Euripides, Ion, ed. Gilbert Murray, 923

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Χορός

οἴμοι, μέγας θησαυρὸς ὡς ἀνοίγνυται

κακῶν, ἐφʼ οἷσι πᾶς ἂν ἐκβάλοι δάκρυ.

Πρεσβύτης

ὦ θύγατερ, οὔτοι σὸν βλέπων ἐμπίμπλαμαι
925

πρόσωπον, ἔξω δʼ ἐγενόμην γνώμης ἐμῆς.

κακῶν γὰρ ἄρτι κῦμʼ ὑπεξαντλῶν φρενί,

πρύμνηθεν αἴρει μʼ ἄλλο σῶν λόγων ὕπο,

οὓς ἐκβαλοῦσα τῶν παρεστώτων κακῶν

μετῆλθες ἄλλων πημάτων κακὰς ὁδούς.
930

τί φῄς; τίνα λόγον Λοξίου κατηγορεῖς;

ποῖον τεκεῖν φῂς παῖδα; ποῦ θεῖναι πόλεως

θηρσὶν φίλον τύμβευμʼ; ἄνελθέ μοι πάλιν.

Κρέουσα

αἰσχύνομαι μέν σʼ, ὦ γέρον, λέξω δʼ ὅμως.

Πρεσβύτης

ὡς συστενάζειν γʼ οἶδα γενναίως φίλοις.
935

Κρέουσα

ἄκουε τοίνυν· οἶσθα Κεκροπίας πέτρας

πρόσβορρον ἄντρον, ἃς Μακρὰς κικλήσκομεν;

Πρεσβύτης

οἶδʼ, ἔνθα Πανὸς ἄδυτα καὶ βωμοὶ πέλας.

Κρέουσα

ἐνταῦθʼ ἀγῶνα δεινὸν ἠγωνίσμεθα.

Πρεσβύτης

τίνʼ; ὡς ἀπαντᾷ δάκρυά μοι τοῖς σοῖς λόγοις.
940

Κρέουσα

Φοίβῳ ξυνῆψʼ ἄκουσα δύστηνον γάμον.

Πρεσβύτης

ὦ θύγατερ, ἆρʼ ἦν ταῦθʼ ἅ γʼ ᾐσθόμην ἐγώ;

Κρέουσα

οὐκ οἶδʼ· ἀληθῆ δʼ εἰ λέγεις φαίημεν ἄν.

Πρεσβύτης

νόσον κρυφαίαν ἡνίκʼ ἔστενες λάθρα;

Κρέουσα

τότʼ ἦν ἃ νῦν σοι φανερὰ σημαίνω κακά.
945

Πρεσβύτης

κᾆτʼ ἐξέκλεψας πῶς Ἀπόλλωνος γάμους;

Κρέουσα

ἔτεκον — ἀνάσχου ταῦτʼ ἐμοῦ κλύων, γέρον.

Πρεσβύτης

ποῦ; τίς λοχεύει σʼ; ἢ μόνη μοχθεῖς τάδε;

Κρέουσα

μόνη κατʼ ἄντρον οὗπερ ἐζεύχθην γάμοις.

Πρεσβύτης

ὁ παῖς δὲ ποῦ ʼστιν; ἵνα σὺ μηκέτʼ ᾖς ἄπαις.
950

Κρέουσα

τέθνηκεν, ὦ γεραιέ, θηρσὶν ἐκτεθείς.

Πρεσβύτης

τέθνηκʼ; Ἀπόλλων δʼ ὁ κακὸς οὐδὲν ἤρκεσεν;

Κρέουσα

οὐκ ἤρκεσʼ· Ἅιδου δʼ ἐν δόμοις παιδεύεται.

Πρεσβύτης

τίς γάρ νιν ἐξέθηκεν; οὐ γὰρ δὴ σύ γε.

Κρέουσα

ἡμεῖς, ἐν ὄρφνῃ σπαργανώσαντες πέπλοις.
955

Πρεσβύτης

οὐδὲ ξυνῄδει σοί τις ἔκθεσιν τέκνου;

Κρέουσα

αἱ ξυμφοραί γε καὶ τὸ λανθάνειν μόνον.

Πρεσβύτης

καὶ πῶς ἐν ἄντρῳ παῖδα σὸν λιπεῖν ἔτλης;

Κρέουσα

πῶς δʼ οἰκτρὰ πολλὰ στόματος ἐκβαλοῦσʼ ἔπη —

Πρεσβύτης

φεῦ·
960

τλήμων σὺ τόλμης, ὁ δὲ θεὸς μᾶλλον σέθεν.

Κρέουσα

εἰ παῖδά γʼ εἶδες χεῖρας ἐκτείνοντά μοι.

Πρεσβύτης

μαστὸν διώκοντʼ ἦ πρὸς ἀγκάλαις πεσεῖν;

Κρέουσα

ἐνταῦθʼ, ἵνʼ οὐκ ὢν ἄδικʼ ἔπασχεν ἐξ ἐμοῦ.

Πρεσβύτης

σοὶ δʼ ἐς τί δόξʼ ἐσῆλθεν ἐκβαλεῖν τέκνον;

Κρέουσα

ὡς τὸν θεὸν σῴζοντα τόν γʼ αὑτοῦ γόνον.
965

Ion. Euripides. ed. Gilbert Murray. Oxford. 1913.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Perseus

Ἴων (Greek) (Euripides. Euripidis Fabulae, Vol. II. Murray, Gilbert, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913. (Reprinted 1921-1962))

Editions (3)

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 (4)

Ion Perseus (Euripides. The Plays of Euripides, Vol. I. Coleridge, Edward P., translator. London: George Bell and Sons, 1906.) — 923 focus

Chorus

Ah me! what store of sorrows is here disclosed, enough to draw a tear from every eye!

Old Servant

Daughter, with pity am I filled as a gaze upon thy face; my reason leaves me; for just as I am striving to lighten my spirit of its sea of troubles, comes another wave astern and catches me by reason of thy words; for no sooner hadst thou uttered this tale of present troubles
925

than thou didst turn aside into a fresh a track of other woes. What is it thou sayest? What charge against Apollo dost thou bring? What child is this thou dost assert that thou didst bear? Where was it in the city that thou didst expose him, for beasts to rejoice o’er his burial? Tell me once again.
930

Creusa

Old friend, although to meet thine eye, I am ashamed, yet will I tell thee.

Old Servant

Full well I know how to lend my friends a generous sympathy.
935

Creusa

Then hearken; dost know a cave toward the north of Cecrops’ rock, that we call Macrae?

Old Servant

I know it; there is the shrine of Pan, and his altar hard by.

Creusa

That was the scene of my dire conflict.

Old Servant

What conflict? see how my tears start forth to meet thy words.
940

Creusa

Phoebus forced me to a woful marriage.

Old Servant

Was it then this, my daughter, that I noticed myself?

Creusa

I know not; but I will tell thee if thou speak the truth.

Old Servant

At the time thou wert mourning in secret some hidden complaint?

Creusa

Yes, ’twas then this trouble happened, which now I am declaring to thee.
945

Old Servant

How then didst conceal thy union with Apollo?

Creusa

I bore a child; hear me patiently, old friend.

Old Servant

Where? and who helped thy travail? or didst thou labour all alone?

Creusa

All alone, in the cave where I became a wife.

Old Servant

Where is the child? that thou mayst cease thy childless state.
950

Creusa

Dead, old friend, to beasts exposed.

Old Servant

Dead? did Apollo, evil god, no help afford?

Creusa

None; my boy is in the halls of Hades.

Old Servant

Who then exposed him? surely not thyself.

Creusa

Myself, when ’neath the gloom of night I had wrapped him in my robe.
955

Old Servant

Did no one share thy secret of the babe’s exposure?

Creusa

Ill-fortune and secrecy alone.

Old Servant

How couldst thou in the cavern leave thy babe?

Creusa

Ah! how? but still I did, with many a word of pity uttered o’er him.

Old Servant

Oh for thy hard heart! Oh for the god’s, more hard than thine!
960

Creusa

Hadst thou but seen the babe stretch forth his hands to me!

Old Servant

To find thy mother’s breast, to nestle in thy arms?

Creusa

By being kept therefrom he suffered grievous wrong from me.

Old Servant

How earnest thou to think of casting forth thy babe?

Creusa

Methought the god would save his own begotten child.
965

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

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1852; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (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.) — 923 focus

Ach, welch ein Abgrund thut sich auf von Ungemach,

Das Thrånen wohl aus jedem Auge locken muß!

Der Greis.

Wir können, Tochter, wahrlich uns nicht sättigen

An deinem Anblick: denn verwirrt ist unser Sinn.

Kaum ſchöpf' ich sinnend jene Flut der Leiden aus,
910

Fast mich am Steuer diese, die dein Wort erregt,

Mit dem du dich, vom alten Ungemach hinweg,

In andrer Leiden neue Bahn geworfen hast.

Wie sagst du? Weshalb klagtest du den Phobos an?

Und welch ein Kind gebarst du? Wohin legtest du's,
915

Dem Wild zu süßem Raube? Wiederhol' es mir.¹

Kreusa.

Ich schame mich, mein Alter; doch erzähl' ich es.²

Der Greis.

Auch nehm' ich edel am Geschick der Freunde Theil.

Kreusa.

So hore. Dir ist auf dem Kekropsfelsen wohl³

Nordwårts bekannt die Höhle, die sich Makrå nennt?
920

Der Greis.

Gewiß, wo Pan's Kapellen und Altare stehn.

Kreusa.

Hier war es, Greis, hier kampft' ich einen schweren Kampf.

Der Greis.

Und welchen? Deine Rede preßt mir Zahren aus.

Kreusa.

Ich schloß mit Phobos straubend hier den Leidensbund.

Der Greis.

D Tochter, also war es dies, was mir geahnt?
925

Kreusa.

Was meinst du? Wenn du Wahres sagst, will ich's gestehn.

Der Greis.

Als ingeheim du seufztest um verborgnes Weh?

Kreusa.

Dies war es: offen nenn' ich nun das Uebel dir.

Der Greis.

Und wie verbargst du's, daß der Gott dir beigewohnt?

Kreusa.

Ich ward - erschrick nicht bei dem Wort!
930

Greis.

ward Mutter,

Wo? Wer entband dich? Oder rangst du ganz allein?

Kreusa.

Allein im Felsen, wo der Gott sich mir gesellt.

Der Greis.

Wo weilt der Sohn? So bist du nicht mehr kinderlos.

Kreusa.

Todt ist er, Alter, wilden Thieren ausgesezt.

Der Greis.

Todt? Ihn beschůzte Phobos nicht, der grausame?
935

Kreusa.

Er schůzt ihn nicht; in Hades' Hause wächst er auf.

Der Greis.

Wer hat den Knaben ausgesezt? Doch nicht du selbst?

Kreusa.

Ich selbst; im Dunkel hullt' ich ihn in Schleier ein.

Der Greis.

Und wußte Niemand, was du deinem Sohn gethan?

Kreusa.

Mein Mißgeschick und meine Heimlichkeit allein.
940

Der Greis.

Dein Kind im Felsen lassen - wie vermochtest du's?

Kreusa.

Wie? Manche Jammerlaute stieß ich aus, o Greis.

Der Greis.

Unselig Wagniß! Doch der Gott ist schuldiger!

Kreusa.

Hått'st du das Kind die Hånde strecken sehn nach mir!

Der Greis.

Die Brust verlangend oder nach dem Mutterarm
945

Kreusa.

Zurück an den Ort, wo's von mir kein Leid erfuhr!

Der Greis.

In welcher Meinung seztest du den Knaben aus?

Kreusa.

Ich dachte, Phobos rette wohl den eignen Sohn.

Weh !

Der Greis.

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Χορός οἴμοι, μέγας θησαυρὸς ὡς ἀνοίγνυται κακῶν, ἐφʼ οἷσι πᾶς ἂν ἐκβάλοι δάκρυ.

Κρέουσα αἰσχύνομαι μέν σʼ, ὦ γέρον, λέξω δʼ ὅμως.

Πρεσβύτης ὡς συστενάζειν γʼ οἶδα γενναίως φίλοις. 935

Κρέουσα ἄκουε τοίνυν· οἶσθα Κεκροπίας πέτρας πρόσβορρον ἄντρον, ἃς Μακρὰς κικλήσκομεν;

Πρεσβύτης οἶδʼ, ἔνθα Πανὸς ἄδυτα καὶ βωμοὶ πέλας.

Κρέουσα ἐνταῦθʼ ἀγῶνα δεινὸν ἠγωνίσμεθα.

Πρεσβύτης τίνʼ; ὡς ἀπαντᾷ δάκρυά μοι τοῖς σοῖς λόγοις. 940

Κρέουσα Φοίβῳ ξυνῆψʼ ἄκουσα δύστηνον γάμον.

Πρεσβύτης ὦ θύγατερ, ἆρʼ ἦν ταῦθʼ ἅ γʼ ᾐσθόμην ἐγώ;

Κρέουσα οὐκ οἶδʼ· ἀληθῆ δʼ εἰ λέγεις φαίημεν ἄν.

Πρεσβύτης νόσον κρυφαίαν ἡνίκʼ ἔστενες λάθρα;

Κρέουσα τότʼ ἦν ἃ νῦν σοι φανερὰ σημαίνω κακά. 945

Πρεσβύτης κᾆτʼ ἐξέκλεψας πῶς Ἀπόλλωνος γάμους;

Κρέουσα ἔτεκον — ἀνάσχου ταῦτʼ ἐμοῦ κλύων, γέρον.

Πρεσβύτης ποῦ; τίς λοχεύει σʼ; ἢ μόνη μοχθεῖς τάδε;

Κρέουσα μόνη κατʼ ἄντρον οὗπερ ἐζεύχθην γάμοις.

Πρεσβύτης ὁ παῖς δὲ ποῦ ʼστιν; ἵνα σὺ μηκέτʼ ᾖς ἄπαις. 950

Κρέουσα τέθνηκεν, ὦ γεραιέ, θηρσὶν ἐκτεθείς.

Πρεσβύτης τέθνηκʼ; Ἀπόλλων δʼ ὁ κακὸς οὐδὲν ἤρκεσεν;

Κρέουσα οὐκ ἤρκεσʼ· Ἅιδου δʼ ἐν δόμοις παιδεύεται.

Πρεσβύτης τίς γάρ νιν ἐξέθηκεν; οὐ γὰρ δὴ σύ γε.

Κρέουσα ἡμεῖς, ἐν ὄρφνῃ σπαργανώσαντες πέπλοις. 955

Πρεσβύτης οὐδὲ ξυνῄδει σοί τις ἔκθεσιν τέκνου;

Κρέουσα αἱ ξυμφοραί γε καὶ τὸ λανθάνειν μόνον.

Πρεσβύτης καὶ πῶς ἐν ἄντρῳ παῖδα σὸν λιπεῖν ἔτλης;

Κρέουσα πῶς δʼ οἰκτρὰ πολλὰ στόματος ἐκβαλοῦσʼ ἔπη —

Πρεσβύτης φεῦ· 960 τλήμων σὺ τόλμης, ὁ δὲ θεὸς μᾶλλον σέθεν.

Κρέουσα εἰ παῖδά γʼ εἶδες χεῖρας ἐκτείνοντά μοι.

Πρεσβύτης μαστὸν διώκοντʼ ἦ πρὸς ἀγκάλαις πεσεῖν;

Κρέουσα ἐνταῦθʼ, ἵνʼ οὐκ ὢν ἄδικʼ ἔπασχεν ἐξ ἐμοῦ.

Πρεσβύτης σοὶ δʼ ἐς τί δόξʼ ἐσῆλθεν ἐκβαλεῖν τέκνον;

Κρέουσα ὡς τὸν θεὸν σῴζοντα τόν γʼ αὑτοῦ γόνον. 965

Current edition Perseus

Chorus Ah me! what store of sorrows is here disclosed, enough to draw a tear from every eye!

Creusa Old friend, although to meet thine eye, I am ashamed, yet will I tell thee.

Old Servant Full well I know how to lend my friends a generous sympathy. 935

Creusa Then hearken; dost know a cave toward the north of Cecrops’ rock, that we call Macrae?

Old Servant I know it; there is the shrine of Pan, and his altar hard by.

Creusa That was the scene of my dire conflict.

Old Servant What conflict? see how my tears start forth to meet thy words. 940

Creusa Phoebus forced me to a woful marriage.

Old Servant Was it then this, my daughter, that I noticed myself?

Creusa I know not; but I will tell thee if thou speak the truth.

Old Servant At the time thou wert mourning in secret some hidden complaint?

Creusa Yes, ’twas then this trouble happened, which now I am declaring to thee. 945

Old Servant How then didst conceal thy union with Apollo?

Creusa I bore a child; hear me patiently, old friend.

Old Servant Where? and who helped thy travail? or didst thou labour all alone?

Creusa All alone, in the cave where I became a wife.

Old Servant Where is the child? that thou mayst cease thy childless state. 950

Creusa Dead, old friend, to beasts exposed.

Old Servant Dead? did Apollo, evil god, no help afford?

Creusa None; my boy is in the halls of Hades.

Old Servant Who then exposed him? surely not thyself.

Creusa Myself, when ’neath the gloom of night I had wrapped him in my robe. 955

Old Servant Did no one share thy secret of the babe’s exposure?

Creusa Ill-fortune and secrecy alone.

Old Servant How couldst thou in the cavern leave thy babe?

Creusa Ah! how? but still I did, with many a word of pity uttered o’er him.

Old Servant Oh for thy hard heart! Oh for the god’s, more hard than thine! 960

Creusa Hadst thou but seen the babe stretch forth his hands to me!

Old Servant To find thy mother’s breast, to nestle in thy arms?

Creusa By being kept therefrom he suffered grievous wrong from me.

Old Servant How earnest thou to think of casting forth thy babe?

Creusa Methought the god would save his own begotten child. 965

Ach, welch ein Abgrund thut sich auf von Ungemach, Das Thrånen wohl aus jedem Auge locken muß!

Kreusa. Ich schame mich, mein Alter; doch erzähl' ich es. 2

Der Greis. Auch nehm' ich edel am Geschick der Freunde Theil.

Kreusa. So hore. Dir ist auf dem Kekropsfelsen wohl 3 Nordwårts bekannt die Höhle, die sich Makrå nennt? 920

Der Greis. Gewiß, wo Pan's Kapellen und Altare stehn.

Kreusa. Hier war es, Greis, hier kampft' ich einen schweren Kampf.

Der Greis. Und welchen? Deine Rede preßt mir Zahren aus.

Kreusa. Ich schloß mit Phobos straubend hier den Leidensbund.

Der Greis. D Tochter, also war es dies, was mir geahnt? 925

Kreusa. Was meinst du? Wenn du Wahres sagst, will ich's gestehn.

Der Greis. Als ingeheim du seufztest um verborgnes Weh?

Kreusa. Dies war es: offen nenn' ich nun das Uebel dir.

Der Greis. Und wie verbargst du's, daß der Gott dir beigewohnt?

Χορός

οἴμοι, μέγας θησαυρὸς ὡς ἀνοίγνυται

κακῶν, ἐφʼ οἷσι πᾶς ἂν ἐκβάλοι δάκρυ.

Κρέουσα

αἰσχύνομαι μέν σʼ, ὦ γέρον, λέξω δʼ ὅμως.

Πρεσβύτης

ὡς συστενάζειν γʼ οἶδα γενναίως φίλοις.
935

Κρέουσα

ἄκουε τοίνυν· οἶσθα Κεκροπίας πέτρας

πρόσβορρον ἄντρον, ἃς Μακρὰς κικλήσκομεν;

Πρεσβύτης

οἶδʼ, ἔνθα Πανὸς ἄδυτα καὶ βωμοὶ πέλας.

Κρέουσα

ἐνταῦθʼ ἀγῶνα δεινὸν ἠγωνίσμεθα.

Πρεσβύτης

τίνʼ; ὡς ἀπαντᾷ δάκρυά μοι τοῖς σοῖς λόγοις.
940

Κρέουσα

Φοίβῳ ξυνῆψʼ ἄκουσα δύστηνον γάμον.

Πρεσβύτης

ὦ θύγατερ, ἆρʼ ἦν ταῦθʼ ἅ γʼ ᾐσθόμην ἐγώ;

Κρέουσα

οὐκ οἶδʼ· ἀληθῆ δʼ εἰ λέγεις φαίημεν ἄν.

Πρεσβύτης

νόσον κρυφαίαν ἡνίκʼ ἔστενες λάθρα;

Κρέουσα

τότʼ ἦν ἃ νῦν σοι φανερὰ σημαίνω κακά.
945

Πρεσβύτης

κᾆτʼ ἐξέκλεψας πῶς Ἀπόλλωνος γάμους;

Κρέουσα

ἔτεκον — ἀνάσχου ταῦτʼ ἐμοῦ κλύων, γέρον.

Πρεσβύτης

ποῦ; τίς λοχεύει σʼ; ἢ μόνη μοχθεῖς τάδε;

Κρέουσα

μόνη κατʼ ἄντρον οὗπερ ἐζεύχθην γάμοις.

Πρεσβύτης

ὁ παῖς δὲ ποῦ ʼστιν; ἵνα σὺ μηκέτʼ ᾖς ἄπαις.
950

Κρέουσα

τέθνηκεν, ὦ γεραιέ, θηρσὶν ἐκτεθείς.

Πρεσβύτης

τέθνηκʼ; Ἀπόλλων δʼ ὁ κακὸς οὐδὲν ἤρκεσεν;

Κρέουσα

οὐκ ἤρκεσʼ· Ἅιδου δʼ ἐν δόμοις παιδεύεται.

Πρεσβύτης

τίς γάρ νιν ἐξέθηκεν; οὐ γὰρ δὴ σύ γε.

Κρέουσα

ἡμεῖς, ἐν ὄρφνῃ σπαργανώσαντες πέπλοις.
955

Πρεσβύτης

οὐδὲ ξυνῄδει σοί τις ἔκθεσιν τέκνου;

Κρέουσα

αἱ ξυμφοραί γε καὶ τὸ λανθάνειν μόνον.

Πρεσβύτης

καὶ πῶς ἐν ἄντρῳ παῖδα σὸν λιπεῖν ἔτλης;

Κρέουσα

πῶς δʼ οἰκτρὰ πολλὰ στόματος ἐκβαλοῦσʼ ἔπη —

Πρεσβύτης

φεῦ·
960

τλήμων σὺ τόλμης, ὁ δὲ θεὸς μᾶλλον σέθεν.

Κρέουσα

εἰ παῖδά γʼ εἶδες χεῖρας ἐκτείνοντά μοι.

Πρεσβύτης

μαστὸν διώκοντʼ ἦ πρὸς ἀγκάλαις πεσεῖν;

Κρέουσα

ἐνταῦθʼ, ἵνʼ οὐκ ὢν ἄδικʼ ἔπασχεν ἐξ ἐμοῦ.

Πρεσβύτης

σοὶ δʼ ἐς τί δόξʼ ἐσῆλθεν ἐκβαλεῖν τέκνον;

Κρέουσα

ὡς τὸν θεὸν σῴζοντα τόν γʼ αὑτοῦ γόνον.
965

Chorus

Ah me! what store of sorrows is here disclosed, enough to draw a tear from every eye!

Creusa

Old friend, although to meet thine eye, I am ashamed, yet will I tell thee.

Old Servant

Full well I know how to lend my friends a generous sympathy.
935

Creusa

Then hearken; dost know a cave toward the north of Cecrops’ rock, that we call Macrae?

Old Servant

I know it; there is the shrine of Pan, and his altar hard by.

Creusa

That was the scene of my dire conflict.

Old Servant

What conflict? see how my tears start forth to meet thy words.
940

Creusa

Phoebus forced me to a woful marriage.

Old Servant

Was it then this, my daughter, that I noticed myself?

Creusa

I know not; but I will tell thee if thou speak the truth.

Old Servant

At the time thou wert mourning in secret some hidden complaint?

Creusa

Yes, ’twas then this trouble happened, which now I am declaring to thee.
945

Old Servant

How then didst conceal thy union with Apollo?

Creusa

I bore a child; hear me patiently, old friend.

Old Servant

Where? and who helped thy travail? or didst thou labour all alone?

Creusa

All alone, in the cave where I became a wife.

Old Servant

Where is the child? that thou mayst cease thy childless state.
950

Creusa

Dead, old friend, to beasts exposed.

Old Servant

Dead? did Apollo, evil god, no help afford?

Creusa

None; my boy is in the halls of Hades.

Old Servant

Who then exposed him? surely not thyself.

Creusa

Myself, when ’neath the gloom of night I had wrapped him in my robe.
955

Old Servant

Did no one share thy secret of the babe’s exposure?

Creusa

Ill-fortune and secrecy alone.

Old Servant

How couldst thou in the cavern leave thy babe?

Creusa

Ah! how? but still I did, with many a word of pity uttered o’er him.

Old Servant

Oh for thy hard heart! Oh for the god’s, more hard than thine!
960

Creusa

Hadst thou but seen the babe stretch forth his hands to me!

Old Servant

To find thy mother’s breast, to nestle in thy arms?

Creusa

By being kept therefrom he suffered grievous wrong from me.

Old Servant

How earnest thou to think of casting forth thy babe?

Creusa

Methought the god would save his own begotten child.
965

Ach, welch ein Abgrund thut sich auf von Ungemach,

Das Thrånen wohl aus jedem Auge locken muß!

Kreusa.

Ich schame mich, mein Alter; doch erzähl' ich es.²

Der Greis.

Auch nehm' ich edel am Geschick der Freunde Theil.

Kreusa.

So hore. Dir ist auf dem Kekropsfelsen wohl³

Nordwårts bekannt die Höhle, die sich Makrå nennt?
920

Der Greis.

Gewiß, wo Pan's Kapellen und Altare stehn.

Kreusa.

Hier war es, Greis, hier kampft' ich einen schweren Kampf.

Der Greis.

Und welchen? Deine Rede preßt mir Zahren aus.

Kreusa.

Ich schloß mit Phobos straubend hier den Leidensbund.

Der Greis.

D Tochter, also war es dies, was mir geahnt?
925

Kreusa.

Was meinst du? Wenn du Wahres sagst, will ich's gestehn.

Der Greis.

Als ingeheim du seufztest um verborgnes Weh?

Kreusa.

Dies war es: offen nenn' ich nun das Uebel dir.

Der Greis.

Und wie verbargst du's, daß der Gott dir beigewohnt?

Kreusa.

Ich ward - erschrick nicht bei dem Wort!
930

Greis.

ward Mutter,

Wo? Wer entband dich? Oder rangst du ganz allein?

Kreusa.

Allein im Felsen, wo der Gott sich mir gesellt.