Hippolytus:Father, thy wrath and the tension of thy mind are terrible; yet this charge, specious though its arguments appear,becomes a calumny, if one lay it bare. Small skill have I in speaking to a crowd, but have a readier wit for comrades of mine own age and small companies. Yea, and this is as it should be; for they, whom the wise despise, are better qualified to speak before a mob.
Ἱππόλυτος:πάτερ, μένος μὲν ξύστασίς τε σῶν φρενῶνδεινή· τὸ μέντοι πρᾶγμ’ ἔχον καλοὺς λόγους,εἴ τις διαπτύξειεν, οὐ καλὸν τόδε.ἐγὼ δ’ ἄκομψος εἰς ὄχλον δοῦναι λόγον,ἐς ἥλικας δὲ κὠλίγους σοφώτερος.ἔχει δὲ μοῖραν καὶ τόδ’· οἱ γὰρ ἐν σοφοῖςφαῦλοι παρ’ ὄχλῳ μουσικώτεροι λέγειν.
Yet am I constrained under the present circumstances to break silence. And at the outset will I take the point which formed the basis of thy stealthy attack on me, designed to put me out of court unheard; dost see yon sun, this earth? These do not contain,for all thou dost deny it, chastity surpassing mine. To reverence God I count the highest knowledge, and to adopt as friends not those who attempt injustice, but such as would blush to propose to their companions aught disgraceful or pleasure them by shameful services;
ὅμως δ’ ἀνάγκη, ξυμφορᾶς ἀφιγμένης,γλῶσσάν μ’ ἀφεῖναι. πρῶτα δ’ ἄρξομαι λέγειν,ὅθεν μ’ ὑπῆλθες πρῶτον ὡς διαφθερῶνκοὐκ ἀντιλέξοντ’. εἰσορᾷς φάος τόδεκαὶ γαῖαν· ἐν τοῖσδ’ οὐκ ἔνεστ’ ἀνὴρ ἐμοῦ,οὐδ’ ἢν σὺ μὴ φῇς, σωφρονέστερος γεγώς.ἐπίσταμαι γὰρ πρῶτα μὲν θεοὺς σέβειν,φίλοις τε χρῆσθαι μὴ ἀδικεῖν πειρωμένοις,ἀλλ’ οἷσιν αἰδὼς μήτ’ ἐπαγγέλλειν κακὰμήτ’ ἀνθυπουργεῖν αἰσχρὰ τοῖσι χρωμένοις·
to mock at friends is not my way, father, but I am still the same behind their backs as to their face. The very crime thou thinkest to catch me in, is just the one I am untainted with, for to this day have I kept me pure from women. Nor know I aught thereof, save what I hearor see in pictures, for I have no wish to look even on these, so pure my virgin soul. I grant my claim to chastity may not convince thee; well,’tis then for thee to show the way I was corrupted. Did this woman exceed in beautyall her sex? Did I aspire to fill the husband’s place after thee and succeed to thy house? [That surely would have made me out a fool, a creature void of sense. Thou wilt say, “Your chaste man loves to lord it.” No, no! say I, sovereignty pleases only those][whose hearts are quite corrupt. Now, I would be the first and best at all the games in Hellas, but second in the state, for ever happy thus with the noblest for my friends. For there one may be happy, and the absence of danger][gives a charm beyond all princely joys.]
οὐκ ἐγγελαστὴς τῶν ὁμιλούντων, πάτερ,ἀλλ’ αὑτὸς οὐ παροῦσι κἀγγὺς ὢν φίλοις.ἑνὸς δ’ ἄθικτος, ᾧ με νῦν ἑλεῖν δοκεῖς·λέχους γὰρ ἐς τόδ’ ἡμέρας ἁγνὸν δέμας·οὐκ οἶδα πρᾶξιν τήνδε πλὴν λόγῳ κλύωνγραφῇ τε λεύσσων· οὐδὲ ταῦτα γὰρ σκοπεῖνπρόθυμός εἰμι, παρθένον ψυχὴν ἔχων.καὶ δὴ τὸ σῶφρον τοὐμὸν οὐ πείθει σ’· ἴτω·δεῖ δή σε δεῖξαι τῷ τρόπῳ διεφθάρην.πότερα τὸ τῆσδε σῶμ’ ἐκαλλιστεύετοπασῶν γυναικῶν; ἢ σὸν οἰκήσειν δόμονἔγκληρον εὐνὴν προσλαβὼν ἐπήλπισα;μάταιος ἆρ’ ἦν, οὐδαμοῦ μὲν οὖν φρενῶν.ἀλλ’ ὡς τυραννεῖν ἡδύ; τοῖσι σώφροσινἥκιστά γ’, εἰ μὴ τὰς φρένας διέφθορενθνητῶν ὅσοισιν ἁνδάνει μοναρχία.ἐγὼ δ’ ἀγῶνας μὲν κρατεῖν Ἑλληνικοὺςπρῶτος θέλοιμ’ ἄν, ἐν πόλει δὲ δεύτεροςσὺν τοῖς ἀρίστοις εὐτυχεῖν ἀεὶ φίλοις.πράσσειν τε γὰρ πάρεστι, κίνδυνός τ’ ἀπὼνκρείσσω δίδωσι τῆς τυραννίδος χάριν.
One thing I have not said, the rest thou hast. Had I a witness to attest my purity, and were I pitted ’gainst her still alive, facts would show thee on enquiry who the culprit was.
ἓν οὐ λέλεκται τῶν ἐμῶν, τὰ δ’ ἄλλ’ ἔχεις·εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἦν μοι μάρτυς οἷός εἰμ’ ἐγώ,καὶ τῆσδ’ ὁρώσης φέγγος ἠγωνιζόμην,ἔργοις ἂν εἶδες τοὺς κακοὺς διεξιών·
Now by Zeus, the god of oaths, and by the earth, whereon we stand, I swear to thee I never did lay hand upon thy wife nor would have wished to, or have harboured such a thought Slay me, ye gods! rob me of name and honour, from home and city cast me forth, a wandering exile o’er the earth!nor sea nor land receive my bones when I am dead, if I am such a miscreant! I cannot say if she through fear destroyed herself, for more than this am I forbid. With her discretion took the place of chastity,while I, though chaste, was not discreet in using this virtue.
νῦν δ’ ὅρκιόν σοι Ζῆνα καὶ πέδον χθονὸςὄμνυμι τῶν σῶν μήποθ’ ἅψασθαι γάμωνμηδ’ ἂν θελῆσαι μηδ’ ἂν ἔννοιαν λαβεῖν.ἦ τἄρ’ ὀλοίμην ἀκλεὴς ἀνώνυμος,ἄπολις ἄοικος, φυγὰς ἀλητεύων χθόνα,καὶ μήτε πόντος μήτε γῆ δέξαιτό μουσάρκας θανόντος, εἰ κακὸς πέφυκ’ ἀνήρ.εἰ δ’ ἥδε δειμαίνουσ’ ἀπώλεσεν βίονοὐκ οἶδ’· ἐμοὶ γὰρ οὐ θέμις πέρα λέγειν.ἐσωφρόνησεν οὐκ ἔχουσα σωφρονεῖν,ἡμεῖς δ’ ἔχοντες οὐ καλῶς ἐχρώμεθα.
Chorus:Thy oath by heaven, strong security, sufficiently refutes the charge.
Χορός:ἀρκοῦσαν εἶπας αἰτίας ἀποστροφήν,ὅρκους παρασχών, πίστιν οὐ σμικράν, θεῶν.
Theseus:A wizard or magician must the fellow be, to think he can first flout me, his father,then by coolness master my resolve.
Θησεύς:ἆρ’ οὐκ ἐπῳδὸς καὶ γόης πέφυχ’ ὅδε,ὃς τὴν ἐμὴν πέποιθεν εὐοργησίᾳψυχὴν κρατήσειν, τὸν τεκόντ’ ἀτιμάσας;
Hippolytus:Father, thy part in this doth fill me with amaze; wert thou my son and I thy sire, by heaven! I would have slain, not let thee off with banishment, hadst thou presumed to violate my honour.
Ἱππόλυτος:καὶ σοῦ γε ταὐτὰ κάρτα θαυμάζω, πάτερ·εἰ γὰρ σὺ μὲν παῖς ἦσθ’, ἐγὼ δὲ σὸς πατήρ,ἔκτεινά τοί σ’ ἂν κοὐ φυγαῖς ἐζημίουν,εἴπερ γυναικὸς ἠξίουν σ’ ἐμῆς θιγεῖν.
Theseus:A just remark! yet shalt thou not die by the sentence thine own lips pronounce upon thyself; for death, that cometh in a moment, is an easy end for wretchedness. Nay, thou shalt be exiled from thy fatherland, [and wandering to a foreign shore drag out a life of misery; ][for such are the wages of sin.]
Θησεύς:ὡς ἄξιον τόδ’ εἶπας· οὐχ οὕτω θανῇ.ταχὺς γὰρ Ἅιδης ῥᾷστος ἀνδρὶ δυστυχεῖ·ἀλλ’ ἐκ πατρῴας φυγὰς ἀλητεύων χθονὸςὥσπερ σὺ σαυτῷ τόνδε προύθηκας νόμον —[ξένην ἐπ’ αἶαν λυπρὸν ἀντλήσεις βίον·][μισθὸς γὰρ οὗτός ἐστιν ἀνδρὶ δυσσεβεῖ.]
Hippolytus:Oh! what wilt thou do? Wilt thou banish me, without so much as waiting for Time’s evidence on my case?
Ἱππόλυτος:οἴμοι, τί δράσεις; οὐδὲ μηνυτὴν χρόνονδέξῃ καθ’ ἡμῶν, ἀλλά μ’ ἐξελᾷς χθονός;
Theseus:Ay, beyond the sea, beyond the bounds of Atlas, if I could, so deeply do I hate thee.
Θησεύς:πέραν γε πόντου καὶ τόπων Ἀτλαντικῶν,εἴ πως δυναίμην, ὡς σὸν ἐχθαίρω κάρα.
Hippolytus:What! banish me untried, without even testing my oath, the pledge I offer, or the voice of seers?
Ἱππόλυτος:οὐδ’ ὅρκον οὐδὲ πίστιν οὐδὲ μάντεωνφήμας ἐλέγξας ἄκριτον ἐκβαλεῖς με γῆς;
Theseus:This letter here, though it bears no seers’ signs, arraigns thy pledges; as for birds that fly o’er our heads, a long farewell to them.
Θησεύς:ἡ δέλτος ἥδε κλῆρον οὐ δεδεγμένηκατηγορεῖ σου πιστά· τοὺς δ’ ὑπὲρ κάραφοιτῶντας ὄρνις πόλλ’ ἐγὼ χαίρειν λέγω.
Hippolytus:(aside). Great gods! why do I not unlock my lips, seeing that I am ruined by you, the objects of my reverence? No, I will not; I should nowise persuade those whom I ought to, and in vain should break the oath I swore.
Ἱππόλυτος:ὦ θεοί, τί δῆτα τοὐμὸν οὐ λύω στόμα,ὅστις γ’ ὑφ’ ὑμῶν, οὓς σέβω, διόλλυμαι;οὐ δῆτα· πάντως οὐ πίθοιμ’ ἂν οὕς με δεῖ,μάτην δ’ ἂν ὅρκους συγχέαιμ’ οὓς ὤμοσα.
Theseus:Fie upon thee! that solemn air of thine is more than I can bear.
Θησεύς:οἴμοι, τὸ σεμνὸν ὥς μ’ ἀποκτενεῖ τὸ σόν.
Begone from thy native land forthwith!
οὐκ εἶ πατρῴας ἐκτὸς ὡς τάχιστα γῆς;
Hippolytus:Whither shall I turn? Ah me! whose friendly house will take me in, an exile on so grave a charge?
Ἱππόλυτος:ποῖ δῆθ’ ὁ τλήμων τρέψομαι; τίνος ξένωνδόμους ἔσειμι, τῇδ’ ἐπ’ αἰτίᾳ φυγών;
Theseus:Seek one who loves to entertain as guests and partners in his crimes corrupters of men’s wives.
Θησεύς:ὅστις γυναικῶν λυμεῶνας ἥδεταιξένους κομίζων καὶ ξυνοικούρους κακῶν.
Hippolytus:Ah me! this wounds my heart and brings me nigh to tears to think that I should appear so vile, and thou believe me so.
Ἱππόλυτος:αἰαῖ, πρὸς ἧπαρ· δακρύων [τ’] ἐγγὺς τόδε,εἰ δὴ κακός γε φαίνομαι, δοκῶ τέ σοι.
Theseus:Thy tears and forethought had been more in season when thou didst presume to outrage thy father’s wife.
Θησεύς:τότε στενάζειν καὶ προγιγνώσκειν σ’ ἐχρῆνὅτ’ ἐς πατρῴαν ἄλοχον ὑβρίζειν ἔτλης.
Hippolytus:O house, I would thou couldst speak for me and witness if I am so vile!
Ἱππόλυτος:ὦ δώματ’, εἴθε φθέγμα γηρύσαισθέ μοικαὶ μαρτυρήσαιτ’ εἰ κακὸς πέφυκ’ ἀνήρ.
Theseus:Dost fly to speechless witnesses? This deed, though it speaketh not, proves thy guilt clearly.
Θησεύς:ἐς τοὺς ἀφώνους μάρτυρας φεύγεις σοφῶς·τὸ δ’ ἔργον οὐ λέγον σε μηνύει κακόν.
Hippolytus:Alas! Would I could stand and face myself, so should I weep to see the sorrows I endure.
Ἱππόλυτος:φεῦ·εἴθ’ ἦν ἐμαυτὸν προσβλέπειν ἐναντίονστάνθ’, ὡς ἐδάκρυσ’ οἷα πάσχομεν κακά.
Theseus:Ay,’tis thy character to honour thyself far more than reverence thy parents, as thou shouldst.
Θησεύς:πολλῷ γε μᾶλλον σαυτὸν ἤσκησας σέβεινἢ τοὺς τεκόντας ὅσια δρᾶν δίκαιος ὤν.
Hippolytus:Unhappy mother! son of sorrow! Heaven keep all friends of mine from bastard birth!
Ἱππόλυτος:ὦ δυστάλαινα μῆτερ, ὦ πικραὶ γοναί·μηδείς ποτ’ εἴη τῶν ἐμῶν φίλων νόθος.
Theseus:Ho! servants, drag him hence! You heardmy proclamation long ago condemning him to exile.
Θησεύς:οὐχ ἕλξετ’ αὐτόν, δμῶες; οὐκ ἀκούετεπάλαι ξενοῦσθαι τόνδε προυννέποντά με;
Hippolytus:Whoso of them doth lay a hand on me shall rue it; thyself expel me, if thy spirit move thee, from the land.
Ἱππόλυτος:κλαίων τις αὐτῶν ἆρ’ ἐμοῦ τεθίξεται·σὺ δ’ αὐτός, εἴ σοι θυμός, ἐξώθει χθονός.
Theseus:I will, unless my word thou straight obey; no pity for thy exile steals into my heart. [Exit Theseus.
Θησεύς:δράσω τάδ’, εἰ μὴ τοῖς ἐμοῖς πείσῃ λόγοις·οὐ γάρ τις οἶκτος σῆς μ’ ὑπέρχεται φυγῆς.
Hippolytus:The sentence then, it seems, is passed. Ah, misery I How well I know the truth herein, but know no way to tell it! O daughter of Latona, dearest to me of all deities, partner, comrade in the chase, far from glorious Athens must I fly. Farewell, cityand land of Erechtheus; farewell, Troezen, most joyous home wherein to pass the spring of life;’tis my last sight of thee, farewell!
Ἱππόλυτος:ἄραρεν, ὡς ἔοικεν· ὦ τάλας ἐγώ·ὡς οἶδα μὲν ταῦτ’, οἶδα δ’ οὐχ ὅπως φράσω.ὦ φιλτάτη μοι δαιμόνων Λητοῦς κόρη,σύνθακε, συγκύναγε, φευξόμεσθα δὴκλεινὰς Ἀθήνας. ἀλλὰ χαιρέτω πόλιςκαὶ γαῖ’ Ἐρεχθέως· ὦ πέδον Τροζήνιον,ὡς ἐγκαθηβᾶν πόλλ’ ἔχεις εὐδαίμονα,χαῖρ’· ὕστατον γάρ σ’ εἰσορῶν προσφθέγγομαι.
Come, my comrades in this land, young like me, greet me kindly and escort me forth,for never will ye behold a purer soul, for all my father’s doubts. [Exit Hippolytus.
ἴτ’ ὦ νέοι μοι τῆσδε γῆς ὁμήλικες,προσείπαθ’ ἡμᾶς καὶ προπέμψατε χθονός·ὡς οὔποτ’ ἄλλον ἄνδρα σωφρονέστερονὄψεσθε, κεἰ μὴ ταῦτ’ ἐμῷ δοκεῖ πατρί.
Chorus:In very deed the thoughts I have about the gods, whenso they come into my mind, do much to soothe its grief, but though I cherish secret hopes of some great guiding will, yet am I at fault when I survey the fate and doings of the sons of men;
Χορὸς Κυνηγῶν:ἦ μέγα μοι τὰ θεῶν μελεδήμαθ’, ὅταν φρένας ἔλθῃ,λύπας παραιρεῖ· ξύνεσιν δέ τιν’ ἐλπίδι κεύθωνλείπομαι ἔν τε τύχαις θνατῶν καὶ ἐν ἔργμασι λεύσσων·
change succeeds to change, and man’s life veers and shifts in endless restlessness.
ἄλλα γὰρ ἄλλοθεν ἀμείβεται, μετὰ δ’ ἵσταται ἀνδράσιναἰὼνπολυπλάνητος αἰεί.
Chorus:Fortune grant me this, I pray, at heaven’s hand,—a happy lot in life and a soul from sorrow free;
Χορός:εἴθε μοι εὐξαμένᾳ θεόθεν τάδε μοῖρα παράσχοι,τύχαν μετ’ ὄλβου καὶ ἀκήρατον ἄλγεσι θυμόν·
opinions let me hold not too precise nor yet too hollow; but, lightly changing my habits to each morrow as it comes, may I thus attain a life of bliss!
δόξα δὲ μήτ’ ἀτρεκὴς μήτ’ αὖ παράσημος ἐνείη·ῥᾴδια δ’ ἤθεα τὸν αὔριον μεταβαλλομένα χρόνον αἰεὶβίον συνευτυχοίην.
Chorus:For now no more is my mind free from doubts, unlooked-for sights greet my vision; for lo! I see the morning star of Athens, eye of Hellas, driven by his father’s furyto another land. Mourn, ye sands of my native shores, ye oak-groves on the hills, where with his fleet hounds he would hunt the quarry to the death,attending on Dictynna, awful queen.
Χορὸς Κυνηγῶν:οὐκέτι γὰρ καθαρὰν φρέν’ ἔχω ⟨τὰ⟩ παρ’ ἐλπίδα λεύσ-σων,ἐπεὶ τὸν Ἑλλανίαςφανερώτατον ἀστέρ’ Ἀθήναςεἴδομεν εἴδομεν ἐκ πατρὸς ὀργᾶςἄλλαν ἐπ’ αἶαν ἱέμενον.ὦ ψάμαθοι πολιήτιδος ἀκτᾶς,ὦ δρυμὸς ὄρειος, ὅθι κυνῶνὠκυπόδων μέτα θῆρας ἔναιρενΔίκτυνναν ἀμφὶ σεμνάν.
Chorus:No more will he mount his car drawn by Venetian steeds, filling the course round Limna with the prancing of his trained horses. Nevermore in his fathers house shall he wake the Musethat never slept beneath his lute-strings; no hand will crown the spots where rests the maiden Latona ’mid the boskage deep; nor evermore shall our virgins vie to win thy love, now thou art banished;
Χορός:οὐκέτι συζυγίαν πώλων Ἐνετᾶν ἐπιβάσῃτὸν ἀμφὶ Λίμνας τρόχονκατέχων ποδὶ γυμνάδος ἵππου.μοῦσα δ’ ἄυπνος ὑπ’ ἄντυγι χορδᾶνλήξει πατρῷον ἀνὰ δόμον·ἀστέφανοι δὲ κόρας ἀνάπαυλαιΛατοῦς βαθεῖαν ἀνὰ χλόαν·νυμφιδία δ’ ἀπόλωλε φυγᾷ σᾷλέκτρων ἅμιλλα κούραις.
Chorus:while I with tears at thy unhappy fate shall endure a lot all undeserved. Ah! hapless mother,
in vain didst thou bring forth, it seems. I am angered with the gods; out upon them! O ye linked Graces, why are ye sending from his native land this poor youth, a guiltless sufferer,far from his home?
Χορός:— ἐγὼ δὲ σᾷ δυστυχίᾳδάκρυσι διοίσω πότμονἄποτμον· ὦ τάλαινα μᾶ-τερ, ἔτεκες ἀνόνατα· φεῦ·μανίω θεοῖσιν·ἰὼ ἰώ·συζύγιαι Χάριτες, τί τὸν τάλαν’ ἐκ πατρίας γᾶςοὐδὲν ἄτας αἴτιονπέμπετε τῶνδ’ ἀπ’ οἴκων;
Chorus:But lo! I see a servant of Hippolytus hasting with troubled looks towards the palace.
Χορός:— καὶ μὴν ὀπαδὸν Ἱππολύτου τόνδ’ εἰσορῶσπουδῇ σκυθρωπὸν πρὸς δόμους ὁρμώμενον.
Messenger:Ladies, where may I find Theseus, king of the country? pray, tell me ifye know; is he within the palace here?
Ἄγγελος:ποῖ γῆς ἄνακτα τῆσδε Θησέα μολὼνεὕροιμ’ ἄν, ὦ γυναῖκες; εἴπερ ἴστε μοισημήνατ’· ἆρα τῶνδε δωμάτων ἔσω;
Chorus:Lo! himself approaches from the palace.
Χορός:ὅδ’ αὐτὸς ἔξω δωμάτων πορεύεται.
Messenger:Theseus, I am the bearer of troublous tidings to thee and all citizens who dwell in Athens or the bounds of Troezen.
Ἄγγελος:Θησεῦ, μερίμνης ἄξιον φέρω λόγονσοὶ καὶ πολίταις οἵ τ’ Ἀθηναίων πόλινναίουσι καὶ γῆς τέρμονας Τροζηνίας.
Theseus:How now? hath some strange calamity overtaken these two neighbouring cities?
Θησεύς:τί δ’ ἔστι; μῶν τις συμφορὰ νεωτέραδισσὰς κατείληφ’ ἀστυγείτονας πόλεις;
Messenger:In one brief word, Hippolytus is dead.’Tis true one slender thread still links him to the light of life.
Ἄγγελος:Ἱππόλυτος οὐκέτ’ ἔστιν, ὡς εἰπεῖν ἔπος·δέδορκε μέντοι φῶς ἐπὶ σμικρᾶς ῥοπῆς.
Theseus:Who slew him? Did some husband come to blows with him,one whose wife, like mine, had suffered brutal violence?
Θησεύς:πρὸς τοῦ; δι’ ἔχθρας μῶν τις ἦν ἀφιγμένος,ὅτου κατῄσχυν’ ἄλοχον ὡς πατρὸς βίᾳ;
Messenger:He perished through those steeds that drew his chariot, and through the curses thou didst utter, praying to thy sire, the ocean-king, to slay thy son.
Ἄγγελος:οἰκεῖος αὐτὸν ὤλεσ’ ἁρμάτων ὄχοςἀραί τε τοῦ σοῦ στόματος, ἃς σὺ σῷ πατρὶπόντου κρέοντι παιδὸς ἠράσω πέρι.
Theseus:Ye gods and king Poseidon, thou hast proved my parentageby hearkening to my prayer! Say how he perished; how fell the uplifted hand of Justice to smite the villain who dishonoured me?
Θησεύς:ὦ θεοὶ Πόσειδόν θ’, ὡς ἄρ’ ἦσθ’ ἐμὸς πατὴρὀρθῶς, ἀκούσας τῶν ἐμῶν κατευγμάτων.πῶς καὶ διώλετ’; εἰπέ· τῷ τρόπῳ Δίκηςἔπαισεν αὐτὸν ῥόπτρον αἰσχύναντ’ ἐμέ;
Messenger:Hard by the wave-beat shore were we combing out his horses’ manes,weeping the while, for one had come to say that Hippolytus was harshly exiled by thee and nevermore would return to set foot in this land. Then came he, telling the same doleful tale to us upon the beach, and with him was a countless throngof friends who followed after. At length he stayed his lamentation and spake: “Why weakly rave on this wise? My father’s commands must be obeyed. Ho! servants, harness my horses to the chariot; this is no longer now city of mine.”
Ἄγγελος:ἡμεῖς μὲν ἀκτῆς κυμοδέγμονος πέλαςψήκτραισιν ἵππων ἐκτενίζομεν τρίχαςκλαίοντες· ἦλθε γάρ τις ἄγγελος λέγωνὡς οὐκέτ’ ἐν γῇ τῇδ’ ἀναστρέψοι πόδαἹππόλυτος, ἐκ σοῦ τλήμονας φυγὰς ἔχων.ὃ δ’ ἦλθε ταὐτὸν δακρύων ἔχων μέλοςἡμῖν ἐπ’ ἀκτάς· μυρία δ’ ὀπισθόπουςφίλων ἅμ’ ἔστειχ’ ἡλίκων ⟨θ’⟩ ὁμήγυρις.χρόνῳ δὲ δήποτ’ εἶπ’ ἀπαλλαχθεὶς γόων·Τί ταῦτ’ ἀλύω; πειστέον πατρὸς λόγοις.ἐντύναθ’ ἵππους ἅρμασι ζυγηφόρους,δμῶες· πόλις γὰρ οὐκέτ’ ἔστιν ἥδε μοι.
Thereupon each one of us bestirred himself, and, ere a man could say ’twas done, we had the horses standing ready at our master’s side. Then he caught up the reins from the chariot-rail, first fitting his feet exactly in the hollows made for them.
τοὐνθένδε μέντοι πᾶς ἀνὴρ ἠπείγετο,καὶ θᾶσσον ἢ λέγοι τις ἐξηρτυμέναςπώλους παρ’ αὐτὸν δεσπότην ἐστήσαμεν.μάρπτει δὲ χερσὶν ἡνίας ἀπ’ ἄντυγος,αὐταῖσιν ἀρβύλαισιν ἁρμόσας πόδα.
But first with outspread palms he called upon the gods, “O Zeus, now strike me dead, if I have sinned, and let my father learn how he is wronging me, in death at least, if not in life.”
καὶ πρῶτα μὲν θεοῖς εἶπ’ ἀναπτύξας χέρας·Ζεῦ, μηκέτ’ εἴην, εἰ κακὸς πέφυκ’ ἀνήρ·αἴσθοιτο δ’ ἡμᾶς ὡς ἀτιμάζει πατὴρἤτοι θανόντας ἢ φάος δεδορκότας.
Therewith he seized the whip and lashedeach horse in turn; while we, close by his chariot, near the reins, kept up with him along the road that leads direct to Argos and Epidaurus.
κἀν τῷδ’ ἐπῆγε κέντρον ἐς χεῖρας λαβὼνπώλοις ὁμαρτῇ· πρόσπολοι δ’ ὑφ’ ἅρματοςπέλας χαλινῶν εἱπόμεσθα δεσπότῃτὴν εὐθὺς Ἄργους κἀπιδαυρίας ὁδόν.
And just as we were coming to a desert spot, a strip of sand beyond the borders of this country,sloping right to the Saronic gulf, there issued thence a deep rumbling sound, as it were an earthquake, a fearsome noise, and the horses reared their heads and pricked their ears, while we were filled with wild alarmto know whence came the sound; when, as we gazed toward the wave-beat shore, a wave tremendous we beheld towering to the skies, so that from our view the cliffs of Scirori vanished, for it hid the isthmus and the rock of Asclepius;
ἐπεὶ δ’ ἔρημον χῶρον εἰσεβάλλομεν,ἀκτή τις ἔστι τοὐπέκεινα τῆσδε γῆςπρὸς πόντον ἤδη κειμένη Σαρωνικόν.ἔνθεν τις ἠχὼ χθόνιος ὡς βροντὴ Διὸςβαρὺν βρόμον μεθῆκε, φρικώδη κλύειν·ὀρθὸν δὲ κρᾶτ’ ἔστησαν οὖς τ’ ἐς οὐρανὸνἵπποι· παρ’ ἡμῖν δ’ ἦν φόβος νεανικὸςπόθεν ποτ’ εἴη φθόγγος. ἐς δ’ ἁλιρρόθουςἀκτὰς ἀποβλέψαντες ἱερὸν εἴδομενκῦμ’ οὐρανῷ στηρίζον, ὥστ’ ἀφῃρέθηΣκίρωνος ἀκτὰς ὄμμα τοὐμὸν εἰσορᾶν·ἔκρυπτε δ’ Ἰσθμὸν καὶ πέτραν Ἀσκληπιοῦ.
then swelling and frothing with a crest of foam, the sea discharged it toward the beach where stood the harnessed car, and in the moment that it broke, that mighty wall of waters, there issued from the wave a monstrous bull,whose bellowing filled the land with fearsome echoes, a sight too awful as it seemed to us who witnessed it. A panic seized the horses there and then, but our master, to horses’ ways quite used,gripped in both hands his reins, and tying them to his body pulled them backward as the sailor pulls his oar; but the horses gnashed the forged bits between their teeth and bore him wildly on, regardless of their master’s guiding handor rein or jointed car. And oft as he would take the guiding rein and steer for softer ground, showed that bull in front to turn him back again, maddening his team with terror;
κἄπειτ’ ἀνοιδῆσάν τε καὶ πέριξ ἀφρὸνπολὺν καχλάζον ποντίῳ φυσήματιχωρεῖ πρὸς ἀκτὰς οὗ τέθριππος ἦν ὄχος.αὐτῷ δὲ σὺν κλύδωνι καὶ τρικυμίᾳκῦμ’ ἐξέθηκε ταῦρον, ἄγριον τέρας·οὗ πᾶσα μὲν χθὼν φθέγματος πληρουμένηφρικῶδες ἀντεφθέγγετ’, εἰσορῶσι δὲκρεῖσσον θέαμα δεργμάτων ἐφαίνετο.εὐθὺς δὲ πώλοις δεινὸς ἐμπίπτει φόβος·καὶ δεσπότης μὲν ἱππικοῖσιν ἤθεσινπολὺς ξυνοικῶν ἥρπασ’ ἡνίας χεροῖν,ἕλκει δὲ κώπην ὥστε ναυβάτης ἀνὴρἱμᾶσιν ἐς τοὔπισθεν ἀρτήσας δέμας·αἳ δ’ ἐνδακοῦσαι στόμια πυριγενῆ γναθμοῖςβίᾳ φέρουσιν, οὔτε ναυκλήρου χερὸςοὔθ’ ἱπποδέσμων οὔτε κολλητῶν ὄχωνμεταστρέφουσαι. κεἰ μὲν ἐς τὰ μαλθακὰγαίας ἔχων οἴακας εὐθύνοι δρόμον,προυφαίνετ’ ἐς τὸ πρόσθεν, ὥστ’ ἀναστρέφειν,ταῦρος, φόβῳ τέτρωρον ἐκμαίνων ὄχον·
but if in their frantic career they ran towards the rocks, he would draw nigh the chariot-rail, keeping up with them, until, suddenly dashing the wheel against a stone, he upset and wrecked the car; then was dire confusion,axle-boxes and linchpins springing into the air. While he, poor youth, entangled in the reins was dragged along, bound by a stubborn knot, his poor head dashed against the rocks, his flesh all torn, the while he cried out piteously,“Stay, stay, my horses whom
my own hand hath fed at the manger, destroy me not utterly. O luckless curse of a father! Will no one come and save me for all my virtue?”
εἰ δ’ ἐς πέτρας φέροιντο μαργῶσαι φρένας,σιγῇ πελάζων ἄντυγι ξυνείπετοἐς τοῦθ’ ἕως ἔσφηλε κἀνεχαίτισεν,ἁψῖδα πέτρῳ προσβαλὼν ὀχήματος.σύμφυρτα δ’ ἦν ἅπαντα· σύριγγές τ’ ἄνωτροχῶν ἐπήδων ἀξόνων τ’ ἐνήλατα.αὐτὸς δ’ ὁ τλήμων ἡνίαισιν ἐμπλακεὶςδεσμὸν δυσεξήνυστον ἕλκεται δεθείς,σποδούμενος μὲν πρὸς πέτραις φίλον κάραθραύων τε σάρκας, δεινὰ δ’ ἐξαυδῶν κλύειν·Στῆτ’, ὦ φάτναισι ταῖς ἐμαῖς τεθραμμέναι,μή μ’ ἐξαλείψητ’· ὦ πατρὸς τάλαιν’ ἀρά.τίς ἄνδρ’ ἄριστον βούλεται σῶσαι παρών;
Now we, though much we longed to help, were left far behind. At last, I know not how, he broke loosefrom the shapely reins that bound him, a faint breath of life still in him; but the horses disappeared, and that portentous bull, among the rocky ground, I know not where.
πολλοὶ δὲ βουληθέντες ὑστέρῳ ποδὶἐλειπόμεσθα. χὣ μὲν ἐκ δεσμῶν λυθεὶςτμητῶν ἱμάντων οὐ κάτοιδ’ ὅτῳ τρόπῳπίπτει, βραχὺν δὴ βίοτον ἐμπνέων ἔτι·ἵπποι δ’ ἔκρυφθεν καὶ τὸ δύστηνον τέραςταύρου λεπαίας οὐ κάτοιδ’ ὅποι χθονός.
I am but a slave in thy house,’tis true, O king,yet will I never believe so monstrous a charge against thy son’s character, no! not though the whole race of womankind should hang itself, or one should fill with writing every pine-tree tablet grown on Ida, sure as I am of his uprightness.
δοῦλος μὲν οὖν ἔγωγε σῶν δόμων, ἄναξ,ἀτὰρ τοσοῦτόν γ’ οὐ δυνήσομαί ποτε,τὸν σὸν πιθέσθαι παῖδ’ ὅπως ἐστὶν κακός·οὐδ’ εἰ γυναικῶν πᾶν κρεμασθείη γένος,καὶ τὴν ἐν Ἴδῃ γραμμάτων πλήσειέ τιςπεύκην, ἐπεί νιν ἐσθλὸν ὄντ’ ἐπίσταμαι.
Chorus:Alas! new troubles come to plague us, nor is there any escape from fate and necessity.
Χορός:αἰαῖ· κέκρανται συμφορὰ νέων κακῶν,οὐδ’ ἔστι μοίρας τοῦ χρεών τ’ ἀπαλλαγή.
Theseus:My hatred for him who hath thus suffered made me glad at thy tidings, yet from regard for the gods and him, because he is my son,I feel neither joy nor sorrow at his sufferings.
Θησεύς:μίσει μὲν ἀνδρὸς τοῦ πεπονθότος τάδελόγοισιν ἥσθην τοῖσδε· νῦν δ’ αἰδούμενοςθεούς τ’ ἐκεῖνόν θ’, οὕνεκ’ ἐστὶν ἐξ ἐμοῦ,οὔθ’ ἥδομαι τοῖσδ’ οὔτ’ ἐπάχθομαι κακοῖς.
Messenger:But say, are we to bring the victim hither, or how are we to fulfil thy wishes? Bethink thee; if by me thou wilt be schooled, thou wilt not harshly treat thy son in his sad plight.
Ἄγγελος:πῶς οὖν; κομίζειν, ἢ τί χρὴ τὸν ἄθλιονδράσαντας ἡμᾶς σῇ χαρίζεσθαι φρενί;φρόντιζ’· ἐμοῖς δὲ χρώμενος βουλεύμασινοὐκ ὠμὸς ἐς σὸν παῖδα δυστυχοῦντ’ ἔσῃ.
Theseus:Bring him hither, that when I see him face to face, who hath denied having polluted my wife’s honour, I may by words and heaven’s visitation convict him.
Θησεύς:κομίζετ’ αὐτόν, ὡς ἰδὼν ἐν ὄμμασιντὸν τἄμ’ ἀπαρνηθέντα μὴ χρᾶναι λέχηλόγοις τ’ ἐλέγξω δαιμόνων τε συμφοραῖς.
Chorus:Ah! Cypris, thine the hand that guides the stubborn hearts of gods and men; thine,and that attendant boy’s, who, with painted plumage gay, flutters round his victims on lightning wing. O’er the land and booming deep on golden pinion borne flits the god of Love,maddening the heart and beguiling the senses of all whom he attacks, savage whelps on mountains bred, ocean’s monsters, creatures of this sun-warmed earth,and man; thine, O Cypris, thine alone the sovereign power to rule them all.
Χορός:σὺ τὰν θεῶν ἄκαμπτον φρένα καὶ βροτῶνἄγεις, Κύπρι, σὺν δ’ὁ ποικιλόπτερος ἀμφιβαλὼνὠκυτάτῳ πτερῷ.ποτᾶται δὲ γαῖαν εὐάχητόν θ’ἁλμυρὸν ἐπὶ πόντον.θέλγει δ’ Ἔρως, ᾧ μαινομένᾳ κραδίᾳπτανὸς ἐφορμάσῃ χρυσοφαής,φύσιν ὀρεσκόων σκυλάκων πελαγίων θ’ὅσα τε γᾶ τρέφειτά τ’ ἀέλιος αἰθόμενα δέρκεται,ἄνδρας τε· συμπάντων βασιληίδα τιμάν,Κύπρι, τῶνδε μόνα κρατύνεις.
Artemis:Hearken, I bid thee, noble son of Aegeus:
Ἄρτεμις:σὲ τὸν εὐπατρίδην Αἰγέως κέλομαιπαῖδ’ ἐπακοῦσαι·
lo!’tis I Latona’s child, that speak, I, Artemis. Why, Theseus, to thy sorrow dost thou rejoice at these tidings, seeing that thou hast slain thy son most impiously, listening to a charge not clearly proved, but falsely sworn to by thy wife? though clearly has the curse therefrom upon thee fallen.
Λητοῦς δὲ κόρη σ’ Ἄρτεμις αὐδῶ.Θησεῦ, τί τάλας τοῖσδε συνήδῃ,παῖδ’ οὐχ ὁσίως σὸν ἀποκτείνας,ψευδέσι μύθοις ἀλόχου πεισθεὶςἀφανῆ; φανερὰν δ’ ἔσχεθες ἄτην.
Why dost thou not for very shame hide beneath the dark places of the earth, or change thy human life and soar on wings to escape this tribulation?’Mongst men of honour thou hastnow no share in life.
πῶς οὐχ ὑπὸ γῆς τάρταρα κρύπτειςδέμας αἰσχυνθείς,ἢ πτηνὸς ἄνω μεταβὰς βίοτονπήματος ἔξω πόδα τοῦδ’ ἀνέχεις;ὡς ἔν γ’ ἀγαθοῖς ἀνδράσιν οὔ σοικτητὸν βιότου μέρος ἐστίν.
Hearken, Theseus; I will put thy wretched case. Yet will it naught avail thee, if I do, but vex thy heart; still with this intent I came, to show thy son’s pure heart,—that he may die with honour,—as well the frenzy, and, in a sense, the nobleness of thy wife; for she was cruelly stung with a passion for thy son by that goddess whom all we, that joy in virgin purity, detest. And though she strove to conquer love by resolution,yet by no fault of hers she fell, thanks to her nurse’s strategy, who did reveal her malady unto thy son under oath. But he would none of her counsels, as indeed was right, nor yet, when thou didst revile him, would he break the oath he swore, from piety.
ἄκουε, Θησεῦ, σῶν κακῶν κατάστασιν·καίτοι προκόψω γ’ οὐδέν, ἀλγυνῶ δέ σε.ἀλλ’ ἐς τόδ’ ἦλθον, παιδὸς ἐκδεῖξαι φρένατοῦ σοῦ δικαίαν, ὡς ὑπ’ εὐκλείας θάνῃ,καὶ σῆς γυναικὸς οἶστρον ἢ τρόπον τινὰγενναιότητα· τῆς γὰρ ἐχθίστης θεῶνἡμῖν, ὅσαισι παρθένειος ἡδονή,δηχθεῖσα κέντροις παιδὸς ἠράσθη σέθεν.γνώμῃ δὲ νικᾶν τὴν Κύπριν πειρωμένητροφοῦ διώλετ’ οὐχ ἑκοῦσα μηχαναῖς,ἣ σῷ δι’ ὅρκων παιδὶ σημαίνει νόσον.ὃ δ’, ὥσπερ ὢν δίκαιος, οὐκ ἐφέσπετολόγοισιν, οὐδ’ αὖ πρὸς σέθεν κακούμενοςὅρκων ἀφεῖλε πίστιν, εὐσεβὴς γεγώς.
She meantime, fearful of being found out, wrote a lying letter, destroying by guile thy son, but yet persuading thee.
ἣ δ’ εἰς ἔλεγχον μὴ πέσῃ φοβουμένηψευδεῖς γραφὰς ἔγραψε καὶ διώλεσενδόλοισι σὸν παῖδ’· ἀλλ’ ὅμως ἔπεισέ σε.
Theseus:Woe is me!
Θησεύς:οἴμοι.
Artemis:Doth my story wound thee, Theseus? Be still awhile; hear what follows, so wilt thou have more cause to groan.
Ἄρτεμις:δάκνει σε, Θησεῦ, μῦθος; ἀλλ’ ἔχ’ ἥσυχος,τοὐνθένδ’ ἀκούσας ὡς ἂν οἰμώξῃς πλέον.
Dost remember those three prayers thy father granted thee, fraught with certain issue?’Tis one of these thou hast misused, unnatural wretch, against thy son, instead of aiming it at an enemy. Thy sea-god sire,’tis true, for all his kind intent, hath granted that boon he was compelled, by reason of his promise, to grant.
ἆρ’ οἶσθα πατρὸς τρεῖς ἀρὰς ἔχων σαφεῖς;ὧν τὴν μίαν παρεῖλες, ὦ κάκιστε σύ,ἐς παῖδα τὸν σόν, ἐξὸν εἰς ἐχθρόν τινα.πατὴρ μὲν οὖν σοι πόντιος φρονῶν καλῶςἔδωχ’ ὅσονπερ χρῆν, ἐπείπερ ᾔνεσεν·
But thou alike in his eyes and in mine hast shewn thy evil heart, in that thou hast forestalled all proof or voice prophetic, hast made no inquiry, nor taken time for consideration, but with undue haste cursed thy son even to the death.
σὺ δ’ ἔν τ’ ἐκείνῳ κἀν ἐμοὶ φαίνῃ κακός,ὃς οὔτε πίστιν οὔτε μάντεων ὄπαἔμεινας, οὐκ ἤλεγξας, οὐ χρόνῳ μακρῷσκέψιν παρέσχες, ἀλλὰ θᾶσσον ἤ σ’ ἐχρῆνἀρὰς ἀφῆκας παιδὶ καὶ κατέκτανες.
Theseus:Perdition seize me! Queen revered!
Θησεύς:δέσποιν’, ὀλοίμην.
Artemis:An awful deed was thine, but still even for this thou mayest obtain pardon; for it was Cypris that would have it so, sating the fury of her soul. For this is law amongst us gods; none of us will thwarthis neighbour’s will, but ever we stand aloof. For be well assured, did I not fear Zeus, never would I have incurred the bitter shame of handing over to death a man of all his kind to me most dear. As for thy sin,first thy ignorance absolves thee from its villainy, next thy wife, who is dead, was lavish in her use of convincing arguments to influence thy mind.
Ἄρτεμις:δείν’ ἔπραξας, ἀλλ’ ὅμωςἔτ’ ἔστι καί σοι τῶνδε συγγνώμης τυχεῖν·Κύπρις γὰρ ἤθελ’ ὥστε γίγνεσθαι τόδε,πληροῦσα θυμόν. θεοῖσι δ’ ὧδ’ ἔχει νόμος·οὐδεὶς ἀπαντᾶν βούλεται προθυμίᾳτῇ τοῦ θέλοντος, ἀλλ’ ἀφιστάμεσθ’ ἀεί.ἐπεί, σάφ’ ἴσθι, Ζῆνα μὴ φοβουμένηοὐκ ἄν ποτ’ ἦλθον ἐς τόδ’ αἰσχύνης ἐγὼὥστ’ ἄνδρα πάντων φίλτατον βροτῶν ἐμοὶθανεῖν ἐᾶσαι. τὴν δὲ σὴν ἁμαρτίαντὸ μὴ εἰδέναι μὲν πρῶτον ἐκλύει κάκης·ἔπειτα δ’ ἡ θανοῦσ’ ἀνήλωσεν γυνὴλόγων ἐλέγχους ὥστε σὴν πεῖσαι φρένα.
On thee in chief this storm of woe hath burst, yet is it some grief to me as well; for when the righteous die, there is no joy in heaven,albeit we try to destroy the wicked, house and home.
μάλιστα μέν νυν σοὶ τάδ’ ἔρρωγεν κακά,λύπη δὲ κἀμοί· τοὺς γὰρ εὐσεβεῖς θεοὶθνῄσκοντας οὐ χαίρουσι· τούς γε μὴν κακοὺςαὐτοῖς τέκνοισι καὶ δόμοις ἐξόλλυμεν.
Chorus:Lo! where he comes, this hapless youth, his fair young flesh and auburn locks most shamefully handled. Unhappy house!what twofold sorrow doth o’ertake its halls, through heaven’s ordinance!
Χορός:καὶ μὴν ὁ τάλας ὅδε δὴ στείχει,σάρκας νεαρὰς ξανθόν τε κάραδιαλυμανθείς. ὦ πόνος οἴκων,οἷον ἐκράνθη δίδυμον μελάθροιςπένθος θεόθεν καταληπτόν.
Hippolytus:Ah! ah! woe is me! foully undone by an impious father’s impious imprecation!
Ἱππόλυτος:αἰαῖ αἰαῖ·δύστηνος ἐγώ, πατρὸς ἐξ ἀδίκουχρησμοῖς ἀδίκοις διελυμάνθην.
Undone, undone! woe is me! Through my head shoot fearful pains; my brain throbs convulsively. Stop, let me rest my worn-out frame. Oh, oh!
ἀπόλωλα τάλας, οἴμοι μοι.διά μου κεφαλῆς ᾄσσουσ’ ὀδύναι,κατὰ δ’ ἐγκέφαλον πηδᾷ σφάκελος.σχές, ἀπειρηκὸς σῶμ’ ἀναπαύσω.[ἓ ἕ·]
Accursed steeds, that mine own hand did feed, ye have been my ruin and my death. O by the gods, good sirs, I beseech ye, softly touch my wounded limbs.
ὦ στυγνὸν ὄχημ’ ἵππειον, ἐμῆςβόσκημα χερός,διά μ’ ἔφθειρας, κατὰ δ’ ἔκτεινας.φεῦ φεῦ· πρὸς θεῶν, ἀτρέμας, δμῶες,χροὸς ἑλκώδους ἅπτεσθε χεροῖν.
Who stands there at my right side? Lift me tenderly; with slow and even step conduct a poor wretch cursed by his mistaken sire. Great Zeus, dost thou see this? Me thy reverent worshipper,me who left all men behind in purity, plunged thus into yawning Hades ’neath the earth, reft of life; in vain the toils I have endured through my piety towards mankind.
τίς ἐφέστηκεν δεξιὰ πλευροῖς;πρόσφορά μ’ αἴρετε, σύντονα δ’ ἕλκετετὸν κακοδαίμονα καὶ κατάρατονπατρὸς ἀμπλακίαις. Ζεῦ Ζεῦ, τάδ’ ὁρᾷς;ὅδ’ ὁ σεμνὸς ἐγὼ καὶ θεοσέπτωρ,ὅδ’ ὁ σωφροσύνῃ πάντας ὑπερσχὼνπροῦπτον ἐς Ἅιδην στείχω κατ’ ἄκραςὀλέσας βίοτον· μόχθους δ’ ἄλλωςτῆς εὐσεβίαςεἰς ἀνθρώπους ἐπόνησα.
Hippolytus:Ah me! ah me! O the thrill of anguish shooting through me! Set me down, poor wretch I am; come Death to set me free! Kill me, end my sufferings.O for a sword two-edged to hack my flesh, and close this mortal life! Ill-fated curse of my father! the crimes of bloody kinsmen. ancestors of old,now pass their boundaries and tarry not, and upon me are they come all guiltless as I am; ah! why? Alas, alas!
Ἱππόλυτος:αἰαῖ αἰαῖ·καὶ νῦν ὀδύνα μ’ ὀδύνα βαίνει —μέθετέ με, τάλανες —καί μοι θάνατος Παιὰν ἔλθοι.προσαπόλλυτ’ ἀπόλλυτε τὸν δυσδαί-μονά ⟨μ’·⟩ ἀμφιτόμου λόγχας ἔραμαι,διαμοιρᾶσαιδιά τ’ εὐνᾶσαι τὸν ἐμὸν βίοτον.ὦ πατρὸς ἐμοῦ δύστηνος ἀρά·μιαιφόνων [τε] συγγόνων παλαιῶνπρογεννητόρων ἐξορίζεταικακόν, οὐδὲ μέλλει,ἔμολέ τ’ ἐπ’ ἐμὲ τί ποτε τὸν οὐ-δὲν ὄντ’ ἐπαίτιον κακῶν;ἰώ μοί μοι·
what can I say? How from my life get rid of this relentless agony? O that the stern Death-god, night’s black visitant, would give my sufferings rest!
— τί φῶ; πῶς ἀπαλλάξω βιοτὰν ἐμὰν τάνδ’ ἀναλ-γήτου πάθους; εἴθε με κοι-μάσειε τὸν δυσδαίμον’ Ἅι-δου μέλαινα νύκτερός τ’ ἀνάγκα.
Artemis:Poor sufferer! cruel the fate that links thee to it!
Ἄρτεμις:ὦ τλῆμον, οἵᾳ συμφορᾷ συνεζύγης·
Thy noble soul hath been thy ruin.
τὸ δ’ εὐγενές σε τῶν φρενῶν ἀπώλεσεν.
Hippolytus:Ah! the fragrance from my goddess wafted! Even in my agony I feel thee near and find relief; she is here in this very place, my goddess Artemis.
Ἱππόλυτος:ἔα·ὦ θεῖον ὀδμῆς πνεῦμα· καὶ γὰρ ἐν κακοῖςὢν ᾐσθόμην σου κἀνεκουφίσθην δέμας·ἔστ’ ἐν τόποισι τοισίδ’ Ἄρτεμις θεά.
Artemis:She is, poor sufferer! the goddess thou hast loved the best.
Ἄρτεμις:ὦ τλῆμον, ἔστι, σοί γε φιλτάτη θεῶν.
Hippolytus:Dost see me, mistress mine? dost see my present suffering?
Ἱππόλυτος:ὁρᾷς με, δέσποιν’, ὡς ἔχω, τὸν ἄθλιον;
Artemis:I see thee, but mine eyes no tear may weep.
Ἄρτεμις:ὁρῶ· κατ’ ὄσσων δ’ οὐ θέμις βαλεῖν δάκρυ.
Hippolytus:Thou hast none now to lead the hunt or tend thy fane.
Ἱππόλυτος:οὐκ ἔστι σοι κυναγὸς οὐδ’ ὑπηρέτης,
Artemis:None now; yet e’en in death I love thee still.
Ἄρτεμις:οὐ δῆτ’· ἀτάρ μοι προσφιλής γ’ ἀπόλλυσαι.
Hippolytus:None to groom thy steeds, or guard thy shrines.
Ἱππόλυτος:οὐδ’ ἱππονώμας οὐδ’ ἀγαλμάτων φύλαξ.
Artemis:Twas Cypris, mistress of iniquity, devised this evil.
Ἄρτεμις:Κύπρις γὰρ ἡ πανοῦργος ὧδ’ ἐμήσατο.
Hippolytus:Ah me! now know I the goddess who destroyed me.
Ἱππόλυτος:ὤμοι· φρονῶ δὴ δαίμον’ ἥ μ’ ἀπώλεσεν.
Artemis:She was jealous of her slighted honour, vexed at thy chaste life.
Ἄρτεμις:τιμῆς ἐμέμφθη σωφρονοῦντι δ’ ἤχθετο.
Hippolytus:Ah! then I see her single hand hath struck down three of us.
Ἱππόλυτος:τρεῖς ὄντας ἡμᾶς ὤλεσ’, ᾔσθημαι, Κύπρις.
Artemis:Thy sire and thee, and last thy father’s wife.
Ἄρτεμις:πατέρα γε καὶ σὲ καὶ τρίτην ξυνάορον.
Hippolytus:My sire’s ill-luck as well as mine I mourn.
Ἱππόλυτος:ᾤμωξα τοίνυν καὶ πατρὸς δυσπραξίας.
Art:He was deceived by a goddess’s design.
Ἄρτεμις:ἐξηπατήθη δαίμονος βουλεύμασιν.
Hippolytus:Woe is thee, my father, in this sad mischance!
Ἱππόλυτος:ὦ δυστάλας σὺ τῆσδε συμφορᾶς, πάτερ.
Theseus:My son, I am a ruined man; life has no joys for me.
Θησεύς:ὄλωλα, τέκνον, οὐδέ μοι χάρις βίου.
Hippolytus:For this mistake I mourn thee rather than myself.
Ἱππόλυτος:στένω σὲ μᾶλλον ἢ ’μὲ τῆς ἁμαρτίας.
Theseus:O that I had died for thee, my son!
Θησεύς:εἰ γὰρ γενοίμην, τέκνον, ἀντὶ σοῦ νεκρός.
Hippolytus:Ah! those fatal gifts thy sire Poseidon gave.
Ἱππόλυτος:ὦ δῶρα πατρὸς σοῦ Ποσειδῶνος πικρά.
Theseus:Would God these lips had never uttered that prayer!
Θησεύς:ὡς μήποτ’ ἐλθεῖν ὤφελ’ ἐς τοὐμὸν στόμα.
Hippolytus:Why not? thou wouldst in any case have slain me in thy fury then.
Ἱππόλυτος:τί δ’; ἔκτανές τἄν μ’, ὡς τότ’ ἦσθ’ ὠργισμένος.
Theseus:Yes; Heaven had perverted my power to think.
Θησεύς:δόξης γὰρ ἦμεν πρὸς θεῶν ἐσφαλμένοι.
Hippolytus:O that the race of men could bring a curse upon the gods!
Ἱππόλυτος:φεῦ·εἴθ’ ἦν ἀραῖον δαίμοσιν βροτῶν γένος.
Artemis:Enough! for though thou pass to gloom beneath the earth, the wrath of Cypris shall not, at her will, fall on thee unrequited, because thou hadst a noble righteous soul.
Ἄρτεμις:ἔασον· οὐ γὰρ οὐδὲ γῆς ὑπὸ ζόφονθεᾶς ἄτιμοι Κύπριδος ἐκ προθυμίαςὀργαὶ κατασκήψουσιν ἐς τὸ σὸν δέμαςσῆς εὐσεβείας κἀγαθῆς φρενὸς χάριν.
For I with mine own hand will with these unerring shafts avenge me on another, who is her votary, dearest to her of all the sons of men. And to thee, poor sufferer, for thy anguish now will I grant high honours in the city of Troezen;for thee shall maids unwed before their marriage cut off their hair, thy harvest through the long roll of time of countless bitter tears. Yea, and for ever shall the virgin choir hymn thy sad memory,nor shall Phaedra’s love for thee fall into oblivion and pass away unnoticed.
ἐγὼ γὰρ αὐτῆς ἄλλον ἐξ ἐμῆς χερὸςὃς ἂν μάλιστα φίλτατος κυρῇ βροτῶντόξοις ἀφύκτοις τοῖσδε τιμωρήσομαι.σοὶ δ’, ὦ ταλαίπωρ’, ἀντὶ τῶνδε τῶν κακῶντιμὰς μεγίστας ἐν πόλει Τροζηνίᾳδώσω· κόραι γὰρ ἄζυγες γάμων πάροςκόμας κεροῦνταί σοι, δι’ αἰῶνος μακροῦπένθη μέγιστα δακρύων καρπουμένῳ.ἀεὶ δὲ μουσοποιὸς ἐς σὲ παρθένωνἔσται μέριμνα, κοὐκ ἀνώνυμος πεσὼνἔρως ὁ Φαίδρας ἐς σὲ σιγηθήσεται.
But thou, O son of old Aegeus, take thy son in thine arms, draw him close to thee, for unwittingly thou slewest him, and men may well commit an error when gods put it in their way.
σὺ δ’, ὦ γεραιοῦ τέκνον Αἰγέως, λαβὲσὸν παῖδ’ ἐν ἀγκάλαισι καὶ προσέλκυσαι·ἄκων γὰρ ὤλεσάς νιν· ἀνθρώποισι δὲθεῶν διδόντων εἰκὸς ἐξαμαρτάνειν.
And thee Hippolytus, I admonish; hate not thy sire, for in this death thou dost but meet thy destined fate.
καὶ σοὶ παραινῶ πατέρα μὴ στυγεῖν σέθεν,Ἱππόλυτ’· ἔχεις γὰρ μοῖραν ᾗ διεφθάρης.
And now farewell!’tis not for me to gaze upon the dead, or pollute my sight with death-scenes, and e’en now I see thee nigh that evil moment. [Exit Artemis.
καὶ χαῖρ’· ἐμοὶ γὰρ οὐ θέμις φθιτοὺς ὁρᾶνοὐδ’ ὄμμα χραίνειν θανασίμοισιν ἐκπνοαῖς·ὁρῶ δέ σ’ ἤδη τοῦδε πλησίον κακοῦ.
Hippolytus:Farewell, blest virgin queen! leave me now! How easily thou resignest our long friendship! I am reconciled with my father at thy desire, yea, for ever before I would obey thy bidding.
Ἱππόλυτος:χαίρουσα καὶ σὺ στεῖχε, παρθέν’ ὀλβία·μακρὰν δὲ λείπεις ῥᾳδίως ὁμιλίαν.λύω δὲ νεῖκος πατρὶ χρῃζούσης σέθεν·καὶ γὰρ πάροιθε σοῖς ἐπειθόμην λόγοις.
Ah me! the darkness is settling even now upon my eyes.
αἰαῖ, κατ’ ὄσσων κιγχάνει μ’ ἤδη σκότος·
Take me, father, in thy arms, lift me up.
λαβοῦ, πάτερ, μου καὶ κατόρθωσον δέμας.
Theseus:Woe is me, my son! what art thou doing to me thy hapless sire!
Θησεύς:οἴμοι, τέκνον, τί δρᾷς με τὸν δυσδαίμονα;
Hippolytus:I am a broken man; yes, I see the gates that close upon the dead.
Ἱππόλυτος:ὄλωλα καὶ δὴ νερτέρων ὁρῶ πύλας.
Theseus:Canst leave me thus with murder on my soul!
Θησεύς:ἦ τὴν ἐμὴν ἄναγνον ἐκλιπὼν χέρα;
Hippolytus:No, no; I set thee free from this bloodguiltiness.
Ἱππόλυτος:οὐ δῆτ’, ἐπεί σε τοῦδ’ ἐλευθερῶ φόνου.
Theseus:What sayest thou? dost absolve me from bloodshed?
Θησεύς:τί φῄς; ἀφίης αἵματός μ’ ἐλεύθερον;
Hippolytus:Artemis, the archer-queen, is my witness that I do.
Ἱππόλυτος:τὴν τοξόδαμνον Ἄρτεμιν μαρτύρομαι.
Theseus:My own dear child, how generous dost thou show thyself to thy father!
Θησεύς:ὦ φίλταθ’, ὡς γενναῖος ἐκφαίνῃ πατρί.
Hippolytus:Pray to have children such as me bom in lawful wedlock.
Ἱππόλυτος:τοιῶνδε παίδων γνησίων εὔχου τυχεῖν.
Theseus:O that holy, noble soul of thine!
Θησεύς:οἴμοι φρενὸς σῆς εὐσεβοῦς τε κἀγαθῆς.
Hippolytus:Farewell, dear father! a long farewell to thee!
Ἱππόλυτος:ὦ χαῖρε καὶ σύ, χαῖρε πολλά μοι, πάτερ.
Theseus:O leave me not, my son; endure awhile.
Θησεύς:μή νυν προδῷς με, τέκνον, ἀλλὰ καρτέρει.
Hippolytus:’Tis finished, my endurance; I die, father; quickly cover my face with a mantle.
Ἱππόλυτος:κεκαρτέρηται τἄμ’· ὄλωλα γάρ, πάτερ.κρύψον δέ μου πρόσωπον ὡς τάχος πέπλοις.
Theseus:O glorious Athens, realm of Pallas,what a splendid hero ye have lost! Ah me, ah me! How oft shall I remember thy evil work, O Cypris!
Θησεύς:ὦ κλείν’ Ἀθῆναι Παλλάδος θ’ ὁρίσματα,οἵου στερήσεσθ’ ἀνδρός. ὦ τλήμων ἐγώ·ὡς πολλά, Κύπρι, σῶν κακῶν μεμνήσομαι.
Chorus:On all our citizens hath come this universal sorrow, unforeseen. Now shall the copious tear gush forth,for sad news about great men takes more than usual hold upon the heart.
Χορός:κοινὸν τόδ’ ἄχος πᾶσι πολίταιςἦλθεν ἀέλπτως.πολλῶν δακρύων ἔσται πίτυλος·τῶν γὰρ μεγάλων ἀξιοπενθεῖςφῆμαι μᾶλλον κατέχουσιν.