Aeschylus Eumenides 916

861. ἐξελοῦσα , which has been immensely emended, is no doubt right: the idea is simply as though taking out the heart from fighting cocks and planting it in the citizens , establish civil war, etc. (the cock being the pugnacious bird who will fight with his own kin, and so an emblem of civil strife): only the rapidity of Aeschylus's style makes him compress the two last clauses into one.

864. οὐ . μόλις παρών (lit. ' coming not stintedly'), no scanty store: i. e. for foreign warfare, let us have plenty of it : but not civil dissension. So οὐ μόλις ἀπώλεσας Ag. 1082.

869. θεοφιλεστάτης , see 1. 805.

883. πολισσούχοι , see note on 1. 775.

887. σὺ δ᾽ οὖν μένοις ἄν , dramatic [if I persuade you], 'well then, abide.' [The dé in apodosis is originally Epic usage, common in the Poets: so Ag. 1061 εἰ δὲ μὴ δέχει λόγον, σὺ δ᾽ ἀντὶ φωνῆς, κ.τ.λ.]

890. γαμόρῳ: . Doric form for γεώμορος.

893. ἀπήμον' οἰζύος , gen. after neg. adj., a common use: a combination perhaps of gen. of reference with gen. of emptiness or separation. So ἄπαππον πυρός Ag. 311, ἀμήνιτον θεῶν ib. 649, ἄσκευον ἀσπίδων Soph. Εl. 36, ἀψύφητος κωκυμάτων Αί. 321, etc.

894. καὶ δὴ δέδεγμαι , lit. 'there now, I have received,' dramatic particles used idiomatically when a case is put or supposed 'suppose I have accepted,' 'say now, I consent:' so καὶ δὴ οὔτις ἂν δέξαιτ᾽ Cho. 565, καὶ δὴ τεθνᾶσι Eur. Med. 386, καὶ δὴ παρεῖκεν Hel. 1059.

895. ὡς . for ὥστε, as often, see 36.

897. ξυμφοράς , ‘the fortunes,' used neutrally, without a bad meaning.

897. γάρ is 'yes, for,' as often in dialogue. So 1. 899.

903. ἐπίσκοπα , such as look to, hath regard to no dishonourable victory; a vivid word for befit. The word is similarly used Cho. 126 εὐχὰς πατρῴων δωμάτων ἐπισκόπους, Aias 976 ἄτης τῆσδ᾽ ἐπίσκοπον μέλος.

907. ἐπίρρυτον , abundantly, predicative adj.

912. ἀπένθητον , predicative.

913. σοὔστι , the regular crasis for σοὶ ἐστί. τῶν ἀρειφάτων . . . πόλιν, and in the glorious strife of war I shall not suffer but that my city shall be honoured among men as victorious.

913. ἀγώνων is gen. of respect, put provisionally at the beginning and depending ultimately on ἀστύνικον.

913. τιμᾶν , active according to Greek idiom: they say, I shall not allow but that [people] shall honour my city: we say, 'I shall not allow my city to be unhonoured.'

916. Παλλάδος ξυνοικίαν , i. e. to dwell with Pallas.

918. ῎Αρης . is specially mentioned, no doubt because of the Areiopagos, the scene of the latter half of the play.

924. ἐξαμβρῦσαι . (from ἐξαναβρύω used transitively) is Pauw's probable correction of the meaningless readings of MSS. It is adopted by H. Weil, Lin., Schütz. Well.

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

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 .

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.

mvp-comment-651-1 ἐκλέγουσα: Libri

, praeter Aug. qui habet. In scholiorum editione Robortelliana scriptum est . Sed in M. neque lemma est, et scriptum . Frustra tueri conatus est Wieselerus. Neque recte ego scripseram. Vera est haud dubie Musgravii emendatio, , atque ad hanc ipsam lectionem pertinet fortasse explicatio illa, . Activum est etiam in Sept. c. Th. v. 690. , fervefecerunt enim animi aestum dirae Oedipi. Eur. Cycl. v. 392. . Conf. Lob. ad Ai. p. 92.

mvp-comment-652-1 ἐν τοῖς ἐμοῖς ἀστοῖσιν ἱδρύσῃς Ἄρη:

Victorius, et sic Ven. Flor. M. Par. Aug. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. Deinde , sed ultima littera in mutata, Μ. Aug. Par. G. Ald. Turn. Rob. Ven. Flor. Farn. et sic Victorius. scribendum esse vidit Stephanus.

mvp-comment-653-1 ἀλλήλους:

G. Ald. unde Turn. Ceteri recte .

mvp-comment-654-1 οὐ μόλις παρών: Libri

. Scholiastae interpretatio est . Videtur legisse. Certe ita scribendum puto: foris sit bellum, aut brevi spatio remotum, in quo magnus erit gloriae amor. Significatur autem pugna Marathonia. V. Opusc. VI. 2. p. 108.

mvp-comment-655-1 ἔσται:

. Par. Ceteri recte .

mvp-comment-656-1 οὐ λέγω: V. ad Pers. v. 757.

, dictam nolo. Ag. v. 938. . Soph. Εl. ν. 1466. .

mvp-comment-657-1 κατά τε γᾶν οἰκεῖν:

Μ. G. Rob. Aug. Ven. Flor. Ald. Turn.

mvp-comment-658-1 ἀτίετον μῖσος:

G. Ald. Turn. M. Rob. Aug. Ven. Flor.

mvp-comment-659-1 NA:

hic libri non habent.

mvp-comment-660-1 οἰοῖ, δᾶ. φεῦ, φεῦ:

M. Rob. Aug. G. Ald. Turn. Ven. Flor.

mvp-comment-661-1 ὑποδύεται ... πλευράς:

Rob. Alterum non habent libri. Omnes hic .

mvp-comment-662-1 τιμᾶν ἀμᾶν θεῶν:

M. Aug. Ald. Rob. Turn. G. Ven. Flor. Farn.

mvp-comment-663-1 δόλοι:

, ut videtur, M. Aug. Rob. G. Ald. Ven. Flor. Turn.

mvp-comment-664-1 καμοῦμαι:

Ven. Flor. Farn.

mvp-comment-665-1 πολισσούχων:

error Ald. Inde Turn.

mvp-comment-666-1 NA: Ita haec construenda sunt,

.

mvp-comment-667-1 μένοις:

, supra adscripto , G.

mvp-comment-668-1 θέλεις:

Aug. G. Ven. Flor. Ald. Rob. Τurn. , supra adscripto , Μ. Farn.

mvp-comment-669-1 οὐτἂν:

Wellauerus. Libri .

mvp-comment-670-1 ἐπιρρέποις:

Μ. Aug. Rob. Turn. G. Ald. Ven. Flor. Farn. Rob.

mvp-comment-671-1 κότον τιν᾽:

G. Ald. sed in G. ex factum est. inde fecit Turn. Ceteri recte vel .

mvp-comment-672-1 τῆσδε γαμόρῳ:

recte Dobraeus. (vel ) M. Par. Aug. G. Ven. Flor. Rob. Farn. Turn.

mvp-comment-673-1 φῂς:

Ald. Turn. Μ. Ven. Flor. G. Ald. Rob.

mvp-comment-674-1 ἔχειν:

Elmsleius in Mus. Cantabr. II. p. 303. Non opus.

mvp-comment-675-1 οἰζύος:

G. Ald. Turn. Rob. et reliqui, ut videtur.

mvp-comment-676-1 δέχου:

Ald.

mvp-comment-677-1 σύ:

in G. ex factum.

mvp-comment-678-1 καὶ δὴ δέδεγμαι:

, fac me accipere. V. ad Vig. adn. 331.

mvp-comment-679-1 ὡς μή τιν':

Ald.

mvp-comment-680-1 εὐθενεῖν:

Scaliger. Μ. Par. Aug. G. Ven. Flor. Farn. Ald. Turn. Rob. V. Lob. Phryn. p. 466.

mvp-comment-681-1 σέβοντι:

Ald.

mvp-comment-682-1 καί μοι πρὸ παντὸς:

pro Par. Deinde recte Abreschius. Aug. G. et fortasse M. reliqui.

mvp-comment-683-1 θήσει: Denique libri

vel .

mvp-comment-684-1 ἔξεστι:

Ven. Flor. Turn. Μ. G. Ald. Rob.

mvp-comment-685-1 τοιγὰρ:

G. Ven. Flor. Ald. M. Rob. Turn.

mvp-comment-686-1 ἐπικτήσει:

Aug. Ceteri vel .

mvp-comment-687-1 τί οὖν μ᾽: Libri

, nisi quod est in G. Porsonus scripsit. Possis . V. ad Sept. c. Th. v. 190.

mvp-comment-688-1 ἐφυμνῆσαι:

G. Ald. sed in G. ad supra scriptum est. Turn. Ceteri recte .

mvp-comment-689-1 νείκης: Post

puncto distinguunt G. Ald. Rob. Notam interrogationis in quibusdam libris haberi quum dicit Stephanus, has ipsas editiones videtur intelligere. Deinde libri . Frustra fuerunt qui id defendere conati sunt. Scribendum erat, ut in adnotatione ad Soph. Ai. v. 976. dixi, . Opta quae bonae contentionis, non, qualis ante tua fuerat rixa, malae provida sint. enim idem est quod , ut in Sophoclis versu, . Vocabulo usus est Aeschylus Ag. v. 1338. et, ut videtur, Choeph. v. 593.

mvp-comment-690-1 βοτῶν: Libri

. Emendavit Stanleius. Expressi videntur ex hoc loco versus esse, quos propterea Ennio adscribimus, apud Ciceronem Tusc. Q. I. 28. quorum mentio etiam fit de or. III. 38.

mvp-comment-691-1 εὐθενοῦντα:

Turn. M. G. Ald. Rob. Aug. Ven. Flor. et supra adscripto Farn.

mvp-comment-692-1 σωτηρίαν: Accusativus

refertur, ut omnia in his versibus, ad id quod v. 889. chorus dixerat.

mvp-comment-693-1 δυςσεβούντων:

omittunt Ven. Flor. Farn.

mvp-comment-694-1 ἐκφορωτέρα:

G. Ald.

mvp-comment-695-1 NA: Hunc et sequentem versum choro tribuunt Ven. Flor. Farn. Rob.

mvp-comment-696-1 φιτυποίμενος:

Lobeckius Paralip. p. 195. G. Ven. Flor. Ald. Turn. M. Aug. Rob. et in Aug. quidem super duo puncta (:) apposita sunt, quibus etiam alibi incerta scriptura indicatur. Asteriscum eodem fine adiecit in extremo versu Rob.

mvp-comment-697-1 τοιαῦτα σοὔστι: Hic rursus

praefixum in Ven. Flor. Farn. Rob. Chori nota in G. Ald. Porsonus. Μ. Aug. Ven. Flor. Rob. G. Αld. Turn.

mvp-comment-698-1 πρεπτῶν:

Ven. et, ut videtur, Flor. Farn.

mvp-comment-699-1 ἀγώνων:

Ald.

mvp-comment-700-1 οὐκ:

pro Ven. in fine versus omittunt Ven. Flor. Farn.

mvp-comment-701-1 τήνδ᾽ ἀστύνικον:

G. Ald. Turn.

mvp-comment-702-1 νέμει:

Rob. Ven. Flor. Farn.

mvp-comment-703-1 ῥυσίβωμον:

G. Ald. Turn.

mvp-comment-704-1 ᾧ τ᾽:

Turn. M. G. Aug. Rob. Ald. , ut videtur, Ven. Flor. Farn.

mvp-comment-705-1 ἐπισσύτους ... ὀνησίμους:

G. Ald. unde fecit Turn. M. Aug. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. et, ut Franzius ait, Flor. ex quo Linwoodius affert. , omisso , Ven. Farn. Adscriptum in Ven. Flor. ( Flor.) ( Flor.) .

mvp-comment-706-1 ἐξαμβρῦσαι: Hi duo versus omissi in Aug.

M. G. Ald. Turn. Rob. Ven. Flor. Farn. Adscriptum in Farn. Probabilis est Pauwii emendatio, , quamquam non videtur inveniri aliud aoristi primi huius verbi exemplum. De activo v. Lob. ad Αi. p. 93.

mvp-comment-707-1 δυςαρέστους:

Ald.

mvp-comment-708-1 κατανασσαμένη:

Αld.

mvp-comment-709-1 ὁ δὲ μὴ κύρσας βαρέων τούτων οὐκ οἶδεν ὅθεν πληγαὶ βιότου προςέπαισαν: Libri

. Multa mirabilia de his versibus prolata sunt. Non discedendum esse putavi ab ea sententia, quam in Opusc. VI. 2. Ρ. 109. seqq. exposui. Itaque scripsi Excidisse enim aliquid, quo paroemiacus explebatur, antisystema docet. Aptum autem videtur . Sic dicuntur Ag. ν. 332. et Prom. v. 887. Neque tantum , sed etiam antiquior verbi forma cum nomine vel participio iungi potest, ut in Soph. Oed. Col. v. 1159. . Sententiarum nexus hic est, hae enim deae omnia quae ad homines pertinent administrant: si quis autem non commisil delictum, is nescit unde affligatur: nam priorum peccata his eum tradunt, et tacitum exilium etiam magna sonantem (i. e. superbientem et de felicitate sua gloriantem) pessumdat.

mvp-comment-710-1 ἀπλακήματά νιν:

Pauwius. Μ. Par. Aug. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. , omisso , Ven. (sic Ven. teste Bekkero) Flor. et, ut videtur, Farn.

mvp-comment-711-1 σιγῶν δ᾽ ὄλεθρος: Libri

, nisi quod est in Ald. Scribendum erat . Nam quod sequitur non est et, sed etiam, omninoque qui poeticae dictionis naturam et vim norit, non dubitabit quin addi post debeat.

mvp-comment-712-1 μέγα φωνοῦντ᾽:

G. Ald. unde Turn. , omisso τ'.

mvp-comment-263-1 οὐ μόλις παρών] “Let war be far from us, but let it come without stint (to him) in whom there shall be a strong love of glory' (not to us, who prefer peace). She adds, she will not speak of fighting-cocks, because the omen is a bad one. K. O. Müller thinks the poet meant to commend foreign conquest as an antidote to civil discord. In the former case, θυραῖος is a predicate, let war be far from you. Others understood by foreign war a war with Persia.

mvp-comment-264-1 πρὸς νεωτέρας] Cf. v. 775. The goddesses must not think they are slighted by Athena and her citizens, or banished from the land, when they have an abode offered them in it with all honour. Stay, says Athena, if you will listen to my advice. But if you do not choose to stay, it would be unjust to cause mischief to this country, since the option rests with yourself ( ἔξεστι γὰρ, ν. 850). Schol.

mvp-comment-265-1 ἁγνόν] Perhaps ἁγνῆς, ‘if you have any respect for holy Persuasion, or for the eloquence of the Virgin- Goddess.

mvp-comment-266-1 τίνα κ.τ.λ.] There is a pause for deliberation. The nature of the new abode, its privileges, and the guaranty for their endurance, are points of inquiry before the final acceptance.

mvp-comment-267-1 καὶ δή] Suppose then I do accept it. Eur. Med. 386

mvp-comment-268-1 εὐθενεῖν] Scaliger for εὐ σθένειν. Cf. inf. 868, 904, Hesych.

mvp-comment-269-1 σὺ τοῦτο πράξεις] ‘Will you secure for me the possession of so much power? - Yes, by directing aright the fortunes of those who worship you,' i.e. who act by the dictates of conscience.

mvp-comment-270-1 πρὸ παντός] See on v. 799.

mvp-comment-271-1 ἔξεστι μὴ λέγειν] ‘It is in my power not to say (unless I choose) what I do not intend to perform.' The sense is, I would not say it unless I meant it.

mvp-comment-272-1 θέλξειν] It seems that you will bind me by the spell of your eloquence.' A word technically used of sorcery and magic art.

mvp-comment-273-1 ἐπικτήσει] • You will get new friends.' So v. 641, καὶ τόνδ᾽ ἐπικτήσαιο σύμμαχον, and in the phrase γῆ ἐπίκτητος. a

mvp-comment-274-1 Hesych.

The meaning is obscure. Possibly Fossibly there is an hyperthesis of μὴ, which, with the conjectural reading νείκηs, gives good sense, sing not songs that have for their aim and purport mischievous contentions (the ballad-songs of rival factions), but the blessings of good seasons. But νίκη κακή occurs in Theb. 713 , and a not dishonourable victory may have some political significance not known to us. There is some probability that one or more verses have been lost.

mvp-comment-275-1 βοτῶν] Stanley for βροτῶν. See Suppl. 670 seqq.

mvp-comment-276-1 σωτηρίαν] See v. 631.

mvp-comment-277-1 ἐκφορωτέρα] The meaning seems to be, μᾶλλον ἔκφορος, - may you more than ever get rid of the impious. The metaphor, as it appears from what follows, is from removing rubbish from plantations. The superlative έπιφορώτατος occurs Cho. 798 .

mvp-comment-278-1 ἀπένθητον] spared from mourning. Cf. Agam. 868 .

mvp-comment-279-1 ἀγώνων] The term may include both contests at the great games (at which some Athenian had perhaps been lately successful), and the contests of war, in which Athens, under the patronage of the War-goddess, would prove to be ever superior. The first epithet seems to have an active sense, 'war-slaying, though the Homeric ἀρηίφατος means slain in war. ,

mvp-comment-280-1 καὶ Ζεύς] the Almighty Zeus also (as well as his daughter Athena). The fortified area of the Acropolis is appropriately called φρούριον, the garrison of the gods, and the deities' darling abode. See Thuc. 11. 15, 5 .

mvp-comment-281-1 πρευμενώς] They are now well-wishers,' Εύμενίδες.

mvp-comment-282-1 ἐξαμβράσαι, from ἐκβράσσω, οι ἐκβράζω, to cause to spring forth, is Prof. Scholefield's correction of ἐξαμβρόσαι. Such an aorist however has no early authority in its favour, and the true reading is very uncertain. See Veitch, Gr. Verbs, p. 142.

mvp-comment-283-1 τάδ' ἐγὼ κ.τ.λ.] This is what I do in kindly regard to my citizens, by causing these powerful and hardlyappeased deities to take up their abode here.' She means, this is my part in the transaction, viz. successfully employing my eloquence, sup. 845.

mvp-comment-284-1 βαρέων] Supply λαχέων from ἔλαχον. 'He who has not met with a hard lot in life (who has not gained wisdom by misfortune, Ag. 169 ) has yet to learn the great truth, that ancestral crime, as well as actual sins committed, are often the secret causes of woe. —προσέπαισαν is supplied on Hermann's conjecture.

mvp-comment-285-1 βλάβα] See on v. 254.

mvp-comment-312-1 τῶν ἐνοικούντων πολιτῶν, ὁ ἐστιν

mvp-comment-313-1 ὁ Περσικός. οὐ μακράν. ὁμόφυλον πόλεμον.

mvp-comment-314-1 τὸ ἑξῆς, πρὸς νεωτέρας ἐμοῦ καὶ πολισσούχων βροτῶν θεὸς παλαιὰ ἄτιμος ἔρρειν.

mvp-comment-315-1 εἰ πείθηι τῶι μειλίγματι τῆς ἐμῆς γλώσσης, παράμεινον καὶ τῶν καταλεχθέντων ἀγαθῶν μεταλάμβανε· εἰ δὲ μὴ πείθηι, ἴσθι μὴ βλάψουσα πόλιν.

mvp-comment-428-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 306

mvp-comment-428-2 Kommos, Aussöhnung der gekränkten und tief ergrimmten Erinyen durch die begütigenden Worte der Athena. Der Chor singt zwei Strophen, die er als Antistrophen wiederholt. Jeder Strophe und Antistrophe folgen 13 Verse der Athena, wornach die Partie mit 12 Versen Stichomythie und 12 Versen einer ῥῆσις der Athena abgeschlossen wird. Vgl. zu Ag. 1435 .

mvp-comment-462-1 ¹

mvp-comment-462-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 311

mvp-comment-462-3 ἐκζέουσα (Schol. ἀναπτερώ σασα) transitiv wie Sept. 696

(fervefecerunt enim animi aestum dirae Oedipi), Eur. Kykl. 392

καὶ χάλκεον λέβητ᾽ ἐπέζεσεν πυρί

. — ἐκζέουσα ὡς καρδίαν ἀλεκτόρων ist kurz gesagt für ἐκζέουσα καρδίαν ἀστῶν ὡς κ. ἀλ. Ζυ ἀλεκτόρων bemerkt der Schol. :

μάχιμον γὰρ τὸ ὄρνεον, τῶν τε ἄλλων ζῴων τὸ συγγενὲς αἰ δουμένων μόνος οὐ φείδεται

. Vgl. Pind. Ol. 12, 20 ἐνδομάχας ἅτ᾽ ἀλέκτωρ, Varro de re rust. III 9 sunt enim galli in certamine pertinaces.. et ad proeliandum inter se maxime idonei.

mvp-comment-463-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 311

mvp-comment-463-2 Hom. I 63

.

mvp-comment-464-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 311

mvp-comment-464-2 οὐ μόλις: zu Ag. 1066 . οὐ μόλις παρών (,,er ist schon im Augenblick gegenwärtig") ist eine Nebenbemerkung, bei welcher nicht Athena, sondern der athenische Dichter oder besser gesagt Interpolator spricht (,, weg mit inneren Zerwürfnissen, da der Krieg gegen den äufseren Feind in bedrohlichster Nähe steht").

mvp-comment-465-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 311

mvp-comment-465-2 οὐ λέγω, davon will ich nichts wissen (weg damit). Vgl. Soph. El. 1467 εἰ δ᾽ ἔπεστι νέμεσις, οὐ λέγω. Anders Ag. 862 , Cho. 987 .

mvp-comment-466-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 311

mvp-comment-466-2 τοιαῦτα bezieht sich zunächst auf das Vorhergehende (856 -859), wird aber durch εὖ δρῶσαν θεοφιλεστάτης noch einmal näher bestimmt. Θεοφιλεστάτης: das gottgeliebteste Land, weil es die Götter am meisten ehrt. Vgl. Soph. Oed. K. 260 τας Αθήνας φασὶ θεοσεβεστάτας εἶναι, Thuk. I 41 , Demosth. 20, 90 .

mvp-comment-467-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 312

mvp-comment-467-2 λέγουσα ταγαθά d. i. begütigend.

mvp-comment-468-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 312

mvp-comment-468-2 πρὸς νεωτέρας ἐμοῦ καὶ πολισσούχων βροτῶν (s. v. a. ἀστῶν) bei ἔρρειν, weil dieses passive Bedeutung hat. Vgl. auch zu οἰχνεῖν ἀτίετον 841 f. ἀπόξενος πέδου wie Ag. 1281 , Cho. 1040 , aber dort ,,aus diesem Lande verbannt in die Fremde", hier ,,von diesem Lande ungastlich weggewiesen."

mvp-comment-469-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 312

mvp-comment-469-2 Vgl. frg. 134 D. σέβας δὲ μηρῶν ἁγνὸν οὐκ ἐπῃδέσω, Soph. Oed. T. 830 ὦ θεῶν ἁγνὸν σέβας, Phil. 1289

, Eur. Kykl. 580

τὸ πᾶν τε δαιμόνων ἁγνὸν σέβας

. Nach diesem V. ist, wie Butler bemerkt hat, eine Lücke; zur Zahl 13 fehlen zwei Verse. Der Gedanke ist:,,so dürfte meiner Zunge erweichende Besänftigung hinreichend sein dich zu überreden."

mvp-comment-470-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 312

mvp-comment-470-2 σὺ δ᾽ οὖν μένοις ἄν: diese Worte führen nur zu dem neuen Gedanken über; es könnte auch heifsen: μάλιστα μὲν οὖν μένοις ἄν· εἰ δὲ μὴ κτἑ. Den Imperativ wie er 226 σὺ δ᾽ οὖν δίωκε, Eur Herc. 726 σὺ δ᾽ οὖν ἔθ᾽· ἔρχῃ δ᾽ οἱ χρεών, Rhes. 868 σὺ δ᾽ οὖν νόμιζε ταῦτ᾽, ἐπείπερ σοι δοκεῖ steht, vertritt hier der Potentialis.

mvp-comment-470-3 ²

mvp-comment-471-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 312

mvp-comment-471-2 ἐπιρρέποις: zu Ag. 261 . Während πόλει zu ἐπιρρέποις gehört, steht croata in engerer Verbindung mit μῆνιν .. βλάβην.

mvp-comment-471-3 ³

mvp-comment-472-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 312

mvp-comment-472-2 δικαίως d. i. vollberechtigte Besitzerin zu sein. - Für τιμωμένῃ hat es vielleicht ursprünglich - παμένῃ (d. i. κεκτημένῃ τὴν χθόνα) geheifsen.

mvp-comment-473-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 313

mvp-comment-473-2 ἀπήμον' οἰξύος: vgl. zu 353 f. und Soph. Oed. K. 786 nanov äv ατος, 1514 γήρως ἄλυπα, El. 1002 ἄλυπος ἄτης, frg. 182 ἄλυπον ἄνθος ἀνίας. Sophokles hat diese Redeweise besonders ausgebildet (apóφητος ὀξέων κωκυμάτων, ἄσκευος ἀσπίδων, ἀνήνεμος χειμώνων, ἄφωνος ἀρᾶς u. a.).

mvp-comment-474-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 313

mvp-comment-474-2 καὶ δή: zu Cho. 563 .

mvp-comment-475-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 313

mvp-comment-475-2 D. h. dafs dein Segen vor allem zum Gedeihen eines Hauses nötig ist.

mvp-comment-476-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 313

mvp-comment-476-2 συμφορὰς ὀρθώσομεν, wir werden seine Lebensschicksale so leiten, dafs seinen Unternehmungen Gelingen zu teil wird. Vgl. 838.

mvp-comment-477-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 313

mvp-comment-477-2 ,,Es ist mir ja gestattet, nicht zu sagen was ich nicht erfüllen will" d. h.,,ich wüfste nicht, was mich veranlassen könnte etwas zu versprechen, was ich nicht zu halten gedenke." Soph. Oed. T. 1520

.

mvp-comment-478-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 313

mvp-comment-478-2 θέλγειν scheint angemessener, weil der Vorgang der Gegenwart angehört. Gern steht zwar bei ona das Fut., aber auch das Präsens wie Cho. 726 .

mvp-comment-479-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 313

mvp-comment-479-2 τοιγάρ, zum Lohne (Danke) dafür. Weil vermutet τοιγὰρ κατᾷσον οὓς nach Hesych. κατῇσαι (d. i. κατᾶσαι)· κατακηλῆσαι, entsprechend dem folgenden ἐφυμνῆ σαι.

mvp-comment-480-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 313

mvp-comment-480-2 τί οὖν μ᾽ ἄνωγας ebenso Soph. Phil. 100 . Der Hiatus τί οὖν findet sich bei Äschylos auch Pers. 789 , Sept. 192 , 691, Suppl. 310 .

mvp-comment-481-1 ⁴

mvp-comment-481-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 313

mvp-comment-481-3 Was auf einen nicht unedlen Streit, wie der bisherige gewesen ist, was auf einen Wettstreit im Guten ( ἀγαθῶν ἔρις 976) abzielt." Soph. Oed. T. 879 tò nalõs δ᾽ ἔχον πόλει πάλαισμα μήποτε λύσαι θεὸν αὐτοῦμαι, wie Hesiod. W. u. T. 24 von der κακὴ ἔρις die ἀγαθὴ ἔρις unterscheidet, den edlen Wettstreit in Kunst und Arbeit. ἐπίσκοπα νείκης wie Soph. Ai. 976

(Schol. ἐστοχασμένον) μέλος. Aus

mvp-comment-482-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 313

mvp-comment-482-2 Und dieses wünsche sowohl von der Erde her (d. h. dafs es von der Erde her zu teil werde)" u. s. w. Für „,und von den Winden her tritt ein eigener Satz ἀήματα ἀνέμων ἐπιστείχειν ein. dieser Stelle leitet Hermann das bei Cicero Tusc. I 28 erhaltene Fragment eines römischen Dichters (also wohl der Eumen. des Ennius) ab: Caelum nitescere (non intermittit suo tempore geht im Text voraus), arbores frondescere, Vites laetificae pampinis pubescere, Rami bacarum ubertate incurvescere, Se- getes largiri fruges, florere omnia, Fontes scatere, herbis prata convestirier.

mvp-comment-482-3 ⁵

mvp-comment-483-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 314

mvp-comment-483-2 σωτηρίαν scil. ἐφύμνησον.

mvp-comment-484-1 ⁶

mvp-comment-484-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 314

mvp-comment-484-3 Der Gottlosen Saat aber möge ausgejätet werden.

mvp-comment-485-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 314

mvp-comment-485-2 τὸ τῶν δικαίων γένος ἀπέν θητον τῶνδε, ungetrübt und ungestört von diesen (den Gottlosen). Man erwartet aber einen Ausdruck, der von der Gärtnerei entlehnt ist: vielleicht hat es ἀπανθιστὸν γάνος geheifsen d. i. ,die Zier der Gerechten von diesen weggepflückt" für diese aus dem prangenden Beet der Gerechten ausgepflückt." Vgl. Hom. η 128 πρασιαι .. ἐπηετανὸν γανόωσαι.

mvp-comment-486-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 314

mvp-comment-486-2 τῶν ἀρειφάτων ἀγώνων von kriegerischen blutigen Kämpfen. Bei Homer sind ἀρηίφατοι solche, die in der Schlacht getötet werden. Vgl. ἀρείφατοι φόνοι Eur. Suppl. 603 , auch ἀρείφατον λῆμα Aesch. frg. 146 D. πρεπτῶν, in denen man sich auszeichnen kann (bei Homer μάχῃ ἐνὶ κυδιανείρῃ). Wenn es auch Plat. Prot. 323 A ἅπαντος ἀνδρὸς ἀνέχονται heifst, so ist immerhin in der Redensart ἀνέχεσθαί τί τινος der Gen. von τ, nicht von ἀνέχεσθαι abhängig: ,,von den kriegerischen ruhmreichen Kämpfen werde ich es mir nicht gefallen lassen, dafs sie nicht diese Stadt als siegreich ehren." ἀστύνίκον: zu 37.

mvp-comment-486-3 ⁷

mvp-comment-487-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 314

mvp-comment-487-2 Kommos. Der Chor erfleht oder weissagt alles Gute (Wachstum und Gedeihen der Früchte und Herden Gesundheit des Volkes und bürgerliche Eintracht Wohlwollen und Segen der Götter) für Athen und wird darob von Athena belobt und geehrt. · ξυνοικίαν: zu 836.

mvp-comment-488-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 314

mvp-comment-488-2 καὶ entspricht nicht dem folgenden τέ, sondern heifst,,auch, sogar".

mvp-comment-489-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 314

mvp-comment-489-2 φρούριον θεῶν, insofern sie ein die Altäre der Götter schützendes Kleinod der Hellenen" ist. Diesen Ruhm hat sich Athen eigentlich erst durch die Perserkriege erworben, weil nach der Vorstellung der Griechen die Perser es auf die Altäre und Tempel der griechischen Götter abgesehen hatten. Vgl. Pers. 811 f. , Herod. VII 109 .

mvp-comment-490-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 315

mvp-comment-490-2 άτε κι ἐξαμβοῦσαι: ihr möge der Sonne glänzender Strahl aus der Erde reichen Segen des Lebensunterhalts hervorquellen lassen. ἐπίσσυτος ist gebraucht wie ἐπίρρυτος 908, wenn nicht nach Meinekes Vermutung ἐπιρρύτους zu schreiben ist. Unter βίου .. ὀνησίμους sind, wie das Folgende zeigt, gesegnete Ernten und reichliche Erträgnisse des Bodens zu verstehen; es steht also ẞiov im Sinne von βιότου wie frg. 41 D. μήλων τε βοσκὰς καὶ βίον Δημήτριον. — ἐξαναβρῦσαι transitiv wie auch βρύω gebraucht wird. Vgl. Lobeck zu Soph. Ai. p. 932 .

mvp-comment-491-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 315

mvp-comment-491-2 πράσσω αὐτοῦ κατανασ σαμένη, erwirke ich dadurch, dafs ich sie hier Wohnung zu nehmen bestimmt babe. Den aktiven Aor. κατένασσα braucht in der Bedentung,,ansiedeln" Hesiod W. u. T. 166, Theog. 329, 620.

mvp-comment-492-1 ⁸

mvp-comment-492-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 315

mvp-comment-492-3 Denjenigen, der sich ihrer Huld nicht erfreut, treffen unversehens Schläge des Unglücks. χαροπός mit hell und freudig strahlendem Blicke.

mvp-comment-493-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 315

mvp-comment-493-2 Vgl. Cho. 401 ff.

mvp-comment-494-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 315

mvp-comment-494-2 σιγῶν als Gegensatz zu μέγα φωνοῦντα, um das κάλλος και κῶν ὕπουλον, die Ironie, mit welcher hinter dem laut prahlenden Glanze das Verderben lauert, zu bezeichnen. Ζυ μέγα φωνοῦντα ( μεγαλαυχοῦντα) vgl. μεγάλης γλώσ σης κόμπους Soph. Ant. 127 , μεγάλοι λόγοι ebd. 1349.

mvp-comment-495-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 315

mvp-comment-495-2 ἐχθραῖς ὀργαῖς von den Erinyen übertragen.

ἐξελοῦσα , which has been immensely emended, is no doubt right: the idea is simply as though taking out the heart from fighting cocks and planting it in the citizens , establish civil war, etc. (the cock being the pugnacious bird who will fight with his own kin, and so an emblem of civil strife): only the rapidity of Aeschylus's style makes him compress the two last clauses into one.

mvp-sidgwick-403-2-1 For the domestic broils of the cock see line 866: and Pindar, Ol. 12. 20 ἐνδομάχας ἀλέκτωρ.

οὐ . μόλις παρών (lit. coming not stintedly), no scanty store: i. e. for foreign warfare, let us have plenty of it : but not civil dissension. So

Ag. 1082 .

mvp-sidgwick-405-1-1 The sense is of home birds' battle I will have nought. οὐ λέγω, lit. I do not advise, or bid, is a μείωσις for I forbid. [The passage in Soph. El. 1466 which comm. quote is different.]

θεοφιλεστάτης , see l. 805

.

πολισσούχοι , see note on l. 775

.

mvp-sidgwick-408-1-1 The soothing and spell of my tongue is in apposition to the Majesty of Persuasion, Πειθοῦς σέβας. The whole sentence is in the imaginative grandiloquent style, and simply means if I can persuade you.

σὺ δ᾽ οὖν μένοις ἄν , dramatic [if I persuade you], well then, abide. [The dé in apodosis is originally Epic usage, common in the Poets: so Ag. 1061

]

γαμόρῳ: . Doric form for γεώμορος.

mvp-sidgwick-411-1-1 The change from lyrics to iambic dialogue on the part of the Chorus marks the progress of persuasion. They have left off mere lamentation and resentment, and begin to consider the offer. ἔχειν, I have, vivid use of present, for I am to have.

ἀπήμον' οἰζύος , gen. after neg. adj., a common use: a combination perhaps of gen. of reference with gen. of emptiness or separation. So

Ag. 311 ,

ἀμήνιτον θεῶν

ib. 649 , ἄσκευον ἀσπίδων Soph. Εl. 36, ἀψύφητος κωκυμάτων Αί. 321, etc.

καὶ δὴ δέδεγμαι , lit. there now, I have received, dramatic particles used idiomatically when a case is put or supposed suppose I have accepted, say now, I consent: so

Cho. 565 ,

καὶ δὴ τεθνᾶσι

Eur. Med. 386 ,

καὶ δὴ παρεῖκεν

Hel. 1059 .

ὡς . for ὥστε, as often, see 36.

ξυμφοράς , the fortunes, used neutrally, without a bad meaning.

γάρ is yes, for, as often in dialogue. So l. 899

.

mvp-sidgwick-416-1-1 It is open to me not to say, I have no need to say.

mvp-sidgwick-417-1-1 Weil ingeniously proposes κατᾶσον οὕς for κατὰ χθὸν᾽ οὖσ᾽, charm with a song those whose love thou shalt win, which leads up to the question in the next line. But the MSS. reading will stand; the gist of these lines being as follows ( ll. 898-903

):

Cho.

Will you promise it for ever?

Ath.

My word is enough.

Cho.

I think I will yield.

Ath.

Then you will be loved.

Cho.

[now appeased]‘What blessings do you bid me pray for?

mvp-sidgwick-418-1-1 To avoid the hiatus we could read (with Porson) τί μ᾽ οὖν; but MSS. all give τί οὖν ; here, and Pers. 787 , Theb. 704, 208:

Trach. 1203 ,

τι Ἅιδου

Ag. 1115 ,

τί ἔστι;

Pers. 693 : and the licence with τί is quite intelligible.

ἐπίσκοπα , such as look to, hath regard to no dishonourable victory; a vivid word for befit. The word is similarly used Cho. 126

Aias 976

ἄτης τῆσδ᾽ ἐπίσκοπον μέλος.

mvp-sidgwick-419-2-1 The νίκη is explained by ll. 864-866

: he means victory over foes, not in civil broils: and the next line extends it to all sort of prosperity.

mvp-sidgwick-420-1-1 'Ay, and that from earth, and watery sea, and heaven [all be blest], and gentle gales with fair sunshine blowing may pass o'er the land.' The rapidity in this fine and poetic passage again rather obscures the grammar, though not the sense: the fact is, he was going to say '[and pray] that from earth, sea, sky, and winds [all may prosper]:' but the clause about the winds is specially developed, and the sentence ends differently from what was intended.

ἐπίρρυτον , abundantly, predicative adj.

mvp-sidgwick-422-1-1 But the impious be more ready to weed out; the metaphor of ἔκφορος, carrying away, is probably from gardening, as the next line explains.

ἀπένθητον , predicative.

σοὔστι , the regular crasis for σοὶ ἐστί. τῶν ἀρειφάτων . . . πόλιν, and in the glorious strife of war I shall not suffer but that my city shall be honoured among men as victorious.

ἀγώνων is gen. of respect, put provisionally at the beginning and depending ultimately on ἀστύνικον.

τιμᾶν , active according to Greek idiom: they say, I shall not allow but that [people] shall honour my city: we say, I shall not allow my city to be unhonoured.

Παλλάδος ξυνοικίαν , i. e. to dwell with Pallas.

῎Αρης . is specially mentioned, no doubt because of the Areiopagos, the scene of the latter half of the play.

mvp-sidgwick-427-1-1 There is a fine boldness about the expressions which Aeschylus uses for Athens, 'the fortress of the gods..., the glory of the Powers of Greece, the saviour of their altars;' an imaginative rendering of the favourite idea of the piety' of Athens ll. 805, 869

.

mvp-sidgwick-428-1-1 This prayer closely follows Athena's suggestion ll. 906-908

, 'that the bright sunshine make to blossom up from the earth the blessings of life in plenty.' ἐπισσύτους (lit. rushing on, used of the springs of tears, Ag. 887 , and of the throes of vain sorrow, Ag. 1150 ) corresponds to ἐπίρρυτον l. 907

.

ἐξαμβρῦσαι . (from ἐξαναβρύω used transitively) is Pauw's probable correction of the meaningless readings of MSS. It is adopted by H. Weil, Lin., Schütz. Well.

κατανασσαμένη , middle, housing in my city. ll. 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.

mvp-sidgwick-430-2-1 We must take therefore some emendation like ἱλαρῶν (Weil.), χαροπῶν (Weck.), τῶνδ᾽ εὐμενέων (Hart.): of which I have preferred the former. βαρέων will perhaps have arisen from confusion of β- and ιλ-: or perhaps from a gloss. Another question arises about the metre. Hermann, followed by most edd. (Lachm. Franz. Pal. Hart. Merkel. Weil.), has assumed that Athena's anapaestic stanzas, which alternate with the lyrics, correspond. There are five such stanzas: the three middle ones (at ll. 949, 968, 988

) are all the same length: and the first and the last would be exactly equal, if after βιύτου we read some words like προσέπαισαν (H.). The practice is not uniform: thus in the κομμός in the Choephoroi the anapaestic alternating stanzas do not correspond, though roughly about the same length: on the other hand in Agamemnon (11. 1448-1577) the anapaests do correspond.

mvp-sidgwick-430-3-1 It is on the whole more probable that the latter is the case here: and I have accordingly adopted H.'s προσέπαισαν.

mvp-sidgwick-430-4-1 The sense then is, He who finds them not propitious is stricken with calamities he knows not whence: and μὴ ἱλαρῶν κύρσας is really a euphemism for offended.

mvp-sidgwick-431-1-1 Note the effective antithesis between the silence of the ruin and the loud boasts of the unfortunate man.