Shelley Dean Milman. Achilles He was elected, all right, but he didnt say no! 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. You write down some words, then you scratch them out and write other words in their place. 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. She leans before him and embraces his knees. Chiron, the wise teacher, was entrusted by a wiser parent! Under no circumstances should any of this work be used as part of a collage, which includes the work of other writers or translators. Iphigeneia No, mother. 290. Agamemnon Make sure you dont break the seal of the scroll! 1290. Where did you catch him? 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. Iphigeneia Will I go on my own or with mother? Why are we wasting our time around here? Go away old man! You can see it! 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?. No, mother, let one of daddys servants accompany me to Artemis woods, the place where I shall be sacrificed. Do you not want to fight for her? Klytaimestra And is that where hell take our daughter? Cheiron, the centaur did, so that the child might be brought up not knowing the behaviour of evil men. How I wish this herdsman, this boy who was brought up to care for cows, had never lived! Your old father-in-law, Tyndareus, gave me to your wife, Klytaimestra, as part of her dowry, to be her loyal servant. Iphigeneia is crying. Iphigeneia Yes, mother, please let me run to him before you do. Now let go of my letter! 1090. How can I endure your death? Chorus Enjoy now the sacrifice of blood and then help the Greek army launch its expedition to the land of the Phrygians, Troy the treacherous! What has brought on all this anxiety? And Im very pleased to see you, too! CineMan-8 20 April 1999. By my grand-father, my mothers father, Nereus, who was nurtured by the ocean waves! The play was set in the small amphitheater at the Getty Villa. Agamemnon My old friend, Thestius daughter, Leda, had three daughters: Phoebe, Klytaimestra (my wife) and Helen. 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. What a dreadful thought to have in your mind! 630. Husband, I know the prospective grooms name but I know little about his family or his country. Why where do they say the Phrygians live, father? My Pelasgia! There is no need! It was a lie. Brothers fight because of lust and because of greed in their inheritance. 510. Iphigeneia Make your worries go away, daddy. Agamemnon No, the wedding was held in the sacred valleys of Pelion, where Cheiron lives. Agamemnon dares to commit a most dreadful deed! Gods forbid that I should choose to lose a brother to win a Helen! Or else let Menelaos kill Hermione, his own daughter. And thats when shell discover my treachery! If the gods are just, then they should reward just men like you. My friend, neither kill nor be killed because of me. Image from Vermeule and Chapman (1971) Plate 71. My Mycenae! Old Man How can you say such a thing, my lord? What marriage are you talking about, madam? Chorus That is the city of Perseus, youre calling to! Promise me, mummy! Old Man You should not have opened this letter! The world beneath the earth is a world of nothing. I saw you trying to write it by the light of that lamp there. Mother, I see a group of men coming towards us! The play was produced in a trilogy that also included The Bacchae and was presented by Euripides' son or nephew. Iphigeneia Whats wrong, daddy? Klytaimestra Listen then and listen to me well! 730. 785, Chorus Do you hear them, Helen? All of you! Hide browse bar Agamemnon I envy you, old man! A nanny is holding the baby Orestes in her arms. They hate me the most! Klytaimestra But why? Achilles My lady, I have never proposed to your daughter Atreas sons have never talked to me about a marriage! But they cant, my darling daughter. Copyright 2000-2023 A. S. Kline, All Rights Reserved. But wholl carry the bridal torch? Klytaimestra What? Then he placed a garland upon the girls head and sprinkled holy water on her hair. Where inGreecedoes he live? Agamemnon Look, the sacrificial ceremony is ready. Ask me, what is it? It is Hellas I must obey, darling, not Menelaos. This is desperate behaviour, my lord and it leaves no doubt to anyone who sees you, my lord, that youve gone mad! They were sitting together on stools, joyfully immersed in a game of draughts, a game full of complex moves. He is the very reason you are here! That would be bad for both of us. You win, I cry. London: J.M. 330. He married Thetis, Nereus daughter. Here, take it now and carry it over toArgos. Then the priest took hold of the sword and, after a few words of prayer, began searching the girls neck looking for the best place to strike. He kept pace with the rail and with the wheels of the chariot. 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. Stay here with us, with all your children! And how did you respond to that? Protect your name. Agamemnon Of course you do so long as you dont try to ruin them! Agamemnon Achilles is acting in name only and not in deed. He is interrupted by Klytaimestras entrance. 1100. Menelaos Listen to me, Agamemnon! 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! Menelaos Act according to your position, or youll be very sorry, old man! Go! Ill now stand by you and so I advise you not to kill your daughter or put my own interests before yours. Iphigeneia I am a fortunate girl, mother. Weve never met before. First Chorus Helen was given as a gift toParis, by Aphrodite, one day when, near the cool springs, she won the beauty contest from her rivals, Hera and Palas Athena. Agamemnon The entire Greek army, Menelaos! On thy knees I hang, A suppliant wreath, this body, which she bore Klytaimestra But why didnt you deliver that message to me, if it was in your hand? Klytaimestra So, who raised the young Achilles, Thetis or his father? From now on I will live there in that other world. Iphigeneia Of course. If youre wise youll heed them; if not then, have no fear, I know how to settle my own affairs well. 1200. Iphigenia at Aulis was first performed in 405 B.C.E., the year after Euripides' death. You are the cause of it! 260. I envy the man who knows no fame; and I dont envy the man whose life is heavy with the trappings of office. Your wit is truly far greater than mine. Menelaos True. The returned soldier has been a central figure in the first wave of Canadian plays to deal with the War in Afghanistan. 700. 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! 1350. First Chorus Come, children of Chalkis, let us go and give the Argive Queen our gentle and firm hand to help her step down safely from her carriage and let us look welcoming towards Agamemnons glorious daughter lest she be afraid of having arrived here at this place and at this time; and let us also make sure that the Argive women feel no distress or concern for being strangers in a strange place. He sounds frightened. I want neither to overwhelm you by its excess nor insult you by its timidity. The sun should rise slowly until full daylight is reached just before line 164. 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. Me, father! I am here, madam, as I will be in Troy also, to defend with my shield and with my spear my honour as a man and to do my best to glorify the god of war, Ares. Prepare my sacrifice. Because the workings of your mind always have been, are now and always will be, deceitful. Were working on it right now. Chorus He is the Trojan Ganymede, the loving delight of Zeus bed! Iphigeneia Then I shall be stupid and make you laugh! Next to him was Myriones, son of Ares, a marvel to all men and Odysseus, Laertes son, who came from the hills of his island,Ithaca. Iphigeneia I am ashamed because my marriage has turned out to be such a dismal failure. You are, indeed, a noble soul and you leave me speechless and unable to argue against your views. My armed comrades will be there with me to save your life, to stop your execution. You may accept or manage cookie usage at any time. Old Man You have dared to do a most frightening thing, my lord, Agamemnon! Here, then, I have suffered the greatest misfortune yet I am ashamed to cry just as I am also ashamed to hold back my tears. First Chorus Different words now but better. Ah! I beg you, father! 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! 389. Enter Second Messenger running excitedly. 1270. Dance around the temple of the blessed goddess! But then, suddenly a miracle happened, my lady! 1460. Abominable creature! What is it that I need to hear alone, out here? Towards this now, mother turn your thoughts, and with me weigh how well I speak; to me the whole of mighty. I am going to go and speak with your husband. He alone did it, he, alone, with his very own hand! Menelaos If you dont let go of it I shall crack your skull open with this staff! 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! The whole of Greece is gathered here and they all want one thing: to go to the famous city of Troy and tear down her towers. Iphigenia has arrived in Aulis, and soon the army will be demanding her death. Chorus Listen to her, Agamemnon! 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. The very last thing you do. Not a sound to be heard anywhere, old man! If your pleas work and they save the girls life, then my intervention will not be necessary. Yet it is right that she should come with her sweet daughter to give her away as a bride. Let that act be what Ill be remembered by. This is the very same sky that heard your words then and the words you chose to write afterwards, reversing your message to your wife, telling her this time, in words to the effect that Ill no longer be my daughters murderer! 360. Oh, what a joy it is to see you, Iphigeneia! Record the pronunciation of this word in your own voice and play it to listen to how you have pronounced it. We are doomed now! It is a glory that will never wither in the minds of the Greeks. It is what a mother must do! Chorus They tell me that Cassandra, Apollos priestess is there. Iphigenia at Aulis Review I attended Iphigenia in Aulis at the Getty Villa on Thursday, September 21 at 8:00 PM. His head falls into his arms and he begins sobbing. You know the dread that Agamemnon has brought upon us. Thats what theyll be saying; and all this because of you, Helen! I shall do as you say. It was there, at that meadow that Pallas Athena and Aphrodite, whose heart was full of cunning, came with Hera and Hermes, Zeus messenger. i. Trans. They first worked. 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. What a price to pay for the sake of saving a slut! He gains control of the scroll. 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. Klytaimestra May the gods give your heart strength! King Agamemnon is talking to a old man and says that he envies the poor man's situation in life. Mother, no! Mahathma Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital > Blog Classic > Uncategorized > iphigenia in aulis monologue mother listen to me. First Chorus Words worthy of Tantalus, Zeus son. 1260. 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. Close suggestions Search Search The whole Greek army, Klytaimestra, thats who! Old Man Both of you have pitiable fates, my lady! After all, what is it exactly that I want? A kiss to remember you by in the underworld, since my words have not convinced you. options are on the right side and top of the page. For such a young girl you are so intelligent! But, alas, the road was long, my lord and so the women are now having a rest by the refreshing waters of a spring. Fate gave me nothing to be proud of. They will say that even though you werent wedded to her, you were still the poor virgins promised husband. Klytaimestra What is it? Well! 1410. Over the centuries other hands have contributed to the text we now have but even so for the most part it shows Euripides at his finest. Chorus What a delightful wedding song was sung while the Lybian flute played on the day that Thetis and Peleas married! Whats going on? some of them ask. Come, friends, sing with me in praise of the goddess whose temple faces Chalkis, the place where the spears of war are waiting for me in anger! rancho mission viejo rienda; mamma restaurant london. What destruction! Give me your hand, my dear child. All this is his own doing. Chorus Awesome is the power of giving birth! I am resolved to die; and this I want to do with honor, dismissing from me what is mean. Why run away? 190. Now come out of Agamemnons tent. My own heart aches more for poor Hellas than for you because Hellas was about to achieve something great against the barbarians when you and your daughter stopped her; and now these insignificant barbarians will be allowed to go free! 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. You were still the man she loved. The suitors should all swear a solemn oath, by giving their right hand and by making sacred sacrifices, that each and every one of them would defend the man who won Helens hand in marriage, no matter who that would be and to come to his aid in case someone stole her from their home and thus deprived that man of his legal conjugal bed. changes, storing new additions in a versioning system. 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. 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. I was beaten by all the noise. I have tried desperately to send Klytaimestra away from here but Ive failed. Ah! Old Man Yes, my lady. Stay! What does the army want? She was the Queen of the gods. Shelley Dean Milman. First Chorus Words that will not shame your ancestors. 680. 1031. 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. Perhaps were both being deceived. Why are you arguing with this man? How much more time do we need to waste on this expedition toTroy? And others, is there going to be a wedding? Yet others again, did the king call his daughter here because hes missed her? Then there were others who said, the girl will be presented to the goddess Artemis, protector ofAulis, before the wedding. Thats where all the gods held the wedding feast. Introduction. Menelaos Yes, you may well suffer now because I did break your seal and yes, I do know the secret trickery you were concocting! Achilles Me, too! Here is the body that your wife has given birth to. 1010. I, the destroyer of Priams city and its people! Orestes is begging you, too! Its not Menelaos whos in control here, Iphigeneia. This light is the sweetest thing that can fill the eyes! No, dont bury your face inside your cloak! It all starts at the wedding of Peleus and Thetis (Achilles' parents) Thetis is divine, so they invite all the gods and goddesses, except Strife. Can you pronounce this word better. Im shaking with fear. So now, go on, take them all, take all these lunatics, all these soldiers and lead them on to the expedition. Iphigeneia begins towards the tent but is stopped by her father. What a disgraceful behaviour! Remember, father? Agamemnon! Has my husband gone insane? 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. But tell me what I must do. Pensively, anxiously. For a moment a great deal of shouting by men is heard behind the curtains. Please dont get angry with me. And if only Zeus had not breathed his contrary wind upon Euripus, this wind that stopped this expedition from leaving for Troy! Iphigenia at Aulis seems to have been constructed in a society in which it was ideal to put nation and family ahead of oneself. How. First Chorus And fast-footed Achilles, too, whose feet fly faster than the wind. Enter Second Chorus of men and women, Attendants of Klytaimestra, Second Chorus Indicating behind the curtains (Stage Left) 590. Orpheus, who could charm even the heartless rocks into following him! Where will I find you? Agamemnon He lives in Phthia, by the river Apidanus. We use cookies for essential site functions and for social media integration. 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 . I shall do as you say. And I also hear what theyve done to me! You were only too glad to take up that offer! 65. CLYTEMNESTRA: Now hear me, for my thoughts will I unfold In no obscure and coloured mode of speech. You both know the size of the army gathered here. Youve murdered Tantalus, my first husband and with even more brutal violence, youve torn my baby from my breast and dashed it hard against the ground! Are we not all wasting our time here, by the banks ofEpirus? Whats in your mind, this time, my lord Agamemnon? 450. Let me hug him tightly against my breast before you do! with the additional restriction that you offer Perseus any modifications you make. Old Man A slave. Have no fear, the pain will soften with custom and with the passage of time. Old Man The army is heading to Troy, my lady. Agamemnon I know well about pity I know well who deserves it and who does not and I -I love my children! Chorus Then the Greeks shall tie a garland around your fair hair and stain your human throat with your own blood. Still, its not proper for me to be talking with a woman. Iphigeneia Artemis altar will be my grave. Messenger Agamemnon, leader of all the Greeks! Ah, yes! Achilles! Accept the pure blood from this girls lovely neck! Enter from Stage Left Klytaimestra and Iphigeneia, accompanied by an entourage of men and women, some of whom are carrying gifts into Agamemnons tent. Now the strength rests with Irreverence and Virtue is now scorned by the mortals. The play . It is for Hellas that I am forced to sacrifice you. Agamemnon Sure, that I can certainly do secretly but theres something else, brother; something I cannot hide. But as for you, daughter of Agamemnon! The girl deserves better still, may the gods be with us! Chorus And the weeping and wailing of Priams daughters and of his wife will be bitter and piercing. Thats Sirius, my lord. Oh, goddess who lets her brilliant light roll along through the gloomy darkness of the night! Iphigeneia Oh, Im so happy youve brought me here to see you. It has burdened me with lack of sleep and with overactive eyes. Klytaimestra Im not surprised you dont recognise me. Agamemnon Little girls should not be bothered with such things. 1400. Click anywhere in the Ive also missed you! 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. I want my love for others to be moderate and my desires to be pure. The whole place glitters with the bronze armour of the warriors. What demon has taken possession of his mind? Chorus Ah! That light, this light all around us, will cut all other arguments to pieces. Klytaimestra Yes. Married and single alike? See that there are no wheel marks on the road. iphigenia in aulis monologue mother listen to meemerald sea vessel mcdermott. Menelaos Leave! Who on earth could force you to murder your own child? Dawns light is already being taken over by the fire of the Suns brilliant chariot! Paristook it and carried her off back to his own home, in Ida, a place where the cows graze in luxurious pastures. Agamemnon Are you, darling? 810, Achilles, they say. 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! It is unjust that you should be mourning while Im living a life full of joy. What about your own soldiers, Achilles, what about your Myrmidons? Old Man Yes, my lady and so, I am more loyal to you than I am to your husband. Iphigeneia Looking into the distance behind curtains. Iphigenia hoped for but now lacks, and which the chorus explicitly offers as a measure of Iphigenia's cruel fate: she should not be a sacrificial animal but a bride for kings (1085 ff.). Be careful not to disgrace your ancestors house. Next to him was Nireas, first among the Greeks in beauty. 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. Let me make it absolutely clear, my lady: I was there and I saw it with my own eyes! Later, he becomes so angry that he picks up the wooden frame upon which the scroll rests and throws it violently to the ground. The future of our Greek women rests upon my actions. 720. If I try to stop them they will kill us all. No, thats not a good idea, Klytaimestra Ill hold you tight, by your clothes, Iphigeneia No, mother. 272. You are the cause of this miserable conflict between the sons of Atreas and their children! An unrelenting curse. Klytaimestra Will he try and come here and drag my darling away, just like that, against her will? I shall think of nothing else but you from now on. Agamemnon I was out of my wits, old man! 919. It will be a long time before I return from Troy, a long time before I greet you again.
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