§414φειδώμεθ’ ἀνδρῶν εὐγενῶν, φειδώμεθα,
κακοὺς δ’ ἀποπτύωμεν, ὥσπερ ἄξιοι.
Let us spare noble men, let us spare them, but let us spit upon the base, as they deserve.
§415ἄνασσα, πολλοῖς ἔστιν ἀνθρώπων κακά,
τοῖς δ’ ἄρτι λήγει, τοῖς δὲ κίνδυνος μολεῖν.
Queen, many among men have evils, but for some they cease just now, and for others there is danger of them coming.
κύκλος γὰρ αὑτὸς καρπίμοις τε γῆς φυτοῖς
θνητῶν τε γενεᾷ· τῶν μὲν αὔξεται βίος,
τῶν δὲ φθίνει τε καὶ θερίζεται πάλιν.
For the same cycle exists for the fruitful plants of the earth and for the generation of mortals; the life of some increases, and that of others declines and is harvested again.
§416πολλοί γε θνητῶν τῷ θράσει τὰς συμφορὰς
ζητοῦσ’ ἀμαυροῦν κἀποκρύπτεσθαι κακά.
Many indeed of mortals seek by boldness to obscure their misfortunes and to hide their evils.
§417κέκτησο δ’ ὀρθῶς ἂν ἔχῃς ἄνευ ψόγου,
κἂν σμικρὰ σῴζου, τοὔνδικον σέβουσ’ ἀεί,
μὴ δ’ ὡς κακὸς ναύκληρος εὖ πράξας ποτὲ
ζητῶν τὰ πλείον’, εἶτα πάντ’ ἀπώλεσεν.
Possess rightly what you may have without blame, and preserve it even if it is small, always respecting justice, and do not be like a foolish shipmaster who, having once fared well, seeks more and then loses everything.
§418γίγνωσκε τἀνθρώπεια μηδ’ ὑπερμέτρως
ἄλγει· κακοῖς γὰρ οὐ σὺ πρόσκεισαι μόνη.
Know human affairs and do not grieve excessively; for you are not the only one afflicted with evils.
§419βίᾳ νυν ἕλκετ’ ὦ κακοὶ τιμὰς βροτοί,
καὶ κτᾶσθε πλοῦτον πάντοθεν θηρώμενοι,
σύμμικτα μὴ δίκαια καὶ δίκαι’ ὁμοῦ· ἔπειτ’ ἀμᾶσθε τῶνδε δύστηνον θέρος.
Now drag honors by force, O evil mortals, and acquire wealth, hunting it from everywhere, mixing together unjust and just things alike; then harvest the wretched crop of these.
§420ὁρᾷς τυράννους διὰ μακρῶν ηὐξημένους,
ὡς μικρὰ τὰ σφάλλοντα, καὶ μί’ ἡμέρα
τὰ μὲν καθεῖλεν ὑψόθεν, τὰ δ’ ἦρ’ ἄνω.
You see tyrants who have increased over long times, how small are the things that trip them, and how a single day brings some down from on high, and raises others up.
ὑπόπτερος δ’ ὁ πλοῦτος· οἷς γὰρ ἦν ποτε,
ἐξ ἐλπίδων πίπτοντας ὑπτίους ὁρῶ.
Wealth has wings; for those who once had it, I see them falling from their hopes and lying on their backs.
lamp-less in hollow caves, like a beast, alone Many were present, but the unbelievable things of the Thessalians...
. §425ὅστις γὰρ ἀστῶν πλέον ἔχειν πέφυκ’ ἀνήρ,
[οὐδὲν φρονεῖ δίκαιον οὐδὲ βούλεται]
φίλοις τ’ ἄμικτός ἐστι καὶ πάσῃ πόλει.
For whatever man is born to have more than his citizens, [and thinks of nothing just nor wishes it], is unsociable to friends and to the whole city.
§426τά τοι μέγιστα πάντ’ ἀπείργασται βροτοῖς
τόλμ’ ὥστε νικᾶν· οὔτε γὰρ τυραννίδες
χωρὶς πόνου γένοιντ’ ἂν οὔτ’ οἶκος μέγας.
All the greatest things indeed are accomplished for mortals by boldness so as to conquer; for neither tyrannies could come to be without labor, nor a great house.
§428οἱ γὰρ Κύπριν φεύγοντες ἀνθρώπων ἄγαν
νοσοῦσ’ ὁμοίως τοῖς ἄγαν θηρωμένοις.
For those of men who flee Kypris excessively are sick in the same way as those who hunt her excessively.
§429ἀντὶ πυρὸς γὰρ ἄλλο πῦρ
μεῖζον ἐβλάστομεν γυναῖκες
πολὺ δυσμαχώτερον.
For instead of fire, another greater fire, we women were born, much harder to fight.
§430ἔχω δὲ τόλμης καὶ θράσους διδάσκαλον
ἐν τοῖς ἀμηχάνοισιν εὐπορώτατον,
Ἔρωτα, πάντων δυσμαχώτατον θεόν.
And I have a teacher of boldness and daring, most resourceful in helpless situations, Eros, the hardest of all gods to fight.
§431Ἔρως γὰρ ἄνδρας οὐ μόνους ἐπέρχεται
οὐδ’ αὖ γυναῖκας, ἀλλὰ καὶ θεῶν ἄνω
ψυχὰς χαράσσει κἀπὶ πόντον ἔρχεται· καὶ τόνδ’ ἀπείργειν οὐδ’ ὁ παγκρατὴς σθένει
Ζεύς, ἀλλ’ ὑπείκει καὶ θέλων ἐγκλίνεται.
For Eros does not assault men alone, nor women either, but also scratches the souls of gods above and comes upon the sea; and to ward this god off not even almighty Zeus has strength, but he yields and bends willingly.
§432αὐτός τι νῦν δρῶν εἶτα δαίμονας κάλει· τῷ γὰρ πονοῦντι καὶ θεὸς συλλαμβάνει.
Act yourself now in some way, and then call upon the gods; for to the one who labors, god also lends a hand.
§433ἔγωγε φημὶ καὶ νόμον γε μὴ σέβειν
ἐν τοῖσι δεινοῖς τῶν ἀναγκαίων πλέον.
I indeed say that one should not respect even the law in terrible situations more than what is necessary.
§434οὐ γὰρ κατ’ εὐσέβειαν αἱ θνητῶν τύχαι,
τολμήμασιν δὲ καὶ χερῶν ὑπερβολαῖς
ἁλίσκεταί τε πάντα καὶ θηρεύεται.
For the fortunes of mortals are not according to piety, but by bold deeds and excesses of hands all things are captured and hunted.
§435τί δ’ ἢν λυθείς με διαβάλῃς, παθεῖν σε δεῖ;
But what if, being released, you slander me, must you suffer?
§436ὦ πότνι’ αἰδώς, εἴθε τοῖς πᾶσιν βροτοῖς
συνοῦσα τἀναίσχυντον ἐξῃροῦ φρενῶν.
O revered shame, would that, being present with all mortals, you could pluck shamelessness from their minds.
§437ὁρῶ δὲ τοῖς πολλοῖσιν ἀνθρώποις ἐγὼ
τίκτουσαν ὕβριν τὴν πάροιθ’ εὐπραξίαν.
And I see for many men that past prosperity generates insolence.
§438ὕβριν τε τίκτει πλοῦτος ἢ φειδὼ βίου.
Wealth or sparing of life generates insolence.
§439φεῦ φεῦ, τὸ μὴ τὰ πράγματ’ ἀνθρώποις ἔχειν
φωνήν, ἵν’ ἦσαν μηδὲν οἱ δεινοὶ λέγειν.
Alas, alas, that affairs do not have a voice for men, so that those who are clever at speaking would be nothing.
νῦν δ’ εὐτρόχοισι στόμασι τἀληθέστατα
κλέπτουσιν, ὥστε μὴ δοκεῖν ἃ χρὴ δοκεῖν.
But now with smooth-rolling mouths they steal the truest things, so that what ought to seem does not seem so.
§440Θησεῦ, παραινῶ σοὶ τὸ λῷστον, εἰ φρονεῖς,
γυναικὶ πείθου μηδὲ τἀληθῆ κλύων.
Theseus, I advise you what is best, if you have sense: do not trust a woman, even if you hear the truth.
πρὸς ἵππων εὐθὺς ὁρμήσας στάσιν
...having rushed immediately toward the horses' station...
§443ὦ λαμπρὸς αἰθὴρ ἡμέρας θ’ ἁγνὸν φάος,
ὡς ἡδὺ λεύσσειν τοῖς τε πράσσουσιν καλῶς
καὶ τοῖσι δυστυχοῦσιν, ὧν πέφυκ’ ἐγώ.
O bright upper air and pure light of day, how sweet to look upon both for those who fare well and for those who are unfortunate, of whom I am born.
§444ὦ δαῖμον, ὡς οὐκ ἔστ’ ἀποστροφὴ βροτοῖς
τῶν ἐμφύτων τε καὶ θεηλάτων κακῶν.
O deity, how there is no escape for mortals from inborn and god-driven evils.
§445ἀλλ’ οὐ γὰρ ὀρθῶς ταῦτα κρίνουσιν θεοί.
But indeed the gods do not judge these things rightly.
§446ὦ μάκαρ, οἵας ἔλαχες τιμάς,
Ἱππόλυθ’ ἥρως, διὰ σωφροσύνην· οὔποτε θνητοῖς
ἀρετῆς ἄλλη δύναμις μείζων· ἦλθε γὰρ ἢ πρόσθ’ ἢ μετόπισθεν
τῆς εὐσεβίας χάρις ἐσθλή.
O blessed one, what honors you have obtained, hero Hippolytus, because of your temperance; never is there another greater power of virtue for mortals; for either before or after, the noble grace of piety comes.