Eumenides (679-748)

You have heard what you have heard;

and as you cast your ballots, keep the oath sacred in your hearts, friends.

Hear now my ordinance, people of Attica, as you judge the first trial for bloodshed. In the future, even as now, this court of judges will always exist for the people of Aegeus.

And this Hill of Ares, the seat and camp of the Amazons, when they came with an army in resentment against Theseus, and in those days built up this new citadel with lofty towers to rival his, and sacrificed to Ares, from which this rock takes its name,

the Hill of Ares:[*] on this hill, the reverence of the citizens, and fear, its kinsman, will hold them back from doing wrong by day and night alike, so long as they themselves do not pollute the laws with evil streams; if you stain clear water

with filth, you will never find a drink. Neither anarchy nor tyranny—this I counsel my citizens to support and respect, and not to drive fear wholly out of the city. For who among mortals, if he fears nothing, is righteous?

Stand in just awe of such majesty, and you will have a defense for your land and salvation of your city, such as no man has, either among the Scythians or in Pelops’ realm. I establish this tribunal, untouched by greed,

worthy of reverence, quick to anger, awake on behalf of those who sleep, a guardian of the land. I have prolonged this advice to my citizens for the future; but now you must rise and take a ballot, and decide the case

under the sacred obligation of your oath. My word has been spoken. The judges rise from their seats and cast their ballots one by one during the following altercation.

And I counsel you not to dishonor us in any way, since our company can be a burden to your land.

And I, for my part, command you to stand in fear of the oracles, both mine and Zeus’, and not cause them to be unfulfilled.

Although it is not your office, you have respect for deeds of bloodshed. You will prophesy, dispensing prophecies that are no longer pure.

Then was my father mistaken in any way in his purposes when Ixion, who first shed blood, was a suppliant?

You do argue! But if I fail to win the case,

I will once more inflict my company on this land as a burden.

But you have no honor, among both the younger and the older gods. I will win.

You did such things also in the house of Pheres, when you persuaded the Fates to make mortals free from death.[*]

Is it not right, then, to do good for a worshipper, especially when he is in need?

It was you who destroyed the old dispensations when you beguiled the ancient goddesses with wine.

Soon, when you have lost the case,

you will spit out your venom—no great burden to your enemies. The balloting is now ended.

Since you, a youth, would ride me down, an old woman, I am waiting to hear the verdict in the case, since I have not decided whether to be angry at the city.

It is my duty to give the final judgment

and I shall cast my vote for Orestes. For there was no mother who gave me birth; and in all things, except for marriage, whole-heartedly I am for the male and entirely on the father’s side. Therefore, I will not award greater honor to the death of a woman

who killed her husband, the master of the house. Orestes wins, even if the vote comes out equal. Cast the ballots out of the urns, as quickly as possible, you jurors who have been assigned this task. The ballots are turned out and separated.

O Phoebus Apollo! How will the trial be decided?

O Night, our dark Mother, do you see this?

Now I will meet my end by hanging, or I will live.

Yes, and we will be ruined, or maintain our honors further.

Correctly count the ballots cast forth, friends, and be in awe of doing wrong in the division of the votes.