[men] up, conduces greatly to virtue, for to have reverence is wisdom, and it possesses an equivalent advantage, viz. to perceive what is fitting by one’s mind, where report bears unwasting glory to life.[42] ’Tis a great thing to hunt for [the praise of] virtue, among women indeed, by a secret affection,[43] but among men, on the other hand, honor being inherent,[44] [bears that praise, honor,] which increases a state to an incalculable extent.[45]

Thou earnest, O Paris, +where thou wast trained up a shepherd with the white heifers of Ida, trilling a barbarian lay, breathing an imitation of the Phrygian pipes of Olympus on a reed.  And the cows with their well-filled udders browsed, when the judgment of the Goddesses drove thee mad, which sends thee into Greece,+ before the ivory-decked palaces, thou who didst strike love into the eyes of Helen which were upon thee, and thyself wast fluttered with love.  Whence strife, strife brings Greece against the bulwarks of Troy with spears and ships.+ Alas! alas! great are the fortunes of the great.[46] Behold the king’s daughter, Iphigenia, my queen, and Clytaemnestra, daughter of Tyndarus, how are they sprung from the great, and to what suitable fortune they are come.  The powerful, in sooth, and the wealthy, are Gods to those of mortals who are unblest. [Let us stand still, ye children of Chalcis, let us receive the queen from her chariot to the earth, not unsteadily, but gently with the soft attention of our hands, lest the renowned daughter of Agamemnon, newly coming to me, be alarmed, nor let us, as strangers to strangers, cause disturbance or fear to the Argive ladies.[47]]

[Enter Clytaemnestra, IPHIGENIA, and probably ORESTES in a chariot.  They descend from it, while the Chorus make obeisance.]

CLY.  I regard both your kindness and your favorable words as a good omen, and I have some hope that I am here as escort [of my daughter] to honorable nuptials.  But take out of my chariot the dower-gifts which I bear for my girl, and send them carefully into the house.  And do thou, my child, quit the horse-chariot, setting [carefully] thy foot delicate and at the same time tender.  But you,[48] maidens, receive her in your arms, and lift her from the chariot.  And let some one give me the firm support of his hand, that I may beseemingly leave the chariot-seat.  But do some[49] of you stand in front of the horses’ yoke, for the uncontrolled eye of horses is timorous, and take this boy, the son of Agamemnon, Orestes, for he is still an infant.  Child! dost sleep, overcome by the ride?  Wake up happily for thy sisters’ nuptials.  For thou thyself being noble shalt obtain relationship with a good man, the God-like son of the daughter of Nereus. [[50]Next come thou close to my foot, O daughter, to thy mother, Iphigenia, and standing near, show these strangers how happy I am, and come hither indeed, and address thy dear father.] O thou most great glory to me, king Agamemnon, we are come, not disobeying thy bidding.