Classical Poems

[During the absence of Agamemnon at the siege of Troy, Aegisthus, son of
Thyestes and the relentless enemy of the House of Atreus, wins the love
of Clytemnestra, and with devilish ingenuity persuades her that the only
way to save her life and his is to slay her husband.]


ACT IV--SCENE I

AEGISTHUS--CLYTEMNESTRA

Aegisthus--To be a banished man, ... to fly, ... to die:
... These are the only means that I have left.
Thou, far from me, deprived of every hope
Of seeing me again, wilt from thy heart
Have quickly chased my image: great Atrides
Will wake a far superior passion there;
Thou, in his presence, many happy days
Wilt thou enjoy--These auspices may Heaven
Confirm--I cannot now evince to thee
A surer proof of love than by my flight; ...
A dreadful, hard, irrevocable proof.

_Clytemnestra_--If there be need of death, we both will die!--
But is there nothing left to try ere this?

_Aegis_.--Another plan, perchance, e'en now remains; ... But
little worthy ...

_Cly_.--And it is--