LIBRARY ^ UNIVERSITY OP CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO vr- *" THE AGAMEMNON OF .ESCHYLUS. PRINTED BY KKMIKK AND SON , TTTBECHT. THE AGAMEMNON OF/^SCHYLUS REVISED AND TRANSLATED BY JOHN FLETCHER DAYIES, B,A,, FIKST CLASSICAL MASTEB IN KINGSTOWN SCHOOL, IEELAND. WILLIAMS AND NORGATE, 14, HENEIETTA STREET, CO VENT GARDEN, LONDON AND 20, SOUTH FREDERICK STREET, EDINBURGH. KEMINK AND SON, UTRECHT. 1868. " Farthermore there were lefte out in diners places of the warke lines and columes, ye and sometyme holle padges, which e caused, that this moste pleasant auctour coude not well he perceiued: for that, and chaun- geyng of wordes, and misordryTige of sentences, wold haue mased his mynde iu redyng, that had hen very well lerned: and what can be a greatter hlemisshe vnto a nohle auctour ? And for to preise worthily vnto you the great lernyng of this auctour, I know my selfe right muche vnable, ye shal your selfe now deme, whan ye shal see hym (as nere as I can) set forth in his owne shappe and likenes." Preface to Gower's Poems. PREFACE. The principal features of this Edition are: (1) an attempt to reproduce the metres of the Greek Text in a literal line-for-line Translation, (2) the correction of the Text by the aid of the most recent ^schylean literature, (3) the arrangement of the lines of the choral odes according to the principles laid down by Boeckh, (4) the explanation of the Text in an entirely new Commen- tary, (5) a statement of the rhythm of each verse in the play. (1) The deviations from an exact representation of the Greek metres are the substitution of the English decasyllabic for the Greek iambic trimeter and the contraction of resolved syllables in paeons, cretics, and dochmiacs. The anapaestic lines, also, correspond only as consisting of anapaestic feet, i. e. , anapaests, dactyls, and spondees. The correspondence, therefore, consists in the facts that the Greek arsis is represented by the English accent, and that the Greek and English lines have the same number of morse. A work of so much difficulty partakes largely of the nature vi PREFACE. of a first experiment which is soon superseded by something better from a more skilful hand; and the Editor naturally hopes for some indulgence from the reader. By a 'literal' Translation the Editor means one which follows the construction of the Greek. With the exception of minor points, such as '} , and you have sense. The Manuscripts of the Agamemnon are: M. Codex Mediceus , preserved at Florence. It was written about the 10th. century A.D. , and has been collated by Niebuhr , Bekker and C. F. Weber for Hermann , and by John Franz. It is of parchment. A whole quaternio is lost after v. 295. A quaternio is four sheets of parchment (written on both sides) laid on one another and folded once; and so answering to a printer's sheet folded to octavo size and cut , except that these parchments were twice as long as broad , so that , after folding, the leaf is square. Of the next quaternio there is only the first leaf and its fellow the last; the intermediate six leaves are lost. That first leaf contains w. 1026 1118. The fellow-leaf goes on at the top with Choeph. v. 10 ri MVP* hevffffw; The average number of lines on a leaf is 9H. Thus : 1026295 = 731 which divided by 8 gives 91| : and 11181026 = 92: there are 45 lines on the fac- simile page exhibited by Dindorf JEsch. Scholia p. 140. Then for the six lost leaves we get 549 lines, which added to 1118 gives 1667. Subtract 1644, the number of lines in the Agamemnon according to the Fl. Ms., a copy of M. , (and also in the editions of Hermann, Enger etc.) and we have remaining 23 lines. Now the Argument of the Eume- x PREFACE. nides is only about four lines. Allow as many for that of the Choephoroe, and 7, the exact number required for the Title and Dramatis Personse, and we have a remainder of 12 as the number of lines lost in the prologue of the Cho- ephoroe. But , by applying Professor Weil's theory , we find that the latter part of the prologue consists of 6. 4. 2 = 12 lines ; therefore the preceding part which is lost was probably 6. 4. 2 = 12 , of which 7 lines and parts of two have been recovered. Therefore the lacunas still existing in the Pro- logue of the Choephorce amount to 3 lines and parts of 2. This calculation and the interpretation of the word quaternio , which the Ed. has made out from some data furnished in the editions of Hermann and Enger , require to be verified by inspec- tion of the Ms. It is assumed that the names of the Dramatis Personae occupied each a line. G. Codex Guelpherbytanus , of the 15th-century. A copy of M. after the losses mentioned above. FL Codex Florentinus , of the 14 th. century. It contains the Agamemnon entire , and was copied from M. before the leaves were lost. It does not contain the Choephoroe. F. Codex Farnesianus, copied by Dem. Triclinius at the end of the 14th. century from Fl. Ven. Codex Venetus, of the 13th. century. It contains the same plays as FL, but has a lacuna in the Agamemnon from v. 45 to v. 1054. It was copied from M. before the loss. Bess. Bessarionis codex , probably of the 13 th. century. It contains the first 333 verses of the Agamemnon , copied from M. when entire. The early editions quoted are: A. The Aldine, printed from G. in February, 1518 A. D. , at Venice. R. Robortelli's edition, from M.; Venice, 1552 A. D. PREFACE. xi T. The edition of Turnebus, printed at Paris shortly after R. in the same year. V. or Viet. Edited by Peter Victorias and printed by H. Stephens at Paris in 1557 A. D. This is the first edition which contained the Agamemnon entire. Victorius used M., FL, and F. Canter's Edition was published at Antwerp in 1580 A. D. ; Stanley's in London, 1663 A. D. "Hermann procured the conjectural emendations of John Auratus and Joseph Scaliger from a manuscript of Spanhemius in the Royal Library at Berlin. Ezechiel Spanhemius had tran- scribed them from (notes written in) copies of the edition of Victorius which belonged to Isaac Voss. These copies are now in the Library of Leyden." Haupt's Preface to Hermann's Edition. (3) The text also differs from the text of previous editions in the arrangement of many lines in the choral odes. Even Enger (1863) did not venture to make any change. But when the prin- ciples of Greek Metres had been so clearly explained by Boeckh in his three books 'de metris Pindari' there could be no reason why the change should not be made. In the choruses, then, as here arranged, the verses always begin out, the rhythmical orders, of which the verses are composed, begin in. The verses are divided at the points most convenient for scanning and printing 5 for this is a matter which has to do with the breadth of the page. Boeckh's Pindar is in quarto, but even so there is not room for the longer verses to be written in one line. In the anapaestic systems the first line begins out and the rest, down to the parcemiac, begin in. This arrangement is justified by the synapheia , and it seems to be a convenient arrangement. Since editors have often divided the verses capriciously, it, seems necessary to inform the reader that there is only one right way in this, as in every thing else; and that the most convenient division of verses which leaves the orders and the feet undivided xn PKEFACE. is the right one to adopt for the lines. For the information of junior students it may be added that the verses are determined by hiatus, the syllable of doubtful quantity 'anceps', the nature of the clausula and catalexis, or by the anacrusis and base which commonly announce the commencement of a new verse. A correct ear, well practised in Greek rhythms, is also necessary to the discovery of the verses. (4) Besides these innovations in the form of the Translation , in the text, and in the arrangement of the lines, a Commentary is added which is almost entirely new, and in which nothing is inserted but what seemed quite necessary to a right under- standing of the play. One principal feature is the frequency of quotations from Hesiod and the Gnomic poets. The Editor had often read the Hesiod before he discovered that the phrase and thoughts of ^Eschylus in this play were to so great an extent the reflection of those of Hesiod. In the Choephoroa he was constantly reminded of the Odyssey ; but very much more of the works of Hesiod in his minute study of the Agamemnon. This is a discovery which has a twofold relation: we can interpret the play from Hesiod, and we ascertain that the Theogony and The Shield of Hercules were read by JEschylus as part of Hesiod's poems. There are some sins of omission in the Commentary. For instance; it should be said respecting v. 227 that is in apposition with fluo-/av implied in flvrijp yfveo-fla/ Trotsto-bai, and that ovv in v. 34 refers back to v. 11, the Watch- man's statement of Clytemnestra's confident assurance that Aga- memnon would return, ovv in v. 473 refers to a conclusion which might have been inferred from the line above. So in Soph. Ant. 722 ovv signifies "if not, as you might infer from my saying 7rpeJ, v. 129, it should be said that it is directly taken from Horn. II. 18. 512 XTYKTIV otrviv TrroMe&pov eirypstTov evrbq sepysi, a line which finally determines the genu- ineness of the word PREFACE. xin (5) Finally, this is the first of English editions to give an explanation of the rhythm and metre of each line in the play. And here it may be added for the further information of junior students that rhythm is the regular succession of arsis and thesis in a verse; metre, the regular succession of long and short syllables arranged for the expression of rhythm. It was part of the Editor's ambition to dedicate this Essay in Translation and Criticism to his University, Trinity College, Dublin , and so give some expression to his gratitude for inestimable benefits: but neither now, nor on a former occasion, could he bring himself to think that the offering was worthy of formal presentation; and he can only add that what is good in his book is the offspring of studies in which he willingly engaged at the dictation and with the indispensable aid of his Alma Mater. PMFATIO ADNOTATIONIS CRITICS. En vobis, lectores eruditi, ea tradenda curavi quae amore atque labore ducibus, omnium illis rerum victoribus, ad hanc fabulam emendandam reperire potui. Nam quum versio Anglica in hnjus opens consilio primas partes teneret, et Commentarium version! explicandae inserviret, non absurde, ut mihi videtur, linguam Anglicam in Commentario quoque adhibui. Praefatio autem prior versionem meam maxime spectat talesque res quales intellexisse popnlarium meonun potissimum intererat. Itaque fact- urn est ut notas criticas tantnm Latine scripserim : id quod quam brevissime feci et fortasse non ita ut jejunitatis crimen evitem. Sed vos ii estis coram quibus si quis oculum modo, ut aiunt, conniveat, plura intelligatis, quam vulgus hominum profanorum si quis aliquid inculcando in aevum perstet. Usus sum Karsteni, Engeri, Weilii editionibus; praesto erant et libri duo quibus editis de nobis optime meritus est Heim- soethius. His dictis, vix est cur addam me duro tirocinio im- butum esse in Wellaueri , Bothii, Blomfieldii, Hermanni, E. Ahr- entis, Paleii, Coningtoni, Dindorfii editionibus perlegendis. Sed nondum aderat, etiamnunc abest, Dindorfii editio quinta Poe- tarum Scenicorum Graecorum ; earn partem dico in qua Dindorfius li relliquias tractabit. PBJSFATIO ADNOTATIONIS CRITICS. xv Quod ad rem metricam pertinet rationes secutus sum Boeckhii, supra quod enarrari potest, viri clarissimi. Restabat solum ut vobis congratularer quod haec fabula in eo est ut et facilior intellects et mendarum purior evadat quam ulla alia fabula Graeca. Tantum valuit indomitus virorum doct- orum labor et ingenitus nudae veritatis amor. Dabam Kingstownii apud Dublinium, a. d. VI Id. Maias, MDCCCLXVIII. ERRATA. In the Argument. Page 5 , last line murder. In the Text. P. 8, Z. 1. *TAAS. V. 276 inlmtv. V. 584 ew. F. 1078 TOT. F. 1238 ISoxet. V. 1245 aOA'. F. 1292 tnetyopiu. V. 1457 irtri. F. 1492 fyourjJiXTt. In the Translation. F. Ill soldiers'. F. 121 victor. Fc. 203, 4 sAowZd centra iw. F. 205 /or thus read then. Ft?. 245 , 256 should begin out. Vv. 355, 433 place commas after beloved and remembers. F. 545, 604, 650 for host. war. Greeks: read, host? war? Greeks? F. 515 heralds'. F. 572 /or wish read bid. F. 689 for knell-like to read death-knell of. F. 750 pronounced. F. 794 for gladness read mirth. F. 795 should begin out. F. 825 place a comma at town. F. 826 , 7 read set: and. F. 1090 for god-hating read god-hated. F. 1114 for view read view? F. 1133 /or men: read! men? F. 1342 should begin in. F. 1371 /or see read know. F. 1535 'Ae, Right' read the, Bight. In notis criticis. F. 30 Sic Viet. F. 102 Sic FL F. 304 try (ubi legitwr TriJ.) F. 345 poena. F. 373 dele n. F. 585 (libri Ipj). F. 557 itpam&w subaud. /t^/sos. F. 562 rpi%x. F. 817 gravidam. F. 1017 adscripta. F. 1041 (woi Ze^i/ar 421) nullo. F. 1092 audieris. F. 1251 libri. F. 1354 i/secv. F. 1590 'AT/SSI*' In the Commentary. F. 2 explained. T*. 17 Anfaopos. V. 105 also. Page 181 , Ziree 4 that, line 33 (none in. V. 123 learn. F. 246 perfonn-ing. J'. 612 follow-ing. F. 829 substituted. AIIXTAOT AFAMEMNftN. TA TOT APAMATOZ TAAS. XITU 7TOVUV xyxxfav , xxroiSx vvxTfpuv o[/,yyvptv , xxi TQVS Qspoyrx? Xfifiot, xxi depot; (3pOTo7<; KKftarpcibG %jvarxo7rov[tvyv ftyv , Qofioz yxp xvF VTTVCV 7rxpx]j Schneidew. zyxxdtv libri. Fortassc ^.v(a.9sv le- gendum , monente Engero ; idque in- vitis Schol. et Gramm. Henn. sibi ipse imposuit, nimirum et aliie, ra- tiunculis suis de hujus voc. sign.; quod non fecisset , si sir' Ayxuvo; recte vertisset 'cubito presso'. At ille 'in ulnis' , ambigue. Post v. 6. sequitur v. dy-repa;, WATCHMAN. I have been asking of the gods relief from these my toils a year-long sentry's space; in which couched dog-like on the Atreids' roof I've learned the host of nightly grouping-stars, 5 the bearers both of cold and heat to men, bright rulers who in aether keep their state. And still I'm watching for the beacon's sign, the flare of fire which bears report from Troy, 10 news of its capture-, so our lady's wit, hopeful, with manlike reasoning, proves 't will be. And whensoe'er I take my dewy rest broke by night wanderings, not o'erlooked by dreams - for fear 's my comrade in sleep's stead, and so 15 my eyelids have no firm set-to with sleep - and when I have a mind to sing or hum, plying that knife of song to cure my sleep, ot xv p9ivtojiv, &vTotes rs TWV, aperte 'specilli loco'; nam vulg. corruptum spurius. ease vel infanda vertendi difficultas 14. tyt>jy. Sicet Bum. 578, Suppl. ostendit: neque vero ineptum est 366 in hac sede cum interpunctione. militem quondam vulneratum hoc 17. Sic libri. Malira ivTixjjiw dicere. 10 AFAMEMNHN. la TOT (HXOU TOV$ OVftQOfilV <7TVUV, OV% &$ TX TrpOtTP XptFTX ^v Fl. M. 42. Et hie suspectus Boissouadio , 32. Versus auspectus; non mihi. Karst. , Eug. 12 ArAMEMNflN. AidQsv xxi , o%upbv ^su'/ 'Apyftav wMovxvTyv 45 SK QV;MU xhafyvret; rpOTrov alyjTTiuv , O/T' sxTTXTioiq ahysffi TrxiSuv 50 VTTXTOt ' xi'wv % TIS 'ATTOAA^V, 55 *l Ilav, % Zeu? f oi yoov o^vfioxv roivSf OVTCO S' 'Arftef TTXI^X^ o xpsiira'cov 60 fTT* 'AAf^y^pcj TTS^TTSI ^eviog u^, Trohvavopos ix(t(p} yuvxtxbi; rj&afafaeret xott yviofixpy xovix,ijv E\ir. Med. 1389. Eng. v. 73 cit. 64. ^coo/u.^vou M. ipsmofi.e-jou Fl. AGAMEMNON. 13 holding from Zeus twin-throned twin-sceptred honour, a firm-paced pair of Atreidae, 45 launched from this land an army of Argives borne in a thousand barks, an avenging legion of heroes: sending forth from the soul loud clamour of war, like two vultures 50 which in distracting grief for their offspring to the utmost height over their nests float in curves, rowing themselves with their oars of pinions, having lost the brood-care which before at the nest had detained them: 55 and in the highest some dweller, Apollo, or Pan, or Zeus, hearing the shrill-voiced wail of the mourning birds sends the departed fledgelings' Erinnys with a late levied doom 'gainst the sinners. 60 So doth the master Zeus, patron of host and guest, 'gainst Alexander send the Atreidae, and for the lady of many a lover will impose on Achaeans and Trojans alike many encounters fatiguing the sinews 65 where the knee of the hero is pressed in the dust and the spear- shaft snapt in the foremost orgies of battle. And now things are as they are; but will end in the issue decreed. Not by burnt nor drink offering after the sin S ad IT supra scripto ; ut vulg. Bess. 69. oiS' into*, Herm. , quod ne- 66. xa//axo i/xo/u;. hsec in mo- cessarium sit ; sed licet per me poetis nom. et paroem. digessit Eng. asyndeto uti. uiroxia/wv libri , UTTOXKCUV 67. 8nt) vulg. i'Trrj Herm. Casaubou, (-e} , owe cvear' "A/js ^Esch. nere'. Supp. 749. 76. ore libri. 8 re Auratus. 79. TiOrnspyifus M.corr. Martin.; 77. eivetiTffwv libri. corr. Herm. , prseclara eademque diu desiderata recentt. emendatio. AGAMEMNON. 15 70 nor by tears will he charm the intensified wrath which he roused by contempt of religion. But we (for our old flesh exempt from the war) left behind by the vengeful -armada that day stay at home, and apply 75 to our staves a strength equal to childhood's. For the young vital juice throbbing up in the breast of a child is as weak as old age, nor does Ares inhabit the spot: and what of the man past old age, when the leaves 80 are now fading away? on his three-footed walks he goes, and no more fit for war than a child, like a dream in the daylight, he wanders. But thou, Tyndareus' child, Clytemnestra queen-reffenl , what is the cause? 85 what the news? what intelligence hast thou received? on what tidings' report dost thou serve out and kindle the incense? for of all the town-governing gods, the most high, those of the underworld, 90 gods of the doorway , and gods of the market , the altars with gifts are illumined: and on every side darting its rays to the sky rises a flambeau drenched with the virgin nard's guileless and undefiled 82. rtftsp6fx-rov M. corr. in cet. 90. tw T' avpaviuv libri. Huiic 87. 7t0ai yulgo, ituOol 1. -nsuOoi versum ejecit Porsonus, Engerus Scaliger, probantibus Herm., Diiid. emeudatum restituit. cet. (hooxtvsl; libri, nisi quod M. 91. Sic F. Weapon eet. sec. Dind. Ouovxvtlf a pr. m. ; id ab 94. xpiJV OupopOipov iu7tis pp&x lius si modo recordaris Hes. Op. 464 M. T>jv 6 % TTVpyUV XTtyVJf 7TpO Tit; TrpoQpdvui; STTUIXIX xhx&v TU^TXl Qpfvtiv TO 7TXV ' 175 145. j>ccff/JtTa vrpouOuv M. rfiiv gerus non recepit. mpovBtM Fl. iftxitfi.oi.-cy. pavfiiv Heim- 149. ^sv/)foa libri. corr. Blomf. soeth. quam certissimam emend. En- 150. AnMxf M. reufrj 7rio('a? AGAMEMNON. 21 145 Good is the vision of eagles, but chequered with evil. But I invoke the deliv'rer Paean lest she should work for the Greeks any foul-blowing, 150 lingering, ship-staying, adverse-weather, craving a different victim , unlawful , not yielding a banquet , cognate framer of bickerings, no poor craven, for housewife- rancour is waiting to-break-out- 155 afterwards, dire, ever-mindful, treach'rous, offspring-avenging." Such were the fates which, mixed with large benisons, learnt from the omens seen at the starting , Calchas rehearsed to imperial households : whereto in concert speak the refrain of the dirge, but may good prove victor. 160 Zeus (if, whosoeer he is, he be titled thus acceptably by this name I speak of him: I've no power to strike a balance, when I bring each plea to scale, 165 whether or not I should truly reject from my thought as idle burden all but Zeus: not he, who in former times was great, with all-bearding boldness full, 170 ev'n as 'one who was' will be named; and he who next arose met his conqu'ror and is gone) Zeus is he whom if man heartily greet with ovations 175 he will reach the sum of wit: Eng., m. c. ; fortasse recte. e*7iAot'aj 165. el riSj libri. corr. Pauw. T. Viet. 170. ouSiv Mou libri ouSi Atfj 157. dntxloujitv M. Ahr. a recentt. receptum. 22 AFAMEMNIIN. TOV GXVTX, TOV xv plus s%eiv. ^^f/ ' sv 6' vTrvy Trpb xxp^lxq TTOVOC; , KKI nap' a- 180 TTOV Kou rotf viysftuv o Trpe- \ \ STTSl XXI (3plQvTpOV TTpOftOKTlV 200 177. T libri. rbv Schutz. recentt. quam ap. Thucydidem. 179. TS est 'etiam' ut nonnun- 190. Kxhpp66oi$ libri ; dediAhreu- AGAMEMNON. 23 him who guides in wisdom's way mortals, who makes absolute teaching which is got with pain. There drop ev'n in sleep by conscience seen- 180 qualms that rouse thought of pain, so to men wisdom comes against their will; such, I trow, the daemons' grace, superbly seated on majestic thrones. Thereupon the elder-born 185 captain of Achaean ships, blaming now no seer, "but with chances veering as they caught his sails; when the Greek fighting-men lay depressed by the store-exhausting gales 190 off the Chalcid land on Aulis' shores of flowing and receding tides: and Strymon-blasts coming with disastrous repose and dearth, making unsafe moorings, 195 men's path-perplexers, heeding not cost of ships and tackle , a twice-told length of time expended in waste, and tore all to shreds the Argives' flow'r: and when the seer one plan yet to the leaders chanted 200 ev'n than the bitter storm-wind harder to bear, urging in plea Artemis, such plan that the two tis em.; alii alia. cum Pors. recentt. 195. vafiiv xat libri. vt&v re xal 201. cxistyfe libri. corr. Pors. 24 AFAMEMNHN. 7rixpOL>i<; TTtXVTl Uf4C} hxfisTv asp- 235 $'/!V (rTOft&TOt; T pov (pvhotxuv xxTt ov suTTOTftov 7r<; Kiipr' iftuft XOPOS. %povov Sf xxi TTSTTOP^T KATTAIMNH2TPA. Tij<; vuv rexovvys (pas ro'S' evQffoti XOPOZ. Kai Tiq ro'S' ei-ixoir xv tzyy&av rxxfls ; 280 272. ti yxp TO libri. vl yap; 280. Sic libri; sed in M. sec. Schutz : alia dici poterant , hoc apte. Franzii apographoii post A litera AGAMEMNON. 31 CLYTEMNESTRA. The look of one well pleased accuses you. CHORUS. Of course: but have you the sure proof of it? CLYTEMNESTRA. I have: how not? unless a god played false. CHORUS. Do you esteem dream phantoms credible? CLYTEMNESTRA. 275 I would not take belief from slumbering sense. CHORUS. Has some unfledged report inflated you? CLYTEMNESTRA. You greatly blame my wit as some young girl's. CHORUS. Since what time has the city been destroyed? CLYTEMNESTRA. This night, I tell you, mother of yon dawn. CHORUS. 280 And pray what herald could attain this speed? erasa eat ; quapropter etyyc >Uv Earst. est valde probabilis correctio. corr. ; Kind. , Ahr. receperunt. Sane 32 AFAMEMNHN. KATTAIMNHSTPA. AXfATTpOV SXTTSftTTUV tTS^Otq ' Ot; $s QpuKrbv $vp' oiTr xyyxpov irupbt; 7TU,7TV "Ify (AW TTpbq 'EpftXUV hST , TrposxiQpifyixrx yrff f4,yxo<; Sf TtftJmftanv oux yvxivsTQ 300 (ppovpd , Trhsov xxlova-x TUV iipmtsvccv 3* uirsp Topy&TTiv T 7? AtylTThXyXTOV %lXVOUftVOV 282. cJTray/e'Aoy M. a pr. m. , CKTT' tamen ut v. eite/tTrev, cum Ahr. , &. , a. sec. m. Schutz ex E. M. , mutaret, sed v. TTSUXTJ (i. e. irsoxrij), cet. restituit &Tt' Ayy&pau. ad v. 288 injuria deturbatam , proxi- 284. Hie Heims. intexuit frag, a mo versui prseficeret. Res tantum Dind. primo ex Hesych. allatum , non certa, me judice. Mox paviv TtpQSMOpi^owy. Tt6fi.i:ifjLov ?/.6-/y. : noa libri. TTKVOV Pors. AGAMEMNON. 33 CLYTEMNESTRA. Hephaestus, who from Ida sent bright flame: and beacon kept despatching beacon here, with fire as courier: Ida to Hermes' cliff in Lemnos, darting high a carrier blaze of pine wood: thirdly Athos, steep of Zeus, 285 received a mighty flambeau from the isle, and rising high to clear the sea's broad back the travelled lamplight's strength with transport sprang, and ushered in the rays of golden sheen like a sun-mw# to Makistus' peaks. 290 And he, no loiterer, nor unheedfully subdued by sleep, sent on his share of news: and far the fire-sign to Euripus' streams came, and gave notice to Messapion's guards. They lit in turn and sent the watchword on, 295 kindling with fire a heap of grizzled heath. And the stark lamplight, even yet not dimmed, o'erleaping Asop's plain, in manner of the radiant moonbeam, to Cithaeron's rock, awaked a fresh relay of fire express. 300 The frontier-guard spurned not the light despatched from far, but lit up more than was imposed: so the light flashed across Gorgopis' lake and having reached the mountain ^Egiplanct 285. oiOeaov libri. corr. Blomf. 301. Hie Dind. posuit fragm. 286. jjwTi'aai Musgr. ; id quod illud, de quo dixi; eum enim of- quivis alius, prater JEsch. , dixisset. fendit frigida locutio TtAe'ov rfiiv slpvi- 288. Trguxvj TO libri. $%ev, tb ego /./-:>,)>. Immo vivida eat: vigiles,ne in locum absentia renunciavi. cf. Pers. desint opera? , immoderate abundant. 469 Tia/sayysMas >ji?s, et Comment. 3 34 AFAMEMNnN. urpuvs svitv (ty ftsyctpsiv (tot "%' avdaiovreg dtQQovy ftsvsi 305 [tsyxv Trayava xxi "Lapuvixov KKTOTTTOV TTp&v' V7Tp(3j miserum, toties Sed %xpi$eJ. recepta noa sine ptf. Habes ckpftovriTu 307. XKTOTTT/JOV libri. xcSroTtrov Can- prox. v. Est autem signum in Me- ter. garide , quod argumentum melius 308. ?T' dpixero libri. e? T' Stanl. erit non contemnere. Vide infra v. eg*' alii, vera 1. incerta. AGAMEMNON. 35 roused up the edict not to stint me fire: 305 they made a blaze, and sent with zeal ungrudged a mighty beard of flame even to o'ershoot the headland that looks down on Saron's frith illuming it: then flashed until it reached the Arachnaean steep, heights near the town. 310 Then to the Atreids' roof, there, shot the flame not without far descent from Ida's fire. Such my lamp-bearing racers' rules o' the course: each wins, the first-stage-runner and the last, all run the full course by relief of each. 315 Such proof I give you and concerted sign, my lord transmitting it from Troy to me. CHORUS. Anon, o lady, I'll address the gods; for I would have you speak these words throughout again, that I may listen and admire. CLYTEMNESTRA. 320 The Greeks hold Troy this day; and in the town I fancy cries incongruous are rife. If you poured oil and verjuice in one jar you 'd style them as dissentients, and not friends: the captives' and the conquerors' cries one may 310. iarbys M. 319. Vulg. dubitanter recepi, nam 312. TOW/S' i-roipoi Besa. , F. roioi'S' Both, ouj pro j commendat. Verti ft-u/wi Fl. ,.Vict. Schutz. corr. cum Heima. 313, 314 inverse' ordine leguntur 322. ex^rfas Hbri. corr. Canter, in libris. Olim repoaui , ut syntaxis 323. o\i piA libri. pUu Stanl. recte incederet. Sunt qui illud interpretari poaaint. 315. TOIOUTOV Fl. F. 3* 36 AFAMEMNflN. Kxovsiv eeri ; Troves 330 ap(TTOl$ ov ortum esse, 331. vJjiyrts FL vjaTsts F. , recentt. ut Spx ex ^ xpx. Utinam consentire vjJsTJs Ahr. possem. Deinde u 9ovoir-i FL dev 333. Enger. primus post TroAov Oxvotev Bess. foOjAoisv Aurat. accen- interpunxit. Idem Iv S' proi. v. ; turn corr. Blomf. sed nescio an JEschyli proprium sit 341. /*7rnrro< F. sic Dind., alii; AGAMEMNON. 37 325 hear, each distinct, rising from different lots: those, sunk with arms around a husband's corse or brother's, children clasping the dead forms of aged sires, no longer through free throats, as heretofore, bemoan the loved one's fate: 330 but these night-wandering turmoil after fight sets hungry down at meals of what the place holds, with no ticket to admit in turn but as each drew the billet of his luck. In captive Trojan homesteads they dwell now, 335 from hoarfrosts underneath the clear cold sky and dews released; and how luxuriously they '11 sleep the night out with no watch to keep! And if they reverence city-guarding gods, those of the captured land, and gods' abodes, 340 the captors will not in their turn be caught. But let no lust meanwhile befal the host to long for things unfit, o'ercome by gain: there's need of home-arriving safe-return, and to bend back the bistade's other limb. 345 Ev'n if the host come sinless towards the gods the lost ones' woe will be awake to see if unexpected ills can hit the mark. sed monito opus est , non voto. Chorus , ut ilia , parum ex auimo , 342. ttopQtiv libri, excepto quod respondet eup/sivws liyets 'beue oini- Vict. , et Fl. sec. Herm. noOelv. naris'. Adde quod e^TriebojToj (s. 345. v oc/A7rAx7)TOs Fl. dfolat 3' potius -rrfj) est vox nihili , ut videtur. e*/ji7rAa:xiToj cum Stanl. , Herm. alii. 346. iyp-^yopov libri. corr. Pors. , Sed nexus est; 'Esto: deorum nu- tuetur Alir. mina non laeserunt; homicidii ta- 347. /) tu-%01 libri. Try rsu^ot men (Iphigeniae et Trojanorum) psena Ahr. , Eng. Weil. Sed , ut ego vidi , danda est'. Nam salutem in neutram /*>j satis frugi est ; at v. TU^OJ ne- partem augurari yult Clyt. Prseten- quam, quae vocis de/*a/ro sedem dit quidem rb 8' eu xpxrolr) ; ad qua; prseoccupaverit , contempta voce pj. 38 AFAMEMNQN. Toiavr/x TOI yvvxixb? e% Hftou xhufa;' TO 5' v xpxroivi , w di%oppo7ru<; ISi/, TToMuv yap V0Ai/ TVJV ovyaw iikofAyv. 350 XOPOS. Yvvai , K&T' civdpa c&Qpov svQpovus lyu ' OiKOUffXC TTltTTOC, (TOV TrpossiTTsTv ev 7nzptzpit; ' o 5* ovx 375 SOVTUV (Atlv TO sv TrXTruv haovrr 380 oil TThOUTOU TTpg KOpOV Bl&TXt $' & TXXOMtX, 7TlQu, 385 oyAo? Trait/; aQspros x % TTXV (tuTiXicv ow Kaxou f %txhnou ToTrov 390 xoti /f 7Tl Trait; Troraivov opviv, 369. (is ftrpafev ws sxpxvsv libri. Paride non loquitur poeta, 8ed ad Prius wj delevit Herm. en/salav Franz., v. 400. Tentare possis e^/Jijv vtv. Herm. alii : necessario ; nan i hie ge- licenter. neraliter loqui oportet, non de Pa- 373. Locus misere vexatus. Le- ride. Ego exptvm , ut xpivu 3' i'pfiovov geudum iyysvjjs et "A/SYJS ut ego et o>/3ov v. 471. Neque enim sxpavsv Karst. vidimus (lyydvou* et &prj libri). de Jore dici potest, iieque expxvxv Sic omnia prospere eveniunt. Et intransitive de Trojanis ; ceterum de g'xyovos optime conveniret , sed veri AGAMEMNON. 41 They fared as they made choice. One said 'the gods , they 370 deign not to heed men by whom homage due to things debarred mortal touch is spurned' : but he prayed not well. A strife for things denied 375 to lust is proved innate in men unduly breathing pride, in houses overwell o'erflowing, beyond what 's best: let the good painless be, such as to suffice him 380 who has his share of wisdom; for there rises no refuge when, through fulness of wealth, man kicks at Justice's altar high, kicks it, to his exstinction. 385 But sad Temptation drags him onward, foreplotting , fatal child of ruin: and cure is all-abortive; 'tis not hidden, the bane, but shines clear, a dire-gleaming light: 390 like metal base, which by wear and testing stone's touch assayed displays black streaks; for he 's a child in chase of bird swift- winged , who brings a fatal taint on similiuB est postremam partem vocis 379. &}Twv , Cic. Div. 386. npofioi/MTtxts libri. Ttp6fioi/,x } 3&[Ax xxi Trpdftor XXI (TTloi 410 395. 7rravdv libri. corr. Schutz. 395. Gets Fl. corr. Triclin. 397. rwvSe libri. 3ij ^o, ejecto TUV. 'cultorem scilicet'. TUV eat scrip- tons librarii peccatum. 400. TUV Fl. Viet. TOV F. 405. re xal, post txaitiaTOpxg in libris lectum , in ordinem coegit Ahr. , 9' post vay/Saras addito. 407. /8e'/3axe Fl. corr. in F. Viet. 408. 7roiu 3' dmiavewj Fl. Quod 415 Pauw. conjecerat, rcoAia 8* earevov, id F. praebet, omnes receperunt. 409. roS' Fl. Viet. T8' Aur. 410. lu Sw/jta, utrumque semel, Fl. (Engeri typographus omisit al- terurn 8fii/ta.) 412. Tidpevrt vc/a; derj/ioj aiot'So/;5j aSwroj cipj/t^vojv iSecv libri. Vides atyaj perisp. esse. Sit ur/sej ut ^/syy; supra: magnum posco; sit tamen. dripus est oiix imrtfwv. Deinde Schol. AGAMEMNON. 43 395 his state , then seeks for expiation : for now no god hears his prayers, none-, but each sweeps away the guilty man who, forsooth, turns towards him. Such was Paris; to Atreus' 400 sons' abode having come, he outrage foul to the friendly board did by theft of the host's wife. And leaving her country-men battle shocks 405 with shields and spears, ships to mount , fleets to build and furnish, and bearing for a dowry ruin to Dion she lightly goes the gates between; ill-daring darer. Much they mourned the palace-seers mourned with exclamation: 410 "Alas, sad home! sad the home and sad the chiefs! sad bed! and form where she fondled her true lord! he stands by mute, breathing not vengeance nor reproach, aghast at sights most sweet before; and missing her v 'obstupe- quibus una in lecto Menelai sub factus'. Putes et Sat/iovSv, formam noctem posita est; quemadmodum tragicam , sed vox notior mansisset , Admetus conjugi pollicitus est Eur. ilia injuries obnoxia erat. 3(jT' cum Ale. 348 sq. i>x(>bv &tiv conj ungo. Et lectus jugalis 44 AFAMEMNX1N. V sppsi note' 'A(ppo$iTug F. scriptum pro eux)Ao corrector a voce AGAMEMNON. 47 lightly wielded urns with burnt- ashes representing men. 445 This man they mourn and, lauding, say how skilled he was in fight; and this as nobly fall'n in bloody fray (all for another's wife;) but one silently murmurs this; and woe 450 mixed with dislike assails the king- principals in the quarrel. Others round the redoubts, there, resting peacefully, tenant tombs of Ilian earth, and with 455 hate it covered its winners. The townsmen's talk joined with spite carries weight, and claims the debt sanctioned by a people's curse. My care abides yet to hear 460 a something now screened by night: for of these great homicides not unwatchful are the gods; and in time the Furies dark by fate-reversing blotting-out 465 of mortal life his light eclipse who prospers not with right; and for him who exists among th' unseen help there is none; and praise beyond x'/si; derivari opinatus est. Vide 462. ditfaxoitot Fl. Comment. 465. ito^ivru^ Fl. corr. Scaliger. 458. ri ipse addidi , post xrw 468. intepxfaus libri. corr. QTO- omissum. $i)/jLoxponov libri. corr. Pors. tius. 48 ArAMEMNHN. yap o- Aiddsv xspavvdc;. Kp/Vw ' &tj)6ovov chpov 470 ovv @ ov TIvpb<; ' UTT TTOhlV ctiyKSl (>OK @5 TO %jA/ou Qdtot; , TS %upas Zsi>$ , o IIvQids r &vat- TO^oiq IXTTTUV [tyxT > sis yftxi; /3fA>; ' 510 vuv 3' afire euTyp IcQi xx} ava% "AsroAAov. Tov<; r ayuvloix; Qsovq rposoivbu , TOV T sftbv Tiftxopov , (pihov xi/spuxx , Kvipvxuv }A&)(re libri. corr. Pors. terpunxit post Kupos; nam rulgo 496. &s FL plene interpungebatur. 497. Dind. primus commate in- 504. Ssxarou libri. SSXKTW Wund. AGAMEMNON. 51 that pleasing light which came befooled the mind. Yonder I see a herald bound from shore brow-screened with olive-sprays; and thirsty dust 495 mud's sister and next neighbour bears me out: since not as mute nor lighting you a flame of mountain wood he '11 teach by smoke of fire; but speaking will proclaim superior joy or but I disallow that tale's reverse. 500 Fair may the adjunct be to fair displays. "Who for our state prays thus in other sense, may he, alone, reap fruit from his thought's sin. HERALD. Hail to thee, Argive land's paternal soil! thus have I reached thee in this tenth year's light, 505 and after many hopes were wrecked, gained one. I never fancied in this Argive earth to die and get my grave-land share most sweet. Now hail! my land, and hail! sunlight, to thee; to Zeus the land's Most High, and Pytho's king, 510 who with his bow aims shafts at us no more: unkind enough thou cam'st, Apollo king, to the Scamander; now our Saviour be and Leech again. The gods of combat all I next invoke, and my own patron-god 515 Hermes, dear herald, herald's reverence, and the conducting heroes, with good will to take again the spear-surviving host. 511. 3A0' supra scripto e f Fl. Grseci aptam ease existimabant , quod ?>Mss F. V. W Bl. faff Herm. 'at e Soph. Ai. 702 intelligi pot8t, veuiendi notio non apta' Eng. Immo 512. nstyfaios Fl. corr. Dobrseua. 4* 52 AFAMEMNnN. 'la ftshxdpx fixirtheuv, Qlhxi l TS Qxxoi, dxiftovst; T* avrfatot, 7TOV TTXXXl (pxt$pSlTtx. Verto cum Sch. quod Heims. recepit , 8" in f' mutatp, 54 AFAMEMNnN. KHPT5. iv y' ftftftOffn %xpxs VTTO. XOPO2. oi vovov. KHPTH. XOPOS. oivrspuvruv l^fp KHPTH. J^vSf yijv (TTpxrov \kyeiq; 545 XQPOS. 'AA' K(AXvpaq IK (Dpsvdt; yt avxa-Tevstv. KHPTH. TO $LHT(ppOV TOUT' STTijV (TTSVOS Af (JJ J XOPOS. TO triyav (pxpftaxov (3&d(3y<; %u. KHPTH. } TTU<;; XTTOVTUV xotpxvdiv er/Jf/s TIVKC-, 541. exSaxpetv T. whitt. 542. ?(TTS Fl. >STS F. xjsre Ahr. 546. /*' Scaliger addidit. 543. Interpunxit Schutz. 547. iruyog arpxru libri. Nebu- 544. TteTrArjy/itevos libri. corr. Tyr- lones ambo. ffrwo; ^o , vocibus dvxf, KOii Qavsw TTOAAJJ %dpig. 550 KHPTH. Eu yap TTSTTpXXTai. To&TOt, ' V ret ftsv rig xv he^sisv U7TTug e%siv TO, $' avTs xa7ri{to(t h&xovTsq vfisoi; f^spog; TK ' tXVTS %p5oj. Velim mini rupte. At quid, malum, vjSeos? Di- redd as unde unde extricatum v. ^8/^a cam : editores certatim castigant in- vel simile quid ; nam Hesychius non- sontem Aa^ovrej quum , me judice , dum ad me devertit. noxam admiserit v. vjfjuxros- Expecto 559. Srjfwv libri. corr. Dind. yjSovfiiv pspog, ut Tt/saTTf'dwv pipo^ v. 560. y5'/AaTos ? Cedo ni recipias , hsereo. tei/j.wla.1 Fl. V. >7'Seos, jamque apparet ^KTOJ supra corr. Schutz. AGAMEMNON. 57 CHORUS. 550 So that death now were, as you say, quite sweet. HERALD. True: for we 've tasted good. Thus in long time one might declare that some things fall out well, and some again not faultless: save the gods who through his lifetime is quite free from pain? 555 If I should tell of toils and sorry berths , the close and ill-spread deckways but at what did we not sigh? getting no share of joy. Then things on land were horrors greater yet: for close by hostile walls our beds were laid, 560 and pelting drops from heaven and meadowy earth besprinkled us, and to the wild-beast's fur of our apparel searching damage caused. And should one tell of the bird-killing cold past-bearing which Idaean snows brought on, 565 or melting heat whene'er the waveless deep in breezeless rest at noontide dropped asleep but why deplore it? now the pain is past; aye , for the dead so past that they no more 560. Ip6aoi libri. fiolot ego. Vox Stanl. ; hanc vocem si quis noverit desideratur quse O&TTO xwvou sit, et vertet 'crispatam et nitido colore pluviam , rorem , grandinem , prui- florentem'. Vix id voluit praeco. Ego nam , nives significet , qualis est /Se'Ajj nihil melius quam iv Ortp&v tpiyl re- Soph. Ant. 358. Suidas /36Xof ij perire potui. iv Oe&v xplact infra v. Spdaos. Gloss igitur Spoaoi quae 1289. Cave suspiceris vocem Ttfl&rej: iliu Be male habuit, tandem vale valde earn amat . K-<-li. Locus ex dictum est. Hesiodo sumptus ut ostendam in 561. xKT*ifaxov mavult Dind. Comment. 562. evOriov tix libri. 58 AFAMEMNHN. TO fiyTTOT* avQiq (Jt,vj Fl. corr. in F. (libri. Ipi); nee dubium est quin 585. ptltiv libri. Frigide, immo Chorum illud dicere oporteat. absurde dictum; cujus rice liysiv 587. cbw/aMfa/xsv libri. corr. Steph. repoaui , nam pttttv eat gloasema ad 590. ivlmtw Fl. i(x,v TTKVTX sv f&yxei %pdvov. 610 Tsp\l>iv oyS' brtyayw tpanv nap" ccvSpos ftahhov % %txhxoi> KHPTH- va i TS dxipovuv wry; 635 KHPTH. vji^xp ou Trpiirei y Qeuv. "Orav c? aTTSvxTa TT^XT' ay/shot; 640 V TO ftlOV TU% v tx.v%ptx,q $t7rhy (ttiyTiyi, ryv "Apys v , (potviav %uvupi!ia, f&evTOi TryftctTav Gsvayfikvov sTrst hsyeiv TTXIXVX ro'vS' ''E.pivvcav. 645 'Lurypiuv Sf ijxovra 7rpb<; z roli; xxxoTn a-jftftii;u h ^xioJi; ovx, f/,yvirov Sf&v; yap, cvrsc %Qijii(T FL V. corr. ia P. ceperunt recentt. Etenim scriba vocis 655. xe^wTuiroiyxevat libri. corr. vsxpdis oblitus erat. Wasaius. 662. Sic emendatus ab JEschylo 660. vaurtxwv T' Ipcniw Fl. F. profectus eat. ipemiuv V. Aurati correctionem re- 664. vcaj; absque fv % F. illud correctione, quam dedi; Paleius ta- Pors. hoc Canter, corr. 70 AFAMEMNHN. %vvej9os Conington. , rpdnous F. V. re Enger.; uterque felicissime. 729. x*/* lv 7"/ T/soyjxj FL V. euutv F. Corr. Pearson. iVats Fl. arawtv aw aratj Fix et Ahr. , ab Eng. receptum. Quotus quisque est qui vocis a'T>) vim recte intelligat? ap.^EIsch. dico. Hicautem AGAMEMNON. 73 But he, waiting a while, displays bent and mood of his parents; and, paying fee for his food with 730 havoc of sheep which he slaughters, makes him a feast uninvited; home is defiled with the bloodshed; he the inmates' doughty grief, killing many, wasting much, 735 by some god was begot and reared priest of death to the household. And, I would say, thus to Dion's state a temper came 740 tuned to breezeless calm; wealth's soft eyes'-delight; melting arrow-glances; love's exotic stinging the soul to sweet desire. But she altered and bitter ends 745 wrought for the match, proving a sad sharer of seats and intercourse; who on a fell mission from Zeus , god of the board, sped unto Priam's folk, like a Fury espoused bringing tears by her marriage. 750 An ancient saw long pronouced among mankind hath been framed, that man's success great and fully grown gets an heir, and does not perish childless: rectissime de ovium csede usurpatur , 743. 3jf/0u/iov integrum est, me ut ap. Soph. Ai. 307. judice. 733. > x o> 8' Fl. corr. in F. 747. iipi*nfau- yov (ATa ftsv Trtelcvx TIX- Ti , (rQfTfpx 3' s'txdrx ysvva. O/xwv yap ei>6v$ixuv txsl. 755 760 v@pi<; ft x vsafyutrav v xaxoT*; fiporuv U@plV , TOT % 70$' OTXV TO XVftOV rdxou' T'ITOW , oipoixpv , xvtspov Qpavoc; ftshal- 765 770 TOV 756. 758. ocrix w libri. corr. Pauw. yap libri. corr. Pors. V ivaffiftov Ttt (TUV 775 759. JUJTOE libri. /xe'ra Herm. Nee libet credere , et licet in variis opi- nionibus. 761. Particula y/xp quam Aur. mutabat huic loco unice conrenit : 'scelus, inquam, exitii parens est; nam justonun hominum sora non nisi felicitatis genetrix est'. 766. Sic Ubri , et omnia integra ; v. ex anacr. , basi , dact. , troch. dim. cat. est confictus. Non vidit hoc Herm., non Eng. ; hie tamen proxi- morum verborum mendas vexpx p&ous xfaov acutissime perspectas habvdt. vep 795 OVX iy/ia F. et 785. eeptu Fl. hanc formam Stobseus. Herm. adamarit non tamen amplexa- 793, 794. xal |i7x a '/ OOUIJtv /^ Ja " tus est. aepi$u F. V. Hoc systema ?<5/xevot libri. Eecepi Weilii conjec- in sei w. redigunt, ut responsioaem turam, Pers. p. 120. %a.ipovs>los xl tasse ouS' iTtixsuau vera lectio est, ySA/3oj dxovaiw'. Heaych. Vox eat nam poeta ob oculos habuisse vide- jEachylea huic loco optime conve- tur II. 5. 816 rfi tot itpoppovfas niens. Cf. II. 1. 410 incwpw>ra.t ipito g'Ttoj ouS' l-ntxtueu. Cf. infra /Saaii^oj , et Hea. Op. 258 , unde r. 805. li" ' aiunpta aunt. 78 AFAMEMNIIN. ai/Spain tivytrxoutri Nuv 5' oux KTT' oiKpocq Qpsvbi; outf x(pi^.u<; 805 svQpuv voot; u f %pdvc,) rdv TS $txuia$ xxi TOV txxxip TTOhlV olxGVOWTiX TTOhlTUV. AFAMEMNHN. Hp&rov (AW "Apyot; jcxi Qsoui; y%ccplovt; 810 , rout; iftdi f/^rxirlouq , Sixxtuv &' &v iTrpx^tzftyv woXiv yap oux txTrb yhuvGyc 6foi ou cii%oppc7ru<; 815 MSVTO ' rS> 5' ivtxvrltj} KV ou thoutra vuv ST tivshh/xi ^Sxri ' a-uvdv mbv*f TT^OUTOU Trvo&g. 820 TIVEIV STTflTTfp KOt,X'AOi'/Ot,i; U . xai yvvtx.iy.bt; YTTTTOV vfowdt; Jbmt&itw Afw^, 825 806. TTOVOJ libri. 1:1160$ Weil. v6os est yaor^/J (axuros ' YI /J.YI xuoyua E. Heims. M. s. v.) , -npo^st dicitur ut itpostevat 813. Cf. Supp. 934. yuvatxt, x^/" 70 * nimirum est 'sterilis'. 814. pBofxxs libri. corr. Dobrseus. deaique nhpoufj.fru refert phrasin Cetera sana sunt. it^pouv ywoiixx. Imago : dii de Trojse 817. x sl fa libri. x^/"s e g- Nem- aut salute aut exitio suffragia ferunt : pe ylpaot primo fuit , non i,ta pridem adatant duae urnse , altera salutaris , , jamdiu ^stpdf. Ecce egregium altera letalis: hanc, inquit, cruoris ubertatis exemplum : XUTOJ virorumque necis implent , sed illam AGAMEMNON. 79 on the dying the fruit of your actions. 805 Now with no surface-thought nor unlovingly my mind is rejoiced that you end well: and in time by a thorough inquiry you '11 know him who uprightly and him who unfittingly of the people keeps house in the city. AGAMEMNON. 810 First Argos and the country's gods 'tis fit that I address, parties along with me in my return and the redress I've won from Priam's state. For gods who hear not suits hy word of mouth dropped no mere make-weight votes 815 in bloody ballot-box for Dion's sack, votes dooming men to death : dry , barren Hope came to the opposite vase which was not filled. The town still certifies its fall by smoke: only death's storm- wrack lives; the embers too 820 dying gasp out rich breath from wealth devoured. For this we must repay the gods a meed of long remembrance; since we claimed and took monstrous reprisals, and for a woman's sake the Argive beast, a horse's colt in form 825 of a shield-bearing host, has razed a town ne unum quidera vitse gennen gravi- cetera omnia. dem reddit. At sic maris vice fungitur 822. xal Troyaj 'vnspxorous libri. Spes. Its: id voluit poeta. Ceterum IUud Ahr. , hoc Heath., emend, confer, si tanti est, plura in Comment. Quum vero certum mihi videretur 819. Sic libri. xxj 0uoy0dvv PI. corr. in P. V. gere. ty&you Stobseus. 827. isnepOop&v Fl. F. onepOoptov V. AGAMEMNON. 81 taking its spring just as the Pleiads set. And, having cleared the wall, like lion fed on raw flesh, lapped to surfeit royal blood. I have stretched out this prelude to the gods: 830 as for your sentiments; I heard and bear in mind, and say the same; in me you have a fellow-pleader. Tis innate in few to court a prosperous friend without dislike. Ill-natured venom seated at the heart 835 doubles the load for him who has got the sore, for he is both oppressed by his own woes, and sighs at sight of wealth outside his door. I'll speak from knowledge: well I wot that those who seemed to be quite complaisant to me 840 were only friendship's mirror, a shade's ghost. But one, Ulysses, who was loth to sail, when harnessed was a trace-horse prompt at call. Thus, whether of a living man or dead, I speak. As for the rest touching the state 845 and gods we '11 summon public courts in full assembly and consult; and must contrive that what is sound may last and well abide. And if a man needs healing remedies by cautery or by cutting kindlily 850 we '11 strive to avert the pain of his disease. Now having reached my halls and chambers round my hearth, I will first clasp the gods' right hands 835. 7r7ia,u/^vX X 0<70V7Tp OVTOS VjV V7T* 'lA/^J. 860 To ts XXI TOV (AV XIV , TOV 7Tl<;(plV XXXOU xaxtov akho , Tryittx, hxtrKOVTOtg "^o^otq. 865 1 TOY)Ta< Ahr. 870. T' av libri. Corr. Wellauer. 869. IntyOwov libri. Formam At- 871. Facete loquitur insidiatrix. 6* 84 AFAMEMNnN. Sf&UV T XXt (TUIV XVplO$ ws XfiJV) 'OpsfTys' [t^s Oavpxtrys stpst yap XUTOV V(tvy<; dopvt-svot; 880 o Oojjcfus, {(> TTpOtpuVUV , TOV xlvdvvov , si TS xrapptyfiw ' U?TS OTtn TOV TTSVOVTX hOtXTlGiXl TTAfOl/. 885 fVTOi 5xajxacw. T<5vS' syw Weil. AGAMEMNON. 85 who holds the pledge of my good faith and yours, Orestes, as he ought; be not surprised; 880 our kind ally is entertaining him, the Phocian Strophius, who forewarned me of sorrow's dilemma, your own risk at Troy, and should the people's clamorous rioting fling down the senate; since it is innate 885 in man to spurn the fallen all the more. A plea of this kind surely hears no guile. And now for me the gushing founts of tears are quenched; there is not even one trickling drop: I've weakness in my late-reposing eyes, 890 for your sake weeping the fire-signal-stacks ever, it seemed, neglected: then, in dreams while in my fear for you I saw more woes than my sleep-fellow time could bring, I waked at the light wing-strokes of the buzzing gnat. 895 Now having borne all this, with mind ungrieved 902 for sweet is flight from all that comes perforce I'd call this man a watch-dog of the folds; a stay, the vessel's saviour; a high roof's firm-footed prop; to a father, his one child; the land descried by sailors past all hope; 900 after a storm a day most fair to see; a fountain's stream to thirsty traveller. Such are the titles which I deem his due: 898. at6iov Fl. (miAovF. V. Ace. et 8fi/*' asiirrov v. 911, dubitari non corr. T)ind. potest quid sit scribendum. 899. xai yijv libri. Sed quum cer- 902. -roio'i^s TOIVUV libri. Corr. turn sit hffic ab Homerico illo sumpta Schutz. ease yacav asirrea owxsv IfaoOcu , nam 86 ATAMEMNHN. dvo$ 5' aTT&TU ' TTO^X yxp rot, trpiv xxxx yvi%dftJ.x j^jf ye fjt,vroi ^[M&povg ftsyx KATTAIMNH2TPA. 'O $' tzdovyTOi; OVK f 930. d TrovTa 8' us -npotaaoip v, Weilius : 'hsec dixi sic ut equidem libri. Tipdaaoifjiev Dind., av tV]v, si agenda fidenter periclitarer'. diis placet , subaudito. Bern perspexit 933. Eectissime interpretatus est AGAMEMNON. 89 930 Thus have I said and thus should boldly act. CLYTEMNESTEA. Pray do not speak so as to thwart my will. AGAMEMNON. My will be sure that I shall not corrupt. 'CLYTEMNESTEA. In fear you might have vowed the gods this act. AGAMEMNON. None more; I spoke to that end well advised. CLYTEMNESTBA. 935 What think you Priam, this achieved, had done? AGAMEMNON. Walked on the damask certainly, I think. CLYTEMNESTEA. Be not abashed then at mere human blame. AGAMEMNON. Yet much the commons' murmuring talk prevails. CLYTEMNESTEA. At least the unenvied man is not admired. Bl., si ftsiaxs, yjwfw et. 937. xtitji/ i-svyv f Trpsupsvuc 950 ' TOV evftsvx; exuv yap audits Souhiy %pijrxi A.VTVI 5f ^OAAWV avdcg , GTpXTOv ^apm*,' , epsi i-uvV V OTXV f TU%10 Zsvs d&Tr' OftQxxo*; TTixpas 970 oivov, rod' ^5u ZfV , Z, 31 TGI Fl. intarpo- u-ngfrcdvowa Aur. , Bind, sine idonea pu/*rfvou F. corr. in V. causa. 974.' /*&>), supra scripto ot, fa 969. /*?Si libri , ut quod maxi- Bekk.; idem conj. Aur. I fly [tat. esset me, putidum. rufj.vr)- 8&v, quse sane satis probabiliter Tr^uyavrjat&iv correcta est : hinc adeo lintres in arena hserebant , et funibus simul alligatis, yel, remis in nu- merum adductis , sesquiversus allisus est. Cfr. ycca/taTa yiavfiv supr. T. 145. iSwv est Calchas. Si spondseus in quinta sede offendit, scribe xe'a/s xwaoO/ijvov in v. antist. 990. onu; libri. Corr. Stanl. Dein- AGAMEMNON. 95 why does song play the diviner unbidden, unguerdoned? 980 why, not spurning it like dreams hard to sift, does confidence firm in faith not retain its own seat within my breast? and yet the time has passed its prime since he forewarned 985 who in types saw the sprites of destruction when to Troy sped the ship-ascending host. From my eyes I learn, my own witness, of his home-return; 990 yet without the lyre my soul self-lessoned strikes up within me a solo, a wail of Erinnys; not retaining its beloved fullest confidence of hope. 995 Nor for naught starts my breast at the midriffs truthful tale, - my heart , that whirls in rounds which bring an end fulfilled. But I pray that my fears failing promise may in lies 1000 issue, in no end fulfilled. Truly each stage of health far advanced de libri u/tvuScI, quod ex i/tvwSst rigere voluisset si v. stroph. quern correctum est , quum yuovwSst debuit. dedi invenisset. Prseterea prime ante se habuit v. 999. fuoij Fl. F. 5 V. Corr. SfjLUf. Quid si sensus quoque boc Stephanas. verb, mavult? At si duobus locis 1001. /weia '/&p toi T> rcoAAaj corruptis clemus syll. ujj.v corripi ir//set, AGAMEMNON. 99 mitigation, then my heart, faster than my tongue could speak, these misgivings would pour out: 1030 now it sighs, in darkness sunk, spirit-sore, with no hope that it ever will spin from the flame-enwrapt distaff of reason aught to suit the present need. CLYTEMNESTRA. 1035 Go you in too, I mean Casandra, since Zeus not vindictively has made you share our household's cleansing-rite, with many slaves placed near the altar of the treasure-god. Step from this car, and cherish no high thoughts. 1040 They say, you know, that once Alcmena's son was sold and took the slavish barley dole. And if this lot's constraint should turn the scale great thanks are due for lords enriched of old. Those who, not hoping it, reap largely, pass 1045 the plumb-line and are harsh to slaves all ways; you get from us just what is usual. CHORUS. To you she speaks plain words, and makes a pause; j xaw'?etv, Suvat. Mese rationes 1044. o/S'Fl. <& 3' V. Corr. Stanl. hujusmodi aunt : /ia^j male sciptum 1045. Traysauretfl/twv Fl. -nxpx ot&6- /JL&Z-K, cum interpr. $v supra ad- pap 'ad amussin' Theogu. 543 non dita, secuta est vox Oiyslv; y8ia autem est Attice dictum, est pars interpretationis ad r^vecc 1046. Ifetj Aur. Sed sensus est : pertinentis, quse mullo modo in itp' rj/^v 8s ol 5ou)o t-^waiv o. v teitum recipienda erat. Sic Eager. 100 ArAMEMNHN. XV QV7X xv, sl K ATT AIMNH 2TP A. 'AAA' s'tTrsp arr/ fty %^ovoq SiKyv 1050 xyvSiTX (fiuvyv fiapftapov s;I/' iftoi (r%ohyv Tnxpx 1055 r/j//3f/v ' rx (tsv yap tvrixt; u$ OVTTOT 2w 3' el TI dptxtrstg r&vds , [ty v ' si IS est 'non parum' F. Herm. inseruit TS m. gr. Em- Herm. perio Kayser. , Enger. , videtur xa- 1083. swTijs codices, aurijs T. /jarfyia esse corrigendum, Eomano, Viet. scilicet, et posteriore more deceptis; 1084. Ttxp lv M. nxpev Fl. TTK/JOV nam quis. Grsecus, prseter Perseum, F. (Herm.) Corr. Schutz. alteri caput prsecidit unquam ? quod 1086. cfyyt'a-r' Fl.; cet. ut v. 1081. idem interrogari non potest de sus- AGAMEMNON. 105 the street-god, my destroying god! for twice thou hast destroyed me, not almost. CHORUS. She seems about to augur her own woes. God's gift abides though in a bondsman's breast. CASANDRA. 1085 Apollo! Destroyer! the street-god, my destroying-god! Oh whither hast thou led me? to what roof? CHORUS. The Atreids': you might know; but if you dont I tell you; and you '11 say this is not false. CASANDRA. 1090 No, a god-hating roof, privy to many crimes, murders of kinsfolk, strangling-cords ; a men's-throat-cutting place, a sink of blood. CHORUS. The stranger seems keen-scented like a hound, and tracks the game she starts by trace of blood. pendio heroinarum. xpsx-r6/j. conj. 1093. evpts M. tj in litura. eupts Weil. Fl. Corr. fora. Bl. mavult sljpiv. 1092. &v%pbs op&ytov libri, in M. 1094. /xavrsuttv M. [iwrtuti Fl. t in litura. optxyttov T. apzyeicv Pors. yuareueiv T. uv xv sltprio-n M. GK Rob. , <*vS/sotTjjaystov Dobrse. Deinde TT^Sov Iptupfaet Fl. F. Viet, av Avsupfast T. pavrripiov libri , sed in M. pr. m. Recepi Porsoni em. sed ita ut idem scripserat -n&op. Tts&oppxvTjptov Dind. valeat quod v gvpot. Jampridem at quid hoc significet ab ipso an- Paleius recte vertebat 'quorumcuaque dieris melius. povoppxrrjptav Enger. cruorem homicidio fusum invenorit, Etenim Trriov est gloBsa. eum investigat'. 106 AFAMEMNflN. KA2ANAPA. <*vr./. MxprupiOKri yap rdiq'S' farwreUoftM ' 1095 TX$S fipsQy vtyxyxs TS (TUpXXS TTpO? TTXTpOq XOPOS. TOVTUV KA2ANAPA. 'lu TTOTTOl, Tl TTOTe /Z^STXl', 1100 r/ roS 1 a%oi; vsov (tkyoi y' sv ddftoitri ToTgSs ftydsrxi icxxbv XX XX<; XOPO2. Touruv aifipit; it pi r&v {txvrsuftxTUv' 1105 ixswx S' syvuv f TTXVX j /A>JV Aid. Ttirn. 1096. Sic M. ra Fl. >5s/v Pors. , Bl. , Herm. , Bind. Sed 1098. ^ y>]v a pr. m. M. , alia neutrum horum hie ferri potest; manus, ut yidetur, ^/tev superscripsit. neque ^ /tijv yff/*> neque iieTtus/jifroi Fl. cet. jj/tev Eob. ^ ^v corr. yaftev. Weilium solvun habeo quern AGAMEMNON. 107 CASANDRA. 1095 Yes! for I credit these tokens, the crying babes these that wail their own butchery and roasted flesh of which their father ate. CHORUS. True, we had heard of your divining fame, but these are things for which we seek no seers. CASANDRA. 1100 God! what's this? what is she compassing? what this novel heinous woe, this heinous woe she 's plotting in this house? an ill past her friends' strength to bear, hard to cure; help withdraws far away. CHORUS. 1105 In these revealings I'm unversed, but those I knew; for all the city talks of them. CASANDRA. hapless one! you will act it out? having by bathing beautified your bedmate lord how shall I tell the end? sequar, nee meliorem ducem qusero. Engerus omittit /*'/, et it6pVO(tiZV)is Tiq si QsotyopyToq , yt,- 1140 (pi S' auras &pOic j oiot, TI$ %cu$a fioait; , (pv , ra^xlvxiq (ppswv "ITVV "Iruv (r' aftQtQxtii xxxdic a$uv @iov. 1145 KASANAPA. 'iw Jw iwysfat ftdpov 1128. iv addidit Schutz. t^si 1134. morels Fl. dssTTtwtSov M. libri. xuret Bl. , Herm. OeantuZbv Fl. flsirTrtwSfiv Casaub. Me- 1132. TIS M. lius Herm., quod dedi. flsffTttwSov 1133. ySprolut Fl. argMsTxt libri. yx5/3ov hie dici non potuit. Corr. Herm., et Emper. 5ta M. S^ 1135. y>^eoyrtv Fl. absque v cet. xl Fl. Corr. Herm. AGAMEMNON. Ill and he within the filled vessel sinks. I thus tell you the wily pan's fatal hap. CHORUS. 1130 I would not boast in words inspired to be nice judge; but this I liken to some harm. And from words inspired what good tidings spring to men : for because of men's present woes the seer's god-inspired wordy lore brings a fear 1135 to learn what it means. CASANDRA. Alas , alas ! the lost one's inauspicious doom ! for I now relate my own following fate. Oh whither hast thou led me the forlorn? for nothing but to die with him: what else? CHORUS. 1140 A mind-maddened one, by god moved art thou, and about thyself chantest tunes tuneless, as some brown nightingale, alas! mourning with thoughts of grief Itys, Itys, his story that bloomed with woes 1145 from both parents sprung. CASANDRA. lo, io, the portion of shrill nightingale! 1137. littyxfaaa M. i7ray^^Fl. &x6pstof Aid. pu taluzivSt M. j>- Recepi Karsteni em., Heimsoethio Jioixrotj raAaiv" ppiolv Fl. Glossema probatam. jHMxrotj ab Herm. receptum eat. 1141. aura? M. Mox ota. M. 1146. A^6vof /J.6pov libri. Corr. 1143. AxdptoTos fioSts M. /3os Fl. Herm. 112 AFAMEMNHN. yap ol TrrepoQopov %{ &o: yhvxvv T actavx xhavpc&Tuv &rsp XOPOS. peea.vv.j3'. TldQsv 7riTOu<; QfoQdpous %it; 1150 TO, o/uou T' opQiois iv opovc 1155 'la KASANAPA. (Mi Htxp&oq fas OU TTtZTplOV 7TOTOV. T K ol Fl. Illud -TO ex ye Herm. u pro ya.p quondam scripto ortum eat, 1152. iTtipo^wt M. snifofia. Fl. unde et -TSJ in Fl. Insolita forma Corr. Aur. nepsfi- confirmatur simili ilia Emu. 1153. o/iou T'jure suspectum est. 634 nepeaxrivuaev. oifiova' Schoemann. Fortasse vo'/ioc; 1148. v.-jwy. libri, sed yp. cd&vn T' dpOiois AGAMEMNON. 113 for the gods put on her a wing-bearing form, and let her spend a sweet life free from tears: for me a gash waits with a two-edged blade. CHORUS. 1150 Say from whence thou hast these fierce god-impelled, these thine idle griefs; how thou dost mould to melody with that ominous scream horrors in high-pitched key, and find landmarks for this thine inspired path 1155 of ill-omened words. CASANDRA. The match ! my brother's match ! which brought ruin home : alas, Scamander's stream, drink of my native land! by thy margin, then, I the ill-fated one throve on thy nourishings; 1160 but now it seems I soon shall sing my strains upon Cocytus' banks and Acheron's. CHORUS. What this too distinct speech thou hast uttered means, a child might understand the cry: and I'm pierced as with deadly sting by thy 1154. >] Fl. ordodochmiisseinterposuit, utssepe. 1158. rcUatva Fl. 1164. bnb S^art libri. Corr. 1163. AvOpuTtuv libri. oivOpoavego. Henn. Illud est glossa; nam Saxoj vfoyvo,- v Aippm&v quod Meineke de- a; Fl. noise*; terpretatio aut complementum. Quse V. Corr. Pore. autem corrigunt Ozp/ibv ouj Canter., AGAMEMNON. 115 1165 sad, sad lot, while thou plaintively mournest woes, a strange tale to hear. CASANDRA. Alas, the woes, the woes of my country lost, all-lost! alas, my sire's offerings before the walls, when grass-pastured kine many were slain! and yet 1170 they served naught for cure, to save my country's ailing as she ailed; I too, brain-fevered, soon shall sink to earth. CHORUS. There thou spakest words following hard upon the former track. Some ill-disposed 1175 daemon with ponderous weight falls on and makes thee chant sufferings like a dirge , fraught with death ; how 't will end I am all in doubt. CASANDRA. But soon the augury will look out no more like bride new-married from behind veil-folds: 1180 but to the sunrise blowing, clear of clouds, will hurtle forth, it seems, and wave-like wash Herm., Oipfibv povn Musgr. , illud 0f/x4vo!>j verum ease posse, absurdum est, immane quantum; 1173. itporsfoi? libri. Corr. Pauw. hoc vero comico poetae couvenit. 1174. xal TIJ as libri. xat T/ as Verto : "Civitas mea , cui uulla me- Butler. , vulgo. at fig ego. xxo- dicina utilis fuit, morbo periit; et fpavslv libri. Corr. Scbutz. ego quoque, nunc morbo delirans, 1176. Ox-jxrop6px Fl. , corr. in F. mox (quum furor quievit) humi pro- 1179. vu/zpaj Fl. , corr. in F. cumbam'. itt\& %QtrA Prom. V. 284. 1180. fc$jfvFl. lyfttc\. Herm. Apparet, opinor, nihil aliud nisi vulgo. iitfitv Bothe. 8* 116 AFAMEMNHN. Kxt Trpot; OUTTOT SK^SITTSI GvitQQo'y'yoq OVK eu(pavo<;, ou yap sv Kxi (Jt,yv TTSTTUXUS y', uz &paw Ahr. Et 0y)/5iS certe de sagitta? ictu dici nequit. Scilicet x et >j literse eandem formam habent in M. 1196. Sic libri omnes: 'de me hucusque absente nunc testamini , quod ex verbis (Aoyw) meis jam sci- tis, me scelerum gnaram esse'. Par- tern enim solum suae significations AGAMEMNON. 117 up to the daybeams woe far worse than this of mine. But I by riddles will instruct no more. And bear me witness as I coursingly 1185 hunt down the track of crimes wrought long ago. This roof a choir ne'er quits, well-matched in tune but not well-toned, for it speaks no good words. And having drunk men's blood, to dare the more, this wassail-rout of kindred Furies still 1190 stays in the house, hard to be sent away. Set firmly in its halls they chant a hymn, the primal death-crime ; and in turn they loathe a brother's bed, its trampler's ruthless foe. I missed? or do I, marksman-like, hit aught? 1195 am I a quack-seer? a door-pestering cheat? first swear, then witness from my words that I though absent know this household's ancient sins. CHORUS. How could an oath, a pain in good faith pledged, be curative? yet I'm amazed that bred 1200 beyond sea in a strange-tongue-speaking land you tell the truth, as if you stood close by. voi ix/A. tenet; quod Chorus testa- poense, quas aliquis ex animi sen- bitur de absente coram ea de qua teutia jurejurando sibi confirmat'. testator. TTSUWVIOV autem valet 01x04. 1198. Sic libri. opxou Trijy/ja Aur. 1199. Ttat&wos P. Si oou libri. opxof , Trijy/xa Pors. ab Herm. , aliis oe ?A0Tov libri. Corr. Elmsl. vi/xw est 'amantium more'. 120 AFAMEMNnN. Hue XOPOS. j TTKTTOC, Qsa-TTi KAZANAPA. 'lov lov. 'TV* KV (AS ^sivog opQoiAXVTeisu; Trovog vrpofiei } Tapaavuv (f)poif/,ioi<; ' u a 'Opars TOU$S TOV<; ^opoiq sCpyusvoui; veou?, ovtipuv TrpovQspsii; /x,op(pc!)[Aajv; 'illse mammae , opinor , non il- Isesse erant'. yats pro -ifisns citatur ex Soph. Colchis E. M. p. 439. 1. Schol. F. interpretatur 7ro3> AGAMEMNON. 121 CHORUS. And how, pray, did you feel king Loxias' wrath? CASANDEA. I made none credit aught, since thus I sinned. CHORUS. To us you seem to prophecy the truth. CASANDRA. Ugh! ugh! 1215 again true divination's dread pain racks and frets me with its boding words. Oh woe! see ye these young ones, seated in the rooms, like Jfonns that come in dreams ? babes slain as if by a kinsman, with hands full of flesh, meat made 1220 from their own carcases-, they hold to view the inwards with the bowels, most piteous meal of which their father ate. For this, I say, a craven lion couching in his bed, a stay-at-home, is compassing revenge 1225 on him who has returned, the master, mine, ah me! for one must bear the slavish yoke. roi> 'ATtiAiwvoj; sit, id quoque dum pueros intuetur 1212. ou8*v ouSev libri. Corr. Can- comperit. ter. 1221. Dedi T (libri T); nam TS 1214. lw lov, & u xaxac libri, et infirmius est quam lit hanc sedem ppot/jiloif ifrtfjL^vous v. 1216. Mirum occupet. est Engerum Weilii emendationem 1226. $uyiv Fl. antea fuerat uyO. spreviase, quse lau lov. et moi ypot- 1227. 7r/Jxo libri. iita.p%os Can- - oi. 1315 OUTOI (tvtrcl^u Qaftvov &<; opvi AAw^' Qavovcry [^txprvpeiTS ftot OTOCV yvvy yuvaixbs OCVT" sftou &vvip TS (ivtrdaftizpTO*; jA/w S' 7Tv%o{txi 7rpb$ vtTTXTGv (pug, SfffTTor %8po7t; 7 leamfatf, svftapovt; ^sipa^xroq. XOPO2. 'la @POTSI TrpxyfAxr'' eimi^oitvrx (jt.lv TIC xv Kptysiev el S olxTfipu TroAu. 1330 To (&tv OUTK; Kai ro55f WA/v fJt.lv etelv fdovav 1335 TIplXftO'J ' ' oiKO$ ixavfi' vuv ^ si Trporspcav ou(jC x7TOTil nam nihil aliud hie stare potuit; libri. pftaiv quod nemo tolerare po- non utique /Saatis'&ij , xoipavou, similia. tuit ex xpijatv deprayatum eat, quod 1326. His dictis Casaudra sedes et ipsum pro ypn a prave correctum ingreditur. Id Weilius solus om- erat. Correxi %f>i] Ttplv. Sed %pfiatv nium vidit; rj/wtj y&p itxT^pcitv. Et ansam dedit corruptioni TOCIS Jiryiu pro certo habeo Casandram non po- quam restitui. Quid autem xpy" 1 -* tuisse ea dicere quse sequuntur. Quid ct pijj est, siquando ex rebus secundis in av eftj. Id agitur, utrum horum sit adversas migrandum est. rectum , nam constat de voce itptystsv. 1331. npii-rrstv libri. Corr. Pors. Et, me quidem judice, xi prae- 1332. fipoTois libri. Corr. Pauw. stat; et Photius locum aliquem male SaxruviaSjixTuv libri. Corr. Schutz. interpretatus est. Ceterum in hac 1334. /ujx*n 8' elfttOris libri. Corr. similitudine nihil omnino est de co- Herm. 136 AFAMEMNHN. xxt To(ri xxvoutri Troivxt; QXVXTUV 7Tixpxlvi , 1340 OT xv u%xiro (3pOT&v ounvsl , TXAIOZ. ' TIS TTtwyyv xurei xxtplat; AFAMEMNHN. audit;, $UTpxv TrsTTtyyfAsvo*;. 1345 KOPT4>AIOS. Tovpyov iip KO iv ccv upsQ 3 xv TTUI; XOPETTHS x. {Jt,lv uftiv ryv iftyv 7rpb<; XOPETTHS /3'. TX%I- 1387. Afoouvex^fiiv libri. AiojEnger. /WITO, codices. Corr. in V. AGAMEMNON. 143 I with a sort of fish-net hedge him round, with no way out ill treasure of a dress. I hit him twice; and with two groans he there 1385 did let his limbs collapse. When he is down I give a third to boot, a votive gift to the underground Zeus who keeps dead men safe. So fallen he doth ruckle forth his breath; and puffing out a nimble jet of blood 1390 smites with a dark-red shower of murder-dew me greeting it not less than corn-field doth the god-sent rain-joy at the wheat-ear's birth. Things being so, if you, those Argive lords, rejoice, why, you '11 rejoice; but I exult: 1395 would we had liquors fit to drench his corpse! it would be right, nay, more than right; so great a bowl of cursed woes he mixed within the house and came and drank it off himself. CHORUS. We marvel at thy tongue, how bold thou art 1400 in speech, who vauntest o'er thy lord such words. CLYTEMNESTRA. You sound me as some woman without plan: but I with dauntless soul tell you who know and should you choose to praise me or upbraid 1395. Hsec eat &%$ M jv tr' {JUOUT (AXTMV &7TOIV ' j STT^XOOS ' efi&V 1420 ' &7Tihiv , us T 1405. Prsestat interpunctio post 1409. Post &p$ interrogandi si- Xep6s, ut vulgo; post spyov V. , Can- gnum vulgo ponitur. ter., Tyrwhitt. , Enger. 1410. ctrre'Stxes ^TT^ra^sj a'TroAts 8' 1406. Stxaia TS'XTWV duplici sensu e3, in &i:frct/j.es ad alterum super- usurpatxtr; quse meritas pcenas ex- scripto e in Fl. Weilium secutus in- petit, et, quse opus locanti probat, terpunxi post eJTre'Stxtj et scripsi cJjrs- par lanificse illius Homericse quse T/A]S. c^TrdTioAfj corr. Seidler. 'ex- fuit %spvti-ris ciAy)9>}s. cussisti exsecrationes et induisti 1408. pvsxs Fl. /suiSs F. V. Corr. insaniam'. Stanl. bpupevw Fl. Corr. Abresch. 1411. o/x/3/9t/*ov Ven. F. Herm. AGAMEMNON. 145 'tis all the same here's Agamemnon, here! 1405 my husband and this right hand's victim dead, a right good craftsman's work. That's how it stands. CHORUS. Woman, what poison- food earth-grown or from the flowing sea sprung hast eaten? and put on this frenzied mind, and hast cast away fear of the people's curse ? 1410 thou art sheer cut off, and shalt an outcast be, monstrous hate of the people. CLYTEMNESTEA. Now you adjudge me exile from this land, to bear the townsmen's hate, the people's curse, though then you voted this man naught untoward 1415 who, reckoning it a brute beast's death, no more, when his flocks teemed with fleecy pasturers, butchered his own child, and my best-beloved birth-pain, as charm against the Thracian blasts. Should you not as his foul deeds' penalty 1420 have driven him from this land? but of my deeds when arbiter you are an angry judge. I bid you threaten thus I being prepared 1414. ouSev r<58' libri. Corr. Voss. nem excludit num principalis verbi 1416. gur6> TOVCS passim. Sic et exspectandum fore ut Timoris do- /U/IT/SOJ r*5i8e (Clyt.) Eum. 122. mum frequentem'. 1441. ^ pro xl Karsten. , Enger. 1435. ivclxf l/jLi libri. Corr. 1443. iarorpt^ilibri. Corr. Pauw. Pora. 10* 148 AFAMEMNflN. o ftsv yx,p auras ' TOV UVTXTOV XSITXI 3s rot xvxvcu dxvizviftov yoov spa] 1445 XOPO2 xv sv TX%SI fty TOV aiii Qspovv' sv vj U7TVCV, yuvxixbt; 1450 rxg (3lov. 1455 , TXS TTXVU } VTTO Tpoia. V17TTOV , 1446. fi^tus Fl. 1447. nxpo'pdvft/j.^ libri. Corr. Ca- saubon. Nihil hie dicitur de pa- ropside nihil de paropsemate, quo- rum hoc obsonium est vel bellaria , ilia autem obsonii plena patella, extra ordinem apposita. ity.po^>cav(i/j.y. est obsonium clam paratum ut clam edatvir. Sic Casandra Agamenmoni erat quasi libidinia pulpamentum subsecundarium quod cupedise ejus clam inserviret, si quando legitimi concubitus eum tederet. Hoc igitur dicit Clyt. 'quantam illi clandesti- nam voluptatem prsebihira erat , tan- tum gaudii advectitii et addititii Iffititiae meffi prsebuit'. ira/Jo^/i/xa est hujus interpretationis quod derisor ilia et ipsa jamdiu probe callebat quidnam esset concubitus Ka.f/o^eavrt/j.a.. Of. Ar. Eccl. 226 et Schol. Soph. Tr. 360. JEsch. Supp. 296. Si- monid. itsp't yuvxtx&v v. 46. 1448. A numeratione harum stro- pharum et systematum quam Herm. statuit intra certos fines declinavi; quod ubique systemata propriis nu- meris a strophis distinxi; et hoc quidem simplicitati concedendum erat. Praeterea , lacunis autiquatis , in duobus locis systemata inter se inaequalem versuum numerum ha- bentia exhibui; hoc enim sententia? dare sequum videbatur. Nam xit se habent yersus nihil omnino refert ubi lacunam ponas , adeo nulla esset lacunae suspicio nisi responsionem pra?stare in animum induxisset Her- AGAMEMNON. 149 they 've fared: for he the way I told you; she, 1445 having swan-like trilled her last death-wail, lies down his own sweet love; and for my transport's zest brought a love-dalliance-dainty-on-the-sly. CHORUS. that some destiny joined with no pain extreme, no bed-keeping confinement, 1450 would quickly come bringing o'er us slumber ever-unending, for our most loving guardian hath been overcome: who for one woman bore many toils, and hath now lost his life by woman's hands. 1455 Alas, alas, Helen infatuate! of that number, that very great number, of lives in the Troad the single destroyer! now she hath poured out a crowning indelible blood-stream , mannus. Neque ille quidem, me 1454. AnfySiaev fiiov ut quod maii- judice , sine aliqua ratione ; sed non me corruptum est. Vide Comm. ut operae pretium sit bonum sensum 1455. lu iuxp!xv6fj.ous libri. Alte- importunis illis asteriscis interrum- rum iw addidit Bl. iJxpdvous corr. pere. Quo autem modo choristae Herm. hsec inter se partiti sint res admo- 1457. 6Maxs Fl. dum dubia est. Probabile tamen 1458, 1459. vijv Ss reiseav TioAu/x- videtur medium quatuor choristarum VHJTTOV eTtfivBiau 8t' afyt' txvnrrov libri. ?uyov octo illas strophas antistro- Hsec Heimsoethius in formam quam phasque y' , 8', et systemata anti- maxime probabilem redegit, quam syatemataque y' , 8' sortitum esse; exhibui. Hermannus, qui satis mul- ct ceteras duodecim strophas anti- tos asseclas habuit, lacunas signa strophasque cl, y3', i et systemata post rsielxv posuit et versum 1459 antisystemataque , /3', rf inter octo ad hunc modum ordinavit: >5 TTO- primanos et tertianos choristas quo- Au/Avanrov In-^vQiaot at/*.' oivntrov. Sed quo ordine esse distributa. Hermanni auctoritas non tanta est 1450. Sic libri. Itp rijj.lv Herm. ut credam v. Troiy/^vairTov voci iirt- 1453. xl ttoMoc libri. xat ejecit TU/X/SJOJ respondere. Lacunae signa, Franz. TW^ corr. Wieseler. et Enger. si lacuna est ubi sensus integer 150 AFAMEMNHN. vfriq tip iv "$6[JU>i(; YJV 1460 KATTAIMNHSTPA. QaVXTOU (JUJipXV 7Tl>%OV XOTOV libri. Ver- stun 1460 hoc modo corr. Heims. ^T TOT' & Sfytwj ^*. Sed TOT' est metri complementum , et pro ea i? ^1- Corr. in V. 1466. <3)e'./. "^ X.& , KOMOV OUVOV XTt)- pXt; TVX&S UJCOpSfTTOV lu , ly, Six} A/o^ 1485 TI yotf (SpOToJc avsv A/oc rl TOCV& ou Qfdxpavrdv fVr/v; wffT-y'. 'lu la /3anAfD, fiznteu, ITS (itxxpvvu ; 1490 SK jsysti7T/>(5s quse v. antistr. non respondent. Pro- et s. v. y/fx} Titrtzi; xirsp ept-sv. 1530 XOPOS. Trrvovroq oxov. f cftfipou XTVTTOV TOV etifumfffa' ^KXXS Sf A/x^v 5' OT' j F. SixyjvAur. eurreUa/uioi est subject! epithetoa, ut Delude Gfytt libri. 0jyv Herm. fptrsriox corrigere deberemus si et 1 536. 0r/va( libri. Corr. Pauw. genitivus hie stare non posset. Con- 1537. Sic F. stO" "/*' cet. structio est cJ/f/)X av6 oitct rpdnu/jLM , 1544. dTroxwxuaat libri. 158 AFAMEMNflN. dvr/s'. T/V ' TriTU,u{3ioi; ojvog STT' avdpi fate? o-uv daxpvon; itxvTav a^Yj^ict (ppsvuv Trovfosi; 1550 KATTAIMNHETPA. aver 4- Ou (Tf TTpO^Xfl TO TOVTO ' 011% V7TO KhXuQlAUV T&V % OtXUV , AA' 'Kptysvsid viv da-TTatriut; 1555 XVTtOUTXyOC, TTpOq UXVTTOpOV XOPOS. dw.4. "Ovf&Ot; %Kl TOf? (XVT 3 OVlcioV*' 1560 KTlVl XXIVUV. % (ilfUK&foQ sv Qpovy Aib<; TOV Sp^XVTiX ' QfVftlOV yOif. Tic; av yovav ap/ziov ixfidhot doftav; 1565 ysvcx; 1549. Sax/suotv Fl. V. Coir, in 1559. xeipe Pors. sine idonea Ven. F. causa. pjAyjur) libri. Oorr. Jacob. 1551. //trj/*a Myetv libri. Corr. 1563. %p6vcp libri. Bpdvcp corr. Karsten. et Schneid. Schutz. Et ne forte dubites cf." 1555. Iptyfreixv fv' libri. Corr. Orph. Fr. 1 ouroj ya/3 (Zeus) x&3utstm Jacob. Ante hunc v. lacunam pomint. is oupxvbv la-cqpixrat xpuafa slvi Opivu. AGAMEMNON. 159 to his shade an unthankworthy tribute? What panegyric pronounced on the godlike hero, aiming its words with weeping, 1550 shall do its work with true emotion? CLYTEMNESTBA. It belongs not to thee to harbour the thought of this care: by my hand as he fell, as he died, so will I bury him: with no escort of wailings in pomp from his home , 1555 but lovingly Iphigenia his child, as it behoves her, shall come to the swift-flowing channel of woes and, meeting her sire, shall throw her arms round him and kiss him. CHORUS. 1560 Here comes a charge th' other charge rebutting: hard is the strife to judge them. One robs a thief; he who killed takes ransom. Yet it abides, long as Zeus enthroned abides, that 'he who does , suffers' : 'tis an ord'nance. 1565 Who shall drive out a curse's seed from families? 'tis fixed so as to bind the offspring. 1564. Interpunctionem post yp vehementius. Hoc dicitur: 'dirarum recte posuerunt edd. recentt. semen ita genti agprlutinatum est ut 1565. yovuv pxov libri. Corr. Herm. sobolemquoquesibiconnectat'. Itaque 1566. Sic libri. Ti/sdj 'T* Bl. vulgatum retinui. 'agglutinata est gens exitio' , justo 160 AFAMEMNHN. KATTAIMNH2TPA. 3jj yv cchyQstty, fyu 5* ovv opxout; Qfftfvy TX$ [v trrspystv 1570 3u$)? vuv fiporuv ug ctvcaQfv yijs sTroTrrsusiv ItiuV UtplXVTOJq V TTfTT^Ol? 'EplVVUV 1580 TOV oivdpa, rdvde Ksifrfvov (plhas iftol , 'Ar/ji/ yap apx/vv Ty& yijt; , TCUTOV TTxrlpx &uyr^v rbv f^ov t &<; rop&s XUTOU T OttfhQov, j corr. Aur. 1588. YJU/SJT' Dind. 11 AFAMEMNnN. TO ftl) dxv&V TTXTp&OV XlftX^Xl 7T&OV 'txurd$. ssvix, rov^s ^ueQsoq Trxryp 1590 xpsovpybv yftxp suQufAMi; xysw Trapse %s SXITX TrxiSsluv xps&v. Tx (tsv TroSypy KX} %puv xxpovg Krivxq ' , xvufav x^px xpsx KX} bkpyC even; 1595 ' o $' XUT&V XVTIX,' xyvolx hxfiuv @OpXV XGUTOV, fa Opfa , fiVfl. spyov ou xxrxia-iov S' XTTO aQxyyv ipav, ' xQfpTOV ns^OTTl^Xli: 7TV%TXl , 1600 SflTTVOU %UViv.U$ T&Siq XpJi. TUVtif 001 TTfVOVTX TOV%' IdfJv TTXpX. rou Qdvov px(>v$' rplrov yxp ovv (AS TrxlW fV xdhiy Trxrp] 1605 OVT V ( Tpx(psvTX ' xudit; vj 1590. aurou' l^vta 8s libri. aurij. , corr. Bl. In vulg. 8equitxir : 'AT/>SOS TtpoOvfuas /tgAAov % jjt'Awj , Tcotrpi quern versum , ex glossis ad narijp et siidu/jLUf adscriptis concinuatum , recte ejece- runt Schutz. et Enger. 1595, 1596. eOpuTtT > xvuOsv on^px- xs xcx.6riff.svog. a:'(7)aa 3' KUTWV libri. expuK-c' corr. Tyrwhitt. , et ut de intrito taceam , hsec verba Qpumeiv et xpuTtretv in codd. non semel per- mutata sunt. Non minus certe a'svj/*' b S' aurwv Bind. Restat Avfyxxxs xxBrtpsvos nam diveaOsv integrum est. Illud 'viritim sedens' significat; quod prorsus absurdum est. Nee multum lucraris recepta Herm- corr. xaOr,- p.evots, nam nonnisi comici poetse esset et ceteros convivas Thyestse puerorum carnibus farcire. Videamus igitur quid fecerit nefarius Atreus. Quum heroicse setatis more siugulse singulis convivis mensae (rpoats^mt) appositse essent , boTinam scilicet ceteria , Thyestse vero csesorum pue- rorum caruem subministrandain cu- ravit; hanc autem in satis alta pa- tina ita disposuit, ut crudi pedum et manuum digiti imam sedem te- nerent , et mollibus accurateque coctis carnibus superimpositis tegerentur; quibus comesis , Thyestes digitos offendit et rem comperit. Hunc ego sensvun secutus correxi a8/}a x/ssfa *ai 64pp ^velj, nam digiti erant Ivpol et teuu (3xpitxi?, OVTI yw trsipxQdpov 1640 TTwAoi/* ^AA' o VOIKO? [taxQtZKOv vty' 7r6 XOPOZ. T/ >J TOV XV^pX TOV^ XTTO oux xvrbi; yivxpi^sg; #AA# vtv %,c!)pxt; [tixaiAX xx} Qfuv ty%tfploov t 1645 1631. rtmoif libri. vrintots coir. hunc versum lacunam notavit Herm. ; Jacob., recentt. sed ingratum. lacunarum exquiren- 1634. raiSe ySouAsixras Fl. Ven. darum laborem aversati sunt Meineke Corr. in V. F. et Heimsoeth. 1637. r} libri. ^j corr. Pors. Post 1637. e TwySe libri. Corr. Jacob. AGAMEMNON. 167 .EGISTHUS. These words are also harbingers of tears. You have the contrary of Orpheus' tongue: 1630 he by his voice led all things with delight; you by your silly howls will drive them wild and lead them so. Mastered, you '11 look more tame. CHORUS. That you, my god! should be the Argives' king! who , when you 'd planned his doom , dared not perform 1635 the killing act in person, no, not you. ^EGISTHUS. Enveigling clearly was a woman's part; I was a foe from ancient date suspect. But with his treasures I will try to rule the people; and will yoke with heavy bands 1640 him who won't heed the driver; not as some gay grain-fed prancer; no, unlovely Fast that dwells with Darkness shall behold him meek. CHORUS. Why, with your craven soul, did you not kill this man yourself? no, but a woman did - 1645 stain of her country and the tutelar gods Et equidem scire velim quomodo F. Ven. , et sic Pollux 7. 24. etiam lacunae ope illud explicare 1641. xirw libri. UXOTW Auratus. possint. 1644. eJJUa } libri, Corr. 1640. aeipxapopov Fl. Corr. in Spanhem. 168 AFAMEMNflN. KTIV. $vpo TrpsvftsvsT rv roTvds AITI20O2. s^ft ^OKS'II; rd>' spdeiv xxi heysiv yvuvsi rd^a. XOPO2. ******* AITI20O2. Eiot $y, rx Trposvxivetv xxxov. 1665 'AAA* iyu )3' s9' Bl. 1657. Hie versus qui post v. 1663 in libris legitur, hue ab Herm. re- positus est. dcfuxpTrjrav x/sarouvra libri. dcpxpreiv T^V xpotTouvrx corr. Casaubon. Desunt verba sex mora- rum mensuram habentia, quae for- tasse , ut in praelongo versu , supra scribebantur. Versionis mee causa in textum recepi aluxoj /*^V*j 1 U8B jEschylo digna suppeditarit Herm. 1658. aTj/^sre S' oi yipovrts ftpbs Si/ious TrsTT^aj/tte'vouj roujSs libri. Quse dedi, Franzio debentur; sed hujus correctionis rationes equidem per- spectas nondum habeo. Apta est; sed veram esse nego. ToujSe deleyit Scaliger ; incertum an recte. Cf. Soph. AGAMEMNON. 171 1655 to have reaped ev'n these, so many, yields a miserable crop. There is suffering in abundance: let us spill no further blood. For a prince to miss the prudent counsel is a great disgrace. Go, both you and these the elders, to the homes assigned by Fate, ere they rue, and broach untimely deeds : 'twas fated as we fared. Sure , if this might be enough of trouble we would acquiesce , 1660 by the daemon's painful talon sadly torn as we have been. If 'tis worth one's while to listen, thus a woman's word directs. ^GISTHUS. Shall I brook it that they scatter on me silly talk like leaves, and give vent to speech of this sort, braving what the god may send? CHORUS. 1665 It would not be like the Argives at a coward's feet to cringe. JEGISTHUS. On some future day I'll bring you yet to your account for this- CHORUS. No, if fortune guide Orestes hither to return again. O. R. 637. adscriptam. Delude iTr/safa/xvjv Ven. 1659. -nplv itaOelv. e/sfavrs xoupiv Proximo autem versu &Uj y' eyplfidf Fl. tiplv itxBelv. tpl-xrcx xoiipb* Ven. afv libri. Corr. Martin. Ceterum et V. F. , qui meliorem lectionem prse- -rot in TW mutandum ease videtur. bent. Inde ego, fere nulla mutati- 1660. yoly Fl. V. jpiAi} Ven. F.; one, a^fou T' dx&lpuv, quod dicitur nihil enim ineptius voce x^?> 'bile ut &pyju.v dci/.uv ^gip&v. Sed totus petiti' , quod Paleius notavit. hie locus adeo comiptus eat ut 1663. Sat/tovaj libri. Corr. Ca- desperatus jure dicatur. Non amo saubon. insolens illud -nenptopcvovs quod glos- 1665. rcpoaxlvttv Fl. V. Oorr. in sam corruptam olet ad %pijv r8' Ven. F. 172 AFAMEMNflN. /T iyu (pfuyovras avSpaq ihir$&$ j ropcrta Supp. 268, Choe'ph. 537 are 'effectual cures by amputation'; cf. Jarpo? TO- Topoq in Plut. Apophth. Catonis 'a surgeon fond of desperate remedies', ropsti Find. P. 3. 53 are punctures ' or 'amputations', evrspvew a(pdjAo<0-te represents ayv ace. to Donaldson. 72. Tt is for 7rt%upto$. eyj^Wfioq, or sy^upoq ' o iv ry %,upqi uv E. M. S. V. So Schol. M. TW TOTTU ettsivu. 80. From Hes. Op. 531 Tp}$ %povov E. M. S. \. $-/.v. Literally, then, poetic power is here said to be one being with their term of life, so that the might of song abides with them in their old age. Soph, makes the poetic faculty and the term of life foster-children Fr. 768 ovx SffTt ytjpa? TUV ff&Quv ev oiq o vov$ Qsicp %vvjpe? S2 $pi? 7rativy)TVI. XXTX. in KZTdponQce, in its distributive sense, ^"n , pro- perly the lammer-geier, is HSoc bpveov 'taov cteru Suid. s. v. 151. All these epithets are by contrast; neither could be said of the hare. 152. ffv^vT^v is as before, v. 107. ov Zeitrtvopa applies to Cly- temnestra. 155. i*Yvt$ $s iffTtv bfyj n$ yreTraXcttuttev*), eviKOTo; netl tirtry- fY.Tixt. Diog. L. 7. 113. 156. &7rsx\x'yt-iv KA, Lat. 'clango', is properly said of birds of omen, and here of Calchas as it he were one. 184 COMMENTAKY. 160. Zev$ is nominative by a sort of inverse attraction to for the thought to be expressed is 'Zeus, and not Ar- temis, nor any of these vulgar gods, none, in truth, but the one living god, is he whom if man worships from the heart, he (man) will hit the sum of wisdom'. His real name is known only to the immortals, Orph. Fr. 3. 163. TTpoGsixdffiti is 'compare either alternative to a preponder- ating scale'. 164. ffTttfoaffQui is to put weights Jv, Plato) of that time'. 178. KVfiuq, properly of a law or a judicial decision. 179. We are made eye-witnesses , as it were, of a dream of the Eum. v. 94 foil. This prophetic faculty of the soul in sleep seems to have been universally believed by Greek philosophers , except perhaps Democritus who refers them to fV5A and xwti yvutris 'men's knowledge of gods and their nature is a manifest fact'. fa$, Athens &. Scttpovuv, Helen a. TT*.OVTOV. 'what one claims as one's own with pride and joy'. 210. The three wrong things are sufficiently indicated in the Trans. Comp. Cho. 338 where three evils are expressed 186 COMMENTARY. in r&$o$. (Herat;. (pwyuScts and there is a play in x 'not without the complete number three'. TU-J ZKUV ev was a proverb Suid. s. v. 216. TreptopySt; (fr. 5repj$ Suid. where the ace. is rightly given) means 'with yearning which transcends every other, even that to save the maiden'. 217. Hes. Sc. 447. 218. He puts on the collar of necessity when he persuades him- self that it is god's will, $><, that he should slay his child. This line is based on Theognis 195 ev (ttv avdyxv. evrvei . y T vipo$ rMftovx byxs vcov. evrem Find. P. 4. 418. 219. rpoTraiz in Arist, Probl. 26. 5 is the reverse of a wind blowing off land. Here it is a change of feeling, the desire to save his child, into the opposite, the desire to kill her. 220. avayvas is the 'improbus' of Hor. Sat. 2. 3. 200. 221. Lit. 'he thereupon adopted in its stead the all-daring spirit'. 223. TTzpzitoTra. is 'religious fanaticism' which ever leads men into the greatest absurdities and violations of the plainest natural laws ; exactly as it is put by Lucretius 1. init 'harbinger of suffering' is an unusual cpd. E. 5. 194 is an epithet of a chariot whose new-made parts, vivrevxij, would be put together for the first time or near the first, if it were used. 224. The preposterous thing is the killing an innocent woman as a help in taking vengeance for the abduction of one still alive who was not innocent. 231. flf/KTTOT3Ao< j3j TwAeTra* ITT' elfe* vura 188 COMMENTARY. SaAaK- vuri&iv seems to be formed like Comp. vwfi' tVa-wv eTrip^vTSs Hes. Sc. 286. "TTTTUV vurotffiv sipwevot; Theogn. 249. Several of the words in this celebrated passage are chosen for their suggestiveness : "lS*t. iSs7v, 'Efftatov v. 283, epp, the string of lights; 'Aflwov v. 285, without damage; Mscniirrov v. 289 the stage of greatest length , /KXTTOV }5 cfjopov/ > 295. Heath must grow to a much larger size in Greece than with us, as is evident from Theocr. 5. 64 SpvTopix; t-v- ho%i} soft fat, like lard. Suid. s. v. jn/ttcAt}. 323. TrpcsevveTTfiv is 'to say with reference to' and so equals 'speak to' when you expect a reply, and 'speak of when you do not. COMMENT AKY. 189 327. Editors object without reason to the vulgate. The poet wishes to remind us of such scenes as the death of Priam. In the F. Scholia correct yiveraii (frvr^Kpioi; (sic). Compare (Pvrxhpiu Trttrpl Soph. Fr, 538. 328. 'Heretofore' i. e. as before their slavery they used to do. 332. Seems to allude to some arrangement by drawing lots for securing order at the efAa$ in which /waAAov $vx,ot; yiverut Arist, Prob. 25. 18. 336. Comp. Menand. p. 96 Meineke. Vxv eyo> roi/s 5rAot/)Dv Se xoti yrfZov rivet VTTVOV netdsvSstv . aAAa TUV 5TTfcl%WV TlVCt. 344. As if the whole course were a straight piece of wire which the runner bends at the middle making the two halves parallel to one another. The two strings of a sling were called xA Suid. s. v. 345. av&'tTKH; flvaTjfl}A7$2 ri}^ xzxias Plut. De Sera N. V. 20. s-yyovos is 'produced in' not necessarily from birth; sxyovot^ is 'born from'; fyyevfo is 'born in', inherent from birth. 375. As this passage relating to the Trojans is directly taken from II. 13. 620 foil., the student will do well to read over the whole of Menelaus' speech. 5>?p<< fwtuv Supp. 412. 6fffot; 3 5r;o$ b'A/3 Hes. Op. 317. 376. Compare the phrase TOA{/$ yrveiv. 378. oA/3y sv%oftzt , AA' epoi s'ty t$v JTO TW %,OVTl 7TOVOV ThCOgn. 1155. 379. TOffffov xfo-Toq, o'ffffov s Tpxe7v Sol. Fr. 20. 1. asrapxgTv is retained in deference to the Codex Fl. It should be clearly understood by the reader that these quotations from Hesiod Theognis and Solon are not given as il- lustrations but as the actual source from which the ideas and phrase of ^schylus were immediately derived. 380. This is directly from Theogn. 353 el yvuws cA^e<; (tepos and fifTfov ex,uv ffotpfaq \. 876, and remotely from Horn. Od. 8. 547 oAyzffrvf ibid. 486; TSV/JJ? Se jt*v fpya (3rx$ u.xo$. STT^ yap TZVTeit TIJC zSlltitf, KCtt TO $Xl(t6vtOV SLffVyyVUf4QTa,TOV yiVSTXt. Stob. 74, 61. 396. QV yap roiye nXvavrtv , uTroTrrvovtri $t T' #pa< Hes. Op. 724. afle'p' e A Xen. Hell. 4. 56 , (pi^ovt; $*> OVTUS Thuc. 6. 80 and often. 407. pift(p is partly like xoZQa, |3.0$ Hes. Sc. 223 and partly like fstSius = 'temere'. It occurs Hes. Sc. 342, 378- Compare 'domo levis exsilit' Hor. Sat. 2. 6. 98. 408. Lit. 'daring things not to be dared'. arA^Ta TfTovSw? Theogn. 1029; Theocr. 25. 203. 411. ffTtfioi. 'form' as in the phrase 'a hare's form'. 412. ciT'ipaq is from Ttpy in the sense of 'penalty' as in the verb eTJ appears to be radically a neutral word like 'pretium' 'cum et recte et perperam facto pretium deberetur' Livy. 5. 47. If ay do pan comes from a root of neutral signification, e. gr. ay*v, it can mean (1) 'regard as in excess', and so, of a good thing , 'admire', or (2) of a bad thing 'disparage'. With the latter interpretation Horn. II. 3. 224 is sound, though rejected by all the editors, ol TOTS y 5' 'O^yffijo elSot; tSovTes. Odyss. 10. 249 is like it, AA' oVe 7rcivT<; ayuffffdpi6' s^speovTs^ 'regarded him as overdoing his sorrow and silence' 'surprised at him', with a mixture of contempt. 192 COMMENTARY. 413. alivTu. iSetv. So Aeyxwv (Ss7v at the extremities of a verse Supp. 720. XAATTOV ei<;i$eiv infra v. 900. aSu^ovwv has a neuter ace. like Sccipovuv %%* AT. Thesm. 1054. Contrast a woman's frantic grief at the sight of the mar- riage bed in the case of Jocasta Soph. 0. R. 1242, of Deianira Trach. 913, of Halcyone Ov. Met. 11. 471 foil. The grief of Menelaus is silent JV j>v%*)v TO AvsroDv exAaAwv eTrncouQi&i rys TO /3pe$ Aristsen. 1. 17. By this word Suid. and E. M. explain khvstv, cthvirbxiveiv , A&rovj Theoc. 27. 8. So Prof. Conington makes 'volucri Somno Virg. jEn. 2. 794 equal to Somnio and at ib. 6. 282 the 'Isomnia vana' are in the form of birds. 430. rhviffixdpSKH; is formed like T#Aax*p2v^vTO just as you write yrfi ffov and not irpd jjAo$. 494. ncLffiq TnjAoD tcoviq. This relationship was probably so de- fined by Pythagoras ; else it is a poetic expansion of one of his ipse-dixits. From him no doubt Plato derived that which is ascribed to him by Apuleius De Dogm. PL 1. 8 'et sicut ignis aeri cognatione conjungitur ita humor terrena affinitati jugatur'. They mean, 'a proof from something of an opposite nature to fire, and of a "more substantial character'. With %vctv$o$ cp. ayysAo? $0oyye$ of a fire signal, Theogn. 549. 500. Lit. 'may an adjunct to fair appearances turn out fairly'. 501. This is a demonstrative proof that they understood the queen's prayer at v. 349 TO 5' ev xpuroi*! to mean 'that which is favourable to me'. 505. fotyeKTuv lit. 'snapped'; but when the cable snaps the ship is wrecked. rv%u)v seems to be from a different me- taphor, or it is used in its unfigurative use. 507. 'grave-land share' is opposed to a share of land for cul- tivation during life. 511. glfffla II. 10. 450, 'ibis'. It has not yet been clearly put by any editor that in Soph. Ai. 172 foil. "APTS/MK TavpoToAa and 'Evi^A}5 xai roltri pepi^-eTcu ^ Kxo7jpov 'like that of wild beasts ' having been at length deservedly exploded , some editors have fallen back on Stanley's conj. vfl>jpdv which is even worse. Something might be said, in despair, for f'vfijjpov but avflnpov is a blunder without any redeeming feature. For it means 'like a flower' in glossiness, luxu- riance, richness of colour, and curliness: compare, for example, e?rvfle7v' o ffypctivei /uaAAov TO 2ajv Kiel (peififtxt-^ ruv 7rA< T%viriuv yr u$7Tp y XsyopevYi ruv !-i(puv ffroputrn; ex%((ixv tr% 5roAe/wiJ$ TOV ^Axov ffrsppoTrotovvrss, force, (pvffsi ftcthctxov exA<7rovff$ Se rtj$ fictQys STfl ryv rov eAflfi'v, Procl. 1. C. %Axo7? yp TO TTU- M %i$efft xcti ysu^ymolq epyxheiote; {j rtvl rzvrct ffTOftovvret; ' 5e ryq tTTOpoveys fiaffis rov %Axov. ^pwjwefla TW J. Tz. 1. c. 615. Lit. 'thus she told her tale to you a learner (who have much to learn about her conduct) cleverly in the opinion of sharp-witted interpreters (those who know the whole story) of her words. There is no reason for hesitation in the case of ropotyiv eppyvtvirtv. Cp. Soph. Fr. 305, Didot: Ktti rbv flebv rowvrov e%7riffrafcti. j xs3vei. Si- milarly Evenus Fr. 3 vpot; ffo ry rvvqtefo Aeyoj!*ev Artimid. 2. 12. 'vagues' and 'Waegen, Wogen' contain the same root as 7ye$ ace. to Reiffius 1. c. who quotes the erroneous explanation of Varro de L. L. 4 '^Egseum dictum ab insulis a similitudine caprarum'. Compare also Alyxiov TreXzyoq' TO 0oj3epwTTov Suid. s. v. so that it was a proverb, as in Hor. 'tutum per ^Ega3os tumultus'. 660. vexpuv ;rept % vitvctyiuv ov$s ensvoovv etlr^ffcct uvxipefiv Thuc. 7. 72; in which passage the vexpot are the dead bodies floating in the water, and the vuvuytct the wrecks as containing many corpses in the lower decks; otherwise avuipsffii; would not be either asked , or said of the latter. So vxvitytov to a Greek would mean nearly the same as ToAAoi vsxpo't. 662. 'saved either by fraud or intercession'. Instances of si- milar rescues occur in Homer; but both verbs seem to be taken from the law-courts at Athens. 664. u,sl $s #yfl>j % xxtosfyftevy iTw^t)) Artemid. 2. 37. % rw AAow ov ITTI ru xocp%yffiu xxQefyftevov Luc. de M. C. 1. COMMENTARY. 201 677. avov cnrb %hupov T/*V(IV Hes. Op. 751. &6v re x p- repiat Horn. II. 5. 515. xcti tfivTU, noil flaAAovra Soph. Trach. 235. #Ap6v ' rb axpd&v. MevctvSpot;. Harp. s. v. 682. e$ ri xZv occurs eight times in the Eumenides. 683. t*v] TI$ i. e. one of the daemons 'quos licet sentire, 11011 datur cernere' Apul. Flor. 2. 10. The only visible di- vinities are the sun, moon and stars Apul. de Deo. S. 1 and 2. Trpovotcttirt is the knowledge of the individual's pot pa, possessed by the daemons. Plutarch (after Plato, and Plato interpreting the Orphic doctrines) explains TTfOVOfOt (1) ft TOV TTfUTOV &SOV (TOV 71C&VTUV 7TZTp6$ TS X'JU Syftiovfyov^ voyj SevTfpuv Qsuv, TUV XT' ovfxvov IOVTUV (sun, moon and the other op povov, 'hands of Time'), (3) 7rf6voi re x T ruv otroi Trepl y>Jv $xif*ov$ TsrctyiAevoi ruv a 7Ff%euv (pvhzxet; re xzi iviffxoTrol etfft. De Fato 9. 686. aptptvetxij Aydveipav Soph. Tr. 104. 689. 'Death-knell of navies etc.' This trans, is given as being slightly less odious than that which has hitherto been adopted by translators. The word 'hell' is so entirely theological, un-Attic, and in every way objectionable that it ought on no account to be admitted. 692. yiyctq is the same as y>jyev^. ov$ xAfOt/5$ x^s rijv flATT*v Trvsvpu yevo- psvov. Lastly ytyzvTos has a side-meaning of aytpovs xcti Qeo(Asi%ov Suid. S. v. yjjyeve7$, as in yyyevel (pvff^^ctTi Ar. Ran. 825 and jrpbs To\)q rvyfvs7<; Ar. Nub. 853. That the winds were believed to be earth-born in the Orphic Theogony is clear from Suid. and E. M. s. v. . Tp' ov 2ij 'Pifyjov xixA>?(rxTa< .3Esch. Fr. 324, and often. 712. aiv, twice; ov JM^V flv, twice; riijAei/? fl^v . ^.ei^sre byv . v> flviv, twice; vj fl^v ?rou. 5 fl>1V (4V ftzXz. OU fljjV 0'^', U$ 5>JV X< yp fl>)V. 7161 fljjv. in Theocritus, TV fl>iv. twice, x7 yap fljjv fljjv Xeysrctl riq. AfyM f< ^ Trpuzv fl^v, xeifif. 6v rs^tlTcti. In ^flsv (Prom. V. 202, 986 etc.) fluv is shortened to flev, as pjv to /ev. 717. The false notion that Paris is the subject of this allegory of the lion's cub arose from the mention of him v. 713 But he is introduced there only for the purpose of show- ing the mistake which was made in calling him g&Aex- Tpo$, and Helen is the burden of all these four first strophes and antistrophes. 718. ayAxTov is 'weaned from his mother's milk', Toyey- COMMENTARY. 203 720. jrpoTeAeivvejJo$ Suid. 300$ avflpwTou Suipuv a saying attributed to Heraclitus is either an lonicism or we should read Uoq Plut. Plat. Qusest. 1. 733. ctftuxov The meaning 'prodigious', which is so common in later writers, seems to be got by a confusion with ctfji.ctt(ji.dxTo<; (IffToq Horn. Od. . 311); as to the deriva- tion E. M. hesitates between wxos. i*,u.tpdJ. JEsch. uses it in that sense derived from i*,dx#. 737. 'eijffirurpov FT' uTrjvys vjyovr' avSpj ywvaTxa and the rest of the passage Hes. Sc. 273; see Stesich. Fr. 27 Bgk. We must imagine Paris and Helen riding in a chariot from the ship to the city while the Trojan citizens sing songs of love and marriage, and scatter roses, myrtle, violets, quinces. Gower C. A. Book 5 tells the story remarka- bly well: Paris vnto the quene wente and hir in both his armes hente with hym, and with his felauship; and forth thei beare hir vnto ship. Up goth the saile, and forth thei wente: 692. and suche a wynde fortune hem sent 696. till thei the hauen of Troie caught, where out of ship anone thei straught, and gone hem forth towarde the towne: 204 COMMENTAKY. 706, 7, 8. the whiche came with procession ayene Paris, to sene his praie. And euery man began to saie to Paris and to his felauship all that they couthen of worship. Was none so littell man in Troie that he ne made mirthe and joye, of that Paris had wonnen Heleyne. But all that mirthe is sorow and peyne to Helenus and to Cassandre. 1156. For thei it tolden shame and sklandre 395, 6. and losse of all the common grace, 401. that Paris out of holy place 402. by stelth hath take a mans wife: whereof he shall lese his life 715,1305. and many a worthy man thereto, 1171. and all the citee be fordo, whiche neuer shall be made ayene. And so it fell right as thei seyne: 70. the sacrilege whiche he wrought was cause why the grekes sought unto the town, and it belaie, and wolden neuer part awaie, till what by sleight and what by strength thei had it wonne in brede and length, 818. and brente and slayne that was within. yidfuvra, is /rap' xvrct along of this, i. e. 'like this'. 742. /uA$2X9v. AA' ("Efuq) e%a,7rrtra,i paAaxw^ . xeit olov exrtjxuv SUVTOV Pint, de Am. 4. He tries to describe the glance which, for all its softness, pierces the soul. 743. $*i%iQv[iov #vfio. The metaphor is as yet unexplained. Perhaps the allusion is only to the bewitching beauty of some flowers. 744. AA# TrcepxMvuffi Hes. Op. 260. 750. yef, uv Aoyo$. See Iambi. V. Pyth. p. 65 ovoftd^ct^i Ss ru.q axpaffiyv re xoii 7r\eove%iyv ' a.nQu Ss Tfokvyovoi ib. 145 r~b yrpurov TUV x&xuv $ xAoi//uevv) rpvQy, Sevrsfov vppi$, rtfrov oAfflpo^. 758. The impious i. e. the unjust deed. 760. enxoTot rexvet yovevo'tv Hes. Op. 233. 761. fvflwS/xwv is from Hes. Op. 228 UvSixw which Eustathius COMMENTARY. 205 explains by sv6v$ixyv. t&eiyirt Sixvri ibid. 36, 224, Th. 85 is opposed to ftotp' evl rsppct fidXot Theogn. 1188. 786. vTrepyp&v' vTfpe(3(rv, not 'over' but 'past', Suid. s. v. 787. AA Soxei psv Truffiv cntii yAwo-fftj? Qihos fivat Theogn. 63. 795. fluffy /JTTroyvwjwova ^Esch. Fr. 238. 803. o(pp ctTroriffy Zyftos urctffDciXiKS (3a* n^stdSuv Stew. This is aptly added as part of the description for the following reasons: the Sun (A/xij of v. 774) is then in Libra; and at v. 815 we had ov $i%oppo7rus, 'with no even-weighted scales'; it accounts for the storm of retribution implied in fltffAAa* v. 819; and for the physical storm which came upon the Greek fleet v. 649 ; there was a tradition that Electra the seventh Pleiad, mother of Dardanus by Zeus , fled from the sight of the destruction of Ilion; it was the time for turning up the soil and sharpening the coulter, v. 526, 528. Svais $2 eua b'retv b ?AJc yJfc vao-Tpe(J)e Ty Sfxe'AAfl. Add. Ar- temid. 2. 36 T o"Tpa ;gifC6Jvo; airix. Si/ffbvp'iKs xcti rxpzxeti; fft)/*xivovV%YIV, u$7rep }/ttfAffTOt$ ' Ai/^eA>}/Kfvoi$ Suid. s. v. OUK xixivvovi; Alciphron 3. 55. 3. Tjj/KeAe ' Qpovrfozt Suid. s. vv. 893. ptiraw. 'wing-strokes'. So Prom. V. 126 yrrepvyuv ftTrui*;. From Hes. Op. 582 faerx, rerrt% Ajv evixeuer' ojv TTVKVOV VTTO TTTifvyuv. Quv% belongs only to ani- mals that have lungs, ctl Ss pvtxt rots TrrepoHs rpu- OVffl TT^TTOVffl TSV OLSfCt. KCtl %%OVfflV' ClfAsXll (TTX- OVKSTI Poftfiovri Philop. ap. Suid. foo^. 896. From Theogn. 472 yrZv yap avayxztov TrfZyp' avojpov s(pv. So Alciph. 3. 37. 3 xaAdv /uev yap aTe/pao-rov elva< ruv or* $s ov% vifds.fx, st rovro, 898. (tovvoywijt; iri$ Hes. Op. 374. 899. Klausen's interpretation of tccti yyv is very ingenious. 'The preceding metaphors are taken from things which simply give safety or comfort: xxt introduces a new set, taken from such as relieve from imminent danger or pain'. But Ki is proved to be wrong by the passage in the Odyssey. 901. This is worked out by Catullus 68. 57. 904. That is , the envy which under ordinary circumstances would be roused by the eulogies. 911. Justice leads him in, and Premeditation does the rest. 912. Lit 'not overcome by sleep'. 919. pttpfictpou 4>ro$ 2ifcojpjp/TH$ reXoc T>JV svQufttzv slvai xafl' yv ycthwuq xui ev&rx&us y J/f^vj Sizyet' UVTJV slsffru Diog. Laert. Democr. So truly spoke the venerable precursor of the 'deus ille, deus' Epicurus. 930. elxov Ss xctl TTfiv . ovx civtu Syftov reiSs TT p d% a. t ft* civ Suppl. 398 is a strong corroboration of Prof. Weil's correction. 933. Lit. 'if you had feared anything, you would have made a vow to the gods to act thus'; she means that there is no ground for fear, nor for acting as if there were. 943. 'None more' i. e. in fear of exciting the envy of the gods. 938. From Hes. Op. 761 as observed by others. 944. Compare Plutarch's anecdote of that precocious young lady Gorgo , daughter of Cleomenes, rbv $' 'Aptarctyofuv I/TTO OIXSTUV v7roSov(4i>ov (having his ap(3t/A$ put on) nTfp eAcv sppciinv. The shoe follows the foot like a slave supplying it with a suitable stepping-place. An Eastern prince might also, on occasion, make a slave lie down to be trodden on. Hdt. 2. 107 is something like this, XVTOVS $s en' exsivuv STrifiuivovrtxt; exoufyffQcii. 950. rovftov /ufv ovra is Emper's conjecture, adopted by Enger. The Ed. has retained the Mss. reading, but no very in- telligible explanation of it could be given. It is translated as if it were veil rovruv OVTU 3oxf7 pot. The following are similar expressions: retm piv OVT&I? Babr. 116, 15; ovrui; 'owx/S. These and other omens might be found , but the Chorus speaks as if the presentiment was independent of omens. 976. xpoffTzryitiov is translated as if it were derived from srpo- and TTfOffTure'tv as in Eur. El. 932 ulir%pov yv- poffTXTfUv yt Suftaruv. But the other meaning is also intended as in irpoffrxrvpizs 'AprsptSos Sept- 450 etc. The former, 'domineering over' like a Tpo- ffTKrvit; over a JUFTO} irupciitftpviTctt Hes. Op. 407. fivxrsii' TrKpxK/tciffcti Suid. s. v. The meaning is, that the most dangerous crisis is past , since he has returned in triumph from the expedition which was led forth by those evil-boding eagles. 089. voffTos ' $\ o'txzSs 7ruvo$ot; Suid. s. v. 'home-return' as in Shakspere. 990. a.vv At/p$. The phrase was wpo$ At/pv $5s/v, and w3; %p55o-fla< Trpos Avpav is one of the symbols of Pythagoras, who recommended his disciples to practise only such music as was of an inspiriting and cheering character. /wovw5e7. The passages referred to in the critical note are Bacchse 71 and Epich. Fr. ap. Hephaest. p. 15. Herm. has also left a syllable short before /KV at v. 1459 without giving the reader notice; and he has so rendered it in his metrical translation 'hei memorique etc.' In this palpable error he is followed by all editors except Heimsoeth. 996. TeAf?s. Iambi. Y. Pyth. p. 96. >rv yip xxl Tpo? voirsus ffupuTuv xatuvix. e - xeipvovTZi;. Porph. \. Pyth. p. 96. Kuster's Ed. 1023. TV Qbipsvvv. uv 6f>< itf-yet 2Esch. Supp. 38. 1024. The story of the death of Asclepius by a thunder-stroke from Zeus is told in a fragment of Hesiod, p. 319. D. Heyne. In Philost. Her. p. 146 Boiss. Palamedes says to Cheiron xal AAu; TO v-xefffoQov crou T>?$ Zifaiv &v TO, *Ao-xAjjr?$ $vx6fc(rtv, ibid. c. 4. Kjjp also has this double signification (1) MoTpa, and especially as the Death-goddess 5 (2) ^oTpa, for in the Vvxoffrzaix of .ZEsch. the xSJpe of Memnon and Achilles are weighed against one another. The Scholl. wrongly explained by 4/^%a and censure JEsch. $ eSf'^xro 4>a^A Ajpo$ QWUVTO, (tfydXY.v j} ex} Tifo opfiiji; Suid. s. v. It is short here, at any rate. TO rov s'ipyw E. M. s. v. 1118. KTfl!Aei/V/|KOv ' TOV xt-icv TOV .KCtTctXevtrbvivcti UTTS Affvap^o? sv T xara. Avxovpyov Suid. s. v. 'ut cuncti conclama- verint lapidibus obrutum publicum malum publice vin- dicari' Apul. Met. 10. 6. 1121. TWV yap (pofiovftEvuv TCI u.vu Af<$afJTrixyv TWV QCireav ispctv evopifyv ilvzi ruv ^uoySvuv fteuv, pccXurrz Se rcvq usvdovq ~o- ranovs xrA. So Sch. Hes. Th. 347. 1168. So Hecuba, Eur. Tro. 1242, /MT>>V $' epov&vrovpfv. In CMOS, sTripxsffzv , xttbtlv , fifp/u6voi/$ there is the metaphor of a physician's unsuccessful treatment of a patient. ^Sov* ireAw Prom. V. 282. As soon as the delirium of her fever subsides she too will sink to earth and die. 1178. SK xakvppdTtav , that is with her face concealed by a veil. There is no allusion to the unveiling of the bride. 1180. The description is based on Solon Fr. 5. 17 foil., which may be translated: " suddenly as a wind instantly scatters clouds in spring: having stirred the billowy unreaped sea's 216 COMMENTARY. deep water, and over the wheat-bearing earth ravaged fair farms, it arrives at the gods' abode, high heaven, and makes us again behold clear sky; and the sun's strength shines over the boundless earth, beautiful, and one can see a cloud no more: such is the vengeance of Zeus; not in each case, like a mortal man, is he moved to wrath. The oracle, ^pyjo-jwo?, contains the denunciation of the vengeance , and , therefore , the same imagery is employed. But JEsch. , for whom no language is rich , grand , and graphic enough, introduces a second simile, and the wind becomes a monstrous wave which sweeps the deed of vengeance into the sunlight , so as to be most clearly seen. VTT' xvy 6$ ' UJTO TOV TrstpuTtff/tsvov Kfu Suid. s. v. 1189. Pporetov atpx. The drink of the Erinnyes, Eum. 264 foil. 1193. oq T xxftyvtroio iov u.vu, ^s^vtu, fiuivy Hes. Op. 326. 'tori genialis calcato foedere Apul. Met. 9. 26. 1194. Another argument in favour of xvpu is the repetition of the word by the Chorus v. 1201 xvfslv Xsyowuv 'hit the mark in speaking'. 1196. fxpaprvftlv (putrl TO heysw ov% %7rep avros sl^sv #AA' cz srspuv vixQwe AeyovTwv' ixftxprvpiat yap uvayiyvwffxTUt, OTXV TI$ % rehsvv/iaaq ij Suid. s. v. and E. M. s. v. It means, therefore, to read the affidavit, or deposition on oath, of an absent person. So Eum. 461 hovrpuv %eptzpTv'pi (povov, 'bore witness for Agamemnon in his absence'. 1198. The passages are Hes. Op. 802. Th. 232, 784, 792. There is not the slightest excuse for adopting Tryypx. 1205. or 'is more prim'. 1206. Lit. 'he was a wrestler'. 1218. Why should not an inspired person see something in the appearance of the two children from which to infer that they had been killed by a relative? 1228. /wi- (fiopov So&y run Six. /a is the child of the mother i. e. daughter, as in .ZEsch. Sept. 182, and ibid. v. 792 xzilfs pyrepuv rtQpctftftivctt needs no correction for it is equivalent to x6p<, as the Ed. has already shown at Choeph. 502, o'Ursipe 6>jAyv xpa-evo'q 6' OIAOV yovov 'pity the female's offspring (the daughter) and likewise that of the male (the son)'. 6Ai/5 v. 818, begotten by the father. This is a great point in the Eumenides v. 606 where Orestes says that he is no more ^*j6<(rev (Siev. zvSfxi; aTroQMffsie bzhztrtrz. Hes. Op. 664. But 7rf$5rfv /3/ov is an expression so strange as to defy all explanation. It is usually translated as if a:rf'$flrev were the exact equivalent of a7rwAf$ , to Autolycus by reminding him of the oSvffffeiu, or enmity, which he had himself in- curred. A* x^Attyfloc xrA. 'a road, which is a sufficient guide to others is itself travelled by a blind man by means of a second guide'. It is plain that if Virgil's notion of the primary meaning of semita has been correctly pointed out, it is not of the smallest importance to the reader of Virgil what philologists may decree to be its root. It is of some importance to them, but not to scholars, olfys <>DA yvvutKuv. TryfACt y.tya. bvyrolffi /ut T' v5paV< vattsrdovffH Hes. Th. 592. 1468. SiQviotfft is exactly equivalent to Svo'tv fattrt. 1470. 'Rule dispensed by a woman, and prompted by a spirit like thine own; who, after throwing thine antagonist, savagely fallest with all thy weight upon him'. 222 COMMENTAKY. 1473. py rot A$*jifo| xpufy &a.xpv& xopuvv Hes. Op. 745. u$7rsf ol xopctx$ TTCtpeSpevovTsq %opvffffovffi rovq TUV vxpuv otyb ccXftov $ Plut. Perd. Fr. 27. 1474. Predication by invocation, as often. 1480. l%up. Ixupos' TO vrsirvi'ybs aJpct Suid. S. V. Xetpuveiov i'Afcos ' Tfzvftz Siyvsxus 'Zupxs exxp7vov Suid. S. v. 1482, 3. Se Tfs^ovTst. TOVTOV TpE(ptq Philost. Her. p. 12 B. 1566. a<$4 /a '' 5rpo^xoAA?ff< Suid. s. v. exe'tvw o Sctipuv srpo^J/ev Dion. Hal. 7. in Suid., of Regulus. 1574. From Hes. Frag. p. 314 (D. Heyne) xcti XTSKVUV COMMENTARY. 223 1579. Sxinovtt;. Qvhctxss flvTwv avflpwTwv, ot fct (pvhctffffovffiv re Sixcts Kiti ff%r\tct epyas Hes. Op. 123; 252. 1586. 'Epivvuv i/tpuvTov ctptptphyffTpov Sopli. Trach. 1051. 1585. Lit. 'being disputable in his rule' i. e. liable to have his claims to the throne disputed. 1588. ev'fgr' ev Aott; Choeph. 755. TrctiS ST > olfftx. Soph. Trach. 557. rvrlov Hes. Op. 467. The notion that Atreus killed and cooked twelve children of all ages, and feasted a whole party of people with their flesh, is not only irresistibly ludicrous, but is absolutely without foundation in any tradition respecting this or any similar story. 1608. flypa7c$ 'absent from the house at the time of the mur- der'. It means nothing more; perhaps only 'not in the room when he was killed'. 1612. Enger translates 'I do not think much of a coward's insolence'. 1613. o-D S' evidently follows Jyw ^sv implied in ys^u. 1617. vsprepos' narurepos Suid. s. v. who connects it with gvfpfle 224 COMMENTARY. 1618. ti(ppuv y oq x eflf'Afl xpot; xpsio-ffovzs uvrtQepiQiv Hes. Op. 208. 1626. av^pi ffrfzrvyS. 'a man and leader of men'. 1640. &v-y\viv Mo-XoQov Theogn. 847. 1641. A5 is a cloven hoof like that of a sheep, goat, or ox; or a foot with claws. See Scholl. on Hes. Op. 488 and Hes. Sc. 62. 1669. mctivuv etW/3f