Scene.—The Temple of Demeter at Eleusis.Aethra:O Demeter, guardian of this Eleusinian land, and ye servants of the goddess who attend her fane, grant happiness to me and my son Theseus, to the city of Athens and the country of Pittheus,wherein my father reared me, Aethra, in a happy home, and gave me in marriage to Aegeus, Pandion’s son, according to the oracle of Loxias. This prayer I make, when I behold these aged dames, who, leaving their homes in Argos,now throw themselves with suppliant branches at my knees in their awful trouble; for around the gates of Cadmus have they lost their seven noble sons, whom on a day Adrastus, king of Argos, led thither,eager to secure for exiled Polynices, his son-in-law, a share in the heritage of Oedipus; so now their mothers would bury in the grave the dead, whom the spear hath slain, but the victors prevent them and will not allow them to take up the corpses, spurning Heaven’s laws.
Αἴθρα:Δήμητερ ἑστιοῦχʼ Ἐλευσῖνος χθονὸςτῆσδʼ, οἵ τε ναοὺς ἔχετε πρόσπολοι θεᾶς,εὐδαιμονεῖν με Θησέα τε παῖδʼ ἐμὸνπόλιν τʼ Ἀθηνῶν τήν τε Πιτθέως χθόνα,ἐν ᾗ με θρέψας ὀλβίοις ἐν δώμασινΑἴθραν πατὴρ δίδωσι τῷ ΠανδίονοςΑἰγεῖ δάμαρτα, Λοξίου μαντεύμασιν.ἐς τάσδε γὰρ βλέψασʼ ἐπηυξάμην τάδεγραῦς, αἳ λιποῦσαι δώματʼ Ἀργείας χθονὸςἱκτῆρι θαλλῷ προσπίτνουσʼ ἐμὸν γόνυ,πάθος παθοῦσαι δεινόν· ἀμφὶ γὰρ πύλαςΚάδμου θανόντων ἑπτὰ γενναίων τέκνωνἄπαιδές εἰσιν, οὕς ποτʼ Ἀργείων ἄναξἌδραστος ἤγαγʼ, Οἰδίπου παγκληρίαςμέρος κατασχεῖν φυγάδι Πολυνείκει θέλωνγαμβρῷ. νεκροὺς δὲ τοὺς ὀλωλότας δορὶθάψαι θελουσῶν τῶνδε μητέρων χθονὶεἴργουσιν οἱ κρατοῦντες οὐδʼ ἀναίρεσινδοῦναι θέλουσι, νόμιμʼ ἀτίζοντες θεῶν.
Here lies Adrastus on the ground with streaming eye, sharing with them the burden of their prayer to me, and bemoaning the havoc of the sword and the sorry fate of the warriors whom he led from their homes. And he doth urge me use entreaty, to persuade my sonto take up the dead and help to bury them, either by winning words or force of arms, laying on my son and on Athens this task alone. Now it chanced, that I had left my house and come to offer sacrifice on behalf of the earth’s cropat this shrine, where first the fruitful corn showed its bristling shocks above the soil. And here at the holy altars of the twain goddesses, Demeter and her daughter, I wait, holding these sprays of foliage, a bond that bindeth not, in compassion forthese childless mothers, hoary with age, and from reverence for the sacred fillets. To call Theseus hither is my herald to the city gone, that he may rid the land of that which grieveth them, or loose these my suppliant bonds,with pious observance of the gods’ will; for such as are discreet amongst women should in all cases invoke the aid of men.
κοινὸν δὲ φόρτον ταῖσδʼ ἔχων χρείας ἐμῆςἌδραστος ὄμμα δάκρυσιν τέγγων ὅδεκεῖται, τό τʼ ἔγχος τήν τε δυστυχεστάτηνστένων στρατείαν ἣν ἔπεμψεν ἐκ δόμων·ὅς μʼ ἐξοτρύνει παῖδʼ ἐμὸν πεῖσαι λιταῖςνεκρῶν κομιστὴν ἢ λόγοισιν ἢ δορὸςῥώμῃ γενέσθαι καὶ τάφου μεταίτιον,μόνον τόδʼ ἔργον προστιθεὶς ἐμῷ τέκνῳπόλει τʼ Ἀθηνῶν. τυγχάνω δʼ ὑπὲρ χθονὸςἀρότου προθύουσʼ, ἐκ δόμων ἐλθοῦσʼ ἐμῶνπρὸς τόνδε σηκόν, ἔνθα πρῶτα φαίνεταιφρίξας ὑπὲρ γῆς τῆσδε κάρπιμος στάχυς.δεσμὸν δʼ ἄδεσμον τόνδʼ ἔχουσα φυλλάδοςμένω πρὸς ἁγναῖς ἐσχάραις δυοῖν θεαῖνΚόρης τε καὶ Δήμητρος, οἰκτίρουσα μὲνπολιὰς ἄπαιδας τάσδε μητέρας τέκνων,σέβουσα δʼ ἱερὰ στέμματʼ. οἴχεται δέ μοικῆρυξ πρὸς ἄστυ δεῦρο Θησέα καλῶν,ὡς ἢ τὸ τούτων λυπρὸν ἐξέλῃ χθονός,ἢ τάσδʼ ἀνάγκας ἱκεσίους λύσῃ, θεοὺςὅσιόν τι δράσας· πάντα γὰρ διʼ ἀρσένωνγυναιξὶ πράσσειν εἰκός, αἵτινες σοφαί.
Chorus:At thy knees I fall, aged dame, and my old lips beseech thee;
Χορός:— ἱκετεύω σε, γεραιά,γεραιῶν ἐκ στομάτων, πρὸςγόνυ πίπτουσα τὸ σόν·
arise, rescue from the slain my children’s bodies, whose limbs, by death relaxed, are left a prey to savage mountain beasts,Chorus:beholding the bitter tears which spring to my eyesand my old wrinkled skin torn by my hands; for what can I do else? who never laid out my children dead within my halls, nor now behold their tombs heaped up with earth.
— ἄνομοι … — τέκνα λῦσαι. — φθιμένωννεκύων οἳ καταλείπουσι μέληθανάτῳ λυσιμελεῖ θηρσὶν ὀρείοισι βοράν·Χορός:— ἐσιδοῦσʼ οἰκτρὰ μὲν ὄσσωνδάκρυʼ ἀμφὶ βλεφάροις, ῥυ-σὰ δὲ σαρκῶν πολιᾶνκαταδρύμματα χειρῶν· τί γάρ; ἃφθιμένους παῖδας ἐμοὺς οὔτε δόμοιςπροθέμαν οὔτε τάφων χώματα γαίας ἐσορῶ.
Chorus:Thou too, honoured lady, once a son didst bear,crowning thy lord’s marriage with fond joy; then share, O share with me thy mother’s feelings, in such measure as my sad heart grieves for my own dead sons;
Χορός:— ἔτεκες καὶ σύ ποτʼ, ὦ πότνια, κοῦρονφίλα ποιησαμένα λέ-κτρα πόσει σῷ· μετά νυνδὸς ἐμοὶ σᾶς διανοίας,μετάδος δʼ, ὅσσον ἐπαλγῶ μελέα ⟨ʼγὼ⟩φθιμένων οὓς ἔτεκον·
and persuade thy son, whose aid we implore, to go unto the river Ismenus, there to place within my hapless arms the bodies of my children, slain in their prime and left without a tomb.
παράπεισον δὲ σόν, ὤ, λισσόμεθʼ, ἐλθεῖντέκνον Ἰσμηνὸν ἐμάν τʼ ἐς χέρα θεῖναινεκύων θαλερᾷ σώματʼ ἀλαίνοντʼ ἄταφα.
Chorus:Though not as piety enjoins, yet from sheer necessity I have come to the fire-crowned altars of the gods, falling on my knees with instant supplication,for my cause is just, and ’tis in thy power, blest as thou art in thy children, to remove from me my woe; so in my sore distress I do beseech thee of my misery place in my hands my son’sdead body, that I may throw my arms about his hapless limbs.
Χορός:— ὁσίως οὔχ, ὑπʼ ἀνάγκας δὲ προπίπτου-σα προσαιτοῦσʼ ἔμολον δε-ξιπύρους θεῶν θυμέλας·ἔχομεν δʼ ἔνδικα, καὶ σοίτι πάρεστι σθένος ὥστʼ εὐτεκνίᾳ δυσ-τυχίαν τὰν παρʼ ἐμοὶκαθελεῖν· οἰκτρὰ δὲ πάσχουσʼ ἱκετεύωσὸν ἐμοὶ παῖδα ταλαίνᾳ ʼν χερὶ θεῖναινέκυν, ἀμφιβαλεῖν λυγρὰ μέλη παιδὸς ἐμοῦ.
Chorus:Behold a rivalry in sorrow! woe takes up the tale of woe; hark! thy servants beat their breasts. Come ye who join the mourners’ wail, come, O sympathetic band, to join the dance,which Hades honours; let the pearly nail be stained red, as it rends your cheeks, let your skin be streaked with gore; for honours rendered to the dead are a credit to the living.
Χορός:— ἀγὼν ὅδʼ ἄλλος ἔρχεται γόων γόωνδιάδοχος, ἀχοῦσι προσπόλων χέρες.ἴτʼ ὦ ξυνῳδοὶ κτύποι,ἴτʼ ὦ ξυναλγηδόνες,χορὸν τὸν Ἅιδας σέβει,διὰ παρῇδος ὄνυχα λευκὸναἱματοῦτε χρῶτά τε φόνιον·τὰ γὰρ φθιτῶντοῖς ὁρῶσι κόσμος.
Chorus:Sorrow’s charm doth drive me wild, insatiate, painful,endless, even as the trickling stream that gushes from some steep rock’s face; for ’tis woman’s way to fall a-weeping o’erthe cruel calamity of children dead. Ah me! would I could die and forget my anguish!
Χορός:— ἄπληστος ἅδε μʼ ἐξάγει χάρις γόωνπολύπονος, ὡς ἐξ ἀλιβάτου πέτραςὑγρὰ ῥέουσα σταγὼνἄπαυστος αἰεί· γόων,τὸ γὰρ θανόντων τέκνωνἐπιπονόν τι κατὰ γυναῖκαςἐς γόους πέφυκε πάθος. ἒ ἔ.θανοῦσα τῶνδʼἀλγέων λαθοίμαν.
Theseus:What is this lamentation that I hear, this beating of the breast, these dirges for the dead, with cries that echo from this shrine? How fluttering fear disquiets me,lest haply my mother have gotten some mischance, in quest of whom I come, for she hath been long absent from home. Ha! what now? A strange sight challenges my speech; I see my aged mother sitting at the altar and stranger dames are with her, who in various noteproclaim their woe; from aged eyes the piteous tear is starting to the ground, their hair is shorn, their robes are not the robes of joy.
Θησεύς:τίνων γόων ἤκουσα καὶ στέρνων κτύποννεκρῶν τε θρήνους, τῶνδʼ ἀνακτόρων ἄποἠχοῦς ἰούσης; ὡς φόβος μʼ ἀναπτεροῖμή μοί τι μήτηρ, ἣν μεταστείχω ποδί,χρονίαν ἀποῦσαν ἐκ δόμων ἔχῃ νέον.ἔα·τί χρῆμα; καινὰς ἐσβολὰς ὁρῶ λόγων·μητέρα γεραιὰν βωμίαν ἐφημένηνξένους θʼ ὁμοῦ γυναῖκας, οὐχ ἕνα ῥυθμὸνκακῶν ἐχούσας· ἔκ τε γὰρ γερασμίωνὄσσων ἐλαύνουσʼ οἰκτρὸν ἐς γαῖαν δάκρυ,κουραί τε καὶ πεπλώματʼ οὐ θεωρικά.
What means it, mother?’Tis thine to make it plain to me, mine to listen; yea, for I expect some tidings strange.
τί ταῦτα, μῆτερ; σὸν τὸ μηνύειν ἐμοί,ἡμῶν δʼ ἀκούειν· προσδοκῶ τι γὰρ νέον.
Aethra:My son, these are the mothers of those chieftains seven, who fell around the gates of Cadmus’ town. With suppliant boughs they keep me prisoner, as thou seest, in their midst.
Αἴθρα:ὦ παῖ, γυναῖκες αἵδε μητέρες τέκνωντῶν κατθανόντων ἀμφὶ Καδμείας πύλαςἑπτὰ στρατηγῶν· ἱκεσίοις δὲ σὺν κλάδοιςφρουροῦσί μʼ, ὡς δέδορκας, ἐν κύκλῳ, τέκνον.
Theseus:And who is yonder man, that moaneth piteously in the gateway?
Θησεύς:τίς δʼ ὁ στενάζων οἰκτρὸν ἐν πύλαις ὅδε;
Aethra:Adrastus, they inform me, king of Argos.
Αἴθρα:Ἄδραστος, ὡς λέγουσιν, Ἀργείων ἄναξ.
Theseus:Are those his children, those boys who stand round him?
Θησεύς:οἱ δʼ ἀμφὶ τόνδε παῖδες; ἦ τούτων τέκνα;
Aethra:Not his, but the sons of the fallen slain.
Αἴθρα:οὔκ, ἀλλὰ νεκρῶν τῶν ὀλωλότων κόροι.
Theseus:Why are they come to us, with suppliant hand outstretched?
Θησεύς:τί γὰρ πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἦλθον ἱκεσίᾳ χερί;
Aethra:I know; but ’tis for them to tell their story, my son.
Αἴθρα:οἶδʼ· ἀλλὰ τῶνδε μῦθος οὑντεῦθεν, τέκνον.
Theseus:To thee, in thy mantle muffled, I address my inquiries; unveil thy head, let lamentation be, and speak; for naught can be achieved save through the utterance of thy tongue.
Θησεύς:σὲ τὸν κατήρη χλανιδίοις ἀνιστορῶ.λέγʼ ἐκκαλύψας κρᾶτα καὶ πάρες γόον·πέρας γὰρ οὐδὲν μὴ διὰ γλώσσης ἰόν.
Adrastus: risingVictorious prince of the Athenian realm, Theseus, to thee and to thy city I, a suppliant, come.
Ἄδραστος:ὦ καλλίνικε γῆς Ἀθηναίων ἄναξ,Θησεῦ, σὸς ἱκέτης καὶ πόλεως ἥκω σέθεν.
Theseus:What seekest thou? What need is thine?
Θησεύς:τί χρῆμα θηρῶν καὶ τίνος χρείαν ἔχων;
Adrastus:Dost know how I did lead an expedition to its ruin?
Ἄδραστος:οἶσθʼ ἣν στρατείαν ἐστράτευσʼ ὀλεθρίαν.
Theseus:Assuredly; thou didst not pass through Hellas, all in silence.
Θησεύς:οὐ γάρ τι σιγῇ διεπέρασας Ἑλλάδα.
Adrastus:There I lost the pick of Argos’ sons.
Ἄδραστος:ἐνταῦθʼ ἀπώλεσʼ ἄνδρας Ἀργείων ἄκρους.
Theseus:These are the results of that unhappy war.
Θησεύς:τοιαῦθʼ ὁ τλήμων πόλεμος ἐξεργάζεται.
Adrastus:I went and craved their bodies from Thebes.
Ἄδραστος:τούτους θανόντας ἦλθον ἐξαιτῶν πόλιν.
Theseus:Didst thou rely on heralds, Hermes’ servants, in order to bury them?
Θησεύς:κήρυξιν Ἑρμοῦ πίσυνος, ὡς θάψῃς νεκρούς;
Adrastus:I did; and even then their slayers said me nay.
Ἄδραστος:κἄπειτά γʼ οἱ κτανόντες οὐκ ἐῶσί με.
Theseus:Why, what say they to thy just request?
Θησεύς:τί γὰρ λέγουσιν, ὅσια χρῄζοντος σέθεν;
Adrastus:Say! Success makes them forget how to bear their fortune.
Ἄδραστος:τί δʼ; εὐτυχοῦντες οὐκ ἐπίστανται φέρειν.
Theseus:Art come to me then for counsel? or wherefore?
Θησεύς:ξύμβουλον οὖν μʼ ἐπῆλθες; ἢ τίνος χάριν;
Adrastus:With the wish that thou, O Theseus, shouldst recover the sons of the Argives.
Ἄδραστος:κομίσαι σε, Θησεῦ, παῖδας Ἀργείων θέλων.
Theseus:Where is your Argos now? were its vauntings all in vain?
Θησεύς:τὸ δʼ Ἄργος ἡμῖν ποῦ ʼστιν; ἢ κόμποι μάτην;
Adrastus:Defeat and ruin are our lot. To thee for aid we come.
Ἄδραστος:σφαλέντες οἰχόμεσθα. πρὸς σὲ δʼ ἥκομεν.
Theseus:this thy own private resolve, or the wish of all the city?
Θησεύς:ἰδίᾳ δοκῆσάν σοι τόδʼ ἢ πάσῃ πόλει;
Adrastus:The sons of Danaus, one and all, implore thee to bury the dead.
Ἄδραστος:πάντες ⟨σʼ⟩ ἱκνοῦνται Δαναΐδαι θάψαι νεκρούς.
Theseus:Why didst lead thy seven armies against Thebes?
Θησεύς:ἐκ τοῦ δʼ ἐλαύνεις ἑπτὰ πρὸς Θήβας λόχους;
Adrastus:To confer that favour on the husbands of my daughters twain.
Ἄδραστος:δισσοῖσι γαμβροῖς τήνδε πορσύνων χάριν.
Theseus:To which of the Argives didst thou give thy daughters in marriage?
Θησεύς:τῷ δʼ ἐξέδωκας παῖδας Ἀργείων σέθεν;
Adrastus:I made no match for them with kinsmen of my family.
Ἄδραστος:οὐκ ἐγγενῆ συνῆψα κηδείαν δόμοις.
Theseus:What! didst give Argive maids to foreign lords?
Θησεύς:ἀλλὰ ξένοις ἔδωκας Ἀργείας κόρας;
Adrastus:Yea, to Tydeus, and to Polynices, who was Theban-born.
Ἄδραστος:Τυδεῖ ⟨γε⟩ Πολυνείκει τε τῷ Θηβαιγενεῖ.
Theseus:What induced thee to select this alliance?
Θησεύς:τίνʼ εἰς ἔρωτα τῆσδε κηδείας μολών;
Adrastus:Dark riddles of Phoebus stole away my judgment.
Ἄδραστος:Φοίβου μʼ ὑπῆλθε δυστόπαστʼ αἰνίγματα.
Theseus:What said Apollo to determine the maidens’ marriage?
Θησεύς:τί δʼ εἶπʼ Ἀπόλλων παρθένοις κραίνων γάμον;
Adrastus:That I should give my daughters twain to a wild boar and a lion.
Ἄδραστος:κάπρῳ με δοῦναι καὶ λέοντι παῖδʼ ἐμώ.
Theseus:How dost thou explain the message of the god?
Θησεύς:σὺ δʼ ἐξελίσσεις πῶς θεοῦ θεσπίσματα;
Adrastus:One night came to my door two exiles.
Ἄδραστος:ἐλθόντε φυγάδε νυκτὸς εἰς ἐμὰς πύλας —
Theseus:The name of each declare; thou art speaking of both together.
Θησεύς:τίς καὶ τίς; εἰπέ· δύο γὰρ ἐξαυδᾷς ἅμα.
Adrastus:They fought together, Tydeus with Polynices.
Ἄδραστος:Τυδεὺς μάχην ξυνῆψε Πολυνείκης θʼ ἅμα.
Theseus:Didst thou give thy daughters to them as to wild beasts?
Θησεύς:ἦ τοῖσδʼ ἔδωκας θηρσὶν ὣς κόρας σέθεν;
Adrastus:Yea, for, as they fought, I likened them to those monsters twain.
Ἄδραστος:μάχην γε δισσοῖν κνωδάλοιν ἀπεικάσας.
Theseus:Why had they left the borders of their native land and come to thee?
Θησεύς:ἦλθον δὲ δὴ πῶς πατρίδος ἐκλιπόνθʼ ὅρους;
Adrastus:Tydeus was exiled for the murder of a kinsman.
Ἄδραστος:Τυδεὺς μὲν αἷμα συγγενὲς φεύγων χθονός.
Theseus:Wherefore had the son of Oedipus left Thebes?
Θησεύς:ὁ δʼ Οἰδίπου ⟨τί⟩, τίνι τρόπῳ Θήβας λιπών;
Adrastus:By reason of his father’s curse, not to spill his brother’s blood.
Ἄδραστος:ἀραῖς πατρῴαις, μὴ κασίγνητον κτάνοι.
Theseus:Wise no doubt that voluntary exile.
Θησεύς:σοφήν γʼ ἔλεξας τήνδʼ ἑκούσιον φυγήν.
Adrastus:But those who stayed at home were for injuring the absent.
Ἄδραστος:ἀλλʼ οἱ μένοντες τοὺς ἀπόντας ἠδίκουν.
Theseus:What! did brother rob brother of his inheritance?
Θησεύς:οὔ πού σφʼ ἀδελφὸς χρημάτων νοσφίζεται;
Adrastus:To avenge this I set out; hence my ruin.
Ἄδραστος:ταύτῃ δικάζων ἦλθον· εἶτʼ ἀπωλόμην.
Theseus:Didst consult seers, and gaze into the flame of burnt-offerings?
Θησεύς:μάντεις δʼ ἐπῆλθες ἐμπύρων τʼ εἶδες φλόγα;
Adrastus:Ah me! thou pressest on the very point, wherein I most did fail.
Ἄδραστος:οἴμοι; διώκεις μʼ ᾗ μάλιστʼ ἐγὼ ʼσφάλην.
Theseus:It seems thy going was not favoured by heaven.
Θησεύς:οὐκ ἦλθες, ὡς ἔοικεν, εὐνοίᾳ θεῶν.
Adrastus:Worse; I went in spite even of Amphiaraus.
Ἄδραστος:τὸ δὲ πλέον, ἦλθον Ἀμφιάρεώ γε πρὸς βίαν.
Theseus:And so heaven lightly turned its face from thee.
Θησεύς:οὕτω τὸ θεῖον ῥᾳδίως ἀπεστράφης;
Adrastus:I was carried away by the clamour of younger men.
Ἄδραστος:νέων γὰρ ἀνδρῶν θόρυβος ἐξέπλησσέ με.
Theseus:Thou didst favour courage instead of discretion.
Θησεύς:εὐψυχίαν ἔσπευσας ἀντʼ εὐβουλίας.
Adrastus:[True; and many a general owes defeat to that.] O king of Athens, bravest of the sons of Hellas, I blushto throw myself upon the ground and clasp thy knees, I a grey-haired king, blest in days gone by; yet needs must I yield to my misfortunes. I pray thee save the dead; have pity on my sorrows and on these, the mothers of the slain,whom hoary eld finds reft of their sons; yet they endured to journey hither and tread a foreign soil with aged tottering steps, bearing no embassy to Demeter’s mysteries; only seeking burial for their dead, which lot should have been theirs,e’en burial by the hands of sons still in their prime. And ’tis wise in the rich to see the poor man’s poverty, and in the poor man to turn ambitious eyes toward the rich, that so he may himself indulge a longing for property; and they, whom fortune frowns not on, should gaze on misery’s presentment;[likewise, who maketh songs should take a pleasure in their making; for if it be not so with him, he will in no wise avail to gladden others, if himself have sorrow in his home; nay,’tis not even right to expect it.] Mayhap thou’lt say, “Why pass the land of Pelops o’er,”“and lay this toil on Athens?” This am I bound to declare. Sparta is cruel, her customs variable; the other states are small and weak. Thy city alone would be able to undertake this labour;
Ἄδραστος:ὃ δή γε πολλοὺς ὤλεσε στρατηλάτας.ἀλλʼ, ὦ καθʼ Ἑλλάδʼ ἀλκιμώτατον κάρα,ἄναξ Ἀθηνῶν, ἐν μὲν αἰσχύναις ἔχωπίτνων πρὸς οὖδας γόνυ σὸν ἀμπίσχειν χερί,πολιὸς ἀνὴρ τύραννος εὐδαίμων πάρος·ὅμως δʼ ἀνάγκη συμφοραῖς εἴκειν ἐμαῖς.σῶσον νεκρούς μοι, τἀμά τʼ οἰκτίρας κακὰκαὶ τῶν θανόντων τάσδε μητέρας τέκνων,αἷς γῆρας ἥκει πολιὸν εἰς ἀπαιδίαν,ἐλθεῖν δʼ ἔτλησαν δεῦρο καὶ ξένον πόδαθεῖναι μόλις γεραιὰ κινοῦσαι μέλη,πρεσβεύματʼ οὐ Δήμητρος ἐς μυστήρια,ἀλλʼ ὡς νεκροὺς θάψωσιν, ἃς αὐτὰς ἐχρῆνκείνων ταφείσας χερσὶν ὡραίων τυχεῖν.σοφὸν δὲ πενίαν τʼ εἰσορᾶν τὸν ὄλβιον,πένητά τʼ εἰς τοὺς πλουσίους ἀποβλέπεινζηλοῦνθʼ, ἵνʼ αὐτὸν χρημάτων ἔρως ἔχῃ,τά τʼ οἰκτρὰ τοὺς μὴ δυστυχεῖς δεδοικέναι.…τόν θʼ ὑμνοποιὸν αὐτὸς ἃν τίκτῃ μέληχαίροντα τίκτειν· ἢν δὲ μὴ πάσχῃ τόδε,οὔτοι δύναιτʼ ἂν οἴκοθέν γʼ ἀτώμενοςτέρπειν ἂν ἄλλους· οὐδὲ γὰρ δίκην ἔχει.τάχʼ οὖν ἂν εἴποις· Πελοπίαν παρεὶς χθόναπῶς ταῖς Ἀθήναις τόνδε προστάσσεις πόνον;ἐγὼ δίκαιός εἰμʼ ἀφηγεῖσθαι τάδε.Σπάρτη μὲν ὠμὴ καὶ πεποίκιλται τρόπους,τὰ δʼ ἄλλα μικρὰ κἀσθενῆ· πόλις δὲ σὴμόνη δύναιτʼ ἂν τόνδʼ ὑποστῆναι πόνον·
for it turns an eye on suffering, and hath in thee a young and gallant king, for want whereof to lead their hosts states ere now have often perished.
τά τʼ οἰκτρὰ γὰρ δέδορκε καὶ νεανίανἔχει σὲ ποιμένʼ ἐσθλόν· οὗ χρείᾳ πόλειςπολλαὶ διώλοντʼ, ἐνδεεῖς στρατηλάτου.
Chorus:I too, Theseus, urge the same plea to thee; have pity on my hard fate.
Χορός:κἀγὼ τὸν αὐτὸν τῷδέ σοι λόγον λέγω,Θησεῦ, διʼ οἴκτου τὰς ἐμὰς λαβεῖν τύχας.
Theseus:Full οft have I argued out this subject with others. For there are who say, there is more bad than good in human nature, to the which I hold a contrary view, that1 good o’er bad predominates in man,for if it were not so, we should not exist. He hath my praise, whoe’er of gods brought us to live by rule from chaos and from brutishness, first by implanting reason, and next by giving us a tongue to declare our thoughts, so as to2 know the meaning of what is said,bestowing fruitful crops, and drops of rain from heaven to make them grow, wherewith to nourish earth’s fruits and to water her lap; and more than this, protection from the wintry storm, and means to ward from us the sun-god’s scorching heat; the art of sailing o’er the sea, so that we might exchangewith one another whatso our countries lack. And where sight fails us and our knowledge is not sure, the seer foretells by gazing on the flame, by reading signs in folds of entrails, or by divination from the flight of birds. Are we not then too proud, when heaven hath made such preparation for our life,not to be content therewith? But our presumption seeks to lord it over heaven, and in the pride of our hearts we think we are wiser than the gods.
Θησεύς:ἄλλοισι δὴ ʼπόνησʼ ἁμιλληθεὶς λόγῳτοιῷδʼ. ἔλεξε γάρ τις ὡς τὰ χείροναπλείω βροτοῖσίν ἐστι τῶν ἀμεινόνων·ἐγὼ δὲ τούτοις ἀντίαν γνώμην ἔχω,πλείω τὰ χρηστὰ τῶν κακῶν εἶναι βροτοῖς·εἰ μὴ γὰρ ἦν τόδʼ, οὐκ ἂν ἦμεν ἐν φάει.αἰνῶ δʼ ὃς ἡμῖν βίοτον ἐκ πεφυρμένουκαὶ θηριώδους θεῶν διεσταθμήσατο,πρῶτον μὲν ἐνθεὶς σύνεσιν, εἶτα δʼ ἄγγελονγλῶσσαν λόγων δούς, ὥστε γιγνώσκειν ὄπα,τροφήν τε καρποῦ τῇ τροφῇ τʼ ἀπʼ οὐρανοῦσταγόνας ὑδρηλάς, ὡς τά γʼ ἐκ γαίας τρέφῃἄρδῃ τε νηδύν· πρὸς δὲ τοῖσι χείματοςπροβλήματʼ, αἶθρον ἐξαμύνασθαι θεοῦ,πόντου τε ναυστολήμαθʼ, ὡς διαλλαγὰςἔχοιμεν ἀλλήλοισιν ὧν πένοιτο γῆ.ἃ δʼ ἔστʼ ἄσημα κοὐ σαφῶς γιγνώσκομεν,ἐς πῦρ βλέποντες καὶ κατὰ σπλάγχνων πτυχὰςμάντεις προσημαίνουσιν οἰωνῶν τʼ ἄπο.ἆρʼ οὐ τρυφῶμεν θεοῦ κατασκευὴν βίῳδόντος τοιαύτην, οἷσιν οὐκ ἀρκεῖ τάδε;ἀλλʼ ἡ φρόνησις τοῦ θεοῦ μεῖζον σθένεινζητεῖ, τὸ γαῦρον δʼ ἐν φρεσὶν κεκτημένοιδοκοῦμεν εἶναι δαιμόνων σοφώτεροι.
Methinks thou art even of this number, a son of folly,seeing that thou, though obedient to Apollo’s oracle in giving thy daughters to strangers, as if gods really existed, yet hast hurt thy house by mingling the stream of its pure line with muddy waters; no! never should the wise man have joined the stock of just and unjust in one,but should have gotten prosperous friends for his family. For the deity, confusing their destinies, doth oft destroy by the sinner’s fate him who never sinned nor committed injustice. Thou didst lead all Argos forth to battle,though seers proclaimed the will of heaven, and then in scorn of them and in violent disregard of the gods hast ruined thy city, led away by younger men, such as court distinction, and add war to war unrighteously destroying their fellow-citizens; one aspires to lead an army;another fain would seize the reins of power and work his wanton will; a third is bent on gain, careless of any mischief the people thereby suffer. For there are three ranks of citizens; the rich, a useless set, that ever crave for more;
ἧς καὶ σὺ φαίνῃ δεκάδος, οὐ σοφὸς γεγώς,ὅστις κόρας μὲν θεσφάτοις Φοίβου ζυγεὶςξένοισιν ὧδʼ ἔδωκας ὡς ζώντων θεῶν,λαμπρὸν δὲ θολερῷ δῶμα συμμείξας τὸ σὸνἥλκωσας οἴκους· χρῆν γὰρ οὐδὲ σώματαἄδικα δικαίοις τὸν σοφὸν συμμιγνύναι,εὐδαιμονοῦντας δʼ ἐς δόμους κτᾶσθαι φίλους.κοινὰς γὰρ ὁ θεὸς τὰς τύχας ἡγούμενοςτοῖς τοῦ νοσοῦντος πήμασιν διώλεσετὸν συννοσοῦντα κοὐδὲν ἠδικηκότα.ἐς δὲ στρατείαν πάντας Ἀργείους ἄγων,μάντεων λεγόντων θέσφατʼ, εἶτʼ ἀτιμάσαςβίᾳ παρελθὼν θεοὺς ἀπώλεσας πόλιν,νέοις παραχθείς, οἵτινες τιμώμενοιχαίρουσι πολέμους τʼ αὐξάνουσʼ ἄνευ δίκης,φθείροντες ἀστούς, ὁ μὲν ὅπως στρατηλατῇ,ὁ δʼ ὡς ὑβρίζῃ δύναμιν ἐς χεῖρας λαβών,ἄλλος δὲ κέρδους οὕνεκʼ, οὐκ ἀποσκοπῶντὸ πλῆθος εἴ τι βλάπτεται πάσχον τάδε.τρεῖς γὰρ πολιτῶν μερίδες· οἳ μὲν ὄλβιοιἀνωφελεῖς τε πλειόνων τʼ ἐρῶσʼ ἀεί·
the poor and destitute, fearful folk, that cherish envy more than is right, and shoot out grievous stings against the men who have aught, beguiled as they are by the eloquence of vicious leaders; while the class that is midmost of the three preserveth cities,observing such order as the state ordains. Shall I then become thy ally? What fair pretext should I urge before my countrymen? Depart in peace! For why shouldst thou, having been ill-advised thyself, seek to drag our fortune down?
οἳ δʼ οὐκ ἔχοντες καὶ σπανίζοντες βίουδεινοί, νέμοντες τῷ φθόνῳ πλέον μέρος,ἐς τοὺς ἔχοντας κέντρʼ ἀφιᾶσιν κακά,γλώσσαις πονηρῶν προστατῶν φηλούμενοι·τριῶν δὲ μοιρῶν ἡ ʼν μέσῳ σῴζει πόλεις,κόσμον φυλάσσουσʼ ὅντινʼ ἂν τάξῃ πόλις.κἄπειτʼ ἐγώ σοι σύμμαχος γενήσομαι;τί πρὸς πολίτας τοὺς ἐμοὺς λέγων καλόν;χαίρων ἴθʼ· εἰ γὰρ μὴ βεβούλευσαι καλῶς,αὐτὸς πιέζειν τὴν τύχην, ἡμᾶς δʼ ἐᾶν.
Chorus:He erred; but with the young men rests this error, while he may well be pardoned.
Χορός:ἥμαρτεν· ἐν νέοισι δʼ ἀνθρώπων τόδεἔνεστι· συγγνώμην δὲ τῷδʼ ἔχειν χρεών.[ἀλλʼ ὡς ἰατρὸν τῶνδʼ, ἄναξ, ἀφίγμεθα.]
Adrastus:I did not choose thee, king, to judge my affliction, but came to thee to cure it; no! nor if in aught my fortunes prove me wrong,came I to thee to punish or correct them, but to seek thy help. But if thou wilt not, I must be content with thy decision; for how can I help it? Come, aged dames, away! Yet leave behind you here the woven leaves of pale green foliage,calling to witness heaven and earth, Demeter, that fire-bearing goddess, and the sun-god’s light, that our prayers to heaven availed us naught.Chorus:.... who was Pelops’ son, and we are of the land of Pelops and share with thee the blood of ancestors.
Ἄδραστος:οὔτοι δικαστήν ⟨σʼ⟩ εἱλόμην ἐμῶν κακῶνοὐδʼ, εἴ τι πράξας μὴ καλῶς εὑρίσκομαι,τούτων κολαστὴν κἀπιτιμητήν, ἄναξ,ἀλλʼ ὡς ὀναίμην. εἰ δὲ μὴ βούλῃ τάδε,στέργειν ἀνάγκη τοῖσι σοῖς· τί γὰρ πάθω;ἄγʼ, ὦ γεραιαί, στείχετε, γλαυκὴν χλόηναὐτοῦ λιποῦσαι, φυλλάδος καταστροφῇθεούς τε καὶ γῆν τήν τε πυρφόρον θεὰνΔήμητρα θέμεναι μάρτυρʼ ἡλίου τε φῶς,ὡς οὐδὲν ἡμῖν ἤρκεσαν λιταὶ θεῶν.Χορός:…ὃς Πέλοπος ἦν παῖς, Πελοπίας δʼ ἡμεῖς χθονὸςταὐτὸν πατρῷον αἷμα σοὶ κεκτήμεθα.
What art thou doing? wilt thou betray these suppliant symbols, and banish from thy land these aged women without the boon they should obtain? Do not so; e’en the wild beast finds a refuge in the rock, the slave in the altars of the gods, and a state when tempest-tossed cowers to its neighbour’s shelter;for naught in this life of man is blest unto its end.
τί δρᾷς; προδώσεις ταῦτα κἀκβαλεῖς χθονὸςγραῦς οὐ τυχούσας οὐδὲν ὧν αὐτὰς ἐχρῆν;μὴ δῆτʼ· ἔχει γὰρ καταφυγὴν θὴρ μὲν πέτραν,δοῦλος δὲ βωμοὺς θεῶν, πόλις δὲ πρὸς πόλινἔπτηξε χειμασθεῖσα· τῶν γὰρ ἐν βροτοῖςοὐκ ἔστιν οὐδὲν διὰ τέλους εὐδαιμονοῦν.
Chorus:Rise, hapless one, from the sacred floor of Persephone; rise, clasp him by the knees and implore him, “O recover the bodies of our dead sons, the children that I lost—ah, woe is me!—beneath the walls of Cadmus’ town.”
Χορός:βᾶθι, τάλαινʼ, ἱερῶν δαπέδων ἄπο Περσεφονείας,βᾶθι καὶ ἀντίασον γονάτων ἔπι χεῖρα βαλοῦσα,τέκνων τεθνεώτων κομίσαι δέμας, ὦ μελέα ʼγώ,οὓς ὑπὸ τείχεσι Καδμείοισιν ἀπώλεσα κούρους.
Ah me! ah me! Take me by the hand, poor aged sufferer that I am, support and guide and raise me up. By thy beard, kind friend, glory of Hellas, I do beseech thee, as I clasp thy knees and hands in my misery;
[ἰώ μοι· λάβετε φέρετε πέμπετε κρίνετε ταλαίνας χέρας γεραιάς.]πρός ⟨σε⟩ γενειάδος, ὦ φίλος, ὦ δοκιμώτατος Ἑλλάδι,ἄντομαι ἀμφιπίτνουσα τὸ σὸν γόνυ καὶ χέρα δειλαία·
O pity me as I entreat for my sons with my tale of wretched woe, like some beggar; nor let my sons lie there unburied in the land of Cadmus, glad prey for beasts, whilst thou art in thy prime, I implore thee. See the teardrop tremble in my eye,as thus I throw me at thy knees to win my children burial.
οἴκτισαι ἀμφὶ τέκνων μʼ ἱκέταν ἤ τινʼ ἀλάτανοἰκτρὸν ἰήλεμον οἰκτρὸν ἱεῖσαν.μηδʼ ἀτάφους, τέκνον, ἐν χθονὶ Κάδμου χάρματα θηρῶνπαῖδας ἐν ἁλικίᾳ τᾷ σᾷ κατίδῃς, ἱκετεύω.βλέψον ἐμῶν βλεφάρων ἔπι δάκρυον, ἃ περὶ σοῖσιγούνασιν ὧδε πίτνω τέκνοις τάφον ἐξανύσασθαι.
Theseus:Mother mine, why weepest thou, drawing o’er thine eyes thy veil? Is it because thou didst hear their piteous lamentations? To my own heart it goes. Raise thy silvered head, weep notwhere thou sittest at the holy altar of Demeter.
Θησεύς:μῆτερ, τί κλαίεις λέπτʼ ἐπʼ ὀμμάτων φάρηβαλοῦσα τῶν σῶν; ἆρα δυστήνους γόουςκλύουσα τῶνδε; κἀμὲ γὰρ διῆλθέ τι.ἔπαιρε λευκὸν κρᾶτα, μὴ δακρυρρόεισεμναῖσι Δηοῦς ἐσχάραις παρημένη.
Aethra:Ah woe!Theseus:’Tis not for thee their sorrows to lament.
Αἴθρα:αἰαῖ.Θησεύς:τὰ τούτων οὐχὶ σοὶ στενακτέον.
Aethra:Ye hapless dames!
Αἴθρα:ὦ τλήμονες γυναῖκες.
Theseus:Thou art not of their company.
Θησεύς:οὐ σὺ τῶνδʼ ἔφυς.
Aethra:May I a scheme declare, my son, that shall add to thy glory and the state’s?
Αἴθρα:εἴπω τι, τέκνον, σοί τε καὶ πόλει καλόν;
Theseus:Yea, for oft even from women’s lips issue wise counsels.
Θησεύς:ὡς πολλά γʼ ἐστὶ κἀπὸ θηλειῶν σοφά.
Aethra:Yet the word, that lurks within my heart, makes me hesitate.
Αἴθρα:ἀλλʼ εἰς ὄκνον μοι μῦθος ὃν κεύθω φέρει.
Theseus:Shame! to hide from friends good counsel.
Θησεύς:αἰσχρόν γʼ ἔλεξας, χρήστʼ ἔπη κρύπτειν φίλοις.
Aethra:Nay then, I will not hold my peace to blame myself hereafter for having now kept silence to my shame, nor will I forego my honourable proposal, from the common fearthat it is useless for women to give good advice. First, my son, I exhort thee give good heed to heaven’s will, lest from slighting it thou suffer shipwreck; [for in this one single point thou failest, though well-advised in all else.] Further, I would have patiently endured, had it not been my dutyto venture somewhat for injured folk; and this, my son, it is that brings thee now thy honour, and causes me no fear to urge that thou shouldst use thy power to make men of violence, who prevent the dead from receiving their meed of burial and funeral rites,perform this bounden duty, and check those who would confound the customs of all Hellas; for this it is that holds men’s states together,—strict observance of the laws. And some, no doubt, will say,’twas cowardice made thee stand aloof in terror,when thou mightest have won for thy city a crown of glory, and, though thou didst encounter a savage swine, labouring for a sorry task, yet when the time came for thee to face the helmet and pointed spear, and do thy best, thou wert found to be a coward.
Αἴθρα:οὔτοι σιωπῶσʼ εἶτα μέμψομαί ποτετὴν νῦν σιωπὴν ὡς ἐσιγήθη κακῶς,οὐδʼ ὡς ἀχρεῖον τὰς γυναῖκας εὖ λέγεινδείσασʼ ἀφήσω τῷ φόβῳ τοὐμὸν καλόν.ἐγὼ δέ σʼ, ὦ παῖ, πρῶτα μὲν τὰ τῶν θεῶνσκοπεῖν κελεύω μὴ σφαλῇς ἀτιμάσας·τἄλλʼ εὖ φρονῶν γάρ, ἐν μόνῳ τούτῳ ʼσφάλης.πρὸς τοῖσδε δʼ, εἰ μὲν μὴ ἀδικουμένοις ἐχρῆντολμηρὸν εἶναι, κάρτʼ ἂν εἶχον ἡσύχως·νῦν δʼ ἴσθι σοί τε τοῦθʼ ὅσην τιμὴν φέρει,κἀμοὶ παραινεῖν οὐ φόβον φέρει, τέκνον,ἄνδρας βιαίους καὶ κατείργοντας νεκροὺςτάφου τε μοίρας καὶ κτερισμάτων λαχεῖνἐς τήνδʼ ἀνάγκην σῇ καταστῆσαι χερί,νόμιμά τε πάσης συγχέοντας Ἑλλάδοςπαῦσαι· τὸ γάρ τοι συνέχον ἀνθρώπων πόλειςτοῦτʼ ἔσθʼ, ὅταν τις τοὺς νόμους σῴζῃ καλῶς.ἐρεῖ δὲ δή τις ὡς ἀνανδρίᾳ χερῶν,πόλει παρόν σοι στέφανον εὐκλείας λαβεῖν,δείσας ἀπέστης, καὶ συὸς μὲν ἀγρίουἀγῶνος ἥψω φαῦλον ἀθλήσας πόνον,οὗ δʼ ἐς κράνος βλέψαντα καὶ λόγχης ἀκμὴνχρῆν ἐκπονῆσαι, δειλὸς ὢν ἐφηυρέθης.
Nay! do not so if thou be son of mine. Dost see how fiercely thy country looks on its revilers when they mock her for want of counsel? Yea, for in her toils she groweth greater. But states, whose policy is dark and cautious,have their sight darkened by their carefulness. My son, wilt thou not go succour the dead and these poor women in their need? I have no fears for thee, starting as thou dost with right upon thy side; and although I see the prosperity of Cadmus’ folk,still am I confident they will throw a different die; for the deity reverses all things again.
μὴ δῆτʼ ἐμός γʼ ὤν, ὦ τέκνον, δράσῃς τάδε.ὁρᾷς, ἄβουλος ὡς κεκερτομημένητοῖς κερτομοῦσι γοργὸν ὄμμʼ ἀναβλέπεισὴ πατρίς; ἐν γὰρ τοῖς πόνοισιν αὔξεται·αἱ δʼ ἥσυχοι σκοτεινὰ πράσσουσαι πόλειςσκοτεινὰ καὶ βλέπουσιν εὐλαβούμεναι.οὐκ εἶ νεκροῖσι καὶ γυναιξὶν ἀθλίαιςπροσωφελήσων, ὦ τέκνον, κεχρημέναις;ὡς οὔτε ταρβῶ σὺν δίκῃ σʼ ὁρμώμενον,Κάδμου θʼ ὁρῶσα λαὸν εὖ πεπραγότα,ἔτʼ αὐτὸν ἄλλα βλήματʼ ἐν κύβοις βαλεῖνπέποιθʼ· ὁ γὰρ θεὸς πάντʼ ἀναστρέφει πάλιν.
Chorus:Ah! best of friends, right well hast thou pleaded for me and for Adrastus, and hence my joy is doubled.
Χορός:ὦ φιλτάτη μοι, τῷδέ τʼ εἴρηκας καλῶςκἀμοί· διπλοῦν δὲ χάρμα γίγνεται τόδε.
Theseus:Mother, the words that I have spokenare his fair deserts, and I have declared my opinion of the counsels that ruined him; yet do I perceive the truth of thy warning to me, that it ill suits my character to shun dangers. For by a long and glorious career haveI displayed this my habit among Hellenes, of ever punishing the wicked. Wherefore I cannot refuse toil. For what will spiteful tongues say of me, when thou, my mother, who more than all others fearest for my safety,bidst me undertake this enterprise? Yea, I will go about this business and rescue the dead by words persuasive; or, failing that, the spear forthwith shall decide this issue, nor will heaven grudge me this. But I require the whole city’s sanction also,which my mere wish will ensure; still by communicating the proposal to them I shall find the people better disposed. For them I made supreme, when I set this city free, by giving all an equal vote. So I will take Adrastus as a text for what I have to sayand go to their assembly, and when I have won them to these views, I will return hither, after collecting a picked band of young Athenians; and then remaining under arms I will send a message to Creon, begging the bodies of the dead. But do ye, aged ladies, remove from my mother your holy wreaths,that I may take her by the hand and conduct her to the house of Aegeus; for a wretched son is he who rewards not his parents by service; for, when he hath conferred on them the best he hath, he in his turn from his own sons receives all such service as he gave to them.
Θησεύς:ἐμοὶ λόγοι μέν, μῆτερ, οἱ λελεγμένοιὀρθῶς ἔχουσʼ ἐς τόνδε, κἀπεφηνάμηνγνώμην ὑφʼ οἵων ἐσφάλη βουλευμάτων·ὁρῶ δὲ κἀγὼ ταῦθʼ ἅπερ με νουθετεῖς,ὡς τοῖς ἐμοῖσιν οὐχὶ πρόσφορον τρόποιςφεύγειν τὰ δεινά. πολλὰ γὰρ δράσας καλὰἔθος τόδʼ εἰς Ἕλληνας ἐξελεξάμην,ἀεὶ κολαστὴς τῶν κακῶν καθεστάναι.οὔκουν ἀπαυδᾶν δυνατόν ἐστί μοι πόνους.τί γάρ μʼ ἐροῦσιν οἵ γε δυσμενεῖς βροτῶν,ὅθʼ ἡ τεκοῦσα χὑπερορρωδοῦσʼ ἐμοῦπρώτη κελεύεις τόνδʼ ὑποστῆναι πόνον;δράσω τάδʼ· εἶμι καὶ νεκροὺς ἐκλύσομαιλόγοισι πείθων· εἰ δὲ μή, βίᾳ δορὸςἤδη τόδʼ ἔσται κοὐχὶ σὺν φθόνῳ θεῶν.δόξαι δὲ χρῄζω καὶ πόλει πάσῃ τόδε.δόξει δʼ ἐμοῦ θέλοντος· ἀλλὰ τοῦ λόγουπροσδοὺς ἔχοιμʼ ἂν δῆμον εὐμενέστερον.καὶ γὰρ κατέστησʼ αὐτὸν ἐς μοναρχίανἐλευθερώσας τήνδʼ ἰσόψηφον πόλιν.λαβὼν δʼ Ἄδραστον δεῖγμα τῶν ἐμῶν λόγωνἐς πλῆθος ἀστῶν εἶμι· καὶ πείσας τάδε,λεκτοὺς ἀθροίσας δεῦρʼ Ἀθηναίων κόρουςἥξω· παρʼ ὅπλοις θʼ ἥμενος πέμψω λόγουςΚρέοντι νεκρῶν σώματʼ ἐξαιτούμενος.ἀλλʼ, ὦ γεραιαί, σέμνʼ ἀφαιρεῖτε στέφημητρός, πρὸς οἴκους ὥς νιν Αἰγέως ἄγω,φίλην προσάψας χεῖρα· τοῖς τεκοῦσι γὰρδύστηνος ὅστις μὴ ἀντιδουλεύει τέκνων —κάλλιστον ἔρανον· δοὺς γὰρ ἀντιλάζυταιπαίδων παρʼ αὑτοῦ τοιάδʼ ἃν τοκεῦσι δῷ.
Chorus:O Argos, home of steeds, my native land! ye have heard with your ears these words, the king’s pious will toward the gods in the sight of great Pelasgia and throughout Argos.
Χορός:— ἱππόβοτον Ἄργος, ὦ πάτριον ἐμὸν πέδον,ἐκλύετε τάδʼ, ἐκλύετεἄνακτος ὅσια περὶ θεοὺςκαὶ μεγάλα Πελασγίᾳκαὶ κατʼ Ἄργος.
Chorus:May he reach the goal! yea, and triumph o’er my sorrows,rescuing the gory corpse, the mother’s idol, and making the land of Inachus his friend by helping her.
Χορός:— εἰ γὰρ ἐπὶ τέρμα καὶ τὸ πλέον ἐμῶν κακῶνἱκόμενος ἔτι ματέροςἄγαλμα φόνιον ἐξέλοι,γᾶν δὲ φίλιον Ἰνάχουθεῖτʼ ὀνήσας.
Chorus:For pious toil is a fair ornament to cities, and carries with it a grace that never wastes away.
Χορός:— καλὸν δʼ ἄγαλμα πόλεσιν εὐσεβὴς πόνοςχάριν τʼ ἔχει τὰν ἐς αἰεί.
What will the city decide, I wonder? Will it conclude a friendly truce with me, and shall we obtain burial for our sons?
τί μοι πόλις κρανεῖ ποτʼ; ἆρα φίλιά μοιτεμεῖ, καὶ τέκνοις ταφὰς ληψόμεσθα;
Chorus:Help, O help, city of Pallas, the mother’s cause, that so they may not pollute the laws of all mankind. Thou, I know, dost reverence right, and to injustice dealest outdefeat, a protection at all times to the afflicted.
Χορός:— ἄμυνε ματρί, πόλις, ἄμυνε, Παλλάδος,νόμους βροτῶν μὴ μιαίνειν.σύ τοι σέβεις δίκαν, τὸ δʼ ἧσσον ἀδικίᾳνέμεις, δυστυχῆ τʼ ἀεὶ πάντα ῥύῃ.
Theseus:(to a herald.) Forasmuch as with this thy art thou hast ever served the stat£ and me by carrying my proclamations far and wide, so now cross Asopus and the waters of Ismenus, and declare this message to the haughty king of the Cadmeans:
Θησεύς:τέχνην μὲν αἰεὶ τήνδʼ ἔχων ὑπηρετεῖςπόλει τε κἀμοί, διαφέρων κηρύγματα·ἐλθὼν δʼ ὑπέρ τʼ Ἀσωπὸν Ἰσμηνοῦ θʼ ὕδωρσεμνῷ τυράννῳ φράζε Καδμείων τάδε·
“Theseus, thy neighbour, one who well may win the boon he craves, begs as a favour thy permission to bury the dead, winning to thyself thereby the love of all the Erechthidae.” And if they will acquiesce, come back again, but if they hearken not, thy second message runneth thus,they may expect my warrior host; for at the sacred fount of Callichorus my army camps in readiness and is being reviewed. Moreover, the city gladly of its own accord undertook this enterprise, when it perceived my wish.
Θησεύς σʼ ἀπαιτεῖ πρὸς χάριν θάψαι νεκρούς,συγγείτονʼ οἰκῶν γαῖαν, ἀξιῶν τυχεῖν,φίλον τε θέσθαι πάντʼ Ἐρεχθειδῶν λεών.κἂν μὲν θέλωσιν, αἰνέσας παλίσσυτοςστεῖχʼ· ἢν δʼ ἀπιστῶσʼ, οἵδε δεύτεροι λόγοι·Κῶμον δέχεσθαι τὸν ἐμὸν ἀσπιδηφόρον.στρατὸς δὲ θάσσει κἀξετάζεται παρὼνΚαλλίχορον ἀμφὶ σεμνὸν εὐτρεπὴς ὅδε.— καὶ μὴν ἑκοῦσά γʼ ἀσμένη τʼ ἐδέξατοπόλις πόνον τόνδʼ, ὡς θέλοντά μʼ ᾔσθετο.
Ha! who comes hither to interrupt my speech? A Theban herald, so it seems, though I am not sure thereof. Stay; haply he may save thee thy trouble. For by his coming he meets my purpose half-way.
ἔα· λόγων τίς ἐμποδὼν ὅδʼ ἔρχεται;Καδμεῖος, ὡς ἔοικεν οὐ σάφʼ εἰδότι,κῆρυξ. ἐπίσχες, ἤν σʼ ἀπαλλάξῃ πόνουμολὼν ὕπαντα τοῖς ἐμοῖς βουλεύμασιν.
Herald:Who is the despot of this land? To whom must I announcethe message of Creon, who rules o’er the land of Cadmus, since Eteocles was slain by the hand of his brother Polynices, at the sevenfold gates of Thebes?
Κῆρυξ:τίς γῆς τύραννος; πρὸς τίνʼ ἀγγεῖλαί με χρὴλόγους Κρέοντος, ὃς κρατεῖ Κάδμου χθονὸςἘτεοκλέους θανόντος ἀμφʼ ἑπταστόμουςπύλας ἀδελφῇ χειρὶ Πολυνείκους ὕπο;
Theseus:Sir stranger, thou hast made a false beginning to thy speech, in seeking here a despot. For this city is not ruledby one man, but is free. The people rule in succession year by year, allowing no preference to wealth, but the poor man shares equally with the rich.
Θησεύς:πρῶτον μὲν ἤρξω τοῦ λόγου ψευδῶς, ξένε,ζητῶν τύραννον ἐνθάδʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἄρχεταιἑνὸς πρὸς ἀνδρός, ἀλλʼ ἐλευθέρα πόλις.δῆμος δʼ ἀνάσσει διαδοχαῖσιν ἐν μέρειἐνιαυσίαισιν, οὐχὶ τῷ πλούτῳ διδοὺςτὸ πλεῖστον, ἀλλὰ χὡ πένης ἔχων ἴσον.
Herald:Thou givest me here an advantage, as it might be in a game of draughts;for the city, whence I come, is ruled by one man only, not by the mob; none there puffs up the citizens with specious words, and for his own advantage twists them this way or that,—one moment dear to them and lavish of his favours,the next a bane to all; and yet by fresh calumnies of others he hides his former failures and escapes punishment. Besides, how shall the people, if it cannot form true judgments, be able rightly to direct the state? Nay,’tis time, not haste, that affords a betterunderstanding. A poor hind, granted he be not all unschooled, would still be unable from his toil to give his mind to politics. Verily the better sort count it no healthy sign when the worthless man obtains a reputationby beguiling with words the populace, though aforetime he was naught.
Κῆρυξ:ἓν μὲν τόδʼ ἡμῖν ὥσπερ ἐν πεσσοῖς δίδωςκρεῖσσον· πόλις γὰρ ἧς ἐγὼ πάρειμʼ ἄποἑνὸς πρὸς ἀνδρός, οὐκ ὄχλῳ κρατύνεται·οὐδʼ ἔστιν αὐτὴν ὅστις ἐκχαυνῶν λόγοιςπρὸς κέρδος ἴδιον ἄλλοτʼ ἄλλοσε στρέφει,τὸ δʼ αὐτίχʼ ἡδὺς καὶ διδοὺς πολλὴν χάριν,ἐσαῦθις ἔβλαψʼ, εἶτα διαβολαῖς νέαιςκλέψας τὰ πρόσθε σφάλματʼ ἐξέδυ δίκης.ἄλλως τε πῶς ἂν μὴ διορθεύων λόγουςὀρθῶς δύναιτʼ ἂν δῆμος εὐθύνειν πόλιν;ὁ γὰρ χρόνος μάθησιν ἀντὶ τοῦ τάχουςκρείσσω δίδωσι. γαπόνος δʼ ἀνὴρ πένης,εἰ καὶ γένοιτο μὴ ἀμαθής, ἔργων ὕποοὐκ ἂν δύναιτο πρὸς τὰ κοίνʼ ἀποβλέπειν.ἦ δὴ νοσῶδες τοῦτο τοῖς ἀμείνοσιν,ὅταν πονηρὸς ἀξίωμʼ ἀνὴρ ἔχῃγλώσσῃ κατασχὼν δῆμον, οὐδὲν ὢν τὸ πρίν.
Theseus:This herald is a clever fellow, a dabbler in the art of talk. But since thou hast thus entered the lists with me, listen awhile, for ’twas thou didst challenge a discussion. Naught is more hostile to a city than a despot;where he is, there are in the first place no laws common to all, but one man is tyrant, in whose keeping and in his alone the law resides, and in that case equality is at an end. But when the laws are written down, rich and poor alike have equal justice,and it is open to the weaker to use the same language to the prosperous when he is reviled by him, and the weaker prevails over the stronger if he have justice on his side. Freedom’s mark is also seen in this: “Who hath wholesome counsel to declare unto the state?”
Θησεύς:κομψός γʼ ὁ κῆρυξ καὶ παρεργάτης λόγων.ἐπεὶ δʼ ἀγῶνα καὶ σὺ τόνδʼ ἠγωνίσω,ἄκουʼ· ἅμιλλαν γὰρ σὺ προύθηκας λόγων.οὐδὲν τυράννου δυσμενέστερον πόλει,ὅπου τὸ μὲν πρώτιστον οὐκ εἰσὶν νόμοικοινοί, κρατεῖ δʼ εἷς τὸν νόμον κεκτημένοςαὐτὸς παρʼ αὑτῷ· καὶ τόδʼ οὐκέτʼ ἔστʼ ἴσον.γεγραμμένων δὲ τῶν νόμων ὅ τʼ ἀσθενὴςὁ πλούσιός τε τὴν δίκην ἴσην ἔχει,ἔστιν δʼ ἐνισπεῖν τοῖσιν ἀσθενεστέροιςτὸν εὐτυχοῦντα ταὔθʼ, ὅταν κλύῃ κακῶς,νικᾷ δʼ ὁ μείων τὸν μέγαν δίκαιʼ ἔχων.τοὐλεύθερον δʼ ἐκεῖνο· Τίς θέλει πόλειχρηστόν τι βούλευμʼ ἐς μέσον φέρειν ἔχων;
And he who chooses to do so gains renown, while he, who hath no wish, remains silent. What greater equality can there be in a city?
καὶ ταῦθʼ ὁ χρῄζων λαμπρός ἐσθʼ, ὁ μὴ θέλωνσιγᾷ. τί τούτων ἔστʼ ἰσαίτερον πόλει;
Again, where the people are absolute rulers of the land, they rejoice in having a reserve of youthful citizens, while a king counts this a hostile element,and strives to slay the leading men, all such as he deems discreet, for he feareth for his power. How then can a city remain stable, where one cuts short all enterprise and mows down the young like meadow-flowers in spring-time?
καὶ μὴν ὅπου γε δῆμος αὐθέντης χθονός,ὑποῦσιν ἀστοῖς ἥδεται νεανίαις·ἀνὴρ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἐχθρὸν ἡγεῖται τόδε,καὶ τοὺς ἀρίστους οὕς τʼ ἂν ἡγῆται φρονεῖνκτείνει, δεδοικὼς τῆς τυραννίδος πέρι.πῶς οὖν ἔτʼ ἂν γένοιτʼ ἂν ἰσχυρὰ πόλις,ὅταν τις ὡς λειμῶνος ἠρινοῦ στάχυντόλμας ἀφαιρῇ κἀπολωτίζῃ νέους;
What boots it to acquire wealth and livelihood for children, merely to add to the tyrant’s substance by one’s toil? Why train up virgin daughters virtuously in our homes to gratify a tyrant’s whim, whenso he will, and cause tears to those who rear them? May my life endif ever my children are to be wedded by violence! This bolt I launch in answer to thy words. Now say, why art thou come? what needest thou of this land? Had not thy city sent thee, to thy cost hadst thou come with thy outrageous utterances; for it is the herald’s dutyto tell the message he is bidden and hie him back in haste. Henceforth forth let Creon send to my city some other messenger less talkative than thee.
κτᾶσθαι δὲ πλοῦτον καὶ βίον τί δεῖ τέκνοιςὡς τῷ τυράννῳ πλείονʼ ἐκμοχθῇ βίον;ἢ παρθενεύειν παῖδας ἐν δόμοις καλῶς,τερπνὰς τυράννοις ἡδονάς, ὅταν θέλῃ,δάκρυα δʼ ἑτοιμάζουσι; μὴ ζῴην ἔτι,εἰ τἀμὰ τέκνα πρὸς βίαν νυμφεύσεται.καὶ ταῦτα μὲν δὴ πρὸς τὰ σὰ ἐξηκόντισα.ἥκεις δὲ δὴ τί τῆσδε γῆς κεχρημένος;κλαίων γʼ ἂν ἦλθες, εἴ σε μὴ ῎πεμψεν πόλις,περισσὰ φωνῶν· τὸν γὰρ ἄγγελον χρεὼνλέξανθʼ ὅσʼ ἂν τάξῃ τις ὡς τάχος πάλινχωρεῖν. τὸ λοιπὸν δʼ εἰς ἐμὴν πόλιν Κρέωνἧσσον λάλον σου πεμπέτω τινʼ ἄγγελον.
Chorus:Look you! how insolent the villains are, when Fortune is kind to them, just as if it would be well with them for ever.
Χορός:φεῦ φεῦ· κακοῖσιν ὡς ὅταν δαίμων διδῷκαλῶς, ὑβρίζουσʼ ὡς ἀεὶ πράξοντες εὖ.
Herald:Now will I speak. On these disputed points hold thou this view, but I the contrary.
Κῆρυξ:λέγοιμʼ ἂν ἤδη. τῶν μὲν ἠγωνισμένωνσοὶ μὲν δοκείτω ταῦτʼ, ἐμοὶ δὲ τἀντία.
So I and all the people of Cadmus forbid thee to admit Adrastus to this land, but if he is here,drive him forth in disregard of the holy suppliant bough he bears, ere sinks yon blazing sun, and attempt not violently to take up the dead, seeing thou hast naught to do with the city of Argos. And if thou wilt hearken to me, thou shalt bring thy barque of state into port unharmed by the billows; but if not, fierce shall the surge of battle be,that we and our allies shall raise. Take good thought, nor, angered at my words, because forsooth thou rulest thy city with freedom, return a vaunting answer from thy feebler means. Hope is man’s curse; many a state hath it involvedin strife, by leading them into excessive rage. For whenso the city has to vote on the question of war, no man ever takes his own death into account, but shifts this misfortune on to his neighbour; but if death had been before their eyes when they were giving their votes,Hellas would ne’er have rushed to her doom in mad desire for battle. And yet each man amongst us knows which of the two to prefer, the good or ill, and how much better peace is for mankind than war,—peace, the Muses’ chiefest friend,the foe of sorrow, whose joy is in glad throngs of children, and its delight in prosperity. These are the blessings we cast away and wickedly embark on war, man enslaving his weaker brother, and cities following suit.
ἐγὼ δʼ ἀπαυδῶ πᾶς τε Καδμεῖος λεὼςἌδραστον ἐς γῆν τήνδε μὴ παριέναι·εἰ δʼ ἔστιν ἐν γῇ, πρὶν θεοῦ δῦναι σέλας,λύσαντα σεμνὰ στεμμάτων μυστήριατῆσδʼ ἐξελαύνειν, μηδʼ ἀναιρεῖσθαι νεκροὺςβίᾳ, προσήκοντʼ οὐδὲν Ἀργείων πόλει.κἂν μὲν πίθῃ μοι, κυμάτων ἄτερ πόλινσὴν ναυστολήσεις· εἰ δὲ μή, πολὺς κλύδωνἡμῖν τε καὶ σοὶ συμμάχοις τʼ ἔσται δορός.σκέψαι δέ, καὶ μὴ τοῖς ἐμοῖς θυμούμενοςλόγοισιν, ὡς δὴ πόλιν ἐλευθέραν ἔχων,σφριγῶντʼ ἀμείψῃ μῦθον ἐκ βραχιόνων·ἐλπὶς γάρ ἐστʼ ἄπιστον, ἣ πολλὰς πόλειςσυνῆψʼ, ἄγουσα θυμὸν εἰς ὑπερβολάς.ὅταν γὰρ ἔλθῃ πόλεμος ἐς ψῆφον λεώ,οὐδεὶς ἔθʼ αὑτοῦ θάνατον ἐκλογίζεται,τὸ δυστυχὲς δὲ τοῦτʼ ἐς ἄλλον ἐκτρέπει·εἰ δʼ ἦν παρʼ ὄμμα θάνατος ἐν ψήφου φορᾷ,οὐκ ἄν ποθʼ Ἑλλὰς δοριμανὴς ἀπώλλυτο.καίτοι δυοῖν γε πάντες ἄνθρωποι λόγοιντὸν κρείσσονʼ ἴσμεν, καὶ τὰ χρηστὰ καὶ κακά,ὅσῳ τε πολέμου κρεῖσσον εἰρήνη βροτοῖς·ἣ πρῶτα μὲν Μούσαισι προσφιλεστάτη,Ποιναῖσι δʼ ἐχθρά, τέρπεται δʼ εὐπαιδίᾳ,χαίρει δὲ πλούτῳ. ταῦτʼ ἀφέντες οἱ κακοὶπολέμους ἀναιρούμεσθα καὶ τὸν ἥσσοναδουλούμεθʼ, ἄνδρες ἄνδρα καὶ πόλις πόλιν.
Now thou art helping our foes even after death,trying to rescue and bury those whom their own acts of insolence haye ruined. Verily then it would seem Capaneus was unjustly blasted by the thunderbolt and charred upon the ladder he had raised against our gates, swearing he would sack our town, whether the god would or no;
σὺ δʼ ἄνδρας ἐχθροὺς καὶ θανόντας ὠφελεῖς,θάπτων κομίζων θʼ ὕβρις οὓς ἀπώλεσεν;οὔ τἄρʼ ἔτʼ ὀρθῶς Καπανέως κεραύνιονδέμας καπνοῦται, κλιμάκων ὀρθοστάταςὃς προσβαλὼν πύλῃσιν ὤμοσεν πόλινπέρσειν θεοῦ θέλοντος ἤν τε μὴ θέλῃ;
nor should the yawning earth have snatched away the seer, opening wide her mouth to take his chariot and its horses in, nor should the other chieftains be stretched at our gates, their skeletons to atoms crushed ’neath boulders. Either boast thy wit transcendeth that of Zeus,or else allow that gods are right to slay the ungodly. The wise should love their children first, next their parents and country, whose fortunes it behoves them to increase rather than break down. Rashness in a leader, as in a pilot, causeth shipwreck; who knoweth when to be quiet is a wise man.
οὐδʼ ἥρπασεν χάρυβδις οἰωνοσκόπον,τέθριππον ἅρμα περιβαλοῦσα χάσματι,ἄλλοι τε κεῖνται πρὸς πύλαις λοχαγέταιπέτροις καταξανθέντες ὀστέων ῥαφάς;ἤ νυν φρονεῖν ἄμεινον ἐξαύχει Διός,ἢ θεοὺς δικαίως τοὺς κακοὺς ἀπολλύναι.φιλεῖν μὲν οὖν χρὴ τοὺς σοφοὺς πρῶτον τέκνα,ἔπειτα τοκέας πατρίδα θʼ, ἣν αὔξειν χρεὼνκαὶ μὴ κατᾶξαι. σφαλερὸν ἡγεμὼν θρασύς·νεώς τε ναύτης ἥσυχος, καιρῷ σοφός.
Yea and this too is bravery, even forethought.Chorus:The punishment Zeus hath inflicted was surely enough; there was no need to heap this wanton insult on us.
καὶ τοῦτʼ ἐμοὶ τἀνδρεῖον, ἡ προμηθία.Χορός:ἐξαρκέσας ἦν Ζεὺς ὁ τιμωρούμενος,ὑμᾶς δʼ ὑβρίζειν οὐκ ἐχρῆν τοιάνδʼ ὕβριν.
Adrastus:Abandoned wretch!
Ἄδραστος:ὦ παγκάκιστε —
Theseus:Peace, Adrastus! say no more; set not thy words before mine,for ’tis not to thee this fellow is come with his message, but to me, and I must answer him. Thy first assertion will I answer first: I am not aware that Creon is my lord and master, or that his power outweigheth mine, that so he should compelAthens to act on this wise; nay! for then would the tide of time have to flow backward, if we are to be ordered about, as he thinks.’Tis not I who choose this war, seeing that I did not even join these warriors to go unto the land of Cadmus; but still I claim to bury the fallen dead, not injuring any statenor yet introducing murderous strife, but preserving the law of all Hellas. What is not well in this? If ye suffered aught from the Argives—lo! they are dead; ye took a splendid vengeance on your foesand covered them with shame, and now your right is at an end. Let the dead now be buried in the earth, and each element return to the place from whence it came to the body, the breath to the air, the body to the ground; for in no wise did we get itfor our own, but to live our life in, and after that its mother earth must take it back again. Dost think ’tis Argos thou art injuring in refusing burial to the dead? Nay! all Hellas shares herein, if a man rob the dead of their dueand keep them from the tomb; for, if this law be enacted, it will strike dismay into the stoutest hearts. And art thou come to cast dire threats at me, while thy own folk are afraid of giving burial to the dead? What is your fear? Think you they will undermine your landin their graves, or that they will beget children in the womb of earth, from whom shall rise an avenger? A silly waste of words, in truth it was, to show your fear of paltry groundless terrors.
Θησεύς:σῖγʼ, Ἄδραστʼ, ἔχε στόμα,καὶ μὴ ʼπίπροσθεν τῶν ἐμῶν τοὺς σοὺς λόγουςθῇς· οὐ γὰρ ἥκει πρὸς σὲ κηρύσσων ὅδε,ἀλλʼ ὡς ἔμʼ· ἡμᾶς κἀποκρίνασθαι χρεών.καὶ πρῶτα μέν σε πρὸς τὰ πρῶτʼ ἀμείψομαι.οὐκ οἶδʼ ἐγὼ Κρέοντα δεσπόζοντʼ ἐμοῦοὐδὲ σθένοντα μεῖζον, ὥστʼ ἀναγκάσαιδρᾶν τὰς Ἀθήνας ταῦτʼ· ἄνω γὰρ ἂν ῥέοιτὰ πράγμαθʼ οὕτως, εἰ ʼπιταξόμεσθα δή.πόλεμον δὲ τοῦτον οὐκ ἐγὼ καθίσταμαι,ὃς οὐδὲ σὺν τοῖσδʼ ἦλθον ἐς Κάδμου χθόνα·νεκροὺς δὲ τοὺς θανόντας, οὐ βλάπτων πόλινοὐδʼ ἀνδροκμῆτας προσφέρων ἀγωνίας,θάψαι δικαιῶ, τὸν Πανελλήνων νόμονσῴζων. τί τούτων ἐστὶν οὐ καλῶς ἔχον;εἰ γάρ τι καὶ πεπόνθατʼ Ἀργείων ὕπο,τεθνᾶσιν, ἠμύνασθε πολεμίους καλῶς,αἰσχρῶς δʼ ἐκείνοις, χἡ δίκη διοίχεται.ἐάσατʼ ἤδη γῇ καλυφθῆναι νεκρούς,ὅθεν δʼ ἕκαστον ἐς τὸ φῶς ἀφίκετο,ἐνταῦθʼ ἀπελθεῖν, πνεῦμα μὲν πρὸς αἰθέρα,τὸ σῶμα δʼ ἐς γῆν· οὔτι γὰρ κεκτήμεθαἡμέτερον αὐτὸ πλὴν ἐνοικῆσαι βίον,κἄπειτα τὴν θρέψασαν αὐτὸ δεῖ λαβεῖν.δοκεῖς κακουργεῖν Ἄργος οὐ θάπτων νεκρούς;ἥκιστα· πάσης Ἑλλάδος κοινὸν τόδε,εἰ τοὺς θανόντας νοσφίσας ὧν χρῆν λαχεῖνἀτάφους τις ἕξει· δειλίαν γὰρ ἐσφέρειτοῖς ἀλκίμοισιν οὗτος ἢν τεθῇ νόμος.κἀμοὶ μὲν ἦλθες δείνʼ ἀπειλήσων ἔπη,νεκροὺς δὲ ταρβεῖτʼ, εἰ κρυβήσονται χθονί;τί μὴ γένηται; μὴ κατασκάψωσι γῆνταφέντες ὑμῶν; ἢ τέκνʼ ἐν μυχῷ χθονὸςφύσωσιν, ἐξ ὧν εἶσί τις τιμωρία;σκαιόν γε τἀνάλωμα τῆς γλώσσης τόδε,φόβους πονηροὺς καὶ κενοὺς δεδοικέναι.
Go, triflers, learn the lesson of human misery;
ἀλλʼ, ὦ μάταιοι, γνῶτε τἀνθρώπων κακά·
our life is made up of struggles; some men there be that find their fortune soon, others have to wait, while some at once are blest. Fortune lives a dainty life; to her the wretched pays his court and homage to win her smile; her likewise doth the prosperous man extol, for fear the favouring galemay leave him. These lessons should we take to heart, to bear with moderation, free from wrath, our wrongs, and do naught to hurt a whole city. What then? Let us, who will the pious deed perform, bury the corpses of the slain.
παλαίσμαθʼ ἡμῶν ὁ βίος· εὐτυχοῦσι δὲοἳ μὲν τάχʼ, οἳ δʼ ἐσαῦθις, οἳ δʼ ἤδη βροτῶν,τρυφᾷ δʼ ὁ δαίμων· πρός τε γὰρ τοῦ δυστυχοῦς,ὡς εὐτυχήσῃ, τίμιος γεραίρεται,ὅ τʼ ὄλβιός νιν πνεῦμα δειμαίνων λιπεῖνὑψηλὸν αἴρει. γνόντας οὖν χρεὼν τάδεἀδικουμένους τε μέτρια μὴ θυμῷ φέρεινἀδικεῖν τε τοιαῦθʼ οἷα μὴ βλάψαι πόλιν.πῶς οὖν ἂν εἴη; τοὺς ὀλωλότας νεκροὺςθάψαι δὸς ἡμῖν τοῖς θέλουσιν εὐσεβεῖν.
Else is the issue clear; I will go and bury them by force. For never shall it be proclaimed through Hellas that heaven’s ancient law was set at naught, when it devolved on me and the city of Pandion.
ἢ δῆλα τἀνθένδʼ· εἶμι καὶ θάψω βίᾳ.οὐ γάρ ποτʼ εἰς Ἕλληνας ἐξοισθήσεταιὡς εἰς ἔμʼ ἐλθὼν καὶ πόλιν Πανδίονοςνόμος παλαιὸς δαιμόνων διεφθάρη.
Chorus:Be of good cheer; for if thou preserve the light of justice,thou shalt escape many a charge that men might urge.
Χορός:θάρσει· τὸ γάρ τοι τῆς Δίκης σῴζων φάοςπολλοὺς ὑπεκφύγοις ἂν ἀνθρώπων ψόγους.
Herald:Wilt thou that I sum up in brief all thou wouldst say?
Κῆρυξ:βούλῃ συνάψω μῦθον ἐν βραχεῖ σέθεν;
Theseus:Say what thou wilt; for thou art not silent as it is.
Θησεύς:λέγʼ, εἴ τι βούλῃ· καὶ γὰρ οὐ σιγηλὸς εἶ.
Herald:Thou shalt never take the sons of Argos from our land.
Κῆρυξ:οὐκ ἄν ποτʼ ἐκ γῆς παῖδας Ἀργείων λάβοις.
Theseus:Hear, then, my answer too to that, if so thou wilt.
Θησεύς:κἀμοῦ νυν ἀντάκουσον, εἰ βούλῃ, πάλιν.
Herald:I will hear thee; not that I wish it, but I must give thee thy turn.
Κῆρυξ:κλύοιμʼ ἄν· οὐ γὰρ ἀλλὰ δεῖ δοῦναι μέρος.
Theseus:I will bury the dead, when from Asopus’ land I have removed them.
Θησεύς:θάψω νεκροὺς γῆς ἐξελὼν Ἀσωπίας.
Herald:First must thou adventure somewhat in the front of war.
Κῆρυξ:ἐν ἀσπίσιν σοι πρῶτα κινδυνευτέον.
Theseus:Many an enterprise and of a different kind have I ere this endured.
Θησεύς:πολλοὺς ἔτλην δὴ χἁτέρους ἄλλους πόνους.
Herald:Wert thou then begotten of thy sire to cope with every foe?
Κῆρυξ:ἦ πᾶσιν οὖν ⟨σʼ⟩ ἔφυσεν ἐξαρκεῖν πατήρ;
Theseus:Ay, with all wanton villains; virtue I punish not.
Θησεύς:ὅσοι γʼ ὑβρισταί· χρηστὰ δʼ οὐ κολάζομεν.
Herald:To meddle is aye thy wont and thy city’s too.
Κῆρυξ:πράσσειν σὺ πόλλʼ εἴωθας ἥ τε σὴ πόλις.
Theseus:Hence her enterprise on many a held hath won her frequent success.
Θησεύς:τοιγὰρ πονοῦσα πολλὰ πόλλʼ εὐδαιμονεῖ.
Herald:Come then, that the warriors of the dragon-crop may catch thee in our city.
Κῆρυξ:ἔλθʼ, ὥς σε λόγχη σπαρτὸς ἐν πόλει λάβῃ.
Theseus:What furious warrior-host could spring from dragon’s seed?
Θησεύς:τίς δʼ ἐκ δράκοντος θοῦρος ἂν γένοιτʼ Ἄρης;
Herald:Thou shalt learn that to thy cost. As yet thou art young and rash.
Κῆρυξ:γνώσῃ σὺ πάσχων· νῦν δʼ ἔτʼ εἶ νεανίας.
Theseus:Thy boastful speech stirs not my heart at all to rage. Yet get thee gone from my land, taking with thee the idle words thou broughtest; for we are making no advance. [Exit Herald.]’Tis time for all to start,each stout footman, and whoso mounts the car;’tis time the bit, dripping with foam, should urge the charger on toward the land of Cadmus. For I will march in person to the seven gates thereofwith the sharp sword in my hand, and be myself my herald. But thee, Adrastus, I bid stay, nor blend with mine thy fortunes, for I will take my own good star to lead my host, a chieftain famed in famous deeds of arms. One thing alone I need, the favour of all gods that reverence right, for the presence of these thingsinsures victory. For their valour availeth men naught, unless they have the god’s goodwill. [Exit Theseus.The following lines between the Semi-Choruses are chanted responsively.
Θησεύς:οὔτοι μʼ ἐπαρεῖς ὥστε θυμῶσαι φρέναςτοῖς σοῖσι κόμποις· ἀλλʼ ἀποστέλλου χθονός,λόγους ματαίους οὕσπερ ἠνέγκω λαβών.περαίνομεν γὰρ οὐδέν.ὁρμᾶσθαι χρεὼνπάντʼ ἄνδρʼ ὁπλίτην ἁρμάτων τʼ ἐπεμβάτην,μοναμπύκων τε φάλαρα κινεῖσθαι στόμαἀφρῷ καταστάζοντα Καδμείαν χθόνα.χωρήσομαι γὰρ ἑπτὰ πρὸς Κάδμου πύλαςαὐτὸς σίδηρον ὀξὺν ἐν χεροῖν ἔχωναὐτός τε κῆρυξ. σοὶ δὲ προστάσσω μένειν,Ἄδραστε, κἀμοὶ μὴ ἀναμίγνυσθαι τύχαςτὰς σάς. ἐγὼ γὰρ δαίμονος τοὐμοῦ μέταστρατηλατήσω καινὸς ἐν καινῷ δορί.ἓν δεῖ μόνον μοι· τοὺς θεοὺς ἔχειν, ὅσοιδίκην σέβονται· ταῦτα γὰρ ξυνόνθʼ ὁμοῦνίκην δίδωσιν. ἁρετὴ δʼ οὐδὲν λέγειβροτοῖσιν, ἢ μὴ τὸν θεὸν χρῄζοντʼ ἔχῃ.