Euripides' PHOENISSAE Complete

Translated by E. Coleridge.

Euripides Bilingual Anthology  Studies  Euripides in Print

81 pages - You are on Page 14

Leader of the Chorus: Wondrous dear to woman is the child of her travail,
and all her race hath some affection for its babes.

Polyneices: Mother, I have come amongst enemies wisely or foolishly;
but all men needs must love their native land; whoso saith otherwise
is pleased to say so but his thoughts are turned elsewhere. So fearful
was I and in such terror, lest my brother might slay me by treachery
that I made my way through the city sword in hand, casting my eyes
all round me. My only hope is the truce and thy plighted word which
induced me to enter my paternal walls; and many a tear I shed by the
way, seeing after a weary while my home and the altars of the gods,
the training ground, scene of my childhood, and Dirce's founts from
which I was unjustly driven to sojourn in a strange city, with tears
ever gushing from mine eyes. Yea, and to add to my grief I see thee
with hair cut short and clad in sable robe; woe is me for my sorrows!

How terrible, dear mother, is hatred 'twixt those once near and dear;
how hard it makes all reconciliation! What doth my aged sire within
the house, his light all darkness now? what of my sisters twain? Ah!
they, I know, bewail my bitter exile.

Jocasta: Some god with fell intent is plaguing the race of Oedipus.
Thus it all began; I broke God's law and bore a son, and in an evil
hour married thy father and thou wert born. But why repeat these horrors?
what Heaven sends we have to bear. I am afraid to ask thee what I
fain would, for fear of wounding thy feelings; yet I long to.

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