Chorus:The tongue from trifling causes contrives to breed great strife ’mongst men; wherefore are the wise most careful not to bring about a quarrel with their friends.
Χορός:σμικρᾶς ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς νεῖκος ἀνθρώποις μέγαγλῶσσ’ ἐκπορίζει· τοῦτο δ’ οἱ σοφοὶ βροτῶνἐξευλαβοῦνται, μὴ φίλοις τεύχειν ἔριν.
Menelaus:Why, pray, should one call these old men wise, or those who once had a reputation in Hellas for being so? when thou, the great Peleus, [son of a famous father, connected with me by marriage, ] employest language disgraceful to thyself and abusive of me because of a barbarian woman,though thou shouldst have banished her far beyond the streams of Nile or Phasis, and ever encouraged me; seeing that she comes from Asia’s continent where fell so many of the sons of Hellas, victims to the spear; and likewise because she shared in the spilling of thy son’s blood;
Μενέλαος:τί δῆτ’ ἂν εἴποις τοὺς γέροντας, ὡς σοφοί,καὶ τοὺς φρονεῖν δοκοῦντας Ἕλλησίν ποτε;ὅτ’ ὢν σὺ Πηλεὺς καὶ πατρὸς κλεινοῦ γεγώς,κῆδος συνάψας, αἰσχρὰ μὲν σαυτῷ λέγειςἡμῖν δ’ ὀνείδη διὰ γυναῖκα βάρβαρον,ἣν χρῆν σ’ ἐλαύνειν τήνδ’ ὑπὲρ Νείλου ῥοὰςὑπέρ τε Φᾶσιν, κἀμὲ παρακαλεῖν ἀείοὖσαν μὲν ἠπειρῶτιν, οὗ πεσήματαπλεῖσθ’ Ἑλλάδος πέπτωκε δοριπετῆ νεκρῶν,τοῦ σοῦ δὲ παιδὸς αἵματος κοινουμένην.
for Paris who slew thy son Achilles, was brother to Hector, whose wife she was. And dost thou enter the same abode with her, and deign to let her share thy board, and suffer her to rear her brood of vipers in thy house?
Πάρις γάρ, ὃς σὸν παῖδ’ ἔπεφν’ Ἀχιλλέα,Ἕκτορος ἀδελφὸς ἦν, δάμαρ δ’ ἥδ’ Ἕκτορος.καὶ τῇδέ γ’ εἰσέρχῃ σὺ ταὐτὸν εἰς στέγοςκαὶ ξυντράπεζον ἀξιοῖς ἔχειν βίον,τίκτειν δ’ ἐν οἴκοις παῖδας ἐχθίστους ἐᾷς.
But I, after all this foresight for thee, old man, and myself, am to have her torn from my clutches for wishing to slay her. Yet come now, for there is no disgrace in arguing the matter out; suppose my daughter has no child, while this woman’s sons grow up, wilt thou set them up to rule the land of Phthia,barbarians born and bred to lord it over Hellenes? Am I then so void of sense because I hate injustice, and thou so full of cleverness? Consider yet another point; say thou hadst given a daughter of thine to some citizen, and hadst then seen her thus treated,wouldst thou have sat looking on in silence? I trow not. Dost thou then for a foreigner rail thus at thy nearest friends? Again, thou mayst say, husband and wife have an equally strong case if she is wronged by him, and similarly if he find her guilty of indiscretion in his house;
ἁγὼ προνοίᾳ τῇ τε σῇ κἀμῇ, γέρον,κτανεῖν θέλων τήνδ’ ἐκ χερῶν ἁρπάζομαι.καίτοι φέρ’· ἅψασθαι γὰρ οὐκ αἰσχρὸν λόγου·ἢν παῖς μὲν ἡμὴ μὴ τέκῃ, ταύτης δ’ ἄποβλάστωσι παῖδες, τῆσδε γῆς Φθιώτιδοςστήσεις τυράννους, βάρβαροι δ’ ὄντες γένοςἝλλησιν ἄρξουσ’; εἶτ’ ἐγὼ μὲν οὐ φρονῶμισῶν τὰ μὴ δίκαια, σοὶ δ’ ἔνεστι νοῦς;[κἀκεῖνο νῦν ἄθρησον· εἰ σὺ παῖδα σὴν][δούς τῳ πολιτῶν, εἶτ’ ἔπασχε τοιάδε,][σιγῇ καθῆσ’ ἄν; οὐ δοκῶ· ξένης δ’ ὕπερ][τοιαῦτα λάσκεις τοὺς ἀναγκαίους φίλους;][καὶ μὴν ἴσον γ’ ἀνήρ τε καὶ γυνὴ στένει][ἀδικουμένη πρὸς ἀνδρός· ὡς δ’ αὔτως ἀνὴρ][γυναῖκα μωραίνουσαν ἐν δόμοις ἔχων.]
yet while he has ample powers in his own hands, she depends on parents and friends for her case. Surely then I am right in helping my own kin! Thou art in thy dotage; for thou wilt do me more, good by speaking of my generalship than by concealing it.
[καὶ τῷ μὲν ἔστιν ἐν χεροῖν μέγα σθένος,][τῇ δ’ ἐν γονεῦσι καὶ φίλοις τὰ πράγματα.][οὔκουν δίκαιον τοῖς γ’ ἐμοῖς ἐπωφελεῖν;]γέρων γέρων εἶ. τὴν δ’ ἐμὴν στρατηγίανλέγων ἔμ’ ὠφελοῖς ἂν ἢ σιγῶν πλέον.
Helen’s trouble was not of her own choosing, but sent by heaven, and it proved a great benefit to Hellas; her sons, till then untried in war or arms, turned to deeds of prowess, and it is experience which teaches man all he knows.
Ἑλένη δ’ ἐμόχθησ’ οὐχ ἑκοῦσ’, ἀλλ’ ἐκ θεῶν,καὶ τοῦτο πλεῖστον ὠφέλησεν Ἑλλάδα·ὅπλων γὰρ ὄντες καὶ μάχης ἀίστορεςἔβησαν εἰς τἀνδρεῖον· ἡ δ’ ὁμιλίαπάντων βροτοῖσι γίγνεται διδάσκαλος.
I showed my wisdom in refraining from slaying my wife, directly I caught sight of her. Would that thou too hadst ne’er slain Phocus!
εἰ δ’ εἰς πρόσοψιν τῆς ἐμῆς ἐλθὼν ἐγὼγυναικὸς ἔσχον μὴ κτανεῖν, ἐσωφρόνουν.οὐδ’ ἂν σὲ Φῶκον ἤθελον κατακτανεῖν.
All this I bring before thee in pure good-will, not from anger. But if thou resent it, thy tongue may wag till it ache,yet shall I gain by prudent forethought.
ταῦτ’ εὖ φρονῶν σ’ ἐπῆλθον, οὐκ ὀργῆς χάριν·ἢν δ’ ὀξυθυμῇς, σοὶ μὲν ἡ γλωσσαλγίαμείζων, ἐμοὶ δὲ κέρδος ἡ προμηθία.
Chorus:Cease now from idle words,’twere better far, for fear ye both alike go wrong.
Χορός:παύσασθον ἤδη· λῷστα γὰρ μακρῷ τάδε·λόγων ματαίων, μὴ δύο σφαλῆθ’ ἅμα.
Peleus:Alas! what evil customs now prevail in Hellas! Whene’er the host sets up a trophy o’er the foe,men no more consider this the work of those who really toiled, but the general gets the credit for it. Now he was but one among ten thousand others to brandish his spear; he only did the work of one; but yet he wins more praise than they. Again, as magistrates in all the grandeur of officethey scorn the common folk, though they are naught themselves; whereas those others are ten thousand times more wise than they, if daring combine with judgment. Even so thou and thy brother, now take your seats in all the swollen pride of Trojan fame and Trojan generalship,exalted by the toilsome efforts of others. But I will teach thee henceforth to consider Idaean Paris a foe less terrible than Peleus, unless forthwith thou pack from this roof, thou and thy childless daughter too, whom my own true sonwill hale through his halls by the hair of her head; for her barrenness will not let her endure fruitfulness in others, because she has no children herself. Still if she is unlucky in the matter of offspring, is that a reason why we should be left childless?
Πηλεύς:οἴμοι, καθ’ Ἑλλάδ’ ὡς κακῶς νομίζεται·ὅταν τροπαῖα πολεμίων στήσῃ στρατός,οὐ τῶν πονούντων τοὔργον ἡγοῦνται τόδε,ἀλλ’ ὁ στρατηγὸς τὴν δόκησιν ἄρνυται,ὃς εἷς μετ’ ἄλλων μυρίων πάλλων δόρυ,οὐδὲν πλέον δρῶν ἑνὸς ἔχει πλείω λόγον.σεμνοὶ δ’ ἐν ἀρχαῖς ἥμενοι κατὰ πτόλινφρονοῦσι δήμου μεῖζον, ὄντες οὐδένες·οἱ δ’ εἰσὶν αὐτῶν μυρίῳ σοφώτεροι,εἰ τόλμα προσγένοιτο βούλησίς θ’ ἅμα.ὡς καὶ σὺ σός τ’ ἀδελφὸς ἐξωγκωμένοιΤροίᾳ κάθησθε τῇ τ’ ἐκεῖ στρατηγίᾳ,μόχθοισιν ἄλλων καὶ πόνοις ἐπηρμένοι.δείξω δ’ ἐγώ σοι μὴ τὸν Ἰδαῖον Πάρινἥσσω νομίζειν Πηλέως ἐχθρόν ποτε,εἰ μὴ φθερῇ τῆσδ’ ὡς τάχιστ’ ἀπὸ στέγηςκαὶ παῖς ἄτεκνος, ἣν ὅ γ’ ἐξ ἡμῶν γεγὼςἐλᾷ δι’ οἴκων τῶνδ’ ἐπισπάσας κόμης·ἣ στερρὸς οὖσα μόσχος οὐκ ἀνέξεταιτίκτοντας ἄλλους, οὐκ ἔχουσ’ αὐτὴ τέκνα.ἀλλ’, εἰ τὸ κείνης δυστυχεῖ παίδων πέρι,ἄπαιδας ἡμᾶς δεῖ καταστῆναι τέκνων;
Begone! ye varlets, let her go! I will soon see if anyone will hinder me from loosing her hands.
φθείρεσθε τῆσδε, δμῶες, ὡς ἂν ἐκμάθωεἴ τίς με λύειν τῆσδε κωλύσει χέρας.
To Andromache. Arise; these trembling hands of mine will untie the twisted thongs that bind thee. Out on thee, coward! is this how thou hast galled her wrists?
ἔπαιρε σαυτήν· ὡς ἐγὼ καίπερ τρέμωνπλεκτὰς ἱμάντων στροφίδας ἐξανήσομαι.ὧδ’, ὦ κάκιστε, τῆσδ’ ἐλυμήνω χέρας;
Didst think thou wert lashing up a lion or bull? or wert afraid she would snatch a sword and defend herself against thee? Come, child, nestle to thy mother’s arms; help me loose her bonds; I will yet rear thee in Phthia to be their bitter foe. If your reputation for prowessand the battles ye have fought were taken from you Spartans, in all else, be very sure, you have not your inferiors.
βοῦν ἢ λέοντ’ ἤλπιζες ἐντείνειν βρόχοις;ἢ μὴ ξίφος λαβοῦσ’ ἀμυνάθοιτό σεἔδεισας; ἕρπε δεῦρ’ ὑπ’ ἀγκάλας, βρέφος,ξύλλυε μητρὸς δεσμόν· ἐν Φθίᾳ σ’ ἐγὼθρέψω μέγαν τοῖσδ’ ἐχθρόν. εἰ δ’ ἀπῆν δορὸςτοῖς Σπαρτιάταις δόξα καὶ μάχης ἀγών,τἄλλ’ ὄντες ἴστε μηδενὸς βελτίονες.
Chorus:The race of old men practises no restraint; and their testiness makes it hard to check them.
Χορός:ἀνειμένον τι χρῆμα πρεσβυτῶν γένοςκαὶ δυσφύλακτον ὀξυθυμίας ὕπο.
Menelaus:Thou art only too ready to rush into abuse;
Μενέλαος:ἄγαν προνωπὴς εἰς τὸ λοιδορεῖν φέρῃ·
while, as for me, I came to Phthia by constraint and have therefore no intention either of doing or suffering anything mean. Now must I return home, for I have no time to waste; for there is a city not so very far from Sparta, which aforetime was friendlybut now is hostile; against her will I march with my army and bring her into subjection. And when I have arranged that matter as I wish, I will return; and face to face with my son-in-law I will give my version of the story and hear his.
ἐγὼ δὲ πρὸς βίαν μὲν εἰς Φθίαν μολὼνοὔτ’ οὖν τι δράσω φλαῦρον οὔτε πείσομαι.καὶ νῦν μέν—οὐ γὰρ ἄφθονον σχολὴν ἔχω—ἄπειμ’ ἐς οἴκους· ἔστι γάρ τις οὐ πρόσωΣπάρτης … πόλις τις, ἣ πρὸ τοῦ μὲν ἦν φίλη,νῦν δ’ ἐχθρὰ ποιεῖ· τήνδ’ ἐπεξελθεῖν θέλωστρατηλατήσας χὑποχείριον λαβεῖν.ὅταν δὲ τἀκεῖ θῶ κατὰ γνώμην ἐμήν,ἥξω· παρὼν δὲ πρὸς παρόντας ἐμφανῶςγαμβροὺς διδάξω καὶ διδάξομαι λόγους.
And if he punish her, and for the future she exercise self-control, she shall find me do the like; but if he storm, I’ll storm as well; and every act of mine shall be a reflex of his own. As for thy babbling, I can bear it easily;
κἂν μὲν κολάζῃ τήνδε καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν ᾖσώφρων καθ’ ἡμᾶς, σώφρον’ ἀντιλήψεται·θυμούμενος δὲ τεύξεται θυμουμένων,ἔργοισι δ’ ἔργα διάδοχ’ ἀντιλήψεται.τοὺς σοὺς δὲ μύθους ῥᾳδίως ἐγὼ φέρω·
for, like to a shadow as thou art, thy voice is all thou hast, and thou art powerless to do aught but talk. Exit Menelaus.
σκιὰ γὰρ ἀντίστοιχος ὣς φωνὴν ἔχεις,ἀδύνατος, οὐδὲν ἄλλο πλὴν λέγειν μόνον.
Peleus:Lead on, my child, safe beneath my sheltering wing, and thou too, poor lady; for thou art come into a quiet haven after the rude storm.
Πηλεύς:ἡγοῦ, τέκνον μοι, δεῦρ’ ὑπ’ ἀγκάλαις σταθείς,σύ τ’, ὦ τάλαινα· χείματος γὰρ ἀγρίουτυχοῦσα λιμένας ἦλθες εἰς εὐηνέμους.
Andromache:Heaven reward thee and all thy race, old sire, for having saved my child and me his hapless mother! Only beware lest they fall upon us twain in some lonely spot upon the road and force me from thee, when they see thy age, my weakness,and this child’s tender years; take heed to this, that we be not a second time made captive, after escaping now.
Ἀνδρομάχη:ὦ πρέσβυ, θεοί σοι δοῖεν εὖ καὶ τοῖσι σοῖς,σῴσαντι παῖδα κἀμὲ τὴν δυσδαίμονα.ὅρα δὲ μὴ νῷν εἰς ἐρημίαν ὁδοῦπτήξαντες οἵδε πρὸς βίαν ἄγωσί με,γέροντα μὲν σ’ ὁρῶντες, ἀσθενῆ δ’ ἐμὲκαὶ παῖδα τόνδε νήπιον· σκόπει τάδε,μὴ νῦν φυγόντες εἶθ’ ἁλῶμεν ὕστερον.
Peleus:Forbear such words, prompted by a woman’s cowardice. Go on thy way; who will lay a finger on you? Methinks he will do it to his cost. For by heaven’s grace I rule o’er many a knight and spearmanbold in my kingdom of Phthia; yea, and myself can still stand straight, no bent old man as thou dost think; such a fellow as that a mere look from me will put to flight in spite of my years. For e’en an old man, be he brave, is worth a host of raw youths;for what avails a fine figure if a man is a coward? Exeunt Peleus, Andromache, and Molossus.
Πηλεύς:οὐ μὴ γυναικῶν δειλὸν εἰσοίσεις λόγον·χώρει· τίς ὑμῶν ἅψεται; κλαίων ἄραψαύσει. θεῶν γὰρ οὕνεχ’ ἱππικοῦ τ’ ὄχλουπολλῶν θ’ ὁπλιτῶν ἄρχομεν Φθίαν κάτα·ἡμεῖς δ’ ἔτ’ ὀρθοὶ κοὐ γέροντες, ὡς δοκεῖς,ἀλλ’ εἴς γε τοιόνδ’ ἄνδρ’ ἀποβλέψας μόνοντροπαῖον αὐτοῦ στήσομαι, πρέσβυς περ ὤν.πολλῶν νέων γὰρ κἂν γέρων εὔψυχος ᾖκρείσσων· τί γὰρ δεῖ δειλὸν ὄντ’ εὐσωματεῖν;
Chorus:Oh! to have never been born, or sprung from noble sires, the heir to mansions richly stored;
Χορός:μὴ γενοίμαν ἢ πατέρων ἀγαθῶνεἴην πολυκτήτων τε δόμων μέτοχος.
for if aught untoward e’er befall, there is no lack of champions for sons of noble parents, and there is honour and glory for them when they are proclaimed scions of illustrious lines; time detracts not from the legacy these goodmen leave, but the light of their goodness still burns on when they are dead.
εἴ τι γὰρ πάσχοι τις ἀμήχανον, ἀλκᾶςοὐ σπάνις εὐγενέταις,κηρυσσομένοισι δ’ ἀπ’ ἐσθλῶν δωμάτωντιμὰ καὶ κλέος· οὔτοι λείψανα τῶν ἀγαθῶνἀνδρῶν ἀφαιρεῖται χρόνος· ἁ δ’ ἀρετὰκαὶ θανοῦσι λάμπει.
Chorus:Better is it not to win a discreditable victory,than to make justice miscarry by an invidious exercise of power; for such a victory, though men think it sweet for the moment, grows barren in time and comes very near being a family reproach.
Χορός:κρεῖσσον δὲ νίκαν μὴ κακόδοξον ἔχεινἢ ξὺν φθόνῳ σφάλλειν δυνάμει τε δίκαν.ἡδὺ μὲν γὰρ αὐτίκα τοῦτο βροτοῖσιν,ἐν δὲ χρόνῳ τελέθειξηρὸν καὶ ὀνείδεσιν ἔγκειται δόμων.
This is the life I commend, this the life. I set before me as my ideal, to exercise no authority beyond what is right either in the marriage-chamber or in the state.
ταύταν ᾔνεσα ταύταν καὶ φέρομαι βιοτάν,μηδὲν δίκας ἔξω κράτος ἐν θαλάμοιςκαὶ πόλει δύνασθαι.
Chorus:O aged son of Aeacus!now am I sure that thou wert with the Lapithae, wielding thy famous spear, when they fought the Centaurs; and on Argo’s deck didst pass the cheerless strait beyond the sea-beat Symplegadeson her voyage of note; and when in days long gone the son of Zeus spread slaughter round Troy’s famous town,thou too didst share his triumphant return to Europe.
Χορός:ὦ γέρον Αἰακίδα,πείθομαι καὶ σὺν Λαπίθαισί σε Κενταύ-ρων ὁμιλῆσαι δορὶκλεινοτάτῳ· καὶ ἐπ’ Ἀργῴου δορὸς ἄξενον ὑγρὰνἐκπερᾶσαι ποντιᾶν Ξυμπληγάδωνκλεινὰν ἐπὶ ναυστολίαν,Ἰλιάδα τε πόλιν ὅτε πάροςεὐδόκιμον ὁ Διὸς ἶνις ἀμφέβαλε φόνῳ,κοινὰν τὰν εὔκλειαν ἔχοντ’Εὐρώπαν ἀφικέσθαι.
Nurse:Alas! good friends, what a succession of troubles is to-day provided us! My mistress Hermione within the house,deserted by her father and in remorse for her monstrous deed in plotting the death of Andromache and her child, is bent on dying; for she is afraid her husband will in requital for this expel her with dishonour from his houseor put her to death, because she tried to slay the innocent. And the servants that watch her can scarce restrain her efforts to hang herself, scarce catch the sword and wrest it from her hand. So bitter is her anguish,and she hath recognized the villainy of her former deeds. As for me, friends, I am weary of keeping my mistress from the fatal noose; do ye go in and try to save her life; for if strangers come, they prove more persuasive than the friends of every day.
Τροφός:ὦ φίλταται γυναῖκες, ὡς κακὸν κακῷδιάδοχον ἐν τῇδ’ ἡμέρᾳ πορσύνεται.δέσποινα γὰρ κατ’ οἶκον, Ἑρμιόνην λέγω,πατρός τ’ ἐρημωθεῖσα συννοίᾳ θ’ ἅμα,οἷον δέδρακεν ἔργον Ἀνδρομάχην κτανεῖνκαὶ παῖδα βουλεύσασα, κατθανεῖν θέλει,πόσιν τρέμουσα, μὴ ἀντὶ τῶν δεδραμένωνἐκ τῶνδ’ ἀτίμως δωμάτων ἀποσταλῇ,ἢ κατθάνῃ κτείνουσα τοὺς οὐ χρὴ κτανεῖν.μόλις δέ νιν θέλουσαν ἀρτῆσαι δέρηνεἴργουσι φύλακες δμῶες ἔκ τε δεξιᾶςξίφη καθαρπάζουσιν ἐξαιρούμενοι.οὕτω μεταλγεῖ καὶ τὰ πρὶν δεδραμέναἔγνωκε πράξασ’ οὐ καλῶς. ἐγὼ μὲν οὖνδέσποιναν εἴργουσ’ ἀγχόνης κάμνω, φίλαι·ὑμεῖς δὲ βᾶσαι τῶνδε δωμάτων ἔσωθανάτου νιν ἐκλύσασθε· τῶν γὰρ ἠθάδωνφίλων νέοι μολόντες εὐπιθέστεροι.
Chorus:Ah yes! I hear an outcry in the house amongst the servants, confirming the news thou hast brought. Poor sufferer! she seems about to show a lively grief for her grave crimes; for she has escaped her servants’ hands and is rushing from the house, eager to end her life.
Χορός:καὶ μὴν ἐν οἴκοις προσπόλων ἀκούομενβοὴν ἐφ’ οἷσιν ἦλθες ἀγγέλλουσα σύ.δείξειν δ’ ἔοικεν ἡ τάλαιν’ ὅσον στένειπράξασα δεινά· δωμάτων γὰρ ἐκπερᾷφεύγουσα χεῖρας προσπόλων πόθῳ θανεῖν.
Hermione:rushing wildly on to the stage. Woe, woe is me! I will tear my hair and scratch cruel furrows in my cheeks.
Ἑρμιόνη:ἰώ μοί μοι·σπάραγμα κόμας ὀνύχων τε δάι’ ἀ-μύγματα θήσομαι.
Nurse:My child, what wilt thou do? Wilt thou disfigure thyself?
Τροφός:ὦ παῖ, τί δράσεις; σῶμα σὸν καταικιῇ;
Hermione:Ah me! ah me!
Ἑρμιόνη:αἰαῖ αἰαῖ·
Begone, thou fine-spun veil! float from my head away!
ἔρρ’ αἰθέριον πλοκάμων ἐμῶν ἄπο,λεπτόμιτον φάρος.
Nurse:Daughter, cover up thy bosom, fasten thy robe.
Τροφός:τέκνον, κάλυπτε στέρνα, σύνδησαι πέπλους.
Hermione:Why should I cover it?My crimes against my lord are manifest and clear, they cannot be hidden.
Ἑρμιόνη:τί δέ με δεῖ στέρνακαλύπτειν πέπλοις; δῆλα καὶἀμφιφανῆ καὶ ἄκρυπτα δε-δράκαμεν πόσιν.
Nurse:Art so grieved at having devised thy rival’s death?
Τροφός:ἀλγεῖς, φόνον ῥάψασα συγγάμῳ σέθεν;
Hermione:Indeed I am; I deeply mourn my fatal deeds of daring; alas! I am now accursed in all men’s eyes!
Ἑρμιόνη:κατὰ μὲν οὖν στένωδαΐας τόλμας, ἂν ἔρεξ’·ὦ κατάρατος ἐγὼ κατά-ρατος ἀνθρώποις.
Nurse:Thy husband will pardon thee this error.
Τροφός:συγγνώσεταί σοι τήνδ’ ἁμαρτίαν πόσις.
Hermione:Oh! why didst thou hunt me to snatch away my sword? Give, oh! give it back, dear nurse, that I may thrust it through my heart. Why dost thou prevent me hanging myself?
Ἑρμιόνη:τί μοι ξίφοςἐκ χερὸς ἠγρεύσω;ἀπόδος, ὦ φίλα,’πόδος, ἵν’ ἀνταίανἐρείσω πλαγάν· τί με βρόχων εἴργεις;
Nurse:What! was I to let thy madness lead thee on to death?
Τροφός:ἀλλ’ εἴ σ’ ἀφείην μὴ φρονοῦσαν, ὡς θάνῃς;
Hermione:Ah me, my destiny! Where can I find some friendly fire? To what rocky height can I climb above the sea or ’mid some wooded mountain glen,there to die and trouble but the dead?
Ἑρμιόνη:οἴμοι πότμου.ποῦ μοι πυρὸς φίλα φλόξ;ποῦ δ’ εἰς πέτρας ἀερθῶ,⟨ἢ⟩ κατὰ πόντον ἢ καθ’ ὕλαν ὀρέων,ἵνα θανοῦσα νερτέροισιν μέλω;
Nurse:Why vex thyself thus? on all of us sooner or later heaven’s visitation comes.
Τροφός:τί ταῦτα μοχθεῖς; συμφοραὶ θεήλατοιπᾶσιν βροτοῖσιν ἢ τότ’ ἦλθον ἢ τότε.
Hermione:Thou hast left me, O my father,left me like a stranded bark, all alone, without an oar. My lord will surely slay me; no home is mine henceforth beneath my husband’s roof. What god is there to whose statue I can as a suppliant haste?
Ἑρμιόνη:ἔλιπες ἔλιπες, ὦ πάτερ, ἐπακτίαν[ὡσεὶ] μονάδ’ ἔρημον οὖσαν ἐνάλου κώπας.—ὀλεῖ ὀλεῖ με· τᾷδ’ οὐκέτ’ ἐνοικήσωνυμφιδίῳ στέγᾳ.τίνος ἀγαλμάτων ἱκέτις ὁρμαθῶ;
or shall I throw myself in slavish wise at slavish knees? Would I could speed away from Phthia’s land on bird’s dark pinion, or like that pine-built ship,the first that ever sailed betwixt the rocks Cyanean!
ἢ δούλα δούλας γόνασι προσπέσω;Φθιάδος ἐκ γᾶςκυανόπτερος ὄρνις εἴθ’ εἴην,ἢ πευκᾶενσκάφος, ἃ διὰ Κυανέας ἐπέρασεν ἀκτὰςπρωτόπλοος πλάτα.
Nurse:My child, I can as little praise thy previous sinful excesses, committed against the Trojan captive, as thy present exaggerated terror. Thy husband will never listen toa barbarian’s weak pleading and reject his marriage with thee for this. For thou wast no captive from Troy whom he wedded, but the daughter of a gallant sire, with a rich dower, from a city too of no mean prosperity. Nor will thy father forsake thee, as thou dreadest,and allow thee to be cast out from this house. Nay, enter now, nor show thyself before the palace, lest the sight of thee there bring reproach upon thee, my daughter. Exit Nurse.
Τροφός:ὦ παῖ, τὸ λίαν οὔτ’ ἐκεῖν’ ἐπῄνεσα,ὅτ’ εἰς γυναῖκα Τρῳάδ’ ἐξημάρτανες,οὔτ’ αὖ τὸ νῦν σου δεῖμ’ ὃ δειμαίνεις ἄγαν.οὐχ ὧδε κῆδος σὸν διώσεται πόσιςφαύλοις γυναικὸς βαρβάρου πεισθεὶς λόγοις.οὐ γάρ τί σ’ αἰχμάλωτον ἐκ Τροίας ἔχει,ἀλλ’ ἀνδρὸς ἐσθλοῦ παῖδα σὺν πολλοῖς λαβὼνἕδνοισι, πόλεώς τ’ οὐ μέσως εὐδαίμονος.πατὴρ δέ σ’ οὐχ ὧδ’ ὡς σὺ δειμαίνεις, τέκνον,προδοὺς ἐάσει δωμάτων τῶνδ’ ἐκπεσεῖν.ἀλλ’ εἴσιθ’ εἴσω μηδὲ φαντάζου δόμωνπάροιθε τῶνδε, μή τιν’ αἰσχύνην λάβῃς,πρόσθεν μελάθρων τῶνδ’ ὁρωμένη, τέκνον.
Chorus:Lo! a stranger of foreign appearance from some other landcomes hurrying towards us.
Χορός:καὶ μὴν ὅδ’ ἀλλόχρως τις ἔκδημος ξένοςσπουδῇ πρὸς ἡμᾶς βημάτων πορεύεται.
Orestes:Ladies of this foreign land! is this the home, the palace of Achilles’ son?
Ὀρέστης:ξέναι γυναῖκες, ἦ τάδ’ ἔστ’ Ἀχιλλέωςπαιδὸς μέλαθρα καὶ τυραννικαὶ στέγαι;
Chorus:Thou hast it; but who art thou to ask such a question?
Χορός:ἔγνως· ἀτὰρ δὴ τίς ⟨σὺ⟩ πυνθάνῃ τάδε;
Orestes:The son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra,by name Orestes, on my way to the oracle of Zeus at Dodona. But now that I am come to Phthia, I am resolved to inquire about my kinswoman, Hermione of Sparta; is she alive and well? for thoughshe dwells in a land far from my own, I love her none the less.
Ὀρέστης:Ἀγαμέμνονός τε καὶ Κλυταιμήστρας τόκος,ὄνομα δ’ Ὀρέστης· ἔρχομαι δὲ πρὸς Διὸςμαντεῖα Δωδωναῖ’. ἐπεὶ δ’ ἀφικόμηνΦθίαν, δοκεῖ μοι ξυγγενοῦς μαθεῖν πέριγυναικός, εἰ ζῇ κεὐτυχοῦσα τυγχάνειἡ Σπαρτιᾶτις Ἑρμιόνη· τηλουρὰ γὰρναίουσ’ ἀφ’ ἡμῶν πεδί’ ὅμως ἐστὶν φίλη.
Hermione:Son of Agamemnon, thy appearing is as a haven from the storm to sailors; by thy knees I pray, have pity on me in my distress, on me of whose fortunes thou art inquiring. About thy kneesI twine my arms with all the force of sacred fillets.
Ἑρμιόνη:ὦ ναυτίλοισι χείματος λιμὴν φανεὶςἈγαμέμνονος παῖ, πρός σε τῶνδε γουνάτων,οἴκτιρον ἡμᾶς ὧν ἐπισκοπεῖς τύχας,πράσσοντας οὐκ εὖ. στεμμάτων δ’ οὐχ ἥσσοναςσοῖς προστίθημι γόνασιν ὠλένας ἐμάς.
Orestes:Ha! what is this? Am I mistaken or do I really see before me the queen of this palace, the daughter of Menelaus?
Ὀρέστης:ἔα·τί χρῆμα; μῶν ἐσφάλμεθ’ ἢ σαφῶς ὁρῶδόμων ἄνασσαν τήνδε Μενέλεω κόρην;
Hermione:The same, that only child whom Helen, daughter of Tyndareus, bore my father in his halls; never doubt that.
Ἑρμιόνη:ἥνπερ μόνην γε Τυνδαρὶς τίκτει γυνὴἙλένη κατ’ οἴκους πατρί· μηδὲν ἀγνόει.
Orestes:O saviour Phoebus, grant us respite from our woe! But what is the matter? art thou afflicted by gods or men?
Ὀρέστης:ὦ Φοῖβ’ ἀκέστορ, πημάτων δοίης λύσιν.τί χρῆμα; πρὸς θεῶν ἢ βροτῶν πάσχεις κακά;
Hermione:Partly by myself, partly by the man who wedded me, and partly by some god. On every side I see ruin.
Ἑρμιόνη:τὰ μὲν πρὸς ἡμῶν, τὰ δὲ πρὸς ἀνδρὸς ὅς μ’ ἔχει,τὰ δ’ ἐκ θεῶν του· πανταχῇ δ’ ὀλώλαμεν.
Orestes:Why, what misfortune could happen to a woman as yet childless,unless her honour is concerned?
Ὀρέστης:τίς οὖν ἂν εἴη μὴ πεφυκότων γέ πωπαίδων γυναικὶ συμφορὰ πλὴν εἰς λέχος;
Hermione:My very complaint! Thou hast hit my case exactly.
Ἑρμιόνη:τοῦτ’ αὐτὸ καὶ νοσοῦμεν· εὖ μ’ ὑπηγάγου.
Orestes:On whom has thy husband set his affections in thy stead?
Ὀρέστης:ἄλλην τιν’ εὐνὴν ἀντὶ σοῦ στέργει πόσις;
Hermione:On his captive, Hector’s wife.
Ἑρμιόνη:τὴν αἰχμάλωτον Ἕκτορος ξυνευνέτιν.
Orestes:An evil case indeed, for a man to have two wives!
Ὀρέστης:κακόν γ’ ἔλεξας, ἄνδρα δίσσ’ ἔχειν λέχη.
Hermione:’Tis even thus. So I resented it.
Ἑρμιόνη:τοιαῦτα ταῦτα. κᾆτ’ ἔγωγ’ ἠμυνάμην.
Orestes:Didst thou with woman’s craft devise a plot against thy rival?
Ὀρέστης:μῶν εἰς γυναῖκ’ ἔρραψας οἷα δὴ γυνή;
Hermione:Yes, to slay her and her bastard child.
Ἑρμιόνη:φόνον γ’ ἐκείνῃ καὶ τέκνῳ νοθαγενεῖ.
Orestes:And didst thou slay them, or did something happen to rescue them from thee?
Ὀρέστης:κἄκτεινας, ἤ τις συμφορά σ’ ἀφείλετο;
Hermione:It was old Peleus, who showed regard to the weaker side.
Ἑρμιόνη:γέρων γε Πηλεύς, τοὺς κακίονας σέβων.
Orestes:Hadst thou any accomplice in this attempted murder?
Ὀρέστης:σοὶ δ’ ἦν τις ὅστις τοῦδ’ ἐκοινώνει φόνου;
Hermione:My father came from Sparta for this very purpose.
Ἑρμιόνη:πατήρ γ’ ἐπ’ αὐτὸ τοῦτ’ ἀπὸ Σπάρτης μολών.
Orestes:And was he after all defeated by that old man’s prowess?
Ὀρέστης:κἄπειτα τοῦ γέροντος ἡσσήθη χερί;
Hermione:Oh no! but by shame; and he hath gone and left me all alone.
Ἑρμιόνη:αἰδοῖ γε· καί μ’ ἔρημον οἴχεται λιπών.
Orestes:I understand; thou art afraid of thy husband for that thou hast done.
Ὀρέστης:συνῆκα· ταρβεῖς τοῖς δεδραμένοις πόσιν.
Hermione:Thou hast guessed it; for he will have a right to me. What can I say for myself? Yet I beseech thee by Zeus the god of our family, send me to a land as far as possible from this, or to my father’s house; for these very walls seem to cry out “Begone!”and all the land of Phthia bates me. But if my lord return ere that from the oracle of Phoebus, he will put me to death on a shameful charge, or enslave me to his mistress, whom I ruled before. Maybe some one will say, “How was it thou didst go thus astray?”
Ἑρμιόνη:ἔγνως· ὀλεῖ γάρ μ’ ἐνδίκως. τί δεῖ λέγειν;ἀλλ’ ἄντομαί σε Δία καλοῦσ’ ὁμόγνιον,πέμψον με χώρας τῆσδ’ ὅποι προσωτάτωἢ πρὸς πατρῷον μέλαθρον· ὡς δοκοῦσί γεδόμοι τ’ ἐλαύνειν φθέγμ’ ἔχοντες οἵδε με,μισεῖ τε γαῖα Φθιάς. εἰ δ’ ἥξει πάροςΦοίβου λιπὼν μαντεῖον εἰς δόμους πόσις,κτενεῖ μ’ ἐπ’ αἰσχίστοισιν· ἢ δουλεύσομεννόθοισι λέκτροις ὧν ἐδέσποζον πρὸ τοῦ.πῶς οὖν τάδ’, ὡς εἴποι τις, ἐξημάρτανες;
I was ruined by mischievous women who came to me and puffed me up with words like these: “What! wilt thou suffer that vile captive, a mere bondmaid, to dwell within thy house and share thy wedded rights? By Heaven’s queen! if it were my house”“she should not live to reap my marriage-harvest!” And I listened to the words of these Sirens, the cunning, knavish, subtle praters, and was filled with silly thoughts. What need had I to care about my lord?
κακῶν γυναικῶν εἴσοδοί μ’ ἀπώλεσαν,αἵ μοι λέγουσαι τούσδ’ ἐχαύνωσαν λόγους·Σὺ τὴν κακίστην αἰχμάλωτον ἐν δόμοιςδούλην ἀνέξῃ σοὶ λέχους κοινουμένην;μὰ τὴν ἄνασσαν, οὐκ ἂν ἔν γ’ ἐμοῖς δόμοιςβλέπουσ’ ἂν αὐγὰς τἄμ’ ἐκαρποῦτ’ ἂν λέχη.κἀγὼ κλύουσα τούσδε Σειρήνων λόγους,[σοφῶν πανούργων ποικίλων λαλημάτων,]ἐξηνεμώθην μωρίᾳ. τί γάρ μ’ ἐχρῆνπόσιν φυλάσσειν, ᾗ παρῆν ὅσων ἔδει;
I had all I wanted, wealth in plenty, a house in which I was mistress, and as for children, mine would be born in wedlock, while hers would be bastards, half-slaves to mine. Oh! never, never,–this truth will I repeat,–should men of sense, who have wives,allow women-folk to visit them in their homes, for they teach them mischief; one, to gain some private end, helps to corrupt their honour; another, having made a slip herself, wants a companion in misfortune, while many are wantons; and hence it ismen’s houses are tainted. Wherefore keep strict guard upon the portals of your houses with bolts and bars; for these visits of strange women lead to no good result, but a world of mischief.
πολὺς μὲν ὄλβος· δωμάτων δ’ ἠνάσσομεν·παῖδας δ’ ἐγὼ μὲν γνησίους ἔτικτον ἄν,ἡ δ’ ἡμιδούλους τοῖς ἐμοῖς νοθαγενεῖς.ἀλλ’ οὔποτ’ οὔποτ’—οὐ γὰρ εἰσάπαξ ἐρῶ—χρὴ τούς γε νοῦν ἔχοντας, οἷς ἔστιν γυνή,πρὸς τὴν ἐν οἴκοις ἄλοχον ἐσφοιτᾶν ἐᾶνγυναῖκας· αὗται γὰρ διδάσκαλοι κακῶν·ἣ μέν τι κερδαίνουσα συμφθείρει λέχος,ἣ δ’ ἀμπλακοῦσα συννοσεῖν αὑτῇ θέλει,πολλαὶ δὲ μαργότητι … κἀντεῦθεν δόμοινοσοῦσιν ἀνδρῶν. πρὸς τάδ’ εὖ φυλάσσετεκλῄθροισι καὶ μοχλοῖσι δωμάτων πύλας·ὑγιὲς γὰρ οὐδὲν αἱ θύραθεν εἴσοδοιδρῶσιν γυναικῶν, ἀλλὰ πολλὰ καὶ κακά.
Chorus:Thou hast given thy tongue too free a rein regarding thy own sex.
Χορός:ἄγαν ἐφῆκας γλῶσσαν εἰς τὸ σύμφυτον.
I can pardon thee in this case, but still women ought to smooth over their sisters’ weaknesses.
συγγνωστὰ μέν νυν σοὶ τάδ’, ἀλλ’ ὅμως χρεὼνκοσμεῖν γυναῖκας τὰς γυναικείας νόσους.
Orestes:’Twas sage counsel he gave who taught men to hear the arguments on both sides. I, for instance, though aware of the confusion in this house,the quarrel between thee and Hector’s wife, waited awhile and watched to see whether thou wouldst stay here or from fear of that captive art minded to quit these halls. Now it was not so much regard for thy message that brought me hither,as the intention of carrying thee away from this house, if, as now, thou shouldst grant me a chance of saying so. For thou wert mine formerly, but art now living with thy present husband through thy father’s baseness; since he, before invading Troy’s domains, betrothed thee to me, and then afterwards promised theeto thy present lord, provided he captured the city of Troy.
Ὀρέστης:σοφόν τι χρῆμα τοῦ διδάξαντος βροτοὺςλόγους ἀκούειν τῶν ἐναντίων πάρα.ἐγὼ γὰρ εἰδὼς τῶνδε σύγχυσιν δόμωνἔριν τε τὴν σὴν καὶ γυναικὸς Ἕκτορος,φυλακὰς ἔχων ἔμιμνον, εἴτ’ αὐτοῦ μενεῖςεἴτ’ ἐκφοβηθεῖσ’ αἰχμαλωτίδος φόνῳγυναικὸς οἴκων τῶνδ’ ἀπηλλάχθαι θέλεις.ἦλθον δὲ σὰς μὲν οὐ σέβων ἐπιστολάς,εἰ δ’ ἐνδιδοίης, ὥσπερ ἐνδίδως, λόγον,πέμψων σ’ ἀπ’ οἴκων τῶνδ’. ἐμὴ γὰρ οὖσα πρὶνσὺν τῷδε ναίεις ἀνδρὶ σοῦ πατρὸς κάκῃ,ὃς πρὶν τὰ Τροίας εἰσβαλεῖν ὁρίσματαγυναῖκ’ ἐμοί σε δοὺς ὑπέσχεθ’ ὕστεροντῷ νῦν σ’ ἔχοντι, Τρῳάδ’ εἰ πέρσοι πόλιν.
So, as soon as Achilles’ son returned hither, I forgave thy father, but entreated the bridegroom to forego his marriage with thee, telling him all I had gone through and my present misfortune; I might geta wife, I said, from amongst friends, but outside their circle ’twas no easy task for one exiled like myself from home. Thereat he grew abusive, taunting me with my mother’s murder and those blood-boltered fiends. And I was humbled by the fortunes of my house,and though ’tis true, I grieved, yet did I endure my sorrow, and reluctantly departed, robbed of thy promised hand. Now therefore, since thou findest thy fortune so abruptly changed and art fallen thus on evil days and hast no help, I will take thee hence and place thee in thy father’s hands.
ἐπεὶ δ’ Ἀχιλλέως δεῦρ’ ἐνόστησεν γόνος,σῷ μὲν συνέγνων πατρί, τὸν δ’ ἐλισσόμηνγάμους ἀφεῖναι σούς, ἐμὰς λέγων τύχαςκαὶ τὸν παρόντα δαίμον’, ὡς φίλων μὲν ἂνγήμαιμ’ ἀπ’ ἀνδρῶν, ἔκτοθεν δ’ οὐ ῥᾳδίως,φεύγων ἀπ’ οἴκων ἃς ἐγὼ φεύγω φυγάς.ὃ δ’ ἦν ὑβριστὴς εἴς τ’ ἐμῆς μητρὸς φόνοντάς θ’ αἱματωποὺς θεὰς ὀνειδίζων ἐμοί.κἀγὼ ταπεινὸς ὢν τύχαις ταῖς οἴκοθενἤλγουν μὲν ἤλγουν, συμφοραῖς δ’ ἠνειχόμην,σῶν δὲ στερηθεὶς ᾠχόμην ἄκων γάμων.νῦν οὖν, ἐπειδὴ περιπετεῖς ἔχεις τύχαςκαὶ ξυμφορὰν τήνδ’ εἰσπεσοῦσ’ ἀμηχανεῖς,ἄξω σ’ ἀπ’ οἴκων καὶ πατρὸς δώσω χερί.
For kinship hath strong claims, and in adversity there is naught better than a kinsman’s kindly aid.
τὸ συγγενὲς γὰρ δεινόν, ἔν τε τοῖς κακοῖςοὐκ ἔστιν οὐδὲν κρεῖσσον οἰκείου φίλου.
Hermione:As for my marriage, my father must look to it;’tis not for me to decide that. Yes, take me hence as soon as may be,lest my husband come back to his house before I am gone, or Peleus hear that I am deserting his son’s abode and pursue me on horse-back.
Ἑρμιόνη:νυμφευμάτων μὲν τῶν ἐμῶν πατὴρ ἐμὸςμέριμναν ἕξει, κοὐκ ἐμὸν κρίνειν τόδε.ἀλλ’ ὡς τάχιστα τῶνδέ μ’ ἔκπεμψον δόμων,μὴ φθῇ με προσβὰς δῶμα καὶ μολὼν πόσις,ἢ πρέσβυς οἴκους μ’ ἐξερημοῦσαν μαθὼνΠηλεὺς μετέλθῃ πωλικοῖς διώγμασιν.
Orestes:Rest easy about the old man’s power; and, as for Achilles’ son with all his insolence to me, never fear him;
Ὀρέστης:θάρσει γέροντος χεῖρα· τὸν δ’ Ἀχιλλέωςμηδὲν φοβηθῇς παῖδ’, ὅσ’ εἰς ἔμ’ ὕβρισε.
such a crafty net this hand hath woven and set for his death with knots that none can loose; whereof I will not speak before the time, but, when my plot begins to work, Delphi’s rock will witness it. If but my alliesin the Pythian land abide by their oaths, this same murderer of his mother will show that no one else shall marry thee my rightful bride. To his cost will he demand satisfaction of King Phoebus for his father’s blood; nor shall his repentance avail him, though he is now submitting to the god.No! he shall perish miserably by Apollo’s hand and my fake accusations; so shall he end out my enmity. For the deity upsets the fortune of them that hate him. and suffers them not to be high-minded. Exeunt Orestes and Hermione.
τοία γὰρ αὐτῷ μηχανὴ πεπλεγμένηβρόχοις ἀκινήτοισιν ἕστηκεν φόνουπρὸς τῆσδε χειρός· ἣν πάρος μὲν οὐκ ἐρῶ,τελουμένων δὲ Δελφὶς εἴσεται πέτρα.ὁ μητροφόντης δ’, ἢν δορυξένων ἐμῶνμείνωσιν ὅρκοι Πυθικὴν ἀνὰ χθόνα,δείξει γαμεῖν σφε μηδέν’ ὧν ἐχρῆν ἐμέ.πικρῶς δὲ πατρὸς φόνιον αἰτήσει δίκηνἄνακτα Φοῖβον· οὐδέ νιν μετάστασιςγνώμης ὀνήσει θεῷ διδόντα νῦν δίκας,ἀλλ’ ἔκ τ’ ἐκείνου διαβολαῖς τε ταῖς ἐμαῖςκακῶς ὀλεῖται· γνώσεται δ’ ἔχθραν ἐμήν.ἐχθρῶν γὰρ ἀνδρῶν μοῖραν εἰς ἀναστροφὴνδαίμων δίδωσι κοὐκ ἐᾷ φρονεῖν μέγα.
Chorus:O Phoebus! who didst fence the hill of Ilium with a fair coronal of towers,and thou, ocean-god! coursing o’er the main with thy dark steeds, wherefore did ye hand over in dishonouryour own handiwork to the war-god, master of the spear, abandoning Troy to wretchedness?
Χορός:ὦ Φοῖβε πυργώσας τὸν ἐν Ἰλίῳ εὐτειχῆ πάγονκαὶ πόντιε κυανέαις ἵπποις διφρεύ-ων ἅλιον πέλαγος,τίνος οὕνεκ’ ἄτιμον ὀργᾶςἃν χέρα τεκτοσύνας Ἐ-νυαλίῳ δοριμήστορι προσθέν-τες τάλαιναν τάλαι-ναν μεθεῖτε Τροίαν;
Chorus:Many a well-horsed car ye yoked on the banks of Simois,and many a bloody tournament did ye ordain with never a prize to win; and Ilium’s princes are dead and gone; no longer in Troyis seen the blaze of fire on altars of the gods with the smoke of incense.
Χορός:πλείστους δ’ ἐπ’ ἀκταῖσιν Σιμοεντίσιν εὐίππουςὄχουςἐζεύξατε καὶ φονίους ἀνδρῶν ἁμίλ-λας ἔθετ’ ἀστεφάνους·ἀπὸ δὲ φθίμενοι βεβᾶσινἸλιάδαι βασιλῆες,οὐδ’ ἔτι πῦρ ἐπιβώμιον ἐν Τροί-ᾳ θεοῖσιν λέλαμ-πεν καπνῷ θυώδει.
Chorus:The son of Atreus is no more, slain by the hand of his wife, and she herself hath paid the debt of blood by death,and from her children’s hands received her doom. The god’s own bidding from his oracle was levelled against her, in the day that Agamemnon’s son set forth from Argos and visited his shrine;so he slew her, aye, spilt his own mother’s blood. O Phoebus, O thou power divine, how can I believe the story?
Χορός:βέβακε δ’ Ἀτρείδας ἀλόχου παλάμαις,αὐτά τ’ ἐναλλάξασα φόνον θανάτῳπρὸς τέκνων ἀπηύραθεοῦ. θεοῦ νιν κέλευμ’ ἐπεστράφημαντόσυνον, ὅτε νιν Ἀργόθεν πορευθεὶςἈγαμεμνόνιος κέλωρ, ἀδύτων ἐπιβὰςκτεάνων, ματρὸς φονεὺς …ὦ δαῖμον, ὦ Φοῖβε, πῶς πείθομαι;
Chorus:Anon wherever Hellenes gather, was heard the voice of lamentation, mothers weeping o’er their children’s fate,as they left their homes to mate with strangers. Ah! thou art not the only one, nor thy dear ones either, on whom the cloud of grief hath fallen. Hellas had to bear the visitation, and thence the scourge crossed to Phrygia’sfruitful fields, raining the bloody drops the; death-god loves.
Χορός:πολλαὶ δ’ ἀν’ Ἑλλάνων ἀγόρους στοναχὰςμέλποντο δυστάνων τεκέων, ἄλοχοι δ’ἐξέλειπον οἴκουςπρὸς ἄλλον εὐνάτορ’. οὐχὶ σοὶ μόνᾳδύσφρονες ἐπέπεσον, οὐ φίλοισι, λῦπαι·νόσον Ἑλλὰς ἔτλα, νόσον· διέβα δὲ Φρυγῶνκαὶ πρὸς εὐκάρπους γύαςσκηπτὸς σταλάσσων ⟨τὸν⟩ Ἅιδα φόνον.
Peleus:Ye dames of Phthia, answer my questions. I heard a vague rumour that the daughter of Menelaus had left these hallsand fled; so now am I come in hot haste to learn if this be true; for it is the duty of those who are at home to labour in the interests of their absent friends.
Πηλεύς:Φθιώτιδες γυναῖκες, ἱστοροῦντί μοισημήνατ’· ᾐσθόμην γὰρ οὐ σαφῆ λόγονὡς δώματ’ ἐκλιποῦσα Μενέλεω κόρηφρούδη τάδ’· ἥκω δ’ ἐκμαθεῖν σπουδὴν ἔχωνεἰ ταῦτ’ ἀληθῆ· τῶν γὰρ ἐκδήμων φίλωνδεῖ τοὺς κατ’ οἶκον ὄντας ἐκπονεῖν τύχας.
Chorus:Thou hast heard aright, O Peleus; ill would it become me to hide the evil case in which I now find myself;
Χορός:Πηλεῦ, σαφῶς ἤκουσας· οὐδ’ ἐμοὶ καλὸνκρύπτειν ἐν οἷς παροῦσα τυγχάνω κακοῖς·
our queen has fled and left these halls.
βασίλεια γὰρ τῶνδ’ οἴχεται φυγὰς δόμων.
Peleus:What was she afraid of? explain that to me.
Πηλεύς:τίνος φόβου τυχοῦσα; διαπέραινέ μοι.
Chorus:She was fearful her lord would cast her out
Χορός:πόσιν τρέμουσα, μὴ δόμων νιν ἐκβάλῃ.
Peleus:In return for plotting his child’s death? surely not?
Πηλεύς:μῶν ἀντὶ παιδὸς θανασίμων βουλευμάτων;
Chorus:Yea, and she was afraid of yon captive.
Χορός:ναί, καὶ γυναικὸς αἰχμαλωτίδος φόβῳ.
Peleus:With whom did she leave the house? with her father?
Πηλεύς:σὺν πατρὶ δ’ οἴκους ἢ τίνος λείπει μέτα;
Chorus:The son of Agamemnon came and took her hence.
Χορός:Ἀγαμέμνονός νιν παῖς βέβηκ’ ἄγων χθονός.
Peleus:What view hath he to further thereby? Will he marry her?
Πηλεύς:ποίαν περαίνων ἐλπίδ’; ἦ γῆμαι θέλων;
Chorus:Yes, and he is plotting thy grandson’s death.
Χορός:καὶ σῷ γε παιδὸς παιδὶ πορσύνων μόρον.
Peleus:From an ambuscade, or meeting him fairly face to face?
Πηλεύς:κρυπτὸς καταστὰς ἢ κατ’ ὄμμ’ ἐλθὼν μάχῃ;
Chorus:In the holy place of Loxias, leagued with Delphians.
Χορός:ἁγνοῖς ἐν ἱεροῖς Λοξίου Δελφῶν μέτα.
Peleus:God help us! This is an immediate danger. Hasten one of you with all speed to the Pythian altar and tell our friends there what has happened here, ere Achilles’ son be slain by his enemies. Enter a Messenger.
Πηλεύς:οἴμοι· τόδ’ ἤδη δεινόν. οὐχ ὅσον τάχοςχωρήσεταί τις Πυθικὴν πρὸς ἑστίανκαὶ τἀνθάδ’ ὄντα τοῖς ἐκεῖ λέξει φίλοις,πρὶν παῖδ’ Ἀχιλλέως κατθανεῖν ἐχθρῶν ὕπο;
Messenger:Woe worth the day! what evil tidings have I brought for thee, old sire, and for all who love my master! woe is me!
Ἄγγελος:ὤμοι μοι·οἵας ὁ τλήμων ἀγγελῶν ἥκω τύχαςσοί τ’, ὦ γεραιέ, καὶ φίλοισι δεσπότου.
Peleus:Alas! my prophetic soul hath a presentiment.
Πηλεύς:αἰαῖ· πρόμαντις θυμὸς ὥς τι προσδοκᾷ.
Messenger:Aged Peleus, hearken! Thy grandson is no more; so grievously is he smittenby the men of Delphi and the stranger from Mycenae.
Ἄγγελος:οὐκ ἔστι σοι παῖς παιδός, ὡς μάθῃς, γέρονΠηλεῦ· τοιάσδε φασγάνων πληγὰς ἔχειΔελφῶν ὑπ’ ἀνδρῶν καὶ Μυκηναίου ξένου.
Chorus:Ah! what wilt thou do, old man? Fall not; uplift thyself.
Χορός:ἆ ἆ, τί δράσεις, ὦ γεραιέ; μὴ πέσῃς·ἔπαιρε σαυτόν.
Peleus:I am a thing of naught; death is come upon me. My voice is choked, my limbs droop beneath me.
Πηλεύς:οὐδέν εἰμ’· ἀπωλόμην.φρούδη μὲν αὐδή, φροῦδα δ’ ἄρθρα μου κάτω.
Messenger:Hearken; if thou art eager also to avenge thy friends,lift up thyself and hear what happened.
Ἄγγελος:ἄκουσον, εἰ καὶ σοῖς φίλοις ἀμυναθεῖνχρῄζεις, τὸ πραχθέν, σὸν κατορθώσας δέμας.
Peleus:Ah, destiny! how tightly hast thou caught me in thy toils, a poor old man at life’s extremest verge! But tell me how he was taken from me, my one son’s only child; unwelcome as such news is, I fain would hear it.
Πηλεύς:ὦ μοῖρα, γήρως ἐσχάτοις πρὸς τέρμασινοἵα με τὸν δύστηνον ἀμφιβᾶσ’ ἔχεις.πῶς δ’ οἴχεταί μοι παῖς μόνου παιδὸς μόνος;σήμαιν’· ἀκοῦσαι δ’ οὐκ ἀκούσθ’ ὅμως θέλω.
Messenger:As soon as we reached the famous soil of Phoebus, for three whole days were we feasting our eyes with the sight. And this, it seems, caused suspicion; for the folk, who dwell near the god’s shrine, began to collect in groups,while Agamemnon’s son, going to and fro through the town, would whisper in each man’s ear malignant hints: “Do ye see yon fellow, going in and out of the god’s treasure-chambers, which are full of the gold stored there by all mankind? He is come hither a second time on the same mission as before,”“eager to sack the temple of Phoebus.” Thereon there ran an angry murmur through the city, and the magistrates flocked to their council-chamber, while those, who have charge of the god’s treasures, had a guard privately placed amongst the colonnades.
Ἄγγελος:ἐπεὶ τὸ κλεινὸν ἤλθομεν Φοίβου πέδον,τρεῖς μὲν φαεννὰς ἡλίου διεξόδουςθέᾳ διδόντες ὄμματ’ ἐξεπίμπλαμεν.καὶ τοῦθ’ ὕποπτον ἦν ἄρ’· εἰς δὲ συστάσειςκύκλους τ’ ἐχώρει λαὸς οἰκήτωρ θεοῦ.Ἀγαμέμνονος δὲ παῖς διαστείχων πόλινἐς οὖς ἑκάστῳ δυσμενεῖς ηὔδα λόγους·Ὁρᾶτε τοῦτον, ὃς διαστείχει θεοῦχρυσοῦ γέμοντα γύαλα, θησαυροὺς βροτῶν,τὸ δεύτερον παρόντ’ ἐφ’ οἷσι καὶ πάροςδεῦρ’ ἦλθε, Φοίβου ναὸν ἐκπέρσαι θέλων;κἀκ τοῦδ’ ἐχώρει ῥόθιον ἐν πόλει κακόν·ἀρχαί τε, πληροῦντές τε βουλευτήρια,ἰδίᾳ θ’ ὅσοι θεοῦ χρημάτων ἐφέστασαν,φρουρὰν ἐτάξαντ’ ἐν περιστύλοις δόμοις.
But we, knowing naught as yet of this, took sheep fed in the pastures of Parnassus, and went our way and stationed ourselves at the altars with vouchers and Pythian seers. And one said: “What prayer, young warrior,”“wouldst thou have us offer to the god? Wherefore art thou come?” And he answered: “I wish to make atonement to Phoebus for my past transgression; for once I claimed from him satisfaction for my father’s blood.” Thereupon the rumour, spread by Orestes, proved to have great weight,suggesting that my master was lying and had come on a shameful errand. But he crosses the threshold of the temple to pray to Phoebus before his oracle, and was busy with his burnt-offering; when a body of men armed with swords set themselves in ambush against himin the cover of the bay- trees, and Clytemnestra’s son, that had contrived the whole plot was one of them. There stood the young man praying to the god in sight of all, when lo! with their sharp swords they stabbed Achilles’ unprotected son from behind.
ἡμεῖς δὲ μῆλα, φυλλάδος Παρνασίαςπαιδεύματ’, οὐδὲν τῶνδέ πω πεπυσμένοι,λαβόντες ᾖμεν ἐσχάραις τ’ ἐφέσταμενσὺν προξένοισι μάντεσίν τε Πυθικοῖς.καί τις τόδ’ εἶπεν· Ὦ νεανία, τί σοιθεῷ κατευξώμεσθα; τίνος ἥκεις χάριν;ὃ δ’ εἶπε· Φοίβῳ τῆς πάροιθ’ ἁμαρτίαςδίκας παρασχεῖν βουλόμεσθ’· ᾔτησα γὰρπατρός ποτ’ αὐτὸν αἵματος δοῦναι δίκην.κἀνταῦθ’ Ὀρέστου μῦθος ἰσχύων μέγαἐφαίνεθ’, ὡς ψεύδοιτο δεσπότης ἐμός,ἥκων ἐπ’ αἰσχροῖς. ἔρχεται δ’ ἀνακτόρωνκρηπῖδος ἐντός, ὡς πάρος χρηστηρίωνεὔξαιτο Φοίβῳ· τυγχάνει δ’ ἐν ἐμπύροις·τῷ δὲ ξιφήρης ἆρ’ ὑφειστήκει λόχοςδάφνῃ σκιασθείς· ὧν Κλυταιμήστρας τόκοςεἷς ἦν ἁπάντων τῶνδε μηχανορράφος.χὣ μὲν κατ’ ὄμμα στὰς προσεύχεται θεῷ·οἳ δ’ ὀξυθήκτοις φασγάνοις ὡπλισμένοικεντοῦσ’ ἀτευχῆ παῖδ’ Ἀχιλλέως λάθρᾳ.
But he stepped back, for it was not a mortal wound he had received, and drew his sword, and snatching armour from the pegs where it hung on a pillar, took his stand upon the altar-steps, the picture of a warrior grim; then cried he to the sons of Delphi, and asked them:
χωρεῖ δὲ πρύμναν· οὐ γὰρ εἰς καιρὸν τυπεὶςἐτύγχαν’· ἐξέλκει δὲ καὶ παραστάδοςκρεμαστὰ τεύχη πασσάλων καθαρπάσαςἔστη ’πὶ βωμοῦ γοργὸς ὁπλίτης ἰδεῖν,βοᾷ δὲ Δελφῶν παῖδας ἱστορῶν τάδε·
“Why seek to slay me when I am come on a holy mission? What cause is there why I should die?” But of all that throng of bystanders, no man answered him a word, but they set to hurling stones. Then he, though bruised and battered by the showers of missiles from all sides,covered himself behind his mail and tried to ward off the attack, holding his shield first here, then there, at arm’s length, but all of no avail; for a storm of darts, arrows and javelins, hurtling spits with double points, and butchers’ knives for slaying steers, came flying at his feet;
Τίνος μ’ ἕκατι κτείνετ’ εὐσεβεῖς ὁδοὺςἥκοντα; ποίας ὄλλυμαι πρὸς αἰτίας;—τῶν δ’ οὐδὲν οὐδεὶς μυρίων ὄντων πέλαςἐφθέγξατ’, ἀλλ’ ἔβαλλον ἐκ χερῶν πέτροις.πυκνῇ δὲ νιφάδι πάντοθεν σποδούμενοςπροὔτεινε τεύχη κἀφυλάσσετ’ ἐμβολὰςἐκεῖσε κἀκεῖσ’ ἀσπίδ’ ἐκτείνων χερί.ἀλλ’ οὐδὲν ἦνεν· ἀλλὰ πόλλ’ ὁμοῦ βέλη,οἰστοί, μεσάγκυλ’ ἔκλυτοί τ’ ἀμφώβολοι,σφαγῆς ἐχώρουν βουπόροι ποδῶν πάρος.
and terrible was the war-dance thou hadst then seen thy grandson dance to avoid their marksmanship. At last, when they were hemming him in on all sides, allowing him no breathing space, he left the shelter of the altar, the hearth where victims are placed, and with one bound was on them as on the Trojans of yore;and they turned and fled like doves when they see the hawk. Many fell in the confusion; some wounded, and others trodden down by one another along the narrow passages; and in that hushed holy house uprose unholy dinand echoed back from the rocks. Calm and still my master stood there in his gleaming harness like a flash of light, till from the inmost shrine there came a voice of thrilling horror, stirring the crowd to make a stand. Then fell Achilles’ son,smitten through the flank by some Delphian’s biting blade, some fellow that slew him with a host to help; and as he fell, there was not one that did not stab him, or cast a rock and batter his corpse. So his whole body,once so fair, was marred with savage wounds. At last they cast the lifeless clay, lying near the altar, forth from the fragrant fane. And we gathered up his remains forthwith and are bringing them to thee,old prince, to mourn and weep and honour with a deep-dug tomb.
δεινὰς δ’ ἂν εἶδες πυρρίχας φρουρουμένουβέλεμνα παιδός. ὡς δέ νιν περισταδὸνκύκλῳ κατεῖχον οὐ διδόντες ἀμπνοάς,βωμοῦ κενώσας δεξίμηλον ἐσχάραν,τὸ Τρωικὸν πήδημα πηδήσας ποδοῖνχωρεῖ πρὸς αὐτούς· οἳ δ’ ὅπως πελειάδεςἱέρακ’ ἰδοῦσαι πρὸς φυγὴν ἐνώτισαν.πολλοὶ δ’ ἔπιπτον μιγάδες ἔκ τε τραυμάτωναὐτοί θ’ ὑπ’ αὐτῶν στενοπόρους κατ’ ἐξόδους,κραυγὴ δ’ ἐν εὐφήμοισι δύσφημος δόμοιςπέτραισιν ἀντέκλαγξ’· ἐν εὐδίᾳ δέ πωςἔστη φαεννοῖς δεσπότης στίλβων ὅπλοις·πρὶν δή τις ἀδύτων ἐκ μέσων ἐφθέγξατοδεινόν τι καὶ φρικῶδες, ὦρσε δὲ στρατὸνστρέψας πρὸς ἀλκήν. ἔνθ’ Ἀχιλλέως πίτνειπαῖς ὀξυθήκτῳ πλευρὰ φασγάνῳ τυπεὶςΔελφοῦ πρὸς ἀνδρός, ὅσπερ αὐτὸν ὤλεσε,πολλῶν μετ’ ἄλλων· ὡς δὲ πρὸς γαῖαν πίτνει,τίς οὐ σίδηρον προσφέρει, τίς οὐ πέτρον,βάλλων ἀράσσων; πᾶν δ’ ἀνήλωται δέμαςτὸ καλλίμορφον τραυμάτων ὑπ’ ἀγρίων.νεκρὸν δὲ δή νιν κείμενον βωμοῦ πέλαςἐξέβαλον ἐκτὸς θυοδόκων ἀνακτόρων.ἡμεῖς δ’ ἀναρπάσαντες ὡς τάχος χεροῖνκομίζομέν νιν σοὶ κατοιμῶξαι γόοιςκλαῦσαί τε, πρέσβυ, γῆς τε κοσμῆσαι τάφῳ.
This is how that prince who vouchsafeth oracles to others, that judge of what is right for all the world, hath revenged himself on Achilles’ son, remembering his ancient quarrel as a wicked man would.How then can he be wise? Exit Messenger. The body of Neoptolemus is carried in on a bier.
τοιαῦθ’ ὁ τοῖς ἄλλοισι θεσπίζων ἄναξ,ὁ τῶν δικαίων πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις κριτής,δίκας διδόντα παῖδ’ ἔδρασ’ Ἀχιλλέως.ἐμνημόνευσε δ’, ὥσπερ ἄνθρωπος κακός,παλαιὰ νείκη· πῶς ἂν οὖν εἴη σοφός;
Chorus:Lo! E’en now our prince is being carried on a bier from Delphi’s land unto his home. Woe for him and his sad fate, and woe for thee, old sire! for this is not the welcome thou wouldst give Achilles’ son,the lion’s whelp; thyself too [by this sad mischance ] dost share his evil lot.
Χορός:καὶ μὴν ὅδ’ ἄναξ ἤδη φοράδηνΔελφίδος ἐκ γῆς δῶμα πελάζει.τλήμων ὁ παθών, τλήμων δέ, γέρον,καὶ σύ· δέχῃ γὰρ τὸν Ἀχίλλειονσκύμνον ἐς οἴκους οὐχ ὡς σὺ θέλεις·αὐτός τε κακοῖς [πήμασι κύρσας]εἰς ἓν μοίρας συνέκυρσας.
Peleus:Ah! woe is me! here is a sad sight for me to see and take unto my halls!
Πηλεύς:ὤμοι ἐγώ, κακὸν οἷον ὁρῶ τόδεκαὶ δέχομαι χερὶ δώμασί τ’ ἀμοῖς.
Ah me! ah me! I am undone, thou city of Thessaly! My line now ends; I have no children left me in my home. Oh! the sorrows I seem born to endure! Whatfriend can I look to for relief? Ah, dear lips, and cheeks, and hands! Would thy destiny had slain thee ’neath Ilium’s walls beside the banks of Simois!
ἰώ μοί μοι, αἰαῖ,ὦ πόλι Θεσσαλία, διολώλαμεν,οἰχόμεθ’· οὐκέτι μοι γένος, οὐκέτι [μοι τέκνα]λείπεται οἴκοις·ὦ σχέτλιος παθέων ἐγώ· εἰς τίναδὴ φίλον αὐγὰς βάλλων τέρψομαι;ὦ φίλιον στόμα καὶ γένυ καὶ χέρες,εἴθε σ’ ὑπ’ Ἰλίῳ ἤναρε δαίμωνΣιμοεντίδα παρ’ ἀκτάν.
Chorus:Had he so died, my aged lord, he had won him honour thereby,and thine had been the happier lot.
Χορός:οὗτός τ’ ἂν ὡς ἐκ τῶνδ’ ἐτιμᾶτ’ ἄν, γέρον,θανών, τὸ σὸν δ’ ἦν ὧδ’ ἂν εὐτυχέστερον.
Peleus:O marriage, marriage, woe to thee! thou bane of my home, thou destroyer of my city! Ah my child, my boy! would that the honour of wedding thee,fraught with evil as it was to my children and house, had not thrown oer thee, my son, Hermiones deadly net! O that the thunderbolt had slain her sooner! and that thou, rash mortal, hadst never chargedthe great god Phoebus with aiming that murderous shaft that spilt thy hero-fathers blood!
Πηλεύς:ὦ γάμος, ὦ γάμος, ὃς τάδε δώματακαὶ πόλιν ἀμὰν ὤλεσας· αἰαῖ,ἒ ἔ· ὦ παῖ,μήποτε σῶν λεχέων τὸ δυσώνυμονὤφελ’ ἐμὸν γένος εἰς τέκνα καὶ δόμονἀμφιβαλέσθαιἙρμιόνας Ἀίδαν ἐπὶ σοί, τέκνον,ἀλλὰ κεραυνῷ πρόσθεν ὀλέσθαι·μηδ’ ἐπὶ τοξοσύνᾳ φονίῳ πατρὸςαἷμα τὸ διογενές ποτε Φοίβουβροτὸς εἰς θεὸν ἀνάψαι.
Chorus:Woe! woe! alas! With due observance of funeral rites will I begin the mourning for my dead master.
Χορός:ὀττοτοτοτοῖ, θανόντα δεσπόταν γόοιςνόμῳ τῷνερτέρων κατάρξω.
Peleus:Alack and well-a-day! I take up the tearful dirge, ah me! old and wretched as I am.
Πηλεύς:ὀττοτοτοτοῖ, διάδοχα δ’ ὦ τάλας ἐγὼγέρων καὶδυστυχὴς δακρύω.
Chorus:’Tis Heaven’s decree; God willed this heavy stroke.
Χορός:θεοῦ γὰρ αἶσα, θεὸς ἔκρανε συμφοράν.
Peleus:O darling child,thou hast left me all alone in my halls, old and childless by thy loss.
Πηλεύς:ὦ φίλος,δόμον ἔλιπες ἔρημον,ὤμοι μοι, ταλαίπωρον ἐμὲγέροντ’ ἄπαιδα νοσφίσας.
Chorus:Thou shouldst have died, old sire, before thy children.
Χορός:θανεῖν θανεῖν σε, πρέσβυ, χρῆν πάρος τέκνων.
Peleus:Shall I not tear my hair,and smite upon my head with grievous blows? O city! of both my children hath Phoebus robbed me.
Πηλεύς:οὐ σπαράξομαι κόμαν,οὐκ ἐμῷ ’πιθήσομαικάρᾳ κτύπημα χειρὸς ὀλοόν; ὦ πόλις,διπλῶν τέκνωνμ’ ἐστέρησ’ ὁ Φοῖβος.
Chorus:What evils thou hast suffered, what sorrows thou hast seen, thou poor old man!what shall be thy life hereafter?
Χορός:ὦ κακὰ παθὼν ἰδών τε δυστυχὴς γέρον,τίν’ αἰῶν’εἰς τὸ λοιπὸν ἕξεις;
Peleus:Childless, desolate, with no limit to my grief, I must drain the cup of woe, until I die.
Πηλεύς:ἄτεκνος ἔρημος, οὐκ ἔχων πέρας κακῶνδιαντλή-σω πόνους ἐς Ἅιδαν.
Chorus:’Twas all in vain the gods wished thee joy on thy wedding day.
Χορός:μάτην δέ σ’ ἐν γάμοισιν ὤλβισαν θεοί.
Peleus:All my hopes have flown away,fallen short of my high boasts.
Πηλεύς:ἀμπτάμεναφροῦδα πάντα, κεῖται…κόμπων μεταρσίων πρόσω.
Chorus:A lonely dweller in a lonely home art thou.
Χορός:μόνος μόνοισιν ἐν δόμοις ἀναστρέφῃ.
Peleus:I have no city any longer; there! on the ground my sceptre do I cast; and thou, daughter of Nereus, neath thy dim grotto,shalt see me grovelling in the dust, a ruined king.
Πηλεύς:οὐκέτ’ εἶ, πόλις, πόλις,σκῆπτρά τ’ ἐρρέτω τάδε [ἐπὶ γαῖαν,]σύ τ’, ὦ κατ’ ἄντρα νύχια Νηρέως κόρη,πανώλεθρόνμ’ ὄψεαι πίτνοντα [πρὸς γᾶν.]
Chorus:Look, look! [A dim form of divine appearance in seen hovering in mid air.] What is that moving? what influence divine am I conscious of? Look, maidens, mark it well; see, yonder is some deity, wafted through the lustrous air and alighting on the plainsof Phthia, home of steeds.
Χορός:ἰὼ ἰώ·τί κεκίνηται; τίνος αἰσθάνομαιθείου; κοῦραι, λεύσσετ’ ἀθρήσατε·δαίμων ὅδε τις λευκὴν αἰθέραπορθμευόμενος τῶν ἱπποβότωνΦθίας πεδίων ἐπιβαίνει.
Thetis:O Peleus! because of my wedded days with thee now long agone, I Thetis am come from the halls of Nereus. And first I counsel thee not to grieve to excess in thy present distress,for I too who need ne’er have born children to my sorrow, have lost the child of our love, Achilles swift of foot, foremost of the sons of Hellas. Next will I declare why I am come, and do thou give ear. Carry yonder corpse, Achilles’ son,to the Pythian altar and there bury it, a reproach to Delphi, that his tomb may proclaim the violent death he met at the hand of Orestes. And for his captive wife Andromache,–she must dwell in the Molossian land,united in honourable wedlock with Helenus, and with her this babe, the sole survivor as he is of all the line of Aeacus, for from him a succession of prosperous kings of Molossia is to go on unbroken; forthe race that springs from thee and me, my aged lord, must not thus be brought to naught; no! nor Troy’s line either; for her fate too is cared for by the gods, albeit her fall was due to the eager wish of Pallas. Thee too, that thou mayst know the saving grace of wedding me, will I, [a goddess born and daughter of a god, ]release from all the ills that flesh is heir to and make a deity to know not death nor decay. From henceforth in the halls of Nereus shalt thou dwell with me, god and goddess together; thence shalt thou rise dry-shod from out the mainand see Achilles, our dear son, settled in his island-home by the strand of Leuce, that is girdled by the Euxine sea. But get thee to Delphi’s god-built town, carrying this corpse with thee, and, after thou hast buried him,return and settle in the cave which time hath hollowed in the Sepian rock and there abide, till from the sea I come with choir of fifty Nereids to be thy escort thence; for fate’s decree thou must fulfil; such is the pleasure of Zeus.
Θέτις:Πηλεῦ, χάριν σοι τῶν πάρος νυμφευμάτωνἥκω Θέτις λιποῦσα Νηρέως δόμους.καὶ πρῶτα μέν δὴ τοῖς παρεστῶσιν κακοῖςμηδέν τι λίαν δυσφορεῖν παρῄνεσα·κἀγὼ γάρ, ἣν ἄκλαυτα χρῆν τίκτειν τέκνα,ἀπώλεσ’ ἐκ σοῦ παῖδα τὸν ταχὺν πόδαςἈχιλλέα τεκοῦσα πρῶτον Ἑλλάδος.ὧν δ’ οὕνεκ’ ἦλθον σημανῶ, σὺ δ’ ἐνδέχου.τὸν μὲν θανόντα τόνδ’ Ἀχιλλέως γόνονθάψον πορεύσας Πυθικὴν πρὸς ἐσχάραν,Δελφοῖς ὄνειδος, ὡς ἀπαγγέλλῃ τάφοςφόνον βίαιον τῆς Ὀρεστείας χερός·γυναῖκα δ’ αἰχμάλωτον, Ἀνδρομάχην λέγω,Μολοσσίαν γῆν χρὴ κατοικῆσαι, γέρον,Ἑλένῳ συναλλαχθεῖσαν εὐναίοις γάμοις,καὶ παῖδα τόνδε, τῶν ἀπ’ Αἰακοῦ μόνονλελειμμένον δή. βασιλέα δ’ ἐκ τοῦδε χρὴἄλλον δι’ ἄλλου διαπερᾶν Μολοσσίαςεὐδαιμονοῦντας· οὐ γὰρ ὧδ’ ἀνάστατονγένος γενέσθαι δεῖ τὸ σὸν κἀμόν, γέρον,Τροίας τε· καὶ γὰρ θεοῖσι κἀκείνης μέλει,καίπερ πεσούσης Παλλάδος προθυμίᾳ.σὲ δ’, ὡς ἂν εἰδῇς τῆς ἐμῆς εὐνῆς χάριν,[θεὰ γεγῶσα καὶ θεοῦ πατρὸς τέκος,]κακῶν ἀπαλλάξασα τῶν βροτησίωνἀθάνατον ἄφθιτόν τε ποιήσω θεόν.κἄπειτα Νηρέως ἐν δόμοις ἐμοῦ μέτατὸ λοιπὸν ἤδη θεὸς συνοικήσεις θεᾷ·ἔνθεν κομίζων ξηρὸν ἐκ πόντου πόδατὸν φίλτατον σοὶ παῖδ’ ἐμοί τ’ Ἀχιλλέαὄψῃ δόμους ναίοντα νησιωτικοὺςΛευκὴν κατ’ ἀκτὴν ἐντὸς Εὐξείνου πόρου.ἀλλ’ ἕρπε Δελφῶν εἰς θεόδμητον πόλιννεκρὸν κομίζων τόνδε, καὶ κρύψας χθονὶἐλθὼν παλαιᾶς χοιράδος κοῖλον μυχὸνΣηπιάδος ἵζου· μίμνε δ’, ἔστ’ ἂν ἐξ ἁλὸςλαβοῦσα πεντήκοντα Νηρῄδων χορὸνἔλθω κομιστήν σου· τὸ γὰρ πεπρωμένονδεῖ σ’ ἐκκομίζειν· Ζηνὶ γὰρ δοκεῖ τάδε.
Cease then to mourn the dead; this is the lot which heaven assigns to all, and all must pay their debt to death.
παῦσαι δὲ λύπης τῶν τεθνηκότων ὕπερ·πᾶσιν γὰρ ἀνθρώποισιν ἥδε πρὸς θεῶνψῆφος κέκρανται κατθανεῖν τ’ ὀφείλεται.
Peleus:Great queen, my honoured wife, from Nereus sprung, all hail! thou artacting herein as befits thyself and thy children. So I will stay my grief at thy bidding, goddess, and, when I have buried the dead, will seek the glens of Pelion, even the place where I took thy beauteous form to my embrace. Surely after this every prudent man will seek to marry a wife of noble stockand give his daughter to a husband good and true, never setting his heart on a worthless woman, not even though she bring a sumptuous dowry to his house. So would men ne’er suffer ill at heaven’s hand.
Πηλεύς:ὦ πότνι’, ὦ γενναῖα συγκοιμήματα,Νηρέως γένεθλον, χαῖρε· ταῦτα δ’ ἀξίωςσαυτῆς τε ποιεῖς καὶ τέκνων τῶν ἐκ σέθεν.παύω δὲ λύπην σοῦ κελευούσης, θεά,καὶ τόνδε θάψας εἶμι Πηλίου πτυχάς,οὗπερ σὸν εἷλον χερσὶ κάλλιστον δέμας.κᾆτ’ οὐ γαμεῖν δῆτ’ ἔκ τε γενναίων χρεὼνδοῦναί τ’ ἐς ἐσθλούς, ὅστις εὖ βουλεύεται,κακῶν δὲ λέκτρων μὴ ’πιθυμίαν ἔχειν,μηδ’ εἰ ζαπλούτους οἴσεται φερνὰς δόμοις;[οὐ γάρ ποτ’ ἂν πράξειαν ἐκ θεῶν κακῶς.]
Chorus:Many are the shapes of Heaven’s denizens,and many a thing they bring to pass contrary to our expectation; that which we thought would be is not accomplished, while for the unexpected God finds out a way. E’en such hath been the issue of this matter.
Χορός:πολλαὶ μορφαὶ τῶν δαιμονίων,πολλὰ δ’ ἀέλπτως κραίνουσι θεοί·καὶ τὰ δοκηθέντ’ οὐκ ἐτελέσθη,τῶν δ’ ἀδοκήτων πόρον ηὗρε θεός.τοιόνδ’ ἀπέβη τόδε πρᾶγμα.