§970κατέφθιθʼ· οὕτω δʼ ἂν θανὼν εἴη ʼξ ἐμοῦ. §971τὰ δʼ οὖν παρόντα συλλαβὼν θεσπίσματα §972κεῖται παρʼ Ἅιδῃ Πόλυβος ἄξιʼ οὐδενός.
"He died; and so, by this, he would be dead because of me." At any rate, Polybus, gathering up all the present prophecies, lies in Hades, they being worth nothing.
§973οὔκουν ἐγώ σοι ταῦτα προύλεγον πάλαι;
Did I not then foretell this to you long ago?
§974ηὔδας· ἐγὼ δὲ τῷ φόβῳ παρηγόμην.
You did say so, but I was led astray by my fear.
§975μὴ νῦν ἔτʼ αὐτῶν μηδὲν ἐς θυμὸν βάλῃς.
Do not now lay any of them to heart anymore.
§976καὶ πῶς τὸ μητρὸς οὐκ ὀκνεῖν λέχος με δεῖ;
And how must I not fear my mother's bed?
Why indeed should a human fear, for whom the affairs of chance rule, and there is no clear foresight of anything?
§979εἰκῆ κράτιστον ζῆν, ὅπως δύναιτό τις.
It is best to live at random, as one is able.
§980σὺ δʼ εἰς τὰ μητρὸς μὴ φοβοῦ νυμφεύματα· §981πολλοὶ γὰρ ἤδη κἀν ὀνείρασιν βροτῶν §982μητρὶ ξυνηυνάσθησαν.
But as for you, do not fear marriage with your mother; for many of mortals before now in dreams also have lain with their mother.
ἀλλὰ ταῦθʼ ὅτῳ §983παρʼ οὐδέν ἐστι, ῥᾷστα τὸν βίον φέρει.
But he to whom these things are as nothing bears his life most easily.
§984καλῶς ἅπαντα ταῦτʼ ἂν ἐξείρητό σοι, §985εἰ μὴ ʼκύρει ζῶσʼ ἡ τεκοῦσα· νῦν δʼ ἐπεὶ §986ζῇ, πᾶσʼ ἀνάγκη, κεἰ καλῶς λέγεις, ὀκνεῖν.
All this would have been beautifully spoken by you, if she who bore me were not by chance alive; but now, since she lives, there is every necessity to fear, even if you speak well.
§987καὶ μὴν μέγας γʼ ὀφθαλμὸς οἱ πατρὸς τάφοι.
And yet, a great eye is the tomb of your father.
§988μέγας, ξυνίημʼ· ἀλλὰ τῆς ζώσης φόβος.
Great, I understand; but there is fear of the living woman.
§989ποίας δὲ καὶ γυναικὸς ἐκφοβεῖσθʼ ὕπερ;
And on account of what kind of woman are you afraid?
§990Μερόπης, γεραιέ, Πόλυβος ἧς ᾤκει μέτα.
Merope, old man, with whom Polybus used to live.
§991τί δʼ ἔστʼ ἐκείνης ὑμὶν ἐς φόβον φέρον;
And what is there of her that leads you into fear?
§992θεήλατον μάντευμα δεινόν, ὦ ξένε.
A terrible god-driven oracle, O stranger.
§993ἦ ῥητόν;
Is it speakable?
ἢ οὐχὶ θεμιτὸν ἄλλον εἰδέναι;
Or is it not lawful for another to know?
§994μάλιστά γʼ· εἶπε γάρ με Λοξίας ποτὲ §995χρῆναι μιγῆναι μητρὶ τἠμαυτοῦ τό τε §996πατρῷον αἷμα χερσὶ ταῖς ἐμαῖς ἑλεῖν.
Most certainly; for Loxias once told me that I must couple with my own mother, and take my father's blood with my own hands.
§997ὧν οὕνεχʼ ἡ Κόρινθος ἐξ ἐμοῦ πάλαι §998μακρὰν ἀπῳκεῖτʼ· εὐτυχῶς μέν, ἀλλʼ ὅμως §999τὰ τῶν τεκόντων ὄμμαθʼ ἥδιστον βλέπειν.
For which reasons Corinth has long since by me been inhabited far away; fortunately indeed, but nevertheless it is sweetest to see the eyes of one's parents.
§1000ἦ γὰρ τάδʼ ὀκνῶν κεῖθεν ἦσθʼ ἀπόπτολις;
Was it indeed fearing these things that you were an exile from there?
§1001πατρός τε χρῄζων μὴ φονεὺς εἶναι, γέρον.
And wishing, old man, not to be the murderer of my father.
Why then did I not release you from this fear, O king, since indeed I came with good-will?
§1004καὶ μὴν χάριν γʼ ἂν ἀξίαν λάβοις ἐμοῦ.
And indeed you would receive a worthy favor from me.
And indeed I came especially for this, so that when you returned home, I might fare well in some way.
§1007ἀλλʼ οὔποτʼ εἶμι τοῖς φυτεύσασίν γʼ ὅμοῦ.
But I will never go together with those who begot me.
§1008ὦ παῖ, καλῶς εἶ δῆλος οὐκ εἰδὼς τί δρᾷς.
O child, it is beautifully clear that you do not know what you are doing.
§1009πῶς, ὦ γεραιέ;
How so, old man?
πρὸς θεῶν δίδασκέ με.
By the gods, teach me.
§1010εἰ τῶνδε φεύγεις οὕνεκʼ εἰς οἴκους μολεῖν.
If for these reasons you flee from coming to the house.
§1011ταρβῶν γε μή μοι Φοῖβος ἐξέλθῃ σαφής.
Fearing indeed lest Phoebus turn out clear for me.
§1012ἦ μὴ μίασμα τῶν φυτευσάντων λάβῃς;
Is it lest you receive pollution from those who begot you?
§1013τοῦτʼ αὐτό, πρέσβυ, τοῦτό μʼ εἰσαεὶ φοβεῖ.
This very thing, old man, this always frightens me.
§1014ἆρʼ οἶσθα δῆτα πρὸς δίκης οὐδὲν τρέμων;
Do you know indeed that you are trembling with no justice?
§1015πῶς δʼ οὐχί, παῖς γʼ εἰ τῶνδε γεννητῶν ἔφυν;
And how not, if indeed I was born the child of these parents?
§1016ὁθούνεκʼ ἦν σοι Πόλυβος οὐδὲν ἐν γένει.
Because Polybus was nothing to you in kinship.
§1017πῶς εἶπας;
How did you say?
οὐ γὰρ Πόλυβος ἐξέφυσέ με;
For did Polybus not beget me?
§1018οὐ μᾶλλον οὐδὲν τοῦδε τἀνδρός, ἀλλʼ ἴσον.
No more than this man here, but equal.
§1019καὶ πῶς ὁ φύσας ἐξ ἴσου τῷ μηδενί;
And how can the father be equal to the one who is nothing?
§1020ἀλλʼ οὔ σʼ ἐγείνατʼ οὔτʼ ἐκεῖνος οὔτʼ ἐγώ.
But neither he begot you, nor did I.
§1021ἀλλʼ ἀντὶ τοῦ δὴ παῖδά μʼ ὠνομάζετο;
But in return for what did he name me his child?
§1022δῶρόν ποτʼ, ἴσθι, τῶν ἐμῶν χειρῶν λαβών.
Know that he received you once as a gift from my hands.
§1023κᾆθʼ ὧδʼ ἀπʼ ἄλλης χειρὸς ἔστερξεν μέγα;
And then from another's hand did he love me so greatly?
§1024ἡ γὰρ πρὶν αὐτὸν ἐξέπεισʼ ἀπαιδία.
Yes, for his previous childlessness persuaded him.
§1025σὺ δʼ ἐμπολήσας ἢ τυχών μʼ αὐτῷ δίδως;
And did you buy me, or find me by chance, when you gave me to him?
§1026εὑρὼν ναπαίαις ἐν Κιθαιρῶνος πτυχαῖς.
Finding you in the woody glens of Cithaeron.
§1027ὡδοιπόρεις δὲ πρὸς τί τούσδε τοὺς τόπους;
And for what purpose were you traveling to these places?
§1028ἐνταῦθʼ ὀρείοις ποιμνίοις ἐπεστάτουν.
I was in charge of mountain flocks there.
§1029ποιμὴν γὰρ ἦσθα κἀπὶ θητείᾳ πλάνης;
Were you indeed a shepherd, and a wanderer on hire?
§1030σοῦ τʼ, ὦ τέκνον, σωτήρ γε τῷ τότʼ ἐν χρόνῳ.
And your savior, O child, at that time.
§1031τί δʼ ἄλγος ἴσχοντʼ ἀγκάλαις με λαμβάνεις;
And having what pain did you take me in your arms?
§1032ποδῶν ἂν ἄρθρα μαρτυρήσειεν τὰ σά·
The joints of your feet would bear witness.
§1033οἴμοι, τί τοῦτʼ ἀρχαῖον ἐννέπεις κακόν;
Alas, what ancient evil do you speak of?
§1034λύω σʼ ἔχοντα διατόρους ποδοῖν ἀκμάς.
I untied you when you had your ankles pierced through.
§1035δεινόν γʼ ὄνειδος σπαργάνων ἀνειλόμην.
A terrible disgrace indeed I carried away from my swaddling clothes.
§1036ὥστʼ ὠνομάσθης ἐκ τύχης ταύτης ὃς εἶ.
So that you were named from this fortune who you are.
§1037ὦ πρὸς θεῶν, πρὸς μητρὸς ἢ πατρός;
O, by the gods, was it from mother or father?
φράσον.
Tell me.
§1038οὐκ οἶδʼ· ὁ δοὺς δὲ ταῦτʼ ἐμοῦ λῷον φρονεῖ.
I do not know; but he who gave you to me knows better than I.
§1039ἦ γὰρ παρʼ ἄλλου μʼ ἔλαβες οὐδʼ αὐτὸς τυχών;
Did you indeed receive me from another, and not find me yourself?
§1040οὔκ, ἀλλὰ ποιμὴν ἄλλος ἐκδίδωσί μοι.
No, but another shepherd handed you over to me.