.

* * * * *

ORESTES.

* * * *

ELECTRA.

There is no word so dreadful to relate, nor suffering, nor heaven-inflicted
calamity, the burden of which human nature may not be compelled to bear.
For Tantalus, the blest, (and I am not reproaching his fortune, _when I say
this_,) the son of Jupiter, as they report, trembling at the rock which
impends over his head, hangs in the air, and suffers this punishment, as
they say indeed, because, although being a man, yet having the honor of a
table in common with the Gods upon equal terms, he possessed an
ungovernable tongue, a most disgraceful malady. He begat Pelops, and from
him sprung Atreus, for whom the Goddess having carded the wool[1] spun the
thread of contention, _and doomed him_ to make war on Thyestes his
relation; (why must I commemorate things unspeakable?) But Atreus then[2]
killed his children--and feasted him. But from Atreus, for I pass over in
silence the misfortunes which intervened, sprung Agamemnon, the
illustrious, (if he was indeed illustrious,) and Menelaus; their mother
Aerope of Crete. But Menelaus indeed marries Helen, the hated of the Gods,
but King Agamemnon _obtained_ Clytaemnestra's bed, memorable throughout the
Grecians: from whom we virgins were born, three from one mother;
Chrysothemis, and Iphigenia, and myself Electra; and Orestes the male part
of the family, from a most unholy mother, who slew her husband, having
covered him around with an inextricable robe; the reason however it is not
decorous in a virgin to tell; I leave this undeclared for men to consider
as they will. But why indeed must I accuse the injustice of Phoebus? Yet
persuaded he Orestes to kill that mother that brought him forth, a deed
which gained not a good report from all men. But nevertheless he did slay
her, as he would not be disobedient to the God. I also took a share in the
murder, but such as a woman ought to take. As did Pylades also who
perpetrated this deed with us. From that time wasting away, the wretched
Orestes is afflicted with a grievous malady, but falling on his couch there
lies, but his mother's blood whirls him to frenzy (for I dread to mention
those Goddesses, the Eumenides, who persecute him with terror). Moreover
this is the sixth day since his slaughtered mother was purified by fire as
to her body. During which he has neither taken any food down his throat, he
has not bathed his limbs, but co