Part 5 (1/2)

_Aeg._ To kill him!

_Cly._ To thy death thou goest!

O me! What dost thou? Hark! Dost thou not hear The yells and threats of the whole people? Hold!

I will not leave thee.

_Aeg._ Nay, thou hop'st in vain To save thy impious son from death. Hence! Peace!

Or I will else--

_Cly._ Oh, yes, Aegisthus, kill me, If thou believest me not. ”Orestes!” Hark!

”Orestes!” How that terrible name on high Rings everywhere! I am no longer mother When thou 'rt in danger. Against my blood I grow Cruel once more.

_Aeg._ Thou knowest well the Argives Do hate thy face, and at the sight of thee The fury were redoubled in their hearts.

The tumult rises. Ah, thou wicked wretch, Thou wast the cause! For thee did I delay Vengeance that turns on me now.

_Cly._ Kill me, then!

_Aeg._ I'll find escape some other way.

_Cly._ I follow--

_Aeg._ Ill s.h.i.+eld wert thou for me. Leave me--away, away!

At no price would I have thee by my side! {_Exit._

_Cly._ All hunt me from them! O most hapless state!

My son no longer owns me for his mother, My husband for his wife: and wife and mother I still must be! O misery! Afar I'll follow him, nor lose the way he went.

_Enter_ ELECTRA.

_El._ Mother, where goest thou! Turn thy steps again Into the palace. Danger--

_Cly._ Orestes--speak!

Where is he now? What does he do?

_El._ Orestes, Pylades, and myself, we are all safe.

Even Aegisthus' minions pitied us.

They cried, ”This is Orestes!” and the people, ”Long live Orestes! Let Aegisthus die!”

_Cly._ What do I hear?

_El._ Calm thyself, mother; soon Thou shalt behold thy son again, and soon Th' infamous tyrant's corse--

_Cly._ Ah, cruel, leave me!

I go--

_El._ No, stay! The people rage, and cry Out on thee for a parricidal wife.

Show thyself not as yet, or thou incurrest Great peril. 'T was for this I came. In thee A mother's agony appeared, to see Thy children dragged to death, and thou hast now Atoned for thy misdeed. My brother sends me To comfort thee, to succor and to hide thee From dreadful sights. To find Aegisthus out, All armed meanwhile, he and his Pylades Search everywhere. Where is the wicked wretch?

_Cly._ Orestes is the wicked wretch!

_El_. O Heaven!