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Cher nous est le héros, chère nous est cette tombe, car chère nous est l'âme qu'elle enferme. Aïdôneus ¹, fais remonter
au jour, ô Aïdôneus, le roi

Persians. Aeschylus. Paul Mazon (Editor). Paris. 1920-1925.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by Schmidt Sciences.

Current edition Experimental

LES PERSES (OCR draft) (fra) (LES PERSES. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.)

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (7)

Πέρσαι First1KGreek (Aeschyli Tragoediae. Sidgwick, Arthur, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1902.) — 633-680 focus

str. 1

Χορός

ἦ ῥ᾽ ἀίει μου¹ μακαρίτας

ἰσοδαίμων βασιλεὺς

βάρβαρ᾽ σαφηνῆ
635

ἱέντος τὰ παναίολ᾽ αἰ-

ανῆ δύσθροα βάγματ᾽, ἢ²

παντάλαν᾽ ἄχη διαμβοάσω;³

νέρθεν ἆρα κλύει μου;

640

ant. 1

Χορός

ἀλλὰ σύ μοι Γᾶ τε καὶ ἄλλοι
640

χθονίων ἁγεμόνες

δαίμονα μεγαυχῆ⁴

ἰόντ᾽ αἰνέσατ᾽ ἐκ δόμων,

Περσᾶν Σουσιγενῆ θεόν:

πέμπετε⁵ δ᾽ ἄνω <τὸν>⁶ οἷον οὔπω
645

Περσὶς αἶ᾽ ἐκάλυψεν.

647

str. 2

Χορός

ἦ φίλος ἁνήρ,⁷ [ἦ⁸] φίλος ὄχθος:

φίλα γὰρ κέκευθεν ἤθη.

Ἀιδωνεὺς δ᾽ ἀναπομπ-

ὸς⁹ ἀνείης, Ἀιδωνεύς,
650

θεῖον¹⁰ ἀνάκτορα Δαριᾶνα. ἠέ.

652

ant. 2

Χορός

οὐδὲ¹¹ γὰρ ἄνδρας ποτ᾽ ἀπώλλυ¹²

πολεμοφθόροισιν ἄταις,

θεομήστωρ δ᾽ ἐκικλή-

σκετο Πέρσαις, θεομήστωρ δ᾽
655

ἔσκεν, ἐπεὶ στρατὸν εὖ ποδούχει.¹³ ἠέ.

657

str. 3

Χορός

βαλήν,¹⁴ ἀρχαῖος βαλήν,

ἴθι, ἱκοῦ:

ἔλθ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἄκρον κόρυμβον ὄχθου,

κροκόβαπτον ποδὸς εὔμαριν ἀείρων,
660

βασιλείου τιάρας¹⁵

φάλαρον πιφαύσκων.

βάσκε πάτερ ἄκακε Δαριάν,¹⁶ οἶ.

664

ant. 3

Χορός

ὅπως αἰανῆ κλύῃς

νέα τ᾽ ἄχη,
665

δέσποτα δεσποτᾶν¹⁷ φάνηθι.

Στυγία γάρ τις ἐπ᾽ ἀχλὺς πεπόταται:

νεολαία γὰρ ἤδη

κατὰ πᾶσ᾽ ὄλωλεν.
670

βάσκε πάτερ ἄκακε Δαριάν,¹⁸ οἶ.

673

ep.

Χορός

αἰαῖ αἰαῖ:

ὦ πολύκλαυτε φίλοισι θανών,

†τί τάδε δυνάτα¹⁹ δυνάτα
675

περὶ τᾷ σᾷ δίδυμα διαγόεν ἁμάρτια;²⁰²¹†

πᾶσαι²² <γὰρ>²³ γᾷ τᾷδ᾽ ἐξ-

έφθινται²⁴ τρίσκαλμοι

νᾶες ἄναες ἄναες.
680
681

Πέρσαι Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 1. Smyth, Herbert Weir, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1922.) — 633-680 focus

Χορός

ἦ ῥʼ ἀίει μου μακαρίτας

ἰσοδαίμων βασιλεὺς

βάρβαρʼ ἀσαφηνῆ
635

ἱέντος τὰ παναίολʼ αἰ-

ανῆ δύσθροα βάγματʼ, ἢ

παντάλανʼ ἄχη διαβοάσω;

νέρθεν ἆρα κλύει μου;

640

Χορός

ἀλλὰ σύ μοι Γᾶ τε καὶ ἄλλοι
640

χθονίων ἁγεμόνες

δαίμονα μεγαυχῆ

ἰόντʼ αἰνέσατʼ ἐκ δόμων,

Περσᾶν Σουσιγενῆ θεόν·

πέμπετε δʼ ἄνω οἷον οὔπω
645

Περσὶς αἶʼ ἐκάλυψεν.

647

Χορός

ἦ φίλος ἁνήρ, φίλος ὄχθος·

φίλα γὰρ κέκευθεν ἤθη.

Ἀιδωνεὺς δʼ ἀναπομ-

πὸς ἀνείης, Ἀιδωνεύς,
650

θεῖον ἀνάκτορα Δαριᾶνα. ἠέ.

652

Χορός

οὐδὲ γὰρ ἄνδρας ποτʼ ἀπώλλυ

πολεμοφθόροισιν ἄταις,

θεομήστωρ δʼ ἐκικλή-

σκετο Πέρσαις, θεομήστωρ δʼ
655

ἔσκεν,ἐπεὶ στρατὸν εὖ ποδούχει. ἠέ.

657

Χορός

βαλήν, ἀρχαῖος βαλήν,

ἴθι, ἱκοῦ·

ἔλθʼ ἐπʼ ἄκρον κόρυμβον ὄχθου,

κροκόβαπτον ποδὸς εὔμαριν ἀείρων,
660

βασιλείου τιάρας

φάλαρον πιφαύσκων.

βάσκε πάτερ ἄκακε Δαριάν, οἶ.

664

Χορός

ὅπως αἰανῆ κλύῃς

νέα τʼ ἄχη,
665

δέσποτα δεσπότου φάνηθι.

Στυγία γάρ τις ἐπʼ ἀχλὺς πεπόταται·

νεολαία γὰρ ἤδη

κατὰ πᾶσʼ ὄλωλεν.
670

βάσκε πάτερ ἄκακε Δαριάν, οἶ.

673

Χορός

αἰαῖ αἰαῖ·

ὦ πολύκλαυτε φίλοισι θανών,

τί τάδε δυνάτα δυνάτα
675

περὶ τᾷ σᾷ δίδυμα διαγόεν ἁμάρτια;

πᾶσαι γᾷ τᾷδʼ

ἐξέφθινται τρίσκαλμοι

νᾶες ἄναες ἄναες.
680

Πέρσαι (OCR draft) Experimental (Πέρσαι. Guilielmus Dindorfius, 1882.) — 647 focus

ἦ φίλος ἁνὴρ, φίλος ὄχθος· φίλα γὰρ κέκευθεν

ἤθη.

Ἀϊδωνεῦ δ᾽ ἀναπομπὸς ἀνείης, Ἀϊδωνεῦ,

650

δῖον ἀνάκτορα Δαριᾶνα.

Πέρσαι (OCR draft) Experimental (Πέρσαι. Gottfried Hermann, 1852.) — 647 focus

ὦ φίλος ἀνήρ, φίλος ὄχθος·

650

φίλα γὰρ κέκευθεν ἤθη.

Ἀϊδωνεὺς δ᾽ ἀναπομπὸς ἀνείης, Ἀϊδωνεύς,

δαΐον οἷον ἄνακτα Δαρεῖον.

ἠέ.

ΠΕΡΣΑΙ. 109

Χορός

ΠΕΡΣΑΙ (OCR draft) Experimental (ΠΕΡΣΑΙ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 647 focus

Ἦ φίλος ἁνήρ, φίλος ὄχθος ὄχθος· φίλα γὰρ κέκευθεν ἤθη.

Str. 2.

Ἀϊδωνεὺς δ' ἀναπομ-

πὸς ἀνείης ἂν εἴη (uel εἴην) seu ἀνίη (uel ἀνίει), Ἀϊδωνεύς,

οἷον ἀνάκτορα Δαριᾶνα Δαρεῖον οἷον (uel οἷον) ἄνακτα Δαρειάν· ἠέ.
650

Πέρσαι (OCR draft) Experimental (Πέρσαι. N. Wecklein, 1885.) — 647 focus

ἦ φίλος ἀνήρ, φίλος ὄχθος·

650

φίλα γὰρ κέκευθεν ἤθη.

Ἀϊδωνεὺς δ᾽ ἀναπομ-

πὸς ἀνείης Ἀϊδωνεὺς

Δαρεῖον, οἷον ἄνακτα Δαρειάν, ἠέ.

Aeschyli Persae (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschyli Persae. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1914.) — 647 focus

ἢ φίλος ἁνήρ, φίλος ὄχθος·

φίλα γὰρ κέκευθεν ἤθη.

᾿Αιδωνεὺς δ᾽ ἀναπομ-

πὸς ἀνείης ᾿Αιδωνεὺς

650

Numeri: praevalent ionici aut choriambi; discrepat epodus. 633-37 = 638-46 4 choriamb. ithyphallicus concisus cf. 854. 2 glyconei. 2 monometri trochaici, prior solutus ut Pind. Nem. 6, 59 ἄγγελος ἔβαν, pherecrateus. 647-51 = 652-55 2 choriambi ... membrum simile alcaico decasyllabo, 4 ion. a min. + alcaic. decasyll. interiectio.

Apparatus Criticus

γαίας γαίας γαίης γαῖαν τ᾽ ἐνέρων τε νερτέρων φῶς φάος ἄκος πλέον correxi θρήνων θνητῶν corr. Gomperz εἴποι εἴπηι μου μοι βάρβαρα σαφηνή β. τε σαφηνή αἰανῆ ... βάγματα αἰανὰ βάσματα παντάλαν᾽ ἄχη παντάλαιν᾽ παντάλανά τ' ἄχθη μοι om. ἁγεμόνες ἁγεμόνα om. μεγαυχή μεγαυχή μεγαλαυχή ἰόντ᾽ ἱέντ' ἐκ om. ἢ φίλος ... ὄχθος ἡ φίλ. ὄχθ. ἢ delevit Tr ὄχθος τάφου ἀνείης ἀνίη ἀνίει ἂν εἴη ἂν εἴην ἀνία corr. Brunck ᾿Αιδωνεὺς¹ om.

ΧΟ.

[Δαρεῖον] οἷον ἀνάκτορα Δαριᾶνα.

ἠέ. –

Translations (7)

Persians Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 1. Smyth, Herbert Weir, translator. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1922. (Modernized by Perseus.)) — 633-680 focus

Chorus

Does our sainted and godlike king hear me as I utter,

in obscure barbaric speech, my dismal and dolorous cries? Or must I shout aloud the utter misery of my anguish so that it pierces the earth? Does he hear me from below?
635

640

Chorus

O Earth, and you other rulers of those who dwell in the nether world, ensure, I implore, that the glorious spirit, the god of the Persians, whom Susa bore, may quit his abode.
640

Send to the upper world him the likes of whom the Persian earth has never entombed.
645

647

Chorus

Beloved indeed was the hero, beloved is his burial mound; beloved are the qualities that lie buried there. O Aidoneus,

Aidoneus, who convey shades to the upper air, permit our divine lord Darius to come forth!
650

652

Chorus

For since he did not ever cause the destruction of his people by senseless and ruinous wars, he bore the name of divine counsellor

to the Persians; and a divine counsellor he was, since he guided his people well.
655

657

Chorus

King, our king of old, come forth, draw near! Rise to the barrow’s topmost point,

lift your saffron-dyed sandal, display the crest of your royal tiara! Come forth, O blameless father Darius.
660

664

Chorus

That you may hear

pitiable and unheard-of sorrows, O Lord of our lord, appear! For a gloom, like that of Styx, hovers over us, since all the youth of the land
665

is now utterly destroyed. Come forth, O blameless father Darius!
670

673

Chorus

Alas, alas! You whose death your friends bewailed with bitter tears,

why, my king, my king, why is it that our land has lost all its three-tiered galleys,
675

ships that are no more, no more?
680

The Persians. (OCR draft) Experimental (The Persians.. Theodore Alois Buckley, 1849.) — 647 focus

Aye, dear was the man, and dear is his sepulchre, for dear was the character that it entombs. And thou, Aldoneus, that dost send the shades to this upper world, set at liberty, Aidoneus, Darius, all kingly as he was. Alas !

The Persians (OCR draft) Experimental (The Persians. Robert Potter, 1779.) — 647 focus

Let th' illuſtrious ſhade ariſe

Glorious in his radiant ſtate,

More than blaz'd before our eyes,

785

E'er ſad Suſa mourn'd his fate.

THE PERSIANS.

Dear he liv'd, his tomb is dear,

Shrining virtues we revere :

Send then, monarch of the dead,

Such as Darius was, Darius' ſhade.
790

Eschilo, I Persiani: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli (OCR draft) Experimental (Eschilo, I Persiani: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli. Ettore Romagnoli, 1922.) — 647 focus

Diletto l'uomo, e pur diletto il tumulo

dov'è la cara sua virtú racchiusa.

740

Aidonèo, Aidonèo, fa' tu che libero

l'unico re di Susa,

salga alla luce, Dario, Dario. Ahimè!

CORO

Aeschylus, Persae: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Persae: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii. Ioannes Sanravius, 1555.) — 647 focus

Aidoneus mortuorum deductor

Mittet Darium uidelicet regem, aut eius animum.

Neq; enim uiros unquam perdidit

English (E. D. A. Morshead, 1908) (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Persians — Morshead translation. Wikisource transcription; speech corresp and card milestones aligned to Smyth perseus-grc2.) — 647 focus

Borne forth he was to honoured burial,

A royal heart! and followed by our tears.

God of the dead, O give him back to us,
670

Darius, ruler glorious!

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1854; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylos. Deutsch in den Versmaßen der Urschrift. Stuttgart: Hoffmann, 1854. Native Donner line citations, Smyth card correspondence, selected textual readings and metrical facsimiles. Remaining OCR differences and unattributed reading notes are documented in the linked review inventory.) — 647 focus

Theuerstes Haupt! Theuerstes Grabmal!

Denn ein theures Herz verbirgst du.
630

Aïdoneus, o geleit' ihn empor, mächtiger Nachtgott,

Ihn, den alleinigen Schrecken der Feinde!¹

Zweiter Halbchor.
Zweite Gegenstrophe.

Notes on the current edition

Persians

1. Autre nom d'Hadès, déjà employé par Homère.

Commentary

Critical apparatus to The Persians (OCR draft) (Latin and Greek critical apparatus to Gottfried Hermann's 1852 edition of The Persians.) focus

650. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-525

ὦ φίλος ἀνήρ, φίλος ὄχθος:

ἦ φίλος ἀνὴρ. ή φίλος ὄχθος

M. G. Lips. aliique et Rob.

ἢ φίλος ἀνὴρ ἡ φίλος ὄχθ

Vit.

ή φίλος, ή φίλος ἀνὴρ, ὦ φίλος by Jos tagov

Ald. Turn. Et

oz9os túqov

habent etiam Ox. Par. F. Colb. 1.

ὄχθος τάφος

Ven. A. ut

τάφος

interpretationis caussa in M. adscriptum est. Plerorumque librorum scripturam deleto altero

correxit

Arnaldus. Tumulus in scena conspicitur, editus locus, fortasse aliqua columna ornatus, ante quam deinde apparet umbra Darii. Non est enim veri simile eam ex sacello prodire, sed per

ávaníɛoμa

ex tumulo summo emergere. Si quid discriminis fuit inter

αναπίεσμα

κλίμακα Χαρώνιον

, de quibus Pollux IV.132. dicit, fuerunt

zhuaxes Xagúvioi

aperti hiatus et voragines, per quas aditus ad inferos pateret.

650

Commentary (W. S. Teuffel; revised by N. Wecklein, 1886; German; OCR draft) (Persians, explanatory commentary pp. 43–97. Single-witness OCR; source readings and all reference placements require scan review.) focus

647-651. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-teuffel-wecklein1886-com-ger1-95

Begründung der Bitte und Erneuerung derselben. Der erste Vers choriambisch-logaö- disch, der zweite ionisch, der dritte logaödisch. – ὄχθος 658. vgl. Cho. 4: τύμβου δ᾽ ἐπ᾿ ὄχθῳ τῷδε. – ἀνάκτορα wie Cho. 357 σεμνότιμος ἀνάκτωρ. Δαριαῖον 554.

Aeschylus Persians 647

Paul Mazon (Editor)

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Current edition Experimental

Χορός

ἦ φίλος ἁνήρ,⁷ [ἦ⁸] φίλος ὄχθος:

φίλα γὰρ κέκευθεν ἤθη.

Ἀιδωνεὺς δ᾽ ἀναπομπ-

ὸς⁹ ἀνείης, Ἀιδωνεύς,
650

θεῖον¹⁰ ἀνάκτορα Δαριᾶνα. ἠέ.

652

Χορός

οὐδὲ¹¹ γὰρ ἄνδρας ποτ᾽ ἀπώλλυ¹²

πολεμοφθόροισιν ἄταις,

θεομήστωρ δ᾽ ἐκικλή-

σκετο Πέρσαις, θεομήστωρ δ᾽
655

ἔσκεν, ἐπεὶ στρατὸν εὖ ποδούχει.¹³ ἠέ.

657

Χορός

ἦ φίλος ἁνήρ, φίλος ὄχθος·

φίλα γὰρ κέκευθεν ἤθη.

Ἀιδωνεὺς δʼ ἀναπομ-

πὸς ἀνείης, Ἀιδωνεύς,
650

θεῖον ἀνάκτορα Δαριᾶνα. ἠέ.

Χορός

οὐδὲ γὰρ ἄνδρας ποτʼ ἀπώλλυ

πολεμοφθόροισιν ἄταις,

θεομήστωρ δʼ ἐκικλή-

σκετο Πέρσαις, θεομήστωρ δʼ
655

ἔσκεν,ἐπεὶ στρατὸν εὖ ποδούχει. ἠέ.

Χορός

Apparatus Criticus

ΧΟ.

[Δαρεῖον] οἷον ἀνάκτορα Δαριᾶνα.

ἠέ. –

Chorus

Does our sainted and godlike king hear me as I utter,

in obscure barbaric speech, my dismal and dolorous cries? Or must I shout aloud the utter misery of my anguish so that it pierces the earth? Does he hear me from below?
635

Chorus

O Earth, and you other rulers of those who dwell in the nether world, ensure, I implore, that the glorious spirit, the god of the Persians, whom Susa bore, may quit his abode.
640

Send to the upper world him the likes of whom the Persian earth has never entombed.
645

Chorus

Beloved indeed was the hero, beloved is his burial mound; beloved are the qualities that lie buried there. O Aidoneus,

Aidoneus, who convey shades to the upper air, permit our divine lord Darius to come forth!
650

Chorus

For since he did not ever cause the destruction of his people by senseless and ruinous wars, he bore the name of divine counsellor

to the Persians; and a divine counsellor he was, since he guided his people well.
655

Chorus

King, our king of old, come forth, draw near! Rise to the barrow’s topmost point,

lift your saffron-dyed sandal, display the crest of your royal tiara! Come forth, O blameless father Darius.
660

Chorus

That you may hear

pitiable and unheard-of sorrows, O Lord of our lord, appear! For a gloom, like that of Styx, hovers over us, since all the youth of the land
665

is now utterly destroyed. Come forth, O blameless father Darius!
670

Chorus

Alas, alas! You whose death your friends bewailed with bitter tears,

why, my king, my king, why is it that our land has lost all its three-tiered galleys,
675

ships that are no more, no more?
680

THE PERSIANS.

Dear he liv'd, his tomb is dear,

Shrining virtues we revere :

Send then, monarch of the dead,

Such as Darius was, Darius' ſhade.
790

CORO

Borne forth he was to honoured burial,

A royal heart! and followed by our tears.

God of the dead, O give him back to us,
670

Darius, ruler glorious!

Theuerstes Haupt! Theuerstes Grabmal!

Denn ein theures Herz verbirgst du.
630

Aïdoneus, o geleit' ihn empor, mächtiger Nachtgott,

Ihn, den alleinigen Schrecken der Feinde!¹

Zweiter Halbchor.
Zweite Gegenstrophe.

Notes on the current edition

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Current edition Experimental

Χορός ἦ φίλος ἁνήρ, 7 [ἦ 8 ] φίλος ὄχθος: φίλα γὰρ κέκευθεν ἤθη. Ἀιδωνεὺς δ᾽ ἀναπομπ- ὸς 9 ἀνείης, Ἀιδωνεύς, 650 θεῖον 10 ἀνάκτορα Δαριᾶνα. ἠέ. 652

Χορός οὐδὲ 11 γὰρ ἄνδρας ποτ᾽ ἀπώλλυ 12 πολεμοφθόροισιν ἄταις, θεομήστωρ δ᾽ ἐκικλή- σκετο Πέρσαις, θεομήστωρ δ᾽ 655 ἔσκεν, ἐπεὶ στρατὸν εὖ ποδούχει. 13 ἠέ. 657

Χορός ἦ φίλος ἁνήρ, φίλος ὄχθος· φίλα γὰρ κέκευθεν ἤθη. Ἀιδωνεὺς δʼ ἀναπομ- πὸς ἀνείης, Ἀιδωνεύς, 650 θεῖον ἀνάκτορα Δαριᾶνα. ἠέ.

Χορός οὐδὲ γὰρ ἄνδρας ποτʼ ἀπώλλυ πολεμοφθόροισιν ἄταις, θεομήστωρ δʼ ἐκικλή- σκετο Πέρσαις, θεομήστωρ δʼ 655 ἔσκεν,ἐπεὶ στρατὸν εὖ ποδούχει. ἠέ.

Χορός

Apparatus Criticus

ΧΟ. [Δαρεῖον] οἷον ἀνάκτορα Δαριᾶνα. ἠέ. –

Chorus Does our sainted and godlike king hear me as I utter, in obscure barbaric speech, my dismal and dolorous cries? Or must I shout aloud the utter misery of my anguish so that it pierces the earth? Does he hear me from below? 635

Chorus O Earth, and you other rulers of those who dwell in the nether world, ensure, I implore, that the glorious spirit, the god of the Persians, whom Susa bore, may quit his abode. 640 Send to the upper world him the likes of whom the Persian earth has never entombed. 645

Chorus Beloved indeed was the hero, beloved is his burial mound; beloved are the qualities that lie buried there. O Aidoneus, Aidoneus, who convey shades to the upper air, permit our divine lord Darius to come forth! 650

Chorus For since he did not ever cause the destruction of his people by senseless and ruinous wars, he bore the name of divine counsellor to the Persians; and a divine counsellor he was, since he guided his people well. 655

Chorus King, our king of old, come forth, draw near! Rise to the barrow’s topmost point, lift your saffron-dyed sandal, display the crest of your royal tiara! Come forth, O blameless father Darius. 660

Chorus That you may hear pitiable and unheard-of sorrows, O Lord of our lord, appear! For a gloom, like that of Styx, hovers over us, since all the youth of the land 665 is now utterly destroyed. Come forth, O blameless father Darius! 670

Chorus Alas, alas! You whose death your friends bewailed with bitter tears, why, my king, my king, why is it that our land has lost all its three-tiered galleys, 675 ships that are no more, no more? 680

THE PERSIANS. Dear he liv'd, his tomb is dear, Shrining virtues we revere : Send then, monarch of the dead, Such as Darius was, Darius' ſhade. 790

CORO

Borne forth he was to honoured burial, A royal heart! and followed by our tears. God of the dead, O give him back to us, 670 Darius, ruler glorious!

Theuerstes Haupt! Theuerstes Grabmal! Denn ein theures Herz verbirgst du. 630 Aïdoneus, o geleit' ihn empor, mächtiger Nachtgott, Ihn, den alleinigen Schrecken der Feinde! 1

Zweiter Halbchor. Zweite Gegenstrophe.

Notes on the current edition

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Χορός

ἦ φίλος ἁνήρ,⁷ [ἦ⁸] φίλος ὄχθος:

φίλα γὰρ κέκευθεν ἤθη.

Ἀιδωνεὺς δ᾽ ἀναπομπ-

ὸς⁹ ἀνείης, Ἀιδωνεύς,
650

θεῖον¹⁰ ἀνάκτορα Δαριᾶνα. ἠέ.

652

Χορός

ἦ φίλος ἁνήρ, φίλος ὄχθος·

φίλα γὰρ κέκευθεν ἤθη.

Ἀιδωνεὺς δʼ ἀναπομ-

πὸς ἀνείης, Ἀιδωνεύς,
650

θεῖον ἀνάκτορα Δαριᾶνα. ἠέ.

Χορός

οὐδὲ γὰρ ἄνδρας ποτʼ ἀπώλλυ

πολεμοφθόροισιν ἄταις,

θεομήστωρ δʼ ἐκικλή-

σκετο Πέρσαις, θεομήστωρ δʼ
655

ἔσκεν,ἐπεὶ στρατὸν εὖ ποδούχει. ἠέ.

ΧΟ.

[Δαρεῖον] οἷον ἀνάκτορα Δαριᾶνα.

ἠέ. –

Chorus

Does our sainted and godlike king hear me as I utter,

in obscure barbaric speech, my dismal and dolorous cries? Or must I shout aloud the utter misery of my anguish so that it pierces the earth? Does he hear me from below?
635

Chorus

O Earth, and you other rulers of those who dwell in the nether world, ensure, I implore, that the glorious spirit, the god of the Persians, whom Susa bore, may quit his abode.
640

Send to the upper world him the likes of whom the Persian earth has never entombed.
645

Chorus

Beloved indeed was the hero, beloved is his burial mound; beloved are the qualities that lie buried there. O Aidoneus,

Aidoneus, who convey shades to the upper air, permit our divine lord Darius to come forth!
650

Chorus

For since he did not ever cause the destruction of his people by senseless and ruinous wars, he bore the name of divine counsellor

to the Persians; and a divine counsellor he was, since he guided his people well.
655

Chorus

King, our king of old, come forth, draw near! Rise to the barrow’s topmost point,

lift your saffron-dyed sandal, display the crest of your royal tiara! Come forth, O blameless father Darius.
660

Chorus

That you may hear

pitiable and unheard-of sorrows, O Lord of our lord, appear! For a gloom, like that of Styx, hovers over us, since all the youth of the land
665

is now utterly destroyed. Come forth, O blameless father Darius!
670

Chorus

Alas, alas! You whose death your friends bewailed with bitter tears,

why, my king, my king, why is it that our land has lost all its three-tiered galleys,
675

ships that are no more, no more?
680

THE PERSIANS.

Dear he liv'd, his tomb is dear,

Shrining virtues we revere :

Send then, monarch of the dead,

Such as Darius was, Darius' ſhade.
790

Borne forth he was to honoured burial,

A royal heart! and followed by our tears.

God of the dead, O give him back to us,
670

Darius, ruler glorious!

Theuerstes Haupt! Theuerstes Grabmal!

Denn ein theures Herz verbirgst du.
630

Aïdoneus, o geleit' ihn empor, mächtiger Nachtgott,

Ihn, den alleinigen Schrecken der Feinde!¹

Zweiter Halbchor.
Zweite Gegenstrophe.