Canto V.

Note 72 (p. 73). "Apollo, my leader, whither hast thou led me?"

In this Antistrophe, and the preceding Strophe, there is one of those plays on the name of the god addressed, which appear inappropriate to us, {352} but were meant earnestly enough by the ancients, accustomed to deal with an original language from which the significancy of proper names had not been rubbed away.--See note on Prometheus, v. 85. Besides this, there was naturally a peculiar significancy attached to the names of the gods.--See note 18, p. 338, above. In the present passage the first pun is on the name Απόλλων, Apollo, and the verb ἀπόλλυμι, which signifies to _destroy_) so the Hebrew ABADDON from ABAD, he _perished_.--Apoc. ix. 11), a function of the Sun god familiar enough to the Greek mind, from the description of the pestilence in the opening scene of the Iliad. The second pun is on the title ἀγυιεὺς, leader, or way-god, concerning which see previous note. I have here, as in the case of Helen and Prometheus (v. 85), taken the simple plan of explaining the epithet in the text. The translator who will not do this must either, like CON. and SYM., leave the play on the words altogether imperceptible to the English reader, or, like SEW., be driven to the necessity of inventing a new pun, which may not always be happy English, and is certainly not Greek, thus--

"Apollo! Apollo! Leader! appaller mine! Yea! for the second time thou hast with ease Appalled me, and destroyed me."

Note 73 (p. 74). "The blithe blood, that crimson ran In my veins, runs pale and wan."

With this SYM. aptly compares a passage from the speech of Theodosius in Massinger's Emperor of the East--

"What an earthquake I feel in me! And on the sudden my whole fabric totters; My blood within me turns, and through my veins Parting with natural redness, I discern it Changed to a fatal yellow."

Even more strongly expressed than in our Greek poet, perhaps a little too strongly, the words, _I discern it_, certainly not improving the passage. HARF., as is his fashion, fears to follow the boldness of his author, and translates--

"The ruddy drop is curdling at my heart."

And in the same spirit FR. gives _dunkelroth_.

Note 74 (p. 74). "As when in the mortal anguish."

SYM. takes his stand too confidently on a corrupt text, when he says, "POT. has entirely omitted the fallen warrior bleeding drop by drop, which is, as it were, introduced into the background by the poet to aggravate the gloom of the picture." I read καιρία with DIND., CON., LINW., and FR., with which single word the fallen warrior disappears, who comes in, even in SYM.'s version, rather abruptly.

Note 75 (p. 74). ". . . she seizes him By the strong black horn."

HARF. finds this rough Homeric trait too strong for him. MED. has--

"With her black horn she buts him. What is that wrapt round his head?"

But, though there is some colour for this translation in the old Scholiast, I think the reader will scarcely judge very favourably of it, after considering what PEILE and CON. have judiciously said on the point. As for authority, {353} all the translators, except MED. and HUMB., from POT. downwards, English and German, are with me. It is scarcely necessary to remark against Harford's squeamishness, that the bull in ancient symbolical language (see poets and coins, _passim_) was an animal in every respect as noble and kingly as the lion and the eagle still remain.

Note 76 (p. 75). "Crieth Itys! Itys! aye."

Procne and Philomele, according to one of the most familiar of old Greek legends, were daughters of Pandion, king of Athens; and one of them having been given in marriage to Tereus, a king of the Thracians, in Daulis, who, after the marriage, offered violence to her sister--the result was, that the wife, in a fit of mad revenge, murdered her own son Itys, and gave his flesh to her husband to eat; and, being afterwards changed into a nightingale, was supposed in her melodious wail continually to repeat the name of this her luckless offspring.

Note 77 (p. 75). "The thick blossoms of its woe."

ἀμφιθαλῆ κακοῖς βίον. I hope this expression will not be considered too strong by those who consider as well the general style of our poet, as the ὁρῶμεν ἀνθουν πέλαγος Ἀιγᾶιον νεκρ(ο)ις, v. 645 of this play (see my translation, _supra_, p. 61), and the μανίας δεινόν ὰποστάζει ἀνθηρόν τε μένος of Sophocles.--Antig. v. 960.

Note 78 (p. 77). "Soon my reeking heart shall cast."

If the reader thinks this a bold phrase, he must bear in mind that it is Cassandra who speaks, and Æschylus who writes. The translation, indeed, is not literal, but the word "θερμόνους," as CON. says, "has all the marks of genuineness," and I was more afraid of weakening it in translation than of exaggerating it. Other translations are--

"And I my warm blood soon on earth shall pour."--SYM. "But I shall soon press my hot heart to Earth."--CON. "Ich aber stúrze bald zur Erd im heissen Kampf."--FR. "Ich aber sinke bald im heissen Todeskampf."--DROYS.

Note 79 (p. 77). "Waves shall it dash from the west in the sun's face."

"The beauty of this image can only be properly appreciated by those who have observed the extraordinary way in which the waves of the sea appear to rush towards the rising sun."--English Prose Tr. Oxon.

Note 80 (p. 77). ". . . though I should wedge them As stark as ice?"

I read πῆγμα with WELL. and the majority of editors and translators. SYM., who is sometimes a little too imperative in his style, calls this to "obtrude an unnecessary piece of frigidity or fustian on Æschylus." The reader, of course, will judge for himself; but there are many things in our poet more worthy of the term "fustian" than the word πῆγμα, applied to ὁρκος.

Note 81 (p. 78). "Implacable breath of curses on her kin."

WELL. forgets his usual caution, when he receives ἄρην into his text, and rejects ἀρὰν, the reading of the MS. It is paltry to object to the phrase {354} ἄσπονδον ἀρὰν in an author like Æschylus. FRANZ receives the emendation of LOBECK, modified into Ἄρη.

Note 82 (p. 80). "Bravely thou praisest; but the happy hear not Such commendations."

I have here, in opposition to FR., SYM., MED., and even the cautious WELL., reverted to the original order of this and the next line, as they appear in the MSS., being chiefly moved by what is said by CON. "The words ὰλλ ἐυκλεῶς τοι κατθαν(ε)ιν χάρις βροτῷ could never have been put by Æschylus into the mouth of Cassandra, who is as far as possible from cherishing the common view of a glorious death, and, indeed, shows in her next speech very plainly what feelings such a thought suggests to her."

Note 83 (p. 80). "Not with vain screaming, like a fluttering bird."

"Fearing a wild beast about its nest," says the Scholiast; fearing the fowler with "its limed wings," says MED. The original is short and obscure; but there is no need of being definite; nothing is more common than to see a bird fruitlessly fluttering about a bush, and uttering piteous cries. A fit image of vain lamentation without purpose or result.

Note 84 (p. 81). ". . . From bad to worse Our changes run, and with the worst we end."

This translation is free, because it did not occur to me that the laconism of the Greek, if literally translated, would be sufficiently intelligible. I have no doubt as to the correctness of this version of a passage which is certainly not a little puzzling at first sight. Two phases of human life are spoken of in the previous lines; one is the change from prosperity to adversity, the other, from adversity down to utter ruin and death. The preference expressed in the line καὶ ταῦτ ἒκέινων κ.τ.λ. can refer to nothing but these two. So PEILE and CON.; and there is a terrible darkness of despair about Cassandra's whole tone and manner, which renders this account of human life peculiarly natural in her parting words.

Note 85 (p. 81). "Who of mortals will not pray."

The line τίς ἀν ἔυξαιτο βροτῶν ἀσιν(ε)ι, being deficient in metre, one may either supply ὄυκ, with CANTER., which gives the meaning expressed in the text, or, retaining the affirmative form, read βροτός, ὤν, with BOTH. and FR., which gives an equally good sense thus--

"Who of mortals then may hope To live an unharmed life, when he Fell from such height of honor?"

so POT., MED., HUMB., DROYS., FR., and VOSS.

Note 86 (p. 81). "Weave we counsel now together, and concert a sure design."

I follow MÜLLER here in dividing the Chorus among twelve, not fifteen speakers. The internal evidence plainly points to this; and for any external evidence of scholiasts and others in such matters, even if it were uncontradicted, I must confess that I think it is worth very little.

{355}

Note 87 (p. 82). "So wisely spoken."

Most lame and impotent conclusion!--so the reader has no doubt been all the while exclaiming. Our great poet has here contrived to make one of the most tragic moments of the play consummately ridiculous; and it is in vain to defend him. No doubt, old men are apt enough to be irresolute, and to deliberate, while the decisive moment for action slips through their fingers. So far in character. But why does the poet bring this vacillation so laboriously forward, that it necessarily appears ludicrous? This formal argumentation turns the character of the Chorus into caricature. Nor will it do to say with CON. that this impotent scene was "forced on Æschylus, by the fact of the existence of a Chorus, and the nature of the work he had to do." A short lyrical ode might have covered worthily that irresolution, which a formal argumentation only exposes. No one blames the Chorus for doing nothing; that is all right enough; but every one must blame the poet for making them talk with such a show of solemn gravity and earnest loyalty about doing nothing.

Note 88 (p. 82). "Here, where I struck, I take my rooted stand Upon the finished deed."

The natural attitude of decision. So when Brutus administered the famous oath to the Roman people, "_neminem Romæ regnare passuros_," he and his colleagues are described by Dionysius (V. 1) as σταντες ἐπι των τομίων.

Note 89 (p. 83). "Thou hast cast off: thou hast cut off Thine own husband."

I have endeavoured to express the repetition of the _off_ three times as in the original; but the Greek is far more emphatic, the repetition taking place in the same line, ἀπέδικες, ἀπέταμες ἀπόπολις δ ἕσῃ.

Note 90 (p. 83). "But mark my words."

There is much difficulty in settling the reading and the construction of the Greek here; but having compared all the translations, I find that, from POT. down to MED. and FR., substantially the same sentiment is educed. SYM. who praises BLOM.'s arrangement, gives--

"Threaten away, for I too am prepared In the like manner. Rule me if thou canst, Get by thy hand the mastery--rule me then. But if," etc.

WELL. whom I follow, and who objects to BLOM.'s construction, gives--

"Jubeo antem te, quum et ego ad similes minas paratas sim, victoria vi reportata, mihi imperare; sin minus, et si contraria Dii perfecerint, damno edoctus sero sapere disces."

Note 91 (p. 84). "And thine eyes with fatness swell."

I do not know whether I may not have gone too far in retaining the original force of λίπος in this passage. I perceive that few of the translators, not even SEW., so curious in etymological translation, keep me in countenance. However, I am always very loath to smooth down a strong phrase in Æschylus, merely because the modern ear may think it gross. In this case, I am glad to find that I am supported by DROYS.

"Ueber dem Auge glänzt fett Dir das Tropfenblüt,"

though my rendering is a little more free.

{356}

Note 92 (p. 84).

STROPHE I. In the arrangement of the following lyric dialogue, I have followed BUT., BLOM., and PEILE, in opposition to that given by HERM., WELL., and FR., not for any metrical reasons sufficiently strong to influence me either one way or other in constituting the text; but because I find the sense complete and continuous after νῦν δε τελειάν, and this alone is a sufficient reason why I, in my subordinate function of a translator, should not suppose anything to have fallen out of the text in this place. How much, however, we are all in the dark about the matter appears from this, that in the place where BLOM. and PEILE suppose an immense _lacuna_, the sense in the mouth of Clytemnestra νῦν δ᾽ ὤρθωσας runs on with a continuous allusion to the preceding words of the Chorus. For which reason I have not hinted the existence of an omission, nor is it at all likely that the reader has lost much. These are matters which belonged to the ancient symmetrical arrangement of the Chorus before the eyes and ears of the spectators, and which I much fear it it impossible for us, readers of a dry MS., to revive at this time of day.

Note 93 (p. 85). "O god that o'er the doomed Atridan halls."

I am afraid I stand alone, among the translators, in translating δαῖμον in this and similar places, by the English word _god_; but persuaded as I am that the English words _Fiend_ and _Demon_ are steeped in modern partly Gothic, partly Christian associations of a character essentially opposed to the character and genius of the Greek theology, I choose rather to offend the taste than to confound the judgment of my reader in so important a matter. The Greeks habitually attributed to their _gods_ actions and sentiments, which we attribute only to devils and demons. Such beings (in the English sense) were, in fact, altogether unknown to the Greeks. Their gods, as occasion required, performed all the functions of our Devil; so that, to use a familiar illustration, instead of the phrase, _what the devil are you about?_ so familiar to a genuine English ear, the Athenians would have said, _what the god are you about?_ Hence the use of δαιμόνιε in Homer.

Note 94 (p. 86). "The unrelenting old Alastor."

Along with SYM. and CON. I retain the Greek word here, partly from the reason given in the previous note with regard to δαίμων, partly because the word is familiar to many poetical ears from Shelley's poetry, partly, also, because I take care so to explain it in the context, that it cannot be misunderstood by the English reader. The Greek word ἀλάστωρ means an _evil genius_. Clement of Alexandria, in a passage quoted by SYM. (Protrept c. II.) classes the Alastors of the ancient tragedy with the Furies and other terrible ministers of heaven's avenging justice. About the etymology of the word the lexicographers and critics are not agreed. Would there be any harm in connecting it with ἀλαστέω (Il. XII. 163), and ἐπαλαστέω (Odys. I. 252), so that it should signify _an angry or wrathful spirit_.

Note 95 (p. 88). "Falling he fell, and dying died."

I have here taken advantage of a Hebraism familiar, through the pages of the Bible, to the English ear, in order to give somewhat of the force of the fine alliteration in the original κάππεσε, κάτθανε. καὶ καταθάψομεν. In the next three lines I have filled up a blank in the text, by what must obviously have been the import of the lost lines, if, indeed, PALEY, KLAUSEN, and CON. are not rather right in not insisting on an exact response of stanza to stanza in the anapæstic systems of the musical dialogue.

{357}

Note 96 (p. 88). "While great Jove lives."

μίμνοντος ὲν χρόνῳΔιὸς. "The meaning is sufficiently plain, if we do not disturb it by any philosophical notions about the difference between time and eternity."--CON. The reader will note here the grand idea of retributive justice pursuing a devoted family from generation to generation, and, as it were, entailing misery upon them, concerning which see Sewell's remarks above, p. 349. Sophocles strikes the same keynote in the choric chaunt of the Antigone, ἀρχαῖα τα Δαβδακιδᾶν ὄικων ὁρῶμαι.

Note 97 (p. 90). ". . . in a separate dish concealed Were legs and arms, and the fingers' pointed tips."

Editors have a great difficulty in settling the text here; but there is enough of the meaning visible--especially when the passage is compared with Herod. I. 119, referred to by SCHÜTZ--to enable the translator to proceed on the assumption of a text substantially the same as that given by FR., where the second line is supplied--

Τὰ μὲν ποδήρη και χ(ε)ρων ἄκρους κτένας [Ἔθετο κάτωθεν πὰντα συγκρύψας τὰ δ ἀυ] Ἔθρυπτ ἄνωθεν ὰνδρακὰς καθημένοις Ἄσήμ᾽· ὁ δ ἄυτῶν ἀυτικ᾽ αγνόιᾳ λαβὼν.

The reader will observe that in these and such like passages, where, after all the labours of the learned, an uncertainty hangs over the text, I think myself safer in giving only the general undoubted meaning that shines through the passage, without venturing on the slippery ground of translating words of which the proper connection may be lost, or which, perhaps, were not written at all by the poet.

Note 98 (p. 90). ". . . while with his heel he spurned The supper."

I quite agree with CON. that there is not the slightest reason for rejecting the natural meaning of λακτίσμα δείπνου in this passage. Such expressions are quite Æschylean in their character, and the analogy of the feast of Tereus in Ovid, Met. VI. 661,

"Thracius ingenti mensas clamore repellit,"

adduced by CON. is very happy. To push the table away, whether with hand or heel, or with both, in such a case, is the most natural action in the world.

Note 99 (p. 90). "And no diviner vends more potent balms To drug a doting wit."

I have here expanded the text a little, to express the whole force of the Greek word Ἱατρομάντεις, concerning which see Note to the Eumen. v. 62, below.

Note 100 (p. 91). "Ho! my gallant co-mates, rouse ye!"

These two lines in the mouth of the Chorus make a good consecutive sense; but the symmetrical response of line to line, so characteristic of Greek tragedy, has led HERM., WELL., and the other editors of note, to suppose that a line from Ægisthus has fallen out between these lines of the Chorus. Blanks of this kind, however, the translator will wisely overlook, so long as they do not seriously disturb the sense.

NOTES TO THE CHOEPHORÆ

{358}

Note 1 (p. 99). "What power thy father lent."

Jove was regarded as the grand source of the power exercised by all the other gods, even Apollo receiving the gift of prophecy from him. There is a peculiar propriety in the allusion to the father Zeus, as Mercury is requested to perform the same office of σωτήρ or Saviour to Orestes that Jove in a peculiar manner performs to all mankind.--See MÜLLER on _Zeus Soter_. (Eumenides, § 94), whose observations, however, on this particular passage, seem to force an artificial accent on the epithet σώτηρ. The opening lines of this piece are wanting in the MSS. and were supplied by STAN. from the Frogs of Aristophanes.

Note 2 (p. 99). "* * My early growth of hair To Inachus I vowed."

These words will recall to the student of Homer a passage from the twenty-third book of the Iliad, where an account is given of the funeral ceremonies of Patroclus.

"First the horsemen came, and then a cloud of infantry behind, Tens of thousands; his companions bore Patroclus in the midst, And the corpse they sadly covered with the locks which grief had shorn."