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The World's Greatest Books [Volumes 1-15, 17-20]

Электронная книга - «The World's Greatest Books [Volumes 1-15, 17-20]». Краткое содержание книги:

Антология содержит:
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 01 — Fiction от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 02 — Fiction от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 03 — Fiction от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 04 — Fiction от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 05 — Fiction от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 06 — Fiction от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 07 — Fiction от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 08 — Fiction от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 09 — Lives and Letters от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 10 — Lives and Letters от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 11 — Ancient and Mediæval History от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 12 — Modern History от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 13 — Religion and Philosophy от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 14 — Philosophy and Economics от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 15 — Science от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 17 — Poetry and Drama от Неизвестный
The world's greatest books от Mee, Arthur, 1875-1943, joint editor & Hammerton, John Alexander, Sir, 1871-1949, joint editor & McClure, S. S. (Samuel Sidney), 1857-1949, joint editor
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 19 — Travel and Adventure от Неизвестный
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 20 — Miscellaneous Literature and Index от Неизвестный
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Fell murdered on the day of his return

By Clytemnestra, with Ægisthus' aid.

Iphigenia: Base passion prompted then this deed of shame?

Pylades: And feelings, cherish'd long of deep revenge.

For such a dreadful deed, that if on earth

Aught could exculpate murder, it were this.

The monarch, for the welfare of the Greeks,

Her eldest daughter doomed. Within her heart

This planted such abhorrence that forthwith

She to Ægisthus hath resigned herself,

And round her husband flung the web of death.

Iphigenia (veiling herself): It is enough! Thou wilt again behold me.

Act III

Iphigenia and Orestes.

Iphigenia: Unhappy man, I only loose thy bonds

In token of a still severer doom.

For the incensed king, should I refuse

Compliance with the rites himself enjoin'd,

Will choose another virgin from my train

As my successor. Then, alas! with nought,

pave ardent wishes, can I succour you.

But tell me now, when Agamemnon fell,

Orestes—did he share his sire's fate?

Say, was he saved? And is he still alive?

And lives Electra, too?

Orestes: They both survive.

Half of the horror only hast thou heard.

Electra, on the day when fell her sire,

Her brother from impending doom conceal'd;

Him Strophius, his father's relative,

Received with kindest care, and rear'd him up,

With his own son, named Pylades, who soon

Around the stranger twin'd love's fairest bonds.

The longing to revenge the monarch's death

Took them to Mycenæ, and by her son

Was Clytemnestra slain.

Iphigenia: Immortal powers!

O tell me of the poor unfortunate!

Speak of Orestes!

Orestes: Him the Furies chase.

They glare around him with their hollow eyes,

Like greedy eagles. In their murky dens

They stir themselves, and from the corners creep

Their comrades, dire remorse and pallid fear;

Before them fumes a mist of Acheron.

I am Orestes! and this guilty head

Is stooping to the tomb and covets death;

It will be welcome now in any shape.

[Orestes retires. Iphigenia prays to the gods, and

Orestes returns.

Orestes: Who art thou, that thy voice thus horribly

Can harrow up my bosom's inmost depths?

Iphigenia: Thine inmost heart reveals it. I am she—Iphigenia!

Orestes: Hence, away, begone!

Leave me! Like Heracles, a death of shame,

Unworthy wretch, locked in myself, I'll die!

Iphigenia: Thou shalt not perish! Would that I might hear

One quiet word from thee! Dispel my doubts,

Make sure the bliss I have implored so long.

Orestes! O my brother!

Orestes: There's pity in thy look! oh, gaze not so—

'Twas with such looks that Clytemnestra sought

An entrance to her son Orestes' heart,

And yet his uprais'd arm her bosom pierced.

The weapon raise, spare not, this bosom rend,

And make an outlet for its boiling streams.

[He sinks exhausted. Enter Pylades.

Pylades: Dost thou not know me, and this sacred grove,

And this blest light, which shines not on the dead?

Attend! Each moment is of priceless worth,

And our return hangs on a slender thread.

The favouring gale, which swells our parting sail,

Must to Olympus waft our perfect joy.

Quick counsel and resolve the time demands.

Act IV

Iphigenia alone.

Iphigenia: They hasten to the sea, where in a bay

Their comrades in the vessel lie concealed,

Waiting a signal. Me they have supplied

With artful answers should the monarch send

To urge the sacrifice. Detested falsehood!

[Enter Arkas.

Arkas: Priestess, with speed conclude the sacrifice!

Impatiently the king and people wait.

Iphigenia: The gods have not decreed that it should be.

The elder of these men of kindred-murder

Bears guilt. The dread Erinnys here within

Have seized upon their prey, polluting thus

The sanctuary. I hasten now to bathe

The goddess' image in the sea, and there

With solemn rites its purity restore.

Arkas: This hindrance to the monarch I'll announce.

[Exit Arkas. Enter Pylades.

Pylades: Thy brother is restor'd! The fire of youth

With growing glory shines upon his brow.

Let us then hasten; guide me to the fane.

I can unaided on my shoulder bear

The goddess' image; how I long to feel

The precious burden! Hast thou to the king

Announced the prudent message as agreed?

Iphigenia: The royal messenger arrived, and I,

According to thy counsel, fram'd my speech.

Pylades: Danger again doth hover o'er our heads.

Alas! Why hast thou failed to shroud thyself

Within the veil of sacerdotal rights?

Iphigenia: I never have employed them as a veil.

Pylades: Pure soul! Thy scruples will alike destroy

Thyself and us. Come, let us be firm.

Nor with incautious haste betray ourselves.

Iphigenia: It is an honest scruple, which forbids

That I should cunningly deceive the king,

And plunder him who was my second father.

Pylades: Him dost thou fly, who would have slain thy brother.

If we should perish, bitter self-reproach,

Forerunner of despair, will be thy portion;

Necessity commands. The rest thou knowest. [Exit.

Iphigenia: I must obey him, for I see my friends

Beset with peril. Yet my own sad fate

Doth with increasing anguish move my heart

To steal the image, sacred and rever'd,

Confided to my care, and him deceive

To whom I owe my life and destiny!

Let not abhorrence spring within my heart!

Act V

Thoas alone.

Thoas: Fierce anger rages in my riven breast,

First against her whom I esteem'd so pure;

Then 'gainst myself, whose foolish lenity

Hath fashion'd her for treason. Vain my hope

To bind her to me. Now that I oppose

Her wish, she seeks to gain her ends by fraud.

[Enter Iphigenia.

Wherefore delay the sacrifice; inform me!

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