Aeschylus Eumenides 470

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.) — 490-565 focus
Εὐμενίδες Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 2. Smyth, Herbert Weir, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1926.) — 470 focus
Εὐμενίδες (1518 edition; OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Eumenides, 1518 edition. VLM-assisted OCR with native lineation and automated correspondence to the Smyth edition.) — 470 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Guilielmus Dindorfius, 1882.) — 470 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Gottfried Hermann, 1852.) — 470 focus
ΕΥΜΕΝΙΔΕΣ (OCR draft) Experimental (ΕΥΜΕΝΙΔΕΣ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 470 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Arthur Sidgwick, 1887.) — 470 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. N. Wecklein, 1885.) — 470 focus
τὸ πρᾶγμα μεῖζον εἴ τις οἴεται τόδε
βροτοῖς δικάζειν, οὐδὲ μὴν ἐμοὶ θέμις
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Martin L. West, 1990.) — 470 focus
Aeschyli Eumenides (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschyli Eumenides. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1914.) — 470 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek text of Aeschylus' Eumenides, edited by F. A. Paley, 1885.) — 470 focus
τὸ πρᾶγμα μεῖζον, εἴτις οἴεται τόδε
βροτὸς δικάζειν· οὐδὲ μὴν ἐμοὶ θέμις
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek text of Aeschylus' Eumenides, edited by Friedrich Blass, 1907.) — 470 focus
τὸ πρᾶγμα μεῖζον ἤ τις οἴεται τόδε
470
βροτὸς δικάζειν· οὐδὲ μὴν ἐμοὶ θέμις
φόνου διαιρεῖν ὀξυμηνίτου δίκας.
ἄλλως τε καὶ σὺ μὲν κατηρτυκὼς νόμωι
ἱκέτης προσῆλθες καθαρὸς ἀβλαβής δόμοις
ἐμοῖς, ἄμομφον δ᾽ ὄντα σ᾽ αἰδοῦμαι πόλει·
475
αὗται δ᾽ ἔχουσι μοῖραν οὐκ εὐπέμπελον,
καὶ μὴ τυχοῦσαι πράγματος νικηφόρου,
χώρᾶι μεταῦθις ἰὸς ἐκ φρονημάτων
πέδοι πεσὼν ἄφερτος αἰανὴς νόσος.
τοιαῦτα μὲν τάδ᾽ ἐστίν· ἀμφότερα, μένειν
480
πέμπειν τε, δυσπήμαντ᾽ ἀμηχάνως τ᾽ ἔχει.
ἐπεὶ δὲ πρᾶγμα δεῦρ᾽ ἐπέσκηψεν τόδε,
φόνων δικαστὰς ὁρκίους αἱρουμένη
θεσμὸν τὸν εἰς ἅπαντ᾽ ἐγὼ θήσω χρόνον.
ὑμεῖς δὲ μαρτύριά τε καὶ τεκμήρια
485
καλεῖσθ᾽, ἀρωγὰ τῆς δίκης δρκώματα.
κρίνασα δ᾽ ἀστῶν τῶν ἐμῶν τὰ βέλτατα
ἥξω, διαιρεῖν τοῦτο πρᾶγμ᾽ ἐτητύμως,
ὅρκον πορόντας, μηδὲν ἐκδίκοις φρεσίν.
Translations (10)
The Eumenides (OCR draft) Experimental (The Eumenides. Theodore Alois Buckley, 1849.) — 470 focus
The thing is too great, if any mortal thinks to judge it; nor yet is it lawful for me to determine a cause of slaughter quick to wrath, and especially if 1
you indeed having prepared at the same time, have come a suppliant pure and guiltless to my abodes. But nevertheless I receive you being blameless in my city. But these possess an office not easily set aside 2
, and not having obtained victory: poison from their minds having fallen hereafter upon the plain [will be] an intolerable dire disease. These things, indeed, are so: that both remain, but to dismiss both, without injury is impossible for me 3
. But since this thing has come hither, choosing 4
sworn judges of murder I will make a law for ever. But do you call as evidence and proofs, oaths to aid your cause. But I having selected the best of my citizens will come, to determine this matter rightly, those who give no unjust oath in their minds 5
.
LES EUMÉNIDES (OCR draft) Experimental (LES EUMÉNIDES. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 470 focus
trouve la cause trop grave pour que des mortels en décident 1 , il ne m'est pas davantage permis à moi-même de prononcer sur des meurtres dictés par un courroux vengeur — alors surtout que tu as su du moins venir en suppliant, soumis et purifié, sans danger pour
ma demeure, et que je te tiens aussi pour libre de tout tort à l'égard de ma ville. Mais, de leur côté, celles-ci ont des droits qu'on ne saurait écarter à la légère, et, si elles n'ob- tiennent pas de voir triompher leur cause, sur le sol de ce pays, plus tard, va s'abattre le trait de leur dépit, un
intolérable et triste fléau. J'en suis donc là : que je les accueille ou que je les repousse, les deux me réservent d'inévitables maux. Pourtant, puisque la chose en est arrivée là, je vais ici faire choix de juges du sang versé; un serment les obligera, et le tribunal qu'ainsi j'établirai
sera établi pour l'éternité. Vous, faites appel aux témoi- gnages, aux indices, auxiliaires assermentés du droit 2 . Je
The Furies (OCR draft) Experimental (The Furies. Robert Potter, 1779.) — 470 focus
This is a cauſe of moment, and exceeds
The reach of mortal man: nor is it mine
To judge, when blood with eager rage excites
To vengeance.
525
Thou with preparation meet
Haſt to my ſhrine approach'd a ſuppliant pure,
Without offence; and to my favour'd city
Uncharg'd with blame I readily receive thee.
Let theſe, whoſe ruthleſs rage knows not the
530
touch
Of pity, not ſucceeding in their plea,
Retire awhile, till judgment ſhall decide
The conteſt: from their breaſts black poiſon flows,
And taints the ſick'ning earth.
535
Thus I pronounce
To each, unequal in this dubious ſtrife
To give content to both. But ſince to me
Th' appeal is made, it ſhall be mine t' elect
Judges of blood, their faith confirm'd by oath,
540
And ratify the everlaſting law.
Prepare you for the trial, call your proofs,
Arrange your evidence, bring all that tends
To aid your cauſe: I from the holieſt men
That grace my city will ſelect to judge
545
This cauſe with juſtice; men, whoſe ſanctity
Abhors injuſtice, and reveres an oath.
Eschilo, Le Eumenidi: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli (OCR draft) Experimental (Eschilo, Le Eumenidi: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli. Ettore Romagnoli, 1922.) — 470 focus
Se alcuno v'è che troppo ardua tal causa
pensa che sia da giudicarla gli uomini,
515
neppure a me consento io stessa sciogliere
d'un omicidio l'odiosa lite.
Aeschylus, Eumenides: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Eumenides: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii. Ioannes Sanravius, 1555.) — 470 focus
Facinus maius quàm putet quis hoc,
Mortalis, iudicare, neq; tamen mihi fas,
Cædes disce:rnere iracundæ pœnæ,
Alias, tu quidem perfectus ætate tamen
455
Supplex ueniſti purus innocuus domum.
Tamen te inculpatum eligo ciuitati.
Ipſæ uerò habentes fatum non tempeſtiuum,
Et non aſsequutæ negotium ferens uictoriam,
Secedant rurſum, ex conſilio ſanies
460
In ſolum cadens intolerabilis grauis morbus.
Talia quidem hæc ſunt, licet ambobus manere.
Mittere uerò mala ſigna non poſsum.
Poſtquam negocium huc mandauit hoc
Cædis iuratæ iudices electos,
465
Ius in omne tempus ego ponam.
Vos uerò teſtimonia & signa
Vocatis auxiliatoria, iuramenta iuſticiæ
Indicans meorum ciuium optima
Veniam, disce:rnere hoc negocium uerè,
470
Iuſiurandum tranſgredientes nullum iuſtum mente.
Aeschylus, Die Eumeniden: German translation (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Die Eumeniden: German translation. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1919–1923.) — 470 focus
Mit der Entscheidung dieses Handels würde sich
470 zu viel ein Mensch zutrauen, und auch mir gebührt
kein Urteil, wo dem Morde bittre Rache folgt.
Zumal du trotz den voll erfüllten Pflichten doch
bittflehend herkommst, keiner ungesühnten Schuld
Ansteckung bringend. Meine Stadt kann über dich
475 sich nicht beschweren: heilig ist mir dein Gesuch.
Allein auch deine Gegner sind von solcher Art,
daſs man sie ungern abweist. Fällt der Siegesspruch
nicht ihnen zu, so trieft von dem gekränkten Stolz
ein Gift auf unsern Boden nieder, das erzeugt
Miſswachs und arger Seuche schauerlichen Brand.
480 So steht es. Anzunehmen und zu weigern ist
gefährlich gleichermaſsen; ich getrau's mich nicht.
Indes, der Rechtstreit ist einmal vor uns gebracht,
483 so unterbreit' ich die Entscheidung einem Rat
geschwor'ner Richter, die aus meinen Bürgern ich
auswähle, Männer treubewährt, in Ehren grau,
489 abweichend keine Spanne von beschwor'ner Pflicht.
484 Und diese Stiftung setz' ich ein für alle Zeit.
485 Schafft ihr derweilen Zeugen und Belege her
zu eurer Sache rechtlicher Bekräftigung.
Ich komme, wenn ich meines Volkes Würdigste
4VIII erkoren, zum gerechten Wahrspruch wieder her. Ab.
Eumenides (OCR draft) Experimental (Eumenides. Anna Swanwick, 1886.) — 470 focus
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.) — 470 focus
Too mighty is this matter, whosoe'er
Of mortals claims to judge hereof aright.
550
Yea, me, even me, eternal Right forbids
To judge the issues of blood-guilt, and wrath
That follows swift behind. This too gives pause,
That thou as one with all due rites performed
Dost come, unsinning, pure, unto my shrine.
555
Whate'er thou art, in this my city's name,
As uncondemned, I take thee to my side.—
Yet have these foes of thine such dues by fate,
I may not banish them: and if they fail,
O'erthrown in judgment of the cause, forthwith
560
Their anger's poison shall infect the land—
A dropping plague-spot of eternal ill.
Thus stand we with a woe on either hand—
Stay they, or go at my commandment forth,
Perplexity or pain must needs befal.
565
Yet, as on me Fate hath imposed the cause,
I choose unto me judges that shall be
An ordinance for ever, set to rule
The dues of blood-guilt, upon oath declared.
But ye, call forth your witness and your proof,
570
Words strong for justice, fortified by oath;
And I, whoe'er are truest in my town,
Them will I choose and bring, and straitly charge,
Look on this cause, discriminating well,
And pledge your oath to utter nought of wrong.
575
[ Exit Athena.
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.) — 470 focus
Der Handel ist zu schwierig, wenn ein Sterblicher
Ihn wähnt zu schlichten; aber mir auch ziemt es nicht,
Den Spruch zu fällen über solch ergrimmten Mord,
Zumal du meinem Hause rein und fleckenlos
Nach wohlerfülltem Brauche dich als Schüßling nahst,
450
Und dich Gesühnten meine Stadt aufnimmt mit Fug.
Doch schwer hinwegzuweisen sind die Grausen auch;
Und tragen sie nicht im Gericht den Sieg davon,
Wird einst der giftige Geifer, der aus ihrer Brust
Zur Erde träufelt, ewig grause Pest dem Land.
455
So steht's um uns hier: ob sie bleiben oder geh'n,
Für mich erwächst ein unvermeidlich großes Leid.
Doch weil die Sache hingedieh'n zu solchem Ziel,
Bestell' ich Richter über Mord, geschworene,
Und diese Sakung gelte fort in alle Zeit.
460
Ihr aber rufet Zeugen und Beweise nun
Und Eide, Stüken eures Rechts, als Helfer auf!
Ich wähle meiner Bürger gleich die besten aus,
Wahrhaft zu schlichten diesen Streit, dem Schwure treu,
Niemals zu sprechen falschen Spruch, und komme dann.
465
(Ab durch die Luft.)
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

Commentary

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

472. ὀξυμηνίτους is used in a slightly predicative sense,

to decide with swift vengeance the issues of murder
: it is the decision which brings the vengeance.

473. ἄλλως τε καὶ σύ , especially since thou, the causal conjunction being omitted by a looseness due to Aeschylus' bold brevity. Literally it is Both on other grounds (this is so) and (chiefly as) thou hast come. κατηρτυκώς, a hard word. καταρτίω is to fit , train, finish, and this perf. is used intransitively, in a kind of technical sense, of animals, mature, complete (so Schol. and Hesych. say), hence it is here metaphorical, of the suppliant; with all due rites performed. [In a similar metaphor Euripides (Frag. 39) uses the phrase κατηρτυκὼς πόνων, which has been misunderstood from not observing the context. Had I been new to trouble I should have resisted, like a colt newly bridled: but now I am spent (ἀμβλύς) and well trained in toils,' i.e. broken in, the phrase continuing the metaphor of the colt.]

474. ἀβλαβής , harmless, as 1. 285.

475. αἱροῦμαι πόλει , I take thee, welcome thee in my city.

476. μοῖραν οὐκ εὐπέμπελον , lit. an office hard to banish, i. e. such is their office, they are hard to banish: the rights which the appointment of the gods has given them makes it hard for me to deal harshly with them.

478. χώρᾳ , put first to emphasise what is affected, is in sense dependent on ἄφερτος αἰανὴς νόσος.

478. φρονημάτων , wrath.

480-481. ἀμφότερα . . . ἐμοί to let them stay, to drive them forth, both are a peril and a perplexity to me. The change of subject with the inf. ( that they should stay, that I should drive) is much less harsh in Greek: the inf. expresses the simple verbal idea, and the subject need not be consciously supplied.

482. δεῦρ᾽ ἐπέσκηψεν , has fallen to me, i. e. to arrange. 11. 483, 4. The general sense of these lines is plain: but the MS. reading requires to be altered, and the original text must remain C uncertain: I have taken Casaubon's ὁρκίους αἱρουμένη as the least alteration on the whole: I shall choose judges of murder bound by oaths, and appoint them as an ordinance for ever.

482. τόν then agrees with θεσμόν, an ordinance that which [shall be] for all time. But Wecklein's φανῶ δικ. ὁρκίων αἰδουμένους θεσμόν, is ingenious.]

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

mvp-comment-333-1 ἢ εἰ τις οἴεται: Libri εἴ τις οἴεται. Scholiastes εἴ τις οἴεται τὸ πρᾶγμα τόδε βροτὸς δικάζειν, μεῖζον ἢ κατὰ ἀνθρώπους οἴεται. Pearsonus scribendum coniecit ἤ τις οἴεται. Valckenarius ad Herod. III. 14. ἤ τιν οἴεσθαι βροτὸν δικάζειν. Idem Musgravius, vel ή τις οἴοιτ᾽ ἄν. Scribendum erat εἴ τις οἴεται.

mvp-comment-334-1 φόνου ... ὀξυμηνίτους δίκας: φόνου Rob. Ceteri φόνους. Deinde libri ὀξυμηνίτου. Sic etiam M. ὀξυμηνίτους Stanleii sive Pearsoni emendatio est, item Abreschii, qui scholiastam accusativum legisse animadvertit. Scholiastae adnotatio haec est, ἐφ᾽ οἷς ταχέως μηνίσουσιν Ερινύες, cui adnotationi quod a Robortello et Victorio praefixum est lemma φόνους, non habent M. G.

mvp-comment-335-1 κατηρτικὼς δρόμοις ἱκέτης προςῆλθες καθαρὸς ἀβλαβὴς δόμοις ἐμοῖς· ἄμομφον ὄντα δ᾽ αἰδοῦμαι πόλει: Aliter nunc hos versus emendandos esse censeo quam in Opusc. VI. 2. p. 76. seqq. feci. Libri κατηρτυκὼς ὅμως. Deinde in fine sequentis versus δόμοις M. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. δρόμοις Ven. et Linwoodio teste Flor. ex quo Franzius doóuois affert. Deinde proximus versus in libris ita scriptus est, ὅμως δ᾽ ἄμομφον ὄντα σ' αἱροῦμαι πόλει, nisi quod άμορφον est in Par. et ὄντας pro ὄντα σ' in G. Ald. Scholiastes adscripsit δέχομαι ἐν τῇ πόλει, quod αἱροῦμαι dici non potest. ὅμως in ἐμοῖς mutandum esse viderunt Linwoodius et Franzius, qui δ' post ἄμομφον collocaverunt. Scripsi ἄλλως τε καὶ σὺ μὲν κατηρτυκὼς δρόμοις ἱκέτης προςῆλθες καθαρὸς ἀβλαβὴς δόμοις ἐμοῖς· ἄμομφον ὄντα δ᾽ αἰδοῦμαι πόλει. Κατηρτικώς ita interpretatur scholiastes, τέλειος τὴν ἡλικίαν. τοῦτο δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν ζώων. Est autem κατηρτυκὼς δρόμοις dictum ut apud Euripidem in Aeolo (fr. 19. sive inc. 167.) νῦν δ᾽ ἀμβλύς εἰμι καὶ καττηρτυκώς κακῶν (Valckenarius κακοῖς), quod Cicero Tusc. Q. III. 25. ita expressit, sed iam subactus miseriis obtorpui. Grammaticus in Bekkeri Anecd. p. 105, 25. κατηρτυκέναι ἐλέγοντο οἱ μηκέτι βόλον ἔχοντες ἵπποι. Εὐριπίδης Αιόλω. Hesychius κατηρτικώς, τελειώσας (codes τελείως). κυρίως δὲ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀλόγων ζώων, ὅταν ἐκβάλῃ πάντας τοὺς ὀδόντας. Idem γνώμονα τὸν (codex γνώμ . . τὸ) βαλλόμενον ὀδόντα δι' οὗ τὰς ἡλικίας ἐγνώριζον τῶν τετραπόδων. καὶ ὁ καιτηρτυκώς (codex κατηρτηκώς) ἤδη λιπογνώμων. Conf. Suidas in v. γνώμονα et in v. ἀβολήτως ibique Kusterus. Αμομφον ὄντα δ᾽ αἰδοῦμαι πόλει, miseret me tui, de quo civitas non habet quod queratur. Suppl. v. 621. αἰδοῦνται δ᾽ ἱκέτας Διός. Euripides Heracl. v. 102. εἰκὸς θεῶν ἱκτῆρας αἰδεῖσθαι, ξένε.

mvp-comment-336-1 ἔχουσι ... οὐκ εὐπέμπελον: έχουσι M. Par. Ven. (teste Bekkero et Linwoodio) Flor. (teste Franzio) Rob. έχουσαι G. Ald. Turn. Deinde οὐκ εὐπέμπελον Μ. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. οὐκ εὐπεπλον Farn. οὔκουν εὔπεπλον Ven. et adscripto in margine γρ. οὐκ εὐπέμπελον Flor. Scholiastes εὐπέμπελον ita interpretatur, εὐπαραίτητον, εὐχερῆ, εὐάρεστον. δυσάρεστοι φύσει εἰσὶν αὗται. Non componenda esse εὐπέμπελος et δυςπέμφελος, sed εὐπέμπελον significare contrarium τῷ δυςπέμπτῳ iudicat Lobeckius Pathol. prol. p. 105. Eodem modo interpretandum esse intellexerat Wellauerus, harum vero ea est ratio, ut non facile dimitti possint.

mvp-comment-337-1 χώρᾳ μεταὖθις: χωροῖεν αὖθις, Turnebi coniectura, obtinuit donec veram scripturam, χώρα μεταὖθις, quam confirmat scholiastae ad τυχοῦσαι adnotatio, ἀντὶ τυχουσῶν, Wellauerus restituit. χώραι μετ' αὖθις Μ. G. Ven. Flor. Farn. Ald. χῶραι μετ' αὖτις Par. χῶραιμε τ' αὖθις Rob.

mvp-comment-338-1 αἰανὴs: αἰανὴ Ven. Flor. αἰανής M. G. Ald. Rob. Τurn.

mvp-comment-339-1 μένειν: Falsus est Linwoodius, quum μένειν in μ' ἑλεῖν mutavit.

mvp-comment-340-1 πέμπειν τε, δυςπήμαντ᾽ ἀμηχάνως ἐμοί: Libri πέμπειν δέ. Scribendum esse πέμπειν τε viderunt Abreschius et Tyrwhittus. Deinde δυσπήματ' ἀμηχάνως ἐμοί M. Ven. Rob. et ad δυσ supra adscripto δὴ Flor. Farn. δυσσήματ᾽ ἀμηχάνως ἐμοί G. Ald. Turn. Recte Stanleius sive potius Scaliger δυςπήμαντἀμηχάνως ἐμοί. Aliorum commenta praeterire satius erit. Propter scholiastae adnotationem, quae haec est, πέμπειν αὐτὰς ἀμηνίτως δυςχερές ἐστιν ἐμοί, Tyrwhitto scribendum videbatur πέμπειν τε δυςσήμαντ᾽ ἀμηνίτως ἐμοί, Dindorfio πέμπειν τε δυςπήμαντ᾽ ἀμηνίτως ἐμοί. Non puto scholiastam legisse αμηνίτως, sed eo vocabulo interpretatum esse sequentis versus sententiam.

mvp-comment-341-1 ἐπέσκηψεν: ἐπέσκηψεν Μ. Rob. ἐπέσκηψε G. Ald. Turn. ἀπέσκηψεν Ven. Flor.

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

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

mvp-comment-147-1 The plural δίκας seems to show that the sense is general, 'to decide in trials for murder where passions are so quickly roused. She perhaps means, that the calm and deliberate judgment of a council such as she is about to initiate, the Areopagus, is necessary in such cases.

mvp-comment-148-1 Perhaps ἄλλως τε κεί, κ.τ.λ., ‘especially as you, subdued and tamed by time and suffering, have claimed a protection which I cannot refuse, while these pursuers are not lightly to be dismissed, because if offended they may bring a blight on the country.' Thus σὺ μὲν and αὗται δὲ are opposed, and 453 must be regarded as parenthetic ( and though a murderer, yet, as I have no right to object to you as a suppliant, I admit you to my citadel): cf. Eur. Bacch. 770

δέχου πόλει τῇδ'.
-For ἐμοῖς the Med. has ὅμως, corrected by Pauw. Weil proposed κατηρτυκὼς νόμῳ, ‘legally set right.' The participle is said to refer to a young colt which has cast its first teeth (perhaps, completed its second set,) and so tamed, broken in. Cf. Eur. Frag. Æol. 39, νῦν δ᾽ ἀμβλύς εἰμι καὶ κατηρτυκὼς πόνῳ.

mvp-comment-149-1 εὐπέμπελον seems here to represent εὔπεμπτον. Cf. Αg. 1161

κῶμος ἐν δόμοις μένει δύσπεμπτος ἔξω ξυγγόνων ᾿Ερινύων,
and inf. 459. The Schol. understood (an office) not by any means pacific.' In Il. xνι. 748
δυσπέμφελος
 occurs, but it is a very obscure word both in origin and meaning.

mvp-comment-150-1 μὴ τυχοῦσαι] ‘If they fail to get the victory in the cause.' A nominativus pendens, since τὴν χώραν βλάψουσι should have followed.

mvp-comment-151-1 αἰανής] See on v. 394.

mvp-comment-152-1 ἀμφότερα] Both alternatives, for them to stay or for me to send them off, are full of harm and difficulty to me. The Schol. seems to have found ἀμηνίτως οι ἀμηνί· τους. The passage is in some way corrupt; but it is very difficult to suggest a correction.

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

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

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-179-1 εἴ τις οἴεται τὸ πρᾶγμα βροτὸς δικάζειν, μεῖζον ἢ κατὰ ἀνθρώπους οἴεται, ἐμοὶ δὲ περὶ φόνου δικάζειν οὐχ ὅσιον.

mvp-comment-180-1 ἐφ᾽ αἷς (Linwood für οἷς) ταχέως μηνίσουσιν Ἐρινύες.

mvp-comment-181-1 τέλειος τὴν ἡλικίαν. τοῦτο δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν ζώιων.

mvp-comment-182-1 διὰ τούτου ἐλπίδας αὐτῶι χρηστὰς ὑποτίθησιν.

mvp-comment-183-1 δέχομαι ἐν τῆι πόλει. εὐχερῆ, εὐάρεστον. δυσάρεστοι φύσει εἰσὶν αὗται.

mvp-comment-184-1 ὡς σκηπτὸς

mvp-comment-185-1 πέμπειν αὐτὰς ἀμηνίτως δυσχερές ἐστιν ἐμοί. εἰσῆλθεν.

mvp-comment-186-1 οἷον ἐνόρκους δικαστάς.

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

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

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

mvp-comment-216-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 280

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

mvp-comment-216-3 1

mvp-comment-263-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 286

mvp-comment-263-2 ‚Wenn man glaubt, daſs diesen Fall zu entscheiden zu schwierig für Sterbliche sei, so steht es wahrhaftig auch mir (der Göttin) nicht zu" u. s. w.

mvp-comment-263-3 2

mvp-comment-264-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 286

mvp-comment-264-2 ὀξυμηνίτους δίκας, einen Rechtsstreit, in welchem sich die Gegner mit grimmigem Hasse (unversöhnlich) gegenüberstehen (nicht ἐφ' αἷς ταχέως μηνίσουσιν Ερινύες nach der Erklärung des Schol.). Es bezeichnet ὀξυμηνίτους den Gegensatz der αἴδεσις (478), wie auf dem Areopag der Stein, auf welchem der Ankläger des Mörders stand, λίθος ἀναιδείας hiefs. In dem betonten φόνου liegt der Grund: mit Blutsachen kann sich die Göttin nicht befassen. Vgl. Eur. Iph.T.381ff. , 1207.

mvp-comment-265-1 3

mvp-comment-265-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 286

mvp-comment-265-3 Die selbständige Wendung nach ἄλλως τε καὶ wie Pers. 691

ἄλλως τε πάντως χοἱ κατὰ χθονὸς θεοὶ λαβεῖν ἀμείνους εἰσὶν ἢ μεθιέναι
, Lys. 7, 6 πῶς ἂν δικαίως ὑπὲρ τῶν τῇ πόλει γεγενημένων συμφορῶν ἐγὼ νυνὶ δίκην διδοίην; ἄλλως τε καὶ τοῦτο τὸ χωρίον ἄπρατον ἦν. σὺ μὲν: dem entspricht αὗται δὲ 479, denn der Gedanke ist: Die Entscheidung zu Gunsten der einen oder anderen Partei ist um so schwieriger als einerseits du als gesühnter Schutzflehender zu meinem Tempel gekommen bist und, von mir nicht abgewiesen, ohne Anstofs mit der Bürgerschaft verkehren kannst, andrerseits die Erinyen nicht leicht abzuweisen sind und ihr Groll zu fürchten ist, wenn sie unterliegen." κατηρτυκώς: Schol. τέλειος τὴν ἡλικίαν· τοῦτο δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν ζῴων, genauer Hesych. τέλειος· κυρίως δὲ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀλόγων ζώων, ὅταν ἐκβάλῃ πάντας τοὺς ὀδόντας, vgl. Bekk. Anecd. p. 105, 25 κατηρτυκέναι ἐλέ γοντο οἱ μηκέτι βόλον (das Zahnschichten) ἔχοντες ἵπποι. Εὐριπίδης Alólo, also,,ausgewachsen“, hier ,,fertig mit der Sühnung, vollständig gereinigt". Vgl. auch Eur. frg. 818
εἰ μὲν τόδ᾽ ἦμαρ πρῶτον ἦν κακουμένῳ καὶ μὴ μακρὰν δὴ διὰ πόνων ἐναυστόλουν, εἰκὸς σφαδάζειν ἦν ἂν
 .. νῦν δ᾽ ἀμβλύς εἰμι καὶ κατηρτυκὼς κακῶν. αν

mvp-comment-266-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 286

mvp-comment-266-2 Für ἱκέτης ist wohl, wie Meineke verlangt, ἵκτης zu schreiben, damit zwei Auflösungen vermieden werden.

mvp-comment-267-1 4

mvp-comment-267-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 286

mvp-comment-267-3 ὁμῶς bezieht sich auf die Hauptsache, welche in ἄμομφον ὄντα liegt: in gleicher Weise kann, wenn ich mich deiner erbarme, die Gemeinde mit dir verkehren, ohne dafs du ihr Anstofs giebst. Vgl. Suppl. 649

αἰδοῦνται δ᾽ ἱκέτας Διός
, Hesych. :
αιδέσασθαι· τὸν ἔνοχον ὄντα φόνῳ ἀκουσίῳ καὶ πεφυγαδευμένον ἐφ᾽ ὡρισμένῳ χρόνῳ, τού του τετελευτηκότος, ἐξιλᾶσθαι, ὡς εἰληφότα ἤδη τιμωρίαν
 und zu Eur. Iph. Τ. 949 .

mvp-comment-268-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 286

mvp-comment-268-2 ἔχουσι μοῖραν οὐκ εὐπέμπε λον, diesen gebührt die Rücksicht, dafs sie nicht leichthin weggewiesen werden.

mvp-comment-269-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 286

mvp-comment-269-2 τυχοῦσαι, als ob folgte μηνίσειαν ἄν. Ζη 95. πράγματος νικηφόρου: Soph. Trach. 186

σὺν κράτει νικηφόρῳ
.

mvp-comment-270-1 5

mvp-comment-270-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 286

mvp-comment-270-3 ιος .. πεσών, der giftige Schaum, der infolge ihres grimmigen Schnaubens zu Boden fällt. Vgl. 785 f. -- αἰανής (gravis) νόσος wie 943.

mvp-comment-271-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 287

mvp-comment-271-2 ἀμφότερα wie 800 μαρτύ ρια, Suppl. 393

ἐγγύτατα
. Vgl. zu 488.

mvp-comment-272-1 6

mvp-comment-272-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 287

mvp-comment-272-3 δυσπόνητ': solcher Verse, die durch den Mangel der gewöhnlichen Cäsur in zwei Hälften zerfallen, giebt es wenige bei Aschylos, die meisten, nämlich sieben, in den Persern. Doch ist hier die Lesart unsicher. Vgl. Anbang. δυσπόνητα (ἐστὶν ἀμηνίτως, es schwer ohne dafs ich Groll ernte zu bewerkstelligen.

mvp-comment-272-4 7

mvp-comment-273-1 8

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

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

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

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

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

mvp-sidgwick-225-1-1 The matter is too hard, if any mortal thinks to judge it; this, the translation of the MSS. reading, εἴ τις, makes very good sense: μεῖζον is used for μεῖζον ἢ ὥστε δικάζειν, which is easily supplied. The Schol. also takes it so, apparently. It must be referred, not to a mortal, -not even to a god: but to a divinely appointed solemn court of judges. [Others read ἤ τις, harder (than any mortal thinks) to judge: which is rather flat sense. The Schol. plainly read eἴ, not ἤ. The confusion of ei and ἤ is very common in the MSS. of Aeschylus.]

ὀξυμηνίτους is used in a slightly predicative sense, to decide with swift vengeance the issues of murder: it is the decision which brings the vengeance.

ἄλλως τε καὶ σύ , especially since thou, the causal conjunction being omitted by a looseness due to Aeschylus' bold brevity. Literally it is Both on other grounds (this is so) and (chiefly as) thou hast come. κατηρτυκώς, a hard word. καταρτίω is to fit, train, finish, and this perf. is used intransitively, in a kind of technical sense, of animals, mature, complete (so Schol. and Hesych. say), hence it is here metaphorical, of the suppliant; with all due rites performed. [In a similar metaphor Euripides (Frag. 39) uses the phrase κατηρτυκὼς πόνων, which has been misunderstood from not observing the context. Had I been new to trouble I should have resisted, like a colt newly bridled: but now I am spent (ἀμβλύς) and well trained in toils,' i.e. broken in, the phrase continuing the metaphor of the colt.]

ἀβλαβής , harmless, as l. 285

.

mvp-sidgwick-229-1-1 MSS. read ὅμως δ': but the adversative nevertheless seems out of place, and there is no sense in saying You are now pure, nevertheless I receive you: moreover the strongly emphatic σὺ μέν requires a personal antithesis. Accordingly I follow Hartung in reading ἐγὼ δέ.

αἱροῦμαι πόλει , I take thee, welcome thee in my city.

μοῖραν οὐκ εὐπέμπελον , lit. an office hard to banish, i. e. such is their office, they are hard to banish: the rights which the appointment of the gods has given them makes it hard for me to deal harshly with them.

χώρᾳ , put first to emphasise what is affected, is in sense dependent on ἄφερτος αἰανὴς νόσος.

mvp-sidgwick-231-2-1 The construction μὴ τυχοῦσαι ... ἰὸς πεσὼν νόσος is the not uncommon anacoluthon called nominativus pendens: compare Ag. 1008

ὄκνος βαλὼν οὐκ ἔδυ δόμος,
Theb. 681
θάνατος ὧδ᾽ αὐτοκτόνος οὐκ ἔστι γῆρας τοῦδε,
 Cho. 520
πάντα γάρ τις ἐκχέας ... μάτην ὁ μόχθος.
 So Cho. 791 , Soph. O. C. 1150 .

φρονημάτων , wrath.

ἀμφότερα . . . ἐμοί to let them stay, to drive them forth, both are a peril and a perplexity to me. The change of subject with the inf. ( that they should stay, that I should drive) is much less harsh in Greek: the inf. expresses the simple verbal idea, and the subject need not be consciously supplied.

δεῦρ᾽ ἐπέσκηψεν , has fallen to me, i. e. to arrange. ll. 483-484

. The general sense of these lines is plain: but the MS. reading requires to be altered, and the original text must remain C uncertain: I have taken Casaubon's ὁρκίους αἱρουμένη as the least alteration on the whole: I shall choose judges of murder bound by oaths, and appoint them as an ordinance for ever.

τόν then agrees with θεσμόν, an ordinance that which [shall be] for all time. But Wecklein's φανῶ δικ. ὁρκίων αἰδουμένους θεσμόν, is ingenious.]