§747θάλπει βραχίον᾽ εὖ κατερρινημένους.
The sun warms arms that are well polished by training.
§748μόνην δὲ μὴ πρόλειπε: λίσσομαι, πάτερ.
CHORUS: But do not leave me alone; I beseech you, father.
§749γυνὴ μονωθεῖσ᾽ οὐδέν: οὐκ ἔνεστ᾽ Ἄρης.
A woman left alone is nothing; there is no fight in her.
And they are destructive in mind and of crafty counsel, with impure hearts, like crows, caring nothing for the altars.
DANAUS: This would turn out well for us, children, if they should be hated both by you and by the gods.
CHORUS: They will never hold back their hands from us, father, out of fear for these tridents and the holy objects of the gods.
They are exceedingly proud, maddened with unholy rage, bold as dogs, paying no heed to the gods.
DANAUS: But there is a saying that wolves are stronger than dogs; and the fruit of the papyrus does not master the wheat-ear.
Since they have the tempers of foolish and unholy beasts, we must be on guard against their power.
§764οὔτοι ταχεῖα ναυτικοῦ στρατοῦ στολή, §765οὐδ᾽ ὅρμος, οὐδὲ πεισμάτων σωτηρίαν §766ἐς γῆν ἐνεγκεῖν, οὐδ᾽ ἐν ἀγκυρουχίαις §767θαρσοῦσι ναῶν ποιμένες παραυτίκα, §768ἄλλως τε καὶ μολόντες ἀλίμενον χθόνα §769ἐς νύκτ᾽ ἀποστείχοντος ἡλίου.
Indeed, the movement of a naval force is not swift, nor is anchoring, nor bringing the safety of mooring cables to land, nor do the captains of ships feel confident immediately at their anchorages, especially when they have come to a harborless land as the sun is departing into night.
φιλεῖ §770ὠδῖνα τίκτειν νὺξ κυβερνήτῃ σοφῷ.
Night is wont to bring anxiety to a wise pilot.
Thus, even the disembarkation of the army could not go well before the ship has found courage in its anchorage.
σὺ δὲ §773φρόνει μὲν ὡς ταρβοῦσα μἀμελεῖν θεῶν:
But you, while being fearful, take care not to neglect the gods.
I will bring help; and the city will not blame an old messenger, who is young in his eloquent mind.
CHORUS: O hilly land, object of all-just reverence, what will happen to us?
ποῖ φύγωμεν Ἀπίας §778χθονός, κελαινὸν εἴ τι κεῦθός ἐστί που;
Whither on the Apian land shall we flee, if there is any dark hiding place anywhere?
§779μέλας γενοίμαν καπνὸς §780νέφεσσι γειτονῶν Διός: §781τὸ πᾶν δ᾽ ἄφαντος §782ἀμπετὴς ἄιστος ὡς §783κόνις ἄτερθε πτερύγων ὀλοίμαν.
Oh, that I might become black smoke, neighboring the clouds of Zeus; and flying aloft, utterly unseen, like invisible dust, perish without wings.
The end can no longer be escaped; and my dark-skinned heart leaps with fear.
§786πατρὸς σκοπαὶ δέ μ᾽ εἷλον: οἴχομαι φόβῳ.
My father's watchings have seized me; I am undone by fear.
§787θέλοιμι δ᾽ ἂν μορσίμου §788βρόχου τυχεῖν ἐν ἀρτάναις, §789πρὶν ἄνδρ᾽ ἀπευκτὸν §790τῷδε χριμφθῆναι χροΐ: §791πρόπαρ θανούσας δ᾽ Ἀίδας ἀνάσσοι.
I would wish to meet a fated noose in a hanging-cord, before a detestable man draws near to this flesh of mine; and before that, may Hades rule over me in death.
§792πόθεν δέ μοι γένοιτ᾽ ἂν αἰθέρος θρόνος, §793πρὸς ὃν νεφῶν ὑδρηλὰ γίγνεται χιών, §794ἢ λισσὰς αἰγίλιψ ἀπρόσ- §795δεικτος οἰόφρων κρεμὰς §796γυπιὰς πέτρα, βαθὺ §797πτῶμα μαρτυροῦσά μοι, §798πρὶν δαΐκτορος βίᾳ §799καρδίας γάμου κυρῆσαι;
Oh, from where might I get a seat in the ether, against which the watery clouds turn into snow, or some smooth, goat-defying, unpointed, lonely-minded, hanging vulture-haunted cliff, witnessing my deep fall, before I meet a marriage that forces and tears my heart?
§800κυσὶν δ᾽ ἔπειθ᾽ ἕλωρα κἀπιχωρίοις §801ὄρνισι δεῖπνον οὐκ ἀναίνομαι πέλειν: §802τὸ γὰρ θανεῖν ἐλευθεροῦ- §803ται φιλαιάκτων πόνων.
And then I do not refuse to become prey for dogs and a feast for the birds of the land; for to die is to be set free from lamentable troubles.
Let fate come, finding me before the marriage-bed.
Whither, what path of escape shall I yet cut out to release me from marriage?
Utter a cry to heaven, plaintive songs of supplication to the gods, and may they be fulfilled for me as bringing release.
Look upon the battle, father, seeing violent deeds with no friendly but with just eyes.
And respect your suppliants, O earth-holding, all-powerful Zeus.
§817γένος γὰρ Αἰγύπτειον ὕβριν §818δύσφορον ἀρσενογενὲς §819μετά με δρόμοισι διόμενοι §820φυγάδα μάταισι πολυθρόοις §821βίαια δίζηνται λαβεῖν.
For the race of Ægyptus, in intolerable male pride, pursuing me, a fugitive, with running and with clamorous madness, seek to seize me by violence.
τί δ᾽ ἄνευ σέθεν §824θνατοῖσι τέλειόν ἐστιν;
What without you is accomplished for mortals?
§825ὀοό, ἀαά:
Oh! Oh! Ah! Ah!
§826ὅδε μάρπτις νάιος γάιος.
Here is the robber, from ship to land!
§827τῶν πρό, μάρπτι, κάμνοις:
May you perish before that, robber!
I see here the prelude of my violent sufferings.
ἠὲ ἠέ.
Alas, alas!
§832βαῖνε φυγᾷ πρὸς ἀλκάν:
Go in flight to the protection!
They approach with fierce minds and luxury intolerable on ship and on land.
§835γᾶι ἄναξ προτάσσου. †
O lord of the land, stand before us to protect!
HERALD: Away, away to the bark, as fast as you have feet!
CHORUS: Then indeed, there will be tearing, tearing of hair and branding, bloody, murderous severing of heads!
§842σοῦσθε σοῦσθ᾽† ὀλύμεναι ὀλόμεν᾽ ἐπαμίδα.
HERALD: Away, away, you damned ones, to the ship!
CHORUS: Oh, that upon the wide-flowing salty path of the sea, with your master's insolence, and your nail-bolted timber, you might perish!
HERALD: [Corrupt text] I command you to go to the ship, to let go of your crying, and to cease your mind's desire for ruin.
§851ἰοὺ ἰού.
CHORUS: Alas, alas!
§852λεῖφ᾽ ἕδρανα, κί᾽ ἐς δόρυ,
HERALD: Leave the seats, go to the ship!
§853ἀτίετ᾽ ἂμ πόλιν εὐσεβῶν.
You are unhonored in this city of pious men.
CHORUS: Never again may I look upon the cattle-fattening water, from which the life-giving blood of mortals is nourished and flourishes.
§858†ἄγειος ἐγὼ βαθυχαῖος
HERALD: [Corrupt text] I am of noble descent...
§860βαθρείας βαθρείας γέρον. †
Old man, leave the deep pedestal.
And you shall go on the ship, on the ship, quickly, whether willing or unwilling, by force, by great violence, departed.
[Corrupt text] You who suffer deep evils, destroyed by violent hands.
§866αἰαῖ αἰαῖ.
CHORUS: Alas, alas!