Sophocles' ELECTRA Complete

Translated by R. Jebb.

Sophocles Bilingual Anthology  Studies  Sophocles in Print

71 Pages

Page 9

Electra: O that bitter day, bitter beyond all that have come to me;
O that night, O the horrors of that unutterable feast, the ruthless
deathstrokes that my father saw from the hands of twain, who took
my life captive by treachery, who doomed me to woe! May the great
god of Olympus give them sufferings in requital, and never may their
splendour bring them joy, who have done such deeds!

Chorus: (antistrophe 3)

Be advised to say no more; canst thou not see what conduct it is
which already plunges thee so cruelly in self-made miseries? Thou
hast greatly aggravated thy troubles, ever breeding wars with thy
sullen soul; but such strife should not be pushed to a conflict with
the strong.

Electra: I have been forced to it,- forced by dread causes; I know
my own passion, it escapes me not; but, seeing that the causes are
so dire, will never curb these frenzied plaints, while life is in
me. Who indeed, ye kindly sisterhood, who that thinks aright, would
deem that any word of solace could avail me? Forbear, forbear, my
comforters! Such ills must be numbered with those which have no cure;
I can never know a respite from my sorrows, or a limit to this wailing.

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