Iphigenia in Aulis

Clytemnestra enters, searching for Agamemnon. She has revealed the truth to Iphigenia and now wishes to ask Agamemnon to spare their daughter. Agamemnon enters and tells Clytemnestra that all necessary arrangements have been made. Clytemnestra calls Iphigenia, who enters with the infant Orestes, and confronts Agamemnon. Agamemnon at first denies that he plans to sacrifice Iphigenia, but at last admits the truth.

Clytemnestra makes a long speech. She says she has always been a good wife to Agamemnon, in spite of all the ways he has wronged her; now Agamemnon intends to take her child from her, and Clytemnestra warns him that if he does this, he will force her to hate him and seek retribution.

Iphigenia then delivers a speech of her own, begging Agamemnon as her father to spare her. Agamemnon responds saying that he loves his children and is grieved by the present circumstances, but that he has no choice. The army demands that Iphigenia be sacrificed so that they can sail to Troy to punish the “barbarians,” and if Agamemnon denies them they will pursue him to his kingdom and kill Iphigenia anyway.