Ion:It is not right that I should mistrust the god.
Ἴων:τῷ θεῷ γοῦν οὐκ ἀπιστεῖν εἰκός.
Xuthus:Thou art right there.
Ξοῦθος:εὖ φρονεῖς ἄρα.
Ion:What more can I desire—
Ἴων:καὶ τί βουλόμεσθά γʼ ἄλλο —
Xuthus:Thine eyes now open to the sights they should.
Ξοῦθος:νῦν ὁρᾷς ἃ χρή σʼ ὁρᾶν.
Ion:Than from a son of Zeus to spring?
Ἴων:ἢ Διὸς παιδὸς γενέσθαι παῖς;
Xuthus:Which is indeed thy lot.
Ξοῦθος:ὃ σοί γε γίγνεται.
Ion:May I embrace the author of my being?
Ἴων:ἦ θίγω δῆθʼ οἵ μʼ ἔφυσαν;
Xuthus:Aye, put thy trust in the god.
Ξοῦθος:πιθόμενός γε τῷ θεῷ.
Ion:Hail to thee, father mine.
Ἴων:χαῖρέ μοι, πάτερ —
Xuthus:With joy that title I accept.
Ξοῦθος:φίλον γε φθέγμʼ ἐδεξάμην τόδε.
Ion:This day—
Ἴων:ἡμέρα θʼ ἡ νῦν παροῦσα.
Xuthus:Hath made me blest.
Ξοῦθος:μακάριόν γʼ ἔθηκέ με.
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.
Ἴων:ὦ φίλη μῆτερ, πότʼ ἆρα καὶ σὸν ὄψομαι δέμας;νῦν ποθῶ σε μᾶλλον ἢ πρίν, ἥτις εἶ ποτʼ, εἰσιδεῖν.
But thou perhaps art dead, and I shall never have the chance.
ἀλλʼ ἴσως τέθνηκας, ἡμεῖς δʼ οὐδὲν ἂν δυναίμεθα.
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.
Χορός:κοιναὶ μὲν ἡμῖν δωμάτων εὐπραξίαι·ὅμως δὲ καὶ δέσποιναν ἐς τέκνʼ εὐτυχεῖνἐβουλόμην ἂν τούς τʼ Ἐρεχθέως δόμους.
Xuthus:My son, albeit the god hath for thy discovery brought his oracleto 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.
Ξοῦθος:ὦ τέκνον, ἐς μὲν σὴν ἀνεύρεσιν θεὸςὀρθῶς 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.
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 thoube 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.
χρόνῳ δὲ δόντες ταῦτʼ ἴσως εὕροιμεν ἄν.ἀλλʼ ἐκλιπὼν θεοῦ δάπεδʼ ἀλητείαν τε σὴνἐς τὰς Ἀθήνας στεῖχε κοινόφρων πατρί,οὗ σʼ ὄλβιον μὲν σκῆπτρον ἀναμένει πατρός,πολὺς δὲ πλοῦτος· οὐδὲ θάτερον νοσῶνδυοῖν 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 χαρμονῆςπάλιν μεταστὰς δεῖμα προσβάλλεις πατρί.
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;
Ἴων:οὐ ταὐτὸν εἶδος φαίνεται τῶν πραγμάτωνπρόσωθεν ὄντων ἐγγύθεν θʼ ὁρωμένων.ἐγὼ δὲ τὴν μὲν συμφορὰν ἀσπάζομαι,πατέρα σʼ ἀνευρών· ὧν δὲ γιγνώσκω, πάτερ,ἄκουσον. εἶναί φασι τὰς αὐτόχθοναςκλεινὰς 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·]
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;
ἢν δʼ ἐς τὸ πρῶτον πόλεος ὁρμηθεὶς ζυγὸνζητῶ τις εἶναι, τῶν μὲν ἀδυνάτων ὕπομισησόμεσθα· λυπρὰ γὰρ τὰ κρείσσονα·ὅσοι δέ, χρηστοὶ δυνάμενοί τʼ εἶναι σοφοί,σιγῶσι κοὐ σπεύδουσιν ἐς τὰ πράγματα,γέλωτʼ ἐν αὐτοῖς μωρίαν τε λήψομαιοὐχ ἡσυχάζων ἐν πόλει φόβου πλέᾳ.τῶν δʼ [αὖ λογίων τε] χρωμένων τε τῇ πόλειἐς ἀξίωμα βὰς πλέον φρουρήσομαιψήφοισιν. οὕτω γὰρ τάδʼ, ὦ πάτερ, φιλεῖ·
they who have the city’s ear, and have already made their mark, are most bitter against all rivals.
οἳ τὰς πόλεις ἔχουσι κἀξιώματα,τοῖς ἀνθαμίλλοις εἰσὶ πολεμιώτατοι.
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 nowwill 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 deservesto 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.
ἐλθὼν δʼ ἐς οἶκον ἀλλότριον ἔπηλυς ὢνγυναῖκά θʼ ὡς ἄτεκνον, ἣ κοινουμένητὰς συμφοράς σοι πρόσθεν, ἀπολαχοῦσα νῦναὐτὴ 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 βλέπῃςἢ τἀμὰ τιμῶν δῶμα συγχέας ἔχῃς;ὅσας σφαγὰς δὴ φαρμάκων τε θανασίμωνγυναῖκες ηὗρον ἀνδράσιν διαφθοράς.ἄλλως τε τὴν σὴν ἄλοχον οἰκτίρω, πάτερ,ἄπαιδα γηράσκουσαν· οὐ γὰρ ἀξίαπατέρων ἀπʼ ἐσθλῶν οὖσʼ ἀπαιδίᾳ νοσεῖν.τυραννίδος δὲ τῆς μάτην αἰνουμένηςτὸ μὲν πρόσωπον ἡδύ, τἀν δόμοισι δὲλυπηρά· τίς γὰρ μακάριος, τίς εὐτυχής,ὅστις δεδοικὼς καὶ παραβλέπων βίοναἰῶνα τείνει; δημότης ἂν εὐτυχὴςζῆν 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 κλύεινἐν 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 σχολὴνὄχλον τε μέτριον, οὐδέ μʼ ἐξέπληξʼ ὁδοῦπονηρὸς οὐδείς· κεῖνο δʼ οὐκ ἀνασχετόν,εἴκειν ὁδοῦ χαλῶντα τοῖς κακίοσιν.θεῶν δʼ ἐν εὐχαῖς [ἢ γόοισιν ἦ] βροτῶν,ὑπηρετῶν χαίρουσιν, οὐ γοωμένοις.
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.
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 ἅμαπαρεῖχε τῷ θεῷ. ταῦτα συννοούμενοςκρείσσω νομίζω τἀνθάδʼ ἢ τἀκεῖ, πάτερ.ἔα δʼ ἔμʼ αὐτοῦ ζῆν· ἴση γὰρ ἡ χάρις,μεγάλοισι χαίρειν σμικρά θʼ ἡδέως ἔχειν.
Chorus:Well said! if only those I love find their happiness in thy statement of the case.
Χορός:καλῶς ἔλεξας, εἴπερ οὓς ἐγὼ φιλῶἐν τοῖσι σοῖσιν εὐτυχήσουσιν φίλοις.
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 momentand 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.
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 ἐφέστιονδείπνοισι τέρψω, τῆς δʼ Ἀθηναίων χθονὸςἄξω θεατὴν δῆθεν, ὡς οὐκ ὄντʼ ἐμόν.καὶ γὰρ γυναῖκα τὴν ἐμὴν οὐ βούλομαιλυπεῖν ἄτεκνον οὖσαν αὐτὸς εὐτυχῶν.χρόνῳ δὲ καιρὸν λαμβάνων προσάξομαιδάμαρτʼ ἐᾶν σε σκῆπτρα τἄμʼ ἔχειν χθονός.Ἴωνα δʼ ὀνομάζω σε τῇ τύχῃ πρέπον,ὁθούνεκʼ ἀδύτων ἐξιόντι μοι θεοῦἴχνος συνῆψας πρῶτος. ἀλλὰ τῶν φίλωνπλήρωμʼ ἀθροίσας βουθύτῳ σὺν ἡδονῇπρόσειπε, μέλλων Δελφίδʼ ἐκλιπεῖν πόλιν.ὑμῖν δὲ σιγᾶν, δμωΐδες, λέγω τάδε,ἢ θάνατον εἰπούσαισι πρὸς δάμαρτʼ ἐμήν.
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.
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 στόμαδοῦλον πέπαται κοὐκ ἔχει παρρησίαν.
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?
Χορός:ὁρῶ δάκρυα καὶ πενθίμους⟨ἀλαλαγὰς⟩ στεναγμάτων τʼ ἐσβολάς,ὅταν ἐμὰ τύραννος εὐπαιδίανπόσιν ἔχοντʼ εἰδῇ,αὐτὴ δʼ ἄπαις ᾖ καὶ λελειμμένη τέκνων.τίνʼ, ὦ παῖ πρόμαντι Λατοῦς, ἔχρη-σας ὑμνῳδίαν;πόθεν ὁ παῖς ὅδʼ ἀμφὶ ναοὺς σέθεντρόφιμος ἐξέβα; γυναικῶν τίνος;
I like not thy oracle; I fear there is some treachery. In terror I await the issue of this chance;
οὐ γάρ με σαίνει θέσφατα μή τινʼ ἔχῃ δόλον.δειμαίνω συμφοράν,ἐφʼ ὅ ποτε βάσεται.
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.
ἄτοπος ἄτοπα γὰρ δίδωσί μοι,τὸ δʼ ἔτʼ εὔφημʼ ἔχει,δόλον τύχαν θʼ, ὁ παῖς …ἄλλων τραφεὶς ἐξ αἱμάτων.τίς οὐ τάδε ξυνοίσεται;
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;
Χορός:— φίλαι, πότερʼ ἐμᾷ δεσποίνᾳτάδε τορῶς ἐς οὖς γεγωνήσομεν;πόσιν, ἐν ᾧ τὰ πάντʼ ἔχουσʼ ἐλπίδωνμέτοχος ἦν, τλάμων, …— νῦν δʼ ἣ μὲν ἔρρει συμφοραῖς, ὃ δʼ εὐτυχεῖ.
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!
— πολιὸν ἐσπεσοῦσα γῆρας, πόσις δʼ …— ἀτίετος φίλων.— μέλεος, ὃς θυραῖος ἐλθὼν δόμους,μέγαν ἐς ὄλβον, οὐκ ἴσωσεν τύχης …(— ὄλοιτʼ, ὄλοιτο) πότνιαν ἐξαπαφὼν ἐμάν.
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 regardfor my mistress. Now are sire and new-found son bent on the approaching feast.
— καὶ θεοῖσιν μὴ τύχοικαλλίφλογα πέλανον ἐπὶπυρὶ καθαγνίσας· τὸ δʼ ἐμὸν εἴσεται,⟨ὅσον ἀμᾶς ἔφυν⟩τυραννίδος φίλα.— ἦ δὴ πέλας δείπνων κυρεῖπαῖς καὶ πατὴρ νέος νέων.
Chorus:Ho! ye peaks of Parnassusthat 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!
Χορός:ἰὼ δειράδες Παρνασοῦ πέτραςἔχουσαι σκόπελον οὐράνιόν θʼ ἕδραν,ἵνα Βάκχιος ἀμφιπύρους ἀνέχων πεύκαςλαιψηρὰ πηδᾷ νυκτιπόλοις ἅμα σὺν Βάκχαις,μή ποτʼ εἰς ἐμὰν πόλιν ἵκοιθʼ ὁ παῖς,νέαν δʼ ἁμέραν ἀπολιπὼν θάνοι.στενομένα γὰρ ἂν πόλις ἔχοι σκῆψινξενικὸν ἐσβολὰν ……ἁλίσας ὁ πάρος ἀρχαγὸς ὢνἘρεχθεὺς ἄναξ.
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;
Κρέουσα:ὦ πρέσβυ παιδαγώγʼ Ἐρεχθέως πατρὸςτοὐμοῦ ποτʼ ὄντος, ἡνίκʼ ἦν ἔτʼ ἐν φάει,ἔπαιρε σαυτὸν πρὸς θεοῦ χρηστήρια,ὥς μοι συνησθῇς, εἴ τι Λοξίας ἄναξθέσπισμα παίδων ἐς γονὰς ἐφθέγξατο.
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.
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.
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.
Πρεσβύτης:ὦ θύγατερ, ἄξιʼ ἀξίων γεννητόρωνἤθη φυλάσσεις, κοὐ καταισχύνασʼ ἔχειςτοὺς σοὺς παλαιούς, ἐκγόνους αὐτόχθονας.ἕλχʼ ἕλκε πρὸς μέλαθρα καὶ κόμιζέ με.αἰπεινά τοι μαντεῖα· τοῦ γήρως δέ μοισυνεκπονοῦσα κῶλον ἰατρὸς γενοῦ.
Creusa:Come follow then, and look where thou art treading.
Κρέουσα:ἕπου νυν· ἴχνος δʼ ἐκφύλασσʼ ὅπου τίθης.
Old Servant:Behold! though my steps loiter, my thoughts take wings.
Πρεσβύτης:ἰδού.τὸ τοῦ ποδὸς μὲν βραδύ, τὸ τοῦ δὲ νοῦ ταχύ.
Creusa:Lean on thy staff as thou climbest this winding path.
Κρέουσα:βάκτρῳ δʼ ἐρείδου περιφερῆ στίβον χθονός.
Old Servant:Even this staff is a blind guide when I myself can scarcely see.
Πρεσβύτης:καὶ τοῦτο τυφλόν, ὅταν ἐγὼ βλέπω βραχύ.
Creusa:True, but do not yield through fatigue.
Κρέουσα:ὀρθῶς ἔλεξας· ἀλλὰ μὴ παρῇς κόπῳ.
Old Servant:Never willingly, but I am not master of that which is mine no more.
Πρεσβύτης:οὔκουν ἑκών γε· τοῦ δʼ ἀπόντος οὐ κρατῶ.
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:
Κρέουσα:γυναῖκες, ἱστῶν τῶν ἐμῶν καὶ κερκίδοςδούλευμα πιστόν, τίνα τύχην λαβὼν πόσιςβέβηκε παίδων, ὧνπερ οὕνεχʼ ἥκομεν;
for if ye give me good news, ye will cause joy to a mistress who will not prove faithless to her word.
σημήνατʼ· εἰ γὰρ ἀγαθά μοι μηνύσετε,οὐκ εἰς ἀπίστους δεσπότας βαλεῖς χάριν.
Chorus:O fortune!
Χορός:ἰὼ δαῖμον.
Old Servant:This prelude to your speech is unlucky.
Πρεσβύτης:τὸ φροίμιον μὲν τῶν λόγων οὐκ εὐτυχές.
Chorus:Woe is me!
Χορός:ἰὼ τλᾶμον.
Old Servant:Can it be that the oracles delivered to my master wound me at all?
Πρεσβύτης:ἀλλʼ ἦ τι θεσφάτοισι δεσποτῶν νοσῶ;
Chorus:Enough! why have aught to do with that which brings down death?
Χορός:εἶἑν· τί δρῶμεν; θάνατος ὧν κεῖται πέρι …
Creusa:What means this piteous strain? wherefore this alarm?
Κρέουσα:τίς ἥδε μοῦσα, χὡ φόβος τίνων πέρι;
Chorus:Are we to speak or keep silence? What shall we do?
Χορός:εἴπωμεν ἢ σιγῶμεν; ἢ τί δράσομεν;
Creusa:Speak; for thou hast somewhat to tell that touches me.
Κρέουσα:εἴφʼ· ὡς ἔχεις γε συμφοράν τινʼ εἰς ἐμέ.
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.
Χορός:εἰρήσεταί τοι, κεἰ θανεῖν μέλλω διπλῇ.οὐκ ἔστι σοι, δέσποινʼ, ἐπʼ ἀγκάλαις λαβεῖντέκνʼ, οὐδὲ μαστῷ σῷ προσαρμόσαι ποτέ.
Creusa:Ah me! would I were dead!
Κρέουσα:ὤμοι, θάνοιμι.
Old Servant:My daughter!
Πρεσβύτης:θύγατερ.
Creusa:O woe is me for my calamity! Mine is a heritage of suffering and woe that poisons life, good friends.
Κρέουσα:ὦ τάλαινʼἐγὼ συμφορᾶς, ἔλαβον ἔπαθον ἄχοςἀβίοτον, φίλαι.διοιχόμεσθα.
Old Servant:Ah, my child,’tis death to us!
Πρεσβύτης:τέκνον.
Creusa:Ah me! ah me! grief drives its weapon through this heart of mine.
Κρέουσα:αἰαῖ αἰαῖ·διανταῖος ἔτυπεν ὀδύνα με πλευ-μόνων τῶνδʼ ἔσω.
Old Servant:Stay thy lamentations.
Πρεσβύτης:μήπω στενάξῃς …
Creusa:Nay, but sorrow lodges here.
Κρέουσα:ἀλλὰ πάρεισι γόοι.
Old Servant:Till we learn—
Πρεσβύτης:πρὶν ἂν μάθωμεν …
Creusa:Ah, what further news is there for me?
Κρέουσα:ἀγγελίαν τίνα μοι;
Old Servant:Whether our master is in the same plight and shares thy misfortune, or thou art alone in thy misery.
Πρεσβύτης:εἰ ταὐτὰ πράσσων δεσπότης τῆς συμφορᾶςκοινωνός ἐστιν, ἢ μόνη σὺ δυστυχεῖς.
Chorus:On him, old sir, Loxias hath bestowed a son,and he is enjoying his good fortune apart from her.
Χορός:κείνῳ μέν, ὦ γεραιέ, παῖδα Λοξίαςἔδωκεν, ἰδίᾳ δʼ εὐτυχεῖ ταύτης δίχα.
Creusa:Herein hast thou declared a further evil crowning all, a grief for me to mourn.
Κρέουσα:τόδʼ ἐπὶ τῷδε κακὸν ἄκρον ἔλακεςἄχος ἐμοὶ στένειν.
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?
Πρεσβύτης:πότερα δὲ φῦναι δεῖ γυναικὸς ἔκ τινοςτὸν παῖδʼ ὃν εἶπας, ἢ γεγῶτʼ ἐθέσπισεν;
Chorus:A youth already born and grown to man’s estate doth Phoebus give to him; for I was there myself.
Χορός:ἤδη πεφυκότʼ ἐκτελῆ νεανίανδίδωσιν αὐτῷ Λοξίας· παρῆ δʼ ἐγώ.
Creusa:What sayest thou? nor tongue nor lip should speak the word thou tellest me.
Κρέουσα:πῶς φῄς; ἄφατον ἄφατον ἀναύδητονλόγον ἐμοὶ θροεῖς.
Old Servant:And me. But declare more clearly how this oracle is finding its fulfilment, and say who is the child.
Πρεσβύτης:κἄμοιγε. πῶς δʼ ὁ χρησμὸς ἐκπεραίνεται,σαφέστερόν μοι φράζε, χὥστις ἔσθʼ ὁ παῖς.
Chorus:Whomso thy husband first should meet as he issued from the shrine, him the god gave him for his son.
Χορός:ὅτῳ ξυναντήσειεν ἐκ θεοῦ συθεὶςπρώτῳ πόσις σός, παῖδʼ ἔδωκʼ αὐτῷ θεός.
Creusa:Ah me! my fate, it seems, has doomed me to a childlesslife, and all forlorn am I to dwell in ray halls, without an heir.
Κρέουσα:ὀττοτοττοτοῖ· τὸν δʼ ἐμὸν ἄτεκνον ἄτεκνον ἔλακενἄρα βίοτον; ἐρημίᾳ δʼ ὀρφανοὺςδόμους οἰκήσω.
Old Servant:To whom did the oracle refer? whom did our poor lady’s husband meet? how and where did he see him?
Πρεσβύτης:τίς οὖν ἐχρήσθη; τῷ συνῆψʼ ἴχνος ποδὸςπόσις ταλαίνης; πῶς δὲ ποῦ νιν εἰσιδών;
Chorus:Dear mistress mine, dost know that youththat was sweeping yonder shrine? He is that son.
Χορός:οἶσθʼ, ὦ φίλη δέσποινα, τὸν νεανίανὃς τόνδʼ ἔσαιρε ναόν; οὗτος ἔσθʼ ὁ παῖς.
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!
Κρέουσα:ἀνʼ ὑγρὸν ἀμπταίην αἰθέρα πόρσω γαί-ας Ἑλλανίας, ἀστέρας ἑσπέρους,οἷον οἷον ἄλγος ἔπαθον, φίλαι.
Old Servant:Dost know the name his father gave to him, or is that left as yet unsettled and unsaid?
Πρεσβύτης:ὄνομα δὲ ποῖον αὐτὸν ὀνομάζει πατήρ;οἶσθʼ, ἢ σιωπῇ τοῦτʼ ἀκύρωτον μένει;
Chorus:He called him Ion, because he was the first to cross his path.
Χορός:Ἴωνʼ, ἐπείπερ πρῶτος ἤντησεν πατρί.
Old Servant:Who is his mother?
Πρεσβύτης:μητρὸς δʼ ὁποίας ἐστὶν —
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.
Χορός:οὐκ ἔχω φράσαι.φροῦδος δʼ — ἵνʼ εἰδῇς πάντα τἀπʼ ἐμοῦ, γέρον —παιδὸς προθύσων ξένια καὶ γενέθλιασκηνὰς ἐς ἱερὰς τῆσδε λαθραίως πόσις,κοινὴν ξυνάψων δαῖτα παιδὶ τῷ νέῳ.
Old Servant:Mistress mine, we are betrayed by thy husband, fellow-sufferers thou and I;’tis a deep-laid plot to outrage usand 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 paramourand 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.
Πρεσβύτης:δέσποινα, προδεδόμεσθα — σὺν γάρ σοι νοσῶ —τοῦ σοῦ πρὸς ἀνδρός, καὶ μεμηχανημένωςὑβριζόμεσθα δωμάτων τʼ Ἐρεχθέωςἐκβαλλόμεσθα. καὶ σὸν οὐ στυγῶν πόσινλέγω, σὲ μέντοι μᾶλλον ἢ κεῖνον φιλῶν·ὅστις σε γήμας ξένος ἐπεισελθὼν πόλινκαὶ δῶμα καὶ σὴν παραλαβὼν παγκληρίαν,ἄλλης γυναικὸς παῖδας ἐκκαρπούμενοςλάθρα πέφηνεν· ὡς λάθρα δʼ, ἐγὼ φράσω.ἐπεί σʼ ἄτεκνον ᾔσθετʼ, οὐκ ἔστεργέ σοιὅμοιος εἶναι τῆς τύχης τʼ ἴσον φέρειν,λαβὼν δὲ δοῦλα λέκτρα νυμφεύσας λάθρατὸν παῖδʼ ἔφυσεν, ἐξενωμένον δέ τῳΔελφῶν δίδωσιν ἐκτρέφειν. ὃ δʼ ἐν θεοῦδόμοισιν ἄφετος, ὡς λάθοι, παιδεύεται.νεανίαν δʼ ὡς ᾔσθετʼ ἐκτεθραμμένον,ἐλθεῖν σʼ ἔπεισε δεῦρʼ ἀπαιδίας χάριν.
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.
κᾆθʼ ὁ θεὸς οὐκ ἐψεύσαθʼ, ὅδε δʼ ἐψεύσατοπάλαι τρέφων τὸν παῖδα, κἄπλεκεν πλοκὰςτοιάσδʼ· ἁλοὺς μὲν ἀνέφερʼ ἐς τὸν δαίμονα,[ἐλθὼν δὲ καὶ τὸν χρόνον ἀμύνεσθαι θέλων]τυραννίδʼ αὐτῷ περιβαλεῖν ἔμελλε γῆς.
Likewise he devised anew his name, coined to suit the circumstances, Ion, because, as he asserts, he met him on his way.
καινὸν δὲ τοὔνομʼ ἀνὰ χρόνον πεπλασμένονἼων, ἰόντι δῆθεν ὅτι συνήντετο.
Chorus:Ah! how I ever hate the wickedwho 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.
Χορός:οἴμοι, κακούργους ἄνδρας ὡς αἰεὶ στυγῶ,οἳ συντιθέντες τἄδικʼ εἶτα μηχαναῖςκοσμοῦσι. φαῦλον χρηστὸν ἂν λαβεῖν φίλονθέλοιμι μᾶλλον ἢ κακὸν σοφώτερον.
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 guileor 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.
Πρεσβύτης:καὶ τῶνδʼ ἁπάντων ἔσχατον πείσῃ κακόν·ἀμήτορʼ, ἀναρίθμητον, ἐκ δούλης τινὸςγυναικός, ἐς σὸν δῶμα δεσπότην ἄγειν.ἁπλοῦν ἂν ἦν γὰρ τὸ κακόν, εἰ παρʼ εὐγενοῦςμητρός, 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 τινὶἢ φαρμάκοισι σὸν κατακτεῖναι πόσινκαὶ 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.]
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.
ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν σοι καὶ συνεκπονεῖν θέλω,καὶ συμφονεύειν παῖδʼ ἐπεισελθὼν δόμουςοὗ δαῖθʼ ὁπλίζει, καὶ τροφεῖα δεσπόταιςἀποδοὺς θανεῖν τε ζῶν τε φέγγος εἰσορᾶν.ἓν γάρ τι τοῖς δούλοισιν αἰσχύνην φέρει,τοὔνομα· τὰ δʼ ἄλλα πάντα τῶν ἐλευθέρωνοὐδὲν κακίων δοῦλος, ὅστις ἐσθλὸς ᾖ.
Chorus:I too, beloved mistress, am ready to share thy fate, be it death or victory.
Χορός:κἀγώ, φίλη δέσποινα, συμφορὰν θέλωκοινουμένη τήνδʼ ἢ θανεῖν ἢ ζῆν καλῶς.
Creusa:Ah! my suffering soul! how am I to keep silence?
Κρέουσα:ὦ ψυχά, πῶς σιγάσω;
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.
πῶς δὲ σκοτίας ἀναφήνωεὐνάς, 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 διαθέσθαιχρῄζουσα καλῶς οὐκ ἐδυνήθην,σιγῶσα γάμους,σιγῶσα τόκους πολυκλαύτους;
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 ifI 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!
ἀλλʼ οὐ τὸ Διὸς πολύαστρον ἕδοςκαὶ τὴν ἐπʼ ἐμοῖς σκοπέλοισι θεὰνλίμνης τʼ ἐνύδρου Τριτωνιάδοςπότνιαν ἀκτάν,οὐκέτι κρύψω λέχος, ὡς στέρνωνἀπονησαμένη ῥᾴων ἔσομαι.στάζουσι κόραι δακρύοισιν ἐμαί,ψυχὴ δʼ ἀλγεῖ κακοβουλευθεῖσʼἔκ τʼ ἀνθρώπων ἔκ τʼ ἀθανάτων,οὓς ἀποδείξωλέκτρων προδότας ἀχαρίστους.
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 bloomsthat 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 godto 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.
ὦ τᾶς ἑπταφθόγγου μέλπωνκιθάρας ἐνοπάν, ἅτʼ ἀγραύλοιςκέρασιν ἐν ἀψύχοις ἀχεῖμουσᾶν ὕμνους εὐαχήτους,σοὶ μομφάν, ὦ Λατοῦς παῖ,πρὸς τάνδʼ αὐγὰν αὐδάσω.ἦλθές μοι χρυσῷ χαίτανμαρμαίρων, εὖτʼ ἐς κόλπουςκρόκεα πέταλα φάρεσιν ἔδρεπον,ἀνθίζειν χρυσανταυγῆ·λευκοῖς δʼ ἐμφὺς καρποῖσινχειρῶν εἰς ἄντρου κοίταςκραυγὰν Ὦ μᾶτέρ μʼ αὐδῶσανθεὸς ὁμευνέταςἆγες ἀναιδείᾳΚύπριδι χάριν πράσσων.τίκτω δʼ ἁ δύστανός σοικοῦρον, τὸν φρίκᾳ ματρὸςεἰς εὐνὰν βάλλω τὰν σάν,ἵνα με λέχεσι μελέαν μελέοιςἐζεύξω τὰν δύστανον.οἴμοι μοι· καὶ νῦν ἔρρειπτανοῖς ἁρπασθεὶς θοίναπαῖς μοι … καὶ σός, τλάμων·σὺ δὲ κιθάρᾳ κλάζειςπαιᾶνας μέλπων.
Hark! thou son of Latona, to thee I call, for that thou dispensest warnings; there at thy golden throneon 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;
ὠή,τὸν Λατοῦς αὐδῶ ⟨σʼ⟩,ὅστʼ ὀμφὰν κληροῖςπρὸς χρυσέους θάκουςκαὶ γαίας μεσσήρεις ἕδρας,εἰς οὖς αὐδὰν καρύξω·Ἰὼ κακὸς εὐνάτωρ,ὃς τῷ μὲν ἐμῷ νυμφεύτᾳχάριν οὐ προλαβὼνπαῖδʼ εἰς οἴκους οἰκίζεις·
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.
ὁ δʼ ἐμὸς γενέτας καὶ σός γʼ, ἀμαθής,οἰωνοῖς ἔρρει συλαθείς,σπάργανα ματέρος ἐξαλλάξας.μισεῖ σʼ ἁ Δᾶλος καὶ δάφναςἔρνεα φοίνικα παρʼ ἁβροκόμαν,ἔνθα λοχεύματα σέμνʼ ἐλοχεύσατοΛατὼ Δίοισί σε καρποῖς.
Chorus:Ah me! what store of sorrows is here disclosed, enough to draw a tear from every eye!
Χορός:οἴμοι, μέγας θησαυρὸς ὡς ἀνοίγνυταικακῶν, ἐφʼ οἷσι πᾶς ἂν ἐκβάλοι δάκρυ.
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 troublesthan 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.
Πρεσβύτης:ὦ θύγατερ, οὔτοι σὸν βλέπων ἐμπίμπλαμαιπρόσωπον, ἔξω δʼ ἐγενόμην γνώμης ἐμῆς.κακῶν γὰρ ἄρτι κῦμʼ ὑπεξαντλῶν φρενί,πρύμνηθεν αἴρει μʼ ἄλλο σῶν λόγων ὕπο,οὓς ἐκβαλοῦσα τῶν παρεστώτων κακῶνμετῆλθες ἄλλων πημάτων κακὰς ὁδούς.τί φῄς; τίνα λόγον Λοξίου κατηγορεῖς;ποῖον τεκεῖν φῂς παῖδα; ποῦ θεῖναι πόλεωςθηρσὶν φίλον τύμβευμʼ; ἄνελθέ μοι πάλιν.
Creusa:Old friend, although to meet thine eye, I am ashamed, yet will I tell thee.
Κρέουσα:αἰσχύνομαι μέν σʼ, ὦ γέρον, λέξω δʼ ὅμως.
Old Servant:Full well I know how to lend my friends a generous sympathy.
Πρεσβύτης:ὡς συστενάζειν γʼ οἶδα γενναίως φίλοις.
Creusa:Then hearken; dost know a cave toward the north of Cecrops’ rock, that we call Macrae?
Κρέουσα:ἄκουε τοίνυν· οἶσθα Κεκροπίας πέτραςπρόσβορρον ἄντρον, ἃς Μακρὰς κικλήσκομεν;
Old Servant:I know it; there is the shrine of Pan, and his altar hard by.
Πρεσβύτης:οἶδʼ, ἔνθα Πανὸς ἄδυτα καὶ βωμοὶ πέλας.
Creusa:That was the scene of my dire conflict.
Κρέουσα:ἐνταῦθʼ ἀγῶνα δεινὸν ἠγωνίσμεθα.
Old Servant:What conflict? see how my tears start forth to meet thy words.
Πρεσβύτης:τίνʼ; ὡς ἀπαντᾷ δάκρυά μοι τοῖς σοῖς λόγοις.
Creusa:Phoebus forced me to a woful marriage.
Κρέουσα:Φοίβῳ ξυνῆψʼ ἄκουσα δύστηνον γάμον.
Old Servant:Was it then this, my daughter, that I noticed myself?
Πρεσβύτης:ὦ θύγατερ, ἆρʼ ἦν ταῦθʼ ἅ γʼ ᾐσθόμην ἐγώ;
Creusa:I know not; but I will tell thee if thou speak the truth.
Κρέουσα:οὐκ οἶδʼ· ἀληθῆ δʼ εἰ λέγεις φαίημεν ἄν.
Old Servant:At the time thou wert mourning in secret some hidden complaint?
Πρεσβύτης:νόσον κρυφαίαν ἡνίκʼ ἔστενες λάθρα;
Creusa:Yes,’twas then this trouble happened, which now I am declaring to thee.
Κρέουσα:τότʼ ἦν ἃ νῦν σοι φανερὰ σημαίνω κακά.
Old Servant:How then didst conceal thy union with Apollo?
Πρεσβύτης:κᾆτʼ ἐξέκλεψας πῶς Ἀπόλλωνος γάμους;
Creusa:I bore a child; hear me patiently, old friend.
Κρέουσα:ἔτεκον — ἀνάσχου ταῦτʼ ἐμοῦ κλύων, γέρον.
Old Servant:Where? and who helped thy travail? or didst thou labour all alone?
Πρεσβύτης:ποῦ; τίς λοχεύει σʼ; ἢ μόνη μοχθεῖς τάδε;
Creusa:All alone, in the cave where I became a wife.
Κρέουσα:μόνη κατʼ ἄντρον οὗπερ ἐζεύχθην γάμοις.
Old Servant:Where is the child? that thou mayst cease thy childless state.
Πρεσβύτης:ὁ παῖς δὲ ποῦ ʼστιν; ἵνα σὺ μηκέτʼ ᾖς ἄπαις.
Creusa:Dead, old friend, to beasts exposed.
Κρέουσα:τέθνηκεν, ὦ γεραιέ, θηρσὶν ἐκτεθείς.
Old Servant:Dead? did Apollo, evil god, no help afford?
Πρεσβύτης:τέθνηκʼ; Ἀπόλλων δʼ ὁ κακὸς οὐδὲν ἤρκεσεν;
Creusa:None; my boy is in the halls of Hades.
Κρέουσα:οὐκ ἤρκεσʼ· Ἅιδου δʼ ἐν δόμοις παιδεύεται.
Old Servant:Who then exposed him? surely not thyself.
Πρεσβύτης:τίς γάρ νιν ἐξέθηκεν; οὐ γὰρ δὴ σύ γε.
Creusa:Myself, when ’neath the gloom of night I had wrapped him in my robe.
Κρέουσα:ἡμεῖς, ἐν ὄρφνῃ σπαργανώσαντες πέπλοις.
Old Servant:Did no one share thy secret of the babe’s exposure?
Πρεσβύτης:οὐδὲ ξυνῄδει σοί τις ἔκθεσιν τέκνου;
Creusa:Ill-fortune and secrecy alone.
Κρέουσα:αἱ ξυμφοραί γε καὶ τὸ λανθάνειν μόνον.
Old Servant:How couldst thou in the cavern leave thy babe?
Πρεσβύτης:καὶ πῶς ἐν ἄντρῳ παῖδα σὸν λιπεῖν ἔτλης;
Creusa:Ah! how? but still I did, with many a word of pity uttered o’er him.
Κρέουσα:πῶς δʼ οἰκτρὰ πολλὰ στόματος ἐκβαλοῦσʼ ἔπη —
Old Servant:Oh for thy hard heart! Oh for the god’s, more hard than thine!
Πρεσβύτης:φεῦ·τλήμων σὺ τόλμης, ὁ δὲ θεὸς μᾶλλον σέθεν.
Creusa:Hadst thou but seen the babe stretch forth his hands to me!
Κρέουσα:εἰ παῖδά γʼ εἶδες χεῖρας ἐκτείνοντά μοι.
Old Servant:To find thy mother’s breast, to nestle in thy arms?
Πρεσβύτης:μαστὸν διώκοντʼ ἦ πρὸς ἀγκάλαις πεσεῖν;
Creusa:By being kept therefrom he suffered grievous wrong from me.
Κρέουσα:ἐνταῦθʼ, ἵνʼ οὐκ ὢν ἄδικʼ ἔπασχεν ἐξ ἐμοῦ.
Old Servant:How earnest thou to think of casting forth thy babe?
Πρεσβύτης:σοὶ δʼ ἐς τί δόξʼ ἐσῆλθεν ἐκβαλεῖν τέκνον;
Creusa:Methought the god would save his own begotten child.
Κρέουσα:ὡς τὸν θεὸν σῴζοντα τόν γʼ αὑτοῦ γόνον.
Old Servant:Ah me! what storms assail thy family’s prosperity!
Πρεσβύτης:οἴμοι, δόμων σῶν ὄλβος ὡς χειμάζεται.
Creusa:Why weepest thou, old man, with head close-veiled?
Κρέουσα:τί κρᾶτα κρύψας, ὦ γέρον, δακρυρροεῖς;
Old Servant:To see the sorrows of thy sire and thee.
Πρεσβύτης:σὲ καὶ πατέρα σὸν δυστυχοῦντας εἰσορῶ.
Creusa:Such is our mortal life; naught abideth in one stay.
Κρέουσα:τὰ θνητὰ τοιαῦτʼ· οὐδὲν ἐν ταὐτῷ μένει.
Old Servant:Daughter, let us cease to dwell on themes of woe.
Πρεσβύτης:μή νυν ἔτʼ οἴκτων, θύγατερ, ἀντεχώμεθα.
Creusa:What must I do? Misfortune leaves us helpless.
Κρέουσα:τί γάρ με χρὴ δρᾶν; ἀπορία τὸ δυστυχεῖν.
Old Servant:Avenge thee on the god who first did injure thee.
Πρεσβύτης:τὸν πρῶτον ἀδικήσαντά σʼ ἀποτίνου θεόν.
Creusa:How can I, weak mortal as I am, outrun those mightier powers?
Κρέουσα:καὶ πῶς τὰ κρείσσω θνητὸς οὖσʼ ὑπερδράμω;
Old Servant:Set fire to Apollo’s awful sanctuary.
Πρεσβύτης:πίμπρη τὰ σεμνὰ Λοξίου χρηστήρια.
Creusa:I am afraid; my present sorrows are enough for me.
Κρέουσα:δέδοικα· καὶ νῦν πημάτων ἄδην ἔχω.
Old Servant:Then what thou canst, that dare—thy husband’s death.
Πρεσβύτης:τὰ δυνατά νυν τόλμησον, ἄνδρα σὸν κτανεῖν.
Creusa:Nay, I do respect his former love in the days when he was good and true.
Κρέουσα:αἰδούμεθʼ εὐνὰς τὰς τόθʼ ἡνίκʼ ἐσθλὸς ἦν.
Old Servant:At least, then, slay the boy who hath appeared to supplant thee.
Πρεσβύτης:νῦν δʼ ἀλλὰ παῖδα τὸν ἐπὶ σοὶ πεφηνότα.
Creusa:How can I? would it were possible! how I wish it were!
Κρέουσα:πῶς; εἰ γὰρ εἴη δυνατόν· ὡς θέλοιμί γʼ ἄν.
Old Servant:Arm thy followers with daggers.
Πρεσβύτης:ξιφηφόρους σοὺς ὁπλίσασʼ ὀπάονας.
Creusa:I will about it; but where is the deed to be done?
Κρέουσα:στείχοιμʼ ἄν· ἀλλὰ ποῦ γενήσεται τόδε;
Old Servant:In the sacred tent, where he is feasting his friends.
Πρεσβύτης:ἱεραῖσιν ἐν σκηναῖσιν, οὗ θοινᾷ φίλους.
Creusa:The murder will be too public, and slaves are poor support.
Κρέουσα:ἐπίσημον ὁ φόνος, καὶ τὸ δοῦλον ἀσθενές.
Old Servant:Ah! thou art turning coward. Devise some scheme thyself.
Πρεσβύτης:ὤμοι, κακίζῃ· φέρε, σὺ νῦν βούλευέ τι.
Creusa:Well, I too have subtle plans that cannot fail.
Κρέουσα:καὶ μὴν ἔχω γε δόλια καὶ δραστήρια.
Old Servant:If both conditions they fulfil, I will assist thee.
Πρεσβύτης:ἀμφοῖν ἂν εἴην τοῖνδʼ ὑπηρέτης ἐγώ.
Creusa:Hearken then; knowest thou the battle of the earth-born men?
Κρέουσα:ἄκουε τοίνυν· οἶσθα γηγενῆ μάχην;
Old Servant:Surely; the fight at Phlegra waged by giants against the gods.
Πρεσβύτης:οἶδʼ, ἣν Φλέγρᾳ Γίγαντες ἔστησαν θεοῖς.
Creusa:There Earth brought Gorgon forth, dreadful prodigy.
Κρέουσα:ἐνταῦθα Γοργόνʼ ἔτεκε Γῆ, δεινὸν τέρας.
Old Servant:To aid her sons maybe, and cause the gods hard toil?
Πρεσβύτης:ἦ παισὶν αὑτῆς σύμμαχον, θεῶν πόνον;
Creusa:Yea, and Pallas, daughter of Zeus, slew the monster.
Κρέουσα:ναί· καί νιν ἔκτεινʼ ἡ Διὸς Παλλὰς θεά.
Old Servant:What savage form had it assumed?
Πρεσβύτης:[ποῖόν τι μορφῆς σχῆμʼ ἔχουσαν ἀγρίας;]
Creusa:A breast-plate of vipers fenced its body.
Κρέουσα:[θώρακʼ ἐχίδνης περιβόλοις ὡπλισμένον.]
Old Servant:Is this the tale I heard in days of yore?
Πρεσβύτης:ἆρʼ οὗτός ἐσθʼ ὁ μῦθος ὃν κλύω πάλαι;
Creusa:That Athena wears its skin upon her corslet.
Κρέουσα:ταύτης Ἀθάναν δέρος ἐπὶ στέρνοις ἔχειν.
Old Servant:Is it this that Pallas wears, called by men her aegis?
Πρεσβύτης:ἣν αἰγίδʼ ὀνομάζουσι, Παλλάδος στολήν;
Creusa:This was the name it received, that day she came to do battle for the gods.
Κρέουσα:τόδʼ ἔσχεν ὄνομα θεῶν ὅτʼ ᾖξεν ἐς δόρυ.
Old Servant:How, daughter, can this harm thy enemies?
Πρεσβύτης:τί δῆτα, θύγατερ, τοῦτο σοῖς ἐχθροῖς βλάβος;
Creusa:Hast heard of Erichthonius, or no? of course thou hast.
Κρέουσα:Ἐριχθόνιον οἶσθʼ, ἢ —; τί δʼ οὐ μέλλεις, γέρον;
Old Servant:Him whom Earth produced, the founder of thy race?
Πρεσβύτης:ὃν πρῶτον ὑμῶν πρόγονον ἐξανῆκε γῆ;
Creusa:To him whilst yet a babe did Pallas give—
Κρέουσα:τούτῳ δίδωσι Παλλὰς ὄντι νεογόνῳ …
Old Servant:Ha! what? thou hast something yet to add?
Πρεσβύτης:τί χρῆμα; μέλλον γάρ τι προσφέρεις ἔπος.
Creusa:Two drops of Gorgon’s blood.
Κρέουσα:δισσοὺς σταλαγμοὺς αἵματος Γοργοῦς ἄπο.
Old Servant:What power could they exert on the nature of a human creature?
Πρεσβύτης:ἰσχὺν ἔχοντας τίνα πρὸς ἀνθρώπου φύσιν;
Creusa:The one with death is fraught, the other cures disease.
Κρέουσα:τὸν μὲν θανάσιμον, τὸν δʼ ἀκεσφόρον νόσων.
Old Servant:What held them when she tied them to the child’s body?
Πρεσβύτης:ἐν τῷ καθάψασʼ ἀμφὶ παιδὶ σώματος;
Creusa:With links of gold she fastened them; this to my sire did Erichthonius give.
Κρέουσα:χρυσοῖσι δεσμοῖς· ὁ δὲ δίδωσʼ ἐμῷ πατρί.
Old Servant:And at his death it came to thee?
Πρεσβύτης:κείνου δὲ κατθανόντος ἐς σὲ ἀφίκετο;
Creusa:Yea, and here at my wrist I wear it.
Κρέουσα:ναί· κἀπὶ καρπῷ γʼ αὔτʼ ἐγὼ χερὸς φέρω.
Old Servant:How works the spell of this double gift of Pallas?
Πρεσβύτης:πῶς οὖν κέκρανται δίπτυχον δῶρον θεᾶς;
Creusa:Each drop of gore which trickled from the hollow vein—
Κρέουσα:κοίλης μὲν ὅστις φλεβὸς ἀπέσταξεν φόνῳ …
Old Servant:What purpose does it serve? what virtue does it carry?
Πρεσβύτης:τί τῷδε χρῆσθαι; δύνασιν ἐκφέρει τίνα;
Creusa:Wards off disease, and nourishes man’s life.
Κρέουσα:νόσους ἀπείργει καὶ τροφὰς ἔχει βίου.
Old Servant:What doth that second drop effect, of which thou madest mention?
Πρεσβύτης:ὁ δεύτερος δʼ ἀριθμὸς ὧν λέγεις τί δρᾷ;
Creusa:It kills, for it is venom from the Gorgon’s snakes.
Κρέουσα:κτείνει, δρακόντων ἰὸς ὢν τῶν Γοργόνος.
Old Servant:Dost thou carry this charm mixed in one phial, or separate?
Πρεσβύτης:ἐς ἓν δὲ κραθέντʼ αὐτὸν ἢ χωρὶς φορεῖς;
Creusa:Separate; for good is no companion for evil.
Κρέουσα:χωρίς· κακῷ γὰρ ἐσθλὸν οὐ συμμείγνυται.
Old Servant:Daughter dear, thou art fully armed with all thou needest.
Πρεσβύτης:ὦ φιλτάτη παῖ, πάντʼ ἔχεις ὅσων σε δεῖ.
Creusa:By this must the boy die, and thou must do the deadly deed.
Κρέουσα:τούτῳ θανεῖται παῖς· σὺ δʼ ὁ κτείνων ἔσῃ.
Old Servant:How and where? thine it is to speak, and mine to dare and do.
Πρεσβύτης:ποῦ καὶ τί δράσας; σὸν λέγειν, τολμᾶν δʼ ἐμόν.
Creusa:In Athens, when to my house he comes.
Κρέουσα:ἐν ταῖς Ἀθήναις, δῶμʼ ὅταν τοὐμὸν μόλῃ.
Old Servant:That is not wisely said; I may object to thy plan as thou to mine.
Πρεσβύτης:οὐκ εὖ τόδʼ εἶπας· καὶ σὺ γὰρ τοὐμὸν ψέγεις.
Creusa:How so? Hast thou the same mistrust that I experience?
Κρέουσα:πῶς; ἆρʼ ὑπείδου τοῦθʼ ὃ κἄμʼ ἐσέρχεται;
Old Servant:Thou wilt get the credit of his death, although thou slay him not.
Πρεσβύτης:σὺ παῖδα δόξεις διολέσαι, κεἰ μὴ κτενεῖς.
Creusa:True; men say stepdames are jealous of their husband’s children.
Κρέουσα:ὀρθῶς· φθονεῖν γάρ φασι μητρυιὰς τέκνοις.
Old Servant:Kill him here then, that so thou mayst deny the murder.
Πρεσβύτης:αὐτοῦ νυν αὐτὸν κτεῖνʼ, ἵνʼ ἀρνήσῃ φόνους.
Creusa:Well, thus I do anticipate the pleasure.
Κρέουσα:προλάζυμαι γοῦν τῷ χρόνῳ τῆς ἡδονῆς.
Old Servant:Yea, and thou wilt from thy husband keep the very secret he would keep from thee.
Πρεσβύτης:καὶ σόν γε λήσεις πόσιν ἅ σε σπεύδει λαθεῖν.
Creusa:Dost know then what to do? Take from my armthis 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.
Κρέουσα:οἶσθʼ οὖν ὃ δρᾶσον; χειρὸς ἐξ ἐμῆς λαβὼνχρύσωμʼ Ἀθάνας τόδε, παλαιὸν ὄργανον,ἐλθὼν ἵνʼ ἡμῖν βουθυτεῖ λάθρα πόσις,δείπνων ὅταν λήγωσι καὶ σπονδὰς θεοῖςμέλλωσι λείβειν, ἐν πέπλοις ἔχων τόδεκάθες βαλὼν ἐς πῶμα τῷ νεανίᾳ … …ἰδίᾳ δέ, μή τι πᾶσι, χωρίσας ποτὸντῷ τῶν ἐμῶν μέλλοντι δεσπόζειν δόμων.κἄνπερ διέλθῃ λαιμόν, οὔποθʼ ἵξεταικλεινὰς Ἀθήνας, κατθανὼν δʼ αὐτοῦ μενεῖ.
Old Servant:Go thou within the house of our public hosts;
Πρεσβύτης:σὺ μέν νυν εἴσω προξένων μέθες πόδα·
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.
ἡμεῖς δʼ ἐφʼ ᾧ τετάγμεθʼ ἐκπονήσομεν.ἄγʼ, ὦ γεραιὲ πούς, νεανίας γενοῦἔργοισι, κεἰ μὴ τῷ χρόνῳ πάρεστί σοι.ἐχθρὸν δʼ ἐπʼ ἄνδρα στεῖχε δεσποτῶν μέτα,καὶ συμφόνευε καὶ συνεξαίρει δόμων.
’Tis well to honour piety in the hour of fortune, but when thou wouldst harm thy foe, no law doth block thy path.
τὴν δʼ εὐσέβειαν εὐτυχοῦσι μὲν καλὸντιμᾶν· ὅταν δὲ πολεμίους δρᾶσαι κακῶςθέλῃ τις, οὐδεὶς ἐμποδὼν κεῖται νόμος.
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!
Χορός:Εἰνοδία θύγατερ Δάματρος, ἃ τῶννυκτιπόλων ἐφόδων ἀνάσσειςκαὶ μεθαμερίων, ὅδωσονδυσθανάτων κρατήρων πλη-ρώματʼ ἐφʼ οἷσι πέμπειπότνια πότνιʼ ἐμὰ χθονίαςΓοργοῦς λαιμοτόμων ἀπὸσταλαγμῶντῷ τῶν Ἐρεχθεϊδᾶνδόμων ἐφαπτομένῳ·μηδέ ποτʼ ἄλλος [ἄλλων ἀπʼ] οἴ-κων πόλεως ἀνάσσοιπλὴν τῶν εὐγενετᾶν Ἐρεχθειδᾶν.
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 knifeor 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.
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 ἐξανύτουσʼεἰς ἄλλας βιότου κάτει-σι μορφάς.οὐ γὰρ δόμων γʼ ἑτέρουςἄρχοντας ἀλλοδαποὺςζῶσά ποτʼ [ὄμμασι] ἐν φαεν-ναῖς ἀνέχοιτʼ ἂν αὐγαῖςἁ τῶν εὐπατριδᾶν γεγῶσʼ οἴκων.
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 honourof 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.
Χορός:αἰσχύνομαι τὸν πολύυ-μνον θεόν, εἰ παρὰ καλλιχόροισι παγαῖςλαμπάδα θεωρὸν εἰκάδωνὄψεται ἐννύχιος ἄυπνος ὤν, ὅτεκαὶ Διὸς ἀστερωπὸςἀνεχόρευσεν αἰθήρ,χορεύει δὲ σελάνακαὶ πεντήκοντα κόραιΝηρέος, αἱ κατὰ πόντονἀενάων τε ποταμῶνδίνας, χορευόμεναιτὰν χρυσοστέφανον κόρανκαὶ ματέρα σεμνάν·ἵνʼ ἐλπίζει βασιλεύ-σειν ἄλλων πόνον ἐσπεσὼνὁ Φοίβειος ἀλάτας.
Chorus:Look to it, all ye bards, who, in malicious strains, expose our amours and unholy bonds of lawless love; see how far ourvirtue 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 Zeusshows 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.
Χορός:ὁρᾶθʼ ὅσοι δυσκελάδοι-σιν κατὰ μοῦσαν ἰόντες ἀείδεθʼ ὕμνοιςἁμέτερα λέχεα καὶ γάμουςΚύπριδος ἀθέμιτας ἀνοσίους, ὅσονεὐσεβίᾳ κρατοῦμενἄδικον ἄροτον ἀνδρῶν.παλίμφαμος ἀοιδὰκαὶ μοῦσʼ εἰς ἄνδρας ἴτωδυσκέλαδος ἀμφὶ λέκτρων.δείκνυσι γὰρ ὁ Διὸς ἐκπαίδων ἀμνημοσύναν,οὐ κοινὰν τεκέων τύχανοἴκοισι φυτεύσαςδεσποίνᾳ· πρὸς δʼ Ἀφροδί-ταν ἄλλαν θέμενος χάριννόθου παιδὸς ἔκυρσεν.
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.
Θεράπων:κλειναὶ γυναῖκες, ποῦ κόρην Ἐρεχθέως,δέσποιναν εὕρω; πανταχῇ γὰρ ἄστεωςζητῶν νιν ἐξέπλησα κοὐκ ἔχω λαβεῖν.