§465καὶ τῶνδε κοινῇ Λοξίας ἐπαίτιος, §466ἄλγη προφωνῶν ἀντίκεντρα καρδίᾳ, §467εἰ μή τι τῶνδ᾽ ἔρξαιμι τοὺς ἐπαιτίους.
And of these things Loxias is jointly responsible, having foretold pain that would pierce my heart like a spur, if I did not do some of these things to those responsible.
Do you judge whether this was done justly or not; for whatever I fare at your hands, I shall accept it.
§470τὸ πρᾶγμα μεῖζον, εἴ τις οἴεται τόδε §471βροτὸς δικάζειν: οὐδὲ μὴν ἐμοὶ θέμις §472φόνου διαιρεῖν ὀξυμηνίτους δίκας:
Athena: "The matter is too great, if any mortal thinks to judge this; nor indeed is it lawful for me to decide cases of murder accompanied by swift-kindling wrath.
§473ἄλλως τε καὶ σὺ μὲν κατηρτυκὼς ἐμοῖς §474ἱκέτης προσῆλθες καθαρὸς ἀβλαβὴς δόμοις: §475ἐγὼ δ᾽ ἄμομφον ὄντα σ᾽ αἱροῦμαι πόλει.
Especially since you, having prepared yourself, have come to my house as a pure and harmless suppliant; and I accept you as blameless for my city.
§476αὗται δ᾽ ἔχουσι μοῖραν οὐκ εὐπέμπελον, §477καὶ μὴ τυχοῦσαι πράγματος νικηφόρου, §478χώρᾳ μεταῦθις ἰὸς ἐκ φρονημάτων §479πέδοι πεσὼν ἄφερτος αἰανὴς νόσος.
But these women hold a lot that is not easily dismissed, and if they do not obtain a victorious outcome, their mind's venom will afterwards fall upon the ground of this land, an unbearable and eternal plague.
Such is the case: both options—for them to remain or to dismiss them—are hard for me to deal with, a helpless distress.
§482ἐπεὶ δὲ πρᾶγμα δεῦρ᾽ ἐπέσκηψεν τόδε, §483†φόνων δικαστὰς ὁρκίους αἱρουμένη §484θεσμὸν τὸν εἰς ἅπαντ᾽ ἐγὼ θήσω χρόνον†.
But since this matter has descended here, I will choose judges of murder bound by oath, and establish an ordinance to remain for all time.
And do you call witnesses and proofs, sworn supports of justice.
§487κρίνασα δ᾽ ἀστῶν τῶν ἐμῶν τὰ βέλτατα §488ἥξω, διαιρεῖν τοῦτο πρᾶγμ᾽ ἐτητύμως, §489ὅρκον πορόντας μηδὲν ἔκδικον φράσειν. §490νῦν καταστροφαὶ νέων §491θεσμίων, εἰ κρατή- §492σει δίκα <τε> καὶ βλάβα §493τοῦδε ματροκτόνου.
And I will return, having chosen the best of my citizens, to decide this matter truly, after they have given an oath to speak nothing unjust." Chorus: "Now comes the overthrow of new ordinances, if the cause and the harm of this mother-slayer shall prevail.
This deed will henceforth reconcile all mortals to easy tolerance of crime.
And many true sufferings from wounds inflicted by children await parents in the time to come.
§499οὐδὲ γὰρ βροτοσκόπων §500μαινάδων τῶνδ᾽ ἐφέρ- §501ψει κότος τιν᾽ ἐργμάτων: §502πάντ᾽ ἐφήσω μόρον.
For no wrath of these mortal-watching Maenads will creep upon any deeds; I will let loose every form of death.
§503πεύσεται δ᾽ ἄλλος ἄλλοθεν, προφω- §504νῶν τὰ τῶν πέλας κακά, §505λῆξιν ὑπόδοσίν τε μόχθων, §506ἄκεά τ᾽ οὐ βέβαια τλά- §507μων [δέ τις] μάταν παρηγορεῖ.
And one will learn from another, foretelling his neighbour's ills, of the cessation and alleviation of troubles; but some wretched man in vain counsels remedies that are not secure.
§508μηδέ τις κικλησκέτω §509ξυμφορᾷ τετυμμένος, §510τοῦτ᾽ ἔπος θροούμενος, §511ὦ δίκα, §512ὦ θρόνοι τ᾽ Ἐρινύων. §513ταῦτά τις τάχ᾽ ἂν πατὴρ §514ἢ τεκοῦσα νεοπαθὴς §515οἶκτον οἰκτίσαιτ᾽, ἐπει- §516δὴ πίτνει δόμος δίκας.
Let no one, smitten by misfortune, cry out and utter this word: 'O Justice, O thrones of the Erinyes!' Perhaps some father or mother newly-stricken might piteously lament thus, since the house of justice is falling.
There is a place where terror is good, and must remain seated as a guardian of the mind.
§522τίς δὲ μηδὲν ἐν δέει §523καρδίαν <ἂν> ἀνατρέφων §524ἢ πόλις βροτός θ᾽ ὁμοί- §525ως ἔτ᾽ ἂν σέβοι δίκαν;
But what man or city, nourishing no fear in the heart, would still revere justice in like manner?
Praise neither a life without rule nor one ruled by a despot
God has given power to all that is moderate, though he oversees different things in different ways.
§532ξύμμετρον δ᾽ ἔπος λέγω, §533δυσσεβίας μὲν ὕβρις §534τέκος ὡς ἐτύμως: §535ἐκ δ᾽ ὑγιεί- §536ας φρενῶν ὁ πάμφιλος §537καὶ πολύευκτος ὄλβος.
And I speak a measured word: pride is truly the child of impiety; but from health of mind comes the well-loved and much-prayed-for prosperity.
§538ἐς τὸ πᾶν δέ σοι λέγω, §539βωμὸν αἴδεσαι δίκας: §540μηδέ νιν §541κέρδος ἰδὼν ἀθέῳ §542ποδὶ λὰξ ἀτίσῃς: §543ποινὰ γὰρ ἐπέσται.
And I tell you in sum: revere the altar of justice; and do not, looking to gain, trample it with godless foot to dishonour it; for retribution will follow.
§544κύριον μένει τέλος.
The decisive end remains.
§545πρὸς τάδε τις τοκέων §546σέβας εὖ προτίων §547καὶ ξενοτί- §548μους δόμων ἐπιστροφὰς §549αἰδόμενός τις ἔστω.
Therefore let one be outstanding in paying honour to parents, and show respect to the guest-welcoming visits of houses.
He who is just willingly and without compulsion shall not be unhappy; and he could never become utterly destroyed.
§553τὸν ἀντίτολμον δέ φαμι παρβάταν §554ἄγοντα πολλὰ παντόφυρτ᾽ ἄνευ δίκας §555βιαίως ξὺν χρόνῳ καθήσειν §556λαῖφος, ὅταν λάβῃ πόνος §557θραυομένας κεραίας.
But I say that the over-bold transgressor, who carries off many things confusedly without justice, will in time by force let down his sail, when trouble takes hold of his breaking yard-arm.
§558καλεῖ δ᾽ ἀκούοντας οὐδὲν <ἐν> μέσᾳ §559δυσπαλεῖ τε δίνᾳ: §560γελᾷ δὲ δαίμων ἐπ᾽ ἀνδρὶ θερμῷ, §561τὸν οὔποτ᾽ αὐχοῦντ᾽ ἰδὼν ἀμαχάνοις §562δύαις λαπαδνὸν οὐδ᾽ ὑπερθέοντ᾽ ἄκραν: §563δι᾽ αἰῶνος δὲ τὸν πρὶν ὄλβον §564ἕρματι προσβαλὼν δίκας §565ὤλετ᾽ ἄκλαυτος, ᾆστος. §566κήρυσσε, κῆρυξ, καὶ στρατὸν κατειργαθοῦ,
And he calls upon those who hear nothing in the midst of the hard-struggling vortex; and the god laughs at the passionate man, seeing him, who once boasted he would never suffer, helpless in inextricable ruin and failing to clear the cape; having dashed his former prosperity against the reef of justice, he perishes unwept, unseen for all time." Athena: "Herald, make proclamation, and hold back the army.
§567ἥ τ᾽ οὖν διάτορος <αἰθέρος> Τυρσηνικὴ §568σάλπιγξ βροτείου πνεύματος πληρουμένη, §569ὑπέρτονον γήρυμα φαινέτω στρατῷ.
And let the piercing Tyrrhenian trumpet, filled with mortal breath, sound its high-pitched voice to the host.
§570πληρουμένου γὰρ τοῦδε βουλευτηρίου §571σιγᾶν ἀρήγει καὶ μαθεῖν θεσμοὺς ἐμοὺς §572πόλιν τε πᾶσαν ἐς τὸν αἰανῆ χρόνον §573καὶ τούσδ᾽, ὅπως ἂν εὖ διαγνωσθῇ δίκη. §574ἄναξ Ἄπολλον, ὧν ἔχεις αὐτὸς κράτει.
For while this council-chamber is filling, it is beneficial for the whole city to keep silence and to learn my ordinances for eternal time, and for these people too, so that the cause may be well decided." Athena: "Lord Apollo, rule over those things which are yours.