1. πρεσβεύω . 'I honour most; the superlative sense practically contained in the word accounts for gen. θεῶν. πρεσβεύω is rather a favourite word of Aeschylus. So line 21 Παλλὰς πρεσβεύεται, ‘has chief honour,' Cho. 488 πρῶτον τόνδε πρεσβεύσω τάφον, as here, Ag. 1300 ὁ δ᾽ ὕστατος τοῦ χρόνου πρεσβεύεται, is first in respect of time, Cho. 631 κακῶν πρεσβεύεται, is first of horrors.

2. πρωτόμαντιν . The Earth was naturally regarded as 'most ancient' of gods: and prophetic, perhaps because the ancient shrines of prophecy were so often caverns or mysterious chasms (e. g. Delphic chasm, the Sibyl's cave, the cave of Trophonios, etc.). Pausanias tells us (10.5.5) that the Delphians affirmed their oracle to have originally belonged to the Earth. And Prom. 209 we have Γαῖα and Θέμις prophesying to Prometheus.

2. ἐκ δὲ τῆς , ‘after her;' τῆς common Epic use of art. for demonst. frequent in Aesch., ἐκ τοῦ, ἐν δὲ τῷ, ἢ τοῖσιν ἢ τοῖς, etc.

3. μητρός , mother of Themis; not the general meaning Mother Earth. It is a striking evidence of the fluctuating character of these genealogies that the poet elsewhere (Prom. 209) speaks of Earth and Themis as the same; one form of many names.

3. ἔζετο with acc. Cf. Ag. 183 σέλμα σεμνὸν ἡμένων, 664 ναῦν ἐφέζετο.

5. λάχει , ‘lot;' vivid poetic for in the third place, third in order.

5. θελούσης , οὐδὲ πρὸς βίαν τινός, 'with her good will, neither in despite of any.' Aeschylus uses this stately emphasis because he is following (or inventing) a different story from what was apparently the received version: for Pindar says (quoted by Schol.) that 'Apollo by force occupied Pytho:' and Eurip. (Iph. Τ. 1259) says, 'Apollo came and took away Themis daughter of Earth from the divine oracles.' But this savage and doubtless older story was not suitable to the poet's purpose: the sanctity and dignity of the oracle (ideas which are required for the plot) are averse from such violence.

7. ἥ , she. Epic demonstrative use of ős, surviving in ἢ δ᾽ ὅς, ὃς δ᾽

7. ἔφη (' said he').

7. δίδωσι , gives it, the oracle.

7. γενέθλιον δόσιν . There were two birth-festivals at Athens-the ἀμφιδρόμια, when the infant was carried round the hearth on the seventh (or fifth day), and the δεκάτη, 'tenth-day festival, when it was named and formally recognised by the father. On both occasions, especially the latter, presents were given.

8. παρώνυμον , made like to hers.

9. λίμνη , the circular or rather oval tarn in the north of the island, often referred to by ancient writers (Eur. Ion 167, Iph. Taur. 1104, Herod. 2. 170, etc.), and apparently connected with the birth of Apollo.

9. χοιράς , 's back,hog lit., i.e. ridge or rock, of Mount Kynthos.

11. παῖδες Ἡφαίστου , because Hephaistos was father of Erichthonios, mythical king of Athens. The title is peculiarly appropriate to the hewers of the way, as Hephaistos was the god who invented many of the tools and the arts of civilised life.

16. Δελφός , the king and eponymous' hero of Delphians.

17. κτίζω , properly to build, a favourite word of Aeschylus, often used as a stately synonym for to make: e.g. Pers. 289 εὐνίδας ἔκτισσαν, Cho. 1060 ἐλεύθερόν σε κτίσει, Eum. 714 μηδ᾽ ἀκαρπώτους κτίσαι.

19. προφήτης , ‘the spokesman,' the interpreter of Zeus. So he says in a fragment (79) Ζεὺς ἐγκαθίει Λοξίᾳ θεσπίσματα. So Verg. A. 3. 251 'Quae Phoebo pater omnipotens, mihi Phoebus Apollo Praedixit.'

21. Παλλὰς προναία , ‘Pallas of the precincts;' the name of a temple of Athena near the great sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi. It is mentioned by Herodotus in this form (προνηΐη) 1.92, and there exist two Delphic inscriptions containing it (ΠΡΟΝΑΙA): but it seems to have been afterwards corrupted into πρόνοια, the shape in which the name of Athena at Delphi appears in Demosthenes (780), Aeschines (Ctes. 69), and Pausanias (10.8.7). Some people suppose two Delphic Athenas, προναία and πρόνοια: but this, though possible, is hardly likely. The learned Alexandrine poet Callimachus (250 B.C.) has the old form (προναίην, quoted by Schol.).

22. Κωρυκίς . The Korykian cavern was a remarkable cave high up in Parnassus, seven miles from Delphi: the cavern contains two large chambers 100 and 200 feet long respectively: it was the refuge of the Delphians in the Persian invasion (Herod. 8. 36), and more than once when their country was invaded. It was sacred to Pan and the nymphs.

23. φίλορνις , loved of birds, using the shelter for roosting and building.

23. φἀναστροφή , abode, haunt. The verb ἀναστρέφεσθαι is common for to be engaged in, to live ; ἐν φανερῷ, ἐν ᾿Αργει, ἐν μέσῳ, ἐν ξυμμαχίᾳ, etc. (versari Latin).

24. Βρόμιος , a common title of Bacchus. Aeschylus in glorifying Delphi fixes there the scene of the great vengeance of Bacchus on Pentheus. [Pentheus, king of Thebes, forbade and tried to prevent the worship of Bacchus; but the god drove mad with Bacchic frenzy the women, including Agaue Pentheus' mother, and they tore the king in pieces.] Euripides in the Bacchae makes Kithairon (between Attica and Boeotia) the scene, and Schol. says that Aeschylus himself also follows this tradition in the lost play Ξαντρίαι.

25. οὗτε , Epic form of rel. common in Aeschylus. (ὅστε Pers. 297, αἵτε Eum. 1024, ἐξ οὗτε Pers. 762, ἅτε Cho. 615, etc.)

26. λαγὼ δίκην , like a hare, i. e. they tore him as dogs a hare. [Scholiast's int. 'crouching like a hare' is frigid and absurd.] Notice absence of caesura; Ag. 943, Cho. 493.

27. Πλειστός , a small river south of Delphi: Apollonius (2.711) speaks of Korykian nymphs daughters of Pleistos.

27. Ποσειδώνος : there was an altar of Poseidon at Delphi. [There were various old traditions about Poseidon having once possessed Delphi and exchanged it for other places, which may be connected with his worship there.]

28. τέλειον , the fulfiller: so Ag. 973 Ζεῦ Ζεῦ τέλειε, τὰς ἐμὰς εὐχὰς τέλει.

30. Abridged , but quite intelligible, expression for 'May I find this time better response than I found in my former entrances to the shrine.'

30. τυχεῖν με , acc. inf. of prayer, common constr. with or without δός or δοῖεν (Cho. 307, O. C. 868, etc.). For acc. ἄριστα with τυχεῖν, cf. Ag. 1228.

31. πάρ' , are here, for πάρεισιν, is commonly read here. But it is more natural to take παρά as a preposition; and it is quite easy to understand are come .

32. ἴτων , rare form for ἰόντων ος ἴτωσαν.

33. μαντεύεσθαι . is used both of prophesying and 'consulting the god,' or getting a prophecy. Here both would suit, but the former is the sense in which Aeschylus uses the word elsewhere.

33. ὡς ἄν , according as, indef. relat. use. [She passes into the temple, and there is a pause : then she comes out horror-stricken and half fainting.]

34. δεινά . is nom. λέξαι and δρακεῖν epex. inf. after the adj. Things terrible to tell of, terrible to behold have sent me back, etc.'

36. ὥς , Epic for ὥστε, common in Trag., esp. in Aeschylus (e.g. Ag. 358, 546, 575, 665, 1381).

36. σωκεῖν , ‘to be strong.'

36. ἀκταίνω , a unique word of which the meaning is disputed. The Schol. and old lexicons give (1) to uplift, or be uplifted. (2) to exult, ‘prance' (γαυριᾶν), ‘leap violently' (ἀτάκτως πηδᾶν). The sense however requires, not, 'I can't move violently, but rather 'I can hardly move at all:' it is best therefore to take ἀκταίνω, to lift. βάσιν, my step: this is a correction in the best MS., all the texts reading στάσιν, (which is perhaps possible, and then 'to uplift my standing' would mean to stand upright;) but βάσιν is easier and far more likely.

37. χερσίν , ‘by aid of hands:' holding on, to support her failing limbs. [Schol. actually says she comes out on all fours, τετραποδηδόν!!]

38. ἀντίπαιs , rather a strange compound, the preposition ἀντί governing (so to speak) the waῖς, and not some word outside as usual. Aeschylus is fond of these compounds : ἀντίκεντρον 136, 466, ἀντίφερνον Ag. 406, ἀντήνωρ ib. 443, ἀντίδουλος Cho. 135.

38. μὲν οὖν , corrective, as usual. 'Nay, she is as a child.'

40. ὀμφαλός , navel, was the name given to Delphi, as the centre of the earth, and particularly (as here) to a white stone in the μυχός of the temple¹. Strabo tells us (9. 3.) that 'an ὀμφαλός bound with fillets' was shown in the temple; and Pausanias (10. 16. 3) that 'the Delphians said their ὀμφαλός, which was made of white stone, was the centre of the earth, and quoted from Pindar a passage which agreed with their account. ¹ The ὀμφαλός as a round or oval object is often found on coins or vases or sculptures relating to Delphi.

40. μέν answers δέ 1. 46.

41. προστρόπαιον , lit. turning toward, hence suppliant. The supplication might be for vengeance (as Ag. 1587, Cho. 286), or more commonly for purification, as here. Hence the word contracts another meaning, guilty; see below 11. 234, 237.

43-45. σωφρόνως seems to mean duly , piously.

46. λόχος , ‘troop:' for the number of the Eumenides see Introduction.

48. Γοργόνας . : Aeschylus describes these in the Prometheus (899) as 'Three winged sisters with snakes for hair, loathed of men, whom no mortal shall see and live:' and the Furies are compared to them, Cho. 1047, 'In dusky robes and twined with many snakes, like Gorgons.’

51. γε μήν , ‘yet,' adversative as usual: γε μέντοι, γε μὲν δή (and in Homer γε μέν), also used in the same way. So σπορᾶς γε μὴν ἐκ τῆσδε Ρ. V. 871, σὺν χρόνῳ γε μήν Ag. 1378.

53. οὐ πλατοῖσι , ‘unapproachable:' for the breath was deadly with blood and fire, and withered up what it touched (138). MSS. read πλαστοῖσι, feigned: but the other is far more forcible.

55. κόσμος , their garb.

59. μὴ μεταστένειν πόνον , without repenting of its toil, is an elaborate repetition and explanation of ἀνατί, unharmed. [The inf. is literally the object of ἐπεύχεται : 'boasts that having reared... it does not repent,' i. e. 'boasts to rear without repenting'].

64. διὰ τέλους , idiomatic expression for ever.

68. ὕπνῳ πεσοῦσαι , ‘prostrate in sleep' [they lie] : πεσοῦσαι used rather loosely for the perfect, like θανόντes for τεθνηκότες. But the construction is rather harsh, with a strained tense and no verb: and not improbably πεσοῦσαι is corrupt for some verb. The best suggestion is Weil's πεδῶνται : (others πρέπουσι, πέλουσι : παρεῖνται Weckl.).

69. μίγνυται , 'consorts.”

69. γραῖαι , παλαιαὶ παῖδες, ‘old, wrinkled maidens;' a bold and contemptuous oxymoron to express loathing.

78. βουκολούμενος . (mid. as Schol. interprets), tending, i. e. brooding over; a bold metaphor characteristic of the poet.

80. ἄγκαθεν , in thy arms, from ἄγκη, ‘the bent arm:' like the Homeric ἀγκὰς ἑλεῖν or ἔχειν, to take in the arms: cf. Ag. 3.

81. θελκτηρίους , ‘persuasive,' to the judges of the Areiopagos.

88. σε . φρέναs, the acc. of whole and part, common from Homer down: like Τρῶας τρόμος αἰνὸς ὑπήλυθε γυῖα ἕκαστον ; τὸν βάλε κνήμην; and μέθες με πρὸς θεῶν χεῖρα etc.

90. κάρτα δ᾽ ὧν ἐπώνυμος , true to thy name, give guidance : the title πομπαῖος meaning the guider .

100. πρός , common poetic use for ὑπό of agent: Cho. 133, 346, etc. So ἐκ, παρά, and ἀπό are poetically used. So below 1. 102.

104. ὄμμασιν λαμπρύνεται , stately Aeschylean for 'is clearsighted.'

105. μοῖρ᾽ ἀπρόσκοπος βροτῶν , 'tis the lot of mortals to be blind. Others take it the lot of men cannot be foretold: but the sense of the other is better, the antithesis is more pointed, ('seeing in sleep, blind in the day,') and ἀπρόσκοπος is more naturally active. [The Schol. says ἡ τῆς φρενὸς μοῖρα, whence H. and others read φρενῶν for βροτῶν : but the Schol. is only (rather stupidly) explaining μοῖρα in connection with the φρήν of the last line: it proves nothing about the reading: φρήν and φρενῶν would be very flat repetition.]

169. μάντις ὤν , i. e. ‘though a seer,' and thus the last who should have allowed pollution.

174. τόν , Orestes: for Epic form cp. 137, 357.

mvp-comment-1-1 τῇδε: Πυ. praefixit Vict. προφῆτις praescriptum in M. Flor. Ven. Nulla nota in G. Ald. Rob. Turn. τῇ τε vitium Ald.

mvp-comment-2-1 τὴν πρωτόμαντιν Γαῖαν· ἐκ δὲ τῆς Θέμιν: Harpocration in v. θεμιστεύειν p. 94, 21. ed. Bekk. θεμιστεύειν ἀντὶ τοῦ χρησμῳδεῖν Λυσίας ἐν τῷ περὶ τῆς ἀμβλώσεως, εἰ γνήσιος. ὅτι δὲ γέγονε τὸ ὄνομα ἀπὸ τοῦ Θέμιν ἐσχηκέναι ποτὲ τὸ μαντεῖον πρὸ τοῦ Απόλλωνος (sic Bekkerus ex codice Parisiensi: vulgo ἡλίου), Αισχύλος ἀρχόμενος τῶν Εὐμενίδων φησίν.

mvp-comment-3-1 οὐδὲ πρὸς βίαν τινός: οὐδὲ πρὸς βίαν τινός, nemini vim inferens. Pindarum fortasse tangit. Scholiastes enim ad v. 2. haec adnotavit, Πίνδαρός φησι πρὸς βίαν κρατῆσαι Πυθοῦς τὸν Ἀπόλλωνα· διὸ καὶ ταρταρῶσαι αὐτὸν ἐζήτει ἡ Γῆ. Pindarum sequi videtur Euripides in Iphigenia Taurica v. 1234. seqq.

mvp-comment-4-1 Τιτανὶς ἄλλη, παῖς Χθονός: Victorium secuti plerique sic interpungunt, Τιτανίς, ἄλλη παῖς Χθονός, nec rei ratione habita, nec sermonis poetici. Ego, ut iam olim, dedi Τιτανὶς ἄλλη, παῖς Χθονός, ut posse saltem distingui iam Stanleius in curis secundis et Wakefieldius viderant. Deinde za9era Rob.

mvp-comment-5-1 δίδωσιν ἣ: δίδωσιν ἣ Porsonus. δίδωσιν δ᾽ ἣ M. G. Ald. δίδωσι δ᾽ ἢ Ven. (sic Ven. Bekkero teste, δίδωσιν δ᾽ ἣ Franzius affert Flor. Farn. Turn. δίδωσι δ᾽ ἢ Rob.

mvp-comment-6-1 Φοίβῳ· τὸ Φοίβης δ᾽ ὄνομ᾽ ἔχει παρώνυμον: Apollonius in Lexico Homerico p. 164, 10. ed. Bekk. Φοῖβος, ἐπίθετον Απόλλωνος. ὁ μὲν Αἰσχύλος ἀπὸ Φοίβης, τῆς μητρὸς Μητους. V. Wassenberghium ad scholia Hom. p. 151.

mvp-comment-7-1 λίμνην Δηλίαν τε χοιράδα: Scholiastes τὴν Κύνθον. διὰ δὲ τοῦ χοιράδα σχεδὸν τὴν αἰτίαν φησὶ δι᾽ ἣν ἀπέλιπεν Απόλλων, ἐκκλίνων τὸ εὐτελὲς τοῦ χωρίου. Deinde ad eundem versum in M. sine lemmate adscriptum τὴν στρογγύλην, quod ad λίμνην pertinet. Lacus huius, τροχοειδοῦς νουcati, mentio est apud Herodotum II. 170. Theognidem v. 7. Euripidem in Iph. Taur. v. 1110. et in Ione v. 168. apud Callimachum h. Apoll. v. 59. Del. v. 261. Δήλιοι χοιράδες sunt apud Euripidem Troad. v. 89.

mvp-comment-8-1 Παρνησσοῦ θ' ἕδρας: Παρνησσοῦ θ᾽ ἕδρας Turn. παρνησοῦ θ᾽ ἕδρας Rob. παρνησοῦσθ᾽ ἕδρας M. G. παρνησούς θ' ἕδρας Flor. Ven. παρνήσους θ' έδρας Farn. πανησοῦς θ᾽ ἕδρας Ald. Scholiastes χαριζόμενος Αθηναίοις καταχθῆναί φησιν ἐκεῖσε Απόλλωνα κἀκεῖθεν τὴν περιπομπὴν αὐτῷ εἶναι. ὁ δὲ Πίνδαρος ἐκ Τανάγρας τῆς Βοιωτίας.

mvp-comment-9-1 σεβίζουσιν: σεβίζουσι Turn. θεσπίζουσι Par.

mvp-comment-10-1 κελευθοποιοὶ: κελευθοπιοὶ Αld. Scholiastes of Αθηναῖοι, Θησεὺς γὰρ τὴν ὁδὸν καθῇρε (sic M.) τῶν λῃστῶν· καὶ ὅταν πέμπωσιν εἰς Δελφοὺς θεωρίδα, προέρχονται (προέρχονται γὰρ Μ.) ἔχοντες πελέκεις ὡς διημερώσοντες τὴν γῆν. Hesychius Αφηστιάδαι, Αθηναῖοι. Sed cum Hesychio conferendum est quod Stephanus Byzantius habet, 'Hφαιστιάδαι, δῆμος Ακαμαντίδος φυλῆς, ἐν ᾧ ἦν Ηφαίστου ἱερόν. ὁ δημότης Ἡφαιστιάδης. τὰ τοπικὰ ἐξ Ηφαιστιαδῶν καὶ τὰ λοιπά. Censor Schützianae editionis in Bibliotheca nova Germanica vol. LVI. part. 1. p. 224. seqq. cuius censurae epitome inserta est Beckii Commentariis societatis philologicae vol. II. part. 2. p. 279. seqq. dubitat an Aeschylus simpliciter fabros, non universe Athenienses, solemni pompa, ut deinceps quotannis, Apollinem deduxisse dixerit: quare aliquid excidisse putat inter v. 12. et 13. Quae suspicio eiusmodi est ut certis quidem argumentis nec refelli posse nec probari videatur. Schoemanno, ut Stanleio aliisque, universe Athenienses significari videntur: Erechtheum enim filium esse Vulcani, ὃν τέκε γαίης αὔλακι νυμφεύσας γαμίην Ηφαιστος ξέρσην, ut Nonnus ait XLI. 63. Rem, quam Aeschylus narrat, Strabo tangit IX. p. 646 (422). Conf. Mülleri Orchom. p. 36. et 383. et diss. de tripode Delphico p. 18.

mvp-comment-11-1 ἀνήμερον τιθέντες: ἀνήμερόν τι θέντες Ald.

mvp-comment-12-1 τιμᾷ: τιμαλθεῖ Ven. τημαλφεῖ Ald. Turn. In Rob. pro his verbis, κάρτα τιμαλφεί λεώς, haec e v. 12. repetita sunt, καὶ σεβίζουσιν μέγα.

mvp-comment-13-1 Δελφός: Scholiastes Επαφρόδιτος ἐν ὑπομνήματι Καλλιμάχου Αιτίων β' φησί, Μελανθοῦς τῆς Δευκαλίωνος καὶ Κηφισσοῦ τοῦ ποταμοῦ γίνεται Μέλαινα τοὔνομα· Μελαίνης δὲ καὶ Ποσειδῶνος Δελφός, ἀφ' οὗ οἱ Δελφοί. Tzetzes ad Lycophr. v. 208. — κἂν ἄλλοι φασὶ Δελφοὺς κληθῆναι ἀπὸ Δελφοῦ υἱοῦ Ποσειδῶνος καὶ Μελανθοῦς τῆς Δευκαλίωνος θυγατρός. Alia narrat Pausanias X. 6.

mvp-comment-14-1 ἐν θρόνοις: ἐν θρόνοις Turn. ἐν χρόνοις M. G. Par. Ven. Flor. Farn. Ald. Rob.

mvp-comment-15-1 Διὸς προφήτης δ᾽ ἐστὶ Λοξίας πατρός: Libri διὸς προφήτης δ᾽ ἐστὶ λοξίας πατρός, nisi quod G. Ald. δ᾽ ἐστὶν habent. Sed Macrobius Sat. V. 22. ita scriptum affert hunc versum, πατρὸς προφήτης ἐστὶ Λοξίας Διός. Dubitari potest utro ordine melius haec dicantur.

mvp-comment-16-1 Παλλὰς προναία δ᾽ εὐλόγως πρεσβεύεται: Libri παλλὰς προναία δ᾽ ἐν λόγοις πρεσβεύεται, nisi quod in Ven. προναία esse adnotavit Bekkerus. Scribendum προνάα. De Minerva zgoraía sive noroi praeter alios disputavit Lennepius ad Phalar. p. 143. seqq. Εί πρόνοια sola vera appellatio videbatur. Alterum nomen ut verius atque antiquius defendit 0. Müllerus in iis quae de Pallade scripsit in Encyclopaedia universali III. 10. p. 101. Atque hane nominis formam Delphis usitatam fuisse constat nunc ex duabus inscriptionibus ab Ernesto Curtio in Anecdotis Delphicis p. 77. et 78. editis, in quibus scriptum est ΤΑΙΑΘΑΝ. ΑΙΤΑΙΡΟΝΑΙΑΙ. De situ templi huius deae Delphici exposuit H. N. Vlrichsius in Itinere Graeco (Reisen und forschungen in Griechenland) vol. I. p. 45. et 263. Quod apud Aeschylum sequitur ἐν λόγοις πρεσβεύεται, simili orationis specie dictum est in Choeph. v. 621. κακῶν δὲ πρεσβεύεται τὸ Λήμνιον λόγο. Sed hic tamen non satis aptum videtur ἐν λόγοις. Scribendum putavi Παλλὰς προνάα δ᾽ εὐλόγως πρεσβεύεται. Suppl. v. 574. τίν ἂν θεῶν ἐνδικωτέροισιν κεκλοίμαν εὐλόγως ἐπ' ἔργοις;

mvp-comment-17-1 Κωρυκὶς: κωρυκεὶς Ald. De Corycio antro dixit Vlrichsius p. 48. 55. 119. 126.

mvp-comment-18-1 ἀναστροφαί: ἀναστροφαί Ven. Flor. Farn. ἀναστροφὴ Μ. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. ἀναστροφὴ Victorius ex scholio ad sequentem versum in M. adscripto διὸ εἶπε δαιμόνων ἀναστροφή. Recipiendum erat ἀναστροφαί. Nulla est enim in plurali numero offensio. V. Pors. ad Eur. Or. v. 1051.

mvp-comment-19-1 Βρόμιος ἔχει τὸν χῶρον: βρόμιος δ' έχει Ven. Flor. G. Ald. Turn. et haud dubie etiam Farn. Non est d'in M. Rob. Erravit autem qui addidit. Aeschylus enim ne in primo quidem pede anapaestum admisit, qui sola positione esset anapaestus, praeter hos duos versus, Pers. 338. ἑκατὸν δὲς ἦσαν, et Ag. 487. ὑπατός τε χώρας Ζεύς, ubi excusatio est ex quadam necessitate. Hic autem non dubito quin versus ante hunc exciderit. Quare lacunae signa posui. χώρων Rob.

mvp-comment-20-1 ἐξ οὗτε: ἐξ οὗγε Porsonus, ut in Persis v. 763. in codice Veneto B. scriptum est.

mvp-comment-21-1 λαγὼ: λαγῶ Ven. Farn.

mvp-comment-22-1 Πλειστοῦ ... Ποσειδῶνος: πλείστους M. G. Ven. Flor. Ald. Rob. Πλείστου Turn. Πλειστοῦ ex Stanleii in curis secundis sententia Dindorfius. Εtym. Μ. p. 676. 5. Πλειστοῖο. Απολλώνιος (ΙΙ. 711.) "πολλὰ δὲ Κωρύκια νύμφαι Πλειστοῖο θύγατρες.” τινὲς ἀναγιγνώσκουσι προπερισπώμένως, ἐπειδὴ καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν ἐγχωρίων λέγεται Πλειστός ὀξυτόνως. ἔστι δὲ ποταμὸς ἐν Δελφοῖς. Ἡρωδιανὸς δὲ ἐν τῷ Καθόλου Πλεῖστος βαρύνει. Scholiastes ad Ποσειδῶνος κράτος haec adnotavit, τὴν Πυθὼ τὴν Ποσειδῶνος, ὑπὲρ ἧς Καλαύρειαν ἐδέξατο. Καλλίμαχος “μέσφα Καλαυρείης ἦλθεν ἐς ἀντίδοσιν.” Aliter hoc narrat Strabo VIII. p. 373. seq. (574.) Καλαυρία, νησίδιον ὅσον τριάκοντα σταδίων ἔχον τὸν κύκλον. ἐνταῦθα ἦν ἄσυλον Ποσειδῶνος ἱερόν· καί φασι τὸν θεὸν τοῦτον ἀλλάξασθαι πρὸς μὲν Λητὼ τὴν Καλαυρίαν, ἀντιδόντα Δῆλον, πρὸς Ἀπόλλωνα δὲ Ταίναρον, ἀντιδόντα Πυθώ. Ἔφορος δὲ καὶ τὸν χρησμὸν λέγει· ισόν τοι Δῆλον τε Καλαυριάν τε νέμεσθαι, Πυθώ τ' ἀγαθέην καὶ Ταίναρον ἠνεμόεντα. Pausanias X. 5, 6. ἔστι δὲ ἐν Ἕλλησι ποίησις, ὄνομα μὲν τοῖς ἔπεσίν ἐστι Ευμολπία, Μουσαίῳ δὲ τῷ Αντισφήμου προςποιοῦσι τὰ ἔπη· πεποιημένον οὖν ἐστὶν ἐν τούτοις Ποσειδῶνος ἐν κοινῷ καὶ Γῆς εἶναι τὸ μαντεῖον, καὶ τὴν μὲν χρᾶν αὐτήν, Ποσειδῶνι δὲ ὑπηρέτην ἐς τὰ μαντεύματα εἶναι Πύρκωνα. καὶ οὕτως ἔχει τὰ ἔπη, αὐτίκα δὲ Χθὼν μὲν σφῶῖν πινυτὸν φάτο μῦθον, σὺν δέ τε Πύρκων ἀμφίπολος κλυτοῦ Ἐννοσιγαίου (ita scribendum). Κρόνῳ δὲ ὕστερον, ὅσον Γῇ μετῆν, δοθῆναι Θέμιδι ὑπ' αὐτῆς λέγουσιν, Απόλλωνα δὲ παρὰ Θέμιδος λαβεῖν δωρεάν· Ποσειδῶνι δὲ ἀντὶ τοῦ μαντείου Καλαύρειαν ἀντιδοῦναι φασιν αὐτὸν τὴν πρὸ Τροιζῆνος. Erat autem in templo Delphico ara Neptuni. Pausanias X. 24, 4. ἐν δὲ τῷ ναῷ πεποίηται μὲν Ποσειδῶνος βωμός, ὅτι τὸ μαντεῖον τὸ ἀρχαιότατον κτῆμα ἦν καὶ Ποσειδῶνος, ἔστηκε δὲ καὶ ἀγάλματα Μοιρῶν δύο· ἀντὶ δὲ αὐτῶν τῆς τρίτης Ζεύς τε Μοιραγέτης καὶ ᾿Απόλλων σφίσι παρέστηκε Μοιραγέτης. Wieselerus memoravit Tzetzae ad Lycophr. v. 617. adnotationem, Αμοιβέα τὸν Ποσειδῶνα λέγει· οὕτω γὰρ ἐν Δελφοῖς τιμᾶται, ἐπεὶ ἠμείψαντο πρὸς ἀλλήλους ὁ μὲν Ποσειδῶν Καλαυρίαν, ὁ δὲ Ἀπόλλων Δελφούς, ὡς φησὶ Καλλίμαχος.

mvp-comment-23-1 Δία,: Recte in fine versus comma positum in Ald. Turn. Nulla interpunctio est in Rob. Vulgo inde a Victorio plene interpungitur.

mvp-comment-24-1 μακρῷ: μεστῶν pro με τῶν Par. μακρῶν Ald. Turn.

mvp-comment-25-1 κεἰ πάρ᾽: κει παρ' Rob. Ceteri κει παρ'. Recte Abreschius κεἰ πάρ'.

mvp-comment-26-1 ἴτων: ἴτων M. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. et, ut videtur, Ven. ἴτην Farn. et, ut videtur, Flor. De sortitione oraculum consulentium v. Spanh. ad Callim. h. Apoll. v. 45.

mvp-comment-27-1 μαντεύομαι: μαντεύονται Ven. In margine codicum M. G. adscriptum est διάλειμμα γάρ. Etenim post hunc versum sacerdos Pythia in templum introit, mox autem revertitur.

mvp-comment-28-1 λέξαι: λείξαι Ald.

mvp-comment-29-1 σθένειν μήτε μ' ἀκταίνειν βάσιν: σωβεῖν Par. Deinde μή τ' ἐμακταίνειν Ald. Scholiastes ἀκταίνειν interpretatur κουφίζειν· σημαίνει δὲ καὶ τὸ γαυριᾶν καὶ ατάκτως πηδῶν. Ex hoc loco, ut videtur, Hesychius ακταίνειν, μεταεωρίζειν. Εtym. Μ. p. 54, 34. ἀκταίνω. ἐπὶ ἵππων ἀκταίνειν, τὸ μετεωρίζεσθαι καὶ ἐπαίρεσθαι, καὶ γαυριᾶν. παρὰ τὸ ἦκται ἀκτός, καὶ ῥῆμα ἀκτῶ, ἀφ᾽ οὗ ἀκταίνω τὸ κουφίζω παρὰ Αἰσχύλῳ, uti emendavit Ruhnkenius ad Tim. p. 21. ibidem p. 20. afferens quae apud Phrynichum (in Bekkeri Anecd. p. 23, 12.) leguntur, Αἰσχύλος “οὐκέτ ἀκταίνω” φησί, βαρυτόνως, οἷον οὐκέτι ὀρθοῦν δύναμαι ἐμαυτήν. In fine versus libri στάσιν, neque vituperari hoc potest, non erecta stare possum. Sed in M. G. supra adscriptum γρ. βάσιν, quod a Stephano commemoratum inde a Cantero plerique receperunt. Et videtur praestare.

mvp-comment-30-1 ποδωκίᾳ: Scholiastes ad v. 39. τὰ δεινὰ ἐξέπεμψέ με τοῦ μαντείου. ἰδοῦσα γὰρ Ὀρέστην ἐπὶ τοῦ βωμοῦ καὶ τὰς Ἐρινύας κοιμωμένας, ἔξεισι τεταραγμένη τετραποδηδὸν ἐκ τοῦ νεώ. Nihil aliud sacerdos indicat, quam manuum adiumento sibi ad incedendum opus esse. ποδωκείᾳ Flor. ποδωκεία Ven.

mvp-comment-31-1 οὐδέν, ἀντίπαις μὲν οὖν: Male μὲν οὖν olim mutaveram in μένος. Nam οὐδέν significat quod nos dicimus es ist nichts damit. Inde explicatio addi potest, quae, si οὐδέν graviorem haberet significationem, supervacanea atque inepta foret. Suppl. v. 719. γυνὴ μονωθεῖσ᾽ οὐδέν· οὐκ ἔνεστ᾽ Ἄρης. Euripides Hec. v. 626. τὰ δ᾽ οὐδén· ἄλλως φροντίδων βουλεύματα, γλώσσης τε κόμποι. Huius οὐδέν exempla inveniuntur etiam in Phoen. v. 417. εὖ πρᾶσσε· τὰ φίλων δ᾽ οὐδέν, ἤν τις δυςτυχῇ. Androm. v. 642. σὺ δ᾽ οὐδὲν εἶ. Iph. Taur. v. 114. τοὺς πόνους γὰρ ἀγαθοὶ τολμῶσι, δειλοὶ δ᾽ εἰσὶν οὐδὲν οὐδαμοῦ. Cycl. v. 639. ἄνδρες πονηροὶ κοὐδὲν οἶδε σύμμαχοι.

mvp-comment-32-1 ὀμφαλῷ ... θεομυσῆ: ὀφθαλμῷ Ven. θεομυσῆ Μ. θεομυσῇ Rob. θεομιση G. Ven. Farn. Ald. Θεομισεῖ Turn.

mvp-comment-33-1 ἕδραν ἔχοντα: ἕδρας Flor. Farn. ἔχοντα Ven. Flor. Turn. et in corrigendis Robortellus. Sic, ut videtur, etiam Farn. ἔχοντι M. G. Par. Ald. Rob.

mvp-comment-34-1 νεοσπαδὲς: νεοσπαδὲς M. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. νεοσπαθές Ven. Flor. Farn.

mvp-comment-35-1 λῆνῃ μεγίστῃ σωφρόνως ἐστεμμένον: Libri λήνει μεγίστῳ σωφρόνως ἐστεμμένον, nisi quod λίνει habent Ven. Flor. Farn. Rob. et μεγίστω sine iota subscripto G. Ald. Rob. Valckenarius ad Phoen. v. 994. “pro λήνει μεγίστῳ,” inquit, “Georg. Arnaldus in margine libri posuerat λήγει μὲν ολός, quae correctio mihi quidem Hemsterbusii videtur, quem docentem audierat." Exemplum dicit editionis Victorianae: id ego nunc possideo. Coniectura autem illa, cuiuscumque sit, non est talis quae inventori laudem parere possit. Nam nec uév hic locum habet, ut vidit Abreschius, neque, quod Schützius intellexit, opus habitura essent haec verba explicatione quam adiecit poeta. Mirum quantum differt illud, ἅλω δὲ πολλήν, ἀσπίδος κύκλον λέγω, ab Iosepho Scaligero, quem memoral Valckenarius, ad Varronem p. 49. comparatum. Sed ut λήνει μεγίστῳ a poeta dictum esse existimem, adduci non possum. Videtur Aeschylus scripsisse λήνει μεγιστοσοφρόνως ἐστεμμένον. Sic μεγιστότιμος invenitur in Suppl. v. 679.

mvp-comment-36-1 πρόσθεν δὲ τἀνδρὸς ... θαυμαστὸς λόχος: προέθεν Rob. Deinde δὲ τἀνδρὸς Ven. Flor. Turn. δέ τ' ἀνδρὸς M. G. Ald. Rob. Deinde θαυμαστὸς λόγος M. Ven. Flor. Rob. Turn. θαυμαστὸν λέχος G. (sic G.) Par. Ald.

mvp-comment-37-1 εὕδει: ἅδει pro εὕδει Ald.

mvp-comment-38-1 Γοργόνας: Similitudinem Furiarum cum Gorgonibus latius quam par erat extendit Böttigerus in libro de personis Furiarum p. 13. seqq. et p. 112. seqq. Sequemur, ut certa, quae ipse Aeschylus veteresque. tradunt: hic in Prometheo v. 799. πέλας δ᾽ ἀδελφαὶ τῶνδε τρεις κατάπτεροι, δρακοντόμαλλοι Γοργόνες βροτοστυγεῖς. Choeph. v. 1045. ποῖαι γυναῖκες αἵδε Γοργόνων δίκην φαιοχίτωνες καὶ πεπλεκτανημέναι πυκνοῖς δράκουσιν ; ex illis autem Pausanias I. 28, 6. πρῶτος δέ σφισιν (Furiis) Αισχύλος δράκοντας ἐποίησεν ὁμοῦ ταῖς ἐν τῇ κεφαλῇ θριξὶν εἶναι.

mvp-comment-39-1 εἶδόν ποτ᾽ ἤδη: εἶδόν ποτ' ἤδη M. G. Ald. Rob. Τurn. εἶδόν ποτ᾽ εἶδον Ven. Flor. Farn. Ante hunc versum Wakefieldius et Northmorus versum excidisse putarunt, scholiis eam suspicionem adiuvare visis. Scholiastae in codice M. ad v. 50. haec est adnotatio, nullo praemisso lemmate, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδ᾽ Αρπυίας αὐτὰς λέγω. εἶδον γὰρ αὐτὰς ἐν γραφῇ πτερωτάς. At non potest ex isto scholio versus restitui qualem confinxit Wakefieldius, metro laborantem, aut qualem Schutzius, metri vitio carentem. Excidisse videntur ante versum 52. plures versus, in quibus sacerdos dixerat, cur terrificae illae mulieres non viderentur esse Gorgones, et deinde Harpyias nominaverat. V. Opusc. VI. 2. p. 20. Dindorfio post haec verba, εἶδόν ποτ᾽ ἤδη, lacunam statuenti assensus est Linwoodius. De ea re ambigi potest: illud certum est, mancam esse sacerdotis orationem.

mvp-comment-40-1 βδελύκτροποι: βδελύκτροποι M. G. Turn, βδελύκτοποι Ald. κδελύτροποι Rob. quod in corrigendis in βδελύτροποι mulari iubetur. βδελύτροποι Ven. Flor. Farn.

mvp-comment-41-1 οὐ πλαστοῖσι φυσιάμασιν: Schutzius haec ita interpretatus est, slertunt autem halitu, cui periculosum est appropinquare. Haec interpretatio si vera esset, scribendum esset οὐ πλατοῖσι, ut Elmsleius voluit ad Eur. Med. v. 149. Sed quod libri habent, οὐ πλαστοῖσι φυσιάμασιν, recte puto Stanleium interpretatum esse non fictis flatibus. Similiter Aeschylus loquitur in Prometheo v. 1034. πρὸς ταῦτα βούλευ· ὡς ὁδ᾽ οὐ πεπλασμένος ὁ κόμπος, ἀλλὰ καὶ λίαν εἰρημένος. In Sept. c. Th. 894. ἐτύμως δακρυχέων ἐκ φρενός. In Eum. v. 489. πολλὰ δ᾽ ἔτυμα παιδότρωτα πάθεα προςμένει τοκεῦσιν μεταὖθις ἐν χρόνῳ.

mvp-comment-42-1 λείβουσι δυςφιλῆ λίβα: λοίβουσι δυσφαλῆ Rob. Deinde δία M. G. Ald. codex Robortelli. βίαν Rob. ex coniectura Sophiani et Turnebus, et habent βίαν Ven. Flor. et, ut videtur, Farn. Egregie Burgesius λίβα. V. ad Choeph. v. 299. Similiter dixit Aeschylus in Choeph. v. 1055. κἀς ὀμμάτων στάζουσιν αἷμα δυςφιλές.

mvp-comment-43-1 τὸ φῦλον οὐκ ὄπωπα τῆσδ᾽ ὁμιλίας: Vix quisquam explicet, quomodo Schutzius adduci potuerit, ut haec ita interpretaretur, nusquam vidi mulierum genus, quocum hunc coetum comparare possem. . Hoc dicitur, genus huius societatis, vel nationem huius gentis non vidi.

mvp-comment-44-1 οὐδ᾽ ἥτις αἶα: οὐδ᾽ ἥτις αλα M. Rob. οὐδ᾽ ὅτι γαῖα Ven. (sic Ven. Flor. Farn. οὐδ᾽ εἴτις γαῖα G. Ald. οὐ δή τι γαῖα Turn.

mvp-comment-45-1 ἀνατὶ ... πόνον: ἀνατὶ Dindorfius. ἀνατεῖ Turn. ἀνατεί ceteri. Deinde μεμετὰ στένειν Turn. Denique πόνον Arnaldus. Libri πόνων. Legit πόvor etiam scholiastes, in cuius adnotatione, τὸ τῆς ἀνατροφῆς, scribendum est τὸν pro τό. Euripides Phoen. v. 1434. ἔκλαι, ἐθρήνει τὸν πολὺν μαστῶν πόνον στένουσα.

mvp-comment-46-1 τἀντεῦθεν ἤδη: τἀντεῖθεν ήδη M. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. τάντεῦθε μὲν οὖν Ven. Flor. Farn.

mvp-comment-47-1 δωμάτων: δομάτων G. Non opus est Wakefieldii coniectura, δειμάτων.

mvp-comment-48-1 οὔτοι προδώσω: Personae notam omittunt G. Ald. Sed in G. adscriptum στροφή. πρὸς Ὀρέστην Απόλλων, ἀπέστη γὰρ ἡ ἱέρεια. In M. adseriptum πρὸς Ὀρέστην φησίν. ἀπέστη γὰρ ἡ ἱέρεια. Scholiastes ἐπιφανεὶς Ἀπόλλων συμβουλεύει Ὀρέστῃ καταλιπεῖν μὲν τὸ μαντεῖον, φυγεῖν δὲ εἰς ᾿Αθήνας, καὶ δευτέρα δὲ γίνεται φαντασία, στραφέντα γὰρ μηχανήματα ἔνδηλα ποιεῖ τὰ κατὰ τὸ μαντεῖον ὡς ἔχει. καὶ γίνεται ὄψις τραγική, τὸ μὲν ξίφος ᾑμαγμένον· ἔτι κατέχων Ὀρέστης, αἳ δὲ κύκλῳ φρουροῦσαι αὐτόν. Haec non recte ad hunc versum adscripta esse videntur, quum deberent ad v. 97. adnotari. Eodem modo scholion, quod ad ipsum fabulae initium ponendum fuerat, ad v. 48. adscriptum est. Certe hic non cogitandum est de versis machinis. Nam non solum nulla caussa erat cur nunc Furiae conspicerentur, sed etiam importune poeta animos spectatorum novo isto et terribili adspectu Furiarum avocasset ab audiendo Apollinis et Orestis colloquio. Prodeunt ex templo Apollo, Orestes, Mercurius. Dixi de hac re in Opusculis vol. VI. 2. p. 163. et in Anualium Vindobonensium vol. CXI. p. 246. seqq. προδόσω G. Ald. προδώσο Rob.

mvp-comment-49-1 καὶ πρόσω γ᾽ ἀποστατῶν: Recte Blomfieldius καὶ πρόσω γ' ἀποστατῶν. Libri καὶ πρόσω δ᾽ ἀποστατῶν. Sed hic quidem και - δέ ineptum est.

mvp-comment-50-1 ἐχθροῖσι: ἐχθροῖς Ald. Pro πρέπων aliam lectionem, πέπων, memorat scholiastes.

mvp-comment-51-1 ἁλούσας: εἰλούσας Rob. Interpunctionem, quae post vлvo erat, post dous recte transtulit Bothius.

mvp-comment-52-1 ὕπνῳ πεσοῦσαι δ': Libri πεσοῦσαι δ', nisi quod πεσοῦμαι δ' Ven. πεποῦσαι δ' Ald. Quod in Opusc. VI. 2. p. 23. putabam, participium pro verbo finito positum esse, probari non potest, quia participium aoristi ita usurpari nequit. Non puto tamen aliquid mutandum esse, quamquam non inepte scriberetur ὕπνῳ πνέουσι δ', ut in Choeph. v. 611. sed videtur potius huiusmodi versus excidisse, ἐν τοῖςδε τοῖς θρόνοισιν ἀσθενεῖς πάρα. Quare lacunae signa posui.

mvp-comment-53-1 γραῖαι, παλαιαὶ παῖδες: Libri γραῖαι παλαιαὶ παῖδες. Adscriptum est in M. hoc scholion, sine lemmate, πολιαὶ γάρ (hoc ad γραῖαι παλαιαί pertinet). παῖδες, διὰ τὸ νέον· ἢ ἐπειδὴ ἄγαμοι καὶ παρθένοι εἰσί. τὸ ἀλλόκοτον δὲ τῆς φύσεως διὰ τῶν ἐναντίων τραγικώτερον διασύρει. Valckenarius ad Callimachi elegiarum fragmenta p. 147. "primum corrigebam,” inquit, “πέλουσι δ' αἱ κατάπτυστοι κόραι Γαίας παλαιαὶ παῖδες. et certe, secundum Hesiodum Theog. v. 185, Furias terra genuit: postea credere malui, vocem youîai esse vicinarum interpretamentum, Aeschylum dedisse Νυκτὸς παλαιαὶ παῖδες· ut infra v. 322. 419. 748. 1036.” (319. 408. 737. 1015.) "Servius in Virg. Αen. III. 212.” Ex his πέλουσι miror viro summo in mentem venisse, quem meminisse oportebat Euripidi facilius quam Aeschylo convenire huiusmodi expositionem, quae ad solos spectatores pertineret. Illud alterum autem, Νυκτός, et ingeniosum est et videtur esse verum.

mvp-comment-54-1 κἀγένοντ', ἐπεὶ κακὸν: ἐπὶ κακὸν G. Ald. Turn.

mvp-comment-55-1 μισήματ᾽: μίσημα τ' ἀνδρῶν G. Ald.

mvp-comment-56-1 ἐλῶσι ... μακρᾶς: ἑλῶσι G. Ald. μακρὰς G.

mvp-comment-57-1 βιβῶντ᾽ ἀν' ἀεὶ τὴν πλανοστιβῆ χθόνα: βεβῶντ᾽ ἂν αἰεὶ τὴν M. Par. Rob. βεβῶντ᾽ ἂν ἀείτην G. Ald. βεβόντ᾽ ἂν αἰεὶ τὴν Ven. Flor. βεβόντ' αἰεὶ τὴν Farn. βεβῶντ' ἀνατεὶ τὴν Turn. Deinde πλανοστηβῆ χθόνα Rob. Stephanus probavit ἀνατεί, sed βεβῶτα aut βιβῶντα scribendum putavit. Ει βεβῶν ἀνατεί editores receperunt. Dixi in Opusc. VI. 2. p. 24. scribendum esse ἂν ἀεί, ea praepositionis collocatione, a qua ne prosa quidem oratio abstinuit. Sic enim Plato Leg. VIII. p. 832. C. ἀλλ' ἀκόντων ἑκοῦσα ἄρχει σὺν ἀεί τινι βίᾳ. Verum non erat retinendum βεβῶτα, sed recepta altera Stephani coniectura, βιβῶντα, quae in librorum scriptura latet, ita scribendum, βιβῶντ᾽ ἂν ἀεὶ τὴν πλανοστιβῆ χθόνα. Non obstat quod ßißor in iis quas habemus tragicorum fabulis non invenitur. Vtitur eo verbo praeter epicos Pindarus.

mvp-comment-58-1 πόντον: πόντον Turnebus. πόντου M. G. Ven. Flor. Farn. Ald. Rob.

mvp-comment-59-1 βουκολούμενος: Non satis accurate scholiastes βουκολούμενος per περιέπων explicat. Inest enim in hoc verbo diu frustrati laboris significatio, neque active, sed passive intelligendum est.

mvp-comment-60-1 Παλλάδος ποτὶ πτόλιν: παλλάδος ποτὶ πτόλιν G. Ven. Flor. Ald. Turn. et ex emendatione Sophiani Rob. ποτὶ πτόλιν παλλάδος M. et codex Robortelli: sed in M. verus verborum ordo litteris asupra adscriptis indicatur.

mvp-comment-61-1 ἵζου ... ἄγκαθεν: ἕζου 'Turn. Αγκαθεν scholiastes recte interpretatur ἐν ἀγκάλαις. V. ad Ag. v. 3.

mvp-comment-62-1 μὴ ἀδικεῖν: μὴ ἀδικεῖν Ven. Flor. Farn. In Flor. Farn. συνίζησις adscriptum. μὴ ἀδικεῖν M. Rob. μὴδικεῖν G. Ald. Turn. μὴ δοκεῖν codex Robortelli.

mvp-comment-63-1 ἐπίστᾳ ... μὴ ἀμελεῖν: ἐπίστα Porsonus. ἐπίσται Μ. ἐπίστα ceteri. Deinde μὴ ἀμελεῖν Ven. Flor. Farn. συνίζησις adscriptum in Flor. Farn. μὴ μελεῖν Μ. μὴμελεῖν G. Turn. μὴ μελεῖν Ald. Rob.

mvp-comment-64-1 ἐκνόμων σέβας: τόδ' ἐκνύμων σέβας M. G. Ven. τόδ᾽ ἐκ νόμων σέβας Ald. Rob. Turn. xvóμwr an ix róuor habeant Flor. Farn. ignoratur. In Opusc. VI. 2. p. 25. putabam scribendum esse izvóµws, valde. Nihil mutandum est, sed retinendum τόδ᾽ ἐκνόμων σέβας. Recte scholiastes τὸ τῶν ἱκετῶν σέβισμα καὶ δέημα οὐ μόνον τιμᾷ ὁ Ζεύς, ἀλλὰ καὶ σέβει, ὁρῶν αὐτὸ ὁρμώμενον προςηκούσῃ τύχῃ. Suidas et Zonaras ἐκνόμοις, παρανόμοις. Est autem afinitas quaedam vocabulorum scelere contaminatos significantium et eos qui ob hanc caussam supplices ad templa deorum accedunt. Sic oоçτóñάiç sceleratum significat, idque etiam in talibus locis, a quibus propria huius vocabuli significatio alienissima est, ut in hac ipsa fabula v. 236. 437. Vt hic ¿zróµwv ot- Bas, ita v. 433. oeuvòs noosíztwo dicitur. Significatur autem misericordiam non deesse sceleratis a fido comite adiutis.

mvp-comment-65-1 εὕδοιτ᾽ ἄν: Abeunt Orestes et Mercurius. Apollo in templum revertitur. Clytemnestrae umbra per ávaníɛoua, quod in proscenio erat, emittitur.

mvp-comment-66-1 ὧν: Libri s. Rectissime Tyrwhittus et Wakefieldius dr. Sic legit scholiastes, male intelligens: adnotavit enim haec, kɛina ɛlµí, vnèg ὧν ἐφόνευσα Αγαμέμνονα ἀπώσασθε. καὶ οἱ ἐμὲ φονεύσαντες οὐκ áriμázovτai. Hoc dicit, me vero sic a vobis neglectam inter alios mortuos non deserunt opprobria eorum quos occidi, Agamemnonis. V. Opusc. VI. 2. p. 26. seq.

mvp-comment-67-1 ἀλῶμαι: ἄλωμαι Ald.

mvp-comment-68-1 παθοῦσα δ᾽: παθοῦσα γ' οὕτω Ven. Flor. Farn.

mvp-comment-69-1 οὐδεὶs ... ὑπέρ μου: ovdeis d' Ven. Flor. Farn. ὑπὲρ μοῦ G. Ald. et Bekkero teste Ven. ὑπερμοῦ Rob. ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ Farn.

mvp-comment-70-1 χερῶν: χειρῶν G. Ald.

mvp-comment-71-1 καρδίας ὅθεν: καρδίαι σέθεν Μ. καρδία σέθεν G. Par. Flor. καρδία σέθεν Ven. Farn. Rob. καρδίας σέθεν Ald. Turn. καρδίας ἔθεν, id ut esset idem quod quédev, Canterus scribendum putabat. Defendit Schoemannus καρδίᾳ σέθεν. Sed ad δρα plane inutiliter καρδίᾳ σέθεν additum esset, praesertim quum oé v prorsus supervacaneum sit. Scripsi, ut in Opusc. VI. 2. p. 28. scribendum esse dixeram, ὅρα δὲ πληγὰς τάςδε καρδίας ὅθεν. O. Müllero hanc emendationem eo evertere conanti, quod v. 582. Orestes matrem interfecisse dicitur ξιφουλκῇ χειρὶ πρὸς δέρην τεμών, assensus est Linwoodius. Quasi tam anxie haec rimanda essent, aut quasi nemo gladio superne iugulo alicuius defixo cor percutere possit. Ipse Linwoodius καρδίας σέθεν scripsit et πληγάς καρδίας metaphorice dictas ad convicia a Clytaemnestrae choro iniecta referendas putavit. Hoc nemo intellexisset. Contorta sunt et improbabilia quae Schne dewinus in Notitiis litterariis Gottingensibus a. 1845. p. 1948 seqq. de his versibus protulit.

mvp-comment-72-1 ὄμμασιν: uuao Victorius et sic Ven. ouao M. G. Flor. Ald. Rob. Turn.

mvp-comment-73-1 μοῖρ᾽ ἀπρόσκοπος βροτῶν: μοῖρα πρόσκοπος M. G. Ven. Flor. Farn. Ald. μοῖρα πρό-σκοπτος Rob. Recte Turnebus μοῖρ᾽ ἀπρόσκοπος ex hac scholiastae adnotatione, ἡ τῆς φρενὸς μοῖρα οὐ προορᾷ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ. Deinde libri Poorur, inepte. Scribendum, ut in Opusc. VI. 2. p. 29 dixi, ἐν ἡμέρᾳ δὲ μοῖρ᾽ ἀπρόσκοπος φρενῶν. Ita legit scholiastes, cuius adnotationem modo attuli. Stanleius praeter alia haec comparavit Ciceronis de divin. I. 30. quum ergo est somno serocalus animus a societate et contagione corporis, tum meminit praeteritorum, praesentia cernit, futura praevidet. Mirifice fallitur Linwoodius, qui hos duo versus 107. et 108. aliunde insertos putat. Recte scholiastes ἐν τῷ καθεύδειν ὁ νοῦς ἀκριβέστερον ὁρᾷ, μὴ παραπλανώμενος τῇ θέᾳ. τραγικώτερον δὲ τὸ εἴδωλον Κλυταιμνήστρας σώζει τὴν oqay. Haec igitur dicit Clytemnestra, vide haec vulnera cordis, a quo illata sunt: nam in somnis mens claro oculorum lumine utitur; interdiu vero non est eius sors ut longe videat.

mvp-comment-1-1 πρῶτον μέν] This is answered, according to the common Attic usage, by ἔπειτα in v. 29. First I make honourable mention of the Powers, Titanian and celestial, who have successively ruled the oracular seat; next, I go to declare their present will. - πρεσβεύω, Schol.

The genitive θεῶν means her who of all the powers divine was the first giver of oracles. - Θέμις, who is called Τιτανὶς in Prom. 893 , represents the notion of law and justice as regulated not by human statutes but by divine will.

mvp-comment-2-1 ἢ δή] who, as all know, &c. So οὗ δὴ χολωθεὶς, Alcest. 5 ; see also Prom. 833 .

mvp-comment-3-1 θελούσης] The poet indirectly denies the truth of an old legend that Themis was forcibly ejected from the oracular seat by her sister Phoebe, the mother of Leto. Schol.

This note perhaps refers to the birthday present' from his grandmother Phoebe. The legend that Apollo dispossessed Themis is given at some length in Eur. Iph. T. 1260 seqq. It was in the mind of the poet in this play to deny the hostility of the gods against each other, and to represent them in their more beneficent aspect. It was a custom to bring presents, thence called ὀπτήρια, at the first sight of a newly-born child; see Eur. Ion 1127 .

mvp-comment-4-1 παρώνυμον] The name Phoebus came from Phoebe, either derived from it by the masculine termination, or with the interval of one, as παρ' ἡμέραν, ‘every other day.'

mvp-comment-5-1 λιπὼν δὲ κ.τ.λ.] The sense is, 'So he, leaving the island of his birth, came first to the shore of Attica, from which he was conducted with great honour by a Sacred Way then first made from Athens to Delphi by the descendants of Erichthonius the son of Hephaestus. On the via sacra alluded to, see Wordsworth's Greece, p. 237 , who describes the rugged and uneven nature of the soil, ἀνήμερον χθόνα. The Schol. records a ceremony kept up till later times, of pioneers carrying mattocks leading the annual procession of θεωροὶ to Delphi. ibid. χοιράδα] The low-lying reef, lit. 'hog's-back,' a term applied in disparagement to the barren island which the god exchanged for the wealthy Delphi (Schol.). See Pers. 423 .

mvp-comment-6-1 ἕδρας] ‘his sacred seat on Parnassus.'

mvp-comment-7-1 Either ἡμερώσαντες οι τιθέντες (θέντες) ἥμερον would be a more usual expression. The verb is technically applied to cutting roads through waste country. So Herod. 1. 126

Eur. Herc. F. 20

έξημερῶσαι γαῖαν.

mvp-comment-8-1 Δελφός] The eponym king or hero of the country came out to meet the god and give him an honourable reception. The Schol. cites a grammarian who wrote a commentary on Callimachus, to prove that Delphus was the son of Poseidon and Melaena, a daughter of the river Cephisus. -πρυμνήτης, see inf. 735, Theb. 2 .

mvp-comment-9-1 τόνδε] i.e. the present occupant. Similarly the gods are asked to receive the king on his return φαιδροῖσι τοισίδ᾽ ὄμμασι, Ag. 503 , ‘now with bright and cheery look.'

mvp-comment-10-1 προφήτης] the mouth-piece, or speaker for Zeus, Jovis interpres.

mvp-comment-11-1 ἐν λόγοις] This may mean that Pallas holds a first rank in the legends of the place, or it may be that prayers to Apollo are contrasted with honourable mention of Pallas Pronaea ( Herod. 1. 92, VIII. 37 ), who had a temple, or perhaps chapel, in front of the adytum. There was another title, sometimes confounded with this, Παλλάς Πρόvoia, the goddess of Providence, from her reputed wisdom, inf. 811.

mvp-comment-12-1 These verses, which somewhat interrupt the narrative, and the last of which is metrically faulty, are perhaps the interpolation of an early hand. The Schol. observes that the scene of Pentheus' death was not Parnassus, but Cithaeron. It has been proposed (by Weil) to insert v. 20 after v. 26, which, supposing the above lines to be genuine, would be an improvement. It is remarkable that the Schol. briefly says καλοῦσα φροιμιάζομαι. Cf. Ag. 1325 .

mvp-comment-13-1 Ποσειδώνος] There would seem to have been a κοινοβωμία ( Suppl. 218 ) at Delphi. There was a legend that the sea-god had resigned Pytho to Apollo in exchange for Taenarus, or, as Callimachus quoted by the Schol. says, for Calaurea, an island off Argolis.

mvp-comment-14-1 τυχεῖν ἄριστα] to get much better answers than on any former entry. For the accusative after τυγχάνειν see Cho. 698 .

mvp-comment-15-1 ἴτων, for ἴτωσαν, a unique example of this form. -πάλῳ, viz. without favour or claim of precedence on national grounds. -ὡς ἂv, according as. Cf. Soph. Αj. 1369

--After this verse there is a solemn pause.

mvp-comment-16-1 ἀκταίνειν] Schol.

Hesych.

μετεωρίζειν,

pedem levare. A similar form occurs Od. ΧΧΙΙΙ. 3

πόδες δ' ὑπερικταίνοντο.

Plat. Legg. 11. p. 672 c

καὶ ὅταν ἀκταινώσῃ ἑαυτὸ τάχιστα, ἀτάκτως αὖ πηδᾷ.

mvp-comment-17-1 χερσίν] By the support of my hands against the wall. The Schol. (unless indeed he records a stage tradition) seems wrongly to explain ἔξεισι τετραποδηδόν.

mvp-comment-18-1 ἀντίπαις] Rather she is as a child. Cf. Cho. 128

‘and I am no better than a slave.'

mvp-comment-19-1 The recent act of murder is described, as the Schol. remarks, in this verse.

mvp-comment-20-1 τῇδε γάρ] For in this respect (viz. the size of the tufts and the sober method of the arrangement, unlike that of some mad fanatic) I will give a clear account. Cf. Soph. El. 643

The Schol. says the interior of the shrine was seen by the spectators; but this does not seem certain. There is nothing in the narrative to suggest more than a description of what has scared the speaker. Indeed, the statement here is inconsistent with that at v. 64, where he says the interior of the shrine is now displayed by the eccyclema. car-

mvp-comment-21-1 τύποις] The earliest sculptures were ugly Gorgonheads cut in shallow relief, and called τύποι perhaps from a resemblance to heads on coins. She proceeds to say that she has seen drawings or paintings of winged winged harpies rying off the dinner from Phineus; but these Furies were different, in that they had no wings. The Argonautic story was well known to both Aeschylus and Pindar. It is alluded to also in Cho. 620 seqq.

mvp-comment-22-1 οὐ πλατοῖσι] not to be approached.

mvp-comment-23-1 καὶ κόσμος] Their dress, too, was such as neither could be brought as an offering to the statues of the gods (like the peplus to Pallas) nor admitted into the abodes of men.

mvp-comment-24-1 τὸ φύλον] the tribe or race to which they could be supposed to belong. Schol.

‘nor know I what land can aver that it rears this brood without harm to itself, and has not to repent afterwards of its pains.' -πόνον, Schol.

τὸν

(MS. τὸ) τῆς ἀνατροφῆς.

mvp-comment-25-1 τἀντεῦθεν] quae sequuntur. The priestess now retires, leaving to Apollo himself to get rid of the foul monsters which have beset and defiled his shrine.

mvp-comment-26-1 τοῖσιν ἄλλοις] i.e. and therefore much more so to himself. Schol.

mvp-comment-27-1 Apollo himself appears (apparently as an actor on the stage, though this is not certain). No! he exclaims, I will not desert you! I will watch over and guard you to the end, either at your side or from a distance, and I will show no gentleness to your enemies. We might conceive that Apollo appeared as in the air, by the μηχανὴ, and that this verse really means Even though far from you, as much as if I were close by you. Yet, as an interlocutor throughout the play, it would be difficult to suppose he always spoke from the μηχανή. - The use of καὶ δὲ is not common in tragedy, though very frequent in the later Attic prose. See Pers. 263, 548 . -πέπων, mitis, opposed to ὠμός, stern.

mvp-comment-28-1 This verse is corrupt, and the scholia give no help. Perhaps κόπῳ δ᾽ ὑπνώσσουσ᾽ αἱ κ. κ., in which case ἁλούσας, caught, will mean in my power, unable to stir, the capturers being themselves captured.

mvp-comment-29-1 οὐ μίγνυται] The sense is purposely ambiguous between cohabit and associate. So Homer says of Calypso, Od. νι. 288

mvp-comment-30-1 κακῶν ἕκατι] Their very existence is due to the existence of evil; if there were no crimes there would be no Furies to punish them. This is inferred from the race being altogether hellish and excluded from heaven.

mvp-comment-31-1 ὅμως] Though they are now asleep, you must continue your flight, for they will pursue you even through the spacious mainland, as well as over the sea and to island settlements.

mvp-comment-32-1 βιβῶντ'] This is an epic and Pindaric form. (See Veitch, Gr. V. p. 132 .) The Med. has βεβῶντ'. For the separation of avà Hermann compares Plat. Legg. VIII. p. 832 c

So also Eur. El. 1121

ὁρᾷς; ἀν᾿ αὐ σὺ ζωπυρεῖς νείκη νέα.

mvp-comment-33-1 βουκολούμενος] Brooding over. Schol.

Cf. Ag. 652

έβουκολοῦμεν φροντίσιν νέον πάθος.

For προκάμνειν, to give in too soon, cf. Herc. F. 119

μὴ προκάμητε πόδα βαρύ τε κώλον.

Thuc. 11. 39

περιγίγνεται ἡμῖν τοῖς μέλλουσιν ἀλγεινοῖς μὴ προκάμνειν.

mvp-comment-34-1 ἵζου] sit as a suppliant at the ancient wooden image (distinguished as Πολιάς) in the Erechtheum. -ἄγκαθεν, Schol.

See Ag. 3 .

mvp-comment-35-1 ἔπεισα] The emphasis is on this word: You were persuaded to slay your mother, and therefore it was not altogether ἑκὼν φόνος.—κτανεῖν, as inf. 96 ἔκτανον, a somewhat rare form for the usual Attic ἀποκτεῖναι.

mvp-comment-36-1 Orestes, in acknowledging the universally received title of Apollo as the god of Justice, begs him to use his omnipotence in looking after and protecting him. It is remarkable that these three verses are the only words that Orestes utters till he arrives at the Athenian Acropolis, ν. 226.

mvp-comment-37-1 μέμνησο] This refers to the injunction just given μὴ πρόκαμνε κ.τ.λ. Cf. Agam. 803 .

mvp-comment-38-1 κάρτα ἐπώνυμος, as in Theb. 655 , is true to your name, a brief phrase for κάρτα παρέχων πομπὴν ἧς ἐπώνυμος εἶ.

mvp-comment-39-1 This verse is corrupt. The Scholium is in some way confused, but the words ὁρῶν αὐτὸ ὁρμώμενον προσηκούσῃ τύχῃ suggest that he read τόδ' εἰσορῶν γέρας. Or from the gloss τὸ τῶν ἱκετῶν σέβισμα καὶ δέημα we might conjecture τόδ' ἱκτήρων οι ἱκτόρων γέρας. We can hardly defend σέβει σέβας, even if ἐκνόμων meant outlaws. Orestes here leaves the stage under the charge of Hermes, and Apollo retires, perhaps, into the adytum. After a brief pause the ghost of Clytemnestra rises through the trap-door called ἀναπίεσμα, and rouses the slumbering Furies to inform them that their captive has escaped. Schol.

Sleep on, ho! But we want not sleepers. While I am thus slighted by you, I am continually haunted among the other dead as a Murderess, and wander among the shades in disgrace. The syntax is equivalent to ἀεὶ ὀνειδίζομαι. The Schol. appears to have found ὧν μὲν ἔκτανον, for he explains, 'I am held in no regard by you for having killed my husband, but those who slew me are not slighted by you, but persecuted. The general sense must be, I am blamed for killing him, because you, the Furies, and the other infernal powers, are indifferent to my having been slain by my own son;' and thus attention is directed to my crime alone, and its punishment is thought to be just.

mvp-comment-40-1 κείνων ὕπο] Schol.

viz. the νεκροὶ or φθιτοὶ who attend him as a King in Hades.

mvp-comment-41-1 The Med. has ὅρα δὲ and σέθεν. But the verb is in the plural throughout this speech, and the sense is much simpler, See this wound over my heart, from whose hand it proceeded. The Schol. here observes, It is a tragic device to make the ghost of Clytemnestra retain the wound where she was stabbed.

mvp-comment-42-1 εὕδουσα γάρ] 'See it, I say, even in your sleep; for the mind in sleep can see brightly with its eyes; it is in the day that it is the lot of man not to have the power of foresight. This is one of the Pythagorean theories about dreams, to which the poet often alludes. Compare Xen. Cyr. VIII. 7, 21

. We have 'the mind's eye,' φρένα ὠμματωμένην, Cho. 839 . For βροτῶν, which may well refer to a general proposition as the lot of mankind, the Schol. seems to have read φρενῶν.

mvp-comment-43-1 ἐλείξατε] You licked up, or, lapped. They are described as hounds with lolling tongues, who had been propitiated by wineless libations at the family altar at the solemn hour of midnight. -ἀοίνους, see inf. 975. Oed. Col. 100, 481 .

mvp-comment-1-1 (in fine paginae v. 1-48 continentis; legebantur vulgo tamquam ad v. 47 adscripta; transp. Weckl.) φαίνεται ἐπὶ σκηνῆς τὸ μαντεῖον, ἡ δὲ προφῆτις πρόσεισιν (πρόεισιν Μ) ἐπικλήσεις, ὡς ἔθος, τῶν θεῶν ποιησαμένη (-ομένη Μ), ἀπροόπτως τε ἰδοῦσα τὰς Ἐρινύας κύκλωι τοῦ Ὀρέστου καθευδούσας πάντα μηνύει τοῖς θεαταῖς, οὐχ ὡς διηγουμένη τὰ ὑπὸ τὴν σκηνήν· τοῦτο γὰρ νεωτερικὸν Εὐριπίδειον (ιον Μ)· ὑπὸ δὲ τῆς ἐκπλήξεως τὰ θορυβήσαντα αὐτὴν καταμηνύουσα φιλοτέχνως. τὰ δὲ πρῶτα εὐχαὶ καὶ ἐπικλήσεις θεῶν, ἵνα ἀπὸ τῶν εὐφημοτέρων ἄρξηται ἡ προφῆτις. οἰκονομικῶς δὲ οὐκ ἐν ἀρχῆι διώκεται Ορέστης, ἀλλὰ τοῦτο ἐν μέσωι τοῦ δράματος κατατάττει, ταμιευόμενος τὰ ἀκμαιότατα ἐν μέσωι. προτιμῶ.

mvp-comment-2-1 Πίνδαρός φησι πρὸς βίαν κρατῆσαι Πυθοῦς τὸν Ἀπόλλωνα· διὸ καὶ ταρταρῶσαι αὐτὸν ἐζήτει ἡ Γῆ. Ἐπαφρόδιτος ἐν ὑπομνήματι Καλλιμάχου αἰτίων β΄ φησί· „Μελανθοῦς τῆς Δευκαλίλωνος καὶ Κηφισοῦ τοῦ ποταμοῦ γίνεται Μέλαινα τοὔνομα, Μελαίνης δὲ καὶ Ποσειδῶνος Δελφός, ἀφ᾽ οὗ οἱ Δελφοί“.

mvp-comment-3-1 ἢ τῆς κοινῆς μητρὸς πάντων, ἢ τῆς Θέμιδος.

mvp-comment-4-1 κλήρωι.

mvp-comment-5-1 ἀντὶ τοῦ) ὀπτήριον. θεασαμένη τὸν τῆς ἀδελφῆς (richtig wäre θυγατρὸς) ἑαυτῆς Λητοῦς παῖδα δέδωκε συγγενικὴν δόσιν.

mvp-comment-6-1 ἀπόδειξις αὕτη τῆς δωρεᾶς οὐκ ἀχάριστος.

mvp-comment-7-1 τὴν Κύνθον. διὰ δὲ τοῦ „χοιράδα" σχεδὸν τὴν αἰτίαν φησὶ δι᾽ ἣν ἀπέλιπεν Ἀπόλλων, ἐκκλίνων τὸ εὐτελὲς τοῦ χωρίου. τὴν στρογγύλην (näml. λίμνην).

mvp-comment-8-1 χαριζόμενος Ἀθηναίοις καταχθῆναί φησιν ἐκεῖσε Ἀπόλλωνα κἀκεῖθεν τὴν παραπομπὴν (Heyne für περιπ.) αὐτῶι εἶναι. ὁ δὲ Πίνδαρος) ἐκ Τανάγρας τῆς Βοιωτίας.

mvp-comment-9-1 οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι. Θησεὺς γὰρ τὴν ὁδὸν ἐκάθηρε (Rob. f. καθῆρεν) τῶν ληιστῶν· καὶ ὅταν πέμπωσιν εἰς Δελφοὺς θεωρίαν (Weil f. θεωρίδα), προέρχονται [γάρ] (del. Rob., τινες Weckl.) ἔχοντες πελέκεις ὡς διημερώσοντες τὴν γῆν.

mvp-comment-10-1 καὶ ὁ Δελφὸς λεώς (λ. del. Vict.), ὃς (ὅ Μ) ἐστι τῆς χώρας ἄναξ καὶ κυβερνήτης.

mvp-comment-11-1 κτίσας: ποιήσας· ἰδίωμα δὲ τοῦτο Αἰσχύλου.

mvp-comment-12-1 „χή Παλλάς, Δελφοί νιν ὅθ᾽ ἱδρύοντο προναίην“ Καλλίμαχος.

mvp-comment-13-1 ὁ Παρνασσός.

mvp-comment-14-1 διὸ εἶπε δαιμόνων ἀναστροφή.“

mvp-comment-15-1 λαγωοῦ δίκην καταπτήξαντι καὶ μὴ ἀνθισταμένωι. νῦν φησὶν ἐν Παρνασῶι εἶναι τὰ κατὰ Πενθέα, ἐν δὲ ταῖς Ξαντρίαις ἐν Κιθαιρῶνι.

mvp-comment-16-1 ἡ (τὴν Μ) Πυθὼ ἦν (τὴν Μ) πρώην Ποσειδῶνος, ὑπὲρ ἧς Καλαύρειαν ἐδέξατο. Καλλίμαχος· „μέσφα Καλαυρείης ἦλθεν ἐς (Rob. f. εἰς) ἀντίδοσιν.“

mvp-comment-17-1 καλοῦσα φροιμιάζομαι.

mvp-comment-18-1 τοῦτό φησιν, ἐπεὶ δραματική ἐστιν ἡ ποίησις· εἰ δὲ ἦν διηγηματική, εἶπεν ἂν ὁ ποιητής· ταῦτα εἶποῦσα εἰς θρόνον ἐκαθέζετο.

mvp-comment-19-1 ἴτων: ἴτωσαν, Αττικώτερον.

mvp-comment-20-1 διάλειμμα γίνεται). πρὸς (παρ᾿ Μ) ὀλίγον ἔρημος ἡ σκηνὴ γίνεται. οὔτε γὰρ ὁ χορός) πω πάρεστιν, ἥ τε ἱέρεια εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν ναόν. τὰ δεινὰ ἐξέπεμψέ με τοῦ μαντείου. ἰδοῦσα γὰρ Ὀρέστην ἐπὶ τοῦ βωμοῦ καὶ τὰς Ἐρινύας κοιμωμένας, ἔξεισι τεταραγμένη τετραποδηδὸν ἐκ τοῦ νεώ.

mvp-comment-21-1 διὰ τὸ γῆρας. κουφίζειν· σημαίνει) δὲ καὶ τὸ γαυριᾶν καὶ ἀτάκτως πηδᾶν (s. Plat. Leg. II, 672 C).

mvp-comment-22-1 ἱκέτην.

mvp-comment-23-1 (zu νεοσπ.) ἐμφατικῶς τοῦτο νεωστὶ ηὐθεντηκότα (αὐθ. Μ) παρίστησιν. νεωστὶ ἐσπασμένον.

mvp-comment-24-1 εἰώθασιν, ὅταν ἀσαφές τι εἴπωσιν, οἱ ποιηταὶ ἐπεκδιδάσκειν αὐτό. Ὅμηρος (Ε 586) „κύμβαχος ἐν κονίηισιν, ἐπὶ βρεγμόν τε καὶ ὤμους“.

mvp-comment-25-1 τῶν Ἐρινύων.

mvp-comment-26-1 πρὸς τὸ φοβερὸν τῆς ὄψεως.

mvp-comment-27-1 ἀλλ᾽ οὐδ᾽ Αρπυίας αὐτὰς λέγω· εἶδον γὰρ αὐτὰς ἐν γραφῆι πτερωτάς.

mvp-comment-28-1 ἃς τις βδελύξαιτο καὶ ἐκτραπείη (so!) μισήσας. σκυθρωποί.

mvp-comment-29-1 οἷον αἱματηράν.

mvp-comment-30-1 ὃν ἔχουσι περικείμενον (Scal. für παρακ.) ἑαυταῖς.

mvp-comment-31-1 οὐδέποτε τοιοῦτον γένος εἶδον. συνηθείας, συνουσίας, συστήματος.

mvp-comment-32-1 τὸν (Herm. f. τὸ) τῆς ἀνατροφῆς.

mvp-comment-33-1 ὥστε εἰ θεραπείας χρεία, ἰατρός ἐστιν· εἶἴτε μαντείας, τερατοσκόπος· εἴτε καθαρμῶν, καθάρσιος.

mvp-comment-34-1 πόσωι μᾶλλον τῶν ἰδίων.

mvp-comment-35-1 ἐπιφανεὶς Ἀπόλλων συμβουλεύει Ὀρέστηι καταλιπεῖν μὲν τὸ μαντεῖον, φυγεῖν δὲ εἰς Ἀθήνας. καὶ δευτέρα δὲ γίνεται φαντασία. στραφέντα γὰρ μηχανήματα ἔνδηλα ποιεῖ τὰ κατὰ τὸ μαντεῖον ὡς ἔχει καὶ γίνεται ὄψις τραγική· τὸ μὲν ξίφος ἡιμαγμένον ἔτι κατέχων Ορέστης, αἱ δὲ κύκλωι φρουροῦσαι αὐτόν. πρὸς Ὀρέστην φησίν· ἀπέστη γὰρ ἡ ἱέρεια.

mvp-comment-36-1 ἐπίστασαι,

mvp-comment-37-1 τὸ δὲ σὸν σθένος ἀσφαλές ἐστιν εἰς τὸ εὖ ποιεῖν.

mvp-comment-38-1 γράφεται πρέπων“, οὐχ ὅμοιος (Paley st. - ον)· αἱ μὲν γὰρ καθεύδουσιν, ἐγὼ δὲ ἐγρήγορα.

mvp-comment-39-1 πολιαὶ γάρ· παῖδες διὰ τὸ νέον, ἢ ἐπειδὴ ἄγαμοι καὶ παρθένοι εἰσί. τὸ ἀλλόκοτον δὲ τῆς φύσεως διὰ τῶν ἐναντίων τραγικώτερον διασύρει.

mvp-comment-40-1 ἕνεκεν τοῦ κακοποιεῖν.

mvp-comment-41-1 ἐλάσουσι (Ddf. f. -ωσι).

mvp-comment-42-1 περιέπων.

mvp-comment-43-1 ταῖς ἀγκάλαις.

mvp-comment-44-1 τὸ τῶν ἱκετῶν σέ-

mvp-comment-45-1 ὅδιος γὰρ ὁ θεός (auch f).

mvp-comment-46-1 φυλάσσων. βισμα καὶ δέημα οὐ μόνον τιμᾶι ὁ Ζεύς, ἀλλὰ καὶ σέβει, ὁρῶν αὐτὸ ὁρμώμενον προσηκούσηι τύχηι.

mvp-comment-47-1 ὁ μὲν Ὀρέστης φυγῆι οἴχεται Ἀθήναζε πυθόμενος· αἱ δὲ Ἐρινύες μόναι καθεύδουσιν, ὑπὸ πόνου ἴσως καὶ Ἀπόλλωνος, τοῦ τραγωιδοποιοῦ τοῦτο ἐπιτηδεύσαντος, ἵνα διὰ τούτου ἐμφάνηι (hellenist. f. -ήνηι; -ανῆ Μ) τὸ ἄγριον αὐτῶν καὶ χαλεπόν. πῶς δὲ διεγείρονται; οὐχ ὑπὸ Ἀπόλλωνος, οὐδὲ ὑφ᾽ ἑαυτῶν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν ἄλληι φαντασίᾶι. ἐφίσταται γὰρ τὸ εἴδωλον Κλυταιμήστρας καὶ μεμψάμενον ἀνεγείρει, ὥστε ποικίλαις φαντασίαις πεπύκνωται.

mvp-comment-48-1 λείπει εἰμί. ὑπὲρ ὧν ἐφόνευσα Αγαμέμνονα ἀπώσασθε καὶ οἱ ἐμὲ φονεύσαντες οὐκ ἀτιμάζονται. παιδευτικὰ δὲ ταῦτα· τὸ γὰρ τοὺς ἐναγεῖς καὶ μετὰ θάνατον ὑπὸ νεκρῶν ἀτιμάζεσθαι ἱκανῶς ἔχεται παιδεύσεως.

mvp-comment-49-1 ἐν

mvp-comment-50-1 καὶ σφαγεῖσα αἰτιῶμαι ὑπ᾿ αὐτῶν, τῶν περὶ Ἀγαμέμνονα. τῶι καθεύδειν ὁ νοῦς ἀκριβέστερον ὁρᾶι, μὴ παραπλανώμενος τῆι θέᾶι. τραγικώτερον δὲ τὸ εἴδωλον Κλυταιμήστρας σώιζει τὴν σφαγήν.

mvp-comment-51-1 ἡ τῆς φρενὸς μοῖρα οὐ προορᾶι ἐν ἡμέρᾶι.

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-2-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 251

mvp-comment-2-2 θεῶν ist von πρῶτον, nicht von πρεσβεύω (wie Cho. 629 ) abhängig, da πρωτόμαντιν in kausalem Verhältnis zu πρῶτον steht und es rechtfertigt, dafs Gäa zuerst unter den Göttern gefeiert wird. Vgl. Cho. 486 . Gäa ist die erste Inhaberin des Orakels, weil es ein Erdorakel war (μαντείον χθόνιον Eur. Iph. T. 1248 ), wie die Höhle des Trophonios u. a. Ihr folgt Themis als Tochter ( Hes. Theog. 135 ), welche nach attischer Vorstellung auch als identisch mit Gäa erscheint (s. zu Prom. 225

). Vgl. ἐπὶ τρίποδι Θέμιδος Eur. Or. 164 . ἐκ δὲ τῆς (nach ihr aber, Kriger II § 50, 1, 1) für δεύτερον δέ.

mvp-comment-3-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 251

mvp-comment-3-2 δή (eben) hebt hervor, dafs Themis als Tochter nachfolgte. τὸ .. μαντείον ἕζετο: zu Ag.193 . Der Zusatz ὡς λόγος τις weist auf andere Wendungen der Sage hin. Paus. X 5, 5 λέγεται δὲ πολλὰ μὲν καὶ διάφορα ἐς αὐτοὺς Δελφούς, πλείω δὲ ἔτι ἐς τοῦ ᾿Απόλλωνος τὸ μαντείον. φασὶ γὰρ δὴ τὰ ἀρχαιό τατα Γῆς εἶναι τὸ χρηστήριον καὶ Δάφνιδα ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ τετάχθαι πρόμαντιν ὑπὸ τῆς Γῆς κτέ.

mvp-comment-4-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 251

mvp-comment-4-2 λάχει: κλήρῳ Schol. Θελούσης scil. αὐτῆς τῆς Θέμιδος). Krüger I § 47, 4, 3 . Die gewöhnliche Wendung der Sage, nach welcher Apollon den das Orakel bewachenden Drachen Python tötete und Themis von der Stätte verdrängte (Schol. Πίνδαρός φησι πρὸς βίαν κρατῆσαι Πυθοῦς τὸν ᾿Απόλλωνα· διὸ καὶ ταρταρῶσαι αὐτὸν ἐζήτει ἡ Γῆ, Eur. Iph. T. 1249 ff. ) wird von dem religiösen Dichter nachdrücklich abgewiesen, und Phöbe, eine andere Tochter der Gäa ( Hes. Theog. 136 ), eingeschoben, damit die Verwandtschaft durchweg als Grund der Übertragung erscheine.

mvp-comment-5-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 252

mvp-comment-5-2 Τιτανίς als Tochter des Uranos und der Gäa. Τιτανὶς Θέμις Prom. 900 . C

mvp-comment-6-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 252

mvp-comment-6-2 ή in solcher Stellung (wie in ἦ δ' ή) nur hier. Sonst nur ἣ δέ, ἣ γάρ und καὶ ἥ. γενέθλιον δόσιν, als Geburtsgeschenk. Bei den Athenern wurden von den Verwandten solche Geschenke an den Ἀμφιδρόμια gegeben. Dieses Fest, an welchem das Kind den Namen erhielt, wurde bald nach der Geburt gefeiert (Hesych. und Harpokr. unter Ἀμφιδρόμια).

mvp-comment-7-1 ¹

mvp-comment-7-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 252

mvp-comment-7-3 τήθης (Grofsmutter): Phöbe wurde von Koios Mutter der Leto ( Hes. Theog. 406 ).

mvp-comment-8-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 252

mvp-comment-8-2 λίμνην Δηλίαν τε: zu Ag. 594 . λίμνη ( Herod. II 170

) ist der kreisförmige See auf Delos, an welchem Leto den Phöbos geboren hatte: Theogn. 5 Φοῖβε ἄναξ, ὅτε μέν σε θεὰ τέκε πότνια Λητὼ ... ἐπὶ τροχοειδέϊ λίμνῃ, Eur. Iph. Τ. 1103 , Ion 167 . χοιράδα: ein Schol. versteht darunter den Berg Kynthos ( Κύνθιον ὄχθον Eur. Iph. Τ. 1098 ), an welchem der runde See lag. Richtiger denkt ein anderer an das Felseneiland selbst: διὰ τοῦ χοιράδα σχεδὸν τὴν αἰτίαν φησὶ δι᾽ ἣν ἀπέλιπεν Ἀπόλλων, ἐκκλίνων τὸ εὐτελὲς τοῦ χωρίου. Ebenso Eur. Iph. T. 1239 φέρε (Leto) δ᾽ ἵνιν ἀπὸ δειράδος εἰναλίας λοχεῖα κλεινὰ λιποῦσ᾽, ἀστάκτων μάτειρ᾽ ὑδάτων, τὴν βακχεύουσαν Διονύσῳ Παρνάσιον κορυφαν nach dem ersten Hymn. auf Apollon V. 72 νῆσον ἀτιμήσας, ἐπειὴ κραναήπεδός εἰμι (Delos spricht). Man hat aber χοιράδα wohl mehr von dem Anblick, welchen die Insel vom Meere aus bietet, von der klippenreichen Küste zu verstehen wie Pers. 424

ἀκταὶ δὲ νεκρῶν χοιράδες τ᾽ ἐπλήθυον

und Eur. Tro.89

έκταὶ δὲ Μυκόνου Δήλιοι τε χοιράδες πολλῶν θανόντων σώμαθ᾽ ἕξουσιν νεκρῶν

.

mvp-comment-8-3 ²

mvp-comment-9-1 ³

mvp-comment-9-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 252

mvp-comment-9-3 Schol. :

O. Müller) τῆς Βοιωτίας. Auch in dem Hymnus auf den Pythischen Apollon V. 36 ff. ist die Richtung des Weges eine ardere. Die alte Sitte, dafs den athenischen Festgesandtschaften nach Delphi Leute mit Äxten um den Weg zu bahnen vorhergehen ( ὅταν πέμπωσιν εἰς Δελφοὺς θεωρίαν, προέρχονταί τινες ἔχοντες πελέκεις ὡς διημερώσοντες τὴν γῆν Schol.), wird auf die erste Ankunft des Apollon übertragen und darin eine Art Beweis gefunden, dafs er seinen Weg von Delos nach Delphi über Attika genommen habe. So auch Ephoros bei Strabon IX p. 422 καθ᾿ ὃν χρόνον Ἀπόλλωνα τὴν γῆν ἐπιόντα ἡμεροῦν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους .. ἐξ ᾿Αθηνῶν δ᾽ ὁρμηθέντα ἐπὶ Δελφοὺς ταύτην ἰέναι τὴν ὁδόν, ᾗ νῦν Ἀθηναῖοι τὴν Πυθιάδα πέμπουσι.

mvp-comment-10-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 252

mvp-comment-10-2 μέγα: zu Cho.137 .

mvp-comment-11-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 253

mvp-comment-11-2 παῖδες Ηφαίστου: Schol. :

Die Athener, welche von Dichtern Ερεχθεῖδαι genannt werden ( Soph. Ai. 202 , Eur. Med. 824 ), können Hephästoskinder heifsen, weil Erichthonios, mit dem Erechtheus identifiziert wurde, als Sohn des Hephästos galt (daher auch θεῶν παῖδες Eur. Med. 825 ). Vgl. Hesych. Ἡφαιστιάδαι: Ἀθήναῖοι. Hier aber sind offenbar Leute mit Äxten d. i. Zimmerleute zu verstehen.

mvp-comment-12-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 253

mvp-comment-12-2 τιμαλφεῖ: über den Gebrauch dieses Wortes bei Äsch. bemerkt der Schol. zu 629 :

Vgl. noch 810, Ag. 913

τιμαλφής

frg. 53. Abgesehen von Späteren kommt das Wort auch bei Pindar vor.

mvp-comment-13-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 253

mvp-comment-13-2 Δελφός: Επαφρόδιτος ἐν ὑπομνήματι Καλλιμάχου αἰτίων β' φησί Μελανθοῦς τῆς Δευκαλίωνος καὶ Κηφισοῦ τοῦ ποταμοῦ γίνεται Μέλαινα τοὔνομα, Μελαίνης δὲ καὶ Ποσειδῶνος Δελφός, ἀφ᾽ οὗ οἱ Δελφοί. Schol.

mvp-comment-14-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 253

mvp-comment-14-2 νιν gehört sowohl zu κτίσας (mit φρένα, vgl. 88) als zu ΐζει. ἔνθεος τέχνης nach Analogie von ἔμπειρος.

mvp-comment-15-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 253

mvp-comment-15-2 Διὸς προφήτης: vgl. 621, frg 82 ταῦτα γὰρ πατὴρ Ζεὺς ἐγκαθίει Λοξία θεσπίσματα, Hymn. Hom. 1 132 χρήσω (Apollon spricht) δ' ἀνθρώποισι Διός νημερτέα βουλήν, ΙΙΙ 471 σὲ (Hermes zu Apollon) δέ φασι δαήμεναι ἐκ Διὸς ὀμφῆς μαντείας, Εκάεργε· Διὸς πάρα θέσφατα πάντα, Verg. Aen. III 251 quae Phoebo pater omnipotens, mihi Phoebus Apollo praedixit.

mvp-comment-16-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 253

mvp-comment-16-2 ἐν εὐχαῖς steht in Gegensatz zu dem folgenden ἐν λόγοις: den Gottheiten des Orakels selbst werden zuerst (als προοίμια) fromme Gebete geweiht; dann werden die übrigen Gottheiten des Ortes in Worten der Verehrung begrüfst. Παλλὰς προναία heifst sie nach der Lage ihres Heiligtums. Der Schol. erwähnt den Vers des Kallimachos :

. Vgl. Herod. VIII 37

τὸ ἱρὸν τῆς Προνηίης 'Ἀθηναίης,

Diod. ΧΙ 14 μέχρι τοῦ ναοῦ τῆς προναίας Ἀθηνάς, wie sich in delphischen Inschriften τῷ ᾿Αθάνα τα προναία findet (E. Curtius Anecd. Delph. p. 77 sq.). Über den Tempel Paus. X 8, 6 .

mvp-comment-17-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 253

mvp-comment-17-2 νύμφας ἔνθα (die Nymphen welche wohnen wo): eine ähnliche Brachylogie 689 σκηνάς, ὅτ᾽ ἦλθον, Soph. Trach. 240

: die Korykische Grotte am Parnafs oberhalb Delphi ( Herod. VIII 36 ) war den Nymphen und dem Pan geweiht, Soph. Ant. 1126

σὲ δ᾽ ὑπὲρ διλόφου πέτρας στέροψ ὄπωπε λιγνύς, ἔνθα Κωρύκιαι νύμφαι στείχουσι Βακχίδες

, Paus. X 32, 7 ἱερὸν δὲ αὐτὸ (nämlich τὸ Κωρύκιον ἄντρον) οἱ περὶ τὸν Παρνασὸν Κωρυκίων τε εἶναι νυμφῶν καὶ Πανὸς μάλιστα ἥγηνται. φίλορνις bezieht sich auf den Wald, welcher die Grotte umgiebt.

mvp-comment-18-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 254

mvp-comment-18-2 Βρόμιος: man glaubte öfter nächtlicher Weile Fackelglanz auf dem Parnafs wahrzunehmen, der von der Nachtfeier des Dionysos herrühren sollte. Soph. Ant. 1125 , Eur. Ion 716, 1125 , Phoen. 226, Aristoph. Frö. 1211 .

mvp-comment-19-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 254

mvp-comment-19-2 D. i. nachdem Dionysos an der Spitze der Bakchen den Pentheus im Kithäron überwunden, drang er bis zum Parnasse vor. Man braucht nicht mit dem Schol. anzunehmen, dafs der Untergang des Pentheus hier auf den Parnafs verlegt sei. Die Pentheussage hat Aschylos im Πενθεύς (und in den Ξάντριαι) wie Euripides in den Βάκχαι behandelt. Pentheus wird von Agane, Ino, Autonoe, welche ihn für ein wildes Tier halten, zerrissen; daher λαγὼ δίκην. ἐξ ούτε auch Pers. 764 . Sonst ὥστε Eum. 1025 , Sept. 488 , Pers. 300 u. öfter in lyrischen und anapästischen Partieen. Der V. 26 entbehrt der gewöhnlichen Cäsur. Vgl. Suppl. 920 , Pers. 254 , 355, 468, 504, 506, 512, 522, Prom. 667 .

mvp-comment-20-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 254

mvp-comment-20-2 Der Pleistos, jetzt Xeropotamos, war ein Flüfschen, das in der Nähe der Korykischen Grotte entsprang. Daher sind die Korykischen Nymphen die Töchter des Pleistos (Apoll. Rh. II 711). πηγάς ist wie κράτος und Δία von καλοῦσα abhängig. Poseidon hatte einen Altar im Tempel des Apollon, weil in der ältesten Zeit Poseidon Mitbesitzer des Orakels war, bis er dasselbe gegen Kalauria vertauschte (Schol., der einen Vers des Kallimachos anführt: μέσφα Καλαυρείης ἦλθεν ἐς ἀντίδοσιν, Paus. X 5, 6 u. 24, 4). καλοῦσα ἔπειτα wie Soph. Ai. 468

; wo auch das Zeitverhältnis durch εἶτα angegeben wird. — τέλειον wie Ag. 964 . Im Tempel zu Delphi stand ein Altar des Ζεὺς Μοιραγέτης (Paus. a. O.). Hier wird er als Ursprung aller Weissagung angerufen.

mvp-comment-20-3 ⁴

mvp-comment-21-1 ⁵

mvp-comment-21-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 254

mvp-comment-21-3 ἐς θρόνους d. i. auf den Dreifufs.

mvp-comment-21-4 ⁶

mvp-comment-22-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 254

mvp-comment-22-2 ,,Und mehr als jemals mögen sie meinen Eingang segnen." Über die Wendung τῶν πρὶν εἰσόδων ἄριστα (wie τὸ κάλλιστον τῶν προτέρων Soph. Ant. 102

Thuk. VII 66 , solus omnium ante se principum Tac. hist. I 50 ) Krüger I § 47, 28, 10 . τυχεῖν ἄριστα: zu Cho. 707 . μακρῷ ἄριστα wie Aristoph. 673

εὐνούστατος μακρῷ

.

mvp-comment-23-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 254

mvp-comment-23-2 ἴτων: ἴτωσαν. Ἀττικώτερον.Schol. Der Plural nach dem kollektiven τὶς wegen der Vorstellung: die Hellenen haben den Vortritt, unter sich aber sollen sie die Reihenfolge durch das Los bestimmen. Vgl. Eur. Ion 91

. Aber Delphi war auch, wie Liv. 38, 48 sagt, commune humani generis oraculum. Das Orakel wurde ursprünglich jährlich, später monatlich einmal befragt ( Plut. Mor. p. 292 ). Die Reihenfolge der Befragenden stellten vornehme Delpher durch das Los fest; das Losen wurde mit der Frage ὦ Τύχη καὶ Λοξία τῷδε (1. τῶνδε τίνι θεμι στεύεις; eingeleitet (Simplic. Phys. II p. 75). Daher μαντεύομαι θεός. Die Priesterin tritt ab und es folgt eine kleine Pause. Dann kommt sie voll Entsetzen wieder aus dem Tempel heraus, mit beiden Händen sich an ihrem Stabe aufrecht haltend.

mvp-comment-23-3 ⁷

mvp-comment-24-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 255

mvp-comment-24-2 δεινὰ . . δεινὰ δέ wie δεινὰ μὲν . . δεινὰ δέ.

mvp-comment-25-1 ⁸

mvp-comment-25-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 255

mvp-comment-25-3 ὡς, ὥστε. σωκεῖ· ἰσχύει Hesych. Also οὐ σωκεῖν „ohnmächtig sein". ἀκταίνειν: Schol. κουφίζειν, Hesych. μετεωρίζειν. In Bekk. Anecd. p. 23, 12 wird οὐκέτ᾽ ἀκταίνω als Ausdruck des Aschylos mit οὐκέτι δύναμαι ὀρθοῦν ἐμαυτήν und Etym. M. p. 54 ein Fragm. des Aschylos ἀκταῖνον μένος mit ἀνάγον καὶ δυνάμενον ἀνορθοῦν erklärt. Darnach bedeutet οὐκ ἀκταίνειν βάσιν nicht aufrecht gehen können".

mvp-comment-26-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 255

mvp-comment-26-2 Gegen die Ansicht des Schol. :

τεταραγμένη τετραποδηδὸν ἐκ τοῦ νεώ bemerkt mit Recht Hermann (nach Stanley): nihil aliud sacerdos indicat quam manuum adiumento sibi ad incedendum opus esse. Vgl. Eur. Hek. 1058 . Mit ποδωκεία σκελῶν vgl. 916 ἀστύνικον πόλιν, Sept. 207

αστυδρομουμέναν πόλιν

, 716 κτεάνων χρηματοδαίτας.

mvp-comment-27-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 255

mvp-comment-27-2 γραῦς: nach Diod. XVI 26 waren im Anfang die Priesterinnen Jungfrauen; nach der Entführung einer Priesterin aber beschlossen die Delpher, nur Frauen über 50 Jahren das Priesteramt anzuvertrauen. Diesen Gebrauch der späteren Zeit verlegt Aschylos in das Altertum. οὐδέν: Suppl. 757

, Eur. Iph. T. 115 δειλοὶ δ᾽ εἰσὶν οὐδὲν οὐδαμοῦ. ἀντίπαις wie ἀντίκεντρα 136, ἀντίδουλος Cho. 135 . μὲν οὖν (immo vero) wie Ag. 1075 , 1395.

mvp-comment-28-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 255

mvp-comment-28-2 Die Orakelstätte war, wie in Theben der Vogelschauersitz des Tiresias ( Eur. Bakch. 350 ), mit στέμ ματα (wollenen Binden) gekennzeichnet. Vgl. Einl. S. 17 N. 2. Eur. Ion 222

, 1309 ΚΡ. ἤν γ᾽ ἐντὸς ἀδύτων τῶνδέ με σφάξαι θέλῃς. ΙΩΝ. τίς ἡδονή σοι θεοῦ θανεῖν ἐν στέμμασι; Aristoph. Plut. 39

τί δῆτα Φοῖβος ἔλακεν ἐκ τῶν στεμ μάτων; μυχόν

und ὀμφαλῷ wie Cho. 953 . Die Auflösung im fünften Furse ist wie Prom.52 gebildet.

mvp-comment-29-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 255

mvp-comment-29-2 ἕδραν προστρόπαιον: dafs Orestes als Schutzflehender dort kniet, verrät besonders der Zweig, von dem weifse wollene Bänder herabhängen. Vgl. Cho. 1033 , Soph. Oed. T. 2 τίνας ποθ᾽ ἕδρας τάσδε μοι θοάζετε ἱκτηρίοις κλάδοισιν ἐξεστεμμένοι; αἵματι στάζοντα χεῖρας wie Soph. Ai. 10

, wofür Burges νεοσταγές vermutet, verbindet zwei Vorstellungen:,,gezückt und von frischem Blut gerötet".

mvp-comment-30-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 256

mvp-comment-30-2 Vgl. zu Cho. 1033 .

mvp-comment-31-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 256

mvp-comment-31-2 λῆνος wird als minder gewöhnliches, vielleicht sakrales Wort im folg. V. erklärt. Vgl. Sept. 476

. Zwischen μεγίστῳ und σωφρόνως besteht scheinbar ein Widerspruch, in Wirklichkeit nicht, weil hier die Gröfse (die Länge der wollenen Binden) ein Kennzeichen der Unterwürfigkeit ist.

mvp-comment-32-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 256

mvp-comment-32-2 Γοργόνας: sie gleichen den Gorgonen durch die Schlangenhaare und die dunklen Gewänder. Vgl. zu Cho. 1046 u. 1048. Äschylos giebt hier welchen Gestalten er die Elemente seines Furienbildes entnommen hat. Hom. E 741 Γοργείη κεφαλὴ δεινοῖο πελώρου δεινή τε σμερδνή τε, Διός τέρας αιγιόχοιο.

mvp-comment-32-3 ⁹

mvp-comment-33-1 ¹⁰

mvp-comment-33-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 256

mvp-comment-33-3 D. i. und doch weicht ihre Gestalt auch wieder von der der Gorgonen ab. Vgl. die ähnliche Darstellung Suppl. 285

mvp-comment-34-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 256

mvp-comment-34-2 γεγραμμένας d. i. gemalte weibliche Wesen. Ähnlich Eur. Ion 209

; Durch Φινέως δεῖπνον φερούσας (άρπαζούσας) sind sie hinreichend als die Harpyien gekennzeichnet. ,,Flügel allerdings haben diese nicht (insofern gleichen sie den Harpyien nicht), schwarz aber, durchaus scheufslich sind sie (insofern gleichen sie ihnen). ἄπτεροι: vgl. 250. Dagegen Eur. Or. 317 δρομά δες ὦ πτεροφόροι ποτνιάδες θεαί .. μελάγχρωτες Εὐμενίδες. Dunkel sind die Erinyen als die Kinder der Nacht (69). Eur. Or. 408 νυκτὶ προσφερεῖς κόρας. Nicht nur die Kleidung (353, Cho. 1047 ), sondern auch die Hautfarbe ( Eur. El. 1345 χρῶτα κελαιναί, Or. 321 μελάγχρωτες) ist schwarz, wiewohl Aristoph. Plut. 422 f. der Erinye in der Tragödie Blässe des Gesichts zugeschrieben wird. Von den Harpyien haben sie vielleicht auch lange Krallen an den Fingern und struppige Haare.

mvp-comment-35-1 ¹¹

mvp-comment-35-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 256

mvp-comment-35-3 ἀπλάτοισι : Prom. 387

und τη φυσιάμασιν Hor. sat. II 8, 95 velut illis Canidia adflasset peior serpentibus Afris.

mvp-comment-36-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 257

mvp-comment-36-2 κόσμος: Strabon III p. 175 τὰς δ᾽ ἄλλας (nämlich τὰς Καττιτερίδας) οἰκοῦσιν ἄνθρωποι μελάγ χλαινοι, ποδήρεις ἐνδεδυκότες χιτῶνας, ἐζωσμένοι περὶ τὰ στέρνα, μετὰ ῥάβδων περιπατοῦντες ὅμοιοι ταῖς τραγικαῖς Ποιναῖς. Der Gürtel, welchen sie um das lange dunkle Gewand tragen, ist nach Diog. L. VI 102 purpurrot ( ζώνη φοινική). κόσμος φέρειν δίκαιος für κόσμον φέρειν δίκαιόν ἐστι wie Hom. X 13

, Soph. Oed. K. 37 ἔχεις γὰρ χῶρον οὐχ ἁγνὸν πατεῖν.

mvp-comment-37-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 257

mvp-comment-37-2 Geschlecht und Art dieser Gesellschaft habe ich noch nicht gesehen. Hom. E 441 οὔποτε φύλον ὁμοῖον ἀθανάτων τε θεῶν χαμαὶ ἐρχομένων τ᾿ ἀνθρώπων.

mvp-comment-38-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 257

mvp-comment-38-2 οὐδὲ, nämlich ὄπωπα ( οἶδα).

mvp-comment-39-1 ¹²

mvp-comment-39-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 257

mvp-comment-39-3 πόνον· τὸν τῆς ἀνατροφῆς Schol.

mvp-comment-40-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 257

mvp-comment-40-2 Λοξία μεγασθενεῖ wie Cho. 268

.

mvp-comment-41-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 257

mvp-comment-41-2 ἰατρόμαντις wie Suppl. 269

Aristoph. Plut. 11

ἰατρὸς ὢν καὶ μάντις

.

mvp-comment-42-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 257

mvp-comment-42-2 τοῖσιν ἄλλοις: er möge also auch für die Reinheit seines Hauses sorgen. Apollon, der Gott des Lichtes, ist vorzugsweise der reinigende und sühnende Gott, wie sich besonders an seine Feste Reinigungen und Sühnungen anknüpften. Nachdem die Priesterin in ihre Äschylos, Qrestie, v. WECKLEIN. Wohnung (zu 1) zurückgegangen ist, wird das Innere des Heiligtums sichtbar: στραφέντα μηχανήματα ἔνδηλα ποιεῖ τὰ κατὰ τὸ μαντείον ὡς ἔχει. καὶ γίνεται ὄψις τραγική τὸ μὲν ξίφος ἡμαγμένον ἔτι κατέχων Ὀρέστης, αἳ δὲ κύκλῳ φρουροῦσαι αὐτόν Schol. Nach diesen Worten zu schliefsen, kam nicht das ἐκκύκλημα zur Anwendung, sondern das στροφεῖον, das die Bestimmung hatte eine Fernsicht zu geben, dessen Beschaffenheit aber aus der Beschreibung bei Poll. IV 132 nicht klar wird. Man erblickt nach der Drehung der Maschinerie sofort Apollon, dem Hermes zur Seite steht, und vor Apollon den Orestes in schutzflehender Stellung. Darum erwidern die ersten Worte des Apollon die Bitte des Orestes. Auch die 282 f. erwähnte Reinigung des Orestes mufs als vorhergegangen (zwischen 34 und 63) gedacht werden. Im Hintergrunde sitzen um den weifsen Stein, welcher den ὀμφαλὸς γῆς vorstellt (40), auf welchem der mit Wolle umwickelte Ölzweig des Orestes (43) liegt, auf Stühlen die schlafenden Erinyen

mvp-comment-43-1 ¹³

mvp-comment-43-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 257

mvp-comment-43-3 πρόσω διχοστατῶν, getrennt und fern von dir. Vgl. διχοστα τοῦντα 389.

mvp-comment-44-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 257

mvp-comment-44-2 πέπων, μαλθακός (74), mürbe. Vgl. Ag. 1642 .

mvp-comment-45-1 ¹⁴

mvp-comment-45-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 258

mvp-comment-45-3 ὕπνῳ παρείνται (sind erschlafft) wie Eur. Kykl. 591

. Die Stellung von δέ wie 623. Vgl. zu Ag. 744 .

mvp-comment-46-1 ¹⁵

mvp-comment-46-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 258

mvp-comment-46-3 Νυκτὸς παῖδες: vgl. 322 f., 419, 748, 796, 1034. Bei Sophokles (Oed. K. 40) heifsen sie Γῆς τε καὶ Σκότου κόραι. Nach Hes. Theog. 185 sind sie von der Erde geboren aus den Blutstropfen des von Kronos entmannten Uranos. Vgl. auch Lykophr. 437

, Ovid. Met. IV 452 sorores Nocte .. genitas, Verg. Aen. VI 250 matri Eumenidum, XII 846 Dirae quas Nox . . uno eodemque tulit partu. Ζη παλαιαὶ παῖδες vgl. παῖδες ἄπαιδες 1034. Doch s. Anhang. αἷς οὐ μίγνυται: Soph. Ai. 835

καλῶ τὰς ἀεί τε παρθένους σεμνὰς Ἐρινῆς τανύποδας

. Der Ausdruck wie Hom. η 247 Καλυψώ .. δεινὴ Θεός· οὐδέ τις αὐτῇ μίσγεται οὔτε θεῶν οὔτε θνητῶν ἀνθρώπων.

mvp-comment-47-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 258

mvp-comment-47-2 θήρ: Suppl. 1010

; Besonders werden damit die Kentauren bezeichnet. Soph. Trach. 1096

διφυῆ τ᾽ ἄμικτον ἱπποβάμονα στρα τὸν θηρῶν

, 556, 568 u. δ.

mvp-comment-48-1 ¹⁶

mvp-comment-48-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 258

mvp-comment-48-3 ἐλῶσι, ἐλάσουσι. — Du mufst dich auf eine lange Irrsal gefafst machen ( μὴ μαλθακὸς γένῃ); denn wenn du auch durch das weite Festland geschritten den Boden unter den Fülsen verlierst, werden sie dich über das Meer verfolgen. βεβὼς wie Eur. Bakch. 646

vgl. Cho. 569 . - περιρρύτας πόλεις, νήσους. Wegen der Form περιρρύτας vgl. Hymn. auf Apoll. 251 ἀμφιρύτας κατὰ νήσους und zu Ag. 1527 .

mvp-comment-49-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 258

mvp-comment-49-2 πρόκαμνε, vor der Zeit. βουκολούμενος, Schol. περιέπων, abweidend d.i. durchmachend. Wakefield erklärt es passivisch: agitatus ut bos. Mit βουκολούμενος πόνον wäre dann τοὺς ὑπερμήκεις δρόμους γυμνάζεται Prom. 616 zusammen zu stellen. Vgl. Ag. 674 .

mvp-comment-50-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 258

mvp-comment-50-2 ποτί im Trimeter wie auch einmal bei Sophokles ( Trach. 1214

).

mvp-comment-51-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 258

mvp-comment-51-2 παλαιὸν βρέτας, das altheilige hochverehrte Holzbild der ᾿Αθηνῶ Πολιάς auf der Akropolis. Vgl. Eur. El. 1254 ἐλθὼν δ᾽ Ἀθήνας Παλλά δος σεμνὸν βρέτας πρόσπτυξον, C. I. Gr. I n. 160 ἐπιστάται τοῦ νεω τοῦ ἐν πόλει ἐν ᾧ τὸ ἀρχαῖον ἄγαλμα, Paus. I 26, 6 τὸ δὲ ἁγιώτατον ἐν κοινῷ πολλοῖς πρότερον νομισθὲν ἔτεσιν ἢ συνῆλθον ἀπὸ τῶν δήμων (d. i. vor dem s. g. Synoikismos des Theseus) ἐστὶν Ἀθηνᾶς ἄγαλμα ἐν τῇ νῦν ἀκροπόλει, τότε δὲ ὀνο μαζομένῃ πόλει (in diesem Sinne kann man hier auch Παλλάδος πτό- λιν nehmen). φήμη δὲ ἐς αὐτὸ ἔχει πεσεῖν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ (also ein ξόανον διιπετές). ἄγκαθεν, ταῖς ἀγκάλαις Schol. Vgl. 258 περὶ βρέ τει πλεχθείς und πρόσπτυξον in der a. St. des Euripides.

mvp-comment-52-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 259

mvp-comment-52-2 οἶσθα τὸ μὴ ἀδικεῖν, vgl. 752 τὸ μὴ ἀδικεῖν σέβοντες. Der Gedanke ist: Deine Worte zeigen, dafs du dich darauf verstehst, nicht Unrecht zu thun d.h. dafs du weifst was du zu thun schuldig bist (deinem Versprechen gemäfs, Cho. 1036 f. ), es kommt nur darauf an, dafs du daran denkst; die Macht fehlt dir ja nicht. ἐπίστα wie 584, δύνα Soph. Phil. 849 , Oed. Τ. 696. φερέγγυον: Schol. :

Vgl. Sept. 383

προστατεῖν φερέγγυος

.

mvp-comment-53-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 259

mvp-comment-53-2 μέμνησο: sei dessen eingedenk, was du gesagt hast, dafs ich die Macht habe dich zu schützen, und fürchte dich darum nicht. σὲ . . φρένας: Krüger II § 46, 16, 3 .

mvp-comment-54-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 259

mvp-comment-54-2 αὐτάδελφον: Sept. 705

; Soph. Ant. 1

ὦ κοινὸν αὐτάδελφον Ισμήνης κάρα

. Man braucht αὐτάδελφον nicht auf die gemeinsame Mutter ( Hesych. :

ἀδελφοί· οἱ ἐκ τῆς αὐτῆς δελφύος γεγονότες· δελφὺς γὰρ ἡ μήτρα λέγεται

) zu beziehen und eine Abweichung von der_gewöhnlichen Abstammung des Hermes ( Cho. 809 ) anzunehmen.

mvp-comment-55-1 ¹⁷

mvp-comment-55-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 259

mvp-comment-55-3 ὢν ἐπώνυμος πομπαῖος ἴσθι: Sept. 8

und zu Ag. 517 . Hermes ist zunächst Geleiter der Seelen in die Unterwelt ( ψυχοπομπός, vgl. Soph. Ai. 832

καλῶ δ᾽ ἅμα πομπαίον Ἑρμῆν χθόνιον εὖ με κοιμίσαι

, Hom. ω 3 ), dann aber Geleiter überhaupt (πομπαῖος, πομπός).

mvp-comment-56-1 ¹⁸

mvp-comment-56-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 259

mvp-comment-56-3 τὸ κηρύκων σέβας wie Suppl. 715

. Die Unverletzlichkeit der Herolde schützt Zeus, damit diese den armen Sterblichen sicheres Geleite gewähren können. ὁρμώμενον ist zu σέβας konstruiert, während es dem Sinne nach zu κηρύκων gehört. Orestes geht, von Hermes geleitet, (durch den linken Zugang der Bühne) ab. Apollon tritt in den Hintergrund zurück.

mvp-comment-56-4 ¹⁹

mvp-comment-57-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 259

mvp-comment-57-2 Wie Pers. 683 der Schatten des Darius, so steigt hier (durch das αναπίεσμα) der Schatten der Klytämestra aus der Unterwelt empor. Man sieht an ihrem Halse (595) die Wunden, die ihr ehemals der Sohn geschlagen (103). εν δοιτ᾽ ἄν (spottisch schlaft nur") wie 118 μύζοιτ᾽ ἄν.

mvp-comment-58-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 260

mvp-comment-58-2 ἀπητιμασμένη, als wenn ὀνειδίζομαι, wie 100 παθοῦσα, als wenn οὐδεμιᾶς τιμωρίας τυγχάνω folgte. Vgl. 480 und zu Ag. 653 . ἄλλοισιν ἐν νόμοισιν, indem verschiedene Gesetze gelten. Es wird mit ungleichem Mafse gemessen: für den Mord, den ich begangen habe, werde ich unter den Toten ohne Unterlafs geschmäht, ja schwer beschuldigt; wegen des Mordes, der an mir von den Nächststehenden begangen worden ist, grollt keine Gottheit. Vgl. Soph. Oed. K. 907 νῦν δ᾽ οὔσπερ αὐτὸς τοὺς νόμους εἰσῆλθ᾽ ἔχων, τούτοισι κοὐκ ἄλλοισιν ἁρμοσθήσεται. ἔκτανον, absolut wie Cho. 887 : dafs ich gemordet habe. αἰσχρῶς ἀλῶμαι, in schimpflicher Weise bin ich aus der Gesellschaft der Toten ausgestolsen. - προυννέπω, ich erkläre feierlich, nachdrücklich. κείνων, τῶν φθιτῶν. τῶν φιλτάτων wie Cho. 233 , hier allgemein von dem Sohne. μηνίεται mit langem wie Hom. B769 ὄφρ᾽ Αχιλεὺς μήνιεν.

mvp-comment-58-3 ²⁰

mvp-comment-59-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 260

mvp-comment-59-2 ὅρα zur Chorführerin wie 131, 183. — τραγικώτερον τὸ εἴδωλον Κλυταιμήστρας σώζει τὴν σφαγήν Schol. - καρδίᾳ, mit dem Inneren.

mvp-comment-59-3 ²¹

mvp-comment-60-1 ²²

mvp-comment-60-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 260

mvp-comment-60-3 Schol. ἐν τῷ καθεύδειν ὁ νοῦς ἀκριβέστερον ὁρᾷ μὴ παραπλανώμενος τῇ θέα. Schlafenden Augen wird der Geist erhellt, während am Tage die Natur des Geistes nicht weitblickend ist. Vgl. Pind. frg. 108 Bgk. εὕδει δὲ πρασσόντων μελέων· ἀτὰρ εὐδόντεσσιν ἐν πολλοῖς ὀνείροις δείκνυσι τερπνῶν ἐφέρποισαν χαλεπῶν τε κρίσιν, Xenoph. Kyr. VIII 7, 21 ἐγγύτερον μὲν τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων θανάτῳ οὐδέν ἐστιν ὕπνου· ἡ δὲ ἀνθρώπου ψυχὴ τότε δήπου θειοτάτη καταφαίνεται καὶ τότε τι τῶν μελλόντων προορᾷ, Platon περὶ πολιτ. ΙΧ 1, Aelian. ποικ. ἱστ. ΙΙΙ 11 οἱ Περιπατητικοί φασι μεθ᾿ ἡμέραν θητεύουσαν τὴν ψυχὴν τῷ σώματι περιπλέκεσθαι καὶ μὴ δύνασθαι καθαρῶς τὴν ἀλήθειαν θεωρεῖν, νύκτωρ δὲ διαλυθεῖσαν τῆς περὶ τοῦτο λειτουργίας καὶ σφαιρωθεῖσαν ἐν τῷ περὶ τὸν θώρακα τόπῳ μαντικωτέραν γίνεσθαι, ἐξ ὧν τὰ ἐνύπνια. Cic. d. divin. I 30 cum ergo est somno sevocatus animus a societate et a contagione corporis, tum meminit praeteritorum, praesentia cernit, futura providet; iacet enim corpus dormientis ut mortui, viget autem et vivit animus.

mvp-comment-61-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 260

mvp-comment-61-2 ἐλείξατε, wie durstige Hunde (vgl. zu Ag. 1104 ). Klytämestra hat den Erinyen Opfer gebracht nach der Ermordung des Agamemnon, um deren Groll abzuwenden.

mvp-sidgwick-1-1-1 [The exterior of the Shrine at Delphi (see note on 63): the priestess comes forward and speaks.]

mvp-sidgwick-1-2-1 [1-63. PROLOGUE. The priestess calls on all the gods connected with the shrine, then goes in, and returns terrified, describing the sight within, a blood-stained murderer on the central stone, and the dreadful Furies sleeping round.]

πρεσβεύω . I honour most; the superlative sense practically contained in the word accounts for gen. θεῶν. πρεσβεύω is rather a favourite word of Aeschylus. So line 21 Παλλὰς πρεσβεύεται, has chief honour, Cho. 488

as here, Ag. 1300

ὁ δ᾽ ὕστατος τοῦ χρόνου πρεσβεύεται,

is first in respect of time, Cho. 631

κακῶν πρεσβεύεται,

is first of horrors.

πρωτόμαντιν . The Earth was naturally regarded as most ancient of gods: and prophetic, perhaps because the ancient shrines of prophecy were so often caverns or mysterious chasms (e. g. Delphic chasm, the Sibyl's cave, the cave of Trophonios, etc.). Pausanias tells us (10.5.5) that the Delphians affirmed their oracle to have originally belonged to the Earth. And Prom. 209 we have Γαῖα and θέμις prophesying to Prometheus.

ἐκ δὲ τῆς , after her; τῆς common Epic use of art. for demonst. frequent in Aesch., ἐκ τοῦ, ἐν δὲ τῷ, ἢ τοῖσιν ἢ τοῖς, etc.

mvp-sidgwick-4-1-1 The dramatic particle δή probably here merely anticipates ὡς λόγος τις.

μητρός , mother of Themis; not the general meaning Mother Earth. It is a striking evidence of the fluctuating character of these genealogies that the poet elsewhere ( Prom. 209 ) speaks of Earth and Themis as the same; one form of many names.

ἕζετο with acc. Cf. Ag. 183 σέλμα σεμνὸν ἡμένων, 664 ναῦν ἐφέζετο.

λάχει , lot; vivid poetic for in the third place, third in order.

θελούσης , οὐδὲ πρὸς βίαν τινός, with her good will, neither in despite of any. Aeschylus uses this stately emphasis because he is following (or inventing) a different story from what was apparently the received version: for Pindar says (quoted by Schol.) that Apollo by force occupied Pytho: and Eurip. (Iph. Τ. 1259) says,

But this savage and doubtless older story was not suitable to the poet's purpose: the sanctity and dignity of the oracle (ideas which are required for the plot) are averse from such violence.

mvp-sidgwick-6-1-1 The Titans were according to the oldest story six sons and six daughters of Ouranos and Gaia: the author of the Theogony gives the list (Hes. Theog. 134), mentioning both Themis and Phoibe. According to same ancient source (Theog. 403) Phoibe (by Koios the Titan) was mother of Leto, hence grandmother of Phoibos; and so by custom gave the infant Phoibos both a birthday gift (7), and his name (8).

ἥ , she. Epic demonstrative use of ὅς, surviving in ἢ δ᾽ ὅς, ὃς δ᾽

ἔφη ( said he).

δίδωσι , gives it, the oracle.

γενέθλιον δόσιν . There were two birth-festivals at Athens-the ἀμφιδρόμια, when the infant was carried round the hearth on the seventh (or fifth day), and the δεκάτη, tenth-day festival, when it was named and formally recognised by the father. On both occasions, especially the latter, presents were given.

παρώνυμον , made like to hers.

λίμνη , the circular or rather oval tarn in the north of the island, often referred to by ancient writers ( Eur. Ion 167 , Iph. Taur. 1104 , Herod. 2. 170, etc.), and apparently connected with the birth of Apollo.

χοιράς , 's back,hog lit., i.e. ridge or rock, of Mount Kynthos.

mvp-sidgwick-10-1-1 The ship-frequented shores of Pallas are Attica, regarded as specially the land of Pallas Athene.

mvp-sidgwick-11-1-1 Delphi is called the shrine of Parnassus as being at the foot of that Mountain. ll. 13, 14

. The Athenians are called, in Aeschylus' grand style, 'the sons of Hephaistos, hewers of the road, making tame the wild land.' There was a sacred way from Athens to Delphi, and Athenian tradition evidently affirmed that it had been made of old by Athenians for Apollo. The Schol. mentions an interesting ceremonial, plainly a survival, bearing on this tradition, that when Athens sent a mission to Delphi, the sacred ambassadors were preceded by men with axes. (The Boeotian Pindar, on the other hand, makes Apollo start from Tanagra in Boeotia, according to the Schol.).

παῖδες Ἡφαίστου , because Hephaistos was father of Erichthonios, mythical king of Athens. The title is peculiarly appropriate to the hewers of the way, as Hephaistos was the god who invented many of the tools and the arts of civilised life.

mvp-sidgwick-12-1-1 Making tame, i, e. evidently clearing and settling; not only (as Schol.) from robbers.'

Δελφός , the king and eponymous' hero of Delphians.

κτίζω , properly to build, a favourite word of Aeschylus, often used as a stately synonym for to make: e.g. Pers. 289

Cho. 1060

ἐλεύθερόν σε κτίσει,

Eum. 714 μηδ᾽ ἀκαρπώτους κτίσαι.

προφήτης , the spokesman, the interpreter of Zeus. So he says in a fragment (79) Ζεὺς ἐγκαθίει Λοξίᾳ θεσπίσματα. So Verg. A. 3. 251 Quae Phoebo pater omnipotens, mihi Phoebus Apollo Praedixit.

Παλλὰς προναία , Pallas of the precincts; the name of a temple of Athena near the great sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi. It is mentioned by Herodotus in this form (

l. 92 , and there exist two Delphic inscriptions containing it (ΠΡΟΝΑΙA): but it seems to have been afterwards corrupted into πρόνοια, the shape in which the name of Athena at Delphi appears in Demosthenes (780), Aeschines (Ctes. 69), and Pausanias (10.8.7). Some people suppose two Delphic Athenas, προναία and πρόνοια: but this, though possible, is hardly likely. The learned Alexandrine poet Callimachus (250 B.C.) has the old form (προναίην, quoted by Schol.).

Κωρυκίς . The Korykian cavern was a remarkable cave high up in Parnassus, seven miles from Delphi: the cavern contains two large chambers 100 and 200 feet long respectively: it was the refuge of the Delphians in the Persian invasion (Herod. 8. 36), and more than once when their country was invaded. It was sacred to Pan and the nymphs.

φίλορνις , loved of birds, using the shelter for roosting and building.

φἀναστροφή , abode, haunt. The verb ἀναστρέφεσθαι is common for to be engaged in, to live ; ἐν φανερῷ, ἐν ᾿Αργει, ἐν μέσῳ, ἐν ξυμμαχίᾳ, etc. (versari Latin).

Βρόμιος , a common title of Bacchus. Aeschylus in glorifying Delphi fixes there the scene of the great vengeance of Bacchus on Pentheus. [Pentheus, king of Thebes, forbade and tried to prevent the worship of Bacchus; but the god drove mad with Bacchic frenzy the women, including Agaue Pentheus' mother, and they tore the king in pieces.] Euripides in the Bacchae makes Kithairon (between Attica and Boeotia) the scene, and Schol. says that Aeschylus himself also follows this tradition in the lost play Ξαντρίαι.

οὗτε , Epic form of rel. common in Aeschylus. (

Pers. 297 , αἵτε Eum. 1024,

ἐξ οὗτε

Pers. 762 ,

ἅτε

Cho. 615 , etc.)

λαγὼ δίκην , like a hare, i. e. they tore him as dogs a hare. [Scholiast's int. crouching like a hare is frigid and absurd.] Notice absence of caesura; Ag. 943 , Cho. 493 .

Πλειστός , a small river south of Delphi: Apollonius (2.711) speaks of Korykian nymphs daughters of Pleistos.

Ποσειδώνος : there was an altar of Poseidon at Delphi. [There were various old traditions about Poseidon having once possessed Delphi and exchanged it for other places, which may be connected with his worship there.]

τέλειον , the fulfiller: so Ag. 973

Abridged , but quite intelligible, expression for 'May I find this time better response than I found in my former entrances to the shrine.'

τυχεῖν με , acc. inf. of prayer, common constr. with or without δός or

(Cho. 307 , O. C. 868 , etc.). For acc. ἄριστα with τυχεῖν, cf. Ag. 1228 .

πάρ' , are here, for πάρεισιν, is commonly read here. But it is more natural to take παρά as a preposition; and it is quite easy to understand are come.

ἴτων , rare form for ἰόντων ος ἴτωσαν.

μαντεύεσθαι . is used both of prophesying and consulting the god, or getting a prophecy. Here both would suit, but the former is the sense in which Aeschylus uses the word elsewhere.

ὡς ἄν , according as, indef. relat. use. [She passes into the temple, and there is a pause : then she comes out horror-stricken and half fainting.]

δεινά . is nom. λέξαι and δρακεῖν epex. inf. after the adj. Things terrible to tell of, terrible to behold have sent me back, etc.

ὥς , Epic for ὥστε, common in Trag., esp. in Aeschylus (e.g. Ag. 358, 546, 575, 665, 1381 ).

σωκεῖν , to be strong.

ἀκταίνω , a unique word of which the meaning is disputed. The Schol. and old lexicons give (1) to uplift, or be uplifted. (2) to exult, prance (γαυριᾶν), leap violently (ἀτάκτως πηδᾶν). The sense however requires, not, 'I can't move violently, but rather I can hardly move at all: it is best therefore to take ἀκταίνω, to lift. βάσιν, my step: this is a correction in the best MS., all the texts reading στάσιν, (which is perhaps possible, and then to uplift my standing would mean to stand upright;) but βάσιν is easier and far more likely.

χερσίν , by aid of hands: holding on, to support her failing limbs. [Schol. actually says she comes out on all fours, τετραποδηδόν!!]

ἀντίπαιs , rather a strange compound, the preposition ἀντί governing (so to speak) the waῖς, and not some word outside as usual. Aeschylus is fond of these compounds : ἀντίκεντρον 136, 466,

Ag. 406 ,

ἀντήνωρ

ib. 443 ,

ἀντίδουλος

Cho. 135 .

μὲν οὖν , corrective, as usual. Nay, she is as a child.

mvp-sidgwick-32-1-1 The inner sanctuary of Delphi (μυχός) contained the statue of Apollo: the ὀμφαλός, see next note: the altar with the eternal fire, fed only with fir-wood; and the roof all hung with garlands (πολυστεφή). In the centre was the chasm with the tripod where the priestess sate, and inhaled the intoxicating fumes of the smoke which came up from below.

ὀμφαλός , navel, was the name given to Delphi, as the centre of the earth, and particularly (as here) to a white stone in the μυχός of the temple¹. Strabo (9. 3.) tells us that

was shown in the temple; and Pausanias (10. 16. 3) reports that

the Delphians said their ὀμφαλός, which was made of white stone, was the centre of the earth, and quoted from Pindar a passage which agreed with their account.

¹ The ὀμφαλός as a round or oval object is often found on coins or vases or sculptures relating to Delphi.

μέν answers δέ l. 46

.

προστρόπαιον , lit. turning toward, hence suppliant. The supplication might be for vengeance (as Ag. 1587 , Cho. 286 ), or more commonly for purification, as here. Hence the word contracts another meaning, guilty; see below ll. 234, 237

.

mvp-sidgwick-34-2-1 Some take it here agreeing with ἄνδρα; but rhythm and order indicate that it goes with ἕδραν, a suppliant seat; so Soph. O. C. 1309 , π. λιταί.

mvp-sidgwick-35-1-1 The olive-branch, with tufts of wool attached, was the regular sign of the suppliant :

Suppl. 23 ,

κλάδοις κατάσκιον ὅμιλον

ib. 354 ,

ἱκτηρίοις κλάδοισιν ἐξεστεμμένοι

Ο. Τ. 3 .

σωφρόνως seems to mean duly, piously.

mvp-sidgwick-36-1-1 For so will I plainly tell, i. e. about the suppliant there was nothing strange : the horrible and mysterious part of the sight she goes on to describe.

λόχος , troop: for the number of the Eumenides see Introduction.

Γοργόνας . : Aeschylus, Prometheus 899,

and the Furies are compared to them, Cho. 1047,

In dusky robes and twined with many snakes, like Gorgons.

mvp-sidgwick-39-1-1 If this line is right the substantive is understood: [Monsters] have I seen ere now in a picture, snatching the feast of Phineus, i.e. the Harpies.

mvp-sidgwick-39-2-1 The Harpyiae are in Homer simply the spirits of the storm who are said to have carried off those who disappear suddenly (e. g. Od. 1. 241). The story is told by later writers as follows: Phineus, king of Thrace, being falsely told that his sons were conspiring to corrupt their stepmother, put out their eyes. The gods in wrath blinded him, and sent loathsome monsters, the Harpies, to snatch away his banquet. The best known account is Vergil's, Aen. 3. 212.

mvp-sidgwick-39-3-1 [Herm. and others thinking the omission of the subst. too harsh, suppose a line lost; but it would be difficult to write one which would not separate δεῖπνον too much from Φινέως. Schol. plainly had our text.]

γε μήν , yet, adversative as usual: γε μέντοι, γε μὲν δή (and in Homer γε μέν), also used in the same way. So

Ρ. V. 871 ,

σὺν χρόνῳ γε μήν

Ag. 1378 .

οὐ πλατοῖσι , unapproachable: for the breath was deadly with blood and fire, and withered up what it touched (138). MSS. read πλαστοῖσι, feigned: but the other is far more forcible.

κόσμος , their garb.

mvp-sidgwick-43-1-1 i. e. I know not the race nor land whence this company are sprung.

μὴ μεταστένειν πόνον , without repenting of its toil, is an elaborate repetition and explanation of ἀνατί, unharmed. [The inf. is literally the object of ἐπεύχεται : boasts that having reared... it does not repent, i. e. boasts to rear without repenting].

mvp-sidgwick-45-1-1 The horror and pollution of these monsters is too fearful: she will leave it to Apollo himself, who as seer (τερασκόπος) will understand, as prophet-healer (ἰατρόμαντις) will cure, as καθάρσιος will purify.

mvp-sidgwick-46-1-1 [The priestess retires: the scene shifts and shews the interior of the shrine: Orestes with a bloody sword seated on the ὀμφαλός, Apollo and Hermes standing by: the chorus of Furies asleep all about on stone seats or the floor.]

διὰ τέλους , idiomatic expression for ever.

mvp-sidgwick-48-1-1 If MSS. καὶ πρόσω δέ is right, it means and even when far away, i. e. ' I will watch over you when near, and even when afar, and I will punish your foes.' This makes good sense and need not be altered, though καὶ πρόσω γε Blom. is possibly right.

ὕπνῳ πεσοῦσαι , prostrate in sleep [they lie] : πεσοῦσαι used rather loosely for the perfect, like θανόντes for τεθνηκότες. But the construction is rather harsh, with a strained tense and no verb: and not improbably πεσοῦσαι is corrupt for some verb. The best suggestion is Weil's πεδῶνται : (others πρέπουσι, πέλουσι : παρεῖνται Weckl.).

μίγνυται , consorts.

γραῖαι , παλαιαὶ παῖδες, old, wrinkled maidens; a bold and contemptuous oxymoron to express loathing.

mvp-sidgwick-51-1-1 The least alteration of MSS. is to read βιβῶντ᾽ ἀν᾿ ἀεὶ τὴν π. χ., ever pacing the travelled earth. This involves the displacement of the preposition ἀνά by ἀεί, a very rare and harsh licence: H. P. quote Plato σὺν ἀεί τινι βίᾳ, but ἀεί τινι is far less harsh an interruption than ἀεί alone. [This we shall see if we try it in English, rule with always some violence, is less impossible than walk over always the earth.] A better example is Laws 797 D ἐν ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν οὐ τοῖς μὲν τοῖς δ᾽ οὐ.

mvp-sidgwick-51-2-1 The conjectures are very numerous ² but do not convince : ἀνάγκῃ Musgr. is perhaps the best: or to read περῶντα δ᾽ ἀεί with Weil and Weckl. I leave the ἀν' ἀεί, as it is perhaps barely possible.

mvp-sidgwick-51-3-1 The Homeric βιβῶντ' (used also by Pindar) is a better correction than βεβῶτ', as nearer the MSS. and more likely to have been corrupted.

mvp-sidgwick-52-1-1 Notice περιρρύτας, fem. form from compd. adj. So

Pers. 596 ,

εὐφιλητάν

Theb. 108 ,

δυσοιστά (?)

Eum. 789 ,

παναρκέτας (?)

Cho. 69 .

βουκολούμενος . (mid. as Schol. interprets), tending, i. e. brooding over; a bold metaphor characteristic of the poet.

ἄγκαθεν , in thy arms, from ἄγκη, the bent arm: like the Homeric ἀγκὰς ἑλεῖν or ἔχειν, to take in the arms: cf. Ag. 3 .

θελκτηρίους , persuasive, to the judges of the Areiopagos.

mvp-sidgwick-56-1-1 Learn also to take heed, though to our ears it sounds too bold to be said to a god, is not so meant in the Greek, nor does Apollo so take it: it is simply forget me not, O god. Notice ἐπίστᾳ contracted for ἐπίστασαι; so we find δύνᾳ.

mvp-sidgwick-57-1-1 Thy strength is warrant thou wilt aid me; taking eὖ ποιεῖν together.

σε . φρέναs, the acc. of whole and part, common from Homer down: like Τρῶας τρόμος αἰνὸς ὑπήλυθε γυῖα ἕκαστον ; τὸν βάλε κνήμην; and μέθες με πρὸς θεῶν χεῖρα etc.

κάρτα δ᾽ ὧν ἐπώνυμος , true to thy name, give guidance : the title πομπαῖος meaning the guider.

mvp-sidgwick-60-1-1 Zeus reveres this sanctity of outlaws, which comes to men from the fortune of fair escort; a rather obscure expression, but explained by the context: Zeus reveres the claim which outlaws have (on the pity of men), a claim which springs from the (divine) power which guides them: i. e. ‘Orestes, though an outlaw, will find pity since thou wilt guide him. [Wecklein reads τὸ κηρύκων (for τόδ᾽ ἐκ.), of Hermes: certainly much simpler, though perhaps unnecessary.]

mvp-sidgwick-60-2-1 [Apollo retires; Hermes leads Orestes out ; the stage is empty. Then from below the ghost of Klytaimnestra rises.]

mvp-sidgwick-61-1-1 This sentence is written with an effective vehemence which is very dramatic: the broken and rough grammar being exactly imitative of strongly excited speech.

mvp-sidgwick-61-2-1 The drift is: 'I, thus dishonoured by you [the negligent Furies], among the dead below am constantly reproached for my deeds-wandering in disgrace and blamed by all-but for my sufferings no god takes heed.'

mvp-sidgwick-61-3-1 Thus the antithesis to ὧν μὲν ἔκτανον is really παθοῦσα δ᾽ (100) and αἰσχρῶς δ᾽ ἀλῶμαι answers οὐκ ἐκλείπεται. Note the double break of construction: (1) the intrusion of οὐκ ἐκλείπεται with a new subject between ἐγώ and ἀλῶμαι : (2) the entire anacoluthon παθοῦσα δ᾽ without verb followed by οὐδεὶς μηνίεται. For the latter compare Ag. 1008

Cho. 521

πάντα ἐκχέας . . . μάτην ὁ μόχθος,

and Eur. Cycl. 331 , Hipp. 24 , Iph. Taur. 947 , etc. See 478.

πρός , common poetic use for ὑπό of agent: Cho. 133, 346 , etc. So ἐκ, παρά, and ἀπό are poetically used. So below l. 102

.

mvp-sidgwick-63-1-1 The MSS. read ὅρα δὲ πληγὰς τάσδε καρδίᾳ σέθεν, ‘behold these wounds with thy heart, the use of καρδίᾳ being at first sight supported by what follows for the mind sees in sleep.' But Aeschylus always uses καρδία (as we do heart) of emotion not of intelligence : grief, anxiety, care, fear, wrath, courage, favour, desire-never of perception. So I take Canter's καρδίας ὅθεν adopted by Dind. Pal. Herm. Paley is further no doubt right in reading ὁρᾶτε: the plural is wanted: the asyndeton improves the sense, being more passionate: and the singular clearly arose from σέθεν.

mvp-sidgwick-63-2-1 Behold these wounds in my heart, from whence they came; a fierce reminder of their duty to hunt Orestes, and a far finer sense than the MSS. reading.

ὄμμασιν λαμπρύνεται , stately Aeschylean for is clearsighted.

μοῖρ᾽ ἀπρόσκοπος βροτῶν , 'tis the lot of mortals to be blind. Others take it the lot of men cannot be foretold: but the sense of the other is better, the antithesis is more pointed, ( seeing in sleep, blind in the day,) and ἀπρόσκοπος is more naturally active. [The Schol. says ἡ τῆς φρενὸς μοῖρα, whence H. and others read φρενῶν for βροτῶν : but the Schol. is only (rather stupidly) explaining μοῖρα in connection with the φρήν of the last line: it proves nothing about the reading: φρήν and φρενῶν would be very flat repetition.]