Part 5 Summary

The Taurian, King Thoas, appears, demanding to know where Iphigenia is and whether she has begun the ritual sacrifices. The Chorus tells him she's just coming, and then Iphigenia comes out of the temple, and holding the sacred statue. Then begins a rapidly- paced dialogue in which Thoas asks quick, pointed questions and Iphigenia gives him equally quick, equally pointed answers. During the course of the dialogue, Iphigenia tells Thoas everything she said she was going to tell him - that Orestes and Pylades are impure, that they touched the statue, and that all three must be purified in the sea before they can be sacrificed. She embellishes her story by saying they attempted to bribe her into giving them freedom with news that her family is alive and well, that there are additional rituals she has to perform because the victims are...