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                <!-- DCH Modify the title to give the category (quote author) at the beginning of it. -->
		<title>Euripides -- Medea [Μήδεια], l. 1415ff (431 BC) [tr. Murray (1906)]</title>
		<link>https://wist.info/euripides/85637/</link>
		<comments>https://wist.info/euripides/85637/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 25 Aug 2026 15:58:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dave</dc:creator>
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		<description><![CDATA[CHORUS: Great treasure halls hath Zeus in heaven, From whence to man strange dooms be given, Past hope or fear. And the end men looked for cometh not, And a path is there where no man thought: So hath it fallen here. [ΚΥΚΛΩΨ: πολλῶν ταμίας Ζεὺς ἐν Ὀλύμπῳ, πολλὰ δ᾽ ἀέλπτως κραίνουσι θεοί: καὶ τὰ [&#8230;]]]></description>
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p class="hangingindent">CHORUS: Great treasure halls hath Zeus in heaven,<br />
From whence to man strange dooms be given,<br />
<span class="tab">Past hope or fear.<br />
And the end men looked for cometh not,<br />
And a path is there where no man thought:<br />
<span class="tab">So hath it fallen here.</span></span></p>
<p></p>
<p class="hangingindent">[ΚΥΚΛΩΨ: πολλῶν ταμίας Ζεὺς ἐν Ὀλύμπῳ,<br />
πολλὰ δ᾽ ἀέλπτως κραίνουσι θεοί:<br />
καὶ τὰ δοκηθέντ᾽ οὐκ ἐτελέσθη,<br />
τῶν δ᾽ ἀδοκήτων πόρον ηὗρε θεός.<br />
τοιόνδ᾽ ἀπέβη τόδε πρᾶγμα.]</p>
<p></p>
<br><b>Euripides</b> (485?-406? BC) Greek tragic dramatist<br><i>Medea</i> [Μήδεια], l. 1415ff (431 BC) [tr. Murray (1906)] 
						<br><br><span class="cite">
						

Euripides ended a number of his dramas with slight variations of this final chorus (some scholars believe that these endings were added in some cases after his death). See <a href="/euripides/62067/">here</a> for more discussion about this "standard" choral coda.<br><br>

(<a href="https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0113%3Acard%3D1389#:~:text=%CF%80%CE%BF%CE%BB%CE%BB%E1%BF%B6%CE%BD%20%CF%84%CE%B1%CE%BC%CE%AF%CE%B1%CF%82%20%CE%96%CE%B5%E1%BD%BA%CF%82%20%E1%BC%90%CE%BD%20%E1%BD%88%CE%BB%CF%8D%CE%BC%CF%80%E1%BF%B3%2C%0A%CF%80%CE%BF%CE%BB%CE%BB%E1%BD%B0%20%CE%B4%E1%BE%BD%20%E1%BC%80%CE%AD%CE%BB%CF%80%CF%84%CF%89%CF%82%20%CE%BA%CF%81%CE%B1%CE%AF%CE%BD%CE%BF%CF%85%CF%83%CE%B9%20%CE%B8%CE%B5%CE%BF%CE%AF%3A%0A%CE%BA%CE%B1%E1%BD%B6%20%CF%84%E1%BD%B0%20%CE%B4%CE%BF%CE%BA%CE%B7%CE%B8%CE%AD%CE%BD%CF%84%E1%BE%BD%20%CE%BF%E1%BD%90%CE%BA%20%E1%BC%90%CF%84%CE%B5%CE%BB%CE%AD%CF%83%CE%B8%CE%B7%2C%0A%CF%84%E1%BF%B6%CE%BD%20%CE%B4%E1%BE%BD%20%E1%BC%80%CE%B4%CE%BF%CE%BA%CE%AE%CF%84%CF%89%CE%BD%20%CF%80%CF%8C%CF%81%CE%BF%CE%BD%20%CE%B7%E1%BD%97%CF%81%CE%B5%20%CE%B8%CE%B5%CF%8C%CF%82.%0A%CF%84%CE%BF%CE%B9%CF%8C%CE%BD%CE%B4%E1%BE%BD%20%E1%BC%80%CF%80%CE%AD%CE%B2%CE%B7%20%CF%84%CF%8C%CE%B4%CE%B5%20%CF%80%CF%81%E1%BE%B6%CE%B3%CE%BC%CE%B1.">Source (Greek)</a>). Other translations: <br><br>

<blockquote>Thron'd on Olympus, with his sovereign nod,<br>
Jove unexpectedlyi performs the schemes<br>
Divine foreknowledge plann'd; our firmest hopes<br>
Oft fail us: but the God still finds the means<br>
Of compassing what man could ne'er have look'd for;<br>
And thus doth this important business end.<br>
[tr. <a href="https://archive.org/details/nineteentragedi01wodhgoog/page/312/mode/2up?q=%22sovereign+nod%22">Wodhull</a> (1782)]</blockquote><br>

<blockquote>Jove in the high heav'n dispenses various fates:<br>
And now the gods show'r blessings, which our hopes<br>
Dared not aspire to, now control the ills<br>
We deem'd inevitable: thus the god<br>
To these hat giv'n an end we never thought;<br>
Such is the dreadful fortune of this day.<br>
[tr. <a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Bacch%C3%A6_Ion_Alcestis_Medea_Hippolytu/L8tCAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=%22dispenses%20various%22">Potter</a> (1814)]  </blockquote><br>

<blockquote>Zeus in Olympus parts out many lots,<br>
And the gods work to many undreamed of ends,<br>
And that we looked for is never fulfilled,<br>
And to things not looked for the gods make a way:<br>
Even so hath this issue been.<br>
[tr. <a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Medea_(Webster_1868)#:~:text=Zeus%20in%20Olympus,this%20issue%20been.">Webster</a> (1868)]</blockquote><br>

<blockquote>Many a fate doth Zeus dispense, high on his Olympian throne; oft do the gods bring things to pass beyond man's expectation; that, which we thought would be, is not fulfilled, while for the unlooked-for god finds out a way; and such hath been the issue of this matter.<br>
[tr. <a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Plays_of_Euripides_(Coleridge)/Medea#:~:text=Many%20a%20fate%20doth%20Zeus%20dispense%2C%20high%20on%20his%20Olympian%20throne%3B%20oft%20do%20the%20gods%20bring%20things%20to%20pass%20beyond%20man%27s%20expectation%3B%20that%2C%20which%20we%20thought%20would%20be%2C%20is%20not%20fulfilled%2C%20while%20for%20the%20unlooked%2Dfor%20god%20finds%20out%20a%20way%3B%20and%20such%20hath%20been%20the%20issue%20of%20this%20matter.">Coleridge</a> (1891)]</blockquote><br>

<blockquote>Jove is the dispenser of various fates in heaven, and the Gods perform many things contrary to our expectations, and those things which we looked for are not accomplished; but the God hath brought to pass things unthought of. In such manner hath this affair ended.<br>
[tr. <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/15081/pg15081-images.html#MEDEA:~:text=Jove%20is%20the%20dispenser%20of%20various%20fates%20in%20heaven%2C%20and%20the%20Gods%20perform%20many%20things%20contrary%20to%20our%20expectations%2C%20and%20those%20things%20which%20we%20looked%20for%20are%20not%20accomplished%3B%20but%20the%20God%20hath%20brought%20to%20pass%20things%20unthought%20of.%20In%20such%20manner%20hath%20this%20affair%20ended.">Buckley</a> (1892)]</blockquote><br>

<blockquote>All dooms be of Zeus in Olympus; 'tis his to reveal them.<br>
<span class="tab">Manifold things unhoped-for the Gods to accomplishment bring.<br>
And the things that we looked for, the Gods deign not to fulfil them;<br>
And the paths undiscerned of our eyes, the Gods unseal them.<br>
<span class="tab">So fell this marvellous thing.<br>
[tr. <a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Tragedies_of_Euripides_(Way)/Medea#:~:text=All%20dooms%20be,this%20marvellous%20thing.">Way</a> (Loeb) (1894)]</blockquote><br>

<blockquote>Zeus in Olympus is the overseer <br>
Of many doings. Many things the gods<br>
Achieve beyond our judgment. What we thought<br>
Is not confirmed and what we thought not god<br>
Contrives. And so it happens in this story.<br>
[tr. <a href="https://archive.org/details/euripides-medea-warner.ocr/page/n53/mode/2up?q=%22zeus+in+olympus%22">Warner</a> (1944)]</blockquote><br>

<blockquote>Many are the Fates which Zeus in Olympus dispenses;<br>
Many matters the gods bring to surprising ends.<br>
The things we thought would happen do not happen;<br>
The unexpected God makes possible;<br>
And such is the conclusion of this story.<br>
[tr. <a href="https://archive.org/details/medeaotherplays0000euri/page/60/mode/2up?q=%22many+are+the+fates%22">Vellacott</a> (1963)]</blockquote><br>

<blockquote>Zeus, Olympus’ steward, controls many things,<br>
And many things, too, beyond expectation the gods accomplish.<br>
The expected does not turn out;<br>
For the unexpected God finds a way.<br>
Such is the end of this business.<br>
[tr. <a href="https://archive.org/details/euripides-medea-podlecki_20220818/page/77/mode/2up?q=%22Zeus%2C+Olympus%E2%80%99+steward%22">Podlecki</a> (1989)]</blockquote><br>

<blockquote>Zeus on Olympus has many things in his treasure-house, and many are the things the gods accomplish against our expectation. What men expect is not brought to pass, but a god finds a way to achieve the unexpected. Such is the outcome of this story.<br>
[tr. <a href="https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0114%3Acard%3D1389#:~:text=Zeus%20on%20Olympus%20has%20many%20things%20in%20his%20treasure%2Dhouse%2C%20and%20many%20are%20the%20things%20the%20gods%20accomplish%20against%20our%20expectation.%20What%20men%20expect%20is%20not%20brought%20to%20pass%2C%20but%20a%20god%20finds%20a%20way%20to%20achieve%20the%20unexpected.%20Such%20is%20the%20outcome%20of%20this%20story.">Kovacs</a> (Perseus)] </blockquote><br>

<blockquote>Zeus on Olympus has many things in his treasure-house, and many are the things the gods accomplish against our expectation. What men look for is not brought to pass, but a god finds a way to achieve the unexpected. Such is the outcome of this story.<br>
[tr. <a href="https://archive.org/details/euripides00euri_0/page/426/mode/2up?q=%22zeus+on+olympus%22">Kovacs</a> (Loeb) (1994)]</blockquote><br>

<blockquote>Many are the things Zeus on Olympus has in his keeping and many things do the gods accomplish beyond men's hopes. What men expect does not happen; for the unexpected, heaven finds a way. And so it has turned out here today.<br>
[tr. <a href="https://archive.org/details/medeaotherplays0000euri_d3q9/page/86/mode/2up?q=%22zeus+on+olympus%22">Davie</a> (1996)] </blockquote><br>

<blockquote>Our Olympian Zeus is most wise! <br>
The deeds of the gods appear in many forms ...<br>
And gods often perform deeds even beyond our hopes.<br>
Our wishes might not be granted but the gods will find ways of achieving what we never thought achievable.<br>
Such was the path of our story.<br>
[tr. <a href="https://bacchicstage.wpcomstaging.com/euripides/medea/#:~:text=Chorus%3A%0AOur%20Olympian,path%20of%20our%20story.">Theodoridis</a> (2004)]</blockquote><br>

<blockquote>Of many things Zeus in Olympus is keeper,<br>
many are the things the gods bring about against all reason, <br>
and what is looked for does not happen after all, <br>
yet a god finds a way for the unexpected. <br>
That is how this story has ended. <br>
[tr. <a href="https://diotima-doctafemina.org/translations/greek/euripides-medea/#:~:text=Of%20many%20things%20Zeus%20in%20Olympus%20is%20keeper%2C1415%0Amany%20are%20the%20things%20the%20gods%20bring%20about%20against%20all%20reason%2C%C2%A0%0Aand%20what%20is%20looked%20for%20does%20not%20happen%20after%20all%2C%C2%A0%0Ayet%20a%20god%20finds%20a%20way%20for%20the%20unexpected.%C2%A0%0AThat%20is%20how%20this%20story%20has%20ended.%C2%A0">Luschnig</a> (2007)]</blockquote>

<blockquote>Zeus on Olympus,<br>
dispenses many things.<br>
Gods often contradict<br>
our fondest expectations.<br>
What we anticipate<br>
does not come to pass.<br>
What we don’t expect<br>
some god finds a way <br>  
to make it happen.<br>
So with this story.<br>
[tr. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20250428122658/https://johnstoniatexts.x10host.com/euripides/medeahtml.html#:~:text=Zeus%20on%20Olympus%2C%0Adispenses%20many%20things.%0AGods%20often%20contradict%0Aour%20fondest%20expectations.%0AWhat%20we%20anticipate%0Adoes%20not%20come%20to%20pass.%0AWhat%20we%20don%E2%80%99t%20expect%0Asome%20god%20finds%20a%20way%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A01690%0Ato%20make%20it%20happen.%0ASo%20with%20this%20story.">Johnston</a> (2008)]</blockquote><br>

<blockquote>Zeus on Olympus ordains many things,<br>
and gods achieve much that surprises us.<br>
What we thought would happen didn't,<br>
and the god found a way for unimaginable deeds;<br>
That's how the story ends.<br>
[tr. <a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/Euripides_Medea/kNBUEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=%22zeus%20on%20olympus%22">Ewans</a> (2022)]</blockquote><br>

<blockquote>Many are the fates that Zeus dispenses in Olympus, and the gods bring many things to pass unexpectedly. What is expected does not come to <em>telos</em>, and a god finds a way for the unexpected. So too has this affair turned out.<br>
[tr. <a href="https://chs.harvard.edu/primary-source/euripides-medea/#:~:text=Many%20are%20the%20fates%20that%20Zeus%20dispenses%20in%20Olympus%2C%20and%20the%20gods%20bring%20many%20things%20to%20pass%20unexpectedly.%20What%20is%20expected%20does%20not%20come%20to%20telos%2C%20and%20a%20god%20finds%20a%20way%20for%20the%20unexpected.%20So%20too%20has%20this%20affair%20turned%20out.">Coleridge / Ceragioli / Nagy / Hour25</a>]</blockquote><br>						</span>
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                <!-- DCH Modify the title to give the category (quote author) at the beginning of it. -->
		<title>Adams, Douglas -- Hitchhiker&#8217;s Guide to the Galaxy, Phase 1, &#8220;Fit the 2nd&#8221; (BBC Radio) (1978-03-15)</title>
		<link>https://wist.info/adams-douglas/81564/</link>
		<comments>https://wist.info/adams-douglas/81564/#respond</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 Jan 2026 20:24:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dave</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Adams, Douglas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[change the world]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[NARRATOR: And then one day, nearly two thousand years after one man had been nailed to a tree for saying how great it would be to be nice to people for a change a girl sitting on her own in a small cafe in Rickmansworth suddenly realized what it was that had been going wrong [&#8230;]]]></description>
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p class="hangingindent">NARRATOR: And then one day, nearly two thousand years after one man had been nailed to a tree for saying how great it would be to be nice to people for a change a girl sitting on her own in a small cafe in Rickmansworth suddenly realized what it was that had been going wrong all this time, and she finally knew how the world could be made a good and happy place. This time it was right, it would work, and no one would have to get nailed to anything. Sadly however, before she could get to a phone to tell anyone, the Earth was unexpectedly demolished to make way for a new hyperspace bypass and so the idea was lost forever.</p>
<p></p>
<br><b>Douglas Adams</b> (1952–2001) English author, humorist, screenwriter<br><i>Hitchhiker&#8217;s Guide to the Galaxy</i>, Phase 1, &#8220;Fit the 2nd&#8221; (BBC Radio) (1978-03-15) 
						<br><br><span class="cite">
						

Though in the second radio episode, when adapted into the book <i>The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy</i> (1979), this passage was <a href="https://archive.org/details/hitchhikersguide0012adam/page/2/mode/2up?q=%22and+then+one+thursday%22">moved into the Introduction</a>:<br><br>

<blockquote><span class="tab">And then, one Thursday, nearly two thousand years after one man had been nailed to a tree for saying how great it would be to be nice to people for a change a girl sitting on her own in a small cafe in Rickmansworth suddenly realized what it was that had been going wrong all this time, and she finally knew how the world could be made a good and happy place. This time it was right, it would work, and no one would have to get nailed to anything. <br>
<span class="tab">Sadly however, before she could get to a phone to tell anyone, a terrible stupid catastrophe occurred, and the idea was lost forever.</blockquote><br>





						</span>
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