W. S. Teuffel Persians 852-907.comm-852-907

ed. N. Wecklein

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Persians. W. S. Teuffel. ed. N. Wecklein. . .

Current edition Experimental

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

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (7)
Πέρσαι First1KGreek (Aeschyli Tragoediae. Sidgwick, Arthur, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1902.) — 548-597 focus
Πέρσαι Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 1. Smyth, Herbert Weir, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1922.) — 548-597 focus
Πέρσαι (OCR draft) Experimental (Πέρσαι. Guilielmus Dindorfius, 1882.) — 532 focus
ἡ ῥ᾽ ἀΐει μου μακαρίτας ἰσοδαίμων βασιλεὺς
βάρβαρα σαφηνῆ
ἱέντος τὰ παναίολ᾽ αἰανῆ δύσθροα βάγματ᾽, ἢ
635
πρῶτα μὲν εὐδοκίμου στρατιᾶς ἀπεφαινόμεθ᾽,
ἠδὲ νομίσματα πύργινα
πάντ᾽ ἐπηύθυνον.
860
νόστοι δ᾽ ἐκ πολέμων ἀπόνους ἀπαθεῖς
εὖ πράσσοντας ἆγον οἴκους.
ὅσσας δ' εἶλε πόλεις πόρον οὐ διαβὰς ῞Αλυος ποταμοῖο,
865
οὐδ᾽ ἀφ᾽ ἑστίας συθεὶς,
οἷαι Στρυμονίου πελάγους Αχελωΐδες εἰσὶ πάροικοι
θρηκίων ἐπαύλων,
870
Πέρσαι (OCR draft) Experimental (Πέρσαι. Gottfried Hermann, 1852.) — 532 focus
νῦν γὰρ δὴ πρόπασα μὲν στένει
γαῖ' Ἀσὶς ἐκκεκενωμένα·
Ξέρξης μὲν ἤγαγεν, ποποῖ,
545
Ξέρξης δ᾽ ἀπώλεσεν, τοτοῖ,
Ξέρξης δὲ πάντ᾽ ἐπέσπε δυσφρόνως
βαρίδεσσι ποντίαις.
τίπτε Δαρεῖος μὲν οὕ-
τω τότ᾽ ἀβλαβὴς ἐπῆν
550
τόξαρχος πολιήταις,
Σουσίδος φίλος ἄκτωρ;
πεζούς τ' ἠδὲ καὶ θαλασσίους
ὁμόπτεροι κυανώπιδες
νᾶες μὲν ἄγαγον, ποποῖ,
555
νᾶες δ᾽ ἀπώλεσαν, τοτοῖ,
νᾶες πανωλέθροισιν ἐμβολαῖς,
διά γ' Ἰαόνων χέρας·
τυτθὰ δ᾽ ἐκφυγεῖν ἄνακτ᾽
αὐτὸν ὡς ἀκούομεν
560
θρήκης ἂμ πεδιήρεις
δυσχίμους τε κελεύθους.
τοὶ δ᾽ ἄρα πρωτόμοιροι,
λειφθέντες πρὸς ἀνάγκαν,
φεῦ,
565
γέ,
ἀκτὰς ἀμφὶ Κυχρείας,
δά,
ἔρρανται. στένε καὶ δακνά-
ζου, βαρὺ δ᾽ ἀμβόασον
570
οὐράνι᾽ ἄχη,
δά,
τεῖνε δὲ δυσβάϋκτον
βοᾶτιν τάλαιναν αὐδάν.
γναπτόμενοι δὲ δίνᾳ,
575
φεῦ,
σκύλλονται πρὸς ἀναύδων,
ἠέ,
παίδων τᾶς ἀμιάντου,
ὀά,
580
πενθεῖ δ᾽ ἄνδρα δόμος στερη-
θείς, τοκέες δ᾽ ἄπαιδες,
δαιμόνι᾽ ἄχη,
ὀά,
δυρόμενοι γέροντες,
585
τὸ πᾶν δὴ κλύουσιν ἄλγος.
τοὶ δ᾽ ἀνὰ γᾶν Ἀσίαν δὴν
οὐκ ἔτι περσονομοῦνται,
οὐκ ἔτι δασμοφοροῦσιν
δεσποσύνοισιν ἀνάγκαις,
590
οὔτ᾽ ἐς γᾶν προπίτνοντες
ἄρξονται· βασιλεία
γὰρ διόλωλεν ἰσχύς.
οὐδ᾽ ἔτι γλῶσσα βροτοῖσιν
ἐν φυλακαῖς· λέλυνται γὰρ
595
λαὸς ἐλεύθερα βάζειν,
ὡς ἐλύθη ζυγὸν ἀλκᾶς·
αἱμαχθεῖσα δ᾽ ἄρουραν
Αἴαντος περικλύστα
νᾶσος ἔχει τὰ Περσῶν.
600
φίλοι, κακῶν μὲν ὅςτις ἔμπειρος κυρεῖ,
ἐπίσταται βροτοῖσιν ὡς ὅταν κλύδων
κακῶν ἐπέλθῃ, πάντα δειμαίνειν φιλεῖ·
ὅταν δ᾽ ὁ δαίμων εὐροῇ, πεποιθέναι
τὸν αὐτὸν ἀεὶ δαίμον᾽ οὐριεῖν τύχης.
605
ἐμοὶ γὰρ ἤδη πάντα μὲν φόβου πλέα
ἐν ὄμμασιν τἀνταῖα φαίνεται θεῶν,
βοᾷ δ᾽ ἐν ὠσὶ κέλαδος οὐ παιώνιος·
τοία κακῶν ἔκπληξις ἐκφοβεῖ φρένας.
τοιγὰρ κέλευθον τήνδ᾽ ἄνευ τ᾽ ὀχημάτων
610
χλιδῆς τε τῆς πάροιθεν ἐκ δόμων πάλιν
ἔστειλα, παιδὸς πατρὶ πρευμενεῖς χοὰς
φέρουσ', ἅπερ νεκροῖσι μειλικτήρια,
βοός τ' ἀφ᾽ ἁγνῆς λευκὸν εὔποτον γάλα
τῆς τ᾿ ἀνθεμουργοῦ στάγμα παμφαὲς μέλι
615
λιβάσιν ὑδρηλαῖς παρθένου πηγῆς μέτα·
ἀκήρατόν τε μητρὸς ἀγρίας ἄπο
ποτόν, παλαιᾶς ἀμπέλου γάνος τόδε·
τῆς τ' αἰὲν ἐν φύλλοισι θαλλούσης βίον
ξανθῆς ἐλαίας καρπὸς εὐώδης πάρα
620
ἄνθη τε πλεκτά, παμφόρου γαίας τέκνα.
ἀλλ᾽, ὦ φίλοι, χοαῖσι ταῖςδε νερτέρων
ὕμνους ἐπευφημεῖτε, τόν τε δαίμονα
Δαρεῖον ἀνακαλεῖσθε· γαπότους δ᾽ ἐγὼ
τιμὰς προπέμψω τάςδε νερτέροις θεοῖς.
625
βασίλεια γύναι, πρέσβος Πέρσαις,
σύ τε πέμπε χοὰς θαλάμους ὕπο γῆς,
ἡμεῖς δ᾽ ὕμνοις αἰτησόμεθα
φθιμένων πομποὺς
εὔφρονας εἶναι κατὰ γαίας.
630
ἀλλά, χθόνιοι δαίμονες ἁγνοί,
Γῆ τε καὶ Ἑρμῆ, βασιλεῦ τ᾽ ἐνέρων,
πέμψατ᾽ ἔνερθεν ψυχὴν ἐς φῶς·
εἰ γάρ τι κακῶν ἄκος οἶδε πλέον,
μόνος ἂν θνητῶν πέρας εἴποι.
635
ἦ ῥ᾽ ἀΐει μου μακαρίτας ἰσοδαίμων βασιλεὺς
βάρβαρα σαφηνῆ
ἱέντος τὰ παναίολα αἰ-
ανῆ δύσθροα βάγματα,
παντάλαν᾽ ἄχη
640
διαβοᾶσαι;
νέρθεν ἄρα κλύει μου;
ἀλλὰ σύ μοι Γᾶ τε καὶ ἄλλοι χθονίων ἁγεμόνες
δαίμονα μεγαυχῆ
ἰόντ᾽ αἰνέσατ᾽ ἐκ δόμων,
645
Περσᾶν Σουσιγενῆ θεόν·
πέμπετε δ᾽ ἄνω
οἷον οὔπω
Περσὶς αἷα ἐκάλυψεν.
ὦ φίλος ἀνήρ, φίλος ὄχθος·
650
φίλα γὰρ κέκευθεν ἤθη.
Ἀϊδωνεὺς δ᾽ ἀναπομπὸς ἀνείης, Ἀϊδωνεύς,
δαΐον οἷον ἄνακτα Δαρεῖον.
ἠέ.
οὔτε γὰρ ἄνδρας πότ᾽ ἀπώλλυ
655
πολεμοφθόροισιν ἄταις,
θεομήστωρ δ᾽ ἐκικλήσκετο Πέρσαις, θεομήστωρ δ᾽
ἔσκεν, ἐπεὶ στρατὸν εὖ τόν᾽ ὡδώκει.
ἠέ.
βαλήν, ἀρχαῖος βαλήν, ἴθ᾽, ἴθ᾽, ἕκου,
660
ἔλθ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἄκρον κόρυμβον ὄχθου,
κροκόβαπτον ποδὸς εὔμαριν ἀείρων,
βασιλείου τιήρας
φάλαρον πιφαύσκων.
βάσκε, πάτερ ἄκακε Δαρειάν,
665
οἶ,
ὅπως καινά τε κλύῃς νέα τ᾽ ἄχη·
δέσποτα δεσπότου, φάνηθι.
Στυγία γάρ τις ἐπ᾽ ἀχλὺς πεπόταται·
νεολαία γὰρ ἤδη
670
κατὰ γᾶς ὄλωλεν.
βάσκε πάτερ ἄκακε, Δαρειάν.
οἶ.
αἰαῖ, αἰαῖ,
ὦ πολύκλαυτε φίλοισι θανών,
675
τί τῇδε, δυνάστα, δυνάστα,
περὶ τὰ σὰ διδύμα
δι᾽ ἄνοιαν ἁμαρτία
πᾶσα γᾷ τᾷδ᾽
ἐξέφθινται τρίσκαλμοι
680
νᾶες, ἄναες νᾶες;
ὦ πιστὰ πιστῶν ἡλικές θ' ἥβης ἐμῆς,
Πέρσαι γεραιοί, τίνα πόλις πονεῖ πόνον;
στένει, κέκοπται, καὶ χαράσσεται πέδον·
σέβομαι μὲν προςιδέσθαι,
695
σέβομαι δ᾽ ἀντία λέξαι
σέθεν ἀρχαίῳ περὶ τάρβει.
ἀλλ᾽ ἐπεὶ κάτωθεν ἦλθον σοῖς γόοις πεπεισμένος,
μή τι μακιστῆρα μῦθον, ἀλλὰ σύντομον λέγων
εἰπὲ καὶ πέραινε πάντα, τὴν ἐμὴν αἰδῶ μεθείς.
700
δίεμαι μὲν χαρίσασθαι,
δίεμαι δ᾽ ἀντία φάσθαι,
προλέγων δύςλεκτα φίλοισιν.
ἀλλ᾽ ἐπεὶ δέος παλαιὸν σοὶ φρενῶν ἀνθίσταται,
τῶν ἐμῶν λέκτρων γεραιὰ ξύννομ᾽ εὐγενὲς γύναι,
705
κλαυμάτων λήξασα τῶνδε καὶ γόων σαφές τί μοι
λέξον. ἀνθρώπεια δ᾽ ἄν τοι πήματ' ἂν τύχοι βροτοῖς·
πολλὰ μὲν γὰρ ἐκ θαλάσσης, πολλὰ δ᾽ ἐκ χέρσου κακὰ
γίγνεται θνητοῖς, ὁ μάσσων βίοτος ἢν ταθῇ πρόσω.
τίνι τρόπῳ; λοιμοῦ τις ἦλθε σκηπτός, ἢ στάσις πόλει;
φεῦ, ταχεῖα γ᾽ ἦλθε χρησμῶν πρᾶξις, ἐς δὲ παῖδ᾽ ἐμὸν
740
Ζεὺς ἐπέσκηψεν τελευτὴν θεσφάτων· ἐγὼ δέ που
διὰ μακροῦ χρόνου τάδ' ηὔχουν ἐκτελευτήσειν θεούς·
ἀλλ᾽ ὅταν σπεύδῃ τις αὐτός, χὠ θεὸς συνάπτεται.
νῦν κακῶν ἔοικε πηγὴ πᾶσιν εὑρῆσθαι φίλοις.
παῖς δ᾽ ἐμὸς τάδ᾽ οὐ κατειδὼς ἤνυσεν νέῳ θράσει·
745
ὅςτις Ἑλλήσποντον ἱερὸν δοῦλον ὡς δεσμώμασιν
ἤλπισε σχήσειν ῥέοντα, Βόσπορον, ῥόον θεοῦ·
καὶ πόρον μετερρύθμιζε, καὶ πέδαις σφυρηλάτοις
περιβαλὼν πολλὴν κέλευθον ἤνυσεν πολλῷ στρατῷ,
θνητὸς ὤν, θεῶν δὲ πάντων ᾤετ᾽, οὐκ εὐβουλίᾳ,
750
καὶ Ποσειδῶνος κρατήσειν. πῶς τάδ᾽ οὐ νόσος φρενῶν
εἶχε παῖδ᾽ ἐμόν; δέδοικα, μὴ πολὺς πλούτου πόνος
οὑμὸς ἀνθρώποις γένηται τοῦ φθάσαντος ἁρπαγή.
τοιγάρ σφιν ἔργον ἐστὶν ἐξειργασμένον
760
μέγιστον, ἀείμνηστον, οἷον οὐδέπω
τόδ᾽ ἄστυ Σούσων ἐξερήμωσεν πέσος,
ἐξ οὗ 2 γε τιμὴν Ζεὺς ἄναξ τήνδ' ὤπασεν,
ἓν᾽ ἄνδρ᾽ ἁπάσης Ἀσίδος μηλοτρόφου
ταγεῖν, ἔχοντα σκῆπτρον εὐθυντήριον.
765
Μῆδος γὰρ ἦν ὁ πρῶτος ἡγεμὼν στρατοῦ·
ἄλλος δ᾽ ἐκείνου παῖς τόδ᾽ ἔργον ἤνυσεν.
φρένες γὰρ αὐτοῦ θυμὸν οἰακοστρόφουν.
τρίτος δ᾽ ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ Κῦρος, εὐδαίμων ἀνήρ,
ἄρξας ἔθηκε πᾶσιν εἰρήνην φίλοις·
770
Λυδῶν δὲ λαὸν καὶ Φρυγῶν ἐκτήσατο,
Ἰωνίαν τε πᾶσαν ἤλασεν βίᾳ.
θεὸς γὰρ οὐκ ἤχθηρεν, ὡς εὔφρων ἔφυ.
Κύρου δὲ παῖς τέταρτος ἴθυνε στρατόν.
πέμπτος δὲ Μάρδος ἦρξεν, αἰσχύνη πάτρᾳ
775
θρόνοισί τ᾽ ἀρχαίοισι· τὸν δὲ σὺν δόλῳ
Ἀρταφρένης ἔκτεινεν ἐσθλὸς ἐν δόμοις,
ξὺν ἀνδράσιν φίλοισιν, οἷς τόδ᾽ ἦν χρέος.
ἕκτος δὲ Μάραφις, ἑβδομός τ' Ἀρταφρένης.
κἀγὼ πάλου τ᾽ ἔκυρσα τοῦπερ ἤθελον
780
κἀπεστράτευσα πολλὰ σὺν πολλῷ στρατῷ.
ἀλλ᾽ οὐ κακὸν τοσόνδε προσέβαλον πόλει.
Ξέρξης δ᾽ ἐμὸς παῖς νέος ὢν νέα φρονεῖ,
κοὐ μνημονεύει τὰς ἐμὰς ἐπιστολάς·
εὖ γὰρ σαφῶς τόδ᾽ ἴστ᾽, ἐμοὶ ξυνήλικες,
785
ἅπαντες ἡμεῖς, οἳ κράτη τάδ᾽ ἔσχομεν,
οὐκ ἂν φανεῖμεν πήματ' ἔρξαντες τόσα.
τί οὖν, ἄναξ Δαρεῖε, ποῖ καταστρέφεις
λόγων τελευτήν; πῶς ἂν ἐκ τούτων ἔτι
πράσσοιμεν ὡς ἄριστα Περσικὸς λεώς;
790
παῦροί γε πολλῶν, εἴ τι πιστεῦσαι θεῶν
χρὴ θεσφάτοισιν, ἐς τὰ νῦν πεπραγμένα
βλέψαντα· συμβαίνει γὰρ οὐ τὰ μέν, τὰ δ᾽ οὔ.
κεἴπερ τάδ᾽ ἐστί, πλῆθος ἔκκριτον στρατοῦ
805
λείπει κεναῖσιν ἐλπίσιν πεπεισμένος.
μίμνουσι δ᾽ ἔνθα πεδίον Ἀσωπὸς ῥοαῖς
ἄρδει, φίλον πίασμα Βοιωτῶν χθονί·
οὗ σφιν κακῶν ὕψιστ᾽ ἐπαμμένει παθεῖν,
ὕβρεως ἄποινα κἀθέων φρονημάτων·
810
οἳ γῆν μολόντες Ἑλλάδ᾽ οὐ θεῶν βρέτη
ᾐδοῦντο συλᾶν, οὐδὲ πιμπράναι νεώς·
βωμοὶ δ᾽ ἄϊστοι, δαιμόνων θ᾽ ἱδρύματα
ἦ πολλὰ καὶ παρόντα καὶ μέλλοντ᾽ ἔτι
845
ἤλγησ᾽ ἀκούσας βαρβάροισι πήματα.
ὦ πόποι, ἦ μεγάλας ἀγαθᾶς τε πο-
λισσονόμου βιοτᾶς ἐπεκύρσαμεν, εἶτ᾽ ὁ γηραιός
855
πανταρκὴς ἀκάκας ἄμαχος βασιλεὺς ἰσόθεος Δα-
ρεῖος ἦρχε χώρας.
ἀντ. α'.
πρῶτα μὲν εὐδοκίμους στρατιὰς ἀπε-
φαινόμεθ', οἳ δὲ νομίσματα πύργινα πάντ᾽ ἐπεύθυνον.
νόστοι δ᾽ ἐκ πολέμων ἀπόνους ἀπαθεῖς εὖ πράσ-
860
σοντας ἄγον οἴκους.
στρ. β'.
ὅσσας δ' εἷλε πόλεις πόρον οὐ διαβὰς Ἅλυος ποταμοῖο,
οὐδ᾽ ἀφ' ἑστίας συθείς,
οἷαι Στρυμονίου πελάγους Ἀχελωΐδες εἰσὶ πάροικοι
θρηκίων ἐπαύλων,
865
ἀντ. β'.
ΠΕΡΣΑΙ (OCR draft) Experimental (ΠΕΡΣΑΙ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 532 focus
Νῦν δὴ νῦν γὰρ δὴ πρόπασα μὲν στένει
Str. 1.
γαῖ' Ἀσὶς ἀσιὰς ἐκκενουμένα·
Ξέρξης μὲν γὰρ ἄγαγεν, ποποῖ,
Ξέρξης δ' ἀπώλεσεν, τοτοῖ,
550
Ξέρξης δὲ πάντ' ἐπέσπε δυσφρόνως
βάριδές τε πόντιαι βαρίδεσι ποντίαις.
Τίπτε Δαρεῖος μὲν οὕ-
τω τότ' ἀβλαβὴς ἐπῆν
τόξαρχος πολιήταις,
555
Σουσίδος σουσίδαις φίλος ἄκτωρ ;
Πεζούς τε καὶ τε γὰρ καὶ θαλασσίους
Ant. 1.
ὁμόπτεροι αἱ δ' ὁμόπτεροι κυανώπιδες
Τοὶ δ' ἄρα πρωτομόροιο πρωτόμοροι,
φεῦ,
Str. 2.
ληφθέντες λειφθέντες πρὸς ἀνάγκας ἀνάγκαν,
ἠέ,
570
ἀκτὰς ἀμφὶ Κυχρείας,
ὀᾶ,
<δινοῦνται> om. στένε καὶ δακνά-
ζου, βαρὺ δ' ἀμβόασον
οὐράνι' ἄχη, ὀᾶ < ὀᾶ om.>,
575
τεῖνε δὲ δυσβάϋκτον
βοᾶτιν τάλαιναν αὐδάν.
Γναπτόμενοι δ' ἁλὶ δεινά δεινᾷ,
Ant. 1.
σκύλλονται πρὸς ἀναύδων,
φεῦ,
580
ἠέ,
παίδων τᾶς ἀμιάντου,
ὀᾶ·
πενθεῖ δ' ἄνδρα δόμος στερη-
θείς· τοκέες τοκῆες δ' ἄπαιδες
585
δαιμόνι' ἔρα δαιμόνι' ἄχη, ὀᾶ < ὀᾶ om.>,
δυρόμενοι γέροντες
τὸ πᾶν δὴ κλύουσιν ἄλγος.
Τοὶ δ' ἀνὰ γᾶν Ἀσίαν δὴν
Str. 3.
οὐκέτι οὐδ' ἔτι περσονομοῦνται,
590
οὐκέτι δασμοφοροῦσιν
Οὐδ' ἔτι γλῶσσα βροτοῖσιν
Ant. 3.
ἐν φυλακαῖς· λέλυται γὰρ
λαὸς ἐλεύθερα βάζειν,
ὡς ἐλύθη ζυγὸν ἀλκᾶς·
αἱμαχθεῖσα δ' ἄρουραν ἄρουρα
595
Αἴαντος περικλύστα
νᾶσος ἔχει τὰ Περσῶν.
Ἦ ῥ' ἀΐει μου μακαρί-
Str. 1.
τας ἰσοδαίμων βασιλεὺς
βάρβαρα σαφηνῆ
635
ἱέντος τὰ παναίολ' αἰ-
ανῆ δύσθροα βάγματα ;
παντάλαν' ἄχη διαβοάσω·
νέρθεν ἆρα κλύει μου ;
Ἀλλὰ σύ μοι Γᾶ τε καὶ ἄλ-
640
Ant. 1
λοι χθονίων ἁγεμόνες
δαίμονα μεγαυχῆ μεγαλαυχῆ
ἰόντ' αἰνέσατ' ἐκ δόμων,
Περσᾶν Σουσιγενῆ θεόν·
πέμπετε δ' ἄνω οἷον οὔπω
645
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
Οὔτι Οὔτε γὰρ ἄνδρας πότ' ἀπώλ-
Ant. 2.
λυ πολεμοφθόροισιν ἄταις,
θεομήστωρ δ' ἐκικλή-
σκετο Πέρσαις, θεομήστωρ δ'
ἔσκεν, ἐπεὶ στρατὸν εὖ ποδούχει ὑπεδώκει εὖ ἐποδώκει· ἠέ.
655
Βαλὴν βαλλὴν ἀρχαῖος, βαλήν, ἴθ' ἴθ' ἱκοῦ ἴθι ἱκοῦ
Str. 3.
τόνδ' ἐπ' ἄκρον κόρυμβον ὄχθου,
κροκόβαπτον ποδὸς εὔμαριν ἀείρων,
βασιλείου τιήρας
φάλαρον πιφαύσκων·
660
βάσκε πάτερ ἄκακε Δαριάν, οἴ.
Ὅπως καινά τε κλύῃς νέα τ' ἄχη·
Ant. 3.
δέσποτα δεσπότου φάνηθι.
Στυγία γάρ τις ἐπ' ἀχλὺς πεπόταται·
νεολαία γὰρ ἤδη
665
κατὰ πᾶσ' ὄλωλεν·
βάσκε πάτερ ἄκακε Δαριάν, οἴ.
Αἰαὶ αἰαῖ·
Epod.
ὦ πολύκλαυτε φίλοισι θανών,
† τί τάδε δυνατα δυνάτα
670
περὶ τῷ σῷ δίδυμα διαγόεν διάγοιεν ἁμάρτια δ' ἁμάρτια
Πρῶτα μὲν εὐδοκίμους στρατιὰς εὐδοκίμου στρατιᾶς ἀπεφαινόμεθ' ἀπο-, αἳ δὲ ἠδὲ νομίσματα νομίματα (uel νόμιμα τὰ) πύργινα
Ant. 1.
πάντ' ἐπηύθυνον ἐπεύθυνον·
860
νόστοι δ' ἐκ πολέμων ἀπόνους ἀπαθεῖς
<αὖθις ἐς> om. εὖ πράσσοντας ἦγον οἴκους.
Ὅσσας δ' εἷλε πόλεις πόρον οὐ δια-
Str. 2.
βὰς Ἅλυος ποταμοῖο ποταμοῦ δ' seu ποταμοῦ οὐδ'
865
οὐδ' ἀφ' ἑστίας συθείς,
οἷαι Στρυμονίου πελάγους Ἀχε-
λωΐδες εἰσὶ πάροικοι
θρῃίκων θρηικίων ἐπαύλων·
870
Πέρσαι (OCR draft) Experimental (Πέρσαι. N. Wecklein, 1885.) — 532 focus
ὦ Ζεῦ βασιλεῦ, νῦν Περσῶν
535
τῶν μεγαλαύχων καὶ πολυάνδρων
στρατιὰν ὀλέσας
ἄστυ τὸ Σούσων ἠδ᾽ Ἀγβατάνων
πένθει δνοφερῷ κατέκρυψας.
πολλαὶ δ᾽ ἁπαλαῖς χερσὶ καλύπτρας
540
κατερεικόμεναι διαμυδαλέοις
δάκρυσι κόλπους
τέγγουσ᾽, ἄλγους μετέχουσαι.
αἱ δ᾽ ἁβρύγοοι Περσίδες ἀνδρῶν
ποθέουσαι ἰδεῖν ἀρτιζυγίαν,
545
λέκτρων εὐνὰς ἁβροχίτωνας,
χλιδανῆς ἥβης τέρψιν, ἀφεῖσαι,
πενθοῦσι γόοις ἀκορεστοτάτοις.
κἀγὼ δὲ μόρον τῶν οἰχομένων
αἴρω δοκίμως πολυπενθῆ.
550
1
νῦν δὴ πρόπασα μὲν στένει
γαῖ᾽ Ἀσιὰς ἐκκενουμένα·
Ξέρξης μὲν ἤγαγεν, ποποῖ,
Ξέρξης δ᾽ ἀπώλεσεν, τοτοῖ,
Ξέρξης δὲ πάντ᾽ ἐπέσπε δυσφρόνως
555
βαρίδες τε ποντίαι.
πεζούς τε καὶ θαλασσίους
αἵ δ᾽ ὁμόπτεροι κυανώπιδες
νᾶες μὲν ἄγαγον, ποποῖ,
νᾶες δ᾽ ἀπώλεσαν, τοτοῖ,
νᾶες πανωλέθροισιν ἐμβολαῖς,
565
διὰ δ᾽ Ἰαόνων χέρας;
τυτθὰ δ᾽ ἐκφυγεῖν ἄνακτ᾽
αὐτὸν ὡς ἀκούομεν
θρήκης ἀμ πεδιήρεις
δυσχίμους τε κελεύθους.
570
τοὶ δ᾽ ἄρα πρωτόμοροι, φεῦ,
λειφθέντες πρὸς ἀνάγκαν, ἠέ,
ἀκτὰς ἀμφὶ Κυχρείας, δᾶ,
στένε καὶ δακνάζου,
γναπτόμενοι δ᾽ ἁλὶ δεινά, φεῦ,
σκύλλονται πρὸς ἀναύδων, ἠέ,
580
παίδων τᾶς ἀμιάντου, δᾶ,
πενθεῖ δ᾽ ἄνδρα δόμος στερηθείς·
τοκέες δ᾽ ἄπαιδες ἐραδαι-
μόνι᾽ ἄχη, δᾶ,
δυρόμενοι γέροντες
585
τὸ πᾶν δὴ κλύουσιν ἄλγος.
τοὶ δ᾽ ἀνὰ γᾶν Ἀσίαν δὴν
οὐκέτι περσονομοῦνται,
οὐδ᾽ ἔτι δασμοφοροῦσιν
δεσποσύνοισιν ἀνάγκαις,
590
οὐδ᾽ ἐς γᾶν προπίτνοντες
ἄζονται· βασιλεία
γὰρ διόλωλεν ἰσχύς.
οὐδ᾽ ἔτι γλῶσσα βροτοῖσιν
φίλοι, κακῶν μὲν ὅστις ἔμπορος κυρεῖ,
ἐπίσταται βροτοῖσιν ὡς, ὅταν κλύδων
κακῶν ἐπέλθῃ, πάντα δειμαίνειν φιλεῖ·
ὅταν δ᾽ ὁ δαίμων εὐροῇ, πεποιθέναι
τὸν αὐτὸν αἰεὶ δαίμον᾽ οὐριεῖν τύχης.
605
ἐμοὶ γὰρ ἤδη πάντα μὲν φόβου πλέα·
ἐν ὄμμασιν τἀνταῖα φαίνεται θεῶν,
βοᾷ δ᾽ ἐν ὠσὶ κέλαδος οὐ παιώνιος.
τοία κακῶν ἔκπληξις ἐκφοβεῖ φρένας.
τοιγὰρ κέλευθον τήνδ᾽ ἄνευ τ᾽ ὀχημάτων
610
χλιδῆς τε τῆς πάροιθεν ἐκ δόμων πάλιν
ἔστειλα, παιδὸς πατρὶ πρευμενεῖς χοὰς
βασίλεια γύναι, πρέσβος Πέρσαις,
σύ τε πέμπε χοὰς θαλάμους ὑπὸ γῆς,
ἡμεῖς θ᾽ ὕμνοις αἰτησόμεθα
φθιμένων πομποὺς
εὔφρονας εἶναι κατὰ γαίας.
630
ἀλλὰ χθόνιοι δαίμονες ἁγνοί,
Γῆ τε καὶ Ἑρμῆ, βασιλεῦ τ᾽ ἐνέρων,
πέμψατ᾽ ἔνερθεν ψυχὴν ἐς φῶς·
εἰ γάρ τι κακῶν ἄκος οἶδε πλέον,
μόνος ἂν θνητῶν πέρας εἴποι.
635
ἦ ῥ' ἀίει μου μακαρίτας
ἰσοδαίμων βασιλεὺς
βάρβαρα σαφηνῆ
ἱέντος τὰ παναίολ' ἀ-
φανῆ δύσθροα βάγματα;
640
παντάλαν᾽ ἄχη διαβοάσω;
νέρθεν ἄρα κλύει μου;
ἀλλὰ σύ μοι, Γᾶ τε καὶ ἄλλοι
χθονίων ἀγεμόνες,
δαίμονα μεγαυχῆ
645
ἰόντ᾽ αἰνέσατ᾽ ἐκ δόμων,
Περσᾶν Σουσιγενῆ θεόν·
πέμπετε δ᾽ ἄνω οἷον οὔπω
Περσὶς αἷ᾽ ἐκάλυψεν.
ἦ φίλος ἀνήρ, φίλος ὄχθος·
650
φίλα γὰρ κέκευθεν ἤθη.
Ἀϊδωνεὺς δ᾽ ἀναπομ-
πὸς ἀνείης Ἀϊδωνεὺς
Δαρεῖον, οἷον ἄνακτα Δαρειάν, ἠέ.
οὔτε γὰρ ἄνδρας ποτ᾽ ἀπώλλυ
655
πολεμοφθόροισιν ἄταις,
θεομήστωρ δ᾽ ἐκικλή-
βαλλὴν ἀρχαῖος βαλλὴν
660
ἔθι, ἱκοῦ,
ἔλθ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἄκρον κόρυμ-
βον ὄχθου, κροκόβαπτον
ποδὸς εὔμαριν ἀείρων,
βασιλείου τιάρας
665
φάλαρον πιφαύσκων.
βάσκε πάτερ ἄκακε Δαριάν, οἴ.
ὅπως καινά τε κλύῃς
νέα τ᾽ ἄχη
δέσποτα δεσπότου,
670
φάνηθι. Στυγία γάρ
τις ἐπ᾽ ἀχλὺς πεπόταται·
νεολαία γὰρ ἤδη
κατὰ πᾶσ᾽ ὄλωλεν.
βάσκε πάτερ ἄκακε Δαριάν, οἴ.
675
αἰαῖ αἰαῖ.
ὦ πολύκλαυτε φίλοισι θανών,
τί τάδε δυνατὰ δυνατὰ
ὦ πιστὰ πιστῶν ἥλικές θ᾽ ἥβης ἐμῆς,
Πέρσαι γεραιοί, τίνα πόλις πονεῖ πόνον;
στένει, κέκοπται, καὶ χαράσσεται πέδον.
685
λεύσσων δ᾽ ἄκοιτιν τὴν ἐμὴν τάφου πέλας
ταρβῶ, χοὰς δὲ πρευμενὴς ἐδεξάμην.
ὑμεῖς δὲ θρηνεῖτ᾽ ἐγγὺς ἑστῶτες τάφου
καὶ ψυχαγωγοῖς ὀρθιάζοντες γόοις
οἰκτρῶς καλεῖσθέ μ᾽, ἐστὶ δ᾽ οὐκ εὐέξοδον,
690
ἄλλως τε πάντως χοὶ κατὰ χθονὸς θεοὶ
λαβεῖν ἀμείνους εἰσὶν ἢ μεθιέναι.
ὅμως δ᾽ ἐκείνοις ἐνδυναστεύσας ἐγὼ
ἥκω· τάχυνε δ᾽, ὡς ἄμεμπτος ὦ χρόνου.
τί ἐστι Πέρσαις νεοχμὸν ἐμβριθὲς κακόν;
695
σέβομαι μὲν προσιδέσθαι,
ἀλλ᾽ ἐπεὶ κάτωθεν ἦλθον σοῖς γόοις πεπεισμένος,
μή τι μακιστῆρα μῦθον, ἀλλὰ σύντομον λέγων
700
εἰπὲ καὶ πέραινε πάντα, τὴν ἐμὴν αἰδῶ μεθείς.
δίεμαι μὲν χαρίσασθαι,
δίεμαι δ᾽ ἀντία φάσθαι,
λέξας δύσλεκτα φίλοισιν.
ἀλλ᾽ ἐπεὶ δέος παλαιὸν σοὶ φρενῶν ἀνθίσταται,
705
τῶν ἐμῶν λέκτρων γεραιὰ ξύννομ᾽ εὐγενές γύναι,
κλαυμάτων λήξασα τῶνδε καὶ γόων σαφές τί μοι
λέξον. ἀνθρώπεια δ᾽ ἄν τοι πήματ᾽ ἂν τύχοι βροτοῖς.
πολλὰ μὲν γὰρ ἐκ θαλάσσης, πολλὰ δ᾽ ἐκ χέρσου κακὰ
γίγνεται θνητοῖς, ὁ μάσσων βίοτος ἢν ταθῇ πρόσω.
710
τίνι τρόπῳ; λοιμοῦ τις ἦλθε σκηπτός, ἢ στάσις πόλει;
φεῦ, ταχεῖα γ᾽ ἦλθε χρησμῶν πρᾶξις, ἐς δὲ παῖδ᾽ ἐμὸν
Ζεὺς ἀπέσκηψεν τελευτὴν θεσφάτων· ἐγὼ δέ που
διὰ μακροῦ χρόνου τάδ' ηὔχουν ἐκτελευτήσειν θεούς.
ἀλλ᾽ ὅταν σπεύδῃ τις αὐτός, χὠ θεὸς συνάπτεται.
νῦν κακῶν ἔοικε πηγὴ πᾶσιν εὑρῆσθαι φίλοις.
745
παῖς δ᾽ ἐμὸς τάδ᾽ οὐ κατειδὼς ἤνυσεν νέῳ θράσει·
ὅστις Ἑλλήσποντον ἱρὸν δοῦλον ὣς δεσμώμασιν
ἤλπισεν σχήσειν ῥέοντα, Βόσπορον ῥόον θεοῦ,
καὶ πόρον μετερρύθμιζε, καὶ πέδαις σφυρηλάτοις
περιβαλὼν πολλὴν κέλευθον ἤνυσεν πολλῷ στρατῷ,
750
θνητὸς ὢν θεῶν δὲ πάντων ᾤετ᾽, οὐκ εὐβουλίᾳ,
καὶ Ποσειδῶνος κρατήσειν. πῶς τάδ᾽ οὐ νόσος φρενῶν
εἶχε παῖδ᾽ ἐμόν; δέδοικα μὴ πολὺς πλούτου πόνος
οὑμὸς ἀνθρώποις γένηται τοῦ φθάσαντος ἁρπαγή.
τοιγάρ σφιν ἔργον ἐστὶν ἐξειργασμένον
μέγιστον, ἀείμνηστον, οἷον οὐδέπω
τόδ᾽ ἄστυ Σούσων ἐξεκείνωσεν πεσόν,
ἐξ οὗτε τιμὴν Ζεὺς ἄναξ τήνδ᾽ ὤπασεν,
ἕν᾽ ἄνδρ᾽ ἁπάσης Ἀσίδος μηλοτρόφου
765
ταγεῖν, ἔχοντα σκῆπτρον εὐθυντήριον.
Μῆδος γὰρ ἦν ὁ πρῶτος ἡγεμὼν στρατοῦ.
ἄλλος δ᾽ ἐκείνου παῖς τόδ᾽ ἔργον ἤνυσεν·
φρένες γὰρ αὐτοῦ θυμὸν ᾠακοστρόφουν.
τρίτος δ᾽ ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ Κῦρος, εὐδαίμων ἀνήρ,
770
ἄρξας ἔθηκεν πᾶσιν εἰρήνην φίλοις·
Λυδῶν δὲ λαὸν καὶ Φρυγῶν ἐκτήσατο,
Ἰωνίαν τε πᾶσαν ἤλασεν βίᾳ·
θεὸς γὰρ οὐκ ἤχθηρεν, ὡς εὔφρων ἔφυ.
Κύρου δὲ παῖς τέταρτος ηὔθυνε στρατόν.
775
πέμπτος δὲ Μάρδος ἦρξεν, αἰσχύνη πάτρᾳ
τί οὖν, ἄναξ Δαρεῖε, ποῖ καταστρέφεις
λόγων τελευτήν; πῶς ἂν ἐκ τούτων ἔτι
790
πράσσοιμεν ὡς ἄριστα Περσικὸς λεώς;
παῦροί γε πολλῶν, εἴ τι πιστεῦσαι θεῶν
χρὴ θεσφάτοισιν, ἐς τὰ νῦν πεπραγμένα
βλέψαντα· συμβαίνει γὰρ οὐ τὰ μέν, τὰ δ᾽ οὔ.
κεἴπερ τάδ᾽ ἐστί, πλῆθος ἔκκριτον στρατοῦ
805
λείπει κεναῖσιν ἐλπίσιν πεπεισμένος.
μίμνουσι δ᾽ ἔνθα πεδίον Ἀσωπός ῥοαῖς
ἄρδει, φίλον πίασμα Βοιωτῶν χθονί·
οὗ σφιν κακῶν ὕψιστ᾽ ἐπαμμένει παθεῖν,
ὕβρεως ἄποινα καθέων φρονημάτων·
810
οἳ γῆν μολόντες Ἑλλάδ᾽ οὐ θεῶν βρέτη
ᾐδοῦντο συλᾶν οὐδὲ πιμπράναι νεώς·
βωμοὶ δ᾽ ἄιστοι, δαιμόνων θ᾽ ἱδρύματα
πρόρριζα φύρδην ἐξανέστραπται βάθρων.
τοιγὰρ κακῶς δράσαντες οὐκ ἐλάσσονα
815
ἡ πολλὰ καὶ παρόντα καὶ μέλλοντ᾽ ἔτι
845
ἤλγησ᾽ ἀκούσας βαρβάροισι πήματα.
ὦ πόποι, ἦ μεγάλας
ἀγαθᾶς τε πολισσονόμου βιοτᾶς
855
ἐπεκύρσαμεν, εὔθ᾽ ὁ γηραιός
πανταρκής, ἀκάκης,
ἄμαχος βασιλεύς,
ἰσόθεος Δαρεῖος ἄρχε χώρας.
1
πρῶτα μὲν εὐδοκίμους
860
ὅσσας δ᾽ εἷλε πόλεις
πόρον οὐ διαβὰς
Ἅλυος ποταμοῖο,
οὐδ᾽ ἀφ᾽ ἑστίας συθείς,
οἷαι Στρυμονίου
870
πελάγους Ἀχελω-
ίδες εἰσὶ πάροικοι
θρηκίων ἐπαύλων,
2
Aeschyli Persae (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschyli Persae. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1914.) — 532 focus
νῦν γὰρ δὴ πρόπασα μὲν στένει γαῖ
᾿Ασιὰς ἐκκενουμένα·
Ξέρξης μὲν [γὰρ] ἄγαγεν,
550
ποποῖ,
Ξέρξης δ᾽ ἀπώλεσεν,
τοτοῖ,
Ξέρξης δὲ πάντ᾽ ἐπέσπε δυσφρόνως
βαρίδες τε ποντίαι.
τίπτε Δαρεῖος μὲν οὖ-
τω τότ᾽ ἀβλαβὴς ἐπῆν
555
τόξαρχος πολιήταις,
Σουσίδος φίλος ἄκτωρ;
πεζούς τε γὰρ καὶ θαλασσίους λι-
νόπτεροι κυανώπιδες
τοὶ δ᾽ ἄρα πρωτομόροιο,
φεῦ,
ληφθέντες πρὸς ἀνάγκας,
ἠέ,
ἀκτὰς ἀμφὶ Κυχρείας
570
ὀᾶ,
.......· στένε καὶ δακνά-
ζου, βαρὺ δ᾽ ἀμβόασον
οὐράνι᾽ ἄχη,
ὀᾶ·
τεῖνε δὲ δυσβάυκτον
βοᾶτιν τάλαιναν αὐδάν.
575
γναπτόμενοι δ᾽ ἁλὶ δεινά,
φεῦ,
σκύλλονται πρὸς ἀναύδων,
ἠέ,
παίδων τᾶς ἀμιάντου,
ὀᾶ.
τοὶ δ᾽ ἀνὰ γᾶν Ασίαν δήν
οὐκέτι περσονομούνται,
585
οὐκέτι δασμοφοοῦσιν
δεσποσύνοισιν ἀνάγκαις,
οὐδ᾽ ἐς γᾶν προπίτνοντες
ἄρξονται· βασιλεία
γὰρ διόλωλεν ἰσχύς.
590
οὐδ᾽ ἔτι γλῶσσα βροτοῖσιν
ἐν φυλακαῖς· λέλυται γάρ
λαὸς ἐλεύθερα βάζειν,
ὡς ἐλύθη ζυγὸν ἀλκᾶς.
αἱμαχθεῖσα δ᾽ ἄρουραν
595
Αἴαντος περικλύστα
νᾶσος ἔχει τὰ Περσῶν.
ἢ ῥ᾽ ἀίει μου μακαρίτας ἰσοδαίμων βασιλεύς
βάρβαρα σαφηνή
ἱέντος τὰ παναίολ᾽ αἰανῆ δύσθροα βάγματα;
635
παντάλαν᾽ ἄχη
διαβοάσω.
νέρθεν ἆρα κλύει μου; –
ἀλλὰ σύ μοι Γᾶ τε καὶ ἄλλοι χθονίων ἁγεμόνες
δαίμονα μεγαυχή
ἰόντ᾽ αἰνέσατ᾽ ἐκ δόμων,
Περσᾶν Σουσιγενή θεόν·
πέμπετε δ᾽ ἄνω
οἷον οὔπω
645
Περσὶς αἷ᾽ ἐκάλυψεν. –
ἢ φίλος ἁνήρ, φίλος ὄχθος·
φίλα γὰρ κέκευθεν ἤθη.
᾿Αιδωνεὺς δ᾽ ἀναπομ-
πὸς ἀνείης ᾿Αιδωνεὺς
650
οὐδὲ γὰρ ἄνδρας ποτ᾿ ἀπώλλυ
πολεμοφθόροισιν ἄταις,
θεομήστωρ δ᾽ ἐκικλή-
σκετο Πέρσαις, θεομήστωρ / δ᾽ ἔσκεν, ἐπεὶ στρατὸν εὐ ποδούχει.
655
ἠέ. =
βαλλὴν ἀρχαῖος βαλλὴν †ἴθι ἱκοῦ,
ἔλθ᾽ ἐπ᾿ ἄκρον κόρυμβον ὄχθου, κροκόβα-
πτον ποδὸς εὔμαριν ἀείρων, βασιλεί-
ου τιήρας φάλαρον πιφαύσκων.
βάσκε πάτερ ἄκακε Δαριάν.
660
οἰ. –
†ὅπως καινά τε κλύηις νέα τ᾽ ἄχη,
δέσποτα δεσπότου φάνηθι. Στυγία
γάρ τις ἐπ᾽ ἀχλὺς πεπόταται· νεολαί-
α γὰρ ἤδη κατὰ πᾶσ᾽ ὄλωλεν.
665
βάσκε πάτερ ἄκακε Δαριάν,
οἰ. =
πρῶτα μὲν εὐδοκίμους στρατιὰς ἀπε-
φαινόμεθ᾽, ἠδὲ νομίσματα πύργινα
πάντ᾽ ἐπηύθυνεν.
νόστοι δ᾽ ἐκ πολέμων ἀπόνους ἀπαθεῖς
860
(εὔφρονας) εὖ πράσσοντας ἀγον [ἐς] οἴκους.
ὅσσας δ᾽ εἶλε πόλεις πόρον οὐ δια-
βὰς Ἅλυος ποταμοῖο,
οὐδ᾽ ἀφ᾽ ἑστίας συθείς·
οἷαι Στρυμονίου πελάγους Ἀχε-
865
λωίδες εἰσὶ πάροικοι
θρηίκων ἐπαύλεις –
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.)) — 548-595 focus
The Persians. (OCR draft) Experimental (The Persians.. Theodore Alois Buckley, 1849.) — 532 focus
O sovereign Jove! now hast thou destroyed the armament of the high-vaunting and numerous Persians; and thou hast veiled in gloomy grief the city of Susa and of Ecbatana: and many virgins, rending their veils with their delicate hands, sharing in the sorrow, drench their bosoms with dense floods of tears. Our Persian matrons too, in excess of mourning, longing for the sight of the recent wedlock of their husbands, and having abandoned their couches 4
covered with elegant tapestry, the delight of their delicate youth, they sorrow with most insatiate sighs. And I, for my part, heartily take [for my theme] the melancholy fate of the departed.
Now, in truth, the whole of the land of Asia made desolate moans. For Xerxes led forth, O gods! and Xerxes lost, well-a-day! Xerxes managed all things haplessly in his ocean-barks. Oh! why was not Darius at that time in command, so safe a master of the bow to the citizens, beloved sovereign of Susa?
The ships, all winged alike and with dark-stained beaks, carried forth both our land forces and our marines, O gods! and ships destroyed them, ah! well-a-day! the ships with the deadly onslaughts of their beaks, and through the hands of the Ionians, as we hear, the king barely made his escape to the champagne and chilly tracts of Thrace.
They therefore, indeed, first met their doom, alas! left by necessity, ah! around the shores of Cychreia 1
, woe's me! they have been drenched by the billows 2
. Moan, and gnash the teeth, and raise aloud the cry of sorrow; laments that shall reach the heavens, woe's me! and lengthen out the dismally-sounding shout, the piteous cry.
And torn dreadfully by the sea, alas! they are lacerated by the dumb children, alas! of the unpolluted [deep,] woe's me! And the dwelling mourns its lord, bereft of him, and parents that are left childless, woe's me! advanced in age, wailing the calamities sent on them by the divinities, now hear the whole of their sorrow.
And they in sooth throughout the land of Asia, no longer own the Persian sway, nor any longer pay their tribute under constraint imposed by their sovereign, nor prostrating themselves on the ground will they hold themselves in subjection: for the might of our monarch hath utterly perished.
And no longer is the tongue of mortals held in check: for the people have been set at liberty to speak their mind freely, since the yoke of strength hath been loosened. And the sea-washed isle of Ajax, with its soil stained with gore, holds the [bodies] of the Persians.
My friends, whosoever is experienced in evils knows that when a sea-surge of troubles comes upon mortals, they are wont to dread all things: but when fortune glides smoothly, to feel confident that the same divinity will constantly propel their fortunes with a favourable breeze. For to me now all things are full of terror, and before my eyes appear the adverse dispensations of the gods; and there is ringing in my ears a strain not soothing; such an amazement in consequence of these horrors scares my soul. Wherefore I have come this way from my house a second time, without either car or my former pomp, bringing propitiatory drink-offerings for the sire of my child, things which are soothing charms to the dead; both, white milk, sweet for drink, from a holy cow, and the distillation of the flower-craftsman, transparent honey, along with limpid drops of a virgin fountain 1
, and this pure liquid from its wild mother, the glory of an ancient vine; and the fragrant fruit of the pale-green olive, that ever flourishes as to life in its leaves, is at hand, and wreathed flowers, children of the all-teeming earth. But, my friends, chaunt ye lays in accordance with these libations of the dead, and call up the divine Darius, and I will convey to the gods below these honours that are to be drank by earth.
Royal dame, venerable majesty of the Persians, do thou convey libations to the chambers beneath the earth, and we, in our lays, will implore the conductors of the dead beneath the earth to be propitious. Come, O ye holy divinities below the earth, both Earth and Mercury, and thou. monarch of the dead, send from beneath the spirit into the light of day; for if he knows any remedy 2
of our ills, he alone could tell the termination more than mortals 3
.
Does then the godlike monarch, of blessed memory, hear me as I utter the all-varied barbaric clear plaintive dismal cries? A loud outcry will I make over our utterly wretched sorrows. Does he then hear me from beneath the earth?
But do thou, O Earth, and ye other rulers of the infernal regions, suffer the illustrious divinity, the god of the Persians, born in Susa, to pass from your dwellings, and send him into upper air, such an one as never heretofore Persian mould covered.
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 1
!
For as at no time he was the destroyer of men by the wasting calamities of war, so he was called by his Persians, counsellor divine; and counsellor divine he was, for he conducted the host well.
Lord 2
, ancient lord, come, draw nigh, appear on the topmost peak 3
of the mound, raising the saffrou dyed sandal of thy foot, displaying the crest of thy royal tiara. Come forth, O Darius, author of no ill: Hoa 4
!
Show thyself, sovereign lord 5
, that thou mayest hear the sorrows of our sovereign, strange in their nature, and new. For some Stygian gloom is hovering over us; for all 6
our youth have already sunk in ruin. Come forth, O Darius, author of no ill: Hoa!
alas! alas! O thou that didst die deeply deplored by thy friends! 7
O king, O king! why should these redoubled mishaps pass throughout all this thy land? All the three-banked galleys of this our land have utterly perished, so as to be no longer galleys.
O ye most trusty of the trusty! ye compeers of my youth, aged Persians, with what trouble is our city troubled? the ground groans, is smitten and torn 8
. And beholding my consort here near my sepulchre, I am in fear, I have received soothing libations. And ye arc wailing, standing near my sepulchre, and shouting shrill in cries that evoke the shades, ye piteously summon me. And exit is no easy matter, both in all other respects, and also inasmuch as the gods beneath the ground are better at receiving than at letting go. Notwithstanding, I having rule among them, am come; and be thou quick, that I may not be censured for the time [of my absence]. What new heavy calamity bath befallen the Persians?
I shrink in awe from looking on thee, and I shrink in awe from speaking in thy presence, by reason of my ancient reverence for thee.
But since persuaded by thy groanings I have come from below, in no wise utter a tedious tale, but concisely tell me, and complete the whole, laying aside thine awe for me.
I dread 1
to comply, and I dread to speak in thy presence, telling things hateful to tell to friends.
But since the ancient dread of thy spirit is an obstacle to thee, do thou, aged partner of my bed, high-born dame, cease from these wailings and groans of thine, and give me a clear account. Human calamities will befal mankind. For many ills arise to mortals by sea, and many by land, if their more lengthened life be far protracted.
In what way? came there any blast of pestilence, or a rebellion on the city?
Alas! swift indeed came the accomplishment of the oracles; and upon my son Jove hath inflicted the consummation of the divine declarations. I have expected that the gods would bring these things to their complete fulfillment after a long issue 1
. But when a man is himself speeding onward, god also lends a hand. Now a fountain of ills seems to have been discovered for my friends. And my son, not understanding this, hath brought it about by his youthful presumption; who hoped to check in its course the sacred Hellespont, the Bosphorus, stream of the god, like a slave, with bonds, and was for reducing the stream to order; and binding it with hammer-wrought fetters, accomplished a great road for his great army, and he unwisely thought, mortal as he was, that he should get the mastery of all the gods, and of Neptune. Did not therefore a distemper of soul possess my son? I fear lest my great store of wealth shall become a prey to the first comer.
Therefore a work has been accomplished by him 2
exceedingly great, ever to be had in remembrance, such as never at any time utterly drained this falling city of Susa, ever since sovereign Jove awarded this honour, that one man should sway the whole of flock-breeding Asia, wielding the sceptre of rule. For a Mede 3
was the first commander of the host; and another 4
, his son, completed this work; for prudence managed the helm of his soul. And third from him Cyrus, a prosperous man, when he reigned gave peace to all his friends; and acquired the people of the Lydians and
What then, my liege Darius? to what point turnest thou the issue of thy words? In consequence of these events, how shall we thy Persian host hereafter fare as best may be?
Few, be sure, of many, if it be proper for one that looks upon what hath now taken place at all to put faith in the declarations of the gods: for it is not that one part is accomplished, and another not. 3
And if this be the fact, the multitude selected out of the army fails, having been lured on
Verily I feel sorrow when I hear of the many woes that both even now press upon, and are hereafter to befall, the barbarians.
O ye gods! we surely enjoyed a noble and goodly life, under civic rule, when the aged monarch, aider of all, author of no ill, not given to war, godlike Darius ruled the realm.
In the first place we were celebrated on account of our well-approved army, and the laws of the state directed all things 2
. And our returns too from our wars brought us without trouble, without suffering, in flourishing condition to our homes.
And what a number of cities did he take without having crossed the river Halys, nor having sped forth from his home; such are the Acheloian cities on the Strymonian sea, adjoining the dwellings of the Thracians,
LES PERSES (OCR draft) Experimental (LES PERSES. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 532 focus
O Zeus roi, l'heure est donc venue, où, anéantissant l'armée des Perses, des Perses altiers et
innombrables, tu as enseveli Suse et Ecbatane dans un deuil ténébreux ! Et des milliers de femmes 1 , de leurs faibles bras, déchirent leur voiles et inondent leur sein de larmes ruisselantes,
dans la douleur qui les saisit ! Et les épouses perses, mollement 2 plaintives, dans le regret de l'homme, leur jeune compagnon, disant adieu au lit mollement drapé, volupté d'une jeunesse fastueuse,
exhalent leur deuil en sanglots plus insatiables encore — cependant que moi-même, je célèbre ici le
trépas de ceux qui ont péri, source assurée pour nous d'innombrables douleurs.
aimé de Susiane 3 ? Fantassins et marins, tel un grand vol d'oiseaux vêtus de
sombre azur, les nefs les ont emmenés, hélas ! les nefs les ont
par de cruels chemins. Les autres, victimes, hélas ! d'un sort qui les a les premiers
frappés, tournoient autour des caps que protège Kykhreus 4 , hélas ! Ah ! gémis, déchire-toi le cœur ! A pleine voix, crie tes souffrances jusqu'aux cieux ! hélas ! tends, dans un
appel de douleur hurlante, ta voix misérable ! Cruellement meurtris des flots, hélas ! ils sont aussi déchirés par les muets enfants, hélas ! de l'Incorruptible 5 ,
hélas ! tandis que la maison porte le deuil de celui qu'elle a perdu et que
les vieux pères sans fils, gémissant de souffrances infinies, hélas ! apprennent à connaître la douleur totale.
on ne paiera plus le tribut sous la contrainte
plus !
Les langues mêmes ne sentiront plus de bâillon. Un peuple est délié et parle librement, sitôt qu'est détaché le joug de la
force. Dans son terreau sanglant, l'île d'Ajax que bat le flot retient au tombeau la puissance
perse !
dirigerai vers les dieux infernaux ces hommages que boira la terre.
M'entend-il, le roi défunt, égal aux dieux ? M'entend-il lancer en langue barbare, claire à son oreille 9 , ces
appels gémissants, lugubres, où se mêlent tous les accents de la plainte ? Je clamerai
haut mes souffrances infinies : du fond de l'ombre m'entend-il ?

Allons, Terre, et vous, princes du monde infernal, laissez sortir de vos demeures l'être divin et superbe, le dieu, fils de
Cher nous est le héros, chère nous est cette tombe, car chère nous est l'âme qu'elle enferme. Aïdôneus 10 , fais remonter
au jour, ô Aïdôneus, le roi
sans pareil, Darios. Hé ! hé !
Ce n'est pas lui qui perdait ses soldats dans des débâcles meurtrières ! Les Perses l'appelaient l'inspiré des dieux 11 , et
c'est en inspiré des dieux qu'il
dirigeait la barque de son peuple. Hé ! hé !
Antique monarque, antique monarque, ah ! viens, parais
au-dessus du faîte qui couronne ta tombe ; élève jusque-là
la sandale teinte de safran qui enferme ton pied ; fais luire à nos yeux le bouton de la tiare royale 12 ; viens, père bienfaisant, Darios ! — Ah ! ah !

Viens apprendre de nouvelles, d'inouïes douleurs. Maître de mon maître 13 , apparais. Sur nous
flotte une brume de mort :
toute notre jeunesse a péri. Viens,
père bienfaisant, Darios ! Ah ! ah !

Hélas ! hélas ! ô mort que pleurent des milliers d'amis 14 .
de quitter les enfers : surtout, les dieux
d'en bas savent mieux prendre
que lâcher. Mais j'ai auprès d'eux usé de mon crédit : me voici. Dis vite, afin qu'on ne me puisse reprocher un retard : quel malheur nouveau pèse donc
sur les Perses ?
me tient devant toi.
prolonge son cours dans le temps.
elle est vite venue, la réalisation des oracles, et c'est sur mon propre fils que Zeus a laissé
tomber l'achèvement des prophéties. Je me flattais qu'il faudrait aux dieux de longs jours pour les accomplir jusqu'au bout ; mais, quand un mortel s'emploie à sa perte, les dieux viennent l'y aider : aujourd'hui, c'est une source de malheurs qu'ont été se chercher les miens ; et c'est mon fils qui, sans comprendre, a fait cela dans sa jeune imprudence ! lui qui a conçu l'espoir d'arrêter dans son cours,
par des chaînes d'esclave, l'Hellespont sacré, le Bosphore où coule un dieu ! qui prétendait transformer un détroit et, en lui passant des entraves forgées au marteau, ouvrir une immense route à son immense armée ! Mortel, il a cru, en sa déraison, pouvoir triompher de tous les dieux
de Poséidon ! Peut-on nier qu'un vrai mal de l'esprit ne tînt là mon enfant ? J'ai peur que l'énorme richesse conquise par mon labeur ne soit plus pour les hommes qu'un butin offert aux plus prompts.
.
nous qui avons possédé cet empire, apparaître comme auteurs d'autant de maux !
Non, quelques hommes sur des milliers — s'il en faut croire les oracles des dieux, en regardant ce qui est déjà accompli : on ne voit point, en effet, les uns se réaliser sans les autres ; et, si les faits sont tels, en laissant là-bas une troupe d'élite, Xerxès obéit à de vains espoirs.
Elle demeure aux lieux où l'Asôpos arrose la plaine de ses eaux courantes, nourricier aimé de la terre béotienne, et c'est là que les attendent les suprêmes souffrances, pour prix de leur démesure et de leur orgueil sacrilège : eux qui, venus sur la terre grecque, n'hésitaient point à
dépouiller les statues des dieux, à incendier les temples ; eux par qui des autels ont été détruits, des images divines, pêle-mêle, la tête en bas, renversées de leurs socles. Aussi, criminels, ils subissent des peines égales à leurs crimes et d'autres les attendent : l'édifice de leurs malheurs n'en
est pas même à son soubassement et va grandir encore ; tant doit être abondante la libation de sang que fera couler sur le sol de Platée la lance dorienne ! et des monceaux de morts, en un muet langage, jusqu'à la troisième génération, diront aux regards des hommes que nul mortel ne doit
nourrir de pensées au-dessus de sa condition mortelle. La démesure en mûrissant produit l'épi de l'erreur, et la moisson qu'on en lève n'est faite que de larmes. Gardez ce châtiment sans cesse dans les yeux ; souvenez-vous
Ah ! que je souffre d'ouïr combien de douleurs et dans le présent et dans l'avenir sont donc réservées aux Barbares !
villes, quand le vieux roi, le tout-puissant, le bienfai-
des armées à la gloire sans tache ; elles ne dirigeaient contre l'ennemi que l'art
coutumier des sièges 17 ; et des retours sans peine ni dommage ramenaient nos guerriers à leurs foyers heureux.

Que de cités il a prises sans franchir le cours de l'Halys 18 , sans même quitter sa demeure ! telles les villes fluviales du
lac strymonien 19 ,
The Persians (OCR draft) Experimental (The Persians. Robert Potter, 1779.) — 532 focus
Aweful ſovereign of the ſkies,
660
When now o'er Perſia's numerous hoſt
Thou bad'ſt the ſtorm with ruin riſe,
All her proud vaunts of glory loſt,
Ecbatana's imperial head
By thee was wrapt in ſorrow's dark'ning ſhade;
665
Thro' Suſa's palaces with loud lament,
By their ſoft hands their veils all rent,
The copious tear the virgins pour,
That trickles their bare boſoms o'er.
From her ſweet couch up ſtarts the widow'd bride,
670
Her lord's lov'd image ruſhing on her ſoul,
Throws the rich ornaments of youth aſide,
And gives her griefs to flow without controul:
THE PERSIANS.
Her griefs not cauſeleſs; for the mighty ſlain
Our melting tears demand, and ſorrow-ſoften'd
675
ſtrain.
ANTISTROPHE.
Now her wailings wide deſpair
Pours theſe exhauſted regions o'er;
Xerxes, ill-fated, led the war;
Xerxes, ill-fated, leads no more;
680
Xerxes ſent forth th' unwife command,
The crouded ſhips unpeopled all the land;
That land, o'er which Darius held his reign,
Courting the arts of peace, in vain,
O'er all his grateful realms ador'd,
685
The ſtately Suſa's gentle lord.
Black o'er the waves his burden'd veſſels ſweep,
For Greece elate the warlike ſquadrons fly;
Now cruſh'd, and whelm'd beneath th' indignant
deep
690
The ſhatter'd wrecks and lifeleſs heroes lie:
Whilſt, from the arms of Greece eſcap'd, with toil
Th' unſhelter'd monarch roams o'er Thracia's
dreary ſoil,
EPODE. THE PERSIANS.
The firſt in battle ſlain
695
By Cychrea's craggy ſhore
Thro' ſad conſtraint, ah me! forſaken lie,
All pale and ſmear'd with gore;-
Raiſe high the mournful ſtrain,
And let the voice of anguiſh pierce the ſky :-
700
Or roll beneath the roaring tide,
By monſters rent of touch abhor'd;
Whilſt thro' the widow'd manſion echoing wide
Sounds the deep groan, and wails its ſlaughter'd
lord:
705
Pale with his fears the helpleſs orphan there
Gives the full ſtream of plaintive grief to flow;
Whilſt age its hoary head in deep deſpair
Bends, liſt'ning to the ſhrieks of woe.
With ſacred awe
710
The Perſian law
No more ſhall Aſia's realms revere;
To their lord's hand,
At his command,
No more th' exacted tribute bear.
715
THE PERSIANS.
Who now falls proſtrate at the monarch's throne?
His regal greatneſs is no more.
Now no reſtraint the wanton tongue ſhall own,
Free from the golden curb of pow'r;
For on the rocks, waſh'd by the beating flood,
720
His awe-commanding nobles lie in blood.
Whoe'er, my friends, in the rough ſtream of life
Hath ſtruggled with affliction, thence is taught
That, when the flood begins to ſwell, the heart
Fondly fears all things: when the fav'ring gale
725
Of fortune ſmooths the current, it expands
With unſuſpecting confidence, and deems
That gale ſhall always breath.
So to my eyes
All things now wear a formidable ſhape,
730
And threaten from the Gods: my ears are pierc'd
With ſounds far other than of ſong.
Such ills
Diſmay my ſick'ning ſoul:
hence from my houſe
735
Nor glitt'ring car attends me, nor the train
Of
THE PERSIANS.
wonted ſtate, whilſt I return, and bear
Libations ſoothing to the father's ſhade
In the ſon's cauſe;
740
delicious milk, that foams
White from the ſacred heifer:
liquid honey,
Extract of flow'rs;
and from its virgin fount r
745
The running chryſtal;
this pure draught, that
flow'd
From th' ancient vine, of pow'r to bath the ſpirits
In joy;
750
the yellow olive's fragrant fruit,
That glories in its leaves' unfading verdure;
With flow'rs of various hues, earth's faireſt offſpring,
Enwreath'd.
But you, my friends, amidſt theſe rites
755
Raiſe high your ſolemn warblings s
, and invoke
Your lord, divine Darius:
I meanwhile
Will pour theſe off'rings to th' infernal Gods.
Yes, royal lady, Perſia's honour'd grace,
760
To earth's dark chambers pour thy off'rings:
We
With choral hymns will ſupplicate the pow'rs
That guide the dead, to be propitious to us.
And you, that o'er the realms of night extend
765
Your ſacred ſway, thee mighty earth, and thee
Hermes;
thee chief, tremendous king, whoſe throne
Awes with ſupreme dominion, I adjure:
THE PERSIANS.
Send, from your gloomy regions, ſend his ſhade
770
Once more to viſit this ætherial light;
That he alone, if ought of dread event
He ſees yet threat'ning Perſia, may diſcloſe
To us poor mortals Fate's extreme decree.
Hears the honour'd, godlike king?
775
Theſe barbaric notes of woe,
Taught in deſcant ſad to ring,
Hears he in the ſhades below?
Thou, O Earth, and you, that lead
Thro' your ſable realms the dead,
780
Guide him as he takes his way,
And give him to th' ætherial light of day !
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
He in realm-unpeopling war
Waſted not his ſubjects' blood,
Godlike in his will to ſpare,
In his councils wiſe and good.
Riſe then, ſovereign lord, to light;
795
On this mound's ſepulchral height
Lift thy ſock in ſaffron died,
And rear thy rich Tiara's regal pride!
Great and good, Darius, riſe:
Lord of Perſia's lord, appear:
800
Thus invok'd with thrilling cries
Come, our tale of ſorrow hear!
Woe her Stygian pennons ſpreads,
Brooding darkneſs o'er our heads;
For ſtre tcb'd along the dreary ſhore
805
The flow'r of Aſia lies diſtain'd with gore.
THE PERSIANS.
Riſe, Darius, aweful pow'r;
Long for thee our tears ſhall flow.
Why thy ruin'd empire o'er
Swells this double flood of woe?
810
Sweeping o'er the azure tide
Rode thy navy's gallant pride;
Navy now no more, for all
Beneath the whelming wave-
Ye faithful Perſians t
, honour'd now in age,
815
Once the companions of my youth, what ills
THE PERSIANS.
Afflict the ſtate?
The firm earth groans, it opes,
Diſcloſing its vaſt deeps;
and near my tomb
820
I ſee my wife: this ſhakes my troubled ſoul
With fearful apprehenſions;
yet her off'rings
Pleas'd I receiv'd.
And you around my tomb
825
Chanting the lofty ſtrain, whoſe ſolemn air
Draws forth the dead, with grief-attemper'd notes
Mournfully call me:
not with eaſe the way
Leads to this upper air;
830
and the ſtern Gods,
Prompt to admit, yield not a paſſage back
But with reluctance:
much with them my pow'r
Availing, with no tardy ſtep I come.
835
Say then, with what new ill doth Perſia groan?
My wonted awe u
o'ercomes me; in thy preſence
I dare not raiſe my eyes, I dare not ſpeak.
Since from the realms below, by thy ſad ſtrains
Adjur'd, I come, ſpeak, let thy words be brief,
840
Say whence thy grief, tell me unaw'd by fear.
I dread to forge a flatt'ring tale, I dread
To grieve thee with an harſh offenſive truth.
Since fear hath chain'd his tongue, high-honour'd
dame,
845
Once my imperial confort, check thy tears,
Thy griefs; and ſpeak diſtinctly.
Mortal man
Muſt bear his lot of woe;
afflictions riſe
850
Many from ſea, many from land, if life
Be haply meaſur'd thro' a lengthned courſe.
By peſtilence, or faction's furious ſtorms?
With what a winged courſe the oracles
Haſte their completion?
With the light'ning's ſpeed
Jove on my ſon hath hurl'd his threaten'd venge-
ance:
890
Yet I implor'd the Gods that it might fall
In time's late proceſs:
but when raſhneſs drives
Impetuous on, the ſcourge of Heav'n uprais'd
Laſhes the Fury forward;
895
hence theſe ills
Pour headlong on my friends.
Not weighing this
My ſon, with all the firey pride of youth,
Hath quicken'd their arrival, whilſt he hoped
900
To bind the ſacred Helleſpont, to hold
The raging Boſphorus, like a ſlave, in chains x
,
And dared th' advent'rous paſſage, bridging firm
With links of ſolid iron his wond'rous way,
THE PERSIANS.
To lead his numerous hoſt; and, ſwell'd with thoughts
905
Preſumptuous, deem'd, vain mortal, that his pow'r
Shou'd riſe above the Gods, and Neptune's might.
And was not this the frenzy of the ſoul?
But much I fear leſt all my treaſur'd wealth
Fall to ſome daring hand an eaſy prey.
910
Great deeds have they atchiev'd, and memorable
For ages: Never hath this waſted ſtate
Suffer'd ſuch ruin, ſince Heav'n's aweful king
925
Gave to one lord Aſia's extended plains
White with innumerous flocks, and to his hands
Conſign'd th' imperial ſceptre.
Her brave hoſts
A Mede firſt led y
. The virtues of his ſon
930
Fix'd firm the empire, for his temperate ſoul
Breath'd prudence.
Cyrus next, by fortune grac'd,
Adorn'd the throne, and bleſs'd his grateful friends
With peace: He to his mighty monarchy
935
Join'd Lydia, and the Phrygians; to his pow'r
Ionia bent reluctant; but the Gods
With victory his gentle virtues crown'd.
His ſon then wore the regal diadem.
Next, to diſgrace his country, and to ſtain
940
The ſplendid glories of this ancient throne,
Roſe Mardus: him with righteous vengeance fir'd
Artaphrenes, and his confederate chiefs,
Cruſh'd in his palace:
Maraphis aſſum'd
945
The ſceptre:
after him Artaphrenes.
Me next to this exalted eminence,
Crowning my great ambition, fortune rais'd;
In many' a glorious field my glittering ſpear
950
Flamed in the van of Perſia's numerous hoſts;
But never wrought ſuch ruin to the ſtate.
Xerxes, my ſon, in all the pride of youth
Liſtens to youthful counſels, my commands
No more remember'd:
955
hence, my hoary friends,
Not the whole line of Perſia's ſceptred lords,
You know it well, ſo waſted her brave ſons.
Why this? z
To what fair end are theſe thy words
960
Directed?
Sovereign Lord, inſtruct thy Perſians
How, 'midſt this ruin, beſt to guide their ſtate.
Of all their numbers few a
, if ought avails
975
The faith of heav'n-ſent oracles to him
That weighs the paſt, in their accompliſhment
Not partial:
hence he left, in faithleſs hope
Confiding, his ſelected train of heroes.
980
Theſe have their ſtation where Aſopus flows
Wat'ring the plain, whoſe grateful currents roll
Diffuſing plenty thro' Boeotia's fields.
There miſery waits to cruſh them with the load
Of heavieſt ills, in vengeance for their proud
985
And impious daring;
for where'er they held
Thro' Greece their march, they fear'd not to profane
The ſtatues of the Gods b
;
their hallow'd ſhrines
990
Emblaz'd, o'erturn'd their altars, and in ruins,
Rent from their firm foundations, to the ground
Levell'd their temples:
Such their frentic deeds,
Nor leſs their ſuff'rings:
995
greater ſtill await them;
For vengeance hath not waſted all her ſtores,
The heap yet ſwells:
for in Platæa's plains
Beneath the Doric ſpear the clotted maſs
1000
Of carnage ſhall ariſe, that the high mounds,
Piled o'er the dead, to late poſterity
Shall give this ſilent record to men's eyes,
That proud aſpiring thoughts but ill beſſeem
Weak mortals:
1005
for oppreſſion, when it ſprings,
Puts forth the blade of vengeance, and its fruit
Yields a ripe harveſt of repentant woe.
Behold this vengeance, and remember Greece,
Remember Athens c
:
1010
henceforth let not pride,
Her preſent ſtate diſdaining, ſtrive to graſp
Another's, and her treaſur'd happineſs
Shed on the ground:
ſuch inſolent attempts
1015
Awake the vengeance of offended Jove.
But you, whoſe age demands more temperate
thoughts,
With words of well-plac'd counſel teach his youth
To curb that pride, which from the Gods calls
1020
down
Deſtruction on his head.
And thou, whoſe age
The miſeries of thy Xerxes ſink with ſorrow,
Go to thy houſe, thence chuſe the richeſt robe,
1025
And meet thy ſon;
for thro' the rage of grief
His gorgeous veſtments from his royal limbs
Are ſouly rent.
With gentleſt courteſy
1030
Sooth his affliction;
for his duteous ear,
I know, will liſten to thy voice alone.
Now to the realms of darkneſs I deſcend.
My ancient friends, farewell, and 'midſt theſe ills
1035
Each day in pleaſures bath your drooping ſpirits,
For treaſur'd riches nought avail the dead.
Theſe many preſent, many future ills
Denounc'd on Perſia ſink my ſoul with grief.
Ye pow'rs that rule the ſkies,
1050
Memory recalls our great, our happy fate,
Our well-appointed ſtate,
The ſcenes of glory opening to our eyes,
When this vaſt empire o'er
The good Darius, with each virtue bleſt
1055
That forms a monarch's breaſt,
Shielding his ſubjects with a father's care,
Invincible in war,
Extended like a God his aweful pow'r.
Then ſpread our arms their glory wide,
1060
Guarding to peace her golden reign;
Each tow'red city ſaw with pride
Safe from the toils of war her homeward-march-
ing train.
ANTISTROPHE 1.
Nor Halys' ſhallow ſtrand
1065
He paſs'd, nor from his palace mov'd his ſtate;
He ſpoke; his word was Fate :
What ſtrong-baſed cities cou'd his might withſtand?
Not thoſe that lift their heads
Where to the ſea the floods of Strymon paſs,
1070
Leaving the huts of Thrace;
THE PERSIANS.
Eschilo, I Persiani: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli (OCR draft) Experimental (Eschilo, I Persiani: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli. Ettore Romagnoli, 1922.) — 532 focus
O re Giove, dei Persi superbi
le fittissime schiere hai distrutte,
615
ed Ecbàtana e Susa hai coperto
con caligine densa di lutto.
Queste donne, i lor veli stracciando
con le morbide mani, partecipi
di tal doglia, cospargono il seno
620
di lagrime amare.
Con le molli querele, le spose
persïane richiaman gli sposi
e le nozze recenti;
e lasciate
625
le mollissime coltri dei talami,
voluttà di lor giovani vite,
s'addoloran con lagno perenne.
Ed anch'io dei perduti la sorte
con querela di lutto deploro.
630
Omai, vuoto di popolo,
geme d'Asia il suol tutto.
Serse condusse, ahimè!,
Serse distrusse, ahimè!,
Serse, e sul mar le navi, governarono
635
verso l'estremo lutto,
perché tuttora Dario
non vedea questa luce,
ai cittadini innocuo
condottiero, ai Susiani amico duce.
640
Guidâr le navi aligere
dalle azzurrine prore
fanti e nocchieri, ahimè!,
nel rovinoso, ahimè!,
cozzo dei rostri, tutti li distrussero!
645
Appena il mio signore
poteva, a ciò che narrano,
scampare al ionio braccio,
sui piani della Tracia
fuggendo, e sopra vie converse in ghiaccio.
650
E quei che primi lí caddero, ahimè!,
fu giocoforza abbandonarli, ahi, ahi!,
qua e là per le cicrèe marine. Oh guai!
Lagrima, il cuore morditi
per tanta ira celeste. Ascenda l'ètere
655
la querela profonda:
lungi con grida flebili
la voce tua miserrima s'effonda.
Nel mar travolti orridamente, ahimè!,
dai muti figli dei marosi, ahi, ahi!,
660
a brani sono lacerati: oh guai!
Tutte le case piangono
i capi loro: orbi dei figli, gemono
per tanta ira celeste,
i vecchi padri ch'odono
665
tutte queste narrar doglie funeste.
Né piú sarà che i popoli
d'Asia il nostro dominio omai sopportino,
che al cenno dei padroni,
i tributi piú rechino;
670
né innanzi ad essi proni
chineranno la testa:
del potere dei Re, nulla piú resta.
Né piú sarà degli uomini
schiava la lingua: di parlare libero,
675
il popolo si sfrena;
il giogo, ecco, già frangesi:
nella sanguigna arena
dell'isola d'Aiace
il potere dei Persi infranto giace.
680
Chi batte, amici, il tramite dei mali,
sa che gli uomini, allor che il flutto piomba
dei guai sovra essi, d'ogni cosa temono:
se fausto il Nume poi spira, confidano
che soffi sempre il vento di fortuna.
685
Di terrore per me tutto ora è colmo.
Dinanzi agli occhi, degli avversi Numi
veggo l'opre: alle orecchie un canto suona,
che non è di trionfo.
Oh!, qual tumulto
690
di guai sgomenta il cuore!
Or, senza cocchi,
senza il fasto di pria, lasciai la reggia;
e batto ancora questa strada; e reco
libami al padre di mio figlio, quali
695
placan gli estinti: di giovenca pura
bianco latte soave; e il succo d'api
suggitrici di fiori, il miele fulgido;
e di vergini fonti umide aspergini;
e, pretto umore di selvaggia madre,
700
questo fulgor d'annosa vite;
e, dolce
fragrante, il frutto della oliva bionda
che rigoglio perenne ha tra le frondi;
e fiori, figli dell'altrice terra,
705
intrecciati in ghirlande.
Amici, or voi
l'inno intonate che propizi questa
libagïon dei morti; e Dario, il Dèmone
fausto invocate: questi onori agli Inferi,
710
che li sugga la terra, io verserò.
O regina, cui venera il popolo
persiano, i libami tu versa
della terra sui talami.
Ai Dèmoni
715
che guidan gli estinti
chiederem noi frattanto con gl'inni
che sotterra benigni ci siano.
Ascolti, o beatissimo
725
Sire, o pari ai Celesti,
me, che con persi limpidi
accenti, alzo dei mesti
lagni i lugubri modi?
lo griderò la mia doglia miserrima:
730
tu di sotterra m'odi?
O terra, o degli spiriti
Dei condottieri, il duce
che in Susa nacque, il nobile
Re, mandate alla luce
735
dal sotterraneo regno:
mandate il prence onde mai non coprirono
le zolle altro piú degno!
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!
Ch'ei non condusse mai dei Persi il popolo
al guerresco sterminio, alla sconfitta:
745
esso fu detto, e fu Divin consiglio:
ché per la via diritta
sempre guidar seppe sue genti. Ahimè!
O nostro antico principe,
principe nostro, appari,
750
giungi, soccorri a me.
Sovra l'orlo del tumulo
poggino i tuoi calzari
di croco: fulga chiara
la tua regal tïara
755
o innocuo padre, o Dario, accorri! Ahimè!
Odi i novelli spasimi,
odi il recente duolo:
móstrat, o Re dei Re!
D'una stigia caligine
760
su noi si addensa il volo:
tutti caddero spenti
i giovani fiorenti:
o innocuo padre, o Dario, accorri! Ahimè!
Ahimè, ahimè,
765
tu pel cui fine tanto
versâr gli amici pianto,
nostro Re, nostro Re,
perché mai questo duplice
error sovra il tuo regno ora s'abbatte!
770
Ahi, le nostre triremi! Ahimè, ridotta
a nulla è omai la flotta!
3
O voi fidi tra i fidi, o voi, compagni
della mia gioventú, persi vegliardi,
da qual travaglio afflitta è la città?
775
Pianti odo, e palme al sen percosse, e al suolo
batter di piedi;
e presso alla mia tomba
veggo, e temo, la sposa, i cui libami
graditi accolsi.
780
E voi, presso il mio tumulo
piangete, e me chiamate ad alte grida
evocatrici di defunti. Facile
non è l'uscita:
assai piú pronti a prendere,
785
che a rilasciare i Numi inferni sono.
Pure, prevalsi, ed eccomi.
Ma spacciati
ora, che a me l'indugio non sia biasimo.
Qual nuovo male s'aggravò sui Persi?
790
Parlare al tuo cospetto
non ardisco, né in te lo sguardo figgere,
per l'antico rispetto.
Or poiché di sotto terra sono accorso ai tuoi lamenti,
non mi far lunghe parole, ma favella brevi accenti:
795
il discorso tuo sia pieno
né l'ossequio a te sia freno.
Parlar non m'assecuro,
dire dinanzi a te quanto, se l'odano,
troppo agli amici è duro.
800
Poi che tanto può l'antica reverenza entro il tuo petto,
parla tu, nobil vegliarda, tu, compagna del mio letto.
Lascia i pianti, lascia gli ululi, parla chiaro. Questi mali
saran quelli a cui soggetti sono pur tutti i mortali:
ché per gli uomini, allorquando la lor vita troppo dura,
805
e dal mare e dalla terra sorge piú d'una sventura.
Come? Fu flagel di peste? Fu di popolo sommossa?
Come presto degli oracoli giunse, ahimè!, l'esito!
Il Dio il successo dei responsi suscitò sul figliuol mio!
lo speravo che i Celesti ne tardassero l'evento;
840
ma se tu premi, lo stesso Nume affretta il compimento.
Ecco, un fonte di malanni sugli amici ora s'è aperto:
il figliuol mio lo dischiuse, baldanzoso ed inesperto,
che pensò dell'Ellesponto come un servo il sacro fiume
porre in vincoli, e del Bosforo le fluenti sacre al Nume;
845
e stringendo ferrei ceppi sopra il tramite marino,
lo mutò, sí che all'esercito grande aprisse ampio cammino.
Ei mortale, soverchiare s'avvisò - stolto consiglio!
tutti i Numi, e fin Posídone.
Di' se stolto fu mio figlio!
850
Deh!, la pena ond'io raccolsi tanti beni, non profitti
ad estranie genti, al primo che le mani su vi gitti!
E un'impresa compiuta egli ha grandissima,
memorabil mai sempre, e che, piombando
860
su la città di Susa, la vuotò
come niuna altra mai, da quando Giove
concesse a un uomo questo onor, ch'ei solo
con lo scettro regal tutta guidasse
l'Asia di greggi altrice.
865
Il primo duce
delle genti fu Medo.
Il figliuol suo
compie' secondo questo ufficio: e senno
reggea la barra del suo cuore.
870
Terzo
Ciro beato, che agli amici tutti
largí pace, regnando, e il popol Frigio
e il Lidio conquistò, la Ionia tutta
con la forza cacciò: ché senno aveva,
875
né l'odïava il Nume.
Quarto Ciro
diresse poi le genti;
e Mardo, quinto,
onta alla patria ed agli aviti seggi.
880
Con un inganno lui nella sua reggia
spense Artaferne il buono e i suoi compagni
nella congiura. Fu Marafi sesto,
e settimo Artaferne.
lo poi, la sorte
885
a cui miravo ottenni, e molte gesta
compiei con grandi schiere. Oh! ma non mai
in tal rovina la città disfeci.
Ma Serse, il figlio mio giovane, pensa
giovanilmente, ed i consigli miei
890
non ricorda.
Poiché voi ben sapete,
vecchi compagni miei: di quanti avemmo
questo regio poter, nessuno reo
potrà sembrare mai di simil danno!
895
Dario, a qual fine il tuo discorso volgi?
Come potrà, dopo tante sciagure,
esser felice il popolo dei Persi?
Pochi fra molti, se, badando ai fatti
compiuti già, prestar fede conviene
910
ai responsi dei Numi, che s'avverano
tutti, non già qual piú qual meno.
Eppure, Serse, pasciuto di speranze vane,
una parte lasciata ha dell'esercito
scelta.
915
Rimasti sono ove coi rivi
l'Asopo bagna la pianura, e abbevera
col dolce umor la terra dei Beoti.
Patire i mali estremi ancor qui debbono,
e riscattar la tracotanza e gli empî
920
divisamenti: essi che, giunti in Ellade,
riverenza non ebbero, che gl'idoli
non furasser dei Numi, e non ardessero
i loro templi.
Son l'are scomparse,
925
i monumenti ai Dèmoni, divelti
dalle radici, dalle basi, giacciono
spesso confusi.
Tanto mal commisero;
e non minore è quello ch'ora soffrono,
930
ed altro ancor ne soffriranno;
e tutto
non han calzato il sandalo dei guai:
in parte han fuori il pie': tanta poltiglia
sanguinolenta, di Platea la terra
935
cospargerà sotto la lancia dorica.
E visibili a ognun, sino alla terza
progenie, i muti acervi dei cadaveri
insegneranno che sconviene troppa
prosunzione ai mortali.
940
E tracotanza,
poichè fiorí, fruttifica una spiga
di sciagura, e una messe indi raccoglie
d'amaro pianto.
Or voi, veduti i frutti
945
di queste opere vostre, ricordatevi
dell'Ellade e d'Atene;
e alcuno piú,
la sorte sua tenendo a vil, non voglia
bramare il bene altrui, perdere il proprio.
950
A castigar l'eccesso di superbia,
Giove, sereno giudice, presiede.
Con i buoni consigli or lui, ch'à d'uopo
di far senno, ammonite, ond'ei desista
dalle troppo superbe offese ai Numi.
955
E tu, cara di Serse antica madre,
nella casa rientra, e, veste assunta
quale conviene, ad incontrare muovi
il tuo figliuolo: ché d'intorno a tutto
il corpo suo, van lacerati i brani,
960
pel tormento dei guai, delle sue vesti
versicolori.
Or tu benignamente
con le parole mitiga il suo duolo:
ch'egli te solo udir sopporterà.
965
Or della terra scendo io fra le tenebre.
Voi salvete, o vegliardi;
e pur tra i crucci,
sin che il dí per voi brilla, in cor gioite.
Ché le ricchezze ai morti nulla giovano.
970
Cruccio mi diè, dei Persïani udire
i cordogli presenti ed i futuri.
La nostra vita, ahimè,
ebbe ministri l'opulenza e l'ordine,
quando l'antico Re,
990
scevro d'ogni nequizia, a tutti provvido,
Dario, simile ai Numi, invitto in guerra,
reggea la nostra terra.
Leggi solide come
torri, tutto reggean: v'erano eserciti
995
di glorioso nome;
e dalle guerre, senza danno o cruccio,
ci radduceva fra le patrie mura
la prospera ventura.
E quante città prese,
1000
senza varcare i margini
dell'Ali, senza muovere
lungi dal suo paese,
come le fluviatili
allo Strimonio intorno,
1005
presso le coste inospiti
dove i Traci han soggiorno.
Aeschylus, Persae: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Persae: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii. Ioannes Sanravius, 1555.) — 532 focus
O' Iupiter rex, Perfarum
Audacium,
510
multorum uirorum
Exercitum perdidifti,
Sufa Ecbatana
Caliginofo luctu occultasti.
Multæ uerò delicatis manibus uestes
515
Lacerantes, humidis
Lachrymis tingunt finus doloris participes.
Luctuoſe uerò Perſides uirorum
Defiderantes uidere modò coniunctionem,
Lectorumq; cubilia molliter ornata,
520
Voluptuose pubis relinquentes delectationem,
Lugent gemitibus infatiabilibus.
Et ego ob fatum abfentium
Fero manifeſtè luctuofum gemitum.
Nunc enim omnis quidem luget
525
Regio Afie uacua.
Xerxes quidem duxit quo nam?
Xerxes uerò perdidit ibi nam,
Xerxes omnia ſecutus est impudenter,
Baridis nauibus, Darius ſis quid tandem
530
Tunc fuit innocuus dux ciuibus
Suidis gubernator,charus pedestres
marinas
Proprijs alis euntibus nigræ eos
Naues duxerunt quo name
535
Naues uerò ipfas perdideruntibi'nam
Neues perniciofis incursionibus,
Per Ionum manus paulo post effugere
Regem ipfum,ipfos audiuimus per Thraciæ fubli-
Et tempestuosas uias.
540
Qui primi fato funt functi heu,
Capti neceßitate beu.
Circa littora Cypriæ luctus,
Luge clama grauiter,
Clama cœlestes dolores,
545
Extende uocem clamoſam & miferŭ clamorem.
Fracli mari atrociter, beu heu,
Vexantur à multis, heu heu,
Filijs immaculati maris heu.
Luget uirum domus deferta,
550
Parentes uerò liberis orbatirigantur lachrymis:
Lugentes ſenes mala à demone immiſſa,
Omnem audiunt dolorem. certè per Afiam terram
Non amplius legibus Perſarū regūtur, nõ amplius
Tributa pendunt dominis,
555
Neq; in terram procidere
Incipiunt:nam perijt robur regium.
Neq; lingua mortalibus
In custodia folutus eſt populus ad loquendŭ liberè:
Quoniam folutum est iugum roboris.
560
Sanguine perfusum eſt ſolu: Aiacis circumcluſa
Infula, habet Perfarum corpora.
O'amici.quicunq;
malorum mercator est,
Scit mortalibus quando fluctus
565
Malorum uenerit, omnia timere amat:
Quando uerò fortuna beneuerterit, confidere,
Semper fœlicitatem ipsam profperè ferre.
Mihi iam omnia plena funt timoris
In oculis,à dijs aduerfa uidentur.
570
Clamat in auribus uox non modulata.
Talis malorum pauor mentes terret.
Erenim uiam hanc fine uehiculis,
Ante uoluptatem ex domibus rurſus
Ordmari, pucri patri mitia libamma
575
Ferens que mortuis grata funt.
A'caſta boue album potatu bonum lac
Huius floridis liquorem, pellucidum mel,
Cum guttis aquatilibus fontis uirginis,
Purumq;
580
ab agresti matre
Potum antique uitis uinum hoc.
Et folijs femper uirentis,
Flaue olee fructus fragrans adest,
Floresq;
585
plicate omniferentis terræ proles.
Sed ô amici, his libamentis mortuis
Hymnos canite, diuumą;
Darium reuocate:ego terripotos
Honores præmittam, his fubterraneis dijs.
590
Sed terrestres dij casti,
Terraq; Mercuri inferorum rex
Mittite ex inferis locis animam in lucem.
Audi fanè me beate dijs æqualis rex,
Sed tu Terra, & alij
Terrestrium duces dij gloriofum
Annuite uenire ex ædibus Perfarum Sufigenam
Deum, ſurſum mittite quem nondum
Perſica terra occultauit.certe amicus,
605
Reuera amicus erat uir, reuera bufium
Aidoneus mortuorum deductor
Mittet Darium uidelicet regem, aut eius animum.
Neq; enim uiros unquam perdidit
Bellicis nocumentis.
610
Rex antique, rex accede, appropinqua,
Veni ad fummum cacumen tumuli crocotin Aum.
Tollens calceum pedis,
615
Vt noua audias, recentia mala.
Domine domini appare.
Odiofe enim tenebre uolant,
620
Quid hæc dynastæ dynastas
Perſe ſenes, quo labore urbs laborat:
Cho. Pudet me uidere te,
Pudore afficior coram loqui
Te, de timore antiquo.
Dar. Sed postą ab inferis ueni tuis luctib.perfuafus,
Non longis uerbis, sed compendiosè loquens,
645
Dic, perfice dimittens pudorë quë habes de me.
Cho. Vereor quidem gratificari,
Pudet me contraria dicere,
Dicens ingrata amicis.
Dar. Sed posiğ metus antiquus tuis mentib.aduerfatur,
650
Meorum lectorum fenex confors, generofa mulier,
Fletus relinquens, hos luctus apertè mibi
Quo 'na modo aliqs pestis fragor uenit, aut ſeditio urbis
Heu celer uenit oraculi perfectio, in meŭ filiŭ.
Iupiter finem oraculis impofuit:ego uerò
Per longum tépus nõ optabā peracturos hoc deos.
Sed quado festinat aliquis Deus, ipſe coaptatur illi.
Nunc uidetur fons malorum omnib. amicis fluere.
690
Filius meus hæc no refpicies, pfecit iuuenili audacia
Quiſacrum Hellefpontum tanqua feruum uinculis
Sperauit cohibere, fluentem bofphorus fluentü Dei.
Et uadum adaptauit, pedicisq; malleo cuſis
Circundans, magnam uiam fecit magno exercituis
695
Mortalis exiſtes putabat nõ bono cõſilio dijs oibus
Et Neptuno imperare: hæc, nõ morbus mentis
Detinuerunt filium meu, uereor ne magne diuitie
Meæ hominibus fim preda preoccupantibus.
Certè illis confulentibus opus peractum est
Maximum,femper decantă dum, quale nună extitit,
Vrbem Suforum euacuauit cadens.
Ex quo hunc honorem Iupiter rex præbuit,
710
Vnum uirum omnium Afie diuiti
Imperare, habentem moderatorium fceptrum.
Confilium erat primus dux exercitus,
Alter eius filius negotium perfecit,
Mentes enim eius animum gubernabant.
715
Tertius ab illo Cyrus felix uir,
Imperans omnem pacem tribuit amicis.
Lydos Phrygasq; acquifiuit,
Totamq; Ioniam perdomuit ui.
Deus non odio habuit, quòd prudens fuerit.
720
Cyri filius quartus rexit exercitum:
Quintus uerò Smerdes imperauit ad dedecus patriæ,
Et folio antiquo:hunc cum dolo
Interfecit Artaphrenes bonus domi,
Cum uiris aimicis, quibus erat opus.
725
Et ego fortitus fum hanc fortem ut uolui,
Multaq; debellaui magno exercitu.
Sed non tale malum ingeßi urbi.
Xerxes filius meus cum sit iuuenis, pueritiæ ſapit,
Neq; memor meorum mandatorum eft.
730
Manifestè enim ſcitis mei coetanei
Omnes uos, quòd cum imperium quidě teneremus,
Nunquam uifi fumus tanta mala facere.
Quid igitur, rex Dari, quónam facis
Sermonum finem?quomodo ex his in posterums
735
Nos populus Perficus agemus quàm optimè?
Pauci ex multis, si credere deorum
Oportet oraculis, in ea quæ nunc peracta sunt
Refpicientibus:contingunt enim neq; hæc, neq; illa.
Et si hæc funt, multitudo ſelecta exercitus
750
Molestia afficitur, ſpe noua conſifa.
Manentibus fluctibus ibi Afopus campuт
Irrigat, grata pinguedo terræ Bœotiorum.
A'quo mala ingentia oportet illos pati,
Dona contumelie, & impiorum confiliorum.
755
Si in terra Gracanică migrauerint, nec deoru ſta-
Verebuntur uiolare, neq urere delubra,
Are destructe erunt,
& deorum ſana.
Radicitus euerterunt confuse fundamenta.
760
Certè malè facientes, non mimima
Patiuntur.hæc enim futura funt, neq; malorum
Baſis ſubeſt, sed adhuc crescunt.
Tantum est facrificium cruentum,
In Plateis Dorica hasta.
765
Cumuli mortuorum ufq; ad tertiam generationem,
Tacitè oftendent oculis mortalium,
Quodnon oporteat mortalem arroganter ſapere.
Contumelia florescens fert ſpicam
Nocumenti, unde metitur gemebunda meßis.
770
Hec igitur uidentes, & horum premia,
Memores fitis Athenarum & Gracie, neq;
quis
Contemnens fortunam præfentem,
Alias amans, effundat magnam fœlicitatem.
775
Iupiter ſancuindex eft fuperborum admodum
Confiliorum,corrector grauis est.
Ad hæc uos qui fapitis illum
Adhortamini bonis confilijs
Affectum nocumento à dijs definere, à ſuperba audacia.
780
Tu uerò fenex mater chara Xerxis
Veniens ad ædes, ornatum,quiſquis decens eſt,
Accipiens, obuiam ito filio:omnino enim
Pre dolore malorum uestimenta circa corpus
Madefaciuntuarias ueſtes.
785
Sed ipſum prudenter tu placa fermonibus.
Nam noui, quòd te ſolam audiens excitabitur.
Ego uerò abeo ſub terram infra caliginem.
Vos uerò ſenes ualete, in malis tamen
Indulgentes uoluptati quotidie.
790
Quoniam nihil mortuis profunt diuitie.
Certe multos cùm præſentes, tu etiä futuros
Audiens eße dolores barbaris, dolui.
O Demones, certè magnam bonam
Bene gubernatam uitam aßecuti ſumus,
Quando ſenex omnia adminiſtrans, probus
Dijs equalis Darius, imperauit regioni:
Primò quidem chari
805
Exercitus uiſi ſumus eße, & omnia iura
Que ad turres pertiment constituit.
Reditus ex bello ſine labore, ſine perpeßionibus,
Bene agentem duxerunt domum.
Quot cepit urbes, uadum non
810
Traijciens Aliſis fluminis, neq;
A' laribus motus, quales Strymonij
Pelagij Achelonides funt incole,
Thraciæ ſtagnaq;, extra funt, hec
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.) — 532 focus
Zeus, lord and king! to death and nought
Our countless host by thee is brought.
560
Deep in the gloom of death, to-day,
Lie Susa and Ecbatana:
How many a maid in sorrow stands
And rends her tire with tender hands!
How tears run down, in common pain
565
And woeful mourning for the slain!
O delicate in dole and grief,
Ye Persian women! past relief
Is now your sorrow! to the war
Your loved ones went and come no more!
570
Gone from you is your joy and pride—
Severed the bridegroom from the bride—
The wedded couch luxurious
Is widowed now, and all the house
Pines ever with insatiate sighs,
575
And we stand here and bid arise,
For those who forth in ardour went
And come not back, the loud lament!
Land of the East, thou mournest for the host,
Bereft of all thy sons, alas the day!
580
For them whom Xerxes led hath Xerxes lost—
Xerxes who wrecked the fleet, and flung our hopes away!
How came it that Darius once controlled,
And without scathe, the army of the bow,
Loved by the folk of Susa, wise and bold?
585
Now is the land-force lost, the shipmen sunk below!
Ah for the ships that bore them, woe is me!
Bore them to death and doom! the crashing prows
Of fierce Ionian oarsmen swept the sea,
And death was in their wake, and shipwreck murderous!
590
Late, late and hardly—if true tales they tell—
Did Xerxes flee along the wintry way
And snows of Thrace—but ah, the first who fell
Lie by the rocks or float upon Cychrea's bay!
Mourn, each and all! waft heavenward your cry,
595
Stung to the soul, bereaved, disconsolate!
Wail out your anguish, till it pierce the sky,
In shrieks of deep despair, ill-omened, desperate!
The dead are drifting, yea, are gnawed upon
By voiceless children of the stainless sea,
600
Or battered by the surge! we mourn and groan
For husbands gone to death, for childless agony!
Alas the aged men, who mourn to-day
The ruinous sorrows that the gods ordain!
O'er the wide Asian land, the Persian sway
605
Can force no tribute now, and can no rule sustain.
Yea, men will crouch no more to fallen power
And kingship overthrown! the whole land o'er,
Men speak the thing they will, and from this hour
The folk whom Xerxes ruled obey his word no more.
610
The yoke of force is broken from the neck—
The isle of Ajax and th' encircling wave
Reek with a bloody crop of death and wreck
Of Persia's fallen power, that none can lift nor save!
[ Re-enter Atossa, in mourning robes.
Friends, whosoe'er is versed in human ills,
615
Knoweth right well that when a wave of woe
Comes on a man, he sees in all things fear;
While, in flood-tide of fortune, 'tis his mood
To take that fortune as unchangeable,
Wafting him ever forward. Mark me now—
620
The gods' thwart purpose doth confront mine eyes,
And all is terror to me; in mine ears
There sounds a cry, but not of triumph now—
So am I scared at heart by woe so great.
Therefore I wend forth from the house anew,
625
Borne in no car of state, nor robed in pride
As heretofore, but bringing, for the sire
Who did beget my son, libations meet
For holy rites that shall appease the dead—
The sweet white milk, drawn from a spotless cow,
630
The oozing drop of golden honey, culled
By the flower-haunting bee, and therewithal
Pure draughts of water from a virgin spring;
And lo! besides, the stainless effluence,
Born of the wild vine's bosom, shining store
635
Treasured to age, this bright and luscious wine.
And eke the fragrant fruit upon the bough
Of the grey olive-tree, which lives its life
In sprouting leafage, and the twining flowers,
Bright children of the earth's fertility.
640
But you, O friends! above these offerings poured
To reconcile the dead, ring out your dirge
To summon up Darius from the shades,
Himself a shade; and I will pour these draughts,
Which earth shall drink, unto the gods of hell.
645
Queen, by the Persian land adored,
By thee be this libation poured,
Passing to those who hold command
Of dead men in the spirit-land!
And we will sue, in solemn chant,
650
That gods who do escort the dead
In nether realms, our prayer may grant—
Back to us be Darius led!
O Earth, and Hermes, and the king
Of Hades, our Darius bring!
655
For if, beyond the prayers we prayed,
He knoweth aught of help or aid,
He, he alone, in realms below,
Can speak the limit of our woe!
Doth he hear me, the king we adored, who is god among gods of the dead?
660
Doth he hear me send out in my sorrow the pitiful, manifold cry,
The sobbing lament and appeal? is the voice of my suffering sped
To the realm of the shades? doth he hear me and pity my sorrowful sigh?
O Earth, and ye Lords of the dead! release ye that spirit of might,
Who in Susa the palace was born! let him rise up once more to the light!
665
There is none like him, none of all
That e'er were laid in Persian sepulchres!
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!
He never wasted us with reckless war—
God, counsellor, and king, beneath a happy star!
Ancient of days and king, awake and come—
Rise o'er the mounded tomb!
675
Rise, plant thy foot, with saffron sandal shod
Father to us, and god!
Rise with thy diadem, O sire benign,
Upon thy brow!
List to the strange new sorrows of thy line,
680
Sire of a woeful son!
A mist of fate and hell is round us now,
And all the city's flower to death is done!
Alas, we wept thee once, and weep again!
O Lord of lords, by recklessness twofold
685
The land is wasted of its men,
And down to death are rolled
Wreckage of sail and oar,
Ships that are ships no more,
And bodies of the slain!
690
[ The Ghost of Darius rises.
Ye aged Persians, truest of the true,
Coevals of the youth that once was mine,
What troubleth now our city? harken, how
It moans and beats the breast and rends the plain!
And I, beholding how my consort stood
695
Beside my tomb, was moved with awe, and took
The gift of her libation graciously.
But ye are weeping by my sepulchre,
And, shrilling forth a sad, evoking cry,
Summon me mournfully, Arise, arise.
700
No light thing is it, to come back from death,
For, in good sooth, the gods of nether gloom
Are quick to seize but late and loth to free!
Yet among them I dwell as one in power—
And lo, I come! now speak, and speed your words,
705
Lest I be blamed for tarrying overlong!
What new disaster broods o'er Persia's realm?
With awe on thee I gaze,
And, standing face to face,
I tremble as I did in olden days!
710
Nay, but as I rose to earth again, obedient to your call,
Prithee, tarry not in parley! be one word enough for all—
Speak and gaze on me unshrinking, neither let my face appal!
I tremble to reveal,
Yet tremble to conceal
715
Things hard for friends to feel!
Nay, but if the old-time terror on your spirit keeps its hold,
Speak thou, O royal lady who didst couch with me of old!
Stay thy weeping and lamenting and to me reveal the truth—
Speak! for man is born to sorrow; yea, the proverb sayeth sooth!
720
'Tis the doom of mortal beings, if they live to see old age,
To suffer bale, by land and sea, through war and tempest's rage.
Speak—by what chance? did man rebel, or pestilence descend?
Woe for the oracle fulfilled, the presage of the war
Launched on my son, by will of Zeus! I deemed our doom afar
In lap of time; but, if a king push forward to his fate,
755
The god himself allures to death that man infatuate!
So now the very fount of woe streams out on those I loved,
And mine own son, unwisely bold, the truth hereof hath proved!
He sought to shackle and control the Hellespontine wave,
That rushes from the Bosphorus, with fetters of a slave!—
760
To curb and bridge, with welded links, the streaming water-way,
And guide across the passage broad his manifold array!
Ah, folly void of counsel! he deemed that mortal wight
Could thwart the will of Heaven itself and curb Poseidon's might!
Was it not madness? much I fear lest all my wealth and store
765
Pass from my treasure-house, to be the snatcher's prize once more!
Therefore through them hath come calamity
Most huge and past forgetting; nor of old
Did ever such extermination fall
775
Upon the city Susa. Long ago
Zeus in his power this privilege bestowed,
That with a guiding sceptre one sole man
Should rule this Asian land of flock and herd.
Over the folk a Mede, Astyages,
780
Did grasp the power: then Cyaxares ruled
In his sire's place, and held the sway aright,
Steering his state with watchful wariness.
Third in succession, Cyrus, blest of Heaven,
Held rule and 'stablished peace for all his clan:
785
Lydian and Phrygian won he to his sway,
And wide Ionia to his yoke constrained,
For the god favoured his discretion sage.
Fourth in the dynasty was Cyrus' son,
And fifth was Mardus, scandal of his land
790
And ancient lineage. Him Artaphrenes,
Hardy of heart, within his palace slew,
Aided by loyal plotters, set for this.
And I too gained the lot for which I craved,
And oftentimes led out a goodly host,
795
Yet never brought disaster such as this
Upon the city. But my son is young
And reckless in his youth, and heedeth not
The warnings of my mouth. Mark this, my friends,
Born with my birth, coeval with mine age—
800
Not all we kings who held successive rule
Have wrought, combined, such ruin as my son!
How then, O King Darius? whitherward
Dost thou direct thy warning? from this plight
How can we Persians fare towards hope again?
805
Nay—scarce a tithe of all those myriads,
If man may trust the oracles of Heaven
When he beholds the things already wrought,
Not false with true, but true with no word false
If what I trow be truth, my son has left
820
A chosen rear-guard of our host, in whom
He trusts, now, with a random confidence!
They tarry where Asopus laves the ground
With rills that softly bless Boeotia's plain—
There is it fated for them to endure
825
The very crown of misery and doom,
Requital for their god-forgetting pride!
For why? they raided Hellas, had the heart
To wrong the images of holy gods,
And give the shrines and temples to the flame!
830
Defaced and dashed from sight the altars fell,
And each god's image, from its pedestal
Thrust and flung down, in dim confusion lies!
Therefore, for outrage vile, a doom as dark
They suffer, and yet more shall undergo—
835
They touch no bottom in the swamp of doom,
But round them rises, bubbling up, the ooze!
So deep shall lie the gory clotted mass
Of corpses by the Dorian spear transfixed
Upon Plataea's field! yea, piles of slain
840
To the third generation shall attest
By silent eloquence to those that see—
Let not a mortal vaunt him overmuch.
For pride grows rankly, and to ripeness brings
The curse of fate, and reaps, for harvest, tears!
845
Therefore when ye behold, for deeds like these,
Such stern requital paid, remember then
Athens and Hellas. Let no mortal wight,
Holding too lightly of his present weal
And passionate for more, cast down and spill
850
The mighty cup of his prosperity!
Doubt not that over-proud and haughty souls
Zeus lours in wrath, exacting the accompt.
Therefore, with wary warning, school my son,
Though he be lessoned by the gods already,
855
To curb the vaunting that affronts high Heaven!
And thou, O venerable Mother-queen,
Beloved of Xerxes, to the palace pass
And take therefrom such raiment as befits
Thy son, and go to meet him: for his garb
860
In this extremity of grief hangs rent
Around his body, woefully unstitched,
Mere tattered fragments of once royal robes!
Go thou to him, speak soft and soothing words—
Thee, and none other, will he bear to hear,
865
As well I know. But I must pass away
From earth above, unto the nether gloom;
Therefore, old men, take my farewell, and clasp,
Even amid the ruin of this time,
Unto your souls the pleasure of the day,
870
For dead men have no profit of their gold!
[ The Ghost of Darius sinks.
Alas, I thrill with pain for Persia's woes—
Many fulfilled, and others hard at hand!
Ah glorious and goodly they were, the life and the lot that we gained,
The cities we held in our hand when the monarch invincible reigned,
The king that was good to his realm, sufficing, fulfilled of his sway,
A lord that was peer of the gods, the pride of the bygone day!
885
Then could we show to the skies great hosts and a glorious name,
And laws that were stable in might; as towers they guarded our fame!
There without woe or disaster we came from the foe and the fight,
In triumph, enriched with the spoil, to the land and the city's delight.
What towns ere the Halys he passed! what towns ere he came to the West,
890
To the main and the isles of the Strymon, and the Thracian region possess'd!
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.) — 532 focus
Allwaltender Zeus, nun hast du das Heer,
Das trokig, unzählbar zog in den Kampf,
515
Uns Persern vertilgt,
Hast Susa's, hast Ekbatana's Burg
In nächtliche Trauer begraben!
O wie manche der Frau'n, mit zärtlicher Hand
Sich den Schleier vom Haupt abreißend, beneßt,
520
Von dem Jammer gebeugt,
Mit strömender Zähre den Busen!
Manch persisches Weib, in sehnendem Gram
Süßklagend um Ihn, dem sie kaum sich vermählt,
Und des duftenden Lagers Wonnegenuß,
525
Dem Entzücken der Jugend, schmerzlich entrückt,
Seufzt auf in unendlicher Trauer. 1
Auch mein Lied strömt in Klage sich aus
Um das Jammergeschick der Gefall'nen,
Denn jetzt klagt die ganze Asia,
530
Das weite menschenöde Land :
„Weh, Xerxes führte sie dahin,
Weh, Xerxes gab sie dem Tode hin!
Ja, Xerxes schuf all dieses Leid, der Thor,
Mit der Schiffe stolzem Zug!
535
Ach, warum beherrschte so
Sonder Harm Dareios einst
Sein Volk, Herrscher des Bogens,
Susa's theurer Gebieter?"
Landheer zog und Seevolk aus zum Kampf;
540
Die leinbeschwingten, dunkelen 2
Meerschiffe trugen's, ach, dahin,
Meerschiffe trugen's zum Tode hin,
Meerschiffe, mit des Todes Zahn bewehrt!
Kaum entrann der König selbst
545
(Wie die Sage mir erzählt)
Aus der Joner Händen, floh
Durch Blachfelder von Thrake
Auf Sturmpfaden des Winters.
Jene, zu bald in den Tod
550
(Ach!)
Hingerafft vom Geschicke
(O Leid!)
Um Kychreia's Gestade,
Sind hin! Klage, mein Herz, und traure!
In den Aether schalle
Des Schmerzes Schrei,
555
(O Gram!)
Hebt mit Geheul, Gewinsel
Den Angstruf unsel'gen Jammers!
Treibend in wirbelnder Flut,
(Ach!)
Hascht des heiligen Meeres
(O Leid!)
Stumme Brut und zerfleischt sie.
560
Einsam trauert dem Herrn das Haus nach;
Der verwaiste Vater,
Der arme Greis,
(O Gram!)
Jammert in wildem Schmerze,
Ihm ward nun das ganze Leid kund.
565
Asia's Völker, sie beugen
Nimmer hinfort sich dem Perser;
Nicht den Geboten des Zwanges
Huldigend, zollen sie Schoßgeld,
Nicht zur Erde sich werfend,
570
Fröhnen sie mehr; denn des Königs
Scepter zerbrach im Staube.
Nimmer hinfort wird der Menschen
Zunge bewacht; denn gelöst nun
Reden die Völker sich frei aus,
575
Da die Gewalt sich gelöst hat.
Auf bluttriefender Erde,
Ajas' umflutetem Eiland,
Modert das Glück der Perser.
(Atossa kommt zu Fuße, ohne den königlichen Schmuck, gefolgt von wenigen Dienerinnen, welche Grabesspenden tragen.)
O Freunde, wer im Leide vielerfahren ist,
580
Der weiß es, wie den Menschen, wann der Wogensturm
Des Leids hereinbrach, Alles Furcht zu wecken pflegt,
Und daß sie hoffen, wenn der Hauch des Glückes weht,
Derselbe Fahrwind wehe bis zum Ziele fort.
Auch mir erscheint jetzt Alles voll von Schrecknissen;
585
Mein Auge sieht der Götter Strafgerichte droh'n;
Laut gellt's in meinen Ohren nicht wie Siegeshall.
So hat des Leids Entsezen mich mit Angst betäubt.
Drum kam ich dieses Weges ohne Wagenschmuck,
Des alten Prunks entledigt, vom Palast zurück,
590
Dem Vater meines Sohnes frommen Opfertrank
Zu spenden, der die Todten mild besänftiget:
Von unberührter Stärke weiß die Labemilch,
Den Thau der Blütenfreundin, hellen Honigseim,
Jungfräulichlautern Bornes frischgeschöpftes Naß,
595
Dann, wie dem wilden Mutterstock er einst entsprang,
Der alten Rebe goldnen unvermischten Trank,
Des gelben Delbaums düftereiche Frucht zugleich,
Der stets im Blätterschmucke grünt und Leben sproft,
Und reicher Erde Kinder hier, den Blumenkranz.
600
Wohlan, o Freunde, stimmet ihr ein frommes Lied
Zu meinem Todtenopfer an, und ruft empor
Dareios' Schatten; ich indessen spende dort
Der Unterwelt Gottheiten diesen Ehrentrank.
(Während des folgenden Gesanges begibt sich Atossa zu dem Grabmal des Dareios; die Dienerinnen folgen.)
O Königin, Erste von Persis' Frau'n,
605
Auf, sende den Gruß in der Erde Gemach :
Wir flehen indeß im Gesange sie an,
Uns gnädig zu sein,
Die Geleiter der Todten im Hades!
Ihr heiligen Götter des Abgrunds, Ge
610
Und Hermes und du, der die Schatten beherrscht,
O sendet empor an die Sonne den Geist!
Denn weiß er im Leid noch weiteren Rath,
Er verkündet allein uns das Ende.
(Atossa spendet am Grabmal, während die folgenden Strophen ge. sungen werden.)
Hörst du mich, Herr, seliger Geist, hörst du mich, gottähnlicher Fürst,
615
Wie ich in der Heimat
Lauten sende zu dir hinab
Den helljammernden Klageruf?
Bittern Schmerzes Schrei
Heb' ich ohn' Ende:
620
Du dort unten, vernimmst du's?
Höre mich, Ge! Höret, ihr Gottheiten der Nacht, waltend im Grab!
Lasset den erhabnen
Geist empor aus den Gräbern zieh'n,
Susa's Sprößling, den Persergott!
625
Sendet ihn an's Licht!
Keinen ihm Gleichen
Barg ein persisches Grab noch.
Theuerstes Haupt! Theuerstes Grabmal!
Denn ein theures Herz verbirgst du.
630
Aïdoneus, o geleit' ihn empor, mächtiger Nachtgott,
Ihn, den alleinigen Schrecken der Feinde! 3
Nicht in den Tod gab er die Männer,
In des Kriegs zermalmend Unheil,
Und ein Gottweiser genannt von dem Volk, war er in Wahrheit
635
Göttlich, er lenkte die Heere zum Glück einst. 4
O Bel, alter Gott, o Bel, komm, o komm!
Steige herauf zum Kranz des Grabes,
Mit der safranenen Goldsohle dich hebend,
In des Haupt's stolzem Schmuck strahlend, der Königsbinde!
640
Vater Dareios, o komm, gütiger Fürst! 5
Vernimm neues Leid, des Volk's herbes Loos!
König des Königs, auf, erscheine!
Ein Gewölk, stygischer Nacht Grauen, umschwebt uns:
In den Staub sank, im Grab modert des Landes Blüte. 6
645
Vater Dareios, o komm, gütiger Fürst!
Weh, weh! Du schiedst,
Ewigbeweint von den Deinen, hinab!
Wer, wenn, o Herr, dein Herrscherstab noch
Waltete, klagte dann
650
Um solchen Weh's zwiefachen Schlag,
Der Persis' Land schlug?
Hin sind die gewaltigen Schiffe,
Treiben entmastet, entmastet!
(Aus der stygischen Pforte schwebt der Geist des Dareios herauf, und schreitet auf die Höhe seines Grabes; die Greise sinken auf die Kniee.)
Der Treuen Treuste, Freunde meiner Jugend einst,
655
Ihr greisen Perser, welches Leid bedrängt die Stadt?
Wild hallt von Schlägen, auseinander reißt der Grund.
Mit Schrecken seh' ich mein Gemahl am Grabe hier;
Doch ihre Spenden nahm ich wohlgefällig auf.
Ihr aber drängt euch weinend her um meine Gruft,
660
Und ruft mich jammernd unter geisterbannenden
Wehklagelauten; doch der Weg zum Sonnenlicht
Ist immer schwierig, und der Todesgötter Fürst
Empfängt begierig seinen Raub, und läßt ihn nicht.
Doch auch im Hades Herrscher noch, erschein' ich schnell,
665
Damit der Säumniß wegen mich kein Tadel trifft.
Welch neues Unheil lastet auf der Perser Volk?
Mich erfüllt Scheu vor dem Anblick,
Mich erfüllt Scheu, und in Ehrfurcht
Vor dem alten Gebieter verstumm' ich.
670
Weil ich, folgsam deinem Wehruf, aus der Tiefe stieg an's Licht,
Melde denn in kurzer Rede, nicht in langgedehntem Wort,
Ohne Scheu vor meinem Antlik, Alles, was dein Herz beschwert.
Mir verbeut Furcht den Gehorsam,
Mir verbeut Furcht, dir in's Antliß
675
Solch Leid zu verkünden, dem Freunde.
Weil die Scheu der alten Ehrfurcht euren Sinn gefesselt hält:
Auf, Genossin meines Lagers, greise, hochgeborne Frau,
Hemme du denn deine Thränen, deinen Schmerz, und ohne Hehl
Rede mir! Leicht überfällt wohl menschlich Leid die Sterblichen;
680
Viele Noth auf Meeresfluten, viele Noth zu Lande stürmt
Auf die Menschen, wenn in weite Ferne sich ihr Leben dehnt.
Wie? Hat Pest mein Volk geschlagen? Oder tobt Aufruhr im Land?
Wehe! Schnell hat sich des Schicksals Wort erfüllt, und meinem Sohn
Ward von Zeus verhängt das Ende dieses Spruchs; ich hoffte wohl,
Erst in später Zeit erfüllen werde dies der Götter Rath.
715
Aber wenn du's selbst beschleunigst, beut dir auch ein Gott die Hand.
Jebo scheint den Meinen allen aufgethan des Jammers Born.
Doch mein Sohn, das nicht erkennend, trokt' in kecem Jugendmuth,
Der des heil'gen Hellespontos stolze Flut in Fesselzwang
Sklavengleich zu ketten wähnte, Bosporos, des Gottes Strom,
720
Der den Pfad umschuf des Meeres, und mit erzgehämmerter
Bande Joch dem großen Heerzug kühn erschloß die große Bahn,
Der, ein Mensch, die Götter alle, ja Poseidon selbst, im Wahn
Blöden Muths zu meistern hoffte! Hatte nicht Wahnsinn den Geist
Meines Sohns umstrickt? Ich fürchte, mein so schwer errungner Schay
725
Wird des kühnen Räubers Beute, den zuerst danach verlangt.
So wurde denn das ungeheure Werk von ihm
Volführt, das ewiggrause, wie kein anderes
Zerstörend Susa's Veste noch verödete,
735
Seit Zeus, der Herrscher, dieses Amt verordnet hat,
Daß über Asis' ganzes heerdenreiches Land
Ein Mann gebietend walte mit des Rechtes Stab.
Ein Meder war des Volkes erster Heeresfürst:
Sein Sohn nach ihm vollführte dieses große Werk;
740
Denn heller Sinn war seines Geistes Steuermann.
Als dritter folgte Kyros ihm, des Glückes Sohn,
Der seinen Völkern allzumal den Frieden gab.
Der Lyder Land gewann er und der Phryger Volk,
Und unterjochte mit Gewalt ganz Jonia.
745
Denn weil er klug war, zürnten ihm die Götter nicht.
Als vierter herrschte Kyros' Sohn in Persis' Volk.
Der fünfte Fürst war Merdis, eine Schmach dem Land
Und seinem alten Throne, den mit arger List
Der edle Artaphernes im Palast erschlug
750
Mit treuen Männern, denen das die Pflicht gebot.
Als sechster herrschte Maraphis, dann Artaphern.
Auch ich gewann das Erbe, das ich mir gewünscht,
Und viele Kämpfe focht ich aus mit vielem Volk;
Doch lud ich solches Wehe nicht auf dieses Land.
755
Mein Xerxes, jung an Jahren, denkt noch jugendlich,
Bewahrte nicht im Herzen, was ich ihm gebot.
Denn, Freunde meiner Jugend, euch ist wohlbekannt,
Daß alle wir, die dieses Reiches Macht gelenkt,
Dem Volke solchen Jammer nicht bereiteten.
760
Wie nun, Dareios, hoher Fürst? Zu welchem Ziel
Lenkt deine Rede? Wie vermag aus solcher Noth
Der Perser Glück am schönsten wieder aufzublüh'n?
Ein kleiner Theil von Vielen, wenn man glauben darf
Dem Götterausspruch, den die That bisher bewährt;
775
Denn nicht das Eine wird erfüllt, das Andre nicht.
Und ist es so, ließ Xerxes, eiteln Hoffnungen
Vertrauend, dort ein auserles'nes Heer zurück.
Es lagert auf der Ebne, die Asopos' Flut
Beneht, des Segens holder Born dem Theberland;
780
Wo (grause Schmach!) der Leiden höchstes ihrer harrt,
Des Uebermuths, des gottvergess nen Sinnes Lohn,
Die Hellas stürmend vor der Götterbilder Raub,
Dem Brand der Heiligthümer nicht errötheten.
Die Opferherde schwanden, Göttersize sind
785
Tief aus den Gründen umgewühlt in wilden Schutt.
Für solche That denn müssen sie mit gleichem Maß
Jetzt und in Zukunft büßen; noch versiegte nicht
Der Quell des Unheils, immer noch taucht neues auf.
Denn solch ein Sühnungsopfer, blutigströmend, wird
790
Von Dorerlanzen auf Platäa's Feld gebracht;
Und Todtenhügel werden bis in's dritte Glied
Lautlos der Enkel Augen einst verkündigen,
Daß Uebermuth dem Erdensohne nicht geziemt.
Denn aus der Hoffahrt Blüte sprießt als Aehrenfrucht
795
Die Sünde, die mit thränenschwerer Ernte lohnt.
Erblickt ihr so des Uebermuthes Strafgericht,
So denkt an Hellas und Athen, und trachtet nicht
Nach fremden Schäßen und verstreut das eigne Glück,
Verschmähend, was euch heute zugetheilt ein Gott.
800
Wohl straft Kronion allzukühnaufstrebenden
Hochmuth und übt ein unerbittlich streng Gericht.
So leitet ihr denn meinen Sohn, der weisen Sinns
Bedarf, mit weisem Rathe, daß er fürder nicht
Die Götter kränke durch vermess'nen Uebermuth.
805
Du, Xerxes' greise Mutter, geh' in's Haus zurück,
Wähl' einen Schmuck aus, Liebe, der dem Herrscher ziemt,
Und eil' entgegen deinem Sohn; denn Stücke nur
Des goldnen Kleides flattern um die Lenden ihm,
Das er zerriß in seines Unglücks herbem Schmerz.
810
Du mußt mit sanften Worten ihn begütigen;
Denn dich allein, ich weiß es, hört er willig an.
Ich scheide nun in dunkle Grabesnacht hinab.
Doch ihr, o Greise, lebet wohl; im Leide selbst
Gönnt eurer Seele frohen Muth an jedem Tag!
815
Beut doch der Reichthum keine Frucht dem Todten mehr.
Viel Leides, das gekommen, das noch kommen wird,
Mein Volk zu beugen, hört' ich, ach, in tiefem Schmerz!
Götter, ein strahlendes Loos, ein geselliges,
Glückliches Leben im Staate beseligte
Dieses Volk, als der Greis,
Allengenügend und mild, den Unsterblichen gleich,
Nimmerbestegt, im Land gebot, - Dareios!
830
Erste Gegenstrophe.
Groß in der Schlacht und verherrlicht im Ruhme des
Heeres, verwalteten wir in des heiligen
Rechtes Hut Stadt und Land.
Aus dem Gewühle der Schlachten in harmlosem Glück
Führte des Sieges Arm die Kämpfer heimwärts.
835
Zweite Strophe.
Wie viel Städte gewann er, und wandelte nicht durch die. Furthen des Halys,
Noch verließ er Susa's Herd!
Auch die längs dem strymonischen Meer, von den Wogen umspült, sich erheben,
Thrake's Thälern nahe,
Zweite Gegenstrophe.

Notes on the current edition

Persians

1. Single-witness OCR: uncollated. Source layout and readings require scan review; automatic flags are not exhaustive.
2. Reference placement provisional: provisional local reference window from running Greek. Verify the printed source numbering and note scope against the scan.

Commentary

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

852. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-785

ὑπαντιάζειν παιδὶ πειρασώμεθα:
ἐμῷ παιδὶ πειράσομαι (πειράσωμαι Ald.)
M. Ven. A. Colb. 1. Ald. Rob.
παιδὶ ἐμῷ πειράσομαι
G. Lips. Mosc. Par. C. et
γ'
post
παιδι
a sec. manu inserto Cantabr. 2. Et sic
παιδί γ' ἐμῷ
Ven. B.
παίδ᾽ ἐμῷ
Turn. et fortasse reliqui codices. Fluctuans verborum ordo credibile facit non elisisse Aeschylum iota dativi, sed aliter haec scripsisse. Non puto tamen veri simile esse
παῖδ᾽ ἐμόν
, quod Lobeckius proposuit ad Soph. Ai. p. 350. seq. ed. alt. sed videtur mihi Aeschylus scripsisse
ὑπαντιάζειν παιδὶ πειρασώμεθα
. Hoc igitur posui. De numeris singulari et plurali coniunctis v. Lob. ad Ai. p. 152.
852

853. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-786

κακοῖς:
κακοῖσι
Ven. A.
853

854. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-787

μεγάλας: Xerxis nomen adscriptum in Lips. Ad
μεγάλας
vocabuli ultimam vocalem
η
supra scriptum in Lips.
μεγάλης
Ald. Rob. Turn.
854

854. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-788

ἀγαθᾶς: Ad
ἀγαθῶς
et mox ad
βιοτᾶς
supra scriptum
η
in Lips.
854

854. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-789

πολισσονόμου:
πο-λισονόμου
Ven. Β. Cantabr. 2. Ald. Rob.
854

855. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-790

ἐπεκύρσαμεν:
ἀπεκύρσαμεν
G. Cantabr. L. et
e
supra adscripto Cantabr. 2.
τὸ εὖτε εἰ μὲν ἄνω συνάψεις, ἐπεκύρσαμεν γράψεις, εἰ δὲ κάτω, ἀπεκύρσαμεν. οὗ δὲ στίξας, ἀρξάμενος ἀπὸ τοῦ εὐτε, ὑποστίξεις εἰς τὸ χώρας
schol. in G. atque ita interpunctum in codice.
855

855. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-791

γηραιός:
ευτ
Ald. Rob. Turn.
γηραιός
Par. A. Ald. Rob. Turn. et ex pr. manus emendatione G.
γεραιός
M. Lips. (sed Lips.
η
supra adscripto Ven. A. B. et ante emendationem. G.
855

856. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-792

πανταρκὴς:
πανταρκὴς
M. Ald.
παντάρκης
Turn.
παντάρκας
G. et
7
supra scripto Lips.
πανταρκας
Cantabr. 1.
πανταχής
Ask. Α.
παντάρχας
Par. F.
πανταχης
Rob.
856

856. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-793

ἀκάκας:
ἀκάκας
G. Lips. (sed Lips.
η
supra scripto Par. A. B.
ἀκάκης
Μ. et edd. ante Brunckium.
ἄκακος
Cantabr. 1.
856

856. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-794

ἄμαχος βασιλεὺς ἰσόθεος:
Ισόθεος βασιλεὺς
, omisso
ἄμαχος
, G.
856

857. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-795

ἦρχε:
ἄρχε
Μ.
857

858. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-796

εὐδοκίμους στρατιὰς ἀπεφαινόμεθ':
πρῶτον μὲν
G. Tum
εὐδοκίμου στρατιᾶς
omnes. Deinde
ἀπεφαινόμεθ'
M. G. aliique et
σ
ad
9
supra adscripto Par.C.
ἀπεφαίνόμεσθ'
Lips. Cantabr. 2.
ἀποφαινόμεσθ'
Par. A. B. Ven. A. Ald. Rob. Turn. Ex scholiis colligi potest fuisse qui
ἄπο φαινόμεθ'
scriberent. Interpretum explicationes tam contortae sunt, ut refutare eas ne operae pretium quidem esse videatur. Eleganter Schützius scribendum esse coniecit
πρῶτα μὲν εὐδόκιμοι στρατιᾶς ἀπεφαινόμεθ'
. Sed scribendum est mutatione paene leniore
πρῶτα μὲν εὐδοκίμους στρατιὰς ἀπεφαινόμεθ'
, primum prospererem gerentes exercitus ostendimus. Est autem
ἀποφαίνεσθαι
spectandum exhibere aliquid quod nostrum est, ut in Eum. v. 304.
ἄγε δὴ καὶ χορὸν ἅψωμεν, ἐπεὶ μοῦσαν στυγεράν ἀποφαίνεσθαι δεδόκηκεν
. Incidit in eandem emendationem Wellauerus.
858

859. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-797

οἳ δὲ νομίσματα πύργινα πάντ᾽ ἐπεύθυνον:
ἠδὲ νόμιμα τὰ πύργινα πάντ᾽ ἐπεύθυνον
vulgo.
ἢ δὲ νομίμα
Μ.
τὰ
omittit Colb. 2.
πάντ᾽ ἐπέ θυνον
, eraso
υ
, Μ.
πάντα εύθυνον
Colb. 1.
νομίσματα πύργινα
scribendum esse olim dixi. Perfecisse mihi videor emendationem mutato
de
in
oî dé
.
859

860. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-798

νόστοι δ᾽ ἐκ πολέμων ἀπόνους ἀπαθεῖς:
νόστοι δὲ ἐκ
Lips.
860

860. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-799

εὖ πράσσοντας:
εὖ πράσσοντα
Rob. Ante
εὖ πράσσοντας
, vel, ut scribit,
εὐπράσσοντας
, Brunckius
ἡμᾶς
inseruit, quod habet Par. B. Verum hoc manifesto nihil aliud est quam interpretatio. Dactylum qui excidit non male Schwenckius inserendo
εύφρονας
restituendum esse coniecit.
860

861. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-800

ἄγον οἴκους:
άγον οἴκους
Porsonus. Libri
ἆγον ἐς οἴκους
, nisi quod
ἄγον
habent M. Ald. Rob.
οἶκον
Ask. A.
861

862-863. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-801

ὅσσas δ' εἷλε πόλεις πόρον οὐ διαβὰς Ἅλυος ποταμοῖο, οὐδ᾽ ἀφ' ἑστίας συθείς:
ὅσσας
Μ. Ceteri
ὅσας
. Male interpretantur quam multas. Friget hoc, omninoque
ὅσος
aliquanto rarius, quam interpretibus visum est, exclamationibus inservit. Cohaerent haec ita,
ὅσσας δ' εἷλε πόλεις — τοῦδ᾽ ἄνακτος ἄΐον
, quotquot expugnavit urbes, adiecit imperio.
πόλεις
M. G. Lips. Par. Α. Β. C. Colb. 1. Ask. A. Ald. Rob.
πόλις
Turn.
ἄλυος
Lips. Ald. Rob.
αύλος
Par. G.
ποταμοῦ οὐδ᾽
vulgo.
ποταμοῦ δ'
, ita ut post
ποταμοῦ
unius aut duarum litterarum litura appareat, M.
ποταμοῦ γ' οὐδ᾽
Cantabr. 1.
ποτάμοὐδ᾽
Par. K. Turn.
ποταμ' οὐδ᾽
Par. G.
σκληροτέρα ἡ συναλοιφὴ ποταμοῦδ᾽ ἀφ' ἑστίας, οἷόν ἐστι τὸ τοῦ ἕνεκα, τούνεκα
scholiastes codicis M. Scribendum esse
ποταμοῖο, οὐδ'
olim dixi, et vidit eliam Burneius.
ἀφεστίας συνεὶς
Ald.
ἀφεστίας συνθεὶς
Μ.
ἀφ' ἑσυθεὶς
Lips.

864. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-802

Ἀχελωΐδες:
ἀχελωΐδος
Ald. et, si Faehsio fides, Par. L. '
Αχελωΐδες πάροικαι
insulae sunt.
αἱ δίυγροι. Αχελῷον γὰρ πᾶν ὕδωρ λέγουσι
schol. M.
864

865. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-803

Θρηκίων:
Oorzio
Brunckius.
9ozor
M. Ven. B. Colb. 1.
9o-zwv
Ask. A.
Forïzíor
G. Lips. Cantabr. 1. edd. ante Brunckium.
865

865. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-804

ἐπαύλων:
inovićov
Ven. A. B. Cantabr. 1. Colb. 1. Ask. A. Rob.
in' avλéor
Lips.
865

866. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-805

λίμνας τ' ἔκτοθεν αἳ κατὰ χέρσον ἐληλαμέναι πέρι πύργον:
kiuras
, ad
a
supra scripto
7
, Lips.
έκτοσθεν
G. Cantabr. 2. Colb. 1. Ask. A. Ald. Rob. Turn.
a
cum participio construendum est: atque extra mare in terra continente quaecumque munitae turribus urbes sunt, huius paruerunt imperio.
χέρσου
Ask. Α.
ἐληλάμεναι
M. Ald. Rob. Turn.
περὶ πῦργον
Lips. Ald. Rob.
πα-ραπύργον
Ask. Α.
περὶ πύργον
ceteri. Recte
πέρι
Brunckius.
τοῖς τείχεσι κεκλυκωμέναι
schol. In Par. C. glossa est
υψίπυργοι
, tamquam si legeretur, quod Pauwio in mentem venit,
лɛоíлvoyoi
.
866

867. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-806

ἄϊον: (1)
867

868. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-807

Ἕλλας τ᾽:
has '
G. Lips. Colb. 2. et fortasse Ven. A. Omittunt particulam M. Ven. B. et ceteri.
868

868. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-808

ἀρχόμεναι:
Evzbura
M. Par. A. Ven. B. Cantabr. 2. Colb. 2.
avzóuera
G. Lips. Par. B. C. F. H. K. Rob.
avzóµɛrai
Ven. A.
ozóueva
Cantabr. 1. et priori syllabae
av
, alteri supra adscripto Colb. 1. In M. hoc scholion adscriptum est,
ἀπὸ κοινοῦ τὸ οἷαι εἰσὶν αἱ παρὰ τὸν Ἑλλήσποντον οἴκησιν αὐτοῦσαι
sic scriptum, non
έχουσαι
. In Par. Β.
ἐναβρυνόμεναι. γρ. ἐρχόμεναι, ἢ ἑλκόμεναι
adscriptum.
ἐχό-ueva
Ald. Turn. Probabiliter Blomfieldius
dozóuerau
scripsit.
868

868. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-809

μυχία τε:
μυχί τε
G.
868

869. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-810

στόμωμα:
στóμwna
M. Cantabr. 1. 2. Colb. 2. Rob.
oτóμμa
Lips.
στόμα
ceteri.
869

870. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-811

νᾶσοί ν' αἳ κατὰ πρῶν' ἅλιον περίκλυστοι: Brunckius
ai
sine accentu posuit, refragante dictione poetica. Pronomen relativum cum participio coniunctum est, ut paullo ante v. 866. Pro
9'a zaià
Cantabr. 1.
9' ai μetà
, Colb. 1.
tè zatá
.
ἅλυον περίκλυστον
Colb. 1.
870

871. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-812

τῇδε γᾷ:
Tyde 7
, ad
supra adscripto 7
, Lips.
871

872. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-813

οἷα:
ola
, ut Schützius scribendum vidit, Ven. B.
ola
ceteri.
872

872. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-814

Χίος:
zios
M. Vit. Ven. B. Ald. Rob.
złos
G. Lips. Turn.
872

873. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-815

Νάξος, Μύκονος, Τήνῳ:
νάξος
G.
μύκονος
Μ.
μύκονος
Ven. A. Ald.
μήκονος
Vit. Colb. 1.
uxor
G. Ven. B. Par. K. L. Rob. et adscripto
yo. uxoros
Cantabr. 1.
de zoor
Lips.
τήνεω δὲ
Vit.
873

874. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-816

Ἄνδρος:
ardoor
, ad ultimam syllabam
òg
a sec. manu supra adscripto, M.
vroos
G. Vit. Lips. Ven. A. Cantabr. 1. 2. Mose. Par. C. K.
r-TOOS T
Colb. 1.
874

874. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-817

ἀγχιγείτων: In
αγχιχείτων
in M.
y
in litura.
ἀχιγείτων
Lips.
874

875. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-818

ἐκράτυνε:
ἐκράτηνε
Αld. Rob.
875

875. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-819

μεσάκτους:
μɛoάzrovs
Vit. Lips. Ven. A. B. Cantabr. 1. 2. Colb. 1. Par. A. B. Rob. Turn.
Tovę µɛσúzτovę
Par. C.
μεσάγκτους
M. G. Ald.
μεσάγκτους δέ, μεσακτίους, παραθαλασσίους
schol. M.
875

876. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-820

Ἰκάρου θ᾽ ἕδος:
ixágov 9'
G.
"zapor9'
Lips.
dos
codices, ut videtur, omnes et Ald. Rob. Turn.
og
Victorius. Id legisse videtur scholiastes, qui
Ικάρου τὸν κλύδωνα
adscripsit.
876

877. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-821

Ῥόδον τ': Libri
zai gódor
, non ferendo in basi dactylo. Itaque
Pódov τ'
edidi.
877

877. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-822

ἠδὲ:
ἠδὲ
G. Vit. Lips. Ven. Α. Β. aliique et ex correctione M.
ide
Ald. Rob. Turn. et ante correctionem M.
877

877. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-823

Κνίδον:
κνίδος
Rob. In Lips. ad
κνίδον
supra adscriptum
γρ. κίδνον
.
877

878. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-824

ἠδὲ:
ἢ δὲ
Lips.
878

878. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-825

τᾶς:
τᾶς
Cantabr. 1. 2. Par. A. B. C. et simul etiam cum gravi accentu Lips.
τὰς
M. (sic M.) G. Vit. Ask. Α.
τῆς
Ald. Rob. Turn.
878

878. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-826

ματρόπολις:
ματροπόλεις
Μ. Vit. Ask. A.
878

879. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-827

στεναγμῶν:
στεναγμάτων
libri, nisi quod
τεναγμάτων
a pr. manu habuit M. Scripsi
στεναγμῶν
.
879

880. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-828

εὐκτεάνους:
εὐκταιάνους
M. In G.
εὐκτεάνους
ex
εὐτέκνους
factum.
880

880. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-829

Ἰαόνιον: Libri
λόνιον
, nisi quod
ἰώνιον
habent Lips. Ask. A. Scribendum erat
Ἰαόνιον
.
880

880. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-830

πολυάνδρους: Post
πολυάνδρους
in Ask. A.
ἰωνίδας πόλεις
ex scholiis additum.
880

881. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-831

ἐλαύνων ἐκράτει:
ἑλλάνων
M. Vit. Lips.
ἑλάνων
Cantabr. 1.
ἑλλήνων
Ald. Turn.
ἑλλάνων
. γρ.
καὶ ἐλάνων ἐλαύνων ἤγουν πορθών
ex Par. Β. Faelsius affert.
ἐλαύνων
G. Cantabr. 2. Par. F.K. Rob.
διώκων
glossa in G. Aperte verum est
ἐλαύνων
. Tum libri omnes
ἐκράτυνε
, nisi quod
ἐκράτυνεν
est in M. Sed hoc verbo et metrum perturbatur et displicet eiusdem verbi repetitio. Nam etsi nihil frequentius est in Graecorum tragoediis quam eorundem vocabulorum iteratio, tamen quis practer omnem necessitatem in eiusdem rei continuata expositione idem verbum facile repetat? Quare olim
ἐκράτυνε
eiiciendum putavi: nunc rectius visum est scribere
ἐκράτει
.
881

881. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-832

σφετέραις φρεσίν: Pro
φρεσὶν
G. Cantabr. 2. Par. A. F. K. Rob.
χερσίν
, idemque adscriptum in Lips. Cantabr. 1. Par. B.
881

882. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-833

ἀκάματον:
ἀκάμαντον
Colb. 1. Par. H. Ex Par. B.
ἀκάμαντον. γρ. ἀκά-ματον. ἄκαμπτον
Faehsius affert.
ἀκαίματον
Ald. unde
ἀναίματον
Turn. dedit.
882

882. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-834

σθένος:
πλῆθος
pro
σθένος
Ask. A.
882

882. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-835

τευχηστήρων:
τευχιστήρων
Lips.
τευχηστόρων
Ald.
882

883. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-836

παμμίκτων τ':
παμμίκτων τ'
G. Lips. Ven. Α. Cantabr. 1. 2. Mosc. Par. A. B. L. Ask. A.
παμμίκτων δ'
Ven.B.
παμμίκτων
Vit.
παμμίκτων τῶν
Colb. 1.
παμμίκταν τ'
Ald. Turn.
παμμακτατ'
Rob.
883

884. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-837

ἀμφιλόγως:
ἀμφιλόγως
M. G. Vit. Lips. Turn.
αλόγως
Cantabr. 1. sed γρ.
ἀμφιλόγως
adscriptum.
ἀμφιβόλως
Colb. 1. Ask. A. Ven. A. Ald. Rob.
884

884. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-838

θεότρεπτα τάδ' ἀμπέρομεν:
Θεόπρεπτα
M. Lips. Ven. B. Cantabr. 1. Ald.
θεότρεπτα
G. Vit. Turn. In scholiis commemoratur etiam alia lectio,
θεόθρεπτα
. Quod Rob. habet
θεόπεπτα
, supra scriptum est in Lips. depravatum, ut videtur, ex
θεóπεμπτα
. Verum videtur
θεότρεπτα
. Pro eo quod vulgo sequitur
τάδ' αὖ φέρομεν
, Rob. habet
τὰ δ᾽ αὖ φέρομεν
, et sic, ut videtur, ante correctionem Μ.
τὰ δ᾽ ἦν αὖ φέρομεν
, ad
αὖ
supra adscripto
&
, Ven. A.
τὰ δ᾽ ἦν ἂν (sic) φέρομεν
Ald.
τάδ'
omittit Ask. A. Offendit
αὖ
. Scripsisse Aeschylum putavi
τάδ' ἀμφέρομεν
, i. e.
τάδ᾽ ἀναφέ-ρομεν εἰς θεοὺς τρέψαντας
.
884

885. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-839

δμαθέντες:
διαθέντες
M. Vit.
δρασθέντες
Lips.
δμηθέντες
Par. C.
δαμαθέντες
Rob.
δαμασθέντες
G. Ven. B. Cantabr. 1. Par. F. Ald. Turn. In margine M. secunda manus adscripsit
41 αμαθέντες
, unde apud Victorium
Δίων, ἅμαθεντες
factum est.
885

885. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-840

μεγάλως:
μεγάλαις
Lips.
885

885. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-841

πλαγαῖσι:
πλαγαῖσι
, ad primam vocalem supra scripto
η
, Lips.
πληγαῖσι
Par. G.
πλαταῖσι
Par. K.
885

885. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-842

ποντίαισιν:
πλαγαισί τε
Cantabr. 1. Par. B. Ald. Rob.
ποντίαις
Cantabr. 1. Blomfieldio teste.
ποντίαισι
Par. C.
885

886. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-843

ἰώ:
i
ante accentus emendationem Μ. Prodit Xerxes, regio ornatu, cum satellitibus, quorum unus vestem, quam in bello gestaverat, et arma tenet. Non enim squallidum et lacerum producere Aeschyleum est. Ideo monuerat Darius Atossam, ut filio dignum ornatum ferens obviam iret: quod factum esse extra scenam apparet. Aliter ista de veste Xerxis lacerata inepte dicta essent.
886

888. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-844

τῆςδε:
τῆς δὲ
Ald. Rob.
τήδε
Turn.
τῆς
, omisso
δε
, Lips.
888

888. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-845

ἀτεκμαρτοτάτης:
ἀτεκμαρτωτάτης
Lips.
ἀτεκμαρτοτάτως
Vit.
888

889. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-846

ὠμοφρόνως:
ὁμοφρόνως
Mosc.
889

889. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-847

ἐνέβη:
ἀνέβη
Colb. 1.
ἐνέθη
Par. G.
ἐνέ-βαλε
Cantabr. 1.
889

890. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-848

γενεᾷ:
γενιᾶ
Lips.
890

891. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-849

ἐμῶν:
ἐμῶν
, quod in omnibus libris est, non debebat Schutzius in
ἐμοὶ
mutare, quod in G. Lips. interpretationis caussa supra scriptum est.
891

891. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-850

γυίων:
γύων
Vit. Ald. Rob.
891

891. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-851

ῥώμη:
μελέων
Ven. B. Colb. 1. et supra scripto
γυίων
Par. C.
μελῶν
supra scriptum in Vit. Lips.
891

892. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-852

τήνδ᾽:
τὴν δ'
a pr. manu M.
892

892. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-853

ἐςιδόντ᾽:
ἐσιδόντ'
M. Vit. et plerique, ut videtur, codices ac Turn.
εἰσιδόντ'
Par. L. Ald. Rob.
ἐσιδόντος
Colb. 1.
ἐσιδόντες
Ven. Β.
εἰσιδοῦσ᾽
Ask. A.
εἰσιδόντι
ex correctione, quum antea fuisset
εἰσιδῶντι
, Lips.
ἐσιδῶν τ'
sic G.
ἐςιδόντ'
accusativus est: v. Elmsl. ad Eur. Heracl. v. 693.
892

894. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-854

νηριτοτρόφος: Post hunc versum nonnulla excidisse non videtur dubitari posse, quum non solum ad sententiam aliquid desideretur, sed versus etiam paroemiacus exspectetur. Itaque
νησιτοτρόφους
, quod vocabulum Athenaeus III. p. 86. B. ex Aeschyli Persis affert, hic inserui, quod reliquum puto ex iis quae perierunt. Apud Athenaeum haec leguntur,
Αισχύλος δ᾽ ἐν Πέρσαις τίς ἀνήρει τοὺς νήσους (puto scripsisse Athenaeum 47-σχύλος δ᾽ ἐν Πέρσαις τὰς νήσους) νησιτοτρόφους εἴρηκεν
. Aptissime omnia sic procederent,
λέλυται γὰρ ἐμῶν γυίων ρώμη τήνδ᾽ ἡλικίαν ἐςιδόντ᾽ ἀστῶν, τὰς ἀμφιρύτους ἢ περὶ νήσους νηριτοτρόφους ἀπόλωλεν
. V. diss. de Aeschyli
Ιλίου πέρσει
p. 17.
894

895. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-855

εἴθ᾽ ὄφελε, Ζεῦ:
εἶν᾿ ὄφελεν ζει
, litteris
λε
in litura, M.
εἶν᾿ ὄφελε Ζεὺς
sic Turn.
ὄφελε
eliam Ven. Β.
εἶθ' ὠφελε ζεῦ
Par. A.
εἴθ᾽ ὤφελε ζεὺς
G. Vit. Lips. et cum plerisque, ut videtur, reliquis codicibus Ald. Rob.
895

896. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-856

τῶν:
των
omittit Ald.
896

897. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-857

θανάτου:
θάνατον
Lips.
897

897. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-858

κάτα:
κατὰ
libri.
897

897. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-859

μοῖρα:
μοῖρα
M. Vit. Par. A. Ald. Turn.
μοῖρα
, simul cum acuto accentu, Lips.
μοίρᾳ
G. ceterique, ut videtur, plerique et Rob.
897

898. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-860

ὀτοτοῖ:
oToTot
Blomfieldius, et hoc ex
oTToToT
factum in Cantabr. 2.
oToToì
Turn.
OTTOTOT
Vit. Lips.
OTTOTOì
G. Ven. A. Cantabr. 1. Par. C. Colb. 1. Ald.
ὁττοτοὶ
Rob.
οτοτοτοῖ
Μ.
898

898. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-861

βασιλεῦ:
βασιλεῦς
sic M. Vit.
898

899. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-862

Περσονόμου:
περσιόμου
G.
899

901. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-863

οὓς:
ὃς
Ox. Ald.
901

901. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-864

νῦν:
vor
omittit Colb. 1.
901

901. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-865

ἐπέκειρεν:
ἐπέκειρεν
recepi ex M. Vit. Ven. B. Par. L.
nézege
Lips. Par. H. Colb. 2.
úлézeige
G. (sic G.) ceterique. Hesychius
ἐπικεῖραι, διακόψαι, διαφθείραι
.
901

902. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-866

γᾶ δ᾽: Hic dialecto mutata proodus incipit.
ya '
M. G. Turn.
yata d'
Lips. Ven. A. aliique et Ald. Rob.
yã d'
Vit.
902

902. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-867

αἰάζει:
αλάξει
Ald. Rob.
902

902. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-868

τὰν ἐγγαίαν:
τ᾽ ἂν ἐγγαίαν
Ald.
τὴν ἀγγαίαν
Vit. Lips. Ven. B. in Lips. ad utramque vocem supra scripto communis dialecti, in Vit. addita explicatione
tηr dvayyaíar, sic
.
902

903. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-869

ἥβαν:
av
a pluribus manibus refictum in M.
903

903. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-870

Ξέρξᾳ:
ἥβαν ξέρξη, zatquérar
, ad primam vocem supra scripto
η
, Lips.
ξέρξαι
, ultimis duabus litteris fortasse refictis, M.
osa
G. Vit. Turn.
¿éoσa
Ald. Rob.
903

904. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-871

σάκτορι Περσῶν:
σάκτορπερσῶν
, addito a sec. manu
a
post
σάκτορ
, Μ.
σά-XτоQI пEQσйν
ceteri, nisi quod
oúzτoooç
, supra scripto, habet Colb. 1. et idem et Lips. Cantabr. 2. Ask. A.
πɛдõшν
. Non ipse chorus hoc opprobrio Xerxem excipit, sed quid cives dicant exponit. Neque vero dubitandum est, quin constructio haec sit,
κταμέναν Ξέρξα, Αιδου σάκτορι Περσῶν
, i. e.
τὸν Αιδην σάττοντι ПIεgσor, vel Пégoas
, occisam a Xerxe, Orcum Persis implente.
904

904. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-872

ᾅδοβάται:
aydaßára
M. Vit. Ven. B. Turn.
aydaßáraç
G. (sic G.) Lips. sed in Lips.
as
in
at
mutatum.
ἀδαγβάται
Ven. A. Ox. Ald.
ἀδαβάται
Rob.
ἀδάματα
Par. I.
ἀδάμαται
Ask. A. In
ἀγδαβάται
, quod gentis nomen esse putant scholiastae, aut verbum, aut nomen, quod verbi instar sit, obscuratum latere per se intelligitur. Quare lenissima mutatione scripsi
adoßára
, scilicet
aloív
. Similiter Aeschylus paludicolas Aegyptios v. 40. vocavit
ἑλειοβάτας
. Simillimo vocabulo
άδοφοῖται
usus est Aristophanes in Gerytade apud Athenaeum XII. p. 551. B. quod vocabulum Hemsterhusius Hesychio pro corrupto
Adogóλo
restituendum putabat. Iam sententia optime procedit: multi enim Orcicolae sunt fortes viri: innumerabiles enim periere. Wellauerus et Scholefieldius hanc et alias emendationes Passovio tribuerunt, qui eas a me accepit, nec dixit suas esse.
904

905. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-873

φῶτες:
gates
omittit Ven. A.
905

906. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-874

φύστις:
quois
Par. C. Turn. et e correctione Vit. in quo antea, ut in ceteris,
quotis
erat. Cohaerent haec
πάνυ γὰρ φύστις μυριὰς ἀν-δρῶν ἐξέφθινται
.
906

907. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-875

ἐξέφθινται:
ἐξέφθενται
Lips.
907

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

852-907. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-teuffel-wecklein1886-com-ger1-130

1
2
Drittes Stasimon. Loblied auf Dareios, aus Anlaſs seiner vorausgegangenen Erschei- nung. Glück und Gröfse des per- sischen Reichs unter ihm. Seine Verdienste werden vor dem Auf- treten des Xerxes noch einmal ver- gegenwärtigt, des Kontrastes wegen. Zugleich erhalten so seine Rat- schläge (790 ff. 824 ff.) doppeltes Gewicht. Altertümlicher Charakter, epische Aufzählung, auch viele epi- sche Formen und Wendungen, so- wie das Maſs überwiegend dakty- lisch und altertümlich einfach, in der Weise des Stesichoros. Vgl. Westphal2 II S 373 ff.

852-856. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-teuffel-wecklein1886-com-ger1-131

3
4
Daktylischer Okta- meter; katal, trochäische Tripodie; katalekt. dakt. Pentametron; dakt. troch. Logaöde. - Glücklicher Zu- stand unter Dareios. -- πολισσονόμου Cho. 864. μεγάλας und ἀγαθᾶς sind Attribute nicht zu βιοτᾶς, son- dern zu dem einheitlichen Begriffe πολισσονόμου βιοτᾶς (Leben im Staate). γηραιός mit kurzem Diphthonge ( γηραός), Kr. 113, 3.A.1. – εὔτ᾽ ἀρχε, Sept. 745. Ag. 188 f. ἀκάκας 663. - ἰσόθεος, vgl. 80.

857-863. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-teuffel-wecklein1886-com-ger1-132

5
6
Begründung durch des Dareios kriegerische Tüchtig- keit. πρῶτα μὲν . . νόστοι δέ. Wir zeigten der Welt ruhmvolle Feldzüge d. i. führten sie vor deren Augen Augen aus. στρατιάς im Sinne von στρατείας. πολίσματα πύργινα, vgl. Eur. Bacch. 19 καλλιπυργώτους πόλεις. ἀνέρας (fehlt in den Handschriften) als episches Wort mit epischer Messung wie ἀνέρων Suppl. 426. - εὐ πράσσοντας: auch vom Skythenfeldzuge (Herod. VII 10, 1) und von Marathon (ib. VI 102 ff.)?

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Zwei daktylische Heptameter, der erste flankiert durch einen dim. troch. cat., der zweite durch einen Ithyphallikos. Und zwar war er dabei immer so klug seine Person (und damit das König- tum) der Gefahr nicht auszusetzen. Der Dichter denkt nur an Mara- thon, nicht aber auch an den Sky- thenzug. - ὅσσας ausrufend. - Der Halys hier als Grenzfluſs zwischen Kleinasien und dem übrigen Asien. Bei der folgenden Aufzählung ist der hellenische Gesichtskreis nicht überschritten; denn auch die Gegend am Strymon kann Äsch. (von der Eroberung Eions her, Ol. 76, 1476) als bekannt voraus- setzen. Ganz anders die 23 dem Dareios unterthänigen Länder in der Inschrift von Behistan, S. 5, VI bei Spiegel. – Στρυμόνιον πέλαγοςist der vom Strymon gebildete grofse See Prasias und ᾿Αχελωΐδες πόλεις (Städte im Fluſswasser, vgl. Ephor. bei Macrob. sat. V 18: τὸ ὕδωρ ὅλως . . Αχελώον καλοῦμεν. Artemid. II 38: Αχελῷος τὸ αὐτὸ τοῖς ποταμοῖς καὶ παντὶ ποτίμῳ ὕδατι σημαίνει) sind die Pfahlbauten der Päonier in dem genannten See, von denen Herodot V 16 berichtet. Diese Ansiedlungen sind den Thra- kern benachbart ( πάροικοι).

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Die Städte aufser- halb des Prasiassees, die nicht wie die Pfahlbauten durch ihre Lage gesichert waren, bedurften der schützenden Burgen. – ἐληλαμέναι περὶ πύργον d. 1. περιεληλαμέναι πύργον, turribus circumdatae, be- festigt; statt περὶ ἃς πύργος ἐλή- λαται. Vgl. ἠμφίεσταί τις χιτῶνα, laevo suspensi loculos tabulamque lacerto. πλατὺν wie Hom. H 86. P 432. Als Strom ( ποταμός, Herod. VII 35) betrachtet (vgl. 746) ver- dient der Hellespont den Beinamen. εὐρύχοροι, das homerische Epi- theton. στόμωμα Πόντου der thrakische Bosporos. Juv. IV 43: torrentis ad ostia Ponti.

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Daktylisches Pen- tametron; di. tr. c.; dakt. Pent. u. Hexametron; Ithyphallikos. Auf- zählung der von Dareios unterwor- fenen hellenischen Inseln. Zuerst ᾿Αντιστρ. γ΄. die drei groſsen am asiatischen Festland liegenden, dann westlich davon die Kykladen. Als zweite Gruppe das nördliche Lemnos; dar- auf das zwischen Samos und den Kykladen gelegene Ikaria; sodann nach Süden herab Rhodos bis Kypros (Hartung). πρῶν᾽ ἅλιον etwas anders 131 f. τᾶδε γᾷ, 679. Herod. VI 31: ὁ ναυτικὸς στρατὸς ὁ Περσέων αἱρέει (J. 493) εὐπετέως τὰς νήσους τὰς πρὸς τῇ ἠπείρῳ κειμένας, Χίον καὶ Λέσβον καὶ Τέ- νεδον. Noch Apuleius Flor. 15 sagt von Samos: ager frumento piger,.. fecundior oliveto. Über ihre Stellung zu den Persern s. Herod. VI 13 f.; die von Chios ib. 15 f. 26; Paros und Naxos V 28-31. 96; Andros V 31 vgl. VIII 66. Herod. II 75: τὸ πεδίον τοῦτο συνάπτει τῷ αἰγυπτίῳ πεδίω.

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Athen. III 86 B Αἰσχύλος δ᾽ ἐν Πέρσαις τὰς ἀνα- ρίτας (Meerschnecken) τρεφούσας νήσους νηριτοτρόφους εἴρηκεν. – μετάκτους ( νήσους), die man vom Festlande aus gleich hinter der Küste (in der Nähe der Küste) sieht, also s. v. a. ἀγχιάλους. Vgl. μέταυ- λος, die hinter der αὐλή gelegene Thüre. Herod. V 26: Ὀτάνης .. εἶλε Λῆμνόν τε καὶ Ἴμβρον, ἀμφο- τέρας ἔτι τότε ὑπὸ Πελασγῶν οἰκεο- μένας. Von Lemnos nach Ikaros (später Ikaria) ist ein groſser Sprung nach Süden. Ικάρου ἕδος wie Hom. Ω 544 Λέσβος ἄνω, Μάκαρος ἕδος. Κνίδον, Herod. I 174. Κυπρ. Herod. ΙΙΙ 19: δόντες Κύ- πριοι σφέας αὐτοὺς Πέρσησι (unter Kambyses), vgl. ib. 91. V 104.108 ff. Das dortige Salamis galt für eine Gründung des Salaminiers Teukros (Enkels des Aiakos).

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Der daktylische Grundcharakter des ganzen Liedes ist hier besonders scharf ausgeprägt, das trochäische Element erst am Schlusse der ganzen Strophe ver- treten. Abschluſs der Aufzählung durch die ionischen Städte des Fest- lands und nochmalige Gegenüber- stellung der jetzigen Lage. – σφε- τέραις φρεσίν, durch seine Weis- heit, nicht dadurch, daſs er selbst zu Felde zog. Vgl. 864 f. σφέτερος von Einem wie Ag. 760. Vgl. Kr. II 51, 1. A. 14. ἀκάματον hat die erste Silbe lang nach epischer Messung wie ἀθάνατος, Prom. 185 ἀπαράμυθος. - τευχηστήρων, vgl. Sept. 644. - θεότρεπτα παλάμαισι 8. ν. α. θεῶν παλάμαισι τετραμμένα, deorum consiliis mutata, in calami- tatem conversa; vgl. Pind. Ol. 10, 25 θεοῦ σὺν παλάμᾳ u. unten 941 f. In dem was wir jetzt zu tragen haben zeigt sich unzweifelhaft die Hand der Gottheit; vgl. 739. 801 f. Die Hinweisung auf das jetzige Unglück vermittelt das Auftreten von dessen Urheber.