Euripides, Orestes, ed. Gilbert Murray, 866

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Ἄγγελος

ἐτύγχανον μὲν ἀγρόθεν πυλῶν ἔσω

βαίνων, πυθέσθαι δεόμενος τά τʼ ἀμφὶ σοῦ

τά τʼ ἀμφʼ Ὀρέστου· σῷ γὰρ εὔνοιαν πατρὶ

ἀεί ποτʼ εἶχον, καί μʼ ἔφερβε σὸς δόμος

πένητα μέν, χρῆσθαι δὲ γενναῖον φίλοις.
870

ὁρῶ δʼ ὄχλον στείχοντα καὶ θάσσοντʼ ἄκραν,

οὗ φασι πρῶτον Δαναὸν Αἰγύπτῳ δίκας

διδόντʼ ἀθροῖσαι λαὸν ἐς κοινὰς ἕδρας.

ἀστῶν δὲ δή τινʼ ἠρόμην ἄθροισμʼ ἰδών·

Τί καινὸν Ἄργει; μῶν τι πολεμίων πάρα
875

ἄγγελμʼ ἀνεπτέρωκε Δαναϊδῶν πόλιν;

ὃ δʼ εἶπʼ· Ὀρέστην κεῖνον οὐχ ὁρᾷς πέλας

στείχοντʼ, ἀγῶνα θανάσιμον δραμούμενον;

ὁρῶ δʼ ἄελπτον φάσμʼ, ὃ μήποτʼ ὤφελον,

Πυλάδην τε καὶ σὸν σύγγονον στείχονθʼ ὁμοῦ,
880

τὸν μὲν κατηφῆ καὶ παρειμένον νόσῳ,

τὸν δʼ ὥστʼ ἀδελφὸν ἴσα φίλῳ λυπούμενον,

νόσημα κηδεύοντα παιδαγωγίᾳ.

ἐπεὶ δὲ πλήρης ἐγένετʼ Ἀργείων ὄχλος,

κῆρυξ ἀναστὰς εἶπε· Τίς χρῄζει λέγειν,
885

πότερον Ὀρέστην κατθανεῖν ἢ μὴ χρεών,

μητροκτονοῦντα; κἀπὶ τῷδʼ ἀνίσταται

Ταλθύβιος, ὃς σῷ πατρὶ συνεπόρθει Φρύγας.

ἔλεξε δʼ, ὑπὸ τοῖς δυναμένοισιν ὢν ἀεί,

διχόμυθα, πατέρα μὲν σὸν ἐκπαγλούμενος,
890

σὸν δʼ οὐκ ἐπαινῶν σύγγονον, καλοὺς κακοὺς

λόγους ἑλίσσων, ὅτι καθισταίη νόμους

ἐς τοὺς τεκόντας οὐ καλούς· τὸ δʼ ὄμμʼ ἀεὶ

φαιδρωπὸν ἐδίδου τοῖσιν Αἰγίσθου φίλοις.

τὸ γὰρ γένος τοιοῦτον· ἐπὶ τὸν εὐτυχῆ
895

πηδῶσʼ ἀεὶ κήρυκες· ὅδε δʼ αὐτοῖς φίλος,

ὃς ἂν δύνηται πόλεος ἔν τʼ ἀρχαῖσιν ᾖ.

Orestes. Euripides. ed. Gilbert Murray. Oxford. 1913.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Perseus

Ὀρέστης (Greek) (Euripides. Euripidis Fabulae, Vol. III. Murray, Gilbert, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913. (Reprinted 1920-1978))

Translations (3)

Orestes Perseus (Euripides. The Plays of Euripides, Vol. II. Coleridge, Edward P., translator. London: George Bell and Sons, 1891. (Modernized by Perseus.)) — 866 focus

Messenger

I had just come from the country and was entering the gates, needing to learn what was decided about you and Orestes, for I was always well disposed to your father when he was alive, and it was your house that reared me,

poor indeed, yet loyal in the service of friends. I saw a crowd going and taking their seats on the height, where they say Danaus first gathered his people for a meeting, making amends to Aegyptus . So, when I saw the throng, I asked a citizen:
870

What news in Argos ? Tidings of the enemy haven’t ruffled the city of Danaus, have they? But he said: Don’t you see Orestes there, on his way to he tried for his life? I saw an unexpected sight, which I wish I had not seen,
875

Pylades and your brother approaching together, the one with his head down, weakened by sickness; the other sharing his friend’s sorrow like a brother, tending his illness with constant care.
880

Now when the Argives were fully gathered,

a herald rose and said: Who wishes to give his opinion whether Orestes should be slain or not for the murder of his mother? Then up stood Talthybius, who helped your father sack the Phrygians. He spoke out of both sides of his mouth, a mere tool of those in power as he always is,
885

expressing high admiration for your father, but not praising your brother, urging his crooked sentiments in specious words, that it would establish laws as to parents that are not good; and all the while he was darting lively glances at the friends of Aegisthus.
890

Such is that tribe; heralds always trip across to the lucky side; the one who has power in the city or a post in the government is their friend.
895

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

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1841; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (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.) — 866 focus

Gerade kam ich durch das Thor vom Felde heim,

Verlangend, auszukunden, was dein Schicksal sei

Und deines Bruders: denn ich hing mit Liebe stets
855

An eurem Vater; dieses Haus ernährte mich,

Der dürftig, aber edel, gern den Freunden dient.

Da seh' ich Haufen Volkes nach dem Hügel ziehn,

Wo, sagt man, erstmals Danaos, dem zürnenden

Aegyptos büßend, Argos Heer sich sammeln hieß.
860

Die Menge schauend, fragt' ich Einen aus der Stadt:¹

Was gibt's in Argos? Ward die Danaïdenstadt:

Durch eine Botschaft aufgeschreckt, daß Feinde nah'n?

Doch der versezte: siehst du nicht Drestes hier

Ganz nahe wandeln? Dieser geht zum Todeskampf.
865

Nun seh' ich unvermuthet - hått ich's nie gesehn! -

Vereint Drestes schreiten mit dem Pylades;

Er, matt von Krankheit, senkte trüb den düstern Blick;

Der Andre trauert um den Freund, dem Bruder gleich,

Und führte liebend an der Hand den Leidenden. :.
870

Als Argos Menge vollgedrängt im Kreise war,

Trat auf ein Herold und begann: Wer unter euch.

Verlangt zu reden, ob Drestes sterben soll,

Der Muttermorder? Drauf erstand Talthybios,

Der deinem Vater Ilion zerstören half.
875

Er redet doppelsinnig; denn er frohnte stets

Den Machtbegabten; deinen Vater pries er hoch,

Doch deinen Bruder lobt' er nicht, sein böses Wort

In gutes hüllend; denn er hab' in seiner That'

Ein schlimmes Vorbild aufgestellt: und immerfort .
880

Vegisthos' Freunden wandt' er zu den frohen Blick.:

Das ist ja dieser Menschen Art: den Glücklichen:.

Umschwärmen stets Herolde; wer die Macht besizt,

Wen hohe Würden schmücken, der ist ihnen werth.

Euripides Orestes 866

ed. Gilbert Murray

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