And while he hears,
I speak this word for omen in his ears:
"Aegisthus dies, Aegisthus dies.
I speak this word for omen in his ears:
"Aegisthus dies, Aegisthus dies.
Euripides - Electra
Thy children call, who love thee: hearken thou!
ORESTES.
Girt with thine own dead armies, wake, O wake!
ELECTRA.
With all that died at Ilion for thy sake . . .
OLD MAN.
And hate earth's dark defilers; help us now!
ELECTRA.
Dost hear us yet, O thou in deadly wrong,
Wronged by my mother?
OLD MAN.
Child, we stay too long.
He hears; be sure he hears!
ELECTRA.
And while he hears,
I speak this word for omen in his ears:
"Aegisthus dies, Aegisthus dies. ". . . Ah me,
My brother, should it strike not him, but thee,
This wrestling with dark death, behold, I too
Am dead that hour. Think of me as one true,
Not one that lives. I have a sword made keen
For this, and shall strike deep.
I will go in
And make all ready. If there come from thee
Good tidings, all my house for ecstasy
Shall cry; and if we hear that thou art dead,
Then comes the other end! --Lo, I have said.
ORESTES.
I know all, all.
ELECTRA.
Then be a man to-day!
[ORESTES _and the_ OLD MAN _depart_.
O Women, let your voices from this fray
Flash me a fiery signal, where I sit,
The sword across my knees, expecting it.
