TH.  Queen Minerva, whosoever, on hearing the words of the Gods, is disobedient, thinks not wisely.  But I will not be angry with Orestes, if he has carried away the image of the Goddess with him, nor with his sister.  For what credit is there in contending with the potent Gods?  Let them depart to thy land with the image of the Goddess, and let them prosperously enshrine the effigy.  But I will also send these women to blest Greece, as thy mandate bids.  And I will stop the spear which I raised against the strangers, and the oars of the ships, as this seems fit to thee, O Goddess.

MIN.  I commend your words, for fate commands both thee and the Gods [themselves.] Go, ye breezes, conduct the vessel of Agamemnon’s son to Athens.  And I will journey with you, to guard the hallowed image of my sister.

CHOR.  Go ye, happy because of your preserved fortune.  But, O Athenian Pallas, hallowed among both immortals and mortals, we will do even as thou biddest.  For I have received a very delightful and unhoped-for voice in my hearing.  O thou all hallowed Victory, mayest thou possess my life, and cease not to crown it.[191]

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NOTES ON IPHIGENIA IN TAURIS

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[1] This verse and part of the following are set down among the “oil cruet” verses by Aristophanes, Ran. 1232.  Aristotle, Poet.  Sec. xvii. gives a sketch of the plot of the whole play, by way of illustrating the general form of tragedy.  Hyginus, who constantly has Euripides in view, also gives a brief analysis of the plot, fab. cxx.  For a description of the quadrigae of Pelops, see Philostratus Imagg. i. 19.  It must be observed, that Antoninus Liberalis, Sec. 27, makes Iphigenia only the supposititious daughter of Agamemnon, but really the daughter of Theseus and Helen.  See Meurs. on Lycophron, p. 145.

[2] I must confess that I can not find what should have so much displeased the critics in this word.  Iphigenia, in using such an epithet, evidently refers to her own intended sacrifice, which had rendered the recesses of Aulis a place of no small fame.

[3] But Lenting prefers [Greek:  Achaious], with the approbation of the Cambridge editor.

[4] See Reiske apud Dindorf.  Compare my note on AEsch.  Ag. 188, p. 101, ed.  Bohn.  So also Callimachus, Hymn. iii. [Greek:  meilion aploies, hote hoi katedesas aetas].

[5] Sinon made the same complaint.  Cf.  Virg.  AEn. ii. 90.

[6] Cf.  AEsch.  Ag. 235.

[7] This whole passage has been imitated by Ovid, de Ponto, iii. 2, 60.  “Sceptra tenente illo, liquidas fecisse per auras, Nescio quam dicunt Iphigenian iter.  Quam levibus ventis sub nube per aera vectam Creditur his Phoebe deposuisse locis.”  Cf.  Lycophron, p. 16, vs. 3 sqq.  Nonnus xiii. p. 332, 14 sqq.

[8] Observe the double construction of [Greek:  anassei].  Orest. 1690. [Greek:  nautais medeousa thalasses].