§1.1007ἢ μὴ παρεξέλθοις. καὶ θανεῖν με συμφέρει.
Or do not go away; it is also profitable for me to die.
§1.1008Τριτάταν ἁμέραν μὲν εἰδυῖα κλύω §1.1009αὖθις φθορᾶς πάναγρον ἀνίσχειν δέμας· §1.1010νῦν δ’ ἐχθρὸν ἦμαρ, ἐχθρὸν εἰσορῶ φάος §1.1011καὶ δυστάλαιναν τὴν πάλαι μακαρίαν.
I know and hear that on the third day the all-pure body will rise again from corruption; but now I see a hateful day, a hateful light, and myself, once blessed, now wretched.
§1.1012Ὅθεν τὰ θνητῶν μᾶλλον ἡγοῦμαι σκιὰν, §1.1013κοὐδ’ ἂν τρέσασ’ εἴποιμι τοὺς σοφοὺς βροτῶν §1.1014δοκοῦντας εἶναι καὶ μεριμνητὰς λόγων, §1.1015τούτους μεγίστην ζημίαν ὀφλισκάνειν.
Therefore, I consider the affairs of mortals rather a shadow, and without fear I would say that those of mortals who seem to be wise and searchers of words incur the greatest penalty.
§1.1016Θνητῶν γὰρ οὐδείς ἐστιν ὄλβιος φύσει, §1.1017ὄλβου δ’ ἐπιρρυέντος εὐκλεέστερος §1.1018ἄλλου γένοιτ’ ἄλλος, ὄλβιος δ’ ἂν οὔ.
For no one of mortals is happy by nature; when wealth flows in, one might become more glorious than another, but happy he would not be.
§1.1019Πάντων, ὅσ’ ἔστ’ καὶ γνώμην ἔχει, §1.1020γυναῖκες ἐσμὲν ἀθλιώτατον φυτὸν, §1.1021ὅσαι τεκοῦσαι καὶ θανόντ’ εἶδον τέκνα· §1.1022ὡς τρὶς θανεῖν θέλοιμ’ ἢ τεκεῖν ἅπαξ §1.1023καὶ πότμον ἰδεῖν ἐντραφέντος μοι τέκνου.
Of all things that exist and have understanding, we women are the most wretched creature, especially those who, having given birth, have seen their children die; for I would wish to die three times rather than to give birth once and see the fate of my child reared by me.
But indeed, the same argument does not apply to you and me, O all-ruling queen, blessed virgin.
§1.1026Ἠ πολλὰ παντὸς εἶ διάφορος γένους· §1.1027ἐγὼ γὰρ ἀνδρὸς τέρψιν εἰσδεξαμένη §1.1028ἀνθ’ ἡδονῆς ὠδῖνας ἐν λύπαις τρέφω, §1.1029καὶ θνητὸν ὡς ἔτικτον, εἰδυῖα στέγω· §1.1030κούφως φέρειν γὰρ συμφορὰς θνητοὺς δέον·
Indeed, you are very different from the whole race; for I, having received the pleasure of a man, nourish in griefs labor pains instead of pleasure, and since I gave birth to a mortal, knowing this, I endure it; for mortals must bear disasters lightly.
§1.1031σὺ δ’ ἀνδρὸς οὐκ ἔγνωκας εὐνὴν, παρθένε, §1.1032Θεὸν τεκεῖν ἔκλυες ἀγγέλου, λέγεις· §1.1033καὶ νεκρὸν αὐτὸν νῦν ὁρῶσα πῶς φέρεις;
But you, virgin, have not known the bed of a man, you heard from an angel that you would give birth to God, so you say; and now, seeing him a corpse, how do you bear it?
§1.1034Ἐᾶτέ μ’· οὔτι φίλα μοι τὰ μὴ φίλα· §1.1035ἤγγειλεν, οἷ’ ἤγγειλεν· οὐ μομφὴν ἔχει §1.1036εὐάγγελος δόξης γε τῆς εὐαγγέλου· §1.1037ἢν ἐσφάλην ἐγὼ δὲ τῆς ἀγγελίας, §1.1038οὐκ οἶδ’, ὀχυρὰς ἐμφέρω γὰρ ἐγγύας.
Leave me; things that are not dear are not dear to me; he announced what he announced; there is no blame in the messenger of glory, at least concerning the good tidings; but if I was deceived in the announcement, I do not know, for I bring forward secure pledges.
§1.1039Θρηνεῖν δὲ δεῖ με’ δακρύων γὰρ ἄξια §1.1040πέπονθα πολλὰ καὶ στένω καὶ δακρύω, §1.1041ἔως ἴδοιμι ζῶντα τὸν τανῦν νέκυν.
But I must lament; for worthy of tears are the many things I have suffered, and I groan and weep, until I see him living who is now a corpse.
§1.1042Δέσποινα κούρη, χρή σε συγγνώμην ἔχειν.
O queenly maiden, you must have forgiveness.
§1.1043εἴ τις ὑφ’ ἥβης σπλάγχνον εὔτονον φέρων §1.1044μάταια βάζει, μὴ δόκει τούτων κλύειν· §1.1045σοφωτέραν γὰρ ἴδμεν οὖσάν σε βροτῶν.
If someone, possessing a vigorous spirit due to youth, speaks foolish things, do not think to listen to them; for we know you are wiser than mortals.
§1.1046Αἲ αἴ·
Alas, alas!
§1.1047Ἔτλην μεγάλων ἄξια θρήνων ἐγώ.
I have endured sufferings worthy of great lamentations.
§1.1048Ὠ πένθος οὐ μετρητὸν οὐδ’ οἷόν τ᾿ ἰδεῖν.
O grief unmeasurable and impossible to look upon.
§1.1049Φόνον ταλαίναις χερσὶν ἐξειργασạένοι, §1.1050τὸν καλλίνικον κλεινὸν ἐξεπράξατε §1.1051εἰς θρῆνον, εἰς δάκρυα· καγκαλὴς ἀγὼν §1.1052ἐν αἵμασι στάζουσαν εἰσφέρειν χέρα.
Having accomplished slaughter with wretched hands, you have driven the glorious, victorious one into lamentation, into tears; what a miserable contest it is to bring forward a hand dripping with blood.
§1.1053Φεῦ φεῦ· φρονήσαντες μὲν, οἷ’ ἔδράσατε, §1.1054ἀλγήσατ᾿ ἄλγος δεινόν· εἰ δ’ ἔως τέλους §1.1055ἐν τῷδ’ ἀεὶ μενεῖτ’, ἐν ᾧ καθέστατε, §1.1056οὐκ εὐτυχοῦντες δόξετ’ οὐχὶ δυστυχεῖν, §1.1057ἀλλ’ οὐκ, ἐγᾦμαι, ταῦτ’ ἀνατὶ παρίῃ.
Alas, alas! having realized what you have done, suffer a terrible pain; but if to the end you always remain in this state in which you stand, though not being fortunate, you will seem not to be unfortunate, but I do not think you will let these things pass with impunity.
§1.1058Τί γὰρ καλόν;
For what is noble?
τί δ’ ἀσεβῶς τῶνδ’ οὐκ ἔχει;
Which of these things does not have impiety?
§1.1059Ὄλοισθ’ ὄλοισθε, στυγεροὶ μιαιφόνοι, §1.1060οἱ Δεσπότην κτανόντες οὐ φροντίζετε, §1.1061πᾶσαν τρέμουσαν εἰσορῶντες τὴν κτίσιν, §1.1062ἀλλ’ ἐστὲ θήρᾳ τοῦ φόνου γαυρούμενοι.
Perish, perish, hateful murderers, who, having killed the Lord, do not care, even seeing all creation trembling, but are exulting in the prey of slaughter.
§1.1063κακῶς πέπρακται πανταχοῦ, τὶς ἀντερεῖ;
Things have been done badly everywhere; who will gainsay it?
And truly, the whole life of mortals is painful; and they love it, though overcome by disasters.
But your pain is not like that of other humans, maiden, even if you are not the only one separated from your child.
§1.1068Οὐ γὰρ ὅμοιος σὸς τόκος καὶ τοῦ §1.1069ὅμως δὲ πάντα τλησικαρδίως φέρειν §1.1070τανῦν προσήκει κάρτα τ’ αὖ πεποιθέναι.
For your birth is not like that of another; nevertheless, to bear all things with an enduring heart is highly fitting now, and again to trust firmly.
§1.1071Αἲ αἰ·
Alas, alas!
§1.1072Δέδορκά τινα τῶν ἀλαστόρων, κόραι, §1.1073οἱ συνέτριψαν τῶν μιαιφόνων σκέλη, §1.1074κατευθύνοντα Παιδὸς εἰς ἧπαρ δόρυ.
I see one of the avenging spirits, maidens, who broke the legs of the murderers, directing a spear straight into the liver of the Child.
§1.1075Δέδοικα δ’ αὐτὸν, μή τι βουλεύσῃ νέον §1.1076καὶ δευτέραν μοι συμφορὰν δράσῃ πάλιν, §1.1077Παῖδ’ ἢν ἴδοιμι καὶ νέκυν ὑβρισμένον.
And I fear him, lest he plan something new and work a second disaster upon me again, if I should see my Child, and that too a corpse, outraged.
§1.1078Ἰώ μοί μοι·
Alas, alas!
§1.1079Θέαμα δεινὸν ὄμμασι βλέπω νέον.
A terrifying sight, new to my eyes, I see.
§1.1080Κατίδετ᾿ ἴδεθ᾿ αἷμα νυγέντος νεκροῦ, §1.1081ὁρᾶθ᾿ ὁρᾶτε, πῶς διπλοῦς κρουνοὺς ῥέει· §1.1082πλευρᾶς γὰρ αἷμα κοὐ πεφυρμένον ποτὸν §1.1083ἔβλυσεν εὐθὺς, ὡς ἐνύγη τῷ ξίφει §1.1084ἡβῶντος ἀνδρὸς δυσμενῶν ἐξ Αὐσόνων.
Look, look at the blood of the pierced corpse, see, see how it flows in double streams; for blood from the side, and not a mixed drink, gushed out immediately, as he was pierced with the sword of a youth from the hostile Ausonians.
§1.1085Διπλοῦς ἔτι βλύζει τε κρουνὸς αὐτόθεν· §1.1086αὐτὸς δ’ ὁ νύξας ἐκπλαγεὶς κέκραγε πως, §1.1087ὡς ἔστιν ὄντως Παῖς Θεοῦ νέκυς ὅδε· “ §1.1088τρέχει δ’, ὁρᾶτε, καί γε προσπίτνει ξύλω, §1.1089πίπτει τ᾿ ἐπ᾿ οὐδας τῇ θέᾳ νικώμενος §1.1090στῆθός τε παίει καὶ περιπτύσσει πέδον, §1.1091ἔνθ’ ἰκρίον πέπηγεν ἐμπεφυρμένον §1.1092ῥείθρῳ καταρρέοντι τῆς πλευρᾶς ἔτι,
A double stream still gushes from there; and he who pierced him, astonished, cries out somehow, "Truly this corpse is the Son of God!" And he runs, see, and falls before the wood, and falls to the ground, overcome by the sight, and strikes his breast and embraces the ground where the beam is fixed, drenched with the stream still flowing down from his side.