Aeschylus Prometheus Bound 244

ed. Herbert Weir Smyth

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Prometheus Bound. Aeschylus. ed. Herbert Weir Smyth. New York. 1922.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Perseus

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

Editions (6)
Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης First1KGreek (Aeschyli Tragoediae. Sidgwick, Arthur, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1902.) — 195-398 focus
Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης (OCR draft) Experimental (Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης. Guilielmus Dindorfius, 1882.) — 244 focus
Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης (OCR draft) Experimental (Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης. Gottfried Hermann, 1852.) — 244 focus
ΠΡΟΜΗθΕΥΣ ΔΕΣΜΩΤΗΣ (OCR draft) Experimental (ΠΡΟΜΗθΕΥΣ ΔΕΣΜΩΤΗΣ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 244 focus
Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης (OCR draft) Experimental (Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης. N. Wecklein, 1885.) — 244 focus
σιδηρόφρων τε κἀκ πέτρας εἰργασμένος
ὅστις, Προμηθεῦ, σοῖσιν οὐ συνασχαλᾷ
μόχθοις· ἐγὼ γὰρ οὔτ᾽ ἂν εἰσιδεῖν τάδε
260
ἔχρηζον εἰσιδοῦσά τ' ἠλγύνθην κέαρ.
Aeschyli Prometheus Vinctus (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschyli Prometheus Vinctus. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1914.) — 244 focus
Translations (9)
Prometheus Bound Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 1. Smyth, Herbert Weir, translator. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1922. (Modernized by Perseus.)) — 244 focus
Prometheus Bound. (OCR draft) Experimental (Prometheus Bound.. Theodore Alois Buckley, 1849.) — 244 focus
Iron-hearted and formed of rock too, Prometheus, is he, who condoles not with thy toils: for I could have wished never to have beheld them, and now, when I behold them, I am pained in my heart.
PROMÉTHÉE ENCHAINÉ (OCR draft) Experimental (PROMÉTHÉE ENCHAINÉ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 244 focus
cependant : je leur ai fait présent du feu.
Prometheus Chained (OCR draft) Experimental (Prometheus Chained. Robert Potter, 1779.) — 244 focus
Of iron is he form'd and adamant,
250
Whoſe breaſt with ſocial ſorrow does not melt
At thy afflictions: I nor wiſh'd to ſee them,
Nor ſee them but with anguiſh at my heart.
Eschilo, Prometeo legato: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli (OCR draft) Experimental (Eschilo, Prometeo legato: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli. Ettore Romagnoli, 1922.) — 244 focus
io mi pensai convincere pel meglio
i figliuoli del Cielo e della Terra,
i Titani; e non seppi. Essi, superbi
240
della lor forza, le sottili astuzie
disprezzarono; e senza stento, a forza,
conquistare il dominio immaginarono.
A me, però, non una sola volta,
mia madre Temi, e Gea che nomi ha varî
245
ed una forma sola, avean predetto
l'evento già delle future sorti :
che vinto avrebbe chi vincer doveva,
non con la gagliardia, non con la forza,
ma con l'astuzia.
250
E tutto questo udirono
dalle parole mie, né lo degnarono
d'alcun riguardo.
In tali eventi, il meglio
Aeschylus, Prometheus vinctus: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Prometheus vinctus: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii. Ioannes Sanravius, 1555.) — 244 focus
Ferreas mentes habet, & ex petris factus est.
Quisquis Prometheu tuis non condolet
250
Laboribus: ego verò neq; haec respicere
Volui, videns verò dolui corde.
Prometheus Bound (OCR draft) Experimental (Prometheus Bound. Anna Swanwick, 1886.) — 244 focus
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.
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.) — 244 focus
A heart of steel, a mould of stone were he,
Who could complacently behold thy pains—
I came not here as craving for this sight,
And, seeing it, I stand heart-wrung with pain.
275
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.) — 244 focus
Der hat ein Herz von Eisen, ist aus Stein gezeugt,
Den, o Prometheus, deine Qual zum Mitgefühl
Nicht stimmt. O hätte solches Leid mein Auge nie
Gesehen: nun ich's sehe, bricht es mir das Herz!
245

Commentary

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

244. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-265

NA: Eustathius p. 1940, 58.

244. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-266

σιδηρόφρων:
σιδηρόφρον
Lips.

245. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-267

ξυνασχαλᾷ:
ξυανασχαλᾷ
Lips. 1.
συνασχαλα
ceteri.

246. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-268

μόχθοις:
κακοῖς
pro
μόχθοις
codex Gregorii Corinthii in adnotatione p. 110. memoratus.

247. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-269

ἠλγύνθην:
ἀλγύνθην
Μ. G.
Ἀλγήθην
Lips. 1.
Ἀλγήνθην
Lips. 2. Aug. Aliquot codices
ἠλγύνθην
.

248. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-270

φίλοισιν οἰκτρὸς εἰςορᾶν: Vulgo
καὶ μὴν φίλοις ἐλεεινὸς εἰςορᾶν ἐγώ
, et sic M. nisi quod
εἰσ ὁρᾶν
habet. Porsonum in praefatione Hecubae p. VII.
ἐλεινός
corrigentem secuti sunt recentiores. Acquiescere in hac scriptura poteramus, nisi alio ducere viderentur quidam libri. Nam G. Lips. 1. et duo ex Parisinis (D. G.)
φίλοισιν
habent, idem Lips. autem et Vind. 1.
εἰσορᾶν ἐλεεινὸς ἐγώ
. Quae scripturae eo magis suadent ut
ἐλεεινός
pro explicatione habeamus, quod ad ipsum illud
ἐλεεινός
nihil est a glossatoribus adnotatum. Itaque scripsi
καὶ μὴν φίλοισιν οἰκτρὸς εἰςορᾶν ἐγώ
. Hesychius
οἰκτρά, ἐλεεινά. οἰκτρός, ἐλεεινός
.

250. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-271

θνητούς γε παύσας:
θνητοὺς ἔπαυσα
G. Aug. Ald. Rob. Τurn.
θνητούς τ᾽ ἔπαυσα
Lips. 1. Ven. 3. Victorius. Nicephorus in scholiis ad Synesium p. 403.
καὶ ὁ Αἰσχύλος δὲ ἐν τῷ δράματι ὃ ἐπιγράφει Προμηθεὺς δεσμώτης εἰςάγων τὸν Προμηθέα λυπούμενον διὰ τὸν δεσμὸν καὶ διηγούμενον τὰς αἰτίας δι᾽ ἃς τιμωρεῖται παρὰ τοῦ Διός, φησὶ καὶ ὅτι “θνητούς τ' ἔπαυσα μὴ προδέρκεσθαι μόρον, τυφλὰς ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐλπίδας κατοικίσας.”
Porsonus posuit quod Lips. 2. Vind. 2. 4. habent,
θνητούς γ᾽ ἔπαυσα
. Non credo sic scripsisse Aeschylum. Etenim usitata in respondendo ratio postulat
θνητούς γε παύσας
, idque restitui.

250. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-272

προδέρκεσθαι μόρον:
προσδέρκεσθαι
ante rasuram M.
μόρων
G. Meminerat huius loci Plato, quum in Gorgia p. 523. D. Iovem Prometheo mandare finxit, ut fatalis horae cognitionem hominibus eriperet :
πρῶτον μὲν οὖν, ἔφη, παυστέον ἐστὶ προειδότας αὐτοὺς τὸν θάνατον· νῦν μὲν γὰρ προΐσασι. τοῦτο μὲν οὖν καὶ δὴ εἴρηται τῷ Προμηθεῖ ὅπως ἂν παύσῃ αὐτῶν
. Repetita sunt Platonis verba a Plutarcho in Consol. ad Apoll. p. 120. B. C.

251. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-273

νόσου:
νόσσου
G.

252. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-274

ἐν αὐτοῖς:
ἐν αὐτῇ
Lips. 2.
ἐλπίδας
, minio superscripto
λ
, Lips. 1.

252. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-275

κατῴκισα:
κατοικίσας
Nicephorus.

254. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-276

πρὸς τοῖςδε:
πρὸς τούτοις
G.

254. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-277

ὤπασα:
ὤπασαν
Lips. 1.

255. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-278

φλογωπὸν:
φλογωπόν
, supra
ω
scripto
ο
, Lips. 2.

255. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-279

ἔχουσ᾽:
ἔχουσιν
G.
ἔχουσι
Lips. 1.

258. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-280

αἰκίζεταί τε κοὐδαμῇ:
αἰκίζεται κοὐδαμῶς
, ad
ῶς
superscripto
ῆ
, Lips. 2.
αἰκίζεται οὐδαμῶς
Aug.

259. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-281

ἄθλου:
ἄθλων
G.

259. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-282

τέρμα σοι:
τερμάσοι
Μ.
τέρμασι
Lips. 2.

260. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-283

ὅταν:
ὅτ' ἂν
M. Lips. 2.

260. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-284

κείνῳ:
ἐκείνῳ
Lips. 1.

260. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-285

δοκῇ:
δοκηι
ultima syllaba in litura M.
δοκεῖ
Lips. 2. Aug. sed supra scripto
η
, et ante correctionem G.

262. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-286

λέγειν:
λέγει
, minio addito
ν
, Lips. 1.

264. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-287

ἄθλου:
ἄθλου
Μ. G. Lips. 2. Aug. aliique et ante corr. Lips. 1.
ἄθλων
Lips. 1. ex corr. et alii.

264. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-288

ἔκλυσιν:
ἔκλησιν
Lips. 1.

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

193-396. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-145

1
2
193-396. First Episode. 193- 283. First Scene: Prometheus and the Coryphaeus. The scholiast says: τὴν ὑπόθεσιν (that is, the expo- sition of the events supposed to pre- cede the opening of the play) βουλό- μενος διδάξαι, τὸ περίεργον (curiosity) τοῦ γυναικώδους ήθους προσέλαβεν (availed himself of, as a motive). οὐκ ἂν γὰρ ὁ ᾿Ὠκεανds (who enters later) ἠξίωσεν ἐρωτῆσαι εἰδώς. The curiosity of the chorus is a natural conse- quence of their awakened sympathy. Still it is to be observed that Prome- theus on his part is moved to tell his story by the longing to unburden his heart to sympathizing friends (see 198). He needs only the request in order to comply at once. - The Pro- logue and this first scene of the first episode constitute the first act of the drama, which expounds the situation and prepares the way for the follow- ing dramatic development.

246. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-175

3
4
246. ‘καὶ μήν aut et vero, et sane aut atqui significat' (Her- mann ad Vigerum, 332). Here it means et sane (with emphasis on φίλοις); in 459, 1080 it means et vero in 982, 985, atqui. - For the omission of εἰμί see on 42.

247. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-176

5
6
247. μή: cp. 959, Pers. 344 μή σοι δοκοῦμεν τῇδε λειφθῆναι μάχη; The chorus inclines to account for the severity of the punishment by sup- posing a more heinous crime. - τῶνδε : than what thou hast said; cp. ταύτῃ 189.

248. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-177

7
8
248. προδέρκεσθαι : foreseeing death is an evil, in that it benumbs man's energies and stupefies his faculties, since death is ever present before his eyes, and a fixed limit is set to his activity. By προδέρκεσθαι μόρον the poet means this anxious expecta- tion of death. A somewhat different conception appears in Plato Gorg. 523 d, where Zeus says, πρῶτον μὲν οὖν παυστέον ἐστὶ προειδότας αὐτοὺς τὸν θάνατον. νῦν γὰρ προΐσασι. τοῦτο μὲν οὖν καὶ δὴ εἴρηται τῷ Προμηθεῖ ὅπως ἂν παύσῃ αὐτῶν. Here it is stated that men are not to know beforehand when they are to die, so that they may not try to deceive the judges of the lower world by pre- meditated artifices, and by providing witnesses to testify in their behalf. Cp. also Hor. Carm. iii. 29, 29 pru- dens futuri temporis exi- tum caliginosa nocte premit deus.

249. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-178

9
10
249. τὸ ποῖον κτἑ. : = τὸ φάρμακον τῆσδε νόσου ποῖον εὑρών; remedium quod huic morbo adhibuisti quale fuit? Is qui interrogat, audiendi studio id, quod alterum dicere vult, occupaturus ipse ora- tionem incohat, quam ab illo ab- solvi vult; ipse autem quia eam absolvere non potest, addit pronomen interrogativum' (Hermann ad Vige- rum 25). – νόσου: cp. 384, 596, 606, 632, 977, 1069.

250. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-179

11
12
250. As in dealing with the myth of the golden and silver ages, 232, Aeschylus here uses great freedom in treating the myth of Pandora (Hesiod O. D. 94: see Introduction, p. 6), so that the original form of
the story is no longer recognizable, and only the deeper significance re- mains. Man, never deserted by Hope, strives ceaselessly for the attainment of his ends, unmindful of death and untroubled by the thought that he may be cut off before his goal is reached. Cp. Simonides Amorg. Frg. 1, 3 ἐφήμεροι ἃ δὴ βότ᾽ αἰεὶ ζῶμεν, οὐδὲν εἰδότες ὅπως ἕκαστον ἐκτελευτή- σει θεός. ἐλπὶς δὲ πάντας κἀπι- πειθείη τρέφει ἄπρηκτον ὁρμαίνοντας, Soph. Ant. 615 ὁ γὰρ δὴ πολύπλαγκτος ἐλπὶς πολλοῖς μὲν ὄνασις ἀνδρῶν, πολ- λοῖς δ᾽ ἀπάτα κουφονόων ἐρώτων.

252. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-180

13
14
252. σφίν : = αὐτοῖς, as in 457. Krüger II. § 51, 1, 19. σφίσιν in this sense is Homeric (Krüger II. § 51, 1, 17), but occurs in tragedy only in 481 below.

253. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-181

15
16
253. φλογωπόν: the brightness of the fire is put forward, as rendering it the more unfit for the ἐφήμεροι. The addition of this emphatic word justi- fies the repetition of πῦρ. Cp. Suppl. 508 ΒΑ. λευρὸν κατ᾿ ἄλσος νῦν ἐπιστρέ- φου τόδε. ΧΟ. καὶ πῶς βέβηλον ἄλ- σος ἂν ῥύοιτό με ; – ἐφήμεροι : see on 83. Even the chorus feels it to be wrong that men should receive what properly belongs to the gods.

254. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-182

17
18
254. γέ: in answers, affirms by adding a further statement ("yes, and from it..."); cp. 258, 379, 746, 768, 774. – ἀφ᾿ οὗ: cp. 170.

255. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-183

19
20
255 f. Prometheus interrupts the question by his answer, and to the simple answer (αἰκίζεται) adds the significant statement οὐδαμῇ χαλᾷ και κῶν. By this addition the artifice for preserving the stichomythy is con- cealed, and the dialogue proceeds naturally. A more common device is the insertion of a question; this question is so connected in construc- tion with the interrupted sentence which precedes, that in answering it the speaker simply takes up his un- finished speech where he left it off. Thus Pers. 734 ΑΤ. Ξέρξην φασὶν. ΔΑ. πῶς τελευτᾶν; ΑΤ. ἄσμενον μο- λεῖν.

257. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-184

21
22
257. οὐδέ: cp. καί in 253.

258. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-185

23
24
258. Ср. 376. A different state- ment is made in 756.

259. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-186

25
26
259. δόξει δὲ πῶς: δόξει stands first because it takes up the thought of the preceding δοκῇ. Cp. Soph. El. 1429 ΧΟ. λεύσσω γὰρ Αἴγισθον. ΟΡ. εἰσ- ορᾶτε ποῦ τὸν ἄνδρα;

260. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-187

27
28
260. ἥμαρτες : a moral wrong is not meant, but only an act of im- prudence and mistaken judgment- rebellion, that is, against a superior adversary. This is clear from 266 and its explanation in 267.

262. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-188

29
30
262. ἔκλυσιν ζήτει τινά: that is, by submission. Cp. 316 with 315.

263. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-189

31
32
263. Cp. Cho. 697 ἔξω κομίζων ὀλε- θρίου πηλοῦ πόδα (where the scholiast remarks, ἔξω πηλοῦ πόδα, παροιμία), Soph. Phil. 1260 ἴσως ἂν ἐκτὸς κλαυμά- των ἔχοις πύδα, Eur. Heracl. 109 καλὸν δέ γ'᾽ ἔξω πραγμάτων ἔχειν πόδα, εὐβου- λίας τυχόντα τῆς ἀμείνονος. 265 270

264. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-190

33
34
264. Cp. Eur. Alc. 1078 ῥᾷον παραι- νεῖν ἢ παθόντα καρτερεῖν, H. F. 1249 σὺ δ᾽ ἐκτὸς ὤν γε συμφορᾶς με νουθετεῖς, Terent. Andr. 309 facile omnes, quom valemus, recta con- silia aegrotis damus