Euripides, Alcestis, Johann Jakob Christian Donner (Translator), 28

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Was weilst du am Haus, was wandelst du hier,

Phobos? Ein neues Vergeh'n, daß du die Macht

Der Bewohner des Hades schmålerst und hemmst!
30

Es genügte dir nicht, des Admetos Geschick

Zu verhindern, indem du die Mören berückt

Mit verschlagener Kunst; nun waffnest du dir

Aus's neue den Arm mit dem Bogen um sie,

Die, ihren Gemahl zu erldsen, sich selbst
35

In den Tod gibt, Pelias' Tochter.

Apollon.

Alcestis. Euripides. Johann Jakob Christian Donner (Translator). . .

Current edition Experimental

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1841; OCR review) (OCR draft) (German) (Euripides. Deutsch in den Versmaßen der Urschrift. Volume 1, Heidelberg: C. F. Winter, 1841. Harvard OCR compared with an independent BSB copy. Native Donner verse citations, Murray reference cards, explicitly located notes and page facsimiles. Unresolved OCR, verse divisions, unlocated notes and printed errata are documented in the source review.)

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (1)

Ἄλκηστις Perseus (Euripides. Euripidis Fabulae, Vol. I. Murray, Gilbert, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1902.) — 1-76 focus

Ἀπόλλων

Ὦ δώματ’ Ἀδμήτειʼ, ἐν οἷς ἔτλην ἐγὼ
1

θῆσσαν τράπεζαν αἰνέσαι θεός περ ὤν.

Ζεὺς γὰρ κατακτὰς παῖδα τὸν ἐμὸν αἴτιος

Ἀσκληπιόν, στέρνοισιν ἐμβαλὼν φλόγα·

οὗ δὴ χολωθεὶς τέκτονας Δίου πυρὸς
5

κτείνω Κύκλωπας· καί με θητεύειν πατὴρ

θνητῷ παρ’ ἀνδρὶ τῶνδ’ ἄποιν’ ἠνάγκασεν.

ἐλθὼν δὲ γαῖαν τήνδ’ ἐβουφόρβουν ξένῳ,

καὶ τόνδ’ ἔσῳζον οἶκον ἐς τόδ’ ἡμέρας.

ὁσίου γὰρ ἀνδρὸς ὅσιος ὢν ἐτύγχανον
10

παιδὸς Φέρητος, ὃν θανεῖν ἐρρυσάμην,

Μοίρας δολώσας· ᾔνεσαν δέ μοι θεαὶ

Ἄδμητον ᾅδην τὸν παραυτίκ’ ἐκφυγεῖν,

ἄλλον διαλλάξαντα τοῖς κάτω νεκρόν.

πάντας δ’ ἐλέγξας καὶ διεξελθὼν φίλους,
15

πατέρα γεραιάν θ’ ἥ σφ’ ἔτικτε μητέρα,

οὐχ ηὗρε πλὴν γυναικὸς ὅστις ἤθελε

θανὼν πρὸ κείνου μηκέτ’ εἰσορᾶν φάος·

ἣ νῦν κατ’ οἴκους ἐν χεροῖν βαστάζεται

ψυχορραγοῦσα· τῇδε γάρ σφ’ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ
20

θανεῖν πέπρωται καὶ μεταστῆναι βίου.

ἐγὼ δέ, μὴ μίασμά μ’ ἐν δόμοις κίχῃ,

λείπω μελάθρων τῶνδε φιλτάτην στέγην.

ἤδη δὲ τόνδε Θάνατον εἰσορῶ πέλας,

ἱερῆ θανόντων, ὅς νιν εἰς Ἅιδου δόμους
25

μέλλει κατάξειν· συμμέτρως δ’ ἀφίκετο,

φρουρῶν τόδ’ ἦμαρ ᾧ θανεῖν αὐτὴν χρεών.

Θάνατος

ἆ ἆ·

τί σὺ πρὸς μελάθροις; τί σὺ τῇδε πολεῖς,

Φοῖβʼ; ἀδικεῖς αὖ τιμὰς ἐνέρων
30

ἀφοριζόμενος καὶ καταπαύων;

οὐκ ἤρκεσέ σοι μόρον Ἀδμήτου

διακωλῦσαι, Μοίρας δολίῳ

σφήλαντι τέχνῃ; νῦν δ’ ἐπὶ τῇδ’ αὖ

χέρα τοξήρη φρουρεῖς ὁπλίσας,
35

ἣ τόδ’ ὑπέστη πόσιν ἐκλύσασ’

αὐτὴ προθανεῖν Πελίου παῖς.

Ἀπόλλων

θάρσει· δίκην τοι καὶ λόγους κεδνοὺς ἔχω.

Θάνατος

τί δῆτα τόξων ἔργον, εἰ δίκην ἔχεις;

Ἀπόλλων

σύνηθες αἰεὶ ταῦτα βαστάζειν ἐμοί.
40

Θάνατος

καὶ τοῖσδέ γ’ οἴκοις ἐκδίκως προσωφελεῖν.

Ἀπόλλων

φίλου γὰρ ἀνδρὸς συμφοραῖς βαρύνομαι.

Θάνατος

καὶ νοσφιεῖς με τοῦδε δευτέρου νεκροῦ;

Ἀπόλλων

ἀλλ’ οὐδ’ ἐκεῖνον πρὸς βίαν σ’ ἀφειλόμην.

Θάνατος

πῶς οὖν ὑπὲρ γῆς ἐστι κοὐ κάτω χθονός;
45

Ἀπόλλων

δάμαρτ’ ἀμείψας, ἣν σὺ νῦν ἥκεις μέτα.

Θάνατος

κἀπάξομαί γε νερτέρων ὑπὸ χθόνα.

Ἀπόλλων

λαβὼν ἴθʼ· οὐ γὰρ οἶδ’ ἂν εἰ πείσαιμί σε.

Θάνατος

κτείνειν γ’ ὃν ἂν χρῇ; τοῦτο γὰρ τετάγμεθα.

Ἀπόλλων

οὔκ, ἀλλὰ τοῖς μέλλουσι θάνατον ἐμβαλεῖν.
50

Θάνατος

ἔχω λόγον δὴ καὶ προθυμίαν σέθεν.

Ἀπόλλων

ἔστ’ οὖν ὅπως Ἄλκηστις ἐς γῆρας μόλοι;

Θάνατος

οὐκ ἔστι· τιμαῖς κἀμὲ τέρπεσθαι δόκει.

Ἀπόλλων

οὔτοι πλέον γ’ ἂν ἢ μίαν ψυχὴν λάβοις.

Θάνατος

νέων φθινόντων μεῖζον ἄρνυμαι γέρας.
55

Ἀπόλλων

κἂν γραῦς ὄληται, πλουσίως ταφήσεται.

Θάνατος

πρὸς τῶν ἐχόντων, Φοῖβε, τὸν νόμον τίθης.

Ἀπόλλων

πῶς εἶπας; ἀλλ’ ἦ καὶ σοφὸς λέληθας ὤν;

Θάνατος

ὠνοῖντ’ ἂν οἷς πάρεστι γηραιοὺς θανεῖν.

Ἀπόλλων

οὔκουν δοκεῖ σοι τήνδε μοι δοῦναι χάριν;
60

Θάνατος

οὐ δῆτʼ· ἐπίστασαι δὲ τοὺς ἐμοὺς τρόπους.

Ἀπόλλων

ἐχθρούς γε θνητοῖς καὶ θεοῖς στυγουμένους.

Θάνατος

οὐκ ἂν δύναιο πάντ’ ἔχειν ἃ μή σε δεῖ.

Ἀπόλλων

ἦ μὴν σὺ παύσῃ καίπερ ὠμὸς ὢν ἄγαν·

τοῖος Φέρητος εἶσι πρὸς δόμους ἀνήρ,
65

Εὐρυσθέως πέμψαντος ἵππειον μέτα

ὄχημα Θρῄκης ἐκ τόπων δυσχειμέρων,

ὃς δὴ ξενωθεὶς τοῖσδ’ ἐν Ἀδμήτου δόμοις

βίᾳ γυναῖκα τήνδε σ’ ἐξαιρήσεται.

κοὔθ’ ἡ παρ’ ἡμῶν σοι γενήσεται χάρις
70

δράσεις θ’ ὁμοίως ταῦτʼ, ἀπεχθήσῃ τ’ ἐμοί.

Θάνατος

πόλλ’ ἂν σὺ λέξας οὐδὲν ἂν πλέον λάβοις·

ἡ δ’ οὖν γυνὴ κάτεισιν εἰς Ἅιδου δόμους.

στείχω δ’ ἐπ’ αὐτήν, ὡς κατάρξωμαι ξίφει·

ἱερὸς γὰρ οὗτος τῶν κατὰ χθονὸς θεῶν
75

ὅτου τόδ’ ἔγχος κρατὸς ἁγνίσῃ τρίχα.

Translations (2)

Alcestis Perseus (Euripides. The Plays of Euripides, Vol. I. Coleridge, Edward P., translator. London: George Bell and Sons, 1906.) — 1-75 focus

Apollo

Halls of Admetus, wherein I steeled my heart to be content with a servant’s board, god though I was. Zeus was to blame; he slew my son Asclepius, piercing his bosom with a thunderbolt;
1

whereat I was enraged and smote his Cyclopes, forgers of the heavenly fire; so my sire in recompense for this forced me to become a slave in a mortal’s home. Then came I to this land and kept a stranger’s flocks, and to this day have been the saviour of this house.
5

For in Pheres’ son I found a man as holy as myself, and him I saved from death by cheating Destiny, for they promised me, those goddesses of fate, that Admetus should escape the impending doom, if he found a substitute for the powers below.
10

So he went through all his list of friends, made trial of each, his father and the aged mother that bare him,¹ but none he found save his wife alone that was willing to die for him and forego the light of life; she now within the house is upheld in his arms,
15

gasping out her life; for to-day is she doomed to die and pass from life to death. But I, for fear pollution overtake me in the house, am leaving the shelter of this roof I love so well, for already I see Death hard by,
20

the priest of souls departed, who is on his way to lead her to the halls of Hades; true to time he comes, watching this day that calls her to her doom.
25

Death

Ha! What dost thou at this house? why is it thou art ranging here,

Phoebus? Once again thou wrongest me, circumscribing and limiting the honours of the nether world. Wert thou not content to hinder the death of Admetus, by thy knavish cunning baulking Destiny? but now again
30

hast thou armed thee with thy bow and art keeping guard o’er her, this daughter of Pelias, who undertook, of her free will, to die for her lord and set him free.
35

Apollo

Never fear; I have, be sure, justice and fair pleas to urge.

Death

What has that bow to do, if thou hast justice on thy side?

Apollo

’Tis my habit ever to carry it.
40

Death

Ay, and to help this house more than is right.

Apollo

The reason is, I cannot bear a friend’s distress.

Death

Wilt rob me of this second corpse likewise?

Apollo

Come! I did not take the other from thee by violence.

Death

Then how is it he lives above the earth and not beneath?
45

Apollo

He gave his wife instead, her whom now thou art come to fetch.

Death

Yea, and I will bear her hence to the nether world.

Apollo

Take her and go, for I do not suppose I can persuade thee.

Death

To slay my rightful victim? Why, that is my appointed task.

Apollo

Nay, but to lay thy deadly hand on those who soon would die.
50

Death

I see thy drift, thy eager plea.

Apollo

Is it then possible that Alcestis should attain old age?

Death

It is not possible; I too, methinks, find a pleasure in my rights.

Apollo

Thou canst not anyhow take more than one life.

Death

When young lives die I reap a higher honour.
55

Apollo

Should she die old, a sumptuous funeral will she have.

Death

Phoebus, the law thou layest down is all in favour of the rich.

Apollo

What mean’st thou? art so wise, and I never knew it?

Death

Those who have wealth would buy the chance of their dying old.

Apollo

It seems then thou wilt not grant me this favour.
60

Death

Not I; my customs well thou knowest.

Apollo

That I do, customs men detest and gods abhor.

Death

Thou canst not realise every lawless wish.

Apollo

Mark me, thou shalt have a check for all thy excessive fierceness;

such a hero shall there come to Pheres’ halls, by Eurystheus sent to fetch a team of steeds from the wintry world of Thrace; he, a guest awhile in these halls of Admetus, will wrest this woman from thee by sheer force.
65

So wilt thou get no thanks from me but yet wilt do this all the same, and earn my hatred too.²
70

Death

Thou wilt not gain thy purpose any the more for all thy many words; that woman shall to Hades’ halls go down, I tell thee.

Lo! I am going for her, that with the sword I may begin my rites, for he whose hair this sword doth hallow is sacred to the gods below.
75

Alcestis (OCR draft) Experimental (Alcestis. Robert Potter's English verse translation, first published in 1781–1783; text from the 1808 Oxford printing.)

No corresponding passage available

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Apollon.

Current edition Experimental

Ἀπόλλων θάρσει· δίκην τοι καὶ λόγους κεδνοὺς ἔχω.

Θάνατος τί δῆτα τόξων ἔργον, εἰ δίκην ἔχεις;

Ἀπόλλων σύνηθες αἰεὶ ταῦτα βαστάζειν ἐμοί. 40

Θάνατος καὶ τοῖσδέ γ’ οἴκοις ἐκδίκως προσωφελεῖν.

Ἀπόλλων φίλου γὰρ ἀνδρὸς συμφοραῖς βαρύνομαι.

Θάνατος καὶ νοσφιεῖς με τοῦδε δευτέρου νεκροῦ;

Ἀπόλλων ἀλλ’ οὐδ’ ἐκεῖνον πρὸς βίαν σ’ ἀφειλόμην.

Θάνατος πῶς οὖν ὑπὲρ γῆς ἐστι κοὐ κάτω χθονός; 45

Ἀπόλλων δάμαρτ’ ἀμείψας, ἣν σὺ νῦν ἥκεις μέτα.

Θάνατος κἀπάξομαί γε νερτέρων ὑπὸ χθόνα.

Ἀπόλλων λαβὼν ἴθʼ· οὐ γὰρ οἶδ’ ἂν εἰ πείσαιμί σε.

Θάνατος κτείνειν γ’ ὃν ἂν χρῇ; τοῦτο γὰρ τετάγμεθα.

Ἀπόλλων οὔκ, ἀλλὰ τοῖς μέλλουσι θάνατον ἐμβαλεῖν. 50

Θάνατος ἔχω λόγον δὴ καὶ προθυμίαν σέθεν.

Ἀπόλλων ἔστ’ οὖν ὅπως Ἄλκηστις ἐς γῆρας μόλοι;

Θάνατος οὐκ ἔστι· τιμαῖς κἀμὲ τέρπεσθαι δόκει.

Ἀπόλλων οὔτοι πλέον γ’ ἂν ἢ μίαν ψυχὴν λάβοις.

Θάνατος νέων φθινόντων μεῖζον ἄρνυμαι γέρας. 55

Ἀπόλλων κἂν γραῦς ὄληται, πλουσίως ταφήσεται.

Θάνατος πρὸς τῶν ἐχόντων, Φοῖβε, τὸν νόμον τίθης.

Ἀπόλλων πῶς εἶπας; ἀλλ’ ἦ καὶ σοφὸς λέληθας ὤν;

Θάνατος ὠνοῖντ’ ἂν οἷς πάρεστι γηραιοὺς θανεῖν.

Ἀπόλλων οὔκουν δοκεῖ σοι τήνδε μοι δοῦναι χάριν; 60

Θάνατος οὐ δῆτʼ· ἐπίστασαι δὲ τοὺς ἐμοὺς τρόπους.

Ἀπόλλων ἐχθρούς γε θνητοῖς καὶ θεοῖς στυγουμένους.

Θάνατος οὐκ ἂν δύναιο πάντ’ ἔχειν ἃ μή σε δεῖ.

Apollo Never fear; I have, be sure, justice and fair pleas to urge.

Death What has that bow to do, if thou hast justice on thy side?

Apollo ’Tis my habit ever to carry it. 40

Death Ay, and to help this house more than is right.

Apollo The reason is, I cannot bear a friend’s distress.

Death Wilt rob me of this second corpse likewise?

Apollo Come! I did not take the other from thee by violence.

Death Then how is it he lives above the earth and not beneath? 45

Apollo He gave his wife instead, her whom now thou art come to fetch.

Death Yea, and I will bear her hence to the nether world.

Apollo Take her and go, for I do not suppose I can persuade thee.

Death To slay my rightful victim? Why, that is my appointed task.

Apollo Nay, but to lay thy deadly hand on those who soon would die. 50

Death I see thy drift, thy eager plea.

Apollo Is it then possible that Alcestis should attain old age?

Death It is not possible; I too, methinks, find a pleasure in my rights.

Apollo Thou canst not anyhow take more than one life.

Death When young lives die I reap a higher honour. 55

Apollo Should she die old, a sumptuous funeral will she have.

Death Phoebus, the law thou layest down is all in favour of the rich.

Apollo What mean’st thou? art so wise, and I never knew it?

Death Those who have wealth would buy the chance of their dying old.

Apollo It seems then thou wilt not grant me this favour. 60

Death Not I; my customs well thou knowest.

Apollo That I do, customs men detest and gods abhor.

Death Thou canst not realise every lawless wish.

Death Thou wilt not gain thy purpose any the more for all thy many words; that woman shall to Hades’ halls go down, I tell thee. Lo! I am going for her, that with the sword I may begin my rites, for he whose hair this sword doth hallow is sacred to the gods below. 75

Stable identifiers

Ἀπόλλων

θάρσει· δίκην τοι καὶ λόγους κεδνοὺς ἔχω.

Θάνατος

τί δῆτα τόξων ἔργον, εἰ δίκην ἔχεις;

Ἀπόλλων

σύνηθες αἰεὶ ταῦτα βαστάζειν ἐμοί.
40

Θάνατος

καὶ τοῖσδέ γ’ οἴκοις ἐκδίκως προσωφελεῖν.

Ἀπόλλων

φίλου γὰρ ἀνδρὸς συμφοραῖς βαρύνομαι.

Θάνατος

καὶ νοσφιεῖς με τοῦδε δευτέρου νεκροῦ;

Ἀπόλλων

ἀλλ’ οὐδ’ ἐκεῖνον πρὸς βίαν σ’ ἀφειλόμην.

Θάνατος

πῶς οὖν ὑπὲρ γῆς ἐστι κοὐ κάτω χθονός;
45

Ἀπόλλων

δάμαρτ’ ἀμείψας, ἣν σὺ νῦν ἥκεις μέτα.

Θάνατος

κἀπάξομαί γε νερτέρων ὑπὸ χθόνα.

Ἀπόλλων

λαβὼν ἴθʼ· οὐ γὰρ οἶδ’ ἂν εἰ πείσαιμί σε.

Θάνατος

κτείνειν γ’ ὃν ἂν χρῇ; τοῦτο γὰρ τετάγμεθα.

Ἀπόλλων

οὔκ, ἀλλὰ τοῖς μέλλουσι θάνατον ἐμβαλεῖν.
50

Θάνατος

ἔχω λόγον δὴ καὶ προθυμίαν σέθεν.

Ἀπόλλων

ἔστ’ οὖν ὅπως Ἄλκηστις ἐς γῆρας μόλοι;

Θάνατος

οὐκ ἔστι· τιμαῖς κἀμὲ τέρπεσθαι δόκει.

Ἀπόλλων

οὔτοι πλέον γ’ ἂν ἢ μίαν ψυχὴν λάβοις.

Θάνατος

νέων φθινόντων μεῖζον ἄρνυμαι γέρας.
55

Ἀπόλλων

κἂν γραῦς ὄληται, πλουσίως ταφήσεται.

Θάνατος

πρὸς τῶν ἐχόντων, Φοῖβε, τὸν νόμον τίθης.

Ἀπόλλων

πῶς εἶπας; ἀλλ’ ἦ καὶ σοφὸς λέληθας ὤν;

Θάνατος

ὠνοῖντ’ ἂν οἷς πάρεστι γηραιοὺς θανεῖν.

Ἀπόλλων

οὔκουν δοκεῖ σοι τήνδε μοι δοῦναι χάριν;
60

Θάνατος

οὐ δῆτʼ· ἐπίστασαι δὲ τοὺς ἐμοὺς τρόπους.

Ἀπόλλων

ἐχθρούς γε θνητοῖς καὶ θεοῖς στυγουμένους.

Θάνατος

οὐκ ἂν δύναιο πάντ’ ἔχειν ἃ μή σε δεῖ.

Apollo

Never fear; I have, be sure, justice and fair pleas to urge.

Death

What has that bow to do, if thou hast justice on thy side?

Apollo

’Tis my habit ever to carry it.
40

Death

Ay, and to help this house more than is right.

Apollo

The reason is, I cannot bear a friend’s distress.

Death

Wilt rob me of this second corpse likewise?

Apollo

Come! I did not take the other from thee by violence.

Death

Then how is it he lives above the earth and not beneath?
45

Apollo

He gave his wife instead, her whom now thou art come to fetch.

Death

Yea, and I will bear her hence to the nether world.

Apollo

Take her and go, for I do not suppose I can persuade thee.

Death

To slay my rightful victim? Why, that is my appointed task.

Apollo

Nay, but to lay thy deadly hand on those who soon would die.
50

Death

I see thy drift, thy eager plea.

Apollo

Is it then possible that Alcestis should attain old age?

Death

It is not possible; I too, methinks, find a pleasure in my rights.

Apollo

Thou canst not anyhow take more than one life.

Death

When young lives die I reap a higher honour.
55

Apollo

Should she die old, a sumptuous funeral will she have.

Death

Phoebus, the law thou layest down is all in favour of the rich.

Apollo

What mean’st thou? art so wise, and I never knew it?

Death

Those who have wealth would buy the chance of their dying old.

Apollo

It seems then thou wilt not grant me this favour.
60

Death

Not I; my customs well thou knowest.

Apollo

That I do, customs men detest and gods abhor.

Death

Thou canst not realise every lawless wish.

Death

Thou wilt not gain thy purpose any the more for all thy many words; that woman shall to Hades’ halls go down, I tell thee.

Lo! I am going for her, that with the sword I may begin my rites, for he whose hair this sword doth hallow is sacred to the gods below.
75