Euripides The Phoenician Women 327

ed. Gilbert Murray

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ὁ δʼ ἐν δόμοισι πρέσβυς ὀμματοστερὴς
ἀπήνας ὁμοπτέρου τᾶς ἀπο-
ζυγείσας δόμων
πόθον ἀμφιδάκρυτον ἀεὶ κατ-
330
έχων ἀνῇξε μὲν ξίφους
ἐπʼ αὐτόχειρά τε σφαγάν,
ὑπὲρ τέραμνά τʼ ἀγχόνας,
στενάζων ἀρὰς τέκνοις·
σὺν ἀλαλαῖσι δʼ αἰὲν αἰαγμάτων
335
σκότια κρύπτεται.
σὲ δʼ, ὦ τέκνον, καὶ γάμοισι δὴ
κλύω ζυγέντα παιδοποιὸν ἁδονὰν
ξένοισιν ἐν δόμοις ἔχειν
ξένον τε κῆδος ἀμφέπειν,
340
ἄλαστα ματρὶ τᾷδε Λα-
ίῳ τε τῷ παλαιγενεῖ,
γάμων ἐπακτὸν ἄταν.
ἐγὼ δʼ οὔτε σοι πυρὸς ἀνῆψα φῶς
νόμιμον ἐν γάμοις
345
ὡς πρέπει ματέρι μακαρίᾳ·
ἀνυμέναια δʼ Ἰσμηνὸς ἐκηδεύθη
λουτροφόρου χλιδᾶς, ἀνὰ δὲ Θηβαίαν
πόλιν ἐσιγάθη σᾶς ἔσοδοι νύμφας.
ὄλοιτο, τάδʼ εἴτε σίδαρος
350
εἴτʼ ἔρις εἴτε πατὴρ ὁ σὸς αἴτιος,
εἴτε τὸ δαιμόνιον κατεκώμασε
δώμασιν Οἰδιπόδα·
πρὸς ἐμὲ γὰρ κακῶν ἔμολε τῶνδʼ ἄχη.

The Phoenician Women. Euripides. ed. Gilbert Murray. Oxford. 1913.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Perseus

Φοίνισσαι (Greek) (Euripides. Euripidis Fabulae, Vol. III. Murray, Gilbert, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913. (Reprinted 1920-1978))

Translations (3)
The Phoenician Maidens Perseus (Euripides. The Plays of Euripides, Vol. II. Coleridge, Edward P., translator. London: George Bell and Sons, 1891. (Modernized by Perseus.)) — 327 focus
While in the house the old blind man, always possessed by his tearful longing for the pair of brothers estranged from the home,
rushed to kill himself with the sword or by the noose suspended over his chamber-roof, moaning his curses on his sons;
330
and now he hides himself in darkness, always weeping and lamenting. And you, my child, I hear you have married and are begetting children to your joy in a foreign home,
335
and are courting a foreign alliance, a ceaseless regret to me your mother and to Laius your ancestor, ruin brought by your marriage. I was not the one who lit for you the marriage-torch,
340
the custom in marriage for a happy mother; Ismenus had no part at your wedding in supplying the luxurious bath, and there was silence through the streets of Thebes , at the entrance of your bride.
345
Curses on them! whether the sword or strife or your father that is to blame, or heaven’s visitation that has burst riotously upon the house of Oedipus; for on me has come all the anguish of these evils.
350
The Phoenician Virgins (OCR draft) Experimental (The Phoenician Virgins. 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.) — 327 focus
Doch hier im Hause sizt der augenlose Greis,
Weint um das Brüderpaar, welches von seinem Stamm
325
Hassend sich losgetrennt,
Und hårmt in unendlichem Sehnen sich ab;
Schon hat er gegen sich
Das Schwert gezuckt, die Todesschling' am Pfosten schon befestiget,
Verslucht heulend sein Geschlecht;
330
Mit endlosem Iammerruf birgt er hier
Sich in der Finsterniß.
Doch du, mein Sohn, hör ich, hast ein Weib sogar
Gewählt, und Vaterfreuden dir gesucht
In fremdem Hause, Fremde dir als Anverwandte zugesellt:
335
Für deine Mutter welche Schmach, und deinen Urahn Laïos,
Der Fluch der fremden Hochzeit!
Und Ich habe nicht die Brautfakel dir
Nach dem Gebrauch entflammt,
Wie's der glückseligen Mutter ziemt.
340
Kein hochzeitlich Wonnebad spendete
Dir des Ismenos Flut, und in der Theber Stadt
Blieb rings Alles still vom Einzug der Braut.
Verderbe denn, wer es verschuldet,
Ob dein Vater, ob Krieg, ob Zwietracht,
345
Ob sich verheerend entlud auf Dedipus'
Haus der Unsterblichen Fluch:
Auf mich wälzt sich her des Unglückes Nacht.