Do not overlook me, dragged away from the seats of many gods, O you who hold all power of the land.
Recognize the violence of men and guard against divine wrath.
§428μή τι τλῇς τὰν ἱκέτιν εἰσιδεῖν §429ἀπὸ βρετέων βίᾳ §430δίκας ἀγομέναν §431ἱππηδὸν ἀμπύκων, §432πολυμίτων πέπλων τ᾽ ἐπιλαβὰς ἐμῶν.
Do not endure to see the suppliant dragged away by force from the images, contrary to justice, like a horse by her frontlets, and the grasping of my many-threaded robes.
§433ἴσθι γάρ: παισὶ τάδε καὶ δόμοις, §434ὁπότερ᾽ ἂν κτίσῃς, §435μένει ἄρ᾽ ἐκτίνειν §436ὁμοιΐαν θέμιν.
For know: whichever of the two you bring about, it remains for your children and your house to pay back an equal justice.
§437τάδε φράσαι δίκαια Διόθεν κράτη.
Consider these just powers from Zeus.
§438καὶ δὴ πέφρασμαι: δεῦρο δ᾽ ἐξοκέλλεται: §439ἢ τοῖσιν ἢ τοῖς πόλεμον αἴρεσθαι μέγαν §440πᾶσ᾽ ἔστ᾽ ἀνάγκη, καὶ γεγόμφωται σκάφος §441στρέβλαισι ναυτικαῖσιν ὡς προσηγμένον.
Indeed, I have considered: and the ship of state runs aground here; either with these or with those, to take up a great war is an absolute necessity, and the hull is bolted by naval windlasses as though brought to shore.
§442ἄνευ δὲ λύπης οὐδαμοῦ καταστροφή.
And nowhere is there an end without grief.
§443καὶ χρημάτων μὲν ἐκ δόμων πορθουμένων, §444[ἄτην γε μείζω καὶ μέγ᾽ ἐμπλήσας γόμου] §445γένοιτ᾽ ἂν ἄλλα κτησίου Διὸς χάριν: §446καὶ γλῶσσα τοξεύσασα μὴ τὰ καίρια, §447γένοιτο μύθου μῦθος ἂν θελκτήριος §448[ἀλγεινὰ θυμοῦ κάρτα κινητήρια]:
And when property is plundered from a house, [bringing indeed a greater ruin and filling a great cargo] other things could come, by the grace of Zeus the Guardian of Property; and even if a tongue has shot arrows not to the point, one speech might become a soothing remedy for another [highly stirring the painful wrath of heart].
§449ὅπως δ᾽ ὅμαιμον αἷμα μὴ γενήσεται, §450δεῖ κάρτα θύειν καὶ πεσεῖν χρηστήρια §451θεοῖσι πολλοῖς πολλά, πημονῆς ἄκη.
But that kindred blood may not be shed, it is highly necessary to sacrifice, and that victims fall to many gods, many sacrifices, as remedies for pain.
§452ἦ κάρτα νείκους τοῦδ᾽ ἐγὼ παροίχομαι: §453θέλω δ᾽ ἄιδρις μᾶλλον ἢ σοφὸς κακῶν §454εἶναι: γένοιτο δ᾽ εὖ παρὰ γνώμην ἐμήν.
Truly, I stand far aside from this strife; I wish to be ignorant rather than wise in evils; but may it turn out well, contrary to my expectation.
§455πολλῶν ἄκουσον τέρματ᾽ αἰδοίων λόγων.
Hear the conclusions of many reverent words.
§456ἤκουσα, καὶ λέγοις ἄν: οὔ με φεύξεται.
I hear, and you may speak; it shall not escape me.
§457ἔχω στρόφους ζώνας τε, συλλαβὰς πέπλων.
I have sashes and belts, the fastenings of my robes.
§458τάχ᾽ ἂν γυναιξὶ ταῦτα συμπρεπῆ πέλοι.
These things would perhaps be suitable for women.
From these, then, know, there is a fine device— Tell me what word this is you will have uttered.
If you will not promise something trustworthy to this band— What does your device of girdles accomplish for you?
§463νέοις πίναξι βρέτεα κοσμῆσαι τάδε.
To adorn these statues with new tablets.
§464αἰνιγματῶδες τοὔπος: ἀλλ᾽ ἁπλῶς φράσον.
An enigmatic word; but speak plainly.
§465ἐκ τῶνδ᾽ ὅπως τάχιστ᾽ ἀπάγξασθαι θεῶν.
To hang ourselves as quickly as possible from these gods.
§466ἤκουσα μαστικτῆρα καρδίας λόγον.
I have heard a word that scourges my heart.
§467ξυνῆκας: ὠμμάτωσα γὰρ σαφέστερον.
You have understood; for I have opened your eyes more clearly.
§468καὶ [μὴν] πολλαχῇ γε δυσπάλαιστα πράγματα, §469κακῶν δὲ πλῆθος ποταμὸς ὣς ἐπέρχεται: §470ἄτης δ᾽ ἄβυσσον πέλαγος οὐ μάλ᾽ εὔπορον §471τόδ᾽ ἐσβέβηκα, κοὐδαμοῦ λιμὴν κακῶν.
And indeed, in many ways matters are hard to wrestle with, and a multitude of evils comes on like a river; and into an abyssal sea of ruin, not easy to cross, I have entered, and nowhere is there a harbor from evils.
§472εἰ μὲν γὰρ ὑμῖν μὴ τόδ᾽ ἐκπράξω χρέος, §473μίασμ᾽ ἔλεξας οὐχ ὑπερτοξεύσιμον: §474εἰ δ᾽ αὖθ᾽ ὁμαίμοις παισὶν Αἰγύπτου σέθεν §475σταθεὶς πρὸ τειχέων διὰ μάχης ἥξω τέλους, §476πῶς οὐχὶ τἀνάλωμα γίγνεται πικρόν, §477ἄνδρας γυναικῶν οὕνεχ᾽ αἱμάξαι πέδον;
For if I do not fulfill this duty for you, you have spoken of a pollution not to be overshot; but if, on the other hand, against the sons of Aegyptus, your kinsmen, standing before the walls, I shall come to the end through battle, how is the cost not bitter, for men to bloody the ground for the sake of women?
Yet indeed it is necessary to revere the wrath of Zeus the god of suppliants; for it is the highest fear among mortals.
§480σὺ μέν, πάτερ γεραιὲ τῶνδε παρθένων, §481κλάδους τε τούτους αἶψ᾽ ἐν ἀγκάλαις λαβὼν §482βωμοὺς ἐπ᾽ ἄλλους δαιμόνων ἐγχωρίων §483θές, ὡς ἴδωσι τῆσδ᾽ ἀφίξεως τέκμαρ §484πάντες πολῖται, μηδ᾽ ἀπορριφθῇ λόγος §485ἐμοῦ: κατ᾽ ἀρχῆς γὰρ φιλαίτιος λεώς.
You, O ancient father of these maidens, take these branches quickly in your arms and place them upon other altars of the local deities, so that all citizens may see the sign of this arrival, and let no word of mine be cast away; for the people are ready to find fault with authority.
§486καὶ γὰρ τάχ᾽ ἄν τις οἰκτίσας ἰδὼν τάδε §487ὕβριν μὲν ἐχθήρειεν ἄρσενος στόλου, §488ὑμῖν δ᾽ ἂν εἴη δῆμος εὐμενέστερος: §489τοῖς ἥσσοσιν γὰρ πᾶς τις εὐνοίας φέρει.
For indeed, someone seeing these things and having pitied might hate the violence of the male band, and the people would be more well-disposed to you; for everyone bears goodwill to the weaker.
These things are worth much to us, to have found a reverent protector.
§492ὀπάονας δὲ φράστοράς τ᾽ ἐγχωρίων §493ξύμπεμψον, ὡς ἂν τῶν πολισσούχων θεῶν §494βωμοὺς προνάους καὶ †πολισσούχων ἕδρας §495εὕρωμεν, ἀσφάλεια δ᾽ ᾖ δι᾽ ἄστεως §496στείχουσι: μορφῆς δ᾽ οὐχ ὁμόστολος φύσις.
But escorting attendants and guides of the locals send along with us, so that we may find the altars before the temples of the city-protecting gods and the seats and that there may be safety as we pass through the city; for the nature of our form is not of the same traveling companion.
For the Nile does not nurture a race like the Inachus.
φύλαξαι μὴ θράσος τέκῃ φόβον: §499καὶ δὴ φίλον τις ἔκταν᾽ ἀγνοίας ὕπο.
Guard lest bold confidence breed fear; and indeed, someone has killed a friend through ignorance.
§500στείχοιτ᾽ ἄν, ἄνδρες: εὖ γὰρ ὁ ξένος λέγει.
You may go, men; for the stranger speaks well.
§501ἡγεῖσθε βωμοὺς ἀστικούς, θεῶν ἕδρας: §502καὶ ξυμβολοῦσιν οὐ πολυστομεῖν χρεὼν §503ναύτην ἄγοντας τόνδ᾽ ἐφέστιον θεῶν.
Guide him to the altars of the city, the seats of the gods; and to those you meet, there is no need to speak much, as you conduct this seafarer, a suppliant at the hearth of the gods.
To this man you have spoken, and let him go as ordered; but how shall I act?
ποῦ θράσος νέμεις ἐμοί;
Where do you assign confidence to me?
§506κλάδους μὲν αὐτοῦ λεῖπε, σημεῖον πόνου.
Leave your branches here, the sign of your distress.
§507καὶ δή σφε λείπω χειρὶ καὶ λόγοις σέθεν.
And indeed, I leave them by your hand and your words.
§508λευρὸν κατ᾽ ἄλσος νῦν ἐπιστρέφου τόδε.
Now turn into this open grove.
§509καὶ πῶς βέβηλον ἄλσος ἂν ῥύοιτό με;
And how could an unconsecrated grove protect me?
§510οὔτοι πτερωτῶν ἁρπαγαῖς <σ᾽> ἐκδώσομεν.
We will indeed not deliver you to the plundering of winged creatures.
§511ἀλλ᾽ εἰ δρακόντων δυσφρόνων ἐχθίοσιν;
But what if to those more hostile than hateful dragons?
§512εὔφημον εἴη τοὔπος εὐφημουμένῃ.
May your word be auspicious, since you are spoken of with favor.