109. ὥραν , the acc. is best explained as a kind of loose apposition to νυκτίσεμνα δείπνα: the apposition really being to the part of the expression which contains the notion of night. The Erinyes alone had midnight sacrifices.

112. καὶ ταῦτα , usually with participle: here loosely but naturally with principal verb. The fact is, the ὤρουσεν is grammatically needless ('he is gone like a fawn, and that too from the very midst of the snare'), but is redundantly added, picking up and further emphasizing οἴχεται.

113. ἐγκατιλλώψας , a strange word, which occurs again Aesch. Sisyph. (Frag. 211) meaning mock. We find also κατιλλώπτω, ἐνιλλώπτω: the derivation seems to be ἴλλω, twist, ὀπ-, face:' hence to leer, to sneer, and so to scoff.

114. τῆς ἐμῆς περὶ ψυχῆς , ‘for dear life;' a proverbial expression as in English (rather strange in the mouth of a ghost), meaning that the issue is of the last importance to her.

116. ὄναρ , might be nom., I, a dream, like Ag. 82 ὄναρ ἡμερόφαντον ἀλαίνει (so Schütz, Wakef. H. Pal.). But it is rather more naturally taken acc. in a dream, as l. 131. II [The Furies begin to groan and mutter and move uneasily in their sleep.]

127. κύριοι ξυνωμόται , fit conspirators: a bold and characteristic image. κύριος means rightful: sleep and weariness naturally act together. For the figure cp. Ag. 650 ξυνώμοσαν γάρ, ὄντες ἔχθιστοι τὸ πρὶν Πῦρ καὶ θάλασσα.

134. μηδ᾽ ἀγνοήσῃς πῆμα , ‘forget not my wrong.'

136. ἀντίκεντρα , like spurs; see 1. 38.

137. τῷ , on him. Epic use of article as demonstr. frequent in Aeschylus: see 11. 174, 340, 462, 484.

142. ἰδέσθαι , the middle, is an Epic use, common in Tragg. Note the loose but natural grammar κἀπολακτίσασ᾽ (sing.), ἰδώμεθ᾽ (plur.). So exactly Aristoph. Aves 203, ἐμβὰς ἐς τὴν λόχμην καλοῦμεν. ...

146. ὁ θήρ , ‘our prey.'

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;

mvp-comment-76-1 ἔθυον: εv9vov Ald. male lecta scriptura codicis G. De accusativo our dixit Elmsleius ad Bacch. v. 722.

mvp-comment-77-1 καὶ πάντα ταῦτα: καὶ ταῦτα πάντα Par.

mvp-comment-78-1 ὃ δ᾽ ἐξαλύξας ... νεβροῦ: odişahé§as codex Robortelli: ipse ex emendatione Sophiani ó d'¿§akvğaç dedit, quod ceteri libri omnes habent. Deinde veßooũ M. Rob. vεzgov G. Ven. Flor. Ald. Turn. Deinde dízɛır Ald.

mvp-comment-79-1 ἀρκυστάτων: ἀρκυστάτων Turnebus. αρκυσμάτων Μ. ἀρκυσμάτων G. Ven. Flor. Par. Rob. άozioµátov Ald. dozvoμtwv ex Farn. affertur.

mvp-comment-80-1 ὑμῖν ... ἐγκατιλλώψας: ἡμῖν Bekkero teste Ven. Deinde ἐγκατιλλώψας Turn. ἐκκατιλλώψας M. G. Ven. (Bekkero teste). Flor. Farn. Ald. Rob. In Farn. glossa χλεβάσας, i. e. χλευάσας. In M. adscriptum χλευάσας, ἐγγελάσας. διὰ δὲ τούτων ερεθίζει αὐτάς.

mvp-comment-81-1 ἀκούσαθ᾽ ὡς ἔλεξα: Nihil hic mutandum erat. Audite, inquit: nam de capitali meo periculo loquor: recipite mentem el cogitationem, expergefactae.

mvp-comment-82-1 Κλυταιμνήστρα: κλυταιμνήστρας Ven. Recte Wakefieldius et Schützius intellexerunt hoc dicere Clytaemnestram, ego illa Clytemnestra, quae umbra sum el somnium, vos invoco.

mvp-comment-83-1 NA: Sequuntur epodica: respondet enim uvyμòs uvyµ@, wyμòs ὠγμῷ, et deinde epodum constituit μυγμὸς ille διπλοῦς ὀξύς, et quae somnians loquitur chorus. Chori nomen versibus 120. 123. 126. 129. 132. praefixum in Rob. Turn. In Ald. versibus 120. 126. In M. personae lineolis distinctae sunt. Omissae personarum notae in G. In Ven. Flor. Farn. versibus 120. 123. 126. 129. praefixum nóλλwv.

mvp-comment-84-1 ἀνὴρ: Libri ário, nisi quod avio est in Farn.

mvp-comment-85-1 προςίκτορες: Huic versui άn'. praefixum in Rob. Libri φίλοις γάρ εἰσιν οὐκ ἐμοῖς προσέκτορες, et G. quidem commate post εἰσιν posito. yag eloìv Ald. Rob. Horum verborum quae prolatae sunt explicationes, ipsis Graecis verbis obscuriores sunt. Schützius scribendum putavit qi- λοι γὰρ εἰσίν, οὐκ ἐμοί, προςίκτορος, quod sic interpretatur, sunt enim (dii) amici cius supplicis, sive eum supplicem recepturi, iidemque mihi haud amici. At haec sententia et alium verborum ordinem et ¿uov requireret. Quod olim dedi, φίλοι γὰρ εἰσὶν οὐκ ἐμοὶ προςίκτορες, που est mihi amicum praesidium, propterea displicet, quod qio non recte in initio positum est. Scribendum est, ut in Opusc. VI. 2. p. 32. seqq. demonstravi, φίλοις γάρ εἰσιν, οὐκ ἐμοί, προςίκτορες, cognatis enim meis sunt, non mihi, ad quorum praesidium confugiant. Iposizτoges hic non supplices, ut v. 433. sed eos significat, ad quos quis supplex accedit. Sic Ζεὺς ἀφίκτωρ in initio Supplicum, sic προς- Tónшos, et alia: ipsum nomen izétys sic quidam accipiebant, de qua re v. Eustathium p. 1807, 5.

mvp-comment-86-1 ἄγαν ... ὑπνώσσεις: ayar y Ven. Flor. Farn. υπνώσεις Rob.

mvp-comment-87-1 ὠγμός: ωγμός Rob. μωγμὸς M. Ven. Flor. μυγμός G. Farn. Ald. Turn. sed in G. v puncto notatum et supra scriptum w.

mvp-comment-88-1 ὤζεις ... οὐκ: άζεις G. Ald. ώξεις Rob. Eustathius p. 127, 10. παρὰ τὸ ὦ ὤζω ἐν Αἰσχύλῳ. 7/1 O. Müllero scribendum videbatur Çaç vaνός- oovo'; Ea mutatione non opus est. οὐκ Μ. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. κοὐκ Ven. Flor. Farn. Deinde libri dvaotion.

mvp-comment-89-1 πέπρακται: Non opus est ut néлgazia ex Stanleii Bentleiique sententia in néлgora, aut, ut Wakefieldius volebat, in tétaxta mutetur. In Prometheo quidem v. 521. est τί γὰρ πέπρωται Ζηνὶ πλὴν ἀεὶ κραττεiv; hic non minus recte dici videtur, quid tibi aliud agitur negolium quam mala perpetrare? Neque fortasse aliter intellexit scholiastes, qui haec adscripsit τί οὖν μέλλεις τὸ σὸν ἔργον ἀνύειν;

mvp-comment-90-1 ὠγμός: ώγμός Rob.

mvp-comment-91-1 ἐξεκήραναν: ἐξεκράαναν Par.

mvp-comment-92-1 μυγμὸς διπλοῦς ὀξύς: In Rob. ante dinkovs insertum z2. sequens autem versus rursus choro tributus est. In Ven. Flor. et, ut videtur, etiam in Farn. versui 133. praefixum yogòs evµevídwr.

mvp-comment-93-1 κλαγγαίνεις: Libri zλayyaivas. Dindorfio, ut antea Wakefieldio, scribendum videtur κλαγγάνεις, αἱ ἐπανακλαγγάνειν est apud Xenophontem et κλαγγάνειν in versu Sophoclis apud Strabonem XV. p. 687. όπου τις ὄρνις οὐχὶ κλαγγάνει, ubi codex Med. 3. κλαγκάζει habet. Non puto zhayyaivas mutandum esse. Lobeckius enim in Pathol. proleg. p. 37. complura verba in aivo et άo desinentia ex eadem radice orta affert. Potuit igitur κλαγγαίνειν dici ut κλαγγάζειν.

mvp-comment-94-1 οὔποτ᾽: οὔπω τ' Rob.

mvp-comment-95-1 τί δρᾷς;: ti dous; Rob. Ceteri, ut videtur, omnes ví dous; Non recte hic diceretur quid agis? sed dicendum erat ecquid agis? i. e. agedum. Itaque scribendum τὶ δρᾷς;

mvp-comment-96-1 ἀγνοήσῃς ... μαλθαχθεῖσ᾽: ἀγνοήσεις Par. Deinde μαλαχθεὶς Ven. Farn. μαλαχθεῖσ᾽ Rob.

mvp-comment-97-1 ὀνείδεσιν: ἐνείδεσιν Ven. Flor. Farn. Rob. ονείδεσσιν M. G. Ald. ὀνείδεσι Turn.

mvp-comment-98-1 γίγνεται: γίγνεται Porsonus. Libri γίνεται.

mvp-comment-99-1 σὺ δ᾽ αἱματηρὸν πνεῦμ᾽ ἐπουρίσασα τῷδ', ἕπου, μάραινε δευτέροις διώγμασιν, ἀτμῷ κατισχναίνουσα, νηδύος πυρί.: Libri οὐδ᾽ αἱματηρὸν πνεῦμ᾽ ἐπουρίσασα τῷ, ἀτμῷ κατισχναίνουσα νηδύος πυρί, ὅπου, μάραινε δευτέροις διώγμασιν, nisi quod Turn. ἐπουρήσασα dedit, ut in lemmate scholiorum Robortelli . scriptum est, versu autem altero G. Ven. Flor. Farn. Par. Ald. κατισχαίμουσα habent, de qua verbi forma dictum est ad Prom, v. 271. In primo versu Stanleii sive potius Pearsoni emendationem, σὺ δ' pro οὐδ᾽, merito recepit Porsonus. Cetera neque ego olim expedivi, neque expediverunt alii. To enim de Oreste intellectum, sic in fine versus, praesertim sequente alio dativo, ἀτμῷ, prorsus putidum est. Nec Wakefieldii ἐπουρίσασα τῳ, de Oreste dictum, hic aptum est. Scripsi, mutato versuum ordine, σὺ δ᾽ αἱματηρὸν πνεῦμ᾽ ἐπουρίσασα τῷδ᾽ ἕπου, μάραινε δευτέροις διώγμασιν, ἀτμῷ κατισχναίνουσα, νηδύος πυρί. Tod' abiecta in fine versus vocali, quum post nov incisio sit, non magis offendere debet quam quod in Suppl. v. 739. scripsi, praegressa ibi incisione, φιλεῖ δ' ὠδῖνα τίκτειν νὺξ κυβερνήτῃ σοφῷ, ubi videnda sunt quae adnotavi. Haec locuta umbra Clytaemnestrae descendit per ἀναπίεσμα.

mvp-comment-100-1 ἔγειρ᾽: χορὸς ἐρινύων (ἐριννύων Ald.) M. Ald. χορὸς ἐριννύων, ἐξ ὧν μία G. χορὸς εὐμενίδων Flor. χο. Ven. Rob. Turn. Quae inde ab hoc versu usque ad v. 177. sequuntur, inter quindecim Furias ita distribui, ut distribuenda esse indicavi in Opusc. VI. 2. p. 37. seqq.

mvp-comment-101-1 κἀπολακτίσασ᾽: κἀπολακτίσας G. Ald.

mvp-comment-102-1 ἰδώμεθ᾽: ιδώμεθ' Turn. εἰδώμεθ' M.G. Par. Ven. Flor. Farn. Ald. Rob.

mvp-comment-103-1 πόπαξ: πόπαξ Ald. Rob. Τurn. πύπαξ M. G. Farn. πυπάς Ven. Flor.

mvp-comment-104-1 δυςαχές: δυςαχές Μ. Rob. In G. ambiguum est utrum hoc an δυσαχθὲς scriptum sit. δυσαχθὲς Ven. Flor. Ald. Turn.

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-44-1 κούφως] See Pers. 101 , Ag. 350, 1347 . He has escaped, she says, like a nimble stag from the very middle of the stake-net, thereby mocking you sorely. Schol.

Pollux, 11. 52 , gives ἰλλώπτειν and κατιλλώπτειν as comic words. The words ἴλλειν and ἰλλὸς expressed rolling or leering with the eyes, as ἰλλὸς γεγένημαι προσδοκῶν, Αr. Thesm. 846 . -τῆς ἐμῆς ψυχῆς. This is used ambiguously, since the speaker is a ψυχὴ or spirit; but the phrase commonly means a struggle or contest for life. – φρονήσατε, ‘ be conscious, viz. of your duties and your mission. This imperative occurs Soph. Ant. 49

οἴμοι, φρόνησον, ὦ κασιγνήτη.

mvp-comment-45-1 ὄναρ] See v. 126. I address you as a vision addresses one in a dream, i. e. not appealing to your bodily senses, but to your spiritual intelligence quickened by sleep. Lit. for it is in your slumber that I call upon you now, the waking-scene being yet to follow. And it seems that the ghost applied some vigorous measures to the snoring and insensible company.

mvp-comment-46-1 μύζοιτ᾽ ἄν] See 94 and 180. The moaning noise, or a sound representing uneasy dreamers, is here indicated by the stage-notes ( παρεπιγραφαί), μυγμός, ὠγμός, &c. In the next verse ἐμοὶ is Hermann's correction for ἐμοῖς. The sense is, There are gods (who protect their friends, Apollo and Pallas), but none who aid me, and therefore the murderer has escaped. Thus Ζεὺς ἀφίκτωρ is the patron of Suppliants in Suppl. 1 .

mvp-comment-47-1 Ας φεύζειν is to cry φεῦ, so ὤζειν is to cry Oh! Ar. Vesp. 1526

Aeschylus used τέκνοις ἐπώζειν, to wail over her children, in the Niobe, which Hesychius misinterprets of a hen sitting on her eggs. See inf. 337.

mvp-comment-48-1 τεύχειν κακά ( Cho. 717 ), to go on doing harm, virtually means to make matters worse, since now the culprit can exult in his escape.

mvp-comment-49-1 δρακαίνης] The fell she-dragon is the leader of the chorus, who has been addressed in the two preceding couplets. -κηραίνειν, referred by Curtius, Gr. Et. 147 , to a root κειρ, is perhaps different from κηραίνειν ‘to have at heart,' to care for. See Suppl. 976 . Trach. 29

Schol.

παρείλοντο.

Hesych.

ἐξεκήρανεν· ἐξέφθειρεν.

mvp-comment-50-1 φράζου] Mark him! They are dreaming, says the Schol., that they are pursuing Orestes. Accordingly Clytemnestra says, It is in a dream (only) that you are chasing the beast, and making these uneasy sounds, as a dog barks when not even asleep he gives up his fondness for the toil. This characteristic of the dog is described by Lucretius, Iv. 992-6 .

mvp-comment-51-1 ἀντίκεντρα] See v. 38, 444. When reproaches are just, they act as goads to the wise and discreet. This is alluded to inf. 150.

mvp-comment-52-1 σὺ δέ] This seems addressed to another of the three leading Furies, who are all mentioned in v. 135, do you wake her, even as I wake you. ibid. ἐπουρίζειν is properly to direct a favouring gale upon a ship. Schol.

(He (He took the demonstrative τῷ for the article, with the name understood; but cf. 2 and 7, and inf. 166.)

mvp-comment-53-1 κατισχναίνουσα] Schol.

So Prom. 388

καὶ μὴ σφυδῶντα θυμὸν ἰσχναίνῃ βίᾳ,

a medical term. Cf. 257. –ἀτμῷ, Αg. 1282 , ‘hot breath.' Gl. Med. πυρετῷ ἀναλίσκουσα, ὡς δοκεῖν ἀτμοὺς ἀνιέναι ἀπὸ γαστρὸς αὐτοῦ. But the breath meant must be that of the pursuers, who scorch and wither their victim as a hot wind blights tender leaves.

mvp-comment-54-1 ἰδώμεθα] The plural follows a participle in the singular, as in Herc. F. 858

-ματᾷ, Schol.

μάταιον γίγνεται.

See Prom. 57 . Theb. 37 .

mvp-comment-55-1 πόπαξ] Our word pish! an exclamation of peevishness and dissatisfaction, as ποποῖ is pooh-pooh, Cho. 397 , Αg. 1043 . ὀτοτοῖ οι τοτοῖ ( Pers. 562 ) is tut-tut. But ὦ πόποι (so accented) means ໖ θεοὶ, Pers. 727 , Hesych.

The sentences following appear to be spoken by different choreutae in succession. So the Schol. seems to say, one wakes first, so that the chorus do not speak all at once. He adds, ἕκαστον κατ᾿ ἰδίαν προσενεκτέον, ‘each speech is to come on separately.'

mvp-comment-56-1 καθιππάσω] you override, a military term. Schol.

Cf. 701, 741.

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.

‘the cutting off of extremities,' may have referred to this.) Cf. Lysias, Andoc. 26

οἰόμενος τὰ ἀκρωτήρια ζῶν ἀποτμηθήσεσθαι.

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.

See Prom. 337 .

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-53-1 ἔθυον ἐν ἡι οὐδεὶς τῶν θεῶν ἐκοινώνει τῆς θυσίας ὑμῖν. ἐν γὰρ τῶι μεσονυκτίωι μόναις Ἐρινύσιν ἀπάρχονται. ὅτι (auf ein χ) ταύταις μόναις ἐν νυκτὶ θύουσιν.

mvp-comment-54-1 διὰ τὸ πεφευγέναι ἐκ τοῦ νεώ.

mvp-comment-55-1 χλευάσας, ἐγγελάσας (auch f). διὰ δὲ τούτων ἐρεθίζει αὐτάς.

mvp-comment-56-1 παρεπιγραφή. τοῦτο δὲ ἐστιν ὁ φησιν ὁ ποιητής (ΙΙ. Δ 20) „αἱ δ᾽ ἐπέμυξαν“. τὸ δὲ (εὐθὺς) ἐγείρεσθαι (ἐγ. (ἀθρόως) Weckl. nach Schol. 140) τὰς παρειμένας ὕπνωι οὐ πιθανόν· κατὰ βραχὺ οὖν ἐκ προσβάσεως τὴν ἔγερσιν ποιήσονται.

mvp-comment-57-1 ὡς παρὰ) τὸ αἳ αἳ αἰάζειν, οὕτω παρὰ) τὸ ὦ ὦ ὤιζειν.

mvp-comment-58-1 τί οὖν μέλλεις τὸ σὸν ἔργον ἀνύειν

mvp-comment-59-1 συνωμοσίαν ποιήσαντες κατεκοίμισαν ὑμᾶς.

mvp-comment-60-1 παρείλοντο.

mvp-comment-61-1 ὀνειροπολοῦσαι διώκειν Ὀρέστην τοῦτό φασιν (φησιν) Μ).

mvp-comment-62-1 ἴσα μαστίγων.

mvp-comment-63-1 ἐφορμήσασα τῶι Ὀρέστηι. οἰκεῖον τῶι πνεῦμα τὸ ἐπουρίσασα.

mvp-comment-64-1 ἐκλεπτύνουσα. πυρετῶι αὐτὸν ἀναλίσκουσα, ὡς δοκεῖν ἀτμοὺς ἀνιέναι ἀπὸ τῆς γαστρὸς αὐτοῦ.

mvp-comment-65-1 ἀναστήσει (vgl. Schol. 117); ἀνίστησιν Kchh.) αὐτὰς οὐκ ἀθρόως, μιμούμενος ἐμφατικῶς τὴν ἀλήθειαν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐγείρεταί τις πρώτη, ὥστε μὴ ἀθρόως τὸν χορὸν φθέγξασθαι.

mvp-comment-66-1 μάταιον γίνεται.

mvp-comment-67-1 λείπει δεινά (δεινά auch f).

mvp-comment-68-1 κατεπο-

mvp-comment-69-1 κομματικῶς καστον κατ᾿ ἰδίαν προενεκτέον. αἱ γὰρ φοροι τοῖς πάθεσιν.

mvp-comment-70-1 ἀφόρητον κακὸν ἐπάθομεν. λέμησας.

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-1-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 251

mvp-comment-1-2 Prolog, wenn man das Erwachen der Erinyen 140-178 als Parodos und das zweite Erscheinen derselben 244-275 als Epiparodos gelten läfst. Andernfalls müfste man den Prolog bis zum eigentlichen Auftreten des Chors als der wirklichen Parodos, also 1-243 rechnen. Die Pythia, welche als Greisin (38) sich auf einen Stab stützt, kommt (durch eine Seitenthüre der Hinterwand) aus einem Nebenraume des Tempels zum Haupteingange desselben und verrichtet vor dem Eintritt ein Gebet (30 f.). Sie hat die χρηστηρία ἐσθής wie Kasandra in Agamemnon (zu Ag. 774 ). Gut bemerkt der Schol. :

(d. h. die Exposition ist nicht unvermittelt wie bei Euripides, sondern wohl motiviert). τὰ δὲ πρῶτα εὐχαὶ καὶ ἐπικλήσεις θεῶν, ἵνα ἀπὸ τῶν εὐφημοτέρων ἄρξηται ἡ προφῆτις (in der That breitet das Gebet der Priesterin über den Anfang eine weihevolle Stimmung aus). οἰκονομικῶς δὲ οὐκ ἐν ἀρχῇ διώκεται Ὀρέστης, ἀλλὰ τοῦτο ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ δράματος κατατάττει, ταμιευόμενος τὰ ἀκμαιότατα ἐν μέσῳ.

mvp-comment-64-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 261

mvp-comment-64-2 ὥραν .. θεῶν: zu einer Zeit, welche ihr mit keiner Gottheit teilt (in der „Geisterstunde"); ἐν γὰρ τῷ μεσονυκτίῳ μόναις Ερινύσιν ἀπάρχονται Schol. Der Akk. wie Eur. Bakch. 723

. Vgl. zu Cho. 812 .

mvp-comment-65-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 261

mvp-comment-65-2 λὰξ πατούμενα wie Cho. 640 .

mvp-comment-66-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 261

mvp-comment-66-2 ἐγκατιλλώψας: ἐγγελάσας. Διὰ δὲ τούτων ερεθίζει αὐτάς Schol.

mvp-comment-67-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 261

mvp-comment-67-2 ὡς kausal. περὶ ψυχῆς wie Hom. ι 423 πάντας τε δόλους καὶ μῆτιν ὕφαινον ὥς τε περὶ ψυ χῆς, Hel. 946 τοὺς δὲ Μενέλεω ποθῶ λόγους ἀκοῦσαι τίνας ἐρεῖ ψυχῆς πέρι, und in Redensarten wie μάχεσθαι, θέειν, τρέχειν περὶ ψυχῆς, ὁ περὶ τῆς ψυχῆς ἀγών ( Soph. El. 1492 ), doch hier mehr in übertragenem Sinne ,,es ist mir blutiger Ernst um die Sache". φρονήσατε, bringt es euch zum Bewurstsein.

mvp-comment-68-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 261

mvp-comment-68-2 ὄναρ, im Traume euch erscheinend. Der Dichter giebt damit den Zuschauern die richtige Auffassung des Folgenden an die Hand. Vgl. 131.

mvp-comment-69-1 ¹

mvp-comment-69-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 261

mvp-comment-69-3 Die παρεπιγραφαί geben den äufseren Vorgang an; sie kommen öfter in Handschriften des Aristophanes, bei Tragikern nur hier vor, wie auch die Art der äufseren Handlung vereinzelt steht.

mvp-comment-70-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 261

mvp-comment-70-2 μύζοιτε: zu Ag. 1058 .

mvp-comment-71-1 ²

mvp-comment-71-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 261

mvp-comment-71-3 Er hat eben Freunde, die anderer Art sind als die meinigen.

mvp-comment-72-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 261

mvp-comment-72-2 πάθος, was euch und mir widerfahren ist, dafs Orestes die Flucht ergriffen hat.

mvp-comment-73-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 262

mvp-comment-73-2 πέπρακται, ist dein Werk, vgl. Eur. Med. 1064

und dazu Schol. :

ἀντὶ τοῦ κέκριται, εἴμαρται, πέπρωται

. Bentley will hier πέπρωται schreiben nach Prom. 535

τί γὰρ πέπρωται Ζηνὶ πλὴν ἀεὶ κρατεῖν

. Vgl. 71 κακῶν δ᾽ ἕκατι κἀγένοντο.

mvp-comment-74-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 262

mvp-comment-74-2 συνωμόται: Ag. 655 .

mvp-comment-75-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 262

mvp-comment-75-2 ἐξεκήραναν, Schol. παρεί λοντο. Hesych. ἐξεκήρανεν· ἐξέ φθειρε.

mvp-comment-76-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 262

mvp-comment-76-2 λαβὲ (wie man dem Hunde zuruft fals") φράζου (,,hab acht") spricht die Chorführerin im Traume.

mvp-comment-77-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 262

mvp-comment-77-2 κύων, ein Jagdhund. Vgl. Aristot. Tiergesch. IV 10 ἐνυπνιάζειν φαίνονται οὐ μόνον ἄνθρωποι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἵπποι καὶ κύνες καὶ βόες, Lucret. IV 988 venantumque canes in molli saepe quiete iactant crura tamen subito vocesque repente mittunt et crebro reducunt naribus auras, ut vestigia si teneant inventa ferarum etc.

mvp-comment-78-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 262

mvp-comment-78-2 πῆμα, das Unglück, dafs Orestes entronnen ist.

mvp-comment-79-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 262

mvp-comment-79-2 Meine gerechten Vorwürfe mögen dein Inneres empfindlich berühren. Hom. Ε 493 δάκε δὲ φρένας Ἕκτορι μύθος.

mvp-comment-80-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 262

mvp-comment-80-2 ἀντίκεντρα wie 469. Weiter ausgeführt wird der Vergleich 156 f.

mvp-comment-81-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 262

mvp-comment-81-2 σοῦ: ἴθι, τρέχε, ὅρμα Hesych. — Schol. :

Über das demonstrative to Krüger II § 50, 1, 4 .

mvp-comment-82-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 262

mvp-comment-82-2 ἀτμῷ, νηδύος πυρί, dem Atem, der wie Feuer aus deinem Leibe kommt.

mvp-comment-83-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 262

mvp-comment-83-2 δευτέροις διώγμασιν: das erste Mal verfolgten sie ihn von Argos nach Delphi. Der Schatten der Klyt. verschwindet wieder in die Tiefe durch das ἀναπίεσμα).

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-85-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 263

mvp-comment-85-2 ἀπολακτίσασα ἰδώμεθα dem σχῆμα καθ᾿ ὅλον καὶ μέρος entsprechend. Vgl. Aristoph. Vö. 203

. Krüger I § 56, 9, 1 . τοῦδε φροιμίου, „ob etwas von dem folgenden ( τοῦδε wie ὕμνον τόνδε δέσμιον 306) Vorspiel wirkungslos ist" ( ματᾷ, Schol. μάταιον γίνεται). Der folgende Gesang soll als προοίμιον nur einstweilen eine Ahnung geben, was sie in ihrer Wut leisten können.

mvp-comment-85-3 ³

mvp-comment-86-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 263

mvp-comment-86-2 In den zwei ersten Strophenpaaren wechseln, wie sich aus dem Text ergiebt, die Halbchöre (A, B). Im dritten Strophenpaare treten sie zum Gesamtchore zusammen. - In der Aufregung unterbrechen sich im Anfang die Halbehöre: A. ἐπάθομεν, φίλαι, ἐπάθομεν πάθος . . θήρ. B. ἦ πολλὰ δὴ παθοῦσα καὶ μάτην ἐγώ, ὕπνῳ κρατηθεῖσ᾽ ἄγραν ὤλεσα u. s. w.

mvp-comment-87-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 263

mvp-comment-87-2 δυσαχές (schwer zu beklagen) nur hier.

mvp-comment-88-1 ⁴

mvp-comment-88-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 263

mvp-comment-88-3 πέπτωκεν, er ist herausgeraten.

mvp-comment-89-1 ⁵

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

wie 734, 782. Schol. κατεπολέμησας, τα 734 κατατρέχεις. Es bedeutet,, mit Hohn und Übermut überrennen, niedertreten“, vgl. λৠπατεῖν 110.

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

; Ag. 221

τί τῶνδ᾽ ἄνευ κακῶν

; Eur. Suppl. 527

τί τούτων οὐ καλῶς ἔχον

;

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 ⁶

mvp-comment-95-1 ⁷

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 ⁸

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

) und mit Δίκας θρόνον 542 βωμὸν αἴ δεσαι Δίκας, Ag. 395

μέγαν Δίκας βωμόν

, Soph. Ant. 854

ὑψηλὸν ἐς Δίκας βάθρον

, Solon frg. IV 14 σεμνὰ θέμεθλα Δίκης.

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 ⁹

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

, 977 τὸν ἐξαμαρτόντ᾽ εἰς θεοὺς ἐφημέροις πορόντα τιμάς. Vgl. auch Eur. Hipp. 1328

θεοῖσι δ᾽ ὧδ᾽ ἔχει νόμος· οὐδεὶς ἀπαντᾶν βούλεται, προθυμίᾳ τῇ τοῦ θέλον τος, ἀλλ᾽ ἀφιστάμεστ᾽ ἀεί

. Die epische Form βρότεος kommt sonst nirgends bei den attischen Dichtern vor. wenn

mvp-comment-99-3 ¹⁰

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

. Wegen des Präsens ἐλευθεροῦται κu Ag. 131 .

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

Eur. Rhes. 817 . wird."

mvp-comment-107-3 ¹¹

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. :

soll wohl lauten: κακῶν ἄθροισις ἡ λιθοβολία. Darnach erhielte man den Sinn: „,Wo als Krönung der Qualen die Steinigung stattfindet." Auch anderswo ( Bekk. Anecd. p. 372, 2 , Etym. M. p. 53, 41 , Hesych.) findet sich die Erklärung άθροισμα und σύστημα neben ἀκρότης, ἀκμή, παράστασις, πλῆθος. Aber sie scheint blofs aus unserer Stelle gewonnen sein und das folgende te muſs und" bedeuten, ἀκρωνία also eine Marter bezeichnen. Deshalb ist die von H. Stephanus angenommene Bedeutung ἀκρωτηριασμός (Verstümmelung an Händen und Fülsen) wahrscheinlich, wie ein Schol., welcher χλοῦνις ἀκρωνία verbindet, dieses mit ἡ ἀκμαία ἀποκοπή erklärt. Davies vermutet ἄκρων του μαί. μύζουσιν οἰκτισμὸν πολύν d. i. das Stöhnen der Gepfählten ist herzzerreifsend. Eine ähnzu liche Zusammenstellung der ärgsten Qualen kommt Plat. Gorg. p. 473 C vor: ἐὰν στρεβλῶται καὶ ἐκτέμνηται καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐκκάηται καὶ τὸ ἔσχατον ἀνασταυρωθῇ καὶ καταπιττωθῇ. Vgl. Eur. Iph. Τ. 1429 ὡς ἢ κατὰ στύφλου πέτρας ῥίψωμεν ἢ 'ν σκόλοψι πήξωμεν δέμας. Als eine nur Barbaren zukommende Strafart wird das Pfählen Herod. IX 79

τὰ πρέπει μᾶλλον βαρβάροισι ποιέειν ἤπερ Ελλησι,

bezeichnet: sagt Pausanias zu dem Tegeaten, welcher die Leiche des Mardonios zur Sühne für Leonidas aufzuspielsen vorschlägt.

mvp-comment-108-3 ¹²

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

, Catull. LXIV

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 ¹³

mvp-comment-114-1 ¹⁴

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 ¹⁵

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 .

ὥραν , the acc. is best explained as a kind of loose apposition to νυκτίσεμνα δείπνα: the apposition really being to the part of the expression which contains the notion of night. The Erinyes alone had midnight sacrifices.

καὶ ταῦτα , usually with participle: here loosely but naturally with principal verb. The fact is, the ὤρουσεν is grammatically needless ('he is gone like a fawn, and that too from the very midst of the snare'), but is redundantly added, picking up and further emphasizing οἴχεται.

ἐγκατιλλώψας , a strange word, which occurs again Aesch. Sisyph. (Frag. 211) meaning mock. We find also κατιλλώπτω, ἐνιλλώπτω: the derivation seems to be ἴλλω, twist, ὀπ-, face:' hence to leer, to sneer, and so to scoff.

τῆς ἐμῆς περὶ ψυχῆς , for dear life; a proverbial expression as in English (rather strange in the mouth of a ghost), meaning that the issue is of the last importance to her.

ὄναρ , might be nom., I, a dream, like Ag. 82 ὄναρ ἡμερόφαντον ἀλαίνει (so Schütz, Wakef. H. Pal.). But it is rather more naturally taken acc. in a dream, as l. 131

. II [The Furies begin to groan and mutter and move uneasily in their sleep.]

mvp-sidgwick-72-1-1 The MSS. read φίλοις γάρ εἰσιν οὐκ ἐμοῖς προσίκτορες, which makes no sense, since it could only be translated for there are protectors for friends who are not mine, an obscure and impossible expression for my enemies have gods to help them. Herm.'s correction οὐκ ἐμοί is neat and simple: my friends have helpers: I have none: and P. D. adopt it.

mvp-sidgwick-72-2-1 But it is not really satisfactory : φίλοις without article or possessive is very harsh, and even the use of the word at all is unnatural (not at all like line 108): and προσίκτωρ, though supported by

(Supp. 1 ), is suspicious.

mvp-sidgwick-72-3-1 I prefer on the whole Weil's φίλοι γάρ εἰσιν, οὐκ ἐμοῖς προσεικότες for he has friends, not like to mine, an effective taunt simply expressed.

mvp-sidgwick-73-1-1 Notice the ironic elaborate plainness of this line, as of an angry person who cannot make herself understood.

mvp-sidgwick-74-1-1 If we keep the MSS. πέπρακται, we can only construe (with Paley) this line What hast thou accomplished save to work me harm? i. e. 'you are appointed to avenge me, and by negligence you have only done harm, in letting Orestes escape.'

mvp-sidgwick-74-2-1 The Schol. however paraphrases τί μέλλεις τὸ σὸν ἔργον ἀνύειν ( why delay to do your duty?), clearly understanding the text what business is yours save to do harm (to Orestes)? Herm. followed by Weil tries to get this sense out of πέπρακται, quid tibi agitur: but the tense makes it impossible. If we accept the meaning of the Schol. we must read with Bentley [Stanl. Butl. Hart.] πέπρωται or with Wakef. τέτακται. I have taken πέπρωται. The scornful summons What is your business but mischief?' is more characteristic of Klytaimnestra and more effective than a complaint.

κύριοι ξυνωμόται , fit conspirators: a bold and characteristic image. κύριος means rightful: sleep and weariness naturally act together. For the figure cp. Ag. 650

mvp-sidgwick-76-1-1 [Mutterings redoubled and louder] Seize him, seize him ... give heed! The muttering and restless movements and slow awakening with fierce cries are finely dramatic: Aeschylus is unmatched in producing these effects of suspense and terror. Müller ingeniously suggests that it should be read φράζου, followed by λαβέ seven times repeated, as φράζου, mark him, more naturally comes first: the iambic metrical system is preserved: and the leader would then say φράζου, and each of the seven pairs λαβέ. We have however (see p. 23) preferred the view that the chorus was 12, not 15.]

mvp-sidgwick-77-1-1 The dreams of animals are noticed by Theocr. (21.44), Lucret. (4. 989), and Aristotle (Hist. An. 4. 10).

μηδ᾽ ἀγνοήσῃς πῆμα , forget not my wrong.

ἀντίκεντρα , like spurs; see l. 38

.

τῷ , on him. Epic use of article as demonstr. frequent in Aeschylus: see ll. 174, 340, 462, 484

.

mvp-sidgwick-80-2-1 Notice the powerful and imaginative phrasing, waft a bloody breath, shrivel with vapour, wither with pursuit. [The ghost of Klytaimnestra disappears below ; the Chorus gradually awake, the leader rousing the others.]

mvp-sidgwick-81-1-1 Let us see if this prelude is vain, rather obscure, but φροίμιον τύδε most naturally refers to the song they are going to sing, a song of lament at the escape, and chiding and reproach to Apollo.

ἰδέσθαι , the middle, is an Epic use, common in Tragg. Note the loose but natural grammar κἀπολακτίσασ᾽ (sing.), ἰδώμεθ᾽ (plur.). So exactly Aristoph. Aves 203, ἐμβὰς ἐς τὴν λόχμην καλοῦμεν. ...

mvp-sidgwick-82-1-1 This line is out of agreement; and generally the character of the first stanzas is that the lines are very disjointed: the true explanation being no doubt that the song is alternately taken up by one and another of the Furies, to give the dramatic effect of their excitement and anger. So the Schol. says κομματικῶς ἕκαστον κατ᾿ ἰδίαν προφερετέον· each bit must be delivered separately by a single voice. It is not worth while to attempt (as Herm. does) to distribute the parts exactly, as there is no evidence.

ὁ θήρ , our prey.

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 :

Ruling utterly beyond the right

A throne dripping blood

From feet to head:

We may see the Earth's navel, etc.

[φονολιβή θρόνον is a regular dochmiac, and may rightly correspond to μεσολαβεῖ κέντρῳ, where the long κεν- is an irrational syllable. So for example O. Τ. 1315 δύσοῦρῖστὸν ōv corresponds to 1323 τυφλὸν κῆδεῦῶν.

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:

The two lines would then be a vivid and bold picture of angry horror at the foul stain on the god's shrine: such are the doings of the young gods as the ancient Furies dramatically exclaim. On the whole I prefer (1) which keeps the MS. reading, certainly also read (though misunderstood) by the Schol. who says, τὸν θρόνον οὗ Ορέστης καθῆτο πάρεστιν ὁρᾶν φονολειβῆ. It was not the seat of Orestes but the seat of Apollo.

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-

But it is very difficult to believe that Aeschylus who makes the Furies call upon the Fates (961) as our own sisters, righteous goddesses, and speak of them as apart from themselves (724), should here put one for the other. It is better to consider (with Dind. Linw. Weil) that the allusion is here, as more fully explained below (724), to Apollo having allowed the Fates to be robbed by the rescue of Alkestis from death. This explains the κάμοί γε next line, To us too the Furies, as well as to the Fates; and also l. 175

He if he fly beneath the earth shall never be set free, as Alkestis was set free by Herakles who wrestled with death and recovered her.

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,

The words italicised clearly point to some correction like ἐγγενῆ or ἐν γένει (Hart.) or ἐκ γένους (Weil). I have taken the former, 'being guilty of blood he shall find, smiting his head, another avenger of his kindred: i. e. the blood feud shall be continued: Klytaimnestra smote Agamemnon: Orestes smote Klytaimnestra; another shall strike him and the feud be carried on.

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

Ag. 664 ,

λαμπὰς πορευτής

ib. 287 ,

θέλκτωρ πειθώ

Suppl. 1040 , παραγιγνόμεναι πράκτορες below 319, βρωτῆρας αἰχμάς 803.

mvp-sidgwick-99-1-1 A corrupt and difficult line: MSS. read-

The explanation turns on the meaning of χλοῦνις. (1) One of the Schol. understands it to mean castration: and this is supported by Aristotle (Hist. An. 6. 28), who says distinctly τῶν δὲ ἀρρένων καὶ ἀγρίων οἱ τομίαι μείζους γίγνονται καὶ χαλεπώτεροι, ὥσπερ καὶ Ὅμηρος ἐποίησεν (11. 9. 539), Τρέψεν ἔπι χλούνην σῦν ἄγριον : which proves that Arist. took χλούνης=τομίας: ΕEustathius (772), who quotes the authority of Aeschylus, Aelian, and Aristotle for this int.: and Aeschylus himself, who (Frag. 62) has χλούνης apparently meaning eunuch; but (2) others reply that Homer cannot have meant a σûς τομίας but the opposite : and hence χλοῦνις = virility. These retain κακοῦται and read ἀποφθορᾷ, translating 'and by the destruction of the seed the virility of boys is ruined.' So Dind. Pal. Weil.

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

Soph. Phil. 656

ἆρ᾽ ἔστιν ὥστε . . . λαβεῖν.

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;