Chorus
When our house experiences such a fortunate circumstance and blessing, we all celebrate together.
Though I wish that the blessings of children had been shared with my mistress as well
And with the royal line of Erechtheus.

Xou.
Well, my boy, in terms of my own search for a child, the god
arranged a solution with unexpected promptness, joining you and I together right away.
In that case, you found what your heart longed for, before you even knew to look for it.
So, the continued absence which now bothers you is expected, proper, even
I feel the very same incompleteness.
You hope to find your mother
And I hope to find out what sort of woman carried my son for me
Who knows, if we give it some time, perhaps we will both find what we are looking for?

For now, I want you to leave behind both the precinct of the god and your former life.
Come with me to Athens. Respect your father’s wishes and come see the inheritance which awaits:
the throne of your father and great riches besides.
There, no longer will you be a social leper, stinking of those twin diseases
both of being a nobody, of unfortunate birth,
and of having nothing, lacking any sort of fortune.
Instead, now all will jealously say of you: there goes a somebody who lacks for nothing.

But wait… why are you suddenly silent? Why do you now keep your eyes fixed on the ground?
I think you are mulling something over which has reversed the joy you expressed before
And in doing so, you have struck your father with terrible fright.

Ion
My feelings towards the situation have taken on a different tone between
the moment when it first occurred and what has now occurred to me is likely to happen next.
Though I still happily celebrate the fortune
Of finding my father, of finding you, I have recognized some harder truths
Which you should take to heart.

[On returning with you to Athens:]
It is said that the nobles there are autochonous – born from their land–
And that the people of illustrious Athens never immigrated. There are no foreigners.
Because of this, I will be spoken of as being infected by twin diseases.
They will insult me as common-born and, worse, a no-account descended from a foreign father.
In the face of such censure, I will be unable to exercise any public authority,
So how would I not merit the reputation of being a nobody born from nobody?

But let us say, from the moment we first arrive at the city, I take the helm aggressively.
That I seek to be known as a somebody . Well, then the common people
Will hate me. For power exercised over another breeds resentment.
At the same time, all those successful and wise men already well placed
Observe quietly. They are not over-eager to involve themselves in day-to-day affairs.
To them – I would also be laughable. They would think me an idiot
For filling myself with anxiety and for not staying above the disturbances of the city.

And even if I did manage to merit some position of honour
— it could only come at the expense of those already educated and experienced in city affairs,
meaning I would need to defend that position even more actively
with votes and active politicking. This, Father, is just how things are.
Those who hold the highest positions within the city
Are also the ones most besieged by rivals.

Even within your household there would be opposition — because I come from a foreign line
and because your current wife has no children. Before now you and she were partners, sharing
this misfortune in common, but now things have shaken out differently for her–
she is left all alone. She will understand these events threateningly and with deep bitterness.
How could she not come to resent me? And who would blame her?
Whenever she would bump into me, seeing me standing at your right hand…
In her childlessness, she would see the love you pour on your new child as poison.
What then? Would you respect your royal wife and partner? This would mean casting me aside.
Or would you uphold my inheritance? Well, then, you would have a household divided against itself.
In such situations, too often have daggers and corrosive poisons
Been sought by wives for the elimination of husbands.

But more than that, I feel deep pity for your spouse, father.
Consider, she faces the grey path of old age without the company of children. Nor is it fair
That her line, descended from such noble forefathers, will wither away without heir.

[I think it would be better for both of us if I remain here
and do not take up a position as your own heir.]

Many are idly jealous of the fortune of the ruling class
Because it presents a pleasant outward appearance, but behind the façade
It is full of pain. For who would consider themselves happy? Who fortunate?
To be constantly full of fear, always nervously watching out for the knife,
For the whole stretch of their existence? No – let me be happy and common, a man of the demes—
I would prefer to live that life rather than of one of royalty.
For a tyrant it is pleasurable to have despicable friends
But to detest good men, terrified that they will overthrow him.
You might argue that gold can overcome all these problems
And that wealth buys joy. But I would not enjoy always listening out for the creaks of assassins’ footsteps
To preserve my miserable life nor would I want to take on all the other burdens of rulership..
For me a measured life is better, one lacking bitterness and pain.

Chorus:

We can all agree with that. I only hope that of all my friends and family –anyone I love–
I am lucky enough to have them think the same way.