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 http://www.archive.org/details/englishcommentarOOanthric 
 
AN 
 
 ENGLISH COMMENTARY 
 
 ON 
 
 THE RHESUS, MEDEA, HIPPOLYTUS, ALCESTIS, 
 
 HERACLIDAE, SUPPLICES, AND 
 
 TROADES 
 
 OF 
 
 EUEIPIDES, 
 
 WITH THE SCANNING OF EACH PLAY, FROM THE 
 LATEST AND BEST AUTHORITIES. 
 
 By CHARLES ANTIION, LL.D., 
 
 LATE PROFESSOR OP GREEK IN COLUMBIA COLLEGE, NEW YORK. 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, 
 
 FRANKLIN SQUARE. 
 
 187 7. 
 
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1877, by 
 
 HARPER & BROTHERS, 
 
 In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 
 
to 
 
 AN ENGLISH COMMENTARY , , 
 
 M Aj> 
 
 ON THE 
 
 TRAGEDIES OF EURIPIDES. 
 
 NOTES ON THE KHESUS. 
 
 ARGUMENT, ETC. 
 
 The Rhesus is remarkable as being the only extant Greek 
 drama the plot of which is taken from the direct action of 
 the Iliad. Numerous as are the plays (nearly half of those 
 which have come down to us) relating to the capture of 
 Troy and the events subsequent to it, the tragic writers 
 seem to have avoided the ground hallowed by the immortal 
 bard, and to have preferred borrowing their themes from 
 the Cyclic poems, which formed, as it were, the sequel to his 
 great work. In the present instance, however, Euripides has 
 ■ adapted the narrative of the AoX'coi/cta, or tenth book of the 
 Iliad, and the outline of the play is as follows : 
 
 Act I. Scene I. — In the background is seen the encamp- 
 ment of the Trojans, near the intrenchments of the Greeks. 
 In front is the tent of Hector. The time is night. The 
 Chorus, consisting of Trojan sentinels who constitute the 
 fourth night-watch, approach the stage and call on any one 
 of Hector's body-guard, or staff, who may be awake to arouse 
 their general, on account of some sudden and unusual com- 
 motion seen in the Grecian camp. After a momentary pause 
 they address Hector himself Jii somewhat hurried and ex- 
 cited tones. (i-i@GuJ2U4 
 
 1 
 
2 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Scene II. — Hector, being aroused, and having heard the 
 account brought by the Chorus, prepares for an immediate 
 night attack, fuU of confidence that the, Greeks, finding their 
 position in the Troad no longer tenable, are about to attempt 
 a secret flight. (11-86.) 
 
 Scene III.— Aeneas, however, enters, and, suspecting treach- 
 ery, checks the ardor of Hector by representing the uncer- 
 tainty of the movement and the great risk connected with a 
 sudden assault ; and he advises that a spy should be sent 
 into the Grecian camp to ascertain the meaning of the fires 
 that have been seen there during the whole night. (87-153.) 
 Exit Aeneas. 
 
 Scene IV. — Dolon, one of the soldiers present, volunteers 
 to undertake this office on condition of being rewarded with 
 the horses of Achilles. He then explains to the Chorus his 
 intended disguise, and retires. The Chorus put up a prayer 
 for his success. (154r-262.) 
 
 Act II. Scene I. — During the absence of Dolon news is 
 brought to Hector, by a shepherd of the royal flocks, of the 
 arrival of Rhesus, king of Thrace, in a splendid chariot drawn 
 by snow-white steeds, and attended by a countless host. A 
 dialogue then ensues between Hector and the Chorus, in 
 which the latter advise him to receive Rhesus well, even 
 though he has come so late to the war. (264-341.) 
 
 Scene II. — Choral song of welcome to Rhesus. (342-388.) 
 
 Act III. Scene I. — Rhesus enters. Hector at first testily 
 rejects his services as having arrived too late, and Rhesus 
 defends himself on the plea of his having been detained by 
 an irruption of the Scythians, which he had to quell while 
 on his march to Troy. At length, after loudly boasting of 
 the services which he will speedily perform against the 
 Greeks, he is admitted by Hector, though rather as a guest 
 than as an ally. (389-522.) Exit Rhesus. 
 
 Scene II. — Hector then directs the guards composing the 
 Chorus to move onward a little in advance of the ranks, and 
 receive Dolon on his return from the ships. He then retires, 
 and the Chorus make arrangements to obey. (523-564. ) Exit 
 Chorus. 
 
RHESUS. 3 
 
 Act IV. Scene I. — Meanwhile Ulysses and Diomede, hav- 
 ing captured Dolon, and having ascertained from him the 
 watch-word and the exact position of Hector's tent, stealthily 
 enter the Trojan lines with the intention of slaying him. 
 Finding, however, that he is absent, they prepare to attack 
 some other one of the Trojan chiefs. (565-594.) 
 
 Scene II. — Minerva thereupon appears, and points out to 
 them that the white steeds of Rhesus will be a more mag- 
 nificent prize. (595-641.) 
 
 Scene III— Their design, however, is nearly frustrated by 
 the approach of Paris, who has come to warn Hector that 
 Greek spies are among them. But Minerva, under the guise 
 of Venus, succeeds in persuading him that his information 
 is unworthy of credit. Paris retires. Rhesus is then slain, 
 and the horses are captured. (641-674.) 
 
 Scene IV. — The Trojans, however, are now aroused, and 
 Ulysses is seized ; but pretending to be a friend, and giving 
 the right watch-word, he is allowed to depart. The mem- 
 bers of the Chorus then commune among themselves on what 
 has happened. (675-727.) 
 
 Act V. Scene 7.— The charioteer of Rhesus, who has been 
 badly wounded, now enters, and relates to the Chorus the 
 death of his master and the loss of the steeds. On Hector's 
 then appearing he openly charges him with treachery, in the 
 belief that the aggressors were the Trojans. Hector, how- 
 ever, lays the blame upon the sentinels, and with difficulty 
 appeases in some degree the wounded man. (728-889.) 
 
 Scene II— The play ends with the lamentation of one of 
 the Muses, mother of Rhesus, for her slain son. She up- 
 braids Minerva, whose city of Athens the sisterhood had 
 ever honored, for ungratefully instigating the deed ; and she 
 confers on Rhesus the divine honors of a hero, among the 
 Thracians, for all coming time. (890-996.) 
 
 The incidents in the respective narratives of Homer and 
 Euripides are in the main identical. But Euripides lays the 
 scene wholly in the Trojan camp, while Homer opens with 
 the doings of the Greeks. Euripides also enlarges on some 
 of the circumstances, such as the arrival of Rhesus, his 
 
4 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 slaughter, the intervention of Minerva, the stratagem of Do- 
 lon to escape observation ; while others he has added, as the 
 accusation against Hector by the charioteer, the epilogue of 
 the Muse, etc. 
 
 Great doubts have been entertained in modern times re- 
 specting the authorship of the Rhesus, and critics and com- 
 mentators have generally cited it as the production of a 
 writer not already known. These doubts seem to have 
 originated in the remark made in the Greek argument, that 
 "some have considered the play spurious because it shows 
 indications of the Sophoclean style, but," it is added dis- 
 tinctly, " it is given as the genuine work of Euripides in the Di- 
 dascaliae." Of all the ancient grammarians, moreover, who 
 have quoted or mentioned the plaj r , or written comments 
 upon it, not one speaks of it as the work of any other poet 
 than Euripides. If they do not all expressly assign it to 
 him by name, at least they throw no suspicion upon it. 
 
 The two main arguments against its authenticity are, that 
 certain words and constructions and epic licenses occur in 
 it which are not found in the other plays of Euripides ; and, 
 secondly, that the plot is tame and deficient in tragic inter- 
 est. To the first, it has been replied that there is hardly a 
 play to which the same remark does not apply more or less ; 
 to the second, that the plot is Homer's, and not the poet's. 
 
 Probably the true solution of the question is that the 
 Rhesus was an early production of Euripides, and conse- 
 quently is not marked in any great degree by those peculiar 
 features which characterized his style and manner in maturer 
 years. At all events the language of the Scholiast favors this 
 idea : K/od-njs ayvotiv <pr\<rl tov TZvpnridijv t»/i/ irzpl to. fiETtcopa 
 Srtwpiav, Sta to viov eti zivai ore tov 'Pii<tov ididaaKB. (Schol. 
 ad v., 528.) 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 1. There are but four of the extant Greek tragedies 
 which commence without a prologue, properly so 
 called, but with a system of anapaests — namely, the 
 Suppliants and the Persians of Aeschylus, and the 
 Rhesus and the Iphigenia at Aulis of Euripides. The 
 two last alone are in the form of a dialogue, and, in- 
 deed, bear some striking resemblance to each other. 
 
RHESUS. 5 
 
 2-6. vTra<nri(TTu)v. " Of the body-guard." Paley ren- 
 ders it, "Of the staff." — (3a<n\eu)g, pronounced as three 
 syllables in scanning. — d TEvxoQopwv, k. t. \. (And see) 
 " whether he would receive a report of new tidings 
 from the armed soldiers, who," etc., i. e., from us, the 
 watch. The early reading was fj in place of «', with a 
 comma after revxoQopwv. and thus giving Ulairo the 
 force of a wish ; but this, though adopted by Naucke, 
 is decidedly inferior. As the legitimate construction 
 would be fjv dsZrjTai, Matthiae thinks that we have here 
 a blending of this with ei$e UZairo. — Tsrpdfioipov. 
 Equivalent to rerdpriiv, the compound, however, allud- 
 ing also to the allotment of the sentinels. The play 
 makes mention of five watches in all. (Compare v. 
 543.) In Homer there are only three divisions of tho 
 night. (Eustath., p. 802, 12.) — <ppovpav. The accusa- 
 tive of equivalent notion (= KaQrjcrQai Upav irpb arpa- 
 nag). (Compare Jelf, G. #., § 548, c.) 
 
 7, 8. Kt<pa\r)v irrjxvv epeiaag. " Having, supported tho 
 head on the fore-arm," i. e., having planted the fore- 
 arm so as to prop the head. The attitude of one just 
 roused to listen. Observe that Tri)xw is the accusative 
 of nearer definition. — Xvaov pXecpdpiov, k. t. X. " Unseal 
 the terrible resting-place of thine eyelids," i. e. a unseal 
 or open that terror-inspiring eye, which it is the of- 
 fice of the eyelids to close, and on which they rest in 
 sleep. 
 
 12-15. tL to trrjua epoei. " Say what is the watch- 
 word," i. e., as a proof of your being friends. Valck- 
 enaer punctuates, ri to ar\\ia ; Sjooa, which Matthiae and 
 Dindorf prefer. — It wktCjv. " In the hours of the 
 night." Compare the Latin de node (Jelf, G. G., § 523, 
 Obs. 1). The plural, vvicreg, is in accordance with Attic 
 usage. — Koirag. Accusative of motion towards. — rl 
 <pkpu Oopvfiy. " Why art thou carried away by alarm ?" 
 
G NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 16, 17. The common text has, Oapcrei. EK. OapGio. But 
 OapGut weakens the sense, and, besides, interferes with 
 the metre by introducing a monometer. — ovk tart. The 
 common reading is ouksti, which, besides giving no 
 sense, violates the law of synapheia, before the initial 
 anapaest of the next verse (the dactyl thus preceding 
 the anapaest). — 7rpo\nr(bv. After this word some MSS. 
 and editions have rjdrj, which is merely the insertion 
 of some metrist attempting to correct the text. 
 
 22. Karexovrag. The meaning is that, as the Trojan 
 host is close to the Greeks, silence and caution ought 
 to have been observed by the sentinels. At the same 
 time Hector intimates that he is prepared for any sud- 
 den attack. 
 
 23-25. (Tvfifjidxtov. Hermann's emendation in the 
 place of vvufiaxov, the common reading — a change re- 
 quired by both the metre and the sense. Otherwise ev- 
 vdg is left meaningless.— brpvvov tyxog. A much better 
 reading than orpvv tyxog or brpvvov tyxog, f° r orpvvov 
 tyx. is a diiambus, corresponding to <5«7r€riJ in the anti- 
 strophe. If we read orpvv, then du7rerrj must be a cretic. 
 
 26-33. 7T£/i7T€ <pi\ovg, k. t. X. " Send (messengers) for 
 thy friends to join thy company," i. e., for thy friends 
 and allies to join thee. — TlavOoidav. Either Euphorbus 
 or Polydamas, sons of Panthus. It is impossible to 
 decide which is meant. — rbv ^bpu-Kag. Sarpedon, 
 whom Homer (II., vi., 198) makes the son of Jupiter 
 and Laodamia, but Hesiod and Hellanicus (according 
 to the Scholiast) the son of Europa. — <r<payiu)v fyopoi. 
 " The inspectors of the victims." The soothsayers, 
 who were regularly employed to take the omens im- 
 mediately before a battle. — yvfivrjriov fxovapxou " The 
 leaders of the light-armed troops." The slingers es- 
 pecially are meant. — Kepodera. " Tipped with horn." 
 
RHESUS. 7 
 
 35-40. KaQapwg. " Unequivocally." The summons 
 was equivocal, because the Chorus had said Q&pau and 
 denied that there was any ambuscade (vv. 16, 17), and 
 yet had told him to rise and arm his hosts. — d\\' y 
 Kpoviov Uavbg, k. t. X. " But art thou scared by the 
 fear-inspiring lash of Saturnian Pan ?" i. e., of Pan, the 
 descendant of Saturn, being either his grandson or 
 great-grandson. All sudden terrors were attributed 
 to Pan. Hence panici terrores. — rpavtig. " Clearly." 
 Explaining Ka9ap&q, in v. 35. 
 
 41-45. irvpalOu. " Have been burning lights." The 
 unusual form of this active compound probably in- 
 duced the Scholiast to pronounce the verse spurious. 
 But we have the word again in vv. 78 and 823. Naucke 
 and Kirchhoff separate, and read irup aWei. — cYt7rm7. 
 The adjective dihnrffc proper means " heaven-descend- 
 ed," as applied by Homer to rivers swelled by rain. 
 Hence generally, " heaven-struck," as by lightning or 
 even the sun's rays, and therefore, as in the present in- 
 stance, "bright." — tyiefisvot. "Eager after," i. e., run- 
 ning after. Observe the construction of tyUaQai with 
 the accusative, which is rare. With the genitive it is a 
 synonym of emOviitiv, but with the accusative it stands 
 for 'ieaOai ini ri. 
 
 52-55. ayykWuv 0o/3ov. The chorus had come to 
 alarm, suspecting mischief; and Hector, though he 
 puts a different interpretation on the recent movements 
 in the Grecian camp, nevertheless admits that the news 
 is opportunely brought — not because he shares in the 
 feeling of impending danger, but because he thinks 
 that this is the time for making an attack. — livdpeg, for 
 oi dvSpeg, by crasis. — activei fie. u Cheers me." Else- 
 where Trpo(T(Taiv(x) is used. 
 
 57-60. 9oivt]Q Xeovra. "As a lion of its banquet." — 
 
8 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 <rvpdrjv. " In one swoop." Used of persons or things 
 that are irresistibly carried along (vvpio), as by a cur- 
 rent. Bloomfield (Ad Aesch. Pers., 54) conjectures <pvp- 
 drjv. — fir/ Zvvectxov. "Had not checked themselves." 
 Supply lavrovg. He means, if night had not come on. 
 The true force of Zweaxov, however, is very doubtful 
 here ; or, to speak more correctly, the reading is not 
 genuine, especially as l^xov occurs immediately after 
 in the next line. Hartung conjectures IvvkaxovV, which 
 does not help the matter much.— laxov. In the sense 
 of Karkoxov. 
 
 65, 66. oi (To0oi /itoi, k. r. X. " Those wise seers of 
 mine." The best MSS. give poi, which is the common 
 reading. The other lection, /xe, which Dindorf and 
 Naucke adopt, has very little MS. authority. In the 
 next verse several MSS. have tyaaav or tyrioav. It 
 would appear, then, that there were two ancient read- 
 ings, fioi . . . tyrjaav, and /*£ . . . t7rei<rav. Paley thinks 
 that fioL is the true reading, and that ttp^av was insert- 
 ed by some one who looked for a verb to govern the 
 dative. His rendering, which we have given above, 
 proceeds on the supposition that a slight irony is in- 
 tended to be conveyed, and which accords (as he 
 thinks) with the poet's uniform contempt for the fidv 
 TEig. 
 
 72-74. avrujv. u 0f them, the foe." — ical dpumctov. 
 " Even in the act of leaping." He means, having all 
 but escaped. — KXijuaicag. " The ladders," on the sides 
 of the vessels. In Hel., 1570, they are called KXifiaicrr}- 
 peg.—XeXrjfifiEvoi. Properly an Ionic form, and compar- 
 atively rare in Attic. 
 
 80-85. ttclvt av QofirjOtig Ig9i, for laOi on Tzavra av 
 (po(37]Qeir]g. — ffv ravr 'iirpaZag, k. t. X. The idea is, as it 
 
 was you who achieved this success, so it is now your 
 
RHESUS. 9 
 
 part to look to the rest, i. e., to beware lest by hasty ac- 
 tion you undo what has been already done. — dirXovg tn 
 tX^poTc, k. r. \. " It is a simple word of command against 
 foes, to arm thy hand," i. e., there is but one thing 
 that can be said against an enemy, "Arm thyself." — 
 Kai fidka, used here as if (nrovdy had been airov^aZ,u)v. 
 
 87-99. ri xprffia. Supply Sid. — vvKTTiyopovGi. " Make 
 announcements by night." — AiVta, a dissyllable in scan- 
 ning. — lardvat. " To be standing ready." — kKKsavreg. 
 This old form (Homer uses tKija) was admitted by 
 Aeschylus (Ag. y 822). — d<t>opfir)<reiv. " To be about to 
 speed forth." — trpbg rdd'. " In this matter." 
 
 105—111. wg Spcidai x*P 1 ' Supply ev 7re<pvKib(j or 'ucavog, 
 an ellipsis naturally suggested by tvpovXog. — ov irk^v- 
 kev. " Is not adapted by nature." — ykpag. " Gift." — 
 ere fdv /ia%€(T0at, k. t. X., not vol and ro7g, as some think 
 it should be written here. The accusatives form, in 
 fact, the subjects to the infinitives. — ocrng. "(You) 
 who," i. e., you, for instance, can not be regarded as 
 evfiovXog, since, etc. — t^r)p9rjg <f>svyuv 'Axaiovg. "Were 
 stated (with the hope) that the Greeks were fleeing." 
 Equivalent to i£r)pQr]g tX7ridi <ptvyuv 'Ax« — KaraardaEi. 
 " The settled gloom." Compare the version of Har- 
 tung — " in stockfinstrer Nacht." 
 
 112-122. avXwviov. " Of the trenches." Same as 
 rdtypuv. — €t fir) Kvprjaeig. " If thou shalt not find." 
 Equivalent to a fir) IvrtvZet. — (3\s7rovrag ig. " Facing." 
 — fir) ov. Supply dkdoiKa. The difference between ov 
 fir) (i. e., ov <p6(3og iarl fir)) and fir) ov is obviously the 
 same as between " I am not afraid lest you should " 
 and " I am afraid lest you should not." — ye^vpag. " The 
 bridges," i. e., the narrow roadways over the trenches. 
 r]v apa fir), a very unusual equivalent for ei fir) dpa. — 
 — fyeSpov. "As an adversary in reserve." The term 
 2 
 
10 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 here is employed in a general sense, to denote a com- 
 batant who is ready to take up the contest with one 
 already victorious over another. — ovk tacrai, k. r. X. He 
 will not allow matters to come to such a pass as this, 
 even though he now morosely declines to take part in 
 the war. — aWiov yap avfjp, k. t. X. " For the man is 
 fiery of spirit, and towers on high with daring." 
 
 125-129. 7ro\efiiiov. "Against the foe." Objective 
 genitive. — fia96vTEg KaravKoTrov. The construction \ia- 
 Quv rivog, for irapa or Ik nvog, is so harsh and unusual 
 that perhaps Pierson's conjecture of fxa96vrog (genitive 
 absolute with KaraoKOTrov) is preferable here. 
 
 131-135. Tads doKEl, k. t. X. This strophe of dochmi- 
 acs, the antistrophe to which occurs, after a considera- 
 ble interval, at v. 195, is not according to the custom 
 of Euripides. — aQaXepa & ov <pi\u>, k. t. X. u For I like 
 not commands on the part of leaders that are fraught 
 with danger of failing," i. e., an exercise of authority 
 attended with risk. — vewv, governed by 7rk\ag. — o n for 
 dion. Translate, " (To ascertain) for what reason, then," 
 etc. — Kar avTiirpupa, k. r. X. "Are being lighted in 
 front of the naval station." Observe that Kara is here 
 used as in Kar ofi/Aa, " face to face." 
 
 137-146. vlkclt. "Ye overcome me," i.e., my pre- 
 vious resolve. — Koafxu. "Marshal." — av kivoito. "May 
 be astir," implying confusion and disorder as well as 
 mere wakefulness. — ko.1 irapuv eicrsi XSyovg. "And be- 
 ing present, shall be made acquainted with our plans," 
 i. e., shall be present as one of the council of war, and 
 shall decide with us upon what is to be done. — KapaSo- 
 K£i. " Wait (for orders)." Supply rd TrapayyeWofieva. 
 — ljq ov pEvovvra //. " Resting assured that I will not 
 delay." Observe the construction of wg with the ac- 
 cusative absolute, and the ellipsis ofvofiiZuv as implied 
 
RHESUS. 11 
 
 in wQ. — veutv oXtcolm. " With the ship-sheds." By 6XkoL 
 are here meant the sheds or places into which ships 
 are drawn up, like veouXkoi, vewvoikoi. Compare the 
 Latin navalia. — kir 'Apyeiiov arpar^. " In my onset 
 against the army of the Greeks." 
 
 147-149. avfyaXtig (ppoveig. "You purpose safely," 
 i. e., without incurring any great risk. Compare a(pa- 
 Xepa, v. 132.— iv Xoxy. " In the band." The Aldine 
 ed. has Xoy^ for Xoxy, "at this conference," which 
 makes a very plausible reading. 
 
 154-157. tovSe kivSvvov pi\pag. "Having run this 
 risk," a metaphor from throwing dice. — IttI rovroig. 
 Commonly rendered, " On these conditions." But no 
 conditions have been mentioned thus far, and after- 
 wards only one is stated ; so that it would be better, 
 perhaps, to translate, " For these objects " — a meaning 
 which t7ri could very well have with the dative. Com- 
 pare Jelf, G. G., § 634, 3. 
 
 158-165. i7riovvfiog Kapra. " Very rightly named," 
 i. e., true to his name, AoXiov (from doXog). — dig roaiog 
 BVKXehrepov. We should have expected dig roaug evkXeu^ 
 but the sense is dnrXafriy evkXescttepov. — ttoveiv \lev. This 
 is Bothe's reading from one of the best MSS. ; the com- 
 mon text has fiE. — rrjv x^? lv - " The pleasure of doing 
 it," i. e., ri]v tov ttoveiv \apiv. — raiai. u Fix for your- 
 self," i. e., specify. Observe the force of the middle. 
 — 7rXi)v tfifjg rvpavviSog. Paley thinks that this is clear- 
 ly added jocosely, and so also the Scholiast. 
 
 166-175. 7roXv6xov, M Much sustaining," i. e., bur- 
 dened with many cares. Some MSS. give ttoXioxov, 
 " city-holding," i. e., holding against the foe. Reiske 
 conjectures ttoXvoxXov, " fraught with trouble," which 
 Dindorf adopts. — av S' dXXd. "Do you then." — ov fiiov 
 
12 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 (T7raviZofiEv. He was, according to Homer (II., x., 315), 
 7ro\vxpv<Tog, TroXvxaXicog. — Zwaiveaov. " Promise." — ai- 
 tu. " Ask for any thing else." — crx^Oai x*p a ' " To re- 
 strain thy hand." For airoax^Qai x*pa. — OiXIwc, a dis- 
 syllable in scanning. The Lesser Ajax was the son of 
 Oileus and Eriopis, and king of the Locrians. 
 
 177-183. — aTcoivauQai. " To receive a ransom for." 
 — kcu fifjv Xaipvpwv, k.t.X. "Well then you yourself, 
 being present, shall make your own selection from the 
 spoils," i. e., if nothing else pleases you, you shall 
 choose from the spoils, being yourself present at the 
 distribution of them, and not depending on what may 
 chance to be sent to you. — Oeoiaiv ai>ra, k. t. X. Arms 
 were accustomed to be suspended on the outside as 
 well as the inside of temples. — In a%ioig. " For suita- 
 ble objects." — tyvxrjv vrpopaXXovT , k. r. X. " Exposing, 
 as I do, my life amid the dice of fortune." 
 
 184-192. IpSvTi 'l-mnov. "Being desirous of those 
 same steeds." — 1£ aQOiruv. The horses of Achilles, Ba- 
 lius and Xanthus, had for their parents the wind-god 
 Zephyrus and the harpy Podarge. They were pre- 
 sented by Neptune to Peleus at the marriage of the 
 latter with Thetis (Apollod., iii., 15, 3). — lirapag. "Aft- 
 er having excited thee (by the hope of a recompense)." 
 — Xafiujv Ss QrjjM, k. t. X. " And in receiving them (by 
 promise from you) I assert that I am receiving," etc. 
 If Xafiibv here meant " When I have got possession of 
 them," then Ss%e<rQai would have been required, or at 
 least (prjvu) for (pTjfii. 
 
 195-199. ayiov, in the sense of KivSvvog. — l-mvoug 
 tXelv. "You have it in mind to obtain." — ra QeoOev 
 iTnSkru At/ca, k. t. X. "As to what depends on the gods, 
 let Justice look (favorably) upon thee, but the reward 
 among men appears to be complete," i. e., perfect in 
 
RHESUS. 13 
 
 itself, as great as mortal can desire. We have followed 
 here the interpretation given by Seidler (de Vers. 
 Dochm., p. 61). 
 
 201-207. ig dofiovg itykanog. "To my home and 
 hearth," the same -in effect as lg Sofiovg icai e<p' tariav. 
 There is no need therefore of writing tyeariovg. — aicevy 
 <Tu>fia KaOd\pofiai. Another construction would be ctkbvtjv 
 
 dfMpi <Tu>iLia li^/ofiai. — bird riv dXXnv, k.t.X. " Why, what 
 
 other dress will you have in place of this V 1 Observe 
 here the employment of £«i, abruptly beginning an 
 interrogative sentence, a construction often occurring 
 in Attic. Dindorf adopts the comparatively tame 
 reading, eW & nv dXXrjv. — crayi]. " Equipment. 1 ' 
 
 208-215. a/i^i vtirov. Compare note on v. 202, viewy 
 (Twfia, r. t. X. — x«<V a « "The distended jaws. 11 — fidenv 
 7rpo<rQiav. Compare the remark of Vater : u (idmg irpo- 
 oBia sunt anteriores lupi pedes." — icai K&Xa icwXoig. "And 
 its (hind) legs to my own legs. 11 — 7rpo(3Xrjfia(Tiv. The 
 barriers or walls of the naval encampment are meant. 
 — Sifidfiog. Musgrave compares 7raAi/*/3a/zo£, as em- 
 ployed by Pindar (Pyth., 9, 33). 
 
 216-220. 6 Maiag. Compare Med., 759. — QtjXtjtCjv. 
 " Of deceivers. 11 This rare word seems to be connect- 
 ed with (TcpdXXu), fallere. Hesychius gives QrjXov as 
 equivalent to dnarriXov, icaicovpyov, iTrifiovXov. — e%6ig dk 
 rovpyov. "You have now too your work (planned 
 out). 11 Paley renders this, " you know, 11 you are aware 
 of what you are going to do, and how. — ovfifioXov. 
 " Proof. 11 
 
 225-231. s/jil3aTEvu)v. "Frequenting. 11 Apollo was 
 worshipped at Thymbra, in the Troad, as well as at 
 Delos, and at Patara in Lycia. — a> did Kt<paXd. Homer 
 makes the a short, as in dla ywaiicutv, but, as Dindorf 
 
14 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 and others correctly maintain, it does not follow that 
 a tragic writer is bound by the epic usage. — Tro^nrdg. 
 " Of the journey on which he is sent." — dye^v. In the 
 old copies this word and koL yevov are transposed, an 
 arrangement corrected by Dindorf. — £vXXa/3e. " Take 
 part with." — reixv deifiag. Compare Troades, v. 5. 
 
 232-240. vavicXripia, put here for vavaraO/ia. Prop- 
 erly, vavicXrjpoi are "ship-owners." — /cat Kdfi^ue irdXiv, 
 k. t. X. " And then may he turn back again to the 
 Trojan altars of his father's home." — QOiaduv "nzTtuv, 
 k. r. X. " And (after this) may he ascend the chariot 
 of the Phthian steeds, when our lord (Hector) has 
 destroyed the Grecian host, (the steeds) which," etc. 
 Canter proposed irkpuag rbv 'A\aibv "Aprj, but Paley says 
 that the article here sounds intolerably tame. 
 
 244-251. Kandeiv. "To spy out," equivalent to 
 KaT07TTrig eivai. — dyafiai Xrjfxarog. "I admire his cour- 
 age." — i) airavia twv ayaQwv, k. t. X. " There is, beyond 
 a doubt, a scarcity of the bold in heart, whenever it 
 may be gloomy on the sea," etc. Some read dvadXiog, 
 as a nominative agreeing with noXig ; the neuter is 
 more in accordance with the English idiom. — tan 
 &pvyu>v rig, k. r. X. " There is (however) one, there is 
 (one) that is stout-hearted among the Phrygians, and 
 courage still abides in our spears," i. e., we Phrygians, 
 contrary to what is often said of our effeminacy, have 
 still one brave man at least among us." — nori Mva&v, 
 k. r. X. " He who despises my alliance is from among 
 the Mysians," i. e., belongs to the Mysian race. The 
 idea appears to be that the Mysians were vain boast- 
 ers of their own prowess, and in the habit of despising 
 the proffered aid of their neighbors. We Phrygians, 
 say the Chorus, are not to be despised as allies. Her- 
 mann places no stop after aixn$, and explains the pas- 
 sage as follows : tvecrri Spaaog iv ai\nq, npog eiceZvov og 
 
RHESUS. 15 
 
 ifi^v Mvcr&v (TVfifiaxiav drc£ci, i. e., t/jou wg Mvffov ovrog. 
 Tli is, however, is very inferior. 
 
 252-262. 6 7reSo(m(3riQ otyayzvg. " The foot-travelling 
 slaughterer." The epithet Tredo(rri(5f]g is explained by 
 T6Tpa7row in the next line. — KctKoyafifipov yoov. " A sub- 
 ject of grief for her wretched brother-in-law," equiva- 
 lent, as Matthiae remarks, to yoov irtpi kclkov yctfifipov. — 
 dg tirl yav. Observe that dg liri is here a tribrach, where- 
 as the base in the corresponding line of the strophe is 
 an iambus. Probably, therefore, the poet wrote og lg, 
 which the copyists changed to dg t7n, on account of dg 
 iiri 7tt6\iv which precedes. 
 
 267-270. Troifivag deffiroraig, k. t. X. " To bring some 
 w T ord unto thy masters of the flocks being productive, 
 at the very time when you ought not." The read- 
 ing Tt\t(T<p6povg has been recovered from one MS. for 
 TEvxev<p6poig, agreeing with SwTroTaig. — ol \pr\v yeyuvelv, 
 k. t. X. " To which you ought to have brought the 
 news that you were well off in your flocks." The verb 
 yeywvtlv means properly " to speak audibly," " to speak 
 aloud." 
 
 272-281. Kedvovg \6yovg. "Good intelligence." — 
 TTpoaavXriovg rvxag. " Your farm-yard occurrences." — 
 dopr). The Scholiast notices the unusual form for 66pa- 
 ra. Compare Hesychius : Sopy icai dopwv ' dvri tov dopa- 
 ra icai dopdrujv. — dXKtjg fivpiag GTparrjXar iov. " Leading 
 an army ten thousand strong." Some MSS. and edi- 
 tions give dpxng, which Hartung very justly condemns 
 as affording no good sense whatever. — Zrpvfiovog. Ho- 
 mer makes Rhesus the son of Ei'oneus(27., x., 435), which, 
 however, as it contains the word 'HVwr, also a Thracian 
 city, Paley thinks is probably another name for the 
 Strymon. — tyvug * \6yov Sk, k. t. X. " You know it all, 
 and you have lightened me of twice as long a speech," 
 
16 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 i. e., you have spared me twice as many words, which 
 I should have used to announce the fact. 
 
 282-283. dpyddag. Paley renders this "the fertile 
 meadows," but not very correctly, it would seem. It 
 is better to give it the signification of " the sacred 
 grounds," and so the Scholiast : bpyahg Kvpitog oi \epoi 
 tojv Sam' tottoi. The term dpydg (like Hfievog) denotes 
 especially a rich tract of land sacred to the gods, com- 
 prehending meadows, fields, and groves. Consult 
 Ruhnk. (in Tim. Lex. PL, S. V.). — nXayxOeig TrXareiag, 
 k. r. X. " Having deviated from the broad and level 
 high-road." He ascended the slope of the mountain. 
 
 285-295. ovtl (pavXov. " It is no trifling matter." — 
 Kar 'Ualov Xenag. " On the Idaean height." Paley, in 
 accordance with his view of the passage, gives Xenag 
 here the meaning of the " side " or " slope " of the 
 mountain. — avroppiZov iariav xQovog. " The aboriginal 
 dwelling of the land." There was a tradition, referred 
 to in Homer (II., xx., 216), that Ida was inhabited be- 
 fore Troy was built on the plain. — psuv. So Aeschy- 
 lus (Sept. c. Theb., 80) : pel 7roXvg ode Xeug. — <p6fiov. They 
 ceased from their fear on hearing the strange speech 
 of the new-comers, because, if their language was not 
 Greek, they were not likely to be Greek allies. 
 
 296, 297. avaKTog Trpov^epevvt]Tcig 6dov. " The king's 
 pioneers of the way." The common text has oTparov, 
 but Dindorf gives 6Soi> with two MSS. Certain out- 
 riders, 7rp6dpofioi, are here meant, whose duty it was to 
 see that the way was clear of the enemy, of ambus- 
 cades, etc., and that provisions and water could be ob- 
 tained. By aval the rustic must mean the general, 
 whoever he was, since he had not then learned that it 
 was Ehesus, though he might assume that some king 
 would be the leader of such a host, according to the 
 
RHESUS. 17 
 
 custom of the time. — Gpy Kioig. How came Trojan rus- 
 tics to speak the Thracian dialect? Herodotus (iii., 
 90), remarks Paley, mentions together &pvyeg icai Qpfji- 
 Keg ol iv ry 'Amy, meaning probably the Bithynians ; and 
 there can be little doubt, he adds, that among such 
 close neighbors, of common Pelasgic origin, there 
 would be much also that was common to their re- 
 spective languages. Compare v. 404, where Rhesus is 
 styled kyyevrig by Hector. 
 
 298-305. rivog KSKXrjfjiivog. "After whom named," 
 i. e., whose son. — dtv etpufitjv fiaOelv. " (From those) 
 from whom I was desirous of learning." — *<m/i>. " I 
 stood still." He waited until the king himself passed, 
 for he had been speaking with the pioneers in advance 
 of the main army. — oxoig. " Chariot." Plural for the 
 singular. — 7r\a<my£. " Yoke." This term properly 
 means the " scale," then the " beam " of the balance, 
 and hence (from the similarity of shape) the " yoke," 
 fastened across the necks of the beasts. When the 
 yoke is unused, it hangs suspended from the pole, and 
 at once suggests the idea of a pair of scales. — ticXye. 
 "Shut in." Attic and Ionic for ekXeis. — rviroig. "De- 
 vices." Forms or figures wrought separately, and at- 
 tached to the shield by means of golden rivets. 
 
 306-308. u>g air aiyidog 9edg. " As from the aegis of 
 the goddess (Minerva)." The Medusa's head was rep- 
 resented on the aegis (on goat-skin around the chest 
 of the warrior-goddess), and was probably used as a 
 brooch or clasp. In the present instance it served as 
 a decoration for the foreheads of the steeds. — 7toXXoT<ti 
 avv KwduHTiv. Small bells were often attached to a war- 
 horse's head-gear, and also to the shields of warriors. 
 
 309-316. ovd' av iv -fyr)<pov Xoyy, k. t. X. " You could 
 not even compute with anything like accuracy, so im- 
 
18 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 mense was it to behold." The expression tv ^rrfov 
 \6yif) OixrOai means " to reckon exactly or accurately," 
 and may be rendered more closely, " to put down in a 
 calculation with the counter," or pebble. — iimrjg. At- 
 tic nominative plural. — tsXt]. "Ranks." The wEkTaarai, 
 or targeteers, were the regular and ancient Thracian 
 troops. They carried a light wicker shield and jave- 
 lin. — drpaKTwv ro^orai. " Bowmen with arrows." The 
 poets often express qualities of persons and things by 
 genitives of substantives; as here, arpaKruv for drpa- 
 KTo<p6poi. (Matthiae, § 316, f.). — 6jj,apTfj. "Along with 
 them," i. e., following along. — v7roaTa0dg. " Withstand- 
 ing." 
 
 317, 318. ev(Tra9u)(n. " May have become abidingly 
 favorable." The verb evaraOelv properly means to be 
 steady or firm, and is said of things or persons in a 
 safe and healthy condition, so as to cause no appre- 
 hension. The favor of Heaven is here spoken of as 
 something abiding and continuous.— KardvTTjg. " Down- 
 hill," i. e., by an easy and expeditious way. The Cho- 
 rus mean that Hector's recent success, showing the fa- 
 vor of Heaven to the Trojans, has now been crowned 
 by this second piece of good luck, the arrival of a pow- 
 erful ally. 
 
 322-326. 7)vik t&arrig "Aprjc, k. r. X. " When tem- 
 pestuous Mars, blowing violently, was rending to tat- 
 ters the sails of this land." Literally, " outdriving 
 Mars." The epithet IZwarrjg is properly applied to a 
 wind which drives vessels out of their course upon 
 the shore. Some editions read Wpavoe, but the imper- 
 fect is obviously preferable here to the aorist. — aipovm 
 Xeiav. " When taking the prey." 
 
 327-333. opO&g dri&ig. The idea is, their conduct 
 does indeed afford good ground for rejecting such 
 
RHESUS. 19 
 
 allies ; but their good intentions justify you in receiv- 
 ing them. — eTrifiofi<poQ. " Fault - finding.'" — dpKovfiev. 
 "We are sufficient (to do so again)." — opa to fikWov. 
 " Look to the future."— vvrepov. " Late." 
 
 334-341. IttiqOovov. " It is an odious thing." — <t>6(3og 
 ykvoir, k. r. X. " (This man) would prove a source of 
 terror," etc. — Zsvuv. " Of mere entertainers." — x^c- 
 "Gratitude." — <rv r ev irapaivilg. Said to the Cho- 
 rus. — Kal (tv icaipiwQ (TK07rug. " And you view the mat- 
 ter in a proper light." Said to the messenger. — ovvac 
 ayyi-Xov \6yiov. That is, not from any deserts of his 
 own, but because the messenger has spoken in his be- 
 half.— xpvaoTEvxvg- " In his golden panoply," uttered 
 with a sneer. 
 
 342-354. 'ASpa<TTeia. The goddess of inevitable 
 destiny, but generally in the retributive capacity. 
 Hence she is invoked as Nemesis, or the power which 
 visits with punishment proud words. — tipyoi crrofid- 
 Tixiv (pOovov. "Keep away all invidiousness from my 
 words." The Chorus express their delight at the ap- 
 pearance of Rhesus, whom they address in terms the 
 invidiousness of which in the eyes of the gods they 
 prudently deprecate. — eitteIv. There should be a full 
 stop after this word. — TroTafiov. The Strymon. — Hie- 
 piq. Ancient writers differ as to which of the Nine 
 was his mother. — Ka\\iys<pvpog. "The fair-bridged." 
 Why the Strymon is styled here the well-bridged is 
 not known. — ZTpvpuv. Compare note on verse 279. 
 — oq 7ror£, k. t. X. Observe the very rare license of 
 commencing an antistrophe in the middle of a sen- 
 tence, and compare Hijypol, 131. — civr}9eig vdpoeidrig. 
 " Having eddied in watery guise." 
 
 355-364. 6 favaTog. " The light-bringer." — ditpptvoov. 
 "Driving onward." — Ivv 3-ey. "With the favor of 
 
20 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Heaven. — rbv IXtvBkpiov. " The liberator." — Zijva. Sup- 
 ply ijkeiv or kXrjXvOsvai. — dpd ttot avOig, k. r. X. " Shall 
 then ancient Troy ever again celebrate all day long 
 the wine-pledging revels of love, with songs, and with 
 intoxicating contests of cups passing from left to 
 right?" We have followed Matthiae in making 9id~ 
 aovg ep(oru)V the same as Oidaovg tpwrucovg. " Coetus 
 amantium, inter pocula celebratos, in quibus pocula pro- 
 pinant," etc. — i-mfcZiaig. To be explained, it would 
 seem, by the Homeric ivd^ia. 
 
 370-374. rdv Zdxpvaov, k. r. X. " Advance your all- 
 golden targe full in the face of the son of Peleus," i. e., 
 either as a protection to yourself (7r/o6/3\j;/*a), or to in- 
 timidate the adversary by showing defiance.— doxpiav 
 7redaip<Dv, k. t. X. " Raising it aslant by the divided 
 chariot-rim," i. e., lifting the oblong 7r£\n/, so as to lie 
 rather across than along the body. This appears to 
 have been a Thracian fashion, and, as Paley remarks, 
 is sometimes observable in the effigies of crusaders. 
 The expression ax^rav nap dvrvya has given rise to 
 much difference of opinion. According to the most 
 natural explanation, the reference is to the front part 
 of the war-chariot, where the &vtv£, or rim, is divided 
 by a central piece which projects upwards, and around 
 which the reins were accustomed to be fastened. One 
 scholium explains it of the rim of the oblong targe, 
 and another of the opening in the chariot behind, 
 where the warrior entered. But both of these are 
 very awkward to explain. The latter clashes direct- 
 ly with 7ru)Xovg IpeQiZwv. — difioXov dicovra. " The two- 
 pronged dart." This was a dart having prongs like a 
 fork, so as to inflict a double wound. 
 
 375-388. <7£ yap ovng, k.t.X. The idea is, that no Greek 
 who ventures to withstand him shall ever dance at 
 Argos ; that is, shall live to celebrate his safe return. 
 
RHESUS. 21 
 
 — Ka7r(f>QifiEvov, for KaTcupQljiEvov. — (piXrarov axOog. Com- 
 pare the Scholiast : r)Si) yap avry rovg 7roXefiiovg iradtXv. 
 — 7ro\Lapxoi> IMv. " Princely to behold," i. e., a chief- 
 tain in his very look. — Ko/jnrovg KiodiovoicpoTovg, k. t. X. 
 u The proud rattling of bells sounding forth loudly 
 from the handles of his shield." It appears from this 
 passage that the bells were concealed from view. — 
 KaTcnrvEl as. " Breathes down upon thee." Figu- 
 ratively, for 6Sfiy eixppaivel cc Divine beings were 
 supposed to leave a fragrance. — at. The accusative 
 of the person, where we should have expected the 
 genitive, is remarkable. 
 
 389-402. 7ra\m$ i)ptpa. "After a long interval." — 
 xaipoj oe. All verbs, without exception, which express 
 either pleasure or dissatisfaction, take an accusative 
 of either the thing or the person which is the object 
 of such emotion. — Mova&v ftiag. Consult note on verse 
 349. — dnrXovg avrjp. " A double-meaning man." — rov-n-i 
 (to t-nrl) (re. " As far as depended upon you." — ovd' 
 t7re<jTpd(p7]g. " Nor turned your attention towards us." 
 — KrjpvZ. The true accentuation is properispome, not 
 paroxytone. — ovk t7rk(TKT]\pe at. " Did not enjoin upon 
 thee." 
 
 404, 405. lyyzvrig wv. " Though of kindred race." 
 The Trojans and Thracians were supposed to be of 
 common Pelasgic origin. Compare note on verse 297. 
 — 7rpov7riEg. u Gave up," i. e., abandoned, betrayed. 
 The verb Trpoirivuv, properly "to drink before," or 
 " first," means also " to drink to another," i. e., to his 
 health ; because the Greek custom was to drink first 
 one's self, and then pass the cup to the person pledged. 
 Then, since on festal occasions it was often customary 
 to make a present to a person when one drank his 
 health, as, for instance, of the cup itself, irpoirivuv came 
 to mean generally " to give away," " to make a present 
 
22 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 of," and especially, "to give away thoughtlessly," "to 
 throw away," " to abandon," etc. 
 
 408-419. ndyyaiov. Supply opog. The great mount- 
 ain - chain of Macedonia, separating it from Thrace, 
 now Pirndri, and containing mines of gold and silver. 
 — liaioviov. The Paeonians, a Thracian race, inhabited 
 the districts on the rivers Strymon and Axius, and the 
 countries to the north of Macedonia. — Kara gt6\icl. 
 "Face to face."— XaKri<rag. "Having spurned." — iv 
 ysvu. " Of kin." — lv xuaroig raQoig. That is, in " bar- 
 rows," such as still exist in the neighborhood of the 
 Hellespont, and, indeed, all over the north of Europe. 
 — nioTiQ ov oyziKjoa. " No small proof of their devotion," 
 i. e., exhibiting their devotion to the city by their hav- 
 ing fallen in its defence. — \pvxpav drjmv. "The cold 
 blast," i. e., as well of the winter season as of the night. 
 Compare Agam., 546 seqq. — -kvkvy]v dfivanv deZiovfievoi. 
 "Pledging one another in the rapidly circulating 
 wine-cup." The term dfivang, as the Scholiast informs 
 us, had two meanings : the cup itself, which is here 
 meant, and the method of drinking a certain measure 
 of wine without taking breath, which Horace (Carm., 
 i., 36, 14) expressly calls a Thracian custom. 
 
 422-430. tvQeiav keXevQov. "The straightforward 
 path." — TTpbg r\irap. Construe with kreipo^irjv. — SvgQo- 
 ptiv. " Bearing it painfully the while." — fisXXovn vo- 
 arov, k. r. \. " To cross over on my way towards Ili- 
 um." Observe that vbarov is here the accusative of 
 nearer definition. As regards the peculiar meaning 
 here of the term itself, compare the Scholiast : vogtov 
 rt7r\wc ttjv bdbv ?) rbv irkovv itprj. — TropdiiEvaai. A bet- 
 ter reading than TropOfiEvvag. Rhesus had come from 
 the eastern part of Thrace, with the intention of con- 
 veying an army to Troy over the Thracian Bosporus 
 (v. 436). He had reached this point when he was 
 
RHESUS. 23 
 
 stopped by the attack of the Scythians. — alfiari]pog 
 irkXavog SkvOjiq. " The dark-foaming Scythian blood." 
 
 432-442. avfKpopd. " An occurrence." — ofitipevrrag. 
 " Having taken as hostages." — irovnov (TTofia. " The 
 mouth of the sea," i. e., the Thracian Bosporus. — rd 
 &\\a y to be construed with opttr/iara, and not taken 
 separately. — ovx wc <rv KOfnrtig, k.t.X. "Not as thou 
 arrogantly talkest about those cups of mine." A brief 
 mode of speaking, for " not circulating those cups of 
 mine, as you arrogantly allege," dfivtmdag being re- 
 ferred at once to K0fnre7g 1 in place of the poet's having 
 written 01% o>C av Ko^nrug, d^vari^ag 8e£iovfiEvog. — txeZd- 
 pH. Old form for iTrtfidpu. — iropirdnamv. u Clasp-se- 
 cured garments." Compare the Scholiast : iropirdnaoiv, 
 tvdvfiaaiv. 
 
 443-452. vartpov fisv. " Late 'tis true." — piirrug kv- 
 peviov, k. t. X. " Throwing the dice (of battle), you arc 
 risking war against the Greeks," i. e., you are playing 
 a stake in the game of war. The old reading was 
 ir'nrTug, which is now rejected by the best editors. — 
 SaTspq., for ry htpq.. — (TvvrsfKov. " Having cut short." 
 — vfiutv tie firj ng, k. t. X. " But let no one of you raise 
 a shield with his hand." By the subjunctive here a- 
 warning rather than a command is conveyed. The 
 earlier readings were alps™, alpsi™, and a'iprjrai, but 
 the aorist was rightly restored by L. Dindorf. — «£w, for 
 KaOeZio. The vaunt of Rhesus, observes Paley, that he 
 will achieve in one day what Hector had vainly tried 
 to do for ten years, is a ludicrous trait in his boastful 
 character. Yet Minerva (v. 600) takes his promise as 
 literally true. 
 
 455-466. <pi\a. " Pleasing things." The antistrophe 
 occurs at verse 820. — <p96vov dfiaxov. " Resistless 
 envy." The Chorus, observes Paley, taking, as usual, 
 
24 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 a conciliatory side, yet fearing lest the vaunting con- 
 fidence of the Thracian king should bring evil on his 
 enterprise, express rather a wish than a hope that the 
 day may now be at hand when he shall requite the 
 Greeks for their murderous attacks. — dfi<pi aoiai \6yoi- 
 mv. "About thy words," i. e., concerning, or on ac- 
 count of. — rb vdiov dopv. " The fleet." More literally, 
 " the ship's plank." — iiropEvae. " Conveyed." Observe 
 the force of the active. — ttCjq p,oi $' 'Ax&evg. So the 
 metre of v. 827 seems to require for ttCjq fioi 'Ax^^vg. 
 — ottioq ttoXvQovov, k. t. X. u That you might punish 
 him with the spear for his much-slaughtering hand." 
 Achilles is meant. The common text has aizovaaaio 
 (from aizovivr)\ii), and omits viv : " That you might 
 with the spear reap the fruits of your much-slaugh- 
 tering hand." 
 
 466-473. roiavTCL fikv croi, k. r. X. " I will cause you 
 to realize such success, in return for my long absence." 
 Supply avri, or else construe cnrovaiag as the genitive 
 of price. Some read ooi V, where the Ik governs the 
 genitive, " after my long absence." Hector had taunted 
 Rhesus with his long absence, and the latter now says 
 that the Trojans shall be none the worse for it. — iv 
 fikpEi. " In turn." 
 
 475-477. vefioinrjv. "I should inhabit." — $to~ig, a 
 monosyllable in scanning. — t& d/i^i r "Apyog, k. t. X. 
 " The things appertaining to both Argos and the re- 
 gion of Greece," i. e., the might of both Argos, the 
 realm of Agamemnon, and of Greece in general. "By 
 Argos is meant Mycenae and its dependencies. As 
 regards the expression rd afi<pi, consult Jelf, G. 6r., § 631. 
 
 479-487. apuTTrjg, accusative plural Attic for dpi- 
 GreXg. — kov fiefiQoiAEaOa y , k. r. X. " Aye, and we have 
 no cause indeed to think lightly of them, but we have 
 
RHESUS. 25 
 
 enough to do in driving them away." Hartung reads 
 IXavvofiai. — 7ra0aj>, dpaaai Sk fifj. To a Greek mind, ob- 
 serves Paley, this conveyed no slight reproach. Honor 
 demanded that an adversary should give back at least 
 as much as he had taken. — iroXXijg yap dpxu, k. t. X. 
 He means, dpiceT fioi rd napovTa, dvev rov tcaicoug Spaoai 
 dWovg. — eite Xaibv sire de%ibv Kspag. " Either on the left 
 or the right wing." Literally, " as a left or a right 
 wing," the accusative here being merely a more exact 
 definition of the verbal operation expressed in ttsXttjv 
 ipeZaai, k. t. X. — 7riXr7ji>, for 7rEXrd(7rag. 
 
 489-494. <svvE\nvpi}<jai. Rhesus, such is his arrogance, 
 talks of Hector's helping him to burn the ships, for- 
 getting that it is he who has come to help Hector. — 
 'AxiXXwg Kal erpaTov, k. t. X. " Face to face with Achil- 
 les and the (whole) host." — Ueivy ivrdZm. " To direct 
 against that warrior." — /ttijviW. The i in the verb firi- 
 vl(o is regularly long in all the tenses, as in II., ii.,769, 
 and in Aeschylus (Eumen., 101), who has firjvlsTat. It 
 is used short, however, in the present and imperfect 
 by Homer, and in the present instance by Euripides. 
 Consult Spitzner, G. P., p. 88. 
 
 498-502. tern & aifivXwTaTov, k. t. X. " But there is" 
 that most crafty rattler Ulysses, both bold enough in 
 spirit," etc. The term Kpor^a appears to have been a 
 sort of conventional appellation of Ulysses, though of 
 rather uncertain sense. It seems peculiarly used of 
 crafty words in conjunction with fluency of speech. — 
 dvijp, for 6 dvrjp, but in the sense of elg dvr\p. " Who, 
 of all men, has most insulted this land." — icXexpag dyaX- 
 fia. This and what follows, as the Scholiast remarks, 
 really belonged to a later period of the war than the 
 arrival of Rhesus. 
 
 503-514. dyvprrjg. "As a crowd-collecting fortune- 
 3 
 
26 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 teller." — ripdro. " Invoked with imprecations." — Qvp- 
 Ppdiov Piofiov. According to Hesychius (s. v., evfifipa), 
 this altar was one mile distant from the city. The 
 Scholiast makes it five. — KaK(f dk fiep^sp^ iraKaio- 
 psv. "And we have to struggle with a troublesome 
 evil." The epithet ^kpfiepog is properly Epic. — ov 'guv 
 <pyg, k. r. \. " Who, you say, is always skulking like 
 a thief, and laying plots." The present tense here is 
 to be explained by del evpiaKerai in verse 507. — dfnrei- 
 pag pdxiv. " Having pierced through along his back- 
 bone," i. e., having impaled. Observe dfiweipag for dva- 
 ireipag. 
 
 518-526. KaravXiaOrjre. Not "pitch your tents," 
 which it was too late to do, but " bivouac." — tov 
 rerayfikvov Sixa. "Apart from our marshalled host," 
 i. e., our own force, regularly arranged in quarters for 
 the night. — QoTfiog. The nominative is here employed 
 as a case of quotation, and not the accusative. — vfidg. 
 The Chorus. — irpoTaivL " In front of." A unaX, \ey6- 
 fievov, and said to be a Boeotian word. It is one of 
 those which have been thought to show that the play 
 was not from the hand of Euripides. The regular At- 
 tic form would be 7rdpoi0e. — 5ex9ai. Syncopated 2 
 aor. inf. mid., and an Homeric form. — 7r£\d££i. That is, 
 on his return from the exploring mission. 
 
 527, 528. Hvog d <pv\aicd. The pause in the action, 
 before the next act, which describes the result of Do- 
 lon's attempt, and the counter plot in the Greek army 
 to surprise the Trojans, is taken up by the changing 
 of the Trojan sentinels (the Chorus), who have hitherto 
 formed the fourth watch. The advanced hour of the 
 night is indicated by the appointment of the fifth and 
 last picket. — rig dfieij3ei rdv kfidv. "Who succeeds 
 to mine ?" Literally, " who changes mine ?" i. e., by 
 means of his own. 
 
RHESUS. 27 
 
 529-536. TrpCJTa trripeXa. u The first stars," i. e., those 
 which rose at the beginning of the night. — icai kicra- 
 iropoi, k. t.\. " And the Pleiades, moving in their sev- 
 en orbits, are now in the sky." The morning rising 
 of this constellation in spring is supposed to be meant. 
 Euripides, who had studied astronomy with Anaxago- 
 ras, is said to have been the first who called the Plei- 
 ades tTTTairopoi, i. e., £?rra, for it is well known that to 
 the naked eye only six are apparent, and were so in 
 the time of Ovid (Fast., iv., 170), the rest (several in 
 number) being below the fifth magnitude. — psaa 8' ak- 
 t6q, k. r. X. That is, the constellation Aqaila is culmi- 
 nating. — koltclv. " From your couches." Genitive plu- 
 ral Doric. — wvaSog afyW. "The (waning) light of 
 the moon," i. e., as indicating the approach of morn- 
 ing. Observe that nrjv&dog (from fujvdg) is another 
 uTcdi XeyofiEvov, for ^ijvrjg (from fii)vrf). — rlfi irpodpo/xiov. 
 " One of the precursors of day," i. e., of the harbingers 
 of day. The old text had irpb Sopwv, for which we 
 have the very probable conjecture of Musgrave, irpo- 
 dpopuv, which is now very generally adopted. 
 
 537-545. rig iKTipvxBtj, k. r. X. The Semichorus put 
 the question, desirous to know how many of the watch- 
 es have elapsed, and what party has not yet served its 
 turn. The order was this : (i) the Paeonians, (2) the 
 Cilicians, (3) the Mysians, (4) the Trojans, (5) the Ly- 
 cians. As the question asked is rig, not riveg, the reply 
 gives the name of the individual (the commander of 
 the Paeonians) who had charge of the first picket, but 
 the rest are described by the names of the nations. 
 After verse 537 a line has fallen out, a paroemiac, cor- 
 responding to verse 558. — MvySovog ov, k. r. X. The 
 common text has viov, for which Paley has given Her- 
 mann's metrical correction of ov. The meaning is, 
 Kopoifiog ov Mvydovog viov Qaciv elvai, but the accusative 
 is attracted to the relative. — ijyeipev. "Awoke," i. e., 
 
28 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 to succeed in relieving guard. — 7refi7rTT]v QvXcuciiv. " As 
 the fifth watch." — icXijpov Kara fjLolpav. " According to 
 the allotment of the ballot." 
 
 546-555. icai fA7)v aiu). The Scholiast says that wg 
 ("how") is to be supplied here, but there is no need 
 whatever of doing so. By placing a stop after duu, we 
 make the clause an independent one, analogous to the 
 English "And hark !" — Zifidevrog fjfieva, r. t. X. " Seat- 
 ed in her blood-stained haunt on the Simois." Ac- 
 cording to some, Procne, not Philomela, after killing 
 her son Itys, was changed into a nightingale. — 7roXvxop- 
 dorarq. "Like the sound of many strings." — wkti- 
 fipdfiov. " Night-resounding." — tfia. " It ever comes." 
 Observe the force of the aorist. — dovg. " At dawn." 
 
 561-568. rdx av eh] <pav£p6v. "It will soon in all 
 likelihood be known." The common text has <pofizp6v, 
 for which Paley has given, with Dindorf, the conject- 
 ural reading, <pavtp6v, of Hermann. — avdio Avriovg, 
 k.t.X. "I propose that we go and arouse," etc. With 
 these words the Trojan sentinels depart, leaving the 
 ground vacant for Ulysses and Diomede, who now 
 come warily forward, having just heard the rattling 
 of arms made by the retiring <j>v\aK£g. Dolon, it will 
 appear, had been captured by Ulysses, and compelled 
 to tell the exact position of Hector's headquarters. 
 Ulysses and his companion, unable to find him, are di- 
 rected by Minerva to the horses of Rhesus, which they 
 drive off, after slaying Rhesus and wounding the char- 
 ioteer. — ovkt, dWd deoiid, k. r. X. " No, but the traces 
 hanging from the horse- chariots clash iron," more lit- 
 erally, " send forth a clashing from iron." Hence the 
 genitive. The accusative, however, would have been 
 more spirited and poetical. 
 
 571-584. Kav ukoti^. He means that he will take as 
 
RHESUS. 29 
 
 much care how he places his foot in the darkness as 
 in the light, though the chances of escaping the senti- 
 nels were greater in the former case. — ta. In scanning, 
 this, of course, is extra metrum. — eiXtcvarai. " Has been 
 dragged along." His heavy spear, he says, has been 
 dragged all the way for a contest with Hector to no 
 purpose. — fx&v \6\oq /3e/3»7#ce 71-01. Ulysses means that 
 Hector could not have gone somewhere with his band. 
 It was to kill Hector that they specially had come. 
 (Compare v. 606.) But Hector was just then engaged 
 in showing Rhesus the quarters assigned to him. — 
 lird KparsT. " Since he is successful." — Tjvpofisv. As a 
 trisyllable in pronunciation. — ypJv d' ov fiiaariov rvxnv. 
 "And we must not press fortune too hard," i. e., we 
 must yield to fortune ; we must not quarrel with our 
 ill luck, nor attempt to act as if luck had nothing to 
 do with the matter. 
 
 585-594. Kivkav. A dissyllable in scanning. — p.oXdv. 
 " To return." — vewrspov. " Greater than ordinary." — 
 rvxn. So Hermann and Dindorf, with one of the best 
 MSS., in place of the common rvxdv. 
 
 595-606. XurovTt. Supply avrag. It was necessary 
 to the plot here to introduce a deity to inform the two 
 Greeks of Rhesus having arrived. They could not 
 have learned this from Dolon, who had set out before 
 the presence of Rhesus was announced. — d firj. Ob- 
 serve that eL has here the meaning of " since." — ov 
 (pavXy rpoTTif). " In no mean style," i. e., in grand style. 
 — d dioiaei vvkto. rrjvd\ k. r. X. " If he shall prolong 
 this night into the morrow," i. e., shall prolong his 
 existence through this night until the morrow. — ovr 
 dv <j<p' 'AxiXXsiog, k. t.X. " There is no likelihood that 
 the spear of either Achilles or of Ajax will restrain 
 him from," etc. Observe the construction of ov \ir] 
 with the optative, and consult Jelf, G. #., § 748. — icai 
 
30 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Kaparofiovg (TQayag. "And his decapitating immola- 
 tion." 
 
 608-612. <p9syfiarog yijpvv. Minerva was therefore 
 invisible to Ulysses. It is probable that only a voice 
 was heard, not the goddess herself seen, though she 
 may have been visible to the spectators. Hence to 
 Paris she can represent herself as Venus. All this 
 would be effected by the stage-machine termed OeoXo- 
 yeTov, an upper platform surrounded and partially con- 
 cealed by clouds, and from which deities sometimes 
 spoke. The present passage is evidently imitated 
 from the Ajax of Sophocles, v. 14 seqq. — noOsr Tsraicrai, 
 k. t. X. " Where in the barbarian army is he stationed ?" 
 The place where is sometimes designated by a line 
 drawn from the speaker to the object. Compare the 
 common Greek expression Xaidg x a i°°£> " on tQe left 
 hand." Hence also the local adverbs in the genitive 
 form, ou, 7rov, o-n-ovj avrovy etc. (Jelf, G. 6r., § 522). 
 
 613-621. ov (Tvvr)9poi9rai. Compare verse 520. — apti- 
 i/z^rai (pdog. " Shall have taken light in exchange for 
 itself," i. e., shall have given place to day. — kekevOe. 
 "Contains." The idea intended to be conveyed is 
 that of keeping, storing away as something valuable, 
 rather than of concealing. 
 
 623-626. ri 'poi 7rdpeg ye. That is, rf tpoiye iraptg. — 
 rpipiov ra KOfi\pd. " Well versed in matters of skill." — 
 vouv. " In devising." — w0eX?J. The common text has 
 w0€\oT, but the subjunctive, as the mood of probability, 
 is preferable here. Compare, as regards the idea in- 
 tended to be expressed, the familiar phrase, " to put 
 the right man in the right place." 
 
 627-641. Tovfe'AkklavBpov. "Alexander here."— d6%ag 
 darjpovg. " Uncertain reports." — /^/3\w/c6ra>j>. From 
 
RHESUS. 31 
 
 (3\to(TK(o. This Homeric form occurs nowhere else in 
 the Tragic writers. — v-n-apx^v KarOavovra. " To be the 
 first to die." — rov TreTrpwuf-vov. " Than what is fated. 1 ' 
 — Td%vv <j>7rep. "Hasten (against him) for whom." — 
 avfifiaxog Kv-n-ptg. " As his ally, Venus." — vaQpoTg \6yoi- 
 aiv, k. r. X. " Will give answers to your foeman in 
 treacherous words." Literally, " unsound." The idea 
 is, I will enter into conversation with him under a 
 feigned character, as a friendly power. But why 
 should Minerva practice such deceit^ Because, as Pa- 
 ley remarks, deceit was regarded as clever, not as 
 wrong or discreditable, by the Greeks. — ov Sk xpv 7ra ~ 
 0£iv, k. r. X. That is, Hdpig ovk olfov ov XPV vaOeiv (i. e., 
 'Prjffov), ovdk fjKovae Xoyov, icaiirep eyyvg wv. For Paris 
 was approaching when Minerva suggested the deed 
 (v. 619. Compare v. 627). 
 
 642-650. \syu>. " I address." — wptvpevfo " Benig- 
 nant." — rifife. " Of the honor (which you conferred 
 upon me)." Alluding to the decision which he made 
 in the case of the three rival goddesses. — ev TraQovaa 
 irpbg asQev. "Having received a favor from you." — 
 t7r' evrvxovvn, k. r. X. " On the occasion of the Trojan 
 army's being successful." Not, " unto the successful 
 Trojan army," as some erroneously render it. — 7ropevova. 
 " Bringing with me." Literally, " causing to come." 
 
 654-664. iikyiorov 8' iv fily, k. t. X. And I affirm that 
 I, by having decided in thy favor, have secured to the 
 city the greatest treasure in life." Observe that Kpivag 
 here has the force of irpoKpivag. — ov rop&g. Compare 
 S6Zag aarjfjiovg (v. 629). Paris admits that his informa- 
 tion was not to be relied on, and therefore he is the 
 more easily persuaded by the pretended Venus that 
 all is right. — x& V*v °^ K ^^ v Xtya, kt. r. X. " And one 
 man speaks of them, without having seen them at all, 
 while another, who has seen them arrived, can not tell," 
 
32 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 etc. — Qpyica Kofffirjffojv arparov. He had left the stage 
 for this purpose at verse 526. — rdliv <pv\d%<ov. "To 
 guard my post." 
 
 665-673. fisXeiv yap navr tfioi, k. t. X. This, and what 
 immediately follows, are said, of course, equivocally. — 
 yvuxTEi dt Kai <rv, k. t. X. At the end of this verse Paris 
 leaves the stage. — vfiag. Ulysses and Diomede. — koi- 
 ixiaai. " To consign to rest," i. e., to put up. — Kurai. 
 " Is down," i. e., lies slain. Diomede, who undertook 
 this part of the enterprise (v. 624), had slain him. — 
 txovrai. "Are seized." — 6\kovq vavdrdOfjaov. Consult 
 note on verse 145. 
 
 675-682. fa, ta, k. t. X. The Chorus, who had left 
 the orchestra just as Ulysses and Diomede came upon 
 the stage, now return in pursuit, having discovered 
 that Rhesus has been slain. It is impossible, remarks 
 Paley, to determine with certainty and precision, in 
 the verses that follow, what parts should be assigned 
 to what speakers. The different editions therefore 
 vary considerably. The Chorus, it will be perceived, 
 is divided into two halves, each called 'Hfiixopwv, or 
 Semichorus, as indicated by the letters HM. in the text. 
 — rig 8' avr)p, k. t. X. " But who is the man (whom you 
 tell me to strike) ? See ! this is the man I mean," i. e., 
 Ulysses. — k\u)tteq. " There are thieves." Supply dm. 
 — ToM' tx w - The plural here indicates both horse 
 and rider. — rig 6 \6yog ; " What have you to say for 
 yourself?" Literally, " What is your speech ?" 
 
 683-686. xP'h stikvai. To be pronounced xpydwai, by 
 crasis, in scanning. — OaveT yap, k. t. X. " (You had better 
 tell us who you are) for (if not) you shall die this very 
 day as a malefactor." — >} av d?j l Pij<rov KarsKrag ; Ulysses 
 has recourse to his usual cunning, and pretends to be 
 a friend, who has in view the very same object as the 
 
RHESUS. 33 
 
 Chorus, and he asks the Chorus, in affected ignorance, 
 " Can it be that you have killed Rhesus ?" The Cho- 
 rus, on the other hand, treat him as an enemy, till they 
 learn from him the watch-word, which he had extorted 
 from Dolon. — dWd rbv ktevovvto. ok iotojow. " Nay, I 
 am asking thee about the one who came to kill us." 
 We have here given Paley's version. The reading 
 iffroput is a conjecture of Badham's. 
 
 689-703. tivdpeg. The Chorus is now satisfied that 
 their prisoner is not one of the spies, who they seem 
 to have thought were several in number. — U wktojv. 
 Consult note on v. 13. At the end of v. 691, Ulysses, 
 who has set the Chorus on a wrong scent, slips aside 
 into the darkness. — 7r69sv viv Kvpijau) ; " Where shall I 
 meet with him?" Consult note on v. 612. — Aoicptiv. 
 The Locri Opuntii are meant. Their capital, Opus, 
 lay a little inland, about fifteen stadia from the shore. 
 It was the native city of Patroclus, and is mentioned 
 in the Homeric catalogue as one of the Locrian towns 
 subject to Ajax, son of Oileus. — vri<nuTT)v. The inhab- 
 itants of the Aegean islands were commonly spoken 
 of with contempt, as inferior to the ri7reipu>Tai. Here 
 they are indirectly accused of piracy and plunder, in 
 common with the coast-nations of Thessaly and Lo- 
 cris. — rig yv 7ro0ev; brachiolgy for rig rjv; icai ttoQsv; — 
 tcoTov t7r£ux£rai, k. t. X. " Whom does he aver to be the 
 supreme one of the gods ?" The various attributes of 
 Jupiter, or the different names by which the chief of 
 the gods was designated among different communi- 
 ties, are here mentioned as national distinctions. 
 
 705-719. ri \iy\v ; " Why not, forsooth ?" For ri ftfr 
 dXXo ; The ordinary reading is ri fir) ;— oKkyiv riv aivsig ; 
 "Of what valor are you speaking?" i. e., whose Spaav- 
 rrjg are you praising ? — firj KXunbg alvsi, k. r. X. " Do 
 not speak in such high terms of the wily spear of a 
 
34 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 thievish man," i. e., of a thief who dare not meet 
 one in fair fight. — vizatypov o/ifi. "An eye wet with 
 rheum." If we read virdtppov (paroxytone) from v-n-d- 
 <ppwv, the meaning will be " an idiotic look," i. e., 
 feigning madness. — ^(pijprjg Kpvcpiog iv nsTrXoig. " Armed 
 with a sword concealed in his garments." — dyvprrig 
 rig Xdrptg. " Like a sort of juggling slave." Compare 
 note on v. 503. — ipcupapoxpow. " Squalid." — Sij9ev i%- 
 Qpbg a>v. The ironical particle stands first in the clause. 
 
 721-726. Ixvog (3a\dv. That is, as a conqueror or 
 permanent settler; for they must have known he 
 was already in the land. — dvaoiZuv. " Suspecting." 
 The sentence is finished at v. 727, " that those who 
 have this night reached the Trojan camp passed in by 
 us" (our way, icaO' yjfidg). — ri dpdaai ; " That we have 
 done what ?" Dindorf's conjecture for ri dp$g drj ; 
 
 730-744. ItyiT. " Crouch down."— kg j36\ov. " Into 
 the net." The short dialogue between the charioteer 
 and the Chorus is exempted from antistrophic law. 
 The incidents are now described which had already 
 occurred at v. 670. — aju/3\&7r€£ avyal. "Our eyes are 
 dim of vision." — Tpon/cuiv. The first w is short here 
 before the succeeding vowel. Compare irarp$og, in 
 Alcest., 249. Otherwise we might read Tp^W, Tpotwr, 
 or Tpo'iicujv. — dio7r<i)v. " Of the rulers." — ToXv-Treveag. 
 " Having wrought." Literally, " having wound up,"i. e., 
 completed. Compare the Homeric IkeI -koX^ov to\v- 
 iTEvaev. "When he had wound up the war." The 
 verb ToXwrrtvio properly means, " to wind off carded 
 wool into a clew for spinning." 
 
 745-753. Kvpuv. " To have befallen." A rare usage 
 as a 2 aor. of Kvpu>. It is commonly regarded, however, 
 and by Paley among the rest, as a present from Kvpti, 
 and the translation will then be, " it seems that some 
 
RHESUS. 35 
 
 evil is happening," etc. — kXvwv. A line is wanting 
 after this to correspond to the third line of the stro- 
 phe. — ei(Tuj. " Within the body." — ickXtjavT. " Having 
 just arrived." More literally, "having just put to 
 land." A nautical image. 
 
 756-766. KaKujg TrkirpaKrau "Badly has it turned 
 out." — TTpog. "Moreover." Taken absolutely, as an 
 adverb. — oyicog koI 86h<ov svdoZia. " A source of pride 
 and of fair renown for one's line." — afiovXwg. " Incon- 
 siderately," i. e., through mere carelessness on our part. 
 — 'Em-opEia. The short final syllable here may be de- 
 fended by IloXvdivKEid x«'>, as cited in the Etym. Mag. 
 (p. 461, 45), and also by Aio^tjSeid avayicr), in AHstoph. 
 Eccles., 1029. The common accentuation 'EicTopria is 
 erroneous. — mdoffri^eig. " Lying on the ground," i. e., 
 bivouacking. — iv ra&ffiv, " in rows." — irXi]Krpa. The 
 whips or goads are meant, says Paley, which seem to 
 have been fastened or fitted upon the yoke, but in this 
 instance were out of their places, implying that there 
 was a general feeling of security, and a remissness on 
 the part of the attendants. The object of laying the 
 whip in this place was to have it ready at hand in a 
 moment. Musgrave, however, rejecting the MS. read- 
 irjg, and comparing v. 303, conjectures icXyOpa, and 
 makes the allusion to be to the "cross-bar" connect- 
 ing the collars around the necks. Dindorf follows 
 Barnes in explaining irXijicrpa of " bells," which they 
 suppose to have been fixed, as a kind of alarum, to 
 the harness at nights, but which in this instance had 
 been neglected. — <pavXiog. " Carelessly." Equivalent 
 to dfieXafg. 
 
 772-778. Zriluv. " That I will have to yoke them." 
 — 7TEpi7roXovvQ\ " Hovering around." — ijirvoa. " I called 
 out." — (Tvfifidxdiv. Construe <ru/x/iax wv TLvag, since the 
 narrator supposed that the aggressors were friends. — 
 ol d' ovckv. Supply 7//i£//3ovro. — ov firjv ovft iyu) ) k. r. X. 
 
36 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Supply aviGTopriva. Dindorf retains the common read- 
 ing old' eyw, for which two of the best MSS. give ovV 
 lyu). But the idea seems to be that, as they made no 
 answer, he did not trouble himself farther about the 
 matter. The tyu>, being emphatic, suits ovSs, as op- 
 posed to ol tfe, whereas the pronoun is superfluous if 
 we read olda. 
 
 780-785. dofr. " Vision."— 6>g bvap SokCjv. u Seem- 
 ing to see as in a dream." Equivalent to wg lv 6vel- 
 pan doicutv bpav. — idpaiav pdxtv. " ^ n the sitting-part 
 of the backbone," i. e., the part of the backbone on 
 which riders sit. Accusative of nearer definition. — 
 ijXawov. "They kept driving them on." — tpeyicov i$ 
 dvrrjpidiov. " Snorted from their nostrils." Compare 
 the Scholiast, Ik t&v fivKTrjpiov. Usually dvrrjpideg are 
 front pillars or props ; and in Thucyd., vii, 36, they are 
 the timbers to strengthen the bows of a ship. Suidas 
 explains the term dvrrjpig also of " a window," doubt- 
 less, remarks Paley, because it was, as it were, the eye 
 in the front of the house. Hence, he adds, it is likely 
 that the nostrils of a horse were so called as being the 
 foremost part of the whole body. Musgrave, however, 
 conjectures dprrjpiwv, " from their throats," which prob- 
 ably is the true reading. 
 
 789-791. fiyxBifffibv vticputv. "The moan of dying 
 persons." — Ospfibg dk Kpowog, k. t.X. " And a warm jet 
 of newly shed blood strikes me (as I lay) close to my 
 slaughtered master in the agony of death." He means, 
 observes Paley, to explain how it happened that he 
 was besprent with the spurting of his master's blood ; 
 and so he uses napd to express his own contiguity. 
 Musgrave proposes <r<payrjg; but Ijc, not napd, would 
 then be required. — dvaQvrjvicovrog. The verb dvaQvri- 
 oKio is a compound contrary to the ordinary analogy, 
 which requires that dvg and ev should be joined with a 
 
RHESUS. 37 
 
 neuter verb representing an adjective with djrf, as evae- 
 f3i-a)=£v<rE(3r)Q dpi, etc. There are, however, exceptions 
 to the rule, as dv<roiZ<i> (v. 805). The proper form is dva- 
 GavarEuj. (Lobeck, ad Phryn., p. 616.) 
 
 794-797. vEiarriv nXevpdv. Pierson's emendation for 
 the common reading veiepav elg TrXtvpdv. Observe that 
 veiaroQ is a lengthened Epic form of the old superla- 
 tive vkarog, from veoq. — eucfiaZiov. " In the prime of his 
 strength." — ydp. He knew that the blow was dealt 
 by a vigorous hand, for he felt that the gash was a 
 deep one. — oxvpa ttioXikov. " The chariot and horses." 
 They seize the chariot, and then disengage and drive 
 off the steeds. This is certainly the most natural ex- 
 planation. Heath, however, and others prefer making 
 oxvpa 7to)\ik6v equivalent merely to 'Iwirovg. 
 
 805, 806. firjdtv SiHToiZ, k. t. X. " Do not at all suspect 
 that enemies did not do these things," i. e., that others 
 than enemies, or, in other words, that friends have 
 don% it. The old reading was dvaoiZov, which Mus- 
 grave corrected. — cvfMpopdg. A better reading than 
 <jvti<popdQ in the genitive, since itw9dvo^ai regularly 
 takes an accusative of the thing learned, but a geni- 
 tive of the source of information, like kXvio, ukoviu, etc. 
 
 810-817. teal Kare<T(pdyrj arparog; "And how has the 
 army been immolated ?" Supply 7ru>g from the previ- 
 ous clause. — kovt\ that is, icai ir&g ovrt. — Zevg 6fid)jjLOTaL 
 irraTrip. " Jove the father has been sworn by," i. e., I 
 swear by Jove the father. The ordinary text has fyiw- 
 fioarai, but dfnofiorai is to be preferred. (Buttmann, G. 
 #., vol. ii, p. 199. Compare Jelf, G. G., § 298, 6.)— 
 fidpayva. "The sounding scourge." Only another 
 form for afidpayva, connected with afiapaysio. "To 
 crash," etc. — Kapavi<Trrjg fiopog. "Death by decapita- 
 tion." 
 
38 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 820-824. iw, lib. The antistrophe here following (to 
 the strophe at v. 454) is corrupt, and probably interpo- 
 lated. — fieyag e/xoi fieyag, jc. r. X. " Great in my own 
 eyes, great, O lord of the state, did I then come, when 
 I arrived to announce to you that the Grecian army 
 was lighting fires around the ships." This is Paley's 
 rendering. Others read, fieyag kfiol fieyag dywv ' tot dp' 
 ejioXov, k. t. X. " A great, a great danger (struggle) is im- 
 pending over me. (The foe) arrived then, for a certain- 
 ty, what time I had come to announce," etc. Dindorf 
 reads, fiey dp' efioi fisy'j <L ttoXiovxov Kparog, tzaicbv tfioXev, 
 which Paley designates as a rather violent, but not im- 
 probable change. — 'Apydwv vTpaTov. These words are 
 bracketed in the text because probably a marginal 
 gloss, suggested by v. 41. 
 
 825-831. tppiZa. " Did I nod in slumber." An Epic 
 and Homeric word (ppiZw), here retaining its neuter 
 sense. — ov rag, for ov fid rag. This is Hermann's read- 
 ing. So also Hi/xoevTiddag for Stfioevridag. — eyw Trdvnov. 
 The remainder of the line is lost, and indeed, as*Din- 
 dorf remarks, it is clear that it cannot even commence 
 with eyu irdvTbiv. The eyioye of the common text makes 
 it no better. Hermann rejects the pronoun. Har- 
 tung's reading is probably the best, eyw T&vde ye irdv- 
 ru)v. — XP&V- " I n the course of time," i. e., at any 
 time hereafter. — napd Kaipbv Ipyov rj \6yov 7rv9y. "You 
 shall hear of any act or word that is not right." — ov 
 irapairovfiai. " I do not beg off." 
 
 832-840. pdpfiapog re papfidpov, k. r. X. " And why, 
 a barbarian thyself, dost thou seek to rob me of my 
 convictions by false inferences?" Literally, "inter- 
 weaving mere words," i. e., weaving the web of deceit. 
 The idea is, Why do you, non - Hellenic like myself, 
 try to play off on me Hellenic arts ? — dv tieZaifieOa. 
 " We would take " (as the author of the deed), i. e., 
 
RHESUS. 39 
 
 would regard as such. — o! iraOovreg, i. e., 01 Oavovreg. — 
 ttoXV t7ri(TKr]Tzrix)v. " Though all along earnestly enjoin- 
 ing upon them." 
 
 841-855. ev7rpE7re<jTepov Ildpig, k. r. X. " With fairer 
 seeming did Paris bring disgrace upon the rites of 
 hospitality than you have done in having slain your 
 allies." — rig i)\6sv. "Who (if your account be true) 
 came," etc. Dindorf and Bothe, after Beck, read i)X9' 
 dv, which, as Paley remarks, not only does not im- 
 prove the sense, but violates an Attic usage pointed 
 out by Elmsley {ad Med., 416) of not eliding the € of 
 the third person before dv. — TrpoaOev i)fiwv. The Tro- 
 jan host was midway in a direct line between the 
 Thracians and the Greeks, i. e., the Thracians were 
 posted farthest from the enemy, on the plea that their 
 services were not now required. — Jtv <rv ttoX^'oov Xsyeig. 
 The common text has we, involving a complex con- 
 struction.— cnrXwg d\ " Plainly then." — x a P* vva Q- " Tne 
 ground-couch," i. e., bivouac. — d firj rig Oewv. As in 
 fact Minerva had done (v. 611 seqq.). — ovd' d$iy\isvov, 
 k. r. X. " They did not even know that lie had come 
 at all." Observe yaav for rjdeaav. 
 
 856-874. ovdev TrXrinneXtg. " Of nothing wrong," i. e., 
 no charge of misconduct. — sv vol $' dv dpxoifieaOa. " But 
 I suppose we shall begin (to be harshly spoken of) 
 with you." — 'j3ovXev<rev. " Plotted."— dpdaaei. " Dis- 
 quiets;" from Qpd<Tcrio=zTa.pd<T<r(i). — rovg aovg ovg Xsyeig 
 'Otivvaeag. " These Ulysseses of yours, of whom you 
 speak." The blunt and characteristic language of a 
 soldier.— ai, d' ovv. " Well then do you."— av rbv av- 
 rbv fivOop Xsycjv. " Repeating the same talk." 
 
 875-881. ov yap kg <re, k.t.X. Hartung regards this 
 whole clause to KOfnrelg inclusive as interpolated. It 
 contradicts av tout tdpaaag, in v. 835, and, besides, rd- 
 
40 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 verai ought to be retvei. — ovrwg ottwq av, k. t. X. " Take 
 care of hini (provide for him) in such a way that he 
 may have no reason to complain." — rolaiv iv m'x". 
 The king and Trojan senate are supposed to be on the 
 ramparts, as in Homer. — ar\\ir\vai keXeveiv. There is no 
 actual redundancy here, as might at first view appear. 
 The messengers are to signify to them that they are 
 to order the appointed persons to bury, etc. — Xeuxpdpov 
 7rp6g EKTpoTraq. "At the way-sides of the thorough- 
 fare." Hector means that the slain Thracians are to 
 obtain honorable burial among the OijKai of the cit- 
 izens near the way-sides. The common reading is 
 \eu)(p6povg, which cannot be correct, for the Mrpo-irai 
 themselves were not properly XEuxpopoi. Paley there- 
 fore follows the correction of Vater. 
 
 882-889. ri 7tot Evrvxiag, k. t. X. " Why, then, does 
 altered fortune lead back Troy," etc. This was a fa- 
 vorite doctrine with Euripides, that a reverse of for- 
 tune is pretty sure to follow great prosperity. — aXXog, 
 in the sense of Kaic6g, by euphemism. — Tig vrrep KE<paXrjg, 
 k. r. X. The Muse is seen hovering aloft with the body 
 of her son in her arms. — veok^tov. "Newly slain." 
 This meaning appears to arise from KafiETv, oi KafiovTeg, 
 k. r. X. — (t>opadr)v TrsfiTrei. " Is bearing aloft." Equiva- 
 lent to apdrjv 7rsfX7TEi. 
 
 891-901. (Tvyyovojv fiia. " One of the (nine) sisters." 
 — avOiyevsT, " Sincere." — sKeXaag. Consult note on v. 
 753. — ano fitv <pafitvag. The excellent emendation of 
 Dindorf for the common reading cnroiiEii-tyankvag or 
 a.7ro7nfi\pajxavag. Observe the tmesis, airb jxev (pafikvag 
 for a.TTO(paiikvag }ikv. — piaiug. " In despite of us." 
 
 906-914. Olveidag. Diomede, descended from Oe- 
 neus, king of Aetolia. — li & "EXXava, k. r. X. "May she 
 too perish, who, having left a Grecian home, sailed 
 
RHESUS. 41 
 
 away, united in a Trojan marriage." The common 
 text has a 9' 'EXsva, for which Paley has given the con- 
 jecture of Badham. — v-k 'IXitp AXeae, k. t. X. This verse 
 is corrupt. Dindorf says of it, " Versus ineptissime in- 
 terpolatus, in quo cwrigendo operam perdunt critici" 
 He then makes mention of a probable conjecture of 
 Hermann's, who supposes the line to have commenced 
 with V7r6 r 'iXty. Paley suggests that some such read- 
 ing as V7r6 d' 'iXiov utXeakv <re irvpyoig would satisfy both 
 sense and metre. — nvpiadag. As an adjective here a 
 «7ra£ Xeyo/jievov. 
 
 915-924. 7) noXXa \xiv Ztiv, k. t. X. In life he had 
 caused her anxiety from the circumstances subse- 
 quently mentioned ; in death he was deplored. — QiXdfi- 
 Ixovoq real. Thamyris. — vfipig yap, i'j a ZffQrjXe, k. t. X. 
 " For it was the haughty conceit which led you astray 
 and your contest with the Muses, that caused me to 
 bring forth this unhappy son." It was to meet Tha- 
 myris in Thrace that the Muses went from Parnassus, 
 and crossed the river Strymon, who then became the 
 father of Rhesus. Apollodorus (i., 3, 4) makes Rhesus 
 the son of Euterpe and the Strymon. — (pyraXfjiioig. " Ge- 
 nial." — deivy aotyiGTy OpyKi. " With the clever Thracian 
 performer." The common reading is Kt'ivy. Valcke- 
 naer conjectured deivy. Bothe suggests kXeiv^. 
 
 928-936. pporeiov. Elmsley's obvious and certain 
 metrical correction, says Paley, in place of the com- 
 mon reading f3poreiav. — du0i yrjv fiev irarpiav. That is, 
 as long as you remained in your native land. — <piXaifjid- 
 tovq clXkclq Kopv<T<TovT. "While arraying carnage-lov- 
 ing valor." Compare the Homeric Kopvaauv 7r6Xefiov. 
 u To arm or array the war." — "EKTopog 7rps(r(3evfia9'. 
 Cornpare v. 401 seqq. — yepovaiai. " Meetings of elders." 
 
 938-940. Kal tovt, 'KBava, k. t. X. " And this, O Mi- 
 4 
 
42 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 nerva, sole cause of his fate (for Ulysses nor the off- 
 spring of Tydeus actually did any thing), you have 
 done ; think not it has escaped my notice," i. e., nei- 
 ther Ulysses nor Diomede in fact was guilty; you 
 yourself were the cause of all this. This is Paley's ver- 
 sion of his emended reading. The edpaae dpdaag of the 
 common text is susceptible of no other meaning than 
 that given by Matthiae : " though he has done it, yet 
 he has not done it," i. e., he was incited to the deed by 
 Minerva, who was thus the real agent. 
 
 941-949. Kct'iToi 7t6\lv gt)v, k. t. X. The Muse now pro- 
 ceeds to show how unkind a return Minerva has made. 
 — kmxpwiieQa. " We have frequent intercourse with." 
 They not only honor especially the city of Athens by 
 their presence, but they extend their favoring influ- 
 ence over the whole land of Attica. Orpheus, too, 
 the son of Oeagrius and Calliope, and therefore own 
 cousin to Rhesus by the mother's side, introduced the 
 mysteries into Eleusis. Musaeus also was from Eleu- 
 sis, a demus of Attica, and was instructed by the Mu- 
 ses. In return for all which, says the Muse, I have to 
 mourn, O Minerva, my son, slain through you. But 
 I will take care not to bring into Athens any more 
 teachers of religion and art. — <pavdg. "The rites." — 
 gov GEfivbv 7ro\irTjv. Other accounts made Musaeus to 
 have been an Old-Thracian. — kni ttXiTkttov. Supply 
 (To<piag. — avdp era. Consult note on V. 500. — (TO(j>i(jrf)v 
 d' dWov ovk *7ra£ojuai. " But any other wise teacher of 
 art I will not bring unto the land." There are vari- 
 ous modes of explaining this passage. We have fol- 
 lowed Paley. The term ao^iarriQ implies a teacher or 
 professor of any art, especially of the fine arts. Con- 
 sult note on v. 941. 
 
 950-955. h<pprjka.Tr]Q. The common text has crrpa- 
 Trj\drrjg i which can not be right, since it was not the 
 
RHESUS. 43 
 
 general but the rivioxog, who had complained of false 
 friends. Portus therefore conjectured di^prjXdr^g, and 
 it is adopted by Dindorf. — yijg tyedpov. " Established 
 in the land." Equivalent here to Upav Ixovra kiri yf/e, 
 and not to be taken in the technical sense mentioned 
 at v. 119. Hector is defending himself from the im- 
 plied charge of importunity (v. 935). — ri firjv ; tyeXXov, 
 k. r. X. The use of the particles ri fUp\ except at the 
 end of a sentence, is, as Paley remarks, rare ; and, ac- 
 cordingly, some connect ri \ii\v o£, and place the ques- 
 tion only at x0oW. Hector, he adds, clearly means, as 
 the context shows, ovk tftsXXov TT8fi\peiv ; " Was it not 
 likely that I should send heralds to my friends V The 
 answer to which would naturally be, ri firjv; "Of 
 course it was." But he here uses tyeXXov ou 7reii\peiv; 
 " Was I likely not to send ?" etc., and ri ^v ; placed 
 before it makes the whole phrase equivalent to ?) Kdpra 
 
 tfieXXoV, K. t. X. 
 
 957-960. 6<peiXiov. " Being bound to help me," i. e., 
 for services previously rendered to him. Compare v. 
 406 seqq. — 'iroifiog. Supply tipUt — x^nv- "The sumpt- 
 uous array." 
 
 963-966. vvfuprjv n)v evepO'. " The bride that is be- 
 low," i. e., Proserpina. — dcpeiXeng de /*ot, k. r. X. " And 
 she is a debtor unto me, to give proof that she honors 
 the relations of Orpheus," i. e., she owes it, she is bound. 
 Orpheus first introduced the mystic rites of Eleusis, and 
 hence the obligation on the part of Proserpina. 
 
 970-973. KpvTTTOQ $' iv avTpoig, k. t. X. Rhesus was to 
 be worshipped by the Thracians as a demi-god or hero. 
 Paley thinks, from the phrase iv dvrpoig, and from the 
 circumstance of Thrace being a country abounding in 
 the precious metals, that he was a spirit especially in- 
 voked by the miners. — (3Xe7nov <pdog. A somewhat 
 
44 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 careless way of speaking, since we have had already 
 
 KpVTTTOQ tV CLVrpOLQ and OV XeV(7(T(x)V <paOQ. BOLKXOV 7TpO(j)r]~ 
 
 rr]Q wore, k. t. X. " Just as the prophetic interpreter of 
 Bacchus inhabited a grotto on Pangaeus, a god held 
 in religious awe by the initiated." The allusion is to 
 Lycurgus, the king of Thrace. According to the com- 
 mon legend, he was punished for his insolence to Bac- 
 chus, while, according to another, and which appears 
 to be here followed, he was identified with Bacchus 
 himself. (Compare Strabo, p. 471, init.) Observe the 
 employment of wcn-e in the sense of axrwep. Some read 
 
 974. fiawv Se, k. t. X. " Lightly now shall I feel the 
 affliction of the sea-goddess " (Thetis), i. e., after the 
 loss of Rhesus.— Qav&v yap, k. t. X. The meaning of 
 the passage is, that though they will one day have to 
 take part in the mourning of Thetis for her son, they 
 will feel it but lightly in comparison with the loss of 
 Rhesus. — vfiag. Referring to irovovg. The idea is, 
 those who rightly consider the trials of a married life 
 will shun the chance of having a family and of losing 
 them. — tujv irpoKEifisvuv. " Of the plans proposed," i. e., 
 of the plans in hand for the final defeat of the Greeks, 
 mentioned with such vain confidence above (v. 70, 
 etc.). — nXrjpovT avxwag ZwiopLSuv. " Harness the necks 
 of the yoke-horses." — ttclvovq. Reiske's conjecture for 
 7r6vovQ. — V7rep(5a\wv. " Having got beyond," i. e., to 
 the very coast, before which the Grecian host were 
 drawn up in defence of their ships. — rifispav IXevOspav. 
 "The day of deliverance." 
 
NOTES ON THE MEDEA. 
 
 ARGUMENT, ETC. 
 
 The plot of the piece is borrowed from the legend of the 
 Argonauts and the Golden Fleece. Jason, hereditary king 
 of Iolcos in Thessaly, was the leader of these adventurers, 
 and had married, and on his return brought with him to 
 Iolcos, Medea, an enchantress of Colchis, by whose aid he 
 had surmounted every difficulty and succeeded in obtaining 
 the wished-for prize. By her he had two children ; but hav- 
 ing been compelled to leave his native land, and becoming 
 enamored of Glauce, daughter of Creon, the king of Corinth, 
 to which city he had fled with Medea and her children, or 
 else inspired by an ambition to connect himself with a royal 
 race, he prepared to marry the princess. Accordingly Me- 
 dea is ordered by Creon to withdraw with her two sons from 
 Corinth. At this indignity her proud spirit is fired with re- 
 sentment. After obtaining from Creon permission to re- 
 main one da} r longer in the land, she prepares to take a ter- 
 rible revenge. Under the pretence of at last acquiescing in 
 the expediency of the new match, she sends to Glauce a 
 present of a robe and head-dress, secretly smeared with 
 phosphorus, by which both she and her father, who runs to 
 her assistance, are miserably burned to death. 
 
 Not content, however, with wreaking her vengeance upon 
 her rival, Medea designs to punish Jason too for his perfidy, 
 and this she does by slaying her children with her own 
 hand. She then, having previously secured an asylum with 
 Aegeus, king of Athens, escapes by an aerial car, carrying 
 off the bodies of the slain, and, with her last words, justify- 
 ing the unnatural act and inveighing against Jason for aban- 
 doning her. 
 
 The following is an outline of the play. The scene is laid 
 at Corinth, and the Chorus consists of Corinthian ladies. 
 
 Act I. ~ Scene*!.— The aged nurse of Medea speaks the pro- 
 
46 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 logue, describing the distressed and alarming state of her 
 mistress, since Jason has formed a new union. (1-48.) 
 
 Scene II. — The attendant on Jason's children, himself also 
 a slave, enters with the two boys. The nurse enters into 
 confidential discourse with him, and learns from him that 
 Medea and her children are to be banished by order of Cre- 
 on, and apparently with the sanction of their own father. 
 (49-95.) 
 
 Scene III — Medea's voice is now heard within the palace. 
 She is talking to herself in a moody and melancholy spirit. 
 Her threats against her children confirm what the nurse had 
 said (v. 92), and the latter hastens to get them out of her 
 way. Medea does not appear until v. 214, so that when the 
 nurse, in v. 116, says tl di. <roi, k. t. X., she does not speak to 
 her as actually present, but, the attendant and the children 
 having departed, she utters here a kind of soliloquy. (96- 
 130.) 
 
 Scene IV. — The Chorus of Corinthian females now first 
 take part in the action by inquiring of the nurse what ails 
 her mistress. Medea is still heard from within, and the Cho- 
 rus speak words of consolation on comprehending the cause 
 of her distress. They at last request the nurse to summon 
 her in person from the palace. (131-213. ) 
 
 Act II. Scene I. — Medea now comes forward on the stage, 
 not so much to oblige the Chorus as to avoid the odium of 
 refusing to appear, and to apologize for her seemingly morose 
 and moody conduct. After a long address to the Chorus, 
 she discloses to them her intention of taking vengeance 
 upon her enemies, and begs them to be silent on the sub- 
 ject. (214-270.) 
 
 Scene II. — Creon now enters and communicates in person 
 to Medea the mandate of banishment. He states his sus- 
 picions of evil intent on her part, to which she craftily re- 
 plies, and finally prevails upon him to allow her to remain 
 one day longer. (271-356.) 
 
 Scene III. — Medea, left alone on the stage with the Chorus, 
 and feeling her end securely attained and herself certain of 
 vengeance, breaks out into an impassioned speech on her in- 
 
MEDEA. 47 
 
 tended crime and its probable consequences, and then leaves 
 the stage. (357-408.) 
 
 Scene IV— The Chorus, being left alone, sing an ode on the 
 relative position of the two sexes, now that the perfidy of 
 men has been so forcibly shown by Jason's desertion of his 
 wife. (409-444.) 
 
 Act III. Scene 7. —In this scene the interest of the play is 
 sustained by an argument between Jason and Medea, where- 
 in the former defends his conduct, and the latter upbraids 
 him with the basest ingratitude. (445-626.) 
 
 Scene 77.— Medea and the Chorus remain after Jason's de- 
 parture. The Chorus, warned by the fortunes of Medea, 
 deprecate the excessive and inordinate passion of love, but 
 (with the reverent fear always shown by the Greeks for the 
 power of the dread goddess) they allow that the goddess of 
 Cyprus is most pleasing when she comes in moderation. 
 (627-662.) 
 
 Scene 777.— Aegeus, king of Athens, who had been to Del- 
 phi to inquire how he may be blessed with offspring, here 
 presents himself to Medea, having touched at the Isthmus in 
 his voyage to Troezene, where he wishes to consult Pittheus 
 on the meaning of an obscure oracle. Medea tells the story 
 of her wrongs, and Aegeus promises her an asylum in At- 
 tica. (663-758.) 
 
 Scene IV — Aegeus having departed, and Medea having 
 now attained the object she had desired— a safe refuge after 
 carrying her designs into effect — she now informs the Chorus 
 of her plan in detail. She then leaves the stage, accompa- 
 nied by the nurse, and the Chorus remaining behind celebrate 
 the praises of Athens, and ask how such a city can allow 
 such a woman as Medea to dwell in it. (764-865.) 
 
 Act IV. Scene 7. — Jason appears, having been sent for by 
 Medea, according to her preconcerted plan. Receiving him 
 with the resolution she had previously expressed (v. 776) to 
 cajole him with fair words, she now feigns penitence for her 
 former ill-temper, and approves of all that Jason has done. 
 She summons her children also to come and be reconciled 
 with their father. She then states her intention of sending 
 
48 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 presents to the bride by the hands of her boys. She deliv- 
 ers the presents to the children, who depart with Jason. 
 (866-975.) 
 
 Scene II. — The Chorus, already apprised of Medea's inten- 
 tion towards the bride and her own children, and hitherto 
 weakly silent on the subject, now give expression to their 
 fears that no hope is left. (976-1001.) 
 
 Act V. Scene I. — The attendant on the children now en- 
 ters, and informs Medea that the sentence of exile against 
 her two boys has been remitted, and that the princess is de- 
 lighted with the presents. Medea then, after a brief inter- . 
 val, breaks out into an address to her children, remarkable 
 for its pathos and beauty. The Chorus then, in a system of 
 anapaests, discuss with much feeling the question whether 
 those who have married and had children are on the whole 
 as happy as those who have not married. (1002-1115.) 
 
 Scene II. — A messenger enters and informs Medea of the 
 terrible accomplishment of her plans. On hearing this she 
 resolves to slay her children and then flee from Corinth. 
 (1121-1270.) 
 
 Scene III. — The children of Medea are heard within the 
 palace, endeavoring with loud cries to escape from their 
 mother. Jason then appears and, on hearing of the fate of 
 his children, endeavors to enter the palace. Medea suddenly 
 appears overhead and out of the reach of her enemies, in an 
 aerial car, and calmly and contemptuously listens to Jason's 
 vituperative address. When she does at length speak, she 
 contents herself with the conscious justice of her cause, and 
 therefore declines to reply to his charges, though she could 
 say much in answer to them. She finally departs, bearing 
 with her in the car the corpses of her sons, (1271-1419.) 
 
 The Medea was acted in the archonship of Py thodorus, the 
 year after the outbreak of the Peloponnesian war, B.C. 431. 
 Though justly held in high esteem by more recent critics, it 
 only gained the third prize, the first having been won by 
 Euphorion, the son of Aeschylus, and the second by Sopho- 
 cles. The merits of the play have been acknowledged by all 
 students of Greek literature, ancient and modern, and even 
 the detractors of Euripides can not deny it the excellence 
 
MEDEA. 49 
 
 of true tragic pathos. It appears, too, that it was several 
 times brought upon the stage, if, indeed, two distinct editions 
 did not exist. 
 
 Euripides is said to have based his Medea on a play by Neo- 
 phron, an older or contemporary tragedian, in which also Me- 
 dea was represented as murdering her own children. Oth- 
 ers, on the contrary, maintained that Euripides was the first 
 who represented Medea as the murderess of her children, 
 whereas the Corinthian tradition attributed their death to 
 the Corinthians. But certainly, remarks Miiller, he did not 
 make this change in the story because the Corinthians had 
 bribed him to take the imputation of guilt from them, but 
 because it was only in this way that the plot would receive 
 its full tragical significance. 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 1, 2. E70' <fy€V, k. r. X. " Would that the hull of the 
 Argo had never winged its way," etc. Literally, " how 
 the hull of the Argo ought never to have winged," 
 etc. — Sia7rracr0ai. Aorist infinitive, formed irregularly 
 from Biaickropai, — K6\%wj\ Colchis answers to the mod- 
 ern Mingrelia and part of Abbasia. — Kvaveag. " Dark- 
 blue." An epithet derived from their looming and 
 shadowy aspect. — Xvfi7r\i]ydSag. The " Sympleg&des " 
 were two small rocky islands at the entrance of the 
 Euxine, and w T ere believed originally to open and close, 
 probably from the ill-understood effects of perspective, 
 by which the channel seemed to widen as the ship ap- 
 proached. 
 
 3-8. nrjXiov. " Of Pelion." A mountain of Thessa- 
 ly, extending along the coast of Magnesia, from which 
 was cut the timber of the Argo.— fiyd' epErfx&vai, k. r. X. 
 " Nor had ever set to the oar the hands, of the chief- 
 tains." The common reading is apioruv (the adjec- 
 tive), for which apiarkuv (from the noun apiarevg), pro- 
 nounced, in scanning, as three syllables, is now very 
 5 
 
50 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 generally substituted. This last is the conjeeture of 
 Wakefield and Porson. — m\ia. " For Pelias." Pelias 
 was brother of Aeson, the father of Jason, and had for- 
 cibly deprived Aeson of his throne. By his command, 
 Jason, the rightful successor, was sent to fetch the gold- 
 en fleece. — ov yap av dsGTroiv Ifirj, k. t. X. " For in that 
 event my mistress, Medea, would never have sailed," 
 etc. Observe the force of the particle av, as indicating 
 a particular contingency. — yfjg 'luXiciag. So called 
 from Iolcus, the hereditary city of Jason, at the head 
 of the Sinus Pagasaeus, and at the base of Mount Pe- 
 lion. 
 
 9-15. ovd' civ ktclveTv, k. r. X. Jason, on his return, 
 finding that his father had been put to death by Peli- 
 as, incited Medea to persuade the daughters of Pelias 
 to slay the old man and boil his limbs, under pretense 
 of restoring him to youth. For this deed Jason and 
 his wife were driven from Iolcos. — -iruaaaa . . . Kary- 
 kei. " Having persuaded . . . have been now inhabit- 
 ing." Observe the force of the tenses. — avSavovaa \ikv. 
 The pkv is answered by vvv d' ix®P& ^avra. At first 
 the Corinthians were pleased to have her (as a skillful 
 enchantress) among them; but now every thing is 
 changed ; for Creon is against her, and the citizens 
 now care only for Jason and his new bride. — ttoXit&v 
 wv, k. r. X., for wv TToXirutv. The regular form of expres- 
 sion would be, as Klotz remarks, avddvowa \iiv TroXtVaic, 
 (Lv xQova <pvyy a<piic£ro. There is no need therefore of 
 reading 7ro\lraig <Lv, as Porson and some others do. — 
 (TVfKpepovv. " Concurring with." Literally, "bearing 
 (all in common) with," and therefore " being of one 
 mind with." — rj-n-ep, feminine, agreeing, by attraction, 
 with (Tiorrjpia. The ordinary construction would be 
 o7T£jo, the force of which is assumed by i]7rep. — orav 
 ywrj, k. r. X. Observe the repetition of the leading 
 thought already implied in <jvn<pkpova, a mode of 
 
MEDEA. 51 
 
 speaking quite natural when the individual is in a 
 reverie, and quite in place in the mouth of the old 
 nurse. 
 
 16-29. voael rd tpiXrara. " The dearest ties are droop- 
 ing," i. e., are becoming weakened. — ahvfiv^. "Pre- 
 sides over," i. e., is monarch over. The primitive 
 meaning of the verb aiav^vduy appears to be, " to give 
 each his portion," from diva. — /3o£ \iiv opKovg. " Calls 
 loudly upon his oaths," i. e., calls aloud for the venge- 
 ance due to broken oaths. — avaicakel. "Recalls." — 
 ixpeiv. " Having yielded up." Literally, " having sub- 
 jected." — (TvvTi)Kov(ja. "Pining away," taken intran- 
 sitively. Some, less correctly, make it transitive, and 
 governing xp^ vov: "Making all her time to waste 
 away in tears ;" but xpovov is better the accusative of 
 time. — inei. u Ever since." — tpiXuv, governed by vov- 
 Qerovfjikvti. More commonly, V7r6, npog, or some other 
 preposition, would be employed. 
 
 30-35. t)v pi Trore. " Unless at times." Equivalent 
 to x\y)v orav, which last is more usual. — cnroifiw^g. A 
 better reading than d-n-oifiw^y. The aorist subjunctive 
 with /> always means " shall have," etc., whereas here 
 the habit is described. — og <r0e vvv, k. t. X. " Who now 
 keeps treating her with indignity." Observe the pe- 
 culiar idiom in aTi\idaag tx e h implying that an action 
 was completed on a former occasion, but still remains 
 in full force up to the present time. — /*?) d7ro\ei7re<T9ai 
 x9ov6g. " Not to be deprived of one's native land." 
 In scanning, pronounce fid7ro\ei7re(j9ai by synizesis. 
 The ordinary mode of writing, namely, /*/) VoXetVf^at, 
 is condemned by Elmsley as unattic (ad Heracl., 460). 
 Some read fid7ro\ei7re<T6ai, making the contraction at 
 once in the text. 
 
 37-42. dedoiica <? avTr)v fxrj, k. t. \. " I fear her, there- 
 
52 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 fore, lest she may on a sudden devise," etc. Observe 
 the force of the aorist, implying an action yet future, 
 but neither gradual nor permanent in its operation. 
 The present fiovXevy, which some read, would mean, 
 "lest she may be plotting." But the aorist is more 
 spirited. — papeia yap <pprjv. " For her temper is vio- 
 lent," i. e., heavy in its exactions from others when 
 once aroused. — di ijiraro^. "Through her (rival's) 
 heart." The allusion in Yittcltoq is to Glauce, not to 
 Medea herself, as is plainly shown by the succeeding 
 line. Many critics have regarded vv. 40 and 41 as 
 wrongly inserted here, from 379, 380 ; but they have 
 been well defended by Firnhaber and Klotz. — rvpav- 
 vov. " The monarch." Creon is meant. If the poet 
 had meant Glauce, as some think, he would have said 
 r) ttjv rvpavvov. — tov te yrjiiavra. u And him who has 
 wedded (the daughter of that monarch)." The allu- 
 sion is to Jason. 
 
 45-48. #<TErai. The conjecture of Muretus for the 
 common olaerai. The meaning in the former case will 
 be, " will sing the song of glorious victory," supplying 
 vfivov with KoXXiviKov. If, on the other hand, we retain 
 olaerat, it will be, " will bear away the prize of glorious 
 victory," and then dOXov must be supplied. — U rpoxw. 
 " From their races." There was another ancient read- 
 ing, Ik rpox&v. " From their hoops." — ovk dXyslv (fnXel. 
 a Does not like to grieve." More freely, " is not wont 
 to grieve." 
 
 49-52. 7raXaibv KTrj/jia. "Ancient possession." Ab- 
 stract for concrete. Slaves were regarded as a part of 
 the family property ; as things rather than as persons. 
 Hence masters were commonly styled ot kektthisvoi. — 
 ty]v$ dyova kprffiiav. "Leading this loneliness," i. e., 
 thus all alone. — gov. After /xovt]. (Jelf, G. G., § 
 529, 1.) 
 
MEDEA. 53 
 
 54-58. ZvfMpopa ra fe(T7roTu>v, k. t. X. " The affairs of 
 their superiors falling out ill are a misfortune to faith- 
 ful servants, and fasten upon their feelings in turn." 
 The phrase kciku>q irirvovTa. is derived from the cast of 
 the dice. The reading Tzirvovvra is not correct, no 
 such form as inrvkm being in use. The verb is vima, 
 So, again, the true form is irirvovra, as a present partici- 
 ple, not ttitvovtcl, as an aorist, although this last is still 
 given by many. — fioXovay. This is the reading of al- 
 most all the MSS., although fi vTrijXOe is necessarily for 
 fie (not fioi) V7r/}\0e, since fioi does not admit of elision. 
 The more natural reading would be of course fioXovvav. 
 On the construction here with the dative consult Elms- 
 ley, ad loc. 
 
 59-G2. ydp. " (You surprise me) for." Observe the 
 elliptical employment of the particle. Hence, in such 
 cases, it may often be rendered freely by " what ?" or 
 " why V — ^Xw <r\ " I envy you " (your want of ac- 
 quaintance with the matter), i. e., " I wish I were in your 
 situation." Elmsley, less correctly, regards the form- 
 ula Zijkti <76 as ironical here, and explains it in the sense 
 of, "I envy your simplicity," i. e., "I pity your igno- 
 rance." — kovSs7tw fXEaol. "And is not yet in mid- 
 height," i. e., and has not yet reached its zenith. Ob- 
 serve the difference of accentuation between fiwoT the 
 verb, as here, and /zeo-oi the adverb. — J> jitipoQ. " Oh ! 
 the foolish one !" Observe that fiwpog here, as referring 
 to Medea, must be of the feminine gender. Many ad- 
 jectives of three terminations occur in Homer and the 
 Attic writers as having only two. (Matthiae, § 118, 
 3.) There is no need of regarding n&poq here as the 
 nominative for the vocative. It is the simple nomina- 
 tive. — £>Q ovSkv oUs ; " How nothing does she know !" 
 i. e., how little indeed does she know. 
 
 64-71. fisriyv(ov kcli, k.t.X. "I am sorry even for 
 
54 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 the things that have previously been mentioned " (by 
 me). — 7rp6g yeveiov. "I entreat you by your beard." 
 It was the custom for suppliants to touch the beard 
 of the one from whom they asked a favor. — fjKovad tov 
 Xsyovrog. Observe that tov is for nvog. — ov doK&v kXveiv. 
 "Pretending not to be listening." — wevaovg. "The 
 place where draughts are played." So lv ™p(f, lv p.vp- 
 pivy. "In the cheese, in the myrtle market," etc. — 
 tvOa drj. "Where especially." Observe the force of 
 &7, answering here to the Latin maxime. — neiprivrjg. 
 Pirene was a well-known spring at the foot of the 
 Acrocorinthus. — eXdv. Future infinitive, from tXavvio, 
 contracted for kXdueiv. Observe that there is no i sub- 
 scribed under the a, because the admission of the i into 
 the termination -eiv is owing solely to the contraction 
 of ee into ei. (Donaldson, G. G., p. 256.) — jikXXoi. The 
 optative, like the subjunctive in Latin, because refer- 
 ring to mere hearsay or report. 
 
 75-84. d Kal firjTpi, k. t. X. " If he even has a differ- 
 ence with the mother." Observe that icaL in el ical is 
 concessive. — iraXaia Kaiv&v, k. t. X. " Old ties are left 
 behind. by new ones," i. e., fall behind, are held in less 
 esteem. — rolade dwfiaot. " To this family here," i. e., 
 Medea and her children. — cnrtoXdfieaQ' dp. "We are 
 undone then." The aorist here expresses certainty, 
 making the time, which is indefinite, present and defi- 
 nite. (Jelf, G. G., § 403, 2.) — 7rpiv rod' tZrivrXriKsvai. 
 " Before we have exhausted this." With tZavrXdu com- 
 pare the Latin exhaurio. — olog elg vfiag irariip. " What 
 kind of a person your father is towards you." — uXolto 
 fiev firj. We must not translate this, " Perish may he 
 not " (which is contrary to her real wishes), but " Let 
 me not say, May he perish !" Elmsley compares Track., 
 383. Consult also Pflugk and Klotz, ad loc. — drdp . . . 
 ye. " But yet, nevertheless." — wv dXiaKerai. " Pie is 
 found out to be." Literally, " he is caught as being." 
 
MEDEA. 55 
 
 85-88. rig 8' oi>x* Optjtujv. Supply ovtuq wv a\i<JKETai. 
 — diKaicjc. " On just grounds," i.e., for motives inde- 
 pendent of mere gain, and in a manner not in itself 
 blamable. — et rovofc y Ewijg, r. r. X. " Since their fa- 
 ther, for the sake of a (new) marriage-bed, entertains 
 not a father's feelings toward these." Observe that ov 
 arspyei is equivalent in effect to hkteT. 
 
 90-95. Eprj/idxrag ife Compare note on v. 33. — ?/<fy 
 yap eldov, k. t. X. " For but just now I saw her direct- 
 ing her look bull-like at them, as if bent on doing 
 something." The addition of 5/i/*a, remarks Paley, 
 has peculiar force. It alludes to the look of a bull 
 when he stoops his head to take sight along the horn. 
 — dpaaeiovaav. Desiderative. — -rrpiv KaracrKifxpai nva. 
 "Before it has come down like a thunderbolt upon 
 some one." The usual construction of KaraaK^irTEiv is 
 with e?£ nva, or with nv'i. The accusative here with- 
 out a preposition is anomalous. According to some it 
 depends on the sense. This view is taken by Klotz 
 in particular. 
 
 97-108. TTuig dv dXoiftav. " Would that I might 
 somehow perish !" Literally, u How might I perish !"_ 
 — rod' ekhvo. " This is that (of which I spoke)." — arv- 
 yipdv te <pv(Tiv, k. t. X. " And the odious nature of her 
 self-willed mind." — dfjXov V dpxvg, k. t. X. " For it is 
 evident that the cloud of ^rief, raised up from the 
 very first, will quickly kindle up anew with greater 
 fury," i. e.,will quickly blaze out into the lightning 
 of wrath. Some read dvq.%Ei (from dvaiacrcj, dvyaau)), 
 " will quickly burst forth again." Dindorf makes Me- 
 dea the subject of dvd\pEi, but very few will agree with 
 him. 
 
 116-121. ri de croi 7ralfoc, k. t. X. "In what now do 
 thy children share their father's guilt V Porson and 
 
56 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Elinsley hold the true form to be dnXaKiag. Compare 
 also Monk {ad Hippol., 145 ; Alcest, 247). — ^ tl irdQ^Q' 
 mq v7repa\yu>. " How I grieve for you lest you may suffer 
 something." Observe here the force of virkp in com- 
 position. Some less correctly render, " How I grieve 
 above measure," but this is less natural. — kcli ttioq 6Xiy 
 apxoiisvoi, k. t. X. " And somehow or other, ruled in 
 few things, ruling in many, they with difficulty give 
 up their resentments." - The nurse appears to be allud- 
 ing here to Creon's stern decree, and means that abso- 
 lute monarchs are accustomed to be obeyed, not to be 
 argued with, when they have issued a sentence. She 
 then carries on the train of ideas to the theme of con- 
 stitutional freedom. 
 
 122-130. kir "ktoioiv. "On an equality of rights." — 
 d fit) fieyaXwg, k. r. X. " If not in splendor, at least in 
 security." She prays, in this, that her lot may be the 
 very reverse of a tyrant's. And then she proceeds to 
 show how much the to oxvpwg is to be preferred to the 
 to iieyaXatg. — vitcq. " Carries with it a superior charm." 
 — to. d' vireppdWovT, k. t. X. " Whereas the things that 
 exceed ordinary limits avail at no fitting time for mor- 
 tals," i. e., whatever is in excess (or overshoots the 
 mark) never avails mortals when it is most wanted. 
 On the contrary, it does but give back in the end (or 
 repays as a natural penalty) a greater calamity to a 
 house, when the anger of the deity has fallen upon it. 
 — dTrsdioKsv. "They inflict." Literally, "give back." 
 The aorist here denotes what is wont to happen. 
 
 133-137. ovde 7ru) jjinoQ. Given by some as a ques- 
 tion. — E-ir aii<pnrv\ov yap, k. r. X. " For I heard her cry 
 within, as I stood by the hall with its double doors." 
 The Chorus near the abode of Medea (i. e., on the 
 stage). The two doors meant are the Svpa avXeiog, or 
 house-door, leading from the street into the avXrj, or 
 
MEDEA. 57 
 
 hall ; the other, the Svpa neravXog, leading from the 
 av\r) into the inner apartments. Medea was in the in- 
 terior of the mansion, the yvvcwcuvTTig , but her lamen- 
 tations were uttered in so loud a tone that they were 
 plainly audible to those on the outside of the mansion. 
 — ovSk (Twridofiai. u Nor do I share in joy at," etc., i. e., 
 share with the enemies of Medea. — iird jioi <piXov KUpav- 
 rai. " Since it has become dear to me." The allu- 
 sion is to dwfia. Observe that KiKpavTai is 3 sing. pcrf. 
 pass, of Kpaivb), the 1st person being Kticpaafuii, like Trtya- 
 (r/iai. Porson reads iird fii) <f>iXia KkxpavTai. " Since 
 things not friendly in their nature have been done to 
 it." Porson is followed by Matthiae. 
 
 139-146. ovk tfol d6poi. " There is no house." The 
 Greek notion of dopog, and more particularly of olicog, 
 included the living members, especially the heads of 
 it. — top fikv ydp. This is Musgrave's emendation for 
 6 fitv yap, which last is a corruption, caused by mis- 
 taking XkKTpa for the object instead of the subject of 
 tx*i. — Wj*« piorov. " Is wasting away existence." — 9a~ 
 vary KaraXvaai/jiav, k. t. X. " Would that I could free 
 myself by death (from all my troubles), having left 
 forever a hated life." Some make (Siordv to depend in 
 construction on KaraXvaaifxav^ and TrpoXncovaa to gov- 
 ern avrfjv understood. But then the active, not the 
 middle voice, of KaraXvcj would rather have been em- 
 ployed. 
 
 148-159. iaxav. Pronounced as a dissyllable in 
 scanning. — iikXiru. " Chants forth." — airXr)<TTov koi- 
 rag. " Of insatiable union." The reading a-nrXrjaTov, 
 remarks Paley, seems better than drrXdrov, as suggested 
 by Elmsley and adopted by Dindorf. Porson, Bothe, 
 and Pflugk adopt aTrXdarov, which seems a very doubt- 
 ful Doricism. The meaning of airXarov, according to 
 Paley, would be " sacred," u inviolable," and not, as 
 
58 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Elmsley would . make it, " deserted," or " abandon- 
 ed." — firjch. Unusual, for /x^, or firjdafitig. — <re/3<£ei. 
 " Adores." Exactly in accordance with the English 
 idiom. — keiv^ t6ce firj xapdvaov. " Irritate not thyself 
 against him on this account." Observe again the 
 force of the middle. — Zevq ooi rdfe (rvvdiKvjaei. " Jove 
 will be your advocate in this matter," i. e., in this dis- 
 pute between you and your husband, or in the ques- 
 tion of right or wrong in his desertion of you. The 
 old reading awdncaaei, if a Doricism, is very suspicious ; 
 if from cwdiicdZ<i>, is wrong in both sense and metre. — 
 Evvkrav. Porson has Evvrjrav, after Brunck. 
 
 160-167. "ApTtfii. As the goddess to whom she had 
 offered her virgin vows, and therefore rightly appealed 
 to in the matter of her marriage. Compare Alcest, 
 163.— nor. "One day." — avrolg fieXdOpoig. "Together 
 with their very halls," i. e., house and all. When a 
 word which expresses accompaniment has avrog with 
 it, both are put in the dative without ow. (Matthiae, 
 G. 6r., § 405, Obs. 3.) — dtv ditEvdaQr\v aloxp&Q* " From 
 whom I disgracefully departed." Observe the irreg- 
 ular formation of cnrEvdaOrjv from d-n-ovaiu), like ddaacrQai 
 from daiu). — tov ifibv Kamv. Absyrtus, whom she slew, 
 and scattered his limbs to detain her father Aeetes in 
 his pursuit of her. (Apollod., i., 9, 23.) 
 
 169-171. Zijva. Medea had not invoked Jove by 
 name, but she had virtually called upon him as the 
 god who avenges perjury, in the words opKoig ivfyva- 
 fieva, v. 161. — TdfiiaQ. " The overseer," i. e., the guardi- 
 an. — lv tivi iwzptf. " On some slight satisfaction mere- 
 ly," i. e., with some slight blow. 
 
 173-183. 7rutg av ig tyiv, k. t. X. From this expressed 
 wish it is clear that Medea has all along been speak- 
 ing from within the palace. — fivOiov avdaQevruv. " Of 
 
MEDEA. 59 
 
 the words that have been uttered," referring to those 
 said above, v. 153, etc. — fiapvOvfiov. " That presses 
 heavily on her soul." — Xi}n<x. " The purpose." — to y 
 Ifibv TTpoQvfiov. " My willingness to aid." — <pi\a Kai rdd' 
 avSa. " And tell her of these friendly things," i. e., of 
 these friendly feelings on our part. The metre does 
 not admit the feminine vocative, 0/X5, given by Porson 
 and Elmsley. Klotz, adopting (nrawai from good MSS., 
 and placing a comma after avda, translates, " And give 
 her this friendly advice, namely, to hasten," etc. — (nrev- 
 <rov de rt, k. t. X. This is Hermann's reading, followed 
 by Dindorf. The old text had irpiv r% KaK&oat, which 
 suited the sense well enough, but violated the metre. 
 
 184-194. 0o/3oc d weiffu). " I have fears as to whether 
 I shall persuade," i. e., I fear I shall not persuade. Ob- 
 serve, however, that <f>6(3og d is also used in the sense 
 of vereor ne. This difference in use is accounted for 
 by the notion of doubt in <p6pog. Whether the speaker 
 inclines to one side or the other, that is, whether d is 
 to be taken as equivalent to fn) or ftrj ov, must be de- 
 cided from the context. (Jelf, O. £., § 814, Obs. 4.)— 
 poxGov de %apiv, k. t. X. " I will freely bestow on you, 
 however, this favor of my labor," i. e., this trouble as a- 
 favor. Observe the force of the preposition in iiri$u<Tu. 
 "I will give over and above any actual obligation." 
 If it prove vain, I will ask for no return. — dspyfia. A 
 kind of cognate accusative, the idea being /3X£7ra fiXi-fi- 
 \ia XeaivrjQ. — airoravpovTai. " She glares." — kiri fiev 9a- 
 Xiaig. "For festal occasions." — (3iov repTrvaQ cucodg. 
 " The sounds that impart delight to existence." The 
 genitive /3tov depends upon rep7rvag. The principle on 
 which this construction rests is explained by Matthiae, 
 Q. (?., § 344. 
 
 195-200. (TTvylovg dk pportiv, k. t. X. The idea of mu- 
 sic was associated only with that of joy and revelry, 
 
60 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 festivity and thanksgiving, in the conception of the 
 Greek. He possessed nothing corresponding to the 
 sacred music which we find so consoling in grief. — 
 iroXvxopdoig tfldcug. u The strains that accompany the 
 many-stringed lyre." — ft u>v, scil. XvttCjv — Oavaroi. The 
 allusion is to violent deaths, suicides, etc. — Kepdog. " It 
 would be real gain." Supply dv drj. — 'iva S'. " But 
 where." Observe that 'iva here, with the indicative, is 
 the adverb of place. 
 
 204-212. 7ro\v<rrovov. "Accompanied with many a 
 groan." — Xtyvpd d' <zx*a, k. t. X. " In piercing accents 
 does she loudly vent her bitter anguish against the 
 traitor to her bed," etc. Observe here the peculiar 
 construction, where a verb and its immediate object 
 form one idea, so as to govern a second accusative of 
 the more remote object. In other words, both dx*a 
 and irpodoTciv depend on /3o£. — bpKiav. " Goddess of 
 the oath," i. e., who watches over its fulfilment. The- 
 mis caused Medea to cross over, because the latter be- 
 lieved in the oaths of Jason. — h' HXa vv\iov. " Through 
 the nocturnal sea," i. e., the sea by night; when the 
 ancient Greeks did not venture to sail, unless by a 
 stealthy escape. — s<p' dX/jivpav irovrov, k. t.X. " Over 
 the briny strait of the Euxine, difficult to pass." 
 There is great doubt about the meaning of airkpavrov 
 here. The explanation which we have given to it 
 may derive support from the phrase -n-epaivaiv b86v, 
 the same as dvvuv 68 6v. Bothe gives cnrepavTov, with 
 Heath, " of the boundless sea." 
 
 213, 214. KopivOiai ywdiiceg, k. t. X. Medea now comes 
 forward on the stage, not so much to oblige the Cho- 
 rus as to avoid the odium of refusing to appear, and 
 to apologize for her seemingly morose and moody con- 
 duct. She does not approve of reserve in the abstract, 
 since retirement often passes for apathy and indo- 
 
MEDEA. 61 
 
 lence; but people's motives are often misinterpreted, 
 and they are hated before they are understood. Now 
 strangers should not run counter to the prejudices of 
 any nation where they may reside, just as citizen ought 
 not to act churlishly towards citizen. Her own ex- 
 cuse, for seeming so to behave, lies in her unhappy re- 
 lations with her husband. She bewails the helpless 
 and subordinate position of a woman, who is tied to a 
 man, whether he prove good or bad, whereas a man 
 can rid himself of the burden by leaving his home, 
 etc. — k^tj\9ov ddfitov, k. r. \. " I have come out (to you) 
 from my abode, in order that you may not find any 
 fault with me." It appears that Ennius misunderstood 
 the meaning of dofuov here, and referred it to Medea's 
 native land. (Cic. Ep. ad Fam., vii., 6.) 
 
 215-221. (te/ivovq ytywTag. " To have become proud," 
 i. e., more familiarly, "to have given themselves airs." 
 In the explanation of this much-controverted passage 
 we have taken Paley for our guide. — dfifidrwv ano. 
 " (By living) away from view." — iv Gvpaioig. " In pub- 
 lic." — o\ S' acf i)(tvxov Trodfe. " While others again, of a 
 noiseless walk (in life)." — dmicXeiai/ icai paQvfiiav. "An 
 evil name and the character of supineness." — oang. 
 " Whatsoever one of them." Referring to ppor&v. A 
 singular relative, when used indefinitely, may refer to 
 a plural substantive. (Jelf, G. G., § 819.) — <nrXayxvov. 
 " The real character." — Sedopicwg. H At sight." 
 
 222-226. Kdpra Trpoax^puv. u Closely to conform." 
 Paley, less correctly, connects Kdpra with %kvov. " A 
 stranger in particular," i. e., even more than an aoroc, 
 mentioned next. The position of the adverb in the 
 sentence seems opposed to this. — ovd' yvea. " Nor do 
 I praise." The aorist here denotes habit or custom, 
 and is therefore rendered by the present. — niKpog. 
 "Offensive." — dfiaOiag vtto. "Through an ignorance 
 
62 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 of what is right," i. e., through not knowing how to Re- 
 port himself properly, and therefore acting in a churl- 
 ish manner. — ipvxnv SityQapK. " Has quite crushed my 
 spirit, 1 ' i. e., has rendered me quite careless about pop- 
 ularity. 
 
 228-237. iv f ijv jxoi wdvra. " In whom my all cen- 
 tred," i. e., who was to me everything. — yiyv&GKtiQ. 
 This is the conjecture of Musgrave, adopted by Elms- 
 ley and Porson. The common reading is yiyv&GKuv, 
 without any comma after irdvra, and the meaning then 
 is, " In whom it was my lot to have all good assur- 
 ance," i. e., literally, " to know all things well." — k/3s- 
 fir)X. "Has turned out." Analogous to the Latin 
 evasit. — yvu\Lr\v. " Intelligence." — <pvTov. " Race." — 
 ttogiv 7rpia(jQai. Euripides, as the Scholiast remarks, 
 has here adapted his observation to his own time, the 
 contrary practice having prevailed in the time of Ja- 
 son. — kcikov yap tovt\ k. t. A. " For this is a still more 
 grievous evil than the other evil." The more grievous 
 evil here meant is the getting a lord and master over 
 one's person, which, to a proud and high-spirited wom- 
 an like Medea, is worse than having to pay money for 
 one. We must refer tovt, therefore, to ^gttot^v XapeXv. 
 Some prefer reading kcikov yap rovd\ which is also given 
 by the MSS., " For there is an evil yet more grievous 
 than this evil," i. e., " (but this is a trifle) for," etc. 
 The greater evil will then be what follows, namely, the 
 chance of getting a bad husband. — airaWayai " Di- 
 vorcements." — dvTjvaaOai. " To repudiate." The Attic 
 law of divorce was much more favorable to the male 
 claimant than to the female. (Meier, Att. Process., p. 414.) 
 
 239-247. fifi fiaOovaav oIkoQev. "Not having learned 
 from home," i. e., if she has not learned from family in- 
 tercourse, as would be the case among relations. — rdd' 
 lK7rovov^kvaiaiv ev. " Managing these matters judicious- 
 
MEDEA. 63 
 
 ly," i. e., the choice of a consort. Elmsley, however, 
 takes ev with %vvoik?j. — (pkpwv. "Imposing." More 
 literally, "bringing to bear." — tiravae icapdiav dtrrjg. 
 " Causes his heart to cease from disquiet." The aorist 
 here again, as in v. 223, refers to custom or habit. The 
 literal meaning of dm) is u loathing," " surfeit." Here 
 it means disquiet, weariness, ennui. — irpbg n'tav tyxh** 
 The husband's. 
 
 248-250. Xkyovat & i)nag. " Moreover, they say of 
 us." — Kcucujg (ppovovvTsg. " Reasoning ill." — nap' aa-rida. 
 " In arms." As a military phrase, it otherwise means 
 " towards (or to) the left," the shield being held with 
 the left hand. 
 
 252-258. dXX ou yap avrdg, k. t. X. " But (why talk- 
 in this way ?), for the same argument comes not home 
 to you and to me." You are differently situated, and 
 can not realize my feelings, nor, consequently, excuse 
 my conduct. — icoivwvia. There is much greater MS. 
 authority for (wvov<ria y but koividvio. is preferred by 
 Porson, Elmsley, and Dindorf. — vppi'Cofiai. " Am out- 
 raged." — XeXyafievrj. "After having been carried off 
 as mere booty." From XrjiZofiai. — fieOopfiiGaaQai. " To 
 flee to as a refuge from," etc. The verb properly means 
 " to change anchorage," and then " to seek a new har- 
 bor for shelter," etc. 
 
 259-264. (3ovXi)(jofjiai. " I shall be glad." — 7r6pog pj- 
 %av{] re. " Resource and contrivance." — iromv Siktjv 
 rujvd', k.t.X. "For inflicting just vengeance on my 
 husband in return for these wrongs," etc. More liter- 
 ally, " for paying to myself satisfaction against my hus- 
 band for these wrongs." The verb avririvio here takes 
 a double accusative, of the person punished and the 
 satisfaction. Consult Jelf, G. G., § 585. The best 
 MSS., remarks Paley, give &'*#, which Porson and 
 
64 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Klotz retain, the latter thinking that there is an em- 
 phasis meant by the dative ; but it is more likely that 
 transcribers mistook the meaning of the regular idiom. 
 — rj r eyrifiaro. " And on her who has married him." 
 The allusion is to Glauce. The common reading is 
 ijv r iyrjfiaro, to which there are two objections: first, 
 that a man is said yafielv and not yafieioOcu ; secondly, 
 that a woman is said yafieiaQal nw, not nvd. Hence 
 Porson's conjecture, adopted by Dindorf, and which 
 we have given by Paley in the text. — Kauri S' kg aXKrjv, 
 k. r. X. " And is a bad hand for any exertion of cour- 
 age, and for looking upon the steel." Compare Elms- 
 ley, ad loc. 
 
 268-270. ttzvBuv. This verb, it should be noted, is 
 very rarely used in the general sense of grieving. It 
 usually means to mourn for a death. — dyyeXov. " As 
 an announcer in person." 
 
 272-274. tiirov. "I order." The tragedians often 
 use the aorist to express a thought, which is present 
 indeed, but is supposed to have been long and firmly 
 conceived in the speaker's breast. The notion of defi- 
 nite time being kept out of view, the thought is brought 
 all the more prominently forward. Hence tiirov here 
 properly means, " I order, and for some time back had 
 made up my mind so to do." It is by an extension of 
 this principle that the aorist gets its other meaning of 
 custom or habit. (Jelf, G. G., § 403, 1.) — (3paj3evg \6yov 
 Tovd'. " Arbiter of this decree," i. e., as to whether the 
 mandate shall be executed, and within what period. 
 
 278-290. IZiaai -Kavra di) koXwv. " Are letting out now 
 every rope," i. e., are running with full sails against me. 
 — drrjg ticfiacrig. " Landing from (the sea) of calamity," 
 i. e., harbor of refuge. — kprjarofiai. The future, as show- 
 ing deference. Persons in misfortune do not presume 
 
MEDEA. 65 
 
 to address those in whose power they are with free- 
 dom. — 7rapafi7Ti(Tx^v. " To cloak." Porson and Klotz 
 give the other reading, 7rapainrkxuv, which has rather 
 more MS. authority in its favor. — ZvfipdXXeTai de 7roX- 
 X«, k. r. X. Many things, too, contribute (their share) of 
 this fear," i. e., unite in causing it. Partitive genitive. 
 (Jelf, G. 67., § 535.)— kXvoj d\ k. r. X. There is no tau- 
 tology here in the addition of wg aTrayykXXovai pot. 
 The expression is the same as kXvoj dyysXiov. — tov dovra 
 Kal (tov) yriiiavra, k. t. X. An instance of the article po- 
 etically omitted, contrary to the laws of the language. 
 — a7rex9€<r0ai. This is the true accentuation, as 2 aor. 
 infin., from a7rfx0aj/o/iei, and not cnrkxQwQai, as pres. in- 
 fin., from aTr^xOo/xai. 
 
 294-302. S6Za. " The opinion of others," i. e., pub- 
 lic opinion. She alludes to her reputation for clever- 
 ness, as intimated in v. 285. — dprtypwv. " Of sound 
 judgment." — 7raidag nepiMutg, k. t. X. "To have his 
 children taught to be extraordinarily clever." Ob- 
 serve the force of the middle. (Jelf, G. G., § 362, 6.) 
 — X^pk yap dXXrjg, k. r. X. " For, independently of the 
 charge of inactivity which they have to bear besides, 
 they meet with a jealous ill-feeling from the citizens." 
 Observe the seeming pleonasm in dXXqg ; the adjective, 
 however, has in reality the force of the adverb dXXiog. 
 — j)g. Attraction for r\v. — CKmoiai fitv yap, k. r. X. " For, 
 by bringing to bear new lessons of wisdom upon the 
 foolish," i. e., in laying before them newly discovered 
 branches of knowledge. — dxpelog. " A visionary." 
 Literally, " Of no real use." — elMvai n 7toikiXov. " To 
 possess some varied knowledge." — Xv7rp6g. " Trouble- 
 some." 
 
 304-306. To7g ff r)(rvxaia, k. r. X. This line, apparently 
 adapted from v. 808, is omitted by some editors, and 
 by others enclosed in brackets. Klotz alone maintains 
 6 
 
66 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 its integrity in this place. It seems, however, quite 
 unnecessary here, though necessary in the other part 
 of the play. — Trpoadvrrjg. " In the way." Properly 
 said of what rises up against, and stands in another's 
 way. — Eifri d' ovk ayav oo<pr). " And yet I am not over- 
 wise." Purposely said to deprecate any invidious 
 feeling to which her previous remarks might give rise. 
 — av d' ovv. The force of ovv here is, " However that 
 may be," i. e., whether she is really clever or not, Cre- 
 on, at all events, fears her as such. 
 
 307-313. ovx <3cT *%a poi. "Things are not so with 
 me," i. e., I am not in the position, a poor friendless 
 stranger as I am, to commit any wrong against kings. 
 — (tv ydp ri, k. r.X. " (Especially against you am I dis- 
 inclined to act amiss) for in what have you wronged 
 me?" — dXX kfibv 7t6<tiv /*t<rw. "But it is my husband 
 whom I hate (not you)." — vioQpovwv. "Acting dis- 
 creetly the while," i. e., discreetly for your own inter- 
 ests, and therefore not justly to be blamed by me. — 
 m/jiQevet, ev irpaaooiTE. " Marry on, good-luck attend 
 you." 
 
 316-321. aKovvai. " To hear." The Latin ad audien- 
 dum. — (3ov\Evyg. " May be now plotting." The aorist 
 PovXEvayg would not be so good, " May plot at some 
 time or other." — wg d' avrcog, for wvavriog ds. " And in 
 like manner," i.e., and likewise. — <pvXda<TEiv. "To 
 watch," implying, of course, to guard against. We 
 should have looked, however, at once for tyvXaaaEaQai, 
 the middle, as in v. 289. — r) unoTcrjXbg ooQog. "Than 
 one who schemes in silence." — fir) XSyovg XsyE. "Ac- 
 cumulate not words," i. e., talk not to no purpose. 
 
 324-334. fir], irpog ge. The words are here purposely 
 thrown out of the natural order, in order to denote 
 great excitement of feeling. — dvaXoXg. Present of dva- 
 
MEDEA. G7 
 
 Xow, a less common form than avaXLffiao. — tStXpe. Con- 
 tracted future, for iZskdaeig. — yap. " (Yes) for." — 7rXrjv 
 yap tekvujv, k. r.X. " (No wonder) for next to my chil- 
 dren," etc. — o-TTioQ avj olfiai, k. r. X. " That is, I take it, 
 according as circumstances may have presented them- 
 selves," i. e., entirely according to circumstances. — firj 
 XdOoL as. " Let not that man escape thine eye." — iro- 
 vovjizv fitieig, <c. r. X. " We are in trouble ourselves, and 
 want not (any new) troubles (in others)," i.e., to hear 
 about them. Porson adopts Musgrave's emendation, 
 ttovoq \ikv ' r)neic S' ov novy Ksxprjfi^Oa ; " Trouble indeed 
 there is ; but are we not conversant with trouble ?" i. e., 
 " You have troubles of your own, 'tis true ; but think of 
 mine !" Observe the employment of KexprjvOai with a 
 genitive, " to stand in need of." 
 
 335—343. uxjOrjGEi. From loQkuj. — dXXd a alrovfiai. 
 " Nay, I entreat you." Pflugk thinks that Medea was 
 going to add latrai fie \iiav rrjvde rjfikpav fitivai, but is 
 interrupted by Creon. The version which we have 
 given, however, is more impassioned, and is therefore 
 more in accordance with the object which Medea had 
 in view, namely, of deceiving the monarch. — tig toucag. 
 " As you seem likely (to do)." More personally direct - 
 than the ordinary wg tones. This is sometimes imitated 
 in Latin, as, ut videris, non recte judicas. — ov rovQ' iKsrev- 
 cra. Creon thought that Medea was going to beg him 
 to remit her sentence of exile. She undeceives him, 
 and asks only for a respite. — ZvjnrEpdvai <ppovri8\ k. t. X. 
 " And to arrange some plan, how we are to flee, and 
 also the means of subsistence for my boys." With y 
 we may supply either Qpovrifo or 68$. Elmsley pro- 
 poses ol, "whither." — dcpop^v. This noun literally 
 means "a starting - place," and then the means with 
 which one begins a thing. — ovSkv -n-pon^y firjxavriffa- 
 aOai. " In no respect cares to provide any," i. e., any 
 
 d<popfii]V. 
 
G8 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 346-356. tov/xov yap ov pot, k. t. \. " Since, as far as 
 concerns myself, I care not whether I am to go into ex- 
 ile or not." The possessive pronoun is frequently used 
 for the personal. — Kexpyfitvovg. "Made conversant 
 ■with." — alSovfievog. " Through regard for the feelings 
 of others." — hk^Qopa. In a middle sense, " I have in- 
 jured myself." — s^afiaprdviov. " That I am plainly err- 
 ing." The participle in the nominative as referring 
 back to the subject of bpib. — aipevdrjg. " In strict 
 truth," literally, " as an unlying one." — ty r)fxepav \iiav. 
 " For one day and no more." The preposition is here 
 employed to define the time exactly. Porson, without 
 any necessity, conjectures iO' for ty. — rl Seivbv wv, for 
 ri deivbv tu>v wv, k. t. X. " Any dreaded thing of those, 
 the fear of which possesses me." 
 
 359-363. Tiva Trpo^eviav. "What protection as a 
 stranger." — xQ° va a(*>rr}pa. Observe here the employ- 
 ment of a masculine noun with a feminine, by what is 
 termed enallage, and consult Matthiae, O. G., § 429, 4. 
 — airopov. " Inextricable." 
 
 365-367. dXX ovn ravry ravra. " But not at all in 
 this way shall these things turn out." She means 
 that, though hitherto her affairs have gone wrong, this 
 present scheme, however, is not by any means a hope- 
 less one, since she has just gained her first point in the 
 permission to remain. After ravra supply a.7ro(3rj(jerai : 
 or some verb of similar import. — roicn Kijdevcramv. " For 
 those who have given in marriage." Alluding to 
 Creon. 
 
 372-385. i£bv avr<£. " When it was in his power." 
 Nominative absolute (Matthiae, § 311). — iXeiv. "To 
 frustrate." Literally, " to arrest," " to make captive." 
 — veKpovg OfjtTii). "I will lay dead." — lyx H ?^- " * sna ^ 
 make the attempt," literally, "take the matter in 
 
MEDEA. 69 
 
 hand." — Stifia w^lkov. " The bridal chamber." — r) Orj- 
 ktov w(T(u, k. t. X. Consult note on v. 40. — fiol Trpoaavreg. 
 " Is in my way." Consult note on v. 305. — ddfiovg v-n-ep- 
 paivovaa. " Crossing the threshold of the abode." — 
 rt)v evQeiclv. "Following the direct path." The full 
 sentence would be Kpariara rr\v evOeiav iovrag 686v. — <ro- 
 0«i. Medea is not speaking of herself merely, but of 
 women generally. Had she been speaking of herself 
 alone, the masculine <ro(f>oi would have been used. 
 Consult Porson (ad Hec n 509). — tXeiv avrovg. " To take 
 them off." 
 
 386-388. leal ft) reOvam. "And now they are dead," 
 i. e., and now suppose they are dead. The conditional 
 protasis here stands in the indicative, without ei', as a 
 principal clause, for the sake of emphasis. (Jelf, G. G., 
 § 860, 8.) — exeyyvovg. " Pledged for my safety." Prop- 
 erly a law term, "going bail for me." — ovk tern. 
 " There is not one," i. e., ovre noXig, ovre 6 irapk^iov yi\v 
 ugvXov. It may also mean, as the Scholiast remarks, 
 " It cannot be," i. e., " It won't do." 
 
 390-397. ^stei^u rovde <p6vov. " I will proceed to this 
 deed of death," i. e., I will execute it either by fire or 
 drugs. — djjLrjxavog. " Depriving me of every other re- 
 source," i. e., precluding me from any exercise of craft. 
 — ToXfirjg Trpbg to KapTEpov. " To. the very extremity of 
 daring." — fivxoTg vaiovaav, k. t. X. It was a custom to 
 have private altars enshrined in the interior of Greek 
 houses. Hecate was the patroness not only of witches, 
 but of all who compounded poisons, philters, etc. — x a ' l ~ 
 piov. "Rejoicing the while," i. e., with impunity. 
 
 399-408. Kfjdog. "This alliance."— &v. Attraction 
 for a. — vvv dyujv ev\pvx'iag. " Now is there a contest re- 
 quiring a stout heart." — ov ykXiora M a o^Xeiv, k. t. X. 
 " It does not behoove you to become a laughing-stock 
 
70 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 to the descendants of a Sisyphus, and the bride of a 
 Jason." By 2«ri/0aoi£ are meant the people of Corinth, 
 as descended from Sisyphus, who was said to have 
 founded Ephyra or Corinth, and was infamous for his 
 acts of pillage and violence. — 'HXiov r airo. Medea 
 was granddaughter of Helius, or the Sun-god, on the 
 father's side. — i-irivTaGai de. " Knowledge too is yours. 1 ' 
 — <ro0wrarai. Consult note on ao<pai, v. 385. 
 
 409-415. dvu xupovai. " Flow upward," i. e., up the 
 country, towards the high ground, and no longer down 
 towards the sea. The order of nature appears, as it 
 were, inverted, so gross is the perfidy of Jason. — 0e &v 
 S' ovketi, k. r. X. " And confidence in (adjurations by) 
 the gods no longer remains firm." Oaths have now 
 become mere empty words. — rdv d' kpav evicXuav, k. t. X. 
 " Report too shall bring a change over my life, so as 
 for it to enjoy (henceforth) a good repute." By a re- 
 port " is here meant the common talk of mankind. 
 Women will henceforth assume a higher stand, in pro- 
 portion to the degeneracy and degradation of men. 
 We have here crptyovoi equivalent in effect to vertendo 
 efflciet. The common reading urptyovai mars both 
 sense and metre. 
 
 421-429. powai ds y k. t. X. That is, women's faithless- 
 ness will no longer be a topic for poets, as it was with 
 the bards of old. — v^ivevaai. Ionic for vfxvovaai. — ovk iv 
 afieripy yvivfig, auraae. " Granted not to our under- 
 standing." Observe that to the dative d^rkpq, -yvwpq, 
 tne poet has added tv, because he meant to say that 
 the faculty of song was not implanted in the mind of 
 woman. — Ewei avraxna &v, k. t. X. " Since otherwise I 
 would in my turn have sounded forth a strain against," 
 etc. — fiaicpbg aiujv. "The long lapse of time." — ^oT- 
 pav. " Condition," i. e., the circumstances of the two 
 sexes. 
 
MEDEA. 71 
 
 430-444. irarpyiov. The penult is made short, as in 
 Alcest., 249. But Porson, Elinsley, and others give iza- 
 rp'uov, from Aldus, irdrpiog oJkoq being properly u a home 
 in one's country," and Trarpijiog, " ancestral." It is, as 
 Paley remarks, a mere question of MS. authority. — 
 didvfiovg dpfoaactj k. r. X. a Having skirted the twin 
 rocks of the deep," i. e., having passed close between 
 them. The Symplegades are meant. — rag dvdvdpov koi- 
 rag, k. t. X. " Having lost the couch of thy widowed 
 union." — opiaov x<*P l Q- " All delight in the observance 
 of oaths." — aldiog. " A sense of shame." — alQepia. " On 
 high." — neOopfiiaaaQat. Consult note on v. 258. — itdpa. 
 Contracted for irdpuaiv. — aCjv XUrpwv Kpziaawv. " Pre- 
 ferred before your couch," i. c, preferred as a bride to 
 you. The common text has rwvde Xkr/owi/, for which 
 Paley gives the reading of Porson, and which is fol- 
 lowed by Dindorf and others. — iirkaTa. " Stands over," 
 i. e., rules. 
 
 447-453. crot ydp wapov. Compare note on Qov, v. 
 372. — KpEioGovuv (3ov\evfiara. " The resolves of your 
 , superiors." He refers to some milder measures of Cre- 
 on, to w T hich she ought to have submitted in the first 
 instance. — ovdev 7rpdyfia, " It is a matter of no con- 
 cern." — irdv Kspdog t)yov, k.t.X. "Consider it all gain 
 that you are punished only with exile," i. e., and not 
 with death. All gain, remarks Paley, because in the 
 dealings of tfnropoi and KaTrrjkoi there is always a bal- 
 ance struck between profit and loss. 
 
 455-462. d(pypow. " Kept trying to remove." — ov d' 
 ovk dvleig fiwpiag. " You, however, did not remit any- 
 thing of your folly." Verbs of this kind often take a 
 genitive from the general notion of giving up or de- 
 tracting from a thing. Scholefield and Dindorf prefer 
 the present dvirjg, with Matthiae, but, as Elinsley re- 
 marks, the imperfect here suits better the preceding 
 
72 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 imperfects atyypow and efiovXofirjv. — kclk rutvde. " Even 
 as matters now stand," i. e., even though you have not 
 ceased to speak evil of us. — a.7reipr}Kwg <piXoig. " Wea- 
 ried with (serving) friends." — togov ye. " So far at 
 least," i. e., so far, at all events, that it may not be said 
 I allowed you to starve. Others read to gov ye, to gov 
 ffi, or togovSb. Dindorf prefers to gov ye, but this im- 
 plies a false emphasis, "Your advantage, if not that of 
 others." — Kai yap el. " For even though." The teal be- 
 longs to ei 
 
 465-474. tovto yap g eine~iv c%w, k. t. X. " For I can 
 at least say of you with my tongue this, the greatest 
 reproach (that can be uttered) against your want of 
 manliness," namely, that you are all-vile, irayizaKiGTog. 
 She means, " If, as a woman, I cannot punish you with 
 my hands, yet at least I can say this of you with my 
 tongue," etc. — QeoTg re tza^o'i, k. t. X. This line is gener- 
 ally thought to have been interpolated from v. 1324. 
 Klotz, however, undertakes to defend it. — evToXpia. 
 "True courage." — vogiov. "Moral maladies." — Kaictig 
 <re, to be joined in construction with Xe%aGa, in the pre- 
 vious line. 
 
 476-485. tGioGcc g, k. t. X. The sigmatismus of this 
 verse has been noticed by critics both ancient and mod- 
 ern. Many other instances, however, occur in the dra- 
 matic writers. Consult Monk (ad Hippol., 1162). — Tav- 
 puv -irvpirvouv, k. t.X. "As a tamer of fire-breathing 
 bulls with the yoke." Observe the construction, not 
 tTriGTaTrjv ZevyXatGi Tavpcov, but iiriGTaTrjv Tavpwv ZevyXai- 
 gi. The term ZevyXr/ properly means the collar or cir- 
 cle around the neck, by which the Ivyov is attached to 
 the animal. — QavaGi^ov yvr]v. "The field pregnant 
 with death," i. c., the produce of which, namely, the 
 armed warriors, were destined to mutual destruction. 
 — afupeTTiov. " Moving around." — UijXiCjtiv 'IwXkov. 
 
MEDEA. 73 
 
 Consult note on v. 8. — 7rp69vnog fiaXXov, k. r. X. " More 
 willing than wise," i. e., with more of love than wis- 
 dom. If any two properties of the same object are 
 compared in degree, they are sometimes indicated by 
 the comparatives of their proper adjectives, and con- 
 trasted by r/. (Jelf, G. G., § 782,/.) 
 
 487-494. Traidiov vtt avrov. " By the hands of his 
 own children." To be joined closely in construction 
 with airEKTuv. — i&lXov. "I took from thee." — Kai 
 ravO\ k.t.X. "And yet, after having' received these 
 benefits," etc. With naOiov supply ev. — (ruyyvajarov yv. 
 "It were pardonable." Better than vvyyvuGT av r>, 
 for in this construction the Greeks commonly omit av. 
 — Osovg. Pronounced here as a monosyllable in scan- 
 ning. — KziaQai. " Lie enacted." 
 
 496-498. fjg av noXX tXappdvov. " Which you often 
 used to grasp," i. e., when supplicating for aid. The 
 genitive is here employed to express the idea of con- 
 tact or touching. — Kai Tuivds yov&Twv. He ought to 
 have written Kai rade yovara, but the genitive is used 
 by attraction to the preceding relative. — wg \iaTr\v ke- 
 XpioafieQa, k. r. X. " To how little purpose have we been 
 defiled by the touch of a wicked man," etc. The verb 
 Xpu&iv means properly "to touch the surface," and 
 hence, " to leave the effects of contact," as " to stain," 
 " to defile," etc. The term is here applied both to the 
 hand which he had grasped and the knees he had 
 embraced in supplicating for assistance. Her hopes 
 resulting from both have been frustated. 
 
 500-519. doKovcra ^ikv ri. Porson and Dindorf give 
 \iy] w, but Paley remarks that the Greeks would have 
 preferred to say, oh doKovaa irpd^uv rt. Elmsley and 
 Klotz moreover give fikv rL — o/xiog d\ " Still, however, 
 I will do so," i. e., Koivwaofiai. — atyiKofirjv. Supply Sevpo. 
 
74 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. ■ 
 
 — kuXCjq y. " Kindly indeed." Ironical. — ovg St \i ovk 
 txpwj k. r. X. Namely, the family of Pelias. — 7roXXaig 
 fiaicapiav, k. r. X. " You have made me a happy woman 
 in the eyes of many of my sex throughout Greece." 
 Literally, " unto many." Irony again, and so in what 
 immediately follows. — daviiaarov. "A truly wonder- 
 ful." — %vv rsKvoig fiovrj fiovoig. "A lonely fugitive, 
 with my children as lonely as myself." — tf r tcnoad <re. 
 For Kai efie, 7) tawoa ae. — reKfirjpL. " Proofs," i. e., by the 
 P&Gctvog, or touchstone. — x a P aKr *lP- This term, remarks 
 Paley, is properly used of the stamp or device on coins, 
 and therefore does not well keep up the metaphor of 
 a natural mark of distinction. 
 
 520-525. deivrj rig opyt) tteXel. " It is a dreadful kind 
 of anger." Observe the force of Tig. — Kaicbv \eynv. " A 
 bad hand at speaking." — &Kpoi<n XaiQovg, k. t. X. " To 
 strive to escape with the extreme border of the sail 
 from thy wearisome talkativeness," i. e., with the main- 
 sail reefed up, so that only the margin of it catches the 
 wind. Elmsley, however, explains, " with full sails," 
 following the Scholiast, dvrl tov, Travrl apjikvip. Mat- 
 thiae, on the other hand, following Aristoph. (Han., 
 999), is in favor of the other version, making the words 
 in question equivalent to " circumspecte et caute mtareP 
 Medea's talkativeness is regarded as a storm, which 
 none but a wary pilot can weather, and v7reKdpafieiv is 
 not so much to fly from before it, with all sail set, as 
 to withdraw from the area of commotion by cleverly 
 handling the ship. 
 
 526-530. tTTEidr) KaL,K.r.X. "Especially since you 
 greatly exaggerate the favors conferred." Elmsley 
 says that the Kai here is to be joined with XtW, but 
 Pflugk, more correctly, makes it belong to liruSii. — 
 Osiov. A monosyllable in scanning. — vol <T lori fiev, k. t. X. 
 "You have a mind subtle enough indeed (and you 
 
MEDEA. 75 
 
 have shown it in the argument which you have just 
 stated in your own favor), but it were an invidious 
 story for me to relate how Love compelled you," etc. 
 
 532-544. dXM ovk aicpt(3iog , k. t. X. " I will not, how- 
 ever, reckon it too nicely," but will let it pass for what 
 it is worth. The verb here employed is used of noting 
 down the numbers in playiDg at dice. Hence its 
 meaning in the present instance of " to reckon." — otttj 
 yap ovv ujvrjvag, k. t. X. " For so far, then, as you assisted 
 me, it is well enough," i. e., I have no wish to deny 
 you the credit. — rijg tyrjg oiorripiag. " From my safety," 
 i. e., in return for it. — vofioig re xpn^Oai, k. t. X. " And 
 to enjoy laws, not to live at the mercy of mere brute 
 strength." Supply, with Elmsley, Zrjv, diayeiv, or some 
 equivalent verb. — el tie yiceig. " Whereas if you had 
 gone on living." Observe the force of the imperfect 
 with €<', and consult Jelf, G. 6r., § 856. — \6yog ceOev. 
 "Any account of you." — \lt)t 'OpQswg k&XXiov, k.t.X. 
 Elmsley remarks that Euripides here speaks rather in 
 his own person than in that of Jason. The latter 
 would have thought rather of the enjoyment of power 
 and rule. 
 
 545-550. Toaavra fiev trot, k. t. X. The common text " 
 has toi, but vol is better, because Medea introduced 
 the subject. — tv rtfide. " In this," i. e., in doing this. 
 Equivalent to lv rtf yrjfiai. — ouxppwv. "Uninfluenced 
 by mere passion." He proves this at vv. 555-7. — vol 
 fieyag <pi\og. He proves this at vv. 559 seqq. — aXX' £%' 
 r)<Tvx(og. That is, Do not start at the apparently strange 
 assertion, but listen to my explanation. The common 
 reading is ix yvvxog, where l%e has the force of corw. 
 
 551-557. £7r€t fierhrriVj k. t. X. He now enters on the 
 proof of his having acted wisely, ending with this at 
 v. 554. — 'luXiclag xQovog. He was banished from Iolcos 
 
76 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 for having shared in the murder of Pelias. — ri Evpqfi 
 EVTvxsvrspov. "What luckier prize." The phrase ev- 
 prjfia Evptiv is " to find something unexpectedly," " to 
 find a prize," etc. — y av kv'iIei. " As you disquiet your- 
 self." Supply 6d<i>. — ovd' etc ufiiWav, k. t. X. " Nor hav- 
 ing any desire as to a striving for a numerous off- 
 spring." 
 
 5G2-573. TralfraQ 6k Optycup*. "And that I might bring 
 up my children." — gwaprrjaag. " Having united," prop- 
 erly, having made two races of children to hang, as it 
 were, from a common father. — ri del ; Equivalent in ef- 
 fect to ovckv Sei. The idea is, it would be of no use to 
 you to have any more children, and it would be of some 
 use to me, to benefit my present family by a second 
 family such as I hope to have. — Ifiol Xvei. " It is for 
 my interest." Observe that Xvei here has the force of 
 XvglteXeI. — eg roaovrov. Supply fnopiag. — tiOegQe. " You 
 esteem," or " You reckon." Literally, " You set down." 
 
 576-583. eu Uocrjjiiicrag. " You have decked out w T ell." 
 — keI napa yvu\ir\v epuj. " Even if I shall express my 
 opinion contrary to your view of the case," i. e., shall 
 differ from you in opinion. — did<pop6g ei/m. " I am of a 
 different opinion from." On the construction of the 
 dative here (7roXXolg) with the adjective dicupopog, con- 
 sult Jelf, O. G., § 601, 2. — Efioi yap otrng, r. t.X. Medea 
 means that, in her opinion, those who make the ahicog 
 Xoyog appear the ^Uaiog deserve not praise, but blame, 
 and merit the severest punishment. — ao<pbg Xsytiv, 
 " Skilled in speaking," i. e., in argument. — avx&v. 
 " Confidently presuming," i. e., flattering himself. — ev 
 TTEpidTEXElv. " That he will skilfully cloak." — dyav 
 co(f>6g. " Really wise," i. e., really and truly so, since 
 he acts on false principles. He is only aotyug Xkytiv. 
 
 584, 585. wg Kai av, k. r. X. " In which way be not 
 
MEDEA. 77 
 
 you also," etc. Observe that wg has here not a demon- 
 strative, but a relative force, which it derives from og. 
 The principle is clearly stated by Hermann (ad Electr., 
 Go). — tvaxhpuv. "Plausible." — ekteveT. "Will lay thee 
 prostrate," a metaphor borrowed from the palaestra. 
 Compare the English vulgarism, " To floor one." 
 
 588-600. KaXtig y av ovv, k. t. X. "Finely indeed, 
 then, would you have aided me in carrying out this 
 proposal," etc. Ironical. Porson, Elmsley, and oth- 
 ers omit juot, and read r<f$ tZvTnjpeTeig, "would you 
 have submitted to this proposal." — ov tovto a d\tv. 
 "It was not this consideration that influenced you," 
 i. e., the anticipation of my disapproval. — irpbg yijpag 
 ovk evdoZov, k. r. X. " Was becoming discreditable to 
 you as you advanced in years." Literally, " as regard- 
 ed (or for) old age." — wcnrep dirov. Compare vv. 559 
 seqq. — ObXujv. Supply tyy/ia, from yfjuai. — Xvarpbg evdai- 
 fiwv fiiog. "A prosperous life attended with sadness." 
 — kvHoi. "Would ever be disquieting." — Cjg fierev^ei. 
 " How you shall change your prayer." 
 
 606-613. fiatv yafiovaa. The active voice of yap'ty 
 being used only of men, it follows, remarks Paley, 
 that Medea hereby conveys a taunt, and means, Was it 
 by doing to you as you have done to me ?— nai <joig 
 apaia, k. t. X. "Aye, and I happen to imprecate them 
 on your house also," i. e.,Yes, and on your family also 
 have I imprecated ruin. Medea's answer is full of 
 most bitter hatred. She not only confesses what Jason 
 had just charged her with, but also adds this fresh in- 
 stance of her hatred. Observe that dpaia is here taken 
 actively. Some less correctly give it a passive force : 
 "an object of imprecation unto." — wg ov Kpivovfiai. 
 " Know that I will not wrangle." Supply "ivQi before 
 ug. — xpW&tuv tfiwv. " From my resources." — £v/*/3oXa. 
 " Tokens of hospitality." These were certain tokens 
 
78 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 or counters of recognition, the half of which was re- 
 tained by a guest, and the other half given as a part- 
 ing acknowledgment to his host as a means for es- 
 tablishing his claim to a return of hospitality at any 
 future time. 
 
 619-626. dXX' ovv. "Well then," i, e., whether you 
 accept my offer or not. — av9adiy. "Through stub- 
 born self-will." — xpov'&uv. "Wasting time." — %bv &<£. 
 " With the favor of heaven," i. e., by the guidance and 
 with the concurrence of the god, who will certainly 
 effect what he is supposed to have prompted as a sug- 
 gestion. — were a apvziadai. "That you will wish to 
 disown it." Observe that apviiaQai is here equivalent 
 to cnrdiraadai QeXeiv. 
 
 627-634. tpureg v7r!/o, k. t. X. " Feelings of love, on 
 having come greatly in excess, have not conferred," 
 etc. Observe the force of V7rkp in strengthening dyav. 
 — aXig. "With moderation," i. e., just sufficiently and 
 no more. — evxapig. " Welcome." — xpwtuv. Often 
 found, as here, among the tragic writers with the first 
 syllable short. — xp' 1 *™* "Having anointed it," or, 
 more freely, " having poisoned it." A metaphor bor- 
 rowed from the custom of poisoning the arrow-head 
 by smearing it with some unctuous preparation. 
 
 637-642. afiQiXoyovg bpydg. "A disputatious tem- 
 per." — B7rL " With desire for." Compare Jelf, G. G. y 
 § 634, 3, e. — a7TTo\efiovg ff evvdg, k. t. X. " But, cherish- 
 ing a regard for unions free from strife, may she in her 
 keen discernment pass her decision upon the marriage- 
 beds of women," i. e., decide for women whom they 
 shall wed ; or, in other words, may she make a wise 
 selection of wives for husbands. 
 
 646-662. dfjiaxaviag. " Through destitution."— Sup- 
 
MEDEA. 79 
 
 ply sveica. — olicrpoTariov axwv. "Fraught with most 
 lamentable woes." A better reading than oUrpoTarov 
 a\. — dfxkpav Tcivd' i^avvaaaa. "Having finished this 
 present existence." It is wrong to take afikpav rdvd' 
 of the dreaded day of aiiaxavia, and to explain i%avv- 
 (raaa by irplv i^avvaai. — (ppaaaadai. " To consider it," 
 i. e., to ponder on it. Observe the force of the middle. 
 — axdpKTTog. "Unfavored," i. e., without favor from 
 god or man. — ory napicri. " Whose character it is." 
 Literally, " Unto w T hom it is present," " it is habitual." 
 The allusion is to Jason, the indicative making the 
 wish definite. — icaQapav avoi&vra, k. t. X. " Having 
 opened the brightly pure lock of the mind," i. e., with 
 the pure treasures of sincere affection, The general 
 idea of the whole passage appears to be, "May he who 
 is an insincere friend (Jason, for instance) meet with 
 nothing but ingratitude on his own part." 
 
 • 
 
 G65-675. (toQov Uavdiovog. The epithet is here pure- 
 ly complimentary. — twKJTpuHpqi. "Do you turn your 
 steps to." — *o//3ou iraXaiov, k. t. X. The oracle at Del- 
 phi, in Phocis. — 6fi(pa\6i>. " Navel," i. e., centre. The 
 navel-stone in the temple at Delphi was supposed to 
 mark the middle point of the earth. — laraKrig. " Did 
 you go to." Passive in a middle sense. — Ostiv. A 
 monosyllable here in scanning. — anaig yap devp, k. t. X. 
 "What, do you prolong existence up to the present 
 time a childless man V — rvxy. " Through the visita- 
 tion." — ovk ifffikv evvijg, r. t. X. " We are not unpaired 
 as regards the marriage-bed." — r\ tear dvSpa ov/i(3aKeiv. 
 "Than for a man to comprehend." More literally, 
 " than to comprehend after the way of a man." Elms- 
 ley thinks that dvdpa here is rather rare for avQpwirov. 
 
 G78-686. ri $y)t expv ffe ; " What response then did 
 he utter ?"— irpiv dv. " Until." (Jelf, G. #., § 848.)— 
 tIitQevq rig fori. Pittheus, king of Troezene, was the 
 
80 N^tES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 father of Aethra, whom Aegeus had married. — yrjg 
 Tpoifyviag. The territory of Troezene formed the 
 southeastern corner of Argolis. — waE^kararog. It is to 
 this that the words, ug Xsyovm, refer. — yap. " (You act 
 rightly) for." — Tpifiuv. " Well -versed." Compare 
 Wiesus, v. 625. 
 
 689-704. ri yap gov ofi/ia, k. t. X. " Yet why is your 
 eye dim, and your color thus faded ?" Observe the 
 zeugma. — ty rjfilv. " In my stead," i. e., to supersede 
 me. — t] yap. " What indeed ?" This is Elmsley's read- 
 ing, in which he is followed by Dindorf. These par- 
 ticles are used when something strange or monstrous 
 is inquired about. The common reading, ») 7rov, as 
 given by Porson and Matthiae, is not so good. The 
 particles if nov usually convey a slight irony, and are 
 equivalent, as Elmsley remarks, to olfiai, i'<xa>£, or <bg toi- 
 kev. — \ikyav y epiora. Ironical, implying that the real 
 inducement to the match was its greatness. — irw wv. 
 " Let him go, then," i. e., don't trouble yourself any 
 longer about him. — dvdputv rvpavvuv, k. t. X. " He was 
 desirous of contracting an affinity with kings." This 
 explains her meaning when she says (v. 698) \xkyav y 
 tpwra. — ZvyyvujGTa \lzv, k. t. X. " (I do not wonder now 
 at your altered looks) for it was pardonable," etc. The 
 imperfect here denotes, as usual, continuance, referring 
 not only to the time when the wrong was first com- 
 mitted, but to the whole intervening period up to the 
 present. (Jelf, G. G., § 398, 4.) — wp«fc. " Besides." 
 Taken adverbially. 
 
 705-718. rou, for rivog. — ovU ravr tTryveaa. " This 
 conduct I neither have praised nor do I now praise." 
 In Latin, it would be nee laudo nee laudavi. Aegeus 
 means, I have neither praised such conduct in the case 
 of other husbands before this, nor do I praise it in the 
 present instance. Compare note on v. 223. — Xoyy fikv 
 
MEDEA. 81 
 
 ovxi, e. r. X. " In word, indeed, he does not allow it, 
 but (in fact) he does not wish to stand firm,' 1 i. e., to 
 protest firmly against it. The common reading is 
 Kaprepeiv Sk ftovXerai. " But yet (in fact) he is perfectly 
 willing to endure it." Ironical. The common read- 
 ing certainly appears the more natural one. — oiKreipov 
 o'iKTEtpov, k. r. X. A similar instance of a change of the 
 ictus metricus in a word repeated in the same line oc- 
 curs in Aesch., Prom., 1035 : roX^r/tror, w ^draie, roXfuj- 
 oov 7rore. — EKTrtaovaav. That is, Ik %0oi>oc. — evprj^ia olov. 
 " What a prize." Compare note on v. 553. — Qapfxaica. 
 " Medicaments." 
 
 720-730. TrpwTa fiiv Ottiv. He means, that he may not 
 offend the gods, who are the patrons of suppliants. 
 — *£ tovto yap ct), k. r. X. " For I am now wholly gone 
 for that," i. e., my race is now as good as extinct. — 
 %96va. "To my land." — aov trpoUvtiv. " To befriend 
 you," i. e., to be your patron and protector. It was 
 the peculiar office of irpb&voi to prevent strangers be- 
 ing carried forcibly out of the land in which they had 
 taken refuge. — Sikchoq u>v. He means, remarks Paley, 
 that he will only act in the matter according to inter- 
 national law. Hence he advises her to leave the land 
 spontaneously, and not under his protection, lest he 
 should seem to have enticed her away. — kov <je fu) pnOti 
 Tivi. " And there is no fear lest I shall give thee up 
 to any one." The common construction of ov fii) with 
 the subjunctive, equivalent to icai ov 0o/3oc fcrrt firj /jle- 
 0o). (Jelf, G. £., § 748, 1.)— aim). " Of your own ac- 
 cord." 
 
 731-738. tt'hitiq. " Some pledge." — fiwv ov ickiroidaQ ; 
 " Surely you do not distrust me V The particle \i&v 
 (contracted for /*») ovv) is used especially in questions 
 to which a negative answer is expected. (Jelf, G. G., 
 § 873, 5.)— ZvyuQ. " If bound."— ov neGelg av Ipk. " You 
 
82 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 would not send me away." Observe that fii9sig is for 
 fieQeirig. So we have in Orest., 1133, fieOeinev for jheOel- 
 rjfiev. Porson and Elmsley give fitOeT av, but then the 
 construction becomes rather an awkward one, for as 
 neQieaQaL in the middle voice commonly takes a gen- 
 itive, we must supply Ifiov after fieBet av, and make Ifik 
 depend on dyovaiv. — Xoyoig 8k avfij3dg, k. r. X. " Whereas, 
 having entered into an agreement with me by an actu- 
 al promise, and being (also) under oath to the gods, 
 you would become a friend to me, and would not be 
 likely to listen to demands (of me) by heralds." Por- 
 son, Elmsley, and Dindorf read dvu>jxorog from a few 
 inferior MSS., and rdx av niOoio from the conjecture 
 of Wyttenbach. The meaning will then be, " whereas, 
 having made an agreement in words only, and with- 
 out an oath, you might perhaps be tempted to lis- 
 ten," etc. 
 
 741-747. tXtZag. Equivalent to tfei%ag iv Xoyoig. — 
 mcrjipip nv. " Some excuse," i. e., for not giving you 
 up, namely, on the ground that he had sworn to pro- 
 tect her. — eZrjyov Oeovg. " Mention the gods (by whom 
 you would have me to swear)." This was also termed 
 opKov diddvai. — 6fiw tteSov. There is no need of supply- 
 ing 7Tjo6c, as some do. Verbs of swearing, etc., take an 
 accusative at once of the deity or the object by which 
 one swears. (Matthiae, § 413.) — avvriQeig. " Joining 
 therewith." 
 
 749-763. avrbg . . . iKpaXtiv. The nominative with 
 the infinitive, according to the Greek idiom. (Mat- 
 thiae, § 535.) — sfifiEveiv. The future is better here. 
 The common text has the present tfipkvuv. — ri U irdOoig ; 
 That is, tl de evx^i iraQeiv; — x ai puv. "Kejoicing," i. e., 
 hoping for everything favorable. A common formula 
 in wishing well. — dtv r Imvoiav, k.t.X. "And may 
 you bring those things to completion, the intent of 
 
MEDEA. 83 
 
 which keeping firmly in view, you are striving to ac- 
 complish them." Equivalent in effect to irpd^eidg re # 
 <T7T£vdEig, iirivoiav avrwv narkx^v. — Trap ifioi. " With 
 me," i. e., in my opinion. 
 
 768-779. y fiaXier ek&hvoixsv. "Where we labored 
 most," i. e., were most at a loss. — Trpvfivfirrjv koXwv. 
 " The stern-rope." Technically called " the painter," 
 and by which the ships were fastened, with the prows 
 turned seawards. — dkxov de /*//, k.t.X. "Expect not, 
 however, words calculated to afford pleasure." — wg mi 
 doKti /*oi, k. r. X. Dindorf includes vv. 778-9 in brack- 
 ets. Hermann says that the correction of a new edi- 
 tion of the play has been confused with the first read- 
 ing. Porson strikes out v. 778, with one of the MSS., 
 and reads KaXwg t\^v. Klotz, on the contrary, defends 
 the authenticity of the whole passage, and gives the 
 order of construction as follows: "How that these 
 things both appear good to me, and have themselves 
 aright, the nuptials, namely, with the princess, which 
 (nuptials), having abandoned us, he is now enjoying ; 
 and (I will tell him) that (present matters are advan- 
 tageous, and have been well determined upon)." In 
 accordance with this explanation, the words yapovz 
 rvpavvwv ovg are by attraction for ydjxoi rvpdvviov ovg, 
 and Xe£w is to be Supplied with Krai avfiQop' eii/at, k. t. X. 
 This mode of rendering the passage is ingenious, but 
 not very satisfactory. 
 
 780-787. alrn<rofiai. She intends to ask Creon through 
 Jason. — ovx we Xnrovaa. " Not as having made up my 
 mind to leave." We have here followed Scholefield. 
 The true reading, however, is doubtful. Elmsley reads 
 Xnrovv av. Klotz translates the clause, " non quasi re- 
 liquerim nunc" — dfiQiOy. Active, for the middle a/*0i- 
 OrJTai. So, V. 980, QrjGSi for erjaeraij and V. 1160, Quaa 
 for Osfievrj. Compare the remark of Elmsley, " Satis 
 
84 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 usitata construct™ est, ut de suo vel corpore vel parte cor- 
 poris quis loquatur tamquam de alieno." 
 
 790-798. IvravQa /xevtoi, k. t. X. " At this point, how- 
 ever, I dismiss the present subject." She has said 
 enough on that matter; a more pressing care now 
 crowds upon her mind. — (Pfi<o%a 8k. "I have long, 
 however, thought with sorrow." Consult notes on vv. 
 223 and 707. — ovng egtiv oartg. " There is no one, be 
 he who he may, who," etc. Observe the force of oang. 
 — tybvov Qwyovva. " Fleeing on account of the mur- 
 der." Literally, "fleeing the murder," i. e., the conse- 
 quences of it. Hence Elmsley makes §6vov here equiva- 
 lent to t7rl (povip. — Irio ' ri hoi Z,i]v Kspdog ; The train of 
 thought is this : I shall escape to Athens, not that I 
 value life, but to avoid ridicule. For what is life to 
 me ? etc. 
 
 805-813. vvfi^rjg. Governed by tekvuhjei. — ^avXrjv. 
 " Poor-spirited." — pri$ rjovxaiav, k. t. X. Consult note 
 on v. 304. — EVKXEEaraTog. In the eyes of the Greeks, 
 who recognized forgiveness or toleration of a wrong as 
 weakness, not as a virtue. — \6yov. "Plan." — a-KEwk- 
 7ru). The Chorus, remarks Paley, according to the part 
 assigned them in the Greek drama, are bound to ex- 
 press disapprobation of Medea's murderous intention. 
 But she heeds them not. 
 
 815-822. Trdffxovffav. Agreeing with ah understood 
 before XkyEiv. — roXfirjvEig. " Will you have the heart ?" 
 — ovtu), ydp. " Yes, for so." — \6yoi. " Considerations." 
 — ovv. For ol tv. In crasis oi with e becomes ov. 
 Compare povyicufxiov for fioi Eyic^/uov (Aristoph., Nub., 
 1207). — lg iravra Triara. "For all confidential mat- 
 ters." Medea is speaking not to the Chorus but to 
 the nurse. — Xktyg 8k pr)8kv. Elmsley's reading for the 
 common Xk&ig , which is a solecism. 
 
MEDEA. 85 
 
 824-833. 'Ep^xBeUai. The Athenians are meant, as 
 descended from Erechtheus or Erichthonius. The 
 Chorus expatiate on the sanctity and wisdom of the 
 Athenians, favored alike by nature and by the gods 
 beyond other nations, and then ask how such a city as 
 Athens can allow such a woman as Medea to dwell in 
 it. Let Medea therefore consider well the crime she 
 is about to commit. — to irakawv. "Of old." Their 
 prosperity is of old standing, not a thing of yesterday. 
 — diropQr)Tov r. The re here, coupling hpdg and dirop- 
 QijTov, is contrary to ordinary usage, and Porson is 
 inclined to dnopQirag, the reading of one of the 
 MSS., while Elmsley suggests d-n-opOriroi. — dTro^pfto^- 
 voi. " Feeding on." Compare the Latin dejxzscor. — 
 del Sid XajnrpordTov, k. t. X. The Athenians are here 
 described as walking, "with joyous and sprightly 
 step," under the clear, bright sky of their native land, 
 happy in the pride that they are Athenians. — 'Apjxovi- 
 av. Elsewhere, Mnemosyne, and not Harmonia, is said 
 to have been the mother of the Muses. 
 
 834-845. tov KaWivdov r , k. t. X. " They say, too, that 
 Venus, having quaffed the waters of the fair-flowing 
 Cephisus," etc. Observe that podg is the accus. plur. _ 
 governed by d§va<m\iivav. The river Cephisus flowed 
 southward from Mount Parnes, on the west side of 
 Athens, and, after crossing the Long Walls, fell into 
 the Phaleric bay. — x&pav. The regular construction 
 here would be the genitive, xwpae, which some read ; 
 but the accusative appears to have been purposely 
 employed by the poet to denote extension over a sur- 
 face. — nerpiag. " Well -tempered." The evKpaaia, or 
 moderate temperature of Athens was the theme of 
 praise with both poets and philosophers. — 67rt/3aXXo^E- 
 vav. "Placing upon." — rq (rocpio: TrapsSpovg. "Who 
 are wont to sit by the side of wisdom." Loves, which 
 are not, like Medea's, wild passions, but are chastened 
 
86 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 by wisdom, and have their exercise in all kinds of 
 virtue. 
 
 846-852. leputv iroTa^v. The Cephisus and Ilissus. — 
 (pikiov 7r6fi7nfiog. " That offers a welcome to its friends," 
 i. e., to strangers as friends. More literally, " afford- 
 ing a safe convoy to friends," i. e., protection in pass- 
 ing through, or into, its territory. — /zer dXXwv. " Among 
 others," i. e., whose society will pollute others. This is 
 Elmsley's idea, who makes fieT dXXwv the same as wg 
 oi dXXoi TroXirai. Some, however, placing the mark of 
 interrogation after 6aiav, connect jxet dXXwv with gk'e- 
 \pai, and translate, " Consider among other things," i.e., 
 besides. — alpsi. "You are taking on yourself." Por- 
 son makes a singular slip in regarding aipei here as a 
 future from aeipu), and writes it accordingly aipei. 
 
 857-865. Tsicvoig cWev. Paley makes the construc- 
 tion to be, irpoadyovoa ToXfxav tekvoiq u'eQev. It seems 
 better, however, to take tekvoiq o'eQev after KapUa re, and 
 supply avroXg SiftefrTrpoffayovaa. — ddaicpvv ixoipav oxfoEig 
 tyovov. " Will you retain without tears your determi- 
 nation to slay them," i. e., without repentance. — iKsrdv. 
 Doric, for iketojv. — rey&u %£pa (j>oiviav. " To steep your 
 hand in their blood." — evrXd/jLovi. Hermann's reading 
 for tv tXcijiovi. 
 
 866, 867. KeXEv(T9eig. "Having been requested (by 
 you)." Through the messenger, v. 820. — ovrdv, for ov- 
 tol dv by crasis. This is Porson's reading. The diph- 
 thong in rot cannot suffer elision, but forms a long vow- 
 el by crasis. The common text has ovk dv y\ but the 
 double ye in the same line then becomes very inele- 
 gant, and, besides, the particle dv rarely has ye imme- 
 diately annexed to it. Paley does not follow in his 
 text Blomfield's dictum (Sept. c. Theb., 179), that when 
 toI forms a crasis with dv it necessarily loses its en- 
 
MEDEA. 87 
 
 clitic character, and that we should therefore write 
 
 871-880. v$v. " By us two." Dative of the agent. 
 — did \6ywv a<puc6fir)v. " Reasoned." — dg i/fiiv Spy, k. t. X. 
 The verbs dpaco, 7roiew, etc., take a dative of the person 
 for whose benefit or hurt anything is done. — rvpawov. 
 " A princess." — ri tradx™, ft. r. X. u What have I to 
 complain of, when the gods are providing well (for 
 rne) ?" Pronounce Qe&v as a monosyllable in scanning. 
 — \66va. Namely, from Iolcos in Thessaly. Compare 
 vv. and 560. 
 
 884-888. l-rraivu. " I approve of all that has been 
 done." — y xpn v ^reivai. " Who ought to have taken 
 part." The y is governed by fiereXvai, not by \pr)v. — 
 Kvfi7repaiveiv. " To have helped to carry them into ef- 
 fect." — vvfKpTjv te Krjdevovffav, k. t. X. " And to have been 
 pleased at waiting on your bride." Observe that al- 
 though y precedes, we have here KrjSevovtrav, as if she 
 had said i)v xp*i v -> which in fact must be supplied to 
 ZvfU7rEpaivEiv. Matthiae translates the present passage 
 as follows: "And to have been delighted that your 
 bride has an affection for you." But this is erroneous, 
 for kijSevu does not govern the genitive. 
 
 891-898. avriTEivEiv. "To urge in opposition." — 
 7rapdfiE<79a. " We give in." Elmsley translates by the 
 corresponding English phrase, "I entreat your par- 
 don." Observe that fy/u and its compounds shorten 
 the initial i in Homer, but lengthen it in Attic writers. 
 — (pafisv. " We confess." — (nrovdai. " A truce." 
 
 899-905. olfioi fcrtfcwv, «. r. X. " Ah ! woe is me on ac- 
 count of my misfortunes ! how I feel in mind some one 
 of the things that lie hid !" i. e., some hidden ill. This 
 is ambiguously worded on purpose ; she thinking of 
 
88 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 her secret designs, and Jason referring the remark to 
 the uncertainty of his children's life and health. Simi- 
 larly she misleads him by -n-oXvv Ztivreg xpovov, which 
 he would naturally understand in the latter sense. — 
 apTidaicpvg. "Easily moved to tears." So Hartung: 
 " Leicht geruhrt zu Thranen" Compare the explana- 
 tion of HesychillS, evxtprjG 7rpbg daicpvov. — XP° V< P dk vukoq, 
 k. r.X. " At length, however, putting away my quar- 
 rel with your father." 
 
 906-913. x^oopbv SdKpu. "The big tear." — to vvv. 
 Elmsley suggests rd vvv. — Utiva. " Those things (that 
 are past)," i. e., your former resentful conduct.— ydfjLovg 
 7rapen7ro\ujvrog dXXoiovg. "When he seeks profit in 
 other marriages besides his own." In place of the 
 genitive (absolute), which is found in all the MSS., 
 Porson and Elmsley give the dative TrapmnroXibvTi y. 
 . — eg to Xyov. "For the better." — dXXd t<£ xp^ v V' 
 " Though after some time." — ttjv vucwaav fiovXrjv. 
 " The wiser plan of action." 
 
 914-922. vfilv. Depending on iOrjKe. Porson and 
 Din dorf adopt Valckenaer's emendation, vfitiv. — gvv 
 Oeolg. " If the gods so permit it." Said equivocally, 
 because the gods willed otherwise, as the event proved. 
 — %vv Ka<nyvi)Toig. He means, associated with the chil- 
 dren of the new bride. — hi. " Yet," or " hereafter." — 
 Woifii. Optative, as expressing a wish. — ix9p<*> v twv 
 f/iwv. The Corinthian nobles, who would naturally be 
 jealous of his pretensions, as a foreigner, to precedence 
 in rank. — avrrj. " Here !" The pronoun has the force 
 of a kind of vocative, analogous to the Latin heus tu ! 
 
 925-933. ovUv tskviov, k.t.X. A comma is placed 
 at the end of this line in Porson's edition, as if Medea 
 had been unable to complete the sentence through 
 weeping. Elmsley, however, places a full stop, and 
 
MEDEA. 89 
 
 understands daKpvw. — tni Saicpvoig. " Prone to tears." 
 — i&jvxov. The old reading was l^vxow, which Barnes 
 corrected on conjecture, and one of the MSS. subse- 
 quently confirmed. Medea had not expressed the 
 wish that her children might live, but Jason had, at 
 v. 920. — fivrjaOrjaofiai. " I will now make mention." 
 
 938-945. airaipofiEv. " Are ready to depart." Equiva- 
 lent to cnraipuv 'iroifioi ecrpkv. Elmsley prefers airapov- 
 f-iev. " Will depart." — ovk old' av d ireiacupi. "I know 
 not whether I shall persuade him," i. e., I do not think 
 I shall. The same in effect as <j>6(3og el irtiaio. The av 
 belongs to -irtiaaini, and w r e have here a marked in- 
 stance of hyperbaton. Observe moreover that e/, in 
 the sense of " whether," does not reject av with the 
 optative. Porson reads ovk oW dp ti, but he is proved 
 to be in error by Elmsley. — Ei-rrEp yvvaiKwv, k. r. X. " If 
 indeed she is one of women, such as the rest are." Lit- 
 erally, " One of the rest of women." That is, if she is 
 like other women in her willingness to comply with a 
 lover's request, 
 
 946-958. KvWi^ofxai rovfe, k. t. X. " Will take my 
 share in this task." Partitive genitive. Compare note . 
 on v. 284. — KaWiorevETai. M Are the most beautiful." 
 — avdpog t apiarov <rof>, k. t. X. An instance of that cov- 
 ert irony in which the Greeks so much delighted. — 
 Trarpbg Trarrjp, k. t. X. Aeetes, the father of Medea, was, 
 as remarked in a previous note, the son of Helius, or 
 the Sun-god. Thus the garments had come into Me- 
 dea's possession as part of her tyEpvi], or dowry. Doubt- 
 less, remarks Paley, the garment itself was, in a sense, 
 a " sun-robe," for the similar one, sent by Deianira to 
 Hercules, smeared with some phosphoric preparation, 
 derived its efficacy from being exposed to the sun. — 
 dwpa fiEfjnrTa. The Scholiast says that this has a double 
 sense, namely, " Gifts not to be despised," from their 
 
90 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 beauty, and " Gifts the efficacy of which she will have 
 no cause to complain of," since they will prove fatal 
 to her. 
 
 959-972. u fiaraia. "Unthinking woman!" — didov, 
 for Sidotro. Ionic didoo, contracted Sidov. — npoQfou. 
 " She will prefer me." — ^ fioi av. " Do not you oppose 
 me." Supply e/jnrodwv ywy, or something equivalent. 
 The pronoun uv is frequently used with the ellipsis of 
 a verb, which is to be supplied from the context. — mi- 
 9eiv dwpa, k. t. X. A verse of similar import is cited by 
 Plato (Hep., iii., p. 390, E) ; duipa Oeovg irtiQn, dwp aidoi- 
 ovg (3a<ri\ijag. — Xoyiov. " Arguments." — keivtjq 6 dai/iiiov. 
 " Hers is the luck," i. e., and therefore the property 
 may as well pass from the unfortunate to the prosper- 
 ous. — vka TvpavvEi. " Young in years she rules su- 
 preme." — w TBKva. Apollodorus (i., 9, 28) gives the 
 names of Jason's two sons as Mermerus and Pheres. — 
 rovde yap, k. r. X. " For there is need especially of this," 
 i. e., this is all-important. 
 
 976-986. vvv iXirifcg ovketi, k.t.X. The Chorus, al- 
 ready apprised of Medea's intention towards the bride 
 and her own children, and hitherto weakly silent on 
 the subject, now give expression to their fears that no 
 hope is left, etc. — %6ag. For the common £w?)e, or Dor- 
 ic %<oag. Elmsley thinks that the common form, Z,ur), 
 should be discarded from the Attic dialect. He rec- 
 ommends, moreover, the accentuation £oa, genit. Z,oag. 
 Compare Blomf., ad Sept. c. Theb., 935. — xp v<7 ^ v avade- 
 afiiov arav. " The deadly mischief of the golden head- 
 band." — rbv"Aida Koafjiov. " The ornament of Orcus," 
 i. e., the fatal ornaments. — 7rs7rXov. Elmsley 's emenda- 
 tion, in place of the common reading 7r£7rXwv, which 
 not only injures the metre, but gives a wrong sense, 
 since the beauty of the garment could not persuade 
 her to put on her head the golden coronet. — vvfKpoKOfir]- 
 
MEDEA. 91 
 
 <m. " She will array herself as a bride." — epicog. This 
 term properly means anything that encloses, prevents 
 escape ; and hence, as here, " a net." 
 
 990-1000. «2 KaKowfi<pe, k. r. \. "Oh evil -wedded 
 man, connected by marriage with princes." The term 
 Kr}dt[iwv, equivalent to KrjdecTTrig, means a relation by 
 marriage as opposed to avyykvrig. Compare the Scho- 
 liast : avTi rov yafiPpL—oXeOpov (3iot$. Elmsley's read- 
 ing, instead of the common 6Xk9piov (3iordv. — ixoipag ggov 
 irapoix^ " How far have you departed from (your 
 former) fortune !" i. e., how are you fallen from your 
 high estate ! — jiETaaravofiai, " I lament too late." Ob- 
 serve the force of fisrd. Literally, " after " the evil has 
 been done. There is no need therefore of Blomfield's 
 emendation fisya m'i.vo\iai (adAgam., 1242). — aoi. "To 
 your sorrow." Ethic dative. (Jelf, G. #., § 600, 2.) 
 
 1002-1007. o'/cte (rot. The adjective aoi is much bet- 
 ter here than the dative of the pronoun would have 
 been. The latter, however, is generally given. — ra*ca- 
 6ev. "In that quarter," i. e., Kara rd irpdyiiara tKeWev 
 ovra. Compare Haftung, "Fried? ist deinen Kindem 
 dort." — tl <rrjv irpt\pag, k. t. X. Porson and Elmsley omit . 
 this and the succeeding line, as repeated from vv. 923^4. 
 As Pierson well observed, the proper word is urpsipeiv, 
 not rpknuv. These verbs convey totally different ideas, 
 the former meaning " to twist, or turn," with a rotatory 
 motion ; the other, " to divert from a forward course." 
 Compare the Latin words torquere and vertere. 
 
 1009-1016. iiwv tiv ayykWuv ; k. r. X. " Am I uncon- 
 sciously announcing any evil tidings ?" We must not 
 write riv here, but the enclitic tiv. — dofyg evayykXov. 
 " In the expectation of bringing good news." Ob- 
 serve that do%a EvayysXog is the same as do%a ayaOrjg 
 dyyeXiag. — 7roXX?j fi avayKrj. That is, 7toXXjj dvdyKr\ rov 
 
 / 
 
92 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 caKpvppoeiv tx EL /* e - — KaTBL tol Kai crv, k. r. X. u You too 7 
 depend upon it, shall yet be brought back by your 
 children." This is Porson's celebrated emendation for 
 the common Kparelg tol. The old man thinks that Me- 
 dea is grieving for her own banishment, though her 
 children are let off, and he therefore says this in order 
 to console her. — dXXovg KardZto, k.t.X. "Wretched 
 woman that I am, I will first bring back others (to 
 their home)," i. e., their long home, the grave. The 
 employment of KaTa£aj y here, in reply to the remark 
 made in the previous line, appears to confirm fully the 
 emendation of Porson. 
 
 1020-1027. xpv- Supply 7ropavveiv. — atyyv ph. " For 
 you two indeed." — kv $. To be taken with o/mfacrE, 
 and del with iareprifihoi. — el pi Srj. " Will go, it seems." 
 — 7rpiv a$ij>v vvaaOai. " Before I have derived any ben- 
 efit from you two," i. e., have been blessed in you. 
 The verb dviviifii is regularly construed with the gen- 
 itive. Not unfrequently, however, it takes the dative 
 in the sense of wQeXtioOm. — Xincrpa. " Your marriage." 
 — XafiiraSag f avavxtOtiv. According to Grecian cus- 
 tom, the bride was conducted into the bridegroom's 
 house by the mother of the latter bearing a lighted 
 torch. 
 
 1028-1039. avOadiag. Causal genitive. — dXXiog dp. 
 " To no purpose then, it seems." — Kai KareZdvOrjv ttovoiq. 
 " And was torn (in heart) by many a trouble." The 
 verb literally means " to comb or card wool." — r) prjv 
 ttoQ\ "Once assuredly." The particles »} \ii\v are 
 always used in strong asseveration. — ev TrzpioTtXuv. 
 "That you will lay me out fairly." — ZrjXiorbv dv0p<b- 
 iroiai. "A thing to be desired by men." Observe 
 that tyXiorov is in apposition to the whole sentence, 
 yripofioairijaEiv, k. t. X. — dXXo (rxwpa j3iov. " Another sort 
 of life," namely, no longer under a mother's care. 
 
MEDEA. 93 
 
 1041-1052. ysXiov. Cognate accusative. — oftfia <pai- 
 dpov. "The bright-laughing eye." — ovk dv dvvaifit]v. 
 " I could not do it," i. e., I could not have the heart to 
 commit the deed. — Kairoi H ttclgx^ ; " And yet what 
 is coming over me ?" i. e., what mean these new sen- 
 timents of compassion ? — dXXd rtjg sprig KaKtig, k. t. X. 
 " But to think of my weakness, that I should even 
 have let slip words of tenderness from my (secret) 
 heart !" In KaKtjg (where observe the accent as indi- 
 cating the noun) we have the genitive of exclamation. 
 Some, less forcibly, make KaKtjg the genitive of proper- 
 ty, part, etc., and translate, " The having let slip," etc., 
 " was only the result of my cowardice." 
 
 1053-1055. ory Sk fir), k. t. X. " But unto whomsoever 
 it may not be lawful to be present at the sacrifice ; that 
 shall be a care to him; for I will not unnerve my 
 hand." She means, " I ask no one to be present at the 
 sacrifice who can not lawfully attend ; that is his con- 
 cern, whether he choose to assist or to absent himself." 
 She has in view Jason ; and there is an allusion to the 
 Greek custom of a whole family attending round the 
 domestic altar, and also to the formula of bidding 
 those depart, before the victim was slain, who were 
 conscious of any unatoned guilt or unworthiness. 
 
 1058-1064. Uei. In exile, at Athens. — eixftpavovai as. 
 The pronoun here refers to Qvpk, in v. 1056. — nap "Aidy. 
 A much better reading than the common one, Trap 
 "Aidrjv, for the accusative would carry with it the idea 
 of motion. — iravTiog <r0' avayKrj, k. r. X. This line and 
 the one following it are repeated at vv. 1240-1. They 
 would seem to belong more properly to the latter 
 place. 
 
 1065-1079. Kal St]. a And now," i. e., and by this 
 time. — aXX' elfit yap dr), k. t. X. The dXXd is to go in 
 construction with (3ov\ofiai, and hence some place a 
 
94 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 comma after it. — rXrj^oveffHpav In. Inasmuch as death 
 is worse than exile. — dXX zke7. "But there." Am- 
 biguously worded on purpose. She means in Hades, 
 but the children are to understand it as signifying in 
 exile. — rd ivO&de. " The things that are here." An- 
 other ambiguous expression. She means, u The things 
 of this life," but they are to understand it as referring 
 to their living any longer at Corinth. — TrpoafioXi). 
 "Embrace." The idea is that of persons throwing 
 themselves into each other's arms. Hesychius says 
 the term properly meant the grasp which wrestlers 
 took on first confronting each other. — Kpeiaaiov tCjv 
 tfiwv povXevfiaTiov. "More powerful than my better 
 resolves." Observe the different meaning of povXev- 
 fiara here from that which occurred in v. 1044. 
 
 1081-1089. did XE7TTOT8pu)v fivQwv t/xoXov. " Have I 
 been conversant with more subtle arguments." — a/n'X- 
 Xag. " Disputes." — dXXd yap, k. r. X. " But (think me 
 not proud in so doing), for there is a spirit of inquiry 
 even among us, which holds communion with us to 
 teach us wisdom." (On dXXd ydp consult Jelf, O. G., § 
 786, Obs. 4.) — fxiav lv 7roXXa7g. Elinsley's conjecture, 
 adopted by Dindorf, for the common reading, 7ravpov 
 drj ykvog lv ttoXXcugiv. Porson, whom Hermann follows 
 rather than Elmsley, edits, -rravpov ydp dr) ykvog lv xoX- 
 XaXg. Klotz gives iravpbv tl dk drj, from two MSS. which 
 recognize the ™. — ouk diroiiovaov. " Not ungifted with 
 understanding." 
 
 1090-1097. rat Qrifii. The nal depends upon the 
 former part of the sentence, iroXXaKig r/cfy . . . kpevvdv. 
 — j3poru>v. Supply Tovrovg. — anEipoi. "Strangers to 
 wedlock." Supply ydfiov. — ovxl rvxovreg, k. r. X. The 
 idea in the poet's mind, observes Paley, is not fully 
 developed. Through inexperience whether children 
 are a pleasure or a pain, they have nothing to regret, 
 
MEDEA. 95 
 
 if they miss the pleasure, while they are relieved from 
 all the pain. 
 
 1101-1108. b7rw£ Qptyuai KaXwg. " In order that they 
 may bring them up well." Elmsley and others read 
 Qptyovai. " How they shall bring them up well." — iirl 
 <p\avpoig. "For bad." Paley remarks that t-rri here 
 really refers, not to the persons, but to the thing aimed 
 at for their sakes, namely, xpvl^ a(Tlv i since, otherwise, 
 7rp6 or v-n-ep would rather be required. — kcu drj yap rjvpov. 
 " For suppose now that they have found." Compare 
 v. 386. Observe the employment here of the active, 
 not the middle, the reference being to parents finding 
 for their children, not for themselves. 
 
 1109-1115. €i Se Kvprjaag, k.t.X. In this reading of 
 Paley's we have a nominative absolute, and with <ppou- 
 dog we are to supply tor/. Porson and Elmsley, how- 
 ever, give Kvprjaei, which seems preferable. Klotz has 
 KVpi)(jai, in the optative. — (ppovdog ig "Aidrjv, k. t. X. 
 " Death vanishes carrying off before their time," etc. 
 Observe the unusual sense to be assigned here to irpo- 
 <pkpuv. — Xvei. For XvaireXel^ as in v. 566. 
 
 1116-1130. ri)V tvxW' "The issue." — KapadoKu rd- 
 ke16ev, k. r. X. " I am watching eagerly what point the 
 affairs in yonder quarter will reach." She means the 
 palace of Creon. — ttvevixo. vpeQurfisvov. " His quickened 
 breathing," i. e., his breathless haste. — prjre vaiav, k. r. X. 
 " Having left neither ship-car nor land-traversing char- 
 iot," i. e., having got out of neither ship nor chariot 
 until you are in safety. The participle Xnrovtra is gen- 
 erally regarded here as equivalent to TrapaXnrovaa. 
 "Having neglected to avail yourself of." Hermann 
 says the meaning is, having left none behind for a 
 pursuer to employ in overtaking you. — rl d' a^iov poi, 
 k. t. X. " Why, what has happened requiring from me 
 
J 
 
 96 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 this hasty departure ?" Observe that /xoi is to be con- 
 nected with aZiov. Literally, " Worthy unto me of," 
 etc. — (ppovElg fikv. An instance of what is termed the * 
 •interrogative use of fikv. Consult Elmsley, ad loc. — 
 yKKTjjisvrjv. The common reading is yiaansvi]. 
 
 1133-1149. fir/ rnrkpxov. "Be not hasty," in chiding 
 me. — 7raprj\0e vvfupiicovg dofiovg. "Had passed by us 
 into the bridal apartments." Observe the force of 
 napd. The attendants were standing around the en- 
 trance. — i(j7ru(jQai. "Had made up." Observe the 
 middle force of airivfiu). — 6 \ikv rig. A frequent pleo- 
 nasm in Attic writers. — orkyag ywauciov. In Grecian 
 dwellings the apartments of the women were in the 
 innermost part of the abode, quite distinct from those 
 of the men, which last were near the entrance. — Oavfjia- 
 Kofiev. " Look up to," i. e., as being now mistress of 
 the abode in your stead. — Zwupida. Properly a pair 
 of horses yoked to a chariot, but used frequently for a 
 pair in general. — fivaaxBela. " Having been seized 
 with sudden loathing at." Observe the force of the 
 aorist. 
 
 1150-1155. aQypei. " Strove to remove." Observe 
 the force of the imperfect. — ov /*>) dvafievrjg iou, k. t. X. 
 " Be not unkind towards friends, but cease," etc. The 
 true punctuation of this passage is due to Elmsley, 
 who places a comma after okQtv, and a mark of interro- 
 gation after x^P lv - The firj belongs, as usual in this 
 idiom, only to the first clause, but the ov affects the en- 
 tire sentence down to %dpiv; and thus communicates 
 an imperative sense to the futures novati, arptyug, dsZei, 
 and Trapairr)(ju. Hence the literal meaning will be, 
 " Won't you be not unkind to friends, and won't you 
 cease," etc., " and won't you turn?" etc. 
 
 1156-1166. ovk rjvi-ffxero. " Did not hold out." — yvea, 
 
MEDEA. 97 
 
 for (Tvvyvsae, " assented," or Karyveae, "promised." — 
 fiaKpdv. Supply 6d6v. — -qinriax^ro. Porson and the 
 early editors have rnnrk<JxtTo, but Paley remarks that 
 7TEpi and afi^i seem to shun the change into e, at least 
 in the earlier Attic dialect. — eiicio. Accusative of sikiov. 
 Paley remarks that the expression is a peculiarly hap- 
 py one for the life-like but lifeless image reflected in 
 the mirror. — dfipbv paivovaa. "Moving along trip- 
 pingly," i. e., tripping along. — iroWd 7roXXa/ac, k. t. X. 
 " Ofttimes gazing intently at the straightened tendon 
 of her foot." As, in the Greek female dress, the foot 
 was only seen when it was advanced, the eye was di- 
 rected to it in order to see if the folds of the flowing 
 7T87r\oQ becomingly invested it. The older editors 
 wrongly understood rkvuv here of the neck. Elmsley 
 does not seem correct in explaining 6p96v by diepov. 
 
 1167-1175. rovvOhde fikvroi. "After this, however." 
 — X^xpia ttoXiv %wpa. " She moves back aslant," i. e., 
 not directly back to the seat she had left, but in a 
 transverse direction towards it, which implies inabil- 
 ity to control her limbs. — icai fiSXig QOdvei, k. r. X. " And 
 with difficulty anticipates falling to the ground by 
 sinking into her seat," i. e., she is only just in time, by 
 throwing herself upon her couch, to prevent falling to 
 the ground. The present participle is usually con- 
 strued with (pOavti in this sense. — dogaad irov. " Hav- 
 ing imagined, probably." — Uavbg opydg, k. t. X. All 
 sudden terrors or disorders were attributed to Pan, or 
 some other deity, as, for instance, Bacchus, Cybele, etc. 
 With this conviction, the old servant, from motives of 
 superstitious piety, raised a loud cry. — irpiv ye. " Until 
 indeed." — diro Kopag arphtyovaav. For diroaTpkcpovGav ko- 
 pag. Hence the true accentuation is a7ro, not diro. 
 
 1176-1182. sir dvTifioX7rov, k. t. X. " Then she uttered 
 a loud wail in a different strain from her other cry." 
 
98 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Observe that the KiOKvrSg here is directly contrasted 
 with the oXoXvyrj. — irarpbg dofiovg. Probably " the 
 apartments of her father," in the same mansion. — 
 Utvttei. " Kept resounding." — fjSrj & av 'iXicuv, k. t. X. 
 " And by this time a swift walker, taking step by step, 
 would have touched the goal of a course of six hun- 
 dred feet." By sXkujv kwXov, as Paley remarks, he 
 means that the man would only be walking, not dpo- 
 fiaiog, running in a race, as most understand the pas- 
 sage. The reference is to a regular, measured tread. 
 The usual length of the stadium was 600 Greek (606f 
 English) feet, and this, as a familiar measure of dis- 
 tance, is taken here to convey the idea of time. By 
 TFpfioviov, the (TrrjXrj, at the turn or bend of the course, is 
 probably meant. Elmsley says that clveXkuv, the com- 
 mon reading, implies the act of ascending, which is 
 not applicable here. Matthiae, who likewise con- 
 demns it, says it would refer to the return from the 
 oTiiXr) to the starting-place. 
 
 1183-1189. *£ avavdov, k.t.X. "After remaining 
 speechless and with closed eyes." The term dvavSov 
 here, says Paley, does not agree with 7rpo<rw7rov or ct6- 
 fiaroQ implied in it, but is to be taken absolutely, like 
 eg aTrpoaSoKriTov. The meaning is that Glauce had fall- 
 en senseless on the couch, but before a certain period 
 of time could have elapsed she started up again with 
 a shriek. — xP va °vQ \**v, k. t. X. Observe here the pecul- 
 iar force of the particles fikv and Sk. The coronet sent 
 forth flames from the hair, while the peplus kept gnaw- 
 ing away the flesh from her body. 
 
 1192-1203. apaporiog GyvSeafia eZxe. "Firmly held its 
 fatal tenure." Observe here the force of the plural 
 (pluralis excellentiae) in gvvSegiici. — fiaXXov dig roaiog r*. 
 u The more, and (indeed) twice as much." — Kapra <W- 
 fiaOrjg ideiv. " Very difficult of recognition to the view." 
 
MEDEA. 99 
 
 — dfi/jiaTiov KaraGTCKTiQ. " The staid and tranquil expres- 
 sion of her eyes." — ttevklvov 8&Kpv. The flesh "kept 
 dropping off (a7rsppeov) in great pieces, just as the tear 
 from the pine-tree," i. e., as one detaches lumps of resin 
 from the bark of a fir-tree. — yva9p,oTg. " Gnawings." — 
 Tvxnv ydp, k. r. X. " For we had her fate as an instruc- 
 tor," i. e., we had her sufferings to warn us. 
 
 1206-1218. SsfiaQ. The use of Sejiag to denote a 
 corpse is rare, and hence some, following Aldus, read 
 Xtpag. — tov ykpovra ti>ii(3ov. " The old man on the 
 brink of the grave." Observe here the force of rvjipov, 
 which would seem to fall under the head of the ab- 
 stract for the concrete. We have no expression in Eng- 
 lish exactly corresponding to this. Old men are also 
 called in Greek rvufioyzpovTZQ. — ZwQavoifiL vol "Would 
 that I could die with you." The optative, as express- 
 ing a wish. — ware kktctoq. Supply irpoakxzTai. " Is wont 
 to be held." — si dk Trpbg fiiav dyoi. " But if he had re- 
 course to violence," i. e., if he sought to extricate him- 
 self violently. Literally, " If he brought (the matter) 
 unto violence." Observe that the optative here with 
 Ei denotes repeated attempts. — ankcrr). "He ceased 
 his struggles." Compare Klotz: "remisit a lucta." _ 
 Valckenaer conjectured a7T£ff/3?;, but this involves a 
 tautology with what comes after. 
 
 1221-1229. 7ro6eiv7) daicpvoi(Ti (rvfupopa. "A calamity 
 to be regretted with tears." — Kai [ioi to gov, k.t.X. 
 " And let your affairs indeed be removed out of my 
 consideration." He passes on from her crime, on 
 which he declines to give any opinion, to a general 
 reflection on the vanity of human <ro(pia, thus indirect- 
 ly glancing at her reputation for superior wisdom. — 
 ovd' av rpfoag siiroipi. " Nor would I be afraid to as- 
 sert," i. e., and I would venture to say. — fiepL^vrjrdg \6- 
 ywv. " Careful about mere words," i. e., mere verbal 
 
100 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 discussions. He is thought to allude here to the Soph- 
 ists. — EvSaifiiov. This term alludes to complete and 
 permanent happiness, whereas tvrvxng means, merely, 
 fortunate, enjoying good luck. — emppvkvrog. Parti- 
 ciple, 2 aor. pass., from kirippku). 
 
 1238-1247. Kal firi axoXrjv dyovaav, k.t.X. Not, by 
 lingering and hesitating how to act, to let her children 
 fall into the hands of others, who will kill them in re- 
 prisal for her act. Observe the change of construction 
 in dyovaav, as agreeing with Ipk, to be supplied before 
 ticdovvat. — 7rdvT(jjg o<p' av&yKrj, k. r.X. This and the suc- 
 ceeding verse have occurred before at 1062-3. In 
 both places Dindorf brackets them as spurious. Por- 
 son omits them here, as recommended by Valckenaer. 
 — paXpida. " Goal," i. e., end or term. Observe that 
 {3aX(3ig (usually in the plural) properly means the start- 
 ing-posts of a race-course, and, since these were also 
 the goal, hence the end or term of anything. Paley, 
 however, gives fiaXfilda here its primitive meaning, 
 and translates, " A sorrowful commencement of life," 
 i. e., of your own life, by doing a deed which shall be 
 the origin of misery to you. To the same effect is the 
 Scholiast. But the other interpretation seems more 
 natural. — wg (piXraO'. " How passing dear " they were. 
 
 1252-1260. Karidere, Idere. Repetitions of this kind, 
 in which the simple word succeeds the compound, are 
 frequent in the Tragic writers. — rag (rag. The article 
 is inserted here by Seidler, for the sake of the metre. 
 (Vers. Dock., j). 162.) — cupari. Hermann considers the 
 dative here corrupt. Paley thinks that ((>6(3og ought 
 to be QQovog, which would then serve to explain dipari. 
 — (j>oviav re 'Epivvv, k. r. X. " And who has been turned 
 into a murderous Fury by the influence of evil de- 
 mons." So Paley, who, however, suspects some cor- 
 ruption in the text. 
 
M£l:F>\. 101 
 
 1261-1270. poxQpt; rkm>wv. *' The toil. bestowed upon 
 thy children," i. e., in renting them thus-* far. — Kvaveav 
 7TETpav. Doric genitives plural, for KvavEwv ttetp&v. — 
 dfieij3eraL. " Take its £>lace," i. e., the place of xoXog. 
 Compare the Scholiast : <p6vog t&v Tcaidiov dtaSsx eraL rhv 
 XoXov. Paley, less correctly, renders, " Why is mur- 
 der changed V i. e., why, instead of love and duty, is 
 murder adopted as a new and sudden impulse ? — x a ~ 
 Xettu yap (3poTolg, k. t. X. The order of construction, as 
 given by Pflugk, is as follows: ofioyEvi] yap fiiaffjiara 
 t7Ti yaXav (ttrrt) xa\67rd fipOToig, avTotpovraig dx*1 KwipSa, 
 TriTvovTa OeoOev ettI dofioiQ, and dxn is to be regarded as 
 in apposition with fuda^ara. " For the pollutions of 
 kindred blood poured on the ground are difficult (of 
 purification) for mortals, (forming as they do) corre- 
 spondent sources of calamity unto the murderers, fall- 
 ing from the gods upon their houses," i. e., they afflict 
 the murderers with punishments proportioned to their 
 crimes, and which are sent down upon them from on 
 high. The Scholiast correctly explains Swyda by crvfi- 
 tywva Kai a%ta tov roXfirifiarog Kaiea. 
 
 1271-1277. olfioi tL dpdtru). The cry of the children is 
 now heard behind the scenes. Observe that IIA. d= 
 Traig TrpujTog, and IIA. (3'=7ralg fcvrEpog. — irapkXQu) dofiovg ; 
 " Shall I enter the mansion ?" The murder, according 
 to the Greek dramatic rule, is supposed to be perpe- 
 trated within the abode, in the hearing of the audience, 
 but out of sight. Compare Horace, A. P., 185. — dpicviov 
 %i(povg. The same harsh metaphor, says Paley, of regard- 
 ing a sword as a hunting-net, occurs in Choeph., 567. 
 
 1279-1291. wg dp »)<x0a, «. r. X. " What a rock, then, 
 or what iron, were you all along, who will slay !" etc. 
 Literally, " How you were then a rock, or iron !" etc. 
 The English idiom is, " Surely you must be a rock," 
 etc. — dporov. "The race." Literally, " seed." — 'Ivu. 
 
102 NOTES ON EUillPIDES. 
 
 According. to the common account, Ino threw herself 
 into the sea from the Isthrans* of C/>rinth, with her son 
 Melicerta. The other child, Learchus, had been slain 
 by her husband, Athamas, in a fit of madness. Accord- 
 ing, however, to the account followed by Euripides, 
 she was driven mad for having offended Juno by 
 taking charge of the infant Bacchus after the death 
 of Semele, and while in this state she slew her two 
 sons, and then, wandering about, fell from a cliff into 
 the sea. — viv iZk-rrtii-tytv dXy. "Sent her forth to wan- 
 der." Literally, " in wandering." — ^ovy Svaaspsi. " On 
 the impious murder." An irregular dative. Supply 
 fc7ri or u/uia. — aicrrjQ vit^prdvaaa, k. t. X. " Having ex- 
 tended her foot above the shore of the sea," i. e., hav- 
 ing stepped over the edge of the cliff. — n S))t ovv yk- 
 voit, k. t. X. The meaning is, after such deeds as those 
 of Ino and Medea, what can happen deserving the 
 name of terrible ? 
 
 1296-1305. M yap viv, k.t.X. "For it is necessary 
 for her either that she," etc. The viv refers to hi, the 
 (T0£ to KpvQOrjvai. — ei firj dwaei. " If she does not intend 
 to give," i. e., if she intends not to give. — aQyog. The 
 subscript i results from the old form of the substantive 
 Qioir}. — dXX ov ydp, k.t.X. "But (why speak of her), 
 for I have not," etc. — firj fioi ™, k. t. X. " Lest they who 
 are related (to Creon) by birth do them any harm, to 
 my sorrow." With dpaaiDtn supply avrovg, and con- 
 strue pot as the ethic dative. There is no need of 
 Elmsley's suggestion that we should read viv for fioi. 
 According to the Greek law, on the nearest of kin to 
 Creon devolved the duty of pursuing the murderess ; 
 and the sons might live to avenge their mother's 
 death. — firjrp^ov <j>6vov. "The murder committed by 
 their mother," i. e., the mother kfiiov iraidwv. 
 
 1308-1316. t) ttov Ku.fi , k. t. X. " I suppose she wants 
 
MEDEA. 103 
 
 to kill me too, does she ?" Observe the force of the 
 particles. — 7rp6<T7ro\oi. This is addressed to the ser- 
 vants within the apartment, who alone could open the 
 door by removing the bar. At the same time Jason 
 impatiently shakes the door. — durXovv kcikov. The 
 murdered and the murderess. But he slightly alters 
 the sentiment in the next line, and naturally so, since 
 the idea of vengeance is uppermost in his mind. 
 
 1317-1322. ri raatie «wi?, k. t. X. Medea suddenly 
 appears overhead, and out of reach of her enemies, in 
 a car drawn by dragons, and bearing with her the 
 corpses of her children. — Kava/jLoxXeveig. " And try to 
 unbar," i. e., to have unbarred by those within. It is 
 a great mistake, remarks Paley, to translate, "And 
 force with levers," i. e., from without. — tpvfia 7ro\efjiiag 
 Xtpoq. " A defence against a hostile hand." So Oed. 
 
 2\, 1202, Oav&Ttov TTVpyOQ. 
 
 1323-1334. fieyuTTov IxO'kttti. The notion of the su- 
 perlative is sometimes increased by the addition of 
 the superlatives fityiaTov, /zaXiora, ttXugtov, to the su- 
 perlative of the adjective. — QeoTg re ko^oi, k. t. X. Con- 
 sult note on v. 468. — d-rraida. Supply icoi^aaa or Qeloa. 
 — iyu) dk vvv Qpovio. " Now at length am I wise." — tov 
 (tov akaarop. " Your evil genius." The curse which 
 she contracted by killing her brother, and which 
 eventually led her to kill her own children also, has 
 now fallen upon him, since he shares in their loss. — 
 Trapsanov. " At his own hearth," and so defiling that 
 most sacred sanctuary of suppliants. Compare the 
 Scholiast : "Aipvprov rbv adeXtybv rcapa ri\v etrriav icai tov 
 (3ii)fibv dvelXev. 
 
 1337-1349. Trap avdpi ryde. Equivalent to IfioL — wv 
 ye 7rp6<j0ev. " At least no one of those in preference to 
 whom." — Tvpvrjvidog. The whole sea on the western 
 
104 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 coast of Italy, even down to the Strait of Messina, 
 where Scylla and Charybdis were usually placed, went 
 by the name of " Tyrrhenian." — dXXd yap. " But (why 
 go on ?) for." — rbv k^ibv dai/iov. " This lot of mine." — 
 ov Traicag, k. r. X. Observe here the ov following ovte, 
 in place of another ovte. This is done in order to 
 make the second clause emphatic by giving it an in- 
 dependent character. 
 
 1351-1357. fiaKpav. Supply prjGiv. — d fir) Zevg Trarijp, 
 k. r. X. She is content with the conscious justice of her 
 cause, and therefore declines to reply to his charges, 
 although she could say much in answer to them. In 
 prose it would have been, dXXd gvvoiSe Zevg ola dya- 
 0d 7ra9ojv ola Kaicd tdpaGag. — gv d' ovk 'ifieWeg, k.t.X. 
 " You, however, were not going, after having dishon- 
 ored my bed, to lead," etc., i. e., " You were mistaken, 
 however, when you expected," etc. — ov& r) rvpawog, 
 k. t. X. Elmsley pronounces ovte and p}re after ov and 
 Uri to be solecisms, and therefore edits here, ovd' rj rv- 
 pawog, ovd' I) goi, k. t. X. — iicfiaXiiv. Supply e/xeXXe. 
 
 1362-1371. Gdtf IgQi, k.t.X. "Be assured of that. 
 Still, however, the pain is worth bearing, if you (there- 
 by) do not taunt me," i. e., cannot do so by reason of 
 what you yourself suffer. Observe that Xvei is again 
 used for XvglteXeI. — Trarp^q, voGy. " Through your 
 father's incontinence." She considers his second mar- 
 riage as resulting from incontinence, which is often 
 called voGog. Compare the Scholiast : Xayveiy icai dicpa- 
 rig, tov irarpog. — r)fir) fe^id y. He means, if it was my 
 voGog, at all events it was not my hand that destroyed 
 them, as it was yours. — dXX' vppig, k. r. X. She replies, 
 but still yours was the ama, if not the tpyov — a so- 
 phistical plea, observes Paley, to shift the responsibil- 
 ity from herself. — olfioi. Tyrwhitt proposes o7/*ae, which 
 appears decidedly preferable. Why, asks Paley, should 
 
MEDEA. 105 
 
 Jason say olfioi, when he is pleasing himself with the 
 idea that the slain children will bring a curse on her 
 head ? Hermann ingeniously suggests ov/*oi,i. e., ol ipoi. 
 
 1375-1387. pydioi $ cnraWayai. " Separation, how- 
 ever, is an easy matter." He appears to mean, easy 
 for you, and not indifferent to me ; for she then in- 
 quires on what terms it may be effected. — aicpaiag 9eov. 
 "The height -inhabiting goddess." Juno was sur- 
 named aicpaia from having her temples usually built 
 on high headlands. Compare Liv., xxxii., 23, as cited 
 by Elmsley. — Hktv^ov. Compare note on v. 404. — rkXij. 
 u Sacrifices." — 'Apyovg Xsi^avy. Consult the Greek ar- 
 gument prefixed to the play. 
 
 1390-1396. <j)ovia. "Which accompanies deeds of 
 blood," i. e., which avenges them. — diaaajv y\ The 
 particle yk here signifies " moreover," and, as Elmsley 
 remarks, is used with peculiar propriety when any- 
 thing is added in exaggeration of the observation of 
 the previous speaker. — fisve icai yijpag. " You do not yet 
 know," says Medea, " what grief is. Wait till you are 
 old, and then you will feel the loss of those who 
 would have proved your solace and support." The 
 reading ytjpag here violates the rule of synapheia. 
 Elmsley, therefore, would write in the next line qeu 
 TEKva <pi\Tara. Porson gives yripaoK. Paley, however, 
 follows those who maintain that examples are not 
 wanting even of hiatus or open syllables, and that, 
 too, where there is no change of persons, as, for in- 
 stance, Eumen., 301, 4, 5. Heath is disposed to remove 
 the conjunction ; but a paroemiac would not be intro- 
 duced with propriety when the characters speak in 
 alternate verses. 
 
 1399-1413. xpyZ" vTofiaroQ. This verb takes a gen- 
 itive here from the sense of kTndv^Cj. — TrpoairrvlaGQai. 
 
106 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 That is, wore TrpoGTrrvZaaQai. — tote. " Then," i. e., for- 
 merly. — b-Koaov yovv napa, k. t. X. The threnos for the 
 dead was properly performed over the corpse. Hence, 
 as he could not reach the bodies, he adds ott6<jov napa, 
 k. t. X. — KaTTiOedZu). This is Blomfield's suggestion, in 
 place of the ordinary reading, KcnnQoaZo), " And I am 
 excited with grief," which Porson, Elmsley, Pflugk, 
 and others retain. There can be no doubt about the 
 propriety of the alteration, as is shown by the words 
 HapTvpofizvog dainovag in the succeeding line. The re- 
 fusal to bury was regarded as direct impiety towards 
 the gods themselves. — fysXov. Bentley's emendation 
 for uxpeXov. The same license of omitting the aug- 
 ment in anapaestics is found, as Paley remarks, in 
 Pers., 899. 
 
 1415-1419. 7ro\\ujv Tafiiag, k. t. X. The concluding 
 anapaestics of the Chorus occur also at the end of 
 the Alcestis, Andromache, Bacchae, and Helena, ex- 
 cept that, in those plays, the first line is xoXXai pop^ai 
 tujv daifioviuv. The point of them is to impress on the 
 audience, says Paley, the inscrutable ways of Provi- 
 dence, and the utter uncertainty of man's hopes and 
 expectations. — to. doKrjQsvT. " The things expected (by 
 us)." — nopov. " A way of accomplishment." — cnrkpr}. 
 " Has turned out." 
 
NOTES ON THE HIPPOLYTUS. 
 
 AKGUMENT, ETC. 
 
 The Hippolytus is regarded by Paley as one of the best 
 and most highly elaborated of the extant plays of Euripides. 
 The general moral seems to be the folly of presumption in 
 disregarding the power of the gods, as exhibited in the fate 
 of Hippolytus for his neglect of Aphrodite'. The outline of 
 the play is as follows : 
 
 Hippolytus, the son of Theseus by an Amazonian mother, 
 Hippolyte, brought up by the pure-minded Pittheus (grand- 
 father of Theseus) at.Troezene, devoted himself entirely to 
 the worship of the virgin-huntress Diana, by whom he was 
 honored with an intimate though invisible companionship, 
 such as falls not to the lot of other men. But, in the pride 
 of her society, he slighted the power of Aphrodite, and boast- 
 ed himself superior to the ordinary emotions of love. To 
 avenge the wrong, and show her influence by a terrible ex- 
 ample, the goddess contrived that Phaedra, daughter of the 
 Cretan Minos, and second wife of Theseus, should become 
 deeply enamoured of the youth. Now Theseus was king of 
 Athens ; but he had retired to Troezene for a year, in conse- 
 quence of a manslaughter which he had committed, and thus 
 Phaedra's former flame (for she had first seen Hippolytus at 
 Athens, on his way to Elcusis) is revived and fed. The play 
 here opens. 
 
 Act I. Scene J— The goddess Aphrodite utters the pro- 
 logue, in which she gives a statement of the previous action 
 of the drama, and its future event. She then retires. (1-57.) 
 
 Scene II— Hippolytus comes in from hunting with his at- 
 tendants, who sing a hymn in honor of Diana. An aged at- 
 tendant remonstrates with Hippolytus on the disrespect he 
 shows towards Aphrodite. Hippolytus scornfully rejects his 
 advice. All retire. (58-120.) 
 
108 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Scene III.— -The Chorus, consisting of Troezenian females, 
 enter, and deplore the state of Phaedra, who seems a prey to 
 some unknown disease or affliction which she obstinately 
 refuses to disclose. (121-176.) 
 
 Act II. Scene I.— Enter Phaedra and nurse. The latter 
 complains of the changeable temper of her mistress, who fan- 
 cies one thing at one moment, and another at the next; and 
 she then soliloquizes on the cares of this life, which men 
 cling to only because they cannot penetrate the veil that 
 hides the mysteries of the other world. Phaedra, ill, fever- 
 ish, and love-sick, raves of the wild woods, the chase, and 
 the steeds of Hippolytus, until at length she finds relief 
 in tears. (177-266.) 
 
 Scene II. — The Chorus now endeavor to find out from the 
 nurse what is the matter with Phaedra. The nurse shows, 
 by questioning her mistress, how hopeless it is to extort the 
 secret. At length, however, Phaedra is induced to avow her 
 love of Hippolytus, and she gives the Chorus the whole his- 
 tory of her unfortunate passion. The nurse, alarmed lest 
 her mistress commit suicide, advises her to a course which 
 the latter instinctively rejects. The nurse then, as a des- 
 perate remedj 7 , resolves to disclose the whole affair to Hip- 
 polytus. She disguises her intention, however, and departs 
 apparently to procure a philtre that will cure Phaedra's 
 passion, and which the latter consents to use. (267-^524.) 
 
 Scene III— The Chorus deplore the violence of Love, and 
 the misfortunes he occasions, by his power as a divinity, 
 unto mortals. And they pray that he may never come to 
 them for evil, nor in excess. The angry voice of Hippolytus 
 is then heard within, and the Chorus are called to come from 
 the orchestra and listen on the stage. (525-600.) 
 
 Act III. Scene /.—The nurse meanwhile has disclosed the 
 affair to Hippolytus, who rushes on the stage, followed by 
 the nurse. He overwhelms her with reproaches, and utters 
 a speech reflecting severely on the whole female sex. He 
 then retires. (601-668.) 
 
 Scene II. — Phaedra reproaches the nurse, and rejects her 
 further counsel ; and, after exacting an oath of secrecy from 
 the Chorus, she announces her intention of destroying her- 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. 109 
 
 self, intimating that Hippolytus should also suffer. Phae- 
 dra and the nurse then retire. (669-731.) 
 
 Scene III.— The Chorus, in a highly poetical strain, wish 
 that they could fly over the sea to the end of the world, 
 and be at rest from the troubles of life. (733-775.) 
 
 Act IV. Scene I— An attendant announces the death of 
 Phaedra. Other slaves (ucocpa Trpoauma) are seen laying out 
 the dead body. Theseus returns from Delphi ; and, while 
 deploring the death of his wife, he discovers a writing tablet, 
 wherein she had accused Hippolytus of an attempt upon her 
 person. (776-901.) 
 
 • Scene II— Hippolytus enters. His father reproaches and 
 banishes him, rejects his denial of the imputed crime, and 
 prays, as one of three wishes that Neptune had promised to 
 grant, that some misfortune might happen to his son. Hip- 
 polytus retires. Theseus remains. (902-1101.) 
 
 Scene III— The Chorus moralize on the dealings of Provi- 
 dence with man. (1102-1152.) 
 
 Act V. Scene I—A messenger announces to Theseus the 
 death of his son, which is described at length. (1153-1267.) 
 
 Scene II— The Chorus sing a short ode on the universal 
 power which the goddess of love and her winged son, Eros, 
 exercise over all created things, even over the gods them- 
 selves. (1268-1281.) 
 
 Scene III— Diana appears, and discloses to Theseus the 
 whole circumstances which brought about the catastrophe ; 
 and, while she vindicates the character of Hippolytus, she 
 blames Theseus for his haste in expending so unworthily 
 one of the three prayers which Neptune had promised to 
 ratify. Hippolytus then enters supported and in a dying 
 state. He forgives his father and dies. (1282-1466.) 
 
 The character of Phaedra is admirably conceived. Her 
 fault, doubtless, is the false charge she leaves against Hip- 
 polytus ; and it is not clear whether her object was to screen 
 herself, or to be avenged on him for his proud indifference. 
 The former cause is alleged at v. 1310, the latter at v. 729. 
 
10 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 ilippolytus himself is hardly a pleasing character. His vir- 
 tue becomes pedantry when he carries it to a pitch that is 
 both unnatural and unfeeling; and his hatred of women is 
 unreasonable, just in proportion as he boasts of his igno- 
 rance of the sex. 
 
 This play was acted in 01. 87, 4, B.C. 429, when Euripides 
 gained the first prize. The author of the Greek introduc- 
 tion states that it was the second play of that name, and 
 that it was an improvement on a former one. That former 
 was known as the , linr6\vTo<z KaXvirTofxtvo's, because the 
 body was brought in at the conclusion covered with a cloth. 
 The present piece, byway of distinction, was entitled 'linro- 
 Xuto? arTscpavias, or cTscpavrcpopo?, from his offering garlands 
 to Diana, which he carries in his hand as he enters (v. 73 
 seqq.). The scene is laid at Troezene, and the Chorus con- 
 sists of Troezenian females. 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 1-5. noWr). In the sense of fieydXij. — KEKXTjjxai. This 
 may be regarded, in translating, as equivalent to ei/ii. 
 In reality, however, the expression ovk dviowfiog kskXij- 
 fxai is the same as 7roXXd dvofiara dvojxaZofiai, implying 
 the various titular distinctions and attributes assigned 
 to her. — oaoi re. Before oooi supply navriov. The 
 clause then will be the same as -cat navTuv oaoi, and 
 7ravr(ov will depend on rovg fxsv . . . rovg de. — ttovtov. 
 The Euxine is meant, not the Atlantic, as Monk main- 
 tains. The idea was that the whole habitable world, 
 measured in the direction of latitude, or by the appar- 
 ent course of the sun, lay between the Phasis and the 
 Pillars of Hercules, here called repfiovujv 'ArXavriKutv. — 
 <pwg opCjvreg r]Xiov. These words are added, because all 
 the nations between the two points just mentioned 
 were regarded as lying in the sun's path from east to 
 west, while all beyond the west was Cimmerian dark- 
 ness. — 7TpE(rl3evii). " I advance to honor." In the sense 
 of TrpOTifiOi. 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. HI 
 
 7-13. tvean t6Ss. "This attribute is inherent." — p,v- 
 Ou)v tujvSe. Namely, that she overthrows whosoever 
 do not recognize her power. — erjatug. A dissyllable 
 in scanning. — 'AfiaZovog. The name of the Amazon is 
 not given by the poet. According to some, it was 
 Antiopa, according to others Hippolyte. — Traidevfiara. 
 " The ward." Abstract for the concrete. Hippolytus 
 was brought up by Pittheus, father of Aethra, mother 
 of Theseus. — rijaSe yrjg. As marking the scene of the 
 play. — Tpoityviag. The territory of Troezene lay in 
 the south-eastern corner of Argolis. — 7re(j>vKsvai. " That 
 I am by my very nature." 
 
 17-19. napd'tvy Zwljv del. "Holding communion 
 w T ith the virgin-goddess." Not that she appeared to 
 him in a bodily form. Communing with her in spirit 
 and feeling. — i%mpei. "He removes," i. e., destroys. — 
 fisi^o) pporeiag, k. t. X. " Having fallen in with a greater 
 than mortal society." 
 
 22-27. rd TroXXd 8k, k. r. X. " Having cleared away, 
 however, before this, most (of the attendant difficul- 
 ties)." In 7rpoKo\pa<ja we have an instance of a nomi- 
 native absolute, unless we suppose a slight deviation, 
 in what follows, from the intended construction, since 
 the poet should have written ov tto\vv ttovov t%w. — (rsfi- 
 vatv tg 6\piv, k. r. X. " To behold and to be initiated 
 into the hallowed mysteries," i. e., those celebrated at 
 Eleusis in honor of Ceres and Proserpina. He had 
 gone, observes Valckenaer, to behold the mysteries, 
 and, having beheld them, to become perfected there- 
 in. The novices were not admitted into the inner 
 holy place until after five years' training. — Ilavdiovog 
 yfjv. Attica. Phaedra first saw, and seeing loved 
 him, at Athens. — Kareixero. Monk's correction for 
 KarkffxzTo, which does not seem defensible in a passive 
 sense. 
 
112 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 30-33. irsrpav UaXKddog. The Acropolis at Athens. 
 — iyKaQdaaro. " She caused to be erected." Observe 
 the force of the middle. The temple was placed in 
 such a position that it faced and commanded a view 
 of Troezene, across the Saronic bay. — 'IttttoXvt^ 8' ?7ri, 
 k. t. X. " And, by the name which she bestowed, gave 
 out to all coming time that the goddess had been hon- 
 ored with a temple on account of Hippolytus," i. e., 
 in commemoration of him and his visit. This passage 
 is evidently an interpolation, as the harshness of the 
 construction shows. It means, however, that, in the 
 absence of the object of her regard, she erected a me- 
 mento of him, called to 'ItzttoKvtuov after his name. 
 
 35-38. UaWavndujv. Pallas was the brother of Ae- 
 geus, and his sons attempted to dethrone Theseus, the 
 rightful heir, who, in consequence, slew them. — alvfaag. 
 ''Having acquiesced in." A murderer was liable to 
 prosecution from the next of kin to the murdered per- 
 son, unless he withdrew from his country for one year. 
 — kvravOa Srj. Namely, when now in Troezene, where 
 Hippolytus lived, and when she had again beheld the 
 object of her passion. 
 
 41-46. 7te(teiv. " To fall to the ground," i. e., to be 
 in vain. — KaK^avrj^erai. " And it shall become plainly 
 apparent." — top fikv fifilp, k. r. X. " Him that is a natu- 
 ral foe to us." — nTjdkv fioLTawv, k. t. X. " To pray thrice 
 unto the god for nothing in vain." Literally, "To 
 the extent of three times." His first prayer, accord- 
 ingly, was for escape from Hades ; his second, for de- 
 liverance from the Labyrinth ; his third, for the de- 
 struction of his son Hippolytus. 
 
 47-50. i) $' evkXeyjc nzv, k. t. X. " Phaedra, it is true, 
 is an illustrious woman." Venus is reluctant to ruin 
 one of kingly race, a daughter of Minos. — cnroKkvTai. 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. 113 
 
 u She perishes," i. e., she must be allowed to perish, in 
 order that vengeance may fall on Hippolytus. — to yap 
 Tti<r8' ov, k. t.X. " For I will not regard her misfortune 
 of more importance, as that my enemies shall not af- 
 ford," etc., i. e., " Of so much importance that my ene- 
 mies shall not afford," etc. More literally, " In respect 
 to my enemies not having," etc., for to fiij ov, k. t. X., is 
 the accusative construction, where we might have ex- 
 pected the genitive, tov p) ov, k. t. X. Observe that, in 
 scanning, //»} ov are contracted into fidv. Some read 
 koXov in place of kokov. Either gives a good sense, 
 koXov referring to her " noble birth," and kcikov to her 
 death by hanging. 
 
 51-57. dXXd yap. Construe dXXd with fifjaofiai. — kw- 
 Hog. "Noisy crew." Denoting here contempt. — Xk- 
 XaKEv. " Is uttering loud strains." — ov yap oJd\ k. t. X. 
 Since, if he did know it, he would be singing dirges 
 rather than songs of gladness. 
 
 58-68. £7te<70' ySovTsg, k. t. X. Hippolytus is heard ap- 
 proaching with a troop of attendants, his companions 
 in the chase. Before they come in sight they sing 
 the brief ode which here follows, thus forming a kind 
 of secondary chorus, of which there seems to be no 
 other example in the extant plays of Euripides. — x a ~ l P* 
 fioi. The dative seems to be used here as if the speak- 
 er had said, " Take a salutation at my hands." Com- 
 pare Jelf, G. G., § 600, 2. — EviraTkpuav avXdv. "The 
 hall of an illustrious sire." For avXrjv dyaOov iraTpog. 
 
 73-78. (rot tovSe 7rXeKTov, k. t. X. Hippolytus holds in 
 his hand a chaplet, with which to crown a statue of 
 Diana standing on the stage. Hence this Tragedy has 
 been named by the grammarians *linr6XvTOQ oTz$avr)§6~ 
 pog. (Consult Introductory Remarks, sub Jin.) — a%i6l. 
 "Ventures." More literally, "Deems it right." — dXX' 
 
114 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 atciipaTov. The repetition of the adjective d^jparog so 
 soon after its employment (v. 73) somewhat mars the 
 beauty of these lines. — Aldwg. " A feeling of rever- 
 ence," i. e., respect for religious places. — kt^ttevu. "Wa- 
 ters it." Literally, " Gardens it." The poet means that 
 from that mead, sacred to Diana, it was lawful for the 
 chaste alone to gather flowers ; and so a feeling of rev- 
 erence presides over it, and trains in it the flowers for 
 the chaste to gather. 
 
 79-87. offoig didaKTov ptjdkv, k. r. X. " Unto as many 
 as nought (of true virtue) is acquired by mere teach- 
 ing, but the being pure of heart with regard to all 
 things alike has fallen by lot (and become implanted) 
 in their very nature, for these it is lawful to cull (the 
 flowers of that mead), but for the impure it is not law- 
 ful." Observe that e'iXrjx^ is here taken intransitively. 
 The sentiment is one borrowed from a question then 
 much discussed in the schools, a didcucrbv y dperrj. 
 Monk, after Porson, gives oang for oaoig, because the 
 use of e"i\r)xev in an intransitive sense is rare. The ob- 
 jection, however, is a weak one. The poet means that 
 those only who are possessed of a natural and sponta- 
 neous purity of heart, and not the virtue instilled by 
 education, may gather these flowers for the goddess. — 
 reXog de K<x[i\pai[i\ k. t. X. " And may I bend (to its 
 close) the last course of my existence, even as I be- 
 gan," i. e., may I finish the race of existence with the 
 same purity of heart with which I have entered upon 
 it. A metaphor borrowed from the. Greek stadium, 
 where, in speaking of the horse or chariot, the verb 
 KdfnrTio was employed with the meaning of, " to bend 
 around," or " double," the post (/caju7rri7(o), and thus be- 
 gin the second half of the diavXog. 
 
 88-98. Oeovg yap. Supply \i6vov. The notion of 
 decFiroTTig involved that of dovXog, and, therefore, ap- 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. 115 
 
 pears (notwithstanding its very common use) a term 
 of offence to the Greek, who, though really a slave (v. 
 115), yet appears to claim the privilege of advanced 
 years (compare v. 107), and to speak his sentiments 
 freely. — rov $e icai, k. t. X. Observe that rov is here for 
 rivog. — jitaalv rb ae\Lvov, k.t.X. " To dislike haughty 
 deportment and exclusive manners." Literally, " And 
 that which is not friendly (alike) unto all." The ar- 
 gument is, that as a want of cordiality is odious among 
 men, so the gods also are offended if mortals stand 
 aloof, since they too take delight in being honored by 
 men (v. 8). — ical icepdog ye. "Aye, and profit too." — 
 elirep ye Ovriroi, k. t. X. " Yes, if we mortals practise the 
 rules of the gods," i. e., which the gods have given us, 
 and to which they themselves conform. 
 
 99-105. oefivfiv daipov. "A goddess deserving of 
 being revered." — nV ; evXafSov tie, k. t. X. The reply of 
 Hippolytus implies that he thought his attendant was 
 going to mention one of the Zefivai Geai, or Furies, who 
 were only to be alluded to with reverential awe. At 
 the same time it shows that he was thinking of any- 
 thing rather than of Aphrodite. — rrjvd' rj nvXaKTi, k. t. X. 
 A statue of the goddess, like that of Diana, would 
 seem to have been on the stage, probably one on each 
 side of the central door representing the entrance to 
 the palace of Pittheus. — ye fievroi. " And yet indeed." 
 — Qewv. One syllable in scanning. — evdaifiovoirjg, k. t. X. 
 " May you be happy, possessing so strong a mind (in 
 the present case) as you ought to possess," i. e., may 
 you be happy in the entertaining of befitting senti- 
 ments on this subject, since I am grieved to hear you 
 talk thus inconsiderately. Observe that the optative 
 sense is here continued in the participle. 
 
 106-113. OavficKTrog. " Who is worshipped." More 
 literally, " admired," or " held in honor." Consult 
 
."116 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Valckenaer, ad loc. — Tifialaiv, u> 7ra7, k.t.X. " It is in- 
 cumbent, my son, to observe the wonted honors of the 
 gods," i. e., to worship them in such ways and at such 
 times as they are wont to be worshipped. — Kara^x^v. 
 This he is to do with his own hands, after the fashion 
 of heroic times. — yv\ivaa(o rd 7rp6<j<popa. " I may exer- 
 cise them fitly." Accusative of the adjective taken ad- 
 verbially. Not, as some make it, a cognate accusative. 
 — 7ro\\a xaijoeij/. He means that he will have nothing 
 to do with her. The expression is meant to be iron- 
 ical, and so also ttjv gj)v, to which kyto is in opposition. 
 
 118-119. (TTrXdyxvov wtovov. " A self-willed spirit." 
 Literally, " vehement," "impetuous." — jxaraia fia&i. 
 " Speaks idly of you." — fir/ doicei, k. r. X. " Do not seem 
 to hear these things," i. e., pretend not to hear. 
 
 121-128. 'Qiceavov rig vdwp, k.t.X. "A certain rock 
 is spoken of as dropping water from Oceanus, sending 
 forth from its precipitous heights a flowing stream, 
 dipped up with urns." The sense is, there is a rock 
 sending forth copious streams of water fit for man's 
 use, which is said to be distilled from the great world- 
 encircling Oceanus. Monk, with many others, con- 
 nects wkeuvov with 7T£rjoa, and translates, " A rock near 
 the ocean," but irkrpa is too far away from ukecivov to 
 admit this. It is better, with Matthiae and Dindorf, 
 to join uKEctvov with vdwp, and to refer wKeavov to the 
 great world -stream, which was supposed to flow 
 around the circular disk or plane of the earth, and 
 from which all streams, and even springs of fresh 
 water, were believed to arise. — <papea. Euripides gen- 
 erally makes the a in $apog short, but it is elsewhere 
 long. — riyyovva. " Wont to steep." Observe that 
 from the employment of the term 7rop(pvpea, as indi- 
 cating the Tyrian-dyed royal robes, the poet means 
 that the news came direct from the palace. 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. 117 
 
 131-139. TBtpOfisvav voaepqi icoira. Here, as in Khes., 
 351, and Aesch., Supply 576, the antistrophe begins in 
 the middle of a sentence. — kclt afifipoaiov arojiarog. 
 "Down her beautiful mouth," i.e., throat. The epi- 
 thet here is merely ornamental, after the epic fashion. 
 — AdfiaTpog clktclq. " The food of Ceres." An Homeric 
 expression. Grammarians derive the term clktyj here 
 from aywaOai, in the sense of ground corn, and thence 
 bread, food, etc. Gottling, however, prefers deducing 
 it from ayw, "to bring," in the sense of "the food 
 brought by Ceres unto man." (Ad Hes. Sc. Here. 290.) 
 — KpvTrnf irdOu. The common text has irkvQu for ird- 
 0«, which last is the correction of Monk and Burges. 
 
 141-144. <rv ydp. The metre shows that there is 
 something wrong here. Dindorf gives av rap (roi dpa) 
 after Hermann, but, as Paley remarks, not only does 
 this make an iambus in place of a trochee, but the era- 
 sis is scarcely used in choral verse. Monk suggests 
 d ydp, Paley i) ovy. " Surely you are," etc., i. e., you 
 must be. — ivOeog. " Laboring under some malady 
 sent by the gods." — fiarpbg opsiag. "The mountain- 
 haunting mother." Rhea, or Cybele. 
 
 145-160. av d' aju^i, k. r. \. " Or, through faults com- 
 mitted concerning the huntress Dictynna, being un- 
 holy on account of unoffered sacred cakes, you are 
 pining away." Dictynna, as the Cretan representative 
 of Diana, is mentioned in reference to Phaedra herself, 
 being the daughter of Minos, king of Crete. Removed 
 from her home, she had forgotten or omitted the rites 
 due to her national patroness. — <poiT<jl ydp Kai, k.t.X. 
 "For she roams even through the waters, and over 
 the mainland, on the eddies of the liquid brine of the 
 deep," i. e., for she, as a huntress, has a wide range in 
 pursuit of those she wishes to overtake, and goes even 
 across the sea, and the continent which it washes, on 
 
118 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 the eddies of the briny wave. — iroifiaivei. " Is mislead- 
 ing." — Kpvirrq, koit$, k. t. X. " By a connection kept se- 
 cret from your bed," i. e., from you, his wife. — Xifikva 
 tov, k. r. X. Troezene, which, as the coast of Argolis 
 was generally aXifxevog, was one of the principal naval 
 stations. — (pdfiav. " Tidings," i. e., of some misfortune. 
 — -rraQsiov. "The sufferings of her friends." — evvaia. 
 " Having taken to her bed." 
 
 161-176. <f>iXeX Sk, k. r. X. " There is wont, too, to be 
 associated with the wayward temper of women an 
 evil, unhappy helplessness from labor-pangs and inor- 
 dinate longings." Paley says, the poet means to de- 
 scribe hysterical affections and the fancies often felt 
 by pregnant women. The implied sense is, that this 
 is what Phaedra may be laboring under. — lid' avpa. 
 "This thrill." — TroXv^Xwroc. "Much to be wished 
 for," i. e., most welcome. — ve<pog. " Gloom." — H de- 
 driXrjTai. For did ri SedrjXriTai. 
 
 179-198. rode trot Qzyyog, k. r. X. " Here is the bright 
 sunlight you have been asking for, here the open 
 sky." — vovepag Koirrjg. " Of thy sick reclining," i. e., 
 on which thou liest sick. — irdv l-n-og aoi. " Every word 
 uttered by you." — o^dXXei. " You find out your mis- 
 take." — dirXovv. "A simple evil." — x^P^ v - Porson 
 reads x El P°~ lv i which Monk adopts. — dvotpwreg ftf, *. n X. 
 " Thus then we are shown to have an insane attach- 
 ment to the present life, because this glitters brightly 
 upon the earth, (and also) through inexperience of an- 
 other (future) existence, and the non-revelation of the 
 things beneath the earth." — pvOoig. " By mere fables." 
 The legends about Charon, Cerberus, etc. 
 
 199-214. XsXvfiai. " I am all relaxed." — tvirrixug. A 
 mere poetic epithet. — kiriKpavov. A head-dress, con- 
 fining the hair, as the next verse implies. Its exact 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. 119 
 
 nature is not known. — yewaiov Xrjfiarog. " A high-born 
 spirit." — 7rwc av dpocrepdg, k. t. X. a Would that I could 
 draw a draught of crystal waters from some dewy 
 fountain." — Ko/irjry. " Grassy." The idea, however, is 
 properly that of the long grass waving to the wind, 
 like the tresses of the human head. — w xal, k.t.X. 
 The nurse, who little knows the purport of this wild 
 strain, advises her to be silent in public, lest her mad- 
 ly sounding speech bring her \o shame. Phaedra, 
 however, heeds her not. — ov fif) yripvou. " You surely 
 will not utter." Literally, " Won't you not utter ?" etc. 
 Consult note on Medea, v. 1151. — fiaviag tnoxov, k.t. X. 
 "Flinging forth speeches that ride upon madness," 
 i. e., frantic speeches. 
 
 215-222. el pi. Present, as usual, in a future sense. — 
 Kvai Ou)v£ai. u To shout to the hounds," i. e., to cheer 
 them on. — napd x aiT ^v. The dart was raised to the 
 head, so as to take sight along it. — eeaaaXbv op-raic'. 
 " The Thessalian shaft." < By Thessalian that sort of 
 javelin is meant which had the ayicvXr}, or loop, in the 
 middle. — imXoyxov fieXog. " The barbed missile." 
 
 223-227. KTjpaiveig. "Do you care for." — ri icvvrjye- 
 aiiov, k. r. X. " Why should there be any care for hunt- 
 ing even unto you?" i. e., what have you to do with 
 hunting, who are a woman, and unfit for such pursuits ? 
 Dindorf encloses this verse as spurious. He objects to 
 Kai dot as " ineirtum," and says that this is the only in- 
 stance of Kwriytma occurring in tragedy. — dpovepa <jwe- 
 xng icXiTvg. " There is a dewy continuous slope." 
 
 228-238. dXiag Aipvag. " Of Limne, near the sea." 
 This appears to have been a place near the sea-shore, 
 where there were gymnasia and race-courses. — nioXovg 
 'Evkrag. " The young Enetian steeds." The Eneti or 
 Veneti occupied a region of Northern Italy, at the 
 
120 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 head of the Adriatic, and were famed for the excel- 
 lence of their horses. Fable made them to have been 
 led to this quarter by Antenor, after the fall of Troy. — 
 vvv drj fikv opog, k. t. X. " Just now, indeed, having 
 gone (in imagination) to the mountain, you displayed 
 a longing after the chase." Construe iarkWov k-n-i tto- 
 6ov Orjpag. Literally, "You were set upon a desire 
 for hunting." — ^apaQoig krr cacvfiavroig. " On the sands 
 untouched by the waves." The reference is to the 
 dry sands, above the water-mark. Monk, less correct- 
 ly, renders cucvfiavToig, fluctibus multum percussis." — 
 fiavTsiag. " Divining skill." — avaazipalu. " Pulls you 
 back," i. e., draws you away from the straight course. 
 — 7rapaK07rTei. a Deranges." Literally, " Strikes awry." 
 
 243-249. Kpv\pov KEtpaXdv. Compare note on t-n-iKpa- 
 vov, v. 201. — aidovixeOa yap, k. t. X. Bothe regards this 
 line as an interpolation, on account of its singular 
 want of harmony. — typa. The Greeks regarded the 
 eye as the seat of shame. — to bpQovadai yvwjiav. u The 
 coming to one's right senses again." Paley explains 
 the whole passage as follows. The yap here, he ob- 
 serves, has this connective sense. (" Yet why should 
 I weep, why feel shame at returning to a right mind ?) 
 Because painful thoughts are thereby awakened; for 
 madness, bad as it is, has at least this advantage, 
 that it takes away the consciousness of former follies." 
 — /lm) yiyvuxTKovr. " Without being sensible of one's 
 miseries." 
 
 254-266. avaKipvaaBai. A metaphor derived from 
 pledging friendship over a bowl of wine. — aKpov. The 
 tragedians use this word of the inmost parts (as here), 
 and also of the mere surface. — cnrb r axratrOai, k. t. X. 
 " Both to reject and to tighten," i. e., in order that 
 men may be able to reject, repel, or resign them, if 
 necessary, as well as to cement them more closely, 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. 121 
 
 should it prove their interest so- to do. Compare Cic., 
 deAm., § 13. — v-n-kp Siggwv fiiav, k. r. X. That is, to have 
 the cares of a friend upon the mind as well as one's 
 own# — vTrepaXyoj. "Grieve for." Not "Grieve above 
 measure," or " exceedingly," as elsewhere. — (3i6rov drpe- 
 ksIq t7riTrjdev<TstQ. "That too careful attention to life," 
 i. e., too great efforts to secure happiness. — ao<poi. The 
 philosophers, to whom the sentiment must clearly be at- 
 tributed. Greek writers often cite proverbs in this way. 
 
 269-277. avrifia. "It is not at all clear." Plural 
 for singular (darj^ov), in order to denote emphasis. 
 Compare Med., 701. — IXsyxova. " By questioning her." 
 — tg tclvtov rjKEig. " You have come back to the same 
 point," i. e., I know no more what is the origin of her 
 malady, than what is the malady itself. Your attempts 
 to gain information in either case are equally futile. — 
 rpiraiav ov<r\ k. t. X. The usual construction would be 
 rpiraia dairog ovaa.— vir drrfg. "Through some mental 
 infatuation." Compare Monk, ad loc. " Apud Tragi- 
 cos drr\ dicitur de calamitate qualibet, sed praesertim de 
 ea, quae dimnitus immissa sit." — d-Koaraaiv. "A de- 
 parture from." 
 
 278-292. IZapicel. "Are satisfactory to." — 6 8k ov. 
 " But does not he," etc. Observe 6 for Uuvog. — dvdy- 
 ky]v 7rpo(T(f)epeig. "Employ extreme urgency." More 
 literally, " Bring to bear (upon this matter) the neces- 
 sity (of the case)." — lg irav d0ly/*ai, k. t. X. "I have had 
 recourse to every means, and have effected nothing the 
 more." — ical yvwfirjg 6S6v. "And having changed the 
 direction of your thoughts." Observe the zeugma in 
 Xvaaaa. — kyu> 9' ottt}, k. t. X. The idea is this : "And I, 
 on my part, if in any way I wrongly humored you be- 
 fore in assenting to your opinions, having now aban- 
 doned this course, will betake myself to another and 
 better way of addressing you." 
 10 
 
122 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 293-300. t&v cnroppriTiov kciicujv. Namely, those pe- 
 culiar to your sex. — ywcuKeg aide, k.t.X. "Here are 
 females present to assist in alleviating your malady." 
 — elev. " Well !" — w rdXaiv iyu). The exclamation of 
 the nurse on perceiving that her prayers have no in- 
 fluence upon Phaedra. 
 
 302-310. Iffov t$ vrpiv. " Equally with our previous 
 attempt," i. e., as much as before. — tTEyyeQ' ijSe. " Was 
 she softened." One of the MSS. gives WkXyeO', which 
 some of the early editors adopt. — dXX' 'iaOi h&vtoi, k.t. \. 
 " Know, however, that you are betraying," etc. Hav- 
 ing appealed to the Chorus, to show how vain are 
 kind and persuasive words, the nurse again turns to 
 Phaedra, with something of severity of tone, and 
 warns her that, if she dies, there is another and an 
 older son, who, though illegitimate, may yet be pre- 
 ferred to her own children by Theseus.— /it) neOk^ovrag. 
 " Who, in that case, will never obtain a share." The 
 children of Phaedra by Theseus were two sons, Aca- 
 mas and Demophon. — voBov, Qpovovvra yvi}<n\ " Of 
 spurious birth, though entertaining noble sentiments," 
 i. e., such as would become one of good birth. The 
 passage, however, is susceptible of another meaning, 
 which some may prefer : " Of spurious birth, indeed, 
 but entertaining high-born thoughts," i. e., as proud 
 as if he were legitimate. — Otyy&vei gsBev t6Se ; " Does 
 this appeal (in behalf of your children) touch you ?" 
 If by Tode the nurse had meant rode to ovo\ia, she must 
 have known Phaedra's love for Hippolytus. 
 
 313-325. 6p$g ; " Do you see ?" Equivalent to the 
 English, " There now." — <ppoveig fiev tv. The nurse still 
 supposes that the mention of Hippolytus is odious to 
 her mistress, as likely to supplant her children. Hence 
 irdidag dvyjaai in the next verse. — x et A*«^°i uat - "* am 
 tempest-tossed." — fi&v il inaKTov, k. t.X. " Is it in con- 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. 123 
 
 sequence of mischief brought upon you by some one 
 of your enemies i" i. e., some mischief not of a domes- 
 tic nature. The Scholiast understands magic influ- 
 ence. — firi djowo-' tywy\ k. t. X. A very indirect reply to 
 the question put, and yet, considering the state of her 
 own feelings, one full of meaning. — gaipei. " Impels." 
 Compare Alcest., 356. — ov di]9' iicowa, k. r. X. " True, 
 you do not intentionally wrong me, yet 'tis in you that 
 I shall be proved wanting," i. e., if you die, the whole 
 blame will fall on me. The nurse then, as a suppliant, 
 clasps the hand and knees of her mistress.— fiic&u %a- 
 pbg b£apTU)fiEvri. "You are using violence, hanging 
 from my hand," i. e., clinging to it. 
 
 328-335. aov fir) TvxeTv. " To be deprived of you." 
 Paley translates, " Not to gain you over to my views." 
 This, however, is tame. — 6XeT. This word is rightly 
 given to Phaedra, not to the nurse, as in Monk's edi- 
 tion. It is merely, remarks Paley, a repetition of kclkgl 
 ooi t<x$\ and Phaedra means to say that, though both 
 of them should perish, to her it will be an honor (sui- 
 cide being commonly so considered), but not so to the 
 nurse. — xpfoQ- The idea of xpyvra. is obtained from. 
 rifirjv (pspei in the previous line. — Ik tCjv yap alaxp&v, 
 k. r. X. " Yes, for we are contriving good things from 
 things dishonorable." By "good things" she means 
 the preferring of death to disgrace ; by " things dis- 
 honorable," the love of another than her husband. — 
 de%iav r efirjv fxsOsQ. Observe that the Attics said, /xs- 
 Qikvai tl and ixeOieaOai tlvoq. Hence we have yovdro)v 
 in v. 326, with fieO^trofiaL. — os(3ag yap x H P°G-> K ' r - ^- 
 " Since I respect the sanctity of thy hand," i. e., the 
 religious obligation imposed upon me by thy suppli- 
 ant hand. It was deemed impious to reject a sup- 
 pliant. 
 
 337-345. ohv, mtepj k. r. X. She wishes enigmatical- 
 
124 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 ly to hint her love, and, most probably, under this enig- 
 matical form she asks allowance to be made for her, 
 as deriving the passion from her family, and not from 
 her own fault. — ojnaifis. Ariadne, deserted by Theseus 
 in the isle of Naxos, and afterwards wedded to Bac- 
 chus. Phaedra means that in her family there was a 
 sort of fatal propensity to untoward loves. — ri 7rd(rx^Q ; 
 " What ails you ?" i. e., what is the matter with you, 
 that you talk so strangely of your own relations ? — t/c 
 toi 7rs7r\jiyiJLai. "I am thunderstruck." Observe the 
 tmesis.— eKEiOev rjfieig, k.t.X. " Our family are not of 
 late unfortunate from this cause," i. e., from love. The 
 words ov v£u)(TTi mean that since this long time past it 
 has exercised its influence among us. — ttCjq av av poi, 
 k. r. \. " How I wish you would say for me what I 
 have to say." Which in effect the nurse is led to do 
 in v. 352. 
 
 347-352. ri tov& o dfj, k. r. X. " What is this which 
 they say, that men fall in love ?" i. e., what do they 
 mean when they say that people fall in love ? — rifieig 
 av dfiev, k. r. X. "We then must have experienced the 
 latter lot," i. e., the akyuvov. Observe in Kexprjfisvoi an 
 exemplification of Porson's rule respecting a woman's 
 speaking of herself in the plural number, and using 
 the masculine gender. — ogtiq tto& ovrog, k. t. X. " (Yes) 
 whosoever this one is that is the son of the Amazon." 
 The verse is skilfully constructed to indicate her re- 
 luctance to mention the name, and thus she uses many 
 unnecessary words from her unwillingness to speak 
 out. — gov rdd\ k. r. X. She means, " It was not I who 
 said it, but your own self." This phraseology is em- 
 ployed when a person does not wish to deny a state- 
 ment, but in some measure evades it by attributing it 
 to another. 
 
 354-361. ovk dvaffxsT. " This is not to be endured." 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. 125 
 
 Plural for singular. Compare v. 269. — oi ow<ppoveg. 
 "The right-minded." Phaedra is intended, but the 
 remark is put in a general form. — ovk dp i\v 0s6g. " Was 
 not then merely a goddess." Supply fidvov. She was 
 more than a deity, if such can be conceived, by the 
 ruin which she has caused. 
 
 364-372. 7rpiv cav Karavvaai <ppevwv. " Before I have 
 arrived at your state of mind," i.e., "Rather than I 
 should attain to." — rpetpovreg fiporovg. " Accompany- 
 ing mortals," or " Supplying the food of mortals." 
 Monk makes the meaning properly to be, " prosequi 
 more nutricis" — iZtyrjvag Kaica. " Thou hast disclosed 
 thy evils," i. e., thy sad story. — rig ae iravanepiog, k. r. X. 
 " What sort of life awaits you all day long here ?" i. e., 
 how wretchedly will you live here all day long. Day 
 by day, and all day long, she will grieve over her mis- 
 fortune, till Theseus returns. — rekevrdaerai rt kclivov $6- 
 fioig. " Some new misfortune will be fulfilled for the 
 house," i. e., will happen unto it. — 61 QOivei, k. t. X. " In 
 what direction the issue of your love is setting," i. e., 
 what and where will be the end of it. 
 
 373-387. Tpogrjviai ywdiKsg, k. t. X. Phaedra, now 
 fully returned to her better senses, gives the Chorus 
 the whole history of her love, in a clear, eloquent, and 
 sensible narrative. — irpovuinov. "Vestibule," i. e., ves- 
 tibule or front of the Peloponnesus, as being the first 
 point reached from the East. — aWwg. " Casually," i. e., 
 without entering intentionally into the speculation. — 
 ov Kara yvwfirjg <pvmv, k. t. X. " To fare worse not from 
 the nature of their minds," i. e., not from any natural 
 fault of judgment. — ryd\ "In this light." — rd xph^r. 
 " The things that are for our good." — aiSwg re. " And 
 a feeling of shame." The poet, it is clear, remarks Pa- 
 ley, mentions this, as if the construction had been, oi 
 fiev vtc dpyiag, oi dk vcf rjdovijg, oi lie vir aldovg. — duraal 3' 
 
126 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 efoiv. "Now there are two sorts of shame." These 
 are (1) modesty, which shrinks from improprieties, and 
 (2) the fear of what men will say, which deters us from 
 doing what we know to be right. The poet rightly 
 says that these two feelings, or motives, are apt to be 
 mistaken, the one for the other. Thus, in Phaedra's 
 case, the aldwg that shrinks from revealing to her hus- 
 band the thoughts she has entertained towards anoth- 
 er is confounded with the fear of incurring disgrace. 
 The former was pardonable, the latter but perpetuated 
 domestic unhappiness. — el d' 6 ttaipog, k. t. X. " If, how- 
 ever, the proper occasion of each were clear, there 
 would not have been two things having the same let- 
 ters (in their name)," i. e., having the same name. 
 
 388-390. ravr ovv tneiSf), k. t. X. The sense of this 
 passage is very well given by Paley. " Since, then, I 
 had made up my mind beforehand on these subjects 
 (i. e.,the natural tendency to evil), there is no drug by 
 which I was likely to alter it, so as to fall into the con- 
 trary conclusion." That is, before she knew what, and 
 how irresistible love was, she had fancied her philos- 
 ophy was proof against any temptations. — Trjg tfirjg 
 yvw/irjc 6d6v. " The course of my thoughts," i. e., the 
 resolves unto which I came in succession, by reflecting 
 on the subject. — fe rovde. u From this time forth." — 
 yXioaay yap, k. r. X. That is, she had no faith in the ad- 
 vice of others, who can preach about their neighbor's 
 faults, unconscious of their own. — 9vpaTa <ppovr}fj,ar dv- 
 dp&v vovOerelv. "To utter admonitions against the 
 opinions of one's neighbors." For Ovpaiwv dvdpwv <ppo- 
 vi'if-iara vovQereTv. 
 
 398-414. rrjv dvoiav. " My mad passion." — ovk Qrjw- 
 rov. " Did not succeed." More literally, " Was not 
 feasible." — fiovXEVfiamv. "My successive resolves." — 
 XavQavuv KctXd. Supply cpwvy. — to tpyov. The illdlll- 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. 127 
 
 gence of her passion, which must have followed when 
 she found herself unable Kynpiv Kpar^ai. — SvatcXed. 
 Supply oixrav. — yvvf} re irpbg toT<t8', k. t. X. " Besides, I 
 knew well that I was a woman, a thing hateful to all." 
 — ToXaiv kadXoitnv doicy. " Appear right unto the rich." 
 Observe that laQXog here is employed to designate the 
 upper and wealthy classes, and so in the next line by 
 KaKoi are meant the poor and lowly, who will always 
 follow an example set them by the rich. Compare 
 Welcker, ad Theogn. Praef., p. xxii. — acjQpovag. " Dis- 
 creet." — ToXfiaQ ov KaXdg. " Habits of wicked bold- 
 ness," i. e., in actually sinning, while they profess vir- 
 tue with the tongue. 
 
 415-417. at 7rwg ttot. " How in the world do these," 
 etc. Relative clause for the demonstrative, which last 
 is to be employed in translating. — tov Zwepyarriv. 
 " That aided them in their wickedness." 
 
 419-430. avrb tovt. She means, the resolution not 
 to be detected, etc. — wg fifj. Equivalent here to 'Iva 
 fit). " That I may never," etc. If the poet had meant 
 a lest " I may ever, etc., he would have simply writtcn- 
 fi)). — fiijTpdg ovvek. " As far as depends on their moth- 
 er," i. e., as far as she can make them so. — afiiXXavQai 
 piy. " Is a match for life," i. e., can grapple with it, 
 can stand the wear and tear of life. This is explained 
 by what comes after. The only thing that stands the 
 test of time is a good character ; the bad are liable to 
 be detected at any time. — yvwfirjv. " Way of think- 
 ing," i. e., character. — TrpoaQeig Kdroirrpov, " Having 
 applied the mirror (to them)." 
 
 431-442. rb (raxppov. "Virtuous self-control." — Kap-Ki- 
 Zerat. " Produces as its own fruit." A much better 
 reading than KOfii&Tai. " Brings with it," which Monk 
 and others adopt. — IZatyvtig. " At the moment," i. e., 
 
128 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 before I had time to reflect. The nurse is now serious- 
 ly alarmed lest her mistress should really execute her 
 threat of suicide. — <pai>Xog ovcra. " That I was fool- 
 ish." — 7rspi(T(Tbv ovd' Hixi \6yov. "Extraordinary or be- 
 yond calculation." — ov rdpa Xvei, k.t.X. "It surely 
 proves of no advantage to those who love others, and 
 to as many as are about to love, if it is incumbent on 
 them to die in consequence," i. e., surely love for an- 
 other is not a thing of so much value that one must 
 die if it cannot be gratified. Observe the peculiar 
 meaning of twv 7reXag, as indicating one's fellow-creat- 
 ures, men in general, not merely one's neighbors. 
 There is a crasis in rdpa^roi dpa. 
 
 443-452. noXXi). " In all her power." Compare note 
 on v. 1. — i) top, k. t. X. " She comes with gentle influ- 
 ence," etc. Relative construction, for the demonstra- 
 tive. — 7repKT(rbv Kai <f>povovvra fieya. " Overweening and 
 full of proud thoughts." — 7tujq SoKeXg KaOvfipHrev. " How 
 think you ? she makes sport of him." The expression 
 ttGjq dome is strictly parenthetical, and presumes the 
 answer to be " very much." Observe, moreover, the 
 employment of the aorist to denote what is customary. 
 — <poiT$ de. " She roams too." — ov. "Whence." — ab- 
 Toi t efoiv, k.t.X. "And are themselves ever among 
 the Muses," i. e., are engaged in the study of literature. 
 
 456-460. dXX' o/xiog, k. t. X. That is, and yet they 
 (Semele and Cephalus) do not try to make away with 
 themselves, but live happily with the gods who car- 
 ried them off. — (TTspyovai. "They acquiesce." — olfiai. 
 Ironical, as if living with the gods were any iv\i$opd 
 at all. — fcxi prjToig. " On specified conditions," i. e., he 
 ought to have bargained that you were to be specially 
 exempt from love. — r) V£ dE<T7r6raig, k.t.X. "Or with 
 other gods for masters." Literally, "Or dependent 
 upon," etc. (Jelf, G. G., § 634, 3, h.) 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. 129 
 
 462-470. KdpT txovrag, k. t. X. " Possessed of sound 
 sense." — vooovvQ'. M Invaded." — pr) doicEiv bpav. " Pre- 
 tend not to see it." — iv (to0oT<ti yap, k.t.X. It is one 
 part of wisdom, says the poet, in the true Greek spirit 
 of dissimulation, to do anything to hide an ugly fact, 
 that is, to sacrifice principle to expediency. — Uirovdv 
 (3iov Xiav. " To make life too refined." — oi>dk rrrsyrjv 
 yap, k. r. X. " Nor can men fit with perfect accuracy 
 the roof with which a house is covered." The true 
 reading of this passage is extremely doubtful, and the 
 editions of course vary. The meaning appears to be 
 that men cannot, even by rule and compass, make the 
 roof of a house fit with perfect accuracy ; much less 
 can life be regulated with precision by any moral Ka- 
 vojv, such as philosophers have proposed. For the 
 government of rjg (where Valckenaer suggests ?J) con- 
 sult Jelf, G. G., § 483, Obs. 3.— kg tie n)v rvxnv, k. r. X. 
 This passage has no direct connection with what pre- 
 cedes. It refers back to v. 459.— iKvevaai. " To swim 
 out," i. e., to escape. From Uvsu). 
 
 471-480. aXX' a ra 7rXe('w, k.t.X. "But if you have 
 more good in you than bad, being but a human creat- 
 ure, you will do very well." This very moderate 
 measure of goodness, observes Paley, though of course 
 not to be estimated by the standard of Christianity, is, 
 after all, what practically passes muster even in modern 
 society. — vfip'&ovoa. " Acting haughtily," i. e., defiant- 
 ly. — ToXfia. u Endure it." — ev 7riog rrjv vogov Karaarpktyov. 
 "Bring your malady in some degree under fair con- 
 trol." Since you arc sick and cannot help it, the best 
 thing you can do is to bring your malady under some 
 control. — i) rap &i>, k. t. X. She alludes to the superior 
 acuteness of her sex in contriving and devising. Com- 
 pare Iph. jT., 1001, Seival yap al yvvaiKeg l^evpeTv rsxvag. 
 
 483-485. alvio ce ok. u Still, however, I praise you." 
 11 
 
130 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Though the advice of your nurse is better than your 
 own resolve to commit suicide, still praise is due to 
 you for your intention to die in order to save your 
 honor. This praise, however, is less agreeable to you 
 to hear, inasmuch as to die is less agreeable than to 
 live. — fiaXKov dXyiwv. Observe the employment of fiaX- 
 Xov with the comparative, which often occurs in Attic 
 writers, and where fiaXXov may be rendered u by far." 
 
 486-497. tovt toff, k. r. X. Phaedra rejects the ad- 
 vice of the nurse, as being a plausible but dangerous 
 argument. Euripides hits at the demagogues of the 
 day. — ti ae^ivofivOelg ; u Why talk you in lofty strain V 
 — Xoycov EvGxviJiovajv. " Fair-decked arguments." — ljq 
 t&xoq duarkov, k.t.X. Matthiae explains this passage 
 as follows: wg rdx^rra Ifie del dieidevai 'IniroXvTov, (sc. 
 are avyxwpr](T£i 001 eixe /17),) U7cov<jclv ai)T(f rbv ev9vv (sc. 
 rbv dXj]9fj) Xoyov ci/i^i gov. — auxppwv. " Of stronger self- 
 control." — dyojv fikyag. " The great struggle is." — ini- 
 <p9ovov. " Obnoxious to censure." 
 
 502-506. rovvofx'. She appears to mean the mere 
 shadow or reputation of (TwQpoavvt]. — irkpa 7rpofi?jg Tuivd', 
 k. t. X. Fearing that her virtuous resolve will not stand 
 proof against the persuasive eloquence of the nurse, 
 Phaedra begs her to stop at the point she has come 
 to. She needs nothing more, for she has disciplined 
 herself to bear her misfortune. — vireipyafffiai fikv eu, 
 k.t.X. "I have disciplined my mind well for love," 
 i. e., to bear its torments. — kg rov9' S 0euyw, k. t. X. " I 
 shall be thrown away upon the very thing which I 
 now shun," i. e., I shall be reduced, as a last resource, 
 to what I now deprecate, and all my arguments will 
 have been completely thrown away. 
 
 507-515. xpn v p&v ov , *• r - *• " You ought not to 
 have erred (in the first instance, by allowing such a 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. . 131 
 
 passion to come upon you)." — deurspa yap i] x^P l Q- 
 " For this is the next best thing (you can do)." More 
 literally, " The advantage (of what I recommend) is 
 the next in order." — OeXicTripia tpwrog. " Which soothe 
 love," i.e., charm it away. — ovt kir afoxpolg, k.t.X. 
 " Neither on disgraceful terms, nor to the damage of 
 your mind." — Kaicrj. " Cowardly." — rl otineiov. " Some 
 token." — irkirXuv dwo. " A portion of his vestments." 
 — Zwa-fyai r k SvoTv, k. t. X. The portion of the gar- 
 ment of Hippolytus, thus obtained, is to be united, 
 during the incantation, to a portion of Phaedra's. 
 Hence the expression in the text, " To make (by unit- 
 ing) one love out of two," i. e., to unite in one point, 
 to centre in one object, the love which has hither- 
 to proceeded separately, and as it were in distinct 
 streams, from- two. 
 
 518-524. orriog fxrj Qavyg. "Lest you may appear," 
 i. e., may turn out ; or, lest I may find you. — ttclvt av, 
 k. t. X. Consult note on Bhes., 80. — e^akcog. Dissyllable 
 in scanning. — rolg ivdov <pi\oig. She says this to mis- 
 lead Phaedra, and then leaves the stage on her ill- 
 judged mission. 
 
 525-532. o. For og. According to Dindorf, this is 
 the only instance, in the Tragic writers, where we have 
 the article for the relative in the nominative, though 
 it is common enough in the oblique cases. — kclt dfipa- 
 tmv, k. t. X. The idea, says Paley, of Love dropping 
 desire down from his eyes, is in accordance with the 
 Greek notion that the eyes were the seat of that pas- 
 sion. The common translation, "Down upon the 
 eyes," is erroneous. — crvv icaicy. "Accompanied with 
 evil," i. e., for evil. — appvOfiog. " In undue measure," 
 i. e., irregularly, or inordinately. — aarpuv. Some think 
 that the reference here is to the lightning, others to 
 the sunstroke; and others again to the notion which 
 
132 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 the Greeks had that sudden fits, or bodily and mental 
 affections, were caused by the stars. — olov to. The 
 common form of expression here would have been 
 Ikeivov o, which Matthiae thinks has been mixed up 
 with another construction, namely, toiovtov (3kXog harlv 
 
 535-543. dXXiDQ aXXwg, k. t. X. The idea is, 'Tis in 
 vain that the Greeks sacrifice to Jove and Apollo, at 
 their festivals at Olympia and Delphi, while they neg- 
 lect Love, the real ruler of men. — Teptfivoig. " Halls." 
 — aV. This word was added by Hermann (de Metr., 
 p. 445). — KXySovxov. In Winckelmann's Monumens In- 
 edits, etc., is an engraved gem, representing Cupid car- 
 rying a bunch of keys. — ov (repiZofiev. Valckenaer re- 
 marks that an altar was erected to Love as early as 
 the time of Pisistratus ; but the poet means that no 
 regular worship, as festivals or periodical sacrifices, 
 were instituted in honor of him as a god. — irdaag avp,- 
 <popag. " Every kind of fortune," i. e., both bad and 
 good. As the passage is commonly understood, Love 
 is said to bring " every kind of calamity." We have 
 preferred Paley's view. 
 
 546-553. Tav fxtv OlxaXiq, 7tujXov. " The maiden in 
 Oechalia." The allusion is to Iole, the last beloved 
 of Hercules, and a daughter of Eurytus of Oechalia, in 
 Thessaly. Hercules destroyed Oechalia, after slaying 
 Eurytus and his sons, and carried off Iole as prisoner. 
 — oticwv Z,£vZ,av air elpevip. For ai^o^v^aaa o'iicwv elpeaiq. 
 " Having taken her away from home by rowing," i. e., 
 by sea. Literally, " Having separated her," etc. — dpo- 
 fidda tlv "&i$og, k. t. X. " Like some swift-footed fury 
 of destruction," i. e., to Hercules and Deianira. Mat- 
 thiae remarks that persons were called "Aidov (Solkxch, 
 or paicxoiy who were maddened by any passion so as to 
 cause the death of others. — avv difiari, <jvv Kcnrvifi. The 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. 133 
 
 slaughter of her family and the burning of her native 
 city are meant. — iUdioicEv. " Gave in marriage." 
 
 555-564. <L ei](3ag hpov, k. r. X. The idea is, Thebes 
 can tell how terrible is the power of love, for it caused 
 the death of Semele. — <5 crofia Aiptcag. "O prattling 
 fount of Dirce." — ovvuttoit dv. " You can aid me in 
 telling." — wfi(j)Ev(TafX8vav iroT^if Qoiv'up. " Having mar- 
 ried by a fate which caused her death." — KaTEnavvev. 
 Paley's emendation for the common reading, Karevvaas. 
 — deiva yap rd navr, k. r. X. " For with terrible power 
 she breathes upon (i. e., inspires) all things, and like a 
 bee flits hither and thither." — o'la. For ola. Consult 
 Herm., ad Soph. El, 154. 
 
 5G5-567. myriffar, k. t. X. The angry voice of Hippo- 
 lytus is heard, refusing to conceal, even though on his 
 oath, the confidential communication of the nurse, and 
 uttering invectives against the whole race of women. 
 Phaedra perceives that she is now undone, and resolves 
 to make away with herself. — tKfiaOw. "Let me learn," 
 i. e., let me make out, or hear. We have here what is 
 termed the hortative subjunctive. It occurs mostly 
 in the first person. In the second and third persons 
 this exhortation generally assumes the force of a wish, 
 and therefore is generally expressed by the optative, 
 though the third person singular subjunctive is some- 
 times used as a strong prohibition. (Jelf, G. G., § 41G, 
 1, Obs.) 
 
 572-586. (pdfjia. " Ill-omened sound." — raXah ttvXcuq. 
 The doors in the proscenium are meant. The Chorus 
 are called to come from the orchestra, and listen upon 
 the stage, but, by way of excusing a movement so ir- 
 regular on their part, they reply, "You are close to the 
 door ; it is for you to attend to the sounds which are 
 conveyed from the house." — 7rop.7riua ^dnc dwfiariov. 
 
134 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Compare the Scholiast : 7) Ik t&v oIkojv 7refjnrofisvr] $<*>vi). 
 — tpa. "Has come forth (unto your ears)." — avdiov 
 deivd, k.t.X. "Uttering dreadful invectives against 
 my attendant." — a%av. So Elmsley, for iaxdv. — <ra<peg 
 & ovk £%a>, k. t. X. "But I cannot say for certain which 
 way (it comes)." Observe that owa is for otttj. The 
 Chorus, it is clear, have a much less quick perception 
 of what is going on than Phaedra, and therefore very 
 naturally inquire of her where or whence the noise is. 
 The very next verse, however, if we suppose it uttered 
 after a slight pause, and as the result of more atten- 
 tive listening, resolves the doubt just expressed : " It is 
 through the door, then," continues the leader of the 
 Chorus, " that the noise, it seems, reached you," and 
 therefore no wonder that we do not distinctly hear it. 
 
 587-598. ttjv irpofivrjtTTpiav. "The match-maker." — 
 7re(j)r}ve. "Have revealed themselves." Observe the 
 force of the middle. — tfw'Xwc, koXwq d' ov. " With friend- 
 ly intent indeed, but not rightly." — & 7ra9ova dftrjxava. 
 " Oh, you who are visited with irremediable misfor- 
 tunes." 
 
 601-609. <L yaTa, i. t. X. Hippolytus here appears on 
 the stage. So great is his virtuous indignation that 
 the nurse cannot stop it either by entreaty or by her 
 appeals to his oath. — r)\iov r dvairrvxai. "And ye dis- 
 closures of the sun," i. e., all-piercing rays of the sun- 
 light. — oira. " Sound." — vai npog <re, k. t. X. The regu- 
 lar arrangement of the words disturbed, to denote agi- 
 tation, as already remarked. — ov /i?) 7rpo<roi<TEiQ, k.t.X. 
 Consult note on Med., 1151.— 6 pvOog oSe. " This com- 
 munication of mine." 
 
 612-614. y yXww 6fiwfjLox\ k.t.X. This is the cele- 
 brated and much ridiculed verse for which the poet 
 is said to have been summoned before the court, as en- 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. 135 
 
 couraging perjury. Paley thinks it has been too se- 
 verely dealt with, and that it must be judged of, not 
 absolutely, as an ethical law, but solely in relation to 
 the circumstances of the case. He considers it, more- 
 over, uncertain whether Hippolytus says this in earn- 
 est, or merely to frighten the nurse ; since, at the con- 
 clusion of the play, we find him bearing his father's 
 unjust resentment, and even exile, rather than violate 
 this very oath, which he declares here to be no oath at 
 all. — cnrkirTvaa. " I loath, and have ever loathed (the 
 very name of such friendship)." Supply rovvofia, and 
 consult note on Med., 272. 
 
 616-626. Kipdrjkov kclkov. "A baneful counterfeit," 
 i. e., a counterfeit of humanity fraught with evil. The 
 term Kifidrjkog is properly applied to spurious or adul- 
 terated coinage. — rrapacrx^Oai rode. " For them to 
 provide themselves with this." The subject of 7ra- 
 paaxeaOai is fiporovg, understood. If the subject had 
 been Geovg, the poet would have employed Trapaaxtiv, 
 in the active. — tov rifiri^aTog, k. t.X. " Each for the 
 price of their worth," i. e., for the value of the price 
 paid. — tKTsivofiev. "We lay low," i.e., we overthrow, 
 or waste. The allusion is to the custom prevalent in 
 heroic times, when not only the father gave a dowry 
 (fcpvri) to his daughter, but the bridegroom also gave 
 presents (tSva) to the bride. The common reading, Ik- 
 Tivopev, violates the metre. Pierson's conjecture, ticni- 
 vofiev, is the language of comedy, not of tragedy. On 
 the meaning here given to iKreivofjiev, compare Med., 
 585. 
 
 630-637. arr)pbv <j>vt6v. " A baneful creature." The 
 common text has kcikov, but the repetition of this lat- 
 ter term has been already frequent enough. — dydX- 
 fian KaKivTij). " To a most worthless doll." — tK7rove7. 
 " Decks it out." More literally, " Makes it complete." 
 
136 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 — v7T£&\w3/. " Having diminished by little and little." 
 Observe the force of vw6. — tx a <>' avayicijv. " He has, 
 moreover, no freedom of action left him," i. e., a man 
 is reduced to such an alternative that the best he can 
 do is to balance the good against the evil, and so con- 
 gratulate himself at least on some degree of advantage 
 which he has obtained. — yajippoTm. Properly the re- 
 lations by marriage of the husband are called ya/xfipoi, 
 and of the wife 7rev0epoi, but the terms, as here, are of- 
 ten interchanged. — u^lerai. The indicative here with 
 ware means that as a matter of fact he does, because 
 he must, act in the particular way described. — 7nkZ,u. 
 "He outweighs." A metaphor borrowed from de- 
 pressing the scale of a balance. 
 
 638-644. p^wrov 8' ot^, k. t. X. " It is easiest, how- 
 ever, for him, for whom a wife sits at home, who is a 
 mere nobody, and incapable from her simplicity of 
 character." Literally, " Is settled at home." Such a 
 wife is regarded as a mere fixture. — r) d' dfirjxavog ywi), 
 k.t.X. "Whereas the woman who is without art re- 
 moves from herself any suspicion of infidelity by rea- 
 son of the shortness of her wit." Observe that fiiopia 
 here is not " folly," but answers to the Latin impudici- 
 tia or libido. Consult Dindorf, ad loc. 
 
 645-655. Trp6<T7ro\ov. " A female attendant." — <rvy- 
 KaroiiciZeiv avrdlg. " That men should set to dwell with 
 them." Supply avQp&Trovg. — Mkt] Orjpwv. A periphra- 
 sis for efjpag. Compare Aesch., Sept. c. Theb., 558. — «/ 
 &X 0V - " I 11 which event they would have been able." 
 Observe the employment of VW with the imperfect in- 
 die, to denote a result which would have taken place 
 if certain premises had been realized. (Jelf, G. G., § 
 813.) — nva . . . Ikeiviov. Observe the change of num- 
 ber. — kK(pEpov(Tt. That is, they spread the scandal by 
 telling family secrets. — vwaWayag. "A sharing in." 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. 137 
 
 — kXvZiov. " Pouring them." — Tvlbg av ovv Eirjv. " How 
 then could I be ?" Observe the employment of ttwq 
 av with an optative, but not in the sense of a wish. — 
 aKovffctg. " Because I have heard." 
 
 G57-668. 6eu>v. A monosyllable in scanning. — a<ppa- 
 ktoq. " Off my guard." — ovk av ttot to\ov, k. t. X. u I 
 would never have refrained from telling," etc. More 
 literally, " So as not to tell." The use of p) ov seems 
 to arise from the Greek practice of applying the nega- 
 tive to all the members of the negative sentence. — tg 
 t av. The ellipsis of y is as rare as that of tori is 
 common. — ovv irarpbg ftoXuv nodi. " Having come 
 (back) with my father's return." — r^g oi\g 8k roXfirig, 
 k. t. \. a And then having had experience of your au- 
 dacity, I shall know (the full amount of it)." Literal- 
 ly, " Having (already) had a taste of your audacity," 
 i. e., in your present conduct. — jx del Xkyeiv. " That I 
 am always speaking thus." — 7rw£. "In one way or 
 another." — ralod' b7refi(3aiveiv. u To make attacks upon 
 these." 
 
 670-671. rivag vvv rkxvag, k. t. X. " What arts have . 
 we now, or what arguments, having failed in our 
 scheme to undo the knot of his declamations ?" i. e., 
 to avoid or appease the threats he has expressed. The 
 common text has riva vvv ») rexvav, which does not suit 
 the dochmiac of the strophe, v. 363. 
 
 672-681. trvxofiev Swag.- "We have met with a just 
 recompense." Phaedra confesses herself conscious of 
 guilt, and it is one of the many good traits in her char- 
 acter. The phrase SiKrjg rvxelv commonly means, " To 
 obtain satisfaction from another." — to yap Trap' r)/iiiv, 
 k. r. X. " (None will do so) for the present calamity 
 of my life is going on, difficult to get out of," i. e., is 
 still advancing. — wsTrpaKTai. " All is over." Compare 
 
138 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 the Latin actum est. — kcikwq ff !%«• " And it fares bad- 
 ly with us." 
 
 683-692. Zevg ce, k. t. X. The common reading Zzvg 
 u 6 yewrjTwp kfidg contains a solecism, and should have 
 been 6 sfibg yevvrjriop. — ov Grjg Trpovvoi)Gd\ir\v (ppevog. 
 "Did I not foresee your intention?" These words 
 must either be taken as parenthetic, or else we must 
 regard the passage as involving a sort of varepov 7rp6- 
 repov. Paley, who adopts the latter view, gives the 
 sense as follows : " Did I not foresee your intention of 
 telling Hippolytus, and did I not therefore order you 
 to be silent?" — ovk dvsaxov. "Did not endure this," 
 i. e., the keeping silence. Supply myaxra. — Kaiv&v X6- 
 ytjv. u Of new plans." She means the false accusation 
 against Hippolytus, v. 885. — kpel Se mrflel, k. t. X. This 
 verse is omitted by many editors, and is not found in 
 one of the MSS. — cvfupopag. She fears that he will 
 speak of her suicide to Pittheus, with unfavorable 
 comments on her character. — naaav yalav. Athens 
 and Troezene. 
 
 695-705. £x ei £ ^ v rajxd, k. r. X. " You have cause to 
 be dissatisfied at the mischief I have done." — didyvio- 
 mv Kparel. " Masters your better judgment." More 
 literally, " Gets the better of a clear perception (of the 
 case)." — irpbg rag Tv%ag yap, k. t. X. " For we get credit 
 for wisdom according to our successes," i. e., we are 
 thought wise or foolish as we succeed or fail. — rpuaa- 
 aav iifiag, k. t. X. " After having injured me, then to 
 meet me in argument." Matthiae renders uvyxcopelv 
 \6yoig. " Verbis mihi concedere," " quae ego dixi vera 
 esse concedere," but this does not seem correct. — tan. 
 " It is possible." 
 
 708-721. ffavrrjg vrtpi (ppovriZ. "Employ your care 
 about yourself (merely)," i. e., take no more trouble 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. 139 
 
 about my concerns. — dv9dS' = d iv9dde. — TrpoaTpkirova. 
 "On reflection." Supply rbv vovv. Monk and Din- 
 dorf prefer TrpOTpk-rcovG '. — evprjfia. " Remedy." — aurt) r 
 ovaaQai. " And to derive benefit myself." — ovd' Iq irpoa- 
 (dttov, k. r. X. " Nor will I, for the sake of one life, 
 meet Theseus face to face, after discreditable actions." 
 The literal meaning of iiri here is " upon," or " with." 
 
 724-731. Ev<pt]fioQ "kjBi. " Hush V—Kal <jv y w, k. t. X. 
 M And do you at teast advise me well," i. e., ottwq koK- 
 Xiffra Gavovfiai. There is an emphasis in <rv ye. " Do 
 you, if the nurse does not." — a7ra\\axO?i<Ta. " By hav- 
 ing departed from." — x« r W— Ka%l ^W* Hippolytus. 
 — voaov. She means a<ppo<ruvt), but in the double sense 
 of pride and immodesty. Phaedra now leaves the 
 stage to execute her intention of committing suicide. 
 The Chorus thereupon, in a highly poetical strain, 
 wish that they could fly over the sea to the end of the 
 world, where lie the happy lands of the blessed, and 
 be at rest from the troubles of life. 
 
 732-741. d\t(3droig vtto kev9huhti. " Beneath the inac- 
 cessible hiding-places." She seems, as Paley remarks,- 
 to mean the caves and holes in inaccessible rocks 
 where birds congregate and build their nests. — dyk- 
 Xatg. The term dysXrj is often employed to denote a 
 flock or covey of birds. — dpOeirjv de. " For (thus) would 
 I be lifted on high," i. e., for, being thus winged, I 
 would direct my flight." — 'Hpidavov. The mythic Eri- 
 danus, not the Po of later geography, is meant. — irop- 
 (pvpeov araXdcTGovcn, k. t. X. " Drop into the dark swell- 
 ing surge of their sire the amber-flashing brightness 
 of their tears." The sisters of Phaethon, according to 
 the legend, were metamorphosed into poplars, and" 
 their tears, as they fell, became changed to amber. 
 The scene of the fable is here laid at the very extrem- 
 ity of earth, by the waters of the great world-stream 
 
140 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Oceanus. (Compare v. 121.) The sisters of PhaSthon 
 had for their mother the Ocean-nymph Clymene, and 
 hence 7rarp6g in the text properly means " grandsire." 
 
 742-751. "EffTrepidiov S\ k.t.X. "I would make my 
 way, too, unto the golden-apple-yielding shore of the 
 songstresses, the Hesperides." With avvaai/jii supply 
 udov. The reading doidwv is Monk's, in place of aoidav, 
 which would come from aoidai, "songs." Euripides 
 agrees with Hesiod and the older poets in placing the 
 gardens of the Hesperides in the far West, beyond At- 
 las, and conceiving it as a bright sun-land beyond the 
 darkness of the great ocean-stream. — irop^vpkag Xi/xvag 
 udov. " A pathway over the dark water." — Kvpiov. 
 " Holding as his own." Equivalent to tx ix)V - The 
 common reading is va'n»v 1 "Inhabiting," or "Dwell- 
 ing in," which Monk retains. The rspinov ovpavov is 
 the horizon, which the ancient Greeks believed or fa- 
 bled really to descend and meet the earth at the ex- 
 treme limits of the world. — Tbv'ArXag *x u , * t - ^ Ob- 
 serve that rov is here for oi>, and tx u for avkxu. — Kpijvai 
 re, for Kai 'iva Kprjvai. The poet is giving a description 
 of the happy land just before mentioned, and which 
 he identifies with the abode of the gods. — aft£« ZaQaa 
 x9(bv. He means, where the sky touches the earth the 
 gods derive additional delight from the products of 
 the latter. 
 
 752-757. w \EVK07rrepe, k. r. X. The Chorus now apos- 
 trophize the Cretan bark, which brought Phaedra to 
 the shore of Attica with an unlucky omen. To this they 
 attribute her unlawful love, and the unhappy but hon- 
 orable end which they are aware awaits her. — dm tov- 
 tiov, k. r. X. " Through the sea-resounding ocean- wave 
 of the brine," i. e.,the ocean-wave of the sea-resound- 
 ing brine. Observe the poetic tautology. — KctKowfxcpo- 
 t&tciv ovamv. " For the enjoyment of a most unhappy 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. 141 
 
 marriage." The accusative in apposition to the pre- 
 vious sentence. (Jelf, #.£.,§ 580, 1.) Put a full stop 
 after bvaaiv. 
 
 758-761. r) yap an d/MpOTSpwv, k.t.X. " For with evil 
 omens either from on both hands, or at least from the 
 Cretan land, did it wing its way," etc., i. e., the vessel 
 sped its way with evil omens, either on both shores 
 (Crete and Attica), or at any rate on that of Crete. 
 Some make Phaedra the subject of t-n-TaTo, but com- 
 pare Med., 1. — Mowvxov. The harbor itself, close to 
 the Piraeus, was called Movwxia, the eponym or hero 
 who gave the name, Movvvxog. — TrXeicTag iruoiidTiov dp- 
 Xciq. " The twisted ends of the cables," i. e., the ends 
 of the well-twisted cables. The hawser is meant that 
 secures the vessel to the strand. — dirtipov. Genitive 
 after yag. — tfiavav, 8C. vavrai. 
 
 762-775. avQ' u>v. " In consequence of which evil 
 omens." Supply oliovtiv. — ovx ba'nov tpwTwv. Depend- 
 ing on vdffy. — Qpevag KaTZKkacQr]. "She was smitten 
 in mind." Literally, " was crushed." — vTckpavrXog. 
 " Overwhelmed." A metaphor taken from a ship that. 
 is quite full of water, or water-logged. Paley thinks it 
 resembles the vulgar phrase, "Being over head and 
 ears in love." — liberal dfi(pl ppoxov. " She will fit 
 around her the noose." — daifiova arvyvbv KaraideaQelaa. 
 " Ashamed at the influence of a hateful deity," i. e., 
 Love. In other words, " Ashamed of her unholy pas- 
 sion." — avOaipovfizva. " Preferring." — diraXXdaaovaa. 
 " Driving away." 
 
 777-781. ev ayxovaig, sc. fori. According to the Scho- 
 liast, some assigned the words in the text, from lov 
 lov, to the nurse within doors, others to an tZdyyeXog. 
 This latter arrangement is followed by Valckenaer 
 and Brunck. Monk gives them to a female attendant, 
 
142 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Oep&Traiva. Strictly speaking, the IZ&yyeXog, in a Greek 
 play, is a messenger who brings out intelligence of 
 what has been done, or is doing, within doors or be- 
 hind the scenes; whereas the dyyeXog brought news 
 from a distance. Paley follows Dindorf in giving the 
 part to an dyyeXog, but incorrectly we think. — dficpice- 
 hov (riSrjpov. "A two-edged sword." Compare the 
 Latin, gladium ancipitem. 
 
 785-787. to 7roX\d Trpaaaeiv, k. t. X. That is, It is no 
 business of ours. A proverbial form of expression. 
 Neither the messenger nor the Chorus has any idea 
 that life yet remains. The only question is, who is to 
 cut down the body and straighten the limbs. — niKpov 
 t6S\ k. r. X. " This is a sad housekeeping for my ab- 
 sent master," i. e., this is a sad end of her who was 
 left by her husband, my master, to take charge of the 
 house in his absence. 
 
 790-794. yvvaiKeg, iare, k. r. X. Theseus here returns 
 from the oracle in the very midst of the wailing for 
 Phaedra's death. — ug 6e<op6v. It was an ill omen to re- 
 ceive with outward signs of grief one who had been 
 visiting the oracle of the god of joy and brightness. 
 The custom was for all the household to come forth 
 and welcome the new-comer. — jxaiv TlirOEiog, k.t.X. 
 " Has any harm been done to the aged Pittheus ? Sure- 
 ly not," i. e., surely no harm has been done, etc. Ob- 
 serve the poetic periphrasis in UirBscjg yrjpag, " the old 
 age of Pittheus." In giving a literal translation, it 
 will be seen that elpyaarai ljas properly a middle sense 
 here, and that yrjpag is really the nominative to it, 
 " Has had harm done to it." — rl vkov. Euphemism for 
 
 797-810. ovk lg yepovrag rsivei. " Has no relation to 
 the old." — avXarai. "Made spoil of," i. e., taken from 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. 143 
 
 me by the spoiler, Death. — fipoxov Kpefiatrrbv, k. r. X. 
 " She attached to her person the suspended noose 
 of strangulation." — Xviry iraxvioQEiaa. " Chilled with 
 grief." Literally, "stiffened," etc. — dvkarz\i\iai icapa, 
 k. r. X. It was customary for those who brought pro- 
 pitious answers from any oracle to return home wear- 
 ing garlands. — appovg. " The fastenings." The fioxXog, 
 or bar, is meant. He speaks, as is usual in such scenes, 
 to the servants within. 
 
 815-821. aag x e P^Q 7raXai(Tfia fieXkag. " The struggle 
 of your own wretched hand," i. e., a deed achieved by 
 your own struggling hand. This is in apposition with 
 what precedes. — loav. Compare Med., 976. — KrjXig 
 acppcHJTog. " A stain, not to be described in words." — 
 KarciKova fiev ovv, k. r. X. " Nay, rather the total destruc- 
 tion of a life no longer worth enjoying (has befallen 
 me)." The Scholiast says that there is an ellipsis here 
 of KdTsXapE fie, which shows that he regarded Karaicovd 
 as a substantive and in the nominative. The common 
 reading is KaraKOvq. fiev ovv afiiiorog jSio^, where KcirctKOvq. 
 is made a verb, " Keeps wasting me away." This is 
 given by Monk. The difficulty arises from the word's 
 occurring nowhere else. 
 
 823-832. UvEvaai. Compare v. 470. — riva Xoyov rd- 
 Xag, k. t. X. " Naming what reason (for the act), what 
 heavy-fated fortune of yours, O lady, shall I, wretched 
 man, hit the truth of this matter?" — 6pvig yap u>g rig, 
 k. r. X. He compares her to a bird which has suddenly 
 escaped from the hand that tenderly held it, and has 
 vanished from sight in a moment. — wpocrioOev tie 7roQev, 
 k. r. X. " But from some remote source I am bringing 
 back upon myself a fate appointed by the gods, in 
 consequence of the sins of some one of those before 
 me." We have here the doctrine that the sins of the 
 fathers were visited on the children. 
 
144 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 837-847. fuEToiiceTv. " To go to and dwell in."— <r*o- 
 ry Oavtjv. " Dead in darkness." These words cer- 
 tainly add no force to the sense of the passage. Mat- 
 thiae says they are added "per dbundantiam quandam" 
 Reiske ingeniously conjectures ckot^ crvvwv. — d-n-wXeffac; 
 yap, k.t. X. " For you have ruined me rather than per- 
 ished yourself." — rivog drj kXvio ; " From whom then 
 shall I hear?" Observe the force of the subjunctive 
 in k\vw. So in Latin : a quo tandem audiam ? — eIttoi 
 rig civ. " Might any one tell ?" i. e., " Will any one tell ?" 
 — ri (jTsyei rvpawov du>jj,a. " Or does my palace shelter.'' 
 — gLQev. " On account of you." 
 
 849-855. dpiffra. The Chorus, it will be observed, 
 by calling Phaedra apiara, exonerates her from all 
 blame. — cigteputtoq. Merely a poetical expression for 
 bright and shining. — KaTaxvBkvra. " Overflowing." — 
 to d' ettI T$de, k. t. X. " The evil that will follow upon 
 this I have long since been shuddering (to think of)." 
 The Chorus seem to fear lest harm should come to 
 themselves in consequence of the suicide of their mis- 
 tress. 
 
 856-865. tl Si) 7ro0' rifc SeXtoq ; " What means then 
 this letter here ?" — tI vkov. " Some new calamity." — 
 Xexovq /ioi Kai tekviov iirivToXag. " Injunctions unto me 
 respecting my (future) marriage and her children." — 
 IZaiTovfihr]. " Preferring some request." He antici- 
 pates that the letter referred to a second marriage, 
 which the Greeks seem to have held in some dislike. 
 Compare Alcest., 330. — tvttoi ye vQEvdovrjg, k. t. X. " The 
 impressions on the gold-wrought signet-ring of this 
 one here, who is no more, look tenderly upon me." 
 The verb Trpoaaaivw properly means, " to fawn upon," 
 and hence figuratively, " to seek to soothe," etc. By 
 (TtyEvUvr) (here the part for the whole) is strictly meant 
 the golden rim, or bevel, in which the seal itself was 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. 145 
 
 inclosed ; so called because it clasped and embraced the 
 stone after the fashion of a sling. The proper term for 
 the engraved stone itself was atypayig. — 7repi(3o\dg <r<f)pa- 
 jKTfxdTUJv. " The envelopments of the seal," i. e., the 
 sealed string around it. Letters were secured by be- 
 ing fastened with packthread put around them, as well 
 as through the tablets composing them, and sealing 
 the knot or tie with wax. — 'idto. " Let me see." 
 
 8G6-873. Udoxcug. " In succession." Equivalent, says 
 the Scholiast, to Kara diaSoxnV' — Zf 101 H- EV °vv<) K ' r > ^- " To 
 me, then, the condition of life would be intolerable to 
 obtain, considering what has been done," i. e., would 
 be impossible to bear, looking to what has been ac- 
 complished by the will of the gods. The Scholiast 
 correctly explains KpavQkv by <rvn(3dv. Observe that 
 with eh] we must supply dv. There is clearly no wish 
 expressed here, as some maintain. — oXofikvovg yap, k. r. X. 
 "For I speak of the house of my royal masters as ru- 
 ined, as no longer existing." — tori. " It is possible." 
 — -irpog nvog. " From somebody," i. e., from Theseus. 
 A foreshadowing of what is passing in the mind of 
 the speaker. 
 
 876-890. iLkra. For /*m<m.— /3o£. u Loudly utters." 
 — dwb yap oXofievog. Tmesis for a7ro\6fievog yap. — fizXog. 
 " Mournful tale." — Kaicwv dpxvyov. " Leading the way 
 to ills." — dv<TSK7repaTov. " Difficult to escape from." The 
 meaning, according to Paley, appears to be, " Hard as 
 it is to be divulged (to come out), still I will declare 
 it." — op/jia. The eye which sees crimes to punish 
 them. — dg ZfioL nore dpdg, k. t. \. Consult note on v. 44. 
 — Karkpyaaai. " Destroy."— craQelg dpdg. " Real impre- 
 cations," i. e., if the curses (power to curse) which you 
 gave me were real, and not a mere vain promise. In 
 v. 44, dpd has the general meaning of a prayer or wish ; 
 here it signifies a curse invoked in prayer. 
 12 
 
146 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 891-901. cnrEvxov ravra irakiv. " Unpray these again," 
 i. e., recall this prayer. — avBig. " Hereafter." — ovk Iotl. 
 He means that he cannot even if he would, since the 
 words once uttered are irrevocable. — k&Xuj. Contract- 
 ed for tZeX&aix). — irpog. For -irpoatTi. Adverbial. — napa. 
 For 7rape<rri. — (SovXevaai. The imperative is more ani- 
 mated here than the future, povXwaei. 
 
 903-915. t0' <£ tivl. Elmsley says that the Tragic 
 writers have nowhere else used <£ tivl for 'dry. The 
 order is, ovk oTda l<p' i£ tivl TrpayfiaTi gtevelq. — ri %(0?)/ia; 
 "What is the matter?" And so in v. 909, t'l xpwa 
 TraaxtL ; " What is the matter with her ?" — r<£ Tpotry. 
 Observe r<£ for Hvi. — o-iojwijg ovdev tpyov. " There is no 
 use of silence." — Xixvog. "Eager," i.e., curious, in- 
 quisitive. Literally, u greedy." — kpvwtelv. Takes here 
 a double accusative. 
 
 916-924. ttoXX' afiapTavovTEQ fi&Tijv. " Who vainly go 
 astray in many things." As adjectives, which signify 
 nothing new, but merely explain the words more fully, 
 are often added to nouns and verbs ; so some adverbs, 
 and esjiecially /acltiiv, are similarly used. — ppovelv dida- 
 aiceiv, k. t. X. Theseus begins his reply with invectives 
 against the hollowness of affected superiority in good- 
 ness and wisdom. His remarks at first are general ; he 
 moralizes on the wickedness of mankind, and speaks 
 at Hippolytus, not to him, until v. 946. The scene, 
 says Paley, is excellent, but that there is too much of 
 argument and philosophy for the urgency of the cir- 
 cumstances. — Seivbv aoQicTTriv dirag. " You have spoken 
 of a skilful teacher of wisdom. — lv Seovtl. Supply 
 Xpov<iJ. — fir} gov yXu>(T(j\ k. t. X. " Lest your tongue may 
 have run into excess through your misfortunes." 
 
 929-935. oTrujg ETvyxavev. "According to circum- 
 stances." Literally, " As it happened." The poet, ac- 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. 147 
 
 cording to Paley, means, that whenever men dissemble 
 there ought to be another and involuntary voice in 
 them which declares the truth, in which case the in- 
 sincere would be refuted by the sincere, and there 
 would be no chance of deception. — vouov^v SL M And 
 are we suffering in consequence." — ?k tol 7T£7r\?/y//at. 
 Observe the tmesis, as before. — 7rapa\\d<T(rovTeg, k. t.X. 
 "Wandering beyond the bounds of reason," i. e., from 
 the right course of thought. 
 
 936-941. ttoT. " To what lengths."— Opdaovg. " Au- 
 dacity." — kclt avdpbg fiiorov. " In proportion to every 
 man's life," i. e., if it should increase with every gen- 
 eration, and each succeeding generation is wicked in 
 excess of the preceding one, it will be necessary for 
 the gods to add to the earth another land, since the 
 present earth will not be sufficient to contain their 
 wickedness. — 6 vorepog. " The later-born." — elg v7repj3o- 
 Xrjv. " In excess of." — Oeoiai. A dissyllable in scanning. 
 
 946-951. Ineidrj y te, k.t.X. "Since you have con- 
 tracted this pollution," i. e., have been guilty of an act 
 of polluting guilt. The idea is : Let me see, now that 
 you are guilty, whether you can preserve the same 
 look of innocence as before. Look me full in the face, 
 if you are able. — Trtpwvbg &v dvrjp. " As being an ex- 
 traordinary personage." — 9eoI<tl 7rpo(j6eig. " Having (by 
 so doing) imputed folly unto the gods, so that they 
 think erroneously (concerning you)." Supply uktte 
 before Qpoveiv. He means, were I to believe these 
 boastful assertions of yours, I should be charging the 
 gods with want of intelligence in being deceived by 
 your hypocrisy. 
 
 952^957. Kal Si d^vxov popag, k. t. X. " And impose 
 upon men by your diet of food without life," i. e., by 
 your vegetable diet and abstinence from flesh. This 
 
148 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 mode of life was inculcated by Orpheus, Pythagoras, 
 and in fact in all the ascetic systems of Eastern origin. 
 Observe that Ka7rr}\evio properly is to sell by retail, to 
 drive a petty trade, to defraud, etc. — 'OpQka. Com- 
 pare Bhes., 944.. — /3a*x«;e. " Indulge in your mystic 
 orgies." There appears to have been a general re- 
 semblance between the Orphic, Pythagorean, and Bac- 
 chic doctrines, which need not be wondered at, since 
 they were all of common, that is, Pelasgic origin. 
 (Herod., ii., 81.) — iroXXu>v ypann&riov, k. t. X. " Setting a 
 high value on the inanities of many writings." The 
 term Ka-irvSg (literally a smoke ") is often employed to 
 denote things of no value whatever, that is, as empty 
 as smoke. Valckenaer thinks the allusion here is to 
 certain silly treatises, relative to the mystic doctrines 
 of Orpheus and others, of which knaves availed them- 
 selves in imposing upon the superstitious. — smi y k\i)- 
 <p9rjQ. The idea is : " These things will do you little 
 good now, since you have been caught." — aefivo'iG X6- 
 yoiaiv. "With fine words." 
 
 958-965. rovro. Namely, the fact that she cannot 
 be a living witness against you. — opKoi. Solemn as- 
 severations of innocence. — Xoyoi. " Arguments," i. e., 
 to prove one's innocence.— r6 dr) voOov, k. t. X. " That 
 what is spurious in origin is odious, forsooth, to the 
 lawfully begotten." Observe the ironical force of Srj. 
 — KctKtjv ap avrr'jv, k. t. X. " You speak of her, in that 
 case, as a poor trader in the commodity of life," i. e., 
 she made a bad bargain, if she gave the more valu- 
 able, her own life, in exchange for the less valuable, 
 revenge. — rd (piXrara. Her life is meant. Monk, less 
 correctly, translates, " her dearest connections." Com- 
 pare Alcest., 340. 
 
 966-980. aXX' wg to fitipov, k.t.X. "But (you will 
 say, I suppose,) that unchastity," etc. As regards the 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. 149 
 
 force of ii&pov here, consult note on v. 644. — to £' 
 dpijEVi k. r. X. " The nature of their sex, however, aids 
 them (in resisting)," i. e., their sex, possessed of more 
 firmness and resolution to resist, is in their favor. — 
 veicpov napovTog. The corpse of Phaedra. Corpses are 
 always of the masculine gender. — Qeodfu)rovg. Allud- 
 ing to the contest between Minerva and Neptune. — 
 i)(j(jT}di}(TOfiai aov. Not to be able to repay, when one 
 had received a wrong, was equivalent to a defeat.— 
 Tivig. The famed robber who infested the isthmus of 
 Corinth and destroyed his captives by attaching them 
 to two pine - trees bent for the purpose, which tore 
 them asunder by the violence of the recoil. — avwofioi. 
 " Skirting." Equivalent to 7r\i](nai. The term is prop- 
 erly used of animals feeding close together. The Sci- 
 ronian rocks, in the territory of Megaris, between Me- 
 gara and Crommyon, were rendered infamous by the 
 cruelties of Sciron, who hurled strangers from the pre- 
 cipitous pass into the sea below. 
 
 983-989. ZiHTraaig. "The perturbation." As K ara- 
 GTa<Tig is sedateness or tranquillity, so ^varamg is an ex- 
 citement, or drawing together, as it were, -of the mind. _ 
 Compare Cicero's contractio animi, as opposed to effu- 
 sio (Tusc, iv., 31). — t% ov KaXovg XSyovg. "Though 
 having fair arguments (in its favor)." The idea is: 
 This matter, so far as it is unknown to you, appears to 
 afford fair arguments against me ; but, if any one will 
 examine it, it does not involve any just blame against 
 me. — aKOfixpog dovvai \6yov. " Am not clever at making 
 a speech." — aotyurzpog. " More expert (in doing so)." — 
 txei fiolpav. " Has its share of advantage." He means 
 it is better to speak wisely before few, than plausibly 
 before the many. — <j>av\oi. a Who are held in no esti- 
 mation." 
 
 992, 993. Wev /x' v-n-riXOeg irp&Tov. " From that point 
 
150 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 on which you first unfairly assailed me, as if to ruin 
 my cause, and (leave me) without a word to say in my 
 behalf." Observe that oQev is equivalent here to 1% 
 Ikuvov tottov ov. The first charge of Theseus, to which 
 the accused at once replies, was that of incontinence 
 (v. 944). Markland conjectured kTrrjXOeQ ("you as- 
 sailed"), which Dindorf adopts. But, as Paley re- 
 marks, V7n~i\0eg is much better suited to dia<f>6epwv. It 
 was the secrecy, the suddenness, the unfairness of the 
 charge, that was intended to crush him. It is clear, 
 he adds, from v. 932, that Hippolytus thought there 
 had been a plot against him. 
 
 997-999. fxri adiKEiv. To be pronounced fiaSucelv in 
 scanning. — aidwg \ar\T inayyiKkuv kciko., k. t. X. " A feel- 
 ing of respect (for others, so as) neither to urge what 
 is wrong, nor to perform a discreditable service, in re- 
 turn, for those who use (their friendship)." Tbe com- 
 mon reading, which Monk retains, is airayykWEiv. " To 
 report," i. e., to speak what harm they know of others. 
 
 1007-1012. rb (Twcppov rovfiov. " The self - control I 
 lay claim to." — r$ TpoTry die<f>0dpriv. " In what way I 
 was corrupted." — iica\\i<TTEvETo. Observe here the em- 
 ployment of this verb in the passive voice. — tyicXrjpov 
 tvvi)v. " A marriage with an heiress." Phaedra, as 
 regent and guardian of her children, might be so con- 
 sidered in case of Theseus's death. — ovdapov pkv ovv 
 typtv&v. "Or rather out of my mind." The combina- 
 tion fiiv ovv (or fievovv) seems to answer to the Latin 
 immOj and is here connective. (Jelf, G. 67., § 730, b.) 
 
 1013-1020. dW tog Tvpavvuv, k. t. X. " But (you will 
 say, supposing you are chaste, that is no reason why 
 you might not have wished to aim at sovereign power), 
 since to rule is pleasing even to the chaste." — u fii) rag 
 <t>pkvag dd<p9ope. " Unless one is damaged in his judg- 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. 151 
 
 ment." Observe that dityQope is here intransitive. As 
 regards the change to the plural in oaoimv, consult 
 note on Med., 219. — KpareTv. "To conquer in." We 
 have here a common poetic anachronism, the games 
 having been of later institution. — rrpibTog. " As the 
 foremost champion." So, immediately after, lv ir6\u 
 devTepog, "As second in the state," i. e., under the 
 sovereign, or next to him. We must not confound 
 TTpwrog and devrepog with irptirov and devTepov, which 
 would merely denote first and secondary wishes. — avv 
 toIq dpiaroiQ <j)i\oig. "With the best as my friends." 
 He means, to be popular with the dominant party. 
 The party in power are always apurroi. — irpdvauv yap 
 tv 7rdpE<TTi, k. t. X. " For (in such a state of things) it 
 is permitted one to fare prosperously (i. e., as much as 
 any rvpawog), while the absence of danger confers a 
 pleasure greater than that of sovereignty." Matthiae 
 refers npaaauv to the management of public affairs 
 {res civ lies tractare, in republica versari), but it is better 
 to supply djg Tvpavvov. 
 
 1021-1035. rwv Ifiwv. "Of my arguments." — 6i6g 
 Br/* iyd). " Such as I myself am," i. e., truthful and 
 just. It may also mean, " (to prove) what sort of 
 person I am." Paley prefers this latter ; but the first 
 is the more natural. — Zpyoig dv ddeg, k. r. X. " Examin- 
 ing (into them) you would have seen by facts who 
 were the guilty parties." — i) rap oXoifirjv. " Else may 
 I perish indeed." — a-n-oXig, doacog, k.t.X. This verse is 
 generally believed to have been patched up from v. 
 1048. Paley defends it. The accusative x^ova is that 
 of duration in space, as it is termed. (Jelf, G. 6r., § 548, 
 g.) — dEifiaivovGa. "Fearing (anything)," i. e., through 
 fear. — ovk oUa. " I know not," i. e., he means, in his 
 own breast, I am bound to profess ignorance on the 
 subject, for by my rash oath I am pledged to silence. 
 — ov Okfiig. By these words Theseus is to understand 
 
152 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 merely that he does not mean to inquire into what 
 may concern husband and wife. For Theseus does 
 not know he has taken any oath of secrecy. Hence 
 in v. 1063 the words are addressed to the gods only, 
 and are not supposed to be heard by Theseus. — tcrw- 
 <pp6vi](Tsv ovk tx ov(Ta -> K - r -^« " She acted discreetly (i. e., 
 by her suicide) when she no longer had power to be 
 discreet (i. e., to preserve her good name), while we 
 who possessed discretion (i. e., chastity) made a bad 
 use of it (i. e., in letting it bring us into our present 
 predicament)." It will be observed that these words 
 are purposely ambiguous. 
 
 1039-1048. evopyriaiy. "By his coolness of temper." 
 Compare Bacch., 641. — Kal <tov ye kdpra, k. t. X. "And we, 
 for our part, greatly wonder at you for these things," 
 i. e., for thus talking and not acting. — toL " For a sure- 
 ty." — aXX' tK Trarpyag, k. r.X. Consult note on v. 1029. 
 
 1051-1059. ovdk firjvvrrjv xpovov, k.t.X. "Will you 
 not even accept Time as an informer against us (if 
 really guilty), but will you drive us (at once) out of 
 the land ?" — irkpav ye ttovtov. " Yes ; beyond the sea." 
 The particle yk is frequently thus used, where we 
 would say "yes." — toituv. The MSS. vary between 
 t6ttu)v and repfioviov r', but the latter is more likely to 
 have crept in from v. Z.—irhnv. " Proof." — aKpirov. 
 "Untried." — icXrjpov ov dedey^ievrj. "Having received 
 no soothsayer's mark." The meaning of the whole 
 clause is thus given by Paley : You talk of seers and 
 omens ; but this letter here, without having any of 
 your soothsayer's marks upon it, brings a trustworthy 
 accusation against you. With iriurd we may supply 
 KcirriyoprifiaTa. The icXrjpoi (Lat. sortes) seem to have 
 been the notes and observations recorded by augurs. 
 — 7roXXd x ai 9 HV <\eyw. He means that he cares nothing 
 at all for them. 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. 153 
 
 1060-1072. QeoL Pronounced as a monosyllable in 
 scanning. — rl diJTa rovfiov, k. t. X. Consult note on v. 
 1033. — ovq akpu). "Whom I revere," i. e., through re- 
 spect for whom I observe my oath. — ovg /tie M. His 
 father. — to vepvov to gov. " That cant of yours." — ovk 
 et; "Will you not go?" — rjjd' eV atriou "On this 
 charge," i. e., on so disgraceful a charge as this. — otrng 
 yvvaucujv, k. t. X. " (His) whosoever delights to take as 
 guest-friends the corrupters of women and partners 
 in mischief with them." Compare Monk's explana- 
 tion of ZwoiKovpovg KctKujv : " Qui simul cum mulierihus 
 domi mala patranV — wpbg rj7rap. " Goes to the very 
 heart." — (paivo/xai Sokio re. Euripides often joins words 
 of the same meaning. Consult Elmsley, ad Baccli., 617. 
 The tautology here, however, seems to be used for 
 emphasis. — irpoyiyvuvKuv. " To have known all about 
 your guilt beforehand." 
 
 1077-1083. ov \kyov. " Though it speak not." Here 
 is a dumb witness against you. — e<0' ?> sfiavrov, k. t. X. 
 "Would it were in my power, standing opposite, to 
 look upon my own self, in which case I would weep," 
 etc. He means that he would compassionate his own. 
 miserable plight. Observe the construction here of 
 wg with the indicative to express a result that would 
 take place if certain premises were realized, and com- 
 pare note on v. 647. — 7roXX<£ ye fxaWov, k. t. X. " You 
 practised the worship of yourself much more than the 
 doing what religion enjoined to your parents, being all 
 the while too (as you pretended) a just man." — voQog. 
 He fancies his father desires to ruin him, by a false 
 charge, merely on account of his birth. 
 
 1085-1100. ZevovaOai. "To go into banishment." 
 For the compound, curo&vovo-dai. Compare v. 1065. — 
 Kka'nov. " To his cost." Of frequent use in the Tragic 
 writers. So, on the other hand, x«'/o wr - " With im- 
 
154 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 punity." — Ovjjiog. "A desire to that effect." — ojg olca 
 fiev tout, k. t.\. " Since I know that these things are 
 so (i. e., must be so), but I know not how to speak of 
 them (i. e., I cannot bear to speak of them)." — ovvOaice, 
 avyicvvaye. "My companion, my fellow -huntress." — 
 'EpexOewg. Pronounced as three syllables in scanning. 
 — ug iyicaOripav, k.t.X. " How many pleasant things 
 have you wherein to pass one's youth." The Scholi- 
 ast makes the allusion to be particularly to gymnastic 
 schools of exercise. — irpoauTraQ\ " Bid me farewell." 
 It was an evil omen to leave one's country without a 
 friendly voice to say x ai P E - Hence the Greeks wrote 
 Xaipe on their tombs. — 7T|0O7r£/n//are. "Escort me." — 
 awtypovkartpov. " Chaster." 
 
 1102-1107. % fisya pot, k.t.X. "Greatly indeed do 
 the cares of the gods (for men), whenever they occur 
 to my mind, remove sorrows." Hippolytus having 
 left the stage to prepare for his departure, the Chorus 
 moralizes on the dealings of Providence with man. 
 It is consoling to the mind to believe in the care of 
 the gods ; and yet, when one looks at human life in 
 its varied and changing aspects, it is hard to arrive at 
 any clear view (Zvvemv) of the way in which Provi- 
 dence deals with man, etc. — Zvveviv dk nv\ k.t.X. " And 
 yet, while secretly entertaining in hope a sort of com- 
 prehension (of the ways of Providence), I am left com- 
 pletely at fault when taking a survey amid both the 
 fortunes and the actions of mortals," i. e., when I im- 
 agine that I have within me a clear perception of the 
 laws of Providence, I find myself completely at a loss 
 when comparing men's fortunes with their conduct, 
 and all appears confused and irregular. Observe the 
 masculines kev9iov and Ae*Wwv employed here, though 
 the Chorus is female. Hermann maintains that a gen- 
 eral sentiment, even when enunciated by a woman, 
 may be expressed by a masculine participle. Paley, 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. 155 
 
 on the other hand, follows the Scholiast, who makes 
 the poet speak here in his own character. 
 
 1108-1120. dXXa yap aXXoOev, k.t.X. " For (human) 
 things keep changing, some from one side, others from 
 another, and man's mutable state of existence is al- 
 ways altering." — rvxav jxer o\(3ov. "A lot attended 
 by wealth.' 7 — d6£a 8k \iy\t arpeiciig, k. t. X. " And may I 
 enjoy a reputation, neither too elevated, nor yet unde- 
 served." Literally, " Nor yet counterfeit," such being 
 the true force of irapavmioQ. The danger attending a 
 high reputation is illustrated by the fall of Hippoly- 
 tus. — rbv avpiov xpovov ari. "Against the morrow, 
 whenever it comes." The Chorus pray for the power 
 of accommodating one's self to circumstances, and so 
 to be ever prepared for what the morrow may bring, 
 which is a condition of happiness through life. — (3iov 
 (tvvevtvxoit]v. "May I enjoy a happy life with those 
 around me." Observe the force of <wv. — KaQapav <ppkva. 
 " A clear, undisturbed mind." A metaphor taken from 
 water. — irapa d' lX7rida Xnvcrau). " But see (things)." 
 
 1125-1136. ikfxevov. The t is lengthened here after 
 the Attic usage. — 7roXir)Tidog ciktclq. " Of my country's 
 shore." The stadium was on the sea-strand. — tvaipev. 
 Observe the omission of the augment. — AiKTwvav d^Kpi 
 (TEfivav. "Accompanying the revered Diana." The 
 goddess is here called by her Cretan name Dictynna. 
 Compare v. 146. — (rv&yiav ttuXuv 'Everav. " The char- 
 iot drawn by the team of Enetian steeds." — rbv a/upi 
 Aifivag rpoxov, k. t. X. " Restraining with the foot the 
 exercising coursers in the race -course round about 
 Limne," i. e., pulling in by setting the feet firmly 
 against the front of the chariot. With regard to Lim- 
 ne, consult note on v. 228. The accusative rpoxov 
 marks what is termed duration of space. More liter- 
 ally, " Along the race-course." Compare note on xQova, 
 
156 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 v. 1029. — fiovffa & avTrvoQ, k.t.X. "The sleepless song 
 too from the chords beneath the cross-bar of the lyre 
 shall cease throughout thy father's abode." The avrvZ, 
 or Zvyog, is the part which joins the arms or horns of 
 the instrument, and into which are fixed the pins that 
 stretch the strings. 
 
 1137-1151. a<TTk<pavoi 8k. "Undecked too with 
 crowns shall be." Supply tvovrm. — dvdiravXai. The 
 haunts or resting-places where the goddess was 
 thought to loiter or enjoy a mid-day slumber. — <y$ 
 dvcrrvxi?. " On account of your evil fortune." — -k6t\iov 
 airoT^ov. "An ill-starred lot."— tTSKeg dvovciTa. " You 
 bore a profitless birth." — \iav'aa Oeoimv. " I am angry 
 at the gods." Observe that fiaviia is Doric for fitrvifc, 
 and on the quantity of the i consult note on Bhes., 494. 
 — ovlvyiai xdpireg. "Ye sister Graces. 1 ' The Graces 
 are invoked as having sustained a loss in the youth 
 and beauty of the exiled Hippolytus. — Kai prjv. " And 
 lo l"—T6vde. " Here." 
 
 1 153-1 1G6. ttoI yrjg dvcucra, k. t. X. Paley assigns these 
 words to an l^dyyeXog. An dyyeXog, however, as given 
 in other editions, would certainly be more correct. 
 Consult note on v. 777. — od' avrbg iropemrai. "Here 
 he is himself coming." — o'l r 'AQnvalwv 7r6Xiv, k.t.X. 
 Since Theseus was born of an Athenian father but a 
 Troezenian mother, namely, Aethra, daughter of Pit- 
 theus, any calamity affecting him would also affect the 
 citizens of both places. In truth, here as in v. 1094, 
 Athens and Troezene are regarded as under one king. 
 Pittheus, it seems, had resigned his throne, at an ad- 
 vanced age, to his grandson Theseus. — dsdopice jievtoi, 
 k.t.X. "He views the light, however, upon a slight 
 turn of the scale," i. e., for but a short moment. He 
 should properly have said, to SeSopKevai tyiog iiri GfiiKpag 
 po7rr}g tari. " His seeing the light (or not seeing it) 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. 157 
 
 rests on a slight turn of the scale." — rov. For rivog. — 
 di fyOpag fiwv, k.t.X. "Was it some one who hated 
 him ?" etc., i. e., was it some enemy ? — oikeToq apfxarwv 
 oxog. " His own chariot." 
 
 1169-1182. OeoL Monosyllable in scanning. — bpd&g. 
 " Truly."— pSirrpov. " The staff." This term properly 
 means the piece of wood which falls upon the animal 
 in a trap or gin. — aKrijg neXag. That is, in the stadium, 
 on or close to the shore. Compare v. 234. — 7)X0e. " Had 
 come." — avaarptyoi noSa. " Would move his foot to 
 and fro." — 6 S' ijXQe. Hippolytus himself soon arrived 
 to confirm the sad tidings. — ravrbv Saicpvvv jxeXog. 
 "The same strain of tears," i. e., the same tearful in- 
 telligence. — ujx' tareix*. " Accompanied him." — H ravr 
 uXvoj ; " Why do I distress myself thus ?" 
 
 1186-1193. 7] Xeyoi Tig. "Than one could describe 
 it." Observe the omission of dv. This is what is 
 called the Potential Optative, and is confined to po- 
 etry. (Jelf, G. #., § 426, 1.)— dvrvyog. The reins had 
 been fastened to the dvrvl in front. Consult note on 
 Rhes., 373. — avrcuaiv dp(3vXai(nv, k. r. X. " Having fitted- 
 his foot to the chariot, booted as it was." Paley trans- 
 lates literally, "boots and all." The dp(3vXrj was a 
 strong shoe coming up to the ankle, or, more correctly, 
 a kind of half-boot, used by country people, hunters, 
 etc. Hippolytus, therefore, in his haste to depart, did 
 not stop to change his hunting attire for a more proper 
 one. The expression dpfioaag noda refers merely to his 
 having taken up a position so as to have command 
 over the steeds. Consult note on .v. 1134. — Oeolg. 
 Monosyllable in scanning. — dvarrrv^ag xh a £- "With 
 uplifted hands." The hands stretched upwards, with 
 their palms turned towards the sky. — /yroi 9av6vrag, 
 tc. t. X. He means, at all events when dead, if not 
 while I am yet alive. Not that he views it as a 
 
158 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 matter of indifference ichen Theseus finds out his 
 error. 
 
 1195-1201. vtf upfiaTog, nsXag xaXivwv. " By the char- 
 iot, near the reins." The position of officious attend- 
 ants wishing to do honor to their lord. Observe that 
 ixp* apiiarog is properly sub curru, because Hippolytus, 
 standing in the chariot itself, occupied the higher 
 place; while his comrades, clustering around the 
 chariot, and following their master, held the lower. — 
 rt)v tvOvg'Apyovg, k.t.X. "Along the road that leads 
 straight towards Argos and the Epidaurian territory." 
 Observe that evOvg for evQv occurs in this place alone. 
 The road from Troezene led, strictly speaking, first to 
 Epidaurus and thence to Argos. — Tovir'tKuva rrjade yijg. 
 " On the other side of this land," i. e., on the Corinthi- 
 an side. — ijdrj KEijxkvr). " Beginning now to slope." By 
 the employment of fjdrj the messenger alludes to the 
 part of the journey already completed. — x^oviog ppovrfj. 
 "The subterranean thunder." This phrase properly 
 indicates earthquake rumblings. 
 
 1204-1217. vsaviKog. "Violent." Properly, such as 
 would come upon the young and unreflecting. — ipbv 
 KVfia. " A mighty wave." That is, supernatural, mar- 
 vellous. — oupavif orr)ptf,ov. " Propping itself against 
 the sky," i. e., rising upwards and apparently leaning 
 for support against the heavens behind it. Supply 
 tavTo. — uhjt cKpypkOrj, k.t.X, The construction is, ware 
 (to) elaopav cLKTag ^ictipcovog d^ypsOrj tov/xov ojuifia. As 
 regards the Scironian rocks, consult note on v. 979. — 
 TTBTpav 'A(jKXi]7nov. A lofty rock on the Saronic gulf, 
 at no great distance beyond Epidaurus. — kcu nkpiZ, 
 cuppov, k. t. X. " And splashing round about abundant 
 foam with sea-blown spray." — avT$ Sk crvv kXvSujvi, k. t. X. 
 " And together with its flood of waters and mighty 
 surge," i. e., at the very moment when the wave broke 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. 159 
 
 and poured its contents around. The words Kai rpi- 
 kvh'i$ are merely added by poetic amplification. Every 
 third wave was commonly believed to be the largest, 
 and hence the general meaning of vastness assigned to 
 the term rpLKVfiia. According to the Romans it was 
 every tenth wave, whence the expression fluctus decu- 
 manus. — Kpeiaaov SEpyfi&Twv. "More than our eyes 
 could bear." Observe that depynaTuv is equivalent in 
 effect to rj wore TrpoaSkpKwQai. 
 
 1219-1233. i-mriKolmv. Valckenaer's conjecture for 
 the common iTnriKolg tv. — ifxaaiv etg rovmaQtv, k.t.X. 
 " Having attached his body to the reins from behind." 
 He wound the reins around his body, in order to get 
 a greater purchase, and then, throwing the weight of 
 his body backward and clinging to the reins, he re- 
 sembled a mariner drawing back his oar. The expla- 
 nation here given to aprqaag dkfiag throws light on r)vi- 
 awiv tfnrXaiceig in v. 1236. — vavKXrjpov x*P°G' "The 
 master's hand." — fisraaTpsipovffai. " Caring for." — Ix^v 
 oiciKaQ. " He who swayed the helm," i. e., who held 
 the reins. — iOvvoi. The optative here denotes the repe- 
 tition of an act. — Ujuiaivcjv. " Maddening." The tran-_ 
 sitive employment of this verb is rare. — o%ov. The 
 horses themselves. Compare Alcest., 483. — 7re\aZ<ov. 
 When once the monster had turned back the horses 
 upon the rocky ground, he kept gradually nearing the 
 side of the chariot, till he succeeded in overturning it 
 and throwing out the rider, by scaring the horses on 
 to the rocks. — axpTda. " The wheel." Part for the 
 whole, since a^ig properly means the felloe of the 
 wheel. — Trfrpy. U A stone." To be distinguished of 
 course from irkrpy. 
 
 1234-1243. Gvpiyytg. "The naves," or axle-boxes. 
 These, when the " linch-pins " (evrjXara) were knocked 
 out, flew off and bounded into the air. — r)viai(nv kfnrXa- 
 
160 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Kaig. "Entangled in the reins." Consult note on v. 
 1222. — devfiov. Cognate accusative. — Opavwv re adpKag. 
 " And having his flesh all lacerated." The verb Opavio 
 is often used, as here, in the sense of " to have or get 
 a thing broken, torn," etc. — vaTf-py nodi IXenrofieaOa. 
 " Were left behind by too slow a foot." 
 
 1245-1254. rfirjrutv ifidvrwv. " Of the reins." By 
 TfujToi ifidvreg are merely meant "thongs shaped by 
 cutting," and hence " reins." We must not translate, 
 as some do, " Of the severed reins." — Ppa\vv piorov. 
 "A brief breath of life." — Zicpv^Oev. For kicpv<p9rj(Tav. 
 A notable instance, remarks Paley, of the license which 
 the Tragic writers allowed themselves in the narratives 
 of messengers. Whether a second example can be 
 quoted from tragedy seems doubtful. The termina- 
 tion Oev for Orjaav is said by the grammarians {Etym. 
 Mag., s. v. ijyepOev) to have been peculiar to the Aeoli- 
 ans and Dorians. It is of frequent occurrence in Ho- 
 mer and other poets. — inQkoQai. Takes here a double 
 accusative. — ko.1 ttjv iv "Idy, k. t. X. " And one should 
 have filled with writing every fir-tree in Ida." Mount 
 Ida in Crete, the native island of Phaedra, is meant. 
 The idea is as follows : If all the fir-trees on the Cre- 
 tan Mount Ida were made into tablets, and filled 
 with writing such as Phaedra left against Hippo- 
 lytus. 
 
 1255-1260. KtKpavrai. "Has been consummated." 
 The common text has avfjKpopai, an error arising from 
 KSKpavrai being regarded as the plural, whereas it is 
 the 3 sing. perf. pass, of Kpaivu. Compare Med., 138. — 
 rov xpewv re. "And of what must be." — aldovfievog. 
 "Having respect unto." — ov& ydofiat, k.t.X. Not that 
 he is indifferent to it, remarks Paley, but that the joy 
 exactly counterbalances the grief, and leaves a sort of 
 passive or neutral satisfaction in his mind. 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. 161 
 
 1266, 1267. aTrapvriQkvTa fifj xp^ vai - Observe the 
 double negative strengthening the negation. — kXky- 
 %i*>. " I may confute him." — <rv[i<popaTg. " The visi- 
 tations." An instance of which he has in his own 
 case. 
 
 1268-1281. ™ rav OeaJv, k.t.X. " Thou, O Venus, 
 swayest the stubborn mind of gods and mortals, and 
 with thee," etc. Observe that 9eu>v here becomes a 
 monosyllable in the dochmiac scanning. — afupifiaXibv. 
 " Having surrounded (his captives)," i. e., fluttering 
 around them so that they cannot escape. — $ fiaivo/ikv^ 
 icpadiy. " On whose maddened heart." — rav "AXiog, 
 k.t.X. "Which the Sun beholds illumined with his 
 splendor." Observe rav for ijv. — (TVfnrdvrwv j3a<nXi]ida, 
 k. t. X. " Over all these, O Venus, thou alone holdest a 
 royal prerogative," i. e., thou art queen. Observe that 
 rujvSe depends in construction on Tijidv, and that the 
 accusative here with Kparvveig may be regarded as 
 equivalent to Kparvveiv Kpdrog. 
 
 1282-1288. ere tov tv7rarpidav y k.t.X. Nine of the ex- 
 tant plays of Euripides introduce gods or goddesses- 
 in the last act to untie the knot, namely, the Orestes, 
 Hippolytus, Andromache, Supplices, IpMgenia in Tauris, 
 Bacchae, Helena, Ion, Electra. This appears, however, 
 as Monk remarks, to be done with better right in the 
 Hippolytus than in the rest. — avdui. The common text 
 has avS$, but audit has been rightly restored by Valck- 
 enaer from good MSS. For in formulae of this kind 
 the deities were wont to declare their name. — ri <jvvr\- 
 dei; "Why do you feel an inward pleasure?" The 
 force of (tvv in this verb seems the same as in awuSe- 
 vai, avvEGig, and similar words. — irEiaQdg a<pavrj. " Hav- 
 ing been induced to give credit to uncertainties." As 
 TrtiOu) governs two accusatives in the active (v. 1251), 
 it here retains one in the passive. 
 13 
 
1G>2 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 1289-1295. (fiavepd 8' eIXev a ant). "A manifest ju- 
 dicial blindness has seized you," i. e., a blindness or 
 delusion sent by the gods, and ending in guilt and 
 misery. This is the excellent restoration of Dobree, 
 for (f)avEpav 8' ivx*Q (or tx u £) arav, the old reading. 
 Monk edits t^xeOeg drrjv after Markland. — /jiETaftdg (5io- 
 rov. "Having passed to another mode of existence," 
 i. e., to that of a winged creature. — dvkxsig. " Raise," 
 i. e., withdraw. — kttjtov. " To be obtained." 
 
 1296-1309. Diana passes here from anapaestics to 
 trimeter iambics, like Hercules in Soph.,PM0c£., 1418. 
 — kcl'itoi npoKoipio y ov8kv. " And yet I shall gain noth- 
 ing by it, but still I shall give you pain," i. e., I shall 
 gain nothing towards restoring the dead to life. — ig 
 rod'. " For this very purpose." — olarpov, ») rpoirov nvd, 
 k. r. X. " The passion, or, in a certain sense, the high- 
 mindedness." — yvtofiy. " By right reason." — uxnrep ovv. 
 "As indeed," or "As in fact." — ovk t(ps<T7reTo \6youriv. 
 "Did not consent to the proposal."-— id&rtv. "The 
 binding power." — yeywg. In the sense of 7re<pvicu)g. 
 
 1313-1324. t'x 7]<Tvxog. Compare Med., 550. — tovv- 
 9ev8e. "What follows."— <ra<pt1g. Compare v. 890.— 
 7rapei\eg. "You expended," i. e., literally, "You took 
 away from (the rest)." The verb Trapaipku is the exact 
 converse of 7rpo(rj3d\\(o, which means to add another 
 to an aggregate already existing. — <ppovu>v kclK&q. 
 " Though well-disposed towards you," i. e., and there- 
 fore reluctant to grant a foolish request. — yvetrev. " He 
 had promised." For Karyveaev. — iv Ikuv^. "In his 
 eyes." — tt'kjtiv. " Proof." — ov xpovy fiaicpy, k. t. X. " Did 
 not bestow consideration (on the matter) for any length 
 of time."— d(j>r]Kag. " Did hurl." 
 
 1327-1340. tfieX' were yiyvwOai rd8e. That is, ffieXs 
 rd8e, wore yiyviaQai. The ware does not abound here, 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. 163 
 
 as Monk and others maintain, but is purposely added 
 in order to mark the notion of the effect more clear- 
 ly. (Jelf, G. #., § 664, Obs. 3.)— irMpovaa Bvfidv. " Sat- 
 ing (thus) her rage." — diravrav. "To thwart." This 
 doctrine of non-interference extensively pervades the 
 Greek mythology, though it is not often expressly men- 
 tioned. — firi (j)o(3ovfjL8vr). " Were it not that I feared." 
 (Jelf, G. G., § 746, 2.) — /w) dUvai. Pronounced in scan- 
 ning fiEidsvai. — UXvsl KdKTjg. " Frees from any (inten- 
 tional) wickedness." — avaXuxrev. "Put an end to," 
 i. e., she left behind her none of the proofs which a 
 personal questioning would have afforded, as to the 
 truth or falsehood of the charge. Here, therefore, the 
 sense is the same as if she had said dQeTXs. — tppioyev. 
 "Have burst." — xaipovoi. All verbs which express 
 either pleasure or dissatisfaction take an accusative 
 (a participle) of either the thing or the person which 
 is the object of such emotion. (Compare Jelf, G. G., 
 § 549, Obs. 1.) 
 
 « 
 1343-1354. viapdg. Observe how a single epithet 
 implies both the beauty and premature death of Hip- 
 polytus. — KaraXt]7rTov. "Befalling it." Taken in an - 
 active sense. This use of the verbals in toq is rare, 
 but now and then occurs in composition with a noun, 
 as TroXsfioi 7rvpyodaiKToi. Aesch., Pers., 109. — xpV^^Q- 
 "Prayers." An unusual meaning for xpn^^og. Mat- 
 thiae therefore refers it, in the sense of " a prediction," 
 to vv. 1045 seqq. But, as Paley remarks, this latter 
 passage does not contain a prediction, but merely im- 
 plies the refusal of a speedy death. — atydicaXog. Ren- 
 dered here "a spasm." Properly, however, it signi- 
 fies an acute disease, which affects the spine, marrow, 
 or brain. — dvairavtjuj. " Let me rest." Subjunctive. 
 
 1357-1361. did it tyQeipag. Tmesis for dityOeipdg pe. 
 So Kara 8' turuvag. For KarkKTUvag 8k. — 8e£id. Ad- 
 
164 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 verbially for Ik Se%iag. So in the next line, npoatyopa, 
 " carefully," and avvrova, " all at once," or " simulta- 
 neously." This last direction is given in order to 
 avoid jerking the body. 
 
 1365-1376. V7rep(rxuv. Valckenaer's correction for 
 the common virEphx^v. A change small in itself, re- 
 marks Paley, but affecting an important metrical law ; 
 for in a legitimate anapaestic system a dactyl very 
 rarely is followed by an anapaest. — poxOovg d' aXXiog, 
 k. t. X. " In vain, moreover, have I toiled through 
 many a trouble, through my just behavior towards 
 men." Observe that tvtyepiag is not governed by /z6- 
 %0ovg , but depends on «Wa or x^P lv understood. He 
 alludes to the oath which he had kept, though to his 
 own cost. — paivei fie. " Comes upon me." — naiav. " As 
 a healer." — 7rpoffa7r6XXvre, k.t.X. An anapaestic trime- 
 ter of unusual form is here interposed in the regular 
 system, to express violent emotion. — irpoGairoXXvrk p 
 uXXvTe. Imperatives. Some legard them as present 
 tenses of the indicative, a You are killing me," i. e., by 
 carrying me carelessly. — diafioipaaai. Supply uhjte. 
 
 1379-1388. iiiaupoviov re avyyoviov, k. t. X. The rk here 
 couples IZopi&rai with efxoXs re in v. 1382. For the 
 doctrine here expressed consult note on v. 831. The 
 ancestors meant are probably Tantalus and Pelops. 
 For Pittheus, the father of Aethra, who was the mother 
 of Theseus, was the son of Pelops. — dvaXyrjrov. u Cru- 
 el." — vvKTtpog. " Night-enveloping." 
 
 1391-1396. <L Qelov dSfiijg nvevfia. The presence of a 
 divinity was always supposed to be indicated by a di- 
 vine odor breathed forth from the garments and hair. 
 — Ian. " Is certainly." Observe the force of the ac- 
 cent in rendering the word emphatic. — wg t%w. "In 
 what state I am," i. e., ojg e%w efiavrov. — kcit. oacrojv d' ov 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. 165 
 
 6efiiQ, k. r. X. Compare Ovid, Met., ii., 621 : " neque enim 
 coelestia tingi Ora decet lacrymisy 
 
 1401-1415. <ppovu> drj. " I perceive now." More lit- 
 erally, " I bethink me now." — TLfiijg kfiefityOri. " She was 
 dissatisfied about the honor paid to her." Observe 
 that nsiJL(j)E<j6ai takes a genitive of the cause whence 
 the feeling arises. (Compare Jelf, G. G. y § 495.) — 
 (TitHppovovvri. Supply vol. — fiia. Valckenaer's conject- 
 ure. The MSS. have Kvwpig. — <£/zw£a roivw, k. t. X. " I 
 have mourned, indeed, for my father's misfortune, ever 
 since I heard of it." Observe the peculiar employ- 
 ment of the aorist, and consult note on Med., 272. — rfjg 
 afiapriag. " On account of thy error." (Jelf, G. G., 
 § 488.) — ug fir)7ror IXOeiv, k. t. X. Referring to the prayer 
 or wish, as implied in dwpa. — ri 8' ; eKTaveg, k. t. X. 
 " Why, you would have killed me in truth, angry as 
 you then were." Literally, "But why (blame the 
 curse)," etc. The idea is, You would have slain me 
 even without it, so dreadfully were you then enraged. 
 The Scholiast supplies ri rovro Xsyeig ; or ti nkfjupu rag 
 Karapag ; after H de; — eW yv cipalov, k. t. X. " Would 
 that the race of mortals could curse the gods," i. e.," 
 for then I would have repaid Neptune for granting an 
 unjust request, as well as Venus for being the cause 
 of my fall. 
 
 1416-1422. favor. "Let things take their course." 
 Artemis checks the impious wish, and she shows him 
 that he will be revenged on Venus in another way, if 
 he leaves the matter in her hands. — Oeag drifxoi Kvirpi- 
 Sog, k. t. X. " Shall the rage arising from the eager feel- 
 ings of the goddess Venus descend upon your body 
 unrevenged ?" — avrrjg aXXov. " Another of hers." The 
 allusion is to Adonis, the favorite of Venus, slain while 
 hunting by a boar. Properly, says Paley, "Another 
 (beside the present sufferer), and that one belonging 
 
166 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 to her." — toIoiq cupvKToiQ TolffSe. Figurative of course. 
 According to the legend, the boar was sent by the 
 wrath of Diana ('Aprsfitdog x<^> Apollod., iii., 14, 4). 
 
 1426-1434. Kofiag KEpovvraL cot, k. r. X. " Shall cut off 
 their tresses in memory of you, (thus) reaping during 
 a long lapse of ages the very great grief of their tears," 
 i. e., honored by being wept for by them. The festi- 
 val, without doubt, contained a Opfjvog for the hand- 
 some and unmarried youth, whose untimely fate was 
 annually celebrated at Troezene. Consult Pausan., ii., 
 32, 1, where mention is made of the temple of Hip- 
 polytus, and of the rites in his honor alluded to by 
 Euripides. — del de iiovgottowq, k. t. X. " Ever, too, shall 
 there be to the maidens (of this land) a sad remem- 
 brance of thee calling forth the dirge." — Oe&v foMvruv. 
 " When the gods (so) dispose." 
 
 1436-1441. tx a c yap fjiolpav, k.t.X. "For you have 
 the award of destiny, whereby you were destroyed," 
 i. e., for the death which you are dying was fated, and 
 is not therefore attributable to him. — tfiol yap ov Okpig, 
 k. r. X. Consult note on Alcest., 22. — Qavam\iowiv Ikitvo- 
 ciig. " With the breathings of the dying," i. e., with 
 their last gasps. — fiaicpav de \ei7reig, k.t.X. " And you 
 resign a long friendship with little difficulty." Hip- 
 polytus, remarks Paley, clearly conveys here a gentle 
 reproach to Artemis, who has just declared she must 
 leave him though dying. Monk, in his earlier edition, 
 and also Dindorf, give Xei7roi£, which is far inferior, for 
 it will then be merely the expression of a wish on his 
 part, as if he had said that he did not want her to dis- 
 tress herself. 
 
 1448-1465. avayvov. "Uncleansed (from your blood)," 
 i. e., with the guilt of murder upon it. — acpirjg fie. " Do 
 you send me away." — yewcuog. "Noble -spirited." 
 
HIPPOLYTUS. 167 
 
 — yvrioiwv. " Legitimate." — Kaprkpu. M Bear up." Lit- 
 erally, " Be strong." — KEKapHprjrai rdfx\ " There is an 
 end of my bearing up," i. e., my sufferings are over. — 
 Kpv-^ov ck fjiov^ k. r. \. From this act the play is said to 
 have been also called 'lirirokvTOQ Ka\v7rr6fievog. Con- 
 sult Introductory Remarks. — ttLtvXoq. " A plashing." 
 The term properly means "the measured plash of 
 oars." — t&v yap fieyaXiov, k.t.X. "For the talk about 
 the great, involving as it does a grief worthy of them, 
 prevails more than under ordinary circumstances." 
 Compare Byron, The Giaour: 
 
 "The roofless cot, decayed and rent, 
 Will scarce delay the passer-by; 
 The tower by war or tempest rent, 
 While yet shall frown one battlement, 
 Each ivied arch and pillar lone, 
 Tells haughtily of glories gone." 
 
NOTES ON THE ALCESTIS. 
 
 ARGUMENT, ETC. 
 
 We learn, says Paley, from the important extract from the 
 Didascaliae, recently recovered by W. Dindorf from a Vatican 
 MS., that this play was brought out 01. 85, 2— B.C. 439— in 
 the Archonship of Glaucinus ; that Sophocles gained the first 
 prize, Euripides the second, with the Tetralogy consisting 
 of the Cressae, Alcmaeon on the Dsophis, Telephus, and Alcestis. 
 This is, consequently (with the exception probably of the 
 Rhesus), the earliest of the extant plays of our poet. And 
 it evidently belongs to that very distinct class of his com- 
 positions which retain the smooth and regular iambic flow, 
 as contrasted with the frequently resolved feet of his later 
 plays. Various conjectures as to the date had been made; 
 it was only known to have appeared before the Acharnians 
 of Aristophanes (B.C. 425), in v. 893 of which there is a par- 
 ody on v. 367 of the present plaj'. 
 
 There is, perhaps, not one of the extant dramas of Euripi- 
 des which contains so much of pathos, or, at least, that pe- 
 culiar sort of pathos, which comes most home to us, with 
 our views and partialities for domestic life. Admetus, king 
 of Pherae, having been condemned to die by the stern de- 
 crees of Fate, Apollo, who owes a debt of gratitude to a 
 house in which he had been kindly and religiously treated 
 when in mortal servitude, obtains permission that he shall 
 be respited, provided that a substitute can be found for him 
 who shall be willing to die in his stead. And here the play 
 opens. 
 
 Act I. Scene I. — The prologue is spoken by Apollo, who, 
 after explaining the causes of his servitude in the house of 
 Admetus, announces the favor he has conferred on the latter 
 by procuring a respite from instant death, and also that Al- 
 cestis, his wife, is now on the point of breathing her last, as 
 a voluntary substitute for her husband. (1-27.) 
 
ALCESTIS. 169 
 
 Scene II — Death enters, and, on perceiving Apollo, re- 
 proaches him with interfering with his rights, by attempt- 
 ing to deprive him of his allotted victim Alcestis, as he had 
 before succeeded in doing in the case of Admetus. An an- 
 gry altercation ensues, and then both retire. (28-76.) 
 
 Scene III. — The Chorus, composed of old men of Pher&e, 
 now appear, divided into two Hemichoria, and indulge in 
 surmises on the condition of Alcestis, and her approaching 
 end. And then the united Chorus sing a strain to the effect 
 that, though she be not yet dead, her fate is sealed; for 
 Admetus has tried every means, and has offered victims on 
 every altar, but has found no remedy. (77-141.) 
 
 Scene IV. — Enter a female attendant, who informs the Cho- 
 rus that Alcestis is on the point of expiring, and gives them 
 an account of her last actions. (143-212.) 
 
 Scene V — The Chorus, on learning that even yet their mis- 
 tress lingers, hold a conversation on the possibility of her 
 being restored by the intervention of Apollo* who has before 
 shown favor to Admetus. (213-243.) 
 
 Act II, Scene L — Alcestis, not yet so near death as to 
 have lost the power of speech, is borne on the stage, attend- 
 ed by Admetus and her two children. She invokes the ele- 
 ments to bid them farewell ; fancies that Charon is calling, - 
 and that Death is leading her away, and takes a final leave 
 of her children. After which she appears to rally so far as to 
 specify in detail her last wishes and bequests to her husband. 
 She then breathes her last. Lamentations around her corpse. 
 The body is then borne away, followed by Admetus and his 
 children. (244-434.) 
 
 Scene II. — The Chorus remain, and utter a eulogy on the 
 deceased, predicting that her fame shall live for future years 
 both in Spp^rta and at Athens. (435-475.) 
 
 Act III. Scene I.— Enter Hercules, who inquires of the 
 Chorum whether Admetus is within. They, in turn, as in 
 some, degree neighbors of the Thracians, give him informa- 
 tion as to the dangers of the enterprise on which he tells 
 tbem he has come, namely, to carry away the horses of Dio- 
 rnede. Seeing the family in mourning, he hesitates to enter ; 
 14 
 
170 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 but the equivocal answers he receives remove his scruples. 
 (476-506.) 
 
 Scene II— Admetus comes forth from the palace, and meets 
 Hercules as he is proceeding to enter. Admetus, while he is 
 hospitable to a fault, is averse from telling a direct falsehood 
 in relation to what has befallen him, and has no course left 
 him but to mislead Hercules by ambiguous answers. He 
 then directs his attendants to lead Hercules within the man- 
 sion, and entertain him properly. (507-550.) 
 
 Scene III. — The Chorus, who in all plays are the represent- 
 atives of moderation, order, virtue, and established custom, 
 enter a protest against the unusual reception of guests into 
 a house of mourning. Admetus opposes to them the still 
 more cogent laws of hospitality, and the emptiness of mere 
 etiquette. He then retires. (551-567.) 
 
 Scene IV. — The Chorus utter a eulogy on the hospitality 
 of Admetus, who formerly had the honor of entertaining 
 Apollo, and has now received another guest even in a time 
 of grief. (568-605.) 
 
 Scene V.— Admetus returns to invite the Chorus to take 
 part in the funeral procession, which is ready to advance, but 
 is unexpectedly stopped by the arrival of his father Pheres 
 with offerings for the dead. An altercation then ensues be- 
 tween the father and son, after which come the last address 
 and farewell of the Chorus as the procession moves off the 
 stage. (606-746.) 
 
 Act IV. Scene I. — Enter an attendant, or officer of the 
 palace, who gives an account of the conduct of Hercules 
 at the festal board, so unsuited to a house of mourning: (747 
 -772.) 
 
 Scene II. — Enter Hercules, who advises the attendant to 
 dismiss sorrow and every gloomy feeling, and to enjoy the 
 good things of life. A dialogue then ensues, in the course 
 of which Hercules learns, for the first time, that it is Alces- 
 tis whose death the household are mourning. He then in- 
 quires the road to the tomb. (773-836.) 
 
 Scene III. — The attendant having retired, Hercules re- 
 
ALCESTIS. 171 
 
 mains alone on the stage, and in a brief soliloquy resolves to 
 rescue Alcestis from the power of Death. He then retires. 
 (837-860.) 
 
 Scene IV. — Admetus returns from the funeral with dejected 
 countenance. He now fully realizes his loss, when he con- 
 templates the mansion in all its sad vacancy, and wishes that 
 he were dead, as he has no longer any pleasure in life. The 
 Chorus offer the common and trite topic of consolation that 
 he is not the first who has been so bereaved. Admetus la- 
 ments to the Chorus in very pathetic terms his present lot. 
 The Chorus then utter a fine ode on the force of Necessity. 
 Admetus is to take consolation from the thought that what 
 has happened could not have been avoided. (861-1007.) 
 
 Act V. Scene I. — Hercules unexpectedly returns, bringing 
 Alcestis, whom he has rescued from the power of Death, and 
 who now stands as a mute, covered with a veil. He pretends 
 that she is a prize won in a contest, and asks permission to 
 leave her in the keeping of Admetus, until his own return 
 from Thrace. Admetus declines to receive the pretended 
 prize for several reasons, which he states. He yields at last, 
 at the earnest solicitations of Hercules, and in receiving the 
 stranger-female finds to his great astonishment that he is re- 
 gaining his lost spouse. (1008-1163.) 
 
 As for the characters in the play, that of Alcestis must be 
 acknowledged to be pre-eminently beautiful. One could al- 
 most fancy, remarks Paley, that Euripides had not yet con- 
 ceived that bad opinion of the sex which so many of the sub- 
 sequent dramas exhibit. But if we except the heroine of 
 the piece, he adds, the rest are hardly well drawn, or even 
 pleasingly portrayed. The selfish Pheres, the unfilial Ad- 
 metus, the boisterous Hercules, are not in themselves proper 
 characters for tragedy ; but then they serve to set off and 
 bring out in relief the beauties which the poet has labored 
 to concentrate upon one person. The poet might easily, 
 had he pleased, have represented Admetus in a more amiable 
 point of view. Instead of basely allowing his wife to die for 
 him, he might have discovered that Alcestis had consented 
 to do so without his knowledge, and when it was too late 
 to alter the decree in her favor insisted on fulfilling his 
 own fate. As it is, we can have little sympathy with a man 
 who bewails the loss of a woman whom he wishes to live, 
 
172 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 but to live only for himself, and whom his own selfishness 
 has consigned to an untimely tomb. 
 
 The character of Hercules, as the same scholar remarks, 
 which some have criticised as partaking too largely of com- 
 edy, was designed to give a certain spirit and energy to the 
 somewhat tame action of the play. Our own Shakespeare, 
 says he, has made a frequent use of this sort of license in his 
 best tragedies. It was this character, however, which made 
 many regard the Alcestis as a species of Satyric drama ; a no- 
 tion which derives some countenance also from the Didas- 
 caliae, in which it is placed the last in the Tetralogy. But 
 the distinction between real Satyric farces, so far as we know 
 it, and the Alcestis is so marked that the idea cannot be en- 
 tertained. The Alcestis, in fact, is a tragi-comedy, differing 
 from a true tragedy in this respect, also, that it has a happy 
 conclusion. 
 
 The Chorus, as already intimated, consists of old men of 
 Pherae, in Thessaly, where also the scene is laid. 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 1-9. T Q dtjfiar 'AdfirjTEL. Instead of commencing in 
 his usual way, " This is the mansion of Admetus," etc., 
 the poet, with much more effect, begins with apostro- 
 phizing the abode itself, and then suddenly breaks off, 
 and enters upon the narrative. Monk, after Seidler, 
 compares the Andromache and Electra, both of which 
 open in the same way. — iv dig trXrjv, k. r. X. " In which 
 I endured to be content with menial fare." Some 
 verbs, denoting contentment, acquiescence, etc., have 
 an accusative derived from their primary sense. (Jelf, 
 G. G., § 549, Obs. 2.) The Orjrsg were hired farm-ser- 
 vants or laborers. Apollo tended, as one of such, the 
 herds of Admetus. — Zevg yap KaraKrag, k. r. X. Jove 
 struck Aesculapius, son of Apollo, with a thunderbolt, 
 for having restored mortals to life by his drugs. (Apol : 
 lod., iii., 10, 4.) — ov drj. " On which account then." Ob- 
 serve that ov is here the genitive of what grammari- 
 ans term the antecedent notion. (Jelf, G. 6r., § 490.) 
 
ALCESTIS. 173 
 
 The particle Srj implies that of course, or not with- 
 out good reason, Apollo was incensed at such an act. 
 — d-rroiva. "As an atonement." This employment 
 of a-rroiva in apposition with Orjreveiv is well illustrated 
 by Pflugk, from Aesch., Agam., 1392 ; Iph. Taur., 1458, 
 etc. — iGmlov. It does not appear that the god is still 
 under his term of servitude, though he must very re- 
 cently have left it. He speaks in v. 23 of leaving the 
 mansion, as if his residence in it were no longer com- 
 pulsory. 
 
 10-14. iruyxavov. "I came into contact with," i. e., 
 I met and engaged to serve with for hire. — <bsprjTog. 
 Pheres, father of Admetus, was the son of Cretheus and 
 Tyro, and the founder of Pherae in Thessaly. — ov 9a- 
 velv ippvodfirjv. The more usual construction would be 
 firj Oaveiv, but the \ir) is often omitted, especially when 
 the idea of certainty is to be brought in. So here 
 Admetus was saved from what would otherwise have 
 been certain death. Compare Phoen., 609 ; Androm., 
 4:4:. — Moipag doXwaag. Of the legend alluded to here, 
 and in v. 34, nothing is expressly recorded. It would 
 appear, however, from Aesch., Eumen., 693 seqq., that 
 Apollo obtained his object by plying these venerable 
 deities with wine (plvip Trapri7ra.Trj(rag dpxaiag Oeag). — 
 yvwav. For Kctryvecrav. — rbv TrapavTiK. " Impending." 
 — aXKov SiaW&ZavTa veicpov. " By, having given another 
 dead one in exchange (for himself)." 
 
 15-22. IXkyZag. " Having questioned," i. e., made 
 trial of. A less usual meaning of the verb. — \ir\Tkpa. 
 Called Clymene by the Scholiast, and Periclymene by 
 Hyginus (fab. y 14).— rjng. This is used, not fang, as 
 if he had said, fiovrjv type rijv yvvaTica, rjTig, k. r. X. — kei- 
 vov. In the sense of avrov. Compare Kruger, ad Xen. 
 Anal)., iv., 3, 20. — iv x^polv. Referring to both Adme- 
 tus and his attendants.— p) fiiaafia, k. t. X. The pollu- 
 
174 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 tion arising from looking upon or being brought into 
 contact with a corpse. Hermann says that Euripides 
 predicates this of only Apollo and Diana, who are said 
 to be far from the dying, and to inflict death from afar. 
 
 24-27. Tovds. "Here." — iepi] Qavovruv. He is de- 
 scribed as performing the rites of a priest, i. e., of a 
 sacrificer, lower down, at v. 74. — avfifiETpiog. " In good 
 season," i. e., opportunely, properly. The term implies 
 that the measure or time of one event corresponds with 
 that of another. 
 
 29-46. ri (tv ryde ttoXeIq ; " Why are you going about 
 here ?" The verb 7to\eio would seem originally to have 
 represented 7ro\vg elvai, since u to be much in a place " 
 is " to frequent it," " to be going up and down in it." 
 The av is emphatic of course. — d^opt^ojiEvog. " Taking 
 away." Literally, " Carrying out of their proper boun- 
 daries." — Tifidg bvkptov. " The prerogatives of the pow- 
 ers below." — £7rt rySe <ppovpElg. " You are standing 
 guard over this woman here," i. e., Alcestis, so that I 
 may not carry her away. — i) rod' viz'tarr). " Who under- 
 took this very thing," i. e., which you want to prevent, 
 namely, etc. Observe that rode refers to 7rpo9avEiv, 
 which is the same as OavElv irpb avrov. — d'acrjv roi, k. t. X. 
 " I have justice, for the matter of that, on my side, and 
 fair arguments." — H dfira tpyov ; " What need then is 
 there ?" Compare the Latin opus. — icai toXgce y o'iicoig, 
 k. r. X. " Aye, and to lend aid," etc. He had already 
 done so in the case of Admetus. Observe the force of 
 y4, examples of which have often occurred in the pre- 
 vious plays. — ydp. " Certainly, for." — vovtyielg. Con- 
 tracted future for vo<j<pi<jeig. — npbg (3iav. Same as pia. 
 — dfieixpag. " Having given in exchange." — tficeig fikra. 
 " Have come after." 
 
 48-53. olo av el. Compare Med., 941. — xPV- Schae- 
 
ALCESTIS. 175 
 
 fer's reading for xpn- — rovro yap TErdyfieOa. " Since for 
 this very thing we have been appointed." Monk, 
 without any necessity, supplies ttolhv. Compare the 
 well-known formula, ravrr\v rrjv raZ,iv TET&yfieOa. The 
 idea is as follows : " Persuade me to what V asks Death. 
 " Is it to slay the right person ? Why, that is my of- 
 fice." — roXg fisWovm. Supply Oavuv. "Upon those 
 who are about to die," i. e., who are old and decrepit 
 and ripe for the tomb. Hermann incorrectly renders 
 it by " cunctantibmP The Scholiast rightly explains 
 it by rolg yeyrjpaicoai. — exw \6yov ch), k. t. X. M I under- 
 stand now your drift, and the zeal which you display." 
 — tar ovv 07tu>c, k.t.X. "Is there any way then in 
 which Alcestis might arrive at old age V i. e., is it pos- 
 sible then that Alcestis can arrive, etc. Though rare 
 with an interrogation, the idiom is the same as the 
 more common ovk eaQ' o-irug, k. t. X. — rifialg TepireaOai. 
 " To take delight in my prerogatives." 
 
 56-59. kclv ypavg oX^rai, k. r. X. " Even if she die old, 
 she will be richly interred," i. e., she will have a rich 
 funeral, so that you will get honor in that way. — irpbg 
 tCjv IxovtojVj k. r. X. " You lay down your law, Phoe- 
 bus, in favor of the rich." Observe the force of irpog. 
 Literally, " From the rich," i. e., from a regard to their 
 interests. (Jelf, G. G., § 638.) — aXX' ij icai (ro<f>6g, k. t. X. 
 " Why have you really been a sophist all along with- 
 out my knowing it ?" i. e., I did not know that you 
 were all the while such a sophist. — uvoivr av dig, k. r. X. 
 " They, unto whom the means are present, would in 
 that event purchase the privilege that their friends, 
 should die old." This is commonly but erroneously 
 rendered, "The privilege of dying old;" but, as Her- 
 mann remarks, if the poet had meant that men would 
 buy off their own deaths, he should have said yrjpaioi. 
 On the contrary, he speaks of friends or relations in 
 whose lives the rich are interested. 
 
176 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 61—71. tovq l/xovg Tponovg. " These ways of mine." 
 — ExOpovg ye. u Aye, hostile." — ») firjv. "Assuredly." 
 These particles here have something of a threat con- 
 nected with them. So, in our colloquial phraseology, 
 " I can tell you what ; you shall be stopped in your ca- 
 reer," etc., i. e., I can tell you that you shall be stopped, 
 etc. — £i(7i. " Will come." — 'i7nreiov oxW"- " The char- 
 iot steeds." The chariot itself is not necessarily im- 
 plied. The horses of Diomede, king of the Thracian 
 Bistones, are meant. — he. " To bring them from." 
 Monk supplies dlovra. The ellipsis, however, is rather 
 mental than real. — kovQ' t) Trap yfxwv, k. t. X. " And 
 (then) there will neither be from us to you the thank- 
 fulness (that would otherwise have been felt), and you 
 will equally (in that event) have to do this, and will 
 besides be hated by me," i. e., you will lose the benefit 
 of the favor you might now confer ; will gain nothing, 
 by your refusal, towards finally securing your victim, 
 and will secure my resentment instead of my friend- 
 ship. By dpaaeig ravra is meant that he will have to 
 deliver up Alcestis to the victor in the contest. With 
 ufioiiog compare the English expression " all the same." 
 
 72-76. ovSkv av 7r\sov \df3oig. " Will gain nothing," 
 i. c, literally, will obtain no more (than you have thus 
 far obtained). — i) d' ovv ywy\. " This woman I tell 
 you." Observe the force of the combination & ovv. — 
 wg KardpKiofiai %i<pei. " That I may begin the rites of 
 sacrifice with the knife." The commencement of a 
 sacrifice (KarapxtoQai) was the cutting of a few hairs 
 t from the head of the living victim, and the burning 
 of them, as first-fruits, i. e., as an ofFering of the only 
 available part of the actual animal, short of the life- 
 blood itself. — otov rod' tyxog, k.t.X. "The hair of 
 whose head this weapon may have consecrated." The 
 more common construction would be otov av. The 
 omission of dv occurs, however, not only in the poets, 
 
ALCESTIS. 177 
 
 but sometimes even in the prose writers. It would 
 seem that in such cases the relative pretty closely rep- 
 resents orav. (Jelf, G. G. y § 830, 1.) — eyx<*Q, taking the 
 place here of Z,i<pog, but with the meaning of the latter. 
 
 77-80. tl 7ro9' rjavxia, k. t. X. The Chorus, consisting 
 of Pheraean elders, now come in, and, forming into 
 two divisions, commence a species of dialogue. The 
 first half of the Chorus utter vv. 77 and 78, and then 
 the other half reply. This arrangement is due to 
 Barnes. — irpoaQE. So Hermann with the MSS. and ear- 
 ly editions. Monk and Dindorf give 7rp6<rQev, but Eu- 
 ripides has not the objection which the earlier Tragic 
 writers show to lengthen such words as tekvov, ddaicpvg, 
 etc. — tl aemyriTai dopog 'Adfirirov ; (Jelf, Q. (r., § 364, 2.) 
 — (piXwv rig. Monk, following Elmsley, considers rig 
 here as spurious, and as one of those continually re- 
 curring interpolations of grammarians to complete 
 catalectic anapaestics. Pflugk defends rig . . . ovdeig 
 by rig dg. Antig., 269 ; Oed. M. y 246 ; and more appo- 
 sitely by Herod., vii., 8 : ovte tivcl ttoKiv dvdptov ovdE^iirjv. 
 — (pOifikvrjp. " As already departed." 
 
 88-91. cjg 7TE7rpaytiEv<Dv. " As though all were over." 
 Genitive absolute. — (rTari^Erai. Equivalent to 'lararai. 
 " Stands." No female attendant stands at the gates, 
 whom one might question as to affairs within. — fiEra- 
 KVfiiog drag. "Amid the waves of calamity." The 
 idea, says Paley, is that of some god protecting a ship, 
 when in the trough of the sea, from being overwhelmed 
 by the waves towering above it on either side. 
 
 93-96. t&v. Crasis, for roi dv. — ov yap dfa k. t. X. 
 " (No) for the corpse assuredly is not gone from the 
 mansion." Observe the force of &?, and also, as before 
 remarked (Hipp., 972), the employment of the mascu- 
 line in speaking of a corpse. — ttoQev ; qvk avx&, k. t. X. 
 
178 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 " Whence (do you infer this) ? I am not so sure of it. 
 What encourages you (to believe it) V Some editions 
 assign each clause to a different speaker. — sprjjxov. " A 
 private one," i. e., without the funeral honors becom- 
 ing her rank. 
 
 99-103. irriycuov xtyvifia. " The lustral spring-water." 
 Observe that x*P vl $ * s properly water for the hands ; 
 here, however, intended for sprinkling the whole per- 
 son. Monk, misled by Hesychius, takes it for the 
 vessel itself containing the lustral water. This latter 
 was called oaTpakov, and was placed before the door 
 of the house, in order that each one who entered 
 might sprinkle himself, as a preservative against con- 
 tamination. A clipped lock of hair was also hung up 
 in the porch, as a token of mourning. — veoXaia. An 
 adjective, "young," equivalent to veaXfjg. The true 
 reading here is uncertain. The common text has ovde 
 veoXaia, where a synizesis is supposed to take place. 
 Photius, indeed, quoting from Aristophanes (frag. 
 Babylon, 57), says that the Attics used the word rerpa- 
 <Tv\\al3iog ; but Pflugk rightly argues, as Paley remarks, 
 that he may have meant the ordinary pronunciation 
 to be the resolved Doric veoXaia of five syllables. 
 
 105-111. kcu \ir]v Tode, k.t.X. "And yet this is the 
 fated day." It appears from this, remarks Paley, that 
 the particular day of her death had been foretold, and 
 hence the cause of all the preceding anxiety. — rwv dya- 
 0u>v. Referring to Admetus. — xpvvrbg air dpxfjg. " Well- 
 disposed from the very first." 
 
 112-117. dXX' ovSe vavicXr]piav, k. t.X. " But not even 
 might one, having sent an expedition to any quarter of 
 the earth, either of Lycia, or unto," etc. Literally, "Any 
 whither in respect of earth." Observe the idiom in 
 tv9' ottoi, which are to be taken together. With AvkIgq 
 
ALCESTIS. 179 
 
 we may mentally supply another tu& orroi, and then 
 the construction changes to Wi with the accusative. 
 The allusion in the word AvKiag is to the celebrated 
 oracle of Apollo at Patara, in that country. — 'A^fiojvi- 
 dag. Alluding to the oracle of Jupiter Ammon in the 
 deserts of Libya. The text gives Musgrave's emenda- 
 tion, for the common and erroneous 'Afifiioviddog. — ira- 
 paXvaai. Observe the optative without dv. 
 
 118-120. dwoTOfjiog. "Abrupt." The emendation of 
 Hermann and Blomfield for the common d7rorpog. — 
 7r\d0ei. Observe that irXdQuv and ireXdOeiv are poetic 
 forms for tteXo^uv. — £7ri riva jxrfKoQvrav^ k.t.X. "To 
 what one sacrificing at," etc., i.e., to what priest or 
 sacrificer officiating at the altars, etc. Monk gives 
 firjXoOvrav in the genitive plural. — e% w ***• Observe 
 the hiatus. The w must be made short before the suc- 
 ceeding vowel. 
 
 122-129. fjiovog d' dv. The dv belongs in construc- 
 tion to rjXOev, in v. 125. Monk is wrong, therefore, in 
 suggesting i)X9' dv, and besides the third person sin- 
 gular is very seldom elided with dv. — &oi(3ov Trdig^ 
 Aesculapius. — TrpoXnrov<j r/XOsv. That is, in plainer 
 Greek, dvEGTrjaev dv avrfjv 'A<TicXr}Tri6g. — dvirrrrj. "He 
 was wont to raise." Observe the force of the imper- 
 fect. — elXe. " Mastered," i. e., destroyed. 
 
 133-141. pamXevaiv. Admetus. Very probably an 
 interpolation. — alfioppavroi. Monk says that this com- 
 pound occurs nowhere else. It is met with, however, 
 in Iph. in Tanr., 225. — irXrtpug. " Are abundant." Sup- 
 ply efaf. — ttsvOsTv \ikv, k. t. X. The idea is, it is pardon- 
 able for you to be weeping, but what we want is in- 
 formation rather than grief. 
 
 143-150. avrog. "The same person." The mascu- 
 
180 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 line is here used in a general assertion, although a fe- 
 male is actually meant. — p\s7roi. "Behold the light 
 of day." — ijdrj 7rpovb)7rr]Q han. " She is already power- 
 less." The term properly means bending forward, no 
 longer able to sit or stand erect, and therefore faint, 
 powerless. Compare v. 186. — olog &v. "Being what 
 thyself." — rode. That is, the extent of his loss. — 7T67r,ow- 
 fikvr) ydp, k. t. X. " (No) for the destined day overpow- 
 ers." — £7r' avry. "In her case." Some editions have 
 in uvtoIq, which Pflugk renders, " quum is rerum status 
 sit." But this should have been, as Paley remarks, £7ri 
 tovtoiq. — KocTfiog. " Funeral ornaments." Compare v. 
 161. — <£. " In which." — evicXarig ye. That is, if she has 
 died young, she has at all events left behind her a 
 good name. 
 
 153-155. H xpv yevEffOcu, k.t.X. "What must the 
 woman be who has surpassed her ?" This is Monk's 
 translation, which Klotz very justly prefers to Her- 
 mann's rendering: " Quid fiat ea rnuliere, quae earn su- 
 peret ?" — ttogiv 7rporifiu>(ja. " That she valued her hus- 
 band above everything else." 
 
 160-162. Ik Ksdpiviov SSfitov. " From the cedar clos- 
 ets," or else " chests." Cedar was employed for this 
 purpose from its antiseptic properties, and its keeping 
 off insects. — laQrjra k6<j}iov re, k. r. X. It was the cus- 
 tom, says Monk, after Kirchmann, for those who pre- 
 pared to meet immediate death to array themselves 
 in their finest habiliments. As kaQijg is here distin- 
 guished from kog/jloq, the latter both here and at vv. 
 149, 1050 probably refers, as Paley thinks, to orna- 
 ments of gold, or other durable material, which, as we 
 know from the contents of ancient tombs, it was a 
 widely prevalent custom to bury with the corpse or its 
 ashes. Possibly, also, under the general name of kov- 
 fiog were included chaplets, flowers, etc. — -KpooQtv lariag. 
 
ALCESTIS. 181 
 
 Paley says that the prayer was offered up to Diana, 
 who was especially worshipped at Pherae, as being 
 the sister of Apollo, the tutelary deity of the place. 
 Pflugk and Wustemann, however, think that Vesta is 
 meant. 
 
 165-173. rsKva. The son was named Eumelus, the 
 daughter Perimele. Both appellations are derived 
 from p)\a, " sheep," the wealth of Admetus consisting 
 chiefly in flocks and herds. — avr&v i) reicovaa. " Their 
 mother." The participle with the article stands here 
 for a noun QirjTrjp), and as such governs the genitive. 
 — eK7r\r}(Tai. " That they complete," i. e., that they ex- 
 tend their lives to the full term, as opposed to Qaviiv 
 dwpovg. — 01 Kar 'AS/xfjrov dofiovg. Supply ei<ri. — KdZeareipe 
 icai TrpocTTjv^aro. The meaning is, she said a prayer at 
 each altar, as she culled myrtle -twigs to crown it. 
 This probably was a funeral ceremony. — <j>6(3r}v. Not 
 separate leaves, but tufts or bunches of leaves, plucked 
 from the twigs. Hartung correctly renders it u die 
 BuscheV The crown of myrtle (a tree sacred to Ve- 
 nus) laid upon the altar, as a part of the funeral cere- 
 mony, is to be explained probably by its typifying, in 
 accordance with the common Greek notion, a union 
 of the power which creates with that which destroys, 
 as in the case of the Roman Venus Libitina. — dicXav- 
 (rrog, avTzvcLKTOQ. " Without a tear, without a groan." 
 Taken actively. Most of the verbals in rog have a 
 double signification, active and passive, though the 
 latter is more common. 
 
 175-182. OdXafiov daTTzaovca, k. r. X. " Having rushed 
 into her chamber, and up to the bed." Observe the 
 zeugma. — irapQ'svu tXvaa Koptvfiara. "I parted with 
 my maiden state." By Kopevfia is meant the state of 
 virginity. So KopevevQai is " to be brought up in 
 maidenhood." Monk does not appear to be correct 
 
182 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 in making it equivalent to Zwvyj. — U rov^ avSpoc. 
 " Through this man." — enridXecjaQ tie /.ie n6vi)v. "You 
 have lost me alone," i. e., and not me together with 
 my husband. He will marry again, and another shall 
 fill my place. — irpodovvai. " To be untrue to." — viotppiop 
 nh> ovk av ixaXkov. " Not chaster in all likelihood, 
 though perchance more fortunate." Supply ok after 
 fiaWov, and another pdWop with evrwxfa. (Jelf, G. (r., 
 § 430, 2.) 
 
 186, 187. (TTeixei 7rpovio7rf)g, k. t. X. " Having rushed 
 from the couch, she moves onward with head hang- 
 ing down." She hangs down her head in order to 
 avoid looking at the familiar objects around her. 
 Compare, as regards the other meaning of irpoviOTri}Q, 
 the note on v. 143. — km. iroWd OdXanop, b. t. X. u And 
 many times, as she was leaving it, she turned back to 
 her bedchamber. 1 ' The poet is here true to nature. 
 Her resolution to depart without looking any more at 
 the well-known objects around her fails Alcestis on 
 the very threshold of the apartment, and she turns 
 back again and again to take another view. Observe 
 that the more usual meaning of iTn<jTpk<pz<j9ai is to turn 
 one's self about in a place, to wander up and down, 
 etc. Such a signification here, however, would hardly 
 suit the context. 
 
 189-198. ttettXwv. Genitive of contact after ^?/pn/jU£- 
 voi. — kcikog. u Lowly," i.e., humble in station. — /cat 
 7rpo(jEpp}]9r] ttoXiv. The full form of expression would 
 have been, Kai ixj)' ov ov 7rpo<T£ppi]9ri 7rd\iv. — icai KarQavujv 
 r dp a>\er\ k. t. X. " And had he died indeed, there 
 would have been an end of him ; but, since he has es- 
 caped, he has a cause of sorrow so great, as that of it 
 he will never be forgetful," i. e., he will feel grief for- 
 ever. Observe that, according to this way of render- 
 ing, r dp is for to\ dp. Hermann and Prlugk, however, 
 
ALCESTIS. 183 
 
 take t av for te av, the re being answered oy tfl, as in 
 many other instances. The meaning will then be, 
 " He would both have perished had he died, and now 
 also that he has escaped," etc. — ov ttot ov \a\ri(TETai. 
 Literally, " Which some day he will not forget," i. e., 
 which at no time he will ever forget. Dindorf makes 
 noTE ov the same as ovwore, like tr ovk wv, for ovk'et iov. 
 Soph. Track, 161. 
 
 199-205. i) irov (TTHva&i, k. r. X. " Surely Actemtas 
 groans at these evils, does he not ?" Observe the 
 force of ?} irov with a question, and compare Med., 1308. 
 — el (TTsprjOrjvai, k. r. X. Not on xpv, but el xpi], since the 
 Chorus can hardly credit the thing as real. (Jelf, 
 G. #., § 804, 9.)— Trpodovvai. " To abandon him."— 
 7rapEifiEvri de, k. r. X. There is great doubt here about 
 the true reading. Hermann conjectures Srj, and is fol- 
 lowed by Pflugk and Bothe, but this, as Paley remarks, 
 is altogether unsatisfactory. Matthiae gives ye, which 
 is no better. Dindorf is in favor of striking out the 
 whole verse, but reads ye with Matthiae. Elmsley, 
 whom Paley follows, supposes that one or more lines 
 have been lost. The last-mentioned scholar, therefore, . 
 thinks that the sense would be restored by inserting 
 the following verse, fioXiQ r Eiraipova tokkvaQ TrpoairrvGOE- 
 rai. Translate, in accordance with this view: "But, 
 completely prostrated, a wretched burden for the hand, 
 and scarce able to raise her arms, she tries to embrace 
 him," i.e., a wretched burden or load to those who 
 carry or support her. Paley renders, "Paralyzed as 
 to the lifeless weight of her hand," etc., but this ap- 
 pears inferior. 
 
 207, 208. ibg ovttot avOig, k. t. X. This and the next 
 line occur also in the Hecuba (vv. 411-12, and are com- 
 monly thought to have been interpolated here. They 
 seem required, however, to complete a sentence other- 
 
184 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 wise too abrupt. Render wg " since," or else supply 
 Xsyovcra before it. — 7rpocr6\^erai. Her words were oviror 
 avOig 7rpo(r6\poiiai, and these are transferred from the 
 first to the third person. 
 
 213-220. lb Zev, k.t.X. Paley follows Hermann in 
 assigning the first strophe and antistrophe each to five 
 distinct Choreutae. Dindorf and Pflugk distribute 
 them into four speeches of the Hemichorium. Monk 
 gives the whole (to 243) to the Chorus, without distinc- 
 tion of parts. — iropoQ KctKutv. " Way of escape from 
 evils." — (TToXfiov. " Array." Properly speaking, aroXfibg 
 TTE7rX(ov would refer to a robe in folds. — dfjXa. Plural 
 for the singular. Literally, " Things are plain." — ev%m- 
 fiea9a. Matthiae has evxofietrQa. " We still pray," which 
 suits the metre better, as Paley admits. — yap. The 
 common reading was yap a. Svva/xig. Hermann omits 
 yap, by which the verse becomes an iambic penthemi- 
 meris with a logaoedic termination. 
 
 221-230. fiaxavav. " Remedy." — ryd' tytvpeg rovro. 
 Hermann's reading. In the antistrophe (v. 236) he 
 supplies arkvaZov, in which Paley also follows him. It 
 would seem that when rtfd' had been corrupted to 
 T&vS\ and then to rovd', the rovro was omitted as detri- 
 mental to the sense. — rovro. " This," namely, a rem- 
 edy. — arepeig. So Monk and Hermann for (rrsprjOeig. — 
 dp alia. Hermann's reading. The MSS. omit ap\ and 
 give al at alia. Translate, " Are not these things jus- 
 tificatory of a cutting of the throat, and more than 
 (justificatory) for bringing one's neck to the halter 
 suspended from on high ?" i. e., as Paley gives it, " Are 
 not these things enough to make a man cut his throat, 
 and more than enough to bring one's neck ?" etc. The 
 reading 7re\a<nrai is Erfurdt's, for 7reXd<rai. 
 
 236-243. orkvalov. Marked with an asterisk as in- 
 
ALCESTIS. 185 
 
 serted on Hermann's conjecture. Compare note on v. 
 223 (ryd' tyevpeg tovto). — Kara yag. " (And in the act 
 of being sent) beneath the earth." The full expression 
 in the text would have been, iz^-Ko\ikvr]v Kara yag, nap' 
 "Aidrjv, V7ro voaov fiapaivovtrrjg ai)Tt]V. — ovttote (prjcrio. " I 
 shall ever deny." — oang. " Since he is one who." 
 The Latin quippe qui. — <x(3l(otov rov iirura, k. r. X. " Will 
 live thereafter a life that is no life." Observe that 
 afiiioTov is here taken adverbially, but is to be rendered 
 as if agreeing with fiiov implied in jSioreixrei. 
 
 244-249. "A\te Kal, k. t. X. Alcestis, not yet so near 
 to death as to have lost the power of speech, is borne 
 on the stage, attended by Admetus and her two chil- 
 dren. The Scholiast remarks that this introduction 
 on the stage of a person just before death is not judi- 
 cious. Paley thinks that the touching dialogue be- 
 tween Admetus and his wife, though requiring the 
 presence of both on the stage, might still have been 
 made antecedent to the part where her last acts with- 
 in the house are mentioned. — ovpdvial re Slvai, k. t. X. 
 u And ye heavenly eddyings of the rapid cloud," i. e., 
 ye rapid, eddying clouds on high. Some see in this the _ 
 doctrine of Anaxagoras, who taught that the clouds 
 were urged on by a rotatory impulse. And they 
 think, also, that the joke in Aristophanes (Clouds, 379) 
 about the aiOepwg dlvog, is founded, in part at least, on 
 the present passage. — ojo^. " He beholds," i. e., the 
 Sun, o T H\io£. Admetus converts her appeal into a 
 sort of protest against the injustice of the gods. — 
 Trarpyag. The o) shortened in scanning. Compare 
 Med., 430. 
 
 255-263. <jv Karupyug. "You are delaying us." — 
 
 rade roi fie, k. t. X. " Thus, hastening, he keeps urging 
 
 me on." Monk and Dindorf have roTa. "In such 
 
 words." Hermann, followed by Pflugk, gives av Ka- 
 
 15 
 
186 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 relpyEig rad' eroifia (nrepxofisvoiQ ' r&xwe. " You are keep- 
 ing back matters when they are in readiness for those 
 anxious to go ; be quick." — ola Trdaxo/nev. " How we 
 do suffer!" — ovx 6p$g. Dying persons imagine that 
 they see flitting forms, and appeal to others whether 
 they are not equally conscious of their presence. — vir 
 6(ppv(n Kvavavykvi /3\s7rojv. " Looking from under his 
 dark- gleaming eyebrows." The dark eyebrows are 
 partially lighted up by the gleam of the terrible eyes 
 beneath. — 7rpo(3aivio. "Am I entering upon." 
 
 -264-279. lie Sk t&v. Observe tCjv here in the sense of 
 tovtojv. — fikQere. " Let go of me," i. e., leave off support- 
 ing me, or holding me up. — x« l P°'"" € c, & tskvci, k.t.X. 
 " Oh, my children, may you both continue to behold 
 this light of day, enjoying happiness the while," i. e., 
 may you live and be happy. — t6S' Zttoq Xvnpbv ukovio. 
 u I hear in this a speech fraught with sorrow unto me." 
 — //?) 7rp6g <re Qe&v. As before remarked, the words are 
 thrown out of their natural order to express strong 
 agitation. Supply ucttetw, to govern ae. — dXX' dva t6X- 
 fia. " But up ! take courage." Observe dva for dvd- 
 (tttjOi. — iv aol ivfiEv, k. r. X. " On thee we depend, both 
 to live and not (to live)." Equivalent to tv vol fori to 
 ilfidg Z,r\v. — rrjv yap (piXiav <TEJ36fiE(jQa. u For thy love we 
 hold most sacred," i. e., we adore thee as a most be- 
 loved object. 
 
 281-289. \kfai 6sXu trot, k.t.X. "I wish to tell you 
 before I die what I want to have done." Observe 
 here the distinction between OsXw and fiovXofiai. The 
 former has regard to the will of another (Admetus), 
 i. e., his permission to speak ; the latter to her own 
 feelings, what she is anxious about, and wants to men- 
 tion. — TrpEvfiEvovvd ae. " Revering thee above all oth- 
 ers." Equivalent to irpoTi^Cjaa. — KaTatJT^aaaa. " Hav- 
 ing placed thee in a condition." — irapbv firj Oavelv. 
 
ALCESTIS. 187 
 
 " When it was in my power not to die." Nominative 
 absolute of the participle, as before. — d\\d. Merely 
 contrasting the two infinitives, ///} Oavtiv dXXd trx&v. 
 k. r. X. Some, however, construe dXXd (jrapov fioi) (7%€iV, 
 k.t.X., ovk fjOeXrjva. — ovk fidkXr)o~a. Paley suggests kovk 
 r)OeXr)(ya.—txov<Ta. " Though possessing." 
 
 290-292. Kdiroi. " And yet." — koXwq \ilv avroHq, k. r. X. 
 " Though they had reached a fitting time of life to die, 
 and nobly to save," etc. More literally, " It having ar- 
 rived for them at a point of life fitly to die," etc. The 
 verb view, with an adverb, takes the genitive of that 
 from the antecedent conception of which the notion 
 of the good or bad state or position arises. This 
 idiom, however, though occurring several times in He- 
 rodotus, is less frequent in Attic. (Jelf, G. G%, § 528.) 
 Observe, moreover, the nominative absolute in the par- 
 ticiple tjkov, and compare v. 284. 
 
 295-302. ical av ruv Xonrbv xpovov. She means, as the 
 next verse shows, You and I would have lived on to- 
 gether. — Kai 7ra1dag wpQavaveg. " And would not have 
 had to bring up your children as orphans." — ravra_ 
 nev l&7rpaZev, k. r. X. " Worked out these things so as 
 to have (themselves) thus," i. e., brought these things 
 thus to pass. — jttot rwvd' d7r6nvr)<Tai x^P lv - " Remember 
 gratitude for these things unto me," i. e., forget not 
 the gratitude due to me for these things, or, in other 
 words, do what I bid you do in return. The ydp in 
 the next line depends, as usual, on something implied : 
 " (And you ought to do it) for the utmost I can ask 
 falls short of what I have done for you," etc. — dliav. 
 " A suitable return." Supply \dpiv. — Ukcuo. Se. " But 
 (I will only ask of thee) just things." 
 
 304-306. Tovrovg dvdaxov, k. r. X. " Be content that 
 these be lords of my house." Literally, " Endure these 
 
188 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 being lords," etc. She means, remarks Paley, do not 
 be so impatient at your widowed estate as to wish for 
 another wife and other children, who will be set be- 
 fore mine. But she says this entirely out of regard to 
 her children's interest, not to her own feelings as a 
 wife. — fir) '7riyr)iiyg, k.t.X. "Bring not by a second 
 marriage a step-mother upon these children." The 
 verb tmyajieoj is the regular one employed in this case. 
 — (pBovy. " Through jealous dislike, 1 ' i. e., she will re- 
 gard them with this feeling as being the children of 
 one who she is conscious was better than herself, and 
 therefore more worthy of a husband's love. 
 
 312-315. ov Kal 7Tpo(ra7r£, k. t. X. Repeated from v. 
 195, and evidently a mere interpolation. — KopevOrjaei. 
 Compare v. 178. — rvxoxxra. "Having met with," i. e., 
 having found, or come into contact with. — py. " How 
 I fear lest." Supply wg dsdouca. 
 
 316-325. aovg ya/iovg. " Thy prospects of marriage." 
 — vvfi<pwau. Taken here in the sense of to adorn as a 
 bride. — \ir\vbg. The employment of this term here has 
 occasioned considerable difficulty. It is commonly re- 
 garded as almost, if not actually, idle. Blomfield, how- 
 ever, in his review of Monk's Akestis, thinks that Eu- 
 ripides intimates that the day fixed beforehand for the 
 voluntary death of Alcestis was the first of the month ; 
 a month probably having been allowed to Admetus to 
 search for a substitute. {Quart. Rev.,\o\. xv., p. 119.) 
 — Xs^ofim. " I shall be reckoned." Middle in a passive 
 sense. — x ai P 0VT ^ ebtypaivoiaOt. " Farewell ; may you 
 be happy." — firjrpog. " Of a most excellent mother." 
 Supply dpiarrig. 
 
 326-335. ov X aZofiai. "I fear not." The old reading 
 was ov xaZofiai, which Barnes, guided by the explana- 
 tion of the Scholiast (ovk evXapovfiai), changed to the 
 
ALCESTIS. 189 
 
 present form. — yvn-ep tirj, k. t. X. Dindorf, following 
 some of the MSS., gives el-rep in place of yv-nrep. The 
 meaning will then be, " Since he is a sensible man." 
 But this is much less forcible. — -n-po^Oey^eTai. " Shall 
 address," i. e., as husband. Shall have any thing to 
 say to him. — ovk Igtiv ovnog, k. t. X. " There lives not 
 thus (i. e., so as to address me thus) any female either 
 of a noble sire, or any one besides most conspicuous for 
 beauty." The difficulty which some have found in the 
 construction of this passage will disappear at once if 
 we only give ovtuq its full force. There is no need what- 
 ever of our regarding the two lines as spurious, with 
 Naucke, or of our seeking to correct them, as Klotz 
 does. — ILXig ds waiSwv. Supply tori. Hermann removes 
 the stop after iraiSwv. " I pray the gods that the enjoy- 
 ment of these my children be sufficient for me," i. e., that 
 I may be sufficiently blessed in them. So also Dindorf 
 has edited. But the Scholiast says expressly, snog rov 
 iraidojv M GTileiv, " We must put a Stop after iraidwv." 
 
 336-346. trrjcnov. The usual time to mourn for a 
 wife was one year. (Kirchmann, de Fun., iv., 10.) — alojv 
 ovfiog. " This life of mine." — ra <piXrara. " What was 
 dearest." Compare note on Hippol, 965. — dpd fioi ark- 
 veiv irapa. " Have I not then reason to mourn ?" Ob- 
 serve Trapa for 7rdpe<rn. — kio/jiovq. " The festivities." In 
 these, crowns or chaplets formed an essential part. 
 The term KtifioQ must here be taken in a general sense, 
 not in the special one of a serenade or revel. Paley 
 makes kCjjxoi here equivalent to what we would call 
 " parties." — (Tvfnrorutv. " Table-companions." — /jLovaav. 
 " Song," accompanied of course with music. — irpbg Ai- 
 (3w Xaicelv avXov. " To sing to the Libyan flute." The 
 flute or pipe is here called Aifivg , because the lotus, of 
 which it was often made, grew in Africa. 
 
 348-362. (TO(py dt xupi, *• r. X. Dindorf calls this a in- 
 
190 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 ventum valde absurdum." — TrepnrriHTGiov x*P a G- "Fold- 
 ing my arms around it." Supply avrtf. The same 
 phrase occurs Androm., 417. — iv dyKaXaig. "In my 
 embrace. 7 ' 'AyicaXrj, properly the bent arm. — -fyvxpdv 
 rep\j;iv. The accusative in apposition with the verbal 
 idea that precedes. (Jelf, G. G., § 580, 2.) — o7/xat. "No 
 doubt." Elmsley, however, would read oUa. — <piXovg. 
 The reading of Hermann, Dindorf, and Pflugk, with 
 Elmsley, for <pi\oig or QiXov of the MSS. Monk and 
 Matthiae give <piXog after Musgrave. — irapy, scil. rig ah- 
 ru)v. — Karrj\9ov dv. "I would have descended." He 
 imagines her already dead. So dv la\ov, "Would 
 have stopped me." Observe the employment of the 
 plural with the disjunctive, the idea being that both 
 Cerberus and Charon together would have been unable 
 to stop him. 
 
 363-367. dXX ovv. " Be that, however, as it may."— 
 iv Tctiaiv avralg, k. t. X. " For I will enjoin my children 
 here to place me in the same cedar coffin with you." 
 The dative ooi depends, as before remarked, on raig 
 avToig. Observe that intaK^-xTM here takes an accusa- 
 tive as equivalent to keXevu), and with regard to KeSpoig 
 compare v. 160. As with the Romans, and probably 
 after the Pelasgic rite, remarks Paley, the Greeks both 
 burned and buried their dead, but more frequently the 
 former. In v. 740 Alcestis is carried to the funeral 
 pile. But 7rXevpd UreivaL here excludes the mere bur- 
 ial of the ashes. 
 
 372-378. yafieiv. Future contracted from the ear- 
 lier yaiikouv. The later future ya^io would, of course, 
 not suffer contraction. — i<f vpiv. " (To be) over you." 
 Compare Med,, 694. — ini roTade. " On these terms." 
 On the metrical peculiarity, an anapaest commencing 
 the line, which is nearly confined to the later style of 
 Euripides, Hermann founds an argument that this and 
 
ALCESTIS. 191 
 
 the next verse are either not genuine, or else a subse- 
 quent addition by the poet himself. But compare v. 
 344. — gov ye. " Of such a one as you even are." 
 
 383-391. apKovfisv i)fis7g ol Trpo9vrj<jKovTeg. Another in- 
 stance where a female speaking of herself in the plu- 
 ral uses the masculine gender. — vkotuvov o^pa, k. t. X. 
 " My darkening eye is growing heavy." — cnruXowv dp. 
 M I am undone then." Observe the employment of the 
 aorist, to denote a future event which must certainly 
 happen. The absence of any definite notion of time 
 expresses yet more forcibly the inevitable, and, as it 
 were, actual development of that which is future. 
 (Jelf, G. G., § 403, 2.) — wg ovkst ovaav, k. t. X. " You 
 may call me nothing, as one that is no longer in exist- 
 ence." — tKovaa ye. Supply \utto). — x^P- This is said 
 with her last breath ; and thus, remarks Paley, death 
 is literally acted on the stage, contrary to the true 
 principles of Attic tragedy, but not perhaps to the 
 semi-satyric drama, of which the present is considered 
 to be an instance. Probably at the word xaTpe she 
 falls back on the litter. 
 
 393-403. lib pot, k. t. X. The dochmiacs mixed with 
 iambics which follow well express grief blended with 
 excitement. The device of bringing a child on the 
 stage is rarely adopted by the Tragic writers. — Iff tde 
 (3\s<papa icai. In his larger edition, Paley gives We yap 
 ide ftXeipapov icai. The present reading makes a single 
 dochmius (Seidl., p. 5), the other a dochmius preceded 
 by three short syllables. — vvv ye KaXovfmi 6. The 
 words vvv ye, though they suit the dactylic verse, are 
 regarded as spurious by Elmsley, Monk, Hermann, and 
 Pflugk. Dindorf, who arranges in dochmiacs, also 
 omits them, and they are not found in several MSS. — 
 abg veocrcrog. " Thy young one." The child compares 
 himself to a young bird. 
 
192 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 404-413. rrjv y ov icXvovcrav, k.t.X. Supply koXeIc. — 
 Xtiiropcu <piXag fiarpog. " Am left behind by my dear 
 mother." Observe that parpog here depends on XaVo- 
 [iai, and not, as Jelf (§ 529, 1) incorrectly gives it, on 
 [lovoGToXog. — kyd) r tpya, k. t. X. Paley has inserted rXd- 
 fiiov here, on Hermann's conjecture. — crvyKaai Kovpa. 
 "My own little sister," Hermann's reading, for <jv r 
 tfioi avyKCLGL — avvErXag crxsrXi trXag. The words (txetXl 
 trXag are inserted by Paley on conjecture. — dvovar dvo- 
 var svvfxfyEvaag. " In vain, in vain, did you wed," i. e., 
 you have not been fortunate in your marriage. — yrjpug 
 reXog. " The period of old age," i. e., the full end or 
 limit. 
 
 421-428. 7rpo(jB7rTaT. " Winged its way unto me." 
 — avT, for avro. Observe the accent. — iKfyopav. " A 
 carrying forth." The Latin elatio. — Orjaofiai. In the 
 sense of Troir]ao\iai. — avr^xh^curE. " Sing responsive." 
 This obviously refers to the antistrophic ode which 
 follows. — afnrovdy. " To whom no drink-offering is 
 poured," i. e., inexorable, implacable. Death is meant. 
 Compare Aesch., frag., 147 : jwvog Oe&v yap Bdvarog ov 
 dwpiov ip$. — 7Tsv9ovg xoivovaQai. " To share in sorrow- 
 ing." — Kovpcji ZvpfjKEi. " With a close cutting of their 
 locks." — reOpnnrd 9' oi ^EvyvvaQE, k. t. X. " And do ye 
 who harness the four-horse teams (to the chariots) 
 and get ready the single steeds, lop," etc. As Zevyw- 
 gQe is scarcely appropriate to the single horses, we must 
 either suppose a zeugma, or supply some verb, such as 
 dprvsTE or kogjueTte. Monk reads TsOpnnrd te ZEvyvwQE, 
 which changes the mood from the indicative to the 
 imperative : " And do ye harness," etc., which is far 
 inferior in every point of view. 
 
 431 — 434. GEXrjvag dtodEK iKTrXqpovfXEvag. u During 
 twelve increasing moons," i. e., for twelve lunar months. 
 Thus the public as well as the private mourning was 
 
ALCESTIS. 193 
 
 irrjmov (v. 336), and the cessation of all music is to be 
 common to both the whole city and the palace. — Ttfiav. 
 Monk, Hermann, and most copies give Tiprjg. Both 
 constructions were in use. 
 
 436-451. x ai P 0V(J( z P 01 oiketevoiq. "With my best 
 wishes for you, may you inhabit," i. e., accept from 
 me the wish that you may inhabit in happiness. — og 
 te yspiov '%ei. "And the old man who sits." The 
 combination og re occurs, with the exception of Ho- 
 mer, only in the Lyric poets and Tragic choruses. — 
 Kwirq 7rrjdaXup te. A combined idea, the oar answering 
 both purposes. — Xifivav 'Ax^povriav iropEvaag. " That 
 he will have conducted over the waters of Acheron." 
 The accusative of space travelled over. — ^ovaoirokou 
 " They who hold converse with the Muses," i. e., 
 bards. — dXvpotg vfivoig. Epic verse, as opposed to lyr- 
 ic. — KVKXdg dviKa KapvEiov, k. t. X. " When the circling 
 season of the Carnean month comes round, the moon 
 all night long being raised on high." The festival of 
 the Carnea was held by the Spartans in honor of 
 Apollo, and occupied nine days, beginning on the sev- 
 enth day of the month Carneus (the Attic Metageit- 
 nion), which month answered to the latter half of 
 our August and the first half of September. The Car- 
 nea appear to have been both a military and a mu- 
 sical festival, and, at the musical contests connected 
 with it, the legend of Apollo and Admetus would of 
 course occupy a prominent place, and the name of Al- 
 cestis be mentioned with honor. — aEipofihag 7rawvxov 
 cEkdvag. That is, at the period of the full moon, or, 
 more correctly, for some days before and after, as the 
 festival lasted from the seventh to the sixteenth. 
 
 454-470. [io\7rdv. " Subject of song." — TEpsfivwv. 
 "The chambers." — Trorafiio: vEprkpq, te KMirq. "With 
 the oar of the river of the lower world." — & fidva, 
 
194 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 k. r. X. " O thou, the one only, O dear one of women." 
 Observe the force of p.bva, meaning, in effect, unsur- 
 passed, unexampled, etc. — 7r6cnv avri (Tag afteuf/ai, k. t. X. 
 "To deliver thy husband from Hades in exchange 
 for thine own life." The primary meaning of afieiftio 
 is " to make to pass into opposite places," hence here, 
 a to make him come from Hades, and to put yourself 
 in Hades in his place." — Kovcpa aoi %0wv, k. r.X. Com- 
 pare the Latin tomb-inscription, " JSlt tibi terra levis." 
 — Ss/iag, ovde 7rarpbg yepaiov. After this a line has been 
 lost, which Paley thinks may have contained the apo- 
 dosis, and which he supplies as follows : xp>> pw rovd' 
 airoXkaQai. Pflugk, however, regards the clause from 
 fiaTspog to yepaiov as a continuation of vv. 461-3, the 
 rest being parenthetical. — pveaQai. Observe the short v 
 in the antepenult, and compare Spitzner, Or. Pros., p. 99. 
 
 472-475. 7rpo9avovffa Qwrog. "Having died for thy 
 husband." — Toiavrag e'irj fioi Kvpvai, k. t. X. " May it be 
 my lot to meet with such a partner as the beloved 
 sharer of my couch." Observe the accentuation of 
 icvpaat (less correctly Kvpaai), for the v in icvpio (a syno- 
 nym and older form of Kvpeio) is long, and the circum- 
 flex therefore is correct. — to yap lv /3tdry, k.t.X. "For 
 this in life is a rare lot." — aKvirog. " Without causing 
 me grief." — dt al&vog. " Through my whole life." 
 
 476-483. Zkvoi, Qepaiag, k. t. X. Hercules, who appears 
 from v. 559 to have already held the relation of &vog 
 to Admetus, now enters, .and inquires of the Chorus 
 whether their master is at home. Seeing the family 
 in mourning, he hesitates to enter, but the equivocal 
 •answers he receives remove his scruples. — Kio/irjrai. 
 "Inhabitants." The term Kioixr^rrjg properly means a 
 villager, or countryman, as opposed to a townsman. 
 Here, however, it is used more loosely. — apa Kiyxavcj ; 
 " Shall I not find ?" — trpovfi^vai. Supply ware. — Tipvv- 
 
ALCESTIS. 195 
 
 0<V EvpvaOei. Eurystheus was king of Mycenae, but 
 the poets frequently apply the epithets of Argive and 
 Tirynthian to both him and Hercules. — rif Trpoak&vZai 
 nXdv^ ; " With what roaming have you been coupled ?" 
 i. e., on what adventure are you sent ? — rerpojpov upfxa. 
 " The four chariot-steeds." Compare note on v. 67. 
 
 484-498. \i&v airupoQ el Ikvov ; " Surely you are not un- 
 acquainted with that foreigner ?" i. e., you little know 
 who he is, or you would not have undertaken so fruit- 
 less a journey. — Bkttovwv. The Bistones of historic 
 times dwelt to the south of Mount Rhodope. — a-Kenreiv. 
 " To renounce." More literally, " to say no to." Ob- 
 serve that the true reading here is rovg irovovg, not rolg 
 ttovoiq. The verb cnruTruv with the dative would mean, 
 "to say no," in the sense of having had enough of, and 
 hence to faint at, etc. — i'faig. " You will come back." 
 — tI de irkkov. " But what advantage." — el fu) ye. " (It 
 is), unless indeed." — ^oprov. " The food." — alfxaaiv ire- 
 <pvpfisvag. " Stained with abundant blood," i. e., be- 
 spattered everywhere with blood. Observe the force 
 of the plural. — Z,axpvvov Qpyidag, k. r. X. " Lord of the 
 Thracian targe, rich with gold." Compare Aesch., 
 Pers., 380 : Kwirrjg aval. " Lord (or master) of the oar." 
 
 499-506. $ai rovde rovfiov, k. t. X. " In this also you 
 mention a labor accordant with my destiny," i. e., my 
 own evil luck. — icai irpog alirog tpxerai. " And tends to 
 what is arduous," i. e., and toils uphill, alnog being 
 properly a height or steep. — Avicdovi. No mention is 
 elsewhere made of any son of Mars named Lycaon. 
 The Lycaon whom, according to the ordinary legend, 
 Hercules did slay, was the son of Neleus and brother 
 of Nestor. — Kvicvy. Cycnus challenged Hercules to 
 single combat, and was slain by him, at Itone, in Thes- 
 saly (Hes., Scut. Here, 345). — tpxofiat, <rv[i(3a\wv. Cir- 
 cumlocution of tpxofiat with the future participle. 
 (Matth., § 559, c.)— rpwavra. Transitive. 
 
196 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 507-521. Kal firjv. " And lo !"— Uspaeiog. The pedi- 
 gree was, Jupiter, Perseus, Alcaeus, Electryon, Alcnie- 
 na, Hercules. — QkXoifi dp. " I wish I could receive this 
 salutation." Supply x a ip* lv , an d observe the play upon 
 the word. — irpkirug. " Are you conspicuous," i. e., do 
 you show yourself, or appear to the view. — irarrip ye 
 fifjv wpaTog. "Your father certainly is ripe for the 
 tomb." — Z<tti. " Still lives." Observe the accent. — ov 
 \ii)v ywi] y, k. r. X. " Surely your wife is not dead, is 
 she V — noTEpa 6avov<rr]Q d-rag, k. r. X. Genitive absolute. 
 There is no need, therefore, of reading 7rept in place of 
 In. — ?<rm> re kovkst tamy. It was this kind of quib- 
 bling (as he thought it) that Aristophanes derided. 
 (Acharn., 396.) 
 
 523-531. fioipag fc. "The fate which." The more 
 common attraction would be ?)g fioipag, i.e., (rrjv fiolpap) 
 ijg fioipag. But here the noun takes, even though stand- 
 ing first, the case of the relative jvhich follows. — i»0«- 
 fisvTjv. " Of her having submitted herself." — kg t6S' 
 avapaXov. " Wait until this happens." More literal- 
 ly, "wait for this," i. e., until she actually dies. — reOvrjx 
 b fisXXwv, k.t.X. The meaning is, that one who is 
 doomed to die is as much to be regarded as dead as 
 one actually deceased. — %iopig vofii&rai. " Are consid- 
 ered to be quite different." Literally, " to be apart." 
 — rySs, scil. 68$. — yvvaiKog apr'uog fiefivfifieQa. " We 
 have just been speaking of a woman," i. e., it is a 
 woman of whom we have just been making mention, 
 not a man. 
 
 532-537. oOvelog. " A mere citizen." Derived prob- 
 ably, as Paley thinks, from ZQvog. Like popularis, it 
 properly means one of the same clan or race, but not 
 connected by blood. Such is the explanation of Sui- 
 das. The term is commonly, but erroneously,. rendered 
 " a stranger." — dXXiog S' %v dvayKaia dofioig. " But she 
 
ALCESTIS. 197 
 
 was besides closely connected with my house." He 
 uses the term dvayKaia with studied ambiguity, wish- 
 ing Hercules to understand it as referring to intimate 
 friendship rather than close relationship. — viroppdirTug. 
 " Do you annex." Equivalent to avvriOijg. 
 
 546-550. y)yov <tv. Spoken to one of the attendants 
 by whom royal personages came upon the stage at- 
 tended. — ^w/idrwr. Apartments only are meant, for 
 the banqueting-room was merely separated from the 
 central part of the house by a door which led into it 
 from the avXi), or peristyle court, where also, opposite 
 to the outer, or house door, was the 9vpa nwavXog or 
 fisTavXog, leading to the ywaiKuviTig. This is now to 
 be closed, lest the women's lamentations should dis- 
 turb the banquet.— iv Sk KXyoare, k. t. X. " And shut to 
 the inner hall-door." 
 
 553-567. noXewg. Pronounced as a dissyllable in 
 scanning. — IxQpo&vovg. That this was regarded as 
 the greatest reproach may be clearly inferred from 
 Aesch., Choeph., 560, and 642, 643. Dindorf gives kcl- 
 ico&vovg, witli several MSS. of good repute. But the 
 contrary term is QtXo&vog, which occurs at v. 809. — 
 rvyxavio. "Find." — "Apyovg dixpiav x^ova. A recent 
 traveller says that the streams on the eastern part of 
 the plain in which Argos is situated are all drunk up 
 by the thirsty soil on quitting their rocky beds for the 
 deep, arable land. Hence the epithet of 7roXvdl\piov, 
 applied by Homer (II., iv., 171) to the land of Argos. 
 (Mure, Tour in Greece,\\.,\). 194.) — rbv 7rap6vra Saifiova. 
 "Your present misfortune." — r<£ psv. Keferring to 
 Hercules. 
 
 569-577. w TzoXvZuvog, k.t.X. As if he had said, w 
 ttoXvZeivov Kal kXevOtpov dvdpbg olicog. — tXevQepog. " Lib- 
 eral." Paley, however, translates "independent," i. e., 
 
198 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 not the mere appanage of any neighboring rvpawog. 
 This, however, appears less natural. — olicog. Nomina- 
 tive in place of the vocative. But the Greeks do not, 
 in reality, use the vocative of olicog, any more than the 
 Romans do that of many words, such as mntus, rims, 
 etc. — rjZ'ntiGE. u Deigned."— coT(ti lv dSfioig. An abrupt 
 transition from the mansion to Admetus, the owner of 
 it. — doxpiav kXitviov. He means the slanting hill-sides, 
 as opposed to the abrupt and precipitous cliffs. — iroi- 
 /avirag vfievaiovg. " His pastoral niarriage-songs." Pa- 
 ley thinks that the epithet vfievaiovg refers to the pro- 
 pensity of shejDherds to sing of their own loves. 
 
 579-586. uvv 8k. " And along with them."— paXiat. 
 " Spotted." The explanation " swift," seems to have 
 less authority. The horses of Achilles were called re- 
 spectively Xanthus and Balius, from their being the 
 one " bay," the other " piebald." In this legend the 
 poet has transferred to Apollo the common story about 
 Orpheus. — "OOpvog. Othrys, a lofty chain of mount- 
 ains, shuts in the plain of Thessaly from the south. It 
 branches off from Mount Tymphrestus, a summit in 
 the range of Pindus, and runs nearly due east through 
 Phthiotis to the sea-coast, separating the waters which 
 flow into the Penens from those of the Sperchius. — 
 daipoivog. " Tawny." — v-^iKofiiov ickpav, k. t. X. " Ad- 
 vancing beyond the pines of lofty foliage with nimble 
 pastern," i. e., stepping beyond and out of the enclos- 
 ure of the pine-woods, and venturing into the open 
 pasture-lands. 
 
 589-596. roiyap TroXvfirjXordrav, k. t. X. The meaning 
 is that he is prosperous in flocks, because Apollo had 
 made this a favorite spot for tending and breeding 
 sheep. He had, as it were, blessed it as a pasture- 
 ground. — Boifilav Xijivav. The lake Boebei's was in 
 Magnesia, in Thessaly, in the vicinity of Mount Ossa. It 
 
ALCESTIS. 199 
 
 is a long, narrow piece of water. The heights around 
 are still covered with numerous flocks. — dporoig Se 
 yvav, k. t. X. " And he makes the clime of the Molos- 
 sians a limit to the tillage of his fields, and the extent 
 of his plains towards the dusky stable of the sun," 
 i. e., the limit to his domain on the west. Hence he 
 was sovereign over a much wider territory than the 
 mere Pheraean state. The Molossi were one of the 
 three chief tribes of Epirus, and their territory ex- 
 tended from the Aous along the western bank of the 
 Arachthus, as far as the Ambracian gulf. — 7t6vti6v t 
 AiyaiGtv, k. t. X. " While he bears sway unto the ocean, 
 the Aegean, the harborless shore of Pelion," i. e., on 
 the east his sway extends to the ocean-shore of the Ae- 
 gean, along by Mount Pelion. This shore runs almost 
 in a straight line, and hence the epithet dXi/jievog. 
 
 GO 1-605. to ydp tvyevsg, k. r.\. " (And he does this) 
 for noble birth has a strong tendency to a feeling of 
 respect (for the rights of hospitality)." Literally, " is 
 borne out (of the ordinary course)," i. e., has a greater 
 tendency than ordinary. — Trpbg IftgZ ^vxq. narai. " Sits 
 at my heart." — 9eo<Tsj3rj <pu>ra. He means the man who, 
 through reverence towards the gods, strictly adheres" 
 to the laws of hospitality. — icedvd irpd^uv. " Will (yet) 
 fare prosperously." 
 
 606-613. dvdpujv QepaLtov, k. t.X. " Kind presence of 
 Pheraean men," i. e., ye men of Pherae, who are pres- 
 ent here with kindly feelings. — navr txovra. "Hav- 
 ing all things (requisite)," i. e., which respect for the 
 dead demands. — dpdrjv. "Aloft," i. e., upon their 
 shoulders. — irpbg rd<pov re Kai izvpdv. "For both in- 
 terment and the funeral pile." The more general 
 term is here placed first. The body is solemnly car- 
 ried to the pyre at v. 739, afterwards to be interred. 
 The altercation between the father and son prevents 
 
200 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 this being sooner done. — irpoaeiTraTe. " Salute," i. e., 
 by saying xaljoe, or eu aoi yevoiro, k. t. X. The salutation 
 is delayed by the altercation until v. 741. — kogjxov. 
 Consult note on v. 161. — veprspuv dydXfiara. "The 
 honors of those below." 
 
 614-G27. ijKio KctKolai, k. t. X. Pheres, who thinks that 
 he has satisfied his duty in praising the devotion of 
 Alcestis, and in bringing trinkets or ornaments for the 
 corpse in return for saving both his own life and that 
 of his son, is met by an indignant refusal on the part 
 of Admetus, who contends that it was the father's 
 place to die for him, rather than that of his young 
 and attached wife. Then, remarks Paley, a scene en- 
 sues of selfishness on one side, and unnatural want of 
 filial duty on the other, which, especially on the occa- 
 sion of a funeral, appears to us very improbable, but 
 not so, perhaps, to the sophistical and disputatious 
 Athenians. — vvyKdfivwv. " Sympathizing." — ijTig ye. 
 " Since she indeed." In Latin, quippe quae. — Xvuv. 
 In the sense of XvaireXelv. — ?) yafjielv ovk a%iov. "Or 
 else that it is not worth while to marry at all." 
 
 630-635. ovr iv $1X0101, k.t.X. "Nor do I reckon 
 your presence here among pleasing things." — oh yap n 
 riov gujv, k. r. X. " For she shall be interred in nowise 
 wanting these things of yours," i. e., well provided 
 with everything on our part, and therefore in nothing 
 indebted to you. — or wXXvfirjv kyw. " When I was on 
 the point of perishing." Observe the force of the im- 
 perfect. — kKTrodiov. "Aloof." — ujv. " Though being." 
 — a7roifi(o%Ei. So Hermann and Pflugk, with Matthiae, 
 for a7roifitoZy or d7roifiio^eig, neither of which will stand, 
 since o///w^o>, fut. olmoZofiai, was alone in use. Monk 
 and Elmsley prefer airoifiio&iQ, but Paley thinks that 
 the future may allude to his intention of being present 
 at the funeral. 
 
ALCESTIS. 201 
 
 638-647. dovXiov d' a<p' alfiarog. " But being of ser- 
 vile blood." Supply £p. Observe the unnatural sneer 
 intended to be conveyed. I suppose that I was of 
 servile origin, or else you would have had the true 
 feelings of a father towards me. — elg iXeyxov t&\6wv. 
 u Having come to the test," i. e., on having been put 
 to it.— dg el. For olog el. " What kind of person you 
 are." The form rig el would have meant, u Who you 
 are," i. e., who out of an indefinite number of persons. 
 — Kai // oh vofii^u) elvai, k. t. X. The nominative with 
 the infinitive is employed in Greek when the same 
 person is both the subject and object of the verb, but 
 when, as here, the intention is to lay an emphasis on 
 the subject, the accusative is used with the infinitive, 
 as in Latin. (Jelf, G. #., §§ 672, 673.)—?} rdpa. " As- 
 suredly then." Observe that rdpa is by crasis for toi 
 dpa. — bQveiav. Consult note on v. 532. — i)v tyu) Kai /ttrj- 
 Hpa, k. t. X. " Whom alone I might justly have con- 
 sidered even a mother, and it may be a father too." 
 Observe here the employment of the double dv, re- 
 garded as a great elegance in Attic Greek, though in- 
 capable of being fully rendered into English. This is 
 Elmsley's reading in place of the common irarkpa re y, 
 " Aye, and father too." 
 
 648-672. dywva. Cognate accusative. — iravrug. " At 
 any rate." — fiiibaijAog. " To be lived." — Kai firjv. " But 
 further." Different in force from the same combina- 
 tion when denoting the approach of a new person, as 
 above, v. 507. — Tjflrjtrag. " You passed the vigor of 
 your days." — SidSoxog. " To be your successor." — S6- 
 fiov 6p<pav6v. "A desolate house." — ov firjv epelg ye, 
 k. r. X. " You surely will not have to say of me," etc. 
 A new objection is here anticipated and answered. 
 Admetus says, Not yet will you have to say this of me, 
 that, holding in little regard your old age, I gave you 
 up to die, since I have ever felt respect towards you 
 16 
 
202 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 in an especial degree. Observe the force of ogtiq with 
 ty. "Since I was one who." — kclvtI r&vde pot xdpiv 1 
 k. r. X. " And (now) for these things both you and she 
 that bare me have given rne such a requital in ex- 
 change." Observe that x^9 lv dXXdaauv is to inter- 
 change favors, to give a favor for one received. — roi- 
 ydp (pvTEvcjv TraXdag, k. t. X. " You could not then (after 
 what has happened) be too soon in begetting chil- 
 dren," i. e., go and do so at once, and the sooner the 
 better. — rtOvrjica ydp 8fj Toviri a. " Since as far as you 
 are concerned I am dead already," i. e., as far as your 
 consent to die for me goes. — xpsyovreg. " Complain- 
 ing." — ovdeig. Here and in a few other passages, ob- 
 serves Paley, Porson would write oW elg, to avoid* vio- 
 lating the law which regulates the pause in the two 
 last feet of an Iambic trimeter. The editors, except 
 Monk, do not care to follow him. 
 
 675-680. w 7rat, t'iv avxziQ, k. r. X. " My son, whom 
 do you suppose that you are pursuing with insults? 
 Some Lydian or Phrygian (slave), purchased by you 
 with money?" The genitive akQev depends on dpyv- 
 pwvrjrov, or, in other words, veOev is the genitive of the 
 antecedent notion, which is conceived to have caused 
 the state expressed by the verbal adjective. (Jelf, 
 G. #., § 483, Obs. 3.) — yvrjaiug EXev9epov. " Free by 
 true birth." A man might be IXevOepog who had been 
 a slave, but here freedom by true birth is meant. — icai 
 vsaviag Xoyovg, k.t.X. "And, flinging out against US 
 the hot-headed words of a young man, you shall not, 
 after having made your attack, depart thus," i. e., with 
 impunity. Observe that ovnog is equivalent here to 
 wg exEig. The expression veaviag Xoyovg means liter- 
 ally, "a young man's words," and implies, as Paley 
 remarks, spirit, daring, and bravado combined. 
 
 682-689. 6<peiX(o 8' ovx- " But I am under no obliga- 
 
ALCESTIS. 203 
 
 tion." Observe that the ov% belongs to (tya'Xw, and 
 not to v7rep6vr}(jKEiv, in which latter case /xij would have 
 been employed. More clearly, dQEikto d' ov tovto, to 
 v7rEpQvi)<ncEiv uov. — 'EXX^vlkov. That is, such a law 
 would suit barbarians better, just as among the Scyth- 
 ians old men used to be strangled in order to short- 
 en the term of their natural existence. — £<pvg. " You 
 were born." — rov a airovTEpio. Observe rov for rivog. 
 
 690-705. firj 9vrj(Tx\ *• r. X. " Die not for this man," 
 i. e., I do not want you to die for me. — ovd' iyto. Sup- 
 ply Qavovjiai. — ov yovv avaidtog, k. r. X. " You at least 
 shamelessly battled not to die, and live on, having 
 passed your appointed lot." Observe the force of 
 yovv, the idea being, " At least you seem to think so, 
 in shamelessly contending not to die, and living on," 
 etc. — yvvaiKog. Genitive, because r)aar)iikvog implies a 
 comparison. — rov koXov uov vEaviov. " For you the 
 handsome youth." — aoQtog d' tyrjvpEg. "But cleverly 
 have you devised." — rrjv 7rapovaav cleI yvvaTica. "The 
 wife who is present with you for the time." This em- 
 ployment of cleL is of common occurrence, but, as Monk 
 remarks, the adverb is more frequently placed between 
 the article and the participle. Cicero has imitated 
 the Graecism (Verr., 5, 12), "Omnes Siciliae semper prae- 
 toresy — el d' ijiiag Kaiciog, k. t. X. That is, if you presume 
 to charge me with cowardice, the accusation will re- 
 dound with greater truth against yourself. In trans- 
 lating, however, render Kaiaog and Kaica with a general 
 meaning, "to speak ill of," and "to hear evil things." 
 
 706—713. ttXeilo. Supply rov Ssovrog. — \ey cog tfiov 
 Xk'iavTog. " Say what evil of me you please, since I 
 have already said what I pleased of you." Admctus, 
 remarks Paley, without noticing the conciliatory re- 
 mark of the Chorus, here replies to the last words of 
 Pheres. For Pheres had threatened, ei *)fiag Kaiaog 
 
204 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 kpetg, k. t. X., and Admetus replies, ov [ibvov Ipw, aXX' f/Sr) 
 eXe£a. — ravrbv yap. "What, is it the same thing.' 1 — 
 $ V XV A"?- "With one life," i. e., not to aim at living 
 two lives — our own natural term of years, and a bor- 
 rowed one besides. — rai p^v Awg ye, k. r. X. " Why, in 
 all frankness, you may (if you please) live on a longer 
 life than Jove," i. e., if you think we ought to live only 
 one life, and yet show by your conduct that you wish 
 it to be as long as possible. Paley follows Hermann, 
 who remarks that it is much better here to retain the 
 av than to omit it with Schaefer and others, for the 
 former is a keener taunt. There is no direct im- 
 precation here, but in effect, this being neither a 
 good wish nor being intended for such. As if he had 
 said, "May you live long enough to experience the 
 misery of being old." To curse a parent was a fla- 
 grant sin. 
 
 715-725. yap. " (I merely said what I did say) be- 
 cause." — veicpbv rovde. " This corpse." Observe as be- 
 fore the masculine gender in speaking of a dead body. 
 The meaning of the line is, Do not you show that you 
 are fond of a long life, by the very fact of interring a 
 substitute ? — irpbg rjiJLwv ye. " Through us at least." — 
 lg xp s ' iav - " To a standing in need." — Qavoxn. " May 
 die (for you)." — <pi\ov to <psyyog, k. r. X. Wustemann 
 calls attention to the peculiar force of expression in 
 the line's beginning and ending with the same word. 
 — Xrjfia. "Spirit." — kovk iv avdpacriv. "And exists 
 not among true men." Equivalent simply to dvavdpov. 
 " Unmanly," i. e., for avowing so strong an attachment 
 to life. — ovk eyye\$g, k. t. X. The idea is, " You are dis- 
 appointed at not burying your old father instead of 
 your wife, and therefore you are abusive." — Gavel ye 
 /jevroi, k. r. X. The meaning is, " You will die, never- 
 theless, some day or other, and when you do die, you 
 will leave no good name behind you." 
 
ALCESTIS. 205 
 
 727-740. avaifciag. st Of sharuelessness." — yd' ovk 
 avaidris, k.t.X. "True, she was not shameless; you 
 found her, however, deficient in wisdom," i. e., "True, 
 her fault was not shamelessness ; but she had another 
 and a worse fault, to which old age is not liable, but 
 youth is ; namely, lack of wisdom in acting as she did." 
 — r) rdp. " Surely, for the matter of that then." Oa- 
 sis, as before ; rdp' for rot dpa. — "Akclgtoq. Son of Peli- 
 as, and one of the Argonauts. — ovkst tar iv dvdpdaiv. 
 " Ranks no longer among men." — crk . . . alfia. Double 
 accusative, following the analogy of /xsreXOeiv nvd diKtjv. 
 — iraidoQ ovtoq. Paley removes the comma after anaiSe, 
 and makes Traitibg ovtoq depend on that word, trans- 
 lating, " of a son yet in existence." If we retain the 
 comma, we have then the genitive absolute, "though 
 a son is still living." The latter appears preferable. 
 Hermann reads, ovteq, with several MSS., and places a 
 colon at dtioi. — T(£$e. " With this one," i. e., with me. 
 — aTTUTrov dv. " I would have disowned it." — iv nvpijL. 
 Compare note on v. 608. 
 
 741-745. id) /w, k.t.X. The last address and farewell 
 of the attendants, etc., as the procession moves off the 
 stage. The Chorus had before been invited to this 
 office, at v. 610. Both stage and orchestra are there- 
 fore momentarily vacant. — (rxerXia rSXjxyg. " Wretched 
 because of thy bold deed," i. e., boldly facing death. — 
 ti Ss tl K&iceT, k. t. X. Paley says that this is perhaps the 
 earliest passage in which the Greek belief of virtue 
 being rewarded hereafter is hinted at. 
 
 747-752. ttoXXovq fiev t)dri, k. t. X. The scene that next 
 ensues, remarks Paley, especially as following, after a 
 very short interval, a solemn funeral procession, may 
 be thought to partake too largely of comedy. But we 
 must remember, first, that the play has much of a sa- 
 tyric tone (as the last of a tetralogy), and next, that 
 
206 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 the character of Hercules for voracity (an idea closely 
 connected, in the mind of the Greek, with personal 
 strength, through the training of the athletes) was no 
 mere invention of Euripides, but was celebrated by 
 the poets of his age. Moreover, the occasion is used 
 for moralizing on the folly of too much anxiety, and 
 the uncertainty of human affairs. — dfiei-ipacrOcu. " To 
 pass," i. e., to enter. The idea of the middle voice 
 here would seem to be to have the position of the 
 gates changed with respect to himself, that is, to have 
 them behind, whereas they were just now in front. 
 
 754-760. rd 7rpo(TTvx6vra Uvia. "The good cheer 
 that happened to be offered to him." — fiaOwv. The 
 servant, says the Scholiast, imagines that Hercules had 
 been informed of the death of Alcestis. — atrpwev. " He 
 kept hurrying us." — x^P E(T(7i ' An e pi c license rarely al- 
 lowed in a tragic trimeter. — kivgivov. u Of ivy-wood." 
 — HEXaivrjg fjairpog, k.t.X. "The unmixed wine of the 
 dark-hued mother," i. e., of the purple grape. This is 
 Reiske^s explanation, which appears much better than 
 that of the Scholiast, who refers the words fieXaivrjg 
 fjtijrpog to the vine itself. The term evZupov properly 
 means " quite pure," and is here equivalent to aKparov, 
 i. e., not tempered with water in the Kparrjp. — <pXb% ol- 
 vov. " The flame of the wine," i. e., the fumes of the 
 liquor. — diaaa d' i)v /ikXrj kXvslv. " And there were two 
 strains to hear." Observe that fikXrj might also be in 
 the accusative, " and it was allowed (one) to hear two 
 strains." This, however, is less poetic. 
 
 761-772. tujv iv 'Adfirjrov icaiciov, k.t.X. "In no de- 
 gree caring for the afflictions in the house of Adme- 
 tus." Observe that 7rpoTi/jiau), in the sense of " to care 
 for," " to take heed of," is construed with the genitive. 
 — of-ipa riyyovreg. . " That we were weeping." Participle 
 for infinitive, and in the same case with the subject. 
 
ALCESTIS. 207 
 
 (Jelf, G. (r., § 681.) — iv Sofiouriv. He is compelled to 
 remain at home and entertain a rude stranger, and so 
 cannot follow the funeral procession of his mistress. — 
 kUrziva xeTjoa. The attitude of mourners, as is known 
 from ancient paintings, was that here alluded to, with 
 hands uplifted and slightly thrown forward over the 
 bier. — kppvero. Observe the employment of the im- 
 perfect to denote the frequent repetition of an act. So 
 again the plural dpydg in the succeeding line refers to 
 many instances. — dpa tov Zkvov vrvyut diicaitog, k. r. X. 
 "Do I not then justly hate this guest, who has come 
 in the midst of troubles ?" 
 
 773-778. ovrog. " Ho there I" A rather unusual form 
 of address in tragedy, as partaking too much of the 
 familiar and colloquial ; but perhaps on this very ac- 
 count not the less suited to this scene. — aefivbv icai m- 
 (ppovriKOQ. "Grave and thoughtful." Accusative of 
 equivalent notion. (Jelf, G. 6r., § 554.) — dexwOai. The 
 Greeks thought much of being received with a cheer- 
 ful face on entering a place for the first time. — Qvpaiov 
 7rr)naroQ, k. r. X. " Having your attention engrossed 
 with a stranger's calamity." Hercules was still igno- 
 rant of the real state of the case. Properly speaking, 
 Ovpdiov irrjfia is an " out-door calamity." 
 
 780-794. oUag. Liable to some suspicion, remarks 
 Paley, as a very exceptional form for olcQa. — ttoQev ydp ; 
 " For whence could you V — t%E7ri<rTarai. " Knows for 
 certain." — to rrjg rvxng. " What appertains to fortune," 
 i. e., falls within her province. The more usual form 
 is rd rrjg rvxng. — ovd' dXicrKErai rk\vy. " Nor is it de- 
 tected by any art." The art of soothsaying is meant, 
 against which Euripides so frequently directs his ridi- 
 cule. — ttXeTgtov rjSiarrjv. Compare note on Med., 1323. 
 — rd dXka ravra. He means, in reality, " these sad 
 thoughts," but employs a euphemism to express the 
 
208 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 idea. Paley says it is a question whether we should 
 not read rd d' dXX\ taaov ravra. " But as for the rest, 
 dismiss these thoughts." — ol/iai /jl'sv. " I think indeed 
 that I do." 
 
 795-802. tt'iu. Second person of nioiiai, future of 
 ir'ivbi. — ravd' v7rep(3aXujv irvXag. " Having gone within 
 these gates." Literally, " having crossed." Hercules 
 points to the door of the strangers' hall, or guest-room, 
 from which he had just come forth, and invites the 
 man to return with him to the banquet. The old edi- 
 tions, with most MSS., give rvxag for nvXag. It would 
 seem that some grammarian, not understanding the 
 phrase, wrote rvxag, an( i made the meaning to be, 
 " Having put off," or " postponed your present misfor- 
 tunes." — Kal ca$ otc)a, k. r. X. " And well I know that 
 the plashing sound of the wine as it falls into the cup 
 will change you," etc. The Greek here requires a 
 somewhat free rendering in order to be intelligible. 
 The plainer form of expression in the text would 
 have been, mTvXog o'ivov uKixpy l^Tc^ovrog. Compare, 
 as regards 7nVi>Xo£, the note on Hippol., 1464. — iieOop- 
 fiiei. The verb fieOopfjiiKu) properly means to remove 
 from one anchorage to another. Compare Med., 258. — 
 ovrag. " Inasmuch as we are." — 9vr}rd Kal cppovuv. " To 
 think also as mortals." — &g y kfiol xprj^ai Kpiry. " To 
 make use of me, at least, as judge," i. e., in my opinion, 
 at least. — av^opd. " One scene of wretchedness." 
 
 804-811. ovx ola, k. t. X. That is, ov roiavra Trpdyfiara 
 6ia d^id k<TTL, k. r. X. — Ovpdlog. " Is a stranger." Liter- 
 ally, "an out-door person." — t'l Zuhjlv; "What (say 
 you), live?" — ov KaroiaQa rdv, k.t.X. "You do not 
 clearly know the misfortune in the family," i. e., you 
 do not know the real misfortune that has befallen the 
 family ; you have been misinformed as to its nature. 
 Some editors, with far less propriety, place a mark of 
 
ALCESTIS. 209 
 
 interrogation at the end of the line. Observe that rdv 
 is tcl tv. — ov \pr\v \i oOveiov, k. t. X. " (How do you 
 mean, too hospitable ?) Ought I not to have been en- 
 tertained on account of a stranger's death ?" Observe 
 the force of ye : " For a stranger, at all events (what- 
 ever might be said about a relation), you would not 
 wish me to lose hospitality, would you ?" — ff Kapra 
 fisvToi, k. r. X. " Assuredly it (i. e., the corpse) was even 
 altogether unconnected with the family." He says 
 this, according to Matthiae and Hermann, with bitter 
 irony, and at the same time studied obscurity, so that 
 his meaning really is, " it was but too closely connect- 
 ed." Hercules, however, takes the delusive answer as 
 a confirmation of his opinion that the deceased was 
 a stranger. There is another reading, oikuoq, which 
 Monk adopts, but Matthiae truly objects that this 
 would have been a plain declaration, which could 
 have left no further doubt in Hercules's mind. 
 
 812-822. fiwv Zv/jupopav, k. t. X. Hercules, misled by 
 the servant's reply, suggests that there was perhaps 
 some other calamity then pressing on the family, about 
 which Admetus had told him nothing. — x ai ? MV M*- 
 " Be off, and good-bye to you !" A formula deprecat- 
 ing further inquisitiveness. — ov yap, k. t. X. " (Aye) 
 for I would not," etc. — aXX' 7) ireirovQa Seiv\ k. t. X. " But 
 can it be that I have met with hard treatment at the 
 hands of my host ?" i. e., in not having been informed 
 by him of his domestic loss. — iv Seom UZaaQai ddfjioig. 
 "At a time fitting for the house to receive (a guest)." 
 The dative dofioig depends upon Seovn. — weiTa drjra, 
 k. r. X. " Did you nevertheless then," etc. 
 
 828-836. QvpaZov Krjdog. "A stranger's funeral." — 
 
 pig, Oviiov. " Against my will." — V7rep(3a\wv. Compare 
 
 v. 795. — K$ra Kio/xd^u). With these words he clashes 
 
 the myrtle chaplet to the ground. Observe the crasis 
 
 17 
 
210 NOTES ON 'EURIPIDES. 
 
 in icyra, for icai tira. — dXXd gov, k. t. X. " But to think 
 of your not having told rne !" The genitive of won- 
 der, or indignation. Compare Med., 1051. — 6p9r)v nap 
 olfiov, k. t.X. " By the side of the straight road which 
 leads to Larissa you will see a tomb of cut stone out- 
 side of the suburb," i. e., as you leave the suburbs and 
 pass out into the open country. — Aapiaaav. Larissa 
 was an important city of Thessaly, the capital of the 
 district Pelasgiotis, on the southern bank of the Peneus. 
 
 839-849. 'HXeicrpvovog. Blomfield's correction in place 
 of the common 'KXetcrpviovog, which latter compels us 
 to read yeivar without the augment, for which Blom- 
 field also conjectured lysivar. — iceig rovd' avQig, k.t.X. 
 " And to bring her to and place her again within this 
 mansion." The preposition elg here takes the place of 
 a verb of motion. — <pvXa%u). " I will watch for." — id- 
 vovra 7rpo(T^ayfidriov. " Drinking of the victims previ- 
 ously slain," i. e., of the blood of the victims slain be- 
 forehand. Pflugk thinks that the reference here is 
 rather to libations of wine, milk, oil, honey, and water, 
 such as were accustomed to be made in the case of in- 
 terments, and he refers to Blomfield (Gloss, ad Aesch. 
 Pers., 616), but the words alfiaTTjpuv nkXavov, in v. 851, 
 militate against this opinion. — kvkXov. "The clasp- 
 ing." A metaphor borrowed from hunting, and re- 
 ferring to the inclosing net which secures the game. — 
 fioyovvra. " Panting." 
 
 850-860. dypag. "Capture." — alfiaTrjpbv nkXavov. 
 " The clotted blood." Compare note on v. 845. — tCjv 
 kclt(o. Monk reads ri)v K«rw, scil. 6S6v. — Koprjg. As a 
 familiar title of Proserpina, this word does not require 
 the article. — alr^ofxai. Observe the force of the mid- 
 dle, " I will ask for her as a favor unto myself." — &v 
 ytvvdiog. " Noble-spirited as he was." — kokov <p&ra. 
 " An undeserving man," i. e., ungrateful. 
 
ALCESTIS. 211 
 
 861-873. iw ictfj k. t. X. Exclamation of Admetus, re- 
 turning from the funeral and met by the Chorus. — 
 GTvyvai TrpoaoSoi. He dreads entering his abode. Hence 
 the words of the Chorus in v. 872. — ttujq civ okoi^av. 
 Compare 3fed., 97. — kuviov tpajiai. " I long for the 
 things that are there," i. e., in the world below. Ob- 
 serve that Ksiviov is neuter here, not masculine, and 
 equivalent to t&v eksX. — iroda 7re(eva)v. " In setting 
 foot." — rolov ofirjpov. u Such a companion." The ref- 
 erence is to one united by marriage to another (ofiov, 
 apoj). — kzvQoq oikiov. Because it was proper in grief to 
 retire to the innermost part of the abode, otherwise 
 called the fivxog. — 7re7rov6wg. So Hermann, for nkTrov- 
 9ag, the sense being continued without regard to the 
 aiaX of Admetus. Besides, the antistrophic verse (890) 
 demands the correction. 
 
 877-888. dvra. " Full before you." There is prob- 
 ably some corruption in this word, and various at- 
 tempts have been made to correct the text, but with 
 little success. As it stands, it does not suit the cor- 
 responding line in the antistrophe. Paley thinks the 
 antistrophe would be satisfied by reading tcdravra, on 
 the analogy of Karavnicpv, though in Homer the former 
 word bears only the sense of "downward." — ti yap 
 dvSpl Kaic6i>, k. r. X. " For, to lose a faithful wife — what 
 evil is greater (than this) ?" Hermann's explanation, 
 followed by Paley, the infinitive clause being regarded 
 as used absolutely. Others, not so well, make apapreiv 
 stand for rov apapTeiv, and depend on p.uZ,ov. " For 
 what is a greater evil than to lose a faithful wife ?" — 
 fir) ttote yri/Jiag, k. r. X. " Would that I had never mar- 
 ried and inhabited this mansion along with her." As 
 regards the force of w^gXoi/, compare note on Med. y 1. — 
 liia yap ^vxh- " For theirs is but a single life." Com- 
 pare Med., 1090 seqq. — ri)g virtpaXyeXv. Observe rrjg 
 for Tavriig, sc. fiiag ^vxng. — e%6v. " When it is allowed." 
 
212 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Nominative absolute. — drsKvovg. A change of con- 
 struction from the ordinary dative. Supply avQpib- 
 7rovQ, or rifiag, as an accusative before elvai. 
 
 890-909. Trspag d' ovdsv, k. t. X. " You do not, how- 
 ever (as you ought), set any limit to your griefs," i. e., 
 by thus repeating aial. Monk, less correctly, puts a 
 question after dXykuv. — Xv-n-al re <piXuv. " And sorrow- 
 ings for friends." Objective genitive. — ptyai. Supply 
 kfiavrov. Compare Helen., 1325; Cycl., 166. — <jvv dv 
 eax ev ' Hermann's emendation for ye cvvkaxw. Monk 
 formerly gave ye avvka% dv, where the elision of e is 
 objectionable; but in his latest edition he admitted 
 Hermann's correction with Pflugk and Dindorf. — dia- 
 (3dvre. Observe the employment here of the mascu- 
 line for the feminine: ipvxdg . . . diafiavre. In Attic 
 Greek, a feminine substantive, in the dual, is often 
 joined with a masculine attributive in the dual. (Jelf, 
 G. #., § 388, 3, l.y~lv yevei. " Of kin."— iiXig. " With 
 sufficient firmness." Equivalent to the Latin satis 
 fortiter, as Klotz remarks. — 7roXidg kid x aiTa ^i K - T - k 
 " Though now bending forward unto gray hairs," i. e., 
 hastening towards them. 
 
 911-923. w extinct dofiwv. " Ah, mansion's form!" 
 Commonly regarded as a circumlocution for Sopot, but 
 meaning rather that his home now exists only in ap- 
 pearance, all that made it a real home being now in- 
 terred w T ith Alcestis. — fieTairiirTovTog daifiovog. "Now 
 that fortune is going against me." More literally, " is 
 falling out differently," i. e., is changing her luck in 
 the game of life. A metaphor from the throwing of 
 dice. — noXv yap to ixkaov. " For there is much be- 
 tween," i. e., between my previous state and my pres- 
 ent one. — tote fikv 7rEvicaig, k. t. X. He is describing the 
 nuptial procession. Observe that egtuxov is not used 
 here in its ordinary meaning of going one after anoth- 
 
ALCESTIS. 213 
 
 er. — wg eT/iev. " How that we were," i. e., celebrating 
 us in song as being. Observe the employment of the 
 optative to indicate what was said by others. (Jelf, 
 #.#.,§ 802, 4.) The form eIjjlev is a contraction for 
 eirjfjiEv. — vfiEvaiuv avriTraXog. " Rivalling the marriage- 
 songs," i. e., set against, antagonistic to.— <rroX/iou Sup- 
 ply avTiiraXoi. 
 
 926-933. nap Evrvxn -tcot^lov. " By the very side of 
 a happy lot," i. e., during, or in the very midst of. 
 Compare Matth., § 588, (3. So Matthiae and Pllugk 
 also explain it: " Eo ipso tempore, quofortuna secunda 
 utelaris." Jelf less correctly translates, "in contrast 
 with," etc. (G. #., § 037.) — ATTEipoKaKy. That is, the 
 blow is felt the more severely because Admetus, from 
 his former prosperity, had not been inured to evils. — 
 TToXKovg r)dt], k. r. X. " Many before now has death sepa- 
 rated from a wife." Canter conjectured iroWovg, which 
 Dindorf and others follow. All the MSS., however, 
 give TToWolg, which Hermann retains, understanding 
 <pi\lav, "rnultis jam solvit mutuum amorem mors ux- 
 oris" 
 
 938-949. EvKkEr)g. " With a fair fame." She has not 
 only ceased from her troubles, but has died glorious- 
 ly. — napEig to jiopmfiov. "Having escaped what was 
 fated." — riv av. Repetition of &v, as before remarked, 
 to make the improbability the more apparent. — £$eX£. 
 Contracted future, for E%EkatrEi.—avxiJir}p6v. " All squal- 
 id," i. e., unswept and neglected. — ol 8s, scil. dovXoi, im- 
 plied from dE<j7r6Tiv y these words being naturally anti- 
 thetical. — diav. That is, on Toiavrrjv. 
 
 951-960. £X£*i. "Will drive me distracted." Con- 
 tracted future, for Ekaaovm. — kpEl tie fiE, k. t. X. Observe 
 the double accusative. — icyr. For ical eZra.— <r™yei de 
 Tovg TEKovrag. "And who hates his parents (for not 
 
214 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 dying)." — ri fioi Zfjv, k. t. X. " What does it boot me 
 then to live." Literally, "In what then is it better 
 for me to live ?" 
 
 962-969. tyd Kai did fiovvag, k. t. X. "I have sped my 
 way both through song and on high, and having han- 
 dled many an argument," etc. The poet would seem 
 to speak here, as the Scholiast remarks, of his own lit- 
 erary researches. He has studied the poets, he has 
 learned (from Anaxagoras his master) the knowledge 
 of the heavenly bodies, and he has made himself well 
 acquainted with the arguments of the Sophists, but 
 he has discovered nothing which can cope with Ne- 
 cessity, nor does he know any drug in the medical 
 systems of Orpheus or of Aesculapius which can avail 
 against it. — oaviviv. Orpheus introduced not only 
 mystic and propitiatory rites, but the science of medi- 
 cine. Certain tablets were preserved near Mount Hae- 
 mus (according to the Scholiast on Hec, 1257) which 
 were reputed to contain his writings. — 'OpQeia yripvg. 
 " Orpheus's voice." Not a mere periphrasis, but mean- 
 ing rather " The sweet-voiced Orpheus." 
 
 970-979. 'A<TK\r)7ndScug. The Asclepiadae pretended 
 to be the descendants of Aesculapius, and their princi- 
 pal seats were at Cnidus, and in the island of Cos. 
 They were an order, or caste, of priests, and for a long 
 period the practice of medicine and the secrets of the 
 art were confined to them,* being handed down from 
 father to son. — dvnrefiwv. " Having culled them 
 against diseases." Hence they were commonly called 
 clkt] TOfidia. — ov (Tcpayiuv k\vei. " She hears not victims," 
 i. e., the prayers that accompany them at sacrifices. — 
 vsvay. " May have nodded assent to." — uvv aoL That 
 is, with the concurrence and co-operation of Necessity, 
 for to her even Jove himself is subject. Compare 
 Aesch., Prom. Vinct., 526. 
 
ALCESTIS. 215 
 
 980-1004. XaXvfioig. The iron forged by the Cha- 
 lybes (a people dwelling on the southern shore of the 
 Euxine, about Themiscyra and the Thermodon) was 
 famed for its hardness. There were two forms of the 
 name, X&Xvxjs and X&Xvfiog, but the latter is rare. — av 
 fiiy. The av is emphatic, " You (and none other)." — 
 ovSs tiq d7roTofiov 1 k. t. X. " Nor is there any mercy in 
 thy stern disposition." — kcli <j iv atyvKTouji, k. t. X. Ad- 
 dressed to Admetus. — gkotloi qQivovoi. " Perish in 
 darkness." So Hermann, Pflugk, and Dindorf. Monk, 
 however, follows the Scholiast, who explains the term 
 (tkotlol by voOoi. — KXiaiaig uKoiTiv. "As a companion 
 for thy couch." Observe that KXimaig does not depend 
 on gevZu), which has its full middle force here, "You 
 joined unto yourself." — vEKpwv <pOifisvu)v. " Of the 
 dead that have passed away," i. e., and are forgotten. 
 — oe(3ac Zfnropwv. "An object of sacred veneration to 
 wayfarers." — doxfiiav. "Sloping," or uphill. As the 
 road by which she was buried is called 6p9q olfiog in 
 v. 835, we cannot here translate Soxpiav " oblique," or 
 " diverging." The Scholiast explains it by U nXayiov 
 tov Tatyov 7ropev6fjLavoQ. — ev da doitjg. " And mayest thou 
 give a blessing." The cainoveg in the nether world 
 were thought capable of sending up blessings. 
 
 1008-1018. <piXov npbg avSpa, k. t. X. Hercules unex- 
 pectedly returns, bringing Alcestis, whom he has res- 
 cued from the hands of death, and who now stands as 
 a mute, covered with a veil. He pretends that she is 
 a prize won in a contest, and asks permission to leave 
 her in Admetus's keeping until his return from Thrace. 
 — HOfMpag v7t6 <nrXayxvoig exelv. " To keep feelings of 
 dissatisfaction beneath the breast," i. e., rankling in the 
 heart. — lyw S£ uoig Kaicolaiv, k. t. X. " Now I thought 
 myself worthy, in your troubles, when standing near, 
 to be proved a friend," i. e., I was desirous, since I 
 happened to be present in your troubles, to prove my- 
 
216 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 self your friend by declining, namely, your proffered 
 hospitality, and not claiming, in the right of a £h>oc, to 
 be entertained by you at an unseasonable time. — Cjg St). 
 " As if forsooth," i. e., pretending that, etc.— iXeupafirjv 
 oTrovZaq. " I poured out libations." The employment 
 of the verb \eif3u) with cnrovdag is very unusual, and 
 only another instance is found, namely, in Ion, v. 1032. 
 Still, however, it may be defended by the analogy of 
 xodg x£l<70ai, Pers., 222 ; Orest, 472. It is founS, more- 
 over, in the majority of MSS. The reading icnrEwdwv, 
 which some prefer, is not a good one, since (nrsvdio, in 
 the middle, means " to make a truce," i. e., to pour out 
 mutual libations. Monk reads ia7rEiaaiiEv. — ov prjv <re 
 \v7reiv, k. t. X. " Still, however, I do not wish to give 
 you any pain," etc. The meaning in effect is, " But I 
 will not pursue this theme, or give you additional pain 
 in your present troubles." 
 
 1023-1036. TrpaZag V o //?} toxoid k. r. X. "But hav- 
 ing brought affairs to an issue, to which may I happen 
 not to have brought them, for may I return !" i. e., if I 
 chance to fail in the object of my expedition, which I 
 hope will not prove the case, for I wish to return. 
 "With Ti>xoifii supply another irpd^ag. The expression 
 S /*?) tvxoi/m is in reality a euphemism for kclkujq. — vlktj- 
 rr)pia. Observe the employment of the plural, though 
 referring to a single female. So irpovtyayiiaTa, Hec, 
 269; wfi<f>Evrfipia, Troades, 252, etc. — t& fikv yap icoixpa, 
 k.t.X. "For to those who conquered in the lighter 
 exercises there was the leading away of horses (as a 
 prize)." It is simpler to give i)v here its ordinary 
 meaning, than to make it stand for c£jp>, as some do. 
 Paley thinks that icoTxpa means " feats of agility," not 
 the less important contests, but the antithesis in rd 
 fiEiZova is opposed to this. — yvvij d' £7r' avrolg uttet. 
 " And the woman followed along with these." Eurip- 
 ides does not mean to make the woman the third 
 
ALCESTIS. 217 
 
 prize, but the oxen and the woman together formed 
 the second prize. Hercules represents himself, there- 
 fore, as conqueror, not in the third and least, but in 
 the second and greatest contest, and therefore justly 
 says TroXXqi pox®*? (v. 1025). — Ivtvxovtl de, k.t.X. "But 
 it would have been disgraceful unto me, having met 
 with it, to neglect this glorious gain," i. e., having hap- 
 pened to be there. Observe that napuvai is the aorist 
 infin. of nap'trifii, and that dv must be supplied with 
 i]v. — xpovy. " In time," i. e., at some time or other. 
 
 1037-1045. lv IxOpoimv. Evidently, as Paley re- 
 marks, the true reading, though found in only four 
 MSS., the rest having iv aiaxpoTviv. Matthiae, how- 
 ever, retains the latter, construing it, as well as ticpvxpa, 
 with rvx«c, "non quo uxm^is sortem rnihi turpem essepu- 
 tem," i. e., because his father had upbraided him with 
 it. To say nothing of the forced sense, n9dg should 
 rather have been riQsfitvog in that case. He means 
 that the concealment of his misfortune was not made 
 to prevent an enemy triumphing over him, nor from 
 deeming his guest unworthy of confidence, and so car- 
 ing nothing for his sympathy. — el rov. So three MSS. 
 for Eiirep, which means, " if, as is the case," the Latin 
 siquidem, and is not used in conditional propositions 
 with dv. — ttoWol Ss (xoi, k. r. X. Klotz places a comma 
 after fyepaiuv, and reads jjltj 'p,e fiifivi)(TKyg kcikojv, which 
 words he connects with what j>recedes: "multi vero 
 tun sunt hospites Pheraeorum, ne me commonefacias ma- 
 lorum." 
 
 1050-1056. wg 7rp£7r«. "As she plainly appears." — 
 avdpujv (Trsyrjv. "The men's apartments." A Greek 
 house was always divided into two distinct portions, 
 the avdpwvlrtg, or men's apartments, and the yvvaiK(o- 
 vlng, or women's apartments. In the earliest times, 
 as in the houses referred to by Homer, the latter were 
 
218 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 in the upper story ; but at a later period they were 
 on the same story with the apartments of the men, but 
 behind them. The Tragic poets, however, transfer to 
 the heroic ages the practice of their own, and describe 
 both sets of apartments as on the same floor. Com- 
 pare Soph., Oed. T., 1241-62. — (TTpiotfxjjjjLavti. "Moving 
 about," i. e., abiding. — tyo> cte gov 7rpofirj9iav ?x w « He 
 means, care lest harm come to the party you have 
 placed in my keeping. — aiaprjaag. "Having caused 
 her to enter." The active first aorist of eioflaivio, in a 
 transitive or causal sense, which rarely occurs, and 
 only in poetry, Ionic, and late prose. (Jelf, G. G., 
 § 252.) The regular verb, in this sense, is ££<x/3t/3a£w. — 
 E7ru(7<ppio. Attic usage for tiaayuj. 
 
 1058-1068. fi iXkyZy. "May blame me." A rare 
 sense of iXiyx* 3 *, especially with the accusative of the 
 person. The verb properly means, " to put questions 
 for the purpose of criminating a person," and hence 
 "to disgrace," "to put to shame," etc. — Kai rijg Oavov- 
 ar]Q. Alcestis had charged him (v. 305) not to marry 
 again. — loQi txowa. " Know that you have." — irpotrr]- 
 i%ai. " You are like her." Perf. pass. of 7r,oo<7a/cw, which 
 is obsolete ; as if from a first person, irpotrri'iyfiai. (Jelf, 
 G. 6r., § 315.) — firj fi 'iXyg yprj/jLtvov. " Do not make me 
 a captive, already made captive," i. e., do not make me 
 captive a second time. He means, I am sufficiently 
 caught by my present loss, and need not that further 
 pain should be added. The Scholiast makes EXyc here 
 equivalent to <povEi><ryg, but this is too strong, although 
 many follow him. — KaTtppuyaai. Second perfect of 
 Karappijyvvfii. 
 
 1070-1077. — lyu) fikv ovk txot//, k. t. X. " I could not 
 indeed speak well of your present fortunes," i. e., of 
 the condition in which your lot has placed you. — '6<t- 
 ng dm. " Whatsoever one shall come." Hermann's 
 
ALCESTIS. 219 
 
 emendation of the common ootiq & uv. — ei ydp dx ov - 
 u If I had but then." Observe the force of ydp. — vdttf 
 oTSa, k. r. X. " I know well that you would wish (to do 
 so) ; but what of that ?" i. e., where is the use of enter- 
 taining such a wish ? Compare the common English 
 expression, "this is neither here nor there." — p) vw 
 V7repj3a\\'. " Do not then overshoot the mark (in your 
 grief)," i. e., do not run into excess. The enclitic vw, 
 in tragedy, is either long or short, as the metre re- 
 quires ; it is long here. In comedy, on the other hand, 
 it is always long, except in a few places where the lan- 
 guage of tragedy is imitated. — v7rsp(3aXX'. The MSS. 
 here give V7rsp(3a\\ in the aorist, which is retained by 
 Pflugk, but the proper construction would then be 
 vTrepfidkyg. In the negative or prohibitory forms with 
 flip, the Greeks, as a general rule, use only the imper- 
 ative present, never the imperative aorist, but, instead 
 of the latter, the subjunctive aorist. (Porson, ad Hec. y 
 959, 1166.) — tvaiaifioQ. " In a becoming manner." 
 
 1079-1086. rl d' av ttpokotctoiq. " But what would 
 you gain?" More literally, "What progress (or head- 
 way) would you make." — OsXeiq. Not QkXoig, but the 
 indicative, because something actual is implied. (Mat- 
 thiae, § 524, Obs. 2.) — \i IZdyei. "Carries me away," 
 i.e., beyond my better judgment. — to QiXrjaai. The 
 aorist is purposely employed here to remove all re- 
 strictions of time. — Iff r)Pd(TKEi. " Is still in its vigor." 
 So Porson, Hermann, Pflugk, and Dindorf, from Galen, 
 in place of the old reading, £0' r)/3£ aoi. The verb caepd- 
 £w, it is true, more commonly means, " to be growing 
 up to one's vigor," etc., and Hermann thinks that for 
 this very reason it was changed here by some gram- 
 marian who misunderstood its force. Photius, more- 
 over, expressly explains r)pd<yic£i by aicfia&i, having, as 
 Klotz thinks, the present passage in view. — \pdvov Xs- 
 yoiq av, k. t. X. " You may talk of time, if time is to 
 
220 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 die." He means, in fact, that nothing but death will 
 ever bring him relief. 
 
 1088-1104. ovk hv (fjo/irjv. " I would not have thought 
 it," i. e., this is language which I would not have ex- 
 pected from you. — yafieig. Contracted future for yafie- 
 eeig. — xwptvvei. Monk reads xvp^creig, changing \kxog 
 to the accusative. — oirovirkp ion. That is, whether on 
 earth or in Hades, and whether her spirit is conscious 
 of it or not. — fnopiav d' otpXivKaveig. " But (still) you 
 incur the imputation of folly." Compare Med., 403. — 
 wg pfiiror avdpa, k. t. X. Hermann rightly supplies alvet 
 fie. " Praise me on the understanding that you shall 
 never call me a bridegroom." Observe that KaX&v is 
 the contracted future participle for koXsoiov. — yewaiojv. 
 Hermann observes that the point lies in the nobility 
 of the house, i. e., in its honor, because there would be 
 the less likelihood of the memory of Alcestis being 
 lost, and the less danger to the woman herself.— mi av 
 <TwviK$g. Hercules means, remarks Paley, that Adme- 
 tus is the real winner, since the prize is his own wife. 
 But Admetus is to understand it as if Hercules merely 
 meant that he ought to regard a friend's victory as in 
 part his own, and so to rejoice at it. — r) ywr\ d' dmXOsno. 
 " But for all that let the woman depart." 
 
 1105-1118. el Xjoew*/. "Whether it is incumbent (that 
 she should go)." — xphi v™ 7 e M fi^XKovTog, k.t.X. "It 
 behooves her to go, if at least you are not about to be- 
 come angry with me (for refusing to receive her)." 
 Paley thinks that xpn refers to aQpei. "I suppose I 
 must look, if you are not to be angry with me." The 
 verb opyaivix) is used in the same intransitive sense in 
 Track., 552. — taQ' W. " Some time or other." — jjiEOsifi-nv. 
 Monk gives fiEQeirjv, and n)v for trolg, both with good 
 MSS. Paley, however, maintains that jxEOhOaL does 
 not invariably appear to govern a genitive, and he 
 
ALCESTIS. 221 
 
 may possibly be right ; but compare note on Med,, 736. 
 — Sopote. Monk reads ddfiovg, of which Dindorf ap- 
 proves. — ropyov wg KaparofKi). As if to the Gorgon's 
 head he stretches out his hand while he averts his 
 face. This passage furnishes an unquestionable ex- 
 ample of the i elided in the dative. This elision is 
 very rare in Attic poetry ; it occurs oftener in Homer, 
 but still only where the context removes all ambigu- 
 ity. A list of the passages in the dramatic writers 
 where it is supposed to occur is given in Jelf 's note, 
 G. £., § 18, 
 
 1119-1130. val, a&lk wv. "Well, keep her safe 
 then." Monk gives viv against the MSS. — fiXtyov 8' 
 ig avrriv, k. t. X. Hermann says that with these words 
 Hercules removes the veil with which Alcestis had 
 been covered. Hitherto Admetus could only judge 
 of her size and figure. Compare v. 1063. — npkiruv. 
 "To be like." — Oeoi. Pronounced as a monosyllable 
 in scanning. So also Qeov in v. 1125 — Keprofiog Oeov rig 
 xapd. "A delusive kind of joy from some god." — ob 
 \pvxaywy6v, k. t. X. " You did not make this guest of 
 yours a conjurer up of spirits." The plainer form of 
 expression would be ode, ov %evov iiroirjau), ovk Igti \jsv- - 
 yayioySg. — cnrKTreiv rvxnv. The accusative here, remarks 
 Paley, comes under the general rule that verbs of 
 mental emotion {xaipuv, ijdeaOai, iishQegQcli, etc«) govern 
 this case, where, according to the structure of our own 
 language, we should have looked for a dative. 
 
 1134-1143. ov7roT o-^eaOaL cokwv. "Never thinking 
 that I will behold (you again)." — <pQ6vog U fir) ykvoiro, 
 k. t. X. The ancients believed that great prosperity, if 
 not enjoyed in moderation, was sure to excite envy 
 {(pQovog) on the part of the gods, and bring down pun- 
 ishment. — 7rtig tm^ag. "How did you convey." — 
 daifxovwv rtp Kvplif). " With him of the powers below, 
 
222 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 who has control over this," i. e., over the restoration of 
 the dead to the upper world (r£ t&v Saifioviov k&ivip, 
 og Kvpiog tori tovtov, rov dvdyuv rovg reOvriKorag, as Mat- 
 thiae explains it). The majority of copies give koi- 
 pavy, but then this should have been r<£ rwv daijioviov 
 Koipavip ; and, besides, the prince of the powers below 
 would be Hades or Pluto, not Death. — dvavdog. As 
 there is no third actor in this play, Alcestis here is 
 represented by a mute, for the actor who wore the 
 robe and mask of Alcestis in the beginning of the 
 play is now present in the character of Hercules. 
 (Elmsley, Class. Jour?i. y viii., p. 434.) But, besides this, 
 the Greeks, says Paley, had a superstition that any 
 one under a ban or pollution could not address others 
 till after their purification or expiation. 
 
 1145-1153. Trpiv av OeoTai, k.t.X. " Until she shall 
 have freed herself, by purifying rites, from all obliga- 
 tions to the gods below." The middle form a<payvi&- 
 aOai, according to Paley, means " to acquit one's self of 
 a religious obligation by the performance of prescribed 
 rites." Alcestis here satisfies the claims which the gods 
 below have upon her by propitiatory and purifying of- 
 ferings. Monk thinks the sense is, " before she shall 
 have unconsecrated herself." — Kai Siicaiog u>v, k.t. X. 
 " And being already a just man, continue, for the fut- 
 ure, Adi^etus, to behave righteously towards guests." 
 — 29evb\ov 7raiSi. Eurystheus. — avOig. "At some other 
 time." — 7r6Sa. The Scholiast records two other read- 
 ings, dojjiov and 6d6v, the former of which is found in 
 the editions of Lascaris and Aldus. Monk gives the lat- 
 ter, but it savors of a grammatical correction. Trans- 
 late, " And may you come (to your destination) on re- 
 turning foot," 7r6da being regarded as a species of cog- 
 nate accusative, as in (3aiv€iv noda. (Jelf, Gf.G.,§ 558, 2.) 
 
 1154-1159. TErpapxia. Thessaly proper was divided, 
 
ALCESTIS. 223 
 
 at a very early period, into four districts or tetrarchies, 
 named Thessaliotis, Pelasgiotis, Histiaeotis, and Phthi- 
 otis. When this division was introduced is unknown, 
 but it was commonly ascribed to Alenas, the founder 
 of the family of the Alenadae. The four districts were 
 nominally united under a chief magistrate called Ta- 
 gus. It is clear, from the present passage, as well as 
 from v. 590, that Admetus was king over at least one 
 tetrarchy of Thessaly, not merely over the Pheraeans. 
 — xopovg lurdvai. Monk quotes from Demosth., 3fid., 
 p. 530, where the orator reminds the Athenians that 
 all the ancient oracles agree in ordering them x°P°v£ 
 iGTavcLi Kara ra iraTpia Kai Kvwaav dyvtdg Kai aTt§avr\§o- 
 psTp. Paley thinks- that the poet clearly alludes to 
 this, though treating of Thessalian affairs. — fiwfiovg te 
 Kviaav, k. t. X. " And to make the altars smoke with 
 the savor of oxen sacrificed amid solemn prayers. — ^e- 
 0t)pfi6(riJiE(T6a peXriu) (3iov, k. r. X. " We have adapted 
 ourselves to a better life than before." — TroXKal fioptyai, 
 k. t. X. Consult note on Med., 1415. 
 
NOTES ON THE HERACLIDAE. 
 
 AEGUMENT, ETC. 
 
 The Heraclidae, or " Children of Hercules," is generally 
 regarded as one of the earlier of the extant compositions of 
 Euripides. Some even think that, like the Alcestis, it stood 
 in the place of a Satyric drama, that is, was the fourth piece 
 of a Tetralogy. This opinion is founded on the paucity and 
 brevity of the Choral odes, the shortness of the play, and its 
 want of tragic interest. It is supposed to have a political 
 object, namely, that of attacking Argos for entering into a 
 treaty with Sparta and joining the war against Athens, and 
 hence it is conjectured that it was brought out 01. 90, 3 : 
 B.C. 418. 
 
 Schlegel calls it "a very poor play," and so perhaps it is, 
 remarks Paley, if we estimate it only by the plot, and not by 
 the merit of the style, or if we forget that the interest of it 
 to an Athenian audience depended chiefly on events then in 
 progress and engrossing their whole attention, and that it 
 was designed to foment the popular indignation against the 
 treachery of the Argives. The plot and details of the piece 
 are as follows : After the death of Hercules, Eurystheus had 
 banished his children not only from Argolis, but, by virtue 
 of threats and superior power, from all the petty sovereign- 
 ties of Greece in which they had sought an asylum. Iolaus, 
 the chief actor in the play, son of Iphicles (the half-brother 
 of Hercules), who had been in his youth the companion in 
 arms and 7rapa<nri<rT7]<z of that hero, accompanied his chil- 
 dren and their mother Alcmena. Under his faithful pro- 
 tection they come to Marathon in Attica and seek the aid 
 of Demophon, son of Theseus. Here the play opens. The 
 scene is laid at Marathon ; the Chorus is composed of aged 
 men, natives of that place. 
 
 Act I. Scene I. — The prologue is spoken by Iolaus. He 
 explains his motives for having formerly shared the toils of 
 
HERACLIDAE. 225 
 
 Hercules, and therefore for now taking the part of his chil- 
 dren, and then states the reason of their having come into 
 Attica. The young sons of Hercules meanwhile are seen 
 embracing the altar of Jupiter as suppliants. Alcmena and 
 the female children are within the temple. (1-54.) 
 
 Scene II. — Copreus, herald of Eurystheus, enters and en- 
 deavors to remove Iolaus and the children in order to con- 
 vey them back to Argos. Iolaus calls for help. (55-72.) 
 
 Scene III — The Chorus, hearing the cry, come suddenly 
 upon the stage to the rescue of Iolaus and the children. 
 Iolaus tells them who he is, and who the children arc, and 
 implores their aid. They expostulate with Copreus, who 
 at length resolves to lay the case before Demophon, their 
 king. (73-117.) 
 
 Scene IV.— Enter Demophon and Acamas, the latter a kw- 
 4>dv irpocruiirov. Copreus states the object of his mission. 
 Iolaus pleads the cause of the children. Demophon declares 
 his intention to protect them. Copreus thereupon, after 
 another ineffectual attempt to get possession of the suppli- 
 ants, now informs Demophon that Eurystheus is actually 
 waiting on the borders, ready to invade Attica with a strong 
 force, and to ravage the crops. He then departs. (120-283.) 
 
 Scene V. — The Chorus suggest the propriety of making 
 speedy arrangements to oppose the invaders. Iolaus utters 
 a eulogy on the noble-mindedness of Demophon, as shown 
 in his protection of suppliants. He pledges eternal grati- 
 tude and friendship of the Heraclidae towards Athens. 
 Demophon renews his promise of assistance, and then de- 
 parts to make arrangements for the coming conflict. (289- 
 352.) 
 
 Scene IT.— The Chorus speak at the herald, who had left 
 the stage at v. 283. They are not to be intimidated by his 
 threats, but, on the contrary, bid him open defiance. (353- 
 380.) 
 
 Act II. Scene J.— Demophon again enters. He wears a 
 troubled look. Iolaus inquires into the cause, and is in- 
 formed by the king that they who have charge of ancient 
 oracles declare, one and all, that success in the pending con- 
 18 
 
226 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 flict can only be insured by sacrificing to Ceres the maiden 
 daughter of an illustrious sire. The people, although will- 
 ing to lend aid to the suppliants who now ask their protec- 
 tion, murmur at this condition, and Demophon fears that, if 
 he seeks to carry it into effect, intestine dissensions will re- 
 sult. He entreats Iolaus, therefore, to prevent any further 
 trouble by withdrawing from the land. Iolaus, in despair, 
 entreats Demophon to deliver him up to Eurystheus, but to 
 protect from the latter the children of Hercules. (381-473.) 
 
 Scene II. — Macaria, who had hitherto kept out of sight 
 with the other maidens under the care of Alcmena, now 
 comes forward on the stage, and apologizes for her apparent 
 boldness in doing so. She comes to inquire the cause of 
 Iolaus's grief, and, on learning it, at once offers herself a 
 willing victim, in compliance with the oracles, for the wel- 
 fare of the state. Iolaus endeavors to dissuade her, and final- 
 ly eulogizes her noble self-devotion. Macaria and Demo- 
 phon retire. (474-607.) 
 
 Scene III. — The Chorus address themselves to Iolaus, with 
 the reflection that the gods are the dispensers of happiness 
 and misery, and that neither is wont to be permanent in life. 
 (608-627.) 
 
 Act III. Scene I. — In this scene Hyllus, who has hitherto 
 been absent, looking for a safe asylum (v. 46) while his young- 
 er brethren were wandering with Iolaus, is announced by 
 one of his serfs to be at hand with an army ready to meet 
 Eurystheus. Iolaus insists on accompanying him to the 
 battle, and cannot be dissuaded from doing so by the plea 
 that he is unfitted through old age. (628-747.) 
 
 Scene II — Iolaus and the attendant have departed for the 
 fight. The Chorus, anxious about the result, invoke the sun 
 and moon, and (as one of the kindred elements) earth also, 
 to bring them the tidings, and at the same time to make it 
 known in heaven to Jove and Pallas, the great protecting 
 powers of the injured, that they, the people of Marathon, 
 are about to undergo danger in a holy cause. (748-783.) 
 
 Act IV. Scene I. — In this scene the defeat of the Argives 
 under Eurystheus is related. The messenger describes the 
 encounter in a very spirited narrative. The aged Iolaus, 
 
IIERACLIDAE. 227 
 
 suddenly restored to the vigor of youth by Hercules and 
 Hebe^pursues and captures the Argive king, whom he re- 
 serves alive to gratify the sight of Alcmena. (784r-891.) 
 
 Scene II. — The Chorus moralize on the events which have 
 just occurred. Sweet is music, and the dance, and the favor 
 of Aphrodite, but sweet also is it to witness the unexpected 
 happiness of friends, etc. (829-927.) 
 
 Act V. Scene I. — Enter a messenger, and after him come 
 guards leading in Eurystheus. Alcmena reproaches him with 
 his cruelty and oppression, and wishes to have him put to 
 death forthwith, but the messenger interposes. Eurystheus 
 then enters into a defence of his conduct. Alcmena, despite 
 tlie opposition of the Chorus, persists in her intention, and 
 finally gives Eurystheus into the hands of her attendants to 
 lead away and put to death. The Chorus yield. They will 
 have no share, however, in the death of the captive, but his 
 blood shall be upon the head of Alcmena. (928-1055.) 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 2-5. 'O per diKdiog, k. r. X. " The just man is so for 
 others." With tt'^vk supply Sikclioq, and observe also 
 that roXg nsXag does not refer merely to immediate 
 friends and neighbors, but to the public generally, or 
 to one's fellow - creatures. The just or disinterested 
 man is here opposed to the <pi\oicspdrig, who seeks to 
 benefit no one but himself. Matthiae maintains that 
 dvrjp must not be joined with diicaiog, but that we must 
 connect it with TrktpvK, and that irtyvK dvrjp means " mr 
 fortis est aliis^ i. e., " eos juvat vel cum suo periculo," 
 and Dindorf agrees with him. Their view, however, 
 as Paley remarks, is very unsatisfactory. — (jwaXkaavuv. 
 " To have dealings with." The present here refers to 
 indefinite and habitual dealings ; the aorist awaWaZai, 
 which some prefer, on the authority of Stobaeus, would 
 allude merely to one definite transaction. — avrtf ft api- 
 Grog. " But for himself is the best of men." 
 
228 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 6-16. alSol. " From a sense of honor." He explains 
 his motives for having formerly shared the toils of 
 Hercules, and therefore for now taking the part of his 
 children. — elg dvrjp. Compare RJies., 500, 946. — avrbg 
 Seofjievog tjioT7]piag. Parodied by Aristophanes, Eccl., 412. 
 — bZkdpafiev. " We escaped." Second aorist of EKdidpd- 
 <tkw, 1 pers. plur. Reiske's correction of the common 
 reading of the MSS., t&Spafiov, which violates the me- 
 tre. Barnes gives lUSpav fiiv, after Scaliger. — Kai woXig 
 /.igj/, k. t.X. " And our city indeed is gone, but our 
 lives were saved." — aXXrjv air dXXrjg, k. t. X. " Banish- 
 ing ourselves from one city to another," i. e., passing 
 from one to another. Observe that irbXiv is here the 
 accusative of motion towards a place. 
 
 18-30. v^pw\ia. Cognate accusative. — rrbXiv irpoTd- 
 vwv, k, t. X. u Holding out to them that Argos was no 
 insignificant state to make either friendly or hostile." 
 The reading here followed is Dindorf's. The MSS. 
 give 7rpoTijjLLov and QiXwv, which yields no appropriate 
 sense. — rd air ifiov. " The aid that I could give," i. e., 
 in resisting the demands of an enemy. — (jvyyevijg yeyiog. 
 "Although of kin." 
 
 32-37. MapaOujva Kai avyicXripov, k. r. X. " Having come 
 to Marathon and the district united with it." He means 
 the Tetrapolis, or north-eastern district of Attica, com- 
 posed of four distinct icXijpoi, or allotments, united to- 
 gether under one local rule. The names of the four 
 KXrjpoi were Marathon, Probalinthus, Tricorythus, and 
 Oenoe. The reason why the Heraclidae fled to Mara- 
 thon in particular was because this place was famed 
 for the worship of Hercules. Indeed, it was always 
 regarded as the stronghold of the Heraclidae, in their 
 various attempts to recover their footing in the Pelo- 
 ponnesus, and for this reason it was always spared by 
 the Lacedaemonians in their irruptions into Attica. — 
 
HERACLIDAE. 229 
 
 7rpo(Tio(pE\ii<jai. "For them to aid us." As if he had 
 said iKsrevofiev in the verse preceding. — diaaovg TraXSag. 
 Acamas and Demophon. The poet follows the legend 
 of his country, but Acamas takes no part in the action. 
 — roTed' lyyvg ovrag. "Being nearly related to these 
 (children)." Compare v. 207 seqq. 
 
 39-44. dvolv yepovToiv. " By two aged people." Io- 
 laus and Alcmena. — Kakxaivuv. " Being deeply solici- 
 tous." The nominative is used, as if he had said, dvo 
 dk yspovreg (rrparrjyovffL rrjg (pvyfjg. But KaXxciivio is a 
 probable reading.. This verb properly means to make 
 purple ; then to make dark and gloomy, as a stormy 
 sea; and, figuratively, to wear a dark and gloomy 
 look, to ponder with anxious brow, etc. — v7T7]yKa\i(TfiE- 
 vrj. " Having them clasped in her arms." Passive in 
 a middle sense. Equivalent to vTr^yKaXiankvov txovaa^ 
 from the force of the perfect. That Alcmena, the 
 mother of Hercules, is represented as about the same 
 age with Iolaus, the son of Hercules's brother Iphicles, 
 that is, the grandson as old as the grandmother, is per- 
 haps an oversight on the part of the poet, though a 
 difference of thirty years might leave them both aged. 
 — aiSovinE9a. " We feel scrupulous." The Greeks, re- 
 marks Paley, had just the same feelings about the ap- 
 pearance of women in public as the Turks and other 
 Eastern nations now have. Here it may be called a 
 stage excuse for keeping them out of sight. Accord- 
 ing to some accounts, Macaria was the only daughter 
 of Hercules. 
 
 45-53. olai 7rpE(r(3ev£i ykvog. " Whose birth is eldest," 
 i. e., who are eldest in birth. — nvpyov oiKiovfie9a. "We 
 shall make some stronghold our home." They are 
 now absent, looking out for some stronghold which 
 may offer a secure and permanent residence if an at- 
 tempt should be made to expel them from this land 
 
230 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 also, their last and best hope. Hence TrjvSe is emphat- 
 ic. — 7T87r\(ov. Partitive genitive. — rovde. " Here." — yrjg. 
 Depending on dirEvreprijikvoi. — og. Elmsley's reading 
 for wc, and received by Dindorf. 
 
 55-63. ?; 7rov KaQrjeQai, k. r. X. " No doubt you fancy 
 that you have occupied in this a goodly seat, 1 ' i. e., 
 that this suppliant seat which you have occupied is a 
 good one. The seat in question was at the altar of 
 Zevq dyopalog (v. 70), which' the poet appears to have 
 placed at Marathon, from one of that name existing in 
 his time at Athens. — aiprjaerai dvrL . " Will prefer." — 
 aviffrcHjOai eig. " To arise and go to." The preposition 
 takes the place of a verb of motion. — iv y (3s(3ijKafjiev. 
 " In which we have been walking." — -n-ovov 7rpo<j0eivai. 
 "To add trouble," i. e., the troublesome task of com- 
 pelling you to go. 
 
 05-72. fidvrig 8* ri<j& dp\ k. r. X. " You were not a 
 good prophet then, it seems, in this matter." From 
 these words it appears that actual force is here used ; 
 though ineffectually, as the next line shows, where Io- 
 laus throws himself between the herald and the chil- 
 dren. — dizaip\ Elmsley thinks that the herald knocks 
 down Iolaus here. — vo/xi^iov ovwep, k.t.X. "Consider- 
 ing them to belong to Eurystheus, whose they (really) 
 are." Elmsley gives KopiZiov for vopiZiov, but without 
 any necessity. — (3iaZ6fie<jQa. The passive use is to be 
 noticed here, as in Antig., 66, 1073. — artyi] fiiaivtTai. 
 Consult note on v. 124. 
 
 73-76. ca, ta, k. r. X. The Chorus of Athenians, hear- 
 ing the cry to the rescue (/3o/?), come suddenly upon 
 the stage. Iolaus, prostrate on the ground, appeals to 
 their protection, in the dochmiac measure, expressive 
 of his excited feelings. With great moderation they 
 inquire into the circumstances, and expostulate with 
 
HERACLIDAE. 231 
 
 Copreus. — 'itrrrjKs. "Stands raised," i.e., is raised. — 
 dfiaXov. " Feeble." Restored by Wesseling and Mus- 
 grave from Hesychius. The old reading was paXXov. 
 Paley thinks that dfiaXov ought to be construed with 
 xvpevov, and that the true meaning of the term here is 
 not " feeble," but " low." — x v H- evov ' Syncopated aorist 
 participle middle (in a passive sense), from x*<»- 
 
 77-90. Tcpbg tov 7ror', k. t. X. After this verse, Din- 
 dorf, who regards 73-91 as the strophe, marks the loss 
 of one line. Pflugk follows Seidler in a somewhat 
 different arrangement, by which 90, 91 make a /xgtry- 
 S6q, and the same lacuna is presented after v. 77. — irpo- 
 /3w/aW. " The space in front of the altar." — TETpdirTo- 
 Xiv Zvvoikov \a6v. " To the people dwelling together 
 in the Tetrapolis." Consult note on v. 32. — TrepaOev. 
 " From the other side of the water." — Karsxere. M Are 
 you putting in here." Supply ri\v vavv. Much more 
 usually we find the aorist in this sense; and, indeed, 
 Karkax^r is the MS. reading in the present passage, 
 which was corrected by Hermann. Matthiae would 
 supply Tovde tov tottov. " Are you occupying this place 
 here." — oh vr\<;ui)Tr\v, k. t. X. " I do not drag on an isl- 
 ander's life, O strangers." An insular life was depre- 
 ciated. Compare note on Rhes., 701. — wvo/jlci&v. The 
 imperfect refers here to what was accustomed to be 
 done. — i(tte nov. " You know perchance," i. e., you per- 
 haps have heard of. — dKrjpvKTov. " Unheralded," i. e., 
 unknown to fame. — tov ttot. " Of whom, pray." 
 
 95-104. tl xp*°c> k.t.X. "Having need of what? 
 whether being anxious to obtain a conference with 
 the people ?" After xp' E °Q supply 'Ixovteq. Suppliants' 
 at Athens were commonly introduced before the ec- 
 clesia. Compare Eurip., JSuppl., 354. — gov kpcctovvteq. 
 "Having a right over you." — ko1 firj diroXnruv atf. 
 "And that they should not leave." Musgrave first 
 
232 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 gave <j<f for <r\ If the latter be retained, the whole 
 speech is addressed to Iolaus, " It is right that lie (Co- 
 preus) should reverence suppliants, and that you should 
 not leave," etc. — rdd' ov 7rsi(rerai. " Will not consent to 
 this." Literally, " Will not allow herself to be per- 
 suaded as regards these things," tglSe being the accu- 
 sative of nearer definition. Some form 7rsi<jErat, not 
 from ireiOofiai, but from Trarrxw. "Will not endure 
 this." 
 
 105-110. tKTrEjXTrk vw, k. t. X. " Then send out of the 
 land these subjects here of Eurystheus, and I will 
 make no use of this hand which you call violent." — 
 ttoXbi. Commentators generally make 7ro\a depend on 
 dQeov, and give irpoarpoirdv the meaning of a " prayer." 
 Paley, however, connects tt6\u with 7rpo(rrpo7rdv, giving 
 the latter term the meaning of a " band of suppliants," 
 so that the translation then will be, " It is impious to 
 surrender a suppliant band of strangers who have ad- 
 dressed themselves unto our state." — *£a> Trpay/idrwv. 
 " Out of trouble." — rifc dfiehovog. Equivalent in effect 
 to ?} djjieiv(i)v tori. 
 
 113-122. Oeiov. That is, from the altars to which 
 they have fled for protection. — 7ro\ea>£. Two syllables 
 in scanning. — Arjfioiptiv. Paley thinks that the two 
 brothers had drawn lots for the sole sovereignty of 
 Attica, and that Demophon had obtained it. — dywv tlq 
 rovde tov \6yov. " A discussion of this matter." — rd\\a 
 elprjrai fidrrjv. He means that whatever else has been 
 said (i. e., to the Chorus) goes for nothing. — l^r\q f3o- 
 rjdpofirjaag. The present participle is regularly used 
 (with rare exceptions) in this formula, because <p0dveiv 
 n ttoiCjv implies that an action is in progress, and that 
 there is a race against time in getting it finished. 
 Compare Med., 1170; Alcest., 662. — d6poi&rai. Elms- 
 ley says that he has not found anywhere else the mid- 
 
HERACLIDAE. 233 
 
 die form of this verb. The compound iZaQpoi&Tai, 
 however, occurs, as he remarks, in Phoen., 1169. 
 
 124-130. pufibv KaTa<jTe\pavTEg. " Having decked the 
 altar." The suppliant who took refuge at an altar 
 laid his wool-tufted olive-boughs upon it; but at the 
 same time they were attached to his person by woollen 
 fillets, so that he could not leave them on the altar, 
 but was obliged to carry them with him if he retired. 
 Hence it was impossible to pull a suppliant forcibly 
 from the altar without sacrilegiously removing the 
 boughs, which had become in a manner the property 
 of the god ; and this act of sacrilege is called artyr) 
 fiiaiveiv (v. 71). Sometimes the boughs were laid 
 against the knees of the person who was appealed to 
 (v. 226). — yds (jvfKpopd. "This circumstance." — poijv 
 ecTTtjcre. Compare v. 74. — KaotyrjXEv. Crasis for icai la- 
 <prj\sv. — (jroXrjv "EXXrjva. Observe the employment of 
 "EXXijv with a feminine noun.— pvOfibv 7rs7rXiuv. " Style 
 of dress." 
 
 135-146. itf ol<ri. "On account of what things." — 
 7roXXa d' iiXQov, k. r. X. " And I came, O stranger, hav- . 
 ing along with me many just grounds both for acting 
 and speaking," i. e., having many just and right things 
 both to do and to say. Observe that bpapTrj is equiv- 
 alent here to bfiov, and thus bfiaprrj tx<ov—bfiov (pkpoov. — 
 Ik rijg tfiavrov, sc. yfjg. — skeWev. In the sense of ekeI. 
 As in Aesch., Suppl., 384, oIkoOev for oIkoi. — SLicaiot d' la- 
 Iiev, k. r.X. " And we are competent, inhabiting as we 
 do an independent state, to pass valid decisions our- 
 selves against ourselves," i. e., to pass valid decisions 
 against our own subjects. We have here the Greek 
 definition of a ttoXiq. — 7roXXu>v dk mXXwv, k. t.X. " And 
 though they (the Heraclidae) have come (as suppli- 
 ants) to the hearths of many and other nations, we 
 (the Argives) have stood on these same claims, and no 
 
234 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 one has ventured to incur evils of his own seeking," 
 i. e., to involve himself in domestic troubles for other 
 people's affairs. 
 
 147-152. aXX' i] tlv £g o-e, k. r. X. " But they have come 
 hither either from having observed in you some want 
 of wisdom, or else, from the desperate state of their 
 affairs, willing to encounter a risk, whether then it 
 shall result (as they hope) or not," i. e., resolving to 
 play a desperate game of hazard, whether they should 
 win or lose. What tljey played for was safety, with 
 the sole alternative of death. The phrase p'ncruv kivSv- 
 vov is a metaphor taken from the throwing of dice. 
 Compare Rhes., 155. — oh yap <ppEvr)pr], k. t. X. " For they 
 do not expect, I suppose, that you alone, in so large a 
 portion of Greece as they have traversed, will commis- 
 erate their ruined fortunes, remaining sound of mind 
 the while." The epithet dpovkovg means, literally, 
 without resource, plan, or expedient of deliverance. 
 
 153-161. avriOeg. " Compare the two."— napsig. " If 
 you shall have admitted." Properly, izapiivai is said 
 of a porter or sentinel who allows a person to pass 
 him, and so is equivalent to lav ladvai. — rjfiag r laaag. 
 " And if, on the other hand, you shall have allowed 
 us."— "Apyovg roarivde %tipa. " The strong arm of Ar- 
 g 0S# " — 7re7rav9yg. " You shall have been softened." — 
 ig ndXrjv Sopog. " To a struggle with the spear."— /i?) 
 ydp wg jieQri(TOfiEv, k. t. X. There are, as Paley remarks, 
 two difficulties here : one, the unusual position of dofyg ; 
 and the other, the unusual expression for a sword, x«- 
 Xv(38iKov. Valckenaer suspected that $6%yg (MSS. ^o^rjg) 
 had crept in for some word like iyxovg, the ellipsis of 
 vofiiayg being like that of Ssdoiica. But of such an el- 
 lipsis there appears to be no example. The term %a- 
 XvpdiKov occurs nowhere else, but still that is no valid 
 argument against it. Musgrave supplies eidfipov, and 
 
HERACLIDAE. 235 
 
 compares the English expression, " a Toledo." Elrns- 
 ley quotes, more appositely, Eurip., EL, 819, where a 
 Dorian knife is called Aiopida, with an ellipsis of fi&xai- 
 pav. Translate x^Xv/idiKov here, " the steel." 
 
 162-170. TTola nedl' a<f>aipt6eig, k. r. X. " That you, be- 
 cause despoiled of what lands, engaged in war with 
 the Tirynthians and Argives." Paley gives 9tig, Mus- 
 grave's emendation of the old and unintelligible Oyg, 
 and joins Otig 6%eiv, as Musgrave does, making this com- 
 bination equivalent to Oeivai, so that Qiivai rroXefiov will 
 follow the analogy of t\9pav QkaQai. Elmsley, on the 
 other hand, conjectures TipwQiag yrjg, but is successful- 
 ly answered by Matthiae. — rivog vntp Treaovrag ; " Hav- 
 ing fallen in defence of whom ?" The answer to this 
 is v-rrkp ykpovrog TVfi(3ov } on which phrase consult note 
 on Med., 1209. — elg dvrXov ifi^au woda. "You shall 
 put your foot into the sludge," i. e., shall get into any 
 difficulty. By dvrXog is properly meant " the bilge-wa- 
 ter in a ship," and then, generally, turbid and fetid wa- 
 ter, mire, sludge, etc. The phrase is a proverbial one, 
 and belongs to the same class as " to get one's foot out 
 of the mud," Ghoeph., 684, etc. — tpsig, to \<£<jtov, k. r. X± 
 " You will admit that, at the best, there is but a hope 
 that you will be a gainer." More literally, will find 
 (something to your advantage), i. e., lv\L\iaxiav 'Hpa- 
 kXeiSuv, as appears from what follows. With IX-iriSa 
 supply dvai. Some, however, make iXirLBa to be gov- 
 erned by Evpi](yuv. "That you will gain from them 
 hope merely," i. e., the hope of enjoying some future 
 advantage from them, when they shall have grown up, 
 and returned victorious to their native land. The gen- 
 eral idea, however, is pretty much the same in either 
 case. — Kal TOV70 7roXX(£, k.t.X. " This prospect (which 
 hope thus holds out) is even far worse than the pres- 
 ent state of things." 
 
236 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 171-178. kclk&q yap olds, k. t. X. He points to thern as 
 not likely, from their size and bearing, to make sol- 
 diers able to cope as 67rX7rat with the Argives. — xpo- 
 voq. Supply IotL — Sovg firjdsv, k. t. X. The idea is, I do 
 not ask you to give me any thing of your own, but 
 merely to let me take away what is mine. The old 
 reading was Sbg firjdsv, which even Elmsley retains. 
 The correction was made by Dobree, and confirmed 
 by Matthiae from MSS. — Krrjaai Mvicfjvag. " Gain My- 
 cenae (as a friend and ally)." — 7ra0yg av rovro. "Do 
 you suffer this," i. e., place yourself in this false posi- 
 tion. This would seem, remarks Paley, to be an ac- 
 cusation brought against Athens by its enemies, of al- 
 ways taking the wrong side, because it took part with 
 the oppressed. 
 
 179-195. Hg av SiKrjv, k.t.X. "Who could decide a 
 controversy, or comprehend a train of reasoning," etc. 
 — vnapXii fiev rode. "There is this peculiar feature." 
 — tv [ikpEi. " In turn." — wcnrep dWoQev. " Even as they 
 have done from other quarters." — lv fieay. " In com- 
 mon." — "Apyovg ovdev. " Nothing of Argos." — doKijaav. 
 Nominative absolute ; more commonly S6%av. — ug Mv- 
 Ktjvaiovg. Mycenae is commonly confused by the Trag- 
 ic poets with Argos, though the latter term is more 
 frequent for Mycenae than the converse. — ?) rbv 'EXX/y- 
 viov opov, k. r. X. " Or do you decide that whosoever is 
 exiled from Argos is exiled from the boundary of the 
 Greeks ?" i. e., is the Argive territory so wide that to 
 be banished from it is to be banished from Greece V 
 — ovkovv 'AOrjvag ye. " Not Athens at least then (shall 
 we be compelled to leave)." Supply QevZojjiev. — Tpa- 
 x'ig. The Heraclidae had first fled to Ceyx, king of 
 Trachis, a town of Thessaly, in the district of Malis 
 (Apollod., ii., 8, 1). — 'AxaiiKov. " Thessalian." The 
 Achaia here meant was a district in the south of Thes- 
 saly, in which Phthia and Hellas were situated. — 6y- 
 
HERACLIDAE. 237 
 
 Kuv, " Exaggerating the importance of," i. e., and 
 thus frightening the king (Ceyx) into compliance 
 with your demands. 
 
 197-206. icai Xoyovg Kpivovai vovg. " And they (the 
 Athenians) shall prefer your claims (to their duty)." 
 Observe that tcptvoixn is here put for 7rpoKpivov(n. Din- 
 dorf and Pflugk read icpavov<n, the conjecture of Elms- 
 ley. But the latter rightly retracted it in his curae 
 secimdae. Indeed, it may be questioned, according to 
 Paley, whether there is an authority for the future of 
 Kpaivit). — aivxvvr]. " Honor." — 7t6\lv fitv aptzzi. Supply 
 Toaovrov aiv'saai from what follows. — avayKrj. A claim 
 on the score of relationship is here advanced. — e7rsi7rep. 
 This explains (rw&iv. " (I say to preserve them, which 
 you have the power to do) since," etc. 
 
 209-215. naXiv 8k t&vS* dveifxi ooi ysvog. " And again 
 I will trace for you the lineage of these," i. e., from the 
 same source as the other branch. — avravexf/iujv Trar^p, 
 k. t. X. u (Thus) your father (Theseus) and the father 
 of these (Hercules) would be sprung from first cous- 
 ins." Their mothers were respectively Aethra and 
 Alcmena, who were first cousins. — ykvovg fikv ijKeig. 
 " You are related by birth." Observe that tfKEig is for 
 TrpoariKug. — ci 8* Urbg 7/^/7, k. r. X. " But what, indepen- 
 dently of relationship, you are bound now to pay to his 
 children, I proceed to mention." 
 
 216-218. (TvjjnrXovg yevkaOai G^o-et. He means that he 
 and Theseus accompanied Hercules in his ninth labor, 
 when the latter went after the girdle of Hippolyte, the 
 queen of the Amazons. He can personally attest, 
 therefore, the friendly relations which once subsisted 
 between Hercules and Theseus, and which ought to 
 be continued, from a sense of gratitude, to the chil- 
 dren. — ttoXvktovov. " The cause of much bloodshed." 
 
238 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Because, in order to obtain the belt, Hercules slew 
 Hippolyte and many of her companions. — "Aidov r epe- 
 [jlvojv, k. r. X. When Theseus had descended with Pi- 
 rithous to the lower world to carry off Proserpina. 
 
 220-225. u>v avndovvai, k. t. X. The whole of this 
 passage, down to v. 225 inclusive, is probably spuri- 
 ous. Lines 221, 222 have already occurred at 97, 98. 
 — X^pk lv re ttSXel kcikov. " And besides an evil in the 
 state." A proof of the spuriousness of this line is the 
 anapaest in the fifth place. Hermann, followed by 
 Pflugk, reads x^pk & irokei kclkov. " Not to say an 
 evil in the state." — pXexpov irpbg avrovg (3Xe\pov. Taken, 
 as Dindorf remarks, from Alcest., 390. 
 
 226-228. KaTa<TTs<])<o. U I cover you with suppliant 
 boughs (as I would an altar)." — x E P 0iV Kai V P°Q yeveiov. 
 "By your hands and by your chin." Observe that 
 Xtpolv is a genitive here, depending on irpog in com- 
 mon with yeveiov, and that the words Kai KaTaare<p<o are 
 to be regarded as parenthetical. Elmsley, less cor- 
 rectly, construes Karaare^u) x E P°~ lv ) *• e -> "With my hands 
 like as with suppliant boughs." — eg xtyaQ Xafiibv. " Af- 
 ter having once taken into your protection," i. e., now 
 that you have taken them, etc. 
 
 233-242. rrjg tvxvq viKiofievrjv. The genitive is often 
 used with participles implying defeat, from the idea 
 of inferiority which they convey. — Tpio-aai crv/Kpopag 
 6SoL " Three ways (of viewing) your calamity." Well 
 explained by Musgrave : " bdoi sunt viae sive modi quibus 
 casus spectari potest." Matthiae makes rpKraai ddoi avfi- 
 (popag a mere periphrasis for rpiaaai vvfupopai, but, as 
 Paley remarks, the calamity, or rather circumstance, 
 was one, but the grounds for lending aid were three. 
 — £0' ov (jv j3u)fxiog QcuceTg. " At whose altar you are sit- 
 ting." For i<p' ov j3w/iy. The reference is to the irpo- 
 
HERACLIDAE. 239 
 
 (3u)fiia, or steps, where suppliants sat. — to avyyevsg, 
 k. r. X. Second ground. — to TrpovtyeiXeiv. " My owing, 
 by a previous obligation, that these should fare well 
 at my hands for their father's sake." — to t aiaxpov. 
 Third ground. The honor of Athens is concerned. 
 
 243-251. (wXauOai. " To be despoiled," i. e., of its 
 suppliants and its protecting power. — owy. The cor- 
 rection of Musgrave for the common 6kv&. — Kai rdd' 
 dyxovrjg irsXag. " And this is near hanging," i. e., these 
 two contingencies are almost a hanging matter, or, in 
 other words, are almost enough to bring one to the 
 noose through mere shame. Compare Alcest., 230. — 
 dXX! wcpeXeg^fiev evrvxecrepoQ poXelv, k. t. X. M I wish then 
 that you had come under more favorable auspices, but 
 still, even as it is, be not afraid that," etc. — fi n kyKa- 
 Xei. " If he has any charge." 
 
 253-259. oi/fc, r)v diKaiov, k.t.X. " (What?) not if it 
 be just, and I prevail in argument? — ovkovv k/iol rod' 
 aiffxpov, k. r. X. He means, the disgrace and injustice 
 then of such an act falls merely on me, it brings no 
 harm to you. — ipoi ye. " It is indeed harm to me." — _ 
 <jv d' tlojoi^e, k. r. X. " Well, then, do you send them be- 
 yond your boundaries, and we thereupon will lead 
 them away thence." — rov Oeov TrXeioj Qpovtuv. " If you 
 think yourself wiser than the god," i. e., who has de- 
 creed that suppliants at the altar should be protected. 
 — devp\ u>g toiK£, k. r. X. He means to say, this place 
 seems to be an asylum to which all the bad must flee. 
 
 263-270. (3Xa7rT(i)v UeivovQ firjdev. " (Aye) in no re- 
 spect (however) injuring those," i. e., yes, you are mas- 
 ter here, but not to the injury of Argos. — /3\a7rr£<r0€, 
 k.t.X. "Be injured (for what I care) so long as I do 
 not defile the gods," i. e., so long as I do not violate 
 the laws of heaven. Observe that ($Xa7rTeoQe is here the 
 
240 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 imperative. — roiovrog. Supply ry yvw^j. He means, Nor 
 do I wish it. — 7reipio/nevog. " By actual trial." — icXaiW. 
 " To your sorrow." Literally, " weeping the while." 
 
 274-282. fxidg ydp %£ipoc, »• r. X. " For the conflict of 
 a single hand is a weak one," i. e., it is a weak fight 
 for only one man. — (jTparrjyojv. "As leader." — 'aXku- 
 Oov. For 'AXicaOoov. Alcathous ('AXkclOooq) was the 
 son of Pelops, and king of Megara, whence the boun- 
 dary between Megaris and Attica was called after his 
 name. Eurystheus, therefore, is here represented as 
 being on the immediate confines of Attica, ready to in- 
 vade that country, and to ravage the crops. — Xctfnrpbg 
 <pav?)(jETai. " He will come fiercely forth ta the view." 
 Elmsley takes the metaphor to be from a keen, fresh, 
 impetuous wind. So Musgrave explains Xafnrpog here 
 by vehemens, rapidus, potens, and compares Aristoph., 
 Eq., 430, 760. — <pvrolg. " The productions of the earth," 
 i. e., the trees and crops. — KEKT^/ieOa. A rare form for 
 the optative, and contracted from KSKTrjotfieOa. Consult 
 Buttmann, Ausf. Sprachl., § 98, n. 17. 
 
 284-296. QOeipov. " Destruction seize you !" Liter- 
 ally, " Be destroyed." A common form of imprecation. 
 — rb <rbv "Apyog. " That Argos of yours," i. e., of which 
 you boast so much. — ovk tfieXXeg. " You were not go- 
 ing." — TvoXei. Elmsley reads 7r6Xiv, remarking that the 
 Greeks said v7rrjKo6g rwog, rather than v7rrjico6g nvi. — 
 blvg. "Keen-spirited." — kirl roicn. "In present cir- 
 cumstances." — dig roaa irvpyovv, k. t. X. " To build tow- 
 ering on high twice as many things as actually take 
 place," i. e., to exaggerate the reality twofold. The 
 genitive yiyvofieviov depends on the comparative no- 
 tion implied in roaa. (Jelf, G. G., § 502, 503.)— r)Xdev. 
 Some refer this to Demophon, but the change of per- 
 son is then exceedingly harsh. — haxvalaai. Equiva- 
 lent, according to Elmsley, to dioXfoai. 
 
HERACLIDAE. 241 
 
 297-309. y'epag. " Honor." — kclkoiq Uoivwvrjcrev. " Has 
 connected himself with the vulgar," i. e., the base-born. 
 — Xiirelv. " For having left." Depending apparently 
 on t7rrtive(rw, though still quite irregular. Matthiac 
 suggests Xlttwv. — dfivverai. " Wards off," i. e., teaches 
 to bear up against. It does this, according to the 
 Greek view, from the feeling of alax^tj, or " self-re- 
 spect," which they considered to be intimately asso- 
 ciated with it, and as really affording support under 
 trials. — rjfjieig yap, k. t. X. Observe the force of yap here. 
 The idea is, for we, by persevering and not sinking in 
 despair, have at length found friends. — rtivde irpovcrt]- 
 aav. " Have stood forth in defence of these." He 
 points to the children, whom he had just included in 
 the collective rf/uig, — eg neipav <pi\u)v. " To an experi- 
 ence of friends^" i. e., to those whom we find, on trial, 
 to be true friends. 
 
 310-327. vogtoq eg Trdrpav. In their fifth and last ef- 
 fort, about eighty years after the Trojan war, they are 
 said to have defeated the son of Orestes, and to have 
 become masters first of Argos, and then of the greater 
 part of the Peloponnesus. — icai Tifidg. " And become 
 possessed of the honors." .Observe the zeugma in oIki)- 
 arjre, the verb having in this latter clause the force of 
 \d(3r}re or Kardaxnre. — alpeaOai. Infinitive for impera- 
 tive. Compare Troad., 422. — oe yrjv roarjvde, k. t. X. 
 " Who have averted from us so great a country, and 
 its Pelasgic people, to have them as enemies unto 
 themselves." Observe here the force of the middle, 
 as if he had said wore avroi eavrolg iroXeiiiovg £yaj>. — 
 Eivopwvreg. " Though seeing US." — OrjveiDg irekag. He 
 means, when standing near him in Hades. — apti. The a 
 in dp{b is either short or long, according as it is taken 
 from alpo) or from ae/pw, being in the latter case contract- 
 ed from depot. — eva yap ev 7roXXo7c, k. t. X. The sentiment 
 is from the well-known lines of Homer, Od., ii., 276 seq. 
 19 
 
242 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 330-340. TrpoffUMpsXeiv. Construed also with the ac- 
 cusative. — Kal rd Tu>vd' avx&, *• t. X. " And I am confi- 
 dent that the conduct of these here will be such (as 
 you describe) ; the favor done them will be remem- 
 bered." — avXXoyov. "A muster." — rdfa re. "And 
 I will marshal them," i. e., will drill them, so as to 
 make all the available inhabitants turn out to meet 
 the foe. — avrov. The army. — raxvg (3or)dp6fiog. "Is 
 quick to run to the war-cry" (or the cry to the res- 
 cue).— "Apym. The dative of'place. — duaopai. " I will 
 inspect the entrails." 
 
 344-351. iZu)fiE<jOa drj, k. t. X. " Let us then keep our 
 seats as suppliants, waiting here for the city to prove 
 successful," i. e., until the city has succeeded in the 
 contest.— oraj/ 8' dy&vog, k. t. X. " And w T hen you shall 
 successfully have rid yourself of this contest, we will 
 go to your palace." — uv^dxoimv. "As allies." — twv 
 likv yap, k. t. X. He means, If Juno is the patron-god- 
 dess (and a powerful one without doubt) of the Ar- 
 gives, Pallas is on our side and that of Athens. — virdp- 
 \uv. " Tends." — Oetiv. Monosyllable in scanning. 
 
 354-380. ttXeov. " Any the more." The Chorus 
 mean, We are not to be scared by your threats, Argive 
 stranger. — /i^ttw ovno efy. " May it never be so," i. e., 
 as that it should fear what you say. — o re 'EOevsXov. 
 " And (along with you) the son of Sthenelus." Com- 
 pare II., xix., 123 : EvpvaQevg, SQevsXoio 7rd'ig Ileparj'iddao. 
 — dvTKJxo^svovg. " Having clung for protection unto." 
 — 7rov ravra icaXwg, k. r. X. " Where would this conduct 
 be honorably (regarded), among the right-minded at 
 least," i. e., what place should conduct such as this 
 take among honorable actions in the opinion of those 
 who think aright ? Observe the employment of ttov 
 where we might have expected Tr&g. — ku. Equivalent 
 here to el kcii. — rdv ev xapirojv, k. r. X. " The city fa- 
 
HERACLIDAE. 243 
 
 vored by the Graces." Literally, " having itself well 
 in respect of the Graces." The meaning is merely 
 " the beautiful city."— dvdaxov. " Restrain yourself." 
 
 381-387. at irai. The age of Iolaus entitles him thus 
 familiarly to address the young king.— T i fioi cvwoiav, 
 k. r. X. " Why hast thou come, bringing unto me anxi- 
 ety in your eyes ?" — ov ydp n, k. r. X. " For there is no 
 fear at all lest the herald's speech prove false," i. e., the 
 herald is not the man to use vain and empty threats. 
 Observe, as already remarked, that ov pi) is for ov <p6- 
 fiog fori fir). — tcl TrpovOev a>v. Tyrwhitt's correction for 
 the common reading tcl irpbg Oetiv, and implying that 
 Eurystheus was flushed with his success hitherto in ex- 
 pelling the Heraclidae from every country where they 
 had sought protection, and hence was full of con- 
 temptuous pride and conceit towards Athens. — elaiv. 
 Elmsley's emendation for the common reading iar'iv. — 
 tg rag 'AOfjvag. Depending on eIgiv. In the common 
 reading it depends on fpovtiv. 
 
 393-396. ovk l(prjK5 7rw. " He has not as yet let loose." 
 — Xeiraiav 6<ppvr]v. " On a rocky mountain-brow." — do- - 
 kt)<tiv. " As a conjecture on my part." He means, It 
 is a mere suspicion on my part, that this is his object 
 in occupying a high ridge. — iroia. Supply bifi — t 
 dvev dopog. The correction of Musgrave, for rd vvv So- 
 pog. The manoeuvre of Eurystheus was to bring his 
 army down to the plains of Marathon "without a 
 fight," and take up a safe position there. He was 
 therefore on the lookout, nolo: 68$ 7cpoadyoi ko.1 ttov idpv- 
 oi rb ffTpctToiredov. And on ttov implied in 7rota, rather 
 than on iv dvcpctkei, depends the genitive x®ov6g. 
 
 401-407, Qvr]iro\uTai fidvTsuv vira. "Is engaged in 
 the performance of sacrifices by means of soothsayers." 
 That is, Qvr)7ro\owi fidvTUg kcit d$TV. — Tpowdid r txOpujv, 
 
244 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 k. t. X. " (Rites) both designed to bring a rout upon 
 the enemy and safety to the city." Understand Upd 
 as an apposition with what immediately precedes, and 
 with which the adjectives rpoiraXa and awTtjpia both 
 agree. — xpv^f 1 ^ doidovg 7rdvrag. "All the bards (the 
 utterers) of oracles." — dXfoag. "Having collected." 
 The a is long, as from dXrjg or dXrjg.—yXey^a Kal fiepijXa, 
 k. r. X. " I have examined the ancient predictions, both 
 public and concealed," i. e., both those accessible to 
 all, or which were cited on every occasion, and those 
 kept in the custody of the priests. — icai rtiv \ilv dXXiov, 
 k. r.X. " And as regards other matters, many things 
 in these oracles are different (one from another)." — ev 
 ravrov. " One and the same." Observe the antithe- 
 sis between 7roXXa didcpopa and ev ravrov. — 8H7rpE7TEi. 
 "Is clearly conspicuous." There must be a colon 
 after this word, not a comma. 
 
 408-413. rrapOevov. Pausanias relates (i., 32, 5) that 
 an oracle declared that the children of Hercules would 
 not prove victorious unless one of their number died 
 a voluntary death (d-rroQavelv WeXovrijv) ; and that Ma- 
 caria, his daughter by Deianira, thereupon slew her- 
 self. Her name was afterwards given to a fountain at 
 Marathon. Euripides probably omitted this fact in 
 order to place the noble-mindedness of Macaria in a 
 stronger light. — avayKdau, scil., rijv eavrov 7raida Kra- 
 velv. — KdKujg ovrio. " So insanely." 
 
 415-424. TriKpdg rrvardasig. " Angry meetings." An- 
 gry, because each side maintained their view with ve- 
 hemence. Bothe gives irvKvag. — Cjg diicaiov i)v. " That 
 it was right (in me)," i. e., that I did right in, etc. 
 Elmsley unnecessarily makes fjv here have the force of 
 eari. — e^v. Elmsley, with great probability, here reads 
 kfiov. — el Se $r) Spdffio rode, k. r. X. The people are angry 
 enough already, but if he should do this, namely, com- 
 
HERACLIDAE. 245 
 
 pel the sacrifice of a maiden, there would be danger 
 of an immediate civil war. The old reading was tjv 
 dk firj, which Matthiae corrected, from three MSS., into 
 a Se <^. According to the old reading, rode will mean 
 o dfi^orepoL Xsyovai. " What either party say," and De- 
 mophon's idea will be that refusal in either case will 
 involve him in a civil war. — avvz&vpujKE. " Devise 
 along with me." — wore fiapfidptov. "As over barba- 
 rians." — &W r\v diicaia dpw, k. r. X. " But if I do fair 
 things, I shall be fairly treated," i. e., because he is not, 
 like the Persian monarch, an irresponsible despot, but 
 under constitutional laws. 
 
 425, 426. ciXV y Trpodvfwv, k. t. X. " But does not the 
 god allow this state, being eager the while, to lend aid 
 to strangers when desirous so to do ?" i. e., but can it 
 be that the god in imposing this difficulty about the 
 sacrifice of a maiden, does not allow this state to 
 assist strangers when it is willing and desirous to do 
 so ? Pflugk calls attention to the species of parallel- 
 ism to be found here, in 7rp69vfiov owav . . . xp-ftov- 
 oav. 
 
 427-438. toiyfiev. Contracted for loiKa^Ev. — tg x&P a 
 yy (Twfjipav. " Have come close to land," i. e., have 
 got so close as almost to touch it. The expression £g 
 X&pa gives to yy awrj^av the same force here, as if the 
 whole clause were sg x s ~ l P a yn v &apov. The simile, ob- 
 serves Paley, is a very happy one. Iolaus, who had 
 just before been profuse in his thanks for the prof- 
 fered safety, now falls into the extremity of despair. — 
 rfkdQt](Tav. From tXavvo). — irpbg aKTcilg. u Close to its 
 shores." — rd tovSe. " The conduct of this one." — alve- 
 <rag d' txio, k. r. X. " And I am content with the things 
 here," i. e., I am thankful for the treatment we have 
 met with here, namely, proffered protection, though it 
 should prove ineffectual. He then goes on to say, 
 
246 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Well ! if it be Heaven's will that I should fare thus, 
 the gratitude to you at least is not lost. 
 
 439-460. vjxiv ri xpv^ofiai. "What I shall do with 
 you." — aari-KTOQ. "Has been undecked (by us) with 
 suppliant boughs." — iroiov Sk yaiag 'ipicog. For noiag de 
 yaiag 'ipicog. Since they had not gone to any other 
 place of protection in the Attic land. — 7r\j)v el rt rep^io, 
 k. r. X. " Except if, by having died, I shall afford any 
 delight," etc. — xpn v ) Xpn v "p\ *• T - ^- " It was destined, 
 it was destined then for us," etc. — dXX' olaff o jjlol crvfi- 
 irpa%ov\ "But do you know in what you may co- 
 operate with me?" i.e., in what you may aid me? 
 Equivalent to avfnrpaZov /jloi, olcQ' o. — firjTB Kivdvveve, 
 k. t. X. Observe the employment of firjre . . . re, " nei- 
 ther . . . and yet." — GKaibg yap avi}p. " For the man is 
 weak-minded." — iroXX^g yap aldovg, k. t. X. " For one, 
 in that event, even though unfortunate, would stand 
 a chance of meeting with much consideration," i. e., 
 mercy, or kindness. Observe Kdrvxhg for Kal drvxhg. 
 
 461-473. fit) wv rt]vd\ k.t.X. "Do not then blame 
 this state," i. e., if we refuse your request to be deliv- 
 ered up. — yewdta. " Noble in their nature." — ri nXe- 
 ov. " What gain would accrue ?" Supply dv elrj. — Xv- 
 fiag. " The ill-treatment," i. e., in repeated instances. 
 Observe the force of the plural. Dindorf gives Xvjxrjg 
 with Elmsley, who fancied Xv/xag was- a Doric genitive. 
 But the accusative sometimes occurs in Attic with 
 Hinvrjo-Konai, in place of the genitive, when the refer- 
 ence is to the keeping of a thing vividly in remem- 
 brance, as in the present case. Compare Jelf, G. G., 
 § 515, Obs. — 7rpo(TK07reXv. "To foresee." — KaipiioTspav. 
 " More seasonable." — d^xavog. " Quite at a loss." 
 
 474-481. &voi, Qpaaog poi, k.t.X. Macaria, who had 
 hitherto kept out of sight, with the other maidens, un- 
 
HERACLIDAE. 247 
 
 der the care of Alcmena, now comes forward on the 
 stage, and apologizes for her apparent boldness in do- 
 ing so. " O strangers, do not attach any charge of 
 boldness unto me for my thus coming forth." The 
 dative i£6doig is equivalent here, as Elmsley remarks, 
 to ivsKa iZoSwv. — to (Tojcppovelv. u Discretion." — ov ra- 
 xOelaa, k. t. X. " Not having been commissioned to be 
 the ambassador of our race." — npoaQopog. " Fit (for 
 the office)," i. e., though not formally appointed to it. 
 She then gives the reason, namely, the great interest 
 she takes in her brothers. Whence it appears that 
 she was the eldest of the female children. — Kd/iavrtig 
 7repi, k. r. X. " And I wish to ask, in respect of my own 
 self (also)." Elmsley makes /ta/zaim/c irkpi equivalent 
 to ov fiovov TTEpi tovtwV) dWd ieal 7repi tfiavrtjg. This, 
 however, seems rather forced. 
 
 484-495. ov veuhjtI drj. " Not now for the first time." 
 — ev 7rpoxuprj(Ta.i. " To have got on well." — ydovg. 
 Contracted form for doidovg. — arjuaiveiv. " Specify." — 
 dvai. tt To continue to exist." — ravr ovv dfit]xavovft€p. 
 " About these things, then, we are in utter perplexity." 
 — (T<pd&iv. Elmsley's correction, for the common <*§d= 
 &iv. — \zyei tie 7nog. "But still, somehow, he does say 
 it," i. e., he conveys the idea. — ei fifj n tovtiov, k. t. X. 
 u Unless we shall in some way remove the perplexity 
 connected with these things," i. e., shall devise some 
 escape from these difficulties. The verb iZafirjxavsiD oc- 
 curs nowhere else, and some critics, therefore, have in- 
 dulged in needless alterations of the text. Euripides, 
 however, would seem to have used this compound in- 
 tentionally with reference to dfirjxctvovfjiev, in v. 492. 
 
 498-506. iv rifSe Kdx6fiea9a, k. r. X. " Is it on these 
 terms that we are able to be saved V Elmsley's read- 
 ing for KEvxofieaOa, which is destitute of sense. — evtv- 
 X&g 7r£7rpayoTEg. u Being fortunate." — irapiGTauQai <r<payy. 
 
248 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 "To present myself for immolation." — aiperrOai. "To 
 encounter." Literally, " to take up for itself." — irdpov 
 (TEcruHjOai. " When it is in our power to be saved," i. e., 
 when we might, if those labors were carried to a suc- 
 cessful issue through our means, insure safety. — (f>evZ6- 
 fievOa fii) Oavelv ; The semi-negative notion of the verb 
 is strengthened by /i//, where in our idiom no negative 
 particle is expressed. (Jelf, G. 67., § 749.) 
 
 510-516. 7rov rad' lv X(O/;0to7c Trpkiru; "Where are 
 these things seen among the good ?" i. c., Nowhere is 
 such conduct as this seen, etc. — olfiai. " I suppose." 
 Ironical. — "AiSrjv fxrjdtv ?j<t<tov ehiSelv. " To see Hades 
 none the less," i. e., than if I offered myself now as a 
 victim. The reading detvd, for de riva, is Tyrwhitt's 
 emendation. — dXX' iKTrk-aovaa, k. t. X. Another alterna- 
 tive. Shall I leave the land, and be a wanderer ? With 
 what face can I ask for protection, if I am branded as 
 a coward ? — lav drj tiq \kyy. " If, as doubtless he will, 
 some one say." Observe here the force of dr). 
 
 522-527. ryfe. " Through this hope," i. e., of faring 
 well. — ovkovv Oavelv, k. t. X. " It is better, then, that I 
 die, than to meet with this treatment, when undeserv- 
 ing of it." — avaZLav, k. t. X. In his smaller edition, Pa- 
 ley includes both this and the succeeding line in 
 brackets. They certainly might be omitted without 
 any injury to the sense of the passage. The other edi- 
 tions, however, give them without expressing any 
 doubt as to their genuineness. — irpkiru fiaWov. "Are 
 more befitting."— liriu^fioQ. " Of note." - 
 
 529-534. Krai (rrejufiarovre, k. t. X. This verse violates 
 the pause in the fifth foot. Compare Alcest., 671. In 
 the present instance (not touched on by Porson in his 
 well-known remarks on this subject in the Preface to 
 the Hecuba) there seems to be no other way, remarks 
 
HERACLIDAE. 249 
 
 Paley, of evading the spondee before the cretic el coke7, 
 than by reading cci KardpxeaQai Sokei. Elmsley sug- 
 gests icai Karapxtr ei doicei, but acknowledges that the 
 middle is here the true form, as Valckenaer has shown. 
 — irdpa. " Is ready for you." For irdpevTi. — eZayyeXXo- 
 fiai. " I promise." More literally, " I make a decla- 
 ration on my own part." — pr) <piXo\pvxov(ra. "By not 
 being attached to life." This line and the next are 
 bracketed in his smaller edition by Paley, who con- 
 siders the use of pt) peculiar here, though not noticed 
 by the commentators. 
 
 535-543. pkyav Xoyov. " The noble speech." — yevvai- 
 ovg pdXXov. "More in accordance with a noble lin- 
 eage." — rig av Spdaeiev, k.t.X. "What one of men 
 could do it beyond the present example?" — dXX' V£ 
 IkeIvov, k. t. X. "But, the seed of a divine mind, thou 
 art (truly) sprung from that Hercules," i. e., that illus- 
 trious hero. The epic genitive 'HpaicXrjog is a airal Xe- 
 yopevov in tragic senarii. — y ykvoir av. " How it might 
 be done." Supply ddif. 
 
 547-549. ry rv\y. " By mere chance." — x<*P l Q y»P- 
 ov irpoaeari. " For no graciousness is (thereby) added 
 (to the act)," i. e., there is no self-sacrifice, calling for 
 the thanks of others, if it is not voluntary. — dXX' el pev 
 tvdexwOe. " But if you receive me." 
 
 554-563. v-irepcpepeig roXpy re, k.t.X. "You surpass 
 daring by daring," etc. Literally, " You carry daring 
 beyond (present bounds) by means of daring." Elms- 
 ley finds a difficulty here, and thinks that instead of 
 roXpy we ought to read the genitive roXprig. "You 
 carry daring beyond daring." But he is well answered 
 by Pflugk. — d' uxpeXelg. The B' is added by Barnes, and 
 traces of it are to be found, according to Kirchoff, in 
 one of the MSS. — ao<pibg KeXeveig. She means, In saying 
 20 
 
250 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 that my death will benefit my brethren, you in fact ex- 
 ' hort me to it, and wisely, because you put the matter 
 at once in its simplest and its strongest light, and one 
 which removes odium from all parties, and guilt from 
 yourself. — nidaiiarog. Namely, the pollution connect- 
 ed with her death. — Qdvw. " Let me die." — kxti v<pa- 
 yfjg, k. t. X. " Since I will proceed, of my own accord, 
 to all that is fearful in immolation." — ovirep evxoixai. 
 " From whom I profess (to be sprung)." 
 
 565-573. (tv 8* dXXd tovSe XPV&- " Do y ou then en_ 
 treat from this one here," i. e., from Demophon. — rXq- 
 Hovevrdrriv. " The most courageous." — si n (3ov\u. 
 Supply irpoaenreiv. — fioi. Hortative. So SiSaaick fioi in 
 the next line. At this verse Demophon appears to 
 leave the stage. At least we hear no more of him to 
 the end of the play ; nor indeed of Macaria, after the 
 valedictory address which next follows. Thus, re- 
 marks Paley, we lose sight of the two persons in whom 
 the interest has hitherto been principally centred. Io- 
 laus is evidently the hero of the play, yet even he is 
 dismissed at v. 747, and we only hear of his achieve- 
 ments from the lips of another. 
 
 575-590. Toiovade uHnrtp av. "To be such as thou 
 art." Supply elvai, and observe that oWep here takes 
 the place of olog. Elrnsley less correctly construes tol- 
 owo-cte with aoipovg, whereas lg to irdv aoQovg is to be 
 taken separately, as explanatory of roiovade. — dpicsaovoi 
 yap. That is, dpK&aei avrovg ovtu> aotpovg eivai. — irpoQv- 
 fiog wv. " Being already desirous to do so," i. e., to 
 save them from death. — ddsXpiov ?) Trapow 6/xtXta. " My 
 present company of brothers." — cxtojv. Governed by 
 TrdpoiOtv, which last is to be taken in the sense of irpo. 
 — wg Odxpai xptuv. This was done by the Athenians, 
 says the Scholiast on Aristophanes, Eq., 1159. — /ca\- 
 Xitrra, scil., Qfyai.—ivfci)Q itfilv. " Wanting unto you." 
 
HERACLIDAE. 251 
 
 She means, I have not been found wanting, but I have 
 stood by you ready to lend aid. 
 
 591-594. rad' dvrl iraiSwv, k. r. X. " The conscious- 
 ness of this remains a fond treasure for me in the place 
 of children," etc. — etrj ye fxevroi ftrjdev. " Would in- 
 deed that there may be nothing!" There is some- 
 thing, remarks Paley, very touching in this wish. It 
 is not said like a mere commonplace sentiment, but 
 the poet himself seems to give vent to his own feelings 
 on the subject. The Greeks had no clear idea of re- 
 ward hereafter for virtue or resignation in this life. 
 Hence the utmost wish of the unhappy was utter ex- 
 tinction in death. — ol Oavovfisvoi pporwv. Namely, those 
 who (like the speaker) are just about to die. As if she 
 had said, d Evprjaofiev siceX iv "Aidy. 
 
 600-607. dv<T(pr]fiHv Qeav. "To speak ill-omened 
 words of the goddess," i. e., to say that she is relent- 
 less, insatiate, etc. The transitive sense of the verb 
 here is worthy of note. So, from the employment of 
 eviprjixsTaOaL in a passive sense in Aeschylus, Suppl. 506, 
 it follows that sv<pr)fxeTv also had a corresponding ac- 
 tive meaning. — y gov KaTrjpKTai (jujfjia. " To whom your 
 body has been consecrated for sacrifice." Compare v. 
 529. — xp^^t 10 ^ r£ H-v KpavOevrog, k. t. X. " And yet, if the 
 oracle shall not have been fulfilled, it is impossible for 
 us to live." — fxeifov. " Would in that event be great- 
 er." — Kal rdde. The fate of Macaria. 
 
 608-627. Ostiv drep. " Without the gods," i. e., ex- 
 cept through their dispensation. — ovde rbv avrov, k. r. X. 
 " And that the same family does not always walk in 
 prosperity." The form (3s(3dvai is the 2 perf. infin. act. 
 of fiaivb). — irapd d' dWav aXXa, k. r. X. " But one kind 
 of fortune closely follows by the side of another : tills 
 man it causes to live humble from having been ex- 
 
252 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 alted, while on the other hand it makes happy the 
 "wretched one." The word dXrirav is corrupt. Accord- 
 ing to Paley, the sense and metre seem to require rbv 
 fieXeov d'. — o 7rp69vfiog. " He who is eager (to repel the 
 power of fate)." — dXXd av. Addressing Iolaus. — p) 
 7rpo7riTV(t)v. " Not falling forward (to earth)," i. e., not 
 prostrate on the ground. To this word the Greeks 
 attached the notion of abject and unmanly servility. — 
 a d' dperd paivei Sid poxOiov. " Virtue, however, makes 
 its way through the midst of labors."— fierex^ <">i. "I 
 share (the feeling) with you." 
 
 G30-639. ISXeojg dk ttov yspwv, k. t. X. Iolaus was en- 
 veloped in garments (v. 604), and Alcmena was within 
 the temple (v. 42). — o'ia drj y kfiov irapovaia. " Such a 
 presence, indeed, as that of me at least is," i. e., as far 
 at least as I, a mere nobody, can be said to be present 
 at all. — KElcrai. Iolaus, overcome by sorrow and weari- 
 ness, seems to have sunk to the ground from the seat 
 on which he had been placed. Compare v. 604. — aw- 
 eixofirjv. So Elmsley, in his first edition, for awevxo- 
 tirjv, which last appears in the common editions. The 
 Attics never use iaxo^vv in a passive sense. — tppw^isOa. 
 From piovvvfii. — "YXXov 7tsvs<tttjq. " A serf of Hyllus." 
 Hyllus, the eldest of the sons of Hercules by Deianira, 
 had hitherto been absent, looking for a safe asylum 
 (v. 46), while his younger brethren were wandering 
 with Iolaus. The TTEvkarai (Penestae) were the de- 
 scendants of the old Pelasgic inhabitants of Thessaly, 
 and were attached to certain estates as part of the 
 property, cultivating the lands on condition of paying 
 in kind a certain portion of the produce. It appears 
 also from the present passage that they likewise 
 served in war, like the vassals or retainers in feudal 
 times. 
 
 640-645. w (piXraff. An exclamation in reference to 
 
HERACLIDAE. 253 
 
 Hyllus, not addressed to the messenger. — rd vvv rdds. 
 u Now," or " At the present time." — TtdXai yap wdivov- 
 tra, k.t.X. " For long suffering anguish about those 
 who have now come (i. e., Hyllus), you have been 
 pining away in soul if their arrival will ever take 
 place." Others make voarog refer to the return of the 
 Heraclidae to their native country. 
 
 646-659. rod' eTrXrjffOrj areyog. " Was this mansion 
 just now filled." Observe the force of the aorist.— i) 
 rdp EKsivov, k. r. X. " In very truth then (if you do car- 
 ry them off) may I never more be reckoned the moth- 
 er of that hero," i. e., as being deficient in courage to 
 prevent it. — 7rpo(rQiZei. Elmsley's correction for the 
 common 7rpo(j0i&ig. The middle appears to be the 
 only future of Oiyydvu) in use. — dyyeXov. " An an- 
 nouncer." — ak. Matthiae supplies «/3o^<ra, the idea of 
 which is contained in fiorfv tarrjcrag. — ovk Itrfiev i)^uq 
 ravra. Equivalent to nescio quid dims. She means in 
 fact to ask, dXXd ri iKdXsaag. — dyysXXei. Where, asks 
 Paley, did the messenger announce this? He had 
 merely said that he brought good tidings, and that all 
 was right. Hence we must infer that in v. 640 it is 
 Hyllus who is spoken of. 
 
 661-669. ri x^py ryde, k. r. X. " Why, having placed 
 his foot on this land, where is he now absent ?" i. e., 
 why has he come and where is he absent ? Matthiae, 
 whom Pflugk follows, says it is the same as ri vvv d-n-E- 
 <ttl Kal 7rov vvv d"KE<JTi ; as in the Homeric rig ttoQev Elg 
 dvdpwv ; The explanation first given, however, is bet- 
 ter. The first question seems to be answered by {/XOev 
 8\(ov (TTparov, the second by arparhv KaBi^Ei. — TaavErai. 
 " Causes to be marshalled," i. e., by his officers. Hence 
 the middle voice. — rovd' ovkeO', k. r. X. " Then I have 
 nothing farther to do with this matter." She is about 
 to depart, as having no concern in purely military 
 
254 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 matters, but is arrested by Iolaus saying that lie at 
 least Ms to do with them. — apiQfibv d\\ov. " Any oth- 
 er (more precise) enumeration." 
 
 671-678. Xawv evrrjKEv Kspag. " He has taken his 
 station on the left wing." The commentators supply 
 <cara, but Paley regards Kspag rather as a species of cog- 
 nate accusative, comparing it with arrjvai vraoiv. — ira- 
 prjKrai ra&iov nkXag. " Have been brought near from the 
 ranks," i. e., near to the generals, to be slain at the mo- 
 ment of the contest. — yKaZo/jtev ravr\ k. t. X. This verse 
 continues the regular anxofivOia. The two next are 
 answered by the two 680, 681, so that there is in fact 
 no violation of the usual rule that each person speaks 
 at the same length as the other. — ipi^iovg rovfibv fispog. 
 " Deserted as far as my part is concerned." 
 
 682-693. npog <jov. " Your part," i. e., as an old man, 
 and therefore aotyog. — ical firj fieratrxelv, k. r. X. Supply 
 mentally ijKiara irpbg ipov yv after jcai. — ovk iar Iv ot//a, 
 k. r. X. " There is no wound inflicted by the mere ap- 
 pearance of a thing, if the hand act not." Compare 
 Sept. c. Theb., 392. The meaning is, you are too old 
 to be an effectual combatant, and your coining into 
 the field will be mere harmless appearance. — wpooOev. 
 " Sooner," i.e., more probably. — ciXX' ovv fiaxovfiai, 
 k. t. X. " Well, then (even if there is not), I am ready 
 to fight with not fewer in number," i. e., with as many 
 as ever. He means, there is the same spirit, if there 
 be not the same bodily vigor. — atjKtofta. " Weight in 
 the scale." The Latin momentum. — Spav. " To act." 
 — tjjg iirj fievovvra, k. t. X. " You may say what more you 
 please, (resting assured) that I will not remain here." 
 In most cases of the accusative absolute with wg, some 
 participle, like vopgwv or i)yovnevog, may be supplied. 
 
 695-713. ear iv dofiounv, k. r. X. Captured arms were 
 
HERACLIDAE. 255 
 
 accustomed to be suspended in temples. — airoduxjofxtv, 
 k. t. X. The idea is, if we survive we will restore them, 
 as the property of the god ; if not, he will not account 
 it sacrilege that we have taken them. — oTrXirrjv koghov. 
 " A warrior's array." — olKovprj/jLa. " House-keeping." — 
 t'l TTovelg aXXwc, k. t. X. " Why do you labor to no pur- 
 pose upon things which," etc. — yvuxrifiax^lv. " To give 
 in," i. e., to know its weakness, and hence to yield to 
 the opinion of others. Paley says the primitive mean- 
 ing of the verb is " to contend with a former opinion," 
 and so to arrive at the conclusion that it is wrong. — 
 lav. Supply x ai P uv - — avdpiov yap uXkij. " Aye, for val- 
 or belongs to men." — ncudoc /^X^o-ei, k. t. X. " There 
 will be a care of you to the surviving sons of your 
 son (Hercules)." Canter gave iraiai for the old read- 
 
 714-727. xpfabiVTCLi rvxy. " They shall fall into ill- 
 luck." The verb xpn^ a h Kk® the Latin uti, is often 
 used of adverse circumstances. — omog elg ifie; "Ac- 
 quitted of his obligations to me," i. e., as the father of 
 my son Hercules. As such he was bound to protect 
 her. — ottXojv \iiv ydti, k. t. X. The servant, who, at v. 698, 
 had gone into the temple for the arms, now returns 
 with a complete outfit for an oTrXiryQ. He oft'ers to act 
 as armor-bearer to Iolaus, lest he should be wearied by 
 the mere weight. — (pOdvotg ovk dv. Compare Alcest., 
 662. Observe the double dv, one of which belongs to 
 the participle, giving it the nature of a condition : 
 " You could not be too quick if you were at the pres- 
 ent moment covering," etc. — yv/xvog. "Unarmed." — 
 6Z,vt]v. " A beechen spear." The servant is requested 
 to give the spear into his hand, to carry the shield, 
 helmet, and cuirass, and to take the arm of the aged 
 warrior to support his steps. 
 
 730-747. opviOog ovvek, k. r. X. " One must go with- 
 
256 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 out stumbling, on account of the omen." To stumble 
 at the outset was a bad omen with both Greeks and 
 Romans. Iolaus thus seeks to excuse the 7raiSay<jjyia. 
 — XucpQelg h&xvq- il K left behind as regards the fight," 
 i. e., if too late for it. — doiciov n dpav. " While you 
 think you are doing wonders." — doKovvra paWov, k. t. X. 
 " Seeming to hasten, rather than actually doing so." — 
 EVTvxovvra. Supply Xevaaeiv. — ei drj 7ro9' jj^ofikv ye. " If, 
 indeed, we shall ever get there." — fiefivr)fie9a. Consult 
 note on v. 469.— olog av Tpoiriiv, k. t. X. He changes the 
 address from his arm unto himself. In fact, however, 
 the first person here has direct reference to fioL in the 
 previous line, though the syntax is unusual, and the 
 more so because olov has already occurred in v. 740. 
 Blomfield conjectures 9eh]g. Another w T ay would be 
 to put a full stop at roiovrog, and regard olog av, k. r. X., 
 as an exclamation. — doictjaig. " A reputation for." 
 
 751-758. ivkyKaiT. Hermann's reading in place of 
 the common ivkyxar. The change is better for the 
 metre, but not strictly in unison with the imperative 
 following. The optative and imperative, however, are 
 sometimes almost indiscriminately used in choral odes. 
 — Opovov dpxsrav. "The imperial throne (of Jove)." — 
 'AOdvag. Supply Sofioig. — /xeXXw rag, k. t. X. Paley con- 
 jectures ydp for rag. — v7rodex9eig. "For having re- 
 ceived," i. e., in a holy cause, in which the aid of the 
 gods may be fairly calculated on. Observe the rare 
 employment of v7rodex9eig for vTrode^dfievog. — icivdvvov 
 re^eTv. " To cut through danger," i. e., to bring mat- 
 ters to a crisis. Compare the Latin decide?^. 
 
 759-769. wg MvKrjyag. A species of attraction, for wg 
 MvKtjvaij scil., elaiv. — prjviv ksv9siv. " To cherish secret 
 anger." So in Latin, train habere alta mente repostam. 
 — KtkEvofiaviv. So Dindorf and others, for keXevgiiiov, 
 or Kcti Xevcnfiov'Apyog. The emendation is Reiske's. — 
 
HERACLIDAE. 257 
 
 %apiv l\ u I 101 - " Owes me a favor," or is bound by an 
 obligation, namely, for my having taken the side of 
 justice and mercy, and for not letting the cause of the 
 gods be inferior to that of men. — nap Efiol 6eoi. Din- 
 dorf's reading. 
 
 770-783. gov yap ovdag, k. t. X. The first and the sec- 
 ond aov both refer to ovdag, and there should therefore 
 be no comma after ydg. — nopEvaov d\\a. " Cause to 
 go elsewhere," i. e., drive away. — dopvworjTo:. Din- 
 dorf's reading, after Bergk, and required by the metre. 
 — apery. " Piety." — ovSs XtjOei, k. t. X. " Nor does the 
 waning day of the month forget thee." By " the whin- 
 ing day of the month " is meant, according to Mus- 
 grave, the vovfirjvia, new moon, or first of the month, 
 when a festival was celebrated in honor of Minerva. 
 With this Elmsley agrees, remarking, " nullus enim dies 
 majori jure QQivdg rifispa appellari potest, quam is in quo 
 fit solis et lunae coitus." Some refer QQivag i/pepa to 
 the last day of the month, but we have no proof that 
 the last day of the month, like the first, was marked 
 by a festival. — dve/ioevn de ydg, k. t. X. u While on the 
 breezy hill of the land the sacrificial cries resound to. 
 the stamp all night long of virgins' feet." By the 
 " hill of the land," the Acropolis is meant. The poet 
 is thought to allude here to the vigils (iravvvxifeg) 
 which, in the worship not only of Bacchus but of oth- 
 er deities, formed part of the religious orgies. 
 
 784-798. ds<nroiva, fivQovg, k. t. X. In this scene the 
 defeat of the Argives under Eurystheus is related. — 
 tfiol re ryde, k. r. X. " And to me here present most glo- 
 rious (to announce)." — tjSe t/^spa, k.t.X. "This day 
 has brought you to freedom, for these your announce- 
 ments." Literally, " has put you through so as to be 
 freed." Supply uhjte before riXevOspaxrOai. — t anv in ; 
 M Is still alive, is he ?" — /zwi> n keSvov riycoviZEro ; " Sure- 
 
258 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 ly he did not at all contend in a way to be cared for, 
 did lie ?" Observe the force of p&v, with which a 
 negative answer is always expected. — dXXd a evrvxrj 
 <pi\u)v, k. t. X. The order is, dXXd OkXio ge 7rpu>rov ayyei- 
 Xai (fioi) evTvxfj dywva fidx'IQ (piXtov, scil., 'AOrjvaiiov. 
 
 800-810. o7rXiTY]v crrparov. The heavy - armed men 
 formed the front, and therefore stood face to face (Kara 
 arufia), when drawn out in rank (ekteivojievol), in the 
 two armies. When the messenger says, " We had mar- 
 shalled opposite," he identifies himself with the com- 
 batants on both sides, or else we should expect, not 
 dXXijXoivi, but 'ApyEiiov arpanf. — Ufidg noda, "Having 
 dismounted." Verbs denoting motion take an accu- 
 sative of the member or part by which that motion is 
 performed. (Porson, ad Orest., 1427.) — jikaoiaiv iv \ie- 
 raixiiioiQ dopog. " In the mid-space between the two 
 lines of spears," i. e., between the two armies. — Eidaa- 
 fiEv. " Let alone," i. e., why do you and I disturb it 
 by arms? — dvdpbg arEprjaag. "By having deprived it 
 of one man." He says this to Eurystheus, not as in- 
 tending to undervalue his life, but to contrast it with 
 the lives of a host. Since, he argues, if you fall, the 
 loss to your city will be comparatively nothing, meet 
 me in single combat. 
 
 811-817. E7ryvE<r\ Eg r diraXXaydg, k.t.X. "Assented 
 thereto, (saying) that the speech had been well spoken, 
 both for ridding them of their troubles, and for satis- 
 fying their valor." More literally, " Both as to deliv- 
 erance from troubles and as to valor," i. e., that it 
 would save them the fight without detriment to their 
 courage. By arparog he means the Argive host, who 
 thus urged Eurystheus to accept the offer. — b 8k ovte, 
 k. t. X. " He, however, having neither regarded those 
 who heard the speech, nor having felt shame at his 
 own cowardice, durst not," etc. Naucke misses the 
 
HERACLIDAE. 259 
 
 negative with iroXwae, but errs in so doing. The neg- 
 ative force of ovre . . . ovre, although pertaining prop- 
 erly to each member of the sentence, is extended also 
 to the verb, and it is the same as saying 6 S' ovre rovg 
 icXvovrag aiSeaOaig Xoyiov IXOeiv iToXfirja tyyvg aXicifxov do- 
 pog, ovr avrbg avrov deiXiav (aidevQeig) crrparrjybg dv. — 
 Toiovrog ysywg, k. t. X. That is, though a slave himself, 
 he came to enslave others. The Greeks attached the 
 notion of cowardice to the condition of a slave. 
 
 820-822. SiaXXayag ov TtXovfievag. "That a settle- 
 ment (of the contest) is not to be brought about." 
 Observe that TtXovfjisvag is the contracted future parti- 
 ciple. — dXX' aQieaav Xaifiojv (3poreiu)v, k.t.X. This al- 
 ludes to the sacrifice of Macaria. Nothing more is 
 said about that event ; but, as Paley remarks, in a nar- 
 rative possessing exciting interest in quite another 
 way, it would perhaps have been injudicious to have 
 dwelt at length upon the sacrifice. 
 
 827-836. ry rsKovay. The earth is considered as both 
 yrj nrjTrjp and y/) KovporpoQog, and hence the article is 
 repeated, as if two distinct persons were meant. — /**) 
 Karaiaxvvai OsXeiv. " Not to consent to disgrace." The 
 common text has QeXwv, which Musgrave translates by 
 "volens," and makes an enallage for QsXovra. But 
 Elmsley more correctly reads QkXuv. — tcrrjfirjv. Supply 
 o aaXTTiyKTm. — upOiov. " A loud, stirring blast." — ?ra- 
 rayov. " The clatter."— mrvXog. " The rush." Elms- 
 ley makes the term here equivalent to qpfirj. Compare 
 Alcest., 798.— 1-rraXXaxO^g. " Having been interlaced." 
 The preposition ini here denotes reciprocity or inter- 
 change. Paley makes the description resemble Virgil's 
 "haeret pede pes, densusque mro mr." {Aen., x., 361.) 
 
 838-847. dvo KeXEixTfxara. Dindorf's reading for the 
 common rov KeXevaixaTog, which last, Paley says, does 
 
260 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 not seem to be good Greek. The exhortations of both 
 generals to their respective forces are meant. — rbv ymjv. 
 Observe that the noun here is masculine, as shown by 
 the article. The Tragic writers always use the mascu- 
 line form, yvrjQ, never the feminine yva. (Elmsley, ad 
 loc.) — 7rdvra dpwvreg. "Exerting all our energies." — 
 ZfiPrjaaL viv. "To place him in." Paley conjectures 
 l(r(3ii<yai. — 67re7x€. "Pressed hard upon," i.e., followed 
 in hot pursuit. — Xsyoi/j,' dv oXXojv. Elmsley's reading, 
 for the common Xeyoi fikv dXXog. 
 
 849-852. HaWrjvidog yap aefivov, k. t. X. " For hav- 
 ing, while crossing the sacred hill of the divine Mi- 
 nerva of Pallene, caught sight of Eurystheus's chariot." 
 Pallene was a demus of Attica, not in the road between 
 Marathon and Athens, but rather in the direction of 
 Megara. — KaTroTioavQai, k. t. X. " And to inflict just 
 vengeance on his enemies." Observe the double ac- 
 cusative. 
 
 855-866. Xvyaiit) vk(pu. " In a gloomy cloud." — vswv 
 ppaxiovuv, k. r. X. " Showed forth a youthful image of 
 youthful arms." — npbg Trsrpaig ^KEipojvim. "At the Sci- 
 ronian rocks." Consult note on Hippol., 1208. Ac- 
 cording to Apollodorus (ii., 8, 1), Iolaus not only over- 
 took Eurystheus here, but also slew him, and brought 
 his head to Alcmena. Euripides, however, merely 
 makes Alcmena to have passed sentence of death 
 upon him. — Xafnrpd Krjpvcraei fxaQeiv. "He proclaims 
 things clear to. learn." — wg tyfjpspoi ruxai. " Since hu- 
 man fortunes are but for a day." 
 
 869-882. xp^ v V P* v ) K - T - *• " At length, then, has fa- 
 vorably regarded." The verb properly means "to 
 look upon," i. e., with a view to watching the result, 
 and apportioning reward or punishment, and is usual- 
 ly employed in speaking of the gods. — Osolg d/MXsTv. 
 
HERACLIDAE. 261 
 
 " Held converse with the gods," i. e., dwelt with them. 
 — tov KaKotg 6\ovfi8vov. " Who shall perish wretched- 
 ly."— kXiipovq. The poet seems to have had in mind 
 the legend of the lots drawn by the three Heraclidae, 
 Temenus, Cresphontes, and Procles, on their final but 
 long-delayed acquisition of their native land. — Qeolg. 
 Monosyllable in scanning. — ri kevOwv <ro<p6v. " Con- 
 cealing in mind what wise plan," i. e., devising what 
 wise scheme. Ironical. — ov aotpbv rode, k. t. X. With 
 the Greeks of old revenge was looked upon as a duty 
 and a virtue, a positive obligation to a moral law. 
 
 883-891. rb dbv 7rpoTifiwv. " Preferring to show hon- 
 or unto you," i. e., rather than to put him to death on 
 the spot. — wg viv d<f>9a\fiolQj k. r. X. " That, as his con- 
 queror, you might see him with your own eyes even 
 subjected to your hand." The common text has Kpa- 
 Tovvra, for which Reiske conjectured Kparovaa. Paley 
 suggests ry ay for mi c£, which would certainly be an 
 improvement. — dXXd irpbg jS/av, k. r. X. " But he has 
 forcibly yoked him to necessity," i. e., has consigned 
 him to fetters and forced him to come. — tXevQkptocrov 
 fie. " Procure my freedom." The speaker, it will be 
 remembered, was one of the Penestae of Hyllus. Por- 
 son and Elmsley read IXevOepioaeiv. — axpsvdeg. The pro- 
 pensity of the Greeks to deceive, remarks Paley, made 
 such a remark not unnecessary. 
 
 892-900. a' Xlysia, k. t. X. " If there be the delight 
 afforded by the shrill-toned pipe at the banquet." Lit- 
 erally, if there be in the banquet the shrill-toned de- 
 light of the pipe. The common reading is Ivl dai, for 
 which Dindorf gives tivi daiTi. — sir] 8' evxaptg 'AQpodlra. 
 The idea is, Sweet, too, is the favor of Venus. — repizvbv 
 de n Kai dpa. " And it is something delightful, too, as 
 it proves." Observe the force of dpa. Dindorf gives 
 dp\ which sacrifices sense to metre. — rtiv -n-dpog oi> Bo- 
 
262 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 kovvtcjv. " Who before thought that they never will 
 be prosperous." Supply EVTvxh^iv. — TEXeaatdwTeipa. 
 " The accomplishes " For TeXecrQopog. — Kpovov 7raXg. 
 According to an opinion which some entertained that 
 Kpovog and xp^vog were the same words. Compare 
 Cic.,iV.D.,ii.,25. 
 
 901-909. tx^iQ bUv, k.t.X. "You have, O city, a 
 righteous way (of acting). It is not right ever to de- 
 prive you of this reputation, that you honor the gods ; 
 and he who says you do not, drives close to madness," 
 etc. Supply <r€ with aQekkoQai. — eXavvei. The usual 
 metaphor from a race-course. — Zyyvg. That is, close 
 to the (TTrjXri, or pillar, at the end of the course, and 
 around which they turned. — Birier/fia TrapayytXXti, k.t.X. 
 " Clearly exhorts to this course, ever taking (some- 
 thing) from the pride of the unjust," i. e., ever lessen- 
 ing or breaking down their pride. 
 
 910-918. tow tv ovpavi}, k.t.X. "Your son, aged 
 lady, is dwelling in the sky." Observe the employ- 
 ment of the substantive verb with the participle, in 
 order to give emphasis to the predicate. (J elf, G.G., 
 § 375, 4.) — (psvyei Xoyov. " It shuns mention," i. e., it is 
 not to be asserted. — irvpbg deivcf <j>Xoyi. Alluding to the 
 funeral pile on Mount Oeta. Compare Trach., 1191 
 seqq. — SawQtig. " Having been set on fire," from daiio, 
 "to kindle." — xpoftu. "He is brought into contact 
 with." Literally, " he touches." The more usual form 
 is xpV&i.—Siaoovg TraiSag, k. t. X. " You have honored 
 two children of Jove." Hebe and Hercules are meant, 
 who were fabled to have been united in the skies. 
 
 919-924. GviityzpzTai tci TroXXd, k.t.X. "Many things 
 coincide with many," i.e., many odd things happen. 
 — Oeag 7r6Xig kciI Xaog. Athens and the Athenians. — 
 taxev & vppiv, k. r. X. " And has checked the insolence 
 
HERACLIDAE. 263 
 
 of a man in whom the spirit of violence was before 
 justice." Eurystheus is meant. The old leading was 
 vfipeig, for which Dindorf, Matthiae, and Pflugk give 
 vfipiv. Elinsley has vfipig, and explains tax^v by cessa- 
 vit, a meaning, says Paley, which it can hardly have. 
 
 930-940. rifde r oi>x fjoaov rvx^lv. " And to this one 
 here not less so to befall him," i. e., not less unexpect- 
 ed. Alludiug to Eurystheus. — ov yap ttot tjvx^i. " For 
 he never in his arrogance thought." — x*ip a Q- More usu- 
 ally, kg x«i(0«c- — jw£t£w ttjq rvxm, k. r. X. " Thinking him- 
 self far superior to Fortune," i. e., not exposed to her 
 caprices, like other mortals. Compare the explanation 
 of Elmsley, icara(ppovu>v rrjg rvxvQ' — iGraaav. " Were set- 
 ting up," i. e., when I departed to come to you. Bothe 
 and Matthiae retain eoracrav, the 1 aor. for tarriaav. 
 
 941-960. xpwv- " At last." — Kparti. Passive. — 6v9' 
 oizov '(ttl vvv. A curious euphemism. Alcmena had 
 before declared her firm belief that her son was with 
 the gods, v. 872. — ov ovk iTXrjg. " Did you not dare." 
 — Karrjyayeg. " Took him down." Used for Kankvai 
 UsXevaag. — vdpag Xkovrag, k. t. X. The omission of the 
 copulative between KaTrjyayeg and t7refi7reg has induced 
 Paley to conjecture vdpag re Ofipdg r\ since the Nemean 
 lion is often called 9rjp, e. g., Here. F., 153, 363. — Xkyuv. 
 " Bidding him." — ravra roX/^o-ai fiovov. " That he 
 alone should endure these things." — dvSpag. Atheni- 
 ans. — Kai KSpdavsig uTravra. "And it will be all gain 
 to you." Literally, " You will gain all things," i. e., 
 in dying uira^ even though icaicwg. — xpl Y^P 0V X aira^,, 
 k.t.X. She means, he ought to die a thousand deaths. 
 Elmsley reads xpn v -> no ^ perceiving, remarks Paley, 
 that the imperfect would have been used after he had 
 really died. 
 
 961-969. dwardv aoi. "Possible for you." — tiXXug 
 
264 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 dp avrov, k. r. X. Eiclihoff thinks that a verse spoken 
 by the messenger has been dropped at the end of this 
 line. Naucke, on the other hand, suspects that a line 
 spoken by the messenger has fallen out before v. 961. 
 — oi>x ovnv dv ye, k. t. X. The custom was to spare the 
 life of a prisoner, in war, who surrendered himself. — 
 ravra do^avra. " This decision." Literally, " These 
 things having (thus) appeared good." — olfxai. Iron- 
 ical. The idea is, What ! would you have had him to 
 disobey the state ? but it is expressed ironically in the 
 text, without any interrogation: "(Oh, no!) on the 
 contrary, it behooved him, I suppose, to disobey this 
 land." — xpn v rovde firj Zrjv. "(I say) this one ought 
 not (at the present time) to have been alive." 
 
 970-980. tot i)SiKr}0r), k. t. X. " This man was wronged 
 (it seems) in not haviug then died at first." The mes- 
 senger, who is bent on keeping Eurystheus alive, in- 
 tends here to convey the following meaning : " (If, 
 as you say, he ought not now to be living) he was 
 wronged in not having died then, when first he was 
 taken prisoner." The man plays upon the truculent 
 sentiment of Alcmena, and says that his not dying 
 was an injustice to the party himself, rather than to 
 her. — ovkovv It iariv, k. r. X. " Is it not then even now 
 a fit time for him to render atonement ?" The inter- 
 rogation here is Elmsley's. — kciitoi Qnni, k. t. X. For 
 Ka'iToi here, a better reading appears to be kciI yap. — 
 ovdev avTiksKTeov. " This is in no respect to be gain- 
 said," i. e., there is no denying it. — tt\v Qpaaeiav. 
 "The bold one." — irETrpa&Tai. Observe the force of 
 the 3d future ; the thing shall be done, and shall re- 
 main so. It is to be a final settling of accounts with 
 Eurystheus. 
 
 985-999. hCKiav otyXeiv Tiva. "To incur any impu- 
 tation of cowardice." 2 aor. inf. act. of ocpXivKavio. — 
 
HERACLIDAE. 265 
 
 auTavExpwg. Eurystheus and Alcmena were dvexpioL on 
 both sides. The pateu^al grandfather of each was 
 Perseus, the maternal one Pelops. — 9ebg yap 7)v. " For 
 there was a deity in the case." — Kdjjiveiv rrjvSe r-qv v6- 
 <tov. " To labor through this same affection," i. c, this 
 same state of feeling by which I was affected towards 
 him. — Kdyviov aytiva, k. t. X. " And knew that I was to 
 engage in this contest." — cro(j)i<jTr)g. " A contriver." — 
 vvktl (TwOaKutv. " Sitting in company with night alone." 
 — $iu)(Tag. " Having repelled." From diuOew.—dpiOfiov. 
 " Merely one of many." Compare the common English 
 expression, "A mere cipher." — aKovaerai rd y iaOXd. 
 " Yet shall he be well spoken of." 
 
 1000-1011. d7raX\ax9svrog. u Having departed," i. e., 
 from life. — irdvra Kivrjaai irirpov. " To leave no stone 
 unturned." — ovkovv av y dv, k. t. X. " I suppose, then, 
 that you, had you received this fortune of mine, would 
 not have pursued with injuries the ill-disposed cubs 
 of a hostile lion, but would forbearingly have allowed 
 them to go on living at Argos." Observe that av y is 
 ironical here. It was thought not only prudent, but 
 also right, to kill the descendants of an enemy, and so 
 to forestall the chance of retaliation hereafter. — vvv 
 ovv i7rei8r], k. r. X. " Now then, as they did not destroy 
 me (in the fight), when willing (to die), by the laws 
 of the Greeks I cannot be put to death without bring- 
 ing guilt on my slayer." Literally, " I am not, by hav- 
 ing died, free from pollution to my slayer." 
 
 1012-1015. ttqXiq t dtirjice, k. t. X. " Besides, the state, 
 showing its wisdom, acquitted me, paying much more 
 regard towards the god than to her enmity against 
 me," i. e., paying much more regard to the claims of 
 religion, the duty of aidwg, than, etc. Paley calls at- 
 tention to Tiovaa as an Aeschylean word, not elsewhere 
 used by Euripides. — a y €nrag dvri]Kov<jag. " What you 
 21 
 
266 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 said (of me), you have now heard (said of yourself) in 
 return." — rbv irpoaTpoTraiov, to. r. X. " To call nie (at 
 one and the same time) the suppliant and the fearless 
 one," i. e., a suppliant in deprecating death, and a fear- 
 less (or noble-hearted) man in despising it. 
 
 1024-1031. rb yap <ju>fi\ k.t.X. " For in the matter 
 of his body I will not disobey the state." Observe that 
 uw/xa is the accusative of nearer definition. As the 
 law enjoined that those captured in battle should be 
 given up for a ransom to their friends, Alcmena pre- 
 tends to comply with it, as far as the <ru>na, meaning 
 thereby the veKpog, is concerned. — JlaXXijvidog. Com- 
 pare v. 849. Observe that the genitive vaov is under- 
 stood here after 7rdpoi9e. 
 
 1033-1044. fisToiKog. Said here of the dead buried 
 out of their own land. Compare Pers., 321 ; Clweph., 
 671. Great importance was attached by the ancients to 
 the possession of certain bodies as a safeguard against 
 invasion, by the power which the daifiujv possessed of 
 sending ill-luck on the invaders. — rtivde. The Herac- 
 lidae. — orav fioXuxn, k. t. X. This is said to deter the 
 Spartans from invading Attica in company with the 
 Argives. — toiovtiov Zkvuv irpovarriTE. " In behalf of such 
 strangers have you stood forth," i. e., such are the stran- 
 gers whose TrpoaTaTai you have become; such and so 
 ungrateful, as some day to fight against the land that 
 gave them protection. — ydovfirjv. Musgrave's correc- 
 tion for rjp6/j.j]v or ypovfirjv. — Kpeiacrio. "More power- 
 ful." — dXXd firjre jioi %oac, k.t.X. He means, Seek not 
 to propitiate me as a hero (and therefore one of the 
 Chthonian or hostile powers) by libations and sacri- 
 fices. I will be your benefactor without that, and I 
 will glut my vengeance not on you, but on the descend- 
 ants of the Heraclidae, by causing that they shall in- 
 vade Attica to their cost. 
 
HERACLIDAE. 267 
 
 1046-1055. rouri r l| b\iu)v. " And to your descend- 
 ants." — Kvai dovvai. She appears here to forget her 
 promise to give the body to his friends, v. 1023. The 
 fact is, remarks Paley, Alcmena is still further exasper- 
 ated by his threats against the descendants of Hercu- 
 les. — rd yap i% r)fiu>v, k.t.X. "For our conduct shall 
 bring no guilt upon the kings of the land," i. e., on 
 Demophon and Acamas. The Chorus mean that they 
 will have no share in the death of the captive, but his 
 blood shall be on the head of Alcmena. By laying all 
 the responsibility of Eurystheus's death on Alcmena, 
 while both the messenger and Chorus wish to preserve 
 him, the poet ingeniously removes the odium from the 
 state. 
 
NOTES ON THE SUPPLICES. 
 
 ARGUMENT, ETC. 
 
 The Siqjplices ('Ike'ti^es), or "Suppliant Women," is found- 
 ed upon the legend of the expedition of Polynices against 
 Thebes. It is a composition of considerable merit, and one 
 that deserves to be classed among the more successful ef- 
 forts of the poet, if it be not of first-rate excellence. The 
 poet appears, says Paley, to have written it in a moralizing 
 but not sceptical humor, for it is replete with reflections on 
 the goodness of Providence, the folly of man, the blessings 
 of free institutions, the curse of war, etc., and there are many 
 passages which, poetically considered, are extremely fine. 
 
 Creon, king of Thebes, had ordered the bodies of the Ar- 
 give chieftains, who had fallen in the attack on Thebes, to 
 be cast out without burial. Adrastus, the leader and sole 
 survivor of that disastrous expedition, unable to procure the 
 rites of sepulture for his comrades, proceeds to Elcusis with 
 a suppliant procession of the mothers and youthful sons of 
 the slain chiefs, and sits down with them at the altar of Ce- 
 res, just when Aethra, mother of Theseus, happens to be 
 making offerings for the prosperity of her country and her 
 home. Here the play opens. 
 
 Act I. Scene L— The prologue is spoken by Aethra. She 
 had come to Eleusis for the purpose, as already remarked, 
 of making solemn sacrifices for the yearly crops, when she 
 is met by the company of Argive suppliants; and it is after 
 hearing their sorrows that she offers a further prayer that 
 she and her sou, and their native lands, Troezene and Ath- 
 ens, may be prosperous, and be spared from similar troubles. 
 Surrounded by the matrons, and detained by an encircling 
 fence of suppliant boughs, which she cannot break through 
 without doing violence to religion, she awaits the arrival of 
 her son Theseus from Athens, in quest of w T hom a herald had 
 already been despatched. The Chorus is composed of the 
 suppliant females themselves. (1-86.) 
 
SUPPLICES. 2G9 
 
 Scene II. — Theseus arrives in haste from Athens, and in- 
 quires what has detained his mother so long at Eleusis. He 
 sees the suppliants, and is referred to Adrastus for the rea- 
 son of their arrival. At first he does not notice that his 
 mother is present, and fears lest the lamentations should be 
 on account of her sudden death. A long- dialogue ensues 
 between him and Adrastus, who explains to him the object 
 that has led himself and the suppliant mothers to Eleusis. 
 Adrastus, however, having apparently failed to gain over 
 Theseus to his cause, on the ground that his misfortunes are 
 his own fault, the Chorus of matrons urge one of their num- 
 ber to embrace the knees of Theseus and renew their re- 
 quest. Aethra next intercedes, and Theseus at length de- 
 cides in favor of the suppliants, and resolves, if the people 
 do not oppose, to rescue the dead cither by fair terms or by 
 force of arms; and with an army ready to enforce his de- 
 mands, he will send a herald to Creon. He then retires. 
 (87-364.) 
 
 Scene III.— The Chorus exult that Theseus has chosen the 
 8ide of religion, and trust that he will do more than recover 
 the bodies of the slain— that he will also bind Argos by eter- 
 nal gratitude to Athens. (365-380.) 
 
 Act II. Scene I. — Theseus, who had left the stage at v. 
 364, now returns, accompanied by a herald, to whom he 
 gives instructions to proceed at once to Thebes, and either 
 request or insist that the bodies shall be given up. As the" 
 Athenian envoy is departing, however, he is checked by The- 
 seus, who observes a Theban herald approaching. A dialogue 
 then ensues between Theseus and the Theban, ending in an 
 angry controversy. The Theban herald is ordered to depart, 
 and Theseus himself then retires. (381-597.) 
 
 Scene iX— While Theseus is absent on his expedition to 
 Thebes, the Chorus, divided into Hemichoria, express to 
 each other their fears and anxieties as to the result, wheth- 
 er the matter will be brought about by friendly interven- 
 tion or the spear. (598-633.) 
 
 Scene III— The news of the defeat of the Thebans is now 
 brought by a messenger, who, having been an Argive cap- 
 tive, has recovered his liberty in the contest. At the re- 
 quest of the Chorus, he enters into a detailed account of the 
 
270 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 fight. A dialogue then ensues between the messenger and 
 Adrastus as to the disposal of the dead bodies of those who 
 had fallen in the previous expedition. The messenger in- 
 forms him that the corpses had been interred by Theseus, 
 excepting those of the seven chiefs, and that these last were 
 now being brought to Eleusis. (634-777.) 
 
 Scene IV. — While the procession is forming to convey the 
 bodies upon the stage, the Chorus express their delight at 
 the victory, but mixed grieflat seeing the corpses of their 
 children. (778-836.) 
 
 Act III. Scene I. — The bodies are deposited on the stage, 
 while Adrastus pronounces over them a funeral oration. 
 (837-954.) 
 
 Scene //.—Theseus and Adrastus having left the stage, the 
 Chorus of matrons proceed to lament their childless estate, 
 and their no longer happy lot among Argive mothers. (955- 
 989.) 
 
 Act IV. Scene I. — Euadne appears on the summit of a 
 beetling rock, rising above the roof of the proscenium, and 
 gives vent to her feelings in a wild and rapidly uttered strain. 
 Her father Iphis appears, and, on learning her intention to 
 destroy herself, endeavors to prevent her, but to no purpose. 
 She throws herself from the rock, so as to appear to fall be- 
 hind the proscenium into the blazing pyre of Capaneus. 
 Iphis and the Chorus deplore her death. (990-1122.) 
 
 Scene II. — The sons of the deceased chieftains are now 
 seen advancing with the burnt bones that have been gath- 
 ered from the ashes, and probably inclosed in urns. A di- 
 alogue then ensues between them and the Chorus. Theseus 
 addresses Adrastus and the Argive mothers. (1123-1182.) 
 
 Scene III. — Minerva now appears, to urge upon Theseus 
 not to give up to the Argives the relics of their slain chiefs 
 without their pledging themselves to become the friends of 
 Athens, and promising, under the most solemn imprecations, 
 never to invade the Attic territory. (1183-1234.) 
 
 The scene of the play, as already remarked, is laid at Eleu- 
 sis, and the Chorus consists of the seven matrons, mothers 
 
SUPPLICES. 271 
 
 of the slain, and the female attendant on each ; besides which 
 there is a secondary Chorus of the sons, who take part in the 
 dialogue towards the close of the play. Miiller thinks it 
 highly probable that Euripides had in view the dispute be- 
 tween the Athenians and Boeotians after the battle of De- 
 lium, on which occasion the latter refused to give up the 
 bodies of the slain for sepulture (B.C. 424) ; and that the al- 
 liance, which Euripides makes the Argive ruler contract with 
 Athens on behalf of all his descendants, refers to the alliance 
 which actually took place between Athens and Argos about 
 this time. (B.C. 421.) 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 1-2. Arjfirjrep t<rriovx\ *• r. X. The prologue is spoken 
 by Aethra, the mother of Theseus, who had come to 
 E leu sis to make a solemn sacrifice for the yearly crops. 
 Here she comes into contact with the suppliant women 
 of Argos, who form the Chorus, and who, fencing her 
 in with suppliant boughs, entreat her to prevail upon 
 her son Theseus to aid them in procuring the rites of 
 interment for their children. She despatches a mes- 
 senger accordingly for Theseus. — kanovx^ The term 
 ianovxog here means " protectress," i. e., guarding the 
 central hearth of the household of the state, without 
 reference to the altar of the temple. — 7cp6<nro\oi. The 
 priests are mentioned, because, while the goddess was 
 the giver of prosperity, the priests were the procurers 
 of it, since it was their part to communicate to the de- 
 ity, at the sacrifice, the objects for which it was of- 
 fered, and to join in the petition to obtain it. 
 
 3-15. svdaifiovelv. Supply Sots. — TlirOsiog x^ova. Troe- 
 zene, where Pittheus, the father of Aethra, was reign- 
 ing. — Ao&ov fiavrevjiamv. The same oracle which is 
 quoted in Med., 679. — 7rpo<T7rirvov<j' . The common ac- 
 centuation, 7rpo(T7nTvov(j\ is erroneous. — r£Kvwj/. Gov- 
 erned by airai^g. If we make it the genitive absolute, 
 
272 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 as Hermann and others punctuate the line, this would 
 imply that they are wholly childless because their sons 
 had died in war; an unnecessary and improbable sup- 
 position. There should be no comma, therefore, after 
 T8KVCJV. — KarcKTXEiv. " To secure," i. e., to keep posses- 
 sion of for Polynices. The Latin dbtinere. 
 
 18-22. «ot Kparovvreg. " Those in authority," i. e., at 
 Thebes. Referring either to Creon individually, or to 
 the victorious party with Creon at their head. — kolvov 
 <p6prov, k. t. X. " Having with these the common bur- 
 den of the need of me," i. e., taking part with them in 
 petitioning my aid. Observe x? Eia Q *MQ for XP^ a Q 
 tfjiov. — Kslrai. Adrastus is here pointed to, lying near 
 the door, and doubtless with his head enveloped in his 
 ifidnov. Hermann, however, conjectures Urai, which 
 Dindorf rather hastily adopts. — tyx°£- The spear 
 which he vainly or foolishly raised in the cause of 
 Polynices. 
 
 27-30. povov rod' tpyov, k. t. X. " Imposing this only 
 task," i. e., this duty and nothing beyond it, namely, 
 to demand leave to bury the dead, but not to interfere 
 farther in the political relations between Argos and 
 Thebes. — virkp x^ovoq dporov irpoQvovaa. " Offering up 
 the preliminary sacrifice in behalf of the tillage of the 
 land," i. e., the sacrifice that preceded the time of till- 
 age. Sacrifices made before the ploughing of the 
 land were called Trporjpoaia. Paley thinks that -rrpo- 
 Ovovaa here means merely offering cakes, not victims. 
 — npbg rovde (ttjkov. " To this sacred enclosure." There 
 was probably at Eleusis a railed area, traditionally 
 said to have first produced corn from the seed given 
 by Ceres to Triptolemus. 
 
 32-41. Se^iuidv S' adevfiov, k. r. X. " But having (around 
 me) this bond of leaves that binds not." The suppli- 
 
SUPPLICES. 273 
 
 ants that surround her with their boughs decked with 
 festoons of wool are called here figuratively deoftdg, 
 while from their gentle violence and slight detentive 
 force they have the epithet of ddetrfioi applied to them. 
 (Compare note on Heracl., 124.) Aethra's motives for 
 remaining were twofold, namely, compassion for the 
 suppliants, and the religious obligation of the fes- 
 tooned olive-boughs. — t£e\y. " He may remove," i. e., 
 get "rid of, by inducing the suppliants to apply else- 
 where for assistance. — 7) Taod' dvayicag 'iKtaiovQ Xv<ry. 
 " Or may undo these suppliant bonds," i. e., may allow 
 them to be removed by granting the request. — di dpak- 
 v(x)v. " Through the agency of males." 
 
 42-51. ikstevu) (re, k. t. X. As if in confirmation of the 
 statements just made by Aethra, the suppliant mothers 
 reiterate their request for aid to procure the bodies 
 of their slain sons to be given up for burial. — ytpa- 
 pu>v. Hermann adopts Markland's correction of ytpai- 
 wv. There is no doubt, remarks Paley, that the mid- 
 dle syllable might be made short; but whether the 
 poet would use the same word twice together with a 
 different quantity is not so clear. Translate yepap&vy 
 u aged." — ava fioi AKva \ixrai, k. t. X. " Ransom my 
 children from the corpses of the slain, who are leav- 
 ing their limbs in relaxing death, a prey to the wild 
 beasts of the mountains," i. e., deliver the bodies of 
 my sons from the heap of unburied slain. Observe 
 here the force of ava. In composition with \veiv, its 
 force is analogous to un- in " undo," implying previ- 
 ous tying or fastening together, and hence, generally, 
 dvaXvuv is " to set free," " deliver," etc. — pvad dk <sap- 
 k&v 7roXtwv, k. r. X. " And the tearing of old, wrinkled 
 flesh with the hands." Literally, " The wrinkled tear- 
 ing of aged flesh with the hands." 
 
 57-62. fisra vw dog, k. t. X. " Share then with me 
 
274 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 the sentiments you feel (towards your own son), and 
 share them in proportion as I, an unhappy one, grieve 
 for the slain whom I bore." The more she is afflicted, 
 the greater need has she of a mother's sympathy. — 
 7rapa7TEi<Tov. " Persuade." Literally, "Bring over to 
 your side by persuasion." — 'lu^vov. "To the Isme- 
 nus," i. e., to Thebes, through which ran the river Is- 
 menus. — Xd'ivov rd^ov. "For a stone tomb." These 
 words are corrupt, as even the metre shows. Various 
 conjectures have been made by critics, but none are 
 satisfactory. 
 
 63-70. baiwg ot'x- " Not according to holy custom." 
 Because they had come without observing the rites 
 and ceremonies prescribed for visiting the temple of 
 Ceres on one of her great festivals (the 7rpor)p6(na). 
 They were not, moreover, in holiday attire (v. 97), but 
 with shorn hair and in mourning garb, which was ill- 
 omened. — evTEKviy. " By being happy in such a son," 
 i.e., as Theseus is. — KaOeXelv. "To remove." — vekw. 
 "Now a corpse." The comma after vekw is due to 
 Hermann. The old reading was vekv\ corrected by 
 Reiske. The grammarians thought that v'ekvq and ve- 
 Kpog were adjectives, and here altered the word so as 
 to agree with heXtj. — afuf>i(3aXETv. "That I may em- 
 brace." Literally, " So as for me to embrace." 
 
 71-78. aywv oft aWoz, k. t. X. " Lo ! here comes 
 another wrestling (with sorrow), taking up groans in 
 succession to groans," i. e., following up the lamenta- 
 tions of the mothers by their own. Hermann rightly 
 assigns the following strophe and antistrophe to the 
 Semichorus, composed of the female attendants of the 
 bereaved matrons. The common text has y<W, y6a>v 
 SiaSoxoz, for which we have given Valckenaer's cor- 
 rection. — axovmv. Referring to the beating of their 
 bosoms with their hands, in token of sorrow. — ZwyftoL 
 
SUPPLICES. 275 
 
 11 Fellow-mourners." — HwaXyi]S6veg. " Sharers in sor- 
 row." For ^vvaXyovaai. — x°P^ v i T0V "Ai<5a£ <Tsj3ei. " To 
 a dance which Hades loves," i. e., not to a chorus or 
 dance of joy, but to one of woe. The accusative x°~ 
 pov depends on ire, indicating motion towards. — did 
 napydog owxa, k. t. X. " Make bloody the white nail 
 along the cheek, and also the lacerated skin." The 
 words xjowra te $6viov will form a dochmius, if we read 
 <poiviov, but the emendation is uncertain, since the cor- 
 responding verse of the antistrophe (tg yoovg nktyvKE 
 irddog ' t a ') is probably corrupt. — rd yap (pOirutv, k. t. X. 
 " For the honors of the dead are a credit to the liv- 
 ing." This doctrine is cited here as an argument for 
 using severity in the infliction of blows. 
 
 79-85. tZdyei. " Quite carries me away," i. e., beside 
 myself. Compare Alcest., 1080. — dXifidrov. A rare Dor- 
 ism, since Euripides elsewhere and Aeschylus have 
 rfXijSarog. — to yap Oavovriov tskviov, k. t. X. " For the 
 affliction for deceased children, in accordance with 
 the nature of women, expends its energy in lamenta- 
 tions." The same as Kara yvvaiKuJv tyvaiv iariv tTr'nrovov 
 tg yoovg. 
 
 87-103. Tivajv yowv, k. t. X. Theseus arrives in haste 
 from Athens, and inquires what has detained his moth- 
 er so long at Eleusis. He sees the suppliants, and is 
 referred to Adrastus for the reason of their arrival. — 
 yowv i]Kov(ra . . . ktvttov. Double construction with 
 the same verb. Compare Aesch., Sept. c. Theb., 205. — 
 rjxovg lovarjg. Genitive absolute. — p dvairTtpoX. " Flut- 
 ters me." — ?xy vkov. At first he does not notice that 
 his mother is present, and fears lest the lamentations 
 should be for her sudden death. — icaivdg ti(r(3oXdg Xoyuv. 
 "A new beginning of discourse," i.e., a new subject 
 of inquiry and discourse. — 'iva pvOpbv KaK&v. " One 
 fashion (merely) of woe," i. e., one way merely of indi- 
 
276 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 eating it. Compare, as regards the meaning of pvQ/iug 
 here, Heracl., 130. — Kovpal fll, k.t.X. "And there are 
 shorn locks, and garments not festal," i. e., not such 
 garments as become those who visit a temple on any 
 festal occasion. — <ppovpovm fie. " They keep guard over 
 me," i. e., by holding the boughs so as to encircle her, 
 they detained her on the spot, since it was not lawful 
 to use the least violence in setting them aside. 
 
 106-112. oi d' dfitpi rovde, k.t.X. They stand around 
 him as he lies prostrate. Compare v. 22. It is clear 
 that Adrastus and the sons of the dead chieftains are 
 in a different place from that of the matrons. — olda. 
 She means, she could tell it if she pleased, and if she 
 were the proper person to tell it. Aethra had shown 
 her knowledge of the circumstances in the prologue. 
 — fiiiOog ovvtevOev. " Further explanation." The term 
 ovvtevQev is not to be rendered " henceforth," for that 
 would be tovvtev9ev. — rbv Kartjpi]. " That art muffled." 
 — xXavidioig. " In the robe of men." The xXavifiiov 
 formed the ordinary outer attire of men, correspond- 
 ing to the Roman toga. — nkpag yap ovUv, k. t. X. " For 
 there is no end (to perplexity) unless it comes through 
 speech." Dindorf says that fii) did yXioaarjg i6v is for 
 firj Sid yXwaarjg iovrog <tov, but this is too artificial. 
 Markland conjectures 7rep^g and Iwv, but a better con- 
 jecture would have been 7rspaveig. Critics, however, 
 regard the whole line as an interpolation, since it dis- 
 turbs the order of the anxofivOta. 
 
 114-130. TroXsiog. A dissyllable (iambus) in scan- 
 ning. — ydp. " (Certainly) for." — IvravOa. " In this." 
 — roiavra. " Such results." — KrjpvZiv 'Epfiov. Heralds 
 were under the tutelage of Hermes, as SiaicTopog or 
 messenger of the gods. — Kditurd ye. " (Yes) and yet 
 (though I did send heralds)." — ol KTavovreg. Markland 
 conjectures oi Kparovvreg, as in v. 18. — <pepeiv. "How 
 
SUPPLICES. 277 
 
 to bear it (aright)." — p' t7rfjX9eg. Paley conjectures 
 fiETijXOEg. — KOfxivai. "To bear away (for interment)," 
 i. e., to bring off from the battle-field for that purpose. 
 — to 8' "Apyog vpTv, k. t. X. " But what has become of 
 that Argos of yours ? were her boastings (all) in vain ?" 
 Literally, " But where is that Argos for you ?" etc. The 
 reading of Aldus is Kopiru, which Barnes took for Udfji- 
 ttel. — oixofieaOa. " We are undone." — doKtjtrav Tode. 
 Nominative absolute. 
 
 131-138. im rov de. "But why?" rov for Hvog.— 
 \6xovg. So Dindorf and Hermann after Pierson. The 
 common reading is ox ov Qi which Matthiae and Bothe 
 retain. But, as Paley remarks, it is a strange expres- 
 sion to ask one man why he drove seven chariots 
 against a place. — iropavviov. " Seeking to procure." — 
 r<£, for rivi. — ovk iyyevr}, k. t. X. " I did not connect 
 with my line a native wedlock." — TvM re. Dindorf 
 gives Tvdfji, as 'HpaicXriog. (Heracl, 541.) The MSS., 
 however, have Tvfel. — Qoifiov \i vTrijXQe, k. t. X. "The 
 dark saying of Phoebus, hard to guess at, deceived 
 me." 
 
 142-150. IXQovre <pvyd6e. Nominative absolute, the 
 construction being broken in consequence of the inter- 
 ruption at the end of the line. — paxy ye, k. t. X. " Hav- 
 ing likened them in fight unto," etc. This is Her- 
 mann's reading. The common text has \idxnv. " Hav- 
 ing likened their fighting unto that of," etc. — Tvtisvg 
 liiv alfia, k. t. X. " Tydeus, for his part, fleeing from the 
 land on account of kindred blood." In reality, how- 
 ever, we have here a double construction, <pevyiov xQo- 
 vog, and (pevywv alpa, so that the literal meaning will 
 be, "Fleeing from the land kindred blood." Ty- 
 deus had slain his brother Melanippus, and had fled 
 to Argos to obtain the rite of purification from Adras- 
 tus. But there are other accounts. — dpdig 7rarp^aig. 
 
278 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 "By reason of his father's curse." Causal dative. — 
 ktolvoi. Hermann's correction, for Krdvy. 
 
 151-156. (ro0i7r ye tXtZag, k.t.X. "Thou mentionest 
 this voluntary flight as a wise one indeed," i. e., this 
 flight which you here mention as a voluntary one on 
 his part, was a wise one indeed. — aXX' ol fievovTeg, k. t. X. 
 " But yet (wise though it may have been in other re- 
 spects) they who remained (at home) wronged," etc. — 
 ?i 7tov. These particles are employed here to ask a 
 somewhat hesitating question : " Is it possible that V 
 or " Can it be that ?" — tclvt USiKd^wv. " To avenge 
 these things." — elra. " And SO." — diwKEig fx y fidXiffT, 
 k. t. X. " You press me on the very point on which I 
 most failed," i. e., the neglect (for so Theseus supposes 
 it to be) of the gods, in not consulting them about the 
 expedition. Hermann ingeniously conjectures ndXiara 
 y ta<f>aXr)v, for the personal pronoun is rarely used in 
 the nominative unless some degree of emphasis is in- 
 tended, which is not the case here. 
 
 158-162. to Se ttXsov. "But what is more." So 
 Musgrave, for tL $k 7rXeov, which Hermann retains. — 
 'A/iKpidptio ye, k. r. X. " Against the will of Amphiaraus 
 in particular." This diviner had always discouraged 
 the expedition against Thebes. In scanning, 'ApQidpeio 
 becomes here 'A/i^iaow. — ovtw to Oeiov, k. t. X. •' Under 
 these circumstances (i. e., if you were thus disobedient) 
 the god easily deserted you." Markland conjectures 
 fxjtdiiog «7r£OT/oa0»7€, to which some editors add the in- 
 terrogation mark, " Did you so easily turn away from 
 the divine warning ?" — 96pv(3og. " The clamor." He 
 means that of the war party, the hot-headed youth in 
 the state. — ^ttXt/o-oe fxe. "Disordered me," i.e., my 
 better judgment. — evxpvxtav td-n-evaag. " You set in mo- 
 tion courage," i. e., you followed the dictates of cour- 
 age. — o drj ye, k. t. X. This line is commonly regarded 
 
SUPPLICES. 279 
 
 as spurious ; but the sentence ends too abruptly at eu- 
 fiovXiag if the verse be thrown out. 
 
 164-175. lv alaxvvaiQ fy* - " I hold it among dis- 
 graces." — Evdaifxwv. Porson conjectures iffodaifiiov. Din- 
 dorf thinks the verse an addition. — tjksl slg dwaidiav. 
 " Has come to childlessness." The same as airaig tort, 
 with a tacit reference at the same time to previous ev- 
 Traidia. — Oeivai. " To place here." — 7rp€<j(3evfiara. " As 
 an embassy," i. e., as Oeiopoi. — u*v avrdg bxpw, k. t. X. 
 The sense is, tjg ra(f>fjg ix91 v avrdg rv\uv, TCKptiaag \EpGiv 
 keivojv wpaiiov, i. e., of their sons arrived at maturity, 
 but still in the prime of life. Translate (Lv, " Which 
 obsequies," and supply some word, like Krepifffidrojv, 
 from Odxf/uxriv. 
 
 176-183. <To<f>bv Sk TTsviav, *c. r. X. The argument, says 
 Paley, appears to be this : As the rich should look to 
 the poor, and conversely the poor to the rich, the one 
 as a warning of what may befall him, the other as an 
 incentive to honorable exertion, so should the prosper- 
 ous (e. g. Theseus) accustom himself to witness misery. 
 And the moral obviously is that all men should learn 
 to expect, and know how to behave under, a change 
 of circumstances, such as has befallen Adrastus. — 
 'trjkovvra. " Being emulous the while," i. e., of the rich. 
 — rd r oiicrpd, k.t.X. "And that those not unhappy 
 may look on the things that are wretched." — tov 9' 
 vfivowoiov, k. t. X. This verse and the three that follow 
 seem to be an interpolation. It has been supposed that 
 some grammarian, dissatisfied with the poet's moral- 
 izing, and, perhaps, perplexed to divine his meaning, 
 indulged his humor by appending these four lines as 
 a marginal note, probably a quotation from some other 
 play, to the following effect, namely, that a poet who 
 wishes to be read should write in a pleasant strain; 
 for if his own woes are the subject of his thoughts, it 
 
280 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 is not to be expected that he should please his hear- 
 ers. — x ai P 0VTa ' " With joyous feelings." — olicoOev aru- 
 fievog. " If troubled in his own bosom." 
 
 186-192. tyw diKaidg elfii. "I am the right person." 
 — ojfir]. So Heath and others, for rf 'firj. — irsiroiicikTai. 
 "Is deceitful." The reference literally is to tricking 
 out with fair but false words. — tistiopice. "It looks 
 upon." — (TTpaTTjXdrov. Dindorf regards the whole pas- 
 sage, from v. 180 to this line inclusive, as interpolated. 
 
 194, 195. tii oIktov \aj3elv. "For you to take pity 
 on." — a\\oi<Ti Si), k. r. X. The reply of Theseus con- 
 tains a most interesting and remarkable exposition of 
 the poet's views of the beneficence of the Deity, and 
 also a clear statement of his political opinions; though 
 neither seems to have a very direct bearing on the 
 speech of Adrastus. The moral meant to be conveyed 
 is that people are never contented with the lot that 
 has been assigned them, but endeavor to improve it, 
 fancying themselves wiser than the Deity ; and that it 
 was through this pride and conceit that Adrastus fell. 
 — afiiXKijOdg \6yu) roufiSs. " Having contended in an 
 argument like the following." 
 
 196-200. iXeZe ydp, k. t. X. It appears to have been 
 taught in the schools of some of the philosophers op- 
 posed to Anaxagoras that there was more of evil in 
 the world than of good. Hence Theseus speaks of this 
 as a theme to be discussed in argument. — ovk av f^v 
 iv cpdei. The very fact of our existence is a proof that 
 there is more of good than of evil in the world. 
 
 201-210. alvu) tie oc, k. t. X. " And I praise that one 
 of the gods who regulated life for us, from out of a 
 mixed up and savage state." — 7re<pvpjjisvov. Mixed up 
 and confused, without order or arrangement. The 
 
SUPPLICES. 281 
 
 verb (j>vp(t) properly denotes to inix up and knead to- 
 gether, as dough or clay, until the ingredients are thor- 
 oughly blended. — ivOtig. Supply t)fiiv. — yiyvioaiceiv ona. 
 " To know the meaning of what is said." Jacobs con- 
 jectures ojq yeyujvicTKwv o7ra, but this would mean, " So 
 as to speak audibly," which would be out of place 
 here. — rpo^rjv re Kapnov, k. t. X. " And the nutriment 
 afforded by the fruits of the earth, and for the growth 
 of it rain-drops from heaven." Hermann, after Mark- 1 
 land, edits yr)rpe(f>i], kciit ovpavov, k. t. X. But this clash- 
 es awkwardly with the very next verse. — wg to. r ttc 
 yaiag, k. r. X. u In order that it (i. e., the rain-drop) 
 may both nurture the things (that spring) from the 
 earth, and may refresh her womb." After vrjdvv sup- 
 ply avrrig, the earth being the mother from whose lap 
 or womb all things are produced. — rolm. For rovroig. 
 Blomfield, with great probability, suggests roZode. — 
 7rpop\r)fjiaTa. "Having given us coverings." Supply 
 dovg. — wg diaWayag, k. t. X. " That we might have in- 
 terchanges with one another of the things which a 
 land might need." The optatives here depend on the 
 past tense, diEGTaQfJLtjffaTo. 
 
 212-215. Kara (TwXdyxvuv 7rrvx«C " According to the 
 folds of the entrails," i. e., of the liver ; meaning, per- 
 haps, says Paley, the smoothness or roughness of it. 
 He compares Prom. F., 501, vTrkdyxvwv \u6rriTa, this be- 
 ing a favorable omen. It will be observed that the 
 poet here specifies the three sorts of divination, by 
 lire, entrails, and birds. — up oh rpv^Cj^Ev ; Are we not, 
 then, over-nice ?" i. e., hard to please. — Oeov. One syl- 
 lable in scanning. 
 
 216-225. i) <pp6vr)Gig. " Our wisdom." — to yavpov. 
 "Haughtiness."— doKov^v elvai. "We think that we 
 are." — rjg deicddog. " Of which number." More liter- 
 ally, " Of which company." The term Seicdg, properly 
 
 22 
 
282 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 a company or band of ten, is here used generally. — lv- 
 ysic. u Bound," i. e., compelled. More literally, " Tied 
 up." — wg Zwvtiov Oewv. " As if believing that gods 
 really existed." Opposed to aTifiaaag, in v. 230, the 
 disobedience, namely, which Adrastus inconsistently 
 showed in despising the advice of Amphiaraus. — Xa/x- 
 7rpbv de OoXepy, k. r. X. " And, by having intermingled 
 your own clear line with what was turbid, did bring 
 an ulcer on your house." The line of Adrastus is com- 
 pared to clear, running water, the lines of Tydeus and 
 Polynices respectively are compared to one that is 
 turbid and polluted with blood. — xpn v 7«/°> K - r « fc« P a_ 
 ley suggests xpv, as the sentiment is a general one. 
 
 227-237. tov voaovvTog. The bad man is meant, as 
 laboring under a moral malady. — diwXeae. u Is wont 
 to destroy." Observe the force of the aorist. — fiav- 
 reajv. Two syllables in scanning. — Oeovg. One syllable 
 in scanning. — 7rapax9eig. " Misled." Literally, " Led 
 aside." — dvev diKtjg. " Without just cause." — vfipiZy. 
 "He may outrage (others)." — iraaxw raZi. "While 
 enduring these things," i. e., by this state of affairs. 
 
 238-249. Tpeig yap, k. t. X. Observe here the force of 
 yap. " The fact is that." Not exactly giving a reason 
 or explanation of what precedes, but as showing how 
 distinct a class in the state these turbulent and am- 
 bitious spirits form. — (nravgovTeg fiiov. " Lacking the 
 means of subsistence." — Seivoi, vsfiovreg, k. r. X. " Ve- 
 hement, assigning too great a share to envy," i. e., in- 
 dulging in it to an undue degree, cherishing it beyond 
 other sentiments. — TrpoaraT&v. " Leaders." — ri Xsytov 
 koXov. "Assigning what fair reason (for so doing)." 
 — €i yap pi) pepovXewai, k. t. X. " For if you yourself 
 have not planned wisely (for your own interests), it is 
 too much that your bad fortune should press upon us," 
 i. e., the case is rather too serious for us to interfere. 
 
SUPPLICES. 283 
 
 This passage is corrupt. Dindorf thinks a line has 
 fallen out, but this, remarks Paley, is quite uncertain 
 from the discrepancy of the readings. 
 
 250-262. tv vsokti. Those who object that Adrastus 
 was 7to\i6q dvrjp rvpavvog (v. 166) read here twoiaivi. 
 But no change is needed, since the reference is merely 
 to v. 232. — dXX' u>g larpov, k.t.X. This verse is given 
 to the Chorus in the old editions. Dindorf places it 
 within brackets as spurious, with Matthiae and Do- 
 bree. The reason why it was wrongly given to the 
 Chorus is to be looked for in the sudden change from 
 the singular to the plural verb. — d(piy^9a. " We have 
 come unto thee." — tovtuv /coXaor^v, k.t.X. "As to a 
 chastiser and rebuker of these things." — arkpytiv. " To 
 acquiesce." — ri yap irddu) ; " For how can I help it ?" 
 Adrastus is somewhat nettled at the long lecture 
 which has been read to him by a junior, and says that 
 he came not to be lectured, but to get aid. If that 
 cannot be afforded, he will go, leaving, however, the 
 suppliant boughs on the altar, as a protest that his 
 application has been slighted. — oraigm; "Depart." 
 « — y\avK))v xX6r]v <f>vXXddog JcaraoTE0?}. u The pale blue_ 
 verdure of the leaf encircled with the fillet," i. e., the 
 suppliant bough of olive. Compare, as regards yXav- 
 koc, the Latin glaucus. — 7rup<p6pov Qedv. Ceres is so 
 called here from the torch with which she sought her 
 daughter. 
 
 263, 264. oq IlsXo7rog, k.t.X. There is here a lacuna 
 of several verses. The appeal of the Chorus to The- 
 seus was founded on the claims of relationship. The- 
 seus was the son of Aethra, the daughter of Pittheus, 
 who was the son of Pelops. They, too, as born in the 
 Pelopian land, are of common ancestry. Paley thinks 
 that the missing lines ran probably after this fash- 
 ion : 
 
284 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 avaj£, to dslov k<xl to crvyyEvt'Z crtftov, 
 Vfxlv d' o<^)£i\£ts [xijTpodtv n-ifxcopiav' 
 V TLlttQeco'S yap ecttiv ?/ a kytivaTo, 
 OS TLeXoTTOS i)V 7rai9, k. t. X. 
 
 265-270. 7rpod<o(TEig ravra. The idea is, will you be 
 faithless to these suppliant boughs which impose on 
 you a religious obligation ? — 7roXic de npdg ttoXiv, k. t. X. 
 u And a city, tempest-tossed, is wont to crouch unto 
 city." — dia rkXovg. " Throughout." 
 
 271-285. /350i, rdXaiv, k. t. X. Adrastus having ap- 
 parently failed to gain over Theseus to his cause, on 
 the ground that his misfortunes are his own fault, the 
 Chorus of matrons here urge one of their number (the 
 one who acts as liegeman) to embrace the knees of 
 Theseus and renew the request. — ini %upa (3aXovaa. 
 u Having flung your hand upon them (and say)." — 
 Kofiitrai. ''Recover." The aorist imperative middle, 
 like dvaXvaai, V. 44, and oikutcu, V. 280. — Xdfiere, (pspere, 
 7re/i7r€r'. " Take me, bear, escort." Dindorf, with great 
 probability in his favor, thinks the whole passage 
 from Xdj3erE to yspaiag an interpolation from the Hecu- 
 ba, v. 62. It certainly interferes with the regular flow 
 of the metre. — oIktutcu. " Take compassion." — y nv 
 aXcLTav. " Like some wanderer." Paley says that this 
 is scarcely consistent with either metre or sense, and 
 proposes old tiv aOXiov. — iv fjXiiciq. rq, <r£. That is, 
 while you are young and vigorous, and able to give 
 succor. — (3Xs\pov sfiwv pXeQapiov, k. r. X. " Behold the 
 tear upon my eyelids." — kZavvacurQai. " To obtain." 
 
 286-292. Xe7rrd <pdpt). The same term occurs in Hip- 
 pol., 133, where the epithet, as well as the context, 
 shows that a veil is meant. — Ka/ik ydp, k.t.X. "For 
 something shot through me also." — pr) SaKpvppoei, 
 k. r. X. Mourning of any kind was deemed out of 
 place at festivals and sacrifices, but especially was it 
 
SUPPLICES. 285 
 
 guarded against in celebrating the rites of Ceres. 
 Compare Liv., xxxiv., 6, and xxii.,56. — ov ov rtivd' i<pvg. 
 " You are not one of these." 
 
 294-300. kcltto QrjXu&v. " Even from women." The 
 Greeks held the wisdom of the female sex in low esti- 
 mation. — tig okvov (pkpu. " Tends to hesitation," i. e., 
 tends to make me hesitate in expressing it, through 
 fear of the consequences, because it is advice that 
 must lead to war. — ovtoi (nuiruxr slra, k. t. X. " I will 
 not, remaining (now) silent, afterwards, at some time 
 or other, blame my present silence because it was base- 
 ly kept." Aethra means that she will not hereafter 
 have to blame herself for being silent, when she ought 
 to have spoken. — ovd' ug dxptiov, k. r. X. u Nor will I, 
 having feared (the common reproof) that it is useless 
 for women to try to speak to the purpose, through 
 this apprehension, fling aside the good advice (which 
 I have to offer)." She means her view of what is 
 right. With Sziaaaa we may supply rbv xf/oyov. 
 
 302-313. firj o<paXyg drifiaaag. "Lest you may err in 
 having slighted them." — oQdXXei yap lv rovr^, k.t.X. 
 This verse is generally regarded as spurious. It is 
 metrically faulty, and, besides, it is not clear to what 
 part of Theseus's speech to Adrastus it can refer. 
 However, v. 366 may have an allusion to this line. — 
 ddiKovjisvoig roXjjirjpbv elvai. " To be bold on account 
 of the injured." Literally, " for the injured." Dative 
 of advantage. — dv eIxov. u I would have kept myself." 
 — wvi. This word is condemned by the critics, after 
 Porson {ad Med., 157), who pronounces the passage 
 " mx mnumP It is hard, however, to suggest any sat- 
 isfactory correction. — H)v Tifxi]v. " The credit you en- 
 joy," i. e., of being KoXaorrig tujv kcikujv (v. 341). — 7Trtjoai- 
 vsiv. " My exhorting you." — dvdpag (liaiovg, k. t. X. 
 " Namely, that you should with your hand drive to 
 
286 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 this necessary duty, . . . and cause them to cease from 
 confounding," etc. — cwkxov. " Which holds togeth- 
 er." — aioZy. " May preserve inviolate," i. e., implicitly 
 obey. 
 
 316-323. ankarriQ. " You refrained from so doing." 
 Literally, " Stood away from it." — avbg dypiov. The 
 wild boar of Crommyon, in the territory of Corinth, 
 slain by Theseus, as related by Plutarch in his life of 
 that hero. — cpavXov d9Xrj<raQ -irovov. " Having toiled 
 through a mean labor." — ov H, k. t. X. " While there 
 where it behooved thee," etc. — e^iog y* utv. " At least 
 if you are my son," i. e., if you wish to be called so. — 
 bp(jiQ, d(3ov\oQ ijg, k. t. X. " Do you see how your coun- 
 try, when taunted as deficient in deliberation, looks 
 sternly at those who taunt her ? For she grows great 
 in the midst of toils." The dvd in dvapKkiru implies 
 lifting the eyes to meet those of the reviler. The 
 Athenians were taunted with SvapovXia (compare He- 
 racl. 176-178), but they repelled the charge by point- 
 ing to the height of glory to which their prompt ac- 
 tion had brought them. 
 
 324-331. ai 8' ijavxoi, k.t.X. "Whereas those states 
 that timidly pursue an obscure line of policy wear 
 also, through overcaution, an obscure look." Literal- 
 ly, " Look darkly," opposed to yopybv avapXs7rsi. The 
 brilliant actions and bold aspect of Athens* are con- 
 trasted with the secret and intriguing but timid pol- 
 icy of the petty states, her rivals. — ovk el. " Will you 
 not go ?" Present in a future sense. — KexprjpevaiQ. " In 
 want." — rap(3u> us. Not " I fear you," but " I fear for 
 you," as in x«'P w ° e *v irpdaaovTa. Properly, "I make 
 you the subject of my rappoQ, while Tapftelv nva, " to 
 fear a person," is to make him the object of dread. — 
 It avrbv dXXa pXi]p.ar\ k.t.X. " I am confident that it 
 will yet cast another throw with the dice," i. e., will 
 
SUPPLICES. 287 
 
 willingly risk another collision, expecting to be again 
 victorious. 
 
 335-348. opQuJQ ix ov ° k rovde. "Are correct as re- 
 gards this man." — v<p' o'iiov i<j<pd\r] povXevfidTtov. "By 
 pursuing what plans he was overthrown." — wg ob%l 
 vrp6(j(t>opov. "Namely, that it is not in accordance 
 with." — t9og rode. "This character." — d-rravdav iro- 
 vovg. "To refuse labors." — 69' ?/ TtKovva. "When 
 you who bare me." Observe 69' for 6rt, not 6n. The 
 t in on, though short, is never elided in Attic, prob- 
 ably to avoid confusion w T ith 6tb. — dpdawv rdS' elfii. " I 
 will go to do these things," i. e., will go and do. — -rrd- 
 oag. Elmsley's reading, for neiauv. The error arose 
 from the preceding dpaewv. — rod' larai. "This shall 
 be brought about." — Kovyi avv <p96v(p 9eu>v. " And not 
 with any envy on the part of the gods." The mean- 
 ing is that the gods would not be offended if he had 
 to use arms, since he would first try persuasion. The 
 war would not be an invidious one on his part, but 
 the fault of those who provoked it. Hermann adopts 
 Markland's alteration, fii) ovxh Dut Paley pronounces 
 this a solecism here. 
 
 349-351. 86%ai. " To appear good," i. e., to be ap- 
 proved of by. — do&i Sk, tfiov 9k\ovrog, k. t. \. The idea 
 is, Not that I doubt its concurrence even with my 
 mere wish, but they will prefer to be consulted in the 
 matter. — d\\d rov \6yov 7rpo<rdovg, k. t. X. " But, by hav- 
 ing communicated the project to them, I shall find the 
 people better disposed." Observe that Trpoadovg here 
 has the force of /xeradovg. 
 
 353-355. l<r6\pri<j)ov. " So as to be of equal suffrage." 
 Supply wore slvai. Every citizen had a vote in the ec- 
 clesia. Theseus means that he was the first who had 
 emancipated the Attic people from the yoke of vari- 
 
288 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 ous petty governments, and established it as one com- 
 munity under one head, giving it a constitution, and 
 placing himself at the head of the executive. — Xafiuv 
 8' "Adpaarov, k. t. X. It was the custom to introduce 
 suppliants from foreign states to the popular assem- 
 bly, both in order that the sight might move compas- 
 sion, and that the petitioner might speak for himself. 
 — avrutv. The Athenians. 
 
 357-364. Xoyovg 7r£/n//w. " I will send word." — dcpai- 
 peire. This shows that Aethra could not have re- 
 moved the boughs herself without sacrilege ; and it 
 explains Xveiv dvdyicag 'uceaiovg in v. 39, and 'ucecrioig avv 
 kXclSoiq (ppovpovai fie tv /cufcXy, v. 102. Unless they volun- 
 tarily allowed her to depart, she was under a positive 
 obligation to remain. — dang /i») avndovXevei. " Whoso- 
 ever does not act in place of a slave," i. e., act the part 
 of a slave. .The law yoveig Tifidv was one of three es- 
 pecially held in honor by the Greeks. — K&XXiarov ipa- 
 vov dovg, k. r. X. The duty paid by children to parents, 
 and returned in after -years by filial piety shown to 
 themselves from their own offspring, is compared to 
 the contribution to a club, from which the members 
 expect to obtain the same amount of benefit that they 
 have conferred. — &v. For a dv. 
 
 365-367. i7T7ro/3orov "kpyog , k. t. X. The Chorus re- 
 joice that Theseus has chosen the side of religion, 
 and trust that he will do more than recover the bod- 
 ies of the slain, that he will bind Argos by eternal 
 gratitude to Athens. — otna 7repl Oeovg, k.t.X. " (To be 
 regarded as) holy in respect to the gods, both in the 
 sight of great Pelasgia, as well as in Argos." The 
 dative was restored by Musgrave, in place of the old 
 reading, icai fieydXa TleXaayia. By Pelasgia is here 
 meant Thessaly ; by Argos, the city or state specially 
 so named. 
 
SUPPLICES. 289 
 
 368-372. ci yap ini rep/la, k.t.X. "Would that, hav- 
 ing come to the ending of my troubles, and even yet 
 beyond it, he would remove (out of the land of Thebes) 
 the gory delight of the mother, and make the land of 
 Inachus friendly to himself, by having conferred a bene- 
 fit upon it," i. e., the gory corpse, the mother's darling. 
 By " the land of Inachus," Argos is meant. The gen- 
 eral idea of the passage is given as follows by Paley : 
 "Would that he may end my sorrows by procuring 
 for me the bodies for burial, and go still farther in 
 making Argos friendly to Athens." — ev(T€j3rjg ttovoq. 
 "Labor undertaken in the cause of piety," i.e., restor- 
 ing to mothers the bodies of their sons. 
 
 375-378. ri pot TroAtc, k.t.X. "What, then, will the 
 city determine upon for me ?" i. e., in my case. The 
 old reading was ti^lotttoXiq' Kpavel ttot apa, k.t.X., for 
 which we have given Hermann's happy correction. — 
 dfiwe fiaTpl. " Aid a mother," i. e., the mothers that 
 bare them.— ^) fiiaiveiv. Supply w<tte. " So that they 
 (the Thebans) may not pollute (i. e., violate) the laws 
 of nations (by refusing burial to the dead)." 
 
 381-384. tzxvi)v fiev «e/, k. r. X. Theseus, who had left 
 the stage at v. 364, now returns, accompanied by a her- 
 ald, to whom he gives instructions to proceed at once 
 to Thebes, and either request or insist that the bodies 
 shall be given up. — diatykpuv. " Carrying about in dif- 
 ferent directions." — kXOwv ds. "And, therefore, now 
 having passed." Observe the force of ds. — 'Aauwbv 
 'lafuivov 9' vdiop. The Asopus formed the northern 
 boundary of the territory of Plataeae and fell into the 
 Euboean Sea. The Ismenus rose in Mount Cithaeron 
 and flowed through Thebes, falling into the Lake Hy- 
 lica. — atiivip Tvpavvq. " To the haughty tyrant." Creon. 
 
 385-398. irpbg \apiv Odipai vsKpovg. " To permit as a 
 23 
 
290 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 favor the burial of the dead." Opposed to irpbg fiiav. 
 " By force." — ali&v tvx&v. " Expecting to obtain his 
 request," i. e., on the score of being a neighbor. — kCo- 
 fiov SexwOai, k. t. X. " Receive my shield-bearing band 
 of revellers." The term Kwfiog properly means a festive 
 or revelling party ; here, however, it is applied to the 
 Athenian host, standing ready to invade the land of 
 the Thebans, and inspired with the jubilant feelings 
 arising from a consciousness of its strength. — KaXXi'xo- 
 pov. Callichorus (i. e., the fount of goodly dances) 
 was a sacred spring or well near Eleusis. — EvrpEirriQ. 
 ''Ready for action." Markland's emendation for the 
 common ev7rpE7rrjg. — icai firjv. " But farther," i. e., rep- 
 resent to them that this is not a mere private desire 
 on the part of the king, but a public demand. — ov <ja<p' 
 old' on. " (For) I am not sure of it." — yv a airaWaZy 
 ttovov. "If, perchance, he shall free you from your 
 (intended) toil." — jioXuv & vnavTy, k. t. X. " For by 
 having come he thwarts my intention," i. e., of send- 
 ing a herald. 
 
 399-408. Tvpawog. " The ruler." Theseus, who is 
 resolved on a quarrel with the herald, though he had 
 merely asked, naturally and not disrespectfully, rig yrjg 
 Tvpawog ; not only captiously objects to the terms of 
 his address, but takes him to task for his reply. — 'Ere- 
 okKeovq QavovroQ, k. t. X. Eteocles and Polynices, sons 
 of Oedipus, and competitors for the throne of Thebes, 
 fell, in mutual combat, by each other's hands. Creon, 
 their uncle on the mother's side, succeeded to the 
 kingdom. — Ztjt&v rvpawov IvOdSe. Theseus takes the 
 term rvpawog here purposely in a stronger sense than 
 the herald, giving it the meaning of " absolute ruler," 
 though not in a bad sense, as in later times, when it 
 meant an actual tyrant. — dfj^iog 6" avavtrei, k. r. X. This, 
 observes Paley, is one of the most singular instances 
 of the indifference to chronology which the Tragic 
 
SUPPLICES. 291 
 
 writers so often exhibit. Here is Theseus, king of 
 Athens, in the heroic age (the date assigned is about 
 B.C. 1300) talking of a government by archons, the 
 first of whom was appointed to the annual office B.C. 
 684 ! — ctSovg to 7t\eX(ttov. u Bestowing the chief influ- 
 ence." Dindorf edits to nXeiov, after Elmsley. 
 
 409-416. ev }ikv togs Kpuvaov. " This one advantage." 
 — wcnrep Iv tteggoIq. As in a game of draughts, where 
 the party who challenges allows his adversary a cer- 
 tain number of marks to commence with. — ticxavvujv 
 \6yoig. " Puffing it up with fine speeches." The love 
 of the Athenians for the plausible flattery and the 
 rhetorical displays of the demagogues is here severe- 
 ly ridiculed. — aurix. "For the moment." — KXtyag. 
 " Having concealed." — l&Sv SiKtjg. " He escapes from 
 justice." ~When he comes to the evQvvai, or giving an 
 account of his public conduct, he evades justice, craft- 
 ily hiding his former failures by accusing others, i. e., 
 laying on them the fault really due to his own perni- 
 cious counsels. 
 
 417-424. aWtog re nCjg av, k. r. X. " Besides, how could . 
 the people, if not judging rightly of words, be able 
 rightly to direct the state ? For time (i. e., deliber- 
 ation) gives understanding in place of precipitancy, 
 and better than it." — ya-irovog dvrjp 7rkvt]g. " Your 
 poor laborer of the soil." — to. icoTva. " The common 
 interest." — r\ drj vocnudsg, k. r. X. u Surely this is an un- 
 healthy state for the better classes." — aZicjfia. " High 
 political distinction." 
 
 426-437. icofi^og y 6 KijpvZ, k,t,\. "Our herald is 
 clever of speech, and a talker about what does not 
 concern him," i. e., meddling in subjects (as in this 
 instance in politics) beside his calling. Observe the 
 force of 7rapd in composition. — fiyuviato. " You have 
 
292 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 exercised yourself in." — dytiva rdvde. Speech-making. 
 — rvpdwov. For (3a(n\eu)g, an absolute sovereign. — rbv 
 vo/jiov KeKT)][xkpog. " Having the law in his own keep- 
 ing." — 'iaov. " Fair." — ysypafifiEviov de twv vo/jlwv. Not 
 as opposed to dypacpa vofxifia, or what we call common 
 law, but the published law, as open to all to consult, 
 is here referred to, as the best preventive of the partial 
 or interested interpretation of justice. — Ivkjttuv ravrd. 
 " To say the same things of," i. e., to answer back with 
 the same freedom. — dUai tx^v. " If he have justice 
 on his side." 
 
 438-445. rovXevOepov d' eiceivo. "That other thing, 
 too, is a badge of freedom." — rig GsXei, k. t. X. Alluding 
 to the common formula of the herald in the assembly, 
 rig dyopeveiv {3ov\erai ; — Kai tclvQ' 6 %p^wv, k. r. X. The 
 meaning is, he who chooses to speak gains distinction 
 if he speaks well ; but it is no discredit to a man if 
 he prefers to remain silent. — Kai firjv. " But farther." 
 As above, v. 393. — avOsvrrjg. Equivalent here to deano- 
 rrjg, if the reading be correct. But most probably we 
 should read evQvvrrjg with Markland, the employment 
 of av9kvrr]g in the sense of Se<j7r6Ti]g being later than 
 the time of Euripides. — vttovgiv. " Being at hand (for 
 any emergency)." — (ppovelv. ■ "To be wise," i. e., who 
 know their own rights. 
 
 449-454. Tokfiag. " All indications of boldness," i. e., 
 all who express their opinions boldly. — u>g r<$ rvpawip, 
 k. t. X. ■" In order that he may produce by his toil the 
 more substance for the tyrant." The repetition of fiiov 
 in this line wears a careless appearance. — 7rap9eveveiv 
 waTdag. " To bring up virgin daughters." — Micpva S' 
 iroifidZovai. " But a cause of tears to those who pre- 
 pare (these delights)." Dindorf, without any neces- 
 sity, conjectures ddicpva ds rolg yovEvm, an emendation 
 which Paley correctly calls tame and improbable. 
 
SUPPLICES. 293 
 
 456-464. 7rpbg rdSe. "In answer to these remarks 
 of yours." Theseus's reply is wholly directed against 
 the herald's advocacy of absolutism. — r'jKug tie di]. " But 
 you have come, as you profess." Observe the force of 
 ty. Theseus wishes to set aside argument, and to 
 come to business. The answer to the question here 
 put is at v. 465. — ntpicrcra. " Superfluous things." — 
 <psv, <pev, k. t. X. This distich is directed against Creon, 
 who is warned to expect a reverse of fortune. 
 
 465-475. Xeyoifi' 7\v r/^. " I will declare then (the 
 object of my coming)." Compare note on v. 457. — 
 twv fikv fiywvKTiisviov. " Of the things that have been 
 contested (between us)." — irapdvai. "To admit." — 
 XvaavTct crtfivd, k. t. X. " Having got rid of the hal- 
 lowed mysteries of the (suppliant) fillets," i.e., by any 
 expedient short of actually violating the religious obli- 
 gation connected with them. The term fivarnpia seems 
 to be used with especial reference to the Eleusinian 
 altar. — irpo^Kovra ovdev, k. t. X. u Since you have no 
 connection with the city of the Argives." Paley thinks 
 we should here read 7rpo(rfjKov. — vavaroX^uQ. " You 
 will pilot." — ZvnnaxoiQ t. " And our respective allies."^ 
 
 478-492. (TcppiytivT a^tyy, k. t. X. " Utter in reply a 
 swelling speech on small grounds," i. e., from an infe- 
 rior and weaker cause. He seems to mean that Cro- 
 on's cause is better than that of Theseus, the former 
 only claiming what is right, the latter acting arro- 
 gantly.— Zwrj^e. "Has joined (in hostility)." — Qvpov. 
 " Their mutual rage." — UXoyLZerai. " Takes into cal- 
 culation," i. e., considers, or thinks of. — nap' fyt/za. 
 " Before the eye." — Iv ^(pov <pop$. " In the giving of 
 one's vote." — Kalroi SvoTv ye, k. r. X. " And yet we men 
 all know the better of two words, both the good and 
 the bad." The proper construction would have been, 
 Svolv Xoyotv, rov re XP 7 }* 77 " ^ KCLl T °v ^aKOv, rbv Kpdaaov 
 
294 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Ivfiev. But the genitive is changed into the accusa- 
 tive after Ifffxev. The meaning is, that the difference 
 between war and peace is as wide and as obvious as 
 that between good and bad. The poet very clearly 
 alludes to the evils of the Peloponnesian war. — #, scil. 
 elprjvTj. — ravTa acf>svTeg. " Having flung away these 
 (blessings)." — dvaipovfieaOa. Bather, perhaps, dvaipo- 
 fjLeoOa, since the Greeks say, alpeaQai 7r6Xoiov, not alpu- 
 cOai. 
 
 494-503. (tv 8' avdpag ixQpovg, k.t.X. " You, how- 
 ever, are assisting men who are enemies of ours, even 
 in death," i. e., you are not content to let their claims 
 to aid cease with their life. — vfipeig. " Their own acts 
 of wanton insolence." — ov rap tr opO&g, k. r. X. " No 
 longer, then, with justice does the thunder -stricken 
 body of Capaneus smoke on the upright scaling-lad- 
 ders." The idea is, If you are right in taking the part 
 of these men, then was the manifestation of divine 
 vengeance in their fall unjust and unwarrantable, Ca- 
 paneus being dashed from the walls of Thebes by the 
 thunderbolt (Phoen., 1180), and Amphiaraus having 
 been swallowed up alive with his chariot, by an open- 
 ing of the earth, as he himself had predicted (Sept, c. 
 Theb.,58S;i?ifra,v.92G).—ovS'. " Nor justly." Supply 
 opOwg. — 7T8pi(3a\ov(Ta xd(7yuan. "Having embraced in 
 its yawning gulf." More properly said of a net, which 
 is thrown around by the agency of another. But mo- 
 tion is here virtually attributed to the gulf itself, as 
 closing around and over its victim. — irkrpoig KaraZav- 
 Ohreg, k. t. X. " Crushed with stones in the joinings 
 of their bones." 
 
 505-512. % Geovg diKaiwg, k. t. X. " Or else concede 
 that the gods justly," etc. Supply avyxwpEi, or 6fio\6- 
 ya, from k^avxei. Observe that Qeovg is a monosyllable 
 in scanning. — KaraZai. " To break it down." A meta- 
 
SUPPLICES. 295 
 
 phor borrowed from a chariot race. — ijvvxog icaipifi ao- 
 <p6g. " He who is quiet at the proper time is wise," 
 i. e., he who knows when to keep quiet, and when to 
 act. A hint to Theseus not to be precipitate. The 
 colon after vavrrjg is due to Markland. Some remove 
 the stop after this word, and connect with tjgvxoq, 
 rendering the clause " gubernatorque navis placidus pro 
 tempore est sapiens." — ical rovro roi, k. t. X. " And this 
 in truth is valor, namely, discretion." — kZapickaag i)v. 
 " Was sufficient." To give emphasis to the predicate 
 the verbal form is sometimes resolved into the parti- 
 ciple and a tense of dvai. (Jelf, G. <r., § 375, 4.) — t)/jdc 
 S' vftpi&iv, k. r. X. The idea of the passage is this : 
 You, the Thebans, might have been content with the 
 vengeance of Jupiter, as shown against Capaneus, 
 without further insulting us by denying burial to the 
 slain. 
 
 513, 514. w 7rayicdKi(TTe. Adrastus is about to ad- 
 dress the herald in opprobrious terms, when he is bid 
 by Theseus to hold his peace. The Aldine edition 
 assigns vv. 511, 512 to the herald as a continuation 
 of his speech. The present arrangement is due to 
 Elmsley. They are precisely such verses as the Cho- 
 rus usually interpose to soften anger, and to mollify 
 the zeal of disputants. 
 
 520-530. c'lvu) yap av pkoi, k. t. X. " For things would 
 in this way flow upward." As regards this proverb- 
 ial phrase, compare Med., 410. — a '7nTa^6f.is(T9a ty. "If 
 we, forsooth, are going to be commanded." — ovk tyw Ka- 
 9i(jrafiai. " I do not engage in." — Trpoatykpuv. " Bring- 
 ing upon it." — xv ^ KT J StoixtTai. "And justice is gone 
 through with," i. e., vengeance is satisfied. Compare 
 the explanation of Hermann, " et vindicta finita est." 
 
 531-541. ijorj. Now that satisfaction has been paid, 
 
296 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 and the only remaining question is, What is to be done 
 with the dead ?-— eWrov. " Each particle." — nXrjv ivoi- 
 Krjaai /3iov. " Except to dwell in it during life." — ti)v 
 Qptyaoav. His doctrine is that men merely borrow a 
 little earth to inhabit for their lives, and are bound to 
 restore it on their decease to the parent of all things. 
 — "Apyog. " Argos alone." — kolvov. " A common con- 
 cern."—^. " Shall keep them." — SeiXiav yap zivtykpu, 
 k. r. X. " For it inspires the brave with timidity, if 
 this law shall have been laid down." 
 
 543-557. Kpv(3q(Tovrai. A rare form, for which Elms- 
 ley would substitute Kpv(pQii<rovTai, contending that the 
 aorist Upv(3rjv is only found in late Greek.*— p) Karavicd- 
 \f;ii)<n, k. t. X. This is a vain conceit ; but it was in- 
 tended to banter the herald for his presumed timidity 
 in refusing honor to inanimate clay. — okcuov y£ rdvd- 
 Xw/za, k. t. X. " Foolish, indeed, is this waste of words, 
 to fear (i. e., to express your fear of) paltry and ground- 
 less terrors." — -n-aXaifffiara. " Is one succession of strug- 
 gles." Observe the force of the plural. — rpv<p$. " Wan- 
 tons." — 7rvevfia dsifiaiviov Ximlv. " Fearing that its gale 
 will leave him." — dSiKovfikvovg re, k. t. X. " Both when 
 injured to bear it moderately, and not in anger." — tici- 
 khv te roiavff, k. t. X. As, when we are wronged, we 
 ought to bear it with moderation, so we should do 
 wrong (i. e., if wrong must be done) in such a way as 
 not to injure a whole community. He means that 
 Creon's injustice is a sort of injustice that is not to be 
 tolerated, because it violates the laws of all Hellas. 
 
 559-565. evas(3elv. Markland's emendation for el<n- 
 Mv. — rdvOsvds. "The things that will ensue." — l£oi- 
 a9ri(T8Tai. " Shall it be spread abroad." Compare Hip- 
 pol., 650. — vofiog. Observe the personification. — Odpatt, 
 k. r. X. The Chorus mean, Fear not the reproach of 
 the Greeks, anticipated by you (v. 561, seqq.) ; for by 
 
SUPPLICES. 297 
 
 maintaining the cause of justice you will escape many 
 charges that men might otherwise bring against you. 
 
 566-573. crvvdxpo) fivOov, k. t. X. u That I should bring 
 your words to a short (and summary) conclusion," i. e., 
 spare you farther trouble in talking. — <nyrj\6g. " Ad- 
 dicted to silence." — ov yap dXkd. An elliptical phrase, 
 frequent in Attic, expressing a negation and giving a 
 reason for it. So here, " For I make no objection ; on 
 the contrary, it is fitting to allow a turn." — i&\iov. 
 " Having removed them." — iv drnrimv. " Amid shields." 
 — iroWovg tr\r)v, k. t. X. " I have endured before this 
 many other labors, and of a different sort," i.e., great- 
 er than a conflict with Thebes, which he pretends to 
 despise. He alludes to his services in destroying the 
 robbers w T ho infested the neighborhood of Athens. 
 
 574-587. iZapKEiv. "To prove sufficient," i.e., for 
 every antagonist you might choose to select. — irpda- 
 auv 7ro\\d. Intended in a bad sense, " To meddle 
 much." Theseus, however, in his reply, chooses to 
 take it in the sense of a compliment, " To be enter- 
 prising." — \6yxn GTrapTOQ. "The spear of the sown- 
 race," i. e., the Theban spear. Alluding to the legend 
 of Cadmus and the dragon's teeth. — ovroi \x liraiptiQ, 
 k. t.\. " You do not, indeed, rouse me so far as to en- 
 rage my feelings by your vain boastings ; but (still I 
 say) begone from the land." Observe that Qvnuxrai is 
 here equivalent to opyaivuv. The active sense never 
 occurs elsewhere in Attic. Dindorf suggests wq teSv- 
 fiujaOai. — (pdXapa KiveiaQai. Said of those who shake 
 the rein or rattle the bit to urge on the speed of the 
 courser. Properly, <pd\apa seems to have been part of 
 the side or cheek gear, as d\nzv^ was the frontal of the 
 bridle. These, wiien violently shaken, rattled, and so 
 put the horse on his mettle. — arofxa d<pp(^ Karaard^ovra. 
 u Wetting the mouth with foam." Compare Hec, 241 : 
 
298 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 <p6vov araXay/xoi ar\v Kariara^ov ysvvv. — Kadfxeiav %Q6va. 
 Accusative of motion towards. 
 
 590-597. avroQ re Ki~ipv%. He means, bringing, as it 
 were, peace in one hand and war in the other. — Kafjiol 
 l*rj ava/jiiyvvvOai rvxag. Theseus will have nothing to 
 do with the ill-luck of Adrastus. He prefers his own 
 usual good-fortune as an associate in the enterprise. — 
 dai/jovog. Same here as rvxm- — tx HV - " To have as al- 
 lies." — ZwovO' 6fiov. " Being with one together," i. e., 
 being present at the same time. — dperfj. " Mere valor." 
 — Xpy^ovra. " Willing (that victory should be his)." 
 
 598-607. w fisXeai, k. t. X. While Theseus is absent 
 on his expedition to Thebes, the Chorus, divided into 
 Hemichoria, express to each other their fears and 
 anxieties as to the result, whether the matter will be 
 brought about by friendly intervention or by the spear. 
 — Xkospov. " Pallid." — arpaTevfia na, k. t. X. " (Fear) as 
 to how the contest of (i. e., undertaken by) Athens 
 will be decided." Literally, " How the army of Pallas 
 will be judged." Properly, not the (rrpdrevfia, but the 
 aywv, is said icpiOrjvai. — r) Xoyiov ZwaWayalg. "Or by 
 agreement of terms." — ykvoir dv Kspdog. " That (i. e., the 
 latter) would be a gain." — tt&Xiv (pavrjaovrai. "Shall 
 again show themselves." — dvd toitov. "Throughout 
 the land." Consult note on the scanning of this line, 
 p. 434. — riva \6yov riv dv, k. t. X. " What reproach in 
 words, what shall I, the cause of these things, meet 
 with V The reading alria, for airiav, is Hermann's, 
 who, however, translates riv dv \6yov Xdfiotui by quid 
 dicam t But here (as in v. 565) XSyog is equivalent to 
 vvetdog. 
 
 608-617. dXXd rbv evrvxiy Xafnrpov, k.t.X. "Him, 
 however, that has been brilliant with success, fate may 
 again overtake," i. e., though Thebes has beaten Ar- 
 
SUPPLICES. 299 
 
 gos, Athens may yet beat her in turn. Markland and 
 Hermann give alpoi, the meaning of which would be 
 that one who has been prosperous may be so again 
 ("Fate may again elevate," etc.), alluding to the suc- 
 cesses of Thebes. — Qpdaog. " Confidence." — ducaiovg. 
 u As just." — vefiovai (Tv^opag. " Distribute events." — 
 diacpopa 7roX\a, k. t. X. " I see many dispensations on 
 the part of the gods different from the dealings of 
 mortals." As is usual in dialogues of this kind, one 
 half of the Chorus take the desponding side, the other 
 half an encouraging view of circumstances. So here, 
 the first half throws a doubt on the justice of heaven, 
 and says that the dealings of the gods are very differ- 
 ent from those of men. To which the other replies 
 that the reason of such doubts is that the former fear 
 has distracted their minds; there is such a thing as 
 just retribution, and, on the other hand, alleviation of 
 misfortune comes from the gods, who hold in their 
 own control the issue of all things. 
 
 618-633. ra KaW'nrvpya irttiia, k. t. X. The Chorus 
 wish they could transport themselves to the scene of 
 the coming fight, to the city of the two rivers, the Aso-- 
 pus and Ismenus, i. e., Thebes. — KaWixopov. Compare 
 v. 392. — ktiocli. " Would make." — rig ttot. Reiske's 
 emendation for m 7ror, which, however, suits the me- 
 tre better. — KEKkr^ikvovg fitv, k. r. X. " We invoke over 
 again the gods who have already, indeed, been in- 
 voked, but (we do so because) this is the first (and 
 chief) assurance of our fears." More plainly, we in- 
 voke them, though hitherto fruitlessly, as our only 
 help. — rag 7ra\aiofidTopog y k.t.X. Jove is invoked as 
 the ancestor of the Argives, through Io, the heifer- 
 changed daughter of Inachus. — to gov ayaXfia, k. t. X. 
 " Thy loved one, thy own settler in the (Argive) city, 
 am I bearing away (i. e., recovering) for the funeral 
 pile, all dishonored as it has been," i. e., by those who 
 
300 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 refused it burial. The heroes themselves, as Argives, 
 are so called, as being under the especial care and 
 keeping of Jove, the author of the Argive race. It is 
 clear, remarks Paley, that irpbg nvpav must be taken 
 literally ; and as the bodies of the slain can in no case 
 be called statues, it follows that the poet must mean 
 dig ayaXXei, ovg iv ry 7t6Xel avrbg KaOidpvcrag. 
 
 634-640. ywalKEQ, i'/icio, k.t.X. The news of the de- 
 feat of the Thebans is now brought by a messenger, 
 who, having been an Argive captive, has recovered his 
 liberty in the contest. The narrative, which is in the 
 poet's best style, bears some resemblance to that in the 
 Heraclidae (v. 800, seqq.). In this instance, especially, 
 the favorite military manoeuvres of the Athenians are 
 prominently brought forward. — ypsOrjv yap. The words 
 from ypeQrjv to irapa inclusive are parenthetical. He 
 had been made prisoner on the former invasion of the 
 seven chieftains, in the battle fought by Dirce, i. e., at 
 Thebes. — erjaswg. Dissyllable in scanning. — Vo7rai;<rw. 
 " I will free," i. e., I will spare you the trouble of ask- 
 ing me many questions, by telling you at once all about 
 myself. Elmsley (ad Med., 56) regards this as " longe 
 insolentior crasis," not as an elision. 
 
 642-649. Tr)v f3d%iv. " The tidings." Reiske's acute 
 restoration for rr/v t6£iv. — 7rE7rpay^kva. Supply ayykX- 
 Xu). — w0€\e npaZai. " Ought to have fared." — STVEGTpd- 
 tevcte. " He marched against." — ot te avfifiEraaxovTEQ 
 dopog. " And they who shared the spear along with 
 him," i. e., w T ho took part with him in the enterprise. 
 — rovg anovTag. " Those who were absent." Observe 
 that airovTag has the force of a past participle. This 
 usage, indeed, Matthiae denies ; but as (&p is used both 
 for past, present, and also future, because it is the only 
 participle of its verb, so iov may, from the same neces- 
 sity, have fallen under the same rule. 
 
SUPPLICES. 301 
 
 650-653. Kavthv <ja<pi)Q. U A clear rule." Whether 
 the sun's ray, observes Paley, is so called merely from 
 its apparent straightness, like a carpenter's rule, or be- 
 cause it imparts correctness to the vision, and so pre- 
 vents a mistaken aspect of things, is rather doubt- 
 ful. Milton, who was a great student of Euripides, is 
 thought to allude to this verse, taken in the former 
 sense, in his Comus, " with thy long-levelled rule of 
 streaming light." — evayij. " Commanding a good 
 view." This is Hermann's explanation, and is better 
 than the ordinary one, " conspicuous," or " in full 
 view." The same scholar, in his edition of 1811, gives 
 svavyfjj but he afterwards retracted this. — <f>i>Xa rpia 
 rpiwv (TTpaTsvixdroov. " Three tribes of three divisions 
 of warriors." According to the best opinion, the sol- 
 diers of the three Attic tribes are meant, namely, the 
 Mountaineers (AiaKpioi), the Lowlanders (iledtaloi), and 
 the Coastmen (ndpaXoi). The UediaToi are subsequent- 
 ly styled the iraXaidg KeicpOTriag oiKrjropsg. Matthiae, 
 however, makes the first division consist of u-rrXlrat; 
 the second, of the UdpaXoi or iJuXoi, and the third to 
 have been the dp/jtanov oxXog. 
 
 654-663. TEvxt<T(p6pov fikv Xaov, k. t. X. " First, an arm- 
 bearing host, extending upward." Observe the force 
 of fikv. Hermann construes ipvXa tKreivovra Xaov, " ex- 
 ercitus militem exj^licantes.^ — wg fikv y\v Xoyog. For the 
 immediate bank of the river could not be seen by the 
 messenger from the gate of Electra. — SeZibv Kepag. " As 
 a right wing," i. e., on the right. — HdpaXov. " The 
 Paralian," i. e., the Coastmen. Singular for plural. — 
 Kp\\vif]v "Apeog. Barnes identifies this with the source 
 of Dirce, from Phoen., 657, seqq., but there seems no 
 proof of this. — -nrpbg Kpacirkdoiai. " On the flanks." 
 Literally, u On the hems or borders." — laovg dpiOfiov. 
 " Equal (to each other) in number," i. e., of equal num- 
 ber. — dpfidrujv d' oxnfiara. u But the chariot-vehicles." 
 
302 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 — tvspQe. " Below," i. e., to the south of. The com- 
 mentators are all at variance with regard to the posi- 
 tion and arrangement of the Athenian army on this 
 occasion. The simplest view appears to be this. The 
 TEvxevQopoQ \a6g formed the centre ; the king and the 
 nediaioi the right wing ; and the IldpaXoi the left wing. 
 The Aidicpioi, therefore, will be the same as the tevx£<j- 
 <p6pog Xaog. — 'A/Jifiovog. AmphTon and his twin-brother 
 Zethus, sons of Jupiter and Antiope, were the mythic 
 builders of the walls of Thebes. 
 
 665-675. veicpovQ o7ri(jQav Osfisvog. That is, between 
 themselves, looking towards Athens, and the walls un- 
 der which the chiefs had been slain. — avQiOTrXiviikvoi. 
 "Opposed in arms." — mya. " In silence." Adverb. 
 Observe the accentuation. The imperative would be 
 <j'iya, the indicative <riy$. — reivai <p6vov. " To protract 
 slaughter," i. e., beyond that already committed in the 
 recent invasion of Thebes. Hermann reads Oeivai with 
 Canter.— 7toi/x£V€c. " The drivers." Just as pilots are 
 called va&v 7roifisveg in Aeschylus {Supp., 747). These 
 began the fight on both sides by driving the chariots 
 past their adversaries, with the object either of lock- 
 ing the wheels (compare v. 691), or of making a pass- 
 ing blow at the itapafidnqg in the hostile car; and, 
 when the impulse had carried them past each other, 
 they again turned their horses and ran fall tilt for a 
 second attack. 
 
 677-680. 7rapai(3arag earrjffav, k. t. X. " They brought 
 the chariot-warriors within range of the spear," i. e., 
 brought them into close contact, or, as Hermann ex- 
 presses it, " 7rapapdraig copiam pugnandi faciebant." — 
 Xoi [ikv. The TrapafiaTai. — ol d' tarpsipov, k. t. \. " But 
 they (the charioteers) turned back their horses for a 
 new encounter, towards the chariot-warriors (of the 
 foe)." — f.iovafi7rvKiov aval. " Commander of the caval- 
 
SUPPLICES. 303 
 
 ry." As the charioteers had been the first to engage 
 on both sides, so now the cavalry enter the contest. 
 When the Athenians prevailed here, the Theban hop- 
 litae (v. 695) rush on, and succeed in routing the Athe- 
 nian left wing, while the right wing commanded by 
 Theseus (v. 657) defeated the Theban left, and so 
 made the contest equal, until the final charge by The- 
 seus (v. 713) decided it in his favor. 
 
 681-693. ox^ov. " The confusion." — ol r av die<j>v\a<j- 
 (7ov. a And on the other hand they who had charge 
 of." The idea is, And the commanders of the Theban 
 cavalry having seen the same thing, i. e., the confusion 
 prevailing among the intermingled chariots. — akKt)v, 
 for \iaxnv. — t)<t(tujvt6 te. " And were worsted (in turn)." 
 — Xeihtgwv de ravTa, k. t. X. The messenger excuses him- 
 self for relating nothing respecting the speeches of the 
 commanders of the cavalry to their respective follow- 
 ers, or the events of the equestrian fight. The man- 
 ner, however, in which he speaks here of the position 
 which he occupied seemingly contradicts what he 
 stated above, namely, that he himself had a place at 
 the gate of Electra, and that the cavalry were posted 
 at the tomb of Amphion. We must suppose, howev- 
 er, that the Athenian charioteers had advanced from 
 below the tomb of Amphion to the gate of Electra, or 
 from S.E. to S.W. of Thebes. — tolku 7rap6vra noWa 
 irr)\icLTa. " As regards the many ills there present." — 
 ifiaaiv. " (Entangled) in the reins." — iKKvPiorwvTiov. 
 " Falling like tumblers." 
 
 694-700. (rrparbv rbv kvQkvfc. " The army from this 
 quarter," i. e., from Athens. The old reading was Kpk- 
 mv y«, TovvGi-vd', leaving (rrparov with nothing to par- 
 ticularize it. We have given Hermann's emendation. 
 — hkav. "A buckler." — to, Qrjakiog, k. t. X. "The af- 
 fairs of Theseus were not injured by any delay (on 
 
304 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 his part)." — «ai avfi7rard^avr\ k. t. X. " And they (Cre- 
 on and Theseus) having clashed their shields as they 
 rushed into the midst of the whole contending throng 
 (their respective followers), slew, were slain," etc. This 
 is Paley's explanation of the passage, which makes <jv\i- 
 7rara%avTE a nominative absolute. The old reading was 
 uvfiTzard^avTEQ jiegov, k. r. X. But as this contains a vio- 
 lation of the caesura, which scarcely occurs in Eurip- 
 ides, Blomfield gives on conjecture avjnraTaZavT in the 
 dual, and Paley and others follow him. Bothe refers 
 the dual here to the two contending divisions. Paley's 
 explanation, which we have felt bound to give, is very 
 unsatisfactory, but the common reading is still worse. 
 Fix renders it, u Et collidentes (Thebani) totam median* 
 aciern occidebant," etc. — irapriyyvojv. " They passed on." 
 
 702-713. Gar, 'AvrepuSe, k. t. X. Paley gives the cap- 
 ital letters here to show that this verse contains the 
 exhortations of both armies. — \6xog d' odovriov, k. t. X. 
 u Now the band that had grown to men from the teeth 
 of the dragon," i. e., the manly band, sprung from the 
 dragon's teeth." — SeZiov. " By our right." Markland's 
 reading for the common 8e£i6v. — tov (rrpar^yov. " Our 
 commander." — oh yap to vikwv, k. r. X. " For he was 
 not content to be a gainer as to this the conquering 
 part, but he went to that portion of his own army that 
 was in distress." The reading EKEpdaivEv is altered by 
 Hermann into ekvSciivev, and by Dindorf into iicridEVEv. 
 No change, however, is called for. — Aavaidtiv GTpary. 
 The Argive army is meant by this, whereas the poet 
 is speaking of the Athenians. Hence Elmsley conject- 
 ures iLEKpoTTifiiov, which Dindorf follows. Hermann 
 gives Kpavdidwv with Musgrave. Paley thinks that, 
 as the Argive cause is identified with the Athenians, 
 the common reading, after all, is the correct one. 
 
 714-718. 'oirXurfia Toviritiavpiov, k. r. X. " Having taken 
 
SUPPLICES. 305 
 
 the Epiclaurian weapon of the fearful club, whirling 
 to and fro, kept slinging it about." This was the 
 club that had once belonged to Periphetes, the rob- 
 ber at Epidaurus, whom Theseus slew, and whose 
 weapon he took for his own use. — KairiKd^vov icapa 
 KwkaQ. " And heads having helmets set upon them." 
 The construction is the same as {pana TKpifcfiXyiikvoi;, 
 or nvpyov 7TEpiz\r]\apEvoQ. (Aesch., Pers., 866.) Mark- 
 land cites several examples of Ittlke'i^voq so used by 
 Lucian. — irptxpav. The Thebans are meant. This is 
 Hermann's emendation for the common reading trpe- 
 i//€i>, which was taken to mean that Theseus turned 
 their feet to flight. But the accurate Greeks, as Pa- 
 ley remarks, used rpk-rrziv iroda only of those who ac- 
 tually fled, rpsxl/avQai of those who caused the flight. 
 
 720-730. huvov. "Stretched on their course."— 
 t7T£ffxei>. "Checked himself." — toiovSe tov GTpctTrjyov, 
 k. t. X. Dindorf gives rot with Elmsley. But the sense 
 . is rowvde XPV T0V vrpariiybv dvai, ov aipelffOe. The elec- 
 tion of l3trategi at Athens was a matter of such vital 
 import, that we may well imagine that political ad- 
 vice was intended to be conveyed in these lines. — ■ 
 vfipiGTriv Xaov. "An insolent people." — itpaaa^v m- 
 \u>q. "Faring well." — £ xpvoOai irapfjv. "Which it 
 was in their power to enjoy." 
 
 732-744. 9eovq vofiiZio. Supply elvai. — <ppoveXv. " Are 
 wise," i. e., exercise any thought for themselves. — <rov 
 i^pTrjfieOa. " On thee we depend." — r)piv yap i)v, 
 k. t. X. " For in our eyes Argos was not to be with- 
 stood (by any foe)," etc. The idea is, We used to im- 
 agine that Argos was irresistible, and that we were 
 ourselves powerful in numbers and young and vigor- 
 ous in strength.— GeXovtoq. " From him willing to of- 
 fer them." — 6 d' av tot evTvxrjQ, k. t. X. " And, on the 
 other hand, the unwise people of Cadmus, being then 
 24 
 
306 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 fortunate," etc. Construe the article 6, at the begin- 
 ning of the clause, with XaSg. Some erroneously refer 
 it to Eteocles. 
 
 745-750. pi t6%ov svreivovTtg, k. t. X. " Who, bending 
 the bow, as it were, beyond what is fitting." Paley 
 renders u>g Kaipov Trkpa, " As (men who shoot) beyond 
 the mark." — wpbg diicrjg. " In accordance with what is 
 right." — irpayixaai. "Circumstances." — 7r6\«c te. As 
 if he had said, kevcli tore, at, etc. — Kafiipai icaica. " To 
 get over your troubles," i. e., to turn the point of dan- 
 ger as in a race-course, and so proceed smoothly and 
 safely. — KaOaipeiaOe rd izpdy\iara. " Bring your affairs 
 to an issue." Matthiae, in explanation, cites Herod- 
 otus, vii., 50 : fiEydXa yap irprjyiAara fieyd\oi(n klvSvi^okti 
 WbXel KaraiptEGOai. 
 
 752-761. rapayfiog. Described above, v. 721. — ko fit- 
 ters. " Do you bring." — t^hraaav. " Stood at the 
 head of," i. e., led. — kekiu]k6tuv. " Of the dead," i. e., of 
 those who have ended their labors. — tovkeXQev r\ rovv- 
 OwSe; Commonly rendered, "From thence or from 
 hence ?" i. e., by their side or ours ? It seems better, 
 however, to translate, " Was it on that side or this (of 
 Cithaeron) ?" The reply would then be, " On this side, 
 next Eleutherae." Adrastus would not unnaturally in- 
 quire whether his soldiers were buried within or with- 
 out the hostile territory, and on the side of the inter- 
 vening ridge nearest to or farthest from their native 
 land. On the other hand, it would not be a matter 
 of equal moment to him to know whether his enemies 
 had conceded the point in demand, or whether, hav- 
 ing refused it, it had been forced upon them by his 
 allies the Athenians. — 'EXsvOspig irerpa. The Eleuthe- 
 rian rock was in the vicinity of Eleutherae, a town in 
 Attica, on the frontiers of Boeotia. Plutarch, in his 
 life of Theseus (p. 25, cd. Steph.), says that their tomb 
 
SUPPLICES. 307 
 
 was still shown in his day at Eleutherae, and the cen- 
 otaph of the leaders (their remains having been con- 
 veyed to Argos) at Eleusis. — neXag yap, k. t. X. " For 
 everything is at hand about which due care is taken," 
 i. e., there is nothing that may not be had ready to 
 hand, if only we make sufficient effort. The senti- 
 ment seems general, because proverbial. 
 
 762-770. ») rrov iriKpioQ viv, k. t. X. " No doubt at- 
 tendants brought them from out of the heap of slain 
 with disgust," i. e., brought the putrefying corses. — 
 *7T£<m7. " Was set over," i. e., was charged with. After 
 this line a verse appears to have been lost. This was 
 first observed by Hermann. The lost verse probably 
 contained some such sentiment as this : " It was noble 
 in the king to work at such a duty." — el iraprjaQ', k. t. X. 
 a If you had been present when he showed his regard 
 for the dead." — (jQayag. "The wounds."— fcivbv fiev 
 yv, k. r. X. " It was a terrible burden, and possessing 
 unseemliness," i. e., and unseemly for a king. — ri d' 
 altrxpov avQpu7roi(Ti, k. t. X. " But in what respect are 
 the evils of each other disgraceful unto men ?" Lit- 
 erally, "A disgraceful thing." — Trdo-y. "How much" 
 rather." Supply ^aXXov. — aKpavra. "Fruitlessly."— 
 rmade. " From these (women) here." Dative of dis- 
 advantage. 
 
 771-777. doKui fxsv, k.t.X. "Methinks they them- 
 selves are my instructors (in grief)," i. e., they them- 
 selves teach me to weep.— alpu. "Let me hold up." 
 Hortative subjunctive. So ekxbu) in the next line. The 
 attitude of mourners, as is known from ancient paint- 
 ings, was with hands uplifted and slightly thrown 
 forward over the bier. Compare Alcest., 768. Elms- 
 ley reads apti in the future, which will make tKxeti 
 (perispome) also an Attic future (Bekker, Anecd. Gr., 
 3, p. 1290). If this reading be followed, apu>, with 
 
308 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 long penult, will be from deipio, and a contraction of 
 depa>. Compare Med., 852; Heracl., 322. — XeXei^dvocj. 
 "Bereft." — iprjfxa. "In loneliness." — rovro yap \idvov 
 pporolg, k. r. X. " For this expenditure, when once ex- 
 pended, namely, human life (once lost), it is not pos- 
 sible for mortals to recover ; whereas there are ways 
 and means of (recovering) wealth." Observe that Xa~ 
 /Seiv is for dvaXafieiv. 
 
 778-786. to. \ikv £u, k. r. X. While the procession is 
 forming to conduct the bodies upon the stage, where 
 they are deposited while Adrastus pronounces over 
 them a funeral eulogy, the Chorus express their de- 
 light at the victory, but mixed with grief at seeing 
 the corpses of their children. The verses after 801 are 
 Commatic, or consisting of lamentations by the Chorus 
 and an actor in common.— t/^oi d' Ifiiov, k. r. X. To be- 
 hold the limbs of their slain sons is a sad, and yet a 
 welcome sight ; welcome, since they will see the day 
 of their burial, which they had despaired of seeing; 
 sad, because to a parent such a spectacle is of all the 
 most afflicting. 
 
 787-797. ayafiov p,' hi devp ad, k. r. X. " Would that 
 Father Time had made me ever unmarried up to the 
 present period when I am grown old." Paley here 
 follows Bothe and Dindorf in reading iraXaicjl for na- 
 Xau)£, and in retaining d^pa, as given by the MSS., in 
 place of Porson's emendation, djjiepdv. The transla- 
 tion, if w T e retain TraXawg and dfjiepdv, will be, " Would 
 that Time, the ancient sire of days, had made me un- 
 married up to the present period." — ovk ^XttiIov dv. 
 " I would not have expected." — si ydfiiov dn&vyqv. " If 
 I had been unyoked from marriage," i. e., if I had 
 never borne the yoke of marriage. — vTtpuvBai. " The 
 being deprived of." Observe the epexegetical use 
 of the infinitive. There is no need, therefore, of our 
 
SUPPLICES. 309 
 
 reading vrspEiaa with Markland, Hermann, and Din- 
 dorf. — d\\d rdd' fjdrj, k. t. X. The bodies of the slain 
 chieftains are here brought in. 
 
 799-810. tCov vEKputv. "For the dead." — dvvtrar dv- 
 Ti(p(Dv. " Utter responsive strains." Adrastus bids the 
 widowed mothers sing responsively to his lamenta- 
 tions, meaning that they are to take up his words, and 
 reply to them in the usual way of Commatic verses. — 
 (piXiov fiaHpiov. "From affectionate mothers." — 71-/000-- 
 avcut <re rbv Oavovra. That is, I bid thee farewell. 
 Compare Alcest., 610. — aldl. There is a lacuna after 
 this, which is indicated in some of the MSS. by the 
 word XsLTrei. — tciv. Markland's emendation. 
 
 811-823. Trpoadyzre. "Bring hither." This is said 
 to Theseus and his attendants, probably soldiers, who 
 are seen at a short distance bearing the bodies. — ov8' 
 vir dZiiov, k. r. X. " Nor by worthy hands, between 
 whom the contest was decided." Alluding particu- 
 larly to Eteocles and Polynices. — Trpoaapfioaaa. " Hav- 
 ing adjusted." — rolg tekovol 8' ov \kyug. " But you do 
 not say this for those who are parents." Observe that . 
 rolg tekovgi is here for roXg yovtvai. The meaning is, 
 Your aial is selfish — you lament for yourself alone. To 
 which Adrastus replies, " Hear me," and judge wheth- 
 er I bewail myself alone. Then the Chorus alter their 
 opinion, and say, " You do, indeed, grieve for both," 
 i. e., for them as well as for yourself. — Ivapov. Second 
 aorist of tvaipio. — tfibv Se \ir\iroT i%vyrj, k. t. X. " And 
 that my body had never been yoked to any couch of 
 man." 
 
 824-834. Were k<xku>v wsXayoQ, k. t. X. From this verse 
 to 834, remarks Paley, there are vestiges of antistroph- 
 ic arrangement, and some lines appear to have been 
 lost. — Kara ^tv bw^tv »)XoKto-/if0'. "With our nails are 
 
310 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 we furrowed," i. e., our cheeks are furrowed with 
 scratches. Observe the tmesis. — did Sk OveWa <nra<rai. 
 " And that a whirlwind would drag me through the 
 air." — TTiKpovg ydpovg. " Painful nuptials," i. e., those 
 of Tydeus and Polynices with the daughters of Adras- 
 tus, in consequence of the oracle (<pdng) of Apollo. — 
 tyrj/jLag. This word is corrupt. Hermann gives tprjjjid 
 a after Markland, who proposed lpr\[ia d'. Bothe and 
 Elmsley give kg r'lpdg. Paley translates as follows: 
 u The curse of Oedipus, the cause of much woe, has 
 come upon you after leaving the house desolate," i. e., 
 after causing the death of both Eteocles and Polyni- 
 
 838-845. fieWiov a tpwrav, k. t. X. This passage is 
 corrupt. Dindorf supposes it to have been patched up 
 from the fragments of almost illegible verses. The- 
 seus certainly has only just returned, says Paley, and 
 therefore it is hard to see how he could have intend- 
 ed to ask any questions when the lamentations were 
 commenced. He then proceeds to alter a^o-w into 
 d<pr}ica, and to give elaaa (Elmsley's reading) in place 
 of eg rd ad ye, and then translates as follows : " Intend- 
 ing to ask you (the Chorus) about these chieftains, 
 when you were uttering lamentations to the army 
 (i. e., to the soldiers who brought the bodies from 
 Thebes) I gave it up, and, having omitted the conver- 
 sation on that occasion, I dropped the subject; but 
 now I ask Adrastus." This, however, seems too bold, 
 and therefore, retaining the common text unaltered, 
 we may render as follows: "Intending to ask you," 
 etc., " I will give it up, having omitted the inquiries 
 which in that event would have been made of you. 
 Now, therefore, I proceed to inquire of Adrastus." — 
 TToQev 7ro0' o'ide, k. t. X. " Whence were these by nature 
 conspicuous for courage among mortals ?" i. e., from 
 what cause did they possess natures which rendered 
 
SUPPLICES. 311 
 
 them conspicuous, etc. — vsoimv ckttwv rtivde. The ob- 
 ject was to inspire the rising generation of Athenians, 
 by means of the intended narrative, with sentiments 
 of valor and virtue. — eldov yap, k. r. \. In going around 
 and examining the walls of Thebes after the fall of 
 the city, Theseus is supposed to have observed, in the 
 various localities pointed out to him, manifest proofs 
 of the daring valor that had actuated the Seven. 
 
 846-856. tv <T ovk eprjGOfial ce, k. t. X. A hit, say the 
 commentators, at Aeschylus, in whose " Seven against 
 Thebes " the Argive chiefs and the Theban champions 
 with whom they are matched are described at length. 
 Compare, also, Phoen., 751. — fi rpavpa XoyxvQ, ic.r.X. 
 " Or from the spear of what one of the foe he received 
 a wound." — kevoI yap ovtoi, k.t.X. "For these stories 
 are vain as regards both those who listen and him 
 who relates them." Compare the remark of Hermann : 
 u \6yoL dicuntur etiam t&v aKovovnov, quod hi fere talia 
 percunctantur." — dya66g. Paley says that the article 
 here is certainly irregular, and that we should have 
 expected ovng ioriv dpiarog. — avra rdvayKala. " The 
 very things that are necessary (for such a narrative)." 
 
 857-860. dKove Sri vw, k. r. X. The passage that here 
 follows, composed in imitation of those funeral ora- 
 tions of which Thucydides, Plato, and Lysias have left 
 us splendid specimens, seems to have been rather cele- 
 brated in ancient times, for parts of it are quoted by 
 Athenaeus, Stobaeus, Plutarch, Laertius, and Polybius. 
 To this last-mentioned author is due the restoration 
 of v. 860. — Siting inaivov. " You confer the task of eu- 
 logizing." — <Lv eyajyE fiovXofjiai, k. t. X. Observe that wv 
 depends on Tr'epi, and (piXiov on lizaivov. — bpqig rb friov, 
 k. r. X. The MSS. give bptjig rbv afipov, ov, k. t. X. But 
 Polybius (v., 9), speaking of the devastation of Dium 
 and Dodona by the Aetolians, says that the Macedoni- 
 
312 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 ans, who in return had ravaged the town of Therrnum, 
 in Aetolia, wrote on the walls the verse, vp$g to Aioj/, ov 
 psXog SikTTTdTo. On which Matthiae well remarks that 
 the whole point of the quotation consists in the pun 
 on Alovy which must, therefore, be here the true read- 
 ing. 
 
 861-866. Ka-n-avevg od' icttiv. Hence the bodies (i. e., 
 the biers supposed to contain them) were actually 
 placed on the stage. It is for this reason that no 
 mention is made by Adrastus of either Amphiaraus or 
 of Polynices, because the body of the former had van- 
 ished under the earth (v. 926), that of the latter had 
 been buried by his sister Antigone. For the death of 
 Capaneus, see Phoen., 1172 seqq. — /3iog. "Means." — 
 ^povrjfxa dk ovUv n, /c. r. X. This clashes with Phoen., 
 1175, to say nothing of the character assigned to him 
 by Aeschylus (Sept. c. Theb., 420). But perhaps the 
 panegyric here is purposely made partial, as coming 
 from a friend. — rpanklaig. "With luxurious tables." 
 — TctpKovvra. "A simple sufficiency." — \ikrpia d' L%ap- 
 Kslv. "But that a moderate portion was amply suf- 
 ficient." 
 
 869-880. ev7rpo(rr]yopov arofia. "An affable address." 
 — cLKpavrov ovdev, k. t. \. " Having nothing unfulfilled 
 either towards his household or his fellow-citizens," 
 i. e., nothing professed but not performed, promised 
 but not realized. — 'EtsokXov. He is mentioned as one 
 of the Seven in Sept. c. Theb.< 453. — dXXov xpv^oTtjra^ 
 k. t. X. " Another who practiced uprightness." Din- 
 dorf gives dXXrjv with Matthiae, " Who practiced an- 
 other kind of worth." — Siopovfisvuv. " Offering to be- 
 stow." — EiaedeZctTo. Wealth is here personified. The 
 poet speaks of a man who refused all such presents as 
 were covertly meant for bribes. Such bribes Eteocles 
 never allowed to enter his house to fetter his free ac- 
 
SUPPLICES. 313 
 
 tion and enslave his principles. — tovq t IZctfiapTavovTag, 
 k. t. X. The meaning is that he was too patriotic to 
 join in abusing his country when any political mis- 
 take had been committed, but fearlessly laid the blame 
 on the right shoulders, those of the demagogues who 
 had misled her by evil counsels. — kcucwq kXvovgo., k. t. X. 
 " Being in evil repute through a bad helmsman." 
 
 882-885. tr6\[jir}<Te. "He had the self-denial." As 
 if literature (or music) was an allurement almost irre- 
 sistible to those who had opportunities for prosecuting 
 it. — irpbQ to fiaXQaicbv /3/ov. " With a view to softness 
 of life." Corrective of the preceding clause, as if to 
 show that the pursuit of literature is not of necessity 
 effeminate in its tendencies. — oicXripd ry <pv<jsi didovg, 
 k. t. X. " He delighted in giving rough exercise to his 
 nature, with a view to manliness." Aeschylus men- 
 tions his huge form, fieyag rvirog (Sept. c. Theb., 483). 
 
 888-900. 6 d' dXXog. " But this other."— 'AraXdvrrjg. 
 The Arcadian female of this name. The other was 
 the Boeotian Atalanta. — TlapQZvoTraXog. The old copies 
 prefix naig. But the metrical license adopted by Aes- 
 chylus and Sophocles, in proper names of this kind, 
 of doubling the v in pronunciation makes it probable 
 that TraXg is an interpolation. — TraiSsverat. "He is 
 brought up." — Xv7T7jp6g. " Troublesome." — 87ri<p9ovog. 
 " An object of odium." — l^spio-Trig rwv Xoyiov. The 
 quarrelsome and litigious spirit of the Athenians is 
 here directly reproved. — evearwg. " Taking his place 
 in." He fought for Argos as if he had been an Argive 
 by birth ; rejoiced in her successes, and grieved at her 
 failures, with a sincerity unusual in an ordinary resi- 
 dent stranger.— bo-ae. A parenthetical exclamation, as 
 Matthiae remarks. 
 
 902-908. dXX' lv da-iriSi, k. t. X. u But, in the case of 
 
314 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 the shield, a skilful, wise one," i. e., but skilful in arms. 
 Euripides uses acxpKrrrjg much as we talk of a profess- 
 or of any art. But still the expression here employed 
 is a very harsh one, and the repetition of oo<pd is, as 
 Paley remarks, very suspicious. Dindorf, placing a 
 colon at aoTriSi) encloses v. 903 as spurious, after Por- 
 son. — yvu>}iQ dk XeXeifipEvog. "And though inferior in 
 judgment." — laov napko-x^v ovopa, k. t. X. " He gave 
 men as much occasion to talk about him, through his 
 skill in the spear, having attained to accurate science 
 in the military art. — (pCXorijiov f/Qog, k. t. X. " An am- 
 bitious disposition, and a spirit rich in deeds, though 
 not equally so in words," i. e., a good fighter, but no 
 boaster of his own prowess. 
 
 911-917. to yap rpafrjvai, k.t.X. "For the being 
 brought up well carries with it a sense of shame (as 
 regards what is disgraceful)," i. e., good birth is con- 
 nected With honor and chivalrous feeling. — y d' evav- 
 dpia, k. r. X. The idea is, if even an infant can learn 
 new things, much more can dvr\p learn evavdpia. — o-io- 
 &<jQai. " To remember." — ovtio. " This being the 
 case." The fact that early impressions are lasting is 
 given as a reason for imparting a good education to 
 youth. 
 
 919-924. tfcpov vcf 7]irarog. " Did I bear thee in the 
 womb." — tov ifibv fioxdov aOXiag. "The toil of me a 
 wretched one," i. e., the object of all my toil. Observe 
 that aOXiag is in apposition with the personal pronoun 
 implied in the possessive l^ov. — tekovv a, raXaiva. 
 Equivalent to a. rdXaiva fiyrrjp. 
 
 925-931. Kal fjLrjv tov OlxXkovg, k. t. X. To complete 
 the number of the Argive chieftains, of whom only 
 five have as yet been mentioned, Theseus now adds 
 that Amphiaraus (son of Oecles) and Polynices need no 
 
SUPPLICES. 315 
 
 eulogy, the one having been already conspicuously hon- 
 ored by the gods, the other, as a friend and ally of his 
 own, being sufficiently tried and proved true. There is 
 an antithesis between QeoL and yfitig. Adrastus speaks 
 for some, the gods for another, Theseus himself for the 
 last. — Oeoi. A monosyllable in scanning. — evXoyovviv. 
 "Eulogize," i.e., they themselves deliver his funeral 
 eulogy by the manner of his death. Pursued by Peri- 
 clymenus, he fled towards the river Ismenus, and the 
 earth swallowed him up, together with his chariot, be- 
 fore he was overtaken by his opponent. — avOaiperog. 
 " Of his own free choice." 
 
 935-945. 9&\pai. " To inter," i. e., to burn and then 
 to bury; for Evadne leaps into his burning pile (v. 
 1071). — x i0 9 l(ja Q' " Having separated it from the 
 rest," i. e., having erected it apart. — nap oIkovq toihtSe. 
 He means near this abode (temple) at Eleusis. The 
 Greeks, like the Romans, regarded as sacred a body 
 struck by lightning. They .enclosed the place of in- 
 terment within rails, making an afiaroz trrfKog, or Mden- 
 tal. — ctteixitio, k. r. X. He means, Let the procession ad- 
 vance. — irpoatpopov. " Fittingly." — riWonofisvovg. " Al- 
 tered " (i. e., by putrefaction). — \cifia r<£ teXei. " Even 
 at the time of death ;" much more, therefore, after de- 
 cay has commenced. 
 
 947-952. tXtiiiovwq. " Patiently." This is said to the 
 matrons. They are not to go with the procession to 
 the pyre, but they shall afterwards collect the bones, 
 and take them home (7rpo(rdZovrai). — ri ktclgQe. " Why 
 do you seek to acquire." — H9e(t9e. " Set on foot." — 
 a\\a. This is used because rravaaaOE is the same in 
 effect as p) ttoieXte ovtioq. — rjcrvxoi [ieQ' t)(Tvx<*>v. " Quiet 
 with the quiet." 
 
 955-970. ovket evtekvoq, k. t. X. The matrons lament 
 
316 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 their childless state, and their no longer happy lot 
 among Argive mothers. They will not, in their old 
 age, be again visited by the benign goddess who pre- 
 sides over births ; their lives are miserable, and, like 
 a storm-tossed cloud, they have no longer any tie to 
 their homes. Neither alive nor dead, they hold an 
 isolated place in human existence. — 7rpo(r<pdzyZaiT dv. 
 " Hold converse." The favor of a deity is sometimes 
 described as a holding of converse with mortals. — viro. 
 " Under the influence," i. e., beneath the power.— apt- 
 Ofiovfiiva. This does not suit the antistrophic verse with 
 sufficient accuracy. Dindorf admits the bold emen- 
 dation of Musgrave, Kpivofieva. — rwvde x<»>pk> " Apart 
 from both of these," i. e., they have in a certain sense 
 a fate (nvd iioipav) different from both the dead and 
 the living. 
 
 973-977. ttsvOijioi icovpai, k. t. X. " Mournful locks cut 
 off, and chaplets from the brow," i. e., chaplets once 
 worn by him. — Xoi/3ai re, k. r. X. The meaning is, Li- 
 bations, too, there are, but to the dead; and songs, 
 but such as Apollo accepts not. In ordinary circum- 
 stances, libations and songs would be signs of festiv- 
 ity ; here, however, they are so qualified as to signify 
 the reverse. Apollo, as the god of joy, does not re- 
 ceive notes of woe in his worship. Verse 975 has been 
 recovered from Plutarch ( Op. Mor., p. 394, B.). The re 
 was added by Hermann. 
 
 978-986. yooKTiv d' dpOpevo^isva. " But rising up ear- 
 ly with groans." Paley translates, " Spending the ear- 
 ly morning in groans." — nrvxa. Corresponding to the 
 sinus of the Romans. The form tttvK is less common 
 than 7rrvxh' — BaXafiag. The grave prepared to receive 
 his burned bones separately (v. 938). Paley thinks 
 that this word may perhaps be taken to signify the 
 funeral pile, in which case rvfifiov & lepov would not 
 
SUPPLICES. 317 
 
 be merely epexegetical. — KcnrtyQiixkvo'v. Elmsley's cor- 
 rection for Kara(f>9iixsvov. — ^\<piQ. King of Argos. He 
 was the one who advised Polynices to give the famous 
 necklace of Harmonia to Eriphyle, that she might per- 
 suade her husband Amphiaraus to take part in the 
 expedition against Thebes. 
 
 987-989. rl ttot alOepiav, k. r. X. " Why, then, stands 
 she on the rock that towers to the sky ?" etc. Observe 
 that irkrpav is in reality a species of cognate accusative. 
 Paley thinks that the stage arrangements were prob- 
 ably conducted as follows. Above the roof of the 
 abode on the proscenium (the position which the <pv- 
 \a£, holds in the prologue to the Agamemnon) a beet- 
 ling rock was seen to rise, on which Evadne stood, so 
 as to disappear oeliind the house when she makes the 
 fatal spring. Of course her fall would be only in ap- 
 pearance ; and as the semblance of it certainly was 
 represented to the eyes of the spectators, it is difficult, 
 in his opinion, to conceive any other way in which it 
 could have been contrived. — rrjvde keXevOov. Pointing 
 to a path which was supposed to lead to the heights 
 above. 
 
 990-999. H 0eyyoc, *c. r. X. The speech of Evadne, a 
 wild and rapidly uttered rhapsody, is unfortunately 
 very corrupt. The general meaning at the outset is, 
 Gloomy was the light of sun and moon when Argos 
 celebrated my marriage with Capaneus. Matthiae's 
 correction, ediippsvE t69' liXiog, at once restores both 
 sense and metre. Hermann ingeniously emends v. 
 993, as Paley gives it, Xa^nrai S' wkvQooi, k. r. X., for the 
 cpmmon wkvOocu vvf.i(pai, k. t. X. This last-mentioned 
 scholar, supplying an epithet to optyvag, to fill up the 
 deficiency in v. 995, such as Xvyaiag, translates as fol- 
 lows : u What sort of light, what glare did the sun then 
 send forth in his career, and the moon in the sky (and 
 
318 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 the swift stars ride around her through the gloomy 
 night), when the city of Argos raised the stately song 
 of happiness on my marriage, in honor of me, the bride 
 of the mail-clad Capaneus?" — ipoi ya/xkra. Paley's 
 emendation for ical yafikro:. — x a ^ Ke0Tev X°v£' The re in 
 the common text omitted by Hermann. 
 
 1000-1010. 7T(Oof a 'i(3av. This is Hermann's read- 
 ing. Paley, in his larger edition, gives 7rpo<rs(3av. The 
 line does not accurately correspond to the one in the 
 antistrophe (v. 1023), ok rbv Qavovr oviror */*£. — jjiarev- 
 ovoa, Hermann's reading for /3arevovoa. — rbv avrov, 
 scil., r<£ nooei. — KaraXvoovo. " To bring to a close." — 
 aiiovoQ. " Of existence." — Awg Orjoavpov. " The treas- 
 ure-chest of Jove." The pyre is so called as contain- 
 ing a body consecrated to Jove, and which was ispbg 
 veicpog (v. 935), as having been struck by lightning. 
 Hermann adopts the improbable conjecture of Mus- 
 grave, dvrjg for Awg. 
 
 1013-1024. rvxa dk poi, k.t.X. " May fortune hold 
 communion for me with the leap of my foot from this 
 rock, whence I am about to spring for the sake of an 
 honorable name," i. e., may fortune guide the leap. 
 The reading uXfian is Hermann's emendation for dXXd 
 rijg. That suicide was deemed honorable, vid. Hippol., 
 772 ; Troad., 1013. — Uspoecpoveiag QaXdpovg. The accu- 
 sative depends on bpudou), which precedes. Hermann 
 therefore strikes out ?}Sw before OaX&iiovg, regarding it 
 as a gloss. — oviror «/i£, k. r. X. " Having never, by my 
 having continued to live, abandoned thee that art 
 dead beneath the earth." Literally, " By my life." 
 
 1026-1033. ei0' dfisivoveg rival, k.t.X. "Would that 
 happier unions in rightful wedlock may show them- 
 selves to my descendants in Argos, and may the part- 
 ner of thy couch be united to his wife in the sincere 
 
SUPPLICES. 319 
 
 breathings of a generous spirit," i. e., may be a hus- 
 band devoted with sincerity of soul to his wife. The 
 text here is very corrupt, and scarcely intelligible. The 
 common reading is eWe nvkg tvvai, for which Paley con- 
 jectures elO' dfieivoveg evvai, and <pavsiev for (pavwviv, which 
 latter is a solecism. For 6 obg Sk, some read oaoig <T. Pa- 
 ley supplies elrj S' before euvaXog. The expression avpaig 
 ddoXoig yevvaiag \pvxag is borrowed from the fickleness 
 and instability of the winds, and is finely employed to 
 indicate sincerity of affection. — kg veurepovg \6yovg. " To 
 hear of evil tidings." Observe thetforce of veioHpovg. 
 The intermediate idea is " strange," " unexpected," etc. 
 
 1085-1062. nsvOr^ia du)fidrwv. L. Dindorf 's reading. 
 The MSS. give irkvOi^ov daifiovwv. — veicpov. The bodies 
 were to be burned at Eleusis, but the bones were to be 
 conveyed to Argos. — knei <? iyu QvXaKag, k. t. X. " But 
 since I remitted the watchings through the pressure of 
 present calamities." Causal dative. — Kareidere. Elms- 
 ley's reading for Karoidare, which latter is not Attic. 
 — ijSe. " Here." — virtp irvpag, k. t. X. " I am lightly 
 making a wretched poising (of my frame)," etc. — rig 
 avpa ; rig orSXog ; " What wind is this ? what voyage- 
 are you meditating V i. e., what plan of action have 
 you in view ? — virEpfiao. Observe that V7rep/3^at, like 
 V7rsp(3a\eiv, is to pass over the threshold, either on in- 
 gress or egress. Here the genitive implies the sense 
 of eZeXOoihtcl. — yvii)fiT]g efiijg. " Of my resolve." — kclivov. 
 Porson and Hermann for kXuvov. So crroXfiog for gto- 
 Xog, Markland. — tog ovk Itt dvdpi, k. t. X. M (I ask you) 
 since you are not like one in mourning for your hus- 
 band, to look at you." The old reading was 7T£j>0/>^, 
 from the common error of assimilation, and vps-iru a, 
 corrected by Markland. —Ka-nruTa riyi/fy, k. t.X. " And 
 do you, then (all gayly attired as you are), appear near 
 a tomb and a pyre ?" i. e., near places of woe. — tpyoig 
 'AO&vag. The labors of the loom. 
 
320 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 1064-1075. alviyfia aaOpov. " Unsound aenigma." — 
 $(T(T(d. "I intend to leap." The present in a future 
 sense, as indicating fixed determination. (Jelf, G. G., 
 397.) — l7ri 7ro\\ovg. Porson suggests efe, which is more 
 usual. But compare Herod., iii., 82 : aiyyro av [3ov\ev- 
 fiara Itti dv(Tfj.evsag dvdpag ovtio fiaXiara. — 7rei(JOfj.ai. At 
 these words Iphis prepares to ascend the steep in or- 
 der to seize his daughter. — ojxoiov. " 'Tis all one." — 
 Trapurai. " Has been let go." With the meaning of 
 fiaOelrai. — (piXov. Grammatically agreeing with awfia, 
 but in point of sense with epyov implied. At the end 
 of the verse she casts herself down from the rock upon 
 the funeral pile. — o^ei. The deed had been done, but 
 the horrors of it had not yet been disclosed to yiew. 
 
 1080-1090. olfioi ' rl drj, r. r. X. The speech of Iphis, 
 remarks Paley, to say nothing of its excellent versifi- 
 cation, is full of that touching sentiment of which Eu- 
 ripides was so great a master. Why, he asks, is a past 
 life the only mistake that men cannot rectify? If 
 they could but be young again, how much they would 
 amend that in their former youth they had errone- 
 ously done ! etc. — yvwfiaicriv varkpaiaiv. " By after- 
 thoughts." — altiva. " Life," i. e., our past life. — dnrXov 
 (3iov. " A twofold existence." — 7r60^ r a7roj\\v^v. 
 a And was undone through a desire (for them)." — 
 rsKiov. Canter's emendation. The MSS. give Hkvuv. 
 — olov. " What a thing it is." Compare Med., 35 : olov 
 
 TTCLTpytaQ, K. T. X. 
 
 1092-1113. veaviav. Eteoclse, one of the seven who 
 had fallen. — 7ro\\rjv. Reiske's emendation for the com- 
 mon 7toX\ujv. — dr}Q\ or. Canter's emendation for the 
 driTroT of the MSS., and adopted by Bothe and Din- 
 dorf. — 7TaiQ ijds. Evadne. — -Kpoa^ynT. "Was wont to 
 press." Literally, "To bring into contact." — /carelx*- 
 " Used to support." — ijdtov. Dindorf, Hermann, and 
 
SUPPLICES. 321 
 
 Bothe retain this reading, and so also Matthiae, while 
 all admit that this is the only example in the older 
 Attic dialect of i shortened in the comparative. The 
 best correction is thought to be that of Burney, *«- 
 raxe x E P (T ^ v ' ovdtv tfdiov Trarpi. The idea is, to an old 
 man a daughter is dearer than a son ; less, indeed, in 
 strength of mind, but superior in winning manners. — 
 amriatg. " In abstinence from food." — ppwroTai Kai 7ro- 
 roTo-i, k. t. X. This verse has been corrected from Plu- 
 tarch {Op. Mor., p. 110, C). Paley thinks that not mere 
 comforts and luxuries are meant, but potent drifgs by 
 which old age can be averted. This opinion, how- 
 ever, appears to be untenable. — 7rapaKTp87rovTEQ oxtrov. 
 " Turning out of its course the stream," i. e., the stream 
 which is carrying them from the cradle to the grave ; 
 diverting the channel which Nature has appointed 
 for all mankind. — KaK7roSu)v elvai vkoiq. "And to be 
 out of the way for the young," i. e., and to make way 
 for the young. 
 
 1115-1119. rdSe dr) 7rat'<W, k. t. X. The sons of the de- 
 ceased chiefs are now seen advancing with the burned 
 bones that have been gathered from the ashes, and_ 
 probably enclosed in urns. Of course some interval 
 of time has elapsed, and this has been occupied by 
 the speech of Iphis, where usually a choral ode would 
 have been introduced. — Xa/Ser, afupiiroXoi, k. t. X. " Take 
 them (the bones), ye attendants of an # infirm old wom- 
 an," i. e., of one too infirm to take them herself. — irai- 
 8u)v TtkvQovQ. " Grief for my children."— Zwvtjq. Agree- 
 ing with ypaiag, as if she had said, ypaiag ctfievovg fikv, 
 £wot/€ ££, k. r. X. — ttoWov xpovov [isTct. " With long time 
 for my companion." — KaraXeifiofisvrjg. In the sense of 
 
 1125-1135. dXysiov vnep. " By reason of woes." But 
 a more probable reading in this case would be iW 
 25 
 
322 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Hermann conjectures &TEp, Paley (pepwv. — lv S* 6Xiyy, 
 k. r. X. " And having packed in a small space all my 
 joys and hopes." Alluding to the small space that 
 now contains once great bodies. — ddicpva. " A subject 
 of tears." — drj-irore. " Once." — ITA. d. For llaig 7rpw- 
 rog. There are seven sons that speak in succession, 
 one of each of the deceased warriors ; and replies are 
 made by each of the seven mothers composing the 
 Chorus. — Zprjuov oIkov \a(3wv. " Having received a 
 lonely home." — ov lv x E P^- "Not (fostered) in the 
 arms." 
 
 1137-1147. 7r6vog ifxCjv tekvojv. " The pains bestowed 
 on my children." — ttov wxevjjLdrojv x^P l Q- " Where the 
 return for nightly watchings V — dv-xva r dftfidriov tbXtj. 
 " And the offices of sleepless eyes." — <pi\iai TrpovfioXal 
 7rpo(TO)7riov. " The fond applications of the face," i. e., 
 kisses. — ai9i)p e%a viv /)£?/, k. t. X. " Aether now holds 
 them, dissolved amid the ashes of the flame." Eurip- 
 ides follows here the doctrine of his master, Anaxago- 
 ras, that the soul after death passed upwards to the 
 sky, and there became blended with it. — i)waav tup 
 "AiSav. For ijvvaav-vddv tig rbv "Aidav. — avTirhofiai. 
 Canter's emendation for the common avTirdaaofjiai. — 
 et ydp. The metre, being logaoedic, seems to require 
 tl9e for ei ydp. — Siku irarpifog. " A just avenging of my 
 sire." — ov™ evdei. " Does not yet sleep," i. e., is not 
 yet forgotten. • 
 
 1149-1164. rvxag. "On account of my (evil) for- 
 tune." — dXykiov. A dissyllable here. — ydvog. "The 
 bright stream." — Aavdidtiv. Observe the accent. Aa- 
 vaidujv would be from Aavatg (AavaiSeg). — In dfifJidTiov. 
 " Before my eyes." — Xoyujv dk 7rapad\ev(Tfia crtiv. " And 
 the cheering of thy words," i. e., thy cheering words. 
 — Svolv d' dxrj, k. t. X. " And he left sorrows for two, 
 he both left them for (me) his mother, and thee thy 
 
SUPPLICES. 323 
 
 griefs for thy father will never leave." — dfitpl naarbv 
 v7ro(3a\u), k. r. X. " Let me press to my bosom the ash- 
 es of my child." Literally, " Put down around my 
 bosom." — TSKvov. Supplied by Dindorf, on Hermann's 
 conjecture. — (piXov (piXag dyaXfia fiarpog. " The fond 
 pride of a fond mother." 
 
 1167-1178. u>v aveiXofirjv. "Whom I took up."— rov- 
 rotg tyib o-e, k. t. X. u With these (relics) I and the city 
 present you (Adrastus)." 1 — wv Uvpaar. " Which you 
 have met with." — viruirov. "I utter as my settled 
 conviction." Compare Med., 272. — irapayykXXovTag. 
 " Transmitting." — ^vvianop. u Is a witness." — areix^re. 
 " Ye depart." — dyfjpwv. " Never growing old." 
 
 1183-1190. anovE, Otjaev, k. t. X. Minerva now appears, 
 to urge upon Theseus not to give up to the Argives 
 the relics of their slain chiefs without their pledging 
 themselves to become the friends of Athens and prom- 
 ising, under the most solemn imprecations, never to in- 
 vade the Attic territory. — rdde. Hermann and Mark- 
 land construe uxpeXeiv rade, i. e., rrjvSe 7r6Xiv. But Pa- 
 ley, more correctly, understands noXiv after uxpsXsiv, and 
 makes rdde to be governed by dpuivra. — ptQsig. " Hav- 
 ing sent them away." — dvri. "In return for." — Xa/3' 
 optcov. "Exact from them an oath." — Kvpwg. "The 
 authorized person." — bpKWfioribv. Aldus has bpKiofiorel, 
 which adds probability to the reading of Grotius, opKcj- 
 lioriiv, adopted by Hermann and Dindorf. 
 
 1192-1207. fifiiror eiroiffaiv. "Will never bring." — 
 tinroSiov. " In the way." — iicXnrovTEg. " Having aban- 
 doned," i. e., having failed in. — ttoXiv. "Against the 
 city of Athens." — 7rp6<Trpe7r\ "Pray," i.e., imprecate 
 upon them. — lv <£. "(The place) in which." — euro;. 
 For tvSov. — mrovS^v iir dXXrjv bpjXb)jx^vog. " Speeding 
 forth on another enterprise." What this was, or why 
 
324 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Theseus had not yet fulfilled his engagement, is not 
 clear. Some refer this to the legends recorded in 
 Apolloclorus (ii., 5, 9). — <j etpslro. " Enjoined upon 
 thee." — kvtei. " Vessel.' 1 — <£ AeXftiv fikXet. " To whom 
 is the care of Delphi." — rpwayg <p6vov. " Shalt have 
 inflicted the slaughtering wound." A bold expression 
 when rendered literally, so much so, indeed, that the 
 editors seek to substitute a tamer idiom ; and hence 
 Dindorf has dpdayg, after Toup. — t wtcl. Here Eurip- 
 ides, says Paley, seems to forget himself. The seven 
 chiefs were not all brought to Eleusis to be burned 
 there. (Compare vv. 861, 925.) It is possible, however, 
 he adds, that two empty pyres represented those that 
 were missing. 
 
 1210-1212. dpaaag dk ravra. That is, when all this 
 has been done, and not before, then let the relics be 
 carried away. — rejjitvn. " The enclosures." — ^Beg Qe<£. 
 " Give up to the god," i. e., to become sacred ground. 
 — nap avrrjv Tpiodov 'IdOfiiav. " Close by the Isthmian 
 three ways," i. e., the spot where the three roads meet 
 and form the main one leading to the Isthmus of Cor- 
 inth. This latter was the road from Eleusis to Mega- 
 ra, and thence to Corinth, and on it were the tombs of 
 the seven chieftains, as we are informed by Pausanias 
 (i., 39). As this road w T ould be the one affording in- 
 gress to an invading army into Attica, the monuments 
 are to be placed upon it, so that they may be seen by 
 the Argives in case they should come as foes, and may 
 remind them of past benefits conferred by the Athe- 
 nians. The common reading was 'leOfiiag Qeov, a cor- 
 ruption occasioned by the connection between three 
 roads and Hecate, who was worshipped as presiding 
 over them. The correction of the text was made by 
 Tyrwhitt. 
 
 1213-1226. \£ya>. " I now speak." — AiyiaXev. He 
 
SUPPLICES. 325 
 
 was the son of Adrastus, and one of the Epigoni. — 6XX 
 ov (pQdveiv, k. t. X. " But it behooves you, when becom- 
 ing shaded as to the chin, to hasten straightway, and 
 urge onwards," etc. The general meaning is, As soon 
 as your chin is shaded with a beard, you must con- 
 duct an armed force against Thebes. Observe that 
 <t>9dveiv with ov and a participle, followed by kclL or icai 
 wQvg, denotes two actions following close on each oth- 
 er, or happening together. Here the two acts are to 
 be as closely connected as possible. Compare Alcest., 
 662. — BKTtOpafifAEvoi. " Full-nurtured," i. e., strong and 
 vigorous. — 'E-n-iyovoi. Barnes's emendation for ticyovoi. 
 The Epigoni, that is, " the descendants," was the name 
 given in mythology to the sons of the seven heroes 
 who had fallen before Thebes. They marched against 
 this city and razed it to the ground. — ydag Quaere. " Ye 
 shall afford subjects of song." The war of the Epigo- 
 ni was made the subject of epic and tragic poems. 
 The Cyclic poems called the Thebais and Epigoni are 
 here, however, particularly alluded to. 
 
 1229-1234. ZevZofiai. "I will bind unto myself."— 
 'iorrj. Pres. imper. for 'ioraBi. — 7rponefiox9i)ica<Ti. " They 
 have accomplished by their previous exertions." — <js- 
 fleaOat. Supply wore. 
 
NOTES ON THE TROADES. 
 
 ARGUMENT, ETC. 
 
 The date of the Troades, or " Trojan Women " (namely, 01. 
 91, 2, or B.C. 415), and the titles of the Tetralogy to which it 
 belonged have been preserved by Aelian (Var. Hist., ii,, 8). 
 The subject of the play is the capture of Troy, or, rather, the 
 events immediately following it and contemporaneous with 
 the departure of the Greeks. In this sense it immediately fol- 
 lows the Hecuba, for the death of Polyxena, which is described 
 in the latter, is spoken of in this as already past (v. 39). But 
 the action precedes the Andromache, which contains the ad- 
 ventures of this female after she had reached Phthia. The 
 source of all these stories was the Epic Cyclus, especially 
 the poems of Arctinus and Lesches. The great object of 
 Euripides was the exhibition of pathos, by describing mis- 
 ery overwhelming, accumulated, and too great for human 
 endurance. Schlegel, however, thinks that the effort of the 
 poet is overdone. Still it must be confessed that some of 
 the speeches are admirable, as, for instance, those of Andro- 
 mache at v. 629, and of Hecuba at v. 1156. The poverty of 
 the plot was, it is thought, in great measure compensated by 
 stage effects; for the play closes with the burning of Troy, 
 the tumbling down of buildings, together with smoke, dust, 
 and earthquake noises (ivoais, v. 1336). The plot and details 
 of the piece are as follows : 
 
 Act I. Scene I. — The prologue opens with a lament of 
 Neptune for the fall of Troy. (1-47.) 
 
 Scene II. — Enter Minerva, incensed against the Greeks 
 and particularly the Locrian Ajax for having profaned her 
 temple in the case of Cassandra. She asks Neptune to join 
 with her in punishing the offenders, and easily obtains his 
 consent. (48-97.) 
 
 Scene III. — A long monody follows from Hecuba, in which 
 she bewails her misfortunes. (98-152.) 
 
TROADES. 327 
 
 Scene IV. — The Chorus, composed of Trojan women, hear- 
 ing the cries of woe, come forth from their allotted habita- 
 tions to inquire the cause. Hecuba informs them that the 
 Greeks have resolved on carrying them away to Argos im- 
 mediately. The Chorus lament their fate, and speculate on 
 the country to which they will be carried off. (153-234.) 
 
 Act II. Scene J.— Enter Talthybius, the Grecian herald. 
 He announces to what chieftains each has been assigned by 
 lot, Cassandra alone having been reserved as a prize-gift to 
 Agamemnon. (235-307.) 
 
 Scene II. — Cassandra comes on the stage brandishing a 
 lighted torch, and singing a wild strain on her supposed nup- 
 tials with the Argive king. This is succeeded by a compar- 
 ison between the fate of the Trojans and that of the Greeks, 
 in which the former is, for various reasons, preferred. She 
 then departs with Talthybius for the Grecian fleet. (308-461.) 
 
 Scene III. — Lament of Hecuba. The Chorus then give a de- 
 scription of the capture of Troy by the device of the wooden 
 horse. (462-567.) 
 
 Act III. Scene I. — Andromache enters, borne on a char- 
 iot, as a captive, amid the spoils of the captured cit}\ A 
 dialogue ensues, in which Andromache mourns her own 
 fate and that Of Hecuba. (568-703. ) 
 
 Scene II. — Enter Talthybius, who announces to Andro- 
 mache that the Greeks have resolved to throw her son As- 
 tyanax from the ramparts of Troy, upon which she utters 
 over the latter an affecting farewell address. She then final- 
 ly leaves the stage. (704-774.) 
 
 Scene III. — Astyanax is borne away by the Greeks. The 
 Chorus then utter a beautiful ode, the subject of which is 
 Troy twice captured, by Hercules and the Atridae. (775-858.) 
 
 Act IV. Scene I. — Menelaus comes in to fetch Helen, not 
 now as his wife, but as his captive, and is urged by Hecuba 
 to put her to death. Helen herself enters, makes a long 
 defence of her conduct, and Hecuba takes the part of an 
 accuser in reply. Menelaus, acceding to the wishes of the 
 latter, resolves to bear her back to Greece, and have pun- 
 
328 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 ishment inflicted there. He then retires, taking with him 
 Helen. (860-1059.) 
 
 Scene II — The Chorus chant another ode on the fall of 
 Troy. (1060-1123.) 
 
 Act V. Scene I — Talthybius again enters, and brings the 
 body of Astyanax to Hecuba on Hector's shield. In the ab- 
 sence of Andromache, the mother, who has been hurried off 
 to Greece, Hecuba pronounces a touching lament over the 
 corpse. The Chorus join with her in the strains of woe. 
 (1123-1259.) 
 
 Scene II — Talthybius now gives orders to fire the city, 
 which is done amid the wailings of the women, and the 
 smoke and din and confusion of the falling citadel. (1260- 
 1334.) 
 
 It will be observed, remarks Paley, that the prologue ex- 
 tends beyond the action of the piece, in which no further 
 mention occurs of the storm that is to disperse the Grecian 
 fleet. 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 1-14. "Hko>, \iiriov, k. r. \. The prologue is spoken by 
 Neptune, who has come to take his farewell of Troy, 
 and who, in a beautiful narrative, describes the state of 
 the city immediately after its capture by the Greeks. 
 — i&Xiao-ovaiv. " Disengage (from the mazes of the 
 dance)." The idea is, says Paley, that the feet of the 
 dancers are interlaced in a close circle, from which 
 each withdraws her own in prescribed order. It is 
 properly said of military evolutions. — &fi<pi ttjvSe, k. t. \. 
 Construe dfi<f>l rrjvde Tpio'iK7)v x®°va 7repi%. " Round about 
 this Trojan soil," i. e., so as to enclose it within the cir- 
 cuit of a city. — bpdoimv Kavoaiv. " By perpendicular 
 measurements." The term kclvuv properly means a 
 rod used for measuring. — evvoia voXei. " A kind feel- 
 ing towards the city." — tCjv «/iwr. To be construed 
 
TROADES. 329 
 
 with (ppzvwv. — Kcnrvovrai. " Lies smouldering." — 'E7TEi6g. 
 He is called " Parnassian " from his country, Phocis. — 
 KEKXrjaerai. "It shall ever be called." Observe the 
 continuance of action indicated by the 3d future. — 
 dovpeiog 'i-mroQ. " The wooden horse," i. e., made of 
 planks and timbers. 
 
 16-27. Kpr)7rid(*)v fiaOpoig. " The steps at the base of 
 the altar." The word KpriiriQ means any rectangular 
 platform on which a superstructure is raised. — Zrjvbg 
 'EpKtiov. The family altar in the middle of the palace. 
 Compare Virgil, Aen., ii., 512 seqq. — dEKcujTropy xp° vl t>' 
 " After the lapse often seed-times." We should rath- 
 er have expected, remarks Paley, the form ^EKaTou-rrop^. 
 He compares, however, TErpdfioipov for TEraprqv (Rlics., 
 5). — Iprjfiia ydp, k. t. X. The gods were thought to de- 
 sert a city when it was no longer able to continue the 
 usual sacrifices. — vogeX to. t&v Oeu>v, k. t. X. " The rites 
 of the gods droop, nor are they wont to be held in 
 honor." Compare Med., 16, voau to. <pi\rara. 
 
 29-32. (HEGTroTag KXrjpovfievwv. " Obtaining masters by 
 lot," i. e., getting allotted to masters. — OrjaEZdai. Aca- 
 mas and Demophon. These are not mentioned in the" 
 Iliad, but the aged Nestor speaks of having seen The- 
 seus, the son of Aegeus. (II, i., 265.) — dicXripoi. " Are 
 not made the subjects of allotment," i. e., are exempted 
 from being balloted for. These were the choice prizes, 
 and were meant for the generals. Compare the term 
 tZaipETot. — arkyaiQ. The Grecian tents. 
 
 37-47. irapEGTiv. " It is permitted." Supply Eiaopdv, 
 i.e., one may see. The common text has 'Efca/3»/ KEifievrj, 
 which will give irdpEanv the meaning of " Is present 
 here," with 'Eiea/fy for its subject. — XdOpa. u Unknown 
 to her." She had not yet learned it. — fiEOijKE. " Gave 
 up," i.e., resigned, or relinquished. — dpo/xdSa. "As 
 26 
 
330 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 raving mad." — rb rov 9eov, k. t. X. " Having set aside 
 his duty to the god, and religious reverence." As a 
 consecrated virgin, inspired by Apollo, it was profane 
 in Agamemnon to take her for a wife, still more as a 
 concubine. — okotiov Xkxog. " By an adulterous union." 
 — Zzgtov te 7rvpyu)^a. "And tower -crowned rampart 
 of cut stone." Opposed to the rough and unsquared 
 Cyclopean masonry. — iv (3d0poig. " On (firm) founda- 
 tions." 
 
 50-60. Xvoacrav. Observe the construction, iZeernv 
 
 tfXOl UHJTE Eflk TrpOGEVVSTTElV, etc., XlXJCMTaV. (TVyyEVEig OjU- 
 
 Xlai. "The intercourse of kindred." — <piXrpov. "Source 
 of kind feeling." — i-ryvev dpydg rj-n-iovg. " I commend 
 your kindly disposition," i. e., I thank you for, etc. — 
 kolvovq. " Of common importance." — lg p.kaov. "For 
 mutual consideration." — dat/noviov. " Of the (other) 
 deities." — irdpa. As if he had said dyyEXog t\9ov(7a irdpa, 
 k.t.X. — paivopEv. "We are now walking." — ug koivyjv 
 Xdj3a). " That I may avail myself of it in common with 
 thee." — y 7rov viv txOpav, k. t. X. He w T as going to say, 
 ?) nov viv oiktiZeiq ; but changes the construction to Eig 
 oIktov i)X9Eg avrTig, so that Eig oIktov r)X9Eg avrfjg may be 
 here regarded and translated as equivalent to ourr/gci?. 
 
 61-74. tKEltTE TTpior clveXQe. " Come back first to the 
 point before us," i. e., before I answer any questions as 
 to my change of sentiment. — koivwoei Xoyovg. "Will 
 you share my plans ?" i. e., will you join with me in my 
 proposed undertaking ? — aV, for a dv. — ko.1 to gov, k. t. X. 
 The meaning is, As I have told you my intention, so I 
 wish also to know yours. — Evtypdvai. " To gladden."— 
 rpoTTovg. " Turns of feeling." — vfipiaQEloav. " Have 
 been outraged." This and similar facts connected with 
 the return of the Greeks w T ere borrowed from the Cyc- 
 lic poems, the 'iXiov nkprng or the Notrrot. Compare 
 Virg., Aen.y ii., 403. — Koitdkv y 'Axaitiv, k. t. X. As he 
 
TROADES. 331 
 
 was neither punished nor reproved by the Greeks, 
 they were accomplices in his guilt. — Kai firjv. "And 
 yet, indeed." — ovv <soi. "With thy aid and concur- 
 rence. ,, — $paaai icaiciog. "To punish them." — tclic for 
 to. kiri. 
 
 75-86. Svavovrov voarov. "A return that is no re- 
 turn." — Trkfi^u. That Jupiter had already promised 
 liis assistance is clear from v. 80, whereas others repre- 
 sent Minerva herself as holding the keys of the store- 
 house of thunderbolts. — to gov. Supply pkpog. " On 
 thy part." — rpiKvfiiaig. " With mighty waves." Every 
 third wave was believed to be larger. Hence the gen- 
 eral force of the term TpiKv/xia. — koTXov Evfioiag fivxov. 
 " Each hollow recess of Euboea." The promontory of 
 Caphareus, at the southern extremity of Euboea, was ex- 
 ceedingly dangerous, and on this they were to be driv- 
 en by the storm, and the shores of Euboea to be covered 
 with the dead. — EvvepeZv. " Bow to reverence." — gej3elv. 
 " To honor." — Qeovg. As one syllable in scanning. 
 
 87-97. r) \apig yap, k.t.\. "For the favor (which 
 you ask) requires no long array of words." — rapaZw 
 TrkXayog, k. t. X. " I will stir up the deep waters of the 
 Aegean brine." By irkXayog is here meant the open 
 part of the Aegean. — Mvkovov. Myconus was one of 
 the Cyclades. — ArjXioi re xoipaSeg. " And the low-lying 
 rocks of Delos." The low rocks and reefs of Delos, 
 i. e., Delos itself. — Kjpt^paoi t aicpat. " And the Capha- 
 rean summits," i. e., the high craggy rocks of the 
 promontory of Caphareus, at the southern extremity 
 of Euboea. — KapadoKEi. "Watch carefully for the time." 
 — iZiy K&Xiog. " May be letting out ropes," i. e., loosen- 
 ing the sheets, and preparing to sail. Some, less cor- 
 rectly, make icdXiog the nominative ; " Whenever the 
 (loosened) cable may be sending forth the Grecian ar- 
 mament." — Ipd T&v KEKpiTjKoriov. " The sanctuaries of 
 
332 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 the dead." More literally, " Of those who have ended 
 their labors." 
 
 98-109. dva. For dvdeipe, as is suggested by t7rdeipe 
 in the next line. Musgrave makes it for dvdorriQi, and 
 reads Stprjv r\ but this, as Paley remarks, is extremely 
 tame. — dv(j\ov. For dvda\ov. — 7r\ei Kara iropQfiov, k. t. X. 
 " Sail with the current, sail according to the will of 
 heaven," i.e., do not try to sail against the stream; 
 do not resist the w 7 ill of heaven. — Trpomarj]. " Turn." 
 More literally, " Oppose." — irXkovaa rvxaiaiv. " Sailing 
 (as you do) with the mere events of fortune," i. e., at 
 the pleasure of fortune ; with no surer guidance than 
 that of fortune. — <L -n-oXvg oyicog. " Ah ! swelling pros- 
 perity of my forefathers, now contracted into a little 
 compass." 
 
 112-121. SiHTrrjvoG iytb, k. r. X. The lines from 112 to 
 119 are, as Paley remarks, out of place here, because 
 Hecuba passes from mental distresses to her mere aches 
 and pains and bodily inconveniences, which ought to 
 weigh as nothing in comparison. — (3apvdaiftovog apQpwv 
 icX(<T€o>c, k. t. X. " On account of the wretched reclin- 
 ing of my limbs, in what a state I am." — wg pot nSOog 
 eiXiZai, k.t.X. "What a longing comes upon me to 
 turn round, and to give my back and spine to both 
 the sides of my body alternately." The did in diadov- 
 vai implies alternate distribution. The expression roi- 
 xovg fieXsiov (from fisXri, limbs) is ^borrowed from the 
 two sides of a ship, as opposed to the backbone re- 
 garded as the keel. — iiri rovg del daicpiHov tXsyovg. " To 
 indulge in constant strains of w r oe." Compare Her- 
 mann, " ad indulgendum perpetuo fletui." — fioixra tie %aft- 
 ttj 1 k. t. X. " And yet even this is music to the wretch- 
 ed, to give loud utterance to joyless woes." 
 
 122-137. 7rp<£pai vaiov a/Keiat, k. r. X. " Ye swift prows 
 
TROADES. 333 
 
 of ships, which (having sailed) to sacred Ilium, by the 
 aid of oars, through both the purpling sea and through 
 (i. e., touching at) the secure harbors of Greece, with 
 the hateful paean -song of pipes and the melodious 
 voice of the syrinx, fastened the twisted growth of 
 Egypt (i. e., the byblus ropes), alas, alas, in the bay of 
 Troy, going after the hateful wife of Menelaus, a dis- 
 grace to Castor, and a discredit to the Eurotas, (her) 
 who brings death upon Priam, the father of fifty chil- 
 dren, and drove me, the wretched Hecuba, upon (the 
 rock of) this calamity." These verses, says Paley, are 
 probably in some places corrupt, for it is impossible to 
 make strophe and antistrophe accurately agree with- 
 out serious alteration. Indeed, it is far from certain 
 whether they are antistrophic at all. The construc- 
 tion of vv. 122-130 is quite anomalous. He was going 
 to say, at KwiraiGiv "I\iov tKOfiiffOrjrs, but the verb not 
 coming in till v. 129, the sense is altered. We may 
 supply, therefore, after kutccligiv the participle irXzvaa- 
 aai, or something equivalent. — <p(ovq,. The sound of 
 music on disembarking the army is meant. The ships 
 are those of the Greeks, not of Paris. 
 
 138-152. ovq Oaaau). " Which I occupy." — fysSpovg. 
 Suiting the verse much better than tyedpog, the com- 
 mon reading. — Kovpy 7rsv0r}pu. Compare Alcest., 512. 
 — tK7rop0r}Qel(T'. " All marred." Literally, " Desolated," 
 or "Pillaged." — dvcrvv/Kpoi. "Ill- wedded." — ^drrjp S* 
 wg nc, k. t. X. " And as some parent bird (raises) a 
 piercing cry over her fledglings, I will begin the 
 strain," etc. With opvig, supply IZdpxei. The common 
 text has opviaiv o7riog i%dp%u) 'ytj \ \ fioXTrdv ov 1 k. r. X. 
 Dindorf seeks to defend the repetition u>g . . . o7rwc, by 
 the well-known verse in the Hecuba (398), birola kkjgoq, 
 k. r. X. — zvKofnroiQ. " Loud-sounding." The sound of 
 the stamp is here called koilttoq, properly, it is said, the 
 noise of gnashing or whetting tusks. The ttovq dpxz- 
 
334 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 \opog of the aged queen was merely a signal by way 
 of setting the step. She did not actually join in the 
 dance. — Qaovg. " The festivals of the gods." 
 
 153-168. 'Eica/fy, ri Opoa~ig ; k. t. X. The Chorus of Tro- 
 jan female captives, hearing the sounds of woe, come 
 out of their allotted habitations to inquire the cause. 
 Hecuba informs them that the Greeks have resolved 
 on carrying them away to Argos immediately. — vol 
 XSyog tficei ; " Whither do thy words tend V i. e., what 
 is the meaning of the words we have just heard ? — 
 di(T(Tst. The a is properly long, as in aiw, and hence as 
 a dissyllable it is more correctly written pWw than 
 awed). — -nrpbg vavg kivhtcli. " Is being set in motion to- 
 wards the ships," i. e., the rowers are already mov- 
 ing towards the vessels. — irarp^ag. On the w, com- 
 pare Alcest., 249. — eikoZw. " I conjecture." — Ko^iaauQe. 
 "Come forth." Literally, "Bring yourselves." — <jrk\- 
 \ov(ti. " Are preparing for." 
 
 169-175. fij) vvv fioi, k. r. X. " Do not then, I entreat, 
 have the raving maenad Cassandra sent out, a disgrace 
 among the Greeks, and let me not be pained (at this) 
 in addition to (my other) griefs." Observe the force 
 of the middle in ^^(70'. Do not have her come. 
 The active would mean, " Do not conduct her hither." 
 — alaxvvav. Meaning, properly, an object of insult, 
 i. e., a concubine. — dXyvv9a>. Supply prj from the pre- 
 ceding clause. — dfiaOhreg. Equivalent to 9av6vreg. 
 
 177-183. 'Ayajntjuvovog i-iraKovaofikva. Observe the li- 
 cense of a dactyl preceding an anapaest. — ^ 86%' 'Ap- 
 yeiiov KHrau "Lest some resolve on the part of the 
 Greeks lies (established)." — y Kara npviivag, k. t. X. 
 " Or (lest) the mariners are getting ready to ply the 
 oars astern." This verse, remarks Paley, describes a 
 way of propelling boats and barges which is still very 
 
TROADES. 335 
 
 prevalent. The oar is not projected laterally, but from 
 the stern, where it has exactly the force of a fish's tail. 
 The ancient Egyptians had the same device. (Wil- 
 kinson's Anc. Egyptians, vol. ii., p. 124.) — opOpevovtrav 
 \pvxdv. " In my sleepless mind." The exact meaning, 
 says Paley, of 6p9peveiv is, to use a colloquial phrase, 
 " to be on the rouse," as opQpog, " morning," is " the 
 getting-up time." Hence the notion of wakefulness 
 or sleeplessness, attaches itself to the verb. — lK7r\tix9el<r\ 
 k. t. X. After this, the verse 162 should perhaps be re- 
 peated. 
 
 185-196. r<p 7rp6<TKeifiai, k. t. X. " Unto whom am I 
 wretchedly assigned as a slave ?" Observe r<£ for rivi. 
 — rig n' 'Apysiiov, k. t. X. He changes the construction, 
 as Matthiae observes, rig 'Apyeiiov a%ei fie, t) rig a$u fie 
 elg vr)aaiav x^P av ; The island chieftains in the Gre- 
 cian host were Idomeneus of Crete, Ulysses of Ithaca, 
 Neoptolemus of Scyros, etc. — ibg ktj^v. " Like some 
 aged bird." — dpxayovg nfidg. " The queenly hon- 
 
 197-200. alai, alai, k. t. X. The whole Chorus now 
 unite in lamenting their fate, and in speculating on 
 the country to which they will be carried off. The 
 first two lines appear to be addressed, not, as the 
 Scholiast says, to Hecuba, but by one of the sister- 
 hood, turning to her neighbor. As the singular is 
 used throughout, we must suppose, remarks Paley, 
 that each sentence is uttered by a different person. — 
 tZaid&ig. The common text has l^aidleig, but the fut- 
 ure is given here by Paley, as necessary for the sense. 
 — divevovaa. Referring to some particular motion giv- 
 en to the shuttle in working the embroidered 7T67rXoi. 
 — fc£aXXa£a>. " Shall I shift it to and fro." She mere- 
 ly means to say, No more shall I pursue my favorite 
 avocations at home. 
 
336 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 201-213. vkarov. "For the last time." Seidler's 
 reading. The old text had vka rot. The idea is, I 
 shall be torn from my children to become a slave to 
 my captors. — tppoi vvZ, aura, k. t. X. Parenthetical. 
 " Accursed be this night and (this) fortune," i. e., 
 which bring me to such a state. — Uupr^vaq. Genitive 
 after vdpevaofxeva. Pirene was a fountain at Corinth. 
 Compare Med., 69. — /«) yap £*), k. t. X. "For may we 
 not then come (i. e., for may we not come at all events) 
 to the eddy of the Eurotas, to the most hateful home 
 of Helen." Paley renders Oepdirvav, " a handmaid," 
 and supposes an ellipse of /ik TrBfiirsrw 6 K?)pvl£. Mat- 
 thiae has an idea that it was the Laconian city of 
 Therapnae. On the meaning which we have here giv- 
 en to Qfpairvav, " an abode " or " home," compare Tph. 
 A, 1474 ; Bacch., 966 ; Here. F., 367.— MevtXa. Doric 
 dative. 
 
 214-224. rdv Tlrjveiov aefivdv x^P av ' The vale of 
 Tempo, watered by the PenSus. — Kpij-n-Tda. " Base." 
 Compare note on v. 16. — rdde devrspa, k. r. X. " These 
 regions are second in order, for me (to wish) to come 
 to." The going to Thessaly is the next best thing 
 to going to Athens. — Qoiviicag dvrrjprj. " Opposite to 
 Phoenicia," i. e., the Phoenician settlement of Car- 
 thage. — fiarkp*. Musgrave makes this equivalent to 
 excellentissimum, which Seidler very correctly denies. 
 It means merely u mother " or " parent," as indicating 
 the point from which other chains diverge. — Kffpva- 
 aeaOai are<pdvoig dptrdg. " Is proclaimed with crowns 
 of worth," i. e., contains those who are deemed wor- 
 thy of being proclaimed victors at the great games of 
 Greece. Pindar's encomiums on Hiero are here espe- 
 cially held in view. 
 
 225-234. rdv r dyxwrtvovaav, k. t. X. a May I inhab- 
 it too the land that lies near the Ionian deep, which 
 
TROADES. 337 
 
 fairest Crathis waters, tinging with red the lock (so 
 as to be) of auburn hue." The town of Sybaris in 
 Magna Graecia, or perhaps Thurii, is meant. The wa- 
 ters of the Crathis, which flowed near, were thought 
 to dye the hair of an auburn hue. The common text 
 has vavraiQ, for which we have here the bold emenda- 
 tion of W. Dindorf, namely, vaioiv, an anomalous form 
 of the optative (Jelf, G. G., 192, 7, 3), in which the 
 tense-ending of the indicative disjoined immediately 
 to the modal vowel oi. (Dobree, ad Eccles., 607.) So 
 Tptyoiv is found in a verse of Euripides, preserved in 
 the Etym. Mag., 693. — ZavQav, i. e., oktts %avQav tlvcu. — 
 rafiiag. " A dispenser." — igavvwv. " Bringing to an 
 end," i. e., to the close of its intended journey. Erro- 
 neously rendered, " Accelerating." — Aiopidog x^ 0V ^Q- 
 The fears of the women are excited on their behold- 
 ing the approach of Talthybius, lest they may be on 
 the point of being carried off as captives to Sparta. 
 
 235-242. yap. This introduces his reason for call- 
 ing her at first sight by her right name. — TaXOvfiiog. 
 Talthybius and Eurybates were the heralds of Aga- 
 memnon, as we find in Homer. — (f>6(3og. " A source of 
 fear." — r/<fy KtucXripuaQ' '. " Ye have already been allot- 
 ted." — Kadfieiag x^ ov ^- Boeotia. The Thebans, re- 
 marks Paley, took no part in the Trojan war. The 
 Boeotians are included in the catalogue of the Gre- 
 cian forces_ (II., 2, 494), where, among several other 
 towns, we read of 'Y7r69ri(3ai. But Thebes is not men- 
 tioned in the Iliad, except incidentally with the name 
 of Tydeus. 
 
 243-258. kut dvdpa, k. t. X. " Ye each fell by lot to 
 a particular individual, and (were not assigned) col- 
 lectively," i.e., to any one owner. — ekckttcl. "About 
 each thing separately." — tZaiperov. " As one selected 
 from the rest," i. e., as a choice prize. — rq, Aaicedaifio- 
 
338 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 viq, vvfupy. Clytemnestra, who, like her sister Helen, 
 is called Spartan after her father Tyndareus. — Xwrpoov 
 (TKoria wfKpevrrjpia. Compare v. 44, and Alcest., 990. — 
 ij rav tov <boi(5ov, k. t. X. " What ! the maiden conse- 
 crated to Phoebus !" This is said indignantly. — d\e- 
 Krpov I6av. The common legend is departed from here. 
 — icXydag. The priest or priestess of a temple always 
 wore a garland round the brow, and by the side the 
 keys of the sacred edifice. Hence icXeidovxeiv is "to 
 be a priest or priestess." Barnes cites Hesychius, how- 
 ever, in support of giving icXydag the meaning of " gar- 
 lands," and Paley acquiesces in this, but the allusion 
 to garlands comes in immediately after. — ivdvrwv. 
 " Put on," but put on for the sake of ornament or dis- 
 tinction, as Hermann remarks (ad Eumen., 982). 
 
 260-270. ri 8k. Supply n&7rov9e. — T<p. For rivi. — 
 tv/jiPv TsraKTai, k. t. X. " She has been appointed to 
 minister to the tomb of Achilles." The phrase em- 
 ployed here is purposely ambiguous. As Hecuba is 
 thinking only of slavery, and not suspecting the death 
 of her daughter, he describes her as ministering or do- 
 ing service to the tomb of Achilles. The novelty of 
 this condition induces her to ask farther, drdp r/c, 
 k. r. X. The herald keeps up the same delusion in £%** 
 KdXuig, and wot' cnrriXXaxOai ttqvmv, and Hecuba appears 
 to suspect nothing farther. When, however, at v. 621, 
 the truth flashes upon her, she alludes to these words 
 as aiviy/jia cratykg. — Ta<$np izpoaizoXov. " A minister to a 
 tomb." — fioi "For me," i. e., as mine. — cnrrjXXdxOai. 
 " She has been freed." 
 
 271-276. xa^MopiTopog. "Of the brazen-threaded 
 cuirass." The reading here is very uncertain. The 
 epithet x a ^ s o^inop is from jiirog, " a thread," and in- 
 dicates one who wears a cuirass woven with brazen 
 or copper wire. One MS. has xaX/ceo/xr/ropoe, for which 
 
TROADES. 339 
 
 Pflngk gives xa^^oju/Lt^oropoc. " Whose thoughts were 
 ever bent on arms." — a Tpifidinov, k. t. X. " The one 
 who moves on three legs, requiring a staff in my hand 
 for my aged frame." The head (icdpa) put for the en- 
 tire person. The old reading was rpiroftdfiovog, or rpi- 
 fidpovog. Neither of these, however, remarks Paley, 
 is suitable as an epithet to fiaKTpov. Seidler says a 
 staff is rprro/3a/iwv, which walks in the third place, i.e., 
 in addition to a pair of feet. But the fact is, not the 
 stick, but the person who uses it is rpiftdnwv, and this 
 alone suits the metre. 
 
 279-287. dpcKTtre. "Smite." — Sitttvxov Trapudv. "The 
 twofold cheek," i. e., the two cheeks. — Trapavofiif) ddicu. 
 " A noxious beast trampling under foot all law." — dg 
 irdvra ra«i<r', r. t. X. The true reading here is alto- 
 gether doubtful. The expression dg . . . riOtfiEvog, for 
 dg tiQetcu, can only be defended as a harsh anacolu- 
 thon, and is viewed in that light by Matthiae. So 
 again rdictiaE violates the analogy of the language, 
 and should be rdKeWev. Scaliger conjectures 6 for oe, 
 which Paley adopts in his larger edition. The latter 
 editor also gives in his larger work rdiceTQEv ivOdd', but 
 for LvOdd' he substitutes in his smaller edition Seicf- 
 ler's conjecture, Wer, who defends Wero . . . n9i/xevog 
 by Hec, 044, and compares also Electr., 206, vaiio . . . 
 vaiovaa. The meaning of the passage probably is as 
 follows : "Who with double tongue puts all the things 
 that are there on the contrary again here, making the 
 former friendly things of all devoid of what is friend- 
 ly." That is, one who perverts right and wrong, and 
 for friendship gives enmity. 
 
 292-305. to fiev cov. " Thy own fate."— f X «. "Holds 
 in his hands." — eiXrjyfisvag. From Xayxdvo). Heath's 
 reading for eiXeynhag. Cassandra, the chief prize, is 
 to be first conducted in form to the commander-in- 
 
340 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 chief, and then the other captives unto whomsoever 
 the lot had assigned them. — !o,.W Travicrjg, k. t. X. When 
 Talthybius had delivered his message, he is seen to 
 start at the reflection of light from within the tent 
 which he is about to enter. He thinks the captives 
 are resolved to perish by fire rather than endure sla- 
 very. But Hecuba, more quick to distinguish the true 
 cause, hastens to reassure him. It is her own crazy 
 and inspired child, Cassandra, about to celebrate her 
 nuptials with Agamemnon. — Kapra roi rov\ev9epov, 
 k. t. X. " The free-born soul, in circumstances such as 
 these, bears misfortunes very impatiently." — dvoiye. 
 Said to the door-keeper inside the tent, which was 
 probably represented by the side door of the prosce- 
 nium. — pi) to rdiffSe 7rp6(j<popov, k. t. X. " Lest a course 
 that suits these, but is hateful to the Greeks, throw 
 blame upon me." The Greeks also say, fiaXeiv nva 
 atr/'^f, and fiaXeiv rivd elg airiav. 
 
 308-324. dvsxe, vaptx^ *« r - *• " Hold up there, give 
 it me, bring the light, I am performing a religious 
 rite ; I am lighting up, see, see, this temple with the 
 torch." She fancies, as Seidler remarks, that she is 
 still in the service of the god. The language, of 
 course, is wildly ironical. The intended rite is her 
 concubinage with Agamemnon. — 'Ypjfpj w 'Yfievai aval. 
 The usual refrain in the nuptial song. — ya^ov^kva. 
 Future participle. — insi rru, nartp, k. t. X. The idea is, 
 Since you, O mother, cannot, by reason of your grief, 
 perform the usual duties of a mother on her daugh- 
 ter's marriage, I will perform that office myself. — lg 
 avydv. Musgrave understands this to mean, " In the 
 open day," since the marriage torch was usually car- 
 ried in the evening. — 'EK&ra. She is invoked here 
 merely as the goddess of light. — d vo/iiog §xsi. The 
 common reading $ is wrong; the metre requires a 
 short syllable. 
 
TROADES. 341 
 
 327-340. wg eni irarpbg efiov, k. r. X. " As if (it were) 
 amid most happy fortunes on the part of my father," 
 i. e., just as if my father were yet alive and prosperous. 
 She says this to her mother, and probably takes her 
 by the hand to lead her into the dance. — kpoi. Sup- 
 plied by conjecture to suit the metre in v. 312. — dye 
 (tv Qolfik viv, k. t. X. The idea is, Do thou lead the 
 dance in person, O Phoebus, for I am a priestess in 
 thy temple. — tv dd<pvaig. Because his temple was sur- 
 rounded by bay-trees. — per tpsOev 7rodwv, k. t. X. " Bear- 
 ing onward, in accompaniment with me, the most be- 
 loved movement of your feet." — (Soars t6v 'Xpsvatov, 
 k. r. X. The construction is, (3oare rbv 'Yptvaiov vvfi<pav. 
 " Hymn loudly the bride in the nuptial song." Ob- 
 serve the double accusative. The common text has 
 (3o&(TaT eif rbv 'Y/isvaiov, w, which violates the metre 
 (Iambic Dim.). The correction is Paley's. 
 
 341-351. ov X^a. " Will you not take hold of."— 
 SaSovxeXg. "Thou art wont to hold the torch." — *£w 
 re peydXiov t\7ridiov. "And far away from my (once) 
 high hopes." — wg at ovx vn alxprjg, k. t. X. " How did 
 I never imagine that you would wed in this wedlock, 
 beneath the weapon's point or beneath the spear of 
 the Greeks !" i. e., how little did I think that you 
 would ever become a captive concubine. — ov yap 6p0d 
 TTvpQopeig. This would be a bad omen. — ovdk <rai Ti>xai, 
 k. t. X. " Nor have your evil fortunes, O my child, 
 been sobered down." The common reading is, ovde 
 a a\ rvxai, k. t. X. " Nor have thy evil fortunes taught 
 thee moderation ;" but this translation, though com- 
 monly given, cannot be right, the Greek itself being 
 wrong, for coMppovku is intransitive, and cannot, of 
 course, take the accusative, and vecrwcppoviicacn, which 
 some recommend (from awtypoviZu)), violates the metre, 
 the i being short. — eia^epere. " Bear within," i. e., take 
 into the tent again, do not bring here. 
 
342 NOTES ON EURIPIDES* 
 
 353-364. wvKoZe. " Cover thickly (with garlands)." 
 — trkfim. " Escort me," i. e., in the procession to the 
 tent of my new lord and master. — kclv /li?) rapd, k. r. X. 
 " And, if my movements be* not prompt enough for 
 you, push me on forcibly," i. e., if you find me reluc- 
 tant, even push me by force. Her present consent, and 
 even eagerness, is caused by the prospect which the 
 marriage affords of taking vengeance on the Greeks. 
 Hence, throughout, she bids her mother not to weep. 
 — ei yap tan AoZiag. " For if the Loxian god does in- 
 deed exist," i. e., so surely as Apollo lives, the god of 
 prophecy, and who has revealed the future unto me. 
 — 'EXevtiq. "Than that of Helen."— ktevCj yap abrbv. 
 " For I will prove his death." Her concubinage was 
 alleged by Clytemnestra as one of the causes that in- 
 cited the latter to murdei 4 her lord. — 7ts\ekw. Refer- 
 ring to the assassination of Agamemnon. — lg rpaxv^ov 
 rov i\idv. Cassandra was slain along with Agamem- 
 non. — x&Ttpuv. Agamemnon is meant. — eT<ji. Present 
 in a future sense. — prjrpoKTovovg dy&vag. " Matricidal 
 conflicts." The murder of Clytemnestra by her son 
 Orestes, and the troubles consequent on the deed. 
 
 365-372. dtiZio. She means she will prove by argu- 
 ment. Dindorf rightly gives dk for re, from two MSS. 
 " I will not sing of the axe, etc., but rather I will show," 
 etc. — ZvOeog [i£v, aXX' ofiwg, k. r. X. Euripides here ap- 
 pears to lie open to criticism. How could Cassandra 
 lay aside her madness, as if it were a controllable im- 
 pulse, and not an inspiration from heaven ? — Orjputvreg 
 EXkvtjv. Epexegetical of did fiiav yvvalica. — 6 tie GTparr\- 
 yog, k. t. X. " And their general, that wise one, in be- 
 half of those most odious to him, lost all that was 
 dearest ; having given up, for the sake of his brother, 
 the pleasures that he took in his children at home." 
 The expression 6 ootybg is, of course, ironical. By l\^' 
 (jtujv Helen is meant, who was, in fact, his worst en- 
 
TROADES. 343 
 
 emy, and whom he disliked in his heart, while he 
 fought for her through the obligation of honor. 
 
 375-385. tOvrjfjKov. "They began to die off." — ov 
 yijQ opt airoGTEpov^Evoi. " Not because they were being 
 deprived of border lands," i. e., ov\ virip bpiuv yfjg. — 
 Xvpal t tQvr)<TKov, k. t. X. " Both (mothers) died wid- 
 owed, and they (the aged husbands) were childless in 
 their abodes, having reared their sons for others," i. e., 
 for Agamemnon and his brother to lead away to war. 
 Tyrwhitt proposes dXXojg for dXXoig. — irpbg Toapovg. This 
 reading will require <pkpwv to be supplied. The com- 
 mon text has npbg rdipoig. " At their tombs," which 
 appears preferable. — i) tovS' iiraivov^ k. t. X. The idea 
 is, Truly, if this be praise (viz., the dying in a cause 
 as useless as it was unjust), the Argive army is deserv- 
 ing of it. She alludes ironically to the so-called glo- 
 rious expedition against Troy. — aiydv dfieivov, k.t.X. 
 This alludes to the adultery of Clytemnestra. Ob- 
 serve the crasis in Tyaxpa, for rd aiaxpd, the two al- 
 phas, though by nature short, coalescing into one 
 long a. 
 
 386-400. Tpweg 8L " Now the Trojans, on the other 
 hand." As if she had said, ol jxkv 'Axaioi, in v. 368. — 
 TrepifioXdg. " Enclosures." — 'Axaiolg utv d-xr\Gav i)dovai. 
 "The pleasures from whom were wanting to the 
 Greeks," i. e., the enjoyment of whose society. — rd d' 
 "E/crojOoc, k.t.X. " Hear, moreover, how the fate of 
 Hector, fraught with sorrow unto thee, really stands." 
 The true view of his death, she urges, is that he has 
 won glory by it, and an imperishable name. — 'i£ig. In 
 Bekker's Anecd. Gr., p. 99, the reading rj%ig occurs; 
 but 'Ikeiv and fjicEiv, etc., are often confounded. — xpv^bg 
 tXaOev dv yeyug. M He would not have been known as 
 a valiant warrior." — oiy&pevov to Krjdog, k.t.X. "He 
 would have had the alliance in his family not spoken 
 
344 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 of," i. e., the alliance which he had in his family would 
 never have been spoken of. Some of the MSS. read 
 Kvdog. Matthiae rightly explains the article here, to 
 Krjdog, d dx ev y v v av viy&fievov. — e7%£v. Elmsley conject- 
 ures elxev av ddfioig, but the preceding p/, as Dindorf 
 remarks, shows that elxw, by itself here, is the same as 
 elx ev &v. 
 
 403-411. yijv. "Your country." — fieXTreig 6' a fieX- 
 7rovcr\ k. t. X. " And (how sweetly) you chant those 
 things, which, while you chant them, you will perhaps 
 not show by the result to be true." — ov rdv. For ov 
 rot av. The common text has ovkovv. — ToiaTo-de (prjfiaig. 
 " With such ill-omened words." — drdp rd aefivd, k. t. X. 
 u But, after all, it seems, your fine people, and in repu- 
 tation wise, are in no respect better than those who 
 are held as naught." He alludes to Agamemnon, and 
 the idea is, Agamemnon, with all his wisdom, is about 
 to marry a woman whom I, a simple herald, would 
 not have had. The expressions rd (j^vd and voQd are 
 here, as Seidler remarks, equivalent to ol (Ts/ivoi and 
 oo(f>oi. There is no ellipsis of prj/iara^ as some imagine. 
 — rd firjSsv. Supply ovriov. 
 
 414-423. "Arpsujg. An anapaest. — rr}<j8' epwr tZaipe- 
 rov, k. t. X. " Has had to bear love for this raving 
 creature, of all persons in the world," i. e., has suffered 
 from it, as if it were a wound or an affliction. The 
 idea implied in t^aipsrov is, When so many better were 
 to be found. — dvs/ioig <pepeaQai 7rapaSid(Ofii. " I give up 
 to be borne away by the winds," i. e., I take no fur- 
 ther notice of. — w. Hecuba. — eweaOaL. Infinitive for 
 imperative. — aw^povog ywaiKog. " Of a discreet wom- 
 an." Penelope. 
 
 424-430. ?/ fcivbg 6 Xdrpig, k. r. X. " A mighty fellow, 
 truly, is this servant here ! Why then do heralds enjoy 
 
TROADES. 345 
 
 the name (that they possess) ?" i. e., the honorable ti- 
 tle and distinction. Some, however, translate, " Why- 
 are they (i. e., such fellows as this) called heralds ?" 
 i. e., when they ought to be called servants. This, 
 however, is inferior. — 'iv airkxOvf**, *• r. X. " One com- 
 mon subject of dislike to all mankind are these serv- 
 ants attached to kings and to states." Literally, 
 " (employed) round about kings," etc. — <rv <pyg. " Do 
 you (presume to) say?" Observe the emphatic em- 
 ployment of the article. — dg tfi ripfirjvevfifvoi. " Inter- 
 preted to me," i. e., communicated by divine inspira- 
 tion. — r«\\a & ovk dvetditi. "I will not, however, re- 
 proach her with the rest of her fate," i.e., I will not 
 mention, as if to reproach her therewith, the rest of 
 her fate ; namely, that she will be changed into a dog. 
 Compare Hec, 1265. 
 
 431-436. dtHTTrjvoQ. Referring to Ulysses. — we xp v<r °£* 
 That is, my misfortunes will seem delights compared 
 with what he will one day suffer. — oh 6rj, " (Having 
 w r andcred over places) where," etc. Paley calls at- 
 tention to the remarkable brevity of the language. 
 The story was so well known that the poet, in the 
 furor scribendi, did not care for strict logical cohe- 
 rence. Heath, less correctly, thinks that there is a la- 
 cuna of a whole line before this verse. — arevdv diavXov 
 ■xkrpag. " The narrow, tide-swelled strait of the rock," 
 i. e., rocky strait. The strait between Italy and Sicily 
 is meant. The term diavXov appears to have reference 
 here to the tide, or rather swell, described in the Odys- 
 sey. Compare, also, Hec, 29. — ufiocppiov r iTTKTrdrrjg. 
 " (Where dwells) the Cyclops, too, cruel-minded shep- 
 herd." If the reading be correct, the term iTnararng 
 is equivalent here to 7roifirjv. There is, however, a very 
 remarkable variation of the text, which occurs in two 
 or three MSS., and which some editions adopt, name- 
 ly, ojfjiofSopog (i.e., wfiofSpiog) r opufiarrig. 
 27 
 
346 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 437-441. ALyvvTiQ. " The Ligurian," i.e., Italian. The 
 earlier legend made Circe inhabit the island of Aeaea, 
 belonging to mythic geography. Later mythologists, 
 however, assigned Circe an abode in the insular prom- 
 ontory of Circeii, on the Italian coast. Euripides 
 seems to follow the later idea, and to have extended 
 the name of Liguria far down along the shore of Italy, 
 to the south even of Etruria. — Odkaaorig 0' aXpvpag 
 vavdyia. " (Where there will be for him) a shipwreck 
 also in the salt sea." — Xwtov t tpureg. "And the 
 strong desire for the lotus." Observe the force of the 
 plural. — at oapKa, k. t. X. " Which shall hereafter send 
 forth from their vocal flesh a voice painful to Ulysses." * 
 Observe that adpKa tpiovfatroav is for the genitive oap- 
 koq <puivt)k(T(jr)Q. Compare Horn. 0d. y xii., 395 : dpicov fikv 
 ptvoi, Kpka 8' dfi<}>' 6(3eXolg tfxefivKEi. — Cjq dk awTs/io). M And 
 that I may be brief." Literally, " May cut short (what 
 I am uttering)." 
 
 444-451. tI rovg 'Odvaoeug, k. r. X. " Why do I ejacu- 
 late the labors of Ulysses ?" i. e., why do I loudly pro- 
 claim them ? The metre here changes to the trochaic 
 tetrameter catalectic, and in all the passages where 
 this metre is employed excited narration is the char- 
 acteristic idea, with rapid motion and utterance com- 
 bined; whereas in iambic narratives there is always 
 a staid and deliberate tone and demeanor. — 'Odvaaeug. 
 Pronounced as a trisyllable in scanning. — artix. Ad- 
 dressed to Taltliybius, who had said, feVov fxot npbg vavg, 
 v. 420. — ig "AiSov. Alluding to the fate which awaited 
 both herself and Agamemnon. — vvKrog. His burial 
 was to be private, ignominious, and stealthy. — J> Sokwv 
 o£fiv6v tl Trpaaauv. " O thou, who thinkest that thou 
 art faring after a grand fashion," i. e., enjoying now 
 a proud elevation. — <papayyeg, "■ The cavities of the 
 mountain."— evia. " Mystic." Compare v ? 500, where 
 she is called ovnfi$Kxog 9eolg. 
 
TROADES. 347 
 
 453-460. \r an enov, k. r. X. " Depart from me by 
 tearings away," i. e., being plucked away by the hand. 
 She does not wish to wear these sacred symbols in 
 marriage to a mortal man. It was the tradition that 
 Cassandra, though carried off from the temple of Pal- 
 las by Ajax, had not been violated by him. Hence 
 what immediately follows, It oxhj dyvr) xp^> a - — not ' n ' 0T ' 
 tfiftaiveiv fie xpn- Not, for what destination (which she 
 knew, v. 31,4), but " Whither ought I go in order to 
 embark," i. e., whither must I go to find the ship, that 
 I may embark. — ovkst dv qQdvoig dv, k. t. X. " You 
 could not any longer be too quick in looking out for 
 a breeze for your sails." Compare Heracl., 721. — wg 
 fiiav Tpi&v, k. r. X. The idea is, You cannot be too quick 
 in departing, for you will take me home to be a curse 
 to the Greeks. — ov fiaKpdv de^eaOs \i. "You will re- 
 ceive me in no long time," i. e., you will soon receive 
 me. Observe that ov paKpav is for ovk kg /xaicpav, 
 but that the omission of the preposition is very un- 
 usual. 
 
 464-477. 7j iaeQt]<t£ts ; " Will you leave her thus neg- 
 lected V — ovroi <f>i\a rd fir) (f>i\a, at Kopai. " The things 
 that are unacceptable can in no w T ay be acceptable, 6 
 maidens." These words are parenthetical, and the al- 
 lusion is to their officious services. — icaicovg fiev avaica- 
 XJi, k. t. X. Observe the force of the article. The Greek 
 means the same as icaicoi fxhv eiaiv ol o-tyi/zaxoi, ovg dvaica- 
 Xw, dfiiog de, k. t. X. A bold sentiment, remarks Paley, 
 plainly indicating a disbelief in the popular theology. 
 The same idea occurs at v. 1280. — *x u Tl ^XW a ' ^ 
 has some form of propriety." — rdydO' iZqcai. " To re- 
 count the good things (that once were mine)." Mus- 
 grave thinks that IZydu was properly used of a mourn- 
 ful strain. — irXdov 61ktov «/i/3aXw. " I shall excite more 
 commiseration." — >) ixkv rvpawog. Elmsley's reading, 
 for fjfxev Tvpawoi. The Epic form of the first person 
 
348 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 is r) for ta, like y$rj for ydea. — ovk apiOfibv dXXwg. " Not 
 a mere number," i. e., not mere ciphers. Observe the 
 employment here of dXXug in the sense of prorsus or 
 non nisi. (Ruhnken, ad Tim. Lex., p. 199, 283.) — 'E\A»7- 
 vlg ovde fiappapog. The usual and favorite antithesis 
 between "EXXrjveg and fidppapoi suggested, as Paley re- 
 marks, the addition of the last word, though, accord- 
 ing to the Greek view, Hecuba herself was fidp/3apog. 
 We must regard fidppapog yvvrj, therefore, as equivalent 
 here to dXXrj (5dp/3apog yvvr). 
 
 483-497. i(f ipKtiy 7rvp$. "At the Hercean altar," 
 i. e., the altar of Hercean Jove. Compare v. 17. Ob- 
 serve here the peculiar meaning of irvpq, an altar, 
 namely, for burnt-offerings. — elg d^liopa wfi<pi<ov IZaipe- 
 tov. " For a chosen honor of nuptials," i. e., for choice 
 and distinguished nuptials. — aQypsOrjv. " I have had 
 taken from me." — to XoiaOiov 8k, k. r. X. " But as the 
 last coping-stone of my wretched woes." — daviMpopu- 
 tutcl. " Most unsuited." — Qvpwv Xdrpiv, k. t. X. That 
 is, to be the KXydovxog, or portress, stationed by the in- 
 side of the door to remove the bar or bolt when any 
 one required admission. — rpvxnpd. "Squalid." — irk- 
 7rXiov XaKitrfiaT. "Tatters of vestments," i. e., tattered 
 vestments. — ddoKifi' SXpioig tx HV - "Discreditable for 
 the (once) prosperous to wear." 
 
 500-509. avfipaicxz Osoig. " Bacchant with the gods," 
 i. e., wild prophetess, holding communion in thy rav- 
 ings with the gods. — olaig ZXvaag, k. t. X. " Under what 
 calamitous circumstances hast thou changed thy maid- 
 en state !" i. e., with the destruction of thy country and 
 home. — dparjv Giropd. Consult Lobeck, ad Ajac, p. 271, 
 seqq. — vtto. "Influenced by." — dovXov. "Enslaved." 
 — armada irpbg xapawrrj, k. r. X. " To some bed on the 
 ground, and some rocky ridge," etc. By Kpjjde^va is 
 here meant the ridge or crest of a rock, just as Homer 
 
TROADES. 349 
 
 calls the walls or battlements of Troy ispd Kpr}fc[iva. 
 (77., xvi., 100.) 
 
 511-521. dfiQl fioi "IXiov, k.t.X. "Sing for me, O 
 Muse, amid tears, a funereal song about Ilium on a 
 novel theme." The expression dfitpl "\Xiov is Epic. 
 Matthiae compares the beginning of the Homeric 
 Hymn to Mercury. — kcuvujv vfxviov. Not in new strains, 
 but on a subject not hitherto treated of in lyric meas- 
 ures, i. e., the capture of Troy by the device of the 
 wooden horse. — Ittik^eiov. Barnes's correction for t7n- 
 rriduov. The term properly means, " On the death of 
 relations," then generally, "Mournful," "Funereal." 
 — i £ Tpoiav. " On Troy." — TETpafidfiovog V7C diri)vaQ. 
 "Through the four - footed vehicle." The horse is 
 called here diri)va, because it ran on wheels or rollers. 
 — ovpdvia (3p£ixovTa. " Snorting loudly." The term ov- 
 pdvia is here employed figuratively. The allusion ap- 
 pears to be to the loud creaking and rumbling in the 
 transit of the machine. — tvo-n-Xov. " Pregnant with 
 arms." — tv ttvXcuq. In order to tempt the Trojans to 
 drag it within, under the pretence of its being an of- 
 fering to the temple. 
 
 522-530. dvd d' sfioaffsv, k. t. X. "And standing (there- 
 on), the people shouted aloud from the rock," i. e., from 
 the Acropolis. Observe the idiom in dirb 7rkrpaq ara- 
 9tig. — dvdyere. " Lead up," i. e., to the temple in the 
 Acropolis. — veaviutv. Bothe's emendation for veaviSwv. 
 The antithesis with yepaiog requires mention of the 
 male sex, and it was evidently, remarks Paley, not the 
 part of the maidens to do the hard work of the pull- 
 ing. — SSXiov tvxov drav. "They became possessed of 
 the treacherous evil." 
 
 533-540. ntvKq, elv ovpety, k. t. X. " To give to the 
 goddess (not a horse, but) a band of Argives, in a well- 
 
350 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 wrought fabric of mountain pine, and the destruction 
 of Troy, as a grateful offering to the Virgin of the im- 
 mortal steeds." The Greeks say x<*P lv TIV °Q as "well as 
 Xapiv tivL " An offering in honor of a person." We 
 have given Paley's rendering, who retains the common 
 reading Xoxov, inclining, however, to the substitution 
 of S6\ov, which would refer to the horse itself. Din- 
 dorf thinks 7revKg. eiv ovpeip an interpolation. If an er- 
 ror lurks anywhere, however, it must be in Zearov, since 
 it is extremely doubtful whether we can express the 
 material out of which a thing is made by the dative 
 with iv. In scanning the penult of ovpeiq, must be 
 shortened, in order to make the line a cretic dimeter, 
 corresponding to v. 513. — duviov. For dwaovaa, the 
 idea of Xa6g being implied in izaaa ykwa. (Jelf, G. G., 
 § 379, Obs. 1.) — k\<o<ttov & dfupifioXoig, k.t.X. "And by 
 means of strands of rope thrown around, just as the 
 black hull of a ship, they (drew it) to the stone seats 
 and the pavement, fraught with ruin to their country, 
 of the goddess Pallas, and placed it there." Observe 
 that kXugtov has here the force of a substantive. The 
 expression Upava Xd'iva refers to the temple of the 
 goddess, and Sd-n-eda to the pavement around it. The 
 preposition Big, moreover, takes the place of a verb of 
 motion. Paley remarks that from this passage we de- 
 rive a glimpse of the Greek custom of transporting 
 ships by land (e. g., over the Isthmus of Corinth) by 
 ropes and rollers under the keel. 
 
 543-550. XioroQ. " Pipe." These instruments were 
 sometimes so called because often made of the hard, 
 black wood of a tree named the lotus, but not to be 
 confounded with the Homeric lotus. — -n-apQkvoi d' dspi* 
 oi/, k. t. X. "The maidens, too, were plying the airy 
 beat of their feet." Observe that dvd is here for dvrjei- 
 pov, as in v. 98 we had dva for dvdeipe. Matthiae pro- 
 poses to omit the re after /3oar, in the next line, and 
 
TROADES. 351 
 
 to translate the words ava Kporov irofitiv by " comitante 
 pedum strepitu" but Paley remarks that this is hardly 
 a right use of ava here. — \ik\aivav alyXav HSukev vTzviy. 
 "Gave forth a smoky glare during sleep." We have 
 given Matthiae's explanation of n'zXaivav alyXav, who 
 remarks, u de luce fumo involute, nigricante, accipio, 
 quails est taedarum," and he compares Virgil's " atro 
 lumine fumantes taedas." (Aen., vii., 457.) — ZdiOKtv virv^ 
 There is some corruption here, as the metre of v. 530 
 clearly shows. Hermann translates vttv^ by " apud 
 obdormiscentes," which shows that he favored the read- 
 ing Trap V7rvq). 
 
 554 - 566. i/i€\7ro/iav. " Was celebrating." — <poivia 
 j3od. "A cry of slaughter." — t(3aXXe x&P a £ t7rroT}fiivag. 
 " Threw their frightened hands," i. e., threw their 
 hands in terror. — \6xov. " From the place of conceal- 
 ment." — Kopag epya UaWddog. The soldiers in the 
 horse are here confounded with the horse itself, which 
 was built " divina Palladia arte" {Aen., ii., 15.) — vea- 
 viwv. Seidler's correction for veavidwv. Compare note 
 on v. 527. — KovpoTpofytp. Hellas, as Kovporpocpog, ought 
 to have spared and educated the youth whom she now 
 destroyed. — artyavov. Ironical. 
 
 569-574. 7ropdfiEvofiEvrjv. "Conveyed (hither)." — 
 irapa S' etptcriy fiaariov hnrm. "And close by her, 
 through the oarage of her breast, follows," etc. This 
 harsh metaphor, observes Paley, is used, apparently, 
 for the sake of continuing the figure in 7rop9fievofiev)jv, 
 and because 6xog is often said of a ship. The poet 
 merely means that Astyanax is reclining on his moth- 
 er's breast; but he says that he is conveyed or pro- 
 pelled near or by her (literally, " follows ") by the oar- 
 age or rowing of her breast. It seems better, he adds, 
 to read rrdpa than irapa, i. e., not to make elpevig, depend 
 on the preposition. — vicvXoig. Probably the costly em- 
 
352 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 broidered garments, etc., taken in the houses of Troy. 
 — 'AxiXAiwe. Three syllables in scanning. 
 
 578—589. tI ttcliolv t/ibv <ttev6Z,elq ; " Why groanest 
 thou forth my paean ?" i. e., why do you utter w/iot, an 
 exclamation that belongs rather to me ? Observe that 
 iraiav here, by a species of euphemism, is employed for 
 Oprjvog. — tujvo dXykuv. u For these woes." Genitive 
 of exclamation. — kfi&v r evyeveia naidiov. "And my 
 nobly born children." Literally, " The noble birth of 
 my children." — Kairvovrai. Compare v. 8. — poXoig. The 
 optative, to express a wish. — tekviov drj-n-or dfitiv, k. t. X. 
 " Once the first-born of my childen unto Priam, take 
 me to (my rest in) Hades." Some editions place a com- 
 ma after Trpeafivyeveg, and connect Jlpid^ with Koifiiuai, 
 which they change to Ko^iaac. " Bear me unto Priam 
 in Hades." But the metre opposes this reading. 
 
 590-603. olde 7r69oi fieydXoi. " These regrets we feel 
 are great," i. e., the regrets we feel, you for a son, I for 
 a husband, and both for our country. — ax^rXia. Ad- 
 dressed to Hecuba. Bothe retains the old reading, 
 (TXtrXia, and says that the a is long by the ictus me- 
 tricus. — dXyrj. Supply fieydXa. — abg yovog. ■ Paris. — 
 Qe$ irapd TlaXXdSi. That is, near the statue of the god- 
 dess herself, in the very precincts of her temple. Ob- 
 serve that 0e$ becomes a monosyllable in scanning. — 
 TErarai. For Urerarai. — tfvvfre. " Has come unto." — 
 Kai sfibv doftov. Supply Saicpvio. — tvO' IXoxtvQyv. " In 
 which I was delivered," i. e., first became a mother. 
 Compare Bacch., v. 3 : ZipeXrj XoxtvQeia darpair^op^ 
 TrvpL — 8pijfi67roXig. " Destitute of a city." Seidler's 
 reading for tprjfiog vroXig. — dddicpvrog. Dobree suggest- 
 ed this to be a gloss, so that dXykwv will make the con- 
 cluding foot of an hexameter. 
 
 605-617. novffa 9\ rj Xvirag i%ei. "And music which 
 
TROADES. 353 
 
 has one's sorrows for its subject." Some read Movaa, 
 k. r. X. " And the Muse who has sorrows for her theme." 
 Compare Med., 190. — Qetiv. Monosyllable in scanning. 
 — rd fiijSev ovra. "That (before) were nothing." — rd 
 doKovvr. " The things that appeared fair." — Xda. " As 
 booty." — kg dovXov. "To the condition of a slave." 
 The person for the thing, that is, SovXov for dovXeiav. — 
 e\ov. " Undergoing." — to rfjg dvdyKt)g. For dvdyKij. — 
 Kan. For Kai dirb. — dXXog rig Aiag dsvrspog. "Some 
 other second Ajax." Agamemnon is here called a sec- 
 ond Oilean Ajax, as having resolved to marry, sacri- 
 legiously, one consecrated to the god. — vootig U xdrepa. 
 " But you are unfortunate in other matters also," i. e., 
 in the loss of another daughter. Observe that srepa 
 here appears to have the force of dXXa, a usage not un- 
 common in Attic, especially in Aristophanes. — &v y ovts 
 pirpov, k. t. X. " (Yes ! in matters) of which there is nei- 
 ther measure nor number unto me." Hecuba misunder- 
 stands the allusion in the previous line, and replies, Yes, 
 indeed, to an extent beyond measure or contemplation. 
 
 619-628. dxjsvxy. Hermann conjectures tv^vxy, but 
 the whole point lies in the circumstance of a cherished 
 life being sacrificed to a lifeless corse. — tovt UeTvo, 
 k. t. X. u This is that very enigma which, though clear, 
 Tal thy bius some time ago uttered unto me not clearly," 
 i. e., clear of import, though not clearly expressed, or, 
 clear enough, though not clear to her at the time. — 
 icd7reKo\pdfirjv. " And I mourned over." The verb liter- 
 ally refers, in the middle voice, to beating the breasts 
 in sorrow. — Trpo<T<j>ayndr<ov. " Immolation." — oh tclvtov, 
 w 7raT, k. t. X. " To die is not the same thing, my child, 
 with the beholding of the light of day," i. e., wretched 
 as you may be, life is still life, and, since it is cheered 
 by hope, it is better in any case than death. 
 
 629-635. w [irjrep, k. t. X. This verse and the sue- 
 
354 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 ceeding one are suspected by Dindorf to be spurious, 
 or interpolated from some other play. Musgrave, fol- 
 lowed by Burges and Bothe, reads ov reicovaa, but this 
 is needless, since the mother of Polyxena may be 
 meant (" Oh ! thou that didst bear her "). As to Din- 
 dorf's objection, that koXXkttov \6yov is inappropriate 
 since the audience would have looked only for some 
 good news after such a preface, this is well answered 
 by Paley. Such, namely, was the love of Euripides 
 for the philosophy of the schools, that he may have 
 meant " an excellent argument," or one " most adapt- 
 ed to console." — wov. That is, in respect of absolute 
 insensibility to ill. — dXyel yap ovfev, k.t.X. "For he 
 (that is dead) grieves not from having been conscious 
 of ills," i. e., from any consciousness of them. This is 
 the simplest way of explaining the sentence. Some, 
 without any necessity, make the construction to be dX- 
 ysl yap ovdsv, ovdkv yaOrj/nkvoQ KaKwv. — \pvxi)v aXarai, 
 k. t. X. " Wanders away in mind from former felicity," 
 i. e., is ever thinking of and ever missing it ; or, in oth- 
 er words, is ever tortured by the remembrance of the 
 past. 
 
 638-648. lyu> cs ToZEvoaaa, k.t.X. "But I, having 
 shot at high repute, after having obtained a larger 
 share of it than usual, missed the point I had gained," 
 i. e., lost it. It is best, as Paley remarks, to make sv- 
 doZiag depend on To&vaaaa. Some, altering the punc- 
 tuation, make it depend on nXeTov. In Tv%r), especially 
 coupled with its correlative apapTavuv, the hitting the 
 mark, or point aimed at, is meant. — autypova. "Be- 
 coming duties." More literally, "Discreet acts." — 
 TTputrov iikv, evOa, k. r. X. " In the first place, where 
 (whether a slur may already attach to women or not) 
 this very conduct brings ill-repute with it to one who 
 does not remain within," etc. Observe that 7rpu>rov 
 fiw is answered by rk in v. 649. The passage is ob- 
 
TROADES. 355 
 
 scurely worded, and all from v. 642 to v. 651 has been 
 regarded as an interpolation by Seidler and Dindorf. 
 — elaio re fieXaQpwv, k. r. X. " And I admitted not with- 
 in my halls the clever sayings of women," i. e., their 
 gossip and romantic notions. The employment of the 
 middle in ei<re<ppovnr)v is, as Paley remarks, an excep- 
 tional use. 
 
 649-667. o/ipa rjavxov. " A quiet eye." A staid, tran- 
 quil, or quiet eye, which the Greeks regarded as a 
 mark of (Tio^poavvrj, — viicrjv Trapuvai. " To concede the 
 victory." — Ttivde kXij^v. "The report of this con- 
 duct." — iraptoaaaa. " Having forgotten." More liter- 
 ally, " Having pushed aside," i. e., from memory. — 
 Kcikt}. u Base." — kfxavT7)Q ^airoraig fxi(rr](To^ai. " I shall 
 make myself hated by my masters." — Kairot Xsyovmv, 
 k. t. X. Dindorf regards from this verse to line 667 as 
 an interpolation, without assigning any particular rea- 
 son. — cnrkTTTvo avrrjv. u I have always held in abhor- 
 rence her." Compare note on Med., 707. — icairoi to 
 Ojjptwdeg, k. t. X. " And yet the brute is both without 
 a voice and without the use of reason, and is also in- 
 ferior in nature." 
 
 674-680. eXdaaio. Supply icaicd. She here comes to 
 the point she had undertaken to prove at v. 627. — 
 ovde KXkTTTojxai <ppsvag, k. t. X. " Nor am I beguiled in 
 mind (by the pleasing delusion) that I shall fare at all 
 well (for the time to come)." — eg ravrbv tficeig crvfKpopag, 
 k.t.X. "You have come into the same condition of 
 misfortune with myself, and, by lamenting your own 
 (lot), you teach me where I am in respect of woes," 
 i. e., by lamenting your own sad plight, you remind 
 me of nty own. 
 
 681-695. avri) fikv ov7rw, k. r. X. Hecuba compares her 
 condition to that of sailors in a storm. When the gale 
 
356 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 is moderate, they employ every effort to insure their 
 safety ; but if it is excessive they give themselves up 
 to despair. So she, from the pressure of her many 
 misfortunes, is speechless and powerless. — ypa<j>y. " In 
 a picture." Sea-pieces must therefore have been paint- 
 ed in the time of Euripides. — 6 d' i-irl Xatyeaiv fcftwg. 
 " And another presiding over the sails," i. e., the man- 
 agement of the sails ; meaning the Trodtg , or sheets. — 
 dvrXov e1pyu)v vadg. " Keeping the bilge-water out of 
 the ship," i. e., baling it out as fast as it enters. — Ivdov- 
 reg. " Having given in to," i. e., having yielded to. — 
 Trapeicrav. "They are wont to surrender." Observe 
 the force of the aorist. — Traptio iCo vrdfia. "Having 
 succumbed, restrain my tongue." Literally, " Permit 
 it (to be quiet)." Hartung considers this expression 
 a faulty one, and reads t^w. — ovk. For 6 Ik. — Tag fikv 
 "Eicropog rvxag taaov. " Dismiss the fortunes of Hec- 
 tor." Supply x ai P uv -— avaei. In the sense of restor- 
 ing.— QiXov feXeap. " The pleasing endearment." 
 
 697-703. Tralda rovde Tcaifog. "This son of my son." 
 Astyanax, son of her son Hector. — KaroiKhnav . Sup- 
 ply Tpoiav. Some copies give, however, "iXiov for vote- 
 pov, rendering an ellipsis unnecessary. The historical 
 allusion is to the rebuilding of Troy by Aeolian colo- 
 nists. — Xoyog. " Subject of discourse." — Xdrpiv. The 
 Scholiast thinks that this, perhaps, is not Talthybius, 
 but another herald, though the former name is pre- 
 fixed as a dramatis persona. The reason for this opin- 
 ion is that the man here exhibits much feeling and 
 reluctance to give pain. 
 
 706-719. Aavaufv re mXoTridiov re. " Of both the Da- 
 nai in general and the Pelopidae in particular," i. e., 
 Agamemnon and Menelaus, descendants of Pelops. — 
 tdo£e rovde Tralda. Aposiopesis. — jxiov ov tov avTov, k. t. X. 
 " Surely not should have a different master from us ?" 
 
TROADES. 357 
 
 The ov merely negatives rbv avrov. The reply of An- 
 dromache here implies literally an ellipsis of ZdoZe from 
 . the previous line. — tTryvza aiSio, k. t. X. " I commend 
 (and ever shall) your delicacy of feeling, except in case 
 you may have good news to tell (and then I commend 
 not the reserve that withholds it)." Most copies give 
 »ca»ca, but these words are constantly confused. Here 
 Kaica gives, says Paley, an evidently wrong sense. — 
 tig kXvm, k. t. X. Exclamation. — vikcjl. " Carries the 
 day," i.e., with his opinion. — \k£ag. " Having urged 
 upon them." Referring to Ulysses. — rwv avrov irspi. 
 " In the case of his own (offspring)." 
 
 720-732. M. Dindorf gives Mv after Jacobs, mak- 
 ing this line a continuation of the account of Ulysses' 
 speech. But this is unnecessary. Talthybius merely 
 tells Andromache what must now be done by herself 
 or others. — tog yevkaOto. " So let it be." Observe that 
 ijg is here for o'vrujg, as the accent indicates. — \ir\r avrk- 
 Xov rovd'. " Nor cling to this one," i. e., do not op- 
 pose his removal. — evyevtog. "With a noble spirit," 
 i. e., not in the craven spirit of a slave. — fii)re aQkvovaa 
 prjUv, k. r. X. u Nor, being powerless, think that you 
 are powerful." — Kparu. For the passive, compare He- 
 racl., 944. — kpav. Depending on fiovXofiai. So Spav 
 in the next line. — piirTuv dpdg. "To fling forth im- 
 precations," i. e., rashly to utter them. This would 
 be a bad omen on departure. — KSKTriftevrj. " Bearing." 
 Literally, " Possessing." 
 
 735-751. 7repi<T(Ta rifirjOiig. " Prized above all things." 
 The masculine participle agrees with tUvov, by syn- 
 esis, as if the latter word had been iral. — r) rov irarpbg 
 evyevsia. " Thy father's noble worth." Being the son 
 of a brave sire, you would be the more feared by the 
 Greeks if they allowed you to live. — to 6' eo-QXbv ovk, 
 k. r. X. " For the valor of thy sire came not in good 
 
358 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 season for thee." — ovx &>Q otyayElov, k. t. X. A very sus- 
 picious line. In the first place, v<payuov in this pas- 
 sage alone means "a victim." Elsewhere it means a 
 vessel for holding the blood. And, in the next place, 
 it is very awkward to supply iraltia with Ifiov. — ovk 
 
 eltTLV "EKTiop. " Hector will not come." — ov vvyyevEia 
 
 7rarp6g. " Nor will thy father's kindred come." — irveiin' 
 aTToppriZeic (teOev. " Thou wilt break off the breathing 
 of thy existence." 
 
 752-766. v7rayKa\i(Tfia. " Burden for the bended 
 arms." — xi ^™? *)$*> Trvev/ia. Compare Med., 1075.— did 
 KEvrjg. Equivalent to fiaraiiog. Supply 7rpd&(og. — fjid- 
 ttjv 6' tfioxQovv, k. t. X. This verse occurs also in the 
 Medea, v. 1030. — ttpogttitve n)v tekovgclv. " Come unto 
 her that bare thee." Observe the force of ^poo-mTve, 
 so beautifully expressive of a child running up to and 
 throwing itself into its mother's arms. — tyolg vwtokti. 
 The arms of the child are to be thrown around the 
 mother's neck, and clasped behind. — j3dp(3apa Kaicd. 
 " Barbarian ills," i. e., worthy of Persians or Scythians, 
 not of civilized .Greeks. — Aiog. Supply Gvydrrjp. — 'AXd- 
 (Tropog. " From some evil genius." — Kijpa. " A source 
 of ruin." 
 
 769-773. dyers, <pspere, k. t. X. This verse is so defi- 
 cient in rhythm that Paley thinks it can hardly have 
 been written by Euripides. Moreover, Kai is wanting 
 in most of the old copies. — Ik 0eu>v. " By the very 
 gods." Observe the force of Ik. — dprjZm. " To ward 
 off." The verb dpfiyw has here the force of d\ivvm. 
 Compare Med., 1276 ; Heracl., 840.— £7rt KaXbv yap epxo- 
 pai, k. r. X. Andromache here finally leaves the stage. 
 
 779-784. areipdvag. " Battlements," i. e., so called as 
 crowning the ramparts. — hpdvOrj. " Has been passed." 
 More literally, " Has been determined." — XajifidvETE. 
 
TROADES. 359 
 
 Said to the guards that accompany him. — Kal dvaiMq, 
 k. r. X. " And more a friend to relentlessness than my 
 mind is." The old reading was vperkpag, corrected by 
 Tyrwhitt, and most of the old copies give dvaifoiag, 
 which was probably the cause of the former error. 
 
 787-793. tL a iyu dpdtno ; "What shall I do to 
 thee ?" i. e., by way of showing the last token of affec- 
 tion. — rdde uoi didofXEv, k. r. X. The idea is, We have 
 nothing to give but the expression of our anguish. 
 That is all we can call our own. Take it, and fare- 
 well. — Ko7rovg. Seidler's emendation for Krvirovg, which 
 violates the metre. — riovde yap dpxofiev. " For over 
 these things (alone) have we control," i. e., for this is 
 all that is left over which we have any control. — firj 
 ov x^joetj/. " Of going." More literally, " So as not to 
 be going." Observe that [irj ov becomes pov in scan- 
 ning. 
 
 795-805. nz\i(j(joTp6<pov 2aXa/i7i>oe, k. t. X. Troy twice 
 captured, by Hercules, and by the Atridae, is the sub- 
 ject of this elegant but difficult ode. — rag E7riKEK\ifie- 
 vag, k. r. X. " That lies in the direction of the sacred 
 hills," i. e., near to the Acropolis of Athens, which 
 commanded a view of the island. — W tXaiag, k.t.X. 
 According to the legend, Minerva planted the sacred 
 olive with her owg hands on the rock of the Acropo- 
 lis. — e$ei&. u Showed forth." She not only gave it, but 
 she pointed out to her people its utility and its mode 
 of culture. — yXavicdg. Compare Supply 258. — owapi- 
 (ttsvojv. A better reading than GvvapHTTEvaojv, because 
 the object of the expedition is conveyed by iKTrkpouv. 
 
 806-810. or t(3ag a<j>' 'EXXddog. These words, says 
 Paley, are clearly corrupt, nor has any satisfactory cor- 
 rection been proposed. The poet could hardly have 
 written efiag . . . rb 7rdpoi9' or epag, and therefore we 
 
360 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 must suppose or tflag atf 'EWadog to be a gloss, espe- 
 cially as the last word is immediately repeated in the 
 next sentence. The metre would be satisfied by read- 
 ing air' "Apyovg for a<f>' "EXXddog. Elmsley proposed 
 air oiKd)v. — 7rwXwv. " On account of the steeds," i. e., 
 which Laomedon had promised to Hercules if he 
 would deliver his daughter Hesione from the sea-mon- 
 ster. — tvxarjE. u Stopped." — icai vavder avrjiparo Trpvp- 
 vav. "And attached the cables to the sterns," i.e., 
 and made secure the stern-fasts. Observe that 7rpvpvdv 
 is the gen. plur. — x € i°«c evaroxiav. " His skilfully han- 
 dled weapons," i. e., the bow and arrows, with which 
 his hand took skilful aim. — AaofiedovTi tpdvov. On hav- 
 ing taken the city, he slew Laomedon and his sons, 
 excepting Podarces, afterwards called Priam. 
 
 812-817. Kavoviov £e rvKiunara &oifiov, k. t. X. " And 
 having demolished, with the red fire-blast, the chisel- 
 lings after the plumb-line of Phoebus," i. e., the stones 
 squared and put together by his rule, or, in other 
 words, the walls of Troy. The rvKog was a mason's 
 chisel, the KavJjv the red line by which stones were 
 marked for squaring. The stone-work here meant is 
 in opposition to the rude Cyclopean masonry. — dig Se 
 Svolv ttltvXoiv. " And twice with attacks." Literally, 
 a Rushings," i. e., quick movements of troops. One 
 attack by Hercules, and one now Igr the Argive host. 
 — KariXvaev. Supply avrd. 
 
 819-839. fidrav dp. " In vain, then," i. e., to no pur- 
 pose, then, O Ganymede, dost thou serve Jove, in all 
 the luxury of thy celestial life, while the land that 
 bore thee is being consumed with fire. — 7r\r)piof*a. 
 " The filling." — d Se ae, k. t. X. Burges very neatly 
 gives yd tie ere, k. r. X. — laxova, k. t. X. The reading in 
 the text is Seidler's, adopted by Dindorf, for iaxov, 
 olov olwvbg TEKSiov V7r£p ftoy. — at fikv. Supply fiouHTi. — 
 
TROADES. 361 
 
 ivvag. "Their husbands." For evvaropag, the com- 
 mon reading, corrected by Seidler. — dpofioi. Compare 
 Hippol., 229. — <jv dk TrpoauTra, k. r. X. " But thou mean- 
 while keepest a youthful countenance, beautiful in its 
 calm graces, near the throne of Jove." 
 
 840-858. "Epiog, "Epug, k. r. X. The meaning is, that 
 the love of Aurora for the Trojan Tithonus, by bring- 
 ing about an alliance of a mortal with a god, caused, 
 or joined in causing, the walls of Troy to be built by 
 Laomedon, the father of Tithonus, and Apollo. — fieXtov. 
 "Being an object of care." — iivvpy^aag. "Didst thou 
 exalt." — to fxev ovv Aiog, k. t. X. " I will no longer, then, 
 speak of what forms the reproach of Jove," i. e., his 
 apathy and neglect of the Trojans. — 'Apepag. That is, 
 'Hovg. Aurora. The meaning is, But I will say how 
 the goddess Aurora witnessed (when she ought to 
 have averted) the destruction of Troy. — 6\o6v. " With 
 baleful influence." Equivalent here, according to Seid- 
 ler, to 6\6o<ppov. — tekvottoiov tx ov<Ta -> K ' T ' ^* " Through 
 having a husband of this very land, as the father of a 
 race," etc. Observe that txovoa agrees with r'uxspa, im- 
 plied in afikpag <psyyog. — i\7riSa. From the alliance of 
 Tithonus with Aurora, great aid to Troy was expected. 
 — tcl Geujv Sk <pi\rpa, k. t. X. " But the loves of the gods 
 have come to naught for Troy," i. e., have proved of 
 no advantage to that city. 
 
 860-864. w KaWKpeyyeg, k. r. X. " O fair-beaming light 
 of the sun this day." Observe the limiting effect of 
 rode. Menelaus appears on the stage, escorted by sol- 
 diers or other attendants (67raoveg, v. 880). His ven- 
 geance has been satisfied by the death of the perfidi- 
 ous Paris, against whom, rather than for the recovery 
 of his wife, the Trojan expedition was undertaken. 
 He has now come to carry away his faithless consort, 
 who is one of the captives, to Argos, where she shall 
 28 
 
362 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 be put to death in atonement for the many lives she 
 has caused to be sacrificed. — teal arpdrevix 'AxaiiKov. 
 "And the Grecian army along with me." He does 
 not mean icai ovrog ecrri orparbg 'A%atW, but, I am Me- 
 nelaus, I who, together with the army, underwent so 
 many labors. The words icai (rrpdrevfi 'Axclukov are add- 
 ed somewhat negligently. Grammatically we may sup- 
 ply kfioyrjcre avv efioi. — oi>x oaov doKomi fie. That is, ov 
 togovtov wg doKOvvl fie. Supply kXOeiv. 
 
 870-883. r] -rot ijv Ifirj. For she had ceased to be 
 the wife of Menelaus, and had become the bride of 
 another. He purposely disowns the connection that 
 he may treat her as a mere captive. — ol-n-ep yap avrrjv, 
 k. r. X. " For they who obtained her by great toil 
 with the spear." — eire. " Or if." — rbv iv Tpoia. Sup- 
 ply pe(3ov\Evfisvov. — iacrai. " To leave alone." — dovvau 
 "To give her up," i. e., to the relations of the slain. — 
 izoivdg. The accusative is here in apposition with the 
 previous sentence. — 7rk^ojx^v. " We will convey." A 
 signification arising from the meaning of escorting. 
 
 884-894. w yrjg oxw a - " ° sta y of earth." The term 
 oxwa means primitively anything that bears or sup- 
 ports. Some very erroneously render it here " char- 
 iot." We have here, remarks Paley, a very curious 
 passage, containing the speculations either of Anax- 
 agoras or some philosopher of the atheistic school of 
 Diagoras ; and the more curious because its novelty 
 and singularity are recognized in the words of Mene- 
 laus : evxag wg eKalvtaag Oewv. " How strange a prayer 
 you have addressed to the gods." The poet, without 
 the fear of a prosecution for impiety before his eyes, 
 intimates that Jupiter, if there is such a being at all, 
 is either the air, that both sustains the earth and rests 
 upon it ; or the irresistible power of nature to produce 
 all things after a certain law ; or else Reason or, rath- 
 
TROADES. 363 
 
 er, the directing agency which ordained all things from 
 the first and which exists in the soul of every man. — 
 dv(TTo7ra(TTog eiSkvai. " Hard to know even by conject- 
 ure." — Sl d\p6<pov (3aivwv keXevQov. "Proceeding by a 
 noiseless path." The ways of Providence are silent 
 and secret. One does not hear the footstep of the 
 god on the road that he treads. — Trjvde. Helen. — alpel. 
 u She captivates." — /c^X^ara. " Spell-like arts." — x ot '- 
 For Kal 01. 
 
 895-913. dZiov <p6(3ov. "Worthy of fear," i. e., well 
 calculated to alarm. — kKTrkuwo^ai. " Am I hurried 
 forth." — axeSbv {xiv olda. " I know almost for certain." 
 — yvu>iiiai riveg. "What resolves there are." — ovk eig 
 dicpij3eg ijXQeg. "You have not come to an accurate 
 weighing of your deserts," i. e., your case is not to be 
 inquired into now ; that has already been done, and it 
 only remains for sentence to be inflicted. — irpbg ravr. 
 " To this point." — rovd' ivdefc. " In want of this," 
 i. e., deprived of this privilege of a hearing. — rovg iv- 
 avriovg \6yovg. "A speech on the opposite side." — 
 twv icaicwv. " Of her evil doings." — (rvvreOeig d' 6 nag 
 \6yog. " And my whole speech, when brought togeth-" 
 er," i. e., the summing up of the whole case, the bal- 
 ancing of the arguments both for and against her, will 
 leave her not a chance of escape. — axoXrjg to dtipov. 
 "The grant is one requiring leisure." Paley makes 
 the meaning to be, The gift is granted, not from favor 
 to her, but because I have leisure to hear both parties. 
 This can hardly be correct. The idea rather is, The 
 discussion proposed will require delay, which I would 
 rather avoid. Still, however, etc. — wg fi&Qy. " That 
 she may know this." 
 
 916-924. lyoj 8k, 'd <j olficu, k. r. X. " I, however, set- 
 ting in array against each other my charges and thine, 
 will reply to thine, which I think thou wilt allege 
 
364 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 against me," i. e., weighing against each other the 
 charges I have to bring against you, and those you 
 have to bring against me. Of course, Menelaus, and 
 not Hecuba, is addressed, as the masculine lovra shows. 
 — TTp&rov fj-sv, k. r. X. Helen commences her defence by 
 shifting the responsibility of the war upon others. — o 
 7rps(jpvg. Priam. — daXov irucpbv fiifirjfia. " That sad im- 
 personation of a firebrand." Hecuba had dreamed 
 that, in becoming, the mother of Paris, she was giving 
 birth to a lighted brand.— ttotL "Formerly." — Tpta- 
 abv Zevyog. " The triple team." A figure not in very 
 good taste. 
 
 925-930. domg. "The proffered gift."— Caviar avai. 
 " Should overthrow." — 'Aaiad' EvptJTrrjg 0' opovg, r. r. X. 
 " That he should have Asia and the bounds of Europe 
 as one kingdom." — ef <r0e Kpivuev Udpig. " If Paris 
 should give her the preference." Observe that Kpivsiev 
 has here the force of 7rpoKpiveiev, and compare Heracl., 
 197. — tK-rrayXovixEvrj. "Extolling highly." — Swauv. Sup- 
 ply l/xe, as implied in rovfiov. 
 
 932-948. Oeag. Monosyllable in scanning. — ov Kpa- 
 tzigQ' Ik flappapiov, k. t. X. " You are not (as you might 
 have been) ruled over by barbarians, having either 
 been brought into contact with their spears, not (cer- 
 tainly) by regal power (imposed)," i. e., you are not 
 under barbarian rule, having either been conquered 
 in war, or having received the yoke of a master. Ob- 
 serve the unusual construction ovre . . . oi>, the change 
 to ov in the latter clause being intended for emphasis. 
 — 7rpa0eiaa. " Having been sold," i. e., to Paris by Ve- 
 nus, as a reward for his decision in her favor. — 1% <Lv. 
 " (For those things) on account of which." — avrd. rdv 
 iroaiv. " The real matter now before us." Literally, 
 " The things themselves that are at our feet," i. e., the 
 real question on which guilty or not guilty turns. — o 
 
TROADES. 3G5 
 
 Trjtrd' dXdffrujp. " The evil genius of this woman here," 
 i. e., the evil genius attached to her destinies. — Kpqcriav 
 %96va. Menelaus had left Sparta to superintend some 
 private affairs in Crete, where his grandfather Cretheus 
 had left him his successor in the sovereignty. Mean- 
 while he had left his house unguarded, trusting to the 
 honor of his wife. — tov-ttI T<fid'. " As to what followed 
 this." — tyjv 6e6v. Venus. — Kptiaouv. " More powerful." 
 
 951-960. I vQev d\ " After this, however." — ev7rp£7rri \6- 
 yov. "A specious charge." — r\v'iK ovk ijv, k. r. X. " When 
 my union with him was no longer controlled by divine 
 agency." She dwells particularly on the plea that Ve- 
 nus alone was the cause of her marriage with Paris. — 
 t(nrevdov. " I strove earnestly after." — eg yrjv k\£7ttov- 
 aav. " Trying to steal away (and let down) to earth." 
 Compare V. 1010. — likEKraiaiv. Supply atipaig. — ovtoq. 
 This is said with real or affected contempt, not foi- 
 ktikujq, as Bothe maintains. After the death of Paris, 
 who was shot by Philoctetes with his far-famed bow, 
 Deiphobus, the brother of Paris, took Helen to wife. 
 — clkovtcjv <bpvyiov. Because the Trojans were anxious 
 to put an end to the war by restoring Helen to her- 
 lawful lord. The fate of Deiphobus from the hands 
 of the Greeks is beautifully told by Virgil, Aen. y vi., 
 494 seqq. 
 
 9G1-965. In. "After this," i. e., when these pleas 
 have been fairly laid before you. — diKaicog. Objections, 
 remarks Paley, have been raised, and with good rea- 
 son, to diKcticog closely following tvdiKwg. There is no 
 appearance of corruption in the passage, and therefore 
 it is probable either that the poet wrote carelessly, or 
 that he intended some difference of meaning. Mat- 
 thiae regards Qvyigkuv IvdiicioQ as one idea, '•' To die by 
 way of recompense or retaliation," and so leaves dacal- 
 wg to express the claim of Menelaus before all others 
 
366 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 to inflict it. — ra d' oIkoOev kslv, k.t.X. " While that 
 natural gift (my beauty), instead of the prize of victo- 
 ry, has cruelly brought me (a captive) to slavery." She 
 argues thus : My marriage was inevitable ; my beauty 
 I could not help ; and I am therefore to be pitied, not 
 blamed, since this beauty has brought me to misery. 
 Therefore further punishment is undeserved. — to xpy- 
 Zelv afiaOsg, k. r. X. " The wishing for this is a foolish 
 thing in thee." 
 
 967-977. 7rei9u) foacpOeipovaa r/Jtrde. " By refuting the 
 persuasive speech of this woman." Valckenaer in- 
 geniously conjectures tteiOvj dia^Oepel ce TTjvde. — Seivbv 
 ovv Tode. A hit, says Paley, at the demagogues of the 
 day. — QeaZo-i. A dissyllable in scanning. — iyu) yap v Hpav, 
 k. r. X. Her first argument is that Argos and Athens 
 never would have been subject to Troy, as Helen had 
 pretended (v. 933), while two of the three rival god- 
 desses were patrons of Hellas, and, therefore, unlikely 
 to let a mere freak have such serious consequences. — 
 aTrrjuTroXa. " Bartered away," i. e., sold in exchange 
 for her own victory in -the contest for beauty. Ob- 
 serve that the indicative is used here, not the infini- 
 tive, because the statement of Helen is, for the mo- 
 ment, assumed and dealt with as if it were true. — ilaX- 
 Xdg £g, k. t. X. " While Pallas, on the other hand, bar- 
 gained that Athens," etc. Supply airrjuiroka from the 
 previous clause. — at 7rai^ml(7t, k. t. X. " They who (as 
 you pretend) came to Ida through childish trifling 
 and wanton rivalry respecting external appearance." 
 She denies here the truth of the common legend. — tov 
 yap ouvek. Observe tov for rivog. 
 
 979-986. OeOjv. Monosyllable in scanning. — %>w/u- 
 vrj. " Hunting after." — XeicTpa. "Nuptials." — to gov 
 Kcticbv KoufiovGa. " Dressing up your own fault," i. e., 
 putting a specious guise on your own misbehavior. — 
 
TROADES. 367 
 
 firj ov 7rei(jyg aotyovg. "I am afraid you will not per- 
 suade persons of sense (to believe you)." The ov was 
 added by Seidler, and seems necessary to the sense. — 
 ykXojg 7roXvg. " A subject of much laughter," i. e., very 
 ridiculous. — avraig 'AfivicXaig. u Together with Amy- 
 clae itself," i. e., Amyclae and all. Aniyclae was the 
 birthplace of Castor and Pollux, and the royal abode 
 of Tyndareus, the father of Helen. — ijyayav. Supply 
 o-£. Dindorf gives ijavxog o-', with Hermann, in place 
 of ij<Tvx6g y', rendering an ellipsis unnecessary. 
 
 988-997. e7roir)9n JUvirpig. What you attribute to Ve- 
 nus was really owing to your own immodest feelings. 
 — to. pupa yap ttclvt, k. r. X. a For all their foolish acts 
 are a Venus unto mortals, and rightly does the name 
 of the goddess commence the word aQpovvvrj," i. e., all 
 irregular passions are charged on Aphrodite by man- 
 kind, etc. Observe the play upon the words 'A<ppo- 
 Sirr] and aQpoffvvri. She means, however, that 'Acppodirrj 
 comes from atypoavvr), not the converse. The line is 
 quoted by Aristotle (Rhet., ii., xxiii.). — ov ye. The Lat- 
 in quippe quern. — "Apyei. The Peloponnesus generally 
 is here meant. — fiiicp ix ov( * avearptyov. " You used to 
 live, possessing (comparatively) slender means." — tt\v~ 
 ®pvyu>v 7ro\u>, k. t. X. " You expected that you would 
 swamp by your expenditures the city of the Phrygi- 
 ans, flowing as it did with gold." She hoped that by 
 marrying the wealthy son of a wealthy king, she would 
 eclipse even the wealthy citizens in her splendor. — 
 Tcug acug tyKaOvfipiZeiv rpv<pa7g. "For your luxury to 
 revel in." 
 
 999-1009. fiofiv. "Cry for rescue." — avKvyov re. 
 " And his brother." Pollux. Matthiae, less correctly, 
 connects avlvyov with Kaaropog. " Thy brother." — aov 
 icar ixvog. " On your track." — y\v dk. dopnreTrjg dyojvia. 
 "And a deadly conflict with the spear ensued." — ra 
 
368 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 rovde. " The affairs of this one," i. e., the side of Menc- 
 laus. — oidkv ijv ode. She played double with the' two, 
 alternately praising and disparaging them, so that, 
 however the war went, she might still retain one of 
 them. — tovt fjGKEig. " You kept practising this," i. e., 
 kept working at it. — rdpery d' ovk ?]9e\eg. " But you 
 were not willing to go with merit," i. e., to follow the 
 side of superior merit. Observe the crasis for ry dpET?j, 
 and supply ETreaOat with ffiekeg. 
 
 1010-1028. kXettteiv. " That you tried to steal away." 
 Compare v. 958. — IX^Orjg. " Were you caught."— (3p6- 
 Xovg dpru)jxEvr}. " Having nooses hanging to you." The 
 construction here will remind the student of Horace's 
 " Laevo suspensi loculos tcibulamque lacerto." {Epist., i., 
 i., 56.) — kcl'itoi ye. As yk does not usually follow icai- 
 Toi, we ought, perhaps, to transpose, and read Kairoi 
 a ivovQerow ye, with Burges. — cgeXfl'. " Go away (from 
 Troy)." — ovvEKic\E\pa<ja. "Having aided thy furtive 
 departure." — vfipgeg. " Thou didst play the haughty 
 one." — 7rpo(jKvvEi<jQai. " To be saluted with lowly rev- 
 erence," i. e., in the Oriental manner of prostration on 
 the ground. This the Greeks held in especial con- 
 tempt. — fieydXa ydp ?)v aou " For they were great 
 things in thy eyes," i. e., such acts of servility were 
 highly prized by thee. — tni towSe. " After all this." 
 — d<jKr)<m<ja. " Having carefully decked." — KdfiXE-tyag. 
 Crasis for icai efiXExpag. — d7TE<TKvQi<TfiEvr)v. " Shorn bare." 
 The verb d7ro<ncv0iZu) properly means "to scalp," as 
 the Scythians treated their slain. Helen ought to 
 have cut off her hair in mourning, rather than to have 
 adorned her person, after such conduct, discreditable 
 to her alike as a wife and as a Grecian woman. Helen, 
 therefore, by way of producing a stage effect, had come 
 forward magnificently dressed in contrast with the 
 other captives. — tni rolg irpoadEV ripaprrjjjLEVoig. " After 
 thy former offences." 
 
TROADES. 369 
 
 1029-1035. oh " Up to what point." — (TTEtpdvioaov. 
 "Crown," i.e., place Greece in the position of first 
 among all nations in punishing vice. A metaphor bor- 
 rowed from the games. — Qv^gkuv, fyne, k. r. X. " That 
 she dies, whosoever," etc. — k&qeXov irpbg 'EWddog, k. t. X. 
 " And remove from thyself the reproach (thou bearest) 
 from Greece, and the charge of effeminacy." — evyevr)g. 
 " Of manly spirit." 
 
 1036-1047. lg ravrbv \6yov. " Into the same way of 
 thinking." — x*l Kv7rpi£ ko/jutov, k. t. X. " And Venus is 
 introduced into her speech merely for specious ap- 
 pearance' sake," i. e., in order to gloss over the whole 
 affair. — d-n-odog lv fiLKptf. " Recompense by a brief pe- 
 riod of suffering." — W elSyg. "In order that thou 
 mayest learn." — /») npog oe yovdruv. Compare Med., 
 324. — ttjv voaov rrjv twv Oeiov, k. t. X. " Having imputed 
 unto me the malady sent by the gods," i. e., the moral 
 malady of my offences brought upon me by destiny. — 
 fitfe 7rpod(pg. "Nor do thou betray." — rrjade 8' ovk 
 typovriaa. "I have no concern (any longer) about 
 this woman," i. e., I intend to take no more trouble 
 about her, and it is needless to urge me any farther to - 
 put her to death. I shall merely give directions to 
 have her taken back to her native land. 
 
 1049-1059. fir) vw veujg, k. t. X. Hecuba, who knows 
 Menelaus's weakness and Helen's power too well, pro- 
 tests against the Course mentioned by the former. She 
 is certain he will relent should he be exposed any 
 longer to her winning arts. — \iulov (3pl6og, k. t. X. " Has 
 she greater weight than before ?" i. e., is she more like- 
 ly to sink the ship ? — ovk tar kpaarr)g, t. t. X. " He is 
 not a lover who does not love always," i. e., a lover 
 once is always a lover, and, therefore, you will not be 
 able to keep your resolution. — o-n-wg dv k/3#, k. r. X. 
 " (That is) as the disposition of those loved shall have 
 29 
 
370 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 turned out to be," i.e., according as the disposition of 
 the loved one shall have proved, for love may vanish 
 unless it is reciprocated. — kul Qr)<ru. "And she shall 
 establish (a law)." — to fia>pov avrtiv. " Their inconti- 
 nence." Compare v. 989. — Kav It we IxQiovtg. " Even 
 though they be still worse (than this one)." This pas- 
 sage, says Paley, is one of the bitterest the poet has 
 written against the sex. 
 
 1060-1070. or,™ df). "Thus then." Observe here 
 the force of dij, like the Latin ergo, indicating that a 
 thing is done forever, that all hope of averting the 
 evil is fled. — TreXdvuv <p\6ya. " The flame from the sa- 
 cred cakes." — alQepiag. "Vanishing in upper air." — 
 Xibvi 7roTafiio:. " By the river-snow," i. e., by the snow- 
 water brought down by the mountain streams. Some 
 think there is an allusion to the sources of the Sca- 
 mander, which Homer describes, II., xxii., 151. — rep flo- 
 ra. " The boundary," or limit, of the horizon on the 
 east. The ancients had a notion that Ida was first 
 smitten by the eastern rays, which it collected and 
 dispersed as from a small radiant nucleus. Compare 
 Lucretius, v. 662 ; Pomp. Mel., ii., 18. — rdv /caraXa/*7ro- 
 fi&vav, k. r. X. " The divine abode illumined by his 
 (earliest) beams." 
 
 1073-1090. TravvvxidtQ Osujv. Alluding, probably, to 
 the orgies of Cybele. — Z,dQeoi aeXdvai. " The divine full- 
 moons." Alluding to the festival of the full-moon or 
 plenilunia. Paley, however, refers it to the vovfirjviai, 
 or festivals of the new-moon. The vvv in o-vvduSeica im- 
 plies their uninterrupted and continuous celebration. 
 — a (ppovelg. " Whether thou regardest," i. e., carest 
 for. — ovpaviov Upavov kTripefiug. " Inhabiting the heav- 
 enly abode." Seidler first gave IwipEpiog for the com- 
 mon t7ri(3e(3r)icojg, to suit the strophic verse. — ipdg. In- 
 serted by Hermann. — opfid. " Rush." — dwdpog. " Un 
 
TROADES. 371 
 
 washed," i. e., without being washed, as was customary 
 with a corpse. — aiavov 7rrepoX(ri. "Skimming along 
 with its wings." — KvKXw-ina. Any walls of that primi- 
 tive and widely extended masonry, composed of irreg- 
 ular large-sized stones, with smaller ones in the inter- 
 stices, were called "Cyclopean," but especially those of 
 Argos and Mycenae. — Kardopa. " Hanging from their 
 mothers' necks." — ariveiy fioq. /3o«. u Are groaning, 
 they cry, they cry." A manifest corruption. Bothe 
 proposes daQzvu /3o£ /3o£, "ImbeciUo damore clamant." 
 A better reading, as Paley remarks, would be da9evT} 
 ftoav flog* 
 
 1091-1106. /*ovav. u Left all alone.*" InDidotfsedi- 
 tion, jiovag is inadvertently retained from Barneses text. 
 — Uiropov Kopv<pai> "IcrOfiiov, k. t. X. " The Isthmian sum- 
 mit overlooking two seas, wkere the settlements of Pe- 
 lops have their gates," The allusion is to the hill 
 called Acrocorinthus, commanding a view of two seas, 
 the Aegean and Ionian, and situate on the isthmus, 
 which is the gate or pass into the Peloponnesus. Com- 
 pare Horace's Mmarem Gorinihum, — MwsXa. Genitive 
 of MtvsXag, just as both 29epeXag and 2(kvkX<io£ occur. 
 — ciiraXrov kpbv ava pkaov, ic r. X. u The holy, thunder- 
 flashing fire of the Aegean, hurled with both hands, 
 might fall amid the ships," The epithet SiTraXrov 
 means in reality, " Hurled by Jove with ail his might." 
 — irXarav. Seidler's correction for the old reading 
 TrXdrav. Dindorf prefers irXdrag. — Alyaiov. That is, 
 such lightning as commonly occurs in the Aegean. 
 Supply rnXdyovg. — 'iXwOev yaOzv. "From Ilium, out 
 of my native land." Equivalent to airb 'iXiov etc yrjg. 
 
 1107-1117. xpvvza & worn-pa, k. t. X. This verse and 
 the next are parenthetical, and then, at v. 1110, Me- 
 veXag, from v. 1100, occurs as the subject of ?X9oi. The 
 idea is, "I am carried away as a slave, while Helen 
 
372 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 still enjoys all the luxury of wealth." The Chorus 
 appear not to know that, at v. 871, she was reckoned 
 among the other captives. — ir6\iv Uirdvag. Pitane, 
 here called a 7ro\ic, was one of the districts or divis- 
 ions of Sparta. It was at the ford of the Eurotas, and 
 consequently in the northern part of the city, and was 
 the favorite and fashionable place of residence, like 
 Collytus at Athens, and Craneion at Corinth. — x a ^o- 
 ttvKov Oeav. Minerva xaXjciouco?, who had a temple in 
 the Acropolis. (Pausan., iii., 17, 3.) — dvaya^ov alaxog 
 tXwv, k. t. X. " Having taken (and borne off with him in 
 captivity) an ill-wedded disgrace unto mighty Greece, 
 and (a cause of) sad sufferings unto the streams of the 
 Simois," i. e., having taken in war, and carrying off 
 as a captive, her whose unfortunate marriage with him 
 brought disgrace to Greece and sorrow to Troy. — kul 
 Zi/jioEVTiaaiVy k. r. X. The old reading was raig Zifioev- 
 ticti r au, and Tpwy<m>, corrected by Musgrave and Her- 
 mann to suit the metre. 
 
 1118-1122. ia> cw, k. r. X. "Alas! alas! new calami- 
 ties for our country, succeeding to still recent ones !" 
 With icaivwv supply clvtL from the sense of fiErapdXXov- 
 crcu, i. e., fiETaXkaaaoiizvai. These words are uttered by 
 the Chorus, on the appearance of Talthybius, bearing 
 on a shield the corpse of Astyanax. Sudden events 
 have called away Neoptolemus, to whom Andromache 
 had been allotted (v. 274), and, as she has been carried 
 away with him, her last request is now conveyed to 
 Hecuba, to see to the burial of her unfortunate child. 
 — diaicrjfia iriKpdv. " By a cruel hurling." 
 
 1123-1141. vecjg \iiv irirvKog elg. "One oar-plashing 
 of a ship." Periphrasis for " a single ship." Compare 
 Hippol., 1464 ; Alcest., 798. — Xd^vpa rcnriXonr. " The 
 remaining spoils." — dvrJKrai. "Has already sailed." 
 From avayu).— "Akcigtoq. Son of Pelias, and brother of 
 
TROADES. 373 
 
 Alcestis. He bad driven out Peleus, the grandfather 
 of Neoptolemus. — Qdaaov ?/ x^P LV povrjg c%wv. " More 
 quickly than if having the gratification arising from 
 delay," i. e., too quickly to indulge in delay. The ex- 
 pression x&piv fxovrJQ is the same as to xapi&aQai ry tov 
 fisvsLv i7n0vfii$. — dyajyog. " The cause." More literal- 
 ly, ■" The drawer forth."— afs. Neoptolemus. — 9d\j>ai. 
 " That some one inter," i. e., during her absence. — <p6- 
 (3ov t 'Axaiujv, k. r. X. " And, as regards this brazen- 
 backed shield, the terror of the Greeks, which, etc., 
 (she begged him) not to take it to the abode of Pe- 
 leus." — Xvttclq updv. " A constant source of sorrow to 
 behold." Observe the force of the plural. — Ksdpov. 
 Compare Alcest., 366. — 7repi(36Xiov te Xaiviov. These are 
 the cairns or tombs constructed of loose stones, so 
 Commonly found in the centre of barrows, to contain 
 the ashes, with or without cinerary urns. Paley thinks 
 that the sense is not " instead of a cedar coffin and a 
 stone tomb," but " or a stone tomb," because it does 
 not appear that wooden coffins were so protected and 
 enclosed. 
 
 1144-1155. ojq *x €t r " (T «- That is, " In your present- 
 circumstances." — 67r€t (3sj3riKe. " Since she herself has 
 gone." — to r&xog. " The hurry." — yrjv t<£S' i-rca^-Kiaxov- 
 rec, K.T.\. m "Casting earth upon this one, will raise a 
 spear (upon his tomb)." Matthiae and Dindorf read 
 k7ratnriGx6vTeg, the aorist participle, which suits the 
 sense better than the present part., as given here by 
 Paley. — opvicrbv avappriZojv rd<pov. u To open an exca- 
 vated tomb," i. e., to dig a grave. — vvvTOfi elg %v ZweX- 
 Oovra. "Having quickly come together into one," 
 i. e., having been speedily combined. — olicad' bpiirjvy 
 TrXdTTjv. " May set in motion homeward the blade of 
 our oar." 
 
 1156-1166. dficpiropvov. "The well-rounded." — jxei- 
 
374 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 lov oyicov, k. t. X. " Having greater pride of the spear 
 than of intellect," i. e., priding yourselves more on 
 prowess with the spear than superiority of intellect ; 
 or, in other words, putting forth pretentious claims to 
 be warriors, rather than to act like wise men. — §6vov 
 Kaivov. " A new kind of murder," i. e., hurling from 
 the walls. — ovdkv r)r dpa, k. t. X. " You were then (it 
 seems) nothing, when, though Hector was prosperous 
 with the spear, and countless forces besides, we never- 
 theless kept perishing; but when the city had been 
 taken and the Phrygians had been destroyed, you 
 feared so greatly a mere child," i. e., at first, when, 
 though we stoutly opposed you, you could neverthe- 
 less keep us in check, you were, it seems, of no ac- 
 count in your own eyes, and wanting in valor ; where- 
 as now you are scared by a mere child, and have had 
 to summon all your courage to withstand him ! — ovk 
 alvio <p6fiov, k. r. X. " I approve not of fear (in him) 
 who fears without having examined (the grounds of 
 it) by the aid of reason." 
 
 1170-1172. fiaicapiov. " Is able to confer happiness." 
 — vvv avr idujv, k. t. X. Observe that avr is for aura, 
 as the accent shows. The idea intended to be con- 
 veyed is this : that as the heir to the throne of Priam 
 (both his father and grandfather being dead), he had 
 seen with his eyes and known in his mind only (i. e., 
 not in practice or reality) what it was to be a king, 
 but had not had the opportunity to enjoy the honors 
 which he possessed by right in his own house. 
 
 1173-1179. Kparbg wg a ticupev, k. r. X. " How wretch- 
 edly have the walls of thy native city, the tower-crown- 
 ed ramparts of the Loxian god, shorn away from thee 
 the clustering lock of thy head." Observe that the gen- 
 itive Kparog depends on poarpvxov. — kytXp. "Laughs 
 forth." It isJLnipossible, remarks Paley, to render this 
 
TROADES. 375 
 
 word closely in English. The notion is taken from 
 the open lips of a wound, which show the interior 
 flesh between. As this is a bold and unwonted figure, 
 Hecuba in a manner apologizes for it by adding W 
 aluxpa n?) Xsyio. " That I may not use terms shocking 
 in their nature." Such w T ould have been tKKkxvrai tyics- 
 <pa\og, for instance. — eUovg. From eikw. The old read- 
 ing was EiKovg, contracted from tiKovag . — iv dpOpotg ticXv- 
 roi. " All relaxed in your (little) joints." Where the 
 energy of life is most shown by muscular action. 
 
 1181-1190. eiairiwTwv. "Making up to and clinging 
 to." — aoL " In memory of thee." — Kiofiovg. " Many a 
 band." — TrpoaQQsyfiaTa. " Salutations," i. e., to thy 
 manes. — dl r tfiai rpo<pai. "And those nursings of 
 mine." — vwoi r tuTvot. "And those (broken and anx- 
 ious) slumbers." More literally, "And those slum- 
 bers," i. e., such as they were. Seidler conjectures 77-0- 
 vol for virvoi, Hermann proposes vttvol t dvvvoi. The 
 worst emendation is vfivoi, given by Musgrave and fol- 
 lowed by Bothe. — as. Like Xsyeiv nvd tl. To say some- 
 thing of a person. — iiovgottoioq. " The bard." — rbv irai- 
 3a rovde. " The boy that sleeps here below." Liter- 
 ally, " This boy here." 
 
 1192 - 120G. 7raTp(fu)v. " The possessions of thy 
 fathers." — KaXXiTrrjxw. " The well-formed." — <j>vXaKa. 
 " Guardian." As a shield preserves the arm of the 
 wearer from harm, so in turn the arm is the keeper or 
 guardian of the shield, so that it is neither captured 
 by the foe nor left on the battle-field. — <n£. Dobree's 
 emendation, followed by Dindorf, for g6q. — rv-rroQ. " The 
 imprint of his grasp." — TrpoanQtig yeveiadi. " Applying 
 thee to his cheek." The sweat ran down the face and 
 beard, from the exertion of the fight, and dripped 
 upon the rim of the shield when raised to the face, 
 leaving a mark of rust or stain upon it. — kog^lov. Com- 
 
376 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 pare Alcest, 161. — ov yap lg Ka\\og,K.r.\. "Since the 
 deity gives no resources for rich adornment." — ev Trpao- 
 auv. " That he is securely prospering." To be joined 
 in construction with fikfiaia. — rolg rpoiroig yap, k. t. X. 
 " For the dispensations of fortune, in their natures like 
 a man smitten with frenzy, leap at one time in one di- 
 rection, at another in another, and the same man is 
 not always fortunate." The sentence, remarks Paley, 
 would have stood more fully thus : a\ yap Tvx a h ™Tg 
 TpoTtoig evfiera(3o\oi, wg t/jnrXrjKTog avOpioirog, k. r. X., for 
 the comparison does not consist in TrriStiaiv wg avOpw- 
 7ro£, but in rolg rpoiroig wg i/nrXiiKTog dv0pu)7rog. — avrog. 
 Valckenaer's emendation for avrog, u of himself," i. e., 
 without the intervention of good fortune. 
 
 1207-1217. irpb x* l P&v. Compare Bhes., 274. — hrirptg 
 viKi}(javTa. That is, she does not crown you as a vic- 
 tor in a chariot race. For among the Koapog offered at 
 funerals were arktyavoi. Observe, moreover, that the 
 accusative is used, as if she had intended to say ore- 
 (pavu> ere. — lg 7r\rj(TfjLovdg. " To excess." That is, not 
 to the excess of luxury and expenditure to which the 
 Greeks carried their passion for racing. — a <z<})ei\e0'. 
 " Has bereft thee of them." — ektelve. " Has brought to 
 a close."-—! I, I I, Qpeviov, k.t.X. The common text 
 has l I, (ppevwv. The addition is made on conjecture, 
 to change the line to a dochmiac dimeter from an 
 iambic dipody and dochmius. — Wiyeg, scil. Qavuv. 
 This is said to Hector, and is a mere parenthesis in 
 the speech. 
 
 1220-1233. IKaTTTto xpoog. " I now fit to thy person." 
 — prjTEp. Vocative for nominative by attraction to pre- 
 ceding vocative. — crEtyavov. " Be crowned," i. e., re- 
 ceive this crown. — QavEl yap ov Qavovaa avv vEKpif. " For 
 thou shalt go to the grave with the corpse (which thou 
 bearest), though not (like it) having lost a human life." 
 
TROADES. 377 
 
 — TciKpbv udvpna. " A sad object of grief." — tatcxov. De- 
 pending on arsvaZov in v. 1228. — rXr^Kxiv larpbg bvofi 
 txovtja. "A wretched physician, having merely the 
 name (of one)." — rapya d' ov. Because, as she oper- 
 ated on a corpse, she could not expect the results 
 which a surgeon looks for from the art of healing. 
 
 1236-1250. 7titv\ovi;. The quick motion of the hands, 
 like an oar-stroke. Paley thinks that x ei Ph m the pre- 
 vious line, is an interpolation, especially as x H P°£ f°l- 
 lows in this one, and it is omitted also by Bothe and 
 Seidler. — <rag evewe, k. t. X. There is some corruption 
 here. Dindorf encloses 'Ejca/fy within brackets, and 
 regards crag as the end of some lost word. — ovk i)v dp 
 kv Oeolai, k. t. X. The idea is, It seems, then, that the 
 only things the gods had any concern for were my 
 woes, and Troy, the especial object of their detestation. 
 — 7TEpil3aXojv Kdna xQovog. " Having thrown his arms 
 around (and hurling us) beneath the earth." — cioiddg. 
 " Subjects of song." — veprspuv aHcprj. " Ornaments of 
 the dead." — KTEpiafiaTwv. "Funeral gifts." — yavpufia. 
 " Subject of boasting." 
 
 1253-1259. KarUafi^e. "Has brought to a close." 
 A common metaphor from the ottjXj; of the stadium. 
 The old reading was KariyvaxpE, corrected by Burges. 
 — s7tl <ro(. Probably corrupt. Paley suggests kv aol, 
 i. e., iv r<£ <T(f QavaTip. — SioXuXag. Astyanax. — Kopvtyalg. 
 " Heights." Pointing to some spot, says Paley, which 
 was supposed, to represent the distant Acropolis or 
 Pergamus, unless we can understand "house-tops," 
 and so suppose Talthybius (v. 1260) to address some 
 Greek soldiers seen with torches above the prosceni- 
 um. — (pXoykag SaXoTm, k. t. X. " Waving to and fro their 
 hands all gleaming with torches." A species of me- 
 tathesis, for diepsGGovTag tyXoykovg SaXovg xejOffiV.— julXXei 
 irpofTsaeoOai. " Is about to be added." 
 
378 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 1260-1270. avdui \oxayo7g. "I proclaim unto you 
 leaders of bands." — reraxOe. In the sense of Trpoare- 
 raxOe. — fioptyag dvo. " Two indications," that is, says 
 Matthiae, for the Trojan captives (the Chorus) to de- 
 part at the sound of the trumpet, and for Hecuba to 
 follow him immediately. Paley, however, more cor- 
 rectly, it would seem, thinks the words might equally 
 well refer to the command given above to the Xoxayot, 
 and to the further orders now communicated to the 
 captives generally. — dpOLav -nxu. "The loud, clear 
 blast." 
 
 1274-1283. Igct/u. Present, as usual, in a future sense. 
 — ■ fioXiQ. "Though with difficulty." — ug d(77rd(rujfiai. 
 "That I may salute," i. e., make my parting address 
 to. Hecuba here moves across the stage, and holds 
 out her arms in the direction where Troy was repre- 
 sented to lie. — & fxeyaXa df)7ror, k. r. X. " O Troy, that 
 didst formerly breathe a mighty spirit," etc. The old 
 reading ainrvkova will not answer here, since avairviiv 
 means "to recover breath." The kv in ip-rcvkova car- 
 ries with it the idea of "in the case of" other rivals. 
 — leal ri tovq Oeovg icaXti ; k. t. X. Such sentiments, re- 
 marks Paley, are not necessarily to be taken as proofs 
 of a disbelief in the care of the gods, but rather as re- 
 proaches for their neglect. — avv ryde 7rarpidi, k. r. X. " To 
 die at once along with my country wrapped in flames." 
 
 1284-1297. svQovmfg. "Thou ravest." — icai ttbixtteiv 
 yspag. " And to send her, as his reward." — irpvravi ®pv- 
 yie. " Lord of Troy." Jupiter was before accused (v. 
 1063, seqq.) of having abandoned his city to the foe. 
 — yevfra 7rarep. " Father of the race." He was the 
 father of the Trojan race, because Dardanus was the 
 son of Jupiter and Electra. — Uepydficov re, k. r. X. A 
 corrupt passage. Dindorf 's reading, which Paley him- 
 self follows in his larger edition, is as follows : 
 
TROADES. 379 
 
 XiXa/JLirsv "I\io?, 
 
 JJepyd/JLtov te irvpl KaraidzTai ripefxva 
 
 Kal 7roAis ctKpa ti Tiiytaiv. 
 
 1299-1300. nTkpvyi de kclttvoq, k. r. X. "And as some 
 smoke (scattered) by the fire-fan, this land, having fall- 
 en dreadfully by the spear, wastes away." Paley here 
 follows the reading (ovpdvia) and explanation of Seid- 
 ler, who takes ovpdvia adverbially, making it, when- 
 joined with 7re<Tov<ra, equivalent to magno cam corruens, 
 and taking Trrkpvyi in the sense of pnridi, as referring 
 to the fan (flabellum) used by the ancients in kindling 
 or reviving a fire. Seidler's main argument in favor of 
 ovpavia, and in opposition to the other readings, ovpa- 
 via and ovpaviy, is that the two latter vitiate the metre. 
 Dindorf, however, though reading ovpavia with Seid- 
 ler, prefers ovpavia, as agreeing with 7rrepvyi, and Paley 
 also gives ovpavig, in his larger edition. If we adopt 
 this latter and much more natural reading, the mean- 
 ing will be, " And as some smoke with heaven-ascend- 
 ing wing, this land, having fallen by the spear, wastes 
 away." — fiaXepa Karddpofxa. " Are furiously overrun," 
 i. e., devastated. It is best to take fiaXepd here in an 
 adverbial sense. This verse and the succeeding one 
 form a fiea^dog, that is, a portion of a choral ode com- 
 ing between a strophe and antistrophe, without any- 
 thing to correspond to it. 
 
 1305-1321. riQuaa. When the Chorus say to Hecu- 
 ba that, in exclaiming w TSKva, she is invoking those 
 who are no more, she replies, " (True, I do this), both 
 . placing my aged limbs on the ground, and beating 
 the earth with my two hands." — Siddoxd ooi. " In my 
 turn, after thee." — dXyog, dXyog (3o$g. Parenthetical. 
 — dioTOQ d. " Art ignorant of." — owe KareicdXv^e. Sup- 
 ply <T£. — oaiov. Agreeing with ak understood. — X6y%av. 
 "The point." — rdx k QiXav ydv, k.t.X. " Soon will 
 
380 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 you fall nameless to the beloved ground," i. e., ye, the 
 temples and palaces, being deserted, will soon fall in 
 ruins upon the loved soil which reared you, and your 
 very names will become extinct. — Kovig $ lay, k. r. X. 
 " And the dust, ascending to the sky with a wing like 
 that of smoke, will make me ignorant of my home," 
 i.e., will make me know it no more. By koviq is meant 
 the dust of the falling houses. 
 
 1322-1333. vvofia 8k yag, k. t. X. " The name, too, of 
 the land shall pass away into obscurity ; already one 
 thing has gone in one direction, another in another," 
 etc. The allusion in aXXg. dXXo is to the plunder of 
 the captured city, now carried off to various Grecian 
 cities. — ktvtcov. Paley thinks that a stage effect was 
 here produced by the tumbling down of some heavy 
 body, to represent the fall of the Acropolis. — evomg. 
 " The shock."— 67rt/cXvo-£i. " Will overwhelm." — (papers. 
 " Bear," i. e., support. — to y5, k. t. X. This and the 
 next line are commonly read after v. 1302. They ex- 
 actly answer antistrophically, remarks Paley, to 1316- 
 17, being antispastic (Oewv in 1316 being a monosyl- 
 lable). Moreover, the address iw ya precisely coin- 
 cides with the preceding to* . . . 7r6^ig. 
 
SCANNING 
 
 OF THE PRECEDING PLAYS. 
 
SCANNING 
 
 OF THE PRECEDING PLAYS. 
 
 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 
 
 1. When a verse consists of one metre, it is called Monom- 
 eter ; when of two metres, Dimeter; when of three metres, 
 Trimeter; when of four metres, Tetrameter ; when of Jive me- 
 tres, Pentameter ; when of six metres, Hexameter; when of 
 seven metres, Heptameter, etc. 
 
 2. In Iambic, Trochaic, and Anapaestic verse two feet make a 
 metre, but in all the rest one foot alone constitutes a metre. 
 
 3. Hence in Iambic, Trochaic, and Anapaestic verse a Mo- 
 nometer consists of two feet, a Dimeter of four, a Trimeter of 
 six, etc., whereas in all the other kinds of verse a Monoine- 
 ter consists of one foot, a Dimeter of two feet, a Trimeter of 
 three, etc. 
 
 4. Verses are denominated Acatalectic when complete^ 
 Catalectic when they want a syllable at the end to complete 
 the measure; Brachycatalectic when they want two syllables 
 at the end; and Hypercatalectic when they have a syllable 
 over at the end, beyond the complete measure. 
 
 5. By Arsis (dpacs, "a raising") is meant the rise of the 
 voice on that part of the foot which has the rhythmic accent, 
 or ictus. By Thesis, on the other hand (OtVt?, u a lowering "), 
 is meant the sinking or lowering of the voice on that part 
 of a foot which has not the ictus or beat. 
 
 6. An Anacrusis (JtvaKpov<xL<s, " a striking up ") is a syllable 
 put before a verse, and to be pronounced apart from it. In 
 other words, it is a thesis with which a rhythm commences. 
 
 7. A Base (/3a<ris) consists of two or more syllables put be- 
 fore a verse, and to be pronounced somewhat apart. 
 
 8. By Isochronous feet are meant those which consist of 
 the same number of times and are interchangeable in metre ; 
 
384 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 but this interchange depends strictly upon the position of 
 the arsis. Thus, those feet only are isochronous which arc 
 capable of being divided into parts that are equal in time, 
 so that a long syllable shall have either a correspondent long 
 syllable or two short ones. 
 
 9. A Dochmius regularly consists ofw L _ ^ _, or an An- 
 tispast and a long syllable ; but, as the long syllables may be 
 resolved each into two short times, and the short syllables 
 may be regarded as ancipites, and consequently lengthened, 
 there arise thirty-two kinds of Dochmii. The Dochmius is 
 peculiarly adapted to express strong mental agitation. 
 
 10. By Logaoedic verses are meant such as, on account of 
 the conjunction of dactylic and trochaic numbers, appear 
 to hold a middle station between song (ccolBv) and common 
 speech (Xo'yos). The term is also applied to a combination 
 of anapaests and iambi. 
 
 11. In Greek plays the Choruses are commonly divided 
 into Strophes and Antistrophes, the Antistrophe containing, 
 line for line, the same kind of verse as the Strophe, but al- 
 lowing the admission of isochronous feet. Sometimes a 
 Strophe and Antistrophe are followed by an 'E7rto<5os, or 
 Epode, coming in as a sort of conclusion, and hence deriving 
 its name, which means "after song." The scanning of the 
 Epode is different from that of the Strophe. 
 
 12. Sometimes a Mso-oxSo's, or "middle song," intervenes 
 between the Strophe and Antistrophe, consisting generally 
 of a few verses. 
 
 13. The Strophe, Antistrophe, and Epode all bear a cer- 
 tain relation to each other in .sense, and the three combined 
 may be regarded as forming one lyric piece. This compo- 
 sition, moreover, is called choral, because certain dancing 
 movements on the part of the Chorus are connected with 
 it. 
 
 14. Sometimes Strophes occur without any correspond- 
 ing Antistrophes. These may run on to any length, at the 
 pleasure of the poet. 
 
 I. IAMBIC TRIMETER ACATALECTIC. 
 
 1. This measure consists of three metres, each containing 
 two feet, and hence, from its six feet, it is often termed Sena- 
 rius. It is likewise styled the Tragic trimeter, from its em- 
 ployment by the Greek Tragic writers in the dialogue of the 
 play. 
 
SCANNING. 
 
 2. The scale of this measure is as follows : 
 
 385 
 
 1 2 3 4 5 6_ 
 
 ( Proper 
 ( Name. 
 
 3. The laws of the scale are as follows : 
 
 1. The Iambus may enter into any place. 
 
 2. The Tribrach into any place except, the last. 
 • 3. The Spondee into the uneven places (1, 3, 5). 
 
 4. The Dactyl into the first and third. 
 
 5. The Anapaest only into the first. 
 
 6. In the case oi a proper name, an Anapaest may enter 
 into any place, except the last, provided always that 
 the Anapaest be entirely contained within the prop- 
 er name. 
 
 4. The double perpendicular rule in the scale eliows the 
 termination of each metre. 
 
 II. TROCHAIC TETRAMETER CATALECTIC. 
 
 1. This measure is commonly called the Tragic tetrameter, 
 and it has with the Tragic writers the caesurr, almost always 
 at the end of the fourth foot. It contains swen feet and a 
 half, whence its name, each metre, as in Iambic verse, con- 
 taining two feet. 
 
 2. The following is its scale : 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 1 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 -W 
 
 -W 
 
 -w 
 
 -w 
 
 _w 
 
 - 
 
 
 ^ w 
 
 
 WW — 
 
 
 WW — 
 
 
 -WW 
 
 -WW 
 
 -WW 
 
 
 -WW 
 
 -WW 
 
 
 - 
 
 j T roper 
 ( Name. 
 
 3. Hence the laws of the scale are these : 
 
 1. The Trochee may enter into all the places. 
 
 2. The Tribrach into all. 
 
 3. The Spondee into the even places (2, 4, 6). 
 
 4. The Anapaest into the even places (2, 4, 6). 
 
 5. The Dactyl only in proper names, and then only into 
 the 1st, 2d, 3d, 5th, and 6th places. 
 
 30 
 
386 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 III. ANAPAESTIC VERSE. 
 
 1. The Anapaestic Dimeter Acatalectic of Tragedy consists of 
 four feet, two feet making a metre, as in Iambic and Trocha- 
 ic verse, and it derives its name from the striking predomi- 
 nance of the Anapaestic foot, though it frequently admits 
 the Dactylic dipodia. 
 
 2. In what is termed a regular system, it consists of Di- 
 meters, with a Monometer (two feet), otherwise termed an 
 Anapaestic Base, sometimes interposed, and is concluded by 
 a Dimeter Catalectic, technically called a Paroemiac verse. 
 
 3. The Anapaestic Dimeter Acatalectic admits the anapaest, 
 dactyl, and spondee indiscriminately, except that a dactyl pre- 
 ceding an anapaest is never found within the same dipo- 
 dia, as too many short syllables would thus be brought to- 
 gether. 
 
 4. Spondaic Anajmestics, as they are sometimes called, are 
 Anapaestic lines heavy with spondees running on continu- 
 ously, and are purposely used to produce a mournful ca- 
 dence. 
 
 5. A genuine Paroemiac is one where an anapaest precedes 
 the closing or catalectic syllable. The opposite to this is 
 where a spondee precedes. 
 
 6. A very important feature in Anapaestic verse is the 
 doctrine of Synapheia, which is neither more nor less than 
 continuous scansion, that is, scansion continued with strict 
 exactness from the end of one line of the Anapaestic system 
 to the beginning of the next, until we reach the last syllable 
 of the Paroemiac, which syllable, and which alone, as being 
 the end of the system, may be long or short indifferently. 
 Thus: 
 
 eiV apdfxov kfxol Kal (/uXotjjtgc 
 (nrtvdcov cttevBovtI tto& v&i- 
 
 Here the last syllable of the first line becomes long, from 
 the union of the short vowel a in (piXoTijra with the con- 
 sonants o-tt at the beginning of the next line, it being thus 
 lengthened by position. Had a single consonant, or any 
 pair of consonants like Kp, tt\, etc., followed at the begin- 
 ning of the second line, the final syllable of </>i\ot»jto would 
 have been short, in violation of the metre. 
 
SCANNING OF THE RHESUS. 
 
 Verses 1-22 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except, 
 verses 4 and 12, which are Manometers, and verses 6, 10, 14, 
 and 22, which are Paroemiacs. 
 
 Verses 23-33 form a Strophe, to which the Antistrophe, from 
 verse 41 to verse 51, inclusive, corresponds line for line. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 28,vi,-ww-!,wl, Glyconic. 
 
 24, --,- ~w-,_, Glyconic. 
 
 25, w -1,^_,>__, _^,_w,_, Iambico-Trochaic. 
 
 26, -w,L., 1^^, L^^, Dactylic Tetrameter. 
 87,lvv,lwv_,i-, Glyconic. 
 
 28, w, — ^~, _^.w^,_, Dactylic with Ana- 
 
 crusis. 
 
 29, ±^,--,1^^, 1^~,1-, Trochaico-Dactylic. 
 
 30, - - w, _ w ^,_, Dactylic. 
 
 31, lw,__, -lw,__, Trochaic. 
 
 32, - w w , 1 w w , _ , Dactylic. 
 
 33, — ^wwww,^_^,w_,_, Antispastic Dimeter. 
 
 Verses 34-40 are all Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except 
 the last (v. 40), which is a Paroemiac. 
 
 Verses 41-51 form an Antistrophe, corresponding line for 
 line with the previous Strophe (vv. 23-33). 
 
 Verses 52-130 are all Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 131-136 form a Strophe, to which the Antistrophe at 
 vv. 195-200 corresponds. 
 
388 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Verse 131, w w w_ www, w w w_w_, Dochmiac Dime- 
 ter. 
 
 132, www_w_,w w_, Dochmiac Dime- 
 
 * ter. 
 
 133, w w w_w_, Dochmiac Mono- 
 
 meter. 
 
 134, w w w_ w_, w — _ w _, Dochmiac Dime- 
 
 ter. 
 
 135, w w w w, w w w_ w_, Proceleusmatic 
 
 and Dochmius. 
 
 136, www_w— ,w_l,w_, _iw,_, Dochmius and 
 
 Iambico-Tro- 
 chaic. 
 
 Verses 137-194 are all Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 195-200 form an Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 Strophe at vv. 131-136. 
 
 Verses 201-223 are all Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 224-232 form a Strophe, to which the Antistrophe at 
 vv. 233-240 corresponds. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 224, — -,w_,-iww,Zww,_, Iambico-Dactylic. 
 
 225, - w, ._ w, 1 w, Ithyphallic. 
 
 226, 227/ w.:,w_,_, 1 ww, 1 ww,Z_, 1 ww, 
 
 — w w, _, Iambico-Dactylic. 
 
 228, -w, ,Zww,Iww,^_, Trochaico-Dactylic. 
 
 229, 230, 2 - w, _ _, 1 w w, 1 w w, _, Trochaico-Dac- 
 
 tylic. 
 231, 232/ _, Z w w, Z w w, 1 _, J^ w, _ w, 1 _, Dac- 
 tylico-Trochaic with Anacrusis. 
 
 1 Forming only one line in the text ("AttoXXov, & bla KeQaXu, n6\e 
 to£»7p»]?, inov ewuxio?), but numbered as two lines (226, 227) to suit the 
 marginal numbering of the text. 
 
 2 One line (ajefiwv nal £6\\a/3c Aap5avt'3at?,) reckoned as two, to suit 
 the marginal numbering. 
 
 3 One line (u> iraynpaTe?, w Tpom? relxn iraXaia dei/J-as.) reckoned as 
 
 two, to suit the marginal numbering. 
 
SCANNING OF THE RHESUS. 389 
 
 Verses 233-240 form an Antistrophe, corresponding to Stro- 
 phe at vv. 224-232. 
 
 Verses 241-252 form a Strophe, to which the Antistrophe at 
 vv. 253-263 corresponds. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verses 241, 242, 1 v-, , v_,iwv'-,vi:,v- ) Choriambic. 
 243, 244, 2 -w~,-s_^,.!ww,_, Dactylic. 
 
 245, lvJ,2wv,-, Dactylic. 
 
 246, 1 w w, 1 w w, _, Dactylic. 
 
 247, ^,Z^^,Z^^,_, Dactylic with 
 
 Anacrusis. 
 
 248, 249, 3 - ~ _, - - w, 1 w w, _!. _, Cretic monom- 
 
 eter and Dac- 
 tylic. 
 
 250, -l^,_w,~w^_w_, Trochaic and 
 
 Dochmius. 
 
 251, 252,* .AZ.._,L._,L._,.1_, 
 
 Choriambic. 
 
 Verses 253-263 form an Antistrophe, corresponding to Stro- 
 phe, at vv. 241-252, except that in vv. 262, 263, 09 iiri, a tri- 
 brach, answers to the Iambic base, kv aix/i-, in vv. 251, 252, 
 of the Strophe. 
 
 Verses 264-341 are all Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 342-350 form a Strophe, to which the Antistrophe at 
 vv. 351-359 corresponds. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 342, ±-,±~~-,~ 1-, Glyconic. 
 
 343, _, — ~ ^ _, w — , Glyconic with Anacrusis. 
 
 344, w 1, 1 ^ w _, _, Glyconic. 
 
 1 One line (enel irpo t' o'ikw irpo tc 75c eVXa /xoi/09) reckoned as 
 two, etc. 
 
 2 One line {yavcTaBfxa /3cif nartdeTv ' a^atxai) reckoned as two, etc. 
 
 3 One line (nai aaXevri ttoXi? • ean <Ppvywv f«s) reckoned as two, etc. 
 
 * One line (ev aixM<? " ttotJ Mvawv 09 e/jLav <rvfxfjiaxiav art^ei) reck- 
 oned as two, etc. 
 
390 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Verse 345, ^_,-lww_,wZ_, Glyconic. 
 
 346, , _ w w _, _, Glyconic. 
 
 347, , w_, _ w w _, w , Choriambic. 
 
 348, _,_ww, — ww,_, Dactylic with Anacru- 
 
 sis. 
 
 349, — w, , _ ww, Z ww,_, Trochaico-Dactylic. 
 
 350, — w w _, w , Choriambic. 
 
 Verses 351-359 form an Antistrojrte, corresponding to Sfro- 
 phe at vv. 342-350. 
 
 Verses 360-369 form a Strophe, to which the Antistrophe at 
 vv. 370-379 corresponds. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Choriambic. 
 > Choriambic. 
 
 Iambic. 
 -, Choriambic. 
 
 Iambic. 
 
 Glyconic. 
 , Choriambic. 
 
 Choriambic. 
 368,369/- ww_, - ~~_, - ww_,wZ_, Chori- 
 ambic. 
 
 Verses 370-379 form an Antistrophe, corresponding to Stro- 
 phe at vv. 360-369. 
 
 Verse 380 is an Iambic Monometer. Verses 381-388 are Ana- 
 paestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except vv. 385 and 388, which are 
 JParoemiacs. 
 
 Verses 389-453 are all Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 454-466 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which does not occur until v. 820, and extends to v. 
 831. 
 
 1 One line (<r£ \epl kcu <r<£ dopl Trpcif at rdd' t? oikov eXOoi?.) reckoned 
 as two, etc. 
 
 360, 
 
 r r 
 
 — w w _, w _, w _, _, 
 
 361, 
 
 
 362, 
 
 f 
 
 WW — , W _, _, 
 
 363, 
 
 w, _ ww_, _ w 
 
 364, 
 
 WW — , w _, w — , — , 
 
 365, 
 
 w w, — w w _, — , 
 
 366, 
 
 — _, — WW—, — WW. 
 
 367, 
 
 1 
 
SCANNING OF THE RHESUS. 391 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 454, ~ — , ~ _ , Iambic Monoraeter. 
 
 455, w S w_w_,w S w_^_, Dochmiac Di- 
 
 meter. 
 
 456, ^^w,www,^_, Iambic tripody. 
 
 457, — w w _ , w — _ , Choriambic. 
 
 458,* ^l r ~_,lww-,w_,lw,-^,_,Chod- 
 
 ambic and Trochaic. 
 
 459, -v,_.,lv, ,_, Trochaic. 
 
 460, ^_,Z^^_,_i_, Glyconic. 
 
 461, _,Z^^,_!.ww,lw,_w, _ o, Dactylico- 
 
 Trochaic with Anacrusis. 
 
 462, -_,-w_,-, Glyconic. 
 
 463, 464,* ^v,!w,l.,_v,lv,_, Dactylico- 
 
 Trochaic. 
 
 465, w_^^^w_, Dochmius. 
 
 466, _ w s^_ ^_, w .1. , Dochmius and An- 
 
 tispast. 
 
 Verses 467-526 are all Iambic Trimeters Acalalectic. 
 
 Verses 527-536 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 546-555. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 528, 'Jj^iyl v, Cretic and Trochee. 
 
 529, lw,__,lww,lww,_, Trochaico-Dactylic. 
 
 530, lww,-^.ww, Zwv,-^v,-v,_w, , Dac- 
 
 tylico-Trochaic. 
 
 531, w,JLww,-Lww,-^._, Dactylic with Anacrusis. 
 
 532, 1 w w, 1 w v, - j Dactylic. 
 
 i Two lines of the text, namely, \67o«r£i/ eipYetv. and the succeeding 
 one, to dt vai'ov 'Ao760ev 36pv, are reckoned as one line (468) in order 
 to suit the marginal numbering, and are scanned continuously, as 
 forming one verse. Separately, the first is an Iambic Monometer 
 Hypercatalectic, and the second a Choriambic, with a Pyrrhic for the 
 base. 
 
 2 One line (« -yap eyw t66' eV ^/uap eiat'oot/u', ai/af ,) reckoned as two, 
 etc. 
 
392 NOTES Oix EURIPIDES. 
 
 Verse 533, 534. l _Z,^^_,wwZ,_, Paroemiac. 
 
 535, 1 - , 1 ~ w , _'. _ , Dactylic. 
 
 536, _ v, , — ~w, _ ww, _ w, , Trochai- 
 
 co-Dactylic. 
 
 Verses 537-545 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except 
 vv. 539 and 545, which are Paroemiacs, and v. 544, which is a 
 Monometer. 
 
 Verses 546-555 form the Antistrophe corresponding to Stro- 
 phe at vv. 527-536. 
 
 Verses 556-564 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except 
 v. 563, which is a Monometer, and vv. 557, 558, and 564, which 
 are Paroemiacs. 
 
 Verses 565-674 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 675-682 form a Strophe, to which there is no corre- 
 sponding Antistrophe. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 675, 2 w— ,w_,— w,_w,-Z.w,_w, Iambico-Trochaic. 
 
 676, 
 
 r r 
 
 _ w,_ w, — w,_, 
 
 Trochaic. 
 
 677, 
 
 f r 
 
 — w w_, w , 
 
 Choriambic. 
 
 678, 
 
 r t 
 
 — W,_ W, _ W, , 
 
 Trochaic. 
 
 679, 
 
 / f 
 — w } ? — w ) — 1 
 
 •Trochaic. 
 
 680, 
 
 f f 
 
 — w, _ w, _ w,_, 
 
 Trochaic. 
 
 681, 
 
 i r 
 
 — w, , _ w,_ w, 
 
 Trochaic. 
 
 682, 
 
 / f r 
 
 , Paeonic Trimeter. 
 
 Verses 683-691 are Trochaics Tetrameter Catalectic. In line 
 683, -xpi) tldivai becomes contracted, in scanning, into xp^^- 
 vai. 
 
 Verses 692-709 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 710-727. 
 
 1 One line (ou Xeva-aere /urjva6o? alyXav ;) reckoned as two, etc. 
 
 2 The line ea ea, which has no marginal numbering, and is, strict- 
 ly speaking, extra metrum, is here prefixed, as an Iambic Monome- 
 ter, to line 675, and reckoned with it as one line. 
 
SCANNING OF THE RHESUS. 
 
 393 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Dochmiac Monom- 
 eter. 
 ^, — w_, Dochmius and 
 
 Cretic. 
 Dochmiac Monom- 
 eter. 
 ., Bacchiac Dimeter. 
 
 Dochmiac Monom- 
 eter. 
 -, — ->»'— > — ->~ — ? Iambic Trimeter. 
 698, w w ^_w_,_ww_w_, Dochmiac Dime- 
 ter. 
 699, — ww_ , Choriambic Mo- 
 
 nometer. 
 700, www_w_,www_w_, Dochmiac Dime- 
 ter. 
 
 Verse 692, ~ - - ~ 
 
 695, v 
 
 696, w w w_w_, 
 
 -, w_,_ w ^,w_, — -*w— , Iambic Trimeter. 
 
 702, w— ,w_, — -,w-, Iambic Dimeter. 
 
 703, _ ~ w_w_,w ww_w_, Dochmiac Dime- 
 ter. 
 
 w _^., w _, Iambic Trimeter. 
 — -, w _ , Iambic Trimeter. _ 
 
 Bacchiac Dimeter. 
 
 Bacchiac Dimeter. 
 _, Bacchiac Trimeter. 
 
 , w _, w J., w _, Iambic Trimeter. 
 
 701,. 
 
 704,_Aw_,_ 
 705,. 
 
 706, wl_,w_i_ 
 707,wZ_,w J._ 
 708, w 
 709,--i,w-,_-i 
 
 Verses 710-727 form the Antktrophe corresponding to the 
 Strophe at vv. 692-709. 
 
 Verse 728, w 1, ~_ || - rf _ ~, 1 ~,_ w, || 1 1. Iambic, Tro- 
 chaic, and Spondaic Anapaestic. 
 
 729, w !, Iambus. 
 
 730, Z^,_w,-^,_w,-!w,_w,-!w,_, Trochaic. 
 
 731, wl,w_, Iambic. 
 
 732, I w, _ w, J. J, _ _, 1 yi _ w, 1 w, _, Tro- 
 
 chaic. 
 
394 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Verse 733, » wl.w^ll.l.vw.,^-!^ _, Iambic 
 
 and Anap. 
 
 734, -> ^ w _, L, w w — | Anapaestic. 
 
 735, -> w w _, w w „£, _, Paroemiac. 
 
 Verses 736-744 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 745-753. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Verse 736, ^ Jl, w _> - -> ~ -> ~ -1, w _, Iambic. 
 
 •737, _ 1, w _, _ J_, w _, _ _1, w _, Iambic. 
 
 738, _ J, w , ,vwli , Anapaestic. 
 
 739, £, , Spondaic Ana- 
 
 paestic. 
 
 740, w <j Z, w w _, _ J, w , , Anapaestic. 
 
 2 '-•> j Spondaic Ana- 
 
 paestic. 
 
 741, w w _1, , ^ s-/ Z, w w _, Anapaestic. 
 
 742, _ Z w, _ w w, _ w ^, , Anapaestic. 
 
 743, i, ^ w _, £, J w _, Anapaestic. 
 
 744, _ 1, , w w J.i «.! Paroemiac. 
 
 Verses 745-753 form the Antistrophe to the Strophe at vv. 
 736-744. 
 
 Verses 754-819 are Jam&ic Trimeters Acatalectic, except that 
 after v. 798 a spondee occurs by itself, extra metrum. 
 
 Verses 820-831 form an Antistrophe corresponding, as far as 
 the corruptions in the text will allow, to the Strophe at vv. 
 454-466. 
 
 Verses 832-881 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic, which are 
 succeeded, vv. 882-889, by an Anapaestic system, in which vv. 
 882, 883, 886, 887 are Dimeters Acatalectic; vv. 884 and 889 are 
 Paroemiacs; v. 888 is a Monometer, while v. 885 is an interca- 
 lated Iambic. 
 
 Verses 890-894 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 894-902 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe to which oc- 
 curs at vv. 906-914. 
 
 i We have prefixed to this line the one preceding, namely, \w w, 
 which is not numbered marginally. 
 2 This line also has no marginal numbering, d d d a. 
 
SCANNING OF THE RHESUS. 395 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 894, w , ± w w , ± w w ,_, Dactylic with Ana- 
 
 crusis. 
 
 895, w , ± w w ,_^ w w,_, Dactylic with Ana- 
 
 crusis. 
 
 896, 1 w , _ ^, I _, Ithyphallic. 
 
 897, w,lww,lww,Z_, Dactylic with Ana- 
 
 crusis. 
 898,899,1 l_,l w ^,_^ ww _, Dactylic and Cho- 
 
 riambus. 
 
 900, J ^, 1 w w _, w 1 _, Choriambic. 
 
 901, J J, 1 w _, w 1, w _, _, Choriambic. 
 
 902, 1 w w , Z w w , ± w , _^ w W1 1 w , 
 
 Z w wi -li _» Dactylic Heptame- 
 
 ter. 
 
 Verses 906-914 form the Antistrophe to the preceding Stro- 
 phe, but the text in v. 913 is corrupt. 
 
 The remainder of the play consists of Iambic Trimeters, ex- 
 cept a short Anapaestic system at the close, vv. 993-996 con- 
 sisting of three Dimeters Acatalectic, followed by a Paroemiac. 
 
 * One line (h dvadaifxova Kai fscXtav) reckoned as two. 
 
SCANNING OF THE MEDEA. 
 
 Verses 1-95 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 96 - 130 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except 
 v. 104, which is a Manometer, and vv. 110, 114, which are la- 
 roemiacs. The system is preceded by an Iambus (iw), extra 
 metrum ; and a Spondee {alai), also extra metrum, is inserted 
 after v. 110. 
 
 Verses 131-138 form a choral system, as follows : 
 
 131, w w J_, , w w J_, w w __, Anapaestic Di- 
 
 meter. 
 
 132, 1, , Spondaic Anapaestic Monom. 
 
 133.134.1 1 w w , 1 w w , 1 w W| 1 w w , _i _, Dac- 
 
 tylic Pentameter. 
 
 135, _i w w , 1 w w , J. w w> 1 w w, I w w, 
 
 _i w v^, Dactylic Hexameter. 
 
 136. 137. 2 1. w w , 1 w w , 1 w W1 _i w w , _i w w , 
 
 Dactylic Pentameter. 
 
 138, w 1 _> v I, w -, _) Bacchiac and Iambic 
 
 Monometer Hypercatalectic. 
 
 Verses 139 - 147 are Anapaestics Dimeter Acatalectic, except 
 vv. 143 and 147, which are Paroemiacs. A Spondee (aiai) is 
 introduced, extra metrum, after v. 143. 
 
 Verses 148-159 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe answering 
 to which occurs at vv. 173-183. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Verse 148, _ww, , L, , Spondaic Anapaestic 
 
 Dimeter. 
 
 149, a 3 '_, , '_, , Spondaic Anapaestic 
 
 Dimeter. 
 
 J One line (KoAx'^or , ovde 7ra> fjTrio? • tt\\a ^epatrt,) reckoned as two. 
 
 2 One line (ovde owqdo/zcu, w yvvat, a\je<ri 6d)/j.aTOi) reckoned as two. 
 
 3 In order to preserve the marginal numbering, two lines are here 
 
SCANNING OF THE MEDEA. 397 
 
 Verse 149 6, ^ , Spondaic Anapaestic 
 
 Monometer. 
 
 150, _•;_[. ^ ^ _, w 1 _, Choriambic with An- 
 
 acrusis. 
 
 151, _,Zww_,wZ_, Choriambic with An- 
 
 acrusis. 
 
 152, _,Zs-/w_,v_,Z_, Choriambic with An- 
 
 acrusis. 
 
 153, _, J_ w w _, _, Choriambic with An- 
 
 acrusis. 
 
 154, ± y^xw»-ij Trochaic. 
 
 155, _i w w _, w _i _, Choriambic 
 
 156, _,_iww_,w_l_, Choriambic with An- 
 
 acrusis. 
 
 157, _,_lwv-/_,v-/_i_, Choriambic with An- 
 
 acrusis. 
 
 158, I ^ _, Cretic. 
 
 159, JL _, 1 w w _, w Z, w _, Choriambic. 
 
 Verses 160-172 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except 
 vv. 170 and 172, which are Paroemiacs. 
 
 Verses 173-183 " form the Antistrophe to the Strophe at vv. 
 148-159. 
 
 Verses 184-203 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except 
 v. 185, which is a Monometer, and v. 203, which is a Paroe- 
 miac. 
 
 Verses 204-212 form a Strophe, to which there is no corre- 
 sponding Antistrophe. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Verse 204, '_ _ w _, w _, w J_, w _, 2 Dochmius and 
 
 Iambic tripody. 
 
 205, w Z w, w w ^i O w w, w _> Iambic Dime- 
 
 ter. 
 
 206, w _i w , 1 w w , ^ w w , 1 _, Dactylic with 
 
 Amphibrach base. 
 
 reckoned each «is 149, but, in order to distinguish them, the letters a 
 and b are respectively appended. Thus, the line \a\uv o'iav a bvarra- 
 i/or counts as 149 a, and the line neXnet vvfxQa as 149 b. 
 
 1 rrevOof 7«p fiefdhu)? rod' opfxaTat. 
 
 3 \axdv to be pronounced as a dissyllable. 
 
398 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Verse 207, * w W| _ w , ^ w w| _ w , Trochaic. 
 
 208, 209, * _, 1 w , _ w , 1 w w , _1 w W| ^ _, Trocha- 
 ico-Dactj T lic with Anacrusis. 
 
 210, &>, w, 1 w r . _, Dactylic. 
 
 211, w J, w , w w WJ w _£, w _, Iambic Dimeter. 
 
 212, _1 _, _^ w w _, _, Glyconic. 
 
 Verses 213-356 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic, except v. 
 292, which is a spondee extra metrum. 
 
 Verses 357-363 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except 
 vv. 357 'and 361, which are Monometers, and v. 363, which is a 
 Paroemiac. 
 
 Verses 364r408 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic, except v. 
 386, which is a spondee extra metrum. 
 
 Verses 409-417 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe answering 
 to which occurs immediately after, at vv. 418-427. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Verse 409, w , J_ w W| ± w W1 1 _, L w, , Dactyl 
 
 ico-Trochaic with Anacrusis, 
 
 410, 1 W| , _i w w, 1 w w, „, Trochaico 
 
 Dactylic, 
 411, 412, 2 i'vv,4vw,JL-,Iw,-, Dactylico 
 
 Trochaic, 
 w, _i w w, 1 w, Dactylico-Trochaic. 
 
 417, 
 
 • > — _) — w W> __ W S-/> > _ w, . 
 
 413, 
 414, 415, 3 
 
 Trochaico-Dactylic 
 416, 1 ^, i-iwi ,!.,_, Trochaic 
 
 It! I TW 
 
 tylico-Trochaic, 
 
 Verses 418-427 form the Antistrophe answering to the Stro 
 phe at vv. 409-417. 
 
 Verses 428-437 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe answering 
 to which occurs at vv. 438-444. 
 
 1 One line {rav Ztivot Spuiav Qe/iiv, a viv €/3aaev) reckoned as two. 
 
 2 One line (uvdpdai pev 66\tai /3ov\ai, OeCov <3') reckoned as two. 
 
 3 One line (rav 6' kfxav evuXetav %xuv fiiojav arpe^J/ovai Qufxai.) reck- 
 oned as two. 
 
SCANNING OF THE MEDEA. 399 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 428, 429, 1 s,. I, w _, .1 ~ w _, w I _, Choriambic. 
 
 430, 431, 2 ' 
 
 Dactylico-Trochaic. 
 
 432, _, _£ ^ ^ _, w Z, Glyconic with Ana- 
 
 crusis. 
 
 433, 434, 3 _, 1 w w _, w 1 _, Choriambic with Ana- 
 
 crusis. 
 
 435, _,lw_w--i Choriambic with Ana- 
 
 crusis. 
 
 436, vilvv_iwZ_, Choriambic with Ana- 
 
 crusis. 
 
 437, w , _i ^ w _, _, Glyconic with Anacrusis. 
 
 Verses 438-444 form the Antistrophe answering to the Stro- 
 phe at vv. 428-437. 
 
 Verses 445-626 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 627-634 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe to which oc- 
 curs at vv. 635-642. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 627, 628,* w , L w ~, -1 - ~, 1 _, 1 *, _ _, 1 u, _, 
 Dactylico-Trochaic with Anacrusis, 
 629 630 5 r ' r «w # / r 
 
 Two Dactylic Trimeters. 
 
 631, LVi,, , _L u w, 1 w w, 2 _, Trochaico 
 
 Dactylic 
 
 632 633 5 ^ v _[ vv j£ i*> w Z _ Zw 
 
 Trochaico-Dactylic, 
 634, 1 w , , Z w,_ w, 1 w, Trochaic. 
 
 i One line (<ru 5' £k nev oVkcdv Trarpy'cav eVXewcar) reckoned as two. 
 
 2 One line (jucuvo/Ltcv^ Kpahicf, 3*3w/iovp opicaara irovrov) reckoned as 
 two. 
 
 3 One line (vqte<? xO'ovi, t5? uvavdpov) reckoned as two. 
 
 4 One line (epwrec 6Wp p-ev a^ai/ e\06vT€r ouk ei^ofi'av) reckoned as 
 two. 
 
 s One line (oi/d' aperav irape&uKav avbpdaiv ' el 8' ci\<9 tXfloi) reck- 
 oned as two. 
 
 6 One line (fif]iror\ w 64<riroiv\ kn e^ol xp v<t ^v Tofwi/ etpeirjs) reck- 
 oned as two. 
 
400 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Verses 635-642 form the Antistrophe answering to the Stro- 
 phe at vv. 627-634. 
 
 Verses 643-652 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe answering 
 to which occurs at vv. 653-662. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 643, Zww_,_l^^_, Choriambic. 
 
 644, _, J_ w w _, w _i _, Choriambic with Ana- 
 
 crusis. 
 645,646/ ^,l^,lv,. y ,IIIw,.v,I., 
 Dactylico-Trochaic and Ithyphallic. 
 647, 1 w w , 1 w w , _, Dactylic. 
 
 648, 649, 2 3 £ _1, w w _, w J., w _, _, Anapaestic 
 
 Logaoedic. 
 650 651 3 ' ' r r r 
 
 Choriambic. 
 652, yi^ww.^yl., Choriambic. 
 
 Verses 653-662 form the Antistrophe answering to the Stro- 
 phe at vv. 643-652. 
 
 Verses 666-758 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 759-763 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except 
 v. 762, which is a Monometer, and v. 763, which is a Paroe- 
 miac. 
 
 Verses 764r-823 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 824-834 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe answering 
 to which occurs at vv. 835-845. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 824, w » lv.y,I.v w,i v, -y,,_, Dactylico- 
 Trochaic with Anacrusis. 
 
 825, 1 w , , 1 w w, 1 w w, _, Trochaico- 
 
 Dactylic. 
 
 1 One line (rov uyuaxctv/ac exova-a hvaneparov aiwv) reckoned as two. 
 
 2 One line (Oavdru) Oavdrio Trapop dafxeirjv) reckoned as two. 
 
 3 One line (ajuepctv ravd' l^avvcaca ' /jloxOmv 8' ovk aWoi vnep-) reck- 
 oned as two. 
 
SCANNING OF THE MEDEA. 401 
 
 Verse 826, 827, l _, 1 w| ,Iw.w,lwv,., Tro- 
 
 chaico-Dactylic with Anacrusis. 
 828,829,830,* _L w ^ y 1 ^ ^, _ w, Z - ~, _L - *«, _, 
 
 Dactylico-Trochaic. 
 
 831, 832, 3 _, £ w , __,_!_ w w, 1 - w, 4. _, Tro- 
 
 chaico-Dactylie with Anacrusis. 
 
 833, 1 w w , 1 s_ w, 1 _, L w, _ v i Dactyl- 
 
 ico-Trochaic. 
 
 834, l_,_iww_,wl_, Choriambic. 
 
 Verses 835-845 form the Antistrophe answering to the Stro- 
 phe at vv. 824-834. 
 
 Verses 846-855 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe answering 
 to which occurs at vv. 856-865. 
 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Verse 846, 
 847, 
 848, 
 849, 
 
 _, L w ^, L ^ v , _> Dactylic. 
 1^ w_,wZ, Choriambic. 
 1 w, _ w, I _, Ithyphallic. 
 _,_i^ w _,^^._, Choriambic with Aiiacru- 
 
 850, 
 
 _,_i ww _, w Z_, Choriambic with Anacru- 
 
 851, 
 852, 
 
 sis. 
 
 _, J_ ^ w _, ^ Glyconic with Anacrusis. 
 
 _,_!.ww_,w_[._, Choriambic with Anacru- 
 
 853, 
 
 _,Zww_,w_l_, Choriambic with Anacru- 
 
 854, 
 855, 
 
 _, J_ v_, v_/ _» w Z, Glyconic with Anacrusis. 
 
 _, _! w w, _1 _, Adonic with Anacrusis. 
 
 Verses 856-865 form the Antistrophe answering to the Stro- 
 phe at vv. 846-855. 
 
 Verses 866-975 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 976-982 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe answering 
 to which occurs at vv. 983-989. 
 
 1 One line (x^pa? uTropOfjTov t cnro(pepfi6txevoi) reckoned as two. 
 
 2 One line (K\eivord.Tav <ro((>iav, aei dtu XafxnpoTaTOv) reckoned as 
 
 three. 
 
 3 One line (/3atVovTc? a/?pws atOtpos, evOa 7ro0' uyvds) reckoned as 
 two. 
 
 31 
 
402 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 976, _, 1 w _, 1 w w , Z _, 1 w , _, Dactylico- 
 
 Trochaic with Anacrusis. 
 
 977, I w, , 1 w w, Z w w, 1 _, Trochaico- 
 
 Dactylic. 
 
 978, I W1 , J, w w , _£ w w, _L _, Trochaico- 
 
 Dactylic. 
 
 979, I :J, , 1 ^, , Trochaic. 
 
 o«() Q»i i r t it t 
 
 Dactylico-Trochaic. 
 982, _i WJ _ w , I _, Trochaic. 
 
 Verses 983-989 form the Antistrophe answering to the Stro- 
 phe at vv. 970-982. 
 
 Verses 990-995 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe answering 
 to which occurs at vv. 996-1001. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Verse 990, 991, 3 w , 1 w w , 1 o w , Z w , 1 w> _ w , _ _, 
 
 Dactylico-Trochaic with Anacrusis. 
 
 992, _1 w , _ w , Z _, Ithyphallic. 
 
 993, 994, 3 w W| _i w W ,I w W> Z w w , Z w ,_i w w , 
 
 _i w w, _, Dactylico-Trochaic. 
 
 995, _ 1, w _, _, || w I, w _, _, Two Iambic 
 
 Penthemimers. 
 
 Verses 996-1001 form the Antistrophe to the Strophe at vv. 
 990-995. 
 
 Verses 1002-1080 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic, with an 
 Iambus {extra metrum) inserted after v. 1004, and a spondee 
 {ext. met) after v. 1007 and v. 1055. 
 
 Verses 1081-1115 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except 
 vv. 1088, 1093, 1104, and 1114, which are Manometers, and vv. 
 1089, 1097, 1104, and 1115, which are Paroemiacs. 
 
 1 One line (fav0£ 5' afxepi k6/jhx Oljo-ei r6v"Aida Koa/jiov avTci) reckoned 
 as two. 
 
 2 One line (av 6', w rdXav, u> Kanovv/JiQe Kride/Jiwv Tvpdvvav,) reckoned 
 
 as two. 
 
 3 One line (oXeOpov fiioTa npoadyei?, uAoxy xe <r£ (rrvyepov Odvarov.) 
 
 reckoned as two. 
 
SCANNING OF THE MEDEA. 403 
 
 Verses 1116-1250 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 1251-1260 form a Strophe, the Antisirophe answering 
 to which occurs at vv. 1261-1270. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 1251, v_,Z__w_ > _^w_ , Dochmius and Crctic. 
 
 1252, _lv_ww_,w^www^_, Dochmiac Di- 
 
 meter. 
 
 1253, ^,vj,^_s_,_,v_,Z_w_, Dochmiac Dimeter. 
 
 1254, wZ_w_,w_^._w_, Dochmiac Dimeter. 
 1255, i w w ^ _, w .It w _> Dochmius and Iam- 
 bic dipody. 
 
 1256, * w _l_w_j_vj,w,^_, Dochmius and Iam- 
 
 bic dipody. 
 
 1257, ^ Z w _ w _, Dochmius. 
 1258, 2 _ ^v^_^_, w^v__w_, Dochmiac Dime- 
 ter. 
 
 1259, 2 W ^^_w_,^_i_w_, Dochmiac Dime- 
 ter. 
 
 1260, 2 _ vi,^_w_, _^w_w _, Dochmiac Dime- 
 ter. 
 
 Verses 1261-1270 form the Antistrophe answering to the 
 Strophe at vv. 1251-1260. 
 
 Verses 1271, 1272, 1276, 1277, 1284, 1285, 1287, 1288, are Iam- 
 bic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verse 1273, wZ_w_,wZ^^_, Dochmiac Dimeter. 
 
 1274, ^_!._w_,www_w_, Dochmiac Dimeter. 
 
 1275, ^Z_w_,^Z_^_,w.I_w_, Dochmi- 
 
 ac Trimeter. 
 
 1278, 1279, 1280, 3 ^ 1 _ ^ _, *, ^ w _ w _, „ ±_ 
 
 w _, J, w w w, Dochmiac Trim. 
 
 and Proceleusm. 
 
 1281, w w w _ w _, w _i _ w _, Dochmiac Dimeter. 
 
 1282, w--v»».vl-v_i Dochmiac Dimeter. 
 
 i Arsis resolved in the Strophe (— w >-), but not in the Antistro- 
 phe (- -). 
 
 2 Or six Dochmii without any pause. 
 
 3 One line (x«\a<v', ws dp' rjaOa 7rerpos r) oidapos, arts tckvuiv ov tre- 
 
 Ke?) reckoned as three. 
 
404 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Verse 1283, v ZJv-»vvv_v_, Dochmiac Dimeter. 
 1286, ^l_^_,wZ_w_,^_:_w_, Dochmi- 
 ac Trimeter. 
 1289, 1290, 1 w 1 _ w _, w *£ w _ -.w _, w 1 _ -w. _, 
 Z w w w> Dochmiac Trim, and Pro- 
 celeusmatic. 
 1291, vvv_v_,vl_s, _, Dochmiac Dimeter. 
 
 Verses 1292-1388 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 1389-1419 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except 
 v. 1390, which is a Monometer, and vv. 1414, 1419, which are 
 both Paroemiacs. 
 
 1 One line (t« 57jt' ovv yevotT av en deivovi w fvvaiKwv \e\o9 iro\v- 
 
 novov,) reckoned as two. 
 
SCANNING OF THE HIPPOLYTUS. 
 
 Verses 1-57 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses '58-72 form a lyric ode, or kind of Secondary Cho- 
 rus, as follows : 
 
 Verse 58, ^, J_ _, J_ w w , J_ _, Dactylic with Anacrusis. 
 
 59,Zvv,lww,_, Dactylic. 
 
 W,lvw,lw,i _, Dactylic. 
 
 61 62 63 * ' ' ' ' ' 
 
 Dactylic. 
 
 64, J_ w> 1 w w _, w _1, Glyconic. 
 
 65, _i _, ^ w w _, w _[., Glyconic. 
 
 66, 1 _, _i w w _, w I, Glyconic. 
 
 67, J_ w , _ WJ 1 w , _, Trochaic. 
 
 68, :_,l^_, v !_, Choriambic. 
 
 69, _, _i w w _, w _^ _, Choriambic with Anacru- 
 
 sis. 
 
 70, _^. ^ ^ _, '_ . Choriamb, and Molossus^ 
 
 71, _, _! _, _i w w1 2 _, Dactylic with Anacrusis. 
 
 72, _L w _, 1 v _, Cretic Dimeter. 
 
 Verses 73-120 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 121-130 form a Strophe, to which the Antistrophe, 
 from v. 131 to v. 140, inclusive, corresponds. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 121, 122, 2 ± w W1 1 w W1 J. _, J. v w , ^ w WJ _, 
 
 Dactylic. 
 123, L.,|vwvi| Molossus and Fourth Paeon. 
 
 1 One line (irorvia norvta, o-e/jLvoruTa, Zai/69 yeve0\ov,) reckoned A8 
 
 three 
 
 2 One line ('Queavov t«9 vd&p ard^ovaa -rrtrpa XeyeTat) reckoned as 
 
 two. 
 
406 NOTES .ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Verse 124, __, ± w w _, w ± _, Choriambic. 
 
 125, w w .1, w -, w 1, Iambic. 
 
 126, 1 w w , J. w WJ _, Dactylic. 
 
 127, w w ^ _ w _, Dochmius. 
 
 128, ^,v>,lvv.,vl-, Choriambic. 
 
 129, _,lw,Zw^_,wZ_, Choriambic with 
 
 Anacrusis. 
 
 130, _,Zww_,wZ , Choriambus and 
 
 Antispast with 
 Anacrusis. 
 
 Verses 131-140 form an Antistrophe, corresponding line for 
 line with the Strophe at vv. 121-130. 
 
 Verses 141-150 form a Strophe, to which the Antistrophe at 
 vv. 151-160 corresponds. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Verse 141, ^ w, Z ^ ^ _, L, Glyconic. 
 
 142, 1 _, _ y , J_ w w _, Glyconic. 
 
 143, _i _, 1 C C _, _, Glyconic. 
 144, 1 _, J. w w _, _, Glyconic. 
 
 145, w_!.w,_iw^_,_, Glyconic. 
 
 146, _ 1 _, ]_ w w _, Glyconic. 
 
 147, w J, w , w w w , J. w _, _ 1, Glyconic. 
 
 148, _l.,£wi,.j Glyconic. 
 
 149, _ _i w , J_ w v _, Glyconic. 
 
 150, _ _L, 1 w w _, _ Ij Glyconic. 
 
 Verses 151-160 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 Strophe at vv. 141-150. 
 
 Verses 161-170 form an 'Eirw^os, or a lyric ode after the 
 Strophe and Antistrophe. 
 
 Epodus. 
 Verse 161, ^ Z, w _, _, IK* Z» w _, _> Two Iambic Pen- 
 
 themimers. 
 
 162, 163, 1 I w w , _I w, , 1 - w, 1 w Ji 1 w, 
 
 , Dactylico-Trochaic. 
 
 164, I _, I w w, 1 w w, _, Dactylic. 
 
 165, w _i, , w w _li w w _, L-, Anapaestic. 
 
 1 One line (ap/jiovia. nana duaTavo? afxaxavia cvvoineTv) reckoned aS 
 
 two. 
 
SCANNING OF THE HIPPOLYTUS. 407 
 
 Verse 166, 167,168/ _, L o w, 1 w ~, _^ _, 1 * wi 1 J w, 
 
 , _ w _, Dactylic and Cretic 
 
 with Anacrusis. 
 
 Trochaic with Anacrusis. 
 
 Verses 171-266 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except 
 vv. 175, 181, 186, 204, 213, 217, 222, 242, 251, 260, 265, which are 
 Monometers, and vv. 176, 191, 198, 238, 249, and 266, which are 
 Paroemiacs. 
 
 Verses 267-361 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 362-372 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 669-679. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Verse 362, WW wiwwwiwl-w 1 -, Paeonic Di- 
 meter and Dochmius. 
 363, ^_l_www,w^w~^^,_, Dochmiac Di- 
 meter. 
 36i, w_l_-w_, ^Z_w_, Dochmiac Di- 
 
 meter. 
 
 365, vv ^ w _ ^_,wZ , Dochmiac Di- 
 
 meter. 
 
 366, _1 w _, ^ 1 _ w _, Cretic and 
 
 Dochmius. 
 
 367, 1 ^ _, w 1 _ J _, Cretic and 
 
 Dochmius. 
 
 368, w I, ^ _, y 1, «-> _, -, 1, w _, Iambic Tri- 
 
 meter. 
 
 369, _^,w — v-/w,^/w^www_, Dochmiac Di- 
 
 meter. 
 
 370, wl_w_, ^_l_w_, Dochmiac Di- 
 
 meter. 
 
 371, J Z, w _, w i, w _, w 1, w _, Iambic Tri- 
 
 meter. 
 
 372, ^J,^__w_,v-/Z^w_, Dochmiac Di- 
 
 meter. 
 
 1 One lilie (tuv 6' cu'Xoxov ovpavlav Tofcov /xedeotxrav a^rei/i/ "ApTe/uti>,) 
 
 reckoned as three. 
 
 2 One line (nai fxoi itoXv&iXwtos aei o-i/v OeoXai <ponu.) reckoned as 
 two. 
 
408 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Verses 373-524 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 525-534 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which follows at vv. 535-544. 
 
 Verse 525, w J_ w , J_ w w _, w 2, Glyconic. 
 
 526, _, _i w w _, o _i, w _, _, Choriambic. 
 
 527, _, _!_ v w _, w 2, w _, _, Choriambic. 
 
 528, _, JL w w "_, w i.» v -» -» Choriambic. 
 
 529, __, 2. w w _, _, Glyconic. 
 
 530, 2 w, _i w w _, Choriambic. 
 
 531, _ -juiv _» w 2,^ _, Iambic Dimeter. 
 
 532, _ L w, 1 w w _, _, .Glyconic. 
 
 533, v 2i <* —•> ^ — i Iambic Tripody. 
 
 534, w , J_ w w _ } ^_, Glyconic. 
 
 Verses 535-544 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 Strophe at vv. 525-534. 
 
 Verses 545-554 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe to which 
 occurs immediately after at vv. 555-564. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 
 rse545, ' w , ' w w . , 
 
 , Choriambic. 
 
 546, Z_,1_,Z^, 
 
 Dactylic. 
 
 • 547, 548, * w 1 w, ' w w »wi 
 
 , Choriambic. 
 
 549, .l.,:jw , irvv N 'Jr 
 
 Glyconic. 
 
 550, w ,J:ww.,wI-h 
 
 Choriambic. 
 
 551, ^,2__, ^2, ■ 
 
 Glyconic. 
 
 552, . JLw.iww-,-* 
 
 . Glyconic. 
 
 OtK), v^/ ^/, \^ W ) ^ — 
 
 , Choriambic. 
 
 OOi, , _ w w , , 
 
 , Dactylic. 
 
 Verses 555-564 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 Strophe immediately preceding at vv. 545-554. 
 
 Verses 565-570 are Iambic .Trimeters- Acatalectic, except v. 
 569, which is a Spondaic Anapaestic ( '_, , '_). 
 
 Verses 571-574 are Dochmiacs, as follows : 
 
 Verse 571, 572, 2 w 2, w ,^^^_^_, Dochmiac 
 
 Dimeter. 
 
 1 One line {avavbpov to irpiv Kai aw/iMpov, o'Uwv) reckoned as two. 
 
 2 One line (jiva tfpoels avddv; -riva /3oy? \o7ov;). reckoned as two. 
 
SCANNING OF THE HIPPOLYTUS. 409 
 
 Verse 573, 574,' ^^w_^_,^-i-^_, ~ ^ ^ _ ^ _, 
 
 Dochmiac Trimeter. 
 
 Verses 575, 576 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 577-580 are JDochmiacs, as follows : 
 Verse 577, 578, 2 ^J,^_^_, *,',.£. "~vw *« _Z^_, 
 
 Dochmiac Trimeter. 
 579, 580, 3 ^^w^~~_,w^w_w_, Dochmiac 
 
 Dimeter. 
 
 Verses 581-584 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic* 
 
 Verses 585, 586 are Dodimiacs, as follows : 
 Verse 585, _2'.v_,vl-v_,vI.vLj Dochmi- 
 ac Trimeter. 
 586, wJ,^_www,w>iw_^_, Dochmi- 
 
 ac Dimeter. 
 
 Verses 587, 588, and 589, 590, are both Iambic Trimeters 
 Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 591, and 592, 593, with 594, 595, are all three Dock- 
 miacs, as follows : 
 
 Verse 591, ^ v _ v _, w^w_s^_, Dochmiac Dime- 
 ter. 
 592, 593, 5 J.*- . ^.li'w-I uv w'^-i i "i U'L-oa" 
 
 Dochmiac Trime- 
 ter. 
 594, 595, 6 _ ± ,w^w_w_, Dochmiac Dime- 
 ter. 
 
 Verses 596-668 are all Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 1 One line (evene ti'v 0o/3ei <re <pdp.a, ^vvai, ^pt'va? enio-arvros.) reck- 
 oned as two. 
 
 2 One line {<rv trapd KXrjOpa ' aol jxeXet trofxirlfxa (Jmxtis da/jLarav.) reck- 
 oned as two. 
 
 3 One line (evene- 3' evene fxoi rl nor efia Kanov.) reckoned as two. 
 
 4 There are only two lines in the text, hut they each count double, 
 namely, 581,582, and 583, 584. 
 
 5 One line (ri aot fjLtjaofxat ; tu Kpvnr apa trt-(pr\ve, bid 6' oWvtrat.) 
 
 reckoned as two. 
 
 6 One line (aim, a\aX. npodoTo? e/c <piA<av.) reckoned as two. 
 
 32 
 
410 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Verses 669-679 form an Antistrophe, corresponding to the 
 Strophe at vv. 362-372. 
 
 Verses 680-731 are all Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 732-741 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs immediately after at vv. 742-751. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 732, ± w w , ± w w _, 1_ w w _, _, Choriambic. 
 
 733, w w < 
 
 734, w w 1 
 
 735, 1 _, _ 
 736, 
 737, 
 
 Iambic. 
 
 w w _i - -, Anapaestico- 
 
 Choriambic. 
 
 >-• v-/ 1 ^ » 
 
 W W ) } 
 
 t 
 
 Glyconic. 
 Glyconic. 
 Glyconic. 
 
 738, J_ w , I w w _, w 1 _, Choriambic. 
 
 739, _,iJvi^wvii .-, Dactylic. 
 
 740, ^,l^w_,w^,lw^_., Choriambic. 
 
 741, _i _, ^ w w _, _ _1, Glyconic. 
 
 Verses 742-751 form the Antistrophe to the preceding iSXro- 
 phe at vv. 732-741. 
 
 Verses 752-763 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which follows immediately after at vv. 764-775. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 752, £ _, 1_ w o _, w Z, Glyconic. 
 
 753, 1 wt -i w w -.» w 1, Glyconic. 
 
 754, _I w , _L w v _, _, Glyconic. 
 
 755, w wi _1 w w __> w £ «_, Choriambic. 
 
 756, £ w, _ w, i Trochaic. 
 
 757, w^,_^.wv-/_,w_i_, Choriambic. 
 
 758, £ ^ w, £ ^ ^, _, Dactylic. 
 759,760/ _,£ wt _ _,£ w ,_ w ,£ w ; _ _, £ W1 
 
 ,. Trochaic. 
 
 1 One line (>? Kprjo-ta? e* 75c duo-opi/i? 67TTaTo K\e<vap 'AOdva?,) reck- 
 oned as two. This and the succeeding line may also be considered 
 
 as forming one long verse, consisting often Third Epitrits ( ~ — ), 
 
 and closing with a Bacchius (^ — —). 
 
SCANNING OF THE HIPPOLYTUS. 411 
 
 Verse 761,762/ l.,__,L, - _ ) lv,__,lv,._ ) 
 
 Trochaic. 
 763, Xiv»i 1 1 w, _ w, , Trochaic. 
 
 Verses 764-775 form the Antistrophe to the Strophe imme- 
 diately preceding at vv. 753-763. Verse 776 is extra metrum. 
 
 Verses 777-810 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 811-847 are Dochmiacs, with a few Iambic Trimeters 
 intermingled. The Iambic Trimeters are vv. 812, 819, 820, 823, 
 824, 827, 828, 834, 835, 838, 839, 842, 843, 844, 846, 847. The rest 
 are scanned as follows : 
 Verse 81 1 ' ' ' 
 
 Dochm. Trimeter. 
 
 813, _ 2. , _ Z <*, _, Dochm. Dimeter 
 
 Hypercatalectie. 
 
 814, 815, 2 ^^^_^_,wl_w_,^Zww^ , 
 
 Dochm. Trimeter. 
 816, wsi^_w_, w_!._s_,_, Dochm. Dimeter. 
 
 817, Lw_w_,^ww_^_, Dochm. Dimeter. 
 
 818, !._w_,w w — i Dochm. Dimeter. 
 
 821, ^^^,_w_,ww ^ _, Dochm. Dimeter. 
 
 822, ^Z_w_,ww^_w_, Dochm. Dimeter. 
 825, w^^_^_,w^w_w_, Dochm. Dimeter. 
 
 826, ^ ^ 
 
 w 
 
 
 w 
 
 — 1 
 
 ^j 
 
 f 
 
 
 J, 
 
 _, Dochm 
 
 Dimeter. 
 
 829, 830, 3 
 
 
 ! 
 
 
 _, 
 
 
 f 
 
 
 
 
 _, Doch- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 miac Dimeter Hypere. 
 
 831, 832,* 
 
 - 
 
 1 
 
 - 
 
 - 
 
 
 ^j 
 
 ~ 
 
 f 
 
 Dochm. 
 
 r 
 Trimeter. 
 
 833, 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 f 
 
 
 
 _, Dochm. 
 
 Dimeter. 
 
 836, ^ 2 
 
 
 w 
 
 
 w 
 
 ; 
 
 
 w 
 
 
 Dochm. 
 
 Dimeter. 
 
 837, ^ ' 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 w 
 
 f 
 
 w 
 
 
 — 1 
 
 Dochm. 
 
 Dimeter. 
 
 840, J ' 
 
 
 v _^ 
 
 
 w 
 
 f 
 
 w 
 
 J, 
 
 ^ 
 
 _, Dochm. 
 
 Dimeter. 
 
 841, w ' 
 
 
 s_, 
 
 
 w 
 
 / 
 
 
 s_, 
 
 — 
 
 Dochm. 
 
 Dimeter. 
 
 845, ' 
 
 - 
 
 W 
 
 - 
 
 r 
 
 w 
 
 w 
 
 - 
 
 w 
 
 f 
 
 _) W v^ 
 
 miac 
 
 _, Doch- 
 Trimeter. 
 
 1 One line (Movvvxov d' aKraicriv (-nbtjaavTO TrAeKTcif 7re«raaT<dv up-) 
 reckoned as two. 
 
 2 One line (avoaico Te cvfj.(popu, <ra? x e P or 7ra\a<<rjua /ueXt'a?.) reck- 
 oned as two. » 
 
 3 One line (alal alar, /it'Xea /ieXea x«8e 7r«0n.) reckoned as two. 
 
 4 One line (npoawOev 6e rcoBev u.vaKop.i<C,op.ai iv\av daiixovuv) reck- 
 oned as two. 
 
412 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Verses 848-855 form a choral system as follows : 
 Verse 848, w S w w w w _, w _L, ~ _, _, Dochmins 
 
 and Iambic Penthem. 
 
 849, w Z, 1 w w, 1 w w, _, Dactylic. 
 
 850, £ w , ± w _, w Z, Glyconic. 
 851, » Z w, ,fo, , Trochaic. 
 
 852, w _i, w _, w _, ^ J, w _ w _, Iambic Tri- 
 
 pody and Dochmius. 
 
 853, 854, 2 w vS w _.w w w, ~ >£ w _ w _, w 2 _ w ' , 
 
 Dochmiac Trimeter. 
 855, w^^_w_,^Z_w_, Dochmiac Di- 
 
 meter. 
 
 Verses 857-865 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 866-870 are Dochmiacs, as follows : 
 
 Verse 866, !.,w_,ww^_^_, Iambic Dipody and 
 
 Dochmius. 
 
 867, ^ J, ^ _ ^ _, w^w_^_,w^ w _, 
 
 Dochmiac Trimeter. 
 
 868, ^Z_^_,wZ_w_, Dochmiac Dimeter. 
 
 869, w ^w_w_,^Z_w_, Dochmiac Dimetef. 
 870, i_w_,wZ_^_, Dochmiac Dimeter. 
 
 Verses 877-884 are of various metres, as follows : 
 Verse 877, w _!, w _, 1 w ^ _, ^ _!., w _, Choriambic. 
 
 878, H 1, w _, - S w, w w w, w 1, w _, Iambic 
 
 Trimeter. 
 
 879, 1 w , _ W1 _ || w 1, w _, w _, Trochaic Penth. 
 
 and Iamb. Tripody. 
 
 880, _ J, w , Dochmius. 
 
 881, __ _L, w _, _ 1, ~ _i _ .1, w _, Iambic Trime- 
 
 ter. 
 
 882, w J, ^^,w^w_s_,, Dochmiac Di- 
 
 meter. 
 
 883, 884, 3 ^Z_^_,^l^^^_,^^^_^_, 
 
 Dochmiac Trimeter. 
 
 1 In this line, ao-Tep&>7r6? is to be pronounced as if written uarpw 
 
 7T09. 
 
 2 One line (byKpvai fxov f3\e<papa KaTa\vOevTa Thj^erai ou tux? ') 
 
 reckoned as two. 
 
 3 One line (naBe^co dvaiKireparov bXoov Kanov, \u) -rdXaf.) reckoned as 
 
 two. 
 
SCANNING OF THE HIPPOLYTUS. 413 
 
 Verses 885-1101 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 1102-1110 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe corre- 
 sponding to which occurs immediately after at vv. 1111- 
 1119. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Verse 1102,110s, 1 ± w W1 _!_ ^ J, _L ^ W1 L H w, _L w w, 
 2, _, Dactylic Hexameter. 
 
 1104, 1105, 2 .^v-.-llvy^wy^^Hl,-, 
 
 Iambic Penthem. and Paroemiac, 
 1106, 1107, 3 1 w w , 1 ^ w , 2 _, 2 w w, 1 w 
 
 2 _, Dactylic Hexameter. 
 
 1108, 1 w w , 1 w w WJ 1 w _, Dactylico - Paeonic 
 
 and C re tic. 
 
 1109, ywi^C r ,wv-t T > Paroemiac. 
 
 1110, w 2, w _, J 2, _, Iambic. 
 
 Verses 1111-1119 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 preceding Strophe at vv. 1102-1110. 
 
 Verses 1120-1130 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe to which 
 occurs immediately after at vv. 1131-1141. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 1120, 1121,* 2 w W| 1 v w } 1 w w , 2 w w , _L w w , 
 2 _, Dactylic Hexameter. 
 
 1122, ^Z,^_lll w,_, Iambico-Trochaic. - 
 
 1123, J w ^, w w _, w w J_, _, Paroemiac. 
 
 1124, 2 w w, 2 w ~, 2 ^ w, 2 _, Dactylic Tetrame- 
 
 1125, l'iv.,vviv,v-i Iambic. [ter. 
 1126, 1127, 5 2 w w , 2 w w , 2 w . w , 2 _, Dactylic Te- 
 trameter. 
 
 1128, ,liw-,vviv,y-j Iambic. 
 
 1129, _Lw^,lww,l^w,Z_, Dactylic Tetramc- 
 
 1130, _ 1, w _, w 2i _, Iambic. [ter. 
 
 1 One line (rj /ue^a /xot tu flewi/ /j.€\e5r]na9\ orav <pp£va? e\0r],) reck- 
 oned as two. 
 
 2 One line (Xvna? irapaipeX' t-iiveaiv 5t tiv k\iriht kcvOoov) reckoned 
 as two. 
 
 3 One line (Xeliro/jLai Zv re ruxat? OvarCov Kat lv epy/JLaci Xevccroav ') 
 
 reckoned as two. 
 
 4 One line (pvKuri yxp KaOapav <pp€v' ?X<M) napa 6' IXirlba Xeucrcro),) 
 
 reckoned as two. 
 
 5 One line (<L ^«na0oi iroKifirt&os uKTaf) reckoned as two. 
 
414 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Verses 1131-1141 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 preceding Strophe at vv. 1120-1130. 
 
 Verses 1142-1150 form an 'EttwoJs, as follows : 
 
 Epodus. 
 Verse 1142, 1143,i w ±, w _, ± w w _, w £ w , J ■£ _, 
 
 Choriambic. 
 
 1144, ^ ^ w, _ w, Z ^, _ ^, Trochaic. 
 
 1145, Z^wv^v^.v, Trochaic. 
 1146, , (Extra metrum). 
 
 1147, J_ w> _ w , _1 _, Trochaic. 
 
 1148, ^Z,«^_,Zww,_!.ww,_, Iambico-Dactylic. 
 
 1149, WJ ± w W| i. w w , _: _, Dactylic. 
 1150 t r r r 
 
 Choriambic. 
 
 Verses 1151-1267 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 1268-1282 form a choral system as follows : 
 Verse 1268, 1269, 3 ^1_^_>_Z^__^_, ^ Z, ^ _, 
 Dochmiac Dim. and Iamb. Dip. 
 
 1270, Zw,_w,Zww,Zww, _,Trochaico-Dactyl. 
 
 1271, _ J, - w _ w _, Dochmius. 
 1272, 1273, 3 wZ_w_,w-^._ _, w ^ ^ ^ 
 
 Dochmiac Trim. 
 
 1274, _, ± w , , _£ w w, _1 w w, _, Trochaico- 
 
 Dactylic with Anacrusis. 
 
 1275, _ £ w , Dochmius 
 
 1276, _^ J w _, J, 1, Glyconic. 
 
 1277, J 1 WJ J. w w _, Choriambic. 
 
 1278, ^w^;Z,v-/ww_^_, Paeon and Dochmius. 
 
 1279, _,l^^,Z^^,_,Zw, Dactyl. -Trochaic. 
 
 1280, _, ± w , , _1 w w , _i ^ w, 1 _, Trochaico- 
 
 Dactylic with Anacrusis. 
 1281, 1282,* ± w , J_ w w __, w 1 _, Choriambic. 
 
 1 One line (67W <3e ay ouo-Tvx'a daKpvai^ dioiaa) reckoned as two. 
 
 2 One line (crt; rav Oewv aK.ap.Tnov (pptva Kai fiporwv ayeis, Kinrpi ') 
 
 reckoned as two. The word Oewv to be pronounced as a monosyl- 
 lable. 
 
 3 One line (noTdTai 6e yaTav eodx^ T " v $' a\p.vp6v eiri ttovtov) reck- 
 oned as two. 
 
 * One line (Kvnpi, rwvde fiova upaTvveis.) reckoned as two. 
 
SCANNING OF THE HIPPOLYTUS. 415 
 
 Verses 1283-1295 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except 
 v. 1291, which is a Monometer, and v. 1295, which is a Faroe- 
 miac. 
 
 Verses 1296-1341 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 1342-1371 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except 
 vv. 1343, 1346, 1348, 1356, 1367, 1370, which arc Monometers, 
 and vv. 1347, 1351, 1369, which are Paroemiacs. 
 
 Verses 1372-1388 form a choral system as follows : 
 Verse 1372, www, w_, www, Iambic Tripody. 
 
 1373, ^ Wwyi l % , Anapaestic Dim. 
 
 1374,137V w w\ JLt-.w w -4t >#■ w.JLi » v w Zi 
 
 w w _, Anapaestic Trim. 
 
 1376, i, w w _, w w _ii » Anapaestic Dim. 
 
 1377, w w JLi ? w w _!., w w _, Anapaestic Dim. 
 
 1378, f _ 9 w w _, i,s^ ^ _, Anapaestic Dim. 
 
 1379, w 1, w _, w _i, w _, Iambic. 
 
 1380, ^_!__w_,_!.w_, Dochm. and Oro- 
 
 tic. 
 
 1381, _lw,_w,lww_,wl_, Trochaico-Chori- 
 
 ambic. 
 1382, 1383, 2 w J, w , w w w , w J, W| „ _, w 1, w _, 
 w _i, J _, Iambic Tetrame- 
 
 ter. 
 
 1384, ___!._ w _, Dochmius. 
 
 1385, _^ w , , Z w w _, Trochaico-Chori- 
 
 ambic. 
 
 1386, w i, _ w _, i, w _, Dochm. and Iam- 
 
 bic Dipody. 
 
 1387, _ w w _ w _, w ww, Dochm. Dimeter. 
 
 1388, _ _L, w _, w I, w _, o Z, _, Iambic. 
 
 Verses 1389-1461 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 1462-1466 arc Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except 
 v. 1463, which is a Monometer, and v. 1466, which is a Paroe- 
 miac. 
 
 1 One line (jrpoaraTroWvre fx oWvre tov bvc&aifxovix /jl' ' afJL<ptTOfxov) 
 
 reckoned as two. 
 
 2 One line (e/xo\e t e7r' eyxt t« ttotc toy oudei/ 6W enaiTiov kukwv ;) 
 
 leckoned as two. 
 
SCANNING OF THE ALCESTIS. 
 
 Verses 1-27 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses4>8-76 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except v. 
 28, which is a Spondaic Anapaestic Monometer Brachycatalec- 
 tic, and v. 37, which is a Paroemiac. 
 
 Verses 38-76 arc Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 77-S5 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except vv. 
 83 and 85, which are Paroemiacs, and v. 84, which is a Monom- 
 eter. In verse 78 the chauge of speaker and the consequent 
 pause save the hiatus after 'Aduifrov. 
 
 Verses 86-92 form a Slrojjhe, the Antistrophe corresponding 
 to which occurs at vv. 98-104. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Verse 86, v J_, w _, w _!_, w _, Iambic Dimeter. 
 87, v JL,,vv _ > ^ — > ^ — > Iambic Dimeter. 
 J_ w w _ » w Z,^ _, Choriambic. 
 _1 _, 1 w w, I w w, _, Dactylic. 
 w^JL w ' w » — v w » — » Dactylic with Anacrusis. 
 
 _,_ w w , _ w w , , Dactylic with Anacrusis. 
 
 '_ _, w J. _, Bacchiac Dimeter (Mo- 
 
 lossus and Bacchius). 
 
 Verses 93-97 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except vv. 
 93 and 97, which are Paroemiacs. 
 
 Verses 98-104 form the Antistrophe, corresponding line for 
 line to the preceding Strophe at vv. 86-92. 
 
 Verses 105-111 are Anapaestics, of which vv. 105, 107, and 
 
SCANNING OF THE ALCESTIS. 417 
 
 111 are Paroemiacs, and' vv. 108 and 109 arc Dimeters Acatalec- 
 tic. Verse 110 is a Monometer. 
 
 Verses 112-121 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 122-131. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Verse 112, f _, w _, ± w , _, Iarabico-Trochaic. 
 
 113, 1 w , _ ^, 1 _, Ithyphallic. 
 
 114, L,Zvw,-, Dactylic. 
 
 115, _1 w w , Z w w, _, Dactylic. 
 
 116, _, _i w w, Z _, Dactylic with Anacrusis. 
 
 117, .1 _, JL w w, J. J; Dactylic. 
 
 118, !.,w_,w^w,^_, Iambic Dimeter. 
 
 119, ',w.iyliv»i Iambic Dimeter. 
 
 120, _ £ w w w J w , Dochmius. 
 
 121, I w w*_, Y 1 _, Choriambic. 
 
 Verses 122-131 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 Strophe at vv. 112-121. 
 
 Verses 132-136 are Anapaestics, vv. 132, 134, and 136 being 
 Paroemiacs, v. 133 being a Monometer, and v. 135 a Dimeter 
 Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 137-212 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 213-225 form a Strophe, assigned to five distinct Cho- 
 reutae, as noted in the margin, the Antistrophe corresponding 
 to which (also assigned to five separate Choreutae) occurs 
 at vv. 226-238. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 213, ^ ± _ ^ _, _^_^_, Dochm. Dimeter. 
 
 214, w Z, 'J _, w _L, w _ II 1 ^7 - w, _, Iambico- 
 
 Trochaic. 
 
 215, _,_lw^_,wZ,^_, Choriambic. 
 
 216, Z y y-,-i,yv»iw,w.,v'i,-i ChOl'i- 
 
 ambic. 
 
 *217, _i w , _ w , _, Trochaic Penthe- 
 
 mimeris. 
 218, 1 w , _ w , _, Trochaic Penthe- 
 
 mimeris. 
 
418 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Verse219, 1 w ly. w _, ._, || ± w w _, 1 w w _, w _L _, 
 Iambic Penth. and Choriambic. 
 220, 2 £, £, Spondaic Anapaestic Monom. 
 
 221, _ 1, w _, ^ Z, w _, _ Z, w _, Iambic Trime- 
 
 ter Acatalectic. 
 
 222, w _£, w _, w _^, w _, w _^, _, Iambic Trimeter 
 
 Catalectic. 
 223, 3 _i w> p.Z w, , Trochaic. 
 
 224, W| 1 w w , 1 w W| _^ w , _, Logaoedic. 
 
 225, ww,_iw^_,^_!._, Choriambic. 
 
 Verses 226-238 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 preceding Strophe at vv. 213-225. 
 
 Verses 239a 4 -243 are Anapaestics, and all Dimeters Acata- 
 lectic, except v. 243, which is a Faroemiac. 
 
 Verses 244^247 form a Strophe, to which the Antistrophe at 
 vv. 248-251 corresponds. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 214, J_ w w , J_ w w _, w _£, Choriambic. 
 
 245, 5 J[„^-,vl,Zvw-,vl-, Choriambic. 
 216, s,l,v-,wiv,v_,vl>v-, Iambic Tri- 
 meter. 
 247, _ 1, J _, _ J., w _, w 1, w _, Iambic Tri- 
 meter. 
 
 Verses 248-251 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 Strophe at vv. 244-247. 
 
 1 Hermann omits jcip in this line, by which the verse becomes an 
 Iambic Penthemimeris, with a Logaoedic termination. 
 
 2 The corresponding line in the Antistrophe {\6o6, \6o6) consists of 
 two iambi, so that there must be some error here. 
 
 3 In the corresponding line of the Antistrophe Hermann supplies 
 
 <TT€va£ov. 
 
 4 In order to preserve the marginal numbering, two lines are here 
 reckoned each as 239 j but, to distinguish them, the letters a and & 
 are respectively appended. Thus, the line, ovnore <t>r]aa> -ydi+ov ev- 
 
 <ppaiveiv Counts as 239 «, and the line nXeov rj \vire7v, T«us T6 irdpoiBev 
 
 as 239 b. Compare note 3, page 39G. 
 
 5 This line is scanned by Dindorf as a Dochmius, followed by a 
 Choriambic, thus, _Ow — w_, -lww_,w_l— . 
 
SCANNING OF THE ALCESTIS. 419 
 
 Verses 252 -258 a form a Strophe, the Antistrophe corre- 
 sponding to which occurs at vv. 258 6-265. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 252, w J_ w , J_ J w _, w _Lj Glyconic. 
 
 253, W w"l,v-)-i Iambic. 
 
 Iambic Tetrameter Catal. 
 255, 256, 1 w Z, I w w _, _L - - _, _, -i w w _, 
 w _i _, Choriambic. 
 
 257, .l.^.vl.v-.-.w-, Iambic Tri- 
 meter. 
 258a, 2 w I, w _, _ -L, w _, - 1, - _, Iambic Tri- 
 meter. 
 
 Verses 258 6-265 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 preceding Strike at vv. 252-258 a. 
 
 Verses 2G6-272 form an 'E-ttw^J?, as follows : 
 
 Epodus. 
 
 Verse 266, v^w,wvw,Z_, Ithyphallic. 
 
 267, Iwt-vilvi _, Trochaic. • 
 
 268, 1^^,1_, Dactylic. 
 269a, 2 ' w W 'JL, c _, _, Iambic. 
 269 6, i. WJ , Trochaic. 
 
 270, I w WJ _1 w u,j _, Dactylic. 
 
 271, _ Z WJ , £, _, Spondaic Paroemiac. 
 
 272, _ 1, w _, w J, w , w w w , w _i, _, Iambic 
 
 Trimeter Catal. 
 
 Verses 273-2796 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except 
 v. 277, which is a Manometer, and v. 2796, which is a Paroe- 
 miac. 
 
 Verses 280-392 are Iambic Trimeters Acatdlectic. 
 
 Verses 393-403 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 406-415. 
 
 1 One line (eneifou ' <tv KCLTetpyeis. Tcide roi /ue <rnepx6/Jievo? raxvvei.) 
 
 reckoned as two, but numbered in the margin as oue, viz., 25G. 
 3 Consult note 4 on preceding page. 
 
420 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Strophe.' 
 Verse 393, w J_ _ w _, _!_ w , _ w , _, Doclim. and Trochaic 
 
 Penthem. 
 394, 395, * w _i, w _, w 1, w _, w £ w _ w _, Iamb. 
 
 Dimeter and Dochm. 
 Dochmius and Cretic. 
 Dochmius. 
 Dochmius. 
 
 399, w J, w _ w w w , Dochmius. 
 
 400, w W| J. w w _, w 1, _i w , _ W| 1 _, Choriamb. 
 
 and Ithyphallic. 
 
 401, w _£, w J_ , Iambus and Dochm. 
 
 402, _ Z w _ w J, Dochmius. 
 
 403, _J,^_w_, 1 w w _, w_i_, Dochm. and 
 
 Choriambic. 
 
 — * 
 
 Verses 404, 405 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 406-415 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 Strophe at vv. 393-403. 
 
 Verses 416-434 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 435-444 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which follows immediately after at vv. 445-454. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 435, _L ^ ^, ± ^ ^,, _, Dactylic. 
 
 436, _,lww,Zww,Zw, , Dactyl. -Trochaic. 
 
 437, w w J_ y w w _, w _i, w _, _, Anap. Logaoedic. 
 too, -±oy, _, _ w w, _ w w> , _ w w, _ w wi 
 
 S. _, Dactylic with An- 
 
 acrusis. 
 
 440, _!_ w WJ 1 w w , _, Dactylic. 
 
 441, 1 w , _ WJ J_ _, Ithyphallic. 
 
 442, ^ w Z, w ^ _, ^ Z, w _, _, Anap. Logaoedic. 
 
 AAQ AAA 3 / f ! t 
 
 Choriambic. 
 
 1 One line (fieftaicev, afotMr ea-nv, w irdrep, ixj) u\iu>,) reckoned as two. 
 
 2 One line (iVtw 6' 'Ai'dur 6 /xe\a7x a£Ta? ^eo?, of t 1 t7ri Kwa) reck- 
 oned as two. 
 
 3 One line (Xifxvav 'AxopovTi'ai/ iropevaa? IXdra StKwnio.) reckoned as 
 
 two. 
 
SCANNING OF THE ALCESTIS. 421 
 
 Verses 445-454 form the Antisirophe corresponding to the 
 preceding Strophe at vv. 435-444. 
 
 Verses 455-465 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 466-475. 
 
 Stkopue. 
 
 Verse 455, J_ w w _, w J_ _, Choriambic. 
 
 456, w _, _ w WJ , Dactylic with Base. 
 
 457, y v Zj v w _> v - -j Anap. Logaoedic. 
 
 458, j, _, _1 w w, _L _, Dactylic. 
 
 459, w 3 w ,vlj'w"-)«j Antispastic. 
 
 460, w w J., w w _, w _^, w _, _, Anap. Logaoedic. 
 461a, 1 J J _i, _, Anap. Monom. Cat. 
 461 &, w , _i w w _, w J_, w , Choriambic. 
 
 462, '_, , '_, , Spondaic Anap. 
 
 463, J_ w w , ± ^ w , _L w w, 1 w w, Dactylic Tetram- 
 
 eter. 
 
 464, J[ w w , 1 M w , 1 w w , _1 w w , Z w, _ _, Dac- 
 
 tyl.Tetr. with Tro- 
 chaic Dipody. 
 
 465, w J., _, J _I, ^ _, _, Iambic. 
 
 Verses 466-475 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 preceding Strophe at vv. 455-465. 
 
 Verses 476-567 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 569-578 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 579-587. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Verse 569, i' WJ , J_ w J, i w w, 1 V w,'2 Ui , 
 
 Trochaico-Dactylic. 
 
 570, w , 1 w w , 1 w w , 1 w , _ w , _l _, Dactylico- 
 
 Trochaic. 
 
 571, J_ w , _ Wl 1 _, Ithyphallic. 
 572,573, 2 W Z, w ., wt-1 w w -., Choriambic. 
 
 574, _i w , _ w , 1 _, Ithyphallic. 
 
 575, i. w, 1 w o _, o Z, Glyconic. 
 
 1 Consult note 4 on page 418. 
 
 2 One line (erAa <5e o-oiat /lirjAoi/o/ia?) reckoned as two. 
 
422 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Verse 576, 577,*_, Zww_,wZ__, Glyconic. 
 578, 1 _, 1 w w _, _, Glyconic. 
 
 Verses 579-587 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 preceding Strophe at vv. 569-578. 
 
 Verses 588-596 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 597-605. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Verse 588, _ s _L ^ ^, L ^ ^, _, Dactylic. 
 
 589. 590. 2 ^,..,l W v,Iww,., Trochaico- 
 
 Dactylic. 
 
 591. 592. 3 L w , _ _, 1 w w , _i w w , _, Trochaico- 
 
 Dactylic. 
 
 , Dactylico- 
 
 Trochaic. 
 
 594, _, 1 w w , 1 w w, 1 w, 1 w w _, Dactylico- 
 
 Trochaic and Choriamb. 
 
 595, Z w -.» _> w -L _» Moloss. and 
 
 Bacchius with C re tic base. 
 
 596, Jvt w > w Z, w _> _> Antispastic. 
 
 Verses 597-605 form the Antistrophe to the preceding Stro- 
 phe at vv. 5S8-596. 
 
 Verses 606-740 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 741-746 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except v. 
 741, which is a Monometer (iw iw being extra metrum), and v. 
 746, which is a Faroemiac. 
 
 Verses 747-860 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 861-871 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except v. 
 861, which is a Monometer (Id) id) being extra metrum), v. 863, 
 which is all extra metrum (loo fioi /mot, aiai), v. 865, which is 
 also a Monometer, and v. 871, which is a Paroemiac. 
 
 Verses 872-877 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 
 1 One line (/Wjo'/juao-i aoiai avpit,(av) reckoned as two. 
 
 2 One line {jeariav o)k€i napa KaWivaov) reckoned as two. 
 
 3 One line (Boiftiav \i/j.vav ' upoTo<r 3e ^vui>) reckoned as two. 
 
SCANNING OF THE ALCESTIS. 423 
 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 889-894. But in both the Strophe 
 and Antistrophe the exclamations of Admetus (alai — ii — 
 <ptu cptu — iu> fxoi /uot) are all extra metrum. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 
 Verse 872, J ', w _, _, w 1, J _, _, 
 
 Iambic. 
 
 873, w 1 _ _, w "1 _ - _, 
 
 Antispast and 
 
 
 Dochmius. 
 
 ^j^v' ! r : vji 
 
 Dochmius. 
 
 87q, w ,_» w _?_j^ _jw —)->-/ — > 
 
 Iambic. 
 
 876 ' ' ' 
 
 _, Iambic and 
 
 
 Dactylic. 
 
 877, 
 
 (Consult note, 
 
 
 page 211. J ) 
 
 Verses 878-888 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except 
 v. 884, which is a Monometer, and v. 888, which is a Taroe- 
 miac. 
 
 Verses 889-894 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 Strophe at vv. 872-877. 
 
 Verses 895-902 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except 
 v. 896, which is a Monometer, and v. 902, which is a Faroe- 
 miac. 
 
 Verses 903-910 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 926-934. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Verse 903, 904, 2 wiv-^J'viiw^lwi^ 
 
 Iambico-Dactvlic. 
 
 905, 1 w , _ W1 1 _, Ithyphallic. 
 
 906, v w __, , Anapaest and Mo- 
 
 lossus. 
 
 907, J J, w , w w ^, w Z ^, w _> Iambic Dimeter. 
 
 908, w w _i, w w _, _, Anapaestic. 
 
 909, ^jo w _, _, Anapaestic. 
 
 910, w w _!_, ^ _, _, Iambic. 
 
 1 The true metre is preserved in the Antistrophe, nit fa Qaveiaa 
 Ovarwv, i. e., ^ — , — , ~ — , w — , — , being an Iampic. 
 
 2 One line (e/xot t^c rjv tv yevei, u> Kopo? ut;i60pr)vos) reckoned as two. 
 
424 
 
 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Verses 911-925 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except 
 v. 924, which is a Monometer, and v. 925, which is a Paroe- 
 miac. In order to agree with the marginal numbering, line 
 911 must be reckoned as 911, 912. 
 
 Verses 926-934 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 Strophe at vv. 903-910. 
 
 Verses 935-961 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 962-972 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 973-983. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 962, w J_ y ± w w _, _, Glyconic. 
 
 963, 1 o, _L w w _, ± i Glyconic. 
 
 964, 1 _> ± ^ ^ _, ^, _!_, Glyconic. 
 
 965, J_ w , _!_ w w _, _, Glyconic. 
 
 966, 1 w> _£ w w _, w 1, Glyconic. 
 
 967, 1 _, 1 ^ w _, _, Glyconic. 
 
 968, 1 _, 1 w w _, _, Glyconic. 
 
 969,970/ 1 w , I w w _, w _L, 1 w w _, w I _, 
 
 Glyconic and Choriambic. 
 
 971, 972, 2 l< ^ w.w w w _, 1 ~ w _, w.l _, Docb- 
 mius and Choriambic. 
 
 Verses 973-983 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 preceding Strophe at vv. 962-972. 
 
 Verses 984-994 form a Strophe, to which the Antistrophe 
 at vv. 995-1005 corresponds. 
 
 Strophe!. 
 
 Verse 984, 985, 3 I w w _., 
 986,987,* Z _, J. v 
 
 _) «W S-- > _> 
 
 Choriambic. 
 Choriambic. 
 
 , x One line (-yrjpup, ovd' baa $o7/3o? 'AcuXriiriddais edame) reckoned as 
 two. 
 
 2 One line (<}>apfxaKa iroXvirovois avrtTefxwv fiporoXcriv.) reckoned as 
 two. 
 
 3 One line (kcu a ev a<f>vKTOi<ri xepiev el\e Oea. decfxoTs ') reckoned 
 
 as two. 
 
 4 One line (t6A/u<* 3' ' oi> 7op avd^ei^ nor evepOev) reckoned as two. 
 
SCANNING OF THE ALCESTIS. 
 
 425 
 
 Verse 988, 
 989, 
 990, 
 991 
 992, 
 993. 
 994, 
 
 i 
 — i — ^ ■ 
 
 r r 
 
 • r 
 
 
 Glyconic. 
 
 Glyconic. 
 
 Choriambic. 
 
 Choriambic. 
 
 Choriambic. 
 
 Choriambic. 
 
 Choriambic. 
 
 Verses 1006-1157 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic ; and the 
 play then closes with an Anapaestic system, consisting of 
 Dimeters Acatalectic, except the last line, which is a Paroe- 
 miac. 
 
 33 
 
SCANNING OF THE HERACLIDAE. 
 
 Verses 1-72 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 73-91 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 92-110. 1 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Verse 73, w ± % w _, w ±, w -, _ _i, w _, Iamb. Trimeter. 
 
 74, .iv«r.I,w.i.l,v., Iamb. Trimeter. 
 
 75, w J, w _ w _, Dochmius. 
 
 76, w J, w w w w _, w J, w _ w _, Dochmiac Dime- 
 
 ter. 
 77, f _ y w _, i| w _i -j w _, Iamb. Trimeter. 
 
 78, w _i, w _, w _£, w _, L| w —j Iamb. Trimeter. 
 
 79, _ J_ y w _, _ ±, w _, w _i, w _, Iamb. Trimeter. 
 
 80, w _£., w _, L, w _, w _L, w> _, Iamb. Trimeter. 
 
 81, w _i w , Dochmius. 
 
 82, _ ^, _ W| _, w J, ^ _ w _, Trochaic Penth. 
 
 and Dochm. 
 
 83, w J, w _ w _, w _£ w , Dochmiac Dime- 
 
 ter. 
 
 84, [, v ^, I, w— i ->>-/—) Iamb. Trimeter. 
 
 85, i, w „.j i, w _, w Z, w _, Iamb. Trimeter. 
 
 86, w J, w w w w _, Dochmius. 
 
 87 ' ' 
 
 °M w — — ^ — > v^ — — w 
 
 Dochmiac Dime- 
 ter. 
 
 88, w J., w _, w J., w _, w J., w _, Iamb. Trimeter. 
 
 89, w w _1, J _, _ _i, w _, _ J., w _, Iamb. Trime- 
 
 ter. 
 
 90, _ _!, w _, _ _^, w _, w J_, w _, Iamb. Trimeter. 
 
 91, _i w _, w J. _ ^ _, w w w _ w _, Dochm. Dim. 
 
 with Cretic base. 
 
 . l There is some confusion here between the Strophe and Antistro- 
 phe as regards the number of lines. The better way would be to 
 regard lines 90 and 91 as a necru>d6?, and to suppose, with Dindorf, 
 that one verse has been lost from the StropJie after v. 77. 
 
SCANNING OF THE HERACLIDAE. 427 
 
 Verses 92-110 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 preceding Strophe at vv. 73-91. 
 
 Verses 111-287 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 288-296 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except 
 v. 290, which is a Monometer, and v. 296, which is a Faroe- 
 miac. 
 
 Verses 297-352 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 353-361 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 362-370. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 353, J_ w w _, J_ ^ w _, Choriambic. 
 
 354, Z-ww-jwI-j Choriambic. 
 
 355, ± _, J_ w w _, _, Glyconic. 
 
 356, ^w_Z.t^w_,J.ww_, Anapaestic and Chori- 
 
 ambus. 
 
 357, w w J_, w _, _, Iambic. 
 
 358, l_,iw_,wl_, Choriambic. 
 
 359, _,Zww_,w_!_, Choriambic. 
 
 360, _, 1 w w _, w 1 _, Choriambic. 
 
 361, w w Z, w _, -i Iambic. 
 
 Verses 362-370 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 preceding Strophe at vv. 353-361. 
 
 Verses 371-380 form an 'Bttm^os, as follows : 
 
 Epodus. 
 Verse 371, _l_,_lww_,^Z_> Choriambic. 
 
 372, __, L w « _, w I, Glyconic. 
 
 373, w Z, I v w _, _, Glyconic. 
 
 374, ± _, _> w w _, w 2 _, Choriambic. 
 
 375, _, Z w Y _, w Z, Glyconic. 
 
 376, Zw > Z^w_,^l_ > Choriambic. 
 
 377, _,1^^_,^1_, Choriambic. 
 
 378, _,_1^^_,^Z_, Choriambic. 
 
 379, _, L J w _, w 1 _, Choriambic. 
 
 380, w w 1, w _, _, Iambic. 
 
428 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Verses 381-607 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 608-617 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 618-629. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 608, ' w * ' w w , ' w W1 ' ^> 
 
 609, I w 
 
 610, ± w 
 611, 
 
 Dactyl. Hexam. 
 o Dactyl. Dimeter. 
 
 rv,ivy,Iw, Dactyl. Tetram. 
 - J, Z _, 1 _, Dactyl. Tetram. 
 
 612, L w w , 1 _, Dactyl. Dimeter. 
 
 613, 1 w w , I _, ± w w> _£ w w , Dactyl. Tetram. 
 
 614. 1 ^ *#,#_, 1_ w w , J. _, Dactyl. Tetram. 
 
 615. 2 1 w w , ± w w , i w w , j. w W| J. w w , 2 w w, 
 
 Dactyl. Hexam. 
 616,617, Z w w , _i w W1 I w w , 1 w w , J_ _, Dac- 
 tyl. Pentameter. 
 
 Verses 618-629 form the Antistrophe to the preceding Stro- 
 phe at vv. 608-617. 
 
 Verses 630-701 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 702-708 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except 
 v. 708, which is a Taroemiac. 
 
 Verses 709-747 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 748-758 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 759-769. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 748, ± _, J_ w w __, w ± _, Choriambic. 
 
 749, _, 1 J J _, w Z, Glyconic. 
 
 750, w 0>— ~ v-J — i — > Glyconic. 
 
 751, Zw^,Z^w_,_, Glyconic. 
 
 1 The reading uXjjtov violates the metre, having been corrupted 
 from some word which had the measure preserved iu the corre- 
 sponding line of the Antistrophe (v. 625), namely, w >-* — . Compare 
 note on v. 614. 
 
 2 This line may also he scanned as a Dactylic Pentameter ending 
 iu a Cretic. 
 
SCANNING OF THE HERACLIDAE*. 429 
 
 Verse 752, ^ 1, ± ^, ^, _, ^ ±> Glyconic. 
 
 753, 
 754, _ 
 755, 
 756, 
 
 757, 
 758, ± _ 
 
 -> w _> 
 
 Glyconic. 
 
 Ckoriambic. 
 L w ^ _, ^ — — i Choriambic. 
 
 w w _, w _^., Glyconic. 
 
 4 ^ w _, ._, Glyconic. 
 
 L ^ v-/ _, w _L, s_/ _, _, Choriambic. 
 
 Verses 759-769 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 preceding Strophe at vv. 748-758. 
 
 Verses 770-776 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 777-783. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Verse 770, ± _, J_ w w _, w _1 _, Choriambic. 
 
 771, _l_,_iww_,^_i_, Choriambic. 
 
 772, _, 1 w w _, w 1, Glyconic. 
 
 773, wii,'C_»-»wiw _> _, Iambic. 
 
 774, _!.ww,Zww_,^_i_, Choriambic. 
 775/ w w 1, w w _, w J ±, w w ~, f Anap.Dim. ) 
 776, wliv-,.,vl,w _, _, 1 Iambic. j 
 
 Verses 777-783 form the Antistrophe to the preceding £7ro- 
 j)7*e at vv. 770-776. 
 
 Verses 784-891 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 892-900 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 901-909. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 892, W _L, z, _, w J_, w _, w 1, __, Iambic. 
 
 893, _,Z^w_,wZ_, Choriambic. 
 
 894, J._,Zw^_,wl_, Choriambic. 
 
 895, _,l^w_,^_L_, Choriambic. 
 
 896, 1 VV _ )V Z_, Choriambic. 
 
 897, _L ^ ^ _, w _i _, Choriambic. 
 898, 2 _ £ , Dochmius. 
 
 1 Verses 775 and 776 properly form one line, as appears from the 
 Antistrophe (v. 782) and the division of napQevtav. 
 
 2 Dindorf scans this verse as a Cretic and Trochee. 
 
430 
 
 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Verse 899, ± w w _, w J_ _, Choriambic. 
 900, _, 1 w w _, _, Glyconic. 
 
 Verses 901-909 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 Strophe at vv. 893-900. 
 
 Verses 910-918 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 919-927. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Verse 910, ± 
 
 911, w 
 
 912, _ 
 
 913, ^ 
 914, 
 
 915, 
 
 916, 
 
 917, J_ w w _, w _i _, 
 
 yj-o, _, _ w w _, w _ 
 
 , Choriambic. 
 Choriambic. 
 Choriambic. 
 Glyconic. 
 Choriambic. 
 Choriambic. 
 Choriambic. 
 Choriambic. 
 Choriambic. 
 
 Verses 919-927 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 Strophe at vv. 910-918. 
 
 Verses 928-1052 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic, to which 
 succeed three Anapaestic lines, closing the play ; the first a 
 Dimeter Acatalectic, the second a Monometer, and the last a 
 Taroemiac. 
 
SCANNING OF THE SUPPLICES. 
 
 Verses 1-41 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 42-47 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe corresponding 
 to which occurs at vv. 48-54. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 42, ^w_L_j>-/^J._,ww_l_, Ionic a minore Tri- 
 meter. 
 
 43, ww_i_,ww_i__,ww_i, Ionic a minore Cat- 
 
 alectic. l 
 
 44, w w J_, w w J. _, w w 2.j Ionic a minore Cat- 
 
 alectic. 2 
 
 45, w w _1 _, w w _1 _, w v _£, Ionic a minore Cat- 
 
 alectic. 
 46, 47, 3 ^ ^ 1 _, ^wZ_,^~l_, wwZ, Ionic 
 
 a minore Catalectic. 
 
 Verses 48-54 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 preceding Strophe at vv. 42-47. 
 
 Verses 55-62 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe corresponding 
 to which occurs at vv. 63-70. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 55, w ^/_l_>ww_i_,ww_i_, Ionic a minore Tri- 
 meter. 
 
 56, w w Z _, v w Z _, w 1 _, Ionic a minore Tri- 
 
 meter. 
 
 57, w w ■_!_, ^ w L _, ^ w Z _, Ionic a minore with 
 
 Base. 
 
 i The Ionic a minore Catalectic ends in an Anapaest. 
 
 2 with Anapaestic base. 
 
 3 One line (Oavcmp Xwo-t/ieXei 0up<nv bpeioiai fiopJv,) reckoned as 
 two. 
 
432 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Verse 58, 59, * w w J. _, w w 1 _ 
 
 v-> S-/ » 
 
 Ionic a minore Cat- 
 alectic. 
 80, *, ^ J. __ , w w _1 _, w w _1 _, Ionic a minore Tri- 
 
 meter. 
 
 61, w w J. _, w w 2. _, w w Z _, Ionic a minore Tri- 
 meter. 
 
 62, 2 w w Zi w w J. _, w s-^**,^wZ, Ionic a mi- 
 nore Catalectic. 
 
 Verses 63-70 form the Antistrophe to the preceding Strophe 
 at vv. 55-62. 
 
 Verses 71-78 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 79-86. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Verse 71, v _Lj w _, w ^ w _, w _i, w _, Iambic Trimeter. 
 
 72, sj, w , w _, _, _ vi w _ w _, Iambic and Doch- 
 
 mius. 
 
 73, J^,^_, ' 
 
 w _, Iamb, and Cretic. 3 
 
 w _, Iamb, and Cretic. 
 
 w _, Iamb, and Cretic. 
 
 si vvr-- o, Trochaic, 
 
 w, w w v., w, Trochaic and Pro- 
 celeusmatic. 4 
 
 78, w Z, w _,,,wi,v _, _, Iambic. 
 
 74, ^ Z, ^ _, 
 
 75, w 1, w _, 1 
 70 ' 
 77, 1 w , _ v_,_ 
 
 Verses 79-86 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 Strophe at vv. 71-78. 
 
 Verses 87-270 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 271-274 form a Stroplie, to which the Antistrophe at 
 vv. 282-285 corresponds. 
 
 1 One line (fxerddo^ 6\ baaov enaXyw fxeXea rwv (pOifsevcav our erenov ') 
 
 reckoned as two. 
 
 2 The reading Xdivov vitiates the metre. The quantities required, 
 as shown by the Antistrophe, are — — 
 
 3 Dindorf makes this and the two lines that follow Iambico-Tro- 
 chaics. 
 
 4 If we read (poiviov here for Qovtov, we shall have a Trochaic Dipo- 
 dy and Dochmius. 
 
SCANNING OF THE SUPPLICES. 433 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Verse 271, 1 w w , J_ w w , _1 w W| I - w, 1 w ~, 1 
 
 Dactylic Hexameter. 
 
 272, 1 w w , 1 w ^, I w w , 1 w o, 1 v w , _L 
 
 Dactylic Hexameter. 
 
 273, / _, 1 _, I w w , I w w , I w w , 1 _, Dae 
 
 tvlic Hexameter. 1 
 
 274, .£ w wl I w w, I _, 1 w w, 1 w w, 1 _, Dac- 
 
 tylic Hexameter. 
 
 Verses 275-281 form a Meo-«5Js, as follows: 
 
 Mesodus. 
 Verse 275, w w ^ w , w w _, w w _£, w w ', Anapaestic. 2 
 
 276, w 1 _ v _, w w Z, , Dochm. and An- 
 
 apaest. 
 277 ' ' ' ' ' ' 
 
 Dactyl. Hexam. 
 278, J_ w WJ 1 w J, 1 w J, J_ w w , 1 w w , 1 w WJ 
 
 Dactyl. Hexam. 3 
 279,280, Z w w , ± w w , 1 j w , _, Dactyl. Tetrame- 
 ter Catalectic. 
 281 ' ' ' ' r r Dae- 
 
 tylic Hexam.* 
 
 Verses 282-285 form the Antistrqphe corresponding to the 
 Strophe at vv. 271-274. 
 
 Verses 286-364 arc Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 365-368 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 369-372. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 365, _ Z w| w _, w _£, w w w , ^ 1, w _, Iamb. Tri- 
 meter. 
 366, w i , w,vwv,V'vJw,w.i- l Iamb. Di- 
 
 meter Hyperc. 
 
 1 In scanning, reOvewrcav becomes reOvwrov by synizesis. 
 
 2 Consult note on this verse, p. 284. 
 
 3 In scanning, deiXaia shortens its penult and becomes a dactyl. 
 * Consult note on this verse, p. 284. 
 
434 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Verse 367,36s, 1 s_J,^w^^_,_v:^_^_, ^ Z _, 
 w _i _, Dochm. and Bacchiac Dimeters. 
 
 Verses 369-372 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 Strophe at vv. 365-368. 
 
 Verses 373-376 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 377-380. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Verse 373, w J_, w _, w Z V j w _, w Z, w _, Iamb. Trim. 
 
 374, w Z, w _, 1 w, , Iamb, and Trocha. Dipodies. 
 
 375, ^I,w-,yl,v.,wviv,w-, Iamb. Trim. 
 
 376, w _i _ w _, w i. _, w _^ _, Dochmius and Bac- 
 
 chiac Dimeter. 
 
 Verses 377-380 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 Strophe at vv. 373-376. 
 
 Verses 381-597 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 598-607 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 608-617. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 598, ± w w , 1 w w , _, 1 W| _. w> 1 _, Dactyl. -Tro- 
 chaic. 
 
 599.1 w w,l ~ w,_,l w^_,wL _, Dactylic and 
 
 Choriamb. 
 
 600, w _i , o i> w i» w i Antispastic. 
 
 601, w 1, w _, _, w 1, w _, ^ I, Iambic. 
 
 602, w J, w , w _, w Z, w _,w Z, w _, Iamb. Trim. 
 
 603, w _i , w _i, ^ _, w *,, Antispastic. 
 
 604. 2 ^ Z, w _,_,***, w *, w _, Iambic. 
 
 605, w 1, w _, _ _i, w _, Iambic. 
 
 606, w 1, y w w , w 1, Iambic. 
 
 607, ^Z , w _1, w _, _, Antispastic. 
 
 1 One line (ocria wept 6eov? nai nefd\<£. UeXaayt^ Kai Kar' "Ap-yor.) 
 
 reckoned as two. 
 
 2 This verse is corrupt. In the Antistrophe (v. 614) we have w -L, 
 ^ — , — , w ^ w, w — , w -i, an Iambic. Paley suggests x0<»a, Mark- 
 land tttoXiv. Either of these would answer, if we read hUx-dXearce 
 with Barnes in v. 614. 
 
SCANNING OF THE SUPPLICES. 435 
 
 Verses 608-617 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 Strophe at vv. 595-607. 
 
 Verses 618-625 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 626-633. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 618, ^l,v_,w>iv,^^viv-, Iambic Trim. 
 
 619, _ J, w , w — » w — »— i Antispastic. 1 
 
 620, ^ ± , w ±, M __, w _^, Antispastic. 
 
 621, w J, w , w w w , w 1, w _, Iambic. 
 
 622 a, _ .£ _, ± w _, Bacchiusand 
 
 Cretic. 2 
 
 622 &, _ 1 _, J_ w _, Bacchiusand 
 
 Cretic. 
 
 623, Z w, _ w, >-, ^ w, _ w, Trochaic. 
 
 624, ^ w J, _ w , _i w , _, Trochaic. 
 
 625, Z w, _ w, _i w, Trochaic. 
 
 Verses 626-633 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 Strophe at vv. 618-625. 
 
 Verses 634-777 are Iambic Trimeters Acataleetic. 
 
 Verses 778-786 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 787-793. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 778, w w> ± w w _, w *, Glyconic. 
 
 779, Ji'3-ilv'i _, Iamb.-Trocha- 
 
 ic. 
 
 780, 1 w, 1 w, 1 w, _, Trochaic. 
 
 781, w i.* w i. , Iambus and An- 
 
 tispast. 
 
 782, wZ,w_,Z_,u_w^,v _, Iambic Trime- 
 
 ter. 
 
 783, 784, 3 w I, w _, w I, w _, w ± % w _, Iamb. Tri- 
 
 meter. 
 
 1 In this line 0ear must be pronounced as a monosyllable. 
 
 2 The Bacchius here has a long anacrusis, in the Antistrophe a 
 short one. As regards the numbering of the line, consult note 4, 
 page 418. 
 
 3 One line (mnpov, ku\6v 9eafia 6\ eiVep o^j/o/jLai) reckoned as two. 
 
436 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Verse 785, J_ WJ _ w , J_ w , _, Trocliaic. 
 
 786, w _i, ^ _, _, w 1, w _, _, Iambic. 
 
 Verses 787-793 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 Strophe which occurs at vv. 778-786. 
 
 Verses 794-797 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except 
 the last, which is a Paroemiac. 
 
 Verses 798-810 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 811-823. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 798, w 2, w _,_L w , _, Iambico-Trochaic. 
 
 799, ± w 
 
 800, w 1 
 
 801, w _i 
 
 802, _ 1 
 
 804, w 
 805, 
 
 . w, _, Trochaic. 
 
 j w —i w _, w Z, Iambic. 
 
 / Z, _, Iambic. 
 
 / Z, ^ _, Iambic Dimeter. 
 
 / Z, w _, Iambic Dimeter. 
 
 Lj w __, _, Iambic. 
 
 . w»_w,Z v,w, Iambico-Trochaic. 
 
 806, 1 ,**,#*,**, *, (Trochaic with 
 
 Base.) 
 
 807, w,iv».w;^.iw.,lv,.j Iambico-Tro- 
 
 chaic. 
 
 808, J. w w , I _, 1 w wl _i _ W| J. w w , ^ _ > Dac . 
 
 tylic Hexam. 
 
 809, w J., w '_., w _!, w _, Iambic Dimeter. 
 
 810, ^ 4, _, w 1, w _, _, Iambic. 
 
 Verses 811-823 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 $n>pte at vv. 798-810. 
 
 Verses 824-828 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 829-833. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Verse 824, v Z ^, w _, si ^ w,_, Iambico-Trochaic. 
 825, Z w , _ w , _, 1 ^, _, Iambic. 
 
 1 The Antistrophe (v. S19) supplies the measure here of the lost 
 portion, namely, — •--, — w, _1 w, _ . 
 
SCANNING OF THE SUPPLICES. 437 
 
 Verse 826, w w ± y w _, _ _i, M __, w _i, w _, Iambic Tri- 
 meter. 
 
 827, w _!.,w_,^ww,_, Iambi co-Tro- 
 
 chaic. 
 
 828, 1 w J., w - i Iambus and 
 
 Antispast. 
 
 Verses 829-833 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 Strophe at vv. 824-828. 
 
 Verses 834 and 835 form an 'Eircpdo'?, as follows : 
 
 Epodus. 
 Verse 834, w , J_ ^, _ w , J_ w w , 1 J w , _, Trochaico-Dac- 
 
 tylic with Anacrusis. 
 835, _ sJi w , w _, J_ w , , Iambico-Trochaic. 
 
 Verses 836-917 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 918-924 form a Strophe, to which there is no corre- 
 sponding Antistrophe. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Verse 918, w J_ y w _, J_ wj _, Iambico-Trochaic. 
 
 919, w J, ^, w w w» w Zv w _» Iambic Dimeter. 
 
 920, ^ l y ^ _ y 1 ^ y _ y 1 ^ y _ _ y Iambico-Trochaic. 
 
 921, _ J_ y w w w , w 1, Iambic. 
 
 922, Z^.,_w,Z^,_w, Trochaic Dimeter. 
 
 923, 1 w, _ w, _1 w,'«i Trochaic Dimeter. 
 
 924, J 1, _, w J_ y w _, _, Iambic. 
 
 Verses 925-954 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 955-962 form a Strophe y the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 963-970. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 955, _!%->.» Jl^,w_,^Z_> Choriambic. 
 
 956, _,Zww_,v_/Z , Choriambic. 
 
 957, _iw^_,w_L , Choriambic. 
 
 958, _ J_ w , Z w w _, Choriambic. 
 
 1 Dindorf reads iw /not m°<i au Autispast (w _i ). 
 
438 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Verse 959, J_ ,io^ Choriambic with 
 
 double Base. 
 
 960, J- JL, 1 w . w _, Choriambic. 
 
 961, ± ,Zw^_, Choriambic with 
 
 double Base. 
 
 962, 1_ w , 1 w w _, w 1, w _, _, Choriambic. 
 
 Verses 963-970 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 Strophe at vv. 955-962. 
 
 Verses 971-979 form an 'ttsto&fc, as follows : 
 
 Epodus. 
 Verse 971, Z w w , 1 w w _, w ^ w , Glyconic. 
 
 972, £\> aj.1 w w _ r -i Glyconic. 
 
 973, l_,i wv _, v Z, Glyconic. 
 
 974, 1 _, Z w M _, w 2, Glyconic. 
 
 975, ^i r vvw,Iv/w-, Choriambic. 
 
 976, w > ,lCv^, Choriambic. 
 
 977, w * , Z v_ ^ _, Choriambic. 
 
 978, w _i , Z ^ ^ _, Choriambic. 
 
 979a, 1 w J, W| w w w , w _^, w _, Iambic Dimeter. 2 
 979 6, 1 _, 1 w w _, _, Glyconic. 
 
 Verses 980-989 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatdlectic, except 
 v. 982, which is a Monometer, and vv. 983 and 989, which are 
 Varoemiacs. 
 
 Verses 990-1008 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 1012-1030, the three intervening 
 lines (1009, 1010, 1011) being Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verse 990, w J_ 
 
 991, w I 
 
 992, w 1 
 
 
 994, Z _ 
 
 995, * * 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Bacchiac Dimeter. 
 
 ^ Z, Glyconic. 
 
 S, % Glyconic. 
 
 _i, Glyconic. 
 
 , Glyconic. 
 
 , Glyconic. 3 
 
 1 Consult note 4, page 418. 
 
 2 This line may also be scanned as a Choriambic, with the arsis 
 of the Choriambus resolved, thus, ^ w w, w w w ^ — , w _i. 
 
 3 Consult note on verse 995. In the corresponding line of the An- 
 
SCANNING OF THE SUPPLICES. 439 
 
 Verse 996, 
 
 r r 
 
 _ wj — w v_/ _o — ? 
 
 Glyconic. 
 
 997, 
 
 r r 
 
 ■^ _ _ _) _ W Vw> _) 
 
 Choriambic. 
 
 998, 
 
 r r r 
 
 , Choriambic. 
 
 999, 
 
 i t 
 
 _ W ^ _) _ W W J 
 
 Choriambic. 1 
 
 1000, 
 
 1 1 
 
 _ >-/) WJ _ v-/ v_/ _} 
 
 Choriambic. 
 
 1001, 
 
 r i 
 
 — — } — — } — w W 7 
 
 Choriambic. 
 
 1002, 
 
 / a 
 
 Bacchiac Dimeter. 
 
 1003, 
 
 v~> _> _ w w — y _» 
 
 Glyconic. 
 
 1004 a, : 
 
 2 A ! 
 
 Glyconic. 
 
 1004 6, 
 
 r 
 
 Bacchius with lo 
 Anacrusis. 
 
 1005, 
 
 r f 
 
 Choriambic. 
 
 1006, 
 
 — _J — _> W v_> _} 
 
 Choriambic. 
 
 1007, 
 
 — — y — — > — >-/ v-/ _> 
 
 Choriambic. 
 
 1008, 
 
 / r f 
 
 Glyconic. 
 
 Verses 1009-1011 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 1012-1030 form the Antistrophe to the preceding 
 Strophe at vv. 990-1008. 
 
 Verses 1031-1071 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 1072, 1074, 1075, 1078, 1079, are Dochmiacs, the ex- 
 clamations {iui and £ t) being extra metrum. Verses 1073 and 
 1076 are Iambic Trimeters, and v. 1077 is an Antispast, the ex- 
 clamation id) here forming an integral part of the measure. - 
 
 Verse 1072, w _^. _ ^ _, ^ _L _ ^ _, Dochm. Dimeter. 
 
 1074, w J, w w w w _, Dochm. Monom. 
 
 1075, ^1_^_, ^1_^_, Dochm. Dimeter. 
 
 1078, ^J,w_^_,_^^_w_, Dochm. Dimeter. 
 
 1079, ^ 1 _ ^ _, ^ ^ ^ , Dochm. Dimeter. 
 
 Verses 1080-1113 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 1114-1122 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except 
 the first, which is extra metrum, v. 1121, which is a Monom- 
 eter, and vv. 1118 and 1122, which are Paroemiacs. 
 
 tistrophe, v. 1017, we ought probably to read nvp6? t eo-w, the metre 
 requiring some emendation, so that we may have — — , — <~> w — , 
 
 1 KaTravt'co? becomes a trisyllable iu scanning. 
 
 2 Consult note 4, page 418. 
 
440 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Verses 1123-1131 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe corre- 
 sponding to which occurs at vv. 1132-1138. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 1123, w J_, w _, Iamb. Monom. 
 
 1124, w J_, w _, w _1, w _, w _^, w _, Iambic Trim. 
 
 1125, w J., w _, w 1, w _, w 1, w _, Iambic Trim. 
 
 1126, _ S w , w _i> w _, _, Antispastic. 
 
 1127, w •/, o _, Iamb. Monom. 
 
 1128, 1 w ', w t, w , 1 w , _, Trochaic. 
 
 1129, Z w, _ w, 1 w, _, Trochaic. 
 
 1130, i>i,w)-,y^w,w-,viv^ Iambic 
 
 Trimeter. 
 
 1131, __vi,^ ,v-/-Z.,w_i_> Antispastic. 
 
 Verses 1132-1138 form the Antistrophe corresponding to 
 the Strophe at vv. 1123-1131. 
 
 Verses 1139-1145 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe corre- 
 sponding to which occurs at vv. 1146-1152. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 
 Verse 1139, w ' ^ , w ' * w , f » v 
 
 ., _, Iambic Trim. 
 
 ' ^ •»■'*■' •*--»»-' ^7 w J *~s 7 > -' 7 v -' 7 —7 *• 
 
 1140, w J., U _7 _, J 1, tf _, _, 
 
 Iambic. 
 
 1141, .i,v.r,w:ig-, 
 
 Iambic. 
 
 1142, w 1 _ _, w Z7 w _, _, 
 
 Antispastic. 
 
 1143, w 1 _ _, w 1, w _, * Z, 
 
 Antispastic. 
 
 1144, _ ' w _ ? w J> w , w _, w j: 
 
 7 w _, Iambic Tri- 
 
 
 meter. 
 
 1145, _ J, w , w I, y _, _, 
 
 Dochm. and 
 
 
 Iambic. 1 
 
 Verses 1146-1153 form the Antistrophe corresponding to 
 the Strophe at vv. 1139-1145. 
 
 Verses 1154-1158 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe corre- 
 sponding to which occurs at vv. 1159-1164. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 1154, w 1, w _, w J, w , w _, w 1, w _, Iamb. Trim. 
 
 1155, w 1, w _, w J. w, w _, w 1, w _, Iamb. Trim. 
 
 1156, w Z, w w w, ^ Z, ^ _7 Iamb. Dim. 
 
 1 Dindorf scans this as an Antispastic verse. 
 
SCANNING OF THE SUPPLICES. 441 
 
 Verse 1157, J_ w w , w w w , w .£, w _, Iambic Dimeter. 
 1158a, 1 w Z, w _, _ w w, w w w, Iambic Dimeter. 
 1158 &, w i., w -, -, w l,.w _, _, Iambic. 
 
 Verses 1159-1164 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 Strophe at vv. 1154-1158. 
 
 Verses 1165-1231 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 1232-1234 are Anapaestics, the first and second Dime- 
 ters Acatalectic, the third a Paroemiac. 
 
 » Consult note 4, page 418. 
 34 
 
SCANNING OF THE TROADES. 
 
 Verses 1-97 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 98-121 are Anapaestic Dimetei's Acatalectic, except vv. 
 104, 109, 121, which are Paroemiacs, and vv. 105, 110, which are 
 Monometers. 
 
 Verses 122-152 are irregular Anapaestics, many of them 
 Spondaic. Verses 129, 134, 145, are Monometers Acatalectic; 
 vv. 125, 141 are Monometers Hypercatalectic ; and vv. 122, 126, 
 133, 137, 138, 142, 148 are Paroemiacs. 
 
 Verse 124 has a proceleusmaticus ( w w £ w ) at the com- 
 mencement, or a resolved anapaest. 
 
 Verses 153-234 are Anapaestics arranged in Strophes and 
 Antistrophes. 1 The greater part of the lines are Dimeters 
 Acatalectic. The following, however, are Monometers, name- 
 ly, vv. 162 and 189. The following are Paroemiacs, vv. 159, 
 161, 165, 168, 170, 171, 175, 181, 183, 186, 188, 191, 192, 193, 196, 
 200, 207, 208, 213, 217, 225, 226, 229, 234. 
 
 Verses 235-238 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 239-291 are in various measures, and are scanned 
 as follows : 
 
 Verse 239a, 2 ^ ^ w w, ^ 1 ^ , Proceleusmaticus and 
 
 Dochmius. 
 239&, w w , w J_ __ w _, Pyrrhic and Dochmius. 
 
 1 These verses are probably in some places corrupt, for it is im- 
 possible to make strophe and antistrophe accurately agree without 
 
 * serious alterations. Indeed, remarks Paley, it is far from certain 
 whether they are antistrophic at all, or how far these irregular ana- 
 paestics require the same close balance of syllables as other choral 
 metres. 
 
 2 Consult note 4, page 418. 
 
SCANNING OF THE TROADES. 443 
 
 Verse 240, _ 2, w ._, _ Z, J _, *.._!, w _, Iambic Trime- 
 ter. 
 
 8flf^lw-.iIw W Iw.vi»-i Iambico-Dac- 
 
 tylic. 
 
 342, w J, w _ w _, _ I _ w _, Dochm. Dime- 
 
 ter. 
 
 243, J Zrv_, _ -1, w _> w _i, ^ _, Iambic Trime- 
 
 ter. 
 
 244, JZ. w w.w w vt^wivw w w _> Dochm. Dime- 
 
 ter. 
 
 245, _ ^ w __ w _, Dochmius. 
 
 246, _ „£, w _, w _£, w _, _ 1, w _, Iambic Trime- 
 
 ter. 
 
 247, __ ± w w w w , ^ ^ w w _ w w , Dochm. Dime- 
 
 ter. 
 
 248, Z w ^ _, , Choriambic. 
 
 249, ^I^^v^vt^vv.vi - -, - _, Iambic 
 
 Trimeter. 
 
 250, ^ I w w -,'w^i , Dochm. Dime- 
 
 ter. 
 251, £, , _, Spondaic Ana- 
 
 paestic Monom. Hyperc. 
 
 252, _ J_, w _, _ w w , w _, _ ^, w _, Iambic Trime- 
 
 ter. 
 
 253, _,Z_,Z_,lv wr.l w wi _> Dactylic with 
 
 Anacrusis. 
 
 254, _ 3 w _ w _, w ^ _ w _, Dochm. Dime- 
 
 ter. 
 
 255, w V, ^_,_l,w_,w_i,^_, Iambic Trime- 
 
 256, 1 w w , 1 w w , _, Dactylic Dim. 
 
 Hyperc. 
 
 257, _, 2 ^ s_, Z w w, _> Dactylic Dim. 
 
 Hyperc. with Anacr. 
 
 258, w , 1 w WJ 1 w w, 1 _, _, Dactylic Trim. 
 
 Hyperc, with Anacr. 
 
 259, _ _!, w _, _ ^ w , w _, _ 2, w _, Iambic Trime- 
 
 ter. 
 SOP, w w w _ w w w, w w w w w w"w w", Dochmiac 
 
 Dimeter. 
 261, 262, w _i, w _ , w 2, w _ r J 2, w _, Iamb.Trime- 
 
 ter. 
 
 266, _ w w , Dochmius. 
 
 264, _ 1, w _, _ 1, w _, w JL, w _, Iambic Trim. 
 
444 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Verse 265, __^^_^_, _^ ww ^ w _, Dochm. Dime- 
 ter. 
 
 266, ^,Z^w,Zv-,w,_, Dactylic Dim. 
 
 Hyperc. with Anacr. 
 
 267, w , 1 w w , t v w , 1 _, _, Dactylic Trim. 
 
 Hyperc. with Anacr. 
 
 268, _ 1, w _, w Z, ^ _, w Z, w _, Iambic Trime- 
 
 ter. 
 
 269, w^www_w,_^^^__,_, Doch. Dime- 
 
 ter Hyperc. i 
 
 270, w 1, w _, y .1, w _, _ Z, w _, Iambic Trime- 
 
 271,272, w I._,wiwwv.'»w:,wli Anti- 
 spastic Dimeter and Iambic. 
 
 273, _ Z w _ w _, w J, w _ w _, Dochm. Dime- 
 
 ter. 
 
 274, 1 _, w _, _ S w, w _, _ 1, w _, Iambic Trime- 
 
 ter. 
 
 275, w Z, w _, _!. w w _, w Z _ w _, Choriamb, and 
 
 Dochmius. 
 
 276, _ J w , _ ^ w, _, Dochm. Dime- 
 
 ter Hyperc. 
 277, 278, w ^ w ; w _, _ J, w , w _, _ ±, w _, Iambic 
 
 Trimeter. 
 
 279, y 1, w _, w I, w _> Iambic Dime- 
 
 ter. 
 
 280, 1 w y _, w I, w _, w J. _, Choriambic. 
 
 281, w _i J , Antispast. 
 
 282,283, ^ w i;.w w _, w w JL, w _,~ ££_ _ f 
 
 Anapaestico- 
 Iambic. 
 
 284, www_w_, ^^^_w_, Dochm. Dime- 
 ter. 
 
 285,_Z W _,_ )VV 1, VV _, WV _i, Iambico- 
 
 Anapaestic. 
 
 286, w , 1 w _, _L _, Cret. and Tro- 
 
 chee with Anacr. 
 
 287, w^wwww^^w,wJ,s_ , Dochmiac 
 
 Dimeter. 
 
 288, w _! _, _i w , _ ^, Bacchius and Trochaic. 
 
 1 By repeating eXaxer in this line, we shall have a dochmius, a dac- 
 tyl, and another dochmius, or<~~ww-/www,_lww ) www 
 
SCANNING OF THE TROADES. 445 
 
 Verse 289, w ± w , ± w w _, w ±> Choriambic. 
 
 290, _ J, > w — | v — i Dochmius and Iambic. 
 
 291, w <J w , Dochmius. 
 
 Verses 292-307 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 308-324 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 325-340. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Verse 308, ^^wwww_,ww^_^_, Dochm. Dime- 
 ter. 
 
 309, ^ ±y Sm , _, Iambic. 1 
 
 310, _ J, J w w w _, Dochmius. 
 
 311, w 1, 1 w w _, w JU Glyconic. 2 
 
 312, ^ £ J t w w W1 w _i, Iambic. 
 
 313, w^^_^_,^^w , Dochm. Dime- 
 
 ter. 
 
 314, w _!_, w _, w _i, w _, Iambic. 
 
 315, w_i,Zww_,s_l, Glyconic. 
 
 316, w _i, w_,w^wwww_ Iambic and 
 
 Dochmius. 
 
 317, w I, w _, w _1, w w w, w J, w, w _, Iambic 
 
 Trimeter. 
 
 318, w Z, w _, w Z, w _, Iambic Dime- 
 
 ter. 
 
 319, w 1, w w w , w Z, *, _, Iambic Dime- 
 
 ter. 
 
 320, ^ w w , _ w , I _, Ithyphallic. 
 
 321, w _i _, w 1 _, Bacch. Dime- 
 
 ter. 
 
 322, w 1, 1 w w _, w 1, Glyconic. 
 
 323, wi : Iww.,vi Glyconic. 
 
 324, _i w , J. w w _, _, w J, w w _, Glyconic and 
 
 Antispast. 
 
 Verses 325-340 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 Strophe at vv. 308-324. 
 
 1 The corresponding line of the Antistrophe has evav euat, or — -, 
 — — . Perhaps both lines ought to be considered extra metrum. 
 
 2 This line does not agree with the one in the Antistrophe {naaa- 
 piu>TdT<xis tuxcu?.), where the measure i8ww,_v,-v, _, or Tro- 
 chaic Dimeter Catalectic. 
 
446 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Verses 341-443 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 444-461 are Trochaic Tetrameters Catalectic, a meas- 
 ure which has been explained at page 385. 
 
 Verses 462-510 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 511-530 form a, Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at w. 531^550. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 511, J. L: w ,^L w ^ , _ , Dactylic. 
 
 512, ± w _, J_ , Cretic and Moloss. 
 
 513, !-w» J. w w _i Glyconic. 
 
 514, _, V. w w _, J_ _, .' Glyconic. 
 
 515, _, ± w w _, _i _, Glyconic. 
 
 516, w _£ , Antispast. 
 
 517, ^ ^ _i, w w _, w w Z, _, Paroemiac. 
 
 518, ± _, Z w w , JL w , _ w, Jy w w> _ w, Dactylico- 
 
 Trochaic. 
 
 519, w vj, w, w _, w _!., w ^ w, Iambic Dimeter. 
 
 520, w /, w w w, w w w, w. w w» -, Iambic Dime- 
 
 ter Hypercatalectic. 
 
 521, J, ^, _ w , J. w , _, Trochaic. 
 
 522, ivv,vl-v^, Tribrach and Doch- 
 
 mius. 
 
 523, _Zw,www,Zw_, Iambico -Trochaic. 
 
 524, wiy-jwItwiKi. Iambic Dimeter. ' 
 
 525, w Z w, ^ w w, w _i, w w w, Iambic Dimeter. 
 
 526, _; v£ w, w w w, w J., i, _, _ Iambic Dimeter. 
 
 527, <i bl, w _,w _i, w _> Iambic Dimeter. 
 
 528, i _L, ^ _.» w Z, _, Iambic Dim. Catal. 
 
 529, W I,^_,^_U_, Iambic Dim. Catal. 
 
 530, J,^w,_w,Z_, Ithyphallic. 
 
 Verses 531-550 form the Antistrophe to the preceding Stro- 
 phe at vv. 511-530. 
 
 Verses 551-567 form an 'En-ado?, scanned as follows : 
 
 Epodus. 
 Verse 551, w Z, 'J _, J Z» y _, Iambic Dimeter. 
 
 552, 553, A uI>.ov,vVy; -> v. '-? Iambic Dimeter. 
 
 1 One line (tot a/i^i ntXaBpa 7rap$evor,) reckoned as two. 
 
SCANNING OF THE TROADES. 
 
 447 
 
 e554, w ' 
 
 r 
 
 W _7 
 
 Iambic Dimeter. . 
 
 555, w J_ 
 
 
 w -t-» 
 
 Iambic Dimeter. 
 
 556, w ' 
 
 r 
 
 ^ — > 
 
 Iambic Dimeter. 
 
 557, ^ [ 
 
 f 
 
 S-/ N-> W> 
 
 Iambic Dimeter. 
 
 558, w J, 
 
 w> w _» v 
 
 — J ^ — > 
 
 Iambic Dimeter. 
 
 559, w ' 
 
 
 ^ —J 
 
 Iambic Dimeter. 
 
 560, w i 
 
 W) _ WJ 
 
 — > 
 
 Iambico - Trochaic 
 Catalectic. 
 
 561, _ I 
 
 — ^> — ^J 
 
 — > 
 
 Iambico - Trochaic 
 Catalectic. 
 
 562, v I 
 
 — ^J — ^J 
 
 — ) 
 
 Iambico - Trochaic 
 Catalectic. 
 
 563, J I 
 
 > — W) _ w 
 
 — » 
 
 Iambico - Trochaic 
 Catalectic. 
 
 564, w I 
 
 w w .v~M _ 
 
 ^> — > 
 
 Iambico - Trochaic 
 Catalectic. 
 
 565, 1 j 
 
 f 
 
 s-O w w s-/> 
 
 Iambic Dimeter. 
 
 566, ' w 
 
 
 
 Dactylic. 
 
 ' 567, w ' 
 
 s-> s-/ w> w 
 
 — J — » 
 
 Iambic Dim. Catal. 
 
 Verses 568-576 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except 
 v. 574, which is a Monometer, and v. 576, which is a Paroe- 
 miac. 
 
 Verses 577-581 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 582-585. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Verse 577, w _l , ^ Z> ^ _, _, Antispastic. 
 
 578, i w __, _, w l y w _, _, Iambic. 
 
 579, LLi 1 w l»i Ischiorrhogic Iamb. 
 
 . 580, I Ji'iVtai Ischiorrhogic Iamb. 
 
 , .. . . 581, [& w L, _ w, iltw, Ithyphallic. . 
 
 Verses 582-585 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 preceding Strophe at vv. 577-581. 
 
 Verses 586, 587 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 588, 589. 
 
 Verse 586 a, 1 w J_ 
 5866, w I 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 i. _, Bacchiac Dimeter. 
 _L _> Bacchiac Dimeter. 
 
 1 Consult note 4, page 41S. 
 
448 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Verse 587 a, J_ w w , ± w w , _, Dactylic. 
 
 587 &, Z w, _ w, Z _, Ithyphallic. 
 
 Verses 588, 589 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 preceding Strophe at vv. 586, 587. 
 
 Verses 590-599 are Dactylic Hexameters. Verses 600, 601 
 are Dactylic Tetrameters. Verse 602 is a Dactylic Pentameter; 
 and v. 603 is a Dactylic line with a Trochaic Base, as ^. v , 
 
 Verses 604-776 are Iambic Trimeters Acalalectic. 
 
 Verses 777-794 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acalalectic, except 
 vv. 784 and 794, which are Paroemiacs. In verse 793, fxij ov 
 are pronounced as one syllable in scanning (fxov). 
 
 Verses 795-806 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 807-819. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Verse 795, J/, 1 J w , 1 J w _, 1 _ \\ 1 w W| I *, ^ _, 
 
 Dactylic with Anacrusis. 1 
 
 796, ^4-vwf-ivVii--»-w»-i Dactylico-Tro- 
 
 chaic. 
 
 797, 798, 2 1 w w , 1 w w , 1 _ || ± w w , _i w Wf 
 
 i, _, Two Dactylic Trimeters. 
 
 799, 800, 3 I..,!..,!.,!.,,., Dactylico- 
 
 Trochaic. 
 801, 802, 4 1 w w , 1 w w> 1 w w , 1 w w, 1 w w, 
 
 J. _, Dactylic Hexameter. 
 
 80S 804 5/r / if 
 
 OUO, 00<±, w _ _,_ s-/ wj_ w w»_ _> __ w>_ _» 
 
 L w, _, Bacchius and Dactylico- 
 
 Trochaic. 
 
 1 The final syllable of ZaXa/xIVor is lengthened here, being at the 
 end of the first of the two measures which unite in this place. 
 
 2 One line (tu? knucenXineva? 6'x^o<9 lepoT?, iV eAatat) reckoned as 
 two. 
 
 3 One line {npwrov e'5e*fe Kkdbov iXavna? 'AOdva,) reckoned as two. 
 
 4 One line (ovpdviov <TT€<pavov, \iicapaiai re Koap.ov 'AOtjvai^,) reck- 
 oned as two. 
 
 5 One line (e/Ja? r<Z xof o<popu> avvapta-reixav 'dp\ 'AAK/ifji/a? yovw) reck- 
 oned as two. 
 
SCANNING OF THE TROADES. . 449 
 
 Verse 805, J. ww ,J!.^w,l_,lw,_, Dactylico-Tro- 
 
 chaic. 
 806, __ w w| _ w w , _ ^ *,**,# #, Dactylico-Tro- 
 
 chaic. ' 
 
 Verses 807-819 form the Antistrcphe to the preceding £fro- 
 p/ie at vv. 795-806. 
 
 Verses 820-839 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe correspond- 
 ing to which occurs at vv. 840-859. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 820, w 1, w _, 1 w , _ w , 1 w w , 1 w w , 1 _, lam- 
 
 bico-Trochaico-Dactylic. 
 
 821, 1 w ^, _i ^ w , _, Dactylic. 
 
 822, 1 w w| _L w w , __, Dactylic. 
 
 823, 824, 2 _ 1, _ _, _ 1, ^ _, _, Iambic Dimeter 
 
 Hypcrcatalectic. 
 825, 1 w w , 1 w WJ 1 w w> 1 w ^, Dactylic. 
 
 826, 827, 3 ' ^ w , ' w w , , 
 
 Dactylic. 
 
 828,829,* w w ,_ 1 _ w _, 
 
 Pyrrhic and 
 
 
 Dochmius. 
 
 830, I , JL w w , w ' , 
 
 Glyconic. 
 
 831, _i^,__,_L~,_^, 
 
 Trochaic Dime- 
 
 
 ter. 
 
 832, ^^,_^,Z w ,__, 
 
 Trochaic Dime- 
 
 
 ter. 
 
 833, w w , J. w w _, w 1 _, 
 
 Choriambic. 
 
 834 ' ' 
 
 Dactylic. 
 
 835 ' ' 
 
 Iamb. Dimeter. 
 
 836 ' ' 
 
 Iamb. Dimeter. 
 
 837, ' w w> _i w w , 1 w w , ' w 
 
 w» Z — i Dactylic. 
 
 838, 839, 5 1 w ,_ w , J. _, 
 
 Ithyphallic. 
 
 Verses 840-859 form the Antistrophe corresponding to the 
 preceding Strophe at vv. 820-839. 
 
 Verses 860-1059 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 1 Consult note, p. 359 ; and for the measure compare line 81i>, the 
 last of the Antistrophe. 
 
 2 One line (7r\//pa)/ia, naWta-rav Xarpeiav ') reckoned as two. 
 
 3 One line (wove? 3' HXiat) reckoned as two. 
 
 * One line Qaxova • olov 6' bne P ) reckoned as two. 
 5 One line ('EAAtw &Xe<r' atxp«.) reckoned as two. 
 35 
 
450 NOTES ON. EURIPIDES. 
 
 Verses 1060-1070 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe corre- 
 sponding to which occurs at vv. 1071-1080. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Verse 1060, "Z _, Z w ^ _, ^ Z, Gly conic. 
 
 1061, Z _, Z w w _, M Z, Glyconic. 
 
 1062, Z _, 1 w w _, w 1, Glyconic. 
 1063, 106V Z_,1^^_,^Z, Glyconic. 
 
 1065, J. _, Z ^ w _, 1 _, Z - w * _, _, Glyconic. 
 
 1066, _ Z, w _,"_i w Z, ^ w w, w 1, Iambic. 
 
 1067, w Z WJ w w w , w Z w , w _, Iamb. Dime- 
 
 ter. 
 
 1068, 1069,? r ^^ w r, w ^ y _, w _, Iambic and 
 
 Dochmius. 
 
 1070, Z w w , Z w wi Z w w, Z w, , Dactylico- 
 
 Trochaic. 
 
 Verses 1071-1080 form the A7iUstrophe corresponding to 
 the preceding Strophe at vv. 1060-1070. 
 
 Verses 1081-1099 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe corre- 
 sponding to which occurs at vv. 1100-1117,. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 1081, 1082, 3 ±'„J,£'SZ7±, Dactylic. 
 
 1083, 1084,* vivvwivZir. iambic. 
 
 1085, ^iwww^^vjwLiw^y.;, Iamb. Tri- 
 
 meter. 
 
 1086, w Z _ w, Z w w _, _, Glyconic. 
 
 1087, rt j w , w J,v^ -, w _, _, Iamb. Di- 
 
 meter Hyperc. 
 
 1088, _ Z w,w _, "w ZvV'-w Z, _, Iamb. Tri- 
 
 meter Catal. 
 
 1089, ^ J_\ L, 1; J Z, w .._, Iamb. Di- 
 
 meter. 
 1090, . w Z,w, w _, w Z, w •_, O Z, w _, Iamb. Tri- 
 meter. 
 
 1091,1092,* Z 
 
 v-/ » v~/ » V-M 
 
 , Cretico-Trochaic. 
 
 1 One line (J) Zeu, kcu TreXdvcov <f>\6ya,) reckoned as two. 
 
 2 One line (Ttp/ioi/a tc npa>T6/3o\ov a\iw) reckoned as two. 
 
 3 One line (J> <t>i\os w itoai not,) reckoned as two. 
 
 4 One line (<tv fiiv (pOi/nevo? aXaiven) reckoned as two. 
 
 5 One line (juaTcp, ibfxoi, fxovav 6t] p.* 'Axc«o< KOfitt,ovat at$ev uff bpifld- 
 
 rtop) reckoned as two. 
 
SCANNING OF THE TROADES. 451 
 
 Verse 1093, 1094, 1 1 - ~ 
 
 1095, _i w w 
 
 1096, 1 w w 
 
 1097, Z v- ~ 
 
 1098, ± w'O 
 
 1099, . ^ J, w 
 
 Dactylic. 
 Dactylic. 
 Dactylic. 
 Dactylic. 
 Dactylic. 
 _, Iambic. 
 
 Verses 1100-1117 form the Antistrophe corresponding to 
 the preceding Strophe at vv. 1081-1099. 
 
 Verses 1118-1122 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except 
 v. 1122, which is a Faroemiac. The words Jw ld> are extra 
 metrum. 
 
 Verses 1123-1215 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 1216, 1217 are scanned as follows : 
 Verse 1216, w ^^_^_,w^wwww_, Dochmiac Di- 
 ■■ •- meter.* 
 
 1217, w w w _ w .,,>* i _ w w _, Dochmiac Di- 
 meter. 
 
 Verses 121,8-1225 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 1226-1231 form a lyric piece, and are scanned as 
 follows : 
 
 Verse 1226, _ 1 , Dochmius. 
 
 '. 1227, J, w WJ _ w , 1 ^, _, Trochaic. 3 
 
 1228, w — ' — "w'J.rw'2. wj Dochmiac Dimeter. 
 
 1229, w 1, w _, _, Iambic. 
 
 1230, _J_ _, Molossus.* 
 
 1231, i_w_,^l-_w_, Dochmiac Dimeter. 
 
 Verses 1232-1234 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 1235-1239 are scanned as follows, but are in part 
 probably corrupt :.-... 
 Verse 1235, ^ Z, -w _, w Z, m _, Iambic. 
 
 1236, v.w.y,-.w->y r 4y , Dochmiac Djm. 
 
 1 One line (nvaveav knl vcvuv) reckoned as two. 
 
 a Dindorf makes this an Iambic Dipody and Dochmins, reading 
 e £ <ppevu>v 60<76? e'0<7e? ' &. Consult note on the passage. 
 
 3 Dindorf thinks that a Trochaic line is out of place here, and that 
 some syllables have fallen out, the verse having been originally a 
 Dochmiac Dimeter, like vv. 1228 and 1231. 
 
 * Or a Bacchius with a long anacrusis. 
 
452 NOTES ON EURIPIDES. 
 
 Verse 1237, w J_, w _, „ J_, _, Iambic. 
 
 1238,1239,* J^^.www.w^w , Dochmiac 
 
 Dimeter. 
 
 Verses 1240-1250 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 1251-1259 are Anapaestic Dimeters Acatalectic, except 
 v. 1254, which is a Monomeler, and vv. 1255, 1259, which are 
 Paroemiacs, the exclamations (io> lu> and la la) being extra 
 metrum. 
 
 Verses 1260-1286 are Iambic Trimeters Acatalectic. 
 
 Verses 1287-1292 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe to which 
 occurs at vv. 1293-1300, but the measures are disturbed and 
 partly corrupt, so that the agreement between the Strophe 
 and Antistrophe is not complete throughout, as will be seen 
 from the scanning here given of both. 
 
 Strophe. 
 Verse 1287, w Z w ^ w ^ _, Dochmius. 
 
 1288, i* £ J W w •«** w £ w w w w-w ** Dochm. Di- 
 
 meter. 
 
 1289, w , I w w _, ^ J.; Gly conic. 
 
 1290, w i, v -)wl,w«»vl, wj Iambic. 
 
 1291, w I, w _, w J, w , w w w , Iambic. 
 
 1292, w i.w>w -, w 1, w _, w Z, w, Iambic. 
 
 Antistrophe. 
 Verse 1293, w J, w w w w _, Dochmius. 
 
 1294. 1295. 2 w 1, w __, w 1 - w _, Iambic and 
 
 Dochm. 
 
 1296, J Z J, w __, J 2, Iambic. 
 
 1297, w 7., _, w 1, w _, w 1, w, Iambic. 
 
 1298, w ^ w , w _, w 2., o _, Iambic. 
 
 1299. 1300. 3 w^w,v.^iyivj^.,xi-i Iamb. 
 
 Verses 1301 and 1302 form a Mto-oxSos, scanned as follows : 
 Verse 1301, J, w w , w w w , J, w w , w w w , Trochaic. 
 1302, 1 w , _ w , 1 _, Ithyphallic. 
 
 1 One line ('EKa/3n <m? ei/ewe n'l/a 0poeir au3«»/.) reckoned as two. 
 Consult note on the line. 
 
 2 One line (\<?\aju7rei/"iXior, Uepfdficdv) reckoned as two. 
 
 3 One line (pavia neaovora dopi naTa<j)0ivei 7a.) reckoned as two. 
 
SCANNING OF THE TROADES. 453 
 
 Verses 1303-1316 form a Strophe, the Antistrophe corre- 
 sponding to which occurs at vv. 1317-1333. 
 
 Strophe. 
 
 Verse 1303, _ _£, w w w, w *S w, w _, w I, _, Iambic. 
 
 1304, w 1, w _, _, w 1, w _, w I, Iambic. 
 
 1305, w Z, w _, w I, v _, w ^ w, w, Iambic. 
 
 1306, _ 1, w _, _, w 1, w _, _, Iambic. 
 
 1307, w Z WJ w _, J, w WJ _ W| I _, Iambic Di- 
 
 pody and Ithyphallic. 
 
 1308, L w, _ w, 1 w, _ w, Trochaic 
 
 Dimeter. 
 
 1309, I w,_ w,I _, Ithyphal- 
 
 lic. 
 
 1310, w Z WJ w w W| M ^, w _, / WJ _, Iamb. -Tro- 
 
 chaic. 
 
 1311, - 1, w w wi w l f w _, w 1, w _, Iambic Tri- 
 
 meter. 
 
 1312, Z w w , ^ w w , J, y W| w w W1 Trochaic 
 
 Dimeter. 
 
 1313, « ^ w, w w w. - I, w ., w I, w -, Iamb. Tri- 
 
 meter. 
 
 1314, W1 _^ W1 _ w , ^ w WJ _ w , Trochaic 
 
 with Anacrusis. 
 
 1315, J, w WJ w w WJ J, w WJ _ WJ _^ WJ Trochaic. 
 
 1316, w 1, w -, w 1, ^ ^, w Z, w -, Iambic Tri- 
 
 meter. " 
 
 Verses 1317-1333 form the Antistrophe corresponding to 
 the preceding Strophe at vv. 1303-1316. 
 
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