Stasimon 3
[Choral 1]
And by setting bounds to his course may you grant that we see him keep a steady pace through this race and win the goal in the straining stride of a gallop.That is, let him bide his time by guarding against haste.
795
[Choral 2]
And you who within the house inhabit the inner chamber that exults in its wealth, hear me, you gods, that feel with us! By a fresh award redeem the blood of deeds done long ago.
800
Chorus
May aged Murder cease begetting offspring in our house!
805
And you who occupy the mighty, gorgeously built cavern,The inner sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi was a narrow cave or vault in which, over a cleft, stood a tripod covered by a slab on which the prophetess sat (Athenaeus , 701c, Strabo, ix. 641). grant that the man’s house may lift up its eyes again in joy, and that with glad
eyes it may behold from under its veil of gloom the radiant light of freedom.
810
May Maia’s son,Hermes, the patron of guile and god of eloquence. as he rightfully should, lend his aid, for no one can better sail a deed on a favoring course, when he would do so.The bracketed line 815 reads And many another hidden thing he will make plain, if he desires.
But by his mysterious utterance he brings darkness over men’s eyes by night, and by day he is no more clear at all.
815
[Choral 3]
And then at last with a loud voice we shall sing a song of the deliverance of our house,
Chorus
the song that women raise when the wind sits fair, and not the shrill strain of those who mourn: The ship goes well. This grows to profit for me, for me, and calamity holds off from those I love.
820
But may you with good courage, when the part of action comes, cry out loud the name Father when she exclaims Son,
and accomplish the baneful but irreproachable deed.
830
Raise up Perseus’ spirit within my breast. And for those dear to you below the earth, and for those above, exact satisfaction for their dire wrath
by working bloody ruin in our house and obliterating the guilt of murder.Of verses 819-837 only the general sense is clear.
835
