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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
IPHIGENIA IN AULIS: WATCH BEFORE DAWN, by EURIPIDES Poet's Biography First Line: Come out, old man, out from the tent to me! Last Line: One of the guard for the bride. | |||
AGAMEMNON. OLD SERVANT AG. Come out, old man, out from the tent to me! SER. Coming, my lord! What new plan is afoot, King Agamemnon? AG. O, make haste, make haste! SER. All that you will, my lord. I'm a light sleeper yet. AG. What star is yonder, travelling in the sky? Sirius; SER. Close to the sevenfold voyaging Pleiades, Still high overhead. AG. No sound from the birds; No sound from the sea. The hush of the winds Broods over Euripus. SER. Why did you hasten out of the tent, Lord Agamemnon? No one is stirring in Aulis yet: Nothing has roused The guards on the ramparts. Let us go in. AG. O, you are fortunate, Fortunate, all of you humble men, Unknown, unhonoured, and free from fear! Leaders may envy your lot. SER. Ay, but glory is theirs. AG. And in that glory lies their grief. Suddenly, full in their pride of place The wrath of the high gods shatters their life, Or the quarrels of men Mock them and thwart them. SER. Are those the words of a chief? For shame! You were not born for a life of ease, Lord Agamemnon! Joy and grief are a mortal's lot, And the will of the high gods stronger than we. But what has troubled you All through the night? You kindled a torch, Wrote on the tablet you hold in your hand, Wrote and rewrote, sealed it, unsealed, Dashed out the torch and burst into tears, As though you were crazed. Tell me, trust me, a faithful man, Who came with your queen from her father's home, One of the guard for the bride. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ALCESTIS: BEREAVEMENT by EURIPIDES ALCESTIS: CHORUS. THE STRENGTH OF FATE by EURIPIDES ALCESTIS: LAMENT FOR ALCESTIS by EURIPIDES ALCESTIS: SCENE 1 by EURIPIDES ALCESTIS: SCENE 2 by EURIPIDES ALCESTIS: SCENE 3. FUNERAL MARCH by EURIPIDES ALCESTIS: SCENE 4 by EURIPIDES ALCESTIS: SCENE 5 by EURIPIDES ALCESTIS: TO ALCESTIS by EURIPIDES ANDROMACHE: THE KINGS OF TROY by EURIPIDES |
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