Aeschylus Eumenides 1021-1030

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.) — 1021-1031 focus
Εὐμενίδες Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 2. Smyth, Herbert Weir, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1926.) — 1021-1031 focus
Εὐμενίδες (1518 edition; OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Eumenides, 1518 edition. VLM-assisted OCR with native lineation and automated correspondence to the Smyth edition.) — 1021 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Guilielmus Dindorfius, 1882.) — 1021 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Gottfried Hermann, 1852.) — 1021 focus
ΕΥΜΕΝΙΔΕΣ (OCR draft) Experimental (ΕΥΜΕΝΙΔΕΣ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 1021 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Arthur Sidgwick, 1887.) — 1021 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. N. Wecklein, 1885.) — 1021 focus
αἰνῶ τε μύθους τῶνδε τῶν κατευγμάτων,
πέμψω τε φέγγει λαμπάδων σελασφόρων
εἰς τοὺς ἔνερθε καὶ κάτω χθονὸς τόπους
ξὺν προσπόλοισιν, αἵτε φρουροῦσιν βρέτας
1025
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Martin L. West, 1990.) — 1021 focus
Aeschyli Eumenides (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschyli Eumenides. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1914.) — 1021 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek text of Aeschylus' Eumenides, edited by F. A. Paley, 1885.) — 1021 focus
αἰνῶ τε μύθους τῶνδε τῶν κατευγμάτων,
πέμψω τε φέγγει λαμπάδων σελασφόρων
εἰς τοὺς ἔνερθε καὶ κάτω χθονὸς τόπους,
975
ξὺν προσπόλοισιν αἵτε φρουροῦσιν βρέτας
τοὐμὸν δικαίως. ὄμμα γὰρ πάσης χθονὸς
Θησῇδος ἐξίκοιτ᾽ ἂν, εὐκλεὴς λόχος
παίδων, γυναικῶν, καὶ στόλος πρεσβυτίδων
φοινικοβάπτοις ἐνδυτοῖς ἐσθήμασι.
980
τιμᾶτε, καὶ τὸ φέγγος ὁρμάσθω πυρὸς,
ὅπως ἂν εὔφρων ἥδ᾽ ὁμιλία χθονὸς
τὸ λοιπὸν εὐάνδροισι συμφοραῖς πρέπῃ.
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek text of Aeschylus' Eumenides, edited by Friedrich Blass, 1907.) — 1021 focus
αἰνῶ τε μύθους τῶνδε τῶν κατευγμάτων
πέμψω τε φέγγει λαμπάδων σελασφόρων
ἐς τοὺς ἔνερθε καὶ κατὰ χθονὸς τόπους
ξὺμ προσπόλοισιν, αἵτε φρουροῦσιν βρέτας
τοὐμὸν δικαίως. ὄμμα γὰρ πάσης χθονὸς
1025
Θησῆιδος ἐξίκοιτ᾽ ἂν εὐκλεὴς λόχος
παίδων, γυναικῶν, καὶ στόλος πρεσβυτίδων.
φοινικοβάπτοις ἐνδυτοῖς ἐσθήμασι
τιμᾶτε, καὶ τὸ φέγγος ὁρμάσθω πυρός,
ὅπως ἂν εὔφρων ἦδ᾽ ὁμιλία χθονὸς
1030
τὸ λοιπὸν εὐάνδροισι συμφοραῖς πρέπηι.
Translations (9)
The Eumenides (OCR draft) Experimental (The Eumenides. Theodore Alois Buckley, 1849.) — 1021 focus
I approve the words of these your vows, and I will send the light of blazing torches to the infernal and nether regions, with ministers who guard my image justly. For let the eye of all the land of Theseus come forth, an illustrious band of youths, women, and a train of aged women; and clothed in purple-dyed garments honour 4
[these deities,] and let the light of the torches flash forth: that new fellowship received into your land hereafter, may show their good will by events that prosper men.
LES EUMÉNIDES (OCR draft) Experimental (LES EUMÉNIDES. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 1021 focus
Déjà
The Furies (OCR draft) Experimental (The Furies. Robert Potter, 1779.) — 1021 focus
I like theſe votive meaſures; and will ſend
1155
The bright flames of theſe ſplendor-ſhedding
torches,
With thoſe that guard my hallow'd image here,
Attendant
Attendant on you to the dark abodes
1160
Beneath the earth. And let th' Athenian train,
The grace, the glory of the wide-ſtretch'd world,
Their manly youth, their virgins' roſeate bloom,
And their age-honour'd matrons, now advance,
Array'd in richeſt veſture darting round
1165
Its vermeil-tinctur'd radiance; let the torches
Blaze, that this ſable troop thro' future times
May ſhine conſpicuous for their friendly aid.
Eschilo, Le Eumenidi: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli (OCR draft) Experimental (Eschilo, Le Eumenidi: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli. Ettore Romagnoli, 1922.) — 1021 focus
Di questi voti io godo, ed al fulgore
v'invierò di scintillanti fiaccole
sottesso il suolo, in sotterranei lochi,
e le ministre mie guida vi siano
1070
che santamente l'idol mio tutelano.
Compagna avrete un'onorata schiera,
del suolo di Teseo viva pupilla,
di fanciulle, di donne e di vegliarde,
tutte velate di purpurei manti.
1075
Movete! E il fuoco ed il baglior proceda,
sí che felice questa patria schiera
sempre per fausta sorte insigne vada.
Aeschylus, Eumenides: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Eumenides: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii. Ioannes Sanravius, 1555.) — 1021 focus
Probo ſermones harum precationum,
Mittámq; lucem lampadum luciſtrorum,
Ad ſubterraneos locos,
955
Cum famulabus, quæ cuſtodient statua
Meam iuſtè. oculus omnis terræ
Theſeidis exeat. charum agmen,
Puerorum, mulierum & uetularum claſsis
Puniceo tinctis indutis uestimentis
960
Honorate & lux impetum faciat ignis,
Vt læta ſit congregatio terræ.
Reliquum bonorum uirorum utilitate ornetur.
Aeschylus, Die Eumeniden: German translation (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Die Eumeniden: German translation. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1919–1923.) — 1021 focus
Habt Dank für all' den Segen, den ihr uns verheiſst.
Jetzt will ich bei des Fackellichtes Flimmerschein
hinab euch zu den Schlüften in der Erde Schoſs
geleiten mit den Dienerinnen, die mein Bild
1025 zu warten haben. So ist's würdig; denn der Stolz
des ganzen Theseuslandes soll in unsern Zug
1027 eintreten, Frau'n und Mädchen aus erlauchtem Haus,
und würdevoller greiser Priesterinnen Schar.
Aus ihnen kür' ich eurer Höhle Hüterin,
die still und fromm der Hehren stille Weihen übt,
der Holden: hold geworden ist die Rächerin,
der Urnacht grimme Tochter, meinem Volk versöhnt,
drum geb' ich diesen Namen ihr für alle Zeit.
Nun laſst uns gehn, und wie wir das Versöhnungsfest
aus treuem Herzen heut begeh'n, so sei's hinfort
gefeiert zum Gedächtnis. Nie vergiſs, mein Volk,
was du den Holden schuldest. Lämmerblut und Trank
1028 weinloser Spenden bringst du dar und Purpurpracht
langwallender Gewande, und der Fackelglanz
1030 lod're dazu, auf daſs die holdgesinnte Schar
Athenas Bürger blühen lass' in Ewigkeit.
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.) — 1021 focus
Once more I praise the promise of your vows,
And now I bid the golden torches' glow
Pass down before you to the hidden depth
Of earth, by mine own sacred servants borne,
My loyal guards of statue and of shrine.
1180
Come forth, O flower of Theseus' Attic land,
O glorious band of children and of wives,
And ye, O train of matrons crowned with eld!
Deck you with festal robes of scarlet dye
In honour of this day: O gleaming torch,
1185
Lead onward, that these gracious powers of earth
Henceforth be seen to bless the life of men.
[ Athena leads the procession downwards into the Cave of the Furies, under Areopagus: as they go, the escort of women and children chant aloud.
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.) — 1021 focus
Ich danke dir für deines Segens holdes Wort,
Und will im hellen Strahlenglanz der Fackeln dich
975
Zum finstern Haus geleiten, nach der Erde Schooß,
Sammt meinen Dienerinnen, die in treuer Hut
Mein Bild bewahren. Trete denn hervor der Stolz
Des ganzen Theseuslandes, eine fromme Schaar
Von Kindern, Frauen, und ein Zug von Greisinnen!
980
Von purpurheller Festgewande Schmuck umhüllt,
Verehrt der Eumeniden Macht, dies sei hinfort
Ihr Name, - lichter Fackeln Glanz erhebe sich,
Daß diese Mitherrinnen eures Landes hold
Und gnädig fortan schaffen an der Männer Glück!
985
(Athene mit ihren Priesterinnen steigt in die Orchestra hinab. Ihr folgen die Richter, die den Zug der Eumeniden führen, und ein zahlreiches Gefolge von Athenern und Athenerinnen.)
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.)

929. κατανασσαμένη , middle, housing in my city. 11. 932, 933. The MSS. read

ὁ δὲ μὴ κύρσας βαρέων τούτων
οὐκ οἶδεν ὅθεν πληγαὶ βιότου.
Now τούτων here must refer to the Furies, as αὗται above and τάσδε below: and consequently βαρέων must be wrong, as (1) it is the wrong gender: (2) even if we suppose (with D.) a fem. form βαρεῶν, it clearly is the wrong sense. What Aeschylus means to say is, He who incurs the wrath of the Furies meets with unexpected calamity: the sins of his fathers bring him into their power.

964. ἐπιβριθής , lit. weighing down upon, falling heavily on: i. e. grievous .

1024. βρέτας τοὐμόν , an earlier statue than the great Athena Parthenos of Pheidias; for the Parthenon was not completed till 438. Athena's attendants must be supposed to join this escort on the Areiopagos.

1025. ὄμμα , idiomatic metaphor for delight, hope, comfort, somewhat as we say the flower, using a different metaphor. The eye is chosen as the most precious and beautiful : so ὄμμα γὰρ δύμων νομίζω δεσπότου παρουσίαν Pers. 169, σέβειν ὀμμάτων ὑπέρτερον 1 Theb. 530, ὀφθαλμὸς οἴκων Cho. 934, ὀφθαλμὸς Σικελίας Pind. Ol. 2 18, etc.

1026. Theseus , mythical king of Athens; Theseidae, common poetic name for Athenian.

1034. παῖδες ἄπαιδες , the MSS. reading, could hardly mean childless children, which seems pointless: it might mean evil children, like vᾶes ἄναες: but the real objection to any such word as ἄπαιδες is that here the words in which the Chorus are addressed are specially reverent and honourable. It is best to reject it and then we get rid also of τύχᾳ τε, meaningless and unmetrical, at the end of 1. 1037.

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

mvp-comment-763-1 αἰνῶ τε: Libri

αἰνῶ δέ
. Nullus hic locus est particulae adversativae aut orationem continuanti. Scribendum
αἰνῶ τε
.

mvp-comment-764-1 πέμψω τε:

πέμψω τι
Rob. φέγγη Turn. et Franzio teste Flor.
φέγγει
M. G. Ven. Farn. Ald. Rob. et Linwoodio teste Flor.

mvp-comment-765-1 ἔνερθε:

ἔνερθεν
Rob. In Colono qui
χάλκεος οὐδός
dicebatur, aditum putabatur ad inferos habere. Similis specus fuisse videtur etiam in fano Eumenidum, ut in fano Veneris, quae
ἐν κήποις
dicebatur,
κάθοδος
erat
ὑπόγειος αυτομάτη
, commemorata a Pausania I. 27, 3.

mvp-comment-766-1 ξὺν προςπόλοισιν:

ξυμπροσπόλοισιν
Aug. G. Deinde φρουροῦσιν M. Rob. Celeri
φρουροῦσι
. Hae
πρόςπολοι
nescias utrum intelligendae sint e quattuor
ἀρρηφόροις
duae illae quae peplo Athenaico texendo praeerant (v. Harpocr. in v.
ἀρρηφορεῖν
, Anecdota Bekkeri p. 202, 3. 446, 18. Εtym. Μ. p. 149, 8. Paus. I, 27, 3.), an
τραπεζοφόρος
et
κοσμώ
, quas omnia Minervae sacra Athenis curasse narrat Harpocration in v.
τραπεζοφόρος
.

mvp-comment-767-1 Θησῇδος Wakefieldius et Porsonus.

Θησηίδος
M. Aug. G. Ald. Rob. Τurn.
Θρησηΐδος
Ven. Flor.

mvp-comment-768-1 παίδων, γυναικῶν, καὶ στόλος πρεσβυτίδων: Post hunc versum aliquot versus excidisse demonstravi in Opusc. II. p. 133. seq. VI. 2. p. 117 seqq. Primum enim nexus nullus est inter hunc et sequentes versus. Deinde

ταῦτα
sic nude positum aliquid excidisse monstrat. Porro iuvenum, virorum, senum commemoratio desideratur, et dixerat Minerva v. 840.
καὶ σὺ τιμίαν ἕδραν ἔχουσα πρὸς δόμοις Ερεχθέως τεύξει παρ' ἀνδρῶν καὶ γυναικείων στόλων....
Denique, quod ne poterat quidem aliter fieri, satis testatum est accepisse in hac tragoedia Furias a Minerva Eumenidum nomen. Aristophanes grammaticus (huic enim argumentum Eumenidum in codice M. tribuitur)
Ὀρέστης ἐν Δελφοῖς περιεχόμενος ὑπὸ τῶν Ἐρινύων βουλῇ Απόλλωνος παρεγένετο εἰς Ἀθήνας εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν τῆς Ἀθηνᾶς· ἧς βουλῇ νικήσας κατῆλθεν εἰς Ἄργος. τὰς δὲ Ἐρινύας πραΰνασα
(ita scribendum:
πραΰνας
Μ.)
προςηγόρευσεν Εὐμενίδας
. Harpocration in ν.
Ευμενίδες
, —
Αισχύλος ἐν Εὐμενίσιν, εἰπὼν τὰ περὶ τὴν κρίσιν τὴν Ὀρέστου, φησὶν ὡς ἡ Ἀθηνᾶ πραΰνασα τὰς Ἐρινύας, ὥςτε μὴ χαλεπῶς ἔχειν πρὸς τὸν Ὀρέστην, Ευμενίδας ὠνόμασεν. εἰσὶ δὲ Αληκτώ, Μέγαιρα, Τισιφόνη
. Sumpserunt haec ab Harpocratione Photius et Suidas.

mvp-comment-769-1 φοινικοβάπτοις ἐνδυτοῖς ἐσθήμασιν:

φοινικοβάπτους
Ald.
φοινικόβαπτος
Turn.
ἐσθήμασιν
Ven. Farn.
ἐσθήμασι
ceteri.
Ἐνδυτός
non simpliciter quod induitur significat, sed quod ornatus caussa. V. Eur. Iph. Aul. v. 1079. Troad. 259. Apud eundem in Ione v. 231.
ἐνδυτὸς στέμμασι
sertis ornatus est. Sic
ἐνδυτῆρα πέπλον
Sophocles dixit Trach. v. 674.

mvp-comment-770-1 τιμᾶτε Ven. Flor. Rob. Τurn.

τιμᾶτα
M. Aug. G.
τιμᾶται
Αld. ὁρμάσθω Rob.
ἑρμάσθω
G. Ald.

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-533-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 321

mvp-comment-533-2 So wird Aschylos am Schlufs von Aristoph. Frö. unter Fackelglanz auf die Oberwelt geleitet: φαίνετε τοίνυν ὑμεῖς τούτῳ λαμπάδας ἱράς.

mvp-comment-534-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 321

mvp-comment-534-2 εἰς .. τόπους d. i. in die θάλαμοι (1005) unter der Erde, welche in Athen die Eumeniden bewohnten.

mvp-comment-535-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 321

mvp-comment-535-2 αἵτε: zu 25. Harpokr. unter τραπεζοφόρος :

Λυκοῦργος ἐν τῷ περὶ τῆς ἱερείας ὅτι ἱερωσύνης ὄνομά ἐστιν ἡ τραπεζοφόρος. ὅτι δ' αὕτη τε καὶ ἡ κοσμὼ συνδιέπουσι πάντα τῇ τῆς ᾿Αθηνᾶς ἱερείᾳ αὐτός τε ὁ ῥήτωρ ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ λόγῳ δεδήλωκε καὶ Ἴστρος ἐν ιγ' τῶν ᾿Αττικῶν συναγωγῶν
. Zu der τραπεζοφόρος und der κοσμώ kommt noch die Priesterin aus dem Geschlechte der Eteobutaden ( Etym. M. p. 386 ) und vielleicht die vier ἀρρηφόροι, weitsgekleidete Jungfrauen, welche die Heiligtümer der Athena in Prozession zu tragen hatten.

mvp-comment-536-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 321

mvp-comment-536-2 uua: zu Cho. 933 .,,Denn als köstlichster Schmuck des ganzen Theseuslandes dürfte ihre edle Schar gelangen zu dem ihnen bestimmten Wohnsitze, wo sie, die nunmehr Eumeniden heifsen sollen, ehren werden Prozessionen von Männern, Kindern, Frauen und der Zug von Greisinnen mit Purpurkleidern festlich angethan." Dieses ungefähr mufs der Inhalt der ausgefallenen Verse gewesen sein nach der Hypothesis und nach Harpokr. unter Eumenides :

Αἰσχύλος ἐν Εὐμε νίσιν εἰπὼν τὰ περὶ τὴν κρίσιν τὴν Ὀρέστου φησὶν ὡς ἡ Ἀθηνᾷ πραΰνασα τὰς Ἐρινύας ὥστε μὴ χαλεπῶς ἔχειν [πρὸς τὸν Ὀρέστην] Εὐμενίδας ὠνόμασεν
. – Das durch den Potentialis ἐξίκοιτ᾽ ἄν angegezeigte Verhältnis bezieht sich auf ὄμμα: denn der köstlichste Schmuck des Landes dürfte die Schar sein, wenn sie hier Wohnung genommen hat."-Zu der Beziehung von παίδων πρεσβυτίδων vgl. 858. ἐνδυτῶν ἐσθήμασι wie Eur. Ion 224
σέμμασι γ᾽ ἐνδυτόν
. Über die Prozession, welche den Semnen in Athen veranstaltet wurde, Einl. S. 12.

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

βρέτας τοὐμόν , an earlier statue than the great Athena Parthenos of Pheidias; for the Parthenon was not completed till 438. Athena's attendants must be supposed to join this escort on the Areiopagos.

ὄμμα , idiomatic metaphor for delight, hope, comfort, somewhat as we say the flower, using a different metaphor. The eye is chosen as the most precious and beautiful : so

ὄμμα γὰρ δύμων νομίζω δεσπότου παρουσίαν
Pers. 169 , σέβειν ὀμμάτων ὑπέρτερον 1 Theb. 530 ,
ὀφθαλμὸς οἴκων
Cho. 934 , ὀφθαλμὸς Σικελίας Pind. Ol. 2 18, etc.

Theseus , mythical king of Athens; Theseidae, common poetic name for Athenian.

mvp-sidgwick-466-1-1 Athena had promised them ( l. 856

) honour from men (ἀνδρῶν) and women. Hence some (H. D. Weil.) have supposed a lacuna here; and others (Hart. Meinek.) alter παίδων into ἀνδρῶν. There is not enough ground for either. The people on the stage, whether men, or youths, or boys, evidently represent the whole city, as we see from ll. 1010, 1015
. Others again think the propompoi are all women, and take παίδων as girls: but πολισσοῦχοι παῖδες cannot be female inhabitants only. As to the question of the name Εὐμενίδες, which is one of Hermann's arguments, see Introduction, p. 21.

mvp-sidgwick-467-1-1 The purple robe was no doubt to add to the magnificence and solemnity of the occasion.