§884temperem zephyro levi §885vela, ne pressae gravi §886spiritu antennae tremant: §887lenis et modice fluens §888aura nec vergens latus §889ducat intrepidam ratem; §890tuta me media vehat §891vita decurrens via.
Let me temper my sails with a gentle zephyr, lest the yard-arms tremble, pressed by a heavy blast; let a mild and moderately flowing breeze, not tilting the side, lead the fearless ship; let a safe life, running down a middle path, carry me.
§892Gnosium regem timens §893astra dum demens petit §894artibus fisus novis, §895certat et veras aves §896vincere ac falsis nimis §897imperat pinnis puer, §898nomen eripuit freto; §899callidus medium senex §900Daedalus librans iter §901nube sub media stetit, §902alitem expectans suum §903(qualis accipitris minas §904fugit et sparsos metu §905conligit fetus avis), §906donec in ponto manus §907movit implicitas puer §908compede audacis viae.
Fearing the Gnosian king, while in his madness he sought the stars, trusting in new arts, strove to conquer even real birds and gave commands to his false wings too much, the boy, snatched his name from the sea; the cunning old man Daedalus, balancing a middle course, stood beneath a middle cloud, waiting for his own fledgling (just as a bird flees the threats of a hawk and gathers her offspring scattered by fear), until the boy moved his hands, entangled in the sea by the shackle of his bold path.
Whatever has exceeded the limit hangs in an unstable place.
§911Sed quid hoc? postes sonant;
But what is this?
The doors resound; behold, a sad royal servant shakes his head with his hand; tell what news you bring.
§915Praedicta postquam fata et infandum genus §916deprendit ac se scelere convictum Oedipus §917damnavit ipse, regiam infestus petens §918invisa propero tecta penetravit gradu §919qualis per arva Libycus insanit leo, §920fulvam minaci fronte concutiens iubam; §921vultus furore torvus atque oculi truces, §922gemitus et altum murmur, et gelidus fluit §923sudor per artus, spumat et volvit minas §924ac mersus alte magnus exundat dolor.
After Oedipus discovered the foretold fates and his unspeakable lineage, and condemned himself, convicted of crime, seeking the palace with hostile intent, entered the hated dwelling with hasty step, just as a Libyan lion rages through the fields, shaking his tawny mane with a threatening brow; his countenance was grim with fury and his eyes fierce, there was groaning and deep muttering, and a cold sweat flowed through his limbs, he foamed and rolled out threats, and his great grief, deeply submerged, overflowed.
Savage by himself, he prepares some great thing, I know not what, and similar to his own fates. "Why do I delay punishment?" he says.
"Let someone either attack this guilty breast with iron, or tame it with burning fire or a stone.
§929quae tigris aut quae saeva visceribus meis §930incurret ales? ipse tu scelerum capax, §931sacer Cithaeron, vel feras in me tuas §932emitte silvis, mitte vel rabidos canes— §933nunc redde Agauen.
What tiger, or what savage bird will rush upon my entrails? You yourself, sacred Cithaeron, capable of crimes, let loose your wild beasts upon me from your woods, or send rabid dogs— now give back Agave.
anime, quid mortem times?
My soul, why do you fear death?
§934mors innocentem sola Fortunae eripit. ' §935haec fatus aptat impiam capulo manum §936ensemque ducit, 'itane? tam magnis breves §937poenas sceleribus solvis atque uno omnia §938pensabis ictu? moreris: hoc patri sat est;
Death alone snatches the innocent from Fortune." Having said this, he fits his impious hand to the hilt and draws his sword: "Is it so? Do you pay short penalties for such great crimes, and will you weigh all things with one blow?
§939quid deinde matri, quid male in lucem editis §940gnatis, quid ipsi, quae tuum magna luit §941scelus ruina, flebili patriae dabis?
You would die: this is enough for your father; what then will you give to your mother, what to the children evilly brought into the light, what to the pitiable country itself, which pays for your crime with a great ruin?
§942solvendo non es: illa quae leges ratas §943Natura in uno vertit Oedipoda, novos §944commenta partus, supplices eadem meis §945novetur.
You are not capable of paying: let that Nature, which in Oedipus alone overturned established laws, having devised new births, be renewed herself for my punishments.
iterum vivere atque iterum mori §946liceat, renasci semper ut totiens nova §947supplicia pendas— utere ingenio, miser: §948quod saepe fieri non potest fiat diu; §949mors eligatur longa, quaeratur via §950qua nec sepultis mixtus et vivis tamen §951exemptus erres: morere, sed citra patrem.
Let it be permitted to live again and to die again, so that, reborn, you may always pay new punishments so many times— use your ingenuity, wretched man: let what cannot be done often, be done long; let a long death be chosen, let a path be sought by which you may wander, neither mixed with the buried nor yet remaining among the living: die, but short of your father.
Do you hesitate, my soul?" Behold, a sudden shower poured out weighs down his face and wets his cheeks with weeping.
§954'et flere satis est? hactenus fundent levem §955oculi liquorem? sedibus pulsi suis §956lacrimas sequantur: di maritales.
"And is it enough to weep? Will my eyes pour out light fluid only so far? Driven from their seats, let them follow the tears: gods of marriage!
satin?
Is this enough?
§957fodiantur oculi!' dixit atque ira furit: §958ardent minaces igne truculento genae §959oculique vix se sedibus retinent suis; §960violentus audax vultus, iratus ferox, §961tantum furentis; gemuit et dirum fremens §962manus in ora torsit, at contra truces §963oculi steterunt et suam intenti manum §964ultro insecuntur, vulneri occurrunt suo.
Let my eyes be dug out!" He spoke and rages with anger: his threatening cheeks burn with savage fire, and his eyes scarcely hold themselves in their seats; his violent, bold face, angry and fierce, is entirely that of one in madness; he groaned and, roaring dreadfully, twisted his hands into his face; but the fierce eyes stood opposite, and intent upon their own hand, they follow it of their own accord, rushing to meet their own wound.
§965scrutatur avidus manibus uncis lumina, §966radice ab ima funditus vulsos simul §967evolvit orbes; haeret in vacuo manus §968et fixa penitus unguibus lacerat cavos §969alte recessus luminum et inanes sinus, §970saevitque frustra plusque quam satis est furit.
He searches greedily for his eyes with hooked hands, and rolls out the globes torn completely from their deepest root; his hand clings in the void and, fixed deep within with claws, tears the deep hollow recesses of his eyes and the empty spaces, and rages in vain and storms more than is enough.
§971Factum est periclum lucis; attollit caput §972cavisque lustrans orbibus caeli plagas §973noctem experitur.
The trial of light was accomplished; he lifts his head, and surveying the tracts of heaven with hollow orbits, he experiences night.
quicquid effossis male §974dependet oculis rumpit, et victor deos §975conclamat omnis: 'parcite, en, patriae precor: §976iam iusta feci, debitas poenas tuli;
Whatever hangs down wretchedly from his dug-out eyes he breaks off, and as a victor calls upon all the gods: "Spare, behold, my country, I pray: now I have done what is just, I have borne the owed punishments;