GCSE Greek Medea Translation

πάντων δ΄ ὅσ΄ ἔστ΄ ἔμψυχα καὶ γνώμην ἔχει γυναῖκές ἐσμεν ἀθλιώτατον φυτόν·

Of all creatures that are alive and have reason we women are the most wretched creature.

ἃς πρῶτα μὲν δεῖ χρημάτων ὑπερβολῇ πόσιν πρίασθαι δεσπότην τε σώματος λαβεῖv

First at an excessive price we must buy a husband and take a master for our body;

κακοῦ γὰρ τοῦτ΄ ἔτ΄ ἄλγιον κακόν.

For this is an evil more painful still than evil

κἀν τῷδ΄ ἀγὼν μέγιστος͵ ἢ κακὸν λαβεῖν ἢ χρηστόν. οὐ γὰρ εὐκλεεῖς ἀπαλλαγαὶ γυναιξίν οὐδ΄ οἷόν τ΄ ἀνήνασθαι πόσιν.

And in this is a very great challenge, either to take a bad or a good husband, for divorce is not acceptable for women, and it is not possible to refuse a husband in bed

ἐς καινὰ δ'ηθη και νομους ἀφιγμένην δεῖ μάντιν εἶναι͵ μὴ μαθοῦσαν οἴκοθεν͵

And when a woman has come into new customs and practices it is necessary for her to be a prophetess, if one has not learnt from home

οἵῳ μάλιστα χρήσεται ξυνευνέτῃ.

how best to treat one's husband

κἂν μὲν τάδ΄ ἡμῖν ἐκπονουμέναισιν εὖ πόσις ξυνοικῇ μὴ βίᾳ φέρων ζυγόν͵

ζηλωτὸς αἰών·

If after we have spent great efforts on these tasks our husbands live with us bearing the marriage-yoke not under compulsion, our life is enviable

εἰ δὲ μή͵ θανεῖν χρεών.

Otherwise it is necessary to die

ἀνὴρ δ΄͵ ὅταν τοῖς ἔνδον ἄχθηται ξυνών͵ ἔξω μολὼν ἔπαυσε καρδίαν ἄσης·

A man, whenever he is annoyed being with those in the house, having gone outside, he rids his heart of its annoyance.

[ἢ πρὸς φίλον τιν΄ ἢ πρὸς ἥλικα τραπείς]·

[turning either to some male friend or peer].

ἡμῖν δ΄ ἀνάγκη πρὸς μίαν ψυχὴν βλέπειν.

But we must look on one person.

λέγουσι δ΄ ἡμᾶς ὡς ἀκίνδυνον βίον ζῶμεν κατ΄ οἴκους͵ οἳ δὲ μάρνανται δορί· κακῶς φρονοῦντες·

Men say that we live a life free from danger at home while they fight with the spear. but they think wrongly

ὡς τρὶς ἂν παρ΄ ἀσπίδα στῆναι θέλοιμ΄ ἂν μᾶλλον ἢ τεκεῖν ἅπαξ.

I would rather wish to stand three times with a shield in battle than give birth once.

ἀλλ΄ οὐ γὰρ αὑτὸς πρὸς σὲ κἄμ΄ ἥκει λόγος·

But the same argument does not apply to you and me:

σοὶ μὲν πόλις θ΄ ἥδ΄ ἐστὶ καὶ πατρὸς δόμοι βίου τ΄ ὄνησις καὶ φίλων συνουσία͵

you have a city and a father's house, the enjoyment of life and the company of friends,

ἐγὼ δ΄ ἔρημος ἄπολις οὖσ΄ ὑβρίζομαι πρὸς ἀνδρός͵

while I, deserted and without a city, am suffering outrage from my husband.

ἐκ γῆς βαρβάρου λελῃσμένη͵ οὐ μητέρ΄͵ οὐκ ἀδελφόν͵ οὐχὶ συγγενῆ μεθορμίσασθαι τῆσδ΄ ἔχουσα συμφορᾶς.

I was carried off as booty from a foreign land and have no mother, no brother, no kinsman to find a refuge with from this disaster.

τοσοῦτον οὖν σου τυγχάνειν βουλήσομαι͵

And so I shall wish to obtain this much from you.

ἤν μοι πόρος τις μηχανή τ΄ ἐξευρεθῇ πόσιν δίκην τῶνδ΄ ἀντιτείσασθαι κακῶν͵

if I find any means or device to extract justice from my husband for these wrongs.

[τὸν δόντα τ΄ αὐτῷ θυγατέρ΄ ἥν τ΄ ἐγήματο] σιγᾶν.

[and the one who gave his daughter to him and the woman he married], keep my secret

γυνὴ γὰρ τἄλλα μὲν φόβου πλέα κακή τ΄ ἐς ἀλκὴν καὶ σίδηρον εἰσορᾶν·

In all other things a woman is full of fear cowardly at looking on battle or steel.

ὅταν δ΄ ἐς εὐνὴν ἠδικημένη κυρῇ͵ οὐκ ἔστιν ἄλλη φρὴν μιαιφονωτέρα.

but when she is injured in love, there is no other mind more murderous than hers.

δράσω τάδ᾽: ἐνδίκως γὰρ ἐκτείσῃ πόσιν, Μήδεια. πενθεῖν δ᾽ οὔ σε θαυμάζω τύχας.

I will do these things. For you will rightly punish your husband, Medea, and I am not surprised that you grieve at your misfortune.

ὁρῶ δὲ καὶ Κρέοντα, τῆσδ᾽ ἄνακτα γῆς, στείχοντα, καινῶν ἄγγελον βουλευμάτων.

But I see Creon coming, ruler of this land, messenger of new plans.

σὲ τὴν σκυθρωπὸν καὶ πόσει θυμουμένην,Μήδει᾽, ἀνεῖπον τῆσδε γῆς ἔξω περᾶνφυγάδα, λαβοῦσαν δισσὰ σὺν σαυτῇ τέκνα,καὶ μή τι μέλλειν:

You Medea, grim-faced and angry with your husband, I proclaim that you are to leave this land as an exile, having taken your two children with you and not to delay at all:

ὡς ἐγὼ βραβεὺς λόγου τοῦδ᾽ εἰμί, κοὐκ ἄπειμι πρὸς δόμους πάλινπρὶν ἄν σε γαίας τερμόνων ἔξω βάλω.

For I am the judge of this decree, and I will not return to the palace again, until I throw you out of the boundaries of this land.

αἰαῖ: πανώλης ἡ τάλαιν᾽ ἀπόλλυμαι. ἐχθροὶ γὰρ ἐξιᾶσι πάντα δὴ κάλων, κοὐκ ἔστιν ἄτης εὐπρόσοιστος ἔκβασις.

Oh, unhappy woman, I am utterly destroyed! My enemies are letting out each and every one of their ropes, and there is no haven from destruction that is easy to approach.

ἐρήσομαι δὲ καὶ κακῶς πάσχουσ᾽ ὅμως:τίνος μ᾽ ἕκατι γῆς ἀποστέλλεις, Κρέον;

Still, although suffering badly, I will ask you: For what reason are you sending me from this land Creon?

δέδοικά σ᾽ （οὐδὲν δεῖ παραμπίσχειν λόγους）μή μοί τι δράσῃς παῖδ᾽ ἀνήκεστον κακόν.

I am afraid (there is no need to cloak my words) that you will do some irreparable evil to my daughter.

συμβάλλεται δὲ πολλὰ τοῦδε δείγματα:σοφὴ πέφυκας καὶ κακῶν πολλῶν ἴδρις,λυπῇ δὲ λέκτρων ἀνδρὸς ἐστερημένη.

Many indications of this combine: you are clever and skilled in many evils, and you are hurt, deprived of your husband's bed.

κλύω δ᾽ ἀπειλεῖν σ᾽, ὡς ἀπαγγέλλουσί μοι,τὸν δόντα καὶ γήμαντα καὶ γαμουμένην δράσειν τι. ταῦτ᾽ οὖν πρὶν παθεῖν φυλάξομαι.

And I hear that you are threatening -as they tell me- to do something to the father (of the bride), the husband, and the bride. So I shall guard myself against these things before suffering them.

κρεῖσσον δέ μοι νῦν πρός σ᾽ ἀπεχθέσθαι, γύναι,ἢ μαλθακισθένθ᾽ ὕστερον μεταστένειν.

It is better for me to be hated by you now, woman, than, having been soft now to regret it later.

[δύστανε γύναι͵] φεῦ φεῦ͵ μελέα τῶν σῶν ἀχέων.

Unhappy woman, alas, alas, unhappy because of your misfortunes,

ποῖ ποτε τρέψῃ; τίνα πρὸς ξενίαν; ἦ δόμον ἢ χθόνα σωτῆρα κακῶν ἐξευρήσεις;

to where will you turn? To what place of refuge? or what house or land, as a savior from troubles, will you find?

ὡς εἰς ἄπορόν σε κλύδωνα θεός͵Μήδεια͵ κακῶν ἐπόρευσε.

Medea, a god has cast you into an impassable sea of troubles.

κακῶς πέπρακται πανταχῇ: τίς ἀντερεῖ; ἀλλ΄ οὔτι ταύτῃ ταῦτα͵ μὴ δοκεῖτέ πω.

It has turned out badly in every way: who will deny it?

But these things are not as they seem—never think it—

ἔτ΄ εἴσ΄ ἀγῶνες τοῖς νεωστὶ νυμφίοις καὶ τοῖσι κηδεύσασιν οὐ σμικροὶ πόνοι.

There are still struggles for the newly-wedded couple

and for the maker of the match difficulties that are not small.

δοκεῖς γὰρ ἄν με τόνδε θωπεῦσαί ποτε͵εἰ μή τι κερδαίνουσαν ἢ τεχνωμένην;

Do you think I would ever have flattered this man unless I stood to gain something, unless I were plotting?

οὐδ΄ ἂν προσεῖπον οὐδ΄ ἂν ἡψάμην χεροῖν.

I would not even have spoken to him or touched him with my hands.

ὃ δ΄ ἐς τοσοῦτον μωρίας ἀφίκετο͵ὥστ΄ ἐξὸν αὐτῷ τἄμ΄ ἑλεῖν βουλεύματα γῆς ἐκβαλόντι͵ τήνδ΄ ἐφῆκεν ἡμέραν

But he has reached such a point of foolishness that, while it was possible for him to destroy my plans ,having thrown me out of the land, he has permitted me to stay for this day,

μεῖναί μ΄͵ ἐν ᾗ τρεῖς τῶν ἐμῶν ἐχθρῶν νεκροὺς θήσω͵ πατέρα τε καὶ κόρην πόσιν τ΄ ἐμόν.

on which I shall make three corpses of my enemies, the father, his daughter, and my husband.

πολλὰς δ΄ ἔχουσα θανασίμους αὐτοῖς ὁδούς͵ οὐκ οἶδ΄ ὁποίᾳ πρῶτον ἐγχειρῶ͵ φίλαι·

And since I possess many deadly methods for them, I do not know which I should try first, my friends.

πότερον ὑφάψω δῶμα νυμφικὸν πυρί͵ ἢ θηκτὸν ὤσω φάσγανον δι΄ ἥπατος͵

σιγῇ δόμους ἐσβᾶσ΄͵ ἵν΄ ἔστρωται λέχος.

Whether I shall set alight bridal chamber with fire or thrust a sharp sword through the liver, having entered the house in silence, where the marriage-bed has been made?

ἀλλ΄ ἕν τί μοι πρόσαντες· εἰ ληφθήσομαι δόμους ὑπερβαίνουσα καὶ τεχνωμένη͵ θανοῦσα θήσω τοῖς ἐμοῖς ἐχθροῖς γέλων.

There is, however, one thing that is troublesome for me: if I am caught entering the house and plotting, in dying I will provide laughter to my enemies.

κράτιστα τὴν εὐθεῖαν, ᾗ πεφύκαμεν σοφοὶ μάλιστα, φαρμάκοις αὐτοὺς ἑλεῖν. εἶἑν:

It is best to take the direct route, and kill them with poison, in which I am the most skilled. So be it!

καὶ δὴ τεθνᾶσι: τίς με δέξεται πόλις;τίς γῆν ἄσυλον καὶ δόμους ἐχεγγύους ξένος παρασχὼν ῥύσεται τοὐμὸν δέμας;

Now let us assume they have been killed. What city will receive me? What host, providing me with a safe country and a secure house, will protect my person?

οὐκ ἔστι. μείνασ᾽ οὖν ἔτι σμικρὸν χρόνον, ἢν μέν τις ἡμῖν πύργος ἀσφαλὴς φανῇ,

There is no one. And so I shall wait a short time yet, and if some tower of safety appears for me,

δόλῳ μέτειμι τόνδε καὶ σιγῇ φόνον:ἢν δ᾽ ἐξελαύνῃ ξυμφορά μ᾽ ἀμήχανος,

I shall go about this murder with cunning and in silence. But if impossible disaster forces me into the open,

αὐτὴ ξίφος λαβοῦσα, κεἰ μέλλω θανεῖν,κτενῶ σφε, τόλμης δ᾽ εἶμι πρὸς τὸ καρτερόν.

I myself shall take the sword and, even if I am likely to die for it, will kill them, and go to the violent path of daring.

οὐ γὰρ μὰ τὴν δέσποιναν ἣν ἐγὼ σέβωμάλιστα πάντων καὶ ξυνεργὸν εἱλόμην,

No, by the goddess whom I worship most of all and I have chosen as accomplice,

Ἑκάτην, μυχοῖς ναίουσαν ἑστίας ἐμῆς,χαίρων τις αὐτῶν τοὐμὸν ἀλγυνεῖ κέαρ.

Hecate, who dwells in the inner chamber of my house, none of them shall pain my heart and get away with it!

πικροὺς δ᾽ ἐγώ σφιν καὶ λυγροὺς θήσω γάμους, πικρὸν δὲ κῆδος καὶ φυγὰς ἐμὰς χθονός.

Bitter and dire will I make their wedding, bitter the marriage-alliance, and bitter my exile from the land!

ἀλλ᾽ εἶα φείδου μηδὲν ὧν ἐπίστασαι,Μήδεια, βουλεύουσα καὶ τεχνωμένη:

But come, spare nothing of what you know, Medea, as you plot and contrive!

ἕρπ᾽ ἐς τὸ δεινόν: νῦν ἀγὼν εὐψυχίας.ὁρᾷς ἃ πάσχεις; οὐ γέλωτα δεῖ σ᾽ ὀφλεῖν

Onwards to the terrible deed! Now it is a contest of courage. You see what you suffer. You must not suffer laughter

τοῖς Σισυφείοις τοῖσδ᾽ Ἰάσονος γάμοις,γεγῶσαν ἐσθλοῦ πατρὸς Ἡλίου τ᾽ ἄπο.

from this Sisyphean marriage of Jason, you who are sprung from a noble father and the Sun.

ἐπίστασαι δέ: πρὸς δὲ καὶ πεφύκαμεν γυναῖκες, ἐς μὲν ἔσθλ᾽ ἀμηχανώταται,κακῶν δὲ πάντων τέκτονες σοφώταται.

But you know how. And furthermore we are women, most useless for noble acts, but the cleverest architects of all evils.