Aeschylus Eumenides 490

Gottfried Hermann (Editor)

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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.) — 490-565 focus
Εὐμενίδες Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 2. Smyth, Herbert Weir, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1926.) — 490-565 focus
Εὐμενίδες (1518 edition; OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Eumenides, 1518 edition. VLM-assisted OCR with native lineation and automated correspondence to the Smyth edition.) — 490 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Guilielmus Dindorfius, 1882.) — 490 focus
ΕΥΜΕΝΙΔΕΣ (OCR draft) Experimental (ΕΥΜΕΝΙΔΕΣ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 490 focus
Νῦν καταστροφαὶ νέων
490
θεσμίων, εἰ κρατή-
σει δίκα (τε) καὶ βλάβα
τοῦδε μητροκτόνου·
πάντας ἤδη τόδ' ἔργον εὐχερείᾳ εὐχερίαι εὐχαρίᾳ
συναρμόσει βροτούς,
495
πολλὰ δ' ἔτυμα παιδότρωτα
πάθεα προσμένει τοκεῦ-
σιν μεταῦθις ἐν χρόνῳ.
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Arthur Sidgwick, 1887.) — 490 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. N. Wecklein, 1885.) — 490 focus
νῦν καταστροφαὶ νέων
θεσμίων, εἰ κρατή-
σει δίκα τε καὶ βλάβα
495
τοῦδε μητροκτόνου.
πάντας ἤδη τόδ᾽ ἔργον εὐχερεί-
ᾳ συναρμόσει βροτούς,
πολλὰ δ᾽ ἔτυμα παιδότρωτα
πάθεα προσμένει τοκεῦ-
500
σιν μεταὖθις ἐν χρόνῳ.
1
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Martin L. West, 1990.) — 490 focus
Aeschyli Eumenides (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschyli Eumenides. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1914.) — 490 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek text of Aeschylus' Eumenides, edited by F. A. Paley, 1885.) — 490 focus
νῦν καταστροφαὶ νέων
θεσμίων, εἰ κρατήσει δίκα τε καὶ βλάβα
τοῦδε μητροκτόνου.
470
πάντας ἤδη τόδ᾽ ἔργον εὐχερείᾳ ξυναρμόσει βροτούς.
πολλὰ δ᾽ ἔτυμα παιδότρωτα
πάθεα προσμένει τοκεῦσιν μεταῦθις ἐν χρόνῳ.
475
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek text of Aeschylus' Eumenides, edited by Friedrich Blass, 1907.) — 490 focus
νῦν μεταστροφαὶ νέων
490
θεσμίων, ἢ κρατήσει δίκα (τε) καὶ βλάβα
τοῦδε ματροκτόνου.
πάντας ἤδη τόδ᾽ ἔργον εὐχερείᾶι συναρμόσει
στρ. α
βροτούς.
495
πολλὰ δ᾽ ἔτυμα παιδότρωτα
πάθεα προσμένει τοκεῦσιν μεταῦθις ἐν χρόνωι.
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.)) — 490-565 focus
The Eumenides (OCR draft) Experimental (The Eumenides. Theodore Alois Buckley, 1849.) — 490 focus
Now [will] there be a revolution of 6
new laws, if the cause and guilt of this matricide shall prevail. This deed now by its facility 7
will prompt all mortals to [the same] and many certain sufferings from wounds inflicted by children, await parents in time hereafter.
LES EUMÉNIDES (OCR draft) Experimental (LES EUMÉNIDES. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 490 focus
Ce jour verra donc l'avènement de lois nouvelles, si la cause — le crime de ce parricide doit ici triompher! A tous les mortels un si bel exploit va donner
désormais le ton des licences permises. Mille bonnes blessures, taillées dans leur chair par leurs propres fils, voilà le lot réservé aux parents dans l'avenir qui vient!
Et cela,
The Furies (OCR draft) Experimental (The Furies. Robert Potter, 1779.) — 490 focus
Confuſion on theſe upſtart laws!
Havoc with haughty ſtride
Shall march, and wave her banner wide,
550
If venial be this bloody caitiff's cauſe.
Impunity ſhall mortals lead
To ev'ry ſavage deed,
And prompt the ſon with rage unbleſt
To plant the dagger in the parents' breaſt.
555
Eschilo, Le Eumenidi: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli (OCR draft) Experimental (Eschilo, Le Eumenidi: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli. Ettore Romagnoli, 1922.) — 490 focus
Leggi novelle sconvolgeranno
535
la terra tutta, se questo scempio, se questa causa
del matricida trionferà.
Per tal sentenza, la man degli uomini
Aeschylus, Eumenides: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Eumenides: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii. Ioannes Sanravius, 1555.) — 490 focus
Nunc euerſiones nouarum legum, ſi
Tenuerit iuſticia, uel detrimentum huius parricidæ
Omnes iam opus opportunitate conſociabit mortales.
Multæ uerò peſses adhærebunt uerè puerorum leſiones
475
Parentibus, poſtea in tempore rurſum ſpeculatorum
Menadum horum aſserpet ira mortalium.
Aeschylus, Die Eumeniden: German translation (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Die Eumeniden: German translation. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1919–1923.) — 490 focus
Neues Recht bricht herein,
wenn die Sache, wenn die Sünde
dieses Muttermörders siegt.
Kommt's dazu, mögen alle Menschen
495 sonder Scheu losen Leichtsinn üben.
Und den Eltern bringt die Zukunft
manchen Schlag des schwersten Schmerzes:
denn ihn schlägt des Sohnes Hand.
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.) — 490 focus
Now are they all undone, the ancient laws,
If here the slayer's cause
Prevail; new wrong for ancient right shall be,
If matricide go free.
Henceforth a deed like his by all shall stand,
580
Too ready to the hand:
Too oft shall parents in the aftertime
Rue and lament this crime,—
Taught, not in false imagining, to feel
Their children's thrusting steel:
585
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.) — 490 focus
Neues bricht herein und stürzt
Altes um, wenn die Schuld,
Wenn des Muttermordes Gräul
Im Gericht siegen soll.
Solch ein Sieg lockt die Menschen überall
470
Leicht heraus zu gleicher That!
Blutig droht von Kindeshänden
Mancher Stoß der Aelternbrust
Einst im langen Lauf der Zeit.
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. στρ. α'.
2. ἀντ. α'.

Commentary

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

486. ἀρωγὰ ὁρκώματα , apposition to μαρτύρια: Summon evidence and proof, sworn testimony in aid of justice. The Scholiast says ὅρκους αὐτοὺς αἰτήσατε, misunderstanding apparently ὁρκώματα to refer to the judges' oath, whereas it is best to refer it to the oath of witnesses. There is no need to insert θ' before ὁρκώματα, as H. Weil.

487. τὰ βέλτατα , abstract collective for τοὺς βελτίστους. So τάδε μὲν Περσῶν Pers. 1, τὰ πρῶτα τῆς μοχθηρίας Ar. Ran. 421.

488. διαιρεῖν . is epexegetic or consec. inf., that they should decide, the subject being carried on in sense from τὰ βέλτατα, becoming (naturally) masc. in the participle, next line.

491. δίκα τε καὶ βλάβα , the cause and the wrong: the strong contradiction in terms (oxymoron), which comes out in the Greek more than in the English, is intentional and effective: Orestes' δίκα was ἄδικος and βλαβερά in the eyes of the Eumenides.

529. παντὶ μέσῳ , ever to the mean god gives success: a common Greek maxim: so Ag. 378 ἔστω δ᾽ ἀπήμαντον ὥστ᾽ ἀπαρκεῖν, ib. 466 τὸ δ᾽ ὑπερκόπως εὖ κλύειν βαρὺ κρίνω δ᾽ ἄφθονον ὄλβον, etc., the idea being that excess was dangerous: so Eur. Fr. 80 τὰ μείζω τῶν μέσων τίκτει νόσους.

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

mvp-comment-342-1 φόνων δικαστὰς ὁρκίους αἱρουμένη ... Θεσμόν, τὸν εἰς ἅπαντ᾽ ἐγὼ θήσω χρόνον: Libri ορκίων αἱρουμένους. Male Linwoodius inter δικαστὰς et ὁρκίων aliquid excidisse putavit. Recte Casaubonus sive Pearsonus ὁρκίους αἱρουμένη. Scholiastes ad hunc versum hoc adscripsit oἷον ενόρκους δικαστάς. Verum quod sequitur, θεσμὸν τὸν εἰς ἅπαντ᾽ ἐγὼ θήσω χρόνον non potest ita explicari quasi idem sit atque θεσμὸν τὸν ἀΐδιον. Neque enim articulus recte positus esset, et obstat in medio collocatum ἐγὼ θήσω. Scribendum potius est θεσμόν, τὸν εἰς ἅπαντ᾽ ἐγὼ θήσω χρόνον. Excidit autem ante θεσμόν versus hac sententia, σέβειν κελεύσω τῶν ἐμῶν ἀστῶν πόλιν. Itaque lacunae signa posui.

mvp-comment-343-1 καλεῖσθ', ἀρωγὰ τῆς δίκης θ' ὁρκώματα: καλεῖθ᾽ ἀρωγὰ Rob. Deinde libri τῆς δίκης ὁρκώματα. Pauwio ὀρθώματα scribendum esse videbatur. Ορκώματα agnoscit etiam scholiastes, qui ad v. 477. haec adscripsit, ὑμεῖς δὲ ὅρκους αὐττοὺς (sic M. G. αὐτὸν Rob.) αἰτήσατε. Recte Wellauerus τῆς δίκης θὁρκώματα.

mvp-comment-344-1 ἥξω ... ἐτητύμως: Libri ἥξω. Auratus ἄξω, Schneidewinus τάξω, H. L. Ahrens ζω. Nihil omnino mutandum est. Ad litigantes se venturam dicit Minerva, i. e. in Areopagum. ἑτητύμως Farn.

mvp-comment-345-1 ὅρκον πορόντας μηδὲν ἔκδικον φράσειν: Hic versus omissus est in Farn. In Ven. Flor. post v. 478. collocatus est. ὅρκον περώντας μηδὲν (μηδέν Turn.) ἔκδικον φρεσὶν M. G. Ald. Rob. Τurn. ὅρκον περῶντας μηδὲν ἔνδικον φρενὶ Ven. et Linwoodio teste Flor. ex quo Franzius ἔκδικον φρενὶ affert. Scribendum erat ὅρκον πορόντας μηδὲν ἔκδικον φράσειν. Et φράσειν quidem scribendum esse viderunt Marklandus ad Eur. Suppl. v. 112. et Wakefieldius: πορόντας scholiastes legit, cuius haec adnotatio in M. adscripta est, ὅρκον διδόντας.

mvp-comment-345-2 Haec locuta Minerva in interiora templi se recipit.

mvp-comment-346-1 νέων:

νεων
G. Ald. Hoc dicit, nunc commutationes funt in novas leges, si vincet caussa et noxa huius parricidae.

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

mvp-comment-153-1 τόν] Supply ἐσόμενον or μενοῦντα εἰς ἅπαντα χρόνον.

mvp-comment-154-1 ὑμεῖς] Do you, the Furies, call on the evidences and the proofs. The Schol. took this to mean, Do you swear the judges when they arrive, ὑμεῖς δὲ ὅρκους αὐτοὺς αἰτήσατε.

mvp-comment-155-1 τὰ βέλτατα] See on Pers. 1 . The aristocratic constitution of the Areopagus is here alluded to. -ἥξω, ‘I will return.' Pallas leaves the stage to bring back with her the members of her newly-founded court. Meanwhile the chorus sing an ode on the necessity of some control on human passions through the influence of Fear.

mvp-comment-156-1 φράσειν] that they will deliver no unjust verdict. The MS. has περῶντας-φρεσὶν, but the Schol. gives ὅρκον διδόντας.

mvp-comment-157-1 νῦν καταστροφαί] 'Now we shall have to take up with new laws, if the cause and the wrong of this matricide is to prevail. Cf. Pers. 783

ποῖ καταστρέφεις λόγου τελευτήν;
Suppl. 436
ἄνευ δὲ λύπης οὐδαμοῦ καταστροφή.
 By θεσμία the laws of filial duty are meant, Suppl. 688 . We might also render καταστροφαὶ, ‘the subversion of old laws so that new ones come in their place,' as μεθαρμόσαι τρόπους νέους, Prom. 317 . But the context rather points to the sense, the end of all this will be that we shall have new laws.

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-186-1 οἷον ἐνόρκους δικαστάς.

mvp-comment-187-1 διετέλεσε γὰρ τὸ Ἀρειοπαγιτικὸν συνέδριον.

mvp-comment-188-1 ὑμεῖς δὲ ὅρκους αὐτοὺς αἰτήσατε.

mvp-comment-189-1 βέλτιστα (τὰ μέγιστα f).

mvp-comment-190-1 ὅρκον διδόντας.

mvp-comment-191-1 ἡ μὲν Ἀθηνᾶ ἀπῆλθεν εὐτρεπίσαι δικαστάς, ὁ δὲ Ὀρέστης ἱκετεύων μένει, αἱ δὲ Ἐρινύες φρουροῦσιν αὐτόν. μέλος δὲ οἰκεῖον ἄιδουσι τῆι ἑαυτῶν προαιρέσει.

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-216-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 280

mvp-comment-216-2 drittes Epeisodion. Athena erscheint und nachdem sie sich von der Chorführerin und Orestes den Sachverhalt hat darlegen lassen (gleichsam die ανάκρισις oder προδικασία), entschliefst sie sich den Fall durch einen neuen Gerichtshof entscheiden zu lassen. Nach 407 könnte man glauben, dafs Athena wie im Aias des Sophokles auf dem θεολογεῖον auftrete. Da sie aber am Schlusse dieser Scene abgeht, um sich in die Stadt zu begeben, und später (569) auf der gewöhnlichen Bühne auftritt (vgl. 738), so mufs man annehmen, dafs sie auch hier auf dem λογεῖον, nicht in der Höhe erscheint. Sie kommt von der linken Seite.

mvp-comment-216-3 1

mvp-comment-273-1 2

mvp-comment-273-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 287

mvp-comment-273-3 φανῶ wie Hom. Ο 26 εἰς ὅ κέ τοι φήνωσι θεοὶ κυδρὴν παράκοιτιν. Vgl. εὐτρεπίσαι in dem zu 492 angef. Scholion. ὁρκίων wie Ag. 1432 ὁρκίων ἐμῶν θέμιν. αἰδουμένους wie 713 αἰδουμένους τὸν ὅρκον. Ich werde Richter bescheren, welche die Schwursatzung achten, die ich für alle Zeit geben werde.

mvp-comment-274-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 287

mvp-comment-274-2 μαρτύρια: der Tribrachys des dritten Fufses besteht manchmal aus den letzten Silben eines mehrsilbigen Wortes, nie aus einem einzigen dreisilbigen Worte.

mvp-comment-275-1 3

mvp-comment-275-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 287

mvp-comment-275-3 καλεῖσθε (wie Pers. 690

ψυχαγωγοῖς ὀρθιάζοντες γόοις οἰκτρῶς καλεῖσθέ με
), weil μαρτύρια s. V. a. μάρτυρας. Dieses hat vornehmlich Bezug auf Apollon. ἀρωγὰ ὁρκώματα, eidlichen Beistand für die Sache, was besonders von den μαρτύρια, den eidlichen Zeugenaussagen, gilt. ὅρκωμα kommt noch 771, sonst nirgends vor und bedeutet ungefähr s. v. a. πίστωμα (vgl. 214), da ὁρκοῦν und πιστοῦν sich nahe stehen. --xxx πε-

mvp-comment-276-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 287

mvp-comment-276-2 βέλτατα: dieselbe Form Suppl. 1065 . Ζυ ἀστῶν τὰ βέλτατα vgl. Pers. 1

τάδε
, Kallim. Hymn. I 70 είλεο δ᾽ αἰζηῶν ὅ τι φέρτατον. μηδὲν ὅρκων περῶντας (übertreten, verletzen), wie frg. 283 τῷ περῶντι τὴν θέμιν. ρῶντας, als ob τοὺς βελτάτους vorherginge. ἄξω διαιρεῖν wie 633 ἐφήμενοι διαιρείν, Eur. Ion 1559
ἡμᾶς δὲ πέμπει τοὺς λόγους ὑμῖν φράσαι
. Krüger I $ 55, 3, 20 . Damit tritt Athena rechts ab, um in die Stadt zu gehen. Schol. :
ἡ μὲν ᾿Αθηνᾶ ἀπῆλθεν εὐτρεπίσαι δικα στάς, ὁ δὲ Ὀρέστης ἱκετεύων μένει, αἱ δὲ Ἐρινύες φρουροῦσιν αὐτόν. μέλος δὲ οἰκεῖον ᾄδουσι τῇ ἑαυτῶν προαιρέσει
.

mvp-comment-276-3 4

mvp-comment-277-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 287

mvp-comment-277-2 zweites Stasimon: Der Umsturz der alten Satzungen durch den Sieg des Muttermörders müfste schreckliche Zügellosigkeit und sittliche Verwilderung zur Folge haben, da man für Mord und blu- tige Mifshandlungen keinen Rächer mehr zu fürchten hätte. Furcht mufs herrschen; ohne Furcht kann kein Recht bestehen. Keine Gewaltherrschaft, aber auch keine Gesetzlosigkeit! Das Richtige liegt in der Mitte. Diese rechte Mitte hängt zusammen mit Gesundheit des Geistes, während Gottlosigkeit des Sinnes Übermut und damit Zuchtlosigkeit oder Gewaltherrschaft erzeugt ( ὕβρις φυτεύει τύραννον Soph. Oed. T.873 ). Drum übe man Recht, ehre die Eltern und achte das Gastrecht. Wem diese Rechtlichkeit aus innerer Überzeugung hervorgeht, der wird nicht unbeglückt sein; jedenfalls wird er nie ganz zu Grunde gehen. Für den Frevler aber wird über kurz oder lang die Stunde der Demütigung kommen; dann wird niemand sein Flehen erhören; die Gottheit wird sich vielmehr seines Untergangs freuen und sein früherer Glanz wird für alle Zeit verschollen und vergessen sein.

mvp-comment-278-1 5

mvp-comment-278-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 288

mvp-comment-278-3 καταστροφαὶ νέων θεσμίων, Umsturz der ausgeht von neuen Satzungen. Meineke vermutet με ταστροφαί, Wechsel zu neuen Satzungen, wodurch die alten abgeschafft werden. δίκα τε καὶ βλάβα d. h. δίκη, die nicht δίκη, sondern βλάβη (Schädigung, Missethat) ist.

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

ἀρωγὰ ὁρκώματα , apposition to μαρτύρια: Summon evidence and proof, sworn testimony in aid of justice. The Scholiast says ὅρκους αὐτοὺς αἰτήσατε, misunderstanding apparently ὁρκώματα to refer to the judges' oath, whereas it is best to refer it to the oath of witnesses. There is no need to insert θ' before ὁρκώματα, as H. Weil.

τὰ βέλτατα , abstract collective for τοὺς βελτίστους. So

τάδε μὲν Περσῶν
Pers. 1 , τὰ πρῶτα τῆς μοχθηρίας Ar. Ran. 421.

διαιρεῖν . is epexegetic or consec. inf., that they should decide, the subject being carried on in sense from τὰ βέλτατα, becoming (naturally) masc. in the participle, next line.

mvp-sidgwick-237-1-1 The MSS. ὅρκον περῶντας μηδὲν ἔκδικον φρεσίν is obviously corrupt: and I take the easiest correction which gives any natural sense, πορόντας (Herm.) and φράσειν (Markland)- Swearing an oath to utter naught unjust. πορόντας will then be poetic equivalent for the ordinary διδόντας (or rather δόντας) by which the Schol. interprets it.

mvp-sidgwick-237-2-1 Both errors are of the kind due to the text being dictated and misheard.

mvp-sidgwick-237-3-1 [The line is misplaced by V. Fl. after l. 484

, and omitted by Fa., and hence some have thought it spurious. But its very corruption is in favour of its genuineness.]

mvp-sidgwick-237-4-1 [Athena retires into the temple.]

mvp-sidgwick-238-1-1 Now shall come changes to new laws; rather an unusual use of the gen., though possible: we have (Thucyd. 6. 18) μεταβολὴ ἀπραγμοσύνης, change to timid policy, in a very similar use. [The best alteration is νόμων θεσμίων τ' (L. Schmidt): but it is not so forcible as the text, and not necessary.]

δίκα τε καὶ βλάβα , the cause and the wrong: the strong contradiction in terms (oxymoron), which comes out in the Greek more than in the English, is intentional and effective: Orestes' δίκα was ἄδικος and βλαβερά in the eyes of the Eumenides.