---
title: "Bacchae · Βάκχαι"
author: "Euripides"
translator: "T. A. Buckley"
title_ru: "Вакханки"
author_ru: "Еврипид"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
url: https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-bacchae/
cite: "Euripides, tr. T. A. Buckley, Bacchae · Βάκχαι. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-bacchae/"
---

# Bacchae · Βάκχαι

*Euripides, tr. T. A. Buckley*

Russian: Вакханки, Еврипид

Dionysus comes to Thebes, and King Pentheus refuses to know him.

> Greek: ed. Gilbert Murray, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0006.tlg017, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: T. A. Buckley, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0006.tlg017.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (line numbers), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## Contents

1. [Lines 1–490](https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-bacchae/1.md)
2. [Lines 491–942](https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-bacchae/2.md)
3. [Lines 943–1392](https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-bacchae/3.md)

## 1. Lines 1–490

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-bacchae/1/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-bacchae/1/#p-N

[¶0] Dionysus:
I, the son of Zeus, have come to this land of the Thebans—Dionysus, whom once Semele, Kadmos’ daughter, bore, delivered by a lightning-bearing flame. And having taken a mortal form instead of a god’s,
I am here at the fountains of Dirke and the water of Ismenus. And I see the tomb of my thunder-stricken mother here near the palace, and the remnants of her house, smouldering with the still living flame of Zeus’ fire, the everlasting insult of Hera against my mother.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ἥκω Διὸς παῖς τήνδε Θηβαίων χθόνα
Διόνυσος, ὃν τίκτει ποθʼ ἡ Κάδμου κόρη
Σεμέλη λοχευθεῖσʼ ἀστραπηφόρῳ πυρί·
μορφὴν δʼ ἀμείψας ἐκ θεοῦ βροτησίαν
πάρειμι Δίρκης νάματʼ Ἰσμηνοῦ θʼ ὕδωρ.
ὁρῶ δὲ μητρὸς μνῆμα τῆς κεραυνίας
τόδʼ ἐγγὺς οἴκων καὶ δόμων ἐρείπια
τυφόμενα Δίου πυρὸς ἔτι ζῶσαν φλόγα,
ἀθάνατον Ἥρας μητέρʼ εἰς ἐμὴν ὕβριν.

[¶1] I praise Kadmos, who has made this place hallowed, the shrine of his daughter; and I have covered it all around with the cluster-bearing leaf of the vine. I have left the wealthy lands of the Lydians and Phrygians, the sun-parched plains of the Persians,
and the Bactrian walls, and have passed over the wintry land of the Medes, and blessed Arabia, and all of Asia which lies along the coast of the salt sea with its beautifully-towered cities full of Hellenes and barbarians mingled together;
and I have come to this Hellene city first, having already set those other lands to dance and established my mysteries there, so that I might be a deity manifest among men. In this land of Hellas, I have first excited Thebes to my cry, fitting a fawn-skin to my body and
taking a thyrsos in my hand, a weapon of ivy. For my mother’s sisters, the ones who least should, claimed that I, Dionysus, was not the child of Zeus, but that Semele had conceived a child from a mortal father and then ascribed the sin of her bed to Zeus,
a trick of Kadmos’, for which they boasted that Zeus killed her, because she had told a false tale about her marriage. Therefore I have goaded them from the house in frenzy, and they dwell in the mountains, out of their wits; and I have compelled them to wear the outfit of my mysteries.
And all the female offspring of Thebes, as many as are women, I have driven maddened from the house, and they, mingled with the daughters of Kadmos, sit on roofless rocks beneath green pines. For this city must learn, even if it is unwilling,
that it is not initiated into my Bacchic rites, and that I plead the case of my mother, Semele, in appearing manifest to mortals as a divinity whom she bore to Zeus. Now Kadmos has given his honor and power to Pentheus, his daughter’s son,
who fights against the gods as far as I am concerned and drives me away from sacrifices, and in his prayers makes no mention of me, for which I will show him and all the Thebans that I was born a god. And when I have set matters here right, I will move on to another land,
revealing myself. But if ever the city of Thebes should in anger seek to drive the the Bacchae down from the mountains with arms, I, the general of the Maenads, will join battle with them. On which account I have changed my form to a mortal one and altered my shape into the nature of a man.

> Greek: αἰνῶ δὲ Κάδμον, ἄβατον ὃς πέδον τόδε
τίθησι, θυγατρὸς σηκόν· ἀμπέλου δέ νιν
πέριξ ἐγὼ ʼκάλυψα βοτρυώδει χλόῃ.
λιπὼν δὲ Λυδῶν τοὺς πολυχρύσους γύας
Φρυγῶν τε, Περσῶν θʼ ἡλιοβλήτους πλάκας
Βάκτριά τε τείχη τήν τε δύσχιμον χθόνα
Μήδων ἐπελθὼν Ἀραβίαν τʼ εὐδαίμονα
Ἀσίαν τε πᾶσαν, ἣ παρʼ ἁλμυρὰν ἅλα
κεῖται μιγάσιν Ἕλλησι βαρβάροις θʼ ὁμοῦ
πλήρεις ἔχουσα καλλιπυργώτους πόλεις,
ἐς τήνδε πρῶτον ἦλθον Ἑλλήνων πόλιν,
τἀκεῖ χορεύσας καὶ καταστήσας ἐμὰς
τελετάς, ἵνʼ εἴην ἐμφανὴς δαίμων βροτοῖς.
πρώτας δὲ Θήβας τῆσδε γῆς Ἑλληνίδος
ἀνωλόλυξα, νεβρίδʼ ἐξάψας χροὸς
θύρσον τε δοὺς ἐς χεῖρα, κίσσινον βέλος·
ἐπεί μʼ ἀδελφαὶ μητρός, ἃς ἥκιστα χρῆν,
Διόνυσον οὐκ ἔφασκον ἐκφῦναι Διός,
Σεμέλην δὲ νυμφευθεῖσαν ἐκ θνητοῦ τινος
ἐς Ζῆνʼ ἀναφέρειν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν λέχους,
Κάδμου σοφίσμαθʼ, ὧν νιν οὕνεκα κτανεῖν
Ζῆνʼ ἐξεκαυχῶνθʼ, ὅτι γάμους ἐψεύσατο.
τοιγάρ νιν αὐτὰς ἐκ δόμων ᾤστρησʼ ἐγὼ
μανίαις, ὄρος δʼ οἰκοῦσι παράκοποι φρενῶν·
σκευήν τʼ ἔχειν ἠνάγκασʼ ὀργίων ἐμῶν,
καὶ πᾶν τὸ θῆλυ σπέρμα Καδμείων, ὅσαι
γυναῖκες ἦσαν, ἐξέμηνα δωμάτων·
ὁμοῦ δὲ Κάδμου παισὶν ἀναμεμειγμέναι
χλωραῖς ὑπʼ ἐλάταις ἀνορόφοις ἧνται πέτραις.
δεῖ γὰρ πόλιν τήνδʼ ἐκμαθεῖν, κεἰ μὴ θέλει,
ἀτέλεστον οὖσαν τῶν ἐμῶν βακχευμάτων,
Σεμέλης τε μητρὸς ἀπολογήσασθαί μʼ ὕπερ
φανέντα θνητοῖς δαίμονʼ ὃν τίκτει Διί.
Κάδμος μὲν οὖν γέρας τε καὶ τυραννίδα
Πενθεῖ δίδωσι θυγατρὸς ἐκπεφυκότι,
ὃς θεομαχεῖ τὰ κατʼ ἐμὲ καὶ σπονδῶν ἄπο
ὠθεῖ μʼ, ἐν εὐχαῖς τʼ οὐδαμοῦ μνείαν ἔχει.
ὧν οὕνεκʼ αὐτῷ θεὸς γεγὼς ἐνδείξομαι
πᾶσίν τε Θηβαίοισιν. ἐς δʼ ἄλλην χθόνα,
τἀνθένδε θέμενος εὖ, μεταστήσω πόδα,
δεικνὺς ἐμαυτόν· ἢν δὲ Θηβαίων πόλις
ὀργῇ σὺν ὅπλοις ἐξ ὄρους βάκχας ἄγειν
ζητῇ, ξυνάψω μαινάσι στρατηλατῶν.
ὧν οὕνεκʼ εἶδος θνητὸν ἀλλάξας ἔχω
μορφήν τʼ ἐμὴν μετέβαλον εἰς ἀνδρὸς φύσιν.

[¶2] But, you women who have left Tmolus, the bulwark of Lydia, my sacred band, whom I have brought from among the barbarians as assistants and companions to me, take your drums, native instruments of the city of the Phrygians, the invention of mother Rhea and myself,
and going about this palace of Pentheus beat them, so that Kadmos’ city may see. I myself will go to the folds of Kithairon, where the Bacchae are, to share in their dances.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ, ὦ λιποῦσαι Τμῶλον ἔρυμα Λυδίας,
θίασος ἐμός, γυναῖκες, ἃς ἐκ βαρβάρων
ἐκόμισα παρέδρους καὶ ξυνεμπόρους ἐμοί,
αἴρεσθε τἀπιχώριʼ ἐν πόλει Φρυγῶν
τύμπανα, Ῥέας τε μητρὸς ἐμά θʼ εὑρήματα,
βασίλειά τʼ ἀμφὶ δώματʼ ἐλθοῦσαι τάδε
κτυπεῖτε Πενθέως, ὡς ὁρᾷ Κάδμου πόλις.
ἐγὼ δὲ βάκχαις, ἐς Κιθαιρῶνος πτυχὰς
ἐλθὼν ἵνʼ εἰσί, συμμετασχήσω χορῶν.

[¶3] Chorus:
From the land of Asia,
having left sacred Tmolus, I am swift to perform for Bromius my sweet labor and toil easily borne, celebrating the god Bacchus. Who is in the way? Who is in the way? Who? Let him get out of the way indoors, and let everyone keep his mouth pure,
speaking propitious things. For I will celebrate Dionysus with hymns according to eternal custom.

> Greek: Χορός:
Ἀσίας ἀπὸ γᾶς
ἱερὸν Τμῶλον ἀμείψασα θοάζω
Βρομίῳ πόνον ἡδὺν
κάματόν τʼ εὐκάματον, Βάκ-
χιον εὐαζομένα.
τίς ὁδῷ τίς ὁδῷ; τίς;
μελάθροις ἔκτοπος ἔστω, στόμα τʼ εὔφη-
μον ἅπας ἐξοσιούσθω·
τὰ νομισθέντα γὰρ αἰεὶ
Διόνυσον ὑμνήσω.

[¶4] Chorus:
Blessed is he who, being fortunate and knowing the rites of the gods, keeps his life pure and
has his soul initiated into the Bacchic revels, dancing in inspired frenzy over the mountains with holy purifications, and who, revering the mysteries of great mother Kybele,
brandishing the thyrsos, garlanded with ivy, serves Dionysus. Go, Bacchae, go, Bacchae, escorting the god Bromius, child of a god,
from the Phrygian mountains to the broad streets of Hellas—Bromius,

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ
μάκαρ, ὅστις εὐδαίμων
τελετὰς θεῶν εἰδὼς
βιοτὰν ἁγιστεύει καὶ
θιασεύεται ψυχὰν
ἐν ὄρεσσι βακχεύων
ὁσίοις καθαρμοῖσιν,
τά τε ματρὸς μεγάλας ὄρ-
για Κυβέλας θεμιτεύων,
ἀνὰ θύρσον τε τινάσσων,
κισσῷ τε στεφανωθεὶς
Διόνυσον θεραπεύει.
ἴτε βάκχαι, ἴτε βάκχαι,
Βρόμιον παῖδα θεὸν θεοῦ
Διόνυσον κατάγουσαι
Φρυγίων ἐξ ὀρέων Ἑλ-
λάδος εἰς εὐρυχόρους ἀ-
γυιάς, τὸν Βρόμιον·

[¶5] Chorus:
Whom once, in the compulsion of birth pains,
the thunder of Zeus flying upon her, his mother cast from her womb, leaving life by the stroke of a thunderbolt. Immediately Zeus, Kronos’ son,
received him in a chamber fit for birth, and having covered him in his thigh shut him up with golden clasps, hidden from Hera. And he brought forth, when the Fates
had perfected him, the bull-horned god, and he crowned him with crowns of snakes, for which reason Maenads cloak their wild prey over their locks.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὅν
ποτʼ ἔχουσʼ ἐν ὠδίνων
λοχίαις ἀνάγκαισι
πταμένας Διὸς βροντᾶς νη-
δύος ἔκβολον μάτηρ
ἔτεκεν, λιποῦσʼ αἰῶ-
να κεραυνίῳ πληγᾷ·
λοχίοις δʼ αὐτίκα νιν δέ-
ξατο θαλάμαις Κρονίδας Ζεύς,
κατὰ μηρῷ δὲ καλύψας
χρυσέαισιν συνερείδει
περόναις κρυπτὸν ἀφʼ Ἥρας.
ἔτεκεν δʼ, ἁνίκα Μοῖραι
τέλεσαν, ταυρόκερων θεὸν
στεφάνωσέν τε δρακόντων
στεφάνοις, ἔνθεν ἄγραν θη-
ροτρόφον μαινάδες ἀμφι-
βάλλονται πλοκάμοις.

[¶6] Chorus:
O Thebes, nurse of Semele, crown yourself with ivy, flourish, flourish with the verdant yew bearing sweet fruit, and crown yourself in honor of Bacchus with branches of oak
or pine. Adorn your garments of spotted fawn-skin with fleeces of white sheep, and sport in holy games with insolent thyrsoi. At once all the earth will dance—
whoever leads the sacred band is Bromius—to the mountain, to the mountain, where the crowd of women waits, goaded away from their weaving by Dionysus.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ Σεμέλας τροφοὶ Θῆ-
βαι, στεφανοῦσθε κισσῷ·
βρύετε βρύετε χλοήρει
μίλακι καλλικάρπῳ
καὶ καταβακχιοῦσθε δρυὸς
ἢ ἐλάτας κλάδοισι,
στικτῶν τʼ ἐνδυτὰ νεβρίδων
στέφετε λευκοτρίχων πλοκάμων
μαλλοῖς· ἀμφὶ δὲ νάρθηκας ὑβριστὰς
ὁσιοῦσθʼ· αὐτίκα γᾶ πᾶσα χορεύσει—
Βρόμιος ὅστις ἄγῃ θιάσουσ—
εἰς ὄρος εἰς ὄρος, ἔνθα μένει
θηλυγενὴς ὄχλος
ἀφʼ ἱστῶν παρὰ κερκίδων τʼ
οἰστρηθεὶς Διονύσῳ.

[¶7] Chorus:
O secret chamber of the Kouretes and you holy Cretan caves, parents to Zeus, where the Korybantes with triple helmet invented for me in their caves this circle,
covered with stretched hide; and in their excited revelry they mingled it with the sweet-voiced breath of Phrygian pipes and handed it over to mother Rhea, resounding with the sweet songs of the Bacchae;

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ θαλάμευμα Κουρ-
ήτων ζάθεοί τε Κρήτας
Διογενέτορες ἔναυλοι,
ἔνθα τρικόρυθες ἄντροις
βυρσότονον κύκλωμα τόδε
μοι Κορύβαντες ηὗρον·
βακχείᾳ δʼ ἀνὰ συντόνῳ
κέρασαν ἁδυβόᾳ Φρυγίων
αὐλῶν πνεύματι ματρός τε Ῥέας ἐς
χέρα θῆκαν, κτύπον εὐάσμασι Βακχᾶν·

[¶8] nearby, raving Satyrs were fulfilling the rites of the mother goddess, and they joined it to the dances of the biennial festivals, in which Dionysus rejoices.

> Greek: παρὰ δὲ μαινόμενοι Σάτυροι
ματέρος ἐξανύσαντο θεᾶς,
ἐς δὲ χορεύματα
συνῆψαν τριετηρίδων,
αἷς χαίρει Διόνυσος.

[¶9] Chorus:
He is sweet in the mountains, whenever after the running dance he falls on the ground, wearing the sacred garment of fawn skin, hunting the blood of the slain goat, a raw-eaten delight, rushing to the
Phrygian, the Lydian mountains, and the leader of the dance is Bromius, evoe! The plain flows with milk, it flows with wine, it flows with the nectar of bees.
The Bacchic one, raising the flaming torch of pine on his thyrsos, like the smoke of Syrian incense, darts about, arousing the wanderers with his racing and dancing, agitating them with his shouts,
casting his rich locks into the air. And among the Maenad cries his voice rings deep: “Go, Bacchae, go, Bacchae, with the luxury of Tmolus that flows with gold,”
“sing of Dionysus, beneath the heavy beat of drums, celebrating in delight the god of delight with Phrygian shouts and cries,”
“when the sweet-sounding sacred pipe sounds a sacred playful tune suited”
“to the wanderers, to the mountain, to the mountain!” And the Bacchante, rejoicing like a foal with its grazing mother, rouses her swift foot in a gamboling dance.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἡδὺς ἐν ὄρεσιν, ὅταν ἐκ θιάσων δρομαί-
ων πέσῃ πεδόσε, νε-
βρίδος ἔχων ἱερὸν ἐνδυτόν, ἀγρεύων
αἷμα τραγοκτόνον, ὠμοφάγον χάριν, ἱέμε-
νος ἐς ὄρεα Φρύγια, Λύδιʼ, ὁ δʼ ἔξαρχος Βρόμιος,
εὐοἷ.
ῥεῖ δὲ γάλακτι πέδον, ῥεῖ δʼ οἴνῳ, ῥεῖ δὲ μελισσᾶν
νέκταρι.
Συρίας δʼ ὡς λιβάνου κα-
πνὸν ὁ Βακχεὺς ἀνέχων
πυρσώδη φλόγα πεύκας
ἐκ νάρθηκος ἀίσσει
δρόμῳ καὶ χοροῖσιν
πλανάτας ἐρεθίζων
ἰαχαῖς τʼ ἀναπάλλων,
τρυφερόν ⟨τε⟩ πλόκαμον εἰς αἰθέρα ῥίπτων.
ἅμα δʼ εὐάσμασι τοιάδʼ ἐπιβρέμει·
Ὦ ἴτε βάκχαι,
[ὦ] ἴτε βάκχαι,
Τμώλου χρυσορόου χλιδᾷ
μέλπετε τὸν Διόνυσον
βαρυβρόμων ὑπὸ τυμπάνων,
εὔια τὸν εὔιον ἀγαλλόμεναι θεὸν
ἐν Φρυγίαισι βοαῖς ἐνοπαῖσί τε,
λωτὸς ὅταν εὐκέλαδος
ἱερὸς ἱερὰ παίγματα βρέμῃ, σύνοχα
φοιτάσιν εἰς ὄρος εἰς ὄρος· ἡδομέ-
να δʼ ἄρα, πῶλος ὅπως ἅμα ματέρι
φορβάδι, κῶλον ἄγει ταχύπουν σκιρτήμασι βάκχα.

[¶10] Teiresias:
Who is at the gates? Call from the house Kadmos, son of Agenor, who leaving the city of Sidon built this towering city of the Thebans. Let someone go and announce that Teiresias is looking for him. He knows why I have come and
what agreement I, an old man, have made with him, older still: to twine the thyrsoi, to wear fawn-skins, and to crown our heads with ivy branches.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
τίς ἐν πύλαισι; Κάδμον ἐκκάλει δόμων,
Ἀγήνορος παῖδʼ, ὃς πόλιν Σιδωνίαν
λιπὼν ἐπύργωσʼ ἄστυ Θηβαίων τόδε.
ἴτω τις, εἰσάγγελλε Τειρεσίας ὅτι
ζητεῖ νιν· οἶδε δʼ αὐτὸς ὧν ἥκω πέρι
ἅ τε ξυνεθέμην πρέσβυς ὢν γεραιτέρῳ,
θύρσους ἀνάπτειν καὶ νεβρῶν δορὰς ἔχειν
στεφανοῦν τε κρᾶτα κισσίνοις βλαστήμασιν.

[¶11] Kadmos:
Dearest friend, for inside the house I heard and recognized your wise voice, the voice of a wise man;

> Greek: Κάδμος:
ὦ φίλταθʼ, ὡς σὴν γῆρυν ᾐσθόμην κλύων
σοφὴν σοφοῦ παρʼ ἀνδρός, ἐν δόμοισιν ὤν·

[¶12] I have come prepared with this equipment of the god. For we must extol him, the child of my daughter, [Dionysus, who has appeared as a god to men] as much as is in our power. Where must I dance, where set my feet
and shake my grey head? Show me the way, Teiresias, one old man leading another; for you are wise. And so I shall never tire night or day striking the ground with the thyrsos. Gladly I have forgotten that I am old.
Teiresias:
Then you and I have the same feelings,
for I too feel young and will try to dance.

> Greek: ἥκω δʼ ἕτοιμος τήνδʼ ἔχων σκευὴν θεοῦ·
δεῖ γάρ νιν ὄντα παῖδα θυγατρὸς ἐξ ἐμῆς
[Διόνυσον ὃς πέφηνεν ἀνθρώποις θεὸς]
ὅσον καθʼ ἡμᾶς δυνατὸν αὔξεσθαι μέγαν.
ποῖ δεῖ χορεύειν, ποῖ καθιστάναι πόδα
καὶ κρᾶτα σεῖσαι πολιόν; ἐξηγοῦ σύ μοι
γέρων γέροντι, Τειρεσία· σὺ γὰρ σοφός.
ὡς οὐ κάμοιμʼ ἂν οὔτε νύκτʼ οὔθʼ ἡμέραν
θύρσῳ κροτῶν γῆν· ἐπιλελήσμεθʼ ἡδέως
γέροντες ὄντες.
Τειρεσίας:
ταὔτʼ ἐμοὶ πάσχεις ἄρα·
κἀγὼ γὰρ ἡβῶ κἀπιχειρήσω χοροῖς.

[¶13] Kadmos:
Then will we go to the mountain in a chariot?

> Greek: Κάδμος:
οὐκοῦν ὄχοισιν εἰς ὄρος περάσομεν;

[¶14] Teiresias:
But then the god would not have equal honor.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
ἀλλʼ οὐχ ὁμοίως ἂν ὁ θεὸς τιμὴν ἔχοι.

[¶15] Kadmos:
I, an old man, will lead you, an old man, like a pupil.

> Greek: Κάδμος:
γέρων γέροντα παιδαγωγήσω σʼ ἐγώ.

[¶16] Teiresias:
The god will lead us there without trouble.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
ὁ θεὸς ἀμοχθὶ κεῖσε νῷν ἡγήσεται.

[¶17] Kadmos:
Are we the only ones in the city who will dance in Bacchus’ honor?

> Greek: Κάδμος:
μόνοι δὲ πόλεως Βακχίῳ χορεύσομεν;

[¶18] Teiresias:
Yes, for we alone think rightly, the rest wrongly.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
μόνοι γὰρ εὖ φρονοῦμεν, οἱ δʼ ἄλλοι κακῶς.

[¶19] Kadmos:
The delay is long; come, take hold of my hand.

> Greek: Κάδμος:
μακρὸν τὸ μέλλειν· ἀλλʼ ἐμῆς ἔχου χερός.

[¶20] Teiresias:
Here, take hold, and join your hand with mine.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
ἰδού, ξύναπτε καὶ ξυνωρίζου χέρα.

[¶21] Kadmos:
Having been born mortal I do not scorn the gods.

> Greek: Κάδμος:
οὐ καταφρονῶ ʼγὼ τῶν θεῶν θνητὸς γεγώς.

[¶22] Teiresias:
We mortals have no cleverness in the eyes of the the gods. Our ancestral traditions, and those which we have held throughout our lives, no argument will overturn, not even if some craftiness should be discovered by the depths of our wits. Will anyone say that I do not respect old age,
being about to dance with my head covered in ivy? No, for the god has made no distinction as to whether it is right for men young or old to dance, but wishes to have common honors from all and to be extolled, setting no one apart.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
οὐδὲν σοφιζόμεσθα τοῖσι δαίμοσιν.
πατρίους παραδοχάς, ἅς θʼ ὁμήλικας χρόνῳ
κεκτήμεθʼ, οὐδεὶς αὐτὰ καταβαλεῖ λόγος,
οὐδʼ εἰ διʼ ἄκρων τὸ σοφὸν ηὕρηται φρενῶν.
ἐρεῖ τις ὡς τὸ γῆρας οὐκ αἰσχύνομαι,
μέλλων χορεύειν κρᾶτα κισσώσας ἐμόν;
οὐ γὰρ διῄρηχʼ ὁ θεός, οὔτε τὸν νέον
εἰ χρὴ χορεύειν οὔτε τὸν γεραίτερον,
ἀλλʼ ἐξ ἁπάντων βούλεται τιμὰς ἔχειν
κοινάς, διαριθμῶν δʼ οὐδένʼ αὔξεσθαι θέλει.

[¶23] Kadmos:
Since you do not see this light, Teiresias, I will be your interpreter. Pentheus, child of Echion, to whom I gave control of this land, is coming here to the house now in haste. How fluttered he is! What new matter will he tell us?

> Greek: Κάδμος:
ἐπεὶ σὺ φέγγος, Τειρεσία, τόδʼ οὐχ ὁρᾷς,
ἐγὼ προφήτης σοι λόγων γενήσομαι.
Πενθεὺς πρὸς οἴκους ὅδε διὰ σπουδῆς περᾷ,
Ἐχίονος παῖς, ᾧ κράτος δίδωμι γῆς.
ὡς ἐπτόηται· τί ποτʼ ἐρεῖ νεώτερον;

[¶24] Pentheus:
I happened to be at a distance from this land, when I heard of strange evils throughout this city, that the women have left our homes in contrived Bacchic rites, and rush about in the shadowy mountains, honoring with dances
this new deity Dionysus, whoever he is. I hear that mixing-bowls stand full in the midst of their assemblies, and that they each creep off different ways into secrecy to serve the beds of men, on the pretext that they are Maenads worshipping;
but they consider Aphrodite before Bacchus. As many of them as I have caught, servants keep in the public strongholds with their hands bound, and as many as are absent I will hunt from the mountains, [I mean Ino and Agave, who bore me to Echion, and]
[Autonoe, the mother of Actaeon.] And having bound them in iron fetters, I will soon stop them from this ill-working revelry. And they say that some stranger has come, a sorcerer, a conjuror from the Lydian land,
fragrant in hair with golden curls, having in his eyes the wine-dark graces of Aphrodite. He is with the young girls day and night, alluring them with joyful mysteries. If I catch him within this house,
I will stop him from making a noise with the thyrsos and shaking his hair, by cutting his head off. That one claims that Dionysus is a god, claims that he was once stitched into the thigh of Zeus—Dionysus, who was burnt up with his mother by the flame of lightning,
because she had falsely claimed a marriage with Zeus. Is this not worthy of a terrible death by hanging, for a stranger to insult me with these insults, whoever he is? But here is another wonder—I see Teiresias the soothsayer in dappled fawn-skins
and my mother’s father—a great absurdity—raging about with a thyrsos. I shrink, father, from seeing your old age devoid of sense. Won’t you cast away the ivy? Grandfather, will you not free your hand of the thyrsos?

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
ἔκδημος ὢν μὲν τῆσδʼ ἐτύγχανον χθονός,
κλύω δὲ νεοχμὰ τήνδʼ ἀνὰ πτόλιν κακά,
γυναῖκας ἡμῖν δώματʼ ἐκλελοιπέναι
πλασταῖσι βακχείαισιν, ἐν δὲ δασκίοις
ὄρεσι θοάζειν, τὸν νεωστὶ δαίμονα
Διόνυσον, ὅστις ἔστι, τιμώσας χοροῖς·
πλήρεις δὲ θιάσοις ἐν μέσοισιν ἑστάναι
κρατῆρας, ἄλλην δʼ ἄλλοσʼ εἰς ἐρημίαν
πτώσσουσαν εὐναῖς ἀρσένων ὑπηρετεῖν,
πρόφασιν μὲν ὡς δὴ μαινάδας θυοσκόους,
τὴν δʼ Ἀφροδίτην πρόσθʼ ἄγειν τοῦ Βακχίου.
ὅσας μὲν οὖν εἴληφα, δεσμίους χέρας
σῴζουσι πανδήμοισι πρόσπολοι στέγαις·
ὅσαι δʼ ἄπεισιν, ἐξ ὄρους θηράσομαι,
[Ἰνώ τʼ Ἀγαύην θʼ, ἥ μʼ ἔτικτʼ Ἐχίονι,]
[Ἀκταίονός τε μητέρʼ, Αὐτονόην λέγω.]
καὶ σφᾶς σιδηραῖς ἁρμόσας ἐν ἄρκυσιν
παύσω κακούργου τῆσδε βακχείας τάχα.
λέγουσι δʼ ὥς τις εἰσελήλυθε ξένος,
γόης ἐπῳδὸς Λυδίας ἀπὸ χθονός,
ξανθοῖσι βοστρύχοισιν εὐοσμῶν κόμην,
οἰνῶπας ὄσσοις χάριτας Ἀφροδίτης ἔχων,
ὃς ἡμέρας τε κεὐφρόνας συγγίγνεται
τελετὰς προτείνων εὐίους νεάνισιν.
εἰ δʼ αὐτὸν εἴσω τῆσδε λήψομαι στέγης,
παύσω κτυποῦντα θύρσον ἀνασείοντά τε
κόμας, τράχηλον σώματος χωρὶς τεμών.
ἐκεῖνος εἶναί φησι Διόνυσον θεόν,
ἐκεῖνος ἐν μηρῷ ποτʼ ἐρράφθαι Διός,
ὃς ἐκπυροῦται λαμπάσιν κεραυνίαις
σὺν μητρί, Δίους ὅτι γάμους ἐψεύσατο.
ταῦτʼ οὐχὶ δεινῆς ἀγχόνης ἔστʼ ἄξια,
ὕβρεις ὑβρίζειν, ὅστις ἔστιν ὁ ξένος;
ἀτὰρ τόδʼ ἄλλο θαῦμα, τὸν τερασκόπον
ἐν ποικίλαισι νεβρίσι Τειρεσίαν ὁρῶ
πατέρα τε μητρὸς τῆς ἐμῆσ—πολὺν γέλων—
νάρθηκι βακχεύοντʼ· ἀναίνομαι, πάτερ,
τὸ γῆρας ὑμῶν εἰσορῶν νοῦν οὐκ ἔχον.
οὐκ ἀποτινάξεις κισσόν; οὐκ ἐλευθέραν
θύρσου μεθήσεις χεῖρʼ, ἐμῆς μητρὸς πάτερ;

[¶25] You persuaded him to this, Teiresias. Do you wish, by introducing another new god to men, to examine birds and receive rewards for sacrifices? If your gray old age did not defend you, you would sit in chains in the midst of the Bacchae,
for introducing wicked rites. For where women have the delight of the grape-cluster at a feast, I say that none of their rites is healthy any longer.

> Greek: σὺ ταῦτʼ ἔπεισας, Τειρεσία· τόνδʼ αὖ θέλεις
τὸν δαίμονʼ ἀνθρώποισιν ἐσφέρων νέον
σκοπεῖν πτερωτοὺς κἀμπύρων μισθοὺς φέρειν.
εἰ μή σε γῆρας πολιὸν ἐξερρύετο,
καθῆσʼ ἂν ἐν βάκχαισι δέσμιος μέσαις,
τελετὰς πονηρὰς εἰσάγων· γυναιξὶ γὰρ
ὅπου βότρυος ἐν δαιτὶ γίγνεται γάνος,
οὐχ ὑγιὲς οὐδὲν ἔτι λέγω τῶν ὀργίων.

[¶26] Chorus Leader:
Oh, what impiety! O stranger, do you not reverence the gods and Kadmos who sowed the earth-born crop?
Do you, the child of Echion, bring shame to your race?

> Greek: Χορός:
τῆς δυσσεβείας. ὦ ξένʼ, οὐκ αἰδῇ θεοὺς
Κάδμον τε τὸν σπείραντα γηγενῆ στάχυν,
Ἐχίονος δʼ ὢν παῖς καταισχύνεις γένος;

[¶27] Teiresias:
Whenever a wise man takes a good occasion for his speech, it is not a great task to speak well. You have a rapid tongue as though you were sensible, but there is no sense in your words.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
ὅταν λάβῃ τις τῶν λόγων ἀνὴρ σοφὸς
καλὰς ἀφορμάς, οὐ μέγʼ ἔργον εὖ λέγειν·
σὺ δʼ εὔτροχον μὲν γλῶσσαν ὡς φρονῶν ἔχεις,
ἐν τοῖς λόγοισι δʼ οὐκ ἔνεισί σοι φρένες.

[¶28] A man powerful in his boldness, one capable of speaking well, becomes a bad citizen in his lack of sense. This new god, whom you ridicule, I am unable to express how great he will be throughout Hellas. For two things, young man,
are first among men: the goddess Demeter—she is the earth, but call her whatever name you wish; she nourishes mortals with dry food; but he who came afterwards, the offspring of Semele, discovered a match to it, the liquid drink of the grape, and introduced it
to mortals. It releases wretched mortals from grief, whenever they are filled with the stream of the vine, and gives them sleep, a means of forgetting their daily troubles, nor is there another cure for hardships. He who is a god is poured out in offerings to the gods,
so that by his means men may have good things. And do you laugh at him, because he was sewn up in Zeus’ thigh? I will teach you that this is well: when Zeus snatched him out of the lighting-flame, and led the child as a god to Olympus,
Hera wished to banish him from the sky, but Zeus, as a god, had a counter-contrivance. Having broken a part of the air which surrounds the earth, he gave this to Hera as a pledge protecting the real Dionysus from her hostility. But in time,
mortals say that he was nourished in the thigh of Zeus, changing the word, because a god he had served as a hostage for the goddess Hera, and composing the story. But this god is a prophet—for Bacchic revelry and madness have in them much prophetic skill.

> Greek: θράσει δὲ δυνατὸς καὶ λέγειν οἷός τʼ ἀνὴρ
κακὸς πολίτης γίγνεται νοῦν οὐκ ἔχων.
οὗτος δʼ ὁ δαίμων ὁ νέος, ὃν σὺ διαγελᾷς,
οὐκ ἂν δυναίμην μέγεθος ἐξειπεῖν ὅσος
καθʼ Ἑλλάδʼ ἔσται. δύο γάρ, ὦ νεανία,
τὰ πρῶτʼ ἐν ἀνθρώποισι· Δημήτηρ θεά—
γῆ δʼ ἐστίν, ὄνομα δʼ ὁπότερον βούλῃ κάλει·
αὕτη μὲν ἐν ξηροῖσιν ἐκτρέφει βροτούς·
ὃς δʼ ἦλθʼ ἔπειτʼ, ἀντίπαλον ὁ Σεμέλης γόνος
βότρυος ὑγρὸν πῶμʼ ηὗρε κεἰσηνέγκατο
θνητοῖς, ὃ παύει τοὺς ταλαιπώρους βροτοὺς
λύπης, ὅταν πλησθῶσιν ἀμπέλου ῥοῆς,
ὕπνον τε λήθην τῶν καθʼ ἡμέραν κακῶν
δίδωσιν, οὐδʼ ἔστʼ ἄλλο φάρμακον πόνων.
οὗτος θεοῖσι σπένδεται θεὸς γεγώς,
ὥστε διὰ τοῦτον τἀγάθʼ ἀνθρώπους ἔχειν.
καὶ καταγελᾷς νιν, ὡς ἐνερράφη Διὸς
μηρῷ; διδάξω σʼ ὡς καλῶς ἔχει τόδε.
ἐπεί νιν ἥρπασʼ ἐκ πυρὸς κεραυνίου
Ζεύς, ἐς δʼ Ὄλυμπον βρέφος ἀνήγαγεν θεόν,
Ἥρα νιν ἤθελʼ ἐκβαλεῖν ἀπʼ οὐρανοῦ·
Ζεὺς δʼ ἀντεμηχανήσαθʼ οἷα δὴ θεός.
ῥήξας μέρος τι τοῦ χθόνʼ ἐγκυκλουμένου
αἰθέρος, ἔθηκε τόνδʼ ὅμηρον ἐκδιδούς,
…
Διόνυσον Ἥρας νεικέων· χρόνῳ δέ νιν
βροτοὶ ῥαφῆναί φασιν ἐν μηρῷ Διός,
ὄνομα μεταστήσαντες, ὅτι θεᾷ θεὸς
Ἥρᾳ ποθʼ ὡμήρευσε, συνθέντες λόγον.
μάντις δʼ ὁ δαίμων ὅδε· τὸ γὰρ βακχεύσιμον
καὶ τὸ μανιῶδες μαντικὴν πολλὴν ἔχει·

[¶29] For whenever the god enters a body in full force, he makes the frantic to foretell the future. He also possesses a share of Ares’ nature. For terror sometimes flutters an army under arms and in its ranks before it even touches a spear;

> Greek: ὅταν γὰρ ὁ θεὸς ἐς τὸ σῶμʼ ἔλθῃ πολύς,
λέγειν τὸ μέλλον τοὺς μεμηνότας ποιεῖ.
Ἄρεώς τε μοῖραν μεταλαβὼν ἔχει τινά·
στρατὸν γὰρ ἐν ὅπλοις ὄντα κἀπὶ τάξεσιν
φόβος διεπτόησε πρὶν λόγχης θιγεῖν.

[¶30] and this too is a frenzy from Dionysus. You will see him also on the rocks of Delphi, bounding with torches through the highland of two peaks, leaping and shaking the Bacchic branch, mighty throughout Hellas. But believe me, Pentheus;

> Greek: μανία δὲ καὶ τοῦτʼ ἐστὶ Διονύσου πάρα.
ἔτʼ αὐτὸν ὄψῃ κἀπὶ Δελφίσιν πέτραις
πηδῶντα σὺν πεύκαισι δικόρυφον πλάκα,
πάλλοντα καὶ σείοντα βακχεῖον κλάδον,
μέγαν τʼ ἀνʼ Ἑλλάδα. ἀλλʼ ἐμοί, Πενθεῦ, πιθοῦ·

[¶31] do not boast that sovereignty has power among men, nor, even if you think so, and your mind is diseased, believe that you are being at all wise. Receive the god into your land, pour libations to him, celebrate the Bacchic rites, and garland your head. Dionysus will not compel women
to be modest in regard to Aphrodite, but in nature [modesty dwells always] you must look for that. For she who is modest will not be corrupted in Bacchic revelry. Do you see? You rejoice whenever many people are at your gates,
and the city extols the name of Pentheus. He too, I think, delights in being honored. Kadmos, whom you mock, and I will crown our heads with ivy and dance, a gray yoke-team but still we must dance;
and I will not be persuaded by your words to fight against the god. For you are mad in a most grievous way, and you will not be cured by drugs, nor are you sick without them.

> Greek: μὴ τὸ κράτος αὔχει δύναμιν ἀνθρώποις ἔχειν,
μηδʼ, ἢν δοκῇς μέν, ἡ δὲ δόξα σου νοσῇ,
φρονεῖν δόκει τι· τὸν θεὸν δʼ ἐς γῆν δέχου
καὶ σπένδε καὶ βάκχευε καὶ στέφου κάρα.
οὐχ ὁ Διόνυσος σωφρονεῖν ἀναγκάσει
γυναῖκας ἐς τὴν Κύπριν, ἀλλʼ ἐν τῇ φύσει
[τὸ σωφρονεῖν ἔνεστιν εἰς τὰ πάντʼ ἀεί]
τοῦτο σκοπεῖν χρή· καὶ γὰρ ἐν βακχεύμασιν
οὖσʼ ἥ γε σώφρων οὐ διαφθαρήσεται.
ὁρᾷς, σὺ χαίρεις, ὅταν ἐφεστῶσιν πύλαις
πολλοί, τὸ Πενθέως δʼ ὄνομα μεγαλύνῃ πόλις·
κἀκεῖνος, οἶμαι, τέρπεται τιμώμενος.
ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν καὶ Κάδμος, ὃν σὺ διαγελᾷς,
κισσῷ τʼ ἐρεψόμεσθα καὶ χορεύσομεν,
πολιὰ ξυνωρίς, ἀλλʼ ὅμως χορευτέον,
κοὐ θεομαχήσω σῶν λόγων πεισθεὶς ὕπο.
μαίνῃ γὰρ ὡς ἄλγιστα, κοὔτε φαρμάκοις
ἄκη λάβοις ἂν οὔτʼ ἄνευ τούτων νοσεῖς.

[¶32] Chorus Leader:
Old man, you do not shame Phoebus with your words, and honoring Dionysus, a great god, you are prudent.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ πρέσβυ, Φοῖβόν τʼ οὐ καταισχύνεις λόγοις,
τιμῶν τε Βρόμιον σωφρονεῖς, μέγαν θεόν.

[¶33] Kadmos:
My child, Teiresias has advised you well. Dwell with us, not apart from the laws. For now you flit about and have thoughts without thinking. Even if, as you say, he is not a god, call him one; and tell a glorious falsehood,
so that Semele might seem to have borne a god, and honor might come to all our race. You see the wretched fate of Actaeon, who was torn apart in the meadows by the blood-thirsty hounds he had raised,
having boasted that he was superior in the hunt to Artemis. May you not suffer this. Come, let me crown your head with ivy; honor the god along with us.

> Greek: Κάδμος:
ὦ παῖ, καλῶς σοι Τειρεσίας παρῄνεσεν.
οἴκει μεθʼ ἡμῶν, μὴ θύραζε τῶν νόμων.
νῦν γὰρ πέτῃ τε καὶ φρονῶν οὐδὲν φρονεῖς.
κεἰ μὴ γὰρ ἔστιν ὁ θεὸς οὗτος, ὡς σὺ φῄς,
παρὰ σοὶ λεγέσθω· καὶ καταψεύδου καλῶς
ὡς ἔστι, Σεμέλη θʼ ἵνα δοκῇ θεὸν τεκεῖν,
ἡμῖν τε τιμὴ παντὶ τῷ γένει προσῇ.
ὁρᾷς τὸν Ἀκτέωνος ἄθλιον μόρον,
ὃν ὠμόσιτοι σκύλακες ἃς ἐθρέψατο
διεσπάσαντο, κρείσσονʼ ἐν κυναγίαις
Ἀρτέμιδος εἶναι κομπάσαντʼ, ἐν ὀργάσιν.
ὃ μὴ πάθῃς σύ· δεῦρό σου στέψω κάρα
κισσῷ· μεθʼ ἡμῶν τῷ θεῷ τιμὴν δίδου.

[¶34] Pentheus:
Don’t lay a hand on me! Go off and hold your revels, but don’t wipe your foolishness off on me. I will seek the punishment of this
teacher of your folly. Let someone go quickly to the seat where he watches the flights of birds, upset and overturn it with levers, turning everything upside down;
and release his garlands to the winds and storms. In this way I will especially wound him. And some of you hunt throughout the city for this effeminate stranger, who introduces a new disease to women and pollutes our beds.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
οὐ μὴ προσοίσεις χεῖρα, βακχεύσεις δʼ ἰών,
μηδʼ ἐξομόρξῃ μωρίαν τὴν σὴν ἐμοί;
τῆς σῆς ⟨δʼ⟩ ἀνοίας τόνδε τὸν διδάσκαλον
δίκην μέτειμι. στειχέτω τις ὡς τάχος,
ἐλθὼν δὲ θάκους τοῦδʼ ἵνʼ οἰωνοσκοπεῖ
μοχλοῖς τριαίνου κἀνάτρεψον ἔμπαλιν,
ἄνω κάτω τὰ πάντα συγχέας ὁμοῦ,
καὶ στέμματʼ ἀνέμοις καὶ θυέλλαισιν μέθες.
μάλιστα γάρ νιν δήξομαι δράσας τάδε.
οἳ δʼ ἀνὰ πόλιν στείχοντες ἐξιχνεύσατε
τὸν θηλύμορφον ξένον, ὃς ἐσφέρει νόσον
καινὴν γυναιξὶ καὶ λέχη λυμαίνεται.

[¶35] If you catch him, bring him here bound, so that he might suffer as punishment a death by stoning, having seen a bitter Bacchic revelry in Thebes.

> Greek: κἄνπερ λάβητε, δέσμιον πορεύσατε
δεῦρʼ αὐτόν, ὡς ἂν λευσίμου δίκης τυχὼν
θάνῃ, πικρὰν βάκχευσιν ἐν Θήβαις ἰδών.

[¶36] Teiresias:
O wretched man, how little you know what you are saying! You are mad now, and even before you were out of your wits.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
ὦ σχέτλιʼ, ὡς οὐκ οἶσθα ποῦ ποτʼ εἶ λόγων.
μέμηνας ἤδη· καὶ πρὶν ἐξέστης φρενῶν.

[¶37] Let us go, Kadmos, and entreat the god, on behalf of him, though he is savage, and on behalf of the city, to do no ill. But follow me with the ivy-clad staff, and try to support my body, and I will try to support yours;

> Greek: στείχωμεν ἡμεῖς, Κάδμε, κἀξαιτώμεθα
ὑπέρ τε τούτου καίπερ ὄντος ἀγρίου
ὑπέρ τε πόλεως τὸν θεὸν μηδὲν νέον
δρᾶν. ἀλλʼ ἕπου μοι κισσίνου βάκτρου μέτα,
πειρῶ δʼ ἀνορθοῦν σῶμʼ ἐμόν, κἀγὼ τὸ σόν·

[¶38] it would be shameful for two old men to fall down. But let that pass, for we must serve Bacchus, the son of Zeus. Beware lest Pentheus bring trouble to your house, Kadmos; I do not speak in prophecy, but judging from the state of things; for a foolish man speaks foolishness.

> Greek: γέροντε δʼ αἰσχρὸν δύο πεσεῖν· ἴτω δʼ ὅμως,
τῷ Βακχίῳ γὰρ τῷ Διὸς δουλευτέον.
Πενθεὺς δʼ ὅπως μὴ πένθος εἰσοίσει δόμοις
τοῖς σοῖσι, Κάδμε· μαντικῇ μὲν οὐ λέγω,
τοῖς πράγμασιν δέ· μῶρα γὰρ μῶρος λέγει.

[¶39] Chorus:
Holiness, queen of the gods, Holiness, who bear your golden wings along the earth, do you hear these words from Pentheus? Do you hear his unholy
insolence against Bromius, the child of Semele, the first deity of the gods at the banquets where guests wear beautiful garlands? He holds this office, to join in dances,
to laugh with the flute, and to bring an end to cares, whenever the delight of the grape comes at the feasts of the gods, and in ivy-bearing banquets
the goblet sheds sleep over men.

> Greek: Χορός:
Ὁσία πότνα θεῶν,
Ὁσία δʼ ἃ κατὰ γᾶν
χρυσέαν πτέρυγα φέρεις,
τάδε Πενθέως ἀίεις;
ἀίεις οὐχ ὁσίαν
ὕβριν ἐς τὸν Βρόμιον, τὸν
Σεμέλας, τὸν παρὰ καλλι-
στεφάνοις εὐφροσύναις δαί-
μονα πρῶτον μακάρων; ὃς τάδʼ ἔχει,
θιασεύειν τε χοροῖς
μετά τʼ αὐλοῦ γελάσαι
ἀποπαῦσαί τε μερίμνας,
ὁπόταν βότρυος ἔλθῃ
γάνος ἐν δαιτὶ θεῶν, κισ-
σοφόροις δʼ ἐν θαλίαις ἀν-
δράσι κρατὴρ ὕπνον ἀμ-
φιβάλλῃ

[¶40] Chorus:
Misfortune is the result of unbridled mouths and lawless folly; but the life of quiet
and wisdom remain unshaken and hold houses together. Though they dwell far off in the heavens the gods see the deeds of mortals.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀχαλίνων στομάτων
ἀνόμου τʼ ἀφροσύνας
τὸ τέλος δυστυχία·
ὁ δὲ τᾶς ἡσυχίας
βίοτος καὶ τὸ φρονεῖν
ἀσάλευτόν τε μένει καὶ
συνέχει δώματα· πόρσω
γὰρ ὅμως αἰθέρα ναίον-
τες ὁρῶσιν τὰ βροτῶν οὐρανίδαι.

[¶41] But cleverness is not wisdom, nor is thinking on things unfit for mortals. Life is short, and on this account the one who pursues great things does not achieve that which is present. In my opinion,
these are the ways of mad and ill-advised men.

> Greek: τὸ σοφὸν δʼ οὐ σοφία
τό τε μὴ θνητὰ φρονεῖν.
βραχὺς αἰών· ἐπὶ τούτῳ
δέ τις ἂν μεγάλα διώκων
τὰ παρόντʼ οὐχὶ φέροι. μαι-
νομένων οἵδε τρόποι καὶ
κακοβούλων παρʼ ἔμοι-
γε φωτῶν.

[¶42] Chorus:
Would that I could go to Cyprus, the island of Aphrodite, where the Loves, who soothe
mortals’ hearts, dwell, and to Paphos, fertilized without rain by the streams of a foreign river flowing with a hundred mouths. Lead me there, Bromius, Bromius, god of joy who leads the Bacchae,
to Pieria, beautiful seat of the Muses, the holy slope of Olympus. There are the Graces, there is Desire; there it is
lawful for the Bacchae to celebrate their rites.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἱκοίμαν ποτὶ Κύπρον,
νᾶσον τᾶς Ἀφροδίτας,
ἵνʼ οἱ θελξίφρονες νέμον-
ται θνατοῖσιν Ἔρωτες,
Πάφον θʼ ἃν ἑκατόστομοι
βαρβάρου ποταμοῦ ῥοαὶ
καρπίζουσιν ἄνομβροι.
οὗ δʼ ἁ καλλιστευομένα
Πιερία μούσειος ἕδρα,
σεμνὰ κλιτὺς Ὀλύμπου,
ἐκεῖσʼ ἄγε με, Βρόμιε Βρόμιε,
πρόβακχʼ εὔιε δαῖμον.
ἐκεῖ Χάριτες,
ἐκεῖ δὲ Πόθος· ἐκεῖ δὲ βάκ-
χαις θέμις ὀργιάζειν.

[¶43] Chorus:
The god, the son of Zeus, delights in banquets, and loves Peace, giver of riches,
goddess who nourishes youths. To the blessed and to the less fortunate, he gives an equal pleasure from wine that banishes grief. He hates the one who does not care about this:
to lead a happy life by day and friendly night and to keep his wise mind and intellect away from over-curious men.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὁ δαίμων ὁ Διὸς παῖς
χαίρει μὲν θαλίαισιν,
φιλεῖ δʼ ὀλβοδότειραν Εἰ-
ρήναν, κουροτρόφον θεάν.
ἴσαν δʼ ἔς τε τὸν ὄλβιον
τόν τε χείρονα δῶκʼ ἔχειν
οἴνου τέρψιν ἄλυπον·
μισεῖ δʼ ᾧ μὴ ταῦτα μέλει,
κατὰ φάος νύκτας τε φίλας
εὐαίωνα διαζῆν,
σοφὰν δʼ ἀπέχειν πραπίδα φρένα τε
περισσῶν παρὰ φωτῶν·

[¶44] What the common people think and adopt, that would I accept.
Enter a servant
Servant:
Pentheus, we are here, having caught this prey
for which you sent us, nor have we set out in vain. This beast was docile in our hands and did not withdraw in flight, but yielded not unwillingly. He did not turn pale or change the wine-dark complexion of his cheek, but laughed and allowed us to bind him and lead him away.
He remained still, making my work easy, and I in shame said: “Stranger, I do not lead you away willingly, but by order of Pentheus, who sent me.” And the Bacchae whom you shut up, whom you carried off and bound in the chains of the public prison,
are set loose and gone, and are gamboling in the meadows, invoking Bromius as their god. Of their own accord, the chains were loosed from their feet and keys opened the doors without human hand. This man has come to Thebes
full of many wonders. You must take care of the rest.

> Greek: τὸ πλῆθος ὅ τι
τὸ φαυλότερον ἐνόμισε χρῆ-
ταί τε, τόδʼ ἂν δεχοίμαν.
Θεράπων:
Πενθεῦ, πάρεσμεν τήνδʼ ἄγραν ἠγρευκότες
ἐφʼ ἣν ἔπεμψας, οὐδʼ ἄκρανθʼ ὡρμήσαμεν.
ὁ θὴρ δʼ ὅδʼ ἡμῖν πρᾶος οὐδʼ ὑπέσπασεν
φυγῇ πόδʼ, ἀλλʼ ἔδωκεν οὐκ ἄκων χέρας
οὐδʼ ὠχρός, οὐδʼ ἤλλαξεν οἰνωπὸν γένυν,
γελῶν δὲ καὶ δεῖν κἀπάγειν ἐφίετο
ἔμενέ τε, τοὐμὸν εὐτρεπὲς ποιούμενος.
κἀγὼ διʼ αἰδοῦς εἶπον· Ὦ ξένʼ, οὐχ ἑκὼν
ἄγω σε, Πενθέως δʼ ὅς μʼ ἔπεμψʼ ἐπιστολαῖς.
ἃς δʼ αὖ σὺ βάκχας εἷρξας, ἃς συνήρπασας
κἄδησας ἐν δεσμοῖσι πανδήμου στέγης,
φροῦδαί γʼ ἐκεῖναι λελυμέναι πρὸς ὀργάδας
σκιρτῶσι Βρόμιον ἀνακαλούμεναι θεόν·
αὐτόματα δʼ αὐταῖς δεσμὰ διελύθη ποδῶν
κλῇδές τʼ ἀνῆκαν θύρετρʼ ἄνευ θνητῆς χερός.
πολλῶν δʼ ὅδʼ ἁνὴρ θαυμάτων ἥκει πλέως
ἐς τάσδε Θήβας. σοὶ δὲ τἄλλα χρὴ μέλειν.

[¶45] Pentheus:
Release his hands, for caught in the nets he is not so swift as to escape me. But your body is not ill-formed, stranger, for women’s purposes, for which reason you have come to Thebes.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
μέθεσθε χειρῶν τοῦδʼ· ἐν ἄρκυσιν γὰρ ὢν
οὐκ ἔστιν οὕτως ὠκὺς ὥστε μʼ ἐκφυγεῖν.
ἀτὰρ τὸ μὲν σῶμʼ οὐκ ἄμορφος εἶ, ξένε,
ὡς ἐς γυναῖκας, ἐφʼ ὅπερ ἐς Θήβας πάρει·

[¶46] For your hair is long, not through wrestling, scattered over your cheeks, full of desire; and you have a white skin from careful preparation, hunting after Aphrodite by your beauty not exposed to strokes of the sun, but beneath the shade.

> Greek: πλόκαμός τε γάρ σου ταναός, οὐ πάλης ὕπο,
γένυν παρʼ αὐτὴν κεχυμένος, πόθου πλέως·
λευκὴν δὲ χροιὰν ἐκ παρασκευῆς ἔχεις,
οὐχ ἡλίου βολαῖσιν, ἀλλʼ ὑπὸ σκιᾶς,
τὴν Ἀφροδίτην καλλονῇ θηρώμενος.

[¶47] First then tell me who your family is.

> Greek: πρῶτον μὲν οὖν μοι λέξον ὅστις εἶ γένος.

[¶48] Dionysus:
I can tell you this easily, without boasting. I suppose you are familiar with flowery Tmolus.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
οὐ κόμπος οὐδείς· ῥᾴδιον δʼ εἰπεῖν τόδε.
τὸν ἀνθεμώδη Τμῶλον οἶσθά που κλύων.

[¶49] Pentheus:
I know of it; it surrounds the city of Sardis.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
οἶδʼ, ὃς τὸ Σάρδεων ἄστυ περιβάλλει κύκλῳ.

[¶50] Dionysus:
I am from there, and Lydia is my fatherland.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ἐντεῦθέν εἰμι, Λυδία δέ μοι πατρίς.

[¶51] Pentheus:
Why do you bring these rites to Hellas?

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
πόθεν δὲ τελετὰς τάσδʼ ἄγεις ἐς Ἑλλάδα;

[¶52] Dionysus:
Dionysus, the child of Zeus, sent me.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
Διόνυσος ἡμᾶς εἰσέβησʼ, ὁ τοῦ Διός.

[¶53] Pentheus:
Is there a Zeus who breeds new gods there?

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
Ζεὺς δʼ ἔστʼ ἐκεῖ τις, ὃς νέους τίκτει θεούς;

[¶54] Dionysus:
No, but the one who married Semele here.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
οὔκ, ἀλλʼ ὁ Σεμέλην ἐνθάδε ζεύξας γάμοις.

[¶55] Pentheus:
Did he compel you at night, or in your sight?

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
πότερα δὲ νύκτωρ σʼ ἢ κατʼ ὄμμʼ ἠνάγκασεν;

[¶56] Dionysus:
Seeing me just as I saw him, he gave me sacred rites.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ὁρῶν ὁρῶντα, καὶ δίδωσιν ὄργια.

[¶57] Pentheus:
What appearance do your rites have?

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
τὰ δʼ ὄργιʼ ἐστὶ τίνʼ ἰδέαν ἔχοντά σοι;

[¶58] Dionysus:
They can not be told to mortals uninitiated in Bacchic revelry.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ἄρρητʼ ἀβακχεύτοισιν εἰδέναι βροτῶν.

[¶59] Pentheus:
And do they have any profit to those who sacrifice?

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
ἔχει δʼ ὄνησιν τοῖσι θύουσιν τίνα;

[¶60] Dionysus:
It is not lawful for you to hear, but they are worth knowing.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
οὐ θέμις ἀκοῦσαί σʼ, ἔστι δʼ ἄξιʼ εἰδέναι.

[¶61] Pentheus:
You have counterfeited this well, so that I desire to hear.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
εὖ τοῦτʼ ἐκιβδήλευσας, ἵνʼ ἀκοῦσαι θέλω.

[¶62] Dionysus:
The rites are hostile to whoever practices impiety.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ἀσέβειαν ἀσκοῦντʼ ὄργιʼ ἐχθαίρει θεοῦ.

[¶63] Pentheus:
Are you saying that you saw clearly what the god was like?

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
τὸν θεὸν ὁρᾶν γὰρ φῂς σαφῶς, ποῖός τις ἦν;

[¶64] Dionysus:
He was as he chose; I did not order this.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ὁποῖος ἤθελʼ· οὐκ ἐγὼ ʼτασσον τόδε.

[¶65] Pentheus:
Again you diverted my question well, speaking mere nonsense.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
τοῦτʼ αὖ παρωχέτευσας εὖ κοὐδὲν λέγων.

[¶66] Dionysus:
One will seem to be foolish if he speaks wisely to an ignorant man.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
δόξει τις ἀμαθεῖ σοφὰ λέγων οὐκ εὖ φρονεῖν.

[¶67] Pentheus:
Did you come here first, bringing the god?

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
ἦλθες δὲ πρῶτα δεῦρʼ ἄγων τὸν δαίμονα;

[¶68] Dionysus:
All the barbarians celebrate these rites.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
πᾶς ἀναχορεύει βαρβάρων τάδʼ ὄργια.

[¶69] Pentheus:
Yes, for they are far more foolish than Hellenes.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
φρονοῦσι γὰρ κάκιον Ἑλλήνων πολύ.

[¶70] Dionysus:
In this at any rate they are wiser; but their laws are different.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
τάδʼ εὖ γε μᾶλλον· οἱ νόμοι δὲ διάφοροι.

[¶71] Pentheus:
Do you perform the rites by night or by day?

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
τὰ δʼ ἱερὰ νύκτωρ ἢ μεθʼ ἡμέραν τελεῖς;

[¶72] Dionysus:
Mostly by night; darkness conveys awe.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
νύκτωρ τὰ πολλά· σεμνότητʼ ἔχει σκότος.

[¶73] Pentheus:
This is treacherous towards women, and unsound.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
τοῦτʼ ἐς γυναῖκας δόλιόν ἐστι καὶ σαθρόν.

[¶74] Dionysus:
Even during the day someone may devise what is shameful.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
κἀν ἡμέρᾳ τό γʼ αἰσχρὸν ἐξεύροι τις ἄν.

[¶75] Pentheus:
You must pay the penalty for your evil contrivances.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
δίκην σε δοῦναι δεῖ σοφισμάτων κακῶν.

[¶76] Dionysus:
And you for your ignorance and impiety toward the god.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
σὲ δʼ ἀμαθίας γε κἀσεβοῦντʼ ἐς τὸν θεόν.

## 2. Lines 491–942

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-bacchae/2/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-bacchae/2/#p-N

[¶0] Pentheus:
How bold the Bacchant is, and not unpracticed in speaking!

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
ὡς θρασὺς ὁ βάκχος κοὐκ ἀγύμναστος λόγων.

[¶1] Dionysus:
Tell me what I must suffer; what harm will you do to me?

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
εἴφʼ ὅ τι παθεῖν δεῖ· τί με τὸ δεινὸν ἐργάσῃ;

[¶2] Pentheus:
First I will cut off your delicate hair.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
πρῶτον μὲν ἁβρὸν βόστρυχον τεμῶ σέθεν.

[¶3] Dionysus:
My hair is sacred. I am growing it for the god.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ἱερὸς ὁ πλόκαμος· τῷ θεῷ δʼ αὐτὸν τρέφω.

[¶4] Pentheus:
Next give me this thyrsos from your hands.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
ἔπειτα θύρσον τόνδε παράδος ἐκ χεροῖν.

[¶5] Dionysus:
Take it from me yourself. I bear it as the ensign of Dionysus.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
αὐτός μʼ ἀφαιροῦ· τόνδε Διονύσου φορῶ.

[¶6] Pentheus:
We will guard your body within, in prison.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
εἱρκταῖσί τʼ ἔνδον σῶμα σὸν φυλάξομεν.

[¶7] Dionysus:
The god himself will release me, whenever I want.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
λύσει μʼ ὁ δαίμων αὐτός, ὅταν ἐγὼ θέλω.

[¶8] Pentheus:
Yes, when you call him, standing among the Bacchae.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
ὅταν γε καλέσῃς αὐτὸν ἐν βάκχαις σταθείς.

[¶9] Dionysus:
Even now he see my sufferings from close by.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
καὶ νῦν ἃ πάσχω πλησίον παρὼν ὁρᾷ.

[¶10] Pentheus:
Where is he? He is not visible to my eyes.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
καὶ ποῦ ʼστιν; οὐ γὰρ φανερὸς ὄμμασίν γʼ ἐμοῖς.

[¶11] Dionysus:
Near me; but you, being impious, do not see him.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
παρʼ ἐμοί· σὺ δʼ ἀσεβὴς αὐτὸς ὢν οὐκ εἰσορᾷς.

[¶12] Pentheus:
To attendants Seize him; he insults me and Thebes!

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
λάζυσθε· καταφρονεῖ με καὶ Θήβας ὅδε.

[¶13] Dionysus:
I warn you not to bind me, since I am in my senses and you are not.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
αὐδῶ με μὴ δεῖν σωφρονῶν οὐ σώφροσιν.

[¶14] Pentheus:
And I, more masterful than you, bid them to bind you.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
ἐγὼ δὲ δεῖν γε, κυριώτερος σέθεν.

[¶15] Dionysus:
You do not know why you live, or what you are doing, or who you are.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
οὐκ οἶσθʼ ὅ τι ζῇς, οὐδʼ ὃ δρᾷς, οὐδʼ ὅστις εἶ.

[¶16] Pentheus:
I am Pentheus, son of Echion and Agave.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
Πενθεύς, Ἀγαύης παῖς, πατρὸς δʼ Ἐχίονος.

[¶17] Dionysus:
You are well-suited to be miserable in your name.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ἐνδυστυχῆσαι τοὔνομʼ ἐπιτήδειος εἶ.

[¶18] Pentheus:
Go. To attendants Shut him up near the horse
stable, so that he may see only darkness. To Dionysus Dance there; and as for these women whom you have led here as accomplices to your crimes, we will either sell them or, stopping their hands from this noise and beating of skins, I will keep them as slaves at the loom.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
χώρει· καθείρξατʼ αὐτὸν ἱππικαῖς πέλας
φάτναισιν, ὡς ἂν σκότιον εἰσορᾷ κνέφας.
ἐκεῖ χόρευε· τάσδε δʼ ἃς ἄγων πάρει
κακῶν συνεργοὺς ἢ διεμπολήσομεν
ἢ χεῖρα δούπου τοῦδε καὶ βύρσης κτύπου
παύσας, ἐφʼ ἱστοῖς δμωίδας κεκτήσομαι.

[¶19] Dionysus:
I will go, for I need not suffer that which is not necessary. But Dionysus, who you claim does not exist, will pursue you for these insults. For in injuring us, you put him in bonds.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
στείχοιμʼ ἄν· ὅ τι γὰρ μὴ χρεών, οὔτοι χρεὼν
παθεῖν. ἀτάρ τοι τῶνδʼ ἄποινʼ ὑβρισμάτων
μέτεισι Διόνυσός σʼ, ὃν οὐκ εἶναι λέγεις·
ἡμᾶς γὰρ ἀδικῶν κεῖνον εἰς δεσμοὺς ἄγεις.

[¶20] Chorus:
… Daughter of Acheloüs,
venerable Dirce, happy virgin, you once received the child of Zeus in your streams, when Zeus his father snatched him up from the immortal fire and saved him in his thigh,
crying out: “Go, Dithyrambus, enter this my male womb. I will make you illustrious, Bacchus, in Thebes, so that they will call you by this name.”

> Greek: Χορός:
…
Ἀχελῴου θύγατερ,
πότνιʼ εὐπάρθενε Δίρκα,
σὺ γὰρ ἐν σαῖς ποτε παγαῖς
τὸ Διὸς βρέφος ἔλαβες,
ὅτε μηρῷ πυρὸς ἐξ ἀ-
θανάτου Ζεὺς ὁ τεκὼν ἥρ-
πασέ νιν, τάδʼ ἀναβοάσας·
Ἴθι, Διθύραμβʼ, ἐμὰν ἄρ-
σενα τάνδε βᾶθι νηδύν·
ἀναφαίνω σε τόδʼ, ὦ Βάκ-
χιε, Θήβαις ὀνομάζειν.

[¶21] But you, blessed Dirce, reject me with my garland-bearing company about you. Why do you refuse me, why do you flee me? I swear by the cluster-bearing
delight of Dionysus’ vine that you will have a care for Bromius.

> Greek: σὺ δέ μʼ, ὦ μάκαιρα Δίρκα,
στεφανηφόρους ἀπωθῇ
θιάσους ἔχουσαν ἐν σοί.
τί μʼ ἀναίνῃ; τί με φεύγεις;
ἔτι ναὶ τὰν βοτρυώδη
Διονύσου χάριν οἴνας,
ἔτι σοι τοῦ Βρομίου μελήσει.

[¶22] Chorus:
What rage, what rage does the earth-born race show, and Pentheus,
once descended from a serpent—Pentheus, whom earth-born Echion bore, a fierce monster, not a mortal man, but like a bloody giant, hostile to the gods.

> Greek: Χορός:
οἵαν οἵαν ὀργὰν
ἀναφαίνει χθόνιον
γένος ἐκφύς τε δράκοντός
ποτε Πενθεύς, ὃν Ἐχίων
ἐφύτευσε χθόνιος,
ἀγριωπὸν τέρας, οὐ φῶ-
τα βρότειον, φόνιον δʼ ὥσ-
τε γίγαντʼ ἀντίπαλον θεοῖς·

[¶23] He will soon bind me, the hand-maid of Bromius, in chains, and he already holds my fellow-reveler within the house, hidden in a dark prison.

> Greek: ὃς ἔμʼ ἐν βρόχοισι τὰν τοῦ
Βρομίου τάχα ξυνάψει,
τὸν ἐμὸν δʼ ἐντὸς ἔχει δώ-
ματος ἤδη θιασώταν
σκοτίαις κρυπτὸν ἐν εἱρκταῖς.

[¶24] Do you see this, O Dionysus, son of Zeus, your priests in the dangers of restraint? Come, lord, down from Olympus, brandishing your golden thyrsos,
and restrain the insolence of the blood-thirsty man.

> Greek: ἐσορᾷς τάδʼ, ὦ Διὸς παῖ
Διόνυσε, σοὺς προφήτας
ἐν ἁμίλλαισιν ἀνάγκας;
μόλε, χρυσῶπα τινάσσων,
ἄνα, θύρσον κατʼ Ὄλυμπον,
φονίου δʼ ἀνδρὸς ὕβριν κατάσχες.

[¶25] Chorus:
Where on Nysa, which nourishes wild beasts, or on Corycian heights, do you lead with your thyrsos the bands of revelers?

> Greek: Χορός:
πόθι Νύσας ἄρα τᾶς θη-
ροτρόφου θυρσοφορεῖς
θιάσους, ὦ Διόνυσʼ, ἢ
κορυφαῖς Κωρυκίαις;

[¶26] Perhaps in the deep-wooded lairs of Olympus, where Orpheus once playing the lyre drew together trees by his songs, drew together the beasts of the fields.

> Greek: τάχα δʼ ἐν ταῖς πολυδένδρεσ-
σιν Ὀλύμπου θαλάμαις, ἔν-
θα ποτʼ Ὀρφεὺς κιθαρίζων
σύναγεν δένδρεα μούσαις,
σύναγεν θῆρας ἀγρώτας.

[¶27] Blessed Pieria, the Joyful one reveres you and will come to lead the dance in revelry; having crossed the swiftly flowing Axius he will bring the
whirling Maenads, leaving Lydias, giver of wealth to mortals, the father who they say fertilizes the land of beautiful horses with
fairest streams.

> Greek: μάκαρ ὦ Πιερία,
σέβεταί σʼ Εὔιος, ἥξει
τε χορεύσων ἅμα βακχεύ-
μασι, τόν τʼ ὠκυρόαν
διαβὰς Ἀξιὸν εἱλισ-
σομένας Μαινάδας ἄξει,
Λυδίαν πατέρα τε, τὸν
τᾶς εὐδαιμονίας βροτοῖς
ὀλβοδόταν, τὸν ἔκλυον
εὔιππον χώραν ὕδασιν
καλλίστοισι λιπαίνειν.

[¶28] Dionysus:
within Io! Hear my voice, hear it, Io Bacchae, Io Bacchae!

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ἰώ,
κλύετʼ ἐμᾶς κλύετʼ αὐδᾶς,
ἰὼ βάκχαι, ἰὼ βάκχαι.

[¶29] Chorus:
Who is here, who? From what quarter did the voice of the Joyful one summon me?

> Greek: Χορός:
τίς ὅδε, τίς ⟨ὅδε⟩ πόθεν ὁ κέλαδος
ἀνά μʼ ἐκάλεσεν Εὐίου;

[¶30] Dionysus:
Io! Io! I say again; it is I, the child of Zeus and Semele.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ἰὼ ἰώ, πάλιν αὐδῶ,
ὁ Σεμέλας, ὁ Διὸς παῖς.

[¶31] Chorus:
Io! Io! Master, master! Come now to our company, Bromius.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἰὼ ἰὼ δέσποτα δέσποτα,
μόλε νυν ἡμέτερον ἐς
θίασον, ὦ Βρόμιε Βρόμιε.

[¶32] Dionysus:
Shake the world’s plain, lady Earthquake!

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
⟨σεῖε⟩ πέδον χθονὸς Ἔννοσι πότνια.

[¶33] Chorus:
Oh! Oh! Soon the palace of Pentheus will be shaken in ruin. —Dionysus is in the halls.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἆ ἆ,
τάχα τὰ Πενθέως μέλαθρα διατι-
νάξεται πεσήμασιν.
— ὁ Διόνυσος ἀνὰ μέλαθρα·

[¶34] Revere him. —We revere him! —Did you see these stone lintels on the pillars falling apart? Bromius cries out in victory indoors.

> Greek: σέβετέ νιν. — σέβομεν ὤ.
— εἴδετε λάινα κίοσιν ἔμβολα
διάδρομα τάδε; Βρόμιος ⟨ὅδʼ⟩ ἀλα-
λάζεται στέγας ἔσω.

[¶35] Dionysus:
Light the fiery lamp of lightning!

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ἅπτε κεραύνιον αἴθοπα λαμπάδα·

[¶36] Burn, burn Pentheus’ home!

> Greek: σύμφλεγε σύμφλεγε δώματα Πενθέος.

[¶37] Chorus:
Oh! Oh! Do you not see the the fire, do you not perceive, about the sacred tomb of Semele, the flame that Zeus’ thunderbolt left?

> Greek: Χορός:
ἆ ἆ,
πῦρ οὐ λεύσσεις, οὐδʼ αὐγάζῃ,
Σεμέλας ἱερὸν ἀμφὶ τάφον, ἅν
ποτε κεραυνόβολος ἔλιπε φλόγα
Δίου βροντᾶς;

[¶38] Cast on the ground your trembling bodies, Maenads, cast them down, for our lord, Zeus’ son, is coming against this palace, turning everything upside down.
Enter Dionysus
Dionysus:
Barbarian women, have you fallen on the ground
so stricken with fear? You have, so it seems, felt Bacchus shaking the house of Pentheus. But get up and take courage, putting a stop to your trembling.

> Greek: δίκετε πεδόσε τρομερὰ σώματα
δίκετε, Μαινάδες· ὁ γὰρ ἄναξ
ἄνω κάτω τιθεὶς ἔπεισι
μέλαθρα τάδε Διὸς γόνος.
Διόνυσος:
βάρβαροι γυναῖκες, οὕτως ἐκπεπληγμέναι φόβῳ
πρὸς πέδῳ πεπτώκατʼ; ᾔσθησθʼ, ὡς ἔοικε, Βακχίου
διατινάξαντος δῶμα Πενθέως· ἀλλʼ ἐξανίστατε
σῶμα καὶ θαρσεῖτε σαρκὸς ἐξαμείψασαι τρόμον.

[¶39] Chorus Leader:
Oh greatest light for us in our joyful revelry, how happy I am to see you—I who was alone and desolate before.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ φάος μέγιστον ἡμῖν εὐίου βακχεύματος,
ὡς ἐσεῖδον ἀσμένη σε, μονάδʼ ἔχουσʼ ἐρημίαν.

[¶40] Dionysus:
Did you despair when I was sent to fall into Pentheus’ dark dungeon?

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
εἰς ἀθυμίαν ἀφίκεσθʼ, ἡνίκʼ εἰσεπεμπόμην,
Πενθέως ὡς ἐς σκοτεινὰς ὁρκάνας πεσούμενος;

[¶41] Chorus Leader:
How not? Who was my guardian, if you met with misfortune? But how were you freed, having met with an impious man?

> Greek: Χορός:
πῶς γὰρ οὔ; τίς μοι φύλαξ ἦν, εἰ σὺ συμφορᾶς τύχοις;
ἀλλὰ πῶς ἠλευθερώθης ἀνδρὸς ἀνοσίου τυχών;

[¶42] Dionysus:
By myself I saved myself easily, without trouble.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
αὐτὸς ἐξέσῳσʼ ἐμαυτὸν ῥᾳδίως ἄνευ πόνου.

[¶43] Chorus Leader:
Did he not tie your hands in binding knots?

> Greek: Χορός:
οὐδέ σου συνῆψε χεῖρε δεσμίοισιν ἐν βρόχοις;

[¶44] Dionysus:
In this too I mocked him, for, thinking to bind me, he neither touched nor handled me, but fed on hope. He found a bull by the stable where he took and shut me up, and threw shackles around its knees and hooves,
breathing out fury, dripping sweat from his body, gnashing his teeth in his lips. But I, being near, sitting quietly, looked on. Meanwhile, Bacchus came and shook the house and kindled a flame on his mother’s tomb. When Pentheus saw this, thinking that the house was burning,
he ran here and there, calling to the slaves to bring water, and every servant was at work, toiling in vain. Then he let this labor drop, as I had escaped, and snatching a dark sword rushed into the house. Then Bromius, so it seems to me—I speak my opinion—
created a phantom in the courtyard. Pentheus rushed at it headlong, stabbing at the shining air, as though slaughtering me. Besides this, Bacchus inflicted other damage on him: he knocked his house to the ground, and everything was shattered into pieces, while he saw my bitter chains. From fatigue,
dropping his sword, he is exhausted. For he, a man, dared to join battle with a god. Now I have quietly left the house and come to you, with no thought of Pentheus. But I think—at any rate I hear the tramping of feet inside—he will soon come to the front of the house. What will he say after this?

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ταῦτα καὶ καθύβρισʼ αὐτόν, ὅτι με δεσμεύειν δοκῶν
οὔτʼ ἔθιγεν οὔθʼ ἥψαθʼ ἡμῶν, ἐλπίσιν δʼ ἐβόσκετο.
πρὸς φάτναις δὲ ταῦρον εὑρών, οὗ καθεῖρξʼ ἡμᾶς ἄγων,
τῷδε περὶ βρόχους ἔβαλλε γόνασι καὶ χηλαῖς ποδῶν,
θυμὸν ἐκπνέων, ἱδρῶτα σώματος στάζων ἄπο,
χείλεσιν διδοὺς ὀδόντας· πλησίον δʼ ἐγὼ παρὼν
ἥσυχος θάσσων ἔλευσσον. ἐν δὲ τῷδε τῷ χρόνῳ
ἀνετίναξʼ ἐλθὼν ὁ Βάκχος δῶμα καὶ μητρὸς τάφῳ
πῦρ ἀνῆψʼ· ὃ δʼ ὡς ἐσεῖδε, δώματʼ αἴθεσθαι δοκῶν,
ᾖσσʼ ἐκεῖσε κᾆτʼ ἐκεῖσε, δμωσὶν Ἀχελῷον φέρειν
ἐννέπων, ἅπας δʼ ἐν ἔργῳ δοῦλος ἦν, μάτην πονῶν.
διαμεθεὶς δὲ τόνδε μόχθον, ὡς ἐμοῦ πεφευγότος,
ἵεται ξίφος κελαινὸν ἁρπάσας δόμων ἔσω.
κᾆθʼ ὁ Βρόμιος, ὡς ἔμοιγε φαίνεται, δόξαν λέγω,
φάσμʼ ἐποίησεν κατʼ αὐλήν· ὃ δʼ ἐπὶ τοῦθʼ ὡρμημένος
ᾖσσε κἀκέντει φαεννὸν ⟨αἰθέρʼ⟩, ὡς σφάζων ἐμέ.
πρὸς δὲ τοῖσδʼ αὐτῷ τάδʼ ἄλλα Βάκχιος λυμαίνεται·
δώματʼ ἔρρηξεν χαμᾶζε· συντεθράνωται δʼ ἅπαν
πικροτάτους ἰδόντι δεσμοὺς τοὺς ἐμούς· κόπου δʼ ὕπο
διαμεθεὶς ξίφος παρεῖται· πρὸς θεὸν γὰρ ὢν ἀνὴρ
ἐς μάχην ἐλθεῖν ἐτόλμησε. ἥσυχος δʼ ἐκβὰς ἐγὼ
δωμάτων ἥκω πρὸς ὑμᾶς, Πενθέως οὐ φροντίσας.
ὡς δέ μοι δοκεῖ — ψοφεῖ γοῦν ἀρβύλη δόμων ἔσω —
ἐς προνώπιʼ αὐτίχʼ ἥξει. τί ποτʼ ἄρʼ ἐκ τούτων ἐρεῖ;

[¶45] I shall easily bear him, even if he comes boasting greatly. For it is the part of a wise man to practice restrained good temper.
Enter Pentheus
Pentheus:
I have suffered terrible things; the stranger, who was recently constrained in bonds, has escaped me. Ah!

> Greek: ῥᾳδίως γὰρ αὐτὸν οἴσω, κἂν πνέων ἔλθῃ μέγα.
πρὸς σοφοῦ γὰρ ἀνδρὸς ἀσκεῖν σώφρονʼ εὐοργησίαν.
Πενθεύς:
πέπονθα δεινά· διαπέφευγέ μʼ ὁ ξένος,
ὃς ἄρτι δεσμοῖς ἦν κατηναγκασμένος.
ἔα ἔα·

[¶46] Here is the man. What is this? How do you appear in front of my house, having come out?

> Greek: ὅδʼ ἐστὶν ἁνήρ· τί τάδε; πῶς προνώπιος
φαίνῃ πρὸς οἴκοις τοῖς ἐμοῖς, ἔξω βεβώς;

[¶47] Dionysus:
Stop, and put a stop to your anger.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
στῆσον πόδʼ, ὀργῇ δʼ ὑπόθες ἥσυχον πόδα.

[¶48] Pentheus:
How have you escaped your chains and come outside?

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
πόθεν σὺ δεσμὰ διαφυγὼν ἔξω περᾷς;

[¶49] Dionysus:
Did I not say—or did you not hear—that some one would deliver me?

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
οὐκ εἶπον—ἢ οὐκ ἤκουσασ—ὅτι λύσει μέ τις;

[¶50] Pentheus:
Who? You are always introducing strange explanations.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
τίς; τοὺς λόγους γὰρ ἐσφέρεις καινοὺς ἀεί.

[¶51] Dionysus:
He who produces the rich-clustering vine for mortals.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ὃς τὴν πολύβοτρυν ἄμπελον φύει βροτοῖς.

[¶52] Pentheus:
…

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
…

[¶53] Dionysus:
You reproach Dionysus for what is his glory.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ὠνείδισας δὴ τοῦτο Διονύσῳ καλόν.

[¶54] Pentheus:
I order you to close up all the towers around.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
κλῄειν κελεύω πάντα πύργον ἐν κύκλῳ.

[¶55] Dionysus:
Why? Do gods not pass over walls too?

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
τί δʼ; οὐχ ὑπερβαίνουσι καὶ τείχη θεοί;

[¶56] Pentheus:
You are wise, wise at least in all save what you should be wise in.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
σοφὸς σοφὸς σύ, πλὴν ἃ δεῖ σʼ εἶναι σοφόν.

[¶57] Dionysus:
I was born wise in all that I should be. Enter a messenger Listen first to the words of this man, who has come from the mountain to bring you some message. I will await you, I will not try to escape.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ἃ δεῖ μάλιστα, ταῦτʼ ἔγωγʼ ἔφυν σοφός.
κείνου δʼ ἀκούσας πρῶτα τοὺς λόγους μάθε,
ὃς ἐξ ὄρους πάρεστιν ἀγγελῶν τί σοι·
ἡμεῖς δέ σοι μενοῦμεν, οὐ φευξούμεθα.

[¶58] Messenger:
Pentheus, ruler of this land of Thebes, I have come from Kithairon, where the bright flakes of white snow never melt.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
Πενθεῦ κρατύνων τῆσδε Θηβαίας χθονός,
ἥκω Κιθαιρῶνʼ ἐκλιπών, ἵνʼ οὔποτε
λευκῆς χιόνος ἀνεῖσαν εὐαγεῖς βολαί.

[¶59] Pentheus:
What important news do you come to bring?

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
ἥκεις δὲ ποίαν προστιθεὶς σπουδὴν λόγου;

[¶60] Messenger:
Having seen the holy Bacchae, who
goaded to madness have darted from this land with their fair feet, I have come to tell you and the city, lord, that they are doing terrible things, beyond marvel. I wish to hear whether I should tell you in free speech the situation there or whether I should repress my report,
for I fear, lord, the quickness of your mood, your keen temper and your too imperious disposition.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
βάκχας ποτνιάδας εἰσιδών, αἳ τῆσδε γῆς
οἴστροισι λευκὸν κῶλον ἐξηκόντισαν,
ἥκω φράσαι σοὶ καὶ πόλει χρῄζων, ἄναξ,
ὡς δεινὰ δρῶσι θαυμάτων τε κρείσσονα.
θέλω δʼ ἀκοῦσαι, πότερά σοι παρρησίᾳ
φράσω τὰ κεῖθεν ἢ λόγον στειλώμεθα·
τὸ γὰρ τάχος σου τῶν φρενῶν δέδοικʼ, ἄναξ,
καὶ τοὐξύθυμον καὶ τὸ βασιλικὸν λίαν.

[¶61] Pentheus:
Speak, as you will have immunity from me in any case. For it is not right to be angry with the just. The more you tell me terrible things about the Bacchae,
the more I will punish this one here who taught the women these tricks.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
λέγʼ, ὡς ἀθῷος ἐξ ἐμοῦ πάντως ἔσῃ.
τοῖς γὰρ δικαίοις οὐχὶ θυμοῦσθαι χρεών.
ὅσῳ δʼ ἂν εἴπῃς δεινότερα βακχῶν πέρι,
τοσῷδε μᾶλλον τὸν ὑποθέντα τὰς τέχνας
γυναιξὶ τόνδε τῇ δίκῃ προσθήσομεν.

[¶62] Messenger:
The herds of grazing cattle were just climbing up the hill, at the time when the sun sends forth its rays, warming the earth.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ἀγελαῖα μὲν βοσκήματʼ ἄρτι πρὸς λέπας
μόσχων ὑπεξήκριζον, ἡνίχʼ ἥλιος
ἀκτῖνας ἐξίησι θερμαίνων χθόνα.

[¶63] I saw three companies of dancing women, one of which Autonoe led, the second your mother Agave, and the third Ino. All were asleep, their bodies relaxed, some resting their backs against pine foliage,
others laying their heads at random on the oak leaves, modestly, not as you say drunk with the goblet and the sound of the flute, hunting out Aphrodite through the woods in solitude. Your mother raised a cry,
standing up in the midst of the Bacchae, to wake their bodies from sleep, when she heard the lowing of the horned cattle. And they, casting off refreshing sleep from their eyes, sprang upright, a marvel of orderliness to behold, old, young, and still unmarried virgins.

> Greek: ὁρῶ δὲ θιάσους τρεῖς γυναικείων χορῶν,
ὧν ἦρχʼ ἑνὸς μὲν Αὐτονόη, τοῦ δευτέρου
μήτηρ Ἀγαύη σή, τρίτου δʼ Ἰνὼ χοροῦ.
ηὗδον δὲ πᾶσαι σώμασιν παρειμέναι,
αἳ μὲν πρὸς ἐλάτης νῶτʼ ἐρείσασαι φόβην,
αἳ δʼ ἐν δρυὸς φύλλοισι πρὸς πέδῳ κάρα
εἰκῇ βαλοῦσαι σωφρόνως, οὐχ ὡς σὺ φῂς
ᾠνωμένας κρατῆρι καὶ λωτοῦ ψόφῳ
θηρᾶν καθʼ ὕλην Κύπριν ἠρημωμένας.
ἡ σὴ δὲ μήτηρ ὠλόλυξεν ἐν μέσαις
σταθεῖσα βάκχαις, ἐξ ὕπνου κινεῖν δέμας,
μυκήμαθʼ ὡς ἤκουσε κεροφόρων βοῶν.
αἳ δʼ ἀποβαλοῦσαι θαλερὸν ὀμμάτων ὕπνον
ἀνῇξαν ὀρθαί, θαῦμʼ ἰδεῖν εὐκοσμίας,
νέαι παλαιαὶ παρθένοι τʼ ἔτʼ ἄζυγες.

[¶64] First they let their hair loose over their shoulders, and secured their fawn-skins, as many of them as had released the fastenings of their knots, girding the dappled hides with serpents licking their jaws. And some, holding in their arms a gazelle or wild
wolf-pup, gave them white milk, as many as had abandoned their new-born infants and had their breasts still swollen. They put on garlands of ivy, and oak, and flowering yew. One took her thyrsos and struck it against a rock,
from which a dewy stream of water sprang forth. Another let her thyrsos strike the ground, and there the god sent forth a fountain of wine. All who desired the white drink scratched the earth with the tips of their fingers and obtained streams of milk;
and a sweet flow of honey dripped from their ivy thyrsoi; so that, had you been present and seen this, you would have approached with prayers the god whom you now blame. We herdsmen and shepherds gathered in order to
debate with one another concerning what strange and amazing things they were doing. Some one, a wanderer about the city and practised in speaking, said to us all: “You who inhabit the holy plains of the mountains, do you wish to hunt ”
“Pentheus’ mother Agave out from the Bacchic revelry and do the king a favor?” We thought he spoke well, and lay down in ambush, hiding ourselves in the foliage of bushes. They, at the appointed hour, began to wave the thyrsos in their revelries,
calling on Iacchus, the son of Zeus, Bromius, with united voice. The whole mountain revelled along with them and the beasts, and nothing was unmoved by their running. Agave happened to be leaping near me, and I sprang forth, wanting to snatch her,
abandoning the ambush where I had hidden myself. But she cried out: “O my fleet hounds, we are hunted by these men; but follow me! follow armed with your thyrsoi in your hands!” We fled and escaped
from being torn apart by the Bacchae, but they, with unarmed hands, sprang on the heifers browsing the grass. and you might see one rending asunder a fatted lowing calf, while others tore apart cows.

> Greek: καὶ πρῶτα μὲν καθεῖσαν εἰς ὤμους κόμας
νεβρίδας τʼ ἀνεστείλανθʼ ὅσαισιν ἁμμάτων
σύνδεσμʼ ἐλέλυτο, καὶ καταστίκτους δορὰς
ὄφεσι κατεζώσαντο λιχμῶσιν γένυν.
αἳ δʼ ἀγκάλαισι δορκάδʼ ἢ σκύμνους λύκων
ἀγρίους ἔχουσαι λευκὸν ἐδίδοσαν γάλα,
ὅσαις νεοτόκοις μαστὸς ἦν σπαργῶν ἔτι
βρέφη λιπούσαις· ἐπὶ δʼ ἔθεντο κισσίνους
στεφάνους δρυός τε μίλακός τʼ ἀνθεσφόρου.
θύρσον δέ τις λαβοῦσʼ ἔπαισεν ἐς πέτραν,
ὅθεν δροσώδης ὕδατος ἐκπηδᾷ νοτίς·
ἄλλη δὲ νάρθηκʼ ἐς πέδον καθῆκε γῆς,
καὶ τῇδε κρήνην ἐξανῆκʼ οἴνου θεός·
ὅσαις δὲ λευκοῦ πώματος πόθος παρῆν,
ἄκροισι δακτύλοισι διαμῶσαι χθόνα
γάλακτος ἑσμοὺς εἶχον· ἐκ δὲ κισσίνων
θύρσων γλυκεῖαι μέλιτος ἔσταζον ῥοαί.
ὥστʼ, εἰ παρῆσθα, τὸν θεὸν τὸν νῦν ψέγεις
εὐχαῖσιν ἂν μετῆλθες εἰσιδὼν τάδε.
ξυνήλθομεν δὲ βουκόλοι καὶ ποιμένες,
κοινῶν λόγων δώσοντες ἀλλήλοις ἔριν
ὡς δεινὰ δρῶσι θαυμάτων τʼ ἐπάξια·
καί τις πλάνης κατʼ ἄστυ καὶ τρίβων λόγων
ἔλεξεν εἰς ἅπαντας· Ὦ σεμνὰς πλάκας
ναίοντες ὀρέων, θέλετε θηρασώμεθα
Πενθέως Ἀγαύην μητέρʼ ἐκ βακχευμάτων
χάριν τʼ ἄνακτι θώμεθα; εὖ δʼ ἡμῖν λέγειν
ἔδοξε, θάμνων δʼ ἐλλοχίζομεν φόβαις
κρύψαντες αὑτούς· αἳ δὲ τὴν τεταγμένην
ὥραν ἐκίνουν θύρσον ἐς βακχεύματα,
Ἴακχον ἀθρόῳ στόματι τὸν Διὸς γόνον
Βρόμιον καλοῦσαι· πᾶν δὲ συνεβάκχευʼ ὄρος
καὶ θῆρες, οὐδὲν δʼ ἦν ἀκίνητον δρόμῳ.
κυρεῖ δʼ Ἀγαύη πλησίον θρῴσκουσά μου·
κἀγὼ ʼξεπήδησʼ ὡς συναρπάσαι θέλων,
λόχμην κενώσας ἔνθʼ ἐκρυπτόμην δέμας.
ἣ δʼ ἀνεβόησεν· Ὦ δρομάδες ἐμαὶ κύνες,
θηρώμεθʼ ἀνδρῶν τῶνδʼ ὕπʼ· ἀλλʼ ἕπεσθέ μοι,
ἕπεσθε θύρσοις διὰ χερῶν ὡπλισμέναι.
ἡμεῖς μὲν οὖν φεύγοντες ἐξηλύξαμεν
βακχῶν σπαραγμόν, αἳ δὲ νεμομέναις χλόην
μόσχοις ἐπῆλθον χειρὸς ἀσιδήρου μέτα.
καὶ τὴν μὲν ἂν προσεῖδες εὔθηλον πόριν
μυκωμένην ἔχουσαν ἐν χεροῖν δίχα,
ἄλλαι δὲ δαμάλας διεφόρουν σπαράγμασιν.

[¶65] You might see ribs or cloven hooves tossed here and there; caught in the trees they dripped, dabbled in gore. Bulls who before were fierce, and showed their fury with their horns, stumbled to the ground,
dragged down by countless young hands. The garment of flesh was torn apart faster then you could blink your royal eyes. And like birds raised in their course, they proceeded along the level plains, which by the streams of the Asopus
produce the bountiful Theban crop. And falling like soldiers upon Hysiae and Erythrae, towns situated below the rock of Kithairon, they turned everything upside down. They were snatching children from their homes;

> Greek: εἶδες δʼ ἂν ἢ πλεύρʼ ἢ δίχηλον ἔμβασιν
ῥιπτόμενʼ ἄνω τε καὶ κάτω· κρεμαστὰ δὲ
ἔσταζʼ ὑπʼ ἐλάταις ἀναπεφυρμένʼ αἵματι.
ταῦροι δʼ ὑβρισταὶ κἀς κέρας θυμούμενοι
τὸ πρόσθεν ἐσφάλλοντο πρὸς γαῖαν δέμας,
μυριάσι χειρῶν ἀγόμενοι νεανίδων.
θᾶσσον δὲ διεφοροῦντο σαρκὸς ἐνδυτὰ
ἢ σὲ ξυνάψαι βλέφαρα βασιλείοις κόραις.
χωροῦσι δʼ ὥστʼ ὄρνιθες ἀρθεῖσαι δρόμῳ
πεδίων ὑποτάσεις, αἳ παρʼ Ἀσωποῦ ῥοαῖς
εὔκαρπον ἐκβάλλουσι Θηβαίων στάχυν·
Ὑσιάς τʼ Ἐρυθράς θʼ, αἳ Κιθαιρῶνος λέπας
νέρθεν κατῳκήκασιν, ὥστε πολέμιοι,
ἐπεσπεσοῦσαι πάντʼ ἄνω τε καὶ κάτω
διέφερον· ἥρπαζον μὲν ἐκ δόμων τέκνα·

[¶66] and whatever they put on their shoulders, whether bronze or iron, was not held on by bonds, nor did it fall to the ground. They carried fire on their locks, but it did not burn them. Some people in rage took up arms, being plundered by the Bacchae,
and the sight of this was terrible to behold, lord. For their pointed spears drew no blood, but the women, hurling the thyrsoi from their hands, kept wounding them and turned them to flight—women did this to men, not without the help of some god.

> Greek: ὁπόσα δʼ ἐπʼ ὤμοις ἔθεσαν, οὐ δεσμῶν ὕπο
προσείχετʼ οὐδʼ ἔπιπτεν ἐς μέλαν πέδον,
οὐ χαλκός, οὐ σίδηρος· ἐπὶ δὲ βοστρύχοις
πῦρ ἔφερον, οὐδʼ ἔκαιεν. οἳ δʼ ὀργῆς ὕπο
ἐς ὅπλʼ ἐχώρουν φερόμενοι βακχῶν ὕπο·
οὗπερ τὸ δεινὸν ἦν θέαμʼ ἰδεῖν, ἄναξ.
τοῖς μὲν γὰρ οὐχ ᾕμασσε λογχωτὸν βέλος,
κεῖναι δὲ θύρσους ἐξανιεῖσαι χερῶν
ἐτραυμάτιζον κἀπενώτιζον φυγῇ
γυναῖκες ἄνδρας, οὐκ ἄνευ θεῶν τινος.

[¶67] And they returned where they had come from, to the very fountains which the god had sent forth for them, and washed off the blood, and snakes cleaned the drops from the women’s cheeks with their tongues. Receive this god then, whoever he is,
into this city, master. For he is great in other respects, and they say this too of him, as I hear, that he gives to mortals the vine that puts an end to grief. Without wine there is no longer Aphrodite or any other pleasant thing for men.

> Greek: πάλιν δʼ ἐχώρουν ὅθεν ἐκίνησαν πόδα,
κρήνας ἐπʼ αὐτὰς ἃς ἀνῆκʼ αὐταῖς θεός.
νίψαντο δʼ αἷμα, σταγόνα δʼ ἐκ παρηίδων
γλώσσῃ δράκοντες ἐξεφαίδρυνον χροός.
τὸν δαίμονʼ οὖν τόνδʼ ὅστις ἔστʼ, ὦ δέσποτα,
δέχου πόλει τῇδʼ· ὡς τά τʼ ἄλλʼ ἐστὶν μέγας,
κἀκεῖνό φασιν αὐτόν, ὡς ἐγὼ κλύω,
τὴν παυσίλυπον ἄμπελον δοῦναι βροτοῖς.
οἴνου δὲ μηκέτʼ ὄντος οὐκ ἔστιν Κύπρις
οὐδʼ ἄλλο τερπνὸν οὐδὲν ἀνθρώποις ἔτι.

[¶68] Chorus Leader:
I fear to speak freely to the king, but I will speak nevertheless: Dionysus is inferior to none of the gods.

> Greek: Χορός:
ταρβῶ μὲν εἰπεῖν τοὺς λόγους ἐλευθέρους
πρὸς τὸν τύραννον, ἀλλʼ ὅμως εἰρήσεται·
Διόνυσος ἥσσων οὐδενὸς θεῶν ἔφυ.

[¶69] Pentheus:
Already like fire does this insolence of the Bacchae blaze up, a great reproach for the Hellenes.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
ἤδη τόδʼ ἐγγὺς ὥστε πῦρ ὑφάπτεται
ὕβρισμα βακχῶν, ψόγος ἐς Ἕλληνας μέγας.

[¶70] But we must not hesitate. Go to the Electran gates, bid all the shield-bearers and riders of swift-footed horses to assemble, as well as all who brandish the light shield and pluck bowstrings with their hands, so that we can make an assault against
the Bacchae. For it is indeed too much if we suffer what we are suffering at the hands of women.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ οὐκ ὀκνεῖν δεῖ· στεῖχʼ ἐπʼ Ἠλέκτρας ἰὼν
πύλας· κέλευε πάντας ἀσπιδηφόρους
ἵππων τʼ ἀπαντᾶν ταχυπόδων ἐπεμβάτας
πέλτας θʼ ὅσοι πάλλουσι καὶ τόξων χερὶ
ψάλλουσι νευράς, ὡς ἐπιστρατεύσομεν
βάκχαισιν· οὐ γὰρ ἀλλʼ ὑπερβάλλει τάδε,
εἰ πρὸς γυναικῶν πεισόμεσθʼ ἃ πάσχομεν.

[¶71] Dionysus:
Pentheus, though you hear my words, you obey not at all. Though I suffer ill at your hands, still I say that it is not right for you to raise arms against a god,
but to remain calm. Bromius will not allow you to remove the Bacchae from the joyful mountains.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
πείθῃ μὲν οὐδέν, τῶν ἐμῶν λόγων κλύων,
Πενθεῦ· κακῶς δὲ πρὸς σέθεν πάσχων ὅμως
οὔ φημι χρῆναί σʼ ὅπλʼ ἐπαίρεσθαι θεῷ,
ἀλλʼ ἡσυχάζειν· Βρόμιος οὐκ ἀνέξεται
κινοῦντα βάκχας ⟨σʼ⟩ εὐίων ὀρῶν ἄπο.

[¶72] Pentheus:
Do not instruct me, but be content in your escape from prison. Or shall I bring punishment upon you again?

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
οὐ μὴ φρενώσεις μʼ, ἀλλὰ δέσμιος φυγὼν
σῴσῃ τόδʼ; ἢ σοὶ πάλιν ἀναστρέψω δίκην;

[¶73] Dionysus:
I would sacrifice to the god rather
than kick against his spurs in anger, a mortal against a god.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
θύοιμʼ ἂν αὐτῷ μᾶλλον ἢ θυμούμενος
πρὸς κέντρα λακτίζοιμι θνητὸς ὢν θεῷ.

[¶74] Pentheus:
I will sacrifice, making a great slaughter of the women, as they deserve, in the glens of Kithairon.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
θύσω, φόνον γε θῆλυν, ὥσπερ ἄξιαι,
πολὺν ταράξας ἐν Κιθαιρῶνος πτυχαῖς.

[¶75] Dionysus:
You will all flee. And it will be a source of shame that you turn your bronze shields away from the thyrsoi of the Bacchae.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
φεύξεσθε πάντες· καὶ τόδʼ αἰσχρόν, ἀσπίδας
θύρσοισι βακχῶν ἐκτρέπειν χαλκηλάτους

[¶76] Pentheus:
This stranger with whom I am locked together is impossible, and neither suffering nor doing will he be quiet.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
ἀπόρῳ γε τῷδε συμπεπλέγμεθα ξένῳ,
ὃς οὔτε πάσχων οὔτε δρῶν σιγήσεται.

[¶77] Dionysus:
My friend, there is still opportunity to arrange these things well.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ὦ τᾶν, ἔτʼ ἔστιν εὖ καταστῆσαι τάδε.

[¶78] Pentheus:
Doing what? Being a slave to my slaves?

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
τί δρῶντα; δουλεύοντα δουλείαις ἐμαῖς;

[¶79] Dionysus:
Without weapons I will bring the women here.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ἐγὼ γυναῖκας δεῦρʼ ὅπλων ἄξω δίχα.

[¶80] Pentheus:
Alas! You are contriving this as a trick against me.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
οἴμοι· τόδʼ ἤδη δόλιον ἔς με μηχανᾷ.

[¶81] Dionysus:
What sort, if I wish to save you by my contrivances?

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ποῖόν τι, σῷσαί σʼ εἰ θέλω τέχναις ἐμαῖς;

[¶82] Pentheus:
You have devised this together, so that you may have your revelry forever.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
ξυνέθεσθε κοινῇ τάδʼ, ἵνα βακχεύητʼ ἀεί.

[¶83] Dionysus:
I certainly did—that is so—with the god.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
καὶ μὴν ξυνεθέμην—τοῦτό γʼ ἔστι—τῷ θεῷ.

[¶84] Pentheus:
To a servant Bring me my armor. To Dionysus And you, stop speaking.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
ἐκφέρετέ μοι δεῦρʼ ὅπλα, σὺ δὲ παῦσαι λέγων.

[¶85] Dionysus:
Ah! Do you wish to see them sitting together in the mountains?

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ἆ.
βούλῃ σφʼ ἐν ὄρεσι συγκαθημένας ἰδεῖν;

[¶86] Pentheus:
Certainly. I’d give an enormous amount of gold for that.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
μάλιστα, μυρίον γε δοὺς χρυσοῦ σταθμόν.

[¶87] Dionysus:
Why do you desire this so badly?

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
τί δʼ εἰς ἔρωτα τοῦδε πέπτωκας μέγαν;

[¶88] Pentheus:
I would be sorry to see them in their drunkenness.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
λυπρῶς νιν εἰσίδοιμʼ ἂν ἐξῳνωμένας.

[¶89] Dionysus:
But would you see gladly what is grievous to you?

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ὅμως δʼ ἴδοις ἂν ἡδέως ἅ σοι πικρά;

[¶90] Pentheus:
To be sure, sitting quietly under the pines.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
σάφʼ ἴσθι, σιγῇ γʼ ὑπʼ ἐλάταις καθήμενος.

[¶91] Dionysus:
But they will track you down, even if you go in secret.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ἀλλʼ ἐξιχνεύσουσίν σε, κἂν ἔλθῃς λάθρᾳ.

[¶92] Pentheus:
You are right: I will go openly.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
ἀλλʼ ἐμφανῶς· καλῶς γὰρ ἐξεῖπας τάδε.

[¶93] Dionysus:
Shall I guide you? Will you attempt the journey?

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ἄγωμεν οὖν σε κἀπιχειρήσεις ὁδῷ;

[¶94] Pentheus:
Lead me as quickly as possible. I grudge you the time.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
ἄγʼ ὡς τάχιστα, τοῦ χρόνου δέ σοι φθονῶ.

[¶95] Dionysus:
Put linen clothes on your body then.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
στεῖλαί νυν ἀμφὶ χρωτὶ βυσσίνους πέπλους.

[¶96] Pentheus:
What is this? Shall I then, instead of a man, be reckoned among the women?

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
τί δὴ τόδʼ; ἐς γυναῖκας ἐξ ἀνδρὸς τελῶ;

[¶97] Dionysus:
Lest they kill you if you are seen there as a man.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
μή σε κτάνωσιν, ἢν ἀνὴρ ὀφθῇς ἐκεῖ.

[¶98] Pentheus:
Again you speak correctly: how wise you have been all along!

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
εὖ γʼ εἶπας αὖ τόδʼ· ὥς τις εἶ πάλαι σοφός.

[¶99] Dionysus:
Dionysus taught me these things fully.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
Διόνυσος ἡμᾶς ἐξεμούσωσεν τάδε.

[¶100] Pentheus:
How can your advice to me be well carried out?

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
πῶς οὖν γένοιτʼ ἂν ἃ σύ με νουθετεῖς καλῶς;

[¶101] Dionysus:
I will go inside and dress you.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ἐγὼ στελῶ σε δωμάτων ἔσω μολών.

[¶102] Pentheus:
In what clothing? Female? But shame holds me back.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
τίνα στολήν; ἦ θῆλυν; ἀλλʼ αἰδώς μʼ ἔχει.

[¶103] Dionysus:
Are you no longer eager to view the maenads?

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
οὐκέτι θεατὴς μαινάδων πρόθυμος εἶ.

[¶104] Pentheus:
What clothing do you bid me to put on my body?

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
στολὴν δὲ τίνα φῂς ἀμφὶ χρῶτʼ ἐμὸν βαλεῖν;

[¶105] Dionysus:
I will spread out hair at length on your head.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
κόμην μὲν ἐπὶ σῷ κρατὶ ταναὸν ἐκτενῶ.

[¶106] Pentheus:
What is the second part of my outfit?

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
τὸ δεύτερον δὲ σχῆμα τοῦ κόσμου τί μοι;

[¶107] Dionysus:
A robe down to your feet. And you will wear a headband.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
πέπλοι ποδήρεις· ἐπὶ κάρᾳ δʼ ἔσται μίτρα.

[¶108] Pentheus:
And what else will you add to this for me?

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
ἦ καί τι πρὸς τοῖσδʼ ἄλλο προσθήσεις ἐμοί;

[¶109] Dionysus:
A thyrsos in your hand, and a dappled fawn-skin.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
θύρσον γε χειρὶ καὶ νεβροῦ στικτὸν δέρας.

[¶110] Pentheus:
I could not put on a woman’s dress.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
οὐκ ἂν δυναίμην θῆλυν ἐνδῦναι στολήν.

[¶111] Dionysus:
But you will shed blood if you join battle with the Bacchae.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ἀλλʼ αἷμα θήσεις συμβαλὼν βάκχαις μάχην.

[¶112] Pentheus:
True. We must go first and spy.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
ὀρθῶς· μολεῖν χρὴ πρῶτον εἰς κατασκοπήν.

[¶113] Dionysus:
This is at any rate wiser than hunting trouble with trouble.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
σοφώτερον γοῦν ἢ κακοῖς θηρᾶν κακά.

[¶114] Pentheus:
And how will I go through the city without being seen by the Thebans?

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
καὶ πῶς διʼ ἄστεως εἶμι Καδμείους λαθών;

[¶115] Dionysus:
We will go on deserted roads. I will lead you.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ὁδοὺς ἐρήμους ἴμεν· ἐγὼ δʼ ἡγήσομαι.

[¶116] Pentheus:
Anything is better than to be mocked by the Bacchae. We two will go into the house... and I will consider what seems best.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
πᾶν κρεῖσσον ὥστε μὴ ʼγγελᾶν βάκχας ἐμοί.
ἐλθόντʼ ἐς οἴκους … ἃν δοκῇ βουλεύσομαι.

[¶117] Dionysus:
It will be so; in any case I am ready.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ἔξεστι· πάντῃ τό γʼ ἐμὸν εὐτρεπὲς πάρα.

[¶118] Pentheus:
I will go in. For either I will go bearing arms, or I will obey your counsels.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
στείχοιμʼ ἄν· ἢ γὰρ ὅπλʼ ἔχων πορεύσομαι
ἢ τοῖσι σοῖσι πείσομαι βουλεύμασιν.

[¶119] Dionysus:
Women, the man is caught in our net. He will go to the Bacchae, where he will pay the penalty with his death. Dionysus, now it is your job; for you are not far off.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
γυναῖκες, ἁνὴρ ἐς βόλον καθίσταται,
ἥξει δὲ βάκχας, οὗ θανὼν δώσει δίκην.
Διόνυσε, νῦν σὸν ἔργον· οὐ γὰρ εἶ πρόσω·

[¶120] Let us punish him. First drive him out of his wits, send upon him a dizzying madness, since if he is of sound mind he will not consent to wear women’s clothing, but driven out of his senses he will put it on. I want him to be a source of laughter to the Thebans, led through the city in
women’s guise after making such terrible threats in the past. But now I will go to fit on Pentheus the dress he will wear to the house of Hades, slaughtered by his mother’s hands. He will recognize the son of Zeus,
Dionysus, who is in fact a god, the most terrible and yet most mild to men.

> Greek: τεισώμεθʼ αὐτόν. πρῶτα δʼ ἔκστησον φρενῶν,
ἐνεὶς ἐλαφρὰν λύσσαν· ὡς φρονῶν μὲν εὖ
οὐ μὴ θελήσῃ θῆλυν ἐνδῦναι στολήν,
ἔξω δʼ ἐλαύνων τοῦ φρονεῖν ἐνδύσεται.
χρῄζω δέ νιν γέλωτα Θηβαίοις ὀφλεῖν
γυναικόμορφον ἀγόμενον διʼ ἄστεως
ἐκ τῶν ἀπειλῶν τῶν πρίν, αἷσι δεινὸς ἦν.
ἀλλʼ εἶμι κόσμον ὅνπερ εἰς Ἅιδου λαβὼν
ἄπεισι μητρὸς ἐκ χεροῖν κατασφαγείς,
Πενθεῖ προσάψων· γνώσεται δὲ τὸν Διὸς
Διόνυσον, ὃς πέφυκεν ἐν τέλει θεός,
δεινότατος, ἀνθρώποισι δʼ ἠπιώτατος.

[¶121] Chorus:
Shall I move my white foot in the night-long dance, aroused to a frenzy,
throwing my head to the dewy air, like a fawn sporting in the green pleasures of the meadow, when it has escaped a fearful chase beyond the watchers
over the well-woven nets, and the hunter hastens his dogs on their course with his call, while she, with great exertion and a storm-swift running, rushes along the plain by the river, rejoicing
in the solitude apart from men and in the thickets of the shady-foliaged woods. What is wisdom? Or what greater honor do the gods give to mortals than to hold one’s hand
in strength over the head of enemies? What is good is always dear.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἆρʼ ἐν παννυχίοις χοροῖς
θήσω ποτὲ λευκὸν
πόδʼ ἀναβακχεύουσα, δέραν
εἰς αἰθέρα δροσερὸν ῥίπτουσʼ,
ὡς νεβρὸς χλοεραῖς ἐμπαί-
ζουσα λείμακος ἡδοναῖς,
ἡνίκʼ ἂν φοβερὰν φύγῃ
θήραν ἔξω φυλακᾶς
εὐπλέκτων ὑπὲρ ἀρκύων,
θωΰσσων δὲ κυναγέτας
συντείνῃ δράμημα κυνῶν·
μόχθοις τʼ ὠκυδρόμοις τʼ ἀέλ-
λαις θρῴσκει πεδίον
παραποτάμιον, ἡδομένα
βροτῶν ἐρημίαις σκιαρο-
κόμοιό τʼ ἔρνεσιν ὕλας.
τί τὸ σοφόν; ἢ τί τὸ κάλλιον
παρὰ θεῶν γέρας ἐν βροτοῖς
ἢ χεῖρʼ ὑπὲρ κορυφᾶς
τῶν ἐχθρῶν κρείσσω κατέχειν;
ὅ τι καλὸν φίλον ἀεί.

[¶122] Chorus:
Divine strength is roused with difficulty, but still is sure. It chastises those mortals
who honor folly and those who in their insanity do not extol the gods. The gods cunningly conceal the long pace of time and
hunt the impious. For it is not right to determine or plan anything beyond the laws. For it is a light expense to hold that whatever is divine has power,
and that which has been law for a long time is eternal and has its origin in nature. What is wisdom? Or what greater honor do the gods give to mortals than to hold one’s hand
in strength over the head of enemies? What is good is always dear.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὁρμᾶται μόλις, ἀλλʼ ὅμως
πιστόν ⟨τι⟩ τὸ θεῖον
σθένος· ἀπευθύνει δὲ βροτῶν
τούς τʼ ἀγνωμοσύναν τιμῶν-
τας καὶ μὴ τὰ θεῶν αὔξον-
τας σὺν μαινομένᾳ δόξᾳ.
κρυπτεύουσι δὲ ποικίλως
δαρὸν χρόνου πόδα καὶ
θηρῶσιν τὸν ἄσεπτον. οὐ
γὰρ κρεῖσσόν ποτε τῶν νόμων
γιγνώσκειν χρὴ καὶ μελετᾶν.
κούφα γὰρ δαπάνα νομί-
ζειν ἰσχὺν τόδʼ ἔχειν,
ὅ τι ποτʼ ἄρα τὸ δαιμόνιον,
τό τʼ ἐν χρόνῳ μακρῷ νόμιμον
ἀεὶ φύσει τε πεφυκός.
τί τὸ σοφόν; ἢ τί τὸ κάλλιον
παρὰ θεῶν γέρας ἐν βροτοῖς
ἢ χεῖρʼ ὑπὲρ κορυφᾶς
τῶν ἐχθρῶν κρείσσω κατέχειν;
ὅ τι καλὸν φίλον ἀεί.

[¶123] Chorus:
Happy is he who has fled a storm on the sea, and reached harbor. Happy too is he who has overcome his hardships.
One surpass another in different ways, in wealth or power. There are innumerable hopes to innumerable men, and some result in wealth to mortals, while others fail.

> Greek: Χορός:
εὐδαίμων μὲν ὃς ἐκ θαλάσσας
ἔφυγε χεῖμα, λιμένα δʼ ἔκιχεν·
εὐδαίμων δʼ ὃς ὕπερθε μόχθων
ἐγένεθʼ· ἑτέρᾳ δʼ ἕτερος ἕτερον
ὄλβῳ καὶ δυνάμει παρῆλθεν.
μυρίαι δʼ ἔτι μυρίοις
εἰσὶν ἐλπίδες· αἳ μὲν
τελευτῶσιν ἐν ὄλβῳ
βροτοῖς, αἳ δʼ ἀπέβησαν·

[¶124] But I call him blessed whose life is happy day to day.

> Greek: τὸ δὲ κατʼ ἦμαρ ὅτῳ βίοτος
εὐδαίμων, μακαρίζω.

[¶125] Dionysus:
You who are eager to see what you ought not and hasty in pursuit of what ought not to be pursued—I mean you, Pentheus, come forth before the house, be seen by me,
wearing the clothing of a woman, of an inspired maenad, a spy upon your mother and her company. Pentheus emerges. In appearance you are like one of Kadmos’ daughters.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
σὲ τὸν πρόθυμον ὄνθʼ ἃ μὴ χρεὼν ὁρᾶν
σπεύδοντά τʼ ἀσπούδαστα, Πενθέα λέγω,
ἔξιθι πάροιθε δωμάτων, ὄφθητί μοι,
σκευὴν γυναικὸς μαινάδος βάκχης ἔχων,
μητρός τε τῆς σῆς καὶ λόχου κατάσκοπος·
πρέπεις δὲ Κάδμου θυγατέρων μορφὴν μιᾷ.

[¶126] Pentheus:
Oh look! I think I see two suns, and twin Thebes, the seven-gated city.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
καὶ μὴν ὁρᾶν μοι δύο μὲν ἡλίους δοκῶ,
δισσὰς δὲ Θήβας καὶ πόλισμʼ ἑπτάστομον·

[¶127] And you seem to lead me, being like a bull and horns seem to grow on your head. But were you ever before a beast? For you have certainly now become a bull.

> Greek: καὶ ταῦρος ἡμῖν πρόσθεν ἡγεῖσθαι δοκεῖς
καὶ σῷ κέρατα κρατὶ προσπεφυκέναι.
ἀλλʼ ἦ ποτʼ ἦσθα θήρ; τεταύρωσαι γὰρ οὖν.

[¶128] Dionysus:
The god accompanies us, now at truce with us, though formerly not propitious. Now you see what you should see.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ὁ θεὸς ὁμαρτεῖ, πρόσθεν ὢν οὐκ εὐμενής,
ἔνσπονδος ἡμῖν· νῦν δʼ ὁρᾷς ἃ χρή σʼ ὁρᾶν.

[¶129] Pentheus:
How do I look? Don’t I have the posture of Ino, or of my mother Agave?

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
τί φαίνομαι δῆτʼ; οὐχὶ τὴν Ἰνοῦς στάσιν
ἢ τὴν Ἀγαύης ἑστάναι, μητρός γʼ ἐμῆς;

[¶130] Dionysus:
Looking at you I think I see them. But this lock of your hair has come out of place, not the way I arranged it under your headband.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
αὐτὰς ἐκείνας εἰσορᾶν δοκῶ σʼ ὁρῶν.
ἀλλʼ ἐξ ἕδρας σοι πλόκαμος ἐξέστηχʼ ὅδε,
οὐχ ὡς ἐγώ νιν ὑπὸ μίτρᾳ καθήρμοσα.

[¶131] Pentheus:
I displaced it indoors, shaking my head forwards and backwards and practising my Bacchic revelry.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
ἔνδον προσείων αὐτὸν ἀνασείων τʼ ἐγὼ
καὶ βακχιάζων ἐξ ἕδρας μεθώρμισα.

[¶132] Dionysus:
But I who ought to wait on you will re-arrange it. Hold up your head.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ἀλλʼ αὐτὸν ἡμεῖς, οἷς σε θεραπεύειν μέλει,
πάλιν καταστελοῦμεν· ἀλλʼ ὄρθου κάρα.

[¶133] Pentheus:
Here, you arrange it; for I depend on you, indeed.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
ἰδού, σὺ κόσμει· σοὶ γὰρ ἀνακείμεσθα δή.

[¶134] Dionysus:
Your girdle has come loose, and the pleats of your gown do not extend regularly down around your ankles.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ζῶναί τέ σοι χαλῶσι κοὐχ ἑξῆς πέπλων
στολίδες ὑπὸ σφυροῖσι τείνουσιν σέθεν.

[¶135] Pentheus:
At least on my right leg, I believe they don’t. But on this side the robe sits well around the back of my leg.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
κἀμοὶ δοκοῦσι παρά γε δεξιὸν πόδα·
τἀνθένδε δʼ ὀρθῶς παρὰ τένοντʼ ἔχει πέπλος.

[¶136] Dionysus:
You will surely consider me the best of your friends,
when contrary to your expectation you see the Bacchae acting modestly.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ἦ πού με τῶν σῶν πρῶτον ἡγήσῃ φίλων,
ὅταν παρὰ λόγον σώφρονας βάκχας ἴδῃς.

[¶137] Pentheus:
But shall I be more like a maenad holding the thyrsos in my right hand, or in my left?

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
πότερα δὲ θύρσον δεξιᾷ λαβὼν χερὶ
ἢ τῇδε, βάκχῃ μᾶλλον εἰκασθήσομαι;

## 3. Lines 943–1392

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-bacchae/3/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-bacchae/3/#p-N

[¶0] Dionysus:
You must hold it in your right hand and raise your right foot in unison with it. I praise you for having changed your mind.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ἐν δεξιᾷ χρὴ χἅμα δεξιῷ ποδὶ
αἴρειν νιν· αἰνῶ δʼ ὅτι μεθέστηκας φρενῶν.

[¶1] Pentheus:
Could I carry on my shoulders the glens of Kithairon, Bacchae and all?

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
ἆρʼ ἂν δυναίμην τὰς Κιθαιρῶνος πτυχὰς
αὐταῖσι βάκχαις τοῖς ἐμοῖς ὤμοις φέρειν;

[¶2] Dionysus:
You could if you were willing. The state of mind you had before was unsound, but now you think as you ought.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
δύναιʼ ἄν, εἰ βούλοιο· τὰς δὲ πρὶν φρένας
οὐκ εἶχες ὑγιεῖς, νῦν δʼ ἔχεις οἵας σε δεῖ.

[¶3] Pentheus:
Shall we bring levers? Or shall I draw them up with my hands,
putting a shoulder or arm under the mountain-tops?

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
μοχλοὺς φέρωμεν; ἢ χεροῖν ἀνασπάσω
κορυφαῖς ὑποβαλὼν ὦμον ἢ βραχίονα;

[¶4] Dionysus:
But don’t destroy the seats of the Nymphs and the places where Pan plays his pipes.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
μὴ σύ γε τὰ Νυμφῶν διολέσῃς ἱδρύματα
καὶ Πανὸς ἕδρας ἔνθʼ ἔχει συρίγματα.

[¶5] Pentheus:
Well said. The women are not to be taken by force; I will hide in the pines.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
καλῶς ἔλεξας· οὐ σθένει νικητέον
γυναῖκας· ἐλάταισιν δʼ ἐμὸν κρύψω δέμας.

[¶6] Dionysus:
You will hide yourself as you should be hidden, coming as a crafty spy on the Maenads.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
κρύψῃ σὺ κρύψιν ἥν σε κρυφθῆναι χρεών,
ἐλθόντα δόλιον μαινάδων κατάσκοπον.

[¶7] Pentheus:
Oh, yes! I imagine that like birds they are in the bushes held in the sweetest grips of love.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
καὶ μὴν δοκῶ σφᾶς ἐν λόχμαις ὄρνιθας ὣς
λέκτρων ἔχεσθαι φιλτάτοις ἐν ἕρκεσιν.

[¶8] Dionysus:
You have been sent as a guard against this very event.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
οὐκοῦν ἐπʼ αὐτὸ τοῦτʼ ἀποστέλλῃ φύλαξ·

[¶9] Perhaps you will catch them, if you yourself are not caught before.

> Greek: λήψῃ δʼ ἴσως σφᾶς, ἢν σὺ μὴ ληφθῇς πάρος.

[¶10] Pentheus:
Bring me through the midst of the Theban land. I am the only man of them who dares to perform this deed.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
κόμιζε διὰ μέσης με Θηβαίας χθονός·
μόνος γὰρ αὐτῶν εἰμʼ ἀνὴρ τολμῶν τόδε.

[¶11] Dionysus:
You alone bear the burden for this city, you alone. Therefore the labors which are proper await you.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
μόνος σὺ πόλεως τῆσδʼ ὑπερκάμνεις, μόνος·
τοιγάρ σʼ ἀγῶνες ἀναμένουσιν οὓς ἐχρῆν.

[¶12] Follow me. I am your saving guide: another will lead you down from there.
Pentheus:
Yes, my mother.

> Greek: ἕπου δέ· πομπὸς [δʼ] εἶμʼ ἐγὼ σωτήριος,
κεῖθεν δʼ ἀπάξει σʼ ἄλλος.
Πενθεύς:
ἡ τεκοῦσά γε.

[¶13] Dionysus:
And you will be remarkable to all.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ἐπίσημον ὄντα πᾶσιν.

[¶14] Pentheus:
I am going for this reason.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
ἐπὶ τόδʼ ἔρχομαι.

[¶15] Dionysus:
You will return here being carried—

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
φερόμενος ἥξεις …

[¶16] Pentheus:
You talk of a delicacy for me.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
ἁβρότητʼ ἐμὴν λέγεις.

[¶17] Dionysus:
In the arms of your mother.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ἐν χερσὶ μητρός.

[¶18] Pentheus:
You will force me to luxury.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
καὶ τρυφᾶν μʼ ἀναγκάσεις.

[¶19] Dionysus:
Yes indeed, such luxury!

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
τρυφάς γε τοιάσδε.

[¶20] Pentheus:
I will get what I deserve.

> Greek: Πενθεύς:
ἀξίων μὲν ἅπτομαι.

[¶21] Dionysus:
You are terrible, terrible, and you go to terrible sufferings, so that you will find a renown reaching to heaven. Reach out your hands, Agave, and you too, her sisters, daughters of Kadmos. I lead this young man
to a great contest, and Bromius and I will be the victors. The rest the matter itself will show.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
δεινὸς σὺ δεινὸς κἀπὶ δείνʼ ἔρχῃ πάθη,
ὥστʼ οὐρανῷ στηρίζον εὑρήσεις κλέος.
ἔκτεινʼ, Ἀγαύη, χεῖρας αἵ θʼ ὁμόσποροι
Κάδμου θυγατέρες· τὸν νεανίαν ἄγω
τόνδʼ εἰς ἀγῶνα μέγαν, ὁ νικήσων δʼ ἐγὼ
καὶ Βρόμιος ἔσται. τἄλλα δʼ αὐτὸ σημανεῖ.

[¶22] Chorus:
Go to the mountain, go, fleet hounds of Madness, where the daughters of Kadmos hold their company, and drive them raving
against the mad spy on the Maenads, the one dressed in women’s attire. His mother will be the first to see him from a smooth rock or crag, as he lies in ambush, and she will cry out to the maenads:

> Greek: Χορός:
ἴτε θοαὶ Λύσσας κύνες ἴτʼ εἰς ὄρος,
θίασον ἔνθʼ ἔχουσι Κάδμου κόραι,
ἀνοιστρήσατέ νιν
ἐπὶ τὸν ἐν γυναικομίμῳ στολᾷ
λυσσώδη κατάσκοπον μαινάδων.
μάτηρ πρῶτά νιν λευρᾶς ἀπὸ πέτρας
ἢ σκόλοπος ὄψεται
δοκεύοντα, μαινάσιν δʼ ἀπύσει·

[¶23] “Who is this seeker of the mountain-going Kadmeans who has come to the mountain, to the mountain, Bacchae? Who bore him? For he was not born from a woman’s blood, but is the offspring of some lioness”
“or of Libyan Gorgons.” Let manifest justice go forth, let it go with sword in hand, slaying through the throat
this godless, lawless, unjust, earth-born offspring of Echion.

> Greek: Τίς ὅδʼ ὀρειδρόμων
μαστὴρ Καδμείων ἐς ὄρος ἐς ὄρος ἔμολʼ
ἔμολεν, ὦ βάκχαι; τίς ἄρα νιν ἔτεκεν;
οὐ γὰρ ἐξ αἵματος
γυναικῶν ἔφυ, λεαίνας δέ τινος
ὅδʼ ἢ Γοργόνων Λιβυσσᾶν γένος.
ἴτω δίκα φανερός, ἴτω ξιφηφόρος
φονεύουσα λαιμῶν διαμπὰξ
τὸν ἄθεον ἄνομον ἄδικον Ἐχίονος
γόνον γηγενῆ.

[¶24] Chorus:
Whoever with wicked mind and unjust rage regarding your rites, Bacchus, and those of your mother, comes with raving heart
and mad disposition violently to overcome by force what is invincible—death is the discipline for his purposes, accepting no excuses when the affairs of the gods are concerned; to act like a mortal—this is a life that is free from pain.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὃς ἀδίκῳ γνώμᾳ παρανόμῳ τʼ ὀργᾷ
περὶ ⟨σὰ⟩ Βάκχιʼ, ὄργια ματρός τε σᾶς
μανείσᾳ πραπίδι
παρακόπῳ τε λήματι στέλλεται,
τἀνίκατον ὡς κρατήσων βίᾳ,
γνωμᾶν σωφρόνα θάνατος ἀπροφάσι-
στος ἐς τὰ θεῶν ἔφυ·
βροτείως τʼ ἔχειν ἄλυπος βίος.

[¶25] I do not envy wisdom, but rejoice in hunting it. But other things are great and manifest. Oh, for life to flow towards the good, to be pure and pious day and night, and to honor the gods,
banishing customs that are outside of justice. Let manifest justice go forth, let it go with sword in hand, slaying through the throat
this godless, lawless, unjust, earth-born offspring of Echion.
Chorus:
Appear as a bull or many-headed serpent or raging lion to see.

> Greek: τὸ σοφὸν οὐ φθονῶ·
χαίρω θηρεύουσα· τὰ δʼ ἕτερα μεγάλα
φανερά τʼ· ὤ, νάει⟨ν⟩ ἐπὶ τὰ καλὰ βίον,
ἦμαρ ἐς νύκτα τʼ εὐ-
αγοῦντʼ εὐσεβεῖν, τὰ δʼ ἔξω νόμιμα
δίκας ἐκβαλόντα τιμᾶν θεούς.
ἴτω δίκα φανερός, ἴτω ξιφηφόρος
φονεύουσα λαιμῶν διαμπὰξ
τὸν ἄθεον ἄνομον ἄδικον Ἐχίονος
τόκον γηγενῆ.
Χορός:
φάνηθι ταῦρος ἢ πολύκρανος ἰδεῖν
δράκων ἢ πυριφλέγων ὁρᾶσθαι λέων.

[¶26] Go, Bacchus, with smiling face throw a deadly noose around the hunter of the Bacchae as he falls beneath the flock of Maenads.

> Greek: ἴθʼ, ὦ Βάκχε, θηραγρευτᾷ βακχᾶν
γελῶντι προσώπῳ περίβαλε βρόχον
θανάσιμον ὑπʼ ἀγέλαν πεσόν-
τι τὰν μαινάδων.

[¶27] Second Messenger:
Oh house once fortunate in Hellas,
house of the Sidonian old man who once sowed in the ground the earth-born harvest of the serpent Ophis, how I groan for you, though I am a slave, but still [the masters’ affairs are a concern to good servants]..

> Greek: Ἄγγελος Β:
ὦ δῶμʼ ὃ πρίν ποτʼ εὐτύχεις ἀνʼ Ἑλλάδα,
Σιδωνίου γέροντος, ὃς τὸ γηγενὲς
δράκοντος ἔσπειρʼ Ὄφεος ἐν γαίᾳ θέρος,
ὥς σε στενάζω, δοῦλος ὢν μέν, ἀλλʼ ὅμως
[χρηστοῖσι δούλοις συμφορὰ τὰ δεσποτῶν].

[¶28] Chorus Leader:
What is it? Do you bring some news from the Bacchae?

> Greek: Χορός:
τί δʼ ἔστιν; ἐκ βακχῶν τι μηνύεις νέον;

[¶29] Messenger:
Pentheus, the child of Echion, is dead.
sung

> Greek: Ἄγγελος Β:
Πενθεὺς ὄλωλεν, παῖς Ἐχίονος πατρός.

[¶30] Chorus Leader:
Lord Bacchus, truly you appear to be a great god.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦναξ Βρόμιε, θεὸς φαίνῃ μέγας.

[¶31] Messenger:
What do you mean? Why have you said this? Do you rejoice at the misfortunes of my master, woman?
sung

> Greek: Ἄγγελος Β:
πῶς φῄς; τί τοῦτʼ ἔλεξας; ἦ ʼπὶ τοῖς ἐμοῖς
χαίρεις κακῶς πράσσουσι δεσπόταις, γύναι;

[¶32] Chorus Leader:
I, a foreign woman, rejoice with foreign songs;

> Greek: Χορός:
εὐάζω ξένα μέλεσι βαρβάροις·

[¶33] for no longer do I cower in fear of chains.

> Greek: οὐκέτι γὰρ δεσμῶν ὑπὸ φόβῳ πτήσσω.

[¶34] Messenger:
Do you think Thebes so lacking in men?
sung

> Greek: Ἄγγελος Β:
Θήβας δʼ ἀνάνδρους ὧδʼ ἄγεις …
…

[¶35] Chorus Leader:
Dionysus, Dionysus, not Thebes, holds my allegiance.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὁ Διόνυσος ὁ Διόνυσος, οὐ Θῆβαι
κράτος ἔχουσʼ ἐμόν.

[¶36] Messenger:
You may be forgiven, but still it is not good
to rejoice at troubles once they have actually taken place, women.
sung

> Greek: Ἄγγελος Β:
συγγνωστὰ μέν σοι, πλὴν ἐπʼ ἐξειργασμένοις
κακοῖσι χαίρειν, ὦ γυναῖκες, οὐ καλόν.

[¶37] Chorus Leader:
Tell me, speak, what kind of a death did he die, the unjust man who did unjust things?

> Greek: Χορός:
ἔννεπέ μοι, φράσον, τίνι μόρῳ θνῄσκει
ἄδικος ἄδικά τʼ ἐκπορίζων ἀνήρ;

[¶38] Messenger:
When we left the dwellings of the Theban land and crossed the streams of Asopus,
we began to ascend the heights of Kithairon, Pentheus and I—for I was following my master—and the stranger who was our guide to the sight. First we sat in a grassy vale,
keeping our feet and voices quiet, so that we might see them without being seen. There was a little valley surounded by precipices, irrigated with streams, shaded by pine trees, where the Maenads were sitting, their hands busy with delightful labors. Some of them were crowning again
the worn thyrsos, making it leafy with ivy, while some, like colts freed from the painted yoke, were singing a Bacchic melody to one another. And the unhappy Pentheus said, not seeing the crowd of women: “Stranger,”
“from where we are standing I cannot see these false Maenads. But on the hill, ascending a lofty pine, I might view properly the shameful acts of the Maenads.” And then I saw the stranger perform a marvelous deed. For seizing hold of the lofty top-most branch of the pine tree,
he pulled it down, pulled it, pulled it to the dark earth. It was bent just as a bow or a curved wheel, when it is marked out by a compass, describes a circular course: in this way the stranger drew the mountain bough with his hands and bent it to the earth, doing no mortal’s deed.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος Β:
ἐπεὶ θεράπνας τῆσδε Θηβαίας χθονὸς
λιπόντες ἐξέβημεν Ἀσωποῦ ῥοάς,
λέπας Κιθαιρώνειον εἰσεβάλλομεν
Πενθεύς τε κἀγώ—δεσπότῃ γὰρ εἱπόμην—
ξένος θʼ ὃς ἡμῖν πομπὸς ἦν θεωρίας.
πρῶτον μὲν οὖν ποιηρὸν ἵζομεν νάπος,
τά τʼ ἐκ ποδῶν σιγηλὰ καὶ γλώσσης ἄπο
σῴζοντες, ὡς ὁρῷμεν οὐχ ὁρώμενοι.
ἦν δʼ ἄγκος ἀμφίκρημνον, ὕδασι διάβροχον,
πεύκαισι συσκιάζον, ἔνθα μαινάδες
καθῆντʼ ἔχουσαι χεῖρας ἐν τερπνοῖς πόνοις.
αἳ μὲν γὰρ αὐτῶν θύρσον ἐκλελοιπότα
κισσῷ κομήτην αὖθις ἐξανέστεφον,
αἳ δʼ, ἐκλιποῦσαι ποικίλʼ ὡς πῶλοι ζυγά,
βακχεῖον ἀντέκλαζον ἀλλήλαις μέλος.
Πενθεὺς δʼ ὁ τλήμων θῆλυν οὐχ ὁρῶν ὄχλον
ἔλεξε τοιάδʼ· Ὦ ξένʼ, οὗ μὲν ἕσταμεν,
οὐκ ἐξικνοῦμαι μαινάδων ὄσσοις νόθων·
ὄχθων δʼ ἔπʼ, ἀμβὰς ἐς ἐλάτην ὑψαύχενα,
ἴδοιμʼ ἂν ὀρθῶς μαινάδων αἰσχρουργίαν.
τοὐντεῦθεν ἤδη τοῦ ξένου ⟨τὸ⟩ θαῦμʼ ὁρῶ·
λαβὼν γὰρ ἐλάτης οὐράνιον ἄκρον κλάδον
κατῆγεν, ἦγεν, ἦγεν ἐς μέλαν πέδον·
κυκλοῦτο δʼ ὥστε τόξον ἢ κυρτὸς τροχὸς
τόρνῳ γραφόμενος περιφορὰν ἕλκει δρόμον·
ὣς κλῶνʼ ὄρειον ὁ ξένος χεροῖν ἄγων
ἔκαμπτεν ἐς γῆν, ἔργματʼ οὐχὶ θνητὰ δρῶν.

[¶39] He sat Pentheus down on the pine branch, and let it go upright through his hands steadily, taking care not to shake him off. The pine stood firmly upright into the sky, with my master seated on its back.

> Greek: Πενθέα δʼ ἱδρύσας ἐλατίνων ὄζων ἔπι,
ὀρθὸν μεθίει διὰ χερῶν βλάστημʼ ἄνω
ἀτρέμα, φυλάσσων μὴ ἀναχαιτίσειέ νιν,
ὀρθὴ δʼ ἐς ὀρθὸν αἰθέρʼ ἐστηρίζετο,
ἔχουσα νώτοις δεσπότην ἐφήμενον·

[¶40] He was seen by the Maenads more than he saw them, for sitting on high he was all but apparent, and the stranger was no longer anywhere to be seen, when a voice, Dionysus as I guess, cried out from the air: “Young women,”
“I bring the one who has made you and me and my rites a laughing-stock. Now punish him!” And as he said this a light of holy fire was placed between heaven and earth. The air became quiet and the woody glen
kept its leaves silent, nor would you have heard the sounds of animals. But they, not having heard the sound clearly, stood upright and looked all around. He repeated his order, and when the daughters of Kadmos recognized the clear command of Bacchus,
they rushed forth, swift as a dove, running with eager speed of feet, his mother Agave, and her sisters, and all the Bacchae. They leapt through the torrent-streaming valley and mountain cliffs, frantic with the inspiration of the god.

> Greek: ὤφθη δὲ μᾶλλον ἢ κατεῖδε μαινάδας.
ὅσον γὰρ οὔπω δῆλος ἦν θάσσων ἄνω,
καὶ τὸν ξένον μὲν οὐκέτʼ εἰσορᾶν παρῆν,
ἐκ δʼ αἰθέρος φωνή τις, ὡς μὲν εἰκάσαι
Διόνυσος, ἀνεβόησεν· Ὦ νεάνιδες,
ἄγω τὸν ὑμᾶς κἀμὲ τἀμά τʼ ὄργια
γέλων τιθέμενον· ἀλλὰ τιμωρεῖσθέ νιν.
καὶ ταῦθʼ ἅμʼ ἠγόρευε καὶ πρὸς οὐρανὸν
καὶ γαῖαν ἐστήριξε φῶς σεμνοῦ πυρός.
σίγησε δʼ αἰθήρ, σῖγα δʼ ὕλιμος νάπη
φύλλʼ εἶχε, θηρῶν δʼ οὐκ ἂν ἤκουσας βοήν.
αἳ δʼ ὠσὶν ἠχὴν οὐ σαφῶς δεδεγμέναι
ἔστησαν ὀρθαὶ καὶ διήνεγκαν κόρας.
ὃ δʼ αὖθις ἐπεκέλευσεν· ὡς δʼ ἐγνώρισαν
σαφῆ κελευσμὸν Βακχίου Κάδμου κόραι,
ᾖξαν πελείας ὠκύτητʼ οὐχ ἥσσονες
ποδῶν τρέχουσαι συντόνοις δραμήμασι,
μήτηρ Ἀγαύη σύγγονοί θʼ ὁμόσποροι
πᾶσαί τε βάκχαι· διὰ δὲ χειμάρρου νάπης
ἀγμῶν τʼ ἐπήδων θεοῦ πνοαῖσιν ἐμμανεῖς.

[¶41] When they saw my master sitting in the pine, first they climbed a rock towering opposite the tree and began to hurl at him boulders violently thrown. Some aimed with pine branches and other women hurled their thyrsoi through the air
at Pentheus, a sad target indeed. But they did not reach him, for the wretched man, caught with no way out, sat at a height too great for their eagerness. Finally like lightning they smashed oak branches and began to tear up the roots of the tree with ironless levers.

> Greek: ὡς δʼ εἶδον ἐλάτῃ δεσπότην ἐφήμενον,
πρῶτον μὲν αὐτοῦ χερμάδας κραταιβόλους
ἔρριπτον, ἀντίπυργον ἐπιβᾶσαι πέτραν,
ὄζοισί τʼ ἐλατίνοισιν ἠκοντίζετο.
ἄλλαι δὲ θύρσους ἵεσαν διʼ αἰθέρος
Πενθέως, στόχον δύστηνον· ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἤνυτον.
κρεῖσσον γὰρ ὕψος τῆς προθυμίας ἔχων
καθῆσθʼ ὁ τλήμων, ἀπορίᾳ λελημμένος.
τέλος δὲ δρυΐνους συγκεραυνοῦσαι κλάδους
ῥίζας ἀνεσπάρασσον ἀσιδήροις μοχλοῖς.

[¶42] When they did not succeed in their toils, Agave said: “Come, standing round in a circle, each seize a branch, Maenads, so that we may catch the beast who has climbed aloft, and so that he does not make public the secret dances of the god.” They applied countless hands
to the pine and dragged it up from the earth. Pentheus fell crashing to the ground from his lofty seat, wailing greatly: for he knew he was in terrible trouble. His mother, as priestess, began the slaughter,
and fell upon him. He threw the headband from his head so that the wretched Agave might recognize and not kill him. Touching her cheek, he said: “It is I, mother, your son, Pentheus, whom you bore in the house of Echion.”

> Greek: ἐπεὶ δὲ μόχθων τέρματʼ οὐκ ἐξήνυτον,
ἔλεξʼ Ἀγαύη· Φέρε, περιστᾶσαι κύκλῳ
πτόρθου λάβεσθε, μαινάδες, τὸν ἀμβάτην
θῆρʼ ὡς ἕλωμεν, μηδʼ ἀπαγγείλῃ θεοῦ
χοροὺς κρυφαίους. αἳ δὲ μυρίαν χέρα
προσέθεσαν ἐλάτῃ κἀξανέσπασαν χθονός·
ὑψοῦ δὲ θάσσων ὑψόθεν χαμαιριφὴς
πίπτει πρὸς οὖδας μυρίοις οἰμώγμασιν
Πενθεύς· κακοῦ γὰρ ἐγγὺς ὢν ἐμάνθανεν.
πρώτη δὲ μήτηρ ἦρξεν ἱερέα φόνου
καὶ προσπίτνει νιν· ὃ δὲ μίτραν κόμης ἄπο
ἔρριψεν, ὥς νιν γνωρίσασα μὴ κτάνοι
τλήμων Ἀγαύη, καὶ λέγει, παρηίδος
ψαύων· Ἐγώ τοι, μῆτερ, εἰμί, παῖς σέθεν
Πενθεύς, ὃν ἔτεκες ἐν δόμοις Ἐχίονος·

[¶43] “Pity me, mother, and do not kill me, your child, for my sins.” But she, foaming at the mouth and twisting her eyes all about, not thinking as she ought, was possessed by Bacchus, and he did not persuade her.

> Greek: οἴκτιρε δʼ ὦ μῆτέρ με, μηδὲ ταῖς ἐμαῖς
ἁμαρτίαισι παῖδα σὸν κατακτάνῃς.
ἣ δʼ ἀφρὸν ἐξιεῖσα καὶ διαστρόφους
κόρας ἑλίσσουσʼ, οὐ φρονοῦσʼ ἃ χρὴ φρονεῖν,
ἐκ Βακχίου κατείχετʼ, οὐδʼ ἔπειθέ νιν.

[¶44] Seizing his left arm at the elbow and propping her foot against the unfortunate man’s side, she tore out his shoulder, not by her own strength, but the god gave facility to her hands. Ino began to work on the other side,
tearing his flesh, while Autonoe and the whole crowd of the Bacchae pressed on. All were making noise together, he groaning as much as he had life left in him, while they shouted in victory. One of them bore his arm, another a foot, boot and all. His ribs were stripped bare
from their tearings. The whole band, hands bloodied, were playing a game of catch with Pentheus’ flesh. His body lies in different places, part under the rugged rocks, part in the deep foliage of the woods, not easy to be sought. His miserable head,
which his mother happened to take in her hands, she fixed on the end of a thyrsos and carries through the midst of Kithairon like that of a savage lion, leaving her sisters among the Maenads’ dances. She is coming inside these walls, preening herself
on the ill-fated prey, calling Bacchus her fellow hunter, her accomplice in the chase, the glorious victor—in whose service she wins a triumph of tears. And as for me, I will depart out of the way of this calamity before Agave reaches the house.

> Greek: λαβοῦσα δʼ ὠλένης ἀριστερὰν χέρα,
πλευραῖσιν ἀντιβᾶσα τοῦ δυσδαίμονος
ἀπεσπάραξεν ὦμον, οὐχ ὑπὸ σθένους,
ἀλλʼ ὁ θεὸς εὐμάρειαν ἐπεδίδου χεροῖν·
Ἰνὼ δὲ τἀπὶ θάτερʼ ἐξειργάζετο,
ῥηγνῦσα σάρκας, Αὐτονόη τʼ ὄχλος τε πᾶς
ἐπεῖχε βακχῶν· ἦν δὲ πᾶσʼ ὁμοῦ βοή,
ὃ μὲν στενάζων ὅσον ἐτύγχανʼ ἐμπνέων,
αἳ δʼ ἠλάλαζον. ἔφερε δʼ ἣ μὲν ὠλένην,
ἣ δʼ ἴχνος αὐταῖς ἀρβύλαις· γυμνοῦντο δὲ
πλευραὶ σπαραγμοῖς· πᾶσα δʼ ᾑματωμένη
χεῖρας διεσφαίριζε σάρκα Πενθέως.
κεῖται δὲ χωρὶς σῶμα, τὸ μὲν ὑπὸ στύφλοις
πέτραις, τὸ δʼ ὕλης ἐν βαθυξύλῳ φόβῃ,
οὐ ῥᾴδιον ζήτημα· κρᾶτα δʼ ἄθλιον,
ὅπερ λαβοῦσα τυγχάνει μήτηρ χεροῖν,
πήξασʼ ἐπʼ ἄκρον θύρσον ὡς ὀρεστέρου
φέρει λέοντος διὰ Κιθαιρῶνος μέσου,
λιποῦσʼ ἀδελφὰς ἐν χοροῖσι μαινάδων.
χωρεῖ δὲ θήρᾳ δυσπότμῳ γαυρουμένη
τειχέων ἔσω τῶνδʼ, ἀνακαλοῦσα Βάκχιον
τὸν ξυγκύναγον, τὸν ξυνεργάτην ἄγρας,
τὸν καλλίνικον, ᾧ δάκρυα νικηφορεῖ.
ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν ⟨τῇδʼ⟩ ἐκποδὼν τῇ ξυμφορᾷ
ἄπειμʼ, Ἀγαύην πρὶν μολεῖν πρὸς δώματα.

[¶45] Soundness of mind and reverence for the affairs of the gods is best; and this, I think, is the wisest possession for those mortals who adopt it.

> Greek: τὸ σωφρονεῖν δὲ καὶ σέβειν τὰ τῶν θεῶν
κάλλιστον· οἶμαι δʼ αὐτὸ καὶ σοφώτατον
θνητοῖσιν εἶναι κτῆμα τοῖσι χρωμένοις.

[¶46] Chorus:
Let us honor Bacchus with the dance, let us raise a shout for what has befallen
Pentheus, descendant of the serpent, who assumed female attire and the wand, the beautiful thyrsos—certain death—and a bull was the leader of his calamity.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀναχορεύσωμεν Βάκχιον,
ἀναβοάσωμεν ξυμφορὰν
τὰν τοῦ δράκοντος Πενθέος ἐκγενέτα·
ὃς τὰν θηλυγενῆ στολὰν
νάρθηκά τε, πιστὸν Ἅιδαν,
ἔλαβεν εὔθυρσον,
ταῦρον προηγητῆρα συμφορᾶς ἔχων.

[¶47] Kadmean Bacchae, you have accomplished a glorious victory, but one that brings woe and tears. It is a noble contest to cover one’s dripping hands with the blood of one’s own son.

> Greek: βάκχαι Καδμεῖαι,
τὸν καλλίνικον κλεινὸν ἐξεπράξατε
ἐς στόνον, ἐς δάκρυα.
καλὸς ἀγών, χέρʼ αἵματι στάζουσαν
περιβαλεῖν τέκνου.

[¶48] Chorus Leader:
But, for I see Pentheus’ mother Agave coming home, her eyes contorted, receive the revel of the god of joy!
Enter Agave

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀλλʼ, εἰσορῶ γὰρ ἐς δόμους ὁρμωμένην
Πενθέως Ἀγαύην μητέρʼ ἐν διαστρόφοις
ὄσσοις, δέχεσθε κῶμον εὐίου θεοῦ.

[¶49] Agave:
Asian Bacchae—

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
Ἀσιάδες βάκχαι —

[¶50] Chorus:
Why do you excite me, oh?

> Greek: Χορός:
τί μʼ ὀροθύνεις, ὤ;

[¶51] Agave:
I am bringing home from the mountain a
freshly cut tendril to the house, blessed prey.

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
φέρομεν ἐξ ὀρέων
ἕλικα νεότομον ἐπὶ μέλαθρα,
μακάριον θήραν.

[¶52] Chorus:
I see it and will accept you as a fellow reveler.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὁρῶ καί σε δέξομαι σύγκωμον.

[¶53] Agave:
I caught this young wild lion cub without snares,
as you can see.

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
ἔμαρψα τόνδʼ ἄνευ βρόχων
⟨λέοντος ἀγροτέρου⟩ νέον ἶνιν·
ὡς ὁρᾶν πάρα.

[¶54] Chorus:
From what desert?

> Greek: Χορός:
πόθεν ἐρημίας;

[¶55] Agave:
Kithairon—

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
Κιθαιρὼν …

[¶56] Chorus:
Kithairon?

> Greek: Χορός:
Κιθαιρών;

[¶57] Agave:
Slew him.

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
κατεφόνευσέ νιν.

[¶58] Chorus:
Who struck him?

> Greek: Χορός:
τίς ἁ βαλοῦσα;

[¶59] Agave:
The honor is mine first.

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
πρῶτον ἐμὸν τὸ γέρας.

[¶60] I am called blessed Agave in the revels.

> Greek: μάκαιρʼ Ἀγαύη κλῃζόμεθʼ ἐν θιάσοις.

[¶61] Chorus:
Who else?

> Greek: Χορός:
τίς ἄλλα;

[¶62] Agave:
Kadmos’—

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
τὰ Κάδμου …

[¶63] Chorus:
Kadmos’ what?

> Greek: Χορός:
τί Κάδμου;

[¶64] Agave:
His other offspring took hold of this beast after me, after me. This is a lucky catch!

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
γένεθλα
μετʼ ἐμὲ μετʼ ἐμὲ τοῦδʼ
ἔθιγε θηρός· εὐτυχής γʼ ἅδʼ ἄγρα.

[¶65] Chorus:
…

> Greek: Χορός:
…

[¶66] Agave:
Share in the feast then.

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
μέτεχέ νυν θοίνας.

[¶67] Chorus:
What? I share in the feast, wretched woman?

> Greek: Χορός:
τί; μετέχω, τλᾶμον;

[¶68] Agave:
The bull is young; his cheek is just growing downy under his soft-haired crest.

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
νέος ὁ μόσχος ἄρ-
τι γένυν ὑπὸ κόρυθʼ ἁπαλότριχα
κατάκομον θάλλει.

[¶69] Chorus:
Yes, his hair looks like a wild beast’s.

> Greek: Χορός:
πρέπει γʼ ὥστε θὴρ ἄγραυλος φόβῃ.

[¶70] Agave:
Bacchus, a wise huntsman,
wisely set the Maenads against this beast.

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
ὁ Βάκχιος κυναγέτας
σοφὸς σοφῶς ἀνέπηλʼ ἐπὶ θῆρα
τόνδε μαινάδας.

[¶71] Chorus:
Our lord is a hunter.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὁ γὰρ ἄναξ ἀγρεύς.

[¶72] Agave:
Do you praise me?

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
ἐπαινεῖς;

[¶73] Chorus:
I praise you.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἐπαινῶ.

[¶74] Agave:
Soon the Kadmeans—

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
τάχα δὲ Καδμεῖοι …

[¶75] Chorus:
And your son Pentheus, too—

> Greek: Χορός:
καὶ παῖς γε Πενθεὺς …

[¶76] Agave:
Will praise his mother who has caught this lion-like prey.

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
ματέρʼ ἐπαινέσεται,
λαβοῦσαν ἄγραν τάνδε λεοντοφυῆ.

[¶77] Chorus:
Extraordinary.

> Greek: Χορός:
περισσάν.

[¶78] Agave:
And extraordinarily caught.

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
περισσῶς.

[¶79] Chorus:
Are you proud?

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀγάλλῃ;

[¶80] Agave:
I am delighted, for I have performed great—yes, great—and notable deeds on this hunt.

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
γέγηθα,
μεγάλα μεγάλα καὶ
φανερὰ τᾷδʼ ἄγρᾳ κατειργασμένα.

[¶81] Chorus Leader:
Now show the citizens, wretched woman, the booty which you have brought in victory.

> Greek: Χορός:
δεῖξόν νυν, ὦ τάλαινα, σὴν νικηφόρον
ἀστοῖσιν ἄγραν ἣν φέρουσʼ ἐλήλυθας.

[¶82] Agave:
You who dwell in this fair-towered city of the Theban land, come to see this prey which we the daughters of Kadmos hunted down,
not with thonged Thessalian javelins, or with nets, but with the fingers of our white arms. And then should huntsmen boast and use in vain the work of spear-makers? But we caught and
tore apart the limbs of this beast with our very own hands. Where is my old father? Let him approach. And where is my son Pentheus? Let him take a ladder and raise its steps against the house so that he can fasten to the triglyphs this
lion’s head which I have captured and brought here.
Enter Kadmos and his servants, carrying the remains of Pentheus’ body

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
ὦ καλλίπυργον ἄστυ Θηβαίας χθονὸς
ναίοντες, ἔλθεθʼ ὡς ἴδητε τήνδʼ ἄγραν,
Κάδμου θυγατέρες θηρὸς ἣν ἠγρεύσαμεν,
οὐκ ἀγκυλητοῖς Θεσσαλῶν στοχάσμασιν,
οὐ δικτύοισιν, ἀλλὰ λευκοπήχεσι
χειρῶν ἀκμαῖσιν. κᾆτα κομπάζειν χρεὼν
καὶ λογχοποιῶν ὄργανα κτᾶσθαι μάτην;
ἡμεῖς δέ γʼ αὐτῇ χειρὶ τόνδε θʼ εἵλομεν,
χωρίς τε θηρὸς ἄρθρα διεφορήσαμεν.
ποῦ μοι πατὴρ ὁ πρέσβυς; ἐλθέτω πέλας.
Πενθεύς τʼ ἐμὸς παῖς ποῦ ʼστιν; αἰρέσθω λαβὼν
πηκτῶν πρὸς οἴκους κλιμάκων προσαμβάσεις,
ὡς πασσαλεύσῃ κρᾶτα τριγλύφοις τόδε
λέοντος ὃν πάρειμι θηράσασʼ ἐγώ.

[¶83] Kadmos:
Follow me, carrying the miserable burden of Pentheus, follow me, slaves, before the house; exhausted from countless searches, I am bringing his body, for I discovered it in the folds of Kithairon,
torn apart; I picked up nothing in the same place, and it was lying in the woods where discovery was difficult. For some one told me of my daughters’ bold deeds, when I had already come within the walls of the city on my return from the Bacchae with old Teiresias.

> Greek: Κάδμος:
ἕπεσθέ μοι φέροντες ἄθλιον βάρος
Πενθέως, ἕπεσθε, πρόσπολοι, δόμων πάρος,
οὗ σῶμα μοχθῶν μυρίοις ζητήμασιν
φέρω τόδʼ, εὑρὼν ἐν Κιθαιρῶνος πτυχαῖς
διασπαρακτόν, κοὐδὲν ἐν ταὐτῷ πέδῳ
λαβών, ἐν ὕλῃ κείμενον δυσευρέτῳ.
ἤκουσα γάρ του θυγατέρων τολμήματα,
ἤδη κατʼ ἄστυ τειχέων ἔσω βεβὼς
σὺν τῷ γέροντι Τειρεσίᾳ Βακχῶν πάρα·

[¶84] I turned back to the mountain and now bring here my child who was killed by the Maenads. For I saw Autonoe, who once bore Actaeon to Aristaeus, and Ino with her, still mad in the thicket, wretched creatures.
But some one told me that Agave was coming here with Bacchic foot, and this was correct, for I see her—no happy sight!

> Greek: πάλιν δὲ κάμψας εἰς ὄρος κομίζομαι
τὸν κατθανόντα παῖδα Μαινάδων ὕπο.
καὶ τὴν μὲν Ἀκτέωνʼ Ἀρισταίῳ ποτὲ
τεκοῦσαν εἶδον Αὐτονόην Ἰνώ θʼ ἅμα
ἔτʼ ἀμφὶ δρυμοὺς οἰστροπλῆγας ἀθλίας,
τὴν δʼ εἶπέ τίς μοι δεῦρο βακχείῳ ποδὶ
στείχειν Ἀγαύην, οὐδʼ ἄκραντʼ ἠκούσαμεν·
λεύσσω γὰρ αὐτήν, ὄψιν οὐκ εὐδαίμονα.

[¶85] Agave:
Father, you may make a great boast, that you have born daughters the best by far of all
mortals. I mean all of us, but myself especially, who have left my shuttle at the loom and gone on to greater things, to catch wild animals with my two hands. And having taken him, I carry these spoils of honor in my arms, as you see,
so that they may hang from your house. You father, receive them in your hands. Preening yourself in my catch, call your friends to a feast. For you are blessed, blessed, now that we have performed these deeds.

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
πάτερ, μέγιστον κομπάσαι πάρεστί σοι,
πάντων ἀρίστας θυγατέρας σπεῖραι μακρῷ
θνητῶν· ἁπάσας εἶπον, ἐξόχως δʼ ἐμέ,
ἣ τὰς παρʼ ἱστοῖς ἐκλιποῦσα κερκίδας
ἐς μείζονʼ ἥκω, θῆρας ἀγρεύειν χεροῖν.
φέρω δʼ ἐν ὠλέναισιν, ὡς ὁρᾷς, τάδε
λαβοῦσα τἀριστεῖα, σοῖσι πρὸς δόμοις
ὡς ἀγκρεμασθῇ· σὺ δέ, πάτερ, δέξαι χεροῖν·
γαυρούμενος δὲ τοῖς ἐμοῖς ἀγρεύμασιν
κάλει φίλους ἐς δαῖτα· μακάριος γὰρ εἶ,
μακάριος, ἡμῶν τοιάδʼ ἐξειργασμένων.

[¶86] Kadmos:
O grief beyond measuring, one which I cannot stand to see,
that you have performed murder with miserable hands. Having cast down a fine sacrificial victim to the gods, you invite Thebes and me to a banquet. Alas, first for your troubles, then for my own. How justly, yet too severely,
lord Bromius the god has destroyed us, though he is a member of our own family.

> Greek: Κάδμος:
ὦ πένθος οὐ μετρητὸν οὐδʼ οἷόν τʼ ἰδεῖν,
φόνον ταλαίναις χερσὶν ἐξειργασμένων.
καλὸν τὸ θῦμα καταβαλοῦσα δαίμοσιν
ἐπὶ δαῖτα Θήβας τάσδε κἀμὲ παρακαλεῖς.
οἴμοι κακῶν μὲν πρῶτα σῶν, ἔπειτʼ ἐμῶν·
ὡς ὁ θεὸς ἡμᾶς ἐνδίκως μέν, ἀλλʼ ἄγαν,
Βρόμιος ἄναξ ἀπώλεσʼ οἰκεῖος γεγώς.

[¶87] Agave:
How morose and sullen in its countenance is man’s old age! I hope that my son is a good hunter, taking after his mother’s ways, when he goes after wild beasts
together with the young men of Thebes. But all he can do is fight with the gods. You must admonish him, father. Who will call him here to my sight, so that he may see how lucky I am?

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
ὡς δύσκολον τὸ γῆρας ἀνθρώποις ἔφυ
ἔν τʼ ὄμμασι σκυθρωπόν. εἴθε παῖς ἐμὸς
εὔθηρος εἴη, μητρὸς εἰκασθεὶς τρόποις,
ὅτʼ ἐν νεανίαισι Θηβαίοις ἅμα
θηρῶν ὀριγνῷτʼ· ἀλλὰ θεομαχεῖν μόνον
οἷός τʼ ἐκεῖνος. νουθετητέος, πάτερ,
σοὐστίν. τίς αὐτὸν δεῦρʼ ἂν ὄψιν εἰς ἐμὴν
καλέσειεν, ὡς ἴδῃ με τὴν εὐδαίμονα;

[¶88] Kadmos:
Alas, alas! When you realize what you have done
you will suffer a terrible pain. But if you remain forever in the state you are in now, though hardly fortunate, you will not imagine that you are unfortunate.

> Greek: Κάδμος:
φεῦ φεῦ· φρονήσασαι μὲν οἷʼ ἐδράσατε
ἀλγήσετʼ ἄλγος δεινόν· εἰ δὲ διὰ τέλους
ἐν τῷδʼ ἀεὶ μενεῖτʼ ἐν ᾧ καθέστατε,
οὐκ εὐτυχοῦσαι δόξετʼ οὐχὶ δυστυχεῖν.

[¶89] Agave:
But what of these matters is not right, or what is painful?

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
τί δʼ οὐ καλῶς τῶνδʼ ἢ τί λυπηρῶς ἔχει;

[¶90] Kadmos:
First cast your eye up to this sky.

> Greek: Κάδμος:
πρῶτον μὲν ἐς τόνδʼ αἰθέρʼ ὄμμα σὸν μέθες.

[¶91] Agave:
All right; why do you tell me to look at it?

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
ἰδού· τί μοι τόνδʼ ἐξυπεῖπας εἰσορᾶν;

[¶92] Kadmos:
Is it still the same, or does it appear to have changed?

> Greek: Κάδμος:
ἔθʼ αὑτὸς ἤ σοι μεταβολὰς ἔχειν δοκεῖ;

[¶93] Agave:
It is brighter than before and more translucent.

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
λαμπρότερος ἢ πρὶν καὶ διειπετέστερος.

[¶94] Kadmos:
Is your soul still quivering?

> Greek: Κάδμος:
τὸ δὲ πτοηθὲν τόδʼ ἔτι σῇ ψυχῇ πάρα;

[¶95] Agave:
I don’t understand your words. I have become somehow
sobered, changing from my former state of mind.

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
οὐκ οἶδα τοὔπος τοῦτο. γίγνομαι δέ πως
ἔννους, μετασταθεῖσα τῶν πάρος φρενῶν.

[¶96] Kadmos:
Can you hear and respond clearly?

> Greek: Κάδμος:
κλύοις ἂν οὖν τι κἀποκρίναιʼ ἂν σαφῶς;

[¶97] Agave:
Yes, for I forget what we said before, father.

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
ὡς ἐκλέλησμαί γʼ ἃ πάρος εἴπομεν, πάτερ.

[¶98] Kadmos:
To whose house did you come in marriage?

> Greek: Κάδμος:
ἐς ποῖον ἦλθες οἶκον ὑμεναίων μέτα;

[¶99] Agave:
You gave me, as they say, to Echion, the sown man.

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
Σπαρτῷ μʼ ἔδωκας, ὡς λέγουσʼ, Ἐχίονι.

[¶100] Kadmos:
What son did you bear to your husband in the house?

> Greek: Κάδμος:
τίς οὖν ἐν οἴκοις παῖς ἐγένετο σῷ πόσει;

[¶101] Agave:
Pentheus, from my union with his father.

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
Πενθεύς, ἐμῇ τε καὶ πατρὸς κοινωνίᾳ.

[¶102] Kadmos:
Whose head do you hold in your hands?

> Greek: Κάδμος:
τίνος πρόσωπον δῆτʼ ἐν ἀγκάλαις ἔχεις;

[¶103] Agave:
A lion’s, as they who hunted him down said.

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
λέοντος, ὥς γʼ ἔφασκον αἱ θηρώμεναι.

[¶104] Kadmos:
Examine it correctly then; it takes but little effort to see.

> Greek: Κάδμος:
σκέψαι νυν ὀρθῶς· βραχὺς ὁ μόχθος εἰσιδεῖν.

[¶105] Agave:
Ah! What do I see? What is this that I carry in my hands?

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
ἔα, τί λεύσσω; τί φέρομαι τόδʼ ἐν χεροῖν;

[¶106] Kadmos:
Look at it and learn more clearly.

> Greek: Κάδμος:
ἄθρησον αὐτὸ καὶ σαφέστερον μάθε.

[¶107] Agave:
I see the greatest grief, wretched that I am.

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
ὁρῶ μέγιστον ἄλγος ἡ τάλαινʼ ἐγώ.

[¶108] Kadmos:
Does it seem to you to be like a lion?

> Greek: Κάδμος:
μῶν σοι λέοντι φαίνεται προσεικέναι;

[¶109] Agave:
No, but I, wretched, hold the head of Pentheus.

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
οὔκ, ἀλλὰ Πενθέως ἡ τάλαινʼ ἔχω κάρα.

[¶110] Kadmos:
Yes, much lamented before you recognized him.

> Greek: Κάδμος:
ᾠμωγμένον γε πρόσθεν ἢ σὲ γνωρίσαι.

[¶111] Agave:
Who killed him? How did he come into my hands?

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
τίς ἔκτανέν νιν;—πῶς ἐμὰς ἦλθεν χέρας;

[¶112] Kadmos:
Miserable truth, how inopportunely you arrive!

> Greek: Κάδμος:
δύστηνʼ ἀλήθειʼ, ὡς ἐν οὐ καιρῷ πάρει.

[¶113] Agave:
Tell me. My heart leaps at what is to come.

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
λέγʼ, ὡς τὸ μέλλον καρδία πήδημʼ ἔχει.

[¶114] Kadmos:
You and your sisters killed him.

> Greek: Κάδμος:
σύ νιν κατέκτας καὶ κασίγνηται σέθεν.

[¶115] Agave:
Where did he die? Was it here at home, or in what place?

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
ποῦ δʼ ὤλετʼ; ἦ κατʼ οἶκον; ἢ ποίοις τόποις;

[¶116] Kadmos:
Where formerly dogs divided Actaeon among themselves.

> Greek: Κάδμος:
οὗπερ πρὶν Ἀκτέωνα διέλαχον κύνες.

[¶117] Agave:
And why did this ill-fated man go to Kithairon?

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
τί δʼ ἐς Κιθαιρῶνʼ ἦλθε δυσδαίμων ὅδε;

[¶118] Kadmos:
He went to mock the god and your revelry.

> Greek: Κάδμος:
ἐκερτόμει θεὸν σάς τε βακχείας μολών.

[¶119] Agave:
But in what way did we go there?

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
ἡμεῖς δʼ ἐκεῖσε τίνι τρόπῳ κατήραμεν;

[¶120] Kadmos:
You were mad, and the whole city was frantic with Bacchus.

> Greek: Κάδμος:
ἐμάνητε, πᾶσά τʼ ἐξεβακχεύθη πόλις.

[¶121] Agave:
Dionysus destroyed us—now I understand.

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
Διόνυσος ἡμᾶς ὤλεσʼ, ἄρτι μανθάνω.

[¶122] Kadmos:
Being insulted with insolence, for you did not consider him a god.

> Greek: Κάδμος:
ὕβριν ⟨γʼ⟩ ὑβρισθείς· θεὸν γὰρ οὐχ ἡγεῖσθέ νιν.

[¶123] Agave:
And where is the body of my dearest child, father?

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
τὸ φίλτατον δὲ σῶμα ποῦ παιδός, πάτερ;

[¶124] Kadmos:
I have traced it with difficulty and brought it back.

> Greek: Κάδμος:
ἐγὼ μόλις τόδʼ ἐξερευνήσας φέρω.

[¶125] Agave:
Are its joints laid properly together?

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
ἦ πᾶν ἐν ἄρθροις συγκεκλῃμένον καλῶς;

[¶126] Kadmos:
…

> Greek: Κάδμος:
…

[¶127] Agave:
What part did Pentheus have in my folly?

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
Πενθεῖ δὲ τί μέρος ἀφροσύνης προσῆκʼ ἐμῆς;

[¶128] Kadmos:
He, like you, did not revere the god, who therefore joined all in one ruin, both you and this one here, and thus destroyed the house and me,, who am bereft of my male children and see this offspring of your womb, wretched woman, most miserably and shamefully slain. He was the hope of our line—you, child, who supported the house, son of my daughter,
an object of fear to the city; seeing you, no one wished to insult the old man, for you would have given a worthy punishment. But now I, great Kadmos, who sowed and reaped
a most glorious crop, the Theban people, will be banished from the house without honor. Dearest of men—for though you are dead I still count you among my dearest, child—no longer will you embrace me, calling me grandfather, touching my chin with your hand, child, and
saying: “Who wrongs you, old man, who dishonors you? Who vexes and troubles your heart? Tell me, father, so that I can punish the one who does you wrong.” But now I am miserable, while you are wretched, your mother is pitiful, and wretched too are your relatives.

> Greek: Κάδμος:
ὑμῖν ἐγένεθʼ ὅμοιος, οὐ σέβων θεόν.
τοιγὰρ συνῆψε πάντας ἐς μίαν βλάβην,
ὑμᾶς τε τόνδε θʼ, ὥστε διολέσαι δόμους
κἄμʼ, ὅστις ἄτεκνος ἀρσένων παίδων γεγὼς
τῆς σῆς τόδʼ ἔρνος, ὦ τάλαινα, νηδύος
αἴσχιστα καὶ κάκιστα κατθανόνθʼ ὁρῶ,
ᾧ δῶμʼ ἀνέβλεφʼ—ὃς συνεῖχες, ὦ τέκνον,
τοὐμὸν μέλαθρον, παιδὸς ἐξ ἐμῆς γεγώς,
πόλει τε τάρβος ἦσθα· τὸν γέροντα δὲ
οὐδεὶς ὑβρίζειν ἤθελʼ εἰσορῶν τὸ σὸν
κάρα· δίκην γὰρ ἀξίαν ἐλάμβανες.
νῦν δʼ ἐκ δόμων ἄτιμος ἐκβεβλήσομαι
ὁ Κάδμος ὁ μέγας, ὃς τὸ Θηβαίων γένος
ἔσπειρα κἀξήμησα κάλλιστον θέρος.
ὦ φίλτατʼ ἀνδρῶν—καὶ γὰρ οὐκέτʼ ὢν ὅμως
τῶν φιλτάτων ἔμοιγʼ ἀριθμήσῃ, τέκνον—
οὐκέτι γενείου τοῦδε θιγγάνων χερί,
τὸν ⟨μητρὸς⟩ αὐδῶν ⟨πατέρα⟩ προσπτύξῃ, τέκνον,
λέγων· Τίς ἀδικεῖ, τίς σʼ ἀτιμάζει, γέρον;
τίς σὴν ταράσσει καρδίαν λυπηρὸς ὤν;
λέγʼ, ὡς κολάζω τὸν ἀδικοῦντά σʼ, ὦ πάτερ.
νῦν δʼ ἄθλιος μέν εἰμʼ ἐγώ, τλήμων δὲ σύ.
οἰκτρὰ δὲ μήτηρ, τλήμονες δὲ σύγγονοι.

[¶129] If anyone scorns the gods, let him look to the death of this man and acknowledge them.

> Greek: εἰ δʼ ἔστιν ὅστις δαιμόνων ὑπερφρονεῖ,
ἐς τοῦδʼ ἀθρήσας θάνατον ἡγείσθω θεούς.

[¶130] Chorus Leader:
I grieve for you, Kadmos. Your daughter’s child has a punishment deserved indeed, but grievous to you.

> Greek: Χορός:
τὸ μὲν σὸν ἀλγῶ, Κάδμε· σὸς δʼ ἔχει δίκην
παῖς παιδὸς ἀξίαν μέν, ἀλγεινὴν δὲ σοί.

[¶131] Agave:
Father, for you see how much my situation has changed... …
To Kadmos
Dionysus:... changing your form, you will become a dragon, and your wife, Harmonia, Ares’ daughter, whom you though mortal held in marriage, will be turned into a beast, and will receive in exchange the form of a serpent. And as the oracle of Zeus says, you will drive along with your wife a chariot of heifers, ruling over barbarians.

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
ὦ πάτερ, ὁρᾷς γὰρ τἄμʼ ὅσῳ μετεστράφη …
…
Διόνυσος:
δράκων γενήσῃ μεταβαλών, δάμαρ τε σὴ
ἐκθηριωθεῖσʼ ὄφεος ἀλλάξει τύπον,
ἣν Ἄρεος ἔσχες Ἁρμονίαν θνητὸς γεγώς.
ὄχον δὲ μόσχων, χρησμὸς ὡς λέγει Διός,
ἐλᾷς μετʼ ἀλόχου, βαρβάρων ἡγούμενος.

[¶132] You will sack many cities with a force of countless numbers. And when they plunder the oracle of Apollo, they will have a miserable return, but Ares will protect you and Harmonia and will settle your life in the land of the blessed.

> Greek: πολλὰς δὲ πέρσεις ἀναρίθμῳ στρατεύματι
πόλεις· ὅταν δὲ Λοξίου χρηστήριον
διαρπάσωσι, νόστον ἄθλιον πάλιν
σχήσουσι· σὲ δʼ Ἄρης Ἁρμονίαν τε ῥύσεται
μακάρων τʼ ἐς αἶαν σὸν καθιδρύσει βίον.

[¶133] That is what I, Dionysus, born not from a mortal father, but from Zeus, say. And if you had known how to be wise when you did not wish to be, you would have acquired Zeus’ son as an ally, and would now be happy.

> Greek: ταῦτʼ οὐχὶ θνητοῦ πατρὸς ἐκγεγὼς λέγω
Διόνυσος, ἀλλὰ Ζηνός· εἰ δὲ σωφρονεῖν
ἔγνωθʼ, ὅτʼ οὐκ ἠθέλετε, τὸν Διὸς γόνον
εὐδαιμονεῖτʼ ἂν σύμμαχον κεκτημένοι.

[¶134] Kadmos:
Dionysus, we beseech you, we have acted injustly.

> Greek: Κάδμος:
Διόνυσε, λισσόμεσθά σʼ, ἠδικήκαμεν.

[¶135] Dionysus:
You have learned it too late; you did not know it when you should have.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
ὄψʼ ἐμάθεθʼ ἡμᾶς, ὅτε δὲ χρῆν, οὐκ ᾔδετε.

[¶136] Kadmos:
Now we know, but you go too far against us.

> Greek: Κάδμος:
ἐγνώκαμεν ταῦτʼ· ἀλλʼ ἐπεξέρχῃ λίαν.

[¶137] Dionysus:
Yes, for I, a god by birth, was insulted by you.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
καὶ γὰρ πρὸς ὑμῶν θεὸς γεγὼς ὑβριζόμην.

[¶138] Kadmos:
Gods should not resemble mortals in their anger.

> Greek: Κάδμος:
ὀργὰς πρέπει θεοὺς οὐχ ὁμοιοῦσθαι βροτοῖς.

[¶139] Dionysus:
My father Zeus approved this long ago.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
πάλαι τάδε Ζεὺς οὑμὸς ἐπένευσεν πατήρ.

[¶140] Agave:
Alas! A miserable exile has been decreed for us, old man.

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
αἰαῖ, δέδοκται, πρέσβυ, τλήμονες φυγαί.

[¶141] Dionysus:
Why then do you delay what must necessarily be?

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
τί δῆτα μέλλεθʼ ἅπερ ἀναγκαίως ἔχει;

[¶142] Kadmos:
Child, what a terrible disaster we have all come to—unhappy you, your sisters, and unhappy me. I shall reach a foreign land
as an aged immigrant. Still it is foretold that I shall bring into Hellas a motley barbarian army. Leading their spears, I, having the fierce nature of a serpent, will bring my wife Harmonia, daughter of Ares, to the altars and tombs of Hellas.
I will neither rest from my troubles in my misery, nor will I sail over the downward flowing Acheron and be at peace.

> Greek: Κάδμος:
ὦ τέκνον, ὡς ἐς δεινὸν ἤλθομεν κακὸν
⟨πάντες,⟩ σύ θʼ ἡ τάλαινα σύγγονοί τε σαί,
ἐγώ θʼ ὁ τλήμων· βαρβάρους ἀφίξομαι
γέρων μέτοικος· ἔτι δέ μοι τὸ θέσφατον
ἐς Ἑλλάδʼ ἀγαγεῖν μιγάδα βάρβαρον στρατόν.
καὶ τὴν Ἄρεως παῖδʼ Ἁρμονίαν, δάμαρτʼ ἐμήν,
δράκων δρακαίνης ⟨φύσιν⟩ ἔχουσαν ἀγρίαν
ἄξω ʼπὶ βωμοὺς καὶ τάφους Ἑλληνικούς,
ἡγούμενος λόγχαισιν· οὐδὲ παύσομαι
κακῶν ὁ τλήμων, οὐδὲ τὸν καταιβάτην
Ἀχέροντα πλεύσας ἥσυχος γενήσομαι.

[¶143] Agave:
O father, I will go into exile deprived of you.

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
ὦ πάτερ, ἐγὼ δὲ σοῦ στερεῖσα φεύξομαι.

[¶144] Kadmos:
Why do you embrace me with your hands, child,
like a swan for its exhausted gray-haired parent?

> Greek: Κάδμος:
τί μʼ ἀμφιβάλλεις χερσίν, ὦ τάλαινα παῖ,
ὄρνις ὅπως κηφῆνα πολιόχρων κύκνος;

[¶145] Agave:
For where can I turn, banished from my father-land?

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
ποῖ γὰρ τράπωμαι πατρίδος ἐκβεβλημένη;

[¶146] Kadmos:
I do not know, child; your father is a poor ally.

> Greek: Κάδμος:
οὐκ οἶδα, τέκνον· μικρὸς ἐπίκουρος πατήρ.

[¶147] Agave:
Farewell, house, farewell, city of my forefathers. In misfortune I leave you,
a fugitive from my chamber.

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
χαῖρʼ, ὦ μέλαθρον, χαῖρʼ, ὦ πατρία
πόλις· ἐκλείπω σʼ ἐπὶ δυστυχίᾳ
φυγὰς ἐκ θαλάμων.

[¶148] Kadmos:
Go now, child, to the land of Aristaeus... …

> Greek: Κάδμος:
στεῖχέ νυν, ὦ παῖ, τὸν Ἀρισταίου …
…

[¶149] Agave:
I grieve for you, father.

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
στένομαί σε, πάτερ.

[¶150] Kadmos:
And I for you, child, and I weep for your sisters.

> Greek: Κάδμος:
κἀγὼ ⟨σέ⟩, τέκνον,
καὶ σὰς ἐδάκρυσα κασιγνήτας.

[¶151] Agave:
Terribly indeed has
lord Dionysus brought this misery to your home.

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
δεινῶς γὰρ τάνδʼ αἰκείαν
Διόνυσος ἄναξ τοὺς σοὺς εἰς
οἴκους ἔφερεν.

[¶152] Dionysus:
Yes, for I suffered terrible things at your hands, with my name not honored in Thebes.

> Greek: Διόνυσος:
καὶ γὰρ ἔπασχον δεινὰ πρὸς ὑμῶν,
ἀγέραστον ἔχων ὄνομʼ ἐν Θήβαις.

[¶153] Agave:
Farewell, my father.

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
χαῖρε, πάτερ, μοι.

[¶154] Kadmos:
Farewell, unhappy
daughter; and yet you cannot easily fare well.

> Greek: Κάδμος:
χαῖρʼ, ὦ μελέα
θύγατερ. χαλεπῶς ⟨δʼ⟩ ἐς τόδʼ ἂν ἥκοις.

[¶155] Agave:
Lead me, escorts, where I may take my pitiful sisters as companions to my exile. May I go where accursed Kithairon may not see me,
nor I see Kithairon with my eyes, nor where a memorial of a thyrsos has been dedicated; let these concern other Bacchae.

> Greek: Ἀγαύη:
ἄγετʼ, ὦ πομποί, με κασιγνήτας
ἵνα συμφυγάδας ληψόμεθʼ οἰκτράς.
ἔλθοιμι δʼ ὅπου
μήτε Κιθαιρὼν ⟨ἔμʼ ἴδοι⟩ μιαρὸς
μήτε Κιθαιρῶνʼ ὄσσοισιν ἐγώ,
μήθʼ ὅθι θύρσου μνῆμʼ ἀνάκειται·
Βάκχαις δʼ ἄλλαισι μέλοιεν.

[¶156] Chorus:
Many are the forms of divine things, and the gods bring to pass many things unexpectedly;

> Greek: Χορός:
πολλαὶ μορφαὶ τῶν δαιμονίων,
πολλὰ δʼ ἀέλπτως κραίνουσι θεοί·

[¶157] what is expected has not been accomplished, but the god has found out a means for doing things unthought of. So too has this event turned out.

> Greek: καὶ τὰ δοκηθέντʼ οὐκ ἐτελέσθη,
τῶν δʼ ἀδοκήτων πόρον ηὗρε θεός.
τοιόνδʼ ἀπέβη τόδε πρᾶγμα.