§613ξένοις τε πέμπειν σύμβολ’, οἳ δράσουσί σ’ εὖ.
and to send tokens of introduction to guest-friends, who will treat you well.
And if you do not wish for these things, woman, you will be foolish; but if you cease from your anger, you will gain better things.
§616οὔτ’ ἂν ξένοισι τοῖσι σοῖς χρησαίμεθ’ ἄν, §617οὔτ’ ἄν τι δεξαίμεσθα, μηδ’ ἡμῖν δίδου· §618κακοῦ γὰρ ἀνδρὸς δῶρ’ ὄνησιν οὐκ ἔχει.
Neither would we make use of your guest-friends, nor would we receive anything, and do not give to us; for the gifts of a bad man have no benefit.
§619ἀλλ’ οὖν ἐγὼ μὲν δαίμονας μαρτύρομαι, §620ὡς πάνθ’ ὑπουργεῖν σοί τε καὶ τέκνοις θέλω· §621σοὶ δ’ οὐκ ἀρέσκει τἀγάθ’, ἀλλ’ αὐθαδίᾳ §622φίλους ἀπωθῇ· τοιγὰρ ἀλγυνῇ πλέον.
But at any rate, I call the gods to witness that I wish to assist you and the children in everything; but good things do not please you, rather in self-will you push away your friends; therefore you will suffer more.
Go; for with desire for your newly-wed maiden you are seized while lingering outside the house.
Get married; for perhaps—and with God's help it shall be said— you will contract such a marriage that you would deny it.
§627ἔρωτες ὑπὲρ μὲν ἄγαν §628ἐλθόντες οὐκ εὐδοξίαν §629οὐδ’ ἀρετὰν παρέδωκαν §630ἀνδράσιν· εἰ δ’ ἅλις ἔλθοι §631Κύπρις, οὐκ ἄλλα θεὸς εὔχαρις οὕτως.
Loves coming with too great force do not hand down reputation or virtue to men; but if Cypris should come in moderation, no other goddess is so gracious.
Never, O mistress, may you shoot at me from your golden bow an inescapable arrow smeared with desire.
§635στέργοι δέ με σωφροσύνα, §636δώρημα κάλλιστον θεῶν· §637μηδέ ποτ’ ἀμφιλόγους ὀργὰς §638ἀκόρεστά τε νείκη §639θυμὸν ἐκπλήξασ’ ἑτέροις ἐπὶ λέκτροις §640προσβάλοι δεινὰ Κύπρις, ἀπτολέμους δ’ εὐνὰς σεβίζουσ’ §641ὀξύφρων κρίνοι λέχη γυναικῶν.
May self-control cherish me, the fairest gift of the gods; and never may dread Cypris, having smitten my heart with passion for another's bed, cast upon me contentious angers and insatiable quarrels, but, honoring peaceful beds, may she judge the marriages of women with a sharp mind.
§643ὦ πατρίς, ὦ δώματα, μὴ §644δῆτ’ ἄπολις γενοίμαν §645τὸν ἀμηχανίας ἔχουσα §646δυσπέρατον αἰῶν’, §647οἰκτροτάτων ἀχέων.
O fatherland, O home, may I not indeed become cityless, holding a life of helplessness, hard to pass through, of most pitiable sorrows.
§648θανάτῳ θανάτῳ πάρος δαμείην §649ἁμέραν τάνδ’ ἐξανύσασα· μό- §650χθων δ’ οὐκ ἄλλος ὕπερθεν ἢ §651γᾶς πατρίας στέρεσθαι.
Before that, may I be subdued by death, by death, having finished this day; for there is no other affliction greater than to be deprived of one's fatherland.
§652εἴδομεν, οὐκ ἐξ ἑτέρων §653μῦθον ἔχω φράσασθαι· §655σὲ γὰρ οὐ πόλις, οὐ φίλων τις §656ᾤκτισεν παθοῦσαν §657δεινότατον παθέων.
We have seen it, not from others do I have a story to tell; for neither city nor any of your friends pitied you when you suffered the most terrible of sufferings.
§658ἀχάριστος ὄλοιθ’, ὅτῳ πάρεστιν §660μὴ φίλους τιμᾶν καθαρᾶν ἀνοί- §661ξαντα κλῇδα φρενῶν· ἐμοὶ §662μὲν φίλος οὔποτ’ ἔσται.
May he perish ungrateful, whoever is not ready to honor friends, opening the pure key of his mind; to me at least he shall never be a friend.
§663Μήδεια, χαῖρε·
Medea, hail!
τοῦδε γὰρ προοίμιον §664κάλλιον οὐδεὶς οἶδε προσφωνεῖν φίλους.
For no one knows how to address friends with a fairer prelude than this.
πόθεν γῆς τῆσδ’ ἐπιστρωφᾷ πέδον;
From where do you visit the plain of this land?
§667Φοίβου παλαιὸν ἐκλιπὼν χρηστήριον.
Leaving the ancient oracle of Phoebus.
§668τί δ’ ὀμφαλὸν γῆς θεσπιῳδὸν ἐστάλης;
And why were you sent to the prophetic navel of the earth?
§669παίδων ἐρευνῶν σπέρμ’ ὅπως γένοιτό μοι.
Inquiring how the seed of children might be born to me.
§670πρὸς θεῶν—ἄπαις γὰρ δεῦρ’ ἀεὶ τείνεις βίον;
By the gods—have you indeed been stretching out a childless life until now?
§671ἄπαιδές ἐσμεν δαίμονός τινος τύχῃ.
We are childless by the fortune of some deity.
§672δάμαρτος οὔσης, ἢ λέχους ἄπειρος ὤν;
Though you have a wife, or being inexperienced of the marriage bed?
§673οὐκ ἐσμὲν εὐνῆς ἄζυγες γαμηλίου.
We are not unyoked to the marriage bed.
§674τί δῆτα Φοῖβος εἶπέ σοι παίδων πέρι;
What then did Phoebus say to you concerning children?
§675σοφώτερ’ ἢ κατ’ ἄνδρα συμβαλεῖν ἔπη.
Words too wise for a man to understand.
§676θέμις μὲν ἡμᾶς χρησμὸν εἰδέναι θεοῦ;
Is it lawful for us to know the oracle of the god?
§677μάλιστ’, ἐπεί τοι καὶ σοφῆς δεῖται φρενός.
Indeed, since it also requires a wise mind.
§678τί δῆτ’ ἔχρησε;
What then did he declare?
λέξον, εἰ θέμις κλύειν.
Speak, if it is lawful to hear.
'Not to loosen the projecting foot of the wineskin'— Before you do what, or reach what land?
§681πρὶν ἂν πατρῴαν αὖθις ἑστίαν μόλω.
Before I return again to my father's hearth.
§682σὺ δ’ ὡς τί χρῄζων τήνδε ναυστολεῖς χθόνα;
And you, seeking what, are sailing to this land?
§683Πιτθεύς τις ἔστι, γῆς ἄναξ Tροζηνίας. . . .
There is a certain Pittheus, king of the Troezenian land...
§684παῖς, ὡς λέγουσι, Πέλοπος, εὐσεβέστατος.
son, as they say, of Pelops, a most pious man.
§685τούτῳ θεοῦ μάντευμα κοινῶσαι θέλω.
To him I wish to communicate the oracle of the god.
§686σοφὸς γὰρ ἁνὴρ καὶ τρίβων τὰ τοιάδε.
For the man is wise and experienced in such matters.
§687κἀμοί γε πάντων φίλτατος δορυξένων.
And indeed to me the dearest of all guest-friends.
§688ἀλλ’ εὐτυχοίης καὶ τύχοις ὅσων ἐρᾷς.
But may you be fortunate and obtain all that you desire.
§689τί γὰρ σὸν ὄμμα χρώς τε συντέτηχ’ ὅδε;
But why is your eye and this skin of yours wasted away?
§690Αἰγεῦ, κάκιστός ἐστί μοι πάντων πόσις.
Aegeus, my husband is the basest of all men to me.
§691τί φῄς;
What do you say?
σαφῶς μοι σὰς φράσον δυσθυμίας.
Clearly explain to me your despondency.
§692ἀδικεῖ μ’ Ἰάσων οὐδὲν ἐξ ἐμοῦ παθών.
Jason wrongs me, having suffered nothing from me.
§693τί χρῆμα δράσας;
Having done what deed?
φράζε μοι σαφέστερον.
Tell me more clearly.
§694γυναῖκ’ ἐφ’ ἡμῖν δεσπότιν δόμων ἔχει.
He has another woman as mistress of the house over us.
§695οὔ που τετόλμηκ’ ἔργον αἴσχιστον τόδε;
Surely he has not dared this most shameful deed?
§696σάφ’ ἴσθ’· ἄτιμοι δ’ ἐσμὲν οἱ πρὸ τοῦ φίλοι.
Know it well; and we, who before were loved ones, are dishonored.
§697πότερον ἐρασθεὶς ἢ σὸν ἐχθαίρων λέχος;
Was it because he fell in love, or hating your bed?
§698μέγαν γ’ ἔρωτα πιστὸς οὐκ ἔφυ φίλοις.
A great love, indeed! He was not born faithful to his loved ones.
§699ἴτω νυν, εἴπερ, ὡς λέγεις, ἐστὶν κακός.
Let him go then, if indeed, as you say, he is base.
§700ἀνδρῶν τυράννων κῆδος ἠράσθη λαβεῖν.
He fell in love with gaining alliance with royal rulers.
§701δίδωσι δ’ αὐτῷ τίς;
And who gives it to him?
πέραινέ μοι λόγον.
Finish the story for me.
§702Κρέων, ὃς ἄρχει τῆσδε γῆς Κορινθίας.
Creon, who rules this Corinthian land.
§703συγγνωστὰ μέν τἄρ’ ἦν σε λυπεῖσθαι, γύναι.
It was indeed pardonable for you to grieve, woman.
§704ὄλωλα· καὶ πρός γ’ ἐξελαύνομαι χθονός.
I am ruined; and besides, I am driven out of the land.
§705πρὸς τοῦ;
By whom?
τόδ’ ἄλλο καινὸν αὖ λέγεις κακόν.
This is another new evil you speak of.
§706Κρέων μ’ ἐλαύνει φυγάδα γῆς Κορινθίας.
Creon drives me out as an exile from the Corinthian land.
§707ἐᾷ δ’ Ἰάσων;
And does Jason allow it?
οὐδὲ ταῦτ’ ἐπῄνεσα.
I do not approve of this either. He says he does not, but he wants to endure it.