Aeschylus Libation Bearers 188

Anna Swanwick (Translator)

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CLYTEMNESTRA
[Enters hurriedly, unattended.]
What is't? What tumult raise ye in the house?

Libation Bearers. Aeschylus. Anna Swanwick (Translator). London. 1886.

Sponsored by University of Leipzig.

Funding provided by European Social Fund Saxony.

Current edition Experimental

The Libation Bearers (OCR draft) (English) (The Libation Bearers. Anna Swanwick, 1886.)

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (8)
Χοηφóρoι First1KGreek (Aeschyli Tragoediae. Sidgwick, Arthur, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1902.) — 83-314 focus
Χοηφóρoι Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 2. Smyth, Herbert Weir, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1926.) — 84-314 focus
Χοηφόροι (OCR draft) Experimental (Χοηφόροι. Guilielmus Dindorfius, 1882.) — 195 focus
φεῦ.
εἴθ᾽ εἶχε φωνὴν ἔμφρον᾽ ἀγγέλου δίκην,
195
ὅπως δίφροντις οὖσα μὴ ᾿κινυσσόμην,
ἀλλ᾽ ἢ σάφ᾽ ἦν μοι τόνδ᾽ ἀποπτύσαι πλόκον,
εἴπερ γ᾽ ἀπ᾿ ἐχθροῦ κρατὸς ἦν τετμημένος,
ἢ ξυγγενὴς ἂν εἶχε συμπενθεῖν ἐμοὶ
ἄγαλμα τύμβου τοῦδε καὶ τιμὴν πατρός.
200
ἀλλ᾽ εἰδότας μὲν τοὺς θεοὺς καλούμεθα,
οἵοισιν ἐν χειμῶσι ναυτίλων δίκην
στροβούμεθ᾽· εἰ δὲ χρὴ τυχεῖν σωτηρίας,
σμικροῦ γένοιτ᾽ ἂν σπέρματος μέγας πυθμήν.
καὶ μὴν στίβοι γε, δεύτερον τεκμήριον,
205
ποδῶν ὅμοιοι τοῖς τ᾽ ἐμοῖσιν ἐμφερεῖς.
καὶ γὰρ δύ᾽ ἐστὸν τώδε περιγραφὰ ποδοῖν,
αὐτοῦ τ᾽ ἐκείνου καὶ συνεμπόρου τινός.
πτέρναι τενόντων θ᾽ ὑπογραφαὶ μετρούμεναι
ἐς ταυτὸ συμβαίνουσι τοῖς ἐμοῖς στίβοις.
210
πάρεστι δ᾽ ὠδὶς καὶ φρενῶν καταφθορά.
Χοηφόροι (OCR draft) Experimental (Χοηφόροι. Gottfried Hermann, 1852.) — 195 focus
φεῦ.
190
εἴθ' εἶχε φωνὴν ἔμφρον᾽ ἀγγέλου δίκην,
ὅπως δίφροντις οὖσα μὴ κινυσσόμην,
ἀλλ᾽ ἦν σαφηνῆ τόνδ᾽ ἀποπτύσαι πλόκον,
εἴπερ γ᾽ ἀπ' ἐχθροῦ κρατὸς ἦν τετμημένος,
ἢ ξυγγενὴς ὤν, εἶχε συμπενθεῖν ἐμοὶ
195
ἄγαλμα τύμβου τοῦδε καὶ τιμὴν πατρός.
ΧΟΗΦΟΡΟΙ (OCR draft) Experimental (ΧΟΗΦΟΡΟΙ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 195 focus
Φεῦ·
εἴθ' εἶχε φωνὴν εὔφρον' ἀγγέλου δίκην,
195
ὅπως δίφροντις οὖσα μὴ 'κινυσσόμην μἠκηνυσσόμην,
ἀλλ' εὖ σάφ' ἦν ἢ σαφηνῆ τόνδ' ἀποπτύσαι πλόκον,
εἴπερ γ' ἀπ' ἐχθροῦ κρατὸς ἦν τετμημένος,
ἢ ξυγγενὴς ὢν εἶχε συμπενθεῖν ἐμοί,
ἄγαλμα τύμβου τοῦδε καὶ τιμὴν πατρός.
200
Ἀλλ' εἰδότας μὲν τοὺς θεοὺς καλούμεθα
οἵοισιν ἐν χειμῶσι ναυτίλων δίκην δίκηι (ηι in rasura)
στροβούμεθ'· εἰ δὲ χρὴ τυχεῖν σωτηρίας,
σμικροῦ γένοιτ' ἂν σπέρματος μέγας πυθμήν.
Χοηφόροι (OCR draft) Experimental (Χοηφόροι. N. Wecklein, 1885.) — 195 focus
φεῦ. εἴθ᾽ εἶχε φωνὴν ἔμφρον᾽ ἀγγέλου δίκην,
Χοηφόροι (OCR draft) Experimental (Χοηφόροι. Martin L. West, 1990.) — 195 focus
φεῦ·
195
εἴθ᾽ εἶχε φωνὴν ἔμφρον᾽ ἀγγέλου δίκην,
195
ὅπως δίφροντις οὖσα μὴ κινυσσόμην,
ἀλλ᾽ εὖ σάφ᾽ ἦν ἢ τόνδ᾽ ἀποπτύσαι πλόκον,
εἴπέρ γ’ ἀπ’ ἐχθροῦ κρατὸς ἦν τετμημένος,
ἢ ξυγγενὴς ὢν εἶχε συμπενθεῖν ἐμοί,
ἄγαλμα τύμβου τοῦδε καὶ τιμὴν πατρός.
200
ἀλλ᾽ εἰδότας μὲν τοὺς θεοὺς καλούμεθα,
οἵοισιν ἐν χειμῶσι ναυτίλων δίκην
στροβούμεθ’· εἰ δὲ χρὴ τυχεῖν σωτηρίας,
σμικροῦ γένοιτ’ ἂν σπέρματος μέγας πυθμήν.
καὶ μὴν στίβοι γε, δεύτερον τεκμήριον,
205
Aeschyli Choephori (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschyli Choephori. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1914.) — 195 focus
φεῦ.
εἴθ᾽ εἶχε φωνὴν ἔμφρον᾿ ἀγγέλου δίκην,
ὅπως δίφροντις οὖσα μὴ ᾿κινυσσόμην,
195
ἀλλ᾽ εὖ σάφ᾽ ἦν ἢ τόνδ᾽ ἀποπτύσαι πλόκον,
εἴπερ γ᾿ ἀπ᾿ ἐχθροῦ κρατὸς ἦν τετμημένος,
ἢ ξυγγενὴς ὢν εἶχε συμπενθεῖν ἐμοί,
ἄγαλμα τύμβου τοῦδε καὶ τιμὴν πατρός.
ἀλλ᾽ εἰδότας μὲν τοὺς θεοὺς καλούμεθα,
200
οἷοισιν ἐν χειμῶσι ναυτίλων δίκην
στροβούμεθ᾽· εἰ δὲ χρὴ τυχεῖν σωτηρίας,
σμικροῦ γένοιτ᾽ ἂν σπέρματος μέγας πυθμήν.
Translations (9)
Libation Bearers Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 2. Smyth, Herbert Weir, translator. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1926. (Modernized by Perseus.)) — 84-311 focus
The Libation Bearers (OCR draft) Experimental (The Libation Bearers. Theodore Alois Buckley, 1849.) — 195 focus
Alas! would to heaven that it had an intelligent voice, like a messenger, that I might not be agitated by distracted thoughts 1
; but it were clear for me either to spurn this lock of hair when clearly recognized, if indeed it had been severed from the head of a foe, or that, if it claim kin to me, it might be able to bewail with me an ornament to this tomb and an honour to my father 2
. But we invoke the gods, who know in what tempests, like vessels, we are tossed to and fro; and if it is our destiny to attain safety, a great stock might be produced from a tiny seed. And in very truth here are tracks too, a second sign, like to feet, and bearing a resemblance to my own. For there are also here two prints of footsteps, both of himself and of some fellow-traveller. The heels and the impress of the tendons being measured, coincide exactly with my footsteps. But pains (as of a woman in travail) and prostration of mind is upon me.
LES CHOÉPHORES (OCR draft) Experimental (LES CHOÉPHORES. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 195 focus
,
malgré tout, je sens l'espoir me caresser. Ah ! si elle avait au moins la douce voix d'un messager, afin que je ne fusse plus ballottée entre deux pensées et que je pusse, en confiance, ou la jeter avec horreur, si elle fut coupée sur un front ennemi, ou, si elle est bien de mon frère, l'associer
à mon deuil, pour orner cette tombe et honorer un père ! Mais les dieux que nous invoquons savent, eux, quels orages nous emportent en leur tourbillon comme des marins en détresse, et, s'ils veulent que nous échappions au naufrage, du plus petit germe peut jaillir, immense, l'arbre du salut !
The Choephoræ (OCR draft) Experimental (The Choephoræ. Robert Potter, 1779.) — 195 focus
Ah, had they but a voice, cou'd they but ſpeak
That I no more might fluctuate with these doubts
240
Perplex’d and troubled; cou’d they plainly tell me
If they were ſhorn from a foe’s hated head,
Or fondly mix their kindred griefs with mine,
A grace and honour to my father's tomb!
But to the Gods, that know what furious ſſtorms
245
Burſt o'er me, like a ſhipwreck’d mariner,
I make appeal: if haply ought of ſafety
Remains, from this ſmall root the vig’rous trunk
May ſpread its ſhelt'ring branches.
Further mark
250
Th' impreſſion of these feet c
; they ſhow that two
Trod here; himſelf perchance and his attendant;
One of th' exact dimenſions with my own.
But all is anguish and perplexity.
Eschilo, Le Coefore: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli (OCR draft) Experimental (Eschilo, Le Coefore: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli. Ettore Romagnoli, 1922.) — 195 focus
Deh!, questo riccio intelligibil voce,
come un araldo, avesse, ed io nel dubbio
non dovessi ondeggiare: anzi mi fosse
chiaro se fu da un odïoso capo
35
reciso, ed io lungi da me lo scagli;
o se fraterno, a comun lutto, a fregio
di questa tomba, a onor del padre, resti.
Ora i Numi invochiamo, essi che vedono
da che tempeste, a guisa di nocchieri,
40
siamo aggirate: e se ci attende il porto,
da picciol seme nascerà gran tronco.
Aeschylus, Choephori: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Choephori: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii. Ioannes Sanravius, 1555.) — 195 focus
Siue habuit uocem, prudentem nuncij inſtar,
Vt duplex cura exiſlens ne imaginarer.
Sed manifeſtam hanc cæſariem eijce,
180
Siquidem ab hoſtis capite eſt detonſa.
Alioqui cognatus exiſtens luxiſſet mecum,
Effigiem huius ſepulchri, & honorem patris.
Sed ſcientes deos inuocamus.
In talibus tempeſtatibus nautarum inſtar
185
Agitamur, fiue oportet ſalutem aſſequi,
Sitq; magnus ramus pueri ſeminis.
Attamen uestigia secundum prabent ſignum
Pedum, fimilia meis fimilibus.
Etenim duæ funt hic pedum deſcriptiones,
190
Ipſius & illius, uenientis alicuius
Calcanei, tendonumq; ſubſcriptiones menſuratæ,
In hoc conueniunt cum uestigijs meis.
Adeſt uerò dolor, & mentium corruptio.
Aeschylus, Die Totenspende: German translation (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Die Totenspende: German translation. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1919–1923.) — 195 focus
Ach,
195 ach hättest du nur eine Stimme, Lockenhaar,
daſs nicht der Zweifel meinen Busen schütterte,
ich fester Hand dich von mir würfe, wenn das Haupt
mir feindlich wäre, dem das Eisen dich entrifs,
doch wärst du mir befreundet, klagten wir vereint
200 zu Vaters Ehren, zu des Vaters Trauerschmuck.
Indess die Götter kennen ja des Zweifels Sturm,
der meines Herzens Schifflein hin und wider wirft,
und ist Erlösung uns beschieden, wächst geschwind
aus kleinstem Samenkorne höchsten Segens Baum.
English (E. D. A. Morshead, 1889, second edition) (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, The Libation-Bearers — Morshead translation. Wikisource transcription; speech corresp and card milestones aligned to Smyth perseus-grc2.) — 195 focus
Ah well-a-day, that this dumb hair had voice
To glad mine ears, as might a messenger,
Bidding me sway no more 'twixt fear and hope,
Clearly commanding, Cast me hence away,
Clipped was I from some head thou lovest not;
235
Or, I am kin to thee, and here, as thou,
I come to weep and deck our father's grave.
Aid me, ye gods! for well indeed ye know
How in the gale and counter-gale of doubt,
Like to the seaman's bark, we whirl and stray.
240
But, if God will our life, how strong shall spring,
From seed how small, the new tree of our home!—
Lo ye, a second sign—these footsteps, look,—
Like to my own, a corresponsive print;
And look, another footmark,—this his own,
245
And that the foot of one who walked with him.
Mark, how the heel and tendons' print combine,
Measured exact, with mine coincident!
Alas, for doubt and anguish rack my mind.
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.) — 195 focus
Ach!
O daß sie sprechen könnte, klar, dem Boten gleich;
Dann würd' ich nicht von Zweifeln hinundhergewogt!
200
Mit offnem Abscheu würs' ich weg die Locke hier,
Wofern sie abgeschnitten war von Feindeshaupt,
Und, stammte sie vom Bruder, dann wehklagte sie
Mit mir, zum Preis dem Vater, als des Grabes Schmuck!
Wohlan, die Götter rufen wir, sie wissen ja,
205
In welchen Sturmeswirbeln wir, Meerschiffern gleich,
Umtreiben! Dennoch, sollen wir gerettet sein,
Dann sproßt aus kleinem Samen auch ein großer Stamm.
(Sie steigt hastig die Stufen des Grabhügels hinab.)
Doch nun ein zweites Zeichen, seht die Tritte da
Von gleichen Füßen, ähnlich ganz den meinigen !
210
Denn zweier Füße Spuren find' ich eingedrückt,
Des Bruders hier und eines Fahrtgenossen dort.
Und mess' ich Sohlen und der Fersen Niß genau,
So passen seine Tritte ganz in meinen Fuß.
Wie faßt mich Angst, Irrsal umwölkte meinen Geist!
215
(Orestes und Pylades treten aus ihrem Hinterhalte hervor.)

Commentary

Wecklein’s commentary on Choephoroi / Libation Bearers (1888; German; OCR draft) (Explanatory commentary, pp. 163–234; single HW42J8 OCR witness, conservatively retained. Unresolved OCR and provisional reference mappings are explicitly marked.) focus

83-582. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg006-wecklein1888-com-ger1-38

1
erstes Epeisodion, geteilt durch einen Kommos (305— 476). Anagnorismos und Vorbereitung der Rache.

188. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg006-wecklein1888-com-ger1-98

2
νιν, scil. πλόκαμον.