Blood-stain I may cleanse,—with flash of torches, and with what beside,
As I bade, the strangers and the Goddess shall be purified. 1225
Now I warn the city-folk to shrink from this pollution far:—
Ye that, with pure hands for heaven's service, temple-warders are,
Whoso purposeth espousals, whoso laboureth with child,
Flee ye; hence away, that none with this pollution be defiled.
Queen, O child of Zeus and Leto, so the guilt from these I lave, 1230
So I sacrifice what meet is, stainless temple shalt thou have;
Blest withal shall we be—more I say not, yet to Gods who know
All, and, Goddess, unto thee, mine heart's desire I plainly show.
[Thoas enters temple. Exeunt Iphigeneia,
Orestes, Pylades, and attendants.
Chorus.[1]
(Str.)
A glorious babe in the days of old
Leto in Delos bare,
Mid its valleys of fruitage manifold,
The babe of the golden hair,—
Lord of the harp sweet-ringing, king of the bow sure-winging
- ↑ Apollo's oracle was now proved right, and Iphigeneia's dream (ll. 42—62) wrong; hence an ode is appropriately introduced celebrating the institution of the God's oracle, and the abolition of the ancient dream-oracles.
