§1Iam nocte Titan dubius expulsa redit §2et nube maestus squalida exoritur iubar, §3lumenque flamma triste luctifica gerens §4prospiciet avida peste solatas domos, §5stragemque quam nox fecit ostendet dies.
Already, with night driven out, the doubtful Titan returns, and sorrowful, with a squalid cloud, he raises his beam, and bearing a sad light with lamentable flame, he will look forth upon homes desolated by greedy plague, and the day will show the slaughter which night has made.
§6Quisquamne regno gaudet? O fallax bonum,
Does anyone rejoice in a kingdom?
§7quantum malorum fronte quam blanda tegis!
O deceitful good, how many evils do you cover with how flattering a face!
§8ut alta ventos semper excipiunt iuga §9rupemque saxis vasta dirimentem freta §10quamvis quieti verberat fluctus maris, §11imperia sic excelsa Fortunae obiacent.
As high peaks always receive the winds, and the wave of the sea, however quiet, strikes the cliff that divides the vast straits with its rocks, so lofty empires lie exposed to Fortune.
§12quam bene parentis sceptra Polybi fugerant!
How well had I fled my father Polybus's sceptre!
§13curis solutus exul, intrepidus, vagans §14(caelum deosque testor) in regnum incidi: §15infanda timeo: ne mea genitor manu §16perimatur; hoc me Delphicae laurus monent, §17aliudque nobis maius indicunt scelus.
Free from cares, an exile, fearless, wandering, (I call heaven and the gods to witness) I stumbled into a kingdom: I fear things unspeakable: lest my father by my hand be slain; of this the Delphic laurels warn me, and point out to us another greater crime.
§18est maius aliquod patre mactato nefas?
Is there any wickedness greater than a slaughtered father?
§19pro misera pietas (eloqui fatum pudet», §20thalamos parentis Phoebus et diros toros §21gnato minatur impia incestos face; §22hic me paternis expulit regnis timor.
O wretched piety (I am ashamed to speak the fate), Phoebus threatens the parent's chambers and dread marriage-bed to the son with impious torch, incestuous; This fear drove me from my father's realm.
§23non ego penates profugus excessi meos: §24parum ipse fidens mihimet in tuto tua, §25natura, posui iura.
I did not leave my home as a fugitive: distrusting myself, in safety, nature, I placed your laws.
cum magna horreas, §26quod posse fieri non putes metuas tamen: §27cuncta expavesco meque non credo mihi.
When you dread great things, you may fear even what you do not think can happen: I dread everything, and I do not trust myself to myself.
§28Iam iam aliquid in nos fata moliri parant, §29nam quid rear quod ista Cadmeae lues §30infesta genti strage tam late edita
Even now, even now the fates prepare to construct something against us, for why should I think that this plague, hostile to the Cadmean race, with slaughter spread so far and wide, spares me alone?
§31mihi parcit uni? cui reservamur malo?
For what evil am I reserved?
§32inter ruinas urbis et semper novis §33deflenda lacrimis funera ac populi struem §34incolumis asto— scilicet Phoebi reus.
Amid the ruins of the city, and deaths to be wept for with ever new tears, and the heap of the populace, I stand unharmed—surely a defendant of Phoebus.
§35sperare poteras sceleribus tantis dari
Could you hope that, given such great crimes, a healthy kingdom would be granted?
§36regnum salubre? fecimus caelum nocens.
We have made the heaven guilty.
§37Non aura gelido lenis afflatu fovet §38anhela flammis corda, non Zephyri leves §39spirant, sed ignes auget aestiferi canis §40Titan, leonis terga Nemeaei premens.
No gentle breeze with cool breath cherishes hearts panting with flames, no light Zephyrs blow, but the Titan, pressing the back of the Nemean Lion, increases the fires of the heat-bringing Dog-star.
§41deseruit amnes umor atque herbas color §42aretque Dirce, tenuis Ismenos fluit §43et tinguit inopi nuda vix unda vada.
Moisture has deserted the rivers, and color the grass, and Dirce is dry, Ismenos flows thin, and scarcely wets the bare shallows with needy wave.
Dimly through the sky glides Phoebus' sister, and the sad world pales in the cloudy day.
§46nullum serenis noctibus sidus micat, §47sed gravis et ater incubat terris vapor: §48obtexit arces caelitum ac summas domos §49inferna facies, denegat fructum Ceres §50adulta, et altis flava cum spicis tremat, §51arente culmo sterilis emoritur seges, §52nec ulla pars immunis exitio vacat, §53sed omnis aetas pariter et sexus ruit, §54iuvenesque senibus iungit et gnatis patres §55funesta pestis, una fax thalamos cremat
No star shines in the clear nights, but a heavy and black vapor broods over the lands: the infernal face has covered the citadels of the heavenly ones and the highest dwellings, ripe Ceres denies her fruit, and though she trembles with golden spikes on high, the sterile crop dies with withered stalk; nor does any part escape free from destruction, but every age and sex falls alike, and the deadly plague joins youth with old men, and fathers with sons, a single torch burns the bridal chambers.
§56fletuque acerbo funera et questu carent, §57quin ipsa tanti pervicax clades mali §58siccavit oculos, quodque in extremis solet §59periere lacrimae: portat hunc aeger parens §60supremum ad ignem, mater hunc amens gerit §61properatque ut alium repetat in eundem rogum, §62quin luctu in ipso luctus exoritur novus §63novaeque circa funus exsequiae cadunt, §64tum propria flammis corpora alienis cremant; §65diripitur ignis: nullus est miseris pudor.
And deaths lack bitter weeping and lamentation, nay, the very stubborn scourge of so great an evil has dried the eyes, and—what is wont in the extreme— tears have perished: a sick parent carries this one to the supreme fire, a distracted mother bears that one and hastens to return for another to the same pyre; nay, in the very grief new grief arises, and new funeral rites fall around the tomb; then they burn their own bodies with other people's flames; the fire is plundered: the wretched have no shame.
No sacred mounds of separate tombs cover the bones: to have burned is enough—how small a part goes into ashes?
§68dest terra tumulis, iam rogos silvae negant, §69non vota, non ars ulla correptos levant: §70cadunt medentes, morbus auxilium trahit.
Land is lacking for tombs, now the woods deny pyres; no vows, no art relieves those who are seized: the healers fall; the disease drags down its own help.
§71Adfusus aris supplices tendo manus §72matura poscens fata, praecurram ut prior §73patriam ruentem neve post omnis cadam §74fiamque regni funus extremum mei.
Prostrate at the altars, I stretch forth suppliant hands, demanding timely death, that I may forestall my falling country, and not fall after all others, and become the final funeral of my kingdom.
§75o saeva nimium numina, o fatum grave!
O too cruel deities, O heavy fate!
§76negatur uni nempe in hoc populo mihi
Is death, so ready, denied to me alone, indeed, among this people?
§77mors tam parata? sperne letali manu §78contacta regna, linque lacrimas, funera, §79tabifica caeli vitia quae tecum invehis §80infaustus hospes, profuge iamdudum ocius — §81vel ad parentes.
Despise the realms touched by a deadly hand, leave the tears, the deaths, the ruinous vices of heaven which you bring with you, unlucky guest; flee now, even more quickly— even to your parents.
§81bQuid iuvat, coniunx, mala
What does it help, my wife, to [increase] evils