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。
  Never　came　gale　from　Jove；　nor　flying　bark；
  Which　'twixt　the　dangerous　rocks　of　the　Euxine　sea
  Brought　Helen　hither；　who　my　ruin　wrought；
  Nor　Menelaus；　that　on　them　my　foul　wrongs
  I　might　repay；　and　with　an　Aulis　here
  Requite　the　Aulis　there；　where　I　was　seized；
  And；　as　a　heifer；　by　the　Grecians　slain：
  My　father　too；　who　gave　me　birth；　was　priest。
  Ah　me！　the　sad　remembrance　of　those　ills
  Yet　lives：　how　often　did　I　stroke　thy　cheek；
  And；　hanging　on　thy　knees；　address　thee　thus：…
  〃Alas；　my　father！　I　by　thee　am　led
  A　bride　to　bridal　rites　unbless'd　and　base：
  Them；　while　by　thee　I　bleed；　my　mother　hymns；
  And　the　Argive　dames；　with　hymeneal　strains；
  And　with　the　jocund　pipe　the　house　resounds：
  But　at　the　altar　I　by　thee　am　slain；
  For　Pluto　was　the　Achilles；　not　the　son
  Of　Peleus；　whom　to　me　thou　didst　announce
  The　affianced　bridegroom；　and　by　guile　didst　bring
  To　bloody　nuptials　in　the　rolling　car。〃
  But；　o'er　mine　eyes　the　veil's　fine　texture　spread；
  This　brother　in　my　hands　who　now　is　lost；
  I　clasp'd　not；　though　his　sister；　did　not　press
  My　lips　to　his；　through　virgin　modesty；
  As　going　to　the　house　of　Peleus：　then
  Each　fond　embrace　I　to　another　time
  Deferr'd；　as　soon　to　Argos　to　return。
  If；　O　unhappy　brother；　thou　art　dead；
  From　what　a　state；　thy　father's　envied　height
  Of　glory；　loved　Orestes；　art　thou　torn！…
  These　false　rules　of　the　goddess　much　I　blame：
  Whoe'er　of　mortals　is　with　slaughter　stain'd；
  Or　hath　at　childbirth　given　assisting　hands；
  Or　chanced　to　touch　aught　dead；　she　as　impure
  Drives　from　her　altars；　yet　herself　delights
  In　human　victims　bleeding　at　her　shrine。
  Ne'er　did　Latona　from　the　embrace　of　Jove
  Bring　forth　such　inconsistence：　I　then　deem
  The　feast　of　Tantalus；　where　gods　were　guests；
  Unworthy　of　belief；　as　that　they　fed
  On　his　son's　flesh　delighted；　and　I　think
  These　people；　who　themselves　have　a　wild　joy
  In　shedding　human　blood；　their　savage　guilt
  Charge　on　the　goddess：　for　this　truth　I　hold；
  None　of　the　gods　is　evil；　or　doth　wrong。
  （She　enters　the　temple。）
  CHORUS　（singing）
  strophe　1
  Ye　rocks；　ye　dashing　rocks；　whose　brow
  Frowns　o'er　the　darken'd　deeps　below；
  Whose　wild；　inhospitable　wave；
  From　Argos　flying　and　her　native　spring；
  The　virgin　once　was　known　to　brave；
  Tormented　with　the　brize's　maddening　sting；
  From　Europe　when　the　rude　sea　o'er
  She　pass'd　to　Asia's　adverse　shore；
  Who　are　these　hapless　youths；　that　dare　to　land；
  Leaving　those　soft；　irriguous　meads；
  Where；　his　green　margin　fringed　with　reeds；
  Eurotas　rolls　his　ample　tide；
  Or　Dirce's　hallow'd　waters　glide；
  And　touch　this　barbarous；　stranger…hating　strand；
  The　altars　where　a　virgin　dews；
  And　blood　the　pillar'd　shrine　imbrues？
  antistrophe　1
  Did　they　with　oars　impetuous　sweep
  （Rank　answering　rank）　the　foamy　deep；
  And　wing　their　bark　with　flying　sails；
  To　raise　their　humble　fortune　their　desire；
  Eager　to　catch　the　rising　gales；
  Their　bosoms　with　the　love　of　gain　on　fire？
  For　sweet　is　hope　to　man's　fond　breast；
  The　hope　of　gain；　insatiate　guest；
  Though　on　her　oft　attends　Misfortune's　train；
  For　daring　man　she　tempts　to　brave
  The　dangers　of　the　boisterous　wave；
  And　leads　him　heedless　of　his　fate
  Through　many　a　distant　barbarous　state。
  Vain　his　opinions；　his　pursuits　are　vain！
  Boundless　o'er　some　her　power　is　shown；
  But　some　her　temperate　influence　own。
  strophe　2
  How　did　they　pass　the　dangerous　rocks
  Clashing　with　rude；　tremendous　shocks？
  How　pass　the　savage…howling　shore；
  Where　once　the　unhappy　Phineus　held　his　reign；
  And　sleep　affrighted　flies　its　roar；
  Steering　their　rough　course　o'er　this　boisterous　main；
  Form'd　in　a　ring；　beneath　whose　waves
  The　Nereid　train　in　high　arch'd　caves
  Weave　the　light　dance；　and　raise　the　sprightly　song；
  While；　whispering　in　their　swelling　sails；
  Soft　Zephyrs　breathe；　or　southern　gales
  Piping　amid　their　tackling　play；
  As　their　bark　ploughs　its　watery　way
  Those　hoary　cliffs；　the　haunts　of　birds；　along；
  To　that　wild　strand；　the　rapid　race
  Where　once　Achilles　deign'd　to　grace？
  antistrophe　2
  O　that　from　Troy　some　chance　would　bear
  Leda's　loved　daughter；　fatal　fair
  （The　royal　virgin's　vows　are　mine）
  That　her　bright　tresses　roll'd　in　crimson　dew；
  Her　warm　blood　flowing　at　this　shrine
  The　altar　of　the　goddess　might　imbrue；
  And　Vengeance；　righteous　to　repay
  Her　former　mischiefs；　seize　her　prey！
  But　with　what　rapture　should　I　hear　his　voice；
  If　one　this　shore　should　reach　from　Greece；
  And　bid　the　toils　of　slavery　cease！
  Or　might　I　in　the　hour　of　rest
  With　pleasing　dreams　of　Greece　be　bless'd；
  So　in　my　house；　my　native　land　rejoice；
  In　sleep　enjoy　the　pleasing　strain
  For　happiness　restored　again
  （IPHIGENIA　enters　from　the　temple。）
  IPHIGENIA
  But　the　two　youths；　their　hands　fast　bound　in　chains；
  The　late…seized　victims　to　the　goddess；　come。
  Silence；　my　friends；　for；　destined　at　the　shrine
  To　bleed；　the　Grecian　strangers　near　approach；
  And　no　false　tidings　did　the　herdsman　bring。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  Goddess　revered；　if　grateful　to　thy　soul
  This　state　presents　such　sacrifice；　accept
  The　victims；　which　the　custom　of　this　land
  Gives　thee；　but　deem'd　unholy　by　the　Greeks。
  （Guards　lead　in　ORESTES　and　PYLADES；　bound。）
  IPHIGENIA
  No　more；　that　to　the　goddess　each　due　rite
  Be　well　perform'd　shall　be　my　care。　Unchain
  The　strangers'　hands；　that；　hallow'd　as　they　are；
  They　may　no　more　be　bound。
  （The　guards　release　ORESTES　and　PYLADES。）
  Go　you；　prepare
  Within　the　temple　what　the　rites　require。
  Unhappy　youths；　what　mother　brou