Euripides, Hecuba, ed. Gilbert Murray, 1056

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Πολυμήστωρ

ὤμοι ἐγώ, πᾷ βῶ,

πᾷ στῶ, πᾷ κέλσω;

τετράποδος βάσιν θηρὸς ὀρεστέρου

τιθέμενος ἐπίχειρα κατʼ ἴχνος; ποίαν

ἢ ταύταν ἢ τάνδʼ ἐξαλλάξω, τὰς
1060

ἀνδροφόνους μάρψαι χρῄζων Ἰλιάδας,

αἵ με διώλεσαν;

τάλαιναι κόραι τάλαιναι Φρυγῶν,

ὦ κατάρατοι,
1065

ποῖ καί με φυγᾷ πτώσσουσι μυχῶν;

εἴθε μοι ὀμμάτων αἱματόεν βλέφαρον

ἀκέσαιʼ ἀκέσαιο τυφλόν, Ἅλιε,

φέγγος ἐπαλλάξας.

ἆ ἆ,
1070

σίγα· κρυπτὰν βάσιν αἰσθάνομαι

τάνδε γυναικῶν. πᾷ πόδʼ ἐπᾴξας

σαρκῶν ὀστέων τʼ ἐμπλησθῶ,

θοίναν ἀγρίων θηρῶν τιθέμενος,

ἀρνύμενος λώβαν

λύμας ἀντίποινʼ ἐμᾶς; ὦ τάλας.
1075

ποῖ πᾷ φέρομαι τέκνʼ ἔρημα λιπὼν

Βάκχαις Ἅιδου διαμοιρᾶσαι,

σφακτά, κυσίν τε φοινίαν δαῖτʼ ἀνή-

μερον τʼ οὐρείαν ἐκβολάν;

πᾷ στῶ, πᾷ κάμψω, πᾷ βῶ,
1080

ναῦς ὅπως ποντίοις πείσμασιν, λινόκροκον

φᾶρος στέλλων, ἐπὶ τάνδε συθεὶς

τέκνων ἐμῶν φύλαξ ὀλέθριον κοίταν;

Hecuba. Euripides. ed. Gilbert Murray. Oxford. 1902.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Perseus

Ἑκάβη (Greek) (Euripides. Euripidis Fabulae, Vol. I. Murray, Gilbert, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1902. (Reprinted 1906-1974))

Translations (3)

Hecuba Perseus (Euripides. The Plays of Euripides, Vol. II. Coleridge, Edward P., translator. London: George Bell and Sons, 1891. (Modernized by Perseus.)) — 1056 focus

Polymestor rushes out. Blood is streaming from his eyes.

Polymestor

Woe is me! where can I go, where halt, or turn? shall I crawl like a wild four-footed beast on their track, as my reward? Which path shall I take first,

this or that, eager as I am to clutch those Trojan murderesses that have destroyed me? You wretched, cursed daughters
1060

of Phrygia ! to what corner have you fled cowering before me? O sun-god, would you could heal, could heal my bleeding eyes, ridding me of my blindness!
1065

Ha! hush! I catch the stealthy footsteps of the women here. Where can I dart on them and gorge on their flesh and bones, making for myself a wild beasts’ meal, inflicting mutilation
1070

in requital of their outrage on me? Ah, woe is me! where am I rushing, leaving my children unguarded for maenads of hell to mangle, to be murdered and ruthlessly cast forth upon the hills, a feast of blood for dogs?
1075

Where shall I stay or turn my steps, like a ship that lies anchored at sea, gathering close my linen robe and rushing to that chamber of death, to guard my children?
1080

Hecuba (OCR draft) Experimental (Hecuba. 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.) — 1056 focus

Weh mir, weh!

Wo geh' ich, tret' ich, entwande' ich?
1025

Die Hand, gleich dem vierfüßigen Waldesthier,

Zum Tritt' aufgestüzt, tast' ich der Spur nach.

Ach, welchen der Weg', hierhin? dorthin?

Wo schreit' ich hinaus?

Ich erhaschte so gern' euch, ilische Fraun,
1030

Die, von Blut triefend, gemordet mich!

Ihr Unsel'gen, ihr, Dirnen vom Phrygervolk!¹

Ha, wo in die Winkel entfliehn sie, wohin,

Die Versluchten, vor mir?

Daß du das Augenlied mir, das geblendete,
1035

Das verwundete, heiltest, daß du mir das Licht,

Helios, wiedergåbst!

Ach, ach! Still, still!

Ich vernehme den heimlich schleichenden Tritt

Der verruchtesten Fraun. Wie sturz ich auf sie,
1040

Und sättige mich an Fleisch und Gebein,

Und bereite die Speise des Raubwilds mir,

Die Schmach råchend, ha!

Die Schmach meiner Schandung? Weh' über mich!

Wo irr' ich, wohin, und lasse die Sohn'
1045

Allein den Månaden des Todes zurück,

Sie zu zerfleischen, lasse sie, ein blutig Mahl,²

Den Hunden und des Berges Wild?

Wo ruh'n, wo steh'n, wo weilen ?

Scheu, dem Meerschiffe gleich, zich ich die Seget ein,
1050

Hierher an das Lager des Todes verſtürmt,

Zu meiner Kinder Schuz,

An ihr Todesbett.

Euripides Hecuba 1056

ed. Gilbert Murray

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