[Enter Pylades, followed by Arkas, with drawn swords
Pylades: Do not delay, our friends are putting forth
Their final strength!
Arkas: They yield; their ship is ours!
Thoas: Let none annoy the foe while we confer.
[Arkas retires.
Thoas: Now, answer me; how dost thou prove thyself
The priestess' brother, Agamemnon's son?
Iphigenia: See here, the mark on his right hand impress'd
As of three stars, which on his natal day
Were by the priest declar'd to indicate
Some dreadful deed therewith to be perform'd!
Thoas: E'en though thy words had banish'd every doubt,
Still must our arms decide. I see no peace;
Their purpose, as thou didst thyself confess,
Was to deprive me of Diana's image!
Orestes: The image shall not be the cause of strife!
We now perceive the error which the god
Threw o'er our minds. His counsel I implor'd;
He answer'd, "Back to Greece the sister bring,
Who in the Tauris sanctuary abides."
To Phoebus' sister we applied the words,
And she referred to thee.
Iphigenia: Oh, let thy heart
Be moved by what an honest tongue has spoken.
Look on us, king; an opportunity
For such a noble deed not oft occurs!