Euripides, Hippolytus, Johann Jakob Christian Donner (Translator), 1142

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Ich aber will weinend hinfort

Dein getrübtes Leben,

Armer, beklagen; jammervolle
1125

Mutter, du gebarest ihn umsonst:

Weh, den Göttern zurn' ich!

Ihr Huldgottinnen brautlichen Glücks,

Was treibet ihr aus der Heimat

Den Armen, Unschuldvollen aus,
1130

Ferne vom Vaterhause?

Hippolytus. 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)

Ἱππόλυτος Perseus (Euripides. Euripidis Fabulae, Vol. I. Murray, Gilbert, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1902.) — 1151-1267 focus

Χορός

— καὶ μὴν ὀπαδὸν Ἱππολύτου τόνδ’ εἰσορῶ

σπουδῇ σκυθρωπὸν πρὸς δόμους ὁρμώμενον.

Ἄγγελος

ποῖ γῆς ἄνακτα τῆσδε Θησέα μολὼν

εὕροιμ’ ἄν, ὦ γυναῖκες; εἴπερ ἴστε μοι

σημήνατ’· ἆρα τῶνδε δωμάτων ἔσω;
1155

Χορός

ὅδ’ αὐτὸς ἔξω δωμάτων πορεύεται.

Ἄγγελος

Θησεῦ, μερίμνης ἄξιον φέρω λόγον

σοὶ καὶ πολίταις οἵ τ’ Ἀθηναίων πόλιν

ναίουσι καὶ γῆς τέρμονας Τροζηνίας.

Θησεύς

τί δ’ ἔστι; μῶν τις συμφορὰ νεωτέρα
1160

δισσὰς κατείληφ’ ἀστυγείτονας πόλεις;

Ἄγγελος

Ἱππόλυτος οὐκέτ’ ἔστιν, ὡς εἰπεῖν ἔπος·

δέδορκε μέντοι φῶς ἐπὶ σμικρᾶς ῥοπῆς.

Θησεύς

πρὸς τοῦ; δι’ ἔχθρας μῶν τις ἦν ἀφιγμένος,

ὅτου κατῄσχυν’ ἄλοχον ὡς πατρὸς βίᾳ;
1165

Ἄγγελος

οἰκεῖος αὐτὸν ὤλεσ’ ἁρμάτων ὄχος

ἀραί τε τοῦ σοῦ στόματος, ἃς σὺ σῷ πατρὶ

πόντου κρέοντι παιδὸς ἠράσω πέρι.

Θησεύς

ὦ θεοὶ Πόσειδόν θ’, ὡς ἄρ’ ἦσθ’ ἐμὸς πατὴρ

ὀρθῶς, ἀκούσας τῶν ἐμῶν κατευγμάτων.
1170

πῶς καὶ διώλετ’; εἰπέ· τῷ τρόπῳ Δίκης

ἔπαισεν αὐτὸν ῥόπτρον αἰσχύναντ’ ἐμέ;

Ἄγγελος

ἡμεῖς μὲν ἀκτῆς κυμοδέγμονος πέλας

ψήκτραισιν ἵππων ἐκτενίζομεν τρίχας

κλαίοντες· ἦλθε γάρ τις ἄγγελος λέγων
1175

ὡς οὐκέτ’ ἐν γῇ τῇδ’ ἀναστρέψοι πόδα

Ἱππόλυτος, ἐκ σοῦ τλήμονας φυγὰς ἔχων.

ὃ δ’ ἦλθε ταὐτὸν δακρύων ἔχων μέλος

ἡμῖν ἐπ’ ἀκτάς· μυρία δ’ ὀπισθόπους

φίλων ἅμ’ ἔστειχ’ ἡλίκων θ’ ὁμήγυρις.
1180

χρόνῳ δὲ δήποτ’ εἶπ’ ἀπαλλαχθεὶς γόων·

Τί ταῦτ’ ἀλύω; πειστέον πατρὸς λόγοις.

ἐντύναθ’ ἵππους ἅρμασι ζυγηφόρους,

δμῶες· πόλις γὰρ οὐκέτ’ ἔστιν ἥδε μοι.

τοὐνθένδε μέντοι πᾶς ἀνὴρ ἠπείγετο,
1185

καὶ θᾶσσον ἢ λέγοι τις ἐξηρτυμένας

πώλους παρ’ αὐτὸν δεσπότην ἐστήσαμεν.

μάρπτει δὲ χερσὶν ἡνίας ἀπ’ ἄντυγος,

αὐταῖσιν ἀρβύλαισιν ἁρμόσας πόδα.

καὶ πρῶτα μὲν θεοῖς εἶπ’ ἀναπτύξας χέρας·
1190

Ζεῦ, μηκέτ’ εἴην, εἰ κακὸς πέφυκ’ ἀνήρ·

αἴσθοιτο δ’ ἡμᾶς ὡς ἀτιμάζει πατὴρ

ἤτοι θανόντας ἢ φάος δεδορκότας.

κἀν τῷδ’ ἐπῆγε κέντρον ἐς χεῖρας λαβὼν

πώλοις ὁμαρτῇ· πρόσπολοι δ’ ὑφ’ ἅρματος
1195

πέλας χαλινῶν εἱπόμεσθα δεσπότῃ

τὴν εὐθὺς Ἄργους κἀπιδαυρίας ὁδόν.

1198

ἐπεὶ δ’ ἔρημον χῶρον εἰσεβάλλομεν,

ἀκτή τις ἔστι τοὐπέκεινα τῆσδε γῆς

πρὸς πόντον ἤδη κειμένη Σαρωνικόν.
1200

ἔνθεν τις ἠχὼ χθόνιος ὡς βροντὴ Διὸς

βαρὺν βρόμον μεθῆκε, φρικώδη κλύειν·

ὀρθὸν δὲ κρᾶτ’ ἔστησαν οὖς τ’ ἐς οὐρανὸν

ἵπποι· παρ’ ἡμῖν δ’ ἦν φόβος νεανικὸς

πόθεν ποτ’ εἴη φθόγγος. ἐς δ’ ἁλιρρόθους
1205

ἀκτὰς ἀποβλέψαντες ἱερὸν εἴδομεν

κῦμ’ οὐρανῷ στηρίζον, ὥστ’ ἀφῃρέθη

Σκίρωνος ἀκτὰς ὄμμα τοὐμὸν εἰσορᾶν·

ἔκρυπτε δ’ Ἰσθμὸν καὶ πέτραν Ἀσκληπιοῦ.

κἄπειτ’ ἀνοιδῆσάν τε καὶ πέριξ ἀφρὸν
1210

πολὺν καχλάζον ποντίῳ φυσήματι

χωρεῖ πρὸς ἀκτὰς οὗ τέθριππος ἦν ὄχος.

αὐτῷ δὲ σὺν κλύδωνι καὶ τρικυμίᾳ

κῦμ’ ἐξέθηκε ταῦρον, ἄγριον τέρας·

οὗ πᾶσα μὲν χθὼν φθέγματος πληρουμένη
1215

φρικῶδες ἀντεφθέγγετ’, εἰσορῶσι δὲ

κρεῖσσον θέαμα δεργμάτων ἐφαίνετο.

εὐθὺς δὲ πώλοις δεινὸς ἐμπίπτει φόβος·

καὶ δεσπότης μὲν ἱππικοῖσιν ἤθεσιν

πολὺς ξυνοικῶν ἥρπασ’ ἡνίας χεροῖν,
1220

ἕλκει δὲ κώπην ὥστε ναυβάτης ἀνὴρ

ἱμᾶσιν ἐς τοὔπισθεν ἀρτήσας δέμας·

αἳ δ’ ἐνδακοῦσαι στόμια πυριγενῆ γναθμοῖς

βίᾳ φέρουσιν, οὔτε ναυκλήρου χερὸς

οὔθ’ ἱπποδέσμων οὔτε κολλητῶν ὄχων
1225

μεταστρέφουσαι. κεἰ μὲν ἐς τὰ μαλθακὰ

γαίας ἔχων οἴακας εὐθύνοι δρόμον,

προυφαίνετ’ ἐς τὸ πρόσθεν, ὥστ’ ἀναστρέφειν,

ταῦρος, φόβῳ τέτρωρον ἐκμαίνων ὄχον·

εἰ δ’ ἐς πέτρας φέροιντο μαργῶσαι φρένας,
1230

σιγῇ πελάζων ἄντυγι ξυνείπετο

ἐς τοῦθ’ ἕως ἔσφηλε κἀνεχαίτισεν,

ἁψῖδα πέτρῳ προσβαλὼν ὀχήματος.

σύμφυρτα δ’ ἦν ἅπαντα· σύριγγές τ’ ἄνω

τροχῶν ἐπήδων ἀξόνων τ’ ἐνήλατα.
1235

αὐτὸς δ’ ὁ τλήμων ἡνίαισιν ἐμπλακεὶς

δεσμὸν δυσεξήνυστον ἕλκεται δεθείς,

σποδούμενος μὲν πρὸς πέτραις φίλον κάρα

θραύων τε σάρκας, δεινὰ δ’ ἐξαυδῶν κλύειν·

Στῆτ’, ὦ φάτναισι ταῖς ἐμαῖς τεθραμμέναι,
1240

μή μ’ ἐξαλείψητ’· ὦ πατρὸς τάλαιν’ ἀρά.

τίς ἄνδρ’ ἄριστον βούλεται σῶσαι παρών;

1243

πολλοὶ δὲ βουληθέντες ὑστέρῳ ποδὶ

ἐλειπόμεσθα. χὣ μὲν ἐκ δεσμῶν λυθεὶς

τμητῶν ἱμάντων οὐ κάτοιδ’ ὅτῳ τρόπῳ
1245

πίπτει, βραχὺν δὴ βίοτον ἐμπνέων ἔτι·

ἵπποι δ’ ἔκρυφθεν καὶ τὸ δύστηνον τέρας

ταύρου λεπαίας οὐ κάτοιδ’ ὅποι χθονός.

δοῦλος μὲν οὖν ἔγωγε σῶν δόμων, ἄναξ,

ἀτὰρ τοσοῦτόν γ’ οὐ δυνήσομαί ποτε,
1250

τὸν σὸν πιθέσθαι παῖδ’ ὅπως ἐστὶν κακός·

οὐδ’ εἰ γυναικῶν πᾶν κρεμασθείη γένος,

καὶ τὴν ἐν Ἴδῃ γραμμάτων πλήσειέ τις

πεύκην, ἐπεί νιν ἐσθλὸν ὄντ’ ἐπίσταμαι.

Χορός

αἰαῖ· κέκρανται συμφορὰ νέων κακῶν,
1255

οὐδ’ ἔστι μοίρας τοῦ χρεών τ’ ἀπαλλαγή.

Θησεύς

μίσει μὲν ἀνδρὸς τοῦ πεπονθότος τάδε

λόγοισιν ἥσθην τοῖσδε· νῦν δ’ αἰδούμενος

θεούς τ’ ἐκεῖνόν θ’, οὕνεκ’ ἐστὶν ἐξ ἐμοῦ,

οὔθ’ ἥδομαι τοῖσδ’ οὔτ’ ἐπάχθομαι κακοῖς.
1260

Ἄγγελος

πῶς οὖν; κομίζειν, ἢ τί χρὴ τὸν ἄθλιον

δράσαντας ἡμᾶς σῇ χαρίζεσθαι φρενί;

φρόντιζ’· ἐμοῖς δὲ χρώμενος βουλεύμασιν

οὐκ ὠμὸς ἐς σὸν παῖδα δυστυχοῦντ’ ἔσῃ.

Θησεύς

κομίζετ’ αὐτόν, ὡς ἰδὼν ἐν ὄμμασιν
1265

τὸν τἄμ’ ἀπαρνηθέντα μὴ χρᾶναι λέχη

λόγοις τ’ ἐλέγξω δαιμόνων τε συμφοραῖς.

Translations (2)

Hippolytus Perseus (Euripides. The Plays of Euripides, Vol. I. Coleridge, Edward P., translator. London: George Bell and Sons, 1906.) — 1151-1265 focus

Chorus

But lo! I see a servant of Hippolytus hasting with troubled looks towards the palace.

Messenger

Ladies, ¹where may I find Theseus, king of the country? pray, tell me if

ye know; is he within the palace here?
1155

Chorus

Lo! himself approaches from the palace.

Messenger

Theseus, I am the bearer of troublous tidings to thee and all citizens who dwell in Athens or the bounds of Troezen.

Theseus

How now? hath some strange calamity overtaken these two neighbouring cities?
1160

Messenger

In one brief word, Hippolytus is dead. ’Tis true one slender thread still links him to the light of life.

Theseus

Who slew him? Did some husband come to blows with him,

one whose wife, like mine, had suffered brutal violence?
1165

Messenger

He perished through those steeds that drew his chariot, and through the curses thou didst utter, praying to thy sire, the ocean-king, to slay thy son.

Theseus

Ye gods and king Poseidon, thou hast proved my parentage

by hearkening to my prayer! Say how he perished; how fell the uplifted hand of Justice to smite the villain who dishonoured me?
1170

Messenger

Hard by the wave-beat shore were we combing out his horses’ manes,

weeping the while, for one had come to say that Hippolytus was harshly exiled by thee and nevermore would return to set foot in this land. Then came he, telling the same doleful tale to us upon the beach, and with him was a countless throng
1175

of friends who followed after. At length he stayed his lamentation and spake: Why weakly rave on this wise? My father’s commands must be obeyed. Ho! servants, harness my horses to the chariot; this is no longer now city of mine.
1180

Thereupon each one of us bestirred himself, and, ere a man could say ’twas done, we had the horses standing ready at our master’s side. Then he caught up the reins from the chariot-rail, first fitting his feet² exactly in the hollows made for them.
1185

But first with outspread palms he called upon the gods, O Zeus, now strike me dead, if I have sinned, and let my father learn how he is wronging me, in death at least, if not in life.
1190

Therewith he seized the whip and lashed

each horse in turn; while we, close by his chariot, near the reins, kept up with him along the road that leads direct to Argos and Epidaurus.
1195
1198

And just as we were coming to a desert spot, a strip of sand beyond the borders of this country,

sloping right to the Saronic gulf, there issued thence a deep rumbling sound, as it were an earthquake, a fearsome noise, and the horses reared their heads and pricked their ears, while we were filled with wild alarm
1200

to know whence came the sound; when, as we gazed toward the wave-beat shore, a wave tremendous we beheld towering to the skies, so that from our view the cliffs of Scirori vanished, for it hid the isthmus and the rock of Asclepius;
1205

then swelling and frothing with a crest of foam, the sea discharged it toward the beach where stood the harnessed car, and in the moment that it broke, that mighty wall of waters, there issued from the wave a monstrous bull,
1210

whose bellowing filled the land with fearsome echoes, a sight too awful as it seemed to us who witnessed it. A panic seized the horses there and then, but our master, to horses’ ways quite used,
1215

gripped in both hands his reins, and tying them to his body pulled them backward as the sailor pulls his oar; but the horses gnashed the forged bits between their teeth and bore him wildly on, regardless of their master’s guiding hand
1220

or rein or jointed car. And oft as he would take the guiding rein and steer for softer ground, showed that bull in front to turn him back again, maddening his team with terror;
1225

but if in their frantic career they ran towards the rocks, he would draw nigh the chariot-rail, keeping up with them, until, suddenly dashing the wheel against a stone, he upset and wrecked the car; then was dire confusion,
1230

axle-boxes and linchpins springing into the air. While he, poor youth, entangled in the reins was dragged along, bound by a stubborn knot, his poor head dashed against the rocks, his flesh all torn, the while he cried out piteously,
1235

Stay, stay, my horses whom my own hand hath fed at the manger, destroy me not utterly. O luckless curse of a father! Will no one come and save me for all my virtue?
1240
1243

Now we, though much we longed to help, were left far behind. At last, I know not how, he broke loose

from the shapely reins that bound him, a faint breath of life still in him; but the horses disappeared, and that portentous bull, among the rocky ground, I know not where.
1245

I am but a slave in thy house, ’tis true, O king,

yet will I never believe so monstrous a charge against thy son’s character, no! not though the whole race of womankind should hang itself, or one should fill with writing every pine-tree tablet grown on Ida, sure as I am of his uprightness.
1250

Chorus

Alas! new troubles come to plague us, nor is there any escape from fate and necessity.
1255

Theseus

My hatred for him who hath thus suffered made me glad at thy tidings, yet from regard for the gods and him, because he is my son,

I feel neither joy nor sorrow at his sufferings.
1260

Messenger

But say, are we to bring the victim hither, or how are we to fulfil thy wishes? Bethink thee; if by me thou wilt be schooled, thou wilt not harshly treat thy son in his sad plight.

Theseus

Bring him hither, that when I see him face to face, who hath denied having polluted my wife’s honour, I may by words and heaven’s visitation convict him.
1265

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

No corresponding passage available

Euripides Hippolytus 1142

Johann Jakob Christian Donner (Translator)

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Ich aber will weinend hinfort

Dein getrübtes Leben,

Armer, beklagen; jammervolle
1125

Mutter, du gebarest ihn umsonst:

Weh, den Göttern zurn' ich!

Ihr Huldgottinnen brautlichen Glücks,

Was treibet ihr aus der Heimat

Den Armen, Unschuldvollen aus,
1130

Ferne vom Vaterhause?

Current edition Experimental

Χορός

— καὶ μὴν ὀπαδὸν Ἱππολύτου τόνδ’ εἰσορῶ

σπουδῇ σκυθρωπὸν πρὸς δόμους ὁρμώμενον.

Ἄγγελος

ποῖ γῆς ἄνακτα τῆσδε Θησέα μολὼν

εὕροιμ’ ἄν, ὦ γυναῖκες; εἴπερ ἴστε μοι

σημήνατ’· ἆρα τῶνδε δωμάτων ἔσω;
1155

Χορός

ὅδ’ αὐτὸς ἔξω δωμάτων πορεύεται.

Ἄγγελος

Θησεῦ, μερίμνης ἄξιον φέρω λόγον

σοὶ καὶ πολίταις οἵ τ’ Ἀθηναίων πόλιν

ναίουσι καὶ γῆς τέρμονας Τροζηνίας.

Θησεύς

τί δ’ ἔστι; μῶν τις συμφορὰ νεωτέρα
1160

δισσὰς κατείληφ’ ἀστυγείτονας πόλεις;

Ἄγγελος

Ἱππόλυτος οὐκέτ’ ἔστιν, ὡς εἰπεῖν ἔπος·

δέδορκε μέντοι φῶς ἐπὶ σμικρᾶς ῥοπῆς.

Θησεύς

πρὸς τοῦ; δι’ ἔχθρας μῶν τις ἦν ἀφιγμένος,

ὅτου κατῄσχυν’ ἄλοχον ὡς πατρὸς βίᾳ;
1165

Ἄγγελος

οἰκεῖος αὐτὸν ὤλεσ’ ἁρμάτων ὄχος

ἀραί τε τοῦ σοῦ στόματος, ἃς σὺ σῷ πατρὶ

πόντου κρέοντι παιδὸς ἠράσω πέρι.

Χορός

αἰαῖ· κέκρανται συμφορὰ νέων κακῶν,
1255

οὐδ’ ἔστι μοίρας τοῦ χρεών τ’ ἀπαλλαγή.

Θησεύς

κομίζετ’ αὐτόν, ὡς ἰδὼν ἐν ὄμμασιν
1265

τὸν τἄμ’ ἀπαρνηθέντα μὴ χρᾶναι λέχη

λόγοις τ’ ἐλέγξω δαιμόνων τε συμφοραῖς.

Chorus

But lo! I see a servant of Hippolytus hasting with troubled looks towards the palace.

Messenger

Ladies, ¹where may I find Theseus, king of the country? pray, tell me if

ye know; is he within the palace here?
1155

Chorus

Lo! himself approaches from the palace.

Messenger

Theseus, I am the bearer of troublous tidings to thee and all citizens who dwell in Athens or the bounds of Troezen.

Theseus

How now? hath some strange calamity overtaken these two neighbouring cities?
1160

Messenger

In one brief word, Hippolytus is dead. ’Tis true one slender thread still links him to the light of life.

Theseus

Who slew him? Did some husband come to blows with him,

one whose wife, like mine, had suffered brutal violence?
1165

Messenger

He perished through those steeds that drew his chariot, and through the curses thou didst utter, praying to thy sire, the ocean-king, to slay thy son.

Theseus

Ye gods and king Poseidon, thou hast proved my parentage

by hearkening to my prayer! Say how he perished; how fell the uplifted hand of Justice to smite the villain who dishonoured me?
1170

Chorus

Alas! new troubles come to plague us, nor is there any escape from fate and necessity.
1255

Theseus

My hatred for him who hath thus suffered made me glad at thy tidings, yet from regard for the gods and him, because he is my son,

I feel neither joy nor sorrow at his sufferings.
1260

Messenger

But say, are we to bring the victim hither, or how are we to fulfil thy wishes? Bethink thee; if by me thou wilt be schooled, thou wilt not harshly treat thy son in his sad plight.

Theseus

Bring him hither, that when I see him face to face, who hath denied having polluted my wife’s honour, I may by words and heaven’s visitation convict him.
1265

Stable identifiers

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Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Ich aber will weinend hinfort Dein getrübtes Leben, Armer, beklagen; jammervolle 1125 Mutter, du gebarest ihn umsonst: Weh, den Göttern zurn' ich! Ihr Huldgottinnen brautlichen Glücks, Was treibet ihr aus der Heimat Den Armen, Unschuldvollen aus, 1130 Ferne vom Vaterhause?

Current edition Experimental

Χορός — καὶ μὴν ὀπαδὸν Ἱππολύτου τόνδ’ εἰσορῶ σπουδῇ σκυθρωπὸν πρὸς δόμους ὁρμώμενον.

Ἄγγελος ποῖ γῆς ἄνακτα τῆσδε Θησέα μολὼν εὕροιμ’ ἄν, ὦ γυναῖκες; εἴπερ ἴστε μοι σημήνατ’· ἆρα τῶνδε δωμάτων ἔσω; 1155

Χορός ὅδ’ αὐτὸς ἔξω δωμάτων πορεύεται.

Ἄγγελος Θησεῦ, μερίμνης ἄξιον φέρω λόγον σοὶ καὶ πολίταις οἵ τ’ Ἀθηναίων πόλιν ναίουσι καὶ γῆς τέρμονας Τροζηνίας.

Θησεύς τί δ’ ἔστι; μῶν τις συμφορὰ νεωτέρα 1160 δισσὰς κατείληφ’ ἀστυγείτονας πόλεις;

Ἄγγελος Ἱππόλυτος οὐκέτ’ ἔστιν, ὡς εἰπεῖν ἔπος· δέδορκε μέντοι φῶς ἐπὶ σμικρᾶς ῥοπῆς.

Θησεύς πρὸς τοῦ; δι’ ἔχθρας μῶν τις ἦν ἀφιγμένος, ὅτου κατῄσχυν’ ἄλοχον ὡς πατρὸς βίᾳ; 1165

Ἄγγελος οἰκεῖος αὐτὸν ὤλεσ’ ἁρμάτων ὄχος ἀραί τε τοῦ σοῦ στόματος, ἃς σὺ σῷ πατρὶ πόντου κρέοντι παιδὸς ἠράσω πέρι.

Χορός αἰαῖ· κέκρανται συμφορὰ νέων κακῶν, 1255 οὐδ’ ἔστι μοίρας τοῦ χρεών τ’ ἀπαλλαγή.

Θησεύς κομίζετ’ αὐτόν, ὡς ἰδὼν ἐν ὄμμασιν 1265 τὸν τἄμ’ ἀπαρνηθέντα μὴ χρᾶναι λέχη λόγοις τ’ ἐλέγξω δαιμόνων τε συμφοραῖς.

Chorus But lo! I see a servant of Hippolytus hasting with troubled looks towards the palace.

Messenger Ladies, 1 where may I find Theseus, king of the country? pray, tell me if ye know; is he within the palace here? 1155

Chorus Lo! himself approaches from the palace.

Messenger Theseus, I am the bearer of troublous tidings to thee and all citizens who dwell in Athens or the bounds of Troezen.

Theseus How now? hath some strange calamity overtaken these two neighbouring cities? 1160

Messenger In one brief word, Hippolytus is dead. ’Tis true one slender thread still links him to the light of life.

Theseus Who slew him? Did some husband come to blows with him, one whose wife, like mine, had suffered brutal violence? 1165

Messenger He perished through those steeds that drew his chariot, and through the curses thou didst utter, praying to thy sire, the ocean-king, to slay thy son.

Theseus Ye gods and king Poseidon, thou hast proved my parentage by hearkening to my prayer! Say how he perished; how fell the uplifted hand of Justice to smite the villain who dishonoured me? 1170

Chorus Alas! new troubles come to plague us, nor is there any escape from fate and necessity. 1255

Theseus My hatred for him who hath thus suffered made me glad at thy tidings, yet from regard for the gods and him, because he is my son, I feel neither joy nor sorrow at his sufferings. 1260

Messenger But say, are we to bring the victim hither, or how are we to fulfil thy wishes? Bethink thee; if by me thou wilt be schooled, thou wilt not harshly treat thy son in his sad plight.

Theseus Bring him hither, that when I see him face to face, who hath denied having polluted my wife’s honour, I may by words and heaven’s visitation convict him. 1265

Stable identifiers

Ich aber will weinend hinfort

Dein getrübtes Leben,

Armer, beklagen; jammervolle
1125

Mutter, du gebarest ihn umsonst:

Weh, den Göttern zurn' ich!

Ihr Huldgottinnen brautlichen Glücks,

Was treibet ihr aus der Heimat

Den Armen, Unschuldvollen aus,
1130

Ferne vom Vaterhause?

Χορός

— καὶ μὴν ὀπαδὸν Ἱππολύτου τόνδ’ εἰσορῶ

σπουδῇ σκυθρωπὸν πρὸς δόμους ὁρμώμενον.

Ἄγγελος

ποῖ γῆς ἄνακτα τῆσδε Θησέα μολὼν

εὕροιμ’ ἄν, ὦ γυναῖκες; εἴπερ ἴστε μοι

σημήνατ’· ἆρα τῶνδε δωμάτων ἔσω;
1155

Χορός

ὅδ’ αὐτὸς ἔξω δωμάτων πορεύεται.

Ἄγγελος

Θησεῦ, μερίμνης ἄξιον φέρω λόγον

σοὶ καὶ πολίταις οἵ τ’ Ἀθηναίων πόλιν

ναίουσι καὶ γῆς τέρμονας Τροζηνίας.

Θησεύς

τί δ’ ἔστι; μῶν τις συμφορὰ νεωτέρα
1160

δισσὰς κατείληφ’ ἀστυγείτονας πόλεις;

Ἄγγελος

Ἱππόλυτος οὐκέτ’ ἔστιν, ὡς εἰπεῖν ἔπος·

δέδορκε μέντοι φῶς ἐπὶ σμικρᾶς ῥοπῆς.

Θησεύς

πρὸς τοῦ; δι’ ἔχθρας μῶν τις ἦν ἀφιγμένος,

ὅτου κατῄσχυν’ ἄλοχον ὡς πατρὸς βίᾳ;
1165

Ἄγγελος

οἰκεῖος αὐτὸν ὤλεσ’ ἁρμάτων ὄχος

ἀραί τε τοῦ σοῦ στόματος, ἃς σὺ σῷ πατρὶ

πόντου κρέοντι παιδὸς ἠράσω πέρι.

Χορός

αἰαῖ· κέκρανται συμφορὰ νέων κακῶν,
1255

οὐδ’ ἔστι μοίρας τοῦ χρεών τ’ ἀπαλλαγή.

Θησεύς

κομίζετ’ αὐτόν, ὡς ἰδὼν ἐν ὄμμασιν
1265

τὸν τἄμ’ ἀπαρνηθέντα μὴ χρᾶναι λέχη

λόγοις τ’ ἐλέγξω δαιμόνων τε συμφοραῖς.

Chorus

But lo! I see a servant of Hippolytus hasting with troubled looks towards the palace.

Messenger

Ladies, ¹where may I find Theseus, king of the country? pray, tell me if

ye know; is he within the palace here?
1155

Chorus

Lo! himself approaches from the palace.

Messenger

Theseus, I am the bearer of troublous tidings to thee and all citizens who dwell in Athens or the bounds of Troezen.

Theseus

How now? hath some strange calamity overtaken these two neighbouring cities?
1160

Messenger

In one brief word, Hippolytus is dead. ’Tis true one slender thread still links him to the light of life.

Theseus

Who slew him? Did some husband come to blows with him,

one whose wife, like mine, had suffered brutal violence?
1165

Messenger

He perished through those steeds that drew his chariot, and through the curses thou didst utter, praying to thy sire, the ocean-king, to slay thy son.

Theseus

Ye gods and king Poseidon, thou hast proved my parentage

by hearkening to my prayer! Say how he perished; how fell the uplifted hand of Justice to smite the villain who dishonoured me?
1170

Chorus

Alas! new troubles come to plague us, nor is there any escape from fate and necessity.
1255

Theseus

My hatred for him who hath thus suffered made me glad at thy tidings, yet from regard for the gods and him, because he is my son,

I feel neither joy nor sorrow at his sufferings.
1260

Messenger

But say, are we to bring the victim hither, or how are we to fulfil thy wishes? Bethink thee; if by me thou wilt be schooled, thou wilt not harshly treat thy son in his sad plight.

Theseus

Bring him hither, that when I see him face to face, who hath denied having polluted my wife’s honour, I may by words and heaven’s visitation convict him.
1265