Then answered King Agamemnon, “What is thy quarrel with me?  Why blamest thou me if thou couldst not rule thy wife?  And now to win back this woman, because forsooth she is fair, thou castest aside both reason and honour.  And I, if I had an ill purpose, and now have changed it for that which is wiser, dost thou charge me with folly?  Let them that sware the oath to Tyndareus go with thee on this errand.  Why should I slay my child, and work for myself sorrow and remorse without end that thou mayest have vengeance for thy wicked wife?”

Then Menelaues turned away in a rage, crying, “Betray me if thou wilt.  I will betake myself to other counsels and other friends.”

But even as he spake there came a messenger, saying, “King Agamemnon, I am come, as thou badest me, with thy daughter Iphigenia.  Also her mother, Queen Clytaemnestra, is come, bringing with her her little son, Orestes.  And now they are resting themselves and their horses by the side of a spring, for indeed the way is long and weary.  And all the army is gathered about them, to see them and greet them.  And men question much wherefore they are come, saying, ’Doth the King make a marriage for his daughter; or hath he sent for her, desiring to see her?’ But I know thy purpose, my lord; wherefore we will dance and shout and make merry, for this is a happy day for the maiden.”

But the King Agamemnon was sore dismayed when he knew that the Queen was come, and spake to himself.  “Now what shall I say to my wife?  For that she is rightly come to the marriage of her daughter who can deny?  But what will she say when she knoweth my purpose?  And of the maiden, what shall I say?  Unhappy maiden whose bridegroom shall be death!  For she will cry to me, ‘Wilt thou kill me, my father?’ And the little Orestes will wail, not knowing what he doeth, seeing he is but a babe.  Cursed be Paris, who hath wrought this woe!”

And now King Menelaues came back, saying that it repented him of what he had said, “For why should thy child die for me?  What hath she to do with Helen?  Let the army be scattered, so that this wrong be not done.”

Then said King Agamemnon, “But how shall I escape from this strait?  For the whole host will compel me to this deed?”

“Not so,” said King Menelaues, “if thou wilt send back the maiden to Argos.”

“But what shall that profit,” said the King; “for Calchas will cause the matter to be known, or Ulysses, saying that I have failed of my promise; and if I fly to Argos, they will come and destroy my city and lay waste my land.  Woe is me! in what a strait am I set!  But take thou care, my brother, that Clytaemnestra hear nothing of these things.”

And when he had ended speaking, the Queen herself came unto the tent, riding in a chariot, having her daughter by her side.  And she bade one of the attendants take out with care the caskets which she had brought for her daughter, and bade others help her daughter to alight, and herself also, and to a fourth she said that he should take the young Orestes.  Then Iphigenia greeted her father, saying, “Thou hast done well to send for me, my father.”