Euripides, Hippolytus, ed. Gilbert Murray, 313

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Τροφός

ὁρᾷς; φρονεῖς μὲν εὖ, φρονοῦσα δ’ οὐ θέλεις

παῖδάς τ’ ὀνῆσαι καὶ σὸν ἐκσῶσαι βίον.

Φαίδρα

φιλῶ τέκν’· ἄλλῃ δ’ ἐν τύχῃ χειμάζομαι.
315

Τροφός

ἁγνὰς μέν, ὦ παῖ, χεῖρας αἵματος φορεῖς;

Φαίδρα

χεῖρες μὲν ἁγναί, φρὴν δ’ ἔχει μίασμά τι.

Τροφός

μῶν ἐξ ἐπακτοῦ πημονῆς ἐχθρῶν τινος;

Φαίδρα

φίλος μ’ ἀπόλλυσ’ οὐχ ἑκοῦσαν οὐχ ἑκών.

Τροφός

Θησεύς τιν’ ἡμάρτηκεν ἐς σ’ ἁμαρτίαν;
320

Φαίδρα

μὴ δρῶσ’ ἔγωγ’ ἐκεῖνον ὀφθείην κακῶς.

Τροφός

τί γὰρ τὸ δεινὸν τοῦθ’ ὅ σ’ ἐξαίρει θανεῖν;

Φαίδρα

ἔα μ’ ἁμαρτεῖν· οὐ γὰρ ἐς σὲ ἁμαρτάνω.

Τροφός

οὐ δῆθ’ ἑκοῦσά γ’, ἐν δὲ σοὶ λελείψομαι.

Φαίδρα

τί δρᾷς; βιάζῃ χειρὸς ἐξαρτωμένη;
325

Τροφός

καὶ σῶν γε γονάτων, κοὐ μεθήσομαί ποτε.

Φαίδρα

κάκ’, ὦ τάλαινα, σοὶ τάδ’, εἰ πεύσῃ, κακά.

Τροφός

μεῖζον γὰρ ἢ σοῦ μὴ τυχεῖν τί μοι κακόν;

Φαίδρα

ὀλεῖς· τὸ μέντοι πρᾶγμ’ ἐμοὶ τιμὴν φέρει.

Τροφός

κἄπειτα κρύπτεις χρήσθ’ ἱκνουμένης ἐμοῦ;
330

Φαίδρα

ἐκ τῶν γὰρ αἰσχρῶν ἐσθλὰ μηχανώμεθα.

Τροφός

οὐκοῦν λέγουσα τιμιωτέρα φανῇ.

Φαίδρα

ἄπελθε πρὸς θεῶν δεξιᾶς τ’ ἐμῆς μέθες.

Τροφός

οὐ δῆτ’, ἐπεί μοι δῶρον οὐ δίδως ὃ χρῆν.

Φαίδρα

δώσω· σέβας γὰρ χειρὸς αἰδοῦμαι τὸ σόν.
335

Τροφός

σιγῷμ’ ἂν ἤδη· σὸς γὰρ οὑντεῦθεν λόγος.

Φαίδρα

ὦ τλῆμον, οἷον, μῆτερ, ἠράσθης ἔρον,

Τροφός

ὃν ἔσχε Ταύρου, τέκνον, ἢ τί φῂς τόδε;

Φαίδρα

σύ τ’, ὦ τάλαιν’ ὅμαιμε, Διονύσου δάμαρ,

Τροφός

τέκνον, τί πάσχεις; συγγόνους κακορροθεῖς;
340

Φαίδρα

τρίτη δ’ ἐγὼ δύστηνος ὡς ἀπόλλυμαι.

Τροφός

ἔκ τοι πέπληγμαι· ποῖ προβήσεται λόγος;

Φαίδρα

ἐκεῖθεν ἡμεῖς, οὐ νεωστί, δυστυχεῖς.

Τροφός

οὐδέν τι μᾶλλον οἶδ’ ἃ βούλομαι κλύειν.

Φαίδρα

φεῦ·
345

πῶς ἂν σύ μοι λέξειας ἁμὲ χρὴ λέγειν;

Τροφός

οὐ μάντις εἰμὶ τἀφανῆ γνῶναι σαφῶς.

Φαίδρα

τί τοῦθ’, ὃ δὴ λέγουσιν ἀνθρώπους, ἐρᾶν;

Τροφός

ἥδιστον, ὦ παῖ, ταὐτὸν ἀλγεινόν θ’ ἅμα.

Φαίδρα

ἡμεῖς ἂν εἶμεν θατέρῳ κεχρημένοι.

Τροφός

τί φῄς; ἐρᾷς, ὦ τέκνον; ἀνθρώπων τίνος;
350

Φαίδρα

ὅστις ποθ’ οὗτός ἐσθ’, ὁ τῆς Ἀμαζόνος

Τροφός

Ἱππόλυτον αὐδᾷς;

Φαίδρα

σοῦ τάδ’, οὐκ ἐμοῦ κλύεις.

Τροφός

οἴμοι, τί λέξεις, τέκνον; ὥς μ’ ἀπώλεσας.

γυναῖκες, οὐκ ἀνασχέτ’· οὐκ ἀνέξομαι

ζῶσ’· ἐχθρὸν ἦμαρ, ἐχθρὸν εἰσορῶ φάος.
355

ῥίψω μεθήσω σῶμ’, ἀπαλλαχθήσομαι

βίου θανοῦσα· χαίρετ’· οὐκέτ’ εἴμ’ ἐγώ.

οἱ σώφρονες γὰρ οὐχ ἑκόντες, ἀλλ’ ὅμως

κακῶν ἐρῶσι. Κύπρις οὐκ ἄρ’ ἦν θεός,

ἀλλ’ εἴ τι μεῖζον ἄλλο γίγνεται θεοῦ,
360

ἣ τήνδε κἀμὲ καὶ δόμους ἀπώλεσεν.

Hippolytus. Euripides. ed. Gilbert Murray. Oxford. 1902.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by Tufts University.

Current edition Perseus

Ἱππόλυτος (Greek) (Euripides. Euripidis Fabulae, Vol. I. Murray, Gilbert, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1902.)

Translations (3)

Hippolytus Perseus (Euripides. The Plays of Euripides, Vol. I. Coleridge, Edward P., translator. London: George Bell and Sons, 1906.) — 313 focus

Nurse

There now! thou art thyself again, but e’en yet refusest to aid thy children and preserve thy life.

Phaedra

My babes I love, but there is another storm that buffets me.
315

Nurse

Daughter, are thy hands from bloodshed pure?

Phaedra

My hands are pure, but on my soul there rests a stain.

Nurse

The issue of some enemy’s secret witchery?

Phaedra

A friend is my destroyer, one unwilling as myself.

Nurse

Hath Theseus wronged thee in any wise?
320

Phaedra

Never may I prove untrue to him¹

Nurse

Then what strange mystery is there that drives thee on to die?

Phaedra

O, let my sin and me alone! ’tis not ’gainst thee I sin.

Nurse

Never willingly! and, if I fail, ’twill rest at thy door.

Phaedra

How now? thou usest force in clinging to my hand.
325

Nurse

Yea, and I will never loose my hold upon thy knees.

Phaedra

Alas for thee! my sorrows, shouldst thou learn them, would recoil on thee.

Nurse

What keener grief for me than failing to win thee?

Phaedra

’Twill be death to thee; though to me that brings renown.²

Nurse

And dost thou then conceal this boon despite my prayers?
330

Phaedra

I do, for ’tis out of shame I am planning an honourable escape.

Nurse

Tell it, and thine honour shall the brighter shine.

Phaedra

Away, I do conjure thee; loose my hand.

Nurse

I will not, for the boon thou shouldst have granted me is denied.

Phaedra

I will grant it out of reverence for thy holy sup- pliant touch.
335

Nurse

Henceforth I hold my peace; ’tis thine to speak from now.

Phaedra

Ah! hapless mother,³ what a love was thine!

Nurse

Her love for the bull? daughter, or what meanest thou?

Phaedra

And woe to thee! my sister,⁴ bride of Dionysus.

Nurse

What ails thee, child? speaking ill of kith and kin.
340

Phaedra

Myself the third to suffer! how am I undone!

Nurse

Thou strik’st me dumb! Where will this history end?

Phaedra

That love has been our curse from time long past.

Nurse

I know no more of what I fain would learn.

Phaedra

Ah! would thou couldst say for me what I have to tell.
345

Nurse

I am no prophetess to unriddle secrets.

Phaedra

What is it they mean when they talk of people being in love?

Nurse

At once the sweetest and the bitterest thing, my child.

Phaedra

I shall only find the latter half.

Nurse

Ha! my child, art thou in love?
350

Phaedra

The Amazon’s son, whoever he may be,—

Nurse

Mean’st thou Hippolytus?

Phaedra

’Twas thou, not I, that spoke his name.

Nurse

O heavens! what is this, my child? Thou hast ruined me. Outrageous! friends; I will not live and bear it;

hateful is life, hateful to mine eyes the light. This body I resign, will cast it off, and rid me of existence by my death. Farewell, my life is o’er. Yea, for the chaste have wicked passions, ’gainst their will maybe, but still they have. Cypris, it seems, is not a goddess after all,
355

but something greater far, for she hath been the ruin of my lady and of me and our whole family.
360

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

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1841; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (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.) — 313 focus

Siehst du? Du denkst vernunftig, dennoch willst du nicht

Dein Leben retten und den Kindern nüzlich sein.

Phädra.

Die Kinder lieb' ich; mich bestürmt ein andres Leid.

Amme.

O Tochter, deine Hände sind von Blute rein.
315

Phädra.

Rein sind die Hande; Flecken hat nur mein Gemuth.

Amme.

Hat über dich ein Widersacher Fluch gebracht?

Phädra.

Ein Freund verderbt unwillig mich Unwillige.

Amme.

Hat etwa Theseus wider dich gesündiget?

Phädra.

Daß ich an ihm nur nicht erschien' als Frevlerinn!
320

Amme.

Was ist das Arge, welches dich zum Tode treibt?

Phädra.

laß mich fehlen; fehl' ich doch nicht gegen dich.

Amme.

Freiwillig niemals; weich' ich, ist es deine Schuld.

Phädra.

Was thust du? Mir am Arme hångend, zwingst du mich?

Amme.

Und auch von deinen Knieen lass ich nimmermehr.
325

Phädra.

Elende, weh dir, solltest du es hören, weh!

Amme.

Welch größres Weh' erführ' ich, als dir ferne sein?

Phädra.

Du wirst vergehen; aber mir bringt Ruhm die That.

Amme

Und doch verhehlst du Solches mir, der Flehenden?

Phädra.

Aus böser Quelle geht hervor das Edle mir.
330

Amme

So wird es ehrenvoller sein, erklärst du dich.

Phädra.

Entweiche, bei den Göttern, und laß meine Hand!

Amme.

Nie, weil du mir verweigerst, was du schuldig bist.

Phädra.

Gewähren werd' ich's; denn ich ehre deine Hand.

Amme.

So schweig' ich also; denn das Reden ist an dir.
335

Phädra.

Mutter, wie hast du geliebt, Unselige!

Amme.

Da sie den Stier liebt'? Oder, Kind, was meinst du da?

Phädra.

Auch du, o arme Schwester, Dionysos' Weib!

Amme.

Was hast du, Tochter? Auf Verwandte schmähest du?

Phädra.

Und ich, die Dritte, wie vergeh' ich Elende!
340

Amme.

Ich steh' erschüttert: wo hinaus will solches Wort?

Phädra.

Von dort und nicht von gestern her ist unsre Noth.

Amme.

Noch weiß ich um nichts besser, was ich horen will.

Phädra.

Ach, mochtest du mir sagen, was ich sagen muß!

Amme.

Kein Seher bin ich, der das Dunkle klar erkennt.
345

Phädra.

Was ist doch das, was unter Menschen Liebe heißt?

Amme.

Das Süßte, Tochter, und zugleich das Bitterste.

Phädra.

Von Beidem Eines hab' ich selbst an mir erprobt.

Amme.

Was sagst du, Tochter? Hangt dein Herz an einem Mann?

Phädra.

Wer ist er doch, der Amazonenfürstinn Sohn?
350

Hippolytos?

Du sagst es, nicht ich sagte das.

Amme.

Was muß ich hören, Tochter? Weh! Du todtest mich.

Unduldbar ist es, ich ertrag' es lebend nicht,

Ihr Fraun; verhaftes Sonnenlicht, verhafter Tag!

Des Körpers Hülle werf ich ab, ich sterbe hin,
355

Vom Leben scheidend; fahret wohl! Nicht mehr bin ich.

Denn auch die Weisen lieben, widerstrebend zwar,

Dennoch das Bose. Kypris war nicht Göttinn, nein,

Ist etwas über jeden Gott Erhabnes, sie,

Die Phádra, mich und dieses Haus vernichtet hat.
360
Strophe.

Chor.

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Τροφός ὁρᾷς; φρονεῖς μὲν εὖ, φρονοῦσα δ’ οὐ θέλεις παῖδάς τ’ ὀνῆσαι καὶ σὸν ἐκσῶσαι βίον.

Φαίδρα φιλῶ τέκν’· ἄλλῃ δ’ ἐν τύχῃ χειμάζομαι. 315

Τροφός ἁγνὰς μέν, ὦ παῖ, χεῖρας αἵματος φορεῖς;

Φαίδρα χεῖρες μὲν ἁγναί, φρὴν δ’ ἔχει μίασμά τι.

Τροφός μῶν ἐξ ἐπακτοῦ πημονῆς ἐχθρῶν τινος;

Φαίδρα φίλος μ’ ἀπόλλυσ’ οὐχ ἑκοῦσαν οὐχ ἑκών.

Τροφός Θησεύς τιν’ ἡμάρτηκεν ἐς σ’ ἁμαρτίαν; 320

Φαίδρα μὴ δρῶσ’ ἔγωγ’ ἐκεῖνον ὀφθείην κακῶς.

Τροφός τί γὰρ τὸ δεινὸν τοῦθ’ ὅ σ’ ἐξαίρει θανεῖν;

Φαίδρα ἔα μ’ ἁμαρτεῖν· οὐ γὰρ ἐς σὲ ἁμαρτάνω.

Τροφός οὐ δῆθ’ ἑκοῦσά γ’, ἐν δὲ σοὶ λελείψομαι.

Φαίδρα τί δρᾷς; βιάζῃ χειρὸς ἐξαρτωμένη; 325

Τροφός καὶ σῶν γε γονάτων, κοὐ μεθήσομαί ποτε.

Φαίδρα κάκ’, ὦ τάλαινα, σοὶ τάδ’, εἰ πεύσῃ, κακά.

Τροφός μεῖζον γὰρ ἢ σοῦ μὴ τυχεῖν τί μοι κακόν;

Φαίδρα ὀλεῖς· τὸ μέντοι πρᾶγμ’ ἐμοὶ τιμὴν φέρει.

Τροφός κἄπειτα κρύπτεις χρήσθ’ ἱκνουμένης ἐμοῦ; 330

Φαίδρα ἐκ τῶν γὰρ αἰσχρῶν ἐσθλὰ μηχανώμεθα.

Τροφός οὐκοῦν λέγουσα τιμιωτέρα φανῇ.

Φαίδρα ἄπελθε πρὸς θεῶν δεξιᾶς τ’ ἐμῆς μέθες.

Τροφός οὐ δῆτ’, ἐπεί μοι δῶρον οὐ δίδως ὃ χρῆν.

Φαίδρα δώσω· σέβας γὰρ χειρὸς αἰδοῦμαι τὸ σόν. 335

Τροφός σιγῷμ’ ἂν ἤδη· σὸς γὰρ οὑντεῦθεν λόγος.

Φαίδρα ὦ τλῆμον, οἷον, μῆτερ, ἠράσθης ἔρον,

Τροφός ὃν ἔσχε Ταύρου, τέκνον, ἢ τί φῂς τόδε;

Φαίδρα σύ τ’, ὦ τάλαιν’ ὅμαιμε, Διονύσου δάμαρ,

Τροφός τέκνον, τί πάσχεις; συγγόνους κακορροθεῖς; 340

Φαίδρα τρίτη δ’ ἐγὼ δύστηνος ὡς ἀπόλλυμαι.

Τροφός ἔκ τοι πέπληγμαι· ποῖ προβήσεται λόγος;

Φαίδρα ἐκεῖθεν ἡμεῖς, οὐ νεωστί, δυστυχεῖς.

Τροφός οὐδέν τι μᾶλλον οἶδ’ ἃ βούλομαι κλύειν.

Φαίδρα φεῦ· 345 πῶς ἂν σύ μοι λέξειας ἁμὲ χρὴ λέγειν;

Τροφός οὐ μάντις εἰμὶ τἀφανῆ γνῶναι σαφῶς.

Φαίδρα τί τοῦθ’, ὃ δὴ λέγουσιν ἀνθρώπους, ἐρᾶν;

Τροφός ἥδιστον, ὦ παῖ, ταὐτὸν ἀλγεινόν θ’ ἅμα.

Φαίδρα ἡμεῖς ἂν εἶμεν θατέρῳ κεχρημένοι.

Τροφός τί φῄς; ἐρᾷς, ὦ τέκνον; ἀνθρώπων τίνος; 350

Φαίδρα ὅστις ποθ’ οὗτός ἐσθ’, ὁ τῆς Ἀμαζόνος

Τροφός Ἱππόλυτον αὐδᾷς;

Φαίδρα σοῦ τάδ’, οὐκ ἐμοῦ κλύεις.

Current edition Perseus

Nurse There now! thou art thyself again, but e’en yet refusest to aid thy children and preserve thy life.

Phaedra My babes I love, but there is another storm that buffets me. 315

Nurse Daughter, are thy hands from bloodshed pure?

Phaedra My hands are pure, but on my soul there rests a stain.

Nurse The issue of some enemy’s secret witchery?

Phaedra A friend is my destroyer, one unwilling as myself.

Nurse Hath Theseus wronged thee in any wise? 320

Phaedra Never may I prove untrue to him 1

Nurse Then what strange mystery is there that drives thee on to die?

Phaedra O, let my sin and me alone! ’tis not ’gainst thee I sin.

Nurse Never willingly! and, if I fail, ’twill rest at thy door.

Phaedra How now? thou usest force in clinging to my hand. 325

Nurse Yea, and I will never loose my hold upon thy knees.

Phaedra Alas for thee! my sorrows, shouldst thou learn them, would recoil on thee.

Nurse What keener grief for me than failing to win thee?

Phaedra ’Twill be death to thee; though to me that brings renown. 2

Nurse And dost thou then conceal this boon despite my prayers? 330

Phaedra I do, for ’tis out of shame I am planning an honourable escape.

Nurse Tell it, and thine honour shall the brighter shine.

Phaedra Away, I do conjure thee; loose my hand.

Nurse I will not, for the boon thou shouldst have granted me is denied.

Phaedra I will grant it out of reverence for thy holy sup- pliant touch. 335

Nurse Henceforth I hold my peace; ’tis thine to speak from now.

Phaedra Ah! hapless mother, 3 what a love was thine!

Nurse Her love for the bull? daughter, or what meanest thou?

Phaedra And woe to thee! my sister, 4 bride of Dionysus.

Nurse What ails thee, child? speaking ill of kith and kin. 340

Phaedra Myself the third to suffer! how am I undone!

Nurse Thou strik’st me dumb! Where will this history end?

Phaedra That love has been our curse from time long past.

Nurse I know no more of what I fain would learn.

Phaedra Ah! would thou couldst say for me what I have to tell. 345

Nurse I am no prophetess to unriddle secrets.

Phaedra What is it they mean when they talk of people being in love?

Nurse At once the sweetest and the bitterest thing, my child.

Phaedra I shall only find the latter half.

Nurse Ha! my child, art thou in love? 350

Τροφός

ὁρᾷς; φρονεῖς μὲν εὖ, φρονοῦσα δ’ οὐ θέλεις

παῖδάς τ’ ὀνῆσαι καὶ σὸν ἐκσῶσαι βίον.

Φαίδρα

φιλῶ τέκν’· ἄλλῃ δ’ ἐν τύχῃ χειμάζομαι.
315

Τροφός

ἁγνὰς μέν, ὦ παῖ, χεῖρας αἵματος φορεῖς;

Φαίδρα

χεῖρες μὲν ἁγναί, φρὴν δ’ ἔχει μίασμά τι.

Τροφός

μῶν ἐξ ἐπακτοῦ πημονῆς ἐχθρῶν τινος;

Φαίδρα

φίλος μ’ ἀπόλλυσ’ οὐχ ἑκοῦσαν οὐχ ἑκών.

Τροφός

Θησεύς τιν’ ἡμάρτηκεν ἐς σ’ ἁμαρτίαν;
320

Φαίδρα

μὴ δρῶσ’ ἔγωγ’ ἐκεῖνον ὀφθείην κακῶς.

Τροφός

τί γὰρ τὸ δεινὸν τοῦθ’ ὅ σ’ ἐξαίρει θανεῖν;

Φαίδρα

ἔα μ’ ἁμαρτεῖν· οὐ γὰρ ἐς σὲ ἁμαρτάνω.

Τροφός

οὐ δῆθ’ ἑκοῦσά γ’, ἐν δὲ σοὶ λελείψομαι.

Φαίδρα

τί δρᾷς; βιάζῃ χειρὸς ἐξαρτωμένη;
325

Τροφός

καὶ σῶν γε γονάτων, κοὐ μεθήσομαί ποτε.

Φαίδρα

κάκ’, ὦ τάλαινα, σοὶ τάδ’, εἰ πεύσῃ, κακά.

Τροφός

μεῖζον γὰρ ἢ σοῦ μὴ τυχεῖν τί μοι κακόν;

Φαίδρα

ὀλεῖς· τὸ μέντοι πρᾶγμ’ ἐμοὶ τιμὴν φέρει.

Τροφός

κἄπειτα κρύπτεις χρήσθ’ ἱκνουμένης ἐμοῦ;
330

Φαίδρα

ἐκ τῶν γὰρ αἰσχρῶν ἐσθλὰ μηχανώμεθα.

Τροφός

οὐκοῦν λέγουσα τιμιωτέρα φανῇ.

Φαίδρα

ἄπελθε πρὸς θεῶν δεξιᾶς τ’ ἐμῆς μέθες.

Τροφός

οὐ δῆτ’, ἐπεί μοι δῶρον οὐ δίδως ὃ χρῆν.

Φαίδρα

δώσω· σέβας γὰρ χειρὸς αἰδοῦμαι τὸ σόν.
335

Τροφός

σιγῷμ’ ἂν ἤδη· σὸς γὰρ οὑντεῦθεν λόγος.

Φαίδρα

ὦ τλῆμον, οἷον, μῆτερ, ἠράσθης ἔρον,

Τροφός

ὃν ἔσχε Ταύρου, τέκνον, ἢ τί φῂς τόδε;

Φαίδρα

σύ τ’, ὦ τάλαιν’ ὅμαιμε, Διονύσου δάμαρ,

Τροφός

τέκνον, τί πάσχεις; συγγόνους κακορροθεῖς;
340

Φαίδρα

τρίτη δ’ ἐγὼ δύστηνος ὡς ἀπόλλυμαι.

Τροφός

ἔκ τοι πέπληγμαι· ποῖ προβήσεται λόγος;

Φαίδρα

ἐκεῖθεν ἡμεῖς, οὐ νεωστί, δυστυχεῖς.

Τροφός

οὐδέν τι μᾶλλον οἶδ’ ἃ βούλομαι κλύειν.

Φαίδρα

φεῦ·
345

πῶς ἂν σύ μοι λέξειας ἁμὲ χρὴ λέγειν;

Τροφός

οὐ μάντις εἰμὶ τἀφανῆ γνῶναι σαφῶς.

Φαίδρα

τί τοῦθ’, ὃ δὴ λέγουσιν ἀνθρώπους, ἐρᾶν;

Τροφός

ἥδιστον, ὦ παῖ, ταὐτὸν ἀλγεινόν θ’ ἅμα.

Φαίδρα

ἡμεῖς ἂν εἶμεν θατέρῳ κεχρημένοι.

Τροφός

τί φῄς; ἐρᾷς, ὦ τέκνον; ἀνθρώπων τίνος;
350

Φαίδρα

ὅστις ποθ’ οὗτός ἐσθ’, ὁ τῆς Ἀμαζόνος

Τροφός

Ἱππόλυτον αὐδᾷς;

Φαίδρα

σοῦ τάδ’, οὐκ ἐμοῦ κλύεις.

Nurse

There now! thou art thyself again, but e’en yet refusest to aid thy children and preserve thy life.

Phaedra

My babes I love, but there is another storm that buffets me.
315

Nurse

Daughter, are thy hands from bloodshed pure?

Phaedra

My hands are pure, but on my soul there rests a stain.

Nurse

The issue of some enemy’s secret witchery?

Phaedra

A friend is my destroyer, one unwilling as myself.

Nurse

Hath Theseus wronged thee in any wise?
320

Phaedra

Never may I prove untrue to him¹

Nurse

Then what strange mystery is there that drives thee on to die?

Phaedra

O, let my sin and me alone! ’tis not ’gainst thee I sin.

Nurse

Never willingly! and, if I fail, ’twill rest at thy door.

Phaedra

How now? thou usest force in clinging to my hand.
325

Nurse

Yea, and I will never loose my hold upon thy knees.

Phaedra

Alas for thee! my sorrows, shouldst thou learn them, would recoil on thee.

Nurse

What keener grief for me than failing to win thee?

Phaedra

’Twill be death to thee; though to me that brings renown.²

Nurse

And dost thou then conceal this boon despite my prayers?
330

Phaedra

I do, for ’tis out of shame I am planning an honourable escape.

Nurse

Tell it, and thine honour shall the brighter shine.

Phaedra

Away, I do conjure thee; loose my hand.

Nurse

I will not, for the boon thou shouldst have granted me is denied.

Phaedra

I will grant it out of reverence for thy holy sup- pliant touch.
335

Nurse

Henceforth I hold my peace; ’tis thine to speak from now.

Phaedra

Ah! hapless mother,³ what a love was thine!

Nurse

Her love for the bull? daughter, or what meanest thou?

Phaedra

And woe to thee! my sister,⁴ bride of Dionysus.

Nurse

What ails thee, child? speaking ill of kith and kin.
340

Phaedra

Myself the third to suffer! how am I undone!

Nurse

Thou strik’st me dumb! Where will this history end?

Phaedra

That love has been our curse from time long past.

Nurse

I know no more of what I fain would learn.

Phaedra

Ah! would thou couldst say for me what I have to tell.
345

Nurse

I am no prophetess to unriddle secrets.

Phaedra

What is it they mean when they talk of people being in love?

Nurse

At once the sweetest and the bitterest thing, my child.

Phaedra

I shall only find the latter half.

Nurse

Ha! my child, art thou in love?
350

Phaedra

The Amazon’s son, whoever he may be,—

Nurse

Mean’st thou Hippolytus?

Phaedra

’Twas thou, not I, that spoke his name.