Aeschylus Eumenides 178

Robert Potter (Translator)

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Hence, I command you, from my hallow'd ſeat
Begone with ſpeed; quit this oracular ſhrine:
205
This is no place to ſnatch your winged ſerpents,
And hurl them from your golden-twifted ſſtring,
To wring the black blood from the human heart
With torture, then diſgorge your horrid feaſt
Of clotted gore: Such guests my houſe abhors.
210
Begone where vengeance with terrific rage
Digs out the eyes, or from the mangled trunk
Remorſeleſs rends the head; to flaughters go,
Abortions, lurking ambush, rampir'd force,
To ſuff'rings, to impalements, where the wretch
215
Writhes on the ſtake in tortures, yelling loud
With many' a ſhriek: In feaſts like these, ye hags
Abhorr'd, is your delight; ſufficient proof
That execrable form: the deſert wild,
Where the blood-rav'ning lion makes his den,
220
Such ſhou'd inhabit; nor with impure tread
Pollute theſe golden ſhrines: begone, and graze
Without a keeper; for of ſuc an herd
Th' indignant Gods diſdain to take the charge.

Eumenides. Aeschylus. Robert Potter (Translator). London. 1779.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Current edition Experimental

The Furies (OCR draft) (English) (The Furies. Robert Potter, 1779.)

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (12)
Εὐμενίδες First1KGreek (Aeschyli Tragoediae. Sidgwick, Arthur, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1902.) — 178-298 focus
Εὐμενίδες Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 2. Smyth, Herbert Weir, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1926.) — 179-298 focus
Εὐμενίδες (1518 edition; OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Eumenides, 1518 edition. VLM-assisted OCR with native lineation and automated correspondence to the Smyth edition.) — 178 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Guilielmus Dindorfius, 1882.) — 178 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Gottfried Hermann, 1852.) — 178 focus
ΕΥΜΕΝΙΔΕΣ (OCR draft) Experimental (ΕΥΜΕΝΙΔΕΣ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 178 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Arthur Sidgwick, 1887.) — 178 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. N. Wecklein, 1885.) — 178 focus
ἔξω, κελεύω, τῶνδε δωμάτων τάχος
χωρεῖτ᾽, ἀπαλλάσσεσθε μαντικῶν μυχῶν,
180
μὴ καὶ λαβοῦσα πτηνὸν ἀργηστὴν ὄφιν,
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Martin L. West, 1990.) — 178 focus
Aeschyli Eumenides (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschyli Eumenides. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1914.) — 178 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek text of Aeschylus' Eumenides, edited by F. A. Paley, 1885.) — 178 focus
ἔξω, κελεύω, τῶνδε δωμάτων τάχος
170
χωρεῖτ᾽, ἀπαλλάσσεσθε μαντικῶν μυχῶν
μὴ καὶ λαβούσα πτηνὸν ἀργηστὴν ὄφιν,
χρυσηλάτου θώμιγγος ἐξορμώμενον,
ἀνῆς ὑπ᾿ ἄλγους μέλαν᾿ ἀπ᾿ ἀνθρώπων ἀφρὸν,
ἐμοῦσα θρόμβους οὓς ἀφείλκυσας φόνου.
175
οὔτοι δόμοισι τοῖσδε χρίμπτεσθαι πρέπει·
ἀλλ᾽ οὗ καρανιστῆρες ὀφθαλμωρύχοι
δίκαι, σφαγαί τε, σπέρματός τ᾿ ἀποφθορᾷ
παίδων κακοῦται χλοῦνις, ἠδ᾽ ἀκρωνία
λευσμοί τε, καὶ μύζουσιν οἰκτισμὸν πολὺν
180
ὑπὸ ῥάχιν παγέντες. ἆρ᾿ ἀκούετε
οἷας ἑορτῆς ἔστ᾽ ἀπόπτυστοι θεοῖς
στέργηθρ᾽ ἔχουσαι; πᾶς δ᾽ ὑφηγεῖται τρόπος
μορφῆς. λέοντος ἄντρον αἱματορρόφου
οἰκεῖν τοιαύτας εἰκὸς, οὐ χρηστηρίοις
185
ἐν τοῖσδε πλησίοισι τρίβεσθαι μύσος.
χωρεῖτ᾽ ἄνευ βοτῆρος αἰπολούμεναι·
ποίμνης τοιαύτης δ᾽ οὔτις εὐφιλὴς θεῶν.
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek text of Aeschylus' Eumenides, edited by Friedrich Blass, 1907.) — 178 focus
ἔξω, κελεύω, τῶνδε δωμάτων τάχος
χωρεῖτ᾽, ἀπαλλάσσεσθε μαντικῶν μυχῶν,
180
μὴ καὶ λαβοῦσα πτηνὸν ἀργηστὴν ὄφιν,
χρυσηλάτου θώμιγγος ἐξορμώμενον,
ἀνῆις ὑπ᾽ ἄλγους μέλαν᾿ ἀπ᾿ ἀνθρώπων ἀφρόν,
ἐμοῦσα θρόμβους οὓς ἀφείλκυσας φόνου.
οὔτοι δόμοισι τοῖσδε χρίμπτεσθαι πρέπει·
185
ἀλλ᾽ οὗ καρανιστῆρες ὀφθαλμωρύχοι
δίκαι, σφαγαί τε, σπέρματός τ᾽ ἀποφθοραὶ
παίδων, κακοῦ τε χλοῦνις ἠδ᾽ ἀκρωνιά,
λευσμός τε, καὶ μύζουσιν οἰκτισμὸν πολὺν
ὑπὸ ῥάχιν παγέντες. ἆρ᾽ ἀκούετε
190
οἵας ἑορτῆς ἔστ᾽ ἀπόπτυστοι θεοῖς
στέργηθρ᾽ ἔχουσαι; πᾶς δ᾽ ὑφηγεῖται τρόπος
μορφῆς. λέοντος ἄντρον αἱματορρόφου
οἰκεῖν τοιαύτας εἰκός, οὐ χρηστηρίοις
ἐν τοῖσδε κληισίοισι τρίβεσθαι μύσος.
195
χωρεῖτ᾽ ἄνευ βοτῆρος αἰπολούμεναι.
ποίμνης τοιαύτης δ᾽ οὔτις εὐφιλὴς θεῶν.
Translations (9)
Eumenides Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 2. Smyth, Herbert Weir, translator. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1926. (Modernized by Perseus.)) — 178-295 focus
The Eumenides (OCR draft) Experimental (The Eumenides. Theodore Alois Buckley, 1849.) — 178 focus
Out, I bid you depart with speed from these abodes; begone from the prophetic shrines, lest even having received the winged swift snake 2
, hurled from the golden string, you send forth through pain the black foam [sucked] from men, vomiting the clots of gore which you have drawn. By no means is it fitting to approach these abodes, but where there are head-cutting, eye-digging 3
revenges and slaughters, and the vigour of boys is injured, and destruction of the seed, and maiming, and stoning, [and where] those impaled by the spine groan with much wailing. Hear, you, abhorred by the gods, of what a feast you have the delight? but the whole fashion of your form leads to this. It is fit that such should inhabit the cave of the blood-sucking lion, not to tarry 4
in these oracular seats, an abomination to the neighbours. Be­ gone, you who feed without a keeper; but none of the gods has regard for such an herd.
LES EUMÉNIDES (OCR draft) Experimental (LES EUMÉNIDES. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 178 focus
je l'ordonne; vite, hors de chez
moi! Débarrasse le sanctuaire prophétique, si tu ne veux que t'atteigne le serpent à l'aile blanche, qui, bondissant de
Eschilo, Le Eumenidi: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli (OCR draft) Experimental (Eschilo, Le Eumenidi: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli. Ettore Romagnoli, 1922.) — 178 focus
piombare dovrebbe sul cérebro.
Aeschylus, Eumenides: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Eumenides: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii. Ioannes Sanravius, 1555.) — 178 focus
Inquinantem illius paſcet caput.
Aeschylus, Die Eumeniden: German translation (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Die Eumeniden: German translation. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1919–1923.) — 178 focus
Hinaus mit euch. Aus meinem Tempel weis' ich euch.
180 Fort auf der Stelle, trollt euch von dem Sehersitz,
sonst lass' ich von der goldnen Sehne windesschnell
losschwirren den beschwingten Drachen, und er soll
dich beifsen, dafs vor Schmerzen du den schwarzen
Schaum
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.) — 178 focus
Out! I command you. Out from this my home—
Haste, tarry not! Out from the mystic shrine,
Lest thy lot be to take into thy breast 1
The winged bright dart that from my golden string
205
Speeds hissing as a snake,—lest, pierced and thrilled
With agony, thou shouldst spew forth again
Black frothy heart's-blood, drawn from mortal men,
Belching the gory clots sucked forth from wounds.
These be no halls where such as you can prowl—
210
Go where men lay on men the doom of blood,
Heads lopped from necks, eyes from their spheres plucked out,
Hacked flesh, the flower of youthful seed crushed out,
Feet hewn away, and hands, and death beneath
The smiting stone, low moans and piteous
215
Of men impaled—Hark, hear ye for what feast
Ye hanker ever, and the loathing gods
Do spit upon your craving? Lo, your shape
Is all too fitted to your greed; the cave
Where lurks some lion, lapping gore, were home
220
More meet for you. Avaunt from sacred shrines,
Nor bring pollution by your touch on all
That nears you. Hence! and roam unshepherded—
No god there is to tend such herd as you.
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.) — 178 focus
Hinaus, gebiet' ich, ungesäumt verlaßt das Haus,
170
Hinweg, entfernt euch aus dem Seherheiligthum,
Daß nicht beschwingt die Silberschlange dich ereilt,
Von goldgewirkter Bogenschnur hinausgesandt,
Und du vor Schmerz des Menschenblutes dunklen Schaum
Ausspeist in Klumpen, die du Leichen ausgeschlürft!
175
Zu diesem Heiligthume dürft ihr nicht heran.
Hin, wo man köpft und blendet, geht zum Hochgericht,
Hin, wo man Menschen schlachtet, wo man Kindermord
Verübt, Entmannung, Steinigung, Verstümmelung,
Wo laut zum Himmel grauenvolles Wehgeheul
180
Der Aufgespießten jammert! Ha, vernahmet ihr,
An welchen Festesfreuden ihr Scheuseligen
Das Herz erlabet? So verkündet's schon an euch
Die ganze Bildung. Euch geziemt, im Felsenhaus
Blutdürst'ger Leu'n zu wohnen; nicht dem Sehersiz
185
In diesen Räumen nahe sich ein solcher Gräul!
So zieht von hinnen, ohne Hirten schwärmt hinaus!
Denn solcher Heerde freut sich kein Unsterblicher.
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.)

209. κόμπασον γέρας καλόν , ironical: 'go boast thy glorious office!'

211. ἥτις νοσφίσῃ , a woman who slays: the subjunctive indefinite, because, as frequently, the special case is (rhetorically) put in general terms. The absence of av is Epic usage, common in Trag. and found even in Attic prose, οὗ βραχεῖς ἀρκῶσι Thuc. 4. 17, οἵτινες νομίσωσι 4. 18, ᾧ μὴ ᾖ Plat. Phaedr. 247 B.

212. αὐθέντης φόνος , ‘the murder of a kinsman; ' the most fearful pollution according to the Greek view: so much so that a sharp distinction was drawn (as here) between the murder of a husband (not an ὅμαιμος) and the murder of a mother.

222. ἐνθυμουμένην , ‘taking to heart.'

223. πράσσουσαν ἡσυχαιτέραν , ' more remiss in act, the adj. by a common poetic variation for adv. with verb. Somewhat similarly in prose σχολαῖος, χρόνιος, ἄσμενος, etc., are used adverbially.

224. δίκας ἐποπτεύσει , shall watch the pleadings, i. e. direct the trial.' δίκαι plural is usually pleas of right, not vengeance. So δίκας κλύοντες Ag. 813, 'hearing the cause : ' κραίνετε δίκας Cho. 462, ὑστάτας δίκας Suppl. 230, the last trial.

226. δ᾽ οὖν , ‘well then,' impatient and contemptuous. So Prom. 935 ὁ δ᾽ οὖν ποιείτω. τίθου (‘put or make for yourself,' middle), get. πλέω must be read for MSS. πλέον. In Ag. 1299 we have the opposite blunder of the copyist, χρόνῳ πλέω for χρόνον πλέω: mistakes constantly arising from terminations being erroneously assimilated.

228. ὥστε , 202.

230. δίκας μέτειμι τόνδε , i.e. I will sue for justice on him; δίκας being a rather strange sort of internal acc., the δίκαι or pleadings shewing the nature of the pursuit; see line 224. The phrase implies. that the Eumenides are going to submit to a trial: δίκην μέτειμι τόνδε would mean simply I will visit vengeance on his head. μέτειμι and μετελθεῖν are used with three kinds of accusatives, the trial or vengeance, the crime, and the criminal. Here we have trial and criminal: μετῆλθόν σ᾽ αἷμα Eur. Or. 423 (crime and criminal): so ἁρπαγὰς μετήλθετ᾽ Ἰλίου πόλιν Eur. Cycl. 280: Ag. 1666 (criminal only), Cho. 996 (crime only). *

234. εἰ προδῶ , Epic use of eἰ with subj. So εἰ κρανθῇ πρᾶγμα Suppl. 91, μηδ᾽ εἰ στράτευμα πλεῖον ᾖ Pers. 791, εἰ μὴ τοῖον τύχῃ Supp. 400. [Apollo retires : and the Chorus leave the stage. Then the scene is changed to Athens: the temple of Athena Polias on the Acropolis: Orestes enters and kneels as a suppliant before the statue of Athena in the front.] This change of scene, being from one temple to another, would only require the alteration of the side scenes or περίακτοι. These were prismatic or three-sided scenes which were turned round to exhibit different surroundings: rather a primitive device. The altar and temple would remain; only the statues would have to be changed (242). [235-243. SCENE II, Part 1. Orestes prays for protection.]

237. προστρόπαιον , guilty here: see note on 1. 41. ἀφοίβαντον, ‘uncleansed,' from φοῖβος, bright (of course here with reference to the god). (Theocr. uses φοιβάω, to cleanse, later writers φοιβάζω : and φοιβαίνω is found in lexicographers.)

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

mvp-comment-149-1 δέκτωρ: δ᾽ ἔκταρ G. Ald. δ' έκτωρ sic Rob. δ᾽ ἔκτωρ ex Farn. affertur. δ' έκτωρ Ven. Emendate δέκτωρ Turn. De M. Flor. mihi non constat. Videtur autem M. δ᾽ ἔκτωρ vel δ᾽ ἕκτωρ habere: nam in margine adscriptum est οἶμαι δέκτωρ.

mvp-comment-150-1 τί γάρ; ... νοσφίσῃ: τί γὰρ Μ. G. Ald. Rob. Τurn. τίς γὰρ Ven. Flor. Farn. νοσφίσῃ M. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. νοσφίσει Ven. Flor. Farn. Scholiastes τί προςτέταχθε ποιεῖν παρὰ (ser. περὶ ἀνδροφόνου γυναικός;

mvp-comment-151-1 αὐθέντης: Hic versus Apollini continuatur in M. G. Ven. Flor. Farn. Ald. χο. Rob. Ευ. Turn. Chori hunc versum esse non potest dubitari. Iterat hanc sententiam chorus v. 595. οὐκ ἦν ὅμαιμος φωτὸς ὃν κατέκτανεν. Intellexit etiam scholiastes hunc versum a choro proferri: haec enim adnotavit, ὁ τοῦ ᾿Αγαμέμνονος φόνος οὐκ ἦν αὐθέντης, ὅ ἐστι μιαρός. In Flor., ut Linwoodius dicit, scriptum est αὐθέντης.

mvp-comment-152-1 ἤρκεσας: απ. Rob. Turn. Lineola praefixa in M. Nulla nota in Ven. Flor. εύμ. G. Ald. καὶ παρ' οὐδὲν ἠρκέσω M. G. Ven. Flor. Ald. Rob. Τurn. ἀρκέσω Par. ἀρκέσει non male Bothius. Wellauerus ηρέσω vel δέσω scribendum putabat. Quorum ἠρέσω ferri hic non potest, δέσω probabile est. Puto tamen Aeschylum scripsisse ἢ κάρτ' ἄτιμα, καὶ παρ᾽ οὐδὲν ἧκέ σοι Ἥρας τελείας καὶ Διὸς πιστώματα.

mvp-comment-153-1 ἀπέρριπται: ἀπέρσιπται Ald.

mvp-comment-154-1 γίγνεται: Libri γίνεται.

mvp-comment-155-1 μόρσιμος: μόρσιμος Rob. et sic Farn. μόρσιμον Ven. Flor. μόρσιμοι M. G. Par. Ald. μορσίμη Turn.

mvp-comment-156-1 ὅρκου 'στὶ ... φρουρουμένη: ὅρκου 'στὶ Porsonus. ὅρκούστι Μ. ὅρκους τι G. Par. Ald. ὅρκους τί, ad i supra adscripto ε, Ven. Flor. ὅρκοις τι ex suo codice affert Rob. qui ὅρκος τὶς dedit. ὅρκου τὲ Turn. φρουρουμένη vitiose Ald. Rob.

mvp-comment-157-1 εἰ ... χαλᾷς: ἢ Ven. Rob. ή reliqui. Recte Canterus εἰ. χαλᾷς Rob. χαλαῖς Μ. G. Ald. Turn.

mvp-comment-158-1 τὸ μὴ τίνεσθαι: Libri τὸ μὴ γενέσθαι. Scribendum τὸ μὴ τίνεσθαι. Vidit hoc etiam Meinekius ad Menandrum p. 226. Sophocles Oed. Col. v. 993. πότερα πυνθάνοι ἄν, εἰ πατήρ σ᾽ ὁ καίνων. ἢ τίνοι ἂν εὐθέως; δοκῶ μέν, εἴπερ ζῆν φιλεῖς, τὸν αἴτιον τίνοὶ ἄν, οὐδὲ τοὔνδικον περιβλέποις. Linwoodius, miro iudicio multo rectius Petersenum τὸ μηδἕπεσθαι coniecisse putans, hoc recepit. Id si vellet, debebat saltem scribere μήθ' - μήτ.

mvp-comment-159-1 Ὀρέστην σ᾽ ἐνδίκως ἀνδρηλατεῖν: Huic versui in M. G. Ven. Ald. Turn. Apollinis nomen praefixum est. Nullam personae notam habent Flor. Rob. ὀρέστην σ' ἐνδίκως Rob. Turn. ὀρέστην γ' ἐνδίκως M. G. Ald. ὀρέστην ἐν δίκαις Ven. Flor. ἄνδρας κατεῖν codex Robortelli: ipse e Sophiani emendatione ανδρηλατεῖν dedit, quod celeri libri habent.

mvp-comment-160-1 οἶδα ... κάρτα σ᾽: οίδα M. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. ούτοι Ven. Farn. et adscripto γρ. οἶδα Flor. Dubitari potest an εἶδον aptius scriberetur. κάρτας pro κάρτα σ' G. Ald.

mvp-comment-161-1 Παλλὰς ... ἐποπτεύσει: δὲ παλλὰς e Sophiani emendatione Rob. δ᾽ ἐπάλλας Μ. δ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἄλλας G. Ald. Turn. Ven. (Bekkero teste Flor. Farn. codex Robortelli. Ex Ven. Flor. δὲπάλλας Franzius affert. ἐποπτεύσει Μ. G. Ald. Rob. ἐποπτεύει Ven. Flor. Farn. ἐποπτεύσεις Turn.

mvp-comment-162-1 λίπω: οὔπω μὴ sola Ald. Deinde λίπω Porsonus. Libri λείπω. γ. quae dixi ad Med. v. 1120. et ad Oed. Col. v. 1024.

mvp-comment-163-1 πόνον πλέον τίθου: πλέω Auratus aliique, idque olim recepi. Sophocles Ai. v. 362. μὴ κακὸν κακῷ διδοὺς ἄκος, πλέον τὸ πῆμα τῆς ἄτης τίθει. Sed non mutandum est quod libri habent, καὶ πόνον πλέον τίθου. Hoe dicit, praefer laborem, si placet. τίθου, ad or supra adscripto ει, Ven. τίθοι, supra adscripto ου, Flor.

mvp-comment-164-1 λόγῳ: Libri λόγῳ. Melius videtur ψόγῳ.

mvp-comment-165-1 πὰρ ... λέγει: πάρ M. Ven. Flor. Rob. παρ G. παρ' Ald. Turn. παρὰ scripsit Porsonus. Deinde libri λέγῃ·

mvp-comment-166-1 ἄγει ... δίκας: ἄγει Ven. Flor. Rob. Τurn. ἄγειν M. G. Par. Ald. Deinde δίκας M. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. δίκης Ven. δίκης (sic) Flor. δίκη Farn.

mvp-comment-167-1 φῶτα κἀκκυνηγετῶ: φῶτα κἀκκυνηγέτης M. G. Ven. Flor. Ald. φῶτα κακκυνηγέτης Rob. φῶτα καὶ κυνηγέτης Par. φῶτά γ' ὡς κυνηγέτης Farn. φῶτα καὶ κυνηγέτις Turn. Stanleius scribendum putabat καὶ κυνηγετω. Scribendum potius κἀκκυνηγετώ. Ita Erfurdtius. Euripides in lone ν. 1422. ὦ Ζεῦ, τίς ἡμᾶς ἐκκυνηγετεῖ πότμος;

mvp-comment-168-1 ἀρήξω: ἐγὼ δ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ἥξω Ven. Flor. Farn.

mvp-comment-169-1 θεοῖς: θεοῖς Ven. Flor. Rob. Τurn. θεοῖσι M. G. Ald.

mvp-comment-170-1 εἰ προδῶ: ɛ in ǹy mutavit Porsonus. V. de part. av II. 7.

mvp-comment-171-1 ἄνασσ' Ἀθάνα: Postquam chorus ex orchestra aliit et Apollo in templum se recepit, mutatur scena. Conspicitur templum Minervae Poliadis in arce Athenarum. Advenit Orestes et supplex ad simulacrum deae accedit. κελεύμασι Farn.

mvp-comment-172-1 δέχου δὲ: δούχου vitium Ald. δὲ omittit Par.

mvp-comment-173-1 οὐ προςτρόπαιον, οὐδ᾽ ἀφοίβαντον χέρα, ἀλλ' ἀμβλὺς ἤδη προςτετριμμένος τε πρὸς ἄλλοισιν οἴκοις καὶ πορεύμασιν βροτῶν: Libri οὐ προστρόπαιον οὐδ᾽ ἀφοίβαντον χέρα, ἀλλ᾽ ἀμβλὲν ἤδη προστετριμμένον τε πρὸς ἄλλοισιν οἴκοις καὶ πορεύμασι βροτῶν. Versu secundo προςτετριμμένην Par. sed alterum supra adscriptum est. Versu tertio πορεύμασιν Porsonus. In secundo versu olim scripseram προςτετριμμένον πάρος, quod mallem neque a Schützio receptum esset neque iterum prolatum a Reisigio Coni, in Aristoph. p. 71. Non magis probari potest quod mihi aliquando et deinde aliis in mentem venit, προςτετριμμένον τε πρό. Nam alienum hoc est ab hoc loco. Sed quod libri habent, ferri non potest. Neque enim praepositio ita in fine versus collocata eiusmodi exemplis confirmatur, quale hoc est in Sophoclis Oed. Col. v. 495. ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐχ ὁδωτά. λείπομαι γὰρ ἐν τῷ μὴ δύνασθαι μηδ᾽ ὁρᾶν, δυοῖν κακοῖν. Ibi enim praecedens interpunctio facit ut duorum versuum numeri arctius coniungantur. Similiter in Oed. R. v. 555. ἔπειθες, ἢ οὐκ ἔπειθες, ὡς χρείη μὲ ἐπὶ τὸν σεμνόμαντιν ἄνδρα πέμψασθαί τινα; Et in Philoct. v. 626. ubi sequitur statim incisio, οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ἐγὼ ταῦτ᾽. ἀλλ᾽ ἐγὼ μὲν εἶὶ ἐπὶ ναῦν· σφῶν δ᾽ ὅπως ἄριστα συμφέροι θεός. Deinde ipsa sententiae ratio ostendit non posse haec ita ab Aeschylo scripta esse. Denique quae sequuntur, ὅμοια χέρσον καὶ θάλασσαν ἐκπερῶν — πρόςειμι δῶμα καὶ βρέτας τὸ σόν, θεά, non sunt connexa cum praecedentibus. Itaque, ut in Opusc. VI. 2. p. 45 seq. faciendum esse dixi, mutato versuum ordine, sic scripsi, οὐ προςτρόπαιον, οὐδ᾽ ἀφοίβαντον χέρα ἄλλοισιν οἴκοις καὶ πορεύμασιν βροτῶν· ἀλλ᾽ ἀμβλὺς ἤδη προςτετριμμένον μύσος, ὅμοια χέρσον etc. Προςτετριμμένον μύσος dictum est ut πρόςτριμμα Ag. v. 378. Neque dissimiliter dicitur Prom. v. 331. γλώσσῃ ματαία ζημία προςτρίβεται. Videtur autem μύσος legisse scholiastes, qui haec adscripsit, ἄλλοις προςτριψάμενον τὸ μύσος, quamquam potuit sane ita interpretari, etiamsi non scriptum invenit μύσος. Quod restitui, ἀμβλὺς ἤδη προςτετριμμένον μέσος, confirmatur eo quod v. 465. Minerva dicit, ἄλλως τε καὶ σὺ μὲν κατηρτυκὼς δρόμοις ἱκέτης προςῆλθες καθαρὸς ἀβλαβὴς δόμοις ἐμοῖς· AESCHYLUS II. 38 Quod enim καθαρός ει ἀβλαβής dicitur, idem est ἀμβλὺς ἤδη τὸ μύσος. Innocuus ad templum Minervae Orestes accedere poterat, quia hebetatum erat et evanuerat piaculum quod sibi contraxerat. Ipse Orestes ν. 437. οὐκ εἰμὶ προςτρόπαιος, οὐδ᾽ ἔχει μύσος πρὸς χειρὶ τήμῃ τὸ σὸν ἐφημένου βρέτας. Πορεύμασιν itineribus est, ut Εuripides Iph. Αul. v. 300. νάϊον πόρευμα dixit. Vniversam autem horum versuum sententiam Orestes v. 443. sic repetit, πάλαι πρὸς ἄλλοις ταῦτ᾽ ἀφιερώμεθα οἴκοισι καὶ βοτοῖσι καὶ ῥυτοῖς πόροις. Non recte hanc meam horum versuum emendationem impugnavit Schoemannus.

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

mvp-comment-70-1 With δέκτωρ we may supply εἶναι.

mvp-comment-71-1 προπομπούς] This is ironical. If you bade him to go to Delphi, do you blame us for conducting him thither?' Schol. recent. rὰς διωκτρίας.

mvp-comment-72-1 γέρας καλόν] Some office or duty that is honourable, and worth the boasting of.

mvp-comment-73-1 τί γάρ;] What! Would you chase the slayer of a woman who has killed her own husband? That would not be, replies the chorus, the murder of a blood relation (and therefore the offence is not so heinous as to justify retribution by the hand of a son). The Schol. understood this rightly, the murder of Agamemnon was not of the same degree of guilt.' Both epithets, ὅμαιμος and αὐθέντης, combine to distinguish the murder of one's own kin, husband and wife being viewed as aliens in blood, though bound by other ties, πιστώματα, which, Apollo tells the Furies, they are setting at naught by thus acquitting a wife from the higher degree of criminality.

mvp-comment-74-1 Κύπρις δὲ κ.τ.λ.] Three of the greater gods, who preside over marriage, are spurned and slighted by your view. - εἰργάσω J. Wordsworth, for ἠρκέσω.

mvp-comment-75-1 ὅρκου μείζων] Marriage, says Apollo, is not a mere engagement; it has a religious and sacramental character, and is guarded and presided over by Justice.

mvp-comment-76-1 τὸ μὴ κ.τ.λ.] So that it comes to this, that you do not regard with anger the slaying of the one by the hand of the other. For γενέσθαι with an infinitive, contingere ut &c., cf. Eur. Phoen. 754

καί μοι γένοιτ᾽ ἀδελφὸν ἀντήρη λαβεῖν.

mvp-comment-77-1 τὰ μὲν γὰρ κ.τ.λ.] ‘For in the one case (matricide) I see that you are greatly indignant, but in the other (the killing of a husband), openly acting with more gentleness.' The general argument is, You ought to pursue neither parties, or both. The Schol. explains ἡσυχαιτέραν by δολιωτέραν, and it is to be feared that there is something wrong here.

mvp-comment-78-1 τῶνδε] The case, he says, is so full of difficulty that the Goddess of Wisdom shall herself decide it.

mvp-comment-79-1 ἔμπας] You, as a supernal god, are great even without such prerogatives as mine, viz. the worship paid to a Chthonian power.

mvp-comment-80-1 προστροπαίου] The sense is, that the protection of a suppliant is so solemn an obligation both on earth and in heaven, that a ban attaches to the intentional and deliberate neglect of him.

mvp-comment-81-1 An interval of some time is supposed to have elapsed, during which Orestes, in obedience to Apollo's injunction at v. 79, has come to seek the protection of Pallas in the Erechtheum on the Athenian acropolis.

mvp-comment-82-1 προστρόπαιον] Schol.

ἀκάθαρτον.

mvp-comment-83-1 The MSS. have ἀμβλὺν and προστετριμμένον, but the syntax seems to demand the nominative, ἀλλ᾽ ἀμβλὺς ἤδη πρόσειμι (adsum). The metaphor in blunted and rubbed against other abodes of men is taken from a sharp edge worn down and made dull against a wall. The sense is, that he has already undergone purification at the hands of many persons in the course of his long travels. It seems from the scholiast that there was an ancient reading προστε τραμμένον, and perhaps also a variant προστετριμμένον τ' ayos, which he explains by ἄλλοις προστριψάμενον τὸ μύσος.

mvp-comment-84-1 χέρσον καὶ θάλασσαν] Cf. 77, ὑπέρ τε πόντον καὶ περιρρύτας πόλεις.

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-89-1 ὥστε δέξασθαι τὸν φονέα.

mvp-comment-90-1 ἠθικεύσαντο τὰς διωκτρίας προπομποὺς εἰποῦσαι. προστέταχθε ποιεῖν περὶ (Abresch f. παρὰ) ἀνδροφόνου γυναικός; τοῦ Ἀγαμέμνονος φόνος οὐκ ἦν αὐθέντης, ὅ ἐστι μιαρός.

mvp-comment-91-1 τί

mvp-comment-92-1 ἡσυχαιτέραν: δολιωτέραν (δολ. auch f; σχολαιστέραν Voigt). δίκη τοῦ μητρώιου αἵματος.

mvp-comment-93-1 μή τοί τι (τι τοι Μ) θεῶν μήνιμα γένωμαι (Hom. X 358).

mvp-comment-94-1 ἀκάθαρτον.

mvp-comment-95-1 ἀντὶ τοῦ) ἐπελθόντα.

mvp-comment-96-1 ἄλλοις προστριψάμενον τὸ μύσος. ...

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-104-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 265

mvp-comment-104-2 erstes Epeisodion. Apollon tritt wieder hervor und jagt nachher die Erinyen aus seinem Tempel: der Chor tritt also auf die Bühne heraus und Apollon folgt ihnen. Damit wird die zu 63 erwähnte Maschinerie zurückgedreht.

mvp-comment-117-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 267

mvp-comment-117-2 Und dann nahmst du es auf dich, dem frischen Morde eine Zuflucht zu bieten. Vgl. Plat. Phil. p. 19A

ἐμὲ τοῦ λόγου διάδοχον παντελῶς ὑποστάντα. νέου
: es ist nicht so schlimm, wenn nach längerer Zeit infolge von Sühnungen und Reinigungen die Blutschuld abgeschwächt ist. Vgl. 238 f.

mvp-comment-118-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 267

mvp-comment-118-2 τὰς προπομπούς: wenn du den Orestes hieher bestellt hast, so müssen auch seine Geleiterinnen hieher kommen.

mvp-comment-119-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 267

mvp-comment-119-2 πρόσφορον (dienlich, zuträglich) (ἐστὶ τὰς προπομποὺς oder ὑμᾶς μολεῖν. Stanley vermutet πρόσφοροι.

mvp-comment-120-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 267

mvp-comment-120-2 τοῦτο hat Bezug auf τὰς προπομπούς, also τὸ προπέμπειν d. i. διώκειν τοὺς μητροκτόνους.

mvp-comment-121-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 267

mvp-comment-121-2 τιμή und γέρας wie 422 (Ehrenamt). Doch klingt γέρας καλόν spättisch.

mvp-comment-122-1 1

mvp-comment-122-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 267

mvp-comment-122-3 τί γὰρ γυναῖκας ποιεῖτε; Denn aus ἐλαύνομεν ergänzt sich der allgemeine Begriff des Anthuens. ἥτις nach γυναῖκας wie Hom. Τ 260 ἐρινύες, αἵ τ᾽ ὑπὸ γαῖαν ἀνθρώπους τίνυνται, ὅ τίς κ᾿ ἐπίορκον ομόσσῃ, Soph. El. 1506 τοῖς πᾶσιν, ὅστις πέρα πράσσειν γε τῶν νόμων θέλει, Ai. 760 , Eur. Hek. 359

δεσποτῶν ὠμῶν φρένας τύχοιμ᾽ ἂν ὅστις ἀργύρου μ' ὠνήσε ται,
Med. 220 , Androm. 180, El. 934 , Hel. 942, frg. 347, 778. Über den Konjunktiv ohne άv vgl. 234, 337, 664, zu Ag. 762 und Krüger I § 54,

mvp-comment-123-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 267

mvp-comment-123-2 αὐθέντης wie αὐτόχειρ, wer sein eigenes Blut vergiefst, indem er Blutsverwandte umbringt. Vgl. Ag. 1572 , Eur. Herc. 839 . Es verstärkt also die Bedeutung von ὅμαιμος. Dafs nur derjenige, der Blutsverwandte tötet, der Rache der Erinyen verfällt, bringen die Erinyen auch 608 vor, um sich wegen der unterlassenen Verfolgung der Klytämestra zu rechtfertigen.

mvp-comment-123-3 2

mvp-comment-124-1 3

mvp-comment-124-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 268

mvp-comment-124-3 ἄτιμά ἐστι. παρ᾽ οὐδὲν ἤρκεσεν, kraftlos sind nach deinen Reden, daher das Präteritum). Mit παρ᾽ οὐδὲν ἀρκεῖν vgl. 849, Ag. 239 und Ausdrücke wie παρ' ὀλίγον εἶναι, παρ᾽ οὐδὲν κήδεσθαι, παρὰ μικρὸν ἡγεῖσθαι.

mvp-comment-125-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 268

mvp-comment-125-2 "Ηρας πιστώματα, der Bund, den die Ehegottheiten geschlossen haben. Ἥρα τελεία wie frg. 329 Ἥρα τελεία, Ζηνὸς εὐναία δάμαρ. Sie heifst so als die Göttin der Ehe, welche dem Bündnisse die Weihe giebt. Denn τέλος (Weihe) ὁ γάμος ἐκαλεῖτο Poll. III 38 . Schol. zu Aristoph. Thesm. 973

Ἥρα τελεία καὶ Ζεὺς τέλειος ἐτιμῶντο ἐν τοῖς γάμοις, ὡς πρυτάνεις ὄντες τῶν γάμων. τέλος δὲ ὁ γάμος
. Daher τέλος θαλεροῖο γάμοιο Hom. v 74 , γαμήλιον τέλος unten 838.

mvp-comment-126-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 268

mvp-comment-126-2 Die eheliche Verbindung, über welche Dike wacht, steht höher als der Eid, weil das Bündnis zu einer Bestimmung des Schicksals wird ( μόρσιμος). Vgl. 962. Die Monogamie führte man auf Kekrops zurück nach Athen. XIII p. 555 D ἐν δὲ ᾿Αθήναις πρῶτος Κέκροψ μίαν ἑνὶ ἔζευξεν.

mvp-comment-126-3 4

mvp-comment-127-1 5

mvp-comment-127-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 268

mvp-comment-127-3 Wenn du den Mördern von Gatten gegenüber lässig bist, so dafs du keine Rache an ihnen nimmst und sie nicht ingrimmig mit strafendem Blicke verfolgst u. s. w. Über τὸ μή zu Ag. 1589 . πτεύειν: Ζη Cho. 1 . ἐπο-

mvp-comment-128-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 268

mvp-comment-128-2 Das eine (die That des Orestes) nimmst du dir sehr zu Herzen, das andere (die That der Klyt.) behandelst du augenscheinlich ruhiger (von dem anderen läfst du dich nicht aufregen); du bist also parteiisch.

mvp-comment-129-1 6

mvp-comment-129-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 268

mvp-comment-129-3 καὶ . . τίθου, und mache dir nur Mühe zu Mühe; etwas anderes wirst du mit der Verfolgung nicht erreichen. πόνῳ πόνον wie Soph. Ai. 866

πόνος πόνῳ πόνον φέρει
. Vgl. Pers. 1042
δόσιν κακὰν κακῶν κακοῖς
 und die besonders bei Euripides häufigen Ausdrücke wie ἄχεα ἄχεσι, πήματα πήμασι, δάκρυα δάκρυσι, φόνῳ φονος.

mvp-comment-130-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 268

mvp-comment-130-2 οὐδ᾽ ἂν δεχοίμην : zu Ag. 287 (,, nicht einmal geschenkt möchte ich dein Ehrenamt annehmen“). — ὥστε: zu Ag. 1394 .

mvp-comment-131-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 269

mvp-comment-131-2 Du bedarfst freilich meiner Ehren nicht; denn immerhin bist du grofs am Thron des Zeus. - πάρ: durch die epische Apokope wird die Auflösung der Länge vermieden.

mvp-comment-132-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 269

mvp-comment-132-2 δίκας tritt als inneres Objekt zu μέτειμι τόνδε ( Ag. 1666 ). Eur. Bakeh. 345 τῆς σῆς δ᾽ ἀνοίας τόνδε τὸν διδάσκαλον δίκην μέτειμι und zu Cho. 144 . Das Präsens ἐκκυνηγετῶ, weil bei diesen Worten der Chor (durch den linken Zugang der Bühne) hinausstürmt. Dagegen hat μέτειμι die gewöhnliche Bedeutung des Fut. ( Krüger II § 53, 1, 6 nimmt hier wie Sept. 360

εἶμι
als Präsens).

mvp-comment-133-1 7

mvp-comment-133-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 269

mvp-comment-133-3 Der Daktylus des dritten Fulses ist gebildet wie 449, 589, Ag. 1584 u. a. Vgl. zu Cho. 567 .

mvp-comment-134-1 8

mvp-comment-134-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 269

mvp-comment-134-3 Der Relativsatz ὃς προδῷ (zu 211) σφ' ἑκών vertritt einen Dativ zu δεινὴ πέλει. Der Schol. erinnert an Hom. X 358

φράζει νῦν μή τοί τι θεῶν μήνιμα γένωμαι
. Apollon tritt zurück in den Tempel. Dann, nachdem die Bühne vollständig leer ist, ändert sich wie Soph. Ai. 814 die Scenendekoration; die neue Hauptdekoration stellt den Tempel der Athena Polias in Athen vor mit dem Bildnisse der Göttin. Orestes erscheint und kniet an dem Bildnisse nieder. Zwischen dem ersten und zweiten Teile mufs man sich geraume Zeit vergangen denken. Vgl. 284 f.

mvp-comment-135-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 269

mvp-comment-135-2 ist gewissermafsen ein zweiter Prolog vor der Epiparodos (vgl. zu_1).

mvp-comment-136-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 269

mvp-comment-136-2 αλάστορα, den infolge einer Blutschuld Umherirrenden. Vgl. Einl. S. 19 N.

mvp-comment-137-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 269

mvp-comment-137-2 προστρόπαιος wie 448 einer der als befleckt um Sühne fleht. ἀφοίβαντον, ἀκάθαρτον Schol. und Hesych.

mvp-comment-137-3 9

mvp-comment-138-1 10

mvp-comment-138-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 269

mvp-comment-138-3 ἀμβλύς und προστετριμμένος von der Befleckung, welche durch Berührung abgerieben und matt gemacht ist, auf die befleckte Person übertragen. Von einer Reinigung, die dem Orestes bei den Trözeniern zu teil geworden sein soll, berichtet Paus. II 31, 8

τοῦ δὲ ἱεροῦ τοῦ ᾿Απόλλωνός ἐστιν οἶκοδόμημα ἔμπροσθεν, Ὀρέστου και λουμένη σκηνή. πρὶν γὰρ ἐπὶ τῷ αἵματι καθαρθῆναι τῆς μητρός, Τροιζηνίων οὐδεὶς πρότερον ἤθελεν αὐτὸν οἴκῳ δέξασθαι· καθίσαντες δὲ ἐνταῦθα ἐκάθαιρον καὶ εἱστίων, ἐς ὁ ἀφήγνισαν
. . . καθῆραι δέ φασιν Ορέστην καθαρσίοις καὶ ἄλλοις καὶ ὕδατι τῷ ἀπὸ τῆς ἱππου κρήνης. Aschylos spricht 282 und 581 blofs von einer Reinigung durch Apollon (vgl. Cho. 1057 ). Der unschädliche Verkehr mit anderen Menschen war eine Probe der Reinheit (283) und trug dazu bei, das Schuldbewusstsein abzuschwächen. πρὸς | ἄλλοισιν wie Soph. Oed. Τ. 555 ἐπὶ [ τὸν σεμνόμαντιν, Phil. 626 ἐπὶ | ναῦν, Oed. K. 495 ἐν | τῷ μὴ δύνασθαι.

mvp-comment-139-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 270

mvp-comment-139-2 ἐκπερῶν: ich bin zu anderen Häusern und in Verkehr mit den Menschen gekommen, als ich über Land und Meer wanderte.

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

mvp-sidgwick-109-1-1 To welcome blood new-shed is a bold and vivid phrase for received the murderer red-handed.

mvp-sidgwick-110-1-1 Certainly to be written a question.

κόμπασον γέρας καλόν , ironical: go boast thy glorious office!

ἥτις νοσφίσῃ , a woman who slays: the subjunctive indefinite, because, as frequently, the special case is (rhetorically) put in general terms. The absence of av is Epic usage, common in Trag. and found even in Attic prose, οὗ βραχεῖς ἀρκῶσι Thuc. 4. 17, οἵτινες νομίσωσι 4. 18, ᾧ μὴ ᾖ Plat. Phaedr. 247 B.

αὐθέντης φόνος , the murder of a kinsman; the most fearful pollution according to the Greek view: so much so that a sharp distinction was drawn (as here) between the murder of a husband (not an ὅμαιμος) and the murder of a mother.

mvp-sidgwick-114-1-1 I take the best suggestion, εἰργάσω (Wordsw.), out of many¹ for the corrupt MSS. reading ᾐρκέσω. It must be some word with simple meaning, like thou hast made despised and dishonoured (lit. of no value), to suit both ἄτιμα and παρ᾽ οὐδέν.

mvp-sidgwick-115-1-1 The Marriage of Zeus and Hera was the ἱερὸς γάμος, the sacred or ideal marriage: and "Hpa was called Τελεία, the Accomplisher, as marriage was a τέλος or accomplished rite.

mvp-sidgwick-116-1-1 For marriage ordained by Fate for man and woman is stronger than an Oath, and guarded by Justice. These fine lines containing an ideal of marriage as an indissoluble bond under the highest sanctions seem in advance of ordinary Greek thought and feeling on the subject; but we must remember that Aeschylus belongs to the older school, and one of the charges against the younger poets was that they lowered the ideal of marriage: and further that the immense care of the Athenian 1 ἧκέ σοι Η., ἤρκεσεν Musgr. Weil., ἡρμόσω Merk., ᾐδέσω Well., Hart. ἀρκέσει Bothe; these are the better ones. B law for legitimacy, and the excessive seclusion of women, point in the same direction. [Weck. reads κτείνουσι συλλέκτρους: ingenious.]

mvp-sidgwick-117-1-1 MSS. read τὸ μὴ γενέσθαι, which must be wrong. The neatest emendation is Meineke's (adopted by Hart. Weil. Dind.) τίνεσθαι, to punish, which I have taken. The word is usually employed of the injured man punishing the wrong-doer, and means properly to get payment (middle): but it is not a great stretch to use it of the Furies who are personally interested in the penalty, and may be said to get payment. Of the other numerous corrections only Wakefield's μέλεσθαι need be mentioned. ἐποπτεύειν, look down on them: the proper word for a god's visitation or guidance :

καί σ᾽ ἐποπτεύων θεός
Cho. 1063 ,
θεοὺς ἄνωθεν γῆς ἐποπτεύειν ἄχη
Ag. 1579 ,
πατρῷ᾽ ἐποπτεύων κράτη
Cho. 1 , etc.

ἐνθυμουμένην , taking to heart.

πράσσουσαν ἡσυχαιτέραν , ' more remiss in act, the adj. by a common poetic variation for adv. with verb. Somewhat similarly in prose σχολαῖος, χρόνιος, ἄσμενος, etc., are used adverbially.

δίκας ἐποπτεύσει , shall watch the pleadings, i. e. direct the trial.' δίκαι plural is usually pleas of right, not vengeance. So

δίκας κλύοντες
Ag. 813 , hearing the cause :
κραίνετε δίκας
Cho. 462 ,
ὑστάτας δίκας
Suppl. 230 , the last trial.

δ᾽ οὖν , well then, impatient and contemptuous. So Prom. 935

ὁ δ᾽ οὖν ποιείτω. τίθου
( put or make for yourself, middle), get. πλέω must be read for MSS. πλέον. In Ag. 1299 we have the opposite blunder of the copyist, χρόνῳ πλέω for χρόνον πλέω: mistakes constantly arising from terminations being erroneously assimilated.

mvp-sidgwick-122-1-1 The Chorus understand Apollo to threaten, and they proudly defend their privileges.

ὥστε , 202.

mvp-sidgwick-124-1-1 No need to alter πάρ into παρά (Porson): both the rhythm and the Epic use are like Aeschylus.

δίκας μέτειμι τόνδε , i.e. I will sue for justice on him; δίκας being a rather strange sort of internal acc., the δίκαι or pleadings shewing the nature of the pursuit; see line 224. The phrase implies. that the Eumenides are going to submit to a trial: δίκην μέτειμι τόνδε would mean simply I will visit vengeance on his head. μέτειμι and μετελθεῖν are used with three kinds of accusatives, the trial or vengeance, the crime, and the criminal. Here we have trial and criminal:

μετῆλθόν σ᾽ αἷμα
Eur. Or. 423 (crime and criminal): so
ἁρπαγὰς μετήλθετ᾽ Ἰλίου πόλιν
Eur. Cycl. 280 : Ag. 1666 (criminal only), Cho. 996 (crime only). *

εἰ προδῶ , Epic use of eἰ with subj. So

εἰ κρανθῇ πρᾶγμα
Suppl. 91 ,
μηδ᾽ εἰ στράτευμα πλεῖον ᾖ
Pers. 791 ,
εἰ μὴ τοῖον τύχῃ
Supp. 400 . [Apollo retires : and the Chorus leave the stage. Then the scene is changed to Athens: the temple of Athena Polias on the Acropolis: Orestes enters and kneels as a suppliant before the statue of Athena in the front.] This change of scene, being from one temple to another, would only require the alteration of the side scenes or περίακτοι. These were prismatic or three-sided scenes which were turned round to exhibit different surroundings: rather a primitive device. The altar and temple would remain; only the statues would have to be changed (242). [235-243. SCENE II, Part 1. Orestes prays for protection.]

προστρόπαιον , guilty here: see note on l. 41

. ἀφοίβαντον, uncleansed, from φοῖβος, bright (of course here with reference to the god). (Theocr. uses φοιβάω, to cleanse, later writers φοιβάζω : and φοιβαίνω is found in lexicographers.)

mvp-sidgwick-128-1-1 Orestes by a bold figure is said to be blunted and worn away, when what the poet really means is that the guilt is blunted and worn. In English we must say so. πρός, the light ending, where the sentence is broken in the most closely bound phrase, is rare in Aeschylus, though common enough in Sophocles : e.g. ἢ κατεῖχε τὸν | νέκυν: ἐὰν δέ τοι | ληφθῇ : τὸ γὰρ | πρᾶγμ᾽ οὔτ᾽ ἔδρασα: εἰ δὲ ταῦτα μὴ | φανεῖτε: παίσαντές τε καὶ | πληγέντες : all from Antigone. But there is no reason to suspect it.

mvp-sidgwick-129-1-1 The sentence begins very abruptly without connecting particle, so that many suspect corruption, and some (Prien. Pal.) attempt to cure it by reading l. 238

ἀλλ᾿ ἀμβλὺς ἤδη, προστετριμμένος τε and destroying stop at βροτῶν. Others make other alterations. But the antithesis οὐ προστροπαῖον . . . ἀλλ᾽ ἀμβλύς is very harsh: and the sentence inordinately long. The abruptness of ὅμοια χέρσον κ.τ.λ. does not seem impossible in the worn-out wanderer passionately seeking sanctuary. We have it again l. 242
.

mvp-sidgwick-129-2-1 [Orestes sinks down clasping the base of the statue. Enter the Chorus hunting the trail.]