Aeschylus Persians 140

Anna Swanwick (Translator)

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For her fierce spouse against the foe
140
Each sent spear-armed, and mourns unmated left.
But Persian elders, come,
And seated in our ancient hall of state
Devise we counsel, with deep-thoughted care,
For great in sooth the need;—
How haply fares our king,
Darius' seed,
Xerxes, from him derived whose name we bear.
On bending of the bow doth conquest wait?
Or hath the might
150
Of iron-headed spear-shaft won the day?
[ATOSSA is seen approaching in a royal chariot, attended by a numerous train.]
But lo, in brightness like the eyes of gods,
Comes forth a light—
The mother of my royal lord, my queen.
Do we obeisance, falling at her feet;
Yea, it behoves us all

Persians. Aeschylus. Anna Swanwick (Translator). London. 1886.

Sponsored by University of Leipzig.

Funding provided by European Social Fund Saxony.

Current edition Experimental

The Persians (OCR draft) (English) (The Persians. Anna Swanwick, 1886.)

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (7)
Πέρσαι First1KGreek (Aeschyli Tragoediae. Sidgwick, Arthur, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1902.) — 159-255 focus
Πέρσαι Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 1. Smyth, Herbert Weir, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1922.) — 140 focus
Πέρσαι (OCR draft) Experimental (Πέρσαι. Guilielmus Dindorfius, 1882.) — 140 focus
Πέρσαι (OCR draft) Experimental (Πέρσαι. Gottfried Hermann, 1852.) — 140 focus
ἀλλ᾽ ἄγε, Πέρσαι,
τόδ᾽ ἐνεζόμενοι στέγος ἀρχαῖον
140
φροντίδα κεδνὴν καὶ βαθύβουλον
θώμεθα· χρεία δὲ προςήκει·
πῶς ἄρα πράσσει
Ξέρξης βασιλεὺς Δαρειογενής,
τὸ πατρωνύμιον γένος ἁμέτερον·
145
πότερον τόξου ῥῦμα τὸ νικῶν,
ἢ δορυκράνου
ΠΕΡΣΑΙ (OCR draft) Experimental (ΠΕΡΣΑΙ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 140 focus
Ἀλλ' ἄγε, Πέρσαι, τόδ' ἐνεζόμενοι
στέγος ἀρχαῖον, φροντίδα κεδνὴν
καὶ βαθύβουλον
θώμεθα — χρεία δὲ προσήκει —
πῶς ἄρα πράσσει Ξέρξης βασιλεὺς
135
Δαρειογενής, τὸ πατρωνύμιον
γένος ἡμέτερον ἁμέτερον· πότερον τόξου
ῥῦμα τὸ νικῶν, ἢ δορυκράνου δορικράνου
λόγχης ἰσχὺς κεκράτηκεν.
Πέρσαι (OCR draft) Experimental (Πέρσαι. N. Wecklein, 1885.) — 140 focus
ἀλλ᾽ ἄγε, Πέρσαι, τόδ᾽ ἐνεζόμενοι
στέγος ἀρχαῖον,
φροντίδα κεδνὴν καὶ βαθύβουλον
145
θώμεθα, χρεία δὲ προσήκει,
πῶς ἄρα πράσσει Ξέρξης βασιλεὺς
Δαρειογενής, τὸ πατρωνύμιον
γένος ἡμέτερον
πότερον τόξου ῥῦμα τὸ νικῶν,
150
Aeschyli Persae (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschyli Persae. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1914.) — 140 focus
ἀλλ᾽ ἄγε Πέρσαι, τόδ᾽ ἐνεζόμενοι
Translations (8)
Persians Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 1. Smyth, Herbert Weir, translator. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1922. (Modernized by Perseus.)) — 140 focus
The Persians. (OCR draft) Experimental (The Persians.. Theodore Alois Buckley, 1849.) — 140 focus
But come, Persians, let us seat ourselves beneath in this ancient dwelling, and take wary and well-pondered care,-for the necessity has arrived-how haply fares our king Xerxes, offspring of Darius, being of the same ancestral race with us 3
. Is it the drawing of the bow that prevails, or hath the might of the barbed spear got the mastery? But here comes forth a light like to the eyes of gods, the mother of our sovereign, and my queen, I do lowly homage. And fitting it is that we all address her with, words of salutation. Enter Atossa.
LES PERSES (OCR draft) Experimental (LES PERSES. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 140 focus
d'armée. Il a franchi les caps marins aujourd'hui réunis et communs aux deux continents.
Et le regret des hommes emplit les lits de larmes. Chaque
femme perse, en son deuil languissant, a donné l'escorte d'un regret amoureux à son belliqueux et bouillant époux et demeure seule du couple d'antan.
Mélodrame.
The Persians (OCR draft) Experimental (The Persians. Robert Potter, 1779.) — 140 focus
Now ye grave Perſians, that your honour'd ſeats
Hold in this ancient houſe, with prudent care
155
And deep deliberation, ſo the ſtate
Requires, conſult we, pond'ring the event
Of this great war, which our imperial lord,
The mighty Xerxes from Darius ſprung,
The ſtream of whoſe rich blood flows in our veins,
160
Leads againſt Greece;
whether his arrowy ſhow'r
Shot from the ſtrong-braced bow, or the huge ſpear
High brandiſh'd, in the deathful field prevails.
But ſee, the monarch's mother: like the Gods
165
Her luſtre blazes on our eyes: My queen,
Proſtrate I fall before her b
: All advance
With reverence, and in duteous phraſe addreſs her.
Eschilo, I Persiani: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli (OCR draft) Experimental (Eschilo, I Persiani: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli. Ettore Romagnoli, 1922.) — 140 focus
Or su via, Persïani, che in questo
risediamo vetusto palagio,
con profondo sincero consiglio
si ricerchi ché incalzan gli eventi
150
in che sorti si trovi il re Serse
figliuolo di Dario,
la cui stirpe al mio popol die' nome:
se vinceva la furia dei dardi
o la forza di ferrëe cuspidi.
155
Aeschylus, Persae: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Persae: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii. Ioannes Sanravius, 1555.) — 140 focus
Sed agite Perfe, fedentes in hac antiqua fede,
Curam probam & profundum confilium
Ponamus:nam conuenit hoc negotium.
Quomodo fanè agit Xerxes rex
Dariogena, patrinominis est genus noſtrum
110
Vtrum arcus impetus uicerit,
Aut hastatæ lancee robur fuperauerit,
Sed dijs æquale oculis noftris
Lumen proficifcitur mater regis,
Regina mea, procido,
115
Et opus est claris ipſam
Omnes uerbis falutare.
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.) — 140 focus
But now, ye warders of the state,
125
Here, in this hall of old renown,
Behoves that we deliberate
In counsel deep and wise debate,
For need is surely shown!
How fareth he, Darius' child,
130
The Persian king, from Perseus styled?
Comes triumph to the eastern bow,
Or hath the lance-point conquered now?
[ Enter Atossa.
See, yonder comes the mother-queen,
Light of our eyes, in godlike sheen,
135
The royal mother of the king!—
Fall we before her! well it were
That, all as one, we sue to her,
And round her footsteps cling!
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.) — 140 focus
Nun, Perser, wohlan! Hier sehen wir uns
An den alten Palast,
Und pflegen mit Ernst tiefsinnigen Rath;
Denn drängend gebeut es die Noth uns.
Wie mag es um ihn,
130
Um Xerxes steh'n, des Dareios Sohn,
Durch Perseus unserem Stamme verwandt?
Ob über den Feind das geschnellte Geschoß,
Ob die Lanze den Sieg
Mit der eisernen Stirn sich erkämpfte?
135
(Aus der Pforte des königlichen Palastes wird Atossa im höchsten Schmucke der Königin auf goldenem Throne herausgetragen; großes Gefolge.)

Commentary

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

140. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-109

τόδ᾽ ἐνεζόμενοι στέγος:
τὸ δὲνεζόμενοι στέος
M.

142. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-110

θώμεθα· χρεία:
θώμεθ' α. χρεία
M. προςήκει:
προσήκοι
Cantabr. 2. Colb. 2.

143. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-111

ἄρα:
ἆρα
M. πράσσει:
πράξει
Lips.

145. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-112

πατρωνύμιον:
πρωνύμιον
G.
πατρώνυμον
Vit. Mosc. Genus, inquiunt, a Perseo ductum, unde nos nomen habemus, ideoque nobis cognatum. Formam vocabuli tuetur Pindaricum
ἐπωνύμιος
. ἁμέτερον:
ἁμέτερον
, superscripto primae litterae
f
, Lips.

146. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-113

πότερον:
πότερ'
or cum litura inter
ρ
et
o
M. νικῶν:
νικών
Vit.

147. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-114

δορυκράνου:
δορικράνου
G. Lips. Ven. A. Par. G. Ald. Rob.
δορυκράνου
M. Vit. Turn. Recte, ut videtur.

148. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-115

κεκράτηκεν:
κεκράτηκε
Vit.

149. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-116

NA: Prodit regina splendido ornatu et curru vecta, ut ex v. 610. intelligitur. ἴσον:
ἴσον
M. G. Lips. Turn.
ἶσον
Vit. Ald. Rob.

150. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-117

φάος:
φῶς
Lips. aliique pauci et Ald. ὁρμᾶται:
ὁρᾶται
Ven. B. et adscripto
ὁρμᾶται
Par. B.

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

140-154. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-teuffel-wecklein1886-com-ger1-22

1
2
Fortsetzung des ersten Teils und Ankündigung der auftretenden Königin-Mutter, ge- sprochen vom Koryphaios. Vier Systeme anapästischer Dimeter; vgl. Westphal2 II S. 414. Der Chor setzt sich (bis 150) auf die Stufen, die zur Bühne (somit hier zum Königs- palast) hinaufführen, und stellt, in Ermanglung positiver Nachrichten, Betrachtungen an, wie es wohl dem Xerxes und seinem Heere gehen möge. – χρεία δὲ προσήκει paratak- tisch. – πατρωνύμιον γένος, sofern die Πέρσαι den Namen von dem Urahnen des Xerxes, Perseus, tra- gen; vgl. 80. Ob das Bogen- anziehen (Bogenschiefsen, also die Perser, s. 85) das Siegende ist oder die Hellenen ( δορυκράνου, vgl. 84). δορύκρανος (von δόρυ κ. κάρανον) λόγχη, die Spitze am Kopfe des Speerschaftes. Mit V. 150 erscheint aus der Mittel- thüre des Hintergrundes der Bühne (auf einem Thronsessel getragen, vgl. 607) Atossa und wird von dem Chor ehrfurchtsvoll begrüfst. Atossa war nach Herod. VII 2 eine Tochter des Kyros und die zweite Gemahlin des Dareios Hystaspis, auf den sie grofsen Einfluss übte ( ἡ γὰρ Ἄτοσσα εἶχε τὸ πᾶν κράτος, ib. 3), und von ihm Mutter des Xerxes. Vgl. S. 34, A. 22. θεῶν ὀφθαλμοῖς, ein Glanz wie er aus Götteraugen strahlt. προσπίτνω (zu V. 32) s. v. a. προσκυνῶ; was der Koryphaios thut, macht der übrige Chor nach. Älian v. h. Ι 21: νόμος ἐστὶν ἐπιχώριος Πέρ- σαις τὸν εἰς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐλθόντα τοῦ βασιλέως μὴ πρότερον λόγου μεταλαγχάνειν πρὶν ἢ προσκυνῆσαι αὐτόν. Εur. Οr. 1507: προσκυνώ σ᾽, ἄναξ, νόμοισι βαρβάροισι προσπίτ- νων. χρεών ( ἐστι), 95. 147. Επεισόδιον πρῶτον (155-531), die Mittel- und Hauptpartie des Stücks, dialogisch gehalten teils in dem altertümlichen Maſse des Dialogs, dem tetram. troch. cat. (Westphal2 II S. 452), teils, bei der einfachen Erzählung, im iambischen Trimeter.