Aeschylus Prometheus Bound 561-573

ed. Arthur Sidgwick

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Prometheus Bound. Aeschylus. ed. Arthur Sidgwick. Oxford. 1902.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by Tufts University.

Current edition First1KGreek

Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης (Greek) (Aeschyli Tragoediae. Sidgwick, Arthur, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1902.)

Editions (6)
Προμηθεὺς δεσμώτης Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 1. Smyth, Herbert Weir, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1922.) — 561-573 focus
Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης (OCR draft) Experimental (Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης. Guilielmus Dindorfius, 1882.) — 561 focus
Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης (OCR draft) Experimental (Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης. Gottfried Hermann, 1852.) — 561 focus
ἔα ἔα, να ἔα·
χρίει τις αὖ με τὰν τάλαιναν οἶστρος,
εἴδωλον Ἄργου γηγενοῦς, ἄλευε δᾶ,
565
ΠΡΟΜΗθΕΥΣ ΔΕΣΜΩΤΗΣ (OCR draft) Experimental (ΠΡΟΜΗθΕΥΣ ΔΕΣΜΩΤΗΣ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 561 focus
Ἆ ἆ, ἐή ἢ ἔ ἔα ἔα,
Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης (OCR draft) Experimental (Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης. N. Wecklein, 1885.) — 561 focus
τίς γῆ; τί γένος; τίνα φῶ λεύσσειν
τόνδε χαλινοῖς ἐν πετρίνοισιν
χειμαζόμενον ;
τίνος ἀμπλακίας ποινὰς ὀλέκῃ;
σήμηνον ὅποι
585
γῆς ἡ μογερὰ πεπλάνημαι.
ἀ ὰ, ἔ ἔ,
χρίει τις αὖ με τὰν τάλαιναν οἶστρος,
εἴδωλον Ἄργου γηγενοῦς, ἄλευ᾽ ὦ δᾶ,
τὸν μυριωπὸν εἰσορῶσα βούταν.
590
ὃ δὲ πορεύεται δόλιον ὄμμ᾽ ἔχων,
ὃν οὐδὲ κατθανόντα γαῖα κεύθει.
ἀλλά με τὰν τάλαιναν ἐξ ἐνέρων περῶν
Aeschyli Prometheus Vinctus (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschyli Prometheus Vinctus. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1914.) — 561 focus
ἀἀ ἕ ἕ·
χρίει τις αὖ με τὰν τάλαιναν οἶστρος,
εἴδωλον Ἄργου γηγενοῦς ἀλεῦμαι [φοβοῦμαι]
τὸν μυριωπὸν εἰσιδοῦσα βούταν.
ὃ δὲ πορεύεται δόλιον ὄμμ᾽ ἔχων,
570
ὃν οὐδὲ κατθανόντα γαῖα κεύθει
ἀλλά με τὰν τάλαιναν
ἐξ ἐνέρων περῶν κυνηγετεῖ πλανᾶι
τε νῆστιν ἀνὰ τὰν παραλίαν ψάμμον. –
Translations (8)
Prometheus Bound Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 1. Smyth, Herbert Weir, translator. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1922. (Modernized by Perseus.)) — 561-570 focus
Prometheus Bound. (OCR draft) Experimental (Prometheus Bound.. Theodore Alois Buckley, 1849.) — 561 focus
What land is this? what race? whom shall I say I here behold storm-tossed in rocky fetters? Of what trespass is the retribution destroying thee? Declare to me into what part of earth I forlorn have roamed.
Ah me! alas! alas! again the hornet
stings me miserable: O earth avert
the goblin of earth-born Argus
: I am terrified at the sight of the neatherd of thousand eyes, for he is journeying on, keeping a cunning glance, whom not even after death does earth conceal: but issuing forth from among the departed he chases me miserable, and he makes me to wander famished along the shingled strand,
PROMÉTHÉE ENCHAINÉ (OCR draft) Experimental (PROMÉTHÉE ENCHAINÉ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 561 focus
avec ce chant, un autre bien différent, revole maintenant vers moi, le chant d'hyménée que j'entonnai jadis autour du
bain et du lit de tes noces, le jour où, sensible à tes présents, Hésione, notre sœur, fut conduite par toi au lit de l'épousée 1 !
dire que j'ai devant les yeux, battu de la tourmente sous un
harnais de roc ? quelle faute expies-tu en te mourant ici ? Révèle-moi donc en quel point du monde, malheureuse, m'ont portée mes erreurs.
Prometheus Chained (OCR draft) Experimental (Prometheus Chained. Robert Potter, 1779.) — 561 focus
Whither, ah whither am I borne t
!
To what rude ſhore, what barb'rous race? O thou,
Whoe'er thou art, that chain'd to that bleak rock,
The ſeat of deſolation, rueſt thy crimes,
Say on what ſhore my wretched footſteps ſtray.-
575
Again that ſting!-Ah me, that form again!-
With all his hundred eyes the earthborn Argus-
Cover it, Earth! See, how it glares upon me,
The horrid ſpectre! - Wilt thou not, O Earth,
Cover the dead, that from thy dark abyss
580
He comes to haunt me, to purſue my ſteps,
And drive me foodleſs o'er the barren ſtrand?
Eschilo, Prometeo legato: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli (OCR draft) Experimental (Eschilo, Prometeo legato: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli. Ettore Romagnoli, 1922.) — 561 focus
Dove son? fra che genti? Costui
che legato ai dirupi vegg'io,
esposto ai rigori del cielo,
chi sarà ? Questa pena ferale
660
per quale misfatto patisce ?
Or tu dimmi in che parte del suolo,
o me misera!, errando son giunta.
È assalita da piú fiero delirio.
Ahimè! Ahimè!
665
Misera me! L'assillo ancor mi punge!
Lo spettro io veggo, ahimè!, d'Argo terrigeno,
del pastor dai mille occhi! O Giove, salvami!
Egli s'avanza! M'affascina l'occhio
cui neppur morto la terra nasconde.
670
Ma come un cane, surgendo dagli Inferi,
me sciagurata sospinge, e digiuna
lungo le sabbie del pelago incalza.
Aeschylus, Prometheus vinctus: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Prometheus vinctus: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii. Ioannes Sanravius, 1555.) — 561 focus
Quæ terra, quæ natio? quem dicam videre,
Nunc
555
Heu heu, quò quò, unde unde,
570
English (E. D. A. Morshead, 1908) (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound — Morshead translation. Wikisource transcription; speech corresp and card milestones aligned to Smyth perseus-grc2.) — 561 focus
Alack! what land, what folk are here?
Whom see I clenched in rocky fetters drear
Unto the stormy crag? for what thing done
Dost thou in agony atone?
Ah, tell me whither, well-a-day!
610
My feet have roamed their weary way?
Ah, but it maddens, the sting! it burns in my piteous side!
Ah, but the vision, the spectre, the earth-born, the myriad-eyed!
Avoid thee! Earth, hide him, thine offspring! he cometh—O aspect of ill!
Ghostly, and crafty of face, and dead, but pursuing me still!
615
Ah, woe upon me, woe ineffable!
He steals upon my track, a hound of hell—
Where'er I stray, along the sands and brine,
Weary and foodless, come his creeping eyne!
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.) — 561 focus
Welch Land? Welch Volk? Wen sehen wir dort
An dem Felsabhang in die Bande gezwängt,
Unwettern ein Spiel? Um welches Vergeh'n
Zehrt Strafe dich auf? O verkünde, wohin
560
In die Welt ich Arme verirrte!
Ach, ach! Weh, weh!
Mich sticht der Wahnsinn, mich Arme, wieder!
Des Erdensohns, des Argos Bild,
Wehrt's ab! Hu! Grauen fast mich,
Den Tausendäugigen seh' ich, meinen Hüter.
565
Sieh, dort schleicht er her, lauernden Trug im Blick!
Im Tode selbst verbirgt ihn nicht die Erde;
Nein, aus des Hades Grüften
Steigt er empor, und jagt
Mich Arme gleich dem Wilde, scheucht mich
570
Lechzende durch des Gestades Sand.

Notes on the current edition

Prometheus Bound

1. χαλινοῖς recc.: χαλινοῖσιν M
2. ἄλευ ἆ δᾶ M
3. φοβοῦμαι omittunt recc. duo, et suspectum
4. κυναγεῖ Hermann: κυνηγετεῖ codd.

Commentary

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

561. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-635

ποινὰς:
ποινὰς
M. aliique et Ald.
ποινᾶς
Vit. Aug. aliique et Turn.
ποινὰς
Par. E.
ποινᾶς
Rob. et a pr. manu G.

561. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-636

ὀλέκει:
ὀλέκεις
atque ita a sec. manu G.
ὀλέκῃ
Par. E.
ὀλέσῃ
Colb. 2. Ceteri
ὀλέκῃ
vel
ὀλέκη
. Gravius verbum
ὀλέκει
comprehendit in se
τίνεις
.

561. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-637

ὅπῃ:
ὅποι
M. G. Ven. 3. Ceteri recte
ὅπῃ
, quod etiam Vit. e correctione primae manus habet, quae prius
ὅπου
scripsisse videtur.

562. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-638

γῆς:
γῆς ἀ
Ven. 3. Vind. 1.
γῆς
Vit. Lips. Aug. aliique.
γᾶς
M. G. edd. vett.

563. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-639

ἔα ἔα, ἦ ἔα·:
ἔα ἔα, ἔα ἔα
Vit. Lips. Ald. Rob. et sic etiam M.
ἔα ἔα, ἔα ἔα
Turn.
ἔ, ἔ
Colb. 1. Par. H.
ἔα ἔα, ἔ ἔ
et
γρ. ἔα, ἔα
Par. B.
ἔ ἔ ἔ ἔ
G. pro his interiectionibus omnibus, superscripto
φεῦ φεῦ
.

564. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-640

με τὰν τάλαιναν:
α
mutatione facta a sec. manu M. Quid prima scripserit dispici nequit.
με τάλαιναν
M. Vit. G. edd. vett.
με τὴν τάλαιναν
Lips. Aug. Ven. 3. Cantabr. 2.
με τὴν τάλαιναν
Cant. 1.

564. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-641

οἶστρος:
οἴστροις
a pr. manu M. Recentior fecit
οἶστρος
.

565. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-642

ἄλευε δᾶ:
ἄλευ᾽ ἀ δᾶ
, litteris
λευ
in litura, circumflexo in
ἀ
a sec. manu addito, M.
ἄλευ᾽ ἢ δᾶ
adnotatum ex Par. N. memoratque
ἀ δᾶ
Turnebus.
ἀλευάδα
Lips. Aug. Cantabr. 1. Par. N. In Lips. supra scriptum
γρ. ἄλευ᾽ ὦ γᾶ
. G. Vit. edd. vett.
ἄλευ᾽ ἐ δᾶ
. Etym. M. p. 60, 8.
ἀλευάδα εἴρηται ὡς τὸ φεύδα. οἱ γὰρ Δωριεῖς τὴν γῆν δᾶν λέγουσι καὶ δίαν, ὡς καὶ τὸν γνόφον δνόφον. φεύδα οὖν φεύγη. οὕτως οὖν καὶ τὸ ἀλευάδα ἀλέου δᾶ, τοῦ δᾶ ἀντὶ τοῦ γῆ κειμένου
. Apertum est et
φεῦ δᾶ
ẹt
φεῦ γᾶ
scribendum esse: tum corrigendum est
οἱ γὰρ Δωριεῖς τὴν γῆν γᾶν λέγουσι καὶ δᾶν
. Vltima verba in Etym. MS. Augustano sic scripta,
φεύδα ἤγουν φεύγη. οὕτως καὶ τὸ ἀλευάδα, τὸ δῶ ἀντὶ τοῦ γᾶ
. Scholiastae et
ἄλευ᾽ ἐ δᾶ
legi referunt et
ἀλευάδα
, credo ex hac ipsa scriptura Argum Aleuae filium fuisse colligentes. Quod Schleusnero in adnotationibus ad Etym. M. in mentem venit
ἄλευε δᾶ
, id adscivit Dindorfius, eiecto
φοβοῦμαι
, quod post
δᾶ
legebatur, tres trimetros catalecticos exhibens. Tantum autem abest ut id metri forma postulet, ut hoc metri genus, quod natura sua catalecticum est, non aptum sit continuatae orationi, minimeque tali in loco, qualis hic est, pleno motus et agitationis. Quod autem ad monstruosum illud
ἄλευ'
attinet, abusus est Dindorfius docta et scita observatione Elmsleii, qui in Diarii classici fasc. XV. p. 218. et Photii adnotatione illa,
παῦ τὸ παῦσαι λέγουσι μονοσυλλάβως
et
παῦ παῦε
restituit Aristophani in Eq. v. 821. et
παῖ παῖε
in Pace v. 1119. Apertum est in vulgari sermone, si iteraretur
παῦε παῖε
, vel
παῖε παῖε
, non mirum esse, si id pronuntiabant
παῦ παῦε, παῖ παῖε
. At aliis in imperativis, iisque non iteratis, et in oratione familiaris sermonis levitatem vitante quis credat talia umquam esse usurpata? Blomfieldius Monkii monitu edidit
ἄλευε δᾶ
, ut haec verba,
ἄλευε δᾶ, φοβοῦμαι
, unum versum efficerent, quem praecederet dimeter iambicus. Sed ita descriptis versibus certo Aeschylus
ἄλευ᾽ ὦ δᾶ
praetulisset, antispasto et Bacchio coniunctis. Et sic Scholefieldius. His verbis,
ἄλευε δᾶ
, finiri trimetrum, et quod sequitur
φοβοῦμαι
delendum esse iam olim suspicatus sum, et delevit Dindorfius, de constructione conferri iubens quae Matthiae ad Euripidis Hec. 950. adnotavit. Omittunt autem
φοβοῦμαι
soli Vind. 2. 4. quod verbum post
δᾶ
ceteri libri omnes habent legitque Nicephorus in scholiis ad Synesium p. 400. C.
βούταν δὲ καλεῖ τὸν πανόπτην Ἄργον ὁ τραγικὸς Αἰσχύλος, ἤτοι βουκόλον, ὡς ἐπιστατοῦντα καὶ ἑπόμενον τῇ Ἰοῖ τῇ θυγατρὶ τοῦ Ἰνάχου. φέρει γὰρ αὐτὴν λέγουσαν οὑτωσί, “φοβοῦμαι τὸν μυριωπὸν εἰςορῶσα βούταν.”
Huius quidem non magna auctoritas est: nec dubitandum videtur quin
φοβοῦμαι
ab explicatore sit adiectum, qui in constructione haesitaret qua
εἰςορῶσα
εἰ
χρίει με οἶστρος
coniuncta sunt, quasi dictum esset
οἰστροῦμαι
. Confirmatur haec sententia eo quod alii constructionem, quam expedire nesciebant,
εἰςορῶσα
in
εἰςορῶ
mutato sibi correxisse visi sunt. Sentiens perturbari mentem suam Io, primo id simpliciter narrare incipit, media autem in narratione conspiciens simulacrum feri agitatoris clamat
ἄλευε δᾶ, τὸν μυριωπὸν εἰςορῶσα βούταν
. Suidas
ἄλευε. Ἴωνες τὸ φυλάξαι οὕτως λέγουσι. καὶ παροιμία “ἄλευ᾽ ἀπὸ μείζονος ἀνδρός.”
Conf. Zonaras p. 135. In proverbio quidem significationem medii habet
ἀλεύειν
. Apud Aeschylum ubi hoc verbum invenitur activum est, avertere significans.

566. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-643

εἰςορῶσα:
εἰσιδοῦσα
Lips. Aug. Ven. 3. Vind. 2. 4. et
γρ. εἰσιδοῦσα
Par. B.
εἰσορῶ
G. Vind. 1. 3. et Tzetzes in Exegesi Iliadis p. 153. cuius lacunosus locus, quem non ex omni parte recte explevit Welckerus in fragmentis Hipponactis p. 47. sic integrandus est,
τὸν δὲ Ἄργον εἶναι κύνα φασὶ κατὰ παντὸς τοῦ σώματος ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχοντα καὶ φυλάττοντα τὴν Ἰὼ προςτάξει τῆς Ἥρας· ὃν ἀνεῖλεν Ἑρμῆς κελεύσει τοῦ Διός. ὅτι δὲ κύων ὁ Ἄργος, καὶ Ἱππῶναξ φησίν, Ἑρμῆ κύναγχα, Μῃονιστὶ Κανδαύλα. Αἰσχύλος δὲ οὐ κύνα πολυόφθαλμον τὸν Ἄργον, ἀλλὰ βουκόλον φησὶ λέγων ὡς ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰοῦς ἐν τῷ Προμηθεῖ τὸν μυριωπὸν εἰςορῶ βούταν. ὁ δὲ τὸν Αἰγίμιον γράψας ἄνθρωπον τοῦτον φησὶ τετρόφθαλμον, φύλακα τῆς Ἰοῦς παρὰ τῆς Ἥρας πεμφθέντα· λέγει δὲ οὕτωσί, καί οἱ ἔπι σκοπὸν Ἄργον ἔπεμπε κρατερόν τε μέγαν τε, τέτρασιν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ὁρώμενον ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα· ἀκάματον δέ οἱ ὦρσε θεὰ μένος, οὐδέ οἱ ὕπνος πῖπτεν ἐπὶ βλεφάροις, φυλακὴ δ᾽ ἔχεν ἔμπεδος αἰεί
. Hi ex Aegimio versus leguntur etiam in scholiis ad Euripidis Phoen. 1116.

567. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-644

δόλιον:
δολεῖον
Par. Ε.
δόλερον
Cantabr. 2.
γρ. θολερόν
Par. B. si recte scripsit Faehsius.

567. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-645

ὄμμ':
ὄμμ'
G.

570. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-646

κυναγεῖ:
κυνηγέτει
sic M.
κυνηγετεῖ
G. Vit. Lips. Aug. edd. vett.
κυναγετεῖ
Brunckius. Scribendum potius erat
κυναγεῖ
, quo restituitur dochmius.

571. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-647

τὴν:
τὴν
G.

571. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-648

ψάμμον:
ψάμμαν
Μ. superscripto a recentiore manu
ον
.

572. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-649

ὀτοβεῖ: Apertum est indicio aliquo, quod statim animadverteretur, admonendos de strophae initio fuisse spectatores. Quare non dubitandum est quin hic modi cantus fuerint mutati. Plutarchus de ira cohibenda p. 456.
ὥςπερ ὁ τῶν βουκόλων κηρόπλαστος ὀττοβεῖ δόναξ ἀχέτας ὑπνοδόταν νόμον
. Non pertinet huc
πλάσις
et
πλάσμα
arundinum, de quibus Theophrastus Hist. plant. IV. 11. ed. Schn. et Salmasius Exerc. Plin. p. 85. dixerunt, sed intelligitur quod Virgilius dixit Ecl. II. 32.
Pan primus calamos cera coniungere pluris instituit
.
ὀτοβεῖ
M. In ceteris libris et apud Plutarchum
ὀττοβεῖ
.

573. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-650

ὑπνοδόταν νόμον:
ὑπνοδότ᾽ ἄνομον
G.

574-575. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-651

ἰὼ ἰὼ πόποι, ποῖ μ᾽ ἄγουσιν τηλέπλανοι πλάναι;:
ἰὼ ἰὼ ποῖ ποῖ. πόποι πόποι πῆ μὲ ἄγουσι
Μ.
ἰω ἰὼ ποῖ ποῖ. πόποι πόποι πῆ μὲ ἄγουσι
Vit.
ἰὼ ἰὼ ποῖ ποῖ. πῶ ποῖ. πῶ ποῖ. ποῖ μὲ ἄγουσι
G. Vind. 1. 3.
ἰὼ ἰὼ ποῖ. ποῖ. πῶ, πῶ, πῶς πῆ μὲ ἄγουσιν
Lips. Aug. et sic, sed
ἄγουσι
, edd. vett.
ἰὼ ἰὼ πῶ, πῶς ποῖ μὲ ἄγουσ' αἱ
Ven. 2. Par. K. L. Alii aliter peccant. Tum
τηλεπλαγκτοι
sic M.
τηλέπλαγκτοι
Par. A. B. edd. vett.
τηλέπληκτοι
G.
τηλέπλακτοι
Lips. Aug.
τηλίπλακτοι
Vit.
τηλέπλαγκται
Colb. 1. 2. Cantabr. 1. Par. K. L. N. nisi in terminatione erratum est apud Butlerum. Denique
πλάνοι
Vit. edd. vett. et sic, non adscripto supra
αι
, etiam M.
πλάναι
G. Lips. Aug. Par. Α. Β. Vindobonenses quattuor aliique. Seidlerus in libro de versibus dochmiacis p. 84. et 141. corrigendum putavit
ἰώ ἰὼ πόποι, ποῖ, πόποι, ποῖ μ᾽ ἄγουσι τηλέπλανοι πλάνοι
,adscito in antistrophico versu
ἐτήτυμα
. Horum illud quidem,
ἰώ ἰὼ πόποι
, non dubitandum quin verum sit. Neque minus verum
τηλέπλανοι
, quocum propter sonum et propter librorum consensum in v. 585. rectius
πλάναι
quam
πλάνοι
coniungitur. Sed
ποῖ, πόποι
valde inelegans est, debebatque id
ὦ πόποι
scribi, si quidem
ποῖ μὲ ἄγουσι
statim iunctum fuit cum
τηλέπλανοι πλάναι
. De quo valde dubitandum est propter plerorumque et optimorum librorum in antistrophico versu scripturam duos Creticos exhibentium, qui usitatissimus numerus in dochmiacis est, quum vix alibi Creticus et ditrochaeus, molle et fractum genus numeri, inseratur. Quare scripsi
ἰὼ ἰὼ πόποι, ποῖ μὲ ἄγουσιν .... τηλέπλανοι πλάναι;
ut excidisse post
ἄγουσιν
significarem vocem iambum facientem, quam non puto
πόποι
fuisse, sed fortasse
μακραί
vel
χθονός
.

English commentary on Prometheus Bound (OCR draft) (N. Wecklein, translated by F. D. Allen. Ginn & Company, 1893; compared with the 1891 printing. Printed commentary pages 31–144. Provisional alignment and unresolved OCR are visibly flagged.) focus

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561-886. Third Episode. Io and Prometheus. The myth of Io is connected with that of Prometheus by the person of Heracles, the libera- tor of Prometheus, who is descended from paphus, the son of Zeus and Io (see on 774). The appearance of Io therefore prepares the way for the introduction of Heracles in the Προ- μηθεὺς λυόμενος. But the immediate significance of this scene consists in the present relation of Zeus and Io. Io appears as innocent and yet perse- cuted; her sufferings, superficially considered, put Zeus in the worst possible light. Accordingly the in- dignation of Prometheus rises more and more, till at last, carried away by passion, he vaunts his secret in such terms that the interposition of Zeus becomes inevitable. So the transition to the catastrophe is pre- pared. The geographical part of this episode, with its description of marvels, like the scene of Heracles in the Προμηθεὺς λυόμενος (see below, Frg. VII. and VIII.), doubtless had a peculiar charm for the Athenians of the period. On the origin of the myth of Io, see Introd. p. 9, footnote. Io appears as a horned maiden (588, 674; so indi- cated by her mask). In early Greek art, especially in vase-paintings, she has the figure of a cow outright. On the throne of the Amyclaean Apollo, a work of the sculptor Bathycles (about Ol. 60), Hera was represented as glaring at Io, 'who is already a cow' (Paus. iii. 18. 7). On an archaic black-figured vase of the Munich collection (No. 573; see Panofka, Argos Panoptes, plate 5), Argus is seen, seated on the ground, a fero- cious figure with long hair and beard, and a huge eye in his shaggy breast; he holds in his hand a long cord, attached to the horns of a cow. Near by stands Hermes, grasping the cord near the horns with his left hand, and about to draw his sword with his right. Argus's dog
stands at bay in front of his master. Through the influence of this trag- edy, Io came later to be depicted in art as a maiden with horns. So, for instance, on a red-figured vase of the Berlin Museum (Panofka, l.c., plate 3). The stinging gadfly' of the legend (cp. Suppl. 306 BΑ. τί οὖν ἔτευξεν ἄλλο δυσπότμῳ βοΐ; ΧΟ. βοη- λάτην μύωπα κινητήριον, Verg. Georg. iii. 147 cui nomen asilo Ro- manum est, oestrum Graii vertere vocantes), which is mentioned in Io's narrative, 675 be- low, had also to be omitted in the scenic representation. The difficulty was met by a figurative conception of οἶστρος; the maddening sting was interpreted as the reminiscence of the crafty eye of Argos (567). — On account of the unusual manner of Io's entrance and exit, the anapaests which commonly accompany the ar- rival and departure of a personage are here and at 877 given to the actor, not to the chorus. So above, at the entrance of the chorus (120 ff.).

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563. χειμαζόμενον : here in its proper sense, exposed to wind and weather. Cp. 15. Other commen- tators take the word figuratively, vexatum, cruciatum, as in Soph. Phil. 1459 Ἑρμαῖον ὄρος παρέ- πεμψεν ἐμοὶ στόνον ἀντίτυπον χειμαζο μένῳ, Eur. Hipp. 315 ἄλλῃ δ᾽ ἐν τύχῃ χειμάζομαι, Suppl. 269 πόλις χειμα- σθεῖσα, cp. below 838, 643, 1015. κει.

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564. ποινάς : in apposition to ὀλέ- Destruction is the penalty of the crime. Cp. Ag. 224 ἔτλα δ᾽ οὖν θυτὴρ γενέσθαι θυγατρός, γυναικοποίνων πολέμων ἀρωγὰν καὶ προτέλεια ναῶν. It is rare for an appositive of this sort to precede the verb (Krüger II. § 57, 10, 6), but here this is brought about by the question. Others regard ποινάς as accusative of the inner object; see on 591 below. – ὀλέκει : ὀλέκω (or ὀλέ- κομαι) is an epic word. Other occur- rences of it in tragedy are Soph. Ant, 1285 (ὀλέκεις), Τrach. 1013 (ὠλεκόμαν).

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567 f. Quod dicit av, id scite et convenienter spectatoris cogitationem ad ea quae extra scenam gesta sunt, traducit' (Schütz). – εἴδωλον: acc. depending on εἰσορῶσα. – γηγενούς : cp. Suppl. 305 ῎Αργον παῖδα γῆς. ἄλευ᾽ ὦ δᾶ: in a frenzy of fear, Io interrupts her sentence with this cry. Cp. Suppl. 528 and Sept. 141 ἄλευσον, Sept. 86 ἰ ἰὼ θεοὶ θεαί τ᾽ ὀρόμενον κακὸν ἀλεύσατε. δᾶ is vocative of Δᾶς = Ζᾶς = Ζεύς (cp. ἃ Ζήν, Suppl. 162), but it is a mere interjection, not an invocation of the particular god. Cp. Eum. 874 οἰοῖ δᾶ, φεῦ.

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569. τὸν μυριωπὸν εἰσορῶσα βού- ταν: as if οἰστροῦμαι and ῎Αργον γη- γενῆ had preceded the intermediate exclamation. With ψάμμος) recurs Ar. Lys. 1260 (τᾶς ψάμμας) and Hdt. iv. 181.

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574 f. ὑπὸ ... ότοβεῖ: see on 126. a croire Hec. 970 αἰδώς μ᾽ ἔχει ἐν τῷδε πότμῳ τυγχάνουσ᾽ ἵν᾽ εἰμὶ νῦν, Iph. Τ. 947 ἐλ- θὼν δ᾽ ἐκεῖσε, πρῶτα μέν μ᾽ οὐδεὶς ξένων ἑκὼν ἐδέξατο, Cycl. 330 δοραῖσι θηρῶν σῶμα περιβαλὼν ἐμὸν καὶ πῦρ ἀναίθων χιόνος οὐδέν μοι μέλει, Ιοη 927 ὑπεξαν- τλῶν ... ἄρδει με, Hipp. 22 τὰ πολλὰ δὲ πάλαι προκόψασ᾽, οὐ πόνου πολλοῦ με δεῖ. See Krüger I. § 56, 9, 4, and note on 201 above. - With μυριωπὸν βούταν cp. Suppl. 304 πανόπτην οἰοβούκολον, also 677 below. 570. δόλιον ὄμμα: aptly charac- terizes the crafty glance of the pur- suing spectre. - Dochmii are the proper rhythm for monodies of trag- edy which express passionate agita- tion. 571. κατθανόντα: cp. Suppl. 305 ῎Αργον, τὸν Ἑρμῆς παῖδα γῆς κατέκτανε. 572. ἀλλά με: the relative clause is continued, as usual, by an indepen- dent sentence. 573. ψάμμαν: the form ψάμμη (for (not of short) words between prepo- sition and verb, see Krüger II. § 68, 48, 4, and below on 878. – κηρόπακ- τος: wax-joined. Cp. Eur. Iph. T. 1125 συρίζων ὁ κηροδέτας κάλαμος οὐ- ·ρείου Πανός, Theocr. Id. i. 128 ἔνθ᾽ ὧναξ καὶ τάνδε φέρ᾽ εὐπάκτοιο· μελί- πνουν ἐκ κηρῶ σύριγγα καλάν, Εp. xiii. 4 κηροδέτῳ πνεύματι μελπόμενος, Ovid. Metam. i. 711 disparibus cala- mis compagine cerae inter se iunctis, Verg. Ecl. ii. 32 Pan primus calamos cera con- iungere pluris instituit. The flute of the αὐλητής was here actually heard, accompanying the strophic portion of Io's song. The foregoing portion was recitative (παρακαταλογή). · ὑπνοδόταν νόμον : the "slumberous lay" depicts the exhaustion of Io.