N. Wecklein Prometheus Bound 66.comm-66

F. D. Allen (Translator)

Table of Contents

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

← Previous Next →

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.) — 1-127 focus
Προμηθεὺς δεσμώτης Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 1. Smyth, Herbert Weir, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1922.) — 1-127 focus
Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης (OCR draft) Experimental (Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης. Guilielmus Dindorfius, 1882.) — 61 focus
Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης (OCR draft) Experimental (Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης. Gottfried Hermann, 1852.) — 61 focus
ΠΡΟΜΗθΕΥΣ ΔΕΣΜΩΤΗΣ (OCR draft) Experimental (ΠΡΟΜΗθΕΥΣ ΔΕΣΜΩΤΗΣ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 61 focus
Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης (OCR draft) Experimental (Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης. N. Wecklein, 1885.) — 61 focus
καὶ τήνδε νῦν πόρπασον ἀσφαλῶς, ἵνα
μάθῃ σοφιστὴς ὢν Διὸς νωθέστερος.
Aeschyli Prometheus Vinctus (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschyli Prometheus Vinctus. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1914.) — 61 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.)) — 1-125 focus
Prometheus Bound. (OCR draft) Experimental (Prometheus Bound.. Theodore Alois Buckley, 1849.) — 61 focus
And now clasp this securely, that he may perceive himself to be a duller contriver than Jupiter.
PROMÉTHÉE ENCHAINÉ (OCR draft) Experimental (PROMÉTHÉE ENCHAINÉ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 61 focus
ne laisse pas de jeu : même à l'inextricable il est capable de trouver une issue.
Prometheus Chained (OCR draft) Experimental (Prometheus Chained. Robert Potter, 1779.) — 61 focus
And now claſp this ſecure, that he may learn
How impotent his craft, oppos'd to Jove.
Eschilo, Prometeo legato: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli (OCR draft) Experimental (Eschilo, Prometeo legato: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli. Ettore Romagnoli, 1922.) — 61 focus
Pur, quest' arte l'avesse altri in retaggio!
Aeschylus, Prometheus vinctus: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Prometheus vinctus: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii. Ioannes Sanravius, 1555.) — 61 focus
Hanc quoque fibulâ fortiter, ut
Diſcat se impoſtorem ignauiorem eſse Ioue.
Prometheus Bound (OCR draft) Experimental (Prometheus Bound. Anna Swanwick, 1886.) — 55 focus
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.

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.) — 61 focus
Then shackle safe the other, that he know
His utmost craft is weaker far than Zeus.
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.) — 61 focus
Nun fess'le den auch sicher an, damit er lernt,
Er sei, der Schlaue, gegen Zeus ein blinder Thor.

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 66; 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

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.

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).

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

3
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.

66. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg003-wecklein-allen1893-com-eng1-51

5
6
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.