254. προσγελᾷ , delights : the bold figure not Aeschylean specially, but belonging to the Greek idiom : so σὲ τὰ φυτὰ προσγελάσεται Ar. Pax 600. It is exactly the Lat. adrideo.

259. πλεχθείς , ‘twined,' a strong word, describing Orestes' despairing clasp of the image.

270. τιν᾿ . ἀσεβῶν is perhaps incomplete, as coming between two dochmiacs it probably should be one itself. The neatest suggestion for completing it is Hermann's τιν᾿ οὐκ εὐσεβῶν. But in the uncertainty of the metre I have left the reading as the MSS. have it, especially as τιν' ἀσεβῶν is a resolved cretic, and we have cretics introduced l. 262, and l.266.

277. καὶ λέγειν , i. e. and I know where it is right to speak. The double construction of ἐπίσταμαι is perhaps a little harsh, but there is no reason to suspect it.

285. ἀβλαβεῖ , harmless; proving that he was purified.

290. αὐτόν , myself: the 'me' is not wanted after emphatic ἐμοί

293. Τρίτων was in the stories of Athena a Libyan lake from which she was supposed to have sprung; afterwards identified with the large salt lake in the south of Tunis.

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.]

mvp-comment-195-1 ἀντίποιν᾽ ὡς τίνῃς ματροφόνας δύας: ἀντιποίνους τείνεις Μ. ἀντιποίνους τείνης Rob. ἀντιποίνους τείνεις G. Par. Ald. ἀντιποίνους τίνεις Turn. ἀντιποίνους τίνης (τίνης Vict.) Ven. Flor. Victorius. ἀντιφοίνους τίνῃς, supra adscripto ἵνα ad τίνης, Farn. Deinde libri μητροφόνας δύας. Casaubonus ματροφόνου δύας. Vulgatum ἀντιποίνους τίνης qui defensum iret ellipsi particulae va, de qua a Lamberto Bosio et eius editoribus dictum est, graviter falleretur. Illa enim Homerica, ἀλλ᾽ ἄγε νῦν ἐπίμεινον, ἀρήτα τεύχεα δύω· — θάπτε με ὅττι τάχιστα, πύλας Αίδαο περήσω, et simmilia, nullam continent ellipsin, sed orta est ista loquendi ratio ex deliberatione. V. Opusc. 1. p. 208. seq. Potuit Aeschylus scribere artiποίνους τίνειν ματροφόνους δύας, possunt ante hunc versum aliquot verba in iisque particula, e qua penderet coniunctivus, excidisse: sed vera videtur elegans Schützii emendatio, ἀντίποιν᾽ ὡς τίνῃς ματροφόνου δύας. Similiter dictum est in Persis v. 471. ὧν ἀντίποινα παῖς ἐμὸς πράξειν δοκῶν.

mvp-comment-196-1 ὄψει δὲ κεἴ τις ἄλλος ἤλιτεν βροτῶν: Libri ὄψει δ᾽ ἐκεῖ τις ἄλλον ἤλιτεν βροτῶν, nisi quod ἤλιτε habent Ven. Flor. et βροτον G. Ald. Turn. In Farn. εἰς ad ἄλλον supra adscriptum est. Heathius og scribendum vidit, quod Faehsius in Par. esse dicit. ὄψει δὲ κεἴ τις ἄλλος ἤλιτεν βροτῶν recte Schutzius.

mvp-comment-197-1 ἢ θεὸν ἢ ξένον τιν' οὐκ εὐσεβῶν: Libri τίν' ἀσεβῶν, nisi quod τίτ᾽ ἀσεβῶν habent Ald. Turn. Wellauerus post τιν ἀσεβῶν excidisse putabat quod dochmiacum expleret. Veri similius est scripsisse Aeschylum ἢ θεὸν ἢ ξένον τιν οὐκ εὐσεβῶν. Si per errorem scriptum erat ἀσεβῶν pro εὐσεβῶν, consequens erat ut οὐκ omitteretur.

mvp-comment-198-1 ἔχονθ᾽: ἔχονθ' Victorius, et sic Franzio teste M. Ceteri ἔχοντ'. Adscriptum est ?ωνικόν in Farn.

mvp-comment-199-1 Ἅιδης: άδης Ven. Flor. Rob. άδος Αld.

mvp-comment-200-1 ἔνερθε: ἔνερθεν Farn.

mvp-comment-201-1 ἐπωπᾷ φρενί: ἐπωπᾷ φρενί M. G. Ald. Turn. ἐπωπᾶ τῇ φρενὶ Rob. ἐποπτᾶ τῇ φρενὶ Ven. Flor. ἐποπτᾶ τῇ φρενει Farn.

mvp-comment-202-1 φωνεῖν: φρωνεῖν vitium Ald. unde φρονεῖν Turn.

mvp-comment-203-1 χερός: Iacobsius Anthol. t. XII. p. 10. ad epigr. incert. 239. scribendum putabat βρίζει γὰρ αἷμα καὶ μαραίνεται χρέος μητροκτόνον, μίασμα δ᾽ ἔκπλυτον πέλει. Εt distinctio haec est in ed. Rob. Equidem, quum libri habeant χέρος, neque id reprehendi possit, nihil novandum esse existimo.

mvp-comment-204-1 ἔκπλυτον: ἔκπλητον Ald. Eadem mox τοταίνιον.

mvp-comment-205-1 χοιροκτόνοις: χειροκτόνοις Rob. χοιροκτόνοις supra adscripto χει Par. teste Boissonado adnot. in Zachariam scholast. p. 408.

mvp-comment-206-1 ὅσοις ... ἀβλαβεῖ: 8ools M. G. Par. Ven. Flor. Rob. östois Ald. unde öçTIS infelici coniectura Turn. aßhaß Par. et ante correctionem G.

mvp-comment-207-1 χρόνος καθαιρεῖ πάντα γηράσκων ὁμοῦ.: καθαίρει malebat Stanleius. Deinde γηράσκων M. G. Ald. Rob. Turn. ye didúozor Ven. Farn. et yɛ supra adscripto Flor. Nexum turbare hunc versum et ab hoc loco alienum esse dixi in Opusc. VI. 2. p. 55. seq. Delendum eum esse viderat iam Musgravius. Adscriptus fuit ad versus 277. 278. Similis versus apud Stobaeum CXXVI. 8. legitur, χρόνος δ᾽ ἀμαυροῖ πάντα κεἰς λήθην ἄγει.

mvp-comment-208-1 Ἀργεῖον: ἀργείων Ven.

mvp-comment-209-1 Λιβυστικοῖς: Libri ßvorizois. Ea adiectivi forma Aeschylus usus est in Suppl. v. 266. et in Myrmidonibus fr. 145. Tzetzes ad Lycophr. v. 519. καὶ Αἰσχύλος μυθικῶς “ εἶτ᾽ ἀμφὶ χεῦμα γενεθλίου σπόρου Τρίτωνος ἐν τόποις Λιβυστίοις,” ita enim codices duo Vitebergenses aliique et Favorinus in v. tqiyέvvytos. Auratus et Casaubonus scribendum putarunt Aißvotizs. Eo non opus est: zooaç enim, ut saepius in huiusmodi formulis, abundat.

mvp-comment-210-1 χεῦμα ... πόρου: ἀμφιχεῦμα Ald. σπόρου Tzetzes.

mvp-comment-211-1 κατηρεφῆ: zatŋoeg лóda si scripsit Aeschylus, non videtur aliud significare potuisse quam pedem nube amictum, ut hoc dixerit, sive palam incedens, sive latens opem fert amicis, oppositumque sit ỏo òv nóða Tidéra, i. e. recto pede in campo stare, inter ipsos quibus praesidio est. Comparari quodammodo potest quod Sophocles dixit in Oed. R. v. 419. βλέποντα νῦν μὲν ὄρθ᾽, ἔπειτα δὲ σκότον. V. Opusc. VI. 2. p. 56. seqq. VII. p. 4. seq. Dubitari tamen potest an non scripserit Aeschylus xaτηorqй. Et videri potest aliud legisse scholiastes qui haec ita interpretatus est, καταβάλλει γὰρ ἡ ὀρθοῖ, quod scholion non invenitur in M. G. sed Triclinii esse videtur. Burgesius zaraqεon, similiterque Fritzschius (Zweiter anhang zu O. Müllers Eumeniden p. 39.) zaτηfεoñ scribendum esse censuit, ut intelligeretur Minerva aut stans inter eos quibus praesidio est, aut deorsum ex aere delata. Neque caret haec con-. iectura probabilitate.

mvp-comment-212-1 ὅπως γένοιτο: Quum dicit önws yévoito, optare se ait, ut veniat illa, quo, si velit, opem ferat. V. ad Soph. Ai. v. 1222.

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-94-1 οὐκ εὐσεβῶν for ἀσεβῶν is Hermann's correction to restore the dochmiac verse. Impiety to gods or parents, sacrilege or revealing mysteries, violating an oath or betraying a suppliant, were the high misdemeanours with the Greeks, who show little consciousness of the sin of sensual excesses.

mvp-comment-95-1 δελτογράφῳ] This notion of recording sins in a book or tablet is curious. We have the same in a fragment of Euripides, Melanipp. 488 , where the poet says that the whole heaven would not be space enough for Zeus to write down the sins of man.

mvp-comment-96-1 Orestes addresses the spectators perhaps rather than the chorus. He says he has had a lesson in suffering, and his acquaintance with many forms and rites of expiation (sup. 230) has taught him when to speak and when to be silent; but on this occasion, although murderers as a rule can neither speak nor be spoken to, he has been ordered by Apollo himself to plead his own cause, and to assert his innocence.

mvp-comment-97-1 ἀβλαβεῖ] 'It would be long to tell how many I have visited since the first commission of the crime, and the first purification at Delphi, none of whom have received any harm from converse with me.' Schol.

mvp-comment-98-1 καὶ νῦν] ‘And accordingly now, viz. as I have the full right and even the command to speak. See on Agam. 1 8.

mvp-comment-99-1 πιστόν] This is one of the many allusions in tragedy to treaties either made or contemplated between Athens and Argos. It is again alluded to in v. 733. Schol.

mvp-comment-100-1 Τρίτωνος] The name of the goddess, Tritogenia, the real or mystical meaning of which we do not know, was referred to a lake and river Triton in Libya. See Herod. Iv. 180 , Pind. Pyth. 1v. 36 .

mvp-comment-101-1 ὀρθὸν κ.τ.λ.] The description refers to ancient statues of the goddess in a standing or sitting posture. - φίλοις, in allusion perhaps to the aid afforded by Athens to the EUM. Libyan king Inaros. See Thuc. 1. 104, 109 . The Schol. remarks that the address well suits Orestes who himself requires a staunch protectress.

mvp-comment-102-1 Φλεγραίαν] Another epithet of the goddess, Νίκη, is here alluded to, as appears from Eur. Ion 1528

mvp-comment-103-1 ὅπως γένοιτο] The optative follows ἔλθοι by the common law of Attic attraction.

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-110-1 ἐγὼ

mvp-comment-113-1 δικαστής. γρά(φωι): ἐφορᾶι δὲ πάντα ἀναγραφόμενος αὐτὰ τῆι ἰδίᾶι δέλτωι. διδαχ(θείς): διδαχθεὶς πολλοὺς καθαρμούς, ὅ ἐστι, τηλικαῦτα ἀτυχήσας (Steph. f. ἀψ.), ἃ πολλῶν ἐδεήθη καθαρμῶν. ἄλλως· οἱ ἐναγεῖς οὔτε ἐν ἱερῶι προσ ήιεσαν οὔτε προσέβλεπον (προέβλ. Μ) οὐδὲ (Rob. f. οὐ) διελέγοντό τινι. (καὶ παρ᾿ Εὐριπίδηι) (Frg. 996 Ν.) „τί σιγᾶις; μῶν φόνον τιν᾿ ἠργάσω“; (εἰργ. Μ). ἐπεὶ οὖν Ὀρέστης μέλλει διαλέγεσθαι δοκῶν ἔτι ἐναγὴς εἶναι, ἐγώ, φησί, διδαχθεὶς σὺν κακῶι τῶι ἐμαυτοῦ, καὶ οἷον διδασκάλοις χρησάμενος ταῖς ἐμαῖς συμφοραῖς, ἐπίσταμαι καὶ σιγᾶν καὶ λαλεῖν ὅπου δεῖ, ἑκατέρου καιρὸν γινώσκων.

mvp-comment-114-1 κοιμάται.

mvp-comment-115-1 ἐκκεκαθαρμένον.

mvp-comment-116-1 ἐβλάπτοντο γὰρ οἱ μυσαροῖς (Steph. f. -ροὶ) ξυντυγχάνοντες.

mvp-comment-117-1 λείπει ἐμέ. ὡς τότε συμμαχούντων Ἀργείων Αθηναίοις.

mvp-comment-118-1 ὅτι

mvp-comment-119-1 ὡς θρασὺς (auf ein x bezüglich) διὰ τοῦτο οἴεται αὐτὴν Τριτογένειαν. ἡγεμών. ἁρμόττουσα δὲ ἡ εὐχή· δεῖται γὰρ ἐνδρανοῦς (L. Dindorf f. έδρανοῦς) βοηθοῦ.

mvp-comment-120-1 τὸ ἑξῆς· ἔλθοι, ὅπως γένοιτο.

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-142-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 270

mvp-comment-142-2 Epiparodos (vgl. zu 1). Der Chor tritt zerstreut auf ( τινὲς δέ φασιν ἐν τῇ ἐπιδείξει τῶν Εὐμενίδων σποράδην εἰσαγαγόντα τὸν χορὸν τοσοῦτον ἐκπλῆξαι τὸν δῆμον κτέ. im βίος Αἰσχύλου); zuerst erscheint wie Soph. Ai. 866 der eine Halbchor, dem der Koryphaios als Führer vorausgeht; den Worten der Führerin (1) erwidert der Halbchor (2). Dann kommen nach einander die sechs Mitglieder des anderen Halbchors (3-8). Erst bei 307 ( χορὸν ἅψωμεν) ordnen sie sich in Reihe und Glied. τόδε auf den Boden deutend, wo sie Blutspuren zu sehen glaubt, vgl. αἵματι στάζοντα χείρας 41 f., wiewohl Orestes jetzt von Apollon gereinigt ist. Zu 281.

mvp-comment-156-1 ¹

mvp-comment-156-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 271

mvp-comment-156-3 ἀντίποινα ματροφόνου δύας, Bufse für den muttermordenden Schmerz d. i. für den von Schmerzen begleiteten Muttermord. Vgl. zu Ag. 735 .

mvp-comment-157-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 272

mvp-comment-157-2 ἤλιτεν θεὸν . . τοκῆας wie ἀθανάτους ἀλιτέσθαι Hom. δ 378 , ἐκ γὰρ δή μ' ἀπάτησε καὶ ἤλιτεν 1 375, ὅ τις σφ᾽ ἀλίτηται Τ 265 u. a.

mvp-comment-158-1 ²

mvp-comment-158-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 272

mvp-comment-158-3 Der Ahndung der Erinyen fallen diejenigen anheim, welche sich gegen die drei Hauptgebote der griechischen Sittenlehre verfehlen. Vgl. zu 548. So sagt Horaz carm. II 13, 5 von dem, welcher der schlimmsten Verbrechen fähig ist, illum et parentis crediderim sui fregisse cervicem et penetralia sparsisse nocturno cruore hospitis. - Wegen des Plur. ἀσεβοῦντες nach dem kollektiven τὶς ἄλλος Krüger I § 58, 3, 5 . Die epische Form τοκῆας wie Eur. Phoen. 829

.

mvp-comment-159-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 272

mvp-comment-159-2 εὔθυνος: δικαστής Schol. Pers. 830

.

mvp-comment-160-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 272

mvp-comment-160-2 δελτογράφῳ: Soph. frg. 535

, Cic. Acad. II 1

ut nos litteris consignamus quae monumentis mandare volumus, sic ille (Lucullus) in animo res insculptas habebat

und zu Cho. 448 . Cho. 1 . ἐπωπα: 20

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-162-1 ³

mvp-comment-162-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 272

mvp-comment-162-3 καιρούς d. i. die rechte Zeit für das Reden wie für das Schweigen, vgl. Plat. Staat p. 374 Cov παριεὶς τοὺς καιρούς und zu Cho. 580 . Diese Stelle scheint die Vorlage für frg. I der Eumen. des Ennius gewesen zu sein: Ita sapere opino esse optumum, ut pro viribus Tacere ac fabulari tute noveris.

mvp-comment-163-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 272

mvp-comment-163-2 μητροκτόνον μίασμα: Vgl. κηλὶς μητροκτόνος Eur. Iph. T. 1200 und zu Ag. 735 . Wenn die Erinyen 247 u. a. immer noch Blut sehen, so wollen sie jede Möglichkeit der Reinigung eines Muttermörders in Abrede stellen.

mvp-comment-164-1 ⁴

mvp-comment-164-2 Wecklein 1888, p. 272

mvp-comment-164-3 ποταίνιον ὄν, als es noch frisch war. Vgl. Cho. 1053 . πρὸς ἑστία θ. Φ. gehört zu ἠλάθη. χοιροκτόνοις (zu Ag. 735 ): Ferkelblut galt als entsühnend und wurde bei Reinigungsopfern vielfach gebraucht, so bei den περίστια vor Be- ginn der Volksversammlung (Schol. zu Aristoph. Ekkl. 128 , Poll. VIII 104 ), denen die römischen suovetaurilia entsprechen, und sonst, vgl. zu 453 und Plaut. Men. 292 . Einl. S. 17 N. 2.

mvp-comment-165-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 273

mvp-comment-165-2 πολὺς . . ἐξ ἀρχῆς λόγος d.i. ich würde viel zu sagen haben, wenn ich von Anfang an erzählen wollte.

mvp-comment-166-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 273

mvp-comment-166-2 Schol. ἐβλάπτοντο γὰρ οἱ μυσαροῖς ξυντυγχάνοντες.

mvp-comment-167-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 273

mvp-comment-167-2 Der Vers, welcher dem Zusammenhange der Stelle, nach der Phöbos den Orestes gereinigt hat, nicht entspricht, ist von Musgrave ausgeschieden worden. Der Sinn ist:,,alles (also auch die Befleckung) entkräftet die mit ihm alternde Zeit" d. i. je älter eine Sache wird, um so mehr wird sie geschwächt. Die Zeit wird als alternd mit dem Alternden gedacht, vgl. Prom. 1013

. Ein ähnlicher Vers findet sich bei Stob. fl. 126, 8 χρόνος δ᾽ ἀμαυροῦ πάντα κεἰς λήθην ἄγει.

mvp-comment-168-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 273

mvp-comment-168-2 Ἀθηναία, die alte feierliche, in Inschriften bis auf die Zeit des Euklides herab häufig (gewöhnlich mit Artikel ἡ ᾿Αθηναία) vorkommende Form, auch 299, 617, Eur. Iph. T. 1436 , sonst bei den Tragikern Ἀθάνα.

mvp-comment-169-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 273

mvp-comment-169-2 κτήσεται, nämlich als Herrin dieses Landes ", also für Attika. Vgl. zu 765.

mvp-comment-170-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 273

mvp-comment-170-2 αὐτόν scil. ἐμέ. τὸν Ἀργεῖον λεὼν . . σύμμαχον: Schol. :

. Einl. S. 23. δικαίως, ὀρθῶς, ἀληθῶς, aufrichtig, ehrlich. Vgl. πανδίκως εὐσεβής Suppl. 424

ὀρθῶς ἐνδίκως τ᾽ ἐπώνυμον

Sept. 392

ἣν εὑρεθῇς ἐς τήνδε μὴ δίκαιος ὤν

Soph. Trach. 411 .

mvp-comment-171-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 273

mvp-comment-171-2 Die Gottheit hört gern von den Stätten, wo sie besonders verehrt wird. Daher ist bei Anrufungen der Götter die Aufzählung solcher Örtlichkeiten beliebt. Vgl. Soph. Ant. 1118 f. Mit εἴτε — εἴτε, wie hier, Aristoph. Wo. 269

steht wie ein einziger Begrif, daher Λιβυστικοῖς. Vgl. ποῖον . . γαίας πέδον Sept. 291

, χθονὸς . . τηλουρόν. . πέδον

Prom. 1

τὸ Πυθικὸν Θεοῦ μαντείον

Soph. Oed. T. 242

ὄγκον ὀνόματος μητρῷον

Trach. 817

, Ηπειρώτις ψυχὴ γυναικῶν

Eur. Andr. 159 u. Ähnliches oft, z. B. unten 327.

mvp-comment-172-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 273

mvp-comment-172-2 γενεθλίου: Schol. ( σημείωσαι) ὅτι διὰ τοῦτο οἴεται αὐτὴν Τριτογένειαν. Nach Herod. IV 180 (vgl. Paus. I 14, 6 ) glaubten die am Tritonischen See wohnenden Auseer (indem sie eine ihrer Gottheiten mit Athena identifizierten) τὴν ᾿Αθηναίην Ποσειδέωνος εἶναι θυγατέρα καὶ τῆς Τριτωνίδος λίμνης. Dals Aschylos der gewöhnlichen Sage sich anschliefst, zeigt 667 f. Er scheint also den Ort der Geburt an den See oder vielmehr Strom ( πόρου) Triton zu verlegen. In Wirklichkeit ist es ur- sprünglich die gleiche Vorstellung, wenn Athena als Blitzgöttin dem Haupte des Wolkensammlers Zeus, dem Wolkenberge, und wenn sie der Tritonischen See, den himmlischen Wassern, entstammt. Denn dafs die Tritonische See ursprünglich am Himmel war, ergiebt sich schon daraus, dafs sie nicht nur in Libyen, sondern auch anderwärts angenommen wurde ( Paus. VIII 26, 6 u. IX 33, 7, Strab. IX p. 407 ). Vgl. Schwartz, Der Ursprung der Mythologie. S. 87.

mvp-comment-173-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 274

mvp-comment-173-2 τίθησιν . . πόδα erklärt man ,,aufrecht schreitet oder sitzt" (vgl. Hom. p 158 ἥμενος ἢ ἕρπων), weil der sitzenden Göttin die Füfse mit dem Gewande bedeckt sind. Aber eine solche Erklärung von κατηρεφῆ ist mindestens weit hergeholt. In der Deutung von Dutheil „visible ou invisible" und Hermann: sive palam incedens sive latens ( Hom. E 186

) opem fert amicis, worin κατηρεφής der durch eine Wolke verhüllte Fufs sein soll, lässt sich ỏodóv schwer verstehen. Es scheint vielmehr ὀρθὸν πόδα den hohen, gleichsam steilen Fufs (vgl. ὀρθόπους Soph. Ant. 985 ) der hochgeschürzten Göttin zu bezeichnen, wie sich κατηρεφῆ auf das lange Gewand bezieht.

mvp-comment-174-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 274

mvp-comment-174-2 φίλοις ἀρήγουσα: Der Dichter scheint weniger an die Auseer als an die Athener zu denken, welche dem libyschen König Inaros zu Hilfe gezogen waren ( Thuk. I 104 ff. ). Vgl. die ähnliche Anspielung auf Zeitverhältnisse in Eur. El. 1347 νώ δ᾽ ἐπὶ πόντον Σικελὸν σπουδῇ σώσοντε νεῶν πρῴρας ἐνάλους. Φλεγραίαν πλάκα, Schauplatz des Gigantenkampfes, bei welchem Athena, Φλεγραίων ὀλέ τειρα Γιγάντων (Prokl. hymn. 32), unter anderen den Enkelados tötete ( Eur. Ion 209 ).

mvp-comment-175-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 274

mvp-comment-175-2 κλύει θεός, es hört ein Gott auch in der Ferne. Vgl. Eur. Iph. T. 1447 κλύεις γὰρ αὐδὴν καίπερ οὐ παρὼν θεᾶς. Vielleicht hat ursprünglich πρόσωθεν οὖσ όμως geheilsen. es

mvp-comment-175-3 ⁵

mvp-comment-176-1 Wecklein 1888, p. 274

mvp-comment-176-2 γένοιτο nach ἔλθοι, s. g. Assimilation der Modi. Vgl. Soph. Ai. 1217

, Krüger I § 54, 8, 3 .

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 ⁶

mvp-sidgwick-140-1-1 I take the best correction, the nearest to the MSS. and the best sense, ἀντιποίν᾽ ὡς τίνῃς ματροφόνου δύας, that thou may'st pay the full penalty for thy murdered mother's woe: the adj. ματροφόνου used with poetic elasticity, which is particularly noticeable in these compound adjectives.

τιν᾿ . ἀσεβῶν is perhaps incomplete, as coming between two dochmiacs it probably should be one itself. The neatest suggestion for completing it is Hermann's τιν᾿ οὐκ εὐσεβῶν. But in the uncertainty of the metre I have left the reading as the MSS. have it, especially as τιν' ἀσεβῶν is a resolved cretic, and we have cretics introduced l. 262

, and l. 266

.

mvp-sidgwick-142-1-1 For Hades under the earth is a mighty controller of men, and watches all with his recording heart. This conception of the Justice and Moral supremacy of the powers below is very fine, and noticeable as being rather unusual. The Powers below are often spoken of as terrible, and unforgetting, and so forth; but here the tone is higher. See Introduction.

καὶ λέγειν , i. e. and I know where it is right to speak. The double construction of ἐπίσταμαι is perhaps a little harsh, but there is no reason to suspect it.

mvp-sidgwick-143-2-1 The Schol. tells us that an ἐναγής (or person under a curse) might not go near anyone or look at or speak to him till purified. So Aeschylus himself below l. 448

. But the purification is complete l. 445

; and he has been ordered by the god l. 279

; and therefore he may speak l. 287

.

mvp-sidgwick-144-1-1 In the fine figurative style of Aeschylus the blood-stain slumbers and withers.

mvp-sidgwick-145-1-1 i. e. it would be long to tell from the beginning. ἐξ ἀρχῆς is by a slight stretch of usage, used closely with λόγος, equivalent to τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς λέγειν.

ἀβλαβεῖ , harmless; proving that he was purified.

mvp-sidgwick-147-1-1 I agree with Musgr. Herm. Hart. Dind. Weil. etc., that this line is spurious. It is clearly a proverbial line about the destructiveness of time; and even if we alter καθαιρεῖ τo καθαίρει with Stanl. Pal. etc. Aeschylus could not have said ( l. 283

) that Orestes was cleansed by sacrifice, and then abruptly ( l. 286

), Time cleanses all.

αὐτόν , myself: the me is not wanted after emphatic ἐμοί

mvp-sidgwick-148-2-1 The reference to the treaty formed 459 B. C. (the year before the play) between Athens and Argos against Sparta is obvious. See Introduction.

Τρίτων was in the stories of Athena a Libyan lake from which she was supposed to have sprung; afterwards identified with the large salt lake in the south of Tunis.

mvp-sidgwick-149-2-1 The story very likely arose out of the obscure Homeric epithet for Athena, Τριτογένεια, which perhaps meant born of the water, and anyhow was not clearly understood by the later Greeks.

mvp-sidgwick-150-1-1 Whether with upright step or covered foot: whether standing as in the ordinary statues or covering her feet, i.e. sitting. Pal. quotes Strabo (13. 1) as saying

mvp-sidgwick-150-2-1 This seems the best interpretation of an obscure passage.

mvp-sidgwick-150-3-1 Weil suggests the allusion is to the Athenian war in Egypt, in support of the Libyan chieftain Inaros, who had rebelled against Persia; a large Athenian fleet was sent out in 460, two years before this play. This explains φίλοις ἀρήγουσ᾽.

mvp-sidgwick-151-1-1 The Phlegraean plain is the narrow promontory of Pallene in Chalkidike, north east of Greece. The story was that the gods here fought the giants; a story as old as Pindar (Nem. 1. 100), in which fight we gather that the warrior goddess Athena marshalled the hosts.

mvp-sidgwick-151-2-1 The name Phlegraean plain was afterwards given to the volcanic coast of Campania, which some strangely have supposed to be meant here.

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

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.