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Delahoyde & Hughes
Orpheus
IPHIGENIA IN TAURUS
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Euripides' play Iphigenia in Tauris (a.k.a. Iphigenia Among
the Taurians), coming maybe from 414 b.c.e., is not truly tragic
for a tragedy. It begins with Iphigenia (whose name means "strong-born
one") mentioning her lineage: Tantalus begot Pelops begot Atreus begot
Menelaus and Agamemnon. Iphigenia is Agamemnon's daughter, sacrificed by
him for Troyward winds many years ago, after Odysseus convinced her she
would be marrrying Achilles. But, explains Iphigenia, Artemis replaced her
with a deer and whisked her away to "uncouth" Tauris (116) to serve as her
High Priestess, primarily a matter of sacrificing foreigners. Iphigenia
has had an ominous dream suggesting to her the death of her brother Orestes,
whom we know killed his mother Clytemnestra to avenge her murder of the
father Agamemnon when he returned from the Trojan War.
Lo, Orestes and his friend Pylades have just arrived on shore; Apollo has
sent him here to steal Artemis' statue and bring it to Attica. As
Iphigenia kvetches with a Chorus of maidens, a herdman brings news of
these new foreign arrivals, saying that one is named Pylades and the
other went into a fit a lunacy. The captives are brought to Iphigenia and
a tense exchange ensues -- neither sibling knows the identity of the
other at first. Iphigenia is willing to cut a deal: one sacrifice if the
other carries a letter to her home in Argos. During negotiations it
emerges that she indeed is Iphigenia and Orestes reveals his identity.
They recall tapestries (148) and discuss events since their childhood
parting.
Iphigenia want to help Orestes and to leave this place. Orestes
idiotically suggests they kill the king, since apparently he's learned
nothing. Instead, Iphigenia proposes that she insist on a cleansing
ritual before sacrifice, since Orestes is, after all, a matricidal
maniac. She can insist that the statue of the goddess also be cleansed.
She succeeds in convincing King Thoas that "The sea is the absorbent of
all evil" (165). Iphigenia, Orestes, and Pylades make their escape to
sea. The other maidens delay the soldier's ability to report the news to
the King. When he does, Athena appears, explains her siding with the
escapees, tells that she has had Poseidon assure them a smooth voyage,
and ends the ritual sacrifices. Thoas accepts the changes, unwilling to
defy a god.
Euripides. Iphigenia in Tauris. Trans. Witter Bynner. Greek Tragedies. Volume 2. Ed. David Grene and Richmond Lattimore. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1960. 111-179.
Powell, Barry. Classical Myth. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 2001.