Id rather live a life full of misery than die a heros death! Be careful not to disgrace your ancestors house. 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? Klytaimestra But tell me, good servant, where did you hear all this? Go, now! No! iphigenia in aulis monologue mother listen to me Achilles First, let us try and bring her father back to his senses. The goddess son. Clytemnestra It is the goddess' son you see, child, for whom you came here. Are you here to add to the mountain of dread I have to endure already? 1171, I would be there, alone, Agamemnon, wailing, crying bitter tears, yelling, Darling Iphigeneia! Agamemnon What you must do is not leave your other daughters alone, back at the house. Klytaimestra No, what hes done to you will cost him a great deal of trouble! Summary. She takes the baby Orestes from Iphigeneias hands. IPHIGENIA AT AULIS - EURIPIDES | PLAY SUMMARY & ANALYSIS | Sacrifice Stay! Menelaos Why is that? 1290. Old man, come out here! 1110. Come, disband the army and leaveAulismy brother and stop your tears and mine! Iphigeneia Hands Orestes back to her mother. Not unless I obey the priests demand, not unless I sacrifice you. My hair! Klytaimestra The whole of the Greek army? Tell me the reason you will give no let me speak on your behalf, because I know what you will say. 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. Chorus And there it was that Dardanos poured the heavenly nectar into the deep golden cups of the gods. 1540. A Short Analysis of Euripides' Iphigenia at Aulis I, the destroyer of Priams city and its people! Euripides, Iphigenia in Aulis, line 1338 - Perseus Project It is for Hellas that I am forced to sacrifice you. 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. Aided and abetted by the gods! Achilles Weighty words, old man! She looks around the stage anxiously for a minute. If your pleas work and they save the girls life, then my intervention will not be necessary. Iphigenia in Aulis Summary - eNotes.com Iphigenia at Aulis (the title is sometimes rendered as Iphigenia in Aulis) has been criticised for its melodrama, but its portrayal of the central character's decision to agree to renounce her life for the 'greater good', and Agamemnon's ambivalence about sacrificing his own daughter, make it a curious and satisfying play which repays close analysis . In order to appease her and sail on to Troy, Agamemnon was forced to sacrifice his daughter, Iphigenia; the Chorus describes in detail her pitiful cries for mercy as her father's men cut her throat. In front of the tent is a small table at which sits Agamemnon. Agamemnon There! Thats what Im afraid of! And the gods will see to that, whether you like it or not. You used to ask me, I wonder, my darling, will I get to see you married one day, married and settled happily in your husbands home, your life ever blossoming, making me proud of you? And Id touch your chin, my father, hang from your beard, father, like Im doing now and say, and what about you, father, will I get to see you, father, an old man, visiting me at my house, ready for me to repay you for your hard work in raising me?, No, you dont remember these words, father. I can talk no more. First Chorus The right wing of this naval force was taken up by the fifty swift ships of the war-loving Myrmidons from Phthia. Chorus Ah! Come, my darling daughter, come, Iphigeneia, come and stand near me. Stop waiting for those indecisive sons of Atreas to tell you what to do. Come, give me your right hand and lets make this the beginning of a blessed marriage! Klytaimestra Unfortunate, Achilles, yes, that is true! 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. Chorus Go, young girl! How could I, a mortal, go against that? 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. Chorus Go, young girl! Iphigeneia is crying. Stuffed full with men and spears. Klytaimestra And you will abandon your mother like this? The girl deserves better still, may the gods be with us! Iphigenia in Aulis or Iphigenia at Aulis (Ancient Greek: , romanized: phigneia en Auldi; variously translated, including the Latin Iphigenia in Aulide) is the last of the extant works by the playwright Euripides.Written between 408, after Orestes, and 406 BC, the year of Euripides' death, the play was first produced the following year in a trilogy . options are on the right side and top of the page. Its not Menelaos whos in control here, Iphigeneia. Dont waste time kissing my hand. With him also was his close friend, Adrastus, their commander, ready to exact vengeance forHellas sake, against the woman who fled her husbands halls so as to marry a barbarian. 929. Let me hug him tightly against my breast before you do! Let no Greek touch my body with his hand. 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. Achilles What? No, mother, let one of daddys servants accompany me to Artemis woods, the place where I shall be sacrificed. Ah! 490. Some of you stand by at the front of the horses to quieten them. Iphigenia in Aulis by Euripides: Analysis & Themes | Study.com Helen, the sister of the Heaven-dwelling twins, the Dioscuri. Go inside now! Agamemnon shall never lay a finger on your daughter not even to touch her robes! That child was Paris. Cheiron, the centaur did, so that the child might be brought up not knowing the behaviour of evil men. Chiron, the wise teacher, was entrusted by a wiser parent! You have betrayed your own brother! First Chorus This is the naval force I saw with my own eyes and about which I had heard earlier. Why? 1470. Agamemnon Odysseus has a shifty mind and hes a rabble-rouser. That light, this light all around us, will cut all other arguments to pieces. No, its not my ambition thats bothering you, my brother! Bring him up to be a man. He has used it to lure and snare his daughter and to convince Klytaimestra to bring her here, to me, to be presented as my wife! Its obvious that theres no escaping my death; so now, I want to die nobly. 350. changes, storing new additions in a versioning system. What would be the best action for him to take? First Chorus Words worthy of Tantalus, Zeus son. Word Count: 1230. Youve come to your death you and me also! Dont waste any time! Rolls her hand gently through her own hair. 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. Old Man You should not have opened this letter! I shall give it to her for the sake of Greece. Happy noises of incoming royal procession, including horses and chariot are heard within, Stage Left. Menelaos No! iphigenia in aulis monologue mother listen to me 773. Lift your head up for me, darling, smile for me. For a slave you have just too much to say! Forget it, madam! To stop me from coming here or to urge me to do so? Klytaimestra What? What should I call them? First Chorus Their captain was Eurytus. You locked yourself up indoors and became totally unapproachable to everyone. 900. A nanny is holding the baby Orestes in her arms. And, no, I will not murder my children and certainly wont do it so that you can wrongfully enjoy some sort of vengeance exacted from a disgraceful wife, while I waste away in tears day and night because I had committed such a godless crime against them, against my own flesh and blood. The strength of the minor characters in Agamemnon distinguishes this play from a number of Aeschylus' other works. 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. Iphigenia is told that she must prepare for her new life, and that she will be quite alone, far from her parents and home (666, 669). I I am shocked, my lady! Give me a big hug! Iphigeneia Dont leave home, daddy. Agamemnon Make sure you dont break the seal of the scroll! Klytaimestra So, my darling will not be put to the sword? Klytaimestra What is it? Iphigenia in Aulis by Euripides | Analysis & Themes | Study.com Its a common thing for a man to be shy when he meets his relatives for the first time and theyre talking about marriage! And help me, too. IPHIGENIA IN AULIS A monologue from the play by Euripides NOTE: This monologue is reprinted from The Plays of Euripides in English, vol. He has abandoned me to deal with this dreadful calamity all on my own! Where shall I go to find your hand, to ask you to help me in my hour of despair? You ask me what theyve done to me? Vile trickery, unworthy of his father, Atreas! You began and ended your speech with fine sentiments. I know what you want to do to me Go on! 450. My daughters life hangs on your will. I cannot defy the goddess demands, my darling. Then Achilles, Peleas son, took the golden basket and the holy water in his hands and ran around the goddess altar, chanting 1570. Agamemnon I was out of my wits, old man! Spare my young life, father. May it be with you always, for helping the unfortunate! A sensible man usually speaks to others with respect. Achilles By the goddess Modesty! Chorus And their call to the Nereid was loud and clear: 1061. Arent you ashamed of yourself? Mother, wholl come with me when theyll come and drag me by my hair? PDF Cite Share. Among these the problem of the prologue is as clear-cut as it is controversial.2 It may be summarized as follows: (I) Our text opens abruptly with an anapaestic dialogue between Agamem-non and the Retainer (1-48), instead of the usual monologue in trimeters. Surely I could find another wife elsewhere! Thats Achilles, my darling. He is barely visible. 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. Are you still sleeping my baby? You will say that youve killed our daughter so that Menelaos, your brother, can get back his Helen! 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. Iphigeneia No, mother. My lord! Words escape me! IPHIGENIA Had I, my father, the persuasive voice Of Orpheus, and his skill to charm the rocks Youll go to a place where youll forget about your father. Introduction. He sounds frightened. You will kill the one whos loved by all so as to save the one whos hated by all! Iphigeneia hugs her mother. Women, help her. Come on, Orestes, even babies know when theres trouble around! This is the first English edition with commentary of the play since 1891. Iphigenia has arrived in Aulis, and soon the army will be demanding her death. Be a leader! Iphigeneia Are you sending me to live with another family, daddy? Klytaimestra I hear you, I hear you! Agamemnon I envy you, old man! Where did you catch him? No, Id rather see the death of a thousand women than that of a single man! Christoph Willibald Gluck: Overture to "Iphigenia in Aulis" (orch. As is common, there is a dowry, here brought by her mother from the household of Agamemnon (lines 612-13). You already know your fathers intentions, poor love. Agamemnon I praise you, Menelaos for these unexpected words, proper words, words truly worthy of you. And I also hear what theyve done to me! Agamemnon And dont waste any time hanging about some watering hole in the woods and dont fall victim to the magic of sleep! Achilles I do, my lady and I can see its a horrible thing for you to endure. Chorus Come back to us once youve taken from that city her fairest spoils! 1260. Iphigenia in Aulis [2] | Monologue - Performer Stuff Menelaos If you dont let go of it I shall crack your skull open with this staff! Begging you by his silence. Klytaimestra The whole army? Agamemnon The heir was Peleas. Old Man I I dont approve of words like these coming out of the mouths of leaders. And if only Zeus had not breathed his contrary wind upon Euripus, this wind that stopped this expedition from leaving for Troy! His wifes doing, so, let him kill his wifes daughter. 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! Chorus With what joy the Muses pounded the earth with their gold-sandaled feet as they climbed the mountain side to get to the wedding! The name of Tyndareus stands high among the Greeks and one shouldnt demean it. Youre the son of a god and I am a mere mortal! But as for you, daughter of Agamemnon! And Helen, Zeus daughter, will shed bitter tears, too, for betraying her husband. Let me make it absolutely clear, my lady: I was there and I saw it with my own eyes! So this is the armada I saw here and about which I had heard back home earlier. He married her and they had a son, Aeacus who became King of the island Oenone. My home! Achilles Then listen to me carefully, madam so that well achieve our aim. If only I could! Where are we going to set it up? Gather the baskets for the sacrifices, place wreaths on your head. 86 Boston MFA 6.67. Weve never met before. 65. 180. Chorus Awesome is the power of giving birth! Whats going on? some of them ask. You say youre happy to see me but your face looks worried! If I could use such a voice and have everyone charmed, have them convinced to agree with me and follow me, then I would use that voice. 1191. Iphigenia and Clytemnestra come to Aulis, and are received with acclamations by the Greeks. Making the Call: Reflections on This Is War - academia.edu It is unjust that you should be mourning while Im living a life full of joy. 583. Klytaimestra Ill certainly try that if thats the last thing I do! But I will talk: the strong ought to help the weak where they can, even if they have little to do with their plight. What is all this loud brawling in front of my tent? Written between 408, after Orestes, and 406 BC, the year of Euripides' death, the play was first produced the following year in a trilogy . Its going past those seven stars, the Pleiades, my lord straight through the very centre of the heavens. Klytaimestra Elected to commit a murder! They should bring you great joy after such a long absence from your home. If youre wise youll heed them; if not then, have no fear, I know how to settle my own affairs well. A real miracle! I just heard your voice from inside and came out to greet you. Give thanks to the goddess Hope! Im giving you my tears! Agamemnon Here, at the harbour, near our beautiful Greek ships. There will be no grave. Figure 2.3: Iphigenia being dragged toward the altar for sacrifice, 91 430-420 BCE. Achilles I told them that if thats what they thought, then they should not kill my intended wife. I have brought with me your daughter, Iphigeneia and her mother -your wife- Klytaimestra, as well as your young son, Orestes. Listen, mother; hear what thoughts have passed across my mind. 550. Klytaimestra Ive come out here looking for my husband. Chorus A man whose body will be clothed in golden armour, fashioned by Hephaistos himself and given as a gift to him by his divine mother. 1070. Klytaimestra Did they? After that, Paris, the man who, according to the legend, judged the three goddesses, Hera, Aphrodite and Athena, for their beauty, arrived atSparta. 560. Agamemnon What? Let us pray for a good fortune! It seems that the generals do as they please with me. The sacrifice of Iphigenia would be covered by Euripides in 'Iphigenia at Aulis' and in this version Agamemnon has second thoughts. She leads her mother into the tent and returns to centre stage. Perhaps were both being deceived. Amazon.com: Iphigenia in Aulis: 9781534322158: Euripides, Einhorn The whole thing is a game played by the heavens! No fancy, confusing words for you. When is the wedding? Ah! 1531. Which one will it be? Then Talthybius stood up amongst them all and told them to be silent. Look at him for the last time. Agamemnon I, with all the Greeks as witnesses shall give Iphigeneia away. Your wit is truly far greater than mine. We are doomed now! But listen to me, Iphigeneia. Only your knees. Have no fear, the pain will soften with custom and with the passage of time. Accept it and let our spears sack the tall towers of Troy!. Old Man And, my lord, if I say all these things youve just told me, will your daughter and your wife believe me? First Chorus Our husbands told us they are all gathered here, under the helm of Agamemnon and his fair haired brother, Menelaos, noblemen both, preparing to launch an expedition againstTroy. Iphigeneia Stop! I dont understand, father. Agamemnon Zeus. 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. They live at a place, darling, where I wish Paris, Priams son, never lived! These are things you should know nothing about! Conditions and Exceptions apply. I shall go to the priest. He and no one else! 1180. Euripides. What is a prophet? It is a bitter thing for a father to take, a father who has worked hard but who must send his daughters away away to another household. You are the cause of it! Achilles Her father had promised her to me! Do you think that I, son of Atreas the fearless, will be afraid to raise my eyes and look at you in the eye? Is it marriage? No, youve brought me to life so that the whole of Greece may rejoice! If you cannot persuade him then come back to me. Your words are good, worthy of our country. Do you not want to fight for her? Iphigenia in Aulis Wikipedia Republished // WIKI 2 510. Volume II. She goes to the door of the tent and opens it so that the servant may hear her. He writes a few words, then scratches them out and begins again. Lets not have the common tongues wag against us. Obedient child. Iphigeneia How wonderful it is to see you again, daddy! 680. Here, father, here is the body of a suppliant! 1031. Iphigeneia Well then, get rid of this ugly frown from the face that I love so much! 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. Iphigenia's mother Clytemnestra is also determined to save her. We would be treating gods as fools if we thought that they would act kindly towards murderers. I bore you this son a son and three daughters and now you tear one of them from my hands so violently! Those with dignity are respected, those without are shamed, though defending ones dignity is not always possible. You write down some words, then you scratch them out and write other words in their place. Klytaimestra Oh, Gods! 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. He walks slowly about the stage for a moment, anxiously searching the starry sky. I need to tell you things that our daughter should not hear. Iphigenia In Aulis - 666 Words | 123 Help Me Agamemnon Very soon. My armed comrades will be there with me to save your life, to stop your execution. He kept pace with the rail and with the wheels of the chariot. Enough! Chorus And they will surround the cityPergamum, all about its stone towers with murderous war-men wholl smash the heads of the Trojans, cut through their necks and tear their city down to its foundations. I accepted my fortune and youll admit that I have always been a good wife to you. My death will bring about all this liberation and my good name will live into eternity. Now make your answer reasonable also! Its a meadow full of bright and beautiful flowers. CLYTEMNESTRA Now hear me, for my thoughts will I unfold In no obscure and coloured mode of speech. Why run away? Iphigeneia Of course. Your own baby! It is improper for tears to be shed during holy rites.