Epeisodion 1
Creusa
The babe she bare she did expose.
Ion
Where is the child who was thus cast forth? is he yet alive?
345
Creusa
No man knoweth. That is the very thing I would ask the oracle.
Ion
But if he be no more, how did he perish?
Creusa
She supposes that beasts devoured the hapless babe.
Ion
What proof led her to form this opinion?
Creusa
She came to the place where she exposed him, but found him no longer there.
350
Ion
Were any drops of blood upon the path?
Creusa
None, she says; and yet she ranged the ground to and fro.
Ion
How long is it since the babe was destroyed?
Creusa
Thy age and his would measure out the self-same span, were he alive.
Ion
Hath she given birth to no other child since then?
355
Creusa
The god doth wrong her, and wretched is she in having no child.
Ion
But what if Phoebus privily removed her child, and is rearing it?
Creusa
Then is he acting unfairly in keeping to himself alone a joy he ought to share.
Ion
Ah me! this misfortune sounds so like my own.
Creusa
Thee too, fair sir, thy poor mother misses, I am sure.
360
Ion
Oh! call me not back to piteous thoughts I had forgotten.
Creusa
I am dumb; proceed with that which touches my inquiry.
Ion
Dost know the one weak point in this thy story?
Creusa
’Tis all weak in that poor lady’s case.
Ion
How should the god declare that which he wishes hidden?
365
Creusa
He must, if here upon the tripod he sits for all Hellas to seek to.
Ion
He is ashamed of the deed; do not question him.
Creusa
Aye, but his victim has her sorrows too.
Ion
There is none who will act as thy medium in this.
For were Phoebus in his own temple proved a villain, he would justly wreak his vengeance on the man who expounded to thee his oracles; desist then, lady; we must not prophesy against the god’s will,
370
for it would be the height of folly in us, were we to try and make the gods against their will declare reluctant truths either by sacrifice of sheep at their altars, or by omens from birds. For those answers we strive to extort from heaven, lady, are goods that bring no blessing on our getting;
375
but what they freely offer, thereby we profit.
380
Chorus
Many are the chances that befall the many tribes of men, and diverse are their forms. But scarce one happy scene canst thou find in all the life of man.
