Start: What are you thinking when you ar...

Start: What are you thinking when you arm yourself in recklessness and call for my support? Look at you! You’re a woman, not a man—your strength is no match for your enemies, and their good fortune grows stronger every day, while ours declines and soon will disappear. Who could ever plot to kill a man like that and get away with it unharmed? Be careful—our present lives are difficult enough. They could get even worse if anyone hears you talk like that. If we win glory, there is no help or benefit for us if we die in disgrace. For death itself is not the worst. No, wanting to die is worse when one has no way to do it. So before we are completely ruined, and our entire family is destroyed, I beg you to control your anger. As for what you said to me, for your sake I will be silent. It will not harm you. But now it’s time you acted sensibly. You are weak, and so you must give way to those with power.

For full extended monologue, please refer to clips or the script edition cited here: Sophocles, Translated by Ian Johnston, Electra, Public domain.

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