If the oracle has given me some say into your daughters fate then I pass that say over to you. And, they should also swear that they would attack and destroy the land of the wrongdoer by the force of arms, whether his land is Greek or foreign. Because the workings of your mind always have been, are now and always will be, deceitful. What a dreadful thing to say! But now? And there, along the white sands below, Nereus fifty daughters whirled and weaved their dance circles and made splendid the wedding of the Nereid. You felt a great deal of joy when you came in that house, and when you went out of it you felt a wealthy man. A prophet? Clytemnestra It is the goddess' son you see, child, for whom you came here. As Iphigeneia approaches her, Agamemnon enters. Figure 2.2: Black-figure lekythos showing Iphigenia 89 led to the altar, c. 470 BCE. Forget it, madam! No! Where shall I go to find your hand, to ask you to help me in my hour of despair? Ive rushed here before them so that you can be ready to receive them. Well, then, may you and your friends also enjoy a marriage such as mine! She will say to me! You are indeed a brave, noble person, Iphigeneia and for that reason I want you to be my wife. Accomplish your tasks, old man! You ask me what theyve done to me? Forget your old age and run! The sacrifice of Iphigenia would be covered by Euripides in 'Iphigenia at Aulis' and in this version Agamemnon has second thoughts. Menelaos And you should not be bringing so much trouble to the Greeks! Agamemmnon's fleet is stranded by bad weather in the bay of Aulis and his troops are growing mutinous. You are the cause of this miserable conflict between the sons of Atreas and their children! Menelaos See this? Called me slave to a wedding bed! I envy the man with the quiet life, the safe life. Abominable creature! See, father? It is our custom to bury sacrificial offerings. What an awful burden Helen andTroyhave become for us! Hes gone out a while ago and Iphigeneia, in the meantime, has heard how her father is planning to kill her. His servants use the other. Dont suppose for one minute that Ill be asking them to treat you well. Menelaos is carrying a staff and has nearly finished reading Agamemnons letter which he has torn from the Old Mans hands. Because youre trying to save my girl? Are we not all wasting our time here, by the banks ofEpirus? There are times when the gods shun you, reject you, thwart your every effort and there are times, too, when the whining and the moaning of your men crush you! He writes a few words, then scratches them out and begins again. Klytaimestra Odysseus? However, when he tries to rally the Greeks against the sacrifice, he discovers that the entirety of the Greek soldiers demand that Agamemnon's wishes be carried out. Achilles My lady, I have never proposed to your daughter Atreas sons have never talked to me about a marriage! Achilles Whos that? You, grandchild of Aeacus you, too Ledas daughter, stay! I, the destroyer of Priams city and its people! What is all this loud brawling in front of my tent? I have brought this bride here with strong hopes for a wonderful marriage. IPHIGENIA IN AULIS - Monologue (Clytemnestra) - Mighty Actor Klytaimestra Dear Achilles! What do you think I and the rest of your family will feel towards you? Will he not get furious with you and with your wife if you deprive him of his bride? 810, Achilles, they say. She has flown away to the Heavens! No fancy, confusing words for you. Klytaimestra A cold hope, that one, Achilles. There, alongside of them, ran Achilles, Peleas son, in his full armour. And so, the Greeks ordered you to let them board their ships and go back home and to stop wasting their efforts here. If this works out well, then the result will be good for you and your family without my getting mixed up in the affair. The trilogy won first prize at the City Dionysia at Athens. Menelaus appears to be the caring brother. 1350. Chiron, the wise teacher, was entrusted by a wiser parent! Here! It would be shameful if Agamemnon saw me touching whats not rightfully mine! Let that stand for me in place of the children and the marriage I could have had. Conditions and Exceptions apply. 389. You have declared the girl to be the bride of a goddess son, yet you bring her here to be a sacrificial offering for the benefit of the Greeks! Now come out of Agamemnons tent. 'Iphigenia' is the great achievement of Michael Cacoyannis. Some members of the chorus rush about her, placing garlands on her hair and sprinkling water upon her head. She turns and looks sadly around her, then up at the sun. The play was set in the small amphitheater at the Getty Villa. Now make your answer reasonable also! Iphigeneia Hands Orestes back to her mother. If the sons of Atreas practice honesty then I shall obey them but if they dont, rest assured, madam that Ill defy them. What a dreadful thought to have in your mind! As for the other sort, the bad ones, they are everywhere! 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. Achilles What? I see a throng of men approaching. 164. I have tried desperately to send Klytaimestra away from here but Ive failed. Iphigeneia Do not hate daddy my daddy, your husband. In fact, had he asked me for my permission to use my name for this, I would have given it. I am too ashamed to tell you this pitiful story of mine. Stay! Awful! Chorus They tell me that Cassandra, Apollos priestess is there. Thank you, my sweet daughter! Death is a dreadful thing! This way, I hope, my pain will be lessened a little. A nanny is holding the baby Orestes in her arms. 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?. You became a nobody. materials crossword clue 9 letters. Klytaimestra You? What demon has taken possession of his mind? Bring him up to be a man. 480. As the play opens, Iphigenia introduces herself. Klytaimestra Is it your wish to kill our child? But then, suddenly a miracle happened, my lady! Messenger No, my lady! What an awful Fate the gods have delivered to you! 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. Help us, Achilles! London: J.M. You, girls! Second Chorus They are the offspring of a great and most fortunate family. 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. Pleasure, my old friend, is a dubious thing, an unstable thing; and as for all the trappings of office, all the power that goes with it, sure they might look sweet from the distance but once you get them, they become unbearable pains! Agamemnon Are you, darling? Which one will not wonder if it will be the next one you take to the slaughter? Here are the two of us, ones a baby, the other a grown up girl, a brother and a sister, both your children, begging you, by your beard, pleading with you. 700. Tell me what it is you want, now. Agamemnon Lines 1-257 Summary & Analysis | SparkNotes Vile trickery, unworthy of his father, Atreas! Agamemnon Nods, then looks around him. Dent & Sons, 1920. Achilles Her father had promised her to me! How. Old Man anxiously takes Klytaimestras hand and kisses it. Menelaos Why is that? Does no one speak against it? Married and single alike? Tears of pity came into my eyes just now, when I saw your own tears roll from yours. Klytaimestra May the gods give your heart strength! Klytaimestra What about the wedding feast after the ceremony? Please refer to our Privacy Policy. Iphigenia in Tauris Summary - eNotes.com My father, my own father has left me! 1031. Then Agamemnon came to me and ordered me to come here and tell you what Fate the gods have granted to your daughter. It was written sometime between 408 and 406 BCE (the date of his death) and was first produced in the year following his death, where it won first place at the Athenian City Dionysia contest. And if only Zeus had not breathed his contrary wind upon Euripus, this wind that stopped this expedition from leaving for Troy! Let me, instead, save Greece, if I can. Iphigeneia Make your worries go away, daddy. Klytaimestra What? His head falls into his arms and he begins sobbing. Chorus Your words are worthy of you, Achilles and of your mother who is a splendid goddess. Here I am. No mother, no father. Now let go of my letter! Exit Achilles. But my brother, using all sorts of arguments, finally persuaded me to commit this dreadful deed! The Greek army is getting ready to sail. I would have given it for the sake of my fellow soldiers. I would have given it to serve the greater good of our soldiers. Let me make it absolutely clear, my lady: I was there and I saw it with my own eyes! Whos calling through that half-opened door? Agamemnon Wife, we should consider ourselves very much blessed. First Chorus We saw him, racing in full armour upon the shells of the shore, in a contest against a chariot pulled by a team of four horses, a contest out of which he came victorious. Agamemnon saw his child on her way to her slaughter and immediately groaned with horrible pain. 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. Horses can panic if theres no one to soothe them. Here, friends, take this baby to his father, Agamemnon. Agamemnon Odysseus has a shifty mind and hes a rabble-rouser. Or fastest delivery March 8 - 10. Then you scratch away the seal and then you throw its pine frame onto the ground and then you begin to cry profusely! Ah! The Old Man is angry and tries to take the letter back from him. 583. To Dardanos house, in Troy, to bring back Menelaos wife, Helen. Agamemnon I, with all the Greeks as witnesses shall give Iphigeneia away. 520. 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. I swear by my mother, the goddess Thetis, that I shall fight the Greeks to save you! People will talk about how Ive saved Greece. That! First Chorus Mortals vary in body as well as in mind but true virtue, which comes from a good upbringing and a good education, always stands out. You, Paris, you son of Priam! Believe me, I wont be exaggerating. Agamemnon I envy you, old man! Whats with this flushed face of yours? I can see you there now: a nobleman becoming a brother-in-law to a nobleman, to the divine Achilles, the son of Thetis the Nereid. Iphigenia in Aulis is an Attic, or Greek, tragedy composed by Euripides (circa 480-406 BCE). IPHIGENIA IN AULIS A monologue from the play by Euripides NOTE: This monologue is reprinted from The Plays of Euripides in English, vol. Menelaos Brother, give me your right arm! Thats Achilles, my darling. Finally, he picks up the scroll and gets up and moves away from the table. 471. 80. Klytaimestra Have you made the pre-natal offerings to the goddess yet? Klytaimestra Ive come out here looking for my husband. Come, disband the army and leaveAulismy brother and stop your tears and mine! Your wit is truly far greater than mine. The Chorus turns in the direction of the scream and responds! Come out here immediately! Agamemnon! Agamemnon I was out of my wits, old man! He knows nothing of my scheme, nothing of the marriage and nothing of my supposed wish to give my daughter to him, to have him take her into his arms and into his marital bed. 1421. 101. Iphignie en Aulide (Gluck) - The Opera Scribe Agamemnon And when you come across some fork in the road, check it carefully. Chorus How the dance-loving lyre and the enchanting notes of the reedy flute brought the fair haired Muses up from their home, the Pierian Springs, to the top of Mount Pelios! The lustral water, the barley, everything is ready for the holy flame. Iphigenia in Aulis Quotes by Euripides - goodreads.com What is a prophet? Then Achilles, Peleas son, took the golden basket and the holy water in his hands and ran around the goddess altar, chanting 1570. Iphigenia In Aulis - 666 Words | 123 Help Me Please dont be offended now! Written between 408, after Orestes, and 406 BC, the year of Euripides' death, the play was first produced the following year in a trilogy . 610. Then, you arrived here, inAulis, with the whole of the Greek army and immediately you lost every virtue you had. IPHIGENIA IN AULIS Essay Paper (427 words) - Happyessays Old man, come out here! What should I call them? Ive changed because of my love for my mothers son. 180. Chorus There they will arrive with their war-whetted spears and shields to wrest Helen from Priams city and bring her back toGreece. Agamemnon Look at you? Mother, no! 231. No, you look after everything outside the household and I shall take care of things within it! By your chin, Achilles, by your right hand and by your mother, stand by us! Her unexpected arrival has added to my ruin. Chorus Joyous notes were sung to the glory of Peleas, son of Aeacus and Thetis, there, upon Mount Pelion, the woody realm of the Centaurs. Is it a good wife youre after? A Monologue from the play Iphigenia in Tauris by Euripides - Actorama Enter Menelaos and the OldMan. Under no circumstances should any of this work be used as part of a collage, which includes the work of other writers or translators. Enter Klytaimestra. Some madness has overtaken their hearts and they want to sail immediately over to Troy to the land of those barbarians and to put an end to this raping and stealing of our women, to tearing them away from their marital beds. This is very dangerous indeed, my lord! 919. He is the son of the goddess Thetis, and his tutor was Cheiron, the most honourable of all the centaurs. You know the dread that Agamemnon has brought upon us. Klytaimestra My question is nothing but reasonable. Achilles They jeered at me! Can you see this stag, this animal that walks about in the mountains? The Aenians brought twelve ships, captained by their king, Gouneus; and beside them were moored the lords ofEliswhom everyone called Epeians. Stuffed full with men and spears. He is writing a letter (on a scroll) an exercise which, it seems, is difficult for him. Enter Iphigeneia holding the baby in her arms. First, come, give your father a kiss. Klytaimestra Im not surprised you dont recognise me. 860. 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. You know very well how humble you were during the days you wanted to be the leader of the Trojan expedition. 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. If you really want to do something againstTroythen do it, or else just take us all back home. If he doesn't go through with the sacrifice, the army will rise up, sacrifice her, and kill their entire family. Klytaimestra Good idea. Record the pronunciation of this word in your own voice and play it to listen to how you have pronounced it. 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. Old Man Both of you have pitiable fates, my lady! And I beg you also for my mothers sake, the woman who laboured to bring me to life, the woman who is being tortured even now. Oh, Achilles! What pain should I mention first or second, or last? Chorus Go, young girl! Can you see what the goddess has placed upon her altar? Klytaimestra Ah! Agamemnon No need to tell me to answer you honestly. The first one to call you father, the first one you called daughter. Not mine, thats for sure. Chorus What an awful, pitiful fate you must endure, child! This man has forcefully and unjustly ripped your letter from my hands, my lord! No, its not me whos gone mad, brother but you. What ruin, what catastrophe youve brought upon me by running off with Helen! 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! She was falsely called your future wife. What about your own soldiers, Achilles, what about your Myrmidons? 1279. You are the cause of it! Ah! That will be very easy to accomplish. 510. Klytaimestra May they be happy there! 20. Not a sound to be heard anywhere, old man! Klytaimestra The whole army? 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. Klytaimestra I am not so insensitive, Agamemnon. Image from Vermeule and Chapman (1971) Plate 71. This work is licensed under a 43. Indeed no! 280. Ah, but this impudence of yours will miss its mark! Iphigenia at Aulis - Euripides - Google Books You began and ended your speech with fine sentiments. Enter Achilles with fellow soldiers in full armour. Its a meadow full of bright and beautiful flowers. What should I call your deeds to make them also sound lovely? 330. Agamemnon Here, at the harbour, near our beautiful Greek ships. Before the play begins: The background of Iphigeneia at Aulis is the Trojan War. Helen, the sister of the Heaven-dwelling twins, the Dioscuri. We shall make the wedding celebrations another time., Old Man But how will Achilles take this? It makes the mother love her child most deeply and she will defend it with her life. Our daughter now lives among the gods. Klytaimestra And the feast for us women? For use by any theatrical, educational or cinematic organisation, however, including a non-commercial one, permission must be sought. Agamemnon Little girls should not be bothered with such things. Believe me, madam: Agamemnon will not slaughter her! My Pelasgia! i. Trans. He walks slowly about the stage for a moment, anxiously searching the starry sky. Brighter Bayside > Blog > Uncategorized > iphigenia in aulis monologue mother listen to me. It is a glory that will never wither in the minds of the Greeks. 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! I I am shocked, my lady! Let hers be the last one to do so! It is what a mother must do! Buy used: $6.99. Agamemnon He lives in Phthia, by the river Apidanus. Iphigeneia at Aulis Flashcards | Quizlet Menelaos No, youre not! Your current position in the text is marked in blue. Klytaimestra You? Where shall I begin? Intelligence, brother, can turn any man into a head of State. Pronunciation of iphigenia in aulis with 1 audio pronunciations. See this letter, this contemptible letter with the contemptible message inside it? The gods are no fools and they know when oaths are falsely pledged or forced upon people. Im very pleased that you, too, honour the goddess Modesty, Achilles! November 1, 2021 . My life, mummy, my life has been saved! Dont be so afraid of the masses! But I will talk: the strong ought to help the weak where they can, even if they have little to do with their plight. Enter AGAMEMNON and ATTENDANT. 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? Or else let Menelaos kill Hermione, his own daughter. 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. Where will I find you? Klytaimestra Ill certainly try that if thats the last thing I do! Klytaimestra What would you like me to do? [1375] Klytaimestra And leave my darling behind? I do not envy those in authority." Context:: This line comes near the very beginning of the play. 1040. The gods deserted you and they wouldnt give you a favourable wind for our sails. I wrap its limbs around your knees and beg you: Please father, do not cut off my life short. Another, Pallas, was proud of her war spear and the third, Hera, proud of the fact that she shared her bed with Lord Zeus. Things that should best be kept away from a brides ear. 27. Achilles Yes, it might be just that. Klytaimestra The whole of the Greek army? Achilles, stay! Iphigeneia Looking into the distance behind curtains. Are these amazing words the words of a delirious woman? Gluck: Overture to "Iphigenia in Aulis" / Mori - YouTube Volume II. . As she imagines Agamemnon killing Iphigenia, Clytemnestra. 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. Clytemnestra hears that Achilles is faithless, whereupon she at once urges Iphigenia to leave Aulis and return home. You will kill the one whos loved by all so as to save the one whos hated by all! Can you not see these men in full armour? It is a horrible thing for one to lose a child! How full of torment is life for us ephemeral creatures! Ive changed my mind, brother. Your current position in the text is marked in blue. Klytaimestra Thats what a mob is like! There is nothing that I would not do for my darling Iphigeneia. Iphigenia at Aulis - University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre A terrible love." Euripides, Iphigenia in Aulis tags: euripides , greek-tragedy , iphigenia-at-aulis , power , power-hungry 11 likes Like I hate such relationships; they bring bitter pain to all. Iphigenia in Aulis: Clytemnestra's Monologue "Iphigenia" marks Steele and Lorca's fourth collaboration on a Greek tragedy. Achilles Ill be watching out for you. So, tell me, my brother: What is all this violent fury? Klytaimestra bursts into tears. But, alas, the road was long, my lord and so the women are now having a rest by the refreshing waters of a spring. Menelaos And what would that be? Iphigenia and Clytemnestra come to Aulis, and are received with acclamations by the Greeks. Where is the army going? I dont want anyone to think despicable things about me. 890, Old Man He had sent me off to bring you a letter, madam about the first message. He was the one responsible for that job. Klytaimestra No, I wont. Most treacherously wronged by your closest friends. My daughters life hangs on your will. Chorus Let Agamemnons name live for ever in glory! This work may be freely reproduced, stored and transmitted, electronically or otherwise, for any non-commercial purpose. Menelaos Act according to your position, or youll be very sorry, old man! 720. Spare my young life, father. Iphigeneia Whats wrong, daddy? First Chorus We have come to watch the army of the divine Greeks and their thousand ships. Be careful not to disgrace your ancestors house. The sparkling water of your ancestral streams is waiting for you! 1613. Next to these were the Athenian ships -sixty of them, and these were captained by Theseus son. Chorus Go, young girl! Iphigeneia But but look at you, father! Iphigeneia She runs her fingers gently through her mothers hair. Which of the gods has stolen you? The Prologue of Iphigenia at Aulis - JSTOR With what face shall I receive hers? You locked yourself up indoors and became totally unapproachable to everyone. Why run away? Go! Exit Achilles. 100. 785, Chorus Do you hear them, Helen? 691. The King feared the prophets words that the boy would grow up to destroy him him and his city and so he tore the baby away from its mothers arms and cast him on the mountainside, hoping that he would die. 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. Iphigenia among the Taurians, Bacchae, Iphigenia at Aulis, Rhesus 710. What horror! You had come with me to Argos and stayed with me as my servant. She gives up the most precious gift she can: her life. Its a natural thing for men with decent hearts to do the decent thing. I saw you trying to write it by the light of that lamp there. Old Man Dear Fortune, help my brain to save those I love. The play was produced in a trilogy that also included The Bacchae and was presented by Euripides' son or nephew. I want no one to lose tears over my grave. We will soon reveal Agamemnons sacrilegious schemes against his very own children! Details. Those two had hair the colour of fire and were spotted from below the ankles of their great hooves. Iphigeneia at Aulis. Old Man Yes, my lady and so, I am more loyal to you than I am to your husband. Just before Dawn. Darling, darling little brother! Im shaking with fear. This might turn out to be a blessing for us -. Iphigeneia No, mother! Would you like her to plead at your knees? And then, if his prophesies are found to be false, he vanishes! First Chorus Women protect it well by avoiding immoderate love and men by bringing civil order in their city, thus making it great. King Agamemnon is talking to a old man and says that he envies the poor man's situation in life. Agamemnon The entire Greek army, Menelaos! All these troubles he has caused! First Chorus Their captain was Eurytus. Its a common thing for a man to be shy when he meets his relatives for the first time and theyre talking about marriage! Klytaimestra Really? Every one of them is just as unbearable! 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. My death will bring about all this liberation and my good name will live into eternity. Come, folks come and take down from the carriage the wedding gifts Ive brought and carefully carry them into the tent. 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. Klytaimestra goes into the tent. The only other Greeks who know about this are Calchas, Odysseus and Menelaos. Klytaimestra Theyve tricked my daughter to her death by promising her to you in marriage. The girl is with the gods! The very last thing you do. Still, if I fail? Dance around the temple of the blessed goddess! Let me hug him tightly against my breast before you do! 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. Look! Iphigenia in Aulis by Euripides: Analysis & Themes | Study.com But let me try and persuade you and let her stay inside the tent. That is, if my brain doesnt falter and make my tongue trip over its words! iphigenia in aulis monologue mother listen to me