some indeed justly, and some for the sake of gain, if their father does not love these children for the sake of a new bed.
§89ἴτ’—εὖ γὰρ ἔσται—δωμάτων ἔσω, τέκνα.
Go—for it will be well—inside the house, children.
And you, keep them away as much as possible, and do not let them approach their vexed mother.
§92ἤδη γὰρ εἶδον ὄμμα νιν ταυρουμένην §93τοῖσδ’, ὥς τι δρασείουσαν· οὐδὲ παύσεται §94χόλου, σάφ’ οἶδα, πρὶν κατασκῆψαί τινα. .
For I have already seen her casting a bull-like eye upon them, as if she were about to do something; nor will she cease from her wrath, I know well, before she swoops down on someone...
. §95ἐχθρούς γε μέντοι, μὴ φίλους, δράσειέ τι.
May she, however, do something to enemies, and not to friends.
Oh, wretched am I and miserable in my troubles, ah me, how I wish I could perish!
This is that very thing, dear children; your mother is stirring her heart, and stirring her wrath.
§100σπεύσατε θᾶσσον δώματος εἴσω §101καὶ μὴ πελάσητ’ ὄμματος ἐγγύς, §102μηδὲ προσέλθητ’, ἀλλὰ φυλάσσεσθ’ §103ἄγριον ἦθος στυγεράν τε φύσιν §104φρενὸς αὐθάδους.
Hasten more quickly inside the house and do not come near her eye, nor approach her, but guard against the savage temper and the hateful nature of her self-willed mind.
— §105ἴτε νῦν, χωρεῖθ’ ὡς τάχος εἴσω.
Go now, go inside as quickly as possible.
— §106δῆλον δ’ ἀρχῆς ἐξαιρόμενον §107νέφος οἰμωγῆς ὡς τάχ’ ἀνάψει §108μείζονι θυμῷ· τί ποτ’ ἐργάσεται §109μεγαλόσπλαγχνος δυσκατάπαυστος §110ψυχὴ δηχθεῖσα κακοῖσιν;
It is clear that the cloud of lamentation, rising from its beginning, will soon kindle with greater passion; what indeed will she do, this proud, hard-to-be-appeased soul, bitten by evils?
Alas, I have suffered, wretched one, I have suffered things worthy of great lamentations.
O cursed children, may you perish with your hateful mother along with your father, and may the whole house go to ruin!
§115ἰώ μοί μοι, ἰὼ τλήμων.
Ah me, ah me, wretched one!
But what share have the children in their father's transgression?
τί τούσδ’ ἔχθεις;
Why do you hate them?
οἴμοι, §118τέκνα, μή τι πάθηθ’ ὡς ὑπεραλγῶ.
Alas, children, how I fear lest you suffer something, for I grieve exceedingly.
§119δεινὰ τυράννων λήματα καί πως §120ὀλίγ’ ἀρχόμενοι, πολλὰ κρατοῦντες §121χαλεπῶς ὀργὰς μεταβάλλουσιν.
Terrible are the tempers of rulers, and somehow, being seldom ruled, but ruling in many things, they change their moods with difficulty.
§122τὸ γὰρ εἰθίσθαι ζῆν ἐπ’ ἴσοισιν §123κρεῖσσον· ἐμοὶ γοῦν ἐν μὴ μεγάλοις §124ὀχυρῶς γ’ εἴη καταγηράσκειν.
For to be accustomed to live on equal terms is better; at any rate, may it be mine to grow old securely, not in great circumstances.
§125τῶν γὰρ μετρίων πρῶτα μὲν εἰπεῖν §126τοὔνομα νικᾷ, χρῆσθαί τε μακρῷ §127λῷστα βροτοῖσιν· τὰ δ’ ὑπερβάλλοντ’ §128οὐδένα καιρὸν δύναται θνητοῖς· §129μείζους δ’ ἄτας, ὅταν ὀργισθῇ §130δαίμων οἴκοις, ἀπέδωκεν.
For first of all, to speak the name of moderation wins, and to use it is by far the best for mortals; but excess can bring no timely benefit to mortals; rather, it pays back greater ruin, when the divinity is angered against a house.
I heard the voice, I heard the cry of the wretched Colchian woman, nor is she yet gentle.
ἀλλ’ ὦ γηραιά, §134λέξον· ἐπ’ ἀμφιπύλου γὰρ ἔσω μελάθρου βοὰν §135ἔκλυον· οὐδὲ συνήδομαι, ὦ γύναι, ἄλγεσιν §136δώματος· ἐπεί μοι φίλον κέκρανται.
But, old woman, speak; for from within the double-gated hall I heard the cry; nor do I rejoice, O woman, in the griefs of the house, since it has become dear to me.
§139οὐκ εἰσὶ δόμοι· φροῦδα τάδ’ ἤδη.
The house is no more; these things are already gone.
§140τὸν μὲν γὰρ ἔχει λέκτρα τυράννων, §141ἃ δ’ ἐν θαλάμοις τάκει βιοτὰν §142δέσποινα, φίλων οὐδενὸς οὐδὲν §143παραθαλπομένα φρένα μύθοις.
For the royal marriage-bed holds him, and she, my mistress, in her chamber wastes away her life, in no way comforted in her heart by the words of any of her friends.
§144αἰαῖ·
Alas!
ὦ Ζεῦ καὶ Γᾶ καὶ Φῶς·
O Zeus and Earth and Light!
May the heavenly flame go through my head; for what profit is it for me to live any longer?
§146φεῦ φεῦ·
Ah, ah!
θανάτῳ καταλυσαίμαν §147βιοτὰν στυγερὰν προλιποῦσα.
May I release myself in death, leaving behind a hateful life.
—Did you hear, O Zeus and Earth and Light, what a song of grief the wretched bride sings?
—Why indeed does a desire for that terrible bed of death possess you, O foolish woman?
The end of death will hasten; do not pray for this at all.
—But if your husband honors a new bed, that is his affair; do not be vexed.
§158—Ζεύς σοι τάδε συνδικήσει.
—Zeus will plead your cause in this.
μὴ λίαν §159τάκου δυρομένα σὸν εὐνάταν.
Do not too much waste away, mourning for your bed-partner.
§160ὦ μεγάλα Θέμι καὶ πότνι’ Ἄρτεμι §161λεύσσεθ’ ἃ πάσχω, μεγάλοις ὅρκοις §162ἐνδησαμένα τὸν κατάρατον §163πόσιν;
O great Themis and revered Artemis, do you see what I suffer, though I bound with great oaths my cursed husband?
ὅν ποτ’ ἐγὼ νύμφαν τ’ ἐσίδοιμ’ §164αὐτοῖς μελάθροις διακναιομένους, §165οἷ’ ἐμὲ πρόσθεν τολμῶσ’ ἀδικεῖν.
Whom may I one day see, and his bride, ground to pieces together with their halls, for the wrongs they dare to do to me first.
O father, O city, which I left behind shamefully, having slain my brother!
—Do you hear what she says and how she calls upon Themis of prayers and Zeus, who of oaths is deemed by mortals the steward?
There is no way that my mistress will appease her wrath with any small thing.
—How indeed might she come into our sight, and receive the voice of our spoken words?
§176—εἴ πως βαρύθυμον ὀργὰν §177καὶ λῆμα φρενῶν μεθείη, §178μήτοι τό γ’ ἐμὸν πρόθυμον §179φίλοισιν ἀπέστω.
—If only she would let go of her heavy-hearted anger and the temper of her mind, may my own goodwill indeed never be lacking to my friends.
—But go and bring her hither, out of the house; speak to her also friendly things.
—Hasten, before she does some harm to those within; for this grief of hers rushes on mightily.
I will do this; but there is fear whether I shall persuade my mistress; yet I will give this extra labor as a favor.