the vengeance, as the crime
Is more atrocious.... An attentive ear
Lend to the dire catastrophe with me;
Doubt not she will accomplish it: disdain,
Love, terror, to the necessary crime
Compel the impious woman.--

AGAMEMNON (within)

_Aga_.--Treason! Ah! ...
My wife?.. O Heavens!.. I die... O traitorous deed!

_Aegis._--Die, thou--yes, die! And thou redouble, woman.
The blows redouble; all the weapon hide
Within his heart; shed, to the latest drop,
The blood of that fell miscreant: in our blood
He would have bathed his hands.

SCENE IV

CLYTEMNESTRA--AESGISTHUS

_Cly._--What have I done?
Where am I?...

_Aegis_.--Thou hast slain the tyrant: now
At length thou'rt worthy of me.

_Cly._--See, with blood
The dagger drips;... my hands, my face, my garments,
All, all are blood... Oh, for a deed like this,
What vengeance will be wreaked!... I see already
Already to my breast that very steel
I see hurled back, and by what hand! I freeze,
I faint, I shudder, I dissolve with horror.
My strength, my utterance, fail me. Where am I?
What have I done?... Alas!...

_Aegis._--Tremendous cries
Resound on every side throughout the palace:
'Tis time to show the Argives what I am,
And reap the harvest of my long endurance.

SCENE V

ELECTRA--AEGISTHUS

_Elec._--It still remains for thee to murder me,
Thou impious, vile assassin of my father ...
But what do I behold? O Heavens! ... my mother? ...
Flagitious woman, dost thou grasp the sword?
Didst thou commit the murder?

_Aegis._--Hold thy peace.
Stop not my path thus; quickly I return;
Tremble: for now that I am king of Argos,
Far more important is it that I kill
Orestes than Electra.

SCENE VI

CLYTEMNESTRA--ELECTRA

_Cly._--Heavens! ... Orestes? ...
Aegisthus, now I know thee....

_Elec._--Give it me:
Give me that steel.

_Cly._--Aegisthus! ... Stop! ... Wilt thou
Murder my son? Thou first shalt murder me.

SCENE VII

ELECTRA

_Elec._--O night! ... O father! ... Ah, it was your deed,
Ye gods, this thought of mine to place Orestes
In safety first.--Thou wilt not find him, traitor.--
Ah live, Ore