PROPOMPOΙ
Eumenides. Aeschylus. Theodore Alois Buckley (Translator). London. 1849.
Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.
Funding provided by Volunteer.
Eumenides. Aeschylus. Theodore Alois Buckley (Translator). London. 1849.
Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.
Funding provided by Volunteer.
The Eumenides (OCR draft) (English) (The Eumenides. Theodore Alois Buckley, 1849.)
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150. νέος γραίας , simply young and old. This complaint that Apollo as one of the younger race has overridden the Furies who are elder goddesses constantly recurs through the play, 163, 731, 778, 838, 845; see Introduction. καθιππάζομαι, a bold picturesque word for trample down, so 731, 779.
151. τοκεῦσιν , generalising plural, to his mother, as the sense requires.
154. τῶνδε , your acts, insulting the old goddesses, and protecting the impious suppliant.
158. μεσολαβεῖ , another tersely vivid word: the goad 'grasped by the middle' to give the blow force.
167. ἀρόμενον , ‘that has taken upon it ;'
167. βλοσυρὸν ἄγος αἱμάτων , a fell pollution of blood. For
167. ὀμφαλόν see line 40.
169. μάντις ὤν , i. e. ‘though a seer,' and thus the last who should have allowed pollution.
170. αὐτόσσυτος, αὐτόκλητος , at thine own bidding, at thine own summons: the repetition of similar words is noticeable all through this chorus; a rhetorical turn due to the strength of their wrath and passion. So περὶ πόδα, περὶ κάρα - βαρὺ περίβαρυ - δαΐου δαμίου, etc.
174. τόν , Orestes: for Epic form cp. 137, 357.
177. μιάστωρ , properly one who pollutes, used for 'an avenger' Soph. El. 603 (of Orestes), Eur. Med. 1371.
186. καρανιστῆρες ὀφθαλμώρυχοι δίκαι , dooms that shear off the head and tear out the eyes. The horror is intensified both by the extraordinary weight and force of the lines, and by the abstract: the Furies are banished to a land of ghastly things. For the masc. form καρανιστήρ with fem. word δίκη compare σωτήρ τύχη Ag. 664, λαμπὰς πορευτής ib. 287, θέλκτωρ πειθώ Suppl. 1040, παραγιγνόμεναι πράκτορες below 319, βρωτῆρας αἰχμάς 803.
189. μύζουσιν οἰκτισμὸν πολύν , ‘make sore and piteous moaning,' a terribly graphic expression for the slow torture of impalement.
191. ἑορτῆς . depends on στέργηθρα: what manner of feast it is ye love, loathed of the gods [lit. what... loving, ye are loathed ...].
192. ὑφηγεῖται , lit. leads to it: i. e. shews it.
195. πλησίοισι , ‘close at hand,' seems rather a feeble word and is perhaps corrupt: though none of the suggestions (πλουσίοισι Pauw., πανθύτοισι Mein., Πυθίοισι Mart., and many others worse) are convincing: Πυθίοισι perhaps the best.
195. τρίβεσθαι μύσος , rub off their foul pollution, a forcible and contemptuous phrase.
201. τοσοῦτο , i. e. as to explain.
203. πρᾶξαι , to exact, plainly the right word here: MSS. read πέμψαι, ‘to send, which is explained as meaning to Agamemnon: but that would surely require τῷ πατρί. τί μήν; lit. 'what then?' i. e. 'why not?' So, e. g. Plat. Theaet. 145 ἢ οὐχ ἅπερ οἱ ἐπιστήμονες ταῦτα καὶ σοφοί ; (answer) τί μήν;
209. κόμπασον γέρας καλόν , ironical: 'go boast thy glorious office!'
mvp-comment-105-1 οἴχεταí θ' ὁ θήρ: Libri οίχεται δ' ὁ θήρ. Correxit Abreschius.
mvp-comment-106-1 κρατηθεῖσ᾽ ἄγραν: κρατηθεῖσα plene M. G. Ald. Rob. άγραν, non ἄτων, etiam Ald.
mvp-comment-107-1 πέλει: Ζω bis Farn. Deinde ἐπιλογος Flor. Deinde libri πέλῃ. In G. tamen antea fuerat πέλει.
mvp-comment-108-1 νέος δὲ γραίας δαίμονας καθιππάσω: γραίας δὲ δαίμονας νέος Farn. καθισπάσω Par.
mvp-comment-109-1 ἱκέταν: ἱκέτην Farn.
mvp-comment-110-1 τοκεῦσιν: τοκεῦσιν M. G. Ald. Rob. τοκεῦσι Ven. Flor. Turn.
mvp-comment-111-1 δ᾽: δ' omittit Ven.
mvp-comment-112-1 ἐρεῖ τις: ἐρᾶ Flor. τις Farn. Ald. τὶς Rob.
mvp-comment-113-1 ὄνειδος ... μολὸν: ὄνειρος Par. μολών G. Ald.
mvp-comment-114-1 ἔτυψεν: ἔτυψεν M. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. ἔτυψε Ven. Farn. ἔτυψα Flor.
mvp-comment-115-1 μεσολαβεῖ: Hic versus omissus est in Par. μεταλαβεῖ Ald. Μεσολαβεῖ dubitari potest utrum active de stimulo in medium corpus tendente, neque stringente tantum, an, quod praestare videtur, passive intelligi debeat de stimulo quem quis medium prehendit, quo fortius vibrari regive possit.
mvp-comment-116-1 ὑπὸ: Libri ὑπὸ utrobique.
mvp-comment-117-1 δαΐου: πάρεστι μαστίκτορος omittit Par. πάρεστιν μαστίκτορος male ed. Vict. δάϊον Par.
mvp-comment-118-1 βαρύ, τὸ περίβαρυ κρύος ἔχειν: βάρυ τὸ περίβαρυ κρύος ἔχειν M. G. Turn. βαρὺ τὸ περὶ βαρυκρύος ἔχειν Ald. male lecta codicis G. scriptura. βαρὺ τὸ πέρι βαρὺ κρύος ἔχειν Ven. Flor. Farn. βαρὺ περίβαρυ κρύος ἔχειν Rob. Wakefieldius to in te mutavit. Non opus est mutatione.
mvp-comment-119-1 κρατοῦντες: Hunc versum omittit Par.
mvp-comment-120-1 φονολιβῆ θρόμβον: Libri φονολειβή, Correxit Arnaldus. Deinde libri θρόνον. Scholiastes τὸν θρόνον, οὗ Ὀρέστης καθῆτο, πάρεστιν ὁρᾶν φονολειβῆ ἀπὸ ποδῶν ἕως κεφαλῆς ὅλον. Item ad v. 168. propter hane explicationem adscriptum λείπει ὁ καί. Recte Wakefieldius θρόμβον scribendum esse intellexit. Sed male haec verba iunxit cum sequentibus, quum pendeant e participio κρατοῦντες. Et personarum distributio et antistrophica ratio docent his verbis, περὶ πόδα, περὶ καρά, finiri orationem pariter atque in stropha his, ύπο φρένας, ὑπὸ λόβον, hoc autem verbo, πάρεστι, et hic et illie novum alius personae dictum incipere. Haec est autem horum versuum sententia, talia perpetrant iuniores dei, praeter fas sibi vindicantes caedis vestigia, i. e. iudicium sibi arrogantes parricidii. V. Opusc. VI. 2. p. 39. seq.
mvp-comment-121-1 περὶ πόδα, περὶ κάρα.: Hunc versum omittit Par.
mvp-comment-122-1 προςδρακεῖν: πρὸς δρακεῖν Ald. Haec verba προςδρακεῖν αἱμάτων omittit Par.
mvp-comment-123-1 ἀρόμενον: αἱρόμενον Μ. Ven. Flor. Farn. αἱρούμιον Ald. male lecto compendio codicis G. in quo αιρούμενον est. αἱρούμενον Rob. Τurn. Recte Abreschius ἀρόμενον. Scholiastes ὥστε τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν ἔχειν αἱμάτων ἄγος ἐπαίροντα.
mvp-comment-124-1 μάντις ὤν: μάντις ὤν Schutzius. μαντισῶι Μ. μάντι σῷ G. Ald. Rob. Turn. μάντι, σῶ Ven. Flor. Farn.
mvp-comment-125-1 μυχὸν ... ἔχρανας: μυχὸν M. Rob. Τurn. μυκὸν G. Ald. σὸν οἶκον Ven. Flor. Farn. Deinde έχρανας Turn. ἔχρανάτ' M. Flor. ἔχράνατ' G. ἔχρακατ' Αld. ἔχρανάς Rob. ἐχθράνατ' Ven. Bekkero teste. ἔχθρανα τ' Farn.
mvp-comment-126-1 παρὰ νόμον θεῶν βρότεα: παρὰ νόμον θεῶν Par. Rob. παρανόμων θεῶν M. G. Ald. Turn. παρὰ νόμων θεῶν Ven. Flor. Farn. Deinde βρότεα M. G. Ald. Rob. βρέτεα Par. Ven. Flor. Farn. Turn.
mvp-comment-127-1 ἐμοί τε λυπρὸς ... ἐκλύσεται: Libri καμοί τε. Casaubonus aliique καμοί γε. Scripsi ἐμοί τε. Deinde πικρός pro λυπρὸς Par. Deinde εὐκλύσεται G. Aid. Hoc dicit, me iniuria afficit, illum tamen non liberabit.
mvp-comment-128-1 ὑπό ... φυγὼν: ὑπαὶ Farn. φυγὼν Porsonus. Libri φεύγων.
mvp-comment-129-1 ποτιτρόπαιος ὢν δ᾽: Libri ποτιτρόπαιος δ᾽ ὤν. Correxit Porsonus. Deinde Schoemanno ἐν χώρᾳ mutandum videtur in ᾧ κάρα. Non opus est mutatione.
mvp-comment-130-1 μιάστορ᾽ αὑτῷ πάσεται: μιάστορ᾽ ἐκείνου πάσεται M. G. Rob. μιάστορ᾽ ἐκείνου πάσσεται Ven. Flor. Farn. Ald. Turn. Apud scholiastem metricum legitur μιάστορ, ἐκείνου πράσσεται. Schoemannus scribendum coniicit μιάστορ᾽ αὐτ᾽ ἐκεῖ πάσεται. Lenius est quod posui, μιάστορ᾽ ἔστιν ὃν πάσεται. Sic enim potius scribendum est, quam, ut olim feci, ἔστιν οὗ.
mvp-comment-131-1 κελεύω: κενεύω Αld.
mvp-comment-132-1 μέλαν: μέλαν G. Ald. Rob.
mvp-comment-133-1 χρίμπτεσθαι: Wakefieldius et ante eum vir doetus in margine Askewiana δόμοις σε scribendum putarunt. χρίμπεται G. Ald.
mvp-comment-134-1 ἀλλ᾽ οὗ καρανιστῆρες: ἀλλ᾽ οὗ καρανιστήρες Stanleius. ἀλλ᾽ οὐ καρανηστήρες M. G. et commate post or posito Rob. ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἀρανητῆρες Αld. αλλ' οὐκ ἄρ᾽ ἀνήστῆρες Ven. Flor. Farn. ἀλλ᾽ οὗ καρανηστῆρες Turn. Scholiastes αἱ ἀποκεφαλίζουσαι. In Rheso v. 817. legitur καρανιστής μόρος. Conf. Lob. Paralip. p. 449.
mvp-comment-135-1 παίδων τε χλοῦνις, ἠδ᾽ ἀκρωνία, λευσμόν: παίδων κακοῦται χλοῦνις ἠδ᾽ (ἡδ᾽ Rob.) ἀκρωνία M. G. Par. Ven. Flor. Rob. et haud dubie etiam Farn. παίδων κακοῦ τελλοῦνις ἠδ᾽ ἀκρωνία Ald. παίδων, κακοῦ τε χλοῦνις ἠδ᾽, ἀκρωνία Turn. Scholia in M. haec adscripta sunt χλοῦνις ἀκρωνία (sic M. G.). ἀκμαῖα ἀποκοπή, παρὰ τὴν χλόην, ἢ ἐπεὶ χλοῦνις ὁ σᾶς· κάπροι δὲ συνεχῶς εὐνουχίζονται· διὰ τοῦτο τὴν ἀποκοπὴν συϊκὴν εἶπεν, οὐκ ἀνθρωπίνην. Deinde ad ακρωνία adscriptum ἐκτομή μορίων, et in alia parte marginis κακῶν ἄθροισις, ἢ λιθοβολίας (sic M.). Ηρωδιανός δὲ τὸ σύστημα καὶ ἄθροισμα. Fuerunt quibus ακρωνία idem esse videretur atque ἀκρωτηριασμός. Sed haec interpretatio idoneo auctore caret. Contra cum Herodiani explicatione consentiunt fere aliorum grammaticorum testimonia. Lexicon Seguerianum in Bekkeri Anecd. p. 372, 2. ἀκρωνία, τὰ ἀθροίσματα. καὶ ἡ ἀκρότης. καὶ ἡ ἀκμή. καὶ τὸ ἐπίλεκτον σύστημα. Εtym. Μ. p. 53, 41. ἀκρώνα (sic scriptum), τὰ ἀθροίσματα, καὶ ἡ ἀκρότης, καὶ ἡ ἀκμή, τὸ ἐπίλεκτον σύστημα. Hesychius ακρώνια (sic), αθροίσματα, παράστασις, πλῆθος, οἱ ἀκρώvva (sic codex), άθροισμός. Alterum illud vocabulum χλοῦνις diffcillimum est. Quod apud Homerum est ll. ΙΧ. 539. χλούνην σῦν, recte sane ita videtur explicari ut χλούνης ad χλόην referatur. Hesychius χλούνην, τὸν ἐν τῇ χλόῃ εὐναζόμενον. χλοῦναι, λωποδύται, οἱ ἐν τῇ χλόῃ εὐναζόμενοι. Sed Aristoteles Hist. an. VI. 28. p. 578. ed. Bekk. χλούνην putavit esse castratum. Τῶν δὲ ἀρρένων καὶ ἀγρίων, inquit, οἱ τομίαι μείζους γίνονται καὶ χαλεπώτεροι, ὥςπερ καὶ Ὅμηρος ἐποίησεν “τρέψεν (libri θρέψει) ἔπι χλούνην σῦν ἄγριον· οὐδὲ ἐῴκει θηρί γε σιτοφάγῳ, ἀλλὰ ῥίῳ υλήεντι.” γίνονται δὲ τομίαι διὰ τὸ νέοις οὖσιν ἐμπίπτειν νόσημα κνησμὸν εἰς τοὺς ὄρχεις· εἶτα ξυόμενοι πρὸς τὰ δένδρα ἐκθλίβουσι τοὺς ὄρχεις. Eustathius p. 772, 53. ὅτι δὲ καὶ ἐκτομίαν ὁ χλούνης δηλοῖ, οὐ μόνον Αἰσχύλος δίδωσι χρῆσιν (pertinet hoc ad versum ex Edonis, fr. 60.), ἀλλὰ καὶ Αιλιανὸς μάλιστα ἐν τοῖς περὶ προνοίας χλούνην λέγων τὸν ἀπόκοπον· καὶ Αριστοτέλης δὲ κατὰ τὸν γεωγράφον χλούνην σῦν τὸν τομίαν λέγει. Schol. ad II. IX. 539. οἱ μὲν τὸν ἐντομίαν· κνώμενοι γὰρ πρὸς τὰ φυτὰ παρατρίβονται καὶ ἀγριώτεροι γίνονται. Reiecit hanc interpretationem Aristophanes grammaticus: v. Nauckium Aristoph. Byz. fragm. p. 118. seqq. Illud tamen ex hac Aristotelis interpretatione iure colligi videtur, potuisse fieri ut ab Aeschylo similiter χλοῦνις diceretur castratio. Non facile res ad liquidum perduci poterit: sed ut veri simillimam recepi Fritzschii emendationem, δίκαι, σφαγαί τε, σπέρματός τ' ἀποφθοραί, παίδων τε χλοῦνες, ἠδ᾽ ἀκρωνία κακοῦ. Σπέρματος αποφθοραί partus abaetos significant.
mvp-comment-136-1 λευσμόν,: Casaubonus aliique λευσμός τε vel λευσμοί τε scribendum esse putaverunt. Et potest scholiastes nominativum legisse videri. Servandum tamen puto λευσμόν τε, quum accusativus a μύζουσιν recte pendere videatur.
mvp-comment-137-1 ὑπὸ ῥάχιν: ὑπὸ ράχιν Μ. Ald. Rob. ὑποβάχιν G. ὑπόρραχιν Ven. Flor. Farn. υποβράχιν Turn. ug' G. Ald. Rob.
mvp-comment-138-1 οἵας ... ἀπόπτυστοι: οἷας G. Ald. ολας Rob. ἐπ' ἀπόπυστοι Ald.
mvp-comment-139-1 στέργηθρ᾽: στέργηθ' Αld.
mvp-comment-140-1 αἱματορρόφου: αἱματορόφου Rob.
mvp-comment-141-1 γείτοσι ... μύσος: πλησίοισι Ven. Flor. Rob. Turn. et ita haud dubie etiam Farn. πλησίοις M. G. Ald. Quum πλησίοισι supervacaneum esse videretur, fuerunt qui Pauwio, πλουσίοισι scribendum esse coniicienti, assentirentur. Ea vero mala coniectura est. Nam antro leonis opulentum maxime templum non recte opponitur. Neque mutandum est πλησίοισι. Ex templo egressus Apollo increpat Furias, quae ab umbra Clytaemnestrae expergefactae se proripuerant ex templo atque in orchestram descenderant. In orchestra autem commorantes intelliguntur esse in περιβόλῳ templi. Itaque πλησία χρηστήρια vicinum templum sunt, ante quod Furiae commorantur. Neque enim putandum est illa, quae v. 178. dicit Apollo, ἔξω, κελεύω, τῶνδε δωμάτων τάχος χωρεῖν, ἀπαλλάσσεσθε μαντικῶν μυχῶν, tam accurate et curiose interpretanda esse, ut aut omnes Furias aut partem earum in ipso templo remansisse statuamus: quorum neutrum fieri potuit. Dictum est de hac re in Opusc. VI. 2. p. 164. seq. et in Annalium Vindobonensium vol. CXI. p. 249. seq. In fine versus μύσος Ven. Flor. Turn. et, ut videtur, M. Farn. μίσος Rob. μίσος Ald. et hoc in G. ex μύσος factum est.
mvp-comment-142-1 εὐφιλὴs: ἐμφιλὴς Par.
mvp-comment-143-1 ἄναξ Ἄπολλον: Personae index in M. G. est χορὸς εὐμενίδων. In Ven. Flor. Rob. χορός. In Ald. Turn. εύμ.
mvp-comment-144-1 αὐτὸς ... πέλει: αὐτὸς γάρ σὺ Flor. Libri πέλῃ, praeter Rob. quae πέλει habet.
mvp-comment-145-1 εἷς ... ὡς: εἷς Canterus. Libri εἰς. Praeterea Wakefieldius ὡς in ὢν mutavit. Id non videtur esse necessarium. Hoc enim recte dicitur, quare omnem culpam sustines.
mvp-comment-146-1 πῶς δή; τοσοῦτο ... λόγου: πῶς δὴ· τοσοῦτο M. G. Turn. πῶς δὴ τοσαῦτο Ald. πῶς δὴ· τοσοῦτον Par. L. πῶς δῆτα τοῦτο Ven. Flor. Farn. Rob. De formis τοσοῦτο et τοσοῦτον v. ad Prom. v. 802. In fine versus a Schutzio et a me olim λόγον scriptum est. Multum praestat λόγου, quod libri habent.
mvp-comment-147-1 ἔχρησας: χο. Ven. Flor. Rob. ε. Μ. G. Ald. Turn.
mvp-comment-148-1 τί μήν;: Hinc in M. personae lineolis praefixis discernuntur. In Ven. Flor. Rob. Apollinis et chori, in G. Ald. Turn. Apollinis et Eumenidum nomina siglis significantur. τιμὴν M. G. Ven. Ald. Rob. Turn. τί μή Flor. ut Cantero scribendum videbatur. Recte Abreschius τί μήν; V. ad Ag. v. 14.
mvp-comment-149-1 δέκτωρ: δ᾽ ἔκταρ G. Ald. δ' έκτωρ sic Rob. δ᾽ ἔκτωρ ex Farn. affertur. δ' έκτωρ Ven. Emendate δέκτωρ Turn. De M. Flor. mihi non constat. Videtur autem M. δ᾽ ἔκτωρ vel δ᾽ ἕκτωρ habere: nam in margine adscriptum est οἶμαι δέκτωρ.
mvp-comment-56-1
καθιππάσω]
you override, a military term.
Schol.
mvp-comment-57-1 ἔτυψεν] This epic form hardly occurs in the Attic, ἐπάταξεν being the usual equivalent. - μεσολαβεῖ, used passively, perhaps, grasped by the middle, so as to be firmly held.
mvp-comment-58-1 πάρεστι] I feel it (the reproach, says another) 'like the cruel smart of a torturer's lash.'
mvp-comment-59-1 This is said in satire and irony. This is what your younger gods do, assuming a power altogether beyond their right.' The dethronement of the Titanian powers and the cult of the beneficent Olympian deities (as before observed) is a main object of the play.
mvp-comment-60-1 θρόμβον] a clot. This seems a necessary correction for θρόνον. The unfinished speech, addressed to Apollo to show him the pollution of his shrine, is taken up by the next speaker, Yea, you may behold the central altar of the Earth (defiled) now that it has incurred the guilt of blood upon it ( ἔχειν). The Schol. seems to have read ὀφθαλμὸν, which he explained thus, you may see the seat (and) the altar (defiled), so as to incur a horrible pollution of blood if you raise your eye to look, ὥστε τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν ἔχειν αἱμάτων ἄγος ἐπαίροντα (perhaps ὥστε σε τὸν ὀφθ. ἐπ.). But ἀρόμενον must mean having taken upon itself.
mvp-comment-61-1 ἔχρανας] By giving an asylum to a murderer you have knowingly defiled your own temple.
mvp-comment-62-1 φθίσας] By destroying our influence, as far as in you lay (Schol.). They here call themselves Μοῖραι, because it would seem still more presumptuous in Apollo to interfere with Fate.
mvp-comment-63-1 καὶ τόν] See v. 132. While he gives pain to me, he will not succeed in delivering him.'
mvp-comment-64-1
ἐξ ἐμοῦ]
after me. The MS. has
ἐκείνου, and the Schol. appears to have read
ἐκ κείνου, since he explains
καὶ οἱ ἐξ αὐτοῦ δίκας ἡμῖν δώσουσιν. The notion is that of a spiteful demon alighting on the head (
Ag. 1146, 1444
), and it seems to have been regarded as a bad omen if a foul bird left its mark on a statue or roof. See
Suppl. 637
, and the note.
-πάσεται,
Schol.
mvp-comment-65-1 Apollo reappears, and orders the loathsome band to leave his shrine, under threat of an arrow from his unerring bow, with which he is seen armed. This is a very fine passage. Go, he says, where tortures and mutilations, impaling and other horrors are practised, as ἐν βαρβάροις. The arrow is called a glistening winged serpent, both from the ambiguous sense of lòs and from the feathering, πτέρωμα (Schol.).
mvp-comment-66-1
χλοῦνις,
virility. The Schol. seems rightly to refer this to the castration of boys. A wild boar was called
χλούνης, probably from the large size of the testes. The word
ἀκρωνία seems corrupt; the Schol. explains it by
κακῶν ἄθροισις, which is evidently impossible.
Pollux (II. 137)
gives a medical term
ἀκρωμία, for the muscle at the top of the shoulder; but this does not help us, unless we suppose a verse lost describing the cutting off of limbs, noses, ears, &c. The poet might have written
ἠδ' ἀκρωμίας ποδῶν τε φόνια καὶ χερῶν σπαράγματα, λευσμοί τε, κ.τ.λ. (The comment of the
Schol.
mvp-comment-67-1
πᾶς τρόπος]
The whole style of your appearance leads to this, viz. that you are hateful to the gods because you are fond of feasting on scenes of blood.
Xen. Cyr. VIII. 7, 15
mvp-comment-68-1
τρίβεσθαι]
Schol.
mvp-comment-69-1 πέμψαι] Doubtless we should read πρᾶξαι. 'What 1 did order was (not expressly 'to kill his mother, but) to exact punishment for his father. Anticipating the sense of the next verse, the Schol. here rightly adds, ὥστε δέξασθαι τὸν φονέα. See v. 84.
mvp-comment-70-1 With δέκτωρ we may supply εἶναι.
mvp-comment-71-1 προπομπούς] This is ironical. If you bade him to go to Delphi, do you blame us for conducting him thither?' Schol. recent. rὰς διωκτρίας.
mvp-comment-72-1 γέρας καλόν] Some office or duty that is honourable, and worth the boasting of.
mvp-comment-68-1 κατεπο-
mvp-comment-71-1 ὡς ἡνίοχος ἔτυψέ με. μέρος τοῦ ἥπατος.
mvp-comment-72-1 λείπει τὸ ὡς.
mvp-comment-73-1 οὐ τὸ τυχόν, ἀλλὰ περισσῶς βαρύ. ἡμᾶς φη(σί) (φασι Weckl.).
mvp-comment-74-1 παρὰ τὸ δίκαιον τὸ πᾶν ἔχοντες.
mvp-comment-75-1 τὸν θρόνον, οὗ Ὀρέστης καθῆστο, πάρεστιν ὁρᾶν φονολιβῆ (-ειβῆ Μ) ἀπὸ ποδῶν ἕως κεφαλῆς ὅλον. τὸ δὲ „γᾶς ὀμφαλόν“ ἀντὶ τοῦ) τὸν (Kirchh. f. τὸ) ἐν Πυθοῖ. διὰ δὲ τούτων ἀποσκευάζειν δοκοῦσι τῆς ἐπικουρίας Ὀρέστου τὸν θεόν.
mvp-comment-76-1 λείπει ὁ καί. ὥστε τὸν ὀμφαλὸν (Schwenk Weil für ὀφθαλμόν) ἔχειν αἱμάτων ἄγος ἐπαίροντα.
mvp-comment-77-1 αὐτὸς αὐτὸν (αὑτὸν Μ) καλέσας ἐπὶ τῶι μιᾶναι τὸν ναόν. ὅσον ἐπὶ σοί.
mvp-comment-78-1 προστρόπαιος, ἀντὶ τοῦ ἐναγής. ὢν ἐναγὴς ἐν τῶι κάρᾶι ἑαυτοῦ ἕτερον μιάστορα λήψεται, καὶ οἱ ἐξ αὐτοῦ δίκας ἡμῖν δώσουσιν. ἐναγής.
mvp-comment-79-1 τραγικώτερον ὄφιν εἶπεν τὸ βέλος διὰ τὸν ἰόν, πτηνὸν δὲ διὰ τὸ ἐπτερῶσθαι. τὸ μὲν πρῶτον πρὸς πάσας ὁ λόγος, πρὸς μίαν δὲ ἑκάστην νῦν.
mvp-comment-80-1 νευρᾶς.
mvp-comment-81-1 τὸ αἷμα μέλανα ἀφρὸν εἶπεν, οὐ δήπου τὸ ἔμφυτον αὐτῶν· ἀναίμονες γάρ εἰσιν οἱ θεοί· ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀπ᾿ ἀνθρώπων ἠθροισμένον (ήθρ. Μ), ὡς τούτωι τροφῆι χρωμένων αὐτῶν.
mvp-comment-82-1 τὰς πήξεις τοῦ αἵματος.
mvp-comment-83-1 αἱ ἀποκεφαλίζουσαι.
mvp-comment-84-1 χλοῦνις ἀκρωνία. ἡ ἀκμαία ἀποκοπή (χλοῦνιν λέγει τὴν ἀκμαίαν ἀποκοπήν f), παρὰ τὴν χλόην· ἢ ἐπεὶ χλούνης (χλοῦνις f) ὁ σῦς, κάπροι δὲ συνεχῶς εὐνουχίζονται (soweit auch f), διὰ τοῦτο τὴν ἀποκοπὴν συϊκὴν εἶπεν, οὐκ ἀνθρωπίνην. ἡ ἐκτομὴ μορίων.
mvp-comment-85-1 ἀντὶ τοῦ διὰ τῆς μορφῆς ὑμῶν ἡ κακία τῶν τρόπων ὑμῶν διαδεί-
mvp-comment-86-1 μύσος προστρίβεσθαι.
mvp-comment-87-1 μόναι, ὡς ἀνήμερα θηρία.
mvp-comment-88-1 οὐκ κνυται. ἐπικοινωνῶν τῆι αἰτίᾶι, ἀλλὰ τοῦ παντὸς σὺ αἴτιος.
mvp-comment-89-1 ὥστε δέξασθαι τὸν φονέα.
mvp-comment-90-1 ἠθικεύσαντο τὰς διωκτρίας προπομποὺς εἰποῦσαι. προστέταχθε ποιεῖν περὶ (Abresch f. παρὰ) ἀνδροφόνου γυναικός; τοῦ Ἀγαμέμνονος φόνος οὐκ ἦν αὐθέντης, ὅ ἐστι μιαρός.
mvp-comment-84-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 262
mvp-comment-84-2 Parodos (vgl. zu 1). Die Chorführerin erwacht und weckt die nächste Erinye, welche wieder eine andere anstöfst u. s. f. Dann stellen sie sich zu Halbchören zusammen.
mvp-comment-88-1 1
mvp-comment-88-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 263
mvp-comment-88-3 πέπτωκεν, er ist herausgeraten.
mvp-comment-89-1 2
mvp-comment-89-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 263
mvp-comment-89-3
παῖ Διός: über die syllaba anceps am Ende des Dochmius bei einem Vokativ s. Seidler de vers. dochm. p. 85, Christ Metr. § 466. Vgl.
Soph. Ai. 375
mvp-comment-90-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 263
mvp-comment-90-2
Apollon gehört dem jungen Göttergeschlechte des Zeus an, die Erinyen dem alten des Kronos.
Prom. 156
mvp-comment-91-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 263
mvp-comment-91-2 τοκεύσιν allgemein (von der Mutter).
mvp-comment-92-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 263
mvp-comment-92-2
Cho. 337
mvp-comment-93-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 264
mvp-comment-93-2 ὄνειδος - ὀνειράτων gesuch ter Gleichklang. ἐξ ὀνειράτων μου λόν, in Träumen mir zugerufen (von den Vorwürfen der Klytämestra). Vgl. Soph. Oed. T. 523 ἀλλ᾽ ἦλθε μὲν δὴ τοῦτο τοὔνειδος.
mvp-comment-94-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 264
mvp-comment-94-2 Der Vorwurf gab mir einen Stich ins Herz wie ihn der Wagenlenker mit dem Treibstachel versetzt, den er, um wuchtiger zu stofsen, in der Mitte fafst. Zu beachten sind die gleichartigen oder ähnlich lautenden Formen in Strophe und Antistrophe: μεσολαβεῖ φονολιβῆ, ὑπὸ φρένας ὑπὸ λοβόν περὶ πόδα περὶ κάρα, πάρεστι πάρεστι, βαρὺ τὸ περίβαρυ - βλα συρὸν ἀρόμενον, ἔχειν ἔχειν.
mvp-comment-94-3 3
mvp-comment-95-1 4
mvp-comment-95-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 264
mvp-comment-95-3 Zu Mute ist mir als durchschauerten mich entsetzlich, ja über die Mafsen entsetzlich die Hiebe des geifselnden Henkerknechts. Zu dem Anklang δαΐου δαμίου vgl. παρακοπὰ παραφορά 330. τὸ περίβαρυ wie häufig der Artikel bei δεινός das vorzugsweise Schreckliche, das Schrecklichste bezeichnet.
mvp-comment-96-1 5
mvp-comment-96-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 264
mvp-comment-96-3
Sie bemächtigen sich ganz und gar des Sitzes der Dike, welcher um Fufs, um Haupt von Blutklumpen trieft. Vgl.
Soph. Oed. K. 1380
mvp-comment-97-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 264
mvp-comment-97-2 Man kann es ansehen, wie der Erdnabel (40) grauenhafte Blutschuld auf sich genommen hat. ἔχειν steht konsekutiv zu ἀρόμενον.
mvp-comment-98-1 6
mvp-comment-98-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 264
mvp-comment-98-3 ,Durch Befleckung des Herdes hat er sich (med. ἐχράνατο) das Seherheiligtum besudelt." Nachdem die Erinyen allgemein von νεώτεροι θεοί gesprochen, wenden sie sich jetzt direkt gegen Apollon. Mit αὐτόσσυτος αὐτόκλητος vgl. αὐτόστονος αὐτοπήμων Sept. 900 .
mvp-comment-99-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 265
mvp-comment-99-2
παρὰ νόμον θεῶν: gegen diesen Göttercomment verfehlte sich auch Prometheus:
Prom. 29
mvp-comment-99-3 7
mvp-comment-100-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 265
mvp-comment-100-2 Μοίρας φθίσας: Apollon das Amt der Erinyen vernichtet, so vernichtet er damit die Satzungen der Mören, durch welche den Erinyen ihr Amt zugeteilt ist. Vgl. 336, 395.
mvp-comment-101-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 265
mvp-comment-101-2 καμοί γε λυπρός (ἐστι κτέ, und dabei kränkt er mich, ohne doch diesem zu helfen. tov wie τῷ 137.
mvp-comment-102-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 265
mvp-comment-102-2
ὑπό ἐλευθεροῦται (Wechsel des Subjekts): vgl. 339,
Suppl. 234
mvp-comment-103-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 265
mvp-comment-103-2 ποτιτρόπαιος, ἐναγής Schol., schuldbeladen. μιάστορα, ἀλά στορα wie Soph. El. 603 . Es wird ihm aus seiner Schuld ( σίνος wie Ag. 399 ) ein anderer Rächer anfs Haupt erwachsen.
mvp-comment-104-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 265
mvp-comment-104-2 erstes Epeisodion. Apollon tritt wieder hervor und jagt nachher die Erinyen aus seinem Tempel: der Chor tritt also auf die Bühne heraus und Apollon folgt ihnen. Damit wird die zu 63 erwähnte Maschinerie zurückgedreht.
mvp-comment-105-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 265
mvp-comment-105-2 Schol. τραγικώτερον ὄφιν εἶπεν τὸ βέλος διὰ τὸν ιόν (Gift, Pfeil), πτηνὸν δὲ διὰ τὸ ἐπτερώσθαι. Hom. Π 773 ιοί τε πτερόεν τες ἀπὸ νευρῆφι θορόντες. σηλάτου, weil Apollon χρυσότοξος ( Pind. O1. XIV 10 , vgl. Soph. Oed. T. χρυσ
mvp-comment-106-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 265
mvp-comment-106-2 θρόμβους φόνου οὓς ἀφείλ κυσας, wie 264 die Erinyen dem Orestes das Blut aussaugen wollen.
mvp-comment-107-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 265
mvp-comment-107-2
,,Wo kopfabschneidende, augenausgrabende blutige Gerichte gehalten werden."
καρανιστήρες δίκαι wie
τύχη σωτήρ
Ag. 669
. Vgl. auch
λευστῆρα μόρον
Sept. 181
mvp-comment-107-3 8
mvp-comment-108-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 266
mvp-comment-108-2
χλοῦνις ist nur aus
dieser Stelle bekannt. Es scheint mit
χλόη,
χλόος zusammenzuhängen und wie
χλούνης mit
ἀφριστής erklärt wurde:
χλουδεῖν γὰρ τὸ ἀφρίζειν τινὲς Δωριέων ἔλεγον (Schol. zu
Hom. I 539
), so dürfte
χλοῦνις den Schaum des männlichen Samens bezeichnen, der Sinn also sein:
,Wo durch Entmannung der Saft der Kinderzeugung geschädigt Unsicher ist auch die Bedeutung des Wortes
ακρωνία. Das
Schol.
:
mvp-comment-108-3 9
mvp-comment-109-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 266
mvp-comment-109-2 ὑπὸ ῥάχιν ist in der Handschrift vielleicht mit Recht ὑπόρραχιν geschrieben. Wenigstens entspricht dieses der Aussprache.
mvp-comment-110-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 266
mvp-comment-110-2
οἵας ἑορτῆς (ironisch)
στέργηθρα ἔχουσαι
θεοὶς
ἀπόπτυστοί ἐστε.
ὑφηγεῖται, führt (weist) darauf hin.
Prom. 98
mvp-comment-111-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 266
mvp-comment-111-2 Eumenides, quibus anguino redimita capillo frons exspirantis praeportat pectoris iras.
mvp-comment-112-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 266
mvp-comment-112-2 ἐν χρηστηρίοις τρίβεσθαι μύσος s. v. a. χρηστηρίοις ἐντρίβεσθαι (Schol. προστρίβεσθαι) μύ σος, eigentlich von sich Greuel auf das Heiligtum abreiben" d. h. durch Berührung das Heiligtum mit Greuel besudeln. πλουσίοισι: die Pracht des Tempels steht in Widerspruch mit der ekelhaften Gestalt der Erinyen. Vgl. Soph. Oed. T. 151 τᾶς πολυχρύσου Πυθῶνος, Hom. I 404 .
mvp-comment-113-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 267
mvp-comment-113-2 Schol. μόναι, ὡς ἀνήμερα θηρία. Vielmehr wird ἄνευ βοτῆgos durch den folgenden Vers erklärt: sein." ,Kein Gott mag euer Hirte So spricht Apollon als vóUber δὲ zu Ag. 437 . μιος.
mvp-comment-113-3 10
mvp-comment-114-1 11
mvp-comment-114-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 267
mvp-comment-114-3 πῶς δή, zu Ag. 548 .
mvp-comment-115-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 267
mvp-comment-115-2 ἔχρησας ὥστε: zu Ag. 1394 f.
mvp-comment-116-1 12
mvp-comment-116-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 267
mvp-comment-116-3 κλέψαι (mit List bewerkstelligen) wie Soph. El. 37 der dem Orestes erteilte Auftrag des Phöbos lautet: δόλοισι κλέψαι χειρὸς ἐνδίκους σφαγάς. τί μήν: zu Ag. 14 .
mvp-comment-117-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 267
mvp-comment-117-2
Und dann nahmst du es auf dich, dem frischen Morde eine Zuflucht zu bieten. Vgl.
Plat. Phil. p. 19A
mvp-comment-118-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 267
mvp-comment-118-2 τὰς προπομπούς: wenn du den Orestes hieher bestellt hast, so müssen auch seine Geleiterinnen hieher kommen.
mvp-comment-119-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 267
mvp-comment-119-2 πρόσφορον (dienlich, zuträglich) (ἐστὶ τὰς προπομποὺς oder ὑμᾶς μολεῖν. Stanley vermutet πρόσφοροι.
mvp-comment-120-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 267
mvp-comment-120-2 τοῦτο hat Bezug auf τὰς προπομπούς, also τὸ προπέμπειν d. i. διώκειν τοὺς μητροκτόνους.
mvp-comment-121-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 267
mvp-comment-121-2 τιμή und γέρας wie 422 (Ehrenamt). Doch klingt γέρας καλόν spättisch.
νέος γραίας , simply young and old. This complaint that Apollo as one of the younger race has overridden the Furies who are elder goddesses constantly recurs through the play, 163, 731, 778, 838, 845; see Introduction. καθιππάζομαι, a bold picturesque word for trample down, so 731, 779.
τοκεῦσιν , generalising plural, to his mother, as the sense requires.
τῶνδε , your acts, insulting the old goddesses, and protecting the impious suppliant.
μεσολαβεῖ , another tersely vivid word: the goad grasped by the middle to give the blow force.
mvp-sidgwick-88-1-1 'Tis come, I feel it, the sore, sore chill of the cruel scourger's blow. δάμιος μαστίκτωρ is the public scourger: a bold image for Klytaimnestra's taunts.
mvp-sidgwick-89-1-1
The MSS. read-
This stopping must be wrong, as the construction is very clumsy with θρόνον in apposition to ὀμφαλόν, and the strophe which is very parallel in sound and structure makes it practically certain that the stop is at κάρα. We then have two alternatives : (1) Το keep θρόνον, changing stop from πλέον to κάρα :
mvp-sidgwick-89-2-1 Even if syllabic correspondence were required, we might easily correct to θρᾶνον Ahrens, θᾶκον Rauchenstein: but there is no need].
mvp-sidgwick-89-3-1
(2) To read with Herm. and others after Wakefield θρόμβον, and suppose the second and third lines interjectory, by another speaker: κρατοῦντες intransitive:
ἀρόμενον , that has taken upon it ;
βλοσυρὸν ἄγος αἱμάτων , a fell pollution of blood. For
ὀμφαλόν see line 40.
μάντις ὤν , i. e. though a seer, and thus the last who should have allowed pollution.
αὐτόσσυτος, αὐτόκλητος , at thine own bidding, at thine own summons: the repetition of similar words is noticeable all through this chorus; a rhetorical turn due to the strength of their wrath and passion. So περὶ πόδα, περὶ κάρα - βαρὺ περίβαρυ - δαΐου δαμίου, etc.
mvp-sidgwick-93-1-1
And crushing the ancient Fates. The Schol. followed by Pal. and others, understands this of themselves, the Furies being identified for the moment with the Fates. So Eurip. Elect. 1252 says of Orestes-
mvp-sidgwick-93-2-1 It remains however an unusually obscure allusion, and hence one cannot feel confident.
τόν , Orestes: for Epic form cp. 137, 357.
mvp-sidgwick-95-1-1
MSS. read μιάστορ᾽ ἐκείνου πάσεται : corrupt, neither metre nor sense.
The Schol. say,
μιάστωρ , properly one who pollutes, used for an avenger Soph. El. 603 (of Orestes), Eur. Med. 1371 .
mvp-sidgwick-95-3-1 [Enter from the inner shrine Apollo, who sternly addresses the Furies.]
mvp-sidgwick-96-1-1 A winged glancing snake, a bold and splendid image for an arrow.
mvp-sidgwick-97-1-1 The black foam sucked from men, is explained in the next line.
καρανιστῆρες ὀφθαλμώρυχοι δίκαι
,
dooms that shear off the head and tear out the eyes. The horror is intensified both by the extraordinary weight and force of the lines, and by the abstract: the Furies are banished to a land of ghastly things. For the masc. form καρανιστήρ with fem. word δίκη compare
mvp-sidgwick-99-1-1
A corrupt and difficult line: MSS. read-
mvp-sidgwick-99-2-1 In favour of (1) is the very strong evidence of Aristotle, backed by Schol. and Eustathius, and further the run of the lines, which consists of a heap of abstract nouns which would be very harshly broken by a finished sentence. We must therefore assume κακοῦται corrupt: though no satisfactory emendation has been suggested. We may add that those who support (2) assume that Aeschylus must have used the word in the Homeric sense: but it is quite possible that he may have misused an old word, and made the same mistake as Aristotle: and the evidence of Frag. 62 confirms this.
μύζουσιν οἰκτισμὸν πολύν , make sore and piteous moaning, a terribly graphic expression for the slow torture of impalement.
ἑορτῆς . depends on στέργηθρα: what manner of feast it is ye love, loathed of the gods [lit. what... loving, ye are loathed ...].
ὑφηγεῖται , lit. leads to it: i. e. shews it.
πλησίοισι , close at hand, seems rather a feeble word and is perhaps corrupt: though none of the suggestions (πλουσίοισι Pauw., πανθύτοισι Mein., Πυθίοισι Mart., and many others worse) are convincing: Πυθίοισι perhaps the best.
τρίβεσθαι μύσος , rub off their foul pollution, a forcible and contemptuous phrase.
mvp-sidgwick-104-1-1 Observe the fine sudden figure, after his manner: Begone, ye flock without a shepherd: no god loves such a herd.
mvp-sidgwick-105-1-1 MSS. read εἰς τὸ πᾶν, the copyists having fallen into the common Aeschylean phrase, here very flat and inappropriate: Canter's εἷς τὸ πᾶν makes it at once forcible and right.
τοσοῦτο , i. e. as to explain.
mvp-sidgwick-107-1-1
Note the idiomatic use of ὥστε instead of simple acc. and infin. So Thuc. 1. 119 δεηθέντες ὥστε ψηφίσασθαι, 5. 17 ψηφισαμένων ὥστε καταλύεσθαι,
Eur. Hipp. 1327
πρᾶξαι , to exact, plainly the right word here: MSS. read πέμψαι, ‘to send, which is explained as meaning to Agamemnon: but that would surely require τῷ πατρί. τί μήν; lit. what then? i. e. why not? So, e. g. Plat. Theaet. 145 ἢ οὐχ ἅπερ οἱ ἐπιστήμονες ταῦτα καὶ σοφοί ; (answer) τί μήν;
mvp-sidgwick-109-1-1 To welcome blood new-shed is a bold and vivid phrase for received the murderer red-handed.
mvp-sidgwick-110-1-1 Certainly to be written a question.
κόμπασον γέρας καλόν , ironical: go boast thy glorious office!