Scene: Before Agamemnon’s tent in the Greek camp upon the shore of the Thracian Chersonese. The Ghost of Polydorus appears.Ghost:I have come from out of the charnel-house and gates of gloom, where Hades dwells apart from gods, I Polydorus, a son of Hecuba, the daughter of Cisseus, and of Priam. Now my father, when Phrygia’s capitalwas threatened with destruction by the spear of Hellas, took alarm and conveyed me secretly from the land of Troy to Polymestor’s house, his guest-friend in Thrace, who sows these fruitful plains of Chersonese, curbing by his might a nation delighting in horses.
Πολυδώρου εἴδωλον:Ἥκω νεκρῶν κευθμῶνα καὶ σκότου πύλαςλιπών, ἵνʼ Ἅιδης χωρὶς ᾤκισται θεῶν,Πολύδωρος, Ἑκάβης παῖς γεγὼς τῆς ΚισσέωςΠριάμου τε πατρός, ὅς μʼ, ἐπεὶ Φρυγῶν πόλινκίνδυνος ἔσχε δορὶ πεσεῖν Ἑλληνικῷ,δείσας ὑπεξέπεμψε Τρωικῆς χθονὸςΠολυμήστορος πρὸς δῶμα Θρῃκίου ξένου,ὃς τήν⟨δʼ⟩ ἀρίστην Χερσονησίαν πλάκασπείρει, φίλιππον λαὸν εὐθύνων δορί.
And with me my father sent much gold by stealth, so that, if ever Ilium’s walls should fall, his children that survived might not want for means to live. I was the youngest of Priam’s sons; and this it was that caused my secret removal from the land; for my childish arm was not ableto carry weapons or to wield the spear. So long then as the bulwarks of our land stood firm, and Troy’s battlements abode unshaken, and my brother Hector prospered in his warring, I, poor child, grew up and flourished, like some vigorous shoot,at the court of the Thracian, my father’s guest-friend. But when Troy fell and Hector lost his life and my father’s hearth was rooted up, and he himself fell butchered at the god-built altar by the hands of Achilles’ murderous son;then my father’s friend killed me, his helpless guest, for the sake of the gold, and then cast me into the swell of the sea, to keep the gold for himself in his house. And there I lie, at one time upon the strand, at another in the salt sea’s surge, drifting ever up and down upon the billows,unwept, unburied; but now I am hovering over the head of my dear mother Hecuba, a disembodied spirit, keeping my airy station these three days, ever since my poor mother came from Troy to linger here in the Chersonese.
πολὺν δὲ σὺν ἐμοὶ χρυσὸν ἐκπέμπει λάθρᾳπατήρ, ἵνʼ, εἴ ποτʼ Ἰλίου τείχη πέσοι,τοῖς ζῶσιν εἴη παισὶ μὴ σπάνις βίου.νεώτατος δʼ ἦ Πριαμιδῶν, ὃ καί με γῆςὑπεξέπεμψεν· οὔτε γὰρ φέρειν ὅπλαοὔτʼ ἔγχος οἷός τʼ ἦ νέῳ βραχίονι.ἕως μὲν οὖν γῆς ὄρθʼ ἔκειθʼ ὁρίσματαπύργοι τʼ ἄθραυστοι Τρωικῆς ἦσαν χθονὸςἝκτωρ τʼ ἀδελφὸς οὑμὸς εὐτύχει δορί,καλῶς παρʼ ἀνδρὶ Θρῃκὶ πατρῴῳ ξένῳτροφαῖσιν ὥς τις πτόρθος ηὐξόμην, τάλας·ἐπεὶ δὲ Τροία θʼ Ἕκτορός τʼ ἀπόλλυταιψυχή, πατρῴα θʼ ἑστία κατεσκάφη,αὐτὸς δὲ βωμῷ πρὸς θεοδμήτῳ πίτνεισφαγεὶς Ἀχιλλέως παιδὸς ἐκ μιαιφόνου,κτείνει με χρυσοῦ τὸν ταλαίπωρον χάρινξένος πατρῷος καὶ κτανὼν ἐς οἶδμʼ ἁλὸςμεθῆχʼ, ἵνʼ αὐτὸς χρυσὸν ἐν δόμοις ἔχῃ.κεῖμαι δʼ ἐπʼ ἀκταῖς, ἄλλοτʼ ἐν πόντου σάλῳ,πολλοῖς διαύλοις κυμάτων φορούμενος,ἄκλαυτος ἄταφος· νῦν δʼ ὑπὲρ μητρὸς φίληςἙκάβης ἀίσσω, σῶμʼ ἐρημώσας ἐμόν,τριταῖον ἤδη φέγγος αἰωρούμενος,ὅσονπερ ἐν γῇ τῇδε Χερσονησίᾳμήτηρ ἐμὴ δύστηνος ἐκ Τροίας πάρα.
Meanwhile all the Achaeans sit idly here in their ships at the shores of Thrace; for the son of Peleus, Achilles, appeared above his tomb and stopped the whole army of Hellas, as they were making straight for home across the sea,demanding to have my sister Polyxena offered at his tomb, and to receive his reward. And he will obtain this prize, nor will they that are his friends refuse the gift; and on this very day fate is leading my sister to her doom.
πάντες δʼ Ἀχαιοὶ ναῦς ἔχοντες ἥσυχοιθάσσουσʼ ἐπʼ ἀκταῖς τῆσδε Θρῃκίας χθονός·ὁ Πηλέως γὰρ παῖς ὑπὲρ τύμβου φανεὶςκατέσχʼ Ἀχιλλεὺς πᾶν στράτευμʼ Ἑλληνικόν,πρὸς οἶκον εὐθύνοντας ἐναλίαν πλάτην·αἰτεῖ δʼ ἀδελφὴν τὴν ἐμὴν Πολυξένηντύμβῳ φίλον πρόσφαγμα καὶ γέρας λαβεῖν.καὶ τεύξεται τοῦδʼ, οὐδʼ ἀδώρητος φίλωνἔσται πρὸς ἀνδρῶν· ἡ πεπρωμένη δʼ ἄγειθανεῖν ἀδελφὴν τῷδʼ ἐμὴν ἐν ἤματι.
So will my mother see two children dead at once, me and that ill-fated maid. For I, to win a grave, ah me! will appear among the rippling waves before her servant-maid’s feet. Yes! I have begged this from the powers below,to find a tomb and fall into my mother’s hands. So shall I have my heart’s desire; but now I will get out of the way of aged Hecuba, for here she passes on her way from the shelter of Agamemnon’s tent, terrified at my spectre.
δυοῖν δὲ παίδοιν δύο νεκρὼ κατόψεταιμήτηρ, ἐμοῦ τε τῆς τε δυστήνου κόρης.φανήσομαι γάρ, ὡς τάφου τλήμων τύχω,δούλης ποδῶν πάροιθεν ἐν κλυδωνίῳ.τοὺς γὰρ κάτω σθένοντας ἐξῃτησάμηντύμβου κυρῆσαι κἀς χέρας μητρὸς πεσεῖν.τοὐμὸν μὲν οὖν ὅσονπερ ἤθελον τυχεῖνἔσται· γεραιᾷ δʼ ἐκποδὼν χωρήσομαιἙκάβῃ· περᾷ γὰρ ἥδʼ ὑπὸ σκηνῆς πόδαἈγαμέμνονος, φάντασμα δειμαίνουσʼ ἐμόν.φεῦ·
Alas! O mother, from a palace to face a life of slavery, how sad your lot, as sad as once it was blessed! Some god is now destroying you, setting this in the balance to outweigh your former bliss.The Ghost vanishes. Hecuba enters from the tent of Agamemnon, supported by her attendants, captive Trojan women.
ὦ μῆτερ ἥτις ἐκ τυραννικῶν δόμωνδούλειον ἦμαρ εἶδες, ὡς πράσσεις κακῶςὅσονπερ εὖ ποτʼ· ἀντισηκώσας δέ σεφθείρει θεῶν τις τῆς πάροιθʼ εὐπραξίας.
Hecuba:Guide these aged steps, my servants, forth before the house;guide and support your fellow-slave, once your queen, you maids of Troy. Grasp my aged hand, take me, support me, guide me, lift me up;
Ἑκάβη:ἄγετʼ, ὦ παῖδες, τὴν γραῦν πρὸ δόμων,ἄγετʼ ὀρθοῦσαι τὴν ὁμόδουλον,Τρῳάδες, ὑμῖν, πρόσθε δʼ ἄνασσαν·λάβετε φέρετε πέμπετʼ ἀείρετέ μουγεραιᾶς χειρὸς προσλαζύμεναι·
and I will lean upon your bent arm as on a staff and quicken my halting footsteps onwards. O dazzling light of Zeus! O gloom of night! why am I thus scared byfearful visions of the night? O lady Earth, mother of dreams that fly on sable wings! I am seeking to avert the vision of the night, the sight of horror which I learned from my dreamsabout my son, who is safe in Thrace, and Polyxena, my dear daughter. You gods of this land! preserve my son,the last and only anchor of my house, now settled in Thrace, the land of snow, safe in the keeping of his father’s friend. Some fresh disaster is in store, a new strain of sorrow will be added to our woe.
κἀγὼ σκολιῷ σκίπωνι χερὸςδιερειδομένα σπεύσω βραδύπουνἤλυσιν ἄρθρων προτιθεῖσα.ὦ στεροπὰ Διός, ὦ σκοτία νύξ,τί ποτʼ αἴρομαι ἔννυχος οὕτωδείμασι, φάσμασιν; ὦ πότνια Χθών,μελανοπτερύγων μῆτερ ὀνείρων,ἀποπέμπομαι ἔννυχον ὄψιν,ἣν περὶ παιδὸς ἐμοῦ τοῦ σῳζομένου κατὰ Θρῄκηνἀμφὶ Πολυξείνης τε φίλης θυγατρὸς διʼ ὀνείρων[εἶδον γὰρ] φοβερὰν [ὄψιν ἔμαθον] ἐδάην.ὦ χθόνιοι θεοί, σώσατε παῖδʼ ἐμόν,ὃς μόνος οἴκων ἄγκυρʼ ἔτʼ ἐμῶντὴν χιονώδη Θρῄκην κατέχειξείνου πατρίου φυλακαῖσιν.ἔσται τι νέον·ἥξει τι μέλος γοερὸν γοεραῖς.
Such ceaseless thrills of terror never wrung my heart before. Oh! where, you Trojan maidens, can I find inspired Helenus or Cassandra, that they may read me my dream?
οὔποτʼ ἐμὰ φρὴν ὧδʼ ἀλίαστοςφρίσσει, ταρβεῖ.ποῦ ποτε θείαν Ἑλένου ψυχὰνκαὶ Κασάνδραν ἐσίδω, Τρῳάδες,ὥς μοι κρίνωσιν ὀνείρους;
For I saw a dappled deer mangled by a wolf’s bloody fangs, torn from my knees by force, piteously. And this too filled me with fear; over the summit of his tomb appeared Achilles’ phantom, and for his prizehe would have one of the luckless maids of Troy. Therefore, I implore you, divine powers, avert this horror from my daughter, from my child.The Chorus of captive Trojan women enters.
εἶδον γὰρ βαλιὰν ἔλαφον λύκου αἵμονι χαλᾷσφαζομέναν, ἀπʼ ἐμῶν γονάτων σπασθεῖσαν ἀνοίκτως.καὶ τόδε δεῖμά μοι· ἦλθʼ ὑπὲρ ἄκραςτύμβου κορυφᾶςφάντασμʼ Ἀχιλέως· ᾔτει δὲ γέραςτῶν πολυμόχθων τινὰ Τρωιάδων.ἀπʼ ἐμᾶς ἀπʼ ἐμᾶς οὖν τόδε παιδὸςπέμψατε, δαίμονες, ἱκετεύω.
Chorus:Hecuba, I have hastened away to you, leaving my master’s tent,where the lot assigned [and appointed] me as his slave, when I was driven from the city of Ilium, hunted by Achaeans at the point of the spear; no alleviation do I bring for your sufferings;no, I have laden myself with heavy news, and am a herald of sorrow to you, lady. It is said the Achaeans have determined in full assembly to offer your daughter in sacrifice to Achilles; for you know how one day he appearedstanding on his tomb in golden armor, and stayed the sea-borne ships, though they had their sails already hoisted, with this pealing cry: “Where away so fast, you Danaids, leaving my tomb”“without its prize?” A violent dispute with stormy altercation arose, and opinion was divided in the warrior army of Hellas, some being in favor of offering the sacrifice at the tomb, others dissenting.
Χορός:Ἑκάβη, σπουδῇ πρός σʼ ἐλιάσθηντὰς δεσποσύνους σκηνὰς προλιποῦσʼ,ἵνʼ ἐκληρώθην [καὶ προσετάχθην]δούλη, πόλεως ἀπελαυνομένητῆς Ἰλιάδος, λόγχης αἰχμῇδοριθήρατος πρὸς Ἀχαιῶν,οὐδὲν παθέων ἀποκουφίζουσʼ,ἀλλʼ ἀγγελίας βάρος ἀραμένημέγα σοί τε, γύναι, κῆρυξ ἀχέων.ἐν γὰρ Ἀχαιῶν πλήρει ξυνόδῳλέγεται δόξαι σὴν παῖδʼ Ἀχιλεῖσφάγιον θέσθαι· τύμβου δʼ ἐπιβὰςοἶσθʼ ὅτε χρυσέοις ἐφάνη σὺν ὅπλοις,τὰς ποντοπόρους δʼ ἔσχε σχεδίαςλαίφη προτόνοις ἐπερειδομένας,τάδε θωΰσσων·Ποῖ δή, Δαναοί, τὸν ἐμὸν τύμβονστέλλεσθʼ ἀγέραστον ἀφέντες;πολλῆς δʼ ἔριδος συνέπαισε κλύδων,δόξα δʼ ἐχώρει δίχʼ ἀνʼ Ἑλλήνωνστρατὸν αἰχμητήν, τοῖς μὲν διδόναιτύμβῳ σφάγιον, τοῖς δʼ οὐχὶ δοκοῦν.
There was Agamemnon, all eagerness in your interest, because of his love for the frenzied prophetess; but the two sons of Theseus, scions of Athens, though supporting different proposals, yet agreed on the same decision, which was to crown Achilles’ tomb with fresh blood;
ἦν δʼ ὁ τὸ μὲν σὸν σπεύδων ἀγαθὸντῆς μαντιπόλου Βάκχης ἀνέχωνλέκτρʼ Ἀγαμέμνων·τὼ Θησείδα δʼ, ὄζω Ἀθηνῶν,δισσῶν μύθων ῥήτορες ἦσαν·
for they said they never would set Cassandra’s bed before Achilles’ valor.Now the zeal of the rival disputants was almost equal, until that shifty, smooth-mouthed liar, the son of Laertes, whose tongue is always at the service of the mob, persuaded the army not to put aside the best of all the Danaidsfor want of a servant-maid’s sacrifice, nor have it said by any of the dead that stand beside Persephone that the Danaids have left the plains of Troy without gratitudefor their companions who died for Hellas. Odysseus will be here in an instant, to drag the tender maiden from your breast and tear her from your aged arms. Go to the temples, go to the altars,at Agamemnon’s knees sit as a suppliant! Invoke the gods, both those in heaven and those beneath the earth. For either your prayers will avail to spare you the loss of your unhappy child,or you must see your daughter fall before the tomb, her crimson blood spurting in deep dark jets from her neck encircled with gold.
γνώμῃ δὲ μιᾷ συνεχωρείτην,τὸν Ἀχίλλειον τύμβον στεφανοῦναἵματι χλωρῷ, τὰ δὲ Κασάνδραςλέκτρʼ οὐκ ἐφάτην τῆς Ἀχιλείαςπρόσθεν θήσειν ποτὲ λόγχης.σπουδαὶ δὲ λόγων κατατεινομένωνἦσαν ἴσαι πως, πρὶν ὁ ποικιλόφρωνκόπις ἡδυλόγος δημοχαριστὴςΛαερτιάδης πείθει στρατιὰνμὴ τὸν ἄριστον Δαναῶν πάντωνδούλων σφαγίων εἵνεκʼ ἀπωθεῖν,μηδέ τινʼ εἰπεῖν παρὰ Φερσεφόνῃστάντα φθιμένωνὡς ἀχάριστοι Δαναοὶ Δαναοῖςτοῖς οἰχομένοις ὑπὲρ ἙλλήνωνΤροίας πεδίων ἀπέβησαν.ἥξει δʼ Ὀδυσεὺς ὅσον οὐκ ἤδη,πῶλον ἀφέλξων σῶν ἀπὸ μαστῶνἔκ τε γεραιᾶς χερὸς ὁρμήσων.ἀλλʼ ἴθι ναούς, ἴθι πρὸς βωμούς,ἵζʼ Ἀγαμέμνονος ἱκέτις γονάτων,κήρυσσε θεοὺς τούς τʼ οὐρανίδαςτούς θʼ ὑπὸ γαῖαν.ἢ γάρ σε λιταὶ διακωλύσουσʼὀρφανὸν εἶναι παιδὸς μελέας,ἢ δεῖ σʼ ἐπιδεῖν τύμβου προπετῆφοινισσομένην αἵματι παρθένονἐκ χρυσοφόρουδειρῆς νασμῷ μελαναυγεῖ.
Hecuba:Woe, woe is me! What words,or cries, or lamentations can I utter? Ah me! for the sorrows of my closing years! for slavery too cruel to endure, to bear! Woe, woe is me! What champion do I have? Family,and city—where are they? Aged Priam is no more; no more my children now. Which way am I to go, either this or that? Where shall I turn my steps? Where is any god or divine power to come to my aid?
Ἑκάβη:οἲ ἐγὼ μελέα, τί ποτʼ ἀπύσω;ποίαν ἀχώ, ποῖον ὀδυρμόν,δειλαία δειλαίου γήρως,δουλείας [τᾶς] οὐ τλατᾶς,[τᾶς] οὐ φερτᾶς; οἴμοι.τίς ἀμύνει μοι; ποία γέννα,ποία δὲ πόλις; φροῦδος πρέσβυς,φροῦδοι παῖδες.ποίαν ἢ ταύταν ἢ κείνανστείχω; ποῖ δʼ ἥσω; ποῦ τις θεῶνἢ δαιμόνων ἐπαρωγός;
Ah, Trojan maids! bringers of evil tidings! Messengers of woe! you have made an end, an utter end of me; life on earth has no more charm for me. Oh! luckless steps, lead on,guide your aged mistress here to the tent. My child, daughter of a most wretched woman, come forth; listen to your mother’s voice.
ὦ κάκʼ ἐνεγκοῦσαι,Τρῳάδες ὦ κάκʼ ἐνεγκοῦσαιπήματʼ, ἀπωλέσατʼ ὠλέσατʼ· οὐκέτι μοι βίοςἀγαστὸς ἐν φάει.ὦ τλάμων ἅγησαί μοι πούς,ἅγησαι τᾷ γηραιᾷπρὸς τάνδʼ αὐλάν· ὦ τέκνον, ὦ παῖ,δυστανοτάτας [ματέρος] — ἔξελθʼ ἔξελθʼοἴκων — ἄιε ματέρος αὐδάν.
[so that you may know the hideous rumor I now hear about your life, my child.]Polyxena enters from the tent.
[ὦ τέκνον ὡς εἰδῇς οἵαν οἵαν][ἀίω φάμαν περὶ σᾶς ψυχᾶς.]
Polyxena:Oh! mother, mother, why do you call so loud? what news is it you have proclaimed, scaring me, like a cowering bird, from my chamber by this alarm?
Πολυξένη:ἰώ·μᾶτερ μᾶτερ τί βοᾷς; τί νέονκαρύξασʼ οἴκων μʼ ὥστʼ ὄρνινθάμβει τῷδʼ ἐξέπταξας;
Hecuba:Alas, my daughter!
Ἑκάβη:οἴμοι τέκνον.
Polyxena:Why this ominous address? it means sorrow for me.
Πολυξένη:τί με δυσφημεῖς; φροίμιά μοι κακά.
Hecuba:Woe for your life!
Ἑκάβη:αἰαῖ σᾶς ψυχᾶς.
Polyxena:Tell it, hide it no longer. Ah mother! how I dread, I dreadthe import of your loud laments.
Πολυξένη:ἐξαύδα· μὴ κρύψῃς δαρόν.δειμαίνω δειμαίνω, μᾶτερ,τί ποτʼ ἀναστένεις …
Hecuba:Ah my daughter! a luckless mother’s child!
Ἑκάβη:[ὦ] τέκνον τέκνον μελέας ματρὸς …
Polyxena:Why do you tell me this?
Πολυξένη:τί ⟨δὲ⟩ τόδʼ ἀγγελεῖς;
Hecuba:The Argives with one consent are eager for your sacrifice to the son of Peleusat his tomb.
Ἑκάβη:σφάξαι σʼ Ἀργείων κοινὰσυντείνει πρὸς τύμβον γνώμαΠηλείᾳ γέννᾳ.
Polyxena:Ah! my mother! how can you speak of such a dire mischance? Tell me all, mother, yes all!
Πολυξένη:οἴμοι μᾶτερ, πῶς φθέγγῃἀμέγαρτα κακῶν; μάνυσόν μοι,μάνυσον, μᾶτερ.
Hecuba:It is an ill-boding rumor I tell, my child;
Ἑκάβη:αὐδῶ, παῖ, δυσφήμους φήμας·
they bring me word that sentence is passed upon your life by the Argives’ vote.
ἀγγέλλουσʼ Ἀργείων δόξαιψήφῳ τᾶς σᾶς περί μοι ψυχᾶς.
Polyxena:Alas, for your cruel sufferings, my persecuted mother! woe for your life of grief! What grievous outragehas some fiend sent on you, hateful, horrible? No more shall I your daughter share your bondage, hapless youth on hapless age attending.
Πολυξένη:ὦ δεινὰ παθοῦσʼ, ὦ παντλάμων,ὦ δυστάνου μᾶτερ βιοτᾶςοἵαν οἵαν αὖ σοι λώβανἐχθίσταν ἀρρήταν τʼὦρσέν τις δαίμων;οὐκέτι σοι παῖς ἅδʼ οὐκέτι δὴγήρᾳ δειλαίῳ δειλαίασυνδουλεύσω.
For you, alas! will see me, your hapless child, torn from your arms like a calf of the hills, and sent beneath the darkness of the earth with severed throat for Hades, where with the deadshall I be laid, ah me! For your unhappiness I weep with plaintive wail, mother; but for my own life, its ruin and its outrage, never a tear I shed; no, death has become to mea happier lot than life.
σκύμνον γάρ μʼ ὥστʼ οὐριθρέπτανμόσχον δειλαία δειλαίαν… ἐσόψῃ,χειρὸς ἀναρπαστὰνσᾶς ἄπο λαιμότομόν τʼ Ἀίδᾳγᾶς ὑποπεμπομέναν σκότον, ἔνθα νεκρῶν μέτατάλαινα κείσομαι.καὶ σοῦ μέν, μᾶτερ, δυστάνουκλαίω πανδύρτοις θρήνοις,τὸν ἐμὸν δὲ βίον λώβαν λύμαν τʼοὐ μετακλαίομαι, ἀλλὰ θανεῖν μοιξυντυχία κρείσσων ἐκύρησεν.
Chorus Leader:See where Odysseus comes in haste, to announce some fresh command to you, Hecuba.Odysseus enters with his attendants.
Χορός:καὶ μὴν Ὀδυσσεὺς ἔρχεται σπουδῇ ποδός,Ἑκάβη, νέον τι πρὸς σὲ σημανῶν ἔπος.
Odysseus:Lady, I think you know already the intention of the army, and the vote that has been passed; still I will declare it.
Ὀδυσσεύς:γύναι, δοκῶ μέν σʼ εἰδέναι γνώμην στρατοῦψῆφόν τε τὴν κρανθεῖσαν· ἀλλʼ ὅμως φράσω.
It is the Achaeans’ will to sacrifice your daughter Polyxena at the mound heaped over Achilles’ grave; and they appoint me to take the maid and bring her there, while the son of Achilles is chosen to preside over the sacrifice and act as priest.
ἔδοξʼ Ἀχαιοῖς παῖδα σὴν Πολυξένηνσφάξαι πρὸς ὀρθὸν χῶμʼ Ἀχιλλείου τάφου.ἡμᾶς δὲ πομποὺς καὶ κομιστῆρας κόρηςτάσσουσιν εἶναι· θύματος δʼ ἐπιστάτηςἱερεύς τʼ ἐπέσται τοῦδε παῖς Ἀχιλλέως.
Do you know then what to do? Do not be forcibly torn from her, nor match your might against mine; recognize the limits of your strength, and the presence of your troubles. Even in adversity it is wise to yield to reason’s dictates.
οἶσθʼ οὖν ὃ δρᾶσον; μήτʼ ἀποσπασθῇς βίᾳμήτʼ ἐς χερῶν ἅμιλλαν ἐξέλθῃς ἐμοί·γίγνωσκε δʼ ἀλκὴν καὶ παρουσίαν κακῶντῶν σῶν. σοφόν τοι κἀν κακοῖς ἃ δεῖ φρονεῖν.
Hecuba:Alas! a dreadful trial is near, it seems,full of mourning, rich in tears. Yes, I too escaped death where death had been my due, and Zeus did not destroy me but is still preserving my life, that I may witness in my misery fresh sorrows surpassing all before. But if the bond may ask the freeof things that do not grieve them or wrench their heart-strings, you ought to speak in answer to my questions and I ought to hear what you have to say.
Ἑκάβη:αἰαῖ· παρέστηχʼ, ὡς ἔοικʼ, ἀγὼν μέγας,πλήρης στεναγμῶν οὐδὲ δακρύων κενός.κἄγωγʼ ἄρʼ οὐκ ἔθνῃσκον οὗ μʼ ἐχρῆν θανεῖν,οὐδʼ ὤλεσέν με Ζεύς, τρέφει δʼ, ὅπως ὁρῶκακῶν κάκʼ ἄλλα μείζονʼ ἡ τάλαινʼ ἐγώ.εἰ δʼ ἔστι τοῖς δούλοισι τοὺς ἐλευθέρουςμὴ λυπρὰ μηδὲ καρδίας δηκτήριαἐξιστορῆσαι, σοὶ μὲν εἰρῆσθαι χρεών,ἡμᾶς δʼ ἀκοῦσαι τοὺς ἐρωτῶντας τάδε.
Odysseus:Granted; put your questions; I do not grudge you that delay.
Ὀδυσσεύς:ἔξεστʼ, ἐρώτα· τοῦ χρόνου γὰρ οὐ φθονῶ.
Hecuba:Do you know when you came to spy on Ilium,disguised in rags and tatters, while down your cheek ran drops of blood?
Ἑκάβη:οἶσθʼ ἡνίκʼ ἦλθες Ἰλίου κατάσκοπος,δυσχλαινίᾳ τʼ ἄμορφος, ὀμμάτων τʼ ἄποφόνου σταλαγμοὶ σὴν κατέσταζον γένυν;
Odysseus:I do; for it was no slight impression it made upon my heart.
Ὀδυσσεύς:οἶδʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἄκρας καρδίας ἔψαυσέ μου.
Hecuba:Did Helen recognize you and tell me only?
Ἑκάβη:ἔγνω δέ σʼ Ἑλένη καὶ μόνῃ κατεῖπʼ ἐμοί;
Odysseus:I well remember the great risk I ran.
Ὀδυσσεύς:μεμνήμεθʼ ἐς κίνδυνον ἐλθόντες μέγαν.
Hecuba:Did you embrace my knees in all humility?
Ἑκάβη:ἥψω δὲ γονάτων τῶν ἐμῶν ταπεινὸς ὤν;
Odysseus:Yes, so that my hand grew dead and cold upon your robe.
Ὀδυσσεύς:ὥστʼ ἐνθανεῖν γε σοῖς πέπλοισι χεῖρʼ ἐμήν.
Hecuba:Was it I that saved and sent you forth again?
Ἑκάβη:ἔσωσα δῆτά σʼ ἐξέπεμψά τε χθονός;
Odysseus:You did, and so I still behold the light of day.
Ὀδυσσεύς:ὥστʼ εἰσορᾶν γε φέγγος ἡλίου τόδε.
Hecuba:What did you say then, when in my power?
Ἑκάβη:τί δῆτʼ ἔλεξας δοῦλος ὢν ἐμὸς τότε;
Odysseus:Doubtless I found plenty to say, to save my life.
Ὀδυσσεύς:πολλῶν λόγων εὑρήμαθʼ, ὥστε μὴ θανεῖν.
Hecuba:Are not you then playing a sorry part to plot against me thus, after the kind treatment you by your own confession received from me, showing me no gratitude but all the ill you can? A thankless race! all you who covet honor from the mobfor your oratory. Oh that you were unknown to me! you who harm your friends and think no more of it, if you can say a word to win the mob. But tell me, what kind of cleverness did they think it, when against this child they passed their bloody vote?
Ἑκάβη:οὔκουν κακύνῃ τοῖσδε τοῖς βουλεύμασιν,ὃς ἐξ ἐμοῦ μὲν ἔπαθες οἷα φῂς παθεῖν,δρᾷς δʼ οὐδὲν ἡμᾶς εὖ, κακῶς δʼ ὅσον δύνῃ;ἀχάριστον ὑμῶν σπέρμʼ, ὅσοι δημηγόρουςζηλοῦτε τιμάς· μηδὲ γιγνώσκοισθέ μοι,οἳ τοὺς φίλους βλάπτοντες οὐ φροντίζετε,ἢν τοῖσι πολλοῖς πρὸς χάριν λέγητέ τι.ἀτὰρ τί δὴ σόφισμα τοῦθʼ ἡγούμενοιἐς τήνδε παῖδα ψῆφον ὥρισαν φόνου;
Was it duty that led them to slay a human victim at the tomb, where sacrifice of oxen is more fitting? or does Achilles, if claiming the lives of those who slew him as his recompense, show his justice by marking her out for death? No! she at least never injured him.
πότερα τὸ χρῆν σφʼ ἐπήγαγʼ ἀνθρωποσφαγεῖνπρὸς τύμβον, ἔνθα βουθυτεῖν μᾶλλον πρέπει;ἢ τοὺς κτανόντας ἀνταποκτεῖναι θέλωνἐς τήνδʼ Ἀχιλλεὺς ἐνδίκως τείνει φόνον;ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν αὐτὸν ἥδε γʼ εἴργασται κακόν.
He should have demanded Helen as a victim at his tomb, for she it was that proved his ruin, bringing him to Troy; or if some captive of surpassing beauty was to be singled out for death, this did not point to us; for the daughter of Tyndareus was fairest of all,and her injury to him was proved no less than ours. Against the justice of his plea I pit this argument. Now hear the recompense due from you to me at my request. On your own confession, you fell at my feet and embraced my hand and aged cheek;
Ἑλένην νιν αἰτεῖν χρῆν τάφῳ προσφάγματα·κείνη γὰρ ὤλεσέν νιν ἐς Τροίαν τʼ ἄγει.εἰ δʼ αἰχμαλώτων χρή τινʼ ἔκκριτον θανεῖνκάλλει θʼ ὑπερφέρουσαν, οὐχ ἡμῶν τόδε·ἡ Τυνδαρὶς γὰρ εἶδος ἐκπρεπεστάτη,ἀδικοῦσά θʼ ἡμῶν οὐδὲν ἧσσον ηὑρέθη.τῷ μὲν δικαίῳ τόνδʼ ἁμιλλῶμαι λόγον·ἃ δʼ ἀντιδοῦναι δεῖ σʼ ἀπαιτούσης ἐμοῦ,ἄκουσον. ἥψω τῆς ἐμῆς, ὡς φῄς, χερὸςκαὶ τῆσδε γραίας προσπίτνων παρηίδος·
I in my turn now do the same to you, and claim the favor then bestowed; and I implore you, do not tear my child from my arms or slay her; there are dead enough. In her I take delight and forget my sorrows;
ἀνθάπτομαί σου τῶνδε τῶν αὐτῶν ἐγὼχάριν τʼ ἀπαιτῶ τὴν τόθʼ ἱκετεύω τέ σε,μή μου τὸ τέκνον ἐκ χερῶν ἀποσπάσῃς,μηδὲ κτάνητε· τῶν τεθνηκότων ἅλις.ταύτῃ γέγηθα κἀπιλήθομαι κακῶν·
she is my comfort in place of many a loss, my city and my nurse, my staff and journey’s guide. It is not right that those in power should use it out of season, or, when prosperous, suppose they will be always so. For I also was prosperous once, but now my life is lived,and one day robbed me of all my bliss. Friend, by your beard, have some regard and pity for me; go to Achaea’s army, and talk them over, saying how hateful a thing it is to slay women whom at first you spared out of pity,after dragging them from the altars. For among you the same law holds good for slave and free alike respecting bloodshed; such a reputation as yours will persuade them even though its words are weak; for the same argument, when proceeding from those of no account,has not the same force as when it is uttered by men of mark.
ἥδʼ ἀντὶ πολλῶν ἐστί μοι παραψυχή,πόλις, τιθήνη, βάκτρον, ἡγεμὼν ὁδοῦ.οὐ τοὺς κρατοῦντας χρὴ κρατεῖν ἃ μὴ χρεών,οὐδʼ εὐτυχοῦντας εὖ δοκεῖν πράξειν ἀεί·κἀγὼ γὰρ ἦ ποτʼ, ἀλλὰ νῦν οὐκ εἴμʼ ἔτι,τὸν πάντα δʼ ὄλβον ἦμαρ ἕν μʼ ἀφείλετο.ἀλλʼ, ὦ φίλον γένειον, αἰδέσθητί με,οἴκτιρον· ἐλθὼν δʼ εἰς Ἀχαιικὸν στρατὸνπαρηγόρησον, ὡς ἀποκτείνειν φθόνοςγυναῖκας, ἃς τὸ πρῶτον οὐκ ἐκτείνατεβωμῶν ἀποσπάσαντες, ἀλλʼ ᾠκτίρατε.νόμος δʼ ἐν ὑμῖν τοῖς τʼ ἐλευθέροις ἴσοςκαὶ τοῖσι δούλοις αἵματος κεῖται πέρι.τὸ δʼ ἀξίωμα, κἂν κακῶς λέγῃ, τὸ σὸνπείσει· λόγος γὰρ ἔκ τʼ ἀδοξούντων ἰὼνκἀκ τῶν δοκούντων αὑτὸς οὐ ταὐτὸν σθένει.
Chorus Leader:Human nature is not so stony-hearted as to hear your plaintive tale and catalogue of sorrows, without shedding a tear.
Χορός:οὐκ ἔστιν οὕτω στερρὸς ἀνθρώπου φύσις,ἥτις γόων σῶν καὶ μακρῶν ὀδυρμάτωνκλύουσα θρήνους οὐκ ἂν ἐκβάλοι δάκρυ.
Odysseus:O Hecuba, be schooled by me, and do not in your angry moodcount him a foe who speaks wisely. Your life I am prepared to save, for the service I received; I do not say otherwise. But what I said to all, I will not now deny, that after Troy’s capture I would give your daughter to the chief man of our armybecause he asked a victim. For here is a source of weakness to many states, whenever a man of brave and generous soul receives no greater honor than his inferiors. Now Achilles, lady, deserves honor at our hands,since on behalf of Hellas the man died most nobly. Is not this a foul reproach to treat him as a friend in life, but, when he is gone from us, to treat him so no more? Enough! what will they say, if once more there comes a gathering of the army and a contest with the foe?
Ὀδυσσεύς:Ἑκάβη, διδάσκου, μηδὲ τῷ θυμουμένῳτὸν εὖ λέγοντα δυσμενῆ ποιοῦ φρενός.ἐγὼ τὸ μὲν σὸν σῶμʼ ὑφʼ οὗπερ εὐτύχουνσῴζειν ἕτοιμός εἰμι κοὐκ ἄλλως λέγω·ἃ δʼ εἶπον εἰς ἅπαντας οὐκ ἀρνήσομαι,Τροίας ἁλούσης ἀνδρὶ τῷ πρώτῳ στρατοῦσὴν παῖδα δοῦναι σφάγιον ἐξαιτουμένῳ.ἐν τῷδε γὰρ κάμνουσιν αἱ πολλαὶ πόλεις,ὅταν τις ἐσθλὸς καὶ πρόθυμος ὢν ἀνὴρμηδὲν φέρηται τῶν κακιόνων πλέον.ἡμῖν δʼ Ἀχιλλεὺς ἄξιος τιμῆς, γύναι,θανὼν ὑπὲρ γῆς Ἑλλάδος κάλλιστʼ ἀνήρ.οὔκουν τόδʼ αἰσχρόν, εἰ βλέποντι μὲν φίλῳχρώμεσθʼ, ἐπεὶ δʼ ὄλωλε, μὴ χρώμεσθʼ ἔτι;εἶεν· τί δῆτʼ ἐρεῖ τις, ἤν τις αὖ φανῇστρατοῦ τʼ ἄθροισις πολεμίων τʼ ἀγωνία;
“Shall we fight or nurse our lives, seeing the dead have no honors?” For myself, indeed, when alive, if my daily store were scant, yet it would be all-sufficient, but my tomb I should wishto be an object of respect, for this gratitude has long to run. You speak of cruel sufferings; hear my answer. Among us are grey old women and men no less miserable than you, and brides bereft of gallant husbands,over whom this Trojan dust has closed. Endure these sorrows; for us, if we are wrong in resolving to honor the brave, we shall bring upon ourselves a charge of ignorance; but as for you barbarians, do not regard your friends as such and pay no homage to your gallant dead,so that Hellas may prosper and you may reap the fruits of such policy.
πότερα μαχούμεθʼ ἢ φιλοψυχήσομεν,τὸν κατθανόνθʼ ὁρῶντες οὐ τιμώμενον;καὶ μὴν ἔμοιγε ζῶντι μέν, καθʼ ἡμέρανκεἰ σμίκρʼ ἔχοιμι, πάντʼ ἂν ἀρκούντως ἔχοι·τύμβον δὲ βουλοίμην ἂν ἀξιούμενοντὸν ἐμὸν ὁρᾶσθαι· διὰ μακροῦ γὰρ ἡ χάρις.εἰ δʼ οἰκτρὰ πάσχειν φῄς, τάδʼ ἀντάκουέ μου·εἰσὶν παρʼ ἡμῖν οὐδὲν ἧσσον ἄθλιαιγραῖαι γυναῖκες ἠδὲ πρεσβῦται σέθεν,νύμφαι τʼ ἀρίστων νυμφίων τητώμεναι,ὧν ἥδε κεύθει σώματʼ Ἰδαία κόνις.τόλμα τάδʼ. ἡμεῖς δʼ, εἰ κακῶς νομίζομεντιμᾶν τὸν ἐσθλόν, ἀμαθίαν ὀφλήσομεν·οἱ βάρβαροι δὲ μήτε τοὺς φίλους φίλουςἡγεῖσθε, μήτε τοὺς καλῶς τεθνηκόταςθαυμάζεθʼ, ὡς ἂν ἡ μὲν Ἑλλὰς εὐτυχῇ,ὑμεῖς δʼ ἔχηθʼ ὅμοια τοῖς βουλεύμασιν.
Chorus Leader:Alas! how cursed is slavery always in its nature, forced by the might of the stronger to endure unseemly treatment.
Χορός:αἰαῖ· τὸ δοῦλον ὡς κακὸν πέφυκʼ ἀεὶτολμᾷ θʼ ἃ μὴ χρή, τῇ βίᾳ νικώμενον.
Hecuba:Daughter, my pleading to avert your bloody deathwas wasted idly, hurled forth on the air; but you, if endowed with greater power than your mother, make haste to utter every pleading note like the tuneful nightingale, to save your soul from death. Throw yourself pitiably at Odysseus’ knees,and try to move him—here is your plea: he too has children—to feel pity for your sad fate.
Ἑκάβη:ὦ θύγατερ, οὑμοὶ μὲν λόγοι πρὸς αἰθέραφροῦδοι μάτην ῥιφέντες ἀμφὶ σοῦ φόνου·σὺ δʼ, εἴ τι μείζω δύναμιν ἢ μήτηρ ἔχεις,σπούδαζε πάσας ὥστʼ ἀηδόνος στόμαφθογγὰς ἱεῖσα, μὴ στερηθῆναι βίου.πρόσπιπτε δʼ οἰκτρῶς τοῦδʼ Ὀδυσσέως γόνυκαὶ πεῖθʼ — ἔχεις δὲ πρόφασιν· ἔστι γὰρ τέκνακαὶ τῷδε — τὴν σὴν ὥστʼ ἐποικτῖραι τύχην.
Polyxena:Odysseus, I see you hiding your right hand beneath your robe and turning away your face, so that I may not touch your beard.
Πολυξένη:ὁρῶ σʼ, Ὀδυσσεῦ, δεξιὰν ὑφʼ εἵματοςκρύπτοντα χεῖρα καὶ πρόσωπον ἔμπαλινστρέφοντα, μή σου προσθίγω γενειάδος.
Take heart; you are safe from the suppliant’s god in my case, for I will follow you, both because I must and because it is my wish to die; for if I were unwilling, a coward would I show myself, a woman faint of heart. Why should I prolong my days? I whose father was lordof all the Phrygians, my chiefest pride in life. Then I was nursed on fair hopes to be a bride for kings, the center of keen jealousy among suitors, to see whose home I would make my own; and over each lady of Ida I was queen;ah me! admired among maidens, equal to a goddess, save for death alone, but now I am a slave! That name first makes me long for death, so strange it sounds; and then perhaps my lot might give meto some savage master, one that would buy me for money—me the sister of Hector and many others—who would make me knead him bread within his halls, or sweep his house or set me working at the loom, leading a life of misery;
θάρσει· πέφευγας τὸν ἐμὸν Ἱκέσιον Δία·ὡς ἕψομαί γε τοῦ τʼ ἀναγκαίου χάρινθανεῖν τε χρῄζουσʼ· εἰ δὲ μὴ βουλήσομαι,κακὴ φανοῦμαι καὶ φιλόψυχος γυνή.τί γάρ με δεῖ ζῆν; ᾗ πατὴρ μὲν ἦν ἄναξΦρυγῶν ἁπάντων· τοῦτό μοι πρῶτον βίου·ἔπειτʼ ἐθρέφθην ἐλπίδων καλῶν ὕποβασιλεῦσι νύμφη, ζῆλον οὐ σμικρὸν γάμωνἔχουσʼ, ὅτου δῶμʼ ἑστίαν τʼ ἀφίξομαι·δέσποινα δʼ ἡ δύστηνος Ἰδαίαισιν ἦγυναιξὶ παρθένοις τʼ ἀπόβλεπτος μέτα,ἴση θεοῖσι πλὴν τὸ κατθανεῖν μόνον·νῦν δʼ εἰμὶ δούλη. πρῶτα μέν με τοὔνομαθανεῖν ἐρᾶν τίθησιν οὐκ εἰωθὸς ὄν·ἔπειτʼ ἴσως ἂν δεσποτῶν ὠμῶν φρέναςτύχοιμʼ ἄν, ὅστις ἀργύρου μʼ ὠνήσεται,τὴν Ἕκτορός τε χἁτέρων πολλῶν κάσιν,προσθεὶς δʼ ἀνάγκην σιτοποιὸν ἐν δόμοις,σαίρειν τε δῶμα κερκίσιν τʼ ἐφεστάναιλυπρὰν ἄγουσαν ἡμέραν μʼ ἀναγκάσει·
while some slave, bought I know not where, will taint my bed, once deemed worthy of royalty. No, never! Here I close my eyes upon the light, free as yet, and dedicate myself to Hades. Lead me away, Odysseus, and do your worst,for I see nothing within my reach to make me hope or expect with any confidence that I am ever again to be happy. Mother, do not seek to hinder me by word or deed, but join in my wish for death before I meet with shameful treatment undeserved.
λέχη δὲ τἀμὰ δοῦλος ὠνητός ποθενχρανεῖ, τυράννων πρόσθεν ἠξιωμένα.οὐ δῆτʼ· ἀφίημʼ ὀμμάτων ἐλευθέρωνφέγγος τόδʼ, Ἅιδῃ προστιθεῖσʼ ἐμὸν δέμας.ἄγου μʼ, Ὀδυσσεῦ, καὶ διέργασαί μʼ ἄγων·οὔτʼ ἐλπίδος γὰρ οὔτε του δόξης ὁρῶθάρσος παρʼ ἡμῖν ὥς ποτʼ εὖ πρᾶξαί με χρή.μῆτερ, σὺ δʼ ἡμῖν μηδὲν ἐμποδὼν γένῃ,λέγουσα μηδὲ δρῶσα· συμβούλου δέ μοιθανεῖν πρὶν αἰσχρῶν μὴ κατʼ ἀξίαν τυχεῖν.
For whoever is not used to taste of sorrows, though he bears it, yet it galls him when he puts his neck within the yoke; far happier would he be dead than alive, for life bereft of honor is toil and trouble.
ὅστις γὰρ οὐκ εἴωθε γεύεσθαι κακῶν,φέρει μέν, ἀλγεῖ δʼ αὐχένʼ ἐντιθεὶς ζυγῷ·θανὼν δʼ ἂν εἴη μᾶλλον εὐτυχέστεροςἢ ζῶν· τὸ γὰρ ζῆν μὴ καλῶς μέγας πόνος.
Chorus Leader:A wondrous mark, most clearly stamped, does noble birthimprint on men, and the name goes still further where it is deserved.
Χορός:δεινὸς χαρακτὴρ κἀπίσημος ἐν βροτοῖςἐσθλῶν γενέσθαι, κἀπὶ μεῖζον ἔρχεταιτῆς εὐγενείας ὄνομα τοῖσιν ἀξίοις.
Hecuba:A noble speech, my daughter! but there is sorrow linked with its noble sentiments. Odysseus, if you must please the son of Peleus, and avoid reproach,do not slay this maid, but lead me to Achilles’ pyre and torture me unsparingly; it was I that bore Paris, whose fatal shaft laid low the son of Thetis.
Ἑκάβη:καλῶς μὲν εἶπας, θύγατερ, ἀλλὰ τῷ καλῷλύπη πρόσεστιν. εἰ δὲ δεῖ τῷ Πηλέωςχάριν γενέσθαι παιδὶ καὶ ψόγον φυγεῖνὑμᾶς, Ὀδυσσεῦ, τήνδε μὲν μὴ κτείνετε,ἡμᾶς δʼ ἄγοντες πρὸς πυρὰν Ἀχιλλέωςκεντεῖτε, μὴ φείδεσθʼ· ἐγὼ ῎τεκον Πάριν,ὃς παῖδα Θέτιδος ὤλεσεν τόξοις βαλών.
Odysseus:It is not your death, my lady, that Achilles’ ghosthas demanded of the Achaeans, but hers.
Ὀδυσσεύς:οὐ σʼ, ὦ γεραιά, κατθανεῖν Ἀχιλλέωςφάντασμʼ Ἀχαιούς, ἀλλὰ τήνδʼ, ᾐτήσατο.
Hecuba:At least then slaughter me with my child; so shall there be a double drink of blood for the earth and the dead that claims this sacrifice.
Ἑκάβη:ὑμεῖς δέ μʼ ἀλλὰ θυγατρὶ συμφονεύσατε,καὶ δὶς τόσον πῶμʼ αἵματος γενήσεταιγαίᾳ νεκρῷ τε τῷ τάδʼ ἐξαιτουμένῳ.
Odysseus:The maiden’s death suffices; no need to adda second to the first; would we did not need even this!
Ὀδυσσεύς:ἅλις κόρης σῆς θάνατος, οὐ προσοιστέοςἄλλος πρὸς ἄλλῳ· μηδὲ τόνδʼ ὠφείλομεν.
Hecuba:Die with my daughter I must and will.
Ἑκάβη:πολλή γʼ ἀνάγκη θυγατρὶ συνθανεῖν ἐμέ.
Odysseus:How so? I did not know I had a master.
Ὀδυσσεύς:πῶς; οὐ γὰρ οἶδα δεσπότας κεκτημένος.
Hecuba:I will cling to her like ivy to an oak.
Ἑκάβη:ὁποῖα κισσὸς δρυός, ὅπως τῆσδʼ ἕξομαι.
Odysseus:Not if you will listen to those who are wiser than you.
Ὀδυσσεύς:οὔκ, ἤν γε πείθῃ τοῖσι σοῦ σοφωτέροις.
Hecuba:Be sure I will never willingly relinquish my child.
Ἑκάβη:ὡς τῆσδʼ ἑκοῦσα παιδὸς οὐ μεθήσομαι.
Odysseus:Well, be equally sure I will never go away and leave her here.
Ὀδυσσεύς:ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ἐγὼ μὴν τήνδʼ ἄπειμʼ αὐτοῦ λιπών.
Polyxena:Mother, listen to me; and you, son of Laertes, make allowance for a parent’s natural wrath. My poor mother, do not fight with our masters.
Πολυξένη:μῆτερ, πιθοῦ μοι· καὶ σύ, παῖ Λαερτίου,χάλα τοκεῦσιν εἰκότως θυμουμένοις,σύ τʼ, ὦ τάλαινα, τοῖς κρατοῦσι μὴ μάχου.
Will you be thrown to the ground, be roughly thrust aside and wound your aged skin, and in unseemly fashion be torn from me by youthful arms? This you will suffer; but do not, for it is not right for you. No, my dear mother! give me your beloved hand,and let me press your cheek to mine; for never again, but now for the last time, shall I behold the dazzling sun-god’s orb. Take my last farewells now. O mother, my mother! I pass beneath the earth.
βούλῃ πεσεῖν πρὸς οὖδας ἑλκῶσαί τε σὸνγέροντα χρῶτα πρὸς βίαν ὠθουμένη,ἀσχημονῆσαί τʼ ἐκ νέου βραχίονοςσπασθεῖσʼ, ἃ πείσῃ; μὴ σύ γʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἄξιον.ἀλλʼ, ὦ φίλη μοι μῆτερ, ἡδίστην χέραδὸς καὶ παρειὰν προσβαλεῖν παρηίδι·ὡς οὔποτʼ αὖθις, ἀλλὰ νῦν πανύστατονἀκτῖνα κύκλον θʼ ἡλίου προσόψομαι.τέλος δέχῃ δὴ τῶν ἐμῶν προσφθεγμάτων.ὦ μῆτερ, ὦ τεκοῦσʼ, ἄπειμι δὴ κάτω.
Hecuba:O my daughter, I am still to live and be a slave.
Ἑκάβη:ὦ θύγατερ, ἡμεῖς δʼ ἐν φάει δουλεύσομεν.
Polyxena:Unwedded I depart, never having tasted the married joys that were my due!
Πολυξένη:ἄνυμφος ἀνυμέναιος ὧν μʼ ἐχρῆν τυχεῖν.
Hecuba:Yours, my daughter, is a piteous lot, and sad is mine also.
Ἑκάβη:οἰκτρὰ σύ, τέκνον, ἀθλία δʼ ἐγὼ γυνή.
Polyxena:There in Hades’ courts shall I lie apart from you.
Πολυξένη:ἐκεῖ δʼ ἐν Ἅιδου κείσομαι χωρὶς σέθεν.
Hecuba:Ah me, what shall I do? where shall I end my life?
Ἑκάβη:οἴμοι· τί δράσω; ποῖ τελευτήσω βίον;
Polyxena:Daughter of a free-born father, a slave I am to die.
Πολυξένη:δούλη θανοῦμαι, πατρὸς οὖσʼ ἐλευθέρου.
Hecuba:Not one of all my fifty children left!
Ἑκάβη:ἡμεῖς δὲ πεντήκοντά γʼ ἄμμοροι τέκνων.
Polyxena:What message can I take for you to Hector or your aged lord?
Πολυξένη:τί σοι πρὸς Ἕκτορʼ ἢ γέροντʼ εἴπω πόσιν;
Hecuba:Tell them that of all women I am the most miserable.
Ἑκάβη:ἄγγελλε πασῶν ἀθλιωτάτην ἐμέ.
Polyxena:Ah! breasts and paps that fed me with sweet food!
Πολυξένη:ὦ στέρνα μαστοί θʼ, οἵ μʼ ἐθρέψαθʼ ἡδέως.
Hecuba:Oh, my daughter—your wretched, untimely fate!
Ἑκάβη:ὦ τῆς ἀώρου θύγατερ ἀθλίας τύχης.
Polyxena:Farewell, my mother! farewell, Cassandra!
Πολυξένη:χαῖρʼ, ὦ τεκοῦσα, χαῖρε Κασάνδρα τʼ ἐμοί,
Hecuba:“Fare well!” others do, but not your mother, no!
Ἑκάβη:χαίρουσιν ἄλλοι, μητρὶ δʼ οὐκ ἔστιν τόδε.
Polyxena:You too, my brother Polydorus, in Thrace, the home of steeds!
Πολυξένη:ὅ τʼ ἐν φιλίπποις Θρῃξὶ Πολύδωρος κάσις.
Hecuba:Yes, if he lives, which I doubt; so luckless am I in every way.
Ἑκάβη:εἰ ζῇ γʼ· ἀπιστῶ δʼ· ὧδε πάντα δυστυχῶ.
Polyxena:He lives; and, when you die, he will close your eyes.
Πολυξένη:ζῇ καὶ θανούσης ὄμμα συγκλῄσει τὸ σόν.
Hecuba:I am dead; sorrow has forestalled death here.
Ἑκάβη:τέθνηκʼ ἔγωγε πρὶν θανεῖν κακῶν ὕπο.
Polyxena:Come veil my head, Odysseus, and take me away; for now, before the fatal blow, my heart is melted by my mother’s wailing, and hers by mine.
Πολυξένη:κόμιζʼ, Ὀδυσσεῦ, μʼ ἀμφιθεὶς κάρα πέπλοιςὡς πρὶν σφαγῆναί γʼ ἐκτέτηκα καρδίανθρήνοισι μητρὸς τήνδε τʼ ἐκτήκω γόοις.
O light of day! for still I may call you by your name, though now my share in you is only the time I take to go between Achilles’ tomb and the sword. Odysseus and his attendants lead Polyxena away.
ὦ φῶς· προσειπεῖν γὰρ σὸν ὄνομʼ ἔξεστί μοι,μέτεστι δʼ οὐδὲν πλὴν ὅσον χρόνον ξίφουςβαίνω μεταξὺ καὶ πυρᾶς Ἀχιλλέως.
Hecuba:Alas! I faint; my limbs sink under me. O my daughter, embrace your mother, stretch out your hand,give it to me; do not leave me childless! Ah, friends! it is my death-blow. Oh! to see that Spartan woman, Helen, sister of the sons of Zeus, in such a plight; for her bright eyes have caused the shameful fall of Troy’s once prosperous town. Hecuba sinks fainting to the ground.
Ἑκάβη:οἲ ʼγώ, προλείπω· λύεται δέ μου μέλη.ὦ θύγατερ, ἅψαι μητρός, ἔκτεινον χέρα,δός· μὴ λίπῃς μʼ ἄπαιδʼ. ἀπωλόμην, φίλαι …ὣς τὴν Λάκαιναν σύγγονον ΔιοσκόροινἙλένην ἴδοιμι· διὰ καλῶν γὰρ ὀμμάτωναἴσχιστα Τροίαν εἷλε τὴν εὐδαίμονα.
Chorus:O breeze, breeze of the sea,that wafts swift galleys, ocean’s coursers, across the surging main! Where will you bear me, the sorrowful one? To whose house shall I be brought, to be his slave and chattel?to some haven in the Dorian land, or in Phthia, where men say Apidanus, father of fairest streams, makes fat and rich the soil?
Χορός:αὔρα, ποντιὰς αὔρα,ἅτε ποντοπόρους κομί-ζεις θοὰς ἀκάτους ἐπʼ οἶδμα λίμνας,ποῖ με τὰν μελέαν πορεύ-σεις; τῷ δουλόσυνος πρὸς οἶ-κον κτηθεῖσʼ ἀφίξομαι; ἢΔωρίδος ὅρμον αἴας;ἢ Φθιάδος, ἔνθα τὸνκαλλίστων ὑδάτων πατέραφασὶν Ἀπιδανὸν πεδία λιπαίνειν;
Chorus:Or to an island home, sent on a voyage of misery by oars that sweep the brine, leading a wretched existence in halls where the first-created palm and the bay-tree put forth their sacredshoots for dear Latona, a memorial of her divine birth-pains? and there with the maids of Delos shall I hymnthe golden head-band and bow of Artemis, their goddess?
Χορός:ἢ νάσων, ἁλιήρεικώπᾳ πεμπομέναν τάλαι-ναν, οἰκτρὰν βιοτὰν ἔχουσαν οἴκοις,ἔνθα πρωτόγονός τε φοῖ-νιξ δάφνα θʼ ἱεροὺς ἀνέ-σχε πτόρθους Λατοῖ φίλᾳ ὠ-δῖνος ἄγαλμα Δίας;σὺν Δηλιάσιν τε κού-ραισιν Ἀρτέμιδος θεᾶςχρυσέαν ἄμπυκα τόξα τʼ εὐλογήσω;
Chorus:Or in the city of Pallas, the home of Athena of the lovely chariot, shall I then upon her saffron robe yoke horses,embroidering them on my web in brilliant varied shades, or the race of Titans, put to sleep by Zeus the son of Cronos with bolt of flashing flame?
Χορός:ἢ Παλλάδος ἐν πόλειτὰς καλλιδίφρους Ἀθα-ναίας ἐν κροκέῳ πέπλῳζεύξομαι ἆρα πώλους ἐνδαιδαλέαισι ποικίλλουσʼἀνθοκρόκοισι πήναις, ἢΤιτάνων γενεὰντὰν Ζεὺς ἀμφιπύρῳ κοιμί-ζει φλογμῷ Κρονίδας;
Chorus:Alas for my children! alas for my ancestors, and my country which is falling in smouldering ruin among the smoke, sacked by the Argive spear, while I upon a foreignshore am called a slave, indeed! leaving Asia, Europe’s handmaid, and receiving in its place a deadly marriage-bower.The herald, Talthybius, enters.
Χορός:ὤ μοι τεκέων ἐμῶν,ὤ μοι πατέρων χθονός θʼ,ἃ καπνῷ κατερείπεται,τυφομένα, δορίκτητοςἈργεΐων· ἐγὼ δʼ ἐν ξεί-νᾳ χθονὶ δὴ κέκλημαι δού-λα, λιποῦσʼ Ἀσίαν,Εὐρώπας θεραπνᾶν ἀλλά-ξασʼ Ἅιδα θαλάμους.
Talthybius:Where can I find Hecuba, who once wasqueen of Ilium, you Trojan maidens?
Ταλθύβιος:ποῦ τὴν ἄνασσαν δή ποτʼ οὖσαν ἸλίουἙκάβην ἂν ἐξεύροιμι, Τρῳάδες κόραι;
Chorus Leader:There she lies near you, Talthybius, stretched full length upon the ground, wrapped in her robe.
Χορός:αὕτη πέλας σου νῶτʼ ἔχουσʼ ἐπὶ χθονί,Ταλθύβιε, κεῖται ξυγκεκλῃμένη πέπλοις.
Talthybius:O Zeus! what can I say? that your eye is over man? or that we hold this opinion all to no purpose,[falsely thinking there is any race of gods,] when it is chance that rules the mortal sphere? Was not this the queen of wealthy Phrygia, the wife of Priam highly blessed? And now her city is utterly overthrown by the foe,and she, a slave in her old age, her children dead, lies upon the ground, soiling her wretched head in the dust. Ah! old as I am, may death be my lot before I am caught in any shameful mischance. Arise, poor lady! lift upyourself and raise that white head.
Ταλθύβιος:ὦ Ζεῦ, τί λέξω; πότερά σʼ ἀνθρώπους ὁρᾶν;ἢ δόξαν ἄλλως τήνδε κεκτῆσθαι μάτην,[ψευδῆ, δοκοῦντας δαιμόνων εἶναι γένος]τύχην δὲ πάντα τἀν βροτοῖς ἐπισκοπεῖν;οὐχ ἥδʼ ἄνασσα τῶν πολυχρύσων Φρυγῶν,οὐχ ἥδε Πριάμου τοῦ μέγʼ ὀλβίου δάμαρ;καὶ νῦν πόλις μὲν πᾶσʼ ἀνέστηκεν δορί,αὐτὴ δὲ δούλη γραῦς ἄπαις ἐπὶ χθονὶκεῖται, κόνει φύρουσα δύστηνον κάρα.φεῦ φεῦ· γέρων μέν εἰμʼ, ὅμως δέ μοι θανεῖνεἴη πρὶν αἰσχρᾷ περιπεσεῖν τύχῃ τινί.ἀνίστασʼ, ὦ δύστηνε, καὶ μετάρσιονπλευρὰν ἔπαιρε καὶ τὸ πάλλευκον κάρα.
Hecuba: stirringOh! who are you that will not let my body rest? Why disturb me in my anguish, whoever you are?
Ἑκάβη:ἔα· τίς οὗτος σῶμα τοὐμὸν οὐκ ἐᾷκεῖσθαι; τί κινεῖς μʼ, ὅστις εἶ, λυπουμένην;
Talthybius:I, Talthybius, have come, the servant of the Danaids; Agamemnon has sent me for you, lady.
Ταλθύβιος:Ταλθύβιος ἥκω Δαναϊδῶν ὑπηρέτης,Ἀγαμέμνονος πέμψαντος, ὦ γύναι, μέτα.
Hecuba: risingGood friend, have you come because the Achaeans are resolved after all to slay me too at the grave? How welcome your tidings would be! Let us hasten and lose no time; please lead the way, old man.
Ἑκάβη:ὦ φίλτατʼ, ἆρα κἄμʼ ἐπισφάξαι τάφῳδοκοῦν Ἀχαιοῖς ἦλθες; ὡς φίλʼ ἂν λέγοις.σπεύδωμεν, ἐγκονῶμεν· ἡγοῦ μοι, γέρον.
Talthybius:I have come to fetch you to bury your daughter’s corpse, lady; and those that send me arethe two sons of Atreus and the Achaean people.
Ταλθύβιος:σὴν παῖδα κατθανοῦσαν ὡς θάψῃς, γύναι,ἥκω μεταστείχων σε· πέμπουσιν δέ μεδισσοί τʼ Ἀτρεῖδαι καὶ λεὼς Ἀχαιικός.
Hecuba:Alas! What will you say? Have you not after all come to fetch me to my doom, but to announce ill news? Lost, my child! snatched from your mother’s arms! and I am childless now, at least as regards you; ah, woe is me!
Ἑκάβη:οἴμοι, τί λέξεις; οὐκ ἄρʼ ὡς θανουμένουςμετῆλθες ἡμᾶς, ἀλλὰ σημανῶν κακά;ὄλωλας, ὦ παῖ, μητρὸς ἁρπασθεῖσʼ ἄπο·ἡμεῖς δʼ ἄτεκνοι τοὐπὶ σʼ· ὦ τάλαινʼ ἐγώ.
How did you end her life? was any mercy shown? or did you deal ruthlessly with her as though your victim were a foe, old man? Speak, though your words must be pain to me.
πῶς καί νιν ἐξεπράξατʼ; ἆρʼ αἰδούμενοι;ἢ πρὸς τὸ δεινὸν ἤλθεθʼ ὡς ἐχθράν, γέρον,κτείνοντες; εἰπέ, καίπερ οὐ λέξων φίλα.
Talthybius:Lady, you wish me to have a double benefit of tears in pity for your child; for now too as I tell the sad talemy eyes will be wet, as they were at the tomb when she was dying.
Ταλθύβιος:διπλᾶ με χρῄζεις δάκρυα κερδᾶναι, γύναι,σῆς παιδὸς οἴκτῳ· νῦν τε γὰρ λέγων κακὰτέγξω τόδʼ ὄμμα, πρὸς τάφῳ θʼ ὅτʼ ὤλλυτο.
All Achaea’s army was gathered there in full array before the tomb to see your daughter sacrificed; and the son of Achilles took Polyxena by the hand and set her on the top of the mound, while I was near;
παρῆν μὲν ὄχλος πᾶς Ἀχαιικοῦ στρατοῦπλήρης πρὸ τύμβου σῆς κόρης ἐπὶ σφαγάς·λαβὼν δʼ Ἀχιλλέως παῖς Πολυξένην χερὸςἔστησʼ ἐπʼ ἄκρου χώματος, πέλας δʼ ἐγώ·
and a chosen band of young Achaeans followed to hold your child and prevent her struggling. Then Achilles’ son took in his hands a brimming cup of gold and raised in his hand an offering to his dead father, making a sign to meto proclaim silence throughout the Achaean army. So I stood at his side and in their midst proclaimed, “Silence, you Achaeans! let all the people be silent! peace! be still!” So I hushed the army. Then he spoke: “Son of Peleus, my father,”“accept the offering I pour for you to appease your spirit, strong to raise the dead; and come to drink the black blood of a pure girl, which I and the army are offering you; oh! be propitious to us; grant that we may loose our prows and the”“cables of our ships, and, meeting with a prosperous voyage from Ilium, all come to our country.” So he spoke; and all the army echoed his prayer. Then seizing his golden sword by the hilt he drew it from its scabbard, signing to the picked young Argivewarriors to hold the maid. But she, when she perceived it, uttered this speech: “O Argives, who have sacked my city! of my free will I die; let no one lay hand on me; for bravely will I yield my neck.”
λεκτοί τʼ Ἀχαιῶν ἔκκριτοι νεανίαι,σκίρτημα μόσχου σῆς καθέξοντες χεροῖν,ἕσποντο. πλῆρες δʼ ἐν χεροῖν λαβὼν δέπαςπάγχρυσον αἴρει χειρὶ παῖς Ἀχιλλέωςχοὰς θανόντι πατρί· σημαίνει δέ μοισιγὴν Ἀχαιῶν παντὶ κηρῦξαι στρατῷ.κἀγὼ καταστὰς εἶπον ἐν μέσοις τάδε·Σιγᾶτʼ, Ἀχαιοί, σῖγα πᾶς ἔστω λεώς,σίγα σιώπα· νήνεμον δʼ ἔστησʼ ὄχλον.ὃ δʼ εἶπεν· Ὦ παῖ Πηλέως, πατὴρ δʼ ἐμός,δέξαι χοάς μοι τάσδε κηλητηρίους,νεκρῶν ἀγωγούς· ἐλθὲ δʼ, ὡς πίῃς μέλανκόρης ἀκραιφνὲς αἷμʼ, ὅ σοι δωρούμεθαστρατός τε κἀγώ· πρευμενὴς δʼ ἡμῖν γενοῦλῦσαί τε πρύμνας καὶ χαλινωτήριανεῶν δὸς ἡμῖν πρευμενοῦς τʼ ἀπʼ Ἰλίουνόστου τυχόντας πάντας ἐς πάτραν μολεῖν.τοσαῦτʼ ἔλεξε, πᾶς δʼ ἐπηύξατο στρατός.εἶτʼ ἀμφίχρυσον φάσγανον κώπης λαβὼνἐξεῖλκε κολεοῦ, λογάσι δʼ Ἀργείων στρατοῦνεανίαις ἔνευσε παρθένον λαβεῖν.ἣ δʼ, ὡς ἐφράσθη, τόνδʼ ἐσήμηνεν λόγον·Ὦ τὴν ἐμὴν πέρσαντες Ἀργεῖοι πόλιν,ἑκοῦσα θνῄσκω· μή τις ἅψηται χροὸςτοὐμοῦ· παρέξω γὰρ δέρην εὐκαρδίως.
“By the gods, leave me free; so slay me, that death may find me free; for to be called a slave among the dead fills my royal heart with shame.”
ἐλευθέραν δέ μʼ, ὡς ἐλευθέρα θάνω,πρὸς θεῶν, μεθέντες κτείνατʼ· ἐν νεκροῖσι γὰρδούλη κεκλῆσθαι βασιλὶς οὖσʼ αἰσχύνομαι.
Then the people shouted their applause, and king Agamemnon told the young men to let go the maid.
λαοὶ δʼ ἐπερρόθησαν, Ἀγαμέμνων τʼ ἄναξεἶπεν μεθεῖναι παρθένον νεανίαις.
[So they set her free, as soon as they heard this last command from him whose might was over all.] And she, hearing her master’s words, took her robe and tore it open from the shoulder to the waist,displaying a breast and bosom fair as a statue’s; then sinking on her knee, one word she spoke more piteous than all the rest, “Young prince, if it is my breast you are eager to strike, see, here it is, strike home! or if at my neck your sword”“you will aim, that throat is here and ready.”
[οἳ δʼ, ὡς τάχιστʼ ἤκουσαν ὑστάτην ὄπα,][μεθῆκαν, οὗπερ καὶ μέγιστον ἦν κράτος.]κἀπεὶ τόδʼ εἰσήκουσε δεσποτῶν ἔπος,λαβοῦσα πέπλους ἐξ ἄκρας ἐπωμίδοςἔρρηξε λαγόνας ἐς μέσας παρʼ ὀμφαλόν,μαστούς τʼ ἔδειξε στέρνα θʼ ὡς ἀγάλματοςκάλλιστα, καὶ καθεῖσα πρὸς γαῖαν γόνυἔλεξε πάντων τλημονέστατον λόγον·Ἰδού, τόδʼ, εἰ μὲν στέρνον, ὦ νεανία,παίειν προθυμῇ, παῖσον, εἰ δʼ ὑπʼ αὐχέναχρῄζεις, πάρεστι λαιμὸς εὐτρεπὴς ὅδε.
Then he, half glad, half sorry in his pity for the maid, cut with the steel the channels of her breath, and streams of blood gushed forth; but she, even in death, took good heed to fall with grace,hiding from the gaze of men what must be hidden. When she had breathed her last through the fatal gash, no Argive set his hand to the same task, but some were strewing leaves over the corpse in handfuls, others bringing pine-logsand heaping up a pyre; and the one who brought nothing would hear from him who did such taunts as these, “Do you stand still, ignoble wretch, with no robe or ornament to bring for the maiden? will you give nothing to her that showed such peerless bravery”“and spirit?” Such is the tale I tell about your daughter’s death, and regard you as blessed beyond all mothers in your noble child, yet crossed in fortune more than all.
ὃ δʼ οὐ θέλων τε καὶ θέλων οἴκτῳ κόρης,τέμνει σιδήρῳ πνεύματος διαρροάς·κρουνοὶ δʼ ἐχώρουν. ἣ δὲ καὶ θνῄσκουσʼ ὅμωςπολλὴν πρόνοιαν εἶχεν εὐσχήμων πεσεῖν,κρύπτουσʼ ἃ κρύπτειν ὄμματʼ ἀρσένων χρεών.ἐπεὶ δʼ ἀφῆκε πνεῦμα θανασίμῳ σφαγῇ,οὐδεὶς τὸν αὐτὸν εἶχεν Ἀργείων πόνον·ἀλλʼ οἳ μὲν αὐτῶν τὴν θανοῦσαν ἐκ χερῶνφύλλοις ἔβαλλον, οἳ δὲ πληροῦσιν πυρὰνκορμοὺς φέροντες πευκίνους, ὁ δʼ οὐ φέρωνπρὸς τοῦ φέροντος τοιάδʼ ἤκουεν κακά·Ἕστηκας, ὦ κάκιστε, τῇ νεάνιδιοὐ πέπλον οὐδὲ κόσμον ἐν χεροῖν ἔχων;οὐκ εἶ τι δώσων τῇ περίσσʼ εὐκαρδίῳψυχήν τʼ ἀρίστῃ; τοιάδʼ ἀμφὶ σῆς λέγωνπαιδὸς θανούσης, εὐτεκνωτάτην τέ σεπασῶν γυναικῶν δυστυχεστάτην θʼ ὁρῶ.
Chorus Leader:Upon the race of Priam and my city some fearful curse has burst; it is sent by God, and we must bear it.
Χορός:δεινόν τι πῆμα Πριαμίδαις ἐπέζεσενπόλει τε τἠμῇ θεῶν ἀνάγκαισιν τόδε.
Hecuba:O my daughter! among this crowd of sorrows I do not know where to turn my gaze; for if I set myself to one, another will not let me be; while from this again another grief summons me, finding a successor to sorrow’s throne. And now I can not efface from my mind the memory of your sufferingssufficiently to stay my tears; yet the story of your noble death has taken from the keenness of my grief. Is it not then strange that a poor land, when blessed by heaven with a lucky year, yields a good crop, while that which is good, if robbed of needful care,bears little fruit; yet among men the base is nothing else but wicked, the good man is good, never changing for the worse because of misfortune, but ever the same? Is then the difference due to birth or bringing up?
Ἑκάβη:ὦ θύγατερ, οὐκ οἶδʼ εἰς ὅ τι βλέψω κακῶν,πολλῶν παρόντων· ἢν γὰρ ἅψωμαί τινος,τόδʼ οὐκ ἐᾷ με, παρακαλεῖ δʼ ἐκεῖθεν αὖλύπη τις ἄλλη διάδοχος κακῶν κακοῖς.καὶ νῦν τὸ μὲν σὸν ὥστε μὴ στένειν πάθοςοὐκ ἂν δυναίμην ἐξαλείψασθαι φρενός·τὸ δʼ αὖ λίαν παρεῖλες ἀγγελθεῖσά μοιγενναῖος. οὔκουν δεινόν, εἰ γῆ μὲν κακὴτυχοῦσα καιροῦ θεόθεν εὖ στάχυν φέρει,χρηστὴ δʼ ἁμαρτοῦσʼ ὧν χρεὼν αὐτὴν τυχεῖνκακὸν δίδωσι καρπόν, ἀνθρώποις δʼ ἀεὶὁ μὲν πονηρὸς οὐδὲν ἄλλο πλὴν κακός,ὁ δʼ ἐσθλὸς ἐσθλός, οὐδὲ συμφορᾶς ὕποφύσιν διέφθειρʼ, ἀλλὰ χρηστός ἐστʼ ἀεί;ἆρʼ οἱ τεκόντες διαφέρουσιν ἢ τροφαί;
Good training doubtless gives lessons in good conduct, and if a man has mastered this, he knows what is shameful by the standard of the good. And these are random shafts from my mind, I know.
ἔχει γε μέντοι καὶ τὸ θρεφθῆναι καλῶςδίδαξιν ἐσθλοῦ· τοῦτο δʼ ἤν τις εὖ μάθῃ,οἶδεν τό γʼ αἰσχρόν, κανόνι τοῦ καλοῦ μαθών.καὶ ταῦτα μὲν δὴ νοῦς ἐτόξευσεν μάτην·
To Talthybius Go and proclaim to the Argivesthat they do not touch my daughter’s body but keep the crowd away. For when a countless army is gathered, the mob knows no restraint, and the unruliness of sailors exceeds that of fire, all abstinence from crime being counted criminal. Talthybius goes out.
σὺ δʼ ἐλθὲ καὶ σήμηνον Ἀργείοις τάδε,μὴ θιγγάνειν μοι μηδένʼ, ἀλλʼ εἴργειν ὄχλον,τῆς παιδός. ἔν τοι μυρίῳ στρατεύματιἀκόλαστος ὄχλος ναυτική τʼ ἀναρχίακρείσσων πυρός, κακὸς δʼ ὁ μή τι δρῶν κακόν.
Addressing a servant Now you, my aged handmaid, take a pitcherand dip it in the salt sea and bring it here, that I for the last time may wash my child, an unwed bride, a ravished virgin, and lay her out, as she deserves, ah! how can I? impossible! but as best I can; and what will that amount to?I will collect adornment from the captives, my companions in these tents, if perhaps any of them escaping her new master’s eye has made some theft from her home. The servant departs. O towering halls, O home so happy once,O Priam, rich in store of fairest wealth, most blessed of fathers, and I no less, the grey-haired mother of your race, how are we brought to nothing, stripped of our former pride! And in spite of all we vaunt ourselves, one on the riches of his house,another because he has an honored name among his fellow-citizens! But these things are nothing; in vain are all our thoughtful schemes, in vain our boastful words. He is happiest who meets no sorrow day by day. Hecuba enters the tent.
σὺ δʼ αὖ λαβοῦσα τεῦχος, ἀρχαία λάτρι,βάψασʼ ἔνεγκε δεῦρο ποντίας ἁλός,ὡς παῖδα λουτροῖς τοῖς πανυστάτοις ἐμήν,νύμφην τʼ ἄνυμφον παρθένον τʼ ἀπάρθενον,λούσω προθῶμαί θʼ — ὡς μὲν ἀξία, πόθεν;οὐκ ἂν δυναίμην· ὡς δʼ ἔχω — τί γὰρ πάθω; —κόσμον τʼ ἀγείρασʼ αἰχμαλωτίδων πάρα,αἵ μοι πάρεδροι τῶνδʼ ἔσω σκηνωμάτωνναίουσιν, εἴ τις τοὺς νεωστὶ δεσπόταςλαθοῦσʼ ἔχει τι κλέμμα τῶν αὑτῆς δόμων.ὦ σχήματʼ οἴκων, ὦ ποτʼ εὐτυχεῖς δόμοι,ὦ πλεῖστʼ ἔχων κάλλιστά τʼ, εὐτεκνώτατεΠρίαμε, γεραιά θʼ ἥδʼ ἐγὼ μήτηρ τέκνων,ὡς ἐς τὸ μηδὲν ἥκομεν, φρονήματοςτοῦ πρὶν στερέντες. εἶτα δῆτʼ ὀγκούμεθα,ὃ μέν τις ἡμῶν πλουσίοις ἐν δώμασιν,ὃ δʼ ἐν πολίταις τίμιος κεκλημένος.τὰ δʼ οὐδὲν ἄλλως, φροντίδων βουλεύματαγλώσσης τε κόμποι. κεῖνος ὀλβιώτατος,ὅτῳ κατʼ ἦμαρ τυγχάνει μηδὲν κακόν.
Chorus:Woe and tribulationwere made my lot in life, when Alexander first cut his beams of pine in Ida’s woods, to sail across the heaving seain quest of Helen’s bed, loveliest woman on whom the sun-god turns his golden eye.
Χορός:ἐμοὶ χρῆν συμφοράν,ἐμοὶ χρῆν πημονὰν γενέσθαι,Ἰδαίαν ὅτε πρῶτον ὕλανἈλέξανδρος εἰλατίνανἐτάμεθʼ, ἅλιον ἐπʼ οἶδμα ναυστολήσωνἙλένας ἐπὶ λέκτρα, τὰνκαλλίσταν ὁ χρυσοφαὴςἍλιος αὐγάζει.
Chorus:For here begins trouble’s cycle,and, worse than that, relentless fate; and from one man’s folly came a universal curse, bringing death to the land of Simois, with trouble from an alien shore. The strife the shepherd decidedon Ida, between three daughters of the blessed gods,
Χορός:πόνοι γὰρ καὶ πόνωνἀνάγκαι κρείσσονες κυκλοῦνταικοινὸν δʼ ἐξ ἰδίας ἀνοίαςκακὸν τᾷ Σιμουντίδι γᾷὀλέθριον ἔμολε συμφορά τʼ ἀπʼ ἄλλων.ἐκρίθη δʼ ἔρις, ἃν ἐν Ἴ-δᾳ κρίνει τρισσὰς μακάρωνπαῖδας ἀνὴρ βούτας,
Chorus:brought as its result war and bloodshed and the ruin of my home;
Χορός:ἐπὶ δορὶ καὶ φόνῳ καὶ ἐμῶν μελάθρων λώβᾳ·
and many a Spartan maiden too is weeping bitter tears in her halls on the banks of fair Eurotas, and many a mother whose sons are slain,is smiting her gray head and tearing her cheeks, making her nails bloody in the furrowed gash.Maid-servant: entering excitedly, attended by bearers bringing in a covered corpseOh! ladies, where is Hecuba, our queen of sorrow, who conquers all in tribulation, men and women both alike?No one shall dispute the crown with her.
στένει δὲ καί τις ἀμφὶ τὸν εὔροον ΕὐρώτανΛάκαινα πολυδάκρυτος ἐν δόμοις κόρα,πολιάν τʼ ἐπὶ κρᾶτα μάτηρτέκνων θανόντωντίθεται χέρα δρύπτεται παρειάν,δίαιμον ὄνυχα τιθεμένα σπαραγμοῖς.Θεράπαινα:γυναῖκες, Ἑκάβη ποῦ ποθʼ ἡ παναθλία,ἡ πάντα νικῶσʼ ἄνδρα καὶ θῆλυν σπορὰνκακοῖσιν; οὐδεὶς στέφανον ἀνθαιρήσεται.
Chorus Leader:What now, unhappy one with your cry of misery? Your evil tidings never seem to rest.
Χορός:τί δʼ, ὦ τάλαινα σῆς κακογλώσσου βοῆς;ὡς οὔποθʼ εὕδει λυπρά σου κηρύγματα.
Maid-servant:It is to Hecuba I bring my bitter news; no easy task is it for mortal lips to speak smooth words in sorrow.
Θεράπαινα:Ἑκάβῃ φέρω τόδʼ ἄλγος· ἐν κακοῖσι δὲοὐ ῥᾴδιον βροτοῖσιν εὐφημεῖν στόμα.
Chorus Leader:Look, she is coming even now from the shelter of the tent, appearing just in time to hear you speak. Hecuba comes out of the tent.
Χορός:καὶ μὴν περῶσα τυγχάνει δόμων ὕπερἥδʼ, ἐς δὲ καιρὸν σοῖσι φαίνεται λόγοις.
Maid-servant:O mistress, most hapless beyond all words of mine to tell; you are ruined, you no longer exist, though you are alive; of children, husband, city bereft; hopelessly undone!
Θεράπαινα:ὦ παντάλαινα κἄτι μᾶλλον ἢ λέγω,δέσποινʼ, ὄλωλας κοὐκέτʼ εἶ, βλέπουσα φῶς,ἄπαις ἄνανδρος ἄπολις ἐξεφθαρμένη.
Hecuba:This is no news but insult; I have heard it all before. But why have you come, bringing here to me the corpse of Polyxena, on whose burial Achaea’s army was reported to be busily engaged?
Ἑκάβη:οὐ καινὸν εἶπας, εἰδόσιν δʼ ὠνείδισας.ἀτὰρ τί νεκρὸν τόνδε μοι Πολυξένηςἥκεις κομίζουσʼ, ἧς ἀπηγγέλθη τάφοςπάντων Ἀχαιῶν διὰ χερὸς σπουδὴν ἔχειν;
Maid-servant:She knows nothing, but mournsPolyxena, not grasping her new sorrows.
Θεράπαινα:ἥδʼ οὐδὲν οἶδεν, ἀλλά μοι Πολυξένηνθρηνεῖ, νέων δὲ πημάτων οὐχ ἅπτεται.