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Euripides · c. 480-406 BC

Ion

Ἴων
Ancient Sources / Euripides / Ion

Read our guide to Ion

Ion was probably staged in the years around 413 BC. At Apollo's temple at Delphi a young temple servant, Ion, is unknowingly the child of the god and of the Athenian princess Creusa, who bore him in secret and exposed him. When Creusa and her husband Xuthus come to consult the oracle, a series of mistaken identities leads to a plot of poison, an attempted killing and a recognition. The sections follow the play's own units (prologue, parodos, episodes, choral songs and exodos) and keep the standard line numbers of the Greek text.

Read from the start
Text
Greek original with English translation, 29 passages, about 15400 words in English.
Translator
Edward P. Coleridge (1891)
Edition
Greek text: Gilbert Murray (ed.), Euripidis Fabulae, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913, as digitised by Perseus. English: Edward P. Coleridge, The Plays of Euripides, London: George Bell and Sons, first published 1891 (Bohn's Classical Library; the Perseus header records a later printing)
Cite as
Euripides, Ion 1 (by line number)

Contents · 29 passages

  1. 1–81Prologue: Hermes at Delphi tells of Apollo, Creusa and the hidden child823 words
  2. 82–183Ion sweeps the temple at dawn and drives off the birds630 words
  3. 184–225Parodos: the Chorus admires the temple sculptures339 words
  4. 226–254Ion questions the handmaids and meets Creusa267 words
  5. 255–310First episode: Creusa tells Ion of Athens and her ancestry620 words
  6. 311–336First episode: Ion tells of his upbringing in the temple314 words
  7. 337–368First episode: Creusa asks the oracle's question for 'a friend'379 words
  8. 369–400First episode: Ion refuses to question Apollo; Xuthus arrives310 words
  9. 401–428First episode: Xuthus returns from the oracle of Trophonius265 words
  10. 429–508Ion rebukes Apollo; first choral song on children553 words
  11. 510–584Second episode: Xuthus greets Ion as his son1023 words
  12. 585–667Second episode: Ion's doubts about going to Athens831 words
  13. 668–724Second episode: Ion agrees to go; the Chorus fears the oracle388 words
  14. 725–807Third episode: Creusa and the Old Servant learn that Xuthus has a son799 words
  15. 808–858Third episode: the Old Servant accuses Xuthus and urges murder518 words
  16. 859–933Third episode: Creusa breaks her silence and accuses Apollo575 words
  17. 934–986Third episode: Creusa tells the story of the exposed child610 words
  18. 987–1047Third episode: Creusa plans to poison Ion with Gorgon's blood648 words
  19. 1048–1105Second choral song: prayer to Hecate for the poison's success335 words
  20. 1106–1164Fourth episode: a servant describes Ion's feast tent563 words
  21. 1165–1228Messenger speech: the poisoned cup and the doves611 words
  22. 1229–1260Fifth episode: the Chorus and Creusa flee to the altar309 words
  23. 1261–1311Fifth episode: Ion confronts Creusa at the altar549 words
  24. 1312–1354Fifth episode: Ion denounces the altar's sanctuary; the Priestess shows the ark497 words
  25. 1355–1394Exodos: the Priestess gives Ion the ark and its tokens414 words
  26. 1395–1438Exodos: Creusa and Ion recognize each other470 words
  27. 1439–1511Exodos: mother and son; Creusa reveals Apollo as father628 words
  28. 1512–1552Exodos: Ion doubts that Apollo is his father416 words
  29. 1553–1622Exodos: Athena appears and foretells the Ionians734 words

More by Euripides

English translation by Edward P. Coleridge (1891). Original text: Greek text: Gilbert Murray (ed.), Euripidis Fabulae, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913, as digitised by Perseus. English: Edward P. Coleridge, The Plays of Euripides, London: George Bell and Sons, first published 1891 (Bohn's Classical Library; the Perseus header records a later printing).

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.