TH. Queen Minerva, whosoever, on hearing the
words of the Gods, is disobedient, thinks not wisely.
But I will not be angry with Orestes, if he has carried
away the image of the Goddess with him, nor with his
sister. For what credit is there in contending
with the potent Gods? Let them depart to thy
land with the image of the Goddess, and let them prosperously
enshrine the effigy. But I will also send these
women to blest Greece, as thy mandate bids. And
I will stop the spear which I raised against the strangers,
and the oars of the ships, as this seems fit to thee,
O Goddess.
MIN. I commend your words, for fate commands
both thee and the Gods [themselves.] Go, ye breezes,
conduct the vessel of Agamemnon’s son to Athens.
And I will journey with you, to guard the hallowed
image of my sister.
CHOR. Go ye, happy because of your preserved
fortune. But, O Athenian Pallas, hallowed among
both immortals and mortals, we will do even as thou
biddest. For I have received a very delightful
and unhoped-for voice in my hearing. O thou all
hallowed Victory, mayest thou possess my life, and
cease not to crown it.[191]
* * * *
*
* * * *
[1] This verse and part of the following are set down
among the “oil cruet” verses by Aristophanes,
Ran. 1232. Aristotle, Poet. Sec. xvii. gives
a sketch of the plot of the whole play, by way of
illustrating the general form of tragedy. Hyginus,
who constantly has Euripides in view, also gives a
brief analysis of the plot, fab. cxx. For a description
of the quadrigae of Pelops, see Philostratus Imagg.
i. 19. It must be observed, that Antoninus Liberalis,
Sec. 27, makes Iphigenia only the supposititious daughter
of Agamemnon, but really the daughter of Theseus and
Helen. See Meurs. on Lycophron, p. 145.
[2] I must confess that I can not find what should
have so much displeased the critics in this word.
Iphigenia, in using such an epithet, evidently refers
to her own intended sacrifice, which had rendered the
recesses of Aulis a place of no small fame.
[3] But Lenting prefers [Greek: Achaious], with
the approbation of the Cambridge editor.
[4] See Reiske apud Dindorf. Compare my note
on AEsch. Ag. 188, p. 101, ed. Bohn.
So also Callimachus, Hymn. iii. [Greek: meilion
aploies, hote hoi katedesas aetas].
[5] Sinon made the same complaint. Cf. Virg.
AEn. ii. 90.
[6] Cf. AEsch. Ag. 235.
[7] This whole passage has been imitated by Ovid,
de Ponto, iii. 2, 60. “Sceptra tenente
illo, liquidas fecisse per auras, Nescio quam dicunt
Iphigenian iter. Quam levibus ventis sub nube
per aera vectam Creditur his Phoebe deposuisse locis.”
Cf. Lycophron, p. 16, vs. 3 sqq. Nonnus xiii.
p. 332, 14 sqq.
[8] Observe the double construction of [Greek:
anassei]. Orest. 1690. [Greek: nautais medeousa
thalasses].
