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Eumenides (275-368)

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0085.tlg007.perseus-eng2:275-368
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and he observes all things and within his mind inscribes them.
276
Orestes
Taught by misery, I know many purification rituals, and I know where it is right to speak and equally to be silent; and in this case, I have been ordered to speak by a wise teacher.
For the blood is slumbering and fading from my hand, the pollution of matricide is washed away; while it was still fresh, it was driven away at the hearth of the god Phoebus by purifying sacrifices of swine. It would be a long story to tell from the beginning,
how many people I have visited, with no harm from association with me. Time purges all things, aging with them.
So now with a pure mouth I piously invoke Athena, lady of this land, to come to my aid. Without the spear,
she will win me and my land and the Argive people as faithful and true allies for all time. But whether in some region of the Libyan land, near the waters of Triton, her native stream, she is in action or at rest,[*]
aiding those whom she loves, or whether, like a bold marshal, she is surveying the Phlegraean [*] plain, oh, let her comeas a goddess, she hears even from far awayto be my deliverer from distress!
299
Chorus
No, neither Apollo nor Athenas strength
can save you from perishing abandoned, not knowing where joy is in your hearta bloodless victim of the gods below, a shadow.
You do not answer, but scorn my words, you who are fattened and consecrated to me?
Living, you will be my feast, not slain at an altar; now you will hear this hymn, a spell to bind you.
307
Chorus
Come now, let us also join the dance, since we are resolved to display our hated song
and to declare our allotted office, how our party directs the affairs of men. We claim to be just and upright. No wrath from us will come stealthily to the one who holds out clean hands,
and he will go through life unharmed; but whoever sins, as this man has, and hides his blood-stained hands, as avengers of bloodshed we appear against him to the end, presenting ourselves as upright witnesses for the dead.
321
Chorus
O mother Night, hear me, mother who gave birth to me as a retribution for the blind and the seeing. For Letos son dishonors me
by snatching away this cowering wretch, a proper expiation for his mothers blood.
328
Chorus
This is our song over the sacrificial victimfrenzied,
maddened, destroying the mind, the Furies hymn, a spell to bind the soul, not tuned to the lyre, withering the life of mortals.
334
Chorus
For this is the office that relentless
Fate spun for us to hold securely: when rash murders of kin come upon mortals, we pursue them until they go under the earth; and after death,
they have no great freedom.
341
Chorus
This is our song over the sacrificial victimfrenzied, maddened, destroying the mind,the Furies hymn,
a spell to bind the soul, not tuned to the lyre, withering the life of mortals.
347
Chorus
This office was ordained for us at birth;
but the immortal gods must hold back their hands from us, nor does any of them share a feast in common with us; and I have neither lot nor portion of pure white ceremonial robes
354
Chorus
For I have chosen the overthrow of houses,
whenever violence raised in the home seizes someone near and dear. So speeding after this man, we weaken him, even though he is strong, because of the fresh blood.
360
Chorus
We are eager to take these cares away from another, and to establish for the gods exemption from my concerns, so that it will not come to trial;
for Zeus has considered us, a blood-dripping, hateful band, unworthy of his council.
354a
Chorus
For I have chosen the overthrow of houses,
whenever violence raised in the home seizes someone near and dear. Speeding after this man, we weaken him, even though he is strong, because of the fresh blood.
368
Chorus
And mens thoughts, very proud under the sky, waste away and dwindle in dishonor beneath the earth,
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all 1 w 16
things 1 w 22
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within 1 w 31
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them 1 w 51
Orestes 1 w 59
Taught 1 w 65
by 1 w 67
misery 1 w 73
I 1 w 75
know 1 w 79
many 1 w 83
purification 1 w 95
rituals 1 w 102
and 3 w 106
I 2 w 107
know 2 w 111
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it 3 w 118
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right 1 w 125
to 1 w 127
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in 5 w 158
this 1 w 162
case 1 w 166
I 3 w 168
have 1 w 172
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a 16 w 193
wise 1 w 197
teacher 1 w 204
For 1 w 208
the 2 w 211
blood 1 w 216
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slumbering 1 w 228
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fading 1 w 237
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my 1 w 243
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the 3 w 251
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of 1 w 262
matricide 1 w 271
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washed 1 w 279
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while 1 w 289
it 4 w 291
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fresh 1 w 304
it 5 w 307
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away 2 w 320
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the 4 w 325
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of 2 w 333
the 5 w 336
god 1 w 339
Phoebus 1 w 346
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purifying 1 w 357
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of 3 w 369
swine 1 w 374
It 1 w 377
would 1 w 382
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a 32 w 385
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story 1 w 394
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Time 1 w 479
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So 1 w 511
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s 81 w 1215
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a 110 w 1460
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Chorus 2 w 1481
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the 23 w 1505
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he 52 w 1706
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this 4 w 1753
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his 6 w 1771
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as 13 w 1792
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the 26 w 1834
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as 14 w 1859
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the 27 w 1881
dead 1 w 1885
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O 2 w 1893
mother 1 w 1899
Night 1 w 1904
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me 14 w 1911
mother 2 w 1918
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birth 1 w 1930
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me 15 w 1934
as 15 w 1936
a 147 w 1937
retribution 1 w 1948
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the 30 w 1954
blind 1 w 1959
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the 31 w 1965
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For 2 w 1975
Leto 1 w 1979
s 135 w 1981
son 2 w 1984
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me 16 w 1995
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this 5 w 2014
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a 152 w 2030
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I 9 w 3123
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away 6 w 3340
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