N. Wecklein Prometheus Bound 100.comm-100

F. D. Allen (Translator)

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Prometheus Bound. N. Wecklein. F. D. Allen (Translator). . .

Current edition Experimental

English commentary on Prometheus Bound (OCR draft) (English) (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.)

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (7)
Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης First1KGreek (Aeschyli Tragoediae. Sidgwick, Arthur, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1902.) — 128-194 focus
Προμηθεὺς δεσμώτης Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 1. Smyth, Herbert Weir, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1922.) — 128-195 focus
Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης (OCR draft) Experimental (Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης. Guilielmus Dindorfius, 1882.) — 95 focus
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.
Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης (OCR draft) Experimental (Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης. Gottfried Hermann, 1852.) — 95 focus
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.
ΠΡΟΜΗθΕΥΣ ΔΕΣΜΩΤΗΣ (OCR draft) Experimental (ΠΡΟΜΗθΕΥΣ ΔΕΣΜΩΤΗΣ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 95 focus
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
Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης (OCR draft) Experimental (Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης. N. Wecklein, 1885.) — 95 focus
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
Aeschyli Prometheus Vinctus (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschyli Prometheus Vinctus. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1914.) — 95 focus
χρόνον ἀθλεύσω.
95
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.
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.)) — 128-195 focus
Prometheus Bound. (OCR draft) Experimental (Prometheus Bound.. Theodore Alois Buckley, 1849.) — 95 focus
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.
PROMÉTHÉE ENCHAINÉ (OCR draft) Experimental (PROMÉTHÉE ENCHAINÉ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 95 focus
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
Prometheus Chained (OCR draft) Experimental (Prometheus Chained. Robert Potter, 1779.) — 95 focus
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.
Eschilo, Prometeo legato: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli (OCR draft) Experimental (Eschilo, Prometeo legato: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli. Ettore Romagnoli, 1922.) — 95 focus
scendi giú, forte ora le gambe accerchiagli.
Sii pur tenero, tu. Ma la protervia,
l'ira, l'asprezza mia, non rampognarmi.
95
Aeschylus, Prometheus vinctus: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Prometheus vinctus: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii. Ioannes Sanravius, 1555.) — 95 focus
Tempus laborabó: quale iuuenis
Dux beatorum inuenit pro me
Vinculum moleſtum, heu heu. præsens,
Et ſequens detrimentum deploro, quà ratione
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,
Prometheus Bound (OCR draft) Experimental (Prometheus Bound. Anna Swanwick, 1886.) — 89 focus
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,
1
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.
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.) — 95 focus
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.
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.) — 95 focus
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.

Notes on the current edition

Prometheus Bound

1. Two-source OCR draft: unmatched words are bracketed; readings, punctuation, possible marginalia and note boundaries remain unverified. Agreement between OCR sources is not proof of correctness.
2. Reference placement provisional: local window supported by running Greek. Source note 100; verify numbering and scope.

Commentary

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

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.

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
2
1-127: Prologue (πρόλογος).

88-127. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-69

3
4
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.

100. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-78

5
6
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.