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Pythian Priestess
Refrain thyself, my son; for I, the priestess of Phoebus, chosen from all the maids of
Delphi
in accordance with the tripod’s ancient rite, have left that prophetic seat, and am passing o’er this threshold.
1320
Refrain thyself, my son; for I, the priestess of Phoebus, chosen from all the maids of
Delphi
in accordance with the tripod’s ancient rite, have left that prophetic seat, and am passing o’er this threshold.
1320
Ion
Hail to thee, dear mother mine,—mother, though thou didst not give me birth.
Hail to thee, dear mother mine,—mother, though thou didst not give me birth.
Pythian Priestess
Yes, so have I ever been called, and the title causes me no regret.
1325
Yes, so have I ever been called, and the title causes me no regret.
1325
Ion
Hast heard how this woman plotted my death?
Hast heard how this woman plotted my death?
Pythian Priestess
I have; thou, too, art wrong because of thy harshness.
I have; thou, too, art wrong because of thy harshness.
Ion
Am I not to pay back murderers in their coin?
Am I not to pay back murderers in their coin?
Pythian Priestess
Wives ever hate the children of a former marriage.
Wives ever hate the children of a former marriage.
Ion
As I hate step-dames for their evil treatment of me.
1330
As I hate step-dames for their evil treatment of me.
1330
Pythian Priestess
Do not so; but leaving, as thou art, the shrine, and setting forth for thy country—
Do not so; but leaving, as thou art, the shrine, and setting forth for thy country—
Ion
What then wouldst thou advise me do?
What then wouldst thou advise me do?
Pythian Priestess
With clean hands seek
Athens
, attended by good omens.
With clean hands seek
Athens
, attended by good omens.
Ion
Surely any man hath clean hands who slays his enemies.
Surely any man hath clean hands who slays his enemies.
Pythian Priestess
Do not thou do this; but take the counsel that I have for thee.
1335
Do not thou do this; but take the counsel that I have for thee.
1335
Ion
Say on; whate’er thou say’st will be prompted by thy good will.
Say on; whate’er thou say’st will be prompted by thy good will.
Pythian Priestess
Dost see this basket that I carry in my arms?
Dost see this basket that I carry in my arms?
Ion
An ancient ark with chaplets crowned.
An ancient ark with chaplets crowned.
Pythian Priestess
Herein I found thee long ago, a newborn babe.
Herein I found thee long ago, a newborn babe.
Ion
What sayest thou? there is novelty in the story thou art introducing.
1340
What sayest thou? there is novelty in the story thou art introducing.
1340
Pythian Priestess
Yea, for I was keeping these relics a secret, but now I show them.
Yea, for I was keeping these relics a secret, but now I show them.
Ion
How earnest thou to hide them on that day, now long ago, when thou didst find me?
How earnest thou to hide them on that day, now long ago, when thou didst find me?
Pythian Priestess
The god wished to have thee as his servant in his courts.
The god wished to have thee as his servant in his courts.
Ion
Does he no longer wish it? How am I to know this?
Does he no longer wish it? How am I to know this?
Pythian Priestess
By declaring to thee thy sire, he dismisses thee from this land.
1345
By declaring to thee thy sire, he dismisses thee from this land.
1345
Ion
Is it by his command thou keepest these relics, or why?
Is it by his command thou keepest these relics, or why?
Pythian Priestess
Loxias put in my heart that day—
Loxias put in my heart that day—
Ion
What purpose? Oh! speak, finish thy story.
What purpose? Oh! speak, finish thy story.
Pythian Priestess
To preserve what I had found until the present time.
To preserve what I had found until the present time.
Ion
What weal or woe doth this import to me?
1350
What weal or woe doth this import to me?
1350
Pythian Priestess
Herein were laid the swaddling-clothes in which thou wert enwrapped.
Herein were laid the swaddling-clothes in which thou wert enwrapped.
Ion
These relics thou art producing may help me to find my mother.
These relics thou art producing may help me to find my mother.
Pythian Priestess
Yes, for now the deity so wills it, though not before.
Yes, for now the deity so wills it, though not before.
Ion
Hail! thou day of visions blest to me!
Hail! thou day of visions blest to me!
Pythian Priestess
Take then the relics and seek thy mother diligently.
1355
1
And when thou hast traversed Asia and the bounds of Europe,
thou wilt learn this for thyself; for the god’s sake I reared thee, my child, and now to thee do I entrust these relics, which he willed that I should take
into my safe keeping, without being bidden; why he willed it I cannot tell thee. For no living soul wist that I had them in my possession, nor yet their hiding-place. And now farewell! as a mother might her child, so I greet thee. The starting-point of thy inquiry for thy mother must be this;
1360
first, was it a Delphian maid that gave birth to thee, and exposed thee in this temple; next, was it a daughter of
Hellas
at all? That is all that I and Phoebus, who shares in thy lot, can do for thee.
[Exit Pythian Priestess.
1365
Take then the relics and seek thy mother diligently.
1355
1
And when thou hast traversed Asia and the bounds of Europe,
thou wilt learn this for thyself; for the god’s sake I reared thee, my child, and now to thee do I entrust these relics, which he willed that I should take
into my safe keeping, without being bidden; why he willed it I cannot tell thee. For no living soul wist that I had them in my possession, nor yet their hiding-place. And now farewell! as a mother might her child, so I greet thee. The starting-point of thy inquiry for thy mother must be this;
1360
first, was it a Delphian maid that gave birth to thee, and exposed thee in this temple; next, was it a daughter of
Hellas
at all? That is all that I and Phoebus, who shares in thy lot, can do for thee.
[Exit Pythian Priestess.
1365
Ion. Euripides. Edward P. Coleridge (Translator). London. 1906.
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