Euripides, Ion, Johann Jakob Christian Donner (Translator), 472

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Denn das baut ja den Sterblichen
470

Für überschwängliches Gluck

Den nie wankenden Grund auf,

Wenn im Glanze der Jugend ein

Geschlecht, frischgrunend und stark,

Aufblüht in den heimischen Hallen,
475

Um der Våter ererbten

Reichthum fortzupflanzen vom Ahn

Auf andre Geschlechter.

Denn das ist Schirm in der Noth

Und Wonn' in den Tagen des Glücks,
480

Ist im Kriege dem Heimatland

Die rettende Schuzwehr.

Mir gilt höher, als Reichthum, als

Königlicher Gemåcher Prunk,

485/ Die sorgfältige Zucht edler Kinder.
485

Doch ein kinderlos Leben hass' ich,

Und tadele, wem es gefällt.

O wår' ich bei måßigem Gut an ein Loos,

Das Kinder begluckten, gekettet!

Schlußgesang.

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

Current edition Experimental

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1852; OCR review) (OCR draft) (German) (Euripides. Deutsch in den Versmaßen der Urschrift. Volume 3, Heidelberg: C. F. Winter, 1852. 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 (4)

Ἴων Perseus (Euripides. Euripidis Fabulae, Vol. II. Murray, Gilbert, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913. (Reprinted 1921-1962)) — 452-508 focus

Χορός

σὲ τὰν ὠδίνων λοχιᾶν

ἀνειλείθυιαν, ἐμὰν

Ἀθάναν, ἱκετεύω,

Προμηθεῖ Τιτᾶνι λοχευ-
455

θεῖσαν κατʼ ἀκροτάτας

κορυφᾶς Διός, ὦ μάκαιρα Νίκα,

μόλε Πύθιον οἶκον,

Ὀλύμπου χρυσέων θαλάμων

πταμένα πρὸς ἀγυιάς,
460

Φοιβήιος ἔνθα γᾶς

μεσσόμφαλος ἑστία

παρὰ χορευομένῳ τρίποδι

μαντεύματα κραίνει,

σὺ καὶ παῖς ἁ Λατογενής,
465

δύο θεαὶ δύο παρθένοι,

κασίγνηται σεμναὶ Φοίβου.

ἱκετεύσατε δʼ, ὦ κόραι,

τὸ παλαιὸν Ἐρεχθέως

γένος εὐτεκνίας χρονίου καθαροῖς
470

μαντεύμασι κῦρσαι.

472

Χορός

ὑπερβαλλούσας γὰρ ἔχει

θνατοῖς εὐδαιμονίας

ἀκίνητον ἀφορμάν,

τέκνων οἷς ἂν καρποτρόφοι
475

λάμπωσιν ἐν θαλάμοις

πατρίοισι νεάνιδες ἧβαι,

διαδέκτορα πλοῦτον

ὡς ἕξοντες ἐκ πατέρων

ἑτέροις ἐπὶ τέκνοις.
480

ἀλκά τε γὰρ ἐν κακοῖς

σύν τʼ εὐτυχίαις φίλον,

δορί τε γᾷ πατρίᾳ φέρει

σωτήριον ἀλκάν.

ἐμοὶ μὲν πλούτου τε πάρος
485

βασιλικῶν τʼ εἶεν θαλάμων

τροφαὶ κήδειοι κεδνῶν γε τέκνων.

τὸν ἄπαιδα δʼ ἀποστυγῶ

βίον, ᾧ τε δοκεῖ ψέγω·

μετὰ δὲ κτεάνων μετρίων βιοτᾶς
490

εὔπαιδος ἐχοίμαν.

492

Χορός

ὦ Πανὸς θακήματα καὶ

παραυλίζουσα πέτρα

μυχώδεσι Μακραῖς,

ἵνα χοροὺς στείβουσι ποδοῖν
495

Ἀγλαύρου κόραι τρίγονοι

στάδια χλοερὰ πρὸ Παλλάδος

ναῶν, συρίγγων

ὑπʼ αἰόλας ἰαχᾶς

ὕμνων, ὅτʼ ἀναλίοις
500

συρίζεις, ὦ Πάν,

τοῖς σοῖσιν ἐν ἄντροις,

ἵνα τεκοῦσά τις Φοίβῳ

παρθένος, ὦ μελέα, βρέφος,

πτανοῖς ἐξόρισεν θοίναν

θηρσί τε φοινίαν δαῖτα, πικρῶν γάμων
505

ὕβριν· οὔτʼ ἐπὶ κερκίσιν οὔτε λόγοις

φάτιν ἄιον εὐτυχίας μετέχειν

θεόθεν τέκνα θνατοῖς.

Ion, Greek text (M. A. Bayfield, 1924) (OCR draft) Experimental (The Greek text and dramatic structure of M. A. Bayfield's second edition of 1924 (first edition 1889), aligned by line to the Murray reference edition.)

No corresponding passage available

Ion, Greek text (A. W. Verrall, 1890) (OCR draft) Experimental (The Greek text and dramatic structure of A. W. Verrall's 1890 edition, aligned by line to the Murray reference edition.)

No corresponding passage available

Ion, Greek text (Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1926) (OCR draft) Experimental (Wilamowitz's 1926 Greek edition with its critical apparatus, aligned by line to the Murray reference edition.)

No corresponding passage available

Translations (3)

Ion Perseus (Euripides. The Plays of Euripides, Vol. I. Coleridge, Edward P., translator. London: George Bell and Sons, 1906.) — 452-505 focus

Chorus

On thee I call, Athena mine, at whose birth-throes no kindly goddess lent her aid,

delivered as thou wert by Titan Prometheus from the forehead of Zeus. Come, O lady Victory, come to the Pythian shrine, winging thy way from the gilded chambers of Olympus
455

to the city’s streets, where Phoebus at his altar on the centre of the world brings his oracles to pass beside the dance-encircled tripod;
460

come, too, thou daughter of Latona, together come, ye virgin goddesses, fair sisters of Phoebus! And be this your prayer, fair maidens, that the ancient house of Erechtheus
465

may obtain by clear oracles the blessing of children, though late it come.
470

472

Chorus

For this brings to man a settled source of all-surpassing bliss,

even to such as see in their ancestral halls a splendid race of strong young parents blest with offspring, to inherit from their sires
475

their wealth in due succession after other children; yea, for they are a defence in time of trouble, and add a charm to weal, affording to their fatherland a saving help in battle.
480

Give me before the pomp of wealth or royal marriages the careful nurture of noble children. The childless life I do abhor, and him who thinks it good I blame;
485

to a happy life amongst my children, blest with moderate wealth, may I hold fast.
490

492

Chorus

Ye haunts of Pan, and rocks hard by the grots of Macrae,

where Agraulos’ daughters three trip it lightly o’er the green grass-lawns before the shrine of Pallas, to the music of the piper’s varied note,
495

what time thou, Pan, art piping in those caves of thine, where a maiden once that had a child by Phoebus, unhappy mother! exposed her babe, forced issue of her woful wooing,
500

for birds to tear and beasts to rend, a bloody banquet! Never have I seen it told in woven tale or legend that children born to gods by daughters of earth have any share in bliss.
505

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

No corresponding passage available

Ion, English translation (A. W. Verrall, 1890) (OCR draft) Experimental (A. W. Verrall's English verse translation, passage-aligned to the Murray reference edition.)

No corresponding passage available

Euripides Ion 472

Johann Jakob Christian Donner (Translator)

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