First Chorus I sped through Artemis woods, a place rich with sacrifices, my youthful shyness blushing my cheeks, anxious to see the armys might, the tents of the Greeks and their countless horses. Here comes the king himself, my lady. Can you pronounce this word better. Euripides - "Greek Dramas" (p251, 1900): Internet Archive Book Images, Translated by George Theodoridis Copyright 2007, all rights reserved - Bacchicstage. Klytaimestra Yes! With blessings or with force? Come out here and bring your little brother, Orestes with you. My words were brief, blunt and clear. 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. You will say that youve killed our daughter so that Menelaos, your brother, can get back his Helen! I know about your plans. Let me tell you of your faults, Agamemnon! Thus, like a significant number of Euripidean lyrics,' the third stasimon of the Iphigenia in Aulis stands out in contrast to the dramatic Agamemnon And if she has already left the safety of her home and if you chance to meet her retinue on the road, send them back again take the reins from their hands and hasten the horses towards the shrines of the Cyclopes. Help us! The Greeks were then enabled to set sail. Here, then, I have suffered the greatest misfortune yet I am ashamed to cry just as I am also ashamed to hold back my tears. Spare my young life, father. Iphigenia (1977) - Plot - IMDb Klytaimestra Ah! 762. Mother, no! But let me try and persuade you and let her stay inside the tent. And so, the Greeks ordered you to let them board their ships and go back home and to stop wasting their efforts here. Your old father-in-law, Tyndareus, gave me to your wife, Klytaimestra, as part of her dowry, to be her loyal servant. Make sure this golden hair god stays far away from my bed chamber! Iphigenia at Aulis was first performed in 405 B.C.E., the year after Euripides' death. Where shall I begin? Enter Iphigeneia holding the baby in her arms. 1300. Agamemnon Very soon. This is very dangerous indeed, my lord! Hes coming this way now. 680. Help my girl. 1000. Klytaimestra Have you made the pre-natal offerings to the goddess yet? Iphigenia at Aulis seems to have been constructed in a society in which it was ideal to put nation and family ahead of oneself. Those two had hair the colour of fire and were spotted from below the ankles of their great hooves. 'The Sacrifice of Iphigenia' and Agamemnon's Dilemma: In - Medium 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. Menelaos I swear, Agamemnon, by our father, Atreas and by our grandfather Pelops that I will tell you the truth plainly and clearly, just as I feel it in my heart and as I know it in my mind. An unrelenting curse. Youll be back inArgos, taking care of our other daughters. This sword will have blood on it even before I leave for Troy! Returned soldiers emerge as protagonists in Pierre-Michel Tremblay's Au Champ de Mars, Hannah Moscovitch's This Is War, and George F. Walker's Dead Metaphor while Evan Webber and Frank Cox-O'Connell Little Iliad deals with a soldier about to be dispatched to Afghanistan. Argue with others about that. Iphigeneia Of course. Klytaimestra The whole of the Greek army? I could not. Rest assured, we are alone. Dont force me to become evil! No, mother, let one of daddys servants accompany me to Artemis woods, the place where I shall be sacrificed. "I envy you old man. And help me, too. Once the wise old Tyndareus had convinced them all to take these oaths, he allowed his daughter to choose the suitor she liked and Helen allowed herself to be guided by the sweet, lusty sighs of Aphrodite in her heart. Were working on it right now. I can see that youre angry at your husband but I think youre wrong about that. Brothers fight because of lust and because of greed in their inheritance. What do they want to do with you? They will speak badly of you if you do not help her. Later, he becomes so angry that he picks up the wooden frame upon which the scroll rests and throws it violently to the ground. What a price to pay for the sake of saving a slut! He announced that if we did make that offering to the goddess, we would be able to sail away and we would succeed in sacking the Phrygian capital,Troy; otherwise we would fail. I also feel ashamed Iturns towards the tent. It is a horrible thing for one to lose a child! She will be begging me, my sweet young girl! Klytaimestra! Chorus Listen to her, Agamemnon! You both know the size of the army gathered here. Im very pleased that you, too, honour the goddess Modesty, Achilles! Dear women of Argos, this death, my death, this sacrifice to Artemis, will speed the Greeks to Troy and bring honour to the Greeks. Because, even though it would be improper for a little girl to plead at a mans knees, she will put aside her sense of modesty and do it, if you wish. Klytaimestra But why? We use cookies for essential site functions and for social media integration. And it was with this lie, about the girls mock-marriage, that I tried to persuade my wife to bring her here. Chorus Agamemnon, son of Atreas, begin now your journey to Troy and may it be a happy one! He walks slowly about the stage for a moment, anxiously searching the starry sky. Protect your name. 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. Are you here to add to the mountain of dread I have to endure already? I do not envy those in authority." Context:: This line comes near the very beginning of the play. Enter Second Chorus of men and women, Attendants of Klytaimestra, Second Chorus Indicating behind the curtains (Stage Left) 590. Shes about to be slaughtered by the hand of her own father! Yes, you, daughter of the long-necked swan! Accept the pure blood from this girls lovely neck! 480-406 BC) and being performed in the Outdoor Theater at the Getty Villa from September 7 to 30. Euripides. Is being a General the only thing in your head? 1340. The Plot of Iphigeneia at Aulis. IPHIGENIA A T A ULIS presents many problems to the literary and textual critic. Come, friends, sing with me in praise of the goddess whose temple faces Chalkis, the place where the spears of war are waiting for me in anger! Achilles I told them that if thats what they thought, then they should not kill my intended wife. Agamemnon No, the wedding was held in the sacred valleys of Pelion, where Cheiron lives. How can you prove that you and I have the same father? Agamemnon The words I have written here, old man, are these: 119, Ledas daughter, Klytaimestra, Im sending you a second letter to replace the first. Dont suppose for one minute that Ill be asking them to treat you well. Menelaos I was waiting to see if your daughter would leaveArgosto come to the army camp. I know hes around here somewhere. Agamemnon You, too, Iphigeneia, you also have a journey to make. 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. Now come out of Agamemnons tent. Now make your answer reasonable also! So you will sacrifice your daughter! Its been such a long time! Ah, there he is! But Iphigenia, having determined to die nobly on behalf of the Greeks, was snatched away by the Goddess, and a stag substituted in her place. Iphigenia in Aulis is an Ancient Greek play written by Euripides. After you have gone gone away on your expedition and you have left me here, alone in the house -and alone for a long time, our darling daughters chair empty her bedroom empty -what sort of heart do you think will be beating in my breast? Here! Why should I, a faithful wife, endure the misery of having my daughter killed while she, a slut, gets to rejoice by having her daughter kept safely at home, in Sparta? The whole army and both the sons of Atreas stood there in silence, their eyes downcast. Agamemnon I have failed miserably! The true leader of a city and of an army is not merely brave but intelligent. What a dreadful thought to have in your mind! I want my love for others to be moderate and my desires to be pure. A Short Analysis of Euripides' Iphigenia at Aulis Darling, darling little brother! In revenge for Agamemmnon killing one of her sacred stags, the goddess Artemis demands the sacrifice of his eldest daughter . The barbarian blood of the sons of Atreas, of your husband, madam and that of his brother, if either of them snatches your daughter from my hands! Whether I want to do so or not, I must obey Hellas. Enter Second Messenger running excitedly. 9.1", "denarius"). Effie (Sophie Melville) is a hard-nosed . You were only too glad to take up that offer! Theyre all just sitting idly around by the shore. Anger and impatience which I must control. Old Man Both of you have pitiable fates, my lady! My life, mummy, my life has been saved! What has brought on all this anxiety? 1600. Youll fight them all? Come! Iphigenia in Aulis on the Stage and in Art | Getty Iris Agamemnon Sisyphus son, Odysseus, knows our whole story. Well, Helen, unfortunately, old man, chose Menelaos! Figure 2.2: Black-figure lekythos showing Iphigenia 89 led to the altar, c. 470 BCE. As Iphigeneia approaches her, Agamemnon enters. Achilles Then listen to me carefully, madam so that well achieve our aim. 1613. Iphigeneia at Aulis (Greek Tragedy in New Translations) Husband, I know the prospective grooms name but I know little about his family or his country. Klytaimestra Ill certainly try that if thats the last thing I do! Old man, come out here! I dont understand, father. Agamemnon And dont waste any time hanging about some watering hole in the woods and dont fall victim to the magic of sleep! Klytaimestra May joy be with you for ever, Achilles. Iphigeneia Im not afraid to say this in front of everyone: Helen, Tyndareus daughter, has caused wars and the endless spilling of blood because of her body. Old Man anxiously takes Klytaimestras hand and kisses it. Iphigeneia Are you sending me to live with another family, daddy? It would be shameful if Agamemnon saw me touching whats not rightfully mine! Please, father! Hell have the whole army eating out of his hand and then make them kill us and sacrifice the girl anyway! Its covered with a cloak. Oh, your poor cheeks, your poor beautiful, golden hair, your youthful breasts! What an awful burden Helen andTroyhave become for us! He writes a few words, then scratches them out and begins again. I shall do as you say. Where will I find you? Ill obey your every command. ("Agamemnon", "Hom. Paristook it and carried her off back to his own home, in Ida, a place where the cows graze in luxurious pastures. The second, Iphigenia at Aulis, so vastly different as to highlight the playwright's Protean invention, centres on the ultimate dysfunctional family, that of Agamemnon, as natural emotion is. He is writing a letter (on a scroll) an exercise which, it seems, is difficult for him. Iphigeneia begins towards the tent but is stopped by her father. Commentary. 1470. 'Iphigenia' is the great achievement of Michael Cacoyannis. If the sons of Atreas practice honesty then I shall obey them but if they dont, rest assured, madam that Ill defy them. But, alas, the road was long, my lord and so the women are now having a rest by the refreshing waters of a spring. Old Man In all other things, no, my lady. The returned soldier has been a central figure in the first wave of Canadian plays to deal with the War in Afghanistan. Because the workings of your mind always have been, are now and always will be, deceitful. Klytaimestra A cold hope, that one, Achilles. Help us for that reason and help us, too, because if my daughter is killed on the altar that would be a bad omen for your future marital prospects, an omen you should try and avoid. Achilles I know, I have a bloated pride, madam but I can assure you, I feel the pain of misfortune and the joy of success with a wise temper, a moderate temper; because I also know that those with a moderate temper lead a wiser life. Chorus Ah! 250. As she imagines Agamemnon killing Iphigenia, Clytemnestra. He has used my name without my permission! Checking out the situation carefully. Im shaking with fear. Up there is my final argument. But tell me what I must do. Stay here. Stay! Orpheus, who could charm even the heartless rocks into following him! You have betrayed your own brother! Amazon.com: Iphigenia in Aulis: 9798405231303: Euripides, Buckley Iphigeneia No, mother! How I wish he never lived at that meadow where all the flowers bloomed: roses and hyacinths, all those flowers that the goddesses plucked. You are the cause of this miserable conflict between the sons of Atreas and their children! Iphigeneia Stop! It will be a long time before I return from Troy, a long time before I greet you again. There is no need! I had put a wedding wreath on her head and brought her here to be your wife. The Old Man fearfully pokes his head through the flaps of the tent. CLYTEMNESTRA: Now hear me, for my thoughts will I unfold In no obscure and coloured mode of speech. Rather, its the fact that you need a good woman one to fill your arms with and, in order to get her, youve lost your wits and your manners! Iphigenia In Aulis - Read online for free. First Chorus Women protect it well by avoiding immoderate love and men by bringing civil order in their city, thus making it great. Cheiron, the centaur did, so that the child might be brought up not knowing the behaviour of evil men. She gives up the most precious gift she can: her life. Famously, they partnered on Seamus Heaney's "The Burial at Thebes" at the Guthrie in fall 2011. What pain should I mention first or second, or last? Where is the army going? What is it that I need to hear alone, out here? Mother, I see a group of men coming towards us! Iphigeneia Then I shall be stupid and make you laugh! Klytaimestra I know well that you are an old servant of my house. 70. So now, go on, take them all, take all these lunatics, all these soldiers and lead them on to the expedition. Klytaimestra goes into the tent. Calchas will find out for me what it is the goddess will be satisfied with though, I know, it will be something which will bring me misery and a great deal of hard suffering for the rest of Greece. Agamemnon Odysseus has a shifty mind and hes a rabble-rouser. At one point he is satisfied with what hes written, seals it with his ring but then, a moment later, he scratches away the seal and re-reads the letter. I was given as a gift to her father, Tyndareus. Now the strength rests with Irreverence and Virtue is now scorned by the mortals. A real miracle! Klytaimestra But it is rightfully yours, Achilles! Do not send our daughter here, inAulis, the place whose harbours are well protected from the harsh seas and which juts out towardsColchis. iphigenia in aulis monologue mother listen to me 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. What a sweet joy! The gods are no fools and they know when oaths are falsely pledged or forced upon people. It was there, at that meadow that Pallas Athena and Aphrodite, whose heart was full of cunning, came with Hera and Hermes, Zeus messenger. Ill have none of it! Menelaos No, they can do nothing if you secretly send her back toArgos. . Listen! It is a madness I cannot control. Son of the Nereid, you are marrying my daughter. Old Man That? Helen, the sister of the Heaven-dwelling twins, the Dioscuri. Not a sound to be heard anywhere, old man! A coward. A terrible love." Euripides, Iphigenia in Aulis tags: euripides , greek-tragedy , iphigenia-at-aulis , power , power-hungry 11 likes Like changes, storing new additions in a versioning system. And you, foreign ladies, say nothing about this. But listen to me, Iphigeneia. What a dreadful thing to say! No one was ever born to a life free of misery.