Francisci Porti Cretensis... In omnes Sophoclis tragoedias prolegomena, ut vulgo vocantur

It is a most elegant scaenographia scene description, for it features Mycenae, a city once most opulent, later destroyed by the Argives and transferred to Argos. It features the palace of the Pelopidae, which was most magnificent. It features Argos, the famous Lycean forum, the very celebrated temple of Juno, and other things of that kind, in which there was the highest elegance and charm. There is an elegant scaenographia in the Ajax, for it has the naval station, the camp of the Greeks, and their tents, but it is not to be compared with this one. There is one in the Oedipus en Kolōnō at Colonus, and in the Philoctetes, but this one stands out and excels; only one in the extant plays of this poet can enter into contention, namely, the Oedipus Tyrannus, for that one is also most elegant.

Electra holds the leading parts, Orestes the second, Pylades the third.

The tutor of Orestes performs the prologue; he teaches Orestes what the place is in which they have stopped and who he is, where they are heading.

Euripides also wrote an Electra play, which was discovered in our times and printed at Rome.

The tutor is introduced, as was said, who teaches Orestes that he has arrived at Argos and at the city of Mycenae, which is nearby. He mentions the most famous parts of the ton Argōn the Argive territory, namely the forum and the temple of Juno. He recalls to Orestes his former merits toward him, namely when he snatched him from the very center of his father’s slaughter and saved him so that he might avenge his father’s death. Therefore, he ensures that, when one has arrived here before the day brightens further, he settles with Pylades what must be done.

O to strateggēsantes O you who have led the army: What is the proem in an oration is called a prologos prologue in plays; and its duty, like the proem, is to instruct, to capture attention, and to conciliate the listeners. This prologue teaches who is acting, with whom he acts, in what place, and at what time the matters are taking place, and about what matter the conversation is. The one speaking is the tutor; those with whom he speaks are Orestes and Pylades; the place in which the matters are acted is Argos; the time is morning; the matter being acted upon is about forming a plan and devising the method of what must be done. Thus, this prologue contains with wonderful brevity the sum of the entire play, which is that Orestes, having been snatched from the very center of his father's slaughter by Electra...