unless to do harm, Nature herself has turned into new laws: Nature has turned.
§86revolutus undas amnis et noctem afferet §87Phoebea lampas, Hesperus faciet diem; §88ut ad miserias aliquid accedat meas,
Let the river roll back its swift waves back to the source, and let the Phoebean lamp bring night, and Hesperus make day; so that something may be added to my miseries, we shall even be pious.
§89pii quoque erimus, unica Oedipodae est salus,
The only safety for Oedipus is not to be safe.
Let me avenge my father as yet unavenged; why do you, my sluggish right hand, delay to exact punishment?
§92exigere poenas? quicquid exactum est adhuc, §93matri dedisti, mitte genitoris manum, §94animosa virgo:'funus extendi» meum §95longaeque vivi ducis exequias patris.
Whatever has been exacted so far you gave to my mother; let go of your father's hand, courageous virgin: you are extending my funeral and the long obsequies of your living guide of a father.
At last cover this hated body with earth; you sin with an honorable mind, you call it piety to drag around an unburied father.
§98patrem insepultum trahere, qui cogit mori §99nolentem in aequo est quique properantem impedit; §101nec tamen in aequo est: alterum gravius reor: §100occidere est vetare cupientem mori
He who forces to die one who is unwilling is on par with one who hinders the rushing; and yet they are not on par: I think the latter is more grievous: to forbid one wishing to die to die is to kill.
§102malo imperari quam eripi mortem mihi.
I prefer to be ruled over than to have death snatched from me.
Desist from your undertaking, virgin: the right of life and death over myself is in my hands.
regna deserui libens, §105regnum mei retineo.
I abandoned the kingdom willingly, the kingdom over myself I retain.
si fida es comes, §106ensem parenti trade, sed notum nece
If you are a faithful companion, hand over a sword to your parent, but one known for the slaughter of his father.
§107ensem paterna, tradis? an gnati tenent
Do you hand it over? Or do my sons hold that sword as well with the kingdom?
Wherever there is need of a crime, let it be there; I leave it behind, let my son have it, but both of them!
§110sed uterque, flammas potius et vastum aggerem §111compone; in altos ipse me immittam rogos, §113pectusque solvam durum et in cinerem dabo
Build rather flames and a vast pile; heap up; I will throw myself into the high pyre, and I will dissolve this hard breast and reduce to ashes whatever lives in me.
§114hoc quicquid in me vivit, ubi saevum est mare?
Where is the savage sea?
§115duc ubi sit altis prorutum saxis iugum, §116ubi torva rapidus ducat Ismenos vada, §118si dux es: illuc ire morituro placet, §119ubi sedit alta rupe semifero dolos §120Sphinx ore nectens.
Lead me where there is a ridge broken down with high rocks, where the swift Ismenus leads its grim waters, if you are a guide; to go there is pleasing to one about to die, where on a high cliff sat, with half-beastly mouth, knitting wiles, the Sphinx.
dirige huc gressus pedum, §121hic siste patrem, dira ne sedes vacet, §122monstrum repone maius, hoc saxum insidens §123obscura nostrae verba fortunae loquar,
Direct hither the steps of my feet, here set down your father; lest that dreadful seat be empty, replace a greater monster; sitting upon this rock I will speak the obscure words of our fortune, which no one may solve.
§124quae nemo solvat: quisquis Assyrio loca §125possessa regi scindis et Cadmi nemus §126serpente notum, sacra quo Dirce latet, §127supplex adoras, quisquis Eurotan bibis §128Spartamque fratre nobilem gemino colis, §129quique Elin et Parnason et Boeotios §130colonus agros uberis tondes soli:, §131adverte mentem, saeva Thebarum lues
Whosoever plows the places possessed by the Assyrian king, and Cadmus's grove known for the serpent, where sacred Dirce lies hidden, which you adore suppliantly, whosoever drinks Eurotas and worships Sparta famous for the twin brother, and you who shear the Boeotian fields, a husbandman of a rich soil: turn your mind, what similar riddle did the savage plague of Thebes committing mournful words in blind measures ever set?
What so inextricable?
§134avi gener patrisque rivalis sui, §135frater suorum liberum et fratrum parens; §136uno avia partu liberos peperit viro, §137sibi et nepotes, monstra quis tanta explicat?
The son-in-law of his grandfather and rival of his father, brother of his own children and parent of his brothers; at one birth the grandmother bore children to her husband, and to herself grandchildren: who explains such great monsters?
I myself, who bore the spoils of the vanquished Sphinx, shall hesitate, a slow interpreter of my own fate.
§141mollire temptas precibus? hoc animo sedet
Why do you try to soften my fierce breast with prayers?
§142effundere hanc cum morte luctantem diu §143animam et tenebras petere: nam sceleri haec meo §144parum alta nox est: Tartaro condi iuvat, §145et si quid ultra Tartarum est; tandem libet §146quod olim oportet, morte prohiberi haud queo.
This is resolved in my mind, to pour out this soul that has long struggled with death and to seek darkness: for to my crime this night is not deep enough: it is pleasing to be hidden in Tartarus, and if there is anything beyond Tartarus; at last it is pleasing to do what long since was fitting; I cannot be prevented from death.
§147ferrum negabis? noxias lapsu vias
Will you deny me iron?
§148eludes et artis colla laqueis inseri
Dangerous paths by falling will you elude, and prevent my neck from being inserted in tight nooses?
§149prohibebis? herbas quae ferunt letum auferes?
Will you take away herbs that bring death?
§150quid ista tandem cura proficiet tua?
What, pray, will that care of yours accomplish?
§151ubique mors est.
Everywhere is death.
optume hoc cavit deus: §152eripere vitam nemo non homini, potest, §153at nemo mortem; mille ad hanc aditus patent.
God has guarded this best: anyone can snatch life from a human being, but no one can snatch death; a thousand approaches lie open to it.
§154nil quaero: dextra noster et nuda solet §155bene animus uti— dextra, nunc toto impetu, §156toto dolore, viribus totis veni.
I seek nothing: our mind is accustomed to make good use even of a bare right hand— right hand, now with all your force, with all your grief, with all your strength, come!
I do not destine one place for our wound: I am entirely guilty: exact death wherever you wish.
Break open my breast, and tear out my heart capable of so many crimes, tear away, lay bare all the recesses of my entrails.
Let my throat, broken by swift blows, resound, and let my torn veins flow, ripped by my deep-set nails.