tears. Thats where all the gods held the wedding feast. Old Man But, surely, my lord, surely it is there, in the trappings of office and power, that we find pleasure! There will be no grave. Hear my first attack on you: Youve married me by brutal force and by murder. Among these the problem of the prologue is as clear-cut as it is controversial.2 It may be summarized as follows: (I) Our text opens abruptly with an anapaestic dialogue between Agamem-non and the Retainer (1-48), instead of the usual monologue in trimeters. They should bring you great joy after such a long absence from your home. See what troubles the gods have thrown at me, the poor wretch? Agamemnon Achilles is acting in name only and not in deed. 1031. Iphigeneia Damn all these spears of Menelaos! Old Man How can you say such a thing, my lord? I shall be accompanying our girl with the wedding song. Old Man Yes, my lady. Chorus Even though you were not raised among the sounds of the shepherds flute, even though you were raised, instead, by your mothers side, raised to be adorned one day as a bride to one of Iachus descendants, you, my young girl, will be dragged down like a spotted deer, or like a young heifer is dragged down from some rocky mountains cave, dragged down there to the goddess altar. What an awful Fate the gods have delivered to you! Step gently down, onto the earth. First Chorus Once there, a maddened gaze of love from each of you had sent you both into Eros confusion and sent Greece to Troy with strife-searching ships and spears. But wholl carry the bridal torch? Achilles The whole army is calling out for. Thank you, my sweet daughter! 378. Stay! Iphigenia I am ashamed to face Achilles. If only I could! If I could use such a voice and have everyone charmed, have them convinced to agree with me and follow me, then I would use that voice. July 4, 2022 . 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. Iphigenia in Aulis. Holy Spirit of mine! Agamemnon Sisyphus son, Odysseus, knows our whole story. [1340] Open the tent-door to me, servants, that I may hide myself Clytemnestra Why seek to escape, my child? First Chorus We have come to watch the army of the divine Greeks and their thousand ships. The single men have left their houses empty and uncared for and the married ones have left their wives and children behind. Record the pronunciation of this word in your own voice and play it to listen to how you have pronounced it. Such is "Iphigenia" (1977), by Greek director Mikhali (Michael) Cacoyannis, based on Euripedes' tragedy, "Iphigenia in Aulis." "Iphigenia" relates the story of an incident that took place just prior to the Trojan War. Klytaimestra What shall I do for you in Argos? Why are you arguing with this man? Dear women of Argos, this death, my death, this sacrifice to Artemis, will speed the Greeks to Troy and bring honour to the Greeks. I see. The sacrifice of Iphigenia would be covered by Euripides in 'Iphigenia at Aulis' and in this version Agamemnon has second thoughts.

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