Iphigenia in Aulis Summary

“For the whole of Greece, my child, gazes on you, and for you the fleet is gathered, and for you, if you are sacrificed, Troy will be sacked.”

— Agamemnon explains to Iphigenia why her sacrifice is necessary.

“It is not for us, women, to contend with men in arms.”

— Clytemnestra laments her powerlessness against Agamemnon and the army.

“But if I die, I shall leave behind me a glory which will never perish.”

— Iphigenia, having accepted her fate, finds nobility in it.

“Oh, my child, a bitter marriage this, a bitter return from Troy!”

— Clytemnestra mourns the impending sacrifice of Iphigenia, seeing it as a tragic outcome of the Trojan expedition.

“It is right that Greeks should rule barbarians, but not barbarians Greeks.”

— Achilles, initially defending Iphigenia, echoes a common Greek sentiment about cultural superiority.

“For it is not just to kill a virgin at the altar.”

— Achilles argues against the sacrifice, highlighting its moral transgression.

“What is terrible is not death, but the fear of death.”

— Iphigenia, in a moment of acceptance, reflects on her impending doom.

“My father, you were my life, and now you are my death.”

— Iphigenia confronts Agamemnon about his decision to sacrifice her.

“A man must obey the will of the gods, even if it is bitter.”

— Agamemnon justifies his decision, citing divine will and necessity.

“For a woman, silence is a crown.”

— A common ancient Greek proverb, implicitly reflected in the limited agency of female characters.

“The army has the power, not I.”

— Agamemnon expresses his helplessness against the demands of the assembled Greek forces.

“It is a noble thing to die for one's country.”

— Iphigenia embraces the idea of her sacrifice as a patriotic act.

“Oh, what a bitter thing is necessity!”

— Clytemnestra laments the unavoidable circumstances driving the tragedy.

“Better to marry a good man than to be sacrificed to the winds.”

— Clytemnestra expresses a mother's desire for her daughter's normal life over a brutal death.