To ship-thronged Aulis, laid her on the pyre,
And shore through Iphigonê's[1] snowy throat!
Had he, to avert Mycenæ's overthrow,—
To exalt his house,—to save the children left,— 1025
Slain one for many, 'twere not past forgiving.
But, for that Helen was a wanton, he
That wed the traitress impotent for vengeance,
Even for such cause murdered he my child.
Howbeit for this wrong, how wronged soe'er, 1030
I had not raged, nor had I slain my lord;—
But to me with that prophet-maid he came,
Made her usurp my couch, and fain would keep
Two brides together in the selfsame halls.
Women be frail: sooth, I deny it not. 1035
But when, this granted, 'tis the husband errs,
Slighting his own true bride, and fain the wife
Would copy him, and find another love,
Ah then, fierce light of scandal beats on us;
But them which show the way, the men, none blame! 1040
Now had Menelaus from his home been stoln,
Ought I have slain Orestes, so to save
My sister's lord? How had thy sire endured
Such deed? Should he 'scape killing then, who slew
My child, and I at his hands die for his?[2] 1045
I slew him; turned me—'twas the only way—
Unto his foes; for who of thy sire's friends
- ↑ Variant for the common form Iphigeneia.
- ↑ The argument is based on the Greek axiom, that the son was physically the father's, the daughter the mother's, child. Accordingly it runs—"If Agamemnon would have been justified in killing me, had I slain his child to rescue my sister's husband, conversely, I was justified in killing him, because he did slay my child to rescue his brother's wife.
