| ἴθʼ, ὦ τάλαινα, τόνδʼ ἐρημώσασʼ ὄχον | Come, O unhappy one, this car vacating |
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| εἴκουσʼ ἀνάγκῃ τῇδε καίνισον ζυγόν. Κασάνδρα | Yielding to this necessity, prove yoke’s use! KASSANDRA. |
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| ὀτοτοτοῖ πόποι δᾶ. | Otototoi, Gods, Earth, — |
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| Ὦπολλον Ὦπολλον. Χορός | Apollon, Apollon! CHOROS. |
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| τί ταῦτʼ ἀνωτότυξας ἀμφὶ Λοξίου; | Why didst thou |
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| οὐ γὰρ τοιοῦτος ὥστε θρηνητοῦ τυχεῖν. Κασάνδρα | Since he is none such as to suit a mourner. KASSANDRA. |
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| ὀτοτοτοῖ πόποι δᾶ. | Otototoi, Gods, Earth, — |
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| Ὦπολλον Ὦπολλον. Χορός | Apollon, Apollon! CHOROS. |
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| ἡ δʼ αὖτε δυσφημοῦσα τὸν θεὸν καλεῖ | Ill-boding here again the god invokes she |
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| οὐδὲν προσήκοντʼ ἐν γόοις παραστατεῖν. Κασάνδρα | — Nowise empowered in woes to stand by helpful. KASSANDRA. |
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| Ἄπολλον Ἄπολλον | Apollon, Apollon |
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| ἀγυιᾶτʼ, ἀπόλλων ἐμός. | Guard of the ways, my destroyer! |
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| ἀπώλεσας γὰρ οὐ μόλις τὸ δεύτερον. Χορός | For thou hast quite, this second time, destroyed me. CHOROS. |
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| χρήσειν ἔοικεν ἀμφὶ τῶν αὑτῆς κακῶν. | To prophesy she seems of her own evils: |
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| μένει τὸ θεῖον δουλίᾳ περ ἐν φρενί. Κασάνδρα | Remains the god-gift to the slave-soul present. KASSANDRA. |
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| Ἄπολλον Ἄπολλον | Apollon, Apollon |
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| ἀγυιᾶτʼ, ἀπόλλων ἐμός. | Guard of the ways, my destroyer! |
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| ἆ ποῖ ποτʼ ἤγαγές με; πρὸς ποίαν στέγην; Χορός | Ha, whither hast thou led me? to what roof now? CHOROS. |
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| πρὸς τὴν Ἀτρειδῶν· εἰ σὺ μὴ τόδʼ ἐννοεῖς | To the Atreidai’s roof: if this thou know’st not |
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| ἐγὼ λέγω σοι· καὶ τάδʼ οὐκ ἐρεῖς ψύθη. Κασάνδρα | I tell it thee, nor this wilt thou call falsehood. KASSANDRA. |
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| μισόθεον μὲν οὖν, πολλὰ συνίστορα | How! How! |
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| μισόθεον μὲν οὖν, πολλὰ συνίστορα | God-hated, then! Of many a crime it knew — |
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| αὐτόφονα κακὰ καρατόμα | Self-slaying evils, halters too: |
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| ἀνδροσφαγεῖον καὶ πεδορραντήριον. Χορός | Man’s-shambles, blood-besprinkler of the ground! CHOROS. |
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| ἔοικεν εὔρις ἡ ξένη κυνὸς δίκην | She seems to be good-nosed, the stranger: dog-like |
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| εἶναι, ματεύει δʼ ὧν ἀνευρήσει φόνον. Κασάνδρα | She snuffs indeed the victims she will find there. KASSANDRA. |
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| μαρτυρίοισι γὰρ τοῖσδʼ ἐπιπείθομαι· | How! How! |
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| μαρτυρίοισι γὰρ τοῖσδʼ ἐπιπείθομαι· | By the witnesses here I am certain now! |
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| κλαιόμενα τάδε βρέφη σφαγάς | These children bewailing their slaughters — flesh dressed in the fire |
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| ὀπτάς τε σάρκας πρὸς πατρὸς βεβρωμένας. Χορός | And devoured by their sire! CHOROS. |
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| τὸ μὲν κλέος σοῦ μαντικὸν πεπυσμένοι | Ay, we have heard of thy soothsaying glory |
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| ἦμεν· προφήτας δʼ οὔτινας ματεύομεν. Κασάνδρα | Doubtless: but prophets none are we in scent of! KASSANDRA. |
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| ἰὼ πόποι, τί ποτε μήδεται; | Ah, gods, what ever does she meditate? |
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| ἰὼ πόποι, τί ποτε μήδεται; | What this new anguish great? |
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| τί τόδε νέον ἄχος μέγα | Great in the house here she meditates ill |
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| μέγʼ ἐν δόμοισι τοῖσδε μήδεται κακὸν | Such as friends cannot bear, cannot cure it: and still |
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| ἄφερτον φίλοισιν, δυσίατον; ἀλκὰ δʼ | Off stands all Resistance |
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| ἑκὰς ἀποστατεῖ. Χορός | Afar in the distance! CHOROS. |
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| τούτων ἄιδρίς εἰμι τῶν μαντευμάτων. | Of these I witless am — these prophesyings. |
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| ἐκεῖνα δʼ ἔγνων· πᾶσα γὰρ πόλις βοᾷ. Κασάνδρα | But those I knew: for the whole city bruits them. KASSANDRA. |
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| ἰὼ τάλαινα, τόδε γὰρ τελεῖς | Ah, unhappy one, this thou consummatest? |
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| ἰὼ τάλαινα, τόδε γὰρ τελεῖς | Thy husband, thy bed’s common guest |
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| τὸν ὁμοδέμνιον πόσιν | In the bath having brightened. .. How shall I declare |
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| λουτροῖσι φαιδρύνασα—πῶς φράσω τέλος; | Consummation? It soon will be there: |
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| τάχος γὰρ τόδʼ ἔσται· προτείνει δὲ χεὶρ ἐκ | For hand after hand she outstretches |
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| χερὸς ὀρέγματα. Χορός | At life as she reaches! CHOROS. |
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| οὔπω ξυνῆκα· νῦν γὰρ ἐξ αἰνιγμάτων | Nor yet I’ve gone with thee! for — after riddles — |
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| ἐπαργέμοισι θεσφάτοις ἀμηχανῶ. Κασάνδρα | Now, in blind oracles, I feel resourceless. KASSANDRA. |
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| ἒ ἔ, παπαῖ παπαῖ, τί τόδε φαίνεται; | Eh, eh, papai, papai |
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| ἒ ἔ, παπαῖ παπαῖ, τί τόδε φαίνεται; | What this, I espy? |
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| ἦ δίκτυόν τί γʼ Ἅιδου; | Some net of Haides undoubtedly |
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| ἀλλʼ ἄρκυς ἡ ξύνευνος, ἡ ξυναιτία | Nay, rather, the snare |
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| ἀλλʼ ἄρκυς ἡ ξύνευνος, ἡ ξυναιτία | Is she who has share |
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| ἀλλʼ ἄρκυς ἡ ξύνευνος, ἡ ξυναιτία | In his bed, who takes part in the murder there! |
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| φόνου. στάσις δʼ ἀκόρετος γένει | But may a revolt — |
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| φόνου. στάσις δʼ ἀκόρετος γένει | Unceasing assault — |
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| φόνου. στάσις δʼ ἀκόρετος γένει | On the Race, raise a shout |
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| κατολολυξάτω θύματος λευσίμου. Χορός | Sacrificial, about |
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| κατολολυξάτω θύματος λευσίμου. Χορός | A victim — by stoning — |
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| κατολολυξάτω θύματος λευσίμου. Χορός | For murder atoning! CHOROS. |
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| ποίαν Ἐρινὺν τήνδε δώμασιν κέλῃ | What this Erinus which i’ the house thou callest |
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| ἐπορθιάζειν; οὔ με φαιδρύνει λόγος. | To raise her cry? Not me thy word enlightens! |
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| ἐπὶ δὲ καρδίαν ἔδραμε κροκοβαφὴς | To my heart has run |
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| σταγών, ἅτε καιρία πτώσιμος | A drop of the crocus-dye: |
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| σταγών, ἅτε καιρία πτώσιμος | Which makes for those |
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| ξυνανύτει βίου δύντος αὐγαῖς· | On earth by the spear that lie |
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| ξυνανύτει βίου δύντος αὐγαῖς· | A common close |
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| ξυνανύτει βίου δύντος αὐγαῖς· | With life’s descending sun. |
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| ταχεῖα δʼ ἄτα πέλει. Κασάνδρα | Swift is the curse begun! KASSANDRA. |
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| ἆ ἆ, ἰδοὺ ἰδού· ἄπεχε τῆς βοὸς | How! How! |
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| ἆ ἆ, ἰδοὺ ἰδού· ἄπεχε τῆς βοὸς | See — see quick! |
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| ἆ ἆ, ἰδοὺ ἰδού· ἄπεχε τῆς βοὸς | Keep the bull from the cow! |
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| τὸν ταῦρον· ἐν πέπλοισι | In the vesture she catching him, strikes him now |
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| μελαγκέρῳ λαβοῦσα μηχανήματι | With the black-horned trick |
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| τύπτει· πίτνει δʼ ἐν ἐνύδρῳ τεύχει. | And he falls in the watery vase! |
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| δολοφόνου λέβητος τύχαν σοι λέγω. Χορός | Of the craft-killing cauldron I tell thee the case! CHOROS. |
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| οὐ κομπάσαιμʼ ἂν θεσφάτων γνώμων ἄκρος | I would not boast to be a topping critic |
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| εἶναι, κακῷ δέ τῳ προσεικάζω τάδε. | Of oracles: but to some sort of evil |
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| ἀπὸ δὲ θεσφάτων τίς ἀγαθὰ φάτις | I liken these. From oracles, what good speech |
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| βροτοῖς τέλλεται; κακῶν γὰρ διαὶ | To mortals, beside, is sent? |
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| πολυεπεῖς τέχναι θεσπιῳδὸν | It comes of their evils: these arts word-abounding that sing the event |
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| φόβον φέρουσιν μαθεῖν. Κασάνδρα | Bring the fear’t is their office to teach. KASSANDRA. |
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| ἰὼ ἰὼ ταλαίνας κακόποτμοι τύχαι· | Ah me, ah me — |
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| ἰὼ ἰὼ ταλαίνας κακόποτμοι τύχαι· | Of me unhappy, evil-destined fortunes! |
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| τὸ γὰρ ἐμὸν θροῶ πάθος ἐπεγχύδαν. | For I bewail my proper woe |
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| τὸ γὰρ ἐμὸν θροῶ πάθος ἐπεγχύδαν. | As, mine with his, all into one I throw. |
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| ποῖ δή με δεῦρο τὴν τάλαιναν ἤγαγες; | Why hast thou hither me unhappy brought? |
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| οὐδέν ποτʼ εἰ μὴ ξυνθανουμένην. τί γάρ; Χορός | — Unless that I should die with him — for nought! |
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| οὐδέν ποτʼ εἰ μὴ ξυνθανουμένην. τί γάρ; Χορός | What else was sought? CHOROS. |
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| φρενομανής τις εἶ θεοφόρητος, ἀμ- | Thou art some mind-mazed creature, god-possessed: |
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| φὶ δʼ αὑτᾶς θροεῖς | And all about thyself dost wail |
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| νόμον ἄνομον, οἷά τις ξουθὰ | A lay — no lay! |
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| νόμον ἄνομον, οἷά τις ξουθὰ | Like some brown nightingale |
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| ἀκόρετος βοᾶς, φεῦ, ταλαίναις φρεσίν | Insatiable of noise, who — well-away! — |
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| Ἴτυν Ἴτυν στένουσʼ ἀμφιθαλῆ κακοῖς | From her unhappy breast |
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| Ἴτυν Ἴτυν στένουσʼ ἀμφιθαλῆ κακοῖς | Keeps moaning Itus, Itus, and his life |
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| ἀηδὼν βίον. Κασάνδρα | With evils, flourishing on each side, rife. KASSANDRA. |
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| ἰὼ ἰὼ λιγείας μόρον ἀηδόνος· | Ah me, ah me |
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| ἰὼ ἰὼ λιγείας μόρον ἀηδόνος· | The fate o’ the nightingale, the clear resounder! |
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| περέβαλον γάρ οἱ πτεροφόρον δέμας | For a body wing-borne have the gods cast round her |
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| θεοὶ γλυκύν τʼ αἰῶνα κλαυμάτων ἄτερ· | And sweet existence, from misfortunes free: |
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| ἐμοὶ δὲ μίμνει σχισμὸς ἀμφήκει δορί. Χορός | But for myself remains a sundering |
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| ἐμοὶ δὲ μίμνει σχισμὸς ἀμφήκει δορί. Χορός | With spear, the two-edged thing! CHOROS. |
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| πόθεν ἐπισσύτους θεοφόρους τʼ ἔχεις | Whence hast thou this on-rushing god-involving pain |
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| πόθεν ἐπισσύτους θεοφόρους τʼ ἔχεις | And spasms in vain? |
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| ματαίους δύας | For, things that terrify |
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| ματαίους δύας | With changing unintelligible cry |
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| τὰ δʼ ἐπίφοβα δυσφάτῳ κλαγγᾷ | Thou strikest up in tune, yet all the while |
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| μελοτυπεῖς ὁμοῦ τʼ ὀρθίοις ἐν νόμοις; | After that Orthian style! |
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| πόθεν ὅρους ἔχεις θεσπεσίας ὁδοῦ | Whence hast thou limits to the oracular road |
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| κακορρήμονας; Κασάνδρα | That evils bode? KASSANDRA. |
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| ἰὼ γάμοι γάμοι Πάριδος ὀλέθριοι φίλων. | Ah me, the nuptials, the nuptials of Paris, the deadly to friends! |
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| ἰὼ Σκαμάνδρου πάτριον ποτόν. | Ah me, of Skamandros the draught |
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| τότε μὲν ἀμφὶ σὰς ἀϊόνας τάλαινʼ | Paternal! There once, to these ends |
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| ἠνυτόμαν τροφαῖς· | On thy banks was I brought |
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| νῦν δʼ ἀμφὶ Κωκυτόν τε κἀχερουσίους | The unhappy! And now, by Kokutos and Acheron’s shore |
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| ὄχθας ἔοικα θεσπιῳδήσειν τάχα. Χορός | I shall soon be, it seems, these my oracles singing once more! CHOROS. |
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| τί τόδε τορὸν ἄγαν ἔπος ἐφημίσω; | Why this word, plain too much |
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| νεόγονος ἂν ἀΐων μάθοι. | Hast thou uttered? A babe might learn of such! |
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| πέπληγμαι δʼ ὑπαὶ δάκει φοινίῳ | I am struck with a bloody bite — here under — |
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| δυσαλγεῖ τύχᾳ μινυρὰ κακὰ θρεομένας | At the fate woe-wreaking |
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| θραύματʼ ἐμοὶ κλύειν. Κασάνδρα | Of thee shrill shrieking: |
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| θραύματʼ ἐμοὶ κλύειν. Κασάνδρα | To me who hear — a wonder! KASSANDRA. |
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| ἰὼ πόνοι πόνοι πόλεος ὀλομένας τὸ πᾶν. | Ah me, the toils — the toils of the city |
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| ἰὼ πόνοι πόνοι πόλεος ὀλομένας τὸ πᾶν. | The wholly destroyed: ah, pity |
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| ἰὼ πρόπυργοι θυσίαι πατρὸς | Of the sacrificings my father made |
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| ἰὼ πρόπυργοι θυσίαι πατρὸς | In the ramparts’ aid — |
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| πολυκανεῖς βοτῶν ποιονόμων· ἄκος δʼ | Much slaughter of grass-fed flocks — that afforded no cure |
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| οὐδὲν ἐπήρκεσαν | That the city should not, as it does now, the burthen endure! |
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| τὸ μὴ πόλιν μὲν ὥσπερ οὖν ἔχει παθεῖν. | But I, with the soul on fire |
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| ἐγὼ δὲ θερμόνους τάχʼ ἐν πέδῳ βαλῶ. Χορός | Soon to the earth shall cast me and expire. CHOROS. |
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| ἑπόμενα προτέροισι τάδʼ ἐφημίσω. | To things, on the former consequent |
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| καί τίς σε κακοφρονῶν τίθη- | Again hast thou given vent: |
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| σι δαίμων ὑπερβαρὴς ἐμπίτνων | And ’t is some evil-meaning fiend doth move thee |
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| σι δαίμων ὑπερβαρὴς ἐμπίτνων | Heavily falling from above thee |
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| μελίζειν πάθη γοερὰ θανατοφόρα. | To melodize thy sorrows — else, in singing |
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| μελίζειν πάθη γοερὰ θανατοφόρα. | Calamitous, death-bringing! |
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| τέρμα δʼ ἀμηχανῶ. Κασάνδρα | And of all this the end |
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| τέρμα δʼ ἀμηχανῶ. Κασάνδρα | I am without resource to apprehend KASSANDRA. |
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| καὶ μὴν ὁ χρησμὸς οὐκέτʼ ἐκ καλυμμάτων | Well then, the oracle from veils no longer |
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| ἔσται δεδορκὼς νεογάμου νύμφης δίκην· | Shall be outlooking, like a bride new-married: |
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| λαμπρὸς δʼ ἔοικεν ἡλίου πρὸς ἀντολὰς | But bright it seems, against the sun’s uprisings |
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| πνέων ἐσᾴξειν, ὥστε κύματος δίκην | Breathing, to penetrate thee: so as, wave-like |
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| κλύζειν πρὸς αὐγὰς τοῦδε πήματος πολὺ | To wash against the rays a woe much greater |
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| μεῖζον· φρενώσω δʼ οὐκέτʼ ἐξ αἰνιγμάτων. | Than this. I will no longer teach by riddles. |
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| καὶ μαρτυρεῖτε συνδρόμως ἴχνος κακῶν | And witness, running with me, that of evils |
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| ῥινηλατούσῃ τῶν πάλαι πεπραγμένων. | Done long ago, I nosing track the footstep! |
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| τὴν γὰρ στέγην τήνδʼ οὔποτʼ ἐκλείπει χορὸς | For, this same roof here — never quits a Choros |
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| ξύμφθογγος οὐκ εὔφωνος· οὐ γὰρ εὖ λέγει. | One-voiced, not well-tuned since no |
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| καὶ μὴν πεπωκώς γʼ, ὡς θρασύνεσθαι πλέον | And truly having drunk, to get more courage |
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| βρότειον αἷμα κῶμος ἐν δόμοις μένει | Man’s blood — the Komos keeps within the household |
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| δύσπεμπτος ἔξω, συγγόνων Ἐρινύων. | — Hard to be sent outside — of sister Furies: |
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| ὑμνοῦσι δʼ ὕμνον δώμασιν προσήμεναι | They hymn their hymn — within the house close sitting — |
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| πρώταρχον ἄτην· ἐν μέρει δʼ ἀπέπτυσαν | The first beginning curse: in turn spit forth at |
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| εὐνὰς ἀδελφοῦ τῷ πατοῦντι δυσμενεῖς. | The Brother’s bed, to him who spurned it hostile. |
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| ἥμαρτον, ἢ θηρῶ τι τοξότης τις ὥς; | Have I missed aught, or hit I like a bowman? |
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| ἢ ψευδόμαντίς εἰμι θυροκόπος φλέδων; | False prophet am I, — knock at doors, a babbler? |
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| ἐκμαρτύρησον προυμόσας τό μʼ εἰδέναι | Henceforward witness, swearing now, I know not |
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| λόγῳ παλαιὰς τῶνδʼ ἁμαρτίας δόμων. Χορός | By other’s word the old sins of this household! CHOROS. |
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| καὶ πῶς ἂν ὅρκος, πῆγμα γενναίως παγέν | And how should oath, bond honourably binding |
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| παιώνιον γένοιτο; θαυμάζω δέ σου | Become thy cure? No less I wonder at thee |
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| πόντου πέραν τραφεῖσαν ἀλλόθρουν πόλιν | — That thou, beyond sea reared, a strange-tongued city |
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| κυρεῖν λέγουσαν, ὥσπερ εἰ παρεστάτεις. Κασάνδρα | Shouldst hit in speaking, just as if thou stood’st by! KASSANDRA. |
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| μάντις μʼ Ἀπόλλων τῷδʼ ἐπέστησεν τέλει. Χορός | Prophet Apollon put me in this office. CHOROS. |
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| προτοῦ μὲν αἰδὼς ἦν ἐμοὶ λέγειν τάδε. Χορός | What, even though a god, with longing smitten? KASSANDRA. |
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| μῶν καὶ θεός περ ἱμέρῳ πεπληγμένος; Κασάνδρα | At first, indeed, shame was to me to say this. CHOROS. |
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| ἁβρύνεται γὰρ πᾶς τις εὖ πράσσων πλέον. Κασάνδρα | For, more relaxed grows everyone who fares well. KASSANDRA. |
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| ἀλλʼ ἦν παλαιστὴς κάρτʼ ἐμοὶ πνέων χάριν. Χορός | But he was athlete to me — huge grace breathing! CHOROS. |
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| ἦ καὶ τέκνων εἰς ἔργον ἤλθετον νόμῳ; Κασάνδρα | Well, to the work of children, went ye law’s way? KASSANDRA. |
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| ξυναινέσασα Λοξίαν ἐψευσάμην. Χορός | Having consented, I played false to Loxias. CHOROS. |
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| ἤδη τέχναισιν ἐνθέοις ᾑρημένη; Κασάνδρα | Already when the wits inspired possessed of? KASSANDRA. |
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| ἤδη πολίταις πάντʼ ἐθέσπιζον πάθη. Χορός | Already townsmen all their woes I foretold. CHOROS. |
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| πῶς δῆτʼ ἄνατος ἦσθα Λοξίου κότῳ; Κασάνδρα | How wast thou then unhurt by Loxias’ anger? KASSANDRA. |
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| ἔπειθον οὐδένʼ οὐδέν, ὡς τάδʼ ἤμπλακον. Χορός | I no one aught persuaded, when I sinned thus. CHOROS. |
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| ἡμῖν γε μὲν δὴ πιστὰ θεσπίζειν δοκεῖς. Κασάνδρα | To us, at least, now sooth to say thou seemest. KASSANDRA. |
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| ἰοὺ ἰού, ὢ ὢ κακά. | Halloo, halloo, ah, evils! |
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| ὑπʼ αὖ με δεινὸς ὀρθομαντείας πόνος | Again, straightforward foresight’s fearful labour |
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| στροβεῖ ταράσσων φροιμίοις δυσφροιμίοις . | Whirls me, distracting with prelusive last-lays! |
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| ὁρᾶτε τούσδε τοὺς δόμοις ἐφημένους | Behold ye those there, in the household seated, — |
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| νέους, ὀνείρων προσφερεῖς μορφώμασιν; | Young ones, — of dreams approaching to the figures? |
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| παῖδες θανόντες ὡσπερεὶ πρὸς τῶν φίλων | Children, as if they died by their beloveds — |
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| χεῖρας κρεῶν πλήθοντες οἰκείας βορᾶς | Hands they have filled with flesh, the meal domestic — |
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| σὺν ἐντέροις τε σπλάγχνʼ, ἐποίκτιστον γέμος | Entrails and vitals both, most piteous burthen |
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| πρέπουσʼ ἔχοντες, ὧν πατὴρ ἐγεύσατο. | Plain they are holding! — which their father tasted! |
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| ἐκ τῶνδε ποινὰς φημὶ βουλεύειν τινὰ | For this, I say, plans punishment a certain |
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