Agamemnon It will take place after I make the sacrifice. My daughters life hangs on your will. I I felt a sharp pain cutting into my heart, my lady and I looked down onto the earth. What will you ask the gods to grant you as your knife cuts through your daughters throat? Chorus Then the Greeks shall tie a garland around your fair hair and stain your human throat with your own blood. Sacrifice me. If only this town, if only Aulis, had refused to let all these Troy-destined ships enter her harbour! Its true, my lady that there are times when it is more pleasant to avoid excessive wisdom and there are times when wisdom is helpful but I, madam, I was raised in the house of Chiron, a centaur who respected the simple ways, the honest ways. I feel too humiliated to face you after the lies Ive uttered, after the dreadful way Ive been treated! No, you look after everything outside the household and I shall take care of things within it! Shes about to be slaughtered by the hand of her own father! 520. It makes the mother love her child most deeply and she will defend it with her life. Overview. I, too feel the same pain so I wont be angry with you. He is interrupted by Klytaimestras entrance. Help us, Achilles! How dare you! Chorus Oh, I hope Ill never see the day, nor should my children nor my grand children, should see the day when I suffer the torture that the golden Lydian women will suffer, the wives of those Trojan men, who will be suffering when, years later, working at their looms theyd be talking of this! I shall look elsewhere for friends and help. But, my brother, we can do nothing now but go on with the bloody murder of my darling daughter. This surely is nothing more than drivel spat out of the mouth of a mad old man! Klytaimestra I am not so insensitive, Agamemnon. Here she is but Ill do the talking for both of us. Here is the body that your wife has given birth to. First Chorus I, too, feel pity for you if it is at all proper for a foreigner to feel pity for the plight of kings. Achilles Yes, many and theyll be lead by Odysseus! I shall think of nothing else but you from now on. Christoph Willibald Gluck: Overture to "Iphigenia in Aulis" (orch. Agamemnon My thoughts exactly, my darling. The barbarians will no longer abduct them and carry them off from our wealthy shores, once Helens abduction by Paris has been avenged. Iphigeneia Pelasgia! Do you not care about me any more? And, do I not also have the right to make my own prayer to the gods about you? I dont have to do anything he says and I didnt. Poor, poor girl! Agamemnon You? But in an emotional solo scene, she has a vision of the sacrifice. Iphigeneia Whats wrong, daddy? A prophet? Klytaimestra Yes! If you really want to do something againstTroythen do it, or else just take us all back home. 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. 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. Go, now! Reg. With blessings or with force? Why are we wasting our time around here? Agamemnon Of course you do so long as you dont try to ruin them! 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. No! It seems Im eagerly preparing for an imaginary wedding! Agamemnon Yes, I see it and, before you start youd better hand it back to me! Give you my right hand? They want me to. 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. Oh, my girl! Iphigeneia How wonderful it is to see you again, daddy! Klytaimestra I know well that you are an old servant of my house. Someone has exposed my plans! Go! Yes, you, daughter of the long-necked swan! Klytaimestra You? 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! Ah! And there, along the white sands below, Nereus fifty daughters whirled and weaved their dance circles and made splendid the wedding of the Nereid. Shelley Dean Milman. Iphigenia decides to sacrifice her life for the glory of Greece. What a hateful, bitter sight is Helen! The only other Greeks who know about this are Calchas, Odysseus and Menelaos. Come and hear my news! 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. A teller of truth one time and a teller of lies one thousand times if hes lucky! Shhhh listen to me! Klytaimestra Theyve tricked my daughter to her death by promising her to you in marriage. Still, the girl came up close to him and said, Daddy, here I am, ready to do as you say. London: J.M. The Old Man fearfully pokes his head through the flaps of the tent. Only fools would pray to go down there. 1191. You mean, the son of Sisyphus? Open Document. Iphigenia in Aulis has been added to your Cart . Achilles Not if Ill have anything to say about it! Menelaos How else, then, can you, Agamemnon, prove that we are brothers? He married Thetis, Nereus daughter. Iphigeneia No, mother. First Chorus There you were, Paris: a man brought up to be a cowherd, looking after the grazing, white cows of Ida with their heavy udders, playing Asian tunes in your reedy pipes, airs much like those Trojan songs from Mount Olympus when, suddenly, you had to judge between three goddesses; and it was this judging that has sent you to Helens ivory palace in Hellas. First Chorus Their captain was Eurytus. Buy used: $6.99. Klytaimestra Peers into the distance anxiously for a moment but is finally relieved. Im not too proud to do so. Iphigeneia Youve been so long here in the harbours ofAulis! They fuse into one. He is writing a letter (on a scroll) an exercise which, it seems, is difficult for him. Bring him up to be a man. You find my words strange but I find yours equally odd! Klytaimestra Yes, quite right, too! Figure 2.3: Iphigenia being dragged toward the altar for sacrifice, 91 430-420 BCE. Chorus And the weeping and wailing of Priams daughters and of his wife will be bitter and piercing. Here, take it now and carry it over toArgos. We cant go on fighting against Necessity! IPHIGENIA A T A ULIS presents many problems to the literary and textual critic. A terrible love." Euripides, Iphigenia in Aulis tags: euripides , greek-tragedy , iphigenia-at-aulis , power , power-hungry 11 likes Like Its going past those seven stars, the Pleiades, my lord straight through the very centre of the heavens. First Chorus What an awful thing it is for brothers whose views differ to come to insults! The sparkling water of your ancestral streams is waiting for you! I hate such relationships; they bring bitter pain to all. 543. Soldiers who have been gathered together, away from the chores of their homes and are idle have malice and gossip ready at their tongue. What a lusty fervour the whole ofGreecehas stirred up for this expedition! Rather, I have an amazing story to tell you about your daughter. What a sweet joy! Is being a General the only thing in your head? Dont bother making a long speech about it, husband! Klytaimestra Answer me honestly, my husband! She has accepted this offering gladly and has granted us a safe journey for our expedition against Troy. Achilles Weighty words, old man! Klytaimestra You, alone? I always have! Record the pronunciation of this word in your own voice and play it to listen to how you have pronounced it. / Malvaux > Non class > iphigenia in aulis monologue mother listen to me / 15.02.22 iphigenia in aulis monologue mother listen to me . Second Chorus They are the offspring of a great and most fortunate family. Then you scratch away the seal and then you throw its pine frame onto the ground and then you begin to cry profusely! Dont force me to become evil! Youll fight them all? Menelaos I swear, Agamemnon, by our father, Atreas and by our grandfather Pelops that I will tell you the truth plainly and clearly, just as I feel it in my heart and as I know it in my mind. Agamemnon Neither. Both of us, darling! Not a sound to be heard anywhere, old man! 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. IPHIGENIA IN AULIS A monologue from the play by Euripides NOTE: This monologue is reprinted from The Plays of Euripides in English, vol. Enter Second Chorus of men and women, Attendants of Klytaimestra, Second Chorus Indicating behind the curtains (Stage Left) 590. You havent given birth to me simply for your own sake! Shelley Dean Milman. Accomplish your tasks, old man! I envy the man who knows no fame; and I dont envy the man whose life is heavy with the trappings of office. Introduction. Menelaus appears to be the caring brother. We will soon reveal Agamemnons sacrilegious schemes against his very own children! You will be doing so to a man whos loyal and faithful to you. The strength of the minor characters in Agamemnon distinguishes this play from a number of Aeschylus' other works. Arent you ashamed of yourself? I shall give it to her for the sake of Greece. We must do what we must do, to please the gods. The second, Iphigenia at Aulis, so vastly different as to highlight the playwright's Protean invention, centres on the ultimate dysfunctional family, that of Agamemnon, as natural emotion is. Well then, tell me: what will your prayer, your plea to the gods be? Then Talthybius stood up amongst them all and told them to be silent. Why has their marriage brought about my death, father? 303. Klytaimestra May joy be with you for ever, Achilles. Listen, mother; hear what thoughts have passed across my mind. Words escape me! Enter a Perseus citation to go to another section or work. I, the destroyer of Priams city and its people! In early youth, when first my soul, in love, Held father, mother, brethren fondly twin'd, A group of tender germs, in union sweet, We sprang in beauty from the parent stem, And heavenward grew. No, thats not a good idea, Klytaimestra Ill hold you tight, by your clothes, Iphigeneia No, mother. Achilles Words, logic, can fight off fear. Should I exchange the good for bad? Klytaimestra Hes an evil man, my husband. Iphigenia in Aulis. "Iphigenia at Aulis" (Gr: "Iphigeneia en Aulidi") is the last extant tragedy by the ancient Greek playwright Euripides. I dont understand, father. Iphigenia at Aulis Review I attended Iphigenia in Aulis at the Getty Villa on Thursday, September 21 at 8:00 PM. 1290. The young heifers that will be sacrificed and that will deliver their abundant dark blood to the goddess Artemis are ready. 1560. It is our custom to bury sacrificial offerings. He was her lord. Ive changed my mind, brother. When I first thought you were going to be my son-in-law, I had high hopes vain hopes as it turned out but hopes nevertheless. 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. Agamemnon And still something is holding back the expedition. What do they want to do with you? A city built by the Cyclopes! It is Hellas I must obey, darling, not Menelaos. Whether I do it or I dont, the consequences for me will be the same. Achilles Then listen to me carefully, madam so that well achieve our aim. What was the point of bringing us up here for a marriage that. First Chorus Oh, Lady, goddess of love, Aphrodite! Klytaimestra Will anyone come to take her away? Now make your answer reasonable also! I have no one else to turn to, no other friend, no other altar to pray upon. Chorus There goes the destroyer of Troy and her people! One of the most performed Greek tragedies, the play explores the breakdown of social norms in times of war and how war breeds inhuman habits in the most human of men. As the play opens, Iphigenia introduces herself. You must expect to suffer as well as rejoice, since you're a man. Tell me what it is you want, now. Klytaimestra And kept his promise by bringing her here, to you, all the way from Argos! My life, mummy, my life has been saved! Old Man I I dont approve of words like these coming out of the mouths of leaders. This got me so angry that the very next moment I ordered Talthybius to use his powerful voice and call the army to disband. 950. Come, then, Lord Agamemnon, make a start on the celebrations. Klytaimestra You have the impudence to ask me that? The Aenians brought twelve ships, captained by their king, Gouneus; and beside them were moored the lords ofEliswhom everyone called Epeians. Menelaos Leave! Iphigenia I am ashamed to face Achilles. Our daughters marriage is my concern! 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. Old Man Yes, dear lady! But listen to me, Iphigeneia. 1160. Menelaos Yes, you may well suffer now because I did break your seal and yes, I do know the secret trickery you were concocting! Klytaimestra What? Here, father, here is the body of a suppliant! These are wicked pleasures for a wicked man! Only the two choruses are now present. Achilles Yes, it might be just that. Achilles I do, my lady and I can see its a horrible thing for you to endure. Let me, instead, save Greece, if I can. Theyve all rushed over there to see her. 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. Klytaimestra Unfortunate, Achilles, yes, that is true! See that there are no wheel marks on the road. If Im lying to you, madam, then let death come upon me. 330. The whole Greek army, Klytaimestra, thats who! Give her your arms and bring her down safely. 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. 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. They say that Zeus had transformed himself into a bird and then slept with your mother. Agamemnon Sisyphus son, Odysseus, knows our whole story. Agamemnon He lives in Phthia, by the river Apidanus. I saw you trying to write it by the light of that lamp there. Agamemnon Yes but first I must make a sacrifice here, inAulis. Achilles Yes, madam and I too, am furious at your husband. Youve done all you could to help your big sister, havent you? Orpheus, who could charm even the heartless rocks into following him! Your wit is truly far greater than mine. 1171, I would be there, alone, Agamemnon, wailing, crying bitter tears, yelling, Darling Iphigeneia! The future of our Greek women rests upon my actions. He sounds frightened. The choruses "Que d'attraits" and "Non, jamais, jamais aux regards" are full of grace. Iphigeneia Stop! Image from Vermeule and Chapman (1971) Plate 71. Where has the strength of the face of Modesty or of Virtue gone? 510. Hide browse bar Its not proper for young girls to be in the public eye for too long. Son of the Nereid, you are marrying my daughter. Where shall I go to find your hand, to ask you to help me in my hour of despair? Old Man Both of you have pitiable fates, my lady! Old Man You have dared to do a most frightening thing, my lord, Agamemnon! Its been such a long time! And I also hear what theyve done to me! Iphigeneia Will I go on my own or with mother? Klytaimestra What? 1600. Chorus He said your daughter is still alive, my lady! She takes the baby Orestes from Iphigeneias hands. Im leaving for another world! Klytaimestra Darling, no! Were working on it right now. How. Them and their pine sterns and their shiny bronze prows! 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. A good man, my brother, must not change his manner just because his life is going well. I cannot defy the goddess demands, my darling. Poor, poor child! The gods deserted you and they wouldnt give you a favourable wind for our sails. What a shocking thing that would be! Agamemnon Curse Calchas and his whole horde of glory-loving prophets! Iphigeneia is crying. This might turn out to be a blessing for us -. 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. 1230. Then, you arrived here, inAulis, with the whole of the Greek army and immediately you lost every virtue you had.