Euripides, Hippolytus, Johann Jakob Christian Donner (Translator), 58

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Ihr, folgt mir nach, folgt mit Gesange

Preisend die Tochter des Zeus,

Artemis, welche mit uns ist!
60

Chor der Jäger.

Heilige, Heilige, Herrlichste du

Von Zeus' Geschlechte,

Jungfrau, sei mir gegrüßt, gegrüßt,

Leto's Kind und des Zeus, o du

Schönste weit in der Mädchen Zahl,
65

Die im großen Himmelsraum

Droben wohnt in des Vaters Hallen,

Im goldenen Haus Kronions!

Hippolytos.

Sei mir gegrüßt, o Schönste,

schönste Du von Olympos
70

Götterfrau'n, Artemis!

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.) — 1-120 focus

Ἀφροδίτη

Πολλὴ μὲν ἐν βροτοῖσι κοὐκ ἀνώνυμος,
1

θεὰ κέκλημαι Κύπρις, οὐρανοῦ τ’ ἔσω·

ὅσοι τε Πόντου τερμόνων τ’ Ἀτλαντικῶν

ναίουσιν εἴσω φῶς ὁρῶντες ἡλίου,

τοὺς μὲν σέβοντας τἀμὰ πρεσβεύω κράτη,
5

σφάλλω δ’ ὅσοι φρονοῦσιν εἰς ἡμᾶς μέγα.

ἔνεστι γὰρ δὴ κἀν θεῶν γένει τόδε·

τιμώμενοι χαίρουσιν ἀνθρώπων ὕπο.

δείξω δὲ μύθων τῶνδ’ ἀλήθειαν τάχα·

ὁ γάρ με Θησέως παῖς, Ἀμαζόνος τόκος,
10

Ἱππόλυτος, ἁγνοῦ Πιτθέως παιδεύματα,

μόνος πολιτῶν τῆσδε γῆς Τροζηνίας

λέγει κακίστην δαιμόνων πεφυκέναι,

ἀναίνεται δὲ λέκτρα κοὐ ψαύει γάμων·

Φοίβου δ’ ἀδελφὴν Ἄρτεμιν, Διὸς κόρην,
15

τιμᾷ, μεγίστην δαιμόνων ἡγούμενος·

χλωρὰν δ’ ἀν’ ὕλην παρθένῳ ξυνὼν ἀεὶ

κυσὶν ταχείαις θῆρας ἐξαιρεῖ χθονός,

μείζω βροτείας προσπεσὼν ὁμιλίας.

τούτοισι μέν νυν οὐ φθονῶ· τί γάρ με δεῖ;
20

ἃ δ’ εἰς ἔμ’ ἡμάρτηκε, τιμωρήσομαι

Ἱππόλυτον ἐν τῇδ’ ἡμέρᾳ· τὰ πολλὰ δὲ

πάλαι προκόψασ’ — οὐ πόνου πολλοῦ με δεῖ.

ἐλθόντα γάρ νιν Πιτθέως ποτ’ ἐκ δόμων

σεμνῶν ἐς ὄψιν καὶ τέλη μυστηρίων
25

Πανδίονος γῆν, πατρὸς εὐγενὴς δάμαρ

ἰδοῦσα Φαίδρα καρδίαν κατέσχετο

ἔρωτι δεινῷ τοῖς ἐμοῖς βουλεύμασιν.

καὶ πρὶν μὲν ἐλθεῖν τήνδε γῆν Τροζηνίαν,

πέτραν παρ’ αὐτὴν Παλλάδος, κατόψιον
30

γῆς τῆσδε, ναὸν Κύπριδος ἐγκαθίσατο,

ἐρῶσ’ ἔρωτ’ ἔκδημον· Ἱππολύτῳ δ’ ἔπι

τὸ λοιπὸν ὠνόμαζ’ ἐνιδρῦσθαι θεάν.

34

ἐπεὶ δὲ Θησεὺς Κεκροπίαν λείπει χθόνα,

μίασμα φεύγων αἵματος Παλλαντιδῶν,
35

καὶ τήνδε σὺν δάμαρτι ναυστολεῖ χθόνα,

ἐνιαυσίαν ἔκδημον αἰνέσας φυγήν,

ἐνταῦθα δὴ στένουσα κἀκπεπληγμένη

κέντροις ἔρωτος ἡ τάλαιν’ ἀπόλλυται

σιγῇ· ξύνοιδε δ’ οὔτις οἰκετῶν νόσον.
40

ἀλλ’ οὔτι ταύτῃ τόνδ’ ἔρωτα χρὴ πεσεῖν·

δείξω δὲ Θησεῖ πρᾶγμα, κἀκφανήσεται.

καὶ τὸν μὲν ἡμῖν πολέμιον νεανίαν

κτενεῖ πατὴρ ἀραῖσιν, ἃς ὁ πόντιος

ἄναξ Ποσειδῶν ὤπασεν Θησεῖ γέρας,
45

μηδὲν μάταιον ἐς τρὶς εὔξασθαι θεῷ.

ἣ δ’ εὐκλεὴς μέν, ἀλλ’ ὅμως ἀπόλλυται,

Φαίδρα· τὸ γὰρ τῆσδ’ οὐ προτιμήσω κακὸν

τὸ μὴ οὐ παρασχεῖν τοὺς ἐμοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἐμοὶ

δίκην τοσαύτην ὥστ’ ἐμοὶ καλῶς ἔχειν.
50

ἀλλ’, εἰσορῶ γὰρ τόνδε παῖδα Θησέως

στείχοντα, θήρας μόχθον ἐκλελοιπότα,

Ἱππόλυτον, ἔξω τῶνδε βήσομαι τόπων.

πολὺς δ’ ἅμ’ αὐτῷ προσπόλων ὀπισθόπους

κῶμος λέλακεν, Ἄρτεμιν τιμῶν θεὰν
55

ὕμνοισιν· οὐ γὰρ οἶδ’ ἀνεῳγμένας πύλας

Ἅιδου, φάος δὲ λοίσθιον βλέπων τόδε.

Ἱππόλυτος

ἕπεσθ’ ἀείδοντες ἕπεσθε

τὰν Διὸς οὐρανίαν

Ἄρτεμιν, ᾇ μελόμεσθα.
60

Χορὸς Κυνηγῶν

πότνια πότνια σεμνοτάτα,

Ζανὸς γένεθλον,

χαῖρε, χαῖρέ μοι, ὦ κόρα

Λατοῦς Ἄρτεμι καὶ Διός,
65

καλλίστα πολὺ παρθένων,

ἃ μέγαν κατ’ οὐρανὸν

ναίεις εὐπατέρειαν αὐ-

λάν, Ζηνὸς πολύχρυσον οἶκον.

χαῖρέ μοι, ὦ καλλίστα καλ-
70

λίστα τῶν κατ’ Ὄλυμπον.

παρθένων, Ἄρτεμι.

Ἱππόλυτος

σοὶ τόνδε πλεκτὸν στέφανον ἐξ ἀκηράτου

λειμῶνος, ὦ δέσποινα, κοσμήσας φέρω,

ἔνθ’ οὔτε ποιμὴν ἀξιοῖ φέρβειν βοτὰ
75

οὔτ’ ἦλθέ πω σίδαρος, ἀλλ’ ἀκήρατον

μέλισσα λειμῶν’ ἠρινὴ διέρχεται,

Αἰδὼς δὲ ποταμίαισι κηπεύει δρόσοις·

ὅσοις διδακτὸν μηδέν, ἀλλ’ ἐν τῇ φύσει

τὸ σωφρονεῖν εἴληχεν ἐς τὰ πάνθ’ ὁμῶς,
80

τούτοις δρέπεσθαι, τοῖς κακοῖσι δ’ οὐ θέμις.

ἀλλ’, ὦ φίλη δέσποινα, χρυσέας κόμης

ἀνάδημα δέξαι χειρὸς εὐσεβοῦς ἄπο.

μόνῳ γάρ ἐστι τοῦτ’ ἐμοὶ γέρας βροτῶν·

σοὶ καὶ ξύνειμι καὶ λόγοις ἀμείβομαι,
85

κλύων μὲν αὐδήν, ὄμμα δ’ οὐχ ὁρῶν τὸ σόν.

τέλος δὲ κάμψαιμ’ ὥσπερ ἠρξάμην βίου.

Θεράπων

ἄναξ — θεοὺς γὰρ δεσπότας καλεῖν χρεών —

ἆρ’ ἄν τί μου δέξαιο βουλεύσαντος εὖ;

Ἱππόλυτος

καὶ κάρτα γ’· ἦ γὰρ οὐ σοφοὶ φαινοίμεθ’ ἄν.
90

Θεράπων

οἶσθ’ οὖν βροτοῖσιν ὃς καθέστηκεν νόμος

Ἱππόλυτος

οὐκ οἶδα· τοῦ δὲ καί μ’ ἀνιστορεῖς πέρι;

Θεράπων

μισεῖν τὸ σεμνὸν καὶ τὸ μὴ πᾶσιν φίλον.

Ἱππόλυτος

ὀρθῶς γε· τίς δ’ οὐ σεμνὸς ἀχθεινὸς βροτῶν;

Θεράπων

ἐν δ’ εὐπροσηγόροισιν ἔστι τις χάρις;
95

Ἱππόλυτος

πλείστη γε, καὶ κέρδος γε σὺν μόχθῳ βραχεῖ.

Θεράπων

ἦ κἀν θεοῖσι ταὐτὸν ἐλπίζεις τόδε;

Ἱππόλυτος

εἴπερ γε θνητοὶ θεῶν νόμοισι χρώμεθα.

Θεράπων

πῶς οὖν σὺ σεμνός, δαίμον’ οὐ προσεννέπων

Ἱππόλυτος

τίν’; εὐλαβοῦ δὲ μή τί σου σφαλῇ στόμα.
100

Θεράπων

τήνδ’, ἣ πύλαισι σαῖς ἐφέστηκεν Κύπρις.

Ἱππόλυτος

πρόσωθεν αὐτὴν ἁγνὸς ὢν ἀσπάζομαι.

Θεράπων

σεμνός γε μέντοι κἀπίσημος ἐν βροτοῖς.

Ἱππόλυτος

ἄλλοισιν ἄλλος θεῶν τε κἀνθρώπων μέλει.

Θεράπων

εὐδαιμονοίης νοῦν ἔχων ὅσον σε δεῖ.
105

Ἱππόλυτος

οὐδείς μ’ ἀρέσκει νυκτὶ θαυμαστὸς θεῶν.

Θεράπων

τιμαῖσιν, ὦ παῖ, δαιμόνων χρῆσθαι χρεών.

Ἱππόλυτος

χωρεῖτ’, ὀπαδοί, καὶ παρελθόντες δόμους

σίτων μέλεσθε· τερπνὸν ἐκ κυναγίας

τράπεζα πλήρης· καὶ καταψήχειν χρεὼν
110

ἵππους, ὅπως ἂν ἅρμασιν ζεύξας ὕπο

βορᾶς κορεσθεὶς γυμνάσω τὰ πρόσφορα.

τὴν σὴν δὲ Κύπριν πόλλ’ ἐγὼ χαίρειν λέγω.

Θεράπων

ἡμεῖς δέ — τοὺς νέους γὰρ οὐ μιμητέον,

φρονοῦντας οὕτως — ὡς πρέπει δούλοις λέγειν,
115

προσευξόμεσθα τοῖσι σοῖς ἀγάλμασιν,

δέσποινα Κύπρι. χρὴ δὲ συγγνώμην ἔχειν,

εἴ τίς σ’ ὑφ’ ἥβης σπλάγχνον ἔντονον φέρων

μάταια βάζει· μὴ δόκει τούτων κλύειν·

σοφωτέρους γὰρ χρὴ βροτῶν εἶναι θεούς.
120

Translations (2)

Hippolytus Perseus (Euripides. The Plays of Euripides, Vol. I. Coleridge, Edward P., translator. London: George Bell and Sons, 1906.) — 1-120 focus

Aphrodite

Wide o’er man my realm extends, and proud the name that I, the goddess Cypris, bear, both in heaven’s courts and ’mongst all those who dwell within the limits of the sea¹ and the bounds of Atlas, beholding the sun-god’s light;
1

those that respect my power I advance to honour, but bring to ruin all who vaunt themselves at me. For even in the race of gods this feeling finds a home, even pleasure at the honour men pay them.
5

And the truth of this I soon will show;

for that son of Theseus, born of the Amazon, Hippolytus, whom holy Pittheus taught, alone of all the dwellers in this land of Troezen, calls me vilest of the deities. Love he scorns, and, as for marriage, will none of it;
10

but Artemis, daughter of Zeus, sister of Phoebus, he doth honour, counting her the chief of goddesses, and ever through the greenwood, attendant on his virgin goddess, he dears the earth of wild beasts with his fleet hounds, enjoying the comradeship of one too high for mortal ken.
15

’Tis not this I grudge him, no! why should I? But for his sins against me, I will this very day take vengeance on Hippolytus; for long ago I cleared the ground of many obstacles, so it needs but trifling toil.
20

For as he came one day from the home of Pittheus

to witness the solemn mystic rites and be initiated therein in Pandion’s land,² Phaedra, his father’s noble wife, caught sight of him, and by my designs she found her heart was seized with wild desire.
25

And ere she came to this Troezenian realm,

a temple did she rear to Cypris hard by the rock of Pallas where it o’erlooks this country, for love of the youth in another land; and to win his love in days to come she called after his name the temple she had founded for the goddess.
30
34

Now, when Theseus left the land of Cecrops,

flying the pollution of the blood of Pallas’³ sons, and with his wife sailed to this shore, content to suffer exile for a year, then began the wretched wife to pine away in silence, moaning ’neath love’s cruel scourge,
35

and none of her servants knows what ails her. But this passion of hers must not fail thus. No, I will discover the matter to Theseus, and all shall be laid bare. Then will the father slay his child, my bitter foe, by curses,
40

for the lord Poseidon granted this boon to Theseus; three wishes of the god to ask, nor ever ask in vain. So Phaedra is to die, an honoured death ’tis true, but still to die; for I will not let her suffering outweigh the payment of such forfeit by my foes
45

as shall satisfy my honour.
50

But lo! I see the son of Theseus coming hither—Hippolytus, fresh from the labours of the chase. I will get me hence. At his back follows a long train

of retainers, in joyous cries of revelry uniting and hymns of praise to Artemis, his goddess; for little he recks that Death hath oped his gates for him, and that this is his last look upon the light.
55

Hippolytus

Come follow, friends, singing to Artemis, daughter of Zeus, throned in the sky,

whose votaries we are.
60

Attendants of Hippolytus

Lady goddess, awful queen, daughter of Zeus, all hail! hail! child of

Latona and of Zeus, peerless mid the virgin choir, who hast thy dwelling in heaven’s wide mansions at thy noble father’s court, in the golden house of Zeus.
65

All hail! most beauteous Artemis, lovelier far than all the daughters of Olympus!⁴
70

Hippolytus

For⁵ thee, O mistress mine, I bring this woven wreath, culled from a virgin meadow,

where nor shepherd dares to herd his flock nor ever scythe hath mown, but o’er the mead unshorn the bee doth wing its way in spring; and with the dew from rivers drawn purity that garden tends. Such as know no cunning lore, yet in whose nature
75

self-control, made perfect, hath a home, these may pluck the flowers, but not the wicked world. Accept, I pray, dear mistress, mine this chaplet from my holy hand to crown thy locks of gold; for I, and none other of mortals, have this high guerdon,
80

to be with thee, with thee converse, hearing thy voice, though not thy face beholding. So be it mine to end my life as I began.
85

Attendants

My prince! we needs must call upon the gods, our lords, so wilt thou listen to a friendly word from me?

Hippolytus

Why, that will I! else were I proved a fool.
90

Attendants

Dost know, then, the way of the world?

Hippolytus

Not I; but wherefore such a question?

Attendants

It hates reserve which careth not for all men’s love.

Hippolytus

And rightly too; reserve in man is ever galling.

Attendants

But there’s a charm in courteous affability?
95

Hippolytus

The greatest surely; aye, and profit, too, at trifling cost.

Attendants

Dost think the same law holds in heaven as well?

Hippolytus

I trow it doth, since all our laws we men from heaven draw.

Attendants

Why, then, dost thou neglect to greet an august goddess?⁶

Hippolytus

Whom speak’st thou of? Keep watch upon thy tongue lest it some mischief cause.
100

Attendants

Cypris I mean, whose image is stationed o’er thy gate.

Hippolytus

I greet her from afar, preserving still my chastity.

Att

Yet is she an august goddess, far renowned on earth.

Hippolytus

’Mongst gods as well as men we have our several preferences.

Attendants

I wish thee luck, and wisdom too, so far as thou dost need it.
105

Hippolytus

No god, whose worship craves the night, hath charms for me.

Attendants

My son, we should avail us of the gifts that gods confer.

Hippolytus

Go in, my faithful followers, and make ready food within the house; a well-filled board hath charms after the chase is o’er.

Rub down my steeds ye must, that when I have had my all I may yoke them to the chariot and give them proper exercise.
110

As for thy Queen of Love, a long farewell to her.

[Exit Hippolytus.

Attendants

Meantime I with sober mind, for I must not copy my young master,

do offer up my prayer to thy image, lady Cypris, in such words as it becomes a slave to use. But thou should’st pardon all, who, in youth’s impetuous heat, speak idle words of thee; make as though thou hearest not,
115

for gods must needs be wiser than the sons of men.
120

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

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Hippolytos. Sei mir gegrüßt, o Schönste, schönste Du von Olympos 70 Götterfrau'n, Artemis!

Current edition Experimental

Ἱππόλυτος ἕπεσθ’ ἀείδοντες ἕπεσθε τὰν Διὸς οὐρανίαν Ἄρτεμιν, ᾇ μελόμεσθα. 60

Θεράπων ἄναξ — θεοὺς γὰρ δεσπότας καλεῖν χρεών — ἆρ’ ἄν τί μου δέξαιο βουλεύσαντος εὖ;

Ἱππόλυτος καὶ κάρτα γ’· ἦ γὰρ οὐ σοφοὶ φαινοίμεθ’ ἄν. 90

Θεράπων οἶσθ’ οὖν βροτοῖσιν ὃς καθέστηκεν νόμος

Ἱππόλυτος οὐκ οἶδα· τοῦ δὲ καί μ’ ἀνιστορεῖς πέρι;

Θεράπων μισεῖν τὸ σεμνὸν καὶ τὸ μὴ πᾶσιν φίλον.

Ἱππόλυτος ὀρθῶς γε· τίς δ’ οὐ σεμνὸς ἀχθεινὸς βροτῶν;

Θεράπων ἐν δ’ εὐπροσηγόροισιν ἔστι τις χάρις; 95

Ἱππόλυτος πλείστη γε, καὶ κέρδος γε σὺν μόχθῳ βραχεῖ.

Θεράπων ἦ κἀν θεοῖσι ταὐτὸν ἐλπίζεις τόδε;

Ἱππόλυτος εἴπερ γε θνητοὶ θεῶν νόμοισι χρώμεθα.

Θεράπων πῶς οὖν σὺ σεμνός, δαίμον’ οὐ προσεννέπων

Ἱππόλυτος τίν’; εὐλαβοῦ δὲ μή τί σου σφαλῇ στόμα. 100

Θεράπων τήνδ’, ἣ πύλαισι σαῖς ἐφέστηκεν Κύπρις.

Ἱππόλυτος πρόσωθεν αὐτὴν ἁγνὸς ὢν ἀσπάζομαι.

Θεράπων σεμνός γε μέντοι κἀπίσημος ἐν βροτοῖς.

Ἱππόλυτος ἄλλοισιν ἄλλος θεῶν τε κἀνθρώπων μέλει.

Θεράπων εὐδαιμονοίης νοῦν ἔχων ὅσον σε δεῖ. 105

Ἱππόλυτος οὐδείς μ’ ἀρέσκει νυκτὶ θαυμαστὸς θεῶν.

Θεράπων τιμαῖσιν, ὦ παῖ, δαιμόνων χρῆσθαι χρεών.

Hippolytus Come follow, friends, singing to Artemis, daughter of Zeus, throned in the sky, whose votaries we are. 60

Attendants My prince! we needs must call upon the gods, our lords, so wilt thou listen to a friendly word from me?

Hippolytus Why, that will I! else were I proved a fool. 90

Attendants Dost know, then, the way of the world?

Hippolytus Not I; but wherefore such a question?

Attendants It hates reserve which careth not for all men’s love.

Hippolytus And rightly too; reserve in man is ever galling.

Attendants But there’s a charm in courteous affability? 95

Hippolytus The greatest surely; aye, and profit, too, at trifling cost.

Attendants Dost think the same law holds in heaven as well?

Hippolytus I trow it doth, since all our laws we men from heaven draw.

Attendants Why, then, dost thou neglect to greet an august goddess? 6

Hippolytus Whom speak’st thou of? Keep watch upon thy tongue lest it some mischief cause. 100

Attendants Cypris I mean, whose image is stationed o’er thy gate.

Hippolytus I greet her from afar, preserving still my chastity.

Att Yet is she an august goddess, far renowned on earth.

Hippolytus ’Mongst gods as well as men we have our several preferences.

Attendants I wish thee luck, and wisdom too, so far as thou dost need it. 105

Hippolytus No god, whose worship craves the night, hath charms for me.

Attendants My son, we should avail us of the gifts that gods confer.

Stable identifiers

Hippolytos.

Sei mir gegrüßt, o Schönste,

schönste Du von Olympos
70

Götterfrau'n, Artemis!

Ἱππόλυτος

ἕπεσθ’ ἀείδοντες ἕπεσθε

τὰν Διὸς οὐρανίαν

Ἄρτεμιν, ᾇ μελόμεσθα.
60

Θεράπων

ἄναξ — θεοὺς γὰρ δεσπότας καλεῖν χρεών —

ἆρ’ ἄν τί μου δέξαιο βουλεύσαντος εὖ;

Ἱππόλυτος

καὶ κάρτα γ’· ἦ γὰρ οὐ σοφοὶ φαινοίμεθ’ ἄν.
90

Θεράπων

οἶσθ’ οὖν βροτοῖσιν ὃς καθέστηκεν νόμος

Ἱππόλυτος

οὐκ οἶδα· τοῦ δὲ καί μ’ ἀνιστορεῖς πέρι;

Θεράπων

μισεῖν τὸ σεμνὸν καὶ τὸ μὴ πᾶσιν φίλον.

Ἱππόλυτος

ὀρθῶς γε· τίς δ’ οὐ σεμνὸς ἀχθεινὸς βροτῶν;

Θεράπων

ἐν δ’ εὐπροσηγόροισιν ἔστι τις χάρις;
95

Ἱππόλυτος

πλείστη γε, καὶ κέρδος γε σὺν μόχθῳ βραχεῖ.

Θεράπων

ἦ κἀν θεοῖσι ταὐτὸν ἐλπίζεις τόδε;

Ἱππόλυτος

εἴπερ γε θνητοὶ θεῶν νόμοισι χρώμεθα.

Θεράπων

πῶς οὖν σὺ σεμνός, δαίμον’ οὐ προσεννέπων

Ἱππόλυτος

τίν’; εὐλαβοῦ δὲ μή τί σου σφαλῇ στόμα.
100

Θεράπων

τήνδ’, ἣ πύλαισι σαῖς ἐφέστηκεν Κύπρις.

Ἱππόλυτος

πρόσωθεν αὐτὴν ἁγνὸς ὢν ἀσπάζομαι.

Θεράπων

σεμνός γε μέντοι κἀπίσημος ἐν βροτοῖς.

Ἱππόλυτος

ἄλλοισιν ἄλλος θεῶν τε κἀνθρώπων μέλει.

Θεράπων

εὐδαιμονοίης νοῦν ἔχων ὅσον σε δεῖ.
105

Ἱππόλυτος

οὐδείς μ’ ἀρέσκει νυκτὶ θαυμαστὸς θεῶν.

Θεράπων

τιμαῖσιν, ὦ παῖ, δαιμόνων χρῆσθαι χρεών.

Hippolytus

Come follow, friends, singing to Artemis, daughter of Zeus, throned in the sky,

whose votaries we are.
60

Attendants

My prince! we needs must call upon the gods, our lords, so wilt thou listen to a friendly word from me?

Hippolytus

Why, that will I! else were I proved a fool.
90

Attendants

Dost know, then, the way of the world?

Hippolytus

Not I; but wherefore such a question?

Attendants

It hates reserve which careth not for all men’s love.

Hippolytus

And rightly too; reserve in man is ever galling.

Attendants

But there’s a charm in courteous affability?
95

Hippolytus

The greatest surely; aye, and profit, too, at trifling cost.

Attendants

Dost think the same law holds in heaven as well?

Hippolytus

I trow it doth, since all our laws we men from heaven draw.

Attendants

Why, then, dost thou neglect to greet an august goddess?⁶

Hippolytus

Whom speak’st thou of? Keep watch upon thy tongue lest it some mischief cause.
100

Attendants

Cypris I mean, whose image is stationed o’er thy gate.

Hippolytus

I greet her from afar, preserving still my chastity.

Att

Yet is she an august goddess, far renowned on earth.

Hippolytus

’Mongst gods as well as men we have our several preferences.

Attendants

I wish thee luck, and wisdom too, so far as thou dost need it.
105

Hippolytus

No god, whose worship craves the night, hath charms for me.

Attendants

My son, we should avail us of the gifts that gods confer.