Eumenides. N. Wecklein. . 2026-09-07.
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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
Αθηνα
πρόσωθεν ἐξήκουσα κληδόνος βοὴν
ἀπὸ Σκαμάνδρου γῆν καταφθατουμένη,
1
ἣν δῆτ᾽ Ἀχαιῶν ἄκτορές 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,
πώλοις ἀκμαίοις τόνδ᾽ ἐπιζεύξασ᾽ ὄχον.
405
καινὴν
2
δ᾽ ὁρῶσα τήνδ᾽ 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
οὔτ᾽ ἐν θεαῖσι πρὸς θεῶν ὁρωμένας
3
οὔτ᾽ οὖν βροτείοις ἐμφερεῖς μορφώμασι.
λέγειν δ᾽ ἄμομφον
4
ὄντα τοὺς πέλας κακῶς
πρόσω δικαίων ἠδ᾽ ἀποστατεῖ θέμις.
Χορός
πεύσει τὰ πάντα συντόμως, Διὸς κόρη.
415
ἡμεῖς γάρ ἐσμεν Νυκτὸς αἰανῆς
5
τέκνα.
Ἀραὶ
6
δ᾽ ἐν οἴκοις γῆς ὑπαὶ κεκλήμεθα.
Ἀθηνᾶ
γένος μὲν οἶδα κληδόνας τ᾽ ἐπωνύμους.
Χορός
τιμάς γε μὲν δὴ τὰς ἐμὰς πεύσει τάχα.
Ἀθηνᾶ
μάθοιμ᾽ ἄν, εἰ λέγοι τις ἐμφανῆ λόγον.
420
Χορός
βροτοκτονοῦντας
7
ἐκ δόμων ἐλαύνομεν.
Ἀθηνᾶ
Χορός
ὅπου τὸ χαίρειν μηδαμοῦ νομίζεται.
Ἀθηνᾶ
ἦ καὶ τοιαύτας τῷδ᾽ ἐπιρροιζεῖς
10
φυγάς;
Χορός
φονεὺς γὰρ εἶναι μητρὸς ἠξιώσατο.
425
Ἀθηνᾶ
Χορός
ποῦ γὰρ τοσοῦτο κέντρον ὡς μητροκτονεῖν;
Ἀθηνᾶ
δυοῖν παρόντοιν ἥμισυς λόγος
13
πάρα.
Χορός
ἀλλ᾽ ὅρκον οὐ δέξαιτ᾽ ἄν, οὐ δοῦναι θέλοι.
14
Ἀθηνᾶ
κλύειν δίκαιος
15
μᾶλλον ἢ πρᾶξαι θέλεις.
430
Χορός
πῶς δή; δίδαξον: τῶν σοφῶν γὰρ οὐ πένει.
Ἀθηνᾶ
ὅρκοις τὰ μὴ δίκαια μὴ νικᾶν λέγω.
Χορός
ἀλλ᾽ ἐξέλεγχε, κρῖνε δ᾽ εὐθεῖαν δίκην.
Ἀθηνᾶ
ἦ κἀπ᾽ ἐμοὶ τρέποιτ᾽ ἂν αἰτίας τέλος;
Χορός
πῶς δ᾽ οὔ; σέβουσαί γ᾽ ἀξίαν κἀπ᾽ ἀξίων.
16
435
436
Ἀθηνᾶ
τί πρὸς τάδ᾽ εἰπεῖν, ὦ ξέν᾽, ἐν μέρει θέλεις;
λέξας δὲ χώραν καὶ γένος καὶ ξυμφορὰς
τὰς σάς, ἔπειτα τόνδ᾽ ἀμυναθοῦ
17
ψόγον:
εἴπερ πεποιθὼς τῇ δίκῃ βρέτας τόδε
ἧσαι φυλάσσων ἑστίας ἁμῆς πέλας
440
σεμνὸς προσίκτωρ ἐν
18
τρόποις Ἰξίονος:
τούτοις ἀμείβου πᾶσιν εὐμαθές τί μοι.
Ὀρέστης
ἄνασσ᾽ Ἀθάνα, πρῶτον ἐκ τῶν ὑστάτων
τῶν σῶν ἐπῶν μέλημ᾽ ἀφαιρήσω μέγα.
οὐκ εἰμὶ προστρόπαιος, οὐδ᾽ ἔχων
19
μύσος
445
πρὸς χειρὶ τἠμῇ τὸ σὸν ἐφεζόμην
20
βρέτας.
τεκμήριον δὲ τῶνδέ σοι λέξω μέγα:
ἄφθογγον εἶναι τὸν παλαμναῖον νόμος,
ἔς τ᾽ ἂν πρὸς ἀνδρὸς αἵματος καθαρσίου
σφαγαὶ καθαιμάξωσι νεοθήλου
21
βοτοῦ.
450
πάλαι πρὸς ἄλλοις ταῦτ᾽ ἀφιερώμεθα
οἴκοισι, καὶ βοτοῖσι καὶ ῥυτοῖς πόροις.
ταύτην μὲν οὕτω φροντίδ᾽ ἐκποδὼν λέγω.
γένος δὲ τοὐμὸν ὡς ἔχει πεύσει τάχα.
Ἀργεῖός εἰμι, πατέρα δ᾽ ἱστορεῖς καλῶς,
455
Ἀγαμέμνον᾽, ἀνδρῶν ναυβατῶν ἁρμόστορα:
ξὺν ᾧ σὺ Τροίαν ἄπολιν Ἰλίου πόλιν
ἔθηκας. ἔφθιθ᾽ οὗτος
22
οὐ καλῶς, μολὼν
εἰς οἶκον: ἀλλά νιν κελαινόφρων ἐμὴ
μήτηρ κατέκτα, ποικίλοις ἀγρεύμασιν
460
κρύψασ᾽, ἃ
23
λουτρῶν ἐξεμαρτύρει φόνον.
κἀγὼ κατελθών, τὸν πρὸ τοῦ φεύγων χρόνον,
ἔκτεινα τὴν τεκοῦσαν, οὐκ ἀρνήσομαι,
ἀντικτόνοις ποιναῖσι φιλτάτου πατρός.
καὶ τῶνδε κοινῇ Λοξίας ἐπαίτιος,
465
ἄλγη προφωνῶν ἀντίκεντρα καρδίᾳ,
εἰ μή τι τῶνδ᾽ ἔρξαιμι τοὺς ἐπαιτίους.
σὺ δ᾽
24
εἰ δικαίως εἴτε μὴ κρῖνον δίκην:
πράξας γὰρ ἐν σοὶ πανταχῇ τάδ᾽ αἰνέσω.
470
ταύτην μὲν οὕτω φροντίδ᾽ ἐκποδὼν λέγω.
Ἀθηνᾶ
τὸ πρᾶγμα μεῖζον, εἴ τις οἴεται τόδε
470
βροτὸς δικάζειν: οὐδὲ μὴν ἐμοὶ θέμις
ἄλλως τε καὶ σὺ μὲν κατηρτυκὼς ἐμοῖς
27
ἱκέτης προσῆλθες καθαρὸς ἀβλαβὴς δόμοις:
αὗται δ᾽ ἔχουσι μοῖραν οὐκ εὐπέμπελον,
καὶ μὴ τυχοῦσαι πράγματος νικηφόρου,
χώρᾳ μεταῦθις
30
ἰὸς ἐκ φρονημάτων
πέδοι
31
πεσὼν ἄφερτος αἰανὴς νόσος.
τοιαῦτα μὲν τάδ᾽ ἐστίν: ἀμφότερα, μένειν
480
ἐπεὶ δὲ πρᾶγμα δεῦρ᾽ ἐπέσκηψεν τόδε,
†φόνων δικαστὰς ὁρκίους αἱρουμένη
34
θεσμὸν τὸν εἰς ἅπαντ᾽ ἐγὼ θήσω χρόνον†.
35
ὑμεῖς δὲ μαρτύριά τε καὶ τεκμήρια
485
καλεῖσθ᾽, ἀρωγὰ τῆς δίκης ὁρκώματα.
κρίνασα δ᾽ ἀστῶν τῶν ἐμῶν τὰ βέλτατα
ἥξω,
36
διαιρεῖν τοῦτο πρᾶγμ᾽ ἐτητύμως,
490
τοιαῦτα μὲν τάδ᾽ ἐστίν: ἀμφότερα, μένειν
Εὐμενίδες Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 2. Smyth, Herbert Weir, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1926.) — 397-489 focus
Ἀθηνᾶ
πρόσωθεν ἐξήκουσα κληδόνος βοὴν
ἀπὸ Σκαμάνδρου γῆν καταφθατουμένη,
ἣν δῆτʼ Ἀχαιῶν ἄκτορές τε καὶ πρόμοι,
τῶν αἰχμαλώτων χρημάτων λάχος μέγα,
400
ἔνειμαν αὐτόπρεμνον εἰς τὸ πᾶν ἐμοί,
ἐξαίρετον δώρημα Θησέως τόκοις·
ἔνθεν διώκουσʼ ἦλθον ἄτρυτον πόδα,
πτερῶν ἄτερ ῥοιβδοῦσα κόλπον αἰγίδος.
πώλοις ἀκμαίοις τόνδʼ ἐπιζεύξασʼ ὄχον
405
καινὴν δʼ ὁρῶσα τήνδʼ ὁμιλίαν χθονὸς
ταρβῶ μὲν οὐδέν, θαῦμα δʼ ὄμμασιν πάρα.
τίνες ποτʼ ἐστέ; πᾶσι δʼ ἐς κοινὸν λέγω·
βρέτας τε τοὐμὸν τῷδʼ ἐφημένῳ ξένῳ,
ὑμᾶς θʼ ὁμοίας οὐδενὶ σπαρτῶν γένει,
410
οὔτʼ ἐν θεαῖσι πρὸς θεῶν ὁρωμένας
οὔτʼ οὖν βροτείοις ἐμφερεῖς μορφώμασιν.
λέγειν δʼ ἄμομφον ὄντα τοὺς πέλας κακῶς
πρόσω δικαίων ἠδʼ ἀποστατεῖ θέμις.
Χορός
πεύσῃ τὰ πάντα συντόμως, Διὸς κόρη.
415
ἡμεῖς γάρ ἐσμεν Νυκτὸς αἰανῆ τέκνα.
Ἀραὶ δʼ ἐν οἴκοις γῆς ὑπαὶ κεκλήμεθα.
Ἀθηνᾶ
γένος μὲν οἶδα κληδόνας τʼ ἐπωνύμους.
Χορός
τιμάς γε μὲν δὴ τὰς ἐμὰς πεύσῃ τάχα.
Ἀθηνᾶ
μάθοιμʼ ἄν, εἰ λέγοι τις ἐμφανῆ λόγον.
420
Χορός
βροτοκτονοῦντας ἐκ δόμων ἐλαύνομεν.
Ἀθηνᾶ
καὶ τῷ κτανόντι ποῦ τὸ τέρμα τῆς φυγῆς;
Χορός
ὅπου τὸ χαίρειν μηδαμοῦ νομίζεται.
Ἀθηνᾶ
ἦ καὶ τοιαύτας τῷδʼ ἐπιρροιζεῖς φυγάς;
Χορός
φονεὺς γὰρ εἶναι μητρὸς ἠξιώσατο.
425
Ἀθηνᾶ
ἄλλαις ἀνάγκαις, ἤ τινος τρέων κότον;
Χορός
ποῦ γὰρ τοσοῦτο κέντρον ὡς μητροκτονεῖν;
Ἀθηνᾶ
δυοῖν παρόντοιν ἥμισυς λόγου πάρα.
Χορός
ἀλλʼ ὅρκον οὐ δέξαιτʼ ἄν, οὐ δοῦναι θέλοι.
Ἀθηνᾶ
κλύειν δίκαιος μᾶλλον ἢ πρᾶξαι θέλεις.
430
Χορός
πῶς δή; δίδαξον· τῶν σοφῶν γὰρ οὐ πένῃ.
Ἀθηνᾶ
ὅρκοις τὰ μὴ δίκαια μὴ νικᾶν λέγω.
Χορός
ἀλλʼ ἐξέλεγχε, κρῖνε δʼ εὐθεῖαν δίκην.
Ἀθηνᾶ
ἦ κἀπʼ ἐμοὶ τρέποιτʼ ἂν αἰτίας τέλος;
Χορός
πῶς δʼ οὔ; σέβουσαί γʼ ἀξίαν κἀπʼ ἀξίων.
435
436
Ἀθηνᾶ
τί πρὸς τάδʼ εἰπεῖν, ὦ ξένʼ, ἐν μέρει θέλεις;
λέξας δὲ χώραν καὶ γένος καὶ ξυμφορὰς
τὰς σάς, ἔπειτα τόνδʼ ἀμυναθοῦ ψόγον·
εἴπερ πεποιθὼς τῇ δίκῃ βρέτας τόδε
ἧσαι φυλάσσων ἑστίας ἁμῆς πέλας
440
σεμνὸς προσίκτωρ ἐν τρόποις Ἰξίονος.
τούτοις ἀμείβου πᾶσιν εὐμαθές τί μοι.
Ὀρέστης
ἄνασσʼ Ἀθάνα, πρῶτον ἐκ τῶν ὑστάτων
τῶν σῶν ἐπῶν μέλημʼ ἀφαιρήσω μέγα.
οὐκ εἰμὶ προστρόπαιος, οὐδʼ ἔχων μύσος
445
πρὸς χειρὶ τἠμῇ τὸ σὸν ἐφεζόμην βρέτας.
τεκμήριον δὲ τῶνδέ σοι λέξω μέγα.
ἄφθογγον εἶναι τὸν παλαμναῖον νόμος,
ἔστʼ ἂν πρὸς ἀνδρὸς αἵματος καθαρσίου
σφαγαὶ καθαιμάξωσι νεοθήλου βοτοῦ.
450
πάλαι πρὸς ἄλλοις ταῦτʼ ἀφιερώμεθα
οἴκοισι, καὶ βοτοῖσι καὶ ῥυτοῖς πόροις.
ταύτην μὲν οὕτω φροντίδʼ ἐκποδὼν λέγω.
γένος δὲ τοὐμὸν ὡς ἔχει πεύσῃ τάχα.
Ἀργεῖός εἰμι, πατέρα δʼ ἱστορεῖς καλῶς,
455
Ἀγαμέμνονʼ, ἀνδρῶν ναυβατῶν ἁρμόστορα,
ξὺν ᾧ σὺ Τροίαν ἄπολιν Ἰλίου πόλιν
ἔθηκας. ἔφθιθʼ οὗτος οὐ καλῶς, μολὼν
εἰς οἶκον· ἀλλά νιν κελαινόφρων ἐμὴ
μήτηρ κατέκτα, ποικίλοις ἀγρεύμασιν
460
κρύψασʼ, ἃ λουτρῶν ἐξεμαρτύρει φόνον.
κἀγὼ κατελθών, τὸν πρὸ τοῦ φεύγων χρόνον,
ἔκτεινα τὴν τεκοῦσαν, οὐκ ἀρνήσομαι,
ἀντικτόνοις ποιναῖσι φιλτάτου πατρός.
καὶ τῶνδε κοινῇ Λοξίας ἐπαίτιος,
465
ἄλγη προφωνῶν ἀντίκεντρα καρδίᾳ,
εἰ μή τι τῶνδʼ ἔρξαιμι τοὺς ἐπαιτίους.
σὺ δʼ εἰ δικαίως εἴτε μὴ κρῖνον δίκην·
πράξας γὰρ ἐν σοὶ πανταχῇ τάδʼ αἰνέσω.
470
ταύτην μὲν οὕτω φροντίδʼ ἐκποδὼν λέγω.
Ἀθηνᾶ
τὸ πρᾶγμα μεῖζον, εἴ τις οἴεται τόδε
470
βροτὸς δικάζειν· οὐδὲ μὴν ἐμοὶ θέμις
φόνου διαιρεῖν ὀξυμηνίτου δίκας·
ἄλλως τε καὶ σὺ μὲν κατηρτυκὼς ἐμοῖς
ἱκέτης προσῆλθες καθαρὸς ἀβλαβὴς δόμοις·
οὕτως δʼ ἄμομφον ὄντα σʼ αἰδοῦμαι πόλει.
475
αὗται δʼ ἔχουσι μοῖραν οὐκ εὐπέμπελον,
καὶ μὴ τυχοῦσαι πράγματος νικηφόρου,
χώρᾳ μεταῦθις ἰὸς ἐκ φρονημάτων
πέδοι πεσὼν ἄφερτος αἰανὴς νόσος.
τοιαῦτα μὲν τάδʼ ἐστίν· ἀμφότερα, μένειν
480
πέμπειν τε δυσπήμαντʼ ἀμηχάνως ἐμοί.
ἐπεὶ δὲ πρᾶγμα δεῦρʼ ἐπέσκηψεν τόδε,
φόνων δικαστὰς ὁρκίους αἱρουμένη
θεσμὸν τὸν εἰς ἅπαντʼ ἐγὼ θήσω χρόνον.
ὑμεῖς δὲ μαρτύριά τε καὶ τεκμήρια
485
καλεῖσθʼ, ἀρωγὰ τῆς δίκης ὁρκώματα·
κρίνασα δʼ ἀστῶν τῶν ἐμῶν τὰ βέλτατα
ἥξω, διαιρεῖν τοῦτο πρᾶγμʼ ἐτητύμως,
ὅρκον πορόντας μηδὲν ἔκδικον φράσειν.
τοιαῦτα μὲν τάδʼ ἐστίν· ἀμφότερα, μένειν
Εὐμενίδες (1518 edition; OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Eumenides, 1518 edition. VLM-assisted OCR with native lineation and automated correspondence to the Smyth edition.) — 354 focus
Χορὸς Εὐμενίδων
ἀναβοπάς, ὅταν ἄρης. πίθασος ὢν φίλος ἕλῃ.
ἐπὶ τὸν ὦ, διόμεναι κρατερὸν ὄνθ' ὁμοίως,
μαυροῦμεν ὑφ' αἵματος νέου. σπευδόμεναι δ'
330
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Guilielmus Dindorfius, 1882.) — 354 focus
δωμάτων γὰρ εἰλόμαν
ἀνατροπάς· ὅταν ῎Αρης τιθασὸς ὢν φίλον ἕλῃ,
355
ἐπιτόνως διόμεναι κρατερὸν ὄντα περ ὅμως
μαυροῦμεν νεόαιμον.
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Gottfried Hermann, 1852.) — 354 focus
δωμάτων γὰρ εἱλόμαν
ἀνατροπάς, ὅταν Ἄρης,
350
τιθασὸς ὤν, φίλον ἕλῃ·
ἐπὶ τόν, ὤ, διόμεναι
κρατερὸν ὄντ᾽ ἔθ᾽ ὁμοίως
μαυροῦμεν νέον ἅλμα.
1
ΕΥΜΕΝΙΔΕΣ (OCR draft) Experimental (ΕΥΜΕΝΙΔΕΣ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 354 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Arthur Sidgwick, 1887.) — 354 focus
ΧΟ.
δωμάτων γὰρ εἱλόμαν
ἀνατροπάς, ὅταν Ἄρης
355
τιθασὸς ὢν φίλον ἕλῃ·
ἐπὶ τόν, ὦ, διόμεναι
κρατερὸν ὄνθ᾽
ὅμως ἀμαυρ-
οῦμεν αἵματος νέου.
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. N. Wecklein, 1885.) — 354 focus
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Εὐμενίδες. Martin L. West, 1990.) — 354 focus
δωμάτων γὰρ εἱλόμαν
ἀνατροπάς· ὅταν Ἄρης
355
τιθασὸς ὢν φίλον ἕληι,
ἐπὶ τόν, ὤ, διόμεναι
κρατερὸν ὄνθ’ †ὁμοίως
μαυροῦμεν ὑφ’ αἵματος νέου†.
Aeschyli Eumenides (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschyli Eumenides. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1914.) — 354 focus
ΧΟ.
δωμάτων γὰρ εἱλόμαν
ἀνατροπάς· ὅταν Ἄρης
τιθασὸς ὢν φίλον ἕληι,
ἐπὶ τόν, ὤ, διόμεναι
κρατερὸν ὄνθ᾽ ὁμοῖα μαυ-
355
ροῦμεν ὑφ᾽ αἵματος νέου. –
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek text of Aeschylus' Eumenides, edited by F. A. Paley, 1885.) — 354 focus
ἀνατροπὰς, ὅταν ῎Αρης
τιθασὸς ὢν φίλον ἕλῃ·
335
ἐπὶ τὸν, ὦ, διόμεναι
κρατερὸν ὄντα περ ὅμως
μαυροῦμεν νέον αἷμα.
Εὐμενίδες (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek text of Aeschylus' Eumenides, edited by Friedrich Blass, 1907.) — 354 focus
δωμάτων γὰρ εἰλόμαν
ἀνατροπάς, ὅταν Ἄρης
355
στρ. γ 355
τιθασὸς ὢν φίλον ἕληι.
ἐπὶ τὸν ὧδ᾽ ἱέμεναι
κρατερὸν ὄντα περ ὅμως
μαυροῦμεν νέον αἷμα.
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
Athena
From afar I heard the call of a summons, from the Scamander, while I was taking possession of the land, which the leaders and chiefs of the Achaeans
assigned to me, a great portion of the spoil their spears had won, to be wholly mine forever, a choice gift to Theseus’ sons.
1
From there I have come, urging on my tireless foot, without wings rustling the folds of my aegis,
400
yoking this chariot to colts in their prime.
2
As I see this strange company of visitors to my land, I am not afraid, but it is a wonder to my eyes. Who in the world are you? I address you all in common—this stranger sitting at my image,
405
and you, who are like no race of creatures ever born, neither seen by gods among goddesses nor resembling mortal forms. But it is far from just to speak ill of one’s neighbor who is blameless, and Right stands aloof.
410
Chorus
Daughter of Zeus, you will hear it all in brief. We are the eternal children of Night. We are called Curses in our homes beneath the earth.
415
Athena
I now know your family and the names by which you are called.
Chorus
You will soon learn my office.
Athena
I shall understand, if someone would tell the story clearly.
420
Chorus
We drive murderers from their homes.
Athena
And where is the end of flight for the killer?
Chorus
Where joy is absent and unknown.
3
Athena
And would you drive this man with your shrieks to such flight?
Chorus
Yes, for he thought it right to be his mother’s murderer.
425
Athena
Through other compulsions, or in fear of someone’s wrath?
Chorus
Where is there a spur so keen as to compel the murder of a mother?
Athena
Two parties are present; only half the case is heard.
Chorus
But he will not receive an oath nor does he want to give one.
Athena
You want to be called just rather than to act justly.
430
Chorus
How so? Teach me. For you are not poor in subtleties.
Athena
I say that oaths must not win victory for injustice.
Chorus
Well then, question him, and make a straight judgment.
Athena
Then would you turn over the decision of the charge to me?
Chorus
How not?—since we honor you because you are worthy and of worthy parentage.
435
436
Athena
What do you want to say to this, stranger, in turn? After you name your country and family and fortunes, then defend yourself against this charge; if indeed, relying on the justice of your case,
you sit clinging to my image near my hearth, as a sacred suppliant, like Ixion.
4
To all this give me a plain answer.
440
Orestes
Lady Athena, first of all I will take away a great anxiety from your last words.
I am not a suppliant in need of purification, nor did I sit at your image with pollution on my hands. I will give you strong proof of this. It is the law for one who is defiled by shedding blood to be barred from speech until he is sprinkled with the blood of
445
a new-born victim by a man who can purify from murder. Long before at other houses I have been thus purified both by victims and by flowing streams.
And so I declare that this concern is out of the way. As to my family, you will soon learn.
450
I am an
Argive
; my father—you rightly inquire about him—was Agamemnon, the commander of the naval forces; along with him, you made
Troy
, the city of
Ilion
, to be no city. He did not die nobly, after he came home; but my black-hearted
455
mother killed him after she covered him in a crafty snare that still remains to witness his murder in the bath. And when I came back home, having been an exile in the time before, I killed the woman who gave birth to me, I will not deny it, as the penalty in return for the murder of my dearly-loved father.
460
Together with me Loxias is responsible for this deed, because he threatened me with pains, a goad for my heart, if I should fail to do this deed to those who were responsible. You judge whether I acted justly or not; whatever happens to me at your hands, I will be content.
465
470
And so I declare that this concern is out of the way. As to my family, you will soon learn.
Athena
The matter is too great, if any mortal thinks to pass judgment on it; no, it is not lawful even for me to decide on cases of murder that is followed by the quick anger of the Furies, especially since you, by rites fully performed, have come a pure and harmless suppliant to my house;
470
and so I respect you, since you do not bring harm to my city. Yet these women have an office that does not permit them to be dismissed lightly; and if they fail to win their cause, the venom from their resentment will fall upon the ground, an intolerable, perpetual plague afterwards in the land.
475
So stands the case: either course—to let them stay, to drive them out—brings disaster and perplexity to me. But since this matter has fallen here, I will select judges of homicide bound by oath, and I will establish this tribunal for all time.
480
Summon your witnesses and proofs, sworn evidence to support your case; and I will return when I have chosen the best of my citizens, for them to decide this matter truly, after they take an oath that they will pronounce no judgment contrary to justice.
Exit
485
The Eumenides (OCR draft) Experimental (The Eumenides. Theodore Alois Buckley, 1849.) — 354 focus
LES EUMÉNIDES (OCR draft) Experimental (LES EUMÉNIDES. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 354 focus
The Furies (OCR draft) Experimental (The Furies. Robert Potter, 1779.) — 354 focus
Eschilo, Le Eumenidi: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli (OCR draft) Experimental (Eschilo, Le Eumenidi: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli. Ettore Romagnoli, 1922.) — 354 focus
Coro
Aeschylus, Eumenides: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Eumenides: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii. Ioannes Sanravius, 1555.) — 354 focus
Aeschylus, Die Eumeniden: German translation (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Die Eumeniden: German translation. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1919–1923.) — 354 focus
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.) — 354 focus
That is mine hour when falls an ancient line—
When in the household's heart
The God of blood doth slay by kindred hands,—
Then do we bear our part:
420
On him who slays we sweep with chasing cry:
Though he be triply strong,
We wear and waste him; blood atones for blood,
New pain for ancient wrong.
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.) — 354 focus
Häuser auszutilgen, ward
Meines Amts, wann der Freund
Tückisch im Haus mordet den Freund.
335
Hinter ihm stürz' ich her;
Blüht er auch jugendstark,
Doch ich breche die Kraft ihm!
Zweite Gegenstrophe.
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.)
374.
κατὰ γᾶν
,
on earth, is the MS. reading: but as Hermann said, the sense
below the earth, κατὰ γᾶs, is required in antithesis to ὑπ᾿ αἰθέρι. The same mistake occurs again 11. 838, 871. 11. 375, 376. Bold and imaginative expressions :
Critical apparatus to Eumenides (OCR draft) (Latin and Greek critical apparatus to Gottfried Hermann's 1852 edition of Eumenides.) focus
mvp-comment-258-1 ἐπὶ τόν, ὤ, διόμεναι κρατερὸν ὄντ᾽ ἔθ᾽ ὁμοίως μαυροῦμεν νέον ἅλμα: ἐπὶ τὸν ὦ διόμεναι Μ. Rob. ἐπὶ τὸν ὦ, διόμεναι G. Ald. ἐπὶ τὸν ὢ διόμεναι Flor. Farn. ἐπὶ τὸν ὢ διαίνομαι Ven. Scholiastes διὰ μέσου, inquit, τὸ . Turnebus haec ita mutavit, ἐπιτόνως διόμεναι. Sequens versus in libris ita scriptus est, κρατερὸν ἄνθ᾽ ὁμοίως. Deinde μαυροῦμεν ὑφ' αἵματος νέου (νεοῦ Ald.) M. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. μαυροῦμεν ἐφ᾽ αἵματος νέου Par. Ven. Flor. Farn. Aliter, atque in Opusc. VI. 2. p. 73. feci, hos versus emendandos esse censui. Certum est non scripsisse Aeschylum μαυροῦμεν ὑφ᾽ (vel ἐφ᾽) αἵματος νέου. Nam hoc metro pariter ac sententiae repugnat. Quare ὑφ' αἵματος νέου ex falsa interpretatione ortum esse, Aeschylum autem scripsisse putabam ἐπὶ τόν, ὤ, διόμεναι κρατερὸν ὄντα περ, ὅμως μαυροῦμεν νέον αἷμα, ut Furiae se dicerent iuvenilem sanguinem obscurare, i, e. iuvenile robur exsorpto sanguine frangere. Et videtur mihi νέον αἷμα, etsi saepissime de recenti caede dicitur, significare posse iuvenilem sanguinem, quum αὐτάδελφον αἷμα, ζώφυτον αἷμα aliaque similia non raro inveniantur. Tamen nunc veri similius iudico, scriptum quidem fuisse νέον αἷμα, sed hoc ipsum depravatione ortum fuisse ex νέον άλμα. Reliqua autem leniore emendatione corrigi possunt. Ita enim scribendum videtur, ἐπὶ τόν, ὤ, διόμεναι κρατερὸν ἂν ἔθ᾽ ὁμοίως μαυροῦμεν νέον ἅλμα. In quem (irruentes: quod eo facilius taceri potuit, quia ὤ interrumpit orationem), hei, persequentes obscuramus quamvis validum adhuc iuvenilem saltum, i. e. robur fugientis frangimus. Similis mox in his sententia est, καταφέρω ποδὸς ἀκμάν (σφαλερὰ τανυδρόμοις γὰρ κώλα), δύςφορον ἄταν.
mvp-comment-261-1 μάλα γὰρ οὖν ἁλομένα ἀνέκαθεν βαρυπεσῆ καταφέρω ποδὸς ἀκμάν (σφαλερὰ τανυδρόμοις ... καλα), δύςφορον ἄταν: Hi quinque versus, quibus in Farn. adscriptum est οὐκ ὀρθά, in libris leguntur post v. 368. Heathio veram eorum sedem monstranti obsecuti sunt Porsonus et omnes praeter Schoemannum, qui non recte de hoc carmine iudicavit. V. Annal. Vindob. vol. CXI. p. 258. seqq. οὖν omittit Rob. Deinde αλλομένα M. G. Turn. ἀλλομένα Ald. ἁλωμένα Rob. ἁλομένα, ut iam olim scripsi, Ven. Flor. Libri ἄγκαθεν. Correxit ante me Pearsonus. τὴν ὑδρόμοις Ald. Scholiastes τοῖς ταχυδρόμοις αὐτῶν κώλοις ἐπάγουσα τὰ σφαλερά μου καλα. ἢ ἀπ᾿ ἄλλης ἀρχῆς, καὶ τοῖς τανυδρόμοις γίνεται σφαλερὰ τὰ κῶλα διὰ τὴν ἐπιοῦσαν αὐτοῖς ἄτην δύςφορον ὑπ' ἐμοῦ. οἷον, καὶ οἱ ταχυδρόμοι οὐ δύνανται με ἐκφυγεῖν. Apparet δύσφορον ἄταν appositionem esse ad ποδὸς ἀκμάν, Η haec autem, σφαλερὰ ταχυδρόμοις γὰρ κώλα, in quibus a me additum est γάρ, in parenthesi posita esse.
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-191-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 276
mvp-comment-191-2 erstes Stasimon, welches besonders in den Ephymnien den Charakter des ὕμνος δέσμιος hat. ,, Apollon beraubt uns unseres Rechtes, indem er uns diesen Flüchtling entzieht, der uns zur Sühne des Muttermords zukommt und dem unser grauser Gesang gilt. Denn SO hat das Schicksal bestimmt, dafs wir die Mörder verfolgen und peinigen. Drum weil Umsturz von Häusern unser Los ist, haben die Götter des Lichts keine Gemeinschaft mit uns und Feste der Freude sind uns versagt. Dafür sind die Götter dieser traurigen Sorge überhoben und brauchen sich nicht mit Blutbefleckten zu befassen. Wir verfolgen den Mörder und stürzen ihn von der Höhe seines Ruhms. Er wird, ohne dessen in seiner Geistesnacht inne zu werden, von der Stimme des Volkes verurteilt und allgemeine Mifsachtung umnachtet sein Haus (vgl. Cho. 53 ff. , Ag. 463 ff. ). So steht es fest: Geniessen wir auch nicht die Ehre, den oberen Göttern gesellt zu sein, so haben doch die Sterblichen die vom Schicksal gegebene Satzung, auf der unser altheiliges Amt beruht, zu fürchten und zu verehren." Wenn man aus den drei Ephymnien schliefsen darf, wird jedes der drei ersten Strophenpaare von einem Stoichos, die Ephymnien und das vierte Strophenpaar von dem Gesamtchore vorgetragen.
mvp-comment-207-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 278
mvp-comment-207-2 ὁμοίως, auf gleiche Weise wie wenn er schwach wäre, also s. v. a. ὅμως.