Libation Bearers. N. Wecklein. . 2026-09-07.
Search the Perseus Catalog for:
Search the Perseus Catalog for:
Current edition Experimental
Wecklein’s commentary on Choephoroi / Libation Bearers (1888; German; OCR draft) (German) (Explanatory commentary, pp. 163–234; single HW42J8 OCR witness, conservatively retained. Unresolved OCR and provisional reference mappings are explicitly marked.)
Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.
Editions (8)
Χοηφóρoι First1KGreek (Aeschyli Tragoediae. Sidgwick, Arthur, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1902.) — 585-651 focus
Χορός
πολλὰ μὲν γᾶ
1
τρέφει
585
δεινὰ [καὶ
2
] δειμάτων ἄχη,
πόντιαί τ᾽ ἀγκάλαι κνωδάλων
ἀνταίων βρύουσι:
3
πλάθουσι [βλαστοῦσι
4
] καὶ πεδαίχμιοι
λαμπάδες πεδάοροι,
5
590
πτανά τε καὶ πεδοβά-
μονα κἀνεμοέντ᾽ ἂν
6
αἰγίδων φράσαι κότον.
594
Χορός
ἀλλ᾽ ὑπέρτολμον ἀν-
δρὸς φρόνημα τίς λέγοι
595
παντόλμους ἔρωτας
ἄταισι συννόμους βροτῶν;
ξυζύγους δ᾽ ὁμαυλίας
θηλυκρατὴς ἀπέρω-
τος ἔρως παρανικᾷ
600
κνωδάλων τε καὶ βροτῶν.
602
θηλυκρατὴς ἀπέρω-
Χορός
ἴστω δ᾽ ὅστις οὐχ ὑπόπτερος
φροντίσιν δαεὶς,
τὰν ἁ παιδολυ-
μὰς τάλαινα Θεστιὰς μήσατο
605
πυρδαῆτιν
10
πρόνοιαν,
καταίθουσα
11
παιδὸς δαφοινὸν
δαλὸν ἥλικ᾽, ἐπεὶ μολὼν
ματρόθεν κελάδησε,
ξύμμετρόν τε διαὶ
12
βίου
610
μοιρόκραντον
13
ἐς ἆμαρ.
612
Χορός
ἄλλαν δ᾽ ἔστιν
14
ἐν λόγοις στυγεῖν
φοινίαν κόραν,
15
ἅτ᾽ ἐχθρῶν ὑπαὶ
615
φῶτ᾽ ἀπώλεσεν
16
φίλον Κρητικοῖς
χρυσοκμήτοισιν
17
ὅρμοις
Νῖσον ἀθανάτας τριχὸς
νοσφίσασ᾽ ἀπροβούλως
620
πνέονθ᾽
20
ἁ κυνόφρων ὕπνῳ.
κιγχάνει
21
δέ μιν Ἑρμῆς.
623
Χορός
ἐπεὶ δ᾽ ἐπεμνασάμην
22
ἀμειλίχων
πόνων, †ἀκαιρως δὲ δυσφιλὲς γαμή-
λευμ᾽ ἀπεύχετον δόμοις
625
γυναικοβούλους τε μήτιδας φρενῶν
ἐπ᾽ ἀνδρὶ τευχεσφόρῳ,
τίω
25
δ᾽ ἀθέρμαντον ἑστίαν δόμων
γυναικείαν <τ᾽
26
> ἄτολμον αἰχμάν.
630
631
Χορός
κακῶν δὲ πρεσβεύεται τὸ Λήμνιον
λόγῳ: γοᾶται δὲ δὴ πάθος
27
κατά-
πτυστον: ᾔκασεν δέ τις
τὸ δεινὸν αὖ Λημνίοισι πήμασιν.
θεοστυγήτῳ δ᾽ ἄγει
28
635
βροτῶν ἀτιμωθὲν οἴχεται γένος.
σέβει γὰρ οὔτις τὸ δυσφιλὲς θεοῖς.
τί τῶνδ᾽ οὐκ ἐνδίκως ἀγείρω;
639
Χορός
τὸ δ᾽ ἄγχι πλευμόνων ξίφος
διανταίαν ὀξυπευκὲς οὐτᾷ
29
640
διαὶ Δίκας. †τὸ μὴ θέμις γὰρ <οὐ>
λὰξ πέδοι πατούμενον, τὸ πᾶν Διὸς
σέβας παρεκβάντος οὐ θεμιστῶς.
30
†
645
646
Χοηφóρoι Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 2. Smyth, Herbert Weir, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1926.) — 585-651 focus
Χορός
πολλὰ μὲν γᾶ τρέφει
585
δεινὰ
καὶ δειμάτων ἄχη,
πόντιαί τʼ ἀγκάλαι κνωδάλων
ἀνταίων βρύουσι·
πλάθουσι
βλαστοῦσι καὶ πεδαίχμιοι
λαμπάδες πεδάοροι,
590
πτανά τε καὶ πεδοβά-
μονα κἀνεμοέντʼ ἂν
αἰγίδων φράσαι κότον.
Χορός
ἀλλʼ ὑπέρτολμον ἀν-
δρὸς φρόνημα τίς λέγοι
595
καὶ γυναικῶν φρεσὶν τλαμόνων
καὶ
παντόλμους ἔρωτας
ἄταισι συννόμους βροτῶν;
ξυζύγους δʼ ὁμαυλίας
θηλυκρατὴς ἀπέρω-
τος ἔρως παρανικᾷ
600
κνωδάλων τε καὶ βροτῶν.
Χορός
ἴστω δʼ, ὅστις οὐχ ὑπόπτερος
φροντίσιν, δαεὶς
τὰν ἁ παιδολυ-
μὰς τάλαινα Θεστιὰς μήσατο
605
πυρδαῆτιν πρόνοιαν,
καταίθουσα παιδὸς δαφοινὸν
δαλὸν ἥλικʼ, ἐπεὶ μολὼν
ματρόθεν κελάδησε,
ξύμμετρόν τε διαὶ βίου
610
μοιρόκραντον ἐς ἆμαρ.
Χορός
ἄλλαν δεῖ τινʼ ἐν λόγοις στυγεῖν
φοινίαν κόραν,
ἅτʼ ἐχθρῶν ὑπαὶ
615
φῶτʼ ἀπώλεσεν φίλον Κρητικοῖς
χρυσοκμήτοισιν ὅρμοις
πιθήσασα δώροισι Μίνω,
Νῖσον ἀθανάτας τριχὸς
νοσφίσασʼ ἀπροβούλως
620
πνέονθʼ ἁ κυνόφρων ὕπνῳ.
κιγχάνει δέ μιν Ἑρμῆς.
Χορός
ἐπεὶ δʼ ἐπεμνασάμαν ἀμειλίχων
πόνων, ὁ καιρὸς δὲ δυσφιλὲς γαμή-
λευμʼ ἀπεύχετον δόμοις
625
γυναικοβούλους τε μήτιδας φρενῶν
ἐπʼ ἀνδρὶ τευχεσφόρῳ,
ἐπʼ ἀνδρὶ δᾴοις ἐπεικότως σέβαι.
τίω δʼ ἀθέρμαντον ἑστίαν δόμων
γυναικείαν
τʼ ἄτολμον αἰχμάν.
630
Χορός
κακῶν δὲ πρεσβεύεται τὸ Λήμνιον
λόγῳ· γοᾶται δὲ δὴ πάθος κατά-
πτυστον· ᾔκασεν δέ τις
τὸ δεινὸν αὖ Λημνίοισι πήμασιν.
θεοστυγήτῳ δʼ ἄχει
635
βροτῶν ἀτιμωθὲν οἴχεται γένος.
σέβει γὰρ οὔτις τὸ δυσφιλὲς θεοῖς.
τί τῶνδʼ οὐκ ἐνδίκως ἀγείρω;
Χορός
τὸ δʼ ἄγχι πλευμόνων ξίφος
διανταίαν ὀξυπευκὲς οὐτᾷ
640
διαὶ Δίκας. τὸ μὴ θέμις γὰρ οὖν
λὰξ πέδοι πατούμενον, τὸ πᾶν Διὸς
σέβας παρεκβάντος οὐ θεμιστῶς.
645
Χορός
Δίκας δʼ ἐρείδεται πυθμήν·
προχαλκεύει δʼ Αἶσα φασγανουργός·
τέκνον δʼ ἐπεισφέρει δόμοισιν
αἱμάτων παλαιτέρων τίνειν μύσος
650
χρόνῳ κλυτὰ βυσσόφρων Ἐρινύς.
Χοηφόροι (OCR draft) Experimental (Χοηφόροι. Guilielmus Dindorfius, 1882.) — 612 focus
Χοηφόροι (OCR draft) Experimental (Χοηφόροι. Gottfried Hermann, 1852.) — 612 focus
ἄλλαν δ᾽ ἔστιν ἐν λόγοις στυγεῖν
φοινίαν Σκύλλαν, ἅτ᾽ ἐχθρῶν ὑπαὶ
605
φῶτ᾽ ἀπώλεσεν φίλον, Κρητικοῖς
χρυσοκμήτοισιν ὅρμοις
πιθήσασα δώροισι Μίνω,
Νῖσον ἀθανάτας τριχὸς
νοσφίσασ᾽ ἀπροβούλως
610
πνέονθ' ὁ κυνόφρων ὕπνῳ·
κιγχάνει δέ μιν Ἑρμῆς.
στρ. γ'.
ΧΟΗΦΟΡΟΙ (OCR draft) Experimental (ΧΟΗΦΟΡΟΙ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 612 focus
Ἄλλαν
Ἀλλὰ
δ' ἦν τιν'
δή τιν' ἐν λόγοις στυγεῖν
Ant. 2.
φοινίαν
Σκύλλαν
Σκύλλαν pro glossa habeo (cf. 603),
ἅτ' ἐχθρῶν ὑπαὶ
φῶτ'
ἀπώλεσεν
ἀπολ- φίλον Κρητικοῖς
χρυσεοδμήτοισιν ὅρ-
615
μοις
πιθήσασα
πειθ-,
δώροισι
δόρ- Μίνω,
Νῖσον
νίσον ἀθανάτας τριχὸς
νοσφίσασ' ἀπροβούλως
πνέονθ' ἁ κυνόφρων ὕπνῳ·
κιγχάνει
κιχάνει δέ νιν Ἑρμῆς.
620
Χοηφόροι (OCR draft) Experimental (Χοηφόροι. N. Wecklein, 1885.) — 612 focus
Χοηφόροι (OCR draft) Experimental (Χοηφόροι. Martin L. West, 1990.) — 612 focus
Aeschyli Choephori (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschyli Choephori. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1914.) — 612 focus
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.)) — 585-650 focus
Chorus
Many are the horrors, dread and appalling, bred of earth, and the arms of the deep teem with hateful monsters. Likewise between heaven and earth
585
lights
1
hung high in the air draw near; and winged things and things that walk the earth can also tell of the stormy wrath of whirlwinds.
590
Chorus
But who can tell of man’s overweening spirit,
and of the reckless passions of women hardened of soul, partners of the woes of mortals? Inordinate passion, overmastering the female,
595
gains a fatal victory over the wedded unions of beasts and humans alike.
600
Chorus
Let whoever is not flighty in his wits know this, when he has learned of the device of a lit brand contrived
by Thestius’ heartless daughter:
2
she destroyed her own child by burning the charred brand of the same age as he when, coming from his mother’s womb, he cried out,
605
and it aged in pace with him through his life to the day decreed by fate.
610
Chorus
And there is in legend another murderous virgin to be loathed,
3
who ruined a loved one at the bidding of his foes, when, lured by Minos’ gift, the Cretan necklace forged of gold, she with her dog’s heart despoiled Nisus of his immortal lock
615
as he drew breath in unsuspecting sleep. And Hermes
4
overtook him.
620
Chorus
But since I have recalled tales of pitiless afflictions, it is the right time to tell of a marriage void of love,
an abomination to the house, and the plots devised by a wife’s cunning against her warrior lord, against her lord revered with reason by his foes. But I honor the hearths of homes not heated by passion’s fires,
625
and in woman a spirit that shrinks from audacious deeds.
630
Chorus
Indeed the Lemnian
5
holds first place among evils in story: it has long been told with groans as an abominable calamity. Men compare each new horror to Lemnian troubles;
and because of a woeful deed abhorred by the gods a race has disappeared, cast out in infamy from among mortals. For no man reveres what is hated by the gods. Is there one of these tales I have gathered that I do not justly cite?
635
Chorus
But the keen and bitter sword is near the breast and drives home its blow at the bidding of Justice.
For truly the injustice of him who has unjustly transgressed the sovereign majesty of Zeus
640
lies on the ground trampled under foot.
6
645
Chorus
The anvil of Justice is planted firm. Destiny fashions her arms and forges her sword quickly, and the famed and deeply brooding Fury is bringing the son into our house,
to requite at last the pollution of blood shed long ago.
650
The Libation Bearers (OCR draft) Experimental (The Libation Bearers. Theodore Alois Buckley, 1849.) — 612 focus
LES CHOÉPHORES (OCR draft) Experimental (LES CHOÉPHORES. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 612 focus
Les vieux récits flétrissaient aussi la sanglante Skylla 1 , qui à des ennemis immola un père et, séduite par des bracelets d'or crétois, présents de Minos, arracha le cheveu qui le fai-
sait immortel au front
The Choephoræ (OCR draft) Experimental (The Choephoræ. Robert Potter, 1779.) — 612 focus
ANTISTROPHE 2.
Eschilo, Le Coefore: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli (OCR draft) Experimental (Eschilo, Le Coefore: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli. Ettore Romagnoli, 1922.) — 612 focus
3
Strofe III.
Ma nei misfatti ha Lemno il pregio primo:
495
ne suona alto l'obbrobrio;
e ben simile a quello il nostro estimo.
Prive d'onor, disfatte
vanno le umane schiatte
per le colpe che i Numi anche aborriscono:
500
nessuno onora ciò ch'odian gli Dei.
Qual non colsi dal ver, dei detti miei?
3
Antistrofe III.
Aeschylus, Choephori: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Choephori: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii. Ioannes Sanravius, 1555.) — 612 focus
Quæ pro inimicis uirum interfecit amicum Creticis
575
Auro fabricatis impetibus perſuasa, donis Minois
Nisum immortali crine priuans inconſulto
Spirantem miti ſomno.
Inuenit ipſam Mercurius.
Aeschylus, Die Totenspende: German translation (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Die Totenspende: German translation. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1919–1923.) — 612 focus
Chor.
und verführt gab sie preis
das Leben des Vaters.
Er schlummerte friedlich, sein Atem ging tief,
620
da kam die Verworf'ne mit tückischer List
und schnitt ihm vom Haupt das unsterbliche Haar:
und Hermes entführte die Seele.
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.) — 612 focus
Yea, and man's hate tells of another, even Scylla
1
of murderous guile,
Who slew for an enemy's sake her father, won o'er by the wile
And the gifts of Cretan Minos, the gauds of the high-wrought gold;
For she clipped from her father's head the lock that should never wax old,
705
As he breathed in the silence of sleep, and knew not her craft and her crime—
But Hermes, the guard of the dead, doth grasp her, in fulness of time.
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.) — 612 focus
Auch dein werde stets in Haß gedacht,
Blut'ge Skylla, dein,
Die, dem Feind zulieb,
Einem Freunde gab den Tod, angelockt
615
Durch das goldne Kreterhalsband,
Durch Minos' Brautgabe gefangen.
Als er sorglos athmet' im Schlaf,
Schnitt die Freche dem Nisos
Sein unsterbliches Haar vom Haupt:
620
Rächend findet sie Hermes.
Dritte Strophe.
Notes on the current edition
Libation Bearers
Commentary
Critical apparatus to The Libation Bearers (OCR draft) (Latin and Greek critical apparatus to Gottfried Hermann's 1852 edition of The Libation Bearers.) focus
607.
mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg006-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-390
608.
mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg006-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-391
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
607-608.
mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg006-wecklein1888-com-ger1-336