420 BC

HIPPOLYTUS
by Euripides

translated by E. P. Coleridge
CHARACTERS IN THE PLAY

APHRODITE
HIPPOLYTUS, bastard son of THESEUS

ATTENDANTS OF HIPPOLYTUS
CHORUS OF TROEZENIAN WOMEN

NURSE OF PHAEDRA
PHAEDRA, wife of THESEUS

THESEUS
MESSENGER

ARTEMIS
HIPPOLYTUS

HIPPOLYTUS
(SCENE:-Before the royal palace at Troezen. There is a statue of

APHRODITE on one side; on the other, a statue of ARTEMIS. There is
an altar before each image. The goddess APHRODITE appears alone.)

APHRODITE
WIDE o'er man my realm extends, and proud the name that I, the

goddess Cypris, bear, both in heaven's courts and 'mongst all those
who dwell within the limits of the sea and the bounds of Atlas,

beholding the sun-god's light; those that respect my power I advance
to honour, but bring to ruin all who vaunt themselves at me. For

even in the race of gods this feeling finds a home, even pleasure at
the honour men pay them. And the truth of this I soon will show; for

that son of Theseus, born of the Amazon, Hippolytus, whom holy
Pittheus taught, alone of all the dwellers in this land of Troezen,

calls me vilest of the deities. Love he scorns, and, as for
marriage, will none of it; but Artemis, daughter of Zeus, sister of

Phoebus, he doth honour, counting her the chief of goddesses, and ever
through the greenwood, attendant on his virgingoddess, he clears

the earth of wild beasts with his fleet hounds, enjoying the
comradeship of one too high for mortal ken. 'Tis not this I grudge

him, no! why should I? But for his sins against me, I will this very
day take vengeance on Hippolytus; for long ago I cleared the ground of

many obstacles, so it needs but trifling toil. For as he came one
day from the home of Pittheus to witness the solemnmystic rites and

be initiated therein in Pandion's land, Phaedra, his father's noble
wife, caught sight of him, and by my designs she found her heart was

seized with wild desire. And ere she came to this Troezenian realm,
a temple did she rear to Cypris hard by the rock of Pallas where it

o'erlooks this country, for love of the youth in another land; and
to win his love in days to come she called after his name the temple

she had founded for the goddess. Now, when Theseus left the land of
Cecrops, flying the pollution of the blood of Pallas' sons, and with

his wife sailed to this shore, content to suffer exile for a year,
then began the wretched wife to pine away in silence, moaning 'neath

love's cruel scourge, and none of her servants knows what disease
afflicts her. But this passion of hers must not fail thus. No, I

will discover the matter to Theseus, and all shall be laid bare.
Then will the father slay his child, my bitter foe, by curses, for the

lord Poseidon granted this boon to Theseus; three wishes of the god to
ask, nor ever ask in vain. So Phaedra is to die, an honoured death

'tis true, but still to die; for I will not let her suffering outweigh
the payment of such forfeit by my foes as shall satisfy my honour. But

lo! I see the son of Theseus coming hither-Hippolytus, fresh from
the labours of the chase. I will get me hence. At his back follows a

long train of retainers, in joyous cries of revelry uniting and
hymns of praise to Artemis, his goddess; for little he recks that

Death hath oped his gates for him, and that this is his last look upon
the light.

(APHRODITE vanishes. HIPPOLYTUS and his retinue of hunting
ATTENDANTS enter, singing. They move to worship at the

altar of ARTEMIS.)
HIPPOLYTUS

Come follow, friends, singing to Artemis, daughter of Zeus,
throned in the sky, whose votaries we are.

ATTENDANTS
Lady goddess, awful queen, daughter of Zeus, all hail! hail! of

Latona and of Zeus, peerless mid the virgin choir, who hast thy
dwelling in heaven's wide mansions at thy noble father's court, in the

golden house of Zeus. All hail! most beauteous Artemis, lovelier far
than all the daughters of Olympus!

HIPPOLYTUS (speaking)
For thee, O mistress mine, I bring this woven wreath, culled

from a virginmeadow, where nor shepherd dares to herd his flock nor
ever scythe hath mown, but o'er the mead unshorn the bee doth wing its

way in spring; and with the dew from rivers drawn purity that garden
tends. Such as know no cunning lore, yet in whose nature self-control,

made perfect, hath a home, these may pluck the flowers, but not the
wicked world. Accept, I pray, dear mistress, mine this chaplet from my

holy hand to crown thy locks of gold; for I, and none other of
mortals, have this high guerdon, to be with thee, with thee

converse, hearing thy voice, though not thy face beholding. So be it
mine to end my life as I began.

LEADER OF THE ATTENDANTS
My prince! we needs must call upon the gods, our lords, so wilt

thou listen to a friendly word from me?
HIPPOLYTUS

Why, that will I! else were I proved a fool.
LEADER

Dost know, then, the way of the world?
HIPPOLYTUS

Not I; but wherefore such a question?
LEADER

It hates reserve which careth not for all men's love.
HIPPOLYTUS

And rightly too; reserve in man is ever galling.
LEADER

But there's a charm in courtesy?
HIPPOLYTUS

The greatest surely; aye, and profit, too, at trifling cost.
LEADER

Dost think the same law holds in heaven as well?
HIPPOLYTUS

I trow it doth, since all our laws we men from heaven draw.
LEADER

Why, then, dost thou neglect to greet an augustgoddess?
HIPPOLYTUS

Whom speak'st thou of? Keep watch upon thy tongue lest it same
mischief cause.

LEADER
Cypris I mean, whose image is stationed o'er thy gate.

HIPPOLYTUS
I greet her from afar, preserving still my chastity.

LEADER
Yet is she an augustgoddess, far renowned on earth.

HIPPOLYTUS
'Mongst gods as well as men we have our several preferences.

LEADER
I wish thee luck, and wisdom too, so far as thou dost need it.

HIPPOLYTUS
No god, whose worship craves the night, hath charms for me.