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Enter Power and Force, bringing with them the captive Prometheus; also Hephaestus.

Power

To earth’s remotest limit we come, to the Scythian land, an untrodden solitude. And now, Hephaestus, yours is the charge to observe the mandates laid upon you by the Father—to clamp this miscreant
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upon the high craggy rocks in shackles of binding adamant that cannot be broken. For your own flower, flashing fire, source of all arts, he has purloined and bestowed upon mortal creatures. Such is his offence; for this he is bound to make requital to the gods,
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so that he may learn to bear with the sovereignty of Zeus and cease his man-loving ways.
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Hephaestus

Power and Force, for you indeed the behest of Zeus is now fulfilled, and nothing remains to stop you. But for me—I do not have the nerve myself

to bind with force a kindred god upon this rocky cleft assailed by cruel winter. Yet, come what may, I am constrained to summon courage to this deed; for it is perilous to disregard the commandments of the Father.
Lofty-minded son of Themis who counsels straight, against my will, no less than yours, I must rivet you with brazen bonds
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no hand can loose to this desolate crag, where neither voice nor form of mortal man shall you perceive; but, scorched by the sun’s bright beams, you shall lose the fair bloom of your flesh. And glad you shall be when spangled-robed night shall veil his brightness and
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when the sun shall scatter again the frost of morning. Evermore the burden of your present ill shall wear you out; for your deliverer is not yet born.
Such is the prize you have gained for your championship of man. For, god though you are, you did not fear the wrath of the gods, but
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you bestowed honors upon mortal creatures beyond their due. Therefore on this joyless rock you must stand sentinel, erect, sleepless, your knee unbent. And many a groan and unavailing lament you shall utter; for the heart of Zeus is hard,
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and everyone is harsh whose power is new.
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Power

Well, why delay and excite pity in vain? Why do you not detest a god most hateful to the gods, since he has betrayed your prerogative to mortals?

Hephaestus

A strangely potent tie is kinship, and companionship as well.

Power

I agree; yet to refuse to obey the commands of the Father; is this possible? Do you not fear that more?
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Hephaestus

Yes, you are ever pitiless and steeped in insolence.

Power

Yes, for it does not good to bemoan this fellow. Stop wasting your labor at an unprofitable task.

Hephaestus

Oh handicraft that I hate so much!
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Power

Why hate it? Since in truth your craft is in no way to blame for these present troubles.

Hephaestus

Nevertheless, i wish it had fallen to another’s lot!

Power

Every job is troublesome except to be the commander of gods;

no one is free except Zeus.
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Hephaestus

I know it by this task; I cannot deny it.

Power

Hurry then to cast the fetters about him, so that the Father does not see you loitering.

Hephaestus

Well, there then! The bands are ready, as you may see.

Power

Cast them about his wrists and with might strike with your hammer; rivet him to the rocks.
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Hephaestus

There! The work is getting done and not improperly.

Power

Strike harder, clamp him tight, leave nothing loose; for he is wondrously clever at finding a way even out of desperate straits.

Hephaestus

This arm, at least, is fixed permanently.
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Power

Now rivet this one too and securely, so that he may learn, for all his cleverness, that he is a fool compared to Zeus.

Hephaestus

None but he could justly blame my work.

Power

Now drive the adamantine wedge’s stubborn edge straight

through his chest with your full force.
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Hephaestus

Alas, Prometheus, I groan for your sufferings.

Power

What! Shrinking again and groaning over the enemies of Zeus? Take care, so that the day does not come when you shall grieve for yourself.

Hephaestus

You see a spectacle grievous for eyes to behold.

Power

I see this man getting his deserts. Come, cast the girths about his sides.
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Hephaestus

I must do this; spare me your needless ordering.

Power

Indeed, I’ll order you, yes and more—I’ll hound you on. Get down below, and ring his legs by force.

Hephaestus

There now! The work’s done and without much labor.
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Power

Now hammer the piercing fetters with your full force; for the appraiser of our work is severe.

Hephaestus

The utterance of your tongue matches your looks.

Power

Be softhearted then,

but do not attack my stubborn will and my harsh mood.
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Hephaestus

Let us be gone, since he has got the fetters on his limbs. Exit

Power

There now, indulge your insolence, keep on wresting from the gods their honors to give them to creatures of a day. Are mortals able to lighten your load of sorrow?

Falsely the gods call you Prometheus,¹for you yourself need forethought to free yourself from this handiwork. Exeunt Power and Force
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Prometheus

O you bright sky of heaven, you swift-winged breezes, you river-waters, and

infinite laughter of the waves of ocean, O universal mother Earth , and you, all-seeing orb of the sun, to you I call! See what I, a god, endure from the gods.
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Look, with what shameful torture I am racked and must wrestle

throughout the countless years of time apportioned me. Such is the ignominious bondage the new commander of the blessed has devised against me. Woe! Woe! For present misery and misery to come I groan, not knowing where
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it is fated that deliverance from these sorrows shall arise.
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And yet, what am I saying? All that is to be I know full well and in advance, nor shall any affliction come upon me unforeseen. I must bear my allotted doom as lightly as I can, knowing that

the might of Necessity permits no resistance.Yet I am not able to speak nor be silent about my fate. For it is because I bestowed good gifts on mortals that this miserable yoke of constraint has been bound upon me. I hunted out and stored in fennel stalk the stolen
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source of fire that has proved a teacher to mortals in every art and a means to mighty ends. Such is the offence for which I pay the penalty, riveted in fetters beneath the open sky.
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Ha! Behold!

What murmur, what scent wings to me, its source invisible, heavenly or human, or both? Has someone come to this crag at the edge of the world to stare at my sufferings—or with what motive? Behold me, an ill-fated god, chained,
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the foe of Zeus,
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hated of all who enter the court of Zeus, because of my very great love for mankind. Ha! What’s this? What may be this rustling stir of birds I hear

again nearby? The air whirs with the light rush of wings. Whatever approaches causes me alarm. The Daughters of Oceanus enter on a winged car
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Prometheus Bound. Aeschylus. Herbert Weir Smyth (Translator). New York. 1922.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Perseus

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

Editions (7)

Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης First1KGreek (Aeschyli Tragoediae. Sidgwick, Arthur, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1902.) — 1-127 focus

Κράτος

Χθονὸς μὲν ἐς τηλουρὸν ἥκομεν πέδον,
1

Σκύθην ἐς οἶμον, ἄβατον¹ εἰς ἐρημίαν.

Ἥφαιστε, σοὶ δὲ χρὴ μέλειν ἐπιστολὰς

ἅς σοι πατὴρ ἐφεῖτο, τόνδε πρὸς πέτραις

ὑψηλοκρήμνοις τὸν λεωργὸν ὀχμάσαι
5

ἀδαμαντίνων δεσμῶν ἐν ἀρρήκτοις πέδαις.²

τὸ σὸν γὰρ ἄνθος, παντέχνου πυρὸς σέλας,

θνητοῖσι κλέψας ὤπασεν: τοιᾶσδέ τοι

ἁμαρτίας σφε δεῖ θεοῖς δοῦναι δίκην,

ὡς ἂν διδαχθῇ τὴν Διὸς τυραννίδα
10

στέργειν, φιλανθρώπου δὲ παύεσθαι τρόπου.

Ἥφαιστος

Κράτος Βία τε, σφῷν μὲν ἐντολὴ Διὸς

ἔχει τέλος δὴ κοὐδὲν ἐμποδὼν ἔτι:

ἐγὼ δ᾽ ἄτολμός εἰμι συγγενῆ θεὸν

δῆσαι βίᾳ φάραγγι πρὸς³ δυσχειμέρῳ.
15

πάντως δ᾽ ἀνάγκη τῶνδέ μοι τόλμαν σχεθεῖν:

ἐξωριάζειν⁴ γὰρ πατρὸς λόγους βαρύ.

τῆς ὀρθοβούλου Θέμιδος αἰπυμῆτα παῖ,

ἄκοντά σ᾽ ἄκων δυσλύτοις χαλκεύμασι

προσπασσαλεύσω τῷδ᾽ ἀπανθρώπῳ πάγῳ⁵
20

ἵν᾽ οὔτε φωνὴν οὔτε του μορφὴν βροτῶν

ὄψει, σταθευτὸς δ᾽ ἡλίου φοίβῃ φλογὶ

χροιᾶς ἀμείψεις ἄνθος: ἀσμένῳ δέ σοι

ἡ ποικιλείμων νὺξ ἀποκρύψει φάος,

πάχνην θ᾽ ἑῴαν ἥλιος σκεδᾷ πάλιν:
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αἰεὶ⁶ δὲ τοῦ παρόντος ἀχθηδὼν κακοῦ

τρύσει σ᾽: ὁ λωφήσων γὰρ οὐ πέφυκέ πω.

τοιαῦτ᾽ ἐπηύρου⁷ τοῦ φιλανθρώπου τρόπου.

θεὸς θεῶν γὰρ οὐχ ὑποπτήσσων χόλον

βροτοῖσι τιμὰς ὤπασας πέρα δίκης.
30

ἀνθ᾽ ὧν ἀτερπῆ τήνδε φρουρήσεις πέτραν

ὀρθοστάδην, ἄυπνος, οὐ κάμπτων γόνυ:

πολλοὺς δ᾽ ὀδυρμοὺς καὶ γόους ἀνωφελεῖς

φθέγξει: Διὸς γὰρ δυσπαραίτητοι φρένες:

ἅπας δὲ τραχὺς ὅστις ἂν νέον κρατῇ.
35
36

Κράτος

εἶεν, τί μέλλεις καὶ κατοικτίζει μάτην;

τί τὸν θεοῖς ἔχθιστον οὐ στυγεῖς θεόν,

ὅστις τὸ σὸν θνητοῖσι προὔδωκεν γέρας;

Ἥφαιστος

τὸ συγγενές τοι δεινὸν ἥ θ᾽ ὁμιλία.

Κράτος

σύμφημ᾽: ἀνηκουστεῖν δὲ τῶν πατρὸς λόγων⁸
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οἷόν τε πῶς; οὐ τοῦτο δειμαίνεις πλέον;

Ἥφαιστος

αἰεί γε⁹ δὴ νηλὴς σὺ καὶ θράσους πλέως.

Κράτος

ἄκος γὰρ οὐδὲν τόνδε θρηνεῖσθαι: σὺ δὲ

τὰ μηδὲν ὠφελοῦντα μὴ πόνει μάτην.

Ἥφαιστος

ὦ πολλὰ μισηθεῖσα χειρωναξία.
45

Κράτος

τί νιν στυγεῖς; πόνων γὰρ ὡς ἁπλῷ λόγῳ

τῶν νῦν παρόντων οὐδὲν αἰτία τέχνη.

Ἥφαιστος

ἔμπας τις αὐτὴν ἄλλος ὤφελεν λαχεῖν.

Κράτος

ἅπαντ᾽ ἐπαχθῆ¹⁰ πλὴν θεοῖσι κοιρανεῖν.

ἐλεύθερος γὰρ οὔτις ἐστὶ πλὴν Διός.
50

Ἥφαιστος

ἔγνωκα τοῖσδε κοὐδὲν ἀντειπεῖν ἔχω.

Κράτος

οὔκουν ἐπείξει τῷδε δεσμὰ περιβαλεῖν,

ὡς μή σ᾽ ἐλινύοντα προσδερχθῇ πατήρ;

Ἥφαιστος

καὶ δὴ πρόχειρα ψάλια¹¹ δέρκεσθαι πάρα.

Κράτος

βαλών¹² νιν ἀμφὶ χερσὶν ἐγκρατεῖ σθένει
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ῥαιστῆρι θεῖνε, πασσάλευε πρὸς πέτραις.

Ἥφαιστος

περαίνεται δὴ κοὐ ματᾷ τοὔργον τόδε.

Κράτος

ἄρασσε μᾶλλον, σφίγγε, μηδαμῇ χάλα.

δεινὸς γὰρ εὑρεῖν κἀξ ἀμηχάνων πόρον.¹³

Ἥφαιστος

ἄραρεν ἥδε γ᾽ ὠλένη δυσεκλύτως.
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Κράτος

καὶ τήνδε νῦν πόρπασον ἀσφαλῶς, ἵνα

μάθῃ σοφιστὴς ὢν Διὸς νωθέστερος.

Ἥφαιστος

πλὴν τοῦδ᾽ ἂν οὐδεὶς ἐνδίκως μέμψαιτό μοι.

Κράτος

ἀδαμαντίνου νῦν σφηνὸς αὐθάδη γνάθον

στέρνων διαμπὰξ πασσάλευ᾽ ἐρρωμένως.
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Ἥφαιστος

αἰαῖ, Προμηθεῦ, σῶν ὑπερστένω¹⁴ πόνων.

Κράτος

σὺ δ᾽ αὖ κατοκνεῖς τῶν Διός τ᾽ ἐχθρῶν ὕπερ

στένεις; ὅπως μὴ σαυτὸν οἰκτιεῖς ποτε.

Ἥφαιστος

ὁρᾷς θέαμα δυσθέατον ὄμμασιν.

Κράτος

ὁρῶ κυροῦντα τόνδε τῶν ἐπαξίων.¹⁵
70

ἀλλ᾽ ἀμφὶ πλευραῖς μασχαλιστῆρας βάλε.

Ἥφαιστος

δρᾶν ταῦτ᾽ ἀνάγκη, μηδὲν ἐγκέλευ᾽ ἄγαν.

Κράτος

ἦ μὴν κελεύσω κἀπιθωύξω γε πρός.

χώρει κάτω, σκέλη δὲ κίρκωσον βίᾳ.

Ἥφαιστος

καὶ δὴ πέπρακται τοὔργον οὐ μακρῷ πόνῳ.
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Κράτος

ἐρρωμένως νῦν θεῖνε διατόρους πέδας:

ὡς οὑπιτιμητής γε¹⁶ τῶν ἔργων βαρύς.

Ἥφαιστος

ὅμοια μορφῇ γλῶσσά σου γηρύεται.

Κράτος

σὺ μαλθακίζου, τὴν δ᾽ ἐμὴν αὐθαδίαν

ὀργῆς τε τραχυτῆτα μὴ ᾽πίπλησσέ μοι.
80

Ἥφαιστος

στείχωμεν: ὡς κώλοισιν ἀμφίβληστρ᾽ ἔχει.

Κράτος

ἐνταῦθα νῦν ὕβριζε καὶ θεῶν γέρα

συλῶν ἐφημέροισι προστίθει. τί σοι

οἷοί τε θνητοὶ τῶνδ᾽ ἀπαντλῆσαι πόνων;

ψευδωνύμως σε δαίμονες Προμηθέα
85

καλοῦσιν: αὐτὸν γάρ σε δεῖ προμηθέως,

ὅτῳ τρόπῳ τῆσδ᾽ ἐκκυλισθήσει τέχνης.¹⁷

88

Προμηθεύς

ὦ δῖος¹⁸ αἰθὴρ καὶ ταχύπτεροι πνοαί,

ποταμῶν τε πηγαί, ποντίων τε κυμάτων

ἀνήριθμον γέλασμα, παμμῆτόρ¹⁹ τε γῆ,
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καὶ τὸν πανόπτην κύκλον ἡλίου καλῶ:

ἴδεσθέ μ᾽ οἷα πρὸς θεῶν πάσχω θεός.

δέρχθηθ᾽ οἵαις αἰκίαισιν

διακναιόμενος τὸν μυριετῆ

Προμηθεύς

χρόνον ἀθλεύσω.
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τοιόνδ᾽ ὁ νέος ταγὸς μακάρων

ἐξηῦρ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἐμοὶ δεσμὸν ἀεικῆ.

φεῦ φεῦ, τὸ παρὸν τό τ᾽ ἐπερχόμενον

πῆμα στενάχω, πῇ²⁰ ποτε μόχθων

χρὴ τέρματα τῶνδ᾽ ἐπιτεῖλαι.
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καίτοι τί φημι; πάντα προυξεπίσταμαι

σκεθρῶς τὰ μέλλοντ᾽, οὐδέ μοι ποταίνιον

πῆμ᾽ οὐδὲν ἥξει. τὴν πεπρωμένην δὲ χρὴ

αἶσαν φέρειν ὡς ῥᾷστα, γιγνώσκονθ᾽ ὅτι

τὸ τῆς ἀνάγκης ἔστ᾽ ἀδήριτον σθένος.
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ἀλλ᾽ οὔτε σιγᾶν οὔτε μὴ σιγᾶν τύχας

οἷόν τέ μοι τάσδ᾽ ἐστί. θνητοῖς γὰρ γέρα

πορὼν ἀνάγκαις ταῖσδ᾽ ἐνέζευγμαι τάλας:

ναρθηκοπλήρωτον δὲ θηρῶμαι πυρὸς

πηγὴν κλοπαίαν, ἣ διδάσκαλος τέχνης
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πάσης βροτοῖς πέφηνε καὶ μέγας πόρος.

τοιῶνδε²¹ ποινὰς ἀμπλακημάτων τίνω

ὑπαιθρίοις²² δεσμοῖς πεπασσαλευμένος.²³

114

Προμηθεύς

ἆ ἆ [ἔα ἔα].²⁴

τίς ἀχώ, τίς ὀδμὰ προσέπτα μ᾽ ἀφεγγής,
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θεόσυτος,²⁵ ἢ βρότειος, ἢ κεκραμένη;

ἵκετο τερμόνιον ἐπὶ πάγον

πόνων ἐμῶν²⁶ θεωρός, ἢ τί δὴ θέλων;

ὁρᾶτε δεσμώτην με δύσποτμον θεόν,

τὸν Διὸς ἐχθρόν, τὸν πᾶσι θεοῖς
120

121

Προμηθεύς

δι᾽ ἀπεχθείας ἐλθόνθ᾽ ὁπόσοι

τὴν Διὸς αὐλὴν εἰσοιχνεῦσιν,

διὰ τὴν λίαν φιλότητα βροτῶν.

φεῦ φεῦ, τί ποτ᾽ αὖ κινάθισμα κλύω

πέλας οἰωνῶν; αἰθὴρ δ᾽ ἐλαφραῖς
125

πτερύγων ῥιπαῖς ὑποσυρίζει.

πᾶν μοι φοβερὸν τὸ προσέρπον.

Προμηθεὺς δεσμώτης Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 1. Smyth, Herbert Weir, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1922.) — 1-127 focus

Κράτος

Χθονὸς μὲν ἐς τηλουρὸν ἥκομεν πέδον,
1

Σκύθην ἐς οἷμον, ἄβατον εἰς ἐρημίαν.

Ἥφαιστε, σοὶ δὲ χρὴ μέλειν ἐπιστολὰς

ἅς σοι πατὴρ ἐφεῖτο, τόνδε πρὸς πέτραις

ὑψηλοκρήμνοις τὸν λεωργὸν ὀχμάσαι
5

ἀδαμαντίνων δεσμῶν ἐν ἀρρήκτοις πέδαις.

τὸ σὸν γὰρ ἄνθος, παντέχνου πυρὸς σέλας,

θνητοῖσι κλέψας ὤπασεν. τοιᾶσδέ τοι

ἁμαρτίας σφε δεῖ θεοῖς δοῦναι δίκην,

ὡς ἂν διδαχθῇ τὴν Διὸς τυραννίδα
10

στέργειν, φιλανθρώπου δὲ παύεσθαι τρόπου.

Ἥφαιστος

Κράτος Βία τε, σφῷν μὲν ἐντολὴ Διὸς

ἔχει τέλος δὴ κοὐδὲν ἐμποδὼν ἔτι·

ἐγὼ δʼ ἄτολμός εἰμι συγγενῆ θεὸν

δῆσαι βίᾳ φάραγγι πρὸς δυσχειμέρῳ.
15

πάντως δʼ ἀνάγκη τῶνδέ μοι τόλμαν σχεθεῖν·

ἐξωριάζειν γὰρ πατρὸς λόγους βαρύ.

τῆς ὀρθοβούλου Θέμιδος αἰπυμῆτα παῖ,

ἄκοντά σʼ ἄκων δυσλύτοις χαλκεύμασι

προσπασσαλεύσω τῷδʼ ἀπανθρώπῳ πάγῳ
20

ἵνʼ οὔτε φωνὴν οὔτε του μορφὴν βροτῶν

ὄψει, σταθευτὸς δʼ ἡλίου φοίβῃ φλογὶ

χροιᾶς ἀμείψεις ἄνθος. ἀσμένῳ δέ σοι

ἡ ποικιλείμων νὺξ ἀποκρύψει φάος,

πάχνην θʼ ἑῴαν ἥλιος σκεδᾷ πάλιν·
25

ἀεὶ δὲ τοῦ παρόντος ἀχθηδὼν κακοῦ

τρύσει σʼ· ὁ λωφήσων γὰρ οὐ πέφυκέ πω.

τοιαῦτʼ ἐπηύρω τοῦ φιλανθρώπου τρόπου.

θεὸς θεῶν γὰρ οὐχ ὑποπτήσσων χόλον

βροτοῖσι τιμὰς ὤπασας πέρα δίκης.
30

ἀνθʼ ὧν ἀτερπῆ τήνδε φρουρήσεις πέτραν

ὀρθοστάδην, ἄυπνος, οὐ κάμπτων γόνυ·

πολλοὺς δʼ ὀδυρμοὺς καὶ γόους ἀνωφελεῖς

φθέγξῃ· Διὸς γὰρ δυσπαραίτητοι φρένες.

ἅπας δὲ τραχὺς ὅστις ἂν νέον κρατῇ.
35

Κράτος

εἶεν, τί μέλλεις καὶ κατοικτίζῃ μάτην;

τί τὸν θεοῖς ἔχθιστον οὐ στυγεῖς θεόν,

ὅστις τὸ σὸν θνητοῖσι προὔδωκεν γέρας;

Ἥφαιστος

τὸ συγγενές τοι δεινὸν ἥ θʼ ὁμιλία.

Κράτος

σύμφημʼ· ἀνηκουστεῖν δὲ τῶν πατρὸς λόγων
40

οἷόν τε πῶς; οὐ τοῦτο δειμαίνεις πλέον;

Ἥφαιστος

αἰεί γε δὴ νηλὴς σὺ καὶ θράσους πλέως.

Κράτος

ἄκος γὰρ οὐδὲν τόνδε θρηνεῖσθαι. σὺ δὲ

τὰ μηδὲν ὠφελοῦντα μὴ πόνει μάτην.

Ἥφαιστος

ὦ πολλὰ μισηθεῖσα χειρωναξία.
45

Κράτος

τί νιν στυγεῖς; πόνων γὰρ ὡς ἁπλῷ λόγῳ

τῶν νῦν παρόντων οὐδὲν αἰτία τέχνη.

Ἥφαιστος

ἔμπας τις αὐτὴν ἄλλος ὤφελεν λαχεῖν.

Κράτος

ἅπαντʼ ἐπαχθῆ πλὴν θεοῖσι κοιρανεῖν·

ἐλεύθερος γὰρ οὔτις ἐστὶ πλὴν Διός.
50

Ἥφαιστος

ἔγνωκα τοῖσδε κοὐδὲν ἀντειπεῖν ἔχω.

Κράτος

οὔκουν ἐπείξῃ τῷδε δεσμὰ περιβαλεῖν,

ὡς μή σʼ ἐλινύοντα προσδερχθῇ πατήρ;

Ἥφαιστος

καὶ δὴ πρόχειρα ψάλια δέρκεσθαι πάρα.

Κράτος

βαλών νιν ἀμφὶ χερσὶν ἐγκρατεῖ σθένει
55

ῥαιστῆρι θεῖνε, πασσάλευε πρὸς πέτραις.

Ἥφαιστος

περαίνεται δὴ κοὐ ματᾷ τοὔργον τόδε.

Κράτος

ἄρασσε μᾶλλον, σφίγγε, μηδαμῇ χάλα.

δεινὸς γὰρ εὑρεῖν κἀξ ἀμηχάνων πόρον.

Ἥφαιστος

ἄραρεν ἥδε γʼ ὠλένη δυσεκλύτως.
60

Κράτος

καὶ τήνδε νῦν πόρπασον ἀσφαλῶς, ἵνα

μάθῃ σοφιστὴς ὢν Διὸς νωθέστερος.

Ἥφαιστος

πλὴν τοῦδʼ ἂν οὐδεὶς ἐνδίκως μέμψαιτό μοι.

Κράτος

ἀδαμαντίνου νῦν σφηνὸς αὐθάδη γνάθον

στέρνων διαμπὰξ πασσάλευʼ ἐρρωμένως.
65

Ἥφαιστος

αἰαῖ, Προμηθεῦ, σῶν ὑπερστένω πόνων.

Κράτος

σὺ δʼ αὖ κατοκνεῖς τῶν Διός τʼ ἐχθρῶν ὕπερ

στένεις; ὅπως μὴ σαυτὸν οἰκτιεῖς ποτε.

Ἥφαιστος

ὁρᾷς θέαμα δυσθέατον ὄμμασιν.

Κράτος

ὁρῶ κυροῦντα τόνδε τῶν ἐπαξίων.
70

ἀλλʼ ἀμφὶ πλευραῖς μασχαλιστῆρας βάλε.

Ἥφαιστος

δρᾶν ταῦτʼ ἀνάγκη, μηδὲν ἐγκέλευʼ ἄγαν.

Κράτος

ἦ μὴν κελεύσω κἀπιθωύξω γε πρός.

χώρει κάτω, σκέλη δὲ κίρκωσον βίᾳ.

Ἥφαιστος

καὶ δὴ πέπρακται τοὔργον οὐ μακρῷ πόνῳ.
75

Κράτος

ἐρρωμένως νῦν θεῖνε διατόρους πέδας·

ὡς οὑπιτιμητής γε τῶν ἔργων βαρύς.

Ἥφαιστος

ὅμοια μορφῇ γλῶσσά σου γηρύεται.

Κράτος

σὺ μαλθακίζου, τὴν δʼ ἐμὴν αὐθαδίαν

ὀργῆς τε τραχύτητα μὴ ʼπίπλησσέ μοι.
80

Ἥφαιστος

στείχωμεν, ὡς κώλοισιν ἀμφίβληστρʼ ἔχει.

Κράτος

ἐνταῦθα νῦν ὕβριζε καὶ θεῶν γέρα

συλῶν ἐφημέροισι προστίθει. τί σοι

οἷοί τε θνητοὶ τῶνδʼ ἀπαντλῆσαι πόνων;

ψευδωνύμως σε δαίμονες Προμηθέα
85

καλοῦσιν· αὐτὸν γάρ σε δεῖ προμηθέως,

ὅτῳ τρόπῳ τῆσδʼ ἐκκυλισθήσῃ τέχνης.

Προμηθεύς

ὦ δῖος αἰθὴρ καὶ ταχύπτεροι πνοαί,

ποταμῶν τε πηγαί, ποντίων τε κυμάτων

ἀνήριθμον γέλασμα, παμμῆτόρ τε γῆ,
90

καὶ τὸν πανόπτην κύκλον ἡλίου καλῶ.

ἴδεσθέ μʼ οἷα πρὸς θεῶν πάσχω θεός.

δέρχθηθʼ οἵαις αἰκείαισιν

διακναιόμενος τὸν μυριετῆ

Προμηθεύς

χρόνον ἀθλεύσω.
95

τοιόνδʼ ὁ νέος ταγὸς μακάρων

ἐξηῦρʼ ἐπʼ ἐμοὶ δεσμὸν ἀεικῆ.

φεῦ φεῦ, τὸ παρὸν τό τʼ ἐπερχόμενον

πῆμα στενάχω, πῇ ποτε μόχθων

χρὴ τέρματα τῶνδʼ ἐπιτεῖλαι.
100

101

Προμηθεύς

καίτοι τί φημι; πάντα προυξεπίσταμαι

σκεθρῶς τὰ μέλλοντʼ, οὐδέ μοι ποταίνιον

πῆμʼ οὐδὲν ἥξει. τὴν πεπρωμένην δὲ χρὴ

αἶσαν φέρειν ὡς ῥᾷστα, γιγνώσκονθʼ ὅτι

τὸ τῆς ἀνάγκης ἔστʼ ἀδήριτον σθένος.
105

ἀλλʼ οὔτε σιγᾶν οὔτε μὴ σιγᾶν τύχας

οἷόν τέ μοι τάσδʼ ἐστί. θνητοῖς γὰρ γέρα

πορὼν ἀνάγκαις ταῖσδʼ ἐνέζευγμαι τάλας.

ναρθηκοπλήρωτον δὲ θηρῶμαι πυρὸς

πηγὴν κλοπαίαν, ἣ διδάσκαλος τέχνης
110

πάσης βροτοῖς πέφηνε καὶ μέγας πόρος.

τοιῶνδε ποινὰς ἀμπλακημάτων τίνω

ὑπαιθρίοις δεσμοῖς πεπασσαλευμένος.

114

Προμηθεύς

ἆ ἆ ἔα ἔα.

τίς ἀχώ, τίς ὀδμὰ προσέπτα μʼ ἀφεγγής,
115

θεόσυτος, ἢ βρότειος, ἢ κεκραμένη;

ἵκετο τερμόνιον ἐπὶ πάγον

πόνων ἐμῶν θεωρός, ἢ τί δὴ θέλων;

ὁρᾶτε δεσμώτην με δύσποτμον θεόν

τὸν Διὸς ἐχθρόν, τὸν πᾶσι θεοῖς
120

121

Προμηθεύς

διʼ ἀπεχθείας ἐλθόνθʼ ὁπόσοι

τὴν Διὸς αὐλὴν εἰσοιχνεῦσιν,

διὰ τὴν λίαν φιλότητα βροτῶν.

φεῦ φεῦ, τί ποτʼ αὖ κινάθισμα κλύω

πέλας οἰωνῶν; αἰθὴρ δʼ ἐλαφραῖς
125

πτερύγων ῥιπαῖς ὑποσυρίζει.

πᾶν μοι φοβερὸν τὸ προσέρπον.

Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης (OCR draft) Experimental (Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης. Guilielmus Dindorfius, 1882.) — 1 focus

ΚΡΑΤΟΣ.

Χθονὸς μὲν ἐς τηλουρὸν ἥκομεν πέδον,
1

Σκύθην ἐς οἶμον, ἄβροτον εἰς ἐρημίαν.

Ηφαιστε, σοὶ δὲ χρὴ μέλειν ἐπιστολὰς

ἃς σοι πατὴρ ἐφεῖτο, τόνδε πρὸς πέτραις

ὑψηλοκρήμνοις τὸν λεωργὸν ὀχμάσαι
5

ἀδαμαντίνων δεσμῶν ἐν ἀρρήκτοις πέδαις.

τὸ σὸν γὰρ ἄνθος, παντέχνου πυρὸς σέλας,

θνητοῖσι κλέψας ὤπασεν· τοιᾶσδέ τοι

ἁμαρτίας σφὲ δεῖ θεοῖς δοῦναι δίκην,

ὡς ἂν διδαχθῇ τὴν Διὸς τυραννίδα
10

στέργειν, φιλανθρώπου δὲ παύεσθαι τρόπου.

ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ.

Κράτος Βία τε, σφῶν μὲν ἐντολὴ Διὸς

ἔχει τέλος δὴ κοὐδὲν ἐμποδὼν ἔτι·

ἐγὼ δ᾽ ἄτολμός εἰμι συγγενῆ θεὸν

δῆσαι βίᾳ φάραγγι πρὸς δυσχειμέρῳ.
15

πάντως δ᾽ ἀνάγκη τῶνδέ μοι τόλμαν σχεθεῖν

εὐωριάζειν γὰρ πατρὸς λόγους βαρύ.

τῆς ὀρθοβούλου θέμιδος αἰπυμῆτα παῖ,

ἄκοντά σ᾽ ἄκων δυσλύτοις χαλκεύμασι

προσπασσαλεύσω τῷδ᾽ ἀπανθρώπῳ πάγῳ,
20

ἵν᾽ οὔτε φωνὴν οὔτε του μορφὴν βροτῶν

ὄψει, σταθευτὸς δ᾽ ἡλίου φοίβῃ φλογί

χροιᾶς ἀμείψεις ἄνθος· ἀσμένῳ δέ σοι

ἡ ποικιλείμων νὺξ ἀποκρύψει φάος,

πάχνην θ᾽ ἑῴαν ἥλιος σκεδᾷ πάλιν·

ἀεὶ δὲ τοῦ παρόντος ἀχθηδὼν κακοῦ

τρύσει σ᾽· ὁ λωφήσων γὰρ οὐ πέφυκέ πω.

τοιαῦτ᾽ ἐπηύρου τοῦ φιλανθρώπου τρόπου.

θεὸς θεῶν γὰρ οὐχ ὑποπτήσσων χόλον

βροτοῖσι τιμὰς ὤπασας πέρα δίκης.

ἀνθ᾽ ὧν ἀτερπῆ τήνδε φρουρήσεις πέτραν

ὀρθοστάδην ἄϋπνος, οὐ κάμπτων γόνυ·

πολλοὺς δ᾽ ὀδυρμοὺς καὶ γόους ἀνωφελεῖς

φθέγξει· Διὸς γὰρ δυσπαραίτητοι φρένες·

ἅπας δὲ τραχὺς ὅστις ἂν νέον κρατῇ.

ΚΡ.

εἶεν, τί μέλλεις καὶ κατοικτίζει μάτην;

τί τὸν θεοῖς ἔχθιστον οὐ στυγεῖς θεὸν,

ὅστις τὸ σὸν θνητοῖσι προὔδωκεν γέρας;

ΗΦ.

τὸ συγγενές τοι δεινὸν ἥ θ᾽ ὁμιλία.

ΚΡ.

σύμφημ᾽· ἀνηκουστεῖν δὲ τῶν πατρὸς λόγων
40

οἷόν τε πῶς; οὐ τοῦτο δειμαίνεις πλέον;

ΗΦ.

ἀεί γε δὴ νηλὴς σὺ καὶ θράσους πλέως.

ΚΡ.

ἄκος γὰρ οὐδὲν τόνδε θρηνεῖσθαι· συ δὲ

τὰ μηδὲν ὠφελοῦντα μὴ πόνει μάτην.

ΗΦ.

ὦ πολλὰ μισηθεῖσα χειρωναξία.
45

ΚΡ.

τί νιν στυγεῖς; πόνων γὰρ ὡς ἁπλῷ λόγῳ

τῶν νῦν παρόντων οὐδὲν αἰτία τέχνη.

ΗΦ.

ἔμπας τὶς αὐτὴν ἄλλος ὤφελεν λαχεῖν.

ΚΡ.

ἅπαντ᾽ ἐπράχθη πλὴν θεοῖσι κοιρανεῖν.

ἐλεύθερος γὰρ οὔτις ἐστὶ πλὴν Διός.
50

ΗΦ.

ἔγνωκα τοῖσδε κοὐδὲν ἀντειπεῖν ἔχω.

ΚΡ.

οὔκουν ἐπείξει τῷδε δεσμὰ περιβαλεῖν,

ὡς μή σ᾽ ἐλινύοντα προσδερχθῇ πατήρ;

ΗΦ.

καὶ δὴ πρόχειρα ψέλια δέρκεσθαι πάρα.

ΚΡ.

βαλών νιν ἀμφὶ χερσὶν ἐγκρατεῖ σθένει
55

ῥαιστῆρι θεῖνε, πασσάλευε πρὸς πέτραις.

ΗΦ.

περαίνεται δὴ κοὐ ματᾷ τοὔργον τόδε.

ΚΡ.

ἄρασσε μᾶλλον, σφίγγε, μηδαμή χάλα.

δεινὸς γὰρ εὑρεῖν κἀξ ἀμηχάνων πόρους.

ΗΦ.

ἄραρεν ἥδε γ' ὠλένη δυσεκλύτως.
60

ΚΡ.

καὶ τήνδε νῦν πόρπασον ἀσφαλῶς, ἵνα

μάθῃ σοφιστὴς ὢν Διὸς νωθέστερος.

ΗΦ.

πλὴν τοῦδ᾽ ἂν οὐδεὶς ἐνδίκως μέμψαιτό μοι.

ΚΡ.

ἀδαμαντίνου νῦν σφηνὸς αὐθάδη γνάθον

στέρνων διαμπὰξ πασσάλευ᾽ ἐρρωμένως.
65

ΗΦ.

αἰαῖ, Προμηθεῦ, σῶν ὑπερστένω πόνων.

ΚΡ.

σὺ δ᾽ αὖ κατοκνεῖς τῶν Διός τ᾽ ἐχθρῶν ὕπερ

στένεις; ὅπως μὴ σαυτὸν οἰκτιεῖς ποτέ.

ΗΦ.

ὁρᾷς θέαμα δυσθέατον ὄμμασιν.

ΚΡ.

ὁρῶ κυροῦντα τόνδε τῶν ἐπαξίων.
70

ἀλλ᾽ ἀμφὶ πλευραῖς μασχαλιστῆρας βάλε.

ΗΦ.

δρᾶν ταῦτ᾽ ἀνάγκη, μηδὲν ἐγκέλευ᾽ ἄγαν.

ΚΡ.

ἦ μὴν κελεύσω κἀπιθωύξω γε πρός.

χώρει κάτω, σκέλη δὲ κίρκωσον βίᾳ.

ΗΦ.

καὶ δὴ πέπρακται τοὔργον οὐ μακρῷ πόνῳ.
75

ΚΡ.

ἐρρωμένως νῦν θεῖνε διατόρους πέδας·

ὡς οὑπιτιμητής γε τῶν ἔργων βαρύς.

ΗΦ.

ὅμοια μορφῇ γλῶσσά σου γηρύεται.

ΚΡ.

σὺ μαλθακίζου, τὴν δ᾽ ἐμὴν αὐθαδίαν

ὀργῆς τε τραχύτητα μὴ ᾿πίπλησσέ μοι.
80

ΗΦ.

στείχωμεν· ὡς κώλοισιν ἀμφίβληστ᾽ ἔχει.

ΚΡ.

ἐνταῦθα νῦν ὕβριζε καὶ θεῶν γέρα

συλῶν ἐφημέροισι προστίθη, τί σοι

οἷοί τε θνητοὶ τῶνδ᾽ ἀπαντλῆσαι πόνων;

ψευδωνύμως σε δαίμονες Προμηθέα
85

καλοῦσιν· αὐτὸν γάρ σε δεῖ προμηθέως,

ὅτῳ τρόπῳ τῆσδ᾽ ἐκκυλισθήσει τύχης.

ΠΡΟΜΗθΕΥΣ.

ὦ δῖος αἰθὴρ καὶ ταχύπτεροι πνοαὶ,

ποταμῶν τε πηγαὶ ποντίων τε κυμάτων

ἀνήριθμον γέλασμα, παμμῆτόρ τε γῆ,
90

καὶ τὸν πανόπτην κύκλον ἡλίου καλῶ·

ἴδεσθέ μ᾽ οἷα πρὸς θεῶν πάσχω θεός.

δέρχθηθ᾽ οἵαις αἰκίαισιν

διακναιόμενος τὸν μυριετῆ

χρόνον ἀθλεύσω.
95

τοιόνδ᾽ ὁ νέος ταγὸς μακάρων

ἐξηῦρ᾽ ἐπ᾿ ἐμοὶ δεσμὸν ἀεικῆ.

φεῦ φεῦ, τὸ παρὸν τό τ' ἐπερχόμενον

πῆμα στενάχω, πῆ ποτε μόχθῳ

χρὴ τέρματα τῶνδ᾽ ἐπιτεῖλαι.
100

καίτοι τί φημι; πάντα προυξεπίσταμαι

σκεθρῶς τὰ μέλλοντ', οὐδέ μοι ποταίνιον

πῆμ᾽ οὐδὲν ἥξει. τὴν πεπρωμένην δὲ χρὴ

αἶσαν φέρειν ὡς ῥᾶστα, γιγνώσκονθ᾽ ὅτι

τὸ τῆς ἀνάγκης ἔστ᾽ ἀδήριτον σθένος.
105

ἀλλ᾽ οὔτε σιγᾶν οὔτε μὴ σιγᾶν τύχας

οἷόν τέ μοι τάσδ᾽ ἐστί. θνητοῖς γὰρ γέρα

πορὼν ἀναγκαις ταῖσδ᾽ ἐνέζευγμαι τάλας·

ναρθηκοπλήρωτον δὲ θηρῶμαι πυρὸς

πηγὴν κλοπαίαν, ἢ διδάσκαλος τέχνης
110

πάσης βροτοῖς πέφηνε καὶ μέγας πόρος.

τοιῶνδε ποινὰς ἀμπλακημάτων τίνω

ὑπαιθρίοις δεσμυῖσι προσπεπαρμένος.

ἆ ἆ,

τίς ἀχὼ, τίς ὀδμὰ προσέπτα μ᾽ ἀφεγγὴς,
115

θεόσυτος, ἢ βρότειος, ἢ κεκραμένη;

τίς ἵκετ᾽ αἴας τερμόνειον ἐπὶ πάγον

πόνων ἐμῶν θεωρὸς, ἢ τί δὴ θέλων;

ὁρᾶτε δεσμώτην με δύσποτμον θεὸν.

τὸν Διὸς ἐχθρὸν, τὸν πᾶσι θεοῖς

120

δ᾽ ἀπεχθείας ἐλθόνθ᾽ ὁπόσοι

τὴν Διὸς αὐλὴν εἰσοιχνεῦσιν,

διὰ τὴν λίαν φιλότητα βροτῶν.

φεῦ φεῦ, τί ποτ᾽ αὖ κινάθισμα κλύω

πέλας οἰωνῶν; αἰθὴρ δ᾽ ἐλαφραῖς

125

πτερύγων ῥιπαῖς ὑποσυρίζει.

πᾶν μοι φοβερὸν τὸ προσέρπον.

128-135.144-151.

Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης (OCR draft) Experimental (Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης. Gottfried Hermann, 1852.) — 1 focus

Κράτος

Χθονὸς μὲν εἰς τηλουρὸν ἥκομεν πέδον,
1

Σκύθην ἐς οἶμον, ἄβροτον εἰς ἐρημίαν.

Ἥφαιστε, σοὶ δὲ χρὴ μέλειν ἐπιστολὰς

ἅς σοι πατὴρ ἐφεῖτο, τόνδε πρὸς πέτραις

ὑψηλοκρήμνοις τὸν λεωργὸν ὀχμάσαι
5

ἀδαμαντίνων δεσμῶν ἐν ἀρρήκτοις πέδαις.

τὸ σὸν γὰρ ἄνθος, παντέχνου πυρὸς σέλας,

θνητοῖσι κλέψας ὤπασεν· τοιᾶςδέ τοι

ἁμαρτίας σφὲ δεῖ θεοῖς δοῦναι δίκην,

ὡς ἂν διδαχθῇ τὴν Διὸς τυραννίδα
10

στέργειν, φιλανθρώπου δὲ παύεσθαι τρόπου.

Ἥφαιστος

Κράτος Βία τε, σφῷν μὲν ἐντολὴ Διὸς

ἔχει τέλος δή, κοὐδὲν ἐμποδὼν ἔτι.

ἐγὼ δ᾽ ἄτολμός εἰμι συγγενῆ θεὸν

δῆσαι βίᾳ φάραγγι πρὸς δυςχειμέρῳ.
15

πάντως δ᾽ ἀνάγκη τῶνδέ μοι τόλμαν σχεθεῖν·

ἐξωριάζειν γὰρ πατρὸς λόγους βαρύ.

τῆς ὀρθοβούλου θέμιδος αἰπυμῆτα παῖ,

ἄκοντά σ' ἄκων δυςλύτοις χαλκεύμασιν

προςπασσαλεύσω τῷδ᾽ ἀπανθρώπῳ πάγῳ,
20

ἵν᾽ οὔτε φωνὴν οὔτε του μορφὴν βροτῶν

ὄψει, σταθευτὸς δ' ἡλίου φοίβῃ φλογὶ

Ἥφαιστος

χροιᾶς ἀμείψεις ἄνθος, ἀσμένῳ δέ σοι

ἡ ποικιλείμων νὺξ ἀποκρύψει φάος,

πάχνην θ' ἑῴαν ἥλιος σκεδᾷ πάλιν·
25

ἀεὶ δὲ τοῦ παρόντος ἀχθηδὼν κακοῦ

τρύσει σ'· ὁ λωφήσων γὰρ οὐ πέφυκέ πω.

τοιαῦτ᾽ ἐπηύρω τοῦ φιλανθρώπου τρόπου.

θεὸς θεῶν γὰρ οὐχ ὑποπτήσσων χόλον

βροτοῖσι τιμὰς ὤπασας πέρα δίκης.
30

ἀνθ' ὧν ἀτερπῆ τήνδε φρουρήσεις πέτραν,

ὀρθοστάδην, ἄϋπνος, οὐ κάμπτων γόνυ.

πολλοὺς δ᾽ ὀδυρμοὺς καὶ γόους ἀνωφελεῖς

φθέγξει· Διὸς γὰρ δυςπαραίτητοι φρένες.

ἅπας δὲ τραχύς, ὅςτις ἂν νέον κρατῇ.
35

Κράτος

εἶεν· τί μέλλεις καὶ κατοικτίζεις μάτην;

τί τὸν θεοῖς ἔχθιστον οὐ στυγεῖς θεόν,

ὅςτις τὸ σὸν θνητοῖσι προὔδωκεν γέρας;

Ἥφαιστος

τὸ συγγενές τοι δεινὸν ἥ θ' ὁμιλία.

Κράτος

σύμφημ'· ἀνηκουστεῖν δὲ τῶν πατρὸς λόγων
40

οἷόν τε πῶς; οὐ τοῦτο δειμαίνεις πλέον;

Ἥφαιστος

ἀεί γε δὴ νηλὴς σὺ καὶ θράσους πλέως.

Κράτος

ἄκος γὰρ οὐδὲν τόνδε θρηνεῖσθαι· σὺ δὲ

τὰ μηδὲν ὠφελοῦντα μὴ πόνει μάτην.

Ἥφαιστος

ὦ πολλὰ μισηθεῖσα χειρωναξία.
45

Κράτος

τί νιν στυγεῖς; πόνων γὰρ ὡς ἁπλῷ λόγῳ

τῶν νῦν παρόντων οὐδὲν αἰτία τέχνη.

Ἥφαιστος

ἔμπας τις αὐτὴν ἄλλος ὤφελεν λαχεῖν.

Κράτος

ἅπαντ᾽ ἐπαχθῆ πλὴν θεοῖσι κοιρανεῖν.

ἐλεύθερος γὰρ οὔτις ἐστὶ πλὴν Διός.
50

Ἥφαιστος

ἔγνωκα τοῖςδε, κοὐδὲν ἀντειπεῖν ἔχω.

Κράτος

οὔκουν ἐπείξει δεσμὰ τῷδε περιβαλεῖν,

ὡς μή σ᾽ ἐλινύοντα προςδέχθῃ πατήρ;

Ἥφαιστος

καὶ δὴ πρόχειρα ψάλια δέρκεσθαι πάρα.

Κράτος

λαβών νιν ἀμφὶ χερσὶν ἐγκρατεῖ σθένει
55

ῥαιστῆρι θεῖνε, πασσάλευε πρὸς πέτραις.

Ἥφαιστος

περαίνεται δὴ κοὐ ματᾷ τοῦργον τόδε.

Κράτος

ἄρασσε μᾶλλον, σφίγγε, μηδαμῇ χάλα.

δεινὸς γὰρ εὑρεῖν κἀξ ἀμηχάνων πόρον.

Ἥφαιστος

ἄραρεν ἥδε γ' ὠλένη δυςεκλύτως.
60

Κράτος

καὶ τήνδε νῦν πόρπασον ἀσφαλῶς, ἵνα

μάθῃ σοφιστὴς ὢν Διὸς νωθέστερος.

Ἥφαιστος

πλὴν τοῦδ᾽ ἂν οὐδεὶς ἐνδίκως μέμψαιτό μοι.

Κράτος

ἀδαμαντίνου νῦν σφηνὸς αὐθάδη γνάθον

στέρνων διαμπαξ πασσάλευ᾽ ἐρρωμένως.
65

Ἥφαιστος

αἰαῖ Προμηθεῦ, σῶν ὑπὲρ στένω πόνων.

Κράτος

σὺ δ᾽ αὖ κατοκνεῖς τῶν Διός τ' ἐχθρῶν ὕπερ

στένεις; ὅπως μὴ σαυτὸν οἰκτιεῖς ποτέ.

Ἥφαιστος

ὁρᾷς θέαμα δυςθέατον ὄμμασιν.

Κράτος

ὁρῶ κυροῦντα τόνδε τῶν ἐπαξίων.
70

ἀλλ᾽ ἀμφὶ πλευραῖς μασχαλιστῆρας βάλε.

Ἥφαιστος

δρᾶν ταῦτ᾽ ἀνάγκη, μηδὲν ἐγκέλευ' ἄγαν.

Κράτος

ἦ μὴν κελεύσω κἀπιθωΰξω γε πρός.

χώρει κάτω, σκέλη δὲ κίρκωσον βίᾳ.

Ἥφαιστος

καὶ δὴ πέπρακται τοὖργον οὐ μακρῷ πόνῳ.
75

Κράτος

ἐρρωμένως νῦν θεῖνε διατόρους πέδας.

ὡς οὑπιτιμητής γε τῶν ἔργων βαρύς.

Ἥφαιστος

ὅμοια μορφῇ γλῶσσά σου γηρύεται.

Κράτος

σὺ μαλθακίζου, τὴν δ᾽ ἐμὴν αὐθαδίαν

ὀργῆς τε τραχύτητα μὴ 'πίπλησσέ μοι.
80

Ἥφαιστος

στείχωμεν, ὡς κώλοισιν ἀμφίβληστρ᾽ ἔχει.

Κράτος

ἐνταῦθα νῦν ὕβριζε, καὶ θεῶν γέρα

συλῶν ἐφημέροισι προςτίθει. τί σοι

οἷοί τε θνητοὶ τῶνδ᾽ ἀπαντλῆσαι πόνων;

ψευδωνύμως σε δαίμονες Προμηθέα
85

καλοῦσιν· αὐτὸν γάρ σε δεῖ Προμηθέως,

ὅτῳ τρόπῳ τῆςδ᾽ ἐκκυλισθήσει τέχνης.

Προμηθεύς

ὦ δῖος αἰθὴρ καὶ ταχύπτεροι πνοαί,

ποταμῶν τε πηγαί, ποντίων τε κυμάτων

ἀνήριθμον γέλασμα, παμμῆτόρ τε γῆ,
90

καὶ τὸν πανόπτην κύκλον ἡλίου καλῶ,

Προμηθεύς

ἴδεσθέ μ', οἷα πρὸς θεῶν πάσχω θεός.

δέρκεσθε, οἵαις αἰκίαισιν

διακναιόμενος τὸν μυριετῆ

χρόνον ἀθλεύσω.
95

τοιόνδ᾽ ὁ νέος ταγὸς μακάρων

ἐξεῦρ᾽ ἐπ' ἐμοὶ δεσμὸν ἀεικῆ.

αἰαῖ, τὸ παρόν, τό τ' ἐπερχόμενον

πῆμα στενάχω, πῇ ποτε μόχθων

χρὴ τέρματα τῶνδ᾽ ἐπιτεῖλαι.
100

καίτοι τί φημι; πάντα προὐξεπίσταμαι

σκεθρῶς τὰ μέλλοντ', οὐδέ μοι ποταίνιον

πῆμ' οὐδὲν ἥξει. τὴν πεπρωμένην δὲ χρὴ

αἶσαν φέρειν ὡς ῥᾷστα, γιγνώσκονθ᾽ ὅτι

τὸ τῆς ἀνάγκης ἔστ᾽ ἀδήριτον σθένος.
105

ἀλλ᾽ οὔτε σιγᾶν οὔτε μὴ σιγᾶν τύχας

οἷόν τέ μοι τάςδ᾽ ἐστί. θνητοῖς γὰρ γέρα

πορὼν ἀνάγκαις ταῖςδ᾽ ἐνέζευγμαι τάλας·

ναρθηκοπλήρωτον δὲ θηρῶμαι πυρὸς

πηγὴν κλοπαίαν, ἣ διδάσκαλος τέχνης
110

πάσης βροτοῖς πέφηνε καὶ μέγας πόρος.

τοιάςδε ποινὰς ἀμπλακημάτων τίνω,

ὑπαίθριος δεσμοῖσι πασσαλευτὸς ὤν.

ἔα ἔα.

τίς ἀχώ, τίς ὀδμὰ προςέπτα μ' ἀφεγγής;
115

θεόσυτος ἢ βρότειος ἢ κεκραμένη;

ἵκετο τερμόνιον ἐπὶ πάγον

πόνων ἐμῶν θεωρός, ἢ τί δὴ θέλων;

ὁρᾶτε δεσμώτην με δύςποτμον θεόν,

τὸν Διὸς ἐχθρόν, τὸν πᾶσι θεοῖς
120

δι' ἀπεχθείας ἐλθόνθ', ὁπόσοι

τὴν Διὸς αὐλὴν εἰςοιχνεῦσιν,

διὰ τὴν λίαν φιλότητα βροτῶν.

φεῦ φεῦ, τί ποτ' αὖ κινάθισμα κλύω

πέλας οἰωνῶν; αἰθὴρ δ' ἐλαφραῖς
125

Προμηθεύς

πτερύγων ῥιπαῖς ὑποσυρίζει.

πᾶν μοι φοβερὸν τὸ προςέρπον.

ΠΡΟΜΗθΕΥΣ ΔΕΣΜΩΤΗΣ (OCR draft) Experimental (ΠΡΟΜΗθΕΥΣ ΔΕΣΜΩΤΗΣ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 1 focus

ΚΡΑΤΟΣ

Χθονὸς μὲν ἐς τηλουρὸν ἥκομεν πέδον,
1

Σκύθην ἐς οἶμον, ἄβροτον ἄβατον εἰς ἐρημίαν·

Ἥφαιστε, σοὶ δὲ χρὴ μέλειν ἐπιστολάς

ἅς σοι πατὴρ ἐφεῖτο, τόνδε πρὸς πέτραις

ὑψηλοκρήμνοις τὸν λεωργὸν ὀχμάσαι
5

ἀδαμαντίνων δεσμῶν ἐν ἀρρήκτοις πέδαις.

¹

Τὸ σὸν γὰρ ἄνθος, παντέχνου πυρὸς σέλας,

θνητοῖσι κλέψας ὤπασεν· τοιᾶσδέ τοι

ἁμαρτίας σφὲ δεῖ θεοῖς δοῦναι δίκην,

ὡς ἂν διδαχθῇ τὴν Διὸς τυραννίδα
10

στέργειν, φιλανθρώπου δὲ παύεσθαι τρόπου.

ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ

Κράτος Βία τε, σφῶν μὲν ἐντολὴ Διὸς

ἔχει τέλος δὴ κοὐδὲν ἐμποδὼν ἔτι·

ἐγὼ δ' ἄτολμός εἰμι συγγενῆ θεὸν

δῆσαι βίᾳ φάραγγι πρὸς δυσχειμέρῳ.
15

Πάντως δ' ἀνάγκη τῶνδέ μοι τόλμαν σχεθεῖν·

εὐωριάζειν ἐξωριάζειν γὰρ πατρὸς λόγους βαρύ.

Τῆς ὀρθοβούλου θέμιδος αἰπυμῆτα παῖ,

ἄκοντά σ' ἄκων δυσλύτοις χαλκεύμασιν

προσπασσαλεύσω τῷδ' ἀπανθρώπῳ πάγῳ τόπωι,
20

ἵν' οὔτε φωνὴν οὔτε του μορφὴν βροτῶν θεῶν

ΠΡΟΜΗθΕΥΣ ΔΕΣΜΩΤΗΣ

ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ

ὄψῃ, σταθευτὸς δ' ἡλίου φοίβῃ φλογὶ

χροιᾶς ἀμείψεις ἄνθος· ἀσμένῳ δέ σοι

ἡ ποικιλείμων νὺξ ἀποκρύψει φάος

πάχνην θ' ἑῷαν ἥλιος σκεδᾷ πάλιν·
25

ἀεὶ δὲ τοῦ παρόντος ἀχθηδὼν κακοῦ

τρύσει σ'· ὁ λωφήσων γὰρ οὐ πέφυκέ πω.

Τοιαῦτ' ἀπηύρω ἐπηύρω τοῦ φιλανθρώπου τρόπου·

θεὸς θεῶν γὰρ οὐχ ὑποπτήσσων χόλον

βροτοῖσι τιμὰς ὤπασας πέρα δίκης·
30

ἀνθ' ὧν ἀτερπῆ τήνδε φρουρήσεις πέτραν

ὀρθοστάδην ἄυπνος, οὐ κάμπτων γόνυ·

πολλοὺς δ' ὀδυρμοὺς καὶ γόους ἀνωφελεῖς

φθέγξῃ· Διὸς γὰρ δυσπαραίτητοι φρένες·

ἅπας δὲ τραχὺς ὅστις ἂν νέον κρατῇ.
35

ΚΡΑΤΟΣ

Εἶεν, τί μέλλεις καὶ κατοικτίζῃ μάτην ;

τί τὸν θεοῖς ἔχθιστον οὐ στυγεῖς θεόν,

ὅστις τὸ σὸν θνητοῖσι προὔδωκεν γέρας ;

ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ

Τὸ συγγενές τοι δεινὸν ἥ θ' ὁμιλία.

ΚΡΑΤΟΣ

Σύμφημ', ἀνηκουστεῖν δὲ τῶν πατρὸς λόγων
40

οἷόν τε πῶς ; οὐ τοῦτο δειμαίνεις πλέον ;

ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ

Ἀεί τε γε seu τι δὴ νηλὴς σὺ καὶ θράσους πλέως.

ΚΡΑΤΟΣ

Ἄκος γὰρ οὐδὲν τόνδε θρηνεῖσθαι· σὺ δὲ

τὰ μηδὲν ὠφελοῦντα μὴ πόνει μάτην.

ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ

Ὦ πολλὰ μισηθεῖσα χειρωναξία.
45

ΚΡΑΤΟΣ

Τί νιν στυγεῖς ; πόνων γὰρ ὡς ἁπλῷ λόγῳ

τῶν νῦν παρόντων οὐδὲν αἰτία τέχνη.

ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ

Ἔμπας τις αὐτὴν ἄλλος ὤφελεν λαχεῖν.

ΚΡΑΤΟΣ

Ἅπαντ' ἐπράχθη πλὴν θεοῖσι κοιρανεῖν·

ἐλεύθερος γὰρ οὔτις ἐστὶ πλὴν Διός.
50

ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ

Ἔγνωκα, τοῖσδε κοὐδὲν ἀντειπεῖν ἔχω.

ΠΡΟΜΗθΕΥΣ ΔΕΣΜΩΤΗΣ

ΚΡΑΤΟΣ

Οὔκουν ἐπείξῃ τῷδε δεσμὰ περιβαλεῖν,

ὡς μή σ' ἐλινύοντα προσδερχθῇ πατήρ ;

ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ

Καὶ δὴ πρόχειρα ψάλια δέρκεσθαι πάρα.

ΚΡΑΤΟΣ

Βαλών Λαβών νιν ἀμφὶ χερσὶν ἐγκρατεῖ σθένει
55

ῥαιστῆρι θεῖνε, πασσάλευε πρὸς πέτραις.

ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ

Περαίνεται δὴ κοὐ ματᾷ τοὔργον τόδε.

ΚΡΑΤΟΣ

Ἄρασσε μᾶλλον, σφίγγε, μηδαμῇ χάλα·

δεινὸς γὰρ εὑρεῖν κἀξ ἀμηχάνων πόρον.

ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ

Ἄραρεν ἥδε γ' ὠλένη δυσεκλύτως.
60

ΚΡΑΤΟΣ

Καὶ τήνδε νῦν πόρπασον ἀσφαλῶς, ἵνα

μάθῃ σοφιστὴς ὢν Διὸς νωθέστερος.

ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ

Πλὴν τοῦδ' ἂν οὐδεὶς ἐνδίκως μέμψαιτό μοι.

ΚΡΑΤΟΣ

Ἀδαμαντίνου νῦν σφηνὸς αὐθάδη γνάθον

στέρνων διαμπὰξ πασσάλευ' ἐρρωμένως.
65

ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ

Αἰαῖ, Προμηθεῦ, σῶν ὑποστένω ὑπερστένω πόνων.

ΚΡΑΤΟΣ

Σὺ δ' αὖ κατοκνεῖς τῶν Διός τ' ἐχθρῶν ὕπερ

στένεις ; ὅπως μὴ σαυτὸν οἰκτιεῖς ποτε.

ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ

Ὁρᾷς θέαμα δυσθέατον ὄμμασιν.

ΚΡΑΤΟΣ

Ὁρῶ κυροῦντα τόνδε τῶν ἐπαξίων·
70

ἀλλ' ἀμφὶ πλευραῖς μασχαλιστῆρας βάλε.

ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ

Δρᾶν ταῦτ' ἀνάγκη, μηδὲν ἐγκέλευ' ἄγαν.

ΚΡΑΤΟΣ

Ἦ μὴν κελεύσω κἀπιθωύξω γε πρός·

χώρει κάτω, σκέλη δὲ κίρκωσον βίᾳ.

ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ

Καὶ δὴ πέπρακται τοὔργον οὐ μακρῷ πόνῳ.
75

ΚΡΑΤΟΣ

Ἐρρωμένως νῦν θεῖνε διατόρους πέδας,

ὡς οὑπιτιμητής γε σε τῶν ἔργων βαρύς.

ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ

Ὅμοια μορφῇ γλῶσσά σου γηρύεται.

ΚΡΑΤΟΣ

Σὺ μαλθακίζου, τὴν δ' ἐμὴν αὐθαδίαν

ὀργῆς τε τραχυτῆτα μὴ 'πίπλησσέ μοι.
80

ΠΡΟΜΗθΕΥΣ ΔΕΣΜΩΤΗΣ

ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ

Στείχωμεν· ὡς κώλοισιν ἀμφίβληστρ' ἔχει.

ΚΡΑΤΟΣ

Ἐνταῦθα νῦν ὕβριζε καὶ θεῶν γέρα

συλῶν ἐφημέροισι προστίθει· τί σοι

οἷοί τε θνητοὶ τῶνδ' ἀπαντλῆσαι πόνων ;

Ψευδωνύμως σε δαίμονες Προμηθέα
85

καλοῦσιν· αὐτὸν γάρ σε δεῖ προμηθέως

ὅτῳ τρόπῳ τῆσδ' ἐκκυλισθήσῃ τέχνης.

ΠΡΟΜΗθΕΥΣ

Ὦ δῖος αἰθὴρ καὶ ταχύπτεροι πνοαί,

ποταμῶν τε πηγαὶ ποντίων τε κυμάτων

ἀνήριθμον γέλασμα παμμῆτόρ τε γῆ,
90
²

καὶ τὸν πανόπτην κύκλον ἡλίου καλῶ,

ἴδεσθέ μ' οἷα πρὸς θεῶν πάσχω θεός.

Δέρχθηθ' οἵαις αἰκίαισιν

διακναιόμενος τὸν μυριετῆ

χρόνον ἀθλεύσω·
95

τοιόνδ' ὁ νέος ταγὸς μακάρων

ἐξηῦρ' ἐξεῦρ' ἐπ' ἐμοὶ δεσμὸν ἀεικῆ·

φεῦ φεῦ αἰ αἰ, τὸ παρὸν τό τ' ἐπερχόμενον

πῆμα στενάχω, ποῖ ποτε μόχθων

χρὴ τέρματα τῶνδ' ἐπιτεῖλαι.
100

Καίτοι τί φημι ; πάντα προὐξεπίσταμαι

σκεθρῶς τὰ μέλλοντ', οὐδέ μοι ποταίνιον

πῆμ' οὐδὲν ἥξει· τὴν πεπρωμένην δὲ χρὴ

αἶσαν φέρειν ὡς ῥᾷστα, γιγνώσκονθ' ὅτι

τὸ τῆς ἀνάγκης ἔστ' ἀδήριτον σθένος.
105

Ἀλλ' οὔτε σιγᾶν οὔτε μὴ σιγᾶν τύχας

οἷόν τέ μοι τάσδ' ἐστί· θνητοῖς γὰρ γέρα

πορὼν ἀνάγκαις ταῖσδ' ἐνέζευγμαι τάλας·

ναρθηκοπλήρωτον δὲ θηρῶμαι πυρὸς

ΠΡΟΜΗθΕΥΣ ΔΕΣΜΩΤΗΣ

ΠΡΟΜΗθΕΥΣ

πηγὴν κλοπαίαν, ἣ διδάσκαλος τέχνης
110

πάσης βροτοῖς πέφηνε καὶ μέγας πόρος·

τοιῶνδε τοιάσδε ποινὰς ἀμπλακημάτων τίνω

ὑπαίθριος δεσμοῖς πεπασσαλευμένος πασσαλευμένος seu πασσαλευτός.

Α α, ἔα ἔα,

τίς ἀχώ, τίς ὀδμὰ
115

προσέπτα μ' ἀφεγγής ;

θεόσυτος, ἢ βρότειος, ἢ κεκραμένη ;

ἵκετο τερμόνιον ἐπὶ πάγον

πόνων ἐμῶν θεωρός, ἢ τί δὴ θέλων ;

Ὁρᾶτε δεσμώτην με δύσποτμον θεόν,
120

τὸν Διὸς ἐχθρόν, τὸν πᾶσι θεοῖς

δι' ἀπεχθείας ἐλθόνθ' ὁπόσοι

τὴν Διὸς αὐλὴν εἰσοιχνεῦσιν

διὰ τὴν λίαν φιλότητα βροτῶν.

Φεῦ φεῦ, τί ποτ' αὖ κινάθισμα κλύω
125

πέλας οἰωνῶν ; αἰθὴρ δ' ἐλαφραῖς

πτερύγων ῥιπαῖς ὑποσυρίζει·

πᾶν μοι φοβερὸν τὸ προσέρπον.

Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης (OCR draft) Experimental (Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης. N. Wecklein, 1885.) — 1 focus

Χθονὸς μὲν εἰς τηλουρὸν ἥκομεν πέδον,
1

Σκύθην ἐς οἶμον, ἄβροτον εἰς ἐρημίαν.

Ἥφαιστε, σοὶ δὲ χρὴ μέλειν ἐπιστολὰς

ἃς σοι πατὴρ ἐφεῖτο, τόνδε πρὸς πέτραις

ὑψηλοκρήμνοις τὸν λεωργὸν ὀχμάσαι
5

ἀδαμαντίνων δεσμῶν ἐν ἀρρήκτοις πέδαις.

τὸ σὸν γὰρ ἄνθος, παντέχνου πυρὸς σέλας,

θνητοῖσι κλέψας ὤπασεν· τοιᾶσδέ τοι

ἁμαρτίας σφε δεῖ θεοῖς δοῦναι δίκην,

ὡς ἂν διδαχθῇ τὴν Διὸς τυραννίδα
10

στέργειν, φιλανθρώπου δὲ παύεσθαι τρόπου.

Ἥφαιστος.

Κράτος Βία τε, σφῷν μὲν ἐντολὴ Διὸς

¹²³⁴⁵⁶⁷

ἄβροτον ἄβροτον ἄβατόν τ' (ἄβατον recc.) ⁸ ἀδαμαντίνων δεσμῶν ἐν ἀρρήκτοις πέδαις ἀδαμαντίνων δεσμῶν ἐν ἀρρήκτοις πέδαις ἀδαμαντίναις πέδαισιν ἐν ἀρρήκτοις πέτραις ⁹

4 AESCHYLI

ἔχει τέλος δὴ κοὐδὲν ἐμποδὼν ἔτι·

ἐγὼ δ᾽ ἄτολμός εἰμι συγγενῆ θεὸν

δῆσαι βίᾳ φάραγγι πρὸς δυσχειμέρῳ.

πάντως δ᾽ ἀνάγκη τῶνδέ μοι τόλμαν σχεθεῖν·

εὐωριάζειν γὰρ πατρὸς λόγους βαρύ.

τῆς ὀρθοβούλου θέμιδος αἰπυμῆτα παῖ,

ἄκοντά σ᾽ ἄκων δυσλύτοις χαλκεύμασι

προσπασσαλεύσω τῷδ᾽ ἀπανθρώπῳ πάγῳ,

ἵν᾽ οὔτε φωνὴν οὔτε του μορφὴν βροτῶν

ὄψει, σταθευτὸς δ᾽ ἡλίου φοίβῃ φλογὶ

χροιᾶς ἀμείψεις ἄνθος· ἀσμένῳ δέ σοι

ἡ ποικιλείμων νὺξ ἀποκρύψει φάος,

πάχνην θ᾽ ἑψαν ἥλιος σκεδᾷ πάλιν·

ἀεὶ δὲ τοῦ παρόντος ἀχθηδὼν κακοῦ

τρύσει σ'· ὁ λωφήσων γὰρ οὐ πέφυκέ πω.

¹⁰¹¹¹²¹³¹⁴¹⁵¹⁶¹⁷¹⁸¹⁹

δυσχειμέρῳ τῆς δυσχειμέρωι σχεθεῖν σχέθειν εὐωριάζειν ἐξωριάζειν εὐωριάζειν πάγῳ πάγῳ τόπωι ἀεὶ αἰεὶ

PROMETHEVS VINCTUS. 5

τοιαῦτ᾽ ἐπηύρου τοῦ φιλανθρώπου τρόπου.

θεὸς θεῶν γὰρ οὐχ ὑποπτήσσων χόλον

βροτοῖσι τιμὰς ὤπασας πέρα δίκης.

ἀνθ' ὧν ἀτερπῆ τήνδε φρουρήσεις πέτραν,

ὀρθοστάδην, ἄυπνος, οὐ κάμπτων γόνυ·

πολλοὺς δ᾽ ὀδυρμοὺς καὶ γόους ἀνωφελεῖς

φθέγξη· Διὸς γὰρ δυσπαραίτητοι φρένες.

ἅπας δὲ τραχὺς ὅστις ἂν νέον κρατῇ.

ΚΡ.

εἶεν, τί μέλλεις καὶ κατοικτίζῃ μάτην;

τί τὸν θεοῖς ἔχθιστον οὐ στυγεῖς θεόν,

ὅστις τὸ σὸν θνητοῖσι προύδωκεν γέρας;

ΗΦ.

τὸ συγγενές τοι δεινὸν ἥ θ᾽ ὁμιλία.

ΚΡ.

σύμφημ᾽· ἀνηκουστεῖν δὲ τῶν πατρὸς λόγων
40

οἷόν τε; πῶς οὐ τοῦτο δειμαίνεις πλέον;

ΗΦ.

ἀεί τε δὴ νηλής σὺ καὶ θράσους πλέως.

ΚΡ.

ἄκος γὰρ οὐδὲν τόνδε θρηνεῖσθαι· σὺ δὲ

τὰ μηδὲν ὠφελοῦντα μὴ πίνει μάτην.

ΗΦ.

ὦ πολλὰ μισηθεῖσα χειρωναξία.
45

ΚΡ.

τί νιν στυγεῖς; πόνων γὰρ ὡς ἁπλῷ λόγῳ

²⁰²¹²²²³²⁴²⁵²⁶

ἐπηύρου ἐπηύρω²⁷ ὅστις ὅτις ²⁸ ²⁹ ἀεί τε αἰεί γε τόνδε τῶνδε

6 AESCHYLI

τῶν νῦν παρόντων οὐδὲν αἰτία τέχνη.

ΗΦ.

ἔμπας τις αὐτὴν ἄλλος ὤφελεν λαχεῖν.

ΚΡ.

ἅπαντ᾽ ἐπαχθῆ πλὴν θεοῖσι κοιρανεῖν·

ἐλεύθερος γὰρ οὔτις ἐστὶ πλὴν Διός.
50

ΗΦ.

ἔγνωκα τοῖσδε κοὐδὲν ἀντειπεῖν ἔχω.

ΚΡ.

οὔκουν ἐπείξῃ τῷδε δεσμὰ περιβαλεῖν,

ὡς μή σ' ἐλινύοντα προσδερχθῇ πατήρ;

ΗΦ.

καὶ δὴ πρόχειρα ψέλια δέρκεσθαι πάρα.

ΚΡ.

βαλών νιν ἀμφὶ χερσὶν ἐγκρατεῖ σθένει
55

ῥαιστῆρι θεῖνε, πασσάλευε πρὸς πέτραις.

ΗΦ.

περαίνεται δὴ κοὐ ματᾷ τουργον τόδε.

ΚΡ.

ἄρασσε μᾶλλον, σφίγγε, μηδαμῆ χάλα.

δεινὸς γὰρ εὑρεῖν κἀξ ἀμηχάνων πόρους.

ΗΦ.

ἄραρεν ηδε γ᾽ ὠλένη δυσεκλύτως.
60

ΚΡ.

καὶ τήνδε νῦν πόρπασον ἀσφαλῶς, ἵνα

μάθῃ σοφιστὴς ὢν Διὸς νωθέστερος.

ΗΦ.

πλὴν τοῦδ᾽ ἂν οὐδεὶς ἐνδίκως μέμψαιτό μοι.

ΚΡ.

ἀδαμαντίνου νῦν σφηνὸς αὐθάδη γνάθον

στέρνων διαμπὰξ πασσάλευ᾽ ἐρρωμένως.
65

ΗΦ.

αἰαῖ, Προμηθεῦ, σῶν ὑπὸ στένω πόνων.

ΚΡ.

σὺ δ᾽ αὖ κατοκνεῖς τῶν Διός τ' ἐχθρῶν ὅπερ

³⁰³¹³²³³³⁴³⁵³⁶³⁷³⁸

ἐπαχθῆ ἐπράχθη³⁹ ψέλια ψέλια ψάλια βαλών λαβών⁴⁰ πόρους πόρον⁴¹ ὑπὸ στένω ὑποστένω ὑπερστένω⁴²

PROMETHEVS VINCTVS. 7

στένεις; ὅπως μὴ σαυτὸν οἰκτιεῖς ποτε.

ΗΦ.

ὁρᾷς θέαμα δυσθέατον ὄμμασιν.

ΚΡ.

ὁρῶ κυροῦντα τόνδε τῶν ἐπαξίων.
70

ἀλλ᾽ ἀμφὶ πλευραῖς μασχαλιστῆρας βάλε.

ΗΦ.

δρᾶν ταῦτ᾽ ἀνάγκη, μηδὲν ἐγκέλευ' ἄγαν.

ΚΡ.

ἢ μὴν κελεύσω καπιθωύξω γε πρός.

χώρει κάτω, σκέλη δὲ κίρκωσον βίᾳ.

ΗΦ.

καὶ δὴ πέπρακται τοὔργον οὐ μακρῷ πόνῳ.
75

ΚΡ.

ἐρρωμένως νῦν θεῖνε διατόρους πέδας·

ὡς οἱπιτιμητής γε τῶν ἔργων βαρύς.

ΗΦ.

ὅμοια μορφῇ γλῶσσά σου γηρύεται.

ΚΡ.

σὺ μαλθακίζου, τὴν δ᾽ ἐμὴν αὐθαδίαν

ὀργῆς τε τραχυτῆτα μὴ ἐπίπλησσέ μοι.
80

ΗΦ.

στείχωμεν, ὡς κώλοισιν ἀμφίβληστρ᾽ ἔχει.

ΚΡ.

ἐνταῦθα νῦν ὕβριζε, καὶ θεῶν γέρα

συλῶν ἐφημέροισι προστίθει. τί σοι

οἷοί τε θνητοὶ τῶνδ᾽ ἀπαντλῆσαι πόνων;

ψευδωνύμως σε δαίμονες Προμηθέα
85

καλοῦσιν· αὐτὸν γάρ σε δεῖ προμηθέως,

ὅτῳ τρόπῳ τῆσδ᾽ ἐκκυλισθήσῃ τέχνης.

⁴³⁴⁴⁴⁵⁴⁶⁴⁷⁴⁸⁴⁹⁵⁰⁵¹⁵²

τόνδε των δε γε γε σε (σ in γ mutavit m¹) τραχυτῆτα τραχύτητα

8 AESCHYLI

Προμηθεύς.

ὦ δῖος αἰθὴρ καὶ ταχύπτεροι πνοαί,

ποταμῶν τε πηγαί, ποντίων τε κυμάτων

ἀνήριθμον γέλασμα, παμμῆτόρ τε γῆ,
90

καὶ τὸν πανόπτην κύκλον ἡλίου καλῶ·

ἴδεσθέ μ' οἷα πρὸς θεῶν πάσχω θεός.

δέρχθηθ' οἵαις αἰκίαισιν

διακναιόμενος τὸν μυριετῆ

χρόνον ἀθλεύσω. τοιόνδ᾽ ὁ νέος
95

ταγὸς μακάρων ἐξηῦρ᾽ ἐπ᾿ ἐμοὶ

δεσμὸν ἀεικῆ.

φεῦ φεῦ, τὸ παρὸν τό τ᾽ ἐπερχόμενον

πῆμα στενάχω, πῇ ποτε μόχθων

χρὴ τέρματα τῶνδ᾽ ἐπιτεῖλαι.
100

καίτοι τί φημί, πάντα προεξεπίσταμαι

σκεθρῶς τὰ μέλλοντ', οὐδέ μοι ποταίνιον

πῆμ᾽ οὐδὲν ἥξει. τὴν πεπρωμένην δὲ χρὴ

αἶσαν φέρειν ὡς ῥᾷστα, γιγνώσκονθ᾽ ὅτι

τὸ τῆς ἀνάγκης ἔστ᾽ ἀδήριτον σθένος.
105

ἀλλ᾽ οὔτε σιγᾶν οὔτε μὴ σιγᾶν τύχας

οἷόν τέ μοι τάσδ᾽ ἐστί. θνητοῖς γὰρ γέρα

⁵³⁵⁴⁵⁵⁵⁶⁵⁷⁵⁸⁵⁹

δῖος διὸς⁶⁰ παμμῆτόρ παμμητόρ παμμήτωρ αἰκίαισιν αἰκίαισι ἐξηῦρ᾽ ἐξεῦρο πῇ ποί⁶¹ πεπρωμένην πεπρωμένην ⁶²

PROMETHEVS VINCTVS. 9

πορὼν ἀνάγκαις ταῖσδ᾽ ἐνέζευγμαι τάλας.

ναρθηκοπλήρωτον δὲ θηρῶμαι πυρὸς

πηγὴν κλοπαίαν, ἣ διδάσκαλος τέχνης

110

πάσης βροτοῖς πέφηνε καὶ μέγας πόρος.

τοιῶνδε ποινὰς ἀμπλακημάτων τίνω,

ὑπαιθρίοις δεσμοῖσι προυσελούμενος.

ἔα ἔα.

τίς ἀχώ, τίς ὀδμὰ

115

προσέπτα μ' ἀφεγγής,

θεόσυτος ἢ βρότειος ἢ κεκραμένη;

ἵκετο τερμόνιον ἐπὶ πάγον

πόνων ἐμῶν θεωρός, ἢ τί δὴ θέλων;

ὁρᾶτε δεσμώτην με δύσποτμον θεόν,

120

τὸν Διὸς ἐχθρόν, τὸν πᾶσι θεοῖς

δι' ἀπεχθείας ἐλθόνθ᾽ ὁπόσοι

⁶³⁶⁴⁶⁵⁶⁶⁶⁷⁶⁸⁶⁹⁷⁰

τοιῶνδε τοιῶνδε τοιάσδε ὑπαιθρίοις ὑπαίθριος⁷¹ προυσελούμενος πασσαλευμένος⁷² ⁷³ θεόσυτος θεόσυτος θεόσσυτοσ ἐμῶν ἐμῶν ἡμῶν ⁷⁴

10 AESCHYLI

τὴν Διὸς αὐλὴν εἰσοιχνεῦσιν,

διὰ τὴν λίαν φιλότητα βροτῶν.

φεῦ φεῦ, τί ποτ᾽ αὖ κινάθισμα κλύω

125

πέλας οἰωνῶν;

αἰθὴρ δ᾽ ἐλαφραῖς πτερύγων ῥιπαῖς

ὑποσυρίζει.

πᾶν μοι φοβερὸν τὸ προσέρπον.

Χορὸς ἐξ Ὠκεανίδων.

Aeschyli Prometheus Vinctus (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschyli Prometheus Vinctus. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1914.) — 1 focus

ΚΡΑΤΟΣ

Χθονὸς μὲν εἰς τηλουρὸν ἥκομεν πέδον,
1

Σκύθην ἐς οἷμον, ἄβροτον εἰς ἐρημίαν.

Ἥφαιστε, σοὶ δὲ χρὴ μέλειν ἐπιστολάς

ἃς σοι πατὴρ ἐφεῖτο, τόνδε πρὸς πέτραις

ὑψηλοκρήμνοις τὸν λεωργὸν ὀχμάσαι
5

ἀδαμαντίνων δεσμῶν ἐν ἀρρήκτοις πέδαις.

τὸ σὸν γὰρ ἄνθος, παντέχνου πυρὸς σέλας,

θνητοῖσι κλέψας ὤπασεν· τοιᾶσδέ τοι

ἁμαρτίας σφε δεῖ θεοῖς δοῦναι δίκην,

ὡς ἂν διδαχθῆι τὴν Διὸς τυραννίδα
10

στέργειν, φιλανθρώπου δὲ παύεσθαι τρόπου.

ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ.

Κράτος Βία τε, σφῶιν μὲν ἐντολὴ Διός

ἔχει τέλος δή, κοὐδὲν ἐμποδὼν ἔτι·

Apparatus Criticus

οἷμον οἷμον ² οἶμoν ³ ἄβροτον ἄβροτον (ἄδροπον) ἄβατον ἄβατόν τ’ ἐπιστολάς ἐπιτολὰs ἀδαμαντίνων δεσμῶν ἐν ἀρρήκτοις πέδαις sic ἀδαμαντίναις (-νοις, -νης) πέδησιν (-αισιν) ἐν (om. P1V1FKTr) ἀρρήκτοις πέδαιs ἀρρ. λέγω σφῶιν σφῶι ἐμποδὼν ἔτι ἐμποδών ἐστι ἐμπ. μάτην

Testim.:

1 Schol. Aristoph. Ran. 814: Αἰσχύλος πρὸς τὸ βροντῶδες τῶν ῥημάτων καὶ κομπῶδες, οἱά ἐστι κἀκεῖνα ἐν ἀρχῆι τοῦ Προμηθέως, χθονός – πέδαις 1-6 καὶ πάλιν, ἀδαμαντ. – ἐρρωμένως 64. 65 (R desinit in ἄβατον ν. 2). Schol. BV Hom. Ξ 78 καὶ Αἰσ. ἄβροτον εἰς ἐρημίαν, ἐν ἡι φὼς οὐ γίνεται.

2 Steph. Βyz. Σκύθαι καὶ Σκύθης ὅμιλος (Pr. 417) καὶ Σκύθην ἐς οἶμον (2) καὶ Σκύθης [ ] σίδηρος (Sept. 817). Hesych. ἄβροτον ἀπάνθρωπον (cf. 20).

3 Hesych. ἐπιστολαί, ἐντολαὶ ἐπιταγαί, Αἰσ. Προμ. 5 Suid. λεωργός Αἰσ. πέ- τραις – ὀχμάσαι, περὶ Προμηθέως etc. cf. Schol. in M truncata, Hesych. Et. M. s. v.

ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ
⁴

ἐγὼ δ᾽ ἄτολμός εἰμι συγγενή θεόν

δῆσαι βίαι φάραγγι πρὸς δυσχειμέρωι·
15

πάντως δ᾽ ἀνάγκη τῶνδέ μοι τόλμαν σχεθεῖν·

εὐωριάζειν γὰρ πατρὸς λόγους βαρύ.

τῆς ὀρθοβούλου θέμιδος αἰπυμῆτα παῖ,

ἄκοντά σ᾽ ἄκων δυσλύτοις χαλκεύμασιν

προσπασσαλεύσω τῶιδ᾽ ἀπανθρώπωι πάγωι,
20

ἵν᾽ οὔτε φωνὴν οὔτε του μορφὴν βροτῶν

ὄψηι, σταθευτὸς δ᾽ ἡλίου φοίβηι φλογί

χροιᾶς ἀμείψεις ἄνθος· ἀσμένωι δέ σοι

ἡ ποικιλείμων νὺξ ἀποκρύψει φάος,

πάχνην θ᾽ ἑώιαν ἥλιος σκεδᾶι πάλιν·
25

ἀεὶ δὲ τοῦ παρόντος ἀχθηδὼν κακοῦ

τρύσει σ᾽· ὁ λωφήσων γὰρ οὐ πέφυκέ πω.

τοιαῦτ᾽ ἐπηύρου τοῦ φιλανθρώπου τρόπου.

θεὸς θεῶν γὰρ οὐχ ὑποπτήσσων χόλον

βροτοῖσι τιμὰς ὤπασας πέρα δίκης.
30

ἀνθ᾽ ὧν ἀτερπῆ τήνδε φρουρήσεις πέτραν

ὀρθοστάδην, ἄυπνος, οὐ κάμπτων γόνυ·

πολλοὺς δ᾽ ὀδυρμοὺς καὶ γόους ἀνωφελεῖς

φθέγξηι· Διὸς γὰρ δυσπαραίτητοι φρένες·

ἅπας δὲ τραχὺς ὅστις ἂν νέον κρατῆι.
35

ΚΡ.

εἶεν, τί μέλλεις καὶ κατοικτίζηι μάτην;

τί τὸν θεοῖς ἔχθιστον οὐ στυγεῖς θεόν,

ὅστις τὸ σὸν θνητοῖσι προὔδωκεν γέρας;

ΗΦ.

τὸ συγγενές τοι δεινὸν ἡ θ᾽ ὁμιλία.

ΚΡ.

σύμφημ᾿· ἀνηκουστεῖν δὲ τῶν πατρὸς λόγων
40

οἷόν τε πῶς; οὐ τοῦτο δειμαίνεις πλέον;

ΗΦ.

αἰεί τι δὴ νηλὴς σὺ καὶ θράσους πλέως.

ΚΡ.

ἄκος γὰρ οὐδὲν τόνδε θρηνεῖσθαι· σὺ δέ

Testim.:

22 Hesych. σταθευτός· πεφλογισμένος ἠρέμα. Cram. An. Par. IV 14 ὀρθοστάδην παρ᾿ Αἰσ. ἐν Πρ.

32 Et. Paris.

Apparatus Criticus

πρὸς πρὸς supra τῆι τῆι supra πρός εὐωριάζειν ἐξωριάζειν corr. Porson ex Hesych. et Phot. εὐωριάζειν (ὀλιγωρεῖν) ἄκοντά σ᾽ ἄκων ἄκοντ᾽ ἄκων σε προσπασσαλεύσω προσ- πατταλ. πάγωι τόπωι βροτῶν βροτῶν θεῶν utrumque ὄψηι ὄψει ἀεὶ αἰεί πω που ἐπηύρου ἐπηύρω ἀπηύρω corr. Elmsley πέρα δίκης δίκης πέρα δ᾽ om. τοι τε τι πῶς; post πῶς interpungunt ante πῶς utrobique τι τι (vel τοι) τε γε

ΚΡ.
⁵

τὰ μηδὲν ὠφελοῦντα μὴ πόνει μάτην.

ΗΦ.

ὦ πολλὰ μισηθεῖσα χειρωναξία.
45

ΚΡ.

τί νιν στυγεῖς; πόνων γὰρ ὡς ἁπλῶι λόγωι

τῶν νῦν παρόντων οὐδὲν αἰτία τέχνη.

ΗΦ.

ἔμπας τις αὐτὴν ἄλλος ὤφελεν λαχεῖν.

ΚΡ.

ἅπαντ᾽ ἐπαχθῆ πλὴν θεοῖσι κοιρανεῖν·

ἐλεύθερος γὰρ οὔτις ἐστὶ πλὴν Διός.
50

ΗΦ.

ἔγνωκα τοῖσδε, κοὐδὲν ἀντειπεῖν ἔχω.

ΚΡ.

οὔκουν ἐπείξηι δεσμὰ τῶιδε περιβαλεῖν,

ὡς μή σ᾽ ἐλινύοντα προσδερχθῆι πατήρ;

ΗΦ.

καὶ δὴ πρόχειρα ψάλια δέρκεσθαι πάρα.

ΚΡ.

βαλών νιν ἀμφὶ χερσὶν ἐγκρατεῖ σθένει
55

ῥαιστῆρι θεῖνε, πασσάλευε πρὸς πέτραις.

ΗΦ.

περαίνεται δὴ κου ματᾶι τοὔργον τόδε.

ΚΡ.

ἄρασσε μᾶλλον, σφίγγε, μηδαμῆι χάλα.

δεινὸς γὰρ εὑρεῖν κἀξ ἀμηχάνων πόρον.

ΗΦ.

ἄραρεν ἥδε γ᾽ ὠλένη δυσεκλύτως.
60

ΚΡ.

καὶ τήνδε νῦν πόρπασον ἀσφαλῶς, ἵνα

μάθηι σοφιστὴς ὢν Διὸς νωθέστερος.

ΗΦ.

ἤν· τοῦδ᾽ ἂν οὐδεὶς ἐνδίκως μέμψαιτό μοι.

ΚΡ.

ἀδαμαντίνου νῦν σφηνὸς αὐθάδη γνάθον

στέρνων διαμπὰξ πασσάλευ᾽ ἐρρωμένως.
65

ΗΦ.

αἰαῖ, Προμηθεῦ σῶν ὑπερστένω πόνων.

ΚΡ.

σὺ δ᾽ αὖ κατοκνεῖς τῶν Διός τ᾽ ἐχθρῶν ὕπερ

στένεις; ὅπως μὴ σαυτὸν οἰκτιεῖς ποτε.

Testim.:

44 Stob. Fl. IV 16, 1 (58, 6) Αἰσ. Πρ. δεσμ. Clemens Str. V 5, 1 Αἰσ.

45 Phrynichus Bekk. An. 72 χειρωναξία· πολὺ μὲn τὸ χειρῶναξ, τὸ δ᾽ ἔργον οὐχ οὕτως, κἂn Αἰσχύλος δόκιμον ποιῆι τὴν φωνήν.

59 schol. deter. Aristoph. Equ. 759 ταῦτα παρὰ τὰ ἐν Πρ. Αἰσ., δεινός – πόρους

60 adfert Orus, Cramer An. Par. IV 262 (cf. Reitzenstein Gesch. der gr. Etym. 340) Αἰσ. ἄραρεν – δυσεκχύτως

64 65 cf. ad 1.

⁶⁷

Apparatus Criticus

ἅπαντ᾽ ἐπαχθῆ ἐπράχθη corr. Stanley τοῖσδε, ante τοῖσδε interpungunt post τοῖσδε interpungunt neutro loco ἐλινύοντα ἐλινύοντα έλινν. ⁸ ψάλια ψάλια ψάλλια ψέλια βαλών λαβών corr. Stanley μᾶλλον μᾶλλα μάλα πόρον πόρους ⁹ ἤν πλήν ἤν scripsi ὑπερστένω ὑποστένω δ᾽ αὖ δ᾽ οὖν τ᾽ om.

ΗΦ.

ὁρᾶις θέαμα δυσθέατον ὄμμασιν.

ΚΡ.

ὁρῶ κυροῦντα τόνδε τῶν ἐπαξίων.
70

ἀλλ᾽ ἀμφὶ πλευραῖς μασχαλιστῆρας βάλε.

ΗΦ.

δρᾶν ταῦτ᾽ ἀνάγκη, μηδὲν ἐγκέλευ᾽ ἄγαν.

ΚΡ.

ἢ μὴν κελεύσω κἀπιθωύξω γε πρός.

χώρει κάτω, σκέλη δὲ κίρκωσον βίαι.

ΗΦ.

καὶ δὴ πέπρακται τοὔργον οὐ μακρῶι πόνωι.
75

ΚΡ.

ἐρρωμένως νῦν θεῖνε διατόρους πέδας·

ὡς οὑπιτιμητής γε τῶν ἔργων βαρύς.

ΗΦ.

ὅμοια μορφῆι γλῶσσά σου γηρύεται.

ΚΡ.

σὺ μαλθακίζου, τὴν δ᾽ ἐμὴν αὐθαδίαν

ὀργῆς τε τραχύτητα μὴ ᾿πίπλησσέ μοι.
80

ΗΦ.

στείχωμεν, ὡς κώλοισιν ἀμφίβληστρ᾽ ἔχει.

ΚΡ.

ἐνταῦθα νῦν ὕβριζε καὶ θεῶν γέρα

συλῶν ἐφημέροισι προστίθει. τί σοι

οἷοί τε θνητοὶ τῶνδ᾽ ἀπαντλῆσαι πόνων;

ψευδωνύμως σε δαίμονες Προμηθέα
85

καλοῦσιν· αὐτὸν γάρ σε δεῖ προμηθέως,

ὅτωι τρόπωι τῆσδ᾽ ἐκκυλισθήσηι τέχνης.

ΠΡΟΜΗθΕΥΣ

ὦ δῖος αἰθὴρ καὶ ταχύπτεροι πνοαί

ποταμῶν τε πηγαὶ ποντίων τε κυμάτων

ἀνήριθμον γέλασμα παμμῆτόρ τε γῆ,
90

καὶ τὸν πανόπτην κύκλον ἡλίου καλῶ·

ἴδεσθέ μ᾽ οἷα πρὸς θεῶν πάσχω θεός.

δέρχθηθ᾽ οἷαις αἰκείαισιν

¹⁰

Testim.:

86 perperam huc refertur Schol. Pind. Pyth. 5, 36d...

90 Phot. Berol. ἀνήριθμον· ἀναρίθμητον Αἰσ. Πρ.

Apparatus Criticus

τόνδε τῶνδε πλευραῖς πλευράς δρᾶν ταῦτ᾽ δρᾶν τάδ' γε δέ σε κίρκωσον κρίκωσον μακρῶι πόνωι χρόνωι ἐν μ. γε σε γε σε γηρύεται γαρύεται τραχύτητα θρασύτητα τέχνης τύχης δῖος δῖος διός πηγαὶ ῥευμάτων παμμῆτόρ παμμήτωρ αἰκείαισιν ἀνίαισι αἰκίαισι

ΠΡΟΜΗθΕΥΣ
¹¹

διακναιόμενος τὸν μυριετῆ

χρόνον ἀθλεύσω.

τοιόνδ᾽ ὁ νέος ταγὸς μακάρων

ἐξηῦρ᾽ ἐπ᾿ ἐμοὶ δεσμὸν ἀεικῆ.

φεῦ φεῦ, τὸ παρὸν τό τ᾽ ἐπερχόμενον

πῆμα στενάχω· πῆι ποτε μόχθων

χρὴ τέρματα τῶνδ᾽ ἐπιτεῖλαι.

100

καίτοι τί φημί; πάντα προὐξεπίσταμαι

σκεθρῶς τὰ μέλλοντ᾽, οὐδέ μοι ποταίνιον

πῆμ᾽ οὐδὲν ἥξει. τὴν πεπρωμένην δὲ χρή

αἶσαν φέρειν ὡς ῥᾶιστα, γιγνώσκονθ᾽ ὅτι

τὸ τῆς ἀνάγκης ἔστ᾽ ἀδήριτον σθένος.
105

ἀλλ᾽ οὔτε σιγᾶν οὔτε μὴ σιγᾶν τύχας

οἷόν τέ μοι τάσδ᾽ ἐστί. θνητοῖς γὰρ γέρα

πορὼν ἀνάγκαις ταῖσδ᾽ ἐνέζευγμαι τάλας·

ναρθηκοπλήρωτον δὲ θηρῶμαι πυρός

πηγὴν κλοπαίαν, ἢ διδάσκαλος τέχνης
110

πάσης βροτοῖς πέφηνε καὶ μέγας πόρος.

τοιῶνδε ποινὰς ἀμπλακημάτων τίνων

ὑπαίθριος δεσμοῖσι πασσαλεύομαι.

ἀἀ ἔα ἔα.

τίς ἀχώ, τίς ὀδμὰ προσέπτα μ᾿ ἀφεγγής;
115

θεόσυτος ἢ βρότειος ἢ κεκραμένη;

τερμόνιον ἵκετ᾽ ἐπὶ πάγον πόνων ἐμῶν

Testim.:

109 Hesych. ναρθηκοπλ.-πηγήν cum longo scholio. Schol. Hom. € 490 ad σπέρμα πυρός, Αἰσχ. ἐν Προμ. δεσμ. ναρθηκ.-κλοπαίαν.

Apparatus Criticus

ἀθλεύσω ἀθλεύσω ἀεθλεύσω ἐξηῦρ᾽ ἐξεῦρ᾽ φεῦ φεῦ φεῦ φεῦ αἳ αἳ utrumque πῆι πῆ ποῖ (vel ποί) τέρματα τέρμα τέρμα χρὴ σκεθρῶς τορῶς θνητοῖς θνητοῖσι ἐνέζευγμαι ἐνέζευγμαι ἐπέζ. ὑπέζ. πηγὴν παγήν κλοπαίαν κλοπήας πέφηνε πέφυκεν πέφηνε τοιῶνδε ... τίνων τοιάσδε τοιῶνδε coni. Stanley τίνω correxi πασσαλεύομαι πασσαλεύμένος -εύμενος -ευμένος -ευόμενος πασσαλευτός πε πασσαλευμένος πασσαλευτὸς ὧν correxi ἀἀ ἔα ἔα paragraphus praefixa προσέπτα προσέπτατο θεόσυτος θεóσσυτος τερμόνιον ἵκετ᾽ ἵκετο ... τερμόνιον traieci ἐμῶν ἡμῶν

ΠΡΟΜΗθΕΥΣ
¹²

θεωρός, ἢ τί δὴ θέλων;

ὁρᾶτε δεσμώτην με δύσποτμον θεόν,

τὸν Διὸς ἐχθρόν, τὸν πᾶσι θεοῖς
120

δι᾽ ἀπεχθείας ἐλθόνθ᾽ ὁπόσοι

τὴν Διὸς αὐλὴν εἰσοιχνεῦσιν

διὰ τὴν λίαν φιλότητα βροτῶν.

φεῦ φεῦ, τί ποτ᾽ αὖ κινάθισμα κλύω

πέλας οἰωνῶν, αἰθὴρ δ᾽ ἐλαφραῖς

125

πτερύγων ῥιπαῖς ὑποσυρίζει;

πᾶν μοι φοβερὸν τὸ προσέρπον.

Translations (8)

Prometheus Bound. (OCR draft) Experimental (Prometheus Bound.. Theodore Alois Buckley, 1849.) — 1 focus

We are come to a plain, the distant boundary of the earth, to the Scythian track, to an untrodden desert. Vulcan, it behoves thee that the mandates, which thy Sire imposed, be thy concern,—to bind this daring wretch to the lofty-cragged rocks, in fetters of adamantine chains that cannot be broken. For he stole and gave to mortals thy honour, the brilliancy of fire [that aids] all arts . Hence for such a trespass he must needs give retribution to the gods; that he may be taught to submit to the sovereignty of Jupiter, and to cease from his philanthropic disposition.

VULCAN

Strength and Force, as far as you are concerned, the mandate of Jupiter has now

its consummation, and there is no further obstacle. But I have not the courage to bind perforce a kindred god to this weather-beaten ravine. Yet in every way it is necessary for me to take courage for this task; for a dreadful thing it is to disregard

the directions of the Sire

. Lofty-scheming son of right-counselling Themis, unwilling shall I rivet thee unwilling in indissoluble shackles to this solitary rock, where nor voice nor form of any one of mortals shalt thou see

; but slowly scorched by the bright blaze of the sun thou shalt lose the bloom of thy complexion; and to thee joyous shall night in spangled robe

veil the light; and the sun again disperse the hoar-frost of the morn; and evermore shall the pain of the present evil waste thee; for no one yet born shall release thee. Such fruits hast thou reaped from thy friendly disposition to mankind. For thou, a god, not crouching beneath the wrath of the gods, hast imparted to mortals honours beyond what was right. In requital whereof thou shalt keep sentinel on this cheerless rock, standing erect, sleepless, not bending a knee

: and many laments and unavailing groans shalt thou utter; for the heart of Jupiter is hard to be entreated; and every one that has newly acquired power is stern.

STRENGTH

Well, well! Why art thou delaying and vainly commiserating? Why loathest thou not the god that is most hateful to the gods, who has betrayed thy prerogative to mortals?

VULCAN

Relationship and intimacy are of great power.

STRENGTH

I grant it—but how is it possible to disobey the Sire's word? Dreadest thou not this the rather?

VULCAN

Aye truly thou art ever pitiless and full of boldness.

STRENGTH

For to deplore this wretch is no cure [for him]. But concern not thou thyself vainly with matters that are of no advantage.

VULCAN

O much detested handicraft!

STRENGTH

Wherefore loathest thou it! for with the ills now present thy craft in good truth is not at all chargeable.

VULCAN

For all that, I would that some other had obtained this.

STRENGTH

Every thing has been achieved except for the gods to rule; for no one is free save Jupiter

.

VULCAN

I know it—and I have nothing to say against it

.

STRENGTH

Wilt thou not then bestir thyself to cast fetters about this wretch, that the Sire may not espy thee loitering?

VULCAN

Aye, and in truth you may see the manacles ready.

STRENGTH

Take them, and with mighty force clench them with the mallet about his hands: rivet him close to the crags.

VULCAN

This work of ours is speeding to its consummation and loiters not.

STRENGTH

Smite harder, tighten, slacken at no point, for he hath cunning to find outlets even from impracticable difficulties.

VULCAN

This arm at all events is fastened inextricably.

STRENGTH

And now clasp this securely, that he may perceive himself to be a duller contriver than Jupiter.

VULCAN

Save this [sufferer], no one could with reason find fault with me—

STRENGTH

Now by main force rivet the ruthless fang of an adamantine wedge right through his breast

.

VULCAN

Alas! alas! Prometheus, I sigh over thy sufferings.

STRENGTH

Again art thou hanging back, and sighest thou over the enemies of Jupiter? Look to it, that thou hast not at some time to mourn for thyself.

VULCAN

Thou beholdest a spectacle ill-sighted to the eye.

STRENGTH

I behold this wretch receiving his deserts. But fling thou these girths round his sides.

VULCAN

I must needs do this; urge me not very much.

STRENGTH

Aye, but I will urge thee, and set thee on too. Move downwards, and strongly link his legs.

VULCAN

And in truth the task is done with no long toil.

STRENGTH

With main force now smite the galling fetters, since stern indeed is the inspector of this work.

VULCAN

Thy tongue sounds in accordance with thy form.

STRENGTH

Yield thou to softness, but taunt not me with ruthlessness and harshness of temper.

VULCAN

Let us go; since he hath the shackles about his limbs.

STRENGTH

There now be insolent; and after pillaging the prerogatives of the gods, confer them on creatures of a day. In what will mortals be able to alleviate these agonies of thine? By no true title do the divinities call thee Prometheus; for thou thyself hast need of a Prometheus, by means of which you will slip out of this fate

.

Exeunt STRENGTH and FORCE.

PROMETHEUS

O divine aether, and ye swift-winged breezes, and ye fountains of rivers, and countless dimpling of the waves of the deep, and thou earth, mother of all—and to the all-seeing orb of the Sun I appeal; look upon me, what treatment I, a god, am enduring at the hand of the gods! Behold with what indignities mangled I shall have to wrestle

through time of years innumerable. Such an ignominious bondage hath the new ruler of the immortals devised against me. Alas! alas! I sigh over the present suffering, and that which is coming on. How, where must a termination of these toils arise?

And yet what is it I am saying? I know beforehand all futurity exactly, and no suffering will come upon me unlooked-for. But I needs must bear my doom as easily as may be, knowing as I do, that the might of Necessity cannot be resisted.

But yet it is not possible for me either to hold my peace, or not to hold my peace touching these my fortunes. For having bestowed boons upon mortals, I am enthralled unhappy in these hardships. And I am he that searched out the source of fire, by stealth borne-off enclosed in a fennel-rod

, which has shewn itself a teacher of every art to mortals, and a great resource. Such then as this is the vengeance that I endure for my trespasses, being rivetted in fetters beneath the naked sky.

Hah! what sound, what ineffable odour hath been wafted to me, emanating from a god, or from mortal, or of some intermediate nature? Has there come any one to the remote rock as a spectator of my sufferings, or with what intent ! Behold me an ill-fated god in durance, the foe of Jupiter,

him that hath incurred the detestation of all the gods who frequent the court of Jupiter, by reason of my excessive friendliness to mortals. Alas! alas! what can this hasty motion of birds be which I again hear hard by me? The air too is whistling faintly with the whirrings of pinions. Every thing that approaches is to me an object of dread.

CHORUS

PROMÉTHÉE ENCHAINÉ (OCR draft) Experimental (PROMÉTHÉE ENCHAINÉ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 1 focus

Nous voici sur le sol d'une terre lointaine, cheminant au pays scythe ¹, dans un désert sans humains. Héphaistos, à toi de songer aux ordres que t'a dictés ton
père et, sur ces rochers aux cimes abruptes, d'enchaîner ce bandit dans l'infrangible entrave de liens de bon acier. Car de ton apanage, du feu brillant d'où naissent tous les arts, il a fait larcin, pour l'offrir aux mortels. Pareille faute doit
se payer aux dieux. Qu'il apprenne donc à se résigner au règne de Zeus et à cesser ce rôle de bienfaiteur des hommes.

HÉPHAISTOS

Pouvoir et Force, la mission de Zeus pour vous est achevée : rien ne vous retient plus. Mais moi, le cœur
me manque pour enchaîner de force un dieu, mon frère, à ce pic battu des tempêtes. Et, pourtant, il m'en faut trouver le courage : négliger l'ordre d'un père est faute lourdement punie.

(A Prométhée)

Fils aux pensers hardis de la sage Thémis, c'est malgré moi autant que malgré toi que
je te vais clouer à ce roc désolé dans des nœuds inextricables d'acier. Là, tu ne connaîtras plus ni voix ni visage

PROMÉTHÉE ENCHAINÉ

HÉPHAISTOS

humains, mais, brûlé des feux flamboyants du soleil, tu sentiras la fleur de ton teint se flétrir ; avec joie, toujours, tu verras la nuit dérober la lumière sous son manteau
d'étoiles, le soleil à son tour fondre le givre de l'aurore, sans que la douleur d'un mal toujours présent jamais cesse de te ronger, car nul libérateur n'est encore né pour toi. Voilà ce que tu as gagné à jouer le bienfaiteur des hommes. Dieu que n'effraie pas le courroux des dieux, tu as, en
livrant leurs honneurs aux hommes, transgressé le droit : en récompense, tu vas sur ce rocher monter une garde douloureuse, debout toujours, sans prendre de sommeil ni ployer les genoux. Tu pourras alors lancer des plaintes sans fin, des lamentations vaines : le cœur de Zeus est in-
flexible ; un nouveau maître est toujours dur.

POUVOIR

Allons ! pourquoi tarder, te lamenter en vain ? N'as-tu pas en horreur le dieu maudit des dieux qui a osé livrer ton privilège aux hommes ?

HÉPHAISTOS

Les liens du sang sont terriblement forts, quand s'y ajoute l'amitié.

POUVOIR

D'accord ! mais enfreindre l'ordre paternel, est-ce chose possible — et moins terrible à tes yeux ?

HÉPHAISTOS

Le cynisme en toi toujours est égal à la dureté !

POUVOIR

Se lamenter sur lui ne le guérira pas : ne te fatigue pas à gémir pour rien.

HÉPHAISTOS

Ah ! métier mille fois abhorré !

POUVOIR

Pourquoi le maudire ? De tous ces maux ton art, franchement, n'est point cause.

HÉPHAISTOS

Plût au Ciel cependant qu'il fût le lot d'un autre !

POUVOIR

Tout être a vu jadis son sort bien défini ² hormis le roi des dieux : nul n'est libre que Zeus !

HÉPHAISTOS

Je le vois ! à cela je n'ai rien à répondre.

PROMÉTHÉE ENCHAINÉ

POUVOIR

Hâte-toi donc de lui passer ses liens : que Zeus ici ne te voie pas traîner.

HÉPHAISTOS

Il peut me voir déjà le caveçon en mains.

POUVOIR

Mets-lui ce lien au bras ; puis, de toute ta force, frappe du marteau et cloue-le au rocher.

HÉPHAISTOS

Là ! l'ouvrage s'achève, et sans mécompte aucun.

POUVOIR

Frappe plus fort, serre,

ne laisse pas de jeu : même à l'inextricable il est capable de trouver une issue.

HÉPHAISTOS

Voilà un bras fixé, qu'il ne déliera pas.

POUVOIR

A celui-là ! Agrafe-le de solide façon : qu'il sache bien que sa malice est moins prompte que celle de Zeus.

HÉPHAISTOS

Seul, il serait en droit de blâmer mon ouvrage.

POUVOIR

Et maintenant, hardi ! enfonce en sa poitrine la dent opiniâtre de ce rivet d'acier.

HÉPHAISTOS

Ah ! Prométhée, tout bas je gémis de ta peine.

POUVOIR

Encore à hésiter, à gémir sur l'ennemi de Zeus ! Crains donc de gémir un jour sur toi-même.

HÉPHAISTOS

Tu vois ce que des yeux n'auraient jamais dû voir !

POUVOIR

Je vois qu'il a le sort qu'il avait mérité ! Allons ! jette autour de ses flancs la ceinture d'airain.

HÉPHAISTOS

J'y suis contraint : tes ordres sont de trop.

POUVOIR

Moi, je t'en veux donner, voire te harceler. Descends et enserre ses pieds.

HÉPHAISTOS

Voilà qui est fait, et sans longs efforts.

POUVOIR

De toute ta force, maintenant, frappe, et que l'entrave enfonce dans la chair. Dur est celui qui doit contrôler la besogne.

HÉPHAISTOS

Ah ! ton langage répond à ta figure.

PROMÉTHÉE ENCHAINÉ

POUVOIR

Sois faible à ton gré, sans pour cela me
faire de reproches, si ma nature est opiniâtre et dure.

HÉPHAISTOS

Partons : ses membres ont leur ajustement complet !

POUVOIR

Maintenant, fais ici l'insolent à ta guise, et vole aux dieux leurs privilèges pour les livrer aux éphémères. Quel allégement les humains seront-ils donc
capables d'apporter à tes peines ? C'est bien à tort que les dieux t'appellent Prométhée : trouve ailleurs qui te promette de te dégager de ces nœuds savants !

Ils sortent. Un très long silence.

PROMÉTHÉE

Ether

divin, vents à l'aile rapide, eaux
des fleuves, sourire innombrable des vagues marines, Terre, mère des êtres, et toi, Soleil, œil qui vois tout, je vous invoque ici : voyez ce qu'un dieu souffre par les dieux !

Mélodrame.

Contemplez les opprobres qui me déchirent et que j'en-

durerai pendant des jours sans nombre. Voilà donc les liens d'infamie qu'a imaginés pour moi le jeune chef des Bienheureux ! Las ! las ! et le mal qui m'accable et le mal qui m'attend m'arrachent des sanglots : après quelles
épreuves la délivrance luira-elle enfin ?

Parlé.

Mais que dis-je ? Tout entier, d'avance, sais-je pas l'avenir ? Nul malheur ne viendra sur moi que je n'aie prévu. Il faut porter d'un cœur léger le sort qui vous est fait
et comprendre qu'on ne lutte pas contre la force du Destin. Pourtant taire ces maux m'est aussi impossible que ne pas les taire. Oui, c'est pour avoir fait un don aux mortels que je ploie sous ce joug de douleurs, infortuné ! Un jour, au creux d'une férule, j'emporte mon butin, la semence de

PROMÉTHÉE ENCHAINÉ

PROMÉTHÉE

feu par moi dérobée, qui s'est révélée pour les hommes un maître de tous les arts, un trésor sans prix.

Voilà les fautes dont je paie la peine aux dieux, dans ces liens qui me clouent ici à la face du Ciel !

Animé.

Ah ! ah ! quel bruit, quel parfum invisible a volé jusqu'à moi ? Vient-il d'un dieu ? d'un homme ? d'un être tenant de tous deux ? A ce roc, frontière du monde, on vient donc contempler mes maux ? Ou bien que me veut-on ? Ah ! voyez enchaîné un dieu misérable !

Mélodrame.

C'est l'ennemi de Zeus, c'est celui qui a encouru la haine de tous les dieux qui fréquentent le palais

de Zeus, pour avoir trop aimé les hommes ! Ah ! ah ! encore ! Quel bruissement d'oiseaux entends-je près de moi ? A un batte-
ment d'ailes légères l'éther répond en sifflant. Toute approche m'emplit de crainte !

Un char ailé vient se poser sur le sommet le plus proche de celui où est enchaîné Prométhée. Il porte les Océanides. Un peu languissant.

LE CHŒUR

Prometheus Chained (OCR draft) Experimental (Prometheus Chained. Robert Potter, 1779.) — 1 focus

AT length then to the wide earth's extreme bounds,

To Scythia are we come, thoſe pathleſs wilds

Where human footſtep never mark'd the ground.

Now, Vulcan, to thy taſk; at Jove's command

Fix to theſe highprojecting rocks this vain
5

Artificer of man; each maſſy link

Draw cloſe, and bind his adamantine chains.

Thy radiant pride, the firey flame, that lends

Its aid to ev'ry art, he ſtole, and bore

The gift to mortals; for which bold offence
10

The gods aſſign him this juſt puniſhment;

That he may learn to reverence the pow'r

Of Jove, and moderate his love to man.

VULCAN.

Stern pow'rs, your harſh commands have here an end,

Nor find reſiſtance. My leſs hardy mind,
15

Averſe to violence, ſhrinks back, and dreads

To bind a kindred god to this wild cliff,

Expoſd to ev'ry ſtorm: but ſtrong conſtraint

Compells me; I muſt ſteel my ſoul, and dare:

Jove's high commands require a prompt obſervance.
20

High-thoughted ſon of truth-directing Themis, b

Thee with indiſſoluble chains, perforce,

Muſt I now rivet to this ſavage rock,

Where neither human voice, nor human form

Shall meet thine eye, but parching in the beams,
25

Unſhelter'd, of yon' fervid ſun, thy bloom

Shall lose its grace, and make thee wiſh th'approach

Of grateful evening mild, whoſe duſky ſtole

Spangled with gems ſhall veil his firey heat;

And night upon the whitening ground breathe frore,
30

But ſoon to melt, touch'd by his orient ray.

So ſhall ſome preſent ill with varied pain

Afflict thee; nor is he yet born, whoſe hand

Shall ſet thee free: thus thy humanity

Receives its meed, that thou, a god, regardleſs
35

Of the gods' anger, honouredſt mortal man

With courteſies, which juſtice not approves.

Therefore the joyleſs ſtation of this rock

Unſleeping, unreclining, ſhalt thou keep,

And many' a groan, many' a loud lament
40

Throw out in vain, nor move the rig'rous breaſt

Of Jove, relentleſs in his youthful pow'r.

STRENGTH.

No more: why theſe delays, this fooliſh pity?

Doſt thou not hate a god by gods abhor'd,

That proſtitutes thy radiant boaſt to man?

VULCAN.

Strong are the ties of kindred and long converſe.

STRENGTH.

Well: but to diſobey thy ſire's commands,

Dareſt thou do that? Is not that fear more ſtrong?

VULCAN.

Soft pity never touch'd thy ruthless mind.

STRENGTH.

Will thy vain pity bring relief? Forbear,
50

Nor waſte thyſelf in what avails not him.

VULCAN.

Abhor'd be all the fine ſkill of my hands.

STRENGTH.

And why abhor'd? For of theſe preſent toils

Thy art, in very truth, is not the cauſe.

VULCAN.

Yet wiſh I it had been ſome other's lot.
55

STRENGTH.

All have their lot appointed, ſave to reign

In heav'n, for liberty is Jove's alone.

VULCAN.

Truth guides thy words, nor have I to gainſay.

STRENGTH.

Why thus reluctant then to bind his chains?

Let not thy ſire obſerve theſe ſlow delays.
60

VULCAN.

The manacles are ready, thou mayſt ſee them.

STRENGTH.

Bind them around his hands; with all thy force

Strike, nail them faſt, drive them into the rock.

VULCAN.

Thus far the work is finiſh'd, and not ſlightly.

STRENGTH.

Strike harder, ſtrain them, let them not relax;
65

His craft will work unthought of ways t'eſcape.

VULCAN.

This arm too is inextricably fix'd.

STRENGTH.

And now claſp this ſecure, that he may learn

How impotent his craft, oppos'd to Jove.

VULCAN.

This work he only can with juſtice blame.
70

STRENGTH.

Across his breaſt draw now this ſtubborn bar

Of adamant, fix firm its ſharpen'd point.

VULCAN.

Thy miſeries, Prometheus, I bewail.

STRENGTH.

Still doſt thou linger? Still bewail the foes

Of Jove? Take heed leſt thou bewail thyſelf.
75

VULCAN.

Thou ſeeſt an object horrible to ſight.

STRENGTH.

I ſee him honour'd as his deeds deſerve.

But haſte thee, fix this ſtrong habergeon on him.

VULCAN.

Conſtraint lies on me; urge not thou its rigor.

STRENGTH.

Urge thee? I will, and in an higher tone.
80

Downwards; with all thy force enring his legs.

VULCAN.

This too is finiſh'd, with no ling'ring ſpeed.

STRENGTH.

Strike hard, drive deep their penetrating points.

Severe his eye, who nicely ſcans theſe works.

VULCAN.

Thy voice is harſh, and rugged as thy form.
85

STRENGTH.

Now fair befall thy ſoftneſs; yet upbraid not

My ruder and unpitying ruthleſſness.

VULCAN.

Let us be gone: the rig'rous taſk is done.

STRENGTH.

Now triumph in thy inſolence; now ſteal

The glory of the gods, and bear the gift
90

To mortal man: will they relieve thee now?

Falſe is the boaſted prudence of thy name,

Or wanted now to free thee from thy fate.

PROMETHEUS, ALONE.c

Ætherial air, and ye ſwiftwinged winds,

Ye rivers ſpringing from freſh ſounts, ye waves d

,
95

That o'er th' interminable ocean wreath

Your criſped ſmiles, thou all-producing earth,

And thee, bright ſun, I call, whoſe flaming orb

Views the wide world beneath, ſee what, a god,

I ſuffer from the gods;
100

with what fierce pains,

Behold, what tortures for revolving ages

I here muſt ſtruggle; ſuch unſeemly chains

This newrais'd ruler of the gods devis'd.

Ah me! That groan burſts from my anguiſh'd heart,

105

My preſent woes and future to bemoan.

When ſhall theſe ſuff'rings find their deſtin'd end?

But why that vain inquiry? My clear ſight

Looks through the future; unforeſeen no ill

Shall come on me: behoves me then to bear

110

Patient my deſtin'd fate, knowing how vain

To ſtruggle with neceſſity's ſtrong pow'r.

But to complain, or not complain, alike

Is unavailable. For favours ſhown

To mortal man I bear this weight of woe;

115

Hid in an hollow cane the fount of fire

I privately convey'd, of ev'ry art

Productive, and the nobleſt gift to men.

And for this ſlight offence, woe, woe is me!

I bear theſe chains, fix'd to this ſavage rock,

120

Unſhelter'd from th' inclemencies of th' air.

Ah me! what ſound, what ſoftly-breathing odour

Steals on my ſenſe? Be you immortal gods,

Or mortal men, or of th' heroic race,

Whoe'er have reach'd this wild rock's extreme cliff,

125

Spectators of my woes, or what your purpoſe,

Ye ſee me bound, a wretched god, abhor'd

By Jove, and ev'ry god that treads his courts,

For my fond love to man.

Ah me! again
130

I hear the ſound of flutt'ring nigh; the air

Pants to the ſoft beat of lightmoving wings:

All, that approaches now, is dreadful to me.

PROMETHEUS, CHORUS.

CHORUS.

Eschilo, Prometeo legato: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli (OCR draft) Experimental (Eschilo, Prometeo legato: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli. Ettore Romagnoli, 1922.) — 1 focus

Agli estremi confini eccoci giunti

già della terra, in un deserto impervio

tramite de la Scizia.

Ed ora, Efesto,

compier tu devi gli ordini che il padre
5

a te commise: a queste rupi eccelse

entro catene adamantine stringere

quest'empio, in ceppi che non mai si frangano:

ch'esso il tuo fiore, il folgorio del fuoco

padre d'ogni arte, t'involò, lo diede
10

ai mortali.

Ai Celesti ora la pena

paghi di questa frodolenza, e apprenda

a rispettar la signoria di Giove,

a desister dal troppo amor degli uomini.
15

EFESTO

Forza, Potere, gli ordini di Giove

già compiuti per voi furono; e nulla

piú vi trattiene.

Ma legare a forza

su questo abisso procelloso un Nume
20

ch'è del mio sangue, non mi regge il cuore.

E forza è pure che mi regga. Gli ordini

trasandare del padre, è dura prova.

Oh di Tèmide giusta audace figlio,

malgrado tuo, malgrado mio, con bronzei
25

ceppi, che niuno a scioglier valga, a queste

cime deserte io ti configgerò,

dove né voce udrai, né forma d' uomo

vedrai del sole arso a la fiamma rutila,

tramuterai de la tua cute il fiore:
30

a tuo sollievo asconderà la notte

con lo stellato suo manto la luce,

ed ecco il sole dissipa di nuovo

la mattutina brina.

E col suo peso
35

il mal presente ognor ti crucierà:

ché non ancor chi ti soccorra è nato.

Dell'amor pei mortali è questo il frutto.

Poiché senza temer l'ira dei Numi,

Nume tu stesso, indebiti favori

agli umani largisti.

Ora, in compenso,

vegliar dovrai questa dogliosa rupe,

senza mai sonno, in piè, senza mai flettere

le tue ginocchia, e cento ululi e gemiti
45

invano leverai:

ché il cuor di Giove

nessuna prece lo commuove; ed aspro

è ciascun che di fresco ebbe il potere.

POTERE

Ehi, nel compianto indugi? E' vano! Il Nume
50

infestissimo ai Numi non aborri

che il privilegio tuo concesse agli uomini?

EFESTO

Parentela, amicizia, han gran potere !

POTERE

Certo. Ma trasgredir del padre gli ordini

si può? Non hai maggior tema di questo?
55

EFESTO

Spietato sempre e tracotante sei!

POTERE

Che medela è il compianto? Or vana pena

non ti dare per ciò che nulla giova!

EFESTO

Oh magisterio mio troppo odïoso!

POTERE

Tu l'odî? E perché mai?... Di queste pene,
60

in verità, nessuna colpa ha l'arte.

EFESTO

Pur, quest' arte l'avesse altri in retaggio!

POTERE

Gravoso è tutto, tranne aver dei Superi

l'impero; e niuno, tranne Giove, è libero.

EFESTO

Ne ho qui le prove. E nulla ho da ribattere.
65

POTERE

Spàcciati, dunque, avvolgilo di ceppi,

ché nell'indugio non ti scorga il padre.

EFESTO

Scorger gli anelli puoi nelle mie mani.

POTERE

Con vigore e con forza ai polsi strettolo,

picchia il martello, ed alla rupe inchiodalo.
70

EFESTO

Compiuta è l'opra,

e non caduta in fallo.

POTERE

Batti di piú, non allentare, stringi:

anche d'impervie strade il passo ei trova.

EFESTO

Questo braccio è saldato, e niun lo scioglie.
75

POTERE

Saldo configgi l'altro, ora: ed apprenda

quanto egli a Giove di scaltrezza cede.

EFESTO

Niuno, tranne costui, potria riprendermi.

POTERE

Da parte a parte, in sen, di ferreo cuneo

la fiera punta forte ora conficcagli.
80

EFESTO

Ahimè! Dei mali tuoi gemo, Promèteo!

POTERE

Indugi ancora? Sui nemici piangi

di Giove? Oh!, che su te non debba piangere!

EFESTO

Guarda, orrendo a mirare uno spettacolo!

POTERE

Veggo costui patir ciò ch'egli merita.
85

Gittagli intorno ai fianchi ora i legami.

EFESTO

Lo debbo far. Ma tu non dar troppi ordini!

POTERE

Ordinerò, t'incalzerò per giunta :

scendi giú, forte ora le gambe accerchiagli.

EFESTO

Fatto è ancor questo. E fu travaglio breve.
90

POTERE

Dei ceppi i chiodi saldo ora ribatti :

severo è quegli che la pena infligge.

EFESTO

Simile al viso tuo suona la voce.

POTERE

Sii pur tenero, tu. Ma la protervia,

l'ira, l'asprezza mia, non rampognarmi.

EFESTO

Andiam: ché tutto di catene è cinto.

POTERE

Si volge a Prometeo.

Superbisci ora qui. Trafuga ai Numi

i loro doni, ed offrili agli efimeri.

Alleviare in che ti posson gli uomini

or dalle pene? I Dèmoni, Promèteo
100

ti chiamarono a torto: hai tu bisogno

d'un preveggente a uscir da questo intrico.

Efesto, Potere e Forza si allontanano.

PROMETEO

O divo ètere, o snelle ali dei venti,

fonti dei fiumi, e dei marini flutti

infinito sorriso, e te, che madre
105

sei d'ogni cosa, o Terra, invoco, e te,

che tutto miri, orbe del Sol! Vedete

ciò ch'io, Celeste, dai Celesti soffro !

Or vedete da quali travagli

lanïato, per mille e mille anni
110

patirò. Tali turpi catene

a mio danno rinvenne il novello

Signor dei Celesti.

Ahimè, ahi!, dell'affanno presente,

del venturo io mi lagno. Deh!, quando
115

sarà l'ora che il termine segni

di questi tormenti ?

Ma via, che dico? A parte a parte tutto

ciò che sarà, prevedo; e non può giungermi

niun cordoglio imprevisto. Adesso il fato,
120

meglio ch'io possa, sopportar conviene :

ché del destino abbattere la possa

nessuno vale.

E pur, della mia sorte

né favellare né tacere io posso.
125

Ché per un dono che ai mortali io porsi,

sotto il giogo sono io di tal destino:

la furtiva predai fonte del fuoco

nascosta entro la fèrula, che agli uomini

maestra fu d'ogni arte, ed util sommo.

130

Di tal misfatto pago il fio, nei lacci,

a cielo aperto, turpemente avvinto.

Si ode una soave musica lontana.

Ahimè, ahimè !

Che voce, che ineffabile fragranza

alïa verso me,
135

di Nume, d'uomo, o d'ambedue commista ?

Giunge alcuno a veder le mie torture?

O per qual brama? Ahi!, di catene avvinto,

questo misero Nume vedete,

il nemico di Giove, che in odio

140

venne a quanti Celesti s'addensano

nella reggia di Zeus, perché gli uomini

troppo amavo.

Aeschylus, Prometheus vinctus: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Prometheus vinctus: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii. Ioannes Sanravius, 1555.) — 1 focus

Terrae sanè in procul remotum uenimus solum,

Scythicam in uiam, ac profundam solitudinem:

Vulcane, tibi curæ esse oportet mandata,

Tibi à patre edicta: hunc scilicet petris

Altijugis hominum conditorem ligare,
5

Adamantinis uinculis, in solidis petris.

Tuum enim præmium omnifici ignis lumen

Mortalibus furatus præbuit: talis uerò

Peccati ipſum oportet dijs dare poenas Peccati ipsum oportet diis dare poenas:

Vt doceatur Iouis tyrannidem
10

Amare, hominesque deſinat diligere.

VULCANUS.

Robur, Visque, uobis quidem mandatum Iouis

Habet finem iam, & nihil impedimenti amplius.

Ego non audeo, cognatum Deum

Vincire ui in conualli tempeſtuosa.
15

Omnino necesse est horum mihi audaciam arripere:

Nam patris sermones paruipendere, res sanè grauis.

Prudentis Thetidis alticonſilij puer,

Inuitum te inuitus inſolutis catenis

Vinciam huic inhumano saxo,
20

VULCANUS (cont.).

Vbi usque uocem, neque cuiusquam formam mor-

talium

Vidębis, uiuus solis uerò pura flamma

Coloris pulcritudinem mutabis, tibique uolenti

Versicolor nox abscondet lucem:
25

Pruinam uerò matutinam sol rursus disſipabit.

Semper uerò præsentis mali dolor

Vexabit te: qui autem te liberabit, nondum na-

tus eſt.

Talibus rebus fruêris, ob hominum amorem.
30

Nam deus, deorum non timens bilem,

Mortalibus honores præbuiſti præter ius.

Hac de causa infuauem hanc cuſtodies petram,

Aſtando in somnis, non flectens genu:

Multos fletus ac gemitus inutiles
35

Aedes, nam Iouis mentes sunt inexorabiles.

Quiſquis recenter imperat, iſt est rudis.

ROBUR.

Eſto, quid cunctaris et imploras misericordiam

frustra?

Quid non odio proſequeris dijs inimiciſimum deum,

Qui tuum munus mortalibus præbuit?

VULCANUS.

Neceſsitas & commercium, res admodum grauis.

ROBUR.

Concedo, repugnare patris sermionibus

Aliquo modo potes: non hoc plus uereris?

VULCANUS.

Semper seūus es, & temeritatis plenus.
45

ROBUR.

Nihil prodeſt hunc deſlere: tu uerò

Quæ nihil pro'unt, ne fruſtrà laborato.

VULCANUS.

O diu inuiſum artificium.

VULCANUS (cont.).

Quid ipsum odio proſequeris laborum præſentium

(ut ita dicam)
50

Non eſt artificium in cauſa.

VULCANUS.

Vtinam ipſum ſortitus eſſet aliquis alius.

ROBUR.

Omnia fieri poſsunt, præterquam dijs imperare.

Nam nullus liber eſt, Ioue excepto.

VULCANUS.

Nouì quidem, neque his contradicere poſsum.
55

ROBUR.

Proindè feſtina huic uincula inijcere,

Ne te torpentem inſpiciat pater.

VULCANUS.

Etiam parata uincula uidere licet.

ROBUR.

Accipe ipſum manibus, robore firmo,

Malleo percute, affige saxis.
60

VULCANUS.

Perficitur iam, & non iacet hoc opus.

ROBUR.

Percute magis, conſtringe, nullo pacto laxa.

Nam mirus artifex eſt inueniendi ex inſperatis rebus

exitum.

VULCANUS.

Congruit, ulna autem difficulter soluitur.
65

ROBUR.

Hanc quoque fibulâ fortiter, ut

Diſcat se impoſtorem ignauiorem eſse Ioue.

VULCANUS.

Hoc exceptò, nullus iuſtè me accuſabit.

ROBUR.

Adamantino nunc cuneo contumaces genas

Ad pectus uſque fige fortiter.
70

VULCANUS.

Heu heu Prometheu, tuos deploro labores.

ROBUR.

Tu rursus pigreſcis, ac ſuper Iouis inimicos

Plangis, ut ne tui miserearis unquam.

VULCANUS.

Vides ſpectaculum triſte oculis ſpectatu.

ROBUR.

Videó hunc ſe digna aſſecutum:
75

Sed lateribus illius misce uincula.

VULCANUS.

Patrare hæc neceſse eſt, nihil iube uehementer.

ROBUR.

Attamen iubebó, & imperabó tibi:

Ito infrà, cruraque conſtringito uì.

VULCANUS.

Iam sanè peractum eſt opus non longo labore.
80

ROBUR.

Fortiter nunc fige graues pedicas:

Nam ultor facti grauis eſt.

VULCANUS.

Similia formæ, lingua tua loquitur.

ROBUR.

Tu molli meam contumaciam,

Iráque acerbitatem ne mihi incende.
85

VULCANUS.

Eamus: nam in membris uincula habet.

ROBUR.

Indè contumelia affice, & Deorum præmia

Depeculans hominibus præbe talibus:

Qui cum sint mortales, poſsunt ab his te

Laboribus liberare.
90

Falſo te Dij Prometheum

Vocant: te ipſum oportet prouidere,

Quomodo libereris ab hac fortunâ.

PROMETHEUS.

O Iouis æther, & uolucres uenti,

Fluuiorum fontes, marinorum fluctuum

Infinitus motus, omniparaque terra,

Et qui omnia uidet orbem solis uocó,

Videte me, qualia à Dijs patior, Deus cùm sim.

Reſpicite, quibus supplicijs

Affectus, infinitum
100

Tempus laborabó: quale iuuenis

Dux beatorum inuenit pro me

Vinculum moleſtum, heu heu. præsens,

Et ſequens detrimentum deploro, quà ratione

PROMETHEUS (cont.).

Tandem laboribus
105

Oportet finem his imponere?

Et certè quid dicó? omnia præscio

Exaſtè futura, neque mihi nouum

Detrimentum ullum ueniet, fatum uerò oportet

Conſtitutum ferre me, quàm facilè cognoscentem;
110

Robur necesſitatis inexpugnabile esse.

Sed neque tacere, neque non tacere fortunas

Has mihi licet: mortalibus præmia

Præbens, necesſitates has iam subeó miser.

Ferulam plenam ignis capio,
115

Fontem furtiuum, qui præceptor artis

Omnis mortalibus fuit, & magnum emolumentum.

Tales uerò pænas peccatorum pendó,

Subdialis uinculis ligatus,

Heu heu.

120

Quæ uox, quis odor mihi obſcurus accidit:

Aut diuinâ, aut mortalis, aut mixta,

Venit ad ultimum saxum,

Meos labores ſpeculatúra, aut quid uolens?

Videte uinctum me, infælicem deum,
125

Iouis inimicum, & cum omnibus dijs

In inimicitiam uenientem, quicunque

Iouis aulam inhabitant,

Ob uehementem amorem mortalium.

Heu heu, quid tandem rursus strepitum audio?

130

Prope aues sunt, aether uerò leuibus

Alarum motibus reſonat:

PROMETHEUS (cont.).

Omne quod accedit, mihi incutit timorem.

CHORUS.

Prometheus Bound (OCR draft) Experimental (Prometheus Bound. Anna Swanwick, 1886.) — 1 focus

STRENGTH

TO earth's remotest plain we now are come,

To Scythia’s confine, an untrodden waste.

Hephæstos! Thou the mandates must observe

Enjoin’d thee by thy sire; this miscreant

'Gainst lofty-beetling rocks to clasp in fetters

Of adamantine bonds, unbreakable.

For that the splendour of all-working fire,

Thy proper flower, he stole, and gave to mortals.

Such crime he to the gods must expiate;

So may he learn the sovereignty of Zeus

To bear, and cease from mortal-loving wont.

HEPHÆSTOS

Ho! Strength and Force, for you the word of Zeus

Its goal hath reached, no obstacle remains;

But I of daring lack, a brother god

Fast to this storm-vexed cleft perforce to bind.

Yet so to dare is sheer necessity;

For grievous 'tis the father's words to slight.

[To PROMETHEUS.]

Right-judging Themis' lofty-thoughted son,

Thee 'gainst thy will must I unwilling nail

With stubborn shackles to this desert height,

Where neither voice nor form of living man

Shall meet thy ken; but, shrivelled by the blaze

Of the bright sun, thy skin's fair bloom shall wither;

Welcome to thee shall glittering-vestured night

O'erveil the brightness; welcome too the sun

Shall with new beams scatter the morning rime;

Thus evermore shall weight of present ill

Outwear thee: for as yet is no one born

Who may relieve thy pain: such meed hast thou

From mortal-loving wont;—for thou, a god,

Not crouching to the wrath of gods, didst bring

To mortal men high gifts, transgressing right.

Hence art thou doom'd this joyless rock to guard,

Erect, unsleeping, bending not the knee;

And many a moan shalt pour and many a plaint,

Vainly; for Zeus obdurate is of heart;

And harsh is everyone when new of sway.

STRENGTH

Well! why delay and bootless pity vent?

This god, to gods most hateful, why not hate,

Who thy prerogative to men betrayed?

HEPHÆSTOS

Awful is kindred blood, and fellowship.

STRENGTH

True, but the father's word to disobey—

How suiteth that? fearest not that still more?

HEPHÆSTOS

Aye ruthless art thou, full of insolence.

STRENGTH

Him to bemoan availeth nought;-but thou

Spend not thy strength in toil that profits not.

HEPHÆSTOS

Alas! my much-detested handicraft!

STRENGTH

Why hate thy craft? for, sooth to say, thine art

Is no way guilty of these present woes.

HEPHÆSTOS

Yet would that it to other hand had fallen.

STRENGTH

Save o'er the gods to lord it, all, I trow,

Achieved hath been; for none is free but Zeus.

HEPHÆSTOS

Too well I know it: answer have I none.

STRENGTH

Haste then around the culprit cast these bonds

Lest father Zeus perceive thee loitering.

HEPHÆSTOS

Behold the shackles ready here for use.

STRENGTH

Cast them around his hands: with mighty force

Smite with the hammer, nail him to the rocks.

HEPHÆSTOS

The work so far is finished ;--not amiss.

STRENGTH

Strike harder yet: clench fast: be nowhere slack.

His wit will find a way where no way is.

HEPHÆSTOS

This arm, at least, is fast beyond escape.

STRENGTH

This too clamp firmly down; so may he learn,

Shrewd though he be, he duller is than Zeus.

HEPHÆSTOS

No one save him may justly me reproach.

STRENGTH

This adamantine wedge's stubborn fang

Athwart his breast now drive, right sturdily.

HEPHÆSTOS

Alas! Prometheus! I lament thy pangs.

STRENGTH

Dost shrink, lamenting o'er the foes of Zeus?

Beware, lest some day for thyself thou grieve.

HEPHÆSTOS

A sight thou seest, grievous to the eye.

STRENGTH

I see him meeting with his own deserts:

But come, around his sides the girdings cast.

HEPHÆSTOS

Do it I must; urge me not over-much.

STRENGTH

Urge thee I will; ay, hound thee to the work;

Get thee below; forceful enring his legs.

HEPHÆSTOS

There, finished is the work, nor great the toil.

STRENGTH

Now the bored fetters strike right lustily;

For stern the overlooker of these works.

HEPHÆSTOS

Like to thy shape the utterance of thy tongue.

STRENGTH

Be thou soft-hearted but upbraid not me,

For stubborn will and ruggedness of heart.

HEPHÆSTOS

Let us begone; his limbs are iron-meshed.

STRENGTH
to PROMETHEUS.

Here be defiant and the gods' own rights

Filching, bestow on creatures of a day;

How much can mortals from these woes drain off?

Thee falsely do the gods Prometheus name,

For a Prometheus thou thyself dost need,

To plan releasement from this handiwork.

PROMETHEUS

Oh holy ether, swiftly-wingèd gales,

Fountains of rivers, and of ocean-waves

Innumerable laughter, general mother Earth,

And orb all-seeing of the sun, I call:

Behold what I, a god, from gods endure.

See, wasted by what pains

Wrestle I must while myriad time shall flow!

Such ignominious chains

95

Hath he who newly reigns,

Chief of the blest, devised against me. Woe!

Ah woe! the torture of the hour

I wail, ay, and of anguish'd throes

The future dower.

How, when, shall rise a limit to these woes?

And yet what say I? clearly I foreknow

101

All that must happen; nor can woe betide

Stranger to me; the Destined it behoves,

As best I may, to bear, for well I wot

How incontestable the strength of Fate.

Yet in such strait silence to keep is hard,—

Hard not to keep;-for, bringing gifts to mortals,

Myself in these constraints hapless am yoked.

Stored within hollow wand fire's stealthy fount

I track, which to mankind in every art

Hath teacher proved, and mightiest resource.

Such forfeits I for such offences pay,—

Beneath the welkin nailed in manacles.

Hist! Hist! what sound,

114

What odour floats invisibly around,

Of God, or man, or intermediate kind?

Who nears this rocky bound,

Spectator of my woes or seeking aught?

A god ye see in fetters, anguish-fraught;

The foe of Zeus, in hatred held of all

The deities who throng Zeus' palace-hall;

For that to men I bore too fond a mind.

121

Woe, woe! what rustling sound

Hard by, as if of birds, doth take mine ear?

Whistles the ether round

With the light whirr of pinions hovering near.

Whate'er approaches filleth me with fear.

CHORUS
STROPHE I.

Fear not! a friendly troop we reach

On rival-speeding wing this cliff forlorn;

Our sire's hard leave wringing by suasive speech,

Me swift-escorting gales have hither borne.

For iron's clanging note

Piercing our caves' recesses rang,

And from me bashful shyness smote;—

Forthwith on wingèd car, unshod, aloft I sprang.

PROMETHEUS

Alas! alas! Woe! woe!

Prolific Tethys' offspring, progeny

Of sire Oceanos, whose sleepless flow

Engirdles the whole earth; behold and see

In what dire bonds unenvied watch I keep,

Clasp'd to the summit of this rock-bound steep.

CHORUS
ANTISTROPHE I.

I see, Prometheus, and through fear

Doth mist of many tears mine eyes bedew,

As, 'gainst this rock, parched up, in tortures drear

Of adamantine bonds, thy form I view.

For helmsmen new of sway

Olympos hold; by laws new-made

Zeus wieldeth empire, impulse-swayed;

While what was grand of old he sweeps away.

PROMETHEUS

Neath earth, 'neath Hades' shade-receiving plains,

Sheer down to Tartaros' unmeasured gloom

Would he had hurled me ruthless, bound with chains

That none may loose ;-So then at this my doom

Had no one mock'd,—nor god, nor other kind.

But now most wretched, sport of every wind,

The laughter of my foes, I bear these pains.

CHORUS
STROPHE II.

Who of the gods a heart doth own

So hard, to mock at thy despair?

Who at thy woes, save Zeus alone,

Doth not thine anguish share?

But ruthless still, with soul unbent,

The heavenly race he tames, nor will refrain

Till sated to his heart's content;

Or till another, by some cunning snare,

Wrest from his grasp the firmly guarded reign.

PROMETHEUS

Yet e'en of me although now wrung

In stubborn chains shall he have need,

This ruler of the blest-to read

The counsel new by which his sway

And honours shall be stript away.

But not persuasion's honied tongue

My stedfast soul shall charm;

Nor will I, crouching in alarm,

Divulge the secret, till these savage chains

He loose, and yield requital for my pains.

CHORUS
ANTISTROPHE II.

Daring thou art and yieldest nought

For bitter agony; with tongue

Unbridled thou art all too free.

But by keen fear my heart is stung;

I tremble for thy doom—ah, me!

Thy barque into what haven may'st thou steer,

Of these dire pangs the end to see?

For inaccessible, of mood severe

Is Kronos' son, inflexible his thought.

PROMETHEUS

That Zeus is stern full well I know,

And by his will doth measure right.

But, smitten by this destined blow,

Softened shall one day be his might.

Then curbing his harsh temper, he

Full eagerly will hither wend,

To join in league and amity with me,

Eager no less to welcome him as friend.

CHORUS

To us thy tale unfold; the whole speak out;

Upon what charge Zeus, seizing thee, doth thus

Outrage with harsh and ignominious pain?

Inform us if the telling breed no harm.

PROMETHEUS

Grievous to me it is these things to tell,

Grief to be silent: trouble every way.

When first the heavenly powers were moved to rage,

And in opposing factions ranged their might,

These wishing Kronos from his seat to hurl

That Zeus forsooth might reign; these, counter-wise,

Resolved that o'er the gods Zeus ne'er should rule;

Then I with sagest counsel strove to move

The Titans, progeny of heaven and earth,

But strove in vain; for they, in stubborn souls

Of crafty wiles disdainful, thought by force,

An easy task, the mastery to gain.

But me, not once but oft, my mother Themis,

And Earth (one shape with many names) had told

Prophetic, how the future should be wrought.

That not by strength of thew or hardiment

Should mastery be compassed, but by guile;

But when this lore I did expound in words,

They deigned me not a single look; whereon,

Of courses free to choose, the wisest seemed

Leagued with my mother, of my own free will

The will of Zeus to meet, siding with him,

And by my counsels black-roofed Tartaros'

Murky abyss primeval Kronos now

Engulfs with his allies; such benefits

From me the tyrant of the gods received,

And hath requited with these base returns.

For, someway, cleaveth aye to tyranny

This fell disease; to have no faith in friends.

But touching which ye ask me, on what charge

He thus maltreats me; this will I make clear.

When seated on his father's throne, forthwith,

He to the several gods was dealing out

Their several honours, marshalling his realm;

But he of toil-worn mortals took no count;

The race entire he ardently desired

To quench, and plant a new one in its stead.

And none but I opposed his purposes;

I dared alone;—I saved the mortal race

From sinking blasted down to Hades' gloom.

244

For this by these dire tortures I am bent,

Grievous to suffer, piteous to behold.

I who did mortals pity, of like grace

Am deem'd unworthy, but am grimly thus

Tuned to his will, a sight of shame to Zeus.

CHORUS

Iron of heart, ay, fashion'd out of rock

Is he, Prometheus, who for these thy pangs

Shareth not anguish; for myself, this sight

I fain had shunned; seeing, my heart is wrung.

PROMETHEUS

To friends, in sooth, a spectacle of woe.

CHORUS

But beyond this didst haply aught essay?

PROMETHEUS

Mortals I hindered from foreseeing death.

CHORUS

Finding what medicine for this disease?

PROMETHEUS

Within their hearts I caused blind hopes to dwell.

CHORUS

Vast boon was this thou gavest unto mortals.

PROMETHEUS

Yea, and besides 'twas I that gave them fire.

CHORUS

Have now these short-lived creatures flame-eyed fire?

PROMETHEUS

Ay, and by it full many arts will learn.

CHORUS

Upon such charges doth Zeus outrage thee,

Nor aught abateth of thy miseries?

To this dire struggle is no 'term assigned?

PROMETHEUS

No other but what seemeth good to him.

CHORUS

How may this be? What hope? Seest thou not

That thou hast erred? But in what way hast erred,

That to unfold,-while me it gladdens not,

To thee is pain. Forbear we then this theme.

But seek from this keen struggle some escape.

PROMETHEUS

Whoso his foot holdeth unmesh'd of harm,

For him 'tis easy to exhort and warn

One sorely plagued. But this I all foreknew;

Of will, free will, I erred, nor will gainsay it.

By aiding men I wrought myself these pangs.

Not that such guerdon I did e'er conceive;-

To wither piecemeal on sky-piercing rocks,

Doom'd to this drear and solitary height.

But ye, no further wail my present woes,

But, on the ground alighting, hear from me

On-gliding fate-so shall ye learn the end.

Yield to me, prithee yield, and share the grief

Of one who now is wretched. For mishap

Rangeth abroad, and lights on each in turn.

Chorus

To no unwilling ears thy words

Appeal, Prometheus; and with nimble feet

Leaving our swiftly wafted seat

And holy ether, track of birds,

I to this rugged ground draw near;

Thy woes from first to last I fain would hear.

OCEANOS

The goal of my long course at length I gain,

And come, Prometheus, to thy side.

This swift-winged bird without a bit I rein,

My will his only guide.

Compassion for thy fate, be sure, I feel;

Thereto the tie of kin constraineth me:

But blood apart, to no one would I deal

More honour than to thee.

That true my words thou soon shalt know;

No falsely glozing tongue is mine;

Come, how I may assist thee plainly show,

For than Oceanos a friend more leal

Thou ne'er shalt boast as thine.

PROMETHEUS

Ha! What means this? Art thou too hither come

Spectator of my pangs? How hast thou dared

Quitting thy namesake flood, thy rock-roof'd caves

Self-wrought, this iron-teeming land to reach?

Art come indeed to gaze upon my doom,

And with my grievous woes to sympathize?

A spectacle behold;—this friend of Zeus,

This co-appointer of his sovereignty,

By what dire anguish I by him am bow'd.

OCEANOS

I see, Prometheus, and would fain to thee,

All subtle as thou art, best counsel give;

Know thine own self, thy manners mould anew,

For new the monarch who now rules the gods;

But if thou thus harsh, keenly-whetted words

Still hurlest, Zeus, though thron'd so far aloft,

Mayhap may hear thee, so the pangs which now

His wrath inflicts but childish sport may seem.

But come, O much enduring, quell thy rage;

Seek thou releasement from these miseries;

Stale may appear to thee the words I speak;

Yet such the penalty that waits, Prometheus,

On a too haughty tongue; But thou, e'en now

Nowise art humbled, nor dost yield to ills,

But to the present wouldest add new woe;

Therefore, I charge thee, hearkening my rede,

Kick not against the pricks, since harsh the king

Who now holds sway, accountable to none.

And now I go and will forthwith essay

If I avail to free thee from these toils.

But be thou calm nor over-rash of speech;

Knowest thou not, being exceeding wise,

That to the froward tongue chastisement cleaves.

PROMETHEUS

Much joy I give thee scatheless as thou art,

Though in all plots and daring leagued with me.

But now let be; forbear thy toil: for him

Persuade thou canst not: him no suasion moves;

Nay, lest the journey breed thee harm, beware.

OCEANOS

More cunning art thou others to advise

Than thine own self. By deed I judge, not word;

But, fixed is my resolve, hold me not back;

For sure I am, yea, sure, that Zeus to me

Will grant this boon, and loose thee from these pains.

PROMETHEUS

For this I praise thee, nor will cease to praise;

For nought of kindly zeal thou lackest; yet,

Toil not, for vain, nor helpful unto me,

Thy toil will prove,—if toil indeed thou wilt;—

But hold thee quiet rather, keep aloof;

For I, though in mishap, not therefore wish

Wide-spreading fellowship of woe to see.

No truly, for my brother Atlas' doom

Grieves me, who, stationed on the western verge,

The pillars on his shoulders beareth up

Of heaven and earth; burthen of painful grasp.

So, in Cilician caves with ruth I saw

Their earth-born tenant, hostile prodigy,

The hundred-headed, curb'd by violence;

Raging Typhoeus, all the gods who braved,

Hissing out slaughter from his horrid jaws.

Forth from his eyeballs flash'd a hideous glare,

As though by force the reign of heaven to storm.

But on him fell the sleepless dart of Zeus,

The thunder-bolt down-rushing, breathing flame,

Which him from his high-worded boasting hurl'd

Prostrate; for, smitten to his inmost reins,

With strength burnt out, he lightning-blasted fell.

And now his frame, helpless and sprawling lies

Hard by the salt-sea narrows, sorely prest

Beneath the roots of Etna. Seated there,

Upon the topmost peaks, Hephaestos smites

The molten masses, whence one day shall burst

Torrents of fire, devouring with fierce jaws

The level fields of fruitful Sicily.

Such rage Typhoeus shall anew belch forth

With scorching missiles of fire-breathing storm

Insatiate; by the fierce bolt of Zeus

Blasted, but unconsum'd. No tiro thou,

Nor dost my teaching need. Save thou thyself

As best thou knowest how. But be assured

I to the dregs my present doom will drain,

Until the heart of Zeus relax its ire.

OCEANOS

Know'st thou not this, Prometheus, that wise words

To a distemper'd mind physicians are?

PROMETHEUS

Ay, if well-timed they mollify the heart,

Nor with rude pressure chafe its swelling ire.

OCEANOS

True: but if forethought be with boldness leagued,

What lurking mischief seest thou? Instruct me.

PROMETHEUS

Light-minded folly and superfluous toil.

OCEANOS

Still from this ailment let me ail, since most

The wise it profiteth not wise to seem.

PROMETHEUS

But haply mine this error may appear.

OCEANOS

Certes, thine argument remands me home.

PROMETHEUS

Good! Lest thy plaint for me work thee ill-will.

OCEANOS

With him new-seated on the all-ruling throne?

PROMETHEUS

Of him beware that ne'er his heart be vexed.

OCEANOS

Thy plight, Prometheus, is my monitor.

PROMETHEUS

Speed forth! Begone! Cherish thy present mood.

OCEANOS

399

To me right eager hast thou bayed that word,

For my four-footed bird, with wings outspread,

Fans the clear track of æther; fain, in sooth,

407 415 420 425

In wonted stall to bend the weary knee.

PROMETHEUS

Think not that I through pride or stubbornness

Keep silence; nay, my brooding heart is gnawed

Seeing myself thus marred with contumely;

And yet what other but myself marked out

To these new gods their full prerogatives?

¹

But I refrain; for, nought my tongue would tell

Save what ye know. But rather list the ills

Of mortal men, how being babes before,

I made them wise and masters of their wits.

This will I tell, not as in blame of men,

But showing how from kindness flow'd my gifts.

For they, in foretime, seeing saw in vain;

Hearing they heard not, but, like shapes in dreams,

Through the long time all things at random mixed;

Of brick-wove houses, sunward-turn'd, nought knew,

Nor joiner's craft, but burrowing they dwelt

Like puny ants, in cavern'd depths unsunned.

Neither of winter, nor of spring flower-strewn,

Nor fruitful summer, had they certain sign,

But without judgment everything they wrought,

Till I to them the risings of the stars

Discovered, and their settings hard to scan.

Moreover number, art supreme, for them

I found, and marshalling of written signs,

Handmaid of memory, the Muses' source.

And I in traces first brute creatures yok'd,

Subject to harness, with vicarious strength

Bearing in mortals' stead their heaviest toils.

And 'neath the car rein-loving steeds I brought,

Chief ornament of wealth-abounding pomp.

And who but I the ocean-roaming wain

For mariners invented, canvass-winged?

Such cunning works for mortals I contrived,

Yet, hapless, for myself find no device

To free me from this present agony.

Chorus

Unseemly woe thou bearest. Driven astray

Flounders thy judgment, and like sorry leech

Falling distemper'd, spiritless thou art,

Nor remedies canst find thyself to cure.

PROMETHEUS

Hearken the rest, and thou wilt marvel more

What arts and what resources I devised.

This chief of all; if any one fell sick,

No help there was, diet nor liniment,

Nor healing draught; but men, for lack of drugs

Wasted away, till I to them revealed

Commixtures of assuaging remedies

Which may disorders manifold repel.

Of prophecies the various modes I fixed,

And among dreams did first discriminate

The truthful vision. Voices ominous,

Hard to interpret, I to them made known:

And way-side auguries, the flight of birds

With crooked talons, clearly I defined;

Showed by their nature which auspicious are,

And which ill-omened—taught the modes of life

Native to each, and what, among themselves

Their feuds, affections, and confederacies.

Touching the smoothness of the vital parts,

And what the hue most pleasing to the gods,

I taught them, and the mottled symmetry

Of gall and liver. Thighs encased in fat

With the long chine I burnt, and mortals guided

To a mysterious art; of fire-eyed signs,

I purged the vision, over-filmed before.

Such boons I gave; but for those other helps

To men, concealed beneath the earth which lie,

Brass, iron, silver, gold, who dares affirm

That he before me had discovered them?

No one, I know, but who would idly vaunt.

In one brief word learn thou the sum of all;

All arts to mortals from Prometheus came.

Chorus

Not now for mortals beyond measure care

Thy hapless self neglecting; since, in sooth,

Good hope have I that loosen'd from these bonds

In might thou'lt prove an equal match for Zeus.

PROMETHEUS

Not yet nor thus is it ordained that fate

These things shall compass; but by myriad pangs

And tortures bent, so shall I 'scape these bonds;

Art than necessity is weaker far.

Chorus

Then who is helmsman of necessity?

PROMETHEUS

The triform Fates and ever-mindful Furies.

Chorus

Is Zeus in might less absolute than these?

PROMETHEUS

E'en he the fore-ordain'd cannot escape.

Chorus

What is ordain'd for Zeus, save aye to reign?

PROMETHEUS

No further may'st thou question; urge me not.

Chorus

Deep mystery, methinks, thou keepest veil'd.

PROMETHEUS

526

Turn to some other theme; not meet it is

Now to discourse of this, but close to wrap

In strictest silence; for, this secret kept,

537 545 552 561 566

Unseemly bonds I 'scape and tortures keen.

IO
*

What country? What race? who is he,

This man, whom, rock-bound, I survey,

²
575

Storm-battered? What trespass hath thee

Thus doomed to destruction? Oh, say,

To what region of earth have I wandered, forlorn?

Ah me! The dire anguish! Ah me!

Again the barbed pest doth assail!

Thou phantom of Argos, * earth-born;

Avert him, O earth! Ah, I quail,

The herdsman beholding with myriad eyes.

With crafty look, onward, still onward he hies;

Not even in death is he hid 'neath the earth;

But, e'en from the shades coming back,

He hounds me, forlorn one, in anguish of dearth,

To roam by the sea-waves' salt track.

PROMETHEUS

And how not hear the maid of Inachos,

Brize-driven, who the heart of Zeus with love

Doth warm, and now in courses all too long,

Through Hera's hate, is rudely exercised?

IO
ANTISTROPHE.

Whence know'st thou to speak my sire's name?

Oh answer a wretched one's prayer;—

Ah me! the dire anguish! Woe! Woe!

Who art thou, poor wretch, who dost truly proclaim

My plague, with its phrenzying torture, that came

From Zeus and doth sting to despair?

Woe! ah woe!

With boundings, by food-craving anguish pursued,

On rushing with passionate throe,

By wrathful devices of Hera subdued,

I come. Of the wretched are any who know

Such pangs as I suffer? But now by clear sign,

Reveal what for me yet remaineth to bear;

What cure for my plague. If such knowledge be

thine,

Forthwith to the sad-roaming maiden declare.

PROMETHEUS

Plainly I'll tell thee all thou wouldest learn,

Not weaving riddles, but in simple phrase,

As meet it is with friends to ope the lips.

Prometheus seest thou, giver of fire to mortals.

IO

O common benefit On mortals risen,

Hapless Prometheus, why art suffering thus?

PROMETHEUS

Scarce have I ceased singing my dirge of woe.

IO

To me then wilt thou not vouchsafe this boon?

PROMETHEUS

Say what thy quest, for nothing will I hide.

IO

Who in this cleft, reveal, thus fastened thee?

PROMETHEUS

The will of Zeus, but 'twas Hephaestos' hand.

IO

And of what crimes dost thou the forfeit pay?

PROMETHEUS

Thus much alone to tell thee may suffice.

IO

Then further of my roamings tell the goal.

What time to me, poor outcast, yet must run?

PROMETHEUS

This not to learn were better than to learn.

IO

Yet from me hide not what I needs must suffer.

PROMETHEUS

Not chary am I of such boon to thee.

IO

Then why delayest to make known the whole?

PROMETHEUS

Nothing I grudge, but shrink to vex thy heart.

IO

Care not for me more than to me is sweet.

PROMETHEUS

Thine eager wish constrains my tongue; give ear.

Chorus

Not yet: to me my dole of pleasure deal;

Enquire we first into this maiden's plague,

Herself relating her sore-wasting fortunes.

Her residue of toil then teach us thou.

PROMETHEUS

Io, thy task it is their wish to grant,

The more so as thy father's sisters they.

Besides, fair guerdon waits on lengthened tale,

When to deplore and wail one's evil plight

Draws from the listeners the kindly tear.

IO

I know not how I can deny your wish,

So in clear word all ye desire to know

That shall ye hear;—Yet am I shamed to tell

Wherefore on me, forlorn one, burst the storm

Heaven-sent and whence this form's disfigurement.

For evermore would nightly visions haunt

My virgin chambers, gently urging me

With soothing words ;—" O damsel, highly blest,

Why longer live in maidenhood when thee

Wait loftiest nuptials? For by passion's dart

Inflamed is Zeus for thee and fain would share

The yoke of Kypris. Spurn not thou, O child,

The couch of Zeus, but to the grassy mead

Of Lerna hie thee, to thy father's herds

And cattle-stalls, that so the eye of Zeus

From longing may find respite." By such dreams

From night to night still was I visited,

Unhappy one; till, taking heart at length,

My night-born visions to my sire I told.

Then he to Pytho many a herald sent

And to Dodona; seeking to be taught

How best, by deed or word, to please the gods.

But they returned, announcing oracles

Of riddling import, vague and hard to spell.

At length to Inachos came clear response,

By voice oracular commanding him

From home and father-land to thrust me forth,

At large to range, as consecrate to heaven,

Far as earth's utmost bounds. Should he refuse,

From Zeus would come the fiery thunderbolt,

And his whole race extirpate utterly.

Then yielding to such Loxian Oracles,

He drave me forth, and barred me from his home,

Against his will and mine; but, forcefully,

The curb of Zeus constrained him this to do.

Forthwith my shape and mind distorted were,

And horned, as ye behold me, goaded on

By gad-fly, keen of fang, with frenzied bounds

I to Kerchneias' limpid current rush'd,

And fount of Lerna. Then the earth-born herdsman,

Hot-tempered Argos, ever dogged my steps,

Gazing upon me with his myriad eyes. *

But him a sudden and unlooked-for fate

Did reave of life; but I, brize-tortured, still

Before the scourge divine am driven on

From land to land; the past thou hearest; now

If thou canst tell my future toils, say on,

Nor, pity-moved, soothe me with lying tales,

For garbled words, I hold, are basest ills.

Chorus

Alas! Alas! Hold! Hold!

Never, oh never, had I thought

That words with such strange meaning fraught

Would reach mine ears,

Nor yet that sorrows, insults, fears,

³

Dreadful to hear and dreadful to behold

Would chill my soul with two-edged goad.

Ah, me!

Fate! Fate! I shudder Io's plight to see.

PROMETHEUS

Too soon thou groanest and art full of fears.

Forbear till heard the remnant of my tale.

Chorus

Speak, teach the whole. To ailing ones 'tis sweet

Clearly their coming sorrow to foreknow.

PROMETHEUS

Your former boon from me lightly ye won,

For first ye craved from Io's self to learn

The story of her toil. The rest now hearken,

What trials this young maid hath yet to bear

From Hera. Thou, too, seed of Inachos,

Cast in thy heart my words, that thou in full

May'st of thy weary travel learn the goal.

First, turning hence towards the rising sun,

Traverse uncultured wastes; so shalt thou reach

The Scythian nomads, who, 'neath wattled roofs, *

Uplifted dwell on waggons amply-wheeled,

And are accoutred with far-darting bows.

Approach not these but, skirting with thy foot

The sounding breakers, hie thee from their land.

Towards the left the iron-workers dwell,

The Chalybes, of whom thou must beware,

⁴

As all uncouth, of strangers ill-approached.

Hybristes' * river then—not falsely named—

Thou'lt reach; the ford, for hard it is to cross,

Attempt not until Caucasos thou gain,

Highest of mountains, from whose very brow

The river spouteth forth its might; forthwith

Its crest surmounting, neighbour to the stars,

Southward direct thy course until thou reach

The host of man-abhorring Amazons,

Who Themiscyra, near Thermodon's stream,

Shall one day people, where the cruel jaw

Of Salmydessus ‡ hems the briny sea,

Rude host to sea-men, step-dame unto ships;

These will conduct thee and right willingly;

Then the Kimmerian isthmus § thou shalt gain

Hard by the narrow portals of the lake,

Which it behoveth thee with dauntless heart

To leave, and traverse the Mæotic strait;

⁵⁶⁷

And evermore among mankind shall live

The mighty record of thy passage there,

For men from thee shall call it Bosporos.

Quitting the plain of Europe, thou shalt come

To Asia's continent.—How think ye? say,

Seems not the monarch of the gods to be

Ruthless alike in all? For he, a god,

Yearning to meet in love a mortal maid,

Upon her did impose these wanderings?

A bitter wooer hast thou found, O maid,

For wedlock bond;—for what thine ears have heard

Account not e'en the prelude to thy toils.

IO

Ah woe is me! Woe! Woe!

PROMETHEUS

Anew dost shriek and moan? What wilt thou do

When thou the remnant of thy woe hast heard?

Chorus

How, hast thou aught of sorrow yet to tell?

PROMETHEUS

Ay, sea tempestuous of all-baleful grief.

IO

What boots it then to live? Why not with speed

Hurl myself headlong from this rugged cliff,

That, dashed upon the ground, I from my woes

Respite may find? Better to die at once

Than all my days to linger out in pain.

PROMETHEUS

Ill wouldst thou bear, methinks, my agonies,

To whom it is not fore-ordained to die,

For death would be releasement from my pangs.

But through all time no limit to my woes

Is set, till Zeus from sovereignty be hurled.

IO

How! Can Zeus ever be from empire hurled?

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.) — 1 focus

Lo, the earth's bound and limitary land,
1

The Scythian steppe, the waste untrod of men!

Look to it now, Hephaestus—thine it is,

Thy Sire obeying, this arch-thief to clench

Against the steep-down precipice of rock,
5

With stubborn links of adamantine chain.

Look thou: thy flower, the gleaming plastic fire,

He stole and lent to mortal man—a sin

That gods immortal make him rue to-day,

Lessoned hereby to own th' omnipotence
10

Of Zeus, and to repent his love to man!

Hephaestus

O Strength and Force, for you the hest of Zeus

Stands all achieved, and nothing bars your will:

But I—I dare not bind to storm-vext cleft

One of our race, immortal as are we.
15

Yet, none the less, necessity constrains,

For Zeus, defied, is heavy in revenge!

( To Prometheus)

O deep-devising child of Themis sage,

Small will have I to do, or thou to bear,
20

What yet we must. Beyond the haunt of man,

Unto this rock, with fetters grimly forged,

I must transfix and shackle up thy limbs,

Where thou shalt mark no voice nor human form,

But, parching in the glow and glare of sun,
25

Thy body's flower shall suffer a sky-change;

And gladly wilt thou hail the hour when Night

Shall in her starry robe invest the day,

Or when the Sun shall melt the morning rime.

But, day or night, for ever shall the load
30

Of wasting agony, that may not pass,

Wear thee away; for know, the womb of Time

Hath not conceived a power to set thee free.

Such meed thou hast, for love toward mankind;

For thou, a god defying wrath of gods,
35

Beyond the ordinance didst champion men,

And for reward shalt keep a sleepless watch,

Stiff-kneed, erect, nailed to this dismal rock,

With manifold laments and useless cries

Against the will inexorable of Zeus.
40

Hard is the heart of fresh-usurpèd power!

Strength

Enough of useless ruth! why tarriest thou?

Why pitiest one whom all gods wholly hate,

One who to man gave o'er thy privilege?

Hephaestus

Kinship and friendship wring my heart for him.
45

Strength

Ay—but how disregard our Sire's command?

Is not thy pity weaker than thy fear?

Hephaestus

Ruthless as ever, brutal to the full!

Strength

Tears can avail him nothing: strive not thou,

Nor waste thine efforts thus unaidingly.
50

Hephaestus

Out on my cursèd mastery of steel!

Strength

Why curse it thus? In sooth that craft of thine

Standeth assoiled of all that here is wrought.

Hephaestus

Would that some other were endowed therewith!

Strength

All hath its burden, save the rule of Heaven,
55

And freedom is for Zeus, and Zeus alone.

Hephaestus

I know it; I gainsay no word hereof.

Strength

Up, then, and hasten to do on his bonds,

Lest Zeus behold thee indolent of will!

Hephaestus

Ah well—behold the armlets ready now!
60

Strength

Then cast them round his arms and with sheer strength

Swing down the hammer, clinch him to the crags.

Hephaestus

Lo, 'tis toward—no weakness in the work!

Strength

Smite harder, wedge it home—no faltering here!

He hath a craft can pass th' impassable!
65

Hephaestus

This arm is fast, inextricably bound.

Strength

Then shackle safe the other, that he know

His utmost craft is weaker far than Zeus.

Hephaestus

He, but none other, can accuse mine art!

Strength

Now, strong and sheer, drive thro' from breast to back
70

The adamantine wedge's stubborn fang.

Hephaestus

Alas, Prometheus! I lament thy pain.

Strength

Thou, faltering and weeping sore for those

Whom Zeus abhors! 'ware, lest thou rue thy tears!

Hephaestus

Thou gazest on a scene that poisons sight.
75

Strength

I gaze on one who suffers his desert.

Now between rib and shoulder shackle him—

Hephaestus

Do it I must—hush thy superfluous charge!

Strength

Urge thee I will—ay, hound thee to the prey.

Step downward now, enring his legs amain!
80

Hephaestus

Lo, it is done—'twas but a moment's toil.

Strength

Now, strongly strike, drive in the piercing gyves—

Stern is the power that oversees thy task!

Hephaestus

Brutish thy form, thy speech brutality!

Strength

Be gentle, an thou wilt, but blame not me
85

For this my stubbornness and anger fell!

Hephaestus

Let us go hence; his legs are firmly chained.

Strength (To Prometheus)

Aha! there play the insolent, and steal,

For creatures of a day, the rights of gods!

O deep delusion of the powers that named thee
90

Prometheus, the Fore-thinker! thou hast need

Of others' forethought and device, whereby

Thou may'st elude this handicraft of ours!

[ Exeunt Hephaestus, Strength, and Force.— A pause.

Prometheus

O Sky divine, O Winds of pinions swift,

O fountain-heads of Rivers, and O thou,
95

Illimitable laughter of the Sea!

Earth, the Mighty Mother, and thou Sun,

Whose orbèd light surveyeth all—attest,

What ills I suffer from the gods, a god!

Behold me, who must here sustain
100

The marring agonies of pain,

Wrestling with torture, doomed to bear

Eternal ages, year on year!

Such and so shameful is the chain

Which Heaven's new tyrant doth ordain
105

To bind me helpless here.

Woe! for the ruthless present doom!

Woe! for the Future's teeming womb!

On what far dawn, in what dim skies,

Shall star of my deliverance rise?
110

Truce to this utterance! to its dimmest verge

I do foreknow the future, hour by hour,

Nor can whatever pang may smite me now

Smite with surprise. The destiny ordained

I must endure to the best, for well I wot
115

That none may challenge with Necessity.

Yet is it past my patience, to reveal,

Or to conceal, these issues of my doom.

Since I to mortals brought prerogatives,

Unto this durance dismal am I bound:
120

Yea, I am he who in a fennel-stalk,

By stealthy sleight, purveyed the fount of fire,

The teacher, proven thus, and arch-resource

Of every art that aideth mortal men.

Such was my sin: I earn its recompense,
125

Rock-riveted, and chained in height and cold.

[ A pause.

Listen! what breath of sound, what fragrance soft hath risen

Upward to me? is it some godlike essence,

Or being half-divine, or mortal presence?

Who to the world's end comes, unto my craggy prison?
130

Craves he the sight of pain, or what would he behold?

Gaze on a god in tortures manifold,

Heinous to Zeus, and scorned by all

Whose footsteps tread the heavenly hall,

Because too deeply, from on high,
135

I pitied man's mortality!

Hark, and again! that fluttering sound

Of wings that whirr and circle round,

And their light rustle thrills the air—

How all things that unseen draw near
140

Are to me Fear!

[ Enter the Chorus of Oceanides, in winged cars.

Chorus

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.) — 1 focus

Am fernen Saum der Erde sind wir angelangt,¹
1

Im Skythenland, in menschenöder Wüstenei.²

Dir ziemt, Hephästos, eingedenk zu sein des Amts,

Das dir der Vater zugetheilt, den Frevler hier

Hoch anzuketten an die steile Felsenwand
5

In diamant'ner Fesseln unlösbarem Nez.

Denn deine Blum', allkünstlerischen Feuers Glanz,

Hat er geraubt, der Erde Söhnen zugewandt;

Für solche Schuld denn strafen ihn die Götter nun,

Damit er fügsam ehren lernt die Herrschermacht
10

Des Zeus, und seiner Menschenlieb' Einhalt gebeut.

Hephästos.

Kraft und Gewalt, für euch erreichte Zeus' Gebot

Nunmehr sein Ende, Weit'res hält euch nimmer auf.

Mir aber graut es, einen stammverwandten Gott

Mit Gewalt zu ketten an die sturmumbrauste Kluft.
15

Und dennoch treibt mich strenge Noth zu dieser That;

Denn schwer bestraft sich's, trogen wir des Vaters Wort.

(zu Prometheus)

O du, der weisen Themis hochgesinnter Sohn,

Ich soll in unlösbarem Erz dich Sträubenden

Mit Sträuben fesseln an den öden Felsenhang,
20

Wo keine Stimme noch Gestalt der Menschen dir

Erscheinen, und, von hellem Sonnenstrahl gesengt,

Des Leibes Blume welken wird, wo dir ersehnt

Die Nacht in buntem Sterngewand den Tag verhüllt,

Und dann den Frühreif wieder schmelzt der Sonne Blick.
25

Stets wird die Qual dich martern, die dich hier umgarnt;

Noch ist ja nicht geboren, der dich retten wird.

Dies war der Dank, den deine Menschenliebe fand :

Du bot'st, ein Gott, von Götterzorne nicht geschreckt,

Mehr als geziemend Ehre dar den Sterblichen,
30

Wofür du fortan hüten wirst den Schauerfels,

Aufrechtgefesselt, schlummerlos, mit starrem Knie.

Und manches Ach und Wehe wird fruchtlos von dir

Erschallen; unerbittlich grollt die Brust des Zeus,

Und jeder neue Herrscher übt ein strenges Amt.
35

Kraft.

Auf! Was verziehst du, hegst umsonst Mitleid mit ihm?

Was zürnest du dem gottverhaften Gotte nicht,

Ihm, der des Staubes Söhnen dein Kleinod verrieth?

Hephästos.

Stark bindet Freundschaft, mächtig eint des Blutes Band.

Kraft.

Es sei! Doch ungehorsam sein des Vaters Wort,
40

Wie kannst du dieses? Graute dir davor nicht mehr?

Hephästos.

Wohl bist du stets hartherzig und von Troy erfüllt.

Kraft.

Um diesen hier zu klagen, frommt ja doch zu Nichts:

So ringe du nicht eitel um Vergebliches.

Hephäſtos.

meiner Hände tausendfach verhaßtes Werk!
45

Kraft.

Was grollst du diesem? An den Leiden hier, um kurz

Es auszusprechen, trägt die Kunst ja keine Schuld.

Hephästos.

Und doch - o hätt' ein Andrer diese Kunst erlangt!

Kraft.

Wohl wurde Jedem seine Last, nur nicht dem Zeus,

Der Götter König; unbeschränkt herrscht er allein.
50

Hephästos.

Das seh' ich hier, und widersprechen kann ich Nichts.³

Kraft.

So spute dich, die Fesseln umzuschlingen ihm,

Daß Vater Zeus nicht lässig säumend dich erblickt!

Hephästos.

Hier kannst du schon die Schellen ausgebreitet seh'n.

Kraft.

Die wirf ihm um die Hände, dann mit voller Kraft⁴
55

Den Hammer schwingend, nagle sie am Felsen fest.

Hephästos.

Schon thu' ich's, ohne Säumen wird das Werk vollbracht.

Kraft.

Noch stärker schlage, keile fest, laß nimmer ab!

Er weiß sich loszuwinden aus der engsten Haft.

Hephästos.

Der Arm ist angeschmiedet, unauflöslichfest.
60

Kraft.

Nun fess'le den auch sicher an, damit er lernt,

Er sei, der Schlaue, gegen Zeus ein blinder Thor.

Hephästos.

Ihn ausgenommen, schälte mich Niemand mit Grund.

Kraft.

Jetzt nimm des Demantkeiles schonungslosen Zahn,

Und treib' ihn mächtig mitten durch die Brust hindurch.
65

Hephästos.

Weh, weh, Prometheus! Wie bejammr' ich dein Geschick!

Kraft.

Schon wieder säumst du, jammerst um den Feind des Zeus?

O daß du nur dich selber nicht dereinst beklagst!

Hephästos.

Du siehst ein Schauspiel, dessen Graun kein Aug' erträgt.

Kraft.

Ihn seh' ich dulden seiner That verdienten Lohu.
70

Jetzt um die Hüften lege noch den Eisengurt.

Hephästos.

Das muß ich leider. Dränge mich doch nicht so sehr.

Kraft.

Ja, drängen will ich und dazu noch lauter schrei'n.

Nach unten steige, ringe straff die Schenkel ein!

Hephästos.

Und schon gethan ist's, ohne viel Arbeit gethan.
75

Kraft.

Nun hämm're mächtig, nagle fest der Bande Stift;

Denn der die Arbeit richtend schaut, er waltet streng!

Hephästos.

Zu deinem Aeußern stimmend, tönt der Zunge Laut.

Kraft.

Sei du der Weichling; meinen unbeugsamen Troy

Und meines Herzens Härte schilt mir nimmermehr!
80

Hephästos.

Wir geh'n: denn seine Glieder all' umspannt das Nez.

Kraft.

Hier troke nun, entwende Göttereigenthum,

Und gib's den Tagessöhnen hin! Wie können sie,

Die Menschen, dieser Qualen dich erledigen?

Den Vorbedachten nennen dich die Himmlischen :
85

Wie falsch! Des Vorbedachtes ja bedarfst du selbst,⁵

Aus diesem Kunstgewinde dich herauszuzieh'n.

(Kraft, Gewalt und Hephästos ab.)

Prometheus.

O heil'ger Aether und o Lüfte, schnellbeschwingt,

O Stromesquellen und der Meereswallungen

Endloses Glanzspiel! Erde, dich Allmutter, auch,
90

Dich, Helios' allsehend Auge, ruf' ich an:

Seht, was ich hier von Göttern dulden muß, ein Gott!

Schaut her, welch Leid, qualvoll, schmachvoll,⁶⁷

Mich martert, mit dem Jahrtausende lang

Fortkämpfen ich soll!
95

Solch schmähliche Fess'lung sann er mir aus,

Der neu sich erhob, der Unsterblichen Fürst!

Ach, ach! Um das Jetzt, um das kommende Leid

Wehklag' ich zumal. Wann wird jemals

Der Mühsale Ziel mir erscheinen?
100

Und doch - was sag' ich? Alles weiß ich klar voraus,

Was künftig sein wird; unerwartet naht sich mir

Niemals ein Leiden. Mein Verhängniß muß ich denn,

So leicht ich kann, ertragen, wohl' erkenn' ich ja,

Daß unbezwingbar deine Macht, Nothwendigkeit!
105

Doch schweigen und nicht schweigen über mein Geschick,

Unmöglich ist mir Beides. Weil ich Armer Heil

Der Erde Söhnen brachte, trag' ich dieses Joch.

Im Ferulstabe barg ich und entwandte schlau

Den Quell des Himmelsfeuers, der den Sterblichen
110

Ein Lehrer aller Künste ward, ein großer Hort.

Und solche Strafen duld' ich nun für solche Schuld,

In Banden angekettet hoch in freier Luft.

Horch, horch!

Was scholl? Welcher Duft weht von dorther unsichtbar

Mich an? Von Göttern? Menschen? Oder beider Art?
115

Kam zu dem äußersten Felsen ein Fremdling,⁸

Mein Leid zu schauen? Oder was verlangt er sonst?

O seht in Fesseln mich, den unglücksel'gen Gott,

Mich, Zeus' Urfeind, der allen ein Gräul,

Den Unsterblichen, ward, soviel' im Olymp
120

Eingeh'n in Kronions Herrscherpalast,

Weil über Gebühr ich die Menschen geliebt!

Weh!

Welch Rauschen vernahm, wie von Vögeln, mir nah

Schon wieder mein Ohr? Lind flüstert die Luft

Von der Fittige leicht hinsäuselndem Schwung.
125

Was naht, mir weckt es ein Grausen.

(Von der Meerseite her schweben auf einem Flügelwagen die Töchter des Okeanos vor den Felsen des Prometheus, und singen in abwech selndem Chorliede.) Erste Strophe.

Erster Halbchor.

Notes on the current edition

Prometheus Bound

1. Such etymologizing play (Pro-metheus, Fore-thought) was a serious matter to the Greeks, who found in the name of a person a significant indication of his nature or his fate. Unlike Shakespeare, Aeschylus saw nothing even half-humorous in such etymological analysis; and elsewhere, in playing on the names Apollo, Clytaemestra, Polynices, the nomen is an omen.

Commentary

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

1-6. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-1

affert scholiastes Aristophanis ad Ran. 826. et inde Suidas in v. ἐριβρεμέτας.

1. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-2

Primam fabulae scenam imitatus est Lucianus initio dialogi cui Prometheo nomen fecit, eiusque dialogi in fine alios huius fabulae locos respexit.

2. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-3

Σκύθην ἐς οἶμον: Stephanus Byz. in v. Σκύθαι affert

Σκύθην ἐς οἶμον

, quorum verborum Eustathius quoque mentionem facit ad Homerum p. 775, 1. 1339, 8. et ad Dionysii v. 69.

2. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-4

ἄβροτον εἰς ἐρημίαν: Libri omnes cum editionibus et codice E. Suidae in v. ἐριβρεμέτας praebent

ἄβατον εἰς ἐρημίαν

, nisi quod M. Rob.

ἄβατον τ εἰς ἐρημίαν

habent. Sed ceteri codices Suidae

ἄβροτον εἰς ἐρημίαν

, quod Eduardus Maltby in Thesauro Morelliano adnotavit Porsonum ex Suida, Hesychio, Eustathio, scholiasta Homeri Villoisoniano et Favorino reddendum censuisse. Vide etiam Porsoniana Kiddii p. 208. Ex his testibus solus Suidas ex hoc loco Aeschyli sumpta esse haec verba ostendit. Hesychius

ἄβροτον, ἀπάνθρωπον

. Scholiastes Homeri ad Il. XIV. 78. et in Crameri Anecd. Paris. IV. p. 19, 11.

καὶ Αἰσχύλος, ἄβροτον εἰς ἐρημίαν, δῆλον ἐν ᾗ φῶς οὐ γίνεται

. Εustathius p. 968, 44.

ἔστι δὲ ἀβρότη κατὰ μὲν τὸν κοινὸν ἐν ᾗ βροτὸς οὐ πρόεισιν· ὅθεν καὶ ἄβροτος φασὶν ἐρημία παρ' Αισχύλῳ

. Non ergo ipse hoc legit in Prometheo: Favorinus

ἔστι δὲ ἀβρότη κατὰ μὲν τὸν κοινὸν ἐν ᾗ βροτὸς οὐ πρόεισιν· Αἰσχύλος, ἄβροτον εἰς ἐρημίαν

. Verum esse puto, quod dubitanter suspicabatur Buttmannus in Lexilogo I. p. 135. Aeschylo

ἀβρότην νύκτα

Homeri visam esse in qua homines non exirent. Vix enim quisquam ausus esset hoc significatu hoc vocabulum usurpare, nisi id Homerum fecisse ab ludi magistris fuisset acceptum. Similem errorem notabimus ad v. 64.

3. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-5

NA: Respicit haec Eustathius p. 29, 14. 312, 16. 829, 56. Hesychius in v. ἐπιστολαί, Thomas M. p. 121, 6.

3. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-6

μέλειν:

μέλλειν

G. Lips. aliique codices, idque ante rasuram erat in M.

3. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-7

ἐπιστολὰς:

ἐπιστολὰς

Μ.

ἐπιτολὰς

G. Lips. Aug. (sed hic corr.) et reliqui fere codices.

4-5. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-8

λεωργὸν: Afferunt

τόνδε πρὸς πέτραις ὑψηλοκρήμνοις τὸν λεωργὸν ὀχμάσαι

Suidas et Favorinus in v.

λεωργός

. Respiciunt Etym. Μ. p. 563, 10. Hesychius in v.

λεωργόν

. Huius vocabuli, de quo multa congessit Barkerus ad Etym. M. p. 1100. seqq. perineptas explicationes excogitarunt grammatici, quarum una haec est, ut

λέως

pro

τελέως

dictum fuerit. Quid mihi videretur significavi ad Soph. Antig. 1261.

6. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-9

ἀδαμαντίνων δεσμῶν ἐν ἀρρήκτοις πέδαις: Mirifice variant libri, fere

ἀδαμαντίνοις πέδῃσιν ἀρρήκτοις πέτραις

vel similia exhibentes. Illud est in G. nisi quod erasum

πέτραις

λέγω

superscriptum.

ἀδαμαντίναις

(

ἀδαμαντίνοις

Lips.)

πέδαισιν ἐν ἀρρηκτοις πέτραις

Lips. Aug.

αδαμαντίναις πέδησιν ἐν ἀρρήκτοις πέτραις

Μ. Recte vero Canterus reposuit scripturam scholiastae Aristophanis ad Ran. 826. et Suidae in v. ἐπιβρεμέτας.

7. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-10

NA: Respexerunt Eustathius p. 748, 46. 1597, 62. Tzetzes ad Hesiodi O. et D. 60.

8. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-11

ὤπασεν:

ώπασε

G. Lips.

8. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-12

τοιᾶςδέ τοι:

τοις δέ τοι

12. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-13

Κράτος Βία τε: Κράτος et Βία, Stygis et Pallantis proles, ex Hesiodi Theog. 385. seqq. sumpta. Ex Aeschylo sumpsit Callimachus, in cuius h. Iov. 67. Jovi ministri assident.

12. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-14

σφῷν:

σφωϊν

M. Lips.

σφῶν

Brunckius.

13. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-15

κοὐδὲν ἐμποδὼν ἔτι: Libri

κοὐδὲν ἐμποδὼν

(

ἐμποδῶν

Μ.)

ἔτι

, praeter G. in quo est

κοὐδὲν ἐμποδὼν μάτην ἔτι

, et Paris. C. in quo

κοὐδὲν ἐμποδὼν μάτην

, superscripto

ἔτι

. Pro

ἔτι

, si Fachsium p. 68. recte interpretor, in Paris. B. est

ἐνί

. In scholiastarum interpretationibus nullum voculae

ἔτι

vestigium, quorum qui scripsit

ἐμπόδιον ἐν τούτῳ, ἐν τῷ πληρωθῆναι

, videtur

ἐνί

legisse. Rectius in M.

καὶ οὐδὲν ἐμποδὼν ἐστι τοῦ γενέσθαι

, et in Lips.

καὶ ἐμπόδιον τοῦ πληρωθῆναι

. Hinc nescio an scripserit Aeschylus

κοὐδὲν ἐμποδὼν ἄνῃ

. Sic etiam v. 72. in codice uno Vindobonensium

ἔτι

pro

ἄγαν

positum est.

15. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-16

πρὸς δυςχειμέρῳ:

πρὸς τῆι δυσχειμέρωι

Μ.

πρὸς τῇ δυσχειμέρῳ

Rob.

16. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-17

NA: Hic versus omissus in Lips. in Aug. autem ab recentiore manu in margine additus. Eo in codice est

μή

pro

μοι

ει τόλμης

, superscripto

16. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-18

σχεθεῖν: Libri

σχέθειν

. Elmsleius

σχεθεῖν

17. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-19

ἐξωριάζειν: Libri

ἐξωριάζειν

, quod verbum alibi non inventum Porsono auctore quidam cum

εὐωριάζειν

commutarunt. Photius

εὐωριάζειν, ἀφροντιστεῖν, κατὰ ἀντίφρασιν· ὥρα γὰρ ἡ φροντίς

. Hesychius

εὐωριάζειν, ὀλιγωρεῖν, μὴ ἔχειν φροντίδα, παρακούειν

. Idem

εὔωρος γάμος· Σοφοκλῆς Ἔριδι· ὥριος ἢ ὀλίγωρος. οὕτω γὰρ λέγουσι κατ' ἀντίφρασιν, ὡς ὁ αὐτὸς ἐν Σκυρίαις χρῆται τῷ εὐωριάζειν

. Valde probabilis sane coniectura, sed tamen ut non vincat falsum esse

ἐξωριάζειν

, quod doctiores Aeschyli scholiastarum ita interpretantur,

ἔξω ὥρας καὶ φροντίδος ποιεῖσθαι, ἔξω ὥρας τιθέναι καὶ ἀφροντιστεῖν, ἔξω φροντίδος ποιεῖν, ἀπορρίπτειν

18. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-20

αἰπυμῆτα:

αἰπομήτα

G. Mira vis est huius allocutionis, quae paucissimis, sed aptissimis verbis simul et iustam esse Promethei caussam honorifica compellatione declarat et lenissima cum reprehensione laudat animi magnitudinem.

19. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-21

ἄκοντά σ' ἄκων:

ἄκοντ᾽ ἄκων σε

G. aliique nonnulli codices et Rob. Sed in G. prima manus iustum ordinem restituit.

19. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-22

χαλκεύμασιν: Libri

χαλκεύμασι

20. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-23

προςπασσαλεύσω:

προσπαταλεύσω

προσπασαλεύσω

Lips.

20. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-24

πάγῳ:

τόπωι

pro

πάγῳ

M. Rob.

21. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-25

βροτῶν: G. et multi alii codices

θεῶν

. Quod etsi habet quo defendi possit, tamen

τῷδ᾽ ἀπανθρώπῳ πάγῳ

ostendit verum esse

βροτῶν

, quod M. Lips. Aug. habent.

21. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-26

μορφὴν βροτῶν:

μορφὴν βρωτῶν

Αld.

βροτῶν μορφὴν

Rob. Eximia arte cumulavit poeta infinitam mali magnitudinem. Ferreis vinculis ad saxa affixus vacuo hominibus in loco, neminis cuiusquam alloquio aut adspectu fruens, interdiu solis flamma tostus, noctu ex pruinis tremens, ab die levamen nocturni mali, diurni ab nocte expetens, semper dolore doloris alius vicario cruciatus, nullum habiturus liberatorem, eodem immobilis statu, somni expers, numquam fessa stando flexurus genua haeret in rupibus ille qui genus humanum affecit beneficiis.

22. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-27

σταθευτὸς: Memorant schol. Wassenbergh. ad Il. I. 47. ubi male scriptum est

ηλίου φοιβοῦ φλογί

, Eustathius p. 38, 3. 40, 36. 1266, 46. 1446, 32. Thomas M. p. 333, 29. Hesychius

σταθευτός, πεφλογισμένος ἠρέμα

22. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-28

φοίβῃ:

φοιβή

M. a pr. manu.

23. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-29

χροιᾶς:

χροιᾶς δ'

Lips. Aug.

24. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-30

ποικιλείμων:

ποικοιλείμων

G. Tangitur

ποικιλείμων

ab Eustathio p. 814, 23.

26. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-31

ἀεὶ:

αἰεὶ

27. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-32

λωφήσων: Thomas M. p. 226, 12.

λοφήσων

G. Rob.

28. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-33

ἐπηύρω:

ἐπηύρω

Μ.

ἀπηύρω

G. Lips. Aug. Eustathius p. 675, 49. schol. ad II. VII. 190. in Crameri Anecd. Paris. III. p. 226, 31. Defendit

ἀπηύρω

Abreschius in Misc. Obs. VIII. p. 341. Elmsleius veram scripturam

ἐπηύρου

esse putabat, quod altera

forma

Attici non videantur usi esse. Aeschylum tamen ego hoc loco credam

ἐπηύρω

scripsisse, ne quater vocabula in

ου

terminarentur.

32. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-34

NA: Cram. Anecd. Paris. IV. p. 14, 4.

34. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-35

φθέγξει: Libri

φθέγξηι

36. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-36

κατοικτίζεις:

κατοικτίζῃ

κατοικτίζη

Μ.

κατοικτίζεις

Lips. Aug.

40. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-37

σύμφημ':

σύμφημι

Lips. plene, ut si

ἀνηκουστεῖν

sequeretur. Ceteri libri

σύμφημ

42. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-38

ἀεί γε δὴ:

αἰεί τε δὴ νηλής

Μ. cum aliis.

αἰεί τοι νηλὴς

αἰεί τοι δὴ νηλὴς

Lips. Aug.

αἰεί τι δὴ νηλής

alii.

αἰεί τει δὴ νηλὴς

Rob.

γε

praebuit Vind. 3. Porsono aliisque merito probatum.

43. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-39

τόνδε:

τῷδε

M. a pr. manu,

44. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-40

NA: Stobaeus LVIII. 6. Clemens Alex. Strom. V. p. 234. (399.) Theodoretus c. Graec. IV. p. 531. C. Georgides in Boissonadii Anecd. I. p. 85. apud quem

τὰ

pro

τὸ

legitur.

45. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-41

χειρωναξία:

χειρῶν ἀξία

Lips.

χειροναξία

G. Phrynichus in Bekkeri Anecd. p. 72, 14.

χειρωναξία· πολὺ μὲν τὸ χειρῶναξ, τὸ δ᾽ ἔργον οὐχ οὕτως, κἂν Αισχύλος δόκιμον ποιῇ τὴν φωνήν

48. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-42

ἔμπας:

ἔμπης

48. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-43

ὤφελεν:

ὤφειλε

G. Lips. Aug.

ὤφελεν

Μ.

49. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-44

ἐπαχθῆ: Libri

ἐπαχθές

, quod quocumque modo explicetur, ineptam et ne recte quidem enuntiatam sententiam praebet, quia perfecto opus erat. Stanlei emendationem

ἐπαχθῆ

meo monitu recepit Blomfieldius. Coniecit hoc etiam Briggsius ad Theocr. I. 101.

49. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-45

θεοῖσι:

θεοῖς

Lips. Aug.

51. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-46

ἔγνωκα τοῖςδε: Interpungebatur

ἔγνωκα, τοῖςδε κοὐδὲν ἀντειπεῖν ἔχω

. Frustra haec alii defendere, alii corrigere conati sunt: de qua re accurate disputavit Mauricius Hauptius in Obs. crit. p. 57. Recte Bothius

ἔγνωκα τοῖςδε

coniunxit.

52. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-47

ἐπείξει δεσμὰ τῷδε:

ἐπείξηι τῶνδε

(

τῷδε

G.)

δεσμὰ

Μ. G. et alii libri.

ἐπείξῃ δεσμὰ τῷδε

Lips. Aug. aliique. Haec melior verborum collocatio.

53. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-48

ἐλινύοντα:

ἐλινύοντα

M. G.

ἐλιννύοντα

Lips. Aug.

54. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-49

ψάλια:

ψάλια

M. Lips. Aug.

ψέλια

55. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-50

νιν: Scholiastae

νιν

interpretantur et

αὐτά

αὐτόν

. Prior interpretatio vera videtur.

59. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-51

πόρον: "

πόρον

Synes. Epist. 147. p. 288. A. sed

πόρους

Aristoph. Eq. 756. et schol. Marcellin. in Vit. Thuc. p. 2. 1. 9. Dionys. Halicarn, A. R. VII. 36. p. 1390. ed. Reisk." Haec adnotavit R. Porsonus, persuasitque Blomfieldio aliisque. Apud Aeschylum

πόρον

M. Lips. Aug. et plerique libri.

τρόπων

τρόπον

Cant. 1. γρ.

τρόπον

Arund.

πόρους

nullus. Prudenter Scholefieldius vix satis vel caussae esse vel auctoritatis habere scholiastam Aristophanis et Marcellinum censuit, ut

πόρους

probaretur. Operae pretium est videre, quam leviter de testibus istis sit iudicatum. Solus scholiastes Aristophanis versum Aeschyli affert, habetque

πόρους

. At hic quam facili errore pluralem ponere potuerit, verba Aristophanis ostendunt,

ποικίλος γὰρ ἀνὴρ κἀκ τῶν ἀμηχάνων πόρους εὐμηχάνους πορίζων

. Aristophanem autem quo argumento, si Aeschyli versum in mente habuit,

πόρους

legisse iudicavit Porsonus, quum ille per metrum non potuerit

πόρον

ponere? Quid autem Marcelinus? De Thracibus et Dolopibus,

καταφεύγουσιν ἐπὶ τὰ χρηστήρια, εἰδότες ὅτι μόνος ὁ θεὸς ἐξ ἀμηχάνων εὑρίσκει πόρους. θεῶν γὰρ ἰσχὺς καὶ κατ' Αισχύλον ὑπερτέρα

. Vt hic Aeschyli versum respexerit, quid impedit credere eum memoriae errore

πόρους

scripsisse? Denique quid Dionysius ?

δεινὸς ἀνὴρ τά τ' ἄλλα καὶ πόρους εὑρεῖν ἐν ἀπόροις

. Non magis profecto hic de Aeschylo cogitavit quam multi ali qui similia saepe dixerunt: quorum satis magnum numerum congessit Blomfieldins. Huic quidem etiam in eo assentiri nequeo, quod in Callistrati Imag. I. p. 145, 24.

πόρους

scribi voluit, ubi rectissime legi

ἀσθματος ἔνδειξιν, ἐγειρομένην οἴκοθεν ἐκ τῶν ἀμηχάνων πόρων

apparet ex cap. 9. p. 157, 6. Nec defendendo apud Aeschylum plurali prodest quod pluralem in simili sententia posuit,

δεινοὶ πλέκειν τοι μηχανὰς Αιγύπτιοι

(fr. 351): nam id quivis fecisset. Nec respexit Aeschyli versum Plato, quum in Symposio p. 203. D. de Amore scripsit

θηρευτής δεινός, ἀεί τινας πλέκων μηχανὰς καὶ πόριμος

. Nec mirandum quod apud Alciphronem L. S. p. 30. nemo correxerit

πόρους ἐξ ἀπόρων

. Nam mirandum potius esset, si id fecisset quisquam. Etenim ibi homo, qui sua omnia

ἄπορα

esse dixit, uxori scribit invitatum se a piratis ad ineundam societatem esse:

οὗτοί με κοινωνὸν ἐθέλουσι λαβεῖν τοῦ τολμήματος, πόρους ἐκ πόρων εὐμεγέθεις ὑπισχνούμενοι

. Neque ulla caussa erat cur mallet in Aristarchi versibus apud Stobaeum LXII. 9.

πόρους

scribi,

οὗτος γὰρ ὁ θεὸς καὶ τὸν ἀσθενῆ σθένειν τίθησι καὶ τὸν ἄπορον εὑρίσκειν πόρον

. Denique si putavit Vrsinum ad Virgilii Eel. V. 1.

πόρους

in Aeschyli versu ex MSS. posuisse, quid prohibet credere versum ex scholiasta Aristophanis ab Vrsino esse adscriptum?

60. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-52

ἄραρεν:

ἄφησεν

legitur apud Ioannem Diaconum ad Hesiodi Scutum ν. 271.

60. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-53

δυςεκλύτως:

δυσεκβλήτως

δυσεκλείτως

ante correctionem Lips.

δυσκωλύτως

legitur in scholiis Baroccianis ad Soph. Εl. 147.

δυςεκχύτως

in Crameri Anecd. Par. IV. p. 262, 24.

62. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-54

μάθῃ:

μάθοι

Lips. Aug.

64-65. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-55

NA: Schol. Aristoph. Ran. 826. Suidas in v. ἐπιβρεμέτας. Sumpsit haee Aeschylus ex Hesiodi Theog. 521.

δῆσε δ᾽ ἀλυκτοπέδῃσι Προμηθέα ποικιλόβουλον δεσμοῖς ἀργαλέοισι, μέσον διὰ κίον ἐλάσσας

. Quae sic videtur interpretatus esse, ut cuneum per medium Prometheum putaverit adactum esse. Idque iteravit in Soluto Prometheo, ut ex his a Cicerone in Latinum sermonem translatis versibus cognoscitur,

hos ille cuneos fabrica crudeli inserens perrupit artus, qua miser sollertia transverberatus castrum hoc Furiarum incolo

. At Hesiodus verba sua ita intelligi voluit,

τὰ δεσμὰ διὰ μέσον κίονα ἐλάσσας

, in media columna, ad quam alligatus fuerit Prometheus, affixas esse manicas. Sanguinis ex vulnere profluentis quod mentio non facta sit, Schützius hanc fuisse caussam putabat, quod secundum Homerum Il. V. 340.

ἰχώρ

diis pro sanguine esset. Mihi hic nihil caussae fuisse videtur, ut de sanguine aliquid adderetur. Nec tamen idcirco contenderim non esse sanguinem oculis spectatorum ostensum. Certe eius mentio facta est in Soluto Prometheo, ubi Prometheus dicebat

pinnala cauda nostrum adulans sanguinem

66. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-56

αἰαῖ:

αι αι

M. G. Lips.

αῖ αῖ

Aug. et edd. vett.

66. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-57

σῶν ὑπὲρ στένω: Libri

ὑπερστένω

, nisi quod Paris. Ε.

ὑπὲρ στέρνω

habet. Bothius

ὑπὲρ στένω

, quod congruit cum sequentibus.

67. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-58

σὺ δ᾽ αὖ:

σὺ δ' οὖν

Rob. et pauci libri.

67. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-59

τῶν Διός τ' ἐχθρῶν:

τὸν διός τ' ἐχθρὸν

Lips. Aug.

67. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-60

ὕπερ:

ἅπερ

Μ. G.

ὑπερστένεις

, omisso

στένεις

in principio sequentis versus, Lips. Aug.

68. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-61

NA: Thomas M. p. 235, 6.

68. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-62

οἰκτιεῖς:

οἰκτιῆς

68. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-63

NA:

σκόπει

in fine versus addunt Lips. Aug. non G. Scilicet in M. in margine adscriptum

λείπει σκόπει

69. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-64

NA: Signum interrogandi, quod repertum a se scribit Stephanus, habet in fine versus G. et ut videtur M. Recte fortasse.

70. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-65

τῶνδε:

τόνδε

Μ. a pr. manu.

71. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-66

μασχαλιστῆρας:

πλευρὰς μασχαλίστρας

G. Meminit ex hoc loco

μασχαλιστῆρας

Thomas M. p. 236, 11. Describit

μασχαλιστῆρας

Pollux I. 147.

72. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-67

ἐγκέλευ' ἄγαν:

ἐγκέλευ' ἔτι

, et in margine

γρ. ἄγαν

, Vind. 3.

73. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-68

γε πρός:

δε

pro

γε

G. et alii.

σε

Rob. et libri nonnulli.

γέ σε

Ven. 2.

πρός

omittunt Lips. Aug.

74. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-69

κίρκωσον:

κίρκωσον

Μ. qui in margine

ἀντὶ τοῦ κρίκωσον

habet.

κρίκωσον

G. Lips. Aug. et plerique libri.

75. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-70

πόνῳ:

χρόνῳ

pro

πόνῳ

Rob. et pauci codices.

76. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-71

θεῖνε:

θεῖνε

Lips. Aug.

76. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-72

διατόρους:

Διάτορος

fere active dicitur. Scholiastes

τὰς διατειρούσας καὶ τιτρωσκούσας, ἢ διατετορευμένας

. Prior interpretatio aperte inepta est. Dicuntur compedes perforatae, non quod annulorum instar crura amplectantur, sed quod foramina habent, per quae clavi adacti eas saxis affigant.

76. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-73

πέδας:

πόδας

Lips. Aug. Rob.

77. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-74

NA: Eustathius p. 1629, 11. 1827, 46.

77. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-75

οὑπιτιμητής γε:

οϋπιτιμήσγε

, ab alia manu ultimis syllabis in

τήςγε

mutatis, M.

οϋπιτιμητής δε

78. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-76

γηρύεται:

γαρύεται

G. et pauci alii codices.

79-80. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-77

NA: Eumathius p. 225. apud quem

μαλακίζου

αὐθαδείαν

legitur.

80. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-78

ὀργῆς τε:

ὀργήν τε

80. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-79

τραχύτητα:

βαρύτητα

θρασύτητα

Eumathius, Lips. Aug. et alii codices.

80. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-80

μὴ 'πίπλησσέ μοι:

μὴ πίπλασσέ μοι

, ad

superscripto

, Lips.

81. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-81

κώλοισιν:

κώλοισι

, ad

superscripto

, Lips.

83. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-82

ἐφημέροισι:

ἐφημερίοισι

83. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-83

προςτίθει: Dubitabat Blomfieldius an

προςτίθη

scribendum esset, quod in Etym. M. p. 478, 10. doceatur tertias imperfecti personas fieri secundas imperativi,

τίθη, πίμπλη

84. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-84

ἀπαντλῆσαι:

ἀπαντλῆσαι

M. G. Lips. Aug.

ἀπαλλάξαι

pauci codices.

86. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-85

δεῖ:

δεῖν

86. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-86

αὐτὸν γάρ σε δεῖ Προμηθέως: Affert

αὐτόν σε δεῖ προμηθέως

Eustathius p. 1497, 42. Scholiastes Pindari ad Pyth. V. 35.

διὸ καὶ τοὔνομα ἀπὸ τοῦ προμαθεῖν ἔσχε. καὶ Σοφοκλῆς δὲ ἐν τῷ Προμηθεῖ “τοῦ Προμηθέως”, θέλων λέγειν τῆς φρονήσεως ἀντέχεσθαι καὶ μὴ τῆς μεταμελείας

. Quae verba Boeckhius in libro quem de tragicis Graecis scripsit p. 121. recte videtur ad hunc Aeschyli versum rettulisse, negans ab Sophocle scriptum esse Prometheum. Alioqui non legeremus quae de Aeschyli Prometheo praefati sunt antiqui interpretes,

κεῖται ἡ μυθοποιΐα ἐν παρεκβάσει παρὰ Σοφοκλεῖ ἐν Κόλχοις, παρὰ δ᾽ Ευριπίδῃ ὅλως οὐ κεῖται

. Falluntur ergo, qui, ut Valckerus in Mythologia Iapetidarum p. 19. Prometheum ab Sophocle scriptum credunt. Vt apud Aeschylum, ita etiam apud Pindarum Ol. VII. 80.

Προμαθέος αιδώς

dictum esse ostendit Pyth. V. 35.

Ἐπιμαθέος θυγατήρ Πρόφασις

87. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-87

ἐκκυλισθήσει: Libri

ἐκκυλισθήσῃ

87. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-88

τέχνης:

τέχνης

M. G. Lips. Aug. et plurimi codices. γρ.

τύχης

supra adscriptum in Lips.

τύχης

Rob. et libri nonnulli. In M. ad

τέχνης

adscriptum

τῶν δεσμῶν

88. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-89

δῖος:

ὦ διός

M. G. Lips. Aug. Rob.

ὦ δῖος

Victorius.

88. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-90

ταχύπτεροι:

ταχύτεροι

90. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-91

NA: Respexisse videtur Pollux VI. 201. V. Petiti Misc. Obs. II. 18.

90. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-92

παμμῆτόρ:

παμμήτωρ

Μ.

91. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-93

κύκλον ἡλίου:

ἡλίου κύκλον

92. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-94

ἴδεσθέ μ', οἷα:

ίδεσθ᾽ οἷα

Lips. Aug.

93. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-95

δέρκεσθε, οἵαις αἰκίαισιν:

δέρ χθηθ' οἵαις αικίαισι

M. erasis post

δέρ

aliquot litteris.

δέρχθηθ' οἵαις ἀνίαισιν

(

ἀνίαισι

Aug. Rob.) G. Lips. Aug. Rob. Ad

οἵαις

in Lips. supra adscriptum γρ.

αναῖς

. Plerique libri

αἰκίαισι

habere videntur, ut Ald. Turn. Blomfieldius secundum Elmsleii praeceptum ad Med. 608. nota X.

αἰκείαισιν

scripsit. Eximia arte Aeschylus fecit Prometheum, tandem, postquam solus est neque audiri potest a feroci irrisore, quo praesente contemptim tacuerat, rumpere silentium, initio quidem adhuc constricto magnitudine mali pectore aegre et tardioribus numeris caelum terramque testes iniuriae appellare, mox autem libero impetu indignationem citatis anapaestis effundere, paullo post vero dignitatis suae memorem quieto tranquilloque animo sese conscientia recte factorum consolari.

94. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-96

μυριετῆ:

μυριέτη

Lips. Scholiastes

πολυετῆ· ἐν γὰρ τῷ πυρφόρω τρεῖς μυριάδας φησὶ δεδέσθαι αὐτόν

. Hyginus Poet. astr. II. 15.

Prometheum autem in monte Scythiae nomine Caucaso ferrea catena vinxit: quem alligatum ad triginta milia annorum Aeschylus tragoediarum scriptor ait

. Id si Aeschylus

τριςμύρια ἔτη

dixit, videri potest usitata formula nihil nisi ingentem numerum significasse. Ideo tamen hic

μυριετῆ χρόνον

non eam vim quam

πολυετῆ

, sed paullo maiorem habet, numero annis addito quasi vivam imaginem immensi spatii animo offerens.

95. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-97

ἀθλεύσω:

ἀθλεύσω

G. Rob. et alii libri.

98. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-98

αἰαῖ:

φεῦ φεῦ

M. G. et aliquot alii codices.

αι αι

Lips. Aug. atque alii.

αἳ αἳ

Rob. Qui cum Porsono

φεῦ φεῦ

praetulerunt, videntur id hiatus vitandi caussa fecisse. At is in interiectionibus legitimus est. Aptius hic videtur

αἰαῖ

, solentque id glossatores

φεῦ φεῦ

interpretari.

99. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-99

πῇ:

πῆι

M. G. Lips. Aug. multique alii codices et Rob.

πῆ

Ald.

πῇ

a recte editum inde a Turnebo.

100. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-100

τέρματα:

τέρματα

M. Ita recte Turnebus. Fuerunt qui hoc corrigendo orationem enervarent.

τέρμα

G. Lips. Aug. Rob. et reliqui ut videtur libri. In edd. vett. coli signo vel puncto post

στενάχω

distinguitur, non posito signo interrogandi post

ἐπιτεῖλαι

, quod placuit fere recentioribus. At multo gravior hic obliqua oratio est. Sic etiam v. 183. ss.

102. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-101

σκεθρῶς:

σκοθρῶς

M. a pr. manu.

τορῶς

nonnulli codices.

102. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-102

τὰ μέλλοντ', οὐδέ μοι:

τὰ μέλλοντα οὐδ᾽ ἐμοὶ

103. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-103

πῆμ' οὐδὲν:

πῆμα οὐδὲν

104. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-104

γιγνώσκονθ᾽:

γιγνώσκονθ'

Μ. Reliqui

γινώσκονθ'

105. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-105

NA: Moschopulus in Agapetum apud Fabricium Bibl. Gr. vol. XII. p. 306. sive ed. Harl. vol. VIII. p. 41. Theodorus Hyrtacenus Epist. S. et 43.

105. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-106

ἀδήριτον:

ἀδήρητον

Lips. Aug.

108. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-107

πορὼν:

πορῶν

M. Lips.

πορών

G. Aug.

108. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-108

ἐνέζευγμαι:

ἐνέζευγμαι

M. G. aliique codices.

ἐζευγμαι

Aug. Lips. et plerique codices.

ὑπέζευγμαι

edd. vett.

109. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-109

NA: Hesychius in v.

ναρθηκοπλήρωτες

. Schol. Ambrosianus ad Od. v. 490.

110. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-110

πηγὴν:

πηγήν

scriptum est apud Hesychium.

παγήν

, superscripto

, Lips.

111. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-111

πάσης:

πάσης

M. G. Lips. Aug. et plerique codices.

πᾶσι

nonnulli codices et Ald. Rob.

111. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-112

πέφηνε:

πέφηνε

M, G. Lips. Aug. et ceteri ut videtur codices.

πέφυκε

editiones veteres.

112. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-113

τοιάςδε:

τοιᾶς δε

G. Ceteri

τοιάσδε

. Quod Stanleius coniecerat non satis perspecto usu Graecorum,

τοιώνδε

, quattuor codices Vindobonenses habere dicit Schützius, testis valde suspectus.

113. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-114

πασσαλευτὸς ὤν:

πασσαλευτός

, omisso

ὤν

, G. Lips. Aug. et plerique codices.

πασσαλευμένος

Μ. et alii codices,

πασσαλευόμενος

Cantabr. 2.

δεσμοῖσι πεπασσαλευμένος

Rob.

πασσαλευτὸς ὢν

receptum inde a Turnebo.

114-115. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-115

NA: In Lips.

ἔα. ἔα. ἔα. ἔα. τίς ἀχώ. τίς ὀδμά

. ab alia, ut videtur, manu in fine praecedentis versus post

πασσαλευτός

addita sunt, omissis

προσέπτα μ' ἀφεγγὴς θεόσυτος

. Eadem omissa in Aug. in quo priora sic scripta sunt,

ἔα. ἔα. ἔα. τίς ἀχώ. τίς ὀδμά

. Recte scholiastae

ἐκπλήξεως ἐπιρρήματα. ἐπιρρήματα ἐκπληκτικά

. Quorum

ἔα ἔα

rei subitae mirationem,

ἔα ἔα

quid secuturum sit exspectationem significat. Vehementer commoveri Prometheum, ubi illa in solitudine aliquem ad se accedere sentit, per se patet. Itaque hic unicus est in hac tragoedia locus, in quo Prometheum pauca videmus liberioribus numeris exclamare. In ceteris quae loquitur omnibus summam servat gravitatem, aut iambis, aut, quum indignatione corripitur, anapaestis utens,

115. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-116

NA: Quis credat quaesitum esse quid oluerint Oceanides? Ambrosiam spirare putabat Schützius, odorem qualis esset deorum marinorum Jacobsius in Museo Attico vol. III. p. 403. Neutrum qualis sit intelligas. Ambrosium enim ipsum nomen non mortalium, sed deorum esse indicat: hic vero qui est? Non magis dicas quid dii marini redoleant, nisi valde diversum ab eo quod

νέποδες καλῆς ἁλοσύδνης

apud Homerum. Satis est meminisse, qui vitam sub dio agant, sensibus uti acrioribus, eoque facile vel levi aurae motu adventum alicuius percipere naribus.

116. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-117

θεόσυτος:

θεόσυτος

M. G. et reliqui, ut videtur, libri praeter Arundelanium, ex quo

θεόσυτος

Stanleius restituit.

116. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-118

κεκραμένη:

κεκραμμένη

ante rasuram M.

117. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-119

ἐπὶ πάγον: Constat hic versus ex dochmio et Cretico.

ἐπίπαγον

Lips.

118. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-120

ἐμῶν θεωρός:

ἡμῶν θεωρός

, cum rasura ante

ός

, Μ.

119. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-121

θεόν:

θεὸν

superscripto

ὢν

Lips.

θεῶν

Aug.

122. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-122

εἰςοιχνεῦσιν:

εἰσοιχνεῦσιν

Μ.

εἰσοιχνεῦσι

alii.

εἰσιχνεῦσιν

Lips. Aug.

εἰσιχνεῦσι

G. et alii. Eustathius p. 1483, 39.

ὅσοι τὴν Διὸς αὐλὴν οἰχνεῦσι

123. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-123

βροτῶν:

τῶν βροτῶν

codices nonnulli et Ald. Rob.

τὸν

solum G.

124. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-124

φεῦ φεῦ:

αἳ αἳ

Vind. 2. 4. Ask. A.

φεῦ φεῦ

ceteri libri, quod hic, ubi stupet potius quam dolet Prometheus, recte se habet.

124. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-125

κινάθισμα:

κινάθισμα

memorat Hesychius.

125. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-126

ἐλαφραῖς:

ἐλαφρᾶς

Μ.

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.

1. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-3

⁵

⁶

;

1. χθονὸς πέδον : poetical periphra- sis for χθόνα. Cp. Suppl. 260 χώρας ᾿Απίας πέδον, 662 πέδον γᾶς, Pers. 488 γῆς ᾿Αχαιίδος πέδον. In such expres- sions, the adjective does not agree with the genitive, but with the sub- stantive which makes the periphrasis, because this substantive forms one idea with the genitive. See below, 91, 110, 823; also Sept. 304 ποῖον δ᾽ ἀμείψεσθε γαίας πέδον, Εum. 292 χώ- ρας ἐν τόποις Λιβυστικοῖς, 326 ματρῷον ἅγνισμα κύριον φόνου, 718 πρωτοκτό- νοισι προστροπαῖς ᾿Ιξίονος. – μέν : an- swered by σοὶ δέ in 3; the first part of the task (bringing Prometheus to the spot) is contrasted with the sec- ond part (nailing him to the rock). "We have done our duty, and here we are (ἥκομεν), now you must do yours." - τηλουρόν: this accent is expressly attested by the gramma- rian Arcadius περὶ τόνων, p. 73, 6. τηλουρός is formed from τηλοῦ as πο- νηρός from πόνος. Others derive the word from τῆλε and ὅρος (οὗρος) boun- dary, so that it means cuius ter- mini procul sunt; or from τῆλε and oὗρον space (cp. Curtius Etym.5 p. 346); but these derivations would require the accent τήλουρος.

2. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-4

⁷

⁸

;

2. Σκύθην: here used adjectively, as in 417. So Sept. 817 Σκύθῃ σιδήρῳ, Eur. Rhes. 426 Σκύθης λέως, Martial iv. 28, 4 Scythas zmaragdos. Cp. also 805; Ag. 109 Ἑλλάδος ἥβας, Prom. Solut. Frg. Χ. 9 below Λίγυν στρα- τόν, Frg. 322 Κουρῆτα λαόν. See also note on 761 below. - οἶμον : originally road, then strip, tract; cp. Il. xi. 24 τοῦ δ᾽ (sc. θώρηκος) ἤτοι δέκα οἶμοι ἔσαν μέλανος κυάνοιο, ten stripes of blue steel. – ἄβροτον: ἀπάνθρωπον, Hesych. Hermann, following Buttmann Lexil. I. p. 136, thinks this use of ἄβροτος a blunder, due to a misinterpretation of the Homeric νὺξ ἀβρότη (Il. xiv. 78), which was wrongly explained by some of the ancients as the time "when mortals are not abroad," καθ' ἣν βροτοὶ οὐ φοιτῶσιν, whereas it is really an equivalent of νὺξ ἄμβροτος (Od. xi. 330), νὺξ ἀμβροσίη. But this is not necessary. As ἄνανδρος means both unmanly and destitute of men, ἀπάνθρωπος both inhuman and deserted of mankind, so ἄβροτος means immortal and void of mortals. - Similar resolu-

;

tions in the third foot occur eight times in this play. The tribrach in the first foot always consists of a sin- gle word (see on 116); but in the second and fifth, and still more in the third and fourth feet, the first short of the tribrach is usually the final syllable of a word, or a monosyllabic particle closely connected with the preceding word (τέ 351, γέ 746, δέ 993). In the third foot, the caesura thus made is followed, in six of the examples, by a word consisting of three short syllables; in the other two cases a proper name of four syllables follows (Κιλικίων 351, Ιόνιος 840). The repetition of the prep- osition gives to Σκύθην οἶμον and ἄβρο- τον ἐρημίαν, which otherwise would be close appositives, more the air of two separate statements. See Krüg. I. § 57, 10, 4. - The scholiast remarks on this verse: τοῦτο εἰς τὸ ἀπαραμύθη- τον τοῦ δεθησομένου· καὶ Σοφοκλῆς τὸ αὐτὸ περὶ Φιλοκτήτου λέγει. Cp. Intro- duction, p. 25, footnote 2, and verses 20, 270; also Ar. Ach. 704, ξυμπλα- κέντα τῇ Σκυθῶν ἐρημίᾳ.

3. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-5

⁹

¹⁰

;

3. Ήφαιστε, σοὶ δέ: for σοὶ δέ, "Ηφαιστε. The vocative is often placed first in this way, to attract more promptly the attention of the person addressed. Cp. Od. xvi. 130 ἄττα, σὺ δ᾽ ἔρχεο θᾶσσον, Ιl. i. 282 ᾿Ατρείδη, σὺ δὲ παῦε τεὸν μένος, vi. 429 Ἕκτορ, ἀτὰρ σύ μοί ἐσσι πατήρ. Frequent in Sophocles: cp. Ai. 1409, Εl. 150, Ο. Τ. 203, 1096, 1503, О. С. 237, 332, 507, 592, Ant. 1087, Phil. 799. Also [Plato] Theages 127 c & Σώκρατες, πρὸς σὲ δ᾽ ἂν ἤδη εἴη ὁ μετὰ τοῦτο λόγος. -- μέλειν : personal; ἐπιστολάς is its subject. See Krüg. I. § 47, 11, 5 and II. § 47, 11, 2. – ἐπιστολάς : = ἐν- τολάς, commands. Cp. Suppl. 1012 φυλάξαι τάσδ' ἐπιστολὰς πατρός, Pers. 783 κού μνημονεύει τὰς ἐμὰς ἐπιστολάς, Frg. 423 ἄκουε τὰς ἐμὰς ἐπιστολάς.

4. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-6

¹¹

¹²

;

4. πατήρ: is said of Zeus not only by the menials, 40 and 53, and by Hermes, 947, 984, but even by He- phaestus, 17.

5. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-7

¹³

¹⁴

;

5. λεωργόν : κακοῦργον, πανοῦργον, ἀνδροφόνον, Hesych. Of these, the interpretation πανούργος agrees ex- actly with the derivation of the word from λέως, an adverb which the an- cient lexicographers explain by re- λέως, παντελῶς, ἅπαν. Cp. Archil. Frg. 112 Bergk λείως γὰρ οὐδὲν ἐφρό- νεον = πάντως γὰρ οὐδὲν ἐφρόνεον, and the words λεώλης, λεώλεθρος = πανώλης, πανώλεθρος. Accordingly λεωργός sig- nifies one who acts recklessly, in dis- tinction from one whose conduct is regulated by principle. Cp. Archil. Frg. 88 πάτερ Ζεῦ, σὸν μὲν οὐρανοῦ κράτος, σὺ δ᾽ ἔργ᾽ ἐπ᾿ ἀνθρώπων ὁρᾷς λεωργὰ καὶ θεμιστά, Xen. Mem. i. 3. 9 αὐτὸν θερμουργότατον εἶναι καὶ λεωρ- γότατον. Hesychius gives also the form λαοργός (with the interpreta- tion ἀνόσιος· Σικελοί). The adverb λέως is related to the intensive prefix λᾶ- (λάμαχος, λακαταπύγων, λακατάρα- τος) as λεώς is to λαός, νεώς τo ναός.

6. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-8

¹⁵

¹⁶

;

6. ἀδαμαντίνων: ἀδάμας· γένος σιδή- ρου, Hesych. Cp. 64; also Pind. Pyth. ⅳν. 125 κρατεροῖς ἀδάμαντος δῆσεν ἅλοις, with iron nails, Pind. Frg. 88 ἐξ ἀδάμαν-

;

τος ἢ σιδάρου. The meaning diamond is not found before Theophrastus (Pindar, de adamante; Comm. Antiqu. p. 19). – ἀρρήκτοις πέδαις : cp. Il. xiii. 36 ἀμφὶ δὲ ποσσὶ πέδας ἔβαλε χρυσείας ἀρρήκτους ἀλύτους, 19 below δυσλύ- τοις χαλκεύμασι. πέδαι are fetters, δεσμά bonds, a more general term. The reverse combination in Eur. Bacch. 447 δεσμὰ διελύθη πεδῶν. Cp. Ag. 850 πῆμα νόσου, Pers. 543 λέκ- τρων εὐνάς. - Aeschylus admits an anapaest only in the first foot of the trimeter. The one exception is Sept. 569, where the proper name could hardly have been otherwise brought into the verse. (In 840 below there is no anapaest; see note.) This ana- paest, like the tribrach and dactyl in the same place (see on 2 and 730), is never divided between two words: it generally consists of a trisyllabic word, but sometimes of the beginning of a longer word, as here and 64, 353, 796, 805, 811. There are thirteen such anapaests in the Prometheus.

7. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-9

¹⁷

¹⁸

;

7. τὸ σὸν ἄνθος: τὸν σὸν κόσμον, Schol. In Theognis 452, the 'clear lustre' of gold is called its καθαρὸν ἄνθος. – παντέχνου πυρός : cp. 110, and Xen. Mem. iv. 3. 7 τὸ δὲ καὶ τὸ πῦρ πορίσαι ἡμῖν, ἐπίκουρον μὲν ψύχους, ἐπίκουρον δὲ σκότους, συνεργὸν δὲ πρὸς πᾶσαν τέχνην καὶ πάντα ὅσα ὠφελείας ἕνεκα ἄνθρωποι κατασκευάζονται, Plat. Protag. 321 cὁ Προμηθεὺς ... κλέπτει Ηφαίστου καὶ ᾿Αθηνᾶς τὴν ἔντεχνον σοφίαν σὺν πυρί. - πυρὸς σέλας: said by Homer Il. xix. 375. Cp. Hesiod Theog. 566 κλέψας ἀκαμάτοιο πυρὸς τηλέσκοπον αὐγήν.

9. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-10

¹⁹

²⁰

;

9. σφέ: = αὐτόν, as Sept. 615, Soph. Αί. 51, O. C. 40, Trach. 234, Eur. Ion 54, 71, and often. The tragedians use σφέ for the accusative singular as well as plural, whereas in Homer it occurs only as plural. Krüg. II. § 51, 1, 14.

10. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-11

²¹

²²

;

10. ἄν: in final clauses after ὡς and ὅπως, very common in Attic; cp. 654, 706, 824. Aristophanes always uses ὡς ἄν, and in Attic inscriptions ὅπως ἄν is frequent.

11. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-12

²³

²⁴

;

11. φιλανθρώπου κτἑ. : that is, "turn his affections away from men to a worthier object."

13. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-13

²⁵

²⁶

;

13. ἔχει τέλος : = τετέλεσται. Εp. Soph. O. C. 1780 πάντως ἔχει τάδε κῦρος (= κεκύρωται). — οὐδὲν ἐμποδών : nihil vos detinet.

14. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-14

²⁷

²⁸

;

14. συγγενή: the scholiast explains, τὸν ἀπὸ μιᾶς ὁρμώμενον τέχνης, that is, "my fellow-craftsman." Rather we must understand the word of

;

blood-relationship; cp. 39, 289. He- phaestus is the son of Zeus and Hera (Il. i. 577 ff.), or according to Hesiod Th. 927, the fatherless son of Hera; Prometheus is the son of Themis. Now Themis is the daughter of Ura- nus, and Hera his grand-daughter.

17. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-15

²⁹

³⁰

;

17. εὐωριάζειν: ὀλιγωρεῖν, μὴ ἔχειν φροντίδα, παρακούειν, Hesych. One who is confident and unconcerned (εὔωρος, securus) in executing_a duty, is apt to take less pains. Cp. our colloquial expression 'take it easy.'

18. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-16

³¹

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18. Θέμιδος : see Introduction, p. 17. αἰπυμῆτα : contrasted with ὀρθο- βούλου. αἰπυμήτης, of towering thoughts, is one who in his shrewdness and sagacity aspires to too lofty things. Cp. εὔβουλος Θέμις, Pind. Isth. vii. 32. - The dactyl substituted for the third iambus of the tragic trimeter is very frequent; whereas in the first foot Aeschylus uses it seldom, and chiefly in proper names (730). In this play the dactyl in the third foot occurs eighteen times: it is always divided in the middle by the caesura, its long first syllable being either the end of a polysyllabic word, or a word of one syllable closely connected with the foregoing (δέ 1009, τὶς 1027). Ср. note on 2.

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19. ἄκοντα σ' ἄκων: cp. 671 ἄκου- σαν ἄκων, 218 ἑκόνθ᾽ ἑκόντι, Eur. Cycl. 258 ἑκὼν ἑκοῦσι, Ηipp. 319 οὐχ ἑκοῦσαν οὐχ ἑκών. The poets are very fond of repetitions like this, in which the same word is twice used, referring to different persons. Further instances are Od. v. 155 παρ᾿ οὐκ ἐθέλων ἐθε- λούσῃ = οὐκ ἐθέλων παρ᾽ ἐθελούσῃ, iii. 272 τὴν δ᾽ ἐθέλων ἐθέλουσαν ἀνήγαγεν, ν.97 εἰρωτᾷς μ᾽ ἐλθόντα θεὰ θεόν, Aesch. Cho. 89 παρὰ φίλης φίλῳ φέρειν γυναι- κὸς ἀνδρί, and below 29, 192, 276, 762, 921.

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20. ἀπανθρώπῳ: see note on ἄβρο- τον, 2. The idea is further expanded in the next verses. 'Eximia arte cu- mulavit poeta infinitam mali magnitu- dinem' (Hermann). - πάγῳ: Hesy- chius has the gloss πάγοι· αἱ ἐξοχαὶ τῶν πετρῶν καὶ τῶν ὀρῶν. Cp. Od. ν. 411 ἔκτοσθεν μὲν γὰρ πάγοι ὀξέες.

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21. του: the pronoun τὶς, like the prepositions, is often, in poetical dic- tion, placed in the second member of a disjunctive sentence, when it really belongs to both members. Cp. 156; Soph. Ant. 257 οὔτε θηρὸς οὔτε του κυνῶν, Eur. Hec. 370 οὔτ᾽ ἐλπίδος γὰρ οὔτε του δόξης, Soph. Trach. 3 οὔτ᾽ εἰ χρηστὸς οὔτ᾽ εἴ τῳ κακός, 1254 σπαραγ- μὸν ἤ τιν᾿ οἶστρον, Ο. Τ. 816 ῷ μὴ ξένων ἔξεστι μηδ᾽ ἀστῶν τινα δόμοις δέχεσθαι, Od. iv. 87 οὔτε ἄναξ ἐπιδευὴς οὔτε τι ποιμήν, Solon Frg. 4, 12 οὔθ' ἱερῶν κτεά- νων οὔτε τι δημοσίων φειδόμενοι. See on 458.

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22. ὄψει: belongs by zeugma to φωνήν as well as μορφήν : neither a voice (shalt thou hear) nor yet a form shalt thou see. Cp. Suppl. 1006 πρὸς ταῦτα μὴ πάθωμεν ὧν πολὺς πόνος, πολὺς δὲ πόντος εἵνεκ᾽ ἠρόθη δορί. ‘Frequentis- sime hoc fit ubi grammatici αἴσθησιν ἀντὶ αἰσθήσεωs poni aiunt, quibus in locis cum nomine notio verbi congen- eris tacite comprehenditur' (Lobeck). · σταθευτός : φλογιζόμενος· σταθεύειν γὰρ τὸ κατ᾿ ὀλίγον ὀπτᾶν φασὶν ᾿Αττι- κοί, Schol. σταθευτός· πεφλογισμένος ἠρέμα, Hesych. That is, scorched. From στατός and εὕω. - After 15 (δυ- σχειμέρῳ) we should expect rather the baleful effects of cold to be men- tioned. But a Greek's imagination would be more vividly affected by a description of the sun's scorching heat; the allusion to cold follows later (25). - φοίβῃ: cp. φοῖβον ὕδωρ Hesiod Frg. 78. φοῖβον δὲ δήπου τὸ καθαρὸν καὶ ἁγνὸν οἱ παλαιοὶ πᾶν ὠνόμα- Cov Plut. Mor. 493 c. - Notice the alliteration φοίβῃ φλογί, and cp. Sept. 661 φλύοντα σὺν φοίτῳ φρενῶν, Αg. 492 φῶς ἐφήλωσεν φρένας. – This passage seems to be parodied in a fragment preserved in Eustath. Comm. Od. p. 1484, 27, χρόαν δὲ τὴν σὴν ἥλιος λάμ-. πων φλογὶ αἰγυπτιώσει.

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23. χροιάς : χροιά, corresponding to Ionic χροιή, is an older and less trite form for the common χρόα. Simi- larly we have ποία and πόα, ῥοιά and ῥόα, στοιά (Ar. Eccl. 676, 684, 686) and στοά. - ἄνθος: used as here of the color of the skin in Solon Frg. 27, 5 τῇ τριτάτῃ δὲ γένειον ἀεξομένων ἔτι γυίων λαχνοῦται χροιῆς ἄνθος ἀμειβομένης, Theodectes Frg. 17 ἧς ἀγχιτέρμων ἥλιος διφρηλατῶν σκοτει- νὸν ἄνθος ἐξέχρωσε λιγνύος εἰς σώματ᾽ ἀνδρῶν (of the black color of the Ethiopians); of the color of the hair, Soph. O. T. 742 λευκανθὲς κάρα, Babr. 22.8 τῶν τριχῶν ἔτιλλεν ἃς ηὕρισκε λευ- κανθιζούσας; of color generally, Hdt. 1. 98 οὕτω πάντων τῶν κύκλων οἱ προμα- χεῶνες ἠνθισμένοι εἰσὶ φαρμάκοισι (col- ored with paints). - ἀσμένῳ: Il. xiv. 108 ἐμοὶ δέ κεν ἀσμένῳ εἴη, Soph. Trach. 18 ἀσμένῃ δέ μοι ὁ κλεινὸς ἦλθε ... παῖς, Eur. Phoen. 1043 χρόνῳ δ᾽ ἔβα τότ᾽ ἀσμένοις, Ar. Pax 582 ἀσμένοισιν ἦλθες ἡμῖν, φιλτάτη. On this dative of a participle of feeling, chiefly used with εἶναι and verbs of coming, see G. 184, 3, N. 5; H. 771 a. For the thought, cp. Deuteronomy xxviii. 67, 'In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning!'

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24. ποικιλείμων: from ποικίλος and εἶμα. ποικίλον ἔνδυμα ἔχουσα, διὰ τὸ πεποικίλθαι τοῖς ἄστροις, Schol. For ποικίλος, cp. Soph. Trach. 94 αἰόλα νύξ, Eur. Hel. 1096 ἀστέρων ποικίλματα, Frg. 596 ὀρφναία νὺξ αἰολόχρως ἄκριτός τ᾽ ἄστρων ὄχλος. For the second part, εἶμα, cp. Eur. Ion 1150 μελάμπεπλος νύξ, Orph. Argonaut. 1031 νὺξ ἀστροχί- των (511 μήνη ἀστροχίτων), Claudian Rapt. Proserp. ii. 363 nox picta sinus. – ἀποκρύψει : initial κρ, with the aid of the ictus, makes a long syl- lable; cp. 659 below θεοπρόπους, Eum. 403 ἄτρυτον, Pers. 217 ἀποτροπήν, 395 ἐπέφλεγεν. – ἀποκρύψει φαος: Archil. Frg. 74 Ζεὺς πατὴρ Ὀλυμπίων ἐκ με- σημβρίης ἔθηκε νύκτ᾽ ἀποκρύψας φάος ἡλίου λάμποντος.

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26. ἀεὶ δὲ κτἑ.: the sense is, "ever will some evil be with thee, the pain of which shall make thee wretched," "one evil will ever be followed by another."

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27. ὁ λωφήσων : cp. Soph. Ant. 261 οὐδ᾽ ὁ κωλύσων παρῆν, Εl. 1197 οὐδ᾽ οὑπαρήξων οὐδ᾽ ὁ κωλύσων πάρα. See also 771 below; Soph. Phil. 1242 τίς ἔσται μ᾽ οὐπικωλύσων τάδε. The scholi- ast wrongly understands a particular person (Heracles). λωφάω is here transitive, in 376 intransitive. In this use of the participle the object is commonly omitted. - οὐ πέφυκέ πω: οὔπω separated, as in 511, Pers. 179, Cho. 747, Eum. 590, Frg. 280, 5. In saying thy deliverer has yet to be born, Hephaestus means only, "no living soul can deliver thee."

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28. ἐπηύρου: of the verb ἐπαυρίσκο- μαι only the second aorist ἐπηυρόμην is used by the tragic poets. ἐπηύρου is here ironical; such reward thou didst reap! Cp. Il. i. 410; and xv. 16 οὐ μὰν οἶδ᾽ εἰ αὖτε κακορραφίης ἀλεγεινῆς πρώτη ἐπαυρήαι, καί σε πληγῇσιν ἱμάσσω.

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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.

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30. τιμάς : distinctive possessions, privileges, prerogatives, like γέρα, 107. See on 229. – πέρα δίκης: this, in the mouth of the well-disposed Hephaes- tus, must be taken as expressing the poet's own sentiment.

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31. φρουρήσεις: said in reference to the sleeplessness mentioned in the next verse. Α φρουρός is forbidden to sleep. -ἀτερπή : cp. ἄζηλον 143; Od. xi. 94 ὄφρα ἴδῃς νέκυας καὶ ἀτερπέα χῶρον.

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32. ὀρθοστάδην: see Introduction, p. 5, footnote 3. – κάμπτων γόνυ: of taking a posture of rest ; γόνυ κάμψαι· ἀναπαύεσθαι, Hesych. Cp. 396; Il. vii. 118 φημί μιν ἀσπασίως γόνυ κάμψειν, εἴ κε φύγῃσιν δηΐου ἐκ πολέμοιο, Eur. Hec. 1080, 1150; Catull. lxiv. 303 niveos flexerunt sedibus artus.

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33. πολλοὺς δ᾽ ὀδυρμούς: προανα- φωνεῖ τὰς μονῳδίας αὐτοῦ, Schol.

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35. νέον: adverbial. See Krüger II. § 46, 6, 7. The same thought recurs 96, 149, 310, 389, 942, 955.

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38. προύδωκεν : like κλέψας ὤπασεν, 8.-Cratos begins this angry collo- quy with three verses (cp. 613), but afterwards speaks regularly two; He- phaestus speaks single verses through- out, in accordance with his gruff and blunt-spoken nature. - ὅστις: has a qualitative force, one who betrayed (was such as to betray) = since he be- trayed. So 759; Pers. 744 παῖς δ᾽ ἐμὸς τάδ᾽ οὐ κατειδὼς ἤνυσεν νέῳ θράσει, ὅστις ... ἤλπισε. ence.

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39. δεινόν: mighty, a mighty influ- Cp. Sept. 1031 δεινὸν τὸ κοινὸν σπλάγχνον οὗ πεφύκαμεν, Soph. El. 770 δεινὸν τὸ τίκτειν ἐστίν, Eur. Andr. 985 τὸ συγγενὲς γὰρ δεινόν, Phoen. 355 δεί- νὸν γυναιξὶν αἱ δι ὠδίνων γοναί, Iph. Α. 917 δεινὸν τὸ τίκτειν καὶ φέρει φίλ- τρον μέγα. – ὁμιλία: Quint. Decl. 321 consuetudo alienos etiam ac nulla necessitudine inter se DIOV TE NJE coniunctos componere et ad- stringere officiis potest.

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41. οἷόν τε; licet? is it allowa- ble? Cp. Ar. Thesm. 3 οἷόν τε ... παρὰ σοῦ πυθέσθαι; may a body ask? — πῶς οὐ: cp. 589, 759; Soph. Ai. 677 ἡμεῖς δὲ πῶς οὐ γνωσόμεσθα σωφρονεῖν; Ar. Nub. 398 καὶ πῶς, εἴπερ βάλλει · τοὺς ἐπιόρκους, δῆτ᾽ οὐχὶ Σίμων᾽ ἐνέ- πρησεν; Isocr. Paneg. 175 πῶς οὐ χρὴ διαλύειν ταύτας τὰς ὁμολογίας; – δει- μαίνεις ; refers to the foregoing δεινόν.

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42. The first and second persons of εἰμί are less often omitted, yet see 178, 246, 320, 373, 987. Only with ἕτοιμος is the omission common; here it occurs even though ἐγώ is left out. Cp. Soph. Ai. 813 χωρεῖν ἕτοιμος (sc. εἰμί), Ο. Τ. 92, Eur. Med. 612. In 475 below, the missing σύ can be sup- plied from the preceding σεαυτόν. See Krüger I. § 62, 1, 5.

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46. νὶν: in tragedy this word stands for all genders, in singular and in plural. G. 79, 1, Ν. 4; H. 261 D a. – ὡς ἁπλῷ λόγῳ: equivalent to ὡς ἁπλῶς εἰπεῖν, to speak plainly, bluntly. Ср. 975.

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48. Cp. Eur. Iph. Α. 86 τἀξίωμα δὲ ἄλλος τις ὤφελ᾽ ἀντ᾿ ἐμοῦ λαβεῖν τόδε.

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49 f. The sense is, "another sta- tion would have another burden: every one is bound to service and obedience save Zeus, the sovereign ruler; he alone commands all and obeys none” (ὑπ᾽ ἀρχᾶς οὔτινος θοάζων, Suppl. 595). – ἐπαχθῆ: vexatious, dis- agreeable. – κοιρανεῖν : with dative, like ἄρχειν 940, ἐπιδεσπόζει στρατῷ Pers. 241. See Krüger II. § 47, 20, 3.

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51. ἔγνωκα τοῖσδε: I recognize it (the truth of what you say) by this (what is here going on). – οὐδὲν ἀντειπεῖν : sc. τὸ μὴ οὐ τὰ ἐπιτεταγμένα ποιεῖν.

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52. δεσμὰ περιβαλεῖν : resolution in the fifth foot is very rare in trag- edy. This is the only case in the Prometheus. See on 2.

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53. ἐλινύοντα: ἐλινύω is absolute here, but is construed with a partici- ple in 529.

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54. ψέλια : the best manuscript has ψάλια, others ψέλια. Ammonius gives the distinction: ψάλια μὲν τὸ τοῦ ἵππου, ψέλιον δὲ τὸ ἄκροις βραχίοσι περι τιθέμενον κόσμιον. With such brace- let-like clamps Prometheus is fastened in the paintings described in the In- trod., p. 5, footnote 3.-δέρκεσθαι : said with reference to προσδερχθῇ above.

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55 f. νὶν: τὰ ψέλια, Schol. ; see on 46. – ἐγκρατεῖ σθένει, ῥαιστήρι : of these two datives the one denotes the inner power (dynamic dative), the other the external means (instrumen- tal dative). ἐγκρατεῖ σθένει nearly = ἐγκρατῶς. In Il. xviii. 477 Hephaes- tus wields a ῥαιστὴρ κρατερή.

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56. θεῖνε πασσάλευε : the connective is omitted ('asyndeton') when a sin- gle idea is expressed by two or more verbs, the second being a stronger ex- pression than the first. Ср. 58, 141, 392, 608, 698, 937; Pers. 426 ἔπαιον ἐρράχιζον, 463 παίουσι κρεοκοποῦσι, Cho. 289 κινεῖ ταράσσει, Sept. 60 χωρεῖ κοι νίει, 186 αύειν λακάζειν, Soph. Ai. 60 ὤτρυνον εἰσέβαλλον εἰς ἕρκη κακά, 115, 811, 844, 988, Ant. 1037 κερδαίνετ' ἐμπολᾶτε, Εl. 719 ἤφριζον εἰσέβαλλον ἱππικαὶ πνοαί, Trach. 1255 ἐγκονεῖτ᾽ αἴρεσθε, Eur. Hec. 507 σπεύδωμεν ἐγκο- νῶμεν, Phoen. 1434 ἔκλαι᾽ ἐθρήνει.

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57. ματᾷ: διατρίβει, χρονίζει, He- sych.

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59. Cp. Ar. Εq. 758 ποικίλος γὰρ ἁνὴρ κἀκ τῶν ἀμηχάνων πόρους εὐμή- χανος πορίζειν.

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61. πόρπασον : long à (not n), as in πόρπαμα Eur. El. 820. Cp. ἐκθοινά- σεται 1025 (θοινατῆρος Ag. 1502, θοί- ναμα Eur. Ion 1495), and other tragic forms, as εὐνατήρ Pers. 137, εὐνάτειρα Pers. 157, ποινάτωρ Ag. 1281, ἱπποβά- μων 805 below and Supp. 284, έκα- τογκάρανος 353 (καρανοῦται Cho. 528), κυναγός, βαλός, γάπεδον, γάμοροι, γάπο- τος, ἕκατι, δαρόν, δάιος, and others.

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62. σοφιστής: in Aeschylus's time this word had not acquired the mean- ing which Socrates and Plato after- wards gave it, and which through their influence passed into history. Cp. Athen. xiv. 632 c πάντας τοὺς χρω- μένους τῇ τέχνῃ ταύτῃ (i.e. τῇ μουσικῇ) σοφιστὰς ἀπεκάλουν, ὥσπερ καὶ Αἰσχύ- λος ἐποίησεν 'εἴτ᾽ οὖν σοφιστὴς κᾶλα παραπαίων χέλυν.' In this play, both here and 944, the word implies a crafty and unscrupulous cleverness.

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Cp. the sense of σοφίζομαι in Soph. Phil. 77 ἀλλ᾿ αὐτὸ τοῦτο δεῖ σοφισθῆ- ναι, κλοπεὺς ὅπως γένηται τῶν ἀνικήτων ὅπλων. – ὤν : the speaker does not mean that Zeus is a σοφιστής. Logi- cally only Διὸς νωθέστερος belongs to μάθῃ ὤν. σοφιστής, though grammat- ically a predicate, refers only to Pro- metheus. The general sense is, "may learn that with all his artfulness he is slower-witted than Zeus."

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64. αὐθάδη: with this epithet the Homeric νηλέϊ χαλκῷ, λᾶας ἀναιδής, and the Euripidean λάβρῳ μαχαίρᾳ, Cycl. 403, may be compared. – γνά- θον: cp. γένus used in the sense of πέλεκυς in Soph. El. 196 and 485, Phil. 1205, and πελέκεων γνάθοις in Eur. Cycl. 395.

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65. στέρνων διαμπάξ: the passage of Hesiod, Theog. 521, δῆσε δ᾽ ἀλυκτο- πέδησι Προμηθέα ποικιλόβουλον δεσμοῖς ἀργαλέοισι μέσον διὰ κίον᾽ ἐλάσσας, which should be construed ἐλάσσας (τὰ δεσμὰ) διὰ μέσον κίονα, riveting the chains through the middle of the pillar, was wrongly understood as ἐλάσσας κίονα διὰ μέσον (τὸν Προμηθέα). Ac- cordingly, on an ancient black-figured vase, found at Chiusi and now in the Berlin Museum (No. 1722; Jahn, Archaeologische Beiträge, Plate viii.; Baumeister, Denkmäler fig. 1566), we find Prometheus represented as ac- tually impaled (on an upright stake passed lengthwise through the body). This revolting conception was modi- fied by Aeschylus into one more endurable for the eye. Even in He- siod's narrative the original notion is obscured: the older legend doubtless meant by the pillar a κίων οὐράνιος, that is, a sharp mountain-peak rear- ing itself to the sky. See on 349.

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66. ὑπό : because of, by reason of, denoting the cause; as Thuc. ii. 85 ὑπὸ ἀνέμων καὶ ὑπὸ ἀπλοίας ἐνδιέτριψεν οὐκ ὀλίγον χρόνον, ίν. 8 ὑλώδης τε καὶ ἀτριβὴς πᾶσα ὑπ᾽ ἐρημίας ἦν (sc. ἡ νῆ- σος), Soph. Ant. 221 ὑπ᾽ ἐλπίδων ἄνδρας τὸ κέρδος πολλάκις διώλεσεν, also Ag. 475 πυρὸς δ᾽ ὑπ᾿ εὐαγγέλου πόλιν διήκει θοὰ βάξις.

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67. αὖ κατοκνεῖς : see 36. – ἐχθρῶν ὕπερ: the tragedians often put the preposition after its noun when an attributive (as in 653 a genitive) follows both. Otherwise, the post- ponement of the preposition (with anastrophe of the accent) is per-

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mitted in trimeter, as a rule, only when the preposition comes thereby to stand at the end of a verse. This occurs most frequently with περί, μετά, παρά, ὑπό, ὑπέρ, ἀπό, and ἐπί, in con- nexion with the genitive. The re- maining cases in Aeschylus are: with the dative, ὑπό 365 below and Pers. 190, ἐπί Suppl. 1003, μετά Pers. 613; with the accusative, περί Pers. 61.

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68. ὅπως μή κτέ.: for this form of warning see GMT. 272; G. 217, N. 4; Η. 886.

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70. ὀρῶ: said with emphasis after ὁρᾷς.

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71. μασχαλιστήρας : iron girths, passed round the body and nailed to the rock on either side.

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72. The asyndeton of the two clauses (instead of μηδὲν ἐγκέλευ᾿ ἄγαν, ἀνάγκη γὰρ ταῦτα δρᾶν: see on 373 f.) expresses irritation. Krüger I. § 59, 1, 8, and II. § 59, 1, 7. Im- patience at the repeated admonitions is also implied in the compound ἐγκέ- λευε, command imperiously, urgently.

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73. ἡ μὴν κελεύσω: defiant reply to Hephaestus's demand. - ἐπιθωύξω : ср. 277, 393, 1041; Eur. Hipp. 219 κυσὶ θωύξαι. The scholiast on 277 remarks, ἡ μεταφορὰ ἀπὸ τῶν κυνηγῶν: that is, the verb was properly used of a hunter's call to his dogs. – καὶ γέ: et quidem; yé serves to emphasize the stronger statement. Cp. Eur. Phoen. 610 ΠΟ. ὅς μ᾽ ἄμοιρον ἐξελαύνεις. ΕΤ. καὶ κατακτενῶ γε πρός. - πρός: adverbial. Cp. πρὸς δέ 929, καὶ πρός Cho. 299. G. 191, Ν. 2; Η. 785. ...

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74. χώρει κάτω: the scholiast un- derstands this literally : διὰ τοῦ ῾χώ- ρει κάτω᾿ τὸ μέγεθος ἐνέφηνε τοῦ δεσμευομένου θεοῦ. But it may mean simply, "proceed to the lower limbs." κίρκωσον: ἀντὶ τοῦ κρίκωσον, Schol. κρίκος, ring, is read in Il. xxiv. 272. The older form κίρκος (circus) sur- vived in the name of the bird (Od. xiii. 86 ἴρηξ κίρκος): see 857. Simi- lar are the Attic forms φάρξαι for φράξαι, δαρχμή for δραχμή.

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76. διατόρους πέδας: πέδας is ge- neric, as in 6. διάτορος is here passive, perforated; the active sense (see 181) is more common. Schütz and Her- mann understand it of holes origi- nally made in the fetters for the reception of the nails. Rather it means "pierced by nails," "having nails driven through them," as in Soph. O. T. 1034 διατόρους ποδοῖν ἀκμάς means "feet pierced with needles." θεῖνε then refers to the nails. Hephaes- tus is bidden, before departing, to examine once more the different fas- tenings and drive the nails in each firmly home. - On the resolution, see note on 2. Three other resolutions of this foot occur (273, 680, 809). In 273 the second and third shorts of the tribrach are formed by a disyllable (διά); in 809 they begin a word of three syllables; in 680, as here, they begin a word of four syllables.

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77. Cp. 53 and 68. – ἐπιτιμητής : cp. Pers. 827 Ζεύς τοι κολαστὴς τῶν ὑπερκόπων ἄγαν φρονημάτων ἔπεστιν, εὔθυνος βαρύς, Soph. Frg. 478 κολασταὶ κἀπιτιμηταὶ κακῶν, Eur. Suppl. 255 τούτων κολαστὴν κἀπιτιμητήν, ἄναξ.

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78. ὅμοια μορφῃ: ὡς ἐκτραπέλου (grotesque) πεποιημένου τοῦ προσώπου (mask) αὐτοῦ, Schol.

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79. μαλθακίζου: on this use of the imperative to denote a permission, see Krüger I. § 54, 4, 2.

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80. ὀργῆς: violent nature.

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81. κώλοισιν: the dative depends on the notion of ἀμφιβάλλειν implied in ἀμφίβληστρ᾽ ἔχει. – Hephaestus, with these words, quietly goes his way, while Cratos remains to give further vent to his scorn. In this way time was secured for the retiring ac- tor to take his position for the part of Prometheus. See Introduction, p. 23.

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82. Cp. Il. xxi. 120 τὸν δ' ᾿Αχι- λεὺς ποταμόνδε λαβὼν ποδὸς ἧκε φέρε- σθαι, καί οἱ ἐπευχόμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντ' ἀγόρευεν· ἐνταυθοῖ νῦν κεῖσο μετ᾿ ἰχθύ- σιν κτέ., Od. xviii. 105 ἐνταυθοῖ νῦν ἦσο σύας τε κύνας τ᾿ ἀπερύκων κτέ., Ar. Thesm. 1001 ἐνταῦθα νῦν οἰμῶξι πρὸς τὴν αἰτρίαν, also Vesp. 149, Plut. 724.

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83. ἐφημέροισι: see on 546 f., and

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ср. 253, 945, Eur. Orest. 976 ἰὰ ἰώ, πανδάκρυτ᾽ ἐφαμέρων ἔθνη πολύπονα, Ar. Nub. 223 (Socrates speaks as a god) τί με καλεῖς, ὦ ᾿φήμερε, Cic. Tusc. i. 39, 94 apud Hypanim fluvium... Aristoteles ait bestiolas quasdam nasci, quae unum diem vivant (Aris- totle H. An. v. 19, calls these animals ἐφήμερα) . . Confer nostram longissimam aetatem cum aeternitate; in eadem prope- modum brevitate qua illae bestiolae reperiemur.

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86. The construction δεῖ τινά τινος is not elsewhere found in Aeschylus, but occurs several times in Euripides (Hec. 1021, Phoen. 470, Hipp. 23, Ion 1018, H. F. 1170, Rhes. 837). G. 172, 2, Ν. 2; Η. 712 b. – προμηθέως: the proper name is here used as an appel- lative, fore-thinker, counsellor. Cp. Pind. Ol. vii. 79 ἐν δ᾽ ἀρετὰν ἔβαλεν καὶ χάρματ᾽ ἀνθρώποισι Προμαθέος αἰ- δώς. Etymological interpretations of proper names are frequent in Aeschy- lus. His view on the subject is ex- pressed Ag. 681: τίς ποτ᾿ ὠνόμαζεν ὧδ᾽ ἐς τὸ πᾶν ἐτητύμως; μή τις ὅντιν᾿ οὐχ ὁρῶμεν προνοίαισι τοῦ πε- πρωμένου γλῶσσαν ἐν τύχᾳ νέ- μων; where Ἑλένα is explained as ἑλέναυς, ἕλανδρος, ἑλέπτολις. Cp. ibid. 1080 ᾿Απόλλων ... ἀπόλλων ἐμός, and similar cases, Sept. 658, 829, 536; ср. also Od. i. 60 οὔ νύ τ᾿ Ὀδυσσεὺς χαρίζετο ἱερὰ ῥέζων; τί νύ οἱ τόσον ὠδύ- σαο, Ζεῦ; Eur. Phoen. 636 ἀληθῶς δ᾽ ὄνομα Πολυνείκην πατὴρ ἔθετό σοι θείᾳ προνοίᾳ νεικέων ἐπώνυμον. On the thought, cp. 474 f. below, and the passage of Mark there quoted.

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87. ὅτῳ τρόπῳ ἐκκυλισθήσει: cp. Eur. Med. 322 οὐκ ἔχεις τέχνην, ὅπως μενεῖς παρ' ἡμῖν, Thuc. i. 107 ἔδοξε δ' αὐτοῖς ... σκέψασθαι, ὅτῳ τρόπῳ ἀσφα- λέστατα διαπορεύσονται. The clause depends on the verbal idea τοῦ προμη- θουμένου implied in προμηθέως. – τέ- χνης: τῶν δεσμῶν, Schol.; another scholiast, τοῦ τεχνηέντως κατεσκευ- ασμένου δεσμοῦ. Cp. Soph. O. C. 472 κρατῆρες εἰσίν, ἀνδρὸς εὔχειρος τέχνη, Frg. III. of the Prom. Solutus below, 8, qua miser sollertia transver- beratus. Prometheus is bound hand and foot, so that he cannot stir. This serves to excite the spectators' com- passion (cp. 32), but it also affords a reason for the immobility, during the entire play, of the figure representing Prometheus. See Introduction, p. 22.

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88-127. Second Scene. Pro- metheus alone. With this invocation of the elements cp. Il. iii. 277 ἠέλιός θ' ὃς πάντ᾽ ἐφορᾶς καὶ πάντ᾽ ἐπακούεις, καὶ ποταμοὶ καὶ γαῖα, Soph. Phil. 936& λιμένες, ὦ προβλῆτες, ὦ ξυνουσίαι θηρῶν ὀρείων, ὦ καταρρῶγες πέτραι, ὑμῖν τάδ', οὐ γὰρ ἄλλον οἶδ᾽ ὅτῳ λέγω, ἀνακλαίομαι. Apsines (Rhet. Gr. ed. Spengel I. p. 400) says: κινεῖ δὲ ἔλεον καὶ λόγος πρὸς τόπον τινὰ γινόμενος.

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88. δῖος: heavenly, from the root

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δι-, δις- (Sanskrit di-, shine). Cp. Il. χνί. 365 αἰθέρος ἐκ δίης ὅτε τε Ζεὺς λαίλαπα τείνῃ. — ταχύπτεροι : said fig- uratively, with reference to the physi- cal impression made by a passing breeze. Actual winged daemons the guise in which the Winds and similar beings are depicted in ancient art- are not here to be understood.

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90. ἀνήριθμον γέλασμα : of the slightly ruffled surface of the sea, lighted up by the sun. Cp. Il. xix. 362 γέλασσε δὲ πᾶσα περὶ χθὼν χαλκοῦ ὑπὸ στεροπῆς. The verb yeλᾶν often denotes merriment or cheerfulness in a figurative sense; thus Hesiod Theog. 40 γελᾷ δέ τε δώματα πατρὸς . . . θεᾶν ὀπὶ λειριοέσσῃ σκιδναμένῃ. The scholi- ast on our passage renders γέλασμα by διάχυμα. In a different sense Catullus, lxiv. 273, says of the sea-waves leni resonant plangore cachinni. – παμμήτορ γῆ: cp. Hom. Hymn xxx. 1 γαῖαν παμμήτειραν, Cho. 127 γαῖαν ἡ τὰ πάντα τίκτεται.

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91. καὶ ... καλῶ: ἤλλαξε τὴν φράσιν, Schol. Cp. Soph. Αi. 859 & φέγγος, ὦ γῆς ἱερὸν οἰκείας πέδον Σαλαμῖνος, ὦ πατρῷον ἑστίας βάθρον κλειναί τ᾽ ᾿Αθῆναι, καὶ τὸ σύντροφον γένος, κρῆναί τε ποτα- μοί θ' οἵδε, καὶ τὰ Τρωικὰ πεδία προσαυδῶ, χαίρετ', ὦ τροφῆς ἐμοί, also O. C. 1091. — κύκλον : cp. Pers. 504 λαμπρὸς ἡλίου κύκλος. This expres- sion (like orbis solis) had its origin in ancient conceptions of the sun as a wheel of fire. In the Edda the sun is called fagravhel, that is, 'fair-wheel,' 'wheel of brightness.' See Grimm's Deutsche Mythologie, I. 586, II. 664.

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92. πρὸς θεῶν: πρός τινος and ἔκ τι- νος, for ὑπό τινος, are common in He- rodotus and the tragedians. Krüger II. § 52, 3, 1. πάσχειν ἐκ Occurs 759, πάσχειν ὑπό 1041.

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93 f. The transition from iambi to anapaests marks an outbreak of more violent passion. At 101, with a calmer mood, the quieter rhythm returns. αἰκίαισιν (= ἀεικελίοις μόχθοις) δια- κναιόμενος : cp. 541. - τὸν μυριετή χρόνον: said like τὸν πλείω χρόνον, (Ar. Ran. 160, Thuc. iv. 117), τὸν πάντα χρόνον (Ar. Nub. 462). μυριετῆ· πολυετῆ· ἐν γὰρ τῷ πυρφόρῳ τρεῖς μυ- ριάδας φησὶ δεδέσθαι αὐτόν, Schol. (cp. Hygin. Poet. astr. ii. 15). Both num- bers are merely hyperbolic expres- sions for a very long time. – ἀθλεύσω : absolute, suffer. Cp. Il. xxiv. 734 ἀθ- λεύων πρὸ ἄνακτος ἀμειλίχου. The word is Ionic.

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96. ταγός: cp. Pers. 23 ταγοὶ Περ- σῶν, 323 νεῶν ταγός, Soph. Ant. 1057 ἆρ' οἶσθα ταγοὺς (lords and masters) ὄντας ἂν λέγῃς λέγων;

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97. The anapaestic monometer forms a close, but a less emphatic one than the paroemiac.-δεσμόν : the singular as in 141. We have δεσμούς ἀεικεῖς 525. – ἀεική: see on 113.

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99. στενάχω, πῇ: as it were I groan to think how, etc. Cp. 182; Soph. Ai. 794 ὥστε μ' ὠδίνειν τί φής, Eur. Hec. 184 δειμαίνω τί ποτ᾿ ἀναστένεις, Ar. Nub. 1391 οἶμαί γε τῶν νεωτέρων τὰς καρδίας πηδᾶν ὅ τι λέξει. - πῇ πότε: cp. 545; Eur. Alc. 213 ἰὼ Ζεῦ, τίς ἂν πῶς πᾶ πόρος κακῶν γένοιτο ; Krüger I. § 51, 17, 10; H. 1013.

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100. χρή: nearly = μέλλει. – ἐπι- τεῖλαι: ἐπιτέλλεσθαι of the rising of heavenly bodies, Hom. Hymn iii. 371 ἠελίοιο νέον ἐπιτελλομένοιο, Hesiod Ο. D. 567 πρῶτον παμφαίνων ἐπιτέλλε- ται. The active in the 'Iλιὰς μικρά (Tzetzes on Lycophr. 344) λαμπρή δ᾽ ἐπέτελλε σελήνη. In a figurative sense, Theogn. 1275 ὡραῖος καὶ ἔρως ἐπιτέλλεται ἡνίκα περ γῆ ἄνθεσιν εἰαρι- νοῖς θάλλει ἀεξομένη.

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101. καίτοι τί φημι: 'se ipsum obiurgat Prometheus; et paulisper ob malorum magnitudinem naturae suae oblitus iam ad se redit' (Schütz). θνητοῖς γὰρ γέρα – προυξεπίσταμαι : as son of Themis. Ср. 209, 873.

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102. ποταίνιον: predicative; shall not come unexpected.

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105. ἀδήριτον: Il. xvii. 41 ἀλλ᾽ οὐ μὰν ἔτι δηρὸν ἀπείρητος πόνος ἔσται λong οὐδέ τ᾽ ἀδήριτος. Here = ἄμαχος (ἀδή- ριτον· ἄμαχον, ἀκατάμαχον, Hesych.). Cp. ἀνίκητος, ίnvictus. For the thought cp. Simon. Frg. 5,21 (Plat. Prot. 345d) ἀνάγκᾳ δ᾽ οὐδὲ θεοὶ μάχονται, Soph. Ant. 1106 ἀνάγκῃ δ᾽ οὐχὶ δυσμαχητέον, Ο. C. 191 καὶ μὴ χρείᾳ πολεμῶμεν, Eur. Iph. Τ. 1486 τὸ γὰρ χρεὼν σοῦ τε καὶ θεῶν κρατεῖ.

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106. οὔτε σιγᾶν οὔτε μὴ σιγᾶν : ex- plained by 197, whence we see that the motive for silence is the pain of speaking (not caution as in Ag. 548, πάλαι τὸ σιγᾶν φάρμακον βλάβης ἔχω). The scholiast wrongly explains, ἀλλ᾽ οὔτε σιγᾶν δύναμαι (ἀλγῶ γὰρ) οὔτε ἐλέγ- χειν· εὐλαβοῦμαι γὰρ τὸν Δία. Cp.Soph. Phil. 329 ὦ παῖ Ποίαντος, ἐξερῶ, μόλις δ᾽ ἐρῶ, ἅγωγ᾽ ὑπ᾿ αὐτῶν ἐξελωβήθην μολών.

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107. γέρα: see on τιμάς, 30. — Here and in 821 we find the thesis of the fifth foot formed by the long final syllable of a word of more than one

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syllable (θνη-τοῖς). This is very rare in tragedy (H. 1091,5). It is excusa- ble when, as here, a distinct pause, in connexion with the caesura of the fourth foot (hephthemimeris), imme- diately precedes. See also on 648. ...

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108. ἀνάγκαις : said like αἰκίαι 93. – ἐνέζευγμαι : a favorite metaphor of Aeschylus. Cp. 578, 1009; Ag. 1639 τὸν δὲ μὴ πειθάνορα ζεύξω βαρείαις (sc. ζεύγλαις), 841 μόνος δ᾽ Ὀδυσσεὺς ζευχθεὶς ἕτοιμος ἦν ἐμοὶ σειραφόρος, Cho. 795 ζυγέντ᾽ ἐν ἅρμασιν πημάτων, also Ag. 218 ἀνάγκας ἔδυ λέπαδνον. Figures and comparisons drawn from husbandry and rural life are frequent in the tra- gedians. With our passage cp. Eur. Οr. 1330 ἀνάγκης εἰς ζυγὸν καθέσταμεν, Hipp. 1389 οἵαις συμφοραῖς συνεζύγης.

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109. ναρθηκοπλήρωτον: τὴν ἐν νάρ- θηκι θησαυρισθεῖσαν, παρόσον τῷ νάρθηκι ἐχρῶντο πρὸς τὰς ἐκζωπυρώσεις τοῦ πυρός, Hesych. The νάρθηξ (ferula communis, in modern Greek ἀνάρθη- kas) is an umbelliferous reed-like plant, about four feet high; its stalk is filled with an acrid milky juice (habent fungosam intus me- dullam ut sambuci: Plin.). When dried it readily catches and preserves a spark of fire; the peas- ants of southern Italy use it as tinder. Cp. Phanias, Anthol. vi. 294 νάρθηξ πυρικοίτας, also Theophr. Hist. Pl. vi. 2, 7, Plin. H. N. xiii. 22. 42. On the mythical significance of the narthex, see Introduction, p. 2. - This clause is properly explanatory of what goes before, nevertheless it is introduced by de as if it were a new and distinct statement. The scholiasts often ren- der this dé by yap; an example is Cho. 239 προσαυδᾶν δ᾽ ἔστ᾽ ἀναγκαίως ἔχον, which is explanatory of the foregoing words τέσσαρας μοίρας ἔχον ἐμοί. – θηρῶμαι: historical present. Krüger I. § 53, 1, 11; GMT. 33.

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110 f. διδάσκαλος τέχνης πάσης : see on 7. - πόρος : absolute, as in 477.

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112. τοιώνδε ποινὰς ἀμπλακημάτων: ср. 564, 620.

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113. ὑπαιθρίοις: explains προυσε- λούμενος; the insult of the punish- ment consists in its publicity, See also 158. Prometheus lays stress on the ignominious nature of his punish- ment, 97, 177, 195, 227, 256, 438, 525. For the connexion of ὑπαιθρίοις and δεσμοῖσι, see on ἀφεγγής 115. – πρου- σελούμενος: this word recurs 438; it is found elsewhere only in Ar. Ran. 730 (προυσελοῦμεν). Cp. Etym. Mag. p. 690, 11 προυσελεῖν λέγουσι τὸ ὑβρί- ζειν. It is therefore equivalent to αἰκίζομαι, the word employed in most of the similar passages of this play (cp. Hesych. προυγελεῖν· προπηλακί- ζειν, ὑβρίζειν). The etymology of the word is unknown: it has been proposed to derive it from προσεέλ- λειν, on the supposition that the digamma, falling out after o, has lengthened the preceding syllable, as in θεουδής (θεοδρής).

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114-127 announce the approach of the chorus and accompany (from 120 on) the movements of the winged chariot. Similarly in the Electra of Sophocles anapaests of Electra ac- company the entrance of the chorus.

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114. A rush or whir is heard in the air. -ad: ἐκπλήξεως ἐπιρρήματα, Schol. Ce mélange de douleur et d'effroi, de faiblesse et de fermeté me paraît tout à fait admirable' (Patin).

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115. The bacchic rhythms express surprise and amazement. ·ὀδμά: an odor of the sea is supposed to pre- cede the nymphs, in whose costume seaweed, shells, etc., may well have been prominent. Cp. Eur. Hipp. 1391 ἔα· ὦ θεῖον ὀδμῆς πνεῦμα·... ἔστ᾽ ἐν τόποισι τοισίδ᾽ ῎Αρτεμις θεά, Verg. Aen. i. 403 ambrosiaeque comae di- vinum vertice odorem spira- vere. - προσέπτα: cp. Plaut. Amphitr. 325 vox mi ad auris advo- lavit. The verb, in a somewhat different sense, is joined with the da- tive in 555 and 644. – ἀφεγγής: (here nearly = ἀφανής) is, by a figure com- mon in the poets, connected with ἀχώ and ὀδμά, whereas it is properly an epithet of the object from which they emanate. - For the situation cp. Soph. Phil. 203 προυφάνη κτύπος βάλλει μ᾽ ἐτύμα φθογγά του.

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116. θεόσυτος: the tribrach in the first foot generally, in Aeschylus, con- sists of a single word of three sylla- bles, as in 666. Here and 817 it is the first part of a longer word: the remaining cases of this are Sept. 272 πεδιονόμοις, Eum. 806 λιπαροθρόνοισιν, Frg. 195, 2 βορεάδας. - Compounds in -συτος and in -puros either double the medial o or p, or do not double it, according to the requirements of the verse: cp. 643. With θεόσυτος ή βρότειος cp. 765. – κεκραμένη : ἡμιθέων, Schol. Demigods according to the later conception are not meant, but beings who, like the Oceanids, stand midway between the higher (celestial) gods and the human race: cp. 529 f., 902. For the expression cp. Eur. Cycl. 218 μήλειον ἢ βόειον ἢ μεμιγμένον ;

117. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-92

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117. The rhythm (dochmius and cretic) indicates painful emotion. The question "Who can it be" (115, 116) is followed by the conjecture that the person in question comes as an unwel- come spectator of his sufferings. The reason of this conjecture is suggested by the opening words, ἵκετο τερμόνιον ἐπὶ πάγον (“a cliff at the end of the world"). – ἵκετο : is he come; the sub- ject is the unknown newcomer; not θεωρός, which expresses the motive of the coming. - τερμόνιον: this adjective occurs only here: it is formed from τέρμων, while τέρμιος is from τέρμα.

118. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-93

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118. ἢ τί δὴ θέλων : cp. Soph. Trach. 390 ἡμεῖς δὲ προσμένωμεν; ἢ τί χρὴ ποιεῖν;

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119. ετάρο: said with reference to <ε θεωρός. The imperative has the sense of ὁρᾶν πάρα.

120. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-95

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120 f. The iambi again give place to anapaests; see on 93. The speaker is outraged at the thought of becom- ing a spectacle for others; cp. 156. - πᾶσι θεοῖς δι᾽ ἀπεχθείας ἐλθόντα: cp. Eur. Hipp. 1164 δι᾽ ἔχθρας μῶν τις ἦν ἀφιγμένος, Phoen. 479 καὶ μὴ δι᾽ ἔχθρας τῷδε καὶ φόνου μολών, Η. F. 220 Μι- νύαισι πᾶσι διὰ μάχης μολών, Iph. Α. 1392 similarly, Androm. 416 πατρὶ τῷ σῷ διὰ φιλημάτων ἰών, Soph. Ant. 742 διὰ δίκης ἰὼν πατρί, Ar. Ran. 1412 οὐ γὰρ δι᾽ ἔχθρας οὐδετέρῳ γενήσομαι, [Plato] Theag. 130 b μοι δι᾽ ἀπεχθείας ἐν λόγοις τισὶν ἐγεγόνει. These com- binations of a verb of motion with διά arose from the local meaning of the preposition. Krüger I. § 68, 22, 2.

122. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-96

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122. αὐλήν: cp. Od. iv. 74 Ζηνός που τοιήδε γ᾽ Ὀλυμπίου ἔνδοθεν αὐλή. εἰσοιχνεῦσιν : Ionic contraction, like πωλεύμεναι 645; used because οἰχνέω and πωλέομαι are epic words. Cp. Eur. Med. 422 ὑμνεῦσαι, Hipp. 167 ἀΰτευν, Ιph. Α. 789 μυθεῦσαι. Cp. also Ag. 942 δήριος (from the Ionic δῆρις).

124. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-97

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124 ff. κινάθισμα: κίνημα πλήθους, Hesych. – οἰωνῶν : the chorus is now so near that Prometheus can distin- guish the sound of wings. - ἐλαφραῖς πτερύγων ῥιπαῖς: cp. Eur. Frg. 597 ταῖς ὠκυπλάνοις πτερύγων ῥιπαῖς. – ὑπο- συρίζει: this does not mean leniter stridet (Blomfield), but ὑπο- ex- presses the idea of accompaniment, as in ὑπάδειν, ὑποστεναχίζειν, ὑπορχεῖ- σθαι, ὑπηχεῖν, succinere.

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Power Well, why delay and excite pity in vain? Why do you not detest a god most hateful to the gods, since he has betrayed your prerogative to mortals?

Hephaestus A strangely potent tie is kinship, and companionship as well.

Power I agree; yet to refuse to obey the commands of the Father; is this possible? Do you not fear that more? 40

Hephaestus Yes, you are ever pitiless and steeped in insolence.

Power Yes, for it does not good to bemoan this fellow. Stop wasting your labor at an unprofitable task.

Hephaestus Oh handicraft that I hate so much! 45

Power Why hate it? Since in truth your craft is in no way to blame for these present troubles.

Hephaestus Nevertheless, i wish it had fallen to another’s lot!

Power Every job is troublesome except to be the commander of gods; no one is free except Zeus. 50

Hephaestus I know it by this task; I cannot deny it.

Power Hurry then to cast the fetters about him, so that the Father does not see you loitering.

Hephaestus Well, there then! The bands are ready, as you may see.

Power Cast them about his wrists and with might strike with your hammer; rivet him to the rocks. 55

Hephaestus There! The work is getting done and not improperly.

Power Strike harder, clamp him tight, leave nothing loose; for he is wondrously clever at finding a way even out of desperate straits.

Hephaestus This arm, at least, is fixed permanently. 60

Power Now rivet this one too and securely, so that he may learn, for all his cleverness, that he is a fool compared to Zeus.

Hephaestus None but he could justly blame my work.

Power Now drive the adamantine wedge’s stubborn edge straight through his chest with your full force. 65

Hephaestus Alas, Prometheus, I groan for your sufferings.

Power What! Shrinking again and groaning over the enemies of Zeus? Take care, so that the day does not come when you shall grieve for yourself.

Hephaestus You see a spectacle grievous for eyes to behold.

Power I see this man getting his deserts. Come, cast the girths about his sides. 70

Hephaestus I must do this; spare me your needless ordering.

Power Indeed, I’ll order you, yes and more—I’ll hound you on. Get down below, and ring his legs by force.

Hephaestus There now! The work’s done and without much labor. 75

Power Now hammer the piercing fetters with your full force; for the appraiser of our work is severe.

Hephaestus The utterance of your tongue matches your looks.

Power Be softhearted then, but do not attack my stubborn will and my harsh mood. 80

Hephaestus Let us be gone, since he has got the fetters on his limbs. Exit

Current edition Perseus

Κράτος εἶεν, τί μέλλεις καὶ κατοικτίζει μάτην; τί τὸν θεοῖς ἔχθιστον οὐ στυγεῖς θεόν, ὅστις τὸ σὸν θνητοῖσι προὔδωκεν γέρας;

Ἥφαιστος τὸ συγγενές τοι δεινὸν ἥ θ᾽ ὁμιλία.

Κράτος σύμφημ᾽: ἀνηκουστεῖν δὲ τῶν πατρὸς λόγων 8 40 οἷόν τε πῶς; οὐ τοῦτο δειμαίνεις πλέον;

Ἥφαιστος αἰεί γε 9 δὴ νηλὴς σὺ καὶ θράσους πλέως.

Κράτος ἄκος γὰρ οὐδὲν τόνδε θρηνεῖσθαι: σὺ δὲ τὰ μηδὲν ὠφελοῦντα μὴ πόνει μάτην.

Ἥφαιστος ὦ πολλὰ μισηθεῖσα χειρωναξία. 45

Κράτος τί νιν στυγεῖς; πόνων γὰρ ὡς ἁπλῷ λόγῳ τῶν νῦν παρόντων οὐδὲν αἰτία τέχνη.

Ἥφαιστος ἔμπας τις αὐτὴν ἄλλος ὤφελεν λαχεῖν.

Κράτος ἅπαντ᾽ ἐπαχθῆ 10 πλὴν θεοῖσι κοιρανεῖν. ἐλεύθερος γὰρ οὔτις ἐστὶ πλὴν Διός. 50

Ἥφαιστος ἔγνωκα τοῖσδε κοὐδὲν ἀντειπεῖν ἔχω.

Κράτος οὔκουν ἐπείξει τῷδε δεσμὰ περιβαλεῖν, ὡς μή σ᾽ ἐλινύοντα προσδερχθῇ πατήρ;

Ἥφαιστος καὶ δὴ πρόχειρα ψάλια 11 δέρκεσθαι πάρα.

Κράτος βαλών 12 νιν ἀμφὶ χερσὶν ἐγκρατεῖ σθένει 55 ῥαιστῆρι θεῖνε, πασσάλευε πρὸς πέτραις.

Ἥφαιστος περαίνεται δὴ κοὐ ματᾷ τοὔργον τόδε.

Κράτος ἄρασσε μᾶλλον, σφίγγε, μηδαμῇ χάλα. δεινὸς γὰρ εὑρεῖν κἀξ ἀμηχάνων πόρον. 13

Ἥφαιστος ἄραρεν ἥδε γ᾽ ὠλένη δυσεκλύτως. 60 61

Κράτος καὶ τήνδε νῦν πόρπασον ἀσφαλῶς, ἵνα μάθῃ σοφιστὴς ὢν Διὸς νωθέστερος.

Ἥφαιστος πλὴν τοῦδ᾽ ἂν οὐδεὶς ἐνδίκως μέμψαιτό μοι.

Κράτος ἀδαμαντίνου νῦν σφηνὸς αὐθάδη γνάθον στέρνων διαμπὰξ πασσάλευ᾽ ἐρρωμένως. 65

Ἥφαιστος αἰαῖ, Προμηθεῦ, σῶν ὑπερστένω 14 πόνων.

Κράτος σὺ δ᾽ αὖ κατοκνεῖς τῶν Διός τ᾽ ἐχθρῶν ὕπερ στένεις; ὅπως μὴ σαυτὸν οἰκτιεῖς ποτε.

Ἥφαιστος ὁρᾷς θέαμα δυσθέατον ὄμμασιν.

Κράτος ὁρῶ κυροῦντα τόνδε τῶν ἐπαξίων. 15 70 ἀλλ᾽ ἀμφὶ πλευραῖς μασχαλιστῆρας βάλε.

Ἥφαιστος δρᾶν ταῦτ᾽ ἀνάγκη, μηδὲν ἐγκέλευ᾽ ἄγαν.

Κράτος ἦ μὴν κελεύσω κἀπιθωύξω γε πρός. χώρει κάτω, σκέλη δὲ κίρκωσον βίᾳ.

Ἥφαιστος καὶ δὴ πέπρακται τοὔργον οὐ μακρῷ πόνῳ. 75

Κράτος ἐρρωμένως νῦν θεῖνε διατόρους πέδας: ὡς οὑπιτιμητής γε 16 τῶν ἔργων βαρύς.

Ἥφαιστος ὅμοια μορφῇ γλῶσσά σου γηρύεται.

Κράτος σὺ μαλθακίζου, τὴν δ᾽ ἐμὴν αὐθαδίαν ὀργῆς τε τραχυτῆτα μὴ ᾽πίπλησσέ μοι. 80

Ἥφαιστος στείχωμεν: ὡς κώλοισιν ἀμφίβληστρ᾽ ἔχει.

Κράτος εἶεν, τί μέλλεις καὶ κατοικτίζῃ μάτην; τί τὸν θεοῖς ἔχθιστον οὐ στυγεῖς θεόν, ὅστις τὸ σὸν θνητοῖσι προὔδωκεν γέρας;

Ἥφαιστος τὸ συγγενές τοι δεινὸν ἥ θʼ ὁμιλία.

Κράτος σύμφημʼ· ἀνηκουστεῖν δὲ τῶν πατρὸς λόγων 40 οἷόν τε πῶς; οὐ τοῦτο δειμαίνεις πλέον;

Ἥφαιστος αἰεί γε δὴ νηλὴς σὺ καὶ θράσους πλέως.

Κράτος ἄκος γὰρ οὐδὲν τόνδε θρηνεῖσθαι. σὺ δὲ τὰ μηδὲν ὠφελοῦντα μὴ πόνει μάτην.

Ἥφαιστος ὦ πολλὰ μισηθεῖσα χειρωναξία. 45

Κράτος τί νιν στυγεῖς; πόνων γὰρ ὡς ἁπλῷ λόγῳ τῶν νῦν παρόντων οὐδὲν αἰτία τέχνη.

Ἥφαιστος ἔμπας τις αὐτὴν ἄλλος ὤφελεν λαχεῖν.

Κράτος ἅπαντʼ ἐπαχθῆ πλὴν θεοῖσι κοιρανεῖν· ἐλεύθερος γὰρ οὔτις ἐστὶ πλὴν Διός. 50

Ἥφαιστος ἔγνωκα τοῖσδε κοὐδὲν ἀντειπεῖν ἔχω.

Κράτος οὔκουν ἐπείξῃ τῷδε δεσμὰ περιβαλεῖν, ὡς μή σʼ ἐλινύοντα προσδερχθῇ πατήρ;

Ἥφαιστος καὶ δὴ πρόχειρα ψάλια δέρκεσθαι πάρα.

Κράτος βαλών νιν ἀμφὶ χερσὶν ἐγκρατεῖ σθένει 55 ῥαιστῆρι θεῖνε, πασσάλευε πρὸς πέτραις.

Ἥφαιστος περαίνεται δὴ κοὐ ματᾷ τοὔργον τόδε.

Κράτος ἄρασσε μᾶλλον, σφίγγε, μηδαμῇ χάλα. δεινὸς γὰρ εὑρεῖν κἀξ ἀμηχάνων πόρον.

Ἥφαιστος ἄραρεν ἥδε γʼ ὠλένη δυσεκλύτως. 60

Κράτος καὶ τήνδε νῦν πόρπασον ἀσφαλῶς, ἵνα μάθῃ σοφιστὴς ὢν Διὸς νωθέστερος.

Power

Well, why delay and excite pity in vain? Why do you not detest a god most hateful to the gods, since he has betrayed your prerogative to mortals?

Hephaestus

A strangely potent tie is kinship, and companionship as well.

Power

I agree; yet to refuse to obey the commands of the Father; is this possible? Do you not fear that more?
40

Hephaestus

Yes, you are ever pitiless and steeped in insolence.

Power

Yes, for it does not good to bemoan this fellow. Stop wasting your labor at an unprofitable task.

Hephaestus

Oh handicraft that I hate so much!
45

Power

Why hate it? Since in truth your craft is in no way to blame for these present troubles.

Hephaestus

Nevertheless, i wish it had fallen to another’s lot!

Power

Every job is troublesome except to be the commander of gods;

no one is free except Zeus.
50

Hephaestus

I know it by this task; I cannot deny it.

Power

Hurry then to cast the fetters about him, so that the Father does not see you loitering.

Hephaestus

Well, there then! The bands are ready, as you may see.

Power

Cast them about his wrists and with might strike with your hammer; rivet him to the rocks.
55

Hephaestus

There! The work is getting done and not improperly.

Power

Strike harder, clamp him tight, leave nothing loose; for he is wondrously clever at finding a way even out of desperate straits.

Hephaestus

This arm, at least, is fixed permanently.
60

Power

Now rivet this one too and securely, so that he may learn, for all his cleverness, that he is a fool compared to Zeus.

Hephaestus

None but he could justly blame my work.

Power

Now drive the adamantine wedge’s stubborn edge straight

through his chest with your full force.
65

Hephaestus

Alas, Prometheus, I groan for your sufferings.

Power

What! Shrinking again and groaning over the enemies of Zeus? Take care, so that the day does not come when you shall grieve for yourself.

Hephaestus

You see a spectacle grievous for eyes to behold.

Power

I see this man getting his deserts. Come, cast the girths about his sides.
70

Hephaestus

I must do this; spare me your needless ordering.

Power

Indeed, I’ll order you, yes and more—I’ll hound you on. Get down below, and ring his legs by force.

Hephaestus

There now! The work’s done and without much labor.
75

Power

Now hammer the piercing fetters with your full force; for the appraiser of our work is severe.

Hephaestus

The utterance of your tongue matches your looks.

Power

Be softhearted then,

but do not attack my stubborn will and my harsh mood.
80

Hephaestus

Let us be gone, since he has got the fetters on his limbs. Exit

Κράτος

εἶεν, τί μέλλεις καὶ κατοικτίζει μάτην;

τί τὸν θεοῖς ἔχθιστον οὐ στυγεῖς θεόν,

ὅστις τὸ σὸν θνητοῖσι προὔδωκεν γέρας;

Ἥφαιστος

τὸ συγγενές τοι δεινὸν ἥ θ᾽ ὁμιλία.

Κράτος

σύμφημ᾽: ἀνηκουστεῖν δὲ τῶν πατρὸς λόγων⁸
40

οἷόν τε πῶς; οὐ τοῦτο δειμαίνεις πλέον;

Ἥφαιστος

αἰεί γε⁹ δὴ νηλὴς σὺ καὶ θράσους πλέως.

Κράτος

ἄκος γὰρ οὐδὲν τόνδε θρηνεῖσθαι: σὺ δὲ

τὰ μηδὲν ὠφελοῦντα μὴ πόνει μάτην.

Ἥφαιστος

ὦ πολλὰ μισηθεῖσα χειρωναξία.
45

Κράτος

τί νιν στυγεῖς; πόνων γὰρ ὡς ἁπλῷ λόγῳ

τῶν νῦν παρόντων οὐδὲν αἰτία τέχνη.

Ἥφαιστος

ἔμπας τις αὐτὴν ἄλλος ὤφελεν λαχεῖν.

Κράτος

ἅπαντ᾽ ἐπαχθῆ¹⁰ πλὴν θεοῖσι κοιρανεῖν.

ἐλεύθερος γὰρ οὔτις ἐστὶ πλὴν Διός.
50

Ἥφαιστος

ἔγνωκα τοῖσδε κοὐδὲν ἀντειπεῖν ἔχω.

Κράτος

οὔκουν ἐπείξει τῷδε δεσμὰ περιβαλεῖν,

ὡς μή σ᾽ ἐλινύοντα προσδερχθῇ πατήρ;

Ἥφαιστος

καὶ δὴ πρόχειρα ψάλια¹¹ δέρκεσθαι πάρα.

Κράτος

βαλών¹² νιν ἀμφὶ χερσὶν ἐγκρατεῖ σθένει
55

ῥαιστῆρι θεῖνε, πασσάλευε πρὸς πέτραις.

Ἥφαιστος

περαίνεται δὴ κοὐ ματᾷ τοὔργον τόδε.

Κράτος

ἄρασσε μᾶλλον, σφίγγε, μηδαμῇ χάλα.

δεινὸς γὰρ εὑρεῖν κἀξ ἀμηχάνων πόρον.¹³

Ἥφαιστος

ἄραρεν ἥδε γ᾽ ὠλένη δυσεκλύτως.
60
61

Κράτος

καὶ τήνδε νῦν πόρπασον ἀσφαλῶς, ἵνα

μάθῃ σοφιστὴς ὢν Διὸς νωθέστερος.

Ἥφαιστος

πλὴν τοῦδ᾽ ἂν οὐδεὶς ἐνδίκως μέμψαιτό μοι.

Κράτος

ἀδαμαντίνου νῦν σφηνὸς αὐθάδη γνάθον

στέρνων διαμπὰξ πασσάλευ᾽ ἐρρωμένως.
65

Ἥφαιστος

αἰαῖ, Προμηθεῦ, σῶν ὑπερστένω¹⁴ πόνων.

Κράτος

σὺ δ᾽ αὖ κατοκνεῖς τῶν Διός τ᾽ ἐχθρῶν ὕπερ

στένεις; ὅπως μὴ σαυτὸν οἰκτιεῖς ποτε.

Ἥφαιστος

ὁρᾷς θέαμα δυσθέατον ὄμμασιν.

Κράτος

ὁρῶ κυροῦντα τόνδε τῶν ἐπαξίων.¹⁵
70

ἀλλ᾽ ἀμφὶ πλευραῖς μασχαλιστῆρας βάλε.

Ἥφαιστος

δρᾶν ταῦτ᾽ ἀνάγκη, μηδὲν ἐγκέλευ᾽ ἄγαν.

Κράτος

ἦ μὴν κελεύσω κἀπιθωύξω γε πρός.

χώρει κάτω, σκέλη δὲ κίρκωσον βίᾳ.

Ἥφαιστος

καὶ δὴ πέπρακται τοὔργον οὐ μακρῷ πόνῳ.
75

Κράτος

ἐρρωμένως νῦν θεῖνε διατόρους πέδας:

ὡς οὑπιτιμητής γε¹⁶ τῶν ἔργων βαρύς.

Ἥφαιστος

ὅμοια μορφῇ γλῶσσά σου γηρύεται.

Κράτος

σὺ μαλθακίζου, τὴν δ᾽ ἐμὴν αὐθαδίαν

ὀργῆς τε τραχυτῆτα μὴ ᾽πίπλησσέ μοι.
80

Ἥφαιστος

στείχωμεν: ὡς κώλοισιν ἀμφίβληστρ᾽ ἔχει.

Κράτος

εἶεν, τί μέλλεις καὶ κατοικτίζῃ μάτην;

τί τὸν θεοῖς ἔχθιστον οὐ στυγεῖς θεόν,

ὅστις τὸ σὸν θνητοῖσι προὔδωκεν γέρας;

Ἥφαιστος

τὸ συγγενές τοι δεινὸν ἥ θʼ ὁμιλία.

Κράτος

σύμφημʼ· ἀνηκουστεῖν δὲ τῶν πατρὸς λόγων
40

οἷόν τε πῶς; οὐ τοῦτο δειμαίνεις πλέον;

Ἥφαιστος

αἰεί γε δὴ νηλὴς σὺ καὶ θράσους πλέως.

Κράτος

ἄκος γὰρ οὐδὲν τόνδε θρηνεῖσθαι. σὺ δὲ

τὰ μηδὲν ὠφελοῦντα μὴ πόνει μάτην.

Ἥφαιστος

ὦ πολλὰ μισηθεῖσα χειρωναξία.
45

Κράτος

τί νιν στυγεῖς; πόνων γὰρ ὡς ἁπλῷ λόγῳ

τῶν νῦν παρόντων οὐδὲν αἰτία τέχνη.

Ἥφαιστος

ἔμπας τις αὐτὴν ἄλλος ὤφελεν λαχεῖν.

Κράτος

ἅπαντʼ ἐπαχθῆ πλὴν θεοῖσι κοιρανεῖν·

ἐλεύθερος γὰρ οὔτις ἐστὶ πλὴν Διός.
50

Ἥφαιστος

ἔγνωκα τοῖσδε κοὐδὲν ἀντειπεῖν ἔχω.

Κράτος

οὔκουν ἐπείξῃ τῷδε δεσμὰ περιβαλεῖν,

ὡς μή σʼ ἐλινύοντα προσδερχθῇ πατήρ;

Ἥφαιστος

καὶ δὴ πρόχειρα ψάλια δέρκεσθαι πάρα.

Κράτος

βαλών νιν ἀμφὶ χερσὶν ἐγκρατεῖ σθένει
55

ῥαιστῆρι θεῖνε, πασσάλευε πρὸς πέτραις.

Ἥφαιστος

περαίνεται δὴ κοὐ ματᾷ τοὔργον τόδε.

Κράτος

ἄρασσε μᾶλλον, σφίγγε, μηδαμῇ χάλα.

δεινὸς γὰρ εὑρεῖν κἀξ ἀμηχάνων πόρον.

Ἥφαιστος

ἄραρεν ἥδε γʼ ὠλένη δυσεκλύτως.
60

Κράτος

καὶ τήνδε νῦν πόρπασον ἀσφαλῶς, ἵνα

μάθῃ σοφιστὴς ὢν Διὸς νωθέστερος.

Ἥφαιστος

πλὴν τοῦδʼ ἂν οὐδεὶς ἐνδίκως μέμψαιτό μοι.

Κράτος

ἀδαμαντίνου νῦν σφηνὸς αὐθάδη γνάθον

στέρνων διαμπὰξ πασσάλευʼ ἐρρωμένως.
65

Ἥφαιστος

αἰαῖ, Προμηθεῦ, σῶν ὑπερστένω πόνων.