Aeschylus Eumenides 34

Herbert Weir Smyth (Translator)

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Eumenides. Aeschylus. Herbert Weir Smyth (Translator). New York. 1926.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Perseus

Eumenides (English) (Aeschylus, Volume 2. Smyth, Herbert Weir, translator. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1926. (Modernized by Perseus.))

Editions (12)
Εὐμενίδες First1KGreek (Aeschyli Tragoediae. Sidgwick, Arthur, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1902.) — 1-142 focus
Εὐμενίδες Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 2. Smyth, Herbert Weir, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1926.) — 34 focus
Εὐμενίδες (1518 edition; OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Eumenides, 1518 edition. VLM-assisted OCR with native lineation and automated correspondence to the Smyth edition.) — 34 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Guilielmus Dindorfius, 1882.) — 34 focus
ἡ δεινὰ λέξαι, δεινὰ δ᾽ ὀφθαλμοῖς δρακεῖν,
πάλιν μ᾽ ἔπεμψεν ἐκ δόμων τῶν Λοξίου,
35
ὡς μήτε σωκεῖν μήτε μ᾽ ἀκταίνειν βάσιν·
τρέχω δὲ χερσὶν, οὐ ποδωκείᾳ σκελῶν·
δείσασα γὰρ γραῦς οὐδὲν, ἀντίπαις μὲν οὖν.
ἐγὼ μὲν ἕρπω πρὸς πολυστεφῆ μυχόν·
ὁρῶ δ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ὀμφαλῷ μὲν ἄνδρα θεομυσῆ
40
ἕδραν ἔχοντα προστρόπαιον, αἵματι
στάζοντα χεῖρας καὶ νεοσπαδὲς ξίφος
ἔχοντ᾽ ἐλάας θ᾽ ὑψιγέννητον κλάδον,
λήνει μεγίστῳ σωφρόνως ἐστεμμένον,
ἀργῆτι μαλλῷ· τῇδε γὰρ τρανῶς ἐρῶ.
45
πρόσθεν δὲ τἀνδρὸς τοῦδε θαυμαστὸς λόχος
εὕδει γυναικῶν ἐν θρόνοισιν ἥμενος.
οὔτοι γυναῖκας, ἀλλὰ Γοργόνας λέγω,
οὐδ᾽ αὖτε Γοργείοισιν εἰκάσω τύποις.
εἶδόν ποτ᾽ ἤδη Φινέως γεγραμμένας
50
δεῖπνον φερούσας· ἄπτεροί γε μὴν ἰδεῖν
αὗται, μέλαιναι δ᾽ ἐς τὸ πᾶν βδελύκτροποι·
ῥέγκουσι δ᾽ οὐ πλατοῖσι φυσιάμασιν·
ἐκ δ᾽ ὀμμάτων λείβουσι δυσφιλῆ λίβα·
καὶ κόσμος οὔτε πρὸς θεῶν ἀγάλματα
55
φέρειν δίκαιος οὔτ᾽ ἐς ἀνθρώπων στέγας.
τὸ φῦλον οὐκ ὄπωπα τῆσδ᾽ ὁμιλίας,
οὐδ᾽ ἥτις αἷα τοῦτ᾽ ἐπεύχεται γένος
τρέφουσ᾽ ἀνατὶ μὴ μεταστένειν πόνον.
τἀντεῦθεν ἤδη τῶνδε δεσπότῃ δόμων
60
αὐτῷ μελέσθω Λοξίᾳ μεγασθενεῖ.
ἰατρόμαντις δ᾽ ἐστὶ καὶ τερασκόπος
καὶ τοῖσιν ἄλλοις δωμάτων καθάρσιος.
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Gottfried Hermann, 1852.) — 34 focus
δεινὰ λέξαι, δεινὰ δ᾽ ὀφθαλμοῖς δρακεῖν,
35
πάλιν μ' ἔπεμψεν ἐκ δόμων τῶν Λοξίου,
ὡς μήτε σθένειν μήτε μ' ἀκταίνειν βάσιν·
τρέχω δὲ χερσίν, οὐ ποδωκίᾳ σκελῶν·
δείσασα γὰρ γραῦς οὐδέν, ἀντίπαις μὲν οὖν.
ἐγὼ μὲν ἕρπω πρὸς πολυστεφῆ μυχόν·
40
ὁρῶ δ᾽ ἐπ' ὀμφαλῷ μὲν ἄνδρα θεομυσῆ
ἕδραν ἔχοντα, προςτρόπαιον, αἵματι
στάζοντα χεῖρας, καὶ νεοσπαδὲς ξίφος
ἔχοντ', ἐλαίας θ' ὑψιγέννητον κλάδον,
λῆνῃ μεγίστῃ σωφρόνως ἐστεμμένον,
45
ἀργῆτι μαλλῷ, τῇδε γὰρ τρανῶς ἐρῶ.
πρόσθεν δὲ τἀνδρὸς τοῦδε θαυμαστὸς λόχος
εὕδει γυναικῶν ἐν θρόνοισιν ἥμενος.
οὔτοι γυναῖκας, ἀλλὰ Γοργόνας λέγω·
οὐδ᾽ αὖτε Γοργείοισιν εἰκάσω τύποις·
50
εἶδόν ποτ᾽ ἤδη Φινέως γεγραμμένας
δεῖπνον φερούσας· ἄπτεροί γε μὴν ἰδεῖν
αὗται, μέλαιναι δ᾽ ἐς τὸ πᾶν βδελύκτροποι·
ῥέγκουσι δ᾽ οὐ πλαστοῖσι φυσιάμασιν·
55
ἐκ δ᾽ ὀμμάτων λείβουσι δυςφιλῆ λίβα·
καὶ κόσμος οὔτε πρὸς θεῶν ἀγάλματα
ΕΥΜΕΝΙΔΕΣ (OCR draft) Experimental (ΕΥΜΕΝΙΔΕΣ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 34 focus
Ἦ δεινὰ λέξαι, δεινὰ δ᾽ ὀφθαλμοῖς δρακεῖν
πάλιν μ' ἔπεμψεν ἐκ τόπων τῶν Λοξίου,
35
ὡς μήτε σωκεῖν μήτε μ' ἀκταίνειν στάσιν βάσιν,
τρέχω δὲ χερσίν, οὐ ποδωκίᾳ -κεία σκελῶν·
δείσασα γὰρ γραῦς οὐδέν, ἀντίπαις μὲν οὖν.
Ἐγὼ μὲν ἔρπω πρὸς πολυστεφῆ μυχόν,
ὁρῶ δ' ἐπ' ὀμφαλῷ μὲν ἄνδρα θεομυσῆ -μυσῆι -μισῆ
40
ἕδραν ἕδρας ἔχοντα -τι προστρόπαιον, αἵματι
στάζοντα χεῖρας καὶ νεοσπαδὲς ξίφος
ἔχοντ' ἐλαίας θ' ὑψιγέννητον κλάδον
λήνει μεγίστῳ σωφρόνως ἐστεμμένον,
ἀργῆτι μαλλῷ· τῇδε γὰρ τρανῶς ἐρῶ.
45
Πρόσθεν δὲ τἀνδρὸς τοῦδε θαυμαστὸς λόχος
εὕδει γυναικῶν ἐν θρόνοισιν ἥμενος·
οὔτοι γυναῖκας, ἀλλὰ Γοργόνας λέγω·
οὐδ᾽ αὖτε Γοργείοισιν εἰκάσω τύποις·
εἶδόν ποτ' ἤδη ποτ' εἶδον Φινέως γεγραμμένας
50
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Arthur Sidgwick, 1887.) — 34 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. N. Wecklein, 1885.) — 34 focus
ἢ δεινὰ λέξαι, δεινὰ δ᾽ ὀφθαλμοῖς δρακεῖν
πάλιν μὲ ἔπεμψεν ἐκ δόμων τῶν Λοξίου,
35
ὡς μήτε σωκεῖν μήτε μὲ ἀκταίνειν βάσιν·
τρέχω δὲ χερσίν, οὐ ποδωκείᾳ σκελῶν·
δείσασα γὰρ γραὺς οὐδέν, ἀντίπαις μὲν οὖν.
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Martin L. West, 1990.) — 34 focus
ἦ δεινὰ λέξαι, δεινὰ δ᾽ ὀφθαλμοῖς δρακεῖν
πάλιν μ᾽ ἔπεμψεν ἐκ δόμων τῶν Λοξίου,
35
Aeschyli Eumenides (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschyli Eumenides. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1914.) — 34 focus
δεινὰ λέξαι δεινὰ δ᾽ ὀφθαλμοῖς δρακεῖν
πάλιν μ᾽ ἔπεμψεν ἐκ δόμων τῶν Λοξίου,
35
ὡς μήτε σωκεῖν μήτε μ᾿ ἀκταίνειν στάσιν·
τρέχω δὲ χερσίν, οὐ ποδωκείαι σκελῶν·
δείσασα γὰρ γραῦς οὐδέν, ἀντίπαις μὲν οὖν.
ἐγὼ μὲν ἕρπω πρὸς πολυστεφῆ μυχόν,
ὁρῶ δ᾽ ἐπ᾿ ὀμφαλῶι μὲν ἄνδρα θεομυσῆ
40
ἕδρας ἔχοντα προστρόπαιον, αἵματι
στάζοντα χεῖρας καὶ νεοσπαδὲς ξίφος
ἔχοντ᾽ ἐλαίας θ᾽ ὑψιγέννητον κλάδον,
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek text of Aeschylus' Eumenides, edited by F. A. Paley, 1885.) — 34 focus
ἢ δεινὰ λέξαι δεινὰ δ᾽ ὀφθαλμοῖς δρακεῖν
πάλιν μ᾿ ἔπεμψεν ἐκ δόμων τῶν Λοξίου,
35
ὡς μήτε σωκεῖν μήτε μ᾿ ἀκταίνειν βάσιν·
τρέχω δὲ χερσὶν, οὐ ποδωκίᾳ σκελῶν·
δείσασα γὰρ γραῦς οὐδέν· ἀντίπαις μὲν οὖν.
ἐγὼ μὲν ἕρπω πρὸς πολυστεφῆ μυχόν.
ὁρῶ δ᾽ ἐπ᾿ ὀμφαλῷ μὲν ἄνδρα θεομυσή
40
ἕδραν ἔχοντα προστρόπαιον, αἵματι
στάζοντα χεῖρας, καὶ νεοσπαδὲς ξίφος
ἔχοντ᾽, ἐλαίας θ᾽ ὑψιγέννητον κλάδον
λήνει μεγίστῳ σωφρόνως ἐστεμμένον,
ἀργῆτι μαλλῷ. τῇδε γὰρ τρανῶς ἐρῶ.
45
πρόσθεν δὲ τἀνδρὸς τοῦδε θαυμαστὸς λόχος
εὕδει γυναικῶν ἐν θρόνοισιν ἥμενος.
οὔτοι γυναῖκας, ἀλλὰ Γοργόνας λέγω·
οὐδ᾽ αὖτε Γοργείοισιν εἰκάσω τύποις·
εἶδόν ποτ᾽ ἤδη Φινέως γεγραμμένας
50
δεῖπνον φερούσας· ἄπτεροί γε μὴν ἰδεῖν
αὗται, μέλαιναι δ᾽ ἐς τὸ πᾶν βδελύκτροποι·
ῥέγκουσι δ᾽ οὐ πλατοῖσι φυσιάμασιν·
ἐκ δ᾽ ὀμμάτων λείβουσι δυσφιλῆ λίβα·
καὶ κόσμος οὔτε πρὸς θεῶν ἀγάλματα
55
φέρειν δίκαιος, οὔτ᾽ ἐς ἀνθρώπων στέγας.
τὸ φῦλον οὐκ ὄπωπα τῆσδ᾽ ὁμιλίας,
οὐδ᾽ ἥτις αἷα τοῦτ᾽ ἐπεύχεται γένος
τρέφουσ᾽ ἀνατὶ μὴ μεταστένειν πόνον.
τἀντεῦθεν ἤδη τῶνδε δεσπότῃ δόμων
60
αὐτῷ μελέσθω Λοξίᾳ μεγασθενεῖ.
ἰατρόμαντις δ᾽ ἐστὶ καὶ τερασκόπος,
καὶ τοῖσιν ἄλλοις δωμάτων καθάρσιος.
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek text of Aeschylus' Eumenides, edited by Friedrich Blass, 1907.) — 34 focus
Ἦ δεινὰ λέξαι, δεινὰ δ᾽ ὀφθαλμοῖς δρακεῖν,
πάλιν μ᾽ ἔπεμψεν ἐκ δόμων τῶν Λοξίου,
35
ὡς μήτε σωκεῖν μήτε μ᾿ ἀκταίνειν βάσιν·
τρέχω δὲ χερσίν, οὐ ποδωκείᾶι σκελῶν·
δείσασα γὰρ γραῦς οὐδέν, ἀντίπαις μὲν οὖν.
ἐγὼ μὲν ἕρπω πρὸς πολυστεφῆ μυχόν·
ὁρῶ δ᾽ ἐπ᾿ ὀμφαλῶι μὲν ἄνδρα θεομυσῆ
40
ἕδραν ἔχοντα προστρόπαιον, αἵματι
στάζοντα χεῖρας καὶ νεοσπαδὲς ξίφος
ἔχοντ᾽ ἐλάιας θ᾽ ὑψιγέννητον κλάδον,
λήνει μεγίστωι σωφρόνως ἐστεμμένον,
ἀργῆτι μαλλῶι· τῆιδε γὰρ τρανῶς ἐρῶ.
45
πρόσθεν δὲ τἀνδρὸς τοῦδε θαυμαστὸς λόχος
εὕδει γυναικῶν ἐν θρόνοισιν ἥμενος.
οὔτοι γυναῖκας, ἀλλὰ Γοργόνας λέγω,
οὐδ᾽ αὖτε Γοργείοισιν εἰκάσω τύποις.
εἶδόν ποτ᾽ ἤδη Φινέως γεγραμμένας
50
δεῖπνον φερούσας· ἄπτεροί γε μὴν ἰδεῖν
αὗται, μέλαιναι δ᾽, ἐς τὸ πᾶν βδελύκτροποι·
ῥέγκουσι δ᾽ οὐ πλατοῖσι φυσιάμασιν·
ἐκ δ᾽ ὀμμάτων λείβουσι δυσφιλῆ λίβα·
καὶ κόσμος οὔτε πρὸς θεῶν ἀγάλματα
55
φέρειν δίκαιος οὔτ᾽ ἐς ἀνθρώπων στέγας.
τὸ φῦλον οὐκ ὄπωπα τῆσδ᾽ ὁμιλίας,
οὐδ᾽ ἥτις αἷα τοῦτ᾽ ἐπεύχεται γένος
τρέφουσ᾽ ἀνατεὶ μὴ μεταστένειν πόνον.
τἀντεῦθεν ἤδη τῶνδε δεσπότηι δόμων
60
αὐτῶι μελέσθω Λοξίαι μεγασθενεῖ.
ἰατρόμαντις δ᾽ ἐστὶ καὶ τερασκόπος
καὶ τοῖσιν ἄλλοις δωμάτων καθάρσιος.
Translations (10)
The Eumenides (OCR draft) Experimental (The Eumenides. Theodore Alois Buckley, 1849.) — 34 focus
Certainly things dreadful to tell, and dreadful to behold with eyes have sent me back from the abodes of Loxias, so that I neither have strength, nor can uplift my steps: but I run with my hands, not by swiftness of legs; for an affrighted old woman is nothing, like a child [in strength]. I creep, indeed, towards the shrine of many garlands 3
, and I behold at the marble navel stone 4
a man under the curse 5
of god, sitting as a suppliant, with his hands dripping with blood, and hold­ ing a newly-drawn 1
sword, and a high-grown branch of olive, wreathed decorously with much 2
wool, with a white fleece: for so I will clearly declare. But before this man a wondrous troop of women sleeps seated in the seats; by no means women, but Gorgons I call them; nor again will I liken them to Gorgon forms 3
, [for] I have seen once on a time [the Harpies] painted, carrying off the food of Phineus; but these are wingless to behold, and black, abominable in kind. And they snore with breathings not to be approached, and from their eyes they distil hateful violence 4
. And their dress is fit to wear neither at the images of gods, nor within the dwellings of men. I have not beheld the tribe of this sisterhood; nor [do I know] what land can boast of having nourished this race with impunity, so as not to groan on account of its troubles. Let what ensues now be a care to the ruler of these abodes mighty Loxias himself: but he is healing-seer and diviner and purifier of abodes 5
to others. The interior of the temple, with the tripod and omphalus, is disclosed, and ORESTES is dis­ covered sitting on the omphalus, the chorus of FURIES sleeping on seats around him. APOLLO standing by his side, and HERMES in the background 1
.
LES EUMÉNIDES (OCR draft) Experimental (LES EUMÉNIDES. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 34 focus
Ah! horrible à dire, horrible à voir de ses yeux le spec-
tacle qui me rejette hors du temple de Loxias — si horrible que me voici là impuissante, incapable de me tenir droite, et que mes mains courent seules, pour mes jambes alourdies. Une vieille qui prend peur est sans force; ou, plutôt, ce n'est qu'une enfant. J'allais vers le lieu saint,
encombré d'offrandes, quand je vois près de l'Ombilic 1 , un homme chargé d'une souillure, accroupi en suppliant, les mains dégouttantes de sang, avec une épée frais sortie d'une blessure, et un long rameau d'olivier, dévotement
entouré d'un épais réseau de bandelettes — une vraie toison blanche, le mot sera plus clair. En face de l'homme, une troupe étrange de femmes dort, assise sur les sièges. Mais que dis-je, des femmes? Des Gorgones plutôt... Et encore, non! ce n'est pas l'aspect des Gorgones que je rappro-
cherai du leur... J'ai bien vu naguère, en peinture, les
The Furies (OCR draft) Experimental (The Furies. Robert Potter, 1779.) — 34 focus
Things horrible to tell, and horrible
To fight, have forc'd me from the fane again:
Trembling with fear my lax limbs ill ſupport
My frame, ſave that my hands with eager graſp
Uphold my ſinking weakness as I paſs.
50
As to the ſhrine with many' a garland crown'd
I bend my age-enfeebled ſteps, beneath
The central dome I ſee a man abhorr'd
By the juſt Gods, a ſuppliant it ſhou'd ſeem,
For ſuch his poſture; but his hands are ſtain'd
55
With blood; in one he holds a new-drawn ſword,
High in the other crown'd with ample wreaths
An olive branch, with wreaths of ſnowy wool
Handſomely wrought: thus far I ſpeak aſſur'd.
Before him lies a troop of hideous women
60
Stretch'd on the feats, and ſleeping; yet not women,
But Gorgons rather, nor the Gorgon form
Exactly repreſenting, as I have ſeen them
Drawn by the painter's imitative pencil,
Eschilo, Le Eumenidi: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli (OCR draft) Experimental (Eschilo, Le Eumenidi: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli. Ettore Romagnoli, 1922.) — 34 focus
Ahi! terribile a dire, e piú terribile
a vederlo, mi scaccia uno spettacolo
fuor dal tempio del Nume!
Io non ho forze
45
piú: non mi reggo piú: sovra le palme
io mi trascino, e non sui piedi.
Aeschylus, Eumenides: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Eumenides: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii. Ioannes Sanravius, 1555.) — 34 focus
Certè grauia dicere, & grauia uidere,
Rurſus me miſit ex æde Loxiæ.
35
Vt neq; poſset, neq; attollere ſeditionem.
Curro manibus, non uelocitate crurium.
Verita enim uetula nihil contraria filio quidem.
Ego quidem repo ad multicoronatum antrum,
Video enim in umbilico quidem uirum Deo inuiſo
40
Sedem habentem pollutum ſanguine,
Pandentem manus, & recenter strictum enſem
Habentem, oliuæq;
alte genitum ramum,
Lana maxima coronatum modeſtè.
45
Candida ualde, manifeſtè huic dicam.
Ante uirum hunc mirabilis manipulus
Dormit mulierum in ſolijs ſedens.
Non mulieres, ſed Gorgonas dico.
Neq; rurſus Gorgijs aſsimilabo formis.
50
Vidi aliquando depictas Phinei
Prandium ferentes celeres uisu: tamen
Ipſæ, nigræ enim omnino execratæ ſunt.
Stertunt uerò non fictis flatibus
Ex oculis ſtillant inimicam uiolentiam.
55
Et ornatus, neq; ad deorum ſtatua:s
Ferre dignus, neq;
ad hominum domos.
Amicitiam non uidi huius conuerſationis.
Neq; ulla terra hoc optat genus
60
Alens impune, neq; lugere laborem.
Hinc iam domino domuum hæc
Ipſi ſint curæ Loxiæ fortiſsimo,
Medicouates eſt & prodigiorum ſpeculator.
Et alijs domorum purgatio.
65
Aeschylus, Die Eumeniden: German translation (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Die Eumeniden: German translation. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1919–1923.) — 34 focus
Aus Phoibos' Hause jagt ein Anblick mich zurück,
35 den Augen grau'nvoll, grau'nvoll zu beschreiben auch.
Mir schwinden meine Sinne, wanken meine Knie,
die Arme fliegen zitternd, doch der Fuſs ist steif.
Das Alter wird vor Schrecken hilflos, wird zum Kind.
Ein tret' ich in das kranzbehang'ne Heiligtum,
40 da seh' ich einen Menschen nah dem Nabelstein.
Schutzflehend sitzt er und entweiht den heil'gen Ort.
Blut trieft von seinen Händen, die das nackte Schwert
noch halten und des Ölbaums hochgewachs'nen Zweig,
den keusch ein weithin wallendes Gewand verhüllt,
45 die weiſse Wollenbinde, deutlich sag' ich so.
Vor diesem Menschen aber auf den Stühlen sitzt
und schläft von Weibern eine wundersame Schar,
nein, Weiber nicht, Gorgonen mögen's eher sein
Eumenides (OCR draft) Experimental (Eumenides. Anna Swanwick, 1886.) — 34 focus
For as the god doth guide, I prophesy.
English (E. D. A. Morshead, 1889, second edition) (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, The Furies — Morshead translation. Wikisource transcription; speech corresp and card milestones aligned to Smyth perseus-grc2.) — 34 focus
Things fell to speak of, fell for eyes to see,
Have sped me forth again from Loxias' shrine,
45
With strength unstrung, moving erect no more,
But aiding with my hands my failing feet,
Unnerved by fear. A beldame's force is naught—
Is as a child's, when age and fear combine.
For as I pace towards the inmost fane
50
Bay-filleted by many a suppliant's hand,
Lo, at the central altar I descry
One crouching as for refuge—yea, a man
Abhorred of heaven; and from his hands, wherein
A sword new-drawn he holds, blood reeked and fell:
55
A wand he bears, the olive's topmost bough,
Twined as of purpose with a deep close tuft
Of whitest wool. This, that I plainly saw,
Plainly I tell. But lo, in front of him,
Crouched on the altar-steps, a grisly band
60
Of women slumbers—not like women they,
But Gorgons rather; nay, that word is weak,
Nor may I match the Gorgons' shape with theirs!
Such have I seen in painted semblance erst—
Winged Harpies, snatching food from Phineus' board,—
65
But these are wingless, black, and all their shape
The eye's abomination to behold.
Fell is the breath—let none draw nigh to it—
Wherewith they snort in slumber; from their eyes
Exude the damned drops of poisonous ire:
70
And such their garb as none should dare to bring
To statues of the gods or homes of men.
I wot not of the tribe wherefrom can come
So fell a legion, nor in what land Earth
Could rear, unharmed, such creatures, nor avow
75
That she had travailed and had brought forth death.
But, for the rest, be all these things a care
Unto the mighty Loxias, the lord
Of this our shrine: healer and prophet he,
Discerner he of portents, and the cleanser
80
Of other homes—behold, his own to cleanse!
[ The scene opens, disclosing the interior of the temple: Orestes clings to the central altar; the Furies lie slumbering at a little distance; Apollo and Hermes appear from the innermost shrine.
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1854; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylos. Deutsch in den Versmaßen der Urschrift. Stuttgart: Hoffmann, 1854. Native Donner line citations, Smyth card correspondence, selected textual readings and metrical facsimiles. Remaining OCR differences and unattributed reading notes are documented in the linked review inventory.) — 34 focus
Ha, Gräuel auszusprechen, Gräuel anzuschau'n!
Es treibt mich wieder aus Apollons Haus zurück,
35
Daß mir die Glieder brechen, daß mein Schritt erstarrt;
Die Hände, nicht die schnellen Füße, tragen mich.
Schreck macht die Greisin nichtig, ja dem Kinde gleich.
Ich schleiche hin zum vielbekränzten Heiligthum;
Und sizen seh' ich einen fluchbeladnen Mann
40
Am Nabelsteine, der um Sühne fleht, von Blut
Die Hände triefend, und ein frischgezücktes Schwert,
Auch eines Delbaums hochgewachsnen Zweig zur Hand,
Den sorgsam rings die reichgewundne Flocke kränzt,
Das weiße Wollband; also leg' ich's deutlich dar.
45
Und vor dem Mann liegt eine wunderſame Schaar
Von Frauen schlummernd auf die Sessel hingestreckt.
Nicht Frauen wahrlich, nein, Gorgonen nenn' ich sie;
Doch auch Gorgonenbildern gleicht ihr Aeußres nicht.
Wohl auf Gemälden sah ich einst, die raschbeschwingt
50
Das Mahl des Phineus raubten; aber flügellos
Sind diese, schwarz, entseylich, daß mir's Grauen wedt.
Tiefschnarchend haucht ihr Odem unnahbaren Hauch,
Und aus den Augen träufeln sie graunvolles Gift.
Gewand umhüllt die Glieder, wie sich nicht geziemt
55
Vor Götterbildern oder in der Menschen Haus.
Genossen dieses Stammes sah mein Auge nie,
Noch mag ein Land sich rühmen, solch unholde Brut
Straflos zu nähren, ohne Nachgefühl des Weh's.
Das Weit're sei dem Fürsten dieses Heiligthums
60
Selbst heimgestellt, dem hochgewalt'gen Loxias!
Wahrsagerarzt und Zeichendeuter ist er ja,
Und kann die Häuser Andrer auch entsündigen.
(Die Seherin geht ab. Man erblickt das Innere des delphischen Heilig. thums, in demselben auf Sesseln umher den Chor der Erinnyen. Apollon tritt mit Orestes aus dem Hintergrunde des Tempels.)
English (Smyth; revised Bannon and Nagy, CHS) (OCR draft) Experimental (CHS Primary Sources revision of Herbert Weir Smyth’s translation by Cynthia Bannon and Gregory Nagy, with transliterated Greek terms tagged and aligned to the Smyth edition.)

No corresponding passage available

Notes on the current edition

Eumenides

1. ὀμφαλός navel was the name given by the Delphians to a white stone (in Aeschylus’ time placed in the inmost sanctuary of Apollo), which they regarded as marking the exact center of the earth. Near the great altar of Apollo the French excavators of Delphi discovered a navel-stone. ὀμφαλόςis sometimes used of Delphi itself.
2. The Harpies.

Commentary

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

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'].

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

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.

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

mvp-comment-16-1 ἀκταίνειν] Schol.

κουφίζειν,
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

κἀγὼ μὲν ἀντίδουλος,
‘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

ἀλλ᾽ ὧδ᾽ ἄκουε, τῇδε γὰρ κἀγὼ φράσω.
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.

οὐδέποτε τοιοῦτον γένος εἶδον.-οὐδὲ κ.τ.λ.,
‘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.

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

mvp-comment-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.

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

mvp-comment-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. :

φαίνεται ἐπὶ σκηνῆς τὸ μαντεῖον· η δὲ προφῆτις πρόεισιν ἐπικλήσεις, ὡς ἔθος, τῶν θεῶν ποιησομένη, ἀπροόπτως τε ἰδοῦσα τὰς Ἐρινύας κύκλῳ τοῦ Ὀρέστου καθευδούσας πάντα μηνύει τοῖς θεαταῖς, οὐχ ὡς διηγουμένη τὰ ὑπὸ τὴν σκηνήν, τοῦτο γὰρ νεωτερικὸν Εὐριπίδειον, ὑπὸ δὲ τῆς ἐκπλήξεως τὰ θορυβήσαντα αὐτὴν καταμηνύουσα φιλοτέχνως
(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-24-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 255

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

mvp-comment-25-1 1

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. :

ἰδοῦσα Ὀρέστην ἐπὶ τοῦ βωμοῦ καὶ τὰς Ερινύας κοιμωμένας ἔξεισι
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

γυνὴ μονωθείσ᾽ οὐδέν
, 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

μέσον ομφαλὸν .. στέμμασί γ᾽ ἐνδυτόν
, 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

κάρα στάζων ἱδρῶτι. νεοσπαδές
, 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

ἅλω δὲ πολλήν, ἀσπίδος κύκλον λέγω
. 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 2

mvp-comment-33-1 3

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

f. Λιβυστι καῖς γὰρ μᾶλλον ἐμφερέστεραι γυναιξίν ἐστε κοὐδαμῶς ἐγχωρίαις. καὶ Νεῖλος ἂν θρέψειε τοιοῦτον φυτόν, Κύπριος χαρακτήρ τ' ἐν γυναικείοις τύποις εἰκὼς πέπληκται τεκτόνων πρὸς ἀρσένων· Ἰνδάς τ᾿ ἀκούω κτέ.

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

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

λεύσσεις ουν ἐπ᾿ Ἐγκελάδῳ γοργῶπιν πάλλουσαν ἴτυν
; 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 4

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

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

θερμοῖς ἀπλάτου βέλεσι πυρπνόου ζάλης
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

οὐ μέν με κτενέεις, ἐπεὶ οὔ τοι μόρσιμός είμι
, 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 5

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

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

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

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,

ἀντίφερνον
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

an ὀμφαλός bound with fillets
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 :

ἱκετῶν ἐριοστέπτοισι κλάδοισι
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,

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.

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

σπορᾶς γε μὴν ἐκ τῆσδε
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.