Search the Perseus Catalog for:

← Previous Next →

Wise was the man, aye, wise indeed, who first weighed well this maxim, and with his tongue published it abroad, that to match in one’s own degree is best by far ;and that one who lives by labour should woo the hand neither of any that have waxed wanton in opulence, nor of such as pride themselves on nobility of birth.

Prometheus Bound. Aeschylus. Theodore Alois Buckley (Translator). London. 1849.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by Volunteer.

Current edition Experimental

Prometheus Bound. (OCR draft) (English) (Prometheus Bound.. Theodore Alois Buckley, 1849.)

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (7)

Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης First1KGreek (Aeschyli Tragoediae. Sidgwick, Arthur, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1902.) — 887-906 focus

str. 1

Χορός

ἦ σοφὸς ἦ σοφὸς [ἦν]¹ ὃς

πρῶτος ἐν γνώμᾳ τόδ᾽ ἐβάστασε καὶ γλώσ-

σᾳ διεμυθολόγησεν,

ὡς τὸ κηδεῦσαι καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν ἀριστεύει μακρῷ,
890

καὶ μήτε τῶν πλούτῳ διαθρυπτομένων

μήτε τῶν γέννᾳ μεγαλυνομένων

ὄντα χερνήταν ἐραστεῦσαι γάμων.

894

ant. 1

Χορός

μήποτε μήποτέ μ᾽, ὦ

<πότνιαι>² Μοῖραι, λεχέων Διὸς εὐνά-
895

τειραν ἴδοισθε πέλουσαν:

μηδὲ πλαθείην γαμέτᾳ³ τινὶ τῶν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ.

ταρβῶ γὰρ ἀστεργάνορα παρθενίαν

εἰσορῶσ᾽ Ἰοῦς ἀμαλαπτομέναν⁴

δυσπλάνοις⁵ Ἥρας ἀλατείαις πόνων.
900
901

ep.

Χορός

ἐμοὶ δ᾽ ὅτε⁶ μὲν ὁμαλὸς ὁ γάμος,⁷

ἄφοβος: [οὐ δέδια:]:⁸ μηδὲ κρεισσόνων θεῶν

[ἔρως]⁹ ἄφυκτον ὄμμα προσδράκοι¹⁰ με.

ἀπόλεμος ὅδε γ᾽ ὁ πόλεμος, ἄπορα πόριμος:

οὐδ᾽ ἔχω τίς ἂν γενοίμαν: τὰν Διὸς γὰρ οὐχ ὁρῶ
905

μῆτιν ὅπα φύγοιμ᾽ ἄν.

907

Προμηθεὺς δεσμώτης Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 1. Smyth, Herbert Weir, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1922.) — 887-906b focus

Χορός

ἦ σοφὸς ἦ σοφὸς ἦν ὃς

πρῶτος ἐν γνώμᾳ τόδʼ ἐβάστασε καὶ γλώσ-

σᾳ διεμυθολόγησεν,

ὡς τὸ κηδεῦσαι καθʼ ἑαυτὸν ἀριστεύει μακρῷ,
890

καὶ μήτε τῶν πλούτῳ διαθρυπτομένων

μήτε τῶν γέννᾳ μεγαλυνομένων

ὄντα χερνήταν ἐραστεῦσαι γάμων.

894

Χορός

μήποτε μήποτέ μʼ, ὦ

πότνιαι Μοῖραι, λεχέων Διὸς εὐνά-
895

τειραν ἴδοισθε πέλουσαν·

μηδὲ πλαθείην γαμέτᾳ τινὶ τῶν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ.

ταρβῶ γὰρ ἀστεργάνορα παρθενίαν

εἰσορῶσʼ Ἰοῦς ἀμαλαπτομέναν

δυσπλάνοις Ἥρας ἀλατείαις πόνων.
900

901

Χορός

ἐμοὶ δʼ ὅτε μὲν ὁμαλὸς ὁ γάμος,

ἄφοβος· οὐ δέδια· μηδὲ κρεισσόνων θεῶν

ἔρως ἄφυκτον ὄμμα προσδράκοι με.

ἀπόλεμος ὅδε γʼ ὁ πόλεμος, ἄπορα πόριμος·

οὐδʼ ἔχω τίς ἂν γενοίμαν.
905

τὰν Διὸς γὰρ οὐχ ὁρῶ

μῆτιν ὅπα φύγοιμʼ ἄν.

Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης (OCR draft) Experimental (Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης. Guilielmus Dindorfius, 1882.) — 887 focus

ΧΟ.

ἡ σοφὸς ἡ σοφὸς ὅς

πρῶτος ἐν γνώμᾳ τόδ᾽ ἐβάστασε καὶ γλώσσα διε-

μυθολόγησεν,

ὡς τὸ κηδεῦσαι καθ' ἑαυτὸν ἀριστεύει μακρῷ,
890

καὶ μήτε τῶν πλούτῳ διαθρυπτομένων

μήτε τῶν γέννᾳ μεγαλυνομένων

ὄντα χερνήταν ἐραστεῦσαι γάμων.

Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης (OCR draft) Experimental (Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης. Gottfried Hermann, 1852.) — 887 focus

Χορὸς Ὠκεανίδων Νυμφῶν
στρ. α'.

ἦ σοφός, ἦ σοφὸς ἦν, ὃς

πρῶτος ἐν γνώμᾳ τόδ᾽ ἐβάστασε καὶ γλώσ-
890

σᾳ διεμυθολόγησεν,

ὡς τὸ κηδεῦσαι καθ' ἑαυτὸν ἀριστεύει μακρῷ,

καὶ μήτε τῶν πλούτῳ διαθρυπτομένων,

μήτε τῶν γέννᾳ μεγαλυνομένων

ὄντα χερνήτην ἐραστεῦσαι γάμων.
895
ἀντ. α'.

ΠΡΟΜΗθΕΥΣ ΔΕΣΜΩΤΗΣ (OCR draft) Experimental (ΠΡΟΜΗθΕΥΣ ΔΕΣΜΩΤΗΣ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 887 focus

ΧΟΡΟΣ

Ἦ σοφός, ἦ σοφὸς ἦν ὃς ὃς

Str.

πρῶτος ἐν γνώμᾳ τόδ' ἐβάστασε καὶ γλώσ-

σᾳ διεμυθολόγησεν,

ὡς τὸ κηδεῦσαι καθ' ἑαυτὸν ἀριστεύει μακρῷ,
890

καὶ μήτε τῶν πλούτῳ διαθρυπτομένων

μήτε τῶν γέννᾳ μεγαλυνομένων

ὄντα χερνήταν ἐραστεῦσαι γάμων.

Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης (OCR draft) Experimental (Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης. N. Wecklein, 1885.) — 887 focus

ἦ σοφὸς ἦ σοφὸς ἦν ὃς

πρῶτος ἐν γνώμᾳ τόδ᾽ ἐβάστασε καὶ γλώσ-

σᾳ διεμυθολόγησεν,
915

ὡς τὸ κηδεῦσαι καθ' ἑαυ-

τὸν ἀριστεύει μακρῷ,

καὶ μήτε τῶν πλού-

τῳ διαθρυπτομένων

μήτε τῶν γέννα μεγαλυνομένων
920

¹²³⁴⁵⁶⁷⁸⁹¹⁰¹¹¹²

ἐλελελελελεῦ ἐλελεῦ ἐλελεῦ Pauw. κραδία κραδία recc. καρδία Μ. ὄμμαθ᾽ ὄμματ' Μ. παίουσ᾽ παίουσ' recc. πταίουσ' Μ. ἦν ὃς ἦν delet Triclinius. ἦν | ὃσ Μ. γλώσσα καὶ | γλῶσσα corr. in γλώσσαι Μ. πλούτῳ | Μ.

AESCHYLI

ΧΟ.

ὄντα χερνήταν ἐραστεῦσαι γάμων.

Aeschyli Prometheus Vinctus (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschyli Prometheus Vinctus. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1914.) — 887 focus

ΧΟΡΟΣ

ἢ σοφὸς ἢ σοφὸς [ἦν] ὃς

πρῶτος ἐν γνώμαι τόδ᾽ ἐβάστασε καὶ γλώ-

σαι διεμυθολόγησεν,

ὡς τὸ κηδεῦσαι καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν ἀριστεύει μακρῶι,
890

καὶ μήτε τῶν πλούτωι διαθρυπτομένων

μήτε τῶν γένναι μεγαλυνομένων

ὄντα χερνήταν ἐραστεῦσαι γάμων. –

Translations (7)

Prometheus Bound Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 1. Smyth, Herbert Weir, translator. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1922. (Modernized by Perseus.)) — 887-905 focus

Chorus

Ah, sage, sage indeed, was he who first pondered this truth in his mind and with his tongue gave it utterance—

that to marry in one’s own class is far the best—a poor man should not desire to marry among those who are pampered by riches, or who are mighty in pride of birth.
890

894

Chorus

Never, oh never,

immortal Fates, may you see me the partner of the bed of Zeus, and may I be wedded to no bridegroom who descends to me from heaven. For I shudder when I behold the loveless maidenhood of Io, cruelly crushed like this
895

by her toilsome wanderings sent by Hera.
900

901

Chorus

When marriage is on equal terms, in my opinion it is no cause for dread; so never may the love of the mightier gods cast on me its irresistible glance. That would indeed be a war that cannot be fought, a source of resourceless misery; and

I do not know what would be my fate, for I do not see how I could escape the designs of Zeus.
905

PROMÉTHÉE ENCHAINÉ (OCR draft) Experimental (PROMÉTHÉE ENCHAINÉ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 887 focus

Oui, c'était un sage, un vrai sage, le pre-
mier ¹ dont l'esprit pesa et la langue formula que « s'allier selon son rang » est de beaucoup le premier des biens ; et donc de ne pas convoiter, quand on n'est qu'un artisan, une alliance avec des gens infatués de leur richesse ou enivrés de leur lignage

Prometheus Chained (OCR draft) Experimental (Prometheus Chained. Robert Potter, 1779.) — 887 focus

Eschilo, Prometeo legato: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli (OCR draft) Experimental (Eschilo, Prometeo legato: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli. Ettore Romagnoli, 1922.) — 887 focus

Saggio saggio fu quei che tale massima

1025

primo fermò nell'anima

e con parole espresse,

che matrimonio eleggere

al suo stato conforme ognun dovesse.

Sposar non cerchi il povero,

1030

né chi d'orgoglio ha l'anima

piena per il molto oro,

né chi vanta d'illustri avi il decoro.

1 Antistrofe

Aeschylus, Prometheus vinctus: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Prometheus vinctus: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii. Ioannes Sanravius, 1555.) — 887 focus

Sanè sapiens erat, sapiens sanè,

Qui hoc tulit sententia,

890

Et linguâ protulit,

Affinitatem contrahere suæ conditionis parem

Multum pro desset: at neq; diuitijs

Magnificas, neq;

Genere superbas pauper
895

Amaret nuptias,

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.) — 887 focus

O well and sagely was it said—

Yea, wise of heart was he who first

Gave forth in speech the thought he nursed—

In thine own order see thou wed!

Let not the humble heart aspire
1000

To the gross home of wealth and pride;

Nor be it to a hearth allied

That vaunts of many a noble sire.

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.) — 887 focus

Weise, ja weise fürwahr ist, wer zuerst es

Sinnend erwogen im Geist und laut mit der Zunge verkündigt,

Daß der Ehbund zwischen den Gleichen allein glückbringend sei.
885

Den Eh'n des Reichthums, der im Besize sich bläht,

Und des Hochmuths, der sich des Stammes vermißt,

Nachzugeh'n, frommt niedrer Armuth nimmermehr.

Zweiter Halbchor.
Gegenstrophe.

Commentary

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

1-127. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-1

;

1-127: Prologue (πρόλογος).

1-87. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-2

⁴

;

1-87: First Scene. Cratos and Bia, dragging the figure representing Prometheus, enter on the left; He- phaestus with smith's tools accompa- nies them.

29. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-26

⁵

⁶

;

29. θεὸς θεῶν (see on 19): said with reference to βροτοῖσι. The gods have a common interest as opposed to mortals. θεῶν modifies τιμάς. ὑποπτήσσων: cp. 175, 960.

Aeschylus Prometheus Bound 887

Theodore Alois Buckley (Translator)

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Current edition Experimental

AESCHYLI

ΧΟ.

ὄντα χερνήταν ἐραστεῦσαι γάμων.

Chorus

Ah, sage, sage indeed, was he who first pondered this truth in his mind and with his tongue gave it utterance—

that to marry in one’s own class is far the best—a poor man should not desire to marry among those who are pampered by riches, or who are mighty in pride of birth.
890

Chorus

Never, oh never,

immortal Fates, may you see me the partner of the bed of Zeus, and may I be wedded to no bridegroom who descends to me from heaven. For I shudder when I behold the loveless maidenhood of Io, cruelly crushed like this
895

by her toilsome wanderings sent by Hera.
900

Affinitatem contrahere suæ conditionis parem

Multum pro desset: at neq; diuitijs

Magnificas, neq;

Genere superbas pauper
895

Amaret nuptias,

O well and sagely was it said—

Yea, wise of heart was he who first

Gave forth in speech the thought he nursed—

In thine own order see thou wed!

Let not the humble heart aspire
1000

To the gross home of wealth and pride;

Nor be it to a hearth allied

That vaunts of many a noble sire.

Zweiter Halbchor.
Gegenstrophe.

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Current edition Experimental

AESCHYLI

ΧΟ. ὄντα χερνήταν ἐραστεῦσαι γάμων.

Chorus Ah, sage, sage indeed, was he who first pondered this truth in his mind and with his tongue gave it utterance— that to marry in one’s own class is far the best—a poor man should not desire to marry among those who are pampered by riches, or who are mighty in pride of birth. 890

Chorus Never, oh never, immortal Fates, may you see me the partner of the bed of Zeus, and may I be wedded to no bridegroom who descends to me from heaven. For I shudder when I behold the loveless maidenhood of Io, cruelly crushed like this 895 by her toilsome wanderings sent by Hera. 900

Affinitatem contrahere suæ conditionis parem Multum pro desset: at neq; diuitijs Magnificas, neq; Genere superbas pauper 895 Amaret nuptias,

O well and sagely was it said— Yea, wise of heart was he who first Gave forth in speech the thought he nursed— In thine own order see thou wed! Let not the humble heart aspire 1000 To the gross home of wealth and pride; Nor be it to a hearth allied That vaunts of many a noble sire.

Zweiter Halbchor. Gegenstrophe.

Commentary

Stable identifiers

ΧΟ.

ὄντα χερνήταν ἐραστεῦσαι γάμων.

Chorus

Ah, sage, sage indeed, was he who first pondered this truth in his mind and with his tongue gave it utterance—

that to marry in one’s own class is far the best—a poor man should not desire to marry among those who are pampered by riches, or who are mighty in pride of birth.
890

Chorus

Never, oh never,

immortal Fates, may you see me the partner of the bed of Zeus, and may I be wedded to no bridegroom who descends to me from heaven. For I shudder when I behold the loveless maidenhood of Io, cruelly crushed like this
895

by her toilsome wanderings sent by Hera.
900

Affinitatem contrahere suæ conditionis parem

Multum pro desset: at neq; diuitijs

Magnificas, neq;

Genere superbas pauper
895

Amaret nuptias,

O well and sagely was it said—

Yea, wise of heart was he who first

Gave forth in speech the thought he nursed—

In thine own order see thou wed!

Let not the humble heart aspire
1000

To the gross home of wealth and pride;

Nor be it to a hearth allied

That vaunts of many a noble sire.

Zweiter Halbchor.
Gegenstrophe.