Aeschylus Seven Against Thebes 288

Herbert Weir Smyth (Translator)

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Seven Against Thebes. Aeschylus. Herbert Weir Smyth (Translator). New York. 1922.

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Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Perseus

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

Editions (7)
Ἑπτὰ ἐπὶ Θήβας First1KGreek (Aeschyli Tragoediae. Sidgwick, Arthur, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1902.) — 288-368 focus
Ἑπτὰ ἐπὶ Θήβας Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 1. Smyth, Herbert Weir, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1922.) — 288 focus
Ἑπτὰ ἐπὶ θήβας (OCR draft) Experimental (Ἑπτὰ ἐπὶ θήβας. Guilielmus Dindorfius, 1882.) — 288 focus
Ἑπτὰ ἐπὶ θήβας (OCR draft) Experimental (Ἑπτὰ ἐπὶ θήβας. Gottfried Hermann, 1852.) — 288 focus
ΕΠΤΑ ΕΠΙ θΗΒΑΣ (OCR draft) Experimental (ΕΠΤΑ ΕΠΙ θΗΒΑΣ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 288 focus
Ἑπτὰ ἐπὶ θήβας (OCR draft) Experimental (Ἑπτὰ ἐπὶ θήβας. N. Wecklein, 1885.) — 288 focus
μέλει, φόβῳ δ᾽ οὐχ ὑπνώσσει κέαρ·
γείτονες δὲ καρδίας
275
μέριμναι ζωπυροῦσι τάρβος
τὸν ἀμφιτειχῆ λεών,
δράκοντας ὥς τις τέκνων
ὑπερδέδοικεν λεχαί-
Aeschyli Septem contra Thebas (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschyli Septem contra Thebas. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1914.) — 288 focus
Translations (8)
The Seven against Thebes. (OCR draft) Experimental (The Seven against Thebes.. Theodore Alois Buckley, 1849.) — 288 focus
I attend, but through terror my heart sleeps not, and cares that press close upon my heart keep my dread alive, because of the host that hems our walls around; like as a dove, an all-attentive nurse, fears, on behalf of her brood, serpents evil intruders into her nest. For some are advancing against the towers in all their numbers, in all their array; (what will become of me?) and others are launching the vast rugged stone at the citizens, who are assailed on all sides. By every means, O ye Jove-descended gods! rescue the city and the army that spring from Cadmus.
LES SEPT CONTRE THÈBES (OCR draft) Experimental (LES SEPT CONTRE THÈBES. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 288 focus
.
The Seven Chiefs against Thebes (OCR draft) Experimental (The Seven Chiefs against Thebes. Robert Potter, 1779.) — 288 focus
I wou'd obey thee; but my breast
Yet pants with fear, and knows not rest:
Too near my heart distracting care
Wakes all the horrors of despair:
305
And as the trembling dove, whose fears
Keep watch in her uneasy bow'r,
Thinks in each rustling leaf she hears
The serpent gliding to devour,
I tremble at each sullen sound
310
Of clashing arms, that roars around:
With all their troops, with all their pow'rs,
Fierce they advance to storm our tow'rs;
Now hurtling in the darken'd sky,
What does my cruel fate prepare!
315
Rude, batt'ring stones incessant fly,
And all the missive storm of war.
Eschilo, I Sette a Tebe: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli (OCR draft) Experimental (Eschilo, I Sette a Tebe: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli. Ettore Romagnoli, 1922.) — 288 focus
Taccio; ma, sbigottito, requie non trova il cuore
nel sonno. Le finitime
angosce in esso accendono il terrore
320
dell'incombente esercito:
cosí pei nidïacei
teme i serpi, funerei
compagni al loro talamo,
la trepida colomba.
325
Questi alle torri incalzano:
sono turba, son popolo !
Di noi che mai sarà ?
Quest'aspra furia scagliano
di sassi, che su i miseri
330
giú da ogni parte piomba.
Di Giove o figli, o Superi,
salvi mandate il popolo
di Cadmo, e la città!
1 Antistrofe I
Aeschylus, Septem ad Thebas: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Septem ad Thebas: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii. Ioannes Sanravius, 1555.) — 288 focus
Cura, pre timore non quiefcet cor:
Vicinæ cordi ſolicitudines inflammant me,
Metus populum obſesſorem,
Draconem tanquam ob caufam prolis
275
Verita est lectorum
Laborans difficultate nidificandi omniu predæ exe
poſita columba.
Certè enim ad turres cateruatim
Et gregatim cunt, quò me uertam
280
Quid in dubios inijciunt
Ciues telum lacrymoſum?
Omni modo generofi
Dij urbem exercitum Cadmigenam defendite.
Seven Against Thebes (OCR draft) Experimental (Seven Against Thebes. Anna Swanwick, 1886.) — 288 focus
English (E. D. A. Morshead, 1908) (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Seven against Thebes — Morshead translation. Wikisource transcription; speech corresp and card milestones aligned to Smyth perseus-grc2.) — 288 focus
I mark his words, yet, dark and deep,
My heart's alarm forbiddeth sleep!
Close-clinging cares around my soul
Enkindle fears beyond control,
255
Presageful of what doom may fall
From the great leaguer of the wall!
So a poor dove is faint with fear
For her weak nestlings, while anew
Glides on the snaky ravisher!
260
In troop and squadron, hand on hand,
They climb and throng, and hemmed we stand,
While on the warders of our town
The flinty shower comes hurtling down!
Gods born of Zeus! put forth your might
265
For Cadmus' city, realm, and right!
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.) — 288 focus
Ich will's; doch Furcht läßt den Geist nimmer ruh'n,
Und des Herzens Nachbarin, die Sorge,
Weckt die Glut der Schrecken.
270
Um Wall und Thor stürmt der Feind;
Ich zitt're, wie Tauben bang
Um ihre Brut zittern, wann neben ihr Drachen sich
Drohend im Nest gelagert.
Denn dort wider die Thurmhöh'n
275
Strömt wildflutend ein Heerstrom
An. Was fürcht' ich und hoff' ich?
Hier prallt wider die Meinen,
Ringsum Alles zerschmetternd,
Hagel kantiger Steine.
280
Wie ihr vermögt, Götter, Geschlecht von Zeus, 1
Beschirmt Stadt und Volk,
Schüßt das Geschlecht des Kadmos!
Erste Gegenstrophe.

Commentary

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

288. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg004-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-412

βαθύχθον᾽:
Badiyora
G. Mosc. 1. Par. C. Vind. 1. 3.
288

288. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg004-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-413

αἶαν:
alav
omittunt Vind. 1.3.
288

289. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg004-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-414

εὐτραφέστατον:
EvτoaqéσTatov
G. Cantabr. 1. Mosc. 1. 2. Par. A. B. C. K. L.
εὐτραφεστάτων
Ven. Β.
εὐτρεφέστατον
Μ. Vit. Lips. Ven. A. Ald. Rob. Turn.
289

290. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg004-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-415

πωμάτων:
пшμάτшv
M. Cantabr. 1. Par. L. et ut videtur Ven. A. Ceteri
πομάτων
.
290

291. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg004-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-416

ὅσων:
ὅσον
Lips.
ὅδων
Par. E.
291

291. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg004-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-417

ἵησιν: Libri
no
. Ex Par. B. Faehsius affert γρ.
θησιν μετὰ τοῦ ν
.
291

291. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg004-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-418

Ποσειδῶν:
лоσεdar
M. Arund. Cantabr. 1. Colb. 2.
ποσειδών
Vit. Turn.
πωσειδῶν
Ald. Rob. Ceteri
ποσειδῶν
.
291

291. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg004-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-419

γαιάοχος:
supra scriptum
in Vit. omissum in Cantabr. 2.
γαιήοχος
Vit.
γεάοχος
Ald.
291

293. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg004-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-420

πολιοῦχοι:
пoмovуο
M. Lips. Ald. Turn. et
σoov
supra scripto Vit.
πολισοῦχοι
G. Mosc. 2. Par. L. Ven. B. Vind. 1. 2. 3. 4.
πολισσοῦχοι
Arund. Rob.
293

294. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg004-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-421

θεοί:
τεοὶ
Αld.
294

295. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg004-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-422

ἀνδρολέτειραν:
ἀνδρ᾽ ὁλέτηραν
G.
295

296. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg004-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-423

ἄταν, ῥίψοπλον ἄταν:
zaiταgioдλov άtav
a pr. manu M. ex quo sec. manus
zai Tàν óíþолhov йtav
fecit, idque in ceteris libris omnibus est, nisi quod
zai tv
est in Ven. B. ultimum autem vocabulum in G.
urtav
scribitur. Ineptissimum
xai tàv
ferri non potest. Dedi quod olim in Observationibus criticis proposui,
ἦταν, ρίψοπλον ἄταν
. Quamquam dubitari potest, an scripserit Aeschylus, quod cum formis litterarum magis congrueret,
ἀνδρολέτειραν κάκαν, ῥίψοπλον ἄταν
, ita quidem, ut
iyonλov arar
per appositionem, explicandis praecedentibus verbis, adiectum putetur. Virgines has non dedecet ignaviam optare hosti.
296

297. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg004-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-424

ἐμβαλόντες:
ἐμβαλλόντες
sic G.
βαλλόντες
Ald.
βαλόντες
Lips. Turn.
297

297. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg004-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-425

ἄροισθε:
ἄροιτε
Arund.
ἄρ᾽ οἶσθ᾽ ἂν
Ven. B.
297

298. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg004-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-426

τοῖςδε πολίταις:
τοῖςδε πολίταις
Blomfieldius, et sic G. Ceteri
τοις de no-kitais
, quorum dativorum utrique in Vit.
v
supra adscriptum est.
298

299. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg004-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-427

ῥύτορες:
Qúτoges
M. adscripto supra ad
o
a recentiore manu
7
. Ceteri
φυτῆρες
. Verum esse videtur
ούτορες
. Sic hic versus strophico accurate respondet.
299

300. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg004-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-428

τε στάθητ᾽: Sed post
vedoor
excidit vocabulum. Quare in initio sequentis versus lacunae signa posui.
Tε
vocalem a recentiore manu in litura habet in M. Omittit
Tε
Cantabr. 2.
orά
M. Cantabr. 1. Par. A. B. Vulgo
orάnte
, et sic G. Vit. ex correctione, quum antea in utroque fuisset
orάoite
, quod Par. E. F. habent.
orά9te
, supra scripto
ot
, Lips.
300

Commentary (N. Wecklein, 1902; German; OCR draft) (Seven Against Thebes, explanatory commentary pp. 15–100. Single-witness OCR; source readings and all reference placements require scan review.) focus

274-355. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg004-wecklein1902-com-ger1-197

1
2
erstes Stasimon: Die Jungfrauen bringen es nicht über sich, der Mahnung des Eteo- kles zu gehorchen. In ihrer Angst führen sie sich den allgemeinen Sturmangriff auf die Stadt vor Augen und rufen die Götter um Hilfe an. Welches schönere Land könnt ihr für unser Land ein- tauschen? Bringt deshalb Verderben über die Feinde, verleiht Sieg den Bürgern. Beklagenswert wäre es, wenn eine so uralte Stadt von Hellenen geknechtet würde und die Greuel der Plünderung erdulden müßte". Diese Greuel werden mit den lebhaftesten Farben geschildert nach Hom. I 592 κατέλεξεν ἅπαντα κήδε' ὅσ' ἀνθρώποισι πέλει τῶν ἄστυ ἁλώῃ· ἄνδρας μὲν κτείνουσι, πόλιν δέ τε πῦρ ἀμαθύνει, τέκνα δέ τ' ἄλλοι ἄγουσι βαθυζώνους τε γυναῖκας, Χ 61 κακὰ πόλλ' ἐπιδόντα, υἷάς τ' ὀλλυμένους ἑλκηθείσας τε θύγατρας καὶ θαλάμους κεραϊζο- μένους καὶ νήπια τέκνα βαλλόμενα προτὶ γαίῃ. - Den Gesang trägt wohl der Gesamtchor vor.

291. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg004-wecklein1902-com-ger1-204

3
4
ποῖον, nicht ποίας, weil γαίας πέδον wie Ein Begriff be- handelt wird. Vgl. Prom. 1 χθονὸς τηλουρὸν πέδον, Εum. 292 χώρας ἐν τόποις Λιβυστικοῖς. — Schol. ἐὰν ταύτην, φησί, τὴν γῆν προδῶτε τοῖς πολεμίοις, ποίαν βελτίονα αὐτῆς εὑρήσετε. Vgl. zu 204.

292. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg004-wecklein1902-com-ger1-205

5
6
ἄρειον: dieser epische Kom- parativ auch Ag. 81.

293. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg004-wecklein1902-com-ger1-206

7
8
βαθύχθονα: Schol. εὔγειον. Auch Euripides rühmt die Frucht- barkeit Botiens: Δίρκας χλοηφό ρους καὶ βαθυσπόρους γύας Phoen.

295. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg004-wecklein1902-com-ger1-207

9
10
εὐτραφής, das Wachstum fördernd. Um dieser Eigenschaft willen wurde den Flußgöttern des Landes ebenso wie dem Απόλλων κουροτρόφος beim Eintritt in das Mannesalter der πλόκαμος (Cho. 6) geweiht. Vgl. Hom. Ψ 141.

296. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg004-wecklein1902-com-ger1-208

11
12
ὅσων: diese Attraktion findet sich seltener bei Äschylos, gar nicht in den Hiketides. Ποσειδῶν: Schol. ὅτι τῆς ὑγρᾶς οὐ σίας δεσπότης Ποσειδῶν. — γαιήο- χοs das Homerische Epitheton. Nach Hes. Theog. 337 sind die Flüsse Kinder des Okeanos und der Tethys.

299. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg004-wecklein1902-com-ger1-209

13
14
πρὸς τάδε (im Hinblick dar- auf, um deswillen) wie Pers. 732.

300. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg004-wecklein1902-com-ger1-210

15
16
τοῖσι μέν, als ob es nach- her hieße: ἐμβάλοιτε, τοῖς δὲ πολί- ταις κῦδος ἄροισθε.