373. ὑπ᾿ αἰθέρι , beneath the sky, i.e. when they are living on earth.

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).

377. λυμή is the destruction which attacks his mind, and blinds him to the threatening evil;

377. τόδε is best taken (not of the fall as many edd., which would be simply

377. πίπτων οὐκ οἶδεν , but) of the presence and power of the Furies.

378. κνέφας . is in apposition to

378. μύσος , and is predicative: we should say, So dark a cloud of pollution hovereth over him .

378. ἐπί , Epic adverbial use (tmesis) of the preposition, going with the verb.

381. μένει γάρ , for the law abides: so μίμνει Ag. 1563. But it is obscure and abrupt: and possibly corrupted.

382. ἐσμέν is easily understood: Crafty are we, and unfailing to accomplish.

385-388. διόμεναι is rather a strange word (though the English to pursue a task or charge exactly illustrates it): hence Heath ingeniously suggested διέπο- μεν. But διόμεναι was read by Schol. and the MS. may stand.

387. ἀνηλίῳ λάμπᾳ , lit. in sunless light, an oxymoron, meaning in a light which is no light, where no sunlight shines. [Others translate

387. λάμπᾳ , filth, mould; for there is a very late word λάμπη, 'scum; and Dind. adopts Wieseler's conj. λάπᾳ in the same sense. But the strain of meaning is very harsh, and the word in the last degree unlikely.]

387. δυσοδοπαίπαλα is suspicious, as the metaphor is rather harsh (though perhaps continued from διόμεναι): the metre does not correspond with the antistrophe (καίπερ ὑπὸ χθόνα); and the double compound with δυσis unusual, indeed unique.

393. δοθέντα τέλεον , adj. used proleptically, granted for sure accomplishment.

398. γῆν καταφθατουμένη . Some further alter γῆν into γῆς, and translate hastening from; but the land of Scamander would be a strange expression, and a much fuller and better sense is gained by translating

398. καταφθατουμένη , occupying, hasting to claim the land. (So Hesych. who has καταφθατουμένη, κατακτωμένη.)

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,

ἐν σοί commonly :

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,

: 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.

mvp-comment-263-1 τακόμεναι κατὰ γᾶς: τακόμεναι ad prius a supra adscripto η Flor. τ᾿ ἀκόμεναι G. Ald. Deinde libri κατὰ γῆν. Scripsi κατὰ γᾶς. Tum μηνύθουσιν Farn.

mvp-comment-264-1 ἡμετέραις: ἡμετέροις Rob. ἐφόδους μελανοίμοσιν Αld.

mvp-comment-265-1 ἐπιφθόνοις: ἐπὶ φόνοις Rob. Ceteri επιφόνοις. Emendavit Heathius.

mvp-comment-266-1 πίπτων δ᾽ οὐκ οἶδεν ... λύμα: πίπτον Αld. οἶδεν M. G. Ald. Rob. οἶδε Ven. Flor. Turn. λυμα Ald. Turn.

mvp-comment-267-1 ποῖον ἐπὶ ... μύσος πεπόταται: τοῖον ἐπὶ Heathius. Libri τοῖον γὰρ ἐπί. Deinde μύσος Victorius. μύσος M. Ven. Rob. Turn. μῖσος G. Ald. Denique επιπόταται Rob.

mvp-comment-268-1 δνοφεράν ... ἀχλὺν κατὰ δώματος: κεδνοφεράν et καταδύματος Rob. ἀχλήν Αld.

mvp-comment-269-1 μένει γάρ: μένει γάρ, manet enim firmum hoc: sumus promptae, i. e. nos esse promptas. Ag. v. 1530. μίμνει δὲ μίμνοντος ἐν θρόνῳ Διὸς παθεῖν τὸν ἔρξαντα. V. Opusc. VI. 2. p. 74.

mvp-comment-270-1 τε: τε recte et necessario Wakefieldius. Libri δέ. Particulae τε και etiam in antistropha in eodem loco sunt.

mvp-comment-271-1 τε μνήμονες, σεμναὶ: τε τλήμονες σεμναὶ Par. τε μνήμονες τε σεμναὶ Ven. Flor.

mvp-comment-272-1 δυςπαρήγοροι: δυσπαράγωγοι Farn.

mvp-comment-273-1 ἀτίετα: ἀτίετα Canterus. ἀτίεται M. G. Par. Ald. Rob. Turn. ἀτίετον Ven. Flor. Farn.

mvp-comment-274-1 διχοστατοῦντ᾽: διχοστατοῦντο Ven. Flor. Rob. διχοστατοῦ | τ' Μ. G. Turn. διχοστατού | τ' Αld.

mvp-comment-275-1 λάμπα, δυςοδοπαίπαλα: λάμπαι Μ. G. Par. Farn. Ald. λαμπα Ven. Flor. Rob. λάμψαι Turn. Perperam Wieselerus scribendum coniecit λάπα, situ, quod verum putaverunt et alii et Dindorfius in Parisiensi editione Thesauri Stephani. Rectissime Canterus λάμπα. Vsus est hoc vocabulo Aeschylus, ut videtur, etiam infra v. 1022. et, ut Musgravius intellexit, Euripides in Suppl. v. 993. ubi scribendum est λάμπαι δ᾽ ὠκύθοοί νιν ἀμφιππεύουσι δι᾽ ὄρφνας. Nihil autem aliud ἀνηλίῳ λάμπα significatur quam sole destituta caligo, quae mox v. 388. δυςήλιον κνέφας dicitur. Sic in Simonidis carmine de Danae νυκτιλαμπεῖ κυανέῳ τε διάφοτανυσθείς, et sexcenta alia, in quibus lucis et similium rerum notio tantum ad augendum contrarium adiicitur. V. Seidl. ad Eur. Troad. v. 566. Deinde δυσοδοπαίπαλα M. Turn. δυσοδοπαίπαλα G. δυσόδῳ παίπαλα Ald. δυσοπαίπαλα Ven. Flor. Farn. Rob.

mvp-comment-276-1 δερκομένοισι: δερχομένοισι Ald. καὶ δερκόμενοισι, adscripto ἴαμβος, Farn.

mvp-comment-277-1 ἅζεται: οὐχ ἅζεται Turn. οὐχάζεται M. G. Ven. Flor. Farn. Rob. οὐχ ἄζεται Ald.

mvp-comment-278-1 δέδοικεν: Libri δέδοικε.

mvp-comment-279-1 θεσμὸν: θεσμῶν Par.

mvp-comment-280-1 τὸν μοιρόκραντον: μοιρόκραντον Turn. et, ut videtur, M. μοιρόκραντον G. Ald. μοιρόκρατον Rob. μυρόκραντον, ad v supra adscripto or, Ven. Flor.

mvp-comment-281-1 ἔτι δέ μοι ... γέρας παλαιόν: ἔπι δέ μοι γέρας etc. M. G. Ven. Flor. et sic Victorius. ἐπὶ δέ μοι γέρας etc. Ald. Rob. ἔστι δέ μοι γέρας etc. Turn. ἔπι scholiastes interpretatur ἔπεστιν. Scripsi ἔτι δέ μοι * μένει* γέρας παλαιόν etc. Nam iambum excidisse patet.

mvp-comment-282-1 κύρω: Libri κυρῶ. Metri caussa iam olim dedi κύρω. V. ad Soph. Ai. v. 314.

mvp-comment-283-1 τάξιν: τάξιν γ' Ven. Flor. et adscripto ἴαμβος Farn.

mvp-comment-284-1 γῆν καταφθατουμένη: Libri τὴν καταθατουμένην. Robortellus corrigi iubet καιταφατουμένην. Stanleius et Bentleius scribendum viderunt γῆν καταφθατουμένη. Nominativum participii scholiastes legit, qui καταφθάνουσα adscripsit: hoc enim, non καταφθάνουσαν, habent M. G. Hesychius ex hoc loco καταφατουμένη (sic), κατακτωμένη, κυρίως δὲ τὸ ἐκ προκαταλήψεως. Scholiastes Μιτυληναῖοι ἐμάχοντο πρὸς Αθηναίους περὶ πόλεως Σιγείου. ἔδοξεν οὖν μονομαχία (sic M.) λῦσαι τὸν πόλεμον· καὶ ὑπὲρ μὲν Μιτυληναίων ἐπολέμει Πιττακός, ὑπὲρ δὲ Ἀθηναίων Φρύνων. ηττηθέντος δὲ Φρύνωνος διελύθη τὰ τῆς μάχης. ἔοικεν οὖν παρορμῶν Ἀθηναίους ὁ Αἰσχύλος εἰς τὸ ἀντέχεσθαι πάλιν Σιγείου, λέγων τὴν θεὸν ἐκεῖθεν ἐληλυθέναι. V. Strabonem XIII. p. 599. seq. et interpretes Herodoti ad V. 94. 95.

mvp-comment-285-1 ἣν δῆτ᾽: Scribendum est fortasse ἣν δή γ' Ἀχαιῶν etc.

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-116-1 It is easy however to read σπευδομένα. Between τάσδε and τᾶσδε there is a further doubt; a gloss in the Med. explains the latter of Clytemnestra. We may perhaps (comparing inf. 808) translate, 'and in my eagerness to remove another (i.e. Apollo) from this care, -for the gods can only prevent prayers to me from being fulfilled, but they must not come to a dispute with me, since Zeus disowns, as unworthy of converse, this blood-dripping and accursed race, -in doing this, I say ( γὰρ οὖν), I bring down from far above the heavy-falling force of my foot, my nimble limbs which trip up in the end even runners in a long course, a calamity hard for them to bear. That is, that Apollo may not rescue him, I now pursue him. The Schol. seems here right, τοῖς τανυδρόμοις αὐτῶν ἐπάγουσα τὰ σφαλερά μου κῶλα, οἷον, καὶ οἱ ταχυδρόμοι οὐ δύνανταί με ἐκφυγεῖν. For the notion of a demon leaping down see on 4--2 v. 169. As to ἀτέλειαν, ‘non-fulfilment,' the doctrine is held in view, that the gods do not directly thwart or interfere with each other's designs: see Eur. Hipp. 1330 .

mvp-comment-117-1 δόξαι κ.τ.λ.] Even the proud and high conceits of men are brought low in the other world in those who come under the spell of our weird dance. Schol.

mvp-comment-118-1 οὐκ οἶδεν] The proud man is for long unconscious that we have him in our grasp. Like the physical pining by blood-draining (v. 257), so the moral and social descent of the family is gradual and unperceived; a gloom comes over the house, and evil things are said of it: it is under a cloud, as we express it.

mvp-comment-119-1 Schol.

Id. κακὴ δὲ φήμη περὶ τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ λέγεται. Perhaps he read δνοφερὰ ἀχλὺς, by which this sentence more nearly fits the syntax of the preceding. Cf. Eur. Phoen. 125

οὗτος Μυκηναῖος μὲν αὐδᾶται γένος.

Hesych.

αὐδᾶται: λέγεται.

But αὐδᾶται may be the middle voice, or ἀχλὺν may stand in apposition to the sentence. Pers. 666

Στυγία γάρ τις ἐπ᾿ ἀχλὺς πεπόταται.

mvp-comment-120-1 μένει γάρ] 'For 'tis an abiding law. If we compare Ag. 1540

we shall conclude that the poet means to say that the fate he has described is inevitable. It is called a θεσμός, inf. 369. And the Furies go on to declare that they have means to work out their will, never forget and never forgive either in this world or the next. Cf. Prom. 524

Μοῖραι τρίμορφοι μνήμονές τ᾿ ᾿Ερινύες.

Αjax 1390

μνήμων τ᾽᾽ Ερινὺς καὶ τελεσφόρος Δίκη.

mvp-comment-121-1 λάμπᾳ] Inf. 994 and in Eur. Suppl. 993 the word seems the same as λαμπάς, but the Schol. explains, our duties are kept apart from those of the gods through the sunless gloom in which we exercise them ( τῷ προσόντι αὐτοῖς σκότει). Photius, λάμπη· παχὺς ἀφρὸς ἐπιπολῆς τοῦ οἴνου. Perhaps the Schol. took a sunless torch to mean the absence of sunlight. There was a word λάπη, which Hesychius (in λάπτης) explains βόρβορος, and Wieseler proposed to restore it here. ibid. δυσοδοπαίπαλα] Schol.

In place of λάχη we seem to want some word meaning ὁδοὺς, 'pursuing them over rough and difficult ways. By a harsh figure, the duties ( λάχη) of the pursuers are themselves called rough and rugged for the pursued.

mvp-comment-122-1 πρόσωθεν] Athena, invoked by Orestes at v. 287 to hasten to his aid, now appears on the μηχανή in an aerial car, as it seems from v. 383. She has arrived, she says, from the Troad, where she was taking first possession (in the name of her Athenian people) of Sigeum, the right to which was then, the Schol. tells us, being contested by the Mitylenians. Hesych.

With φθατέω and ἔφθην compare στατέω and ἔστην. The compound does not elsewhere occur.

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

mvp-comment-124-1 πώλοις] Schol.

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

(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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

-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

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-148-1 καὶ τοὺς ὑψηλοὺς καθαιροῦμεν.

mvp-comment-149-1 τοῖς τανυδρόμοις αὐτῶν κώλοις ἐπάγουσα τὰ σφαλερά μου κῶλα. ἢ ἀπ᾿ ἄλλης ἀρχῆς, καὶ τοῖς τανυδρόμοις γίνεται σφαλερὰ τὰ κῶλα διὰ τὴν ἐπιοῦσαν αὐτοῖς ἄτην δύσφορον ὑπ᾿ ἐμοῦ. οἷον, καὶ οἱ ταχυδρόμοι οὐ δύνανταί με ἐκφυγεῖν.

mvp-comment-150-1 παραφρονῶν (Steph. f. περιφρ.) γὰρ οὐκ αἰσθάνεται τοῦ κακοῦ.

mvp-comment-151-1 σκότος φρενῶν. λείπειν φασὶ διά, διὰ (Kirchh. f. δὲ) μύσος· οὐκ ἔστι δέ, αὐτὸ γὰρ τὸ μύσος κνέφας εἴρηκεν.

mvp-comment-152-1 κακὴ δὲ φήμη περὶ τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ λέγεται.

mvp-comment-153-1 λείπει τὸ ἐσμέν. ἡμεῖς γὰρ εὐμήχανοι ἐσμεν καὶ ἐπιτελεστικαὶ καὶ τῶν κακῶν μνήμονες.

mvp-comment-154-1 οὐ ταχέως παρηγορούμεναι ὑπὸ βροτῶν.

mvp-comment-155-1 ἀφωρισμένα τῶν θεῶν τῶι προσόντι αὐτοῖς σκότει. μετερχόμεναι λάχη ὑπὲρ ὧν οὐ τιμώμεθα ὑπὸ θεῶν.

mvp-comment-156-1 δυσπαράβατα καὶ τραχέα ζῶσι καὶ τοῖς θνήισκουσιν (καὶ τεθνηκόσιν Wieseler).

mvp-comment-157-1 τὸν ὑπὸ Μοιρῶν καὶ θεῶν τετελεσμένον.

mvp-comment-158-1 ἔπεστιν.

mvp-comment-159-1 ἐπὶ ὀχήματος ἔρχεται.

mvp-comment-160-1 Μιτυληναῖοι ἐμάχοντο πρὸς Αθηναίους περὶ πόλεως Σιγείου. ἔδοξεν οὖν μονομαχίωι λῦσαι τὸν πόλεμον· καὶ ὑπὲρ μὲν Μιτυληναίων ἐπολέμει Πιττακός, ὑπὲρ δὲ Ἀθηναίων Φρύνων. ἡττηθέντος δὲ Φρύνωνος διελύθη τὰ τῆς μάχης. ἔοικεν οὖν παρορμᾶν Ἀθηναίους ὁ Αἰσχύλος εἰς τὸ ἀντέχεσθαι πάλιν Σιγείου, λέγων τὴν θεὸν ἐκεῖθεν ἐληλυθέναι. καταφθάνουσα.

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 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-211-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 279

mvp-comment-211-2 Mit gewaltigem Sprunge setze ich von oben auf ihn nieder die schwer auf ihn fallende Spitze des Fufses, die ihn um so sicherer zum Falle bringt, als den Weitausholenden die Fülse leicht ausgleiten. ποδὸς ἀκμάν wie Pers. 1061

(mit den Fingerspitzen), Soph. Oed. T. 1243

κόμην σπῶσ᾽ ἀμφιδεξίοις ἀκ μαῖς. σφαλερὰ (γάρ ἐστι τανυδρόμοις καλα

steht als Zwischensatz und als Begründung zu δύσ φορον ἄταν (schwer zu tragendes Unheil), welches Apposition zu βαρυπεσῆ ποδὸς ἀκμάν ist. δρόμοις, weil sie mir entrinnen wollen. τανυ

mvp-comment-212-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 279

mvp-comment-212-2 Er stürzt ohne sich dessen zu versehen infolge verderblichen Wahnsinns; so grofs ist die Dunkelheit, welche mit der Befleckung auf dem Manne gelagert ist, wie auf seinem Hause schwarze Finsternis ruht, welche die vielen Klagen des Volkes auf dasselbe werfen. τοῖον κνέφας steht prädikativ zu dem Subjekt μύσος. — ἐπιπεπότα ται ebenso Pers. 672

(med.) πολύστονος φάτις vgl. Ag. 463 , Cho. 51

δνόφοι καλύ πτουσι δόμους

.

mvp-comment-213-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 279

mvp-comment-213-2 μένει γάρ wie Ag. 1562 . Der Gesamtchor fafst das von den einzelnen Reihen Vorgetragene zusammen. εὐμήχανοι τε καὶ τέλειοι ( οὖσαι), d. i. die wir (die uns zufallende Rache) vollbringen und dazu viele Mittel und Wege haben. τε vor μνήμονες braucht nicht als lange Silbe betrachtet zu werden, zu Ag. 980 . μνήμονες wie Prom. 532

- μονές τ' Ερινύες. σεμναί, unnahbar. ἄτιμ᾽ ἀτίετα κτέ, das Amt, dessen wir walten, ist nicht geehrt, nicht geachtet, insofern wir fern von den Göttern in sonnenlosem Moder unsere Stelle haben. διέπομεν wie 932. διχοστα τοῦντα, vgl. 350. ἀνηλίω λάπα das gleiche wie ζόφω ευρώεντι Hymn. auf Demeter 482. λάχη δυσοδοπαίπαλα κτἑ., Schol. δυσπαράβατα καὶ τραχέα ζῶσι καὶ τεθνηκόσιν. Schwer wandeln den rauhen Pfad zu mir Lebende wie Tote. Vgl. Hom. ω 10 ευρώεντα κέλευθα, Verg. Aen. VI 462 per loca senta situ noctemque profundam. Also,,ich habe meinen Wohnsitz fern von den Göttern an dunkler, unzugänglicher Stätte". Indes ist δυσοδοπαίπαλα wegen mangelhafter Responsion mit καίπερ ὑπὸ χθόνα (398) zu beanstanden. Heimsöth vermutet δυσποροπαίπαλα, Weil δυσποδοπαίπαλα, Oberdick δύσβατα, παίπαλα, Davies δυσβατοπαίπαλα. δερκομένοισι καὶ δυσομμάτοις wie ἀλαοῖσι καὶ δεδορκόσιν 323.

mvp-comment-214-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 280

mvp-comment-214-2 Schol. τὸν ὑπὸ Μοιρῶν καὶ θεῶν τετελεσμένον. Die Mören haben die Satzungen der Erinyen festgesetzt, das junge Göttergeschlecht hat sie bestätigt.

mvp-comment-215-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 280

mvp-comment-215-2 καίπερ τάξιν ἔχουσα ὑπὸ χθόνα καὶ δυσήλιον κνέφας. Vgl. zu Cho. 990 .

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-217-1 ²

mvp-comment-217-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 280

mvp-comment-217-3 ἀπὸ Σκαμάνδρου wie πρό σωθεν (fern am Skamander): vgl. zu Ag. 543 . καταφθατουμένη: κατακτωμένη· κυρίως δὲ τὸ ἐκ προκαταλήψεως Hesych. Vgl. φθ ( ο) α- τήσει: φθάσει κτήσασθαι ebd. Das Wort kommt nur an unserer Stelle vor, wo die Erklärung κατακτωμένη dem Sinne gut entspricht. Die Ableitung von φθάνω scheint unrichtig. Gemeint ist das Gebiet von Sigeion, wo Athena einen Tempel hatte ( Herod. V 95 ). Nach der Darstellung des Aschylos wurde das Land schon im trojanischen Kriege den Söhnen des Theseus (und der Athena) zugesprochen. Es verhält sich mit diesem uralten Besitztitel ähnlich wie mit dem aus Homer abgeleiteten Anspruch auf Salamis. Als gegen Ende des siebenten Jahrh. v. Chr. attische Kolonisten unter Anführung des Olympioniken Phrynon sich in Sigeion festgesetzt hatten und die Mytilenäer Sigeion als ihr Eigentum zurückforderten, machten ihnen die Athener gegenüber geltend, dafs ihnen und allen Hellenen, welche Menelaos in der Ahndung des Raubes der Helena unterstützt hätten, ebenso viel Recht auf das Gebiet von Troas zukomme wie den Äoliern ( Herod. V 94 ). Ein Zweikampf des Pittakos und des Phrynon sollte den Streit entscheiden. Phrynon unterlag. Als der Krieg trotzdem fortdauerte, wurde Periander von Korinth von beiden Parteien zum Schiedsrichter erwählt. Dieser entschied, beide Teile sollten das Land behalten, das sie besäfsen. So kamen die Athener in den vollen Besitz des Landes ( Herod. V 95 , Strabon XIIIp. 600 , Diog. L. I 74 ) und die Meinung des Schol., dafs Äschylos mit unserer Stelle die Athener aufreize, wieder auf Sigeion Anspruch zu machen, scheint unbegründet.

mvp-comment-218-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 281

mvp-comment-218-2 δῆτα, eben. ᾿Αχαιῶν: mit diesem Worte sind hinreichend die Teilnehmer des trojanischen Krieges angezeigt.

mvp-comment-219-1 ³

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

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

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

, 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 ⁴

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 ⁵

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

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

(als ob ἀνδράσι προσήκει vorherginge). σπαρτών, Gezeugter.

mvp-comment-224-4 ⁶

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 ⁷

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 ⁸

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

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

: 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 ⁹

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 ¹⁰

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. :

. 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. :

. 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

.

mvp-comment-243-1 ¹¹

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

. Uber επάξια vgl. Krüger I § 46, 6, 4 .

mvp-comment-244-1 ¹²

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 ¹³

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

).

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 :

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 ¹⁴

mvp-comment-250-1 ¹⁵

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 :

. - 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 ¹⁶

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

.

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 ¹⁷

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 ¹⁸

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

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

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

mvp-comment-260-1 ¹⁹

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 ²⁰

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

; 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 ²¹

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 ²²

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

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

, 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 ²³

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

, 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

.

mvp-comment-270-1 ²⁴

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

. Vgl. zu 488.

mvp-comment-272-1 ²⁵

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 ²⁶

mvp-comment-273-1 ²⁷

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 ²⁸

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

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

), 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

, 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 ²⁹

ὑπ᾿ αἰθέρι , beneath the sky, i.e. when they are living on earth.

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 ll. 838, 871

. ll. 375, 376

. Bold and imaginative expressions :

Before our black-robed assault,

And the vengeful measures of our foot;

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-sidgwick-177-1-1 After this line in the MSS. comes μάλα γὰρ οὖν . . . μάταν ( ll. 367-371

). It is possible that the words are repeated as a refrain both here and after l. 380

.

λυμή is the destruction which attacks his mind, and blinds him to the threatening evil;

τόδε is best taken (not of the fall as many edd., which would be simply

πίπτων οὐκ οἶδεν , but) of the presence and power of the Furies.

κνέφας . is in apposition to

μύσος , and is predicative: we should say, So dark a cloud of pollution hovereth over him.

ἐπί , Epic adverbial use (tmesis) of the preposition, going with the verb.

mvp-sidgwick-180-1-1 Again a highly imaginative and picturesque phrase which needs no alteration:

The groans of the past victims are heard as it were making a horror of gloom about the house of wickedness.

μένει γάρ , for the law abides: so

Ag. 1563 . But it is obscure and abrupt: and possibly corrupted.

ἐσμέν is easily understood: Crafty are we, and unfailing to accomplish.

διόμεναι is rather a strange word (though the English to pursue a task or charge exactly illustrates it): hence Heath ingeniously suggested διέπο- μεν. But διόμεναι was read by Schol. and the MS. may stand.

ἀνηλίῳ λάμπᾳ , lit. in sunless light, an oxymoron, meaning in a light which is no light, where no sunlight shines. [Others translate

λάμπᾳ , filth, mould; for there is a very late word λάμπη, 'scum; and Dind. adopts Wieseler's conj. λάπᾳ in the same sense. But the strain of meaning is very harsh, and the word in the last degree unlikely.]

δυσοδοπαίπαλα is suspicious, as the metaphor is rather harsh (though perhaps continued from διόμεναι): the metre does not correspond with the antistrophe (καίπερ ὑπὸ χθόνα); and the double compound with δυσis unusual, indeed unique.

mvp-sidgwick-184-3-1 There are many suggestions to cure the metrical fault, δυσποροπ., δυσποδοπ., δυσμολοπ., δυσβατοπ., etc. But it is best to leave it.

mvp-sidgwick-185-1-1 Compare

l. 322 .

δοθέντα τέλεον , adj. used proleptically, granted for sure accomplishment.

mvp-sidgwick-187-1-1 Two syllables are wanting to make the metre correspond: and they are usually supplied among the iambics of l. 394

, with adoption of Hermann's κύρω for κῠρῶ; but possibly l. 394

is all right, and the loss is in l. 395

.

mvp-sidgwick-187-2-1 [Enter Athena from above in the air.]

γῆν καταφθατουμένη . Some further alter γῆν into γῆς, and translate hastening from; but the land of Scamander would be a strange expression, and a much fuller and better sense is gained by translating

καταφθατουμένη , occupying, hasting to claim the land. (So Hesych. who has καταφθατουμένη, κατακτωμένη.)

mvp-sidgwick-188-2-1 The Schol. tells us there was a reference here to a dispute between Athens and Mitylene for Sigeum in the Troad, settled in favour of M. by single combat. According to Herodotus (5.95) the dispute was an old one: the struggle began about 606, and was settled by mediation of Periander, who gave Sigeum to Athens. But evidently the dispute went on: for Herodotus tells us in the same chapter that Peisistratos (presumably about 550 B.C.) conquered Sigeum. It is quite in Aeschylus' manner to refer to this event in a bold and imaginative way, by making the land given to Athena as choice offering of the spoil by the chiefs of Achaioi. There was a temple of Athena on the promontory.

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

(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,

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 (

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

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

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

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

howsoe'er we act, we are dear.

ἐν σοί commonly in thy power' with the verb to be :

ἐν τῷ δαίμονι Ο. Τ. 1443 ,

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

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

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.]