Come then, let us utter for the Argives good prayers, as a return for good things.
§627Ζεὺς δ᾽ ἐφορεύοι ξένιος ξενίου §628στόματος τιμὰς ἐπ᾽ ἀληθείᾳ, §629τέρμον᾽ ἀπαντᾶν πρὸς ἄμεμπτον.
And may Zeus, protector of strangers, watch over the honors from a stranger's mouth in accordance with truth, so that they reach an blameless end.
§630νῦν ὄπ᾽ ἐμάν, θεοὶ §631Διογενεῖς, κλύοιτ᾽ εὐ- §632κταῖα γένει χεούσας: §633μήποτε πυρίφατον §634τάνδε Πελασγίαν [πόλιν] §635τὸν ἄκορον βοᾶς, §636κτίσαι μάχλον Ἄρη, §637τὸν ἀρότοις θερί- §638ζοντα βροτοὺς ἐν ἄλλοις, §639οὕνεκ᾽ ᾤκτισαν ἡμᾶς, §640ψῆφον δ᾽ εὔφρον᾽ ἔθεντο, §641αἰδοῦνται δ᾽ ἱκέτας Διός, §642ποίμναν τάνδ᾽ ἀμέγαρτον:
Now, you gods born of Zeus, may you hear my prayers poured out for our lineage: that never may this Pelasgian [land] be destroyed by fire by raging Ares, who is insatiable of clamor and reaps mortals in other fields; because they took pity on us, and cast a kindly vote, and revere the suppliants of Zeus, this unenvied flock.
§643οὐδὲ μετ᾽ ἀρσένων §644ψῆφον ἔθεντ᾽ ἀτιμώ- §645σαντες ἔριν γυναικῶν, §646Δῖον ἐπιδόμενοι §647πράκτορ᾽ ἐπίσκοπον §648δυσπόλεμον, τὸν οὔ- §649τις ἂν δόμος ἔχν §650ἐπ᾽ ὀρόφων ἰαί- §651νοιτο: βαρὺς δ᾽ ἐφίζει.
Nor did they, siding with the males, cast their vote, having held in contempt the dispute of the women, looking to the divine avenging observer, hard to war against, whom no house could have upon its roof and be glad; for he sits heavy.
For they revere those of the same blood, the pure suppliants of Zeus.
Therefore, with clean altars they will appease the gods.
§656τοιγὰρ ὑποσκίων §657ἐκ στομάτων ποτά- §658σθω φιλότιμος εὐχά, §659μήποτε λοιμὸς ἀνδρῶν §660τάνδε πόλιν κενώσαι: §661μηδ᾽ ἐπιχωρίοις <στάσις> §662πτώμασιν αἱματίσαι πέδον γᾶς.
Therefore, from under the shaded mouths let the honorable prayer fly, that never may pestilence empty this city of men; nor may strife stain the plain of the earth with the fallen bodies of the locals.
§663ἥβας δ᾽ ἄνθος ἄδρεπτον §664ἔστω, μηδ᾽ Ἀφροδίτας §665εὐνάτωρ βροτολοιγὸς Ἄ- §666ρης κέρσειεν ἄωτον.
And let the flower of youth be unplucked, nor may Aphrodite's husband, Ares the destroyer of men, shear off the blossom.
And let the altars that receive the elders be full and ablaze with honorable men.
§670τὼς πόλις εὖ νέμοιτο §671Ζῆνα μέγαν σεβόντων, §672τὸν ξένιον δ᾽ ὑπερτάτως, §673ὃς πολιῷ νόμῳ αἶσαν ὀρθοῖ.
Thus may the city be well governed by those who revere great Zeus, and especially him as protector of strangers, who by ancient law directs fate aright.
§674τίκτεσθαι δὲ φόρους γᾶς §675ἄλλους εὐχόμεθ᾽ αἰεί, §676Ἄρτεμιν δ᾽ ἑκάταν γυναι- §677κῶν λόχους ἐφορεύειν.
And we pray that other fruits of the earth be always produced, and that Artemis who shoots from afar watch over the childbearing of women.
§678μηδέ τις ἀνδροκμὴς §679λοιγὸς ἐπελθέτω §680τάνδε πόλιν δαΐζων, §681ἄχορον ἀκίθαριν §682δακρυογόνον Ἄρη §683βοάν τ᾽ ἔνδημον ἐξοπλίζων.
And let no man-slaying pestilence come upon to ravage this city, arming Ares, who has no dance nor lyre, the breeder of tears, and the domestic clamor.
§684νούσων δ᾽ ἑσμὸς ἀπ᾽ ἀστῶν §685ἵζοι κρατὸς ἀτερπής: §686εὐμενὴς δ᾽ ὁ Λύκειος ἔσ- §687τω πάσᾳ νεολαίᾳ.
And may the unpleasant swarm of diseases sit far from the citizens' heads; and may the Lycean god be favorable to all the youth.
And may Zeus make the earth fruitful indeed with the produce of every season.
And may the grazing cattle be thus very productive; and may they obtain all things from the gods.
§694εὔφαμον δ᾽ ἐπὶ βωμοῖς §695μοῦσαν θείατ᾽ ἀοιδοί: §696ἁγνῶν τ᾽ ἐκ στομάτων φερέ- §697σθω φάμα φιλοφόρμιγξ.
And let the singers place a favorable song at the altars; and from pure mouths let the fame that loves the lyre be carried.
§698φυλάσσοι τ᾽ ἀτρεμαῖα τιμὰς §699τὸ δάμιον, τὸ πτόλιν κρατύνει, §700προμαθὶς εὐκοινόμητις ἀρχά: §701ξένοισί τ᾽ εὐξυμβόλους, §702πρὶν ἐξοπλίζειν Ἄρη, §703δίκας ἄτερ πημάτων διδοῖεν.
And may the people, who rule the city, guard their honors undisturbed, as a foreseeing, well-counseling authority; and to strangers may they grant easily agreed justice, before arming Ares, without calamities.
And the gods who hold the land, may they always honor with ancestral, laurel-bearing, bull-slaying honors.
For this respect for parents is written third in the laws of Justice, who is held in greatest honor.
§710εὐχὰς μὲν αἰνῶ τάσδε σώφρονας, φίλαι: §711ὑμεῖς δὲ μὴ τρέσητ᾽ ἀκούσασαι πατρὸς §712ἀπροσδοκήτους τούσδε καὶ νέους λόγους.
I praise these prudent prayers, dear children; but do not fear, having heard from your father these unexpected and new words.
§713ἱκεταδόκου γὰρ τῆσδ᾽ ἀπὸ σκοπῆς ὁρῶ §714τὸ πλοῖον. εὔσημον γὰρ οὔ με λανθάνει: §715στολμοί τε λαίφους καὶ παραρρύσεις νεώς, §716καὶ πρῷρα πρόσθεν ὄμμασιν βλέπουσ᾽ ὁδόν, §717οἴακος εὐθυντῆρος ὑστάτου νεὼς §718ἄγαν καλῶς κλύουσα, τοῖσιν οὐ φίλη.
For from this lookout which receives suppliants, I see the ship; for it is conspicuous and does not escape me: the fittings of the sail and the side-guards of the ship, and the prow looking with its eyes at the way ahead, listening all too well to the guiding rudder at the stern of the ship, and not friendly to those whom it opposes.
§719πρέπουσι δ᾽ ἄνδρες νάιοι μελαγχίμοις §720γυίοισι λευκῶν ἐκ πεπλωμάτων ἰδεῖν, §721καὶ τἄλλα πλοῖα πᾶσά θ᾽ ἡ ʼπικουρία §722εὔπρεπτος: αὐτὴ δ᾽ ἡγεμὼν ὑπὸ χθόνα §723στείλασα λαῖφος παγκρότως ἐρέσσεται.
And the shipmen are conspicuous to look upon with their black limbs from white garments, and the other ships and all the auxiliary force are clearly seen; and the flagship itself, having furled its sail near the land, is rowed with all noise of oars.
But it is necessary to look at the matter quietly and prudently, and not to neglect these gods.
§726ἐγὼ δ᾽ ἀρωγοὺς ξυνδίκους θ᾽ ἥξω λαβών. §727ἴσως γὰρ ἂν κῆρυξ τις ἢ πρέσβη μόλοι, §728ἄγειν θέλοντες ῥυσίων ἐφάπτορες.
And I will return, having brought helpers and advocates; for perhaps some herald or envoy might come, wishing to lead you away, laying hold of you as pledges.
§729ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲν ἔσται τῶνδε: μὴ τρέσητέ νιν.
But none of these things shall be; do not fear them.
Yet it is better, if we should be slow with our cry, never at any time to forget this protection.
Take courage; in due time and on the decisive day, whoever of mortals slights the gods shall pay the penalty.
Father, I am afraid, as the swift-winged ships have come; and there is no length of time in between.
An extreme terror possesses me in truth, if there is any help for me from my far-wandering flight.
§738παροίχομαι, πάτερ, δείματι.
I am undone, father, with fear.
Since the vote of the Argives is final, children, take courage; they will fight for you, I know well.
The mad race of Ægyptus is ruinous and insatiable of battle; and I speak to you who know this.
§743δοριπαγεῖς δ᾽ ἔχοντες κυανώπιδας §744νῆας ἔπλευσαν ὧδ᾽ ἐπιτυχεῖ κότῳ §745πολεῖ μελαγχίμῳ σὺν στρατῷ.
And having spear-bound, dark-eyed ships, they have sailed here with such successful wrath, with a large black-clothed army.
§746πολλοὺς δέ γ᾽ εὑρήσουσιν ἐν μεσημβρίας
And they will find many men under the midday sun...