Euripides, Heracles, Johann Jakob Christian Donner (Translator), 798

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

← Previous Next →

Ihr verbrüderten Ståtten, wo
775

Ruht' ein Sterblich geborener

Und Zeus, der in das Lager

Der perseïschen Nymphe kam!¹

Denn dein alter Verein mit ihr,²

(Was ich, o Zeus, nimmer gedacht)
780

Nun ward er mir glaublich,

Und glänzend zeigte die Zeit

Den Heldenmuth des Herakles,

Der aus der Erde Kammern hervor,

Aus Plutons nächtlichem Haus heimgekehrt!
785

Du bist uns ein edlerer Fürst,

Als dieser feige König.

So ward jezt deutlich erkannt³

Im Kampfe blizender Schwerter,⁴

Ob noch es gefalle den Göttern,
790

Das Recht zu behüten.

Iris und Lyssa erscheinen über dem Hause.

Ha, ha!

Heracles. Euripides. Johann Jakob Christian Donner (Translator). . .

Current edition Experimental

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1852; OCR review) (OCR draft) (German) (Euripides. Deutsch in den Versmaßen der Urschrift. Volume 3, Heidelberg: C. F. Winter, 1852. Harvard OCR compared with an independent BSB copy. Native Donner verse citations, Murray reference cards, explicitly located notes and page facsimiles. Unresolved OCR, verse divisions, unlocated notes and printed errata are documented in the source review.)

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (1)

Ἡρακλῆς Perseus (Euripides. Euripidis Fabulae, Vol. II. Murray, Gilbert, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913. (Reprinted 1921-1962)) — 815-873 focus

Χορός

— ἔα ἔα·
815

ἆρʼ ἐς τὸν αὐτὸν πίτυλον ἥκομεν φόβου,

γέροντες, οἷον φάσμʼ ὑπὲρ δόμων ὁρῶ;

— φυγῇ φυγῇ

νωθὲς πέδαιρε κῶλον, ἐκποδὼν ἔλα.

— ὦναξ Παιάν,
820

ἀπότροπος γένοιό μοι πημάτων.

Ἶρις

θαρσεῖτε Νυκτὸς τήνδʼ ὁρῶντες ἔκγονον

Λύσσαν, γέροντες, κἀμὲ τὴν θεῶν λάτριν

Ἶριν· πόλει γὰρ οὐδὲν ἥκομεν βλάβος,

ἑνὸς δʼ ἐπʼ ἀνδρὸς σῶμα συστρατεύομεν,
825

ὅν φασιν εἶναι Ζηνὸς Ἀλκμήνης τʼ ἄπο.

πρὶν μὲν γὰρ ἄθλους ἐκτελευτῆσαι πικρούς,

τὸ χρή νιν ἐξέσῳζεν, οὐδʼ εἴα πατὴρ

Ζεύς νιν κακῶς δρᾶν οὔτʼ ἔμʼ οὔθʼ Ἥραν ποτέ·

ἐπεὶ δὲ μόχθους διεπέρασʼ Εὐρυσθέως,
830

Ἥρα προσάψαι καινὸν αἷμʼ αὐτῷ θέλει

παῖδας κατακτείναντι, συνθέλω δʼ ἐγώ.

ἀλλʼ εἶʼ, ἄτεγκτον συλλαβοῦσα καρδίαν,

Νυκτὸς κελαινῆς ἀνυμέναιε παρθένε,

μανίας τʼ ἐπʼ ἀνδρὶ τῷδε καὶ παιδοκτόνους
835

φρενῶν ταραγμοὺς καὶ ποδῶν σκιρτήματα

ἔλαυνε, κίνει, φόνιον ἐξίει κάλων,

ὡς ἂν πορεύσας διʼ Ἀχερούσιον πόρον

τὸν καλλίπαιδα στέφανον αὐθέντῃ φόνῳ

γνῷ μὲν τὸν Ἥρας οἷός ἐστʼ αὐτῷ χόλος,
840

μάθῃ δὲ τὸν ἐμόν· ἢ θεοὶ μὲν οὐδαμοῦ,

τὰ θνητὰ δʼ ἔσται μεγάλα, μὴ δόντος δίκην.

Λύσσα

ἐξ εὐγενοῦς μὲν πατρὸς ἔκ τε μητέρος

πέφυκα, Νυκτὸς Οὐρανοῦ τʼ ἀφʼ αἵματος·

τιμάς τʼ ἔχω τάσδʼ οὐκ ἀγασθῆναι φίλοις
845

οὐδʼ ἥδομαι φοιτῶσʼ ἐπʼ ἀνθρώπων φίλους,

παραινέσαι δέ, πρὶν σφαλεῖσαν εἰσιδεῖν,

Ἥρᾳ θέλω σοί τʼ, ἢν πίθησθʼ ἐμοῖς λόγοις.

ἀνὴρ ὅδʼ οὐκ ἄσημος οὔτʼ ἐπὶ χθονὶ

οὔτʼ ἐν θεοῖσιν, οὗ σύ μʼ ἐσπέμπεις δόμους·
850

ἄβατον δὲ χώραν καὶ θάλασσαν ἀγρίαν

ἐξημερώσας, θεῶν ἀνέστησεν μόνος

τιμὰς πιτνούσας ἀνοσίων ἀνδρῶν ὕπο·

σοί τʼ οὐ παραινῶ μεγάλα βούλεσθαι κακά.

Ἶρις

μὴ σὺ νουθέτει τά θʼ Ἥρας κἀμὰ μηχανήματα.
855

Λύσσα

ἐς τὸ λῷον ἐμβιβάζω σʼ ἴχνος ἀντὶ τοῦ κακοῦ.

Ἶρις

οὐχὶ σωφρονεῖν γʼ ἔπεμψε δεῦρό σʼ ἡ Διὸς δάμαρ.

Λύσσα

Ἥλιον μαρτυρόμεσθα δρῶσʼ ἃ δρᾶν οὐ βούλομαι.

εἰ δὲ δή μʼ Ἥρᾳ θʼ ὑπουργεῖν σοί τʼ ἀναγκαίως ἔχει

τάχος ἐπιρροίβδην θʼ ὁμαρτεῖν ὡς κυνηγέτῃ κύνας,
860

εἶμί γʼ· οὔτε πόντος οὕτως κύμασιν στένων λάβρως

οὔτε γῆς σεισμὸς κεραυνοῦ τʼ οἶστρος ὠδῖνας πνέων,

οἷʼ ἐγὼ στάδια δραμοῦμαι στέρνον εἰς Ἡρακλέους·

καὶ καταρρήξω μέλαθρα καὶ δόμους ἐπεμβαλῶ,

τέκνʼ ἀποκτείνασα πρῶτον· ὁ δὲ κανὼν οὐκ εἴσεται
865

παῖδας οὓς ἔτικτʼ ἐναίρων, πρὶν ἂν ἐμὰς λύσσας ἀφῇ.

ἢν ἰδού· καὶ δὴ τινάσσει κρᾶτα βαλβίδων ἄπο

καὶ διαστρόφους ἑλίσσει σῖγα γοργωποὺς κόρας.

ἀμπνοὰς δʼ οὐ σωφρονίζει, ταῦρος ὣς ἐς ἐμβολὴν

δεινός· μυκᾶται δὲ Κῆρας ἀνακαλῶν τὰς Ταρτάρου.
870

τάχα σʼ ἐγὼ μᾶλλον χορεύσω καὶ καταυλήσω φόβῳ.

στεῖχʼ ἐς Οὔλυμπον πεδαίρουσʼ, Ἶρι, γενναῖον πόδα·

ἐς δόμους δʼ ἡμεῖς ἄφαντοι δυσόμεσθʼ Ἡρακλέους.

Translations (2)

Heracles Mad Perseus (Euripides. The Plays of Euripides, Vol. II. Coleridge, Edward P., translator. London: George Bell and Sons, 1891. (Modernized by Perseus.)) — 815-870 focus

Catching sight of the spectre of Madness.

Chorus

—Ha! see there, my old comrades! is the same wild panic fallen on us all; what phantom is this I see hovering over the house?
815

—Fly, fly, bestir your tardy steps! begone! away!

—O savior prince, avert calamity from me!
820

Iris

Courage, old men! she, whom you see, is Madness, daughter of Night, and I am Iris, the handmaid of the gods. We have not come to do your city any hurt,

but our warfare is against the house of one man only, against him whom they call the son of Zeus and Alcmena. For until he had finished all his grievous labors, Destiny was preserving him, nor would father Zeus ever suffer me or Hera to harm him.
825

But now that he has accomplished the labors of Eurystheus, Hera wishes to brand him with the guilt of shedding kindred blood by slaying his own children, and I wish it also. Come then, unwed maid, child of black Night, harden your heart relentlessly,
830

send forth frenzy upon this man, confound his mind even to the slaying of his children, drive him, goad him wildly on his mad career, shake out the sails of death, that when he has conveyed over Acheron ’s ferry that fair group of children by his own murderous hand,
835

he may learn to know how fiercely against him the wrath of Hera burns and may also experience mine; otherwise, if he should escape punishment, the gods will become as nothing, while man’s power will grow.
840

Madness

Of noble parents was I born, the daughter of Night, sprung from the blood of Ouranos;

and these prerogatives I hold, not to use them in anger against friends, nor do I have any joy in visiting the homes of men; and I wish to counsel Hera, before I see her make a mistake, and you too, if you will hearken to my words. This man, against whose house you are sending me, has made himself a name alike in heaven
845

and earth; for, after taming pathless wilds and raging sea, he by his single might raised up again the honors of the gods when sinking before man’s impiety; . . . wherefore I counsel you, do not wish him dire mishaps.
850

Iris

Spare us your advice on Hera’s and my schemes.
855

Madness

I seek to turn your steps into the best path instead of into this one of evil.

Iris

It was not to practice self-control that the wife of Zeus sent you here.

Madness

I call the sun-god to witness that here I am acting against my will; but if indeed I must at once serve you and Hera

and follow you in full cry as hounds follow the huntsman, then I will go; neither ocean with its fiercely groaning waves, nor the earthquake, nor the thunderbolt with blast of agony shall be like the headlong rush I will make into the breast of Heracles; through his roof will I burst my way and swoop upon his house,
860

after first slaying his children; nor shall their murderer know that he is killing the children he begot, till he is released from my madness. Behold him! see how even now he is wildly tossing his head at the outset, and rolling his eyes fiercely from side to side without a word; nor can he control his panting breath, like a fearful bull in act to charge; he bellows,
865

calling on the goddesses of nether hell. Soon will I rouse you to yet wilder dancing and pipe a note of terror in your ear. Soar away, O Iris, to Olympus on your honored course; while I unseen will steal into the halls of Heracles.
870

Hercules (OCR draft) Experimental (Hercules. Robert Potter's English verse translation, first published in 1781–1783; text from the 1808 Oxford printing.)

No corresponding passage available

Notes on the current edition

Heracles

1. [OCR note; compare the printed page.] Der perseischen Nymphe, der Alkmene, der Enkelin des Perseus.

2. [OCR note; compare the printed page.] L. ὡς πιςόν μοι.

3. [OCR note; compare the printed page.] 2. ᾧ νῦν ἐςορᾶν ἐφάνη. – ἐσορᾶν ἐφάνη, wie ὁρᾶν ἐφαίνετο 3. 978.

4. [OCR note; compare the printed page.] ἐς ἅμιλλαν = ἐν ἁμίλλῃ.

Euripides Heracles 798

Johann Jakob Christian Donner (Translator)

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Current edition Experimental

Ἶρις

μὴ σὺ νουθέτει τά θʼ Ἥρας κἀμὰ μηχανήματα.
855

Λύσσα

ἐς τὸ λῷον ἐμβιβάζω σʼ ἴχνος ἀντὶ τοῦ κακοῦ.

Ἶρις

οὐχὶ σωφρονεῖν γʼ ἔπεμψε δεῦρό σʼ ἡ Διὸς δάμαρ.

Chorus

—Ha! see there, my old comrades! is the same wild panic fallen on us all; what phantom is this I see hovering over the house?
815

—Fly, fly, bestir your tardy steps! begone! away!

—O savior prince, avert calamity from me!
820

Iris

Spare us your advice on Hera’s and my schemes.
855

Madness

I seek to turn your steps into the best path instead of into this one of evil.

Iris

It was not to practice self-control that the wife of Zeus sent you here.

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Current edition Experimental

Ἶρις μὴ σὺ νουθέτει τά θʼ Ἥρας κἀμὰ μηχανήματα. 855

Λύσσα ἐς τὸ λῷον ἐμβιβάζω σʼ ἴχνος ἀντὶ τοῦ κακοῦ.

Ἶρις οὐχὶ σωφρονεῖν γʼ ἔπεμψε δεῦρό σʼ ἡ Διὸς δάμαρ.

Chorus —Ha! see there, my old comrades! is the same wild panic fallen on us all; what phantom is this I see hovering over the house? 815 —Fly, fly, bestir your tardy steps! begone! away! —O savior prince, avert calamity from me! 820

Iris Spare us your advice on Hera’s and my schemes. 855

Madness I seek to turn your steps into the best path instead of into this one of evil.

Iris It was not to practice self-control that the wife of Zeus sent you here.

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers

Ἶρις

μὴ σὺ νουθέτει τά θʼ Ἥρας κἀμὰ μηχανήματα.
855

Λύσσα

ἐς τὸ λῷον ἐμβιβάζω σʼ ἴχνος ἀντὶ τοῦ κακοῦ.

Ἶρις

οὐχὶ σωφρονεῖν γʼ ἔπεμψε δεῦρό σʼ ἡ Διὸς δάμαρ.

Chorus

—Ha! see there, my old comrades! is the same wild panic fallen on us all; what phantom is this I see hovering over the house?
815

—Fly, fly, bestir your tardy steps! begone! away!

—O savior prince, avert calamity from me!
820

Iris

Spare us your advice on Hera’s and my schemes.
855

Madness

I seek to turn your steps into the best path instead of into this one of evil.

Iris

It was not to practice self-control that the wife of Zeus sent you here.