Bacchae 810-861 (Theodoridis)
Anna Muh / Transphobia in Bacchae
- Created on 2023-07-02 23:00:38
- Modified on 2023-07-03 16:56:47
- Translated by George Theodoridis
- Aligned by Anna Muh
Ἑλληνική Transliterate
English
Διόνυσος
ἆ .
βούλῃ σφʼ ἐν ὄρεσι συγκαθημένας ἰδεῖν ;
Πενθεύς
μάλιστα , μυρίον γε δοὺς χρυσοῦ σταθμόν .
Διόνυσος
τί δʼ εἰς ἔρωτα τοῦδε πέπτωκας μέγαν ;
Πενθεύς
λυπρῶς νιν εἰσίδοιμʼ ἂν ἐξῳνωμένας .
Διόνυσος
ὅμως δʼ ἴδοις ἂν ἡδέως ἅ σοι πικρά ;
Πενθεύς
σάφʼ ἴσθι , σιγῇ γʼ ὑπʼ ἐλάταις καθήμενος .
Διόνυσος
ἀλλʼ ἐξιχνεύσουσίν σε , κἂν ἔλθῃς λάθρᾳ .
Πενθεύς
ἀλλʼ ἐμφανῶς · καλῶς γὰρ ἐξεῖπας τάδε .
Διόνυσος
ἄγωμεν οὖν σε κἀπιχειρήσεις ὁδῷ ;
Πενθεύς
ἄγʼ ὡς τάχιστα , τοῦ χρόνου δέ σοι φθονῶ .
Διόνυσος
στεῖλαί νυν ἀμφὶ χρωτὶ βυσσίνους πέπλους .
Πενθεύς
τί δὴ τόδʼ ; ἐς γυναῖκας ἐξ ἀνδρὸς τελῶ ;
Διόνυσος
μή σε κτάνωσιν , ἢν ἀνὴρ ὀφθῇς ἐκεῖ .
Πενθεύς
εὖ γʼ εἶπας αὖ τόδʼ · ὥς τις εἶ πάλαι σοφός .
Διόνυσος
Διόνυσος ἡμᾶς ἐξεμούσωσεν τάδε .
Πενθεύς
πῶς οὖν γένοιτʼ ἂν ἃ σύ με νουθετεῖς καλῶς ;
Διόνυσος
ἐγὼ στελῶ σε δωμάτων ἔσω μολών .
Πενθεύς
τίνα στολήν ; ἦ θῆλυν ; ἀλλʼ αἰδώς μʼ ἔχει .
Διόνυσος
οὐκέτι θεατὴς μαινάδων πρόθυμος εἶ .
Πενθεύς
στολὴν δὲ τίνα φῂς ἀμφὶ χρῶτʼ ἐμὸν βαλεῖν ;
Διόνυσος
κόμην μὲν ἐπὶ σῷ κρατὶ ταναὸν ἐκτενῶ .
Πενθεύς
τὸ δεύτερον δὲ σχῆμα τοῦ κόσμου τί μοι ;
Διόνυσος
πέπλοι ποδήρεις · ἐπὶ κάρᾳ δʼ ἔσται μίτρα .
Πενθεύς
ἦ καί τι πρὸς τοῖσδʼ ἄλλο προσθήσεις ἐμοί ;
Διόνυσος
θύρσον γε χειρὶ καὶ νεβροῦ στικτὸν δέρας .
Πενθεύς
οὐκ ἂν δυναίμην θῆλυν ἐνδῦναι στολήν .
Διόνυσος
ἀλλʼ αἷμα θήσεις συμβαλὼν βάκχαις μάχην .
Πενθεύς
ὀρθῶς · μολεῖν χρὴ πρῶτον εἰς κατασκοπήν .
Διόνυσος
σοφώτερον γοῦν ἢ κακοῖς θηρᾶν κακά .
Πενθεύς
καὶ πῶς διʼ ἄστεως εἶμι Καδμείους λαθών ;
Διόνυσος
ὁδοὺς ἐρήμους ἴμεν · ἐγὼ δʼ ἡγήσομαι .
Πενθεύς
πᾶν κρεῖσσον ὥστε μὴ ʼγγελᾶν βάκχας ἐμοί .
ἐλθόντʼ ἐς οἴκους ⋯ ἃν δοκῇ βουλεύσομαι .
Διόνυσος
ἔξεστι · πάντῃ τό γʼ ἐμὸν εὐτρεπὲς πάρα .
Πενθεύς
στείχοιμʼ ἄν · ἢ γὰρ ὅπλʼ ἔχων πορεύσομαι
ἢ τοῖσι σοῖσι πείσομαι βουλεύμασιν .
Διόνυσος
γυναῖκες , ἁνὴρ ἐς βόλον καθίσταται ,
ἥξει δὲ βάκχας , οὗ θανὼν δώσει δίκην .
Διόνυσε , νῦν σὸν ἔργον · οὐ γὰρ εἶ πρόσω ·
τεισώμεθʼ αὐτόν . πρῶτα δʼ ἔκστησον φρενῶν ,
ἐνεὶς ἐλαφρὰν λύσσαν · ὡς φρονῶν μὲν εὖ
οὐ μὴ θελήσῃ θῆλυν ἐνδῦναι στολήν ,
ἔξω δʼ ἐλαύνων τοῦ φρονεῖν ἐνδύσεται .
χρῄζω δέ νιν γέλωτα Θηβαίοις ὀφλεῖν
γυναικόμορφον ἀγόμενον διʼ ἄστεως
ἐκ τῶν ἀπειλῶν τῶν πρίν , αἷσι δεινὸς ἦν .
ἀλλʼ εἶμι κόσμον ὅνπερ εἰς Ἅιδου λαβὼν
ἄπεισι μητρὸς ἐκ χεροῖν κατασφαγείς ,
Πενθεῖ προσάψων · γνώσεται δὲ τὸν Διὸς
Διόνυσον , ὃς πέφυκεν ἐν τέλει θεός ,
δεινότατος , ἀνθρώποισι δʼ ἠπιώτατος .
ἆ .
βούλῃ σφʼ ἐν ὄρεσι συγκαθημένας ἰδεῖν ;
Πενθεύς
μάλιστα , μυρίον γε δοὺς χρυσοῦ σταθμόν .
Διόνυσος
τί δʼ εἰς ἔρωτα τοῦδε πέπτωκας μέγαν ;
Πενθεύς
λυπρῶς νιν εἰσίδοιμʼ ἂν ἐξῳνωμένας .
Διόνυσος
ὅμως δʼ ἴδοις ἂν ἡδέως ἅ σοι πικρά ;
Πενθεύς
σάφʼ ἴσθι , σιγῇ γʼ ὑπʼ ἐλάταις καθήμενος .
Διόνυσος
ἀλλʼ ἐξιχνεύσουσίν σε , κἂν ἔλθῃς λάθρᾳ .
Πενθεύς
ἀλλʼ ἐμφανῶς · καλῶς γὰρ ἐξεῖπας τάδε .
Διόνυσος
ἄγωμεν οὖν σε κἀπιχειρήσεις ὁδῷ ;
Πενθεύς
ἄγʼ ὡς τάχιστα , τοῦ χρόνου δέ σοι φθονῶ .
Διόνυσος
στεῖλαί νυν ἀμφὶ χρωτὶ βυσσίνους πέπλους .
Πενθεύς
τί δὴ τόδʼ ; ἐς γυναῖκας ἐξ ἀνδρὸς τελῶ ;
Διόνυσος
μή σε κτάνωσιν , ἢν ἀνὴρ ὀφθῇς ἐκεῖ .
Πενθεύς
εὖ γʼ εἶπας αὖ τόδʼ · ὥς τις εἶ πάλαι σοφός .
Διόνυσος
Διόνυσος ἡμᾶς ἐξεμούσωσεν τάδε .
Πενθεύς
πῶς οὖν γένοιτʼ ἂν ἃ σύ με νουθετεῖς καλῶς ;
Διόνυσος
ἐγὼ στελῶ σε δωμάτων ἔσω μολών .
Πενθεύς
τίνα στολήν ; ἦ θῆλυν ; ἀλλʼ αἰδώς μʼ ἔχει .
Διόνυσος
οὐκέτι θεατὴς μαινάδων πρόθυμος εἶ .
Πενθεύς
στολὴν δὲ τίνα φῂς ἀμφὶ χρῶτʼ ἐμὸν βαλεῖν ;
Διόνυσος
κόμην μὲν ἐπὶ σῷ κρατὶ ταναὸν ἐκτενῶ .
Πενθεύς
τὸ δεύτερον δὲ σχῆμα τοῦ κόσμου τί μοι ;
Διόνυσος
πέπλοι ποδήρεις · ἐπὶ κάρᾳ δʼ ἔσται μίτρα .
Πενθεύς
ἦ καί τι πρὸς τοῖσδʼ ἄλλο προσθήσεις ἐμοί ;
Διόνυσος
θύρσον γε χειρὶ καὶ νεβροῦ στικτὸν δέρας .
Πενθεύς
οὐκ ἂν δυναίμην θῆλυν ἐνδῦναι στολήν .
Διόνυσος
ἀλλʼ αἷμα θήσεις συμβαλὼν βάκχαις μάχην .
Πενθεύς
ὀρθῶς · μολεῖν χρὴ πρῶτον εἰς κατασκοπήν .
Διόνυσος
σοφώτερον γοῦν ἢ κακοῖς θηρᾶν κακά .
Πενθεύς
καὶ πῶς διʼ ἄστεως εἶμι Καδμείους λαθών ;
Διόνυσος
ὁδοὺς ἐρήμους ἴμεν · ἐγὼ δʼ ἡγήσομαι .
Πενθεύς
πᾶν κρεῖσσον ὥστε μὴ ʼγγελᾶν βάκχας ἐμοί .
ἐλθόντʼ ἐς οἴκους ⋯ ἃν δοκῇ βουλεύσομαι .
Διόνυσος
ἔξεστι · πάντῃ τό γʼ ἐμὸν εὐτρεπὲς πάρα .
Πενθεύς
στείχοιμʼ ἄν · ἢ γὰρ ὅπλʼ ἔχων πορεύσομαι
ἢ τοῖσι σοῖσι πείσομαι βουλεύμασιν .
Διόνυσος
γυναῖκες , ἁνὴρ ἐς βόλον καθίσταται ,
ἥξει δὲ βάκχας , οὗ θανὼν δώσει δίκην .
Διόνυσε , νῦν σὸν ἔργον · οὐ γὰρ εἶ πρόσω ·
τεισώμεθʼ αὐτόν . πρῶτα δʼ ἔκστησον φρενῶν ,
ἐνεὶς ἐλαφρὰν λύσσαν · ὡς φρονῶν μὲν εὖ
οὐ μὴ θελήσῃ θῆλυν ἐνδῦναι στολήν ,
ἔξω δʼ ἐλαύνων τοῦ φρονεῖν ἐνδύσεται .
χρῄζω δέ νιν γέλωτα Θηβαίοις ὀφλεῖν
γυναικόμορφον ἀγόμενον διʼ ἄστεως
ἐκ τῶν ἀπειλῶν τῶν πρίν , αἷσι δεινὸς ἦν .
ἀλλʼ εἶμι κόσμον ὅνπερ εἰς Ἅιδου λαβὼν
ἄπεισι μητρὸς ἐκ χεροῖν κατασφαγείς ,
Πενθεῖ προσάψων · γνώσεται δὲ τὸν Διὸς
Διόνυσον , ὃς πέφυκεν ἐν τέλει θεός ,
δεινότατος , ἀνθρώποισι δʼ ἠπιώτατος .
Dionysos
Hold on ! Pentheus , would you like to see them yourself , up on the mountains , all of those … women together ?
Pentheus
Sure . Of course , of course ! I’d give an awful lot of gold for the privilege .
Dionysos
Oh , yes ? Why so eager ?
Pentheus
I want to see these poor , wretched women drunk .
Dionysos
But these things would be hard for your eye . What sort of pleasure would you gain from it ?
Pentheus
Absolute ! I’d be sitting quietly beneath the fir trees …
Dionysos
A , but even if you go there quietly , they’ll still know you’re there .
Pentheus
Hmm . You’re right . Then I’ll go quite openly .
Dionysos
All right then , let’s go … Will you really try to do this exercise ?
Pentheus
Get me there , quickly . I’d hate to lose any more time because of you .
Dionysos
You’ll have to change your clothes first , Pentheus . You need to wear fine linen .
Pentheus
What’s all this ? You want to dress me up as a woman ?
Dionysos
Because if you show yourself there as a man , they’ll kill you .
Pentheus
You’re right again . I can see you’re an old hand at this sort of trickery .
Dionysos
The god Dionysos taught us all this .
Pentheus
Well , then , my wise counsellor , how do we do all this ?
Dionysos
Let’s go into the palace and I’ll dress you up .
Pentheus
Dress me up with what ? Women’s clothes ?
Dionysos
Don’t you want to watch the Maenads then ?
Pentheus
Well … tell me everything you’re going to do to me .
Dionysos
I’ll let your hair fall all over your back .
Pentheus
All right . Then ?
Dionysos
Then I’ll dress you up with long robes , right down to your feet and on your head you’ll wear a ribbon .
Pentheus
And after all this ?
Dionysos
You’ll carry a thyrsus in one hand and you’ll wear a dappled fawn skin around your body .
Pentheus
No , no , no ! I just can’t wear women’s clothes . I just can’t do it !
Dionysos
Well then , if you end up in a fight with the Bacchants it’ll be your blood on the ground , not mine !
Pentheus
Yes ! Right ! When we get there we must first spy on them .
Dionysos
It’s far wiser to hunt the dangerous without putting yourself in danger .
Pentheus
How will I be able to walk through the street without being seen by all the Kadmeians ?
Dionysos
We’ll take the deserted roads . Don’t worry , I’ll guide you .
Pentheus
We must do what’s necessary so that the Bacchants don’t get a whiff of all of this . I’m going inside to think about it all .
Dionysos
Sure . Go , I’m ready to help you with everything .
Pentheus
I’m going and I’ll either take up my weapons or I’ll take up your advice .
Dionysos
Women , we have trapped our man ! He will go to the Bacchants and , with his death , justice will be achieved . Dionysos , it is up to you now to get revenge . You are not very far . First of all , take away his mind .
Give him a slight dose of madness , enough for him to wear women’s clothes ; otherwise , if his mind is clear he won’t wear them . Then I’ve got to make a fool of him , parading him through Thebes , dressed as a woman . That will teach him to make those dreadful threats of his .
I’m off now , to dress him up in his funeral clothes . The clothes with which he will be meeting Hades , once his mother slaughters him with her bare hands . Only then will he learn that the son of Zeus , Dionysos , is a god of peace for the good folk but he is also a fearsome god who those who don’t respect him .
Hold on ! Pentheus , would you like to see them yourself , up on the mountains , all of those … women together ?
Pentheus
Sure . Of course , of course ! I’d give an awful lot of gold for the privilege .
Dionysos
Oh , yes ? Why so eager ?
Pentheus
I want to see these poor , wretched women drunk .
Dionysos
But these things would be hard for your eye . What sort of pleasure would you gain from it ?
Pentheus
Absolute ! I’d be sitting quietly beneath the fir trees …
Dionysos
A , but even if you go there quietly , they’ll still know you’re there .
Pentheus
Hmm . You’re right . Then I’ll go quite openly .
Dionysos
All right then , let’s go … Will you really try to do this exercise ?
Pentheus
Get me there , quickly . I’d hate to lose any more time because of you .
Dionysos
You’ll have to change your clothes first , Pentheus . You need to wear fine linen .
Pentheus
What’s all this ? You want to dress me up as a woman ?
Dionysos
Because if you show yourself there as a man , they’ll kill you .
Pentheus
You’re right again . I can see you’re an old hand at this sort of trickery .
Dionysos
The god Dionysos taught us all this .
Pentheus
Well , then , my wise counsellor , how do we do all this ?
Dionysos
Let’s go into the palace and I’ll dress you up .
Pentheus
Dress me up with what ? Women’s clothes ?
Dionysos
Don’t you want to watch the Maenads then ?
Pentheus
Well … tell me everything you’re going to do to me .
Dionysos
I’ll let your hair fall all over your back .
Pentheus
All right . Then ?
Dionysos
Then I’ll dress you up with long robes , right down to your feet and on your head you’ll wear a ribbon .
Pentheus
And after all this ?
Dionysos
You’ll carry a thyrsus in one hand and you’ll wear a dappled fawn skin around your body .
Pentheus
No , no , no ! I just can’t wear women’s clothes . I just can’t do it !
Dionysos
Well then , if you end up in a fight with the Bacchants it’ll be your blood on the ground , not mine !
Pentheus
Yes ! Right ! When we get there we must first spy on them .
Dionysos
It’s far wiser to hunt the dangerous without putting yourself in danger .
Pentheus
How will I be able to walk through the street without being seen by all the Kadmeians ?
Dionysos
We’ll take the deserted roads . Don’t worry , I’ll guide you .
Pentheus
We must do what’s necessary so that the Bacchants don’t get a whiff of all of this . I’m going inside to think about it all .
Dionysos
Sure . Go , I’m ready to help you with everything .
Pentheus
I’m going and I’ll either take up my weapons or I’ll take up your advice .
Dionysos
Women , we have trapped our man ! He will go to the Bacchants and , with his death , justice will be achieved . Dionysos , it is up to you now to get revenge . You are not very far . First of all , take away his mind .
Give him a slight dose of madness , enough for him to wear women’s clothes ; otherwise , if his mind is clear he won’t wear them . Then I’ve got to make a fool of him , parading him through Thebes , dressed as a woman . That will teach him to make those dreadful threats of his .
I’m off now , to dress him up in his funeral clothes . The clothes with which he will be meeting Hades , once his mother slaughters him with her bare hands . Only then will he learn that the son of Zeus , Dionysos , is a god of peace for the good folk but he is also a fearsome god who those who don’t respect him .