Part 7 (1/2)

_Athene_. Hear ye my order, O ye Attic people, In act to judge your first great murder-cause.

And henceforth shall the host of Aegeus' race For ever own this council-hall of judges: And for this Ares' hill, the Amazons' seat And camp when they, enraged with Theseus, came In hostile march, and built as counterwork This citadel high-reared, a city new, And sacrificed to Ares, whence 'tis named As Ares' hill and fortress: in this, I say, The reverent awe its citizens shall own, And fear, awe's kindred, shall restrain from wrong By day, nor less by night, so long as they, The burghers, alter not themselves their laws: But if with drain of filth and tainted soil Clear river thou pollute, no drink thou'lt find.

I give my counsel to you, citizens, To reverence and guard well that form of State Which is nor lawless, nor tyrannical, And not to cast all fear from out the city; For what man lives devoid of fear and just?

But rightly shrinking, owning awe like this, Ye then would have a bulwark of your land, A safeguard for your city, such as none Boast or in Skythia's or in Pelops' clime.

This council I establish pure from bribe, Reverend, and keen to act, for those that sleep An ever-watchful sentry of the land. {676}

After a rapid stichomuthic interchange of promises and threats by the two parties the voting is proceeded with, _Athene_ first giving her casting vote, in case of equality, to Orestes, as preferring the male cause. [_This was a political allusion to the 'vote of Athene' or custom of the Areopagite Court to give the casting vole to the accused._] The votes are counted, found equal, and Athene declares Orestes acquitted.--_Orestes_, in a burst of grat.i.tude, declares his Argive people shall always be firm friends with the people of Athens.

[Political hit.] {747}

_The Chorus breaking into Strophic Lyrics_ vow vengeance and long train of ills on the city for this, Athene (_in Blank Verse_) propitiating them, and pleading that the cause has been fairly tried. Moreover they would lose all the good things the city will do for them if friendly, offering them a house in its midst. Gradually the _Chorus_ calm down, and having (_in parallel dialogue_) gained a repeated promise from Athene they change their tone and (_in Strophic Lyrics_) promise all good to the land, Athene making acknowledgment on behalf of the city (_in marching rhythm as signifying exultation_). Finally Athene offers to conduct them at once to their homes, the cave-chapels where the Eumenides were wors.h.i.+pped.

_Enter on the stage an array of Matrons and Girls in festal robes, as worn in the rites of the Furies, now called Eumenides or 'Gentle G.o.ddesses' [thus spectacular effect with which Aeschylus loved to conclude]. They, with Athene, chanting the Ritual hymn, file down into the Orchestra, and so lead the Chorus out in the direction of the Shrines of the Eumenides._

[1] Euphemism for the Furies, as the popular name 'Good Neighbours' for Mischievous Fairies.

THE ELECTRA OF SOPHOCLES[1]

_Scene Mycenae; the Stage and Orchestra arranged to represent the Market Place, Portico of a Temple in the Centre; Inferior door on one side is the gate to Palace of Aegisthus and Clytaemnestra, that on the other leads to the tomb of Agamemnon; Side-scene on one side gives a view of Argos. Enter from Distance side-door Orestes, Pylades and Attendant._

PROLOGUE

The aged _Attendant_ points out to Orestes Argos, the Grove of Io, the Temple and other details of the Scene; it was just here he received Orestes as a boy when his father was slain and bore him to a place of safety; now the long wished for day of vengeance is come. _Orestes_ acknowledges his long fidelity; relates how Phoebus has sent him with this oracle:

That I myself unarmed with s.h.i.+eld or host {36} Should subtly work the righteous deed of blood,

and details his plan: the Attendant, whose age will save him from recognition, shall announce the death of Orestes, while Orestes and Pylades shall perform the rites enjoined at his father's tomb; then, when the wrong-doers believe themselves secure, the avenger will easily gain admittance. [_At this moment a woman's wail is heard within._]

Orestes wonders if it may be his own Electra and would stop, the Attendant hurries him away to do the G.o.d's behest. {85}

_Exeunt Orestes and Pylades on left to Tomb of Agamemnon; Attendant back through the Distance side-door. Enter from Palace Electra moaning and weeping._

MONODY

_Electra in Lyric Monody_. The light, the air, the loathed house and bed she sleeps on, all are witnesses of her ceaseless misery and woe, orphaned as she is of a father foully slain. She calls on the Curses, the Furies and other dread Powers who watch over evil slaughter to send Orestes, she can no longer bear up with sorrow's great burden cast into the balance. {120}

_Enter by the Orchestral door Chorus of Argive Maidens to condole with Electra._

LYRIC CONCERTO (FOR PARODE)

_Cho._ Why mourn for ever the guileful slaughter of thy Father, accursed deed?--_Electra._ I know your kind and tender friends.h.i.+p, yet will never be dissuaded.--_Cho._ Yet what groans and prayers can raise thy sire from the doomed pool of Hades? you go from woes bearable to woes beyond bearing.--_Elec._ It is weak to forget parents so lost; rather for me the nightingale that ever wails 'Itys,' or Niobe weeping in stone.--_Cho._ Thou art not the only one who feels sorrow: there are thy sisters, and another now mourning in a youth obscure, but who will one day return to save.--_Elec._ Ah! him I yearn for, but he mocks my messages, and promises yet never comes.--_Cho._ Take heart: Time is a calm and patient deity; trusting in Zeus you will find neither Orestes nor the G.o.d of Acheron forgetful.--_Elec._ Yet meanwhile the larger portion of my life is gone; orphaned, un-wed, an alien stranger I serve in the house where I was wont to reign.--_Cho._ Ah! that sad day!

Guile devised the blow and l.u.s.t struck it!--_Elec._ Oh, most horrible day, most horrible night! the foul banquet! the dread forms of death he met with at their accursed hands, he who was my life!--_Cho._ But take care: excess of grief makes you utter what may bring you into trouble.--_Elec._ I know, but will never cease from uttering woe on woe: leave me, I am beyond soothing, and will never pause to count my tears.--_Cho._ It is with pure good will, as if a mother, I beg you not to heap ills on ills.--_Elec._ Is misery limited? is it n.o.ble to neglect the dead? if they escape without penalty fear of the G.o.ds will be swept from the earth. {250}

EPISODE I

_Chorus now changing to Blank Verse_. We meant well, but do as you will, we will follow you.--_Elec._ I am indeed ashamed; but remember the trouble I am in: to be hated by my mother, house-mate with my father's murderers; with Aegisthus sitting on my father's throne by day and pouring libations on the hearth he violated; my mother not living in fear of the Erinnys, but making a red-letter day of the day my father died: I, alas! keep his birth day in solitary feast. I am bitterly chidden when caught weeping, and threatened when news comes of Orestes: all hope is far.--Aegisthus is from home, or she dared not have indulged her grief even thus far. {327}

_Enter her sister, Chrysothemis, bearing funeral offerings_. She remonstrates with Electra for uselessly wailing, instead of adapting herself to her fate.--_Elec._ retorts that she has learned her lesson by rote. She advises to hate when there is strength to back hatred, yet she will not join in working revenge.--_Electra_ covets not her choice of ease and wealth, and to be called her mother's child, while it is open to her to be her father's!--_Cho._ moderates: each may learn something from the other.--_Chrysoth._ is accustomed to Electra's want of charity and would not now have accosted her except to warn her of new evils: they mean to get her out of the country and shut up in a dungeon where she shall never see the light of day.--A rapid stichomuthic dialogue follows as to temporizing and resisting, and then _Chrys._ is going to do her errand.--_Elec._ enquires what this is, and learns that Clytaemnestra, disturbed by a dream, is sending propitiatory libations.