Iphigenia in Tauris

SCENE VI

IPHIGENIA. THOAS. ORESTESIPHIGENIABelieve my cares ere ye begin to speak.I fear contention, if thou wilt not hearThe voice of equity, O king, – if thouWilt not, my brother, curb thy headstrong youth.THOASI, as becomes the elder, check my rage.Now answer me: how dost thou prove thyselfThe priestess' brother, Agamemnon's son?ORESTESBehold the sword with which the hero slewThe valiant Trojans. From his murdererI took the weapon, and implor'd the GodsTo grant me Agamemnon's mighty arm,Success, and valour, with a death more noble.Select one of the leaders of thy host,And place the best as my opponent here.Where'er on earth the sons of heroes dwell,This boon is to the stranger ne'er refus'd.THOASThis privilege hath ancient custom hereTo strangers ne'er accorded.ORESTESThen from usCommence the novel custom! A whole raceIn imitation soon will consecrateIts monarch's noble action into law.Nor let me only for our liberty, —Let me, a stranger, for all strangers fight.If I should fall, my doom be also theirs;But if kind fortune crown me with success,Let none e'er tread this shore, and fail to meetThe beaming eye of sympathy and love,Or unconsol'd depart!THOASThou dost not seemUnworthy of thy boasted ancestry.Great is the number of the valiant menWho wait upon me; but I will myself,Although advanc'd in years, oppose the foe,And am prepar'd to try the chance of arms.IPHIGENIANo, no! such bloody proofs are not requir'd.Unhand thy weapon, king! my lot consider;Rash combat oft immortalizes man;If he should fall, he is renown'd in song;But after ages reckon not the tearsWhich ceaseless the forsaken woman sheds;And poets tell not of the thousand nightsConsum'd in weeping, and the dreary days,Wherein her anguish't soul, a prey to grief,Doth vainly yearn to call her lov'd one back.Fear warn'd me to beware lest robber's wilesMight lure me from this sanctuary, and thenBetray me into bondage. AnxiouslyI question'd them, each circumstance explor'd,Demanded signs, and now my heart's assur'd.See here, the mark as of three stars impress'dOn his right hand, which on his natal dayWere by the priest declar'd to indicateSome dreadful deed by him to be perform'd.And then this scar, which doth his eyebrow cleave,Redoubles my conviction. When a child,Electra, rash and inconsiderate,Such was her nature, loos'd him from her arms.He fell against a tripos. Oh, 'tis he! —Shall I adduce the likeness to his sire,Or the deep rapture of my inmost heart,In further token of assurance, king?THOASE'en though thy words had banish'd every doubt,And I had curb'd the anger in my breast,Still must our arms decide. I see no peace.Their purpose, as thou didst thyself confess,Was to deprive me of Diana's image.And think ye that I'll look contented on?The Greeks are wont to cast a longing eyeUpon the treasures of barbarians,A golden fleece, good steeds, or daughters fair;But force and guile not always have avail'dTo lead them, with their booty, safely home.ORESTESThe image shall not be a cause of strife!We now perceive the error which the God,Our journey here commanding, like a veil,Threw o'er our minds. His counsel I implor'd,To free me from the Furies' grisly band.He answer'd, "Back to Greece the sister bring,Who in the sanctuary on Tauris' shoreUnwillingly abides; so ends the curse!"To Phœbus' sister we applied the words,And he referr'd to thee! The bonds severe,Which held thee from us, holy one, are rent,And thou art ours once more. At thy blest touch,I felt myself restor'd. Within thine arms,Madness once more around me coil'd its folds,Crushing the marrow in my frame, and thenFor ever, like a serpent, fled to hell.Through thee, the daylight gladdens me anew.The counsel of the Goddess now shines forthIn all its beauty and beneficence.Like to a sacred image, unto whichAn oracle immutably hath boundA city's welfare, thee Diana took,Protectress of our house, and guarded hereWithin this holy stillness, to becomeA blessing to thy brother and thy race.Now when each passage to escape seems clos'd,And safety hopeless, thou dost give us all.O king, incline thine heart to thoughts of peace!Let her fulfil her mission, and completeThe consecration of our father's house.Me to their purified abode restore,And place upon my brow the ancient crown!Requite the blessing which her presence brought thee,And let me now my nearer right enjoy!Cunning and force, the proudest boast of man,Fade in the lustre of her perfect truth;Nor unrequited will a noble mindLeave confidence, so childlike and so pure.IPHIGENIAThink on thy promise; let thy heart be mov'dBy what a true and honest tongue hath spoken!Look on us, king! an opportunityFor such a noble deed not oft occurs.Refuse thou canst not, – give thy quick consent.THOASThen go!IPHIGENIANot so, my king! I cannot partWithout thy blessing, or in anger from thee.Banish us not! the sacred right of guestsStill let us claim: so not eternallyShall we be sever'd. Honour'd and belov'dAs mine own father was, art thou by me:And this impression in my soul remains.Should e'en the meanest peasant of thy landBring to my ear the tones I heard from theeOr should I on the humblest see thy garb,I will with joy receive him as a god,Prepare his couch myself, beside our hearthInvite him to a seat, and only askTouching thy fate and thee. Oh, may the godsTo thee the merited reward impartOf all thy kindness and benignity!Farewell! Oh, do not turn away, but giveOne kindly word of parting in return!So shall the wind more gently swell our sails,And from our eyes with soften'd anguish flowThe tears of separation. Fare thee well!And graciously extend to me thy hand,In pledge of ancient friendship.THOAS, extending his handFare thee well!