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    Iphigenia at Aulis
    Iphigenia at Aulis
    Iphigenia at Aulis
    Ebook58 pages1 hour

    Iphigenia at Aulis

    By Euripides

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    Euripides turned to playwriting at a young age, achieving his first victory in the dramatic competitions of the Athenian City Dionysia in 441 b.c.e. He would be awarded this honor three more times in his life, and once more posthumously. Together with Aeschylus and Sophocles, Euripides would provide the canon of Greek tragedy and thereby lay the foundation of Western theatre. Eighteen of Euripides' ninety-two works remain today, making his the largest extant collection of work by an ancient playwright. "Iphigenia at Aulis" is part of a trilogy which is the last remaining work of Euripides. It was produced a year after his death by his son or nephew, and received first place at the Athenian City Dionysia. The story takes place before and during the Trojan War, when Agamemnon must decide whether or not to sacrifice his daughter, Iphigenia, for the sake of Troy's honor. It explores timeless themes of honor, sacrifice, hypocrisy and courage.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherDigireads.com Publishing
    Release dateJan 1, 2014
    ISBN9781420904086
    Author

    Euripides

    Euripides was a tragedian of classical Athens. He was born on Salamis Island around 480 BC to his mother, Cleito, and father, Mnesarchus, a retailer who lived in a village near Athens. He had two disastrous marriages, and both his wives—Melite and Choerine (the latter bearing him three sons)—were unfaithful. He became a recluse, making a home for himself in a cave on Salamis. Along with Aeschylus and Sophocles, he is one of the three ancient Greek tragedians for whom any plays have survived in full. He became, in the Hellenistic Age, a cornerstone of ancient literary education. The details of his death are uncertain.

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      Book preview

      Iphigenia at Aulis - Euripides

      IPHIGENIA AT AULIS

      BY EURIPIDES

      TRANSLATED BY E. P. COLERIDGE

      A Digireads.com Book

      Digireads.com Publishing

      Print ISBN 13: 978-1-4209-4417-4

      Ebook ISBN 13: 978-1-4209-0408-6

      This edition copyright © 2012

      Please visit www.digireads.com

      CONTENTS

      DRAMATIS PERSONAE

      IPHIGENIA AT AULIS

      DRAMATIS PERSONAE

      AGAMEMNON

      CLYTAEMNESTRA

      ATTENDANT, an old man

      IPHIGENIA

      CHORUS OF WOMEN OF CHALCIS

      ACHILLES

      MENELAUS

      MESSENGER

      IPHIGENIA AT AULIS

      [The sea-coast at Aulis. Enter AGAMEMNON and ATTENDANT.]

      AGAMEMNON. Old man, come hither and stand before my dwelling.

      ATTENDANT. I come; what new schemes now, king Agamemnon?

      AGAMEMNON. Thou shalt hear.

      ATTENDANT. I am all eagerness. 'Tis little enough sleep old age allows me and keenly it watches o'er my eyes.

      AGAMEMNON. What can that star be, steering his course yonder?

      ATTENDANT. Sirius, still shooting o'er the zenith on his way near the Pleiads' sevenfold track.

      AGAMEMNON. The birds are still at any rate and the sea is calm; hushed are the winds, and silence broods o'er this narrow firth.

      ATTENDANT. Then why art thou outside thy tent, why so restless, my lord Agamemnon? All is yet quiet here in Aulis, the watch on the walls is not yet astir. Let us go in.

      AGAMEMNON. I envy thee, old man, aye, and every man who leads a life secure, unknown and unrenowned; but little I envy those in office.

      ATTENDANT. And yet 'tis there we place the be-all and end-all of existence.

      AGAMEMNON. Aye, but that is where the danger comes; and ambition, sweet though it seems, brings sorrow with its near approach. At one time the unsatisfied claims of Heaven upset our life, at another the numerous peevish fancies of our subjects shatter it.

      ATTENDANT. I like not these sentiments in one who is a chief. It was not to enjoy all blessings that Atreus begot thee, O Agamemnon; but thou must needs experience joy and sorrow alike, mortal as thou art. E'en though thou like it not, this is what the gods decree; but thou, after letting thy taper spread its light abroad, writest the letter which is still in thy hands and then erasest the same words again, sealing and re-opening the scroll, then flinging the tablet to the ground with floods of tears and leaving nothing undone in thy aimless behaviour to stamp thee mad. What is it troubles thee? what news is there affecting thee, my liege? Come, share with me thy story; to a loyal and trusty heart wilt thou be telling it; for Tyndareus sent me that day to form part of thy wife's dowry and to wait upon the bride with loyalty.

      AGAMEMNON. Leda, the daughter of Thestius, had three children, maidens, Phoebe, Clytaemnestra my wife, and Helen; this last it was who had for wooers the foremost of the favoured sons of Hellas; but terrible threats of spilling his rival's blood were uttered by each of them, should he fail to win the maid. Now the matter filled Tyndareus, her father, with perplexity; at length this thought occurred to him; the suitors should swear unto each other and join right hands thereon and pour libations with burnt sacrifice, binding themselves by this curse, Whoever wins the child of Tyndareus for wife, him will we assist, in case a rival takes her from his house and goes his way, robbing her husband of his rights; and we will march against that man in armed array and raze his city to the ground, Hellene no less than barbarian.

      Now when they had once pledged their word and old Tyndareus with no small cleverness had beguiled them by his shrewd device, he allowed his daughter to choose from among her suitors the one towards whom the breath of love might fondly waft her. Her choice fell on Menelaus; would she had never taken him! Anon there came to Lacedæmon from Phrygia's folk the man who, legend says, adjudged the goddesses' dispute; in robes of gorgeous hue, ablaze with gold, in true barbaric pomp; and he, finding Menelaus gone from home, carried Helen off with him to his steading on Ida, a willing paramour. Goaded to frenzy Menelaus flew through Hellas, invoking the ancient oath exacted by Tyndareus and declaring the duty of helping the injured husband. Whereat the chivalry of Hellas, brandishing their spears and donning their harness, came hither to the narrow straits of Aulis with armaments of ships and troops, with many a steed and many a car, and they chose me to captain them all for the sake of Menelaus, since I was his brother.

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