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Aeschylus · Libation Bearers Χοηφόροι

Aeschylus, Libation Bearers 931–972: Third stasimon: Justice has come to the house

Ancient Sources / Aeschylus / Libation Bearers / 931–972

The Chorus sing that Justice has come at last to the house of Priam and to the house of Agamemnon, and that the exile who was urged on by the gods has finished his work. They sing that the light has come, and that the house is free from the long curse and the work of its enemies.

Lines 931–972 · 321 words · click a number to copy its link

Chorus

931–934
931στένω μὲν οὖν καὶ τῶνδε συμφορὰν διπλῆν. ἐπεὶ δὲ πολλῶν αἱμάτων ἐπήκρισε τλήμων Ὀρέστης, τοῦθʼ ὅμως αἱρούμεθα, ὀφθαλμὸν οἴκων μὴ πανώλεθρον πεσεῖν.

Truly I grieve even for these in their twofold downfall. Yet since long-suffering Orestes has reached the peak of many deeds of blood, we would rather have it so, that the eye of the house should not be utterly lost.

Chorus

935–941
935ἔμολε μὲν δίκα Πριαμίδαις χρόνῳ, βαρύδικος ποινά· ἔμολε δʼ ἐς δόμον τὸν Ἀγαμέμνονος διπλοῦς λέων, διπλοῦς Ἄρης. ἔλασε δʼ ἐς τὸ πᾶν 940ὁ πυθόχρηστος φυγὰς θεόθεν εὖ φραδαῖσιν ὡρμημένος.

As to Priam and his sons justice came at last in crushing retribution, so to Agamemnon’s house came a twofold lion, twofold slaughter. The exile, the suppliant of Pytho, has fulfilled his course to the utmost, justly urged on by counsels from the gods.

Chorus

942–945
942ἐπολολύξατʼ ὦ δεσποσύνων δόμων ἀναφυγᾶς κακῶν καὶ κτεάνων τριβᾶς ὑπαὶ δυοῖν μιαστόροιν, 945δυσοίμου τύχας.

Oh raise a shout of triumph over the escape of our master’s house from its misery and the wasting of its wealth by two who were unclean, its grievous fortune!

Chorus

946–951
946ἔμολε δʼ ᾧ μέλει κρυπταδίου μάχας δολιόφρων ποινά· ἔθιγε δʼ ἐν μάχᾳ χερὸς ἐτήτυμος Διὸς κόρα—Δίκαν δέ νιν 950προσαγορεύομεν βροτοὶ τυχόντες καλῶς— ὀλέθριον πνέουσʼ ἐν ἐχθροῖς κότον.

And he has come whose part is the crafty vengeance of stealthy attack, and in the battle his hand was guided by her who is in very truth daughter of Zeus, breathing murderous wrath on her foes. We mortals aim true to the mark when we call her Justice.

Chorus

953–960
953τά περ ὁ Λοξίας ὁ Παρνασσίας μέγαν ἔχων μυχὸν χθονὸς ἐπωρθία- 955ξεν ἀδόλως δόλοις βλάβαν ἐγχρονισθεῖσαν ἐποίχεται. κρατεῖταί πως τὸ θεῖον παρὰ τὸ μὴ ὑπουργεῖν κακοῖς. 960ἄξια δʼ οὐρανοῦχον ἀρχὰν σέβειν.

The commands proclaimed loudly by Loxias, tenant of the mighty cavern shrine of Parnassus, assail with guileless guile the mischief now become inveterate. May the divine word prevail that so I may not serve the wicked! It is right to revere the rule of heaven.

Chorus

961–971
961πάρα τε φῶς ἰδεῖν μέγα τʼ ἀφῃρέθην ψάλιον οἰκέων. ἄναγε μὰν δόμοι· πολὺν ἄγαν χρόνον χαμαιπετεῖς ἔκεισθʼ ἀεί. 965τάχα δὲ παντελὴς χρόνος ἀμείψεται πρόθυρα δωμάτων, ὅταν ἀφʼ ἑστίας πᾶν ἐλαθῇ μύσος καθαρμοῖσιν ἀτᾶν ἐλατηρίοις. τύχαι δʼ εὐπροσωποκοῖται τὸ πᾶν 970ἰδεῖν πρευμενεῖς μετοίκοις δόμων πεσοῦνται πάλιν.

Look, the light has come, and I am freed from the cruel curb that restrained our household. House, rise up! You have lain too long prostrate on the ground. But soon time that accomplishes all will pass the portals of our house, and then all pollution will be expelled from the hearth by cleansing rites that drive out calamity. The dice of fortune will turn as they fall and lie with faces all lovely to behold, favorably disposed to whoever stays in our house.

Chorus

972–972
972πάρα τε φῶς ἰδεῖν μέγα τʼ ἀφῃρέθην ψάλιον οἰκέων. ἄναγε μὰν δόμοι· πολὺν ἄγαν χρόνον χαμαιπετεῖς ἔκεισθʼ ἀεί.

Look, the light has come, and I am freed from the cruel curb that restrained our household. House, rise up! You have lain too long prostrate on the ground.

People and places in this passage

Passages in other works that tell of the same people and places, oldest and closest first.

  1. Epic Cycle, Summaries and Fragments 7.1–26Little Iliad
  2. Quintus Smyrnaeus, The Fall of Troy (Posthomerica) 14.1–120The spoil of Troy
  3. Quintus Smyrnaeus, The Fall of Troy (Posthomerica) 9.75–209The battle before the walls
  4. Pausanias, Description of Greece 10.25.1–11Delphi: the Cnidian Lesche and Polygnotus' painting of Troy after its capture (1)
  5. Homer, Odyssey 3.102–200Nestor tells of the Achaeans' return
  6. Homer, Iliad 11.163–283Iris to Hector; Agamemnon is wounded

English translation by Herbert Weir Smyth (modernised by Perseus) (1926). Original text: Greek text: Herbert Weir Smyth (ed. and trans.), Aeschylus, Loeb Classical Library, London: William Heinemann, 1926, as digitised by Perseus. English: Herbert Weir Smyth, Aeschylus, Loeb Classical Library, London: William Heinemann, 1926 (Perseus's modernised version of Smyth's prose translation).

Greek text and translation from the Perseus Digital Library, Tufts University, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Perseus Digital Library); translation public domain. Introductions, summaries and notes © GreekMythology.com.