Euripides, The Phoenician Women, Johann Jakob Christian Donner (Translator), 214

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Auserlesen aus meiner Stadt,

Kam ich, Lorias' Dienst geweiht,
215

Zum Kadmeiergebiete,

Zu Agenor's hehrem Geschlecht,

Her zu Laïos Mauern, den

Mir verwandten, gesendet.

Goldnen Säulengebilden gleich,
220

Werd' ich Phobos' Dienerinn sein;

Und mein wartet Kastalia's

Quelle noch, mir die Locken, der

Jungfraun Schmuck, zu benezen zu

Phobos' heiligem Dienste.
225
Schlußgesang.

The Phoenician Women. Euripides. Johann Jakob Christian Donner (Translator). . .

Current edition Experimental

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1841; OCR review) (OCR draft) (German) (Euripides. Deutsch in den Versmaßen der Urschrift. Volume 1, Heidelberg: C. F. Winter, 1841. 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)

Φοίνισσαι Perseus (Euripides. Euripidis Fabulae, Vol. III. Murray, Gilbert, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913. (Reprinted 1920-1978)) — 202-260 focus

Χορός

Τύριον οἶδμα λιποῦσʼ ἔβαν

ἀκροθίνια Λοξίᾳ

Φοινίσσας ἀπὸ νάσου

Φοίβῳ δούλα μελάθρων,
205

ἵνʼ ὑπὸ δειράσι νιφοβόλοις

Παρνασοῦ κατενάσθη,

Ἰόνιον κατὰ πόντον ἐλά-

τᾳ πλεύσασα περιρρύτῳ

ὑπὲρ ἀκαρπίστων πεδίων
210

Σικελίας Ζεφύρου πνοαῖς

ἱππεύσαντος, ἐν οὐρανῷ

κάλλιστον κελάδημα.

214

Χορός

πόλεος ἐκπροκριθεῖσʼ ἐμᾶς

καλλιστεύματα Λοξίᾳ
215

Καδμείων ἔμολον γᾶν,

κλεινῶν Ἀγηνοριδᾶν

ὁμογενεῖς ἐπὶ Λαΐου

πεμφθεῖσʼ ἐνθάδε πύργους.

ἴσα δʼ ἀγάλμασι χρυσοτεύ-
220

κτοις Φοίβῳ λάτρις ἐγενόμαν·

ἔτι δὲ Κασταλίας ὕδωρ

περιμένει με κόμας ἐμᾶς

δεῦσαι παρθένιον χλιδὰν

Φοιβείαισι λατρείαις.
225

226

Χορός

ἰὼ λάμπουσα πέτρα πυρὸς

δικόρυφον σέλας ὑπὲρ ἄκρων

βακχειῶν Διονύσου,

οἴνα θʼ ἃ καθαμέριον

στάζεις τὸν πολύκαρπον
230

οἰνάνθας ἱεῖσα βότρυν,

ζάθεά τʼ ἄντρα δράκοντος οὔ-

ρειαί τε σκοπιαὶ θεῶν

νιφόβολόν τʼ ὄρος ἱερόν, εἱ-

λίσσων ἀθανάτας θεοῦ
235

χορὸς γενοίμαν ἄφοβος

παρὰ μεσόμφαλα γύαλα Φοί-

βου Δίρκαν προλιποῦσα.

239

Χορός

νῦν δέ μοι πρὸ τειχέων

θούριος μολὼν Ἄρης
240

αἷμα δάιον φλέγει

τᾷδʼ, ὃ μὴ τύχοι, πόλει·

κοινὰ γὰρ φίλων ἄχη,

κοινὰ δʼ, εἴ τι πείσεται

ἑπτάπυργος ἅδε γᾶ,
245

Φοινίσσᾳ χώρᾳ. φεῦ φεῦ.

κοινὸν αἷμα, κοινὰ τέκεα

τᾶς κερασφόρου πέφυκεν Ἰοῦς·

ὧν μέτεστί μοι πόνων.

250

Χορός

ἀμφὶ δὲ πτόλιν νέφος
250

ἀσπίδων πυκνὸν φλέγει

σχῆμα φοινίου μάχης,

ἃν Ἄρης τάχʼ εἴσεται

παισὶν Οἰδίπου φέρων

πημονὰν Ἐρινύων.
255

Ἄργος ὦ Πελασγικόν,

δειμαίνω τὰν σὰν ἀλκάν,

καὶ τὸ θεόθεν· οὐ γὰρ ἄδικον

εἰς ἀγῶνα τόνδʼ ἔνοπλος ὁρμᾷ παῖς

ὃς μετέρχεται δόμους.
260

Translations (2)

The Phoenician Maidens Perseus (Euripides. The Plays of Euripides, Vol. II. Coleridge, Edward P., translator. London: George Bell and Sons, 1891. (Modernized by Perseus.)) — 202-260 focus

Chorus

From the Tyrian swell of the sea I came, a choice offering for Loxias from the island of Phoenicia ,

to be a slave to Phoebus in his halls, where he dwells under the snow-swept peaks of Parnassus ; through the Ionian sea I sailed in the waves,
205

over the unharvested plains, in the gusts of Zephyrus that ride from Sicily , sweetest music in the sky.
210

214

Chorus

Chosen from my city

as beauty’s gift for Loxias, to the land of Cadmus I came, sent here to the towers of Laius, the home of my kin, the famous sons of Agenor.
215

And I became the handmaid of Phoebus, dedicated like his statues of wrought gold. But the water of Castalia is still waiting for me to drench the maiden glory of my hair
220

for the service of Phoebus.
225

226

Chorus

Hail, rock that lights up a double-crested flash of fire above the frenzied heights of Dionysus; and the vine, that every day

lets fall the lush cluster of grapes; and the holy cavern of the serpent and the gods’ watchtower on the hills, and the sacred snow-swept mountain!
230

Would I were free of fear and circling in the dance of the deathless god, having left Dirce for the valleys of Phoebus at the center of the world.
235

239

Chorus

But now I find

the impetuous god of war has come to battle before the walls, and is kindling a murderous blaze—may he not succeed!—for this city. For a friend’s pain is shared, and if this land with its seven towers
240

suffers any mischance, Phoenicia ’s realm will share it. Ah me! our blood is one; we are all children of Io, the horned maid; these sorrows I claim as mine.
245

250

Chorus

Around the city a thick cloud of shields is kindling a shape of bloody battle, which Ares will soon learn, if he brings upon the sons of Oedipus
250

the curse of the Furies. O Argos , city of Pelasgia! I dread your might, and also what comes from the gods; for the one who approaches his home in armor is setting out to a contest
255

that is not without justice.
260

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

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Euripides The Phoenician Women 214

Johann Jakob Christian Donner (Translator)

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