Parerga/Electra Tending the Sick Couch of Orestes
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ELECTRA TENDING THE SICK COUCH OF ORESTES.
FROM THE ORESTES. (140.)
"Orestes, after the murder of his Mother, lies on a bed, sick with
"anguish of soul and madness. Electra sits at his feet: she, and the
"Chorus of Argive Damsels, tremblingly expect his awaking."
Schlegel.
"anguish of soul and madness. Electra sits at his feet: she, and the
"Chorus of Argive Damsels, tremblingly expect his awaking."
Schlegel.
Σῖγα σῖγα, λέπτον ἴχνος ἀρβύλης
Τίθετε, μὴ ψοφεῖτε, μὴ 'στω κτύπος. κ.τ.λ.
Τίθετε, μὴ ψοφεῖτε, μὴ 'στω κτύπος. κ.τ.λ.
ELECTRA.
Gently!—not an echo waking,
Nor the lulling quiet breaking,
With light-falling sandal tread.
Farther, farther from the bed!
Gently!—not an echo waking,
Nor the lulling quiet breaking,
With light-falling sandal tread.
Farther, farther from the bed!
CHORUS.
At thy bidding see we go.
At thy bidding see we go.
ELECTRA.
Dear companions, soft and low
As the thin reed's whisperings
Let your voices to me flow.
Dear companions, soft and low
As the thin reed's whisperings
Let your voices to me flow.
ELECTRA.
———So,
So approach; move lightly round him:———
Tell me why ye've hither crept?———
Now, indeed, repose hath bound him,
But 'tis long since last he slept.
———So,
So approach; move lightly round him:———
Tell me why ye've hither crept?———
Now, indeed, repose hath bound him,
But 'tis long since last he slept.
CHORUS.
What, Beloved one, is his state?
What, Beloved one, is his state?
ELECTRA.
What, alas! shall I relate?———
This to tell is alone in
My power;———yet he doth live,
By that low and broken moaning.
What, alas! shall I relate?———
This to tell is alone in
My power;———yet he doth live,
By that low and broken moaning.
CHORUS.
What baleful tidings dost thou give!
What baleful tidings dost thou give!
ELECTRA.
Break not, unless ye wish him dead,
The calm upon his eyelids spread,
Now enjoying sweet and deep
The gracious blessedness of sleep.
Break not, unless ye wish him dead,
The calm upon his eyelids spread,
Now enjoying sweet and deep
The gracious blessedness of sleep.
CHORUS.
He wakes—Behold the robes are stirred.
He wakes—Behold the robes are stirred.
ELECTRA.
Curses on thee for the word!—
Ye with voices loud and fast
Slumber from his eyes have cast.
Curses on thee for the word!—
Ye with voices loud and fast
Slumber from his eyes have cast.
CHORUS.
He seemed to sleep.
He seemed to sleep.
ELECTRA.
Begone, I say,
Troubler of his rest! Away!———
Begone, I say,
Troubler of his rest! Away!———
CHORUS.
He now sleeps well.
He now sleeps well.
ELECTRA.
Thou sayest right.
Thou sayest right.
CHORUS.
Holy and awful Night,
Giver of sleep, on whom the labour-laden call,
Hither from the depths of Erebus
Come, on thy shadowy wings, to us,
To the Agamemnonian Hall!
For beneath our wretchedness,
And our manifold distress,
We perish, we utterly perish.
Holy and awful Night,
Giver of sleep, on whom the labour-laden call,
Hither from the depths of Erebus
Come, on thy shadowy wings, to us,
To the Agamemnonian Hall!
For beneath our wretchedness,
And our manifold distress,
We perish, we utterly perish.
ELECTRA.
Again ye 've roused him.
Again ye 've roused him.
CHORUS.
Nay.
Nay.
ELECTRA.
Oh cherish
His repose. Each sound repress,
And in silence watching by,
Let him slumber peacefully.
Oh cherish
His repose. Each sound repress,
And in silence watching by,
Let him slumber peacefully.
- ↑ See Musgrave's Note on the word ὑπóροφον.