Fifth Stasimon
(1251-1292)Oh, Earth and all-shining
ray of the sun, look down, look down on the
accursed woman before
she lays on her children her murderous, kin-killing hand.
For from your golden seed they are sprung, 1255
and there is terror when the blood of a god is shed
by the hands of men.
But, oh, Zeus-born light, prevent her,
stop her, drive from the house
the wretched Erinys made murderous by the spirits of vengeance. 1260
In vain is the toil over the children gone;
in vain did you bear the dear offspring, oh
you who left the most inhospitable entrance
of the dark blue Clashing Rocks?
Wretched one, why does heavy anger 1265
of the heart and hateful murder fall on you?
Hard for mortals to expiate the taint of kindred bloodshed
upon the earth. Grief comes in tune
from the gods, falling upon the murderers’ houses. 1270
Do you hear the cry? Do you hear the children?
Oh miserable, ill-fated woman!
Child 1
Ah me, what will I do? Where will I run from mother’s hand?
Child 2
I do not know, dear brother; we are lost.
Chorus
Should I go into the house? I think I should stop 1275
the murder of the children.
Child 1
Yes, by the gods, help us. We need you.
Child 2
How near we are to being trapped under the sword.
Chorus
Unhappy one, how you are made of rock or iron
who will kill the children, 1280
whom you birthed, with death by your own hand.
I have heard of one woman before this
who laid her hand on her dear children:
Ino, maddened by the gods, when the wife of Zeus
sent her wandering from her home.
She falls, unhappy one, into the sea, for the 1285
impious death of the children,
stretching her foot over the seashore
and dying with her two children she is lost.
What could be still more awful? Oh
marriage bed of women 1290
full of pain, how many things you have done to mortals,
all of them bad!