Euripides, Bacchae, ed. Gilbert Murray, 882

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Χορός

ὁρμᾶται μόλις, ἀλλʼ ὅμως

πιστόν τι τὸ θεῖον

σθένος· ἀπευθύνει δὲ βροτῶν

τούς τʼ ἀγνωμοσύναν τιμῶν-
885

τας καὶ μὴ τὰ θεῶν αὔξον-

τας σὺν μαινομένᾳ δόξᾳ.

κρυπτεύουσι δὲ ποικίλως

δαρὸν χρόνου πόδα καὶ

θηρῶσιν τὸν ἄσεπτον. οὐ
890

γὰρ κρεῖσσόν ποτε τῶν νόμων

γιγνώσκειν χρὴ καὶ μελετᾶν.

κούφα γὰρ δαπάνα νομί-

ζειν ἰσχὺν τόδʼ ἔχειν,

ὅ τι ποτʼ ἄρα τὸ δαιμόνιον,

τό τʼ ἐν χρόνῳ μακρῷ νόμιμον
895

ἀεὶ φύσει τε πεφυκός.

τί τὸ σοφόν; ἢ τί τὸ κάλλιον

παρὰ θεῶν γέρας ἐν βροτοῖς

ἢ χεῖρʼ ὑπὲρ κορυφᾶς

τῶν ἐχθρῶν κρείσσω κατέχειν;
900

ὅ τι καλὸν φίλον ἀεί.

Bacchae. Euripides. ed. Gilbert Murray. Oxford. 1913.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Perseus

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

Translations (3)

The Bacchae Perseus (Euripides. The Tragedies of Euripides. Vol. I. Buckley, Theodore Alois, translator. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1850. (Modernized by Perseus.)) — 882 focus

Chorus

Divine strength is roused with difficulty, but still is sure. It chastises those mortals

who honor folly and those who in their insanity do not extol the gods. The gods cunningly conceal the long pace of time and
885

hunt the impious. For it is not right to determine or plan anything beyond the laws. For it is a light expense to hold that whatever is divine has power,
890

and that which has been law for a long time is eternal and has its origin in nature. What is wisdom? Or what greater honor do the gods give to mortals than to hold one’s hand
895

in strength over the head of enemies? What is good is always dear.
900

The Bacchae (OCR draft) Experimental (The Bacchae. 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, 1845; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (Euripides. Deutsch in den Versmaßen der Urschrift. Volume 2, Heidelberg: C. F. Winter, 1845. 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.) — 882 focus

Spåt kommt Göttergewalt heran, doch sicher erscheint sie

Zulezt, züchtigt der Menschen Stolz, wenn sie thörichtem

- Wahne fröhnen,

Und nicht die Götter verehren, voll wahnsinnigen Uebermuths.

Klúglich lauern die Göttlichen
790

Lange Zeit im Verborgnen, und haschen endlich den Frevler.

Denn nie strebe der Menschengeist über Sitt' und Gesez empor!

Denn leicht ist ja der Glaube, daß Gewalt habe das Göttliche,

Gewalt das Recht,

Das im langen Alter unsrer Welt

Ewig bestand, und das die Natur schuf.
795

Was ist Weisheit des Menschen, was

Ist ein schönerer Götterlohn,

Als halten über das Haupt

Des Feindes die stärkere Hand?

Lieb ist ewig das Schone.
800
Schlußgesang.

Euripides Bacchae 882

ed. Gilbert Murray

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