420　BC
  HIPPOLYTUS
  by　Euripides
  translated　by　E。　P。　Coleridge
  CHARACTERS　IN　THE　PLAY
  APHRODITE
  HIPPOLYTUS；　bastard　son　of　THESEUS
  ATTENDANTS　OF　HIPPOLYTUS
  CHORUS　OF　TROEZENIAN　WOMEN
  NURSE　OF　PHAEDRA
  PHAEDRA；　wife　of　THESEUS
  THESEUS
  MESSENGER
  ARTEMIS
  HIPPOLYTUS
  HIPPOLYTUS
  （SCENE：…Before　the　royal　palace　at　Troezen。　There　is　a　statue　of
  APHRODITE　on　one　side；　on　the　other；　a　statue　of　ARTEMIS。　There　is
  an　altar　before　each　image。　The　goddess　APHRODITE　appears　alone。）
  APHRODITE
  WIDE　o'er　man　my　realm　extends；　and　proud　the　name　that　I；　the
  goddess　Cypris；　bear；　both　in　heaven's　courts　and　'mongst　all　those
  who　dwell　within　the　limits　of　the　sea　and　the　bounds　of　Atlas；
  beholding　the　sun…god's　light；　those　that　respect　my　power　I　advance
  to　honour；　but　bring　to　ruin　all　who　vaunt　themselves　at　me。　For
  even　in　the　race　of　gods　this　feeling　finds　a　home；　even　pleasure　at
  the　honour　men　pay　them。　And　the　truth　of　this　I　soon　will　show；　for
  that　son　of　Theseus；　born　of　the　Amazon；　Hippolytus；　whom　holy
  Pittheus　taught；　alone　of　all　the　dwellers　in　this　land　of　Troezen；
  calls　me　vilest　of　the　deities。　Love　he　scorns；　and；　as　for
  marriage；　will　none　of　it；　but　Artemis；　daughter　of　Zeus；　sister　of
  Phoebus；　he　doth　honour；　counting　her　the　chief　of　goddesses；　and　ever
  through　the　greenwood；　attendant　on　his　virgin　goddess；　he　clears
  the　earth　of　wild　beasts　with　his　fleet　hounds；　enjoying　the
  comradeship　of　one　too　high　for　mortal　ken。　'Tis　not　this　I　grudge
  him；　no！　why　should　I？　But　for　his　sins　against　me；　I　will　this　very
  day　take　vengeance　on　Hippolytus；　for　long　ago　I　cleared　the　ground　of
  many　obstacles；　so　it　needs　but　trifling　toil。　For　as　he　came　one
  day　from　the　home　of　Pittheus　to　witness　the　solemn　mystic　rites　and
  be　initiated　therein　in　Pandion's　land；　Phaedra；　his　father's　noble
  wife；　caught　sight　of　him；　and　by　my　designs　she　found　her　heart　was
  seized　with　wild　desire。　And　ere　she　came　to　this　Troezenian　realm；
  a　temple　did　she　rear　to　Cypris　hard　by　the　rock　of　Pallas　where　it
  o'erlooks　this　country；　for　love　of　the　youth　in　another　land；　and
  to　win　his　love　in　days　to　come　she　called　after　his　name　the　temple
  she　had　founded　for　the　goddess。　Now；　when　Theseus　left　the　land　of
  Cecrops；　flying　the　pollution　of　the　blood　of　Pallas'　sons；　and　with
  his　wife　sailed　to　this　shore；　content　to　suffer　exile　for　a　year；
  then　began　the　wretched　wife　to　pine　away　in　silence；　moaning　'neath
  love's　cruel　scourge；　and　none　of　her　servants　knows　what　disease
  afflicts　her。　But　this　passion　of　hers　must　not　fail　thus。　No；　I
  will　discover　the　matter　to　Theseus；　and　all　shall　be　laid　bare。
  Then　will　the　father　slay　his　child；　my　bitter　foe；　by　curses；　for　the
  lord　Poseidon　granted　this　boon　to　Theseus；　three　wishes　of　the　god　to
  ask；　nor　ever　ask　in　vain。　So　Phaedra　is　to　die；　an　honoured　death
  'tis　true；　but　still　to　die；　for　I　will　not　let　her　suffering　outweigh
  the　payment　of　such　forfeit　by　my　foes　as　shall　satisfy　my　honour。　But
  lo！　I　see　the　son　of　Theseus　coming　hither…Hippolytus；　fresh　from
  the　labours　of　the　chase。　I　will　get　me　hence。　At　his　back　follows　a
  long　train　of　retainers；　in　joyous　cries　of　revelry　uniting　and
  hymns　of　praise　to　Artemis；　his　goddess；　for　little　he　recks　that
  Death　hath　oped　his　gates　for　him；　and　that　this　is　his　last　look　upon
  the　light。
  （APHRODITE　vanishes。　HIPPOLYTUS　and　his　retinue　of　hunting
  ATTENDANTS　enter；　singing。　They　move　to　worship　at　the
  altar　of　ARTEMIS。）
  HIPPOLYTUS
  Come　follow；　friends；　singing　to　Artemis；　daughter　of　Zeus；
  throned　in　the　sky；　whose　votaries　we　are。
  ATTENDANTS
  Lady　goddess；　awful　queen；　daughter　of　Zeus；　all　hail！　hail！　of
  Latona　and　of　Zeus；　peerless　mid　the　virgin　choir；　who　hast　thy
  dwelling　in　heaven's　wide　mansions　at　thy　noble　father's　court；　in　the
  golden　house　of　Zeus。　All　hail！　most　beauteous　Artemis；　lovelier　far
  than　all　the　daughters　of　Olympus！
  HIPPOLYTUS　（speaking）
  For　thee；　O　mistress　mine；　I　bring　this　woven　wreath；　culled
  from　a　virgin　meadow；　where　nor　shepherd　dares　to　herd　his　flock　nor
  ever　scythe　hath　mown；　but　o'er　the　mead　unshorn　the　bee　doth　wing　its
  way　in　spring；　and　with　the　dew　from　rivers　drawn　purity　that　garden
  tends。　Such　as　know　no　cunning　lore；　yet　in　whose　nature　self…control；
  made　perfect；　hath　a　home；　these　may　pluck　the　flowers；　but　not　the
  wicked　world。　Accept；　I　pray；　dear　mistress；　mine　this　chaplet　from　my
  holy　hand　to　crown　thy　locks　of　gold；　for　I；　and　none　other　of
  mortals；　have　this　high　guerdon；　to　be　with　thee；　with　thee
  converse；　hearing　thy　voice；　though　not　thy　face　beholding。　So　be　it
  mine　to　end　my　life　as　I　began。
  LEADER　OF　THE　ATTENDANTS
  My　prince！　we　needs　must　call　upon　the　gods；　our　lords；　so　wilt
  thou　listen　to　a　friendly　word　from　me？
  HIPPOLYTUS
  Why；　that　will　I！　else　were　I　proved　a　fool。
  LEADER
  Dost　know；　then；　the　way　of　the　world？
  HIPPOLYTUS
  Not　I；　but　wherefore　such　a　question？
  LEADER
  It　hates　reserve　which　careth　not　for　all　men's　love。
  HIPPOLYTUS
  And　rightly　too；　reserve　in　man　is　ever　galling。
  LEADER
  But　there's　a　charm　in　courtesy？
  HIPPOLYTUS
  The　greatest　surely；　aye；　and　profit；　too；　at　trifling　cost。
  LEADER
  Dost　think　the　same　law　holds　in　heaven　as　well？
  HIPPOLYTUS
  I　trow　it　doth；　since　all　our　laws　we　men　from　heaven　draw。
  LEADER
  Why；　then；　dost　thou　neglect　to　greet　an　august　goddess？
  HIPPOLYTUS
  Whom　speak'st　thou　of？　Keep　watch　upon　thy　tongue　lest　it　same
  mischief　cause。
  LEADER
  Cypris　I　mean；　whose　image　is　stationed　o'er　thy　gate。
  HIPPOLYTUS
  I　greet　her　from　afar；　preserving　still　my　chastity。
  LEADER
  Yet　is　she　an　august　goddess；　far　renowned　on　earth。
  HIPPOLYTUS
  'Mongst　gods　as　well　as　men　we　have　our　several　preferences。
  LEADER
  I　wish　thee　luck；　and　wisdom　too；　so　far　as　thou　dost　need　it。
  HIPPOLYTUS
  No　god；　whose　worship　craves　the　night；　hath　charms　for　me。
  LEADER
  My　son；　we　should　avail　us　of　the　gifts　that　gods　confer。
  HIPPOLYTUS
  Go　in；　my　faithful　followers；　and　make　ready　food　within　the
  house；　a　well…filled　board　hath　charms　after　the　chase　is　o'er。　Rub
  down　my　steeds　ye　must；　that　when　I　have　had　my　fill　I　may　yoke　them
  to　the　chariot　and　give　them　proper　exercise。　As　for　thy　Queen　of
  Love；　a　long　farewell　to　her。
  （HIPPOLYTUS　goes　into　the　palace；　followed　by　all　the　ATTENDANTS
  except　the　LEADER；　who　prays　before　the　statue　of　APHRODITE。）
  LEADER
  Meantime　I　with　sober　mind；　for　I　must　not　copy　my　young　master；
  do　offer　up　my　prayer　to　thy　image；　lady　Cypris；　in　such　words　as　it
  becomes　a　slave　to　use。　But　thou　should'st　pardon　all；　who；　in　youth's
  impetuous　heat；　speak　idle　words　of　thee；　make　as　though　thou
  hearest　not；　for　gods　must　needs　be　wiser　than　the　sons　of　men。
  （The　LEADER　goes　into　the　palace。　The　CHORUS　OF
  TROEZENIAN　WOMEN　enters。）
  CHORUS　（singing）
  strophe　1
  A　rock　there　is；　where；　as　they　say；　the　ocean　dew　distils；　and
  from　its　beetling　brow　it　pours　a　copious　stream　for　pitchers　to　be
  dipped　therein；　'twas　here　I　had　a　friend　washing　robes　of　purple　in
  the　trickling　stream；　and　she　was　spreading　them　out　on　the　face　of
  warm　sunny　rock；　from　her　I　had　the　tidings；　first　of　all；　that　my
  mistress…
  antistrophe　1
  Was　wasting　on　the　bed　of　sickness；　pent　within　her　house；　a
  thin　veil　o'ershadowing　her　head　of　golden　hair。　And　this　is　the　third
  day　I　hear　that　she　hath　closed　her　lovely　lips　and　denied　her
  chaste　body　all　sustenance；　eager　to　hide　her　suffering　and　reach
  death's　cheerless　bourn。
  strophe　2
  Maiden；　thou　must　be　possessed；　by　Pan　made　frantic　or　by
  Hecate；　or　by　the　Corybantes　dread；　and　Cybele　the　mountain　mother。　Or
  maybe　thou　hast　sinned　against　Dictynna；　huntress…queen；　and　art
  wasting　for　thy　guilt　in　sacrifice　unoffered。　For　she　doth　range
  o'er　lakes'　expanse　and　past　the　bounds　of　earth　upon　the　ocean's
  tossing　billows。
  antistrophe　2
  Or　doth　some　rival　in　thy　house　beguile　thy　lord；　the　captain　of
  Erechtheus'　sons；　that　hero　nobly　born；　to　secret　amours　hid　from
  thee？　Or　hath　some　mariner　sailing　hither　from　Crete　reached　this　port
  that　sailors　love；　with　evil　tidings　for　our　queen；　and　she　with
  sorrow　for　her　grievous　fate　is　to　her　bed　confined？