Aeschylus Eumenides 1

ed. Arthur Sidgwick

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Eumenides. Aeschylus. ed. Arthur Sidgwick. Oxford. 1887.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Current edition Experimental

Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) (Greek) (Εὐμενίδες. Arthur Sidgwick, 1887.)

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (11)
Εὐμενίδες First1KGreek (Aeschyli Tragoediae. Sidgwick, Arthur, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1902.) — 1-142 focus
Εὐμενίδες Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 2. Smyth, Herbert Weir, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1926.) — 1-142 focus
Εὐμενίδες (1518 edition; OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Eumenides, 1518 edition. VLM-assisted OCR with native lineation and automated correspondence to the Smyth edition.) — 1 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Guilielmus Dindorfius, 1882.) — 1 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Gottfried Hermann, 1852.) — 1 focus
ΕΥΜΕΝΙΔΕΣ (OCR draft) Experimental (ΕΥΜΕΝΙΔΕΣ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 1 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. N. Wecklein, 1885.) — 1 focus
Πρῶτον μὲν εὐχῇ τῇδε πρεσβεύω θεῶν
1
τὴν πρωτόμαντιν Γαῖαν· ἐκ δὲ τῆς θέμιν,
ἣ δὴ τὸ μητρὸς δευτέρα τόδ᾽ ἕζετο
μαντεῖον, ὡς λόγος τις· ἐν δὲ τῷ τρίτῳ
λάχει, θελούσης οὐδὲ πρὸς βίαν τινός,
5
Τιτανὶς ἄλλη παῖς χθονὸς καθέζετο
Φοίβη, δίδωσι δ᾽ ἣ γενέθλιον δόσιν
Φοίβῳ· τὸ Φοίβης δ᾽ ὄνομ᾽ ἔχει παρώνυμον.
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Martin L. West, 1990.) — 1 focus
Aeschyli Eumenides (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschyli Eumenides. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1914.) — 1 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek text of Aeschylus' Eumenides, edited by F. A. Paley, 1885.) — 1 focus
Πρῶτον μὲν εὐχῇ τῇδε πρεσβευω θεῶν
1
τὴν πρωτόμαντιν Γαῖαν· ἐκ δὲ τῆς Θέμιν,
ἢ δὴ τὸ μητρὸς δευτέρα τόδ᾽ ἕζετο
μαντεῖον, ὡς λόγος τις· ἐν δὲ τῷ τρίτῳ
λάχει, θελούσης, οὐδὲ πρὸς βίαν τινὸς,
5
Τιτανὶς ἄλλη παῖς χθονὸς καθέζετο
Φοίβη· δίδωσι δ᾽ ἣ γενέθλιον δόσιν
Φοίβῳ· τὸ Φοίβης δ᾽ ὄνομ᾽ ἔχει παρώνυμον.
λιπὼν δὲ λίμνην Δηλίαν τε χοιράδα,
κέλσας ἐπ᾿ ἀκτὰς ναυπόρους τὰς Παλλάδος,
10
ἐς τήνδε γαῖαν ἦλθε Παρνησσοῦ θ᾽ ἕδρας.
πέμπουσι δ᾽ αὐτὸν καὶ σεβίζουσιν μέγα
κελευθοποιοὶ παῖδες Ηφαίστου, χθόνα
ἀνήμερον τιθέντες ἡμερωμένην.
μολόντα δ᾽ αὐτὸν κάρτα τιμαλφεῖ λεώς,
15
Δελφός τε χώρας τῆσδε πρυμνήτης ἄναξ.
τέχνης δέ νιν Ζεὺς ἔνθεον κτίσας φρένα,
ἵζει τέταρτον τόνδε μάντιν ἐν θρόνοις·
Διὸς προφήτης δ᾽ ἐστὶ Λοξίας πατρός.
τούτους ἐν εὐχαῖς φροιμιάζομαι θεούς.
20
Παλλὰς προναία δ᾽ ἐν λόγοις πρεσβεύεται.
σέβω δὲ νύμφας, ἔνθα Κωρυκὶς πέτρα
κοίλη, φίλορνις, δαιμόνων ἀναστροφή·
Βρόμιος δ᾽ ἔχει τὸν χῶρον, οὐδ᾽ ἀμνημονῶ,
ἐξ οὗτε Βάκχαις ἐστρατήγησεν θεὸς,
25
λαγὼ δίκην Πενθεῖ καταρράψας μόρον·
Πλειστοῦ τε πηγὰς, καὶ Ποσειδώνος κράτος
καλοῦσα, καὶ Τέλειον ὕψιστον Δία.
ἔπειτα μάντις εἰς θρόνους καθιζάνω.
καὶ νῦν τυχεῖν με τῶν πρὶν εἰσόδων μακρῷ
30
ἄριστα δοῖεν· κεἰ παρ᾿ Ἑλλήνων τινὲς,
ἴτων πάλῳ λαχόντες, ὡς νομίζεται·
μαντεύομαι γὰρ ὡς ἂν ἡγῆται θεός.
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek text of Aeschylus' Eumenides, edited by Friedrich Blass, 1907.) — 1 focus
Πρῶτον μὲν εὐχῆι τῆιδε πρεσβεύω θεῶν
1
τὴν πρωτόμαντιν Γαῖαν· ἐκ δὲ τῆς Θέμιν,
ἢ δὴ τὸ μητρὸς δευτέρα τόδ᾽ ἔζετο
μαντεῖον, ὡς λόγος τις· ἐν δὲ τῶι τρίτωι
λάχει, θελούσης, οὐδὲ πρὸς βίαν τινός,
5
Τιτανὶς ἄλλη παῖς Χθονὸς καθέζετο
Φοίβη· δίδωσιν δ᾽ ἡ γενέθλιον δόσιν
Φοίβωι, τὸ Φοίβης δ᾽ ὄνομ᾽ ἔχει παρώνυμον.
λιπὼν δὲ λίμνην Δηλίαν τε χοιράδα,
κέλσας ἐπ᾿ ἀκτὰς ναυπόρους τὰς Παλλάδος,
10
ἐς τήνδε γαῖαν ἦλθε Παρνησοῦ θ᾽ ἕδρας.
πέμπουσι δ᾽ αὐτὸν καὶ σεβίζουσιν μέγα
κελευθοποιοί παῖδες Ἡφαίστου, χθόνα
ἀνήμερον τιθέντες ἡμερωμένην.
μολόντα δ᾽ αὐτὸν κάρτα τιμαλφεῖ λεώς,
15
Δελφὸς τε χώρας τῆσδε πρυμνήτης ἄναξ.
τέχνης δέ νιν Ζεὺς ἔνθεον κτίσας φρένα
ἵζει τέταρτον τοῖσδε μάντιν ἐν θρόνοις·
Διὸς προφήτης δ᾽ ἐστὶ Λοξίας πατρός.
Παλλὰς προνάια δ᾽ εὐλόγως πρεσβεύεται.
σέβω δὲ νύμφας, ἔνθα Κωρυκὶς πέτρα
κοίλη, φίλορνις, δαιμόνων ἀναστροφαί·
Βρόμιος ἔχει τὸν χῶρον, οὐδ᾽ ἀμνημονῶ,
ἐξ οὗτε Βάκχαις ἐστρατήγησεν θεός,
25
λαγὼ δίκην Πενθεῖ καταρράψας μόρον.
τούτους ἐν εὐχαῖς φροιμιάζομαι θεούς,
20
Πλειστοῦ τε πηγὰς καὶ Ποσειδῶνος κράτος
καλοῦσα καὶ τέλειον ύψιστον Δία,
ἔπειτα μάντις ἐς θρόνους καθιζάνω.
καὶ νῦν τυχεῖν μοι τῶν πρὶν εἰσόδων μακρῶι
30
ἄριστα δοῖεν· κεὶ πάρ᾽ Ἑλλήνων τινές,
ἴτων πάλωι λαχόντες, ὡς νομίζεται·
μαντεύομαι γάρ, ὡς ἂν ἡγῆται θεός.
Translations (11)
Eumenides Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 2. Smyth, Herbert Weir, translator. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1926. (Modernized by Perseus.)) — 1-140 focus
The Eumenides (OCR draft) Experimental (The Eumenides. Theodore Alois Buckley, 1849.) — 1 focus
First indeed with these prayers I honor Earth the first-prophetess of the Deities: and after her 1
Themis, who then next sat on this, her mother's, oracular seat, as a certain legend runs. But in the third turn, [Themis] being willing, and not in despite of any one, Titanian Phoebe, another child of Earth took the seat, and she gives it to Phoebus as a birth-gift. And he has his name derived from Phoebe. But having left the lake and the Delian rock, having landed on the ship-receiving shores of Pallas, he came into this land and to the seats of Parnassus. And the road-making sons of Vulcan 2
attend on 3
, and greatly worship him, rendering the rough earth smooth. But the people honor exceedingly him having come, and Delphus who sways the helm 1
of this land. And Jove having made him inspired in mind with the art, seats him here the fourth seer on the throne; and Loxias 2
is the prophet of his father Jove. To these deities I prelude my address with prayers. And Pronaean Pallas is celebrated in story. And I venerate the nymphs, where is the Corician hollow grot, bird-loved, the haunt of Deities. Bromius too possesses the realm, nor am I forgetful of it, from the time that the god led on his Bacchants, having plotted death for Pentheus like a hare; and invoking the fountains of Plistus, and the might of Neptune, and perfect highest Jove. I then sit down a prophetess on the throne; and now may the gods grant that I obtain by far the best of former entrances, and if any from the Greeks are present, let them advance having obtained their turn by lot, as is the custom; for I prophesy as the god may direct. (She enters the temple, and suddenly returns.)
LES EUMÉNIDES (OCR draft) Experimental (LES EUMÉNIDES. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 1 focus
Ma prière, parmi les dieux, fait une place à part en premier lieu à la première prophétesse, à la Terre; après elle, à Thémis, qui s'assit la seconde au siège prophétique laissé par sa mère, comme l'affirme un vieux
récit. La troisième, à son tour, avouée de Thémis, sans violence faite à personne, une autre Titanide, fille de la Terre, s'y assit ensuite, Phoibé, et c'est elle qui l'offre, en don de joyeuse naissance, à Phoibos — Phoibos, qui doit à Phoibé ce surnom. Délaissant donc Délos, son lac
et sa croupe rocheuse, il s'en vient aborder aux rives de Pallas, familières aux nefs 1 , pour gagner cette terre et le Parnasse, son nouveau séjour. Il y trouve une escorte et d'éclatants honneurs; les enfants d'Héphaistos 2 lui ouvrent son chemin, apprivoisant pour lui le sol sauvage. Il arrive
et reçoit ici le franc hommage du peuple et de son roi, Delphos, pilote du pays. Et Zeus, lui emplissant le cœur de divine science, l'assied sur ce siège, quatrième prophète : Loxias, ici, parle pour Zeus son père. Voilà donc par
quels dieux commenceront mes prières. (Elle se retourne et porte les yeux successivement dans chacune des directions où elle peut saluer un des dieux qu'elle invoque). Mais Pal- las Pronaia 3 , dans nos vieux récits, tient également une place à part. Et je salue aussi les Nymphes de l'antre Corycien, asile des oiseaux, retraite d'un dieu : là règne Bromios — je me garde de l'oublier! — depuis le
jour où sa divinité conduisit au combat les Bacchantes et à Penthée trama la mort d'un lièvre. J'invoque enfin et les eaux du Pleistos, et Poseidon puissant, et Zeus Suprê- me, sans qui rien ne s'achève, avant de prendre place,
prophétesse, sur mon siège. Daignent ces dieux bénir, au- jourd'hui plus encore que jamais, mon entrée au saint lieu. Si quelques pèlerins nous sont venus de Grèce, qu'ils s'ap- prochent, ainsi qu'il est de règle, dans l'ordre indiqué par le sort : je prophétise, moi, dans celui que me dicte le dieu.
The Furies (OCR draft) Experimental (The Furies. Robert Potter, 1779.) — 1 focus
WITH reverence firſt to the Earth I pay theſe vows,
1
The firſt prophetic pow'r:
to Themis next,
Who next her mother held, they ſay, this ſeat
Oracular:
5
Titanian Phœbe then,
She too the daughter of the Earth, unforc'd
Aſſum'd this ſeat; to Phœbus at his birth
Rich
Eschilo, Le Eumenidi: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli (OCR draft) Experimental (Eschilo, Le Eumenidi: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli. Ettore Romagnoli, 1922.) — 1 focus
Prega dinanzi al tempio.
1
Prima con questa prece onoro Gea
che profetessa fu prima: indi Tèmide
che seconda ebbe sede in questo oracolo,
dopo sua madre, com'è fama; e terza,
5
né già per forza, ma piacendo a Tèmide,
vi salí Febe, prole dei Titani,
figliuola anch'essa della terra; e dono
natale a Febo ella ne fece: e il nome
serba ancora dell'ava.
10
E il Dio, lasciate
le scogliere di Delo e la palude,
alle acclivi approdò spiagge di Pallade
e a questo suolo, ed al Parnaso giunse.
Scorta gli fanno, e grande onore, e innanzi
15
gli schiudono la via, gli Atenïesi
figli d'Efesto, e la selvaggia terra
rendono pervia.
E come ei giunge, il popolo
Aeschylus, Eumenides: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Eumenides: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii. Ioannes Sanravius, 1555.) — 1 focus
PRIMO quidem prece hac deorum honoro
1
Terram primiuatem, ex qua Themin aiunt,
Quæ secunda à matre ſedit
in hoc uaticinij loco, ut ſermo aliquis, in tertia uerò
Sorte, uolentis neq; per uim alicuius
5
Titanis alia filia terræ ſedit
Phœbe, quæ uerò dat natale donum
Phœbo. Phœbes nomen habet paronymum.
Relinquens paludem & Delium faxum,
Appellens ad littora Palladis, qua tranſeunt naues,
10
In hanc terram uenit, ſedesq; Parnaſi:
Deducunt uerò ipſum, & colunt ualde
Iter facientes filij ulcani, terram
Ferocem facientes mitem:
Accedentemq; ipſum admodum honorat populus,
15
Delphusq; rex huius regionis gubernator,
Artis uerò ipſum diuinum Iupiter condens mente
Conſtituit quartum hunc uatem in thronis,
Iouis uates est Loxias patris.
Hos in precibus laudabo deos.
20
Pallas protemplaris uerò uerbis honoratur.
Colo uerò nymphas, ibi Coricis petra
Caua, augur dæmonum conuerſio,
Dionysiacus uerò habet locum, neq; obliuifcor.
Ex quo Bacchis præſuit deus,
25
“Leporis inſtar luctui inſerens mortem.
Pliſti fontes, & Neptuni imperium
Vocans, & perfectum altiſimum Iouem,
Deinde uates in ſedibus ſedeo.
Et nunc me aſsequi ingreſsoru longorum priorum.
30
Optima dent, & à Græcis aliqui
Eant forte ſortientes, ut exiſtimatur.
Vaticinor enim ut monſtrat Deus.
Aeschylus, Die Eumeniden: German translation (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Die Eumeniden: German translation. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1919–1923.) — 1 focus
Mein erst Gebet der ersten Zukunftskünderin,
Urmutter Erde; nächst der Erde ruf' ich dann
Themis, die nach der Mutter hier gewaltet hat.
So lebt es im Gedächtnis. Dann als dritte nahm
5 durch Übereinkunft, ohne Streit, der Themis Platz
die Schwester ein, Titanin, Erdentochter auch,
Phoibe. Sie hat Apollon diesen Sitz geschenkt,
dem Neugebor'nen; Phoibos heifst von ihr der Gott.
Vom Weiher auf dem Felseneiland Delos zog
10 Apollon an den schiffbelebten Küstenstrand
des Pallaslandes; weiter dann von Attika,
bis hier er am Parnassos seine Stätte fand.
Wegbahnend gaben ihm in feierlichem Zug
die Söhne des Hephaistos ehrfurchtsvoll Geleit,
und durch Urwildnis schlugen sich're Pfade sie.
15 Mit höchsten Ehren nahm sein Kommen hier das Volk
und Delphos auf, der König, der dem Land gebot.
Und in der Seele weckte Zeus die Götterkraft
der Zukunftsschau dem Sohne, setzt' als vierten ihn,
die Wahrheit zu verkünden, auf den Seherthron:
was Zeus ihm eingiebt, offenbart Apollons Mund.
Eumenides (OCR draft) Experimental (Eumenides. Anna Swanwick, 1886.) — 1 focus
PYTHONESS
FIRST, with this prayer, I worship of the gods *
Gaia, primeval prophetess;-and next,
Themis, who second, as tradition tells,
Upon her mother's seat was here enthroned;
With her good will, nor in despite of any,
Another child of Earth, Titanian Phoebe,
Third by decree of Fate, assumed this seat;
She as a birth-day gift to Phobos gave it,
And hence his name to Phoebe is allied.
Leaving the lake and Delos' rocky isle,
10
At Pallas' ship-frequented shores he lands,
Then seeks this region, these Parnassian seats;
Him onward speed, and mightily adore,
Hephæstos' sons, road-fashioners, who tame
The savage earth. The god, established here,
Highly is honoured by the native tribe,
And by King Delphos, steersman of this land.
Zeus with prophetic lore his heart inspired,
And throned him on this sacred seat, fourth seer;
So Loxias * now is prophet of his sire.
20
These gods I worship with preluding prayers.
But be Pronæan ‡ Pallas likewise hailed
With words of honour! you too I salute,
Nymphs who frequent Korykia's caverned rock,
Kindly to birds, and haunt of deities.
There Bromios, well I wis, the region holds,
Since with his Thyads thence the god made war,
And Pentheus coursed, like doubling hare, to death.
The founts of Pleistos, and Poseidon's might
Invoking, and high-consummating Zeus,
30
As priestess I assume the sacred seat.
Beyond the past my entrance may they crown
With fair response! If sons of Greece be here,
Let them, as custom is, approach by lot,
34
For as the god doth guide, I prophesy.
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.) — 1 focus
First in this prayer of all the gods I name
1
The prophet-mother Earth; and Themis next,
Second who sat—for so with truth is said—
On this her mother's shrine oracular.
Then by her grace, who unconstrained allowed,
5
There sat thereon another child of Earth—
Titanian Phœbe. She, in after time,
Gave o'er the throne, as birthgift to a god,
Phœbus, who in his own bears Phœbe's name.
He from the lake and ridge of Delos' isle
10
Steered to the port of Pallas' Attic shores,
The home of ships; and thence he passed and came
Unto this land and to Parnassus' shrine.
And at his side, with awe revering him,
There went the children of Hephæstus' seed,
15
The hewers of the sacred way, who tame
The stubborn tract that erst was wilderness.
And all this folk and Delphos chieftain-king
Of this their land with honour gave him home;
And in his breast Zeus set a prophet's soul,
20
And gave to him this throne, whereon he sits,
Fourth prophet of the shrine, and, Loxias hight,
Gives voice to that which Zeus his sire decrees.
Such gods I name in my preluding prayer,
And after them, I call with honour due
25
On Pallas, wardress of the fane, and Nymphs
Who dwell around the rock Corycian,
Where in the hollow cave, the wild birds' haunt,
Wander the feet of lesser gods; and there,
Right well I know it, Bromian Bacchus dwells,
30
Since he in godship led his Mænad host,
Devising death for Pentheus, whom they rent
Piecemeal, as hare among the hounds. And last,
I call on Pleistus' springs, Poseidon's might,
And Zeus most high, the great Accomplisher.
35
Then as a seeress to the sacred chair
I pass and sit; and may the powers divine
Make this mine entrance fruitful in response
Beyond each former advent, triply blest.
And if there stand without, from Hellas bound,
40
Men seeking oracles, let each pass in
In order of the lot, as use allows;
For the god guides whate'er my tongue proclaims.
[ She goes into the interior of the temple; after a short interval, she returns in great fear.
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.) — 1 focus
Von allen Göttern feiert mein Gebet zuerst 1
1
Die Urprophetin Erde, nächst ihr Themis auch,
Die nach der Mutter diesen Siz der Sage nach
Einnahm, die zweite. Dritten Ortes thronte hier
Mit Themis' Willen, ohne Zwang an irgendwem,
5
Ein andres Kind der Erde vom Titanenstamm,
Die Phöbe. Sie gab als Geburtsgeschenk den Siz
An Phöbos, dem von Phöbe so der Name ward.
Der Gott verließ nun Delos' Teich und Felsenstrand,
Und fuhr zu Pallas' schiffsbedeckten Uferhöh'n,
10
Und kam in diese Fluren an Parnassos' Siz.
Und ihn geleiten und Verehrung zollen ihm
Hephästos' Söhne, die, bereitend seine Bahn,
Vor seinem Schritte wildes Land entwilderten.
Und als er einzog, feiert hoch ihn alles Volk
15
Mit König Delphos, der des Landes Steuer lenkt.
Doch Zeus begeistert seine Brust mit hoher Kunst,
Und segt als vierten Seher ihn auf diesen Stuhl,
Und Zeus', des Vaters, Gotteswort spricht Loxias.
An diese Götter wendet sich mein Fleh'n zuerst.
20
Auch dir im Vorhof, Pallas, buldigt mein Gebet,
Und ehrt die Nymphen, wo Korykis' Fels sich wölbt,
Heimat der Vögel, wo sich Götter froh ergeh'n.
Des Ortes waltet Bacchos, wohl gedenk' ich sein,
Seitdem der Gott die Bacchen angeführt im Kampf,
25
Pentheus mit Tod umgarnend, scheuem Wilde gleich.
Auch Pleistos' Quellen und Poseidons Herrschermacht
Verehr' ich, auch den höchsten Allvollender Zeus;
Dann als Prophetin steig' ich auf den Seherthron.
Und nun, o Götter, segnet mehr, als je zuvor,
30
Mir heut den Eingang! Ist ein Mann aus Hellas hier,
Er komme nach dem Loose, wie der Brauch gebeut!
Ich spreche meine Sprüche, wie der Gott mich treibt.
(Sie geht in den Tempel, kehrt aber bald voll Entsetzen wieder zurück.)
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

Notes on the current edition

Eumenides

1. θρόνοις χρόνοις MSS. corr. Turn.

Commentary

Commentary on Aeschylus: Eumenides (Aeschylus. Eumenides. Sidgwick, Arthur, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1887.)

1. πρεσβεύω . 'I honour most; the superlative sense practically contained in the word accounts for gen. θεῶν. πρεσβεύω is rather a favourite word of Aeschylus. So line 21 Παλλὰς πρεσβεύεται, ‘has chief honour,' Cho. 488 πρῶτον τόνδε πρεσβεύσω τάφον, as here, Ag. 1300 ὁ δ᾽ ὕστατος τοῦ χρόνου πρεσβεύεται, is first in respect of time, Cho. 631 κακῶν πρεσβεύεται, is first of horrors.

2. πρωτόμαντιν . The Earth was naturally regarded as 'most ancient' of gods: and prophetic, perhaps because the ancient shrines of prophecy were so often caverns or mysterious chasms (e. g. Delphic chasm, the Sibyl's cave, the cave of Trophonios, etc.). Pausanias tells us (10.5.5) that the Delphians affirmed their oracle to have originally belonged to the Earth. And Prom. 209 we have Γαῖα and Θέμις prophesying to Prometheus.

2. ἐκ δὲ τῆς , ‘after her;' τῆς common Epic use of art. for demonst. frequent in Aesch., ἐκ τοῦ, ἐν δὲ τῷ, ἢ τοῖσιν ἢ τοῖς, etc.

3. μητρός , mother of Themis; not the general meaning Mother Earth. It is a striking evidence of the fluctuating character of these genealogies that the poet elsewhere (Prom. 209) speaks of Earth and Themis as the same; one form of many names.

3. ἔζετο with acc. Cf. Ag. 183 σέλμα σεμνὸν ἡμένων, 664 ναῦν ἐφέζετο.

5. λάχει , ‘lot;' vivid poetic for in the third place, third in order.

5. θελούσης , οὐδὲ πρὸς βίαν τινός, 'with her good will, neither in despite of any.' Aeschylus uses this stately emphasis because he is following (or inventing) a different story from what was apparently the received version: for Pindar says (quoted by Schol.) that 'Apollo by force occupied Pytho:' and Eurip. (Iph. Τ. 1259) says, 'Apollo came and took away Themis daughter of Earth from the divine oracles.' But this savage and doubtless older story was not suitable to the poet's purpose: the sanctity and dignity of the oracle (ideas which are required for the plot) are averse from such violence.

7. ἥ , she. Epic demonstrative use of ős, surviving in ἢ δ᾽ ὅς, ὃς δ᾽

7. ἔφη (' said he').

7. δίδωσι , gives it, the oracle.

7. γενέθλιον δόσιν . There were two birth-festivals at Athens-the ἀμφιδρόμια, when the infant was carried round the hearth on the seventh (or fifth day), and the δεκάτη, 'tenth-day festival, when it was named and formally recognised by the father. On both occasions, especially the latter, presents were given.

8. παρώνυμον , made like to hers.

9. λίμνη , the circular or rather oval tarn in the north of the island, often referred to by ancient writers (Eur. Ion 167, Iph. Taur. 1104, Herod. 2. 170, etc.), and apparently connected with the birth of Apollo.

9. χοιράς , 's back,hog lit., i.e. ridge or rock, of Mount Kynthos.

11. παῖδες Ἡφαίστου , because Hephaistos was father of Erichthonios, mythical king of Athens. The title is peculiarly appropriate to the hewers of the way, as Hephaistos was the god who invented many of the tools and the arts of civilised life.

16. Δελφός , the king and eponymous' hero of Delphians.

17. κτίζω , properly to build, a favourite word of Aeschylus, often used as a stately synonym for to make: e.g. Pers. 289 εὐνίδας ἔκτισσαν, Cho. 1060 ἐλεύθερόν σε κτίσει, Eum. 714 μηδ᾽ ἀκαρπώτους κτίσαι.

19. προφήτης , ‘the spokesman,' the interpreter of Zeus. So he says in a fragment (79) Ζεὺς ἐγκαθίει Λοξίᾳ θεσπίσματα. So Verg. A. 3. 251 'Quae Phoebo pater omnipotens, mihi Phoebus Apollo Praedixit.'

21. Παλλὰς προναία , ‘Pallas of the precincts;' the name of a temple of Athena near the great sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi. It is mentioned by Herodotus in this form (προνηΐη) 1.92, and there exist two Delphic inscriptions containing it (ΠΡΟΝΑΙA): but it seems to have been afterwards corrupted into πρόνοια, the shape in which the name of Athena at Delphi appears in Demosthenes (780), Aeschines (Ctes. 69), and Pausanias (10.8.7). Some people suppose two Delphic Athenas, προναία and πρόνοια: but this, though possible, is hardly likely. The learned Alexandrine poet Callimachus (250 B.C.) has the old form (προναίην, quoted by Schol.).

22. Κωρυκίς . The Korykian cavern was a remarkable cave high up in Parnassus, seven miles from Delphi: the cavern contains two large chambers 100 and 200 feet long respectively: it was the refuge of the Delphians in the Persian invasion (Herod. 8. 36), and more than once when their country was invaded. It was sacred to Pan and the nymphs.

23. φίλορνις , loved of birds, using the shelter for roosting and building.

23. φἀναστροφή , abode, haunt. The verb ἀναστρέφεσθαι is common for to be engaged in, to live ; ἐν φανερῷ, ἐν ᾿Αργει, ἐν μέσῳ, ἐν ξυμμαχίᾳ, etc. (versari Latin).

24. Βρόμιος , a common title of Bacchus. Aeschylus in glorifying Delphi fixes there the scene of the great vengeance of Bacchus on Pentheus. [Pentheus, king of Thebes, forbade and tried to prevent the worship of Bacchus; but the god drove mad with Bacchic frenzy the women, including Agaue Pentheus' mother, and they tore the king in pieces.] Euripides in the Bacchae makes Kithairon (between Attica and Boeotia) the scene, and Schol. says that Aeschylus himself also follows this tradition in the lost play Ξαντρίαι.

25. οὗτε , Epic form of rel. common in Aeschylus. (ὅστε Pers. 297, αἵτε Eum. 1024, ἐξ οὗτε Pers. 762, ἅτε Cho. 615, etc.)

26. λαγὼ δίκην , like a hare, i. e. they tore him as dogs a hare. [Scholiast's int. 'crouching like a hare' is frigid and absurd.] Notice absence of caesura; Ag. 943, Cho. 493.

27. Πλειστός , a small river south of Delphi: Apollonius (2.711) speaks of Korykian nymphs daughters of Pleistos.

27. Ποσειδώνος : there was an altar of Poseidon at Delphi. [There were various old traditions about Poseidon having once possessed Delphi and exchanged it for other places, which may be connected with his worship there.]

28. τέλειον , the fulfiller: so Ag. 973 Ζεῦ Ζεῦ τέλειε, τὰς ἐμὰς εὐχὰς τέλει.

30. Abridged , but quite intelligible, expression for 'May I find this time better response than I found in my former entrances to the shrine.'

30. τυχεῖν με , acc. inf. of prayer, common constr. with or without δός or δοῖεν (Cho. 307, O. C. 868, etc.). For acc. ἄριστα with τυχεῖν, cf. Ag. 1228.

31. πάρ' , are here, for πάρεισιν, is commonly read here. But it is more natural to take παρά as a preposition; and it is quite easy to understand are come .

32. ἴτων , rare form for ἰόντων ος ἴτωσαν.

33. μαντεύεσθαι . is used both of prophesying and 'consulting the god,' or getting a prophecy. Here both would suit, but the former is the sense in which Aeschylus uses the word elsewhere.

33. ὡς ἄν , according as, indef. relat. use. [She passes into the temple, and there is a pause : then she comes out horror-stricken and half fainting.]

34. δεινά . is nom. λέξαι and δρακεῖν epex. inf. after the adj. Things terrible to tell of, terrible to behold have sent me back, etc.'

36. ὥς , Epic for ὥστε, common in Trag., esp. in Aeschylus (e.g. Ag. 358, 546, 575, 665, 1381).

36. σωκεῖν , ‘to be strong.'

36. ἀκταίνω , a unique word of which the meaning is disputed. The Schol. and old lexicons give (1) to uplift, or be uplifted. (2) to exult, ‘prance' (γαυριᾶν), ‘leap violently' (ἀτάκτως πηδᾶν). The sense however requires, not, 'I can't move violently, but rather 'I can hardly move at all:' it is best therefore to take ἀκταίνω, to lift. βάσιν, my step: this is a correction in the best MS., all the texts reading στάσιν, (which is perhaps possible, and then 'to uplift my standing' would mean to stand upright;) but βάσιν is easier and far more likely.

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

mvp-comment-1-1 τῇδε: Πυ. praefixit Vict. προφῆτις praescriptum in M. Flor. Ven. Nulla nota in G. Ald. Rob. Turn. τῇ τε vitium Ald.

mvp-comment-2-1 τὴν πρωτόμαντιν Γαῖαν· ἐκ δὲ τῆς Θέμιν: Harpocration in v. θεμιστεύειν p. 94, 21. ed. Bekk. θεμιστεύειν ἀντὶ τοῦ χρησμῳδεῖν Λυσίας ἐν τῷ περὶ τῆς ἀμβλώσεως, εἰ γνήσιος. ὅτι δὲ γέγονε τὸ ὄνομα ἀπὸ τοῦ Θέμιν ἐσχηκέναι ποτὲ τὸ μαντεῖον πρὸ τοῦ Απόλλωνος (sic Bekkerus ex codice Parisiensi: vulgo ἡλίου), Αισχύλος ἀρχόμενος τῶν Εὐμενίδων φησίν.

mvp-comment-3-1 οὐδὲ πρὸς βίαν τινός: οὐδὲ πρὸς βίαν τινός, nemini vim inferens. Pindarum fortasse tangit. Scholiastes enim ad v. 2. haec adnotavit, Πίνδαρός φησι πρὸς βίαν κρατῆσαι Πυθοῦς τὸν Ἀπόλλωνα· διὸ καὶ ταρταρῶσαι αὐτὸν ἐζήτει ἡ Γῆ. Pindarum sequi videtur Euripides in Iphigenia Taurica v. 1234. seqq.

mvp-comment-4-1 Τιτανὶς ἄλλη, παῖς Χθονός: Victorium secuti plerique sic interpungunt, Τιτανίς, ἄλλη παῖς Χθονός, nec rei ratione habita, nec sermonis poetici. Ego, ut iam olim, dedi Τιτανὶς ἄλλη, παῖς Χθονός, ut posse saltem distingui iam Stanleius in curis secundis et Wakefieldius viderant. Deinde za9era Rob.

mvp-comment-5-1 δίδωσιν ἣ: δίδωσιν ἣ Porsonus. δίδωσιν δ᾽ ἣ M. G. Ald. δίδωσι δ᾽ ἢ Ven. (sic Ven. Bekkero teste, δίδωσιν δ᾽ ἣ Franzius affert Flor. Farn. Turn. δίδωσι δ᾽ ἢ Rob.

mvp-comment-6-1 Φοίβῳ· τὸ Φοίβης δ᾽ ὄνομ᾽ ἔχει παρώνυμον: Apollonius in Lexico Homerico p. 164, 10. ed. Bekk. Φοῖβος, ἐπίθετον Απόλλωνος. ὁ μὲν Αἰσχύλος ἀπὸ Φοίβης, τῆς μητρὸς Μητους. V. Wassenberghium ad scholia Hom. p. 151.

mvp-comment-7-1 λίμνην Δηλίαν τε χοιράδα: Scholiastes τὴν Κύνθον. διὰ δὲ τοῦ χοιράδα σχεδὸν τὴν αἰτίαν φησὶ δι᾽ ἣν ἀπέλιπεν Απόλλων, ἐκκλίνων τὸ εὐτελὲς τοῦ χωρίου. Deinde ad eundem versum in M. sine lemmate adscriptum τὴν στρογγύλην, quod ad λίμνην pertinet. Lacus huius, τροχοειδοῦς νουcati, mentio est apud Herodotum II. 170. Theognidem v. 7. Euripidem in Iph. Taur. v. 1110. et in Ione v. 168. apud Callimachum h. Apoll. v. 59. Del. v. 261. Δήλιοι χοιράδες sunt apud Euripidem Troad. v. 89.

mvp-comment-8-1 Παρνησσοῦ θ' ἕδρας: Παρνησσοῦ θ᾽ ἕδρας Turn. παρνησοῦ θ᾽ ἕδρας Rob. παρνησοῦσθ᾽ ἕδρας M. G. παρνησούς θ' ἕδρας Flor. Ven. παρνήσους θ' έδρας Farn. πανησοῦς θ᾽ ἕδρας Ald. Scholiastes χαριζόμενος Αθηναίοις καταχθῆναί φησιν ἐκεῖσε Απόλλωνα κἀκεῖθεν τὴν περιπομπὴν αὐτῷ εἶναι. ὁ δὲ Πίνδαρος ἐκ Τανάγρας τῆς Βοιωτίας.

mvp-comment-9-1 σεβίζουσιν: σεβίζουσι Turn. θεσπίζουσι Par.

mvp-comment-10-1 κελευθοποιοὶ: κελευθοπιοὶ Αld. Scholiastes of Αθηναῖοι, Θησεὺς γὰρ τὴν ὁδὸν καθῇρε (sic M.) τῶν λῃστῶν· καὶ ὅταν πέμπωσιν εἰς Δελφοὺς θεωρίδα, προέρχονται (προέρχονται γὰρ Μ.) ἔχοντες πελέκεις ὡς διημερώσοντες τὴν γῆν. Hesychius Αφηστιάδαι, Αθηναῖοι. Sed cum Hesychio conferendum est quod Stephanus Byzantius habet, 'Hφαιστιάδαι, δῆμος Ακαμαντίδος φυλῆς, ἐν ᾧ ἦν Ηφαίστου ἱερόν. ὁ δημότης Ἡφαιστιάδης. τὰ τοπικὰ ἐξ Ηφαιστιαδῶν καὶ τὰ λοιπά. Censor Schützianae editionis in Bibliotheca nova Germanica vol. LVI. part. 1. p. 224. seqq. cuius censurae epitome inserta est Beckii Commentariis societatis philologicae vol. II. part. 2. p. 279. seqq. dubitat an Aeschylus simpliciter fabros, non universe Athenienses, solemni pompa, ut deinceps quotannis, Apollinem deduxisse dixerit: quare aliquid excidisse putat inter v. 12. et 13. Quae suspicio eiusmodi est ut certis quidem argumentis nec refelli posse nec probari videatur. Schoemanno, ut Stanleio aliisque, universe Athenienses significari videntur: Erechtheum enim filium esse Vulcani, ὃν τέκε γαίης αὔλακι νυμφεύσας γαμίην Ηφαιστος ξέρσην, ut Nonnus ait XLI. 63. Rem, quam Aeschylus narrat, Strabo tangit IX. p. 646 (422). Conf. Mülleri Orchom. p. 36. et 383. et diss. de tripode Delphico p. 18.

mvp-comment-11-1 ἀνήμερον τιθέντες: ἀνήμερόν τι θέντες Ald.

mvp-comment-12-1 τιμᾷ: τιμαλθεῖ Ven. τημαλφεῖ Ald. Turn. In Rob. pro his verbis, κάρτα τιμαλφεί λεώς, haec e v. 12. repetita sunt, καὶ σεβίζουσιν μέγα.

mvp-comment-13-1 Δελφός: Scholiastes Επαφρόδιτος ἐν ὑπομνήματι Καλλιμάχου Αιτίων β' φησί, Μελανθοῦς τῆς Δευκαλίωνος καὶ Κηφισσοῦ τοῦ ποταμοῦ γίνεται Μέλαινα τοὔνομα· Μελαίνης δὲ καὶ Ποσειδῶνος Δελφός, ἀφ' οὗ οἱ Δελφοί. Tzetzes ad Lycophr. v. 208. — κἂν ἄλλοι φασὶ Δελφοὺς κληθῆναι ἀπὸ Δελφοῦ υἱοῦ Ποσειδῶνος καὶ Μελανθοῦς τῆς Δευκαλίωνος θυγατρός. Alia narrat Pausanias X. 6.

mvp-comment-14-1 ἐν θρόνοις: ἐν θρόνοις Turn. ἐν χρόνοις M. G. Par. Ven. Flor. Farn. Ald. Rob.

mvp-comment-15-1 Διὸς προφήτης δ᾽ ἐστὶ Λοξίας πατρός: Libri διὸς προφήτης δ᾽ ἐστὶ λοξίας πατρός, nisi quod G. Ald. δ᾽ ἐστὶν habent. Sed Macrobius Sat. V. 22. ita scriptum affert hunc versum, πατρὸς προφήτης ἐστὶ Λοξίας Διός. Dubitari potest utro ordine melius haec dicantur.

mvp-comment-16-1 Παλλὰς προναία δ᾽ εὐλόγως πρεσβεύεται: Libri παλλὰς προναία δ᾽ ἐν λόγοις πρεσβεύεται, nisi quod in Ven. προναία esse adnotavit Bekkerus. Scribendum προνάα. De Minerva zgoraía sive noroi praeter alios disputavit Lennepius ad Phalar. p. 143. seqq. Εί πρόνοια sola vera appellatio videbatur. Alterum nomen ut verius atque antiquius defendit 0. Müllerus in iis quae de Pallade scripsit in Encyclopaedia universali III. 10. p. 101. Atque hane nominis formam Delphis usitatam fuisse constat nunc ex duabus inscriptionibus ab Ernesto Curtio in Anecdotis Delphicis p. 77. et 78. editis, in quibus scriptum est ΤΑΙΑΘΑΝ. ΑΙΤΑΙΡΟΝΑΙΑΙ. De situ templi huius deae Delphici exposuit H. N. Vlrichsius in Itinere Graeco (Reisen und forschungen in Griechenland) vol. I. p. 45. et 263. Quod apud Aeschylum sequitur ἐν λόγοις πρεσβεύεται, simili orationis specie dictum est in Choeph. v. 621. κακῶν δὲ πρεσβεύεται τὸ Λήμνιον λόγο. Sed hic tamen non satis aptum videtur ἐν λόγοις. Scribendum putavi Παλλὰς προνάα δ᾽ εὐλόγως πρεσβεύεται. Suppl. v. 574. τίν ἂν θεῶν ἐνδικωτέροισιν κεκλοίμαν εὐλόγως ἐπ' ἔργοις;

mvp-comment-17-1 Κωρυκὶς: κωρυκεὶς Ald. De Corycio antro dixit Vlrichsius p. 48. 55. 119. 126.

mvp-comment-18-1 ἀναστροφαί: ἀναστροφαί Ven. Flor. Farn. ἀναστροφὴ Μ. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. ἀναστροφὴ Victorius ex scholio ad sequentem versum in M. adscripto διὸ εἶπε δαιμόνων ἀναστροφή. Recipiendum erat ἀναστροφαί. Nulla est enim in plurali numero offensio. V. Pors. ad Eur. Or. v. 1051.

mvp-comment-19-1 Βρόμιος ἔχει τὸν χῶρον: βρόμιος δ' έχει Ven. Flor. G. Ald. Turn. et haud dubie etiam Farn. Non est d'in M. Rob. Erravit autem qui addidit. Aeschylus enim ne in primo quidem pede anapaestum admisit, qui sola positione esset anapaestus, praeter hos duos versus, Pers. 338. ἑκατὸν δὲς ἦσαν, et Ag. 487. ὑπατός τε χώρας Ζεύς, ubi excusatio est ex quadam necessitate. Hic autem non dubito quin versus ante hunc exciderit. Quare lacunae signa posui. χώρων Rob.

mvp-comment-20-1 ἐξ οὗτε: ἐξ οὗγε Porsonus, ut in Persis v. 763. in codice Veneto B. scriptum est.

mvp-comment-21-1 λαγὼ: λαγῶ Ven. Farn.

mvp-comment-22-1 Πλειστοῦ ... Ποσειδῶνος: πλείστους M. G. Ven. Flor. Ald. Rob. Πλείστου Turn. Πλειστοῦ ex Stanleii in curis secundis sententia Dindorfius. Εtym. Μ. p. 676. 5. Πλειστοῖο. Απολλώνιος (ΙΙ. 711.) "πολλὰ δὲ Κωρύκια νύμφαι Πλειστοῖο θύγατρες.” τινὲς ἀναγιγνώσκουσι προπερισπώμένως, ἐπειδὴ καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν ἐγχωρίων λέγεται Πλειστός ὀξυτόνως. ἔστι δὲ ποταμὸς ἐν Δελφοῖς. Ἡρωδιανὸς δὲ ἐν τῷ Καθόλου Πλεῖστος βαρύνει. Scholiastes ad Ποσειδῶνος κράτος haec adnotavit, τὴν Πυθὼ τὴν Ποσειδῶνος, ὑπὲρ ἧς Καλαύρειαν ἐδέξατο. Καλλίμαχος “μέσφα Καλαυρείης ἦλθεν ἐς ἀντίδοσιν.” Aliter hoc narrat Strabo VIII. p. 373. seq. (574.) Καλαυρία, νησίδιον ὅσον τριάκοντα σταδίων ἔχον τὸν κύκλον. ἐνταῦθα ἦν ἄσυλον Ποσειδῶνος ἱερόν· καί φασι τὸν θεὸν τοῦτον ἀλλάξασθαι πρὸς μὲν Λητὼ τὴν Καλαυρίαν, ἀντιδόντα Δῆλον, πρὸς Ἀπόλλωνα δὲ Ταίναρον, ἀντιδόντα Πυθώ. Ἔφορος δὲ καὶ τὸν χρησμὸν λέγει· ισόν τοι Δῆλον τε Καλαυριάν τε νέμεσθαι, Πυθώ τ' ἀγαθέην καὶ Ταίναρον ἠνεμόεντα. Pausanias X. 5, 6. ἔστι δὲ ἐν Ἕλλησι ποίησις, ὄνομα μὲν τοῖς ἔπεσίν ἐστι Ευμολπία, Μουσαίῳ δὲ τῷ Αντισφήμου προςποιοῦσι τὰ ἔπη· πεποιημένον οὖν ἐστὶν ἐν τούτοις Ποσειδῶνος ἐν κοινῷ καὶ Γῆς εἶναι τὸ μαντεῖον, καὶ τὴν μὲν χρᾶν αὐτήν, Ποσειδῶνι δὲ ὑπηρέτην ἐς τὰ μαντεύματα εἶναι Πύρκωνα. καὶ οὕτως ἔχει τὰ ἔπη, αὐτίκα δὲ Χθὼν μὲν σφῶῖν πινυτὸν φάτο μῦθον, σὺν δέ τε Πύρκων ἀμφίπολος κλυτοῦ Ἐννοσιγαίου (ita scribendum). Κρόνῳ δὲ ὕστερον, ὅσον Γῇ μετῆν, δοθῆναι Θέμιδι ὑπ' αὐτῆς λέγουσιν, Απόλλωνα δὲ παρὰ Θέμιδος λαβεῖν δωρεάν· Ποσειδῶνι δὲ ἀντὶ τοῦ μαντείου Καλαύρειαν ἀντιδοῦναι φασιν αὐτὸν τὴν πρὸ Τροιζῆνος. Erat autem in templo Delphico ara Neptuni. Pausanias X. 24, 4. ἐν δὲ τῷ ναῷ πεποίηται μὲν Ποσειδῶνος βωμός, ὅτι τὸ μαντεῖον τὸ ἀρχαιότατον κτῆμα ἦν καὶ Ποσειδῶνος, ἔστηκε δὲ καὶ ἀγάλματα Μοιρῶν δύο· ἀντὶ δὲ αὐτῶν τῆς τρίτης Ζεύς τε Μοιραγέτης καὶ ᾿Απόλλων σφίσι παρέστηκε Μοιραγέτης. Wieselerus memoravit Tzetzae ad Lycophr. v. 617. adnotationem, Αμοιβέα τὸν Ποσειδῶνα λέγει· οὕτω γὰρ ἐν Δελφοῖς τιμᾶται, ἐπεὶ ἠμείψαντο πρὸς ἀλλήλους ὁ μὲν Ποσειδῶν Καλαυρίαν, ὁ δὲ Ἀπόλλων Δελφούς, ὡς φησὶ Καλλίμαχος.

mvp-comment-23-1 Δία,: Recte in fine versus comma positum in Ald. Turn. Nulla interpunctio est in Rob. Vulgo inde a Victorio plene interpungitur.

mvp-comment-24-1 μακρῷ: μεστῶν pro με τῶν Par. μακρῶν Ald. Turn.

mvp-comment-25-1 κεἰ πάρ᾽: κει παρ' Rob. Ceteri κει παρ'. Recte Abreschius κεἰ πάρ'.

mvp-comment-26-1 ἴτων: ἴτων M. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. et, ut videtur, Ven. ἴτην Farn. et, ut videtur, Flor. De sortitione oraculum consulentium v. Spanh. ad Callim. h. Apoll. v. 45.

mvp-comment-27-1 μαντεύομαι: μαντεύονται Ven. In margine codicum M. G. adscriptum est διάλειμμα γάρ. Etenim post hunc versum sacerdos Pythia in templum introit, mox autem revertitur.

mvp-comment-28-1 λέξαι: λείξαι Ald.

mvp-comment-29-1 σθένειν μήτε μ' ἀκταίνειν βάσιν: σωβεῖν Par. Deinde μή τ' ἐμακταίνειν Ald. Scholiastes ἀκταίνειν interpretatur κουφίζειν· σημαίνει δὲ καὶ τὸ γαυριᾶν καὶ ατάκτως πηδῶν. Ex hoc loco, ut videtur, Hesychius ακταίνειν, μεταεωρίζειν. Εtym. Μ. p. 54, 34. ἀκταίνω. ἐπὶ ἵππων ἀκταίνειν, τὸ μετεωρίζεσθαι καὶ ἐπαίρεσθαι, καὶ γαυριᾶν. παρὰ τὸ ἦκται ἀκτός, καὶ ῥῆμα ἀκτῶ, ἀφ᾽ οὗ ἀκταίνω τὸ κουφίζω παρὰ Αἰσχύλῳ, uti emendavit Ruhnkenius ad Tim. p. 21. ibidem p. 20. afferens quae apud Phrynichum (in Bekkeri Anecd. p. 23, 12.) leguntur, Αἰσχύλος “οὐκέτ ἀκταίνω” φησί, βαρυτόνως, οἷον οὐκέτι ὀρθοῦν δύναμαι ἐμαυτήν. In fine versus libri στάσιν, neque vituperari hoc potest, non erecta stare possum. Sed in M. G. supra adscriptum γρ. βάσιν, quod a Stephano commemoratum inde a Cantero plerique receperunt. Et videtur praestare.

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

mvp-comment-1-1 πρῶτον μέν] This is answered, according to the common Attic usage, by ἔπειτα in v. 29. First I make honourable mention of the Powers, Titanian and celestial, who have successively ruled the oracular seat; next, I go to declare their present will. - πρεσβεύω, Schol.

προτιμῶ.
The genitive θεῶν means her who of all the powers divine was the first giver of oracles. - Θέμις, who is called Τιτανὶς in Prom. 893 , represents the notion of law and justice as regulated not by human statutes but by divine will.

mvp-comment-2-1 ἢ δή] who, as all know, &c. So οὗ δὴ χολωθεὶς, Alcest. 5 ; see also Prom. 833 .

mvp-comment-3-1 θελούσης] The poet indirectly denies the truth of an old legend that Themis was forcibly ejected from the oracular seat by her sister Phoebe, the mother of Leto. Schol.

Πίνδαρός φησι πρὸς βίαν κρατῆσαι Πυθοῦς τὸν ᾿Απόλλωνα· διὸ καὶ ταρταρῶσαι αὐτὸν ἐζήτει ἡ Γῆ.
This note perhaps refers to the birthday present' from his grandmother Phoebe. The legend that Apollo dispossessed Themis is given at some length in Eur. Iph. T. 1260 seqq. It was in the mind of the poet in this play to deny the hostility of the gods against each other, and to represent them in their more beneficent aspect. It was a custom to bring presents, thence called ὀπτήρια, at the first sight of a newly-born child; see Eur. Ion 1127 .

mvp-comment-4-1 παρώνυμον] The name Phoebus came from Phoebe, either derived from it by the masculine termination, or with the interval of one, as παρ' ἡμέραν, ‘every other day.'

mvp-comment-5-1 λιπὼν δὲ κ.τ.λ.] The sense is, 'So he, leaving the island of his birth, came first to the shore of Attica, from which he was conducted with great honour by a Sacred Way then first made from Athens to Delphi by the descendants of Erichthonius the son of Hephaestus. On the via sacra alluded to, see Wordsworth's Greece, p. 237 , who describes the rugged and uneven nature of the soil, ἀνήμερον χθόνα. The Schol. records a ceremony kept up till later times, of pioneers carrying mattocks leading the annual procession of θεωροὶ to Delphi. ibid. χοιράδα] The low-lying reef, lit. 'hog's-back,' a term applied in disparagement to the barren island which the god exchanged for the wealthy Delphi (Schol.). See Pers. 423 .

mvp-comment-6-1 ἕδρας] ‘his sacred seat on Parnassus.'

mvp-comment-7-1 Either ἡμερώσαντες οι τιθέντες (θέντες) ἥμερον would be a more usual expression. The verb is technically applied to cutting roads through waste country. So Herod. 1. 126

ἐξημερῶσαι τόπον ἀκανθώδη.
Eur. Herc. F. 20
έξημερῶσαι γαῖαν.

mvp-comment-8-1 Δελφός] The eponym king or hero of the country came out to meet the god and give him an honourable reception. The Schol. cites a grammarian who wrote a commentary on Callimachus, to prove that Delphus was the son of Poseidon and Melaena, a daughter of the river Cephisus. -πρυμνήτης, see inf. 735, Theb. 2 .

mvp-comment-9-1 τόνδε] i.e. the present occupant. Similarly the gods are asked to receive the king on his return φαιδροῖσι τοισίδ᾽ ὄμμασι, Ag. 503 , ‘now with bright and cheery look.'

mvp-comment-10-1 προφήτης] the mouth-piece, or speaker for Zeus, Jovis interpres.

mvp-comment-11-1 ἐν λόγοις] This may mean that Pallas holds a first rank in the legends of the place, or it may be that prayers to Apollo are contrasted with honourable mention of Pallas Pronaea ( Herod. 1. 92, VIII. 37 ), who had a temple, or perhaps chapel, in front of the adytum. There was another title, sometimes confounded with this, Παλλάς Πρόvoia, the goddess of Providence, from her reputed wisdom, inf. 811.

mvp-comment-12-1 These verses, which somewhat interrupt the narrative, and the last of which is metrically faulty, are perhaps the interpolation of an early hand. The Schol. observes that the scene of Pentheus' death was not Parnassus, but Cithaeron. It has been proposed (by Weil) to insert v. 20 after v. 26, which, supposing the above lines to be genuine, would be an improvement. It is remarkable that the Schol. briefly says καλοῦσα φροιμιάζομαι. Cf. Ag. 1325 .

mvp-comment-13-1 Ποσειδώνος] There would seem to have been a κοινοβωμία ( Suppl. 218 ) at Delphi. There was a legend that the sea-god had resigned Pytho to Apollo in exchange for Taenarus, or, as Callimachus quoted by the Schol. says, for Calaurea, an island off Argolis.

mvp-comment-14-1 τυχεῖν ἄριστα] to get much better answers than on any former entry. For the accusative after τυγχάνειν see Cho. 698 .

mvp-comment-15-1 ἴτων, for ἴτωσαν, a unique example of this form. -πάλῳ, viz. without favour or claim of precedence on national grounds. -ὡς ἂv, according as. Cf. Soph. Αj. 1369

ὡς ἂν ποιήσῃς, πανταχή χρηστός γ ἔσει.
--After this verse there is a solemn pause.

mvp-comment-16-1 ἀκταίνειν] Schol.

κουφίζειν,
Hesych.
μετεωρίζειν,
 pedem levare. A similar form occurs Od. ΧΧΙΙΙ. 3
πόδες δ' ὑπερικταίνοντο.
 Plat. Legg. 11. p. 672 c
καὶ ὅταν ἀκταινώσῃ ἑαυτὸ τάχιστα, ἀτάκτως αὖ πηδᾷ.

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-1-1 (in fine paginae v. 1-48 continentis; legebantur vulgo tamquam ad v. 47 adscripta; transp. Weckl.) φαίνεται ἐπὶ σκηνῆς τὸ μαντεῖον, ἡ δὲ προφῆτις πρόσεισιν (πρόεισιν Μ) ἐπικλήσεις, ὡς ἔθος, τῶν θεῶν ποιησαμένη (-ομένη Μ), ἀπροόπτως τε ἰδοῦσα τὰς Ἐρινύας κύκλωι τοῦ Ὀρέστου καθευδούσας πάντα μηνύει τοῖς θεαταῖς, οὐχ ὡς διηγουμένη τὰ ὑπὸ τὴν σκηνήν· τοῦτο γὰρ νεωτερικὸν Εὐριπίδειον (ιον Μ)· ὑπὸ δὲ τῆς ἐκπλήξεως τὰ θορυβήσαντα αὐτὴν καταμηνύουσα φιλοτέχνως. τὰ δὲ πρῶτα εὐχαὶ καὶ ἐπικλήσεις θεῶν, ἵνα ἀπὸ τῶν εὐφημοτέρων ἄρξηται ἡ προφῆτις. οἰκονομικῶς δὲ οὐκ ἐν ἀρχῆι διώκεται Ορέστης, ἀλλὰ τοῦτο ἐν μέσωι τοῦ δράματος κατατάττει, ταμιευόμενος τὰ ἀκμαιότατα ἐν μέσωι. προτιμῶ.

mvp-comment-2-1 Πίνδαρός φησι πρὸς βίαν κρατῆσαι Πυθοῦς τὸν Ἀπόλλωνα· διὸ καὶ ταρταρῶσαι αὐτὸν ἐζήτει ἡ Γῆ. Ἐπαφρόδιτος ἐν ὑπομνήματι Καλλιμάχου αἰτίων β΄ φησί· „Μελανθοῦς τῆς Δευκαλίλωνος καὶ Κηφισοῦ τοῦ ποταμοῦ γίνεται Μέλαινα τοὔνομα, Μελαίνης δὲ καὶ Ποσειδῶνος Δελφός, ἀφ᾽ οὗ οἱ Δελφοί“.

mvp-comment-3-1 ἢ τῆς κοινῆς μητρὸς πάντων, ἢ τῆς Θέμιδος.

mvp-comment-4-1 κλήρωι.

mvp-comment-5-1 ἀντὶ τοῦ) ὀπτήριον. θεασαμένη τὸν τῆς ἀδελφῆς (richtig wäre θυγατρὸς) ἑαυτῆς Λητοῦς παῖδα δέδωκε συγγενικὴν δόσιν.

mvp-comment-6-1 ἀπόδειξις αὕτη τῆς δωρεᾶς οὐκ ἀχάριστος.

mvp-comment-7-1 τὴν Κύνθον. διὰ δὲ τοῦ „χοιράδα" σχεδὸν τὴν αἰτίαν φησὶ δι᾽ ἣν ἀπέλιπεν Ἀπόλλων, ἐκκλίνων τὸ εὐτελὲς τοῦ χωρίου. τὴν στρογγύλην (näml. λίμνην).

mvp-comment-8-1 χαριζόμενος Ἀθηναίοις καταχθῆναί φησιν ἐκεῖσε Ἀπόλλωνα κἀκεῖθεν τὴν παραπομπὴν (Heyne für περιπ.) αὐτῶι εἶναι. ὁ δὲ Πίνδαρος) ἐκ Τανάγρας τῆς Βοιωτίας.

mvp-comment-9-1 οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι. Θησεὺς γὰρ τὴν ὁδὸν ἐκάθηρε (Rob. f. καθῆρεν) τῶν ληιστῶν· καὶ ὅταν πέμπωσιν εἰς Δελφοὺς θεωρίαν (Weil f. θεωρίδα), προέρχονται [γάρ] (del. Rob., τινες Weckl.) ἔχοντες πελέκεις ὡς διημερώσοντες τὴν γῆν.

mvp-comment-10-1 καὶ ὁ Δελφὸς λεώς (λ. del. Vict.), ὃς (ὅ Μ) ἐστι τῆς χώρας ἄναξ καὶ κυβερνήτης.

mvp-comment-11-1 κτίσας: ποιήσας· ἰδίωμα δὲ τοῦτο Αἰσχύλου.

mvp-comment-12-1 „χή Παλλάς, Δελφοί νιν ὅθ᾽ ἱδρύοντο προναίην“ Καλλίμαχος.

mvp-comment-13-1 ὁ Παρνασσός.

mvp-comment-14-1 διὸ εἶπε δαιμόνων ἀναστροφή.“

mvp-comment-15-1 λαγωοῦ δίκην καταπτήξαντι καὶ μὴ ἀνθισταμένωι. νῦν φησὶν ἐν Παρνασῶι εἶναι τὰ κατὰ Πενθέα, ἐν δὲ ταῖς Ξαντρίαις ἐν Κιθαιρῶνι.

mvp-comment-16-1 ἡ (τὴν Μ) Πυθὼ ἦν (τὴν Μ) πρώην Ποσειδῶνος, ὑπὲρ ἧς Καλαύρειαν ἐδέξατο. Καλλίμαχος· „μέσφα Καλαυρείης ἦλθεν ἐς (Rob. f. εἰς) ἀντίδοσιν.“

mvp-comment-17-1 καλοῦσα φροιμιάζομαι.

mvp-comment-18-1 τοῦτό φησιν, ἐπεὶ δραματική ἐστιν ἡ ποίησις· εἰ δὲ ἦν διηγηματική, εἶπεν ἂν ὁ ποιητής· ταῦτα εἶποῦσα εἰς θρόνον ἐκαθέζετο.

mvp-comment-19-1 ἴτων: ἴτωσαν, Αττικώτερον.

mvp-comment-20-1 διάλειμμα γίνεται). πρὸς (παρ᾿ Μ) ὀλίγον ἔρημος ἡ σκηνὴ γίνεται. οὔτε γὰρ ὁ χορός) πω πάρεστιν, ἥ τε ἱέρεια εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν ναόν. τὰ δεινὰ ἐξέπεμψέ με τοῦ μαντείου. ἰδοῦσα γὰρ Ὀρέστην ἐπὶ τοῦ βωμοῦ καὶ τὰς Ἐρινύας κοιμωμένας, ἔξεισι τεταραγμένη τετραποδηδὸν ἐκ τοῦ νεώ.

mvp-comment-21-1 διὰ τὸ γῆρας. κουφίζειν· σημαίνει) δὲ καὶ τὸ γαυριᾶν καὶ ἀτάκτως πηδᾶν (s. Plat. Leg. II, 672 C).

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-1-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 251

mvp-comment-1-2 Prolog, wenn man das Erwachen der Erinyen 140-178 als Parodos und das zweite Erscheinen derselben 244-275 als Epiparodos gelten läfst. Andernfalls müfste man den Prolog bis zum eigentlichen Auftreten des Chors als der wirklichen Parodos, also 1-243 rechnen. Die Pythia, welche als Greisin (38) sich auf einen Stab stützt, kommt (durch eine Seitenthüre der Hinterwand) aus einem Nebenraume des Tempels zum Haupteingange desselben und verrichtet vor dem Eintritt ein Gebet (30 f.). Sie hat die χρηστηρία ἐσθής wie Kasandra in Agamemnon (zu Ag. 774 ). Gut bemerkt der Schol. :

φαίνεται ἐπὶ σκηνῆς τὸ μαντεῖον· η δὲ προφῆτις πρόεισιν ἐπικλήσεις, ὡς ἔθος, τῶν θεῶν ποιησομένη, ἀπροόπτως τε ἰδοῦσα τὰς Ἐρινύας κύκλῳ τοῦ Ὀρέστου καθευδούσας πάντα μηνύει τοῖς θεαταῖς, οὐχ ὡς διηγουμένη τὰ ὑπὸ τὴν σκηνήν, τοῦτο γὰρ νεωτερικὸν Εὐριπίδειον, ὑπὸ δὲ τῆς ἐκπλήξεως τὰ θορυβήσαντα αὐτὴν καταμηνύουσα φιλοτέχνως
(d. h. die Exposition ist nicht unvermittelt wie bei Euripides, sondern wohl motiviert). τὰ δὲ πρῶτα εὐχαὶ καὶ ἐπικλήσεις θεῶν, ἵνα ἀπὸ τῶν εὐφημοτέρων ἄρξηται ἡ προφῆτις (in der That breitet das Gebet der Priesterin über den Anfang eine weihevolle Stimmung aus). οἰκονομικῶς δὲ οὐκ ἐν ἀρχῇ διώκεται Ὀρέστης, ἀλλὰ τοῦτο ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ δράματος κατατάττει, ταμιευόμενος τὰ ἀκμαιότατα ἐν μέσῳ.

mvp-comment-2-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 251

mvp-comment-2-2 θεῶν ist von πρῶτον, nicht von πρεσβεύω (wie Cho. 629 ) abhängig, da πρωτόμαντιν in kausalem Verhältnis zu πρῶτον steht und es rechtfertigt, dafs Gäa zuerst unter den Göttern gefeiert wird. Vgl. Cho. 486 . Gäa ist die erste Inhaberin des Orakels, weil es ein Erdorakel war (μαντείον χθόνιον Eur. Iph. T. 1248 ), wie die Höhle des Trophonios u. a. Ihr folgt Themis als Tochter ( Hes. Theog. 135 ), welche nach attischer Vorstellung auch als identisch mit Gäa erscheint (s. zu Prom. 225

Θέμις καὶ Γαῖα, πολλῶν ὀνομάτων μορφὴ μία
). Vgl. ἐπὶ τρίποδι Θέμιδος Eur. Or. 164 . ἐκ δὲ τῆς (nach ihr aber, Kriger II § 50, 1, 1) für δεύτερον δέ.

mvp-comment-3-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 251

mvp-comment-3-2 δή (eben) hebt hervor, dafs Themis als Tochter nachfolgte. τὸ .. μαντείον ἕζετο: zu Ag.193 . Der Zusatz ὡς λόγος τις weist auf andere Wendungen der Sage hin. Paus. X 5, 5 λέγεται δὲ πολλὰ μὲν καὶ διάφορα ἐς αὐτοὺς Δελφούς, πλείω δὲ ἔτι ἐς τοῦ ᾿Απόλλωνος τὸ μαντείον. φασὶ γὰρ δὴ τὰ ἀρχαιό τατα Γῆς εἶναι τὸ χρηστήριον καὶ Δάφνιδα ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ τετάχθαι πρόμαντιν ὑπὸ τῆς Γῆς κτέ.

mvp-comment-4-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 251

mvp-comment-4-2 λάχει: κλήρῳ Schol. Θελούσης scil. αὐτῆς τῆς Θέμιδος). Krüger I § 47, 4, 3 . Die gewöhnliche Wendung der Sage, nach welcher Apollon den das Orakel bewachenden Drachen Python tötete und Themis von der Stätte verdrängte (Schol. Πίνδαρός φησι πρὸς βίαν κρατῆσαι Πυθοῦς τὸν ᾿Απόλλωνα· διὸ καὶ ταρταρῶσαι αὐτὸν ἐζήτει ἡ Γῆ, Eur. Iph. T. 1249 ff. ) wird von dem religiösen Dichter nachdrücklich abgewiesen, und Phöbe, eine andere Tochter der Gäa ( Hes. Theog. 136 ), eingeschoben, damit die Verwandtschaft durchweg als Grund der Übertragung erscheine.

mvp-comment-5-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 252

mvp-comment-5-2 Τιτανίς als Tochter des Uranos und der Gäa. Τιτανὶς Θέμις Prom. 900 . C

mvp-comment-6-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 252

mvp-comment-6-2 ή in solcher Stellung (wie in ἦ δ' ή) nur hier. Sonst nur ἣ δέ, ἣ γάρ und καὶ ἥ. γενέθλιον δόσιν, als Geburtsgeschenk. Bei den Athenern wurden von den Verwandten solche Geschenke an den Ἀμφιδρόμια gegeben. Dieses Fest, an welchem das Kind den Namen erhielt, wurde bald nach der Geburt gefeiert (Hesych. und Harpokr. unter Ἀμφιδρόμια).

mvp-comment-7-1 1

mvp-comment-7-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 252

mvp-comment-7-3 τήθης (Grofsmutter): Phöbe wurde von Koios Mutter der Leto ( Hes. Theog. 406 ).

mvp-comment-8-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 252

mvp-comment-8-2 λίμνην Δηλίαν τε: zu Ag. 594 . λίμνη ( Herod. II 170

ἡ τροχοειδής καλεομένη
) ist der kreisförmige See auf Delos, an welchem Leto den Phöbos geboren hatte: Theogn. 5 Φοῖβε ἄναξ, ὅτε μέν σε θεὰ τέκε πότνια Λητὼ ... ἐπὶ τροχοειδέϊ λίμνῃ, Eur. Iph. Τ. 1103 , Ion 167 . χοιράδα: ein Schol. versteht darunter den Berg Kynthos ( Κύνθιον ὄχθον Eur. Iph. Τ. 1098 ), an welchem der runde See lag. Richtiger denkt ein anderer an das Felseneiland selbst: διὰ τοῦ χοιράδα σχεδὸν τὴν αἰτίαν φησὶ δι᾽ ἣν ἀπέλιπεν Ἀπόλλων, ἐκκλίνων τὸ εὐτελὲς τοῦ χωρίου. Ebenso Eur. Iph. T. 1239 φέρε (Leto) δ᾽ ἵνιν ἀπὸ δειράδος εἰναλίας λοχεῖα κλεινὰ λιποῦσ᾽, ἀστάκτων μάτειρ᾽ ὑδάτων, τὴν βακχεύουσαν Διονύσῳ Παρνάσιον κορυφαν nach dem ersten Hymn. auf Apollon V. 72 νῆσον ἀτιμήσας, ἐπειὴ κραναήπεδός εἰμι (Delos spricht). Man hat aber χοιράδα wohl mehr von dem Anblick, welchen die Insel vom Meere aus bietet, von der klippenreichen Küste zu verstehen wie Pers. 424
ἀκταὶ δὲ νεκρῶν χοιράδες τ᾽ ἐπλήθυον
 und Eur. Tro.89
έκταὶ δὲ Μυκόνου Δήλιοι τε χοιράδες πολλῶν θανόντων σώμαθ᾽ ἕξουσιν νεκρῶν
.

mvp-comment-8-3 2

mvp-comment-9-1 3

mvp-comment-9-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 252

mvp-comment-9-3 Schol. :

χαριζόμενος Ἀθηναίοις καταχθῆναί φησιν ἐκεῖσε Ἀπόλλωνα κἀκεῖθεν τὴν παραπομ πὴν Ἀὐτῷ εἶναι. ὁ δὲ Πίνδαρος ἐκ Τανάγρας (Τεγύρας
O. Müller) τῆς Βοιωτίας. Auch in dem Hymnus auf den Pythischen Apollon V. 36 ff. ist die Richtung des Weges eine ardere. Die alte Sitte, dafs den athenischen Festgesandtschaften nach Delphi Leute mit Äxten um den Weg zu bahnen vorhergehen ( ὅταν πέμπωσιν εἰς Δελφοὺς θεωρίαν, προέρχονταί τινες ἔχοντες πελέκεις ὡς διημερώσοντες τὴν γῆν Schol.), wird auf die erste Ankunft des Apollon übertragen und darin eine Art Beweis gefunden, dafs er seinen Weg von Delos nach Delphi über Attika genommen habe. So auch Ephoros bei Strabon IX p. 422 καθ᾿ ὃν χρόνον Ἀπόλλωνα τὴν γῆν ἐπιόντα ἡμεροῦν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους .. ἐξ ᾿Αθηνῶν δ᾽ ὁρμηθέντα ἐπὶ Δελφοὺς ταύτην ἰέναι τὴν ὁδόν, ᾗ νῦν Ἀθηναῖοι τὴν Πυθιάδα πέμπουσι.

mvp-comment-10-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 252

mvp-comment-10-2 μέγα: zu Cho.137 .

mvp-comment-11-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 253

mvp-comment-11-2 παῖδες Ηφαίστου: Schol. :

οἱ Αθηναῖοι. Θησεὺς γὰρ τὴν ὁδὸν ἐκάθηρε τῶν λῃστῶν.
Die Athener, welche von Dichtern Ερεχθεῖδαι genannt werden ( Soph. Ai. 202 , Eur. Med. 824 ), können Hephästoskinder heifsen, weil Erichthonios, mit dem Erechtheus identifiziert wurde, als Sohn des Hephästos galt (daher auch θεῶν παῖδες Eur. Med. 825 ). Vgl. Hesych. Ἡφαιστιάδαι: Ἀθήναῖοι. Hier aber sind offenbar Leute mit Äxten d. i. Zimmerleute zu verstehen.

mvp-comment-12-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 253

mvp-comment-12-2 τιμαλφεῖ: über den Gebrauch dieses Wortes bei Äsch. bemerkt der Schol. zu 629 :

συνεχὲς τὸ ὄνομα παρ᾿ Αἰσχύλῳ, διὸ σκώπτει αὐτὸν Επίχαρμος.
Vgl. noch 810, Ag. 913
τιμαλφής
 frg. 53. Abgesehen von Späteren kommt das Wort auch bei Pindar vor.

mvp-comment-13-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 253

mvp-comment-13-2 Δελφός: Επαφρόδιτος ἐν ὑπομνήματι Καλλιμάχου αἰτίων β' φησί Μελανθοῦς τῆς Δευκαλίωνος καὶ Κηφισοῦ τοῦ ποταμοῦ γίνεται Μέλαινα τοὔνομα, Μελαίνης δὲ καὶ Ποσειδῶνος Δελφός, ἀφ᾽ οὗ οἱ Δελφοί. Schol.

mvp-comment-14-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 253

mvp-comment-14-2 νιν gehört sowohl zu κτίσας (mit φρένα, vgl. 88) als zu ΐζει. ἔνθεος τέχνης nach Analogie von ἔμπειρος.

mvp-comment-15-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 253

mvp-comment-15-2 Διὸς προφήτης: vgl. 621, frg 82 ταῦτα γὰρ πατὴρ Ζεὺς ἐγκαθίει Λοξία θεσπίσματα, Hymn. Hom. 1 132 χρήσω (Apollon spricht) δ' ἀνθρώποισι Διός νημερτέα βουλήν, ΙΙΙ 471 σὲ (Hermes zu Apollon) δέ φασι δαήμεναι ἐκ Διὸς ὀμφῆς μαντείας, Εκάεργε· Διὸς πάρα θέσφατα πάντα, Verg. Aen. III 251 quae Phoebo pater omnipotens, mihi Phoebus Apollo praedixit.

mvp-comment-16-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 253

mvp-comment-16-2 ἐν εὐχαῖς steht in Gegensatz zu dem folgenden ἐν λόγοις: den Gottheiten des Orakels selbst werden zuerst (als προοίμια) fromme Gebete geweiht; dann werden die übrigen Gottheiten des Ortes in Worten der Verehrung begrüfst. Παλλὰς προναία heifst sie nach der Lage ihres Heiligtums. Der Schol. erwähnt den Vers des Kallimachos :

χὴ Παλλάς, Δελφοί νιν ὅθ᾽ ἱδρύοντο προναίην
. Vgl. Herod. VIII 37
τὸ ἱρὸν τῆς Προνηίης 'Ἀθηναίης,
 Diod. ΧΙ 14 μέχρι τοῦ ναοῦ τῆς προναίας Ἀθηνάς, wie sich in delphischen Inschriften τῷ ᾿Αθάνα τα προναία findet (E. Curtius Anecd. Delph. p. 77 sq.). Über den Tempel Paus. X 8, 6 .

mvp-comment-17-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 253

mvp-comment-17-2 νύμφας ἔνθα (die Nymphen welche wohnen wo): eine ähnliche Brachylogie 689 σκηνάς, ὅτ᾽ ἦλθον, Soph. Trach. 240

εὐχαῖς ὅθ' ᾕρει κτε. Κωρυκὶς πέτρα
: die Korykische Grotte am Parnafs oberhalb Delphi ( Herod. VIII 36 ) war den Nymphen und dem Pan geweiht, Soph. Ant. 1126
σὲ δ᾽ ὑπὲρ διλόφου πέτρας στέροψ ὄπωπε λιγνύς, ἔνθα Κωρύκιαι νύμφαι στείχουσι Βακχίδες
, Paus. X 32, 7 ἱερὸν δὲ αὐτὸ (nämlich τὸ Κωρύκιον ἄντρον) οἱ περὶ τὸν Παρνασὸν Κωρυκίων τε εἶναι νυμφῶν καὶ Πανὸς μάλιστα ἥγηνται. φίλορνις bezieht sich auf den Wald, welcher die Grotte umgiebt.

mvp-comment-18-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 254

mvp-comment-18-2 Βρόμιος: man glaubte öfter nächtlicher Weile Fackelglanz auf dem Parnafs wahrzunehmen, der von der Nachtfeier des Dionysos herrühren sollte. Soph. Ant. 1125 , Eur. Ion 716, 1125 , Phoen. 226, Aristoph. Frö. 1211 .

mvp-comment-19-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 254

mvp-comment-19-2 D. i. nachdem Dionysos an der Spitze der Bakchen den Pentheus im Kithäron überwunden, drang er bis zum Parnasse vor. Man braucht nicht mit dem Schol. anzunehmen, dafs der Untergang des Pentheus hier auf den Parnafs verlegt sei. Die Pentheussage hat Aschylos im Πενθεύς (und in den Ξάντριαι) wie Euripides in den Βάκχαι behandelt. Pentheus wird von Agane, Ino, Autonoe, welche ihn für ein wildes Tier halten, zerrissen; daher λαγὼ δίκην. ἐξ ούτε auch Pers. 764 . Sonst ὥστε Eum. 1025 , Sept. 488 , Pers. 300 u. öfter in lyrischen und anapästischen Partieen. Der V. 26 entbehrt der gewöhnlichen Cäsur. Vgl. Suppl. 920 , Pers. 254 , 355, 468, 504, 506, 512, 522, Prom. 667 .

mvp-comment-20-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 254

mvp-comment-20-2 Der Pleistos, jetzt Xeropotamos, war ein Flüfschen, das in der Nähe der Korykischen Grotte entsprang. Daher sind die Korykischen Nymphen die Töchter des Pleistos (Apoll. Rh. II 711). πηγάς ist wie κράτος und Δία von καλοῦσα abhängig. Poseidon hatte einen Altar im Tempel des Apollon, weil in der ältesten Zeit Poseidon Mitbesitzer des Orakels war, bis er dasselbe gegen Kalauria vertauschte (Schol., der einen Vers des Kallimachos anführt: μέσφα Καλαυρείης ἦλθεν ἐς ἀντίδοσιν, Paus. X 5, 6 u. 24, 4). καλοῦσα ἔπειτα wie Soph. Ai. 468

καὶ δρῶν τι χρηστόν, εἶτα λοίσθιον θάνω
; wo auch das Zeitverhältnis durch εἶτα angegeben wird. — τέλειον wie Ag. 964 . Im Tempel zu Delphi stand ein Altar des Ζεὺς Μοιραγέτης (Paus. a. O.). Hier wird er als Ursprung aller Weissagung angerufen.

mvp-comment-20-3 4

mvp-comment-21-1 5

mvp-comment-21-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 254

mvp-comment-21-3 ἐς θρόνους d. i. auf den Dreifufs.

mvp-comment-21-4 6

mvp-comment-22-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 254

mvp-comment-22-2 ,,Und mehr als jemals mögen sie meinen Eingang segnen." Über die Wendung τῶν πρὶν εἰσόδων ἄριστα (wie τὸ κάλλιστον τῶν προτέρων Soph. Ant. 102

μεγίστην τῶν πρὶν Ἑλλήνων
Thuk. VII 66 , solus omnium ante se principum Tac. hist. I 50 ) Krüger I § 47, 28, 10 . τυχεῖν ἄριστα: zu Cho. 707 . μακρῷ ἄριστα wie Aristoph. 673
εὐνούστατος μακρῷ
.

mvp-comment-23-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 254

mvp-comment-23-2 ἴτων: ἴτωσαν. Ἀττικώτερον.Schol. Der Plural nach dem kollektiven τὶς wegen der Vorstellung: die Hellenen haben den Vortritt, unter sich aber sollen sie die Reihenfolge durch das Los bestimmen. Vgl. Eur. Ion 91

θάσσει δὲ γυνὴ τρίποδα ζάθεον Δελφὶς ἀείδουσ᾽ Ελλησι βοάς, ἃς ἂν ᾿Απόλλων κελαδήσῃ
. Aber Delphi war auch, wie Liv. 38, 48 sagt, commune humani generis oraculum. Das Orakel wurde ursprünglich jährlich, später monatlich einmal befragt ( Plut. Mor. p. 292 ). Die Reihenfolge der Befragenden stellten vornehme Delpher durch das Los fest; das Losen wurde mit der Frage ὦ Τύχη καὶ Λοξία τῷδε (1. τῶνδε τίνι θεμι στεύεις; eingeleitet (Simplic. Phys. II p. 75). Daher μαντεύομαι θεός. Die Priesterin tritt ab und es folgt eine kleine Pause. Dann kommt sie voll Entsetzen wieder aus dem Tempel heraus, mit beiden Händen sich an ihrem Stabe aufrecht haltend.

mvp-comment-23-3 7

mvp-comment-24-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 255

mvp-comment-24-2 δεινὰ . . δεινὰ δέ wie δεινὰ μὲν . . δεινὰ δέ.

mvp-comment-25-1 8

mvp-comment-25-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 255

mvp-comment-25-3 ὡς, ὥστε. σωκεῖ· ἰσχύει Hesych. Also οὐ σωκεῖν „ohnmächtig sein". ἀκταίνειν: Schol. κουφίζειν, Hesych. μετεωρίζειν. In Bekk. Anecd. p. 23, 12 wird οὐκέτ᾽ ἀκταίνω als Ausdruck des Aschylos mit οὐκέτι δύναμαι ὀρθοῦν ἐμαυτήν und Etym. M. p. 54 ein Fragm. des Aschylos ἀκταῖνον μένος mit ἀνάγον καὶ δυνάμενον ἀνορθοῦν erklärt. Darnach bedeutet οὐκ ἀκταίνειν βάσιν nicht aufrecht gehen können".

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

mvp-sidgwick-1-1-1 [The exterior of the Shrine at Delphi (see note on 63): the priestess comes forward and speaks.]

mvp-sidgwick-1-2-1 [1-63. PROLOGUE. The priestess calls on all the gods connected with the shrine, then goes in, and returns terrified, describing the sight within, a blood-stained murderer on the central stone, and the dreadful Furies sleeping round.]

πρεσβεύω . I honour most; the superlative sense practically contained in the word accounts for gen. θεῶν. πρεσβεύω is rather a favourite word of Aeschylus. So line 21 Παλλὰς πρεσβεύεται, has chief honour, Cho. 488

πρῶτον τόνδε πρεσβεύσω τάφον,
as here, Ag. 1300
ὁ δ᾽ ὕστατος τοῦ χρόνου πρεσβεύεται,
 is first in respect of time, Cho. 631
κακῶν πρεσβεύεται,
 is first of horrors.

πρωτόμαντιν . The Earth was naturally regarded as most ancient of gods: and prophetic, perhaps because the ancient shrines of prophecy were so often caverns or mysterious chasms (e. g. Delphic chasm, the Sibyl's cave, the cave of Trophonios, etc.). Pausanias tells us (10.5.5) that the Delphians affirmed their oracle to have originally belonged to the Earth. And Prom. 209 we have Γαῖα and θέμις prophesying to Prometheus.

ἐκ δὲ τῆς , after her; τῆς common Epic use of art. for demonst. frequent in Aesch., ἐκ τοῦ, ἐν δὲ τῷ, ἢ τοῖσιν ἢ τοῖς, etc.

mvp-sidgwick-4-1-1 The dramatic particle δή probably here merely anticipates ὡς λόγος τις.

μητρός , mother of Themis; not the general meaning Mother Earth. It is a striking evidence of the fluctuating character of these genealogies that the poet elsewhere ( Prom. 209 ) speaks of Earth and Themis as the same; one form of many names.

ἕζετο with acc. Cf. Ag. 183 σέλμα σεμνὸν ἡμένων, 664 ναῦν ἐφέζετο.

λάχει , lot; vivid poetic for in the third place, third in order.

θελούσης , οὐδὲ πρὸς βίαν τινός, with her good will, neither in despite of any. Aeschylus uses this stately emphasis because he is following (or inventing) a different story from what was apparently the received version: for Pindar says (quoted by Schol.) that Apollo by force occupied Pytho: and Eurip. (Iph. Τ. 1259) says,

Apollo came and took away Themis daughter of Earth from the divine oracles.
But this savage and doubtless older story was not suitable to the poet's purpose: the sanctity and dignity of the oracle (ideas which are required for the plot) are averse from such violence.

mvp-sidgwick-6-1-1 The Titans were according to the oldest story six sons and six daughters of Ouranos and Gaia: the author of the Theogony gives the list (Hes. Theog. 134), mentioning both Themis and Phoibe. According to same ancient source (Theog. 403) Phoibe (by Koios the Titan) was mother of Leto, hence grandmother of Phoibos; and so by custom gave the infant Phoibos both a birthday gift (7), and his name (8).

ἥ , she. Epic demonstrative use of ὅς, surviving in ἢ δ᾽ ὅς, ὃς δ᾽

ἔφη ( said he).

δίδωσι , gives it, the oracle.

γενέθλιον δόσιν . There were two birth-festivals at Athens-the ἀμφιδρόμια, when the infant was carried round the hearth on the seventh (or fifth day), and the δεκάτη, tenth-day festival, when it was named and formally recognised by the father. On both occasions, especially the latter, presents were given.

παρώνυμον , made like to hers.

λίμνη , the circular or rather oval tarn in the north of the island, often referred to by ancient writers ( Eur. Ion 167 , Iph. Taur. 1104 , Herod. 2. 170, etc.), and apparently connected with the birth of Apollo.

χοιράς , 's back,hog lit., i.e. ridge or rock, of Mount Kynthos.

mvp-sidgwick-10-1-1 The ship-frequented shores of Pallas are Attica, regarded as specially the land of Pallas Athene.

mvp-sidgwick-11-1-1 Delphi is called the shrine of Parnassus as being at the foot of that Mountain. ll. 13, 14

. The Athenians are called, in Aeschylus' grand style, 'the sons of Hephaistos, hewers of the road, making tame the wild land.' There was a sacred way from Athens to Delphi, and Athenian tradition evidently affirmed that it had been made of old by Athenians for Apollo. The Schol. mentions an interesting ceremonial, plainly a survival, bearing on this tradition, that when Athens sent a mission to Delphi, the sacred ambassadors were preceded by men with axes. (The Boeotian Pindar, on the other hand, makes Apollo start from Tanagra in Boeotia, according to the Schol.).

παῖδες Ἡφαίστου , because Hephaistos was father of Erichthonios, mythical king of Athens. The title is peculiarly appropriate to the hewers of the way, as Hephaistos was the god who invented many of the tools and the arts of civilised life.

mvp-sidgwick-12-1-1 Making tame, i, e. evidently clearing and settling; not only (as Schol.) from robbers.'

Δελφός , the king and eponymous' hero of Delphians.

κτίζω , properly to build, a favourite word of Aeschylus, often used as a stately synonym for to make: e.g. Pers. 289

εὐνίδας ἔκτισσαν,
Cho. 1060
ἐλεύθερόν σε κτίσει,
 Eum. 714 μηδ᾽ ἀκαρπώτους κτίσαι.

προφήτης , the spokesman, the interpreter of Zeus. So he says in a fragment (79) Ζεὺς ἐγκαθίει Λοξίᾳ θεσπίσματα. So Verg. A. 3. 251 Quae Phoebo pater omnipotens, mihi Phoebus Apollo Praedixit.

Παλλὰς προναία , Pallas of the precincts; the name of a temple of Athena near the great sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi. It is mentioned by Herodotus in this form (

προνηΐη)
l. 92 , and there exist two Delphic inscriptions containing it (ΠΡΟΝΑΙA): but it seems to have been afterwards corrupted into πρόνοια, the shape in which the name of Athena at Delphi appears in Demosthenes (780), Aeschines (Ctes. 69), and Pausanias (10.8.7). Some people suppose two Delphic Athenas, προναία and πρόνοια: but this, though possible, is hardly likely. The learned Alexandrine poet Callimachus (250 B.C.) has the old form (προναίην, quoted by Schol.).

Κωρυκίς . The Korykian cavern was a remarkable cave high up in Parnassus, seven miles from Delphi: the cavern contains two large chambers 100 and 200 feet long respectively: it was the refuge of the Delphians in the Persian invasion (Herod. 8. 36), and more than once when their country was invaded. It was sacred to Pan and the nymphs.

φίλορνις , loved of birds, using the shelter for roosting and building.

φἀναστροφή , abode, haunt. The verb ἀναστρέφεσθαι is common for to be engaged in, to live ; ἐν φανερῷ, ἐν ᾿Αργει, ἐν μέσῳ, ἐν ξυμμαχίᾳ, etc. (versari Latin).

Βρόμιος , a common title of Bacchus. Aeschylus in glorifying Delphi fixes there the scene of the great vengeance of Bacchus on Pentheus. [Pentheus, king of Thebes, forbade and tried to prevent the worship of Bacchus; but the god drove mad with Bacchic frenzy the women, including Agaue Pentheus' mother, and they tore the king in pieces.] Euripides in the Bacchae makes Kithairon (between Attica and Boeotia) the scene, and Schol. says that Aeschylus himself also follows this tradition in the lost play Ξαντρίαι.

οὗτε , Epic form of rel. common in Aeschylus. (

ὅστε
Pers. 297 , αἵτε Eum. 1024,
ἐξ οὗτε
Pers. 762 ,
ἅτε
Cho. 615 , etc.)

λαγὼ δίκην , like a hare, i. e. they tore him as dogs a hare. [Scholiast's int. crouching like a hare is frigid and absurd.] Notice absence of caesura; Ag. 943 , Cho. 493 .

Πλειστός , a small river south of Delphi: Apollonius (2.711) speaks of Korykian nymphs daughters of Pleistos.

Ποσειδώνος : there was an altar of Poseidon at Delphi. [There were various old traditions about Poseidon having once possessed Delphi and exchanged it for other places, which may be connected with his worship there.]

τέλειον , the fulfiller: so Ag. 973

Ζεῦ Ζεῦ τέλειε, τὰς ἐμὰς εὐχὰς τέλει.

Abridged , but quite intelligible, expression for 'May I find this time better response than I found in my former entrances to the shrine.'

τυχεῖν με , acc. inf. of prayer, common constr. with or without δός or

δοῖεν
(Cho. 307 , O. C. 868 , etc.). For acc. ἄριστα with τυχεῖν, cf. Ag. 1228 .

πάρ' , are here, for πάρεισιν, is commonly read here. But it is more natural to take παρά as a preposition; and it is quite easy to understand are come.

ἴτων , rare form for ἰόντων ος ἴτωσαν.

μαντεύεσθαι . is used both of prophesying and consulting the god, or getting a prophecy. Here both would suit, but the former is the sense in which Aeschylus uses the word elsewhere.

ὡς ἄν , according as, indef. relat. use. [She passes into the temple, and there is a pause : then she comes out horror-stricken and half fainting.]

δεινά . is nom. λέξαι and δρακεῖν epex. inf. after the adj. Things terrible to tell of, terrible to behold have sent me back, etc.

ὥς , Epic for ὥστε, common in Trag., esp. in Aeschylus (e.g. Ag. 358, 546, 575, 665, 1381 ).

σωκεῖν , to be strong.

ἀκταίνω , a unique word of which the meaning is disputed. The Schol. and old lexicons give (1) to uplift, or be uplifted. (2) to exult, prance (γαυριᾶν), leap violently (ἀτάκτως πηδᾶν). The sense however requires, not, 'I can't move violently, but rather I can hardly move at all: it is best therefore to take ἀκταίνω, to lift. βάσιν, my step: this is a correction in the best MS., all the texts reading στάσιν, (which is perhaps possible, and then to uplift my standing would mean to stand upright;) but βάσιν is easier and far more likely.