1060 Apollo’s touch will free you from these torments.

  ORESTES

  You cannot see them, but I do.

  They hunt me down.

  There is no way that I can stay—I have to go.

  [ORESTES rushes away.]

  CHORUS LEADER

  Good luck go with you then.

  I pray the gods take care of you,

  whatever may arise.

  CHORUS

  Now this tempest is the third to

  rage and leave behind its wake of

  wreckage through the royal palace.

  First there was that cruel banquet:

  children swallowed by their father.

  1070 Second was the royal commander’s

  downfall, bathtub-slaughtered.

  Thirdly now a kind of savior

  has arrived . . . or should I call him

  more a death knell? Where shall all this

  reach an ending? Where be soothed to

  calm, this cyclone of disaster?

  [The CHORUS depart into the palace.]

  ORESTES AT ATHENS

  CHARACTERS

  PYTHIA, the priestess in charge of the oracle of Apollo at Delphi

  ORESTES, fleeing in exile after killing his mother Clytemnestra

  APOLLO

  CLYTEMNESTRA, appearing as a dream-ghost to the sleeping Chorus

  ATHENA

  CHORUS of Erinyes (See p. xxx)

  SECONDARY CHORUS of women who look after the cult of Athena at Athens

  [PLACE: The entrance to the Temple of Apollo at Delphi; moving to the site of the ancient statue of Athena on the Acropolis at Athens; then shifting to the Areopagus Hill nearby.]

  Scene 1

  [Enter PYTHIA from the side.]

  PYTHIA

  In these my prayers I honor firstly Gaia,

  the primeval prophetess;

  then Themis, who was second to possess

  this place, her mother’s oracle.

  The third to take it—by consent, no use of violence—

  was another daughter born of Earth, named Phoebe;

  she next gave it as a birth-gift to Apollo,

  who now has the further name of Phoebus.

  He, when he had left the rocks and lake of Delos,

  10 made first landfall on Athena’s coast;

  and the Athenians escorted him with reverence

  on his journey to this place beneath Parnassus.

  They pioneered a sacred way from there

  by civilizing lands that had been savage.

  The people of this country and their ruler, Delphos,

  honored him on his arrival.

  Zeus inspired him with the power of prophecy,

  and settled him, as Loxias, to be the fourth upon this throne.

  20 These are the gods I name as prelude to my prayers.

  Then next Athena-before-Delphi takes the pride of place.

  And I pay homage to the Nymphs of the Corycian cavern,

  favorite haunt for birds, frequented by the gods.

  And let me not forget that Dionysus holds this upland,

  ever since he led an army of his bacchants here

  to weave a fatal trap round Pentheus, like a hare.

  I call as well upon the river Pleistus;

  and on great Poseidon;

  and on Zeus supreme, who brings completion.

  (30) After this I go inside to take my seat as prophetess.

  If there be any Greeks here present,

  let them now consult,

  as drawn in order by the customary lot.

  for I deliver prophecies as guided by the god.

  [She goes in; there is an empty stage before she comes stumbling back out.]

  Oh terrible! terrible to tell, to see . . .

  horrors so foul they force me back outside the shrine,

  and drain my strength so I can’t stand,

  reduced to crawling on my hands and knees—

  a terrified old woman is a nothing . . . no more than a child.

  As I am entering the inner sanctum,

  40 there I see beside the sacred navel-stone

  a man who’s taken refuge as a suppliant,

  his hands polluted with still-dripping blood:

  in one he holds a naked sword, the other

  grasps an olive-bough entwined with wool.

  About him, fast asleep, there lie

  the strangest band of women—not women really,

  more like Gorgons . . . but then not Gorgons either. . . .

  I did once see such beings in a painting,

  50 pilfering the feast of Phineus.

  But these ones have no wings, and are pitch black,

  and utterly repulsive, reeking with disgusting snorts,

  and from their eyes there drips revolting ooze.

  Their whole appearance is not right for bringing near

  the shrines of gods, nor human houses either.

  I never have set eyes upon this race of creatures,

  and I’ve no idea what country could

  have bred them without damage or regret.

  60 From now, though, it’s the master of this temple

  has to be responsible for this—mighty Apollo.

  He is the healer, prophet, seer, and purifier.

  [PYTHIA goes off to the side she came from.]

  Scene 2

  [Enter APOLLO and ORESTES.]

  ORESTES

  (85) My lord Apollo, as you know how negligence is wrong,

  so too you must find out how not to be unjust.

  It is your strength that is my reassurance.

  APOLLO

  (88) Remember that, and don’t let terror swamp your mind.

  I’ll not betray you, but protect you through and through,

  both standing close, and from far off.

  And I shall not be soft toward your enemies:

  as you see now, these crazy females

  have been overcome, plunged deep in slumber—

  these abominations, ancient maidens, virgin crones.

  No god gets close involved with them,

  70 nor man, nor animal of any kind.

  They cultivate the evil dark of Tartarus beneath the earth,

  detested by both humans and the higher gods.

  Yet, all the same, you have to flee; and show no weakness,

  as they’re going to drive you over seas and lands.

  Don’t let this struggle weary you,

  but keep right on until you reach Athena’s city,

  80 and then stay, your arms about her ancient statue.

  There we’ll search out judges and beguiling words

  which will ensure you are released from this distress

  for all of future time—because I was the one

  persuaded you to strike your mother dead.

  I call upon you, Hermes, brother sharing

  the same father’s blood: take care of him,

  90 and faithful to your title, be the guide and shepherd

  to my suppliant here; and bring him,

  with the help of people that he meets, good fortune.

  [APOLLO goes into the temple; ORESTES sets off in haste.]

  Scene 3

  [The ghost of CLYTEMNESTRA enters from the temple and speaks back to the Erinyes, who are sleeping inside.]

  CLYTEMNESTRA

  Sleep on! Sleep on!

  Hey! What’s the use of you asleep?

  Meanwhile, as long as I’m disdained by you like this,

  I stay denounced among the dead by those I killed.

  And so I wander in humiliation, held to blame

  because, although I have been made

  100 to suffer horribly by my own closest kin,

  there is not one divinity enraged on my behalf,

  not even for me butchered at my children’s hands.

  Just bring yourselves to see these gashes in my breast!

  Yet you have lapped up many offerings

  that I have poured unmixed with wine;

  and I have burned rich sacrifices for you in the night—

  a ritual time not shared with any other god.

  110 I see all this go trampled underfoot,

  while he has managed to escape.

  Like some young deer, he’s lightly bounded off

  right from inside your nets, and boldly leers at you.

  Hear me—it is my very self at stake.

  Pay me attention, chthonic goddesses:

  this dream that summons you is

  Clytemnestra, me!

  [Moaning noises from the Erinyes.]

  Yes, go on moaning!

  But meanwhile the man has got away.

  120 [More moaning noises.]

  You’re fast asleep, and feel no pity for my pain.

  I am the mother that Orestes killed—he’s got away.

  [Crying-out noises from the Erinyes.]

  You cry aloud, yet stay asleep. Get up, I tell you.

  What’s your function other than inflicting pain?

  [More crying-out noises.]

  Exhaustion joined in league with sleep

  has drained the menace of your snakes.

  CHORUS [with redoubled moaning noises and cries]

  130 Get him! Get him! Get him! Get him!

  Look, here’s the trail!

  CLYTEMNESTRA

  You run in hot pursuit of your dream-prey

  with yelping like a dog intent upon the chase.

  Yet you are doing nothing!

  Get up, I tell you!

  Don’t let weariness subdue your power;

  don’t let slumber lull you senseless.

  Feel stabbing in your guts from my reproaches,

  blast him with your bloody breath,

  and shrivel him with scorching from your womb.

  Go after him; once more pursue, and bleed him dry.

  [The dream-ghost goes; the CHORUS begin to wake each other and to enter in disarray.]

  Choral Entry Song

  CHORUS

  140 Wake up!

  And you wake her.

  And I wake you.

  What, still asleep?

  Get up!

  Kick slumber off.

  Let’s find out

  if this prelude points to deeds.

  [Cries of anguish on finding ORESTES gone.]

  Sisters, we have suffered,

  labored hard for nothing,

  suffered pain unhealing,

  wrong beyond all bearing.

  He’s escaped the trap-net,

  and the beast has bolted.

  We’ve been caught out napping,

  and have lost our quarry.

  Son of Zeus, Apollo,

  you have played the robber.

  150 You, the young, have ridden

  over gods so agèd.

  Bowing to the godless

  killer of his mother,

  you have been his cover.

  Who could call this justice?

  Reproachful dreams interrupted sleep,

  blows like a charioteer’s keen whip,

  160 reaching my innards, and stinging sharp.

  Like being flogged in a public place,

  I felt it biting as cold as ice.

  This is the way they abuse what’s right,

  these younger gods, who defile with blood

  the sacred oracle head to foot,

  smearing the earth’s central navel-stone

  with indelibly filthy stain.

  The prophet has polluted

  the hearth of his own house,

  170 self-prompted, self-invited;

  and wrecked the gods’ own laws,

  rights that are deep-rooted.

  But never shall he free him;

  that man shall not escape,

  and down below earth even

  his guilt shall keep him trapped—

  revenge shall still consume him.

  Scene 4

  [Enter APOLLO from the temple.]

  APOLLO

  Out! Out, I tell you!

  Leave this shrine immediately

  180 and void the inner chamber of the oracle:

  or you’ll be pierced through by a silver fang

  sent flashing from my golden bow,

  and that will make you fetch up livid bile,

  and spew the human blood that you have swilled.

  This temple’s not a proper place for you:

  you should be rather where men’s heads

  are severed, eyes are gouged;

  where boys’ virility is mangled by castration;

  where there’s amputation, stoning,

  190 and men moan as they die slowly through impalement.

  D’you hear the kind of god-detested

  entertainment you take pleasure in?

  Your whole appearance makes this obvious:

  such creatures should by rights

  live in a flesh-devouring lions’ den,

  and not be smearing their defilement round this oracle.

  Be on your way, then, herd without a shepherd;

  there’s no god who wants to tend a flock like yours.

  CHORUS LEADER

  Now, lord Apollo, listen in your turn.

  You are yourself no mere accomplice,

  200 you’re the agent bearing full responsibility.

  APOLLO

  What do you mean? Just tell me that.

  CHORUS LEADER

  It was your oracle that told the man to kill his mother?

  APOLLO

  I gave an oracle that told him to avenge his father, yes.

  CHORUS LEADER

  Then promised to protect him, though still smeared with blood?

  APOLLO

  I told him to take refuge at this shrine.

  CHORUS LEADER

  And yet you still abuse us when we form his escort?

  APOLLO

  Because you are not fit to enter in this place.

  CHORUS LEADER

  But this role is the one assigned to us.

  APOLLO

  What can this function be, this fine prerogative?

  CHORUS LEADER

  210 We harry mother-killers from their homes.

  APOLLO

  And what about a woman who cuts down her man?

  CHORUS LEADER

  Ah, that would not be spilling her own kindred blood.

  APOLLO

  That means you rate as valueless the bonds

  that wed together Zeus and Hera;

  and Aphrodite is by your account discarded with contempt,

  the god who offers what’s most close for humankind.

  For man and wife the marriage bed, kept under guard

  by justice, is more binding than an oath.

  If they descend to murdering each other,

  220 and you are to go easy, not applying your full fury,

  then it’s not right, I say, for you to drive Orestes out.

  I find you’re too concerned about one side,

  and far too lenient with the other.

  Athena shall arrange a trial to judge these issues.

  CHORUS LEADER

  Well, I shall never give up harrying that man.

  APOLLO

  Go on, pursue him; make more trouble for yourselves.

  CHORUS LEADER

  Don’t you attempt to whittle down my rights.

  APOLLO

  I wouldn’t want your rights, not even as a gift.

  CHORUS LEADER

  Because you stand secure beside the throne of Zeus:

  230 but I am drawn on by a mother’s blood,

  and shall pursue this man until I have exacted justice.

  [The Erinyes set off in pursuit of ORESTES.]

  APOLLO

  And I shall take care of my suppliant.

  A suppliant’s anger, if he is betrayed,

  is fearsome for the gods as well as men.

  [APOLLO goes back into the temple, leaving the stage empty.]

  Scene 5

  [Athens: Enter ORESTES, exhausted; he approaches the statue of ATHENA.]

  ORESTES

  Mistress Athena, I have come here on the orders of Apollo:

  please receive the wanderer with favor.

  I am not seeking refuge with my hands polluted:

  any stain has been long blunted and abraded

  through my journeys and my time with other people.

  240 I’ve traversed both rugged land and seas

  in my obedience to Apollo’s oracle;

  and here I am before your temple and its image.

  Here I stay, and wait for final judgment.

  [Enter CHORUS in pursuit, like dogs on the track.]

  CHORUS LEADER

  Aha! Clear traces of our man!

  Run down the clues of the informant with no voice:

  like hounds that track a wounded deer,

  we’re scenting out a trail of dripping blood.

  My guts are gasping with our long, exhausting toils,

  for we have scavenged every part of earth,

  250 and skimmed across the seas, though with no wings.

  And now at last . . . he’s cowering somewhere here—

  the whiff of human blood is smiling out at me.

  CHORUS

  Search, search, and search again.

  Look all round for the man.

  Don’t let the matricide

  escape with crime unpaid.