Chrysothemis's Refusal and the Sisters' Rift — Sophocles, Electra, lines 990–1077, Greek & English

990

ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις ἐστὶν ἡ προμηθία

Chorus Leader: In such matters, foresight is

καὶ τῷ λέγοντι καὶ κλύοντι σύμμαχος.

an ally both to the speaker and to the listener.

καὶ πρίν γε φωνεῖν, ὦ γυναῖκες, εἰ φρενῶν

Chrysothemis: And indeed, before speaking, women, if she had

ἐτύγχανʼ αὕτη μὴ κακῶν,¹ ἐσῴζετʼ ἂν

happened to possess a sound mind, not a bad one, she would have preserved

τὴν εὐλάβειαν, ὥσπερ οὐχὶ σῴζεται.

her caution, just as she does not preserve it now.

995

ποῖ γάρ ποτʼ ἐμβλέψασα τοιοῦτον θράσος

For to what indeed looking do you arm yourself with such boldness

αὐτή θʼ ὁπλίζει κἄμʼ ὑπηρετεῖν καλεῖς;

and call on me to serve you?

οὐκ εἰσορᾷς; γυνὴ μὲν οὐδʼ ἀνὴρ ἔφυς,

Do you not see? You were born a woman, not a man,

σθένεις δʼ ἔλασσον τῶν ἐναντίων χερί.

and you have less strength in your hand than your opponents.

δαίμων δὲ τοῖς μὲν εὐτυχεῖ καθʼ ἡμέραν,

And fortune favors them day by day,

1000

ἡμῖν δʼ ἀπορρεῖ κἀπὶ μηδὲν ἔρχεται.

but for us it flows away and comes to nothing.

τίς οὖν τοιοῦτον ἄνδρα βουλεύων ἑλεῖν

Who then, plotting to slay such a man,

ἄλυπος ἄτης ἐξαπαλλαχθήσεται;

will escape without suffering from ruin?

ὅρα κακῶς πράσσοντε μὴ μείζω κακὰ

See to it lest, faring already badly, we gain greater evils,

κτησώμεθʼ, εἴ τις τούσδʼ ἀκούσεται λόγους.

if someone shall hear these words.

1005

λύει γὰρ ἡμῖν οὐδὲν² οὐδʼ ἐπωφελεῖ

For it releases us from nothing and profits us nothing

βάξιν καλὴν λαβόντε δυσκλεῶς θανεῖν.

to die infamously, even if we obtain good fame.

οὐ γὰρ θανεῖν ἔχθιστον, ἀλλʼ ὅταν θανεῖν

For to die is not the most hateful thing, but when to die

χρῄζων τις εἶτα μηδὲ τοῦτʼ ἔχῃ λαβεῖν.

one wishes, and then cannot even obtain this.

ἀλλʼ ἀντιάζω, πρὶν πανωλέθρους τὸ πᾶν

But I beseech you, before we utterly perish in ruin

1010

ἡμᾶς τʼ ὀλέσθαι κἀξερημῶσαι γένος,

and lay waste our race,

κατάσχες ὀργήν. καὶ τὰ μὲν λελεγμένα

restrain your anger. And what has been said,

ἄρρητʼ ἐγώ σοι κἀτελῆ φυλάξομαι,

as unspoken and unaccomplished, I will guard for you,

αὐτὴ δὲ νοῦν σχὲς ἀλλὰ τῷ χρόνῳ ποτέ,

and do you at least in time yield your mind,

σθένουσα μηδὲν τοῖς κρατοῦσιν εἰκαθεῖν.

since you have no strength, to submit to those who rule.

1015

πείθου· προνοίας οὐδὲν ἀνθρώποις ἔφυ

Obey; for there is no gain for humans better to obtain

κέρδος λαβεῖν ἄμεινον οὐδὲ νοῦ σοφοῦ.

than foresight and a wise mind.

ἀπροσδόκητον οὐδὲν εἴρηκας· καλῶς δʼ

Electra: You have said nothing unexpected; I knew well

ᾔδη σʼ ἀπορρίψουσαν ἁπηγγελλόμην.

that you would reject my proposal.

ἀλλʼ αὐτόχειρί μοι μόνῃ τε δραστέον

But this deed must be done by my own hand and alone;

1020

τοὔργον τόδʼ· οὐ γὰρ δὴ κενόν γʼ ἀφήσομεν.

for we will certainly not leave it unaccomplished.

φεῦ·

Chrysothemis: Alas!

εἴθʼ ὤφελες³ τοιάδε τὴν γνώμην πατρὸς

Would that you had been of such a mind when our father

θνῄσκοντος εἶναι· πᾶν γὰρ ἂν κατειργάσω.

was dying; for you would have accomplished everything.

ἀλλʼ ἦ φύσιν γε, τὸν δὲ νοῦν ἥσσων τότε.

Electra: But my nature indeed was such, though my mind was weaker then.

ἄσκει τοιαύτη νοῦν διʼ αἰῶνος μένειν.

Chrysothemis: Practice keeping such a mind through all your life.

1025

ὡς οὐχὶ συνδράσουσα νουθετεῖς τάδε.

Electra: You advise these things as one who will not join in the deed.

εἰκὸς γὰρ ἐγχειροῦντα καὶ πράσσειν κακῶς.

Chrysothemis: For it is likely that one who attempts also fares badly.

ζηλῶ σε τοῦ νοῦ, τῆς δὲ δειλίας στυγῶ.

Electra: I envy you for your mind, but I hate you for your cowardice.

ἀνέξομαι κλύουσα χὤταν εὖ λέγῃς.

Chrysothemis: I shall endure listening to you even when you speak well of me.

ἀλλʼ οὔ ποτʼ ἐξ ἐμοῦ γε μὴ πάθῃς τόδε.

Electra: But you will certainly never suffer this from me.

1030

μακρὸς τὸ κρῖναι ταῦτα χὠ λοιπὸς χρόνος.

Chrysothemis: The remaining time is long indeed to judge this.

ἄπελθε· σοὶ γὰρ ὠφέλησις οὐκ ἔνι.

Electra: Depart; for there is no help in you.

ἔνεστιν· ἀλλὰ σοὶ μάθησις οὐ πάρα.

Chrysothemis: There is; but there is no learning in you.

ἐλθοῦσα μητρὶ ταῦτα πάντʼ ἔξειπε σῇ.

Go and tell all this to your mother.

οὐδʼ αὖ τοσοῦτον ἔχθος ἐχθαίρω σʼ ἐγώ.

Nor indeed do I hate you with such a hatred.

1035

ἀλλʼ οὖν ἐπίστω γʼ οἷ μʼ ἀτιμίας ἄγεις.

But understand at least to what dishonor you are leading me.

ἀτιμίας μὲν οὔ, προμηθίας δὲ σοῦ.

Not dishonor indeed, but foresight for you.

τῷ σῷ δικαίῳ δῆτʼ ἐπισπέσθαι με δεῖ;

Must I then follow your idea of justice?

ὅταν γὰρ εὖ φρονῇς, τόθʼ ἡγήσει σὺ νῷν.

For when you are wise, then you will lead us both.

ἦ δεινὸν εὖ λέγουσαν ἐξαμαρτάνειν.

It is indeed a terrible thing to speak well and yet to err.

1040

εἴρηκας ὀρθῶς ᾧ σὺ πρόσκεισαι κακῷ.

You have rightly spoken of the evil to which you are bound.

τί δʼ; οὐ δοκῶ σοι ταῦτα σὺν δίκῃ λέγειν;

What? Do I not seem to you to speak with justice?

ἀλλʼ ἔστιν ἔνθα χἠ δίκη βλάβην φέρει.

But there is a time when even justice brings harm.

τούτοις ἐγὼ ζῆν τοῖς νόμοις οὐ βούλομαι.

I do not wish to live by such laws.

ἀλλʼ εἰ ποήσεις ταῦτʼ, ἐπαινέσεις ἐμέ.

But if you do these things, you will praise me.

1045

καὶ μὴν ποήσω γʼ οὐδὲν ἐκπλαγεῖσά σε.

And indeed I will do them, not at all terrified by you.

καὶ τοῦτʼ ἀληθές, οὐδὲ βουλεύσει πάλιν;

Is this also true, and you will not deliberate again?

βουλῆς γὰρ οὐδέν ἐστιν ἔχθιον κακῆς.

For nothing is more hateful than bad deliberation.

φρονεῖν ἔοικας οὐδὲν ὧν ἐγὼ λέγω.

You seem to understand nothing of what I say.

πάλαι δέδοκται ταῦτα κοὐ νεωστί μοι.

This has been resolved by me long ago, and not recently.

1050

ἄπειμι τοίνυν· οὔτε γὰρ σὺ τἄμʼ ἔπη

I shall go then; for neither do you dare to praise

τολμᾷς ἐπαινεῖν οὔτʼ ἐγὼ τοὺς σοὺς τρόπους.

my words, nor do I your ways.

ἀλλʼ εἴσιθʼ. οὔ σοι μὴ μεθέψομαί ποτε,⁴

Go inside then; I will never follow you,

οὐδʼ ἢν σφόδρʼ ἱμείρουσα τυγχάνῃς· ἐπεὶ

not even if you happen to desire it extremely; since

πολλῆς ἀνοίας καὶ τὸ θηρᾶσθαι κενά.

it is a great folly to hunt for empty things.

1055

ἀλλʼ εἰ σεαυτῇ τυγχάνεις δοκοῦσά τι

But if you happen to think yourself wise in some way,

φρονεῖν, φρόνει τοιαῦθʼ. ὅταν γὰρ ἐν κακοῖς

think so. For when you are already established

ἤδη βεβήκῃς, τἄμʼ ἐπαινέσεις ἔπη.

in evils, then you will praise my words.

1060

τί τοὺς ἄνωθεν φρονιμωτάτους οἰωνοὺς ἐσορώμενοι τροφᾶς

Chorus: Why, seeing the most wise birds above,

κηδομένους⁵ ἀφʼ ὧν τε βλάστωσιν ἀφʼ ὧν τʼ ὄνασιν εὕρ-

caring for the nourishment of those from whom they were born and from whom they found benefit,

ωσι, τάδʼ οὐκ ἐπʼ ἴσας τελοῦμεν;

do we not fulfill these things on equal terms?

ἀλλʼ οὐ τὰν Διὸς ἀστραπὰν

But, by the lightning of Zeus,

καὶ τὰν οὐρανίαν Θέμιν,

and by heavenly Themis,

1065

δαρὸν οὐκ ἀπόνητοι.

not for long are they free from pain.

ὦ χθονία βροτοῖσι φάμα, κατά μοι βόασον οἰκτρὰν

O earthly Rumor for mortals, cry down for me a pitiful

ὄπα τοῖς ἔνερθʼ Ἀτρείδαις, ἀχόρευτα φέρουσʼ

voice to the Atreidae below, bringing to them danceless

ὀνείδη·

reproaches;

1070

ὅτι σφὶν ἤδη τὰ μὲν ἐκ δόμων νοσεῖ δή, τὰ δὲ πρὸς τέκνων διπλῆ

that their house indeed already sickens, and between the children a double

φύλοπις οὐκέτʼ ἐξισοῦται φιλοτασίῳ διαί-

strife no longer makes equal their friendly life;

τᾳ· πρόδοτος δὲ μόνα σαλεύει

and Electra, betrayed, alone is tossed in tempest,

1075

Ἠλέκτρα, τὸν ἀεὶ πατρὸς

wretchedly mourning for her father

δειλαία στενάχουσʼ, ὅπως

always, like

ἁ πάνδυρτος ἀηδών,

the all-lamenting nightingale,

Syntax notes5 items

992εἰ φρενῶν ἐτύγχανʼ αὕτη μὴ κακῶν
A conditional clause (εἰ + past indicative) used with the apodosis ἐσῴζετʼ ἂν to express a counterfactual condition in the present. The genitive phrase φρενῶν μὴ κακῶν depends on the verb τυγχάνω, which governs the genitive case.
1005λύει γὰρ ἡμῖν οὐδὲν
The verb λύει is used intransitively or impersonally in the sense of "to profit, bring resolution"; with οὐδέν, it means "it brings no profit/release to us," emphasizing the futility of an honorable but ruinous death.
1021aεἴθʼ ὤφελες
A formulaic expression of an unattainable or unfulfilled wish in the past, consisting of εἴθε with ὤφελον (aorist of ὀφείλω) and an infinitive.
1052οὔ σοι μὴ μεθέψομαί ποτε
The double negative (οὐ μή) followed by the future indicative (μεθέψομαι), expressing a highly emphatic denial or determination about the future ("I shall never indeed follow you").
1060τροφᾶς κηδομένους
The participle κηδομένους (present middle/passive participle of κήδομαι, "to care for") governs the genitive case of concern, τροφᾶς ("nourishment" or "rearing"), as its object.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0011.tlg005.humanitext-grc2:990-1077