Epeisodion 2
Orestes
O father, who perished by a death unbefitting a king,
grant in answer to my prayer the lordship over your halls!
480
Electra
And I too, father, have a like request of you: to escape when I have wrought great destruction on Aegisthus.
Orestes
Yes, for then the customary funeral feasts of men would be established in your honor. But otherwise, at the rich and savory banquet
of burnt offerings made to the earth, you will be without a portion of honor.
485
Electra
And I will likewise at my wedding offer libations to you out of the fullness of my inheritance from my father’s house, and before all else I will hold this tomb of yours in the highest honor.
Orestes
O Earth, send up my father to watch my battle!
Electra
O Persephone, grant us indeed a glorious victory!
490
Orestes
Father, remember the bath where you were robbed of life.
Electra
And remember how they devised a strange net to cast about you.
Orestes
You were caught, my father, in fetters forged by no smith’s hand.
Electra
And in a fabric shamefully devised.
Orestes
Father, are you not roused by taunts such as these?
495
Electra
Are you not raising that dearest head of yours?
Orestes
Either send Justice to battle for those dear to you, or grant us in turn to get a similar gripOrestes prays that, as Clytaemestra and Aegisthus had got grip of Agamemnon by deception, so he may get like grip of them and kill them. on them, if indeed after defeat you would in turn win victory.
Electra
So listen, father, to this last appeal of mine as you behold these fledglings crouching at your tomb. Have compassion on your offspring, on the woman and on the man as well, and let not this seed of Pelops’ line be blotted out: for then, in spite of death, you are not dead.
500
For children are voices of salvation to a man, though he is dead; like corks, they buoy up the net, saving the flaxen cord from out of the deep. Hear! For your own sake we make this lament. By honoring this plea of ours you save yourself.
505
Chorus
In truth you have drawn out this plea of yours to your own content in showing honor to this unlamented tomb. As for the rest, since your heart is rightly set on action, put your fortune to the test and get to your work at once.
510
Orestes
It will be so. But it is in no way amiss to inquire how, from what motive,
she came to send her libations, seeking too late to make amends for an irremediable deed. They would be a sorry gift to send to the senseless dead: I cannot guess what they mean. The gifts are too paltry for her offence.
515
For though a man may pour out all he has in atonement for one deed of blood, it is wasted effort. So the saying goes. If indeed you know, tell me: I wish to learn.
520
Chorus
I know, my child, for I was there. It was because she was shaken by dreams and wandering terrors of the night
that she sent these offerings, godless woman that she is.
525
Orestes
And have you learned the nature of the dream so as to tell it properly?
Chorus
She dreamed she gave birth to a serpent: that is her own account.
Orestes
And where does the tale end, and what is its consummation?
Chorus
She laid it to rest as if it were a child, in swaddling clothes.
Orestes
What food did it crave, the newborn viper?
530
Chorus
In her dream she offered it her own breast.
Orestes
Surely her nipple was not unwounded by the loathsome beast?
