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. Achilles Yes, many and theyll be lead by Odysseus! Come, give me your right hand and lets make this the beginning of a blessed marriage! What is all this loud brawling in front of my tent? The play provides some backstory to the more well-known classical tales of the Trojan War. Your father has gone, my darling and abandoned you to Hades! And then theres yet this: We are asking this good friend of ours here to fight with the whole Greek army and be killed for what? Why are we wasting our time around here? Its a meadow full of bright and beautiful flowers. First Chorus Diomedes, too, was there amusing himself, throwing a discus. How can I endure your death? What demon has taken possession of his mind? Achilles Weighty words, old man! If Im lying to you, madam, then let death come upon me. Amazon.com: Iphigenia in Aulis: 9798405231303: Euripides, Buckley 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. Klytaimestra May joy be with you for ever, Achilles. Achilles Me, too! Enter Iphigeneia holding the baby in her arms. You win, I cry. Once you see the knife approaching your neck you might well call for my help. Theyd love to go precisely because they are mad. 1560. Achilles Yes, madam and I too, am furious at your husband. Iphigenia among the Taurians, Bacchae, Iphigenia at Aulis, Rhesus Its not Menelaos whos in control here, Iphigeneia. Shell be his wife. Rolls her hand gently through her own hair. IPHIGENIA IN AULIS Essay Summary A monologue from the play by Euripides NOTE: This monologue is reprinted from The Plays of Euripides in English, vol. Achilles No, my lady, dont call your daughter out to see me. If only this town, if only Aulis, had refused to let all these Troy-destined ships enter her harbour! There, alongside of them, ran Achilles, Peleas son, in his full armour. That way, not only will I not lose a friend but the army will also not be angry with me when it sees that Ive used my brains rather than my brawn. Iphigeneia She runs her fingers gently through her mothers hair. Now that Agamemnon has insulted me, dishonoured me so badly, I feel like a like a nobody. Euripides - "Greek Dramas" (p251, 1900): Internet Archive Book Images, Translated by George Theodoridis Copyright 2007, all rights reserved - Bacchicstage. 471. This is the first English edition with commentary of the play since 1891. Now let go of my letter! His servants use the other. What a disgraceful behaviour! 810, Achilles, they say. First Chorus We have left behind our land, Chalkis, a land washed by the salty waters of glorious Arethousa and weve travelled through the narrow straights of Euripus to come here, toAulis, to this sandy peninsula. Old Man Yes, dear lady! 'Iphigenia' is the great achievement of Michael Cacoyannis. Iphigenia has arrived in Aulis, and soon the army will be demanding her death. This surely is nothing more than drivel spat out of the mouth of a mad old man! Be thankful to her because it is she who was looking after you and brought about all this for you, because, the truth is, neither you nor all of your power had anything to do with it. The opportunity was made for him to elope with her, since Menelaos was absent at the time. So, tell me, my brother: What is all this violent fury? Klytaimestra But Achilles, think again! I know everything! 272. I can see that youre angry at your husband but I think youre wrong about that. Achilles You must grab her and not let go of her. Klytaimestra Our other daughters are looked after well and they are safe in their quarters. And may my father work well his right hand upon me at the altar! I need to tell you things that our daughter should not hear. Clytemnestra But why? First Chorus Moored next to them was an equal number of Argive ships, headed by two chiefs, Euryalus, the son of Mecisteus, who was raised by his grandfather, Talaus and Sthenelus, Capaneus son. Or else, we might as well call Mount Sipylus, the Asian city where his barbarous ancestors came from a great city and wipe out of our mind the name of Phthia! Will he not get furious with you and with your wife if you deprive him of his bride? Whats in your mind, this time, my lord Agamemnon? I shall speak clearly for you. Ah! Enter a Perseus citation to go to another section or work. Where did you catch him? Achilles, stay! Look there! November 1, 2021 . Please lend me your arms, so that I may get down from the seat of this carriage modestly. If youre wise youll heed them; if not then, have no fear, I know how to settle my own affairs well. Eloquence, brother, begets hatred! I do not envy those in authority." Context:: This line comes near the very beginning of the play. Klytaimestra Ive come out here looking for my husband. A black Fate for all three of us! The fleet of the war-loving Taphians, with its foaming oars, was commanded by their king, Phyleus son, Meges who had left the Echinae, islands that are far too unwelcoming for sailors. 1460. They hate me the most! Her expedition to Troy and its destruction depends upon me. However, it is considered to be not an authentic part of the original text. iphigenia in aulis monologue mother listen to me2825 airview blvd kalamazoo, mi 49002. Hold on! A city built by the Cyclopes! He, madam, hes the cause of all your torment, madam. Agamemnon Pleasure! Please, father! Come, my darling daughter, come, Iphigeneia, come and stand near me. The girl is with the gods! Be a leader! I shall look elsewhere for friends and help. Agamemnon Are you, darling? I envy the man with the quiet life, the safe life. Gone! I beg you, father! I shall think of nothing else but you from now on. How can you prove that you and I have the same father? The most interesting alteration for me is that at the end of the play it seems that Artemis had replaced Iphigenia with a deer. All of them, here inAulis. By your chin, Achilles, by your right hand and by your mother, stand by us! Me, Leda's daughter, hapless dame, First blooming offspring of her bed. Klytaimestra Yes, quite right, too! Old Man anxiously takes Klytaimestras hand and kisses it. How should I start? 490. Messenger My dear lady I shall. Can you see what the goddess has placed upon her altar? His wifes doing, so, let him kill his wifes daughter. Chorus What an awful, pitiful fate you must endure, child! Iphigeneia Whats wrong, daddy? You, too, Menelaos, get everything ready for this joyous occasion and lets hear the flutes sing and the dancers pound the earth with their feet. First Chorus And there I saw the two Ajaxes sitting together: Oeleus son and the son of Telemon, the crown ofSalamisand Protisilaos and Palamides, whose father is Poseidons son. Not mine, thats for sure. How could I, a mortal, go against that? Figure 2.3: Iphigenia being dragged toward the altar for sacrifice, 91 430-420 BCE. We will soon reveal Agamemnons sacrilegious schemes against his very own children! Paristook it and carried her off back to his own home, in Ida, a place where the cows graze in luxurious pastures. She is in there, crying and falling from one abyss of misery into another. But, alas, the road was long, my lord and so the women are now having a rest by the refreshing waters of a spring. These ships, too, were adorned with emblems at their high sterns, this time of Cadmus, holding a golden serpent in his hands. Agamemnon Can you not see him standing in the midst of all the Greeks, telling them all about Calchas prophesies and all about how Ive promised to sacrifice my daughter to Artemis but then went back on my word? Agamemnon Make sure you dont break the seal of the scroll! Dont force me to become evil! Some of you stand by at the front of the horses to quieten them. Miserable, Agamemnon says he has no choice. Klytaimestra Oh, Gods! Klytaimestra What I should be doing as a mother- is to be the one who gives Iphigeneia, my daughter, away to her groom. Agamemnon The entire Greek army, Menelaos! Perseus provides credit for all accepted I cannot stop crying! How I wish he never lived at that meadow where all the flowers bloomed: roses and hyacinths, all those flowers that the goddesses plucked. View a map of the most frequently mentioned places in this document. You will be doing so to a man whos loyal and faithful to you. I have brought with me your daughter, Iphigeneia and her mother -your wife- Klytaimestra, as well as your young son, Orestes. Look here, father! Its a natural thing for men with decent hearts to do the decent thing. Ah! Oh, my girl! We your children and I- will give you the return that an evil man deserves. 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. Sweet daughter! Does no one speak against it? Achilles They jeered at me! I must go. Old Man My lady, you know who I am and just how loyal Ive been to you and your children. 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?. Dont be so afraid of the masses! Here we are, eagerly obedient to your wish! 164. Iphigenia in Aulis - Washington State University That is, if my brain doesnt falter and make my tongue trip over its words! Helen, the sister of the Heaven-dwelling twins, the Dioscuri. Pause. Help us! The whole place glitters with the bronze armour of the warriors. Thats true, Ive changed and Ive changed because I love you, brother. For such a young girl you are so intelligent! "Iphigenia" marks Steele and Lorca's fourth collaboration on a Greek tragedy. Go, now! First Chorus Theyre off to bring back Helen, Menelaos wife, whom Paris, the Trojan cowherd, abducted from her home inSparta, a city built by the reed-covered banks of the river, Eurotas. 1130. Calchas. ancient Greek wedding ritual, Iphigenia comes to Aulis accompanied by her mother and brother. And you, you will carry the honour of my deed wherever you go! He sends all sorts of winds to sailors: winds to make them happy to lift their sails and plunge into the sea, winds to make them sad because they must furl their sails; and winds that make other sailors crazy because theyre forced to move too slowly. It is, in fact, at that time when his friends should be able to rely on him because it is at that time, the time when things are going well with him, that he can help them the most. What does the army want? Let the Greeks win, mother, not the barbarians. Chorus And to the feast of the gods and to Bacchus wine-mixing bowl came, too, with spears of fir and with wreaths of green leaves, the troupe of horse-mounted centaurs. Euripides, Iphigenia in Aulis, line 1338 - Perseus Project Im coming, my lord Im coming! Tell me what it is you want, now. Old Man And, my lord, if I say all these things youve just told me, will your daughter and your wife believe me? Exit Achilles. Iphigeneias scream of grief is suddenly heard from within the tent. Iphigeneia No, mother! Everyone called Idean because of the Trojan city Idean. Chorus There goes the destroyer of Troy and her people! Im giving you my tears! Her unexpected arrival has added to my ruin. I have no one else to turn to, no other friend, no other altar to pray upon. Indicating the skyLook up there! The whole world loves to talk about the famous and to see them in their flesh. Tell me Agamemnon! They will say that even though you werent wedded to her, you were still the poor virgins promised husband. Last Updated on July 14, 2022, by eNotes Editorial. Tyndareus, her father was in a dreadful dilemma: should he allow her daughter to marry or not? 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 kill the one whos loved by all so as to save the one whos hated by all! He goes to the tent and shouts through its door. Towards this now, mother turn your thoughts, and with me weigh how well I speak; to me the whole of mighty. That light, this light all around us, will cut all other arguments to pieces. I wont let anyone take your life even though it would be against your wish. Klytaimestra Oh, no, child! All right, youve stopped me Im waiting. A nanny is holding the baby Orestes in her arms. Iphigeneia begins towards the tent but is stopped by her father. Achilles What? As for the other sort, the bad ones, they are everywhere! iphigenia in aulis monologue mother listen to me Dent & Sons, 1920. 1040. Old Man That womans there. Cry! No, its not my ambition thats bothering you, my brother! I saw you trying to write it by the light of that lamp there. 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? And how is it that you, a woman, is here, where the whole army of the Greek men and their shields is gathered? Chorus What a delightful wedding song was sung while the Lybian flute played on the day that Thetis and Peleas married! Iphigeneia But there is no loss, mummy! Hide browse bar One goddess, Aphrodite, was proud of her insatiable love. Ah, but the common folk have it easy. NI 1886. . Still, by then it is too late. What will you ask the gods to grant you as your knife cuts through your daughters throat? Vile trickery, unworthy of his father, Atreas! Agamemnon Odysseus has a shifty mind and hes a rabble-rouser. Agamemnon Zeus himself gave her to him. Moderate. An unrelenting curse. I cannot defy the goddess demands, my darling. Do you not care about me any more? Ive changed because of my love for my mothers son. Agamemnon And dont waste any time hanging about some watering hole in the woods and dont fall victim to the magic of sleep! 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. IPHIGENIA IN AULIS Essay Summary - Essay Example | Happyessays He is barely visible. His baby sounds will make no sense but theyll be full of meaning. Menelaos And what aboutGreece? He walks slowly about the stage for a moment, anxiously searching the starry sky. materials crossword clue 9 letters. Let me hug him tightly against my breast before you do! Agamemnon I know well about pity I know well who deserves it and who does not and I -I love my children! Old Man Yes, my lady and so, I am more loyal to you than I am to your husband. Dont bother making a long speech about it, husband! In it I spoke of Achilles high rank, his bravery, his honour and told her that the man refused to sail with us unless one of our daughters became his wife and went to live at his house, in Phthia. Then you scratch away the seal and then you throw its pine frame onto the ground and then you begin to cry profusely! Remember, father? Tell me the reason you will give no let me speak on your behalf, because I know what you will say. Old Man Tries to take the letter from Menelaos. Klytaimestra What was the second message? When our esteemed prophet, Calchas, conducts his next sacrifice, when he will mingle his barley and his holy water upon the altar, he will pay bitterly for it! 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! / Malvaux > Non class > iphigenia in aulis monologue mother listen to me / 15.02.22 iphigenia in aulis monologue mother listen to me . 440. Who is this exquisite looking woman I see here? My armed comrades will be there with me to save your life, to stop your execution. Youll be back inArgos, taking care of our other daughters. Let them all see which one should be sacrificed. Then Achilles, Peleas son, took the golden basket and the holy water in his hands and ran around the goddess altar, chanting. Iphigeneia Dont leave home, daddy. The plain truth. Should I exchange the good for bad? You, too, my lord are a mortal and, whether you like it or not, this is how the gods want it: mortals must taste the good along with the bad. 773. i. Trans. Chorus They tell me that Cassandra, Apollos priestess is there. Agamemnon Lines 1-257 Summary & Analysis | SparkNotes I acted like a stupid child before but now I thought more deeply about what its really like to kill your own children. Under no circumstances should any of this work be used as part of a collage, which includes the work of other writers or translators. IPHIGENIA: Had I, my father, the persuasive voice Of Orpheus, and his skill to charm the rocks To follow me, and soothe whome'er I please With winning words, I would make trial of it; But I have nothing to present thee now Save tears, my only eloquence; and those I can present thee. Let us pray for a good fortune! Amazon.com: Iphigenia in Aulis: 9781534322158: Euripides, Einhorn But I will talk: the strong ought to help the weak where they can, even if they have little to do with their plight. She is a loving mother, and when her husband orders to kill their daughter, she bears a deep grudge against hi, and vows to take vengeance . She takes the baby Orestes from Iphigeneias hands. Klytaimestra And leave my darling behind? Son of the Nereid, you are marrying my daughter. Klytaimestra Come, come, old man! Has the carriage lulled you to sleep? The choruses "Que d'attraits" and "Non, jamais, jamais aux regards" are full of grace. For a moment a great deal of shouting by men is heard behind the curtains. Shelley Dean Milman. 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? This got me so angry that the very next moment I ordered Talthybius to use his powerful voice and call the army to disband. 1290. I Im not so sure. 370. Klytaimestra Good idea. All these troubles he has caused! Agamemnon Yes, dear because our separation will be a long one. Let our friends here see how happy you make me. You might still change your mind. Essay Sample Check Writing Quality. Iphigeneia Yes, mother, please let me run to him before you do. Why should you be the only one to offer our child as a victim to the altar? Is it a good wife youre after? Agamemnon No, the wedding was held in the sacred valleys of Pelion, where Cheiron lives. I no longer want to be your enemy. These are things you should know nothing about! During those days you shook the hand of everyone you came across and, whether they wanted it or not, your doors were always wide open and ready to receive everyone. Helen fell in love with him and he fell in love with Helen. These are wicked pleasures for a wicked man! I envy the man who knows no fame; and I dont envy the man whose life is heavy with the trappings of office. Second Chorus Look there: our Lords daughter, Iphigeneia, our princess; and there, his wife and Tyndareus daughter, our Lady, Klytaimestra! You were still the man she loved. Where inGreecedoes he live? Come out here and bring your little brother, Orestes with you. Just before Dawn. Its an unbearable, harsh dread. Accept it and let our spears sack the tall towers of Troy!. First Chorus And I saw Gerenian Nestor who came from Pylos. Iphigenia in Aulis Summary and Study Guide | SuperSummary We also let the horses loose to drink and to graze at a meadow nearby. Go inside now! That! Iphigeneia Mother, Im too ashamed to face Achilles. If he doesn't go through with the sacrifice, the army will rise up, sacrifice her, and kill their entire family. Achilles Who? 1318. Mother, wholl come with me when theyll come and drag me by my hair? The Theme of Heroism Achilles is often regarded as a great and mighty hero in Greek. Our daughter now lives among the gods. Just answer my question! Open navigation menu. Hell have the whole army eating out of his hand and then make them kill us and sacrifice the girl anyway! 691. The young heifers that will be sacrificed and that will deliver their abundant dark blood to the goddess Artemis are ready. Achilles But, dont worry, Ill certainly make it hard for him! What pain should I mention first or second, or last? Ultimately, Euripides uses Iphigenia at Aulis to argue that the ancient Greek impulse to revere one's lineage or parentage while effectively ignoring the duty one has to one's living, breathing family is one which creates sadness, discord, anger, and even the impulse for revenge. Klytaimestra Odysseus? Come and hear my news! Iphigenia begs her father not to kill her. Chorus Where has the strength of your face gone? Its been such a long time! In the beginning of the play, Agamemnon . Ah! Iphigenia in Aulis Character Analysis | Course Hero ("Agamemnon", "Hom. Im leaving for another world! Klytaimestra You have the impudence to ask me that? They cry when they wish and speak their mind freely, something which a leader cannot do: its undignified, its an insult to the splendour of his position and his whole life is controlled by it. Agamemnon Wife, we should consider ourselves very much blessed. I see a throng of men approaching. But I have no such skill. How could I possibly express my gratitude to you in a modest way? What a price to pay for the sake of saving a slut! Believe me, madam: Agamemnon will not slaughter her! Go! 1340. And help me, too. What did you say? Gluck's 'Iphigenia in Aulis,' Marriage or Murder? : NPR First, come, give your father a kiss. You ask me what theyve done to me? Still, the girl came up close to him and said, Daddy, here I am, ready to do as you say. See this letter, this contemptible letter with the contemptible message inside it? Klytaimestra Falls down and clasps Achilles knees. Agamemnon Neither. It is unjust that your children should die while mine still enjoy the sunlight. What a hateful, bitter sight is Helen! You, Agamemnon, are doing what countless others have also done in public life: While theyre in power they put up enormous efforts to keep it but then, when the public makes a stupid decision sometimes understandably so because the leader is too weak to lead the State- these public figures fall all in a heap and they disgrace themselves! The whole of Greece. Klytaimestra Did they? My baby boy, Orestes, will also be there and he, too, will cry. He lifted his cloak up and dug his face deep into it, trying to hide the tears that flooded his eyes. The play was produced in a trilogy that also included The Bacchae and was presented by Euripides' son or nephew. They live at a place, darling, where I wish Paris, Priams son, never lived! He came all the way fromTroy, dressed in all his colourful garb, and, typical of the barbarians love for splendour, his whole body was sparkling with gold jewels! Helen, wife of Menelaus, king of Sparta, had eloped to Troy with Paris, son of King Priam. Intelligence, brother, can turn any man into a head of State. Your current position in the text is marked in blue. King Agamemnon is talking to a old man and says that he envies the poor man's situation in life. Would you like her to plead at your knees? Im not talking like this because Im missing out on this wedding. Iphigenia decides to sacrifice her life for the glory of Greece. No fancy, confusing words for you. Klytaimestra Peers into the distance anxiously for a moment but is finally relieved. He was the one responsible for that job. Youre the son of a god and I am a mere mortal! Chorus There goes the girl with garlands on her hair and holy water upon her head! First Chorus This god, this god with the golden hair, lifts his bow and shoots two arrows of passion, one to bring us lifes greatest joy, the other to send us into a whirlwind of confusion. Iphigenia in Aulis - Wikipedia Whether I want to do so or not, I must obey Hellas. Bring him up to be a man. London: J.M. CLYTEMNESTRA: Now hear me, for my thoughts will I unfold In no obscure and coloured mode of speech. 210, First Chorus The two horses in the centre, those that took the weight of the yoke, were dappled with spots of white; the two on the outside carried the traces and they had to negotiate the turns on the track.