§687γένοιτο μέντἂν χἀτέρῳ καλῶς ἔχον.
Another opinion might also be well formulated.
But for your sake, I am naturally bound to look out for all things, whatsoever anyone says, or does, or has reason to blame.
§690τὸ γὰρ σὸν ὄμμα δεινὸν ἀνδρὶ δημότῃ §691λόγοις τοιούτοις, οἷς σὺ μὴ τέρψει κλύων· §692ἐμοὶ δʼ ἀκούειν ἔσθʼ ὑπὸ σκότου τάδε, §693τὴν παῖδα ταύτην οἷʼ, ὀδύρεται πόλις, §694πασῶν γυναικῶν ὡς ἀναξιωτάτη §695κάκιστʼ ἀπʼ ἔργων εὐκλεεστάτων φθίνει. §696ἥτις τὸν αὑτῆς αὐτάδελφον ἐν φοναῖς §697πεπτῶτʼ ἄθαπτον μήθʼ ὑπʼ ὠμηστῶν κυνῶν §698εἴασʼ ὀλέσθαι μήθʼ ὑπʼ οἰωνῶν τινος.
For your eye is terrifying to a common citizen for such words as you would not be pleased to hear; but for me, it is possible to hear these things in the dark: how the city laments for this girl, saying that she, of all women the most undeserving of it, is dying most miserably because of the most glorious deeds; she who did not allow her own brother, fallen in slaughter, to lie unburied, nor to be destroyed by raw-eating dogs or by any of the birds.
§699οὐχ ἥδε χρυσῆς ἀξία τιμῆς λαχεῖν;
Is she not worthy to win golden honor?
§700τοιάδʼ ἐρεμνὴ σῖγʼ ἐπέρχεται φάτις.
Such a dark rumor stealthily spreads.
And for me, father, when you fare well, there is no possession more honorable.
For what greater ornament of glory is there for children than a flourishing father, or what for a father than his children's glory?
Do not, then, bear this single disposition alone within yourself: that what you say, and nothing else, is correct.
§707ὅστις γὰρ αὐτὸς ἢ φρονεῖν μόνος δοκεῖ, §708ἢ γλῶσσαν, ἣν οὐκ ἄλλος, ἢ ψυχὴν ἔχειν, §709οὗτοι διαπτυχθέντες ὤφθησαν κενοί.
For whoever thinks that he alone is wise, or that he has a tongue or a soul such as no other has, these, when unfolded, are revealed to be empty.
But for a man, even if he is wise, to learn many things is no disgrace, and not to stretch too far.
§712ὁρᾷς παρὰ ῥείθροισι χειμάρροις ὅσα §713δένδρων ὑπείκει, κλῶνας ὡς ἐκσῴζεται, §714τὰ δʼ ἀντιτείνοντʼ αὐτόπρεμνʼ ἀπόλλυται.
You see how, by winter torrents, all the trees that yield save their branches, while those that resist are destroyed root and branch.
§715αὕτως δὲ ναὸς ὅστις ἐγκρατῆ πόδα §716τείνας ὑπείκει μηδέν, ὑπτίοις κάτω §717στρέψας τὸ λοιπὸν σέλμασιν ναυτίλλεται.
In the same way, whoever tightens the foot of a ship's sail and yields nothing, navigates henceforth with upside-down benches, having capsized it.
§718ἀλλʼ εἶκε καὶ θυμῷ μετάστασιν δίδου.
But yield and grant a change to your anger.
§719γνώμη γὰρ εἴ τις κἀπʼ ἐμοῦ νεωτέρου §720πρόσεστι, φήμʼ ἔγωγε πρεσβεύειν πολὺ §721φῦναι τὸν ἄνδρα πάντʼ ἐπιστήμης πλέων· §722εἰ δʼ οὖν, φιλεῖ γὰρ τοῦτο μὴ ταύτῃ ῥέπειν, §723καὶ τῶν λεγόντων εὖ καλὸν τὸ μανθάνειν.
For if any judgment belongs to me, though younger, I declare that it is by far best for a man to be born full of knowledge in all things; but if not—for it is customary for things not to turn out this way— it is also a good thing to learn from those who speak well.
King, it is fitting for you, if he speaks in season, to learn, and for you in turn from him; for it has been well spoken on both sides.
Shall we, at our age, indeed be taught wisdom by a man of his age?
Nothing that is not just; and if I am young, one must not look at my age more than at my deeds.
§730ἔργον γάρ ἐστι τοὺς ἀκοσμοῦντας σέβειν;
For is it a deed to respect those who are disorderly?
§731οὐδʼ ἂν κελεύσαιμʼ, εὐσεβεῖν εἰς τοὺς κακούς.
I would not even urge you to show piety toward the wicked.
§732οὐχ ἥδε γὰρ τοιᾷδʼ ἐπείληπται νόσῳ;
For has she not been seized by such a disease?
§733οὔ φησι Θήβης τῆσδʼ ὁμόπτολις λεώς.
The fellow citizens of this city of Thebes say no.
§734πόλις γὰρ ἡμῖν ἁμὲ χρὴ τάσσειν ἐρεῖ;
Shall the city tell me what I must command?
§735ὁρᾷς τόδʼ ὡς εἴρηκας ὡς ἄγαν νέος;
Do you see how you have spoken this like an exceedingly young man?
§736ἄλλῳ γὰρ ἢ ʼμοὶ χρή με τῆσδʼ ἄρχειν χθονός;
For must I rule this land for someone other than myself?
§737πόλις γὰρ οὐκ ἔσθʼ ἥτις ἀνδρός ἐσθʼ ἑνός.
For there is no city which belongs to a single man.
§738οὐ τοῦ κρατοῦντος ἡ πόλις νομίζεται;
Is not the city considered to belong to the ruler?
§739καλῶς γʼ ἐρήμης ἂν σὺ γῆς ἄρχοις μόνος.
You would rule well alone over an empty land.
§740ὅδʼ, ὡς ἔοικε, τῇ γυναικὶ συμμαχεῖ.
This man, as it seems, is allied with the woman.
§741εἴπερ γυνὴ σύ. σοῦ γὰρ οὖν προκήδομαι.
Yes, if indeed you are a woman; for I am concerned for you.
§742ὦ παγκάκιστε, διὰ δίκης ἰὼν πατρί;
O most vile wretch, disputing at law with your father?
§743οὐ γὰρ δίκαιά σʼ ἐξαμαρτάνονθʼ ὁρῶ.
Yes, for I see you committing errors that are not just.
§744ἁμαρτάνω γὰρ τὰς ἐμὰς ἀρχὰς σέβων;
Am I committing errors by respecting my own offices?
§745οὐ γὰρ σέβεις, τιμάς γε τὰς θεῶν πατῶν.
You do not respect them when you trample upon the honors of the gods.
§746ὦ μιαρὸν ἦθος καὶ γυναικὸς ὕστερον.
O foul character, and subordinate to a woman!
§747οὔ τἂν ἕλοις ἥσσω γε τῶν αἰσχρῶν ἐμέ.
You would never catch me being inferior to shameful things.
§748ὁ γοῦν λόγος σοι πᾶς ὑπὲρ κείνης ὅδε.
At any rate, your whole speech is on her behalf.
§749καὶ σοῦ γε κἀμοῦ, καὶ θεῶν τῶν νερτέρων.
And on your behalf, and mine, and on behalf of the gods below.
§750ταύτην ποτʼ οὐκ ἔσθʼ ὡς ἔτι ζῶσαν γαμεῖς.
There is no way you will ever marry her while she is still alive.
§751ἣ δʼ οὖν θανεῖται καὶ θανοῦσʼ ὀλεῖ τινα.
Then she will die, and dying she will destroy someone.
§752ἦ κἀπαπειλῶν ὧδʼ ἐπεξέρχει θρασύς;
Do you even go so far as to threaten so boldly?
§753τίς δʼ ἔστʼ ἀπειλὴ πρὸς κενὰς γνώμας λέγειν;
And what threat is it to speak against empty opinions?
§754κλαίων φρενώσεις, ὢν φρενῶν αὐτὸς κενός.
You shall regret your attempt to school me, being yourself empty of sense.
§755εἰ μὴ πατὴρ ἦσθʼ, εἶπον ἄν σʼ οὐκ εὖ φρονεῖν.
If you were not my father, I would have said you are not of sound mind.
§756γυναικὸς ὢν δούλευμα μὴ κώτιλλέ με.
Being a slave to a woman, do not try to wheedle me.
§757βούλει λέγειν τι καὶ λέγων μηδὲν κλύειν;
Do you wish to speak and, speaking, hear nothing in return?
§758ἄληθες;
Indeed?
ἀλλʼ οὐ τόνδʼ Ὄλυμπον, ἴσθʼ ὅτι, §759χαίρων ἐπὶ ψόγοισι δεννάσεις ἐμέ.
But by this Olympus, know well, you shall not mock me with insults and rejoice.
§760ἄγαγε τὸ μῖσος ὡς κατʼ ὄμματʼ αὐτίκα
Bring the hated thing so that she may die immediately before his eyes