298. γένοιτο , regular sequence after ἔλθοι. In English we say May she come, and therefore naturally have the primary sequence, that she may prove .

301. ὅπου φρενῶν , where in the heart it lies.

302. δαιμόνων is the powers below, i, e. both the Furies who will drink his blood and Hades (1. 274) who ordains and directs the vengeance.

302. σκιάν , a shadow, not a ghost, for he was to be carried off below yet living (1. 267): but all the vigour sucked out of him with his blood. [Schol. reads σκιά with MSS., and takes it voc. Unlikely.]

306. ὕμνον δέσμιον σέθεν , the song that binds thee, the choric song acting as an infernal spell to make Orestes their prey: and perhaps accompanied by mysterious binding gestures.

309. δεδόκηκεν , 'tis our resolve, poetic form for regular δέδοκται.

310. λάχη might be the office of the Furies, as Cho. 360: but with ἐπινωμᾷ it makes better sense to refer it to ἀνθρώπους. How our troop assigns the lots of men.

310. στάσις , as Choeph. 114, 458.

319. πράκτορες , avengers, from πράσσειν in the special sense 'to exact a debt.' So τὸν πατρὸς φόνον πράξαντα 1. 624, χερὶ πράκτορι Ag. 111. For the masc. form πράκτωρ with fem. substantive cf. line 186.

320. τελέως , unfailingly: it goes with παραγιγ. πρακ. and expresses the persistent and complete vengeance.

322. ἀλαοῖσι καὶ δεδορκόσιν , the sightless and the seeing, i. e. the dead and the living. So δερκομένοισι καὶ δυσομμάτοις 1. 388.

326. ματρῷον ἅγνισμα κύριον φόνου , rightful atonement for a mother's blood ματρῷον poetically transferred from φόνου to ἄγνισμα, as the thought comes naturally in that order 'expiation for a mother for her blood.' ...

329-332. αὐονά is also found (Simon. Iamb. vii. 20) in the sense of cry, [from root αϝ, shout] and it may be so taken here by joining it with

329-332. ἀφόρμικτος , a cry unmusical to men: but the other sense from

329-332. αὐαίνω , to wither or waste, is more forcible, and so the Schol. Med. takes it: ὁ ξηραίνων τοὺς βροτούς.

334. διανταία , piercing, deadly, a favourite word of Aeschylus, usually of wounding: δ. πεπλαγμένους [πλαγάν] Theb. 894, δ. βέλει Cho. 184, and again δ. οὐτῷ ib. 640.

336-340. ξυμπέσωσιν is suspected by some edd.: why, they ask, should Furies pursue those whom murder falls in with, i. e. who are accidentally guilty of murder?

336-340. ξυμπέσωσι , befall, for a deliberate murder, we have μάταιοι (lit. vain, foolish,) for wicked: ὁμαρτεῖν (lit. to attend on), for the relentless pursuit of the Furies: οὐκ ἄγαν ἐλεύθερος meaning he is never quit of us.

336-340. τοῖσιν for relative, so, e. g. Ag. 526, 642, Cho. 604, Eum. 918, Theb. 519, etc.: (2)

336-340. ξυμπέσωσιν , indef. subj. with no ἄν attached to the relative,-both common survivals in tragedy : and (3)

336-340. ὄφρα ἄν for until.

347. λάχη . here, as 1. 334, office.

347. ἐκράνθη , assigned: so Suppl. 943 ψῆφος κέκρανται, fixed, settled .

350. ἀθανάτων δ᾽ ἀπέχειν χέρας , but from the immortals to keep away. The ἀθανάτων δέ is opposed to the θνατῶν of the previous stanza 1. 336. Their 'office' is to pursue the guilty man, but they have nothing to do with gods.

357. διόμεναι , Epic word, pursuing. Homer has it always transitive: here it seems best to take it intrans. with prep. 'pursuing after him.' [It might be tmesis for ἐπιδιόμεναι : but ὦ makes this less likely. Perhaps E. A. Ahrens' ὧδ' ἱέμεναι, which is certainly very ingenious, is the true reading.]

357. τόν , Epic demonst. use. [Others read ἐπιτόνως: but Schol. had our reading, for he remarks on the position of ὦ.]

367. μάλα with

367. ἁλομένα :

The emendation adopted [

367. ὅμως inserted and

367. μάταν , see above 1. 359] is almost necessary to give the right sense, even though they fly swiftly.

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 :

i.e. [their human glories come to naught] when we the Furies attack them and weave these magic dances which make them our captive (as we are doing to Orestes).

mvp-comment-213-1 οὔτοι σ' Ἀπόλλων οὐδ᾽ Ἀθηναίας σθένος ῥύσαιτ᾽ ἂν ὥςτε μὴ οὐ παρημελημένον ἔρρειν, τὸ χαίρειν μὴ μαθόνθ' ὅπου φρενῶν, ἀναίματον βόσκημα τῶνδε δαιμόνων.: Hos versus inter tres Furias distribuendos esse indicavi in Opusc. VI. 2. p. 61. τῶνδέ μοι Farn. ovtis o Ven. Farn. et adscripto in margine yo. ovτoi σè Flor. Deinde vains Farn. áðŋvalois Ven. et ad ultimam syllabam supra adscripto as Flor. Jos tε pro stɛ Ald. qui tam mirus error ex eo ortus est, quod in G. quum librarius neglecto çre scripsisset in, statim autem animadverso errore hanc voculam mutasset in wore, confusi ductus litterarum un et a negligentius considerati speciem praebent similem litterarum ρου. μαθῶν θ' Rob. Libri αναίματον βόσκημα δαιμόνων σκιά. Scholiastes ἀναίματον ita interpretatur, simul aliam lectionem, ἐναίματον, commemorans, ὁ μηδὲ αἷμα σχήσων ἐξ ἡμῶν, ἀλλὰ γενησόμενος σκιά· οφήσομεν γάρ σου τὸ αἷμα (conf. v. 261.). ἢ ἐναίματον, ἀντὶ τοῦ. ζῶντά σε νεκρὸν ποιήσομεν. Heathii coniecturam, σκιάν, Schutzius recepit, post δαιμόνων commate interpungens, ut δαίμονες intelligerentur Furiae. Verum sic σκιάν languidius adiectum est. Quare olim ita interpunxi, αναίματον βόσκημα, δαιμόνων σκιάν, ut acerbe diceretur Orestes futurus esse umbra dei alicuius, quemadmodum in Iliade V.242. de diis dicitur τούνεκ' αναίμονές εισι. Postea in Annalium Vindobonensium vol. CXI. p. 250. aliam et, ut puto, veriorem rationem ineundam esse ostendi. Nam δαίμονες dicuntur sane Furiae: sed accuratius definiendum erat illud δαιμόνων. Quod autem libri habent, σκιά, ex interpretatione in ipsius poetae versum illatum est. Quare scripsi, ἀναίματον βόσκημα τῶνδε δαιμόνων.

mvp-comment-214-1 ἀλλ᾽: οὐδ pro ἀλλ' Ven. Flor.

mvp-comment-215-1 καθιερωμένος: καθιερωμένος Ald. Addidi interrogationis signum. V. Opusc. VI. 2. p. 61. VII. p. 19.

mvp-comment-216-1 καὶ ζῶν με δαίσεις, οὐδὲ πρὸς βωμῷ σφαγείς: Hunc et sequentem versum choro continuandum esse vidit Stanleius. In G. Ald. Turn. Apollini tributi sunt. In M. versui 302. lineola praefixa est. Nulla personae nota in Ven. Flor. καὶ ζῶν μἐδαίσεις Ven. Farn. πρὸς βοροσφαγείς codex Robortelli: ipse ex Sophiani emendatione dedit προς βωμῷ σφαγείς, quod est in celeris libris.

mvp-comment-217-1 ὕμνον δ᾽ ἀκούσει: ὕμνον ἀκούση Ven. ὕπνον ἀκούσῃ Flor. Ceteri ὕμνον δ᾽ ἀκούσῃ.

mvp-comment-218-1 ἄγε δὴ: Chori nota adscripta est in M. G. Ven. Flor. Ald. Rob. Turn. Hos anapaestos constare ex systemate et antisystemate atque epodo ostendi in Opusc. VI. 2. p. 63.

mvp-comment-219-1 δεδόκηκεν: δεδόκηκεν Μ. G. δεδόκηκε Turn. δεδόκημεν Ven. Flor. Farn. Ald. Rob.

mvp-comment-220-1 λάχη τὰ: λάχητα κατ' Αld.

mvp-comment-221-1 ὡς ἐπινωμᾷ ... ἀμά: ὡς ἐπὶ νωμᾷ G. ὡς ἐπὶ νομᾶ Ald. In fine versus libri ἅμα, Canteri emendatio est αμά.

mvp-comment-222-1 εὐθυδίκαιοí θ᾽ ἡδόμεθ᾽ εἶναι: εὐθυδίκαι θ᾽ οἶδ' οίμεθ᾽ εἶναι Μ. ut Franzius dicit. εὐθυδίκαι θ' οἱδοίμεθ᾽ εἶναι G. Rob. et, ut alii dicunt, M. εὐθυδίκα θ' οἱ δοίμεσθ᾽ εἶναι Ald. εὐθυδίκαι δ᾽ ἐδοίμεθ᾽ εἶναι Par. εὐθυδίκαι τ᾽ οἶδ᾽ οἶμαι θεῖναι Ven. Flor. Farn. εὐθύδικαί ' εὐθυδίκαι Viel.) ἡδόμεσθ' είναι Turn. Vict. εύθυδίκαι δ᾽ ἡδόμεθ' είναι Canterus. Scribendum erat εὐθυδίκαιοι δ᾽ ἡδόμεθ᾽ εἶναι. Illud Casaubonus viderat, 9' in δ' esse mutandum. εὐθυδίκαιοι simile verbum est atque ὀρθοδίκαιοι infra v. 976.

mvp-comment-223-1 τοὺς μὲν καθαρὰς ... χεῖρας προνέμοντας: τοὺς μὲν καθαρὰς | χεῖρας προσνέμοντας M. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. nisi quod Ald. πρὸς νέμοντας habet. τοὺς μὲν καθαρὰς (καθαρᾷ Farn.) χεῖρας προνέμοντας Ven. Flor. Farn. Quod Turnebus inter τὰ ἄλλως εὑρεθέντα ἐν τισὶν ἀντιγράφοις affert, χεῖρας ἔχοντας, id, quum ille in Orestea nullo codice praeter Aldinam editionem usus sit, non dubito quin coniectura sit, quam in textum non ausus est recipere. Bis tantum ille in Eumenidibus aliam scripturam adnotavit, hie et mox v. 358. sed etiam hoc altero loco talem quae coniecturae speciem prae se ferat. Non recte olim scripsi τὸν μὲν καθαρὰς χεῖρας προνέμοντο. Etenim non veri simile est librarios pluralem posuisse, quum singulari numero sequatur ἀσινὴς δ᾽ αἰῶνα διοιχνεῖ. Sed, ut strophica horum anapaestorum ratio docet, scribendum potius est, τοὺς μὲν καθαρὰς * καθαρῶς* χεῖρας προνέμοντας.

mvp-comment-224-1 οὔτις ἐφέρπει μῆνις ἀφ᾿ ἡμῶν: Libri οὔτις ἀφ᾿ ἡμῶν μῆνις ἐφέρπει. Hiatum, qui ita inter hunc et sequentem versum est, Porsonus emendata verborum collocatione removit.

mvp-comment-225-1 ἀλιτών, ὥςπερ ὅδ᾽ ἀνήρ: Libri αλιτρῶν. Recepi olim Stanleii coniecturam ἀλιτῶν. Neque dubitari potest quin verum sit hoc verbum: sed scribi debet akıτών, ut Auratus voluerat. Nam praesens huius verbi neque exstat, neque hic commodum est. Libri ἀνήρ. Correxit Porsonus.

mvp-comment-226-1 φονίας: φονίους Par.

mvp-comment-227-1 θανοῦσιν: θανοῦσιν M. G. Par. Ven. Flor. Ald. Rob. v abiecit Turn.

mvp-comment-228-1 παραγιγνόμεναι: Libri παραγινόμεναι. Deinde κράκτορες Par.

mvp-comment-229-1 ἔτικτες: Huic versui in Ven. Flor. Orestis nomen adscriptum est. ἔτεκες Ald. Turn. sed G. ut ceteri ἔτικτες.

mvp-comment-230-1 ἀλαοῖσι ... δεδορκόσιν ποινάν: ἀλαοῖσι Pauwius et sic Par. ἀλαοῖς Ven. Flor. Farn. αλαοῖσιν Μ. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. Deinde και omissum in Farn. Deinde δεδορκόσι Turn. δεδορκῶσιν Ven. Flor. Ceteri recte δεδορκόσιν. Μox ποινᾶν posuit Turnebus. ποινὰν recte M. G. Ald. Rob. In Ven. Flor. Farn. omissa sunt haec verba, ποινών, κλῦθ᾽. ὁ Λατούς γὰρ ἦνίς μ' ἄτιμον τίθησιν. Adscriptum in Farn. λξ β'.

mvp-comment-231-1 κλῦθι· ὁ Λατοῦς: κλῦθ᾽ ὁ λατους M. G. Rob. κλύθ᾽ ἑλατους vitium Ald. Inde Turn. κλύθι. Λατούς.

mvp-comment-232-1 τίθησιν: τίθησιν M. G. Ald. Rob. v omisit Turn.

mvp-comment-233-1 τόνδ᾽: τόνδε γ' ἀφαιρούμενος Farn.

mvp-comment-234-1 πτῶκα, ματρῷον: πτῶκα Rob. ex emendatione Sophiani et Turn. πτάκα M. G. Ald. codex Robortelli. πτᾶκα Ven. Flor. Deinde ματρῷον Arnaldus. Libri ματρώϊον. In Farn. adscriptum συνίζησις.

mvp-comment-235-1 ἐπὶ δὲ τῷ τεθυμένῳ: ἐπὶ δὲ τῷ τεθυμένῳ M. G. Ald. Turn. ἐπὶ δὲ τῷ τεφθυμένω Rob. ἐπὶ δὲ τῶ τότε θυμένῳ Flor. ἐπὶ δὲ τῶ τότε θυμουμένω Ven. (Bekkero teste et Farn.

mvp-comment-236-1 μέλος παρακοπά: μένος Ven. Flor. Farn. παράκοπα Ven. Flor.

mvp-comment-237-1 παραφορὰ φρενοδαλής: παραφορά M. G. Ald. Rob. Τurn. παραφοραὶ Par. παράφρονα Ven. Flor. Farn. Deinde φρενοδαλής M. G. Ven. Flor. Ald. Rob. In margine M. adscriptum οἶμαι φρενοδαής. Id habet Par. φρενοδαλὶς Turn. Scholion enim in Rob. sic scriptum Φρενοδαλίς.) παρακίνησις τῶν φρενών. Sed M. non habet lemma.

mvp-comment-238-1 Ἐρινύων: ἐρινύων Μ. G. Ald. Rob. ἐριννύων Ven. Flor. Turn.

mvp-comment-239-1 αὐονὰ βροτοῖς: αὐονὰ βροτοῖς M. G. Par. Ald. Rob. Turn. αὔονα βροτοῖς Ven. Flor. Farn. Scholion in M. nullo praefixo lemmate, ὁ ξηραίνων τοὺς βροτούς. Hinc Victorius αὔων βροτούς. Εtym. Μ. p. 170. 45. αυόνη, ή ξηρότης, παρὰ τὸ αὔω, τὸ ξηραίνω, αυόνη, ὡς ἔχω ἐχόνη καὶ ἀμπεχόνη, καὶ πείρω περόνη, καὶ βάλλω βελόνη. Idem p. 171, 52. αὐόνη, λύπη, κραυγή, αυχμός, φθορά, κακοπάθεια, ξηρασία. Strepitum hoc vocabulum significat apud Simonidem in carmine de mulieribus v. 20. ἀλλ' ἐμπεδῶς ἄπρηκτον αὐονὴν ἔχει. Eam significationem si hic admittimus, ἀφάρμακτος αὐονὰ βροτοῖς hymnus dicetur dissonus clamor mortalibus. Sed illa significatio lonica esse videtur, ut apud Atticum poetam alteri posthaberi debeat. Et multo gravius ὕμνος ἀφόρμικτος dicitur esse tabes mortalibus.

mvp-comment-240-1 ἐμπέδως ἔχειν, θνατῶν: ἐκπέδως ἔχειν Ald. Deinde libri θανάτων. Emendavit Canterus.

mvp-comment-241-1 αὐτουργίαι: αυτουργία Turnebus. αὐτουργίαις M. G. Ven. Flor. Farn. Ald. Rob.

mvp-comment-242-1 ξυμπέσωσιν: ξυμπέσωσιν Τurnebus, ξύμπασωσιν Μ. ξύμπας ὦσιν G. Ven. Ald. ξύμπας ὦσι Flor. σύμπας ὦσιν Farn. ξύμπασωσεν Rob. In Farn. ad haec verba ἔχειν θανάτων τοῖσιν αὐτουργίαις | σύμπας ὦσιν μάταιοι, adscriptum est περισσὰ β'.

mvp-comment-243-1 τοῖς: τοῖσιν Ven. Flor. Farn.

mvp-comment-244-1 ὑπέλθῃ: ὑπέλθοι Ven. Flor. Farn. ὑπέλθη ut ceteri Ald.

mvp-comment-245-1 ἄγαν: άγαν γ' Farn.

mvp-comment-246-1 ἐπὶ δὲ τῷ τεθυμένῳ: Orestis nomen praefixum in Flor. ἐπὶ δὲ τῶ τότε υμουμένω Ven. ἐπὶ δὲ τῷ τε θυμουμένω Farn.

mvp-comment-247-1 παρακοπά: παράκοπα Ven. παρακοπᾶ Ald.

mvp-comment-248-1 παραφορὰ φρενοδαλής: παραφορά Αld. Rob. Turn. παράφρονα M. G. Ven. παράφρονα sine accentu Flor. Deinde φρενοδαλής G. Ven. Flor. Ald. Rob. φρενόδαλης Μ. φρενοδαής Par. φρενοδαλὶς Turn.

mvp-comment-249-1 ὕμνος ... Ἐρινύων: ὕμνοις G. Par. ἐξ ἐρινύων M. G. Ald. Rob. ἐξ ἐριννύων Ven. Flor. Turn.

mvp-comment-250-1 NA: Libri ut quisque supra v. 331.

mvp-comment-251-1 γεινομέναισι ... ἐφ᾽ ἁμὶν: Chori nomen praefixum in Flor. γιγνομέναισι M. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. γινομέναισι Ven. Flor. Cur γεινομέναισι scripserim quivis intelliget. Libri ἡμῖν. Correxit Porsonus.

mvp-comment-252-1 ἀθανάτων δίχ᾽ ἔχειν γέρας: Libri ἀθανάτων δ᾽ ἀπέχειν χέρας, nisi quod in Ven. est ἀθανάτων ἀπέχειν χεῖρας. Scholiastes μὴ πλησιάζειν ἡμᾶς τοῖς θεοῖς. Eversius, ut O. Millerus refert, scribendum coniecit ἀθανάτων ἀπ᾽ ἔχειν γέρας. Perspexit vitio laborare librorum scripturam, sed ἄπ᾿ ἔχειν non bene nec perspicue dictum est. Scribendum erat ἀθανάτων δίχ' ἔχειν γέρας. In fine versus ἐστὶν Farn. Ceteri ἐστί.

mvp-comment-253-1 συνδαίτωρ: συνδαίτωρ Turn. et, ut Franzius dicit, Flor. συνδάτωρ Μ. G. Par. Ven. Farn. Ald. Rob.

mvp-comment-254-1 παλλεύκων πέπλων δ᾽ ... ἄμοιρος ἄκληρος ἐτύχθην: Libri πανλεύκων (sic M. G. Ald. παλλεύκων Ven. Flor. Rob. Turn.) δὲ πέπλων | άμοιρος ἄκληρος ἐτύχθην. Male haec et ab aliis tractata sunt et a Dindorfio. Scripsi, ut olim in Opusc. VI. 2. p. 68. παλλεύκων πέπλων δ' * ἀγέραστος* ἄμοιρος ἄκληρος ἐτύχθην.

mvp-comment-255-1 δωμάτων: δωμάτων Ald. Turn. δομάτων M. G. Ven. Flor. Rob.

mvp-comment-256-1 ὅταν: ὅταν Ald. Turn. ὅτ' ἂν M. G. Ven. Flor. Rob.

mvp-comment-257-1 τιθασὸς ... φίλον: τιθασὸς Porsonus et sic Par. τίθασος Turn. τίθασσος Rob. πίθασος M. G. Ald. et Franzio teste Ven. Flor. πίθασσος Flor. ut Linwoodius ait, et Bekkero teste Ven. πιθασσός Farn. Male ὃν pro ὤν Stanleio sive potius Aurato scribendum videbatur. Deinde φίλος Μ. G. Par. Ven. Flor. Ald. Rob. Recte Turnebus φίλον.

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-259-1 σπενδομένα δ᾽ ἀφελεῖν τινὶ τάςδε μερίμνας Μοῖρ᾽ ἀτέλειαν ἐμαῖσι λιταῖς ἐπικραίνει, μηδ᾽ εἰς ἄγκρισιν ἐλθεῖν: σπευδόμεναι δ᾽ ἀφελεῖν τινὰ τάσδε μερίμνας, θεῶν δ᾽ ἀτέλειαν ἐμοῖσι λιταῖς ἐπικραίνειν, μηδ᾽ ἐς ἄγκρισιν ἐλθεῖν. Ita M. a quo ceteri libri in paucis dissentiunt. σπευδόμαι δ' Αld. male lecto compendio. Hinc σπεύδομαι δ' Turn. Deinde τίνα τάςδε Αld. τινα τᾶςδε Rob. Deinde ἐμᾶσι pro ἐμαῖσι G. Ald. Denique ἐς έγκρισιν Ven. Flor. Farn. Rob. ἐς ἄκροισιν G. ἐπ' ἄκροισιν Ald. Turn. Vict. ἐς ἄγκρισιν, quod M. habet, commemoratum a Stephano primus recepit Canterus. εἰς ἀγκρισιν scribendum esse Pauwius vidit. Scholiastae haec adnotatio est, εὔχομαι τοῖς θεοῖς τελέσαι μου τὸ βούλημα καὶ μὴ εἰς μάχην μοι ἐλθεῖν. Praeterea in M. ad τάςδε μερίμνας supra adseriplum est τῆς κλυταιμνήστρας. Neque intelligi possunt hi versus ut in libris scripti sunt, neque emendandi conatus successum habuerunt. Videor mihi nunc haec recte emendasse: σπενδομένα δ᾽ ἀφελεῖν τινὶ τάςδε μερίμνας Μοῖρ᾽ ἀτελείαν ἐμαῖσι λιταῖς ἐπικραίνει, μηδ᾽ εἰς ἄγκρισιν ἐλθεῖν. Moiga adscriptae, ut videtur, ad tirá explicationi 9ɛv cesserat. Dicitur autem Parca precibus, quibus Furiae invocantur, immunitatem a provocatione dare. Εμαῖσι λιταῖς enim passive dictum est. Ita in Sept. e. Th. v. 197. πρὸς μακάρων λιτάς. In Ag. v. 214. λιτὰς δὲ καὶ κληδόνας πατρῴους. In Euripidis Suppl. ν. 262. λιταὶ θεῶν.

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.

mvp-comment-104-1 οὔτοι κ.τ.λ.] 'No! not Apollo nor yet Athene's might can protect you from perishing (going to the bad') in utter neglect, without knowing the feeling of joy in your mind,a bloodless victim of us deities, a shadow of your former self.' There is a pause after this, and as Orestes makes no reply, the second Fury says, What! not a word in reply? Do you spurn converse, you who are fed and consecrated as my victim? The third adds, A victim too who shall be devoured alive, &c. Then the whole body of the chorus chant the spell, or binding hymn, which is to entrance the victim and place him wholly in their power. The fourteen introductory anapaestics form the parode.

mvp-comment-105-1 τραφείς] There is an allusion to the human victims called φαρμακοὶ οι δημόσιοι, who were sacrificed by the Athenians at the feast of Thargelia. See Photius in v. φαρμακός.

mvp-comment-106-1 ἄψωμεν] This clearly shows that dancing movements accompanied the music and singing. -ἐπεὶ κ.τ.λ., since we have resolved to show what we can do in doleful music, lit. to make a display of a hateful (joyless) strain. An Ionic form is used in place of the Attic δέδοκται (see Veitch, Gr. V. p. 199 ). -στυγερὰν, Schol.

mvp-comment-107-1 στάσις] 'our company, Ag. 1086 , Cho. 106 . —ἐπινωμᾷ, allots, distributes, the various fortunes that prevail among man. The Schol. explains ἐπισκοπεῖ.

mvp-comment-108-1 Ας προνέμειν is to hold out, for all to see, 8ο ἐπικρύπτειν is to muffle a blood-stained hand within a garment in order to conceal the crime.

mvp-comment-109-1 ἄγνισμα κύριον] ‘Our own proper (or lawful) victim for expiating a mother's murder.'

mvp-comment-110-1 τεθυμένῳ] Schol.

The sense is, Apollo tries to rescue him, but we have the victim bound on our altar, and this weird strain, depriving him of his senses-enchanting or fascinating him-prevents his escape.

mvp-comment-111-1 διανταία] All-pervading destiny has allotted to us this office to hold for all time, that whenever mortal men are implicated in murders of relations without due cause, these we should pursue till (the fugitive) reaches the world below; and even when dead he is not by any means free.' See sup. 167. Properly, a person would be said ξυμπίπτειν φόνῳ, τύχῃ, &c. but here, by a slight inversion, φόνος ξυμπίπτει τινι. The passage appears sound, and gives a good sense.

mvp-comment-112-1 γεινομέναισι] at our birth. Cf. v. 71. What follows is obscure and difficult: the Schol. explains μὴ πλησιάζειν ἡμᾶς τοῖς θεοῖς, ‘but to abstain from (keep our hands off) the gods, and not one (of them) shares with us in our feast.' He probably thought the infinitive depended on μοῖρ᾽ ἐπέκλωσεν, ν. 321. A more probable meaning is, 'But tis for the gods (viz. Apollo and Pallas) not to interfere with us. This is said especially in regard to v. 314, and the allusion in the next verse to the sable robes indicates the unfitness of their office for the god of joy and brightness, who is οὐ τοιοῦτος ὥστε θρηνητοῦ τυχεῖν, Αg. 1042.

mvp-comment-113-1 ὅταν κ.τ.λ.] i.e. whenever a relation is slain in a family feud. Schol.

mvp-comment-114-1 The MS. reading κρατερὸν ὄνθ᾽ ὁμοίως μαυροῦμεν ὑφ' αἵματος νέου is corrupt, as the metre of v. 350 shows. Hermann's reading μαυροῦμεν νέον αἷμα gives a good sense, by our pursuit of him, ho! strong as he is, we make weak his young blood. Hesych.

The meaning may be, we take the colour out of the fresh blood-stain. See sup. 270. The interjection & represents the hunter's cry (our tally-ho!), and is the ὠγμὸς οἱ ν. 121.

mvp-comment-115-1 This passage is very obscure, yet the metre does not indicate corruption. The Scholium is perplexing, εὔχομαι τοῖς θεοῖς τελέσαι μου τὸ βούλημα. If this is based on a reading τέλειον, the commentator understood the sense thus, and it is for the gods at my request to fulfil my wish. But nothing can be made of this. There is a further difficulty in ἀφελεῖν, which should rather be ἀφελέσθαι. Then a finite verb in the plural should follow σπευδόμεναι, for which the singular καταφέρω seems substituted in v.

mvp-comment-121-1 ὁ μηδὲ αἷμα σχήσων ἐξ ἡμῶν, ἀλλὰ γενησόμενος σκιά· ῥοφήσομεν γάρ σου τὸ αἷμα. ἢ ἐναίματον, ἀντὶ τοῦ ζῶντά σε νεκρὸν ποιήσομεν.

mvp-comment-122-1 οὐκ ἀποκρίνηι, ἢ ἀντὶ τοῦ) οὐδὲ ἀντιφωνήσεις μοι, ἀλλὰ σοῦ βουλομένου λαλεῖν τὸ φθέγμα δεθήσεται.

mvp-comment-123-1 ὡς ἐπὶ νεκρῶι.

mvp-comment-124-1 τοὺς κλήρους ἡμῶν (Vict. f. ὑμῶν). ἀπὸ κοινοῦ δὲ τὸ δεδόκηκεν.

mvp-comment-125-1 ἐπεὶ ὑπὲρ τῆς μητρὸς Ὀρέστου ἀγωνίζονται, εἰκότως τὴν μητέρα ἑαυτῶν ὀνομάζουσιν.

mvp-comment-126-1 ζῶσι καὶ θανοῦσιν ἔκδικον.

mvp-comment-127-1 τὸν τῶι ἰδίωι θανάτωι ἀφαγνιοῦντα τὸν φόνον τῆς μητρός· ἅγνισμα δέ τινες εὐφήμως τὸ μόλυσμα.

mvp-comment-128-1 ἐπὶ Ὀρέστηι δὲ μέλλοντι θύεσθαι λεχθήσεται ὕμνος ἐξ ἡμῶν ὡς ἐπὶ ἱερείωι, ὃς αὐτοῦ τὰς φρένας παρακόψει.

mvp-comment-129-1 παρακίνησις τῶν φρενῶν.

mvp-comment-130-1 ὁ δεσμεύων αὐτοῦ τὰς φρένας.

mvp-comment-131-1 ὁ ξηραίνων τοὺς βροτούς.

mvp-comment-132-1 ἡ διαμπὰξ τιμωρουμένη.

mvp-comment-133-1 αὐτοφονίαις.

mvp-comment-134-1 τούτοις ἡμᾶς ἀκολουθεῖν, ἕως ἀποθάνηι ὁ τοιοῦτος.

mvp-comment-135-1 ἐφυμνίωι (Abresch f. -ον) αὐτῶι χρῆται. λέγεται δὲ καὶ μεσόφθεγμα.

mvp-comment-136-1 ἀφόρμικτος: οὐ γὰρ σὺν ὀργάνοις μουσικοῖς γίνεται οὗτος ὁ ὕμνος. ὁ δεσμεύων αὐτοῦ τὰς φρένας.

mvp-comment-137-1 ἀντὶ τοῦ γέρα.

mvp-comment-138-1 μὴ πλησιάζειν ἡμᾶς τοῖς θεοῖς.

mvp-comment-139-1 οὐδαμοῦ ὅπου ἑορτὴ καὶ ἀμπεχόνη καθαρὰ πάρειμι.

mvp-comment-140-1 ὅταν τις ἐχθρὸς συγγενὴς ὢν τὸν συγγενῆ φονεύσηι.

mvp-comment-141-1 οἰκεῖος, φίλος.

mvp-comment-142-1 διὰ μέσου τὸ ὦ.

mvp-comment-143-1 διὰ τὸ νέον αἷμα. τοῦ νεωστὶ εἰργασμένου ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ.

mvp-comment-146-1 τοῖσιν αὐτουργίαις ξύμπασ ωσιν (ὦσι f): ξυμπέσωσιν Turn., ders. αὐτουργίαι (τοὶ σὺν -ίαις Meineke Weil mit verschiedener Fortsetzung).

mvp-comment-161-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 272

mvp-comment-161-2 zweites Epeisodion. Orestes ruft Athena zu Hilfe. Die Chorführerin weist jeden Beistand zurück.

mvp-comment-177-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 274

mvp-comment-177-2 παρημελημένον d. i. so dafs keiner nach dir fragt ( ἄιστον ἄπυστον). Sept. 689

.

mvp-comment-178-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 274

mvp-comment-178-2 ,,Ohne erfahren zu haben wo im Herzen die Freude wohnt“, weil du keine Freude genieſsen wirst. Vgl. 426 ὅπου τὸ χαίρειν μηδαμοῦ νομίζεται. Etwas anders Soph. Oed. K. 1217

.

mvp-comment-179-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 274

mvp-comment-179-2 Du eine blutleere Weide, nur Schatten von solchen die Blut haben, erwiderst mir nicht einmal?

mvp-comment-180-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 275

mvp-comment-180-2 καὶ ζῶν . . οὐδὲ . . σφαγείς, sogar lebend und nicht erst geschlachtet. οὐδὲ für καὶ οὐ wie öfter bei Dichtern ( Krüger II § 69, 60 ). μὲ δαίσεις wie Eur. Or. 15

mvp-comment-180-3 ¹

mvp-comment-181-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 275

mvp-comment-181-2 δέσμιον σέθεν wie δέσμιος φρενῶν 333: zu Cho. 235 . Der besinnungraubende" Gesang der Erinyen ,, schlingt die Bande um den Frevler". Der Ausdruck erinnert an magische Künste (vgl. Plat. Ges. XI p. 933 A μαγγανείαις καὶ ἐπῳδαῖς καὶ καταδέσεσι).

mvp-comment-182-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 275

mvp-comment-182-2 Unter der Begleitung der Anapäste, welche der Koryphaios vorträgt, ordnet sich der Chor in Reih und Glied, um sein Bannlied (322 ff.) zu singen und mit entsprechendem Tanz zu begleiten, indem die Figuren ( σχήματα) des Reigens, besonders bei den Ephymnien, die Idee des Bannenden und Bestrickenden zum Ausdruck bringen.

mvp-comment-183-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 275

mvp-comment-183-2 δεδόκηκεν wie Prom. 402

, Sept. 1027

δοκησάτω

, Eur. Med. 763

δεδόκησαι

u. a.

mvp-comment-184-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 275

mvp-comment-184-2 Schol. δεδόκηκεν ἡμῖν λέξαι τίνα τρόπον τὰ κατ᾿ ἀνθρώπους λάχη ἐφοδεύομεν. Vielmehr steht λάχη (,,das mir zugefallene Amt) wie 335, 348, 389, wie es 931 τὰ κατ᾿ ἀνθρώπους ἔλαχον διέπειν heifst. - ἐπινωμᾷ: ἐπισκοπεῖ und στάσις: σύστημα Schol.

mvp-comment-185-1 ²

mvp-comment-185-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 275

mvp-comment-185-3 Mit εὐθυδίκαιοι (gerecht richtend) vgl. ὀρθοδίκαιος 995. μαιόμεθα (wir bestreben uns wie μαιομένοις Cho. 782

Soph. Ai. 287 .

mvp-comment-186-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 275

mvp-comment-186-2 ,,Wohl dem, der frei von Schuld und Fehle" u. s. w.

mvp-comment-187-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 275

mvp-comment-187-2 ἀσινὴς . . διοιχνεί scil. ἕκα στος wie 340. Vgl. Plat. Prot. p. 324

mvp-comment-188-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 275

mvp-comment-188-2 ἐπικρύπτει, wer verstohlen des Mordes schwere That vollbracht".

mvp-comment-189-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 275

mvp-comment-189-2 μάρτυρες ορθοί (deren Zeugnis sich aufrecht erhält), vgl. Soph. Ai. 354 ὀρθὰ (was sich als wahr bestätigt) μαρτυρείν, Ant. 1195

.

mvp-comment-190-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 275

mvp-comment-190-2 πράκτορες, vgl. χερὶ πράκτορι Ag. 113 und φόνου πράκτορα Soph. El. 953 . τελέως: τα 954.

mvp-comment-190-3 ³

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-192-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 276

mvp-comment-192-2 Nicht unpassend ist die Bemerkung des Schol. :

mvp-comment-193-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 276

mvp-comment-193-2 Νύξ: zu 69. ποινὰν (abstr. pro concr.) ἀλαοῖσι καὶ δεδορκόσιν steht prädikativ zu μέ. ἀλαοῖσι καὶ δεδορκόσιν, Schol. ζῶσι καὶ θανοῦσιν. Vgl. 391.

mvp-comment-194-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 276

mvp-comment-194-2 ἄτιμόν με τίθησιν d. i. macht mich rechtlos.

mvp-comment-195-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 276

mvp-comment-195-2 πτῶκα κτἑ., den feigen Flüchtling (vgl. πτώσσοντας ὑφ᾽ Ἕκτορι Hom. Η 129 ), der nach Fug und Recht als Reinigungsmittel des Muttermords herhalten mufs, also uns nicht entzogen werden darf. Zu 292. Mit κύριον vgl. κύριοι 127.

mvp-comment-196-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 276

mvp-comment-196-2 τεθυμένῳ, der so gut wie geschlachtet, ein dem Tode geweihtes Schlachtopfer ist. Vgl. Eur. Med. 1264

. Schol. :

ἐπὶ Ὀρέστῃ δὲ μέλλοντι θύεσθαι λεχθήσεται ὕμνος ἐξ ἡμῶν ὡς ἐπὶ ἱερείω, ὃς αὐτοῦ τὰς φρένας παρακόψει

.

mvp-comment-197-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 276

mvp-comment-197-2 Geistzerstörende Verrückung. Um das gleiche Versmafs wie vorher (-) zu gewinnen, vermutet Rauchenstein φρενοβλαβής, Herwerden φρενομανής, Weil φρενοπλανής. Aber vgl. das Versmals in Cho. 802 – 804.

mvp-comment-198-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 277

mvp-comment-198-2 ἀφορμικτος (duldet nicht der Leier Klang"): zu_Ag. 980. αὐονά (Ausdörrung): Schol. ὁ ξηραίνων τοὺς βροτούς. Vgl. 138, 267.

mvp-comment-199-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 277

mvp-comment-199-2 διανταία, Schol. ἡ διαμπαξ τιμωρουμένη. Es bedeutet durchdringend" d. h.,,unnachgiebig, unwiderstehlich".

mvp-comment-199-3 ⁴

mvp-comment-200-1 ⁵

mvp-comment-200-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 277

mvp-comment-200-3 θνατῶν ist gen. part. zu τοῖσιν (οἷσιν): „Von den Sterblichen denjenigen, welchen es zustöfst, verwegen Hand an einen anderen anzulegen." τοΐσιν ξυμπέσωσιν ohne άv: zu 211. αὐτουργίαι wie αὐτοχειρίαι. μάταιοι gen. comm. wie Ag. 1149 , Cho. 81 . Die Bedeutung (frivol) wie Suppl. 770

, 235 ματαίων αἰτίας.

mvp-comment-201-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 277

mvp-comment-201-2 τοῖς (zu 137) κτἑ.: Schol. τούτοις ἡμᾶς ἀκολουθεῖν, ἕως ἀποθάνῃ ὁ τοιοῦτος. So jagen wir ihn . . fort und fort bis zu den Schatten und geben ihn auch dort nicht frei." Zu 175 f. In anderem Sinne heifst es Hom. Ο 204 οἶσθ᾽ ὡς πρεσβυτέροισιν ἐρινύες αν ἕπονται. Über den Singular nach dem Plural zu 316.

mvp-comment-202-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 277

mvp-comment-202-2 γιγνομέναισι: Hom. Υ 127 πείσεται άσσα οἱ αἶσα γινομένῳ ἐπένησε λίνῳ, ὅτε μιν τέκε μήτηρ. - ἐφ᾽ ἁμὶν ἐκράνθη, ἡμῖν ἐπεκράνθη. Die Verkürzung der zweiten Silbe von ἡμῖν, welche bei Sophokles öfter vorkommt, findet sich bei Äschylos nur hier, bei Euripides nirgends.

mvp-comment-203-1 ⁶

mvp-comment-203-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 277

mvp-comment-203-3 ἀθανάτων . . γέρας: Schol. μὴ πλησιάζειν ἡμᾶς τοῖς θεοῖς.

mvp-comment-204-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 277

mvp-comment-204-2 παλλεύκων (zu 52) πέ πλων ἀνέορτος ἄφαρος ἐτύχθην giebt in dichterischer Weise den Gedanken: des hellweifsen Festgewandes Freude ist mir versagt. Schol. οὐδαμοῦ ὅπου ἑορτὴ καὶ ἀμπεχόνη καθαρά, πάρειμι. Mit πέπλων ἀνέορτος ἄφαρος (zu Ag. 158 ) vgl. 894 und Eur. El. 310 άv έog τος ἱερῶν, Eur. Phoen. 324

mvp-comment-205-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 278

mvp-comment-205-2 Ἀρης τιθασὸς ὤν, Ares in zahmer Gestalt, d. h. wenn nicht Feinde im Kriege, sondern Freunde (Verwandte) zu Hause das Blut von Freunden vergiessen.

mvp-comment-206-1 ⁷

mvp-comment-206-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 278

mvp-comment-206-3 ὧδε weist auf die aufserliche Darstellung durch die Cheironomie und den Tanz hin.

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.

mvp-comment-208-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 278

mvp-comment-208-2 ὑπό (,,unter Einwirkung von“) wie Soph. Ant. 221 ὑπ᾽ ἐλ πίδων ἄνδρας τὸ κέρδος πολλάκις διώλεσεν.

mvp-comment-209-1 ⁸

mvp-comment-209-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 278

mvp-comment-209-3 aïde, wir hier. τινά, Zeus und die anderen Götter. Wir sind bestrebt, die Götter dieser Sorgen zu entledigen und Freiheit derselben von solcher Last durch die Rufe zu uns zu bewirken, damit sie sich nicht auf die Untersuchung von Mord einzulassen haben; denn Zeus hat dieses bluttriefende hassenswerte Volk (der Mörder) von seiner Unterredung verbannt. ἐμοῖσι nach σπεύδομεν, wie in Chorgesängen Singular und Plural häufig wechselt. ἐμοῖσι vertritt den gen. obi. zu λιταῖς. Man ruft die Erinyen an (515), weil man von ihnen Verfolgung des Mörders erwartet, und behelligt nicht die Götter mit solchen Greueln. μηδὲ ( θεοὺς) . ἐλθεῖν schliefst sich an ἀτέλειαν an, ist also auch von ἐπικραίνειν ( ποιεῖν ὥστε) abhängig. ἀνάκρι σις nach attischem Recht die Voruntersuchung des Beamten ( ἐξέτασις ὑφ᾽ ἑκάστης ἀρχῆς γινομένη πρὸ τῶν δικῶν Harpokr.), hier die Untersuchung überhaupt, welche einen mündlichen Verkehr mit dem Mörder fordert. Die Form αἷμοσταγής statt der gewöhnlichen αἱματοσταγής kommt auch bei Eurip. (frg. 388) vor. &ς: ὅς noch Sept. 628 . ἀνατροπάς (scil. δωμάτων nach 355) steht in freier Weise als Apposition zu τάσδε μερίμνας.

ὅπου φρενῶν , where in the heart it lies.

mvp-sidgwick-154-1-1 A bloodless victim she calls Orestes, consistently with the threat ( ll. 264, 267

), I will drain thee dry and carry thee below.

δαιμόνων is the powers below, i, e. both the Furies who will drink his blood and Hades ( l. 274

) who ordains and directs the vengeance.

σκιάν , a shadow, not a ghost, for he was to be carried off below yet living ( l. 267

): but all the vigour sucked out of him with his blood. [Schol. reads σκιά with MSS., and takes it voc. Unlikely.]

mvp-sidgwick-155-1-1 Orestes maintains a patient and scornful silence: which rouses the Chorus to still greater fury. There would be a dramatic pause before this line; then the furious threat l. 305

. There is no need to divide the speech between different speakers, as Hartung, Paley, and others, following M. G.

ὕμνον δέσμιον σέθεν , the song that binds thee, the choric song acting as an infernal spell to make Orestes their prey: and perhaps accompanied by mysterious binding gestures.

δεδόκηκεν , 'tis our resolve, poetic form for regular δέδοκται.

λάχη might be the office of the Furies, as Cho. 360 : but with ἐπινωμᾷ it makes better sense to refer it to ἀνθρώπους. How our troop assigns the lots of men.

στάσις , as Choeph. 114, 458 .

mvp-sidgwick-159-1-1 I take Hermann's original correction προνέμοντα, that puts forth for all to see: opposed to the action of the guilty man who hides ( l. 317

) his bloody hands.

mvp-sidgwick-160-1-1 I take Hermann's corr. εὐθυδίκαιοι (justified by

l. 994 ) and H. L. Ahrens' οἰόμεθ'.

πράκτορες , avengers, from πράσσειν in the special sense to exact a debt. So

l. 624 ,

χερὶ πράκτορι

Ag. 111 . For the masc. form πράκτωρ with fem. substantive cf. line 186.

τελέως , unfailingly: it goes with παραγιγ. πρακ. and expresses the persistent and complete vengeance.

ἀλαοῖσι καὶ δεδορκόσιν , the sightless and the seeing, i. e. the dead and the living. So

l. 388 .

ματρῷον ἅγνισμα κύριον φόνου , rightful atonement for a mother's blood ματρῷον poetically transferred from φόνου to ἄγνισμα, as the thought comes naturally in that order expiation for a mother for her blood. ...

αὐονά is also found (Simon. Iamb. vii. 20) in the sense of cry, [from root αϝ, shout] and it may be so taken here by joining it with

ἀφόρμικτος , a cry unmusical to men: but the other sense from

αὐαίνω , to wither or waste, is more forcible, and so the Schol. Med. takes it: ὁ ξηραίνων τοὺς βροτούς.

διανταία , piercing, deadly, a favourite word of Aeschylus, usually of wounding:

Theb. 894 ,

δ. βέλει

Cho. 184 , and again

δ. οὐτῷ

ib. 640 .

mvp-sidgwick-166-2-1 This is far more Aeschylean and forcible than the common rendering all pervading (Lin. Pal. Hart. Mors. etc., following Schol.).

mvp-sidgwick-167-1-1 Taking the old corrections of the corrupt text, which are much the simplest and best, we get a good sense:

ξυμπέσωσιν is suspected by some edd.: why, they ask, should Furies pursue those whom murder falls in with, i. e. who are accidentally guilty of murder?

ξυμπέσωσι , befall, for a deliberate murder, we have μάταιοι (lit. vain, foolish,) for wicked: ὁμαρτεῖν (lit. to attend on), for the relentless pursuit of the Furies: οὐκ ἄγαν ἐλεύθερος meaning he is never quit of us.

τοῖσιν for relative, so, e. g. Ag. 526, 642 , Cho. 604 , Eum. 918, Theb. 519 , etc.: (2)

ξυμπέσωσιν , indef. subj. with no ἄν attached to the relative,-both common survivals in tragedy : and (3)

ὄφρα ἄν for until.

λάχη . here, as l. 334

, office.

ἐκράνθη , assigned: so Suppl. 943

fixed, settled.

ἀθανάτων δ᾽ ἀπέχειν χέρας , but from the immortals to keep away. The ἀθανάτων δέ is opposed to the θνατῶν of the previous stanza l. 336

. Their office is to pursue the guilty man, but they have nothing to do with gods.

mvp-sidgwick-170-1-1 This line does not correspond to the antistrophic line,

but both make good sense, and there is no specially suspicious word in either. Under these circumstances it is quite easy to make them correspond in numerous different ways, by changing one, or the other, or both. But the best correction is to read ἀνέορτον for ἄμοιρον here, and in the antistrophe to read δ' αἱμοσταγές for γὰρ αἱματοσταγές. In pure white robes I have no festal part.

mvp-sidgwick-170-2-1 The Eumenides as nether and evil powers had no lot nor part in the festivals of gods where white robes were worn: they were μελανεί- μονες, black-robed, l. 376

,

μέλαιναι,

l. 52 , φαιοχίτωνες, dusky in garb, Cho. 1048 , as became daughters of Night.

mvp-sidgwick-171-1-1 Whenever the Wargod is tamed and slays a friend, an imaginative phrase, obscure from its very boldness: he means when Strife in the house sheds a kinsman's blood.

διόμεναι , Epic word, pursuing. Homer has it always transitive: here it seems best to take it intrans. with prep. pursuing after him. [It might be tmesis for ἐπιδιόμεναι : but ὦ makes this less likely. Perhaps E. A. Ahrens' ὧδ' ἱέμεναι, which is certainly very ingenious, is the true reading.]

τόν , Epic demonst. use. [Others read ἐπιτόνως: but Schol. had our reading, for he remarks on the position of ὦ.]

mvp-sidgwick-172-3-1 ll. 358-359

are read in the MSS. :

κρατερὸν ὄνθ᾽ ὁμοίως

μαυροῦμεν ὑφ᾽ [or ἐφ᾽] αἵματος νέου,

and in the antistrophe :

σφαλερὰ τανυδρόμοις

κῶλα δύσφορον ἄταν.

The best emendation seems to be Weil's:

κρατερὸν ὄνθ᾽ ὅμως ἀμαυρ-

οῦμεν αἵματος νέου,

and in the antistrophe:

σφαλερὰ τανυδρόμοις ὅμως

κῶλα, δύσφορον μάταν.

mvp-sidgwick-172-4-1 The meaning of the passage before us will then be:

mvp-sidgwick-172-5-1 The genitive will then be a genitive of the cause (like θράσους τοῦδ᾽ οὐκ ἀλύξεις Soph. Εl. 627, for this daring thou shalt not escape) or perhaps the more special gen. of the charge (like ἁλῶναι κλοπῆς, διώκειν φόνου, etc.).

mvp-sidgwick-172-6-1 For a fuller discussion see Appendix.

mvp-sidgwick-173-1-1 Again an obscure passage. MSS. read :

And then should follow what has got displaced in the MSS.:

μάλα γὰρ οὖν ἁλομένα, κ.τ.λ.

mvp-sidgwick-173-2-1 Where the general drift seems to be: [I pursue the guilty] and am eager to relieve another (the gods) of this charge, and set the gods free, and prevent the crime from coming to trial-for Zeus has banished the guilty from his sight, etc.

mvp-sidgwick-173-3-1 This seems to make a fair sense, and it is best with most editors to suppose the nom. pendens σπευδόμεναι to be taken up again by μάλα γὰρ οὖν, so that the sentence is only grammatically completed when we reach καταφέρω.

mvp-sidgwick-173-4-1 [This anacoluthon is rather harsh: Wecklein and Kirchhoff take Döderlein's suggestion σπεύδομεν αΐδ', we here are eager. But the phrase is then abrupt and unnatural.]

mvp-sidgwick-173-5-1 The points that remain are:

mvp-sidgwick-173-6-1 (1) 362 ἐμαῖσι λιταῖς, which, if right, must be referred to the prayer of the Eumenides to Apollo not to interfere. But the passage is too general to refer specially to Orestes, though he is of course in their minds. So that perhaps ἐμαῖς μελέταις is better, and by my labour to set the gods free (lit. to bring about the freedom or immunity of the gods, i. e. freedom from the duty of punishing the criminal).

mvp-sidgwick-173-7-1 (2) 363 μηδ' εἰς ἄγκρισιν ἐλθεῖν: i. e. to take the guilty into my own hands and prevent the matter from being tried by the gods;the very thing they feared was going to be done with Orestes. ἄγκρισις or ἀνάκρισις is the technical term for the preliminary investigation by a magistrate.

mvp-sidgwick-173-8-1 (3) Bloody hateful race, i.e. as Schol. explains, the race of murderers: the whole passage from l. 348

being a general description of the office of the Furies and their relation to the gods. [H. P. and others refer ἔθνοs to Furies: but they would hardly call themselves ἀξιώμισον.]

mvp-sidgwick-173-9-1 The whole passage may then be translated as follows: