Aeschylus Prometheus Bound 265

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.) — 265 focus
Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης (OCR draft) Experimental (Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης. Gottfried Hermann, 1852.) — 265 focus
ΠΡΟΜΗθΕΥΣ ΔΕΣΜΩΤΗΣ (OCR draft) Experimental (ΠΡΟΜΗθΕΥΣ ΔΕΣΜΩΤΗΣ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 265 focus
Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης (OCR draft) Experimental (Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης. N. Wecklein, 1885.) — 265 focus
ἐλαφρὸν ὅστις πημάτων ἔξω πόδα
ἔχει παραινεῖν νουθετεῖν τε τὸν κακῶς
280
πράσσοντ᾽· ἐγὼ δὲ ταῦθ᾽ ἅπαντ᾽ ἐπιστάμην.
ἑκὼν ἑκὼν ἥμαρτον, οὐκ ἀρνήσομαι·
θνητοῖς ἀρήγων αὐτὸς ηὑρόμην πόνους.
οὐ μήν τι ποιναῖς γ' ᾠόμην τοίαισί με
κατισχνανεῖσθαι πρὸς πέτραις πεδαρσίοις,
285
τυχόντ᾽ ἐρήμου τοῦδ᾽ ἀγείτονος πάγου.
καί μοι τὰ μὲν παρόντα μὴ δύρεσθ᾽ ἄχη,
πέδοι δὲ βᾶσαι τὰς προσερπούσας τύχας
Aeschyli Prometheus Vinctus (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschyli Prometheus Vinctus. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1914.) — 265 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.)) — 265 focus
Prometheus Bound. (OCR draft) Experimental (Prometheus Bound.. Theodore Alois Buckley, 1849.) — 265 focus
'Tis easy, for any one that hath his foot unentangled by sufferings, both to exhort and to admonish him that is in evil plight. But I knew all these things willingly, willingly I erred, I will not gainsay it: and in doing service to mortals I brought upon myself sufferings. Yet not at all did I imagine, that, in such a punishment as this, I was to wither away upon lofty rocks, meeting with this desolate solitary crag. And yet wail ye not over my present sorrows, but after alighting on the ground, list ye to the fortune that is coming on, that ye may learn the whole throughout. Yield to me, yield ye, take ye a share in the woes of him that is now suffering. Hence in the same way doth calamity roaming to and fro settle down on different individuals.
PROMÉTHÉE ENCHAINÉ (OCR draft) Experimental (PROMÉTHÉE ENCHAINÉ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 265 focus
douleurs présentes, mettez pied à terre, pour
Prometheus Chained (OCR draft) Experimental (Prometheus Chained. Robert Potter, 1779.) — 265 focus
How eaſy, when the foot is not entangled
In miſery's thorny maze, to give monitions
And precepts to th' afflicted! Of theſe things
I was not unadvis'd; and my offence
275
Was voluntary; in man's cauſe I drew
Theſe evils on my head: but ills like theſe,
On this aerial rock to waſte away,
This deſart and unſocial precipice,
My mind preſag'd it not. But ceaſe your grief,
280
Wail not my preſent woes; on the rough point
Of this firm cliff deſcend, and there obſerve
What further may betide me, e'en the whole
Of my hard fate; indulge me, O indulge
This my requeſt, and ſympathize with me
285
Thus wretched; for affliction knows no reſt,
But rolls from breaſt to breaſt its vagrant tide.
Eschilo, Prometeo legato: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli (OCR draft) Experimental (Eschilo, Prometeo legato: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli. Ettore Romagnoli, 1922.) — 265 focus
mi parve allor trarre con me mia madre,
255
e spontaneo prestar soccorso a Giove
che lo bramava.
E pei consigli miei,
il negro abisso del profondo Tartaro,
Crono l'antico e i suoi compagni asconde.
260
Ebbe da me tal beneficio; ed ora
con queste pene turpi il re dei Numi
me ne compensa: è mal della tirannide
questo di non prestar fede agli amici.
Or poi rispondo alla dimanda vostra,
265
Aeschylus, Prometheus vinctus: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Prometheus vinctus: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii. Ioannes Sanravius, 1555.) — 265 focus
Facile est illi, qui extra dolores pedem
270
Habet, admonere & castigare qui male
Valent. omnia haec ipse scivi:
Volens lubens peccavi, non inficior:
Prometheus Bound (OCR draft) Experimental (Prometheus Bound. Anna Swanwick, 1886.) — 265 focus
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.) — 265 focus
Easy it is, for one whose foot is set
Outside the slough of pain, to lesson well
295
With admonitions him who lies therein.
With perfect knowledge did I all I did,
I willed to sin, and sinned, I own it all—
I championed men, unto my proper pain.
Yet scarce I deemed that, in such cruel doom,
300
Withering upon this skyey precipice,
I should inherit lonely mountain crags,
Here, in a vast un-neighboured solitude.
Yet list not to lament my present pains,
But, stepping from your cars unto the ground,
305
Listen, the while I tell the future fates
Now drawing near, until ye know the whole.
Grant ye, O grant my prayer, be pitiful
To one now racked with woe! the doom of pain
Wanders, but settles, soon or late, on all.
310
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.) — 265 focus
Wer sichern Fußes außerhalb des Leides steht,
Mag leicht Bedrängten Lehren und Ermahnungen
Ertheilen. Mir war alles dieß ganz wohlbekannt.
265
Ich fehlte wissend, wollend, nie verläugn' ich das,
Und lud, den Menschen helfend, selbst das Leid mir auf.
Ich dachte freilich nimmermehr von solcher Qual
Zerfleischt dahinzuwelken hier am Klippensturz,
Gebannt an diesen öden, nachbarlosen Fels.
270
Doch nicht beklagt das Leiden, das mich jetzt bedrängt:
Nein, steigt hernieder und vernehmt die kommenden
Geschicke, daß ihr Alles bis zum Ende schaut.
Willfahret mir, willfahret, tragt mein Loos mit mir,
Dem Mühbeladnen. Denn das Unglück, wirren Flugs
275
Umschweifend, sucht heut diesen, morgen jenen heim.
(Die Okeaniden steigen während des Folgenden auf den Felsboden hinab.)

Commentary

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

266-267. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-289

τὸν κακῶς πράσσοντ': Omnes libri
τοὺς κακῶς πράσσοντας
, nisi quod
τοὺς κακῶς πράσσοντα
Lips. 1. Emendavit Stanleius. Similia quaedam vitia sustulit Porsonus ad Med. v. 5. Vide infra v. 351.

267. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-290

ταῦθ᾽ ἅπαντ':
ταῦτα πάντ'
Lips. 1.

267. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-291

ἐπιστάμην:
ἠπιστάμην
G. et ante corr. Lips. 1. 2.

268. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-292

οὐκ ἀρνήσομαι:
οὐ καρνήσομαι
Μ.
οὐκ ἀνήσομαι
Lips. 1.

269. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-293

δ᾽:
δ'
omittunt M. Rob. Ac delevit Elmsleio obsecutus Blomfieldius. At hic versus non est explicatio praecedentis.

269. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-294

εὑρόμην:
ηρόμην
Cant. 2.
εὑράμην
G.

270. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-295

NA: Hoc versu incipit codex Vitebergensis, in quo quae praecedunt perierunt.

270. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-296

οὐ μήν τι:
οὐ μήν τι
M. Rob.
οὐ μήν τοι
(
τοῖ
Aug.) G. Vit. Lips. 2. Aug.
οὐ μήν γε
Lips. 1.

270. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-297

γ':
γ'
omittunt Lips. 1. 2. Aug. aliique et edd. ante Vict.

270. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-298

τοίαισί:
τοιαῖσδέ τοι
Ven. 3. Elmsleius scribi volebat
τοιαισίδε
.

271. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-299

κατισχνανεῖσθαι:
κατισχανεῖσθαι
G. Lips. 1. 2. Aug. Ven. 3. et edd. vett. quod Porsonus ad Eur. Or. 292. ab Atticis suavioris soni caussa probatum iudicabat. Id analogiae repugnare vidit Blomfieldius. Recte M. Vit. Par. D.
κατισχνανεῖσθαι
, ediditque ita ipse Porsonus. Vtitur hoc verbo Aeschylus etiam infra 382. Eum. 142. 264. et in Lycurgo apud Athenaeum X. p. 447. C. recteque Blomfieldius in Callimachi epigr. 48, 3. reposuit
αἱ Μοῦσαι τὸν Ἔρωτα κατισχναίνοντι, Φίλιππε
. In G. virgula interpunctum post
κατισχανεῖσθαι
, ut
πρὸς πέτραις
cum sequentibus iungatur.

271. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-300

πεδαρσίοις:
πεδαρσίοις
Par. D. et sic prius in M. scriptum fuisse videtur.

273. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-301

καίτοι:
καίτοι
Cant. 1.
καὶ μήν
, superscripto
οι
. Ceteri libri
καί μοι
, praeter Rob. et marginem MS. apud Morellium, in quibus est
καίτοι
, quod recte recepit Blomfieldius.

273. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-302

δύρεσθ᾽:
μηδύρεσθ'
Μ.
μὴ δύρεσθ'
Aug.
μὴ δύρεσθ'
Vit. Lips. 1. 2. edd. vett.
μὴ ὀδύρεσθ'
G.

274. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-303

πέδοι:
πέδοι
M. a manu secunda, a prima
πέδο
habuit ut ceteri libri et Eustathius p. 153, 34. Quod Ioannes Alexandrinus in
τονικοῖς παραγγέλμασι
p. 36, 7. praecipit,
τὰ δὲ ἀπὸ βαρυτόνων βαρύνεται, ἔξω ἕξοι, πέδον πέδοι· “πέδοι δὲ βᾶσαι” Αισχύλος Προμηθεῖ δεσμώτῃ
, ante quam hic libellus editus est notum erat ex schol. Dionysii Thracis in Bekkeri Anecd. p. 945.

274. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-304

τύχας: Pro
τύχας
etiam
βλάβας
legi ait scholiastes.

275. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-305

ἀκούσαθ':
ἀκούσατε
G.
ἀκούσασθ'
Lips. 2.

275. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-306

μάθητε:
μάθητε
Vit. et alii. Ne huius promissi oblivisci videatur Prometheus, qui v. 524. seqq. se futura celare affirmat, tenendum est eum illa in mente habere, quae de liberatore suo dicturus est.

276. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-307

πείθεσθέ μοι, πείθεσθε:
πείθεσθαί μοι, πείθεσθε
G.
πείθεσθέ μοι, πείθεσθέ μοι
Vit. et alii pauci. Elmsleius sine caussa
πίθεσθέ μοι, πίθεσθε
scribendum putabat. V. ad Soph. El. 1003.

277. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-308

ταὐτά τοι:
ταυτάτοι
M. addito primae syllabae a sec. manu circumflexo.
ταὐτά τοι
Vit. Lips. 1.2. Aug. aliique codices et Turn.
ταὐτά τοι
Ald. Rob. Vict.
ταῦτα μοι
G.
ταυτά μοι
quattuor Vindobonenses. Vnus scholiastarum
τὸ ταῦτα πρὸς τὸ συμπονήσατε κρεῖττον ἢ πρὸς τὸ νῦν μογοῦντι ἀποδεδόσθαι. ἢ στικτέον εἰς τὸ μογοῦντι· τὸ δὲ ταῦτα τῷ ἑξῆς συναπτέον, ἵν ᾗ ἡ περὶ τὰ αὐτὰ περιερχομένη πημονὴ ἢ βλάβη ἄλλοτε πρὸς ἄλλον προςιζάνει
. Si
ταῦτα
coniungendum esset cum
μογοῦντι
, scripsisset poeta
τῷ νῦν μογοῦντι ταῦτ᾽· ἐπεὶ πλανωμένη
. Itaque rectum est
ταυτά τοι
.

278. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-309

πρὸς ἄλλοτ᾽ ἄλλον:
πρός τ' ἄλλον τ' ἄλλη
G.
πρὸς ἄλλοτ᾽ ἄλλη
Vind. 1. Lips. 1. et lemma scholii in G.
πρὸς ἄλλον ἄλλη
margo MS. apud Morellium. Hunc alia, sed ea mala scriptura prodit,
πρὸς ἄλλοτ᾽ ἄλλῃ πημονὴ προςιζάνει
. Vind. 2. 4. aliique
πρὸς ἄλλοτ' ἄλλο
, atque ita Vit. sed
ν
ad
ἄλλο
, adscripto. Ad
ἄλλο
pertinet glossa
κακόν
in Vit. Recte M. Lips. 2. Aug. et edd.
πρὸς ἄλλοτ᾽ ἄλλον
.

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.

265. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-191

3
4
265 f. With the words ἐγὼ δὲ ταῦθ᾽ ἅπαντ᾿ ἠπιστάμην and ἑκών Prome- theus rejects the charge of impru- dence, and restricts his ἁμάρτημα to the disregard of self-interest, as de- scribed in the next verse (267). So his 'error' is after all a noble ac- tion. – ἑκὼν ἑκών: repetition (ἀva- δίπλωσις) emphasizes expressions of sorrow, entreaty, and asseveration. Ср. 274, 338, 688, 694, 887, 894, 999; also 577, 594, and 392, 937. – οὐκ ἀρνήσομαι: this refers only to the word ἥμαρτον. The sense is, "I will not object to your phrase ἥμαρτες” (260), "I will not insist on another word."

267. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-192

5
6
267. θνητοῖς ἀρήγων: explanatory asyndeton. See on 235. – ηὑρόμην : cp. Sept. 878 μελέους θανάτους ηὕροντο, Soph. Ai. 1023 καὶ ταῦτα πάντα σοῦ θανόντος ηὑρόμην.

268. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-193

7
8
268 ff. ᾠόμην... με κατισχνανεῖ- σθαι . . . τυχόντα: instead of ᾠόμην κατισχνανεῖσθαι τυχών. Krüger I. § 55, 2, 3; H. 940 b. For Homeric exam- ples see Krüger II. § 51, 2, 1 and § 55, 2, 2. Cp. also Soph. Ai. 606 κακὰν ἐλπίδ᾽ ἔχων ἔτι μέ ποτ᾽ ἀνύσειν, Ει. 65 καμ᾽ ἐπαυχῶ... λάμψειν ἔτι, 471 δοκῶ με πεῖραν τήνδε τολμήσειν ἔτι, Eur. Alc. 641 καί μ᾽ οὐ νομίζω παῖδα σὸν πεφυκέναι, Hdt. i. 34 ὅτι ἐνόμισε ἑωυτὸν (emphatic) εἶναι ἀνθρώ- πων ἁπάντων ὀλβιώτατον, Plat. Rep. iii. 400 b οἶμαι δέ με ἀκηκοέναι, Isocr. ιν. 85 οὐκ ἐχθροὺς ἀλλ᾽ ἀνταγωνιστὰς σφᾶς αὐτοὺς εἶναι νομίζοντες. - κατι- σχνανεῖσθαι: cp. 147. Future middle used like aὐανοῦμαι, Soph. Phil. 954. Krüger I. § 39, 11. – πεδαρσίοις : see 710, 916; Cho. 846 λόγοι πεδάρσιοι θρώσκουσι. This Aeolic form (πεδά = μετά) Aeschylus uses in a few other words: πέδοικος Frg. 48, πεδαίχμιος and πεδάορος Cho. 589 f. – ἐρήμου: cp. Frg. 305, 10 δρυμοὺς ἐρήμους καὶ πά- 275 280 γους, Soph. Phil. 691 ἵν᾿ αὐτὸς ἦν πρόσουρος οὐκ ἔχων βάσιν οὐδέ τιν' ἐγχώρων κακογείτονα.

271. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-194

9
10
271. καί μοι κτέ.: and so bewail my lot no more, presupposing the thought "your admonitions are unavailing." · δύρεσθε: δύρομαι = ὀδύρομαι belongs to tragic diction.

272. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-195

11
12
272. πέδοι βᾶσαι: i.e. so as to listen more conveniently to a long narra- tion. A motive is thus provided for the descent of the chorus from its ear into the orchestra. βούλεται γὰρ στῆσαι τὸν χορὸν ὅπως τὸ στάσιμον ᾄσῃ, Schol.

273. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-196

13
14
273. διὰ τέλους: cp. Soph. Ai. 685 διὰ τέλους εὔχου τελεῖσθαι. For the resolution see on 76. It is rendered easier by the fact that the chief cae- sura falls in the fourth foot (see on 2).

275. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-197

15
16
275. νῦν: said in reference to the thought which follows, "to-morrow your turn may come." - ταὐτά: ad- verbial, nearly = κατὰ κοινόν, impar- tially, for all alike. See on 398, and cp. Soph. Ai. 687 ταὐτὰ τῇδέ μοι τάδε τιμᾶτε. Properly it is the inner object (cognate accusative).

276. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-198

17
18
276. πρὸς ἄλλοτ᾽ ἄλλον: for the order, see on 762 and 19. - For the
thought cp. Archil. Frg. 9, 7 ἄλλοτε δ᾽ ἄλλος ἔχει τόδε· νῦν μὲν ἐς ἡμέας ἐτράπεθ᾽, αἱματόεν δ᾽ ἕλκος ἀναστένομεν, ἐξαῦτις δ᾽ ἑτέρους ἐπαμείψεται, Pind. Ol. ii. 60 ῥοαὶ δ᾽ ἄλλοτ᾽ ἄλλαι εὐθυμιᾶν τε μέτα καὶ πόνων ἐς ἄνδρας ἔβαν.

277-283. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-199

19
20
277-283. The anapaests of the chorus accompany the action of the machinery by which Oceanus is brought on the scene. See on 114-127.

277. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-200

21
22
277. Cp. Soph. Phil. 1178 φίλα μοι, φίλα ταῦτα παρήγγειλας ἑκόντι τε πράσ- σειν, Homer Il. iv. 73 ώτρυνε πάρος μεμαυῖαν ᾿Αθήνην. – ἐπεθώυξας : see on 73.