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• The Works of Voltaire: the Dramatic Works of Voltaire Vol. Ix— Part I
• Alzire
• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Act I.
• Act II.
• Act III.
• Act IV.
• Act V.
• Orestes
• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Act I.
• Act II.
• Act III.
• Act IV.
• Act V.
• SÉmiramis
• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Act I.
• Act II.
• Act III.
• Act IV.
• Act V.
• Catiline
• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Act I.
• Act II.
• Act III.
• Act IV.
• Act V.
• Pandora
• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Act I.
• Act II.
• Act III.
• Act IV.
• Act V.
• The Dramatic Works of Voltaire Vol. Ix—part Ii
• The Scotch Woman
• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Act I.
• Act II.
• Act III.
• Act IV.
• Act V.
• Nanine
• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Act I.
• Act II.
• Act III.
• The Prude
• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Act I.
• Act II.
• Act III.
• Act IV.
• Act V.
• The Tatler
• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Act I.

ACT IV.

SCENE I.

orestes, pylades.

orestes.

• Perhaps the vigilance of good Pammenes
• May for awhile remove the king’s suspicions;
• And gracious heaven, in pity to our woes,
• Deceive Ægisthus to a fond belief,
• That the devoted race of Tantalus
• Is now no more; but, O my Pylades,
• The sword I offered at my father’s tomb
• Is stolen by sacrilegious hands, that reach
• Even to the sacred mansions of the dead:
• If it be carried to the tyrant, all
• Will be discovered; let us haste, my friend,
• And seize him, ere it be too late.

pylades.

• Pammenes
• Is watchful o’er our interest: we must wait
• For him: when we have gathered the few friends
• That mean to serve us, be this tomb the place
• Of meeting for us all, Pammenes then
• Will join us here.

orestes.

• O Pylades, O heaven!
• This barbarous law that forces me to wound
• A tender heart that lives but for Orestes!
• And must I leave Electra to her sorrows?

pylades.

• Yes: thou hast sworn it, therefore persevere;
• Thou hast more cause to dread Electra now
• Than all thy foes; she may destroy, but never
• Can serve us, and the tyrant’s eyes may soon
• Be opened: O subdue, if possible,
• The pangs of nature, and conceal thy love:
• We came not here to comfort thy Electra,
• But to avenge her.

orestes.

• See, my Pylades,
• She comes this way, perhaps in search of me.

pylades.

• Her every step is watched: you must not see her:
• Begone; and doubt not, I’ll observe her well;
• The eyes of friendship seldom are deceived.

SCENE II.

electra, iphisa, pylades.

electra.

• The villain hath escaped me; he avoids
• My hated sight, and leaves me to my fate,
• To fruitless rage, and unavailing tears,
• Without the hope of vengeance: say, barbarian,
• Thou vile accomplice in his crimes, where went
• The murderer, my tyrant, my new lord,
• (For so it seems Ægisthus has decreed)
• Where is he gone?

pylades.

• To do the will of heaven,
• In dutiful obedience to the gods,
• And well would it become the royal maid
• To follow his example: fate ofttimes
• Deceives the hearts of men, directs in secret,
• And guides their wandering steps through paths unknown;
• Ofttimes it sinks us in the deep abyss
• Of misery, and then raises us to joy;
• Binds us in chains, or lifts us to a throne,
• And gives us life midst horrors, tombs, and death.
• Complain no more, but yield to thy new sorrows;
• Be patient, and be happy: fare thee well.

SCENE III.

electra, iphisa.

electra.

• He swells my rage to fury and despair:
• Thinks he I’ll tamely bear these cruel insults?
• Could not a father’s and a brother’s death
• Fill up the measure of Electra’s woes;
• But she must bend beneath the vile assassin
• Of her Orestes; be a common slave
• To all the murderers of her hapless race?
• Thou dreadful sword, wet with Orestes’ blood,
• Exposed in triumph at the sacred tomb,
• Thou execrable trophy, for a moment
• Thou didst deceive me, but thou hast insulted
• The ashes of the dead; I’ll make thee serve
• A nobler purpose: though Ægisthus hides
• His guilty head, and with the queen in secret
• Plans future crimes, and meditates destruction,
• Still we may find the murderer of Orestes:
• I cannot bathe me in the blood of both
• My tyrants, but on one at least my soul
• Shall be revenged.

iphisa.

• I cannot blame the grief
• Which I partake; but hear me, hear the voice
• Of reason; every tongue speaks of Orestes;
• They say, he lives, and the king’s fears confirm it.
• You saw Pammenes talking with this stranger
• In secret, saw his ardent zeal to serve
• And to attend him: thinkest thou, our best friend,
• Our comforter, the good old man, would e’er
• Associate with a murderer? never, never,
• He could not be so base.

electra.

• He may be false,
• Or weak; old age is easily deceived:
• We are betrayed by all; I know we are:
• Did not the cruel stranger boast his deed?
• Did not Ægisthus yield me up a victim?
• Was not Electra made the price of guilt,
• The murderer’s reward? Orestes calls me
• To join him in the tomb: now then, my sister,
• If e’er thou lovest Electra, pity her
• In her last moments; bloody they must be,
• And terrible. Away; inform thyself
• Touching Pammenes; see if the assassin
• Be with the queen: she flatters all my foes;
• She heard unmoved the murder of her son,
• And seemed, O gods! a mother seemed, to share
• The guilty transport with her savage lord.
• O that this sword could reach him in her arms,
• And pierce the traitor’s heart! I’ll do it.

iphisa.

• No more:
• Indeed you wrong her; for the sight of him
• Offends her: be not thus precipitate
• And rash, Electra; I will to Pammenes,
• And talk with him: or I am much deceived,
• Or by their silence they but mean to hide
• Some mystery from us: your imprudent warmth
• (Yet who would not forgive it in the wretched?)
• Perhaps alarms them, and they would conceal
• From you their purpose; what it is, I know not:
• Pammenes seems to shun you, let me go
• And speak to him; but do not, my Electra,
• Hazard a deed thou wilt too late repent of.

SCENE IV.

electra.

• The subtle tyrants have gained o’er Pammenes;
• Old age is weak and fearful: what can faith
• Or friendship do against the hand of power?
• Henceforth Electra to herself alone
• Shall trust her vengeance: ’tis enough: these hands,
• Armed with despair, shall act with double vigor.
• Arise ye furies, leave your dark abode
• For seats more guilty, and another hell,
• Open your dreary caverns, and receive
• Your victims: bring your flaming torches here,
• Daughters of vengeance, arm yourselves and me;
• Approach, with death and terror in your train;
• Orestes, Agamemnon, and Electra
• Invoke your aid: and lo! they come, I see
• Their glittering swords, and unappalled behold them;
• They are not half so dreadful as Ægisthus:
• The murderer comes; and see, they throng around him;
• Hell points him out, and yields him to my vengeance.

SCENE V.

electra.

• [At the bottom of the stage.

orestes.

• [On the other side at a distance from her.

orestes.

• Where am I? hither they directed me:
• O my dear country! and thou, fatal spot
• That gave me birth, thou great but guilty race
• Of Tantalus, for ever shall thy blood
• Be wretched? horror here on every side
• Surrounds me: wherefore am I punished thus?
• What have I done? why must Orestes suffer
• For his forefathers’ crimes?

electra.

• [Advancing a little from the bottom of the stage.
• What power withholds me?
• I cannot lift my arm against him; but
• I will go on.

orestes.

• Methought I heard a voice:
• O my dear father, ever-honored shade,
• Much injured Agamemnon, didst thou groan?

electra.

• Just heaven! durst he pronounce that sacred name?
• And see he weeps: can sighs and penitence
• Find entrance here? but what is his remorse
• To the dire horrors that Electra feels!
• [She comes forward.
• He is alone; now strike—die, traitor—O
• I cannot—

orestes.

• Gods! Electra, art thou here,
• Furious and trembling?

electra.

• Sure thou art some god
• Who thus unnervest me—thou has slain my brother:
• I would have taken thy life for it, but the sword
• Dropped from my hand; thy genius hath prevailed;
• I yield to thee, and must betray my brother.

orestes.

• Betray him, no! O, why am I restrained?—

electra.

• At sight of thee my resolution dies,
• And all is changed: could it be thou who filled
• My soul with terror?

orestes.

• O, I would repay
• Thy precious tears with hazard of my life!

electra.

• Methought I heard thee speak of Agamemnon.
• O gentle youth, deceive me not, but speak:
• For I had well nigh done a desperate deed;
• O show me all the guilt of it! explain
• The mystery; tell me who thou art.

orestes.

• O sister
• Of dear Orestes, fly from me, avoid me.

electra.

• But wherefore? speak.

orestes.

• No more—I am—take heed
• They see us not together.

electra.

• Gracious heaven!
• Thou fillest my heart with terror and with joy.

orestes.

• O if thou lovest thy brother—

electra.

• Love him! yes:
• And O in thee I hear a father’s voice,
• And see his features; nature hath unveiled
• The mystery: O be kind and speak for her,
• Do not deny it; say thou art my brother:
• Thou art, I know thou art—my dear Orestes;
• How could a sister seek thy precious life?

orestes.

• [Embracing her.
• Heaven threatens in vain, and nature will prevail:
• Electra is more powerful than the gods.

electra.

• The gods have given a sister to thy vows,
• And dost thou fear their wrath?

orestes.

• Their cruel orders
• Would have deprived me of my dear Electra,
• And may perhaps chastise a brother’s weakness.

electra.

• Thy weakness there was virtue; O rejoice
• With me, Orestes; wherefore wouldst thou force me
• To that rash act? it might have cost thee dear.

orestes.

• I’ve broken my sacred promise.

electra.

• ’Twas thy duty.

orestes.

• A secret trusted to me by the gods.

electra.

• I drew it from thee; I extorted it;
• Mine be the guilt; an oath more sacred far
• Binds me to vengeance: what hast thou to fear?

orestes.

• My destiny, the oracles, the blood
• From whence I sprung.

electra.

• That blood henceforth shall flow
• In purer streams; haste then, and join with me
• To scourge the guilty; oracles and gods
• Are all propitious to our great design,
• And the same power that saved will guide Orestes.

SCENE VI.

electra, orestes, pylades, pammenes.

electra.

• Rejoice with me, my friends, for I have found
• My dear Orestes.

pylades.

• [To Orestes.
• Hast thou then revealed
• The dangerous secret? Couldst thou think—

orestes.

• If heaven
• Expects obedience, it must give us laws
• We can obey.

electra.

• Canst thou reproach him thus
• Only for making poor Electra happy?
• Wouldst thou adopt the cruel sentiments
• Of persecuting foes, and hide Orestes
• From my embraces? what unjust decree
• What harsh commands—

pylades.

• I meant to save him for thee,
• That he might live, and be thy great avenger.

pammenes.

• Princess, thou knowest, in this detested place
• They watch thee nearly; every sigh is heard,
• And every motion carefully observed:
• Those private friends, whose humble state eludes
• The tyrants search, adore this noble youth,
• And would have served him; everything’s prepared;
• But thy imprudence now will hazard all.

electra.

• Did not Ægisthus give me to a hand,
• Stained, as he thought, with my Orestes’ blood?
• [To Orestes.
• Thou art my master; I am bound to serve thee;
• I will obey the tyrant; his commands,
• For once, are welcome, and the prospect brightens
• On every side.

pammenes.

• It may be clouded soon,
• Ægisthus is alarmed, and we have cause
• To tremble; if he but suspects us, death
• Must be our portion, therefore let us part.

pylades.

• [To Pammenes.
• Hence, good Pammenes, bring our friends together,
• The hours are precious; haste and finish soon
• Thy noble work; ’tis time we should appear,
• And—like ourselves.

SCENE VII.

ægisthus, clytemnæstra, electra, orestes, pylades,Guards.

ægisthus.

• Slaves, execute your office,
• And bear these traitors to the dungeon.

orestes.

• Once
• There ruled o’er Argos those who better knew
• The rights of hospitality.

pylades.

• Ægisthus,
• What is our crime? Inform us, and at least
• Respect this noble youth.

ægisthus.

• Away with them;
• Ye stand aghast, as if ye feared to touch
• His sacred person: hence, I say, take heed
• Ye disobey me not: guards, drag them off.

electra.

• O stay, barbarian, stay; for heaven itself
• Pleads for their sacred lives—they tear them from me,
• O gods!

ægisthus.

• Electra, tremble for thyself,
• Perfidious as thou art, and dread my wrath.

SCENE VIII.

electra, clytemnæstra.

electra.

• O hear me, if thou art a mother, hear;
• Let me recall thy former tenderness,
• Forgive my guilty rage, the sad effect
• Of unexampled sorrows; to complain,
• Is still, the mournful privilege of grief:
• Pity these wretched strangers; heaven perhaps,
• Whose dreadful vengeance thou so long hast feared,
• May for their sakes forgive thy past offences;
• The pardon thou bestowest on them may plead
• For thee: O save them, save them.

clytemnæstra.

• Why shouldst thou
• Be thus solicitous? What interest prompts
• Thy ardent zeal?

electra.

• Thou seest, the gods protect them,
• Who saved them from the Ocean’s boisterous rage,
• And brought them here: heaven gives them to thy care,
• And will require them at thy hands—to one,
• O if thou knewest him—but they both are wretched.
• Are we in Argos, or at Tauris, where
• The cruel priestess bids her altars smoke
• With stranger’s blood? What must I do to save him?
• Command, and I obey: to Plisthenes
• You’d have me wedded; I submit, though death
• Were far more welcome; lead me to his bed.

clytemnæstra.

• You mean to mock us: knowest thou not, he’s dead?

electra.

• Just heaven! and hath Ægisthus lost a son?

clytemnæstra.

• I see the joy that sparkles in thy eyes;
• Thou art pleased to hear it.

electra.

• No: I am too wretched
• To be delighted with another’s woe:
• I pity the unhappy, nor would shed
• The blood of innocence: O save the strangers!
• I ask no more.

clytemnæstra.

• Away: I understand thee,
• And know thee but too well; thou hast confirmed
• The king’s suspicions, and revealed the secret:
• One of these strangers is—Orestes.

electra.

• Well,
• Suppose it were; suppose that gracious heaven,
• In tender pity, had restored thy son—

clytemnæstra.

• O dreadful moment! how am I to act?

electra.

• Is it a doubt, and canst thou hesitate?
• Thy son! O heaven! think on his past misfortunes,
• Think on his merits; but if still thy mind
• Is doubtful, all is lost: farewell Orestes.

clytemnæstra.

• I’m not in doubt; I am resolved; even thou,
• With all thy fury, canst not change the love,
• The tenderness I bear him: I will guard,
• Save, and protect him—he may punish me,
• Perhaps he will; I tremble at his name;
• No matter—I’m a mother still, and love
• My children; thou mayst yet preserve thy hate.

electra.

• No: I will fall submissive at thy feet,
• And thank thy bounty: now, indulgent heaven,
• Thy mercy shines superior to thy wrath;
• For thou hast given a mother to my vows,
• Changed her resentful heart, and saved Orestes.

End of the Fourth Act.