§684τρόφιμος ἐξέβα; γυναικῶν τίνος;
(Chorus) Has he come forth as a foster child? From which of women?
§685οὐ γάρ με σαίνει θέσφατα μή τινʼ ἔχῃ δόλον.
For the oracle does not entice me, lest it contain some trick.
I dread the misfortune, at what it will eventually arrive.
§690ἄτοπος ἄτοπα γὰρ δίδωσί μοι, §691τὸ δʼ ἔτʼ εὔφημʼ ἔχει, §692δόλον τύχαν θʼ, ὁ παῖς §693ἄλλων τραφεὶς ἐξ αἱμάτων.
For a strange man gives me strange things, and it still holds an auspicious guise, the trick and fortune, this boy reared from other blood.
§694τίς οὐ τάδε ξυνοίσεται;
Who will not agree to this?
— Friends, shall we speak this clearly into our mistress's ear?
§697πόσιν, ἐν ᾧ τὰ πάντʼ ἔχουσʼ ἐλπίδων §698μέτοχος ἦν, τλάμων, §699— νῦν δʼ ἣ μὲν ἔρρει συμφοραῖς, ὃ δʼ εὐτυχεῖ.
Her husband, in whom she had all things, sharing in his hopes, wretched woman, — but now she is ruined by misfortunes, while he is fortunate.
— She has fallen into gray old age, while her husband — is unhonoring of his friends.
§702— μέλεος, ὃς θυραῖος ἐλθὼν δόμους, §703μέγαν ἐς ὄλβον, οὐκ ἴσωσεν τύχης §704(— ὄλοιτʼ, ὄλοιτο) πότνιαν ἐξαπαφὼν ἐμάν.
— Wretched man, who came as an outsider to the house, to great wealth, and did not share his fortune, (— may he perish, perish!) deceiving my mistress.
§705— καὶ θεοῖσιν μὴ τύχοι §706καλλίφλογα πέλανον ἐπὶ §707πυρὶ καθαγνίσας· τὸ δʼ ἐμὸν εἴσεται, §708ὅσον ἀμᾶς ἔφυν §710τυραννίδος φίλα.
— And may he not succeed before the gods in consecrating the beautiful-flamed offering upon the fire; my heart will know how much we love her, as a friend of our royal house.
— Indeed, he is already near the feast, the boy and his new father, young among the young.
§714ἰὼ δειράδες Παρνασοῦ πέτρας §715ἔχουσαι σκόπελον οὐράνιόν θʼ ἕδραν, §716ἵνα Βάκχιος ἀμφιπύρους ἀνέχων πεύκας §717λαιψηρὰ πηδᾷ νυκτιπόλοις ἅμα σὺν Βάκχαις, §719μή ποτʼ εἰς ἐμὰν πόλιν ἵκοιθʼ ὁ παῖς, §720νέαν δʼ ἁμέραν ἀπολιπὼν θάνοι.
O ridges of the Parnassian rock holding the peak and heavenly seat, where Bacchus, holding up twin-flamed torches, leaps swiftly along with the night-wandering Bacchae, may the boy never come to my city, but may he die, leaving his young day.
§721στενομένα γὰρ ἂν πόλις ἔχοι σκῆψιν §722ξενικὸν ἐσβολὰν §723ἁλίσας ὁ πάρος ἀρχαγὸς ὢν §724Ἐρεχθεὺς ἄναξ.
For the city, in distress, would have an excuse, a foreign intrusion, which our former ruler, the ancient leader, King Erechtheus, guarded against.
§725ὦ πρέσβυ παιδαγώγʼ Ἐρεχθέως πατρὸς §726τοὐμοῦ ποτʼ ὄντος, ἡνίκʼ ἦν ἔτʼ ἐν φάει, §727ἔπαιρε σαυτὸν πρὸς θεοῦ χρηστήρια, §728ὥς μοι συνησθῇς, εἴ τι Λοξίας ἄναξ §729θέσπισμα παίδων ἐς γονὰς ἐφθέγξατο.
(Creusa) O aged tutor of Erechtheus, my father who once was, when he was still in the light, raise yourself to the god's oracle, so that you may rejoice with me, if Lord Loxias has uttered any prophecy regarding the birth of children.
§730σὺν τοῖς φίλοις γὰρ ἡδὺ μὲν πράσσειν καλῶς· §731ἃ μὴ γένοιτο δʼ, εἴ τι τυγχάνοι κακόν, §732ἐς ὄμματʼ εὔνου φωτὸς ἐμβλέψαι γλυκύ.
For it is sweet to fare well with friends; but—may it not happen—if any evil should occur, it is sweet to look into the eyes of a friendly person.
And I, just as you once did for my father, though I am your mistress, care for you in turn like a father.
§735ὦ θύγατερ, ἄξιʼ ἀξίων γεννητόρων §736ἤθη φυλάσσεις, κοὐ καταισχύνασʼ ἔχεις §737τοὺς σοὺς παλαιούς, ἐκγόνους αὐτόχθονας.
(Tutor) O daughter, you preserve characters worthy of worthy parents, and you do not bring shame upon your ancient, earth-born ancestors.
§738ἕλχʼ ἕλκε πρὸς μέλαθρα καὶ κόμιζέ με.
Draw, draw me to the palace and carry me.
Steep indeed is the oracle; but as a physician of my old age, labor along with me and help my limb.
§741ἕπου νυν· ἴχνος δʼ ἐκφύλασσʼ ὅπου τίθης.
(Cre.) Follow then; and guard where you place your footstep.
§742ἰδού.
(Tut.) See!
§742aτὸ τοῦ ποδὸς μὲν βραδύ, τὸ τοῦ δὲ νοῦ ταχύ.
The foot indeed is slow, but the mind is swift.
§743βάκτρῳ δʼ ἐρείδου περιφερῆ στίβον χθονός.
(Cre.) Lean with your staff on the winding path of the ground.
§744καὶ τοῦτο τυφλόν, ὅταν ἐγὼ βλέπω βραχύ.
(Tut.) This too is blind, when I see but a short way.
§745ὀρθῶς ἔλεξας· ἀλλὰ μὴ παρῇς κόπῳ.
(Cre.) You have spoken rightly; but do not give in to weariness.
§746οὔκουν ἑκών γε· τοῦ δʼ ἀπόντος οὐ κρατῶ.
(Tut.) Not willingly indeed; but I have no control over what is absent.
§747γυναῖκες, ἱστῶν τῶν ἐμῶν καὶ κερκίδος §748δούλευμα πιστόν, τίνα τύχην λαβὼν πόσις §749βέβηκε παίδων, ὧνπερ οὕνεχʼ ἥκομεν;
(Cre.) Women, faithful servants of my looms and shuttle, what fortune has my husband received concerning children, for whose sake we came?
Declare it; for if you announce good things to me, you will not bestow your favor upon ungrateful masters.
§752ἰὼ δαῖμον.
(Chor.) O fortune (daimon).
§753τὸ φροίμιον μὲν τῶν λόγων οὐκ εὐτυχές.
(Tut.) The prelude of their words is not fortunate.
§754ἰὼ τλᾶμον.
(Chor.) O wretched woman.
§755ἀλλʼ ἦ τι θεσφάτοισι δεσποτῶν νοσῶ;
(Cre.) But am I suffering in any way regarding my masters' oracle?
§756εἶἑν· τί δρῶμεν;
(Chor.) Well, what shall we do?
θάνατος ὧν κεῖται πέρι
Death lies upon us for speaking.
§757τίς ἥδε μοῦσα, χὡ φόβος τίνων πέρι;
(Cre.) What is this song, and about whom is this fear?
§758εἴπωμεν ἢ σιγῶμεν;
(Chor.) Shall we speak or keep silent?
ἢ τί δράσομεν;
Or what shall we do?
§759εἴφʼ· ὡς ἔχεις γε συμφοράν τινʼ εἰς ἐμέ.
(Cre.) Speak; since you have some misfortune concerning me.
§760εἰρήσεταί τοι, κεἰ θανεῖν μέλλω διπλῇ.
(Chor.) It shall be spoken indeed, even if I am to die twice.
It is not for you, mistress, to receive in your arms children, nor ever to apply them to your breast.
§762aὤμοι, θάνοιμι.
(Cre.) Oh me, may I die!
§763θύγατερ.
(Tut.) Daughter.
(Cre.) O wretched am I in my misfortune; I have received, I have suffered a pain unlivable, friends.
§764bδιοιχόμεσθα.
We are ruined.
§765τέκνον.
(Tut.) Child.
§765bαἰαῖ αἰαῖ·
(Cre.) Alas, alas!
A piercing pain has struck me inside these lungs.
(Tut.) Do not groan yet— (Cre.) But lamentations are already here.
(Tut.) —whether our master, faring the same, is a partner in this misfortune, or whether you alone are unfortunate.
(Chor.) To him indeed, old man, Loxias gave a child, and he is privately fortunate, apart from her.
(Cre.) You have uttered this ultimate evil upon evil for me to groan over.