Eumenides. N. Wecklein. . 2026-09-07.
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Current edition Experimental
Wecklein’s commentary on Eumenides (1888; German; OCR draft) (German) (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.)
Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.
Editions (12)
Εὐμενίδες First1KGreek (Aeschyli Tragoediae. Sidgwick, Arthur, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1902.) — 143-177 focus
Χορός
ἰοὺ ἰοὺ πόπαξ. ἐπάθομεν, φίλαι,—
ἦ πολλὰ δὴ παθοῦσα καὶ μάτην ἐγώ,—
ἐπάθομεν πάθος δυσαχές, ὦ πόποι,
145
ἄφερτον κακόν.
ἐξ ἀρκύων πέπτωκεν οἴχεταί θ᾽
1
ὁ θήρ—
ὕπνῳ κρατηθεῖσ᾽ ἄγραν ὤλεσα.
149
Χορός
ἰὼ παῖ Διός, ἐπίκλοπος πέλει,—
νέος δὲ γραίας δαίμονας καθιππάσω,—
150
τὸν ἱκέταν σέβων, ἄθεον ἄνδρα καὶ
τοκεῦσιν πικρόν,
τὸν μητραλοίαν δ᾽ ἐξέκλεψας ὢν θεός.—
τί τῶνδ᾽ ἐρεῖ τις δικαίως ἔχειν;
155
Χορός
ἐμοὶ δ᾽ ὄνειδος ἐξ ὀνειράτων μολὸν
155
ἔτυψεν δίκαν διφρηλάτου
μεσολαβεῖ κέντρῳ
ὑπὸ φρένας, ὑπὸ λοβόν.—
πάρεστι μαστίκτορος δαΐου δαμίου
160
βαρὺ τὸ περίβαρυ κρύος ἔχειν.
162
Χορός
τοιαῦτα δρῶσιν οἱ νεώτεροι θεοί,
κρατοῦντες τὸ πᾶν δίκας πλέον
2
φονολιβῆ
3
θρόνον
περὶ πόδα, περὶ κάρα.—
165
πάρεστι γᾶς ὀμφαλὸν προσδρακεῖν αἱμάτων
βλοσυρὸν ἀρόμενον
4
ἄγος ἔχειν.
169
Χορός
ἐφεστίῳ δὲ μάντις ὢν
5
μιάσματι
παρὰ νόμον
8
θεῶν βρότεα μὲν τίων,
παλαιγενεῖς δὲ Μοίρας φθίσας.
174
Εὐμενίδες Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 2. Smyth, Herbert Weir, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1926.) — 143-177 focus
Χορός
ἰοὺ ἰοὺ πύπαξ. ἐπάθομεν, φίλαι,—
ἦ πολλὰ δὴ παθοῦσα καὶ μάτην ἐγώ,—
ἐπάθομεν πάθος δυσαχές, ὦ πόποι,
145
ἄφερτον κακόν·
ἐξ ἀρκύων πέπτωκεν οἴχεταί θʼ ὁ θήρ.—
ὕπνῳ κρατηθεῖσʼ ἄγραν ὤλεσα.
Χορός
ἰὼ παῖ Διός, ἐπίκλοπος πέλῃ,—
νέος δὲ γραίας δαίμονας καθιππάσω,—
150
τὸν ἱκέταν σέβων, ἄθεον ἄνδρα καὶ
τοκεῦσιν πικρόν·
τὸν μητραλοίαν δʼ ἐξέκλεψας ὢν θεός.—
τί τῶνδʼ ἐρεῖ τις δικαίως ἔχειν;
Χορός
ἐμοὶ δʼ ὄνειδος ἐξ ὀνειράτων μολὸν
155
ἔτυψεν δίκαν διφρηλάτου
μεσολαβεῖ κέντρῳ
ὑπὸ φρένας, ὑπὸ λοβόν.—
πάρεστι μαστίκτορος δαΐου δαμίου
160
βαρὺ τὸ περίβαρυ κρύος ἔχειν.
Χορός
τοιαῦτα δρῶσιν οἱ νεώτεροι θεοί,
κρατοῦντες τὸ πᾶν δίκας πλέον
φονολιβῆ θρόνον
περὶ πόδα, περὶ κάρα.—
165
πάρεστι γᾶς ὀμφαλὸν προσδρακεῖν αἱμάτων
βλοσυρὸν ἀρόμενον ἄγος ἔχειν.
Χορός
ἐφεστίῳ δὲ μάντις ὢν μιάσματι
μυχὸν ἐχράνατʼ αὐτόσσυτος, αὐτόκλητος,
170
παρὰ νόμον θεῶν βρότεα μὲν τίων,
παλαιγενεῖς δὲ μοίρας φθίσας.
Χορός
κἀμοί γε λυπρός, καὶ τὸν οὐκ ἐκλύσεται,
ὑπό τε γᾶν φυγὼν οὔ ποτʼ ἐλευθεροῦται.
175
ποτιτρόπαιος ὢν δʼ ἕτερον ἐν κάρᾳ
μιάστορʼ ἐκ γένους πάσεται.
Εὐμενίδες (1518 edition; OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Eumenides, 1518 edition. VLM-assisted OCR with native lineation and automated correspondence to the Smyth edition.) — 131 focus
Χορὸς Εὐμενίδων
ὄναρ διώκεις θῆρα. κλαγγαίνεις δ' ἄπερ
κύων, μέριμναν οὔποτ' ἐκλιπὼν πόνου,
130
τί δρᾶς ἀνίστω μὴ σε νικήτω πόνος,
μὴ δ' ἀγνοήσῃς πῆμα μαλθαχθεῖσ' ὕπνῳ
ἄλγησον ἦπαρ ἐν δίκοις ὀνείδεσιν,
τοῖς σώφροσιν γὰρ ἀντίκεντρα γίνεται,
σὺ δ' αἱματηρὸν πνεῦμ' ἐπουρίσασα τῷ.
135
ἀτμῷ κατιχαίνουσα νηδύος πυρὶ
ἕπου μάραινε δευτέροις διώγμασιν.
ἔγειρ' ἔγειρε καὶ σὺ τὴν δ' ἐγὼ δὲ σέ,
ἔριν εὕδεις ἀνίστω, κἀπολακτίσασ' ὕπνον.
ἰδώμεθ' , εἴτι τόδε φροιμιῦ ματᾷ,
140
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Guilielmus Dindorfius, 1882.) — 131 focus
ΚΛ.
ὄναρ διώκεις θῆρα, κλαγγάνεις δ᾽ ἅπερ
κύων μέριμναν οὔποτ᾽ ἐκλιπὼν πόνου.
τί δρᾶς; ἀνίστω, μή σε νικάτω πόνος,
μηδ᾽ ἀγνοήσῃς πῆμα μαλθαχθεῖσ᾽ ὕπνῳ.
ἄλγησον ἧπαρ ἐνδίκοις ὀνείδεσι·
135
τοῖς σώφροσιν γὰρ ἀντίκεντρα γίγνεται.
σὺ δ᾽ αἱματηρὸν πνεῦμ᾽ ἐπουρίσασα τῷ
ἕπου, μάραινε δευτέροις διώγμασιν,
ἀτμῷ κατισχναίνουσα, νηδύος πυρί.
ΧΟ.
ἔγειρ᾽, ἔγειρε καὶ σὺ τήνδ᾽, ἐγὼ δὲ σέ.
140
εὕδεις; ἀνίστω, κἀπολακτίσασ᾽ ὕπνον,
ἰδωμεθ᾽ εἰ τι τοῦδε φροιμίου ματᾷ.
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Gottfried Hermann, 1852.) — 131 focus
Κλυταιμνήστρας Εἴδωλον
ὄναρ διώκεις θῆρα, κλαγγαίνεις δ᾽ ἅπερ
κύων μέριμναν οὔποτ᾽ ἐκλιπὼν πόνου.
135
τί δρᾷς; ἀνίστω, μή σε νικάτω πόνος,
μηδ᾽ ἀγνοήσῃς πῆμα μαλθαχθεῖσ᾽ ὕπνῳ.
ἄλγησον ἧπαρ ἐνδίκοις ὀνείδεσιν·
τοῖς σώφροσιν γὰρ ἀντίκεντρα γίγνεται.
σὺ δ᾽ αἱματηρὸν πνεῦμ᾽ ἐπουρίσασα τῷδ',
140
ἕπου, μάραινε δευτέροις διώγμασιν,
ἀτμῷ κατισχναίνουσα, νηδύος πυρί.
Χορὸς Εὐμενίδων
ἔγειρ᾽, ἔγειρε καὶ σὺ τήνδ᾽, ἐγὼ δὲ σέ.
εὕδεις; ἀνίστω, κἀπολακτίσασ᾽ ὕπνον,
Χορὸς Εὐμενίδων
ἰδώμεθ᾽ εἴ τι τοῦδε φροιμίου ματᾷ.
145
Χοροῦ Β
στρ. α'.
ΕΥΜΕΝΙΔΕΣ (OCR draft) Experimental (ΕΥΜΕΝΙΔΕΣ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 131 focus
ΚΛ.
Ὄναρ διώκεις θῆρα κλαγγαίνεις
θ'
δ' ἅπερ
κύων μέριμναν οὔποτ'
ἐκλείπων
-λιπών πόνου·
τί δρᾷς ; ἀνίστω, μή σε νικάτω πόνος,
μηδ' ἀγνοήσῃς πῆμα
μαλθαχθεῖσ'
-θεὶς ὕπνῳ·
ἄλγησον ἧπαρ ἐνδίκοις ὀνείδεσιν·
135
τοῖς σώφροσιν γὰρ ἀντίκεντρα γίγνεται·
σὺ δ'
οὐδ᾽ αἱματηρὸν πνεῦμ᾽ ἐπουρίσασα τῷ,
ἀτμῷ
κατισχναίνουσα
κατισχαίνουσα, νηδύος πυρί,
ἕπου, μάραινε δευτέροις διώγμασιν.
ΧΟ.
Ἔγειρ', ἔγειρε καὶ σὺ τήνδ', ἐγὼ
δὲ σέ
δέ σε·
140
εὕδεις ; ἀνίστω, κἀπολακτίσασ᾽ ὕπνον,
ἰδώμεθ'
εἰδ- εἴ τι τοῦδε φροιμίου ματᾷ.
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Arthur Sidgwick, 1887.) — 131 focus
ΚΛ.
ὄναρ διώκεις θῆρα, κλαγγαίνεις δ᾽ ἅπερ
κύων μέριμναν οὔποτ᾽ ἐκλιπὼν πόνου.
τί δρᾷς; ἀνίστω, μή σε νικάτω πόνος,
μηδ᾽ ἀγνοήσῃς πῆμα μαλθαχθεῖσ᾽ ὕπνῳ.
ἄλγησον ἧπαρ ἐνδίκοις ὀνείδεσιν·
135
τοῖς σώφροσιν γὰρ ἀντίκεντρα γίγνεται.
σὺ δ᾽ αἱματηρὸν πνεῦμ᾽ ἐπουρίσασα τῷ,
ἀτμῷ κατισχναίνουσα, νηδύος πυρί,
ἕπου, μάραινε δευτέροις διώγμασιν.
ΧΟ.
ἔγειρ᾽, ἔγειρε καὶ σὺ τήνδ', ἐγὼ δὲ σέ.
140
εὕδεις ; ἀνίστω, κἀπολακτίσασ᾽ ὕπνον,
ἰδώμεθ᾽ εἴ τι τοῦδε φροιμίου ματᾷ.
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. N. Wecklein, 1885.) — 131 focus
ὄναρ διώκεις θῆρα, κλαγγαίνεις δ᾽ ἅπερ
κύων μέριμναν οὔποτ᾽ ἐκλείπων πόνου.
τί δρᾷς; ἀνίστω, μή σε νικάτω πόνος,
μηδ᾽ ἀγνοήσῃς πῆμα μαλθαχθεῖσ᾽ ὕπνῳ.
ἄλγησον ἤπαρ ἐνδίκοις ὀνείδεσιν·
135
τοῖς σώφροσιν γὰρ ἀντίκεντρα γίγνεται.
οὐδ᾽ αἱματηρὸν πνεῦμ᾽ ἐπουρίσασα τῷ,
ἀτμῷ κατισχναίνουσα, νηδύος πυρί·
ἕπου, μάραινε δευτέροις διώγμασιν.
Χορός.
ἔγειρ᾽, ἔγειρε καὶ σὺ τήνδ᾽, ἐγὼ δὲ σέ.
140
Ἐρινύων.
εὕδεις; ἀνίστω, κἀπολακτίσασ᾽ ὕπνον,
ἰδώμεθ᾽ εἴ τι τοῦδε φροιμίου ματᾷ.
Χορός.
(strophe 1)
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Martin L. West, 1990.) — 131 focus
ΚΛ.
ὄναρ διώκεις θῆρα, κλαγγαίνεις δ᾽ ἅπερ
κύων μέριμναν οὔποτ᾽ ἐκλείπων πόνου.
τί δρᾶις; ἀνίστω, μή σε νικάτω πόνος,
μηδ᾽ ἀγνοήσηις πῆμα μαλθαχθεῖσ᾽ ὕπνωι.
ἄλγησον ἧπαρ ἐνδίκοις ὀνείδεσιν·
135
τοῖς σώφροσιν γὰρ ἀντίκεντρα γίγνεται·
σὺ δ᾽ αἱματηρὸν πνεῦμ᾽ ἐπουρίσασα τῶι,
ἀτμῶι κατισχ⟨ν⟩αίνουσα, νηδύος πυρί,
ἕπου, μάραινε δευτέροις διώγμασιν.
ΧΟ.
ἔγειρ᾽, ἔγειρε καὶ σὺ τήνδ᾽, ἐγὼ δὲ σέ.
140
εὕδεις; ἀνίστω, κἀπολακτίσασ᾽ ὕπνον
ἰδώμεθ᾽ εἴ τι τοῦδε φροιμίου ματᾶι.
Aeschyli Eumenides (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschyli Eumenides. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1914.) — 131 focus
ΚΛ.
ὄναρ διώκεις θῆρα κλαγγαίνεις θ’ ἅπερ
κύων μέριμναν οὔποτ᾽ ἐκλείπων πόνου.
τί δρᾶις; ἀνίστω, μή σε νικάτω πόνος,
μηδ᾽ ἀγνοήσηις πῆμα μαλθαχθεῖσ᾽ ὕπνωι.
ἄλγησον ἡπαρ ἐνδίκοις ὀνείδεσιν·
135
τοῖς σώφροσιν γὰρ ἀντίκεντρα γίγνεται.
σὺ δ’ αἱματηρὸν πνεῦμ᾽ ἐπουρίσασα τῶι,
ἀτμῶι κατισχναίνουσα, νηδύος πυρί,
ἕπου, μάραινε δευτέροις διώγμασιν.
ΧΟ.
ἔγειρ᾽, ἔγειρε καὶ σὺ τήνδ᾽, ἐγὼ δὲ σέ.
140
εὕδεις; ἀνίστω, κἀπολακτίσασ᾽ ὕπνον,
ἰδώμεθ᾽ εἴ τι τοῦδε φροιμίου ματᾶι.
ἰοὺ ἰού, πύπαξ.
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek text of Aeschylus' Eumenides, edited by F. A. Paley, 1885.) — 131 focus
ὄναρ διώκεις θῆρα, κλαγγαίνεις δ᾽ ἅπερ
κύων μέριμναν οὔποτ᾽ ἐκλιπὼν πόνου.
τί δρᾷς; ἀνίστω, μή σε νικάτω πόνος,
μηδ᾽ ἀγνοήσῃς πῆμα μαλθαχθεῖσ᾽ ὕπνῳ.
ἄλγησον ἡπαρ ἐνδίκοις ὀνείδεσιν·
130
τοῖς σώφροσιν γὰρ ἀντίκεντρα γίγνεται.
σὺ δ᾽ αἱματηρὸν πνεῦμ᾽ ἐπουρίσασα τῷ,
ἀτμῷ κατισχναίνουσα, νηδύος πυρὶ,
ἕπου, μάραινε δευτέροις διώγμασιν.
Χοραγός
ἔγειρ᾽, ἔγειρε καὶ σὺ τήνδ᾽, ἐγὼ δὲ σέ.
135
εὕδεις; ἀνίστω, κἀπολακτίσασ᾽ ὕπνον,
ἰδώμεθ᾽ εἴτι τοῦδε φροιμίου ματᾷ.
Χορός
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek text of Aeschylus' Eumenides, edited by Friedrich Blass, 1907.) — 131 focus
ὄναρ διώκεις θῆρα, κλαγγαίνεις δ᾽ ἅπερ
κύων μέριμναν οὔποτ᾽ ἐκλείπων πόνου.
τί δρᾶις; ἀνίστω, μή σε νικάτω πόνος,
μηδ᾽ ἀγνοήσηις πῆμα μαλθαχθεῖσ᾽ ὕπνωι.
ἄλγησον ἦπαρ ἐνδίκοις ὀνείδεσιν·
135
τοῖς σώφροσιν γὰρ ἀντίκεντρα γίγνεται.
σὺ δ᾽ αἱματηρὸν πνεῦμ᾽ ἐπουρίσασα τῶι,
ἀτμῶι κατισχναίνουσα, νηδύος πυρί,
ἕπου, μάραινε δευτέροις διώγμασιν.
Χορός
ἔγειρ᾽, ἔγειρε καὶ σὺ τῆνδ᾽, ἐγὼ δὲ σέ.
140
εὕδεις; ἀνίστω, κἀπολακτίσασ᾽ ὕπνον,
ἰδώμεθ᾽ εἴ τι τοῦδε φροιμίου ματᾶι.
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.)) — 143-175 focus
Chorus
Oh, oh! Alas! We have suffered, friends.
Indeed I have suffered much and all in vain.
We have suffered very painfully, oh! an unbearable evil. The beast has escaped from our nets and is gone.
Overcome by sleep, I have lost my prey.
145
Indeed I have suffered much and all in vain.
Overcome by sleep, I have lost my prey.
Chorus
Oh! Child of Zeus, you have become a thief—
you, a youth, have ridden down old divinities—by showing respect to your suppliant, a godless man and cruel to a parent; although you are a god, you have stolen away a man that killed his mother.
What is there here that anyone shall call just?
150
What is there here that anyone shall call just?
Chorus
Reproach, coming to me in a dream, struck me like a charioteer with goad held tight, under my heart, under my vitals.
155
I can feel the cruel, the very cruel chill of the executioner’s destroying scourge.
160
Chorus
They do such things, the younger gods, who rule, wholly beyond justice, a throne dripping blood,
about its foot, about its head.
I can see the center-stone of the earth defiled with a terrible pollution of blood.
165
I can see the center-stone of the earth defiled with a terrible pollution of blood.
Chorus
Although he is a prophet, he has stained his sanctuary
with pollution at its hearth, at his own urging, at his own bidding; against the law of the gods, he has honored mortal things and caused the ancient allotments to decay.
170
Chorus
And he brings distress to me too, but he shall not win his release;
even if he escapes beneath the earth, he is never set free. A suppliant, he will acquire another avenger from his family.
1
175
The Eumenides (OCR draft) Experimental (The Eumenides. Theodore Alois Buckley, 1849.) — 131 focus
CHORUS
Do you rouse, and rouse her, but I [rouse] you. Dost sleep? arise, and having spurned off sleep, let us see if any of this prelude is vain.
LES EUMÉNIDES (OCR draft) Experimental (LES EUMÉNIDES. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 131 focus
L'OMBRE DE CLYTEMNESTRE.
Tu poursuis la bête en songe et tu donnes de la voix comme un chien hanté sans répit par le soin de sa besogne: qu'as-tu donc ? debout! que la fatigue n'ait pas raison de toi! Ne va pas, amollie par le sommeil, méconnaître le tort qui t'est fait. Laisse
ton cœur endurer de justes reproches : ce sont les aiguil- lons du sage. Puis, sur cet homme, exhale ton haleine sanglante, dessèche-le au souffle embrasé de ton sein. Suis- le, exténue-le par une poursuite nouvelle.
L'Ombre disparaît.
ton cœur endurer de justes reproches : ce sont les aiguil- lons du sage. Puis, sur cet homme, exhale ton haleine sanglante, dessèche-le au souffle embrasé de ton sein. Suis- le, exténue-le par une poursuite nouvelle.
LE CORYPHÉE.
Eh toi! réveille, réveille celle-là, comme je fais pour toi. Tu
Eh toi! réveille, réveille celle-là, comme je fais pour toi. Tu
The Furies (OCR draft) Experimental (The Furies. Robert Potter, 1779.) — 131 focus
And is this all? Awake,
Ariſe: let not thy toil ſubdue thee; know
165
What loſs enſues if ſleep enfeebles thee;
And let theſe juſt reproaches ſting thy mind,
Incentives to the wife: with firey breath,
That ſnuffs the ſcent of blood, purſue this ſon,
Follow him, blaſt him in the profp'rous chace.
170
CHORUS
awaking.
Awake, ariſe: rouſe her as I rouſe thee.
Yet doſt thou ſleep? Leave thy repoſe; ariſe:
Look we if this firm guard hath been in vain.
Eschilo, Le Eumenidi: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli (OCR draft) Experimental (Eschilo, Le Eumenidi: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli. Ettore Romagnoli, 1922.) — 131 focus
FURIA I
1
Svégliati! E sveglia quella, io sveglio questa.
2
Dormi? Déstati, dunque, e al sonno càlcitra:
vediam se il sonno fu vano preludio.
165
3
1
FURIA II
Aeschylus, Eumenides: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Eumenides: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii. Ioannes Sanravius, 1555.) — 131 focus
Molestia affice cor iuſtis probris.
His ſapientibus contrarij ſtimuli ſunt.
Neq; ſpiritum ſanguineum emittes hac
140
Expiratione attenuata uteris igni.
Sequere, tabefac ſecundis perſecutionibus.
Cho.
Suſcita ſuſcita & tu illum, & ego te.
Dormis, ſurge, reſiliens à ſomno,
Vt ſciamus ſi in hoc procœmio inſanit.
145
Cho.
Aeschylus, Die Eumeniden: German translation (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Die Eumeniden: German translation. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1919–1923.) — 131 focus
Chorführerin.
140
Weck' auf, weck' auf die neben dir, ich wecke dich.
Was schläfst du? Reg' dich. Schüttle schnell den
Schlummer ab.
Mir klingt's im Ohre. War das Täuschung? Lass'
uns seh'n.
Chor.
Eumenides (OCR draft) Experimental (Eumenides. Anna Swanwick, 1886.) — 117 focus
Chorus
Since thou, young god, o'erridest my hoar age,
The issue I await with list'ning ear,
And doubtful stay my wrath against the town.
ATHENA
With me it rests to give the casting vote,
And to Orestes I my suffrage pledge.
For to no mother do I owe my birth;
But I, in all save wedlock, praise the male.
In very truth I am my father's child,
710
Nor care I to avenge a woman's death
Who slew her husband, guardian of the house.
Orestes, judged by equal votes prevails.
The pebbles now pour quickly from the urns,
Judges, to whom this office is assigned.
ORESTES
Phobos Apollo, how will end this suit?
Chorus
O Night, dark mother, seest thou these things?
ORESTES
The noose awaits me, or to see the light.
Chorus
Ruin for us, or firm prerogative.
APOLLO
Now strangers, count the pebbles with due care;
And while ye tell them o'er, let justice reign;
720
Lack of right judgment breedeth mighty woe,
The while one suffrage hath a house restored.
ATHENA
This man acquitted is from charge of blood,
For equal are the numbers of the votes.
ORESTES
Hail Pallas! Hail thou saviour of my house!
The exile, reft of his paternal land,
Thou leadest home: haply some Greek will say,
"The man an Argive is once more, and dwells
On his paternal heritage, by aid
730
Of Pallas, and of Loxias, and Him,
Third Saviour, mighty consummator, Zeus,"
Who, honouring my father's death, saves me,
Beholding these my mother's advocates.
Now to my native Argos I depart,
Pledged to this country and thy lieges here
By oath to be revered for evermore,
That never helmsman of the Argive State
Shall hither bear the well-appointed spear.
For we, ourselves, though couching in the grave,
On those who violate these present oaths
740
By sore perplexities will work, and send
In march despondency, in crossing streams
Omens averse, till they repent their toil.
But unto those who keep this pledge, and honour
Athena's city with confederate spear,
To them will we be gracious evermore.
Hail goddess, and these city-wardens, hail!
Still may your gripe be fatal to your foes,
While victory and safety crown your spear.
Chorus
1 Ye upstart gods, time-honoured laws
750
Down-riding, ye have seized my prey.
2 But I, dishonoured, stung by grief,
Woe, woe, my torture to allay,
On all the ground, will cast around
Venom, whose baleful drops shall cause
Where it doth light a sterile blight,
Fatal alike to germ, to leaf.
The pest, O Justice, scouring o'er the plain,
Shall fling abroad its man-destroying stain.
3 I groan anew; what dare? what do?
760
My pangs the citizens shall rue;
Alas, most wretched are thy daughters, Night!
Enduring this dishonourable slight.
ATHENA
Be moved by me to stay these heavy groans;
Not vanquished are ye, nor to your disgrace
Fell justice, equal-voted, from the urn.
Besides from Zeus clear oracles were sent,
And he who uttered them himself avouched,
Orestes for this deed should know no scath.
770
Hurl not your heavy wrath upon this land;
Your rage abate, cause not sterility,
Nor rain your poison-drops, like venomed darts,
Ruthless devourers of each tender germ.
For I most righteously do promise you
Both sanctuaries and shrines in this just land;
Seated at hearths with unctuous off'rings fed,
And held in honour by my lieges here
Chorus
1 Ye upstart gods, time-honoured laws
Down-riding, ye have seized my prey.
780
2 But I, dishonoured, stung by grief,
Woe, woe, my torture to allay,
On all the ground, will cast around
Venom, whose baleful drops shall cause
Where it doth light a sterile blight,
Fatal alike to germ, to leaf.
The pest, O Justice, scouring o'er the plain,
Shall fling abroad its man-destroying stain.
3 I groan anew; what dare? what do?
My pangs the citizens shall rue;
790
Alas, most wretched are thy daughters, Night!
Enduring this dishonourable slight.
ATHENA
Not slighted are ye, powers august! through rage
Curse not with hopeless blight the abode of man.
I too on Zeus rely; why speak of that?
And sole among the gods I know the key
That opes the halls where sealed thunder sleeps.
But such we need not. Be appeased by me,
Nor scatter o'er the land, from froward tongue,
The harmful seed that turneth all to bane.
800
Of bitter rage lull ye the murky wave;
Be venerated here and dwell with me.
Sharing the first fruits of this ample realm,
For children offered, and for nuptial rite,
This word of mine thou wilt for ever praise.
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.) — 131 focus
In dreams ye chase a prey, and like some hound,
That even in sleep doth ply his woodland toil,
Ye bell and bay. What do ye, sleeping here?
Be not o'ercome with toil, nor, sleep-subdued,
155
Be heedless of my wrong. Up! thrill your heart
With the just chidings of my tongue,—such words
Are as a spur to purpose firmly held.
Blow forth on him the breath of wrath and blood,
Scorch him with reek of fire that burns in you,
160
Waste him with new pursuit—swift, hound him down.
[
Ghost sinks.
First Fury (awaking).
Up ! rouse another as I rouse thee; up!
Sleep'st thou? Rise up, and spurning sleep away,
See we if false to us this prelude rang.
Chorus of Furies.
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.) — 131 focus
Im Traume jagst du deinem Wilde nach und bellst,
Dem Hunde gleich, der seines Dienstes nie vergift.
Auf! Nicht gezaudert! Keine Müh' ermatte dich!
Verkenne nicht den Schaden, wenn dich Schlaf besiegt!
Gerechter Vorwurf schneide tief in's Herz dir ein;
130
Denn scharf wie Stacheln fühlen ihn Vernünftige.
Auf, sende denn blutvollen Odems Hauch ihm nach,
Durch Qualm verzehr' ihn aus der Eingeweide Brand,
Verfolg' ihn, brich im zweiten Jagen seine Kraft!
(Verschwindet.)
Erwecke,
Die Chorführerin.
(Von ihrem Sitze aufspringend.)
Erwecke du die Andre, wie ich dich erweckt!
135
Du schläfst? Erwache! Schüttle flugs den Schlaf dir ab!
Wir wollen seh'n, ob dieses Vorspiel eitel ist.
(Die Erinnyen raffen sich auf. Ein Theil stürzt aus dem Tempel her- vor und in die Orchestra hinab; die anderen bleiben noch im Tempel. Zuerst singen nur einzelne, dann mehrere.)
Chor
Chorgesang.
Erste Strophe.
English (Smyth; revised Bannon and Nagy, CHS) (OCR draft) Experimental (CHS Primary Sources revision of Herbert Weir Smyth’s translation by Cynthia Bannon and Gregory Nagy, with transliterated Greek terms tagged and aligned to the Smyth edition.)
No corresponding passage available
Notes on the current edition
Eumenides
Commentary
Commentary on Aeschylus: Eumenides (Aeschylus. Eumenides. Sidgwick, Arthur, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1887.)
127. κύριοι ξυνωμόται , fit conspirators: a bold and characteristic image. κύριος means rightful: sleep and weariness naturally act together. For the figure cp. Ag. 650 ξυνώμοσαν γάρ, ὄντες ἔχθιστοι τὸ πρὶν Πῦρ καὶ θάλασσα.
169. μάντις ὤν , i. e. ‘though a seer,' and thus the last who should have allowed pollution.
174. τόν , Orestes: for Epic form cp. 137, 357.
Critical apparatus to Eumenides (OCR draft) (Latin and Greek critical apparatus to Gottfried Hermann's 1852 edition of Eumenides.) focus
mvp-comment-83-1 NA: Sequuntur epodica: respondet enim uvyμòs uvyµ@, wyμòs ὠγμῷ, et deinde epodum constituit μυγμὸς ille διπλοῦς ὀξύς, et quae somnians loquitur chorus. Chori nomen versibus 120. 123. 126. 129. 132. praefixum in Rob. Turn. In Ald. versibus 120. 126. In M. personae lineolis distinctae sunt. Omissae personarum notae in G. In Ven. Flor. Farn. versibus 120. 123. 126. 129. praefixum nóλλwv.
mvp-comment-84-1 ἀνὴρ: Libri ário, nisi quod avio est in Farn.
mvp-comment-85-1 προςίκτορες: Huic versui άn'. praefixum in Rob. Libri φίλοις γάρ εἰσιν οὐκ ἐμοῖς προσέκτορες, et G. quidem commate post εἰσιν posito. yag eloìv Ald. Rob. Horum verborum quae prolatae sunt explicationes, ipsis Graecis verbis obscuriores sunt. Schützius scribendum putavit qi- λοι γὰρ εἰσίν, οὐκ ἐμοί, προςίκτορος, quod sic interpretatur, sunt enim (dii) amici cius supplicis, sive eum supplicem recepturi, iidemque mihi haud amici. At haec sententia et alium verborum ordinem et ¿uov requireret. Quod olim dedi, φίλοι γὰρ εἰσὶν οὐκ ἐμοὶ προςίκτορες, που est mihi amicum praesidium, propterea displicet, quod qio non recte in initio positum est. Scribendum est, ut in Opusc. VI. 2. p. 32. seqq. demonstravi, φίλοις γάρ εἰσιν, οὐκ ἐμοί, προςίκτορες, cognatis enim meis sunt, non mihi, ad quorum praesidium confugiant. Iposizτoges hic non supplices, ut v. 433. sed eos significat, ad quos quis supplex accedit. Sic Ζεὺς ἀφίκτωρ in initio Supplicum, sic προς- Tónшos, et alia: ipsum nomen izétys sic quidam accipiebant, de qua re v. Eustathium p. 1807, 5.
mvp-comment-86-1 ἄγαν ... ὑπνώσσεις: ayar y Ven. Flor. Farn. υπνώσεις Rob.
mvp-comment-87-1 ὠγμός: ωγμός Rob. μωγμὸς M. Ven. Flor. μυγμός G. Farn. Ald. Turn. sed in G. v puncto notatum et supra scriptum w.
mvp-comment-88-1 ὤζεις ... οὐκ: άζεις G. Ald. ώξεις Rob. Eustathius p. 127, 10. παρὰ τὸ ὦ ὤζω ἐν Αἰσχύλῳ. 7/1 O. Müllero scribendum videbatur Çaç vaνός- oovo'; Ea mutatione non opus est. οὐκ Μ. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. κοὐκ Ven. Flor. Farn. Deinde libri dvaotion.
mvp-comment-89-1 πέπρακται: Non opus est ut néлgazia ex Stanleii Bentleiique sententia in néлgora, aut, ut Wakefieldius volebat, in tétaxta mutetur. In Prometheo quidem v. 521. est τί γὰρ πέπρωται Ζηνὶ πλὴν ἀεὶ κραττεiv; hic non minus recte dici videtur, quid tibi aliud agitur negolium quam mala perpetrare? Neque fortasse aliter intellexit scholiastes, qui haec adscripsit τί οὖν μέλλεις τὸ σὸν ἔργον ἀνύειν;
mvp-comment-90-1 ὠγμός: ώγμός Rob.
mvp-comment-91-1 ἐξεκήραναν: ἐξεκράαναν Par.
mvp-comment-92-1 μυγμὸς διπλοῦς ὀξύς: In Rob. ante dinkovs insertum z2. sequens autem versus rursus choro tributus est. In Ven. Flor. et, ut videtur, etiam in Farn. versui 133. praefixum yogòs evµevídwr.
Commentary on the Eumenides (OCR draft) (Brief English notes on Aeschylus' Eumenides by F. A. Paley, 1885.) focus
mvp-comment-46-1 μύζοιτ᾽ ἄν] See 94 and 180. The moaning noise, or a sound representing uneasy dreamers, is here indicated by the stage-notes ( παρεπιγραφαί), μυγμός, ὠγμός, &c. In the next verse ἐμοὶ is Hermann's correction for ἐμοῖς. The sense is, There are gods (who protect their friends, Apollo and Pallas), but none who aid me, and therefore the murderer has escaped. Thus Ζεὺς ἀφίκτωρ is the patron of Suppliants in Suppl. 1 .
mvp-comment-47-1
Ας φεύζειν is to cry
φεῦ, so
ὤζειν is to cry Oh!
Ar. Vesp. 1526
mvp-comment-48-1 τεύχειν κακά ( Cho. 717 ), to go on doing harm, virtually means to make matters worse, since now the culprit can exult in his escape.
mvp-comment-49-1
δρακαίνης] The
fell she-dragon is the leader of the chorus, who has been addressed in the two preceding couplets.
-κηραίνειν, referred by
Curtius, Gr. Et. 147
, to a root
κειρ, is perhaps different from
κηραίνειν ‘to have at heart,'
to care for. See
Suppl. 976
.
Trach. 29
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-56-1 παρεπιγραφή. τοῦτο δὲ ἐστιν ὁ φησιν ὁ ποιητής (ΙΙ. Δ 20) „αἱ δ᾽ ἐπέμυξαν“. τὸ δὲ (εὐθὺς) ἐγείρεσθαι (ἐγ. (ἀθρόως) Weckl. nach Schol. 140) τὰς παρειμένας ὕπνωι οὐ πιθανόν· κατὰ βραχὺ οὖν ἐκ προσβάσεως τὴν ἔγερσιν ποιήσονται.
mvp-comment-57-1 ὡς παρὰ) τὸ αἳ αἳ αἰάζειν, οὕτω παρὰ) τὸ ὦ ὦ ὤιζειν.
mvp-comment-58-1 τί οὖν μέλλεις τὸ σὸν ἔργον ἀνύειν
mvp-comment-59-1 συνωμοσίαν ποιήσαντες κατεκοίμισαν ὑμᾶς.
mvp-comment-60-1 παρείλοντο.
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.
:
mvp-comment-69-1 1
mvp-comment-69-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 261
mvp-comment-69-3 Die παρεπιγραφαί geben den äufseren Vorgang an; sie kommen öfter in Handschriften des Aristophanes, bei Tragikern nur hier vor, wie auch die Art der äufseren Handlung vereinzelt steht.
mvp-comment-70-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 261
mvp-comment-70-2 μύζοιτε: zu Ag. 1058 .
mvp-comment-71-1 2
mvp-comment-71-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 261
mvp-comment-71-3 Er hat eben Freunde, die anderer Art sind als die meinigen.
mvp-comment-72-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 261
mvp-comment-72-2 πάθος, was euch und mir widerfahren ist, dafs Orestes die Flucht ergriffen hat.
mvp-comment-73-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 262
mvp-comment-73-2
πέπρακται, ist dein Werk, vgl.
Eur. Med. 1064
mvp-comment-74-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 262
mvp-comment-74-2 συνωμόται: Ag. 655 .
mvp-comment-75-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 262
mvp-comment-75-2 ἐξεκήραναν, Schol. παρεί λοντο. Hesych. ἐξεκήρανεν· ἐξέ φθειρε.
Commentary (Arthur Sidgwick, 1887) (OCR draft) (Arthur Sidgwick's commentary on the Eumenides, aligned to the canonical Greek text.) focus
mvp-sidgwick-72-1-1 The MSS. read φίλοις γάρ εἰσιν οὐκ ἐμοῖς προσίκτορες, which makes no sense, since it could only be translated for there are protectors for friends who are not mine, an obscure and impossible expression for my enemies have gods to help them. Herm.'s correction οὐκ ἐμοί is neat and simple: my friends have helpers: I have none: and P. D. adopt it.
mvp-sidgwick-72-2-1
But it is not really satisfactory : φίλοις without article or possessive is very harsh, and even the use of the word at all is unnatural (not at all like line 108): and προσίκτωρ, though supported by
mvp-sidgwick-72-3-1 I prefer on the whole Weil's φίλοι γάρ εἰσιν, οὐκ ἐμοῖς προσεικότες for he has friends, not like to mine, an effective taunt simply expressed.
mvp-sidgwick-73-1-1 Notice the ironic elaborate plainness of this line, as of an angry person who cannot make herself understood.
mvp-sidgwick-74-1-1 If we keep the MSS. πέπρακται, we can only construe (with Paley) this line What hast thou accomplished save to work me harm? i. e. 'you are appointed to avenge me, and by negligence you have only done harm, in letting Orestes escape.'
mvp-sidgwick-74-2-1 The Schol. however paraphrases τί μέλλεις τὸ σὸν ἔργον ἀνύειν ( why delay to do your duty?), clearly understanding the text what business is yours save to do harm (to Orestes)? Herm. followed by Weil tries to get this sense out of πέπρακται, quid tibi agitur: but the tense makes it impossible. If we accept the meaning of the Schol. we must read with Bentley [Stanl. Butl. Hart.] πέπρωται or with Wakef. τέτακται. I have taken πέπρωται. The scornful summons What is your business but mischief?' is more characteristic of Klytaimnestra and more effective than a complaint.
κύριοι ξυνωμόται
,
fit conspirators: a bold and characteristic image. κύριος means
rightful: sleep and weariness naturally act together. For the figure cp.
Ag. 650
mvp-sidgwick-76-1-1 [Mutterings redoubled and louder] Seize him, seize him ... give heed! The muttering and restless movements and slow awakening with fierce cries are finely dramatic: Aeschylus is unmatched in producing these effects of suspense and terror. Müller ingeniously suggests that it should be read φράζου, followed by λαβέ seven times repeated, as φράζου, mark him, more naturally comes first: the iambic metrical system is preserved: and the leader would then say φράζου, and each of the seven pairs λαβέ. We have however (see p. 23) preferred the view that the chorus was 12, not 15.]