but from health of soul comes happiness, dear to all, much prayed for.
 Chorus And as for the whole matter, I say to you: respect the altar of Justice and do not, looking to profit, dishonor it by spurning with godless foot; for punishment will come upon you. The appointed fulfilment remains. Therefore, let a man rightly put first in honor the reverence owed to his parents, and have regard for attentions paid to guests welcomed in his house.
 Chorus Whoever is just willingly and without compulsion will not lack happiness; he will never be utterly destroyed. But I say that the man who boldly transgresses, amassing a great heap unjustly—by force, in time, he will strike his sail, when trouble seizes him as the yardarm is splintered.
 Chorus He calls on those who hear nothing and he struggles in the midst of the whirling waters. The god laughs at the hot-headed man, seeing him, who boasted that this would never happen, exhausted by distress without remedy and unable to surmount the cresting wave. He wrecks the happiness of his earlier life on the reef of Justice, and he perishes unwept, unseen. Enter, in procession, Athena, a herald, the jury of the Areopagus, a crowd of citizens. Orestes removes to the place appointed for the accused. Apollo appears after Athena’s first speech. Athena Herald, give the signal and restrain the crowd; and let the piercing Tyrrhenian The Etruscans were regarded as the inventors of the trumpet. trumpet, filled with human breath, send forth its shrill blare to the people! For while this council-hall is filling, it is good to be silent, and for my ordinances to be learned, by the whole city for everlasting time, and by these appellants, so that their case may be decided well.
 Enter Apollo. Chorus Lord Apollo, be master of what is yours. Say what part you have in this matter. Apollo I have come both to bear witness—for this man was a lawful suppliant and a guest of my sanctuary, and I am his purifier from bloodshed—and to be his advocate myself. I am responsible for the murder of his mother.
 To Athena. Bring in the case, and, in accordance with your wisdom, decide it.
 Athena To the Furies. It is for you to speak—I am only bringing in the case; for the prosecutor at the beginning, speaking first, shall rightly inform us of the matter.
 Chorus We are many, but we will speak briefly.
 To Orestes. Answer our questions, one by one. Say first if you killed your mother.
 Orestes I killed her. There is no denial of this.
 Chorus Of the three falls that win the wrestling match, this one is already ours.
 Orestes You make this boast over a man who is not down yet. Chorus You must, however, say how you killed her.
 Orestes I will say it: with drawn sword in hand, I stabbed her in the throat.
 Chorus By whom were you persuaded and on whose advice?
 Orestes By the oracles of this god here; he is my witness.
 Chorus The prophet directed you to kill your mother? Orestes Yes, and to this very hour, I do not blame my fortune.
 Chorus But if the jury’s vote catches hold of you, you’ll soon speak differently.
 Orestes I have good confidence. My father will send protection from his grave.
 Chorus Put your confidence in the dead now, after you have killed your mother!
 Orestes I do, for she was twice afflicted with pollution.