The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries Volume I Part 27

Reserve it for one favor'd by the G.o.ds.

IPHIGENIA

To thee they give anew the light of hope.

ORESTES

Through clouds and smoke I see the feeble gleam Of the death-stream which lights me down to h.e.l.l.

IPHIGENIA

Hast thou one sister only, thy Electra?

ORESTES

I knew but one: yet her kind destiny, Which seemed to us so terrible, betimes Removed an elder sister from the woe Which o'er the house of Pelops aye impends.

O cease thy questions, nor thus league thyself With the Erinnys; still they blow away, With fiendish joy, the ashes from my soul, Lest the last embers of the fiery brand The fatal heritage of Pelops' house, Should there be quenched. Must then the fire for aye, Deliberately kindled and supplied With h.e.l.lish sulphur, sear my tortured soul!

IPHIGENIA

I scatter fragrant incense in the flame.

O let the pure, the gentle breath of love, Low murmuring, cool thy bosom's fiery glow.

Orestes, fondly lov'd,--canst thou not hear me?

Hath the terrific Furies' grisly band Dried up the blood of life within thy veins?

Creeps there, as from the Gorgon's direful head, A petrifying charm through all thy limbs?

With hollow accents from a mother's blood, If voices call thee to the shades below, May not a sister's word with blessing rife Call from Olympus' height help-rendering G.o.ds?

ORESTES

She calls! she calls!--Dost thou desire my doom?

Is there a Fury shrouded in thy form?

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,--look on me, Orestes!

ORESTES

Thou!

IPHIGENIA

My own brother!

ORESTES

Hence, away, begone!

I counsel thee, touch not these fatal locks!

As from Creusa's bridal robe, from me An inextinguishable fire is kindled.

Leave me! Like Hercules, 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.

A wheel of joy and sorrow in my heart, Ceaseless revolves. I from a man unknown With horror turn; but with resistless might My inmost heart impels me to my brother.

ORESTES

Is this Lyaeus' temple? Doth the glow Of holy rage unbridled thus possess The sacred priestess?

IPHIGENIA

Hear me, oh, look up!

See how my heart, which hath been closed so long Doth open to the bliss of seeing thee, The dearest treasure that the world contains,-- Of falling on thy neck, and folding thee Within my longing arms, which have till now Met the embraces of the empty wind.

Do not repulse me,--the eternal spring, Whose crystal waters from Parna.s.sus flow, Bounds not more gaily on from rock to rock, Down to the golden vale, than from my heart The waters of affection freely gush, And round me form a circling sea of bliss.

Orestes! O my brother!

ORESTES

Lovely nymph!

Nor thy caresses, nor thyself I trust; Diana claims attendants more severe, And doth avenge her desecrated fane.

Remove thy circling arm! Wilt thou indeed Safety and love upon a youth bestow, And fondly tender him earth's fairest joy Unto my friend, more worthy than myself, Impart thy favors; 'mong yon rocks he roves.

Go, seek him; guide him hence, and heed not me.

IPHIGENIA

Brother, command thyself, and better know Thy sister, newly found! Misconstrue not Her pure and heavenly rapture, blaming it As l.u.s.tful heat unbridled. O ye G.o.ds, Remove delusion from his rigid gaze, Lest that this moment, fraught with bliss supreme, Should make us trebly wretched! She is here, Thine own, thy long-lost sister! From the altar The G.o.ddess rescued me, and placed me here, Secure within her consecrated fane-- A captive thou, prepared for sacrifice, And findest here a sister in the priestess.

ORESTES

Unblessed one! So may the radiant sun The final horror of our house behold!

Is not Electra here? That she with us May also perish, nor her life prolong For heavier destiny and direr woe.

'Tis well,--I follow, priestess! Fratricide Is an old custom of our ancient house; And you, ye G.o.ds, I thank, that ye resolve Childless to root me hence. Thee let me counsel To view too fondly neither sun nor stars.

Come, follow to the gloomy realms below!

As dragons, gender'd in the sulphur pool, Swallow each other with voracious rage, So our accursed race destroys itself.

Childless and guiltless come below with me!

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 pierc'd.

His mother fell!--Appear, indignant shade!

Within the circle step, ye fiends of h.e.l.l, Be present at the welcome spectacle, The last, most horrible that ye prepare!

Nor hate, nor vengeance whets the poniard now; A loving sister is constrain'd to deal The fatal blow. Weep not! Thou hast no guilt.

From earliest infancy I naught have lov'd, As thee I could have lov'd, my sister. Come, The weapon raise, spare not, this bosom rend, And make an outlet for its boiling streams!

[_He sinks exhausted_.]

IPHIGENIA

Alone I cannot bear this bliss and woe.

Where art thou, Pylades? Thine aid I need.