72 Ernest Heinrich Klotsche 



Forefather Zeus, and Justice' majesty, 



To him, to me, to her, grant happy speed ! " 



Electra prays : 



Or. 1299-1300 : 



(5 Aios, u> Aios akvaov Kparos, 



eXi?' k-wlKovpov etxoicn (ffikoLcn iravroos. 



" O power of Zeus, of Zeus, — eternal power. 

 Come, aid my friends in this supremest hour ! " 



Electra pronounces a curse on Helen : 

 Or. 130-31 : 



d^eoL o"€ fxiarjaeiav, cos p aTrcoKeffas 

 Kal Tovbt irdaav ^' 'EXXdSa. 



"... —Still the Helen of old ! 

 God's hate be on thee, who hast ruined me, 

 My brother, and all Hellas ! " 



Only one instance of oath is found in our play : 



Or. 1516-17: 



0. Ofxoaov, el de fj-rj, Krevcj ae, fir] 'keyet.v hfii)v x^-pi-v. 

 $. TTjv tfirjv ^vxw Kardofioar , ^v av evopKoifj. iyo}. 



O. " Swear — or I will slay thee, — that thou speakest not to 

 pleasure me. 

 Phr. By my life I swear^an oath I sure should honour sacredly." 



In the prologue Electra asserts that the oracle-god is guilty of 

 the most unholy thing, the most abominable deed : 



Or. 28-31 : 



$ot/3oi; 5' adiKLav fxev tL del KaTrjyopelv, 

 irel^ei 5 Opear-qv fxrjTep' rj acj} eyeivaro 

 KTeivai, Trpos ovx aTravras evK\eiav 4>kpov. 

 oficos S' cLweKTeLv' ovK airetd^ijcras !?€a5. 



" What boots it to lay wrong to Phoebus' charge, 

 Who thrust Orestes on to slay the mother 

 That bare him? — few but cry shame on the deed, 

 Though in obedience to the God he slew." 



Line 30 means literally translated " a deed that does not bring to 

 all the idea that this was creditable in a God," i.e., " that brings 

 discredit to him with some." 



126 



