Aeschylus Eumenides 517

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

Εὐμενίδες (Greek) (Aeschylus, Volume 2. Smyth, Herbert Weir, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1926.)

Editions (11)
Εὐμενίδες First1KGreek (Aeschyli Tragoediae. Sidgwick, Arthur, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1902.) — 490-565 focus
Εὐμενίδες (1518 edition; OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Eumenides, 1518 edition. VLM-assisted OCR with native lineation and automated correspondence to the Smyth edition.) — 517 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Guilielmus Dindorfius, 1882.) — 517 focus
ἐσθ᾽ ὅπου τὸ δεινὸν εὖ
καὶ φρενῶν ἐπίσκοπον
δεῖ μένειν καθήμενον.
ξυμφέρει σωφρονεῖν ὑπὸ στένει.
520
τίς δὲ μηδὲν ἐν φάει
καρδίαν ἀνατρέφων
ἢ πόλις βροτός θ᾽ ὁμοίως ἔτ᾽ ἂν σέβοι δίκαν;
515
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Gottfried Hermann, 1852.) — 517 focus
ἔσθ' ὅπου τὸ δεινὸν εὖ
510
τις φρενῶν ἐπίσκοπον
δειμανεῖ καθήμενον.
ξυμφέρει
σωφρονεῖν ὑπὸ στένει.
τίς δὲ μηδὲν ἐν δέει
515
καρδίαν ἔτ᾽ ἀνατρέφων,
ἢ πόλις βροτός θ' ὁμοί-
ως, ἔτ᾽ ἂν σέβοι δίκαν;
1
ΕΥΜΕΝΙΔΕΣ (OCR draft) Experimental (ΕΥΜΕΝΙΔΕΣ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 517 focus
Ἔσθ' ὅπου τὸ δεινὸν εὖ,
καὶ φρενῶν ἐπίσκοπον
δεῖ μένειν δειμαίνει καθήμενον·
ξυμφέρει
520
σωφρονεῖν ὑπὸ στένει·
τίς δὲ μηδὲν ἐν φάει
καρδίαν ἄνα τρέων ἀνατρέφων τρέων
ἢ πόλις βροτός θ' ὁμοί-
ως ἔτ᾽ ἂν σέβοι δίκαν ;
525
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Arthur Sidgwick, 1887.) — 517 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. N. Wecklein, 1885.) — 517 focus
ἔσθ' ὅπου τὸ δεινὸν εὖ,
520
καὶ φρενῶν ἐπίσκοπον
δεῖ μένειν καθήμενον.
ξυμφέρει
σωφρονεῖν ὑπὸ στένει.
τίς δὲ μηδὲν ἐν φάει
525
καρδίαν ἀνατρέφων
ἢ πόλις βροτός θ' ὁμοί-
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Martin L. West, 1990.) — 517 focus
ἔσθ᾽ ὅπου τὸ δεινὸν εὖ,
καὶ φρενῶν ἐπίσκοπον
δεῖμ᾽ ἄνω καθήμενον·
ξυμφέρει
520
σωφρονεῖν ὑπὸ στένει.
Aeschyli Eumenides (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschyli Eumenides. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1914.) — 517 focus
ἔσθ᾽ ὅπου τὸ δεινὸν εὖ,
καὶ φρενῶν ἐπίσκοπον
δεῖ μένειν καθήμενον.
ξυμφέρει
σωφρονεῖν ὑπὸ στένει.
520
τίς δὲ μηδὲν ἐν φάει
† καρδίαν ἀνατρέφων
ἢ πόλις βροτός θ᾽ ὁμοίως ἔτ᾽ ἂν σέβοι δίκαν; =
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek text of Aeschylus' Eumenides, edited by F. A. Paley, 1885.) — 517 focus
ἔσθ᾽ ὅπου τὸ δεινὸν εὐ
καὶ φρενῶν ἐπίσκοπον
δεῖ μένειν καθήμενον·
ξυμφέρει σωφρονεῖν ὑπὸ στένει·
495
τίς δὲ μηδὲν ἐν φάει
καρδίας * ἂν ἀνατρέφων,
ἢ πόλις βροτός θ᾽, ὁμοίως ἔτ᾽ ἂν σέβοι δίκαν;
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek text of Aeschylus' Eumenides, edited by Friedrich Blass, 1907.) — 517 focus
ἔσθ᾽ ὅπου τὸ δεινὸν εὐ
ἀντ. β
καὶ φρενῶν ἐπίσκοπον
δεῖ μένειν καθήμενον.
ξυμφέρει
520
σωφρονεῖν ὑπὸ στένει.
τίς δὲ μηδὲν ἐν φάει
καρδίαν ἄν᾿ ἔτι) τρέων
ἢ πόλις βροτός θ᾽ ὁμοίως ἔτ᾽ ἂν σέβοι δίκαν;
Translations (11)
Eumenides Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 2. Smyth, Herbert Weir, translator. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1926. (Modernized by Perseus.)) — 517 focus
The Eumenides (OCR draft) Experimental (The Eumenides. Theodore Alois Buckley, 1849.) — 517 focus
Some times fear, sitting in the right place, and controlling the soul, will terrify it. It is good to grow wise under sorrow. But who keeping no fear in his blithesome heart, either city or mortal alike, would any longer reverence justice?
LES EUMÉNIDES (OCR draft) Experimental (LES EUMÉNIDES. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 517 focus
inouï : la Justice en ce jour voit crouler sa demeure!
Il est des cas où l'Effroi est utile et, vigilant gardien des cœurs, y doit siéger en permanence 1 . Il est bon d'apprendre à
être sage à l'école de la douleur. Qui donc, homme ou cité, s'il n'est rien sous le ciel dont la crainte habite en son âme, garderait le respect qu'il doit à la Justice?
The Furies (OCR draft) Experimental (The Furies. Robert Potter, 1779.) — 517 focus
Yet are there hours, when conſcious fear
And the ſtern eye, that darts
Severely thro' their ſecret hearts,
With ſober counſels check their mad career.
575
For when no ray of heavenly light
Breaks thro' the fullen night,
Dark deeds enſue, and virtue's pow'r
By man, by ſtate is reverenc'd no more.
Eschilo, Le Eumenidi: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli (OCR draft) Experimental (Eschilo, Le Eumenidi: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli. Ettore Romagnoli, 1922.) — 517 focus
Bene è spesso che tra gli uomini
trovi luogo, e che degli animi
550
a custodia il timor segga:
non disdicono
a saggezza angusti freni.
Qual città, quale uomo credi
che potrà, se in cuore dramma
555
di timore non alberghi,
venerare la giustizia ?
Aeschylus, Eumenides: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Eumenides: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii. Ioannes Sanravius, 1555.) — 517 focus
Sic erit grauitatem & mentis ſpeculantem
Timet ſedentem. conducit
Sapere præ luctu.
Quis uerò nihil in luce
Cor alens,
495
Aut urbs mortalis?
Similiter amplius colet iuſticiam.
Aeschylus, Die Eumeniden: German translation (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Die Eumeniden: German translation. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1919–1923.) — 517 focus
Schauder thut manchmal wohl,
hält in Zucht das trotz'ge Herz.
520 Gut bekommt Mäfsigung, auch aus Angst.
Wer von nichts mehr in der Brust
sich das Herz erschüttern läfst,
der verlernt
bald auch Ehrfurcht vor dem Recht,
Einzelmensch und Staat.
525
Eumenides (OCR draft) Experimental (Eumenides. Anna Swanwick, 1886.) — 517 focus
Thy parents,-household rights revere,
Nor guest-observing ordinance offend.
STROPHE IV.
But who unforced, with spirit free
520
Dares to be just, is ne'er unblest;
Whelmed utterly he cannot be:
But for the wretch with lawless breast,
Bold seizer of promiscuous prey,-
I warn you, he, perforce, his sail
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.) — 517 focus
Know, that a throne there is that may not pass away,
And one that sitteth on it—even Fear,
605
Searching with steadfast eyes man's inner soul:
Wisdom is child of pain, and born with many a tear;
But who henceforth,
What man of mortal men, what nation upon earth,
That holdeth nought in awe nor in the light
610
Of inner reverence, shall worship Right
As in the older day?
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.) — 517 focus
Oft ja dient die Furcht zum Heil;
Und im Herzen wohne sie
Unverrückt als treue Hut!
Frommt es doch, wenn man weinend Zucht gelernt.
495
Aber wer, der fromme Scheu
Nicht im Busen reifen ließ,
Welcher Mensch und welche Stadt
Chrte fürder noch das Recht?
Dritte Strophe.
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.)

524. ἢ ... τε is irregular :

524. whether city or man we must say in English.

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

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

mvp-comment-360-1 ἔσθ' ὅπου τὸ δεινὸν εὖ τις φρενῶν ἐπίσκοπον δειμανεῖ καθήμενον: Libri

ἔσθ' ὅπου τὸ δεινὸν εὖ τις φρενῶν ἐπίσκοπον δειμαίνει καθήμενον
, nisi quod haec ultima verba,
δειμαίνει καθήμεvov
omissa sunt in Rob. Schutzius, qui olim
δειματοῖ
scribendum coniecerat, in quod etiam Franzius incidit, postea ut Wakefieldius et ego anno 1799.
δειμανεῖ
dedit. Sic etiam Abreschius, sed ille post hoc verbum ponens signum interrogandi. Sed
δειμαίνειν
nusquam est terrere. Perperam intellecti sunt Aeschylus Pers. v. 601.
φίλοι, κακῶν μὲν ὅςτις ἔμπειρος κυρεῖ, ἐπίσταται βροτοῖσιν ὡς ὅταν κλύδων κακῶν ἐπέλθῃ, πάντα δειμαίνειν φιλεῖ
, et Plato Leg. IX. p. 865. D.
λέγεται δὲ ὡς ὁ θανατωθεὶς ἄρα βιαίως, ἐν ἐλευθέρῳ φρονήματι βεβιωκώς, θυμοῦταί τε τῷ δράσαντι νεοθνὴς ὤν, καὶ φόβου καὶ δείματος ἅμα διὰ τὴν βίαιον πάθην αὐτὸς πεπληρωμένος, ὁρῶν τε τὸν ἑαυτοῦ φονέα ἐν τοῖς ἤθεσι τοῖς τῆς ἑαυτοῦ συνηθείας ἀναστρεφόμενον δειμαίνει, καὶ ταραττόμενος αὐτὸς ταράττει κατὰ δύναμιν πᾶσαν τὸν δράσαντα, μνήμην ξύμμαχον ἔχων, αὐτόν τε καὶ τὰς πράξεις αὐτοῦ
. Apud Quintum Smyrnaeum II. 499.
δειμαίνοντο
medium est, timore se corripi passi sunt. Itaque quum neque
δειμανεῖ
in illa horum versuum conformatione ferri posset, et
εὖ καί
plane supervacaneum esset, in Opusc. VI. 2. p. 83. seq. ita scribendum putavi,
ἔσθ' ὅπου τὸ δεινὸν εὐ, καὶ φρενῶν ἐπίσκοπον δεῖ μένειν καθήμεvov
, nonnumquam bonum est timere, et oportet animi custodem constitutum manere. Ita legisse videtur scholiastes, cuius haec est adnotatio,
οὐ πανταχῆ τὸ δεινὸν ἀπεῖναι φρενῶν δεῖ
. Eandem coniecturam,
δεῖ μένειν
, in margine exemplaris Aldini bibliothecae Cantabrigiensis adscriptam commemorat Dobraeus Adv. II. p. 29. Nunc probabilius mihi visum est Aeschylum sic scripsisse,
ἔσθ' ὅπου τὸ δεινὸν αὖ τις φρενῶν ἐπίσκοπον δειμανεῖ καθήμενον
.

mvp-comment-361-1 ξυμφέρει: omissum in Rob.

mvp-comment-362-1 ὑπὸ στένει:

ὑπὸ στένει
M. Flor. Rob. Τurn.
ὑποστένει
G. Ven. Farn. Ald. Fuerunt qui
ὑπὸ δέει
vel
ὑπὸ σθένει
scribendum putarent. Male. Hoc dicitur, conducit rebus angustis coactum sapere.

mvp-comment-363-1 τίς δὲ μηδὲν ἐν δέει καρδίαν ἔτ᾽ ἀνατρέφων, ἢ πόλις βροτός θ' ὁμοίως, ἔτ᾽ ἂν σέβοι δίκαν;: Libri

ἐν φάει καρδίαν ἀνατρέφων
. Ιd scholiastes interpretatur λαμπρότητι καὶ ὀρθότητι φρενῶν, ut
καρδίας
legisse videatur, quod Canterus aliique receperunt. Hoc minime probandum est. Rectissime Auratus
ἐν δέει
. Quae deest syllaba, eam non recte in Opusc. VI. 2. p. 83. inserto
ἄν
post
καρδίαν
supplendam esse existimavi. In ultimo huius strophae versu
σέβει
Μ. Ceteri
σέβοι
. Denique
δίκας
G. Ald. Rob. Turn.
δίκαν
Victorius, ex M. ut videtur. Sic etiam Ven. et, ut videtur, Flor. Farn. Scripsi
τίς δὲ μηδὲν ἐν δέει καρδίαν ἔτ᾽ ἀνατρέφων, ἢ πόλις βροτός θ' ὁμοίως, ἔτ᾽ ἂν σέβοι δίκαν;

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

mvp-comment-164-1 ἔσθ᾽ ὅπου] ‘There are cases in which the dread of retribution should remain enthroned in the heart, keeping a salutary watch even over men's minds (as well as over their actions).' For δεῖ μένειν the Med. has δειμαίνει, but the Schol.

οὐ πανταχὴ τὸ δεινὸν ἀπεῖναι φρενῶν δεῖ.
The necessity of some moral control is here strongly inculcated; for without having anything to dread neither city nor private citizen would continue to respect justice.

mvp-comment-165-1 ὑπὸ στένει] through suffering. This doctrine is enlarged upon in Ag. 170 seqq.

mvp-comment-166-1 μηδέν] Supply δεινὸν from v. 491. In the next verse the metre of v. 489 suggests καρδίας ἂν ἀνατρέφων, ‘if he cherishes no fear in the gaiety of his heart, but thinks all will be well however he may act. - ὁμοίως, as he would do were he in constant fear of punishment.

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-204-1 ὥστε καθήμενον ὑπὸ στένει σωφρονεῖν. ὡσεὶ ἔλεγεν ὑπὸ τῶι δέει. ἔστι δὲ ἀπ᾿ εὐθείας τῆς τὸ στένος.

mvp-comment-205-1 λαμπρότητι, ὀρθότητι φρενῶν.

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-277-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 287

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

mvp-comment-287-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 289

mvp-comment-287-2 Gar manchmal ist die Furcht wohlgethan. Cho. 337

τί τῶνδ᾽ εὖς

mvp-comment-288-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 289

mvp-comment-288-2 φρενῶν ἐπίσκοπον, über den Sinn wachend (die Furcht mufs als Wächterin der Seele niedergesetzt bleiben).

mvp-comment-289-1 1

mvp-comment-289-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 289

mvp-comment-289-3 conducit rebus angustis coactum sapere (Hermann). Ag.190

καὶ παρ᾽ ἄκοντας ἦλθε σωφρονεῖν.

mvp-comment-290-1 2

mvp-comment-290-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 289

mvp-comment-290-3 Vgl. 702 τίς γὰρ δεδοικὼς μηδὲν ἔνδικος βροτῶν;

mvp-comment-291-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 289

mvp-comment-291-2 ἢ πόλις βροτός τε (d. i. εἴτε πόλις εἴτε ἰδιώτης) für ἢ πόλις ἢ βροτός oder πόλις τε βροτός τε wie Hom. Β 289 ὥστε γὰρ ἢ παῖδες νεαροὶ χῆραί τε γυναῖκες ἀλλήλοισιν ὀδύρονται.

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

mvp-sidgwick-246-1-1 The MSS. read :

τίς δὲ μηδὲν ἐν φάει
καρδίαν ἀνατρέφων
ἢ πόλις, κ.τ.λ.
The general sense is plain : who, if he have nought to fear will any longer be just? But the text as it stands is corrupt, and as it is easy to rewrite the two lines to give the right sense, there are a vast number of suggestions, none convincing ;—

mvp-sidgwick-246-2-1 (1) Some (Pal. Well. others) retain the first line and read καρδίας: who, if he cherish no [fear] in the gaiety of his heart..., but it is hardly credible that the principal idea, fear should be understood from the last stanza: and therefore-

mvp-sidgwick-246-3-1 (2) The best emendation (without too much alteration) is the old one of Auratus (Herm. Weckl. Schütz. D.)-

τίς δὲ μηδὲν ἐν δέει
καρδίαν ἀνατρέφων, κ.τ.λ.
who, if he do not train his heart in fear, etc.... There is a further question whether we should keep l. 522
κᾶρδῖ- | ᾶν ӑ- | νᾱτρε- | φῶν or make the correspondence with l. 512
exact, by inserting ἄν; κᾱρδῐ- | ᾱν ᾰν | ἄνᾰτρě- | φῶν. It is perhaps better to insert the av : though the thrice repeated syllable -av- is a little rough.

ἢ ... τε is irregular :

whether city or man we must say in English.