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

# Phoenician Women · Φοίνισσαι

*Euripides, tr. Edward P. Coleridge*

Jocasta tries to reconcile her warring sons before the gates of Thebes.

> Greek: ed. Gilbert Murray, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0006.tlg015, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Edward P. Coleridge, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0006.tlg015.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 1–600](https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-phoenissae/1.md)
2. [Lines 601–1179](https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-phoenissae/2.md)
3. [Lines 1180–1766](https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-phoenissae/3.md)

## 1. Lines 1–600

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

[¶0] Before the royal palace of Thebes.
Jocasta:
O Sun-god, you who cut your path in heaven’s stars, mounted on a chariot inlaid with gold and whirling out your flame with swift horses, what an unfortunate beam you shed on Thebes, the day
that Cadmus left Phoenicia’s realm beside the sea and reached this land! He married at that time Harmonia, the daughter of Cypris, and begot Polydorus from whom they say Labdacus was born, and Laius from him.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ὦ τὴν ἐν ἄστροις οὐρανοῦ τέμνων ὁδὸν
καὶ χρυσοκολλήτοισιν ἐμβεβὼς δίφροις
Ἥλιε, θοαῖς ἵπποισιν εἱλίσσων φλόγα,
ὡς δυστυχῆ Θήβαισι τῇ τόθʼ ἡμέρᾳ
ἀκτῖνʼ ἐφῆκας, Κάδμος ἡνίκʼ ἦλθε γῆν
τήνδʼ, ἐκλιπὼν Φοίνισσαν ἐναλίαν χθόνα·
ὃς παῖδα γήμας Κύπριδος Ἁρμονίαν ποτὲ
Πολύδωρον ἐξέφυσε, τοῦ δὲ Λάβδακον
φῦναι λέγουσιν, ἐκ δὲ τοῦδε Λάιον.

[¶1] I am known as the daughter of Menoeceus, and Creon is my brother by the same mother. They call me Jocasta, for so my father named me, and I am married to Laius. Now when he was still childless after being married to me a long time in the palace,
he went and questioned Phoebus, and asked for us both to have sons for the house. But the god said: “Lord of Thebes famous for horses, do not sow a furrow of children against the will of the gods; for if you beget a son, that child will kill you,”
“and all your house shall wade through blood.” But he, yielding to pleasure in a drunken fit, begot a child on me; and afterwards, conscious of his sin and of the god’s warning, he gave the child to shepherds to expose
in Hera’s meadow and the crag of Cithaeron, after piercing his ankles with iron spikes; from which Hellas named him Oedipus. But Polybus’ horsemen found him and took him home and laid him in the arms of their mistress.
So she suckled the child that I had borne and persuaded her husband she was its mother.

> Greek: ἐγὼ δὲ παῖς μὲν κλῄζομαι Μενοικέως,
— Κρέων τʼ ἀδελφὸς μητρὸς ἐκ μιᾶς ἔφυ —
καλοῦσι δʼ Ἰοκάστην με· τοῦτο γὰρ πατὴρ
ἔθετο. γαμεῖ δὲ Λάιός μʼ· ἐπεὶ δʼ ἄπαις
ἦν χρόνια λέκτρα τἄμʼ ἔχων ἐν δώμασιν,
ἐλθὼν ἐρωτᾷ Φοῖβον ἐξαιτεῖ θʼ ἅμα
παίδων ἐς οἴκους ἀρσένων κοινωνίαν.
ὃ δʼ εἶπεν· ὦ Θήβαισιν εὐίπποις ἄναξ,
μὴ σπεῖρε τέκνων ἄλοκα δαιμόνων βίᾳ·
εἰ γὰρ τεκνώσεις παῖδʼ, ἀποκτενεῖ σʼ ὁ φύς,
καὶ πᾶς σὸς οἶκος βήσεται διʼ αἵματος.
ὃ δʼ ἡδονῇ δοὺς ἔς τε βακχείαν πεσὼν
ἔσπειρεν ἡμῖν παῖδα· καὶ σπείρας, βρέφος
γνοὺς τἀμπλάκημα τοῦ θεοῦ τε τὴν φάτιν,
λειμῶνʼ ἐς Ἥρας καὶ Κιθαιρῶνος λέπας
δίδωσι βουκόλοισιν ἐκθεῖναι βρέφος,
σφυρῶν σιδηρᾶ κέντρα διαπείρας μέσον·
ὅθεν νιν Ἑλλὰς ὠνόμαζεν Οἰδίπουν.
Πολύβου δέ νιν λαβόντες ἱπποβουκόλοι
φέρουσʼ ἐς οἴκους ἔς τε δεσποίνης χέρας
ἔθηκαν. ἣ δὲ τὸν ἐμὸν ὠδίνων πόνον
μαστοῖς ὑφεῖτο καὶ πόσιν πείθει τεκεῖν.

[¶2] When my son had become a man, with tawny beard, either because he had guessed or learned it from another, he set out for the shrine of Phoebus, wanting to know for certain who his parents were;
and so did Laius, my husband, seeking to learn if the child he had exposed was dead. And the two of them met at the branching road of Phocis. And Laius’ charioteer ordered him:

> Greek: ἤδη δὲ πυρσαῖς γένυσιν ἐξανδρούμενος
παῖς οὑμὸς ἢ γνοὺς ἤ τινος μαθὼν πάρα
ἔστειχε τοὺς φύσαντας ἐκμαθεῖν θέλων
πρὸς δῶμα Φοίβου, Λάιός θʼ, οὑμὸς πόσις,
τὸν ἐκτεθέντα παῖδα μαστεύων μαθεῖν
εἰ μηκέτʼ εἴη. καὶ ξυνάπτετον πόδα
ἐς ταὐτὸν ἄμφω Φωκίδος σχιστῆς ὁδοῦ.
καί νιν κελεύει Λαΐου τροχηλάτης·

[¶3] “Stranger, make way for the king!” But he walked on without a word, in his pride. The horses with their hoofs drew blood from the tendons of his feet. Then—why need I speak of matters outside these evils?—son slew father, and taking his chariot
gave it to Polybus, his foster-father. Now when the Sphinx was oppressing and ravaging our city, after my husband’s death, my brother Creon proclaimed my marriage: that he would marry me to anyone who should guess the riddle of the crafty maiden. It happened somehow
that my son, Oedipus, guessed the Sphinx’s song; [and so he became king of this land] and received the scepter of this land as his prize. He married his mother in ignorance, luckless wretch! nor did his mother know that she was sleeping with her son.

> Greek: ὦ ξένε, τυράννοις ἐκποδὼν μεθίστασο.
ὃ δʼ εἷρπʼ ἄναυδος, μέγα φρονῶν. πῶλοι δέ νιν
χηλαῖς τένοντας ἐξεφοίνισσον ποδῶν.
ὅθεν — τί τἀκτὸς τῶν κακῶν με δεῖ λέγειν; —
παῖς πατέρα καίνει καὶ λαβὼν ὀχήματα
Πολύβῳ τροφεῖ δίδωσιν. ὡς δʼ ἐπεζάρει
Σφὶγξ ἁρπαγαῖσι πόλιν ἐμός τʼ οὐκ ἦν πόσις,
Κρέων ἀδελφὸς τἀμὰ κηρύσσει λέχη,
ὅστις σοφῆς αἴνιγμα παρθένου μάθοι,
τούτῳ ξυνάψειν λέκτρα. τυγχάνει δέ πως
μούσας ἐμὸς παῖς Οἰδίπους Σφιγγὸς μαθών·
[ὅθεν τύραννος τῆσδε γῆς καθίσταται]
καὶ σκῆπτρʼ ἔπαθλα τῆσδε λαμβάνει χθονός.
γαμεῖ δὲ τὴν τεκοῦσαν οὐκ εἰδὼς τάλας
οὐδʼ ἡ τεκοῦσα παιδὶ συγκοιμωμένη.

[¶4] I bore my son two sons, Eteocles and the hero Polyneices, and two daughters; the one her father called Ismene; the other, which was the elder, I named Antigone. Now when Oedipus, who endured so much,
learned that he was married to his mother, he inflicted a dreadful slaughter upon his eyes, making the pupils bloody with a golden brooch. But when my sons grew to bearded men, they hid their father behind bars, so that his misfortune,
needing as it did much skill to hide it, might be forgotten. He is still living in the house. Afflicted by his fate, he makes the most unholy curses against his sons, praying that they may divide this house with a sharp sword.

> Greek: τίκτω δὲ παῖδας παιδὶ δύο μὲν ἄρσενας,
Ἐτεοκλέα κλεινήν τε Πολυνείκους βίαν,
κόρας τε δισσάς· τὴν μὲν Ἰσμήνην πατὴρ
ὠνόμασε, τὴν δὲ πρόσθεν Ἀντιγόνην ἐγώ.
μαθὼν δὲ τἀμὰ λέκτρα μητρῴων γάμων
ὁ πάντʼ ἀνατλὰς Οἰδίπους παθήματα
ἐς ὄμμαθʼ αὑτοῦ δεινὸν ἐμβάλλει φόνον,
χρυσηλάτοις πόρπαισιν αἱμάξας κόρας.
ἐπεὶ δὲ τέκνων γένυς ἐμῶν σκιάζεται,
κλῄθροις ἔκρυψαν πατέρʼ, ἵνʼ ἀμνήμων τύχη
γένοιτο πολλῶν δεομένη σοφισμάτων·
ζῶν δʼ ἔστʼ ἐν οἴκοις. πρὸς δὲ τῆς τύχης νοσῶν
ἀρὰς ἀρᾶται παισὶν ἀνοσιωτάτας,
θηκτῷ σιδήρῳ δῶμα διαλαχεῖν τόδε.

[¶5] So they were afraid
that the gods might fulfil his prayers if they dwell together; and they made an agreement, that Polyneices, the younger, should first leave the land in voluntary exile, while Eteocles should stay and hold the scepter, and then change places yearly. But as soon as Eteocles was seated on the bench of power,
he did not leave the throne, but drove Polyneices into exile from this land. So Polyneices went to Argos and married into the family of Adrastus, and having collected a numerous force of Argives is leading them here; and he has come against these very walls of seven gates,
demanding the scepter of his father and his share of the land. Now I, to end their strife, have persuaded one son to meet the other under truce, before seizing arms; and the messenger I sent tells me that he will come. O Zeus, dwelling in the bright folds of heaven,
save us, and reconcile my sons! For you, if you are really wise, must not allow the same mortal to be forever wretched. Exit Jocasta.

> Greek: τὼ δʼ ἐς φόβον πεσόντε, μὴ τελεσφόρους
εὐχὰς θεοὶ κραίνωσιν οἰκούντων ὁμοῦ,
ξυμβάντʼ ἔταξαν τὸν νεώτερον πάρος
φεύγειν ἑκόντα τήνδε Πολυνείκη χθόνα,
Ἐτεοκλέα δὲ σκῆπτρʼ ἔχειν μένοντα γῆς,
ἐνιαυτὸν ἀλλάσσοντε. ἐπεὶ δʼ ἐπὶ ζυγοῖς
καθέζετʼ ἀρχῆς, οὐ μεθίσταται θρόνων,
φυγάδα δʼ ἀπωθεῖ τῆσδε Πολυνείκη χθονός.
ὃ δʼ Ἄργος ἐλθών, κῆδος Ἀδράστου λαβών,
πολλὴν ἀθροίσας ἀσπίδʼ Ἀργείων ἄγει·
ἐπʼ αὐτὰ δʼ ἐλθὼν ἑπτάπυλα τείχη τάδε,
πατρῷʼ ἀπαιτεῖ σκῆπτρα καὶ μέρη χθονός.
ἐγὼ δʼ ἔριν λύουσʼ ὑπόσπονδον μολεῖν
ἔπεισα παιδὶ παῖδα πρὶν ψαῦσαι δορός.
ἥξειν δʼ ὁ πεμφθείς φησιν αὐτὸν ἄγγελος.
ἀλλʼ, ὦ φαεννὰς οὐρανοῦ ναίων πτυχὰς
Ζεῦ, σῶσον ἡμᾶς, δὸς δὲ σύμβασιν τέκνοις.
χρὴ δʼ, εἰ σοφὸς πέφυκας, οὐκ ἐᾶν βροτὸν
τὸν αὐτὸν αἰεὶ δυστυχῆ καθεστάναι.

[¶6] Old servant:
From the roof. Antigone, famous child in your father’s house, although your mother allowed you at your entreaty to leave your maiden chamber
for the topmost story of the house, to see the Argive army, wait, so that I may first investigate the path, whether there be any of the citizens visible on the road, and reproach, a slight matter to a slave like me, should come
to you, my royal mistress; and when I have examined everything, I will tell you what I saw and heard from the Argives, when I carried the terms of the truce from here to Polyneices and back from him again.
After a slight pause.

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
ὦ κλεινὸν οἴκοις Ἀντιγόνη θάλος πατρί,
ἐπεί σε μήτηρ παρθενῶνας ἐκλιπεῖν
μεθῆκε μελάθρων ἐς διῆρες ἔσχατον
στράτευμʼ ἰδεῖν Ἀργεῖον ἱκεσίαισι σαῖς,
ἐπίσχες, ὡς ἂν προυξερευνήσω στίβον,
μή τις πολιτῶν ἐν τρίβῳ φαντάζεται,
κἀμοὶ μὲν ἔλθῃ φαῦλος ὡς δούλῳ ψόγος,
σοὶ δʼ ὡς ἀνάσσῃ· πάντα δʼ ἐξειδὼς φράσω
ἅ τʼ εἶδον εἰσήκουσά τʼ Ἀργείων πάρα,
σπονδὰς ὅτʼ ἦλθον σῷ κασιγνήτῳ φέρων
ἐνθένδʼ ἐκεῖσε, δεῦρό τʼ αὖ κείνων πάρα.

[¶7] No, there is no citizen near the house,
so mount the ancient cedar steps, and view the plains; beside Ismenus’ streams and the fountain of Dirce see the great army of the enemy.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ οὔτις ἀστῶν τοῖσδε χρίμπτεται δόμοις,
κέδρου παλαιὰν κλίμακʼ ἐκπέρα ποδί·
σκόπει δὲ πεδία καὶ παρʼ Ἰσμηνοῦ ῥοὰς
Δίρκης τε νᾶμα πολεμίων στράτευμʼ ὅσον.

[¶8] Antigone:
Stretch out your hand to me from the stairs now, stretch it out, the hand of age to youth,
helping me to rise.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ὄρεγέ νυν ὄρεγε γεραιὰν νέᾳ
χεῖρʼ ἀπὸ κλιμάκων
ποδὸς ἴχνος ἐπαντέλλων.

[¶9] Old servant:
There! clasp it, maiden; you have come at the right time; for Pelasgia’s army is just upon the move, and they are separating the companies.

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
ἰδοὺ ξύναψον, παρθένʼ· ἐς καιρὸν δʼ ἔβης·
κινούμενον γὰρ τυγχάνει Πελασγικὸν
στράτευμα, χωρίζουσι δʼ ἀλλήλων λόχους.

[¶10] Antigone:
O Lady Hecate,
child of Leto! The plain is one lightning-flash of bronze.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ἰὼ πότνια παῖ
Λατοῦς Ἑκάτα, κατάχαλκον ἅπαν
πεδίον ἀστράπτει.

[¶11] Old servant:
Ah! this is no ordinary home-coming of Polyneices, with the clash of many horses, many arms.

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
οὐ γάρ τι φαύλως ἦλθε Πολυνείκης χθόνα,
πολλοῖς μὲν ἵπποις, μυρίοις δʼ ὅπλοις βρέμων.

[¶12] Antigone:
Are the gates barred, and the brazen bolts
fitted into Amphion’s walls of stone?

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ἆρα πύλαι κλῄθροις — χαλκόδετʼ ἆρʼ ἔμβολα
λαϊνέοισιν Ἀμφίονος ὀργάνοις
τείχεος ἥρμοσται;

[¶13] Old servant:
Never fear! All is safe within the town. But see the first one, if you want to know him.

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
θάρσει· τά γʼ ἔνδον ἀσφαλῶς ἔχει πόλις.
ἀλλʼ εἰσόρα τὸν πρῶτον, εἰ βούλῃ μαθεῖν.

[¶14] Antigone:
Who is that one with the white crest,
who marches before the army, lightly bearing on his arm a shield all of bronze?

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
τίς οὗτος ὁ λευκολόφας,
πρόπαρ ὃς ἁγεῖται στρατοῦ πάγχαλκον ἀσπίδʼ
ἀμφὶ βραχίονι κουφίζων;

[¶15] Old servant:
A captain, mistress.

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
λοχαγός, ὦ δέσποινα.

[¶16] Antigone:
Who is he? Who is his family? Tell me his name, old man.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
τίς, πόθεν γεγώς;
αὔδασον, ὦ γεραιέ, τίς ὀνομάζεται;

[¶17] Old servant:
He claims to be Mycenaean; by Lerna’s streams he dwells, the lord Hippomedon.

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
οὗτος Μυκηναῖος μὲν αὐδᾶται γένος,
Λερναῖα δʼ οἰκεῖ νάμαθʼ, Ἱππομέδων ἄναξ.

[¶18] Antigone:
Ah, ah! How proud, how fearful to see, like an earth-born giant, with stars engraved on his shield, not resembling
mortal race.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ἒ ἒ ὡς γαῦρος, ὡς φοβερὸς εἰσιδεῖν,
γίγαντι γηγενέτᾳ προσόμοιος
ἀστερωπὸς ἐν γραφαῖσιν, οὐχὶ πρόσφορος
ἁμερίῳ γέννᾳ.

[¶19] Old servant:
Do you see the one crossing Dirce’s stream?

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
τὸν δʼ ἐξαμείβοντʼ οὐχ ὁρᾷς Δίρκης ὕδωρ;

[¶20] Antigone:
His armor is quite different. Who is that?

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ἄλλος ἄλλος ὅδε τευχέων τρόπος.
τίς δʼ ἐστὶν οὗτος;

[¶21] Old servant:
Tydeus, the son of Oeneus, Aetolian battle-spirit in his breast.

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
παῖς μὲν Οἰνέως ἔφυ
Τυδεύς, Ἄρη δʼ Αἰτωλὸν ἐν στέρνοις ἔχει.

[¶22] Antigone:
Is this the one, old man, who married a sister of Polyneices’ wife? What a foreign look his armor has, half-barbarian!

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
οὗτος ὁ τᾶς Πολυνείκεος,
ὦ γέρον, αὐτοκασιγνήτᾳ νύμφας
ὁμόγαμος κυρεῖ;
ὡς ἀλλόχρως ὅπλοισι, μειξοβάρβαρος.

[¶23] Old servant:
Yes, my child; all Aetolians carry shields,
and are most unerring marksmen with their darts.
[]

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
σακεσφόροι γὰρ πάντες Αἰτωλοί, τέκνον,
λόγχαις τʼ ἀκοντιστῆρες εὐστοχώτατοι.

[¶24] Antigone:
[How do you know them so clearly, old man?]
[]

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
σὺ δʼ, ὦ γέρον, πῶς αἰσθάνῃ σαφῶς τάδε;

[¶25] Old servant:
[I saw and learned the devices on their shields before, when I went with the terms of the truce to your brother, since I looked closely at them, I know the armed men.]

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
σημεῖʼ ἰδὼν τότʼ ἀσπίδων ἐγνώρισα,
σπονδὰς ὅτʼ ἦλθον σῷ κασιγνήτῳ φέρων
ἃ προσδεδορκὼς οἶδα τοὺς ὡπλισμένους.

[¶26] Antigone:
Who is that youth passing by the tomb of Zethus, with long flowing hair, fierce to see? Is he a captain? For an armed crowd follows at his heels.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
τίς δʼ οὗτος ἀμφὶ μνῆμα τὸ Ζήθου περᾷ
καταβόστρυχος, ὄμμασι γοργὸς
εἰσιδεῖν νεανίας,
λοχαγός, ὡς ὄχλος νιν ὑστέρῳ ποδὶ
πάνοπλος ἀμφέπει;

[¶27] Old servant:
That is Parthenopaeus, Atalanta’s son.

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
ὅδʼ ἐστὶ Παρθενοπαῖος, Ἀταλάντης γόνος.

[¶28] Antigone:
May Artemis, who rushes over the hills with his mother, lay him low with an arrow, for coming against my city to sack it!

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ἀλλά νιν ἁ κατʼ ὄρη μετὰ ματέρος
Ἄρτεμις ἱεμένα τόξοις δαμάσασʼ ὀλέσειεν,
ὃς ἐπʼ ἐμὰν πόλιν ἔβα πέρσων.

[¶29] Old servant:
May it be so, my child; but they have come here with justice,
and my fear is that the gods will take the rightful view.

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
εἴη τάδʼ, ὦ παῖ. σὺν δίκῃ δʼ ἥκουσι γῆν·
ὃ καὶ δέδοικα μὴ σκοπῶσʼ ὀρθῶς θεοί.

[¶30] Antigone:
Where is the one who was born of the same mother as I was, by a painful destiny? Oh! tell me, old friend, where Polyneices is.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ποῦ δʼ ὃς ἐμοὶ μιᾶς ἐγένετʼ ἐκ ματρὸς
πολυπόνῳ μοίρᾳ;
ὦ φίλτατʼ, εἰπέ, ποῦ ʼστι Πολυνείκης, γέρον.

[¶31] Old servant:
He is standing by Adrastus,
near the tomb of Niobe’s seven unwed daughters. Do you see him?

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
ἐκεῖνος ἑπτὰ παρθένων τάφου πέλας
Νιόβης Ἀδράστῳ πλησίον παραστατεῖ.
ὁρᾷς;

[¶32] Antigone:
I see him, yes! but not clearly; I see the outline of his form, the likeness of his breast. Would I could speed through the sky, swift as a cloud before the wind,
towards my own dear brother, and throw my arms about my darling’s neck, so long, poor boy! an exile. How distinguished he is with his golden weapons, old man, flashing like the morning rays!

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ὁρῶ δῆτʼ οὐ σαφῶς, ὁρῶ δέ πως
μορφῆς τύπωμα στέρνα τʼ ἐξῃκασμένα.
ἀνεμώκεος εἴθε δρόμον νεφέλας ποσὶν ἐξανύσαιμι
διʼ αἰθέρος
πρὸς ἐμὸν ὁμογενέτορα, περὶ δʼ ὠλένας
δέρᾳ φιλτάτᾳ βάλοιμʼ ⟨ἐν⟩ χρόνῳ
φυγάδα μέλεον. ὡς
ὅπλοισι χρυσέοισιν ἐκπρεπής, γέρον,
ἑῴοις ὅμοια φλεγέθων βολαῖς [ἀελίου].

[¶33] Old servant:
He will come to this house, under truce, to fill your heart with joy.

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
ἥξει δόμους τούσδʼ, ὥστε σʼ ἐμπλῆσαι χαρᾶς,
ἔνσπονδος.

[¶34] Antigone:
Who is that, old man, on his chariot, driving white horses?

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
οὗτος δʼ, ὦ γεραιέ, τίς κυρεῖ,
ὃς ἅρμα λευκὸν ἡνιοστροφεῖ βεβώς;

[¶35] Old servant:
That, lady, is the prophet Amphiaraus; with him are the victims, earth’s bloodthirsty streams.

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
ὁ μάντις Ἀμφιάραος, ὦ δέσποινʼ, ὅδε·
σφάγια δʼ ἅμʼ αὐτῷ, γῆς φιλαίματοι ῥοαί.

[¶36] Antigone:
Daughter of the sun with dazzling zone, O moon, you circle of golden light, how quietly, with what restraint he drives, goading first one horse, then the other! But where is the one who utters those dreadful insults against this city?

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ὦ λιπαροζώνου θύγατερ Ἀελίου
Σελαναία, χρυσεόκυκλον φέγγος,
ὡς ἀτρεμαῖα κέντρα καὶ σώφρονα
πώλοις μεταφέρων ἰθύνει.
ποῦ δʼ ὃς τὰ δεινὰ τῇδʼ ἐφυβρίζει πόλει;

[¶37] Old servant:
Capaneus? There he is, calculating how he may scale the towers, taking the measure of our walls up and down.

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
Καπανεύς; ἐκεῖνος προσβάσεις τεκμαίρεται
πύργων ἄνω τε καὶ κάτω τείχη μετρῶν.

[¶38] Antigone:
O Nemesis, and roaring thunder-peals of Zeus and blazing lightning-bolts, oh! put to sleep his presumptuous boasting!

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ἰώ,
Νέμεσι καὶ Διὸς βαρύβρομοι βρονταί,
κεραυνῶν τε φῶς αἰθαλόεν, σύ τοι
μεγαλαγορίαν ὑπεράνορα κοιμίζεις·

[¶39] This is the man who says he will give the Theban girls as captives of his spear to the women of Mycenae, to Lerna’s trident, and the waters of Amymone, dear to Poseidon, when he has them enslaved.
Never, never, Lady Artemis, golden-haired child of Zeus, may I endure that slavery.

> Greek: ὅδʼ ἐστίν, αἰχμαλώτιδας
ὃς δορὶ Θηβαίας Μυκηνηΐσιν
Λερναίᾳ τε δώσειν τριαίνᾳ,
Ποσειδανίοις Ἀμυμωνίοις
ὕδασι δουλείαν περιβαλών —
μήποτε μήποτε τάνδʼ, ὦ πότνια,
χρυσεοβόστρυχον ὦ Διὸς ἔρνος
Ἄρτεμι, δουλοσύναν τλαίην.

[¶40] Old servant:
My child, go inside, and stay beneath the shelter of your maiden chamber, now that you have had
your wish and seen all that you wanted; for a crowd of women is coming toward the royal palace, as confusion enters the city. Now women by nature love scandal; and if they get some slight handle for their gossip
they exaggerate it, for women seem to have pleasure in saying nothing wholesome about each other. Exeunt Antigone and the old servant.

> Greek: Παιδαγωγός:
ὦ τέκνον, ἔσβα δῶμα καὶ κατὰ στέγας
ἐν παρθενῶσι μίμνε σοῖς, ἐπεὶ πόθου
ἐς τέρψιν ἦλθες ὧν ἔχρῃζες εἰσιδεῖν.
ὄχλος γάρ, ὡς ταραγμὸς εἰσῆλθεν πόλιν,
χωρεῖ γυναικῶν πρὸς δόμους τυραννικούς,
φιλόψογον δὲ χρῆμα θηλειῶν ἔφυ,
σμικράς τʼ ἀφορμὰς ἢν λάβωσι τῶν λόγων,
πλείους ἐπεσφέρουσιν· ἡδονὴ δέ τις
γυναιξὶ μηδὲν ὑγιὲς ἀλλήλας λέγειν.

[¶41] Chorus:
From the Tyrian swell of the sea I came, a choice offering for Loxias from the island of Phoenicia,
to be a slave to Phoebus in his halls, where he dwells under the snow-swept peaks of Parnassus; through the Ionian sea I sailed in the waves,
over the unharvested plains, in the gusts of Zephyrus that ride from Sicily, sweetest music in the sky.

> Greek: Χορός:
Τύριον οἶδμα λιποῦσʼ ἔβαν
ἀκροθίνια Λοξίᾳ
Φοινίσσας ἀπὸ νάσου
Φοίβῳ δούλα μελάθρων,
ἵνʼ ὑπὸ δειράσι νιφοβόλοις
Παρνασοῦ κατενάσθη,
Ἰόνιον κατὰ πόντον ἐλά-
τᾳ πλεύσασα περιρρύτῳ
ὑπὲρ ἀκαρπίστων πεδίων
Σικελίας Ζεφύρου πνοαῖς
ἱππεύσαντος, ἐν οὐρανῷ
κάλλιστον κελάδημα.

[¶42] Chorus:
Chosen from my city
as beauty’s gift for Loxias, to the land of Cadmus I came, sent here to the towers of Laius, the home of my kin, the famous sons of Agenor.

> Greek: Χορός:
πόλεος ἐκπροκριθεῖσʼ ἐμᾶς
καλλιστεύματα Λοξίᾳ
Καδμείων ἔμολον γᾶν,
κλεινῶν Ἀγηνοριδᾶν
ὁμογενεῖς ἐπὶ Λαΐου
πεμφθεῖσʼ ἐνθάδε πύργους.

[¶43] And I became the handmaid of Phoebus, dedicated like his statues of wrought gold. But the water of Castalia is still waiting for me to drench the maiden glory of my hair
for the service of Phoebus.

> Greek: ἴσα δʼ ἀγάλμασι χρυσοτεύ-
κτοις Φοίβῳ λάτρις ἐγενόμαν·
ἔτι δὲ Κασταλίας ὕδωρ
περιμένει με κόμας ἐμᾶς
δεῦσαι παρθένιον χλιδὰν
Φοιβείαισι λατρείαις.

[¶44] Chorus:
Hail, rock that lights up a double-crested flash of fire above the frenzied heights of Dionysus; and the vine, that every day
lets fall the lush cluster of grapes; and the holy cavern of the serpent and the gods’ watchtower on the hills, and the sacred snow-swept mountain!
Would I were free of fear and circling in the dance of the deathless god, having left Dirce for the valleys of Phoebus at the center of the world.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἰὼ λάμπουσα πέτρα πυρὸς
δικόρυφον σέλας ὑπὲρ ἄκρων
βακχειῶν Διονύσου,
οἴνα θʼ ἃ καθαμέριον
στάζεις τὸν πολύκαρπον
οἰνάνθας ἱεῖσα βότρυν,
ζάθεά τʼ ἄντρα δράκοντος οὔ-
ρειαί τε σκοπιαὶ θεῶν
νιφόβολόν τʼ ὄρος ἱερόν, εἱ-
λίσσων ἀθανάτας θεοῦ
χορὸς γενοίμαν ἄφοβος
παρὰ μεσόμφαλα γύαλα Φοί-
βου Δίρκαν προλιποῦσα.

[¶45] Chorus:
But now I find
the impetuous god of war has come to battle before the walls, and is kindling a murderous blaze—may he not succeed!—for this city. For a friend’s pain is shared, and if this land with its seven towers
suffers any mischance, Phoenicia’s realm will share it. Ah me! our blood is one; we are all children of Io, the horned maid; these sorrows I claim as mine.

> Greek: Χορός:
νῦν δέ μοι πρὸ τειχέων
θούριος μολὼν Ἄρης
αἷμα δάιον φλέγει
τᾷδʼ, ὃ μὴ τύχοι, πόλει·
κοινὰ γὰρ φίλων ἄχη,
κοινὰ δʼ, εἴ τι πείσεται
ἑπτάπυργος ἅδε γᾶ,
Φοινίσσᾳ χώρᾳ. φεῦ φεῦ.
κοινὸν αἷμα, κοινὰ τέκεα
τᾶς κερασφόρου πέφυκεν Ἰοῦς·
ὧν μέτεστί μοι πόνων.

[¶46] Chorus:
Around the city a thick cloud of shields is kindling a shape of bloody battle, which Ares will soon learn, if he brings upon the sons of Oedipus
the curse of the Furies. O Argos, city of Pelasgia! I dread your might, and also what comes from the gods; for the one who approaches his home in armor is setting out to a contest
that is not without justice.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀμφὶ δὲ πτόλιν νέφος
ἀσπίδων πυκνὸν φλέγει
σχῆμα φοινίου μάχης,
ἃν Ἄρης τάχʼ εἴσεται
παισὶν Οἰδίπου φέρων
πημονὰν Ἐρινύων.
Ἄργος ὦ Πελασγικόν,
δειμαίνω τὰν σὰν ἀλκάν,
καὶ τὸ θεόθεν· οὐ γὰρ ἄδικον
εἰς ἀγῶνα τόνδʼ ἔνοπλος ὁρμᾷ [παῖς]
ὃς μετέρχεται δόμους.

[¶47] Polyneices:
The doorkeeper’s bolts admitted me readily within the walls, and so I fear that now they have caught me in their nets, they will not let me out unscathed;

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
τὰ μὲν πυλωρῶν κλῇθρά μʼ εἰσεδέξατο
διʼ εὐπετείας τειχέων ἔσω μολεῖν.
ὃ καὶ δέδοικα μή με δικτύων ἔσω
λαβόντες οὐκ ἐκφρῶσʼ ἀναίμακτον χρόα.

[¶48] so I must turn my eye in every direction, here and there, to guard against treachery. Armed with this sword, I shall inspire myself with the confidence that is born of boldness. Starting. Oh! Who is that? Or is it a sound I fear?

> Greek: ὧν οὕνεκʼ ὄμμα πανταχῇ διοιστέον
κἀκεῖσε καὶ τὸ δεῦρο, μὴ δόλος τις ᾖ.
ὡπλισμένος δὲ χεῖρα τῷδε φασγάνῳ
τὰ πίστʼ ἐμαυτῷ τοῦ θράσους παρέξομαι.
ὠή, τίς οὗτος; ἢ κτύπον φοβούμεθα;

[¶49] Everything seems a danger to the daring, when their feet begin to tread an enemy’s country. Still I trust my mother, and at the same time mistrust her, the one who persuaded me to come here under truce. Well, there is help at hand, for the altar’s hearth
is close and the house is not deserted. Come, let me sheath my sword in its dark scabbard and ask these women standing near the house, who they are.

> Greek: ἅπαντα γὰρ τολμῶσι δεινὰ φαίνεται,
ὅταν διʼ ἐχθρᾶς ποὺς ἀμείβηται χθονός.
πέποιθα μέντοι μητρί, κοὐ πέποιθʼ ἅμα,
ἥτις μʼ ἔπεισε δεῦρʼ ὑπόσπονδον μολεῖν.
ἀλλʼ ἐγγὺς ἀλκή· βώμιοι γὰρ ἐσχάραι
πέλας πάρεισι, κοὐκ ἔρημα δώματα.
φέρʼ ἐς σκοτεινὰς περιβολὰς μεθῶ ξίφος
καὶ τάσδʼ ἔρωμαι, τίνες ἐφεστᾶσιν δόμοις.

[¶50] Ladies of another land, tell me from what country do you come to the halls of Hellas?

> Greek: ξέναι γυναῖκες, εἴπατʼ, ἐκ ποίας πάτρας
Ἑλληνικοῖσι δώμασιν πελάζετε;

[¶51] Chorus Leader:
Phoenicia is my native land where I was born and bred; and the grandsons of Agenor sent me here as first-fruits of the spoil of war for Phoebus. But when the noble son of Oedipus was about to send me to the hallowed oracle and the altars of Loxias,
the Argive army came against his city. Now tell me in return who you are, who have come to this fortress of the Theban land with its seven gates.

> Greek: Χορός:
Φοίνισσα μὲν γῆ πατρὶς ἡ θρέψασά με,
Ἀγήνορος δὲ παῖδες ἐκ παίδων δορὸς
Φοίβῳ μʼ ἔπεμψαν ἐνθάδʼ ἀκροθίνιον.
μέλλων δὲ πέμπειν μʼ Οἰδίπου κλεινὸς γόνος
μαντεῖα σεμνὰ Λοξίου τʼ ἐπʼ ἐσχάρας —
ἐν τῷδʼ ἐπεστράτευσαν Ἀργεῖοι πόλιν.
σὺ δʼ ἀντάμειψαί μʼ, ὅστις ὢν ἐλήλυθας
ἑπτάστομον πύργωμα Θηβαίας χθονός.

[¶52] Polyneices:
My father was Oedipus, the son of Laius; my mother Jocasta, daughter of Menoeceus;

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
πατὴρ μὲν ἡμῖν Οἰδίπους ὁ Λαΐου,
ἔτικτε δʼ Ἰοκάστη με, παῖς Μενοικέως·

[¶53] and I am called Polyneices by the people of Thebes.

> Greek: καλεῖ δὲ Πολυνείκη με Θηβαῖος λεώς.

[¶54] Chorus:
O kinsman of Agenor’s race, my royal masters who sent me here!
I fall to my knees before you, lord, honoring the custom of my home.
At last you have come to your native land. Hail to you! all hail! Lady, come from the house, open wide the gates! Do you hear, you who gave birth to this man? Why do you delay to leave the sheltered hall
and hold your son in your embrace?

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ συγγένεια τῶν Ἀγήνορος τέκνων,
ἐμῶν τυράννων, ὧν ἀπεστάλην ὕπο —
Χορός:
γονυπετεῖς ἕδρας προσπίτνω σʼ, ἄναξ,
τὸν οἴκοθεν νόμον σέβουσʼ —
ἔβας ὢ χρόνῳ γᾶν πατρῴαν.
ἰὼ ἰώ· πότνια, μόλε πρόδομος,
ἀμπέτασον πύλας.
κλύεις, ὦ τεκοῦσα τόνδε μᾶτερ;
τί μέλλεις ὑπώροφα μέλαθρα περᾶν
θιγεῖν τʼ ὠλέναισιν τέκνου;

[¶55] Jocasta:
Maidens, I hear your Phoenician voice, and my old feet drag their tottering steps. O my son,
at last after countless days I see your face; throw your arms about your mother’s breast, stretch out to me your cheeks and the dark, curly locks of your hair, overshadowing my neck.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
Φοίνισσαν βοὰν
κλύουσʼ, ὦ νεάνιδες, γηραιὸν
πόδʼ ἕλκω, τρομερὰν βάσιν· ἰὼ τέκνον,
χρόνῳ σὸν ὄμμα μυρίαις τʼ ἐν ἁμέραις
προσεῖδον· ἀμφίβαλλε μα-
στὸν ὠλέναισι ματέρος,
παρηίδων τʼ ὄρεγμα βο-
στρύχων τε κυανόχρωτα χαί-
τας πλόκαμον, δέραν σκιάζων ἁμάν.

[¶56] Hail to you! all hail! scarcely here in your mother’s arms, beyond hope and expectation. What can I say to you? How in every way, by hands, by words, in the mazy delight
of the dance, shall I find the pleasure of my former joy? Ah! my son, you left your father’s house desolate, when your brother’s outrage drove you away in exile.
Truly you were missed alike by your friends and Thebes. And so I cut my white hair and let it fall for grief, in tears, not clad in robes of white, my son,
but taking instead these dark rags.

> Greek: ἰὼ ἰώ, μόλις φανεὶς
ἄελπτα κἀδόκητα ματρὸς ὠλέναις.
τί φῶ σε; πῶς ἅπαντα
καὶ χερσὶ καὶ λόγοισι
πολυέλικτον ἁδονὰν
[ἐκεῖσε καὶ τὸ δεῦρο]
περιχορεύουσα τέρψιν παλαιᾶν λάβω
χαρμονᾶν; ἰὼ τέκος,
ἔρημον πατρῷον ἔλιπες δόμον
φυγὰς ἀποσταλεὶς ὁμαίμου λώβᾳ,
ἦ ποθεινὸς φίλοις,
ἦ ποθεινὸς Θήβαις.
ὅθεν ἐμάν τε λευκόχροα κείρομαι
δακρυόεσσʼ ἀνεῖσα πένθει κόμαν,
ἄπεπλος φαρέων λευκῶν, ⟨ὦ⟩ τέκνον,
δυσόρφναια δʼ ἀμφὶ τρύχη τάδε
σκότιʼ ἀμείβομαι.

[¶57] While in the house the old blind man, always possessed by his tearful longing for the pair of brothers estranged from the home,
rushed to kill himself with the sword or by the noose suspended over his chamber-roof, moaning his curses on his sons;

> Greek: ὁ δʼ ἐν δόμοισι πρέσβυς ὀμματοστερὴς
ἀπήνας ὁμοπτέρου τᾶς ἀπο-
ζυγείσας δόμων
πόθον ἀμφιδάκρυτον ἀεὶ κατ-
έχων ἀνῇξε μὲν ξίφους
ἐπʼ αὐτόχειρά τε σφαγάν,
ὑπὲρ τέραμνά τʼ ἀγχόνας,
στενάζων ἀρὰς τέκνοις·

[¶58] and now he hides himself in darkness, always weeping and lamenting. And you, my child, I hear you have married and are begetting children to your joy in a foreign home,
and are courting a foreign alliance, a ceaseless regret to me your mother and to Laius your ancestor, ruin brought by your marriage. I was not the one who lit for you the marriage-torch,
the custom in marriage for a happy mother; Ismenus had no part at your wedding in supplying the luxurious bath, and there was silence through the streets of Thebes, at the entrance of your bride.

> Greek: σὺν ἀλαλαῖσι δʼ αἰὲν αἰαγμάτων
σκότια κρύπτεται.
σὲ δʼ, ὦ τέκνον, [καὶ] γάμοισι δὴ
κλύω ζυγέντα παιδοποιὸν ἁδονὰν
ξένοισιν ἐν δόμοις ἔχειν
ξένον τε κῆδος ἀμφέπειν,
ἄλαστα ματρὶ τᾷδε Λα-
ίῳ τε τῷ παλαιγενεῖ,
γάμων ἐπακτὸν ἄταν.
ἐγὼ δʼ οὔτε σοι πυρὸς ἀνῆψα φῶς
νόμιμον ἐν γάμοις
[ὡς πρέπει] ματέρι μακαρίᾳ·
ἀνυμέναια δʼ Ἰσμηνὸς ἐκηδεύθη
λουτροφόρου χλιδᾶς, ἀνὰ δὲ Θηβαίαν
πόλιν ἐσιγάθη σᾶς ἔσοδοι νύμφας.

[¶59] Curses on them! whether the sword or strife or your father that is to blame, or heaven’s visitation that has burst riotously upon the house of Oedipus; for on me has come all the anguish of these evils.

> Greek: ὄλοιτο, τάδʼ εἴτε σίδαρος
εἴτʼ ἔρις εἴτε πατὴρ ὁ σὸς αἴτιος,
εἴτε τὸ δαιμόνιον κατεκώμασε
δώμασιν Οἰδιπόδα·
πρὸς ἐμὲ γὰρ κακῶν ἔμολε τῶνδʼ ἄχη.

[¶60] Chorus Leader:
Their offspring are a wonderful thing to women; all of them have some love for their children.

> Greek: Χορός:
δεινὸν γυναιξὶν αἱ διʼ ὠδίνων γοναί,
καὶ φιλότεκνόν πως πᾶν γυναικεῖον γένος.

[¶61] Polyneices:
Mother, I have come among enemies wisely or foolishly; but all men must love their native land; whoever says otherwise
is pleased to say so, but his thoughts are turned elsewhere. I was so fearful and in such terror, lest my brother should kill me by treachery, that I came through the city sword in hand, looking all round. I had one advantage,
the truce and your word, which brought me to to the paternal walls; and I arrived here weeping, to see after a long time my home and the altars of the gods, the training ground, scene of my childhood, and the water of Dirce, from which I was unjustly driven to live in a foreign city,
a stream of tears flowing from my eyes. Now, grief upon grief, I see you [with hair cut short and in black robes], alas for my sorrows!

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
μῆτερ, φρονῶν εὖ κοὐ φρονῶν ἀφικόμην
ἐχθροὺς ἐς ἄνδρας· ἀλλʼ ἀναγκαίως ἔχει
πατρίδος ἐρᾶν ἅπαντας· ὃς δʼ ἄλλως λέγει,
λόγοισι χαίρει τὸν δὲ νοῦν ἐκεῖσʼ ἔχει.
οὕτω δʼ ἐτάρβουν ἐς φόβον τʼ ἀφικόμην,
μή τις δόλος με πρὸς κασιγνήτου κτάνῃ,
ὥστε ξιφήρη χεῖρʼ ἔχων διʼ ἄστεως
κυκλῶν πρόσωπον ἦλθον. ἓν δέ μʼ ὠφελεῖ,
σπονδαί τε καὶ σὴ πίστις, ἥ μʼ ἐσήγαγε
τείχη πατρῷα· πολύδακρυς δʼ ἀφικόμην,
χρόνιος ἰδὼν μέλαθρα καὶ βωμοὺς θεῶν
γυμνάσιά θʼ οἷσιν ἐνετράφην Δίρκης θʼ ὕδωρ·
ὧν οὐ δικαίως ἀπελαθεὶς ξένην πόλιν
ναίω, διʼ ὄσσων νᾶμʼ ἔχων δακρύρροον.
ἀλλʼ ἐκ γὰρ ἄλγους ἄλγος αὖ σὲ δέρκομαι
[κάρα ξυρῆκες καὶ πέπλους μελαγχίμους]
ἔχουσαν, οἴμοι τῶν ἐμῶν ἐγὼ κακῶν.

[¶62] What a terrible thing, mother, is hatred between dear friends.
[and how hard it makes reconciliation]
What is my old father doing within the house, looking on darkness? What of my two sisters? Surely the unhappy ones lament my exile?

> Greek: ὡς δεινὸν ἔχθρα, μῆτερ, οἰκείων φίλων
[καὶ δυσλύτους ἔχουσα τὰς διαλλαγάς].
τί γὰρ πατήρ μοι πρέσβυς ἐν δόμοισι δρᾷ,
σκότον δεδορκώς; τί δὲ κασίγνηται δύο;
ἦ που στένουσι τλήμονες φυγὰς ἐμάς;

[¶63] Jocasta:
Some god with evil intent is destroying the race of Oedipus.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
κακῶς θεῶν τις Οἰδίπου φθείρει γένος·

[¶64] So it began, my childbearing was unholy, and in an evil hour I married your father and you were born. But why repeat these horrors? What the gods send we have to bear. I am afraid to ask you what I would, for fear of stinging your heart; yet I long to.

> Greek: οὕτω γὰρ ἤρξατʼ, ἄνομα μὲν τεκεῖν ἐμέ,
κακῶς δὲ γῆμαι πατέρα σὸν φῦναί τε σέ.
ἀτὰρ τί ταῦτα; δεῖ φέρειν τὰ τῶν θεῶν.
ὅπως δʼ ἔρωμαι, μή τι σὴν δάκω φρένα,
δέδοιχʼ, ἃ χρῄζω· διὰ πόθου δʼ ἐλήλυθα.

[¶65] Polyneices:
No, question me, leave out nothing; for your will, mother, is my pleasure too.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
ἀλλʼ ἐξερώτα, μηδὲν ἐνδεὲς λίπῃς·
ἃ γὰρ σὺ βούλῃ, ταὔτʼ ἐμοί, μῆτερ, φίλα.

[¶66] Jocasta:
Well then, first I ask you what I long to have answered. What is it, to be deprived of one’s country? Is it a great evil?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
καὶ δή σʼ ἐρωτῶ πρῶτον ὧν χρῄζω τυχεῖν,
τί τὸ στέρεσθαι πατρίδος; ἦ κακὸν μέγα;

[¶67] Polyneices:
The greatest; harder to bear than tell.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
μέγιστον· ἔργῳ δʼ ἐστὶ μεῖζον ἢ λόγῳ.

[¶68] Jocasta:
What is it like? What annoys the exile?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
τίς ὁ τρόπος αὐτοῦ; τί φυγάσιν τὸ δυσχερές;

[¶69] Polyneices:
One thing most of all; he cannot speak his mind.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
ἓν μὲν μέγιστον, οὐκ ἔχει παρρησίαν.

[¶70] Jocasta:
This is a slave’s lot you speak of, not to say what one thinks.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
δούλου τόδʼ εἶπας, μὴ λέγειν ἅ τις φρονεῖ.

[¶71] Polyneices:
The follies of the rulers must be borne.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
τὰς τῶν κρατούντων ἀμαθίας φέρειν χρεών.

[¶72] Jocasta:
That too is painful, to join in the folly of fools.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
καὶ τοῦτο λυπρόν, συνασοφεῖν τοῖς μὴ σοφοῖς.

[¶73] Polyneices:
Yet to gain our ends we must serve against our nature.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
ἀλλʼ ἐς τὸ κέρδος παρὰ φύσιν δουλευτέον.

[¶74] Jocasta:
Hope, they say, is the exile’s food.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
αἱ δʼ ἐλπίδες βόσκουσι φυγάδας, ὡς λόγος.

[¶75] Polyneices:
Yes, hope that looks so fair; but always in the future.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
καλοῖς βλέπουσαί γʼ ὄμμασιν, μέλλουσι δέ.

[¶76] Jocasta:
But doesn’t time expose its emptiness?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
οὐδʼ ὁ χρόνος αὐτὰς διεσάφησʼ οὔσας κενάς;

[¶77] Polyneices:
It has a certain winsome charm in misfortune.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
ἔχουσιν Ἀφροδίτην τινʼ ἡδεῖαν κακῶν.

[¶78] Jocasta:
Where did you get your living, before your marriage found it for you?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
πόθεν δʼ ἐβόσκου, πρὶν γάμοις εὑρεῖν βίον;

[¶79] Polyneices:
Sometimes I would have enough for the day, and sometimes not.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
ποτὲ μὲν ἐπʼ ἦμαρ εἶχον, εἶτʼ οὐκ εἶχον ἄν.

[¶80] Jocasta:
Didn’t your father’s friends and guests assist you?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
φίλοι δὲ πατρὸς καὶ ξένοι σʼ οὐκ ὠφέλουν;

[¶81] Polyneices:
Seek to be prosperous; friends are nothing in misfortune.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
εὖ πρᾶσσε· τὰ φίλων δʼ οὐδέν, ἤν τι δυστυχῇς.

[¶82] Jocasta:
Didn’t your noble breeding lead you to the heights?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
οὐδʼ ηὑγένειά σʼ ἦρεν εἰς ὕψος μέγαν;

[¶83] Polyneices:
Poverty is a curse; breeding did not find me food.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
κακὸν τὸ μὴ ἔχειν· τὸ γένος οὐκ ἔβοσκέ με.

[¶84] Jocasta:
Man’s dearest treasure, it seems, is his country.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ἡ πατρίς, ὡς ἔοικε, φίλτατον βροτοῖς.

[¶85] Polyneices:
You could not name how dear it is!

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
οὐδʼ ὀνομάσαι δύναιʼ ἂν ὡς ἐστὶν φίλον.

[¶86] Jocasta:
How did you come to Argos? What was your scheme?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
πῶς δʼ ἦλθες Ἄργος; τίνʼ ἐπίνοιαν ἔσχεθες;

[¶87] Polyneices:
Loxias gave Adrastus an oracle.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
ἔχρησʼ Ἀδράστῳ Λοξίας χρησμόν τινα.

[¶88] Jocasta:
What was it? What are you saying? I cannot guess.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ποῖον; τί τοῦτʼ ἔλεξας; οὐκ ἔχω μαθεῖν.

[¶89] Polyneices:
That he should marry his daughters to a boar and a lion.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
κάπρῳ λέοντί θʼ ἁρμόσαι παίδων γάμους.

[¶90] Jocasta:
What did you, my son, have to do with the name of beasts?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
καὶ σοὶ τί θηρῶν ὀνόματος μετῆν, τέκνον;

[¶91] Polyneices:
I don’t know; the deity summoned me there to my destiny.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
οὐκ οἶδʼ· ὁ δαίμων μʼ ἐκάλεσεν πρὸς τὴν τύχην.

[¶92] Jocasta:
Yes, for the god is wise; but how did you win your wife?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
σοφὸς γὰρ ὁ θεός· τίνι τρόπῳ δʼ ἔσχες λέχος;

[¶93] Polyneices:
It was night when I reached the porch of Adrastus.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
νὺξ ἦν, Ἀδράστου δʼ ἦλθον ἐς παραστάδας.

[¶94] Jocasta:
In search of a resting-place, because you were in exile?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
κοίτας ματεύων, ᾗ φυγὰς πλανώμενος;

[¶95] Polyneices:
Yes; and then another exile came there.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
ἦν ταῦτα· κᾆτά γʼ ἦλθεν ἄλλος αὖ φυγάς.

[¶96] Jocasta:
Who was he? He too was in trouble, surely.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
τίς οὗτος; ὡς ἄρʼ ἄθλιος κἀκεῖνος ἦν.

[¶97] Polyneices:
Tydeus; they say that Oineus is his father.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
Τυδεύς, ὃν Οἰνέως φασὶν ἐκφῦναι πατρός.

[¶98] Jocasta:
But why did Adrastus compare you to wild beasts?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
τί θηρσὶν ὑμᾶς δῆτʼ Ἄδραστος ᾔκασεν;

[¶99] Polyneices:
Because we came to blows about our bed.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
στρωμνῆς ἐς ἀλκὴν οὕνεκʼ ἤλθομεν πέρι.

[¶100] Jocasta:
Was it then that the son of Talaus understood the oracle?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ἐνταῦθα Ταλαοῦ παῖς συνῆκε θέσφατα;

[¶101] Polyneices:
Yes, and he gave the two of us his two daughters.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
κἄδωκέ γʼ ἡμῖν δύο δυοῖν νεάνιδας.

[¶102] Jocasta:
Are you blessed or cursed in your marriage?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ἆρʼ εὐτυχεῖς οὖν τοῖς γάμοις ἢ δυστυχεῖς;

[¶103] Polyneices:
As yet I have no fault to find with it.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
οὐ μεμπτὸς ἡμῖν ὁ γάμος ἐς τόδʼ ἡμέρας.

[¶104] Jocasta:
How did you persuade an army to follow you here?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
πῶς δʼ ἐξέπεισας δεῦρό σοι σπέσθαι στρατόν;

[¶105] Polyneices:
Adrastus swore an oath to his two sons-in-law, [Tydeus and myself; for he is my relative by marriage] that he would restore us both to our country, me first.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
δισσοῖς Ἄδραστος ὤμοσεν γαμβροῖς τόδε,
[Τυδεῖ τε κἀμοί· σύγγαμος γάρ ἐστʼ ἐμός·]
ἄμφω κατάξειν ἐς πάτραν, πρόσθεν δʼ ἐμέ.

[¶106] So many Danaan and Mycenaean chiefs have joined me, doing me a bitter though needful service, for it is against my own city I am marching. Now I call the gods to witness, that it is not willingly I have raised the spear against my willing friends.

> Greek: πολλοὶ δὲ Δαναῶν καὶ Μυκηναίων ἄκροι
πάρεισι, λυπρὰν χάριν, ἀναγκαίαν δʼ, ἐμοὶ
διδόντες· ἐπὶ γὰρ τὴν ἐμὴν στρατεύομαι
πόλιν. θεοὺς δʼ ἐπώμοσʼ ὡς ἀκουσίως
τοῖς φιλτάτοις ἑκοῦσιν ἠράμην δόρυ.

[¶107] But it belongs to you, mother, to dissolve this unhappy feud, and, by reconciling loving brothers, to end the trouble for me and you and the whole city. It has been said for a long time, but I will say it anyway: wealth is most valued by men,
and of all things in the world it has the greatest power. This I have come to secure at the head of my great army; for a man well-born but poor is worth nothing.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ ἐς σὲ τείνει τῶνδε διάλυσις κακῶν,
μῆτερ, διαλλάξασαν ὁμογενεῖς φίλους
παῦσαι πόνων με καὶ σὲ καὶ πᾶσαν πόλιν.
πάλαι μὲν οὖν ὑμνηθέν, ἀλλʼ ὅμως ἐρῶ·
τὰ χρήματʼ ἀνθρώποισι τιμιώτατα,
δύναμίν τε πλείστην τῶν ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἔχει.
ἁγὼ μεθήκω δεῦρο μυρίαν ἄγων
λόγχην· πένης γὰρ οὐδὲν εὐγενὴς ἀνήρ.

[¶108] Chorus Leader:
And see, Eteocles comes here to discuss the truce. It is your task, mother Jocasta, to speak
such words as may reconcile your sons.

> Greek: Χορός:
καὶ μὴν Ἐτεοκλῆς ἐς διαλλαγὰς ὅδε
χωρεῖ· σὸν ἔργον, μῆτερ Ἰοκάστη, λέγειν
τοιούσδε μύθους οἷς διαλλάξεις τέκνα.

[¶109] Eteocles:
Mother, I am here; I have come to do you a favor. What am I to do? Let some one begin the conference; for I stopped marshalling the citizens in pairs of companies around the walls, so that I might hear your
arbitration between us, by which you persuaded me to admit this man under truce within the walls.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
μῆτερ, πάρειμι· τὴν χάριν δὲ σοὶ διδοὺς
ἦλθον. τί χρὴ δρᾶν; ἀρχέτω δέ τις λόγου·
ὡς ἀμφὶ τείχη καὶ ξυνωρίδας λόχων
τάσσων ἐπέσχον πόλιν, ὅπως κλύοιμί σου
κοινὰς βραβείας, αἷς ὑπόσπονδον μολεῖν
τόνδʼ εἰσεδέξω τειχέων πείσασά με.

[¶110] Jocasta:
Wait; haste does not carry justice with it; but slow deliberation often attains a wise result. Restrain the fierceness of your look and panting rage;

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ἐπίσχες· οὔτοι τὸ ταχὺ τὴν δίκην ἔχει,
βραδεῖς δὲ μῦθοι πλεῖστον ἀνύουσιν σοφόν.
σχάσον δὲ δεινὸν ὄμμα καὶ θυμοῦ πνοάς·

[¶111] for this is not the Gorgon’s severed head but your own brother whom you see has come. You too, Polyneices, turn and face your brother; for if you look at him, you will speak and listen to him the better.

> Greek: οὐ γὰρ τὸ λαιμότμητον εἰσορᾷς κάρα
Γοργόνος, ἀδελφὸν δʼ εἰσορᾷς ἥκοντα σόν.
σύ τʼ αὖ πρόσωπον πρὸς κασίγνητον στρέφε,
Πολύνεικες· ἐς γὰρ ταὐτὸν ὄμμασιν βλέπων
λέξεις τʼ ἄμεινον τοῦδέ τʼ ἐνδέξῃ λόγους.

[¶112] I want to give you both one piece of good counsel; when a man that is angry with his friend confronts him face to face, he ought only to keep in view the object of his coming, forgetting all previous quarrels.

> Greek: παραινέσαι δὲ σφῷν τι βούλομαι σοφόν·
ὅταν φίλος τις ἀνδρὶ θυμωθεὶς φίλῳ
ἐς ἓν συνελθὼν ὄμματʼ ὄμμασιν διδῷ,
ἐφʼ οἷσιν ἥκει, ταῦτα χρὴ μόνον σκοπεῖν,
κακῶν δὲ τῶν πρὶν μηδενὸς μνείαν ἔχειν.

[¶113] My son Polyneices, speak first, for you have come at the head of a Danaid army, alleging wrongful treatment; may some god be the judge and reconciler of the troubles.

> Greek: λόγος μὲν οὖν σὸς πρόσθε, Πολύνεικες τέκνον·
σὺ γὰρ στράτευμα Δαναϊδῶν ἥκεις ἄγων,
ἄδικα πεπονθώς, ὡς σὺ φῄς· κριτὴς δέ τις
θεῶν γένοιτο καὶ διαλλακτὴς κακῶν.

[¶114] Polyneices:
The words of truth are naturally simple,
and justice needs no subtle interpretations, for it has a fitness in itself; but the words of injustice, being sick in themselves, require clever treatment. I provided for his interests and mine in our father’s house, being anxious to escape the curse
which Oedipus once uttered against us; of my own free-will I left this land, allowing him to rule the country for one full year, on condition that I should then take up the rule in turn, instead of plunging into deadly enmity with this man,
doing others harm and suffering it myself, as is now the case. But he, after consenting to this and calling the gods to witness his oath, has performed none of his promises, but is still keeping the sovereignty in his own hands together with my share of our heritage.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
ἁπλοῦς ὁ μῦθος τῆς ἀληθείας ἔφυ,
κοὐ ποικίλων δεῖ τἄνδιχʼ ἑρμηνευμάτων·
ἔχει γὰρ αὐτὰ καιρόν· ὁ δʼ ἄδικος λόγος
νοσῶν ἐν αὑτῷ φαρμάκων δεῖται σοφῶν.
ἐγὼ δὲ πατρὸς δωμάτων προυσκεψάμην
τοὐμόν τε καὶ τοῦδʼ, ἐκφυγεῖν χρῄζων ἀρὰς
ἃς Οἰδίπους ἐφθέγξατʼ εἰς ἡμᾶς ποτε,
ἐξῆλθον ἔξω τῆσδʼ ἑκὼν αὐτὸς χθονός,
δοὺς τῷδʼ ἀνάσσειν πατρίδος ἐνιαυτοῦ κύκλον,
ὥστʼ αὐτὸς ἄρχειν αὖθις ἀνὰ μέρος λαβὼν
καὶ μὴ διʼ ἔχθρας τῷδε καὶ φθόνου μολὼν
κακόν τι δρᾶσαι καὶ παθεῖν, ἃ γίγνεται.
ὃ δʼ αἰνέσας ταῦθʼ ὁρκίους τε δοὺς θεούς,
ἔδρασεν οὐδὲν ὧν ὑπέσχετʼ, ἀλλʼ ἔχει
τυραννίδʼ αὐτὸς καὶ δόμων ἐμῶν μέρος.

[¶115] And now I am ready to take my own
and dismiss the army from this land, receiving my house in turn to dwell in, and once more restore it to him for an equal period, instead of ravaging our country and bringing scaling-ladders against the towers,
as I shall attempt to do if I do not get my rights. I call the gods to witness that spite of my just dealing in everything I am being unjustly robbed of my country, a most unholy act. I have made my points, mother, without stringing together
words to entangle you, but urging a fair case, I think, in the judgment of the wise and the simple.

> Greek: καὶ νῦν ἕτοιμός εἰμι τἀμαυτοῦ λαβὼν
στρατὸν μὲν ἔξω τῆσδʼ ἀποστεῖλαι χθονός,
οἰκεῖν δὲ τὸν ἐμὸν οἶκον ἀνὰ μέρος λαβὼν
καὶ τῷδʼ ἀφεῖναι τὸν ἴσον αὖθις ⟨αὖ⟩ χρόνον,
καὶ μήτε πορθεῖν πατρίδα μήτε προσφέρειν
πύργοισι πηκτῶν κλιμάκων προσαμβάσεις,
ἃ μὴ κυρήσας τῆς δίκης πειράσομαι
δρᾶν. μάρτυρας δὲ τῶνδε δαίμονας καλῶ,
ὡς πάντα πράσσων σὺν δίκῃ, δίκης ἄτερ
ἀποστεροῦμαι πατρίδος ἀνοσιώτατα.
ταῦτʼ αὔθʼ ἕκαστα, μῆτερ, οὐχὶ περιπλοκὰς
λόγων ἀθροίσας εἶπον, ἀλλὰ καὶ σοφοῖς
καὶ τοῖσι φαύλοις ἔνδιχʼ, ὡς ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ.

[¶116] Chorus Leader:
To me, although I was not born and bred in Hellas, your words seem full of sense.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἐμοὶ μέν, εἰ καὶ μὴ καθʼ Ἑλλήνων χθόνα
τεθράμμεθʼ, ἀλλʼ οὖν ξυνετά μοι δοκεῖς λέγειν.

[¶117] Eteocles:
If all were unanimous in their ideas of honor and wisdom,
there would be no strife to make men disagree; but, as it is, fairness and equality have no existence in this world beyond the name; there is really no such thing. I will tell you this, mother, without any concealment: I would go to the rising of the stars and the sun,
or beneath the earth, if I were able so to do, to win Tyranny, the greatest of the gods. Therefore, mother, I will not yield this blessing to another rather than keep it for myself; for it is cowardly to lose the greater
and to win the less. Besides, I am ashamed to think that he should gain his object by coming with arms and ravaging the land; for this would be a disgrace to Thebes, if I should yield my scepter up to him for fear of Mycenaean might.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
εἰ πᾶσι ταὐτὸν καλὸν ἔφυ σοφόν θʼ ἅμα,
οὐκ ἦν ἂν ἀμφίλεκτος ἀνθρώποις ἔρις·
νῦν δʼ οὔθʼ ὅμοιον οὐδὲν οὔτʼ ἴσον βροτοῖς,
πλὴν ὀνόμασαι· τὸ δʼ ἔργον οὐκ ἔστιν τόδε.
ἐγὼ γὰρ οὐδέν, μῆτερ, ἀποκρύψας ἐρῶ·
ἄστρων ἂν ἔλθοιμʼ ἡλίου πρὸς ἀντολὰς
καὶ γῆς ἔνερθεν, δυνατὸς ὢν δρᾶσαι τάδε,
τὴν θεῶν μεγίστην ὥστʼ ἔχειν Τυραννίδα.
τοῦτʼ οὖν τὸ χρηστόν, μῆτερ, οὐχὶ βούλομαι
ἄλλῳ παρεῖναι μᾶλλον ἢ σῴζειν ἐμοί·
ἀνανδρία γάρ, τὸ πλέον ὅστις ἀπολέσας
τοὔλασσον ἔλαβε. πρὸς δὲ τοῖσδʼ αἰσχύνομαι,
ἐλθόντα σὺν ὅπλοις τόνδε καὶ πορθοῦντα γῆν
τυχεῖν ἃ χρῄζει· ταῖς γὰρ ἂν Θήβαις τόδε
γένοιτʼ ὄνειδος, εἰ Μυκηναίου δορὸς
φόβῳ παρείην σκῆπτρα τἀμὰ τῷδʼ ἔχειν.

[¶118] He ought not to have attempted reconcilement by armed force, mother, for words accomplish everything that even the sword of an enemy might effect. Still, if on any other terms he cares to dwell here, he may; but that I shall never willingly let go.

> Greek: χρῆν δʼ αὐτὸν οὐχ ὅπλοισι τὰς διαλλαγάς,
μῆτερ, ποιεῖσθαι· πᾶν γὰρ ἐξαιρεῖ λόγος
ὃ καὶ σίδηρος πολεμίων δράσειεν ἄν.
ἀλλʼ, εἰ μὲν ἄλλως τήνδε γῆν οἰκεῖν θέλει,
ἔξεστʼ· ἐκεῖνο δʼ οὐχ ἑκὼν μεθήσομαι.

[¶119] Shall I become his slave, when I can rule? Therefore come fire, come sword! Harness your horses, fill the plains with chariots, for I will not give up my tyranny to him. For if we must do wrong, to do so for tyranny
is the fairest cause, but in all else piety should be our aim.

> Greek: ἄρχειν παρόν μοι, τῷδε δουλεύσω ποτέ;
πρὸς ταῦτʼ ἴτω μὲν πῦρ, ἴτω δὲ φάσγανα,
ζεύγνυσθε δʼ ἵππους, πεδία πίμπλαθʼ ἁρμάτων,
ὡς οὐ παρήσω τῷδʼ ἐμὴν τυραννίδα.
εἴπερ γὰρ ἀδικεῖν χρή, τυραννίδος πέρι
κάλλιστον ἀδικεῖν, τἄλλα δʼ εὐσεβεῖν χρεών.

[¶120] Chorus Leader:
One should not speak well on deeds that are not good; for that is not good, but bitter to justice.

> Greek: Χορός:
οὐκ εὖ λέγειν χρὴ μὴ ʼπὶ τοῖς ἔργοις καλοῖς·
οὐ γὰρ καλὸν τοῦτʼ, ἀλλὰ τῇ δίκῃ πικρόν.

[¶121] Jocasta:
Eteocles, my child, it is not all evil that attends old age; but experience
has something to say wiser than youth. Why, my son, do you so long for Ambition, that worst of deities? Oh, do not; the goddess is unjust; many are the homes and cities once prosperous that she has entered and left, to the ruin of her worshippers;

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ὦ τέκνον, οὐχ ἅπαντα τῷ γήρᾳ κακά,
Ἐτεόκλεες, πρόσεστιν· ἀλλʼ ἡμπειρία
ἔχει τι λέξαι τῶν νέων σοφώτερον.
τί τῆς κακίστης δαιμόνων ἐφίεσαι
Φιλοτιμίας, παῖ; μὴ σύ γʼ· ἄδικος ἡ θεός·
πολλοὺς δʼ ἐς οἴκους καὶ πόλεις εὐδαίμονας
ἐσῆλθε κἀξῆλθʼ ἐπʼ ὀλέθρῳ τῶν χρωμένων·

[¶122] and she is the one you are mad for. It is better, my son, to honor Equality, who always joins friend to friend, city to city, allies to allies; for Equality is naturally lasting among men; but the less is always in opposition to the greater,
and begins the dawn of hatred. For it is Equality that has set up for man measures and divisions of weights, and has determined numbers; night’s sightless eye, and radiant sun proceed upon their yearly course on equal terms,
and neither of them is envious when it has to yield. Though both sun and night are servants for mortals, you will not be content with your fair share of your heritage and give the same to him? Then where is justice?

> Greek: ἐφʼ ᾗ σὺ μαίνῃ. κεῖνο κάλλιον, τέκνον,
Ἰσότητα τιμᾶν, ἣ φίλους ἀεὶ φίλοις
πόλεις τε πόλεσι συμμάχους τε συμμάχοις
συνδεῖ· τὸ γὰρ ἴσον μόνιμον ἀνθρώποις ἔφυ,
τῷ πλέονι δʼ αἰεὶ πολέμιον καθίσταται
τοὔλασσον ἐχθρᾶς θʼ ἡμέρας κατάρχεται.
καὶ γὰρ μέτρʼ ἀνθρώποισι καὶ μέρη σταθμῶν
Ἰσότης ἔταξε κἀριθμὸν διώρισε,
νυκτός τʼ ἀφεγγὲς βλέφαρον ἡλίου τε φῶς
ἴσον βαδίζει τὸν ἐνιαύσιον κύκλον,
κοὐδέτερον αὐτῶν φθόνον ἔχει νικώμενον.
εἶθʼ ἥλιος μὲν νύξ τε δουλεύει βροτοῖς
σὺ δʼ οὐκ ἀνέξῃ δωμάτων ἔχων ἴσον
καὶ τῷδε νεῖμαι; κᾆτα ποῦ ʼστιν ἡ δίκη;

[¶123] Why do you honor to excess tyranny, a prosperous injustice,
why do you think so much of it? Admiring glances are to be prized? No, that is an empty pleasure. Or do you want to have many troubles from the many riches in your house? What advantage is it? The name only; for the wise find what suffices to be enough.

> Greek: τί τὴν τυραννίδʼ, ἀδικίαν εὐδαίμονα,
τιμᾷς ὑπέρφευ καὶ μέγʼ ἥγησαι τόδε;
περιβλέπεσθαι τίμιον; κενὸν μὲν οὖν.
ἢ πολλὰ μοχθεῖν πόλλʼ ἔχων ἐν δώμασι
βούλῃ; τί δʼ ἔστι τὸ πλέον; ὄνομʼ ἔχει μόνον·
ἐπεὶ τά γʼ ἀρκοῦνθʼ ἱκανὰ τοῖς γε σώφροσιν.

[¶124] Mortals indeed have no possessions of their own; we hold the management of the gods’ property; and when they will, they take it back again. [Prosperity is not secure, but as transient as the day.]

> Greek: οὔτοι τὰ χρήματʼ ἴδια κέκτηνται βροτοί,
τὰ τῶν θεῶν δʼ ἔχοντες ἐπιμελούμεθα·
ὅταν δὲ χρῄζωσʼ, αὔτʼ ἀφαιροῦνται πάλιν.
[ὁ δʼ ὄλβος οὐ βέβαιος, ἀλλʼ ἐφήμερος.]

[¶125] Come, suppose I put before you two alternatives, and ask you
whether you wish to rule or save your city? Will you say you wish to rule?

> Greek: ἄγʼ, ἤν σʼ ἔρωμαι δύο λόγω προθεῖσʼ ἅμα,
πότερα τυραννεῖν ἢ πόλιν σῷσαι θέλεις,
ἐρεῖς τυραννεῖν; ἢν δὲ νικήσῃ σʼ ὅδε;

[¶126] Again, if this man conquers you [and his Argive warriors take the army of Cadmus,] you will see this city of Thebes conquered, and you will see many captured maidens
brutally dishonored by men of the enemy. Then that wealth you seek to have will become grievous to Thebes; but still ambition fills you.

> Greek: [Ἀργεῖά τʼ ἔγχη δόρυ τὸ Καδμείων ἕλῃ,]
ὄψῃ δαμασθὲν ἄστυ Θηβαῖον τόδε,
ὄψῃ δὲ πολλὰς αἰχμαλωτίδας κόρας
βίᾳ πρὸς ἀνδρῶν πολεμίων πορθουμένας.
ὀδυνηρὸς ἆρʼ ὁ πλοῦτος, ὃν ζητεῖς ἔχειν,
γενήσεται Θήβαισι, φιλότιμος δὲ σύ.

[¶127] That I say to you; and this to you, Polyneices; Adrastus has conferred a foolish favor on you;
and you too have shown little sense in coming to lay your city waste. Suppose you conquer this land—may it not happen!—tell me, by the gods, how will you set up a trophy to Zeus? How will you begin the sacrifice after your country’s conquest or inscribe the spoils at the streams of Inachus:

> Greek: σοὶ μὲν τάδʼ αὐδῶ. σοὶ δέ, Πολύνεικες, λέγω·
ἀμαθεῖς Ἄδραστος χάριτας ἔς σʼ ἀνήψατο,
ἀσύνετα δʼ ἦλθες καὶ σὺ πορθήσων πόλιν.
φέρʼ, ἢν ἕλῃς γῆν τήνδʼ — ὃ μὴ τύχοι ποτέ —
πρὸς θεῶν, τρόπαια πῶς ἀναστήσεις Διί;
πῶς δʼ αὖ κατάρξῃ θυμάτων, ἑλὼν πάτραν,
καὶ σκῦλα γράψεις πῶς ἐπʼ Ἰνάχου ῥοαῖς;

[¶128] “Polyneices after giving Thebes to the flames dedicated these shields to the gods”? O my son, may you never win such fame from Hellas! If, on the other hand, you are beaten and your brother’s cause prevails, how will you return to Argos, leaving countless dead behind?

> Greek: Θήβας πυρώσας τάσδε Πολυνείκης θεοῖς
ἀσπίδας ἔθηκε; μήποτʼ, ὦ τέκνον, κλέος
τοιόνδε σοι γένοιθʼ ὑφʼ Ἑλλήνων λαβεῖν.
ἢν δʼ αὖ κρατηθῇς καὶ τὰ τοῦδʼ ὑπερδράμῃ,
πῶς Ἄργος ἥξεις μυρίους λιπὼν νεκρούς;

[¶129] Some one will be sure to say: “Adrastus, you made an evil betrothal; we are ruined by the marriage of one bride.”
You are eager for two evils, my son, the loss of those there and ruin in the midst of your efforts here.

> Greek: ἐρεῖ δὲ δή τις· ὦ κακὰ μνηστεύματα
Ἄδραστε προσθείς, διὰ μιᾶς νύμφης γάμον
ἀπωλόμεσθα. δύο κακὼ σπεύδεις, τέκνον,
κείνων στέρεσθαι τῶνδέ τʼ ἐν μέσῳ πεσεῖν.

[¶130] Lay aside your violence, my sons, lay it aside; two men’s follies,
once they meet, result in very deadly mischief.

> Greek: μέθετον τὸ λίαν, μέθετον· ἀμαθία δυοῖν,
ἐς ταὔθʼ ὅταν μόλητον, ἔχθιστον κακόν.

[¶131] Chorus Leader:
O gods, avert these troubles and reconcile the sons of Oedipus!

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ θεοί, γένοισθε τῶνδʼ ἀπότροποι κακῶν
καὶ ξύμβασίν τινʼ Οἰδίπου τέκνοις δότε.

[¶132] Eteocles:
Mother, it is no longer a contest of words; the time we still delay is idle waste; your good wishes accomplish nothing;

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
μῆτερ, οὐ λόγων ἔθʼ ἁγών, ἀλλʼ ἀναλοῦται χρόνος
οὑν μέσῳ μάτην, περαίνει δʼ οὐδὲν ἡ προθυμία·

[¶133] for we can never be reconciled except upon the terms already named, that I should keep the scepter and be king of this land. Cease these tedious warnings and let me be. Turning to Polyneices And as for you, get outside the walls, or die!

> Greek: οὐ γὰρ ἂν ξυμβαῖμεν ἄλλως ἢ ʼπὶ τοῖς εἰρημένοις,
ὥστʼ ἐμὲ σκήπτρων κρατοῦντα τῆσδʼ ἄνακτʼ εἶναι χθονός·
τῶν μακρῶν δʼ ἀπαλλαγεῖσα νουθετημάτων μʼ ἔα.
καὶ σὺ τῶνδʼ ἔξω κομίζου τειχέων, ἢ κατθανῇ.

[¶134] Polyneices:
Who will kill me? Who is so invulnerable as to plunge a murderous sword
in my body without getting for himself the same fate?

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
πρὸς τίνος; τίς ὧδʼ ἄτρωτος, ὅστις εἰς ἡμᾶς ξίφος
φόνιον ἐμβαλὼν τὸν αὐτὸν οὐκ ἀποίσεται μόρον;

[¶135] Eteocles:
He is near, not far away. Do you see my hands?

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
ἐγγύς, οὐ πρόσω βέβηκεν· ἐς χέρας λεύσσεις ἐμάς;

[¶136] Polyneices:
I see them; but wealth is cowardly, a craven too fond of life.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
εἰσορῶ· δειλὸν δʼ ὁ πλοῦτος καὶ φιλόψυχον κακόν.

[¶137] Eteocles:
Then did you come to battle with so many against a man worth nothing?

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
κᾆτα σὺν πολλοῖσιν ἦλθες πρὸς τὸν οὐδὲν ἐς μάχην;

[¶138] Polyneices:
Yes, for a steadfast general is better than a bold one.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
ἀσφαλὴς γάρ ἐστʼ ἀμείνων ἢ θρασὺς στρατηλάτης.

[¶139] Eteocles:
Relying on the truce, which saves your life, you turn boaster.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
κομπὸς εἶ σπονδαῖς πεποιθώς, αἵ σε σῴζουσιν θανεῖν.

## 2. Lines 601–1179

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

[¶0] Polyneices:
And so do you; once more I demand back my scepter and share of the land.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
καὶ σέ· δεύτερον δʼ ἀπαιτῶ σκῆπτρα καὶ μέρη χθονός.

[¶1] Eteocles:
I admit no demand; I will live in my own house.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
οὐκ ἀπαιτούμεσθʼ· ἐγὼ γὰρ τὸν ἐμὸν οἰκήσω δόμον.

[¶2] Polyneices:
And keep more than your share?

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
τοῦ μέρους ἔχων τὸ πλεῖον;

[¶3] Eteocles:
Yes. Leave the country!

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
φήμʼ· ἀπαλλάσσου δὲ γῆς.

[¶4] Polyneices:
O altars of my fathers’ gods—

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
ὦ θεῶν βωμοὶ πατρῴων —

[¶5] Eteocles:
Which you are here to destroy.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
οὓς σὺ πορθήσων πάρει.

[¶6] Polyneices:
Hear me—

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
κλύετέ μου —

[¶7] Eteocles:
Who would hear you after you have marched against your fatherland?

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
τίς δʼ ἂν κλύοι σου πατρίδʼ ἐπεστρατευμένου;

[¶8] Polyneices:
And temples of the gods who ride on white horses—

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
καὶ θεῶν τῶν λευκοπώλων δώματα —

[¶9] Eteocles:
And who hate you.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
οἳ στυγοῦσί σε.

[¶10] Polyneices:
I am being driven from my country—

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
ἐξελαυνόμεσθα πατρίδος —

[¶11] Eteocles:
Yes, for you came to destroy it.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
καὶ γὰρ ἦλθες ἐξελῶν.

[¶12] Polyneices:
Unjustly, O gods!

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
ἀδικίᾳ γʼ, ὦ θεοί.

[¶13] Eteocles:
Call on the gods at Mycenae, not here.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
Μυκήναις, μὴ ʼνθάδʼ ἀνακάλει θεούς.

[¶14] Polyneices:
You have become unholy—

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
ἀνόσιος πέφυκας —

[¶15] Eteocles:
But I have not, like you, become my country’s enemy.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
ἀλλʼ οὐ πατρίδος, ὡς σύ, πολέμιος.

[¶16] Polyneices:
By driving me out without my portion.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
ὅς μʼ ἄμοιρον ἐξελαύνεις.

[¶17] Eteocles:
I will kill you in addition.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
καὶ κατακτενῶ γε πρός.

[¶18] Polyneices:
O father, do you you hear what I am suffering?

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
ὦ πάτερ, κλύεις ἃ πάσχω;

[¶19] Eteocles:
Yes, and he hears what you are doing.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
καὶ γὰρ οἷα δρᾷς κλύει.

[¶20] Polyneices:
And you, mother?

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
καὶ σύ, μῆτερ;

[¶21] Eteocles:
It is not lawful for you to mention your mother.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
ἀθέμιτόν σοι μητρὸς ὀνομάζειν κάρα.

[¶22] Polyneices:
O my city!

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
ὦ πόλις.

[¶23] Eteocles:
Go to Argos, and invoke the waters of Lerna.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
μολὼν ἐς Ἄργος ἀνακάλει Λέρνης ὕδωρ.

[¶24] Polyneices:
I will; do not be troubled; but I thank you, mother.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
εἶμι, μὴ πόνει· σὲ δʼ αἰνῶ, μῆτερ.

[¶25] Eteocles:
Go forth from the land!

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
ἔξιθι χθονός.

[¶26] Polyneices:
I will go; but let me see my father.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
ἔξιμεν· πατέρα δέ μοι δὸς εἰσιδεῖν.

[¶27] Eteocles:
You will not have your wish.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
οὐκ ἂν τύχοις.

[¶28] Polyneices:
At least then my maiden sisters.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
ἀλλὰ παρθένους ἀδελφάς.

[¶29] Eteocles:
You will not ever see them either.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
οὐδὲ τάσδʼ ὄψῃ ποτέ.

[¶30] Polyneices:
Ah, my sisters!

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
ὦ κασίγνηται.

[¶31] Eteocles:
Why do you, their bitterest enemy, call on them?

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
τί ταύτας ἀνακαλεῖς ἔχθιστος ὤν;

[¶32] Polyneices:
To you at least farewell, mother!

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
μῆτερ, ἀλλά μοι σὺ χαῖρε.

[¶33] Jocasta:
Indeed I am faring well, my son!

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
χαρτὰ γοῦν πάσχω, τέκνον.

[¶34] Polyneices:
I am no longer your son.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
οὐκέτʼ εἰμὶ παῖς σός.

[¶35] Jocasta:
I was born to great sorrow.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ἐς πόλλʼ ἀθλία πέφυκʼ ἐγώ.

[¶36] Polyneices:
Because my brother treats me outrageously.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
ὅδε γὰρ εἰς ἡμᾶς ὑβρίζει.

[¶37] Eteocles:
I am treated just the same.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
καὶ γὰρ ἀνθυβρίζομαι.

[¶38] Polyneices:
Where will you be stationed before the towers?

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
ποῦ ποτε στήσῃ πρὸ πύργων;

[¶39] Eteocles:
Why do you ask me this?

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
ὡς τί μʼ ἱστορεῖς τόδε;

[¶40] Polyneices:
I will set myself against you for your death.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
ἀντιτάξομαι κτενῶν σε.

[¶41] Eteocles:
I too have the same desire.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
κἀμὲ τοῦδʼ ἔρως ἔχει.

[¶42] Jocasta:
Woe is me! what will you do, my sons?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ὦ τάλαινʼ ἐγώ· τί δράσετʼ, ὦ τέκνα;

[¶43] Polyneices:
The event will show.

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
αὐτὸ σημανεῖ.

[¶44] Jocasta:
Oh, try to escape your father’s curse! Exit Jocasta.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
πατρὸς οὐ φεύξεσθʼ Ἐρινῦς;

[¶45] Eteocles:
May destruction seize our whole house!

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
ἐρρέτω πρόπας δόμος.

[¶46] Polyneices:
Soon my sword will be busy, plunged in gore. But I call my native land and the gods to witness, with what dishonor and bitter treatment I am being driven forth, as though I were a slave, not a son of Oedipus as much as he. If anything happens to you, my city, blame him, not me;

> Greek: Πολυνείκης:
ὡς τάχʼ οὐκέθʼ αἱματηρὸν τοὐμὸν ἀργήσει ξίφος.
τὴν δὲ θρέψασάν με γαῖαν καὶ θεοὺς μαρτύρομαι,
ὡς ἄτιμος οἰκτρὰ πάσχων ἐξελαύνομαι χθονός,
δοῦλος ὥς, ἀλλʼ οὐχὶ ταὐτοῦ πατρὸς Οἰδίπου γεγώς·
κἄν τί σοι, πόλις, γένηται, μὴ ἐμέ, τόνδε δʼ αἰτιῶ·

[¶47] for I did not come willingly, and unwillingly I am driven from the land. And you, Phoebus, lord of highways, and my home, farewell, and my comrades, and statues of the gods, where sheep are sacrificed. For I do not know if I can ever again address you; though hope is not yet asleep, which makes me confident that with the gods’ help
I shall slay him and rule this land of Thebes. Exit Polyneices.

> Greek: οὐχ ἑκὼν γὰρ ἦλθον, ἄκων δʼ ἐξελαύνομαι χθονός.
καὶ σύ, Φοῖβʼ ἄναξ Ἀγυιεῦ, καὶ μέλαθρα, χαίρετε,
ἥλικές θʼ οὑμοί, θεῶν τε δεξίμηλʼ ἀγάλματα.
οὐ γὰρ οἶδʼ εἴ μοι προσειπεῖν αὖθις ἔσθʼ ὑμᾶς ποτε·
ἐλπίδες δʼ οὔπω καθεύδουσʼ, αἷς πέποιθα σὺν θεοῖς
τόνδʼ ἀποκτείνας κρατήσειν τῆσδε Θηβαίας χθονός.

[¶48] Eteocles:
Get out of the country! It was a true name our father gave you, when, prompted by some god, he called you Polyneices, man of many quarrels. Exit Eteocles.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
ἔξιθʼ ἐκ χώρας· ἀληθῶς δʼ ὄνομα Πολυνείκη πατὴρ
ἔθετό σοι θείᾳ προνοίᾳ νεικέων ἐπώνυμον.

[¶49] Chorus:
Cadmus of Tyre came to this land, and at his feet a four-footed,
untamed heifer threw itself down, fulfilling an oracle, where the god’s prophecy told him to make his home in the plains rich with wheat,
and where the lovely waters of Dirce pour over the fields, the green and deep-seeded fields; here Bromius’ mother gave birth
from her union with Zeus; Bromius, round whom the ivy twined its wreaths while he was still a baby, covering him and blessing him in the shades of its green foliage,
a Bacchic dance for the maids and wives inspired in Thebes.

> Greek: Χορός:
Κάδμος ἔμολε τάνδε γᾶν
Τύριος, ᾧ τετρασκελὴς
μόσχος ἀδάματον πέσημα
δίκε τελεσφόρον διδοῦσα
χρησμόν, οὗ κατοικίσαι
πεδία νιν τὸ θέσφατον
πυροφόρα δόμων ἔχρη,
καλλιπόταμος ὕδατος ἵνα τε
νοτὶς ἐπέρχεται γύας,
Δίρκας χλοηφόρους
καὶ βαθυσπόρους γύας·
Βρόμιον ἔνθα τέκετο μά-
τηρ Διὸς γάμοισι,
κισσὸς ὃν περιστεφὴς
ἕλικος εὐθὺς ἔτι βρέφος
χλοηφόροισιν ἔρνεσιν
κατασκίοισιν ὀλβίσας ἐνώτισεν,
Βάκχιον χόρευμα παρθένοισι Θηβαΐαισι
καὶ γυναιξὶν εὐίοις.

[¶50] Chorus:
There was Ares’ murderous dragon, a savage guard,
watching with wandering eye the watery rivers and fresh streams. Cadmus destroyed it with a jagged stone, when he came there to draw lustral water; smiting the deadly head
with a blow of his beast-slaying arm; and by the counsel of [PalIas,] the motherless goddess, he cast the teeth upon the deep fields to fall to the earth,
from which the earth brought forth a sight fully-armed, above the surface of the soil; but grim slaughter once again united them to the earth they loved, bedewing with blood the ground that had
shown them to the sunlit breath of heaven.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἔνθα φόνιος ἦν δράκων
Ἄρεος ὠμόφρων φύλαξ
νάματʼ ἔνυδρα καὶ ῥέεθρα
χλοερὰ δεργμάτων κόραισι
πολυπλάνοις ἐπισκοπῶν·
ὃν ἐπὶ χέρνιβας μολὼν
Κάδμος ὄλεσε μαρμάρῳ·
κρᾶτα φόνιον ὀλεσίθηρος
ὠλένας δικὼν βολαῖς,
δίας ἀμάτορος ⟨δʼ⟩
ἐς βαθυσπόρους γύας
γαπετεῖς δικὼν ὀδόν-
τας [Παλλάδος] φραδαῖσιν·
ἔνθεν ἐξανῆκε γᾶ
πάνοπλον ὄψιν ὑπὲρ ἄκρων
ὅρων χθονός· σιδαρόφρων
δέ νιν φόνος πάλιν ξυνῆψε γᾷ φίλᾳ.
αἵματος δʼ ἔδευσε γαῖαν, ἅ νιν εὐηλίοισι
δεῖξεν αἰθέρος πνοαῖς.

[¶51] Chorus:
And you, Epaphus, born from Io, our first mother, and child of Zeus: you I summon in foreign cry,
oh! in foreign prayers: come, come to this land; your descendants settled here; and the goddesses of twofold name, Persephone and the kindly
goddess Demeter the queen of all, Earth the nurse of all, won it for themselves; send to the help of this land those torch-bearing goddesses; for to gods all things are easy.

> Greek: Χορός:
καὶ σέ, τὸν προμάτορος
Ἰοῦς ποτʼ ἔκγονον
Ἔπαφον, ὦ Διὸς γένεθλον,
[ἐκάλεσʼ] ἐκάλεσα βαρβάρῳ βοᾷ,
ἰώ, βαρβάροις λιταῖς·
βᾶθι βᾶθι τάνδε γᾶν·
— σοί νιν ἔκγονοι κτίσαν
καὶ διώνυμοι θεαί,
Περσέφασσα καὶ φίλα
Δαμάτηρ θεά,
πάντων ἄνασσα, πάντων δὲ Γᾶ τροφός,
κτήσαντο — πέμπε πυρφόρους
θεάς, ἄμυνε τᾷδε γᾷ·
πάντα δʼ εὐπετῆ θεοῖς.

[¶52] Eteocles: to an attendant
Go, bring Creon, son of Menoeceus, the brother of Jocasta my mother; tell him I want to consult with him on matters public and private, before we set out to battle and the arrangement of the army.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
χώρει σὺ καὶ κόμιζε τὸν Μενοικέως
Κρέοντʼ, ἀδελφὸν μητρὸς Ἰοκάστης ἐμῆς,
λέγων τάδʼ, ὡς οἰκεῖα καὶ κοινὰ χθονὸς
θέλω πρὸς αὐτὸν συμβαλεῖν βουλεύματα,
πρὶν ἐς μάχην τε καὶ δορὸς τάξιν μολεῖν.

[¶53] But he is here, saving you the trouble; I see him on his way to my house.

> Greek: καίτοι ποδῶν σῶν μόχθον ἐκλύει παρών·
ὁρῶ γὰρ αὐτὸν πρὸς δόμους στείχοντʼ ἐμούς.

[¶54] Creon:
I have been everywhere, lord Eteocles, in my desire to see you, and have gone all round the gates and sentinels of Thebes hunting for you.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἦ πόλλʼ ἐπῆλθον εἰσιδεῖν χρῄζων σʼ, ἄναξ
Ἐτεόκλεες, πέριξ δὲ Καδμείων πύλας
φυλακάς τʼ ἐπῆλθον σὸν δέμας θηρώμενος.

[¶55] Eteocles:
And I wanted to see you, Creon; for I found the terms of peace far from satisfactory, when I came to confer with Polyneices.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
καὶ μὴν ἐγὼ σʼ ἔχρῃζον εἰσιδεῖν, Κρέον·
πολλῷ γὰρ ηὗρον ἐνδεεῖς διαλλαγάς
ὡς ἐς λόγους συνῆψα Πολυνείκει μολών.

[¶56] Creon:
I hear that he has wider aims than Thebes, relying on his alliance with Adrastus and his army. But we must leave this dependent on the gods;

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἤκουσα μεῖζον αὐτὸν ἢ Θήβας φρονεῖν,
κήδει τʼ Ἀδράστου καὶ στρατῷ πεποιθότα.

[¶57] I have come to tell you our chief obstacle.
Eteocles:
What is that? I do not understand what you say.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ ἐς θεοὺς χρὴ ταῦτʼ ἀναρτήσαντʼ ἔχειν·
ἃ δʼ ἐμποδὼν μάλιστα, ταῦθʼ ἥκω φράσων.
Ἐτεοκλῆς:
τὰ ποῖα ταῦτα; τὸν λόγον γὰρ ἀγνοῶ.

[¶58] Creon:
Someone has come who was captured from the Argives.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἥκει τις αἰχμάλωτος Ἀργείων πάρα.

[¶59] Eteocles:
What news does he bring from there?

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
λέγει δὲ δὴ τί τῶν ἐκεῖ νεώτερον;

[¶60] Creon:
He says the Argive army intend at once to wind about [the city of Thebes and its towers, with their army.]

> Greek: Κρέων:
μέλλειν [πέριξ πύργοισι Καδμείων πόλιν]
[ὅπλοις] ἑλίξειν αὐτίκʼ Ἀργείων στρατόν.

[¶61] Eteocles:
In that case the city of Cadmus must lead out its army.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
ἐξοιστέον τἄρʼ ὅπλα Καδμείων πόλει.

[¶62] Creon:
Where? Are you so young that your eyes do not see what they should?

> Greek: Κρέων:
ποῖ; μῶν νεάζων οὐχ ὁρᾷς ἃ χρή σʼ ὁρᾶν;

[¶63] Eteocles:
Across those trenches, to fight at once.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
ἐκτὸς τάφρων τῶνδʼ, ὡς μαχουμένους τάχα.

[¶64] Creon:
Our forces are small, while theirs are plentiful.

> Greek: Κρέων:
σμικρὸν τὸ πλῆθος τῆσδε γῆς, οἳ δʼ ἄφθονοι.

[¶65] Eteocles:
I know well they are brave in argument.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
ἐγᾦδα κείνους τοῖς λόγοις ὄντας θρασεῖς.

[¶66] Creon:
Argos has some weight among the Hellenes.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἔχει τινʼ ὄγκον τἄργος Ἑλλήνων πάρα.

[¶67] Eteocles:
Never fear! I will soon fill the plain with their dead.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
θάρσει· τάχʼ αὐτῶν πεδίον ἐμπλήσω φόνου.

[¶68] Creon:
I could wish it so; but I see great difficulties in this.

> Greek: Κρέων:
θέλοιμʼ ἄν· ἀλλὰ τοῦθʼ ὁρῶ πολλοῦ πόνου.

[¶69] Eteocles:
I will not keep my army within the walls.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
ὡς οὐ καθέξω τειχέων ἔσω στρατόν.

[¶70] Creon:
And yet victory is entirely a matter of good counsel.

> Greek: Κρέων:
καὶ μὴν τὸ νικᾶν ἐστι πᾶν εὐβουλία.

[¶71] Eteocles:
Do you then want me to turn to some other way?

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
βούλῃ τράπωμαι δῆθʼ ὁδοὺς ἄλλας τινάς;

[¶72] Creon:
Yes, to every one, before running the risk once for all.

> Greek: Κρέων:
πάσας γε, πρὶν κίνδυνον εἰς ἅπαξ μολεῖν.

[¶73] Eteocles:
Suppose we fall on them by night from ambush?

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
εἰ νυκτὸς αὐτοῖς προσβάλοιμεν ἐκ λόχου;

[¶74] Creon:
Yes, if in the event of defeat you can return safely here.

> Greek: Κρέων:
εἴπερ σφαλείς γε δεῦρο σωθήσῃ πάλιν.

[¶75] Eteocles:
Night equalizes risks, though it rather favors daring.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
ἴσον φέρει νύξ, τοῖς δὲ τολμῶσιν πλέον.

[¶76] Creon:
The darkness of night is a terrible time to suffer disaster.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἐνδυστυχῆσαι δεινὸν εὐφρόνης κνέφας.

[¶77] Eteocles:
Well, shall I attack them as they sit at dinner?

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
ἀλλʼ ἀμφὶ δεῖπνον οὖσι προσβάλω δόρυ;

[¶78] Creon:
That might cause them fright, but victory is what we need.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἔκπληξις ἂν γένοιτο· νικῆσαι δὲ δεῖ.

[¶79] Eteocles:
Dirce’s ford is certainly deep enough to prevent their retreat.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
βαθύς γέ τοι Διρκαῖος ἀναχωρεῖν πόρος.

[¶80] Creon:
No plan so good as to keep well guarded.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἅπαν κάκιον τοῦ φυλάσσεσθαι καλῶς.

[¶81] Eteocles:
What if we ride out against the army of Argos?

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
τί δʼ, εἰ καθιππεύσαιμεν Ἀργείων στρατόν;

[¶82] Creon:
Their troops too are fenced all round with chariots.

> Greek: Κρέων:
κἀκεῖ πέφρακται λαὸς ἅρμασιν πέριξ.

[¶83] Eteocles:
What shall I do, then? Am I to surrender the city to the enemy?

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
τί δῆτα δράσω; πολεμίοισι δῶ πόλιν;

[¶84] Creon:
No indeed! But out of your wisdom form some plan.

> Greek: Κρέων:
μὴ δῆτα· βουλεύου δʼ, ἐπείπερ εἶ σοφός.

[¶85] Eteocles:
What forethought is wiser than mine?

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
τίς οὖν πρόνοια γίγνεται σοφωτέρα;

[¶86] Creon:
They have seven men, I hear—

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἕπτʼ ἄνδρας αὐτοῖς φασιν, ὡς ἤκουσʼ ἐγώ —

[¶87] Eteocles:
What is their appointed task? their might is small.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
τί προστετάχθαι δρᾶν; τὸ γὰρ σθένος βραχύ.

[¶88] Creon:... To attack the seven gates.

> Greek: Κρέων:
λόχων ἀνάσσειν ἑπτὰ προσκεῖσθαι πύλαις.

[¶89] Eteocles:
What are we to do then? I will not wait till every chance is gone.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
τί δῆτα δρῶμεν; ἀπορίαν γὰρ οὐ μενῶ.

[¶90] Creon:
You also choose seven men to set against them at the gates.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἕπτʼ ἄνδρας αὐτοῖς καὶ σὺ πρὸς πύλαις ἑλοῦ.

[¶91] Eteocles:
To lead our companies, or to fight single-handed?

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
λόχων ἀνάσσειν ἢ μονοστόλου δορός;

[¶92] Creon:
To lead; choose the very bravest ones.

> Greek: Κρέων:
λόχων, προκρίνας οἵπερ ἀλκιμώτατοι.

[¶93] Eteocles:
I understand; to repel attempts at scaling our walls.

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
ξυνῆκʼ· ἀμύνειν τειχέων προσαμβάσεις.

[¶94] Creon:
With others to share the command, for one man doesn’t see everything.

> Greek: Κρέων:
καὶ ξυστρατήγους ⟨γʼ⟩· εἷς δʼ ἀνὴρ οὐ πάνθʼ ὁρᾷ.

[¶95] Eteocles:
Selecting them for courage or thoughtful prudence?

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
θάρσει προκρίνας ἢ φρενῶν εὐβουλίᾳ;

[¶96] Creon:
Both; for one is nothing without the other.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἀμφότερον· ἀπολειφθὲν γὰρ οὐδὲν θάτερον.

[¶97] Eteocles:
It shall be done; I will go to our seven towers and post captains at the gates, as you say,
pitting them man for man against the enemy. To tell each one’s name is a great waste of time, when the enemy are camped beneath our very walls. But I will go, that my hands may no longer hang idle. And may I find my brother face to face,
meet him in battle and kill him with my spear [and kill him, for coming to waste my country!] But if I suffer any misfortune, you must see to the marriage between Antigone, my sister and Haemon, your son; and now, as I take my leave,
I ratify their previous betrothal. You are my mother’s brother, no need to speak at length. Take care of her as she deserves, both for your own sake and mine. As for my father, he has been guilty of folly against himself in putting out his eyes; I have small praise for him;

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλῆς:
ἔσται τάδʼ· ἐλθὼν ἑπτάπυργον ἐς πόλιν
τάξω λοχαγοὺς πρὸς πύλαισιν, ὡς λέγεις,
ἴσους ἴσοισι πολεμίοισιν ἀντιθείς.
ὄνομα δʼ ἑκάστου διατριβὴ πολλὴ λέγειν,
ἐχθρῶν ὑπʼ αὐτοῖς τείχεσιν καθημένων.
ἀλλʼ εἶμʼ, ὅπως ἂν μὴ καταργῶμεν χέρα.
καί μοι γένοιτʼ ἀδελφὸν ἀντήρη λαβεῖν
καὶ ξυσταθέντα διὰ μάχης ἑλεῖν δορί.
[κτανεῖν θʼ, ὃς ἦλθε πατρίδα πορθήσων ἐμήν.]
γάμους δʼ ἀδελφῆς Ἀντιγόνης παιδός τε σοῦ
Αἵμονος, ἐάν τι τῆς τύχης ἐγὼ σφαλῶ,
σοὶ χρὴ μέλεσθαι· τὴν δόσιν δʼ ἐχέγγυον
τὴν πρόσθε ποιῶ νῦν ἐπʼ ἐξόδοις ἐμαῖς.
μητρὸς δʼ ἀδελφὸς εἶ· τί δεῖ μακρηγορεῖν;
τρέφʼ ἀξίως νιν σοῦ τε τήν τʼ ἐμὴν χάριν.
πατὴρ δʼ ἐς αὑτὸν ἀμαθίαν ὀφλισκάνει,
ὄψιν τυφλώσας· οὐκ ἄγαν σφʼ ἐπῄνεσα·

[¶98] by his curses it may be that he will slay us too.

> Greek: ἡμᾶς δʼ ἀραῖσιν, ἢν τύχῃ, κατακτενεῖ.

[¶99] One thing we still have to do: ask Teiresias, the seer, if he has anything to say of heaven’s will. I will send your son Menoeceus, who bears your father’s name,
to fetch Teiresias here, Creon; for he will readily converse with you, but I have before now so scorned his prophetic art to his face, that he has reasons to reproach me. This commandment, Creon, I lay upon the city and you:

> Greek: ἓν δʼ ἐστὶν ἡμῖν ἀργόν, εἴ τι θέσφατον
οἰωνόμαντις Τειρεσίας ἔχει φράσαι,
τοῦδʼ ἐκπυθέσθαι ταῦτʼ· ἐγὼ δὲ παῖδα σὸν
Μενοικέα, σοῦ πατρὸς αὐτεπώνυμον,
λαβόντα πέμψω δεῦρο Τειρεσίαν, Κρέον·
σοὶ μὲν γὰρ ἡδὺς ἐς λόγους ἀφίξεται,
ἐγὼ δὲ τέχνην μαντικὴν ἐμεμψάμην
ἤδη πρὸς αὐτόν, ὥστε μοι μομφὰς ἔχειν.
πόλει δὲ καὶ σοὶ ταῦτʼ ἐπισκήπτω, Κρέον·

[¶100] if my cause should prevail, never give Polyneices’ corpse a grave in Theban soil, and let the one who buries him die, even if it is a friend. [This I say to you; and this to my servants] Bring out my weapons and armor,
so that I may start at once for the appointed combat, with justice to lead to victory. We will pray to Caution, the most useful goddess, to save our city. Exit Eteocles.

> Greek: ἤνπερ κρατήσῃ τἀμά, Πολυνείκους νέκυν
μήποτε ταφῆναι τῇδε Θηβαίᾳ χθονί,
θνῄσκειν δὲ τὸν θάψαντα, κἂν φίλων τις ᾖ.
[σοὶ μὲν τάδʼ εἶπον· προσπόλοις δʼ ἐμοῖς λέγω·]
ἐκφέρετε τεύχη πάνοπλά τʼ ἀμφιβλήματα,
ὡς εἰς ἀγῶνα τὸν προκείμενον δορὸς
ὁρμώμεθʼ ἤδη ξὺν δίκῃ νικηφόρῳ.
τῇ δʼ Εὐλαβείᾳ, χρησιμωτάτῃ θεῶν,
προσευχόμεσθα τήνδε διασῷσαι πόλιν.

[¶101] Chorus:
O Ares, god of much suffering! Why, why are you possessed by a love of blood and
death, out of harmony with the festivals of Bromius? Not for young girls crowned in the lovely dance do you toss your curls, singing to the flute’s breath a song to charm the dancers’ feet; no, with warriors clad in armor you inspire the Argive army with a lust
for Theban blood, leading your revels that are held without music. Nor do you rush with wild waving of the thyrsus, clad in fawnskin, but with chariots and horses you go to the waters of Ismenus, inspiring the Argives
with hatred for the Spartans, arraying in bronze armor against these stone-built walls a band of warriors and their shields.
Truly Strife is a goddess to fear, who devised these troubles for the princes of this land,
for the much-suffering sons of Labdacus.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ πολύμοχθος Ἄρης, τί ποθʼ αἵματι
καὶ θανάτῳ κατέχῃ Βρομίου παράμουσος ἑορταῖς;
οὐκ ἐπὶ καλλιχόροις στεφάνοισι νεάνιδος ὥρας
βόστρυχον ἀμπετάσας λωτοῦ κατὰ πνεύματα μέλπῃ
μοῦσαν, ἐν ᾇ χάριτες χοροποιοί,
ἀλλὰ σὺν ὁπλοφόροις στρατὸν Ἀργείων ἐπιπνεύσας
αἵματι Θήβας
κῶμον ἀναυλότατον προχορεύεις.
οὐδʼ ὑπὸ θυρσομανεῖ νεβρίδων μέτα δίνᾳ,
ἅρμασι καὶ ψαλίων τετραβάμοσι μωνυχοπώλων
ἱππείαις ἐπὶ χεύμασι βαίνων
Ἰσμηνοῖο θοάζεις, Ἀργείοις ἐπιπνεύσας
Σπαρτῶν γένναν,
ἀσπιδοφέρμονα θίασον ἐνόπλιον,
ἀντίπαλον κατὰ λάινα τείχεα
χαλκῷ κοσμήσας.
ἦ δεινά τις Ἔρις θεός, ἃ τάδε
μήσατο πήματα γᾶς βασιλεῦσιν,
Λαβδακίδαις πολυμόχθοις.

[¶102] Chorus:
O snow-capped Cithaeron, dear to Artemis, holy vale of leaves, crowded with wild animals, would that you had never reared the one exposed to die, Oedipus, Jocasta’s child, when as a baby he was cast forth from his home,
marked with a golden brooch; and would that the Sphinx, that winged maid, monster from the hills, had never come as a grief to our land with her inharmonious songs, she that once drew near our walls and snatched the sons of Cadmus away in her taloned feet to the untrodden light of heaven,
sent by Hades from hell to plague the men of Thebes; once more unhappy strife is coming into bloom between the sons of Oedipus in home and city. For never can wrong be right,
nor can there be good in unlawful children, their mother’s birth pangs, their father’s pollution; she came to the bed of her son....

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ ζαθέων πετάλων πολυθηρότα-
τον νάπος, Ἀρτέμιδος χιονοτρόφον ὄμμα Κιθαιρών,
μήποτε τὸν θανάτῳ προτεθέντα, λόχευμʼ Ἰοκάστας,
ὤφελες Οἰδιπόδαν θρέψαι, βρέφος ἔκβολον οἴκων,
χρυσοδέτοις περόναις ἐπίσαμον·
μηδὲ τὸ παρθένιον πτερόν, οὔρειον τέρας, ἐλθεῖν
πένθεα γαίας
Σφιγγὸς ἀμουσοτάταισι σὺν ᾠδαῖς,
ἅ ποτε Καδμογενῆ τετραβάμοσι χαλαῖς
τείχεσι χριμπτομένα φέρεν αἰθέρος εἰς ἄβατον φῶς
γένναν, ἃν ὁ κατὰ χθονὸς Ἅιδας
Καδμείοις ἐπιπέμπει· δυσδαίμων δʼ ἔρις ἄλλα
θάλλει παίδων
Οἰδιπόδα κατὰ δώματα καὶ πόλιν.
οὐ γὰρ ὃ μὴ καλὸν οὔποτʼ ἔφυ καλόν,
οὐδʼ οἱ μὴ νόμιμοι
παῖδες ματρὶ λόχευμα, μίασμα πατρός·
ἣ δὲ συναίμονος ἐς λέχος ἦλθεν.
…

[¶103] Chorus:
O Earth, you once bore—as I heard, I heard the story told by foreigners once in my own home—you bore
a race which sprang of the teeth of a snake with blood-red crest, that fed on beasts, to be the glory and reproach of Thebes.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἔτεκες, ὦ Γαῖʼ, ἔτεκές ποτε,
βάρβαρον ὡς ἀκοὰν ἐδάην ἐδάην ποτʼ ἐν οἴκοις,
τὰν ἀπὸ θηροτρόφου φοινικολόφοιο δράκοντος
γένναν ὀδοντοφυῆ, Θήβαις κάλλιστον ὄνειδος·

[¶104] In days gone by the sons of heaven came to the wedding of Harmonia, and the walls and towers of Thebes rose to the sound of Amphion’s lyre,
in the midst between the double streams where Dirce waters the grass-green field before Ismenus; and Io, our horned ancestress, was mother of the kings of Thebes;
thus our city, through an endless succession of various blessings, has set herself upon the heights, crowned with the glory of war.

> Greek: Ἁρμονίας δέ ποτʼ εἰς ὑμεναίους
ἤλυθον οὐρανίδαι, φόρμιγγί τε τείχεα Θήβας
τᾶς Ἀμφιονίας τε λύρας ὕπο πύργος ἀνέστα
διδύμων ποταμῶν πόρον ἀμφὶ μέσον,
Δίρκα χλοεροτρόφον ᾇ πεδίον
πρόπαρ Ἰσμηνοῦ καταδεύει·
Ἰώ θʼ, ἁ κερόεσσα προμάτωρ,
Καδμείων βασιλῆας ἐγείνατο,
μυριάδας δʼ ἀγαθῶν ἑτέροις ἑτέ-
ρας μεταμειβομένα πόλις ἅδʼ ἐπʼ ἄκροις ἕστακʼ
Ἀρηΐοις στεφάνοισιν.

[¶105] Teiresias:
led in by his daughter. Lead on, my daughter; for you are an eye
to my blind feet, as a star is to sailors; lead my steps on to level ground; then go before, so that I do not stumble, for your father has no strength; keep safe for me in your maiden hand the auguries I took when I observed omens from birds,
seated in my holy prophet’s chair. Tell me, Menoeceus, son of Creon, how much further toward the city is it, to your father? For my knees grow weary, I have come a long way and can scarcely go on.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
ἡγοῦ πάροιθε, θύγατερ· ὡς τυφλῷ ποδὶ
ὀφθαλμὸς εἶ σύ, ναυβάταισιν ἄστρον ὥς·
δεῦρʼ ἐς τὸ λευρὸν πέδον ἴχνος τιθεῖσʼ ἐμόν,
πρόβαινε, μὴ σφαλῶμεν· ἀσθενὴς πατήρ·
κλήρους τέ μοι φύλασσε παρθένῳ χερί,
οὓς ἔλαβον οἰωνίσματʼ ὀρνίθων μαθὼν
θάκοισιν ἐν ἱεροῖσιν, οὗ μαντεύομαι.
τέκνον Μενοικεῦ, παῖ Κρέοντος, εἰπέ μοι
πόση τις ἡ ʼπίλοιπος ἄστεως ὁδὸς
πρὸς πατέρα τὸν σόν· ὡς ἐμὸν κάμνει γόνυ,
πυκνὴν δὲ βαίνων ἤλυσιν μόλις περῶ.

[¶106] Creon:
Take heart, Teiresias, for you have reached your harbor and are near your friends; take him by the hand, my child; for just as every chariot has to wait for outside help to lighten it, so does the step of old age.

> Greek: Κρέων:
θάρσει· πέλας γάρ, Τειρεσία, φίλοισι σοῖς
ἐξώρμισαι σὸν πόδα· λαβοῦ δʼ αὐτοῦ, τέκνον·
ὡς πᾶσʼ ἀπήνη πούς τε πρεσβύτου φιλεῖ
χειρὸς θυραίας ἀναμένειν κουφίσματα.

[¶107] Teiresias:
Enough; I have arrived; why, Creon, do you summon me so urgently?

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
εἶἑν, πάρεσμεν· τί με καλεῖς σπουδῇ, Κρέον;

[¶108] Creon:
I have not forgotten that; but first collect your strength and regain your breath, shaking off the fatigue of your journey.

> Greek: Κρέων:
οὔπω λελήσμεθʼ· ἀλλὰ σύλλεξαι σθένος
καὶ πνεῦμʼ ἄθροισον, αἶπος ἐκβαλὼν ὁδοῦ.

[¶109] Teiresias:
I am indeed worn out, for I arrived here only yesterday from the court of the Erechtheidae; they too were at war, fighting with Eumolpus.
I gave the victory to Cecrops’ sons, and I received this golden crown, as you see, the first-fruits of the enemy’s spoils.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
κόπῳ παρεῖμαι γοῦν Ἐρεχθειδῶν ἄπο
δεῦρʼ ἐκκομισθεὶς τῆς πάροιθεν ἡμέρας·
κἀκεῖ γὰρ ἦν τις πόλεμος Εὐμόλπου δορός,
οὗ καλλινίκους Κεκροπίδας ἔθηκʼ ἐγώ·
καὶ τόνδε χρυσοῦν στέφανον, ὡς ὁρᾷς, ἔχω
λαβὼν ἀπαρχὰς πολεμίων σκυλευμάτων.

[¶110] Creon:
I take your crown of victory as an omen. We, as you know, are exposed to the waves
of war with the Danaids, and great is the struggle for Thebes. Eteocles, our king, is already gone in full armor to meet Mycenae’s champions; and he has bidden me inquire of you our best course to save the city.

> Greek: Κρέων:
οἰωνὸν ἐθέμην καλλίνικα σὰ στέφη·
ἐν γὰρ κλύδωνι κείμεθʼ, ὥσπερ οἶσθα σύ,
δορὸς Δαναϊδῶν, καὶ μέγας Θήβαις ἀγών.
βασιλεὺς μὲν οὖν βέβηκε κοσμηθεὶς ὅπλοις
ἤδη πρὸς ἀλκὴν Ἐτεοκλῆς Μυκηνίδα·
ἐμοὶ δʼ ἐπέσταλκʼ ἐκμαθεῖν σέθεν πάρα,
τί δρῶντες ἂν μάλιστα σώσαιμεν πόλιν.

[¶111] Teiresias:
For Eteocles I would have closed my lips and refrained from all response, but to you I will speak, since it is your wish to learn. This country, Creon, has been long afflicted, ever since Laius became a father against the will of the gods, begetting hapless Oedipus to be his own mother’s husband.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
Ἐτεοκλέους μὲν οὕνεκʼ ἂν κλῄσας στόμα
χρησμοὺς ἐπέσχον· σοὶ δʼ, ἐπεὶ χρῄζεις μαθεῖν,
λέξω. νοσεῖ γὰρ ἥδε γῆ πάλαι, Κρέον,
ἐξ οὗ ʼτεκνώθη Λάιος βίᾳ θεῶν
πόσιν τʼ ἔφυσε μητρὶ μέλεον Οἰδίπουν·

[¶112] That bloody destruction of his eyes was planned by the gods as an example to Hellas; and the sons of Oedipus went foolishly astray in wishing to throw over it the veil of time—as if they could outrun the gods! For by robbing their father of his due honor
and allowing him no freedom, they exasperated the poor sufferer; so he, suffering and disgraced as well, breathed dreadful curses against them. And I, because I left nothing undone or unsaid, incurred the hatred of the sons of Oedipus.

> Greek: αἵ θʼ αἱματωποὶ δεργμάτων διαφθοραὶ
θεῶν σόφισμα κἀπίδειξις Ἑλλάδι.
ἃ συγκαλύψαι παῖδες Οἰδίπου χρόνῳ
χρῄζοντες, ὡς δὴ θεοὺς ὑπεκδραμούμενοι,
ἥμαρτον ἀμαθῶς· οὔτε γὰρ γέρα πατρὶ
οὔτʼ ἔξοδον διδόντες, ἄνδρα δυστυχῆ
ἐξηγρίωσαν· ἐκ δʼ ἔπνευσʼ αὐτοῖς ἀρὰς
δεινάς, νοσῶν τε καὶ πρὸς ἠτιμασμένος.
ἁγὼ τί ⟨οὐ⟩ δρῶν, ποῖα δʼ οὐ λέγων ἔπη
ἐς ἔχθος ἦλθον παισὶ τοῖσιν Οἰδίπου;

[¶113] But death inflicted by each other’s hands awaits them, Creon; and the many heaps of the slain, some from Argive, some from Theban spears, shall cause bitter lamentation in the land of Thebes. Alas for you, poor city, you are being involved in their ruin,
unless I can persuade one man. The best course was to prevent any child of Oedipus becoming either citizen or king in this land, on the ground that they were under a ban and would overthrow the city. But since evil has the mastery of good, there is
one other means of safety; but—for it is unsafe for me to tell, and painful too for those whose fortune it is to supply their city with the saving cure—I will go away. Farewell; among the rest
I will endure what is to come, if I must; for what else can I do?

> Greek: ἐγγὺς δὲ θάνατος αὐτόχειρ αὐτοῖς, Κρέον·
πολλοὶ δὲ νεκροὶ περὶ νεκροῖς πεπτωκότες
Ἀργεῖα καὶ Καδμεῖα μείξαντες βέλη
πικροὺς γόους δώσουσι Θηβαίᾳ χθονί.
σύ τʼ ὦ τάλαινα συγκατασκάπτῃ πόλι,
εἰ μὴ λόγοισι τοῖς ἐμοῖς τὶς πείσεται.
ἐκεῖνο μὲν γὰρ πρῶτον ἦν, τῶν Οἰδίπου
μηδένα πολίτην μηδʼ ἄνακτʼ εἶναι χθονός,
ὡς δαιμονῶντας κἀνατρέψοντας πόλιν.
ἐπεὶ δὲ κρεῖσσον τὸ κακόν ἐστι τἀγαθοῦ,
μίʼ ἔστιν ἄλλη μηχανὴ σωτηρίας.
ἀλλʼ — οὐ γὰρ εἰπεῖν οὔτʼ ἐμοὶ τόδʼ ἀσφαλὲς
πικρόν τε τοῖσι τὴν τύχην κεκτημένοις
πόλει παρασχεῖν φάρμακον σωτηρίας —
ἄπειμι. χαίρεθʼ· εἷς γὰρ ὢν πολλῶν μέτα
τὸ μέλλον, εἰ χρή, πείσομαι· τί γὰρ πάθω;

[¶114] Creon:
Stay here, old man.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἐπίσχες αὐτοῦ, πρέσβυ.

[¶115] Teiresias:
Do not catch hold of me.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
μὴ ʼπιλαμβάνου.

[¶116] Creon:
Wait; why do you try to escape?

> Greek: Κρέων:
μεῖνον, τί φεύγεις;

[¶117] Teiresias:
It is your fortune that tries to escape you, not I.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
ἡ τύχη σʼ, ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐγώ.

[¶118] Creon:
Tell me what can save Thebes and her citizens.

> Greek: Κρέων:
φράσον πολίταις καὶ πόλει σωτηρίαν.

[¶119] Teiresias:
Though you want this now, you will not want it soon.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
βούλῃ σὺ μέντοι κοὐχὶ βουλήσῃ τάχα.

[¶120] Creon:
Not wish to save my country? how can that be?

> Greek: Κρέων:
καὶ πῶς πατρῴαν γαῖαν οὐ σῷσαι θέλω;

[¶121] Teiresias:
Do you really wish to hear it, eagerly?

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
θέλεις ἀκοῦσαι δῆτα καὶ σπουδὴν ἔχεις;

[¶122] Creon:
Yes; for where should I show greater zeal?

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἐς γὰρ τί μᾶλλον δεῖ προθυμίαν ἔχειν;

[¶123] Teiresias:
Then you will presently hear my prophetic words. But first I would know for certain
where Menoeceus is, who led me here.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
κλύοις ἂν ἤδη τῶν ἐμῶν θεσπισμάτων.
πρῶτον δʼ ἐκεῖνο βούλομαι σαφῶς μαθεῖν,
ποῦ ʼστιν Μενοικεύς, ὅς με δεῦρʼ ἐπήγαγεν;

[¶124] Creon:
Here, not far away, but at your side.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ὅδʼ οὐ μακρὰν ἄπεστι, πλησίον δὲ σοῦ.

[¶125] Teiresias:
Let him go far from my prophecies.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
ἀπελθέτω νυν θεσφάτων ἐμῶν ἑκάς.

[¶126] Creon:
He is my own son and will be silent as he ought.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἐμὸς πεφυκὼς παῖς ἃ δεῖ σιγήσεται.

[¶127] Teiresias:
Do you want me to tell you in his presence?

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
βούλῃ παρόντος δῆτά σοι τούτου φράσω;

[¶128] Creon:
Yes, for he will rejoice to hear the means of safety.

> Greek: Κρέων:
κλύων γὰρ ἂν τέρποιτο τῆς σωτηρίας.

[¶129] Teiresias:
Then hear the intent of my oracle; [if you observe it, you will save the city of Cadmus] you must sacrifice Menoeceus, your son here, for your country, since you yourself are calling on fate.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
ἄκουε δή νυν θεσφάτων ἐμῶν ὁδόν·
[ἃ δρῶντες ἂν σώσαιτε Καδμείων πόλιν]
σφάξαι Μενοικέα τόνδε δεῖ σʼ ὑπὲρ πάτρας,
σὸν παῖδʼ, ἐπειδὴ τὴν τύχην αὐτὸς καλεῖς.

[¶130] Creon:
What do you mean? What is this you have said, old man?

> Greek: Κρέων:
τί φῄς; τίνʼ εἶπας τόνδε μῦθον, ὦ γέρον;

[¶131] Teiresias:
I have said what is, and you must do it.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
ἅπερ πέφυκε, ταῦτα κἀνάγκη σὲ δρᾶν.

[¶132] Creon:
O great evil, spoken so briefly!

> Greek: Κρέων:
ὦ πολλὰ λέξας ἐν βραχεῖ χρόνῳ κακά.

[¶133] Teiresias:
Evil to you, but to your country great salvation.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
σοί γʼ, ἀλλὰ πατρίδι μεγάλα καὶ σωτήρια.

[¶134] Creon:
I did not hear; I never listened; I renounce my city!

> Greek: Κρέων:
οὐκ ἔκλυον, οὐκ ἤκουσα· χαιρέτω πόλις.

[¶135] Teiresias:
The man is no longer himself; he is drawing back.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
ἁνὴρ ὅδʼ οὐκέθʼ αὑτός· ἐκνεύει πάλιν.

[¶136] Creon:
Go in peace; it is not your prophecy I need.

> Greek: Κρέων:
χαίρων ἴθʼ· οὐ γὰρ σῶν με δεῖ μαντευμάτων.

[¶137] Teiresias:
Is truth dead, because you are unfortunate?

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
ἀπόλωλεν ἡ ἀλήθειʼ, ἐπεὶ σὺ δυστυχεῖς;

[¶138] Creon:
By your knees and gray hair—

> Greek: Κρέων:
ὦ πρός σε γονάτων καὶ γερασμίου τριχὸς —

[¶139] Teiresias:
Why implore me? You are demanding evils that are hard to prevent.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
τί προσπίτνεις με; δυσφύλακτʼ αἰτῇ κακά.

[¶140] Creon:
Be silent; do not tell the city your news.

> Greek: Κρέων:
σίγα· πόλει δὲ τούσδε μὴ λέξῃς λόγους.

[¶141] Teiresias:
You bid me to act unjustly; I cannot be silent.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
ἀδικεῖν κελεύεις μʼ· οὐ σιωπήσαιμεν ἄν.

[¶142] Creon:
What will you do to me? Kill my child?

> Greek: Κρέων:
τί δή με δράσεις; παῖδά μου κατακτενεῖς;

[¶143] Teiresias:
That is for others to decide; it is for me to speak.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
ἄλλοις μελήσει ταῦτʼ, ἐμοὶ δʼ εἰρήσεται.

[¶144] Creon:
How did this curse come on me and my son?

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἐκ τοῦ δʼ ἐμοὶ τόδʼ ἦλθε καὶ τέκνῳ κακόν;

[¶145] Teiresias:
You do right to ask me and to test what I have said. In the chamber where the earth-born dragon kept watch over Dirce’s springs, he must be offered as a sacrifice and shed his blood on the ground, a libation of Cadmus, because of the ancient wrath of Ares,
who now avenges the slaughter of his earth-born snake. If you do this, you shall win Ares as an ally. If the earth receives fruit for fruit and human blood for blood, you shall find her kind to you again, who once
sent up to us a crop of Sown-men with golden helmets; for one of those born from the dragon’s teeth must die.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
ὀρθῶς μʼ ἐρωτᾷς κεἰς ἀγῶνʼ ἔρχῃ λόγων.
δεῖ τόνδε θαλάμαις, οὗ δράκων ὁ γηγενὴς
ἐγένετο Δίρκης ναμάτων ἐπίσκοπος,
σφαγέντα φόνιον αἷμα γῇ δοῦναι χοὰς
Κάδμου, παλαιῶν Ἄρεος ἐκ μηνιμάτων,
ὃς γηγενεῖ δράκοντι τιμωρεῖ φόνον.
καὶ ταῦτα δρῶντες σύμμαχον κτήσεσθʼ Ἄρη.
χθὼν δʼ ἀντὶ καρποῦ καρπὸν ἀντί θʼ αἵματος
αἷμʼ ἢν λάβῃ βρότειον, ἕξετʼ εὐμενῆ
γῆν, ἥ ποθʼ ἡμῖν χρυσοπήληκα στάχυν
σπαρτῶν ἀνῆκεν· ἐκ γένους δὲ δεῖ θανεῖν
τοῦδʼ, ὃς δράκοντος γένυος ἐκπέφυκε παῖς.

[¶146] Now you are our only survivor of the Sown race, pure-blooded both on your mother’s and your father’s side, you and your sons. Haemon’s marriage
holds him back from the slaughter, for he is no longer single; even if he has not consummated his marriage, yet he is betrothed. But this tender youth, consecrated to his city, might by dying rescue his country; and bitter will he make the return of Adrastus and his Argives,
flinging over their eyes a black spirit of death, and he will glorify Thebes. Choose one of these two destinies: either save the city or your son.

> Greek: σὺ δʼ ἐνθάδʼ ἡμῖν λοιπὸς εἶ σπαρτῶν γένους
ἀκέραιος, ἔκ τε μητρὸς ἀρσένων τʼ ἄπο,
οἱ σοί τε παῖδες. Αἵμονος μὲν οὖν γάμοι
σφαγὰς ἀπείργουσʼ. οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ᾔθεος·
κεἰ μὴ γὰρ εὐνῆς ἥψατʼ, ἀλλʼ ἔχει λέχος.
οὗτος δὲ πῶλος τῇδʼ ἀνειμένος πόλει
θανὼν πατρῴαν γαῖαν ἐκσώσειεν ἄν.
πικρὸν δʼ Ἀδράστῳ νόστον Ἀργείοισί τε
θήσει, μέλαιναν κῆρʼ ἐπʼ ὄμμασιν βαλών,
κλεινάς τε Θήβας. τοῖνδʼ ἑλοῦ δυοῖν πότμοιν
τὸν ἕτερον· ἢ γὰρ παῖδα σῷσον ἢ πόλιν.

[¶147] Now you have all that I had to say. Daughter, lead me home. The man who practices the prophet’s art
is a fool; for if he happens to give an adverse answer, he makes himself disliked by those for whom he takes the omens; while if he pities and deceives those who are consulting him, he wrongs the gods. Phoebus should have been man’s only prophet, for he fears no one. Exit Teiresias.

> Greek: τὰ μὲν παρʼ ἡμῶν πάντʼ ἔχεις· ἡγοῦ, τέκνον,
πρὸς οἶκον. ὅστις δʼ ἐμπύρῳ χρῆται τέχνῃ,
μάταιος· ἢν μὲν ἐχθρὰ σημήνας τύχῃ,
πικρὸς καθέστηχʼ οἷς ἂν οἰωνοσκοπῇ·
ψευδῆ δʼ ὑπʼ οἴκτου τοῖσι χρωμένοις λέγων
ἀδικεῖ τὰ τῶν θεῶν. Φοῖβον ἀνθρώποις μόνον
χρῆν θεσπιῳδεῖν, ὃς δέδοικεν οὐδένα.

[¶148] Chorus Leader:
Creon, why are you so silent, without a word? I too am no less amazed.

> Greek: Χορός:
Κρέον, τί σιγᾷς γῆρυν ἄφθογγον σχάσας;
κἀμοὶ γὰρ οὐδὲν ἧσσον ἔκπληξις πάρα.

[¶149] Creon:
What can one say? It is clear what my words must be. For I will never come to such misfortune as to devote my son to death for the city;

> Greek: Κρέων:
τί δʼ ἄν τις εἴποι; δῆλον οἵ γʼ ἐμοὶ λόγοι.
ἐγὼ γὰρ οὔποτʼ ἐς τόδʼ εἶμι συμφορᾶς,
ὥστε σφαγέντα παῖδα προσθεῖναι πόλει.

[¶150] for all men love their children, and no one would give his own son to die. Let no man praise me, and kill my child at the same time. I myself, for I am in the prime of life, am ready to die to save my country.

> Greek: πᾶσιν γὰρ ἀνθρώποισι φιλότεκνος βίος,
οὐδʼ ἂν τὸν αὑτοῦ παῖδά τις δοίη κτανεῖν.
μή μʼ εὐλογείτω τἀμά τις κτείνων τέκνα.
αὐτὸς δʼ — ἐν ὡραίῳ γὰρ ἕσταμεν βίου —
θνῄσκειν ἕτοιμος πατρίδος ἐκλυτήριον.

[¶151] But come, my son, before the whole city learns this, fly with all haste away from this land, regardless of these prophets’ reckless warnings; for he will tell all this to our rulers and generals [going to the seven gates and the captains];

> Greek: ἀλλʼ εἶα, τέκνον, πρὶν μαθεῖν πᾶσαν πόλιν,
ἀκόλαστʼ ἐάσας μάντεων θεσπίσματα,
φεῦγʼ ὡς τάχιστα τῆσδʼ ἀπαλλαχθεὶς χθονός·
λέξει γὰρ ἀρχαῖς καὶ στρατηλάταις τάδε,
[πύλας ἐφʼ ἑπτὰ καὶ λοχαγέτας μολών·]

[¶152] now if we can forestall him, you are saved, but if you are too late, we are ruined and you will die.

> Greek: κἂν μὲν φθάσωμεν, ἔστι σοι σωτηρία·
ἢν δʼ ὑστερήσῃς, οἰχόμεσθα, κατθανῇ.

[¶153] Menoeceus:
Where can I escape? To what city? To which of our guest-friends?

> Greek: Μενοικεύς:
ποῖ δῆτα φεύγω; τίνα πόλιν; τίνα ξένων;

[¶154] Creon:
Where you will be furthest removed from this land.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ὅπου χθονὸς τῆσδʼ ἐκποδὼν μάλιστʼ ἔσῃ.

[¶155] Menoeceus:
It is for you to name a place, for me to carry out your bidding.

> Greek: Μενοικεύς:
οὐκοῦν σὲ φράζειν εἰκός, ἐκπονεῖν δʼ ἐμέ.

[¶156] Creon:
After passing Delphi—

> Greek: Κρέων:
Δελφοὺς περάσας —

[¶157] Menoeceus:
Where must I go, father?

> Greek: Μενοικεύς:
ποῖ με χρή, πάτερ, μολεῖν;

[¶158] Creon:
To Aetolia.

> Greek: Κρέων:
Αἰτωλίδʼ ἐς γῆν.

[¶159] Menoeceus:
And where must I go from there?

> Greek: Μενοικεύς:
ἐκ δὲ τῆσδε ποῖ περῶ;

[¶160] Creon:
To the land of Thesprotia.

> Greek: Κρέων:
Θεσπρωτὸν οὖδας.

[¶161] Menoeceus:
To Dodona’s holy threshold?

> Greek: Μενοικεύς:
σεμνὰ Δωδώνης βάθρα;

[¶162] Creon:
You understand.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἔγνως.

[¶163] Menoeceus:
What protection will I find there?

> Greek: Μενοικεύς:
τί δὴ τόδʼ ἔρυμά μοι γενήσεται;

[¶164] Creon:
The god will send you on your way.

> Greek: Κρέων:
πόμπιμος ὁ δαίμων.

[¶165] Menoeceus:
How shall I find the means?

> Greek: Μενοικεύς:
χρημάτων δὲ τίς πόρος;

[¶166] Creon:
I will supply you with money.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἐγὼ πορεύσω χρυσόν.

[¶167] Menoeceus:
A good plan of yours, father. Go now; for I will come to your sister, Jocasta, at whose breast I was suckled when bereft of my mother, a lonely orphan, [to give her greeting and then I will save my life].

> Greek: Μενοικεύς:
εὖ λέγεις, πάτερ.
χώρει νυν· ὡς σὴν πρὸς κασιγνήτην μολών,
ἧς πρῶτα μαστὸν εἵλκυσʼ, Ἰοκάστην λέγω,
μητρὸς στερηθεὶς ὀρφανός τʼ ἀποζυγείς —
[προσηγορήσων εἶμι καὶ σῴσων βίον.]

[¶168] Come, come! be going; it isn’t your part to hinder me. Exit Creon.
How cleverly, ladies, I banished my father’s fears by crafty words to gain my end; for he is trying to get me away, depriving the city of its chance and surrendering me to cowardice. Though an old man may be pardoned,
yet in my case there is no pardon for betraying the country that gave me birth. Know this, I will go and save the city, and give my life up for this land. For it is shameful: those whom no oracles bind
and who have not come under divine necessity, stand there, shoulder to shoulder, with no fear of death, and fight for their country before her towers; while I leave the land like a coward, a traitor to my father and brother and city;
wherever I live, I shall seem base.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ εἶα, χώρει· μὴ τὸ σὸν κωλυέτω. —
γυναῖκες, ὡς εὖ πατρὸς ἐξεῖλον φόβον,
κλέψας λόγοισιν, ὥσθʼ ἃ βούλομαι τυχεῖν·
ὅς μʼ ἐκκομίζει, πόλιν ἀποστερῶν τύχης,
καὶ δειλίᾳ δίδωσι. καὶ συγγνωστὰ μὲν
γέροντι, τοὐμὸν δʼ οὐχὶ συγγνώμην ἔχει,
προδότην γενέσθαι πατρίδος ἥ μʼ ἐγείνατο.
ὡς οὖν ἂν εἰδῆτʼ, εἶμι καὶ σῴσω πόλιν
ψυχήν τε δώσω τῆσδʼ ὑπερθανεῖν χθονός.
αἰσχρὸν γάρ· οἱ μὲν θεσφάτων ἐλεύθεροι
κοὐκ εἰς ἀνάγκην δαιμόνων ἀφιγμένοι
στάντες παρʼ ἀσπίδʼ οὐκ ὀκνήσουσιν θανεῖν,
πύργων πάροιθε μαχόμενοι πάτρας ὕπερ·
ἐγὼ δέ, πατέρα καὶ κασίγνητον προδοὺς
πόλιν τʼ ἐμαυτοῦ, δειλὸς ὣς ἔξω χθονὸς
ἄπειμʼ· ὅπου δʼ ἂν ζῶ, κακὸς φανήσομαι.

[¶169] No, by Zeus and all his stars, by Ares, god of blood, who established the Sown-men that sprung one day from earth as lords of this land! I will go, and standing on the topmost battlements,
will sacrifice myself over the dragon’s deep, dark den, the spot the seer described, and will set my country free. I have spoken. Now I go to make the city a present of my life, no mean offering, to rid this kingdom of its affliction.

> Greek: μὰ τὸν μετʼ ἄστρων Ζῆνʼ Ἄρη τε φοίνιον,
ὃς τοὺς ὑπερτείλαντας ἐκ γαίας ποτὲ
Σπαρτοὺς ἄνακτας τῆσδε γῆς ἱδρύσατο.
ἀλλʼ εἶμι καὶ στὰς ἐξ ἐπάλξεων ἄκρων
σφάξας ἐμαυτὸν σηκὸν ἐς μελαμβαθῆ
δράκοντος, ἔνθʼ ὁ μάντις ἐξηγήσατο,
ἐλευθερώσω γαῖαν· εἴρηται λόγος.
στείχω δέ, θανάτου δῶρον οὐκ αἰσχρὸν πόλει
δώσων, νόσου δὲ τήνδʼ ἀπαλλάξω χθόνα.

[¶170] For if each were to take and expend all the good within his power, contributing it to the common good of his country, our states would experience fewer troubles and would prosper for the future. Exit Menoeceus.

> Greek: εἰ γὰρ λαβὼν ἕκαστος ὅ τι δύναιτό τις
χρηστὸν διέλθοι τοῦτο κἀς κοινὸν φέροι
πατρίδι, κακῶν ἂν αἱ πόλεις ἐλασσόνων
πειρώμεναι τὸ λοιπὸν εὐτυχοῖεν ἄν.

[¶171] Chorus:
You came, you came, O winged creature, born of earth
and hellish viper, to prey upon the sons of Cadmus, full of death, full of sorrow, half a maiden, a murderous monster, with roving wings
and ravening claws; you once caught up youths from the haunts of Dirce, with discordant song,
and you brought, you brought a murderous grief, a deadly curse to our native land. A deadly god he was who brought all this to pass. Mourning of mothers, mourning of maidens,
filled the houses with groans; a lamenting cry, a lamenting song, one after another wailed out, in turn throughout the city. The roar of the groaning
was like thunder, whenever the winged maiden bore a man out of sight from the city.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἔβας ἔβας,
ὦ πτεροῦσσα, γᾶς λόχευμα
νερτέρου τʼ Ἐχίδνας,
Καδμείων ἁρπαγά,
πολύφθορος πολύστονος
μειξοπάρθενος,
δάιον τέρας,
φοιτάσι πτεροῖς
χαλαῖσί τʼ ὠμοσίτοις·
Διρκαίων ἅ ποτʼ ἐκ
τόπων νέους πεδαίρουσʼ
ἄλυρον ἀμφὶ μοῦσαν
ὀλομέναν τʼ Ἐρινὺν
ἔφερες ἔφερες ἄχεα πατρίδι
φόνια· φόνιος ἐκ θεῶν
ὃς τάδʼ ἦν ὁ πράξας.
ἰάλεμοι δὲ ματέρων,
ἰάλεμοι δὲ παρθένων
ἐστέναζον οἴκοις·
ἰηιήιον βοάν,
ἰηιήιον μέλος,
ἄλλος ἄλλʼ ἐπωτότυζε
διαδοχαῖς ἀνὰ πτόλιν.
βροντᾷ δὲ στεναγμὸς
ἀχά τʼ ἦν ὅμοιος,
ὁπότε πόλεος ἀφανίσειεν
ἁ πτεροῦσσα παρθένος τινʼ ἀνδρῶν.

[¶172] Chorus:
At last came Oedipus, the man of sorrow, sent from Delphi
to this land of Thebes, a joy to us then, but afterwards a cause of grief; for, when he guessed the riddle triumphantly, he formed with his mother an unhallowed union, woe to him!
polluting the city; and striking down his sons by his curses, he handed them over to loathsome strife, through blood, the wretched man.
We admire him, we admire him,
who has gone to his death in his country’s cause, leaving tears to Creon, but bringing a crown of victory to our seven fenced towers.

> Greek: Χορός:
χρόνῳ δʼ ἔβα
Πυθίαις ἀποστολαῖσιν
Οἰδίπους ὁ τλάμων
Θηβαίαν τάνδε γᾶν
τότʼ ἀσμένοις, πάλιν δʼ ἄχη·
ματρὶ γὰρ γάμους
δυσγάμους τάλας
καλλίνικος ὢν
αἰνιγμάτων συνάπτει,
μιαίνει δὲ πτόλιν·
διʼ αἱμάτων δʼ ἀμείβει
μυσαρὸν εἰς ἀγῶνα
καταβαλὼν ἀραῖσι
τέκεα μέλεος. ἀγάμεθʼ ἀγάμεθʼ,
ὃς ἐπὶ θάνατον οἴχεται
γᾶς ὑπὲρ πατρῴας,
Κρέοντι μὲν λιπὼν γόους,
τὰ δʼ ἑπτάπυργα κλῇθρα γᾶς
καλλίνικα θήσων.

[¶173] May we be mothers in this way, may we have such fair children, dear PalIas, you who with well-aimed stone spilled the serpent’s blood, rousing Cadmus to brood upon the task,
from which a demon’s curse swooped upon this land and ravaged it.

> Greek: γενοίμεθʼ ὧδε ματέρες
γενοίμεθʼ εὔτεκνοι, φίλα
Παλλάς, ἃ δράκοντος αἷμα
λιθόβολον κατειργάσω,
Καδμείαν μέριμναν
ὁρμήσασʼ ἐπʼ ἔργον,
ὅθεν ἐπέσυτο τάνδε γαῖαν
ἁρπαγαῖσι δαιμόνων τις ἄτα.

[¶174] Messenger:
Ho there! Who is at the palace-gates? Open the door, summon Jocasta forth. Ho there! once again I call; in spite of this long delay,
come forth; listen, noble wife of Oedipus, cease your lamentation and your tears of woe.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ὠή, τίς ἐν πύλαισι δωμάτων κυρεῖ;
ἀνοίγετʼ· ἐκπορεύετʼ Ἰοκάστην δόμων.
ὠὴ μάλʼ αὖθις· διὰ μακροῦ μέν, ἀλλʼ ὅμως
ἔξελθʼ, ἄκουσον, Οἰδίπου κλεινὴ δάμαρ,
λήξασʼ ὀδυρμῶν πενθίμων τε δακρύων.

[¶175] Jocasta:
Surely you have not come, dear friend, with the sad news of Eteocles’ death, beside whose shield you have always marched, warding off from him the enemy’s darts?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ὦ φίλτατʼ, οὔ που ξυμφορὰν ἥκεις φέρων
Ἐτεοκλέους θανόντος, οὗ παρʼ ἀσπίδα
βέβηκας αἰεὶ πολεμίων εἴργων βέλη;

[¶176] [What tidings are you here to bring me?] Is my son alive or dead? Tell me.

> Greek: [τί μοί ποθʼ ἥκεις καινὸν ἀγγελῶν ἔπος;]
τέθνηκεν ἢ ζῇ παῖς ἐμός; σήμαινέ μοι.

[¶177] Messenger:
He is alive, do not fear that, so that I may rid you of your terror.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ζῇ, μὴ τρέσῃς τόδʼ, ὥς ⟨σʼ⟩ ἀπαλλάξω φόβου.

[¶178] Jocasta:
Well? How is it with the seven towers that wall us in?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
τί δʼ; ἑπτάπυργοι πῶς ἔχουσι περιβολαί;

[¶179] Messenger:
They stand unshattered; the city is not plundered.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ἑστᾶσʼ ἄθραυστοι, κοὐκ ἀνήρπασται πόλις.

[¶180] Jocasta:
Have they been in jeopardy of the Argive spear?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ἦλθον δὲ πρὸς κίνδυνον Ἀργείου δορός;

[¶181] Messenger:
Yes, on the very brink; but our Theban warriors proved stronger than Mycenae’s might.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ἀκμήν γʼ ἐπʼ αὐτήν· ἀλλʼ ὁ Καδμείων Ἄρης
κρείσσων κατέστη τοῦ Μυκηναίου δορός.

[¶182] Jocasta:
One thing tell me, by the gods, if you know anything of Polyneices; for this too is my concern, if he is alive.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ἓν εἰπὲ πρὸς θεῶν, εἴ τι Πολυνείκους πέρι
οἶσθʼ· ὡς μέλει μοι καὶ τόδʼ, εἰ λεύσσει φάος.

[¶183] Messenger:
As yet your sons are living, the pair of them.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ζῇ σοι ξυνωρὶς ἐς τόδʼ ἡμέρας τέκνων.

[¶184] Jocasta:
God bless you! How did you succeed in beating off from our gates the Argive army, when beleaguered? Tell me, so that I may go within and cheer the old blind man, since our city is still safe.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
εὐδαιμονοίης. πῶς γὰρ Ἀργείων δόρυ
πυλῶν ἀπεστήσασθε πυργηρούμενοι;
λέξον, γέροντα τυφλὸν ὡς κατὰ στέγας
ἐλθοῦσα τέρψω, τῆσδε γῆς σεσῳσμένης.

[¶185] Messenger:
After Creon’s son, who gave up his life for his country, had taken his stand on the turret’s top and plunged a dark-hilted sword through his throat to save this land, your son told off seven companies with their captains to the seven gates to keep watch on the Argive warriors,
and stationed cavalry to cover cavalry, and infantry to support infantry, so that assistance might be close at hand for any weak point in the walls. Then from our lofty towers we saw the Argive army with their white shields leaving
Teumesus, and, when near the trench, they charged up to our Theban city at a run. In one loud burst from their ranks and from our walls rang out the battle-cry and trumpet-call.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ἐπεὶ Κρέοντος παῖς ὁ γῆς ὑπερθανὼν
πύργων ἐπʼ ἄκρων στὰς μελάνδετον ξίφος
λαιμῶν διῆκε τῇδε γῇ σωτήριον,
λόχους ἔνειμεν ἑπτὰ καὶ λοχαγέτας
πύλας ἐφʼ ἑπτά, φύλακας Ἀργείου δορός,
σὸς παῖς, ἐφέδρους ⟨δʼ⟩ ἱππότας μὲν ἱππόταις
ἔταξʼ, ὁπλίτας δʼ ἀσπιδηφόροις ἔπι,
ὡς τῷ νοσοῦντι τειχέων εἴη δορὸς
ἀλκὴ διʼ ὀλίγου. περγάμων δʼ ἀπʼ ὀρθίων
λεύκασπιν εἰσορῶμεν Ἀργείων στρατὸν
Τευμησὸν ἐκλιπόντα, καὶ τάφρου πέλας
δρόμῳ ξυνῆψαν ἄστυ Καδμείας χθονός.
παιὰν δὲ καὶ σάλπιγγες ἐκελάδουν ὁμοῦ
ἐκεῖθεν ἔκ τε τειχέων ἡμῶν πάρα.

[¶186] First to the Neitian gate, Parthenopaeus, son of the huntress,
led a company bristling with thick rows of shields, and he had his own device in the centre of his shield: Atalanta slaying the Aetolian boar with an arrow shot from far. To the gates of Proetus
came the prophet Amphiaraus, bringing the victims on a chariot; he had no boastful sign, but weapons chastely plain.

> Greek: καὶ πρῶτα μὲν προσῆγε Νηίταις πύλαις
λόχον πυκναῖσιν ἀσπίσιν πεφρικότα
ὁ τῆς κυναγοῦ Παρθενοπαῖος ἔκγονος,
ἐπίσημʼ ἔχων οἰκεῖον ἐν μέσῳ σάκει,
ἑκηβόλοις τόξοισιν Ἀταλάντην κάπρον
χειρουμένην Αἰτωλόν. ἐς δὲ Προιτίδας
πύλας ἐχώρει σφάγιʼ ἔχων ἐφʼ ἅρματι
ὁ μάντις Ἀμφιάραος, οὐ σημεῖʼ ἔχων
ὑβρισμένʼ, ἀλλὰ σωφρόνως ἄσημʼ ὅπλα.

[¶187] Next lord Hippomedon came marching to the Ogygian gates with this device in the middle of his shield:
Argus the all-seeing dappled with eyes on the watch, some open with the rising stars, others hiding when they set, as could be seen after he was slain.

> Greek: Ὠγύγια δʼ ἐς πυλώμαθʼ Ἱππομέδων ἄναξ
ἔστειχʼ ἔχων σημεῖον ἐν μέσῳ σάκει
στικτοῖς Πανόπτην ὄμμασιν δεδορκότα,
τὰ μὲν σὺν ἄστρων ἐπιτολαῖσιν ὄμματα
βλέποντα, τὰ δὲ κρύπτοντα δυνόντων μέτα,
ὡς ὕστερον θανόντος εἰσορᾶν παρῆν.

[¶188] At the Homoloian gates Tydeus had his post,
a lion’s skin with shaggy mane upon his shield, while the Titan Prometheus bore a torch in his right hand, to fire the town.

> Greek: Ὁμολωίσιν δὲ τάξιν εἶχε πρὸς πύλαις
Τυδεύς, λέοντος δέρος ἔχων ἐπʼ ἀσπίδι
χαίτῃ πεφρικός· δεξιᾷ δὲ λαμπάδα
Τιτὰν Προμηθεὺς ἔφερεν ὡς πρήσων πόλιν.

[¶189] Your own Polyneices led the battle against the Fountain gate; upon his shield for a device
were the colts of Potniae galloping at frantic speed, revolving by some clever contrivance on pivots by the handle, so as to appear distraught.

> Greek: ὁ σὸς δὲ Κρηναίαισι Πολυνείκης πύλαις
Ἄρη προσῆγε· Ποτνιάδες δʼ ἐπʼ ἀσπίδι
ἐπίσημα πῶλοι δρομάδες ἐσκίρτων φόβῳ,
εὖ πως στρόφιγξιν ἔνδοθεν κυκλούμεναι
πόρπαχʼ ὑπʼ αὐτόν, ὥστε μαίνεσθαι δοκεῖν.

[¶190] At Electra’s gate Capaneus brought up his company, bold as Ares for the battle;

> Greek: ὁ δʼ οὐκ ἔλασσον Ἄρεος ἐς μάχην φρονῶν
Καπανεὺς προσῆγε λόχον ἐπʼ Ἠλέκτραις πύλαις·

[¶191] this device his shield bore upon its iron back: an earth-born giant carrying on his shoulders a whole city which he had wrenched from its base, a hint to us of the fate in store for Thebes.

> Greek: σιδηρονώτοις δʼ ἀσπίδος τύποις ἐπῆν
γίγας ἐπʼ ὤμοις γηγενὴς ὅλην πόλιν
φέρων μοχλοῖσιν ἐξανασπάσας βάθρων,
ὑπόνοιαν ἡμῖν οἷα πείσεται πόλις.

[¶192] Adrastus was at the seventh gate;
a hundred vipers engraved on his shield, [as he bore on his left arm the hydra] the boast of Argos, and serpents were carrying off in their jaws the sons of Thebes from within our very walls. Now I was able to see each of them,
as I carried the watch-word along to the leaders of our companies.

> Greek: ταῖς δʼ ἑβδόμαις Ἄδραστος ἐν πύλαισιν ἦν,
ἑκατὸν ἐχίδναις ἀσπίδʼ ἐκπληρῶν γραφῇ,
[ὕδρας ἔχων λαιοῖσιν ἐν βραχίοσιν]
Ἀργεῖον αὔχημʼ· ἐκ δὲ τειχέων μέσων
δράκοντες ἔφερον τέκνα Καδμείων γνάθοις.
παρῆν δʼ ἑκάστου τῶνδέ μοι θεάματα
ξύνθημα παρφέροντι ποιμέσιν λόχων.

[¶193] To begin with, we fought with bows and thonged javelins, with slings that shoot from far and crashing stones; and as we were conquering, Tydeus and your son suddenly cried aloud:

> Greek: καὶ πρῶτα μὲν τόξοισι καὶ μεσαγκύλοις
ἐμαρνάμεσθα σφενδόναις θʼ ἑκηβόλοις
πετρῶν τʼ ἀραγμοῖς· ὡς δʼ ἐνικῶμεν μάχῃ,
ἔκλαγξε Τυδεὺς καὶ σὸς ἐξαίφνης γόνος·

[¶194] “You sons of Danaus, before you are torn to pieces by their attack, why delay to fall upon the gates with all your might, light-armed and cavalry and charioteers?” No loitering then, soon as they heard that call; and many fell with bloody head,
and many of us you could have seen thrown to the earth like tumblers before the walls, breathing their last, bedewing the dry ground with streams of blood.

> Greek: ὦ τέκνα Δαναῶν, πρὶν κατεξάνθαι βολαῖς,
τί μέλλετʼ ἄρδην πάντες ἐμπίπτειν πύλαις,
γυμνῆτες ἱππῆς ἁρμάτων τʼ ἐπιστάται;
ἠχῆς δʼ ὅπως ἤκουσαν, οὔτις ἀργὸς ἦν·
πολλοὶ δʼ ἔπιπτον κρᾶτας αἱματούμενοι,
ἡμῶν τʼ ἐς οὖδας εἶδες ἂν πρὸ τειχέων
πυκνοὺς κυβιστητῆρας ἐκπεπνευκότας·
ξηρὰν δʼ ἔδευον γαῖαν αἵματος ῥοαῖς.

[¶195] Then Atalanta’s son, who was not an Argive but an Arcadian, hurling himself like a hurricane at the gates, called for
fire and picks to raze the town; but Periclymenus, son of the ocean-god, stayed his wild career, heaving on his head a wagon-load of stone, the coping from the battlements; and it shattered his head with yellow hair and
crashed through the seams of the skull, dabbling with blood his fresh cheek; and he will never go back alive to his mother with her lovely bow, the maid of Maenalus.

> Greek: ὁ δʼ Ἀρκάς, οὐκ Ἀργεῖος, Ἀταλάντης γόνος
τυφὼς πύλαισιν ὥς τις ἐμπεσὼν βοᾷ
πῦρ καὶ δικέλλας, ὡς κατασκάψων πόλιν·
ἀλλʼ ἔσχε μαργῶντʼ αὐτὸν ἐναλίου θεοῦ
Περικλύμενος παῖς λᾶαν ἐμβαλὼν κάρᾳ
ἁμαξοπληθῆ, γεῖσʼ ἐπάλξεων ἄπο·
ξανθὸν δὲ κρᾶτα διεπάλυνε καὶ ῥαφὰς
ἔρρηξεν ὀστέων, ἄρτι δʼ οἰνωπὸν γένυν
καθῃμάτωσεν· οὐδʼ ἀποίσεται βίον
τῇ καλλιτόξῳ μητρὶ Μαινάλου κόρῃ.

[¶196] Your son then, seeing these gates secure, went on to the next, and I followed him.

> Greek: ἐπεὶ δὲ τάσδʼ ἐσεῖδεν εὐτυχεῖς πύλας,
ἄλλας ἐπῄει παῖς σός, εἱπόμην δʼ ἐγώ.

[¶197] I saw Tydeus and his thick rows of targeteers hurling their Aetolian spears into the opening at the top of the turrets, so that our men fled and left the battlements; but your son rallied them once more, as a huntsman cheers his hounds,
and stationed them at the towers again. And then we hastened to other gates, after stopping the affliction there. As for the madness of Capaneus, how can I describe it? He was going about with a long scaling-ladder, and boasting
that even the holy fire of Zeus would not hold him back from giving the city to utter destruction. And even as he spoke, he climbed up beneath the hail of stones, crouched under the shelter of his shield, rung by smooth rung going up the ladder.

> Greek: ὁρῶ δὲ Τυδέα καὶ παρασπιστὰς πυκνοὺς
Αἰτωλίσιν λόγχαισιν εἰς ἄκρον στόμα
πύργων ἀκοντίζοντας, ὥστʼ ἐπάλξεων
λιπεῖν ἐρίπνας φυγάδας· ἀλλά νιν πάλιν
κυναγὸς ὡσεὶ παῖς σὸς ἐξαθροίζεται,
πύργοις δʼ ἐπέστησʼ αὖθις. ἐς δʼ ἄλλας πύλας
ἠπειγόμεσθα, τοῦτο παύσαντες νοσοῦν.
Καπανεὺς δὲ πῶς εἴποιμʼ ἂν ὡς ἐμαίνετο;
μακραύχενος γὰρ κλίμακος προσαμβάσεις
ἔχων ἐχώρει, καὶ τοσόνδʼ ἐκόμπασε,
μηδʼ ἂν τὸ σεμνὸν πῦρ νιν εἰργαθεῖν Διὸς
τὸ μὴ οὐ κατʼ ἄκρων περγάμων ἑλεῖν πόλιν.
καὶ ταῦθʼ ἅμʼ ἠγόρευε καὶ πετρούμενος
ἀνεῖρφʼ ὑπʼ αὐτὴν ἀσπίδʼ εἱλίξας δέμας,
κλίμακος ἀμείβων ξέστʼ ἐνηλάτων βάθρα.

## 3. Lines 1180–1766

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

[¶0] But, just as he was scaling the parapet of the wall, Zeus smote him with a thunderbolt; the earth re-echoed, and fear seized everyone; for from the ladder [his limbs were slung far apart, his head toward Olympus, his blood toward earth,]
[while his legs and arms went spinning round like Ixion’s wheel] he was hurled, spinnning; his burning corpse fell to the ground.

> Greek: ἤδη δʼ ὑπερβαίνοντα γεῖσα τειχέων
βάλλει κεραυνῷ Ζεύς νιν· ἐκτύπησε δὲ
χθών, ὥστε δεῖσαι πάντας· ἐκ δὲ κλιμάκων
[ἐσφενδονᾶτο χωρὶς ἀλλήλων μέλη,]
[κόμαι μὲν εἰς Ὄλυμπον, αἷμα δʼ ἐς χθόνα,]
[χεῖρες δὲ καὶ κῶλʼ ὡς κύκλωμʼ Ἰξίονος]
εἱλίσσετʼ· ἐς γῆν δʼ ἔμπυρος πίπτει νεκρός.

[¶1] But when Adrastus saw that Zeus was hostile to his army, he drew the Argive troops outside the trench. Meanwhile our armed cavalry, seeing the lucky omen of Zeus before us,
were driving forth their chariots, and the armed men charged with spears into the middle of the Argives, and all troubles happened at once: men were dying, hurled headlong from chariots, wheels flew off, axles crashed together,
while the dead were heaped up on the dead. So for to-day we have prevented destruction of the towers of our land; but if this land will be fortunate for the future, that rests with the gods; for even now it owes its safety to some deity.

> Greek: ὡς δʼ εἶδʼ Ἄδραστος Ζῆνα πολέμιον στρατῷ,
ἔξω τάφρου καθῖσεν Ἀργείων στρατόν.
οἱ δʼ αὖ παρʼ ἡμῶν δεξιὸν Διὸς τέρας
ἰδόντες ἐξήλαυνον ἁρμάτων ὄχους
ἱππῆς ὁπλῖται, κἀς μέσʼ Ἀργείων ὅπλα
συνῆψαν ἔγχη· πάντα δʼ ἦν ὁμοῦ κακά·
ἔθνῃσκον ἐξέπιπτον ἀντύγων ἄπο,
τροχοί τʼ ἐπήδων ἄξονές τʼ ἐπʼ ἄξοσι,
νεκροὶ δὲ νεκροῖς ἐξεσωρεύονθʼ ὁμοῦ.
πύργων μὲν οὖν γῆς ἔσχομεν κατασκαφὰς
ἐς τὴν παροῦσαν ἡμέραν· εἰ δʼ εὐτυχὴς
ἔσται τὸ λοιπὸν ἥδε γῆ, θεοῖς μέλει·
καὶ νῦν γὰρ αὐτὴν δαιμόνων ἔσῳσέ τις.

[¶2] Chorus Leader:
Victory is fair; and if the gods are growing kinder, it would be well with me.

> Greek: Χορός:
καλὸν τὸ νικᾶν· εἰ δʼ ἀμείνονʼ οἱ θεοὶ
γνώμην ἔχουσιν — εὐτυχὴς εἴην ἐγώ.

[¶3] Jocasta:
The gods and fortune have treated us well; for my sons are alive and my land has escaped ruin. But Creon seems to have had bitter enjoyment
from my marriage with Oedipus, by losing his son to his sorrow, a public success, a private grief. But please, come back to your tale again and say what my two sons intend to do next.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
καλῶς τὰ τῶν θεῶν καὶ τὰ τῆς τύχης ἔχει·
παῖδές τε γάρ μοι ζῶσι κἀκπέφευγε γῆ.
Κρέων δʼ ἔοικε τῶν ἐμῶν νυμφευμάτων
τῶν τʼ Οἰδίπου δύστηνος ἀπολαῦσαι κακῶν,
παιδὸς στερηθείς, τῇ πόλει μὲν εὐτυχῶς,
ἰδίᾳ δὲ λυπρῶς. ἀλλʼ ἄνελθέ μοι πάλιν,
τί τἀπὶ τούτοις παῖδʼ ἐμὼ δρασείετον.

[¶4] Messenger:
Let the rest be; all is well with you so far.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ἔα τὰ λοιπά· δεῦρʼ ἀεὶ γὰρ εὐτυχεῖς.

[¶5] Jocasta:
Your words rouse my suspicions; I cannot let it be.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
τοῦτʼ εἰς ὕποπτον εἶπας· οὐκ ἐατέον.

[¶6] Messenger:
Have you any further wish than your sons’ safety?

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
μεῖζον τί χρῄζεις παῖδας ἢ σεσῳσμένους;

[¶7] Jocasta:
Yes, to hear if I shall fare well in the future.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
καὶ τἀπίλοιπά γʼ εἰ καλῶς πράσσω κλύειν.

[¶8] Messenger:
Let me go; your son is left without his squire.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
μέθες μʼ· ἔρημος παῖς ὑπασπιστοῦ σέθεν.

[¶9] Jocasta:
There is some evil you are hiding, veiling it in darkness.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
κακόν τι κεύθεις καὶ στέγεις ὑπὸ σκότῳ.

[¶10] Messenger:
I would not add ill news to the good you have heard.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
κοὐκ ἄν γε λέξαιμʼ ἐπʼ ἀγαθοῖσι σοῖς κακά.

[¶11] Jocasta:
You must, unless you take wings and fly away.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ἢν μή γε φεύγων ἐκφύγῃς πρὸς αἰθέρα.

[¶12] Messenger:
Ah! Why did you not let me go after my good news, instead of forcing me to disclose evil? Those two sons of yours are resolved on
deeds of shameful recklessness, a single combat apart from the army; they addressed to Argives and Thebans alike words I would they had never uttered. Eteocles, taking his stand on a lofty tower, after ordering silence to be proclaimed to the army, began:

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
αἰαῖ· τί μʼ οὐκ εἴασας ἐξ εὐαγγέλου
φήμης ἀπελθεῖν, ἀλλὰ μηνῦσαι κακά;
τὼ παῖδε τὼ σὼ μέλλετον, τολμήματα
αἴσχιστα, χωρὶς μονομαχεῖν παντὸς στρατοῦ,
λέξαντες Ἀργείοισι Καδμείοισί τε
ἐς κοινὸν οἷον μήποτʼ ὤφελον λόγον.
Ἐτεοκλέης δʼ ὑπῆρξʼ ἀπʼ ὀρθίου σταθεὶς
πύργου, κελεύσας σῖγα κηρῦξαι στρατῷ·

[¶13] [and said: “O captains of Hellas,”] “chieftains of Argos here assembled, and you people of Cadmus, do not barter your lives for Polyneices or for me! For I myself excuse you from this risk,”
“and will engage my brother in single combat; and if I slay him, I will possess my house alone, but if I am conquered I will hand down the city to him alone. You men of Argos, give up the struggle and return to your land, do not lose your lives here;”
“there are enough of the Sown-men who lie dead.”

> Greek: [ἔλεξε δʼ· ὦ γῆς Ἑλλάδος στρατηλάται]
Δαναῶν ἀριστῆς, οἵπερ ἤλθετʼ ἐνθάδε,
Κάδμου τε λαός, μήτε Πολυνείκους χάριν
ψυχὰς ἀπεμπολᾶτε μήθʼ ἡμῶν ὕπερ.
ἐγὼ γὰρ αὐτὸς τόνδε κίνδυνον μεθεὶς
μόνος συνάψω συγγόνῳ τὠμῷ μάχην·
κἂν μὲν κτάνω τόνδʼ, οἶκον οἰκήσω μόνος,
ἡσσώμενος δὲ τῷδε παραδώσω μόνῳ·
ὑμεῖς δʼ ἀγῶνʼ ἀφέντες, Ἀργεῖοι, χθόνα
νίσεσθε, βίοτον μὴ λιπόντες ἐνθάδε,
Σπαρτῶν τε λαὸς ἅλις ὅσος κεῖται νεκρός.

[¶14] So he spoke; then your son Polyneices rushed from the battle-line and assented to his proposal. And all the Argives and the people of Cadmus shouted their approval, as though they thought it just.

> Greek: τοσαῦτʼ ἔλεξε· σὸς δὲ Πολυνείκης γόνος
ἐκ τάξεων ὤρουσε κἀπῄνει λόγους.
πάντες δʼ ἐπερρόθησαν Ἀργεῖοι τάδε
Κάδμου τε λαὸς ὡς δίκαιʼ ἡγούμενοι.

[¶15] On these terms the armies made a truce, and in the space between them the generals took an oath to abide by.

> Greek: ἐπὶ τοῖσδε δʼ ἐσπείσαντο, κἀν μεταιχμίοις
ὅρκους συνῆψαν ἐμμενεῖν στρατηλάται.

[¶16] At once, the two sons of the old Oedipus were hiding themselves in bronze armor; and lords of Thebes with friendly care equipped the captain of this land,
while Argive chieftains armed the other. There they stood dazzling, nor were they pale, all eagerness to hurl their lances at each other. Then their friends came to their sides first one, then another, with words of encouragement, saying:

> Greek: ἤδη δʼ ἔκρυπτον σῶμα παγχάλκοις ὅπλοις
δισσοὶ γέροντος Οἰδίπου νεανίαι·
φίλοι δʼ ἐκόσμουν, τῆσδε μὲν πρόμον χθονὸς
Σπαρτῶν ἀριστῆς, τὸν δὲ Δαναϊδῶν ἄκροι.
ἔσταν δὲ λαμπρὼ χρῶμά τʼ οὐκ ἠλλαξάτην
μαργῶντʼ ἐπʼ ἀλλήλοισιν ἱέναι δόρυ.
παρεξιόντες δʼ ἄλλος ἄλλοθεν φίλων
λόγοις ἐθάρσυνόν τε κἀξηύδων τάδε·

[¶17] “Polyneices, it rests with you to set up an image of Zeus as a trophy and crown Argos with fair renown.”

> Greek: Πολύνεικες, ἐν σοὶ Ζηνὸς ὀρθῶσαι βρέτας
τρόπαιον Ἄργει τʼ εὐκλεᾶ δοῦναι λόγον·

[¶18] Others to Eteocles: “Now you are fighting for your city; now, if victorious, you have the scepter in your power.”

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλέα δʼ αὖ· νῦν πόλεως ὑπερμαχεῖς,
νῦν καλλίνικος γενόμενος σκήπτρων κρατεῖς.

[¶19] So they spoke, cheering them to the battle.

> Greek: τάδʼ ἠγόρευον παρακαλοῦντες ἐς μάχην.

[¶20] The seers were sacrificing sheep and noting the tongues and forks of fire, the damp reek which is a bad omen, and the tapering flame which gives decisions on two points, being both a sign of victory and defeat.

> Greek: μάντεις δὲ μῆλʼ ἔσφαζον, ἐμπύρους τʼ ἀκμὰς
ῥήξεις τʼ ἐνώμων ὑγρότητʼ ἐναντίαν
ἄκραν τε λαμπάδʼ, ἣ δυοῖν ὅρους ἔχει,
νίκης τε σῆμα καὶ τὸ τῶν ἡσσωμένων.

[¶21] But, if you have any power or subtle speech
or charmed spell, go, restrain your children from this terrible combat, for great is the risk they run. The prize of the contest will be grievous sorrow for you, if to-day you are deprived of both your sons. Exit Messenger.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ, εἴ τινʼ ἀλκὴν ἢ σοφοὺς ἔχεις λόγους
ἢ φίλτρʼ ἐπῳδῶν, στεῖχʼ, ἐρήτυσον τέκνα
δεινῆς ἁμίλλης· ὡς ὁ κίνδυνος μέγας·
κἄπαθλα δεινὰ δάκρυά σοι γενήσεται
δισσοῖν στερείσῃ τῇδʼ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ τέκνοιν.

[¶22] Jocasta:
Antigone, my daughter, come out of the house;

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ὦ τέκνον ἔξελθʼ Ἀντιγόνη δόμων πάρος·

[¶23] this heaven-sent crisis is no time for dances or girlish pursuits. But you and your mother must prevent two brave men, your own brothers, from plunging into death and falling by each other’s hand.

> Greek: οὐκ ἐν χορείαις οὐδὲ παρθενεύμασι
νῦν σοι προχωρεῖ δαιμόνων κατάστασις,
ἀλλʼ ἄνδρʼ ἀρίστω καὶ κασιγνήτω σέθεν
ἐς θάνατον ἐκνεύοντε κωλῦσαί σε δεῖ
ξὺν μητρὶ τῇ σῇ μὴ πρὸς ἀλλήλοιν θανεῖν.

[¶24] Antigone:
Mother, what new terror are you proclaiming to your friends before the palace?

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
τίνʼ, ὦ τεκοῦσα μῆτερ, ἔκπληξιν νέαν
φίλοις ἀυτεῖς τῶνδε δωμάτων πάρος;

[¶25] Jocasta:
Daughter, your brothers’ lives are going to ruin.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ὦ θύγατερ, ἔρρει σῶν κασιγνήτων βίος.

[¶26] Antigone:
What do you mean?

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
πῶς εἶπας;

[¶27] Jocasta:
They have resolved on single combat.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
αἰχμὴν ἐς μίαν καθέστατον.

[¶28] Antigone:
Oh no! what do you have to say, mother?

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
οἲ ʼγώ, τί λέξεις, μῆτερ;

[¶29] Jocasta:
No welcome news; follow me.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
οὐ φίλʼ, ἀλλʼ ἕπου.

[¶30] Antigone:
Where, away from my maiden’s chamber?

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ποῖ, παρθενῶνας ἐκλιποῦσʼ;

[¶31] Jocasta:
To the army.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ἀνὰ στρατόν.

[¶32] Antigone:
I cannot face the crowd.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
αἰδούμεθʼ ὄχλον.

[¶33] Jocasta:
Coyness is not for you now.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
οὐκ ἐν αἰσχύνῃ τὰ σά.

[¶34] Antigone:
But what shall I do?

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
δράσω δὲ δὴ τί;

[¶35] Jocasta:
You will put an end to your brothers’ strife.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
συγγόνων λύσεις ἔριν.

[¶36] Antigone:
How so, mother?

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
τί δρῶσα, μῆτερ;

[¶37] Jocasta:
By falling at their knees with me.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
προσπίτνουσʼ ἐμοῦ μέτα.

[¶38] Antigone:
Lead on till we are between the armies; we must not delay.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ἡγοῦ σὺ πρὸς μεταίχμιʼ· οὐ μελλητέον.

[¶39] Jocasta:
Haste, my daughter, haste! For, if I can forestall the onset of my sons, I may yet live; but if they are dead, I will lie down in death with them. Exeunt Jocasta and Antigone.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ἔπειγʼ ἔπειγε, θύγατερ· ὡς, ἢν μὲν φθάσω
παῖδας πρὸ λόγχης, οὑμὸς ἐν φάει βίος·
θανοῦσι δʼ αὐτοῖς συνθανοῦσα κείσομαι.

[¶40] Chorus:
Alas, alas! My mind is trembling with fear,
trembling; and through my flesh goes a throb of pity, of pity for the hapless mother. Which of her two sons will stain the other with blood—
ah, for the suffering! O Zeus, O earth, alas!—a brother’s throat, a brother’s life, through his shield, through his blood? Ah me! ah me! which of them
will I lament as dead?

> Greek: Χορός:
αἰαῖ αἰαῖ, τρομερὰν φρίκᾳ
τρομερὰν φρένʼ ἔχω· διὰ σάρκα δʼ ἐμὰν
ἔλεος ἔλεος ἔμολε μα-
τέρος δειλαίας.
δίδυμα τέκεα πότερος ἄρα
πότερον αἱμάξει —
ἰώ μοι πόνων, ἰὼ Ζεῦ, ἰὼ γᾶ —
ὁμογενῆ δέραν, ὁμογενῆ ψυχὰν
διʼ ἀσπίδων, διʼ αἱμάτων;
τάλαινʼ ἐγὼ τάλαινα, πό-
τερον ἄρα νέκυν ὀλόμενον ἰαχήσω;

[¶41] Chorus:
Ah, the earth! Ah, the earth! Twin savage beasts, two murderous souls with brandished spears will soon be draining the fallen, fallen enemy’s blood. Unhappy,
that they ever thought of single combat! In foreign voice I will chant a dirge of tears and wailing, in mourning for the dead. Close to murder stands their fortune;

> Greek: Χορός:
φεῦ δᾶ φεῦ δᾶ, δίδυμοι θῆρες,
φόνιαι ψυχαὶ δορὶ παλλόμεναι
πέσεα πέσεα δάιʼ αὐ-
τίχʼ αἱμάξετον.
τάλανες, ὅ τι ποτὲ μονομάχον
ἐπὶ φρένʼ ἠλθέτην,
βοᾷ βαρβάρῳ στενακτὰν ἰαχὰν
μελομέναν νεκροῖς δάκρυσι θρηνήσω.
σχεδὸν τύχα πέλας φόνου·

[¶42] the coming day will decide it. Fatal this slaughter, fatal, because of the Furies.

> Greek: κρινεῖ φάος τὸ μέλλον. ἄ-
ποτμος ἄποτμος ὁ φόνος ἕνεκʼ Ἐρινύων.

[¶43] Chorus Leader:
But hark! I see Creon on his way here to the house with clouded brow, and so I will cease my present lamentations.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀλλὰ γὰρ Κρέοντα λεύσσω τόνδε δεῦρο συννεφῆ
πρὸς δόμους στείχοντα, παύσω τοὺς παρεστῶτας γόους.

[¶44] Creon:
Ah me! what shall I do? Am I to mourn with tears myself or my city, which has a cloud around it [as if it went through Acheron]? My son has died for his country, bringing glory to his name, but grievous woe to me.

> Greek: Κρέων:
οἴμοι, τί δράσω; πότερʼ ἐμαυτὸν ἢ πόλιν
στένω δακρύσας, ἣν πέριξ ἔχει νέφος
[τοιοῦτον ὥστε διʼ Ἀχέροντος ἱέναι;]
ἐμός τε γὰρ παῖς γῆς ὄλωλʼ ὑπερθανών,
τοὔνομα λαβὼν γενναῖον, ἀνιαρὸν δʼ ἐμοί·

[¶45] His body I have just now taken from the dragon’s rocky lair and sadly carried the self-slain victim here in my arms; and the house is filled with weeping; but now I have come for my sister Jocasta, age seeking age, that she may bathe my child’s corpse and lay it out.

> Greek: ὃν ἄρτι κρημνῶν ἐκ δρακοντείων ἑλὼν
αὐτοσφαγῆ δύστηνος ἐκόμισʼ ἐν χεροῖν,
βοᾷ δὲ δῶμα πᾶν· ἐγὼ δʼ ἥκω μέτα
γέρων ἀδελφὴν γραῖαν Ἰοκάστην, ὅπως
λούσῃ προθῆταί τʼ οὐκέτʼ ὄντα παῖδʼ ἐμόν.

[¶46] For those who are not dead must reverence the god below by paying honor to the dead.

> Greek: τοῖς γὰρ θανοῦσι χρὴ τὸν οὐ τεθνηκότα
τιμὰς διδόντα χθόνιον εὐσεβεῖν θεόν.

[¶47] Chorus Leader:
Your sister, Creon, has gone out, and her daughter Antigone went with her.

> Greek: Χορός:
βέβηκʼ ἀδελφὴ σή, Κρέων, ἔξω δόμων
κόρη τε μητρὸς Ἀντιγόνη κοινῷ ποδί.

[¶48] Creon:
Where did she go? What happened? Tell me.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ποῖ; κἀπὶ ποίαν συμφοράν; σήμαινέ μοι.

[¶49] Chorus Leader:
She heard that her sons were about to engage in single combat for the royal house.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἤκουσε τέκνα μονομάχῳ μέλλειν δορὶ
ἐς ἀσπίδʼ ἥξειν βασιλικῶν δόμων ὕπερ.

[¶50] Creon:
What do you mean? In my tenderness to my dead son, I was not able to learn this.

> Greek: Κρέων:
πῶς φῄς; νέκυν τοι παιδὸς ἀγαπάζων ἐμοῦ
οὐκ ἐς τόδʼ ἦλθον ὥστε καὶ τάδʼ εἰδέναι.

[¶51] Chorus Leader:
It is some time, Creon, since your sister’s departure,
and I expect the struggle for life and death is already decided by the sons of Oedipus.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀλλʼ οἴχεται μὲν σὴ κασιγνήτη πάλαι·
δοκῶ δʼ ἀγῶνα τὸν περὶ ψυχῆς, Κρέον,
ἤδη πεπρᾶχθαι παισὶ τοῖσιν Οἰδίπου.

[¶52] Creon:
Alas! I see a sign there, the gloomy look and face of the messenger coming to tell us the whole matter.

> Greek: Κρέων:
οἴμοι, τὸ μὲν σημεῖον εἰσορῶ τόδε,
σκυθρωπὸν ὄμμα καὶ πρόσωπον ἀγγέλου
στείχοντος, ὃς πᾶν ἀγγελεῖ τὸ δρώμενον.

[¶53] Messenger:
Ah, woe is me! What story can I tell, what lament can I make?

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ὦ τάλας ἐγώ, τίνʼ εἴπω μῦθον ἢ τίνας γόους;

[¶54] Creon:
We are lost; your opening words have no fair appearance.

> Greek: Κρέων:
οἰχόμεσθʼ· οὐκ εὐπροσώποις φροιμίοις ἄρχῃ λόγου.

[¶55] Messenger:
Ah, woe is me! I say again; for I am bringing great horrors.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ὦ τάλας, δισσῶς ἀυτῶ· μεγάλα γὰρ φέρω κακά.

[¶56] Creon:
In addition to the other sorrowful deeds. What is your tale?

> Greek: Κρέων:
πρὸς πεπραγμένοισιν ἄλλοις πήμασιν. λέγεις δὲ τί;

[¶57] Messenger:
Your sister’s sons are now no more, Creon.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
οὐκέτʼ εἰσὶ σῆς ἀδελφῆς παῖδες ἐν φάει, Κρέον.

[¶58] Creon: sung
Alas! you have a great tale of woe for me and the city.
spoken
O house of Oedipus, have you heard these tidings of sons slain by the same fate?

> Greek: Κρέων:
αἰαῖ·
μεγάλα μοι θροεῖς πάθεα καὶ πόλει.
ὦ δώματʼ εἰσηκούσατʼ Οἰδίπου τάδε
παίδων ὁμοίαις συμφοραῖς ὀλωλότων;

[¶59] Chorus Leader:
A tale to make it weep, if it were endowed with sense.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὥστʼ ἂν δακρῦσαί γʼ, εἰ φρονοῦντʼ ἐτύγχανεν.

[¶60] Creon: sung
Oh! most grievous stroke of fate! [: Alas for my sorrows! Oh, alas!]

> Greek: Κρέων:
οἴμοι ξυμφορᾶς βαρυποτμωτάτας,
[οἴμοι κακῶν δύστηνος· ὦ τάλας ἐγώ.]

[¶61] Messenger:
If you only know the sorrows other than those!

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
εἰ καὶ τὰ πρὸς τούτοισί γʼ εἰδείης κακά.

[¶62] Creon:
How can they be more hard to bear than these?

> Greek: Κρέων:
καὶ πῶς γένοιτʼ ἂν τῶνδε δυσποτμώτερα;

[¶63] Messenger:
Your sister has died, with her two sons.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
τέθνηκʼ ἀδελφὴ σὴ δυοῖν παίδοιν μέτα.

[¶64] Chorus: sung
Loudly, loudly raise the wail, and with white hands strike upon your heads!

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀνάγετʼ ἀνάγετε κωκυ-
τόν, ἐπὶ κάρα τε λευκοπήχεις κτύπους χεροῖν.

[¶65] Creon:
Oh, wretched Jocasta! what an end to life and marriage you have found the riddling of the Sphinx! Tell me how her two sons accomplished the bloody deed,
the struggle caused by the curse of Oedipus.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ὦ τλῆμον, οἷον τέρμονʼ, Ἰοκάστη, βίου
γάμων τε τῶν σῶν Σφιγγὸς αἰνιγμοὺς ἔτλης.
πῶς καὶ πέπρακται διπτύχων παίδων φόνος
ἀρᾶς τʼ ἀγώνισμʼ Οἰδίπου; σήμαινέ μοι.

[¶66] Messenger:
Of our successes before the towers you know, for the walls are not far away [so as to prevent your learning each event as it occurred]. Now when they,
the young sons of the old Oedipus, had adorned themselves in their bronze armor, they went and took their stand between the armies, [chieftains both and two generals] for the contest and the single combat. Then Polyneices, turning his eyes towards Argos, lifted up a prayer:

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
τὰ μὲν πρὸ πύργων εὐτυχήματα χθονὸς
οἶσθʼ· οὐ μακρὰν γὰρ τειχέων περιπτυχαί.
[ὥστʼ οὐχ ἅπαντά σʼ εἰδέναι τὰ δρώμενα.]
ἐπεὶ δὲ χαλκέοις σῶμʼ ἐκοσμήσανθʼ ὅπλοις
οἱ τοῦ γέροντος Οἰδίπου νεανίαι,
ἔστησαν ἐλθόντʼ ἐς μέσον μεταίχμιον
[δισσὼ στρατηγὼ καὶ διπλὼ στρατηλάτα]
ὡς εἰς ἀγῶνα μονομάχου τʼ ἀλκὴν δορός.
βλέψας δʼ ἐπʼ Ἄργος ἧκε Πολυνείκης ἀράς·

[¶67] “O Lady Hera, for I am yours, since I have married the daughter of Adrastus and dwell in your land, grant that I may slay my brother, and give my right hand, which is set against him, the victory, stained with his blood.” [Asking for a shameful crown, to kill his brother.]

> Greek: ὦ πότνιʼ Ἥρα — σὸς γάρ εἰμʼ, ἐπεὶ γάμοις
ἔζευξʼ Ἀδράστου παῖδα καὶ ναίω χθόνα —
δός μοι κτανεῖν ἀδελφόν, ἀντήρη δʼ ἐμὴν
καθαιματῶσαι δεξιὰν νικηφόρον· —
[αἴσχιστον αἰτῶν στέφανον, ὁμογενῆ κτανεῖν.]

[¶68] [And tears came to the eyes of many at their sad fate, and men looked at one another, casting their glances round.]

> Greek: [πολλοῖς δʼ ἐπῄει δάκρυα τῆς τύχης ὅση,]
[κἄβλεψαν ἀλλήλοισι διαδόντες κόρας.]

[¶69] But Eteocles, looking towards the temple of Pallas with the golden shield, prayed: “Daughter of Zeus, grant that this arm may launch the spear of victory”
“against my brother’s breast and slay him who has come to sack my country.”

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλέης δὲ Παλλάδος χρυσάσπιδος
βλέψας πρὸς οἶκον ηὔξατʼ· ὦ Διὸς κόρη,
δὸς ἔγχος ἡμῖν καλλίνικον ἐκ χερὸς
ἐς στέρνʼ ἀδελφοῦ τῆσδʼ ἀπʼ ὠλένης βαλεῖν
κτανεῖν θʼ ὃς ἦλθε πατρίδα πορθήσων ἐμήν.

[¶70] When the Tuscan trumpet, like a torch, blew the signal for the bloody battle, they darted wildly against one another;

> Greek: ἐπεὶ δʼ ἀφείθη πυρσὸς ὣς Τυρσηνικῆς
σάλπιγγος ἠχὴ σῆμα φοινίου μάχης,
ᾖξαν δράμημα δεινὸν ἀλλήλοις ἔπι·

[¶71] like boars whetting their savage tusks, they joined battle, their beards wet with foam. They kept shooting out their spears, but crouched beneath their shields to let the steel glance off in vain; but if either saw the other’s eye above the rim,
he would aim his lance there, eager to outwit him with the point.

> Greek: κάπροι δʼ ὅπως θήγοντες ἀγρίαν γένυν
ξυνῆψαν, ἀφρῷ διάβροχοι γενειάδας·
ᾖσσον δὲ λόγχαις· ἀλλʼ ὑφίζανον κύκλοις,
ὅπως σίδηρος ἐξολισθάνοι μάτην.
εἰ δʼ ὄμμʼ ὑπερσχὸν ἴτυος ἅτερος μάθοι,
λόγχην ἐνώμα, στόματι προφθῆναι θέλων.

[¶72] But both kept such careful outlook through the spy-holes in their shields, that their weapons found nothing to do; while from the onlookers far more than the combatants trickled the sweat caused by terror for their friends.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ εὖ προσῆγον ἀσπίδων κεγχρώμασιν
ὀφθαλμόν, ἀργὸν ὥστε γίγνεσθαι δόρυ.
πλείων δὲ τοῖς ὁρῶσιν ἐστάλασσʼ ἱδρὼς
ἢ τοῖσι δρῶσι, διὰ φίλων ὀρρωδίαν.

[¶73] Eteocles, in kicking aside a stone that rolled beneath his tread, exposed a limb outside his shield, and Polyneices, seeing a chance of dealing him a blow, aimed at it, and the Argive shaft passed through his leg;

> Greek: Ἐτεοκλέης δὲ ποδὶ μεταψαίρων πέτρον
ἴχνους ὑπόδρομον, κῶλον ἐκτὸς ἀσπίδος
τίθησι· Πολυνείκης δʼ ἀπήντησεν δορί,
πληγὴν σιδήρῳ παραδοθεῖσαν εἰσιδών,
κνήμην τε διεπέρασεν Ἀργεῖον δόρυ·

[¶74] the Danaid army, one and all, cried out for joy. And the wounded man, seeing Polyneices’ shoulder bare in this effort, plunged his spear with all his might into his breast, restoring gladness to the citizens of Thebes, though he broke off the spear-head.

> Greek: στρατὸς δʼ ἀνηλάλαξε Δαναϊδῶν ἅπας.
κἀν τῷδε μόχθῳ γυμνὸν ὦμον εἰσιδὼν
ὁ πρόσθε τρωθεὶς στέρνα Πολυνείκους βίᾳ
διῆκε λόγχην, κἀπέδωκεν ἡδονὰς
Κάδμου πολίταις, ἀπὸ δʼ ἔθραυσʼ ἄκρον δόρυ.

[¶75] And so, at a loss for a weapon, he retreated step by step, till catching up a splintered rock he let it fly and broke the other’s spear in the middle; and now the combat was equal, for each had lost his lance.

> Greek: ἐς δʼ ἄπορον ἥκων δορὸς ἐπὶ σκέλος πάλιν
χωρεῖ, λαβὼν δʼ ἀφῆκε μάρμαρον πέτρον
μέσον δʼ ἄκοντʼ ἔθραυσεν· ἐξ ἴσου δʼ Ἄρης
ἦν, κάμακος ἀμφοῖν χεῖρʼ ἀπεστερημένοιν.

[¶76] Then clutching their sword-hilts
they closed, and round and round, with shields clashing, they fought a wild battle. And Eteocles introduced the crafty Thessalian trick, having some knowledge of it from his association with that country. Disengaging himself from the immediate contest,
he drew back his left foot but kept his eye closely on the pit of the other’s stomach from a distance; then advancing his right foot he plunged the weapon through his navel and fixed it in his spine. Down fell Polyneices, dripping with blood,
ribs and belly contracting in his agony. But the other, thinking his victory now complete, threw down his sword and began to despoil him, wholly intent on that, without a thought for himself. And this indeed tripped him up; for Polyneices, who had fallen first, was still faintly breathing,
and having in his grievous fall kept his sword, he made a last effort and drove it through the heart of Eteocles. They both lie there, fallen side by side, biting the dust with their teeth, and they have not decided the mastery.

> Greek: ἔνθεν δὲ κώπας ἁρπάσαντε φασγάνων
ἐς ταὐτὸν ἧκον, συμβαλόντε δʼ ἀσπίδας
πολὺν ταραγμὸν ἀμφιβάντʼ εἶχον μάχης.
καί πως νοήσας Ἐτεοκλῆς τὸ Θεσσαλὸν
ἐσήγαγεν σόφισμʼ ὁμιλίᾳ χθονός.
ἐξαλλαγεὶς γὰρ τοῦ παρεστῶτος πόνου,
λαιὸν μὲν ἐς τοὔπισθεν ἀμφέρει πόδα,
πρόσω τὰ κοῖλα γαστρὸς εὐλαβούμενος,
προβὰς δὲ κῶλον δεξιὸν διʼ ὀμφαλοῦ
καθῆκεν ἔγχος σφονδύλοις τʼ ἐνήρμοσεν.
ὁμοῦ δὲ κάμψας πλευρὰ καὶ νηδὺν τάλας
σὺν αἱματηραῖς σταγόσι Πολυνείκης πίτνει.
ὃ δʼ, ὡς κρατῶν δὴ καὶ νενικηκὼς μάχῃ,
ξίφος δικὼν ἐς γαῖαν ἐσκύλευέ νιν
τὸν νοῦν πρὸς αὑτὸν οὐκ ἔχων, ἐκεῖσε δέ.
ὃ καί νιν ἔσφηλʼ· ἔτι γὰρ ἐμπνέων βραχύ,
σῴζων σίδηρον ἐν λυγρῷ πεσήματι,
μόλις μέν, ἐξέτεινε δʼ εἰς ἧπαρ ξίφος.
Ἐτεοκλέους ὁ πρόσθε Πολυνείκης πεσών.
γαῖαν δʼ ὀδὰξ ἑλόντες ἀλλήλων πέλας
πίπτουσιν ἄμφω κοὐ διώρισαν κράτος.

[¶77] Chorus Leader:
Ah, ah, how I mourn for your sorrows, Oedipus! The god, it seems, has fulfilled those curses of yours.

> Greek: Χορός:
φεῦ φεῦ, κακῶν σῶν, Οἰδίπου, σʼ ὅσον στένω·
τὰς σὰς δʼ ἀρὰς ἔοικεν ἐκπλῆσαι θεός.

[¶78] Messenger:
Now hear what further woes succeeded. Just as her two sons had fallen and lay dying, their wretched mother came on the scene,
her daughter with her, in great haste. When she saw their mortal wounds, she wailed: “O my sons, the help I bring is too late.” And throwing herself on each in turn she wept and mourned, sorrowing over all her toil in nursing them, and their sister, by her side, mourned also:
“Supporters of your mother’ s age, dearest brothers, leaving me forlorn, unwed!” Then lord Eteocles with one deep dying gasp, hearing his mother, laid on her his clammy hand,
and though he could not say a word, his moistened eye was eloquent to prove his love. And Polyneices was still breathing, and seeing his sister and his old mother he said: “Mother, our end has come; I pity you”
“and my sister Antigone and my dead brother. For I loved him though he became my enemy, I loved him in spite of all. Bury me, mother, and you, my sister, in my native land; pacify the city’s wrath that l may get at least that much”
“of my own fatherland, although I lost my home. With your hand, mother, close my eyes—he himself places her fingers on the lids—and farewell; for already the darkness wraps me round.”

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ἄκουε δή νυν καὶ τὰ πρὸς τούτοις κακά.
ἐπεὶ τέκνω πεσόντʼ ἐλειπέτην βίον,
ἐν τῷδε μήτηρ ἡ τάλαινα προσπίτνει
σὺν παρθένῳ τε καὶ προθυμίᾳ ποδός.
τετρωμένους δʼ ἰδοῦσα καιρίους σφαγὰς
ᾤμωξεν· ὦ τέκνʼ, ὑστέρα βοηδρόμος
πάρειμι. προσπίτνουσα δʼ ἐν μέρει τέκνα
ἔκλαιʼ, ἐθρήνει, τὸν πολὺν μαστῶν πόνον
στένουσʼ, ἀδελφή θʼ ἡ παρασπίζουσʼ ὁμοῦ·
ὦ γηροβοσκὼ μητρός, ὦ γάμους ἐμοὺς
προδόντʼ ἀδελφὼ φιλτάτω. στέρνων δʼ ἄπο
φύσημʼ ἀνεὶς δύσθνητον Ἐτεοκλῆς ἄναξ
ἤκουσε μητρός, κἀπιθεὶς ὑγρὰν χέρα
φωνὴν μὲν οὐκ ἀφῆκεν, ὀμμάτων δʼ ἄπο
προσεῖπε δακρύοις, ὥστε σημῆναι φίλα.
ὃ δʼ ἦν ἔτʼ ἔμπνους, πρὸς κασιγνήτην δʼ ἰδὼν
γραῖάν τε μητέρʼ εἶπε Πολυνείκης τάδε·
Ἀπωλόμεσθα, μῆτερ· οἰκτίρω δὲ σὲ
καὶ τήνδʼ ἀδελφὴν καὶ κασίγνητον νεκρόν.
φίλος γὰρ ἐχθρὸς ἐγένετʼ, ἀλλʼ ὅμως φίλος.
θάψον δέ μʼ, ὦ τεκοῦσα, καὶ σύ, σύγγονε,
ἐν γῇ πατρῴᾳ, καὶ πόλιν θυμουμένην
παρηγορεῖτον, ὡς τοσόνδε γοῦν τύχω
χθονὸς πατρῴας, κεἰ δόμους ἀπώλεσα.
ξυνάρμοσον δὲ βλέφαρά μου τῇ σῇ χερί,
μῆτερ — τίθησι δʼ αὐτὸς ὀμμάτων ἔπι —
καὶ χαίρετʼ· ἤδη γάρ με περιβάλλει σκότος.

[¶79] So both at once breathed out their life of sorrow.

> Greek: ἄμφω δʼ ἅμʼ ἐξέπνευσαν ἄθλιον βίον.

[¶80] But when their mother saw this sad event, in her overmastering grief she snatched a sword from the dead, and did a fearful deed; for she drove the steel right through her throat, and there she lies, dead with those she loved so well, her arms thrown round them both.

> Greek: μήτηρ δʼ, ὅπως ἐσεῖδε τήνδε συμφοράν,
ὑπερπαθήσασʼ, ἥρπασʼ ἐκ νεκρῶν ξίφος
κἄπραξε δεινά· διὰ μέσου γὰρ αὐχένος
ὠθεῖ σίδηρον, ἐν δὲ τοῖσι φιλτάτοις
θανοῦσα κεῖται περιβαλοῦσʼ ἀμφοῖν χέρας.

[¶81] The army sprang to their feet and fell to wrangling, we maintaining that victory rested with my master, they with theirs; and there was strife among the generals, some holding that Polyneices gave the first wound with his spear, others that, as both were dead, victory rested with neither.

> Greek: ἀνῇξε δʼ ὀρθὸς λαὸς εἰς ἔριν λόγων,
ἡμεῖς μὲν ὡς νικῶντα δεσπότην ἐμόν,
οἳ δʼ ὡς ἐκεῖνον. ἦν δʼ ἔρις στρατηλάταις,
οἳ μὲν πατάξαι πρόσθε Πολυνείκη δορί,
οἳ δʼ ὡς θανόντων οὐδαμοῦ νίκη πέλοι.

[¶82] Meanwhile Antigone crept away from the army. They rushed to their weapons, but by some lucky forethought the people of Cadmus had sat down under arms; and by a sudden attack we surprised the Argive army before it was fully equipped.

> Greek: κἀν τῷδʼ ὑπεξῆλθʼ Ἀντιγόνη στρατοῦ δίχα.
οἳ δʼ εἰς ὅπλʼ ᾖσσον· εὖ δέ πως προμηθίᾳ
καθῆστο Κάδμου λαὸς ἀσπίδων ἔπι·
κἄφθημεν οὔπω τεύχεσιν πεφραγμένον
Ἀργεῖον ἐσπεσόντες ἐξαίφνης στρατόν.

[¶83] Not one withstood our onset, and they filled the plain with fugitives, while blood was streaming from the countless dead our spears had slain. When victory had crowned our warfare, some set up an image of Zeus as a trophy, others were stripping the Argive dead of their shields
and sending their spoils inside the battlements; and others with Antigone are bringing the dead here for their friends to mourn. So for the city, the result of this struggle hovers between the two extremes of good and evil fortune. Exit Messenger.

> Greek: κοὐδεὶς ὑπέστη, πεδία δʼ ἐξεπίμπλασαν
φεύγοντες, ἔρρει δʼ αἷμα μυρίων νεκρῶν
λόγχαις πιτνόντων. ὡς δʼ ἐνικῶμεν μάχῃ,
οἳ μὲν Διὸς τροπαῖον ἵστασαν βρέτας,
οἳ δʼ ἀσπίδας συλῶντες Ἀργείων νεκρῶν
σκυλεύματʼ εἴσω τειχέων ἐπέμπομεν.
ἄλλοι δὲ τοὺς θανόντας Ἀντιγόνης μέτα
νεκροὺς φέρουσιν ἐνθάδʼ οἰκτίσαι φίλοις.
πόλει δʼ ἀγῶνες οἳ μὲν εὐτυχέστατοι
τῇδʼ ἐξέβησαν, οἳ δὲ δυστυχέστατοι.

[¶84] Chorus:
No longer do the misfortunes of this house extend to hearsay only; three corpses of the slain lie here at the palace for all to see; by one common death they have drawn their lot, a life of darkness.

> Greek: Χορός:
οὐκ εἰς ἀκοὰς ἔτι δυστυχία
δώματος ἥκει· πάρα γὰρ λεύσσειν
πτώματα νεκρῶν τρισσῶν ἤδη
τάδε πρὸς μελάθροις κοινῷ θανάτῳ
σκοτίαν αἰῶνα λαχόντων.

[¶85] Antigone:
I do not veil my tender cheek shaded with curls, nor do I feel shame, from maiden modesty, at the dark red beneath my eyes, the blush upon my face, as I hurry on, in bacchic revelry for the dead,
casting from my hair its mantle and letting my delicate saffron robe fly loose, a tearful escort to the dead. Ah me!

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
οὐ προκαλυπτομένα βοτρυχώδεος
ἁβρὰ παρηίδος οὐδʼ ὑπὸ παρθενί-
ας τὸν ὑπὸ βλεφάροις φοίνικʼ, ἐρύθημα προσώπου,
αἰδομένα φέρομαι βάκχα νεκύ-
ων, κράδεμνα δικοῦσα κόμας ἀπʼ ἐ-
μᾶς, στολίδος κροκόεσσαν ἀνεῖσα τρυφάν,
ἁγεμόνευμα νεκροῖσι πολύστονον. αἰαῖ, ἰώ μοι.

[¶86] Oh, Polyneices! you were rightly named, after all; woe to you, Thebes!

> Greek: ὦ Πολύνεικες, ἔφυς ἄρʼ ἐπώνυμος· ὤμοι μοι, Θῆβαι·

[¶87] Your strife—not strife, but murder on murder— has brought the house of Oedipus to ruin with dire and grim bloodshed. What harmonious or tuneful wailing can I summon,
for my tears, my tears, oh, my home! oh, my home! as I bear these three kindred bodies, my mother and her sons, a welcome sight to the Fury? She destroyed the house of Oedipus, root and branch,
when his shrewdness solved the Sphinx’s unsolvable song and killed that savage singer. Alas for you, father! What other Hellene or barbarian,
what mortal from a noble line ever endured the anguish of such visible afflictions?

> Greek: σὰ δʼ ἔρις — οὐκ ἔρις, ἀλλὰ φόνῳ φόνος —
Οἰδιπόδα δόμον ὤλεσε κρανθεῖσʼ
αἵματι δεινῷ, αἵματι λυγρῷ.
τίνα προσῳδὸν
ἢ τίνα μουσοπόλον στοναχὰν ἐπὶ
δάκρυσι δάκρυσιν, ὦ δόμος, ὦ δόμος,
ἀγκαλέσωμαι,
τρισσὰ φέρουσα τάδʼ αἵματα σύγγονα,
ματέρα καὶ τέκνα, χάρματʼ Ἐρινύος;
ἃ δόμον Οἰδιπόδα πρόπαν ὤλεσε,
τᾶς ἀγρίας ὅτε
δυσξυνέτου ξυνετὸν μέλος ἔγνω
Σφιγγὸς ἀοιδοῦ σῶμα φονεύσας.
ἰώ μοί μοι, πάτερ,
τίς Ἑλλὰς ἢ βάρβαρος ἢ
τῶν προπάροιθʼ εὐγενετᾶν
ἕτερος ἔτλα κακῶν τοσῶνδʼ
αἵματος ἁμερίου
τοιάδʼ ἄχεα φανερά;

[¶88] Ah! poor girl, how piteous is your cry!
What bird, perched on the high-leaved branches of oak or pine, will come to mourn with me, left motherless? With cries of woe,
I lament before it comes the piteous lonely life, that I shall live for the rest of time, in streaming tears. On which of these
shall I throw my offerings first, plucking the hair from my head? on the breast of the mother that suckled me, or beside the ghastly death-wounds of my brothers’ corpses?

> Greek: τάλαινʼ, ὡς ἐλελίζει —
τίς ἄρʼ ὄρνις, ἢ δρυὸς ἢ
ἐλάτας ἀκροκόμοις ἀμφὶ κλάδοις ἑζομένα,
μονομάτορσιν ὀδυρμοῖς
ἐμοῖς ἄχεσι συνῳδός;
αἴλινον αἰάγμασιν ἃ
τοῖσδε προκλαίω μονάδʼ αἰ-
ῶνα διάξουσα τὸν αἰεὶ χρόνον ἐν
λειβομένοισιν δάκρυσιν [ἰαχήσω].
τίνʼ ἐπὶ πρῶτον ἀπὸ χαί-
τας σπαραγμοῖς ἀπαρχὰς βάλω;
ματρὸς ἐμᾶς ἢ διδύμοι-
σι γάλακτος παρὰ μαστοῖς
ἢ πρὸς ἀδελ-
φῶν οὐλόμενʼ αἰκίσματα νεκρῶν;

[¶89] Oh, oh! Oedipus, my old father with sightless eyes, leave your house, reveal the misery of your life, you who have cast a mist of darkness over your eyes and
draw out a weary existence within the house. Do you hear, you who are wandering with old step across the court, or sleeping on your wretched pallet couch?

> Greek: ὀτοτοτοῖ λεῖπε σοὺς
δόμους, ἀλαὸν ὄμμα φέρων,
πάτερ γεραιέ, δεῖξον,
Οἰδιπόδα, σὸν αἰῶνα μέλεον, ὃς ἐπὶ
δώμασιν ἀέριον σκότον ὄμμασι
σοῖσι βαλὼν ἕλκεις μακρόπνουν ζόαν.
κλύεις, ὦ κατʼ αὐλὰν
ἀλαίνων γεραιὸν
πόδʼ ἢ δεμνίοις δύ-
στανος ἰαύων;

[¶90] Oedipus:
Why, daughter,
have you dragged me to the light by your piteous tears, supporting my blind footsteps, from the gloom of my bed-chamber, gray-haired, invisible as a phantom of the air, or as a spirit from the world below, or
as a dream that flies?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
τί μʼ, ὦ παρθένε, βακτρεύμασι τυφλοῦ
ποδὸς ἐξάγαγες ἐς φῶς
λεχήρη σκοτίων ἐκ θαλάμων οἰκ-
τροτάτοισιν δακρύοισιν,
πολιὸν αἰθέρος ἀφανὲς εἴδωλον ἢ
νέκυν ἔνερθεν ἢ
πτανὸν ὄνειρον;

[¶91] Antigone:
Father, there are tidings of sorrow for you to bear; no longer do your sons see the light, or your wife, who would always labor to tend your blind footsteps as with a staff.
Alas for you, my father!

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
δυστυχὲς ἀγγελίας ἔπος οἴσῃ,
πάτερ, οὐκέτι σοι τέκνα λεύσσει
φάος οὐδʼ ἄλοχος, παραβάκτροις
ἃ πόδα σὸν τυφλόπουν θεραπεύμασιν αἰὲν ἐμόχθει,
⟨ὦ⟩ πάτερ, ὤμοι.

[¶92] Oedipus:
Alas for my sorrows! I may well groan and cry. Three lives! Tell me, child, by what fate they left the light.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ὤμοι ἐμῶν παθέων· πάρα γὰρ στενάχειν τάδʼ, ἀυτεῖν.
τρισσαὶ ψυχαί· ποίᾳ μοίρᾳ
πῶς ἔλιπον φάος; ὦ τέκνον, αὔδα.

[¶93] Antigone:
I do not say this to reproach or mock you, but in sadness: your own avenging curse, with all its load of swords and fire and ruthless war, came on your sons. Alas for you, my father!

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
οὐκ ἐπʼ ὀνείδεσιν οὐδʼ ἐπιχάρμασιν,
ἀλλʼ ὀδύναισι λέγω· σὸς ἀλάστωρ
ξίφεσιν βρίθων
καὶ πυρὶ καὶ σχετλίαισι μάχαις ἐπὶ παῖδας ἔβα σούς,
ὦ πάτερ, ὤ μοι.

[¶94] Oedipus:
Ah me!

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
αἰαῖ.

[¶95] Antigone:
Why that groan?

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
τί τάδε καταστένεις,

[¶96] Oedipus:
My sons!

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
τέκνα.

[¶97] Antigone:
You are in pain; but if you could look towards the sun-god’s four-horse chariot and turn the light of your eyes on these corpses—

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
διʼ ὀδύνας ἔβας·
εἰ δὲ τέθριππά γʼ ἔθʼ ἅρματα λεύσσων
ἀελίου τάδε σώματα νεκρῶν
ὄμματος αὐγαῖς σαῖς ἐπενώμας —

[¶98] Oedipus:
The evil fate of my sons is clear; but she, my poor wife, tell me, daughter, by what fate did she die?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
τῶν μὲν ἐμῶν τεκέων φανερὸν κακόν·
ἁ δὲ τάλαινʼ ἄλοχος τίνι μοι, τέκνον, ὤλετο μοίρᾳ;

[¶99] Antigone:
All saw her weep and heard her moan, as she rushed forth to carry to her sons her last appeal, a mother’s breast.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
δάκρυα γοερὰ
φανερὰ πᾶσι τιθεμένα,
τέκεσι μαστὸν ἔφερεν ἔφερεν
ἱκέτις ἱκέτιν ὀρομένα.

[¶100] But the mother found her sons at the Electran gate, in a meadow where the lotus blooms, fighting out their duel with spears, like lions in their lair, eager to wound each other,
a murderous libation of blood already cold, owed to Hades, poured out by Ares. Then, taking from the dead a sword of hammered bronze, she plunged it in her flesh, and in sorrow for her sons fell with her arms around them. So the god who fulfills these sorrows has brought them all together on this day,
father, for our house.

> Greek: ηὗρε δʼ ἐν Ἠλέκτραισι πύλαις τέκνα
λωτοτρόφον κατὰ λείμακα λόγχαις,
κοινὸν ἐνυάλιον,
μάτηρ, ὥστε λέοντας ἐναύλους,
μαρναμένους ἐπὶ τραύμασιν, αἵματος
ἤδη ψυχρὰν λοιβὰν φονίαν,
ἃν ἔλαχʼ Ἅιδας, ὤπασε δʼ Ἄρης·
χαλκόκροτον δὲ λαβοῦσα νεκρῶν πάρα φάσγανον εἴσω
σαρκὸς ἔβαψεν, ἄχει δὲ τέκνων ἔπεσʼ ἀμφὶ τέκνοισι.
πάντα δʼ ἐν ἄματι τῷδε συνάγαγεν,
ὦ πάτερ, ἁμετέροισι δόμοισιν ἄχη θεὸς ὃς
τάδε τελευτᾷ.

[¶101] Chorus Leader:
Today is the beginning of many troubles to the house of Oedipus; may he live to be more fortunate!

> Greek: Χορός:
πολλῶν κακῶν κατῆρξεν Οἰδίπου δόμοις
τόδʼ ἦμαρ· εἴη δʼ εὐτυχέστερος βίος.

[¶102] Creon:
Cease now your lamentations; it is time we thought of
their burial. Hear what I have to say, Oedipus. Eteocles, your son, left me to rule this land, by giving it as a dowry to Haemon with his marriage to your daughter Antigone. Therefore I will no longer allow you to dwell in this land;

> Greek: Κρέων:
οἴκτων μὲν ἤδη λήγεθʼ, ὡς ὥρα τάφου
μνήμην τίθεσθαι· τόνδε δʼ, Οἰδίπου, λόγον
ἄκουσον· ἀρχὰς τῆσδε γῆς ἔδωκέ μοι
Ἐτεοκλέης παῖς σός, γάμων φερνὰς διδοὺς
Αἵμονι κόρης τε λέκτρον Ἀντιγόνης σέθεν.
οὐκ οὖν σʼ ἐάσω τήνδε γῆν οἰκεῖν ἔτι·

[¶103] for Teiresias clearly said that the city would never prosper as long as you made your home here. So begone! And I say this not in insult, nor because I am your enemy, but from fear that some calamity will come upon the land, through those avenging fiends of yours.

> Greek: σαφῶς γὰρ εἶπε Τειρεσίας οὐ μή ποτε
σοῦ τήνδε γῆν οἰκοῦντος εὖ πράξειν πόλιν.
ἀλλʼ ἐκκομίζου. καὶ τάδʼ οὐχ ὕβρει λέγω
οὐδʼ ἐχθρὸς ὢν σός, διὰ δὲ τοὺς ἀλάστορας
τοὺς σοὺς δεδοικὼς μή τι γῆ πάθῃ κακόν.

[¶104] Oedipus:
O destiny! From the beginning, how you have created me wretched and unhappy, if any mortal ever was; for before I had left my mother’s womb and seen the light, Apollo foretold to Laius that I, then unborn, should become my father’s murderer; alas for me!

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ὦ μοῖρʼ, ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς ὥς μʼ ἔφυσας ἄθλιον
καὶ τλήμονʼ, εἴ τις ἄλλος ἀνθρώπων ἔφυ·
ὃν καὶ πρὶν ἐς φῶς μητρὸς ἐκ γονῆς μολεῖν,
ἄγονον Ἀπόλλων Λαΐῳ μʼ ἐθέσπισεν
φονέα γενέσθαι πατρός· ὦ τάλας ἐγώ.

[¶105] So, as soon as I was born, the father who begot me tried to kill me, thinking me his enemy, for it was fated he should die at my hand; so he sent me unweaned to make a pitiful meal for beasts; I escaped from that— would that Cithaeron
had sunk into hell’s yawning abyss, because it did not destroy me, but... Fate made me a slave in the service of Polybus. And I, poor wretch, after slaying my own father came to my mother’s bed, to her sorrow,
and begot sons that were my brothers, whom I have destroyed, by bequeathing to them the legacy of curses I received from Laius. For I was not born so foolish, that I should have contrived these things against my own eyes and my children’s life, without some god.

> Greek: ἐπεὶ δʼ ἐγενόμην, αὖθις ὁ σπείρας πατὴρ
κτείνει με νομίσας πολέμιον πεφυκέναι·
χρῆν γὰρ θανεῖν νιν ἐξ ἐμοῦ· πέμπει δέ με
μαστὸν ποθοῦντα θηρσὶν ἄθλιον βοράν·
οὗ σῳζόμεσθα — Ταρτάρου γὰρ ὤφελεν
ἐλθεῖν Κιθαιρὼν εἰς ἄβυσσα χάσματα,
ὅς μʼ οὐ διώλεσʼ, ἀλλὰ …
… δουλεῦσαί τέ μοι
δαίμων ἔδωκε Πόλυβον ἀμφὶ δεσπότην.
κτανὼν δʼ ἐμαυτοῦ πατέρʼ ὁ δυσδαίμων ἐγὼ
ἐς μητρὸς ἦλθον τῆς ταλαιπώρου λέχος,
παῖδάς τʼ ἀδελφοὺς ἔτεκον, οὓς ἀπώλεσα,
ἀρὰς παραλαβὼν Λαΐου καὶ παισὶ δούς.
οὐ γὰρ τοσοῦτον ἀσύνετος πέφυκʼ ἐγὼ
ὥστʼ εἰς ἔμʼ ὄμματʼ ἔς τʼ ἐμῶν παίδων βίον
ἄνευ θεῶν του ταῦτʼ ἐμηχανησάμην.

[¶106] Let that pass. What am I, poor wretch, to do? Who now will be my guide and tend the blind man’s step? The one who is dead? If she were alive, I know well that she would. My pair of noble sons? But they are gone from me. But am I still so young myself that I can find a livelihood?

> Greek: εἶἑν· τί δράσω δῆθʼ ὁ δυσδαίμων ἐγώ;
τίς ἡγεμών μοι ποδὸς ὁμαρτήσει τυφλοῦ;
ἥδʼ ἡ θανοῦσα; ζῶσά γʼ ἂν σάφʼ οἶδʼ ὅτι.
ἀλλʼ εὔτεκνος ξυνωρίς; ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἔστι μοι.
ἀλλʼ ἔτι νεάζων αὐτὸς εὕροιμʼ ἂν βίον;

[¶107] Where? O Creon, why do you seek in this way to kill me utterly? For you will kill me, if you banish me from the land. Yet I will never twine my arms about your knees and seem a coward, for I would not betray my former nobility, no! not for all my ills.

> Greek: πόθεν; τί μʼ ἄρδην ὧδʼ ἀποκτείνεις, Κρέον;
ἀποκτενεῖς γάρ, εἴ με γῆς ἔξω βαλεῖς.
οὐ μὴν ἑλίξας γʼ ἀμφὶ σὸν χεῖρας γόνυ
κακὸς φανοῦμαι· τὸ γὰρ ἐμόν ποτʼ εὐγενὲς
οὐκ ἂν προδοίην, οὐδέ περ πράσσων κακῶς.

[¶108] Creon:
You have spoken well, in refusing to touch my knees, but I could not allow you to dwell in the land. Of these dead, bear one at once to the palace; but the other, who came with strangers to sack his native town, the dead Polyneices,
cast forth unburied beyond the borders of this land. To all the race of Cadmus shall this be proclaimed: “Whoever is caught decking his corpse with wreaths or giving it burial, shall be requited with death.” [let him be unwept, unburied, a meal for birds.]

> Greek: Κρέων:
σοί τʼ εὖ λέλεκται γόνατα μὴ χρῴζειν ἐμά,
ἐγὼ δὲ ναίειν σʼ οὐκ ἐάσαιμʼ ἂν χθόνα.
νεκρῶν δὲ τῶνδε τὸν μὲν ἐς δόμους χρεὼν
ἤδη κομίζειν, τόνδε δʼ, ὃς πέρσων πόλιν
πατρίδα σὺν ἄλλοις ἦλθε, Πολυνείκους νέκυν
ἐκβάλετʼ ἄθαπτον τῆσδʼ ὅρων ἔξω χθονός.
κηρύξεται δὲ πᾶσι Καδμείοις τάδε·
ὃς ἂν νεκρὸν τόνδʼ ἢ καταστέφων ἁλῷ
ἢ γῇ καλύπτων, θάνατον ἀνταλλάξεται.
[ἐᾶν δʼ ἄκλαυτον, ἄταφον, οἰωνοῖς βοράν.]

[¶109] As for you, Antigone, leave your mourning for these lifeless three and go indoors, to lead your maiden life until to-morrow, when Haemon waits to marry you.

> Greek: σὺ δʼ ἐκλιποῦσα τριπτύχους θρήνους νεκρῶν
κόμιζε σαυτήν, Ἀντιγόνη, δόμων ἔσω
καὶ παρθενεύου τὴν ἰοῦσαν ἡμέραν
μένουσʼ, ἐν ᾗ σε λέκτρον Αἵμονος μένει.

[¶110] Antigone:
O father, in what cruel misery are we plunged!

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ὦ πάτερ, ἐν οἵοις κείμεθʼ ἄθλιοι κακοῖς.

[¶111] For you I mourn more than for the dead; for in your woes you do not have something that is grievous and something not; but you were born wholly unfortunate, father. As for you, new-made king, I ask you, who do you insult my father with banishment?

> Greek: ὥς σε στενάζω τῶν τεθνηκότων πλέον·
οὐ γὰρ τὸ μέν σοι βαρὺ κακῶν, τὸ δʼ οὐ βαρύ,
ἀλλʼ εἰς ἅπαντα δυστυχὴς ἔφυς, πάτερ.
ἀτὰρ σʼ ἐρωτῶ τὸν νεωστὶ κοίρανον·
τί τόνδʼ ὑβρίζεις πατέρʼ ἀποστέλλων χθονός;

[¶112] Why do you make laws over a helpless corpse?

> Greek: τί θεσμοποιεῖς ἐπὶ ταλαιπώρῳ νεκρῷ;

[¶113] Creon:
This was Eteocles’ purpose, not mine.

> Greek: Κρέων:
Ἐτεοκλέους βουλεύματʼ, οὐχ ἡμῶν, τάδε.

[¶114] Antigone:
It is senseless, and you are a fool to obey it!

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ἄφρονά γε, καὶ σὺ μῶρος ὃς ἐπίθου τάδε.

[¶115] Creon:
How so? Isn’t it right to carry out his commands?

> Greek: Κρέων:
πῶς; τἀντεταλμένʼ οὐ δίκαιον ἐκπονεῖν;

[¶116] Antigone:
No; not if they are wrong and ill-advised.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
οὔκ, ἢν πονηρά γʼ ᾖ κακῶς τʼ εἰρημένα.

[¶117] Creon:
What? Isn’t it right for that other to be given to the dogs?

> Greek: Κρέων:
τί δʼ; οὐ δικαίως ὅδε κυσὶν δοθήσεται;

[¶118] Antigone:
No, for the vengeance you are exacting is not a lawful one.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
οὐκ ἔννομον γὰρ τὴν δίκην πράσσεσθέ νιν.

[¶119] Creon:
Yes, if he was his country’s enemy, when not born an enemy.

> Greek: Κρέων:
εἴπερ γε πόλεως ἐχθρὸς ἦν οὐκ ἐχθρὸς ὤν.

[¶120] Antigone:
Well, he rendered up his destiny to fate.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
οὐκοῦν ἔδωκε τῇ τύχῃ τὸν δαίμονα.

[¶121] Creon:
Let him now pay the penalty in his burial too.

> Greek: Κρέων:
καὶ τῷ τάφῳ νυν τὴν δίκην παρασχέτω.

[¶122] Antigone:
What crime did he commit, in coming to claim his portion of the land?

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
τί πλημμελήσας, τὸ μέρος εἰ μετῆλθε γῆς;

[¶123] Creon:
Be very sure of this, he shall have no burial.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἄταφος ὅδʼ ἁνήρ, ὡς μάθῃς, γενήσεται.

[¶124] Antigone:
I will bury him, although the state forbids.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ἐγώ σφε θάψω, κἂν ἀπεννέπῃ πόλις.

[¶125] Creon:
Do so, and you will be making your own grave by his.

> Greek: Κρέων:
σαυτὴν ἄρʼ ἐγγὺς τῷδε συνθάψεις νεκρῷ.

[¶126] Antigone:
A noble end, for two so near and dear to lie side by side!

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ἀλλʼ εὐκλεές τοι δύο φίλω κεῖσθαι πέλας.

[¶127] Creon:
Seize and take her inside.

> Greek: Κρέων:
λάζυσθε τήνδε κἀς δόμους κομίζετε.

[¶128] Antigone:
Oh, no! For I will not let go of this corpse.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
οὐ δῆτʼ, ἐπεὶ τοῦδʼ οὐ μεθήσομαι νεκροῦ.

[¶129] Creon:
These are the god’s decrees, my girl, not what seems good to you.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἔκρινʼ ὁ δαίμων, παρθένʼ, οὐχ ἃ σοὶ δοκεῖ.

[¶130] Antigone:
And this has been decreed, not to insult the dead.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
κἀκεῖνο κέκριται, μὴ ἐφυβρίζεσθαι νεκρούς.

[¶131] Creon:
Be sure that no one will sprinkle over the corpse the moistened dust.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ὡς οὔτις ἀμφὶ τῷδʼ ὑγρὰν θήσει κόνιν.

[¶132] Antigone:
O Creon, by my mother Jocasta, I implore you!

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ναὶ πρός σε τῆσδε μητρὸς Ἰοκάστης, Κρέον.

[¶133] Creon:
Your labor is in vain; you will not gain your prayer.

> Greek: Κρέων:
μάταια μοχθεῖς· οὐ γὰρ ἂν τύχοις τάδε.

[¶134] Antigone:
Let me only bathe the dead body.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
σὺ δʼ ἀλλὰ νεκρῷ λουτρὰ περιβαλεῖν μʼ ἔα.

[¶135] Creon:
That would be part of what is forbidden by the city.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἓν τοῦτʼ ἂν εἴη τῶν ἀπορρήτων πόλει.

[¶136] Antigone:
At least let me bandage the cruel wounds.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ἀλλʼ ἀμφὶ τραύματʼ ἄγρια τελαμῶνας βαλεῖν.

[¶137] Creon:
No; you will never pay honor to this corpse.

> Greek: Κρέων:
οὐκ ἔσθʼ ὅπως σὺ τόνδε τιμήσεις νέκυν.

[¶138] Antigone:
O my dearest! At least I will kiss your mouth.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ὦ φίλτατʼ, ἀλλὰ στόμα γε σὸν προσπτύξομαι.

[¶139] Creon:
Do not let this mourning bring disaster on your marriage.

> Greek: Κρέων:
οὐ μὴ ἐς γάμους σοὺς συμφορὰν κτήσῃ γόοις.

[¶140] Antigone:
Marriage! Do you think I will marry your son while I am alive?

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ἦ γὰρ γαμοῦμαι ζῶσα παιδὶ σῷ ποτε;

[¶141] Creon:
Indeed you must; how will you escape the match?

> Greek: Κρέων:
πολλή σʼ ἀνάγκη· ποῖ γὰρ ἐκφεύξῃ λέχος;

[¶142] Antigone:
Then that night will find in me another Danaid bride!

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
νὺξ ἆρʼ ἐκείνη Δαναΐδων μʼ ἕξει μίαν.

[¶143] Creon: turning to Oedipus
Do you see how boldly she reproaches me?

> Greek: Κρέων:
εἶδες τὸ τόλμημʼ οἷον ἐξωνείδισεν;

[¶144] Antigone:
Let the steel know, the sword be my witness!

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ἴστω σίδηρος ὅρκιόν τέ μοι ξίφος.

[¶145] Creon:
Why are you so eager to be released from this marriage?

> Greek: Κρέων:
τί δʼ ἐκπροθυμῇ τῶνδʼ ἀπηλλάχθαι γάμων;

[¶146] Antigone:
I mean to share my hapless father’s exile.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
συμφεύξομαι τῷδʼ ἀθλιωτάτῳ πατρί.

[¶147] Creon:
A noble spirit yours but there is some folly in it.

> Greek: Κρέων:
γενναιότης σοι, μωρία δʼ ἔνεστί τις.

[¶148] Antigone:
And I will share his death, I tell you further.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
καὶ ξυνθανοῦμαί γʼ, ὡς μάθῃς περαιτέρω.

[¶149] Creon:
Go, leave the land; you will not murder my son. Exit Creon.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἴθʼ, οὐ φονεύσεις παῖδʼ ἐμόν, λίπε χθόνα.

[¶150] Oedipus:
Daughter, for this loyal spirit I thank you.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ὦ θύγατερ, αἰνῶ μέν σε τῆς προθυμίας.

[¶151] Antigone:
How could I marry, while you went into exile alone, father?

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ἀλλʼ εἰ γαμοίμην, σὺ δὲ μόνος φεύγοις, πάτερ;

[¶152] Oedipus:
Stay here and be happy; I will bear my own load of sorrow.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
μένʼ εὐτυχοῦσα, τἄμʼ ἐγὼ στέρξω κακά.

[¶153] Antigone:
And who will tend you in your blindness, father?

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
καὶ τίς σε τυφλὸν ὄντα θεραπεύσει, πάτερ;

[¶154] Oedipus:
Where fate appoints, there I will fall and lie down upon the ground.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
πεσὼν ὅπου μοι μοῖρα κείσομαι πέδῳ.

[¶155] Antigone:
Where is Oedipus, and that famous riddle?

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ὁ δʼ Οἰδίπους ποῦ καὶ τὰ κλείνʼ αἰνίγματα;

[¶156] Oedipus:
Lost! One day blessed me, one destroyed me.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ὄλωλʼ· ἓν ἦμάρ μʼ ὤλβισʼ, ἓν δʼ ἀπώλεσεν.

[¶157] Antigone:
May I not also share your sorrows?

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
οὔκουν μετασχεῖν κἀμὲ δεῖ τῶν σῶν κακῶν;

[¶158] Oedipus:
To wander with her blinded father would be shameful for his daughter.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
αἰσχρὰ φυγὴ θυγατρὶ σὺν τυφλῷ πατρί.

[¶159] Antigone:
Not so, father, but glory, if she is discreet.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
οὔ, σωφρονούσῃ γʼ, ἀλλὰ γενναία, πάτερ.

[¶160] Oedipus:
Lead me near, so that I may touch your mother’s corpse.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
προσάγαγέ νύν με, μητρὸς ὡς ψαύσω σέθεν.

[¶161] Antigone:
There, embrace the aged form so dear to you.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ἰδού, γεραιᾶς φιλτάτης ψαῦσον χερί.

[¶162] Oedipus:
O mother, o most wretched wife!

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ὦ μῆτερ, ὦ ξυνάορʼ ἀθλιωτάτη.

[¶163] Antigone:
Pitiably she lies, who suffered every evil at once.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
οἰκτρὰ πρόκειται, πάντʼ ἔχουσʼ ὁμοῦ κακά.

[¶164] Oedipus:
Where are the corpses of Eteocles, and of Polyneices?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
Ἐτεοκλέους δὲ πτῶμα Πολυνείκους τε ποῦ;

[¶165] Antigone:
Here they both lie, stretched out side by side.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
τώδʼ ἐκτάδην σοι κεῖσθον ἀλλήλοιν πέλας.

[¶166] Oedipus:
Lay my blind hand upon their poor faces.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
πρόσθες τυφλὴν χεῖρʼ ἐπὶ πρόσωπα δυστυχῆ.

[¶167] Antigone:
There, touch the dead, your children.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ἰδού, θανόντων σῶν τέκνων ἅπτου χερί.

[¶168] Oedipus:
O dear fallen sons, sad offspring of a sad father!

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ὦ φίλα πεσήματʼ ἄθλιʼ ἀθλίου πατρός.

[¶169] Antigone:
O my brother Polyneices, name most dear to me!

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ὦ φίλτατον δῆτʼ ὄνομα Πολυνείκους ἐμοί.

[¶170] Oedipus:
Now the oracle of Loxias is being fulfilled, my child.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
νῦν χρησμός, ὦ παῖ, Λοξίου περαίνεται.

[¶171] Antigone:
What oracle? Do you have further woes to tell?

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ὁ ποῖος; ἀλλʼ ἦ πρὸς κακοῖς ἐρεῖς κακά;

[¶172] Oedipus:
That I should die in Athens after a life of wandering.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἐν ταῖς Ἀθήναις κατθανεῖν μʼ ἀλώμενον.

[¶173] Antigone:
Where? What fenced town in Attica will take you in?

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ποῦ; τίς σε πύργος Ἀτθίδος προσδέξεται;

[¶174] Oedipus:
Hallowed Colonus, home of the god of horses. Come then, attend on your blind father, since you are eager to share his exile.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἱερὸς Κολωνός, δώμαθʼ ἱππίου θεοῦ.
ἀλλʼ εἶα, τυφλῷ τῷδʼ ὑπηρέτει πατρί,
ἐπεὶ προθυμῇ τῆσδε κοινοῦσθαι φυγῆς.

[¶175] Antigone:
Go to unhappy exile; stretch forth your dear hand, my old father, taking me to guide you, like a breeze that guides the ships.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ἴθʼ ἐς φυγὰν τάλαιναν· ὄρεγε χέρα φίλαν,
πάτερ γεραιέ, πομπίμαν
ἔχων ἔμʼ ὥστε ναυσίπομπον αὔραν.

[¶176] Oedipus:
See, I am advancing; be my guide, my poor child.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
⟨ἰδοὺ⟩ ἰδού, πορεύομαι·
τέκνον, σύ μοι ποδαγὸς ἀθλία γενοῦ.

[¶177] Antigone:
I am, I am! The saddest maiden of all in Thebes.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
γενόμεθα γενόμεθʼ, ἄθλιαί
γε δῆτα Θηβαιᾶν μάλιστα παρθένων.

[¶178] Oedipus:
Where am I placing my aged step? Bring my staff, child.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
πόθι γεραιὸν ἴχνος τίθημι;
βάκτρα πρόσφερʼ, ὦ τέκνον.

[¶179] Antigone:
This way, this way, come to me, place your steps here, like a dream in your strength.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
τᾷδε τᾷδε βᾶθί μοι,
τᾷδε τᾷδε πόδα τιθείς,
ὥστʼ ὄνειρον ἰσχύν.

[¶180] Oedipus:
Oh, oh, driving the old man in most wretched flight from the country!

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἰὼ ἰώ, δυστυχεστάτας φυγὰς
ἐλαύνων τὸν γέροντά μʼ ἐκ πάτρας.

[¶181] Oh, oh! the terrible sorrows I have endured!

> Greek: ἰὼ ἰώ, δεινὰ δείνʼ ἐγὼ τλάς.

[¶182] Antigone:
Why do you speak of enduring? Justice does not see the wicked, and does not requite follies.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
τί τλάς; τί τλάς; οὐχ ὁρᾷ Δίκα κακούς,
οὐδʼ ἀμείβεται βροτῶν ἀσυνεσίας.

[¶183] Oedipus:
I am the one who came into high songs of victory,
because I guessed the baffling riddle of the girl, half-maiden.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ὅδʼ εἰμὶ μοῦσαν ὃς ἐπὶ καλ-
λίνικον οὐράνιον ἔβαν
⟨μειξο⟩παρθένου κόρας
αἴνιγμʼ ἀσύνετον εὑρών.

[¶184] Antigone:
You are bringing up again the reproach of the Sphinx. Talk no more of past success. This misery was in store for you all the while,
to become an exile from your country and die anywhere.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
Σφιγγὸς ἀναφέρεις ὄνειδος.
ἄπαγε τὰ πάρος εὐτυχήματʼ αὐδῶν.
τάδε σʼ ἐπέμενε μέλεα πάθεα
φυγάδα πατρίδος ἄπο γενόμενον,
ὦ πάτερ, θανεῖν που.

[¶185] Leaving to my girlhood friends sad tears, I go forth from my native land, to roam as no maiden should.

> Greek: ποθεινὰ δάκρυα παρὰ φίλαισι παρθένοις
λιποῦσʼ ἄπειμι πατρίδος ἀποπρὸ γαίας
ἀπαρθένευτʼ ἀλωμένα.

[¶186] Ah! This dutiful resolve towards my father’s suffering will make me famous. Alas for the insults heaped on you and on my brother, whose dead body goes from the house unburied,
poor boy! I will bury him secretly, though I have to die for it, father.

> Greek: φεῦ τὸ χρήσιμον φρενῶν
ἐς πατρός γε συμφορὰς
εὐκλεᾶ με θήσει·
τάλαινʼ ἐγὼ ⟨σῶν⟩ συγγόνου θʼ ὑβρισμάτων,
ὃς ἐκ δόμων νέκυς ἄθαπτος οἴχεται
μέλεος, ὅν, εἴ με καὶ θανεῖν, πάτερ, χρεών,
σκότια γᾷ καλύψω.

[¶187] Oedipus:
Show yourself to your companions.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
πρὸς ἥλικας φάνηθι σάς.

[¶188] Antigone:
My own laments suffice.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ἅλις ὀδυρμάτων ἐμῶν.

[¶189] Oedipus:
Go pray at the altars.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
σὺ δʼ ἀμφὶ βωμίους λιτὰς —

[¶190] Antigone:
They have enough of my piteous tale.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
κόρον ἔχουσʼ ἐμῶν κακῶν.

[¶191] Oedipus:
At least go seek the Bromian god in his untrodden sanctuary among the Maenads’ hills.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἴθʼ ἀλλὰ Βρόμιος ἵνα τε σηκὸς
ἄβατος ὄρεσι μαινάδων.

[¶192] Antigone:
Bromius, for whom I once dressed in the Theban fawn-skin and
danced upon the hills in the holy choir of Semele—shall I now offer the gods homage that is not homage?

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
Καδμείαν ᾧ νεβρίδα
στολιδωσαμένα ποτʼ ἐγὼ Σεμέλας
θίασον ἱερὸν ὄρεσιν ἀνεχόρευσα,
χάριν ἀχάριτον ἐς θεοὺς διδοῦσα;

[¶193] Oedipus:
O citizens of a famous country, look at me; I am Oedipus, who solved the famous riddle, and was the greatest of men,
I, who alone controlled the murderous Sphinx’s power, am now myself driven from the land in dishonor and misery. But why do I make this moan and useless lamentation? As a mortal, I must bear the constraint that the gods decree.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ὦ πάτρας κλεινῆς πολῖται, λεύσσετʼ, Οἰδίπους ὅδε,
ὃς τὰ κλείνʼ αἰνίγματʼ ἔγνω καὶ μέγιστος ἦν ἀνήρ,
ὃς μόνος Σφιγγὸς κατέσχον τῆς μιαιφόνου κράτη,
νῦν ἄτιμος αὐτὸς οἰκτρὸς ἐξελαύνομαι χθονός.
ἀλλὰ γὰρ τί ταῦτα θρηνῶ καὶ μάτην ὀδύρομαι;
τὰς γὰρ ἐκ θεῶν ἀνάγκας θνητὸν ὄντα δεῖ φέρειν.

[¶194] Chorus:
Greatly revered Victory,
may you occupy my life and never cease to crown me!

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ μέγα σεμνὴ Νίκη, τὸν ἐμὸν
βίοτον κατέχοις
καὶ μὴ λήγοις στεφανοῦσα.