Two youths,swift-rowing 'twixt the clashing rocks Of our wild sea,are landed on the beach,A grateful offering at Diana's shrine,And victims to the goddess.Haste,prepare The sacred lavers,and the previous rites.
IPHIGENIA
Whence are the strangers?from what country named?
HERDSMAN
From Greece:this only,nothing more,I know.
IPHIGENIA
Didst thou not hear what names the strangers bear?
HERDSMAN
One by the other was call'd Pylades.
IPHIGENIA
How is the stranger,his companion,named?
HERDSMAN
This none of us can tell:we heard it not.
IPHIGENIA
How saw you them?how seized them?by what chance?
HERDSMAN
Mid the rude cliffs that o'er the Euxine hang-IPHIGENIA.
And what concern have herdsmen with the sea?
HERDSMAN
To wash our herds in the salt wave we came.
IPHIGENIA
To what I ask'd return:how seized you them?
Tell me the manner;this I wish to know:
For slow the victims come,nor hath some while The altar of the goddess,as was wont,Been crimson'd with the streams of Grecian blood.
HERDSMAN
Our herds,which in the forest feed,we drove Amid the tide that rushes to the shore,'Twixt the Symplegades:it was the place,Where in the rifted rock the chafing surge Hath hallow'd a rude cave,the haunt of those Whose quest is purple.Of our number there A herdsman saw two youths,and back return'd With soft and silent step;then pointing,said,"Do you not see them?These are deities That sit there."One,who with religious awe Revered the gods,with hands uplifted pray'd,His eyes fix'd on them,-"Son of the sea-nymph Leucothoe,guardian of the labouring bark,Our lord Palaemon,be propitious to us!
Or sit you on our shores,bright sons of Jove,Castor and Pollux?Or the glorious boast Of Nereus,father of the noble choir Of fifty Nereids?"One,whose untaught mind Audacious folly harden'd 'gainst the sense Of holy awe,scoff'd at his prayers,and said,-"These are wreck'd mariners,that take their seat In the cleft rock through fear,as they have heard Our prescribed rite,that here we sacrifice The stranger."To the greater part he seem'd Well to have spoken,and we judged it meet To seize the victims,by our country's law Due to the goddess.Of the stranger youths,One at this instant started from the rock:
Awhile he stood,and wildly toss'd his head,And groan'd,his loose arms trembling all their length,Convulsed with madness;and a hunter loud Then cried,-"Dost thou behold her,Pylades?
Dost thou not see this dragon fierce from hell Rushing to kill me,and against me rousing Her horrid vipers?See this other here,Emitting fire and slaughter from her vests,Sails on her wings,my mother in her arms Bearing,to hurl this mass of rock upon me!
Ah,she will kill me!Whither shall I fly?"
His visage might we see no more the same,And his voice varied;now the roar of bulls,The howl of dogs now uttering,mimic sounds Sent by the maddening Furies,as they say.
Together thronging,as of death assured,We sit in silence;but he drew his sword,And,like a lion rushing mid our herds,Plunged in their sides the weapon,weening thus To drive the Furies,till the briny wave Foam'd with their blood.But when among our herds We saw this havoc made,we all 'gan rouse To arms,and blew our sounding shells to alarm The neighbouring peasants;for we thought in fight Rude herdsmen to these youthful strangers,train'd To arms,ill match'd;and forthwith to our aid Flock'd numbers.But,his frenzy of its force Abating,on the earth the stranger falls,Foam bursting from his mouth:but when he saw The advantage,each adventured on and hurl'd What might annoy him fallen:the other youth Wiped off the foam,took of his person care,His fine-wrought robe spread over him;with heed The flying stones observing,warded of The wounds,and each kind office to his friend Attentively perform'd.His sense return'd;The stranger started up,and soon perceived The tide of foes that roll'd impetuous on,The danger and distress that closed them round.
He heaved a sigh;an unremitting storm Of stones we pour'd,and each incited each:
Then we his dreadful exhortation heard:-
"Pylades,we shall die;but let us die With glory:draw thy sword,and follow me."But when we saw the enemies advance With brandish'd swords,the steep heights crown'd with wood We fell in flight:but others,if one flies,Press on them;if again they drive these back,What before fled turns,with a storm of stones Assaulting them;but,what exceeds belief,Hurl'd by a thousand hands,not one could hit The victims of the goddess:scarce at length,Not by brave daring seized we them,but round We closed upon them,and their swords with stones Beat,wily,from their hands;for on their knees They through fatigue had sunk upon the ground:
We bare them to the monarch of this land:
He view'd them,and without delay to the Sent them devoted to the cleansing vase,And to the altar.Victims such as these,O virgin,wish to find;for if such youths Thou offer,for thy slaughter Greece will pay,Her wrongs to thee at Aulis well avenged.
LEADER
These things are wonderful,which thou hast told Of him,whoe'er he be,the youth from Greece Arrived on this inhospitable shore.
IPHIGENIA
'Tis well:go thou,and bring the strangers hither:
What here is to be done shall be our care.
(The HERDSMAN departs.)
O my unhappy heart!before this hour To strangers thou wast gentle,always touch'd With pity,and with tears their tears repaid,When Grecians,natives of my country,came Into my hands:but from the dreams,which prompt To deeds ungentle,showing that no more Orestes views the sun's fair light,whoe'er Ye are that hither come,me will you find Relentless now.This is the truth,my friends:
My heart is rent;and never will the wretch,Who feels affliction's cruel tortures,bear Good-will to those that are more fortunate.