EURIPIDES
I felt the hot flame from the altar-stone 86«;
And the cold water trickled on my head.
Orestes
0 desolate daughter of a desolate father!
1 see his face. I see his haunted face!
Iphigenia
But why feel pity for the pitiless man
Who caused all this? 865
Orestes
And might have caused today
Your leading your own brother tp the grave.
Iphigenia
Some God prevented. But I came so near,
My hand so nearly set the final seal,
That I still shake as though you lay here dead.
We have seen the beginning of a miracle. 870
We found each other and my hand was spared
From signaling your death. How can we now
Fulfil the miracle, make it complete?
How can I save you from some other hand
And speed you safely homeward from this place? 875
There will be many hands, and many swords,
For you to face. How could you match them all?
A giant's task, too, much for any man!
There are no weapons possible but wits,
And yet I see you stand there dazed as I. 880
Could you outrun them when they follow you,
Escape them on an inland wooded trail?
Or would a dash through breakers be the way?
Would you be safer trusting to the trail
Or to the ship? Oh, I can see you losing 885
Your way on land, risking a thousand deaths.
The countryside is full of savage men.
The ship is better, even that sharp cleft
410