§186abeatque tuta.
and let her depart in safety.
fert gradum contra ferox §187minaxque nostros propius affatus petit,
She, fierce, directs her step towards us, and threateningly seeks our speech more closely.
Keep her away, servants, far from touch and approach, command her to be silent.
regium imperium pati
Let her learn at last to endure royal command.
Go in swift flight, and carry away at once this savage and horrible monster.
§192Quod crimen aut quae culpa multatur fuga?
What crime or what fault is punished with exile?
§193Quae causa pellat, innocens mulier rogat.
An innocent woman asks what cause drives her out.
§194Si iudicas, cognosce, si regnas, iube.
If you judge, inquire; if you reign, command.
§195Aequum atque iniquum regis imperium feras.
You must bear the king's command, whether just or unjust.
§196Iniqua numquam regna perpetuo manent.
Unjust kingdoms never remain forever.
§197I, querere Colchis,
Go, complain to the Colchians!
§197bRedeo: qui advexit, ferat.
I will return: let him who brought me carry me back.
§198Vox constitute sera decreto venit.
Your voice comes too late when the decree is already set.
He who has decided anything without hearing the other side, even though he may have decided what is fair, has not been fair.
§201C R. Auditus a te Pelia supplicium tulit?
Did Pelias suffer his punishment after being heard by you?
§202sed fare, causae detur egregiae locus.
But speak: let a place be given for your excellent cause.
§203Difficile quam sit animum ab ira flectere §204iam concitatum quamque regale hoc putet §205sceptris superbas quisquis admovit manus, §206qua coepit ire, regia didici mea.
How difficult it is to turn a mind once excited from anger, and how kingly a thing he thinks it who has applied his proud hands to scepters to go where he began, I have learned in my own royal palace.
§207quamvis enim sim clade miseranda obruta, §208expulsa supplex sola deserta, undique §209adflicta, quondam nobili falsi patre §210avoque clarum Sole deduxi genus.
For although I may be overwhelmed by a pitiable disaster, driven out as a suppliant, alone, deserted, afflicted on all sides, yet once, through a noble father, and from my grandfather the Sun, I traced my illustrious lineage.
§211quodcumque placidis flexibus Phasis rigat §212Pontusque quicquid Scythicus a tergo videt, §213palustribus qua maria dulcescunt aquis, §214armata peltis quicquid exterret cohors §215inclusa ripis vidua Thermodontiis, §216hoc omne noster genitor imperio regit.
Whatever land the Phasis waters with its gentle windings, and whatever the Scythian Sea beholds behind its back, where the seas grow sweet with marshy waters, and whatever land the cohort armed with small shields terrifies— that widow cohort enclosed by Thermodontian banks— all this my father rules with his power.
§217generosa, felix, decore regali potens §218fulsi: petebant tunc meos thalamos proci, §219qui nunc petuntur.
Noble, fortunate, powerful with royal splendor, I shone: then suitors were seeking my chambers, who are now being sought.
rapida fortuna ac levis §220praecepsque regno eripuit, exilio dedit.
Rapid and light fortune, and headlong, has snatched me from my kingdom, and given me to exile.
§221confide regnis, cum levis magnas opes §222huc ferat et illuc casus— hoc reges habent §223magnificum et ingens, nulla quod rapiat dies: §224prodesse miseris, supplices fido lare §225protegere, solum hoc Colchico regno extuli,
Trust in kingdoms, when light chance carries great wealth hither and thither—this kings possess, magnificent and huge, which no day can snatch away: to benefit the wretched, to protect suppliants with a faithful home; this alone have I brought away from the Colchian kingdom.
§226decus illud ingens Graeciae et florem inclitum, §227praesidia Achivae gentis et prolem deum, §228servasse memet, munus est Orpheus meum, §229qui saxa cantu mulcet et silvas trahit, §230geminum que numen Castor et Pollux meum est §231satique Borea quique trans Pontum quoque §232summota Lynceus lumine inmisso videt, §233omnesque Minyae: nam ducem taceo ducum, §234pro quo nihil debetur: hunc nulli imputo; §235vobis revexi ceteros, unum mihi.
That huge glory of Greece and illustrious flower, the defenses of the Achive race and offspring of the gods, that I myself saved them, is my gift: Orpheus is mine, who soothes rocks with song and draws forests along, and the twin divinity, Castor and Pollux, is mine, and the offspring of Boreas, and Lynceus who also sees things removed far away, by sending his light through them, and all the Minyans: for I am silent on the leader of leaders, for whom nothing is owed: him I impute to no one; I brought back the others for you, the one for myself.
§236incesse nunc et cuncta flagitia ingere.
Attack me now and heap all shames upon me.
§237fatebor: obici crimen hoc solum potest, §238Argo reversa, virgini placeat pudor §239paterque placeat: tota cum ducibus ruet §240Pelasga tellus, hic tuus primum gener §241tauri ferocis ore flammanti occidet.
I will confess: this crime alone can be cast against me, "that, with Argo returned, modesty should have pleased the maiden and her father should have pleased her": if so, the whole Pelasgian land would have fallen with its leaders; here first your son-in-law would have fallen by the flaming mouth of the fierce bull.
Let fortune press our cause as she will, I do not repent having saved the glory of so many kings.
Whatever reward I have borne from all my fault, this is in your hands.
si placet, damna ream; §246sed redde crimen, sum nocens, fateor, Creo:
If it pleases you, condemn the guilty woman; but return my crime.
§247talem sciebas esse, cum genua attigi §248fidemque supplex praesidis dextrae peti; §249terra hac miseriis angulum ac sedem rogo §250latebrasque viles: urbe si pelli placet, §251detur remotus aliquis in regnis locus.
I am guilty, I confess, Creon: you knew I was such a one when I touched your knees and, as a suppliant, sought the faith of your protecting right hand; I ask for a corner and a seat for my miseries in this land, and a vile hiding-place: if it pleases you to drive me from the city, let some remote place in your kingdoms be granted.
§252Non esse me qui sceptra violentus geram §253nec qui superbo miserias calcem pede, §254testatus equidem videor haud clare parum §255generum exulem legendo et adflictum et gravi §256terrore pavidum, quippe quem poenae expetit §257letoque Acastus regna Thessalica optinens.
That I am not one who wields the scepter violently, nor one who tramples on miseries with a proud foot, I indeed seem to have proven clearly enough, by choosing an exiled son-in-law, afflicted and trembling with grave fear—indeed, one whom punishment and death seek, Acastus possessing the Thessalian kingdoms.
§258senio trementem debili atque aevo gravem §259patrem peremptum queritur et caesi senis §260discissa membra, cum dolo captae tuo §261piae sorores impium auderent nefas.
He laments his father slain, trembling with weak old age being killed, and the cut-up limbs of the slain old man, when, caught by your deceit, the pious sisters dared to commit the impious crime.
§262potest Iason, si tuam causam amoves, §263suam tueri: nullus innocuum cruor §264contaminavit, afuit ferro manus §265proculque vestro purus a coetu stetit.
Jason, if you set aside your cause, can defend his own: no blood has defiled him, innocent; his hand was absent from the sword, and he stood pure, far away from your company.
§266tu, tu malorum machinatrix facinorum, §267cui feminae nequitia ad audenda omnia, §268robur virile est, nulla famae memoria, §269egredere, purga regna, letales simul §270tecum aufer herbas, libera cives metu, §271alia sedens tellure sollicita deos.
You, you, the contriver of evil deeds, who have a woman's wickedness for daring all things, and a man's strength, and no memory of reputation: go out, cleanse my kingdoms, and carry away with you your deadly herbs; free the citizens from fear, and, settling in another land, harass the gods.