§401θυηπολεῖται δʼ ἄστυ μάντεων ὕπο.
The city is performing sacrifices under the direction of the seers.
§403χρησμῶν δʼ ἀοιδοὺς πάντας εἰς ἓν ἁλίσας §404ἤλεγξα καὶ βέβηλα καὶ κεκρυμμένα §405λόγια παλαιά, τῇδε γῇ σωτήρια.
And having gathered all the singers of oracles into one place, I examined both the public and the hidden ancient sayings, which are saviors of this land.
In many other things there is disagreement among the oracles; but one and the same judgment shines clear in all of them.
They order me to sacrifice to Demeter's Daughter a maiden who is of a noble father.
§410ἐγὼ δʼ ἔχω μέν, ὡς ὁρᾷς, προθυμίαν §411τοσήνδʼ ἐς ὑμᾶς· παῖδα δʼ οὔτʼ ἐμὴν κτενῶ §412οὔτʼ ἄλλον ἀστῶν τῶν ἐμῶν ἀναγκάσω §413ἄκονθʼ·
And I have indeed, as you see, such great goodwill toward you; but I will neither kill my own daughter nor compel any other of my citizens against his will.
ἑκὼν δὲ τίς κακῶς οὕτω φρονεῖ, §414ὅστις τὰ φίλτατʼ ἐκ χερῶν δώσει τέκνα;
For who is so foolish of his own free will as to give his dearest children out of his hands?
§415καὶ νῦν πικρὰς ἂν συστάσεις ἂν εἰσίδοις, §416τῶν μὲν λεγόντων ὡς δίκαιον ἦν ξένοις §417ἱκέταις ἀρήγειν, τῶν δὲ μωρίαν ἐμὴν §418κατηγορούντων· εἰ δὲ δὴ δράσω τόδε, §419οἰκεῖος ἤδη πόλεμος ἐξαρτύεται.
And now you might see bitter factions, some saying that it was just to aid the stranger suppliants, and others accusing me of folly; and if indeed I do this thing, a civil war is already being prepared.
§420ταῦτʼ οὖν ὅρα σὺ καὶ συνεξεύρισχʼ ὅπως §421αὐτοί τε σωθήσεσθε καὶ πέδον τόδε, §422κἀγὼ πολίταις μὴ διαβληθήσομαι.
Therefore look to this, and help to find a way how both you yourselves and this land may be saved, and I shall not be slandered among the citizens.
For I do not hold a tyranny like that of the barbarians; but if I do what is just, I shall be treated justly.
[Chorus] But does the god indeed not allow this city, though it is eager, to aid the strangers who need it?
§427ὦ τέκνʼ, ἔοιγμεν ναυτίλοισιν, οἵτινες §428χειμῶνος ἐκφυγόντες ἄγριον μένος §429ἐς χεῖρα γῇ συνῆψαν, εἶτα χερσόθεν §430πνοιαῖσιν ἠλάθησαν ἐς πόντον πάλιν.
[Iolaus] O children, we seem to be like sailors who, having escaped the fierce wrath of a storm, have touched the land with their hand, and then from the shore are driven by blasts back into the deep sea again.
And so we too are being pushed away from this land, though we are already at the shores as if saved.
§433οἴμοι·
Alas!
τί δῆτʼ ἔτερψας ὦ τάλαινά με §434ἐλπὶς τότʼ, οὐ μέλλουσα διατελεῖν χάριν;
Why then did you delight me, O wretched hope, when you did not mean to fulfill your favor to the end?
§435συγγνωστὰ γάρ τοι καὶ τὰ τοῦδʼ, εἰ μὴ θέλει §436κτείνειν πολιτῶν παῖδας· αἰνέσαι δʼ ἔχω §437καὶ τἀνθάδ’·
For indeed his actions are pardonable, if he does not wish to kill the children of the citizens; and I can praise the things here too.
εἰ θεοῖσι δὴ δοκεῖ τάδε §438πράσσειν ἔμʼ, οὔτοι σή γʼ ἀπόλλυται χάρις.
If indeed it pleases the gods that I should suffer these things, your favor is by no means lost.
§439ὦ παῖδες, ὑμῖν δʼ οὐκ ἔχω τί χρήσομαι.
O children, I do not know what I shall do with you.
§440ποῖ τρεψόμεσθα;
Whither shall we turn?
τίς γὰρ ἄστεπτος θεῶν;
For which of the gods has not been decorated with our suppliant wreaths?
§441ποῖον δὲ γαίας ἕρκος οὐκ ἀφίγμεθα;
To what bulwark of the earth have we not come?
§442ὀλούμεθʼ, ὦ τέκνʼ· ἐκδοθησόμεσθα δή.
We shall perish, O children; we shall indeed be surrendered.
§443κἀμοῦ μὲν οὐδὲν εἴ με χρὴ θανεῖν μέλει, §444πλὴν εἴ τι τέρψω τοὺς ἐμοὺς ἐχθροὺς θανών· §445ὑμᾶς δὲ κλαίω καὶ κατοικτίρω, τέκνα, §446καὶ τὴν γεραιὰν μητέρʼ Ἀλκμήνην πατρός.
And as for me, if I must die, it matters nothing to me, except if by dying I shall bring some pleasure to my enemies; but for you I weep and feel pity, children, and for the aged mother of your father, Alcmene.
O wretched because of your long life, and miserable too am I, having toiled so much in vain.
It was indeed destined for us to fall into the hands of a hostile man and to leave life disgracefully and miserably.
§451ἀλλʼ οἶσθ’ ὅ μοι σύμπραξον;
But do you know what you can do for me?
οὐχ ἅπασα γὰρ §452πέφευγεν ἐλπὶς τῶνδέ μοι σωτηρίας· §453ἔμʼ ἔκδος Ἀργείοισιν ἀντὶ τῶνδʼ, ἄναξ, §454καὶ μήτε κινδύνευε, σωθήτω τέ μοι §455τέκνʼ· οὐ φιλεῖν δεῖ τὴν ἐμὴν ψυχήν· ἴτω.
For not all hope of salvation for these children has vanished; hand me over to the Argives in their stead, O king, and do not run risks, and let the children be saved for me; there is no need to love my life; let it go.
§456μάλιστα δʼ Εὐρυσθεύς με βούλοιτʼ ἂν λαβὼν §457τὸν Ἡράκλειον σύμμαχον καθυβρίσαι· §458σκαιὸς γὰρ ἁνήρ.
And especially Eurystheus would wish to take me, the ally of Heracles, and insult me; for the man is foolish.
τοῖς σοφοῖς δʼ εὐκτὸν σοφῷ §459ἔχθραν συνάπτειν, μὴ ἀμαθεῖ φρονήματι· §460πολλῆς γὰρ αἰδοῦς καὶ δίκης τις ἂν τύχοι.
For the wise it is desirable to join enmity with a wise man, not with an ignorant mind; for one would obtain much respect and justice.
§461ὦ πρέσβυ, μή νυν τήνδʼ ἐπαιτιῶ πόλιν· §462τάχʼ ἂν γὰρ ἡμῖν ψευδὲς ἀλλʼ ὅμως κακὸν §463γένοιτʼ ὄνειδος ὡς ξένους προυδώκαμεν.
[Chorus] O elder, do not now accuse this city; for perhaps a false but nevertheless shameful reproach might come upon us, that we betrayed our guests.
§464γενναῖα μὲν τάδʼ εἶπας, ἀλλʼ ἀμήχανα.
[Demophon] You have spoken noble words indeed, but they are impossible.
The king does not lead his army here in want of you; for what advantage is there to Eurystheus in an old man dying?
ἀλλὰ τούσδε βούλεται κτανεῖν.
Rather, he wants to kill these children.
§468δεινὸν γὰρ ἐχθροῖς βλαστάνοντες εὐγενεῖς, §469νεανίαι τε καὶ πατρὸς μεμνημένοι §470λύμας· ἃ κεῖνον πάντα προσκοπεῖν χρεών.
For it is a terrible thing for enemies when noble youths grow up, remembering the mistreatment of their father; all of which he must look out for.
§471ἀλλʼ, εἴ τινʼ ἄλλην οἶσθα καιριωτέραν §472βουλήν, ἑτοίμαζʼ, ὡς ἔγωγʼ ἀμήχανος §473χρησμῶν ἀκούσας εἰμὶ καὶ φόβου πλέως.
But, if you know any other more seasonable counsel, make it ready, since I am helpless having heard the oracles and am full of fear.
§474ξένοι, θράσος μοι μηδὲν ἐξόδοις ἐμαῖς §475προσθῆτε· πρῶτον γὰρ τόδʼ ἐξαιτήσομαι· §476γυναικὶ γὰρ σιγή τε καὶ τὸ σωφρονεῖν §477κάλλιστον, εἴσω θʼ ἥσυχον μένειν δόμων.
[Macaria] Strangers, do not attribute any boldness to me because of my coming out; for first of all I shall entreat this: for a woman, silence and self-restraint are the most beautiful things, and to remain quietly within the house.