Euripides, Orestes, Johann Jakob Christian Donner (Translator), 1302

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Macht Schwerter mit doppelter Schneide fertig, und
1285

Tödtet, erschlaget, erwürget, vernichtet sie,

Welche den Vater verließ,

Und den Gemahl verließ, und der Hellenen so

Viele gemordet, die

Am Stromgestade verbluteten,
1290

Wo Thränen um Thränen, erregt von den eisernen Geschossen,

Fielen, an des Skamandros wilden Strudeln!

Chor.

Orestes. 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)

Ὀρέστης Perseus (Euripides. Euripidis Fabulae, Vol. III. Murray, Gilbert, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913. (Reprinted 1920-1978)) — 1286-1352 focus

Ἠλέκτρα

οὐκ εἰσακούουσʼ· ὦ τάλαινʼ ἐγὼ κακῶν.

ἆρʼ ἐς τὸ κάλλος ἐκκεκώφηται ξίφη;

τάχα τις Ἀργείων ἔνοπλος ὁρμήσας

ποδὶ βοηδρόμῳ μέλαθρα προσμείξει.
1290

σκέψασθέ νυν ἄμεινον· οὐχ ἕδρας ἀγών·

ἀλλʼ αἳ μὲν ἐνθάδʼ, αἳ δʼ ἐκεῖσʼ ἑλίσσετε.

Χορός

ἀμείβω κέλευθον σκοποῦσα πάντῃ.
1295

Ἑλένη

ἰὼ Πελασγὸν Ἄργος, ὄλλυμαι κακῶς.

Χορός

— ἠκούσαθʼ; ἅνδρες χεῖρʼ ἔχουσιν ἐν φόνῳ.

— Ἑλένης τὸ κώκυμʼ ἐστίν, ὡς ἀπεικάσαι.

Ἠλέκτρα

ὦ Διός, ὦ Διὸς ἀέναον κράτος,

ἔλθʼ ἐπίκουρος ἐμοῖς φίλοισι πάντως.
1300

Ἑλένη

Μενέλαε, θνῄσκω· σὺ δὲ παρών μʼ οὐκ ὠφελεῖς.

1302

Ἠλέκτρα

φονεύετε, καίνετε,

ὄλλυτε, δίπτυχα δίστομα φάσγανα

ἐκ χερὸς ἱέμενοι

τὰν λιποπάτορα λιπόγαμον, ἃ
1305

πλείστους ἔκανεν Ἑλλάνων

δορὶ παρὰ ποταμὸν ὀλομένους,

ὅθι δάκρυα δάκρυσιν ἔπεσεν

σιδαρέοισι βέλεσιν ἀμ-

φὶ τὰς Σκαμάνδρου δίνας.
1310

1311

Χορός

σιγᾶτε σιγᾶτʼ· ᾐσθόμην κτύπου τινὸς

κέλευθον ἐσπεσόντος ἀμφὶ δώματα.

Ἠλέκτρα

ὦ φίλταται γυναῖκες, ἐς μέσον φόνον

ἥδʼ Ἑρμιόνη πάρεστι· παύσωμεν βοήν.

στείχει γὰρ ἐσπεσοῦσα δικτύων βρόχους.
1315

καλὸν τὸ θήραμʼ, ἢν ἁλῷ, γενήσεται.

πάλιν κατάστηθʼ ἡσύχῳ μὲν ὄμματι,

χρόᾳ δʼ ἀδήλῳ τῶν δεδραμένων πέρι·

κἀγὼ σκυθρωποὺς ὀμμάτων ἕξω κόρας,

ὡς δῆθεν οὐκ εἰδυῖα τἀξειργασμένα.
1320

ὦ παρθένʼ, ἥκεις τὸν Κλυταιμήστρας τάφον

στέψασα καὶ σπείσασα νερτέροις χοάς;

Ἑρμιόνη

ἥκω, λαβοῦσα πρευμένειαν. ἀλλά μοι

φόβος τις εἰσελήλυθʼ, ἥντινʼ ἐν δόμοις

τηλουρὸς οὖσα δωμάτων κλύω βοήν.
1325

Ἠλέκτρα

τί δʼ; ἄξιʼ ἡμῖν τυγχάνει στεναγμάτων.

Ἑρμιόνη

εὔφημος ἴσθι· τί δὲ νεώτερον λέγεις;

Ἠλέκτρα

θανεῖν Ὀρέστην κἄμʼ ἔδοξε τῇδε γῇ.

Ἑρμιόνη

μὴ δῆτʼ, ἐμοῦ γε συγγενεῖς πεφυκότας.

Ἠλέκτρα

ἄραρʼ· ἀνάγκης δʼ ἐς ζυγὸν καθέσταμεν.
1330

Ἑρμιόνη

ἦ τοῦδʼ ἕκατι καὶ βοὴ κατὰ στέγας;

Ἠλέκτρα

ἱκέτης γὰρ Ἑλένης γόνασι προσπεσὼν βοᾷ —

Ἑρμιόνη

τίς; οὐδὲν οἶδα μᾶλλον, ἢν σὺ μὴ λέγῃς.

Ἠλέκτρα

τλήμων Ὀρέστης· μὴ θανεῖν, ἐμοῦ θʼ ὕπερ.

Ἑρμιόνη

ἐπʼ ἀξίοισί τἄρʼ ἀνευφημεῖ δόμος.
1335

Ἠλέκτρα

περὶ τοῦ γὰρ ἄλλου μᾶλλον ἂν φθέγξαιτό τις;

ἀλλʼ ἐλθὲ καὶ μετάσχες ἱκεσίας φίλοις,

σῇ μητρὶ προσπεσοῦσα τῇ μέγʼ ὀλβίᾳ,

Μενέλαον ἡμᾶς μὴ θανόντας εἰσιδεῖν.

ἀλλʼ, ὦ τραφεῖσα μητρὸς ἐν χεροῖν ἐμῆς,
1340

οἴκτιρον ἡμᾶς κἀπικούφισον κακῶν.

ἴθʼ εἰς ἀγῶνα δεῦρʼ, ἐγὼ δʼ ἡγήσομαι·

σωτηρίας γὰρ τέρμʼ ἔχεις ἡμῖν μόνη.

Ἑρμιόνη

ἰδού, διώκω τὸν ἐμὸν ἐς δόμους πόδα.

σώθηθʼ ὅσον γε τοὐπʼ ἐμέ.
1345

Ἠλέκτρα

ὦ κατὰ στέγας

φίλοι ξιφήρεις, οὐχὶ συλλήψεσθʼ ἄγραν;

Ἑρμιόνη

οἲ ἐγώ· τίνας τούσδʼ εἰσορῶ;

Ὀρέστης

σιγᾶν χρεών·

ἡμῖν γὰρ ἥκεις, οὐχὶ σοί, σωτηρία.

Ἠλέκτρα

ἔχεσθʼ ἔχεσθε· φάσγανον δὲ πρὸς δέρῃ

βάλλοντες ἡσυχάζεθʼ, ὡς εἰδῇ τόδε
1350

Μενέλαος, οὕνεκʼ ἄνδρας, οὐ Φρύγας κακούς,

εὑρὼν ἔπραξεν οἷα χρὴ πράσσειν κακούς.

Translations (2)

Orestes Perseus (Euripides. The Plays of Euripides, Vol. II. Coleridge, Edward P., translator. London: George Bell and Sons, 1891. (Modernized by Perseus.)) — 1286-1350 focus

Electra
spoken

They do not hear; alas for my troubles! Can it be that her beauty has blunted their swords?

sung

Soon some Argive in full armor, hurrying

to her rescue, will attack the palace.
1290
spoken

Keep a better look-out; it is not a contest of sitting still; turn about, some here, some there.

Chorus
sung

I am looking everywhere in turn along the road.
1295

Helen
within

Oh, Pelasgian Argos! I am being foully murdered.

Chorus

Did you hear? The men have put their hand to the slaughter.

It is Helen screaming, at a guess.

Electra
sung

O eternal might of Zeus, of Zeus, only come to help my friends!

Helen
within

Menelaus, I am dying, but you do not help me, though you are near.

1302

Electra
sung

Slay her, kill her, destroy her! Stab with your twin double-edged swords

the woman who left her father, left her husband, and killed so many of the men of Hellas , slain beside the river-bank, where tears rained down, by the iron darts
1305

all round the eddies of Scamander.
1310

1311

Chorus Leader

Hush! hush! I caught the sound of a foot-fall on the road near the house.

Electra

My dearest friends, it is Hermione advancing into the middle of the bloodshed; let our clamor cease.

For she comes headlong into the meshes of the net. The prey will be good, if it is caught. Take up your places again with looks composed and faces not betraying what has happened; I too will have a gloomy look,
1315

as if I knew nothing of what has been done. Addressing Hermione as she approaches. Ah! maiden, have you come from wreathing Clytemnestra’s grave and pouring libations to the dead?
1320

Hermione

Yes, I have returned after securing her favor; but I was filled with some alarm about a cry I heard from the palace

as I was still at a distance.
1325

Electra

But why? Our present lot gives cause for groans.

Hermione

Oh, don’t say so! What is your news?

Electra

Argos has sentenced Orestes and me to death.

Hermione

Oh no! not my own relatives!

Electra

It is decreed; we have put on the yoke of necessity.
1330

Hermione

Was this the reason of the cry within?

Electra

Yes, a suppliant cried out as he fell at Helen’s knees—

Hermione

Who is he? I know nothing more, if you do not tell me.

Electra

Unhappy Orestes, entreating mercy for himself and me.

Hermione

The house then has good reason to shout.
1335

Electra

What else would make someone entreat more earnestly? But come and throw yourself before your mother in her prosperity, join your friends’ supplication that Menelaus may not see us die.

O you that were nursed in my mother’s arms, have pity on us and relieve our pain. Come here to the struggle, and I myself will be your guide; for you alone have power over our safety.
1340

Hermione

See, I am hastening to the house;

as far it as rests with me, regard yourselves as safe. Exit Hermione .
1345

Electra

Now, friends in the house with swords, seize the prey!

Hermione
calling from within

Oh no! Who are these I see?

Orestes

(within.) Silence! You are here for our safety, not yours.

Electra

Hold her, hold her! Point a sword at her throat,

then wait in silence, that Menelaus may learn that he has found men, not Phrygian cowards, and he has been treated as cowards deserve.
1350

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

No corresponding passage available

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Chor.

Current edition Experimental

Χορός ἀμείβω κέλευθον σκοποῦσα πάντῃ. 1295

Ἑλένη ἰὼ Πελασγὸν Ἄργος, ὄλλυμαι κακῶς.

Χορός — ἠκούσαθʼ; ἅνδρες χεῖρʼ ἔχουσιν ἐν φόνῳ. — Ἑλένης τὸ κώκυμʼ ἐστίν, ὡς ἀπεικάσαι.

Ἠλέκτρα ὦ Διός, ὦ Διὸς ἀέναον κράτος, ἔλθʼ ἐπίκουρος ἐμοῖς φίλοισι πάντως. 1300

Ἑλένη Μενέλαε, θνῄσκω· σὺ δὲ παρών μʼ οὐκ ὠφελεῖς.

Χορός σιγᾶτε σιγᾶτʼ· ᾐσθόμην κτύπου τινὸς κέλευθον ἐσπεσόντος ἀμφὶ δώματα.

Ἑρμιόνη ἥκω, λαβοῦσα πρευμένειαν. ἀλλά μοι φόβος τις εἰσελήλυθʼ, ἥντινʼ ἐν δόμοις τηλουρὸς οὖσα δωμάτων κλύω βοήν. 1325

Ἠλέκτρα τί δʼ; ἄξιʼ ἡμῖν τυγχάνει στεναγμάτων.

Ἑρμιόνη εὔφημος ἴσθι· τί δὲ νεώτερον λέγεις;

Ἠλέκτρα θανεῖν Ὀρέστην κἄμʼ ἔδοξε τῇδε γῇ.

Ἑρμιόνη μὴ δῆτʼ, ἐμοῦ γε συγγενεῖς πεφυκότας.

Ἠλέκτρα ἄραρʼ· ἀνάγκης δʼ ἐς ζυγὸν καθέσταμεν. 1330

Ἑρμιόνη ἦ τοῦδʼ ἕκατι καὶ βοὴ κατὰ στέγας;

Ἠλέκτρα ἱκέτης γὰρ Ἑλένης γόνασι προσπεσὼν βοᾷ —

Ἑρμιόνη τίς; οὐδὲν οἶδα μᾶλλον, ἢν σὺ μὴ λέγῃς.

Ἠλέκτρα τλήμων Ὀρέστης· μὴ θανεῖν, ἐμοῦ θʼ ὕπερ.

Ἑρμιόνη ἐπʼ ἀξίοισί τἄρʼ ἀνευφημεῖ δόμος. 1335

Ἑρμιόνη ἰδού, διώκω τὸν ἐμὸν ἐς δόμους πόδα. σώθηθʼ ὅσον γε τοὐπʼ ἐμέ. 1345

Ἠλέκτρα ὦ κατὰ στέγας φίλοι ξιφήρεις, οὐχὶ συλλήψεσθʼ ἄγραν;

Ἑρμιόνη οἲ ἐγώ· τίνας τούσδʼ εἰσορῶ;

Ὀρέστης σιγᾶν χρεών· ἡμῖν γὰρ ἥκεις, οὐχὶ σοί, σωτηρία.

Chorus sung I am looking everywhere in turn along the road. 1295

Helen within Oh, Pelasgian Argos! I am being foully murdered.

Chorus Did you hear? The men have put their hand to the slaughter. It is Helen screaming, at a guess.

Electra sung O eternal might of Zeus, of Zeus, only come to help my friends!

Helen within Menelaus, I am dying, but you do not help me, though you are near.

Electra sung Slay her, kill her, destroy her! Stab with your twin double-edged swords the woman who left her father, left her husband, and killed so many of the men of Hellas , slain beside the river-bank, where tears rained down, by the iron darts 1305 all round the eddies of Scamander. 1310

Chorus Leader Hush! hush! I caught the sound of a foot-fall on the road near the house.

Hermione Yes, I have returned after securing her favor; but I was filled with some alarm about a cry I heard from the palace as I was still at a distance. 1325

Electra But why? Our present lot gives cause for groans.

Hermione Oh, don’t say so! What is your news?

Electra Argos has sentenced Orestes and me to death.

Hermione Oh no! not my own relatives!

Electra It is decreed; we have put on the yoke of necessity. 1330

Hermione Was this the reason of the cry within?

Electra Yes, a suppliant cried out as he fell at Helen’s knees—

Hermione Who is he? I know nothing more, if you do not tell me.

Electra Unhappy Orestes, entreating mercy for himself and me.

Hermione The house then has good reason to shout. 1335

Hermione See, I am hastening to the house; as far it as rests with me, regard yourselves as safe. Exit Hermione . 1345

Electra Now, friends in the house with swords, seize the prey!

Hermione calling from within Oh no! Who are these I see?

Orestes (within.) Silence! You are here for our safety, not yours.

Electra Hold her, hold her! Point a sword at her throat, then wait in silence, that Menelaus may learn that he has found men, not Phrygian cowards, and he has been treated as cowards deserve. 1350

Stable identifiers

Χορός

ἀμείβω κέλευθον σκοποῦσα πάντῃ.
1295

Ἑλένη

ἰὼ Πελασγὸν Ἄργος, ὄλλυμαι κακῶς.

Χορός

— ἠκούσαθʼ; ἅνδρες χεῖρʼ ἔχουσιν ἐν φόνῳ.

— Ἑλένης τὸ κώκυμʼ ἐστίν, ὡς ἀπεικάσαι.

Ἠλέκτρα

ὦ Διός, ὦ Διὸς ἀέναον κράτος,

ἔλθʼ ἐπίκουρος ἐμοῖς φίλοισι πάντως.
1300

Ἑλένη

Μενέλαε, θνῄσκω· σὺ δὲ παρών μʼ οὐκ ὠφελεῖς.

Χορός

σιγᾶτε σιγᾶτʼ· ᾐσθόμην κτύπου τινὸς

κέλευθον ἐσπεσόντος ἀμφὶ δώματα.

Ἑρμιόνη

ἥκω, λαβοῦσα πρευμένειαν. ἀλλά μοι

φόβος τις εἰσελήλυθʼ, ἥντινʼ ἐν δόμοις

τηλουρὸς οὖσα δωμάτων κλύω βοήν.
1325

Ἠλέκτρα

τί δʼ; ἄξιʼ ἡμῖν τυγχάνει στεναγμάτων.

Ἑρμιόνη

εὔφημος ἴσθι· τί δὲ νεώτερον λέγεις;

Ἠλέκτρα

θανεῖν Ὀρέστην κἄμʼ ἔδοξε τῇδε γῇ.

Ἑρμιόνη

μὴ δῆτʼ, ἐμοῦ γε συγγενεῖς πεφυκότας.

Ἠλέκτρα

ἄραρʼ· ἀνάγκης δʼ ἐς ζυγὸν καθέσταμεν.
1330

Ἑρμιόνη

ἦ τοῦδʼ ἕκατι καὶ βοὴ κατὰ στέγας;

Ἠλέκτρα

ἱκέτης γὰρ Ἑλένης γόνασι προσπεσὼν βοᾷ —

Ἑρμιόνη

τίς; οὐδὲν οἶδα μᾶλλον, ἢν σὺ μὴ λέγῃς.

Ἠλέκτρα

τλήμων Ὀρέστης· μὴ θανεῖν, ἐμοῦ θʼ ὕπερ.

Ἑρμιόνη

ἐπʼ ἀξίοισί τἄρʼ ἀνευφημεῖ δόμος.
1335

Ἑρμιόνη

ἰδού, διώκω τὸν ἐμὸν ἐς δόμους πόδα.

σώθηθʼ ὅσον γε τοὐπʼ ἐμέ.
1345

Ἠλέκτρα

ὦ κατὰ στέγας

φίλοι ξιφήρεις, οὐχὶ συλλήψεσθʼ ἄγραν;

Ἑρμιόνη

οἲ ἐγώ· τίνας τούσδʼ εἰσορῶ;

Ὀρέστης

σιγᾶν χρεών·

ἡμῖν γὰρ ἥκεις, οὐχὶ σοί, σωτηρία.

Chorus
sung

I am looking everywhere in turn along the road.
1295

Helen
within

Oh, Pelasgian Argos! I am being foully murdered.

Chorus

Did you hear? The men have put their hand to the slaughter.

It is Helen screaming, at a guess.

Electra
sung

O eternal might of Zeus, of Zeus, only come to help my friends!

Helen
within

Menelaus, I am dying, but you do not help me, though you are near.

Electra
sung

Slay her, kill her, destroy her! Stab with your twin double-edged swords

the woman who left her father, left her husband, and killed so many of the men of Hellas , slain beside the river-bank, where tears rained down, by the iron darts
1305

all round the eddies of Scamander.
1310

Chorus Leader

Hush! hush! I caught the sound of a foot-fall on the road near the house.

Hermione

Yes, I have returned after securing her favor; but I was filled with some alarm about a cry I heard from the palace

as I was still at a distance.
1325

Electra

But why? Our present lot gives cause for groans.

Hermione

Oh, don’t say so! What is your news?

Electra

Argos has sentenced Orestes and me to death.

Hermione

Oh no! not my own relatives!

Electra

It is decreed; we have put on the yoke of necessity.
1330

Hermione

Was this the reason of the cry within?

Electra

Yes, a suppliant cried out as he fell at Helen’s knees—

Hermione

Who is he? I know nothing more, if you do not tell me.

Electra

Unhappy Orestes, entreating mercy for himself and me.

Hermione

The house then has good reason to shout.
1335

Hermione

See, I am hastening to the house;

as far it as rests with me, regard yourselves as safe. Exit Hermione .
1345

Electra

Now, friends in the house with swords, seize the prey!

Hermione
calling from within

Oh no! Who are these I see?

Orestes

(within.) Silence! You are here for our safety, not yours.

Electra

Hold her, hold her! Point a sword at her throat,

then wait in silence, that Menelaus may learn that he has found men, not Phrygian cowards, and he has been treated as cowards deserve.
1350