Aeschylus Eumenides 949

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.

939. χάριν , ‘boon,' blessing .

945. γόνος δ᾽ ἀεὶ πλουτόχθων , and ever may the earths rich produce .' The bold compound πλουτόχθων is very Aeschylean. The reference is not (as H. P.) to precious metals, of which Athena (whom the Chorus closely follows in their prayers) had made no mention, and to which γόνος would not be so suitable; but simply to the 'produce' in the ordinary sense.

945. δόσιν τίοι they clearly mean that out of their abundance they are to give thank-offerings to the bounteous gods.

947. ἑρμαίαν , for Hermes was the god of good luck (from Homer downwards, Ερμείας ἐφίλει καὶ κτῆσιν ὄπασσε Il. 14.491) : and a wind-fall or godsend was called ἕρμαιον.

950. ἐπικραίνει , brings to pass, vivid use of present, of a thing now promised.

953. διαπράσσουσιν ., intrans. plain and full is their accomplishment.

954. βίον ἀμβλωπὸν παρέχουσαι , ‘a life dimmed with tears,' a beautifully vivid metaphor. δακρύων is gen. of respect after adj. ἀμβλωπόν.

956. ἀνδροκμής , lit. bringing weariness to men,' here a euphemism for 'deadly, is a favourite word of Aeschylus, being found with μόχθος (above 1. 248), and πέλεκυς (Cho. 889), and λοιγός (Suppl. 680) in the same sense as here.

960. κύρια , ‘the rightful power;' the gods they appeal to being such powers as Ζεὺς τέλειος, Ἥρα, ᾿Αφροδίτη. See above 1. 214.

962. μητροκασιγνῆται , ‘sisters by one mother,' because the Fates (like the Furies 1. 322) were daughters of Night (Hes. Theog. 217 καὶ Μοίρας καὶ Κῆρας ἐγείνατο).

963. ὀρθονόμοι . [not ὀρθόνομοι from νόμος], the MSS. reading, from νέμω, assigning what is due.

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

965. ὁμιλίαις , ‘visitations.'

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-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-713-1 πνέοι: Similiter Herodotus III. 65. καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ποιεῦσι ὑμῖν γῆ τε καρπὸν ἐκφέροι καὶ γυναῖκές τε καὶ ποῖμναι τίκτοιεν, ἐοῦσι ἐς τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον ἐλευθέροισι. Aeschines in Ctesiph. §. 111. p. 502. καὶ ἐπεύχεται αὐτοῖς μήτε γῆν καρποὺς φέρειν, μήτε γυναῖκας τέκνα τίκτειν γονεῦσιν ἐοικότα, ἀλλὰ τέρατα, μήτε βοσκήματα κατὰ φύσιν γονὰς ποιεῖσθαι etc.

Ven. Flor.

mvp-comment-714-1 φλογμός τ' ὀμματοστερὴς φυτῶν, τὸ μὴ περᾶν ὅρον τόπων:

Flor. (ut Franzius ait) et Turn. , omisso τ', Ven. , sine τ', M. Aug. G. Ald. Rob. ex Par. a Faehsio et Linwoodio affertur. Deinde pro Rob. Putavi olim scribendum esse , id ut cum coniungeretur. Schoemanno in mutandum videtur, quae etiam Musgravii opinio fuit, atque sic scribendum, , ut idem sit quod . Id fieri nequit. Nam si , , nullo alio verbo addito de ea terra dicuntur, de qua sermo est, non continuo putandum est etiam ita dici posse. Verum esse videtur , neque quicquam mutandum in iis quae libri ita scripta habent, . Ardor oculos sive germina plantarum perdens, ut ne terminum locorum suorum transgrediantur, nihil aliud est, ut Schützius vidit, quam ardor qui oculos plantarum impedit quominus progerminent et efflorescant. Intelligendum est autem ex eo quod sequitur .

mvp-comment-715-1 αἰανὴς:

G.

mvp-comment-716-1 ἐφερπέτω:

Ven.

mvp-comment-717-1 εὐθενοῦντα γᾶ:

M. Aug. G. Turn. Ald. Rob. Ven. Flor. Farn. Recepi nunc Dobraei emendationem .

mvp-comment-718-1 διπλοῖσιν Stanleius, et sic Ven. Flor.

M. Aug. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. ἐμβρύοις: ex M. affertur.

mvp-comment-719-1 τρέφοι libri. Deinde τεταγμένῳ:

Ald. Denique γόνος omnes praeter Turn. qui scripsit. Apparet duas syllabas excidisse. Olim putabam scribendum esse etc. Nunc, recepta v. 931. Dobraei emendatione, scripsi etc. Ita Musgravius et, ut videtur, Pearsonus.

mvp-comment-720-1 πλουτόχθων ἑρμαίαν:

Ald. Scholiastes ὁ καρπὸς ὁ ἐκ γῆς πλουτίζων. Intelliguntur metalla: erant enim, ut notum est, aeris fodinae in Colono, argenti in Thorico et nobiliores in Laurio monte. Has significat Aeschylus etiam in Persis v. 236. . G.

mvp-comment-721-1 τίοι: M. Aug. Turn. et haud dubie Ven. Flor. Farn. Ald. sed in G. ultimae duae litterae punctis notatae et

supra scriptum. Rob.

mvp-comment-722-1 ἦ:

Ven.

mvp-comment-723-1 οἷ' ἐπικραίνει recte Pauwius, et ita Ven. atque, ut videtur, Flor.

M. G. Ald. ( , Rob.) Rob. Turn. et, ut puto, Aug. Idem vitium sublatum in Ag. v. 1300. γὰρ omittit Rob.

mvp-comment-724-1 Ἐρινὺς:

M. Par. G. Rob. Ven. Flor. Farn. Ald. Turn. παρά τ': Αld.

mvp-comment-725-1 διαπράσσουσιν: M. Par. Aug. G. Ven. Ald. Rob.

Flor. Turn.

mvp-comment-726-1 τοῖς δ᾽ αὖ δακρύων: Id est in Ald. Turn.

M. Par. G. Ven. Rob. et, ut Linwoodius ait, Flor. cui Franzius tribuit.

mvp-comment-727-1 ἀνδροκμῆτας:

Farn. Ven. Αld. ἀώρους: M. Aug. G. Ald. Turn. Rob. idque ex Ven. Flor. affertur.

mvp-comment-728-1 νεανίδων trisyllabum est.

adscriptum in Farn.

mvp-comment-729-1 βιότους:

Ven. Flor. Farn. Deinde κύρι᾽ ἔχοντες, θεαί τ᾽ ὦ Μοῖραι, ματροκασιγνῆται: Μ. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. Ven. Flor. Farn. Casaubonus et Stanleius . Alii . Scribendum puto , ut Parcae dicantur Furiarum , i. e. (ita enim hoc vocabulum hic explicandum esse videtur), autem intelligantur dii qui matrimoniis praesunt, qui sunt praeter Venerem maxime commemorati v. 213. Iuppiter et Iuno. [Eodem modo Hermannus in Opusc. VI. 2. p. 115. Aliter in Annalium Vindobonensium vol. CXI. Ibi p. 265. repudiata, ut inutili et languida, Schoemanni coniectura, , verum esse iudicavit , p. autem 251. seq. ita disputavit. Um die schwierigen worte zu erklären, , stellt herr Schömann den ingeniosen gedanken auf, dass der dichter einer alten theogonie gefolgt sei, in welcher der ursprung aller dinge der Ocean war. In jenem systeme seien nun sicherlich die Mören töchter des Oceans gewesen, eben so wie Tyche, die nach Pindar bei dem Pausanias VII. 26, 8. eine der Mören sei, und bei dem Hesiodus unter den Oceaniden vorkomme. Eine der Oceaniden nun sei Eurynome; löchter dieser aber seien die Charitinnen; mithin deren mullerschwestern die Mören. Den worten des Aeschylus würde diese deutung allerdings angemessen sein, wenn ihr nur nicht andere bedenken entgegenständen. Aber erstens ist es eine blosse hypothese, dass die Mören töchter des Oceans seien; denn die Oceanide Tyche hat eine ganz andere bedeutung bei dem Hesiodus als bei dem Pindar, und ist mithin nicht dieselbe. Die pindarische, von der Pausanias sagt , beruht auf einem solchen mythus, wie der von Pausanias I. 19, 2. erwähnte ist, . Zweitens ist es nicht denkbar, dass, wenn die Charitinnen gemeint sein sollten, nicht nur ihr name nicht genannt, sondern sie auch nach einem wenig bekannten mythus bloss durch ihre mutterschwestern kenntlich gemacht wären. Drittens sind die auf jene worte folgenden prädicale, die herr Schömann in seiner übersetzung auf die Charitinnen bezogen hat, so wenig für diese charakterisierend, dass sie vielmehr auf die Mören passen, auf die sie auch der wortstellung nach' am natürlichsten bezogen werden. Fasst man daher, wie billig, das ins auge, was die worte ihrer bedeutung und stellung nach als das von selbst sich darbietende enthalten, so ist der sinn der: gebet dass den jungfrauen männer zu theil werden, ihr diesem amte vorstehenden göllinnen, deren mullerschwestern die Mören sind. Daraus ergiebt sich nun von selbst, dass diese göllinnen deswegen nicht mit namen genannt sind, weil verschiedene göllinnen gemeint werden, die der dichter nicht einzeln nennen wollte. Damit aber nicht an Aphrodite und Here gedacht werde, fasst er sie unter einer andern bestimmung zusammen, und bezeichnet sie durch ihre mutterschwestern. An die Charitinnen ist nun wohl allerdings zu denken, aber an diese nicht allein: denn sonst würden sie genannt sein. Also werden ihnen noch die Horen zugesellt werden müssen. Bei dem Hesiodus haben beide zum vater den Zeus, die mutter der Charitinnen aber ist (Theog. 907.) Eurynome, der Horen (901) Themis. Vermuthlich gab Aeschylus beiden dieselbe muller, sei es die Eurynome oder Themis, oder welche sonst, deren schwestern die Mören waren, die nach in die Theogonie eingeschobenen versen töchter der Themis sind. Aeschylus lässt uns darüber in ungewissheit.]

mvp-comment-730-1 ὀρθονόμοι:

G. Ald. Turn. Rob. et, ut videtur, reliqui. Hoc a factum est, iusta distribuentes: illud a , et potest videri praeferendum esse.

mvp-comment-731-1 δόμῳ:

pro Bekkero teste Ven. et Linwoodio teste Flor. μετάκοινοι Turnebus. M. Par. Rob. Aug. G. Ven. Flor. Farn. Ald.

mvp-comment-732-1 ἐπιβριθεῖς:

Par. , male lecto scripturae compendio quod in G. est, Ald.

mvp-comment-733-1 ἐνδίκοις ὁμιλίαις:

Rob. Male olim iungebantur haec verba, , cum sequentibus.

mvp-comment-734-1 πάντα Canterus.

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

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-286-1 τὸ μή] i. e. ὥστε μὴ, to prevent them from outgrowing the space allotted to each in planting. - αἰανὴς, either long-lasting,' or dismal. See on v. 394.

mvp-comment-287-1 εὐθενοῦντα] See v. 855. For ἄγαν Dobree proposed ya, Meineke Πάν.

mvp-comment-288-1 γόνος] A word is lost in the MSS., perhaps δ' ἀεὶ or δὲ γᾶς. The allusion may be, as in Pers. 236 , to the silver-mines at Laurium, from which a tithe for luck may have been paid to the treasury of the goddess.

mvp-comment-289-1 πόλεως φρούριον] Schol.

mvp-comment-290-1 κύρι᾽ ἔχοντες] ye gods who have the power, viz. as presiding over marriage, " Ηρας τελείας καὶ Διὸς πιστώματα, sup. 205. -Μοῖραι, as daughters of Night, were sisters of the Furies by the mother's side. The MSS. give θεαὶ τῶν μοῖραι, corrected by Hermann.

mvp-comment-316-1 τὰ σπέρματα. παγῖται.

mvp-comment-317-1 ὁ καρπὸς ὁ ἐκ γῆς πλουτίζων.

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-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 ¹

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 ²

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 ³

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 ⁴

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

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

mvp-comment-484-1 ⁵

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 ⁶

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 ⁷

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.

mvp-comment-496-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 315

mvp-comment-496-2 Dem Gedeihen der Olivenbäume verdankte Athen einen Hauptteil seines Wohlstandes. Soph. Oed. K. 700 ὃ τῇδε θάλλει μέγιστα χώρα, γλαυκάς παιδοτρόφου φύλο λον ἐλαίας. Über den Einfuls' der Winde auf die Vegetation handelt Plin. N. Hist. XVIII c. 34 . Vgl. Hor. saec. 31 nutriant fetus et aquae salubres et Iovis aurae. carm.

mvp-comment-496-3 ⁸

mvp-comment-497-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 316

mvp-comment-497-2 ,,Meine Gunst und Wohlthat bezeichne ich damit" steht als Parenthese.

mvp-comment-498-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 316

mvp-comment-498-2 φλογμός τε scil. μὴ πνέοι oder vielmehr γένοιτο. Der Brand, welcher die Pflanzen der Augen beraubt, so dafs sie nicht die Hülse sprengen und hervorkeimen. ὀμματοστερής: zu Cho. 252 . Über τὸ μὴ zu Ag. 1589 . Soph. Oed. T. 25 φθίνουσα μὲν κάλυξιν ἐγκάρ ποις χθονός.

mvp-comment-498-3 ⁹

mvp-comment-499-1 ¹⁰

mvp-comment-499-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 316

mvp-comment-499-3 ἄκαρπος: wenn auch die Knospen sich zur Frucht entfalten, kann immer noch die Frucht verderben. alavýs wie 482. νόσος, der Meltau, Brand, robigo.

mvp-comment-500-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 316

mvp-comment-500-2 Πᾶν als der Gott der Herden, Ovid. fast. II 271 Pana deum pecoris, Verg. Ecl. II 33 Pan curat ovis oviumque magistros. Vgl. Herod. III 65

und den bei Aeschin. 3, 111 gegen die Verletzer der amphiktyonischen Satzungen ausgesprochenen Fluch: μήτε γῆν καρποὺς φέρειν μήτε γυναῖ και τέκνα τίκτειν γονεῦσιν ἐοικότα, ἀλλὰ τέρατα, μήτε βοσκήματα κατὰ φύσιν γονὰς ποιεῖσθαι.

mvp-comment-501-1 ¹¹

mvp-comment-501-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 316

mvp-comment-501-3 γόνος δὲ γᾶς πλουτόχθων (vgl. zu 37) weist hin auf die attiPers. 241 schen Silberbergwerke. ἀργύρου πηγή τις αὐτοῖς (den Athenern) ἐστι, θησαυρὸς χθονός, dazu Schol. ἐν Θορικῷ γάρ ἐστι μέταλλα καὶ ἐν Λαυρίῳ, Strabon III p. 147 οὐ γὰρ πλουσία μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὑποπλουσία ἦν ἡ χώρα καὶ παρ' ἐκείνοις ὡς ἀληθῶς τὸν ὑποχθόνιον τόπον οὐχ ὁ "Αἵδης ἀλλ' ὁ Πλούτων ἑρμαίαν, weil diese Gabe der Götter erst glücklich gefunden werden muſs (,,weshalb auch unsere Bergleute einander Glück auf wünschen" Hermann). möge hohen Wert geben.

mvp-comment-501-4 ¹²

mvp-comment-502-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 316

mvp-comment-502-2 πόλεως φρούριον: Schol. ὦ Ἀρεοπαγῖται. κατοικεί. τίοι,

mvp-comment-503-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 316

mvp-comment-503-2 μέγα γὰρ δύναται παρά τε: an die Stelle eines zweiten παρά τε tritt eine andere Wendung. Vgl. zu 861.

mvp-comment-504-1 ¹³

mvp-comment-504-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 316

mvp-comment-504-3 τοῖς ὑπὸ γαῖαν wie Eur. Hek. 149

γαϊαν, Alk. 895 φίλων τῶν ὑπὸ γαῖαν, Aeschin. 2, 41 τῶν ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον ἀνθρώπων.

mvp-comment-505-1 ¹⁴

mvp-comment-505-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 316

mvp-comment-505-3 φανερῶν in Gegensatz zu ὑπὸ γαῖαν s. v. a. τῶν ἐν φάει. τελέως ( διὰ τέλους, wie 321) διαπράσσουσιν, die Erinyen geben die endgültige Entscheidung ihres Schicksals.

mvp-comment-506-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 317

mvp-comment-506-2 δακρύων hängt von άμβλω πόν ab, weil dieses s. v. a. πλήρη; ἀμβλωπόν ist vom thränenfeuchten und deshalb stumpfsichtigen Auge übertragen.

mvp-comment-507-1 ¹⁵

mvp-comment-507-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 317

mvp-comment-507-3 ἀνδροκμῆτας ἀώρους τύχας, Fälle wo die Menschen vor der Zeit hinsterben. Suppl. 686

, Eur. Hek. 425

ὦ τῆς ἀώρου θύγατερ ἀθλία τύχης

.

mvp-comment-508-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 317

mvp-comment-508-2 νεανίδων dreisilbig, zu Ag. 1162.,,Gewährt gattenbeglücktes Dasein holdseliger Mägdlein, die ihr des Gewalt habt" d. h. Zeus, Hera, Aphrodite nach 214 f. θεαί τ' ὦ Μοῖραι: die Mören besiegeln den ehelichen Bund. Vgl. 217. ματροκασιγνῆται, hier nicht, Schwestern der Mutter", sondern ,,Schwestern von der gleichen Mutter". Auch die Mören waren Töchter der Nacht nach Hes. Theog. 217

. Sie heifsen Schwestern von mütterlicher Seite, weil sie keinen Vater haben: οὔτινι κοιμηθεῖσα θεὰ τέκε Νὺξ ἐρεβεννή ebd. 213.

mvp-comment-508-3 ¹⁶

mvp-comment-509-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 317

mvp-comment-509-2 ὀρθονόμοι, richtig verteilend. Dies wird in den folgenden drei Versen ausgeführt, ähnlich wie Suppl. 408

. Das Wort ὀρθονόμος kommt nur hier vor.

mvp-comment-510-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 317

mvp-comment-510-2 ,,Jeglichem Hause billig und freundlich, jeglichem Sitze beschwerlich in gerechtem Besuche" d. h. die Schicksalsgöttinnen suchen jedes Haus und jeden Sitz auf in gerechtem Walten, freundlich oder feindlich. Ζη ἐπιβριθεῖς vgl. Suppl. 656

.

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.

χάριν , boon, blessing.

mvp-sidgwick-433-1-1 Corrupt. Some of the commentators (H, Schütz. D. Pal.) try to translate it as it stands: 'Let a blight killing the germs of plants [come not near] to prevent them passing their bounds,' i. e. to prevent them growing: surely an impossible interpretation: a plant does not pass its bounds by growing. The general sense is plain, No blight come near; and perhaps we might accept Wecklein's very ingenious λοπῶν for τύπων: ‘... killing the buds of plants that they pass not the bounds of their husks.' But the sentence is still awkward, with no verb. The other emendations proposed are not convincing.

mvp-sidgwick-434-1-1 MSS. read εὐθενοῦντ᾽ ἄγαν. Most edd. take Dobree's εὐθενοῦντα ya, but Meineke's suggestion Πᾶν is nearer to MSS. and rather more likely.

γόνος δ᾽ ἀεὶ πλουτόχθων , and ever may the earths rich produce .' The bold compound πλουτόχθων is very Aeschylean. The reference is not (as H. P.) to precious metals, of which Athena (whom the Chorus closely follows in their prayers) had made no mention, and to which γόνος would not be so suitable; but simply to the produce in the ordinary sense.

δόσιν τίοι they clearly mean that out of their abundance they are to give thank-offerings to the bounteous gods.

ἑρμαίαν , for Hermes was the god of good luck (from Homer downwards, Ερμείας ἐφίλει καὶ κτῆσιν ὄπασσε Il. 14.491) : and a wind-fall or godsend was called ἕρμαιον.

ἐπικραίνει , brings to pass, vivid use of present, of a thing now promised.

διαπράσσουσιν ., intrans. plain and full is their accomplishment.

βίον ἀμβλωπὸν παρέχουσαι , a life dimmed with tears, a beautifully vivid metaphor. δακρύων is gen. of respect after adj. ἀμβλωπόν.

ἀνδροκμής , lit. bringing weariness to men,' here a euphemism for deadly, is a favourite word of Aeschylus, being found with μόχθος (above l. 248

), and

πέλεκυς

(Cho. 889 ), and

λοιγός

(Suppl. 680 ) in the same sense as here.

κύρια , the rightful power; the gods they appeal to being such powers as Ζεὺς τέλειος, Ἥρα, ᾿Αφροδίτη. See above l. 214

.

μητροκασιγνῆται , sisters by one mother, because the Fates (like the Furies l. 322

) were daughters of Night (Hes. Theog. 217 καὶ Μοίρας καὶ Κῆρας ἐγείνατο).

ὀρθονόμοι . [not ὀρθόνομοι from νόμος], the MSS. reading, from νέμω, assigning what is due.

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

ὁμιλίαις , visitations.