[Macaria] And follow, old man; for I wish to die in your hands.
πέπλοις δὲ σῶμʼ ἐμὸν κρύψον παρών· §562ἐπεὶ σφαγῆς γε πρὸς τὸ δεινὸν εἶμʼ ἐγώ, §563εἴπερ πέφυκα πατρὸς οὗπερ εὔχομαι.
And be present to cover my body with robes; since indeed I am going to the dread thing of sacrifice, if indeed I am born of the father of whom I boast.
§564οὐκ ἂν δυναίμην σῷ παρεστάναι μόρῳ.
[Iolaus] I could not stand by your fate.
[Macaria] But do you at least ask this, that I may breathe out my life not in the hands of men, but of women.
§567ἔσται τάδʼ, ὦ τάλαινα παρθένων, ἐπεὶ §568κἀμοὶ τόδʼ αἰσχρόν, μή σε κοσμεῖσθαι καλῶς, §569πολλῶν ἕκατι, τῆς τε σῆς εὐψυχίας §570καὶ τοῦ δικαίου· τλημονεστάτην δὲ σὲ §571πασῶν γυναικῶν εἶδον ὀφθαλμοῖς ἐγώ.
[Iolaus] This shall be, O most wretched of maidens, since it is shameful for me too that you should not be beautifully adorned, for many reasons, both for your courage and for what is just; and I have seen you with my own eyes as the most long-suffering of all women.
But, if you wish at all, go after addressing these and the old man with your last words.
§574ὦ χαῖρε, πρέσβυ, χαῖρε καὶ δίδασκέ μοι §575τοιούσδε τούσδε παῖδας, ἐς τὸ πᾶν σοφούς, §576ὥσπερ σύ, μηδὲν μᾶλλον·
[Macaria] O farewell, old man, farewell, and teach for me these, these children, to be wise in all things, just as you are, and no more; for they will suffice.
ἀρκέσουσι γάρ. §577πειρῶ δὲ σῶσαι μὴ θανεῖν, πρόθυμος ὤν· §578σοὶ παῖδές ἐσμεν, σαῖν χεροῖν τεθράμμεθα.
And try to save them from dying, being eager; we are your children, we have been reared by your hands.
And you see me too, giving my marriageable age to die in place of these.
§581ὑμεῖς τʼ, ἀδελφῶν ἡ παροῦσʼ ὁμιλία, §582εὐδαιμονοῖτε, καὶ γένοιθʼ ὑμῖν ὅσων §583ἡμὴ πάροιθε καρδία σφαγήσεται.
And you, the present company of brothers, may you be happy, and may there be to you all those things for which my heart will be sacrificed beforehand.
§584καὶ τὸν γέροντα τήν τʼ ἔσω γραῖαν δόμων §585τιμᾶτε πατρὸς μητέρʼ Ἀλκμήνην ἐμοῦ §586ξένους τε τούσδε.
And honor the old man and the old woman inside the house, Alcmene, my father's mother, and these strangers.
κἂν ἀπαλλαγὴ πόνων §587καὶ νόστος ὑμῖν εὑρεθῇ ποτʼ ἐκ θεῶν, §588μέμνησθε τὴν σώτειραν ὡς θάψαι χρεών.
And if a release from troubles and a return home should ever be found for you from the gods, remember that you must bury your savior.
Indeed, it is most beautifully just; for I did not stand by you in a lacking way, but died beforehand for our race.
§591τάδʼ ἀντὶ παίδων ἐστί μοι κειμήλια §592καὶ παρθενείας, εἴ τι δὴ κάτω χθονός· §593εἴη γε μέντοι μηδέν.
These are my treasures in place of children and virginity, if indeed there is anything below the earth; but indeed may there be nothing.
εἰ γὰρ ἕξομεν §594κἀκεῖ μερίμνας οἱ θανούμενοι βροτῶν, §595οὐκ οἶδ’ ὅποι τις τρέψεται· τὸ γὰρ θανεῖν §596κακῶν μέγιστον φάρμακον νομίζεται.
For if we, the dead among mortals, are to have cares even there, I do not know where one will turn; for dying is considered the greatest medicine for evils.
§597ἀλλʼ, ὦ μέγιστον ἐκπρέπουσʼ εὐψυχίᾳ §598πασῶν γυναικῶν, ἴσθι, τιμιωτάτη §599καὶ ζῶσʼ ὑφʼ ἡμῶν καὶ θανοῦσʼ ἔσῃ πολύ· §600καὶ χαῖρε·
[Chorus] But, O most outstanding in courage of all women, know that you will be most honored by us both living and dead; and farewell.
δυσφημεῖν γὰρ ἅζομαι θεάν, §601ᾗ σὸν κατῆρκται σῶμα, Δήμητρος κόρην.
For I shrink from speaking ill-omened words of the goddess to whom your body has been consecrated, Demeter's Daughter.
[Iolaus] O children, we are undone; my limbs are loosed with grief.
λάβεσθε κεἰς ἕδραν μʼ ἐρείσατε §604αὐτοῦ πέπλοισι τοῖσδε κρύψαντες, τέκνα.
Support me, children, and prop me up into a seat, covering me here with these robes.
§605ὡς οὔτε τούτοις ἥδόμαι πεπραγμένοις, §606χρησμοῦ τε μὴ κρανθέντος οὐ βιώσιμον· §607μείζων γὰρ ἄτη· συμφορὰ δὲ καὶ τάδε.
For I am neither pleased with these things that have been done, and if the oracle is not fulfilled, life is not worth living; for there is a greater ruin, though these things too are a calamity.
§608οὔτινά φημι θεῶν ἄτερ ὄλβιον, οὐ βαρύποτμον, §609ἄνδρα γενέσθαι· §610οὐδὲ τὸν αὐτὸν ἀεὶ βεβάναι δόμον §611εὐτυχίᾳ·
[Chorus] I say that no man becomes prosperous or heavy-fated without the gods; nor does the same house always walk in good fortune; but one fate after another pursues them.
παρὰ δʼ ἄλλαν ἄλλα §612μοῖρα διώκει. §613τὸν μὲν ἀφʼ ὑψηλῶν βραχὺν ᾤκισε, §614τὸν δʼ ἀλέταν εὐδαίμονα τεύχει.
One indeed it settles low from high places, and another, a wanderer, it makes happy.
§615μόρσιμα δʼ οὔτι φυγεῖν θέμις, οὐ σοφί- §616ᾳ τις ἀπώσεται, ἀλλὰ μάταν ὁ πρό- §617θυμος ἀεὶ πόνον ἕξει.
But it is not permitted to flee what is fated, nor will anyone thrust it away by wisdom, but in vain the eager man will always have labor.
§618ἀλλὰ σὺ μὴ προπίτνων τὰ θεῶν φέρε, μηδʼ ὑπεράλγει §620φροντίδα λύπᾳ· §621εὐδόκιμον γὰρ ἔχει θανάτου μέρος §622ἁ μελέα πρό τʼ ἀδελφῶν καὶ γᾶς·
But do not fall down, but bear what comes from the gods, nor over-grieve your mind with sorrow; for the unhappy maiden has a famous portion of death on behalf of her brothers and her land.
Nor will an inglorious reputation receive her from men; for virtue goes through labors.
§626ἄξια μὲν πατρός, ἄξια δʼ εὐγενί- §627ας τάδε γίγνεται· εἰ δὲ σέβεις θανά- §628τους ἀγαθῶν, μετέχω σοι.
These things are worthy of her father, and worthy of her noble birth; and if you respect the deaths of the good, I share with you.
§630ὦ τέκνα, χαίρετʼ·
[Servant] O children, farewell.
Ἰόλεως δὲ ποῦ γέρων;
But where is the old man Iolaus?
§631μήτηρ τε πατρὸς τῆσδʼ ἕδρας ἀποστατεῖ;
And is the mother of your father absent from this seat?
§632πάρεσμεν, οἵα δή γʼ ἐμοῦ παρουσία.
[Iolaus] We are present, such indeed as my presence is.
§633τί χρῆμα κεῖσαι καὶ κατηφὲς ὄμμʼ ἔχεις;
[Servant] Why do you lie down, and have a downcast eye?
§634φροντίς τις ἦλθʼ οἰκεῖος, ᾗ συνειχόμην.
[Iolaus] A certain domestic care came, by which I was held.
§635ἔπαιρέ νυν σεαυτόν, ὄρθωσον κάρα.
[Servant] Raise yourself up now, lift up your head.
§636γέροντές ἐσμεν κοὐδαμῶς ἐρρώμεθα.
[Iolaus] We are old men and in no way strong.
§637ἥκω γε μέντοι χάρμα σοι φέρων μέγα.
[Servant] Yet indeed I have come bringing a great joy to you.
§638τίς δʼ εἶ σύ;
[Iolaus] And who are you?
ποῦ σοι συντυχὼν ἀμνημονῶ;
Where having met you do I forget?
§639Ὕλλου πενέστης· οὔ με γιγνώσκεις ὁρῶν;
[Servant] A serf of Hyllus; do you not recognize me when you see me?
§640ὦ φίλταθʼ, ἥκεις ἆρα σωτὴρ νῷν βλάβης;
[Iolaus] O dearest one, have you come indeed as a savior for us from harm?
§641μάλιστα· καὶ πρός γʼ εὐτυχεῖς τὰ νῦν τάδε.
[Servant] Indeed so; and moreover, these things are fortunate for now.
§642ὦ μῆτερ ἐσθλοῦ παιδός, Ἀλκμήνην λέγω,
O mother of a noble son, Alcmene I mean,