Aeschylus Eumenides 328

Gottfried Hermann (Editor)

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ἐπὶ δὲ τῷ τεθυμένῳ
τόδε μέλος παρακοπά,
παραφορὰ φρενοδαλής,
ὕμνος ἐξ Ἐρινύων,
δέσμιος φρενῶν, ἀφόρ-
330
μικτος, αὐονὰ βροτοῖς.
1

Eumenides. Aeschylus. Gottfried Hermann (Editor). Lipsiae. 1852.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by Schmidt Sciences.

Current edition Experimental

Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) (Greek) (Εὐμενίδες. Gottfried Hermann, 1852.)

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (11)
Εὐμενίδες First1KGreek (Aeschyli Tragoediae. Sidgwick, Arthur, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1902.) — 299-396 focus
Εὐμενίδες Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 2. Smyth, Herbert Weir, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1926.) — 299-396 focus
Εὐμενίδες (1518 edition; OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Eumenides, 1518 edition. VLM-assisted OCR with native lineation and automated correspondence to the Smyth edition.) — 328 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Guilielmus Dindorfius, 1882.) — 328 focus
ἐπὶ δὲ τῷ τεθυμένῳ τόδε μέλος
παρακοπὰ, παραφορὰ φρενοδαλὴς,
330
ὕμνος ἐξ Ἐρινύων,
δέσμιος φρενῶν, ἀφόρμικτος, αὐονὰ βροτοῖς.
ΕΥΜΕΝΙΔΕΣ (OCR draft) Experimental (ΕΥΜΕΝΙΔΕΣ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 328 focus
Ἐπὶ δὲ τῷ τεθυμένῳ
τόδε μέλος παρακοπά,
παραφορὰ φρενοδαλής -δαλις φρενοδαής,
330
ὕμνος ἐξ Ἐρινύων,
δέσμιος φρενῶν, ἀφόρ-
μικτος, αὐονὰ βροτοῖς.
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Arthur Sidgwick, 1887.) — 328 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. N. Wecklein, 1885.) — 328 focus
ἐπὶ δὲ τῷ τεθυμένῳ
τόδε μέλος, παρακοπά,
330
παραφορὰ φρενοδαλής,
ὕμνος ἐξ Ἐρινύων,
δέσμιος φρενῶν, ἀφόρ-
μικτος, αὐονὰ βροτοῖς.
1
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Martin L. West, 1990.) — 328 focus
Aeschyli Eumenides (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschyli Eumenides. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1914.) — 328 focus
ἐπὶ δὲ τῶι τεθυμένωι
τόδε μέλος, παρακοπά,
παραφορὰ φρενοδαλής,
330
ὕμνος ἐξ Ἐρινύων,
δέσμιος φρενῶν, ἀφόρ-
μικτος, αὐονὰ βροτοῖς. –
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek text of Aeschylus' Eumenides, edited by F. A. Paley, 1885.) — 328 focus
ἐπὶ δὲ τῷ τεθυμένῳ
τόδε μέλος, παρακοπὰ, παραφορὰ φρενοδαλής,
ὕμνος ἐξ Ἐρινύων,
δέσμιος φρενῶν, ἀφόρμικτος, αὐονὰ βροτοῖς.
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek text of Aeschylus' Eumenides, edited by Friedrich Blass, 1907.) — 328 focus
ἐπὶ δὲ τῶι τεθυμένωι τόδε μέλος
παρακοπά, παραφορὰ φρενοδαλής,
330
ὕμνος ἐξ Ἐρινύων,
δέσμιος φρενῶν, ἀφόρμικτος, αὑονὰ βροτοῖς.
Translations (10)
Eumenides Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 2. Smyth, Herbert Weir, translator. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1926. (Modernized by Perseus.)) — 299-395 focus
The Eumenides (OCR draft) Experimental (The Eumenides. Theodore Alois Buckley, 1849.) — 328 focus
But over the victim [be this the strain, one fraught with distracting, mind-destroying, the hymn of the Furies, that charms the mind, without the lyre, that causes shrivelling to mortals.
LES EUMÉNIDES (OCR draft) Experimental (LES EUMÉNIDES. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 328 focus
d'une mère.
(Fiévreux.)
Mais, pour notre victime, voici le chant délire,
vertige où se perd la raison, voici l'hymne des Érinyes, enchaîneur d'âmes, chant sans lyre, qui sèche les mortels d'effroi 1 .
The Furies (OCR draft) Experimental (The Furies. Robert Potter, 1779.) — 328 focus
O'er my victim raiſe the ſtrain,
And let the diſmal sound
His tortur'd boſom wound,
And to frenzy fire his brain.
370
Silent be the ſilver ſhell,
Whilſt we chaunt the potent ſpell;
Then yelling bid th' infernal deſcant roll,
To harrow up his ſoul.
ANTISTROPHE 1.
Eschilo, Le Eumenidi: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli (OCR draft) Experimental (Eschilo, Le Eumenidi: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli. Ettore Romagnoli, 1922.) — 328 focus
Sopra la vittima questa mia nenia
dissennatrice, folle, delira,
quest'inno delle Furie,
che avvince gli animi, che strugge gli uomini,
schivo di lira.
365
Aeschylus, Eumenides: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Eumenides: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii. Ioannes Sanravius, 1555.) — 328 focus
In hoc ſacrificato fit
Cantus uerò, amentia,
Furor, inſania,
320
Hymnus ex furijs,
Vinctus ſine occaſione mentis, mœror mortalibus.
Aeschylus, Die Eumeniden: German translation (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Die Eumeniden: German translation. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1919–1923.) — 328 focus
Über dem Opfer, da sprech' ich den Spruch:
Sinnesbethörung,
Sinnesverstörung,
Seelenqual.
English (E. D. A. Morshead, 1889, second edition) (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, The Furies — Morshead translation. Wikisource transcription; speech corresp and card milestones aligned to Smyth perseus-grc2.) — 328 focus
Hear the hymn of hell,
385
O'er the victim sounding,—
Chant of frenzy, chant of ill,
Sense and will confounding!
Round the soul entwining
Without lute or lyre—
390
Soul in madness pining,
Wasting as with fire!
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.) — 328 focus
Um das Schlachtopfer schlingt
Euer Lied, Wahnsinnshauch, Wahnsinnslaut der Bethörung,
Schlingt Erinnenfestgesang,
Harfenlos, der Geister Band, der des Hörers Mark verzehrt!
Erste Gegenstrophe.
English (Smyth; revised Bannon and Nagy, CHS) (OCR draft) Experimental (CHS Primary Sources revision of Herbert Weir Smyth’s translation by Cynthia Bannon and Gregory Nagy, with transliterated Greek terms tagged and aligned to the Smyth edition.)

No corresponding passage available

Notes on the current edition

Eumenides

1. ἀντ. α'.

Commentary

Commentary on Aeschylus: Eumenides (Aeschylus. Eumenides. Sidgwick, Arthur, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1887.)

285. ἀβλαβεῖ , harmless; proving that he was purified.

290. αὐτόν , myself: the 'me' is not wanted after emphatic ἐμοί

293. Τρίτων was in the stories of Athena a Libyan lake from which she was supposed to have sprung; afterwards identified with the large salt lake in the south of Tunis.

298. γένοιτο , regular sequence after ἔλθοι. In English we say May she come, and therefore naturally have the primary sequence, that she may prove .

301. ὅπου φρενῶν , where in the heart it lies.

302. δαιμόνων is the powers below, i, e. both the Furies who will drink his blood and Hades (1. 274) who ordains and directs the vengeance.

302. σκιάν , a shadow, not a ghost, for he was to be carried off below yet living (1. 267): but all the vigour sucked out of him with his blood. [Schol. reads σκιά with MSS., and takes it voc. Unlikely.]

306. ὕμνον δέσμιον σέθεν , the song that binds thee, the choric song acting as an infernal spell to make Orestes their prey: and perhaps accompanied by mysterious binding gestures.

309. δεδόκηκεν , 'tis our resolve, poetic form for regular δέδοκται.

310. λάχη might be the office of the Furies, as Cho. 360: but with ἐπινωμᾷ it makes better sense to refer it to ἀνθρώπους. How our troop assigns the lots of men.

310. στάσις , as Choeph. 114, 458.

319. πράκτορες , avengers, from πράσσειν in the special sense 'to exact a debt.' So τὸν πατρὸς φόνον πράξαντα 1. 624, χερὶ πράκτορι Ag. 111. For the masc. form πράκτωρ with fem. substantive cf. line 186.

320. τελέως , unfailingly: it goes with παραγιγ. πρακ. and expresses the persistent and complete vengeance.

322. ἀλαοῖσι καὶ δεδορκόσιν , the sightless and the seeing, i. e. the dead and the living. So δερκομένοισι καὶ δυσομμάτοις 1. 388.

326. ματρῷον ἅγνισμα κύριον φόνου , rightful atonement for a mother's blood ματρῷον poetically transferred from φόνου to ἄγνισμα, as the thought comes naturally in that order 'expiation for a mother for her blood.' ...

329-332. αὐονά is also found (Simon. Iamb. vii. 20) in the sense of cry, [from root αϝ, shout] and it may be so taken here by joining it with

329-332. ἀφόρμικτος , a cry unmusical to men: but the other sense from

329-332. αὐαίνω , to wither or waste, is more forcible, and so the Schol. Med. takes it: ὁ ξηραίνων τοὺς βροτούς.

374. κατὰ γᾶν , on earth, is the MS. reading: but as Hermann said, the sense below the earth, κατὰ γᾶs, is required in antithesis to ὑπ᾿ αἰθέρι. The same mistake occurs again 11. 838, 871. 11. 375, 376. Bold and imaginative expressions :

Before our black-robed assault,
And the vengeful measures of our foot;
i.e. [their human glories come to naught] when we the Furies attack them and weave these magic dances which make them our captive (as we are doing to Orestes).

Critical apparatus to Eumenides (OCR draft) (Latin and Greek critical apparatus to Gottfried Hermann's 1852 edition of Eumenides.) focus

mvp-comment-205-1 χοιροκτόνοις: χειροκτόνοις Rob. χοιροκτόνοις supra adscripto χει Par. teste Boissonado adnot. in Zachariam scholast. p. 408.

mvp-comment-206-1 ὅσοις ... ἀβλαβεῖ: 8ools M. G. Par. Ven. Flor. Rob. östois Ald. unde öçTIS infelici coniectura Turn. aßhaß Par. et ante correctionem G.

mvp-comment-207-1 χρόνος καθαιρεῖ πάντα γηράσκων ὁμοῦ.: καθαίρει malebat Stanleius. Deinde γηράσκων M. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. ye didúozor Ven. Farn. et yɛ supra adscripto Flor. Nexum turbare hunc versum et ab hoc loco alienum esse dixi in Opusc. VI. 2. p. 55. seq. Delendum eum esse viderat iam Musgravius. Adscriptus fuit ad versus 277. 278. Similis versus apud Stobaeum CXXVI. 8. legitur, χρόνος δ᾽ ἀμαυροῖ πάντα κεἰς λήθην ἄγει.

mvp-comment-208-1 Ἀργεῖον: ἀργείων Ven.

mvp-comment-209-1 Λιβυστικοῖς: Libri ßvorizois. Ea adiectivi forma Aeschylus usus est in Suppl. v. 266. et in Myrmidonibus fr. 145. Tzetzes ad Lycophr. v. 519. καὶ Αἰσχύλος μυθικῶς “ εἶτ᾽ ἀμφὶ χεῦμα γενεθλίου σπόρου Τρίτωνος ἐν τόποις Λιβυστίοις,” ita enim codices duo Vitebergenses aliique et Favorinus in v. tqiyέvvytos. Auratus et Casaubonus scribendum putarunt Aißvotizs. Eo non opus est: zooaç enim, ut saepius in huiusmodi formulis, abundat.

mvp-comment-210-1 χεῦμα ... πόρου: ἀμφιχεῦμα Ald. σπόρου Tzetzes.

mvp-comment-211-1 κατηρεφῆ: zatŋoeg лóda si scripsit Aeschylus, non videtur aliud significare potuisse quam pedem nube amictum, ut hoc dixerit, sive palam incedens, sive latens opem fert amicis, oppositumque sit ỏo òv nóða Tidéra, i. e. recto pede in campo stare, inter ipsos quibus praesidio est. Comparari quodammodo potest quod Sophocles dixit in Oed. R. v. 419. βλέποντα νῦν μὲν ὄρθ᾽, ἔπειτα δὲ σκότον. V. Opusc. VI. 2. p. 56. seqq. VII. p. 4. seq. Dubitari tamen potest an non scripserit Aeschylus xaτηorqй. Et videri potest aliud legisse scholiastes qui haec ita interpretatus est, καταβάλλει γὰρ ἡ ὀρθοῖ, quod scholion non invenitur in M. G. sed Triclinii esse videtur. Burgesius zaraqεon, similiterque Fritzschius (Zweiter anhang zu O. Müllers Eumeniden p. 39.) zaτηfεoñ scribendum esse censuit, ut intelligeretur Minerva aut stans inter eos quibus praesidio est, aut deorsum ex aere delata. Neque caret haec con-. iectura probabilitate.

mvp-comment-212-1 ὅπως γένοιτο: Quum dicit önws yévoito, optare se ait, ut veniat illa, quo, si velit, opem ferat. V. ad Soph. Ai. v. 1222.

mvp-comment-213-1 οὔτοι σ' Ἀπόλλων οὐδ᾽ Ἀθηναίας σθένος ῥύσαιτ᾽ ἂν ὥςτε μὴ οὐ παρημελημένον ἔρρειν, τὸ χαίρειν μὴ μαθόνθ' ὅπου φρενῶν, ἀναίματον βόσκημα τῶνδε δαιμόνων.: Hos versus inter tres Furias distribuendos esse indicavi in Opusc. VI. 2. p. 61. τῶνδέ μοι Farn. ovtis o Ven. Farn. et adscripto in margine yo. ovτoi σè Flor. Deinde vains Farn. áðŋvalois Ven. et ad ultimam syllabam supra adscripto as Flor. Jos tε pro stɛ Ald. qui tam mirus error ex eo ortus est, quod in G. quum librarius neglecto çre scripsisset in, statim autem animadverso errore hanc voculam mutasset in wore, confusi ductus litterarum un et a negligentius considerati speciem praebent similem litterarum ρου. μαθῶν θ' Rob. Libri αναίματον βόσκημα δαιμόνων σκιά. Scholiastes ἀναίματον ita interpretatur, simul aliam lectionem, ἐναίματον, commemorans, ὁ μηδὲ αἷμα σχήσων ἐξ ἡμῶν, ἀλλὰ γενησόμενος σκιά· οφήσομεν γάρ σου τὸ αἷμα (conf. v. 261.). ἢ ἐναίματον, ἀντὶ τοῦ. ζῶντά σε νεκρὸν ποιήσομεν. Heathii coniecturam, σκιάν, Schutzius recepit, post δαιμόνων commate interpungens, ut δαίμονες intelligerentur Furiae. Verum sic σκιάν languidius adiectum est. Quare olim ita interpunxi, αναίματον βόσκημα, δαιμόνων σκιάν, ut acerbe diceretur Orestes futurus esse umbra dei alicuius, quemadmodum in Iliade V.242. de diis dicitur τούνεκ' αναίμονές εισι. Postea in Annalium Vindobonensium vol. CXI. p. 250. aliam et, ut puto, veriorem rationem ineundam esse ostendi. Nam δαίμονες dicuntur sane Furiae: sed accuratius definiendum erat illud δαιμόνων. Quod autem libri habent, σκιά, ex interpretatione in ipsius poetae versum illatum est. Quare scripsi, ἀναίματον βόσκημα τῶνδε δαιμόνων.

mvp-comment-214-1 ἀλλ᾽: οὐδ pro ἀλλ' Ven. Flor.

mvp-comment-215-1 καθιερωμένος: καθιερωμένος Ald. Addidi interrogationis signum. V. Opusc. VI. 2. p. 61. VII. p. 19.

mvp-comment-216-1 καὶ ζῶν με δαίσεις, οὐδὲ πρὸς βωμῷ σφαγείς: Hunc et sequentem versum choro continuandum esse vidit Stanleius. In G. Ald. Turn. Apollini tributi sunt. In M. versui 302. lineola praefixa est. Nulla personae nota in Ven. Flor. καὶ ζῶν μἐδαίσεις Ven. Farn. πρὸς βοροσφαγείς codex Robortelli: ipse ex Sophiani emendatione dedit προς βωμῷ σφαγείς, quod est in celeris libris.

mvp-comment-217-1 ὕμνον δ᾽ ἀκούσει: ὕμνον ἀκούση Ven. ὕπνον ἀκούσῃ Flor. Ceteri ὕμνον δ᾽ ἀκούσῃ.

mvp-comment-218-1 ἄγε δὴ: Chori nota adscripta est in M. G. Ven. Flor. Ald. Rob. Turn. Hos anapaestos constare ex systemate et antisystemate atque epodo ostendi in Opusc. VI. 2. p. 63.

mvp-comment-219-1 δεδόκηκεν: δεδόκηκεν Μ. G. δεδόκηκε Turn. δεδόκημεν Ven. Flor. Farn. Ald. Rob.

mvp-comment-220-1 λάχη τὰ: λάχητα κατ' Αld.

mvp-comment-221-1 ὡς ἐπινωμᾷ ... ἀμά: ὡς ἐπὶ νωμᾷ G. ὡς ἐπὶ νομᾶ Ald. In fine versus libri ἅμα, Canteri emendatio est αμά.

mvp-comment-222-1 εὐθυδίκαιοí θ᾽ ἡδόμεθ᾽ εἶναι: εὐθυδίκαι θ᾽ οἶδ' οίμεθ᾽ εἶναι Μ. ut Franzius dicit. εὐθυδίκαι θ' οἱδοίμεθ᾽ εἶναι G. Rob. et, ut alii dicunt, M. εὐθυδίκα θ' οἱ δοίμεσθ᾽ εἶναι Ald. εὐθυδίκαι δ᾽ ἐδοίμεθ᾽ εἶναι Par. εὐθυδίκαι τ᾽ οἶδ᾽ οἶμαι θεῖναι Ven. Flor. Farn. εὐθύδικαί ' εὐθυδίκαι Viel.) ἡδόμεσθ' είναι Turn. Vict. εύθυδίκαι δ᾽ ἡδόμεθ' είναι Canterus. Scribendum erat εὐθυδίκαιοι δ᾽ ἡδόμεθ᾽ εἶναι. Illud Casaubonus viderat, 9' in δ' esse mutandum. εὐθυδίκαιοι simile verbum est atque ὀρθοδίκαιοι infra v. 976.

mvp-comment-223-1 τοὺς μὲν καθαρὰς ... χεῖρας προνέμοντας: τοὺς μὲν καθαρὰς | χεῖρας προσνέμοντας M. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. nisi quod Ald. πρὸς νέμοντας habet. τοὺς μὲν καθαρὰς (καθαρᾷ Farn.) χεῖρας προνέμοντας Ven. Flor. Farn. Quod Turnebus inter τὰ ἄλλως εὑρεθέντα ἐν τισὶν ἀντιγράφοις affert, χεῖρας ἔχοντας, id, quum ille in Orestea nullo codice praeter Aldinam editionem usus sit, non dubito quin coniectura sit, quam in textum non ausus est recipere. Bis tantum ille in Eumenidibus aliam scripturam adnotavit, hie et mox v. 358. sed etiam hoc altero loco talem quae coniecturae speciem prae se ferat. Non recte olim scripsi τὸν μὲν καθαρὰς χεῖρας προνέμοντο. Etenim non veri simile est librarios pluralem posuisse, quum singulari numero sequatur ἀσινὴς δ᾽ αἰῶνα διοιχνεῖ. Sed, ut strophica horum anapaestorum ratio docet, scribendum potius est, τοὺς μὲν καθαρὰς * καθαρῶς* χεῖρας προνέμοντας.

mvp-comment-224-1 οὔτις ἐφέρπει μῆνις ἀφ᾿ ἡμῶν: Libri οὔτις ἀφ᾿ ἡμῶν μῆνις ἐφέρπει. Hiatum, qui ita inter hunc et sequentem versum est, Porsonus emendata verborum collocatione removit.

mvp-comment-225-1 ἀλιτών, ὥςπερ ὅδ᾽ ἀνήρ: Libri αλιτρῶν. Recepi olim Stanleii coniecturam ἀλιτῶν. Neque dubitari potest quin verum sit hoc verbum: sed scribi debet akıτών, ut Auratus voluerat. Nam praesens huius verbi neque exstat, neque hic commodum est. Libri ἀνήρ. Correxit Porsonus.

mvp-comment-226-1 φονίας: φονίους Par.

mvp-comment-227-1 θανοῦσιν: θανοῦσιν M. G. Par. Ven. Flor. Ald. Rob. v abiecit Turn.

mvp-comment-228-1 παραγιγνόμεναι: Libri παραγινόμεναι. Deinde κράκτορες Par.

mvp-comment-229-1 ἔτικτες: Huic versui in Ven. Flor. Orestis nomen adscriptum est. ἔτεκες Ald. Turn. sed G. ut ceteri ἔτικτες.

mvp-comment-230-1 ἀλαοῖσι ... δεδορκόσιν ποινάν: ἀλαοῖσι Pauwius et sic Par. ἀλαοῖς Ven. Flor. Farn. αλαοῖσιν Μ. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. Deinde και omissum in Farn. Deinde δεδορκόσι Turn. δεδορκῶσιν Ven. Flor. Ceteri recte δεδορκόσιν. Μox ποινᾶν posuit Turnebus. ποινὰν recte M. G. Ald. Rob. In Ven. Flor. Farn. omissa sunt haec verba, ποινών, κλῦθ᾽. ὁ Λατούς γὰρ ἦνίς μ' ἄτιμον τίθησιν. Adscriptum in Farn. λξ β'.

mvp-comment-231-1 κλῦθι· ὁ Λατοῦς: κλῦθ᾽ ὁ λατους M. G. Rob. κλύθ᾽ ἑλατους vitium Ald. Inde Turn. κλύθι. Λατούς.

mvp-comment-232-1 τίθησιν: τίθησιν M. G. Ald. Rob. v omisit Turn.

mvp-comment-233-1 τόνδ᾽: τόνδε γ' ἀφαιρούμενος Farn.

mvp-comment-234-1 πτῶκα, ματρῷον: πτῶκα Rob. ex emendatione Sophiani et Turn. πτάκα M. G. Ald. codex Robortelli. πτᾶκα Ven. Flor. Deinde ματρῷον Arnaldus. Libri ματρώϊον. In Farn. adscriptum συνίζησις.

mvp-comment-235-1 ἐπὶ δὲ τῷ τεθυμένῳ: ἐπὶ δὲ τῷ τεθυμένῳ M. G. Ald. Turn. ἐπὶ δὲ τῷ τεφθυμένω Rob. ἐπὶ δὲ τῶ τότε θυμένῳ Flor. ἐπὶ δὲ τῶ τότε θυμουμένω Ven. (Bekkero teste et Farn.

mvp-comment-236-1 μέλος παρακοπά: μένος Ven. Flor. Farn. παράκοπα Ven. Flor.

mvp-comment-237-1 παραφορὰ φρενοδαλής: παραφορά M. G. Ald. Rob. Τurn. παραφοραὶ Par. παράφρονα Ven. Flor. Farn. Deinde φρενοδαλής M. G. Ven. Flor. Ald. Rob. In margine M. adscriptum οἶμαι φρενοδαής. Id habet Par. φρενοδαλὶς Turn. Scholion enim in Rob. sic scriptum Φρενοδαλίς.) παρακίνησις τῶν φρενών. Sed M. non habet lemma.

mvp-comment-238-1 Ἐρινύων: ἐρινύων Μ. G. Ald. Rob. ἐριννύων Ven. Flor. Turn.

Commentary on the Eumenides (OCR draft) (Brief English notes on Aeschylus' Eumenides by F. A. Paley, 1885.) focus

mvp-comment-97-1 ἀβλαβεῖ] 'It would be long to tell how many I have visited since the first commission of the crime, and the first purification at Delphi, none of whom have received any harm from converse with me.' Schol.

ἐβλάπτοντο γὰρ οἱ μυσαροῖς ξυντυγχάνοντες.

mvp-comment-98-1 καὶ νῦν] ‘And accordingly now, viz. as I have the full right and even the command to speak. See on Agam. 1 8.

mvp-comment-99-1 πιστόν] This is one of the many allusions in tragedy to treaties either made or contemplated between Athens and Argos. It is again alluded to in v. 733. Schol.

ὡς τότε συμμαχούντων ᾿Αργείων ᾿Αθηναίοις.

mvp-comment-100-1 Τρίτωνος] The name of the goddess, Tritogenia, the real or mystical meaning of which we do not know, was referred to a lake and river Triton in Libya. See Herod. Iv. 180 , Pind. Pyth. 1v. 36 .

mvp-comment-101-1 ὀρθὸν κ.τ.λ.] The description refers to ancient statues of the goddess in a standing or sitting posture. - φίλοις, in allusion perhaps to the aid afforded by Athens to the EUM. Libyan king Inaros. See Thuc. 1. 104, 109 . The Schol. remarks that the address well suits Orestes who himself requires a staunch protectress.

mvp-comment-102-1 Φλεγραίαν] Another epithet of the goddess, Νίκη, is here alluded to, as appears from Eur. Ion 1528

μὰ τὴν παρασπίζουσαν ἅρμασίν ποτε Νίκην ᾿Αθάναν Ζηνὶ γηγενεῖς ἔπι.

mvp-comment-103-1 ὅπως γένοιτο] The optative follows ἔλθοι by the common law of Attic attraction.

mvp-comment-104-1 οὔτοι κ.τ.λ.] 'No! not Apollo nor yet Athene's might can protect you from perishing (going to the bad') in utter neglect, without knowing the feeling of joy in your mind,a bloodless victim of us deities, a shadow of your former self.' There is a pause after this, and as Orestes makes no reply, the second Fury says, What! not a word in reply? Do you spurn converse, you who are fed and consecrated as my victim? The third adds, A victim too who shall be devoured alive, &c. Then the whole body of the chorus chant the spell, or binding hymn, which is to entrance the victim and place him wholly in their power. The fourteen introductory anapaestics form the parode.

mvp-comment-105-1 τραφείς] There is an allusion to the human victims called φαρμακοὶ οι δημόσιοι, who were sacrificed by the Athenians at the feast of Thargelia. See Photius in v. φαρμακός.

mvp-comment-106-1 ἄψωμεν] This clearly shows that dancing movements accompanied the music and singing. -ἐπεὶ κ.τ.λ., since we have resolved to show what we can do in doleful music, lit. to make a display of a hateful (joyless) strain. An Ionic form is used in place of the Attic δέδοκται (see Veitch, Gr. V. p. 199 ). -στυγερὰν, Schol.

ὡς ἐπὶ νεκρῷ.

mvp-comment-107-1 στάσις] 'our company, Ag. 1086 , Cho. 106 . —ἐπινωμᾷ, allots, distributes, the various fortunes that prevail among man. The Schol. explains ἐπισκοπεῖ.

mvp-comment-108-1 Ας προνέμειν is to hold out, for all to see, 8ο ἐπικρύπτειν is to muffle a blood-stained hand within a garment in order to conceal the crime.

mvp-comment-109-1 ἄγνισμα κύριον] ‘Our own proper (or lawful) victim for expiating a mother's murder.'

mvp-comment-110-1 τεθυμένῳ] Schol.

μέλλοντι θύεσθαι.
The sense is, Apollo tries to rescue him, but we have the victim bound on our altar, and this weird strain, depriving him of his senses-enchanting or fascinating him-prevents his escape.

Selected scholia accompanying Blass's Eumenides (OCR draft) (The mixed Greek, Latin, and German scholia register printed with Friedrich Blass's 1907 edition, aligned to O. L. Smith's later recensional editions.) focus

mvp-comment-116-1 ἐβλάπτοντο γὰρ οἱ μυσαροῖς (Steph. f. -ροὶ) ξυντυγχάνοντες.

mvp-comment-117-1 λείπει ἐμέ. ὡς τότε συμμαχούντων Ἀργείων Αθηναίοις.

mvp-comment-118-1 ὅτι

mvp-comment-119-1 ὡς θρασὺς (auf ein x bezüglich) διὰ τοῦτο οἴεται αὐτὴν Τριτογένειαν. ἡγεμών. ἁρμόττουσα δὲ ἡ εὐχή· δεῖται γὰρ ἐνδρανοῦς (L. Dindorf f. έδρανοῦς) βοηθοῦ.

mvp-comment-120-1 τὸ ἑξῆς· ἔλθοι, ὅπως γένοιτο.

mvp-comment-121-1 ὁ μηδὲ αἷμα σχήσων ἐξ ἡμῶν, ἀλλὰ γενησόμενος σκιά· ῥοφήσομεν γάρ σου τὸ αἷμα. ἢ ἐναίματον, ἀντὶ τοῦ ζῶντά σε νεκρὸν ποιήσομεν.

mvp-comment-122-1 οὐκ ἀποκρίνηι, ἢ ἀντὶ τοῦ) οὐδὲ ἀντιφωνήσεις μοι, ἀλλὰ σοῦ βουλομένου λαλεῖν τὸ φθέγμα δεθήσεται.

mvp-comment-123-1 ὡς ἐπὶ νεκρῶι.

mvp-comment-124-1 τοὺς κλήρους ἡμῶν (Vict. f. ὑμῶν). ἀπὸ κοινοῦ δὲ τὸ δεδόκηκεν.

mvp-comment-125-1 ἐπεὶ ὑπὲρ τῆς μητρὸς Ὀρέστου ἀγωνίζονται, εἰκότως τὴν μητέρα ἑαυτῶν ὀνομάζουσιν.

mvp-comment-126-1 ζῶσι καὶ θανοῦσιν ἔκδικον.

mvp-comment-127-1 τὸν τῶι ἰδίωι θανάτωι ἀφαγνιοῦντα τὸν φόνον τῆς μητρός· ἅγνισμα δέ τινες εὐφήμως τὸ μόλυσμα.

mvp-comment-128-1 ἐπὶ Ὀρέστηι δὲ μέλλοντι θύεσθαι λεχθήσεται ὕμνος ἐξ ἡμῶν ὡς ἐπὶ ἱερείωι, ὃς αὐτοῦ τὰς φρένας παρακόψει.

mvp-comment-129-1 παρακίνησις τῶν φρενῶν.

Wecklein’s commentary on Eumenides (1888; German; OCR draft) (Explanatory commentary, pp. 251–322; HW42J8 and HXJHA8 OCR collated, with missing comparison pages 294–295 explicitly marked. Unresolved OCR and provisional reference mappings are explicitly marked.) focus

mvp-comment-161-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 272

mvp-comment-161-2 zweites Epeisodion. Orestes ruft Athena zu Hilfe. Die Chorführerin weist jeden Beistand zurück.

mvp-comment-164-1 1

mvp-comment-164-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 272

mvp-comment-164-3 ποταίνιον ὄν, als es noch frisch war. Vgl. Cho. 1053 . πρὸς ἑστία θ. Φ. gehört zu ἠλάθη. χοιροκτόνοις (zu Ag. 735 ): Ferkelblut galt als entsühnend und wurde bei Reinigungsopfern vielfach gebraucht, so bei den περίστια vor Be- ginn der Volksversammlung (Schol. zu Aristoph. Ekkl. 128 , Poll. VIII 104 ), denen die römischen suovetaurilia entsprechen, und sonst, vgl. zu 453 und Plaut. Men. 292 . Einl. S. 17 N. 2.

mvp-comment-165-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 273

mvp-comment-165-2 πολὺς . . ἐξ ἀρχῆς λόγος d.i. ich würde viel zu sagen haben, wenn ich von Anfang an erzählen wollte.

mvp-comment-166-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 273

mvp-comment-166-2 Schol. ἐβλάπτοντο γὰρ οἱ μυσαροῖς ξυντυγχάνοντες.

mvp-comment-167-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 273

mvp-comment-167-2 Der Vers, welcher dem Zusammenhange der Stelle, nach der Phöbos den Orestes gereinigt hat, nicht entspricht, ist von Musgrave ausgeschieden worden. Der Sinn ist:,,alles (also auch die Befleckung) entkräftet die mit ihm alternde Zeit" d. i. je älter eine Sache wird, um so mehr wird sie geschwächt. Die Zeit wird als alternd mit dem Alternden gedacht, vgl. Prom. 1013

ἀλλ' ἐκδιδάσκει πάνθ' ὁ γηράσκων χρόνος
. Ein ähnlicher Vers findet sich bei Stob. fl. 126, 8 χρόνος δ᾽ ἀμαυροῦ πάντα κεἰς λήθην ἄγει.

mvp-comment-168-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 273

mvp-comment-168-2 Ἀθηναία, die alte feierliche, in Inschriften bis auf die Zeit des Euklides herab häufig (gewöhnlich mit Artikel ἡ ᾿Αθηναία) vorkommende Form, auch 299, 617, Eur. Iph. T. 1436 , sonst bei den Tragikern Ἀθάνα.

mvp-comment-169-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 273

mvp-comment-169-2 κτήσεται, nämlich als Herrin dieses Landes ", also für Attika. Vgl. zu 765.

mvp-comment-170-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 273

mvp-comment-170-2 αὐτόν scil. ἐμέ. τὸν Ἀργεῖον λεὼν . . σύμμαχον: Schol. :

ὡς τότε συμμαχούντων Ἀργείων Ἀθηναίοις
. Einl. S. 23. δικαίως, ὀρθῶς, ἀληθῶς, aufrichtig, ehrlich. Vgl. πανδίκως εὐσεβής Suppl. 424
ὀρθῶς ἐνδίκως τ᾽ ἐπώνυμον
 Sept. 392
ἣν εὑρεθῇς ἐς τήνδε μὴ δίκαιος ὤν
 Soph. Trach. 411 .

mvp-comment-171-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 273

mvp-comment-171-2 Die Gottheit hört gern von den Stätten, wo sie besonders verehrt wird. Daher ist bei Anrufungen der Götter die Aufzählung solcher Örtlichkeiten beliebt. Vgl. Soph. Ant. 1118 f. Mit εἴτε — εἴτε, wie hier, Aristoph. Wo. 269

ἔλθετε εἴτ᾽ ἐπ᾽ Ὀλύμπου κορυφαῖς ἱεραῖς χιονοβλήτοισι κάθησθε κτέ. χώρας τόποις
steht wie ein einziger Begrif, daher Λιβυστικοῖς. Vgl. ποῖον . . γαίας πέδον Sept. 291
, χθονὸς . . τηλουρόν. . πέδον
 Prom. 1
τὸ Πυθικὸν Θεοῦ μαντείον
 Soph. Oed. T. 242
ὄγκον ὀνόματος μητρῷον
 Trach. 817
, Ηπειρώτις ψυχὴ γυναικῶν
 Eur. Andr. 159 u. Ähnliches oft, z. B. unten 327.

mvp-comment-172-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 273

mvp-comment-172-2 γενεθλίου: Schol. ( σημείωσαι) ὅτι διὰ τοῦτο οἴεται αὐτὴν Τριτογένειαν. Nach Herod. IV 180 (vgl. Paus. I 14, 6 ) glaubten die am Tritonischen See wohnenden Auseer (indem sie eine ihrer Gottheiten mit Athena identifizierten) τὴν ᾿Αθηναίην Ποσειδέωνος εἶναι θυγατέρα καὶ τῆς Τριτωνίδος λίμνης. Dals Aschylos der gewöhnlichen Sage sich anschliefst, zeigt 667 f. Er scheint also den Ort der Geburt an den See oder vielmehr Strom ( πόρου) Triton zu verlegen. In Wirklichkeit ist es ur- sprünglich die gleiche Vorstellung, wenn Athena als Blitzgöttin dem Haupte des Wolkensammlers Zeus, dem Wolkenberge, und wenn sie der Tritonischen See, den himmlischen Wassern, entstammt. Denn dafs die Tritonische See ursprünglich am Himmel war, ergiebt sich schon daraus, dafs sie nicht nur in Libyen, sondern auch anderwärts angenommen wurde ( Paus. VIII 26, 6 u. IX 33, 7, Strab. IX p. 407 ). Vgl. Schwartz, Der Ursprung der Mythologie. S. 87.

mvp-comment-173-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 274

mvp-comment-173-2 τίθησιν . . πόδα erklärt man ,,aufrecht schreitet oder sitzt" (vgl. Hom. p 158 ἥμενος ἢ ἕρπων), weil der sitzenden Göttin die Füfse mit dem Gewande bedeckt sind. Aber eine solche Erklärung von κατηρεφῆ ist mindestens weit hergeholt. In der Deutung von Dutheil „visible ou invisible" und Hermann: sive palam incedens sive latens ( Hom. E 186

νεφέλῃ εἰλυμένος ὤμους
) opem fert amicis, worin κατηρεφής der durch eine Wolke verhüllte Fufs sein soll, lässt sich ỏodóv schwer verstehen. Es scheint vielmehr ὀρθὸν πόδα den hohen, gleichsam steilen Fufs (vgl. ὀρθόπους Soph. Ant. 985 ) der hochgeschürzten Göttin zu bezeichnen, wie sich κατηρεφῆ auf das lange Gewand bezieht.

mvp-comment-174-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 274

mvp-comment-174-2 φίλοις ἀρήγουσα: Der Dichter scheint weniger an die Auseer als an die Athener zu denken, welche dem libyschen König Inaros zu Hilfe gezogen waren ( Thuk. I 104 ff. ). Vgl. die ähnliche Anspielung auf Zeitverhältnisse in Eur. El. 1347 νώ δ᾽ ἐπὶ πόντον Σικελὸν σπουδῇ σώσοντε νεῶν πρῴρας ἐνάλους. Φλεγραίαν πλάκα, Schauplatz des Gigantenkampfes, bei welchem Athena, Φλεγραίων ὀλέ τειρα Γιγάντων (Prokl. hymn. 32), unter anderen den Enkelados tötete ( Eur. Ion 209 ).

mvp-comment-175-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 274

mvp-comment-175-2 κλύει θεός, es hört ein Gott auch in der Ferne. Vgl. Eur. Iph. T. 1447 κλύεις γὰρ αὐδὴν καίπερ οὐ παρὼν θεᾶς. Vielleicht hat ursprünglich πρόσωθεν οὖσ όμως geheilsen. es

mvp-comment-175-3 2

mvp-comment-176-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 274

mvp-comment-176-2 γένοιτο nach ἔλθοι, s. g. Assimilation der Modi. Vgl. Soph. Ai. 1217

γενοίμαν. . ὑπὸ πλάκα Σουνίου, τὰς ἱερὰς ὅπως προσείποιμεν ᾿Αθάνας
, Krüger I § 54, 8, 3 .

mvp-comment-177-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 274

mvp-comment-177-2 παρημελημένον d. i. so dafs keiner nach dir fragt ( ἄιστον ἄπυστον). Sept. 689

θεοῖς μὲν ἤδη πως παρημελήμεθα
.

mvp-comment-178-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 274

mvp-comment-178-2 ,,Ohne erfahren zu haben wo im Herzen die Freude wohnt“, weil du keine Freude genieſsen wirst. Vgl. 426 ὅπου τὸ χαίρειν μηδαμοῦ νομίζεται. Etwas anders Soph. Oed. K. 1217

τὰ τέρποντα δ᾽ οὐκ ἂν ἴδοις ὅπου
.

mvp-comment-179-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 274

mvp-comment-179-2 Du eine blutleere Weide, nur Schatten von solchen die Blut haben, erwiderst mir nicht einmal?

mvp-comment-180-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 275

mvp-comment-180-2 καὶ ζῶν . . οὐδὲ . . σφαγείς, sogar lebend und nicht erst geschlachtet. οὐδὲ für καὶ οὐ wie öfter bei Dichtern ( Krüger II § 69, 60 ). μὲ δαίσεις wie Eur. Or. 15

ἔδαισε δ᾽ οὖν νιν τέκν᾽ ἀποκτείνας Ατρεύς.

mvp-comment-180-3 3

mvp-comment-181-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 275

mvp-comment-181-2 δέσμιον σέθεν wie δέσμιος φρενῶν 333: zu Cho. 235 . Der besinnungraubende" Gesang der Erinyen ,, schlingt die Bande um den Frevler". Der Ausdruck erinnert an magische Künste (vgl. Plat. Ges. XI p. 933 A μαγγανείαις καὶ ἐπῳδαῖς καὶ καταδέσεσι).

mvp-comment-182-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 275

mvp-comment-182-2 Unter der Begleitung der Anapäste, welche der Koryphaios vorträgt, ordnet sich der Chor in Reih und Glied, um sein Bannlied (322 ff.) zu singen und mit entsprechendem Tanz zu begleiten, indem die Figuren ( σχήματα) des Reigens, besonders bei den Ephymnien, die Idee des Bannenden und Bestrickenden zum Ausdruck bringen.

mvp-comment-183-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 275

mvp-comment-183-2 δεδόκηκεν wie Prom. 402

δοκήσει
, Sept. 1027
δοκησάτω
, Eur. Med. 763
δεδόκησαι
 u. a.

mvp-comment-184-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 275

mvp-comment-184-2 Schol. δεδόκηκεν ἡμῖν λέξαι τίνα τρόπον τὰ κατ᾿ ἀνθρώπους λάχη ἐφοδεύομεν. Vielmehr steht λάχη (,,das mir zugefallene Amt) wie 335, 348, 389, wie es 931 τὰ κατ᾿ ἀνθρώπους ἔλαχον διέπειν heifst. - ἐπινωμᾷ: ἐπισκοπεῖ und στάσις: σύστημα Schol.

mvp-comment-185-1 4

mvp-comment-185-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 275

mvp-comment-185-3 Mit εὐθυδίκαιοι (gerecht richtend) vgl. ὀρθοδίκαιος 995. μαιόμεθα (wir bestreben uns wie μαιομένοις Cho. 782

ἐμαίετο
Soph. Ai. 287 .

mvp-comment-186-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 275

mvp-comment-186-2 ,,Wohl dem, der frei von Schuld und Fehle" u. s. w.

mvp-comment-187-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 275

mvp-comment-187-2 ἀσινὴς . . διοιχνεί scil. ἕκα στος wie 340. Vgl. Plat. Prot. p. 324

Β οὐδεὶς γὰρ κολάζει τοὺς ἀδικοῦντας τούτου ἕνεκα ὅτι ἠδίκησεν u. ὅ.

mvp-comment-188-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 275

mvp-comment-188-2 ἐπικρύπτει, wer verstohlen des Mordes schwere That vollbracht".

mvp-comment-189-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 275

mvp-comment-189-2 μάρτυρες ορθοί (deren Zeugnis sich aufrecht erhält), vgl. Soph. Ai. 354 ὀρθὰ (was sich als wahr bestätigt) μαρτυρείν, Ant. 1195

ὀρ τὸν ἀλήθει᾽ ἀεί
.

mvp-comment-190-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 275

mvp-comment-190-2 πράκτορες, vgl. χερὶ πράκτορι Ag. 113 und φόνου πράκτορα Soph. El. 953 . τελέως: τα 954.

mvp-comment-190-3 5

mvp-comment-191-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 276

mvp-comment-191-2 erstes Stasimon, welches besonders in den Ephymnien den Charakter des ὕμνος δέσμιος hat. ,, Apollon beraubt uns unseres Rechtes, indem er uns diesen Flüchtling entzieht, der uns zur Sühne des Muttermords zukommt und dem unser grauser Gesang gilt. Denn SO hat das Schicksal bestimmt, dafs wir die Mörder verfolgen und peinigen. Drum weil Umsturz von Häusern unser Los ist, haben die Götter des Lichts keine Gemeinschaft mit uns und Feste der Freude sind uns versagt. Dafür sind die Götter dieser traurigen Sorge überhoben und brauchen sich nicht mit Blutbefleckten zu befassen. Wir verfolgen den Mörder und stürzen ihn von der Höhe seines Ruhms. Er wird, ohne dessen in seiner Geistesnacht inne zu werden, von der Stimme des Volkes verurteilt und allgemeine Mifsachtung umnachtet sein Haus (vgl. Cho. 53 ff. , Ag. 463 ff. ). So steht es fest: Geniessen wir auch nicht die Ehre, den oberen Göttern gesellt zu sein, so haben doch die Sterblichen die vom Schicksal gegebene Satzung, auf der unser altheiliges Amt beruht, zu fürchten und zu verehren." Wenn man aus den drei Ephymnien schliefsen darf, wird jedes der drei ersten Strophenpaare von einem Stoichos, die Ephymnien und das vierte Strophenpaar von dem Gesamtchore vorgetragen.

mvp-comment-192-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 276

mvp-comment-192-2 Nicht unpassend ist die Bemerkung des Schol. :

ἐπεὶ ὑπὲρ τῆς μητρὸς Ὀρέστου ἀγωνίζονται, οἰκείως τὴν μητέρα ἑαυτῶν ὀνομάζουσιν.

mvp-comment-193-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 276

mvp-comment-193-2 Νύξ: zu 69. ποινὰν (abstr. pro concr.) ἀλαοῖσι καὶ δεδορκόσιν steht prädikativ zu μέ. ἀλαοῖσι καὶ δεδορκόσιν, Schol. ζῶσι καὶ θανοῦσιν. Vgl. 391.

mvp-comment-194-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 276

mvp-comment-194-2 ἄτιμόν με τίθησιν d. i. macht mich rechtlos.

mvp-comment-195-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 276

mvp-comment-195-2 πτῶκα κτἑ., den feigen Flüchtling (vgl. πτώσσοντας ὑφ᾽ Ἕκτορι Hom. Η 129 ), der nach Fug und Recht als Reinigungsmittel des Muttermords herhalten mufs, also uns nicht entzogen werden darf. Zu 292. Mit κύριον vgl. κύριοι 127.

mvp-comment-196-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 276

mvp-comment-196-2 τεθυμένῳ, der so gut wie geschlachtet, ein dem Tode geweihtes Schlachtopfer ist. Vgl. Eur. Med. 1264

πάντως πέπρακται ταῦτα κοὐκ ἐκφεύξεται
. Schol. :
ἐπὶ Ὀρέστῃ δὲ μέλλοντι θύεσθαι λεχθήσεται ὕμνος ἐξ ἡμῶν ὡς ἐπὶ ἱερείω, ὃς αὐτοῦ τὰς φρένας παρακόψει
.

mvp-comment-197-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 276

mvp-comment-197-2 Geistzerstörende Verrückung. Um das gleiche Versmafs wie vorher (-) zu gewinnen, vermutet Rauchenstein φρενοβλαβής, Herwerden φρενομανής, Weil φρενοπλανής. Aber vgl. das Versmals in Cho. 802 – 804.

Commentary (Arthur Sidgwick, 1887) (OCR draft) (Arthur Sidgwick's commentary on the Eumenides, aligned to the canonical Greek text.) focus

mvp-sidgwick-145-1-1 i. e. it would be long to tell from the beginning. ἐξ ἀρχῆς is by a slight stretch of usage, used closely with λόγος, equivalent to τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς λέγειν.

ἀβλαβεῖ , harmless; proving that he was purified.

mvp-sidgwick-147-1-1 I agree with Musgr. Herm. Hart. Dind. Weil. etc., that this line is spurious. It is clearly a proverbial line about the destructiveness of time; and even if we alter καθαιρεῖ τo καθαίρει with Stanl. Pal. etc. Aeschylus could not have said ( l. 283

) that Orestes was cleansed by sacrifice, and then abruptly ( l. 286
), Time cleanses all.

αὐτόν , myself: the me is not wanted after emphatic ἐμοί

mvp-sidgwick-148-2-1 The reference to the treaty formed 459 B. C. (the year before the play) between Athens and Argos against Sparta is obvious. See Introduction.

Τρίτων was in the stories of Athena a Libyan lake from which she was supposed to have sprung; afterwards identified with the large salt lake in the south of Tunis.

mvp-sidgwick-149-2-1 The story very likely arose out of the obscure Homeric epithet for Athena, Τριτογένεια, which perhaps meant born of the water, and anyhow was not clearly understood by the later Greeks.

mvp-sidgwick-150-1-1 Whether with upright step or covered foot: whether standing as in the ordinary statues or covering her feet, i.e. sitting. Pal. quotes Strabo (13. 1) as saying

In many of the ancient images of Athena she is represented as sitting.

mvp-sidgwick-150-2-1 This seems the best interpretation of an obscure passage.

mvp-sidgwick-150-3-1 Weil suggests the allusion is to the Athenian war in Egypt, in support of the Libyan chieftain Inaros, who had rebelled against Persia; a large Athenian fleet was sent out in 460, two years before this play. This explains φίλοις ἀρήγουσ᾽.

mvp-sidgwick-151-1-1 The Phlegraean plain is the narrow promontory of Pallene in Chalkidike, north east of Greece. The story was that the gods here fought the giants; a story as old as Pindar (Nem. 1. 100), in which fight we gather that the warrior goddess Athena marshalled the hosts.

mvp-sidgwick-151-2-1 The name Phlegraean plain was afterwards given to the volcanic coast of Campania, which some strangely have supposed to be meant here.

γένοιτο , regular sequence after ἔλθοι. In English we say May she come, and therefore naturally have the primary sequence, that she may prove.

ὅπου φρενῶν , where in the heart it lies.

mvp-sidgwick-154-1-1 A bloodless victim she calls Orestes, consistently with the threat ( ll. 264, 267

), I will drain thee dry and carry thee below.

δαιμόνων is the powers below, i, e. both the Furies who will drink his blood and Hades ( l. 274

) who ordains and directs the vengeance.

σκιάν , a shadow, not a ghost, for he was to be carried off below yet living ( l. 267

): but all the vigour sucked out of him with his blood. [Schol. reads σκιά with MSS., and takes it voc. Unlikely.]

mvp-sidgwick-155-1-1 Orestes maintains a patient and scornful silence: which rouses the Chorus to still greater fury. There would be a dramatic pause before this line; then the furious threat l. 305

. There is no need to divide the speech between different speakers, as Hartung, Paley, and others, following M. G.

ὕμνον δέσμιον σέθεν , the song that binds thee, the choric song acting as an infernal spell to make Orestes their prey: and perhaps accompanied by mysterious binding gestures.

δεδόκηκεν , 'tis our resolve, poetic form for regular δέδοκται.

λάχη might be the office of the Furies, as Cho. 360 : but with ἐπινωμᾷ it makes better sense to refer it to ἀνθρώπους. How our troop assigns the lots of men.

στάσις , as Choeph. 114, 458 .

mvp-sidgwick-159-1-1 I take Hermann's original correction προνέμοντα, that puts forth for all to see: opposed to the action of the guilty man who hides ( l. 317

) his bloody hands.

mvp-sidgwick-160-1-1 I take Hermann's corr. εὐθυδίκαιοι (justified by

ὀρθοδίκαιοι
l. 994 ) and H. L. Ahrens' οἰόμεθ'.

πράκτορες , avengers, from πράσσειν in the special sense to exact a debt. So

τὸν πατρὸς φόνον πράξαντα
l. 624 ,
χερὶ πράκτορι
Ag. 111 . For the masc. form πράκτωρ with fem. substantive cf. line 186.

τελέως , unfailingly: it goes with παραγιγ. πρακ. and expresses the persistent and complete vengeance.

ἀλαοῖσι καὶ δεδορκόσιν , the sightless and the seeing, i. e. the dead and the living. So

δερκομένοισι καὶ δυσομμάτοις
l. 388 .

ματρῷον ἅγνισμα κύριον φόνου , rightful atonement for a mother's blood ματρῷον poetically transferred from φόνου to ἄγνισμα, as the thought comes naturally in that order expiation for a mother for her blood. ...

αὐονά is also found (Simon. Iamb. vii. 20) in the sense of cry, [from root αϝ, shout] and it may be so taken here by joining it with

ἀφόρμικτος , a cry unmusical to men: but the other sense from

αὐαίνω , to wither or waste, is more forcible, and so the Schol. Med. takes it: ὁ ξηραίνων τοὺς βροτούς.