N. Wecklein Eumenides 400-492.comm-400-492

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Eumenides. N. Wecklein. . 2026-09-07.

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.) — 397-489 focus
Εὐμενίδες Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 2. Smyth, Herbert Weir, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1926.) — 397-489 focus
Εὐμενίδες (1518 edition; OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Eumenides, 1518 edition. VLM-assisted OCR with native lineation and automated correspondence to the Smyth edition.) — 397 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Guilielmus Dindorfius, 1882.) — 397 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Gottfried Hermann, 1852.) — 397 focus
ΕΥΜΕΝΙΔΕΣ (OCR draft) Experimental (ΕΥΜΕΝΙΔΕΣ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 397 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Arthur Sidgwick, 1887.) — 397 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. N. Wecklein, 1885.) — 397 focus
πρόσωθεν ἐξήκουσα κληδόνος βοὴν
400
ἀπὸ Σκαμάνδρου γῆν καταφθατουμένη,
ἣν δῆτ᾽ Ἀχαιῶν ἄκτορές τε καὶ πρόμοι,
τῶν αἰχμαλώτων χρημάτων λάχος μέγα,
ἔνειμαν αὐτόπρεμνον εἰς τὸ πᾶν ἐμοί,
ἐξαίρετον δώρημα θησέως τόκοις·
405
ἔνθεν διώκουσ᾽ ἦλθον ἄτρυτον πόδα,
πτερῶν ἄτερ ῥοιβδοῦσα κόλπον αἰγίδος,
πώλοις ἀκμαίοις τόνδ᾽ ἐπιζεύξασ᾽ ὄχον.
καινὴν δ᾽ ὁρῶσα τήνδ᾽ ὁμιλίαν χθονὸς
ταρβῶ μὲν οὐδέν, θαῦμα δ᾽ ὄμμασιν πάρα.
410
τίνες ποτ᾽ ἐστέ; πᾶσι δ᾽ ἐς κοινόν λέγω,
βρέτας τε το μὸν τῷδ᾽ ἐφημένῳ ξένῳ,
ὑμᾶς δ᾽ ὁμοίας οὐδενὶ σπαρτῶν γένει,
οὔτ᾽ ἐν θεαῖσι πρὸς θεῶν ὁρωμένας
οὔτ᾽ οὖν βροτείοις ἐμφερεῖς μορφώμασιν.
415
λέγειν δ᾽ ἄμορφον ὄντα τοὺς πέλας κακῶς
πρόσω δικαίων ἠδ᾽ ἀποστατεῖ θέμις.
τί πρὸς τάδ᾽ εἰπεῖν, ὦ ξέν᾽, ἐν μέρει θέλεις;
λέξας δὲ χώραν καὶ γένος καὶ ξυμφορὰς
440
τὰς σάς, ἔπειτα τόνδ᾽ ἀμυναθοῦ ψόγου·
εἴπερ πεποιθὼς τῇ δίκῃ βρέτας τόδε
ἧσαι φυλάσσων ἑστίας ἁμῆς πέλας
σεμνὸς προσίκτωρ ἐν τρόποις Ἰξίονος.
τούτοις ἀμείβου πᾶσιν εὐμαθές τί μοι.
445
τὸ πρᾶγμα μεῖζον εἴ τις οἴεται τόδε
βροτοῖς δικάζειν, οὐδὲ μὴν ἐμοὶ θέμις
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Martin L. West, 1990.) — 397 focus
Aeschyli Eumenides (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschyli Eumenides. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1914.) — 397 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek text of Aeschylus' Eumenides, edited by F. A. Paley, 1885.) — 397 focus
πρόσωθεν ἐξήκουσα κληδόνος βοὴν
375
ἀπὸ Σκαμάνδρου, γῆν καταφθατουμένη,
ἣν δῆτ᾽ ᾿Ἀχαιῶν ἄκτορές τε καὶ πρόμοι,
τῶν αἰχμαλώτων χρημάτων λάχος μέγα,
ἔνειμαν αὐτόπρεμνον εἰς τὸ πᾶν ἐμοὶ,
ἐξαίρετον δώρημα Θησέως τόκοις·
380
ἔνθεν διώκουσ᾽ ἦλθον ἄτρυτον πόδα,
πτερῶν ἄτερ ῥοιβδοῦσα κόλπον αἰγίδος,
πώλοις ἀκμαίοις τ νδ᾽ ἐπιζεύξασ᾽ ὄχον.
καινὴν δ᾽ ὁρῶσα τήνδ᾽ ὁμιλίαν χθονὸς
ταρβῶ μὲν οὐδὲν, θαῦμα δ᾽ ὄμμασιν πάρα,
385
τίνες ποτ᾽ ἐστὲ, πᾶσι δ᾽ ἐς κοινὸν λέγω,
βρέτας τε τοὐμὸν τῷδ᾽ ἐφημένῳ ξένῳ·
ὑμᾶς δ᾽ ὁμοίας οὐδενὶ σπαρτῶν γένει,
οὔτ᾽ ἐν θεαῖσι πρὸς θεῶν ὁρωμένας,
οὔτ᾽ οὖν βροτείοις ἐμφερεῖς μορφώμασιν, -
390
λέγειν δ᾽ ἄμομφον ὄντα τοὺς πέλας κακῶς,
πρόσω δικαίων, ἠδ᾽ ἀποστατεῖ θέμις.
τί πρὸς τάδ᾽ εἰπεῖν, ὦ ξέν᾽, ἐν μέρει θέλεις ;
λέξας δὲ χώραν καὶ γένος καὶ ξυμφορὰς
415
τὰς σὰς, ἔπειτα τόνδ᾽ ἀμυνάθου ψόγον·
εἴπερ πεποιθὼς τῇ δίκῃ βρέτας τόδε
ἧσαι φυλάσσων ἑστίας ἁμῆς πέλας,
σεμνὸς προσίκτωρ, ἐν τρόποις Ιξίονος.
τούτοις ἀμείβου πᾶσιν εὐμαθές τί μοι.
420
τὸ πρᾶγμα μεῖζον, εἴτις οἴεται τόδε
βροτὸς δικάζειν· οὐδὲ μὴν ἐμοὶ θέμις
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek text of Aeschylus' Eumenides, edited by Friedrich Blass, 1907.) — 397 focus
πρόσωθεν ἐξήκουσα κληδόνος βοὴν
ἀπὸ Σκαμάνδρου, γῆν καταφθατουμένη,
ἣν δῆτ᾽ Ἀχαιῶν ἀκτορές τε καὶ πρόμοι,
τῶν αἰχμαλώτων χρημάτων λάχος μέγα,
400
ἔνειμαν αὐτόπρεμνον ἐς τὸ πᾶν ἐμοί,
ἐξαίρετον δώρημα Θησέως τόκοις·
ἔνθεν διώκουσ᾽ ἦλθον ἄτρυτον πόδα,
πτερῶν ἄτερ ῥοιβδοῦσα κόλπον αἰγίδος,
πωλοῖς ἀκμαίοις τόνδ᾽ ἐπιζεύξασ᾽ ὄχον.
405
καινὴν δ᾽ ὁρῶσα τῆνδ᾽ ὁμιλίαν χθονὸς
ταρβῶ μὲν οὐδέν, θαῦμα δ᾽ ὄμμασιν πάρα.
τίνες ποτ᾽ ἐστέ; πᾶσι δ᾽ ἐς κοινὸν λέγω·
βρέτας τε τοὐμὸν τῶιδ᾽ ἐφημένωι ξένωι,
ὑμᾶς θ᾽ ὁμοίας οὐδενὶ σπαρτῶν γένει,
410
ἀντ. ε
οὔτ᾽ ἐν θεαῖσι πρὸς θεῶν ὁρωμένας
οὔτ᾽ οὖν βροτείοις ἐμφερεῖς μορφώμασιν.
λέγειν δ᾽ ἄμομφον ὄντα τοὺς πέλας κακῶς
πρόσω δικαίων ἠδ᾽ ἀποστατεῖ θέμις.
τί πρὸς τάδ᾽ εἰπεῖν, ὦ ξέν᾽, ἐν μέρει θέλεις;
λέξας δὲ χώραν καὶ γένος καὶ ξυμφορὰς
τὰς σάς, ἔπειτα τόνδ᾽ ἀμυνάθου ψόγον·
εἴπερ πεποιθὼς τῆι δίκηι βρέτας τόδε
ἦσαι φυλάσσων ἑστίας ἐμῆς πέλας
440
σεμνὸς προσίκτωρ ἐν τρόποις Ἰξίονος·
τούτοις ἀμείβου πᾶσιν εὐμαθές τί μοι.
τὸ πρᾶγμα μεῖζον ἤ τις οἴεται τόδε
470
βροτὸς δικάζειν· οὐδὲ μὴν ἐμοὶ θέμις
φόνου διαιρεῖν ὀξυμηνίτου δίκας.
ἄλλως τε καὶ σὺ μὲν κατηρτυκὼς νόμωι
ἱκέτης προσῆλθες καθαρὸς ἀβλαβής δόμοις
ἐμοῖς, ἄμομφον δ᾽ ὄντα σ᾽ αἰδοῦμαι πόλει·
475
αὗται δ᾽ ἔχουσι μοῖραν οὐκ εὐπέμπελον,
καὶ μὴ τυχοῦσαι πράγματος νικηφόρου,
χώρᾶι μεταῦθις ἰὸς ἐκ φρονημάτων
πέδοι πεσὼν ἄφερτος αἰανὴς νόσος.
τοιαῦτα μὲν τάδ᾽ ἐστίν· ἀμφότερα, μένειν
480
πέμπειν τε, δυσπήμαντ᾽ ἀμηχάνως τ᾽ ἔχει.
ἐπεὶ δὲ πρᾶγμα δεῦρ᾽ ἐπέσκηψεν τόδε,
φόνων δικαστὰς ὁρκίους αἱρουμένη
θεσμὸν τὸν εἰς ἅπαντ᾽ ἐγὼ θήσω χρόνον.
ὑμεῖς δὲ μαρτύριά τε καὶ τεκμήρια
485
καλεῖσθ᾽, ἀρωγὰ τῆς δίκης δρκώματα.
κρίνασα δ᾽ ἀστῶν τῶν ἐμῶν τὰ βέλτατα
ἥξω, διαιρεῖν τοῦτο πρᾶγμ᾽ ἐτητύμως,
ὅρκον πορόντας, μηδὲν ἐκδίκοις φρεσίν.
Translations (10)
Eumenides Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 2. Smyth, Herbert Weir, translator. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1926. (Modernized by Perseus.)) — 397-485 focus
The Eumenides (OCR draft) Experimental (The Eumenides. Theodore Alois Buckley, 1849.) — 397 focus
From afar I heard the sound of a voice from Scamander, where I occupy 1
, a land which in truth the leaders and chiefs of the Greeks, a great portion of the captured posses­ sions, assigned for ever to me, root and branch, a chosen gift to the children of Theseus. From thence I have come, plying an unwearied foot, without wings with rustling noise bran­ dishing my hollow aegis 2
, having yoked this car to vigorous steeds. But beholding this strange company, I am by no means afraid, but a wonder is before my eyes. Who, pray, are you? I speak to all in common: both to this stranger seated at my image, and to you resembling no race of beings produced, nor beheld among goddesses by gods, nor yet like to mortal forms; but for neighbours to speak ill of one deformed is far from proper, and justice is absent from it.
What do you wish, O stranger, to answer in your turn to these things? But having told your country and race and your misfortunes, after that repel this charge; if, trusting to justice, you sit keeping station at this image beside my shrine, a venerated suppliant after the fashion of Ixion 2
. To all these answer something easily understood by me.
The thing is too great, if any mortal thinks to judge it; nor yet is it lawful for me to determine a cause of slaughter quick to wrath, and especially if 1
you indeed having prepared at the same time, have come a suppliant pure and guiltless to my abodes. But nevertheless I receive you being blameless in my city. But these possess an office not easily set aside 2
, and not having obtained victory: poison from their minds having fallen hereafter upon the plain [will be] an intolerable dire disease. These things, indeed, are so: that both remain, but to dismiss both, without injury is impossible for me 3
. But since this thing has come hither, choosing 4
sworn judges of murder I will make a law for ever. But do you call as evidence and proofs, oaths to aid your cause. But I having selected the best of my citizens will come, to determine this matter rightly, those who give no unjust oath in their minds 5
.
LES EUMÉNIDES (OCR draft) Experimental (LES EUMÉNIDES. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 397 focus
de loin entendu l'appel d'une voix : sur les bords du Scamandre, je prenais possession du pays que les rois et les chefs de la Grèce m'ont attribué comme
une riche part de leur butin de guerre et dont le sol désor- mais est à moi, lot de choix accordé aux enfants de Thésée 1 . C'est de là que j'ai porté ici mes pas infatigables, laissant, en guise d'ailes, frémir aux vents mon égide gon-
flée, char magique attelé de robustes coursiers 2 . Mais à voir cette troupe nouvelle en ce pays, si mon cœur ne tremble pas, mon regard du moins s'étonne. Qui donc êtes-vous? Je m'adresse à tous également à cet étranger
accroupi devant mon image; à vous aussi, qui ne ressem- blez à nulle créature : les dieux ne vous voient point au
l'hommage qui t'est dû.
trouve la cause trop grave pour que des mortels en décident 6 , il ne m'est pas davantage permis à moi-même de prononcer sur des meurtres dictés par un courroux vengeur — alors surtout que tu as su du moins venir en suppliant, soumis et purifié, sans danger pour
ma demeure, et que je te tiens aussi pour libre de tout tort à l'égard de ma ville. Mais, de leur côté, celles-ci ont des droits qu'on ne saurait écarter à la légère, et, si elles n'ob- tiennent pas de voir triompher leur cause, sur le sol de ce pays, plus tard, va s'abattre le trait de leur dépit, un
intolérable et triste fléau. J'en suis donc là : que je les accueille ou que je les repousse, les deux me réservent d'inévitables maux. Pourtant, puisque la chose en est arrivée là, je vais ici faire choix de juges du sang versé; un serment les obligera, et le tribunal qu'ainsi j'établirai
sera établi pour l'éternité. Vous, faites appel aux témoi- gnages, aux indices, auxiliaires assermentés du droit 7 . Je
The Furies (OCR draft) Experimental (The Furies. Robert Potter, 1779.) — 397 focus
Mine the prize of old ordain'd,
Never with diſhonour ſtain'd,
Tho' my drear abode profound
Night and darkneſs cover round.
Say, ſtranger, what can'ſt thou reply to this?
Speak firſt thy race, thy country, thy misfortunes;
Then urge thy plea againſt this accuſation;
If truſting in the juſtice of thy cauſe,
490
Thus ſeated near my altar, thou embrace
With reverend hands, a ſuppliant as Ixion t
,
My ſtatue. Be thy anſwer ſhort and clear.
This is a cauſe of moment, and exceeds
The reach of mortal man: nor is it mine
To judge, when blood with eager rage excites
To vengeance.
525
Thou with preparation meet
Haſt to my ſhrine approach'd a ſuppliant pure,
Without offence; and to my favour'd city
Uncharg'd with blame I readily receive thee.
Let theſe, whoſe ruthleſs rage knows not the
530
touch
Of pity, not ſucceeding in their plea,
Retire awhile, till judgment ſhall decide
The conteſt: from their breaſts black poiſon flows,
And taints the ſick'ning earth.
535
Thus I pronounce
To each, unequal in this dubious ſtrife
To give content to both. But ſince to me
Th' appeal is made, it ſhall be mine t' elect
Judges of blood, their faith confirm'd by oath,
540
And ratify the everlaſting law.
Prepare you for the trial, call your proofs,
Arrange your evidence, bring all that tends
To aid your cauſe: I from the holieſt men
That grace my city will ſelect to judge
545
This cauſe with juſtice; men, whoſe ſanctity
Abhors injuſtice, and reveres an oath.
Eschilo, Le Eumenidi: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli (OCR draft) Experimental (Eschilo, Le Eumenidi: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli. Ettore Romagnoli, 1922.) — 397 focus
Da lungi udito ho de l'appello il suono,
dallo Scamandro, ove la sede mia
435
stabilita ho nel suol, che, parte eletta
dei predati trofei, tutto a me sacro,
per sempre, i duci e i prenci d'Argo vollero,
e ai figli di Tesèo dono ne fecero.
Di lí spingendo il pie' mai stanco, giunsi
440
senz'ali, e ai venti fremea gonfia l'egida.
Or, qui veggendo cosí nuova accolta,
non temo io già, ma stupefatta resto.
Chi siete mai? Lo chiedo a tutti. A questo
che, straniero, all'idol mio si stringe,
445
e a voi, disformi ad ogni essere nato,
cui né mai tra le Dee videro i Numi,
né somigliate alle parvenze umane.
E tu, che cosa opporre, ospite, puoi ?
Di' la tua patria, la progenie tua
e le vicende, e dalle accuse scólpati,
se fede hai pur nella giustizia, e siedi
475
perciò, come Ission, supplice sacro
vicino all'ara e al simulacro mio.
Rispondi a tutto, e fa ch'io chiaro intenda.
Se alcuno v'è che troppo ardua tal causa
pensa che sia da giudicarla gli uomini,
515
neppure a me consento io stessa sciogliere
d'un omicidio l'odiosa lite.
Aeschylus, Eumenides: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Eumenides: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii. Ioannes Sanravius, 1555.) — 397 focus
Procul exaudiui rumoris uocem
Ab Scamandro accenſam,
380
Quam uidelicet Achiuorum duces, & primarij
Captarum rerum ſortem magnam
Distri buerunt robur ipſum omnino mihi
Electum donum Theſei filijs.
Inde perſequens ueni indomito pede.
385
Sine alis abſorbens sinum Aegidis,
Pullis robustis hoc coniugans uehiculum,
Et nunc uidens hanc conuerſationem terræ,
Timeo quidem nihil, admiratio adeſt in oculis.
Quiſnam tandem eſtis? omnibus uerò in comūne dico.
390
Simulacrum uerò meum huic miti hoſpiti,
Vosq; ſimiles nulli generi Spartanorum,
Neq; inter deas uisis à dijs,
Neq; in mortalibus ferendæ formæ.
Dicere deformem exiſtentem propinquos malè.
395
Procul à iuſtis Themis uerò abſtinet.
Quid adhæc uerò dicere ò hoſpes uiciſsim uis?
Dicens uerò regionem, & genus, & calamitates
Tuas, deinde ultoris uituperium.
420
Si confisus iuſticiæ, statuam hanc
Pergis cuſtodire, propè meam aram.
Grauis ſupplex in modis Ixionis.
His reſponde omnibus docilis mihi.
Facinus maius quàm putet quis hoc,
Mortalis, iudicare, neq; tamen mihi fas,
Cædes disce:rnere iracundæ pœnæ,
Alias, tu quidem perfectus ætate tamen
455
Supplex ueniſti purus innocuus domum.
Tamen te inculpatum eligo ciuitati.
Ipſæ uerò habentes fatum non tempeſtiuum,
Et non aſsequutæ negotium ferens uictoriam,
Secedant rurſum, ex conſilio ſanies
460
In ſolum cadens intolerabilis grauis morbus.
Talia quidem hæc ſunt, licet ambobus manere.
Mittere uerò mala ſigna non poſsum.
Poſtquam negocium huc mandauit hoc
Cædis iuratæ iudices electos,
465
Ius in omne tempus ego ponam.
Vos uerò teſtimonia & signa
Vocatis auxiliatoria, iuramenta iuſticiæ
Indicans meorum ciuium optima
Veniam, disce:rnere hoc negocium uerè,
470
Iuſiurandum tranſgredientes nullum iuſtum mente.
Aeschylus, Die Eumeniden: German translation (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Die Eumeniden: German translation. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1919–1923.) — 397 focus
Fern am Skamandros hab' ich einer Stimme Laut
vernommen, die nach mir verlangte. Beuteland
Was hast du darauf zu erwidern, fremder Mann?
Erst nenne Heimat und Geschlecht und deine That,
dann wehre die Bezichtigung des Klägers ab,
Mit der Entscheidung dieses Handels würde sich
470 zu viel ein Mensch zutrauen, und auch mir gebührt
kein Urteil, wo dem Morde bittre Rache folgt.
Zumal du trotz den voll erfüllten Pflichten doch
bittflehend herkommst, keiner ungesühnten Schuld
Ansteckung bringend. Meine Stadt kann über dich
475 sich nicht beschweren: heilig ist mir dein Gesuch.
Allein auch deine Gegner sind von solcher Art,
daſs man sie ungern abweist. Fällt der Siegesspruch
nicht ihnen zu, so trieft von dem gekränkten Stolz
ein Gift auf unsern Boden nieder, das erzeugt
Miſswachs und arger Seuche schauerlichen Brand.
480 So steht es. Anzunehmen und zu weigern ist
gefährlich gleichermaſsen; ich getrau's mich nicht.
Indes, der Rechtstreit ist einmal vor uns gebracht,
483 so unterbreit' ich die Entscheidung einem Rat
geschwor'ner Richter, die aus meinen Bürgern ich
auswähle, Männer treubewährt, in Ehren grau,
489 abweichend keine Spanne von beschwor'ner Pflicht.
484 Und diese Stiftung setz' ich ein für alle Zeit.
485 Schafft ihr derweilen Zeugen und Belege her
zu eurer Sache rechtlicher Bekräftigung.
Ich komme, wenn ich meines Volkes Würdigste
4VIII erkoren, zum gerechten Wahrspruch wieder her. Ab.
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.) — 397 focus
Far off I heard the clamour of your cry,
As by Scamander's side I set my foot
470
Asserting right upon the land given o'er
To me by those who o'er Achaia's host
Held sway and leadership: no scanty part
Of all they won by spear and sword, to me
They gave it, land and all that grew thereon,
475
As chosen heirloom for my Theseus' clan.
Thence summoned, sped I with a tireless foot,—
Hummed on the wind, instead of wings, the fold
Of this mine ægis, by my feet propelled,
As, linked to mettled horses, speeds a car.
480
And now, beholding here earth's nether brood,
I fear it nought, yet are mine eyes amazed
With wonder. Who are ye? of all I ask,
And of this stranger to my statue clinging.
But ye—your shape is like no human form,
485
Like to no goddess whom the gods behold,
Like to no shape which mortal women wear.
Yet to stand by and chide a monstrous form
Is all unjust—from such words Right revolts.
O man unknown, make thou thy plea in turn;
Speak forth thy land, thy lineage, and thy woes;
Then, if thou canst, avert this bitter blame—
If, as I deem, in confidence of right
Thou sittest hard beside my holy place,
515
Clasping this statue, as Ixion sat,
A sacred suppliant for Zeus to cleanse,—
To all this answer me in words made plain.
Too mighty is this matter, whosoe'er
Of mortals claims to judge hereof aright.
550
Yea, me, even me, eternal Right forbids
To judge the issues of blood-guilt, and wrath
That follows swift behind. This too gives pause,
That thou as one with all due rites performed
Dost come, unsinning, pure, unto my shrine.
555
Whate'er thou art, in this my city's name,
As uncondemned, I take thee to my side.—
Yet have these foes of thine such dues by fate,
I may not banish them: and if they fail,
O'erthrown in judgment of the cause, forthwith
560
Their anger's poison shall infect the land—
A dropping plague-spot of eternal ill.
Thus stand we with a woe on either hand—
Stay they, or go at my commandment forth,
Perplexity or pain must needs befal.
565
Yet, as on me Fate hath imposed the cause,
I choose unto me judges that shall be
An ordinance for ever, set to rule
The dues of blood-guilt, upon oath declared.
But ye, call forth your witness and your proof,
570
Words strong for justice, fortified by oath;
And I, whoe'er are truest in my town,
Them will I choose and bring, and straitly charge,
Look on this cause, discriminating well,
And pledge your oath to utter nought of wrong.
575
[ Exit Athena.
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.) — 397 focus
Fernher am Strom Skamandros hört' ich lauten Ruf,
Als ich von jenem Lande schnell Besiy ergriff,
Das mir Achäa's Fürsten und Gewaltige
375
Als schönes Loos aus ihrer Beute reichem Schay
Auf immerdar mit allen Wurzeln heiligten,
Dem Stamm des Theseus ein erles'nes Eigenthum.
Dort komm' ich her mit unermüdlich schnellem Schritt,
Des Schildes Wölbung schwingend, ohne Fittige,
380
Die starken Rosse vorgeschirrt dem Wagen hier.
Und nun gewahr' ich diese Schaar in meinem Land,
Wohl schreckt mich's nicht, doch Staunen fesselt meinen Blick.
Wer seid ihr? Alle red' ich euch in Einem an,
Ihn, der an meinem Bilde sikt, den Fremdling dort,
385
Und euch, vergleichbar keinem, was geboren ist,
Von Göttern nie gesehen unter Göttinnen,
Noch Erdenkindern an Gestalt und Bildung gleich.
Doch Andre schelten, welche dir kein Leid gethan,
Ist Hohn der Tugend, Themis haft, wer solches thut.
390
Was sagst du, Fremdling, wider dies für deinen Theil?
Erst nenne Heimat und Geschlecht und Lebensloos,
Und diesen Vorwurf wehre dann von deinem Haupt,
Wenn, auf das Recht vertrauend, du zu diesem Bild
415
In meines Herdes Nähe dich geflüchtet hast,
Um Sühne flehend, heilig wie Ixion einst.
Auf alles dies entgegne wohlverständlich mir.
Der Handel ist zu schwierig, wenn ein Sterblicher
Ihn wähnt zu schlichten; aber mir auch ziemt es nicht,
Den Spruch zu fällen über solch ergrimmten Mord,
Zumal du meinem Hause rein und fleckenlos
Nach wohlerfülltem Brauche dich als Schüßling nahst,
450
Und dich Gesühnten meine Stadt aufnimmt mit Fug.
Doch schwer hinwegzuweisen sind die Grausen auch;
Und tragen sie nicht im Gericht den Sieg davon,
Wird einst der giftige Geifer, der aus ihrer Brust
Zur Erde träufelt, ewig grause Pest dem Land.
455
So steht's um uns hier: ob sie bleiben oder geh'n,
Für mich erwächst ein unvermeidlich großes Leid.
Doch weil die Sache hingedieh'n zu solchem Ziel,
Bestell' ich Richter über Mord, geschworene,
Und diese Sakung gelte fort in alle Zeit.
460
Ihr aber rufet Zeugen und Beweise nun
Und Eide, Stüken eures Rechts, als Helfer auf!
Ich wähle meiner Bürger gleich die besten aus,
Wahrhaft zu schlichten diesen Streit, dem Schwure treu,
Niemals zu sprechen falschen Spruch, und komme dann.
465
(Ab durch die Luft.)
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. The comparison OCR has additional text: possible base omission or layout disagreement. See the collation audit.

Commentary

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

401. αὐτόπρεμνον , bold metaphor, root and branch, i. e. utterly, land and all therein.

402. ἐξαίρετον . : it was a custom, from Homer's time, to take out of the spoil a special gift for kings (or, as here, gods). So Homer frequently γέρας ἔξελον υἱὲς Ἀχαιῶν. So Thucydides tells us at the destruction of Mitylene (3. 30) the Athenians made 3000 holdings of the land, and 300 of these τοῖς θεοῖς ἱεροὺς ἐξεῖλον.

405. ἐπιζεύξασ᾽ ὄχον . You can't talk of yoking a car on your legs. It is better to take it metaphorically: the

405. ὄχος is the aegis, the

405. πῶλοι are the winds. So exactly Aristophanes calls Athena αἰγίδος ἠνιόχος Clouds 602.

410. ὑμᾶς θ᾽ , the construction is irregular but natural: she means, and you [I call] like to no race begotten, etc. (or perhaps even a stronger verb of abuse is meant to finish the sentence): but she checks herself 1. 413.

414. ἀποστατεῖ θέμις , Right holds aloof, stately phrase for ,it is wrong,.

417. ἐν οἴκοις γῆς ὕπαι , not for τοῖς γῆς ὕπαι, but 'in our home, beneath the earth, both phrases going with verb κεκλήμεθα.

418. ἐπωνύμους , not in its usual sense called after; but simply 'the names men call you by.'

419. γε μὲν δή , adversative as usual. My office, however, thou shalt learn. So Ag. 661, 887, 1213.

423. μηδαμοῦ: . the μή generalises as usual: Some place where joy is all unknown: the Chorus mean in Hades: but the indefinite or generic way of putting it is quite idiomatic and more imaginative and impressive. μηδαμοῦ νομίζεται, lit. is held of no account.

424. ἐπιρροιζεῖν , to clamour after, of noisy and terrifying pursuit ; To such a flight do ye hound him on?

425. ἠξιώσατο , took on him, rarely med. Cp. Ag. 370 θεοὺς ἀξιοῦσθαι.

426. ἀνάγκη .

427. ὡς often used for ὥστε in poetry: Epic usage.

431. σοφῶν , subtlety.

433. εὐθεῖαν δίκην , poet. for εὐθυδικία, the regular legal term for the 'real issue' opposed to some side question.

434. ἐπὶ . . . τρέποιτ' , entrust, more frequently in the compound ἐπιτρέπω. The separate form (tmesis) is found in poetry, e. g. Ant. 1107 μηδ᾽ ἐπ᾿ ἄλλοισιν τρέπε.

434. τέλος , the final settlement, the decision.' Somewhat similar is Ag. 934 ἐξεῖπον τέλος.

435. κἀπ᾿ ἀξίων (Arnald's correction, adopted by Paley, must be right), a worthy child of worthy sire, i.e. a great goddess, and daughter of Zeus. So Schol. ἀξίων οὖσαν γονέων. [Other corrections numerous, but all less simple and natural.]

442. τούτοις πᾶσιν , neut. to all this, i. e. the accusation of the Eumenides.

452. οἴκοισι . is governed by πρός: the other datives are instrumental.

452. πόρος , stream, is frequent in Aeschylus.

453. ἐκποδῶν λέγω , I speak away the misgiving: rather bold use of the words, but unmistakeable.

460. ποικίλοις , crafty.

466. ἀντίκεντρα , like a spur, see 11. 38, 136.

469. πράξας πανταχή , idiomatic use for howsoe'er I fare. So Antig. 634 πανταχῆ δρῶντες φίλοι,

howsoe'er we act, we are dear.
ἐν σοί commonly
in thy power' with the verb to be
:

469. ἐν τῷ δαίμονι Ο. Τ. 1443, ἐν σοὶ ἐσμέν ib. 314, ἐν θεῷ τὸ τέλος ἦν Dem. 292. Here it has rather a different shade of meaning, at thy hands, under thy rule .

472. ὀξυμηνίτους is used in a slightly predicative sense,

to decide with swift vengeance the issues of murder
: it is the decision which brings the vengeance.

473. ἄλλως τε καὶ σύ , especially since thou, the causal conjunction being omitted by a looseness due to Aeschylus' bold brevity. Literally it is Both on other grounds (this is so) and (chiefly as) thou hast come. κατηρτυκώς, a hard word. καταρτίω is to fit , train, finish, and this perf. is used intransitively, in a kind of technical sense, of animals, mature, complete (so Schol. and Hesych. say), hence it is here metaphorical, of the suppliant; with all due rites performed. [In a similar metaphor Euripides (Frag. 39) uses the phrase κατηρτυκὼς πόνων, which has been misunderstood from not observing the context. Had I been new to trouble I should have resisted, like a colt newly bridled: but now I am spent (ἀμβλύς) and well trained in toils,' i.e. broken in, the phrase continuing the metaphor of the colt.]

474. ἀβλαβής , harmless, as 1. 285.

475. αἱροῦμαι πόλει , I take thee, welcome thee in my city.

476. μοῖραν οὐκ εὐπέμπελον , lit. an office hard to banish, i. e. such is their office, they are hard to banish: the rights which the appointment of the gods has given them makes it hard for me to deal harshly with them.

478. χώρᾳ , put first to emphasise what is affected, is in sense dependent on ἄφερτος αἰανὴς νόσος.

478. φρονημάτων , wrath.

480-481. ἀμφότερα . . . ἐμοί to let them stay, to drive them forth, both are a peril and a perplexity to me. The change of subject with the inf. ( that they should stay, that I should drive) is much less harsh in Greek: the inf. expresses the simple verbal idea, and the subject need not be consciously supplied.

482. δεῦρ᾽ ἐπέσκηψεν , has fallen to me, i. e. to arrange. 11. 483, 4. The general sense of these lines is plain: but the MS. reading requires to be altered, and the original text must remain C uncertain: I have taken Casaubon's ὁρκίους αἱρουμένη as the least alteration on the whole: I shall choose judges of murder bound by oaths, and appoint them as an ordinance for ever.

482. τόν then agrees with θεσμόν, an ordinance that which [shall be] for all time. But Wecklein's φανῶ δικ. ὁρκίων αἰδουμένους θεσμόν, is ingenious.]

486. ἀρωγὰ ὁρκώματα , apposition to μαρτύρια: Summon evidence and proof, sworn testimony in aid of justice. The Scholiast says ὅρκους αὐτοὺς αἰτήσατε, misunderstanding apparently ὁρκώματα to refer to the judges' oath, whereas it is best to refer it to the oath of witnesses. There is no need to insert θ' before ὁρκώματα, as H. Weil.

487. τὰ βέλτατα , abstract collective for τοὺς βελτίστους. So τάδε μὲν Περσῶν Pers. 1, τὰ πρῶτα τῆς μοχθηρίας Ar. Ran. 421.

488. διαιρεῖν . is epexegetic or consec. inf., that they should decide, the subject being carried on in sense from τὰ βέλτατα, becoming (naturally) masc. in the participle, next line.

491. δίκα τε καὶ βλάβα , the cause and the wrong: the strong contradiction in terms (oxymoron), which comes out in the Greek more than in the English, is intentional and effective: Orestes' δίκα was ἄδικος and βλαβερά in the eyes of the Eumenides.

529. παντὶ μέσῳ , ever to the mean god gives success: a common Greek maxim: so Ag. 378 ἔστω δ᾽ ἀπήμαντον ὥστ᾽ ἀπαρκεῖν, ib. 466 τὸ δ᾽ ὑπερκόπως εὖ κλύειν βαρὺ κρίνω δ᾽ ἄφθονον ὄλβον, etc., the idea being that excess was dangerous: so Eur. Fr. 80 τὰ μείζω τῶν μέσων τίκτει νόσους.

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

mvp-comment-286-1 τόκοις: τέκνοις pro τόκοις Flor. Farn. et Bekkero teste Ven.

mvp-comment-287-1 ῥοιβδοῦσα: ῥοιδοῦσα G. Ald.

mvp-comment-288-1 πώλοις ... ἐπιζεύξασ᾽: Libri πώλοις. Hinc ad v. 389. scholiastes adnotavit ἐπὶ ὀχήματος ἔρχεται. Idem ad v. 396. ὡς ἀρμένῳ χρωμένη τῇ αἰγίδι. Exornavit hanc currus aerii fictionem O. Müllerus. Ineptam eam esse, rectissimeque Wakefieldium scripsisse κώλοις, demonstravi in Opusc. VI. 2. p. 174. seqq. Per auras advenit Minerva, Aegide tamquam alis utens eaque pedum gressum accelerans. ἐπιζεύξας G. Ald.

mvp-comment-289-1 καινὴν δ᾽ ... τήνδ': καινὴν δ᾽ emendatio est Canteri. Libri καὶ νῦν δ'. Deinde Par. τῆςδ'.

mvp-comment-290-1 ταρβῶ: ταρβῶμεν Ven.

mvp-comment-291-1 πᾶσι δ᾽ ἐς κοινὸν λέγω: πᾶσι δ᾽ ἐς κοινὸν λέγω, scilicet θαυμάζειν με ὑμᾶς, εἰ tibi, Oresta, et vobis: sed mulans constructionem dicit ὑμᾶς τε.

mvp-comment-292-1 ξένῳ: στένω pro ξένῳ Ven. Flor. Farn.

mvp-comment-293-1 ὁμοίας: ὁμοίως Ven. Flor.

mvp-comment-294-1 ὁρωμένας: ὁρωμένας Stanleius. Libri ὁρωμέναις.

mvp-comment-295-1 οὔτ᾽ οὖν ... μορφώμασιν: οὔτ᾽ οὖν M. G. Par. Ven. Flor. Rob. οὔτ᾽ ἐν Ald. Turn. μορφώμασιν Μ. G. Par. Ven. Farn. Ald. Rob. μορφώμασι Flor. Turn.

mvp-comment-296-1 ἄμομφον ... τοὺς πέλας: δ' omittunt Ald. Turn. Deinde άμομφον Robortellus. Ceteri ἄμορφον. Denique τοῦ πέλας Ven. Ceteri τοὺς πέλας. Heathii aliorumque ante eum coniecturam, τὸν πέλας, olim receperam, ac necessario recipere debet, qui ἄμορφον retinet. Sed recte libri τοὺς πέλας habent, recipiendum est autem Robortelli άμομφον. Qui nihil, inquit, habet de quo queratur, ei non licet reprehendere alios. Intellexit hoc Elmsleius ad Med. p. 93. addens hanc vocem άμομφος, ter in hac fabula (hic et v. 467. 670.) ab Aeschylo usurpatam, extra eam apud Atticos non exstare.

mvp-comment-297-1 ἠδ᾽: ήδ' Rob. ἡδ' G. Ald. Turn. ἥδ' Ven. Farn. Scribendum est fortasse, ut Abreschius voluit, deleta interpunctione, πρόσω δικαίων ἥδ᾽ ἀποστατεῖ θέμις.

mvp-comment-298-1 πεύσει: Libri πεύσῃ.

mvp-comment-299-1 ἐσμεν ... αἰανῆς: ἐσμεν Farn. ἐς μὲν Ald. Deinde α'ανή M. G. Rob. αἰεινῆ Ald. αἰανή etiam scholiastes legit, qui sic interpretatur, σκοτεινά. ἢ θρηνητικὰ ἢ (sic M.) αλάζειν ποιοῦντα. Sed αἰανῆς Ven. Flor. Farn. Turn. Tzetzes ad Lycophr. v. 406. κατὰ δὲ Αἰσχύλον Ἐρινύες “Νυκτὸς αἰανῆς τέκνα.” Id praestat, ut in Sophoclis Ai. v. 672. νυκτὸς αἰανῆς κύκλος, ubi v. quae a Lobeckio et a me dicta sunt.

mvp-comment-300-1 Ἀραὶ ... ὑπαὶ κεκλήμεθα: ἀραὶ Canterus, et sic Ven. Flor. ἀρὰ M. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. ἐνοίκοις Αld. ὑπαὶ κεκλήμεθα Stanleius. Επαι κεκλήμεθα Victorius, et sic Franzio teste M. Flor. Ven. Sed ex Ven. Bekkerus ὑπαικεκλήμεθα attulit, idque habent G. Farn. Ald. υπεκεκλήμεθα Rob. ύλαι κεκλήμεθα Turn.

mvp-comment-301-1 κληδόνας τ᾽: κλύδονάς τ' Αld.

mvp-comment-302-1 τιμάς: Personarum index in Rob. hic et deinceps yo. In G. Ven. Flor. Ald. Turn. εὐμ. Idem aut lineola in M.

mvp-comment-303-1 ἐμφανῆ: ἐκφανῆ Ald. Turn.

mvp-comment-304-1 ποῦ τὸ τέρμα τῆς φυγῆς: Libri τοῦτο τέρμα τῆς σφαγής. Arnaldus et Tyrwhittus ποῦ τὸ τέρμα, Scaliger, Casaubonus, Tyrwhittus τῆς φυγῆς.

mvp-comment-305-1 ἦ ... ἐπιρροιζεῖς: ή M. Ven. Flor. Rob. ἢ G. Ald. Deinde ἐπιρροιζεῖς Stanleius sive potius Scaliger. ἐπιρροιζει M. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. ἐπιρροιζεῖν Ven. Flor. Farn.

mvp-comment-306-1 οὔτινος: οὔτινος M. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. ἢ τίνος Ven. ἤ τινος ex Flor. Farn. affertur.

mvp-comment-307-1 παρόντοιν ... λόγος: παρόντων Ven. Farn. λόγος Ven. Flor. Rob. λόγου M. G. Ald. Turn.

mvp-comment-308-1 οὐ δοῦναι θέλοι: Libri οὐ δοῦναι θέλει. Recte Schutzius οὐ δοῦναι θέλοι scripsit. Διωμοσίαν, quam Aeschylus intelligit, his verbis definit memoratus a Stanleio Lysias in or. X. quae est I. in Theomnestum, §. 11. ὁ μὲν γὰρ διώκων ὡς ἔκτεινε διόμνυται, ὁ δὲ φεύγων ὡς οὐκ ἔκτεινε.

mvp-comment-309-1 πένει: πένηι Μ. πένῃ G. Ald. Turn. πένη Rob. πέλη Ven. Flor. et supra adscripto εἰ Farn.

mvp-comment-310-1 τὰ μὴ: τὰ μὲν ριο τὰ μὴ Ven. Flor.

mvp-comment-311-1 ἦ κἀπ᾿ ἐμοὶ: ή κἀπ' ἐμοὶ M. Ven. Flor. η κάπε, μοί Rob. ἦν ἐπ' ἐμοὶ G. Ald. Turn. Deinde πρέποιτ᾽ ἂν Ven. Farn.

mvp-comment-312-1 σέβουσαί γ' ἀξίαν γ᾽ ἐπαξίων: πῶς δ᾽ οὔ· σέβουσαι γ᾽ ἀξίαν τ᾽ ἐπαξίων Μ. G. Ald. Ita eliam Rob. Turn. nisi quod ἐπ᾽ ἀξίων habent. κἀξίαν τ᾽ ἔπαξίων sic Par. σέβομαι γ' ἀξίαν τ᾽ ἐπ' ἀξίων Ven. Bekkero teste, et sic, ut videtur, Flor. nisi quod hic ἐπαξίων habere dicitur. σέβομέν γ' ex Farn. affertur. Scholiastes ἀξίων οὖσαν γονέων. Eum putant ἀπ' ἀξίων legisse, ut scribendum esse coniecit Stanleius. Scribendum πῶς δ᾽ οὔ, σέβουσαί γ' ἀξίαν γ' ἐπαξίων.

mvp-comment-313-1 ὦ ξέν: ὦ ξεῖν G. Ald.

mvp-comment-314-1 τόνδ᾽ ... ἀμυνάθου: τόνδε plene Rob. τῶνδ᾽ Ven. Flor. auvratov Dindorfius ex praecepto Elmsleii ad Med. v. 186. V. ad Phoen. v. 1184.

mvp-comment-315-1 ἀμῆς: ἁμησ' Μ. ἁμῆς G. Ald. Rob. Turn. ἐμῆς Par. Ven. Flor.

mvp-comment-316-1 προςτρόπαιος ... μύσος: προτρόπαιος Rob. et sic M. sed ab alia manu ad primam syllabam o supra adscriptum est. μύσος Ald. Rob.

mvp-comment-317-1 τὴμῇ τὸ σὸν ἐφημένου βρέτας: προήχειρὶ τῇ τῇ Rob. Deinde τόσον G. Ald. Deinde libri ἐφεζομένη. Turnebus ἐφεζομένῃ. Porsonus ἐφημένῃ. Recte Butlerus et Burgesius ἐφημένου. Supra v. 401. βρέτας τε τούμὸν τῷδ᾽ ἐφημένῳ ξένη.

mvp-comment-318-1 ἄφθογγον: ἄφωνον Ven. Flor. Farn.

mvp-comment-319-1 ἔςτ᾽ ἂν πρὸς: ἐπ᾽ ἂν Ald. male lecta codicis G. scriptura. Hine ἐπὼν Turn.

mvp-comment-320-1 καθαιμάξωσι νεοθήλου βοτοῦ: καθαιμάξωσι νεοθήλου βοτοῦ Turn. καθαιμάξουσινοθήλου βοτοῦ Μ. καθαιμάξουσι νοθήλου βοτοῦ G. Ald. καθαιμάζουσιν ὀθήλου βοτοῦ Rob. καθαιμάξουσιν ὀθνείου βροτοῦ Ven. Flor. καθαιμάξωσιν ὀθνείου βροτοῦ Farn. Abreschius νεοθηλούς scribendum putavit. Recte vero Turnebus νεοθήλου scripsisse videtur, aθηλάζειν. Apollonius Rhodius IV. 704. πρῶτα μὲν ἀτρέπτοιο λυτήριον ἥ γε φόνοιο τειναμένη καθύπερθε στὸς τέκος, ἧς ἔτι μαζοὶ πλήμμυρον λοχίης ἐκ νηδύος, αἵματι χεῖρας τέγγεν, ἐπιτμήγουσα δέρην.

mvp-comment-321-1 βοτοῖσι: βροτοῖσι Ven. Deinde τόροις vitium Ald.

mvp-comment-322-1 ἐκποδὼν: ταύτη Rob. μὲν omittit Par. ἐκποδὼν G. Ven. ἐκποδῶν M. Flor. ἐκ ποδῶν Ald. Rob. Turn.

mvp-comment-323-1 πεύσει: Libri πεύσῃ.

mvp-comment-324-1 Ἀγαμέμνονα, ... ναυβατῶν: ἀγάμεμν error Ald. ναυβατῶν H. Ven. Flor. Farn. ναυατῶν Ald. Turn. et supra adscripto βα

mvp-comment-325-1 ἔφθιν᾽ οὗτος: ἔφθιθ᾽ οὗτος Par. ἔφθιθ᾽ οὕτως M. G. Ald. Rob. ἔφθηθ' οὗτος Ven. Flor. Farn. οὗτος ἔφθιτ' a Turnebo illatum erat.

mvp-comment-326-1 ἀγρεύμασιν: ἀγρεύμασιν M. G. Par. Ven. Farn. Ald. Rob. ἀγρεύμασι Flor. Turn.

mvp-comment-327-1 κρύψασ', ἃ λουτρῶν ἐξεμαρτύρει φόνον: κρύψασα λουτρών M. G. Ald. Rob. Τurn. λουτρών etiam scholiastes legit, qui haec ita, sed perperam, interpretatur, ἐκήρυττε τὸν διὰ τῆς ἐπιχύσεως τῶν λουτρῶν γενόμενον αὐτῷ φόνον. λέγεται γὰρ μετὰ τὸ φονεῦσαι γυμνὸν ἐξαγαγεῖν καὶ δεῖξαι τοῖς πολίταις. κρύψασα λουτρὸν δ᾽ Ven. Flor. κρύψασα λούτρον δ' Farn. λουτρών, coniecturam, ut videtur, commemoravit Stephanus. In Opusc. IV. p. 339. haec ita emendanda esse dixi, αλλά νιν κελαινόφρων ἐμὴ μήτηρ κατέκτα ποικίλοις ἀγρεύμασιν ä κρύψασ', ἃ λουτρῶν ἐξεμαρτύρει φόνον. Ita scribendum esse viderat etiam Musgravius. Subtili disputatione Schoemannus demonstrare studuit non ita scripsisse Aeschylum, sed κρύψασα· λουτρών δ᾽ ἐξεμαρτύρει φόνον. In idem incidit Franzius. Mihi aliter iudicandum videri dixi in Annal. Vindob. vol. CXI. p. 262. Neque enim recte dici potuit artificiosis retibus eum contegens: balneum autem letabatur caedem: balneum enim neque caedem neque insidias testari poterat, sed vestis tantum illa ampla, sanguine Agamemnonis maculata, ut in Choeph. v. 1005. dictum est μαρτυρεῖ δέ μοι φάρος τόδ᾽, ὡς ἔβαψεν Αιγίσθου ξίφος. Neque vero si dicitur artificiosis eum relibus contegens, quae caedem in balneo perpetratam testabantur, in balneo facta caedes tamquam nota res commemoratur, quae Schoemanni opinio est, sed adiicitur tantum in balneo caedem Agamemnonis esse perpetratam.

mvp-comment-328-1 πρὸ τοῦ: προτοῦ Farn.

mvp-comment-329-1 κοινῇ: καὶ τῶν δεχοινῆ Ald.

mvp-comment-330-1 ἔρξαιμι τοὺς ἐπαιτίους: Choeph. v. 270. εἰ μὴ μέτειμι τοῦ πατρὸς τοὺς αἰτίους. Ennius in Eumenidibus apud Nonium in v. exantlare, p. 292. nisi patrem materno sanguine exantlando ulciscerem. Nescio autem an Aeschylus scripserit εἰ μὴ ἀντιδρῶν ἔρξαιμι τοὺς ἐπαιτίους.

mvp-comment-331-1 σὺ δ᾽: Libri σύ τ'. Emendavit Pearsonus. κρίνων G. Ald. δίκης Farn.

mvp-comment-332-1 αἰνέσω: παταχῆ Rob. αἰνέσσω Ald. Coniecturas, quibus hunc versum vexarunt critici, nihil attinet commemorare. V. Valcken. ad Hippol. v. 324.

mvp-comment-333-1 ἢ εἰ τις οἴεται: Libri εἴ τις οἴεται. Scholiastes εἴ τις οἴεται τὸ πρᾶγμα τόδε βροτὸς δικάζειν, μεῖζον ἢ κατὰ ἀνθρώπους οἴεται. Pearsonus scribendum coniecit ἤ τις οἴεται. Valckenarius ad Herod. III. 14. ἤ τιν οἴεσθαι βροτὸν δικάζειν. Idem Musgravius, vel ή τις οἴοιτ᾽ ἄν. Scribendum erat εἴ τις οἴεται.

mvp-comment-334-1 φόνου ... ὀξυμηνίτους δίκας: φόνου Rob. Ceteri φόνους. Deinde libri ὀξυμηνίτου. Sic etiam M. ὀξυμηνίτους Stanleii sive Pearsoni emendatio est, item Abreschii, qui scholiastam accusativum legisse animadvertit. Scholiastae adnotatio haec est, ἐφ᾽ οἷς ταχέως μηνίσουσιν Ερινύες, cui adnotationi quod a Robortello et Victorio praefixum est lemma φόνους, non habent M. G.

mvp-comment-335-1 κατηρτικὼς δρόμοις ἱκέτης προςῆλθες καθαρὸς ἀβλαβὴς δόμοις ἐμοῖς· ἄμομφον ὄντα δ᾽ αἰδοῦμαι πόλει: Aliter nunc hos versus emendandos esse censeo quam in Opusc. VI. 2. p. 76. seqq. feci. Libri κατηρτυκὼς ὅμως. Deinde in fine sequentis versus δόμοις M. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. δρόμοις Ven. et Linwoodio teste Flor. ex quo Franzius doóuois affert. Deinde proximus versus in libris ita scriptus est, ὅμως δ᾽ ἄμομφον ὄντα σ' αἱροῦμαι πόλει, nisi quod άμορφον est in Par. et ὄντας pro ὄντα σ' in G. Ald. Scholiastes adscripsit δέχομαι ἐν τῇ πόλει, quod αἱροῦμαι dici non potest. ὅμως in ἐμοῖς mutandum esse viderunt Linwoodius et Franzius, qui δ' post ἄμομφον collocaverunt. Scripsi ἄλλως τε καὶ σὺ μὲν κατηρτυκὼς δρόμοις ἱκέτης προςῆλθες καθαρὸς ἀβλαβὴς δόμοις ἐμοῖς· ἄμομφον ὄντα δ᾽ αἰδοῦμαι πόλει. Κατηρτικώς ita interpretatur scholiastes, τέλειος τὴν ἡλικίαν. τοῦτο δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν ζώων. Est autem κατηρτυκὼς δρόμοις dictum ut apud Euripidem in Aeolo (fr. 19. sive inc. 167.) νῦν δ᾽ ἀμβλύς εἰμι καὶ καττηρτυκώς κακῶν (Valckenarius κακοῖς), quod Cicero Tusc. Q. III. 25. ita expressit, sed iam subactus miseriis obtorpui. Grammaticus in Bekkeri Anecd. p. 105, 25. κατηρτυκέναι ἐλέγοντο οἱ μηκέτι βόλον ἔχοντες ἵπποι. Εὐριπίδης Αιόλω. Hesychius κατηρτικώς, τελειώσας (codes τελείως). κυρίως δὲ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀλόγων ζώων, ὅταν ἐκβάλῃ πάντας τοὺς ὀδόντας. Idem γνώμονα τὸν (codex γνώμ . . τὸ) βαλλόμενον ὀδόντα δι' οὗ τὰς ἡλικίας ἐγνώριζον τῶν τετραπόδων. καὶ ὁ καιτηρτυκώς (codex κατηρτηκώς) ἤδη λιπογνώμων. Conf. Suidas in v. γνώμονα et in v. ἀβολήτως ibique Kusterus. Αμομφον ὄντα δ᾽ αἰδοῦμαι πόλει, miseret me tui, de quo civitas non habet quod queratur. Suppl. v. 621. αἰδοῦνται δ᾽ ἱκέτας Διός. Euripides Heracl. v. 102. εἰκὸς θεῶν ἱκτῆρας αἰδεῖσθαι, ξένε.

mvp-comment-336-1 ἔχουσι ... οὐκ εὐπέμπελον: έχουσι M. Par. Ven. (teste Bekkero et Linwoodio) Flor. (teste Franzio) Rob. έχουσαι G. Ald. Turn. Deinde οὐκ εὐπέμπελον Μ. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. οὐκ εὐπεπλον Farn. οὔκουν εὔπεπλον Ven. et adscripto in margine γρ. οὐκ εὐπέμπελον Flor. Scholiastes εὐπέμπελον ita interpretatur, εὐπαραίτητον, εὐχερῆ, εὐάρεστον. δυσάρεστοι φύσει εἰσὶν αὗται. Non componenda esse εὐπέμπελος et δυςπέμφελος, sed εὐπέμπελον significare contrarium τῷ δυςπέμπτῳ iudicat Lobeckius Pathol. prol. p. 105. Eodem modo interpretandum esse intellexerat Wellauerus, harum vero ea est ratio, ut non facile dimitti possint.

mvp-comment-337-1 χώρᾳ μεταὖθις: χωροῖεν αὖθις, Turnebi coniectura, obtinuit donec veram scripturam, χώρα μεταὖθις, quam confirmat scholiastae ad τυχοῦσαι adnotatio, ἀντὶ τυχουσῶν, Wellauerus restituit. χώραι μετ' αὖθις Μ. G. Ven. Flor. Farn. Ald. χῶραι μετ' αὖτις Par. χῶραιμε τ' αὖθις Rob.

mvp-comment-338-1 αἰανὴs: αἰανὴ Ven. Flor. αἰανής M. G. Ald. Rob. Τurn.

mvp-comment-339-1 μένειν: Falsus est Linwoodius, quum μένειν in μ' ἑλεῖν mutavit.

mvp-comment-340-1 πέμπειν τε, δυςπήμαντ᾽ ἀμηχάνως ἐμοί: Libri πέμπειν δέ. Scribendum esse πέμπειν τε viderunt Abreschius et Tyrwhittus. Deinde δυσπήματ' ἀμηχάνως ἐμοί M. Ven. Rob. et ad δυσ supra adscripto δὴ Flor. Farn. δυσσήματ᾽ ἀμηχάνως ἐμοί G. Ald. Turn. Recte Stanleius sive potius Scaliger δυςπήμαντἀμηχάνως ἐμοί. Aliorum commenta praeterire satius erit. Propter scholiastae adnotationem, quae haec est, πέμπειν αὐτὰς ἀμηνίτως δυςχερές ἐστιν ἐμοί, Tyrwhitto scribendum videbatur πέμπειν τε δυςσήμαντ᾽ ἀμηνίτως ἐμοί, Dindorfio πέμπειν τε δυςπήμαντ᾽ ἀμηνίτως ἐμοί. Non puto scholiastam legisse αμηνίτως, sed eo vocabulo interpretatum esse sequentis versus sententiam.

mvp-comment-341-1 ἐπέσκηψεν: ἐπέσκηψεν Μ. Rob. ἐπέσκηψε G. Ald. Turn. ἀπέσκηψεν Ven. Flor.

mvp-comment-342-1 φόνων δικαστὰς ὁρκίους αἱρουμένη ... Θεσμόν, τὸν εἰς ἅπαντ᾽ ἐγὼ θήσω χρόνον: Libri ορκίων αἱρουμένους. Male Linwoodius inter δικαστὰς et ὁρκίων aliquid excidisse putavit. Recte Casaubonus sive Pearsonus ὁρκίους αἱρουμένη. Scholiastes ad hunc versum hoc adscripsit oἷον ενόρκους δικαστάς. Verum quod sequitur, θεσμὸν τὸν εἰς ἅπαντ᾽ ἐγὼ θήσω χρόνον non potest ita explicari quasi idem sit atque θεσμὸν τὸν ἀΐδιον. Neque enim articulus recte positus esset, et obstat in medio collocatum ἐγὼ θήσω. Scribendum potius est θεσμόν, τὸν εἰς ἅπαντ᾽ ἐγὼ θήσω χρόνον. Excidit autem ante θεσμόν versus hac sententia, σέβειν κελεύσω τῶν ἐμῶν ἀστῶν πόλιν. Itaque lacunae signa posui.

mvp-comment-343-1 καλεῖσθ', ἀρωγὰ τῆς δίκης θ' ὁρκώματα: καλεῖθ᾽ ἀρωγὰ Rob. Deinde libri τῆς δίκης ὁρκώματα. Pauwio ὀρθώματα scribendum esse videbatur. Ορκώματα agnoscit etiam scholiastes, qui ad v. 477. haec adscripsit, ὑμεῖς δὲ ὅρκους αὐττοὺς (sic M. G. αὐτὸν Rob.) αἰτήσατε. Recte Wellauerus τῆς δίκης θὁρκώματα.

mvp-comment-344-1 ἥξω ... ἐτητύμως: Libri ἥξω. Auratus ἄξω, Schneidewinus τάξω, H. L. Ahrens ζω. Nihil omnino mutandum est. Ad litigantes se venturam dicit Minerva, i. e. in Areopagum. ἑτητύμως Farn.

mvp-comment-345-1 ὅρκον πορόντας μηδὲν ἔκδικον φράσειν: Hic versus omissus est in Farn. In Ven. Flor. post v. 478. collocatus est. ὅρκον περώντας μηδὲν (μηδέν Turn.) ἔκδικον φρεσὶν M. G. Ald. Rob. Τurn. ὅρκον περῶντας μηδὲν ἔνδικον φρενὶ Ven. et Linwoodio teste Flor. ex quo Franzius ἔκδικον φρενὶ affert. Scribendum erat ὅρκον πορόντας μηδὲν ἔκδικον φράσειν. Et φράσειν quidem scribendum esse viderunt Marklandus ad Eur. Suppl. v. 112. et Wakefieldius: πορόντας scholiastes legit, cuius haec adnotatio in M. adscripta est, ὅρκον διδόντας.

mvp-comment-345-2 Haec locuta Minerva in interiora templi se recipit.

mvp-comment-346-1 νέων:

νεων
G. Ald. Hoc dicit, nunc commutationes funt in novas leges, si vincet caussa et noxa huius parricidae.

mvp-comment-347-1 δίκα τε καὶ βλάβα:

δίκα τε καὶ βλάβα
Heathius.
δίκα καὶ βλάβα
M. G. Ald. Rob. Turn.
δίκα καὶ βλάβα
Ven. Flor.

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

mvp-comment-123-1 δώρημα] The claim on the Athenian side is thus based on a supposed donation of Theseus. For the dative following the noun compare Trach. 603

δώρημ᾽ ἐκείνῳ τἀνδρί.

mvp-comment-124-1 πώλοις] Schol.

ἐπὶ ὀχήματος ἔρχεται.
It is impossible to say with certainty how the appearance of the goddess was contrived. She may seem to flutter her aegis, which is nothing but the bright cloud enveloping the dawngoddess. In this case κώλοις should be read, with Wakefield and Hermann, meaning that the aegis was moved by the arms like bats' wings.

mvp-comment-125-1 πᾶσι] ‘To all here present, both to you, the chorus, and to this suppliant at my sacred statue.'

mvp-comment-126-1 ὑμᾶς δὲ κ.τ.λ.] But as for you, who resemble neither gods nor mortal women, well, one must not speak ill of others without having a reason for finding fault: it is not just or right. We get a fair sense by reading ἄμομφον for ἄμορφον, and supposing a break or aposiopesis. To speak of another as uncomely is unjust,' may be thought to refer to the Greek's instinctive admiration for τὸ καλόν. The Scholium here is very obscure, and probably corrupt.

mvp-comment-127-1 αἰανῆ] ‘eternal.' The Schol. explains σκοτεινά, which seems a confusion with αἰανῆς. See Soph. Aj. 672

νυκτὸς αἰανῆς
(al. αἰανὴς) κύκλος. In Pers. 638
δύσθροα αἰανῆ βάγματα
 seems to mean doleful cries of alaî, and so in ν. 922, ἵετ' αἰανῆ πάνδυρτον δύσθροον αὐδάν. See also inf. 902. Hesych.
αἰανόν· χαλεπὸν, αἰνόν.
 Inf. 542, εἰς τὸν αἰανῆ χρόνον, and 642.

mvp-comment-128-1 Αραί] The imprecation of vengeance is the origin of this name. Cf. Od. 11. 132

ἐπεὶ μήτηρ στυγερὰς ἀρήσετ᾽ Ἐρινῦς.

mvp-comment-129-1 ποῦ τὸ for τοῦτο is Tyrwhitt's necessary correction on account of the next verse, which means, in reply, where the absence of all joy is the law of the place. Schol.

ἐν τῷ "Αιδῃ.
Cf. Ag. 1013 , ἔχεις παρ᾿ ἡμῶν οἱάπερ νομίζεται, you have from us just what is customary, and nothing more.

mvp-comment-130-1 ἐπιρροιζεῖς] Schol.

ἐπιβοᾷς, ἐπιβάλλεις.
See sup. 382, Eur. Herc. Fur. 860 , from which it appears that, like θωΰσσειν, it is a hunter's term.

mvp-comment-131-1 ἄλλης κ.τ.λ.] Was there not some strong constraint (from a god) whose anger he had to fear? The Schol. perhaps read ἀλλ ἐξ ἀνάγκης, ἤ τινος τρέων κότον; Was it from constraint, or from fear of somebody?

mvp-comment-132-1 ἥμισυς λόγος] The proceedings are those of an Athenian law-court. The defendant has to put in his declaratory oath, ἀντωμοσία, but he refuses to plead. He will neither take an oath himself nor tender one to us, the two oaths, called διωμοσία, being a necessary preliminary proceeding. Pollux, VIII. 55

προωμοσία μὲν ὅρκος ὃν ὁ κατήγορος προομνύει, ἢ μὴν ἀληθῆ κατηγορεῖν, ἀντωμοσία δὲ ὅρκος ὃν ὁ κατηγορούμενος ἀντομνύει, ἢ μὴν μὴ ἀδικεῖν, διωμοσία δὲ ὁ παρ' ἑκατέρου ὅρκος.

mvp-comment-133-1 πράξαι] Supply δικαίως from δίκαιος. The chorus does not see the point of the reproof, which the Schol. well explains μὴ πρότεινε αὐτῷ ὅρκον καὶ διὰ τούτου θέλε νικᾶν. The reply or explanation of Athena amounts to this; 'I tell you not to try to carry an unjust cause by force of oaths. It seems that Orestes, confident in the support of the god, declines to take the oath required by the legal process ( πρόκλησις), that he is innocent. The chorus, baffled in this, next say (411), then proceed to cross-question, and decide the suit by ( εὐθυδικία) omitting the legal form of διωμοσία. But, asks Athena, will you accept me as judge? - Certainly, they reply (413), as we hold you in deserved respect both for your wisdom (409) and for your parentage, as the daughter of Ζεὺς Τέλειος.

mvp-comment-134-1 The Med. has ἀξίαν τ' ἐπαξίων, but the Schol. explains ἀξίων οὖσαν γονέων, and it is likely that ἀπ᾿ ἀξίων should be read.

mvp-comment-135-1 ἐν μέρει] Athena at once commences her office, and asks the defendant what he has to say about himself, and in answer to the charge. She adds, that he would not now be a suppliant at her statue unless he had confidence in the justice of his cause.

mvp-comment-136-1 Ιξίονος] Schol.

δν τρόπον κἀκεῖνος προσεκάθητο τῷ ναῷ τοῦ Διὸς καθαρισθησόμενος· πρῶτος γὰρ Ιξίων φόνον ποιήσας ἐκαθαρίσθη ὑπὸ Διός.
The name itself was fancifully derived from ἱκέσθαι. The myth of Ixion, says Sir G. W. Cox (Aryan Mythology, 11. p. 36), exhibits the sun as bound to the four-spoked wheel which is whirled round everlastingly in the sky. The story of Tantalus, he observes, who was punished for aspiring to heaven, is precisely similar in its origin. For ἐν τρόποις, ‘after the manner of,' cf. Ag. 891
γυναικὸς ἐν τρόποις.

mvp-comment-137-1 Construe τὰ ὕστατα τῶν σῶν ἐπῶν. By the term προσίκτωρ, Orestes understood a guilty suppliant ( Schol.

ἐναγής),
and he replies, I am indeed your suppliant, but no longer a guilty one. - For the MS. reading οὐδ᾽ ἔχει and ἐφεζομένη the most probable correction is Wieseler's, οὐδ᾽ ἔχων —ἐφεζόμην, ‘nor do I sit at your statue with defilement on my hand.

mvp-comment-138-1 As a proof that he is not now, i.e. since his purification, polluted and unfit to take sanctuary, Orestes appeals to Athena's words τούτοις ἀμείβου, κ.τ.λ., and pleads that the very fact of holding converse with him is a legal recognition of his right.

mvp-comment-139-1 Construe ἀνὴρ αἵματος καθάρσιος, a man who performs the office of lustration. Cf. sup. 63.

mvp-comment-140-1 πρὸς ἄλλοις οἴκοις] See v. 230. -καὶ βοτοῖσι, κ.τ.λ., both by (the blood of) victims and by running water.

mvp-comment-141-1 φροντίδα] Schol.

τὴν τοῦ μύσους.

mvp-comment-142-1 γένος δέ] See v. 415.

mvp-comment-143-1 ἱστορεῖς] i.e. γιγνώσκεις.

mvp-comment-144-1 ἐξεμαρτύρει] See Agam. 1167 Cho. 967, 998 , where the blood-stained garment was exhibited in illustration of the murder. Pollux (VIII. 36) defines ἐκμαρτυρία, ῾Ὅταν τις παρὰ τοῦ ἰδόντος ἀκούσας λέγῃ.

mvp-comment-145-1 ἀντίκεντρα] See v. 131. The goading griefs, here alluded to, are enumerated in Cho. 280 seqq.

mvp-comment-146-1 πράξας γὰρ κ.τ.λ.] For however I may have fared in your tribunal, I shall be content. Schol.

τὰ κατὰ τὴν σὴν κρίσιν ἀποβαίνοντα, ὁποῖα ἂν ᾖ, ἐπαινέσω.

mvp-comment-147-1 The plural δίκας seems to show that the sense is general, 'to decide in trials for murder where passions are so quickly roused. She perhaps means, that the calm and deliberate judgment of a council such as she is about to initiate, the Areopagus, is necessary in such cases.

mvp-comment-148-1 Perhaps ἄλλως τε κεί, κ.τ.λ., ‘especially as you, subdued and tamed by time and suffering, have claimed a protection which I cannot refuse, while these pursuers are not lightly to be dismissed, because if offended they may bring a blight on the country.' Thus σὺ μὲν and αὗται δὲ are opposed, and 453 must be regarded as parenthetic ( and though a murderer, yet, as I have no right to object to you as a suppliant, I admit you to my citadel): cf. Eur. Bacch. 770

δέχου πόλει τῇδ'.
-For ἐμοῖς the Med. has ὅμως, corrected by Pauw. Weil proposed κατηρτυκὼς νόμῳ, ‘legally set right.' The participle is said to refer to a young colt which has cast its first teeth (perhaps, completed its second set,) and so tamed, broken in. Cf. Eur. Frag. Æol. 39, νῦν δ᾽ ἀμβλύς εἰμι καὶ κατηρτυκὼς πόνῳ.

mvp-comment-149-1 εὐπέμπελον seems here to represent εὔπεμπτον. Cf. Αg. 1161

κῶμος ἐν δόμοις μένει δύσπεμπτος ἔξω ξυγγόνων ᾿Ερινύων,
and inf. 459. The Schol. understood (an office) not by any means pacific.' In Il. xνι. 748
δυσπέμφελος
 occurs, but it is a very obscure word both in origin and meaning.

mvp-comment-150-1 μὴ τυχοῦσαι] ‘If they fail to get the victory in the cause.' A nominativus pendens, since τὴν χώραν βλάψουσι should have followed.

mvp-comment-151-1 αἰανής] See on v. 394.

mvp-comment-152-1 ἀμφότερα] Both alternatives, for them to stay or for me to send them off, are full of harm and difficulty to me. The Schol. seems to have found ἀμηνίτως οι ἀμηνί· τους. The passage is in some way corrupt; but it is very difficult to suggest a correction.

mvp-comment-153-1 τόν] Supply ἐσόμενον or μενοῦντα εἰς ἅπαντα χρόνον.

mvp-comment-154-1 ὑμεῖς] Do you, the Furies, call on the evidences and the proofs. The Schol. took this to mean, Do you swear the judges when they arrive, ὑμεῖς δὲ ὅρκους αὐτοὺς αἰτήσατε.

mvp-comment-155-1 τὰ βέλτατα] See on Pers. 1 . The aristocratic constitution of the Areopagus is here alluded to. -ἥξω, ‘I will return.' Pallas leaves the stage to bring back with her the members of her newly-founded court. Meanwhile the chorus sing an ode on the necessity of some control on human passions through the influence of Fear.

mvp-comment-156-1 φράσειν] that they will deliver no unjust verdict. The MS. has περῶντας-φρεσὶν, but the Schol. gives ὅρκον διδόντας.

mvp-comment-157-1 νῦν καταστροφαί] 'Now we shall have to take up with new laws, if the cause and the wrong of this matricide is to prevail. Cf. Pers. 783

ποῖ καταστρέφεις λόγου τελευτήν;
Suppl. 436
ἄνευ δὲ λύπης οὐδαμοῦ καταστροφή.
 By θεσμία the laws of filial duty are meant, Suppl. 688 . We might also render καταστροφαὶ, ‘the subversion of old laws so that new ones come in their place,' as μεθαρμόσαι τρόπους νέους, Prom. 317 . But the context rather points to the sense, the end of all this will be that we shall have new laws.

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-161-1 ὡς ἀρμένωι χρωμένη τῆι αἰγίδι.

mvp-comment-162-1 καὶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς. τῶν σπειρομένων.

mvp-comment-163-1 μὴ πρότεινε αὐτῶι ὅρκον καὶ διὰ τούτου θέλε νικᾶν (steht bei 429; berichtigt von Weckl.). οὐκ ὀφείλει ὁ ἀδικῶν ὅρκωι φεύγειν τὴν κατηγορίαν· ἐπιορκήσει γάρ.

mvp-comment-164-1 ἀξίων οὖσαν γονέων.

mvp-comment-165-1 ἀντὶ τοῦ) ἔγκλημα.

mvp-comment-166-1 ὃν τρόπον κἀκεῖνος προσεκάθητο τῶι ναῶι τοῦ Διὸς καθαρισθησόμενος· πρῶτος γὰρ Ἰξίων φόνον ποιήσας ἐκαθαρίσθη ὑπὸ Διός.

mvp-comment-167-1 ἀποκρίνου μοί τι εὔγνωστον.

mvp-comment-168-1 ἐναγής.

mvp-comment-169-1 σημείωσαι. τὸν φονέα.

mvp-comment-170-1 καὶ εἰς οἶκον εἰσῆλθον, καὶ ὑδάτων μετέλαβον.

mvp-comment-171-1 τὴν τοῦ μύσους.

mvp-comment-172-1 διατάκτορα, βασιλέα.

mvp-comment-173-1 διὰ τούτων φιλοποιεῖται τὴν θεόν.

mvp-comment-174-1 δολιόφρων.

mvp-comment-175-1 τῶι πέπλωι.

mvp-comment-176-1 ἐκήρυττε τὸν διὰ τῆς ἐπιχύ σεως τῶν λουτρῶν γενόμενον αὐτῶι φόνον. λέγεται γὰρ μετὰ τὸ φονεῦσαι γυμνὸν ἐξαγαγεῖν καὶ δεῖξαι τοῖς πολίταις.

mvp-comment-177-1 πάντων. τοῦτο δὲ πρὸς τὸ „ἄλλης ἀνάγκης οὔτινος τρέων κότον“ (426).

mvp-comment-178-1 τὰ κατὰ τὴν κρίσιν ἀποβαίνοντα, ὁποῖα ἂν ἦι, ἐπαινέσω.

mvp-comment-179-1 εἴ τις οἴεται τὸ πρᾶγμα βροτὸς δικάζειν, μεῖζον ἢ κατὰ ἀνθρώπους οἴεται, ἐμοὶ δὲ περὶ φόνου δικάζειν οὐχ ὅσιον.

mvp-comment-180-1 ἐφ᾽ αἷς (Linwood für οἷς) ταχέως μηνίσουσιν Ἐρινύες.

mvp-comment-181-1 τέλειος τὴν ἡλικίαν. τοῦτο δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν ζώιων.

mvp-comment-182-1 διὰ τούτου ἐλπίδας αὐτῶι χρηστὰς ὑποτίθησιν.

mvp-comment-183-1 δέχομαι ἐν τῆι πόλει. εὐχερῆ, εὐάρεστον. δυσάρεστοι φύσει εἰσὶν αὗται.

mvp-comment-184-1 ὡς σκηπτὸς

mvp-comment-185-1 πέμπειν αὐτὰς ἀμηνίτως δυσχερές ἐστιν ἐμοί. εἰσῆλθεν.

mvp-comment-186-1 οἷον ἐνόρκους δικαστάς.

mvp-comment-187-1 διετέλεσε γὰρ τὸ Ἀρειοπαγιτικὸν συνέδριον.

mvp-comment-188-1 ὑμεῖς δὲ ὅρκους αὐτοὺς αἰτήσατε.

mvp-comment-189-1 βέλτιστα (τὰ μέγιστα f).

mvp-comment-190-1 ὅρκον διδόντας.

mvp-comment-191-1 ἡ μὲν Ἀθηνᾶ ἀπῆλθεν εὐτρεπίσαι δικαστάς, ὁ δὲ Ὀρέστης ἱκετεύων μένει, αἱ δὲ Ἐρινύες φρουροῦσιν αὐτόν. μέλος δὲ οἰκεῖον ἄιδουσι τῆι ἑαυτῶν προαιρέσει.

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-216-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 280

mvp-comment-216-2 drittes Epeisodion. Athena erscheint und nachdem sie sich von der Chorführerin und Orestes den Sachverhalt hat darlegen lassen (gleichsam die ανάκρισις oder προδικασία), entschliefst sie sich den Fall durch einen neuen Gerichtshof entscheiden zu lassen. Nach 407 könnte man glauben, dafs Athena wie im Aias des Sophokles auf dem θεολογεῖον auftrete. Da sie aber am Schlusse dieser Scene abgeht, um sich in die Stadt zu begeben, und später (569) auf der gewöhnlichen Bühne auftritt (vgl. 738), so mufs man annehmen, dafs sie auch hier auf dem λογεῖον, nicht in der Höhe erscheint. Sie kommt von der linken Seite.

mvp-comment-216-3 1

mvp-comment-219-1 2

mvp-comment-219-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 281

mvp-comment-219-3 αυτόπρεμνον, αὐτόρριζον (samt der Wurzel, mit Grund und Boden). Soph. Ant. 713

αὐτόπρεμν ἀπόλλυται
und zu Ag. 142 .

mvp-comment-220-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 281

mvp-comment-220-2 Θησέως τόκοις, Akamas und Demophon. Erst das nachhomerische Epos, so die Ιλιὰς μικρά des Lesches ( Paus. X 25, 8 ), kennt diese als Teilnehmer des trojanischen Krieges.

mvp-comment-221-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 281

mvp-comment-221-2 διώκουσα (rasch bewegend) πόδα wie Sept. 358

διώκων πομπίμους χνόας ποδῶν
, Eur. Or. 1344
ἰδού, διώκω τὸν ἐμὸν εἰς δόμους πόδα. ἄτρυτον
 erinnert an den Beinamen der Athene Ἀτρυτώνη.

mvp-comment-222-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 281

mvp-comment-222-2 τόνδε ὄχον, dieses Fahrzeug eigener Art, mit Bezug auf die Agis. Die Ägis hat mich durch die Luft getragen so rasch wie ein Wagen, dem kräftige Rosse vorgespannt sind. Hom. B 447 Ἀθήνη αἰγίδ᾽ ἔχουσ᾽ ἐρίτιμον, ἀγήραον ἀθανάτην σὺν τῇ παιφάσσουσα διέσσυτο λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν. τε ..

mvp-comment-222-3 3

mvp-comment-223-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 281

mvp-comment-223-2 ὁμιλίαν χθονός wie 714, 1031 (Besuch, Genossenschaft des Landes), vgl. ὁμιλεῖν χώρα 723.

mvp-comment-224-1 4

mvp-comment-224-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 282

mvp-comment-224-3 ὑμᾶς mit wechselnder Konstruktion von λέγω: und euch meine ich". Sept. 216

ἀνδρῶν τάδ' ἐστί, σφάγια και χρηστήρια θεοῖσιν ἔρδειν, πολεμίων πειρωμένοις
(als ob ἀνδράσι προσήκει vorherginge). σπαρτών, Gezeugter.

mvp-comment-224-4 5

mvp-comment-225-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 282

mvp-comment-225-2 οὔτε .. οὔτ᾽ οὖν wie εἴτε . . εἴτ᾿ οὖν, zu Cho. 679 .

mvp-comment-226-1 6

mvp-comment-226-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 282

mvp-comment-226-3 Den Nächsten ( ὁ πέλας wie Eur. Med. 86 , Thuk. I 32 , gewöhnlich οἱ πέλας) tadeln, weil er mifsgestaltet ist, geziemt sich nicht. πρόσω δικαίων ἐστί, vgl. πρόσω πατρός Eur. Hek, 1158.

mvp-comment-227-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 282

mvp-comment-227-2 Zu 69. graves filiae. αἰανῆ τέκνα,

mvp-comment-227-3 7

mvp-comment-228-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 282

mvp-comment-228-2 Ἀραί, Dirae, vgl. Sept. 70

᾿Αρά τ' Ερινὺς πατρὸς ἡ μεγασθενής. γῆς ὑπαί
: zu Ag. 1276 .

mvp-comment-229-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 282

mvp-comment-229-2 κληδόνας ἐπωνύμους, τὰ ἐπώνυμα οἷς καλεῖσθε Schol.

mvp-comment-230-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 282

mvp-comment-230-2 πεύσῃ τάχα (,,allsogleich") wie 457, Soph. El. 35 , wo die Angabe unmittelbar folgt.

mvp-comment-231-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 282

mvp-comment-231-2 Vgl. 301. μηδαμοῦ gehört zu dem Infn. χαίρειν. Schol. ἐν τῷ Αιδῃ.

mvp-comment-232-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 282

mvp-comment-232-2 ἐπιρροιζεῖς, Schol. ἐπι βοᾷς, du gebietest mit kreischender Stimme.

mvp-comment-232-3 8

mvp-comment-233-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 282

mvp-comment-233-2 ἠξιώσατο, er hat es für sich als recht erachtet, er hat es über sich gebracht.

mvp-comment-234-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 282

mvp-comment-234-2 ἄλλης ἀνάγκης κότον, ohne von anderer Seite kommenden Zwang, der ihn mit Groll bedrohte, zu fürchten ? Über ἄλλης Krüger I § 50, 4, 11 οἱ ἄλλοι ξένοι, die anderen, nämlich die Fremden).

mvp-comment-235-1 9

mvp-comment-235-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 282

mvp-comment-235-3 ποῦ γὰρ .. κέντρον ὡς ( ὥστε), nein, denn wo gäbe es einen so mächtigen Stachel, dafs er antriebe u. s. w. Damit setzt sie sich über die intellektuelle Urheberschaft des Apollon hinweg.

mvp-comment-236-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 282

mvp-comment-236-2 D. h. ich kann in betreff der Schuld dir nicht ohne weiteres beistimmen; ich mufs erst den anderen Teil hören. Der Schol. :

μηδὲ δίκην δικάσῃς, πρὶν ἂν ἀμφοῖν μύθον ἀκούσῃς
. ἥμισυς λόγου wie ὁ ὕστατος τοῦ χρόνου Ag. 1299 .

mvp-comment-237-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 283

mvp-comment-237-2 Weder wird er den ihm zugeschobenen Eid annehmen, da der Thatbestand feststeht, noch fällt es ihm ein, uns den Eid zuzuschieben. Schol. :

οὕτως, φησί, φανερόν ἐστιν τὸ κατ᾽ αὐτὸν ὡς μήτε αὐτὸν δύνασθαι ὀμόσαι ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι τοιοῦτος μήτε θέλειν ὅρκον ἡμᾶς αὐτῆσαι, εἰ δικαίως αὐτὸν κολάζομεν
. Man hat also nicht an die διωμοσία, an die Vereidigung der beiden Parteien am Anfang der ανάκρισις ( Lys. X § 11
ὁ μὲν διώκων ὡς ἔκτεινε διόμνυται ὁ δὲ φεύγων ὡς οὐκ ἔκτεινε
), sondern an die πρόκλησις εἰς ὅρκον zu denken. Vgl. Demosth. 39, 4
δίδωσι τὸν ὅρκον· ἡ δὲ δεξαμένη οὐ μόνον . . κατωμόσατο κτἑ.
 Allerdings wird ὅρκον δοῦναι καὶ δέξασθαι auch von gegenseitiger eidlicher Verpflichtung gesagt wie Herod. VI 23
ὅρκον δοὺς καὶ δεξάμενος
, aber von einer solchen Verpflichtung kann hier nicht die Rede sein.

mvp-comment-238-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 283

mvp-comment-238-2 ἢ ( δικαίως oder δίκαια) πρᾶξαι. „Dir ist es nur um das formale Recht zu thun, welches du auf deiner Seite hast, nicht um volle sachliche Gerechtigkeit." Die Erinyen als titanische Naturmächte kümmern sich blofs um die That, nicht um die Beweggründe der That.

mvp-comment-239-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 283

mvp-comment-239-2 τῶν σοφῶν (Neutrum) οὐ πένῃ, als Göttin der Weisheit.

mvp-comment-240-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 283

mvp-comment-240-2 Dadurch dafs die Eide wegen des Thatbestandes nicht geleistet werden können, soll das Unrecht nicht siegen. Denn es kann sich nicht blofs um den Thatbestand, sondern auch darum handeln, ob ein δίκαιος φόνος vorliegt oder nicht.

mvp-comment-241-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 283

mvp-comment-241-2 εὐθεῖαν δίκην d. i. εὐθυδι κίαν: εὐθυδικίαν ( εὐθυδικία) εἰσιέra wurde von dem Beklagten gesagt, wenn er ohne Einrede gegen die Einführung der Klage (durch διαμαρτυρία oder παραγραφή) sich ohne weiteres auf den Prozefs einliefs. Vgl. Meier und Schömann att. Proc. S. 649. Hier sagt die Erinye:,,Gut, so schreite zum Verhör und entscheide in direkter Verhandlung ohne Rücksicht auf Einreden."

mvp-comment-242-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 283

mvp-comment-242-2 ,,Wollt ihr wirklich mir die Entscheidung eurer Anklage anheimstellen ? ἐπ' ἐμοὶ τρέποιτε, ἐπιτρέποιτε ἐμοί. Vgl. Soph. Ant. 1107

δρᾶ νυν τάδ᾽ ἐλθὼν μηδ᾽ ἐπ᾿ ἄλλοισιν τρέπε
.

mvp-comment-243-1 10

mvp-comment-243-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 283

mvp-comment-243-3 σέβουσαι ἀξίαν ἐπάξια, wir verehren ja die würdige nach Verdienst. Vgl. Ag. 1528 , Plaut. Poen. V 4, 100

eveniunt digna dignis
. Uber επάξια vgl. Krüger I § 46, 6, 4 .

mvp-comment-244-1 11

mvp-comment-244-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 283

mvp-comment-244-3 ψόγον, ἔγκλημα Schol.

mvp-comment-245-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 283

mvp-comment-245-2 βρέτας . . φυλάσσων wie 243.

mvp-comment-246-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 283

mvp-comment-246-2 ἐν τρόποις Ιξίονος: Schol. ὃν τρόπον κἀκεῖνος προσεκάθητο τῷ ναῷ τοῦ Διὸς καθαρισθησόμε νος· πρῶτος γὰρ Ιξίων φόνον ποιήσας ἐκαθαρίσθη ὑπὸ Διός. Vgl. 721. Ixion hatte zuerst durch die hinterlistige Ermordung seines Schwiegervaters Deioneus Blut eines Stammgenossen vergossen ( ἐμφύλιον αἷμα πρώτιστος οὐκ ἄτερ τέχνας ἐπέμιξε θνατοῖς Pind. Pyth. II 32 ) und wurde von Zeus gesühnt, als er sich als der erste Schutzfehende ( προσίκτωρ) an ihn als Ζεὺς ἱκέσιος wandte (vgl. Schol. zu Pind. a. O. und zu Eur. Phoen. 1185 , Diod. IV 69 ). Die Sage von Ixion hat Aschylos im Ιξίων und in den Περραιβίδες behandelt σεμνός s. v. a. aidoios, dem Schonung und Erbarmen gebührt. Athena kennt das 237 ff. Gesagte nicht; sie hat in der Ferne nur den Ruf 288 f. gehört.

mvp-comment-246-3 12

mvp-comment-247-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 284

mvp-comment-247-2 Die Konstruktion τούτοις πᾶσιν (auf alle diese Fragen) ἀμείβου τι erklärt sich aus der Bedeutung,,austauschen" ( Herod. VII 152

τὰ οἰκήια κακὰ ἀλλάξασθαι τοῖσι πλησίοισι
).

mvp-comment-248-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 284

mvp-comment-248-2 μέλημα, Anliegen, Bedenken ( φροντίδα 456).

mvp-comment-249-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 284

mvp-comment-249-2 παλαμναΐον, αὐτόχειρα, φονέα. Zur Sache vgl. Schol. 276 :

οἱ ἐναγεῖς οὔτε ἐν ἱερῷ προσήεσαν οὔτε προσέβλεπον οὐδὲ διελέγοντο τινι. καὶ παρ᾽ Εὐριπίδῃ τί σιγᾷς; μῶν φόνον τιν εἰργάσω;“
In den Mysern des Äschylos kommt Telephos als παλαμναῖος ἄφωνος von Tegea nach Mysien. Vgl. Eur. Iph. Τ. 951 und den Scherz des Komikers Alexis frg. 178 K. δειπνεῖ δ᾽ ἄφωνος Τήλεφος νεύων μόνον πρὸς τοὺς ἐπερωτώντάς τι.

mvp-comment-249-3 13

mvp-comment-250-1 14

mvp-comment-250-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 284

mvp-comment-250-3 παλαγμοῖς αἵματος wie frg. 340 πρὶν ἂν παλαγμοῖς αἵματος χοιροκτόνου αὐτός σε (wahrscheinlich ist Ixion angeredet) χράνῃ Ζεὺς και ταστάξας χεροίν. νεόθηλος, gebildet wie εὔθηλος, im Sinne von νεογλαγής, recens lactatus. βοτοῦ, eines Ferkels. Man schlachtete ein junges vom Euter weggenommenes Ferkel und liefs das Blut aus der Wunde am Halse auf die Hände des Mörders herabfliefsen. Vgl. Einl. S. 17 N. 2, oben 283 und aufser dem eben angeführten Fragmente Apoll. Rh. IV 704 :

πρῶτα μὲν ἀτρέπτοιο λυτήριον ἥ γε φόνοιο τειναμένη καθύπερθε συὸς τέκος, ἧς ἔτι μαζοὶ πλήμμυρον λοχίης ἐκ νηδύος, αἵματι χεῖρας τέγγεν, ἐπιτμήγουσα δέρην
. - Da παλαγμοὺς αἵματος καθαρσίου die nähere Ausführung zu καθαιμάξωσι ist, so scheint ursprünglich die Stellung folgende gewesen zu sein: ἔστ᾽ ἂν καθαιμάξωσι νεοθήλου βοτοῦ σφαγαί παλαγμοῖς αἵματος καθαρσίου. Ubrigens ist νεοθήλου dreisilbig zu lesen (zu Ag. 1162 ). Denn Äschylos bildet nirgends die Arsis des vierten und den fünften Fufs zusammen aus einem Worte von der Messung eines ionicus a min. ( Suppl. 336 ist νεοδρέπτους gleichfalls dreisilbig, frg. 305 D. διαπάλλει in διαπαλεῖ zu verbessern, frg. 320 παρπαίων für παραπαίων zu schreiben.)

mvp-comment-251-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 284

mvp-comment-251-2 Das Asyndeton, weil dieses gleichsam der Nachsatz zu dem Vor- hergehenden ist:,,gut, wir sind längst u. s. w. ,,An anderen Häusern sowohl mit Ferkelblut als mit fliefsendem Wasser." Aber die Trennung von οἴκοισι und βοτοῖσι ist unnatürlich. Vielleicht hat es ursprünglich πρὸς ἄλλων ταῦτ᾽ ἀφιε ρώμεθα | χοιροκτόνοις δρόσοισι καὶ φυτοῖς πόροις geheilsen. Vgl. zu 238 f.

mvp-comment-251-3 15

mvp-comment-252-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 285

mvp-comment-252-2 ταύτην, τὴν τοῦ μύσους Schol.

mvp-comment-253-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 285

mvp-comment-253-2 τάχα: zu 422.

mvp-comment-254-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 285

mvp-comment-254-2 ἱστορεῖς, οἶσθα, wie Ag.681 , Pers. 457

κακῶς τὸ μέλλον ἱστορῶν
.

mvp-comment-255-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 285

mvp-comment-255-2 Τροίαν kann nicht richtig überliefert sein, da Ιλίου πόλιν folgt. Meineke vermutet dafür πρώην oder πρῴαν, Dindorf πρόσθεν. ἄπολιν πόλιν: zu Ag. 1137 . Der Schol. bemerkt: διὰ τούτων φιλοποιεῖται τὴν θεόν.

mvp-comment-255-3 16

mvp-comment-256-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 285

mvp-comment-256-2 ποικίλοις (bunt), vgl. τοῦ ποικίλματος Cho. 1011 . ἀγρεύ μασιν: Cho. 490 f.

mvp-comment-257-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 285

mvp-comment-257-2 ,,Das Gewand legte Zeugnis ab von dem Mord im Bade", weil es mit Blut gefärbt war. Cho. 1008 .

mvp-comment-258-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 285

mvp-comment-258-2 ἀντικτόνοις . . πατρός: vgl. Soph. El. 246 αντιφόνους δίκας und zu Ag. 17 .

mvp-comment-259-1 17

mvp-comment-259-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 285

mvp-comment-259-3 κοινῇ μεταίτιος ähnlich wie Prom. 325

μεθάρμοσαι νέους τρόπους
, Hom. Ξ 53 οὐδέ κεν ἄλλως Ζεὺς .. παρατεκτήναιτο, Eur. Iph. A. 343 μεταβαλὼν ἄλλους τρόπους.

mvp-comment-260-1 18

mvp-comment-260-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 285

mvp-comment-260-3 Cho. 270 ff. wie 136. Vgl. Enn. Eum. frg. II nisi patrem materno sanguine exanclando ulciscerem. ἀντίκεντρα

mvp-comment-260-4 19

mvp-comment-261-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 285

mvp-comment-261-2 δικαίως: έρξα ergänzt sich aus dem vorhergehenden ἔρξαιμι.

mvp-comment-262-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 285

mvp-comment-262-2 Wie ich auch immer durch dich fabre, ich werde damit zufrieden sein. Vgl. Soph. Ant. 634

ἢ σοὶ μὲν ἡμεῖς πανταχῇ δρῶντες φίλοι
; Ai. 1369 ὡς ἂν ποήσῃς, πανταχῇ χρηστός γ᾽ ἔσῃ, Herod. IX 27
πάντῃ γὰρ τεταγμένοι πειρησόμεθα εἶναι χρηστοί
. ἐν σοί: zu Cho. το 769. Der Gedanke kehrt öfter wieder, z. B. Lykurg. g. Leokr. § 12 τὸ ἐν Ἀρείω πάγῳ συνέδριον, σοῦτον διαφέρει τῶν ἄλλων δικαστηρίων, ὥστε καὶ παρ᾽ αὐτοῖς ὁμολογεῖσθαι τοῖς ἁλισκομένοις δικαίαν ποιεῖσθαι τὴν κρίσιν.

mvp-comment-263-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 286

mvp-comment-263-2 ‚Wenn man glaubt, daſs diesen Fall zu entscheiden zu schwierig für Sterbliche sei, so steht es wahrhaftig auch mir (der Göttin) nicht zu" u. s. w.

mvp-comment-263-3 20

mvp-comment-264-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 286

mvp-comment-264-2 ὀξυμηνίτους δίκας, einen Rechtsstreit, in welchem sich die Gegner mit grimmigem Hasse (unversöhnlich) gegenüberstehen (nicht ἐφ' αἷς ταχέως μηνίσουσιν Ερινύες nach der Erklärung des Schol.). Es bezeichnet ὀξυμηνίτους den Gegensatz der αἴδεσις (478), wie auf dem Areopag der Stein, auf welchem der Ankläger des Mörders stand, λίθος ἀναιδείας hiefs. In dem betonten φόνου liegt der Grund: mit Blutsachen kann sich die Göttin nicht befassen. Vgl. Eur. Iph.T.381ff. , 1207.

mvp-comment-265-1 21

mvp-comment-265-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 286

mvp-comment-265-3 Die selbständige Wendung nach ἄλλως τε καὶ wie Pers. 691

ἄλλως τε πάντως χοἱ κατὰ χθονὸς θεοὶ λαβεῖν ἀμείνους εἰσὶν ἢ μεθιέναι
, Lys. 7, 6 πῶς ἂν δικαίως ὑπὲρ τῶν τῇ πόλει γεγενημένων συμφορῶν ἐγὼ νυνὶ δίκην διδοίην; ἄλλως τε καὶ τοῦτο τὸ χωρίον ἄπρατον ἦν. σὺ μὲν: dem entspricht αὗται δὲ 479, denn der Gedanke ist: Die Entscheidung zu Gunsten der einen oder anderen Partei ist um so schwieriger als einerseits du als gesühnter Schutzflehender zu meinem Tempel gekommen bist und, von mir nicht abgewiesen, ohne Anstofs mit der Bürgerschaft verkehren kannst, andrerseits die Erinyen nicht leicht abzuweisen sind und ihr Groll zu fürchten ist, wenn sie unterliegen." κατηρτυκώς: Schol. τέλειος τὴν ἡλικίαν· τοῦτο δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν ζῴων, genauer Hesych. τέλειος· κυρίως δὲ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀλόγων ζώων, ὅταν ἐκβάλῃ πάντας τοὺς ὀδόντας, vgl. Bekk. Anecd. p. 105, 25 κατηρτυκέναι ἐλέ γοντο οἱ μηκέτι βόλον (das Zahnschichten) ἔχοντες ἵπποι. Εὐριπίδης Alólo, also,,ausgewachsen“, hier ,,fertig mit der Sühnung, vollständig gereinigt". Vgl. auch Eur. frg. 818
εἰ μὲν τόδ᾽ ἦμαρ πρῶτον ἦν κακουμένῳ καὶ μὴ μακρὰν δὴ διὰ πόνων ἐναυστόλουν, εἰκὸς σφαδάζειν ἦν ἂν
 .. νῦν δ᾽ ἀμβλύς εἰμι καὶ κατηρτυκὼς κακῶν. αν

mvp-comment-266-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 286

mvp-comment-266-2 Für ἱκέτης ist wohl, wie Meineke verlangt, ἵκτης zu schreiben, damit zwei Auflösungen vermieden werden.

mvp-comment-267-1 22

mvp-comment-267-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 286

mvp-comment-267-3 ὁμῶς bezieht sich auf die Hauptsache, welche in ἄμομφον ὄντα liegt: in gleicher Weise kann, wenn ich mich deiner erbarme, die Gemeinde mit dir verkehren, ohne dafs du ihr Anstofs giebst. Vgl. Suppl. 649

αἰδοῦνται δ᾽ ἱκέτας Διός
, Hesych. :
αιδέσασθαι· τὸν ἔνοχον ὄντα φόνῳ ἀκουσίῳ καὶ πεφυγαδευμένον ἐφ᾽ ὡρισμένῳ χρόνῳ, τού του τετελευτηκότος, ἐξιλᾶσθαι, ὡς εἰληφότα ἤδη τιμωρίαν
 und zu Eur. Iph. Τ. 949 .

mvp-comment-268-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 286

mvp-comment-268-2 ἔχουσι μοῖραν οὐκ εὐπέμπε λον, diesen gebührt die Rücksicht, dafs sie nicht leichthin weggewiesen werden.

mvp-comment-269-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 286

mvp-comment-269-2 τυχοῦσαι, als ob folgte μηνίσειαν ἄν. Ζη 95. πράγματος νικηφόρου: Soph. Trach. 186

σὺν κράτει νικηφόρῳ
.

mvp-comment-270-1 23

mvp-comment-270-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 286

mvp-comment-270-3 ιος .. πεσών, der giftige Schaum, der infolge ihres grimmigen Schnaubens zu Boden fällt. Vgl. 785 f. -- αἰανής (gravis) νόσος wie 943.

mvp-comment-271-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 287

mvp-comment-271-2 ἀμφότερα wie 800 μαρτύ ρια, Suppl. 393

ἐγγύτατα
. Vgl. zu 488.

mvp-comment-272-1 24

mvp-comment-272-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 287

mvp-comment-272-3 δυσπόνητ': solcher Verse, die durch den Mangel der gewöhnlichen Cäsur in zwei Hälften zerfallen, giebt es wenige bei Aschylos, die meisten, nämlich sieben, in den Persern. Doch ist hier die Lesart unsicher. Vgl. Anbang. δυσπόνητα (ἐστὶν ἀμηνίτως, es schwer ohne dafs ich Groll ernte zu bewerkstelligen.

mvp-comment-272-4 25

mvp-comment-273-1 26

mvp-comment-273-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 287

mvp-comment-273-3 φανῶ wie Hom. Ο 26 εἰς ὅ κέ τοι φήνωσι θεοὶ κυδρὴν παράκοιτιν. Vgl. εὐτρεπίσαι in dem zu 492 angef. Scholion. ὁρκίων wie Ag. 1432 ὁρκίων ἐμῶν θέμιν. αἰδουμένους wie 713 αἰδουμένους τὸν ὅρκον. Ich werde Richter bescheren, welche die Schwursatzung achten, die ich für alle Zeit geben werde.

mvp-comment-274-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 287

mvp-comment-274-2 μαρτύρια: der Tribrachys des dritten Fufses besteht manchmal aus den letzten Silben eines mehrsilbigen Wortes, nie aus einem einzigen dreisilbigen Worte.

mvp-comment-275-1 27

mvp-comment-275-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 287

mvp-comment-275-3 καλεῖσθε (wie Pers. 690

ψυχαγωγοῖς ὀρθιάζοντες γόοις οἰκτρῶς καλεῖσθέ με
), weil μαρτύρια s. V. a. μάρτυρας. Dieses hat vornehmlich Bezug auf Apollon. ἀρωγὰ ὁρκώματα, eidlichen Beistand für die Sache, was besonders von den μαρτύρια, den eidlichen Zeugenaussagen, gilt. ὅρκωμα kommt noch 771, sonst nirgends vor und bedeutet ungefähr s. v. a. πίστωμα (vgl. 214), da ὁρκοῦν und πιστοῦν sich nahe stehen. --xxx πε-

mvp-comment-276-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 287

mvp-comment-276-2 βέλτατα: dieselbe Form Suppl. 1065 . Ζυ ἀστῶν τὰ βέλτατα vgl. Pers. 1

τάδε
, Kallim. Hymn. I 70 είλεο δ᾽ αἰζηῶν ὅ τι φέρτατον. μηδὲν ὅρκων περῶντας (übertreten, verletzen), wie frg. 283 τῷ περῶντι τὴν θέμιν. ρῶντας, als ob τοὺς βελτάτους vorherginge. ἄξω διαιρεῖν wie 633 ἐφήμενοι διαιρείν, Eur. Ion 1559
ἡμᾶς δὲ πέμπει τοὺς λόγους ὑμῖν φράσαι
. Krüger I $ 55, 3, 20 . Damit tritt Athena rechts ab, um in die Stadt zu gehen. Schol. :
ἡ μὲν ᾿Αθηνᾶ ἀπῆλθεν εὐτρεπίσαι δικα στάς, ὁ δὲ Ὀρέστης ἱκετεύων μένει, αἱ δὲ Ἐρινύες φρουροῦσιν αὐτόν. μέλος δὲ οἰκεῖον ᾄδουσι τῇ ἑαυτῶν προαιρέσει
.

mvp-comment-276-3 28

mvp-comment-277-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 287

mvp-comment-277-2 zweites Stasimon: Der Umsturz der alten Satzungen durch den Sieg des Muttermörders müfste schreckliche Zügellosigkeit und sittliche Verwilderung zur Folge haben, da man für Mord und blu- tige Mifshandlungen keinen Rächer mehr zu fürchten hätte. Furcht mufs herrschen; ohne Furcht kann kein Recht bestehen. Keine Gewaltherrschaft, aber auch keine Gesetzlosigkeit! Das Richtige liegt in der Mitte. Diese rechte Mitte hängt zusammen mit Gesundheit des Geistes, während Gottlosigkeit des Sinnes Übermut und damit Zuchtlosigkeit oder Gewaltherrschaft erzeugt ( ὕβρις φυτεύει τύραννον Soph. Oed. T.873 ). Drum übe man Recht, ehre die Eltern und achte das Gastrecht. Wem diese Rechtlichkeit aus innerer Überzeugung hervorgeht, der wird nicht unbeglückt sein; jedenfalls wird er nie ganz zu Grunde gehen. Für den Frevler aber wird über kurz oder lang die Stunde der Demütigung kommen; dann wird niemand sein Flehen erhören; die Gottheit wird sich vielmehr seines Untergangs freuen und sein früherer Glanz wird für alle Zeit verschollen und vergessen sein.

mvp-comment-278-1 29

mvp-comment-278-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 288

mvp-comment-278-3 καταστροφαὶ νέων θεσμίων, Umsturz der ausgeht von neuen Satzungen. Meineke vermutet με ταστροφαί, Wechsel zu neuen Satzungen, wodurch die alten abgeschafft werden. δίκα τε καὶ βλάβα d. h. δίκη, die nicht δίκη, sondern βλάβη (Schädigung, Missethat) ist.

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

αὐτόπρεμνον , bold metaphor, root and branch, i. e. utterly, land and all therein.

ἐξαίρετον . : it was a custom, from Homer's time, to take out of the spoil a special gift for kings (or, as here, gods). So Homer frequently γέρας ἔξελον υἱὲς Ἀχαιῶν. So Thucydides tells us at the destruction of Mitylene (3. 30) the Athenians made 3000 holdings of the land, and 300 of these τοῖς θεοῖς ἱεροὺς ἐξεῖλον.

mvp-sidgwick-191-1-1 Flapping the fold of my aegis in wingless flight, a splendid and picturesque line: the goddess needing no wing to fly, the aegis serves her as a wing, and is accompanied with the ῥοῖβδος or whirring noise of wings.

mvp-sidgwick-191-2-1 The αἰγίς was the wonderful shield of Zeus

gleaming and fringed, that Hephaistos made
(and therefore metal), Iliad 15. 307:
it was tasselled, crowned about with Terror, and Strife, and Might, and fearful Fray is therein, and the dread monster's Gorgon head
, Iliad 5. 738. Athena wears it also, as well as Zeus, in Homer. The word probably meant storm or rushing originally (αἰγ- ἀϊσσω) : but later it was conceived as a goatskin (αἴγ), and so here has a κόλπος or fold.

ἐπιζεύξασ᾽ ὄχον . You can't talk of yoking a car on your legs. It is better to take it metaphorically: the

ὄχος is the aegis, the

πῶλοι are the winds. So exactly Aristophanes calls Athena αἰγίδος ἠνιόχος Clouds 602.

ὑμᾶς θ᾽ , the construction is irregular but natural: she means, and you [I call] like to no race begotten, etc. (or perhaps even a stronger verb of abuse is meant to finish the sentence): but she checks herself l. 413

.

mvp-sidgwick-194-1-1 The MSS. reading ἄμορφον (retained by Dind. Weck. and read by Schol.) is translated, For neighbours to revile a hideous monster is far from justice, which is rather crude and inappropriate; and ὄντα, idiomatic with the subject, is hardly grammar when it constitutes the object. Robortelli's ἄμομφον makes excellent sense: but for one who is not aggrieved (lit. who has no wrong to complain of) to revile others is unjust. (This is confirmed by l. 678

, where Ven. reads again ἄμορφος for ἄμομφος.)

ἀποστατεῖ θέμις , Right holds aloof, stately phrase for ,it is wrong,.

mvp-sidgwick-196-1-1 It is doubtful whether to read αἰανῆ (from αἰανής) or αἰανῆς (from αἰανός). M. G. and Schol. read here αἰανῆ (agreeing with τέκνα) and αἰανής is the ordinary form used elsewhere by Aeschylus,

αἰανῆ χρόνον
l. 572 ,
αἰανὴς νόσος
ll. 479, 941 . On the other hand, Hesychius (Alexandrine grammarian and lexicographer, 4th century, A.D.) quotes a form αἰανός, usually read in Soph. El. 506
ἔμολες αἰανή.
 In Soph. Aias 672 there is the same doubt as here, whether to read νυκτὸς αἰανῆς κύκλος, or αἰανής. But both there and here it is rather more natural to have adj. agreeing with νυκτός: and here particularly: accordingly I take αἰανῆς, the reading of Fl. Fa. Ven.

mvp-sidgwick-196-2-1 As to the meaning: the word certainly sometimes means eternal (

αἰανῆ χρόνον
l. 572 ,
αἰανῶς μένοι
l. 672 ): but it also is used in the sense of grievous, terrible, (αἰανὴς κόρος, αἰανὲς κέντρον Pind., αἰανὲς δεῖπνον Archil.). Either sense will suit here: perhaps eternal is the most impressive,

ἐν οἴκοις γῆς ὕπαι , not for τοῖς γῆς ὕπαι, but in our home, beneath the earth, both phrases going with verb κεκλήμεθα.

ἐπωνύμους , not in its usual sense called after; but simply the names men call you by.

γε μὲν δή , adversative as usual. My office, however, thou shalt learn. So Ag. 661, 887, 1213 .

mvp-sidgwick-200-1-1 I might learn, if one would show a plain tale; a touch of ironic scorn for the dark hints of the Chorus.

μηδαμοῦ: . the μή generalises as usual: Some place where joy is all unknown: the Chorus mean in Hades: but the indefinite or generic way of putting it is quite idiomatic and more imaginative and impressive. μηδαμοῦ νομίζεται, lit. is held of no account.

ἐπιρροιζεῖν , to clamour after, of noisy and terrifying pursuit ; To such a flight do ye hound him on?

ἠξιώσατο , took on him, rarely med. Cp. Ag. 370

θεοὺς ἀξιοῦσθαι.

ἀνάγκη .

mvp-sidgwick-204-2-1 There is no need to alter the line: the Schol. quotes and explains it thus.

ὡς often used for ὥστε in poetry: Epic usage.

mvp-sidgwick-206-1-1 There are two suitors here, and we have heard but half the pleas, i.e. we must wait till we have heard both sides. The reading of Μ. ἥμισυς λόγου is regular Attic use (as well as λόγος): τῇ ἡμισέᾳ τῆς γῆς Thuc., ὁ ἥμισυς τοῦ ἀριθμοῦ Plat.

mvp-sidgwick-207-1-1 (The correction θέλοι for θέλει is almost necessary, as otherwise it would seem as if the proposal had been made to Orestes.) The reference in this line, he would take no oath, nor challenge us to swear, is to the custom of the ἀνάκρισις or preliminary investigation of causes at Athens, before a magistrate: at this all the evidence was produced; and the first thing was for the injured party to swear (προωμοσία) he had suffered, the defendant to swear (ἀνθωμοσία) he was innocent.

mvp-sidgwick-207-2-1 These oaths, say the Chorus, are impossible here: Orestes will not deny his guilt: he will neither ask us to swear (δοῦναι) nor swear when we ask him (δέξασθαι). The whole of this passage is intended to correspond in a general way to the ἀνάκρισις: after hearing the preliminary statement of either party, Athena refers the whole case to the formal judgment of the Areiopagos.

mvp-sidgwick-208-1-1 The name of Just, not Justice, is thy desire, δίκαια being easily supplied with πρᾶξαι. She means: just forms, rather than justice.

σοφῶν , subtlety.

mvp-sidgwick-210-1-1 I say that injustice must not prevail by oaths, i.e. the issue must not be settled by oaths, but by the real justice of the case. Practically, Athena admits that Orestes cannot swear his innocence, but pleads that in this exceptional case it must not go against him for that: the true issue (εὐθυδικία) must be tried; see next note.

εὐθεῖαν δίκην , poet. for εὐθυδικία, the regular legal term for the real issue opposed to some side question.

ἐπὶ . . . τρέποιτ' , entrust, more frequently in the compound ἐπιτρέπω. The separate form (tmesis) is found in poetry, e. g. Ant. 1107

μηδ᾽ ἐπ᾿ ἄλλοισιν τρέπε.

τέλος , the final settlement, the decision.' Somewhat similar is Ag. 934

ἐξεῖπον τέλος.

κἀπ᾿ ἀξίων (Arnald's correction, adopted by Paley, must be right), a worthy child of worthy sire, i.e. a great goddess, and daughter of Zeus. So Schol. ἀξίων οὖσαν γονέων. [Other corrections numerous, but all less simple and natural.]

mvp-sidgwick-214-1-1 Ixion killed Deioneus, his mother's father, by treachery at a banquet by preparing a pit into which he fell. Pindar says (Pyth. 2. 31) that he was the first of men to shed kindred blood. When all shunned him for the guilt, Zeus took pity on him and purified him. Of course a connection was felt between the name Ιξίων and ἱκ-, the root of the words of supplication: possibly even the origin of the story is to be sought there.

τούτοις πᾶσιν , neut. to all this, i. e. the accusation of the Eumenides.

mvp-sidgwick-216-1-1 MSS. read ἔχει μύσος, and ἐφεζομένη, which has neither sense nor metre. ἐφημένου and ἐφημένη have been suggested; but no tolerable construction has been made of the line.

mvp-sidgwick-216-2-1 I follow Weil. Kirch. Weckl. in adopting Wieseler's far better emendation ἔχων... ἐφεζόμην: the corruption of ἐφεζόμην entailed that of the other.

mvp-sidgwick-216-3-1 Nor with pollution on my hand did I fall suppliant before thy image.

mvp-sidgwick-217-1-1 Till by the hand of the purifier of murder the blood of the slain suckling besprinkle him.

mvp-sidgwick-217-2-1 The form of purification was with water and the blood of a pig, which was commonly used at Athens in such καθάρσεις: e.g. in purifying the space where the public meetings were held: [ἐντὸς τοῦ καθάρματος Ar. Ach. 44.]

οἴκοισι . is governed by πρός: the other datives are instrumental.

πόρος , stream, is frequent in Aeschylus.

ἐκποδῶν λέγω , I speak away the misgiving: rather bold use of the words, but unmistakeable.

mvp-sidgwick-220-1-1 The order is Τροίαν Ἰλίου πόλιν ἄπολιν ἔθηκας. The Schol. remarks on the skill of Orestes in conciliating Athena by reminding her of the former bond between her and Agamemnon.

ποικίλοις , crafty.

mvp-sidgwick-222-1-1 That bare witness to the murder in the bath: for Klytaimnestra had cast the robe about Agamemnon like a net (ἄγρευμα) in the bath and stabbed him and Orestes ( Choeph. 980 ) had held up the bloody robe before the Chorus as a proof and reminder of her deed.

ἀντίκεντρα , like a spur, see ll. 38, 136

.

πράξας πανταχή , idiomatic use for howsoe'er I fare. So Antig. 634

πανταχῆ δρῶντες φίλοι,
howsoe'er we act, we are dear.
 ἐν σοί commonly in thy power' with the verb to be :

ἐν τῷ δαίμονι Ο. Τ. 1443 ,

ἐν σοὶ ἐσμέν
ib. 314 , ἐν θεῷ τὸ τέλος ἦν Dem. 292. Here it has rather a different shade of meaning, at thy hands, under thy rule.

mvp-sidgwick-225-1-1 The matter is too hard, if any mortal thinks to judge it; this, the translation of the MSS. reading, εἴ τις, makes very good sense: μεῖζον is used for μεῖζον ἢ ὥστε δικάζειν, which is easily supplied. The Schol. also takes it so, apparently. It must be referred, not to a mortal, -not even to a god: but to a divinely appointed solemn court of judges. [Others read ἤ τις, harder (than any mortal thinks) to judge: which is rather flat sense. The Schol. plainly read eἴ, not ἤ. The confusion of ei and ἤ is very common in the MSS. of Aeschylus.]

ὀξυμηνίτους is used in a slightly predicative sense, to decide with swift vengeance the issues of murder: it is the decision which brings the vengeance.

ἄλλως τε καὶ σύ , especially since thou, the causal conjunction being omitted by a looseness due to Aeschylus' bold brevity. Literally it is Both on other grounds (this is so) and (chiefly as) thou hast come. κατηρτυκώς, a hard word. καταρτίω is to fit, train, finish, and this perf. is used intransitively, in a kind of technical sense, of animals, mature, complete (so Schol. and Hesych. say), hence it is here metaphorical, of the suppliant; with all due rites performed. [In a similar metaphor Euripides (Frag. 39) uses the phrase κατηρτυκὼς πόνων, which has been misunderstood from not observing the context. Had I been new to trouble I should have resisted, like a colt newly bridled: but now I am spent (ἀμβλύς) and well trained in toils,' i.e. broken in, the phrase continuing the metaphor of the colt.]

ἀβλαβής , harmless, as l. 285

.

mvp-sidgwick-229-1-1 MSS. read ὅμως δ': but the adversative nevertheless seems out of place, and there is no sense in saying You are now pure, nevertheless I receive you: moreover the strongly emphatic σὺ μέν requires a personal antithesis. Accordingly I follow Hartung in reading ἐγὼ δέ.

αἱροῦμαι πόλει , I take thee, welcome thee in my city.

μοῖραν οὐκ εὐπέμπελον , lit. an office hard to banish, i. e. such is their office, they are hard to banish: the rights which the appointment of the gods has given them makes it hard for me to deal harshly with them.

χώρᾳ , put first to emphasise what is affected, is in sense dependent on ἄφερτος αἰανὴς νόσος.

mvp-sidgwick-231-2-1 The construction μὴ τυχοῦσαι ... ἰὸς πεσὼν νόσος is the not uncommon anacoluthon called nominativus pendens: compare Ag. 1008

ὄκνος βαλὼν οὐκ ἔδυ δόμος,
Theb. 681
θάνατος ὧδ᾽ αὐτοκτόνος οὐκ ἔστι γῆρας τοῦδε,
 Cho. 520
πάντα γάρ τις ἐκχέας ... μάτην ὁ μόχθος.
 So Cho. 791 , Soph. O. C. 1150 .

φρονημάτων , wrath.

ἀμφότερα . . . ἐμοί to let them stay, to drive them forth, both are a peril and a perplexity to me. The change of subject with the inf. ( that they should stay, that I should drive) is much less harsh in Greek: the inf. expresses the simple verbal idea, and the subject need not be consciously supplied.

δεῦρ᾽ ἐπέσκηψεν , has fallen to me, i. e. to arrange. ll. 483-484

. The general sense of these lines is plain: but the MS. reading requires to be altered, and the original text must remain C uncertain: I have taken Casaubon's ὁρκίους αἱρουμένη as the least alteration on the whole: I shall choose judges of murder bound by oaths, and appoint them as an ordinance for ever.

τόν then agrees with θεσμόν, an ordinance that which [shall be] for all time. But Wecklein's φανῶ δικ. ὁρκίων αἰδουμένους θεσμόν, is ingenious.]

ἀρωγὰ ὁρκώματα , apposition to μαρτύρια: Summon evidence and proof, sworn testimony in aid of justice. The Scholiast says ὅρκους αὐτοὺς αἰτήσατε, misunderstanding apparently ὁρκώματα to refer to the judges' oath, whereas it is best to refer it to the oath of witnesses. There is no need to insert θ' before ὁρκώματα, as H. Weil.

τὰ βέλτατα , abstract collective for τοὺς βελτίστους. So

τάδε μὲν Περσῶν
Pers. 1 , τὰ πρῶτα τῆς μοχθηρίας Ar. Ran. 421.

διαιρεῖν . is epexegetic or consec. inf., that they should decide, the subject being carried on in sense from τὰ βέλτατα, becoming (naturally) masc. in the participle, next line.

mvp-sidgwick-237-1-1 The MSS. ὅρκον περῶντας μηδὲν ἔκδικον φρεσίν is obviously corrupt: and I take the easiest correction which gives any natural sense, πορόντας (Herm.) and φράσειν (Markland)- Swearing an oath to utter naught unjust. πορόντας will then be poetic equivalent for the ordinary διδόντας (or rather δόντας) by which the Schol. interprets it.

mvp-sidgwick-237-2-1 Both errors are of the kind due to the text being dictated and misheard.

mvp-sidgwick-237-3-1 [The line is misplaced by V. Fl. after l. 484

, and omitted by Fa., and hence some have thought it spurious. But its very corruption is in favour of its genuineness.]

mvp-sidgwick-237-4-1 [Athena retires into the temple.]

mvp-sidgwick-238-1-1 Now shall come changes to new laws; rather an unusual use of the gen., though possible: we have (Thucyd. 6. 18) μεταβολὴ ἀπραγμοσύνης, change to timid policy, in a very similar use. [The best alteration is νόμων θεσμίων τ' (L. Schmidt): but it is not so forcible as the text, and not necessary.]

δίκα τε καὶ βλάβα , the cause and the wrong: the strong contradiction in terms (oxymoron), which comes out in the Greek more than in the English, is intentional and effective: Orestes' δίκα was ἄδικος and βλαβερά in the eyes of the Eumenides.