Im giving you my tears! People will talk about how Ive saved Greece. 691. 520. 666 words. Let no Greek touch my body with his hand. Klytaimestra bursts into tears. Exit Agamemnon. 240, First Chorus Their emblem was the goddess, Palas Athena, standing on a chariot pulled by winged horses, an emblem that pleased and encouraged the sailors. This surely is nothing more than drivel spat out of the mouth of a mad old man! Klytaimestra Will anyone come to take her away? And thats why the whole ofGreecerose up in arms with great fervour. No man is blessed or happy for ever. Thats what Im afraid of! As the play opens, Iphigenia introduces herself. Iphigeneia hands baby Orestes to her mother, Iphigeneia If only I could sing like Orpheus, father! Figure 2.3: Iphigenia being dragged toward the altar for sacrifice, 91 430-420 BCE. 1270. Up there is my final argument. Greece is lucky to have you as one of her daughters I envy her and I envy you because you are lucky to have Greece as your mother. A city built by the Cyclopes! Let that stand for me in place of the children and the marriage I could have had. I shall speak clearly for you. What a wonderful excuse! Messenger No, my lady! Who can help me here? You were terrified of losing face and authority! Them and their pine sterns and their shiny bronze prows! 1340. Ah! Theyve all rushed over there to see her. Iphigeneia Make your worries go away, daddy. Dance around the temple of the blessed goddess! Ah! Old Man He tricked you about the marriage with Achilles, my lady, so that youd be willing to come here. Can I not mourn my daughters loss? She was falsely called your future wife. Euripides - "Greek Dramas" (p251, 1900): Internet Archive Book Images, Translated by George Theodoridis Copyright 2007, all rights reserved - Bacchicstage. 272. Famously, they partnered on Seamus Heaney's "The Burial at Thebes" at the Guthrie in fall 2011. Youre both in such a state of distress and confusion! Iphigenia's mother Clytemnestra is also determined to save her. Help my girl. Achilles Yes, madam and I too, am furious at your husband. 1160. A wise man must keep in his house a good and faithful woman, or else he should never marry! Ive changed because of my love for my mothers son. 303. The moment we got there with your daughter all the Greek soldiers gathered around us. His wifes doing, so, let him kill his wifes daughter. I envy the man with the quiet life, the safe life. Iphigeneia at Aulis. Because youre trying to save my girl? I know, Im behaving as if I were some god towards you though Im a mere mortal. The play provides some backstory to the more well-known classical tales of the Trojan War. The world beneath the earth is a world of nothing. IPHIGENIA IN AULIS A monologue from the play by Euripides NOTE: This monologue is reprinted from The Plays of Euripides in English, vol. Chorus Alas! Ive changed, youll say! Here comes Agamemnon! How I wish this herdsman, this boy who was brought up to care for cows, had never lived! Then thats the end, my sweetheart! Oh, my sweet daughter! And if I tried to run off toArgos, the whole lot of them will come over and destroy the place, raze the whole city to the ground, Cyclopean walls and all! Menelaos Leave! How I wish he never lived at that meadow where all the flowers bloomed: roses and hyacinths, all those flowers that the goddesses plucked. What pain should I mention first or second, or last? 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. He embraces and then steps back to look at her sadly. In his frenzy, he rushed about the whole ofGreece, calling upon everyone to remember Tyndareus solemn oath and to help him, since he was the wronged husband. Youll fight them all? That I could never do! A coward. 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 . Go inside now! You are, indeed, a noble soul and you leave me speechless and unable to argue against your views. No, it will not be necessary. I, the destroyer of Priams city and its people! This way, I hope, my pain will be lessened a little. I envy any man whose life passes quietly, unnoticed by fame. An XML version of this text is available for download, Achilles Weighty words, old man! 110. That child was Paris. 1171, I would be there, alone, Agamemnon, wailing, crying bitter tears, yelling, Darling Iphigeneia! Someone must be playing games with both of us for some reason! There, alongside of them, ran Achilles, Peleas son, in his full armour. Agamemnon Yes, so you see what sort of a man your future son-in-law is! Calchas gave you the answer and you jumped with joy when he told you that the Greeks would be able to sail forTroyonly after you had sacrificed your daughter to Artemis. Chorus Let Agamemnons name live for ever in glory! Now, you must take with you our newborn son from here and go back home. Klytaimestra Falls down and clasps Achilles knees. 1380. She is in there, crying and falling from one abyss of misery into another. But they cant, my darling daughter. I feel too humiliated to face you after the lies Ive uttered, after the dreadful way Ive been treated! As for the other sort, the bad ones, they are everywhere! First Chorus Women protect it well by avoiding immoderate love and men by bringing civil order in their city, thus making it great. Mahathma Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital > Blog Classic > Uncategorized > iphigenia in aulis monologue mother listen to me. Both you and I, whether we want to or not, must help Hellas stand free Hellas men cannot have their wives stolen from their beds. Pleas or no pleas the result will be the same with me because I have only one thing in mind, now: to save you both from this disaster! Then, the moment you became one, all this nice behaviour changed and you had turned your back on all your friends. Euripides died before completing this late masterpiece and it was prepared for its enthusiastically received first performance by his son or nephew. And I shall here where the groom is, I shall. Enter Second Chorus of men and women, Attendants of Klytaimestra, Second Chorus Indicating behind the curtains (Stage Left) 590. Let us pray for a good fortune! IPHIGENIA A T A ULIS presents many problems to the literary and textual critic. Enter AGAMEMNON and ATTENDANT. If only this town, if only Aulis, had refused to let all these Troy-destined ships enter her harbour! Weve been robbed! What do you think I and the rest of your family will feel towards you? 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! 630. Tell me the reason you will give no let me speak on your behalf, because I know what you will say. Pause. But go! Iphigeneia is crying. Iphigenia at Aulis seems to have been constructed in a society in which it was ideal to put nation and family ahead of oneself. Klytaimestra turns away angrily and enters the tent. She decides to ruin the party by tossing in a golden apple that says "To the . Whos calling through that half-opened door? 440. 411, Menelaos Enjoy the glory of your sceptre then! All of you! Achilles First, plead with him. Agamemnon The heir was Peleas. Why are you arguing with this man? Menelaos If you dont let go of it I shall crack your skull open with this staff! Agamemnon You? London: J.M. Iphigeneia Yes, mother. If the sons of Atreas practice honesty then I shall obey them but if they dont, rest assured, madam that Ill defy them. Achilles They were the worst of them all! There is no point. And you, you will carry the honour of my deed wherever you go! They picked up their spears, strapped on their armour, and rushed over here, inAulis, with ships, troops, and a huge number of horses and chariots. The only voice I have, father, my only skill, is in my tears and, here, father, Im giving them to you! A kiss to remember you by in the underworld, since my words have not convinced you. Let that act be what Ill be remembered by. Im shaking with fear. 27. Open navigation menu. Let someone go and prepare the sacrificial basket and may the blessed fire burn high with the purifying barley. On thy knees I hang, A suppliant wreath, this body, which she bore Stuffed full with men and spears. Euripides, Iphigenia in Tauris 390). Dont waste time kissing my hand. You shouldnt go against them! Your current position in the text is marked in blue. Klytaimestra Ah! She runs her hand over his chin, over his right hand. Iphigeneia Servants, quickly, open the doors of the tent so that I may hide! Married and single alike? All of them, here inAulis. iphigenia in aulis monologue mother listen to me2825 airview blvd kalamazoo, mi 49002. 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. 570. View a map of the most frequently mentioned places in this document. Iphigeneia Pelasgia! My country! And tell me another thing, Agamemnon: when you return home, when you come back to Argos, will you have the gall to put your arms around any of your children? Dont look at me for that, I cant give you one! Iphigeneia Are you sending me to live with another family, daddy? i. Trans. Cry! Come and hear my news! Iphigeneia Whats wrong, daddy? Iphigenia At Aulis By Euripides Written 410 B.C.E Dramatis Personae Agamemnon Attendant, an old man Chorus of Women of Chalcis Menelaus Clytaemnestra Iphigenia Achilles Scene The sea-coast at Aulis. My Pelasgia! A safe return? All of us we all heard the awful thud of the striking sword but when we looked up, we could not see the girl anywhere! Me, father! i. Trans. What does my life have to do with the marriage of Paris and Helen father? And this, my lady, this is no lie, believe me! Who gave you the right to spy upon my affairs? For use by any theatrical, educational or cinematic organisation, however, including a non-commercial one, permission must be sought. Do you think that I, son of Atreas the fearless, will be afraid to raise my eyes and look at you in the eye? This is a dreadful thing for me to do but it is just as dreadful not to do it. Now make your answer reasonable also! 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! Master! What marriage are you talking about, madam? He announced that if we did make that offering to the goddess, we would be able to sail away and we would succeed in sacking the Phrygian capital,Troy; otherwise we would fail. I have brought this bride here with strong hopes for a wonderful marriage. materials crossword clue 9 letters. Klytaimestra Yes, quite right, too! Agamemnon No need to tell me to answer you honestly. Iphigeneia Yes, mother, please let me run to him before you do. Dont bother making a long speech about it, husband! Oh! Cassandra who shakes loose her golden hair beneath the green garland of laurel whenever the god grips her with his prophetic gasp. The gods deserted you and they wouldnt give you a favourable wind for our sails. Horrible Fate, what a dreadful yoke youve locked me into! With what face shall I receive hers? Chorus What an awful, pitiful fate you must endure, child! I offer my neck quietly and with no fear for the knife. 1550, Thats what she said and every man there was amazed at the bravery and the virtue of the young girl. 730. Klytaimestra Really? Klytaimestra Sounds ideal to me. I had put a wedding wreath on her head and brought her here to be your wife. Chorus There, upon the citys towers and round about its high walls, the Trojan folk will stand when the warriors with their bronze shields bring their ships closer, over the rivers waters, after their long journey over the ocean. I want neither to overwhelm you by its excess nor insult you by its timidity. 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. Menelaos Yes, but an unstable mind is an evil thing, something which befuddles the minds of ones friends. 190. Helen, wife of Menelaus, king of Sparta, had eloped to Troy with Paris, son of King Priam. How can I insult them all -insult their efforts, by trying to save myself I, one, single life? Think nothing of it! 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. Im very pleased that you, too, honour the goddess Modesty, Achilles! He has abandoned me to deal with this dreadful calamity all on my own! Agamemnon Call on me when you want me to do something reasonable, not when you want to ruin me. It is what a mother must do! 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? We use cookies for social media and essential site functions. Those worthy of praise find it a hateful thing when they are praised too profusely. Klytaimestra Ahhh! Agamemnon Curse Calchas and his whole horde of glory-loving prophets! So angry were my twin brothers, the Dioscuri, that they came charging down from Zeus side on their glistening horses to fight you but you went begging to my old father, Tyndareus and he, not only saved you but made me your wife! I was given as a gift to her father, Tyndareus. Klytaimestra What? He writes a few words, then scratches them out and begins again. Klytaimestra So, my sweet darling must face this horrible fate because of the need to bring Helen back? Effie (Sophie Melville) is a hard-nosed . Agamemnon to trick Iphigenia into coming to Aulis. No, dont bury your face inside your cloak! Chorus Listen to her, Agamemnon! 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. i. Trans. Overview. Ah, heres your father, go to him, darling! Your wit is truly far greater than mine. What is it that I need to hear alone, out here? Finally, my old friend, he came upon the answer. It is my name that he will be using as his sword to slaughter Iphigeneia and this awful man will disgrace my body if I let your daughter, who was about to marry me and who has suffered this insufferable fete die because of me. Klytaimestra The whole army? You, Paris, you son of Priam! Of all of my children, you, Iphigeneia, have always loved your father the most! Chorus Then the Greeks shall tie a garland around your fair hair and stain your human throat with your own blood. Dire to me because it brought about my death. 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. Click anywhere in the Chorus Gods laws are ruled by lawlessness and mortals dont unite to stand against the wrath of Heaven. See, father? Then Calchas, the priest, took out a sharp sword out of its sheath and placed it in a basket made of gold. Achilles By the goddess Modesty! Chorus There goes the destroyer of Troy and her people! 1000. Achilles They jeered at me! 710. Will he not get furious with you and with your wife if you deprive him of his bride? Have no fear, the pain will soften with custom and with the passage of time. Klytaimestra No, what hes done to you will cost him a great deal of trouble! Iphigenia in Aulis by Euripides 4,589 ratings, 4.04 average rating, 210 reviews Open Preview Iphigenia in Aulis Quotes Showing 1-25 of 25 "He loves power. Old Man Yes, my lady. Achilles Yes. 260. Then he placed a garland upon the girls head and sprinkled holy water on her hair. This is the letter which you saw me writing in the dark, opening it and shutting it, labouring over it. Agamemnon Neither. Because, even though it would be improper for a little girl to plead at a mans knees, she will put aside her sense of modesty and do it, if you wish. Agamemnon My thoughts exactly, my darling. He is interrupted by Klytaimestras entrance. Old Man And you know, too that I was part of your dowry when you married King Agamemnon. Out here, in front of the tent! I know what you want to do to me Go on! Dawns light is already being taken over by the fire of the Suns brilliant chariot! Aided and abetted by the gods! Well, you pretended you didnt want the job but you did. I have tried desperately to send Klytaimestra away from here but Ive failed. But I have no such skill. Let me, instead, save Greece, if I can. Why are we wasting our time around here? Out of my senses! ancient Greek wedding ritual, Iphigenia comes to Aulis accompanied by her mother and brother. This sword will have blood on it even before I leave for Troy! Whats with this flushed face of yours? It is Hellas I must obey, darling, not Menelaos. Come, disband the army and leaveAulismy brother and stop your tears and mine! Reg. Record the pronunciation of this word in your own voice and play it to listen to how you have pronounced it. Another, Pallas, was proud of her war spear and the third, Hera, proud of the fact that she shared her bed with Lord Zeus. CLYTEMNESTRA: Now hear me, for my thoughts will I unfold In no obscure and coloured mode of speech. Those two had hair the colour of fire and were spotted from below the ankles of their great hooves. Forget it, madam! No! Your voice has horrified me! 1580. The Greeks were then enabled to set sail. If only I could! Ah! Menelaos Not if he dies first. Should you not be expecting a poisonous welcome since youre departing like a snake? Am I not allowed to manage the affairs of my own home, in my own way, now? On thy knees I hang, A suppliant wreath, this body, which she bore 1891. Agamemnon The entire Greek army, Menelaos! You just cant imagine Calchas joy, madam! What a dreadful thought to have in your mind! Tell us whats wrong! Its a meadow full of bright and beautiful flowers. 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? Exit Achilles. One of his servants go and tell him that Achilles, Peleas son is here, waiting for him, at the entrance of his tent! Klytaimestra I am not so insensitive, Agamemnon. How could I, a mortal, go against that? Ah! Iphigeneia Im not afraid to say this in front of everyone: Helen, Tyndareus daughter, has caused wars and the endless spilling of blood because of her body. Look! Cacoyannis achieved the impossible. What shall I say to my wife, then? Which one will it be? It was there, at that meadow that Pallas Athena and Aphrodite, whose heart was full of cunning, came with Hera and Hermes, Zeus messenger. It is for Hellas that I am forced to sacrifice you. Why where do they say the Phrygians live, father? See that there are no wheel marks on the road. The looks your face took up at that suggestion! Achilles You must grab her and not let go of her.