Aeschylus Agamemnon 81

Anna Swanwick (Translator)

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Chorus
Hail, royal lord! Stormer of Ilion, hail!
Scion of Atreus! How compose my speech,
How due obeisance render thee,
Yet neither overshoot the mark, nor fail
The goal of fitting compliment to reach ?
For many men, transgressing right, there be
Semblance who place above reality.
To him who groans beneath affliction's smart,
All men have prompt condolence; but the sting
Of feignèd sorrow reaches not the heart.
So men with others' joy rejoicing, bring
Over their visage an enforced smile :
But the discerning shepherd knows his fleck,
And his unerring glance detects their guile,
Who simulating love, with glozing art
And watery kindness fawn, but inly mock.
But thou, O King, (I speak without disguise,)
In Helen's quarrel asking war's array,
A mien didst wear unseemly in mine eyes,
Guiding not well the rudder of thy mind,
Who didst, on death-devoted men, essay
Courage to urge, by sacrifice.
But those who have achieved the great emprize,
Not from the surface of my mind alone,
I welcome now, with feelings not unkind ;
And inquest made, in time shall it be known,
Who of thy citizens at home the while
Guarded thy state with truth, and who with guile.

Agamemnon. Aeschylus. Anna Swanwick (Translator). London. 1886.

Sponsored by University of Leipzig.

Funding provided by European Social Fund Saxony.

Current edition Experimental

Agamemnon (OCR draft) (English) (Agamemnon. Anna Swanwick, 1886.)

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (8)
Ἀγαμέμνων First1KGreek (Aeschyli Tragoediae. Sidgwick, Arthur, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1902.) — 104-257 focus
Ἀγαμέμνων Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 2. Smyth, Herbert Weir, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1926.) — 104-257 focus
Ἀγαμέμνων (OCR draft) Experimental (Ἀγαμέμνων. Guilielmus Dindorfius, 1882.) — 83 focus
Ἀγαμέμνων (OCR draft) Experimental (Ἀγαμέμνων. Gottfried Hermann, 1852.) — 83 focus
σὺ δέ, Τυνδάρεω
θύγατερ, βασίλεια Κλυταιμνήστρα,
τί χρέος; τί νέον; τί δ᾽ ἐπαισθομένη,
85
τίνος ἀγγελίας
πειθοῖ περίπεμπτα θυοσκεῖς;
πάντων δὲ θεῶν τῶν ἀστυνόμων,
ὑπάτων, χθονίων,
τῶν τ᾽ οὐρανίων τῶν τ' ἀγοραίων,
90
ΑΓΑΜΕΜΝΩΝ (OCR draft) Experimental (ΑΓΑΜΕΜΝΩΝ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 83 focus
Σὺ δέ, Τυνδάρεω -ρεα -ρεου
θύγατερ, βασίλεια Κλυταιμήστρα,
τί χρέος ; τί νέον ; τί δ' ἐπαισθομένη,
τίνος ἀγγελίας
85
πειθοῖ περίπεμπτα θυοσκεῖς θυοσκινεῖς ;
πάντων δὲ θεῶν τῶν ἀστυνόμων,
ὑπάτων, χθονίων, τῶν τε θυραίων τ' οὐρανίων
τῶν τ' ἀγοραίων,
βωμοὶ δώροισι -ροις φλέγονται·
90
ἄλλη δ' ἄλλοθεν οὐρανομήκης
λαμπὰς ἀνίσχει, φαρμασσομένη
χρίματος χρήμ- χρίσμ- ἁγνοῦ
μαλακαῖς ἀδόλοισι παρηγορίαις,
πελανῶν... βασιλείων -λάνῳ (-λανῶ Μ)... -λείῳ.
95
Τούτων λέξασ' ὅ τι καὶ δυνατὸν
καὶ θέμις αἴνει αἰνεῖν εἰπεῖν, παιών τε γενοῦ
τῆσδε μερίμνης, ἣ νῦν τοτὲ μὲν
κακόφρων τελέθει, τοτὲ δ' ἐκ θυσιῶν
ἃς ἀναφαίνεις ἀγανὰ φαίνεις φαίνει φαίνουσ' ἐλπὶς ἀμύνει
100
τὴν θυμοβόρον
λύπης φρενὶ φροντίδ' ἄπληστον φροντίδ' ἄπληστον τὴν θυμοβόρον λύπης φρένα.
Ἀγαμέμνων (OCR draft) Experimental (Ἀγαμέμνων. N. Wecklein, 1885.) — 83 focus
σὺ δέ, Τυνδάρεω
θύγατερ, βασίλεια Κλυταιμήστρα,
τί χρέος; τί νέον; τί δ᾽ ἐπαισθομένη,
85
τίνος ἀγγελίας
πειθοῖ περίπεμπτα θυοσκεῖς;
πάντων δὲ θεῶν τῶν ἀστυνόμων,
ὑπάτων, χθονίων,
τῶν τ᾽ οὐρανίων τῶν τ᾿ ἀγοραίων,
90
βωμοὶ δώροισι φλέγονται·
ἄλλη δ᾽ ἄλλοθεν οὐρανομήκης
λαμπὰς ἀνίσχει,
φαρμασσομένη χρίματος ἁγνοῦ
μαλακαῖς ἀδόλοισι παρηγορίαις,
95
πελάνῳ μυχόθεν βασιλείῳ.
τούτων λέξασ᾽ ὅ τι καὶ δυνατὸν
καὶ θέμις αἰνεῖν,
παιών τε γενοῦ τῆσδε μερίμνης,
ἢ νῦν τοτὲ μὲν κακόφρων τελέθει,
100
τοτὲ δ᾽ ἐκ θυσιῶν ἀγανὰ φαίνεις
ἐλπὶς ἀμύνει φροντίδ᾽ ἄπληστον
Ἀγαμέμνων (OCR draft) Experimental (Ἀγαμέμνων. Martin L. West, 1990.) — 83 focus
σὺ δὲ Τυνδάρεω θύγατερ, βασίλεια Κλυταιμήστρα,
τί χρέος; τί νέον; τί δ᾽ ἐπαισθομένη,
85
τίνος ἀγγελίας πειθοῖ περίπεμπτα θυοσκεῖς;
πάντων δὲ θεῶν τῶν ἀστυνόμων,
ὑπάτων, χθονίων, τῶν τε θυραίων τῶν τ᾽ ἀγοραίων
90
βωμοὶ δώροισ ι φλέγονται: βωμοὶ δώροισι⟨ν⟩ φλέγονται·
ἄλλη δ᾽ ἄλλοθεν οὐρανομήκης λαμπὰς ἀνίσχει
φαρμασσομένη χρίματος ἁγνοῦ
μαλακαῖς ἀδόλοισι παρηγορίαις,
95
πελανῶι μυχόθεν βασιλείωι.
τούτων λέξασ᾽ ὅτι καὶ δυνατὸν
καὶ θέμις, αἴνει παιών τε γενοῦ τῆσδε μερίμνης,
ἣ νῦν τοτὲ μὲν κακόφρων τελέθει,
100
τοτὲ δ᾽ ἐκ θυσιῶν ἃς ἀναφαίνεις
ἐλπὶς ἀμύνει φροντίδ᾽ ἄπληστον
καὶ θυμοβόρον φρενὶ λύπην.
Aeschyli Agamemnon (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschyli Agamemnon. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1914.) — 83 focus
σὺ δέ, Τυνδάρεω
θύγατερ, βασίλεια Κλυταιμήστρα,
85
τί χρέος; τί νέον; τί δ᾽ ἐπαισθομένη,
τίνος ἀγγελίας
πειθοῖ περίπεμπτα θυοσκεῖς;
πάντων δὲ θεῶν τῶν ἀστυνόμων,
ὑπάτων χθονίων,
90
τῶν τ᾽ οὐρανίων τῶν τ᾽ ἀγοραίων,
βωμοὶ δώροισι φλέγονται·
ἄλλη δ᾽ ἄλλοθεν οὐρανομήκης
λαμπὰς ἀνίσχει
φαρμασσομένη χρίματος ἁγνοῦ
95
μαλακαῖς ἀδόλοισι παρηγορίαις,
πελάνωι μυχόθεν βασιλείωι.
Translations (9)
Agamemnon Perseus (Aeschylus. The poetical works of Robert Browning, Volume 13. Browning, Robert, translator; Berdoe, Edward, editor. London: Smith, Elder and Co., 1889.) — 104-257 focus
The Agamemnon (OCR draft) Experimental (The Agamemnon. Theodore Alois Buckley, 1849.) — 83 focus
But thou, daughter of Tyndarus, Queen Clytemnestra, what means this? what new event? what is it that thou hast heard, and on the faith of what tidings art thou burning incense sent around 2
? and the altars of all our city-guarding gods, of those above and those below, gods of heaven and gods of the forum, are blazing with offerings: and in different directions different flames are streaming upward, high as heaven, drugged with the mild unadulterated cordials of pure unguent, with the royal cake, brought from the inmost cells 3
. Concerning these things tell one both what is possible and lawful for thee to say 4
, and become thou the healer of this distracting anxiety, which now one while is full of evil thought, but at another time, because of the sacrifices, hope blandly fawning 1
upon me repels the insatiate care, the rankling sorrow that is preying upon my heart. I am 2
AGAMEMNON (OCR draft) Experimental (AGAMEMNON. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 83 focus
vigueur qu'un enfant, il erre ainsi qu'un songe apparu en plein jour.

A toi de parler, fille de Tyndare, reine Clytemnestre : qu'y a-t-il ? qu'as-tu donc appris ? sur la foi de quel message tes ordres vont-ils partout provoquer des sacrifices ?

Tous les dieux de la ville, dieux du ciel et des enfers, dieux de la maison et de la place publique 1 , voient leurs autels chargés de tes dons.

Et, de tous côtés, jaillit jusqu'au ciel, au stimulant appel d'une huile sainte dont la douceur n'est pas trompeuse 2 , la flamme des offrandes royales tirées du fond du palais.

De tout cela daigne me dire ce qu'il m'est possible et permis d'apprendre, et guéris mon âme anxieuse, qui
Agamemnon (OCR draft) Experimental (Agamemnon. Robert Potter, 1779.) — 83 focus
—But what tidings,
What circumſtances of fair event hath reach’d
80
Thy royal ears, daughter of Tyndarus,
Inducing thee to ſend the victims round?
Eschilo, Agamennone: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli (OCR draft) Experimental (Eschilo, Agamennone: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli. Ettore Romagnoli, 1922.) — 83 focus
Che è mai l'uom decrepito? Quando
già secca è la fronda, cammina
90
su vie di tre piedi:
né piú saldo che parvolo, vagola
come sogno che appaia nel giorno.
Aeschylus, Agamemnon: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Agamemnon: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii. Ioannes Sanravius, 1555.) — 83 focus
Tu uerò Tyndari
95
Filia, regina Clytemnestra
Quid opus sit, quid noui, quidue fentiens, cuius nuncij
Persuasione immittens uaticinaris.
Omniū deorŭ patriorū, excellentißimoru, terrestrium,
Cœlestiumą; ac forenfiu are donis fplendēt.
100
Alia aliunde ex lato cœlo lampas oritur,
Infecta unctione caſta,
Delicatis, non fraudulentis confolationibus,
Libo ex feceffu regio: hoc dices quod et fieri potest
Et fas laudare, Peang; fiat huius cure,
105
Que nunc mala mente est,
Tunc uerò feruens admodum appares.
Spes arcet inexplebilem curam,
Animiuoram mentem doloris.
Poſsum narrare uifum in uia robur
110
Aufpicatum uirorum
Aeschylus, Agamemnon: German translation (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Agamemnon: German translation. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1919–1923.) — 83 focus
wankt dahin, dreifüßig, schwach und kindisch,
schwankes Traumgebild am hellen Tag.
85
English (E. D. A. Morshead, 1889, second edition) (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Agamemnon — Morshead translation. Wikisource transcription; speech corresp and card milestones aligned to Smyth perseus-grc2.) — 83 focus
But thou, O child of Tyndareus,
Queen Clytemnestra, speak! and say
What messenger of joy to-day
Hath won thine ear? what welcome news,
That thus in sacrificial wise
115
E'en to the city's boundaries
Thou biddest altar-fires arise?
Each god who doth our city guard,
And keeps o'er Argos watch and ward
From heaven above, from earth below—
120
The mighty lords who rule the skies,
The market's lesser deities,
To each and all the altars glow,
Piled for the sacrifice!
And here and there, anear, afar,
125
Streams skyward many a beacon-star,
Conjur'd and charm'd and kindled well
By pure oil's soft and guileless spell,
Hid now no more
Within the palace' secret store.
130
O queen, we pray thee, whatsoe'er,
Known unto thee, were well revealed,
That thou wilt trust it to our ear,
And bid our anxious heart be healed!
That waneth now unto despair—
135
Now, waxing to a presage fair,
Dawns from the altar Hope—to scare
From our rent hearts the vulture Care.
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1854; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylos, Band I, Agamemnon. Independent Donner line citations, Smyth card correspondence, twelve located textual notes and opening metrical facsimiles. Unfinished OCR proofreading and note attribution are documented in the review inventory.) — 83 focus
Auf, Tyndaros' Kind,
O Königin, sprich, Klytämnestra: was ist's?
Was Neues geschah? Was vernahm dein Ohr?
Auf welches Gerücht
85
Dich stützend, erregst du die Opfer umher? 1
Denn den Göttern gesammt, den Behütern der Stadt
Und der Tiefen und Höh'n
Und des Markts und Olymps, flammt jeder Altar
Von duftenden Opfergeschenken.
90
Und von hier und von dort, zu dem Himmel empor,
Wallt leuchtende Glut,
Balsamisch getränkt mit des heiligen Oels
Süßathmendem, lauterem, labendem Born,
Mit der Spende vom Königeshause.
95
So sage mir denn, was du kundthun darfst
Und zu melden vermagst,
Und wehre der Angst und banne die Qual,
Die jetzt das Gemüth uns feindlich befällt;
Doch strahlt auch ein freudiges Hoffen mir auf
100
Von den Opfern und stillt das unendliche Leid,
Die verzehrende Trauer im Busen.

Commentary

Wecklein’s commentary on Agamemnon (1888; German; OCR draft) (Explanatory commentary, pp. 30–140; Iowa and Harvard OCR collated conservatively. Unresolved OCR and provisional reference mappings are explicitly marked.) focus

1-39. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg005-wecklein1888-com-ger1-1

1
Prolog. Man erblickt den Wächter auf dem Dache des Atridenpalastes liegend. - Der Prolog besteht in den drei Stücken dieser Trilogie aus einem Monologe, welcher gut motiviert erscheint, auch in den Eumeniden (vgl. zu 1). Einer ausführlicheren Exposition bedarf es hier nicht. Das aufregende Moment wird. 18 f. und 36 ff. von ferne angedeutet. Aus denselben Stellen ergiebt sich, dafs der immer wieder durchbrechende Unmut des treuen Dieners (34 f.) einen tieferen Grund hat. So erweckt schon der Prolog die der Tragödie entsprechende Stimmung. Für die Illusion beginnt die Handlung vor Tagesanbruch. Troja fiel um Mitternacht (Eur. Hek. 914 μεσονύκτιος ὠλλύμαν, wozu der Schol. den Vers der kleinen Ilias: νὺξ μὲν ἔην μέσση, λαμπρὰ δ᾽ ἐπέτελλε σελήνη anführt).