Chorus:Many of the Achaeans have breathed out their last amid the spears and hurling stones and have gone to unhappy Hades; their wives have cut off their hair in sorrow,and their homes are left without a bride; an Achaean man, who had only a single ship, lit a blazing beacon on sea-girt Euboia, and destroyed many of them, casting them onto the rocks of Kaphareusand the sea-shores of the Aegean, by the treacherous flame he kindled. The mountains of Malea provided no harbor, in the gusts of the storm, when Menelaos sped far away from his country, bearing on his ships a prize of the barbarian expedition, no prize but strifewith the Danaans, Hera’s holy phantom.
Χορός:πολλοὶ δʼ Ἀχαιῶν δορὶ καὶ πετρίναιςῥιπαῖσιν ἐκπνεύσαντες Ἅι-δαν μέλεον ἔχουσιν,ταλαινᾶν ἀλόχων κείραντες ἔθειραν·ἄνυμφα δὲ μέλαθρα κεῖται·πολλοὺς δὲ πυρσεύσαςφλογερὸν σέλας ἀμφιρύτανΕὔβοιαν εἷλʼ Ἀχαιῶνμονόκωπος ἀνήρ, πέτραιςΚαφηρίσιν ἐμβαλὼνΑἰγαίαις τʼ ἐνάλοις δόλιονἀκταῖς ἀστέρα λάμψας.ἀλίμενα δʼ ὄρεα Μάλεα χειμάτων πνοᾷ,ὅτʼ ἔσυτο πατρίδος ἀποπρό, βαρβάρου στολᾶςγέρας, οὐ γέρας ἀλλʼ ἔριν,Δαναῶν Μενέλας ἐπὶ ναυσὶν ἄγων,εἴδωλον ἱερὸν Ἥρας.
Chorus:What is god, or what is not god, or what is in between— what mortal says he has found it by searching the farthest limit,when he sees divine affairs leaping here and there again and back, in contradictory and unexpected chances? You, Helen, are the daughter of Zeus;for a winged father begot you in Leda’s womb; and then you were proclaimed throughout Hellas, betrayer, faithless, lawless, godless. I do not know whatever certainty is among mortals,but the word of the gods I have found true.
Χορός:ὅ τι θεὸς ἢ μὴ θεὸς ἢ τὸ μέσον,τίς φησʼ ἐρευνήσας βροτῶνμακρότατον πέρας εὑρεῖνὃς τὰ θεῶν ἐσορᾷδεῦρο καὶ αὖθις ἐκεῖσεκαὶ πάλιν ἀντιλόγοιςπηδῶντʼ ἀνελπίστοις τύχαις;σὺ Διὸς ἔφυς, ὦ Ἑλένα, θυγάτηρ·πτανὸς γὰρ ἐν κόλποις σε Λή-δας ἐτέκνωσε πατήρ.κᾆτʼ ἰαχήθης καθʼ Ἑλλανίανπροδότις ἄπιστος ἄδικος ἄθεος· οὐδʼ ἔχωτί τὸ σαφὲς ἔτι ποτʼ ἐν βροτοῖς·τὸ τῶν θεῶν ⟨δʼ⟩ ἔπος ἀλαθὲς ηὗρον.
Chorus:You are fools, who try to win a reputation for virtue through war and marshalled lines of spears, senselessly putting an end to mortal troubles;for if a bloody quarrel is to decide it, strife will never leave off in the towns of men; by it they won as their lot bed-chambers of Priam’s earth, when they could have set right by discussionthe strife over you, O Helen. And now they are below in Hades’ keeping, and fire has darted onto the walls like the bolt of Zeus, and you are bringing woe on woe....
Χορός:ἄφρονες ὅσοι τὰς ἀρετὰς πολέμῳλόγχαισί τʼ ἀλκαίου δορὸςκτᾶσθε, πόνους ἀμαθῶς θνα-τῶν καταπαυόμενοι·εἰ γὰρ ἅμιλλα κρινεῖ νιναἵματος, οὔποτʼ ἔριςλείψει κατʼ ἀνθρώπων πόλεις·ᾇ Πριαμίδος γᾶς ἔλαχον θαλάμους,ἐξὸν διορθῶσαι λόγοιςσὰν ἔριν, ὦ Ἑλένα.νῦν δʼ οἳ μὲν Ἅιδᾳ μέλονται κάτω,τείχεα δὲ φλογμὸς ὥστε Διός ἐπέσυτο φλόξ,ἐπὶ δὲ πάθεα πάθεσι φέρειςἀθλίοις συμφοραῖς αἰλίνοις.
Theoklymenos:Greetings, tomb of my father! For I buried you, Proteus, in the passageway so that I could address you; and always as I leave and enter the house, I, your son Theoklymenos, call on you, father. You servants, take the hounds and hunting netsinto the palace. I have rebuked myself many times; for do we not punish evil men with death? And now I have heard that some Hellene has come openly to the land, without the guards’ notice,either as a spy or thievishly hunting after Helen; he will die if only I can catch him. Ah! But it seems I have found everything in ruins; for the daughter of Tyndareus has deserted her seat at the tomb and has been carried away from the land.Ho there! undo the bars; loose the horses from their stalls, servants, and bring out my chariot, so that the wife whom I long for may not be carried away from this land without my notice, for want of effort.Wait! for I see that the one I am pursuingis still in the house, and has not fled.You there, why have you put black robes instead of white on your body, and cut the hair from your noble head with a sword, and why do you drench your cheeks with pale tears,lamenting? Do you mourn, persuaded by dreams in the night, or have you broken your heart with grief because you heard some voice within?
Θεοκλύμενος:ὦ χαῖρε, πατρὸς μνῆμʼ· ἐπʼ ἐξόδοισι γὰρἔθαψα, Πρωτεῦ, σʼ ἕνεκʼ ἐμῆς προσρήσεως·ἀεὶ δέ σʼ ἐξιών τε κἀσιὼν δόμουςΘεοκλύμενος παῖς ὅδε προσεννέπει, πάτερ.ὑμεῖς μὲν οὖν κύνας τε καὶ θηρῶν βρόχους,δμῶες, κομίζετʼ ἐς δόμους τυραννικούς·ἐγὼ δʼ ἐμαυτὸν πόλλʼ ἐλοιδόρησα δή·οὐ γάρ τι θανάτῳ τοὺς κακοὺς κολάζομεν;καὶ νῦν πέπυσμαι φανερὸν Ἑλλήνων τινὰἐς γῆν ἀφῖχθαι καὶ λεληθέναι σκοπούς,ἤτοι κατόπτην ἢ κλοπαῖς θηρώμενονἙλένην· θανεῖται δʼ, ἤν γε δὴ ληφθῇ μόνον.ἔα·ἀλλʼ, ὡς ἔοικε, πάντα διαπεπραγμέναηὕρηκα· τύμβου γὰρ κενὰς λιποῦσʼ ἕδραςἡ Τυνδαρὶς παῖς ἐκπεπόρθμευται χθονός.ὠή, χαλᾶτε κλῇθρα· λύεθʼ ἱππικὰφάτνης, ὀπαδοί, κἀκκομίζεθʼ ἅρματα,ὡς ἂν πόνου γʼ ἕκατι μὴ λάθῃ με γῆςτῆσδʼ ἐκκομισθεῖσʼ ἄλοχος, ἧς ἐφίεμαι. —ἐπίσχετʼ· εἰσορῶ γὰρ οὓς διώκομενπαρόντας ἐν δόμοισι κοὐ πεφευγότας.αὕτη, τί πέπλους μέλανας ἐξήψω χροὸςλευκῶν ἀμείψασʼ ἔκ τε κρατὸς εὐγενοῦςκόμας σίδηρον ἐμβαλοῦσʼ ἀπέθρισαςχλωροῖς τε τέγγεις δάκρυσι σὴν παρηίδακλαίουσα; πότερον ἐννύχοις πεπεισμένηστένεις ὀνείροις, ἢ φάτιν τινʼ οἴκοθενκλύουσα λύπῃ σὰς διέφθαρσαι φρένας;
Helen:My lord—for now I give you that name—I am destroyed; everything of mine is gone and I am nothing.Theokylmenos:In what misfortune are you plunged? What has happened?
Ἑλένη:ὦ δέσποτʼ — ἤδη γὰρ τόδʼ ὀνομάζω σʼ ἔπος —ὄλωλα· φροῦδα τἀμὰ κοὐδέν εἰμʼ ἔτι.Θεοκλύμενος:ἐν τῷ δὲ κεῖσαι συμφορᾶς; τίς ἡ τύχη;
Helen:Menelaos—alas, how shall I say it?—is dead, my husband.
Ἑλένη:Μενέλαος — οἴμοι, πῶς φράσω; — τέθνηκέ μοι.
Theoklymenos:I do not rejoice at your words, but it is good fortune for me. How do you know? Did Theonoe tell you this?
Θεοκλύμενος:οὐδέν τι χαίρω σοῖς λόγοις, τὰ δʼ εὐτυχῶ.πῶς ⟨δʼ⟩ οἶσθα; μῶν σοι Θεονόη λέγει τάδε;
Helen:Both she, and one who was there when he perished.
Ἑλένη:κείνη τε φησὶν ὅ τε παρὼν ὅτʼ ὤλλυτο.
Theoklymenos:Someone has come who announces this for certain?
Θεοκλύμενος:ἥκει γὰρ ὅστις καὶ τάδʼ ἀγγέλλει σαφῆ;
Helen:Someone has come; and may he go where I want him to go!
Ἑλένη:ἥκει· μόλοι γὰρ οἷ σφʼ ἐγὼ χρῄζω μολεῖν.
Theoklymenos:Who is it? Where is he? so that I may learn this more clearly.
Θεοκλύμενος:τίς ἐστι; ποῦ ʼστιν; ἵνα σαφέστερον μάθω.
Helen:That one, who is sitting crouched at this tomb.
Ἑλένη:ὅδʼ ὃς κάθηται τῷδʼ ὑποπτήξας τάφῳ.
Theoklymenos:Apollo! He certainly has unattractive clothing.
Θεοκλύμενος:Ἄπολλον, ὡς ἐσθῆτι δυσμόρφῳ πρέπει.
Helen:Alas! I think my husband is in the same situation also.
Ἑλένη:οἴμοι, δοκῶ μὲν κἀμὸν ὧδʼ ἔχειν πόσιν.
Theoklymenos:What is this man’s country, and where did he come from, to land here?
Θεοκλύμενος:ποδαπὸς δʼ ὅδʼ ἁνὴρ καὶ πόθεν κατέσχε γῆν;
Helen:He is a Hellene, one of the Achaeans who saiIed with my husband.
Ἑλένη:Ἕλλην, Ἀχαιῶν εἷς ἐμῷ σύμπλους πόσει.
Theoklymenos:What kind of death does he say Menelaos died?
Θεοκλύμενος:θανάτῳ δὲ ποίῳ φησὶ Μενέλεων θανεῖν;
Helen:The most piteous, in the watery waves at sea.
Ἑλένη:οἰκτρόταθʼ, ὑγροῖσιν ἐν κλυδωνίοις ἁλός.
Theoklymenos:On what part of the barbarous ocean was he sailing?
Θεοκλύμενος:ποῦ βαρβάροισι πελάγεσιν ναυσθλούμενον;
Helen:He was cast up on the harborless rocks of Libya.
Ἑλένη:Λιβύης ἀλιμένοις ἐκπεσόντα πρὸς πέτραις.
Theoklymenos:How did this man not perish if he was sailing with him?
Θεοκλύμενος:καὶ πῶς ὅδʼ οὐκ ὄλωλε κοινωνῶν πλάτης;
Helen:There are times when common men have more luck than their betters.
Ἑλένη:ἐσθλῶν κακίους ἐνίοτʼ εὐτυχέστεροι.
Theoklymenos:Where did he leave the wreckage of his ship before coming here?
Θεοκλύμενος:λιπὼν δὲ ναὸς ποῦ πάρεστιν ἔκβολα;
Helen:Where ruin may come upon it— but not on Menelaos!
Ἑλένη:ὅπου κακῶς ὄλοιτο, Μενέλεως δὲ μή.
Theoklymenos:He is already ruined. In what ship did this man come?
Θεοκλύμενος:ὄλωλʼ ἐκεῖνος. ἦλθε δʼ ἐν ποίῳ σκάφει;
Helen:Sailors happened to meet him and took him up, as he says.
Ἑλένη:ναῦταί σφʼ ἀνείλοντʼ ἐντυχόντες, ὡς λέγει.
Theoklymenos:Where then is that mischievous creature that was sent to Troy in your place?
Θεοκλύμενος:ποῦ δὴ τὸ πεμφθὲν ἀντὶ σοῦ Τροίᾳ κακόν;
Helen:You mean the cloud image? It has gone into the air.
Ἑλένη:νεφέλης λέγεις ἄγαλμα; ἐς αἰθέρʼ οἴχεται.
Theoklymenos:O Priam, and Trojan lands, how you have perished in vain!
Θεοκλύμενος:ὦ Πρίαμε καὶ γῆ Τρῳάς, ⟨ὡς⟩ ἔρρεις μάτην.
Helen:I too have shared misfortunes with Priam’s race.
Ἑλένη:κἀγὼ μετέσχον Πριαμίδαις δυσπραξίας.
Theoklymenos:Did he leave your husband unburied, or did he hide him in the earth?
Θεοκλύμενος:πόσιν δʼ ἄθαπτον ἔλιπεν ἢ κρύπτει χθονί;
Helen:He is unburied; I am so unhappy in my troubles!
Ἑλένη:ἄθαπτον· οἲ ἐγὼ τῶν ἐμῶν τλήμων κακῶν.
Theoklymenos:It is for this that you have cut your locks of golden hair?
Θεοκλύμενος:τῶνδʼ οὕνεκʼ ἔταμες βοστρύχους ξανθῆς κόμης·
Helen:Yes, for he is dear to me, whoever he is, being here.
Ἑλένη:φίλος γάρ ἐστιν, ὅς ποτʼ ἐστίν, ἐνθάδʼ ὤν.
Theoklymenos:She rightly weeps for this misfortune...
Θεοκλύμενος:ὀρθῶς μὲν ἥδε συμφορὰ δακρύεται —
Helen:It is certainly easy to escape your sister’s notice!
Ἑλένη:ἐν εὐμαρεῖ γοῦν σὴν κασιγνήτην λαθεῖν.
Theoklymenos:No, indeed. Well, what now? Will you continue to live at this tomb?
Θεοκλύμενος:οὐ δῆτα. πῶς οὖν; τόνδʼ ἔτʼ οἰκήσεις τάφον;
Helen:Why do you jeer at me? Won’t you let the dead man be?
Ἑλένη:τί κερτομεῖς με, τὸν θανόντα δʼ οὐκ ἐᾷς;
Theoklymenos:No, for you are loyal to your husband and avoid me.
Θεοκλύμενος:πιστὴ γὰρ εἶ σὺ σῷ πόσει φεύγουσά με.
Helen:No longer; begin my wedding now.
Ἑλένη:ἀλλʼ οὐκέτʼ· ἤδη δʼ ἄρχε τῶν ἐμῶν γάμων.
Theoklymenos:It has come after a long time, but still I commend you for it.
Θεοκλύμενος:χρόνια μὲν ἦλθεν, ἀλλʼ ὅμως αἰνῶ τάδε.
Helen:Do you know what you should do? Let us forget what is past.
Ἑλένη:οἶσθʼ οὖν ὃ δρᾶσον; τῶν πάρος λαθώμεθα.
Theoklymenos:On what terms? One good turn deserves another.
Θεοκλύμενος:ἐπὶ τῷ; χάρις γὰρ ἀντὶ χάριτος ἐλθέτω.
Helen:Let us make a truce; be reconciled to me.
Ἑλένη:σπονδὰς τέμωμεν καὶ διαλλάχθητί μοι.
Theoklymenos:I relinquish my quarrel with you; may it go away on wings.
Θεοκλύμενος:μεθίημι νεῖκος τὸ σόν, ἴτω δʼ ὑπόπτερον.
Helen:Now by your knees, since you are indeed a friend—
Ἑλένη:πρός νύν σε γονάτων τῶνδʼ, ἐπείπερ εἶ φίλος —
Theoklymenos:What thing do you hunt after, that you stretch out a suppliant hand to me?
Θεοκλύμενος:τί χρῆμα θηρῶσʼ ἱκέτις ὠρέχθης ἐμοῦ;
Helen:I wish to bury my dead husband.
Ἑλένη:τὸν κατθανόντα πόσιν ἐμὸν θάψαι θέλω.
Theoklymenos:What? Is there a tomb for the absent? Or will you bury a shadow?
Θεοκλύμενος:τί δʼ; ἔστʼ ἀπόντων τύμβος; ἢ θάψεις σκιάν;
Helen:It is customary among the Hellenes, whenever someone dies at sea—
Ἑλένη:Ἕλλησίν ἐστι νόμος, ὃς ἂν πόντῳ θάνῃ —
Theoklymenos:To do what? The race of Pelops is certainly clever in such matters.
Θεοκλύμενος:τί δρᾶν; σοφοί τοι Πελοπίδαι τὰ τοιάδε.
Helen:To carry out the funeral rites in empty woven robes.
Ἑλένη:κενοῖσι θάπτειν ἐν πέπλων ὑφάσμασιν.
Theoklymenos:Hold the funeral; set up the tomb wherever you wish.
Θεοκλύμενος:κτέριζʼ· ἀνίστη τύμβον οὗ χρῄζεις χθονός.
Helen:We do not give burial like this to sailors who have perished.
Ἑλένη:οὐχ ὧδε ναύτας ὀλομένους τυμβεύομεν.
Theoklymenos:How then? I know nothing of the customs in Hellas.
Θεοκλύμενος:πῶς δαί; λέλειμμαι τῶν ἐν Ἕλλησιν νόμων.
Helen:We take out of harbor to the sea all that is the dead man’s due.
Ἑλένη:ἐς πόντον ὅσα χρὴ νέκυσιν ἐξορμίζομεν.
Theoklymenos:Then what am I to give you for the dead man?
Θεοκλύμενος:τί σοι παράσχω δῆτα τῷ τεθνηκότι;
Helen:This man knows, but I have no experience, as I was fortunate before.
Ἑλένη:ὅδʼ οἶδʼ, ἐγὼ δʼ ἄπειρος, εὐτυχοῦσα πρίν.
Theoklymenos:Stranger, you have brought welcome news.
Θεοκλύμενος:ὦ ξένε, λόγων μὲν κληδόνʼ ἤνεγκας φίλην.
Menelaos:Not for me, certainly, nor for the dead man.
Μενελέως:οὔκουν ἐμαυτῷ γʼ οὐδὲ τῷ τεθνηκότι.
Theoklymenos:How do you bury those who have died at sea?
Θεοκλύμενος:πῶς τοὺς θανόντας θάπτετʼ ἐν πόντῳ νεκρούς;
Menelaos:Each according to his means.
Μενελέως:ὡς ἂν παρούσης οὐσίας ἕκαστος ᾖ.
Theoklymenos:As far as wealth goes, say what you want, for her sake.
Θεοκλύμενος:πλούτου λέγʼ οὕνεχʼ ὅ τι θέλεις ταύτης χάριν.
Menelaos:There must be a blood-offering first to the dead.
Μενελέως:προσφάζεται μὲν αἷμα πρῶτα νερτέροις.
Theoklymenos:Blood of what? Explain it to me, and I will obey.
Θεοκλύμενος:τίνος; σύ μοι σήμαινε, πείσομαι δʼ ἐγώ.
Menelaos:You decide that yourself; whatever you give will suffice.
Μενελέως:αὐτὸς σὺ γίγνωσκʼ· ἀρκέσει γὰρ ἃν διδῷς.
Theoklymenos:Among barbarians it is customary to sacrifice a horse or a bull.
Θεοκλύμενος:ἐν βαρβάροις μὲν ἵππον ἢ ταῦρον νόμος.
Menelaos:If you make a gift, take care to give nothing mean.Theokylemnos:I have no lack of such in my rich herds.
Μενελέως:διδούς γε μὲν δὴ δυσγενὲς μηδὲν δίδου.Θεοκλύμενος:οὐ τῶνδʼ ἐν ἀγέλαις ὀλβίαις σπανίζομεν.
Menelaos:Next, a couch empty of the body is decked and carried in procession.
Μενελέως:καὶ στρωτὰ φέρεται λέκτρα σώματος κενά.
Theoklymenos:It wall be done; what else is it customary to add?
Θεοκλύμενος:ἔσται· τί δʼ ἄλλο προσφέρειν νομίζεται;
Menelaos:Bronze arms; for war was his delight.
Μενελέως:χαλκήλαθʼ ὅπλα· καὶ γὰρ ἦν φίλος δορί.
Theoklymenos:These will be worthy of the race of Pelops, and these we will give.
Θεοκλύμενος:ἄξια τάδʼ ἔσται Πελοπιδῶν ἃ δώσομεν.
Menelaos:And for the rest, all the lovely offspring that the earth bears.
Μενελέως:καὶ τἄλλʼ ὅσα χθὼν καλὰ φέρει βλαστήματα.
Theoklymenos:How then? In what way do you let them fall into the waves?
Θεοκλύμενος:πῶς οὖν; ἐς οἶδμα τίνι τρόπῳ καθίετε;
Menelaos:A ship must be ready, and rowers.
Μενελέως:ναῦν δεῖ παρεῖναι κἀρετμῶν ἐπιστάτας.
Theoklymenos:How far from the shore does the ship put out?
Θεοκλύμενος:πόσον δʼ ἀπείργει μῆκος ἐκ γαίας δόρυ;
Menelaos:So far that the foam in her wake can scarcely be seen from the land.
Μενελέως:ὥστʼ ἐξορᾶσθαι ῥόθια χερσόθεν μόλις.
Theoklymenos:But why? Why does Hellas observe this custom.
Θεοκλύμενος:τί δή; τόδʼ Ἑλλὰς νόμιμον ἐκ τίνος σέβει;
Menelaos:So that the waves may not wash pollution back ashore.
Μενελέως:ὡς μὴ πάλιν γῇ λύματʼ ἐκβάλῃ κλύδων.
Theoklymenos:A swift Phoenician ship will be there.
Θεοκλύμενος:Φοίνισσα κώπη ταχύπορος γενήσεται.
Menelaos:That would be well done, and pleasing to Menelaos, too.
Μενελέως:καλῶς ἂν εἴη Μενέλεῴ τε πρὸς χάριν.
Theoklymenos:Can you not perform these rites well enough without Helen?
Θεοκλύμενος:οὔκουν σὺ χωρὶς τῆσδε δρῶν ἀρκεῖς τάδε;
Menelaos:This task belongs to mother, or wife, or children.
Μενελέως:μητρὸς τόδʼ ἔργον ἢ γυναικὸς ἢ τέκνων.
Theoklymenos:According to you, the work of burying her husband belongs to her.
Θεοκλύμενος:ταύτης ὁ μόχθος, ὡς λέγεις, θάπτειν πόσιν.
Menelaos:Yes indeed; piety demands that the dead be not robbed of their due.
Μενελέως:ἐν εὐσεβεῖ γοῦν νόμιμα μὴ κλέπτειν νεκρῶν.
Theoklymenos:Let her go; it is in my interest to foster piety in a wife. Go inside and choose adornment for the dead;I will not send you away from the land empty-handed either, since you have done her a favor. As you have brought me good news, you will receive clothing instead of going in rags, and food, so that you may reach your country, since now I see you doing very badly indeed.As for you, poor lady, do not wear yourself out in a hopeless case; Menelaos has met his doom, and your dead husband could not return to life.
Θεοκλύμενος:ἴτω· πρὸς ἡμῶν ἄλοχον εὐσεβῆ τρέφειν.ἐλθὼν δʼ ἐς οἴκους ἐξελοῦ κόσμον νεκρῷ·καὶ σὲ οὐ κεναῖσι χερσὶ γῆς ἀποστελῶ,δράσαντα τῇδε πρὸς χάριν· φήμας δʼ ἐμοὶἐσθλὰς ἐνεγκὼν ἀντὶ τῆς ἀχλαινίαςἐσθῆτα λήψῃ σῖτά θʼ, ὥστε σʼ ἐς πάτρανἐλθεῖν, ἐπεὶ νῦν γʼ ἀθλίως ἔχονθʼ ὁρῶ.σὺ δʼ, ὦ τάλαινα, μὴ ʼπὶ τοῖς ἀνηνύτοιςτρύχουσα σαυτήν — Μενέλεως δʼ ἔχει πότμον,κοὐκ ἂν δύναιτο ζῆν ὁ κατθανὼν πόσις.
Menelaos:This is your duty, young woman; you must be content with the husband at your side, and let go the one that no longer exists;for this is best for you, according to what has happened. And if I come to Hellas and find safety, I will put to an end your former bad reputation, if you are such a wife as you ought to be to your husband.
Μενελέως:σὸν ἔργον, ὦ νεᾶνι· τὸν παρόντα μὲνστέργειν πόσιν χρή, τὸν δὲ μηκέτʼ ὄντʼ ἐᾶν·ἄριστα γάρ σοι ταῦτα πρὸς τὸ τυγχάνον.ἢν δʼ Ἑλλάδʼ ἔλθω καὶ τύχω σωτηρίας,παύσω ψόγου σε τοῦ πρίν, ἢν γυνὴ γένῃοἵαν γενέσθαι χρή σε σῷ ξυνευνέτῃ.
Helen:I will; my husband will never find fault with me;you yourself will be at hand to know it. Now go inside, unhappy man, and find the bath, and change your clothes. I will show my kindness to you without delay. For you will perform the due services with more kindly feeling for my dearest Menelaos,if you get from me what you ought to have. Exeunt Theoklymenos, Helen, Menelaos.
Ἑλένη:ἔσται τάδʼ· οὐδὲ μέμψεται πόσις ποτὲἡμῖν· σὺ δʼ αὐτὸς ἐγγὺς ὢν εἴσῃ τάδε.ἀλλʼ, ὦ τάλας, εἴσελθε καὶ λουτρῶν τύχεἐσθῆτά τʼ ἐξάλλαξον. οὐκ ἐς ἀμβολὰςεὐεργετήσω σʼ· εὐμενέστερον γὰρ ἂντῷ φιλτάτῳ μοι Μενέλεῳ τὰ πρόσφοραδρῴης ἄν, ἡμῶν τυγχάνων οἵων σε χρή.
Chorus:Once with swift foot the mountain mother of the gods rushed through the wooded glen, and the river’s streamsand the deep-thundering sea wave, yearning for her lost daughter, whose name may not be spoken. The loudly rattling castanets cried out a shrill sound,when they, swift-footed as whirlwinds, followed the goddess on her chariot yoked to wild creatures, after the girl that was snatched away from the circling chorus of maidens—here Artemis with her bow, and there the grim-eyed goddess, in full armor, with her spear. But Zeus, who sees clearly from his throne in heaven, brought to pass another destiny.
Χορός:Ὀρεία ποτὲ δρομάδι κώ-λῳ μάτηρ θεῶν ἐσύθη ἀνʼὑλάεντα νάπηποτάμιόν τε χεῦμʼ ὑδάτωνβαρύβρομόν τε κῦμʼ ἅλιονπόθῳ τᾶς ἀποιχομέναςἀρρήτου κούρας.κρόταλα δὲ βρόμια διαπρύσιονἱέντα κέλαδον ἀνεβόα,θηρῶν ὅτε ζυγίουςζευξάσᾳ θεᾷ σατίναςτὰν ἁρπασθεῖσαν κυκλίωνχορῶν ἔξω παρθενίωνμετὰ κούραν, ἀελλόποδες,ἃ μὲν τόξοις Ἄρτεμις, ἃ δʼἔγχει Γοργῶπις πάνοπλος,⟨συνείποντο. Ζεὺς δʼ ἑδράνων⟩αὐγάζων ἐξ οὐρανίωνἄλλαν μοῖραν ἔκραινε.
Chorus:When the mother ceased from her wildwandering toil, searching for the treacherous rape of her daughter, she crossed the snow-capped heights of the nymphs of Mount Ida;and in sorrow cast herself down in the rocky woods deep in snow; and, by not making fruitful with crops the barren fields of the earth for mortals, she destroyed the human race.She would not send forth the rich nourishment of leafy tendrils for the herds, and life was leaving the cities. No sacrifice was offered to the gods, and on the altars were no cakes to burn;she made the dew-fed springs of clear water cease flowing, the avenger in sorrow for her child.
Χορός:δρομαῖον δʼ ὅτε πολυπλάνη-τον μάτηρ ἔπαυσε πόνον,μαστεύουσα πόνουςθυγατρὸς ἁρπαγὰς δολίους,χιονοθρέμμονάς γʼ ἐπέρασʼἸδαιᾶν Νυμφᾶν σκοπιάς·ῥίπτει δʼ ἐν πένθειπέτρινα κατὰ δρία πολυνιφέα·βροτοῖσι δʼ ἄχλοα πεδία γᾶςοὐ καρπίζουσʼ ἀρότοιςλαῶν [δὲ] φθείρει γενεάν·ποίμναις δʼ οὐχ ἵει θαλερὰςβοσκὰς εὐφύλλων ἑλίκων,πόλεων δʼ ἀπέλειπε βίος·οὐδʼ ἦσαν θεῶν θυσίαι,βωμοῖς δʼ ἄφλεκτοι πέλανοι·πηγὰς δʼ ἀμπαύει δροσερὰςλευκῶν ἐκβάλλειν ὑδάτωνπένθει παιδὸς ἀλάστωρ.
Chorus:When she made an end to banquets for gods and the race of men, Zeus spoke out, appeasing theMother’s gloomy wrath: “Go, holy Graces, go and with a loud cry take from Demeter’s angry heart her grief for the maiden;”“and you, Muses, with song and dance.” Then Kypris, fairest of the blessed gods, first took up the rumbling voice of bronze and the drum with tight-stretched skin; and the goddess smiled,and received in her hand the deep-toned flute, pleased with its loud note.
Χορός:ἐπεὶ δʼ ἔπαυσʼ εἰλαπίναςθεοῖς βροτείῳ τε γένει,Ζεὺς μειλίσσων στυγίουςματρὸς ὀργὰς ἐνέπει·βᾶτε, σεμναὶ Χάριτες,ἴτε, τᾷ περὶ παρθένῳΔηοῖ θυμωσαμένᾳλύπαν ἐξαλλάξατʼ ἀλαλᾷ,Μοῦσαί θʼ ὕμνοισι χορῶν.χαλκοῦ δʼ αὐδὰν χθονίαντύπανά τʼ ἔλαβε βυρσοτενῆκαλλίστα τότε πρῶτα μακά-ρων Κύπρις· γέλασέν τε θεὰδέξατό τʼ ἐς χέραςβαρύβρομον αὐλὸντερφθεῖσʼ ἀλαλαγμῷ.
Chorus:You made burnt offerings that were neither right nor holy, in the chambers of the gods,and you have incurred the wrath of the great mother, child, by not honoring her sacrifices. Oh! Great is the power of dappled fawn-skin robes,and green ivy that crowns a sacred thyrsos, the whirling beat of the tambourine circling in the air, hair streaming wildly for the revelry of Bromios,and the night-long festivals of the goddess.... You gloried in your beauty alone.
Χορός:ὧν οὐ θέμις ⟨σʼ⟩ οὔθʼ ὁσίαʼπʼύρωσας ἐν ⟨θεῶν⟩ θαλάμοις,μῆνιν δʼ ἔσχες μεγάλαςματρός, ὦ παῖ, θυσίαςοὐ σεβίζουσα θεᾶς.μέγα τοι δύναται νεβρῶνπαμποίκιλοι στολίδεςκισσοῦ τε στεφθεῖσα χλόανάρθηκας εἰς ἱερούς,ῥόμβου θʼ εἱλισσομένακύκλιος ἔνοσις αἰθερία,βακχεύουσά τʼ ἔθειρα Βρομί-ῳ καὶ παννυχίδες θεᾶς.εὖ δέ νιν ἄμασινὑπέρβαλε σελάναμορφᾷ μόνον ηὔχεις.
Helen:My friends, all goes well for us inside;for the daughter of Proteus, who aids us in our theft, has told her brother nothing when questioned as to my husband’s coming; for my sake she said that he was not alive, but dead and buried.... My husband has snatched up by chance fine things indeed;for he is carrying away the armor he was intending to let fall into the sea, putting his noble arm through the shield-strap and holding a spear in his right hand, on pretence of joining in the service to the dead. He has equipped his body with weapons conveniently for the battle,in order to to set up the trophies of countless barbarians, whenever we embark on the oared ship. I adorned him with robes in place of his shipwrecked garments, and I washed him, a long-delayed bath in water from the stream.But I must be silent, for the man is coming from the house who thinks he holds my marriage ready in his hands; and I claim your goodwill and strict silence, so that, when we have saved ourselves, we may be able some day to save you also.
Ἑλένη:τὰ μὲν κατʼ οἴκους εὐτυχοῦμεν, ὦ φίλαι·ἡ γὰρ συνεκκλέπτουσα Πρωτέως κόρηπόσιν παρόντα τὸν ἐμὸν ἱστορουμένηοὐκ εἶπʼ ἀδελφῷ· κατθανόντα δʼ ἐν χθονὶοὔ φησιν αὐγὰς εἰσορᾶν ἐμὴν χάριν.⟨… ⟩κάλλιστα δῆτʼ ἀνήρπασʼ ἐν τύχῃ πόσις·ἃ γὰρ καθήσειν ὅπλʼ ἔμελλεν εἰς ἅλα,ταῦτʼ ἐμβαλὼν πόρπακι γενναίαν χέρααὐτὸς κομίζει δόρυ τε δεξιᾷ λαβών,ὡς τῷ θανόντι χάριτα δὴ συνεκπονῶν.προύργου δʼ ἐς ἀλκὴν σῶμʼ ὅπλοις ἠσκήσατο,ὡς βαρβάρων τρόπαια μυρίων χερὶθήσων, ὅταν κωπῆρες ἐσβῶμεν σκάφος,πέπλους δʼ ἀμείψασʼ ἀντὶ ναυφθόρου στολῆςἐγώ νιν ἐξήσκησα, καὶ λουτροῖς χρόαἔδωκα, χρόνια νίπτρα ποταμίας δρόσου.ἀλλʼ, ἐκπερᾷ γὰρ δωμάτων ὁ τοὺς ἐμοὺςγάμους ἑτοίμους ἐν χεροῖν ἔχειν δοκῶν,σιγητέον μοι· καὶ σὲ προσποιούμεθαεὔνουν κρατεῖν τε στόματος, ἢν δυνώμεθασωθέντες αὐτοὶ καὶ σὲ συνσῶσαί ποτε.
Theoklymenos:Advance in order, servants, as the stranger directed, bearing the funeral gifts for the sea. But you, Helen, if you will agree with my words, be persuaded and stay here; for you will do your husband equal service whether you are present or not.For I am afraid that some sudden passion should persuade you to throw your body into the swelling waves, stricken by love for your former husband; you are grieving for him too much, although he is lost.
Θεοκλύμενος:χωρεῖτʼ ἐφεξῆς, ὡς ἔταξεν ὁ ξένος,δμῶες, φέροντες ἐνάλια κτερίσματα.Ἑλένη, σὺ δʼ, ἤν σοι μὴ κακῶς δόξω λέγειν,πείθου, μένʼ αὐτοῦ· ταὐτὰ γὰρ παροῦσά τεπράξεις τὸν ἄνδρα τὸν σὸν ἤν τε μὴ παρῇς.δέδοικα γάρ σε μή τις ἐμπεσὼν πόθοςπείσῃ μεθεῖναι σῶμʼ ἐς οἶδμα πόντιοντοῦ πρόσθεν ἀνδρὸς χάρισιν ἐκπεπληγμένην·ἄγαν γὰρ αὐτὸν οὐ παρόνθʼ ὅμως στένεις.
Helen:O my new husband, I must honormy first marriage-bed and the one whose company I shared as a bride; for I could even die with my husband, I loved him so much. But how could he thank me, if I were to share death with him? Let me go and pay funeral rites to the dead in person.May the gods give to you the things I wish and also to this stranger here, for his assistance! And you will have in me such a wife at home as you ought to have, since you are doing a good service to Menelaos and to me; for surely these events are leading to some good fortune.But now appoint someone to give us a ship in which to carry these gifts, so that I may have your kindness in full.
Ἑλένη:ὦ καινὸς ἡμῖν πόσις, ἀναγκαίως ἔχειτὰ πρῶτα λέκτρα νυμφικάς θʼ ὁμιλίαςτιμᾶν· ἐγὼ δὲ διὰ τὸ μὲν στέργειν πόσινκαὶ ξυνθάνοιμʼ ἄν· ἀλλὰ τίς κείνῳ χάριςξὺν κατθανόντι κατθανεῖν; ἔα δέ μεαὐτὴν μολοῦσαν ἐντάφια δοῦναι νεκρῷ.θεοὶ δὲ σοί τε δοῖεν οἷʼ ἐγὼ θέλω,καὶ τῷ ξένῳ τῷδʼ, ὅτι συνεκπονεῖ τάδε.ἕξεις δέ μʼ οἵαν χρή σʼ ἔχειν ἐν δώμασιγυναῖκʼ, ἐπειδὴ Μενέλεων εὐεργετεῖςκἄμʼ· ἔρχεται γὰρ δή τινʼ ἐς τύχην τάδε.ὅστις δὲ δώσει ναῦν ἐν ᾗ τάδʼ ἄξομεν,πρόσταξον, ὡς ἂν τὴν χάριν πλήρη λάβω.
Theoklymenos:(to an attendant.) You, go and give them a Sidonian ship of fifty oars, and rowers also.
Θεοκλύμενος:χώρει σὺ καὶ ναῦν τοῖσδε πεντηκόντορονΣιδωνίαν δὸς κἀρετμῶν ἐπιστάτας.
Helen:This man who is ordering the funeral will be in command of the ship, won’t he?
Ἑλένη:οὔκουν ὅδʼ ἄρξει ναὸς ὃς κοσμεῖ τάφον;
Theoklymenos:Most certainly; my sailors must obey him.
Θεοκλύμενος:μάλιστʼ· ἀκούειν τοῦδε χρὴ ναύτας ἐμούς.
Helen:Repeat the order, so that they may clearly understand you.
Ἑλένη:αὖθις κέλευσον, ἵνα σαφῶς μάθωσί σου.
Theoklymenos:I repeat the order, and a third time too, if you wish it.
Θεοκλύμενος:αὖθις κελεύω καὶ τρίτον γʼ, εἴ σοι φίλον.
Helen:May you have benefit from it—and I from my plans!Thoeklymenos:Do not ruin your skin with too much weeping now.
Ἑλένη:ὄναιο· κἀγὼ τῶν ἐμῶν βουλευμάτων.Θεοκλύμενος:μή νυν ἄγαν σὸν δάκρυσιν ἐκτήξῃς χρόα.
Helen:This day will show my gratitude to you.
Ἑλένη:ἥδʼ ἡμέρα σοι τὴν ἐμὴν δείξει χάριν.
Theoklymenos:The state of the dead is nothingness; toil for them is vain.
Θεοκλύμενος:τὰ τῶν θανόντων οὐδέν, ἀλλʼ ἄλλως πόνος.
Helen:There is something of what I say both there and here.
Ἑλένη:ἔστιν τι κἀκεῖ κἀνθάδʼ ὧν ἐγὼ λέγω.
Theoklymenos:You will not find in me a husband at all inferior to Menelaos.
Θεοκλύμενος:οὐδὲν κακίω Μενέλεώ μʼ ἕξεις πόσιν.
Helen:You are not at fault in any way; good luck is all I need.
Ἑλένη:οὐδὲν σὺ μεμπτός· τῆς τύχης με δεῖ μόνον.
Theoklymenos:That is in your power, if you show kindness to me.
Θεοκλύμενος:ἐν σοὶ τόδʼ, ἢν σὴν εἰς ἔμʼ εὔνοιαν διδῷς.
Helen:This is not a lesson I shall have to learn now, to love my friends.
Ἑλένη:οὐ νῦν διδαξόμεσθα τοὺς φίλους φιλεῖν.
Theoklymenos:Would you like me to send out the equipment in person, working together with you?
Θεοκλύμενος:βούλῃ ξυνεργῶν αὐτὸς ἐκπέμψω στόλον;
Helen:Not at all! Do not become a slave to your slaves, lord.
Ἑλένη:ἥκιστα· μὴ δούλευε σοῖς δούλοις, ἄναξ.
Theoklymenos:Come then! I have no concern with the customs of the race of Pelops.My house is pure; for Menelaos did not die here. Let someone go and tell my chieftans to bring marriage-offerings to my house; the whole earth must ring with joyful wedding-songsin celebration of my wedding with Helen, so that it may be envied. You, stranger, go and give to the sea’s embrace these offerings to this woman’s husband, who was once alive; and then hurry back home with my wife, so that after sharing with me her marriage-feast, you mayset out for home or remain here in happiness. Exit Theoklymenos.
Θεοκλύμενος:ἀλλʼ εἶα· τοὺς μὲν Πελοπιδῶν ἐῶ νόμους·καθαρὰ γὰρ ἡμῖν δώματʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἐνθάδεψυχὴν ἀφῆκε Μενέλεως· ἴτω δέ τιςφράσων ὑπάρχοις τοῖς ἐμοῖς φέρειν γάμωνἀγάλματʼ οἴκους εἰς ἐμούς· πᾶσαν δὲ χρὴγαῖαν βοᾶσθαι μακαρίαις ὑμνῳδίαιςὑμέναιον Ἑλένης κἀμόν, ὡς ζηλωτὸς ᾖ.σὺ δʼ, ὦ ξένʼ, ἐλθών, πελαγίους ἐς ἀγκάλαςτῷ τῆσδε πρίν ποτʼ ὄντι δοὺς πόσει τάδε,πάλιν πρὸς οἴκους σπεῦδʼ ἐμὴν δάμαρτʼ ἔχων,ὡς τοὺς γάμους τοὺς τῆσδε συνδαίσας ἐμοὶστέλλῃ πρὸς οἴκους ἢ μένων εὐδαιμονῇς.
Menelaos:O Zeus, called father and god of wisdom, look on us and alter our woes! As we drag our fortunes to the rocky hill, make haste to join with us; if you touch us with your finger-tip only,we shall reach our longed-for goal. There has been enough distress in what we have suffered before. I have invoked you, gods, with many names, good and painful; I am not bound to be unfortunate forever, but to advance in a straight course. If you grant me one favor,you will make me fortunate hereafter. Exeunt Menelaos and Helen.
Μενελέως:ὦ Ζεῦ, πατήρ τε καὶ σοφὸς κλῄζῃ θεός,βλέψον πρὸς ἡμᾶς καὶ μετάστησον κακῶν.ἕλκουσι δʼ ἡμῖν πρὸς λέπας τὰς συμφορὰςσπουδῇ σύναψαι· κἂν ἄκρᾳ θίγῃς χερί,ἥξομεν ἵνʼ ἐλθεῖν βουλόμεσθα τῆς τύχης.ἅλις δὲ μόχθων οὓς ἐμοχθοῦμεν πάρος.κέκλησθέ μοι, θεοί, πολλά χρήσθʼ ἐμοῦ κλύεινκαὶ λύπρʼ· ὀφείλω δʼ οὐκ ἀεὶ πράσσειν κακῶς,ὀρθῷ δὲ βῆναι ποδί· μίαν δέ μοι χάρινδόντες τὸ λοιπὸν εὐτυχῆ με θήσετε.
Chorus:O swift Phoenician ship of Sidon, dear to the surging waves, mother of the oar, leader of the lovely dancingof dolphins, when the sea is clear of breezes and Ocean’s gray-green daughter, spirit of calm, says these words: “Spread your sails”“to the sea-breezes, as you go on your way, grasp your oars of pine, oh! sailors, sailors, speeding Helen on her way to the shore with good harbor, where once Perseus lived.”.
Χορός:Φοίνισσα Σιδωνιὰς ὦταχεῖα κώπα, ῥοθίοισι μάτηρεἰρεσίας φίλα,χοραγὲ τῶν καλλιχόρωνδελφίνων, ὅταν αὔραιςπέλαγος ἀνήνεμον ᾖ,γλαυκὰ δὲ Πόντου θυγάτηρΓαλάνεια τάδʼ εἴπῃ·κατὰ μὲν ἱστία πετάσατʼ αὔ-ραις λιπόντες εἰναλίαις,λάβετε δʼ εἰλατίνας πλάτας,ὦ ναῦται, ναῦται,πέμποντες εὐλιμένουςΠερσείων οἴκων Ἑλέναν ἐπʼ ἀκτάς.
Chorus:Perhaps you may find the daughters of Leukippos beside the swell of the river or before the temple of Pallas, when at last you join in the dances or the revels of Hyakinthosin night-long joy—Hyakinthos, whom Phoebus killed with the round discus, contesting for the farthest throw—a day of the sacrifice of oxen in the Lakonian land;the son of Zeus declared that his race would be honored; and you may find the girl whom you left at home, Hermione, for as yet no torch has lit the way to her marriage.
Χορός:ἦ που κόρας ἂν ποταμοῦπαρʼ οἶδμα Λευκιππίδας ἢ πρὸ ναοῦΠαλλάδος ἂν λάβοιςχρόνῳ ξυνελθοῦσα χοροῖςἢ κώμοις Ὑακίνθουνύχιον ἐς εὐφροσύναν,ὃν ἐξαμιλλησάμενοςτροχῷ τέρμονα δίσκουἔκανε Φοῖβος, τᾷ Λακαί-νᾳ γᾷ βούθυτον ἁμέραν·ὁ Διὸς δʼ εἶπε σέβειν γόνος·μόσχον θʼ, ἃν οἴκοις⟨ἔλειπες, Ἑρμιόναν,⟩ἇς οὔπω πεῦκαι πρὸ γάμων ἔλαμψαν.
Chorus:Oh, that we had wings to cleave the air, where the birds of Libya go in their ranks,leaving the winter rain, obedient to the piping of their veteran leader, who raises his exultant cryas he wings his way over unmoistened and crop-bearing plains of the earth. O you winged long-necked comrades of the racing clouds, go on beneath the Pleiades in their central stationand Orion of the night; deliver the message, as you settle on Eurotas’ banks, that Menelaos has sacked the city of Dardanos, and will come home.
Χορός:διʼ ἀέρος εἴθε ποτανοὶγενοίμεσθʼ ᾇ Λιβύαςοἰωνοὶ στοχάδεςὄμβρον λιποῦσαι χειμέριοννίσονται πρεσβυτάτᾳσύριγγι πειθόμεναιποιμένος, ὃς ἄβροχα πεδία καρποφόρα τε γᾶςἐπιπετόμενος ἰαχεῖ.ὦ πταναὶ δολιχαύχενες,σύννομοι νεφέων δρόμου,βᾶτε Πλειάδας ὑπὸ μέσαςὠρίωνά τʼ ἐννύχιον·καρύξατʼ ἀγγελίαν,Εὐρώταν ἐφεζόμεναι,Μενέλεως ὅτι Δαρδάνουπόλιν ἑλὼν δόμον ἥξει.
Chorus:May you come at last, speeding over your horses’ path through the sky, sons of Tyndareus, under the whirling of the radiant stars; you who dwell in heaven, Helen’s rescuers,go over the gray-green swell and the dark gray surge of sea-waves, sending the sailorsfavoring breezes from Zeus; and cast away from your sister her ill-fame from marriage with a barbarian, the punishment she received from the contest on Ida;but she never went to the land of Ilion, to the towers of Phoebus.
Χορός:μόλοιτέ ποθʼ ἵππιον οἶμονδιʼ αἰθέρος ἱέμενοιπαῖδες Τυνδαρίδαι,λαμπρῶν ἄστρων ὑπʼ ἀέλλαισιν·οἳ ναίετʼ οὐράνιοι,σωτῆρες τᾶς Ἑλένας,γλαυκὸν ἔπιτʼ οἶδμα κυανόχροά τε κυμάτωνῥόθια πολιὰ θαλάσσας,ναύταις εὐαεῖς ἀνέμωνπέμποντες Διόθεν πνοάς·δύσκλειαν δʼ ἀπὸ συγγόνουβάλετε βαρβάρων λεχέων,ἃν Ἰδαίων ἐρίδωνποιναθεῖσʼ ἐκτήσατο, γᾶνοὐκ ἐλθοῦσά ⟨ποτʼ⟩ ἸλίουΦοιβείους ἐπὶ πύργους.
Second Messenger:(entering hurriedly.) O king, [at last have I found thee in the palace; for new]... troubles are you soon to hear from me.Theoklymenos:What is it?
Ἄγγελος:ἄναξ, τὰ κάκιστʼ ἐν δόμοις εὑρήκαμεν·ὡς καίνʼ ἀκούσῃ πήματʼ ἐξ ἐμοῦ τάχα.Θεοκλύμενος:τί δʼ ἔστιν;
Messenger:Go to work on the courtship of anotherwoman; for Helen has left the country.
Ἄγγελος:ἄλλης ἐκπόνει μνηστεύματαγυναικός· Ἑλένη γὰρ βέβηκʼ ἔξω χθονός.
Theoklymenos:Carried up on wings, or treading on the earth?
Θεοκλύμενος:πτεροῖσιν ἀρθεῖσʼ ἢ πεδοστιβεῖ ποδί;
Messenger:Menelaos has taken her off as plunder, out of the land; he was the one that came with the news of his own death.
Ἄγγελος:Μενέλαος αὐτὴν ἐκπεπόρθμευται χθονός,ὃς αὐτὸς αὑτὸν ἦλθεν ἀγγέλλων θανεῖν.
Theoklymenos:O dreadful story! What ship carried heroff from this land? Your story is unbelievable.
Θεοκλύμενος:ὦ δεινὰ λέξας· τίς δέ νιν ναυκληρίαἐκ τῆσδʼ ἀπῆρε χθονός; ἄπιστα γὰρ λέγεις.
Messenger:The very one that you gave to the stranger; and he has gone with your sailors, so that you may know everything in brief.
Ἄγγελος:ἥν γε ξένῳ δίδως σύ· τούς τε σοὺς ἔχωνναύτας βέβηκεν, ὡς ἂν ἐν βραχεῖ μάθῃς.
Theoklymenos:How? I am eager to know; for I never expected that a single hand could excel overso many sailors, with whom you were sent.
Θεοκλύμενος:πῶς; εἰδέναι πρόθυμος· οὐ γὰρ ἐλπίδωνἔσω βέβηκα μίαν ὑπερδραμεῖν χέρατοσούσδε ναύτας, ὧν ἀπεστάλης μέτα.
Messenger:When the daughter of Zeus had left this royal house and started for the sea, delicately picking her way, she most cleverly began to mourn her husband, though he was close at hand and not dead.When we reached the enclosure of your dockyards, we began to launch the Sidonian ship on her first voyage, with her fifty benches and full measure of rowers. Task gave way to task: one set up the mast, another set up the oars... and the rudders were lowered by their cross-bars. And during this labor, men of Hellas who had been fellow-voyagers with Menelaos were watching us, it seems, and they drew near to the beach, clad in the rags of shipwrecked men,handsome, but rough to look upon. And the son of Atreus, when he saw them approach, spoke to them, craftily introducing the reason for his mourning: “Unhappy sailors, how have you arrived? From the wreckage of what Achaean ship?”“Are you here to help bury the dead son of Atreus, whose missing body this lady, daughter of Tyndareus, is honoring with an empty grave?” They wept in a feigned manner, and went to the ship, carrying aboard the offerings to be thrown into the sea for Menelaos. We were suspicious at this,and said to each other that there would be a crowd of those additional passengers; but still we remained silent, out of respect for your orders; for by bidding the stranger command the vessel, you threw everything into confusion.
Ἄγγελος:ἐπεὶ λιποῦσα τούσδε βασιλείους δόμουςἡ τοῦ Διὸς παῖς πρὸς θάλασσαν ἐστάλησοφώταθʼ ἁβρὸν πόδα τιθεῖσʼ ἀνέστενεπόσιν πέλας παρόντα κοὐ τεθνηκότα.ὡς δʼ ἤλθομεν σῶν περίβολον νεωρίων,Σιδωνίαν ναῦν πρωτόπλουν καθείλκομενζυγῶν τε πεντήκοντα κἀρετμῶν μέτραἔχουσαν. ἔργου δʼ ἔργον ἐξημείβετο·ὃ μὲν γὰρ ἱστόν, ὃ δὲ πλάτην καθίσατοταρσόν τε χειρί, λευκά θʼ ἱστίʼ εἰς ἓν ἦνπηδάλιά τε ζεύγλαισι παρακαθίετο.κἀν τῷδε μόχθῳ, τοῦτʼ ἄρα σκοπούμενοι,Ἕλληνες ἄνδρες Μενέλεῳ ξυνέμποροιπροσῆλθον ἀκταῖς ναυφθόροις ἠσθημένοιπέπλοισιν, εὐειδεῖς μέν, αὐχμηροὶ δʼ ὁρᾶν.ἰδὼν δέ νιν παρόντας Ἀτρέως γόνοςπροσεῖπε δόλιον οἶκτον ἐς μέσον φέρων·ὦ τλήμονες, πῶς ἐκ τίνος νεώς ποτεἈχαιίδος θραύσαντες ἥκετε σκάφος;ἆρʼ Ἀτρέως παῖδʼ ὀλόμενον συνθάπτετε,ὃν Τυνδαρὶς παῖς ἥδʼ ἀπόντα κενοταφεῖ;οἳ δʼ ἐκβαλόντες δάκρυα ποιητῷ τρόπῳ,ἐς ναῦν ἐχώρουν Μενέλεῳ ποντίσματαφέροντες. ἡμῖν δʼ ἦν μὲν ἥδʼ ὑποψίαλόγος τʼ ἐν ἀλλήλοισι, τῶν ἐπεσβατῶνὡς πλῆθος εἴη· διεσιωπῶμεν δʼ ὅμωςτοὺς σοὺς λόγους σῴζοντες· ἄρχειν γὰρ νεὼςξένον κελεύσας πάντα συνέχεας τάδε.
Well, we easily put the other victims on the ship, for they were light;but the bull did not want to go forward along the plank, but kept bellowing loudly, rolling his eyes around; and, arching his back and peering along his horns, he prevented us from touching him. But Helen’s husbandcalled out: “O you who sacked the town of Ilion, come pick up this bull on young shoulders, as is the way in Hellas, and cast him into the prow... the sacrifice to the dead man.”Then they came at his summons, and caught up the bull and carried him on to the deck. And Menelaos stroked the horse on neck and brow, coaxing it to go aboard.Finally, when the ship was fully loaded,Helen climbed up the ladder with elegant step, and took her seat in the middle of the rowers’ benches, and he was near by, Menelaos who was called dead. The rest, equally divided on the right and left sides of the ship, sat down, each beside his man, with swords concealed beneath their cloaks,and the waves were filled with shouting as we heard the voice of the boatswain.
καὶ τἄλλα μὲν δὴ ῥᾳδίως ἔσω νεὼςἐθέμεθα κουφίζοντα· ταύρειος δὲ ποὺςοὐκ ἤθελʼ ὀρθὸς σανίδα προσβῆναι κάτα,ἀλλʼ ἐξεβρυχᾶτʼ ὄμμʼ ἀναστρέφων κύκλῳκυρτῶν τε νῶτα κἀς κέρας παρεμβλέπωνμὴ θιγγάνειν ἀπεῖργεν. ὁ δʼ Ἑλένης πόσιςἐκάλεσεν· ὦ πέρσαντες Ἰλίου πόλιν,οὐκ εἶʼ ἀναρπάσαντες Ἑλλήνων νόμῳνεανίαις ὤμοισι ταύρειον δέμαςἐς πρῷραν ἐμβαλεῖτε, φάσγανόν θʼ ἅμαπρόχειρον ὤσει σφάγια τῷ τεθνηκότι;οἳ δʼ ἐς κέλευσμʼ ἐλθόντες ἐξανήρπασανταῦρον φέροντές τʼ εἰσέθεντο σέλματα.μονάμπυκον δὲ Μενέλεως ψήχων δέρηνμέτωπά τʼ ἐξέπεισεν ἐσβῆναι δόρυ.τέλος δʼ, ἐπειδὴ ναῦς τὰ πάντʼ ἐδέξατο,πλήσασα κλιμακτῆρας εὐσφύρῳ ποδίἙλένη καθέζετʼ ἐν μέσοις ἑδωλίοις,ὅ τʼ οὐκέτʼ ὢν λόγοισι Μενέλεως πέλας·ἄλλοι δὲ τοίχους δεξιοὺς λαιούς τʼ ἴσοιἀνὴρ παρʼ ἄνδρʼ ἕζονθʼ, ὑφʼ εἵμασι ξίφηλαθραῖʼ ἔχοντες, ῥόθιά τʼ ἐξεπίμπλατοβοῆς κελευστοῦ φθέγμαθʼ ὡς ἠκούσαμεν.
Now when we had put out from land, neither very far nor very near, the helmsman asked, “Shall we sail yet further, stranger, or is this far enough?”“For the command of this ship is yours.” And he answered, “Far enough for me.” Holding a sword in his right hand, he stepped into the prow; and, standing over the bull to slay it, with no mention of any dead man, he cut its throat and prayed: “O Poseidon of the sea,”“who lives in the deep, and you holy daughters of Nereus, bring me and my wife safe and sound from here to Nauplia’s shore!” Streams of blood, a good omen for the stranger, darted into the waves. And someone said, “There is treachery in this voyage;”“let us sail back again! You, give an order for the right oar, you, turn your rudder.” But the son of Atreus, standing where he slew the bull, cried out to his comrades, “Why do you, the pick of Hellas, delay to slaughter and kill the barbarians”“and hurl them from the ship into the waves?” And the boatswain cried the opposite command to your rowers: “Some of you catch up planks at the end, break up the benches, or snatch the oars from the locks, and make the heads of these foreign enemies bloody!”.They all leapt upright, some with oars in their hands, others with swords; and the ship ran with blood. Helen cheered them on from the stern: “Where is the fame you won in Troy? Show it against the barbarians!” In their eagerness, some wouldfall, some stood upright, you would have seen others lying dead. But Menelaos, in full armor, wherever he spied that his comrades were suffering, would go there, sword in hand; and so we divedfrom the ship, and he cleared the benches of your rowers. Then going to the helmsman he told him to sail a straight course to Hellas. So they set up the mast, and favoring breezes blew.They are gone from here. But I escaped death and let myself down by the anchor into the sea;and just as I was worn out, some fisherman took me up, and put me out on land, to bring you this report. Nothing is more useful to mankind than a prudent distrust.Chorus Leader:I never would have believed that Menelaos could have eluded both usand you, O king, the way he did on his arrival.
ἐπεὶ δὲ γαίας ἦμεν οὔτʼ ἄγαν πρόσωοὔτʼ ἐγγύς, οὕτως ἤρετʼ οἰάκων φύλαξ·ἔτʼ, ὦ ξένʼ, ἐς τὸ πρόσθεν — ἢ καλῶς ἔχει —πλεύσωμεν; ἀρχαὶ γὰρ νεὼς μέλουσι σοί.ὃ δʼ εἶφʼ· ἅλις μοι. δεξιᾷ δʼ ἑλὼν ξίφοςἐς πρῷραν εἷρπε κἀπὶ ταυρείῳ σφαγῇσταθεὶς νεκρῶν μὲν οὐδενὸς μνήμην ἔχων,τέμνων δὲ λαιμὸν ηὔχετʼ· ὦ ναίων ἅλαπόντιε Πόσειδον Νηρέως θʼ ἁγναὶ κόραι,σώσατέ μʼ ἐπʼ ἀκτὰς Ναυπλίας δάμαρτά τεἄσυλον ἐκ γῆς. αἵματος δʼ ἀπορροαὶἐς οἶδμʼ ἐσηκόντιζον οὔριοι ξένῳ.καί τις τόδʼ εἶπε· δόλιος ἡ ναυκληρία.πάλιν πλέωμεν· δεξιὰν κέλευε σύ,σὺ δὲ στρέφʼ οἴακʼ. ἐκ δὲ ταυρείου φόνουἈτρέως σταθεὶς παῖς ἀνεβόησε συμμάχους·τί μέλλετʼ, ὦ γῆς Ἑλλάδος λωτίσματα,σφάζειν φονεύειν βαρβάρους νεώς τʼ ἄποῥίπτειν ἐς οἶδμα; ναυβάταις δὲ τοῖσι σοῖςβοᾷ κελευστὴς τὴν ἐναντίαν ὄπα·οὐκ εἶʼ ὃ μέν τις λοῖσθον ἀρεῖται δόρυ,ὃ δὲ ζύγʼ ἄξας, ὃ δʼ ἀφελὼν σκαλμοῦ πλάτηνκαθαιματώσει κρᾶτα πολεμίων ξένων;ὀρθοὶ δʼ ἀνῇξαν πάντες, οἳ μὲν ἐν χεροῖνκορμοὺς ἔχοντες ναυτικούς, οἳ δὲ ξίφη·φόνῳ δὲ ναῦς ἐρρεῖτο. παρακέλευσμα δʼ ἦνπρύμνηθεν Ἑλένης· ποῦ τὸ Τρωικὸν κλέος;δείξατε πρὸς ἄνδρας βαρβάρους· σπουδῆς δʼ ὕποἔπιπτον, οἳ δʼ ὠρθοῦντο, τοὺς δὲ κειμένουςνεκροὺς ἂν εἶδες. Μενέλεως δʼ ἔχων ὅπλα,ὅποι νοσοῖεν ξύμμαχοι κατασκοπῶν,ταύτῃ προσῆγε χειρὶ δεξιᾷ ξίφος,ὥστʼ ἐκκολυμβᾶν ναός, ἠρήμωσε δὲσῶν ναυβατῶν ἐρετμά. ἐπʼ οἰάκων δὲ βὰςἄνακτʼ ἐς Ἑλλάδʼ εἶπεν εὐθύνειν δόρυ.οἳ δʼ ἱστὸν ᾖρον, οὔριαι δʼ ἧκον πνοαί.βεβᾶσι δʼ ἐκ γῆς. διαφυγὼν δʼ ἐγὼ φόνονκαθῆκʼ ἐμαυτὸν εἰς ἅλʼ ἄγκυραν πάρα·ἤδη δὲ κάμνονθʼ ὁρμιατόνων μέ τιςἀνείλετʼ, ἐς δὲ γαῖαν ἐξέβησέ σοιτάδʼ ἀγγελοῦντα. σώφρονος δʼ ἀπιστίαςοὐκ ἔστιν οὐδὲν χρησιμώτερον βροτοῖς.Χορός:οὐκ ἄν ποτʼ ηὔχουν οὔτε σʼ οὔθʼ ἡμᾶς λαθεῖνΜενέλαον, ὦναξ, ὡς ἐλάνθανεν παρών.
Theoklymenos:Caught by a woman’s tricks, unhappy that I am! My bride has escaped me. If the ship could have been pursued and overtaken, I would have made an effort to catch the strangers at once; but now I will avenge myself upon my treacherous sister,for she saw Menelaos in my house and did not tell me. Therefore she will never deceive another man by her oracles.
Θεοκλύμενος:ὦ γυναικείαις τέχναισιν αἱρεθεὶς ἐγὼ τάλας·ἐκπεφεύγασιν γάμοι με. κεἰ μὲν ἦν ἁλώσιμοςναῦς διώγμασιν, πονήσας εἷλον ἂν τάχα ξένους·νῦν δὲ τὴν προδοῦσαν ἡμᾶς τεισόμεσθα σύγγονον,ἥτις ἐν δόμοις ὁρῶσα Μενέλεων οὐκ εἶπέ μοι.τοιγὰρ οὔποτʼ ἄλλον ἄνδρα ψεύσεται μαντεύμασιν.
Servant:You, there! Where are you rushing off to, my lord? to what bloody deed?
Θεράπων:οὗτος ὤ, ποῖ σὸν πόδʼ αἴρεις, δέσποτʼ, ἐς ποῖον φόνον;
Theoklymenos:Where justice calls me. Get out of my way!
Θεοκλύμενος:οἷπερ ἡ δίκη κελεύει με· ἀλλʼ ἀφίστασʼ ἐκποδών.
Servant:I will not let go of your robe, for you are striving after great wickedness.
Θεράπων:οὐκ ἀφήσομαι πέπλων σῶν· μεγάλα ⟨γὰρ⟩ σπεύδεις κακά.
Theoklymenos:Will you rule over your master, although you are a slave?
Θεοκλύμενος:ἀλλὰ δεσποτῶν κρατήσεις δοῦλος ὤν;
Servant:Yes, for I am in my right mind.
Θεράπων:φρονῶ γὰρ εὖ.
Theoklymenos:Not in my opinion, if you will not let me—
Θεοκλύμενος:οὐκ ἔμοιγʼ, εἰ μή μʼ ἐάσεις —
Servant:No, I will not let you!
Θεράπων:οὐ μὲν οὖν σʼ ἐάσομεν.
Theoklymenos:Let me kill my most wicked sister—
Θεοκλύμενος:σύγγονον κτανεῖν κακίστην —
Servant:No, she is most pious.
Θεράπων:εὐσεβεστάτην μὲν οὖν.
Theoklymenos:Who betrayed me—
Θεοκλύμενος:ἥ με προύδωκεν —
Servant:It was a noble betrayal, correctly done.
Θεράπων:καλήν γε προδοσίαν, δίκαια δρᾶν.
Theoklymenos:When she gave my bride to another.
Θεοκλύμενος:τἀμὰ λέκτρʼ ἄλλῳ διδοῦσα.
Servant:To the one who had a better right.
Θεράπων:τοῖς γε κυριωτέροις.
Theoklymenos:Who has rights over my property?
Θεοκλύμενος:κύριος δὲ τῶν ἐμῶν τίς;
Servant:The one who received her from her father.
Θεράπων:ὃς ἔλαβεν πατρὸς πάρα.
Theoklymenos:But fortune gave her to me.
Θεοκλύμενος:ἀλλʼ ἔδωκεν ἡ τύχη μοι.
Servant:And necessity took her away.
Θεράπων:τὸ δὲ χρεὼν ἀφείλετο.
Theoklymenos:It is not for you to judge my affairs.
Θεοκλύμενος:οὐ σὲ τἀμὰ χρὴ δικάζειν.
Servant:Yes, if my counsel is better.
Θεράπων:ἤν γε βελτίω λέγω.
Theoklymenos:So I am your subject, not your ruler.
Θεοκλύμενος:ἀρχόμεσθʼ ἄρʼ, οὐ κρατοῦμεν.
Servant:Subject to do right, not wrong.
Θεράπων:ὅσια δρᾶν, τὰ δʼ ἔκδικʼ οὔ.
Theoklymenos:It seems you desire to be killed.
Θεοκλύμενος:κατθανεῖν ἐρᾶν ἔοικας.
Servant:Kill me;you will not kill your sister with my consent, but me instead; to die for their masters is the most glorious act for noble slaves.
Θεράπων:κτεῖνε· σύγγονον δὲ σὴνοὐ κτενεῖς ἡμῶν ἑκόντων, ἀλλʼ ἔμε· ⟨ὡς⟩ πρὸ δεσποτῶντοῖσι γενναίοισι δούλοις εὐκλεέστατον θανεῖν.
Dioskouroi:Restrain the anger that is wrongly carrying you away, Theoklymenos, king of this land. We, the twin sons of Zeus, are calling you; Leda once gave birth to us,with Helen, who has fled from your home. For you are angry about a marriage that is not destined for you; and your sister Theonoe, daughter of a Nereid goddess, does not wrong you when she honors the word of the gods and her father’s just commands.For it was ordained that Helen should live in your house up to the present time; but no longer, since Troy is wholly destroyed and she has provided her name to the gods; she must be united in her own marriage,and come home and live with her husband. But hold your black sword away from your sister, and believe that she is acting with discretion in this matter. Long ago, before this, we would have saved our sister, seeing that Zeus has made us gods;but we are weaker than fate and also than the gods, who decreed these things to happen in this way.This is my bidding to you, while I say to my sister: “Sail on with your husband; and you shall have a favorable breeze; for we, your two savior brothers,”“riding over the sea, will send you to your fatherland. And when you make the last turn of the race-course and end your life, you will be named as a goddess, and share libations with the Dioskouroi, and receive gifts from men with us; for such is the will of Zeus.”“And the place where the son of Maia first set the boundary to your course through the air, when he took you away from Sparta, stealing your body so that Paris would not marry you—I mean the island stretched like a sentinel along the coast of Attica—shall be called by your name among men for the future, since it welcomed you”“when you were stolen from your home. And it is destined by the gods that the wanderer Menelaos will dwell in the islands of the blessed; for deities do not hate the well-born, but the sufferings of the multitude are greater.”Theoklymenos:You sons of Leda and Zeus, I will let go my former quarrel over your sister; and mine I shall no longer try to kill. Let Helen go home, if the gods think it right. Know that you are born from the same blood as a sisterwho is the best and also most self-controlled; may you fare well, for the sake of Helen’s most noble mind, a quality not to be found in many women.
Διόσκοροι:ἐπίσχες ὀργὰς αἷσιν οὐκ ὀρθῶς φέρῃ,Θεοκλύμενε, γαίας τῆσδʼ ἄναξ· δισσοὶ δέ σεΔιόσκοροι καλοῦμεν, οὓς Λήδα ποτὲἔτικτεν Ἑλένην θʼ, ἣ πέφευγε σοὺς δόμους·οὐ γὰρ πεπρωμένοισιν ὀργίζῃ γάμοις,οὐδʼ ἡ θεᾶς Νηρῇδος ἔκγονος κόρηἀδικεῖ σʼ ἀδελφὴ Θεονόη, τὰ τῶν θεῶντιμῶσα πατρός τʼ ἐνδίκους ἐπιστολάς.ἐς μὲν γὰρ αἰεὶ τὸν παρόντα νῦν χρόνονκείνην κατοικεῖν σοῖσιν ἐν δόμοις ἐχρῆν·ἐπεὶ δὲ Τροίας ἐξανεστάθη βάθρα,καὶ τοῖς θεοῖς παρέσχε τοὔνομʼ, οὐκέτι·ἐν τοῖσι δʼ αὑτῆς δεῖ νιν ἐζεῦχθαι γάμοιςἐλθεῖν τʼ ἐς οἴκους καὶ συνοικῆσαι πόσει.ἀλλʼ ἴσχε μὲν σῆς συγγόνου μέλαν ξίφος,νόμιζε δʼ αὐτὴν σωφρόνως πράσσειν τάδε.πάλαι δʼ ἀδελφὴν κἂν πρὶν ἐξεσώσαμεν,ἐπείπερ ἡμᾶς Ζεὺς ἐποίησεν θεούς·ἀλλʼ ἥσσονʼ ἦμεν τοῦ πεπρωμένου θʼ ἅμακαὶ τῶν θεῶν, οἷς ταῦτʼ ἔδοξεν ὧδʼ ἔχειν.σοὶ μὲν τάδʼ αὐδῶ, συγγόνῳ δʼ ἐμῇ λέγω·πλεῖ ξὺν πόσει σῷ· πνεῦμα δʼ ἕξετʼ οὔριον·σωτῆρε δʼ ἡμεῖς σὼ κασιγνήτω διπλῶπόντον παριππεύοντε πέμψομεν πάτραν.ὅταν δὲ κάμψῃς καὶ τελευτήσῃς βίον,θεὸς κεκλήσῃ καὶ Διοσκόρων μέτασπονδῶν μεθέξεις ξένιά τʼ ἀνθρώπων πάραἕξεις μεθʼ ἡμῶν· Ζεὺς γὰρ ὧδε βούλεται.οὗ δʼ ὥρισέν σοι πρῶτα Μαιάδος τόκος,Σπάρτης ἀπάρας, τὸν κατʼ οὐρανὸν δρόμον,κλέψας δέμας σὸν μὴ Πάρις γήμειέ σε,— φρουρὸν παρʼ Ἀκτὴν τεταμένην νῆσον λέγω —Ἑλένη τὸ λοιπὸν ἐν βροτοῖς κεκλήσεται,ἐπεὶ κλοπαίαν σʼ ἐκ δόμων ἐδέξατο.καὶ τῷ πλανήτῃ Μενέλεῳ θεῶν πάραμακάρων κατοικεῖν νῆσόν ἐστι μόρσιμον·τοὺς εὐγενεῖς γὰρ οὐ στυγοῦσι δαίμονες,τῶν δʼ ἀναριθμήτων μᾶλλόν εἰσιν οἱ πόνοι.Θεοκλύμενος:ὦ παῖδε Λήδας καὶ Διός, τὰ μὲν πάροςνείκη μεθήσω σφῶν κασιγνήτης πέρι·ἐγὼ δʼ ἀδελφὴν οὐκέτʼ ἂν κτάνοιμʼ ἐμήν.κείνη δʼ ἴτω πρὸς οἶκον, εἰ θεοῖς δοκεῖ.ἴστον δʼ ἀρίστης σωφρονεστάτης θʼ ἅμαγεγῶτʼ ἀδελφῆς ὁμογενοῦς ἀφʼ αἵματος.καὶ χαίρεθʼ Ἑλένης οὕνεκʼ εὐγενεστάτηςγνώμης, ὃ πολλαῖς ἐν γυναιξὶν οὐκ ἔνι.
Chorus:Many are the forms of divinities, and many things the gods bring to pass unhoped for.And what was expected has not been fulfilled; for what was not expected, a god finds a way. Such was the result of this action.
Χορός:πολλαὶ μορφαὶ τῶν δαιμονίων,πολλὰ δʼ ἀέλπτως κραίνουσι θεοί·καὶ τὰ δοκηθέντʼ οὐκ ἐτελέσθη,τῶν δʼ ἀδοκήτων πόρον ηὗρε θεός.τοιόνδʼ ἀπέβη τόδε πρᾶγμα.