| ταύτης ἱκνοῦμαί ς' — ὦ μέλεος ἐμῶν κακῶν | As Menelaus turns away. Ah me, my misery! to what have I come! Well? (preparing to make a final appeal) I must suffer, for I am making this appeal on behalf of my whole family. O my uncle, my father’s own brother! Imagine that the dead man in his grave |
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| ἐς οἷον ἥκω. τί δέ; ταλαιπωρεῖν με δεῖ: | As Menelaus turns away. Ah me, my misery! to what have I come! Well? (preparing to make a final appeal) I must suffer, for I am making this appeal on behalf of my whole family. O my uncle, my father’s own brother! Imagine that the dead man in his grave |
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| ὑπὲρ γὰρ οἴκου παντὸς ἱκετεύω τάδε. | As Menelaus turns away. Ah me, my misery! to what have I come! Well? (preparing to make a final appeal) I must suffer, for I am making this appeal on behalf of my whole family. O my uncle, my father’s own brother! Imagine that the dead man in his grave |
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| ὦ πατρὸς ὅμαιμε θεῖε, τὸν κατὰ χθονὸς | As Menelaus turns away. Ah me, my misery! to what have I come! Well? (preparing to make a final appeal) I must suffer, for I am making this appeal on behalf of my whole family. O my uncle, my father’s own brother! Imagine that the dead man in his grave |
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| θανόντ' ἀκούειν τάδε δόκει, ποτωμένην | is listening, that his spirit is hovering over you and saying what I say, this much for tears and groans and misfortunes. I have spoken and I have begged for my safety, hunting what all seek, not myself alone. Chorus Leader |
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| ψυχὴν ὑπὲρ σοῦ, καὶ λέγειν ἃ ἐγὼ λέγω | is listening, that his spirit is hovering over you and saying what I say, this much for tears and groans and misfortunes. I have spoken and I have begged for my safety, hunting what all seek, not myself alone. Chorus Leader |
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| ταὔτ' ἔς τε δάκρυα καὶ γόους καὶ συμφοράς. | is listening, that his spirit is hovering over you and saying what I say, this much for tears and groans and misfortunes. I have spoken and I have begged for my safety, hunting what all seek, not myself alone. Chorus Leader |
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| εἴρηκα κἀπῄτηκα τὴν σωτηρίαν | is listening, that his spirit is hovering over you and saying what I say, this much for tears and groans and misfortunes. I have spoken and I have begged for my safety, hunting what all seek, not myself alone. Chorus Leader |
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| θηρῶν ὃ πάντες κοὐκ ἐγὼ ζητῶ μόνος. | is listening, that his spirit is hovering over you and saying what I say, this much for tears and groans and misfortunes. I have spoken and I have begged for my safety, hunting what all seek, not myself alone. Chorus Leader |
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| κἀγώ ς' ἱκνοῦμαι καὶ γυνή περ οὖς' ὅμως | I, too, though I am only a woman, beseech you to help those who need it; for you have the power. Menelau |
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| τοῖς δεομένοισιν ὠφελεῖν: οἷός τε δ' εἶ. | I, too, though I am only a woman, beseech you to help those who need it; for you have the power. Menelau |
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| ̓Ορέστ', ἐγώ τοι σὸν καταιδοῦμαι κάρα | Orestes, you are a man for whom I have a deep regard, and I want to take part in your troubles; it is a duty, too, to help relatives bear their ills |
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| καὶ ξυμπονῆσαι σοῖς κακοῖσι βούλομαι: | Orestes, you are a man for whom I have a deep regard, and I want to take part in your troubles; it is a duty, too, to help relatives bear their ills |
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| καὶ χρὴ γὰρ οὕτω τῶν ὁμαιμόνων κακὰ | Orestes, you are a man for whom I have a deep regard, and I want to take part in your troubles; it is a duty, too, to help relatives bear their ills |
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| ξυνεκκομίζειν, δύναμιν ἢν διδῷ θεός | by dying or killing enemies, if god gives the power to do so. I wish I had that power granted me by the gods. For I have come quite destitute of allies, after my long weary wanderings |
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| θνῄσκοντα καὶ κτείνοντα τοὺς ἐναντίους: | by dying or killing enemies, if god gives the power to do so. I wish I had that power granted me by the gods. For I have come quite destitute of allies, after my long weary wanderings |
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| τὸ δ' αὖ δύνασθαι πρὸς θεῶν χρῄζω τυχεῖν. | by dying or killing enemies, if god gives the power to do so. I wish I had that power granted me by the gods. For I have come quite destitute of allies, after my long weary wanderings |
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| ἥκω γὰρ ἀνδρῶν συμμάχων κενὸν δόρυ | by dying or killing enemies, if god gives the power to do so. I wish I had that power granted me by the gods. For I have come quite destitute of allies, after my long weary wanderings |
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| ἔχων, πόνοισι μυρίοις ἀλώμενος | by dying or killing enemies, if god gives the power to do so. I wish I had that power granted me by the gods. For I have come quite destitute of allies, after my long weary wanderings |
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| σμικρᾷ σὺν ἀλκῇ τῶν λελειμμένων φίλων. | with the small strength of my surviving friends. We should never get the better of Pelasgian Argos by fighting; if we should prevail by soothing speeches, we will come to some hope there. For how can you win a great cause by small |
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| μάχῃ μὲν οὖν ἂν οὐχ ὑπερβαλοίμεθα | with the small strength of my surviving friends. We should never get the better of Pelasgian Argos by fighting; if we should prevail by soothing speeches, we will come to some hope there. For how can you win a great cause by small |
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| Πελασγὸν ̓́Αργος: εἰ δὲ μαλθακοῖς λόγοις | with the small strength of my surviving friends. We should never get the better of Pelasgian Argos by fighting; if we should prevail by soothing speeches, we will come to some hope there. For how can you win a great cause by small |
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| δυναίμεθ', ἐνταῦθ' ἐλπίδος προσήκομεν. | with the small strength of my surviving friends. We should never get the better of Pelasgian Argos by fighting; if we should prevail by soothing speeches, we will come to some hope there. For how can you win a great cause by small |
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| σμικροῖσι μὲν γὰρ μεγάλα πῶς ἕλοι τις ἄν; | with the small strength of my surviving friends. We should never get the better of Pelasgian Argos by fighting; if we should prevail by soothing speeches, we will come to some hope there. For how can you win a great cause by small |
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| πόνοισιν; ἀμαθὲς καὶ τὸ βούλεσθαι τάδε. | efforts? It is foolish even to wish it. |
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| ὅταν γὰρ ἡβᾷ δῆμος εἰς ὀργὴν πεσών | For when the people fall into a vigorous fury, they are as hard to quench as a raging fire; but if you gently slacken your hold and yield a little to their tension, cautiously watching your opportunity |
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| ὅμοιον ὥστε πῦρ κατασβέσαι λάβρον: | For when the people fall into a vigorous fury, they are as hard to quench as a raging fire; but if you gently slacken your hold and yield a little to their tension, cautiously watching your opportunity |
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| εἰ δ' ἡσύχως τις αὑτὸν ἐντείνοντι μὲν | For when the people fall into a vigorous fury, they are as hard to quench as a raging fire; but if you gently slacken your hold and yield a little to their tension, cautiously watching your opportunity |
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| χαλῶν ὑπείκοι καιρὸν εὐλαβούμενος | For when the people fall into a vigorous fury, they are as hard to quench as a raging fire; but if you gently slacken your hold and yield a little to their tension, cautiously watching your opportunity |
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| ἴσως ἂν ἐκπνεύσειεν: ἢν δ' ἀνῇ πνοάς | they may possibly calm down; if their gusts abate, you may obtain whatever you want from them easily. They have pity, and a hot temper too, an invaluable quality if you watch it closely. So for you I will go and try to persuade Tyndareu |
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| τύχοις ἂν αὐτοῦ ῥᾳδίως ὅσον θέλεις. | they may possibly calm down; if their gusts abate, you may obtain whatever you want from them easily. They have pity, and a hot temper too, an invaluable quality if you watch it closely. So for you I will go and try to persuade Tyndareu |
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| ἔνεστι δ' οἶκτος, ἔνι δὲ καὶ θυμὸς μέγας | they may possibly calm down; if their gusts abate, you may obtain whatever you want from them easily. They have pity, and a hot temper too, an invaluable quality if you watch it closely. So for you I will go and try to persuade Tyndareu |
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| καραδοκοῦντι κτῆμα τιμιώτατον. | they may possibly calm down; if their gusts abate, you may obtain whatever you want from them easily. They have pity, and a hot temper too, an invaluable quality if you watch it closely. So for you I will go and try to persuade Tyndareu |
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| ἐλθὼν δὲ Τυνδάρεών τέ σοι πειράσομαι | they may possibly calm down; if their gusts abate, you may obtain whatever you want from them easily. They have pity, and a hot temper too, an invaluable quality if you watch it closely. So for you I will go and try to persuade Tyndareu |
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| πόλιν τε πεῖσαι τῷ λίαν χρῆσθαι καλῶς. | and the city to moderation. A ship also dips if its sheet is hauled too taut, but rights itself again if it is let go. |
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| καὶ ναῦς γὰρ ἐνταθεῖσα πρὸς βίαν ποδὶ | and the city to moderation. A ship also dips if its sheet is hauled too taut, but rights itself again if it is let go. |
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| ἔβαψεν, ἔστη δ' αὖθις, ἢν χαλᾷ πόδα. | and the city to moderation. A ship also dips if its sheet is hauled too taut, but rights itself again if it is let go. |
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| μισεῖ γὰρ ὁ θεὸς τὰς ἄγαν προθυμίας | The god hates excessive eagerness, and the citizens do also; I must save you, I don’t deny it |
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| μισοῦσι δ' ἀστοί: δεῖ δέ μ' — οὐκ ἄλλως λέγω — | The god hates excessive eagerness, and the citizens do also; I must save you, I don’t deny it |
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| σῴζειν σε σοφίᾳ, μὴ βίᾳ τῶν κρεισσόνων. | by cleverness, not by violence against those who are stronger. I could not do it by strength, as you perhaps imagine; for it is not easy to triumph single-handed over the troubles that beset you. I would never have tried to bring the Argive land over to softness; |
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| ἀλκῇ δέ ς' οὐκ ἄν, ᾗ σὺ δοξάζεις ἴσως | by cleverness, not by violence against those who are stronger. I could not do it by strength, as you perhaps imagine; for it is not easy to triumph single-handed over the troubles that beset you. I would never have tried to bring the Argive land over to softness; |
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| σῴσαιμ' ἄν: οὐ γὰρ ῥᾴδιον λόγχῃ μιᾷ | by cleverness, not by violence against those who are stronger. I could not do it by strength, as you perhaps imagine; for it is not easy to triumph single-handed over the troubles that beset you. I would never have tried to bring the Argive land over to softness; |
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| στῆσαι τροπαῖα τῶν κακῶν ἅ σοι πάρα. | by cleverness, not by violence against those who are stronger. I could not do it by strength, as you perhaps imagine; for it is not easy to triumph single-handed over the troubles that beset you. I would never have tried to bring the Argive land over to softness; |
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| οὐ γάρ ποτ' ̓́Αργους γαῖαν ἐς τὸ μαλθακὸν | by cleverness, not by violence against those who are stronger. I could not do it by strength, as you perhaps imagine; for it is not easy to triumph single-handed over the troubles that beset you. I would never have tried to bring the Argive land over to softness; |
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| προσηγόμεσθα: νῦν δ' ἀναγκαίως ἔχει. | but it is necessary. for the wise to be slaves to fortune. Exit Menelaus. Oreste |
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| δούλοισιν εἶναι τοῖς σοφοῖσι τῆς τύχης | but it is necessary. for the wise to be slaves to fortune. Exit Menelaus. Oreste |
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