---
title: "Ion · Ἴων"
author: "Euripides"
translator: "Edward P. Coleridge"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
url: https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-ion/
cite: "Euripides, tr. Edward P. Coleridge, Ion · Ἴων. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-ion/"
---

# Ion · Ἴων

*Euripides, tr. Edward P. Coleridge*

A temple servant at Delphi, a childless queen, and the secret of Apollo.

> Greek: ed. Gilbert Murray, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0006.tlg010, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Edward P. Coleridge, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0006.tlg010.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

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

## Contents

1. [Lines 1–556](https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-ion/1.md)
2. [Lines 557–1108](https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-ion/2.md)
3. [Lines 1109–1622](https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-ion/3.md)

## 1. Lines 1–556

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

[¶0] Scene.—Before Apollo’s temple at Delphi.
Hermes:
Atlas, who bears upon his brazen back the pressure of the sky, ancient dwelling of the gods, begat Maia from a daughter of one of those gods, and she bare me Hermes to mighty Zeus, to be the servant of the powers divine.

> Greek: Ἑρμῆς:
Ἄτλας, ὁ χαλκέοισι [νώτοις οὐρανὸν]
[θεῶν παλαιὸν οἶκον ἐκτρίβων, θεῶν]
[μιᾶς] ἔφυσε Μαῖαν, ἣ ʼμʼ ἐγείνατο
Ἑρμῆν μεγίστῳ Ζηνί, δαιμόνων λάτριν.

[¶1] Lo! I am come to this land of Delphi where sits Phoebus on the centre of the world and giveth oracles to men, ever chanting lays prophetic of things that are to be. Now there is a city in Hellas of no small note, called after Pallas, goddess of the golden lance;
there did Phoebus force his love on Creusa, daughter of Erechtheus, beneath the rock of Pallas, northward of Athens’ steep realm, called Macrae by the kings of Attica. And she without her father’s knowledge—for such was the god’s good pleasure,—
bore the burden in her womb unto the end, and when her time came, she brought forth a child in the house and carried him away to the selfsame cave wherein the god declared his love to her, and she cradled him in the hollow of a rounded ark and cast him forth to die,
observant of the custom of her ancestors and of earth-born Erichthonius, whom the daughter of Zeus gave into the charge of the daughters of Agraulus, after setting on either side, to keep him safe, a guard of serpents twain. Hence in that land among the Erechthidae ’tis a
custom to protect their babes with charms of golden snakes. But ere she left the babe to die, the young mother tied about him her own broidered robe. And this is the request that Phoebus craves of me, for he is my brother, “Go, brother, to those children of the soil”
“that dwell in glorious Athens, for well thou knowest Athena’s city, and take a new-born babe from out the hollow rock, his cradle and his swaddling-clothes as well, and bear him to my prophetic shrine at Delphi, and set him at the entering-in of my temple.”

> Greek: ἥκω δὲ Δελφῶν τήνδε γῆν, ἵνʼ ὀμφαλὸν
μέσον καθίζων Φοῖβος ὑμνῳδεῖ βροτοῖς
τά τʼ ὄντα καὶ μέλλοντα θεσπίζων ἀεί.
ἔστιν γὰρ οὐκ ἄσημος Ἑλλήνων πόλις,
τῆς χρυσολόγχου Παλλάδος κεκλημένη,
οὗ παῖδʼ Ἐρεχθέως Φοῖβος ἔζευξεν γάμοις
βίᾳ Κρέουσαν, ἔνθα προσβόρρους πέτρας
Παλλάδος ὑπʼ ὄχθῳ τῆς Ἀθηναίων χθονὸς
Μακρὰς καλοῦσι γῆς ἄνακτες Ἀτθίδος.
ἀγνὼς δὲ πατρί — τῷ θεῷ γὰρ ἦν φίλον —
γαστρὸς διήνεγκʼ ὄγκον. ὡς δʼ ἦλθεν χρόνος,
τεκοῦσʼ ἐν οἴκοις παῖδʼ ἀπήνεγκεν βρέφος
ἐς ταὐτὸν ἄντρον οὗπερ ηὐνάσθη θεῷ
Κρέουσα, κἀκτίθησιν ὡς θανούμενον
κοίλης ἐν ἀντίπηγος εὐτρόχῳ κύκλῳ,
προγόνων νόμον σῴζουσα τοῦ τε γηγενοῦς
Ἐριχθονίου. κείνῳ γὰρ ἡ Διὸς κόρη
φρουρὼ παραζεύξασα φύλακε σώματος
δισσὼ δράκοντε, παρθένοις Ἀγλαυρίσι
δίδωσι σῴζειν· ὅθεν Ἐρεχθείδαις ἐκεῖ
νόμος τις ἔστιν ὄφεσιν ἐν χρυσηλάτοις
τρέφειν τέκνα. ἀλλʼ ἣν εἶχε παρθένος χλιδὴν
τέκνῳ προσάψασʼ ἔλιπεν ὡς θανουμένῳ.
κἄμʼ ὢν ἀδελφὸς Φοῖβος αἰτεῖται τάδε·
ὦ σύγγονʼ, ἐλθὼν λαὸν εἰς αὐτόχθονα
κλεινῶν Ἀθηνῶν — οἶσθα γὰρ θεᾶς πόλιν —
λαβὼν βρέφος νεογνὸν ἐκ κοίλης πέτρας
αὐτῷ σὺν ἄγγει σπαργάνοισί θʼ οἷς ἔχει
ἔνεγκε Δελφῶν τἀμὰ πρὸς χρηστήρια,
καὶ θὲς πρὸς αὐταῖς εἰσόδοις δόμων ἐμῶν.

[¶2] “What else remains shall be my care, for that child is mine, that thou mayst know it.” So I, to do my brother Loxias a service, took up the woven ark and bore it off, and at the threshold of the shrine I have laid the babe,
after opening the lid of the wicker cradle that the child might be seen.

> Greek: τὰ δʼ ἄλλʼ — ἐμὸς γάρ ἐστιν, ὡς εἰδῇς, ὁ παῖς —
ἡμῖν μελήσει. Λοξίᾳ δʼ ἐγὼ χάριν
πράσσων ἀδελφῷ πλεκτὸν ἐξάρας κύτος
ἤνεγκα, καὶ τὸν παῖδα κρηπίδων ἔπι
τίθημι ναοῦ τοῦδʼ, ἀναπτύξας κύτος
ἑλικτὸν ἀντίπηγος, ὡς ὁρῷθʼ ὁ παῖς.

[¶3] But just as the sun-god was starting forth to run his course, a priestess chanced to enter the god’s shrine; and when her eyes lit upon the tender babe she thought it strange that any Delphian maid
should dare to cast her child of shame down at the temple of the god; wherefore her purpose was to remove him beyond the altar, but from pity she renounced her cruel thought, and the god to help his child did second her pity to save the babe from being cast out. So she took and brought him up,
but she knew not that Phoebus was his sire nor of the mother that bare him, nor yet did the child know his parents. While yet he was a child, around the altar that fed him he would ramble at his play, but when he came to man’s estate, the Delphians made him treasurer of the god
and steward of all his store, and found him true, and so until the present day he leads a holy life in the god’s temple. Meantime Creusa, mother of this youth, is wedded to Xuthus; and thus it came to pass; a war broke out ’twixt Athens and the folk of Chalcodon
who dwell in the land of Euboea; and Xuthus took part therein and helped to end it, for which he received the hand of Creusa as his guerdon, albeit he was no native, but an Achaean, sprung from Aeolus, the son of Zeus; and after many years of wedded life
he and Creusa still are childless; wherefore they are come to this oracle of Apollo in their desire for offspring. To this end is Loxias guiding their destiny nor hath it escaped his ken, as some suppose. For when Xuthus enters this shrine,
the god will give him his own son and declare that Xuthus is the sire, that so the boy may come to his mother’s home and be acknowledged by Creusa, while the marriage of Loxias remains a secret and the child obtains his rights; and he shall cause him to be called Ion, founder of a realm in Asia,
through all the breadth of Hellas. But now will I get me to yon grotto ’neath the laurel’s shade that I may learn what is decreed about the child. For I see the son of Loxias now coming forth to cleanse the gateway in front of the temple
with boughs of laurel. I greet him first of all the gods by his name Ion which he soon shall bear.

> Greek: κυρεῖ δʼ ἅμʼ ἱππεύοντος ἡλίου κύκλῳ
προφῆτις ἐσβαίνουσα μαντεῖον θεοῦ·
ὄψιν δὲ προσβαλοῦσα παιδὶ νηπίῳ
ἐθαύμασʼ εἴ τις Δελφίδων τλαίη κόρη
λαθραῖον ὠδῖνʼ ἐς θεοῦ ῥῖψαι δόμον,
ὑπέρ τε θυμέλας διορίσαι πρόθυμος ἦν·
οἴκτῳ δʼ ἀφῆκεν ὠμότητα — καὶ θεὸς
συνεργὸς ἦν τῷ παιδὶ μὴ ʼκπεσεῖν δόμων —
τρέφει δέ νιν λαβοῦσα. τὸν σπείραντα δὲ
οὐκ οἶδε Φοῖβον οὐδὲ μητέρʼ ἧς ἔφυ,
ὁ παῖς τε τοὺς τεκόντας οὐκ ἐπίσταται.
νέος μὲν οὖν ὢν ἀμφὶ βωμίους τροφὰς
ἠλᾶτʼ ἀθύρων· ὡς δʼ ἀπηνδρώθη δέμας,
Δελφοί σφʼ ἔθεντο χρυσοφύλακα τοῦ θεοῦ
ταμίαν τε πάντων πιστόν, ἐν δʼ ἀνακτόροις
θεοῦ καταζῇ δεῦρʼ ἀεὶ σεμνὸν βίον.
Κρέουσα δʼ ἡ τεκοῦσα τὸν νεανίαν
Ξούθῳ γαμεῖται συμφορᾶς τοιᾶσδʼ ὕπο·
ἦν ταῖς Ἀθήναις τοῖς τε Χαλκωδοντίδαις,
οἳ γῆν ἔχουσʼ Εὐβοῖδα, πολέμιος κλύδων·
ὃν συμπονήσας καὶ συνεξελὼν δορὶ
γάμων Κρεούσης ἀξίωμʼ ἐδέξατο,
οὐκ ἐγγενὴς ὤν, Αἰόλου δὲ τοῦ Διὸς
γεγὼς Ἀχαιός. χρόνια δὲ σπείρας λέχη
ἄτεκνός ἐστι, καὶ Κρέουσʼ· ὧν οὕνεκα
ἥκουσι πρὸς μαντεῖʼ Ἀπόλλωνος τάδε
ἔρωτι παίδων. Λοξίας δὲ τὴν τύχην
ἐς τοῦτʼ ἐλαύνει, κοὐ λέληθεν, ὡς δοκεῖ.
δώσει γὰρ εἰσελθόντι μαντεῖον τόδε
Ξούθῳ τὸν αὑτοῦ παῖδα, καὶ πεφυκέναι
κείνου σφε φήσει, μητρὸς ὡς ἐλθὼν δόμους
γνωσθῇ Κρεούσῃ, καὶ γάμοι τε Λοξίου
κρυπτοὶ γένωνται παῖς τʼ ἔχῃ τὰ πρόσφορα.
Ἴωνα δʼ αὐτόν, κτίστορʼ Ἀσιάδος χθονός,
ὄνομα κεκλῆσθαι θήσεται καθʼ Ἑλλάδα.
ἀλλʼ ἐς δαφνώδη γύαλα βήσομαι τάδε,
τὸ κρανθὲν ὡς ἂν ἐκμάθω παιδὸς πέρι.
ὁρῶ γὰρ ἐκβαίνοντα Λοξίου γόνον
τόνδʼ, ὡς πρὸ ναοῦ λαμπρὰ θῇ πυλώματα
δάφνης κλάδοισιν. ὄνομα δʼ, οὗ μέλλει τυχεῖν,
Ἴωνʼ ἐγώ ⟨νιν⟩ πρῶτος ὀνομάζω θεῶν.

[¶4] Ion:
Lo! the sun-god is e’en now turning towards the earth his chariot-car resplendent; before yon fire the stars retire
to night’s mysterious gloom from forth the firmament; the peaks of Parnassus, where no man may set foot, are all ablaze and hail the car of day for mortal’s service. Up mounts the smoke of myrrh, offering of the desert;
to Phoebus’ roof; there on the holy tripod sits the Delphian priestess, chanting to the ears of Hellas in numbers loud, whate’er Apollo doth proclaim. Ye Delphians, votaries of Phoebus, away!
to Castalia’s gushing fount as silver clear, and, when ye have bathed you in its waters pure, enter the shrine; and keep your lips in holy silence that it may be well, careful to utter words of good omen amongst yourselves
to those who wish to consult the oracle; while I with laurel-sprays and sacred wreaths and drops of water sprinkled o’er the floor will purify the entrance to the shrine of Phoebus,
my task each day from childhood’s hour; and with my bow will I put to flight the flocks of feathered fowls that harm his sacred offerings;
for here in Phoebus’ shrine, which nurtured me, I minister, an orphan, fatherless and motherless.

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἅρματα μὲν τάδε λαμπρὰ τεθρίππων
Ἥλιος ἤδη λάμπει κατὰ γῆν,
ἄστρα δὲ φεύγει πυρὶ τῷδʼ αἰθέρος
ἐς νύχθʼ ἱεράν·
Παρνησιάδες δʼ ἄβατοι κορυφαὶ
καταλαμπόμεναι τὴν ἡμερίαν
ἁψῖδα βροτοῖσι δέχονται.
σμύρνης δʼ ἀνύδρου καπνὸς εἰς ὀρόφους
Φοίβου πέταται.
θάσσει δὲ γυνὴ τρίποδα ζάθεον
Δελφίς, ἀείδουσʼ Ἕλλησι βοάς,
ἃς ἂν Ἀπόλλων κελαδήσῃ.
ἀλλʼ, ὦ Φοίβου Δελφοὶ θέραπες,
τὰς Κασταλίας ἀργυροειδεῖς
βαίνετε δίνας, καθαραῖς δὲ δρόσοις
ἀφυδρανάμενοι στείχετε ναούς·
στόμα τʼ εὔφημον φρουρεῖν ἀγαθόν,
φήμας τʼ ἀγαθὰς
τοῖς ἐθέλουσιν μαντεύεσθαι
γλώσσης ἰδίας ἀποφαίνειν.
ἡμεῖς δέ, πόνους οὓς ἐκ παιδὸς
μοχθοῦμεν ἀεί, πτόρθοισι δάφνης
στέφεσίν θʼ ἱεροῖς ἐσόδους Φοίβου
καθαρὰς θήσομεν, ὑγραῖς τε πέδον
ῥανίσιν νοτερόν· πτηνῶν τʼ ἀγέλας,
αἳ βλάπτουσιν σέμνʼ ἀναθήματα,
τόξοισιν ἐμοῖς φυγάδας θήσομεν·
ὡς γὰρ ἀμήτωρ ἀπάτωρ τε γεγὼς
τοὺς θρέψαντας
Φοίβου ναοὺς θεραπεύω.

[¶5] Ion:
Come, thou tender laurel-shoot, gathered from gardens divine to wait upon the glorious god,
thou that sweepest clean the altar of Phoebus hard by his shrine, where holy founts, that ever gush with ceaseless flow,
bedew the myrtle’s hallowed spray wherewith I cleanse the temple-floor the livelong day, so soon as the swift sun-god wings his flight on high, in my daily ministration.

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἄγʼ, ὦ νεηθαλὲς ὦ
καλλίστας προπόλευμα δά-
φνας, ἃ τὰν Φοίβου θυμέλαν
σαίρεις ὑπὸ ναοῖς,
κήπων ἐξ ἀθανάτων,
ἵνα δρόσοι τέγγουσʼ ἱεραί,
⟨ῥοὰν⟩ ἀέναον
παγᾶν ἐκπροϊεῖσαι,
μυρσίνας ἱερὰν φόβαν·
ᾇ σαίρω δάπεδον θεοῦ
παναμέριος ἅμʼ ἁλίου
πτέρυγι θοᾷ
λατρεύων τὸ κατʼ ἦμαρ.

[¶6] Hail Paean, prince of healing! blest, ah! doubly blest be thou, child of Latona!

> Greek: ὦ Παιὰν ὦ Παιάν,
εὐαίων εὐαίων
εἴης, ὦ Λατοῦς παῖ.

[¶7] Ion:
Fair the service that I render to thee, Phoebus, before thy house,
honouring thy seat of prophecy; a glorious task I count it, to serve not mortal man but deathless gods; wherefore I never weary
of performing holy services. Phoebus is to me as the father that begot me, for as such I praise the god that gives me food. Whom I call by that helpful name of father,
Tis Phoebus, who dwelleth in the temple, Hail Paean, healing god, good luck to thee and blessing, child of Latona!

> Greek: Ἴων:
καλόν γε τὸν πόνον, ὦ
Φοῖβε, σοὶ πρὸ δόμων λατρεύ-
ω τιμῶν μαντεῖον ἕδραν·
κλεινὸς δʼ ὁ πόνος μοι
θεοῖσιν δούλαν χέρʼ ἔχειν
οὐ θνατοῖς, ἀλλʼ ἀθανάτοις·
εὐφάμους δὲ πόνους
μοχθεῖν οὐκ ἀποκάμνω.
Φοῖβός μοι γενέτωρ πατήρ·
τὸν βόσκοντα γὰρ εὐλογῶ,
τὸ δʼ ὠφέλιμον ἐμοὶ πατέρος
ὄνομα λέγω
Φοίβου τοῦ κατὰ ναόν.
ὦ Παιὰν ὦ Παιάν,
εὐαίων εὐαίων
εἴης, ὦ Λατοῦς παῖ.

[¶8] Ion:
My task is nearly done
of sweeping with the laurel broom, so now from a golden ewer will I sprinkle o’er the ground water from Castalia’s gushing spring, scattering the liquid dew
with hands from all defilement free. Oh may I never cease thus to serve Phoebus, or, if I do, may fortune smile upon me!

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἀλλʼ ἐκπαύσω γὰρ μόχθους
δάφνας ὁλκοῖς,
χρυσέων δʼ ἐκ τευχέων ῥίψω
Γαίας παγάν,
ἃν ἀποχεύονται
Κασταλίας δῖναι,
νοτερὸν ὕδωρ βάλλων,
ὅσιος ἀπʼ εὐνᾶς ὤν.
εἴθʼ οὕτως αἰεὶ Φοίβῳ
λατρεύων μὴ παυσαίμαν,
ἢ παυσαίμαν ἀγαθᾷ μοίρᾳ.

[¶9] Ha! they come, the feathered tribes,
leaving their nests on Parnassus. I forbid ye to settle on the coping or enter the gilded dome. Thou herald of Zeus, that masterest the might of other birds with those talons of thine,
once more shall my arrow o’ertake thee.

> Greek: ἔα ἔα·
φοιτῶσʼ ἤδη λείπουσίν τε
πτανοὶ Παρνασοῦ κοίτας·
αὐδῶ μὴ χρίμπτειν θριγκοῖς
μηδʼ ἐς χρυσήρεις οἴκους —
μάρψω σʼ αὖ τόξοις, ὦ Ζηνὸς
κῆρυξ, ὀρνίθων γαμφηλαῖς
ἰσχὺν νικῶν.

[¶10] Lo! another comes sailing towards the altar, a swan this time; take thy bright plumes elsewhere; the lyre that Phoebus tuneth to thy song shall never
save thee from the bow; so fly away, and settle at the Delian mere, for if thou wilt not hearken, thy blood shall choke the utterance of thy fair melody.

> Greek: ὅδε πρὸς θυμέλας ἄλλος ἐρέσσει
κύκνος. οὐκ ἄλλᾳ
φοινικοφαῆ πόδα κινήσεις;
οὐδέν σʼ ἁ φόρμιγξ ἁ Φοίβου
σύμμολπος τόξων ῥύσαιτʼ ἄν.
πάραγε πτέρυγας·
λίμνας ἐπίβα τᾶς Δηλιάδος·
αἱμάξεις, εἰ μὴ πείσῃ,
τὰς καλλιφθόγγους ᾠδάς.

[¶11] Ha! what new bird comes now? Does it mean to lodge a nest of dry straw for its brood beneath the gables? Soon shall my twanging bow drive thee away. Dost not hear me?
Away and rear thy young amid the streams of swirling Alpheus, or get thee to the woody Isthmian glen, that Phoebus’ offerings and his shrine may take no hurt. I am loth to slay ye,
ye messengers to mortal man of messages from heaven; still must I serve Phoebus, to whose tasks I am devoted, nor will I cease to minister to those that give me food.

> Greek: ἔα ἔα·
τίς ὅδʼ ὀρνίθων καινὸς προσέβα;
μῶν ὑπὸ θριγκοὺς εὐναίας
καρφυρὰς θήσων τέκνοις;
ψαλμοί σʼ εἴρξουσιν τόξων.
οὐ πείσῃ; χωρῶν δίναις
ταῖς Ἀλφειοῦ παιδούργει,
ἢ νάπος Ἴσθμιον,
ὡς ἀναθήματα μὴ βλάπτηται
ναοί θʼ οἱ Φοίβου …
κτείνειν δʼ ὑμᾶς αἰδοῦμαι
τοὺς θεῶν ἀγγέλλοντας φήμας
θνατοῖς· οἷς δʼ ἔγκειμαι μόχθοις,
Φοίβῳ δουλεύσω, κοὐ λήξω
τοὺς βόσκοντας θεραπεύων.

[¶12] (First) Chorus:
It is not in holy Athens
only that there are courts of the gods with fine colonnades, and the worship of Apollo, guardian of highways; but here, too, at the shrine of Loxias, son of Latona, shines the lovely eye of day on faces twain.

> Greek: Χορός:
— οὐκ ἐν ταῖς ζαθέαις Ἀθά-
ναις εὐκίονες ἦσαν αὐ-
λαὶ θεῶν μόνον, οὐδʼ ἀγυι-
άτιδες θεραπεῖαι·
ἀλλὰ καὶ παρὰ Λοξίᾳ
τῷ Λατοῦς διδύμων προσώ-
πων καλλιβλέφαρον φῶς.

[¶13] (Second) Chorus:
Just look at this! here is the son of Zeus killing with his scimitar of gold the watersnake of Lerna. Do look at him, my friend!

> Greek: — ἰδοὺ τάνδʼ, ἄθρησον,
Λερναῖον ὕδραν ἐναίρει
χρυσέαις ἅρπαις ὁ Διὸς παῖς·
φίλα, πρόσιδʼ ὄσσοις.

[¶14] (First) Chorus:
Yes, I see. And close to him stands another
with a blazing torch uplifted; who is he? Can this be the warrior Iolaus whose story is told on my broidery, who shares with
the son of Zeus his labours and helps him in the moil?

> Greek: Χορός:
— ὁρῶ. καὶ πέλας ἄλλος αὐ-
τοῦ πανὸν πυρίφλεκτον αἴ-
ρει τις — ἆρʼ ὃς ἐμαῖσι μυ-
θεύεται παρὰ πήναις,
ἀσπιστὰς Ἰόλαος, ὃς
κοινοὺς αἰρόμενος πόνους
Δίῳ παιδὶ συναντλεῖ;

[¶15] (Third) Chorus:
Oh! but look at this! a man mounted on a winged horse, killing a fire-breathing monster with three bodies.

> Greek: — καὶ μὰν τόνδʼ ἄθρησον
πτεροῦντος ἔφεδρον ἵππου·
τὰν πῦρ πνέουσαν ἐναίρει
τρισώματον ἀλκάν.

[¶16] (First) Chorus:
I am turning my eyes in every direction. Behold the rout of the giants carved on these walls of stone.

> Greek: Χορός:
— πάντᾳ τοι βλέφαρον διώ-
κω. σκέψαι κλόνον ἐν τείχεσ-
σι λαΐνοισι Γιγάντων.

[¶17] (Fourth) Chorus:
Yes, yes, good friends, I am looking.
(Fifth) Chorus:
Dost see her standing over Enceladus brandishing her shield with the Gorgon’s head?
(Sixth) Chorus:
I see Pallas, my own goddess.

> Greek: — ὦ φίλαι, ὧδε δερκόμεσθα.
— λεύσσεις οὖν ἐπʼ Ἐγκελάδῳ
γοργωπὸν πάλλουσαν ἴτυν —
— λεύσσω Παλλάδʼ, ἐμὰν θεόν.

[¶18] (Seventh) Chorus:
Again, dost see the massy thunderbolt all aflame in the far-darting hands of Zeus?

> Greek: — τί γάρ; κεραυνὸν ἀμφίπυρον
ὄβριμον ἐν Διὸς
ἑκηβόλοισι χερσίν;

[¶19] (Eighth) Chorus:
I do;’tis blasting with its flame Mimas, that deadly foe.

> Greek: — ὁρῶ· τὸν δάϊον
Μίμαντα πυρὶ καταιθαλοῖ.

[¶20] (Ninth) Chorus:
Bromius too, the god of revelry, is slaying another of the sons of Earth with his thyrsus of ivy, never meant for battle.

> Greek: — καὶ Βρόμιος ἄλλον ἀπολέμοι-
σι κισσίνοισι βάκτροις
ἐναίρει Γᾶς τέκνων ὁ Βακχεύς.

[¶21] (First) Chorus:
Thou that art stationed by this fane, to thee I do address me,
may we pass the threshold of these vaults, with our fair white feet?

> Greek: Χορός:
σέ τοι, τὸν παρὰ ναὸν αὐ-
δῶ· θέμις γυάλων ὑπερ-
βῆναι, λευκῷ ποδί γʼ —;

[¶22] Ion:
Nay, ye must not, stranger ladies.
(Tenth)

> Greek: Ἴων:
οὐ θέμις, ὦ ξέναι.

[¶23] Chorus:
May I ask thee about something I have heard?

> Greek: Χορός:
οὐδʼ ἂν
ἐκ σέθεν ἂν πυθοίμεθʼ αὐδάν;

[¶24] Ion:
What wouldst thou ask?
(Eleventh)

> Greek: Ἴων:
τίνα τήνδε θέλεις;

[¶25] Chorus:
Is it really true that the temple of Phoebus stands upon the centre of the world?

> Greek: Χορός:
ἆρʼ ὄντως μέσον ὀμφαλὸν
γᾶς Φοίβου κατέχει δόμος;

[¶26] Ion:
Aye, there it stands with garlands decked and gorgeous all around.

> Greek: Ἴων:
στέμμασί γʼ ἐνδυτόν, ἀμφὶ δὲ Γοργόνες.

[¶27] (Twelfth) Chorus:
E'en so the legend saith.

> Greek: Χορός:
οὕτω καὶ φάτις αὐδᾷ.

[¶28] Ion:
If ye have offered a sacrificial cake before the shrine and have aught ye wish to ask Phoebus, approach the altar; but enter not the inmost sanctuary, save ye have sacrificed sheep.

> Greek: Ἴων:
εἰ μὲν ἐθύσατε πέλανον πρὸ δόμων
καί τι πυθέσθαι χρῄζετε Φοίβου,
πάριτʼ ἐς θυμέλας· ἐπὶ δʼ ἀσφάκτοις
μήλοισι δόμων μὴ πάριτʼ ἐς μυχόν.

[¶29] (Thirteenth) Chorus:
I understand; but we have ho mind to trespass against the god’s law; the pictures here without will amuse us.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἔχω μαθοῦσα· θεοῦ δὲ νόμον
οὐ παραβαίνομεν,
ἃ δʼ ἐκτός, ὄμμα τέρψει.

[¶30] Ion:
Feast your eyes on all ye may.
(Fourteenth)

> Greek: Ἴων:
πάντα θεᾶσθʼ, ὅ τι καὶ θέμις, ὄμμασι.

[¶31] Chorus:
My mistress gave me leave to see these vaulted chambers.

> Greek: Χορός:
μεθεῖσαν δεσπόται
με θεοῦ γύαλα τάδʼ εἰσιδεῖν.

[¶32] Ion:
Whose handmaids do ye avow yourselves?

> Greek: Ἴων:
δμῳαὶ δὲ τίνων κλῄζεσθε δόμων;

[¶33] (Fifteenth) Chorus:
The temple, where Pallas dwells, is the nursing-home of my lords. But lo! here is she of whom thou askest.

> Greek: Χορός:
Παλλάδι σύνοικα τρόφιμα μέλα-
θρα τῶν ἐμῶν τυράννων·
παρούσας δʼ ἀμφὶ τᾶσδʼ ἐρωτᾷς.

[¶34] Ion:
Lady, whosoe’er thou art, I see thou art of noble birth, and thy bearing proves thy gentle breeding. For from his bearing one may mostly judge
whether a man is nobly born. Yet am I much amazed to see thee close thine eyes in grief and with tears bedew thy noble face, when thou standest face to face with the holy oracle of Loxias. Why, lady, art thou thus disquieted?

> Greek: Ἴων:
γενναιότης σοι, καὶ τρόπων τεκμήριον
τὸ σχῆμʼ ἔχεις τόδʼ, ἥτις εἶ ποτʼ, ὦ γύναι.
γνοίη δʼ ἂν ὡς τὰ πολλά γʼ ἀνθρώπου πέρι
τὸ σχῆμʼ ἰδών τις εἰ πέφυκεν εὐγενής.
ἔα·
ἀλλʼ ἐξέπληξάς μʼ, ὄμμα συγκλῄσασα σὸν
δακρύοις θʼ ὑγράνασʼ εὐγενῆ παρηίδα,
ὡς εἶδες ἁγνὰ Λοξίου χρηστήρια.
τί ποτε μερίμνης ἐς τόδʼ ἦλθες, ὦ γύναι;

[¶35] Here, where all others show their joy at sight of Phoebus’ sanctuary, thine eye is wet with tears.

> Greek: ὃ πάντες ἄλλοι γύαλα λεύσσοντες θεοῦ
χαίρουσιν, ἐνταῦθʼ ὄμμα σὸν δακρυρροεῖ;

[¶36] Creusa:
Most courteously, sir stranger, dost thou express surprise at these my tears; the sight of this temple of Apollo
recalled to me a memory of long ago, and somehow my thoughts went wandering home, though I am here myself. Ah, hapless race of women! ah, ye reckless gods! What shall I say? to what standard shall we refer justice if through the injustice of our lords and masters we are brought to ruin?

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ὦ ξένε, τὸ μὲν σὸν οὐκ ἀπαιδεύτως ἔχει
ἐς θαύματʼ ἐλθεῖν δακρύων ἐμῶν πέρι·
ἐγὼ δʼ ἰδοῦσα τούσδʼ Ἀπόλλωνος δόμους
μνήμην παλαιὰν ἀνεμετρησάμην τινά·
οἴκοι δὲ τὸν νοῦν ἔσχον ἐνθάδʼ οὖσά που.
ὦ τλήμονες γυναῖκες· ὦ τολμήματα
θεῶν. τί δῆτα; ποῖ δίκην ἀνοίσομεν,
εἰ τῶν κρατούντων ἀδικίαις ὀλούμεθα;

[¶37] Ion:
Why, lady, art thou thus cast down, past all finding out?

> Greek: Ἴων:
τί χρῆμʼ ἀνερμήνευτα δυσθυμῇ, γύναι;

[¶38] Creusa:’Tis naught; I have shot my bolt; for what remains, I say no more, nor seek thou further to inquire.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
οὐδέν· μεθῆκα τόξα· τἀπὶ τῷδε δὲ
ἐγώ τε σιγῶ, καὶ σὺ μὴ φρόντιζʼ ἔτι.

[¶39] Ion:
Who art thou and whence? who is the father that begat thee? by what name are we to call thee?

> Greek: Ἴων:
τίς δʼ εἶ; πόθεν γῆς ἦλθες; ἐκ ποίας πάτρας
πέφυκας; ὄνομα τί σε καλεῖν ἡμᾶς χρεών;

[¶40] Creusa:
Creusa is my name, the daughter of Erechtheus I; my native land is Athens.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
Κρέουσα μέν μοι τοὔνομʼ, ἐκ δʼ Ἐρεχθέως
πέφυκα, πατρὶς γῆ δʼ Ἀθηναίων πόλις.

[¶41] Ion:
A glorious city thine, lady, a noble line of ancestry! with what reverence I behold thee!

> Greek: Ἴων:
ὦ κλεινὸν οἰκοῦσʼ ἄστυ γενναίων τʼ ἄπο
τραφεῖσα πατέρων, ὥς σε θαυμάζω, γύναι.

[¶42] Creusa:
Thus far, no further goes my luck, good sir.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
τοσαῦτα κεὐτυχοῦμεν, ὦ ξένʼ, οὐ πέρα.

[¶43] Ion:
Pray, is the current legend true—

> Greek: Ἴων:
πρὸς θεῶν ἀληθῶς, ὡς μεμύθευται βροτοῖς …;

[¶44] Creusa:
What is thy question? I fain would learn.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
τί χρῆμʼ ἐρωτᾷς, ὦ ξένʼ, ἐκμαθεῖν θέλων;

[¶45] Ion:
Was thy father’s grandsire really sprung from Earth?

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἐκ γῆς πατρός σου πρόγονος ἔβλαστεν πατήρ;

[¶46] Creusa:
Yes, Erichthonius was; but my high birth avails me not

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
Ἐριχθόνιός γε· τὸ δὲ γένος μʼ οὐκ ὠφελεῖ.

[¶47] Ion:
Is it true Athena reared him from the ground?

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἦ καί σφʼ Ἀθάνα γῆθεν ἐξανείλετο;

[¶48] Creusa:
Aye, and into maidens’ hands, though not his mother’s—

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἐς παρθένους γε χεῖρας, οὐ τεκοῦσά νιν.

[¶49] Ion:
Consigned him, did she? as ’tis wont to be set forth in painting.

> Greek: Ἴων:
δίδωσι δʼ, ὥσπερ ἐν γραφῇ νομίζεται …;

[¶50] Creusa:
Yes, to the daughters of Cecrops, to keep him safe unseen.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
Κέκροπός γε σῴζειν παισὶν οὐχ ὁρώμενον.

[¶51] Ion:
I have heard the maidens opened the ark wherein the goddess laid him.

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἤκουσα λῦσαι παρθένους τεῦχος θεᾶς.

[¶52] Creusa:
And so they died, dabbling with their blood the rocky cliff.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
τοιγὰρ θανοῦσαι σκόπελον ᾕμαξαν πέτρας.

[¶53] Ion:
Even so. But what of this next story? Is it true or groundless?

> Greek: Ἴων:
εἶἑν·
τί δαὶ τόδʼ; ἆρʼ ἀληθὲς ἢ μάτην λόγος …

[¶54] Creusa:
What is thy question? Ask on, I have no calls upon my leisure.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
τί χρῆμʼ ἐρωτᾷς; καὶ γὰρ οὐ κάμνω σχολῇ.

[¶55] Ion:
Did thy sire Erechtheus offer thy sisters as a sacrifice?

> Greek: Ἴων:
πατὴρ Ἐρεχθεὺς σὰς ἔθυσε συγγόνους;

[¶56] Creusa:
For his country’s sake he did endure to slay the maids as victims.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἔτλη πρὸ γαίας σφάγια παρθένους κτανεῖν.

[¶57] Ion:
And how didst thou, alone of al thy sisters, escape?

> Greek: Ἴων:
σὺ δʼ ἐξεσώθης πῶς κασιγνήτων μόνη;

[¶58] Creusa:
I was still a tender babe in my mother’s arms.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
βρέφος νεογνὸν μητρὸς ἦν ἐν ἀγκάλαις.

[¶59] Ion:
Did the earth really open its mouth and swallow thy father?

> Greek: Ἴων:
πατέρα δʼ ἀληθῶς χάσμα σὸν κρύπτει χθονός;

[¶60] Creusa:
The sea-god smote and slew him with his trident.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
πληγαὶ τριαίνης ποντίου σφʼ ἀπώλεσαν.

[¶61] Ion:
Is there a spot there called Macrae?

> Greek: Ἴων:
Μακραὶ δὲ χῶρός ἐστʼ ἐκεῖ κεκλημένος;

[¶62] Creusa:
Why ask that? what memories thou recallest!

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
τί δʼ ἱστορεῖς τόδʼ; ὥς μʼ ἀνέμνησάς τινος.

[¶63] Ion:
Doth the Pythian god with his flashing fire do honour to the place?

> Greek: Ἴων:
τιμᾷ σφε Πύθιος ἀστραπαί τε Πύθιαι.

[¶64] Creusa:
Honour, yes! Honour, indeed! would I had never seen the spot!

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
[τιμᾶ τιμᾶ]· ὡς μήποτʼ ὤφελόν σφʼ ἰδεῖν.

[¶65] Ion:
How now? dost thou abhor that which the god holds dear?

> Greek: Ἴων:
τί δὲ στυγεῖς σὺ τοῦ θεοῦ τὰ φίλτατα;

[¶66] Creusa:
No, no; but I and that cave are witnesses of a deed of shame.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
οὐδέν· ξύνοιδʼ ἄντροισιν αἰσχύνην τινά.

[¶67] Ion:
Lady, who is the Athenian lord that calls thee wife?

> Greek: Ἴων:
πόσις δὲ τίς σʼ ἔγημʼ Ἀθηναίων, γύναι;

[¶68] Creusa:
No citizen of Athens, but a stranger from another land.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
οὐκ ἀστός, ἀλλʼ ἐπακτὸς ἐξ ἄλλης χθονός.

[¶69] Ion:
Who is he? he must have been one of noble birth.

> Greek: Ἴων:
τίς; εὐγενῆ νιν δεῖ πεφυκέναι τινά.

[¶70] Creusa:
Xuthus, son of Aeolus, sprung from Zeus.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
Ξοῦθος, πεφυκὼς Αἰόλου Διός τʼ ἄπο.

[¶71] Ion:
And how did he, a stranger, win thee a native born?

> Greek: Ἴων:
καὶ πῶς ξένος σʼ ὢν ἔσχεν οὖσαν ἐγγενῆ;

[¶72] Creusa:
Hard by Athens lies a neighbouring township, Euboea.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
Εὔβοιʼ Ἀθήναις ἔστι τις γείτων πόλις …

[¶73] Ion:
With a bounding line of waters in between, so I have heard.

> Greek: Ἴων:
ὅροις ὑγροῖσιν, ὡς λέγουσʼ, ὡρισμένη.

[¶74] Creusa:
This did he sack, making common cause with Cecrops’ sons.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ταύτην ἔπερσε Κεκροπίδαις κοινῷ δορί.

[¶75] Ion:
Coming as an ally, maybe; he won thy hand for this?

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἐπίκουρος ἐλθών; κᾆτα σὸν γαμεῖ λέχος;

[¶76] Creusa:
Yes, this was his dower of battle, the prize of his prowess.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
φερνάς γε πολέμου καὶ δορὸς λαβὼν γέρας.

[¶77] Ion:
Art thou come to the oracle alone, or with thy lord?

> Greek: Ἴων:
σὺν ἀνδρὶ δʼ ἥκεις ἢ μόνη χρηστήρια;

[¶78] Creusa:
With him. But he is now visiting the cavern of Trophonius.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
σὺν ἀνδρί. σηκοὺς δʼ ἐκστρέφει Τροφωνίου.

[¶79] Ion:
As a spectator merely, or to consult the oracle?

> Greek: Ἴων:
πότερα θεατὴς ἢ χάριν μαντευμάτων;

[¶80] Creusa:’Tis his wish to hear the self-same answer from Trophonius and Phoebus too.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
κείνου τε Φοίβου θʼ ἓν θέλων μαθεῖν ἔπος.

[¶81] Ion:
Is it to seek earth’s produce or fruit of offspring that ye come?

> Greek: Ἴων:
καρποῦ δʼ ὕπερ γῆς ἥκετʼ, ἢ παίδων πέρι;

[¶82] Creusa:
We are childless, though wedded these many years.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἄπαιδές ἐσμεν, χρόνιʼ ἔχοντʼ εὐνήματα.

[¶83] Ion:
Hast thou never been a mother? art thou wholly childless?

> Greek: Ἴων:
οὐδʼ ἔτεκες οὐδὲν πώποτʼ, ἀλλʼ ἄτεκνος εἶ;

[¶84] Creusa:
Phoebus knows whether I am childless.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ὁ Φοῖβος οἶδε τὴν ἐμὴν ἀπαιδίαν.

[¶85] Ion:
Unhappy wife! how this doth mar thy fortune else so happy!

> Greek: Ἴων:
ὦ τλῆμον, ὡς τἄλλʼ εὐτυχοῦσʼ οὐκ εὐτυχεῖς.

[¶86] Creusa:
But who art thou? how blest I count thy mother!

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
σὺ δʼ εἶ τίς; ὥς σου τὴν τεκοῦσαν ὤλβισα.

[¶87] Ion:
Lady, I am called the servant of Apollo, and so I am.

> Greek: Ἴων:
τοῦ θεοῦ καλοῦμαι δοῦλος εἰμί τʼ, ὦ γύναι.

[¶88] Creusa:
An offering of thy city, or sold to him by some master?

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἀνάθημα πόλεως, ἤ τινος πραθεὶς ὕπο;

[¶89] Ion:
Naught know I but this, that I am called the slave of Loxias.

> Greek: Ἴων:
οὐκ οἶδα πλὴν ἕν· Λοξίου κεκλήμεθα.

[¶90] Creusa:
Then do i in my turn pity thee, sir stranger.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἡμεῖς σʼ ἄρʼ αὖθις, ὦ ξένʼ, ἀντοικτίρομεν.

[¶91] Ion:
Because I know not her that bare me, or him that begat me.

> Greek: Ἴων:
ὡς μὴ εἰδόθʼ ἥτις μʼ ἔτεκεν ἐξ ὅτου τʼ ἔφυν.

[¶92] Creusa:
Is thy home here in the temple, or hast thou a house to dwell in?

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ναοῖσι δʼ οἰκεῖς τοισίδʼ ἢ κατὰ στέγας;

[¶93] Ion:
The god’s whole temple is my house, wherever sleep o’ertakes me.

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἅπαν θεοῦ μοι δῶμʼ, ἵνʼ ἂν λάβῃ μʼ ὕπνος.

[¶94] Creusa:
Was it as a child or young man that thou earnest to the temple?

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
παῖς δʼ ὢν ἀφίκου ναὸν ἢ νεανίας;

[¶95] Ion:
Those who seem to know the truth, say I was but a babe.

> Greek: Ἴων:
βρέφος λέγουσιν οἱ δοκοῦντες εἰδέναι.

[¶96] Creusa:
What Delphian maid, then, weaned thee?

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
καὶ τίς γάλακτί σʼ ἐξέθρεψε Δελφίδων;

[¶97] Ion:
I never knew a mother’s breast. But she who brought me up—

> Greek: Ἴων:
οὐπώποτʼ ἔγνων μαστόν· ἣ δʼ ἔθρεψέ με …

[¶98] Creusa:
Who was she, unhappy youth? I see thy sufferings in my own.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
τίς, ὦ ταλαίπωρʼ; ὡς νοσοῦσʼ ηὗρον νόσους.

[¶99] Ion:
The priestess of Phoebus; I look oh her as my mother.

> Greek: Ἴων:
Φοίβου προφῆτις, μητέρʼ ὣς νομίζομεν.

[¶100] Creusa:
Until thou earnest unto man’s estate, what nurture hadst thou?

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἐς δʼ ἄνδρʼ ἀφίκου τίνα τροφὴν κεκτημένος;

[¶101] Ion:
The altar fed me, and the bounty of each casual guest.

> Greek: Ἴων:
βωμοί μʼ ἔφερβον οὑπιών τʼ ἀεὶ ξένος.

[¶102] Creusa:
Woe is thy mother, then, whoe’er she was!

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
τάλαινά σʼ ἡ τεκοῦσα· τίς ποτʼ ἦν ἄρα;

[¶103] Ion:
Maybe my birth was some poor woman’s wrong.

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἀδίκημά του γυναικὸς ἐγενόμην ἴσως.

[¶104] Creusa:
Hast thou any store, for thy dress is costly enough?

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἔχεις δὲ βίοτον· εὖ γὰρ ἤσκησαι πέπλοις.

[¶105] Ion:
The god I serve gives me these robes to wear.

> Greek: Ἴων:
τοῖς τοῦ θεοῦ κοσμούμεθʼ, ᾧ δουλεύομεν.

[¶106] Creusa:
Wert thou never eager to inquire into thy birth?

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
οὐδʼ ᾖξας εἰς ἔρευναν ἐξευρεῖν γονάς;

[¶107] Ion:
Ah! yes, lady! but I have no clue at all to guide me.

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἔχω γὰρ οὐδέν, ὦ γύναι, τεκμήριον.

[¶108] Creusa:
Alas! I know another woman who hath suffered as thy mother did.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
φεῦ·
πέπονθέ τις σῇ μητρὶ ταὔτʼ ἄλλη γυνή.

[¶109] Ion:
Who is she? If she would but help me in the task, how happy should I be!

> Greek: Ἴων:
τίς; εἰ πόνου μοι ξυλλάβοι, χαίροιμεν ἄν.

[¶110] Creusa:’Tis she on whose account I have preceded my husband hither.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἧς οὕνεκʼ ἦλθον δεῦρο πρὶν πόσιν μολεῖν.

[¶111] Ion:
What are thy wishes? be sure I will serve thee, lady.

> Greek: Ἴων:
ποῖόν τι χρῄζουσʼ; ὡς ὑπουργήσω, γύναι.

[¶112] Creusa:
I would fain obtain a secret answer from Apollo’s oracle.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
μάντευμα κρυπτὸν δεομένη Φοίβου μαθεῖν.

[¶113] Ion:
Name it, then; the rest will I undertake for thee.

> Greek: Ἴων:
λέγοις ἄν· ἡμεῖς τἄλλα προξενήσομεν.

[¶114] Creusa:
Hear, then, this story. Yet am I ashamed.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἄκουε δὴ τὸν μῦθον. — ἀλλʼ αἰδούμεθα.

[¶115] Ion:
Thus wilt thou accomplish naught, for shame is a goddess slow to act.

> Greek: Ἴων:
οὔ τἄρα πράξεις οὐδέν· ἀργὸς ἡ θεός.

[¶116] Creusa:
A friend of mine asserts that Phoebus lay with her.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
Φοίβῳ μιγῆναί φησί τις φίλων ἐμῶν.

[¶117] Ion:
Phoebus with a mortal woman? Stranger lady, say not so.

> Greek: Ἴων:
Φοίβῳ γυνὴ γεγῶσα; μὴ λέγʼ, ὦ ξένη.

[¶118] Creusa:
Yea, and she bare the god a child without her father’s knowledge.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
καὶ παῖδά γʼ ἔτεκε τῷ θεῷ λάθρα πατρός.

[¶119] Ion:
It cannot be; some man did wrong her, and she is ashamed of it.

> Greek: Ἴων:
οὐκ ἔστιν· ἀνδρὸς ἀδικίαν αἰσχύνεται.

[¶120] Creusa:
This she denieis herself; and she hath suffered further woe.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
οὔ φησιν αὐτή, καὶ πέπονθεν ἄθλια.

[¶121] Ion:
How so, if she was wedded to a god?

> Greek: Ἴων:
τί χρῆμα δράσασʼ, εἰ θεῷ συνεζύγη;

[¶122] Creusa:
The babe she bare she did expose.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
τὸν παῖδʼ ὃν ἔτεκεν ἐξέθηκε δωμάτων.

[¶123] Ion:
Where is the child who was thus cast forth? is he yet alive?

> Greek: Ἴων:
ὁ δʼ ἐκτεθεὶς παῖς ποῦ ʼστιν; εἰσορᾷ φάος;

[¶124] Creusa:
No man knoweth. That is the very thing I would ask the oracle.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
οὐκ οἶδεν οὐδείς. ταῦτα καὶ μαντεύομαι.

[¶125] Ion:
But if he be no more, how did he perish?

> Greek: Ἴων:
εἰ δʼ οὐκέτʼ ἔστι, τίνι τρόπῳ διεφθάρη;

[¶126] Creusa:
She supposes that beasts devoured the hapless babe.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
θῆράς σφε τὸν δύστηνον ἐλπίζει κτανεῖν.

[¶127] Ion:
What proof led her to form this opinion?

> Greek: Ἴων:
ποίῳ τόδʼ ἔγνω χρωμένη τεκμηρίῳ;

[¶128] Creusa:
She came to the place where she exposed him, but found him no longer there.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἐλθοῦσʼ ἵνʼ αὐτὸν ἐξέθηκʼ οὐχ ηὗρʼ ἔτι.

[¶129] Ion:
Were any drops of blood upon the path?

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἦν δὲ σταλαγμὸς ἐν στίβῳ τις αἵματος;

[¶130] Creusa:
None, she says; and yet she ranged the ground to and fro.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
οὔ φησι. καίτοι πόλλʼ ἐπεστράφη πέδον.

[¶131] Ion:
How long is it since the babe was destroyed?

> Greek: Ἴων:
χρόνος δὲ τίς τῷ παιδὶ διαπεπραγμένῳ;

[¶132] Creusa:
Thy age and his would measure out the self-same span, were he alive.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
σοὶ ταὐτὸν ἥβης, εἴπερ, εἶχεν ἂν μέτρον.

[¶133] Ion:
Hath she given birth to no other child since then?

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἀδικεῖ νιν ὁ θεός· ἡ τεκοῦσα δʼ ἀθλία.

[¶134] Creusa:
The god doth wrong her, and wretched is she in having no child.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
οὔκουν ἔτʼ ἄλλον γʼ ὕστερον τίκτει γόνον.

[¶135] Ion:
But what if Phoebus privily removed her child, and is rearing it?

> Greek: Ἴων:
τί δʼ, εἰ λάθρα νιν Φοῖβος ἐκτρέφει λαβών;

[¶136] Creusa:
Then is he acting unfairly in keeping to himself alone a joy he ought to share.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
τὰ κοινὰ χαίρων οὐ δίκαια δρᾷ μόνος.

[¶137] Ion:
Ah me! this misfortune sounds so like my own.

> Greek: Ἴων:
οἴμοι· προσῳδὸς ἡ τύχη τὠμῷ πάθει.

[¶138] Creusa:
Thee too, fair sir, thy poor mother misses, I am sure.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
καὶ σέ, ὦ ξένʼ, οἶμαι μητέρʼ ἀθλίαν ποθεῖν.

[¶139] Ion:
Oh! call me not back to piteous thoughts I had forgotten.

> Greek: Ἴων:
καὶ μή γʼ ἐπʼ οἶκτόν μʼ ἔξαγʼ οὗ ʼλελήσμεθα.

[¶140] Creusa:
I am dumb; proceed with that which touches my inquiry.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
σιγῶ· πέραινε δʼ ὧν σʼ ἀνιστορῶ πέρι.

[¶141] Ion:
Dost know the one weak point in this thy story?

> Greek: Ἴων:
οἶσθʼ οὖν ὃ κάμνει τοῦ λόγου μάλιστά σοι;

[¶142] Creusa:’Tis all weak in that poor lady’s case.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
τί δʼ οὐκ ἐκείνῃ τῇ ταλαιπώρῳ νοσεῖ;

[¶143] Ion:
How should the god declare that which he wishes hidden?

> Greek: Ἴων:
πῶς ὁ θεὸς ὃ λαθεῖν βούλεται μαντεύσεται;

[¶144] Creusa:
He must, if here upon the tripod he sits for all Hellas to seek to.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
εἴπερ καθίζει τρίποδα κοινὸν Ἑλλάδος.

[¶145] Ion:
He is ashamed of the deed; do not question him.

> Greek: Ἴων:
αἰσχύνεται τὸ πρᾶγμα· μὴ ʼξέλεγχέ νιν.

[¶146] Creusa:
Aye, but his victim has her sorrows too.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἀλγύνεται δέ γʼ ἡ παθοῦσα τῇ τύχῃ.

[¶147] Ion:
There is none who will act as thy medium in this.

> Greek: Ἴων:
οὐκ ἔστιν ὅστις σοι προφητεύσει τάδε.

[¶148] For were Phoebus in his own temple proved a villain, he would justly wreak his vengeance on the man who expounded to thee his oracles; desist then, lady; we must not prophesy against the god’s will,
for it would be the height of folly in us, were we to try and make the gods against their will declare reluctant truths either by sacrifice of sheep at their altars, or by omens from birds. For those answers we strive to extort from heaven, lady, are goods that bring no blessing on our getting;

> Greek: ἐν τοῖς γὰρ αὑτοῦ δώμασιν κακὸς φανεὶς
Φοῖβος δικαίως τὸν θεμιστεύοντά σοι
δράσειεν ἄν τι πῆμα. ἀπαλλάσσου, γύναι.
τῷ γὰρ θεῷ τἀναντίʼ οὐ μαντευτέον.
ἐς γὰρ τοσοῦτον ἀμαθίας ἔλθοιμεν ἄν,
εἰ τοὺς θεοὺς ἄκοντας ἐκπονήσομεν
φράζειν ἃ μὴ θέλουσιν, ἢ προβωμίοις
σφαγαῖσι μήλων ἢ διʼ οἰωνῶν πτεροῖς.
ἃν γὰρ βίᾳ σπεύδωμεν ἀκόντων θεῶν,
ἄκοντα κεκτήμεσθα τἀγάθʼ, ὦ γύναι·

[¶149] but what they freely offer, thereby we profit.

> Greek: ἃ δʼ ἂν διδῶσʼ ἑκόντες, ὠφελούμεθα.

[¶150] Chorus:
Many are the chances that befall the many tribes of men, and diverse are their forms. But scarce one happy scene canst thou find in all the life of man.

> Greek: Χορός:
πολλαί γε πολλοῖς εἰσι συμφοραὶ βροτῶν,
μορφαὶ δὲ διαφέρουσιν· ἓν δʼ ἂν εὐτυχὲς
μόλις ποτʼ ἐξεύροι τις ἀνθρώπων βίῳ.

[¶151] Creusa:
Ah! Phoebus, here as there, art thou unjust
to that absent sufferer, whose cause I now am pleading. Thou didst not preserve thy child, as in duty bound, nor wilt thou, for all thy prophetic skill, answer his mother’s questioning, that, if he be no more, a mound may be raised o’er him, or, if he live, he may some day be restored to his mother’s eyes.
In vain is this the home of oracles if the god prevents me from learning what I wish to ask. But lo! I see my noble lord, Xuthus, nigh at hand, returning 278 from the lair of Trophonius; say nothing,
sir, to my husband of what I have told thee, lest I incur reproach for troubling about secrets, and the matter take a different turn to that which I sought to give it. For women stand towards men in a difficult position, and the virtuous from being mingled with the wicked amongst us are hated;
such is our unhappy destiny.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ὦ Φοῖβε, κἀκεῖ κἀνθάδʼ οὐ δίκαιος εἶ
ἐς τὴν ἀποῦσαν, ἧς πάρεισιν οἱ λόγοι·
ὃς οὔτʼ ἔσωσας τὸν σὸν ὃν σῶσαί σʼ ἐχρῆν,
οὔθʼ ἱστορούσῃ μητρὶ μάντις ὢν ἐρεῖς,
ὡς, εἰ μὲν οὐκέτʼ ἔστιν, ὀγκωθῇ τάφῳ,
εἰ δʼ ἔστιν …
ἀλλʼ ἐᾶν χρὴ τάδʼ, εἰ πρὸς τοῦ θεοῦ
κωλυόμεσθα μὴ μαθεῖν ἃ βούλομαι.
ἀλλʼ, ὦ ξένʼ, εἰσορῶ γὰρ εὐγενῆ πόσιν
Ξοῦθον πέλας δὴ τόνδε, τὰς Τροφωνίου
λιπόντα θαλάμας, τοὺς λελεγμένους λόγους
σίγα πρὸς ἄνδρα, μή τινʼ αἰσχύνην λάβω
διακονοῦσα κρυπτά, καὶ προβῇ λόγος
οὐχ ᾗπερ ἡμεῖς αὐτὸν ἐξειλίσσομεν.
τὰ γὰρ γυναικῶν δυσχερῆ πρὸς ἄρσενας,
κἀν ταῖς κακαῖσιν ἁγαθαὶ μεμειγμέναι
μισούμεθʼ· οὕτω δυστυχεῖς πεφύκαμεν.

[¶152] Xuthus:
First to the god all hail! for he must receive the first-fruits of my salutation, and next all hail to thee, my wife! Has my delay in arriving caused thee alarm?

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
πρῶτον μὲν ὁ θεὸς τῶν ἐμῶν προσφθεγμάτων
λαβὼν ἀπαρχὰς χαιρέτω, σύ τʼ, ὦ γύναι.
μῶν χρόνιος ἐλθών σʼ ἐξέπληξʼ ὀρρωδίᾳ;

[¶153] Creusa:
By no means; but thou art come at an anxious time.
Tell me what response thou bringest from Trophonius, touching our future hopes of mutual offspring.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
οὐδέν γʼ· ἀφίκου δʼ ἐς μέριμναν. ἀλλά μοι
λέξον, τί θέσπισμʼ ἐκ Τροφωνίου φέρεις,
παίδων ὅπως νῷν σπέρμα συγκραθήσεται;

[¶154] Xuthus:
He deigned not to forestal the prophecies of Phoebus. This only did he say, that neither thou nor I should return unto our house childless from the shrine.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
οὐκ ἠξίωσε τοῦ θεοῦ προλαμβάνειν
μαντεύμαθʼ· ἓν δʼ οὖν εἶπεν· οὐκ ἄπαιδά με
πρὸς οἶκον ἥξειν οὐδὲ σὲ ἐκ χρηστηρίων.

[¶155] Creusa:
Majestic mother of Phoebus, to our journey grant success, and may our previous dealings with thy son now find a better issue!

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ὦ πότνια Φοίβου μῆτερ, εἰ γὰρ αἰσίως
ἔλθοιμεν, ἅ τε νῷν συμβόλαια πρόσθεν ἦν
ἐς παῖδα τὸν σόν, μεταπέσοι βελτίονα.

[¶156] Xuthus:
It will be so; but who acts as the god’s spokesman here?

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
ἔσται τάδʼ· ἀλλὰ τίς προφητεύει θεοῦ;

[¶157] Ion:
I serve outside the shrine, others within,
who stand near the tripod, even the noblest of the Delphians chosen by lot, sir stranger.

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἡμεῖς τά γʼ ἔξω, τῶν ἔσω δʼ ἄλλοις μέλει,
οἳ πλησίον θάσσουσι τρίποδος, ὦ ξένε,
Δελφῶν ἀριστῆς, οὓς ἐκλήρωσεν πάλος.

[¶158] Xuthus:’Tis well; I have attained the utmost of my wishes. I will go within; for I am told that a victim has been slain in public before the temple for strangers,
and to-day,—for it is a lucky day,—I would fain receive the god’s oracle. Do thou, my wife, take branches of laurel, and seated at the altars pray to the gods that I may carry home from Apollo’s shrine an answer that bodeth well for offspring.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
καλῶς· ἔχω δὴ πάνθʼ ὅσων ἐχρῄζομεν.
στείχοιμʼ ἂν εἴσω· καὶ γάρ, ὡς ἐγὼ κλύω,
χρηστήριον πέπτωκε τοῖς ἐπήλυσι
κοινὸν πρὸ ναοῦ· βούλομαι δʼ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ
τῇδʼ — αἰσία γάρ — θεοῦ λαβεῖν μαντεύματα.
σὺ δʼ ἀμφὶ βωμούς, ὦ γύναι, δαφνηφόρους
λαβοῦσα κλῶνας, εὐτέκνους εὔχου θεοῖς
χρησμούς μʼ ἐνεγκεῖν ἐξ Ἀπόλλωνος δόμων.

[¶159] Creusa:
All this shall be. Now, at any rate, if Loxias would retrieve his former sins, e’en though he cannot be my friend entirely, yet will I accept whate’er he deigns to give, because he is a god.
[Exeunt Xuthus and Creusa.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἔσται τάδʼ, ἔσται. Λοξίας δʼ ἐὰν θέλῃ
νῦν ἀλλὰ τὰς πρὶν ἀναλαβεῖν ἁμαρτίας,
ἅπας μὲν οὐ γένοιτʼ ἂν εἰς ἡμᾶς φίλος,
ὅσον δὲ χρῄζει — θεὸς γάρ ἐστι — δέξομαι.

[¶160] Ion:
Why doth this stranger lady hint dark reproaches against the god
unceasingly, either out of affection for her on whose behalf she seeks the oracle, or maybe because she is hiding something needing secrecy? Yet what have I to do with the daughter of Erectheus? She is naught to me.
No, I will go to the laver, and from golden ewers sprinkle the holy water. Yet must I warn Phoebus of what is happening to him; he ravishes a maid and proves unfaithful to her, and after secretly begetting a son leaves him to die. O! Phoebus, do not so, but as thou art supreme,
follow in virtue’s track; for whosoever of mortal men transgresses, him the gods punish. How, then, can it be just that you should enact your laws for men, and yourselves incur the charge of breaking them? Now I will put this case, though it will never happen.
Wert thou, wert Poseidon, and Zeus, the lord of heaven, to make atonement to mankind for every act of lawless love, ye would empty your temples in paying the fines for your misdeeds. For when ye pursue pleasure in preference to the claims of prudence, ye act unjustly; no longer is it fair
to call men wicked, if we are imitating the evil deeds of gods, but rather those who give us such examples. [Exit Ion

> Greek: Ἴων:
τί ποτε λόγοισιν ἡ ξένη πρὸς τὸν θεὸν
κρυπτοῖσιν αἰεὶ λοιδοροῦσʼ αἰνίσσεται;
ἤτοι φιλοῦσά γʼ ἧς ὕπερ μαντεύεται,
ἢ καί τι σιγῶσʼ ὧν σιωπᾶσθαι χρεών;
ἀτὰρ θυγατρὸς τῆς Ἐρεχθέως τί μοι
μέλει; προσήκει γʼ οὐδέν. ἀλλὰ χρυσέαις
πρόχοισιν ἐλθὼν εἰς ἀπορραντήρια
δρόσον καθήσω. νουθετητέος δέ μοι
Φοῖβος, τί πάσχει· παρθένους βίᾳ γαμῶν
προδίδωσι; παῖδας ἐκτεκνούμενος λάθρᾳ
θνῄσκοντας ἀμελεῖ; μὴ σύ γʼ· ἀλλʼ, ἐπεὶ κρατεῖς,
ἀρετὰς δίωκε. καὶ γὰρ ὅστις ἂν βροτῶν
κακὸς πεφύκῃ, ζημιοῦσιν οἱ θεοί.
πῶς οὖν δίκαιον τοὺς νόμους ὑμᾶς βροτοῖς
γράψαντας, αὐτοὺς ἀνομίαν ὀφλισκάνειν;
εἰ δʼ — οὐ γὰρ ἔσται, τῷ λόγῳ δὲ χρήσομαι —
δίκας βιαίων δώσετʼ ἀνθρώποις γάμων,
σὺ καὶ Ποσειδῶν Ζεύς θʼ ὃς οὐρανοῦ κρατεῖ,
ναοὺς τίνοντες ἀδικίας κενώσετε.
τὰς ἡδονὰς γὰρ τῆς προμηθίας πάρος
σπεύδοντες ἀδικεῖτʼ. οὐκέτʼ ἀνθρώπους κακῶς
λέγειν δίκαιον, εἰ τὰ τῶν θεῶν καλὰ
μιμούμεθʼ, ἀλλὰ τοὺς διδάσκοντας τάδε.

[¶161] Chorus:
On thee I call, Athena mine, at whose birth-throes no kindly goddess lent her aid,
delivered as thou wert by Titan Prometheus from the forehead of Zeus. Come, O lady Victory, come to the Pythian shrine, winging thy way from the gilded chambers of Olympus
to the city’s streets, where Phoebus at his altar on the centre of the world brings his oracles to pass beside the dance-encircled tripod;
come, too, thou daughter of Latona, together come, ye virgin goddesses, fair sisters of Phoebus! And be this your prayer, fair maidens, that the ancient house of Erechtheus
may obtain by clear oracles the blessing of children, though late it come.

> Greek: Χορός:
σὲ τὰν ὠδίνων λοχιᾶν
ἀνειλείθυιαν, ἐμὰν
Ἀθάναν, ἱκετεύω,
Προμηθεῖ Τιτᾶνι λοχευ-
θεῖσαν κατʼ ἀκροτάτας
κορυφᾶς Διός, ὦ μάκαιρα Νίκα,
μόλε Πύθιον οἶκον,
Ὀλύμπου χρυσέων θαλάμων
πταμένα πρὸς ἀγυιάς,
Φοιβήιος ἔνθα γᾶς
μεσσόμφαλος ἑστία
παρὰ χορευομένῳ τρίποδι
μαντεύματα κραίνει,
σὺ καὶ παῖς ἁ Λατογενής,
δύο θεαὶ δύο παρθένοι,
κασίγνηται σεμναὶ Φοίβου.
ἱκετεύσατε δʼ, ὦ κόραι,
τὸ παλαιὸν Ἐρεχθέως
γένος εὐτεκνίας χρονίου καθαροῖς
μαντεύμασι κῦρσαι.

[¶162] Chorus:
For this brings to man a settled source of all-surpassing bliss,
even to such as see in their ancestral halls a splendid race of strong young parents blest with offspring, to inherit from their sires
their wealth in due succession after other children; yea, for they are a defence in time of trouble, and add a charm to weal, affording to their fatherland a saving help in battle.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὑπερβαλλούσας γὰρ ἔχει
θνατοῖς εὐδαιμονίας
ἀκίνητον ἀφορμάν,
τέκνων οἷς ἂν καρποτρόφοι
λάμπωσιν ἐν θαλάμοις
πατρίοισι νεάνιδες ἧβαι,
διαδέκτορα πλοῦτον
ὡς ἕξοντες ἐκ πατέρων
ἑτέροις ἐπὶ τέκνοις.
ἀλκά τε γὰρ ἐν κακοῖς
σύν τʼ εὐτυχίαις φίλον,
δορί τε γᾷ πατρίᾳ φέρει
σωτήριον ἀλκάν.

[¶163] Give me before the pomp of wealth or royal marriages the careful nurture of noble children. The childless life I do abhor, and him who thinks it good I blame;

> Greek: ἐμοὶ μὲν πλούτου τε πάρος
βασιλικῶν τʼ εἶεν θαλάμων
τροφαὶ κήδειοι κεδνῶν γε τέκνων.
τὸν ἄπαιδα δʼ ἀποστυγῶ
βίον, ᾧ τε δοκεῖ ψέγω·

[¶164] to a happy life amongst my children, blest with moderate wealth, may I hold fast.

> Greek: μετὰ δὲ κτεάνων μετρίων βιοτᾶς
εὔπαιδος ἐχοίμαν.

[¶165] Chorus:
Ye haunts of Pan, and rocks hard by the grots of Macrae,
where Agraulos’ daughters three trip it lightly o’er the green grass-lawns before the shrine of Pallas, to the music of the piper’s varied note,
what time thou, Pan, art piping in those caves of thine, where a maiden once that had a child by Phoebus, unhappy mother! exposed her babe, forced issue of her woful wooing,
for birds to tear and beasts to rend, a bloody banquet! Never have I seen it told in woven tale or legend that children born to gods by daughters of earth have any share in bliss.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ Πανὸς θακήματα καὶ
παραυλίζουσα πέτρα
μυχώδεσι Μακραῖς,
ἵνα χοροὺς στείβουσι ποδοῖν
Ἀγλαύρου κόραι τρίγονοι
στάδια χλοερὰ πρὸ Παλλάδος
ναῶν, συρίγγων
ὑπʼ αἰόλας ἰαχᾶς
ὕμνων, ὅτʼ ἀναλίοις
συρίζεις, ὦ Πάν,
τοῖς σοῖσιν ἐν ἄντροις,
ἵνα τεκοῦσά τις Φοίβῳ
παρθένος, ὦ μελέα, βρέφος,
πτανοῖς ἐξόρισεν θοίναν
θηρσί τε φοινίαν δαῖτα, πικρῶν γάμων
ὕβριν· οὔτʼ ἐπὶ κερκίσιν οὔτε λόγοις
φάτιν ἄιον εὐτυχίας μετέχειν
θεόθεν τέκνα θνατοῖς.

[¶166] Ion:
Attendant maids, that watch and wait your mistress here at the steps of the temple fragrant with incense, say, hath Xuthus already left the holy tripod and the sanctuary, or doth he still abide within to ask yet further of his childlessness?

> Greek: Ἴων:
πρόσπολοι γυναῖκες, αἳ τῶνδʼ ἀμφὶ κρηπῖδας δόμων
θυοδόκων φρούρημʼ ἔχουσαι δεσπότιν φυλάσσετε,
ἐκλέλοιπʼ ἤδη τὸν ἱερὸν τρίποδα καὶ χρηστήριον
Ξοῦθος, ἢ μίμνει κατʼ οἶκον ἱστορῶν ἀπαιδίαν;

[¶167] Chorus:
He is still in the temple, sir, nor hath he passed this threshold yet.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἐν δόμοις ἔστʼ, ὦ ξένʼ· οὔπω δῶμʼ ὑπερβαίνει τόδε.

[¶168] But hark! I hear a footstep at the outlet of the door, and lo! thou mayst see my master this moment coming out.

> Greek: ὡς δʼ ἐπʼ ἐξόδοισιν ὄντος, τῶνδʼ ἀκούομεν πυλῶν
δοῦπον, ἐξιόντα τʼ ἤδη δεσπότην ὁρᾶν πάρα.

[¶169] Xuthus:
All hail! my son; that word suits well as my first greeting to thee.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
ὦ τέκνον, χαῖρʼ· ἡ γὰρ ἀρχὴ τοῦ λόγου πρέπουσά μοι.

[¶170] Ion:’Tis well with me; do but restrain thyself, and then both of us will be happy.

> Greek: Ἴων:
χαίρομεν· σὺ δʼ εὖ φρόνει γε, καὶ δύʼ ὄντʼ εὖ πράξομεν.

[¶171] Xuthus:
Give me thy hand to grasp, thy body to embrace.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
δὸς χερὸς φίλημά μοι σῆς σώματός τʼ ἀμφιπτυχάς.

[¶172] Ion:
Art thou in thy senses, sir, or hath some spiteful god reft thee of them?

> Greek: Ἴων:
εὖ φρονεῖς μέν; ἤ σʼ ἔμηνε θεοῦ τις, ὦ ξένε, βλάβη;

[¶173] Xuthus:
I am in my senses, for I have found what I hold most dear, and am eager to show my love.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
σωφρονῶ· τὰ φίλταθʼ εὑρὼν οὐ φυγεῖν ἐφίεμαι.

[¶174] Ion:
Cease! touch me not, nor tear these garlands of the god!

> Greek: Ἴων:
παῦε, μὴ ψαύσας τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ στέμματα ῥήξῃς χερί.

[¶175] Xuthus:
I will embrace thee, for I am not seizing what is not my own, but only finding my own that I love full well.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
ἅψομαι· κοὐ ῥυσιάζω, τἀμὰ δʼ εὑρίσκω φίλα.

[¶176] Ion:
Hands off! or thou shalt feel an arrow pierce thy ribs.

> Greek: Ἴων:
οὐκ ἀπαλλάξῃ, πρὶν εἴσω τόξα πλευμόνων λαβεῖν;

[¶177] Xuthus:
Why dost thou shun me, now that thou findest in me thy nearest and dearest?

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
ὡς τί δὴ φεύγεις με; σαυτοῦ γνωρίσας τὰ φίλτατα —

[¶178] Ion:
I am not fond of schooling boors and crazy strangers.

> Greek: Ἴων:
οὐ φιλῶ φρενοῦν ἀμούσους καὶ μεμηνότας ξένους.

[¶179] Xuthus:
Kill me, burn me, if thou wilt; for, if thou dost, thou wilt be thy father’s murderer.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
κτεῖνε καὶ πίμπρη· πατρὸς γάρ, ἢν κτάνῃς, ἔσῃ φονεύς.

[¶180] Ion:
Thou my father, indeed i Oh! is not news like this enough to make me laugh?

> Greek: Ἴων:
ποῦ δέ μοι πατὴρ σύ; ταῦτʼ οὖν οὐ γέλως κλύειν ἐμοῦ;

[¶181] Xuthus:
Not so; my tale, as it proceeds, will prove to thee what I assert.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
οὔ· τρέχων ὁ μῦθος ἄν σοι τἀμὰ σημήνειεν ἄν.

[¶182] Ion:
Pray, what hast thou to tell me?

> Greek: Ἴων:
καὶ τί μοι λέξεις;

[¶183] Xuthus:
That I am thy own father, and thou my very child.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
πατὴρ σός εἰμι καὶ σὺ παῖς ἐμός.

[¶184] Ion:
Who says so?

> Greek: Ἴων:
τίς λέγει τάδε;

[¶185] Xuthus:
Loxias, who gave thee nurture, though thou wert my son.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
ὅς σʼ ἔθρεψεν ὄντα Λοξίας ἐμόν.

[¶186] Ion:
Thou art thy own witness.

> Greek: Ἴων:
μαρτυρεῖς σαυτῷ.

[¶187] Xuthus:
Nay, I have learnt the answer of the god.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ γʼ ἐκμαθὼν χρηστήρια.

[¶188] Ion:
Thou art mistaken in the dark riddle thou hast heard.

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἐσφάλης αἴνιγμʼ ἀκούσας.

[¶189] Xuthus:
It seems then I do not hear aright.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
οὐκ ἄρʼ ὄρθʼ ἀκούομεν.

[¶190] Ion:
What said Phoebus?

> Greek: Ἴων:
ὁ δὲ λόγος τίς ἐστι Φοίβου;

[¶191] Xuthus:
That the man who met me—

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
τὸν συναντήσαντά μοι —

[¶192] Ion:
When and where?

> Greek: Ἴων:
τίνα συνάντησιν;

[¶193] Xuthus:
As I came forth from the god’s temple—

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
δόμων τῶνδʼ ἐξιόντι τοῦ θεοῦ

[¶194] Ion:
Well! what should happen to him?

> Greek: Ἴων:
συμφορᾶς τίνος κυρῆσαι;

[¶195] Xuthus:
Should be my own true son.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
παῖδʼ ἐμὸν πεφυκέναι.

[¶196] Ion:
Thy own true son, or a gift from others?

> Greek: Ἴων:
σὸν γεγῶτʼ, ἢ δῶρον ἄλλως;

[¶197] Xuthus:
A gift, but mine for all that.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
δῶρον, ὄντα δʼ ἐξ ἐμοῦ.

[¶198] Ion:
Am I the first that thou didst meet?

> Greek: Ἴων:
πρῶτα δῆτʼ ἐμοὶ ξυνάπτεις πόδα σόν;

[¶199] Xuthus:
I have met no other, my son.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
οὐκ ἄλλῳ, τέκνον.

[¶200] Ion:
Whence came this piece of luck?

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἡ τύχη πόθεν ποθʼ ἥκει;

[¶201] Xuthus:
To both of us alike it causes surprise.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
δύο μίαν θαυμάζομεν.

[¶202] Ion:
Ah I but who was my mother?

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἔα. τίνος δέ σοι πέφυκα μητρός;

[¶203] Xuthus:
I cannot tell.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
οὐκ ἔχω φράσαι.

[¶204] Ion:
Did not Phoebus tell thee that?

> Greek: Ἴων:
οὐδὲ Φοῖβος εἶπε;

[¶205] Xuthus:
I was so pleased with this, I did not ask him that.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
τερφθεὶς τοῦτο, κεῖνʼ οὐκ ἠρόμην.

[¶206] Ion:
I must have sprung from mother earth.

> Greek: Ἴων:
γῆς ἄρʼ ἐκπέφυκα μητρός.

[¶207] Xuthus:
The ground brings forth no children.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
οὐ πέδον τίκτει τέκνα.

[¶208] Ion:
How can I be thine?

> Greek: Ἴων:
πῶς ἂν οὖν εἴην σός;

[¶209] Xuthus:
I know not; I refer it to the god.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
οὐκ οἶδʼ, ἀναφέρω δʼ ἐς τὸν θεόν.

[¶210] Ion:
Come, let us try another theme.

> Greek: Ἴων:
φέρε λόγων ἁψώμεθʼ ἄλλων.

[¶211] Xuthus:
Better hold to this, my son.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
ταῦτʼ ἀμείνονʼ, ὦ τέκνον.

[¶212] Ion:
Didst thou e’er indulge in illicit amours?

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἦλθες ἐς νόθον τι λέκτρον;

[¶213] Xuthus:
Yes, in the folly of youth.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
μωρίᾳ γε τοῦ νέου.

[¶214] Ion:
Ere thou didst win Erechtheus’ daughter?

> Greek: Ἴων:
πρὶν κόρην λαβεῖν Ἐρεχθέως;

[¶215] Xuthus:
Never since.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
οὐ γὰρ ὕστερόν γέ πω.

[¶216] Ion:
Could it be, then, thou didst beget me?

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἆρα δῆτʼ ἐκεῖ μʼ ἔφυσας;

[¶217] Xuthus:
The time coincides therewith.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
τῷ χρόνῳ γε συντρέχει.

[¶218] Ion:
In that case, how came I hither?

> Greek: Ἴων:
κᾆτα πῶς ἀφικόμεσθα δεῦρο —

[¶219] Xuthus:
That puzzles me.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
ταῦτʼ ἀμηχανῶ.

[¶220] Ion:
After that long journey too?

> Greek: Ἴων:
διὰ μακρᾶς ἐλθὼν κελεύθου;

[¶221] Xuthus:
That, too, perplexes me.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
τοῦτο κἄμʼ ἀπαιολεῖ.

[¶222] Ion:
Didst thou in days gone by come to the Pythian rock?

> Greek: Ἴων:
Πυθίαν δʼ ἦλθες πέτραν πρίν;

[¶223] Xuthus:
Yes, to join in the mystic rites of Bacchus.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
ἐς φανάς γε Βακχίου.

[¶224] Ion:
Didst thou lodge with one of the public hosts?

> Greek: Ἴων:
προξένων δʼ ἔν του κατέσχες;

[¶225] Xuthus:
With one who at Delphi—

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
ὅς με Δελφίσιν κόραις …

[¶226] Ion:
Initiated thee? or what is it thou sayest?

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἐθιάσευσʼ, ἢ πῶς τάδʼ αὐδᾷς;

[¶227] Xuthus:
Among the frantic votaries of Bacchus.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
Μαινάσιν γε Βακχίου.

[¶228] Ion:
Wert thou sober, or in thy cups?

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἔμφρονʼ ἢ κάτοινον ὄντα;

[¶229] Xuthus:
I had indulged in the pleasures of the wine-cup.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
Βακχίου πρὸς ἡδοναῖς.

[¶230] Ion:
That is just the history of my birth.

> Greek: Ἴων:
τοῦτʼ ἐκεῖνʼ ἵνʼ ἐσπάρημεν.

[¶231] Xuthus:
Fate hath discovered thee, my son.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
ὁ πότμος ἐξηῦρεν, τέκνον.

[¶232] Ion:
How came I to the temple?

> Greek: Ἴων:
πῶς δʼ ἀφικόμεσθα ναούς;

[¶233] Xuthus:
Maybe the maid exposed thee.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
ἔκβολον κόρης ἴσως.

[¶234] Ion:
I have escaped the shame of slavish birth.

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἐκπεφεύγαμεν τὸ δοῦλον.

[¶235] Xuthus:
Acknowledge then thy father, my son.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
πατέρα νυν δέχου, τέκνον.

## 2. Lines 557–1108

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

[¶0] Ion:
It is not right that I should mistrust the god.

> Greek: Ἴων:
τῷ θεῷ γοῦν οὐκ ἀπιστεῖν εἰκός.

[¶1] Xuthus:
Thou art right there.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
εὖ φρονεῖς ἄρα.

[¶2] Ion:
What more can I desire—

> Greek: Ἴων:
καὶ τί βουλόμεσθά γʼ ἄλλο —

[¶3] Xuthus:
Thine eyes now open to the sights they should.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
νῦν ὁρᾷς ἃ χρή σʼ ὁρᾶν.

[¶4] Ion:
Than from a son of Zeus to spring?

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἢ Διὸς παιδὸς γενέσθαι παῖς;

[¶5] Xuthus:
Which is indeed thy lot.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
ὃ σοί γε γίγνεται.

[¶6] Ion:
May I embrace the author of my being?

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἦ θίγω δῆθʼ οἵ μʼ ἔφυσαν;

[¶7] Xuthus:
Aye, put thy trust in the god.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
πιθόμενός γε τῷ θεῷ.

[¶8] Ion:
Hail to thee, father mine.

> Greek: Ἴων:
χαῖρέ μοι, πάτερ —

[¶9] Xuthus:
With joy that title I accept.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
φίλον γε φθέγμʼ ἐδεξάμην τόδε.

[¶10] Ion:
This day—

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἡμέρα θʼ ἡ νῦν παροῦσα.

[¶11] Xuthus:
Hath made me blest.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
μακάριόν γʼ ἔθηκέ με.

[¶12] Ion:
Ah, mother dear! shall I ever see thee too? Now more than ever do I long to gaze upon thee, whoe’er thou art.

> Greek: Ἴων:
ὦ φίλη μῆτερ, πότʼ ἆρα καὶ σὸν ὄψομαι δέμας;
νῦν ποθῶ σε μᾶλλον ἢ πρίν, ἥτις εἶ ποτʼ, εἰσιδεῖν.

[¶13] But thou perhaps art dead, and I shall never have the chance.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ ἴσως τέθνηκας, ἡμεῖς δʼ οὐδὲν ἂν δυναίμεθα.

[¶14] Chorus:
We share the good luck of thy house; but still I could have wished my mistress too, and Erechtheus’ line, had been blest with children.

> Greek: Χορός:
κοιναὶ μὲν ἡμῖν δωμάτων εὐπραξίαι·
ὅμως δὲ καὶ δέσποιναν ἐς τέκνʼ εὐτυχεῖν
ἐβουλόμην ἂν τούς τʼ Ἐρεχθέως δόμους.

[¶15] Xuthus:
My son, albeit the god hath for thy discovery brought his oracle
to a true issue, and united thee to me, while thou, too, hast found what most thou dost desire, till now unconscious of it; still, as touching this anxiety so proper in thee, I feel an equal yearning that thou, my child, mayst find thy mother, and I the wife that bare thee unto me.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
ὦ τέκνον, ἐς μὲν σὴν ἀνεύρεσιν θεὸς
ὀρθῶς ἔκρανε, καὶ συνῆψʼ ἐμοί τε σέ,
σύ τʼ αὖ τὰ φίλταθʼ ηὗρες οὐκ εἰδὼς πάρος.
ὃ δʼ ᾖξας ὀρθῶς, τοῦτο κἄμʼ ἔχει πόθος,
ὅπως σύ τʼ, ὦ παῖ, μητέρʼ εὑρήσεις σέθεν,
ἐγώ θʼ ὁποίας μοι γυναικὸς ἐξέφυς.

[¶16] Maybe we shall discover this, if we leave it to time. But now leave the courts of the god, and this homeless life of thine, and come to Athens, in accordance with thy fathers wishes, for there his happy realm and bounteous wealth await thee; nor shalt thou
be taunted with base origin and poverty to boot, because in one of these respects thou something lackest, but thou shalt be renowned alike for birth and wealth. Art silent? why dost fix thy eyes upon the ground? Thou art lost in thought, and by this sudden change from thy former cheerfulness, thou strikest thy father with dismay.

> Greek: χρόνῳ δὲ δόντες ταῦτʼ ἴσως εὕροιμεν ἄν.
ἀλλʼ ἐκλιπὼν θεοῦ δάπεδʼ ἀλητείαν τε σὴν
ἐς τὰς Ἀθήνας στεῖχε κοινόφρων πατρί,
οὗ σʼ ὄλβιον μὲν σκῆπτρον ἀναμένει πατρός,
πολὺς δὲ πλοῦτος· οὐδὲ θάτερον νοσῶν
δυοῖν κεκλήσῃ δυσγενὴς πένης θʼ ἅμα,
ἀλλʼ εὐγενής τε καὶ πολυκτήμων βίου.
σιγᾷς; τί πρὸς γῆν ὄμμα σὸν βαλὼν ἔχεις;
ἐς φροντίδας δʼ ἀπῆλθες, ἐκ δὲ χαρμονῆς
πάλιν μεταστὰς δεῖμα προσβάλλεις πατρί.

[¶17] Ion:
Things assume a different form according as we see them before us, or far off. I am glad at what has happened, since I have found in thee a father; but hear me on some points which I am now deciding.
Athens, I am told,—that glorious city of a native race,—owns no aliens; in which case I shall force my entrance there under a twofold disadvantage, as an alien’s son and base-born as I am. Branded with this reproach, while as yet I am unsupported, I shall get the name of a mere nobody, a son of nobodies;

> Greek: Ἴων:
οὐ ταὐτὸν εἶδος φαίνεται τῶν πραγμάτων
πρόσωθεν ὄντων ἐγγύθεν θʼ ὁρωμένων.
ἐγὼ δὲ τὴν μὲν συμφορὰν ἀσπάζομαι,
πατέρα σʼ ἀνευρών· ὧν δὲ γιγνώσκω, πάτερ,
ἄκουσον. εἶναί φασι τὰς αὐτόχθονας
κλεινὰς Ἀθήνας οὐκ ἐπείσακτον γένος,
ἵνʼ ἐσπεσοῦμαι δύο νόσω κεκτημένος,
πατρός τʼ ἐπακτοῦ καὐτὸς ὢν νοθαγενής.
καὶ τοῦτʼ ἔχων τοὔνειδος, ἀσθενὴς μὲν ὤν —
[μηδὲν καὶ οὐδὲν ὢν κεκλήσομαι·]

[¶18] and if I win my way to the highest place in the state, and seek to be some one, I shall be hated by those who have no influence, for superiority is galling; while ’mongst men of worth who could show their wisdom, but are silent, and take no interest in politics,
I shall incur ridicule and be thought a fool for not keeping quiet in such a fault-finding city. Again, if I win a name amongst the men of mark who are engaged in politics, still more will jealous votes bar my progress; for thus, father, is it ever wont to be;

> Greek: ἢν δʼ ἐς τὸ πρῶτον πόλεος ὁρμηθεὶς ζυγὸν
ζητῶ τις εἶναι, τῶν μὲν ἀδυνάτων ὕπο
μισησόμεσθα· λυπρὰ γὰρ τὰ κρείσσονα·
ὅσοι δέ, χρηστοὶ δυνάμενοί τʼ εἶναι σοφοί,
σιγῶσι κοὐ σπεύδουσιν ἐς τὰ πράγματα,
γέλωτʼ ἐν αὐτοῖς μωρίαν τε λήψομαι
οὐχ ἡσυχάζων ἐν πόλει φόβου πλέᾳ.
τῶν δʼ [αὖ λογίων τε] χρωμένων τε τῇ πόλει
ἐς ἀξίωμα βὰς πλέον φρουρήσομαι
ψήφοισιν. οὕτω γὰρ τάδʼ, ὦ πάτερ, φιλεῖ·

[¶19] they who have the city’s ear, and have already made their mark, are most bitter against all rivals.

> Greek: οἳ τὰς πόλεις ἔχουσι κἀξιώματα,
τοῖς ἀνθαμίλλοις εἰσὶ πολεμιώτατοι.

[¶20] Again, if I, a stranger, come to a home that knows me not, and to that childless wife who before had thee as partner in her sorrow, but now
will feel the bitterness of having to bear her fortune all alone,—how, I ask, shall I not fairly earn her hatred, when I take my stand beside thee; while she, still childless, sees thy dear pledge with bitter eyes; and then thou have to choose between deserting me and regarding her,
or honouring me and utterly confounding thy home? How many a murder, and death by deadly drugs have wives devised for husbands! Besides, I pity that wife of thine, father, with her childless old age beginning; she little deserves
to pine in barrenness, a daughter of a noble race. That princely state we fondly praise is pleasant to the eye; but yet in its mansions sorrow lurks; for who is happy, or by fortune blest, that has to live his life in fear of violence with many a sidelong glance?
Rather would I live among the common folk, and taste their bliss, than be a tyrant who delights in making evil men his friends, and hates the good, in terror of his life. Perchance thou wilt tell me, “Gold outweighs all these evils,”
“and wealth is sweet.” I have no wish to be abused for holding tightly to my pelf, nor yet to have the trouble of it. Be mine a moderate fortune free from annoyance! Now hear the blessings, father, that here were mine; first, leisure, man’s chiefest joy,
with but moderate trouble; no villain ever drove me from my path, and that is a grievance hard to bear, to make room and give way to sorry knaves. My duty was to pray unto the gods, or with mortal men converse, a minister to their joys, not to their Sorrows.

> Greek: ἐλθὼν δʼ ἐς οἶκον ἀλλότριον ἔπηλυς ὢν
γυναῖκά θʼ ὡς ἄτεκνον, ἣ κοινουμένη
τὰς συμφοράς σοι πρόσθεν, ἀπολαχοῦσα νῦν
αὐτὴ καθʼ αὑτὴν τὴν τύχην οἴσει πικρῶς,
πῶς οὐχ ὑπʼ αὐτῆς εἰκότως μισήσομαι,
ὅταν παραστῶ σοὶ μὲν ἐγγύθεν ποδός,
ἣ δʼ οὖσʼ ἄτεκνος τὰ σὰ φίλʼ εἰσορᾷ πικρῶς,
κᾆτʼ ἢ προδοὺς σύ μʼ ἐς δάμαρτα σὴν βλέπῃς
ἢ τἀμὰ τιμῶν δῶμα συγχέας ἔχῃς;
ὅσας σφαγὰς δὴ φαρμάκων τε θανασίμων
γυναῖκες ηὗρον ἀνδράσιν διαφθοράς.
ἄλλως τε τὴν σὴν ἄλοχον οἰκτίρω, πάτερ,
ἄπαιδα γηράσκουσαν· οὐ γὰρ ἀξία
πατέρων ἀπʼ ἐσθλῶν οὖσʼ ἀπαιδίᾳ νοσεῖν.
τυραννίδος δὲ τῆς μάτην αἰνουμένης
τὸ μὲν πρόσωπον ἡδύ, τἀν δόμοισι δὲ
λυπηρά· τίς γὰρ μακάριος, τίς εὐτυχής,
ὅστις δεδοικὼς καὶ παραβλέπων βίον
αἰῶνα τείνει; δημότης ἂν εὐτυχὴς
ζῆν ἂν θέλοιμι μᾶλλον ἢ τύραννος ὤν,
ᾧ τοὺς πονηροὺς ἡδονὴ φίλους ἔχειν,
ἐσθλοὺς δὲ μισεῖ κατθανεῖν φοβούμενος.
εἴποις ἂν ὡς ὁ χρυσὸς ἐκνικᾷ τάδε,
πλουτεῖν τε τερπνόν; οὐ φιλῶ ψόφους κλύειν
ἐν χερσὶ σῴζων ὄλβον οὐδʼ ἔχειν πόνους·
εἴη γʼ ἐμοὶ ⟨μὲν⟩ μέτρια μὴ λυπουμένῳ.
ἃ δʼ ἐνθάδʼ εἶχον ἀγάθʼ ἄκουσόν μου, πάτερ·
τὴν φιλτάτην μὲν πρῶτον ἀνθρώπῳ σχολὴν
ὄχλον τε μέτριον, οὐδέ μʼ ἐξέπληξʼ ὁδοῦ
πονηρὸς οὐδείς· κεῖνο δʼ οὐκ ἀνασχετόν,
εἴκειν ὁδοῦ χαλῶντα τοῖς κακίοσιν.
θεῶν δʼ ἐν εὐχαῖς [ἢ γόοισιν ἦ] βροτῶν,
ὑπηρετῶν χαίρουσιν, οὐ γοωμένοις.

[¶21] And I was ever dismissing one batch of guests, while another took their place, so that I was always welcome from the charm of novelty. That honesty which men must pray for, even against their will, custom and nature did conspire to plant in me in the sight of Phoebus. Now when I think on this,
I deem that I am better here than there, father. So let me live on here, for ’tis an equal charm to joy in high estate, or in a humble fortune find a pleasure.

> Greek: καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἐξέπεμπον, οἳ δʼ ἧκον ξένοι,
ὥσθʼ ἡδὺς αἰεὶ καινὸς ἐν καινοῖσιν ἦ.
ὃ δʼ εὐκτὸν ἀνθρώποισι, κἂν ἄκουσιν ᾖ,
δίκαιον εἶναί μʼ ὁ νόμος ἡ φύσις θʼ ἅμα
παρεῖχε τῷ θεῷ. ταῦτα συννοούμενος
κρείσσω νομίζω τἀνθάδʼ ἢ τἀκεῖ, πάτερ.
ἔα δʼ ἔμʼ αὐτοῦ ζῆν· ἴση γὰρ ἡ χάρις,
μεγάλοισι χαίρειν σμικρά θʼ ἡδέως ἔχειν.

[¶22] Chorus:
Well said! if only those I love find their happiness in thy statement of the case.

> Greek: Χορός:
καλῶς ἔλεξας, εἴπερ οὓς ἐγὼ φιλῶ
ἐν τοῖσι σοῖσιν εὐτυχήσουσιν φίλοις.

[¶23] Xuthus:
Cease such idle talk, and learn to be happy; for on that spot where I discovered thee, my son, will I begin the rites, since I have chanced on the general banquet, open to all comers, and I will offer thy birth sacrifice which aforetime I left undone. And now will I bring thee to the banquet as my guest and rejoice thy heart,
and take thee to the Athenian land as a visitor forsooth, not as my own son. For I will not grieve my wife in her childless sorrow by my good fortune. But in time will I seize a happy moment
and prevail on her to let thee wield my sceptre o’er the realm. Thy name shall be Ion, in accordance with what happened, for that thou wert the first to cross my path as I came forth from Apollo’s sanctuary. Go, gather every friend thou hast, and with them make merry o’er the flesh of sacrifice,
on the eve of thy departure from the town of Delphi. On you, ye handmaids, silence I enjoin, for, if ye say one word to my wife, death awaits you.
[Exit Xuthus.

> Greek: Ξοῦθος:
παῦσαι λόγων τῶνδʼ, εὐτυχεῖν δʼ ἐπίστασο·
θέλω γὰρ οὗπέρ σʼ ηὗρον ἄρξασθαι, τέκνον,
κοινῆς τραπέζης, δαῖτα πρὸς κοινὴν πεσών,
θῦσαί θʼ ἅ σου πρὶν γενέθλιʼ οὐκ ἐθύσαμεν.
καὶ νῦν μὲν ὡς δὴ ξένον ἄγων σʼ ἐφέστιον
δείπνοισι τέρψω, τῆς δʼ Ἀθηναίων χθονὸς
ἄξω θεατὴν δῆθεν, ὡς οὐκ ὄντʼ ἐμόν.
καὶ γὰρ γυναῖκα τὴν ἐμὴν οὐ βούλομαι
λυπεῖν ἄτεκνον οὖσαν αὐτὸς εὐτυχῶν.
χρόνῳ δὲ καιρὸν λαμβάνων προσάξομαι
δάμαρτʼ ἐᾶν σε σκῆπτρα τἄμʼ ἔχειν χθονός.
Ἴωνα δʼ ὀνομάζω σε τῇ τύχῃ πρέπον,
ὁθούνεκʼ ἀδύτων ἐξιόντι μοι θεοῦ
ἴχνος συνῆψας πρῶτος. ἀλλὰ τῶν φίλων
πλήρωμʼ ἀθροίσας βουθύτῳ σὺν ἡδονῇ
πρόσειπε, μέλλων Δελφίδʼ ἐκλιπεῖν πόλιν.
ὑμῖν δὲ σιγᾶν, δμωΐδες, λέγω τάδε,
ἢ θάνατον εἰπούσαισι πρὸς δάμαρτʼ ἐμήν.

[¶24] Ion:
Well, I will go; one thing my fortune lacks, for if I find not her that gave me birth, life is no life to me, my father;
and, if I may make the prayer, Oh may that mother be a daughter of Athens! that from-her I may inherit freedom of speech. For if a stranger settle in a city free from aliens, e’en though in name he be a citizen,
yet doth he find him-setf tongue-tied and debarred from open utterance.
[Exit Ion.

> Greek: Ἴων:
στείχοιμʼ ἄν. ἓν δὲ τῆς τύχης ἄπεστί μοι·
εἰ μὴ γὰρ ἥτις μʼ ἔτεκεν εὑρήσω, πάτερ,
ἀβίωτον ἡμῖν. εἰ δʼ ἐπεύξασθαι χρεών,
ἐκ τῶν Ἀθηνῶν μʼ ἡ τεκοῦσʼ εἴη γυνή,
ὥς μοι γένηται μητρόθεν παρρησία.
καθαρὰν γὰρ ἤν τις ἐς πόλιν πέσῃ ξένος,
κἂν τοῖς λόγοισιν ἀστὸς ᾖ, τό γε στόμα
δοῦλον πέπαται κοὐκ ἔχει παρρησίαν.

[¶25] Chorus:
Weeping and lamentation and the beginning of mourning I foresee, when my mistress shall see her lord blest with a son,
while she is childless and forlorn. What was this oracle thou didst vouchsafe, prophetic son of Latona? Whence came this boy, thy foster-child who lingers in thy temple? who was his mother?

> Greek: Χορός:
ὁρῶ δάκρυα καὶ πενθίμους
⟨ἀλαλαγὰς⟩ στεναγμάτων τʼ ἐσβολάς,
ὅταν ἐμὰ τύραννος εὐπαιδίαν
πόσιν ἔχοντʼ εἰδῇ,
αὐτὴ δʼ ἄπαις ᾖ καὶ λελειμμένη τέκνων.
τίνʼ, ὦ παῖ πρόμαντι Λατοῦς, ἔχρη-
σας ὑμνῳδίαν;
πόθεν ὁ παῖς ὅδʼ ἀμφὶ ναοὺς σέθεν
τρόφιμος ἐξέβα; γυναικῶν τίνος;

[¶26] I like not thy oracle; I fear there is some treachery. In terror I await the issue of this chance;

> Greek: οὐ γάρ με σαίνει θέσφατα μή τινʼ ἔχῃ δόλον.
δειμαίνω συμφοράν,
ἐφʼ ὅ ποτε βάσεται.

[¶27] for strange are these tidings and strange it is that the god declares them to me. There is guile connected with this waif’s fortune. All must allow that.

> Greek: ἄτοπος ἄτοπα γὰρ δίδωσί μοι,
τὸ δʼ ἔτʼ εὔφημʼ ἔχει,
δόλον τύχαν θʼ, ὁ παῖς …
ἄλλων τραφεὶς ἐξ αἱμάτων.
τίς οὐ τάδε ξυνοίσεται;

[¶28] Chorus:
Shall we, good friends, throw off disguise and tell our mistress this story about her husband in whom her all was centred and whose hopes, poor lady, she once shared? But now in misery is she plunged, while he enjoys the smiles of fortune;

> Greek: Χορός:
— φίλαι, πότερʼ ἐμᾷ δεσποίνᾳ
τάδε τορῶς ἐς οὖς γεγωνήσομεν;
πόσιν, ἐν ᾧ τὰ πάντʼ ἔχουσʼ ἐλπίδων
μέτοχος ἦν, τλάμων, …
— νῦν δʼ ἣ μὲν ἔρρει συμφοραῖς, ὃ δʼ εὐτυχεῖ.

[¶29] to hoary eld she drifteth fast, while he, her lord, pays no regard to his loved ones,—the wretch, who came an alien to her house to share great wealth and failed to guard her fortunes! Perdition catch this traitor to my lady!

> Greek: — πολιὸν ἐσπεσοῦσα γῆρας, πόσις δʼ …
— ἀτίετος φίλων.
— μέλεος, ὃς θυραῖος ἐλθὼν δόμους,
μέγαν ἐς ὄλβον, οὐκ ἴσωσεν τύχης …
(— ὄλοιτʼ, ὄλοιτο) πότνιαν ἐξαπαφὼν ἐμάν.

[¶30] never may he succeed in offering to the gods upon their blazing altar a hallowed cake with flames that augur well! He shall know to his cost my regard
for my mistress. Now are sire and new-found son bent on the approaching feast.

> Greek: — καὶ θεοῖσιν μὴ τύχοι
καλλίφλογα πέλανον ἐπὶ
πυρὶ καθαγνίσας· τὸ δʼ ἐμὸν εἴσεται,
⟨ὅσον ἀμᾶς ἔφυν⟩
τυραννίδος φίλα.
— ἦ δὴ πέλας δείπνων κυρεῖ
παῖς καὶ πατὴρ νέος νέων.

[¶31] Chorus:
Ho! ye peaks of Parnassus
that rear your rocky heads to heaven, where Bacchus with uplifted torch of blazing pine bounds nimbly amid his bacchanals, that range by night! Never to my city come this boy!
let him die and leave his young life as it dawns! For should our city fall on evil days, this bringing-in of strangers would supply it with a reason. Enough, enough for us Erechtheus’ line that erst held sway!

> Greek: Χορός:
ἰὼ δειράδες Παρνασοῦ πέτρας
ἔχουσαι σκόπελον οὐράνιόν θʼ ἕδραν,
ἵνα Βάκχιος ἀμφιπύρους ἀνέχων πεύκας
λαιψηρὰ πηδᾷ νυκτιπόλοις ἅμα σὺν Βάκχαις,
μή ποτʼ εἰς ἐμὰν πόλιν ἵκοιθʼ ὁ παῖς,
νέαν δʼ ἁμέραν ἀπολιπὼν θάνοι.
στενομένα γὰρ ἂν πόλις ἔχοι σκῆψιν
ξενικὸν ἐσβολὰν …
…
ἁλίσας ὁ πάρος ἀρχαγὸς ὢν
Ἐρεχθεὺς ἄναξ.

[¶32] Creusa:
Aged retainer of my father Erechtheus while yet he lived and saw the light of day, mount to the god’s prophetic shrine that thou mayst share my gladness, if haply Loxias, great king, vouchsafe an answer touching my hopes of offspring;

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ὦ πρέσβυ παιδαγώγʼ Ἐρεχθέως πατρὸς
τοὐμοῦ ποτʼ ὄντος, ἡνίκʼ ἦν ἔτʼ ἐν φάει,
ἔπαιρε σαυτὸν πρὸς θεοῦ χρηστήρια,
ὥς μοι συνησθῇς, εἴ τι Λοξίας ἄναξ
θέσπισμα παίδων ἐς γονὰς ἐφθέγξατο.

[¶33] for sweet it is to share with friends prosperity, and sweet likewise to see a friendly face if any ill betide,—which God forbid! As thou of yore didst tend my sire, so now, thy mistress though I am, I take his place in tending thee.

> Greek: σὺν τοῖς φίλοις γὰρ ἡδὺ μὲν πράσσειν καλῶς·
ἃ μὴ γένοιτο δʼ, εἴ τι τυγχάνοι κακόν,
ἐς ὄμματʼ εὔνου φωτὸς ἐμβλέψαι γλυκύ.
ἐγὼ δέ σʼ, ὥσπερ καὶ σὺ πατέρʼ ἐμόν ποτε,
δέσποινʼ ὅμως οὖσʼ ἀντικηδεύω πατρός.

[¶34] Old Servant:
Daughter, thy manners bear good witness still to thy noble lineage; thou hast never brought shame upon those ancestors of thine, the children of the soil. A hand, I prithee, to the shrine! a hand to lean upon!’Tis a steep path thither, truly;
but lend thy aid to guide my steps and make me young again.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
ὦ θύγατερ, ἄξιʼ ἀξίων γεννητόρων
ἤθη φυλάσσεις, κοὐ καταισχύνασʼ ἔχεις
τοὺς σοὺς παλαιούς, ἐκγόνους αὐτόχθονας.
ἕλχʼ ἕλκε πρὸς μέλαθρα καὶ κόμιζέ με.
αἰπεινά τοι μαντεῖα· τοῦ γήρως δέ μοι
συνεκπονοῦσα κῶλον ἰατρὸς γενοῦ.

[¶35] Creusa:
Come follow then, and look where thou art treading.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἕπου νυν· ἴχνος δʼ ἐκφύλασσʼ ὅπου τίθης.

[¶36] Old Servant:
Behold! though my steps loiter, my thoughts take wings.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
ἰδού.
τὸ τοῦ ποδὸς μὲν βραδύ, τὸ τοῦ δὲ νοῦ ταχύ.

[¶37] Creusa:
Lean on thy staff as thou climbest this winding path.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
βάκτρῳ δʼ ἐρείδου περιφερῆ στίβον χθονός.

[¶38] Old Servant:
Even this staff is a blind guide when I myself can scarcely see.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
καὶ τοῦτο τυφλόν, ὅταν ἐγὼ βλέπω βραχύ.

[¶39] Creusa:
True, but do not yield through fatigue.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ὀρθῶς ἔλεξας· ἀλλὰ μὴ παρῇς κόπῳ.

[¶40] Old Servant:
Never willingly, but I am not master of that which is mine no more.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
οὔκουν ἑκών γε· τοῦ δʼ ἀπόντος οὐ κρατῶ.

[¶41] Creusa:
Maidens mine, my trusty servants at the loom and web, declare to me how my lord hath fared as touching the question of offspring which brought us hither:

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
γυναῖκες, ἱστῶν τῶν ἐμῶν καὶ κερκίδος
δούλευμα πιστόν, τίνα τύχην λαβὼν πόσις
βέβηκε παίδων, ὧνπερ οὕνεχʼ ἥκομεν;

[¶42] for if ye give me good news, ye will cause joy to a mistress who will not prove faithless to her word.

> Greek: σημήνατʼ· εἰ γὰρ ἀγαθά μοι μηνύσετε,
οὐκ εἰς ἀπίστους δεσπότας βαλεῖς χάριν.

[¶43] Chorus:
O fortune!

> Greek: Χορός:
ἰὼ δαῖμον.

[¶44] Old Servant:
This prelude to your speech is unlucky.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
τὸ φροίμιον μὲν τῶν λόγων οὐκ εὐτυχές.

[¶45] Chorus:
Woe is me!

> Greek: Χορός:
ἰὼ τλᾶμον.

[¶46] Old Servant:
Can it be that the oracles delivered to my master wound me at all?

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
ἀλλʼ ἦ τι θεσφάτοισι δεσποτῶν νοσῶ;

[¶47] Chorus:
Enough! why have aught to do with that which brings down death?

> Greek: Χορός:
εἶἑν· τί δρῶμεν; θάνατος ὧν κεῖται πέρι …

[¶48] Creusa:
What means this piteous strain? wherefore this alarm?

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
τίς ἥδε μοῦσα, χὡ φόβος τίνων πέρι;

[¶49] Chorus:
Are we to speak or keep silence? What shall we do?

> Greek: Χορός:
εἴπωμεν ἢ σιγῶμεν; ἢ τί δράσομεν;

[¶50] Creusa:
Speak; for thou hast somewhat to tell that touches me.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
εἴφʼ· ὡς ἔχεις γε συμφοράν τινʼ εἰς ἐμέ.

[¶51] Chorus:
Then speak I will, though twice to die were mine. O mistress mine! never shalt thou hold a babe within thy arms or clasp him to thy breast.

> Greek: Χορός:
εἰρήσεταί τοι, κεἰ θανεῖν μέλλω διπλῇ.
οὐκ ἔστι σοι, δέσποινʼ, ἐπʼ ἀγκάλαις λαβεῖν
τέκνʼ, οὐδὲ μαστῷ σῷ προσαρμόσαι ποτέ.

[¶52] Creusa:
Ah me! would I were dead!

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ὤμοι, θάνοιμι.

[¶53] Old Servant:
My daughter!

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
θύγατερ.

[¶54] Creusa:
O woe is me for my calamity! Mine is a heritage of suffering and woe that poisons life, good friends.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ὦ τάλαινʼ
ἐγὼ συμφορᾶς, ἔλαβον ἔπαθον ἄχος
ἀβίοτον, φίλαι.
διοιχόμεσθα.

[¶55] Old Servant:
Ah, my child,’tis death to us!

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
τέκνον.

[¶56] Creusa:
Ah me! ah me! grief drives its weapon through this heart of mine.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
αἰαῖ αἰαῖ·
διανταῖος ἔτυπεν ὀδύνα με πλευ-
μόνων τῶνδʼ ἔσω.

[¶57] Old Servant:
Stay thy lamentations.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
μήπω στενάξῃς …

[¶58] Creusa:
Nay, but sorrow lodges here.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἀλλὰ πάρεισι γόοι.

[¶59] Old Servant:
Till we learn—

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
πρὶν ἂν μάθωμεν …

[¶60] Creusa:
Ah, what further news is there for me?

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἀγγελίαν τίνα μοι;

[¶61] Old Servant:
Whether our master is in the same plight and shares thy misfortune, or thou art alone in thy misery.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
εἰ ταὐτὰ πράσσων δεσπότης τῆς συμφορᾶς
κοινωνός ἐστιν, ἢ μόνη σὺ δυστυχεῖς.

[¶62] Chorus:
On him, old sir, Loxias hath bestowed a son,
and he is enjoying his good fortune apart from her.

> Greek: Χορός:
κείνῳ μέν, ὦ γεραιέ, παῖδα Λοξίας
ἔδωκεν, ἰδίᾳ δʼ εὐτυχεῖ ταύτης δίχα.

[¶63] Creusa:
Herein hast thou declared a further evil crowning all, a grief for me to mourn.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
τόδʼ ἐπὶ τῷδε κακὸν ἄκρον ἔλακες
ἄχος ἐμοὶ στένειν.

[¶64] Old Servant:
The child of whom thou speakest—is he some woman’s destined babe, or did the god declare the fate of one already born?

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
πότερα δὲ φῦναι δεῖ γυναικὸς ἔκ τινος
τὸν παῖδʼ ὃν εἶπας, ἢ γεγῶτʼ ἐθέσπισεν;

[¶65] Chorus:
A youth already born and grown to man’s estate doth Phoebus give to him; for I was there myself.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἤδη πεφυκότʼ ἐκτελῆ νεανίαν
δίδωσιν αὐτῷ Λοξίας· παρῆ δʼ ἐγώ.

[¶66] Creusa:
What sayest thou? nor tongue nor lip should speak the word thou tellest me.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
πῶς φῄς; ἄφατον ἄφατον ἀναύδητον
λόγον ἐμοὶ θροεῖς.

[¶67] Old Servant:
And me. But declare more clearly how this oracle is finding its fulfilment, and say who is the child.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
κἄμοιγε. πῶς δʼ ὁ χρησμὸς ἐκπεραίνεται,
σαφέστερόν μοι φράζε, χὥστις ἔσθʼ ὁ παῖς.

[¶68] Chorus:
Whomso thy husband first should meet as he issued from the shrine, him the god gave him for his son.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὅτῳ ξυναντήσειεν ἐκ θεοῦ συθεὶς
πρώτῳ πόσις σός, παῖδʼ ἔδωκʼ αὐτῷ θεός.

[¶69] Creusa:
Ah me! my fate, it seems, has doomed me to a childless
life, and all forlorn am I to dwell in ray halls, without an heir.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ὀττοτοττοτοῖ· τὸν δʼ ἐμὸν ἄτεκνον ἄτεκνον ἔλακεν
ἄρα βίοτον; ἐρημίᾳ δʼ ὀρφανοὺς
δόμους οἰκήσω.

[¶70] Old Servant:
To whom did the oracle refer? whom did our poor lady’s husband meet? how and where did he see him?

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
τίς οὖν ἐχρήσθη; τῷ συνῆψʼ ἴχνος ποδὸς
πόσις ταλαίνης; πῶς δὲ ποῦ νιν εἰσιδών;

[¶71] Chorus:
Dear mistress mine, dost know that youth
that was sweeping yonder shrine? He is that son.

> Greek: Χορός:
οἶσθʼ, ὦ φίλη δέσποινα, τὸν νεανίαν
ὃς τόνδʼ ἔσαιρε ναόν; οὗτος ἔσθʼ ὁ παῖς.

[¶72] Creusa:
Oh! for wings to cleave the liquid air beyond the land of Hellas, away to the western stars, so keen the anguish of my soul, my friends!

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἀνʼ ὑγρὸν ἀμπταίην αἰθέρα πόρσω γαί-
ας Ἑλλανίας, ἀστέρας ἑσπέρους,
οἷον οἷον ἄλγος ἔπαθον, φίλαι.

[¶73] Old Servant:
Dost know the name his father gave to him, or is that left as yet unsettled and unsaid?

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
ὄνομα δὲ ποῖον αὐτὸν ὀνομάζει πατήρ;
οἶσθʼ, ἢ σιωπῇ τοῦτʼ ἀκύρωτον μένει;

[¶74] Chorus:
He called him Ion, because he was the first to cross his path.

> Greek: Χορός:
Ἴωνʼ, ἐπείπερ πρῶτος ἤντησεν πατρί.

[¶75] Old Servant:
Who is his mother?

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
μητρὸς δʼ ὁποίας ἐστὶν —

[¶76] Chorus:
That I cannot say. But,—to tell thee all I know, old sir,—
her lord is gone, with furtive step, into the hallowed tent, there to offer on this child’s behalf such gifts and victims as are offered for a birth, and with his new-found son to celebrate the feast.

> Greek: Χορός:
οὐκ ἔχω φράσαι.
φροῦδος δʼ — ἵνʼ εἰδῇς πάντα τἀπʼ ἐμοῦ, γέρον —
παιδὸς προθύσων ξένια καὶ γενέθλια
σκηνὰς ἐς ἱερὰς τῆσδε λαθραίως πόσις,
κοινὴν ξυνάψων δαῖτα παιδὶ τῷ νέῳ.

[¶77] Old Servant:
Mistress mine, we are betrayed by thy husband, fellow-sufferers thou and I;’tis a deep-laid plot to outrage us
and drive us from Erechtheus’ halls. And this I say not from any hatred of thy lord but because I bear thee more love than him; for he, after coming as a stranger to thy city and thy home, and wedding thee, and of thy heritage taking full possession,
has been detected in a secret marriage with another woman, by whom he hath children. His secret will I now disclose; when he found thee barren, he was not content to share with thee thy hard lot, but took to himself a slave to be his stealthy paramour
and thus begat a son, whom he sent abroad, giving him to some Delphian maid to nurse; and, to escape detection, the child was dedicated to the god and reared in his temple. But when he heard his boy was grown to manhood, he persuaded thee to come hither to inquire about thy childless state.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
δέσποινα, προδεδόμεσθα — σὺν γάρ σοι νοσῶ —
τοῦ σοῦ πρὸς ἀνδρός, καὶ μεμηχανημένως
ὑβριζόμεσθα δωμάτων τʼ Ἐρεχθέως
ἐκβαλλόμεσθα. καὶ σὸν οὐ στυγῶν πόσιν
λέγω, σὲ μέντοι μᾶλλον ἢ κεῖνον φιλῶν·
ὅστις σε γήμας ξένος ἐπεισελθὼν πόλιν
καὶ δῶμα καὶ σὴν παραλαβὼν παγκληρίαν,
ἄλλης γυναικὸς παῖδας ἐκκαρπούμενος
λάθρα πέφηνεν· ὡς λάθρα δʼ, ἐγὼ φράσω.
ἐπεί σʼ ἄτεκνον ᾔσθετʼ, οὐκ ἔστεργέ σοι
ὅμοιος εἶναι τῆς τύχης τʼ ἴσον φέρειν,
λαβὼν δὲ δοῦλα λέκτρα νυμφεύσας λάθρα
τὸν παῖδʼ ἔφυσεν, ἐξενωμένον δέ τῳ
Δελφῶν δίδωσιν ἐκτρέφειν. ὃ δʼ ἐν θεοῦ
δόμοισιν ἄφετος, ὡς λάθοι, παιδεύεται.
νεανίαν δʼ ὡς ᾔσθετʼ ἐκτεθραμμένον,
ἐλθεῖν σʼ ἔπεισε δεῦρʼ ἀπαιδίας χάριν.

[¶78] And after this,’twas not the god that lied, but thy husband, who long had been rearing the child, and he it was that wove this tissue of falsehood, intending, if he were detected, to refer it to the god, whereas if he escaped exposure, to repel all odium, he meant to vest the sovereignty in this son of his.

> Greek: κᾆθʼ ὁ θεὸς οὐκ ἐψεύσαθʼ, ὅδε δʼ ἐψεύσατο
πάλαι τρέφων τὸν παῖδα, κἄπλεκεν πλοκὰς
τοιάσδʼ· ἁλοὺς μὲν ἀνέφερʼ ἐς τὸν δαίμονα,
[ἐλθὼν δὲ καὶ τὸν χρόνον ἀμύνεσθαι θέλων]
τυραννίδʼ αὐτῷ περιβαλεῖν ἔμελλε γῆς.

[¶79] Likewise he devised anew his name, coined to suit the circumstances, Ion, because, as he asserts, he met him on his way.

> Greek: καινὸν δὲ τοὔνομʼ ἀνὰ χρόνον πεπλασμένον
Ἴων, ἰόντι δῆθεν ὅτι συνήντετο.

[¶80] Chorus:
Ah! how I ever hate the wicked
who plot unrighteousness and then cunningly trick it out. Far rather would I have a virtuous friend of no great intellect than a knave of subtler wit.

> Greek: Χορός:
οἴμοι, κακούργους ἄνδρας ὡς αἰεὶ στυγῶ,
οἳ συντιθέντες τἄδικʼ εἶτα μηχαναῖς
κοσμοῦσι. φαῦλον χρηστὸν ἂν λαβεῖν φίλον
θέλοιμι μᾶλλον ἢ κακὸν σοφώτερον.

[¶81] Old Servant:
Of all thy wretched fate this will be the crowning sorrow, the bringing to thy house to be its lord some slave-girl’s child, whose mother is unknown, himself of no account. For this evil had been to itself confined,
had he persuaded thee, pleading thy childlessness, to let him establish in the house some high-born mother’s son; or if this had displeased thee, he ought to have sought a daughter of Aeolus in marriage. Wherefore must thou now put thy woman’s wit to work; either take the dagger, or by guile
or poison slay thy husband and his son, ere they deal out death to thee; since if thou spare him, thou wilt lose thy own life; for when two foes meet beneath one roof, one or the other must rue it.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
καὶ τῶνδʼ ἁπάντων ἔσχατον πείσῃ κακόν·
ἀμήτορʼ, ἀναρίθμητον, ἐκ δούλης τινὸς
γυναικός, ἐς σὸν δῶμα δεσπότην ἄγειν.
ἁπλοῦν ἂν ἦν γὰρ τὸ κακόν, εἰ παρʼ εὐγενοῦς
μητρός, πιθών σε, σὴν λέγων ἀπαιδίαν,
ἐσῴκισʼ οἴκους· εἰ δὲ σοὶ τόδʼ ἦν πικρόν,
τῶν Αἰόλου νιν χρῆν ὀρεχθῆναι γάμων.
ἐκ τῶνδε δεῖ σε δὴ γυναικεῖόν τι δρᾶν·
ἢ γὰρ ξίφος λαβοῦσαν ἢ δόλῳ τινὶ
ἢ φαρμάκοισι σὸν κατακτεῖναι πόσιν
καὶ παῖδα, πρὶν σοὶ θάνατον ἐκ κείνων μολεῖν.
[εἰ γάρ γʼ ὑφήσεις τοῦδʼ, ἀπαλλάξῃ βίου.]
[δυοῖν γὰρ ἐχθροῖν εἰς ἓν ἐλθόντοιν στέγος,]
[ἢ θάτερον δεῖ δυστυχεῖν ἢ θάτερον.]

[¶82] Myself too am ready to share this labour with thee, and to help destroy the child when I have made my way into the chamber where he is furnishing the feast, and so repaying my masters for my maintenance I am willing either to die or still behold the light of life.’Tis but a single thing that brands the slave with shame—
his name; in all else no upright slave is a whit worse than freeborn men.

> Greek: ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν σοι καὶ συνεκπονεῖν θέλω,
καὶ συμφονεύειν παῖδʼ ἐπεισελθὼν δόμους
οὗ δαῖθʼ ὁπλίζει, καὶ τροφεῖα δεσπόταις
ἀποδοὺς θανεῖν τε ζῶν τε φέγγος εἰσορᾶν.
ἓν γάρ τι τοῖς δούλοισιν αἰσχύνην φέρει,
τοὔνομα· τὰ δʼ ἄλλα πάντα τῶν ἐλευθέρων
οὐδὲν κακίων δοῦλος, ὅστις ἐσθλὸς ᾖ.

[¶83] Chorus:
I too, beloved mistress, am ready to share thy fate, be it death or victory.

> Greek: Χορός:
κἀγώ, φίλη δέσποινα, συμφορὰν θέλω
κοινουμένη τήνδʼ ἢ θανεῖν ἢ ζῆν καλῶς.

[¶84] Creusa:
Ah! my suffering soul! how am I to keep silence?

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ὦ ψυχά, πῶς σιγάσω;

[¶85] Am I to disclose the secrets of my love and lose all claim to modesty? What is there to keep me back any longer? With whom have I to pit myself in virtue’s lists? Hath not my husband proved untrue?
Home and children, both are torn from me; all hope is dead; I have not realized my wish to set the matter straight, by hushing up my former union and saying naught about my son of sorrow.

> Greek: πῶς δὲ σκοτίας ἀναφήνω
εὐνάς, αἰδοῦς δʼ ἀπολειφθῶ;
τί γὰρ ἐμπόδιον κώλυμʼ ἔτι μοι;
πρὸς τίνʼ ἀγῶνας τιθέμεσθʼ ἀρετῆς;
οὐ πόσις ἡμῶν προδότης γέγονεν,
στέρομαι δʼ οἴκων, στέρομαι παίδων,
φροῦδαι δʼ ἐλπίδες, ἃς διαθέσθαι
χρῄζουσα καλῶς οὐκ ἐδυνήθην,
σιγῶσα γάμους,
σιγῶσα τόκους πολυκλαύτους;

[¶86] No! by the starry seat of Zeus, by her whose home is on my rocks, and by the hallowed strand of Triton’s mere with brimming flood, I will no more conceal my love; for if
I can lift that burden from my breast I shall rest easier. With tears my eyes are streaming and my heart is wrung with anguish for the treacherous counsels both of men and gods,—traitors they! as I will show,
ungrateful traitors to their loves!

> Greek: ἀλλʼ οὐ τὸ Διὸς πολύαστρον ἕδος
καὶ τὴν ἐπʼ ἐμοῖς σκοπέλοισι θεὰν
λίμνης τʼ ἐνύδρου Τριτωνιάδος
πότνιαν ἀκτάν,
οὐκέτι κρύψω λέχος, ὡς στέρνων
ἀπονησαμένη ῥᾴων ἔσομαι.
στάζουσι κόραι δακρύοισιν ἐμαί,
ψυχὴ δʼ ἀλγεῖ κακοβουλευθεῖσʼ
ἔκ τʼ ἀνθρώπων ἔκ τʼ ἀθανάτων,
οὓς ἀποδείξω
λέκτρων προδότας ἀχαρίστους.

[¶87] O! thou who dost awake that tuneful lyre with seven strings till to its sweet note of music the lifeless pegs of wild ox-hom resound again,
thou child of Latona, to yon 293 bright orb of thine will I publish thy reproach. Yes, I saw thee come, the glint of gold upon thy locks, as I was gathering in my folded robe the saffron blooms
that blazed like flowers of gold; and by my lily wrist didst thou catch me and ledst me to the cavern’s bed, what time I cried aloud upon my mother’s name,—thou a god
to mate with me in shameless wise to pleasure lady Cypris! Then to my sorrow I bore thee a son, whom, though anguish thrilled my mother’s breast, I cast upon that bed of thine,
where thou didst join in woful wedlock this unhappy maid. Ah! woe is me! that poor babe I bare thee is now no more; winged fowls have tom and devoured him,
but thou art gaily carolling unto thy lyre some song of joy.

> Greek: ὦ τᾶς ἑπταφθόγγου μέλπων
κιθάρας ἐνοπάν, ἅτʼ ἀγραύλοις
κέρασιν ἐν ἀψύχοις ἀχεῖ
μουσᾶν ὕμνους εὐαχήτους,
σοὶ μομφάν, ὦ Λατοῦς παῖ,
πρὸς τάνδʼ αὐγὰν αὐδάσω.
ἦλθές μοι χρυσῷ χαίταν
μαρμαίρων, εὖτʼ ἐς κόλπους
κρόκεα πέταλα φάρεσιν ἔδρεπον,
ἀνθίζειν χρυσανταυγῆ·
λευκοῖς δʼ ἐμφὺς καρποῖσιν
χειρῶν εἰς ἄντρου κοίτας
κραυγὰν Ὦ μᾶτέρ μʼ αὐδῶσαν
θεὸς ὁμευνέτας
ἆγες ἀναιδείᾳ
Κύπριδι χάριν πράσσων.
τίκτω δʼ ἁ δύστανός σοι
κοῦρον, τὸν φρίκᾳ ματρὸς
εἰς εὐνὰν βάλλω τὰν σάν,
ἵνα με λέχεσι μελέαν μελέοις
ἐζεύξω τὰν δύστανον.
οἴμοι μοι· καὶ νῦν ἔρρει
πτανοῖς ἁρπασθεὶς θοίνα
παῖς μοι … καὶ σός, τλάμων·
σὺ δὲ κιθάρᾳ κλάζεις
παιᾶνας μέλπων.

[¶88] Hark! thou son of Latona, to thee I call, for that thou dispensest warnings; there at thy golden throne
on earth’s centre planted will I proclaim a word into thy ear. O! thou wicked bridegroom who art bringing to my husband’s house an heir, though from him thou hast received no boon;

> Greek: ὠή,
τὸν Λατοῦς αὐδῶ ⟨σʼ⟩,
ὅστʼ ὀμφὰν κληροῖς
πρὸς χρυσέους θάκους
καὶ γαίας μεσσήρεις ἕδρας,
εἰς οὖς αὐδὰν καρύξω·
Ἰὼ κακὸς εὐνάτωρ,
ὃς τῷ μὲν ἐμῷ νυμφεύτᾳ
χάριν οὐ προλαβὼν
παῖδʼ εἰς οἴκους οἰκίζεις·

[¶89] while that child of thine and mine hath died unrecognized, a prey to carrion birds, his mother’s swaddling-clothes all lost. Delos hates thee now, thy bay-tree loves thee not,
whose branches sprout beside the tufted palm, where in holy throes Latona, big with child by Zeus, gave birth to thee.

> Greek: ὁ δʼ ἐμὸς γενέτας καὶ σός γʼ, ἀμαθής,
οἰωνοῖς ἔρρει συλαθείς,
σπάργανα ματέρος ἐξαλλάξας.
μισεῖ σʼ ἁ Δᾶλος καὶ δάφνας
ἔρνεα φοίνικα παρʼ ἁβροκόμαν,
ἔνθα λοχεύματα σέμνʼ ἐλοχεύσατο
Λατὼ Δίοισί σε καρποῖς.

[¶90] Chorus:
Ah me! what store of sorrows is here disclosed, enough to draw a tear from every eye!

> Greek: Χορός:
οἴμοι, μέγας θησαυρὸς ὡς ἀνοίγνυται
κακῶν, ἐφʼ οἷσι πᾶς ἂν ἐκβάλοι δάκρυ.

[¶91] Old Servant:
Daughter, with pity am I filled as a gaze upon thy face; my reason leaves me; for just as I am striving to lighten my spirit of its sea of troubles, comes another wave astern and catches me by reason of thy words; for no sooner hadst thou uttered this tale of present troubles
than thou didst turn aside into a fresh a track of other woes. What is it thou sayest? What charge against Apollo dost thou bring? What child is this thou dost assert that thou didst bear? Where was it in the city that thou didst expose him, for beasts to rejoice o’er his burial? Tell me once again.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
ὦ θύγατερ, οὔτοι σὸν βλέπων ἐμπίμπλαμαι
πρόσωπον, ἔξω δʼ ἐγενόμην γνώμης ἐμῆς.
κακῶν γὰρ ἄρτι κῦμʼ ὑπεξαντλῶν φρενί,
πρύμνηθεν αἴρει μʼ ἄλλο σῶν λόγων ὕπο,
οὓς ἐκβαλοῦσα τῶν παρεστώτων κακῶν
μετῆλθες ἄλλων πημάτων κακὰς ὁδούς.
τί φῄς; τίνα λόγον Λοξίου κατηγορεῖς;
ποῖον τεκεῖν φῂς παῖδα; ποῦ θεῖναι πόλεως
θηρσὶν φίλον τύμβευμʼ; ἄνελθέ μοι πάλιν.

[¶92] Creusa:
Old friend, although to meet thine eye, I am ashamed, yet will I tell thee.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
αἰσχύνομαι μέν σʼ, ὦ γέρον, λέξω δʼ ὅμως.

[¶93] Old Servant:
Full well I know how to lend my friends a generous sympathy.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
ὡς συστενάζειν γʼ οἶδα γενναίως φίλοις.

[¶94] Creusa:
Then hearken; dost know a cave toward the north of Cecrops’ rock, that we call Macrae?

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἄκουε τοίνυν· οἶσθα Κεκροπίας πέτρας
πρόσβορρον ἄντρον, ἃς Μακρὰς κικλήσκομεν;

[¶95] Old Servant:
I know it; there is the shrine of Pan, and his altar hard by.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
οἶδʼ, ἔνθα Πανὸς ἄδυτα καὶ βωμοὶ πέλας.

[¶96] Creusa:
That was the scene of my dire conflict.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἐνταῦθʼ ἀγῶνα δεινὸν ἠγωνίσμεθα.

[¶97] Old Servant:
What conflict? see how my tears start forth to meet thy words.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
τίνʼ; ὡς ἀπαντᾷ δάκρυά μοι τοῖς σοῖς λόγοις.

[¶98] Creusa:
Phoebus forced me to a woful marriage.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
Φοίβῳ ξυνῆψʼ ἄκουσα δύστηνον γάμον.

[¶99] Old Servant:
Was it then this, my daughter, that I noticed myself?

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
ὦ θύγατερ, ἆρʼ ἦν ταῦθʼ ἅ γʼ ᾐσθόμην ἐγώ;

[¶100] Creusa:
I know not; but I will tell thee if thou speak the truth.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
οὐκ οἶδʼ· ἀληθῆ δʼ εἰ λέγεις φαίημεν ἄν.

[¶101] Old Servant:
At the time thou wert mourning in secret some hidden complaint?

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
νόσον κρυφαίαν ἡνίκʼ ἔστενες λάθρα;

[¶102] Creusa:
Yes,’twas then this trouble happened, which now I am declaring to thee.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
τότʼ ἦν ἃ νῦν σοι φανερὰ σημαίνω κακά.

[¶103] Old Servant:
How then didst conceal thy union with Apollo?

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
κᾆτʼ ἐξέκλεψας πῶς Ἀπόλλωνος γάμους;

[¶104] Creusa:
I bore a child; hear me patiently, old friend.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἔτεκον — ἀνάσχου ταῦτʼ ἐμοῦ κλύων, γέρον.

[¶105] Old Servant:
Where? and who helped thy travail? or didst thou labour all alone?

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
ποῦ; τίς λοχεύει σʼ; ἢ μόνη μοχθεῖς τάδε;

[¶106] Creusa:
All alone, in the cave where I became a wife.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
μόνη κατʼ ἄντρον οὗπερ ἐζεύχθην γάμοις.

[¶107] Old Servant:
Where is the child? that thou mayst cease thy childless state.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
ὁ παῖς δὲ ποῦ ʼστιν; ἵνα σὺ μηκέτʼ ᾖς ἄπαις.

[¶108] Creusa:
Dead, old friend, to beasts exposed.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
τέθνηκεν, ὦ γεραιέ, θηρσὶν ἐκτεθείς.

[¶109] Old Servant:
Dead? did Apollo, evil god, no help afford?

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
τέθνηκʼ; Ἀπόλλων δʼ ὁ κακὸς οὐδὲν ἤρκεσεν;

[¶110] Creusa:
None; my boy is in the halls of Hades.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
οὐκ ἤρκεσʼ· Ἅιδου δʼ ἐν δόμοις παιδεύεται.

[¶111] Old Servant:
Who then exposed him? surely not thyself.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
τίς γάρ νιν ἐξέθηκεν; οὐ γὰρ δὴ σύ γε.

[¶112] Creusa:
Myself, when ’neath the gloom of night I had wrapped him in my robe.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἡμεῖς, ἐν ὄρφνῃ σπαργανώσαντες πέπλοις.

[¶113] Old Servant:
Did no one share thy secret of the babe’s exposure?

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
οὐδὲ ξυνῄδει σοί τις ἔκθεσιν τέκνου;

[¶114] Creusa:
Ill-fortune and secrecy alone.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
αἱ ξυμφοραί γε καὶ τὸ λανθάνειν μόνον.

[¶115] Old Servant:
How couldst thou in the cavern leave thy babe?

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
καὶ πῶς ἐν ἄντρῳ παῖδα σὸν λιπεῖν ἔτλης;

[¶116] Creusa:
Ah! how? but still I did, with many a word of pity uttered o’er him.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
πῶς δʼ οἰκτρὰ πολλὰ στόματος ἐκβαλοῦσʼ ἔπη —

[¶117] Old Servant:
Oh for thy hard heart! Oh for the god’s, more hard than thine!

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
φεῦ·
τλήμων σὺ τόλμης, ὁ δὲ θεὸς μᾶλλον σέθεν.

[¶118] Creusa:
Hadst thou but seen the babe stretch forth his hands to me!

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
εἰ παῖδά γʼ εἶδες χεῖρας ἐκτείνοντά μοι.

[¶119] Old Servant:
To find thy mother’s breast, to nestle in thy arms?

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
μαστὸν διώκοντʼ ἦ πρὸς ἀγκάλαις πεσεῖν;

[¶120] Creusa:
By being kept therefrom he suffered grievous wrong from me.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἐνταῦθʼ, ἵνʼ οὐκ ὢν ἄδικʼ ἔπασχεν ἐξ ἐμοῦ.

[¶121] Old Servant:
How earnest thou to think of casting forth thy babe?

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
σοὶ δʼ ἐς τί δόξʼ ἐσῆλθεν ἐκβαλεῖν τέκνον;

[¶122] Creusa:
Methought the god would save his own begotten child.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ὡς τὸν θεὸν σῴζοντα τόν γʼ αὑτοῦ γόνον.

[¶123] Old Servant:
Ah me! what storms assail thy family’s prosperity!

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
οἴμοι, δόμων σῶν ὄλβος ὡς χειμάζεται.

[¶124] Creusa:
Why weepest thou, old man, with head close-veiled?

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
τί κρᾶτα κρύψας, ὦ γέρον, δακρυρροεῖς;

[¶125] Old Servant:
To see the sorrows of thy sire and thee.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
σὲ καὶ πατέρα σὸν δυστυχοῦντας εἰσορῶ.

[¶126] Creusa:
Such is our mortal life; naught abideth in one stay.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
τὰ θνητὰ τοιαῦτʼ· οὐδὲν ἐν ταὐτῷ μένει.

[¶127] Old Servant:
Daughter, let us cease to dwell on themes of woe.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
μή νυν ἔτʼ οἴκτων, θύγατερ, ἀντεχώμεθα.

[¶128] Creusa:
What must I do? Misfortune leaves us helpless.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
τί γάρ με χρὴ δρᾶν; ἀπορία τὸ δυστυχεῖν.

[¶129] Old Servant:
Avenge thee on the god who first did injure thee.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
τὸν πρῶτον ἀδικήσαντά σʼ ἀποτίνου θεόν.

[¶130] Creusa:
How can I, weak mortal as I am, outrun those mightier powers?

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
καὶ πῶς τὰ κρείσσω θνητὸς οὖσʼ ὑπερδράμω;

[¶131] Old Servant:
Set fire to Apollo’s awful sanctuary.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
πίμπρη τὰ σεμνὰ Λοξίου χρηστήρια.

[¶132] Creusa:
I am afraid; my present sorrows are enough for me.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
δέδοικα· καὶ νῦν πημάτων ἄδην ἔχω.

[¶133] Old Servant:
Then what thou canst, that dare—thy husband’s death.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
τὰ δυνατά νυν τόλμησον, ἄνδρα σὸν κτανεῖν.

[¶134] Creusa:
Nay, I do respect his former love in the days when he was good and true.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
αἰδούμεθʼ εὐνὰς τὰς τόθʼ ἡνίκʼ ἐσθλὸς ἦν.

[¶135] Old Servant:
At least, then, slay the boy who hath appeared to supplant thee.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
νῦν δʼ ἀλλὰ παῖδα τὸν ἐπὶ σοὶ πεφηνότα.

[¶136] Creusa:
How can I? would it were possible! how I wish it were!

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
πῶς; εἰ γὰρ εἴη δυνατόν· ὡς θέλοιμί γʼ ἄν.

[¶137] Old Servant:
Arm thy followers with daggers.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
ξιφηφόρους σοὺς ὁπλίσασʼ ὀπάονας.

[¶138] Creusa:
I will about it; but where is the deed to be done?

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
στείχοιμʼ ἄν· ἀλλὰ ποῦ γενήσεται τόδε;

[¶139] Old Servant:
In the sacred tent, where he is feasting his friends.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
ἱεραῖσιν ἐν σκηναῖσιν, οὗ θοινᾷ φίλους.

[¶140] Creusa:
The murder will be too public, and slaves are poor support.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἐπίσημον ὁ φόνος, καὶ τὸ δοῦλον ἀσθενές.

[¶141] Old Servant:
Ah! thou art turning coward. Devise some scheme thyself.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
ὤμοι, κακίζῃ· φέρε, σὺ νῦν βούλευέ τι.

[¶142] Creusa:
Well, I too have subtle plans that cannot fail.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
καὶ μὴν ἔχω γε δόλια καὶ δραστήρια.

[¶143] Old Servant:
If both conditions they fulfil, I will assist thee.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
ἀμφοῖν ἂν εἴην τοῖνδʼ ὑπηρέτης ἐγώ.

[¶144] Creusa:
Hearken then; knowest thou the battle of the earth-born men?

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἄκουε τοίνυν· οἶσθα γηγενῆ μάχην;

[¶145] Old Servant:
Surely; the fight at Phlegra waged by giants against the gods.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
οἶδʼ, ἣν Φλέγρᾳ Γίγαντες ἔστησαν θεοῖς.

[¶146] Creusa:
There Earth brought Gorgon forth, dreadful prodigy.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἐνταῦθα Γοργόνʼ ἔτεκε Γῆ, δεινὸν τέρας.

[¶147] Old Servant:
To aid her sons maybe, and cause the gods hard toil?

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
ἦ παισὶν αὑτῆς σύμμαχον, θεῶν πόνον;

[¶148] Creusa:
Yea, and Pallas, daughter of Zeus, slew the monster.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ναί· καί νιν ἔκτεινʼ ἡ Διὸς Παλλὰς θεά.

[¶149] Old Servant:
What savage form had it assumed?

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
[ποῖόν τι μορφῆς σχῆμʼ ἔχουσαν ἀγρίας;]

[¶150] Creusa:
A breast-plate of vipers fenced its body.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
[θώρακʼ ἐχίδνης περιβόλοις ὡπλισμένον.]

[¶151] Old Servant:
Is this the tale I heard in days of yore?

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
ἆρʼ οὗτός ἐσθʼ ὁ μῦθος ὃν κλύω πάλαι;

[¶152] Creusa:
That Athena wears its skin upon her corslet.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ταύτης Ἀθάναν δέρος ἐπὶ στέρνοις ἔχειν.

[¶153] Old Servant:
Is it this that Pallas wears, called by men her aegis?

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
ἣν αἰγίδʼ ὀνομάζουσι, Παλλάδος στολήν;

[¶154] Creusa:
This was the name it received, that day she came to do battle for the gods.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
τόδʼ ἔσχεν ὄνομα θεῶν ὅτʼ ᾖξεν ἐς δόρυ.

[¶155] Old Servant:
How, daughter, can this harm thy enemies?

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
τί δῆτα, θύγατερ, τοῦτο σοῖς ἐχθροῖς βλάβος;

[¶156] Creusa:
Hast heard of Erichthonius, or no? of course thou hast.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
Ἐριχθόνιον οἶσθʼ, ἢ —; τί δʼ οὐ μέλλεις, γέρον;

[¶157] Old Servant:
Him whom Earth produced, the founder of thy race?

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
ὃν πρῶτον ὑμῶν πρόγονον ἐξανῆκε γῆ;

[¶158] Creusa:
To him whilst yet a babe did Pallas give—

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
τούτῳ δίδωσι Παλλὰς ὄντι νεογόνῳ …

[¶159] Old Servant:
Ha! what? thou hast something yet to add?

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
τί χρῆμα; μέλλον γάρ τι προσφέρεις ἔπος.

[¶160] Creusa:
Two drops of Gorgon’s blood.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
δισσοὺς σταλαγμοὺς αἵματος Γοργοῦς ἄπο.

[¶161] Old Servant:
What power could they exert on the nature of a human creature?

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
ἰσχὺν ἔχοντας τίνα πρὸς ἀνθρώπου φύσιν;

[¶162] Creusa:
The one with death is fraught, the other cures disease.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
τὸν μὲν θανάσιμον, τὸν δʼ ἀκεσφόρον νόσων.

[¶163] Old Servant:
What held them when she tied them to the child’s body?

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
ἐν τῷ καθάψασʼ ἀμφὶ παιδὶ σώματος;

[¶164] Creusa:
With links of gold she fastened them; this to my sire did Erichthonius give.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
χρυσοῖσι δεσμοῖς· ὁ δὲ δίδωσʼ ἐμῷ πατρί.

[¶165] Old Servant:
And at his death it came to thee?

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
κείνου δὲ κατθανόντος ἐς σὲ ἀφίκετο;

[¶166] Creusa:
Yea, and here at my wrist I wear it.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ναί· κἀπὶ καρπῷ γʼ αὔτʼ ἐγὼ χερὸς φέρω.

[¶167] Old Servant:
How works the spell of this double gift of Pallas?

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
πῶς οὖν κέκρανται δίπτυχον δῶρον θεᾶς;

[¶168] Creusa:
Each drop of gore which trickled from the hollow vein—

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
κοίλης μὲν ὅστις φλεβὸς ἀπέσταξεν φόνῳ …

[¶169] Old Servant:
What purpose does it serve? what virtue does it carry?

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
τί τῷδε χρῆσθαι; δύνασιν ἐκφέρει τίνα;

[¶170] Creusa:
Wards off disease, and nourishes man’s life.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
νόσους ἀπείργει καὶ τροφὰς ἔχει βίου.

[¶171] Old Servant:
What doth that second drop effect, of which thou madest mention?

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
ὁ δεύτερος δʼ ἀριθμὸς ὧν λέγεις τί δρᾷ;

[¶172] Creusa:
It kills, for it is venom from the Gorgon’s snakes.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
κτείνει, δρακόντων ἰὸς ὢν τῶν Γοργόνος.

[¶173] Old Servant:
Dost thou carry this charm mixed in one phial, or separate?

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
ἐς ἓν δὲ κραθέντʼ αὐτὸν ἢ χωρὶς φορεῖς;

[¶174] Creusa:
Separate; for good is no companion for evil.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
χωρίς· κακῷ γὰρ ἐσθλὸν οὐ συμμείγνυται.

[¶175] Old Servant:
Daughter dear, thou art fully armed with all thou needest.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
ὦ φιλτάτη παῖ, πάντʼ ἔχεις ὅσων σε δεῖ.

[¶176] Creusa:
By this must the boy die, and thou must do the deadly deed.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
τούτῳ θανεῖται παῖς· σὺ δʼ ὁ κτείνων ἔσῃ.

[¶177] Old Servant:
How and where? thine it is to speak, and mine to dare and do.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
ποῦ καὶ τί δράσας; σὸν λέγειν, τολμᾶν δʼ ἐμόν.

[¶178] Creusa:
In Athens, when to my house he comes.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἐν ταῖς Ἀθήναις, δῶμʼ ὅταν τοὐμὸν μόλῃ.

[¶179] Old Servant:
That is not wisely said; I may object to thy plan as thou to mine.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
οὐκ εὖ τόδʼ εἶπας· καὶ σὺ γὰρ τοὐμὸν ψέγεις.

[¶180] Creusa:
How so? Hast thou the same mistrust that I experience?

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
πῶς; ἆρʼ ὑπείδου τοῦθʼ ὃ κἄμʼ ἐσέρχεται;

[¶181] Old Servant:
Thou wilt get the credit of his death, although thou slay him not.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
σὺ παῖδα δόξεις διολέσαι, κεἰ μὴ κτενεῖς.

[¶182] Creusa:
True; men say stepdames are jealous of their husband’s children.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ὀρθῶς· φθονεῖν γάρ φασι μητρυιὰς τέκνοις.

[¶183] Old Servant:
Kill him here then, that so thou mayst deny the murder.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
αὐτοῦ νυν αὐτὸν κτεῖνʼ, ἵνʼ ἀρνήσῃ φόνους.

[¶184] Creusa:
Well, thus I do anticipate the pleasure.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
προλάζυμαι γοῦν τῷ χρόνῳ τῆς ἡδονῆς.

[¶185] Old Servant:
Yea, and thou wilt from thy husband keep the very secret he would keep from thee.

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
καὶ σόν γε λήσεις πόσιν ἅ σε σπεύδει λαθεῖν.

[¶186] Creusa:
Dost know then what to do? Take from my arm
this golden bracelet, Athena’s gift, some ancient craftsman’s work, and seek the spot where my lord is offering secret sacrifice; then when their feasting is o’er and they are about to pour drink-offering to the gods, take this phial in thy robe and pour it into the young man’s goblet;
[not for all, but for him alone, providing a separate draught,] who thinks to lord it o’er my house. And if once it pass his lips, never shall he come to glorious Athens, but here abide, of life bereft.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
οἶσθʼ οὖν ὃ δρᾶσον; χειρὸς ἐξ ἐμῆς λαβὼν
χρύσωμʼ Ἀθάνας τόδε, παλαιὸν ὄργανον,
ἐλθὼν ἵνʼ ἡμῖν βουθυτεῖ λάθρα πόσις,
δείπνων ὅταν λήγωσι καὶ σπονδὰς θεοῖς
μέλλωσι λείβειν, ἐν πέπλοις ἔχων τόδε
κάθες βαλὼν ἐς πῶμα τῷ νεανίᾳ … …
ἰδίᾳ δέ, μή τι πᾶσι, χωρίσας ποτὸν
τῷ τῶν ἐμῶν μέλλοντι δεσπόζειν δόμων.
κἄνπερ διέλθῃ λαιμόν, οὔποθʼ ἵξεται
κλεινὰς Ἀθήνας, κατθανὼν δʼ αὐτοῦ μενεῖ.

[¶187] Old Servant:
Go thou within the house of our public hosts;

> Greek: Πρεσβύτης:
σὺ μέν νυν εἴσω προξένων μέθες πόδα·

[¶188] I the while will set about my appointed task. On! aged foot, grow young again in action, for all that time saith no to thee. Go, aid thy mistress against her enemy, help slay and drag him from her house.

> Greek: ἡμεῖς δʼ ἐφʼ ᾧ τετάγμεθʼ ἐκπονήσομεν.
ἄγʼ, ὦ γεραιὲ πούς, νεανίας γενοῦ
ἔργοισι, κεἰ μὴ τῷ χρόνῳ πάρεστί σοι.
ἐχθρὸν δʼ ἐπʼ ἄνδρα στεῖχε δεσποτῶν μέτα,
καὶ συμφόνευε καὶ συνεξαίρει δόμων.

[¶189] ’Tis well to honour piety in the hour of fortune, but when thou wouldst harm thy foe, no law doth block thy path.

> Greek: τὴν δʼ εὐσέβειαν εὐτυχοῦσι μὲν καλὸν
τιμᾶν· ὅταν δὲ πολεμίους δρᾶσαι κακῶς
θέλῃ τις, οὐδεὶς ἐμποδὼν κεῖται νόμος.

[¶190] Chorus:
Daughter of Demeter, goddess of highways, queen as thou art of haunting powers of darkness,
oh! guide as well the hand that fills by day a cup of death, against those to whom my revered mistress is sending a philtre of the gore that dripped from hellish Gorgon’s severed head,
yea,’gainst him who would obtrude upon the halls of the Erechthidae. Never may alien, from alien stock, lord it o’er my city,
no! none save noble Erechtheus’ sons!

> Greek: Χορός:
Εἰνοδία θύγατερ Δάματρος, ἃ τῶν
νυκτιπόλων ἐφόδων ἀνάσσεις
καὶ μεθαμερίων, ὅδωσον
δυσθανάτων κρατήρων πλη-
ρώματʼ ἐφʼ οἷσι πέμπει
πότνια πότνιʼ ἐμὰ χθονίας
Γοργοῦς λαιμοτόμων ἀπὸ
σταλαγμῶν
τῷ τῶν Ἐρεχθεϊδᾶν
δόμων ἐφαπτομένῳ·
μηδέ ποτʼ ἄλλος [ἄλλων ἀπʼ] οἴ-
κων πόλεως ἀνάσσοι
πλὴν τῶν εὐγενετᾶν Ἐρεχθειδᾶν.

[¶191] Chorus:
For if this deadly deed and my lady’s aims pass unfulfilled, and the right moment for her daring go by, and with it the hope which now sustains her, either will she seize the whetted knife
or fasten the noose about her neck, and by ending one sorrow by another will go down to other phases of existence. For never will that daughter of a noble line,
while life is hers, endure within the sunshine of her eyes the sight of alien rulers in her halls.

> Greek: Χορός:
εἰ δʼ ἀτελὴς θάνατος σπουδαί τε δεσποί-
νας, ὅ τε καιρὸς ἄπεισι τόλμας,
ᾇ νῦν ἐλπὶς ἐφαίνετʼ, ἢ θη-
κτὸν ξίφος ἢ δαίμων ἐξά-
ψει βρόχον ἀμφὶ δειρήν,
πάθεσι πάθεα δʼ ἐξανύτουσʼ
εἰς ἄλλας βιότου κάτει-
σι μορφάς.
οὐ γὰρ δόμων γʼ ἑτέρους
ἄρχοντας ἀλλοδαποὺς
ζῶσά ποτʼ [ὄμμασι] ἐν φαεν-
ναῖς ἀνέχοιτʼ ἂν αὐγαῖς
ἁ τῶν εὐπατριδᾶν γεγῶσʼ οἴκων.

[¶192] Chorus:
I blush for that god of song,
if this stranger is to witness the torch-dance, that heralds in the twentieth dawn, around Callichorus’ fair springs, a sleepless votary in midnight revels, what time the star-lit firmament of Zeus,
the moon, and Nereus’ fifty daughters, that trip it lightly o’er the sea and the eternal rivers’ tides, join the dance in honour
of the maiden with the crown of gold and her majestic mother; where this vagabond, by Phoebus favoured, thinks to reign, entering into other men’s hard toil.

> Greek: Χορός:
αἰσχύνομαι τὸν πολύυ-
μνον θεόν, εἰ παρὰ καλλιχόροισι παγαῖς
λαμπάδα θεωρὸν εἰκάδων
ὄψεται ἐννύχιος ἄυπνος ὤν, ὅτε
καὶ Διὸς ἀστερωπὸς
ἀνεχόρευσεν αἰθήρ,
χορεύει δὲ σελάνα
καὶ πεντήκοντα κόραι
Νηρέος, αἱ κατὰ πόντον
ἀενάων τε ποταμῶν
δίνας, χορευόμεναι
τὰν χρυσοστέφανον κόραν
καὶ ματέρα σεμνάν·
ἵνʼ ἐλπίζει βασιλεύ-
σειν ἄλλων πόνον ἐσπεσὼν
ὁ Φοίβειος ἀλάτας.

[¶193] Chorus:
Look to it, all ye bards, who, in malicious strains, expose our amours and unholy bonds of lawless love; see how far our
virtue surpasses man’s disloyalty. Change the burden of your song and keep your spiteful verse to brand man’s faithlessness. For this scion of the stock of Zeus
shows himself a heedless wight, denying to the mistress of his halls the lot of mutual offspring, and, paying all his court to some strange love,
hath gotten him a bastard son.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὁρᾶθʼ ὅσοι δυσκελάδοι-
σιν κατὰ μοῦσαν ἰόντες ἀείδεθʼ ὕμνοις
ἁμέτερα λέχεα καὶ γάμους
Κύπριδος ἀθέμιτας ἀνοσίους, ὅσον
εὐσεβίᾳ κρατοῦμεν
ἄδικον ἄροτον ἀνδρῶν.
παλίμφαμος ἀοιδὰ
καὶ μοῦσʼ εἰς ἄνδρας ἴτω
δυσκέλαδος ἀμφὶ λέκτρων.
δείκνυσι γὰρ ὁ Διὸς ἐκ
παίδων ἀμνημοσύναν,
οὐ κοινὰν τεκέων τύχαν
οἴκοισι φυτεύσας
δεσποίνᾳ· πρὸς δʼ Ἀφροδί-
ταν ἄλλαν θέμενος χάριν
νόθου παιδὸς ἔκυρσεν.

[¶194] Servant:
Ladies of another land, where may I find your mistress, daughter of Erechtheus? For I have searched each nook and corner of this town, and cannot find her.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
κλειναὶ γυναῖκες, ποῦ κόρην Ἐρεχθέως,
δέσποιναν εὕρω; πανταχῇ γὰρ ἄστεως
ζητῶν νιν ἐξέπλησα κοὐκ ἔχω λαβεῖν.

## 3. Lines 1109–1622

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

[¶0] Chorus:
What news, my fellow-thrall? why that hurried gait? what tidings bringest thou?

> Greek: Χορός:
τί δʼ ἔστιν, ὦ ξύνδουλε; τίς προθυμία
ποδῶν ἔχει σε, καὶ λόγους τίνας φέρεις;

[¶1] Servant:
I am pursued; the rulers of this land are seeking her to stone her to death.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
θηρώμεθʼ· ἀρχαὶ δʼ ἁπιχώριοι χθονὸς
ζητοῦσιν αὐτήν, ὡς θάνῃ πετρουμένη.

[¶2] Chorus:
Alas, what is thy tale? say not we are detected in our secret plot for murdering the boy?

> Greek: Χορός:
οἴμοι, τί λέξεις; οὔτι που λελήμμεθα
κρυφαῖον ἐς παῖδʼ ἐκπορίζουσαι φόνον;

[¶3] Servant:
Thou hast guessed aright; nor wilt thou be the last to share the trouble.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
ἔγνως; — μεθέξεις οὐκ ἐν ὑστάτοις κακοῦ.

[¶4] Chorus:
How was the hidden scheme laid bare?

> Greek: Χορός:
ὤφθη δὲ πῶς τὰ κρυπτὰ μηχανήματα;

[¶5] Servant:
The god found means to master wrong with right, unwilling to see his shrine polluted.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
τὸ μὴ δίκαιον τῆς δίκης ἡσσώμενον
ἐξηῦρεν ὁ θεός, οὐ μιανθῆναι θέλων.

[¶6] Chorus:
How so? I do conjure thee, tell us all.

> Greek: Χορός:
πῶς; ἀντιάζω σʼ ἱκέτις ἐξειπεῖν τάδε.

[¶7] For if to die or yet to live be ours,’twere sweeter so, when we know all.

> Greek: πεπυσμέναι γάρ, εἰ θανεῖν ὅμως χρεών,
ἥδιον ἂν θάνοιμεν, εἴθʼ ὁρᾶν φάος.

[¶8] Servant:
Soon as Xuthus, husband of Creusa, had left the god’s prophetic shrine, taking with him his new-found son, to hold the feast and sacrifice that he designed to offer to the gods,
himself departed to the place where leaps the Bacchic flame, with blood of sacrifice to dew the double peaks of Dionysus for the son now offered to his gaze, and thus he spake, “My son, abide thou here, and raise a spacious tent by craftsmen’s toiling skill;”

> Greek: Θεράπων:
ἐπεὶ θεοῦ μαντεῖον ᾤχετʼ ἐκλιπὼν
πόσις Κρεούσης, παῖδα τὸν καινὸν λαβὼν
πρὸς δεῖπνα θυσίας θʼ ἃς θεοῖς ὡπλίζετο,
Ξοῦθος μὲν ᾤχετʼ ἔνθα πῦρ πηδᾷ θεοῦ
βακχεῖον, ὡς σφαγαῖσι Διονύσου πέτρας
δεύσειε δισσὰς παιδὸς ἀντʼ ὀπτηρίων,
λέξας· Σὺ μὲν νῦν, τέκνον, ἀμφήρεις μένων
σκηνὰς ἀνίστη τεκτόνων μοχθήμασι.

[¶9] “and if I remain long time away after I have sacrificed to the gods of thy birth, let the feast be spread for all friends present.”

> Greek: θύσας δὲ Γενέταις Θεοῖσιν ἢν μακρὸν χρόνον
μένω, παροῦσι δαῖτες ἔστωσαν φίλοις.

[¶10] Therewith he took the heifers and went his way. Meantime his stripling son in solemn form set up with upright stays the tent, inclosed but not with walls,
taking good heed to guard it ’gainst the blazing midday sun, nor less against his westering beams, the limit of his course; an oblong space of five score feet he meted out [so that it contained ten thousand feet within that measure’s square, as science phrases it],
intending to invite all Delphi to the feast. Then from the temple-treasury tapestry he took and therewith made a shelter, wondrous sight to see. First o’er the roof-tree he threw a canopy of robes, an offering Heracles, the son of Zeus,
had brought unto the god from his Amazonian spoils. On them was broidered many a pictured scene, to wit, Heaven marshalling his host of stars upon the vaulted sky; there was the sun-god urging on his steeds toward his fiery goal, the bright star of evening at his heels.

> Greek: λαβὼν δὲ μόσχους ᾤχεθʼ· ὁ δὲ νεανίας
σεμνῶς ἀτοίχους περιβολὰς σκηνωμάτων
ὀρθοστάταις ἱδρύεθʼ, ἡλίου βολὰς
καλῶς φυλάξας, οὔτε πρὸς μέσας φλογὸς
ἀκτῖνας, οὔτʼ αὖ πρὸς τελευτώσας βίον,
πλέθρου σταθμήσας μῆκος εἰς εὐγωνίαν,
μέτρημʼ ἔχουσαν τοὐν μέσῳ γε μυρίων
ποδῶν ἀριθμόν, ὡς λέγουσιν οἱ σοφοί,
ὡς πάντα Δελφῶν λαὸν ἐς θοίνην καλῶν.
λαβὼν δʼ ὑφάσμαθʼ ἱερὰ θησαυρῶν πάρα
κατεσκίαζε, θαύματʼ ἀνθρώποις ὁρᾶν.
πρῶτον μὲν ὀρόφῳ πτέρυγα περιβάλλει πέπλων,
ἀνάθημα Δίου παιδός, οὓς Ἡρακλέης
Ἀμαζόνων σκυλεύματʼ ἤνεγκεν θεῷ.
ἐνῆν δʼ ὑφανταὶ γράμμασιν τοιαίδʼ ὑφαί,
Οὐρανὸς ἀθροίζων ἄστρʼ ἐν αἰθέρος κύκλῳ.
ἵππους μὲν ἤλαυνʼ ἐς τελευταίαν φλόγα
Ἥλιος, ἐφέλκων λαμπρὸν Ἑσπέρου φάος·

[¶11] Night too in sable robes went hurrying by, drawn by a single pair, and the stars did bear her company. Across the zenith a Pleiad sailed, and Orion too with falchion dight was there; above was the bear making his tail to turn upon the golden pole.

> Greek: μελάμπεπλος δὲ Νὺξ ἀσείρωτον ζυγοῖς
ὄχημʼ ἔπαλλεν, ἄστρα δʼ ὡμάρτει θεᾷ·
Πλειὰς μὲν ᾔει μεσοπόρου διʼ αἰθέρος
ὅ τε ξιφήρης Ὠρίων, ὕπερθε δὲ
Ἄρκτος στρέφουσʼ οὐραῖα χρυσήρη πόλῳ·

[¶12] Up shot the moon’s full face, that parts the months in twain; there too the Hyades showed their unerring light to mariners; arid Dawn, that brings the morning back, was chasing the stars before her. Next on the sides he hung yet other tapestry;

> Greek: κύκλος δὲ πανσέληνος ἠκόντιζʼ ἄνω
μηνὸς διχήρης, Ὑάδες τε, ναυτίλοις
σαφέστατον σημεῖον, ἥ τε φωσφόρος
Ἕως διώκουσʼ ἄστρα. τοίχοισιν δʼ ἔπι
ἤμπισχεν ἄλλα βαρβάρων ὑφάσματα·

[¶13] barbarian ships bearing down on the fleet of Hellas; and monsters half-man, half-beast; the capture of the Thracian steeds; the hunting of savage stags and lions fierce; while at the entry Cecrops close to his daughters was wreathing his coils, an offering of some Athenian
votary; and in the midst of the banquet-hall he set goblets of gold, while a herald hasted and invited to the feast all citizens who would come. Then, when the tent was full, they decked themselves with garlands and took their fill
of the rich viands. Anon after they had put from them the pleasure of eating came an old man and stood in the midst, where his officious zeal provoked loud laughter among the guests; for he would draw from the drinking-pitchers water to wash the hands withal and
was wasting as incense the liquid myrrh, and in his charge he took the golden beakers, setting himself unasked to this office.

> Greek: εὐηρέτμους ναῦς ἀντίας Ἑλληνίσιν,
καὶ μιξόθηρας φῶτας, ἱππείας τʼ ἄγρας
ἐλάφων, λεόντων τʼ ἀγρίων θηράματα.
κατʼ εἰσόδους δὲ Κέκροπα θυγατέρων πέλας
σπείραισιν εἱλίσσοντʼ, Ἀθηναίων τινὸς
ἀνάθημα· χρυσέους τʼ ἐν μέσῳ συσσιτίῳ
κρατῆρας ἔστησʼ. ἐν δʼ ἄκροισι βὰς ποσὶ
κῆρυξ ἀνεῖπε τὸν θέλοντʼ ἐγχωρίων
ἐς δαῖτα χωρεῖν. ὡς δʼ ἐπληρώθη στέγη,
στεφάνοισι κοσμηθέντες εὐόχθου βορᾶς
ψυχὴν ἐπλήρουν. ὡς δʼ ἀνεῖσαν ἡδονήν,
… παρελθὼν πρέσβυς ἐς μέσον πέδον
ἔστη, γέλων δʼ ἔθηκε συνδείπνοις πολύν,
πρόθυμα πράσσων· ἔκ τε γὰρ κρωσσῶν ὕδωρ
χεροῖν ἔπεμπε νίπτρα, κἀξεθυμία
σμύρνης ἱδρῶτα, χρυσέων τʼ ἐκπωμάτων
ἦρχʼ, αὐτὸς αὑτῷ τόνδε προστάξας πόνον.

[¶14] Now when they were come to the time for the flute-players and the general libation, cried out that aged servitor, “Hence with these tiny cups! bring larger goblets,”
“that our guests may find a quicker route to joyousness.” Thereon came servants bending ’neath the weight of goblets chased with silver and golden chalices; and that old man, as if to do his youthful lord a special service, chose out and offered to him a brimming bumper, when he had cast into the wine
that potent philtre which, men say, his mistress gave to him to end the young man’s days on earth; and no man knew of this; but just as he so lately found held in his hand the drink-offering, the others following suit, some servant there uttered a word of evil import;

> Greek: ἐπεὶ δʼ ἐς αὐλοὺς ἧκον ἐς κρατῆρά τε
κοινόν, γέρων ἔλεξʼ· Ἀφαρπάζειν χρεὼν
οἰνηρὰ τεύχη σμικρά, μεγάλα δʼ ἐσφέρειν,
ὡς θᾶσσον ἔλθωσʼ οἵδʼ ἐς ἡδονὰς φρενῶν.
ἦν δὴ φερόντων μόχθος ἀργυρηλάτους
χρυσέας τε φιάλας· ὃ δὲ λαβὼν ἐξαίρετον,
ὡς τῷ νέῳ δὴ δεσπότῃ χάριν φέρων,
ἔδωκε πλῆρες τεῦχος, εἰς οἶνον βαλὼν
ὅ φασι δοῦναι φάρμακον δραστήριον
δέσποιναν, ὡς παῖς ὁ νέος ἐκλίποι φάος·
κοὐδεὶς τάδʼ ᾔδειν. ἐν χεροῖν ἔχοντι δὲ
σπονδὰς μετʼ ἄλλων παιδὶ τῷ πεφηνότι
βλασφημίαν τις οἰκετῶν ἐφθέγξατο·

[¶15] whereat the stripling, as one who had been reared within the shrine amid reputed seers, deemed this an omen and bade them fill a fresh goblet, but that first drink-offering to the god he poured upon the ground and bade all others do the like. And silence stole upon them;
while we with water and Phoenician wine were filling high the sacred bowls. While thus we were busied, comes a flight of doves and settles in the tent, for these dwell fearlessly in the courts of Loxias. Soon as the guests had poured away the luscious juice, those thirsty birds did dip their beaks therein,
drawing it up into their feathered throats.

> Greek: ὁ δʼ, ὡς ἐν ἱερῷ μάντεσίν τʼ ἐσθλοῖς τραφείς,
οἰωνὸν ἔθετο, κἀκέλευσʼ ἄλλον νέον
κρατῆρα πληροῦν· τὰς δὲ πρὶν σπονδὰς θεοῦ
δίδωσι γαίᾳ, πᾶσί τʼ ἐκσπένδειν λέγει.
σιγὴ δʼ ὑπῆλθεν. ἐκ δʼ ἐπίμπλαμεν δρόσου
κρατῆρας ἱεροὺς Βυβλίνου τε πώματος.
κἀν τῷδε μόχθῳ πτηνὸς ἐσπίπτει δόμοις
κῶμος πελειῶν — Λοξίου γὰρ ἐν δόμοις
ἄτρεστα ναίουσʼ — ὡς δʼ ἀπέσπεισαν μέθυ,
ἐς αὐτὸ χείλη πώματος κεχρημέναι
καθῆκαν, εἷλκον δʼ εὐπτέρους ἐς αὐχένας.

[¶16] Now all the rest received no hurt from the god’s libation, but one that settled on the spot where the son newfound had poured his wine, no sooner had tasted thereof, than convulsions seized her feathered form and she went triad, and screaming aloud uttered
strange unwonted cries; and all the feasters gathered there marvelled to see the bird’s cruel agony, for she lay writhing in the toils of death, and her red claws relaxed their hold.

> Greek: καὶ ταῖς μὲν ἄλλαις ἄνοσος ἦν λοιβὴ θεοῦ·
ἣ δʼ ἕζετʼ ἔνθʼ ὁ καινὸς ἔσπεισεν γόνος,
ποτοῦ τʼ ἐγεύσατʼ, εὐθὺς εὔπτερον δέμας
ἔσεισε κἀβάκχευσεν, ἐκ δʼ ἔκλαγξʼ ὄπα
ἀξύνετον αἰάζουσʼ· ἐθάμβησεν δὲ πᾶς
θοινατόρων ὅμιλος ὄρνιθος πόνους.

[¶17] Forthwith the son, vouchsafed by oracles, bared his arm by casting off his cloak and stretched it out across the board
crying “Who was it strove to slay me? Proclaim it, old sirrah, for thine was the officious zeal and thine the hand from which I took the cup.” With that he caught the grey-beard by the arm and set to searching him that he might take the old man red-handed in the act.

> Greek: θνῄσκει δʼ ἀπασπαίρουσα, φοινικοσκελεῖς
χηλὰς παρεῖσα. γυμνὰ δʼ ἐκ πέπλων μέλη
ὑπὲρ τραπέζης ἧχʼ ὁ μαντευτὸς γόνος,
βοᾷ δέ· Τίς μʼ ἔμελλεν ἀνθρώπων κτενεῖν;
σήμαινε, πρέσβυ· σὴ γὰρ ἡ προθυμία,
καὶ πῶμα χειρὸς σῆς ἐδεξάμην πάρα.
εὐθὺς δʼ ἐρευνᾷ γραῖαν ὠλένην λαβών,
ἐπʼ αὐτοφώρῳ πρέσβυν ὡς ἔχονθʼ ἕλοι.

[¶18] So was he detected, and under strong constraint declared Creusa’s daring deed and all the trick of the poisoned draught. Forth rushed the young man, whom the oracle of Loxias to his sire assigned, taking with him the banqueters, and standing mid the Delphic nobles made harangue,
“O! hallowed soil, a stranger woman, daughter of Erechtheus, seeks to poison me.” And the lords of Delphi decreed by general vote that my mistress should be hurled from the rock to die, because she strove to slay the priest and compass his death in the temple.
So now is the whole city seeking her, who hath to her sorrow sped a hapless journey; for, coming to crave the boon of offspring from Phoebus, she hath lost her life and children too.

> Greek: ὤφθη δὲ καὶ κατεῖπʼ ἀναγκασθεὶς μόγις
τόλμας Κρεούσης πώματός τε μηχανάς.
θεῖ δʼ εὐθὺς ἔξω συλλαβὼν θοινάτορας
ὁ πυθόχρηστος Λοξίου νεανίας,
κἀν κοιράνοισι Πυθικοῖς σταθεὶς λέγει·
Ὦ Γαῖα σεμνή, τῆς Ἐρεχθέως ὕπο,
ξένης γυναικός, φαρμάκοισι θνῄσκομεν.
Δελφῶν δʼ ἄνακτες ὥρισαν πετρορριφῆ
θανεῖν ἐμὴν δέσποιναν οὐ ψήφῳ μιᾷ,
τὸν ἱερὸν ὡς κτείνουσαν ἔν τʼ ἀνακτόροις
φόνον τιθεῖσαν. πᾶσα δὲ ζητεῖ πόλις
τὴν ἀθλίως σπεύσασαν ἀθλίαν ὁδόν·
παίδων γὰρ ἐλθοῦσʼ εἰς ἔρον Φοίβου πάρα,
τὸ σῶμα κοινῇ τοῖς τέκνοις ἀπώλεσεν.

[¶19] Chorus:
Ah me! I see no way at all to turn death’s
hand aside; all, all, ere this, is brought to light owing to that fatal draught of the wine-god’s juice mixed for death with drops of viper’s gore, quick to slay;
detected is our offering to the dead; for me my life must end in woe, while death by stoning waits my mistress. How can I escape? Shall I take wings and fly away, or creep beneath the darksome caverns of the earth,
striving to shun the doom of death by stoning? or shall I mount the car drawn by swiftest steeds, or embark upon a ship?

> Greek: Χορός:
οὐκ ἔστʼ οὐκ ἔστιν θανάτου
παρατροπὰ μελέᾳ μοι·
φανερὰ [γὰρ] φανερὰ τάδʼ ἤδη,
σπονδᾶς ἐκ Διονύσου,
βοτρύων θοᾶς ἐχίδνας
σταγόσι μειγνυμένας φόνῳ …
φανερὰ θύματα νερτέρων,
συμφοραὶ μὲν ἐμῷ βίῳ,
λεύσιμοι δὲ καταφθοραὶ δεσποίνᾳ.
τίνα φυγὰν πτερόεσσαν ἢ
χθονὸς ὑπὸ σκοτίων μυχῶν πορευθῶ,
θανάτου λεύσιμον ἄταν
ἀποφεύγουσα, τεθρίππων
ὠκιστᾶν χαλᾶν ἐπιβᾶσʼ,
ἢ πρύμνας ἐπὶ ναῶν;

[¶20] Chorus:
No man may hide his guilt, save when some
god of his own will steals him away. Ah! my poor mistress! what suffering now awaits thy soul? Must then our wish to work another harm end in our own discomfiture, as justice doth decree?

> Greek: Χορός:
οὐκ ἔστι λαθεῖν, ὅτε μὴ χρῄζων
θεὸς ἐκκλέπτει.
τί ποτʼ, ὦ μελέα δέσποινα, μένει
ψυχῇ σε παθεῖν; ἆρα θέλουσαι
δρᾶσαί τι κακὸν τοὺς πέλας αὐταὶ
πεισόμεθʼ, ὥσπερ τὸ δίκαιον;

[¶21] Creusa:
My trusty maids, the men of death are on my track; the vote of Delphi goes against me; they give me up to die.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
πρόσπολοι, διωκόμεσθα θανασίμους ἐπὶ σφαγάς,
Πυθίᾳ ψήφῳ κρατηθεῖσʼ, ἔκδοτος δὲ γίγνομαι.

[¶22] Chorus:
Unhappy one! we know thy sad mischance, how thou art placed.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἴσμεν, ὦ τάλαινα, τὰς σὰς συμφοράς, ἵνʼ εἶ τύχης.

[¶23] Creusa:
Oh! whither can I fly? for scarce had I the start of my pursuers from the house in my race for life;’tis by stealth alone that I have thus far escaped my foes.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ποῖ φύγω δῆτʼ; ἐκ γὰρ οἴκων προύλαβον μόγις πόδα
μὴ θανεῖν, κλοπῇ δʼ ἀφῖγμαι διαφυγοῦσα πολεμίους.

[¶24] Chorus:
Where shouldst thou fly except to the altar?

> Greek: Χορός:
ποῖ δʼ ἂν ἄλλοσʼ ἢ ʼπὶ βωμόν;

[¶25] Creusa:
What good is that to me?

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
καὶ τί μοι πλέον τόδε;

[¶26] Chorus:
To slay a suppliant is forbidden.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἱκέτιν οὐ θέμις φονεύειν.

[¶27] Creusa:
Aye, but the law has given me over to death.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
τῷ νόμῳ δέ γʼ ὄλλυμαι.

[¶28] Chorus:
Only if thou fall into their hands.

> Greek: Χορός:
χειρία γʼ ἁλοῦσα.

[¶29] Creusa:
Look! here they come, cruel champions of vengeance, eagerly brandishing their swords.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
καὶ μὴν οἵδʼ ἀγωνισταὶ πικροὶ
δεῦρʼ ἐπείγονται ξιφήρεις.

[¶30] Chorus:
Sit thee down upon the altar of burnt-offering! for if thou art slain there, thou wilt fix
upon thy murderers the stain of bloodguiltiness; but we must bear our fortune.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἵζε νυν πυρᾶς ἔπι.
κἂν θάνῃς γὰρ ἐνθάδʼ οὖσα, τοῖς ἀποκτείνασί σε
προστρόπαιον αἷμα θήσεις· οἰστέον δὲ τὴν τύχην.

[¶31] Ion:
O father Cephissus, with the bull-shaped head, what a viper is this thy child, or dragon with fiery eyes that dart a murderous gleam, in whose heart is throned incarnate daring,
noxious as those Gorgon drops of venom wherewith she sought to compass my death. Seize her, that the peaks of Parnassus may card the flowing tresses of her hair, for thence shall she be hurled headlong amid the rocks. My lucky star hath kept me
from going to Athens, there to fall beneath the power of a step-mother. For I have gauged thy feelings towards me—the full extent of thy bitter hostility—whilst yet amongst my friends; for hadst thou once shut me tip within thy house, my road to Hades’ halls had led direct from thence.

> Greek: Ἴων:
ὦ ταυρόμορφον ὄμμα Κηφισοῦ πατρός,
οἵαν ἔχιδναν τήνδʼ ἔφυσας ἢ πυρὸς
δράκοντʼ ἀναβλέποντα φοινίαν φλόγα,
ᾗ τόλμα πᾶσʼ ἔνεστιν, οὐδʼ ἥσσων ἔφυ
Γοργοῦς σταλαγμῶν, οἷς ἔμελλέ με κτενεῖν.
λάζυσθʼ, ἵνʼ αὐτῆς τοὺς ἀκηράτους πλόκους
κόμης καταξήνωσι Παρνασοῦ πλάκες,
ὅθεν πετραῖον ἅλμα δισκηθήσεται.
ἐσθλοῦ δʼ ἔκυρσα δαίμονος, πρὶν ἐς πόλιν
μολεῖν Ἀθηνῶν χὑπὸ μητρυιὰν πεσεῖν.
ἐν συμμάχοις γὰρ ἀνεμετρησάμην φρένας
τὰς σάς, ὅσον μοι πῆμα δυσμενής τʼ ἔφυς·
ἔσω γὰρ ἄν με περιβαλοῦσα δωμάτων
ἄρδην ἂν ἐξέπεμψας εἰς Ἅιδου δόμους.

[¶32] This altar shall not save thee, nor yet Apollo’s courts, for that pity thou implorest cries out more loudly for me and my mother, who, though absent in the flesh, is never in name far from me.
Behold this cursed woman, see the web of trickery she hath woven! yet comes she cowering to Apollo’s altar, thinking to escape the punishment of her misdeeds.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ οὔτε βωμὸς οὔτʼ Ἀπόλλωνος δόμος
σώσει σʼ· ὁ δʼ οἶκτος ὁ σὸς ἐμοὶ κρείσσων πάρα
καὶ μητρὶ τἠμῇ· καὶ γὰρ εἰ τὸ σῶμά μοι
ἄπεστιν αὐτῆς, τοὔνομʼ οὐκ ἄπεστί πω.
ἴδεσθε τὴν πανοῦργον, ἐκ τέχνης τέχνην
οἵαν ἔπλεξε· βωμὸν ἔπτηξεν θεοῦ,
ὡς οὐ δίκην δώσουσα τῶν εἰργασμένων.

[¶33] Creusa:
I warn thee not to slay me, both in my own name and in his at whose altar I am stationed.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἀπεννέπω σε μὴ κατακτείνειν ἐμὲ
ὑπέρ τʼ ἐμαυτῆς τοῦ θεοῦ θʼ ἵνʼ ἕσταμεν.

[¶34] Ion:
What hast thou to do with Phoebus?

> Greek: Ἴων:
τί δʼ ἐστὶ Φοίβῳ σοί τε κοινὸν ἐν μέσῳ;

[¶35] Creusa:
This body I devote unto that god to keep.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἱερὸν τὸ σῶμα τῷ θεῷ δίδωμʼ ἔχειν.

[¶36] Ion:
And yet thou wert for poisoning his minister?

> Greek: Ἴων:
κἄπειτʼ ἔκαινες φαρμάκοις τὸν τοῦ θεοῦ;

[¶37] Creusa:
But thou wert not Apollo’s any longer, but thy father’s.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἀλλʼ οὐκέτʼ ἦσθα Λοξίου, πατρὸς δὲ σοῦ.

[¶38] Ion:
Nay, I was his son, that is, in absence of a real father.

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἀλλʼ ἐγενόμεσθα πατρός· οὐσίαν λέγω.

[¶39] Creusa:
Thou wert so then; now ’tis I, not thou, who am Apollo’s.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
οὐκοῦν τότʼ ἦσθα· νῦν δʼ ἐγώ, σὺ δʼ οὐκέτι.

[¶40] Ion:
Well, thou art not guiltless now, whereas I was then.

> Greek: Ἴων:
οὐκ εὐσεβεῖς γε· τἀμὰ δʼ εὐσεβῆ τότʼ ἦν.

[¶41] Creusa:
I sought to slay thee as an enemy to my house.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἔκτεινά σʼ ὄντα πολέμιον δόμοις ἐμοῖς.

[¶42] Ion:
And yet I never invaded thy country, sword in hand.

> Greek: Ἴων:
οὔτοι σὺν ὅπλοις ἦλθον ἐς τὴν σὴν χθόνα.

[¶43] Creusa:
Thou didst; and thou it was that wert casting a firebrand into the halls of Erechtheus.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
μάλιστα· κἀπίμπρης γʼ Ἐρεχθέως δόμους.

[¶44] Ion:
What sort of brand or flaming fire was it?

> Greek: Ἴων:
ποίοισι πανοῖς ἢ πυρὸς ποίᾳ φλογί;

[¶45] Creusa:
Thou didst design to seize my home against my will, and make it thine.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἔμελλες οἰκεῖν τἄμʼ, ἐμοῦ βίᾳ λαβών.

[¶46] Ion:
What! when my father offered me a kingdom of his getting.

> Greek: Ἴων:
πατρός γε γῆν διδόντος ἣν ἐκτήσατο.

[¶47] Creusa:
How had the sons of Aeolus any share in the realm of Pallas?

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
τοῖς Αἰόλου δὲ πῶς μετῆν τῶν Παλλάδος;

[¶48] Ion:
Arms, not words, he brought to champion it.

> Greek: Ἴων:
ὅπλοισιν αὐτήν, οὐ λόγοις ἐρρύσατο.

[¶49] Creusa:
No mere ally could enter into an inheritance in my land.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἐπίκουρος οἰκήτωρ γʼ ἂν οὐκ εἴη χθονός.

[¶50] Ion:
And was it then from fear of consequences that thou didst try to slay me?

> Greek: Ἴων:
κἄπειτα τοῦ μέλλειν μʼ ἀπέκτεινες φόβῳ;

[¶51] Creusa:
Yes, lest I should myself perish if thou wert spared.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ὡς μὴ θάνοιμί γʼ, εἰ σὺ μὴ μέλλων τύχοις.

[¶52] Ion:
Doth thy childlessness make thee envious that my father found me?

> Greek: Ἴων:
φθονεῖς ἄπαις οὖσʼ, εἰ πατὴρ ἐξηῦρέ με.

[¶53] Creusa:
And thou, wilt thou rob the childless of her home?

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
σὺ τῶν ἀτέκνων δῆτʼ ἀναρπάσεις δόμους;

[¶54] Ion:
Had I then no share at all in my father’s heritage?

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἡμῖν δέ γʼ ἀλλὰ πατρικῆς οὐκ ἦν μέρος;

[¶55] Creusa:
All that his sword and shield had won was thine, and thine alone.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ὅσʼ ἀσπὶς ἔγχος θʼ· ἥδε σοι παμπησία.

[¶56] Ion:
Quit the altar and sanctuary built for gods.

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἔκλειπε βωμὸν καὶ θεηλάτους ἕδρας.

[¶57] Creusa:
Go bid thy own mother, wherever she is, do that.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
τὴν σὴν ὅπου σοι μητέρʼ ἐστὶ νουθέτει.

[¶58] Ion:
Shalt thou escape all punishment, after trying to kill me?

> Greek: Ἴων:
σὺ δʼ οὐχ ὑφέξεις ζημίαν, κτείνουσʼ ἐμέ;

[¶59] Creusa:
Not if thou choose to butcher me within this shrine.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἤν γʼ ἐντὸς ἀδύτων τῶνδέ με σφάξαι θέλῃς.

[¶60] Ion:
What joy can it give thee to be slain amid the sacred wreaths?

> Greek: Ἴων:
τίς ἡδονή σοι θεοῦ θανεῖν ἐν στέμμασι;

[¶61] Creusa:
There is one whom I shall grieve of those who have grieved me.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
λυπήσομέν τινʼ, ὧν λελυπήμεσθʼ ὕπο.

[¶62] Ion:
Oh!’tis passing strange how badly the deity hath enacted laws for mortal men, contrary to all sound judgment; for instance, they should ne’er have suffered impious men to sit at their altars,
but should have driven them away; for it was nowise right that hands unclean should touch the altars of the gods, though the righteous deserved to find a refuge there from their oppressors, instead of good and bad alike having recourse to the same divine protection with equal success.

> Greek: Ἴων:
φεῦ.
δεινόν γε, θνητοῖς τοὺς νόμους ὡς οὐ καλῶς
ἔθηκεν ὁ θεὸς οὐδʼ ἀπὸ γνώμης σοφῆς·
τοὺς μὲν γὰρ ἀδίκους βωμὸν οὐχ ἵζειν ἐχρῆν,
ἀλλʼ ἐξελαύνειν· οὐδὲ γὰρ ψαύειν καλὸν
θεῶν πονηρὰν χεῖρα· τοῖσι δʼ ἐνδίκοις —
ἱερὰ καθίζειν, ὅστις ἠδικεῖτʼ, ἐχρῆν·
καὶ μὴ ʼπὶ ταὐτὸ τοῦτʼ ἰόντʼ ἔχειν ἴσον
τόν τʼ ἐσθλὸν ὄντα τόν τε μὴ θεῶν πάρα.

[¶63] Pythian Priestess:
Refrain thyself, my son; for I, the priestess of Phoebus, chosen from all the maids of Delphi in accordance with the tripod’s ancient rite, have left that prophetic seat, and am passing o’er this threshold.

> Greek: Προφῆτις:
ἐπίσχες, ὦ παῖ· τρίποδα γὰρ χρηστήριον
λιποῦσα θριγκοῦ τοῦδʼ ὑπερβάλλω πόδα
Φοίβου προφῆτις, τρίποδος ἀρχαῖον νόμον
σῴζουσα, πασῶν Δελφίδων ἐξαίρετος.

[¶64] Ion:
Hail to thee, dear mother mine,—mother, though thou didst not give me birth.

> Greek: Ἴων:
χαῖρʼ, ὦ φίλη μοι μῆτερ, οὐ τεκοῦσά περ.

[¶65] Pythian Priestess:
Yes, so have I ever been called, and the title causes me no regret.

> Greek: Προφῆτις:
ἀλλʼ οὖν λεγώμεθʼ· ἡ φάτις δʼ οὔ μοι πικρά.

[¶66] Ion:
Hast heard how this woman plotted my death?

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἤκουσας ὥς μʼ ἔκτεινεν ἥδε μηχαναῖς;

[¶67] Pythian Priestess:
I have; thou, too, art wrong because of thy harshness.

> Greek: Προφῆτις:
ἤκουσα· καὶ σὺ δʼ ὠμὸς ὢν ἁμαρτάνεις.

[¶68] Ion:
Am I not to pay back murderers in their coin?

> Greek: Ἴων:
οὐ χρή με τοὺς κτείνοντας ἀνταπολλύναι;

[¶69] Pythian Priestess:
Wives ever hate the children of a former marriage.

> Greek: Προφῆτις:
προγονοῖς δάμαρτες δυσμενεῖς ἀεί ποτε.

[¶70] Ion:
As I hate step-dames for their evil treatment of me.

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἡμεῖς δὲ μητρυιαῖς γε πάσχοντες κακῶς.

[¶71] Pythian Priestess:
Do not so; but leaving, as thou art, the shrine, and setting forth for thy country—

> Greek: Προφῆτις:
μὴ ταῦτα· λείπων ἱερὰ καὶ στείχων πάτραν …

[¶72] Ion:
What then wouldst thou advise me do?

> Greek: Ἴων:
τί δή με δρᾶσαι νουθετούμενον χρεών;

[¶73] Pythian Priestess:
With clean hands seek Athens, attended by good omens.

> Greek: Προφῆτις:
καθαρὸς Ἀθήνας ἔλθʼ ὑπʼ οἰωνῶν καλῶν.

[¶74] Ion:
Surely any man hath clean hands who slays his enemies.

> Greek: Ἴων:
καθαρὸς ἅπας τοι πολεμίους ὃς ἂν κτάνῃ.

[¶75] Pythian Priestess:
Do not thou do this; but take the counsel that I have for thee.

> Greek: Προφῆτις:
μὴ σύ γε· παρʼ ἡμῶν δʼ ἔκλαβʼ οὓς ἔχω λόγους.

[¶76] Ion:
Say on; whate’er thou say’st will be prompted by thy good will.

> Greek: Ἴων:
λέγοις ἄν· εὔνους δʼ οὖσʼ ἐρεῖς ὅσʼ ἂν λέγῃς.

[¶77] Pythian Priestess:
Dost see this basket that I carry in my arms?

> Greek: Προφῆτις:
ὁρᾷς τόδʼ ἄγγος χερὸς ὑπʼ ἀγκάλαις ἐμαῖς;

[¶78] Ion:
An ancient ark with chaplets crowned.

> Greek: Ἴων:
ὁρῶ παλαιὰν ἀντίπηγʼ ἐν στέμμασιν.

[¶79] Pythian Priestess:
Herein I found thee long ago, a newborn babe.

> Greek: Προφῆτις:
ἐν τῇδέ σʼ ἔλαβον νεόγονον βρέφος ποτέ.

[¶80] Ion:
What sayest thou? there is novelty in the story thou art introducing.

> Greek: Ἴων:
τί φῄς; ὁ μῦθος εἰσενήνεκται νέος.

[¶81] Pythian Priestess:
Yea, for I was keeping these relics a secret, but now I show them.

> Greek: Προφῆτις:
σιγῇ γὰρ εἶχον αὐτά· νῦν δὲ δείκνυμεν.

[¶82] Ion:
How earnest thou to hide them on that day, now long ago, when thou didst find me?

> Greek: Ἴων:
πῶς οὖν ἔκρυπτες τόδε λαβοῦσʼ ἡμᾶς πάλαι;

[¶83] Pythian Priestess:
The god wished to have thee as his servant in his courts.

> Greek: Προφῆτις:
ὁ θεός σʼ ἐβούλετʼ ἐν δόμοις ἔχειν λάτριν.

[¶84] Ion:
Does he no longer wish it? How am I to know this?

> Greek: Ἴων:
νῦν δʼ οὐχὶ χρῄζει; τῷ τόδε γνῶναί με χρή;

[¶85] Pythian Priestess:
By declaring to thee thy sire, he dismisses thee from this land.

> Greek: Προφῆτις:
πατέρα κατειπὼν τῆσδέ σʼ ἐκπέμπει χθονός.

[¶86] Ion:
Is it by his command thou keepest these relics, or why?

> Greek: Ἴων:
σὺ δʼ ἐκ κελευσμῶν ἢ πόθεν σῴζεις τάδε;

[¶87] Pythian Priestess:
Loxias put in my heart that day—

> Greek: Προφῆτις:
ἐνθύμιόν μοι τότε τίθησι Λοξίας …

[¶88] Ion:
What purpose? Oh! speak, finish thy story.

> Greek: Ἴων:
τί χρῆμα δρᾶσαι; λέγε, πέραινε σοὺς λόγους.

[¶89] Pythian Priestess:
To preserve what I had found until the present time.

> Greek: Προφῆτις:
σῶσαι τόδʼ εὕρημʼ ἐς τὸν ὄντα νῦν χρόνον.

[¶90] Ion:
What weal or woe doth this import to me?

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἔχει δέ μοι τί κέρδος … ἢ τίνα βλάβην;

[¶91] Pythian Priestess:
Herein were laid the swaddling-clothes in which thou wert enwrapped.

> Greek: Προφῆτις:
ἐνθάδε κέκρυπται σπάργανʼ οἷς ἐνῆσθα σύ.

[¶92] Ion:
These relics thou art producing may help me to find my mother.

> Greek: Ἴων:
μητρὸς τάδʼ ἡμῖν ἐκφέρεις ζητήματα;

[¶93] Pythian Priestess:
Yes, for now the deity so wills it, though not before.

> Greek: Προφῆτις:
ἐπεί γʼ ὁ δαίμων βούλεται· πάροιθε δʼ οὔ.

[¶94] Ion:
Hail! thou day of visions blest to me!

> Greek: Ἴων:
ὦ μακαρίων μοι φασμάτων ἥδʼ ἡμέρα.

[¶95] Pythian Priestess:
Take then the relics and seek thy mother diligently.

> Greek: Προφῆτις:
λαβών νυν αὐτὰ τὴν τεκοῦσαν ἐκπόνει.

[¶96] And when thou hast traversed Asia and the bounds of Europe,
thou wilt learn this for thyself; for the god’s sake I reared thee, my child, and now to thee do I entrust these relics, which he willed that I should take
into my safe keeping, without being bidden; why he willed it I cannot tell thee. For no living soul wist that I had them in my possession, nor yet their hiding-place. And now farewell! as a mother might her child, so I greet thee. The starting-point of thy inquiry for thy mother must be this;

> Greek: Ἴων:
πᾶσάν γʼ ἐπελθὼν Ἀσιάδʼ Εὐρώπης θʼ ὅρους.
Προφῆτις:
γνώσῃ τάδʼ αὐτός. τοῦ θεοῦ δʼ ἕκατί σε
ἔθρεψά τʼ, ὦ παῖ, καὶ τάδʼ ἀποδίδωμί σοι,
ἃ κεῖνος ἀκέλευστόν μʼ ἐβουλήθη λαβεῖν
σῶσαί θʼ· ὅτου δʼ ἐβούλεθʼ οὕνεκʼ, οὐκ ἔχω [λέγειν].
ᾔδει δὲ θνητῶν οὔτις ἀνθρώπων τάδε
ἔχοντας ἡμᾶς, οὐδʼ ἵνʼ ἦν κεκρυμμένα.
καὶ χαῖρʼ· ἴσον γάρ σʼ ὡς τεκοῦσʼ ἀσπάζομαι.
ἄρξαι δʼ ὅθεν σὴν μητέρα ζητεῖν σε χρή·

[¶97] first, was it a Delphian maid that gave birth to thee, and exposed thee in this temple; next, was it a daughter of Hellas at all? That is all that I and Phoebus, who shares in thy lot, can do for thee. [Exit Pythian Priestess.

> Greek: πρῶτον μὲν εἴ τις Δελφίδων τεκοῦσά σε
ἐς τούσδε ναοὺς ἐξέθηκε παρθένος,
ἔπειτα δʼ εἴ τις Ἑλλάς. — ἐξ ἡμῶν δʼ ἔχεις
ἅπαντα Φοίβου θʼ, ὃς μετέσχε τῆς τύχης.

[¶98] Ion:
Ah me! the tears stream from my eyes
when I think of the day my mother bore me, as the fruit of her secret love, only to smuggle her babe away privily, without suckling it; nameless I led a servant’s life in the courts of the god. His service truly was kindly, yet was my fortune
heavy; for just when I ought to have lain softly in a mother’s arms, tasting somewhat of the joys of life, was I deprived of a fond mother’s fostering care. Nor less is she a prey to sorrow that bare me, seeing she hath suffered the self-same pang in losing all the joy a son might bring.

> Greek: Ἴων:
φεῦ φεῦ· κατʼ ὄσσων ὡς ὑγρὸν βάλλω δάκρυ,
ἐκεῖσε τὸν νοῦν δούς, ὅθʼ ἡ τεκοῦσά με
κρυφαῖα νυμφευθεῖσʼ ἀπημπόλα λάθρα
καὶ μαστὸν οὐκ ὑπέσχεν· ἀλλʼ ἀνώνυμος
ἐν θεοῦ μελάθροις εἶχον οἰκέτην βίον.
τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ μὲν χρηστά, τοῦ δὲ δαίμονος
βαρέα· χρόνον γὰρ ὅν με χρῆν ἐν ἀγκάλαις
μητρὸς τρυφῆσαι καί τι τερφθῆναι βίου,
ἀπεστερήθην φιλτάτης μητρὸς τροφῆς.
τλήμων δὲ χἡ τεκοῦσά μʼ· ὡς ταὐτὸν πάθος
πέπονθε, παιδὸς ἀπολέσασα χαρμονάς.

[¶99] Now will I take and bear this ark unto the god as an offering, that herein I may discover naught that I would rather not. For if haply my mother proves to be some slave-girl,’twere worse to find her out than let her rest in silence. O! Phoebus, to thy temple do I dedicate this ark.
Yet why? this is to war against the god’s intention, who saved these tokens of my mother for my sake. I must undo the lid and bear the worst. For that which fate ordains, I may ne’er o’erstep. O! hallowed wreaths and fastenings,
that have kept so safe these relics dear to me; why, ah! why were ye hidden from me? Behold the covering of this rounded ark! No signs of age are here, owing to some miracle; decay hath not touched these chaplets; and yet ’tis long enough since these were stored away.

> Greek: καὶ νῦν λαβὼν τήνδʼ ἀντίπηγʼ οἴσω θεῷ
ἀνάθημʼ, ἵνʼ εὕρω μηδὲν ὧν οὐ βούλομαι.
εἰ γάρ με δούλη τυγχάνει τεκοῦσά τις,
εὑρεῖν κάκιον μητέρʼ ἢ σιγῶντʼ ἐᾶν.
ὦ Φοῖβε, ναοῖς ἀνατίθημι τήνδε σοῖς …
καίτοι τί πάσχω; τοῦ θεοῦ προθυμίᾳ
πολεμῶ, τὰ μητρὸς σύμβολʼ ὃς σέσωκέ μοι.
ἀνοικτέον τάδʼ ἐστὶ καὶ τολμητέον·
τὰ γὰρ πεπρωμένʼ οὐχ ὑπερβαίην ποτʼ ἄν.
ὦ στέμμαθʼ ἱερά, τί ποτέ μοι κεκεύθατε,
καὶ σύνδεθʼ, οἷσι τἄμʼ ἐφρουρήθη φίλα;
ἰδοὺ περίπτυγμʼ ἀντίπηγος εὐκύκλου
ὡς οὐ γεγήρακʼ ἔκ τινος θεηλάτου,
εὐρώς τʼ ἄπεστι πλεγμάτων· ὁ δʼ ἐν μέσῳ
χρόνος πολὺς δὴ τοῖσδε θησαυρίσμασιν.

[¶100] Creusa:
Ha! what unlooked-for sight is here?

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
τί δῆτα φάσμα τῶν ἀνελπίστων ὁρῶ;

[¶101] Ion:
Peace, woman! now, as erst, thou art my enemy.

> Greek: Ἴων:
σίγα σύ· πολλὰ καὶ πάροιθεν οἶσθά μοι …

[¶102] Creusa:
Silence is not for me. Bid me not be still; for lo! I see the ark wherein I did expose thee, my child, in days gone by, whilst yet a tender babe [in the cavern of]
[Cecrops,’neath the rocky roof of Macrae]. So now will I leave this altar, though death await me.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
οὐκ ἐν σιωπῇ τἀμά· μή με νουθέτει.
ὁρῶ γὰρ ἄγγος οὗ ʼξέθηκʼ ἐγώ ποτε …
σέ γʼ, ὦ τέκνον μοι, βρέφος ἔτʼ ὄντα νήπιον,
Κέκροπος ἐς ἄντρα καὶ Μακρὰς πετρηρεφεῖς.
λείψω δὲ βωμὸν τόνδε, κεἰ θανεῖν με χρή.

[¶103] Ion:
Seize her; she is mad, springing thus from the shelter of the carved altar. Bind her arms.

> Greek: Ἴων:
λάζυσθε τήνδε· θεομανὴς γὰρ ἥλατο
βωμοῦ λιποῦσα ξόανα· δεῖτε δʼ ὠλένας.

[¶104] Creusa:
Kill! spare not! for I to thee will cleave,
and to this ark, and all that is within it.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
σφάζοντες οὐ λήγοιτʼ ἄν· ὡς ἀνθέξομαι
καὶ τῆσδε καὶ σοῦ τῶν τε σῶν κεκρυμμένων.

[¶105] Ion:
Is not this monstrous? here am I laid claim to on a specious pretext.

> Greek: Ἴων:
τάδʼ οὐχὶ δεινά; ῥυσιάζομαι λόγῳ.

[¶106] Creusa:
Nay, nay, but as a friend art thou by friends now found.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
οὔκ, ἀλλὰ σοῖς φίλοισιν εὑρίσκῃ φίλος.

[¶107] Ion:
I a friend of thine! and wouldst thou, then, have slain me privily?

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἐγὼ φίλος σός; κᾆτά μʼ ἔκτεινες λάθρα;

[¶108] Creusa:
Thou art my child, if that is what a parent holds most dear.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
παῖς γʼ, εἰ τόδʼ ἐστὶ τοῖς τεκοῦσι φίλτατον.

[¶109] Ion:
An end to thy web of falsehood! Right well will I convict thee.

> Greek: Ἴων:
παῦσαι πλέκουσα. — λήψομαί σʼ ἐγὼ καλῶς.

[¶110] Creusa:
My child, that is my aim; God grant I reach it!

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἐς τοῦθʼ ἱκοίμην, τοῦδε τοξεύω, τέκνον.

[¶111] Ion:
Is this ark empty, or hath it aught within?

> Greek: Ἴων:
κενὸν τόδʼ ἄγγος ἢ στέγει πλήρωμά τι;

[¶112] Creusa:
Thy raiment wherein I exposed thee long ago.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
σά γʼ ἔνδυθʼ, οἷσί σʼ ἐξέθηκʼ ἐγώ ποτε.

[¶113] Ion:
Wilt put a name thereto before thou see it?

> Greek: Ἴων:
καὶ τοὔνομʼ αὐτῶν ἐξερεῖς πρὶν εἰσιδεῖν;

[¶114] Creusa:
Unless I describe it, I offer to die.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
κἂν μὴ φράσω γε, κατθανεῖν ὑφίσταμαι.

[¶115] Ion:
Say on; there is something strange in this thy confidence.

> Greek: Ἴων:
λέγʼ· ὡς ἔχει τι δεινὸν ἥ γε τόλμα σου.

[¶116] Creusa:
Behold the robe my childish fingers wove.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
σκέψασθʼ· ὃ παῖς ποτʼ οὖσʼ ὕφασμʼ ὕφηνʼ ἐγὼ …

[¶117] Ion:
Describe it; maidens weave many a pattern.

> Greek: Ἴων:
ποῖόν τι; πολλὰ παρθένων ὑφάσματα.

[¶118] Creusa:’Tis not perfect, but a first lesson, as it were, in weaving.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
οὐ τέλεον, οἷον δʼ ἐκδίδαγμα κερκίδος.

[¶119] Ion:
Describe its form; thou shalt not catch me thus.

> Greek: Ἴων:
μορφὴν ἔχον τίνʼ; ὥς με μὴ ταύτῃ λάβῃς.

[¶120] Creusa:
A Gorgon figures in the centre of the warp.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
Γοργὼ μὲν ἐν μέσοισιν ἠτρίοις πέπλων.

[¶121] Ion:
Great Zeus! what fate is this that dogs my steps?

> Greek: Ἴων:
ὦ Ζεῦ, τίς ἡμᾶς ἐκκυνηγετεῖ πότμος;

[¶122] Creusa:’Tis fringed with snakes like an aegis.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
κεκρασπέδωται δʼ ὄφεσιν αἰγίδος τρόπον.

[¶123] Ion:
Lo!’tis the very robe; how true we find the voice of God!

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἰδού·
τόδʼ ἔσθʼ ὕφασμα, θέσφαθʼ ὡς εὑρίσκομεν.

[¶124] Creusa:
Ah! woven work that erst my virgin shuttle wrought.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ὦ χρόνιον ἱστῶν παρθένευμα τῶν ἐμῶν.

[¶125] Ion:
Is there aught beside, or stays thy lucky guessing here?

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἔστιν τι πρὸς τῷδʼ, ἢ μόνῳ τῷδʼ εὐτυχεῖς;

[¶126] Creusa:
There be serpents, too, with jaws of gold, an old-world symbol.
Ion:
Is that Athena’s gift, bidding her race grow up under their guardianship?
Creusa:
Yes, to copy our ancestor Erichthonius.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
δράκοντες· ἀρχαῖόν τι παγχρύσῳ γένει
δώρημʼ Ἀθάνας, ἣ τέκνʼ ἐντρέφειν λέγει … …
Ἐριχθονίου γε τοῦ πάλαι μιμήματα.

[¶127] Ion:
What is their object? what the use of these golden gauds? pray, tell.

> Greek: Ἴων:
τί δρᾶν, τί χρῆσθαι, φράζε μοι, χρυσώματι;

[¶128] Creusa:
Necklaces for the new-born babe to wear, my child.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
δέραια παιδὶ νεογόνῳ φέρειν, τέκνον.

[¶129] Ion:
Lo! here they lie. Yet would I know the third sign.

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἔνεισιν οἵδε· τὸ δὲ τρίτον ποθῶ μαθεῖν.

[¶130] Creusa:
About thy brow I bound an olive-wreath that day, plucked from the tree Athena first made grow on her own rock.
If haply that is there, it hath not lost its verdure yet, but still is fresh, for it came from the stock that grows not old.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
στέφανον ἐλαίας ἀμφέθηκά σοι τότε,
ἣν πρῶτʼ Ἀθάνα σκόπελον εἰσηνέγκατο,
ὅς, εἴπερ ἔστιν, οὔποτʼ ἐκλείπει χλόην,
θάλλει δʼ, ἐλαίας ἐξ ἀκηράτου γεγώς.

[¶131] Ion:
Mother, dearest mother, with what rapture I behold thee, as on thy cheeks, that share my joy, I press my lips!

> Greek: Ἴων:
ὦ φιλτάτη μοι μῆτερ, ἄσμενός σʼ ἰδὼν
πρὸς ἀσμένας πέπτωκα σὰς παρηίδας.

[¶132] Creusa:
My son, light that in thy mother’s eye outshinest yonder sun,—
I know the god will pardon me,—in my arms I hold thee, whom I never hoped to find, for I thought thy home was in that nether world, among the ghosts with Queen Persephone.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ὦ τέκνον, ὦ φῶς μητρὶ κρεῖσσον ἡλίου —
συγγνώσεται γὰρ ὁ θεός — ἐν χεροῖν σʼ ἔχω,
ἄελπτον εὕρημʼ, ὃν κατὰ γᾶς ἐνέρων
χθόνιον μετὰ Περσεφόνας τʼ ἐδόκουν ναίειν.

[¶133] Ion:
Ah, dear mother mine! within thy arms I rest, the dead now brought to light, and dead no more.

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἀλλʼ, ὦ φίλη μοι μῆτερ, ἐν χεροῖν σέθεν
ὁ κατθανών τε κοὐ θανὼν φαντάζομαι.

[¶134] Creusa:
Hail, thou broad expanse of bright blue sky! What words can I find to utter my joy aloud? Whence comes to me such unexpected rapture? To what do I owe this bliss?

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἰὼ ἰώ, λαμπρᾶς αἰθέρος ἀμπτυχαί,
τίνʼ αὐδὰν ἀύσω,
βοάσω; πόθεν μοι
συνέκυρσʼ ἀδόκητος ἡδονά; πόθεν
ἐλάβομεν χαράν;

[¶135] Ion:
This is the last thing that ever would have occurred to me, mother, that I was thy child.

> Greek: Ἴων:
ἐμοὶ γενέσθαι πάντα μᾶλλον ἄν ποτε,
μῆτερ, παρέστη τῶνδʼ, ὅπως σός εἰμʼ ἐγώ.

[¶136] Creusa:
With fear I tremble still.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἔτι φόβῳ τρέμω.

[¶137] Ion:
Dost thou doubt my reality?

> Greek: Ἴων:
μῶν οὐκ ἔχειν μʼ ἔχουσα;

[¶138] Creusa:
Far from me had I banished these hopes. Whence, O whence, lady, didst thou take my babe
into thy arms? Who carried him to the courts of Loxias?

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
τὰς γὰρ ἐλπίδας
ἀπέβαλον πρόσω.
ἰὼ γύναι, πόθεν πόθεν ἔλαβες ἐμὸν
βρέφος ἐς ἀγκάλας;
τίνʼ ἀνὰ χεῖρα δόμον ἔβα Λοξίου;

[¶139] Ion:’Tis a miracle! Oh! may we for the rest of our career be happy, as we were hapless heretofore.

> Greek: Ἴων:
θεῖον τόδʼ· ἀλλὰ τἀπίλοιπα τῆς τύχης
εὐδαιμονοῖμεν, ὡς τὰ πρόσθε δυστυχῆ.

[¶140] Creusa:
In tears wert thou brought forth, my child,
and with sorrow to thy mother didst thou leave her arms; but now I breathe again as I press my lips to thy cheek, in full enjoyment of happiness.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
τέκνον, οὐκ ἀδάκρυτος ἐκλοχεύῃ,
γόοις δὲ ματρὸς ἐκ χερῶν ὁρίζῃ·
νῦν δὲ γενειάσιν παρὰ σέθεν πνέω
μακαριωτάτας τυχοῦσʼ ἡδονᾶς.

[¶141] Ion:
Thy words express our mutual feelings.

> Greek: Ἴων:
τοὐμὸν λέγουσα καὶ τὸ σὸν κοινῶς λέγεις.

[¶142] Creusa:
No more am I of son and heir bereft; my house is stablished and my country hath a prince;

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἄπαιδες οὐκέτʼ ἐσμὲν οὐδʼ ἄτεκνοι·
δῶμʼ ἑστιοῦται, γᾶ δʼ ἔχει τυράννους·

[¶143] Erechtheus groweth young again; no longer is the house of the earth-born race plunged in gloom, but lifts its eyes unto the radiant sun.

> Greek: ἀνηβᾷ δʼ Ἐρεχθεύς,
ὅ τε γηγενέτας δόμος οὐκέτι νύκτα δέρκεται,
ἀελίου δʼ ἀναβλέπει λαμπάσιν.

[¶144] Ion:
Mother mine, since my father too is here, let him share the joy I have brought to thee.

> Greek: Ἴων:
μῆτερ, παρών μοι καὶ πατὴρ μετασχέτω
τῆς ἡδονῆς τῆσδʼ ἧς ἔδωχʼ ὑμῖν ἐγώ.

[¶145] Creusa:
My child, my child, what sayst thou? How is my sin finding me out!

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ὦ τέκνον,
τί φῄς; οἷον οἷον ἀνελέγχομαι.

[¶146] Ion:
What meanest thou?

> Greek: Ἴων:
πῶς εἶπας;

[¶147] Creusa:
Thou art of a different, for different stock.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἄλλοθεν γέγονας, ἄλλοθεν.

[¶148] Ion:
Alas for me! Am I a bastard, then, bom in thy maiden days?

> Greek: Ἴων:
ὤμοι· νόθον με παρθένευμʼ ἔτικτε σόν;

[¶149] Creusa:
Nor nuptial torch nor dance,
my child, ushered in my wedding and thy birth.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
οὐχ ὑπὸ λαμπάδων οὐδὲ χορευμάτων
ὑμέναιος ἐμός,
τέκνον, ἔτικτε σὸν κάρα.

[¶150] Ion:
O mother, mother! whence do I draw my base origin?

> Greek: Ἴων:
αἰαῖ· πέφυκα δυσγενής. μῆτερ, πόθεν;

[¶151] Creusa:
Be witness she who slew the Gorgon,

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἴστω Γοργοφόνα …

[¶152] Ion:
What meanest thou?

> Greek: Ἴων:
τί τοῦτʼ ἔλεξας;

[¶153] Creusa:
She that on my native rocks
makes the olive-clad hill her seat.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἃ σκοπέλοις ἐπʼ ἐμοῖς
τὸν ἐλαιοφυῆ πάγον
θάσσει …

[¶154] Ion:
Thy words to me are but as cunning riddles. I cannot read them.

> Greek: Ἴων:
λέγεις μοι δόλια κοὐ σαφῆ τάδε.

[¶155] Creusa:
Hard by the rock with nightingales melodious, Phoebus,

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
παρʼ ἀηδόνιον πέτραν
Φοίβῳ …

[¶156] Ion:
Why dost thou mention Phoebus?

> Greek: Ἴων:
τί Φοῖβον αὐδᾷς;

[¶157] Creusa:
Forced on me his secret love.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
κρυπτόμενον λέχος ηὐνάσθην …

[¶158] Ion:
Say on; for thy story will crown me with fame and fortune.

> Greek: Ἴων:
λέγʼ· ὡς ἐρεῖς τι κεδνὸν εὐτυχές τέ μοι.

[¶159] Creusa:
And as the tenth month came round I bore a child to Phoebus in secret.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
δεκάτῳ δέ σε μηνὸς ἐν
κύκλῳ κρύφιον ὠδῖνʼ ἔτεκον Φοίβῳ.

[¶160] Ion:
Oh! thy happy tidings, if thy story is true.

> Greek: Ἴων:
ὦ φίλτατʼ εἰποῦσʼ, εἰ λέγεις ἐτήτυμα.

[¶161] Creusa:
And about thee as swaddling-clothes I fastened this my maiden work,
the faulty efforts of my loom. But to my breast I never held thy lips, or suckled or washed thee with a mother’s care; but in a desert cave wert thou cast out
to die, for taloned kites to rend and feast upon.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
παρθένια δʼ ἐμᾶς ⟨λάθρα⟩ ματέρος
σπάργανʼ ἀμφίβολά σοι τάδʼ ἐνῆψα, κερ-
κίδος ἐμᾶς πλάνους.
γάλακτι δʼ οὐκ ἐπέσχον, οὐδὲ μαστῷ
τροφεῖα ματρὸς οὐδὲ λουτρὰ χειροῖν,
ἀνὰ δʼ ἄντρον ἔρημον οἰωνῶν
γαμφηλαῖς φόνευμα θοίναμά τʼ εἰς
Ἅιδαν ἐκβάλλῃ.

[¶162] Ion:
An awful deed! O mother!

> Greek: Ἴων:
ὦ δεινὰ τλᾶσα μῆτερ.

[¶163] Creusa:
Fear held me captive, and I cast thy life away, my child;

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἐν φόβῳ, τέκνον,
καταδεθεῖσα σὰν
ἀπέβαλον ψυχάν·

[¶164] I would, though loth, have slain thee too.
Ion:
Thou too wert all but slain by me most impiously.

> Greek: ἔκτεινά σʼ ἄκουσʼ.
Ἴων:
ἐξ ἐμοῦ τʼ [οὐχ ὅσιʼ] ἔθνῃσκες.

[¶165] Creusa:
O the horror of all I suffered then! O the horror of what is to follow now! To and fro
from bad to good we toss, though now the gale is shifting round. May it remain steady! the past brought sorrows enough; but now hath a fair breeze sprung up, my son, to waft us out of woe.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἰώ· δειναὶ μὲν τότε τύχαι,
δεινὰ δὲ καὶ τάδʼ· ἑλισσόμεσθʼ ἐκεῖθεν
ἐνθάδε δυστυχίαισιν εὐτυχίαις τε πάλιν,
μεθίσταται δὲ πνεύματα.
μενέτω· τὰ πάροιθεν ἅλις κακά· νῦν δὲ
γένοιτό τις οὖρος ἐκ κακῶν, ὦ παῖ.

[¶166] Chorus:
Let no man ever deem a thing past hoping for, when he turns an eye towards what is happening now.

> Greek: Χορός:
μηδεὶς δοκείτω μηδὲν ἀνθρώπων ποτὲ
ἄελπτον εἶναι πρὸς τὰ τυγχάνοντα νῦν.

[¶167] Ion:
O Fortune! who ere now hast changed the lot of countless mortals first to grief, and then to joy again, to what a goal my life had come,
even to staining my hands with a mother’s blood and enduring sufferings ill-deserved! Ah well! may we not learn these truths daily in all that the bright sun embraces? O mother, in thee have I made a happy discovery, and from my point of view there is no fault to find with my birth;

> Greek: Ἴων:
ὦ μεταβαλοῦσα μυρίους ἤδη βροτῶν
καὶ δυστυχῆσαι καὖθις αὖ πρᾶξαι καλῶς,
Τύχη, παρʼ οἵαν ἤλθομεν στάθμην βίου
μητέρα φονεῦσαι καὶ παθεῖν ἀνάξια.
φεῦ·
ἆρʼ ἐν φαενναῖς ἡλίου περιπτυχαῖς
ἔνεστι πάντα τάδε καθʼ ἡμέραν μαθεῖν;
φίλον μὲν οὖν σʼ εὕρημα, μῆτερ, ηὕρομεν,
καὶ τὸ γένος οὐδὲν μεμπτόν, ὡς ἡμῖν, τόδε·

[¶168] but what remains I fain would speak to thee apart. Come hither, for I would say a word in thine ear, and o’er these matters cast the veil of silence. Bethink thee, mother, carefully; didst thou make the fatal slip, that maidens will, as touching secret amours,
and then upon the god wouldst foist the blame, in thy anxiety to escape the shame of my birth asserting that Phoebus is my sire, albeit the god was not the parent.

> Greek: τὰ δʼ ἄλλα πρὸς σὲ βούλομαι μόνην φράσαι.
δεῦρʼ ἔλθʼ· ἐς οὖς γὰρ τοὺς λόγους εἰπεῖν θέλω
καὶ περικαλύψαι τοῖσι πράγμασι σκότον.
ὅρα σύ, μῆτερ· μὴ σφαλεῖσʼ ἃ παρθένοις
ἐγγίγνεται νοσήματʼ ἐς κρυπτοὺς γάμους,
ἔπειτα τῷ θεῷ προστίθης τὴν αἰτίαν,
καὶ τοὐμὸν αἰσχρὸν ἀποφυγεῖν πειρωμένη,
Φοίβῳ τεκεῖν με φῄς, τεκοῦσʼ οὐκ ἐκ θεοῦ;

[¶169] Creusa:
Nay, by our queen of Victory, Athena, that fought by Zeus, in days gone by, high on his car against the earth-born giants I swear,
no mortal is thy father, my son, but King Loxias himself who brought thee up.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
μὰ τὴν παρασπίζουσαν ἅρμασίν ποτε
Νίκην Ἀθηνᾶν Ζηνὶ γηγενεῖς ἔπι,
οὐκ ἔστιν ὅστις σοι πατὴρ θνητῶν, τέκνον,
ἀλλʼ ὅσπερ ἐξέθρεψε, Λοξίας ἄναξ.

[¶170] Ion:
How then is it he gave his own child to another father, declaring that I was begotten of Xuthus?

> Greek: Ἴων:
πῶς οὖν τὸν αὑτοῦ παῖδʼ ἔδωκʼ ἄλλῳ πατρὶ
Ξούθου τέ φησι παῖδά μʼ ἐκπεφυκέναι;

[¶171] Creusa:
“Begotten” he never said, but as a gift he doth bestow thee
his own son on him; for friend might give to friend even his own son to rule his house.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
πεφυκέναι μὲν οὐχί, δωρεῖται δέ σε
αὑτοῦ γεγῶτα· καὶ γὰρ ἂν φίλος φίλῳ
δοίη τὸν αὑτοῦ παῖδα δεσπότην δόμων.

[¶172] Ion:
Mother mine, this thought disturbs my breast, as well it may, whether the god speaks truth or gives an idle oracle.

> Greek: Ἴων:
ὁ θεὸς ἀληθὴς ἢ μάτην μαντεύεται,
ἐμοῦ ταράσσει, μῆτερ, εἰκότως φρένα.

[¶173] Creusa:
Hear, then, my son, the thought that hath occurred to me;

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἄκουε δή νυν ἅμʼ ἐσῆλθεν, ὦ τέκνον·

[¶174] Loxias out of kindness is establishing thee in a noble family, for hadst thou been called the god’s son, thou hadst never inherited a father’s home and name. How couldst thou, when I strove to hide my marriage with him and would have slain thee privily?

> Greek: εὐεργετῶν σε Λοξίας ἐς εὐγενῆ
δόμον καθίζει· τοῦ θεοῦ δὲ λεγόμενος,
οὐκ ἔσχες ἄν ποτʼ οὔτε παγκλήρους δόμους
οὔτʼ ὄνομα πατρός. πῶς γάρ, οὗ γʼ ἐγὼ γάμους
ἔκρυπτον αὐτὴ καί σʼ ἀπέκτεινον λάθρα;

[¶175] But he for thy interest is handing thee over to another father.

> Greek: ὃ δʼ ὠφελῶν σε προστίθησʼ ἄλλῳ πατρί.

[¶176] Ion:
Not thus lightly do I pursue the inquiry; nay, I will enter Apollo’s shrine and question him whether I am the child of a mortal sire or his own son. Ha! who is that hovering o’er the incense-smoking roof,
and showing to our gaze a heavenly face, bright as the sun? Let us fly, mother, that we see not sights divine, unless haply it is right we should.

> Greek: Ἴων:
οὐχ ὧδε φαύλως αὔτʼ ἐγὼ μετέρχομαι,
ἀλλʼ ἱστορήσω Φοῖβον εἰσελθὼν δόμους,
εἴτʼ εἰμὶ θνητοῦ πατρὸς εἴτε Λοξίου.
ἔα· τίς οἴκων θυοδόκων ὑπερτελὴς
ἀντήλιον πρόσωπον ἐκφαίνει θεῶν;
φεύγωμεν, ὦ τεκοῦσα, μὴ τὰ δαιμόνων
ὁρῶμεν — εἰ μὴ καιρός ἐσθʼ ἡμᾶς ὁρᾶν.

[¶177] Athena:
Fly not! I am no foe ye seek to shun, but alike in Athens and this place your kindly friend.

> Greek: Ἀθήνα:
μὴ φεύγετʼ· οὐ γὰρ πολεμίαν με φεύγετε,
ἀλλʼ ἔν τʼ Ἀθήναις κἀνθάδʼ οὖσαν εὐμενῆ.

[¶178] ’Tis I, Pallas, after whom your land is named, that am here, by Apollo sent in headlong haste; for he thought not fit to appear before you twain, lest his coming might provoke reproaches for the past; but me he sends to proclaim to you his words,
how that this is thy mother, and Apollo thy sire; while thyself he doth bestow, as seems him good, not indeed on him that begat thee, nay, but that he may bring thee to a house of high repute. For when this matter was brought to light, he devised a way of deliverance,
fearing that thou wouldst be slain by thy mother’s wiles and she by thine. Now it was King Apollo’s wish to keep this matter secret awhile, and then in Athens to acknowledge this lady as thy mother and thyself as the child of her and Phoebus. But to end the business and discharge his oracles for the god,
I bid you hearken; for such was my purpose in yoking my chariot-steeds.

> Greek: ἐπώνυμος δὲ σῆς ἀφικόμην χθονὸς
Παλλάς, δρόμῳ σπεύσασʼ Ἀπόλλωνος πάρα,
ὃς ἐς μὲν ὄψιν σφῷν μολεῖν οὐκ ἠξίου,
μὴ τῶν πάροιθε μέμψις ἐς μέσον μόλῃ,
ἡμᾶς δὲ πέμπει τοὺς λόγους ὑμῖν φράσαι·
ὡς ἥδε τίκτει σʼ ἐξ Ἀπόλλωνος πατρός,
δίδωσι δʼ οἷς ἔδωκεν, οὐ φύσασί σε,
ἀλλʼ ὡς νομίζῃ ʼς οἶκον εὐγενέστατον.
ἐπεὶ δʼ ἀνεῴχθη πρᾶγμα μηνυθὲν τόδε,
θανεῖν σε δείσας μητρὸς ἐκ βουλευμάτων
καὶ τήνδε πρὸς σοῦ, μηχαναῖς ἐρρύσατο.
ἔμελλε δʼ αὐτὰ διασιωπήσας ἄναξ
ἐν ταῖς Ἀθήναις γνωριεῖν ταύτην τε σήν,
σέ θʼ ὡς πέφυκας τῆσδε καὶ Φοίβου πατρός.
ἀλλʼ ὡς περαίνω πρᾶγμα, καὶ χρησμοὺς θεοῦ,
ἐφʼ οἷσιν ἔζευξʼ ἅρματʼ, εἰσακούσατον.

[¶179] Do thou, Creusa, take this stripling and to Cecrops’ land set forth; and there upon the monarch’s throne establish him, for from Erechtheus’ stock is he sprung, and therefore hath a right to rule that land of mine.
Through Hellas shall his fame extend; for his children,—four branches springing from one root,—shall give their names to the land and to the tribes of folk therein that dwell upon the rock I love. Teleona shall be the first; and next in order shall come
the Hopletes and Argades; and then the Aegicores, called after my aegis, shall form one tribe. And their children again shall in the time appointed found an island home amid the Cyclades and on the sea-coast, thereby strengthening my country;
for they shall dwell upon the shores of two continents, of Europe and of Asia, on either side the strait; and in honour of Ion’s name shall they be called Ionians and win them high renown. From Xuthus too and thee I see a common stock arise;
Dorus, whence the famous Dorian state will spring; and after him Achaeus in the land of Pelops; he shall lord it o’er the seaboard nigh to Rhium, and his folk, that bear his name, shall win the proud distinction of their leader’s title.

> Greek: λαβοῦσα τόνδε παῖδα Κεκροπίαν χθόνα
χώρει, Κρέουσα, κἀς θρόνους τυραννικοὺς
ἵδρυσον. ἐκ γὰρ τῶν Ἐρεχθέως γεγὼς
δίκαιος ἄρχειν τῆς γʼ ἐμῆς ὅδε χθονός,
ἔσται τʼ ἀνʼ Ἑλλάδʼ εὐκλεής. οἱ τοῦδε γὰρ
παῖδες γενόμενοι τέσσαρες ῥίζης μιᾶς
ἐπώνυμοι γῆς κἀπιφυλίου χθονὸς
λαῶν ἔσονται, σκόπελον οἳ ναίουσʼ ἐμόν.
Γελέων μὲν ἔσται πρῶτος· εἶτα δεύτερος
⟨… ⟩
Ὅπλητες Ἀργαδῆς τʼ, ἐμῆς τʼ ἀπʼ αἰγίδος
ἔμφυλον ἕξουσʼ Αἰγικορῆς. οἱ τῶνδε δʼ αὖ
παῖδες γενόμενοι σὺν χρόνῳ πεπρωμένῳ
Κυκλάδας ἐποικήσουσι νησαίας πόλεις
χέρσους τε παράλους, ὃ σθένος τἠμῇ χθονὶ
δίδωσιν· ἀντίπορθμα δʼ ἠπείροιν δυοῖν
πεδία κατοικήσουσιν, Ἀσιάδος τε γῆς
Εὐρωπίας τε· τοῦδε δʼ ὀνόματος χάριν
Ἴωνες ὀνομασθέντες ἕξουσιν κλέος.
Ξούθῳ δὲ καὶ σοὶ γίγνεται κοινὸν γένος,
Δῶρος μέν, ἔνθεν Δωρὶς ὑμνηθήσεται
πόλις κατʼ αἶαν Πελοπίαν· ὁ δεύτερος
Ἀχαιός, ὃς γῆς παραλίας Ῥίου πέλας
τύραννος ἔσται, κἀπισημανθήσεται
κείνου κεκλῆσθαι λαὸς ὄνομʼ ἐπώνυμος.

[¶180] Thus in all hath Apollo rightly done; first did he deliver thee of thy babe without sickness, so that thy friends knew naught; and after thou didst bear this child and in swaddling-clothes hadst laid him, he bade Hermes carry him in his arms hither,
and did rear him, suffering him not to die. Now therefore hold thy peace as to this thy child’s real parentage, that Xuthus may delight in his fond fancy, and thou, lady, continue to enjoy thy blessing. So fare ye well! for to you I
bring tidings of a happier fate after this respite from affliction.

> Greek: καλῶς δʼ Ἀπόλλων πάντʼ ἔπραξε· πρῶτα μὲν
ἄνοσον λοχεύει σʼ, ὥστε μὴ γνῶναι φίλους·
ἐπεὶ δʼ ἔτικτες τόνδε παῖδα κἀπέθου
ἐν σπαργάνοισιν, ἁρπάσαντʼ ἐς ἀγκάλας
Ἑρμῆν κελεύει δεῦρο πορθμεῦσαι βρέφος,
ἔθρεψέ τʼ οὐδʼ εἴασεν ἐκπνεῦσαι βίον.
νῦν οὖν σιώπα, παῖς ὅδʼ ὡς πέφυκε σός,
ἵνʼ ἡ δόκησις Ξοῦθον ἡδέως ἔχῃ,
σύ τʼ αὖ τὰ σαυτῆς ἀγάθʼ ἔχουσʼ ἴῃς, γύναι.
καὶ χαίρετʼ· ἐκ γὰρ τῆσδʼ ἀναψυχῆς πόνων
εὐδαίμονʼ ὑμῖν πότμον ἐξαγγέλλομαι.

[¶181] Ion:
O Pallas, daughter of almighty Zeus, in full assurance will we accept thy words; for I am convinced of my parentage from Loxias and this lady; which even before was not incredible.

> Greek: Ἴων:
ὦ Διὸς Παλλὰς μεγίστου θύγατερ, οὐκ ἀπιστίᾳ
σοὺς λόγους ἐδεξάμεσθα· πείθομαι δʼ εἶναι πατρὸς
Λοξίου καὶ τῆσδε. — καὶ πρὶν τοῦτο δʼ οὐκ ἄπιστον ἦν.

[¶182] Creusa:
To what I say give ear. My former blame of Phoebus now is turned to praise,
because he now restores to me the babe whom erst he slighted. Now are these portals fair unto mine eyes and this oracle of the god, though before I hated them. With joy now I even cling to the knocker on the door and salute the gates.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
τἀμὰ νῦν ἄκουσον· αἰνῶ Φοῖβον οὐκ αἰνοῦσα πρίν,
οὕνεχʼ οὗ ποτʼ ἠμέλησε παιδὸς ἀποδίδωσί μοι.
αἵδε δʼ εὐωποὶ πύλαι μοι καὶ θεοῦ χρηστήρια,
δυσμενῆ πάροιθεν ὄντα. νῦν δὲ καὶ ῥόπτρων χέρας
ἡδέως ἐκκρημνάμεσθα καὶ προσεννέπω πύλας.

[¶183] Athena:
I commend thee for thy sudden change, and thy fair words about the god.’Tis ever thus; Heaven’s justice may tarry awhile, yet comes it at the last in no wise weakened.

> Greek: Ἀθήνα:
ᾔνεσʼ οὕνεκʼ εὐλογεῖς θεὸν μεταβαλοῦσʼ· ἀεὶ γὰρ οὖν
χρόνια μὲν τὰ τῶν θεῶν πως, ἐς τέλος δʼ οὐκ ἀσθενῆ.

[¶184] Creusa:
My son, let us set out for home.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ὦ τέκνον, στείχωμεν οἴκους.

[¶185] Athena:
Go; I will follow.

> Greek: Ἀθήνα:
στείχεθʼ, ἕψομαι δʼ ἐγώ.

[¶186] Ion:
A guide we well may prize.
Creusa:
Aye, and one that holds our city dear.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἀξία γʼ ἡμῶν ὁδουρός.
Ἀθήνα:
καὶ φιλοῦσά γε πτόλιν.

[¶187] Athena:
Go, sit thee down upon the throne of thy ancestors.
Ion:’Tis my heritage and I value it.

> Greek: Κρέουσα:
ἐς θρόνους δʼ ἵζου παλαιούς.
Ἴων:
ἄξιον τὸ κτῆμά μοι.

[¶188] Chorus:
All hail, Apollo, son of Zeus and Latona!’Tis only right that he,
whose house is sore beset with trouble, should reverence God and keep good heart; for at the last the righteous find their just reward, but the wicked, as their nature is, will never prosper.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ Διὸς Λητοῦς τʼ Ἄπολλον, χαῖρʼ· ὅτῳ δʼ ἐλαύνεται
συμφοραῖς οἶκος, σέβοντα δαίμονας θαρσεῖν χρεών·
ἐς τέλος γὰρ οἱ μὲν ἐσθλοὶ τυγχάνουσιν ἀξίων,
οἱ κακοὶ δʼ, ὥσπερ πεφύκασʼ, οὔποτʼ εὖ πράξειαν ἄν.