Euripides The Phoenician Women 549

ed. Gilbert Murray

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τί τὴν τυραννίδʼ, ἀδικίαν εὐδαίμονα,
τιμᾷς ὑπέρφευ καὶ μέγʼ ἥγησαι τόδε;
550
περιβλέπεσθαι τίμιον; κενὸν μὲν οὖν.
ἢ πολλὰ μοχθεῖν πόλλʼ ἔχων ἐν δώμασι
βούλῃ; τί δʼ ἔστι τὸ πλέον; ὄνομʼ ἔχει μόνον·
ἐπεὶ τά γʼ ἀρκοῦνθʼ ἱκανὰ τοῖς γε σώφροσιν.
οὔτοι τὰ χρήματʼ ἴδια κέκτηνται βροτοί,
555
τὰ τῶν θεῶν δʼ ἔχοντες ἐπιμελούμεθα·
ὅταν δὲ χρῄζωσʼ, αὔτʼ ἀφαιροῦνται πάλιν.
ὁ δʼ ὄλβος οὐ βέβαιος, ἀλλʼ ἐφήμερος.
ἄγʼ, ἤν σʼ ἔρωμαι δύο λόγω προθεῖσʼ ἅμα,
πότερα τυραννεῖν ἢ πόλιν σῷσαι θέλεις,
560
ἐρεῖς τυραννεῖν; ἢν δὲ νικήσῃ σʼ ὅδε;
Ἀργεῖά τʼ ἔγχη δόρυ τὸ Καδμείων ἕλῃ,
ὄψῃ δαμασθὲν ἄστυ Θηβαῖον τόδε,
ὄψῃ δὲ πολλὰς αἰχμαλωτίδας κόρας
βίᾳ πρὸς ἀνδρῶν πολεμίων πορθουμένας.
565
ὀδυνηρὸς ἆρʼ ὁ πλοῦτος, ὃν ζητεῖς ἔχειν,
γενήσεται Θήβαισι, φιλότιμος δὲ σύ.
σοὶ μὲν τάδʼ αὐδῶ. σοὶ δέ, Πολύνεικες, λέγω·
ἀμαθεῖς Ἄδραστος χάριτας ἔς σʼ ἀνήψατο,
ἀσύνετα δʼ ἦλθες καὶ σὺ πορθήσων πόλιν.
570
φέρʼ, ἢν ἕλῃς γῆν τήνδʼ — ὃ μὴ τύχοι ποτέ —
πρὸς θεῶν, τρόπαια πῶς ἀναστήσεις Διί;
πῶς δʼ αὖ κατάρξῃ θυμάτων, ἑλὼν πάτραν,
καὶ σκῦλα γράψεις πῶς ἐπʼ Ἰνάχου ῥοαῖς;
Θήβας πυρώσας τάσδε Πολυνείκης θεοῖς
575
ἀσπίδας ἔθηκε; μήποτʼ, ὦ τέκνον, κλέος
τοιόνδε σοι γένοιθʼ ὑφʼ Ἑλλήνων λαβεῖν.
ἢν δʼ αὖ κρατηθῇς καὶ τὰ τοῦδʼ ὑπερδράμῃ,
πῶς Ἄργος ἥξεις μυρίους λιπὼν νεκρούς;
ἐρεῖ δὲ δή τις· ὦ κακὰ μνηστεύματα
580
Ἄδραστε προσθείς, διὰ μιᾶς νύμφης γάμον
ἀπωλόμεσθα. δύο κακὼ σπεύδεις, τέκνον,
κείνων στέρεσθαι τῶνδέ τʼ ἐν μέσῳ πεσεῖν.
μέθετον τὸ λίαν, μέθετον· ἀμαθία δυοῖν,
ἐς ταὔθʼ ὅταν μόλητον, ἔχθιστον κακόν.
585

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.)) — 549 focus
Why do you honor to excess tyranny, a prosperous injustice,
why do you think so much of it? Admiring glances are to be prized? No, that is an empty pleasure. Or do you want to have many troubles from the many riches in your house? What advantage is it? The name only; for the wise find what suffices to be enough.
550
Mortals indeed have no possessions of their own; we hold the management of the gods’ property; and when they will, they take it back again. Prosperity is not secure, but as transient as the day.
555
Come, suppose I put before you two alternatives, and ask you
whether you wish to rule or save your city? Will you say you wish to rule?
560
Again, if this man conquers you and his Argive warriors take the army of Cadmus, you will see this city of Thebes conquered, and you will see many captured maidens
brutally dishonored by men of the enemy. Then that wealth you seek to have will become grievous to Thebes ; but still ambition fills you.
565
That I say to you; and this to you, Polyneices; Adrastus has conferred a foolish favor on you;
and you too have shown little sense in coming to lay your city waste. Suppose you conquer this land—may it not happen!—tell me, by the gods, how will you set up a trophy to Zeus? How will you begin the sacrifice after your country’s conquest or inscribe the spoils at the streams of Inachus:
570
Polyneices after giving Thebes to the flames dedicated these shields to the gods? O my son, may you never win such fame from Hellas ! If, on the other hand, you are beaten and your brother’s cause prevails, how will you return to Argos , leaving countless dead behind?
575
Some one will be sure to say: Adrastus, you made an evil betrothal; we are ruined by the marriage of one bride.
580
You are eager for two evils, my son, the loss of those there and ruin in the midst of your efforts here.
Lay aside your violence, my sons, lay it aside; two men’s follies,
once they meet, result in very deadly mischief.
585
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.) — 549 focus
Was liebst du sonder alles Maaß dies glückliche
Unrecht, die Herrschaft, was bedunkt es dich so groß,.
Wenn Alles ehrend dich bestaunt? Welch eitler Wahn!
Viel Angst empfinden, da du Viel im Hause hast,
545
Das willst du? Was ist Ueberfluß? Ein Name nur!
Denn was genug ist, das genügt dem Måßigen.
Der Mensch besizt ja keinen Schaz als Eigenthum;
Was gute Götter uns geginnt, verwalten wir;
Sobald sie wollen, nehmen sie's uns wiederum.
550
Wenn ich die Wahl dir lasse, was du lieber willst,
Der Herrscher oder dieser Stadt Erretter sein:
Du wåhlst die Herrschaft? Aber wenn dein Bruder siegt,
Wenn Argos Speere zwingen dein Kadmeierheer:
Dann siehst du diese Theberstadt in Grund gestürzt,
555
Siehst, ach! gewaltsam viele kriegsgefangene
Jungfraun in Knechtschaft fortgeschleppt von Feindesmacht.
So wird der Reichthum, den du suchst, Ehrsüchtiger,
Für Thebe's Sohne Gegenstand des Jammers sein.
Dir sag' ich Dies; du, Polyneikes, hdre nun:
560
Unkluge Liebesdienst erwies Adrastos dir,
Unweise zogst du wider diese Stadt zu Feld.
Sprich: wenn du sie bezwingest, (o verhuten das
Die Götter!) welche Siegstropha'n errichtest du?
Welch Opfer bringst du, wenn du Kadmos' Land gewannst?
565
Was wirst du schreiben auf die Beut am Inachos?
„Polyneikes legt' in Asche Thebe's Stadt, und weiht
Den Göttern diese Schilde." Kind, daß solcher Ruhm
Niemals in Hellas Volke dich verherrliche!
Doch wenn der Bruder dich besiegt: wie kehrst du dann
570
Nach Argos, wann du Tausend hingeopfert hast?
Da wird man sagen: „o verwunschter Chebund,
Den du geknupst, Adrastos! Um Ein Mädchen ging
Dein Volk zu Grunde!" So bedrohn zwei Uebel dich:
Du fålst im Kampf hier, und verlierst die Freunde dort. 1
575
laßt, o laßt dies Wüthen! Nichts ist gråßlicher,
Als wenn die Thorheit Zweier um Dasselbe kämpft.