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5
AESCHYLUS
^
\ SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS'-
WITH INTRODUCTION AND NOTES
BY
A. SIDGWICK^MA.
READER IN GREEK IN THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD
HONORARY FELLOW OF CORPUS CHRISTI COLLEGg, OXFORD
LATE FELLOW OF TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, AND ASSISTANT MASTER
OF RUGBY SCHOOL
OXFORD ^L^
AT THEXLARENDON PRESS
3 )i903
HENRY FROWDE, M.A.
PUBLISHER TO THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD
LONDON, EDINBURGH
TORK
PREFACE
The text used in this edition of the Septem contra Thebas
is taken, with further careful revision, from the Aeschylus
published by the Oxford University Press as one of the new
series of Classical Texts.
The Introduction contains a review of the history of the
Theban myth from Homer to the Attic drama ; a brief risum6
of the plot ; a few remarks on the aim and character of the
play; and such information about the Manuscripts, the Scholia,
the Editions, and the notation adopted in the critical notes, as
seemed necessary or advisable.
It is impossible to enumerate here the editors, scholars,
commentators, and other authorities, from whose work I have
received assistance. On page xxvi of the Introduction will be
found a list of the chief editions of Aeschylus' extant plays as
a whole, and of this drama in particular. Besides these,
1 have also given the names of some forty scholars who have
contributed by their suggestions towards the restoration of
the text in this play, and in many cases also to its interpre-
tation.
If one name in particular were to be mentioned whose work
has been helpful to all students of Aeschylus, it would be that
of N. Wecklein, who for over thirty years has devoted him-
self mainly to Aeschylus, and whose latest elaborate edition
PREFACE
(1891-7), with prefaces and commentary in modern Greek,
is full of helpful suggestion and instruction. No less indis-
pensable to students is the facsimile of the Medicean MS.,
published in 1896 by the authorities of the Laurentian Library
under the auspices of the Italian Ministry of Public Instruc-
tion. To this Professor Rostagno has contributed a preface,
containing a full historical and critical account of the MS.
Further details will be found below, on pages xxii and xxiii of
the Introduction. I should add, that in dealing with the
History of the Myth, I have derived much advantage from
Professor Jebb's Introductions to the Oedipus Tyrannus, and
the two other Theban plays of Sophokles, where parts of the
same story are dramatized by Aeschylus' younger contemporary.
A. S.
INTRODUCTION
§ I. Date and Contents.
The 'Etttu eVt Oij^as was exhibited at Athens in 467 B. C. : the
date is fixed by the archon's name, which is given in the Argument.
It was the third play in the tetralogy (acted in that year), which
was appropriately called the Ol8nTo8eta. The plays were Ad'ios,
OlSiTTovs, 'Ettto fVi Qfj^as, and a Satyric play called 2(f)iy^. It is
clear from these names that the plays were all connected — which
was not always the case — the plot of the lighter Satyric after-piece
being taken from the same legend. Of the three lost plays the
fragments are unfortunately insignificant : only two words are pre-
served of Laios ; of Oidipous only one extract of three lines, which
however suffices to show that Aeschylos followed the same tradition
about the murder of Laios at the 'meeting of three roads' as
Sophokles afterwards used in Oidipous Tyrannos ^ Of the Sphinx,
too, only three lines remain, one ridiculed in the Frogs of Aristo-
phanes, while the other passage, suggesting that a certain stranger
was to be bound with ' the best fetter out of the Prometheus story,'
is interesting as bearing on the chronology of the poet's work. The
date of the Prometheus is uncertain, but the style, and the smaller
proportion of chorus to dialogue, strongly suggest that it was later
than the Septem. A burlesque reference to the Prometheus-tale in
the year 467 is highly improbable, if Aeschylos' great trilogy on
that subject had been already written and acted : while the allusion
may point to. the fact that he was already in 467 contemplating a
trilogy on the subject. And this would suit the date 460-5, on
other grounds most probable for the Prometheus trilogy.
The further evidence (derived from the Septem itself) as to the
contents of the lost tragedies is best deferred to its proper place
below, in the History of the Myth.
* Aeschylos places the ' three roads ' in Boiotia, Sophokles in Phokis.
V
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
§ 2. History of the Myth.
A. Hotner.
There are three passages which contain references to the Theban
story.
(1) The sin of Oidipous.
Od. II. 271 [Odysseus relates his visit to the abode of the dead,
and the shades with whom he held converse] :
'And I saw the mother of Oidipodas, Fair Epikaste, who wrought
a great deed [crime] unwitting in her mind, wedding her son :
and he slaying his father wedded her : 2XvA. forthwith the gods made
it known to men. But he ruled over Kadmeians in fair Thebes,
suffering woes by deadly counsels of the gods : but she went to the
house of Hades the strong warder, having tied a noose on high to
the roof-beam, mastered by her grief; and to him she left many
woes afterward, all that the Erinyes of a mother accomplish.'
(2) The war against Thebes.
Iliad 4. 376 [Agamemnon, praising Tydeus the father of
Diomedes, speaks] :
' He came to Mykenai, not as a foe, but a guest with godlike
Polyneikes, gathering an army : they were raising war against the
sacred fortress of Thebes, and besought them to give goodly helpers.
And they [the men of Mykenai] were willing, and hearkened to
their prayers ; but Zeus turned them, giving evil omens. And
when they were gone far on their way, and had reached rushy
Asopos in his grassy bed, there did the Achaioi send Tydeus to be
their messenger. And he went and found many Kadmeians feasting
in the house of the mighty Eteokles. And Tydeus though a stranger
feared not, alone among many Kadmeians, but challenged them to
feats of strength, and conquered all easily : such a helper was
Athene. And the Kadmeian knights were wroth, and as he re-
turned, set a strong ambush, bringing fifty youths and two leaders
. . . And even on them Tydeus brought cruel fate : he slew all, save
one he sent home alone . . . obeying the signs of the gods.'
This is a very strange story, and quite unlike the tradition known
from the Tragedians. Tydeus is the protagonist here ; he joins
the expelled Polyneikes, and gathers an army for a raid on Thebes.
vi
HISTORY OF THE MYTH
He is sent on * a message,' i. e. apparently as a spy, to Thebes :
graciously received with feast and games : defeats the Thebans, is
treacherously attacked, and kills all the assailants but one. It is a pri-
mitive savage tale of guile and daring ; but tells nothing of the war.
(3) The death of Oidipoits.
II. 23. 679 : Mekisteus ' came to Thebes of old, when Oidipous
had fallen [SeSoujroTof implies violence], to his funeral feast.'
We see that the Homeric Oidipous (called Oidipodas) marries
his mother unwittingly [at least on her part] : the sin is discovered
at once : he remains in Thebes (as king apparently) and dies by
violence. He suffers woes, whether these or others, caused by the
Erinyes of his mother ; and he is duly buried at Thebes.
As in (2), so in (l) and (3) we have a fundamentally different
tale from that of the Tragedians. There is no mention in Homer
of the self-inflicted blindness, of the Sphinx, of the curse upon his
sons, of the mutual slaughter, of Antigone and Ismene, of the
expulsion and wanderings of Oidipous ; while nothing can be less
like the Homeric version of his death and burial than the great
Sophoklean scene, where he passes out of sight under divine
guidance — purified of guilt and accepted by the gods, and his tomb
no man knows (Soph. Oid. Kol. 1586-1666).
B. Hesiod.
(i) A brief reference to the myth is foiind in the 'Works and
Days ' (162) as follows : —
'And them baneful War and dread Battle slew, some before
seven-gated Thebes, the land of Kadmos, fighting for the flocks of
Oidipodas, (and others after taking them to Troy in ships over the
great sea-gulf, for the sake of Helene of beauteous hair).'
This looks like a primitive tale of a raid of Achaioi on Thebes,
under the leadership of Polyneikes, as in the Homeric story. The
only thing it adds is the explicit statement that the object of the
raid was spoil (ft^Xwv h^K Oldinobao).
(2) The earliest mention of the Sphinx appears (in the form
*Phix') in the Hesiodic Theogony (line 326).
'She (Echidna) bare the deadly Phix, destruction to the
Kadmeioi.'
vii
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
Echidna, it may be remarked, was the mother of a fine family of
monsters : the dog Orthos, and Kerberos, and the Lernaean Hydra,
and the Chimaira, and Phix.
C. Later Epics.
(1) Oidipodia. There is only one fragment of this epic extant :
but Pausanias, who tells at some length (9. 5. 10) the Theban story,
quotes the passage from Odi 11 [see A (i) above] with the following
comment on the line ' and forthwith the gods made it known to
men ' : —
* How then did the gods make it ^no-wn forthwith, if lokaste bare
four children to Oidipous ? They were really the children [not of
lokaste but] of Euryganeia.-. And this is confirmed by the author
of the poe7n which they call the " OidipodiaP '
Jebb points out (Soph; O. T. p. xiii) that, as far as appears, it
was the Attic poets who made lokaste the mother of Eteokles,
•Polyneikes, Antigone, and Ismene: there were Dorian princely
houses (as Theron, tyrant of Akragas, descended according to
Pindar, 01. 2. 35, from Polyneikes [see below D]) who traced their
descent to the children of Oidipous, and therefore were naturally in-
terested in having a different version of the birth of these children.
(2) Kypria. This poem, as we know from the fragments of
Proklos (Chrestomathia, book i), gives an account of a rneeting
between Menelaos and Nestor, where the latter in the course of a
digression (Nestor was fond of digressions) relates the story of
Oidipous. There is, however, no hint of what the story he told was.
But it shows the wide diffusion and vogue of the myth that it should
occur in the middle of an epic on the causes of the Trojan war.
(3) Thebaid.
a. Less than twenty lines of this poem survive : but the longest
fragment happens to give us the earliest account of the curse of
Oidipous, as follows : —
'But the heaven-born yellow-haired Polyneikes first set before
Oidipodas the fair silver table of wise Kadmos and afterward filled
the fair golden cup with sweet wine. But he [Oidip.], when he
knew that the precious treasures of his father [Laios] were set
before him, forthwith in the presence of both sons uttered dire
curses — and the divine Erinys marked him— that they should not
viii
HISTORY OF THE MYTH
divide their heritage in friendly wise, but that wars and battles
should be between them ' (Athen. li. 465 E).
b. Another fragment is quoted by the scholiast on Soph. Oid. Ko!.
1375, who comments on the curse of Oidipous as follows : —
' The story is this. Eteokles and Polyneikes, being accustomed
to send their father the shoulder from the sacrifice, once from forget-
fulness or carelessness or whatever cause sent him the thigh. And
he thinking he was slighted, in a petty and ignoble spirit cursed
them. The author of the Little Thebais relates it as follows :
" When he marked the thigh piece, he cast it down, and spake
Alas ! my sons have sent it in despite ! and prayed to King Zeus
and the other gods that they might go down to Hades slain by each
other." '
Putting together these scattered hints in the Epic and Hesiodic
ages, we see :
{a) that the war on Thebes is in the early story an ordinary
savage raid designed by the exiled prince Polyneikes, clearly in
a spirit of revenge against his successful and reigning brother
Eteokles.
(b) that Hesiod has the first mention of the Sphinx, and that
she is already connected with Thebes, as a pest devouring the
citizens.
{c) that the Homeric tradition is still current in the later Epic
age (Oidipodia C (l)), viz. that 'Epikaste' (later 'lokaste') dis-
covers the nature of her marriage at once, and kills herself by
hanging.
(d) that the later Epics assign, as the ground for the curses
which Oidipous invoked upon his sons, comparatively trivial acts
of disrespect or disobedience : and that the curse itself is a prayer
for their mutual strife, or mutual slaughter ; the latter being first
clearly stated in the Thebaid.
D. Pindar.
(i) 01. 2. 65 (date 472 B. c.) :—
' Thus Destiny . . . along with god-sent prosperity, brings alway
bitter reverse of fortune at another time ; ever since the son of
Laios, in the hands of fate, met his father and slew him, and
accomplished the word spoken of old at Delphi: and the swift
ix
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
Erinys beheld it, and slew his warlike sons by each other's
swords.'
(2) Nem. 9. 40 (date c. 472 B.C.). [Speaking of Adrastos and his
brothers, and Amphiaraos the seer, he says] :
' They were mightiest among the fair-haired Danaoi. Therefore
on a time they led a host to seven-gated Thebes on an ill-omened
way ; and the son of Kronos whirling his lightning urged them not
to go forth from their homes, albeit they were fain, but to desist
from the journey. So to foreseen destruction sped forth the best
with armour of bronze and horse-trappings : but on Ismenos' banks
they checked their return — their gleaming carcases fed the smoke :
for seven funeral-fires shared the youthful warriors among them :
but for Amphiaraos Zeus cleft the deep-bosomed earth with resist-
less thunderbolt, and buried him and his horses, ere his warrior
spirit Avas shamed, pierced in the back by Periklymenos* spear.'
(3) 01. 6. 19 (date 468 B.C.).
*. . . the praise, which once Adrastos rightly spake aloud of
Amphiaraos the seer, son of Oikles, when the earth had swallowed
himself and his bright steeds. Then when the corpses of the seven
pyres were consumed the son of Talaos spake in Thebes this word :
" I mourn for the flower of my host, both wise in prophecy and brave
in war." '
Pindar's evidence has interest, as giving the Theban tradition at
a time almost exactly contemporary with Aeschylos. In this version
of the story the most important points are the following, taking the
three extracts in order: —
(i) The doctrine of the 'Family Fate': the first explicit mention
of Laios, and of the oracle of Delphi foretelling that Oidipous should
kill his father. A wholly different colour is also given to the mutual
slaughter of Eteokles and Polyneikes : here it is the punishment
brought on Oidipous for the murder of Laios, not the penalty paid
by the sons for their disobedience.
Whether Oidipous in this version was an unwitting murderer,
w6 cannot tell : nor whether Laios imwked the Erinys, or she acted
of her own motion as she often does in Homer (II. 19. 87, 259, 418 ;
Od. 15. 234, &c.). The words in (i) tSoIcra 6' o^iC 'Epivvs suggest
the latter.
HISTORY OF THE MYTH
Lastly, in Pindar's story there is no mention of lokaste ; and this
omission is natural, seeing that the Ode is in praise of Theron,
tyrant of Akragas (Agrigentum), who, as we saw above, C (i), traced
his descent to Thersandros son of Polyneikes. Even if Pindar
adopted the Oidipodia version that Polyneikes was son not of
lokaste but of Euryganeia, he would avoid dwelling on the incestuous
marriage of Theron's ancestor Oidipous.
(2) The expedition was fated to fail from the first, and was carried
out in defiance (not only of the seer's warnings but) of unmistakable
bad omens sent by Zeus.
Again, Amphiaraos was (in this tale) saved from being slain in
the fight, the earth opening to receive him when the pursuer Peri-
klymenos was about to kill him. On this point Aeschylos is silent :
the Theban who fights Amphiaraos is Lasthenes (Sept. 620).
(2) and (3) The bodies of the slain Argives were burnt on Theban
soil, Polyneikes included : for Amphiaraos alone is missing. The
poet probably means, moreover, that all the slain, not the seven
only, were burnt. The phrase in (3) i-nrh. nvpav v(Kpu>v reXfadevToiv
is hardly otherwise intelligible. The refusal of burial to Polyneikes
seems to be an Attic myth.
E. Aeschylos' version.
The fragments of the two first plays (see § i, supra) are meagre
and inconclusive : Of ' Laios,' the first play, all we can tell is what
Aeschylos himself says (Theb. 745-55), that 'Apollo at Delphi thrice
prophesied to Laios that if he had no son, he should keep safe his
city ; but from folly he disobeyed and begat death to himself,
Oidipodas who slew his father and wedded his mother.' But
valuable light is thrown on the scheme of the second play
(Oidipous) by a passage in 'ETrra in\ Qrjlias (766-791), which runs
as follows : —
* Ancient curses are hard to reconcile : deadly fate does not pass
away : the Prosperity overgrown of grasping men suffers loss, and
is cast overboard. For what man did the gods and men so marvel
at as I honoured Oidipous, who delivered Thebes from the man-
devouring pest ? But when the ill-starred man came to know of
his fatal marriage, impatient of his sorrow with maddened heart he
wrought a twofold ill : his hand, that slew his father, bereft him of
xi
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
eyes dearer than children, and bitter curses he called down on
his sons, that one day they should divide the heritage with the
sword.*
This was written 467 B.C., five years after Pindar's Olympian
Ode quoted above ; and there is nothing that points to any material
difference between the two versions, in regard to the incidents
related. Slight differences there are in the spirit, as is natural :
Pindar speaks as though Destiny was fickle and arbitrary, with
alternations of good and ill : Aeschylos dwells more on the actual
danger of excessive prosperity — the deep-seated Greek fear of the
Envy {'^Qovoi) of the gods. So he says (Ag. 1000 sqq.) 'disease
lies behind the party wall ' : * a wise fear throws overboard part of
the treasure, and saves the ship from foundering,' where the same
metaphor will be noticed as in Sept. 770, though differently used.
In the above Chorus we have a brief summary of the lost Oidipous
of Aeschylos, exactly as Prometheus (P.V. 201-40) gives a summary
of the preceding play Prometheus 7rvp(f)6pos, or as the murder of
Agamemnon is dramatically summarized in Choephoroi (978-1006)
and again briefly in Eumenides (625-35). The Oidipous. clearly
showed the king as the victim of fate, suffering a striking reverse.
He is first seen as the slayer of the Sphinx, the honoured of all,
saviour of the state and king : then comes the discovery of the
marriage (probably also of the hardly less dreadful pollution of
avdevTtjs (f)6vos, that it was he who had killed his father Laios) :
then follows sudden despair, madness, the self-blinding, and the
curse upon his sons. The curses are imKoTovs rpotpas (786) ' uttered
in wrath at their ill-care of him ' : words which seem to suggest
that Aeschylos followed the myth of the Thebaid (in regard to the
cause of the curse) though he avoids the crudity of the older epic
by the dignified word Tpo(f)as. In all this there is plenty of material
for tragic handling: the dark shadow in the background of the
Family Curse, as yet but partly fulfilled : the first blow when it falls
giving rise to a second curse, which similarly hangs like a cloud
over the opening of the 'Etttu enl Qrj^as.
The terms of the curse in Aeschylos' OtStTrow are abundantly clear
from the 'ETrra iiti Qr]Qas, viz. ' that they should divide their heritage
by the sword' (788). The phrase is repeated with impressive
emphasis and variety. The brothers are ' reconciled with the
xii
HISTORY OF THE MYTH
sword' (885), they 'have equal shares' (907), Ares (Strife) is 'a fell
divider of goods' (942). So 945 again, &c.
Another hint we get, from two passages in our play, of what may
have been the closing scene of the Ol8iTrovs. Before Eteokles goes
out to his death, among his last words is the cry (Sept. 710) : ' Too
true ye were, ye visions of nightly dreams, ye dividers of our
father's heritage.^ And later in the K0fM[x6s the Chorus twice repeat
the lines (977-9, 991-3) * Oh woeful Fate, giver of grievous gifts !
oh royal shade of Oidipous ! dark Erinys, verily great is thy
might / '
These exclamations would be meaningless, if in the lost plays
there had been no previous and explicit mention of the ivvnvia
(f^avTaaytaTa and the ama Otdinov. The passages suggest that at
the close of the preceding play, after the death of Oldlnovs, a dream
had been related (by a messenger, or the Chorus, or Eteokles him-
self) probably of the ghost of Oidipous (978) appearing to his son
(710), confirming the curse, and showing the, terrible meaning of
the ' division by the sword ^.*
Thus there appears a marked difference between the ruder earlier
version of the story, in the Epic age, and the * moralizing of the plot '
in Pindar and Aeschylus. The family fate — the visitation of guilt
on the successive generations — the abandonment of the cruder and
more childish motive for Oidipous' curse, unsuitable to serious
tragedy — are, as far as we can see, due to the reflectiveness, and
the deeper moral insight of the fifth-century poets.
It should be added, that in the very last scene of our play (1020-84)
a new element appears in the story, the prohibition of the burial of
Polyneikes, and the resolve of Antigone to bury him, while the
weaker Ismene obeys the command. Doubts of the genuineness of
this scene have been raised (see Notes) : but in any case the sisters
appear (862) as mourners, and the burial of doth brothers is
contemplated (1006), in the part which is unquestionably genuine.
^ The scholiasts here are useless. On 710 Schol. M gives the following:
'he had dreamed the division of the heritage would be by bloodshed,'
which is simply a paraphrase of the words of Eteokles : on 978 he explains
OiSciTov OKia : ' the weak Oidipous ; because he is now of no avail ' : the
real point being the exact opposite, that though he be dead the curse yet
lives. ■
xiii
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
F. Later versions.
It would be beside our purpose to examine the further develop-
ments of the Theban story at length, especially as none of the three
great Theban plays of Sophokles (Ant., O. Tyr., O. Kol.), written at
widely different dates, touches any part of the plot of 'Etttci eVl Qfj^as,
except so far as the question of the burial of Polyneikes, briefly
treated in the last eighty lines of our play, forms the theme of the
Antigone.
But it may be well to say that in Sophokles the detail of the
story is largely varied and developed, the most notable points being
that Oidipous curses his sons for heartless ingratitude and neglect
(Oid. Kol. 421) ; that the curse comes long after their quarrel, and
not (as in Aeschylos) on the discovery of his own sin : that he is
purified and accepted by the gods, and passes away alone, in a holy
place, under their especial guidance : and that in two of the plays
(Ant. and O. Kol.) the daughters play a leading part, Antigone in
particular spending her life, and meeting death, in faithfulness to
father and brother. lokaste puts at once an end to herself on the
first discovery of the nature of her marriage (Oid. Tyr. 1237).
The theme of Euripides' Phoinissai, on the other hand, covers
exactly the ground of 'Enra eVi Qtj^as : but the dramatic handling is
so profoundly different that here too a detailed comparison would
be unprofitable. The plot can be briefly given, as follows. Polyneikes
is expelled by his brother, in defiance of a compact for yearly alter-
nate rule, and returns with the six chiefs and an army to secure his
rights. lokaste arranges a conference between the brothers, in
a vain attempt to stop the war : the gods demand a victim of the
royal house if Thebes is to win, and Menoikeus son of Kreon nobly
devotes himself. The brothers' fight is fixed, and lokaste hearing
of it sets out to stop it, but arrives too late, and kills herself. The
three bodies are brought in : Antigone leads the lamentation ;
Kreon the new king banishes Oidipous, orders the body of Eteokles
to be buried, that of Polyneikes to be cast out. Antigone defies
him, and vows to bury her brother : she is then also sentenced to
banishment : the play ends with her resolve to accompany her
father into exile.
There is considerable scope in this sketch for touching and
xiv
THE PLOT
striking situations, and for variety of scene and effect : there is
even some satire on the Aeschylean play : but there is too little
coherence of motive, or clear significance in the structure of the
plot, to make it worthy of comparison with the 'ETrra eVi e^^as, far
less with the Sophoklean plays.
As regards the details of the myth, the only essential variations
or innovations are that Oidipous and lokaste are both living when
the two sons fall: that Polyneikes is really wronged, and not
a bandit or a treasonable rebel: that the exile of Oidipous (and
Antigone) begins after the death of her brothers, and is not due to
them : and that the prophecy of the wanderer finding rest at Kolonos
near Athens appears first in Euripides' play, which was a few years
anterior to the Oidipous Koloneios.
It should be added that the Argument to the Phoinissai records
the sin of Laios which called down the curse. He had carried off
Chrysippos son of Pelops from Elis to Thebes, unknown to the
father. Pelops long lamented the loss of his son : but when he
found out the culprit, he invoked on Pelops this curse:— that
he rhight never beget a son ; but if he did, Ithat he might one day
meet his death at his son's hands. ffv, rl^«>Cu-4
§ 3. The Plot of the 'Ettto. eVi ei'j^as.
The preceding plays were briefly as follows : —
Laios. Laios king of Thebes having wronged Pelops was cursed
by him, with the curse that he might never beget a son, or if he did,
that this son should cause his death.
The gods heard this just prayer: Apollo thrice prophesied to
Laios that if he had no son, he should keep safe his city : but Laios
begat Oidipous nevertheless ^ [hoping to escape fate by exposing
him as a babe on the mountains. A shepherd took him to Corinth :
he was reared there as a prince, discovered his destined fate, left
his home, and near Thebes met a stranger who attacked him in the
road]. Oidipous killed him, not knowing it was his father,
Oidipous. Oidipous went on to Thebes, found it ravaged by the
Sphinx, who slew and devoured those that could not answer her
riddle. Oidipous answered it; the Sphinx defeated killed herself;
^ The passages in brackets are conjectural.
XV
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
the saviour of the city was made king, and wedded the queen
lokaste. At last [we know not how] the whole horror of his
position as husband of his mother [probably also as slayer of his
father] is revealed : he blinds himself at once ; and later he curses
his sons ' for their ill-care of him ' with the prayer ' that they should
divide their heritage with the sword.' [The quarrel of the sons,
and the death of Oidipous and lokaste, must have been told in
the play, which ended with the shadow of the impending mutual
slaughter of the brothers, and the fall of the royal house.]
At this point our play begins.
The citizens gather in the fortress of Thebes at the summons of
the king. Eteokles bids them be vigilant, as danger is at hand.
A scout enters, with news : the Argive army is here ; the seven
captains beset the seven gates. Eteokles utters a prayer to the
gods : and all depart. [Prologos, 1-77.]
The Chorus of Theban maidens enter with broken and terror-
stricken' cries — ' Ye gods, save us ! the clang of shields and spears ;
oh Ares, Zeus, Pallas, Poseidon, Kypris, Apollo ! help us ! the din
of chariots, the shower of stones, affright us : gods, remember our
offerings, and help V [Parodos, 78-180.]
Eteokles enters, and roughly chides the women, with threats of
punishment. They plead that they are frightened : the king bids
them keep silence, and abide in their homes. After a few more
startled cries they submit. He bids them pray quietly, and departs
toarrange the defence of the seven gates. [Epeisodion I, 181-287.]
The Chorus sing of the horrors of war — the wreck of temples and
homes, the fire, the slaughter, the suffering and slavery of the
women; the waste and destruction of all things. [Stasimon I, 288-
374-].
Eteokles returns, and at the same moment a messenger comes,
reporting at length the name and description of the captains attack-
ing each gate : the king tells off a Theban champion to each gate.
At the seventh gate he finds his brother Polyneikes is stationed ;
but announces his resolve to meet him there. [Epeisodion II,
part I, 375-685.]
The Chorus endeavour to dissuade him, dwelling on the horror
of such a combat ; but the king, though he sees the hand of fate,
xvi
REMARKS ON THE DRAMA
refuses to change, and goes out to meet his doom. [Epeisodion II,
part 2, 688-719.]
The Chorus sing a lyric of foreboding : the fatal curse of Oidipous,
that the brothers should divide the heritage by the sword— and
both be slain ! They brood on the family fate, bringing death to
the third generation, and repeat the story of Laios who sinned and
suffered : Oidipous who fell from his height of glory, and uttered
the curse on his sons— the curse that now shall be fulfilled!
[Stasimon II, 720-91.]
The messenger reports victory : all is well at six of the gates ; but
at the seventh — the Chorus interrupts with questions : the tragic
truth comes out : both princes are slain ! [Epeisodion III, 792-822.]
The Chorus rejoice over the victory, but are plunged in grief at
the extinction of the royal house. They brood on the curse of
Oidipous, and its dire fulfilment. As the funeral procession comes
near, they burst into lamentation— and pity for the bereaved sisters
who follow the train. [Stasimon III, 823-47, followed by lyric
lament 848-60, and anapaestic song of pity, 861-74.]
Then follow the alternate laments of the sisters, the Chorus
answering each with a lyric stanza : bewailing the fate of the princes,
the curse of Oidipous, the grief to the city, the noble warriors dead,
the tragic close of the strife, the ruin and fall of the House. [Ko/if*df ,
part I, 875-956.]
The two sisters take up the lament in antiphonal lines, Antigone
bewailing Polyneikes, Ismene Eteokles. [Ko/i/xd?, part 2, 957-1009.]
A herald announces that the city has resolved Eteokles shall be
duly buried, Polyneikes (as a traitor and rebel) cast out without
funeral rites. Antigone defies the order : and in spite of the
herald's remonstrance, remains unshaken. [Epeisodion IV, loio-
1058.]
The Chorus are divided : half, with Ismene, follow the body of
Eteokles : half, with Antigone, the bier of Polyneikes. [Exodos,
1059-84.]
§ 4. Remarks on the Drama.
Early date and simplicity of the drama, (a) in general scheme.
The 'Etttcl eVt Qr]0ai is an early play, probably the third of the
thirty-three extant Attic tragedies ; and it shows many marks of
AESCH. S.C.T. XVU b
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
the earlier stage of the drama, when a play was rather a lyric
pageant than a study of human passion and character, and when
the theme was rather a single striking incident than a plot of
intricate construction. In this play there are nowhere more than
two actors required : two scenes consist of dialogue between one
actor and the chorus: half the play is taken up by lyric songs
from the orchestra ; and the whole action, except the funeral pro-
cession at the end, is off the stage, and is related in three successive
scenes by a spy or messenger, and in the fourth by a herald.
It is obvious, from these considerations, as well as from the
sketch of the plot given above, that the scheme of the drama could
not be other than severely simple. We know (by the evidence of
the lost Oidipous) that the two brothers must die by each other's,
hand : and the ' Septem' tells the story in three simple scenes : (i)
the tidings that the foe is come ; (2) the names of the seven Argive
chiefs, the devices they bear on their shields, and the Theban
champions Eteokles appoints to meet them ; and (3) the brief
announcement of Thebes' victory and the death of the two princes.
The family curse is ended — by the extinction of the family : the
'Strife is reconciled by the Sword.' It is all foreseen from the
first : there is no uncertainty, no change of purpose, no surprise,
no struggle : still less is there any scheming on the part of Eteokles
to avoid his fate, or any subsidiary interest or characters to diversify,
the simple texture of the main story. The myth is simple, and the
drama marches straight to its goal.
(b) In details.
The same simplicity also is observable in the means whereby the
main incident, the duel of the two brothers, is brought about. For
what is the position of Eteokles ? He knows his father's curse
(655) : indeed the maidens who form the Chorus all know it (789) :
it is familiar to the city. He cannot be unaware that it is his
brother who has brought the Argive army, and that he is certain to
take a leading part in the attack : he knows that the leaders are
seven (42), of whom each will assail one gate (56). Yet having
announced (283) that he himself will be one of the seven leaders of
defence, and having chosen the other six Thebans, he appoints these
six one by one to face the six Argive foes whom the messenger first
names— though any one of these foes he might himself have chosen
xviii
REMARKS ON THE DRAMA
to encounter and so escaped the fate — and he reserves the seventh
gate for his own post when it was obvious that Polyneikes must
be his foe. All this naive arrangement is in harmony with the
character of the popular tale and the early drama : it suffices that
Polyneikes' name should not have been mentioned till Eteokles—
who has declared he will act as one of the seven defenders — has
despatched before our eyes the other six to their posts, for us to
accept this somewhat frail coincidence as the Hand of Fate, bringing
the brothers together, to their mutual destruction.
(c) The last scene.
Perhaps also we may trace similar characteristics in the rather
strange scene which closes the play. After the death of the princes,
the bodies are brought in, and (in conformity with the universal
Greek instinct) are bewailed by the two sisters in a long antiphonal
lamentation, the Chorus at stated intervals interposing with sym-
pathetic spng. The oracle is fulfilled : the tragedy is over : and we'
expect the usual close, in some general pathetic maxim or moral :
but we have instead an additional short scene of quite exceptional
character, where (as fully described above in the account of the
plot) the wailing is interrupted by the Herald forbidding the funeral
of Polyneikes. Antigone defies the order : and the Chorus part
into two, each following one bier, with one sister. The strangeness
of the scene consists in this, that it leaves an impression of the
whole story being unfinished. The fulfilment of the curse, and the
extinction of the royal and guilty race is the natural end : but a new
trouble arises, treated in the sketchiest manner, which (we feel)
introduces a new struggle, and a new tragedy, whereof the issues
are just started by Antigone's defiance, and then left hanging and
.unsolved. This defect is so strongly felt by many scholars (Scholl,
Westphal, Wecklein, Paley, &c.) that they are inclined to think the
whole last scene (1010-84) a later addition, perhaps written (in
consequence of Sophokles' Antigone twenty-six years later than the
Septem) by some reviser of the 'Etttci eVl Qipa^ after the poet's
death. There is certainly something to be said for this view ; but
if we do not go so far, as I think we need not, at any rate we must
find, in this curt and incomplete conclusion to the Septem (and
to the trilogy), a certain naiveie' or crudity of construction, which is
perhaps natural in the early days of the drama, and which is com-
xix b 2
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
bined in this play (as in Supplices and Persae, though still more
markedly here) with a stirring and magnificent poetry, of lyric
song and even more of striking dramatic speech, that seem to
belong to a higher development.
(d) The character-drawing.
Lastly, if the stage reached by the Attic drama in 467 has much
to say to the scheme of the play, to its dramatic presentment, to its
details, and to certain defects of structure, still more does it bear
upon the character-drawing, an element of drama which always
requires long time for its development. Not till the third actor was
invented by Sophokles (who in 467 had only just risen above the
horizon) was the play of contrasted characters, the action of one
soul on another, which counts for so much in this regard, brought
within reach of the Greek tragic poet. Aeschylos had but two
actors at this date : and in the Septem he hardly made real use even
of two. Until the last scene (which is too short for anything like
character-drawing in the sense in which we understand it), the one
character is the King Eteokles : for the messenger is a mere mouth-
piece, and to find r]Qos in his part is to see through a brick wall.
The king is a typical portrait of a strong, prompt, decisive, con-
fident soldier: curt and contemptuous with the wailing women,
scornful of the finery of Tydeus and the impious boasts of Kapaneus :
hating his rebel brother with a whole heart and without misgiving :
and when his fate comes — brought on largely by his own blind
recklessness (see above, p. xix) — refuses to draw back, though the
Chorus sharply remind him (682) of the * ageless ' and inexpiable
pollution of the bloodshed he contemplates : will neither save him-
self nor spare his foe : submits to fate, and boldly faces death.
The picture, though it be the only such picture in the play, is
powerful and convincing ; and if it is drawn only in broad outlines,
without subtle shading, the outlines are strong and right, and they
suffice for the poet's purpose. Especially one point in the picture
is notable, as the first extant specimen on any considerable scale of
hiavoia (or general reflection on life)— that element of Attic tragedy
which afterwards received such large development, particularly from
Euripides. The instance occurs at line 597, where the messenger
has told how one of the captains of assault is Amphiaraos the seer,
who inveighs against Tydeus and Polyneikes for the wickedness of
XX
REMARKS ON THE DRAMA
the whole expedition, which he has unwillingly joined : and how he
is prepared to do his part though he knows it will end in death and
failure. Eteokles in pity and admiration breaks out : —
* Woe ! for the fate that draws the righteous man
to serve, a comrade of the impious !
Naught is there worse than ill companionship,
whate'er be toward . . . 'tis fruit that none may gather.
Fate is the furrow, and the harvest Death !
The godly man sets foot upon the deck
with violent shipmates : then from a deed of ill,
he shares destruction with the accursed crew :
or dwells, a righteous man with evil fellows,
men fierce to strangers, recking not of gods ;
till, swept into the snare with impious men,
gods' undiscerning scourge brings him to nought.'
The touch of pity in the rude soldier, and of reflection in the prompt
man of action, add greatly to the truth and interest of the sketch of
character : like the brooding gloomy self-questioning of the blood-
stained Macbeth, the yearning tenderness of the strong and resolute
Antigone, the momentary shock of a mother's sorrow in the un-
lovely Sophoklean Klytaimestra — or any other of those studies of
conflicting moods or contrasted qualities whereby the great drama-
tists of all ages have shown their insight into complex human
nature.
It is hardly necessary to add, that whatever signs we may find in
this play of the immaturity of the drama, in regard to plot, or
handling of detail, or subtlety of character-drawing, there is none
in the poet's ability to produce the effects intended, none in the
magnificent wealth and power of his diction, nor in the sustained
stateliness and picturesqueness of his descriptive dramatic oratory.
It is well known that Euripides, sixty years later, satirized the great
scene (Epeisodion II, 375-676) where the seven Theban champions
are chosen to meet the seven Argives, by the thoroughly sensible
and practical phrase (Phoinissai 751) —
"Twere long delay to tell the name of each
when foes are camped beneath the very walls.'
The satire is not formidable, nor is it even technically justified : for,
xxi
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
as Dr. Verrall has pointed out, there is a hitch in the Argive
proceedings owing to unfavourable omens (379), whjch allows
a respite. But whether justified or not, neither reader nor audience
greatly care. All drama requires a large licence of assumption and
make-believe, which is readily granted ; and certainly Euripides is
himself not exempt from this necessity. And this superb scene, if
assailable, is also defensible on the strictly dramatic side, as we
have seen : and, regarded as part of a stately pageant, is incom-
parably fine. And besides the picturesqueness, and the force and
grandeur of the style, there is also most noticeable the high spirit
of the play as a whole. It is a dpafm" Apeas fiearov, ' a tragedy filled
with the spirit of war ' as Aristophanes said before the whole of
Athens (Frogs 1021) in the spring of 405, just two years after the
production of the Phoinissai. Aristophanes' view was probably
accepted at the time ; and certainly afterward. No one would
place this play on a level with the Prometheus, or the great trilogy ;
but probably all would agree in ranking it nearer to these than to
the two earlier dramas, the Supplices and the Persae.
The Manuscripts.
The following is a brief account of the MSS. which contain the
'Etttoi eVt Qrj^as, and which naturally fall into two groups : —
A. Medicean Group.
1. M., far the oldest and most important, the Medicean, in the
Laurentian library at Florence, written on parchment about the
beginning of the eleventh, century \ A photographic facsimile
of this has been published by the Italian Ministry of Public
Instruction.
2. G., Guelferbytanus, at Wolfenbiittel, written on paper in the
fifteenth century. It is (in this play, as elsewhere) very similar
to M, and is badly and ignorantly copied. It contains nearly all
the mistakes of M and many more of its own.
^ The same MS. contains, besides Aeschylos, all the extant tragedies of
Sophokles, and the Argonautica of Apollonios Rhodios. The Sophokles
has been published (by the Hellenic Society, 1885) in photographic fac-
simile, with a careful palaeographical criticism by Sir E. M. Thompson,
Keeper of MSS., and Egerton Librarian in the British Museum. The date
given above is assigned by him on grounds of handwriting.
xxli
THE MANUSCRIPTS
3. B., Marcianus, sometimes called (from its former possessor)
Bessarionis, now in the library of S. Mark at Venice, written on
paper in the thirteenth century: also very like M, though very in-
accurately copied.
4. P., Paristensis, in the library of Paris, on paper, in the fifteenth
century. Very like the Medicean, and probably derived from it \
The last three have probably no other authority than what they
derive from M, the differences being due to error or conjecture.
B. The Venetian Group.
5. v., Veneius, in the library of S. Mark at Venice, on parchment,
fifteenth century.
6. Fl., Florentinus, in the Laurentian library at Florence, on
paper, fourteenth century.
7. Fa., Farnesianus (once in the Farnese library), now in the
museum at Naples, on paper, fourteenth century. This contains
the recension of Demetrius Triclinius, a scholar and grammarian
of the fourteenth century, who was unfortunately ignorant of the
metres of tragedy, and somewhat rash in conjecture^.
These three are obviously from a common origin ; moreover the
great mass of variations from M are common to the three. The
exact relation of this group to the Medicean is not certain, but the
authorities tend to agree in believing that they are founded either
upon M or upon a not remote ancestor of M.
In the critical notes the text of the Medicean as originally
written is always quoted as M. But besides the original scribe,
other hands appear in the MS. as fellows : —
I. A contemporary hand, easily distinguished, which wrote the
scholia (or Greek notes to the text) and the glosses (or explanations of
words between the lines), corrected the errors and supplied omissions
of the first hand, added the Argument and Dramatis Personae, and
occasionally inserted a query or a conjecture at the side. The
corrections of this writer are important, as he evidently revised the
work of the scribe, comparing it with another MS. : he was more-
^ Moritz Hanpt, in the preface to Hermann's Aeschylos, ed. 1852, thinks a
few of its variations from M are due to emendation, the rest to carelessness.
^ Besides the above, there are many later MSS. (mostly containing Prom.
Pers. Theb.) which for critical purposes are of no value.
xxiii
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
over clearly a more learned and careful person than the scribe.
He is quoted always as m.
2. Later correctors (14th or 15th cent.) who are occasionally
referred to, and are quoted as mj.
As the MSS. are called by different names, and quated by different
letters, it may be useful to give the following table : —
M.
library
Florence,
no.
xxxii. 9
century
X-XI,
G.
yt
Wolfenbuttel,
88
jj
XV.
B.
}>
Venice,
468 or xci. 4
!»
XIII.
P.
J)
Paris,
2886
jj
XV.
FI.
■ >>
Florence,
xxxi. 8
>)
XIV.
Fa.
,,
Naples,
I.E.S.
»
XIV.
V.
>f
Venice,
616 or xci. 5
»
XV.
We have then the following abbreviations and signs used in the
critical notes : —
M. the scribe or first hand of the Medicean.
m. the second hand, who revised the scribe's work.
mj. later correctors.
G., B., P., v., Fl., Fa., the later MSS. described above.
rec. one of the later MSS. containing the passage.
recc. all (or most) of the later MSS.
codd. all (or most) of the MSS. including M.
{ ) conjectural additions to the text.
[ ] words which should be omitted from the text.
t corrupt text not emended.
The Scholia.
Reference is made in both critical and explanatory notes to the
Scholia, and it will be convenient to explain briefly both what they
are and in what way they are valuable.
In the Medicean MS. by the side of the texts are written
comments in Greek, called Scholia. They are in a small but clear
hand, partly in capitals {half-uncial), -whilt the text itself is written
in cursive, that is in a running hand, in small letters, two or more
letters being often closely connected and slightly contracted. The
Scholia are by a different hand to that which wrote the text, and
the authorities are agreed that they are mostly written, at the same
time as the text, by the diopdiorqs or scholar who corrected the
xxiv
THE SCHOLIA
errors made in the text by the professional scribe. Their value
consists, both for text and comment, in their age. Their explana-
tions are often wrong, but they not unfrequently contain valuable
information dating back to many centuries before our earliest MS.
For textual criticism they are occasionally a great help, as they
sometimes explain a different text to that which is by their side in
the MS., and so may furnish evidence of an older and truer
reading than the MS. itself. In any case they are always worth
considering.
In this play there are several excellent examples of Scholia which
can be thus made serviceable, and a few specimens may profitably
be given.
In 667 the MSS. read At'/ci; Trpoa-e'nrf koi KaTTj^idxraro, 'Justice
addressed him,' which is nonsense. The Schol. explains the phrase
fidev avrov *cat e(f)i\r]<Tev, really wishing to interpret Karij^iaxraro, but
incidentally proving that the writer had irpoo-ciSc, not Trpoadne in
his text.
In 463 the MSS. read avpi^ovai. ^ap^apov rponov, 'hiss in strange
fashion,' which makes sufficiently good sense. But the Schol.
explains it with the words aivr^vr] rjxov, ' a harsh sound ' : whence
Schiitz easily inferred that Aesch. wrote ^p6\t.ov, not rpoirov, which
makes a better sense. Possibly rponov has come from 465.
In 774, speaking of all the gods and men in Thebes, the Chorus
say (according to the MSS.) 6(o\ koi ^vuta-Tioi, noKfos 6 ttoXv^otos t
alcov /SpoTwj', i. e. * gods and dwellers in the city, and the rich-fed life
of tnen,' the last words being very like nonsense. The Schol.
explains the italic words as 6 vwo iroXKSiv tp^arevopevos avbpav,
' trodden by many men '—a very odd metaphor with ald>v, but clearly
pointing to TroXi^Paros t for ireXvPorSs t, as Blomfield saw. The
correction was completed by Weil, who perceived that the word was
eiYMv [old Homeric word for 'gathering'], not alav. The whole
phrase ' crowded gathering of men ' was thus satisfactorily restored :
and it was the scholiast's explanation, carefully copied, though
referring to a different Greek text, which made the correction at
once possible and certain.
The general opinion is that the best of these Scholia contain,
along with other matter, fragments of learning about Aeschylos
which can be traced back to the early Alexandrine scholars, and
XXV
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
even with some probability to Didymos (called, from his extra-
ordinary capacity for work, by the elegant name of XaXKivrepos, or
' Copper-guts '), a great Alexandrine scholar of the first century B.C.,
of the school of Aristarchus.
It is plain, even allowing for the uncertainty of conjectures, that
the evidence of readings contained ih the Scholia may be centuries
older than the MS. itself.
The Editions.
The following is a list of the chief editions (a) of the whole seven
plays, {l>) of the Septem contra Thebas.
(a) All the plays : —
15 1 8 Aldine. \ These give only the parts of Ag. found in M, In
1552 Turnebus. [ Aid. and Turn, the play is confused with Choe-
1552 Robortello. j phoroi. Rob. gives the two plays separate.
1557 Victorius (Vettori). This is the first that gives Ag. whole.
1580 Canter. 1828 Scholefield.
1663 Stanley. 1831 Bothe.
1745 Pauw. 1842 E. A. I. Ahrens.
1746 Askew. 1847-79 Paley.
1782 Schiitz. 185 a G. Hermann.
1794 Porson. 1852 Hartung.
1794 Portus. 1858 H. Weil.
1809 Butler. 1871 R. Merkel.
1823 Wellauer. 1880 Kirchhoff.
1825 Boissonade. 1885 Wecklein.
1827-69 W. Dindorf. 1 891-7 (with commentary) Wecklein.
((5) Septem contra Thebas separately : —
1812 Blomfield. ' 1878 I. Davies.
1818 C. Schwenk. 1887 A. W. Verrall.
1830 C. G. Haupt. 1888 Verrall and Bayfield.
1834 G. C. W. Schneider. 1891 N. Wecklein.
1875 F. Ritschl.
In addition to the above, readings or corrections are occasionally
quoted from Abresch, Bergk, Brunck, Burney, Burton, Conington,
L. Dindorf, Elmsley, Enger, Erfurdt, Francken, Geel, Halm,
W. Headlam, Heath, Heimsoeth, .Kock, Klausen, Lachmann,
Lowinski, Martini, Meineke, Nauck, Pierson, Prien, Rothe, Schmidt,
Seidler, Stensloff, Stobaeus, Triclinius, Tyrwhitt, Valckenaer,
Volckmann, von den Bergh, H. Voss, Wakefield, H. Wolf, and
Wunderlich.
xxvi
THE TEXT
The Text.
From the list of MSS. given above it will be seen that the oldest
and best by far is the Medicean (M). Wherever the reading of
this MS. differs from that adopted in the text, the fact is noted in
the critical commentary at the foot of the page. The only exception
is in the case of minor errors of accent or spelling ; and even these
are noted where they seemed at all important.
The later MSS. are occasionally quoted by their distinguishing
letters, where one or other of them alone gives the true reading.
But in most cases it is pretty clear, when M is wrong and one of
the later MSS. right, that the correctness is due not to a better
tradition but to emendation. Accordingly when this occurs I have
not thought it necessary to specify the correct MS., but have used
the term rec, i.e. recentior ox 'a later MS.' Similarly when M is
wrong and several of the later MSS. have a better reading, I use
the term recc, i. e. recentiores. Where M is right, I have often not
thought it necessary to specify the later MSS., whether they agree
or differ. When M and the recentiores agree in an error I have
felt free either to record M only or to use the term codd., i. e. codices.
Lastly, when M and the recentiores are all wrong, but M has one
mistake and recc. have (all or most of them) another and different
mistake, I have sometimes recorded both, if it seems to be of any
interest to do so.
The following instances will make quite clear the principles and
usage above stated, and also illustrate certain points of interest
which a comparison of the MSS. reveals : —
(1) M wrong, recc. right (oiJre ^xfiov ovt laov XfXt/ii/xei'oi) :
355 XeXi/Lt/xevot recc. : XeXTj^/xeVoi M
i. e. the Medicean reads the common word XeXiy/t/xej'ot (which makes
no sense here) : the later MSS. preserve (or have conjecturally
restored) the rare word XeXi/i/^e'i/ot, ' desiring,' which is clearly what
Aesch. wrote.
(2) One rec. right, M and others wrong (tov'Kiav y\ra<l>apa ctttoSw) :
323 bovhiav rec. : bovKdav codd. cett.
i.e. one later MS. has the adj. bovKiav (which sense and metre
require), while M and the other recc. read the erroneous bov\eiav
xxvii
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
which cannot be translated. This correction may be a mere
accident, as -t and -ft are habitually confused in our MSS.
(3) M right, recc. all wrong (same error) (At»oj S' o/iat'/ncoj') :
415 onaificov M : 8 supra fi scr. m^ (i. e. 6 Sat/iwi/) quod habent recc.
i. e. M reads the true word ofiatfionv [diK. ofx. ' duty of kinship '] : the
recc. have 6 bainav, neither sense nor grammar : and a later
corrector of M has actually imported this error into that MS. by
writing S over the first ^ of SfmifKov, i. e. by showing that he thought
Ofiaiftoiv ought to be 6 daiixav.
(4) All wrong, different errors {narpos fiikaiv'' apa 695) :
pfKaiv Weil: reXei M, rs^fia suprascr. m^: TeXei* recc.
i. e. recc. have reXt" apa, ' fulfilled curse ' (the sense might do, but to
elide long d is impossible) : M had reXtt apa (where verb not wanted,
and open vowels impossible), and later corrector had written the
common error reXfla over the top. Weil suggested the most likely
correction.
(5) All wrong, same error (1002-3). All copies read
Ait. dafjuuri Ka\ xBov'C irp6 irdvTcav 8' e'jttoi.
lap,. Kal TO irpoaa y efioL
This comes in the sisters' lament, which all through is antiphonal,
in lines of identical metre, itph navruv S" ipoi is a gloss or explana-
tion of Istnene's answer, which has wrongly got into the text as part
of Antigone's words, as C. G. Haupt was the first to point out.
This is one of the cases where a reading is common to all existing
MSS, which both on literary and metrical grounds is to the last
degree unlikely, if not impossible. If such cases are numerous, as
in fact they are, common sense enables us to infer that all our MSS.
are derived, either from the oldest of them (the Medicean), or from
a not remote ancestor of the Medicean : and so, though they may
be divisible into groups, are in a very real sense all of one family.
xxvm
EHTA Eni 0HBA2
AISXTAOT EDTA EHI 0HBAS
YnoeEsis
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reia m 4 BeayevlSov Franz 6\. or;'] i. e. anno A. c. 467
5 'Apjo'Tiw*'] 'ApiffTias Franz 7 AvKovpyfi^] \vKovpyi(} m
EHTA Eni 0HBA2
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el 8' av6', o ixtj yevoiro, avix(f)opa Tvyoi, 5
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ij^rjs dKjxaias koX tov e^rjfBov xp6v(p,
jSkaaTrjpiOV dXhaivovTa acLp-aTos ttoXxiv,
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6 iroAus quod omiserat supra scr. M 13 wpav M : icpav m
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[xCfJLVOVTes €v dapcrclTe, jxrjb' iirrjXvbcov
TapjBciT ayav ofiikov eS reXei ^eoy. . 35
(TKOTTOvs he Kayca kol KaroTTTrjpas (rrpaTov
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29 KaTTiPoiXfvffiv Dindorf : K&.iri$oj\ev(reiv M : -eveivrecc. 34 ev
6ap(rf7re Aldina : fvdapffeTre codd. 49 avrcov^ avraiv M
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KXrjpovfxivovs b' eAeiTroy, ws iraAw Xa^coir 55
(KaoTos avTUiV irpos Ttvkas ayot X6)(ov.
irpbs TavT apCcrTovs avbpas eKKpCrovs iroAeo)?
irvkiav fir' c^oboKri rdyevcraL raxps'
(yyvs yap rjbr} irdvoTrXos 'Apyeitoy arpaTos
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"Apia):' (Sod yap Kvp.a yj^pa-aXov crrpaTOV'
Ka\ T(avb( KaLpbv ooris wKtoros Aa^e* ^5
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6<p6aXp.ov e£cd, kcu a-a(f)riv€La Xoyov
€lb(t)s TO. TU)V OvpaOiV d^Xafir]s icrei.
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'Apd T ^FipLvvs iraTpbs rj jxeyaa-devqSy 70'
fxi] [XOL TToXtv ye TTpvp-vodev iravatXeOpov
€K6afxvicrr]Te brjaXcarov, 'EAAaSoy
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X0P02
dpeopLat. cf)o^epa fxcydX' a)(Tj'
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pet TToXvs obe Aews TTp6bpop.oi iTnroras' 8o
54 iriffris rec. et Stobaeus(vii. ii) : irvirris codd. cett. 6i irXevfiSvuv
M : irvfvfidviav recc. 71 irpv/j-vSOtv codd. : irpffjii/o9(vValckenarium
secuti edd. plerique 75 SovXioiai Aldina : SovXeioKXi codd. <rxe-
Buv Blomfield : o-x«Oe«»' codd. 78-107 inter choreutas distribuendi
AI2XTA0T
aldepCa kovls /me Ttddei ^avela,
avavbos (ra^^y Itt^/xo? ayyekos. —
'1 €Ti. be yas e/i^as irebC ottXoktvtt' at-
.y. tI xpCfximi. (Bodv Trorarat, ^piixu 8'
ap.ayiTov biKav ^baros oporvirov. — 85
ia> 10) Oiol
6eaC T opofxevov KaKov aXeva-are. —
pod V7T€.p T€i)(e(iOV
6 XevKacnrts opwrai Xabs ev-
TpeTTTis eTTt TTokiv [bKaKCdv]. — 90
tCs apa pva-erai, tls ap knapKicrei
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PpeTT] baip.6v(iiv; — • 95
10) jxAKapes cvebpoi,
d/c/Aa^ei (3p€T€(ov Ixfo-^ai* ri [xik-
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aKover rj ovk aKoiJCT dcnrib(i>v ktvttov; 100
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(f)l A tray' €^op.€v; —
KTVTTOV bibopKa' TTCLTayos ovx (vbs bopos.
TL pe£ets; Trpobcoa-eis, TrakaiyQiav
"Ap-qs, Tav Tcdv; — 105
10) \pv(ToiTr}X7]^ baXpiov, liriS' eTn- ■
bi "noKiv av ttot €V(f)ikriTav iOov.
deol TTokidoxoL x^^^^^ '■^' o.6p6oi crTp. a.
t8ere Trapdivcav no
83-4 ert Se yas ffias Paley, TreSi" dw\6Krvir' Seidler, url recc.
Xpifiitrei fiodj/ Ritschl : eAeSe'/xas 7reSioir\oKrviros ri ^P'M'"'*'''"' fi°^ ^
totum locum ita restituit Paleio praeeunte Wecklein, nisi quod ISi
pro en habet 86 jcb Icb recc. : tcb liu leu M 88 fioS fortasse
secludendum 90 Si^kodv seclusit Rothe 94 irdrpia add.
ex schol. Volckmann loi ffTe(pe(»v ex artipdvwv factum M
lor-a a,fi<\>\ Xnav Seidler : ajx<l>i\iTav M : afji(p\ XiThv mj 106 lit
Dindorf: §> codd. 109 iroxioxoi Dindorf W' a,6p6oi Steusloff :
td" fre irdvTes codd. (t supra d scr. M)
EOTA EDI 0HBA2
iKiariov \6xov bovko(rvva9 virep.
KVfxa [yap] itepX TTTokiv bo\iJLok6(f)(i}V avbp&v
KaxAa^et ttvoois " Apeos opofxevov. 115
aX.k\ S) Zeu TTOLTep firavTikis, iravTias
&pr}^ov batuiv ak(ii<riv.
^ApyiiOL 8e irokia-fxa Kdbp.ov • 120
KVKkovvTai- (\>6^os 8' apeCoiv o-nkoiV.
bidberoL (b4 rot^ y€vvv ImrCmv
KiiwpovTai (f)6vov xakLvoL
kTTTa 8' dydvopes irpeirovTcs crrpaTov
bopvcrcrois (rayoLS TTvAaiy €/38o|u,ats 125
. . . TTpocricTTavTai 7r(iA<j) kayovn^.
(TV T, Si Aioyeves (pikofxaxov Kpdros, [dvr. a.
pvcriTTokLs yevov,
Ylakkds, 0* iTTTnos TTovToiMbcav &,va^ 130
IxOv^okca Uoa€i.bd(ov [xaxava,
iirCkvarLV irovcov, kirikva-iv 8i8ou.
(TV T, "Aprjs, (f)ev, (f)€v, f eiroovvixov KabpLOV TTokiv I35
(pvka^ov KrjbecraC t kvapyuis.
KoX KvTTpLS, CLT €i yivovs TrpojxdTMp, 140
dk€V(rov (TcOev yap e^ ai/xaros'
yey6vap.ev' kiTaZcri ae OeoKkvTOLS
duroScrat 7reAa^ojue(r^a.
Kal (TV, Avk€l' dva^, Avk€ios yevov 145
114 yap seclusit Klausen 116 fortasse wdvrus, irirtp irtu>TeX4s,
Wecklein 120 Sf M, rec. : yap (^suprascr.) m, cett. codd.
121 apeiwv Blomfield : apr^luv codd. 122 SidSeroi recc. : 5«o-
SfToi M 5e roi add. Dindorf ytuvv Dindorf : yevvuv codd.
iirniwv recc. duo : Imreiaiv codd. cett. 123 Kivvpovrai] ixivvpovrai ex
Hesychio (qui -rrpotpuvovai interpretatur) L. Dindorf 124 iyfjvopes
codd. 125 Sopv(r(To7s Blomfield : Sopva-aoois codd. Post 125
excidit fortasse aliquid : vid. ad 147 131 TlofffiSduv fxaxcw^
Klausen : jxaxo-va Wotrei^av (vel -twv) codd. 135 metro caret
(p(v <f>ev, KTi^eiav v6\iy ingeniose Wecklein : itSKiv KdSfxov eiriivv
/xoy (ipfv (pfv seclusis Dindorf 141 70^ recc. : om. M 143 \t-
raiffi Hermann : \irais codd. 144 ovrovffai Seidler : airvovffai codd.
AI2XTA0T
(TTpaTut bat<a (ttovmv av Tiras.
fav T, 0) Aaroyivet-
^ a Kovpa, TQ^ov evTVKa^ov ["Apre/jti </)iAa].t
tttl [arp. ^.
StojSov apfxcLTOiV ap,(fH ttoKiv kKvo)' 151
S) TTOTvC "Hpa.
eXaKov a^ovciiv ^pLdojxevcav 'xyoai.,
"ApreixL (pCKa, [eel I],
bopi.TLvaKTos aWrjp 8' eTTLfxaCveTai. 155
ri ■TToAt? a/xjui Tratrxet, ri yez^Tjo-erai;
■Trot 8' ert re'Aos eTrayet 0eos;
e e e e, [arr. ^.
aKpo^okoctv 8' €Trdk^€U)V XiOas ipyjETai'
o) ^lA' "'AttoAAoi''
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TTttt Aios, o^er
TTokfiioKpavTov ayvov rikos iv /^ax?' '
(TV Te, fxcLKaip' avaaa "OyKa, -npo TroAeo)?
eTrrairuAoy e8os iirtppvov. 165
lo) TravapKels dioi, [''"'"P* 7*
lo) reAetoi Tekctai re ya?
Ttto-Se TTvpyo(f)vkaK€9,
TTOklV bopLTTOVOV jlX?/ TTpobcod'
kT€po(j)(av<a (TTpaTU). 170
KAi^ere TrapOevcov Kkvere TravbtKcas
\€ipoT6vovs ktrds.
146 a5 t/tos Schmidt : dwrSscodd.: irWras Wecklein 147-9 stro-
phae vv. non respondent. Alii hos vv. corrigunt : ffi r', & Aaron's,
evrvKd^ou Wecklein : rectius fortasse alii ante 126 excidisse aliquid
existimant 149 "Apre/Mi (pi\a (codd.) seclusit Seidler 155 alOijp 5'
Hermann : 8' aldijp codd. 161 ■jrat Ai6s, ^dfv von den Bergh : Ka\
AKJeer codd. 163-4 MttX9- I <^^ "^^ Hermann : fidxaiffi | re M
166 iravapKfTs (\ supra p scr. m,) M 168 roirSe recc. : racSe
ye M 172 iravSiKws recc. et M (ex iravSlKovs correctum)
EOTA Eni 0HBA2
io) (f)CXot, baCfxoves, [avT, y.
KxrrripioC (j^ aix(f)LfidvT(s irokiv, i75
jxikea-di 6' UpS>v br}fj.L(av,
(j)tXo6vTo}v be TOL iroAeoy 6fyy(o)V
fMvqa-Topes ((ttc jxol. i8o
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ri TavT apta-ra kol ttoAci (roorqpia,
(TTpaTU) T€ 6ap(Tos rw8e TTVpyripovix€v<a,
(Bperrj TT(aov<ras irpbs t:oKl(T(tovx(x>v deSiv 185
av€LV, KaKa^eiv, (ro)(f)p6v(ov p.i(rr]p.aTa;
fjL'qT iv KaKolai /u^r' iv (vea-rol 0iAr/
^voiKos €vr]v Tw yvvaiKim yivei.
KpaTovcra pikv yap ovx opuXrjTov Opdaos,
beCaaa-a b' oXkio kol TroAet TrXeov kukov. 190
Kol vvv TTokiTats TCKrbe btabpopLovs (})vyas
deXaaL bieppo6r\(TaT hlrvyov KaKrjV'
TO. tS>v dvpadev 8' &)? apicTT d^e'AAerai,
avTol b' {xpi" avT&v evbodev Ttop6ovp.e6a.
Toiavrd rav yvvac^l avvvaioiv tyofi. 195
Kei uri rts dpxv^ ^V^ ^I^V^ aKovcrfTai,
avr]p yvvT] re x.^ '"' "^^^ fxeraixpH'OV,
\lrfj<pos KaT avTu>v oXeOpta ^ovke'vaeTai,
keva-Trjpa brjixov 8' ov tl jut) (f)vyr] p.6pov.
fxiXet yap dvbpi, pji] yvvr] jBovXeviro), 200
TOL^ciidev' evbov 8' ovcra pirj ^kdfir\v ridiu
i]K0V(ras rj ovk ijKova-as, rj kco<^tJ Aeyw;
Xo. cb (f>iXov OibCirov T€Kos, ibeicr' aKov- W'^'P' **•
craa-a Tov app-aroKTVirov oto(3ov oto^ov,
175 t' add. Seidler 176 ^lAoiroAeis Wunderlich : (pi\oir6Ki(s M et
codd. plerique 177 6' recc: 5' M 179 Wa«oj Person : w-Jxewj codd.
195 habent recc. : omittit M 204 orro^ov bis recc. : oro^ov semel M
AESCH. THEB.
AI2XTAOT
■ ore re (rvpiyyes €Kkay^av kXCrpoxoc, 205
y^ linnKQv T CLTTVov TTrjbakCoov bio. a-TOjMi
' TTvpiyevcrav x«^tya)z;.
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TTpvixvrjdcv r]vp€ p.r]-)(avy]V (rooTrjpLas,
vecbs KapLova-rjs TTOVTica Trpbs Kvpuari; 210
Xo. dAA' eTTt haip^ovuiv irpobpofios ■^X.Oov ap- [avr. a.
Xata jSpirr], OeolarL ttlo-vvos, VKpdbos
or okoas vKpofiivas l3p6p.os kv TrvkaiS'
brf TOT ripdriv (f)6(3(a Trpbs p-aKapoov Atras, TToX^cas
tv* V1T€p4xOL€V akKCLV. 215
Er. irupyov crTiyeiv evx€(rd€ irokip-Lov bopv.
Xo. ovKOvv T(i8' icTTai irpbs OeSiv;
Er. dAA' ovv 6€ovs
Tovs TTJs akov(rr]s irokeos e/cAetireiv Aoyos.
Xo. pLrjiroT €fxbv Kar ala>va kiTTOi d^Gtv \p"^P' P'
a8e Tvavayvpis, fxrjb' eTrtSoi/xt Tavb' 220
a<TTvbpop.ovp.ivav Troktv koI (TTpaTevfi
atiTop-ivov TTvpl bat(a.
Er. fxri pLOi deovs Kakovaa jBovkevov KaKcos'
irctOapxCa yap ecrTi r^s evTrpa^Cas
fJi.'>]Tr}p, yovfjs (TcaTqpos' w8' eyei koyos. 225
Xo. eoTf Oeov 8' er' icrxi's KaOvnepripa' \avT. (3.
TTokkaKL b' €V KaKoicnTov ap-ayavov
205 8t6 rec. : '6ti M 206 ^iruoi' Lachmann : avirvwv codd.
210 -Kphs recc. : eV (in rasura) M 212 Oeolffi irlarwos Seidler :
iriffuvos 0eo7s codd. 216-218 tres vv. ita distribuit nii, recc. :
Eteocli continual M 217 oHkowM: oukoCj/ m, , recc. 218 irJ-
\eos recc. pauci : irdXecus codd. cett. 219 \eliroi. M 222 fortasse
Satcf (irav) Enger 225 yovr)s Hermann : ywi) codd. 226 Ofov
M : 6eo7s m recc. 227 rhv ex schol. Canter : rau codd.
EHTA Eni 0HBAS
KaK xaAcTras bvas vircpd' oix^xaxoiv
KprjixvafXivav ve<f)€X.av 6p9oT.
Er. avhpGiV rdb' €(ttl, a-^ayia koX xpr]cn"qpLa 33°
deoXariv epbeLV, 7roXep.C(av Trnpcop-ivuiv
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bvcrp.evio)V 8' ox^ov irvpyos diroa-TiyiL.
TLs rdbe W/xeo-is a-Tvyel; 235
Er. ovTOL (f)dov& (Toi baLpiovcav TiyMV yevos'
dAA.' a)s TToAtras jxi] KaKoa-TrXdyxvovs Tidrjs,
iVKfjkos t(r6i, fxrjb^ dyav vTTep(f)ol3ov.
Xo. TTOTLcfyaTov KKvovcra Trdrayov dvdp.Lya [avT. y.
Tap^o(rvv(o (f)6j3(o rdvb' is CLKpoTTToXiv, 240
rtjaioy (.bos, iKop-av. ^
Er. ju.7] vvv, kav Ov-pcrKovTas rj TCTpcopLivovs
TTvOrjcrOc, KOiKVTola-iv apTrakCQiT^.
TOVT<a yap "Aprjs jBoa-KeTat, (p6v(a (BpoTOiv.
Xo. Ktti pi/qv aKOvco y iTTinKcav (f)pvayp,dT(ov. 245
Er. /U.7J vvv aKovova-' €fji(})avS>s olkov' dyav.
Xo. o-reret irokicrixa yrjOev, ws KVKkovp.4v(i}v.
Er. ovKovv l/x' apxei T&vbc ^ovke^mv iripL.
Xo. beboiK, dpayp.6s b' kv TTvkats otpekkeTai.
Er. ov (Tiya p.r\b\v T&vb' ipels Kara Trrokiv; 250
Xo. Si ^vrikeia, pLTj TTpobcas irvpytiip.aTa. ■
Er. ovK ks (f)66pov (rtycacr' dvaa-xwc- rdbe;
229 Kpy^fjivafievav vetpeXav Hermann : Kpri/j-pafievav (vel Kpifiv.) v«p(-
\av codd. fortasse avopdo7 Enger 231 ireipwfiei'wv'] ireipunevois
(wv supra scr. m,) M 233 aSdfjLaTov Pauw : aSd/xavrov M
235 tIs Heath : ri codd. 239 iroricpaTov Heimsoeth : iroralvwv
codd, avafxiya rec. : Hfifiiya M 240 a.Kp6-KTo\iv Porson : a.Kp6-
iroXiv codd. plerique 252 <pd6pov mi : ip6vov M
AI2XYA0T
Xo. 6col TToXirai, /x^ /x€ hovXeCas Tirx/iv.
Er. avr^ <rv 8ov\ois koI (re xai iraa-av ttoXw.
Xo. S irayKpaT€s Zeu, rpiy^ov ds kyOpovs ySeAos. 255
Er. £ Zeu, yvvaiKQiV oXov co-naa-as yivos.
Xo. }io)(dr]p6v, Scnrep 6.vbpas 3>v aAS -ttoAis.
Er. TraAiyoTO/xeis au ^tyyavovo-' dyaAfxarcoi;;
Xo. a.ylfv\ia yap ykiacraav apua^ti (f)6j3os.
Er. aiTovp.iv<a fxoi Kov(f)ov €t 8oit/s reAos. 260
Xo. Ae'yois hv ws raxi'^^'a, xat rax.' €L<Top.aL.
Er. (rCyqa-ov, o) TaXaiva, p.i] (f)CKovs ^o'^ei.
Xo. o-tyo)' oa»y aAAois Treto-o/xai ro ixopa-ifiov.
Er. roi5r' dvr' (KeCvoiv tovttos atpoS/xat cr^dev.
Kal TTpos ye rourois, exros oSo-' dyaA/xdrtoy, 265
evXou rd Kp^icrau), ^vp.p,dxovs elvac Oeovs'
KCLfi&v cLKovcraa €vyixdT(i>v, €7reira ot)
oAoAvy/xoy Ipoy eifxevi] TraKavta-ov,
'EAAT^rtKoy vopna-jxa OvcrTabos (Borjs,
OApaos (f)ikoLs, X.vov(ra iioXip.iov (f)6^ov. 270
eyo) 8e x.(apas rois ttoAkto-owxoi? ^eoij,
TreSiovo'jaots re Kayopas iinaKOTTois,
AipKYjs re Tnyyary, v8ari r 'la-fxrjvov Ae'yco,
eu ^vvTvyovTtiiV koX Tro'Aecos (r€croicriJ.ivr]s,
ilp/qkoia-LV aifxd<rcrovTa9 eorias ^ecoy, 275
raupoKrorouyray Oeotatv, c56' (TTcvxoiJ.aL
drjo-eiv rpoTraia, TToAe/xicoy 8' ecr^^/iara,]
Xd(\>vpa bqo)V bovpiTrqxd^ ayvols b6p.ot,s,
OTiyjrai Ttpb vaStv, TroAe/xtojy [8'] eo-^Tj/xara. t
254 Kol ffk Wunderlich : wdytie M : /ca/^t /cai (re /cai iroKiv recc.
duo 267 iucovcraxr M 268 iroicfi^'jo'ov M : itaidviaov m, recc.
273 J;5oTi t' Geel : ou5' aTr' codd. : ingeniose ou5' dir' 'ifffxyjvhv Abresch
275-9 corrupta ac redundantia varie reciduntur. Praestat fortasse
cum L. Dindorf 275-7 secludere : vel cum Hermanno vv. 277-9 'ta in
duo versus redigere : fl^eretr Tpovata, Sdiwv 5' fffd'fifj.ara | ffrfxpcc irph
vawv Sovpiirrix^' ayvo7s S6fjiois 277 4(T9r]/j.a (to suprascr. m) M
378 SovpltriixO' Dindorf : SovpiirKrjxO' codd. 279 5' seclusit L. Dindorf
EnXA Eni 0HBA2
TOLairr iirvjxov ixi] ^lAoororcos 0eots, 280
ixr]b' iv /xaratois KaypCots TTOicpvyixaa-iV
ov ydp Ti ixaXXov fxr} (pvyqs to fxapaifiov.
iyo) 8e y' avbpas €$ e/Aot otjv e/38o/xo)
avrqpiras k)(6poi(ri. tov fiiyav Tpoirov
€tj eTrrareixe'? e^obovs ra^ui fxoXwv, 285
Trplv ayyeXovs (nr^pyvovs re koX TayyppoOovs
\6yovs lK€(T0ai koI ^Aeyeiy XP^'°* ^''^'^^
Xo. fl€X.(l, (f>6l3(0 b' OVX VTTV<0(T(r€L Kiap' [<'"^P« <*•
yetroyes 8e KapbCas
IJ.ipip.vai. ^(DTTvpova-L rdp^os 290
roy api(f)i,T€LXV Aewi', <^ y "ce* ■• ciH ace •
SpaKoyras c5s tls T€Kva)v
VTTcpbeboLKev K^xaCoiv bva-evvdropas
iravTpop.os TreAetay.
Tol fi€V yap ttotI irvpyovs 295
TTavbap.il Travop-iXcl
(TTiCyovcnv. tl yivoapAxi;
ToX 8' 677* ap.(f)LJ36\oi<rLV
idTTTova-L TToAirais
XepjoaS' oKpiofcrcrav. 300
TtavrX TpoTTfo, AioyeveXs
OeoC, TtoXiv KoX arparov
KabpLoyevi] pvecrde.
TTOLOv 8' dpicCy^ecrde yaiai Tvibov [dvT, a.
TCLcrb' apeLov, ex^pols 305
dcpivres rdv ^aO-v^Oov atav,
281 ■Koi^vyixaiTiv recc. : irocpoiyfji.affiv i supra iro, 01 in litura) M
283 8e 7' anon. : 5' eir' codd. 292 SpdKovras Bothe : SpaKovra 5'
codd. 293 A.exaio)*' Lachmann : Kex^'^" codd. SvffevvdTopas
Bothe : SevatwriTopcur {ei supra 0, o supra air scr. ni] M 294 irdv-
rpofioi M : v<ivrpo<pos m et recc. [ante iroyr. a habet M : omittunt recc, ]
296 iravdrifji.u M
AI2XTA0Y
vbcdp T€ AipKalov, ev-
Tpa(\)i(rTaTov Trco/xdrcoy
ocrcav trjcriv UoceL-
bav 6 yaLdo)(ps 310
Trjdvos re iralbcs.
TTpbs Tab', S) 1TO\lOV)(Ol,
6(.oi, Toicri fjikv efco
TTvpycov avbpo\€T€cpav
Krjpa, pl\j/o7tX.ov arav, 315
ijxjBakovTes apoiadc
Kvbos Tota-be TroXtrats.
Koi TToAeoos pvTopes (^^crr^
evebpoC T€ crTadr]T
o^vyoois kiToicriv. 320
oiKTpov yap TTokiv c58' Q)yvyCav [9"^P- /3«
'Alba Trpo'ia^ai, bopos aypav,
bovXiav y}fa(f)apa aTTob^
v-n avbpos 'Axcllov deodev
TtepOofi^vav aTifxcos, 325
TCLS be KexeipcojJLevas ayecrOat,
e €, veas re Kal iraKaias
iTTTTrjbov TtXoKaiioiV, TrejOijO-
priyvviJ.iv(ov (papicav.
(3oa b' iKKevovfiiva ttoAis, 33°
Xa'tbos oAAu/xeyas fxt^oOpoov
ISapeCas tol rvxas 7rporap/3&).
J KXaVTOV 8' apTLTp6(f)0LS WflobpOTTOLS [avT. 13.
j voixCjxodv TTpoTTapoiQev biafxev^ai
307-8 ei)rpa(peirTaTOV recc. : evrpe^eararov M 315 Krjpa, pi^.
Lowinski : Karapi^. M, koI rav f)i^. m 318 tar add. W. Headlam
323 ^ovXiav rec. : hovXiiav codd. cett. 326 Kixw^l^^^"-^ (*' supra
77 scr. iiii^ M 333 aprirpocpots Schneider : aprnpiirois ,S suprascr. m)
M : aprirpoTTois codd. cett. w/jioSp6irois Ritschl : 0Dfj.oSp6irwv M et
codd. plerique
EOTA Eni 0HBA^
hoifxcLTOov (TTvyepav obov 335
TL yap; (I)6iixev6v tol iipokiyo)
^iXrepa Tdvhe itpacranv
TioXka yap, eSre TrroAty baixaadi],
e I, hv(TTV)(ri re itpAa-crei.
aXAo? 8' aKkov ayn, (povev- 34°
€1, TO, be Kttl Tn>p(f)op£i'
Kairvta [be] xpaiverai TToXLcrfx airav
fxaivofxevos 8' e-nmvel Kaobaiw.^
pLLaCvcav evcre(3€tav "Ap-qs:
KopKopvyal b' av aarv, ['^'"'P- 7-
ttotI [TTTokiv] 8' opKava TTVpy&Tis. 346
TTpos avbpos 8' avTjp crras bopl Kaiverai.'
^Xa\a\ 8' ai/uaroto-o-ai
t5>v kiniiacrTibiuiV
} apTLTpe(f)eis ^pejxovTai. 35°
apTToyal be bLabpo}xav opLaCfMoves'
^fx(3oXeX (jiepcov <pepovTi,,
Kot Kevos K€v6v KoXei,
$vvvo[xov 6ek(av exeiv,
ovre p-elov ovt tcrov keki,p.pi£VOi. 355
riV eK T&vb' elKacraL koyov irdpa;
TTavTobaiTos 8e Kapirbs [avr. y.
Xafidbis Trecrcbv akyvvei [Kvpr\(Tas\,
TTLKpov 8' oix[j.a (jav) dakap,rj7T6ka)v
TTokXa 8' dKpiT6<f)vpTos 360
yas Socris ovTibavols
336 rl yip; Blomfield : rt; rhv codd, roi (e cod. G) Blomfield :
yap codd. 342 Se seclusit Brunck 346 tttSXiv seclusit Her-
mann 347 K\ivfTai {km supra k\i scr. nij) M 350 apri-
$pf(pus recc. aliquot 352 fujujSoAe? (0A.A supra scr. m,) M
355 AeAiju/teVot recc. : AeArjjUjusVoi M 356 nV recc. : ti sequente
litura M, riv' m^ Koyov Dindorf: \oryos codd. 358 Kvp^tras
seclusit Dindorf 359 rav add. Wecklein
AI2XYAOY
€V poOiOLS (f)Op€lTai..
bfjLcaibes be KaivoTr^jxoves fviau
rXriixoves evvav alyjxakoiTovi'
avhpos fVTvxovvTos, aXs 365
bva-jxevovs VTrepripov
ikiTii eo-rt vvKTepov reXos fXoXelv,
irayKkavTuiV aXyiuiV e-nippoOov. ^
HMIXOPION
5 rot KaTOTTTrfs, ws e/^iot So/cei, (rrparov
TT€v9<a Tiv rjixLV, Si (piXaL, viav (jiepei, 370
(TTTOvbr} bl.(aK(OV TTOfXTTLpiOV'i X^^as TToboLV,
H/x. Kol p.T]v ava^ 08' avrbs OibiiTov tokos
etj apTLKokkov ayyekov koyov fxadelv
I (TTTOvbri be Kol Tovb' iv KarapTi^et iroba.
Ay. keyoifi hv eiboos eS to. t5)v kvavrmv, 375
ws T kv Tvukais (KaoTos (tkrjxev Trdkov.
Tvbevs jxev 7/877 irpoy Trvkaia-i YlpoLTicnv
)8pe/xet, TTOpov 8' ^\(rp.r]vov ovk ia irepdv
6 jxavTis' ov yap (T(f)dyi,a yiyverai Koka.
Tvbevs be p-apyiav Kal /jta^Tjs kekip.p.evos 380
fxearriixlSpivaXs Kkayyaia-iv ws bpaKoov j3oa'
Oeivei 8' oveibei, p.avTLV OlKketb-qv (ro(f)6v,
(TaLveiv p.6pov re koX p-ayr]v a^vxio.'
ToiavT dvrStv Tpels /caracr/cious k6(f)ovs
(TeUi, Kpdvovs \a(.TOip^, vir' dcnribos be rw 385
XakK-qkaTOL Kkd(ov(TL Kcabwves (f)6j3ov'
exei 8' VTTep(f)pov crrjix' eir' dcrTrCbos robe,
362 liodiois recc. : f)o6ioiffi M 363-4 corrupta nondum sanan-
tur. v(ai TK-fjfioves tanquam Kaivoir'fiixoves interpretantis eicit Butler.
Praestat fortasse rKaffay alxH- ewva" Hartung, vel KrjSos i]vpov alxi*-
365 afs Butler : dis codd. 373 «/s Porson : fid codd. 374 eS
KaTapri^fi Weil : ovk airapTi(ei codd. 376 Sxrre in rasura (ut
videturj nii 379 yiyverai Porson : yivtrai codd. 380 \tfievocr
M, \f adscr. m, fi m, 38a $(iv(i recc. : Oivd M 385 Se rep
recc. : 8' ecrd M, t<S nii
ERTA Eni 0HBA2
<f)X.4yov6* {rn aorpots ovpavov T^TvyyAvov
KafJiTTpa be 'navcri'kqvos €V fJL4(r<a o-aKei,
Tipia-fiicrTov aa-rpcav, vvktos d(pdaXfj.6s, irpiTTet. 390
roiavT a\v(ov tols VTrepKOfXTtois (rayati
^oa Trap* ox^at? TroraixiaLs, p-6.\r]i kpStv,
tTTTTO? \aXivSiV ws KaraadfJiaCvaiv /xerei,
6(771.9 l3orjv crdkTTLyyos 6pp.aivei Kkvoiv.
riv avTiTd^€L9 rwSe; Tts Ylpoirov Trvkciv 395
KXrjdpmv \v6ivT(tiv TTpoa-Tarelv (pepiyyvos;
Er. Koa-pLov piev dvbpos ovtlv hv Tpecraipi.' eyta,
ovb' kkKOTTOLO, yCyverai to. ar^fxaTa'
Ao'^ot 8e K<ab(t)v t ov boLKVOvcr avev bopoi.
Kol vvKTa TavTrjv rjv Aeyeiy eir' da-Tribos 400
da-TpoLCTL ixapp.aipovcTav ovpavov Kvpelv,
rax av yivotro fxavTis avoia tlvL
fi yap OavovTL vv^ €tt 6(j)6aKpL0is irea-oi,
TO) rot (f)4povTi oTJpL viripKopLTTOV Tobe
ykvoiT hv opBQiS evbUuis t iiT(awp.ov, 405
KavTos Ka9' avrov Trjvb' v^pLV pLavreva-fTai.
eyo) 8e Tvbel Kebvov 'Aa-raKov tokov
Tutvb* dvTiTd^oi T:po(TTdTr]v TrrAto/xarcor,
p.a)C evyevTJ re koI top Alcrxvvqs Opovov
TipuSiVTa KoX (TTvyovvd' V7T€p(f>povas koyovs. 410
ai(r\p5>v yap dpyos, jut) KaKos b' etvai ^lAei.
(nrapT&v 8' air' dvbpSiV, S>v "Aprjs ecfyeCa-aro,
pC^oopJ' areirai, Kapra b' eor' ey\(iipLos,
Mekdvi'n'nos' epyov b' ev kv^ols "Aprjs KpivcX'
AiKT] b' op-aCp-CiiV Kapra viv irpoa-TekkeTai 4^5
ctpyeLV TeKovar] pLrjrpl Trokep-tov bopv,
391 07070- (<r adscr. m,) M 394 kXvwv ex schol. Tyrwhitt :
fifvaiy (e 393) M 398 ylverai codd. 402 7] &voii (accent,
mutat. ayoia m^ M 406 fxavrfiitrai M, a add. m 415 d/xai-
fiwv M : 5 supra /* scr. m, (i. e. 6 Saifxwv), quod habent recc.
AI2XTA0T
Xo. Tov ayLov vvv avTiiraXov iVTV\€iv \j^P' c^-
6eo\ bolev, 0)5 biKaLMS TroAecos
TTpofjLaxos opvvTaL' Tp€fJM 8' alfxarr]-
<f)6povs fMOpovs VTTep (\>i\oiv 420
dkop.iv(iiV ib4<r6ai.
Ay. TOVT(0 p.€V OVTCdS eVTVX^^V b0L€V OcOL'
Ka7Tav€vs 8' e7r' 'HAe/crpat(riy etkijx^v TrvAats,
yCyas 08' aAAos tov Trdpos Xekeyjiivov
ixei^cdv, 6 KopLTTOs 8' ov KaT avOpcoTTov (ppoveX, 425
TTupyois 8' (ZTretAet 8€ii'', h /x^ KpaCvoi tv^'
6eov T€ yap 6i\ovTos kK-nipcreiv itokiv
Kttt p.r] dikovTos (prja-Lv, ovbe rrjv Aios
"Epiv TTeboL (TKrixl/aa-av e/X7ro8a)i' cr)(^ed€iv.
Tas 8' acTTpaiias re Ka6 KcpavvCovs /SoAay 430
p.^(rr\p.^pivoi<JL OdXTTecriv irpoa-^Kaa-ev'
e^et 8e o-^/xa yvpivov dvbpa TTVp(f)6pov,
I cf)k4yet 8e Aa/xiras 8ta yipGtv iinKicrpAvr]'
Xpv(roLS be (fxavel ypdp.pM(nv ' Y\pri(r(o iroAty.'
rota)8e ^cort irip.-ne — rt? ^uoTT^jrerat, 435
ris dvbpa Kop-irdcravTa pr] rpea-as p-evel;
Er. Kal Tcabe KopLTToct Kipbos aAAo TbKTfTai.
T(av roi pLaraioov dvbpdanv (f)povr]pLdT(t>v
7} yAwcrcr' dAjj^T/s yCyverai Kari^yopos.
Kairavevs 8' aTretAet 8pay Trapea-K^vaa-pevos, 44°
^eouy dri^coy, KdTToyvp.vd^u>v crropLa
Xapa pLaraCa Ovrjrbs oi)V els ovpavov
TTepLTTec yeyoiva Zrivl Kvp.aivovT errrj'
TriTTOiOa 8' avrcS ^vv bUj] tov TTVpcpopov
i]^€tv Kcpavvov, ovbiv €^r]Ka(Tp.ivov 445
422 Oeol 5o7er M, corrigit m 429 TreSoj Dindorf : ireSy codd.
436 KopLTrdffavTtt M : KOfiirdCovra m, et recc. 437 K6fnr<f Keck :
KepSet codd. 439 yiverat codd. 440-1 ctTreiAe? . . . Ofovs
secludere volt Wecklein 443 yiyuiva Brunck : yeyaivS (t adscr.
m) M recc. plerique 444 ■jrvpcp6pov recc. : Trvp<p6pwv M
EOTA Eni 0HBA2
IJ,€(rr][j.^pivol(n OdXirccrt.v tols r]\iov.
avrip 8' k'n avT<2, kci (TToixapyos i(TT ayav,
ai6(ov TeraKrai \jjfxa, TIoKv(f)6vTOV jSCa,
<f)€peyyuov <^povpr\p.a, Trpoa-raTrjpCas
'AprefitSoy ^vvoiai(Ti (tuv t akkois Oeo'is. 45°
Aey' aXXov aXAaiy iv irukats eiATj^ora.
Xo. oXoiGi* OS -TToAei jueyaA.' k'neuxi^rai, \avT. a,
Kepavvov be viv ^ikos ^Ttia-yiOoi,
TTplv €[x6v ea-Oopelv bofiov, ttcoAikcDj; 0*
(bcakCoiv (jjCy VTrepKOTTO) 455
bo pi TTOT eKAaira^ai.
Ay. [/cat /x^y top evrevdiv kaxpvTa Trpos inJAais]
Ae^o)* rpirdi yap 'EreoKAo) rpiTos irdkos
e^ vtttCov \ribr](r€V evxdXKOV Kpdvovs,
TrvkaKTi Nrjia-TaLo-i Trpoa-^akeXv koxov. 460
tTTTrous 8' ev dfXTTVKTrjpa-Lv (fx^pipMfjiivas
btvei, Oekova-as -npos ■TrvAats imrriaKivai.
(})Lfxol 8e (rvpiXoi'o"^ ^dp^apov jSpopLov,
(jLVKT-qpoKoixTTOLS TTvevpLacnv TrkrjpovjjLevoL.
ka^lxdria-Tai 8' dcnas ov a-puKpov rpoirov' 465
dvr]p [8'] ottAittjs KkifiaKO^ irpoaraix^da-^is
(TTeiyei irpos k^OpSiv TTVpyov, kKnipcrai Oikutv,
jBoa be xoSros ypap-p-droiv kv ^kkajSals,
b)S ov8' av "Ap-qs o-^' eK/3aAot Trvpyoiixdrcov.
Kot r(58e ^cort irepLTre tov (pepeyyvov 47°
TToAeo)? direCpyeiv rfja-be bovkiov (vyov.
Et. TTepLTtoipi' av Tjbr} Tovbe, (tvv rvyj] be ro)*
453 piy Brunck : fup codd. 455 // add. Hermann wrep/c^Tr^
anon. : vTrep/cJyUTr^ codd. 457 seclusit H. Wolf 463 ^p6fioy
ex schol. Schiitz : Tp6irov codd. 465 eVx'JAi-'^'''"''''''" '"i • ftcrri/xd-
Tiarai M (XfiiKphv Robortello : fiiKphv codd. 466 S' seclusit
Blomfield Tpoa-a/ifida-fis Canter : irpbs a/xfidatis codd. 471 Sov-
\iov Blomfield : 5ov\etoi/ codd.
AI2XTA0T
/cat bri TTeTTefXTTTaL KOfjLTTov €V xiEpoiv Ixwr,
Meyapevs, Kpeovros (nrepixa rod (nrapT&v yivovs,
05 ovTL fidpyoiiv tTTTriKwy (fipvayixcLTOiV 475
j3p6ixov <f>ol3r]6€ls €K TTvk&v xcoprjCTCTai,
dAA' 7/ Oaviov rpo^eta TrArjpwo-et yQovi,
rj Kttt ov avope xat ttoakt/x C'TT aorTrtoos
iXcor Xa(f)vpoi.s b&ixa KO(Tp.r\(Tei Trarpos.
KOffTra^' ctt' dAAw, jur/Se /ioi ^OoveL KoyoiV. 480
Xo. kitevyoixai rwSe /xey evruxeii', tw [''"Tp* /3.
irpopi.ay^ ifx&v bopicov, roicrt 8e Suorvx^ u**
a)S 8' virepavxp, ^a^ovaiv kiri TrroAet
fiai.voiJ.cvq (f)p€vi, rcos i^tr
Zevs vcfxiroip iiriboL KoraCvoav. 485
Ay. rirapTos 6Xkos, yeCrovas •TrwA.as l^coy
"OyKtt? 'A^aya?, ^iiv ^orj Trapia-Tarai,
'iTTTTopiebovTos (ryjijxa koX [xiyas rviros'
aX(o be ■noX.X'^v, aa-irCbos kvkXov Aeyo),
€(f)pL^a bLvrjo-avTos' ovk aAAcos epo). 490
6 (T-qfxaTovpybs 8' ou ris €VTekr]s ap* -qv
oa-TiS Tob^ ipyov wTtacnv irpbi aa-TrCbL,
Tu^ciii'' Uvra irvpTTVOov bca (rrofia
kiyvvv [likaivav, alokrjv Twpbs Kacrtv
dcpecov be TrkeKTavaLo-t 'nepibpop.ov kvtos 495
T:po(rr]ba(\)i(TTai Koikoyaa-Topos KVKkov.
avTos 8' cirrjkaka^ev, evOeos 8' "Apet
l3aKxq. irpbs akKrjv Qvias u)s (f)6vov iSkiiroiiv.
Totovbe (fxarbs TreTpav ev (pvkaicTcov
<p6(3os yap rlbrj irpbs irvkais KO/^iTra^erai. 5°°
473 veirffiirrai rec. et Erfurdt : ■jreirefiirT oh M [oh habent codd.
cett.l 474 ffirapTuv recc. : a-irapTov M, wv suprascr. m, 480 \6-
yuv Valckenarius : \4yuv codd. 481 r^Se rec. : 5^ toS* M
4^3 $a.(ovcriv recc. duo : $d(ov(T^ codd. cett. 498 @viiis rec. :
6va.s M <p6vov Canter : ip6fiov codd.
EOTA Eni 0HBAS
Er. Trp&Tov fuv "OyKa TIaXXds, ijr ayxliTToXis,
TivXaiari yeiTOiv, avbpos k)(6aipov(r vfipiv,
€tp^€i v€0(r(r&v ^s bpaKOvra bv(rxtiJ.ov'
*T7rep/3tos 8e, Kebvbs Otvoiro^ tokos,
airqp Kar avbpa tovtov rjpedri, Qikcdv 505
(^Lo-Toprjaai pLOipav kv xp^ia Tvxrjs,
ovT elbos ovT€ Ovfxbv ov6^ ottXcov cr\i(nv
Ixoip-riTos, 'F,piJ,T]s 8' evXoyoos ^vrjyayev.
ex^pos yap avrip avbpl rw ^o-rTyo-erat,
^voL(r€Tov 8e TroAejuiovs iir' a(nTibu>v 510
deovs' 6 pikv yap irvpTrvoov Tv(f)(av^ ^X^*»
'TTrep^io) be Zeus iraTrjp k'n a<r7rCbos
oraSaio? rjo-Tac, bia x^po? j34kos (fiXiyoiV
KOVTTO) TI.S etSe Zijvd ttov VLKcaixevov.
Toidbe fxeVTOL Trpocr^iKeia baLfxovMV. 5*5
TTpbs t5)v KpaTovvTMV 8' k(Tp.iv, 01 8' r}(Tcr(i>pAv(ov,
el Zeu? ye Tv(p& Kaprepwrepos p-dyri'
elKos be TTpa^ai K&vbpas c58' avTia-Tdras' ■ 519
'T7Tep(3i(o re irpos koyov tov a-qp-aros s^s
(TdiTrjp yevoiT av TLevs eii da-Tiibos TV\(av. 520
Xo. TTeTToida (br{) tov Alos avTirvnov expVT [dvT. ^.
acfyiXov ev crdKeL tov y6oviov bepas
baip.ovos, eyOpov elKacrp.a ^poTols re kcu
bapofiioKTi OeoHcrtv,
TtpoaOe TTuXdv Ke(f)akav id\f/eLV. / S^S
Ay. ovTcos yevoLTO. tov be TrepLiTTov av Xeyoi,
TTep.TTTaLcn TrpocrTayOevTa Boppaiais Tivkais,
501 7)5' Weil 507 oiid' recc, : ouS' M 509 av^p Person : av))p
codd. 518-9 sic recc. duo et Brunck : ordine inverse codd.
cett. Se nij : ^e M 7rpa|ai scripsi : irpa^ty M : irpd^ny m^ codd.
K&vSpas Pauw : &vSpas codd. 521 St} add. Robortello 523 5ai-
fiovos et fipoTo7s Brunck : Sai/j-oaiv et fiporoitai codd. 524 0co7(rt
codd. 527 Boppaiais Porson : fioppeais M
AISXTAOT
Tvix^ov KttT avTov Atoyeyou? 'A/x^toyns'
ojiwcri 8' alyjxi]v rjv ex^ei ixakXov deov
<re)3cty TreTrot^cb? ofxixdroiv 6* VTreprcpov, 53°
7/ fxrjv XaTTCL^eiv aa-rv KabixeCcov (BCa
Atos* Tob^ avba jxrjTpos e£ opecrxoou
l3\d(TTrifjLa KoWiTrpiopov, avbpoTraLs aviqp.
(TTcCxeL 8' touXos apri 8ta Trap-qlbcov,
wpas (})Vov(rris, Tap(f)vs avreXXovcra dpi^. 535
6 8' difxov, ovTt irapdivoiv €iT<awixov,
<f)p6vr]ixa, yopyov 8' o/n/i' ^yjav, irpocrCa-TaTai.
ov ixr]v aKOjxiraa-TQS y e^tVrarat TrvXats*
TO yap TTokeois ovcibos iv xaXxTjAaro)
(raK€i, KVKk(iiT<a crco/xaros Ttpo^XriixaTi, 54°
'2,<\)iyy' o)p.6(riTov Tipocrp.iiirjyavriixivqv
y6p.<f)ois ivcoixa, XapLirpov iKKpovarov bifias,
(pepcL 8' v(f)' avTj] </>cSra Ka8/;ietcoy eva,
b)S ttX^Io-t ctt' di^8pt 70)8' IdiTT^a-OaL /3eA.rj.
eX^cbi; 8' €OiK€V ov KaTrf]kcva-€LV fxdxv^) 545
pLaKpas KcXevOov 8' ov KaTai(rj(ri^ery iropov,
HapOfvoTToios ^Apnds' 6 be rotoo-8' di'^p
/ui€roi/cos, "ApyfL 8' cktCvmv KaXas Tpo(f)ds,
Ttvpyois aTretAet Tor(r8' ^ /n^ Kpaivoi deos.
Er. ei yap ryxoiey cSy (fypovovcrt Trpos ^ewi^, 55°
auToi? fKetvois di'oo-iots Kop,Trd(rp,a(TLV
rj ray TravwAeis TrayKaKcos r' oAoiaro.
e(rr6y 8e xal rfa)8', oy Ae'yeis rbv 'ApKaba,
dvrip &Kop.iros, x^'-P ^' ^pa ro bpd<npLov,
"Axrcop db€k(pbs rov Ttdpos XeXey/xeVou* 555
oj ou/c edcrei yXwcro-ay €pypt.dT(ov arep
ftcd) "TTuXwy piov(rav aXbaiveiv KUKd,
ovb' elcrapiel^ai. relx^s kxd(-(J'Tov bdKovs
cIkm (f)€povTa TToXejiAias eTr' dcnribos'
546 KaTO((rxw€Jv (-uj/er;/ m) M 557 etffw Blomfield : tffw codd.
558 Tfixos Francken : erjphs codd.
EOTA Eni 0HBAS
17 ^^(oOev eto-ft) rw (pipovri. iX€fj.\l/eTaL, 560
TTVKVOV KpOTTja-flOV TV/XCLVOVa VTTO TTToXlV.
$€&v dfXovTcav KCLV aXr]d€V(raifi eyca.
Xo. LKvelraL koyos 8ta crTrjOioiv, [""''P' 7-
rpLXP^ 8' opOias irXoKafxas lo-rarat,
[xeydXa fxeyaXrfyopoyv Kkvovcrq 5^5
avo<rC(av avhpStv. €i6e yap
dcol Tova-b' okiareiav iv ya.
Ay. ^KTOV Xiyoifi h,v avbpa (raycppovia-TaTov,
akKrjV T apicTTov fidvTLV, 'Aja^tcipeaj ^[av
'Ofj.o\a)icnv 8e irpbs irvKacs Terayixivos 57°
KaKoT(ri /3a^€i ttoXXo, Tvb4(as jSCav
TOV dvhpO(\)6vTr\V, TOV TToAecos TapcLKTopa,
fxiyicTTOv "ApycL toov kukcov bibda-KaXov,
^Epivvos KkrjTrjpa, Trpocnrokov (f)6vov,
KaKUiv T ^Abpd(TT(D rSivbe (3ovXevTripi,ov. I 575
KOI TOV (TOV avOis irpocrdpo&v db€X(f)e6v,
e^Trria^o)!' opLfxa, IloXvveUovs jSCav,
bCs T kv reA.evTT/ Tovvopi' ivbaTOvixevos,
KoXel. Aeyei be tovt cttos 8ia (TTOfxa
' 17 Toiov epyov koi OeoiaL 7Tpocr(}>i.Xis, 580
KaXov T aKova-ai, kol X4y€LV jxedva-TepoLs,
TTokiv irarp^av koi Oeovs tovs eyyevels
TTopdclv, (TTparevii firaKTov e/A^e/3A7jKora;
fxriTpos re TTr]yr]V ris KaTacr^icrei bUr];
Ttarpls 8e yaia cr^s vno cnrovbrj^ bopX 5^5
oXoCora TiGis (TOL ^v/xjuaxos yevrja-erai,;
eycaye fiev brj Trjvbf TtiavQi ^Oova,
560 ^ 'IwOiv Person : i^wBtv codd. 562 «&»/ Hartung : 5' &»' M
aW' W. Headlam, qui post Be\6vTwv, non post ■nT6\iv, interpungit
565 KXvovffa Hermann : kKvwv M 566 dOe yap recc. : fi 6(ol M
576 vpoffOpowv Francken : irpoirfi,6pav M : irp6(rfiopov recc. 577 ^jujua
Schiitz : 6vofia codd.
AI2XTAOT
IJLaVTLS K€K€v9(i)S TToXefXiaS VTTO xOoVOS.
■ ixax^(^fj.€d\ ovK aTL\xov kXTTiQui fxopov.^
TOLavd* 6 fxdvTLS acmCb^ cvKVKkov vefJtMV 59°
TrAyxaXKOv rjvba' crrjixa b' ovk kir^qv /cv/cXo).
1/ ov yap boKelv aptoros, dAA' etvai Oekci,
1 1 ^adeiav aXoKa bia (ppevos KapTrovjjievos,
i^ rjs TO. Kebva /SAaoraret fSovXevixara.
TovT(o (ro(f)oijs re KayaOovs avTriperas 595
'iT€fJ.TT€iv eiratyw. beivbs hs 0€ovs <r4^€i.
Er. (f)€v Tov ^vvaWda-crovTos opvidos ^poTois
biKaiov avbpa tolctl 8ucr(re/3e(rTarots.
iv TTavrl itpayei 8' iad^ oixiXCas KaKrjs
KCLKiov ovbiv, KapTTos ov KOfMLcrrios' 6oo
arrjs apovpa ddvarov eKKapirCC^Tai.
rf yap ^v€L(Tj3as ttXoIov evcrefirjs dvrjp
vavTaiiTi Oepiiois koX TravovpyCa tlvI
okoiXev avbp&v crvv deoTrrva-Tio yevd,
rj ^iiv TToXCraLS dvbpdcnv bUatos oiv 605
kxOpo^ivoi^ T€ Kal dedv diivqixotnv,
ravTov Kvpi](ras ckSi/cois dypdjiMaros,
TrArjyeis deov fxaa-TLyt irayKoiVio 'Sa/XTj.
ovTcos 8' 6 fxdvTLS, vlov OIkX^ovs Ae'yo),
a(a(f)poiiV biKaLos dyaObs ev(re/3r;s dvrjp, 610
jxeyas TrpoifiriTris, dvoa-ioicri trv/x/xiyei?
6paav<TT6p.oi(Tiv dvbpdcnv jSta (fypevav,
Teivovcn. TToixTrrjV rrjv [xaKpav 'nakiv ixoX^iv,
Aios dekovTOS ^yKadeXKVcrOrjcreTai,.
boKOi fxev ovv (T(f)€ /LtrjSf Trpocr/SaAety irvXais, 615
01/^ a>s ddvp-ov ovbe A^juaros ndKr],
588 uTrb recc. duo : eiri M : eirl cett. 590 fijKVK\ov v4/j.a>u m et
recc. : (ijKrjXov ex*"' ^ 59 ^ kvk\ci)'\ Kvrti Weckleiii 597 fipoTo7s
rrij et recc. : fiporovs M 598 Surrff-e/Seo-TOTots recc. : Svcrf^earepoKr M,
or suprascr. m 607 (kSIkois Prien : iKSlKcus codd. 608 'Sd/xrj G :
SdfiTi M et cett. 613 iro/uirV] Kafiwi]!' Heimsoeth 616 &6vfioi
Tuniebus : &6vixoi codd.
EOTA Eni 0HBA2
dA.A' othev cos (t^^ yjyi] Tekevnja-aL ^w-xr},
el KUpTTOS eCTTai de(Tc\)aTOl(Tl Ao^LOV
(f)(,\€i be (Tiyav t] Xeyetv to. Kaipta.
ofxcos 8' ctt' avT(a ^Qra, AaaOevovs (3Cav, ^20
kyOpo^evov TTvXoopbv avTira^oiiev,
yepovra tov vovv, <r6.pKa 8' ri^wcrav <f>vei,
TTobiaKes OLfxa, X^^P^ ^' ^^ jSpabvperai
Trap* aaTribos yvfxvuidev ap-naaaL bopv.
Oeov b^ b&pov iariv evruxeiv jBporovs. 625
Xo. Kkvovres 6eol biKaCas Xtras [avr. y.
rifxerepas rekeW*, ws ttoXls evrvxfj,
bopiTTova KCLK eKxpeitovTes (^es} yas
eTTLpLoXovs' TTvpyuiV 8' eKToOev
jBaXciv Zevs (r<f)e kuvol Kepavv^. 630
Ay. TOV e^bop-ov brj tov t I^' e/38ofiais irvAais
ke^ui, TOV avTOv (tov KacrCyvrjTOV, TToket,
otay apcLTaL Kot KaTevx^Tai tvxo-S'
TTvpyois eiTep.(3as KaTnKr]pvxOeh x^^^^h
aXaxTtp-ov Ttatuv* eire^iaKxdo-as, 635
(Tol ^vp.(f>epe(r9ai kol KravMV daveXv irekas,
J] ^wvT aTLp.aa-Trjpa tws avbprjXaT&v
(f)vyfj TOV avTov Tovbe TicracrOai TpoTTOv.
TOLavT avTel Kot deovs yeveOXiovs
KuXeX TTaTpcMs yi]S cTTOTTTijpas X.itS)V 640
Tbiv &v yevecrdai Trdyxu YiokweiKovi ^(a.
ex^i- be KaLVOTTrjyes evKVKXov (ra/cos
biirXovv Te (rijpi.a 'npo(Tp.epr]xo.vr]pevov.
622 <pvii Wellauer : tpvaei M : <p4pii m^ recc. 623 o7^o Weil :
uyUyua codd. 626 AiTay M : Koyovs rrij 628 is add. Hermann :
om. M, sed (1<t supra eiriix6\ovs scr. mj 631 tov t Blomfield :
r6yS' codd. 633 o'las recc. : o'las y (os in litiira. o'l ex oi factum
m,) M 637 avhp-qXaTwv Blomfield : avSpjiXdrriv codd. 642 d}-
KVK\ov M : evOerov schol. (in M)
AESCH. THEB.
AI2XYA0T
Xpva-rikaTOV yap &vbpa t€vxv<^ti]V Ibnv
&y€L yvvrj tls orcoifypovcos T]yovp.ivr}. 645
At/CTj 8' cf./)' eiyat (^r]cnv, ws ra ypap.p.aTa
keyet ' Kara^o) 8' 6.vbpa Tovbe kol ttoKlv
e^et TTaTpcaoiv bcafxaTwv t kincrr parka's ^
ToiavT cKcCvoiv ecTTt Ta^evprjixara.
(TV 8' avTos -iibf] yvSiOi riva TT€p,TT€iv boKcr 650
wy ovTTOT avbpl r58e KripvK€vp.6,T(ov
p.ipj\\r€i, (TV 8' avTos yv&Oi vavKkrjpeiv 77oA.tr.
Er. S 6€0[ji.av€S re xai ^ewy /xe'ya o-ruyoy,
S 7rai'8dK/3uroi' d/uoy OiStirou yevos'
&fXoi, Trarpbi br] vvv apal Tikia^opoi. 655
dAA.' ovre /cXaieir ovr dbvpeadat TipiiTH,
p.r] KoX T€KV(adr] bva-tpopcarepos yoos.
eTTCoW/xo) 8e Kapra, YIokwciKeL k4ya>,
TO-x dcr6p.€(T0a TOVTrCcrrifx^ ottol rekeX,
ft VLV Kftrd^ei xpva-oTevKTa ypdp,p,aTa 660
eTr' aanribos ^kvovra (tvv (f)o(T<a (f)pev&v,
(i f rj Atos TTOLs Tiapdivos ACkt] iraprjv
epyoLS iKfCvov Koi (ppea-Cv, rax av ro8' i]V'
akJC ovT€ VLV <l>vy6vTa pLr^rpoOev (tkotov,
ovT €V TpO(\>al<rLV, ovT €(f)rjl3ri(TavTd irco, 665
ovT €V y€V€LOv ^vkkoyfj TpiX(OpLaTOS,
ACkt] irpoa-elb^ koI KaTr]^i.a>(raTO'
ovf iv Trarpwas fjirjv x6ov6s KaKovx^a
oTixai viv avT^ vvv TrapaarTaTelv irtkas,
7j bfJT hv etr] TTavbUcos ylrevbtavvixos ^7©
AiKT], ^vvovcra (jycarl iravTokp.co (ppiva^.
TOVTOI9 776770600)? ei/xi Kol ^vcTTrjcropiai.
aiiTOS' Tis dkkos fjJdkkov ivbLKU>T€pos;
dpxovTi T dpxoiiv Kol Kao-LyvrJTio Kacrt?,
647 \eyei recc. : A€|« M 658 noXvve'iKft (sed ej in \it\ira.) M :
TloKwe'tKri recc. 667 irpoererSe ex schol. Martini : irpoa-eTve codd.
668 oii5* recc. pauci : oVr codd. cett.
EHTA Eni ©HBAS
fxOpbs (Tvv fX^P^ (TTTJcroixaL. (\)^p wy rayoi 675
Kvr]fubas, al)(jj.rjs /cat Trerpcoi; 7rpo/3A7//xara.
Xo. jUTj, ^iXrar' di^SpiSi;, Oi'Sittou reKos, yeV?/
dpyr]v o/xoios rw KaKtorr' avb(aixev(a'
aX)C apbpas 'ApyeioLcn Kabpiciovs aAts
ey X^V<^^ eX^eti;* at/iia yap KaQapcnov. 680
avbpoZv 8' 6ij.aip.0Lv ddvaros <iS8' aiuTO/croi'o?,
ovK ecrri yrjpas Tovbe tov p.ia(rp.aTOS.
Er. etTrep Ka/coy ^epoi rts, ato-xw?]s arep
loTCd* pLovov yap K^pbos kv TiOvqKocn'
KaK&v be Ka(r)(pS>v ovtlv evKketav epei?. 685
Xo. Tt pLepLovas, tIkvov; p.iq tC (tc OvplottXtj- [(rrp. a.
6r]s bopCpiapyos ara (f)€p€T(*)' kukov 8'
eKjSaA.' ip(t)TOs ap\av.
Er. ciret ro Ttpayp.a Kapr k-niaTripyjei deos;
irco Kar' ovpov Kvp.a Kmkvtov \a)(bv 690
4>oij3<i) (TTuyTj^ey iray ro Aaiou y4vos.
Xo. a)jLAo8a/c^s o-' ayay i/xepos k^orp'v- \avT. a.
vei TTLKpoKapTTov avbpoKTacrCav reXeir
at/xaroy ou dep-icrTOv.
Er. ^i\ov yap ^X^P^ M^^ Trarpoy p.ikaiv* apa 695
irjpois aKXavTOLS op.p,acn.v irpocn^vei.,
Xiyovcra KepSoy irporepov va-ripov p.6pov.
Xo. dAAa o-y /x^ ^TTOTpvvov naKos ov KeKXri- Ij^'^P- /3.
cret jStoz^ €u KupTjo-ay /xeXai^atyiy t/c 8'
676 Trerpwv mutatiim in irtrpwv M 680 x^^P"-^ recc. : x*ip<*<'' •^
684 ^1/ (mutatum in %v m^) M 686 fitfiovaa (7; supra o scr. m,) M
fi-fjTi recc. aliquot : fx-{\Ti(T M, recc. cett. 687 5opJ fxapyoff (cor-
rexit m,) M 688 t/c/SoA' (e/cjSaAA* m,) M 693 av5poT)\a(riav
(correxit nij) M 695 e'x^ptf recc. : ala-xpd M fj.f\atv' Weil :
TeAe? M, TfAeia suprascr. m, : rcAei" recc. 696 &K\avTos Butler
699 fK S' Weil : 5' ovk codd.
AI2XTAOT
eicn 86ixu)v ^Epivvs, orav ex x^pwy 700
6eol dvcrCav 8exa)i;rat.
Er. deoLS fxev 7/877 '''^S' Trapr]fji.eX.-qii€6a,
tI ovv er' hv craivoifi^v okiOpiov jxapov;
Xo. vvv 0T€ (Toi irap€<TTaK€V' eirei baipuov [avT. /3.
X7j/AaTOS iv Tpo-naCq xpovCq /AeroA.- 706
kaKTOs icrcos &r eA^oi daX.€p(jOT€p(o
TTV€vixaTL' vvv 8' Irt ^et.
Er. i^iC^crev yap OlbiTTOv Karevyixara'
ayav 8' aAjj^ets evwrvCoiv (pavTaa-pLATcav 710
oylrcLs, iraTpiMiv xprjixdrcov Sar^ptoi.
Xo. TTi^ou yvvai^i, KaCircp ov (TTipycav ojucoy.
Er. Aeyoir' fty c5y ayTj ris* ov8e XP^ jua/cpciy.
Xo. /:a^ '\07ys 6807)5 (TV rao-8' e^' e/38o/>tat? TTT^Aats.
Er. TedrjyiJi^vov to[ fi ovk aiTap.^Xvvds Ao'yci). 715
Xo. ytK77i; ye fiivToi Kai Kan-qv TLfxq Ocos.
Er. ov/c 02/8/3' OTTkirqv tovto xP^ a-ripycLV eTTOs.
Xo. dAA' avrdbeXcpov alfxa bpiyp^aaOai ^e'Aeis;
Er. ^ewy 8i8di'ra)y ovk &y €K(f)vyoLs KaKo..
Xo. TtiippiKa TCLV b)ke(rLOlKOV W'''P' "•
0eov, ov ^eois bfxoiav, 721
TiavaXaOrj, KaKOfxavTLV
TTarpos evKTaiav ^EpLVvv
TeXicrai ras ir^piOvixovs
Kurdpas OlbiTToba ^ka\j/L(f)povos' 725
"TraiSoAeVojp 8' epis a8' drpT/i/et.
706 eV Tpoirala Aldina : avTpoira7a M, avrpoiraia m 707 OoAe-
purfpep m, et recc. : 0a\A«Tepy fuerat M : fortasse dtXefiUTtpif Coning.
ton 709 e^e^fffev recc. : i^f^ecrav ut videtur M 711 SwTr^pi . .
M, correxit in SoriiptoL m, A suprascr. mj 712 mdov Blom-
field : TTflBov M 713 ria M (correxit m,) 719 fK(pvyoi<T M :
fK(pvyoi nij 725 0/5jTr<^5o fi\a^i(ppovos Triclinius ; /3Aa<j/. 0/5. codd.
726 ks' mj et recc, : 5' M
EnTA Eni 0HBA2
^4voi 8e KXripovs iTnvMfxa. [avT. a.
XaAvjQos ^Kv9S)v airoiKos,
KTedvcov )(prjfiaTobaCTas •
TTiKpos, o}ix6(f)pcov (ribapos, 73o
yOova vaUiv hiaTrfikas,
oTToa-av KOt (f)6i,ix€V0L(nv Kariyj^iv,
T&v jxeydkoiv TTibCcov afLoCpovi.
€1T€LbaV aVTOKTOViOS W'''P' ^•
avTobdiKTOi. Odvoixri, 735
Koi yata kovls irCrf
/ixeAa/XTrayes aTp.a (fioCviov,
tCs av KaOappLOvs iropoi,
Tis av (T(f)€ kova-eiev; S>
TTOVOL bopLOiv vioi TtoXat- 740
oio-i (rvpt,pLLy€is KOKoTs.
TTCiXaiyevrj yap Xiyut [avT. /3.
iraplSaa-Lav utK&noivov
alava 8' is TpCrov p.iv€i'
'AttoAAcovos eSre Aatos 745
j8ta, rpis (XTtovTos kv
p.^croii^aXois YivOiKofis
)(pr)(TTr]piois OvacTKOVTa yiv-
vas arep (T(^€lv irokiv,
KparrjOels 8' ex (f>tko}V d^ovKwiV f [<^^/3« y-
iyeivaro jxev piopov avTSi, 75 1
iraTpoKTovov OlbiTTobav,
ooTe juarpos ayvav
727 K\-fipov(r olim M : K\-fipots recc. et ex correctione M 734 ou-
TOKTovws Triclinius : avTOKT6vo}(nv M : avrol Kravuffiv m, 736 ydia
ex Hesych. Hermann : x^ovta codd. 738 Kadapfioi/s recc. :
KaOapfAa {fia in rasura m, hv suprascr. m,) M 743 Ttap^atriav
Person : irapapaaiav M 746 fiia m : j3ia M 750 5' seclusit
Pauw d/SouAiSv Dindorf : a^ovhiav m 751 iytivaro vecc.',
yfivaro M
AI2XTA0T
(nr€Lpas apovpav, tv iTpd<f>ri,
pC^av alixaroea-a-av, 755
€T\a' TTapavoia (rvvaye
vvfJi.(j)[ovs (j)p(V(ak€is,
KaK&v 8' axnrep ddkacra-a KVfx ayei' [dvT. y.
TO jxev ttCtvov, akko 8' deipei
Tpiyakov, o koX ■Trept Trpvp.- 760
vav ■TToAeo)? Ka;(A(i^ei.
tjixera^u 8' dA/ca 81' okiyov
TeCvei TTvpyos kv eiJpeit.
' 1 8e8oi/ca 8e o-vy jSacrLkeva-L
[xr] TTokis bafxaa-Qi}. 765
reA.etai yap TraAai^drcoy dpay ['^'"P- S«
^apelat Karakkayai' ra 8' oAoa
TTekojj.ev' ov Ttapipyj^Tai.
irpoTTpvixva 8' iKJ3okav (j)ip€i,
avhpQiV dkcfy-qcTTav 770
dkjBos dyav Tta^vvOeis.
tCv' dvbp&v yap rocroi'8' iOavpiacrav [dvT. 8.
0eOt Kttl ^vvicTTLOL TTokeos 6
TTokvlSaTos T dyciiv ^pOTWV,
6<T0V TOT OtblTlOVV TlOV, 775
TCLV apira^dvbpav
KTJp* d(j)€k6vTa x,<^pas;
756 irapivoia (ut videtur) m : irapavoiai (i postea adscr.) M 757 ^pev-
(c\7}s {-(IS m,) M 762-3 suspecta varie tentantur. Praestat
fortasse fiera^u 5' diSfxa Si okiyov relvti irvpyos fpvKeiv Weil : sed
pro ju6To|i» legas fiiaarryv 764 (rvfi^aXeva-i M (correxit mi)
766 reXfiav Dindorf apciv Bothe : apai codd. 768 Trf\6/jiev' M :
rfXofjLfv m, et recc, 769 eK$oKai/ mj : fK^oXSiv M 773 dfol kuY]
odveToi Wecklein iroAeoj Dindorf : ir6\(us codd. 774 iroKi-
fiaros ex schol. Blomfield : ■itoKv^ot6s codd. 07011/ Weil : aioji' codd,
776 Tav apira^avSpav Hermann : auapira^dvSpav codd.
EnTA Eni 0HBA2
fTTfi 6' apTicppcav [orp* f«
kyiv€TO fiikeos adkCcnv
ydiJ.(t)v, k-n aAyei bvcripopSiv 780
fJLaLvonevq KpabCq.
MbvfMa KCIK €T€k€Cr€V'
TraTpo(f)6v(a x^P^ '''^^
Kp€i(r(roT€KV(iiv [8' ott'] oixixdroiv eiTXdy\dr}'
TCKvois 8' dypCas [dvr. e.
i(f)r]K(V (TTLKOTOVi Tpo(f)as, 786
atat, •7riKpoyA.w(r(rous dpds,
KaC crcf)€ (TLbapov6[X(o
bio. x^P^ TTore Xax^^v
KTrJixara' vvv b\ rpico 790
jXTj Te\4(rrf Kafx^Cirovs 'Eptwy, >
Ay. 6ap<rcXT€, TraiScs /ixrjrepcoy TeOpafXfxivai.
ttoKls 'ni(\)ivyev rjbc bovXiov Quyov
TTiiTTooKev dvbp&v o^pCfjLUiv Koin:d(Tp.aTa'
TToAi? 8' kv €vbCa T€ Koi KkvbcovLov 795
iroAAatcri irAr/yaty ai^rAor ouk (b4^aT0.
oreyet 8e iwpyos, koX TryAas (fyepeyyvoi^
i(f)pa^dp.€(r6a [xovopiAxoLa-L Trpoorarais*
KaAcos ex^i ra TrAeio-r' €i^ e^ irvXcapiaa-r
Tas 8' e/38o/xa? 6 (repLvbs €J3bop.ay€Trjs 800
afa^ 'AttoAAo)!' etAer', Oi8i7rou yeVet
Kpaivo)V TTaXatas Aatov bva-^ovXCas.
Xo. ri 8' lo-rt ■npayp.a veoKorov TroAet TrAeov;
Ay. TToAts cricruxTTaL' jiacnKies 8' ofiocnropoi 804
781 KpaSia Turnebus : KapSla. codd. 784 5' oir' seclusit Burton
(S" dir' M, S' rec.) 785 dypi'os Francken : apalas codd. 786 e'lrj-
K6rovs'\ (iriKoros Heath Tpo<pa.s rec, Heath : rpo<pa.s codd. cett.
789 5id xep« Porson : Smxf'P'a' M 793 Sov\iov rec, : 5oi;A6«ov
codd. cett. 794 5' avSpuv M 799 koAws (5' suprascr. iHi) M
804-13 sic disponit Weil : codicum ordo numeris minoribus indicatur
804 fiacri\4es recc. : fia.<n\4ws [tls suprascr. nij^i M
AI2XTAOT
8o6 805
807
808
809
810
80s 810
811
821
812
813
814 815
815
820
Xo. Tives; tC 8* eiira?; irapacfypovCi (fyo^co \6yov.
Ay. (^povovcra vvv aKovcrov OibCirov tokoo — •
Xo. ot 'yo) rdXaiva, iMdvTts elpu rStv KaKUiv,
Ay. ovh^ cLfxcjiiXeKTCos p.r]V KaTe(nTobr]ix4vu> — •
Xo. ^kcWl K€L(r9ov; (Bapea 8' ovv o/txtos (ppdcroi'.
Ay. 6.vbp€S T€dva(ri.v €K yjepSiV avroKTovcav.
Xo. avTovs d8eA.^ats x^pa-lv -qvaCpovO' &p.a;
Ay. 7T^TT(aK€v at/xa yaC v'n dXkriXutv (f)6v(a.
Xo. o^(os baCfjLOiV KOLvbs r]v d[x(f)olv 6.yav.
Ay. avTos 8' dvaXoi brjra bva-iroTixov y^vos.
Toiavra xaipetv koL baKpv€(rdat Trapa*
ttoXlv pi,ev €v TTpda-a-ova-av, ol 8' eTrtorarat,
biaa-oi) (TTpaTrjyca, biikaxpv (r(f)vpri\dT(a
^Kvdrj a-ibrip(o KTrifiaTOiV TTapLTTrjaLav.
€^ov(rL 8' rjv Xdj3(0(nv kv racpi] yOova,
irarpos kut €v)(as bva-TTOTpLOvs (f)opovfjL€voi.
[ttoKls cr€<rco<TTaL' (BaaikioLV 8' ofjLoa-TTopoiv
TTeTTOiyKiv aXp.a yat vii dXkr\\(av </)oya).]
Xo. S ii^yake Zed kol ttoXiovxol
baifxoves, ot brj Kdbp.ov Trupyovs
Tovcrbe pvecrde,
TTOTepov xaCpoi KaTTokoXv^co
TToXecos d(nv€L to-coT^pi . . ,
T] T0V9 p^oyepovs koL bv(rbaip,ovas
driKVovs KkavaM 7roAe/xdpx.ous;
0% bijT Opd&i KOT €7T(x)VVp.taV
806 t6k<i> Dindorf : tSkos (ytvos suprascr. m) M 808 Kore-
(TiroSrjyueVco Dindorf : KareairoSrifxevoi codd. 809 Kucrdop (tjX
suprascr. m) M 810 ai/Spes Person : Sj/5/)6s codd. 811 avrovs
Hartung : ovrais codd. 'dfia Nauck : &yav codd. 812 yav (in
7a? mutatum m,) M 813 &yav Nauck : 'dij.a codd. 819 x^^va
Brunck: ^.OovSs codd. 820 iropdovixevoi Meineke [820-1] hie
habent codd. : [820] prorsus secludendus, [821] supra translatus
822 iroXiovxoi Pauw : iroKiffffoxixoi codd. 823-4 ^ainoves ot Si] |
KaSfMov TTvpyovs epveffde [rovaSe secluso) Heimsoeth 826 deest w -
820
82Z
825
EOTA Eni 0HBAS
wkovT aaejSfl bLavoCq,
a> iieX.ai.va koI rekfia [o''"P« «•
yiv€09 OlbiTTov T apd,
KUKov fi€ Kapbiav tl Treptmrrei Kpvos.
(Tev^a TVfji^ia fj.eX.os 835
©uias (0?, ai/xocrrayeis
veKpovs KXvov(ra bvcrfiopois
davovTas' -q bvaopvis a-
•8e ^vavXia bopos.
€^47rpa^(V, ovb' oLTTeLTTev [avT. a.
TtarpoOev iVKTaia ^aris* . 841
^ovXai 8' a/maToi A.aiov bLripK€(Tav.
[MepLfxva 8' dju.^t tttoXlv
de(r<paT ovk dju.jSAwerat.
lo) TToX'va-Tovoi, Tob^ elp- 845
ydcrao-^' aina-TOV' ijXOe 8' al-
aKTCL irfiiiaT ov k6y(a.
Td8' avTobrjXa, TrpovTnos ayyiXov koyos'
bnrkai p.ipip.vaL, bLbvfidvopa
KCLK avT0(f)6va, bCfJLOLpa re- 850
Xeia rd8e TrdOrj. n' ^w; — ■
TL 8' akko y y\ ttovol Troviov
bofXCtiV €(f)€aTLOi; —
dAAd yooiv, S) (f)ikat, Kar ovpov
ipicrcrer a.pL(f)l Kparl Trd/XTrt/ior yepolv 855
Ttirvkov, OS al\v bC ^XyipovT d/xei/Serai,
830 lacunam ante koL suspicantur edd. fortasse iniuria 834 Kap-
Stay recc. : KapSia M 836 Ss, al/ioffrayeTs ex schol. et rec. Heim-
soeth : alfiaroffrayels codd. cett. 837 dv(rfj.6p(i>s schol. et recc. :
Sv(T<t)6pws M 848-860 fortasse inter duo choreutas distribuendi
(Wecklein) 848 irpotiirTOs {ptiir in rasura m,) M 849 StSu-
ndvopa recc. aliquot : SlSv/x uvopia M 854 yowv recc. : y6ov M
AI2XTAOT
lxe\dyKpoKov vavv ao-rokov [vavcrTokov] O^copiha,
I rav aa-TL^rj ^'nokXcavi, tclv avaXiov,
' TTOLvboKov els a<f)avr] re y^ipaov. 860
aXka yap rJKOva atb' iirl Tipayos
TTiKpov 'AvTLyovrj r 778' 'la-firjinj,
Oprjvov ab€k(})0tv' ovk aju.^i/3oAojs
oijuai o-(^' €paT(av e/c jSaOvKokircov
(TTr]6ioiV rjcreLV akyos cttcl^lov. 865
Tjfxas be biKT] TTporepov (jyrjfJiris
^Tc^vbe Kkvovaas)
TOP bva-Kekabov 0' vfxvov 'Eptvvos
axelv 'Ai8a r'
ix^pov Traiav einixekireLV. 870
i<a. bvcrabekcpoTaTai. iracr&v OTTOcrat
(TTp6(f)ov icr6rjcn.v "nepi^akXovTai,
KkaCu), (TTevop.ai, koX bokos ovbeis
fir] \ (ppevbs 6p6&s /xe AtyatVetr.
(Ay.) lo) 10) bv(r(f)pov€s, W'^P' '^•
(f>Ck(ov OLTTta-Toi Kot KaK&v CLTpvixoves, 876
bopLovs Trarpwous ekov-
T€s jxikeoL (Tvv alxpid.
Xo. fxekeoL brj6' 0% fiekeovs Oavdrovs
rjvpovTO boputiv im kvp-jj, 880
(l(r.) 10) to) 8o)/xaTO)y [dvT. a.
epeLyf/iToixoi. koL iriKpas fxovapyjias
857 vavv scripsi, &ffTo\ov e rec. et schol. Stanley : rhv Acrovov (ante
H€\dyKpoKov) M codd. cett, vavcrroXov seclusit Stanley 867 rwvSe
KKvovaas ex schol. addidi (iiraKovcroiffas Weil) 869 axftv ' Elmsleio
auctore) Lachmann : laxf'tv codd. 875-945 personarum notas
'Av. et 'iff. add. Bergk : in codd. aut desunt aut non recte dispo-
nuntur 877 SSfiovs irarpifovs Schiitz : iraTptfovs S6novs codd,
878 a\Ka M, yp. aj'xM? ™ ^82 4p(i\j/lTOixoi recc. : tppi^iraxoi
(a mut. in 01 m{) M
EOTA Eni 0HBA2
IbovTcs, t'jbr] birik-
Aax^e <Tvv (ri,bap<a. 885
Xo. Kapra b' a\r]$rj irarpos Oi8i7ro8a
TTOTVL 'EpaWS €TT€KpaV€V.
(Ay.) 8t' evOiVVpLUlV TeTVIXfXfVOL, [p^P' ^'
TervfjLiMvot brjd',
ofxoa-TrXdyxvoiV re TrAev/xo/xarwz; 890
alai baLfiovLOL,
alal b' avTL(l)6va)V
^rj) 6av6.TU)V apai.
Xo. bcavTaCav kiycis [irXayav] 8o'/xoicri koL 895
ar(Ofia(rLV TmiX.ayfjLivovs, [(vviiTUi]
avavbdT(a fiivei
dpaC(o T €K irarpes
(ov) bLx6(f)pOVl TTOTflia. y
(Icr.) StrjKet b\ Koi Tro'Aty (ttovos, [avr, )3.
(TTevova-L TTVpyot, 901
oTeye6 Tribov (f)Ckavbpov' fM(V€L
KTeava rdb* einyovois,
bi av alvofxopois,
bi 5)V vcTkos e/3a 9^5
Kol davdrov reAos.
Xo. ^fxoipdcravTO 8' o^Kdpbioi
KTriiwff, &aT taov Aaxeiy.
biaWaKTrjpi, 8' ovk
post 885 oiiKfT iir\ <f>i\i(f., kW' iirl <p6vcf> SieKpldriTf M, quod scholium
in text, illatum eiecit Triclinius 891 lacunam indicavit Lachmann
894 5); add. Weil 895 ■ir\aya.u seclusit Elmsley 896 ivvfiru
seclusit Elmsley 899 ov add. Wecklein 903 to5' Weil : r
codd.
AISXTAOT
a/x6/x06ia (f)C\oLs,
ov8' eTri'xapts "Aprjs. 910
(Ay.) (TLbapoTrkaKTOL ixev c58' iyovaiv [<'''"P' y-
(TiSapoTrAaKrot 8e tovs ix^vovctl,
TA(f)(»}v TTarptacav Xa)(aC. ■
Xo. b6[X(jov ixdX' axdccra la tovs 915
irpo7re//.7ret bdCKrqp yoos av-
Toa-Tovos, avTOTtripMV,
bdC6(f)po)v, ov (})ikoya6rJ9, ctt/jucos
baKpy^^odV €k (})p€v6s, h
KXaiojxevas jxov piLvvda 920
TOLvbe bvolv dvaKTOLV.
(l(T.) Trdpea-Ti 8' ctTrety eTr' adkioiaiv [avT. y.
ft)s ep^aTrjv ttoWo, fx(v TToKCras,
^ivcov re TrdvTOiv crrtxcts
TToXv(f)d6povs ev bat 925
Xo. "(ta)^ Sixraicoy 0-0' a reKovcra
TTpb iracrdv yvvatK&v oiTocrat
T€KVoy6voc KeKXrjVTai.
iraXba rbv avras irocnv avra 6epL€va
tov(tV Irex'j ol 8' c58' ereAeu- 93°
raa-av VTt* aXXaXofpovois
Xepcrlv opLoa-TTopoicTLV.
909 a/iefj,<peia Hermann : afiefi<l>ia codd. 91 1-2 ffiSripoTrXriKToi
M (bis) 915 axaeca-' la Weil : axa.e<T(Ta M 918 Sai6<ppwv
Blomfield : Saicppwv S' codd. 919 iK G: 8' eV codd. cett
921 Svo7v recc. : Sotolv M 923 ttoAi'tos rec. : TroAiVaiy codd. cett.
924 t' iiraKTwy Meineke 926 {li) Suiroicoi' Dindorf: SvcrSaiixwv
codd. ff<p' H. Voss : ci^jj' codd. 927 irpoTTaaav (av mut. in
wr m) M
EDTA Eni 0HBA2
\Av,) OflOCTTTOpOL bi]Ta Koi Tiavdikidpoi, \P"^P- ^•
biaTOfxais acjiCkoLS,
^pihi pLatvofxiva, 935
ve^fceos fv Tckevra.
Xo. TriiravTaL 8' Ix^os, €V be yaia
^6a (f)OVopvT(a
fX€fXLKTaL' Kctpra 8' eXa oixai^ioi.
Tnapos kvTTip vei,K€(ov 6 ttovtlos 94°
^eivos €K TTVpbs crvdels
OriKTOs cTLbapos' TTiKpos 8e yjpriixaTOiV
KaKos baTr]Tas "Apr/s apav irarpio-
av tlOcIs aXaOrj.
(I(r.) exovcrt, [xolpav XaxoVre?, S jxikeoi, [avr. b.
bioboTOiV ayidnv 94^
Tt\ovT09 aj3vcrcros ecTTai..
Xo. tcb TToXXois eiravdCa-avTes
TiovoKTL yeveav 95°
TeAeuratai 8' e'n'rjXaAa^ay
'Apat Toy o^vv vojjlov, Terpajxixhov
■navTpoTiio (f)vya yevovs.
earaKe 8' "Aras Tpoirdioy kv 'nvkai's,
€V aXs edfCvovTO, koL bvolv Kparrj- 955
eras ekr]^€ baCpLCDV.
Av. Traicr^ets l7rat<ras.
Icr. (TV 8' €6av€s KaraKTavdiV.
933 o/Moa-iropois . . . vai>(i)\4dpois (auctore Meinekio) Wecklein
934 a(piXois H. Voss : ou <pl\ais codd. 938 (povopvrtf Seidler :
^ovoppitToi vel -cf codd. 943 irarpcfav Bothe : irarphs codd.
945 dj recc. : om. M 946 StoSorcoj/ Bothe : hio<T^6Twv codd.
949 (iravdiffavns Bothe: iizavOi^aavT^s codd. 951 ■nMvraia.i B'
Hermann : reKiVTc, 5' ot5' M
e
AI2XTA0T
Av. hopl S' ^Kaves
la. bopl 8' idaves
Av. fxeXcoTTovos. 960
I(r. /u,eXeo7ra07;y.
Av. tro) yoos.
I<r. trco Sj^Kpu.
Av. TTpoKSLcrai
I(T. KaraKTAs. 965
Av. rfi. Icr. 17^. L<^P' ^•
Av. fxa[v€TaL yooicrL (fyprjv.
la: kv 8e Kapbia oreVei.
Av. loi l<ji irdvbvpTe cry.
\(T. (TV V avre /cat 'navaQKi^. 970
Ay. 7r/)os (f)iXov [y] ^(pdLcro.
Icr. Kal <f)ikov ^KTav€S.
Av, bLirXa X.4y€LV.
Icr. bLirXa 8' opai/.
Ay. a^ect bo La T(i8' eyyijdev. 975
I(r. TTeAas d8cA^e" d8eA.^ewy.
Xo. to) Moipa (BapvboreLpa jxayepa,
TTOTVid T OibClTOV (TKtd*
fiiXaiv' ^Epivvs, ^ ficyaa-Oevris tls et.
Ay. ije. 1<T. rji. \avT. a.
Av. bvadiara TTTjjuara 981
I(r. ^roy8'^ eSe^ar' €k (})vyas [e/iot].
958 euaves Hermann : eKTUPts codd. 963 Sa/cpi; Lachmann :
Sdxpva codd. 964 irp6Keicrai Hermann : irpoKeifffTai codd. 966 ije
ijf /xalveTai . . . (ppifv M 968 iv Burney : ivrhs codd. 969 irdv-
Svpre Ritschl : TravSaKovTe M race. 971 y' seclusit Bothe
975 ^X^" ^''^°' Hermann : oxftw roiwv codd. 976 aSf\<p4' Heim-
soeth : 5' a'lh' a5e\<pa\ codd. 979 et 993 /xiXaiv Porson : p.4\aivi
T codd, 980 Tj^ ije . . . irj^jxara M 982 (tJvS'^ iSt^ar' Weil :
eSfi^ar' codd. i/xoi seclusit Robortello
EHTA Eni 0HBA2
\
Av. ovb^ iKe^' 0)? KaTiKTavev.
la: croiOds be TTVcvfx airaikeiTev,
Av. wAeo-e brJT (ayav). 985
lo". KCii Tov iv6a(f)t(r€V.
Av, rdXav yivos.
\(r. Tokav irdOos.
Av. bCrrova Krjbe' oixaiixovcov. 7
lo". Sie'/a' (TTd\iM€va irrnJiaTa. 990
Xo. Zo) Motpa ^apvboreipa iioyepd,
TTOTVld T OlbClTOV (TKld'
ixikaiv 'EpLvvs, Tj fj.eyaa-dev'qs rts el.
Av. (TV ToC Viv oi(r6a bLairep&v,
Icr. (TV 8' oiibev varepos fxaOcav, ■ 995
Ay. i-nel KaTrjkOes is ttoKiv,
Icr. bopos ye rw8' dvajpiras.
Av. oXoa kiyiLV.
\(r. oAoa 6' opay.
Av. ioi TTovos, 1000
I(r. lui KttKd,
Av. b(i>p.acn koX yOovi, [Trpo trdvTOiV 8' e/xoi].
lo". *cal TO Tipocrui y k\iql'
Av. Zw, Svcrrai^e t5v KaK&v dva^.
Icr. 60) TTcivrcDy TroAucrroyajrare. 1005
Ay. i(«), TToS (r(p€ 6r\(Top.ev yOovos;
985 ^A6(re Wellauer : airdXeafu M, -€ recc. J^t (^yay) Weil :
SrJTa codd. 986 tJii' Halm : rSvS' codd. 988 raXav irdOos
Schiitz : raAavo /cal iraBSu M : raAaj/ Kal irddos rec. 989 StTroj/a
Hermann : Svaropa codd. dfiaifiSvcov scripsi {Sfiai/xova Weil) : dyuw-
vu/to codd. 990 Step' {Siepii Heimsoeth), iiriXixtva ex schol.
scripsi : Bivypa TpiiraKruiv codd. ir-fifxara ex schol. Weil : ■Kijfia.Twv
codd. Post 990 oKoa. Xiyeiv. oXoa. S' bpav (errore e 998-9 illata)
M, seclusit Triclinius 991 li) om. M 994 viv rec. : vvv codd.
cett. looi l(i> recc. : lij li> M 1002 nph iravruv 5' ifioi seclusit
C. G. Haupt 1004 SixTTUfe rwv Wecklein : ti Svffrdvwv codd.
1005 iro\v<Trov(SiTare (duce Robortello) Weil : ■Ko\\)irov<S>Ta.roi codd.
1006 alterum tw adscr. m
AI2XTA0T
la-, lea, evOa rt/xtwraroy.
Av. ift) baifjLovoivTes iv OLTa,
la: lo) 177] jxa Trarpl Trdpevvov.
KHPYS
boKovvra kol ho^avr airayyeWeiv [xe XPV ^°^°
b-qfxov TTpo(3ovkois TTJabe KabjxeLas TroAecos*
'EreoKAea jxev Tovb" ctt' €VVoCq x'^ovbs
OdiTTetv ebo^e yrjs ^ikais KaTaaKa(f)als'
(Triyiitv yap kyOpovs Odvarov eiAer' ev 77oA.et,
Upoiv Ttarpuxov b' oVtos obv ixop.^ris arep 1015
TcOvrjKev ovirep toIs viois 6vr\a-Kiiv koKov.
ovT(o pikv dp.(p\ rovb^ k-nia-TakTai, kiyeLV-
TOVTov 8' db€\(p6v Tovbe YloXvveiKovs V€Kpbv
1^0) I3a\elv adaiTTOv, apTrayrjv Kva-iv,
ws ovT dvaa-TaTTjpa KabpieCcav \6ov6s, 1020
el jxr] 6eS>v tls ejuTroScuy eorrj bopl
TO) Tovb\ ayos be Koi davoav K€KT7]a-€Tai
6eG)V TTaTp<a(ov, ovs drt/xacras obe
arTpdrev'pL' iiraKTov e/x./3aAa)f rjpei ttoXiv.
OVTOi TTeTTjV&V TOvb^ VTt' oloivSiV boK€L 1025
Ta(f)evT' drCpLMs tovitltiixlov Xa^eiv,
KoX p.rid' op-aprelv Tvp.^o\6a yeipcaixara
pLrjT o^ixokTTots TTpoaa-e(3ei,v olp.(iiyp.aa-LV,
cLTLfjiov elvai 8' eKipopas (pikatv viro.
ToiavT ebo^e rwSe KaS/xeicoy rekei. 1030
Av. eyo) 8e KaSjueicoy ye TTpoa-TCiTaLS Aeyco*
71 V yuTj Tis dXkos Tovbe avvOdiTTeiV dekrj,
iy(o a-(})€ dd\}/(o Kava Kivbvvov I3ak<a
6d\p^aa-^ db€k(f)bv tov €p.6v, ovb^ ala-yyvop.ai
e\ova-* OLTTia-Tov rrivb' dvapxCav TroAet. io35
1007 ev6a scripsi : '6irov codd. 1008 hunc v. in codd. post 1005
positum hue transtulit C. G. Haupt 1012 evvola recc. : evvaia M
1014 (TTeywv e glossa Wakefield : ffrvyoiv codd. 1030 edo^if M
1032 ©eAp recc. : 0e\ot. M
EnXA Eni 0HBAS
bcLvbv TO KOIVOV (TTrkdyXVOV , OV '7T€<pVKaiJ.€V,
fxriTpos ToXaCvqs Kairb bvcTTTivov irarpos.
TOLyap OiXava olkovti Koivthv^i kukSiv
yfrvxri, 6av6vTi ^Qicra avyyovdi (fypevC.
TOVTOV be crdpKas ovbe KOiAoyacrropes 104°
XtSkol irda-ovTat' /at) SoKr/traro) tlvl.
rdipov yap avrrj Kot KaracrKa^as' eyw,
yvvri TT€p ovara, rw6e p.r])(avq(Toiiai.,
koAtto) (pipovaa ^vacrivov TreTrAciJjuaTos.
Kovri] KaXv\(rco, //.7]8e ro) bo^rj irdkLV io45
ddp(r€L, Trapicrrai. iJ,r]xavr} bpao'T'qpi.os.
Ktj. avb(a tt6X.iv (re jut) ^id^ea-dai rdbe.
Av. avb(a ae pirj irepLcra-a Krjpva-a-dv ep-oC.
Krj. rpayys ye p.ivToi brjpos iK(pvy(iiV Kand.
Av. Tpdyyv' aOaiTTos 8' ovtos ov y€V7j<T€Tau J050
Kt;. aAA' ov TroAis arvyeT, av TLpL-qae iS rdifxo;
Av. rjby] TO. Tovbe biaTeTLp.r]Tai Oeois.
Ktj. ov, irpCv ye x^pay ri^vbe KLvbvv(a ^aXelv.
Av. Tradoiv Ka/cws KaKol<rLV dvTrip.€i(3€T0.
Krj. dAA' ets airavTas dvd' kvbs rob^ epyov ^v. io55
Ay. epts Trepaivei (xvOov va-rdTT} 6(&v.
eyo) 8e Od^co Tovbe' /ut) p.aKpr]y6pei.
Ktj. dAA' avro^ovkos Xa-6\ direvviTTO) 8' eyc5.
Xo. (f)ev (f)€v.
Si p-eydkavxpL Kol (fiOepatyeve'is
Krjpes 'Eptvves, atr 018677080 1060
ye'yos wAeVare irpvp-voOev ovtcos,
TL Trddco; tC 8e bpa>; tC 8e pLri<ro)p.aL;
TT&s Tokpjia-tii ju^re ce KkaUiv
1038 KOKuu recc. : kuko. (correctum in Kan^ m) M 1040 roiru M
1041 ndaovTai (fuerat cnrdffovTai) M : cnrdcrovTai recc. 1042 avT^
Pierson : avr^ codd. (avTw M) 1052 TovSe ex schol. Paley : rovS'
ov codd. 1062 5e 5pu; recc. : S' e'pw M
AESCH. THEB.
AI2XTA0T EOTA EIII ©HBAS
firJT€ TTpOTT^lJLTTeLV CTTt TV/X/Soi^*
aXXa (^o^ovixai KaTTorpeTro/xai 1065
(TV ye fATjv TToAAwv TrevOtiTrjpwv
Tcviei,' Kclvos 8' 6 rciAa? ayoo?
IxovoKkavTOV ^yuiv Oprjvov ab(X(f)rjs
(la-LV TLS hv ovv TO, TrCdotTo; 1070
H/X. bpOLTU) ^rt^ TToAlS KOL IXr] bpCLTOi
Toiis KXaCovras IToAwetKTj.
rjixeXs picv t)xey Kai crvv6d\j/oiM€V
aXbe irpoTToixTToC.
Koi yap yeved koivov rob* &)(0S, io75
Koi TTokis ^AAcos
ciAAor' €7rai.v€L ra 8iKaia.
Hfi. ^[X€is b' cLfxa T(ab\ &<n:€p t€ ttoAis
Kot TO biKaiov ^v€iiaiv{i.
ixera yap jxaKapas Kal Aios l(r)(vv 1080
obe KaS/ueicoi; ijpv^c ttoXlv
jXT] ^varpaiirivai fxrjb^ aWobaTT&v
KvpiaTL <f)(i)r&v
KaTaKXva-Orjvai rh /naAtora.
1064 Tv/xfiov recc. aliquot : rvfificfi M codd. cett. io6g Oprjvov
recc. : dpTJvos M 1070 vleoiro recc. pauci : viiBoiro M cett.
107 1 Ti add. anon. : re add. Canter post 1084 in M subscriptum:
NOTES.
NOTES
[The Kadmeia, or fortress of Thebes: the citizens enter and
form a group : last comes Eteokles, who addresses them (see note
on line i) : the time is the early morning^
[Lines 1-77. Prologue. Eteokles the king urges the need of
effort and vigilance in the hour of danger: each must do his part :
the attack is coming, as omens show ; spies have been sent forth,
and will return shortly. At that moment enter a scout, who
reports that seven captains, sworn to destroy the city, are even
now casting lots for their posts at the seven gates: the whole
Argive army is moving on ; he bids the king send forth champions
and troops to meet them. Eteokles prays to Zeus, Earth, Erinys,
and the guardian gods ; and he and the citizens depart.]
1-3. Kadmos was the mythical founder and king of the fortress
Kadmeia, afterwards the citadel of Thebes. ' He should speak
fit words who guards the fortunes of the state, wielding the helm
at her stern, closing not his eyes in sleep,' i. e. the good watchful
ruler should give wise orders. The 'ship of state' is one of the
commonest metaphors, e.g. O. T. 23, Ant. 163. The /ii} is due
to the generic form of the sentence (ooris), though of course
Eteokles is thinking of himself.
4. 'For should we fare well, 'twere due to the god.' The
optatives mark a certain delicacy in speaking of the future on
which so much hangs.
6. iroXvs av vfivoiTo, &c., ' would be on all men's tongxies through-
out the city, canvassed with threatening murmurs.' nokvs idio-
matically used in this predicative way : irokvs pelv of rivers, or
metaphorically, Eur. Hipp. 443 ; Dem. 272. 22 ; ttoXvs nvflv oi
winds, Dem., 787. 22 ; 770X1;? i\6elv, &c.
its common in antithesis to noXvs, omitted in English : nXda-Tas
dvrjp (ii fyrjfjif, Trach. 460 ; nXeiara (is avrjp Swdfifvos, Thuc. 8. 68.
8. * whereof may Zeus the Averter be true to his name,' i. e. be
really the Averter, the gen. &>»/ being governed by the real sense.
So 405.
10-2. The general sense is plain: he calls on all to help, the
young and old as well as those of military age. Taking the text
as I have given it, I. translate: 'And now 'tis for you, both him
AESCH. S.C.T. I B
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
who yet falls short of his prime, and him who past his youth
yet cherishes might of limb, and each man of full age, as is fitting,
to help,' &c. The difficulty is that line 12 has a word of suspicious
form }iKaa-Tr]fi6v (^Xdarrjuov M) and also seems to emphasize the
strength of the old men too much. Some therefore (H. Stephanus,
Weil, Hartung, &C.) read ffKu(TTr\\i,a r aXbaivovra aoafiaros noXv, ' and
him who cherishes much strength of body,' i. e. the man of full age.
But this is very harsh without t6v or fKaarov.
Those who so read 12 have to take 13 also in a different way.
Some read wpav exf^vff (the reading of m, and noticed in scholia),
'taking care,' 'keeping watch': not very natural. [Others keep
S>pnv and translate ' each according to the fitness of his age ' (also
following a scholion), but dpa must be manhood, vigour, prime.'\ On
the whole I prefer to take it as above, following Paley and others.
13. wo-Te o-vjAirpt-n-fs, 'as befits,' means ' according to his strength,'
the man of full age is specially bound, as he is strong, to help.
[W. Headlam ingeniously suggests that 12 is 'an illustrative
quotation,' i. e. a line of some poet written at the side as a parallel
passage, and so (as is liable to happen) copied into the text. He
accordingly omits it, and puts a comma at etcaarov, retaining 5? ti
of M. The sense would then be good: 'And now 'tis for you,
both young and old, each in the office that befits his age,' &c.
But it is difficult to see why the line was quoted, or what help
it gives to understanding the passage.]
15. Ti(i,ds (jiTJ 'SaX€i,<})ei"ivai, ' that their worship be not done away,'
consecutive (epexegetic) infin., practically giving the purpose as
it often does with SiXTTe.
17. f) Y^p. * for she,' Epic use of 17 demonst. So rrfs yap, O. T. 1082.
tpirovras, probably ' moving,' not ' creeping,' a sense which it
hardly ever has.
18. iravSoKoCo-a, not merely receiving (schol.) but ^welcoming
all the trouble of your rearing': a bold and beautiful expression.
The word does not occur elsewhere in Attic, but it is naturally
formed from Trai/fio/co? (an Aeschylean word), and is transitive like
^iXew, KapadoKeco, and many others.
19-20, As it stands this passage can only mean 'reared you
to be warrior citizens, ever faithful, that ye might show yourselves
[such] at this time of need,' where wiaToi is harshly attracted to
agree with the accusatives.
Verrall takes yevoia-Of 'that ye might be created against this
need,' but that is hardly an improvement. Weil suggests tho-toI no6'
039, which mends the fault simply. If it had to be altered I would
suggest iTKTToi ff onojs, where 'and* is justified by the fact that
olKTjTfjpas d(nri8r](})6povs is really proleptic reared yon to be, and so
practically contains a purpose : or perhaps nXflovs (Murray), which
makes fair sense. But the text is doubtful.
M reads olKicrTTjpas^ properly 'founders,' understood by some
2
NOTES. Lines 15-43
as a stately word for 'defenders,' * establishers,' but the simple
oiKrjTrjpas found in three later MSS. is probably right.
21. €vi pCtTd, ' well inclines' the scale : i. e. ' prospers our cause.'
Aeschylus uses ptno) trans. Supp. 405. So (mppfTra, KtirapptTra.
25. vo>|jiuv, ' watching,' * studying with ear and heart ' : a meta-
phorical use derived from vtopAco, ' to ply,' ' to handle.' So in Homer,
tVi (f)p«Tl AcepSf' fva>pa^, Od. l8. 2l6; S) ndvra va>p.5ivT(t.pt(Tia, ' ponder-
ing,' or * understanding,' O. T. 300.
TTvpos Sixa, ' without fire,' the other mode of aucnirj'? ^7 inspection
of the victim on the altar. In Antig. 1000 sqq. we have full descrip-
tion of both.
28. M rea.ds Kani^ovKevduv'. recent MSS. alter to -fvfH/, adopted by
Blomf.,Hart., Weil, Pal., &c. : but as vvKTrjyopela-dni is passive the cor-
rection KcLiTipovXevo-iv (quite as near M) is far better. ' Says that the
Achai an s' great assault and plot against our city is this night planned,'
i.e. this pasf night, as we are told (42 sqq.) that it is already afoot.
vvKT-tiYopeiv is ' to proclaim by night,' Eur. Rhes. 88.
30. No need to alter irijXqs irupYwjJidTwv, as some propose. The
men were to guard some the battlements, others the gates.
31. o-oOo-Oe, 'speed.' Old form, from stem av-. Aesch. uses
a-ovvrai, Pers. 25, and arov, aovade are found in Ar. Vesp.
32. 6b>paK€ia, ' the breast-work ' or ' parapet,' like Latin lorica.
a«\[jiaTa, prop. ' benches ' or ' seats,' here ' floor,' ' planks.'
35. TcXei : schol. takes it pres. ; but it is better as fut.
37. jjiT] (xaTcLv : p-araai is Homeric: 'be vain,' 'fail,' 'falter':
usually with a neg. as here; so ou8' ffiaTrja-tv, II. 16. 474, 23. 510;
so Prom. 57 rovpyov ov para, 'prospers,' and similarly Eum. 142.
Sense : ' I am sure they will not fail,' i. e. will promptly return with
news. Some take parav fut., but it is not necessary with verbs of
confidence, as aorist or present inf. can be used. So Pers. 173 Xa6i
pij a-f Sis <f)pd(Tai, and below 427, Prom. 667. In this usage also /xij is
often preferred to ov : Thuc. l. 76 lapfv prj av yevopevovs-
38. o\i Ti jjiTj Xt)(|>Ou, ' I shall nowise be taken.' The construction
is really the negative form of the simple use of prj and subj. to
express misgiving. It is common ; and occurs below 282.
\The people disperse : enter a Messenger in haste^
40. o-a<})T], really predicative, lit. ' I bring from the army the news
from thence triie ' : we should say more simply, ' Trusty news I
bring from the host.' Cf. Soph. O, Kol. 623 <^oj/3loy a-acfirji.
41. Notice S«' deferred, as Aeschylus often does with fie and ydp
when the phrase is closely connected : TTf^os fj vavTri<: bi, Pers. 719 ;
GvrjTos o}v tifoiV 8f, ib. 749 ! ^porois OpacrCi'd yup, Ag. 222 ; 6e6s deoip
ydp, Prom. 29 ; and below 199, 699.
43. pi€Xdv8€Tov, ' black-bound,' of a shield rimmed with a black
band of iron (or leather). It is used in Hom. II. 15. 713 of swords,
and means ' bound with black bands ' (of iron or leather) round the
3 B 2
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
handle. So Eur. Phoen. 1091. Euripides once uses the word
metaphorically, fifXavderov (j)6po) ^i(f>os, Or. 82 1, ' black-banded with
slaughter,' black and rusted with blood, and one schol. so under-
stands it here ; but without (fx'wa such a meaning is impossible.
45. "Apr) t' (M and others) will stand, though the omission of
copula with 'Eww is a rare usage. Other commentators prefer
Turn.'s reading "Aprjv, 'Evva> (followed by Pors., Well., Weil, &c.).
Dindorf compares owrfj3pa)o-t/ioi/ 011 xpkjtov nvre ttkttov, Prom. 480.
<})iXa(naTov *6pov, ' blood-thirsty Rout,' a fine phrase briefly and
forcibly suggesting the hewing down of an army in flight. ^djSo?
in its Homeric sense of Flight.' Later MSS. give cfiovos: the old
cursive /3 (written like English u) is commonly confused with v.
48. Some prefer irpoaOe (pvpciaeiv (as Stobaeus Flor. 7. li quotes
the line), but the simple TTjvBe is more likely than the needless
iTpi:<j6e : Stobaeus' reading looks like quotation from memory.
49. |jivT)|ieia : prob. ' locks of hair or buckles,' says schol.
50. 'ASpicTTov : as the leader of the army. Schol. says, ' because
Amphiaraos had prophesied that Adrastos alone would survive ' ;
but Aesch. says nothing of this.
?o-T«<|>ov, ' hung ' [not ' filled,' as schol.], see 279. The construction
is pregnant with rrpos appn : lit. ' brought to the car and hung.'
51. oiKTOs, 'lament' : they wept, but uttered no word of sorrow.
Sid o-Tona, rare poetic use of ace. for gen. : so bia Kvpa, Supp. 14.
53. "'ApT) SeSopKOTwv, 'with battle in their eyes' (Verrall). "Aprj
cognate ace. common with ^Xtnco : e. g. (p6vop ^Xt-n-fiu 498 ; mcppov-
TiKof ^Xtneiv Ale. 773, and freq. in Comedy.
54. MSS. read niaTis, which can only mean 'and tidings thereof
no fear delays' [lit. 'is not delayed by fear'], i.e. I do not shrink
from the painful errand of bringing you the bad news. But
Stobaeus (fifth cent, a.d.) quotes the line with mo-Tis (also read by
one late MS.). With tt'kttis (adopted by many modern editors,
Schiitz, Weil, Hart., Weckl., and others) the line would mean ' And
proof of this (i. e. of their fury) no fear will delay,' i. e. they are sure
to come shortly. This is better.
55. ws iraXcp Xax<ov . . . d-yoi may be final, as many take it, ' that
each having drawn . . . should lead ' : but it is better obliq. delib.
' I left them drawing how each having his place allotted should
lead, &c., i. e. 'to which gate allotted he should lead his troop.'
58. tAxos, ' quickly,' adverbial, as freq. in the poets.
60. dpyrio-TTis, like apyos, apyr)<:, dpyivoris, words which mean
* quick-glancing,' ' bright,' ' white,' the idea of move7nent being
earliest, then light ox colour. This word here means 'white,' but Eum.
181, ' quick-darting.' [Eur. Med. 523 is a quotation from Sept. 62.]
63. ' Fence thy city ere the blasts of Ares break in storm upon
it : for the waves are roaring, the land-waves of armed men.'
X«po-aiov explains the metaphor, like Pindar's Ih^ anfp<j)r]s fxeXwaai' of
honey, Aeschylus' d86Xoi.cn ivapriyoplais xp^paros, Ag. 94. Ka-raiyl^o),
4
NOTES. Lines 45-76
'to bear down like a stonn' (alyls). The whole passage is a fine
example of Aeschylus' bold and effective use of figures,
68. Tuiv dvpoOev, lit. ' those from without,' where we say ' those
without' ; the common pregnant constr. So Krjpv^ rlav attb a-Tpnrov,
Ag. 538 ; '"oj' f< fivQov KKdXTTrjpa aa^ot/rfs, Cho. 50? 5 ■''°*' *^ 'Ai8a
Trarep' di/ordo-ctf, Soph. El. I35 ; t(ov fKeWev ay-yfXor, Ar. Av. II68, &C.
[T^e Messenger departs : Eteokles raises his hands and prays to
the gods. '\
70. The Erinys was originally the ' Parental curse ' : so in Homer
it is the parent particularly who has the right to invoke it, as
Phoinix (II. 9. 454), Althaia (9. 571), Epikaste (Od. 1 1, 280), &c.
71. -irpviJivoOev has been changed to Trptfj-vodev both here and in
1061 by many edd. following Valckenar. The latter is the regular
Attic word: but npvij.v6s is so common in Hom. for the root of
anything (vXtj, 86pv, y\a>a<Ta, afjLos, &c.) that Aesch. may well have
used TTpvpvodev, especially as it occurs in Apollonius Rhodius (4.
1684), and therefore probably in some lost epic.
iravwXeOpoi/ : proleptic, ' to utter destruction.'
74. The position of cXevOcpav makes it predicative in effect, so
that the sentence is best rendered in English by two clauses : 'may
the land and city of Kadmos be free : may they (the foe) never hold
it with slavish yoke.' The inf. of prayer is common from Homer
down. II. 7. 179 ZeO TTcirep ^ Aiaira Xa-^^iiv, 8cc. ; below 253 fir] fte
dovXfias Tv\fiv ; Eur. Supp. 3 Arj^ijTep, evdaipovelv fxe. The omission
of the subject is rather unusual, but it is easily supplied here.
76. gwi, 'for the good of both' : profitable to gods and Kadmeians
alike. «XiriJw, ' I think.' So ttws yap eXTriVo) ; Cho. 187.
{Eteokles goes off: Chorus ofTheban maidens enter the orchestra.^
[78-180. Parodos. The Chorus enter, distracted and terror-
stricken. In their broken cries and prayers to Zeus, Pallas, Ares,
Aphrodite, Apollo, Leto, and Hera, we can trace the advance of the
enemy's host, the retreat of the defenders, the scaling of the walls,
the imminent danger.]
This Chorus offers many metrical difficulties, especially when the
attempt is made to arrange it completely into the corresponding
strophes and antistrophes. In the first passage, 78-108, this cannot
be done without an amount of alteration that destroys all probability
in the restoration. With the exception of the last few lines, the
metre is mainly dochmiac : and it may be, as many scholars from
Hermann to Wecklein have thought, that the first part is not anti-
strophic, but is sung by different individuals in the Chorus, so as to
give a better suggestion of the distraction and fright of the women.
We have a Chorus in Eum. similarly broken up among different
singers (143-77), and similarly tending to be dochmiac: but there
the antistrophic correspondence is clear.
5
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
79. \Lt9(irai., * is let go,' like a bolt, or a flood. The line is a little
more forcible if the stop be placed (with Wecklein) at arfynros. ' The
host is let loose, from the camp streams forth upon us (o5e) a swarm
of horsemen in the van.' In the Medicean manuscript a cross (x)
appears against this hne. This is one of the marks of the great
Alexandrine scholar Aristarchos, which were for many centuries
faithfully copied by the scribes, but are very seldom found in our
MSS. The note here is trivial; merely the difference between
arparos and (TTpaTonedov.
81. alOcpia: predicative, 'high in the air.' The Chorus are sup-
posed to see the dust, and their terror at once supplies the imagin-
ative picture of the charging army.
83. The MSS. here are desperately corrupt, but the passage has
been well restored from the scholiast, who explains his text thus :
KoX ra Ttjs yris Se fiov ntdla KaraKTVirovyueva to'is Troerl rStv Imrmv [kui toiu
ottXwi'] TTOui fiov TTpocrneXa^dv rov rjxov rois uxriv, i. e. ' And the plains
of my country beaten by the horses' feet bring near the noise to
my ears,' whence Wecklein (using suggestions of Enger, Seidler,
and Ritschl) reads
Ibe Se yas ffias TrtSi" ottXoktvti' ut\ ;^pt/t7rrfi ^otlv,
Paley's frv 8€ is better than <Se 6e, which is harsh in sound : and
corresponds more exactly to the eXtBeftas of M.
84. *It flies, it roars like the resistless river that cleaves the
mountains ' : fine figurative phrase in Aeschylus' manner. The
tramp of the army like the noise of a mountain torrent.
87. opopievov, 'arisen upon us.' Enger suggests (here and 115)
oppevov, the proper epic form, used by Aesch. Ag. 1408 : but (hpoprjv
is also an Epic form, and dpopevos occurs Eur. I. A. 186.
88-90. Rothe omits Siukwv, which is superfluous and prob. a gloss
on €ttI TToXiv. Probably ^oa should also be omitted, which avoids
the hiatus, and the word has perhaps crept in from a gloss j3od on
noTarai ^pepti S' above.
98-9. ' Why do we linger with long laments ? '
loi. The best meaning of this difficult hne seems to be, 'When,
if not now, shall we put round them (the images) the suppliant
robes and chaplets?' [lit. 'the supplications of robes,' &c.].
Seidler's emendation, d/xc^i Xitou f^nptv, is generally translated ' we
shall engage in prayer' (see L. S.) : but that is impossible. It is
best to take d/x(^i . . . e^npiv as tmesis from apntx^'-^- The robes
and chaplets are the offerings of suppliants : so for example the
Athenians offered annually at Panathenaia an embroidered itiirXos to
Pallas : and the shrine of Apollo is called 7roXv(TTf4>i]s, Eum. 39.
103. 8(8opKa, ' I see,' is boldly used of a sound: it is made easier
by the fact that it is a menial vision that is meant. The whole
description is imagined by the Chorus from sounds and dust.
oux tvos, ' many ' a spear ; common idiom. Dindorf quotes ov pia
6
NOTES. Lines 79-140
xpoia, Cycl. 518; ovx (va pvdfiov. Supp. 105, &c. ; and Latin noK
um'us anni, Hor. Od. 4. 9. 39. Similarly oi-;^ arrn^, Prom. 211, &c.
105. rdv Ttdv, the reading of M, ' thy land ' : several MSS. supply
yap, but it is probably an error.
106. irT|XTi£ is a Homeric word for helmet ; the adj. therefore has
an Epic sound.
107. €VK|>iXTiTav : compound adj. with fern, termination, as nepi-
KKvara, Pers. 596; nfpippvras, Eum. JJ ; nnvapKiTiis (?), Cho. 69.
109. I adopt Steusloff's correction adpooi, which suits the
dochmiac metre and accounts for the Id' of MSS.
III. virtp, ' to save from,' depending on iKeaioi/. So imtp is used
Aeschin. Ktes. § 11 ■^rj(j)ov ipepfiv vnep TTis alcrxvvT): rov bij/jLov.
1 14-5. ' It seethes around the city, the wave of warriors with
streaming plumes, rising beneath the blasts of Ares,' 8ox(ioX64>(<)v,
lit. ' with sloping plumes' : suggesting the speed of the onset. The
whole is a fine picturesque image.
116. iravTtXcs, 'all-accomplishing.' apTi^ov, 'avert.' iravT«X<s,
•irdvTcos is unmetricaJ, as also the antistr. 135. Wecklein's sugges-
tions are the best, see crit. notes.
122. The reading of M SmSeVoi makes good sense; * the bridles
bound through the horses' jaws.' But the line is defective : and the
simplest way of filling the gap is Dindorf's fiiafierot Se rot. The
phrase is then another bold and fine image : ' And bound in the
horses' jaws the bridles ring out the sound of death.'
123. Kivvpovrai is not found elsewhere in Tragedians, and many
adopt L. Dindorf's emendation tuvvpovrai (from Hesych. fxivvpovrai,
npo(pa>iod(ri, irpoXeyov(ri, which exactly suits this place). It is not
easy to decide : but as Kiwpos is Homeric, and Kivvpoynu occurs in
Apol. Rhod., it may very possibly be right.
125. 8opvo-<rois (Taya.1%, lit. ' with spear-brandishing armour,' i.e.
* armed with the swift spear ' : dat. depends on npenovres.
ip86(xais must be used here for ' seven,' as the gloss ItttL in M
indicates. We may perhaps compare the poetic use of the distribu-
tive bini, terni for duo, ires in Latin, as a somewhat parallel
licence.
1 30-1. iiririos, for Poseidon the god of the sea was the tamer of
horses also. Soph. O. C. 707. ' Ruler of the sea with thy trident
that pierces the fish,' dative depending on the adj. The statue would
be on the stage with its trident uplifted. [The line in MSS. is
unmetrical, lx6v^6\<a p-axava noati8ui> : and I have taken Klausen's
restoration Ixdv^uXa Hoa-fiSdav fiaxava.]
136. K-qSecrai, ' care for us,' common Homeric word, originally
*be troubled for,' Kij^ero yap Aavaoov, II. I. 56: then (like English
'be concerned for,' 'care for') coming to mean 'loving care.'
(pikeovaa re Kr^hoyLivr] re, II. I. 196.
140. •rrpop.a.TCjp : schol. tells us that Kadmos married Harmonia,
daughter of Aphrodite.
7
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
142. dcoKXvTois, 'calling on gods'; so Aesch. uses BeoKkurea, ' to
call on the gods,' Pers. 500.
144. I take Seidler's emendation avrovarm, which restores the
metre to correspond with 126. Homer uses avrtlv with ace.
avTti Trdcra? dpiorovs, II. II. 258, and Eur. of invoking gods, avnov
"Aprefitv, Hipp. 168.
145. A\)K€ios, old name of Apollo (and even of Artemis, at
Troizen, Paus. 2. 31. 4), originally from stem Xvk-, and probably
meaning the ' Wolf-god ' : first perhaps the god was the wolf ;
then he became the slayer of the wolf, protector against the wolf.
So -rov \vkokt6vov deov ayopa AvKdos (Soph. El. 6). Later when he
became the ' god of light ' the name acquired another sense, being
associated with \vk-, ' light ' (XeOo-aw, XtvKos, XvKu^as, d/i^tAu/ci/, Sec).
So the sense here is :
* Thou the Wolf-god, be thou our Defender. . . .'
146. MSS. give (TTovaiv (ivras, Schol. give two interpretations,
(l) 'in return for our lamentations' (dvd' av fjfie'is vvu 6pj]vovp.(v),
and (2) ' in the battle of groans ' (eVt t^? dvr^r t5)v o-tovodv), clearly
taking it as= Homer's aTovoeaaa avrr]. The latter is absurd: but
the former helps to cure the corruption, as it probably gives the
meaning of an earlier reading. M. Schmidt suggests av riras,
Wecklein dvTiTas {^amriTrjs, 'a requiter'). Either will do: and
I take the former as nearer.
149. ' And thou daughter of Leto, prepare thy bow,' eirvKa^ov
being restored by L. Dind. from a gloss of Hesychius (scholar and
lexicographer fourth cent. A. D.) evrvKa^ov' evrvKTov e^f , hoipov.
[Wecklein following Enger suggests, to restore complete corre-
spondence with the strophe, a-v r w Aarwis, evrvKaCop, and proposes
to omit (with Seidler) "ApTf/xi (piXa, as having crept in from 154. The
omission is doubtless right : but the other alteration, though very in-
genious, is deserting M too much. We cannot tell whether something
has dropped out of the strophe, or been added to the antistrophe.]
154. MSS. give I e € €, which must either be ejected here or
repeated after 161. The former is perhaps preferable.
155. ' With the shock of the spears the sky is maddened,' a fine
hyperbole, expressive of the Chorus' terror.
158. ' And down from the battered ramparts comes the shower of
stones ' : the stones flung by the foe come from the ramparts (i. e.
over them) upon the besieged : the double danger, the ramparts
being battered, and the defenders struck down, being tersely and
forcibly given.
[(i) Some take the gen. to mean ' towards the ramparts,' a use
of the gen. not justified by examples of verbs like aroxdCttrOai,
ftpiea-Sai, &c. with gen. of aim : to use this constr. with the simple
fpXfo-dni would be quite different and hardly Greek ; (2) Others
understand the phrase of the besieged, ' from the ramparts ' : but
NOTES. Lines 142-178
then oKpo^oktov loses its significance ; and moreover the whole
passage describes the attack not the defence^
161. I take von den Bergh's emendation here, approved by
Wecklein, for the unmetrical koi C^ioQiv of the MSS. :
Trat Atof, oQiv
noXffxoKpai'TOV Ayvov reXoc eV fiaxt '^' ^" ^m
* child of Zeus, in whose hands is the divine issue of war when the
battle rages ' [lit. ' whence is the holy war-accomplishing decision
in the battle ']. The iral Ai6s will then refer to Apollo.
164. 'And thou, blest queen Onka, in the city's defence [or
simply ' standing before our city '] save our seven-gated home.' The
scholiasts are confused about'OyKa, some saying'OyKa is the Theban
Athena ; others that 'OyKaia Athena is worshipped by the Thebans,
"OyKa by the Phoenicians. From this confusion we may probably
gather that "OyKa was a war deity of Thebes^ supposed to have
a Phoenician origin (as Kadmos was supposed to be Phoenician) :
and Pausan. 9. 12. 2 takes this view. See below 487.
[MSS. read juixaiai \ re, which Hermann well emended to paxq. \
(TV re. Others make other alterations, some connecting puKnip, &c.,
with the two previous lines : but this makes a clumsy invocation of
three lines to Onka, and only three words to Apollo.]
167. TtXeioi, ' supreme ' : a favourite word with Aeschylus of
divine power : it is lit. ' that which has reXos, or the final power.'
So TtXfcov TfXfLOTaTov KpuTos, o\/3ie Zev, Supp. 526. Another closely
allied sense of the word is 'that which brings reXos, or accomplish-
ment ' : as Zfv Zev reXfie, ras (fias evxas reXei, Ag. 973.
170. lT€po<(>wvcp, not ^ap^apa, for they were Hellenes (schol.).
171. KXtP€T€ irav8iKcos, 'righteously hear': bolder and more
forcible than the original reading of M mivdlKovs (' our righteous
prayers') as it calls on the gods to do right by hearing thetn.
xeipoTovovs. The classical attitude of prayer is to stand with
hands uplifted, the palms upward, vTrridtr/iao-ii' x^pw" Prom. 1005.
174. a|ji4>iPavT€s, 'protecting.' The word is Homeric, and is
regularly used in the literal sense of ' bestriding ' a fallen friend, to
save him, a.p^\ Kaa-iyvriTa ^e^aws, II. I4. 477, SO 1 7. 4 : we also
find it once metaphorical in address to Apollo (II. i. 37) 6s Xpvarjv
dp.(l)i^€^r]Kas, of which this expression is no doubt (as schol. says)
a reminiscence.
177. [ji€X«a-0€, ' regard,' a natural but rather unusual sense. It was
a common primitive instinct to appeal to the gratitude of the gods.
So again 179.
i7i>. p.€X6|xevoi, 8' dpT||aT« does not correspond to the strophe
erfpo^coro) aTpara: but there is no other reason to correct either;
it is not clear which should be corrected : and the suggestions are
not convincing. [The best are, for 170, frepoprjpopi, Herm., ev
tTfpodpoa, Hart. : for 178, S' tXOere, Eng.]
9
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
179. <{)iXo0ijTwv opYicov, ' rites of lavish sacrifice ' : it is the city
strictly which loves sacrifice, but the op-^io. are personified in
Aesch.'s manner. Somewhat similar are a-ri^oL (t>iXdvopcs, Ag. 41 1 ;
ott' ofifiaTos /3t-Xet <{>t,\oCKT(p, Ag. 240 ; and more exactly <j>t\oo-ir6v5ov
XijSof, Cho. 292.
180. *Be mindful, we pray.' juot, ethic dat.
[Enter Eteokles ; he addresses the Chorus in anger ^
[181-287. First Epeisodion. Eteokles roughly rebukes the
clamour of the women, as encouraging the foe and frightening the
citizens : and he ends with a threat of punishment. The Chorus
(in a half-lyric dialogue) plead their terror as excuse : they have
only been praying to the gods. The king replies (230) that it is for
men to sacrifice : the women should abide in their houses in silence.
They may pray to the gods but not frighten the city. They are
silenced at last and submit (263). Eteokles bids them pray quietly
(280), while he returns to appoint the seven champions (283) to
resist the invaders.]
183. The coupling of adj. (Tcdrfjpia, and abstract subst. dapa-os is
a little unusual, but quite natural, * Is this well? will this save the
state and hearten the host ? ' Weil reads apwyd for opicrra : needless.
185. PptTT) irpos 0€wv is a common order when the gen. depends
on the noun, aXaos ii Tav8e Kopav, O. C. 126; roaovb' is Tj^tjs,
El. 14 : but the interposition of irta-ovaas makes it a little unusual
here.
186. aveiv, 'shout,' Homeric word (ave d' 'Adrjvr], II. 20. 48), here
used contemptuously, * should clamour and howl.'
p,i(rT|p.aTa. It is of course thejy, not (as schol.) their deeds, that
are the ' abhorrence of the wise.'
189. Many edd. take Kparova-a and beiaaa-a as nom. pend. (' when
she is triumphant, her boldness is,' &c.) ; but this is needless : it is
better and more characteristic of Aesch. to say, ' When prosperous,
she is boldness unapproachable, when she takes fright (aor.) she is
woe yet worse to house and city.'
192. Oeicroi, 'making,' as often in Aeschylus (P. V. 444, 848;
Eum. 324, 458, &c.) and poets generally.
8i€ppo6Tio-aT' . . . KaKTjv, lit. ' you have clamoured cowardice into
the citizens ' : bold example of the emphatic violent diction of
anger : ' And now, thus hurrying about in flight, ye have spread by
your clamour rank cowardice among the men.'
193-4. 'The fortune of our foes is thus best aided, while we
within by our own hands are ravaged.' The reading of M and of
the best MSS. is o<^e'XXeTai; the later ones read o^/AXerf, which
gives the same sense another way. I take 6<ps\\fTm (with Weil,
Weckl., Verrall) as best supported and making the best antithesis.
aviTiov, common for ist and 2nd person : popov t6v avrrjs ola-Oa, Ag.
1297 ; TO. avTuv (Kiropi(oi>p,(da, Thuc. I. 82 ; Soph. O. T. 1 38, iLc.
10
NOTES. Lines 179-208
195. This line is found in the later MSS., but is absent from M.
Those who assume that all the later MSS. are derived from M are
obliged to reject the line as a later addition : but if we take the
safer hypothesis that the later MSS. are descended from a not remote
ancestor of M, the line may be genuine, and accidentally omitted
in M. In itself the line is Aeschylean, and suits well the tone of
the speaker: 'such trouble one gets by dwelling with women'
breathes the same angry contempt as 181, 186-8, 197, 200.
197. ' Man or woman or whatsoever is betwixt,' again the hyper-
bole of anger. Compare the ironical hyperbole of the angry Kreon
(Antig. 311) where he threatens the guards that he will hang them,
in order that in their ftit^ire thefts they may be wiser,
Twv : Epic used of article for demonst., common in Aesch. (Ag.
397 ; Cho. 278, 639, &c.).
198. 'A decree of death shall be passed against them,' the words
yl/'tjcpos and even jSouXevo) being used, by a not uncommon strain of
meaning, of the tyrant. So of Kreon's order yj/^fjcjiov reKeiav, Ant. 632 ;
y\f>i(f)ov Tvpiivvav, ib. 60.
PowXevo-erai, the older use of middle fut. for passive, common in
Tragg. (pvXd^oiiai, Phil. 48 ; tidd^ofiai, Ant. 726 ; ix&apovfiai, ib.
93: with pure verbs it seems regular even in prose. Thuc. uses
KtuXi'tro/iint, idcrouM, noXfUTjaoiJiai, ; Soph. drjXaaofMaif ^(vaaofiai, TifXTj-
(Toiiai, &C.
199. 8\ third place, see 41.
201. The change from 3rd to 2nd person is most dramatic in the
angry king : ' 'Tis the man's charge — let not the woman advise-
to order what is without : dwell thou within and harm us not ! '
204. The repetition is not unnatural in the excited affrighted
lyric. [Weckl. (following hint of M. Schmidt) reads 6xa)v oto^ov
which exactly corresponds to antistrophe as emended, 212: but in
the dochmiac this is not necessary.]
205. o-vpi7-y€s IXiTpoxoi, i.e. the naves of the rolling wheels (lit.
* wheel-rolling naves ').
206. The MSS. give avirvav, impossible in itself, and involving
the whole sentence in great grammatical perplexity, from which
the correction bia o-Tofxia (Herm., Paley, &c.) does not relieve it.
Lachmann's a-rruov, curing metre and grammar, is the best correc-
tion. ' And the noise of the tillers in the horses' mouth, the bridles
forged in the fire.'
207. TTvpiYcveTav (MSS.), 'fire-born,' 'fire-forged.' [Dindorf found
a gloss in Hesychius Trupt/Spf/xeras' 6 xaXwos' TifjLaxi^as 8f tjti'I 6 nvpl
^pifxwv rj did TTvpoi' j3pepovTos •ye-yovojf. The WOrd ;^(iXii'or pointed to
this passage, but the sense proposed is not very apt : ' roaring with
fire,' i. e. ' fiery breath,' is rather grotesque, and • forged with roaring
fire ' far-fetched. The MSS. n-tipiyfi'erai/ is preferable.]
2c8. Ti ovv; This has been emended, to avoid hiatus : but MSS.
all give ri ovv here and Eum. 902 ; Pers. 787; inf. 704 : so ri elnas ;
II
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
Trach.1203; Ti'AtSov, Ag. 1115 ; Ti'eoTt; Pers. 693. And the licetice
with tI is quite intelHgible. It is used in Comedy also. See 704.
«s irpupav has been generally understood of the sailor going to
pray to the protecting gods whose figures were in the prow. But
this would make the answer (' but it was to the gods' images
I ran . . .') much less effective : and it is better to take it of the
sailor in terror deserting the helm and rushing aimlessly to the prow.
209. tjvpe, gnomic aor., 'finds': Kafiovar]! (210) naturally has the
same tense.
212. ' When the noise was heard of the deadly snowstorm beating
at the gates.' The ' storm ' is a metaphor of course for the stones
(158) and darts showered against the city.
214. Zi\ tot' after a pause is Homeric: e. g. Od. i. 424.
216. a-riytiv, 'keep off.'
217. In the Med. all three lines were given to Eteokles originally,
but mi (a later corrector) assigns this half line to the Chorus, and
all other MSS. have it so. It is certainly better as corrected : the
particles ovkow, aW ovv are enough to show it is dialogue : and if
we suppose it all spoken by Eteokles it would be a dialogue with
himself of a harsh and unlikely character.
Cho. ' Shall not this then be the gods' part ? ' [i. e. I was right
then to have recourse to prayer ?]
Et. ' Nay, the gods of the conquered city forsake it, men say.'
Note that line 217 is divided between two speakers: this and
Prom. 980 are the only places in Aesch. where this is done.
iTokiv has to be understood after iKKuituv, by a common idiom.
This strange superstition appears strikingly below 305 : and is
illustrated by the Roman evocatio, or ' summons ' addressed to the
gods of a besieged city. In Livy's account of the siege of Veii
(5. 21, 22) luno is invited to Rome by the dictator, and when asked
if she was willing to come, is supposed to have said ' volo.'
219. XiTToi, i.e. TrdXtv, which is all the more easily understood as
XtVoi but repeats iKKeinfiv.
221. do-Tv8po|iov(A€vav. aarvSpofie'iv, is * to overrun a city,' i.e. to
ravage : and it is thus capable of being used with another noun,
like aedificare, nokiopKf'iv, both regularly transitive.
Kai o-TpdT€V(ji' diTTojjievov irvpl Batco, ' and our army caught by the
ravaging fire.' The phrase is not too bold or figurative for Aeschylus,
though some word like ' walls ' or ' rampart ' would be more common
than 'army.' [To make a-rpdrevfjia refer to the defending goc^s
( Verrall) is too obscure : to make it the enemy's army, and airTOfxevop
= ' firing' (P. Schiitz, following late schol.) is hardly Greek.]
225. The MSS. give yvvr], which schol. explains ' wife of Zeus the
Saviour ' : a grotesque and impossible sense. Welcker and others
propose yvvai, addressed to the Chorus, which makes a very awkward
line. The best correction is Hermann's Yov-fis o-cor^poy, ' Obedience
is the mother of Success, a child that brings deliverance.' Paley's
12
NOTES. Lines 209-251
flra^ins is also plausible, as it is less of a truism to say that * order
saves ' than that ' success saves.' But schol. recognizes evnpa^ias,
which is probably what Aesch. wrote.
For (TbiTrjp agreeing with a fem. compare tv^V o'<*"''7P? Ag. 664.
228. ' And ofttimes in troubles the helpless man even from grievous
woe he [the god] uplifts, when clouds hang over his eyes.' The
figurative language is plain enough, though strictly 6p6oi and ve^eXaf
belong to different metaphors. -Xav opdol does not correspond to
bairn (222) exactly : but the metre admits either. If it be emended
the neatest suggestion is Enger's, to read (222) bata nav and (229)
avop6oi. See note on 705.
230. xpiifTTipia, ' victims,' properly for divination ; such were
always offered when the sacrificer wanted oracular help.
231. TTcipcop.cvuv, ' make attack' : the original reading of M ntipa-
pivoii is obviously an error.
233. d8dp.aTov, predicate: 'through the gods it is that the city
we dwell in is unconquered.'
235. Lit. 'what displeasure disapproves this?': i.e. 'who can
blame us ? '
238. There is no need to alter cvK-qXos, a common Epic word
(found also Soph. El. 241), into tKrjXos, read in one or two later MSS.
239. M reads TroraiVtoi/ and appiya, converting the dochmiac into
iambic. I have taken nor'KpaTov (Heimsoeth) and avapiya (from one
late MS.), ' Hearing a strange and troubled sound.' The metre of
the Chorus is (throughout the dialogue) mainly dochmiac.
243. dpiraXi^eTe, ' snatch up ' (the news) with wailings : a vigorous
metaphor after the poet's manner : he means ' burst into loud
lament.'
244. ' For this is the food of Ares, the blood of men ' : i. e. do not
make violent outcries, for wounds and death are inevitable in war.
The correction of the Aldine edition ^o/Sm, adopted by Dind. and
others, is much feebler, and the sense is less likely.
Note'Apjjj with a long, as in Homer when metre requires, 'Apfs
*Apfs, II. 5. 31. So line 344, 469; Soph. Ant. 139.
245. Kai (jiV]v aKovb) y, ' ay, and hark, I hear . . .'
247. KvK\ov<r9ai is the regular Attic word for ' surrounding ' in
war, Thuc. 4. 127; 5. 72; 7. 81, &c., though kvkKovv is also
used.
250. Certainly to be read as one line without stop : tirfbh ipth
requires the ov to make sense or grammar. The expression is
really two clauses run into one by the haste and excitement of the
speaker. Instead of saying ' Be silent : say nought of this in the
city' {ov (Tiyrjaet, pr)8e (pus pr]8fv . . .), he says ' Wilt thou not in
silence tell nought . . .' In 252 exactly the same occurs, where the
speaker (from the same cause) runs together what we should give
as two clauses, ' To perdition with thee ! be silent and hear.'
251. $vvT(\(is are properly people 'contributing' to bear any
13
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
public burden. ^wrtXeia is a 'company' of such contributors, and
hence by a natural metaphor here ' the guardian-band ' of gods,
who combine to protect the city.
252. See note on 250.
253. The gods are boldly and eflfectively called 'citizens.'
(jiTi [AS . . . Tvxeiv : ace. inf. of prayer (common construction whether
with or without d6s, 8o'iev, fvxofxai, Sec). So Eum. 30 ; Cho. 307.
254. M (and others) have Kofie Ka\ naa-av noXtv : a few MSS. have
Kufjie Koi ere Kal noXiv. Hemi. suggests that koI o-e was a correction
for (ca/xe and has ousted iraaav, and proposes to read (with Wunder-
lich), Kal o-« Kal irdo-av iroXiv. This is certainly more effective as
a contemptuous answer to the Chorus' prayer.
255. PcXos, 'thy bolt,' i.e. the ruin which threatens us.
256. (Sirao-as, ' thou hast given.' Homeric word.
257. d\(S: Epic use of indef. subj. without liv, common in Trag.
The answer is scornful: 'men when their city is taken are just as
wretched.' Several later MSS. read av^pa, which some editors
adopt. But M reads ov8pas, which is really more natural and
idiomatic. It is the regular practice of these single-line dialogues
to carry on the construction in the replies. Thus no)(6rjpiw is felt
to be accusative like oroj» . . . yeVoy, and that leads naturally to
uvhpa^.
258. iraXivo-Toiisis a\); *dost thou speak ill-omened words ? ' So
the scholiast explains it, and the explanation is strongly confirmed
by 6iyyavov(T ayaKp.aTiov. Here iroKiv is literally ' against ' (as used
in TrdXiv Iptiv, 'gainsay,' II. 9. 56, and below, 1045, \ir)hk tm do^;/
TrdXti', ' let none think otherwise '), and so is a mild expression for
8v(r(j)T]p,{ls. [The other explanation, ' utter retorts,' ' answer again,'
makes poor sense with 6iyy. dyak. Besides, to refer to defeat {av
aX(o TTfJXi?) was clearly ' ill-omened.']
260. €1 SoiTjs, 'oh that thou would'st grant,' older Epic use of et,
where later Greek usually has f'lde : dolrji is therefore the common
wishing optative (cf. 550). rt'Xos, lit. ' accomplishment ' ; 'a light
boon ' we must say.
264. aipotifjiai . . . dvTi, i. e. 'I prefer.'
265. cKTos ova-a, 'leaving.' Eteokles wishes the Chorus to cease
from their laments, which are simply alarming and discouraging ;
to leave the statues and simply pray once for all that the gods will
aid them : he will then pray, in his turn, and they are to raise
joyful cries, as at a sacrifice.
266. TO. Kp€io-crw, ' the one best prayer,' that the gods may be their
helpers, in place of the terrified cries of 251, 253, 255.
268. * Raise the holy gracious cry of joy.' oKokv^nv is regularly
used of joyous or triumphant cries, and oi women. So Ag. 28 the
guard bids Klyt. raise the ' auspicious oXoXo-y/io? ' and 595 Klyt.
speaks of the men oKoKvyp-hv evcprjpovi^rfs . . yvvaiKi'nii v6)i.ci>. The
MSS naMviaov seems the true older form, not Tratav-.
14
NOTES. Lines 252-275
vofjLKTfia and Odpo-os are appositions to oXoXiyni'v.
270. TToXcixiov 4>6pov, 'fear of the foe.' Some (Blaydes, Dindorf,
Paley, with Verrall) read TroXf/Lit'mv, because one schol. explains it t6v
rav TToXffilav (fiofdov '. but the fact of his explaining it at all rather
shows that he read ■jvoktynov.
271. The unusually combined expression Trokicra-ovxoi x^pa? is
explained in the next line as including Tttbiovofioi, ' gods of the vale '
and ayopaioi, ' gods of the city.'
273. MSS. all read ovS' an 'la-firjvov X/yw, which offers no sense.
It has been variously corrected : the most ingenious suggestion is
that of Abresch, adopted by Schiitz and Wecklein, ouS' dn' 'IcrfMtjvov
Xeyti), ' nor do I except Ismenos ' : but dnoXfyoi in this sense is
unexampled, and the phrase is frigid : moreover the sentence then
lacks a principal verb. Of the others vdnrd t' (W. Dind.), vdari t'
(Geel, Herm.),or vdaal t (L. Dind.) are the best : I adopt liSaTi t'
(Geel) : the case is often unchanged with Xfyco ; see 658, and
Ag. 279, where the genitive is similarly retained. (W. Headiam's
$vvd T 'I(r/u.»7i/oO Xeya ' and of Ismenos likewise ' is also ingenious,
but less natural.)
274. Particip. conditional : * if all goes well and the city is
safe.'
275-9. M reads :—
fjLTjKoKTiv alfidaaovTas eorta? deatv,
rnvpoKTOvovvTas Btoicriv, a)S' (nfvxoixai
Grjcreiv rpoTrala, TToKefiiav d' tcrdTjfxoari
\d(f)vpa dqciv dovpiTrXrjx^* dyvols dofiois
(TTiy\r<o npo vaatv Trokeixiatv d' (ordfjfiaTa.
This passage is a well-known difficulty. There is obviously
corruption : the repetition of no\(fiia>v (o-dtipara is impossible, and
though the general sense is easy to see [' I vow to sacrifice sheep
and bulls, and hang up our foe's spoils to the gods '], there is no
construction as it stands. Moreover the redundancies 6r,(Teiv
Tponaia . . . (rTeyj/ai irpo vnav, \d(j)vpn 8a<ov . . . TroXfpicav fadrjuara,
(■!T€vxofjiai , . . eirevxov, are at least suspicious, and so is the plural
alfidaa-ovrai with no pronoun, esp. as followed by singular (rre-^o).
The passage is variously re-written, and variously reduced by
excision. On the whole the most probable view is that of L.
Dindorf, that 275-7 are an interpolation : and this I have adopted,
striking out of course (with him) the S' before the last word.
Herm. reads 277-9 thus : drja: rpon. baicop t eadrjfxaTa \ ar(^a> npo
vaS}V 8ovpiiTr]\6' dyvnis So/noi?.
Weckl. adopts Ritschl's suggestion, omitting 276-7, and reading
275 p.TjXoiaiv aludaacov rod', k.t.X., which has the advantage of
retaining a thoroughly Aeschylean line, though t66' is weak. Possi-
bly the passage omitted may be Aeschylus' own, but erroneously
added from elsewhere.
15
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
278. The MSS. read dovpL-rr'KrjKTa, ' spear-smitten,' ' spear-dinted ' :
the spoils being the armour, called by a stretch ((rdljfiarn.
Person's correction Soupi'Xr;^^', ' captured by the spear,' is plausible,
especially in view of dopidfjparos, hopLaXcoros, alxtJ'-(iX(OTos used of
spoils, but Dindorf's 8ovpLinr)x6', 'fastened by the spear' (adopted
by Herm., Pal., Hart., Well.), is probably better.
280. Toiavr' iirfvxov, ' Let that be thy prayer ' he says, with some
irony : a proud confident prayer, not a feeble cry of terror, nor
' vain wild cries.'
281. iroi<|)iJYnacri : lit. ' violent breathings ' [n-oi^uo-a-w strong redu-
plication from stem 0d- ' blow ' in (^v-o-u-w], a scornful word for
' cries,' ' howls.'
282. ow -yap Ti |xaX\ov ]i,i\ <t>^Y'ns, * none the more shalt thou,'
common idiom for strong negation : see 38.
283. MSS. f'yo) 8* eV nvdpas . . . which can only be plausibly
taken with fioXav, ' I will go fetch . . . and post them : ' and the
order is against this.
Blom. and Dind. read iyi> 81 7' avSpas (from an anonymous
conjecture). Canter inapxovs (adopted by Weil). I have preferred
the former.
284. Tov \Liyav Tp6'irov, 'full mightily,' a stately expression.
Paley well quotes 465 eaxrjfidTKTrai d' da-irts oi ap-iKpuv rponov,
' a proud device.'
avTTjperas, ' Opponents,' with the nautical metaphor so common
in Tragedians.
285. €-irTaTcix«is : stately rhetorical compound ; ' seven-built
portals.'
286. ' Ere hasty messengers and swift-speeding news come.' . . .
Some take it all as one expression, ' ere urgent and swift-sped
herald-words arrive,' which would be a personification rather like
Aeschylus : but the objection is rhat anepx^ovs re Kn\ raxvppodovs
would then be too much of a repetition. In the rendering adopted,
the slight displacement of re (following (nrfpxfovs instead of dyytXovs)
is fafrly common: e.g. Od. 19. 367 rios ikoio y^pds re Xmapov
6pe^ai6 re <f)ai8iiJ.ov vlov.
287. Kal 4>XcY€iv, ' and kindle us,' trouble and excite us, ' with the
sore peril.' It is far weaker to take (^Xiytiv (as some do) intrans.
Eteokles wishes to have the defence ready before the dire stress
comes.
[Eteokles goes out.]
[288-374. First Stasimon. We are oppressed with fear and
trouble: the foes threaten : ye gods! save us (288-303). Where
will ye gods get a better land ? therefore bring destruction on the
foe, and win glory, and safety for your temples and service (303-
20). 'Tis piteous to lay low such a city — the buildings aflame,
the women dragged to slavery ! the very city cries out! (321-32),
:t6
NOTES. Lines 278-315
Woeful is the ravishing of maidens, worse than death I many are
the horrors— rapine, fire, murder : Ares rages, defiling Piety (333-
44). Shouts rise : the net draws close : slaughter of mothers and
babes is afoot : greedy robbers roam the city (345-56) : all
stores are scattered, wasted : the young slave-girls weep anew,
for the foe that prevails, and the horrors that await them (357-
68). One speaker. Here comes the spy ! Another speaker. And
here the king ! (369-74).]
288. iw'Xei, * I give heed.'
289. KapSias is supposed by some to be treated as a dissyllable :
but possibly the text is wrong, here or 305.
290. ' Fan my terrors of the host girdling our walls,' the ace.
Xcwi* governed by the idea * make me to fear ' : but the constr. is
less harsh than might seem, because this case is regularly used
after all words of fear, even those properly passive like (f)o^fia6ai,
fKTtXayrjvai, or intrans. like rpea, rpefico, rpofifa. So Dem. (53. il)
has Tfdvaai Tw Seet rovs toiovtovs, and by a similar development of
the simple verb, Soph. El. 123 Tiiiceis olfiayav t6v 'Ayanefivova.
293. XcxaCcov, ' nestling ' : Lachmann's excellent correction of
\fXt(>iv. The schol. must have read the adj., as he explains it
v€fxofMev(ov tVt rijf KoXias, 'living on the nest.' The confusion of
m- and e- in MSS. is one of the commonest.
293. Svo-ewaTopas. The snakes are grimly called 'ill bedfellows.'
294. irdvTponos : the original reading of M is the best, ' the all-
timorous dove,' Homer's rprjpav nfXdds. The first corrector has
written <f) over the p, i. e. corrected the word to TrdvTpo(f>os, which is
the reading of the scholiast, of Tzetzes (on Lyk, 87), of Eustathius
(on Odyssey, p. 1602), and of the later MSS. But it is not so
natural an epithet.
297. Ti ycvu^xai; 'what will become of us?' Dubitative rather
than deliberative, as often in Homer Stpoi. iyio ri ndOio ; &c.
298. Tol S', Epic form : d|A4>i.p6Xoia-iv : lit. ' struck on both sides,'
here more generally used ' betwixt two foes,' ' assailed on either
side ' : the common military word, Thuc. 4. 32, 36.
300. x<PP^^S' oKpioeo-crav, ' rugged Stone,' Epic words: II. 4. 518
Xeppadico uKpioevri.
306. PaOvx^ov', 'deep-soiled,' ' rich.' So veio'io ^aOeirjs, II. 10. 353.
308. etPTpa<j)Tis : act. 'nourishing' ; so with yd^n, Cho. 898.
311. Tethys, according to Hesiod, daughter of Ouranos and Gaia,
and wife and sister of Okeanos, and mother of the Sea nymphs
and River gods. The rivers are of course here meant : Poseidon
was god of all waters, rivers as well as sea.
314-5. M reads dvbpoXerfipav Karapi'^onXov arav. The triple
compound Karapii^oTrXov is impossible, and the first corrector of M
alters it to Kal rdv, which all the other MSS. have. The article
however will not do, and Kai is feeble. Of the other suggestions
AESCH. S.C.T. 17 C
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
(KTJpa Lowinski, vdo-oi' Dindorf, alxfiuv E. A.Ahrens,KapTa M.Schmidt,
KUKav Hermann) perhaps the first is the best.
The prayer then is that the gods will cast on their assailants
* a deadly doom, a panic, flinging away their armour.'
317. Toio-Se iroXiTais, ' in the eyes of these citizens ' : a use of the
dat. well known in Homer, 11. 4. 95 Tpwecro-t kvSos lipoio ; 9. 303 rj
•yap Kev acfn paXa peya KvBoi (ipoio; 22. 217 ottreer^ai /xe-ya Kvtos.
^Axninlcriv. So naai K\ftv6t, O. T. 8.
318. I have adopted W. Headlam's emendation {eo-r'), which
completes the metre and the structure of the sentence.
319. EvcSpot T« o-TaO-rjr', ' and be stablished on your fair thrones ' ;
fvfdpos of gods, cf. 97. So evdpovos, XP^^'^^po^os, &C.
321. wyvYiav, 'ancient'; adj. of unknown origin. [Hes.] Theog.
806 uses it of STuyof vdap : Aeschylus of Thebes here, of Egyptian
Thebes Pers. 37, and of Athens ib. 974. So Soph. O. C. 1770
ras wyvyiovs Gi'^aj ; and Phil. 142 quite generally, Kpdros tayvyiov,
' power from of old.' The legend of Ogyges king of Thebes, or of
Attica, is clearly a later attempt to explain the word : and it is
first found in Pausanias i. 38. 7, 9. 5. i.
322. 'A1891 irpoYd^fai, ' to hurl to destruction,' is Epic, from the
opening of the Iliad, I, 3.
323. i|/a<t>ap^ <riro8(B, ' in dust and ashes,' dat. of manner or
circumstance, but really giving here the result of ntpdofxevav.
324. 9e60€v, ' by God's decree,' favourite word of Aeschylus, e. g.
Cho. 38, 941 ; Ag. 105, 131. It goes of course with nepdofievuv.
326. Ktx'iP'^p^^vai of the MSS. would do in the general sense
'desolate,' II. 5. 642: but Kcxci^pop^cvas (correction in M by later
hand) is a more natural word. The inf. depends on oiKxpov. ' A
piteous sight, the captive women, alas, young and old dragged off
like horses by the hair.'
331. 'As the spoil is borne off to its fate with mingled cries,'
the Xati including the prisoners and animals.
332. This line is taken by some after /3oa, as the cry of the
ravaged city : the personification of the city is not unlike Aeschylus :
but the line is much more forcible, as well as natural, if it be taken
as the words of the Chorus : they picture the fate of the women,
and end with a shuddering cry ' I fear for the terrible fate.'
333 sqq. All MSS. read apriTpotrois itpo^pcnroiv : in M the first
corrector has written 8 over the second t of apTiTponois : i.e. he read
d/jTiSpoTToir. It is a corrupt and difficult passage, of which however
the general sense is obvious : ' It is a woeful fate for the young
maidens to be carried off from home to be the victors' concubines.'
The following points will clear the ground : — •
(i) The text was already corrupt when scholia were written : for
they recognize both apTiTpoiron and dprtS/xiTroiy, explaining the former
(impossibly) as ' lately turned from childhood,' i. e. just mature.
And further they are driven to explain the gen. wfxodpontov as
NOTES. Lines 317-345
meaning, * by those who pluck them yet unripe^ i. e. by the captors.
In other words the schol. found the present text, and could not
make sense of it.
{2) wMoSpoTTOf, a powerful and appropriate poetical word, must
be applied to the girls, and describe the cruelty of their fate ;
it cannot agree with vonifiap, as many edd. (Schiitz, Blonif., Pal., L. S.,
&c.) take it, ' ante sollennia crudum virginitatis Jlorem decerpentia!
(3) The reading of the corrector of M, dpnSpoTroiy wfioSponav, is
anyhow impossible : the repetition of -dponos is intolerable.
I believe therefore that we must read ufJioSpoiTois with Ritschl : as
to the other word Ritschl also suggests dpTirpoTrcov. This would
account for the error, the endings of the two words having been
interchanged, as does happen. But the only tolerable meaning
would be ' rightly conducted ' [like apTLCppaf, ' right-minded '], and
that is a feeble sense, and a very dubious word. I prefer to take
Schneider's dpTiTpo4>ois, adopted by Dind., Pal., &c. The passage
would then run : —
KkavTov d' apriTpncfiois mfJioSponois
popip,(i)v TTponapoidfP fiia/ist\//'at
dafiaToiv (TTvyepav 686v.
* 'Tis piteous for the fresh grown maidens, plucked all unripe,
before the marriage rite, to pass from their homes along the hateful
way [of slavery].'
336. M reads ri ; t6v (}idlp,evov yap wpoXtyco. But ti is never found
alone : it is always ri Se ; ri firju ; ri yap ; &c. ; the latter especially
in Aeschylus, e.g. Ag. 1239 ; Eum. 678. Accordingly I adopt Blom-
field's correction, ti ■yO'p ; <t)6iji.€v6v toi vpoXiyu).
irpoXt-yoj might be taken * I prefer,' and then the next line would
be epexegetic : but it is more naturally taken ' I proclaim,' and then
the construction is ace. and inf., and the whole sentence more
natural.
338. 8a|iao-9i) : Epic use (common in Trag.) of indef. subj. where
the conj. has no av. So Eum. 211 fJTis vocr^itTji, 336 toI(tiv ^vpini<Tu>cnv,
661 otffi pr] ^Xd^Tj : see 257.
341. Td8«: the gender changed obviouslybecause it is the men and
women who are dragged off and slain, the houses which are burnt.
342. 8* spoils the metre and is not wanted : Brun:k rightly
rejected it.
344. jjiiaivcov ctia-cP^iav, 'polluting piety,' imaginative expression
for the sacrilege and horror of the sack of a town.
For 'Apiis with long a, see note on 244.
345-7. There is want of correspondence between the first two
lines of the strophe and the antistrophe. M reads : —
346 KopKopvyal S' dv cicrrv,
TTort TTToXiv S' opKiiva jrvpywris'
TT/Jos dvdpos 8' dvfjp dopl Kaivirai'
J.9 c 2
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
and in 357 Travrobanos 8e Kapnos
XOfJidSis nta^v oKyvvft, Kvprjaas'
niKpov S' opp.a ddkaprjTToXcov.
The simplest changes are to remove jTroXir (which, as Hermann
saw, was added to explain ttotI) and Kvp!j(Tas, which Dindorf
ejected. , The missing syllable before 6aXaprj7r6\(op may then be the
article (twv Amaldus, rdv Weckl.).
345. KopKopvyai : word imitative of sound, ' the noise of war.'
Aristophanes quotes it in mockery, Xvaov 8e pAxas koi KopKopvyds, '
Pax 991.
346. iroTi 8' opKava irvpyioTis, * and against it rises the towering
net-work,' a very obscure expression, perhaps metaphorical, of the
destruction like a net approaching the city, as Paley aptly quotes Ijr
fVt nvpyois tfiakfs (rreyavov Slktvov, Ag. 357 : which suggests an
emendation here itotI 8' dpKava irCpyoKriv, ' and the net is cast upon
the towers ' : but perhaps it is best to leave it, as irvpymTis is not
likely to be an invention.
348. ' And the wailing resounds of new-bom infants at the
breast, streaming with blood.' The sense is clear : but the adjec-
tives are very boldly transferred. M reads d/3Tirpe0ety, the most
natural word ; but possibly dpTi^pe(f)fls, a rarer word found in G
and others, may be right.
351. ' And there is Rapine, sister of Pursuit,' Aeschylean way of
describing imaginatively the scattering through the city of the
conquering soldiers in search of booty. The use of the plural is
familiar with abstracts in Hemer : <T<f)fTfpT]ariv dTaa-daXirja-iv, Od. I. 7 ;
aTipirja-iv IdWeiv, Od. I3. I42 ; fjs VTrfpoTrXirja-i, II. I. 205 ; ^ias
iinobeypevos, Od. 13. 310, &c. For the phrase cf. Xiyvvv peXaivav
aioXrjv TTvpos Kdaiv, below, 494 ; kovis Kda-is nrjXov ^vvovpos, Ag. 494.
352. £v)xPoXct, ' meets ' (as schol. M, and Hesych. explain it).
The passage is a vivid picture of the plunderers in the city.
' Finder meets finder : the empty-handed calls to the empty-
handed, willing to have a partner [which the successful one
naturally avoids] : all eager to share neither less nor equally ' —
a grim ironical way of describing their greed.
355. XcXifji^xcvoi (the right reading preserved in the later MSS.)
occurs again 380, an old perf. pass, (for which a later present
XiTTTopai is found) from stem Xi^- : it means ' desiring,' and is
connected with h'd-ef, and English h'ef, love.
356. I take the simplest alteration nV . . . Xdyoi/ (Dindorf formerly),
'What tale (i.e. what horrors) can we look for from hence.'"
The plundering is only the beginning of miseries to the con-
quered.
359. ' Saddened are the eyes of the house-dames.' The waste of
provisions is a bitter sight for the careful house-wives.
361. ouTiPavots €v fjoOiois <})opeiTai, ' in worthless billows is swept
along ' : worthless because it is cast out and trodden under foot.
20
NOTES. Lines 345-371
His point is the pitiful waste, which, by throwing the provisions
about, makes the precious stores oiriSavd.
363-8. A difificult and corrupt passage. M reads : —
Sfxaides 8e Kaivonrifiovis v4ai
TXrjfxoves fvvav alxixc'iKcoTOv
av8p6s fvTV)(ovvros as
dvafJifvois vTrepTf pov
(Xnis i(TTl VVKTfpOP T(}.OS HoXflVf
TrayK\avT<ov aXyeav inippodov.
The general sense is obvious : the misery of the girls carried off to
become slaves and concubines of the conqueror. So the schol.
fjxracTTacrai ds 8ov\flav oicravai. rrjv t5)v noXepiav tvprjv.
The earlier comm. (and Dindorf ) put a full stop at inreprfpov, and
understood the last two lines, 'They hope for night to come, to
help their wretchedness.' But, as Hermann rightly pointed out,
vvKTcpov TfXos must refer to the concubinage which is the main
point : and so the sentence must run on.
We observe (i) the strange position of vem, (2) the absence of
a verb to govern eivdv, (3) the violation of metre in rXrjuovfs where
trochee is required, (4) the feeble repetition of sense in rXij/ioj/ey.
All these things point to the strong probability that vtm T\r]fiovfs is
a gloss or explanation of Kaivonrjfioves, which has crept into the text,
and so ousted the verb which governed eivdv. [veai is omitted in
Verrall, though perhaps accidentally.]
Perhaps the best suggestion is Hartung's (quoted in the critical
notes), T\a<Tav al\p.ii\a>Tov fvvdv, and readmg an for ws in 365. We
may then leave veai, and the first two lines will mean : 'And the young
slaves, new to their misery, endured as captives the couch ' [lit. * the
captive couch'] ' of their lord, for they must look to suffer the rites
of the night, when the foe is master, the crown of their pitiful
woes.'
T^dcrav is of course for €T\r}(T(tv : the whole picture is a forecast
of the Chorus, and is vividly given as already come. [We might
also read xljSo? vivpov alxp-d^^ooTov, where Kfjdos would be used in the
double sense of ' woe ' and ' union.']
(nippodos is used in the Epic sense ' helper' (as 11. 4. 390 dnippoBos
^fv 'Adrjvt]) : there is a grim irony in saying that it ' helps ' their woes,
meaning ' makes them worse ' : as also in the use of t(Kos, a stately
expression more naturally used of regular marriage-rites.
[T/ie Chorics cease singing : the leader of one half the Chorus
speaks, and is answered by the leader of the other half^
369. KaTo-iTTTjs, ' the watchman,' i. e. the ayytkos who (66) pro-
mised to keep a look out.
371. iro|im|jiovs xvQa% iroSoiv, 'the speeding joints' (lit. 'the
21
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
messenger-naves ') * of his feet.' A bold and almost grotesque
metaphor, quite in the poet's manner.
XvoT^ is the nave or box in which the axle turns, and so is easily
used of the joint of the ankle. •
373. CIS (IpTiKoXXov, ' at the right moment,' like eV Kmpov : the
word means ' fitted or fastened exactly,' and is neuter, used like
es KdXor, &c.
374. M (and most recc.) reads ovk aTrapr/^et, G ov KaTapTi^d.
Neither verb makes any really satisfactory sense.
nTToprifto is only used intrans. in classical times, and only appears
in Hippocrates and Aristotle. It means * to fit, suit,' or ' to be com-
plete.' Even if used transitive (as the existence of a passive use
shows to be possible) it could only mean ' makes fit or complete.'
KaTapriCa) is used by Herodotus in the sense ' to reduce to order.'
So some comm. (Pauw, Pal., Herm.) understand the sense here
* haste disorders his step,' which is the best that can be made of it
if we retain either of the MSS. readings.
But the phrase is exceedingly harsh, and I have adopted Weil's
suggestion ev KarapriCd, ' well orders,' i. e. makes active. We shall
then render : ' And his step also eager haste makes nimble,' i. e.
(more simply) ' he too is hurrying.'
[375-685. Second Epeisodion, Part I. In this long scene the
messenger describes at length the warrior attacking each of the
seven gates ; and Eteokles replies with the name and description
of the Theban champion he will oppose to him, the last pair being
his brother and himself. Between each pair of speeches the Chorus
interpose a short lyric (often a prayer) expressive of their fears and
hopes.]
{Enter the messenger: and from the other side Eteokles with the
six champions P^
375 sqq. For Euripides' satirical remark (Phoen. 751) on this long
enumeration : * 'Twere long delay to tell the name of each, when
foes are camped beneath the very walls,' see Introduction, p. xxi.
The names of the gates are given with slight differences in Euri-
pides, who has /Crenaian for Onkaian gates (Theb. 487, Phoen. 1123),
and Ogygian iox Borrhaian (Theb. 527, Phoen. 1113). The order
of warriors is also different.
381. The snake (which comes out more in the heat of the day)
was supposed to be more dangerous then, and even to utter cries.
XcXtfjifitvos : see 355"
382. OiKX«i8-t]v, Ainphiaraos, son of Oikles, the seer, who was
persuaded by his wife Eriphyle to join this expedition though he
foreknew its fatal result. He also figures in the tales of the
Kalydonian hunt and the Argonauts.
383. o-oiveiv, 'that' (instead of facing death and battle) 'he
fawns on Death and Battle,' feebly tries to avert their onset :
22
NOTES. Lines 373-400
an imaginative and expressive word ; so 704. a^/vxi*?, * from
cowardice,' as 259.
384. Aristophanes quotes comically rpus Karaa-Kiovs Xotpovs of
Lamachus, Ach. 965.
385. Tco: Epic for nina, see 509, 1070, 'And beneath his shield
he hath bronze-wrought bells, ringing forth terror.' This fine line
is imitated in Rhesus 308, where the head-bands of Rhesus' horses
have a Gorgon attached, with many bells —
TToKXoiai criiv Koibaxriv iKTinrd (fyo^op.
388. ifjXtYov''' vtt' ao-Tpois = lit. ' blazing beneath the stars,' poet,
variation for ' bright with stars ' : the stars shine above and light
up the ovpavos.
390. wpeo-pio-Tov (rarer form for Trpta^vraTov, Horn. hymn. 30, 2,
and twice in Soph. Frag.), ' first,' in honour rather than in age,
though both are possible. So Aeschylus uses irperr^os Ilepa-nis,
' reverend in the eyes of Persians,' Pers. 623 ; and npeafifva always
in that sense, Eum. I, 21 ; Ag. 1300; Cho. 631, &c.
391. dXvcov with o-aYais, * thus in the madness of his proud armour.'
393. ' Like a horse panting against the bit in his fury.' x**'^'-^'^^
is governed by the verb, as the Kara- requires ; not by [xevei, as in
Ag. 238 ;(aXti'«v avnvdcp pevti. So we have Eum. 65 1 (a parallel
though not identical passage) niSev aa-Bpudvoiv pevei.
394. The correction kXvuv for the MSS. ptvav or ptvei (due to
confusion with the last line) is not only in itself exactly what is
wanted, but was suggested and is strongly supported by the schol.,
wf Knl iTTTTOf ■n'oXf piarfji craXTriyyos aKovcoi'.
395. irvXuv might be gen. after K\^6pa>v or npoa-TaTdw, but the
latter is more probable.
396. <j)ep€'YYvos, lit. ' bearing a pledge,' so * trusty,' * safe,' the
infinitive giving the point in respect of which he is to be
trusted.
398. Blomfield aptly quotes the (imaginary) speech of Papirius
to encourage the Romans against the Samnites (Liv. 10. 39), * Non
enim cristas vulnera. facere : et per picta atque aurata scuta
transire Romanum pilum.'
400. vvPKTtt ravTj\v, 'As to this Night . . .' Generally called
accus. of respect, but it is fundamentally different from the typical
examples of that, like oXiyoi tov api6p6v, Tv(f)X6s to. Srra, ttjv ■\j/vxfjv eu
Tri(pvKO)s, &c. It is better called the provisional ace, put at the
beginning of the sentence to indicate the thing spoken of, where the
end of the sentence may either contain a verb which will bring the.
ace. into regimen, or as here take a different turn and leave it
hanging. Others treat it as an attraction due to the case of the
relative : but this I believe is rarely, if ever, the truth, for such
attraction, if it existed, ought to be found with other cases than
the ace. Cf. racrSe 6' aairtp flaopas . . . x^^povo^h Trach. 283 ; tov
23
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
tlvSpa TOVTOV OV , . . ^TJTflS . . . OXITOS €(TTIV €v6d8€, O. T. 449 '. SO II. lO.
416; Ar. Plut. 200.
402. dvoCa, * his folly,' i. e. of ornamenting his arms with so arro-
gant a device. [Blomfield reads evvoia nvi, ' in a certain sense ' : an
easier reading and construction, but too prosaic and feeble.] The
long -a for usual d is noted in scholiast as an Atticism : so eixXfio,
685; ayi'oi'a, Soph. Trach. 350 ; dmu, Frag. 7 1 5 ; 'l^ty€i'ew,Ag.i526.
So also Ar. Av. 604, Frag. 29. nvC means Tydeus, a common irony
in threats, as in all languages : so KnKov rJKd nvi, Ar. Ran. 552 ; Swcrti
Tis diKtjv, id. ib. 554 ! °P^ '■'"' ^'''■' ''"^ ^'ifJiaros KctdeSovfifvov, Plut. 382.
' His folly may prove true prophet to the fool.'
403. ew' 6(t>9a\(i,ois : Epic use of prep, and dative oirest with verb
oi motion, common in Aeschylus, and other poets : in\ nvpyots (jSaXes,
Ag. 357? *'^' 'AXe^dvbpcp TTffinei., ib. 61 ; ^ipovd fv f]fuv, ib. I450'
So without prep, ^dre Sofxa, Eum. 1033. In this line there is a clear
reference to the common Homeric formula for death, especially in
battle, ' darkness covered his eyes,' t6v de o-koto^ oaa-e KaKv^eu.
405. c-iruwjiov, ' true to its name,' i. e. a veritable night. The a-rifia
or blazon on the shield was a picture of Night (390) : and to him it
should be the Night of Death. See 536.
406. TT|vS' tjppiv : a sort of cognate ace, ' shalt make this insolent
prophecy ' : the Z^pis describing the s/>tn't and not the substance of
the prophecy. The present iinvTev^rai (the orig. reading of M cor-
rected to the future by m) is perhaps more strictly logical, as the
prophecy is now made : but the future is more natural, as it will
only be known hereafter that the prophecy is against himself. And
the readings of m have greater authority than M, as they are the
contemporary corrections of the scholar revising the work of the
scribe.
407. 'AcTTOKov TOKov : Mclanlppos, 414. So Hdt. 5. 67.
409. Alo-xvvTj, 'shame,' in a good sense, which makes a man
shun disgraceful deeds or boastful words. ' Honour' (Pal.) is the
best single word : in this sense it is very nearly the same as ntSco?.
The schol. remarks simply that the poet ' has well opposed [to
Tydeus] a man of opposite character.'
411. ai<rxp>^v -i°-9 "^PYos, ' for he is slow to deeds of shame.'
412. <rirapToC, ' the sown men,' were the warriors who sprang up
from the teeth of the dragon slain by Kadmos on the site of the
future Thebes. These warriors fought till five alone were left, the
ancestors of the Theban race. This hero was therefore an 'autoch-
thon ' of Thebes, of the highest possible origin : see 415.
413. ^i^wp,' dv€iTai, 'his stock is sprung.'
414. 'War with his dice shall decide the issue,' with the poet's
usual bold and forcible imagery.
415. Kdpra with 6|xai)X(ov (adj. nom. sing.), "Tis indeed the right
of kin that sends him forth to ward from the mother that bare
him,' &c., seeing that he was sprung from the soil in an emphatic
24
NOTES. Lines 402-428
sense : ' not one of the strangers who came with Kadmos ' as the
schol. says.
\Melanippos goes out.]
417. The Chorus pray for success to their champion ; but express
their fears lest he be slain.
ajios : Doric for rjfitTepns, constantly used for ' mine ' : here
either ' mine ' or * ours ' will do, but in the mouth of the Chorus
* ours ' is probably the meaning.
420. virtp <J>iX(ov 6\o|jitvuv, ' of men slain for their friends.' The
plural is generalizing, as only Melanippos is meant. Notice the
omission of tu)v (with the part.) as often in Epic. So fxopiixov Xdx<>s
TrnrXdvTOiv, Cho. 360 ; Trapn^aaiv, Ag. 59 5 Trpaacronfi/a . . . Tiovras, ib.
706. [The first schol. in M says rather obscurely ovs Troiovprai vTzep
Tcov (f}i\a)v TToXiTMv oi Qrj^a'ioi, and Wecklein suggests arovovi for
fiopovs to suit this explanation ; but aipnrrjcjiopovs is then far less
forcible, and the Chorus would dread t/ie death of the defenders,
not the lamentations for their death. The schol. probably mistook
the construction, and supposed (f)LXa>v to agree with oXoptvcov.]
424. aXXos in the idiomatic Greek use : ' a giant he, mightier
than the first.* Compare apa rfiye koI dp^livoXoi k'iov SKXai, ' hand-
maids also,^ Od. 6. 84 ; ov xdpros olSe (iXXo 8(v8pov, ' no grass nor
tree either,' Xen. An. l. 5. 5. There is some grim irony in the
phrase. For Tydeus was (as schol, reminds usj * short of stature
but a man of war,' piKpos erjv depas dkXa paxif^is, 11. 5. 801.
425. oti Kar avOpcoTTov <j>pov€t, ' too proud for a mortal.'
428-9. ou8« tt\v Ai6s"'Epiv . . . o-x«6«iv (M). This passage has been
suspected (i) because (piv seems an unlikely word, (2) because uv
seems to be wanted, (3) because the object of <TXf6*it> is wanting.
(i) (piv is suspected because the comm. think some word like
'bolt ' is required, quoting Eur. Phoen. 11 75 (of the same boast of
Kapaneus) prjb' tiv to crepvov niip viu tlpyddeiv Aios, and also the
schol. who explains it as t6v tov Ator a-KrjnTov.
But'Epiy, ' Strife,' is a well-known figure in the Iliad, and is called
(4. 441) ' the comrade and sister of murderous Ares,' and may there-
fore be called rfjv Atos. Further, the * fire ' or * bolt ' of Zeus is just
not required here, as it is mentioned next line. Lastly, the schol.
clearly had the present reading, as the full note is ov8e rov tov
Aios (TKrjTTTOv iis yrjv KarevexOevra, r\ auToO tov Aios <j)iXov€iKT|aavTOS,
fpTTodoiv yevicSni avrci Xtyd. The second explanation clearly points
to tpiv : and the first is only a general paraphrase of the passage
taken as a whole.
(2) The use of aor. (or sometimes present, see 749) for future, after
verbs of confidence — promising, hoping, prophecying, expecting, and
the like, is quite a common poet, use from Homer downwards.
TToXXa/ci ydp ot eetTre . . . vovaa vn dpyahej) (|>6C(r9ai, II. 1 3. 666 ; ^»/^tt
TtXtvTTjOfjvoi amavra, Od. 2. I71 j pavTevoptva povxpi](rep . . . cItto-
25
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
cTKXTjvai, Ar. Vesp. i6o ; d Soxel? (le T\f,vai ('expect me to'), Eur. Or.
1527 ; TauTrjv vo/xi^e , . . xp(>*'V ""ore . . . ■ma-iZv, Soph. Ai. 1082. [The
latter has strangely been interpreted as gnomic, a use necessarily
confined to indic^ See further below, on 615.
See Riddell's Digest, § 81. (I do not quote the numerous
Thucydides examples, as they can so easily be emended from
-aaadai to -crecrdai.)
(3) The omission of * him ' is not a serious objection, where the
sense is so clear.
It follows that the suspicions of the text are baseless, and
emendation needless. I accordingly retain the MSS. reading, and
translate, ' Nor should Strife, the daughter of Zeus, lighting on the
earth in his path, restrain him.'
429. irtSoi, loc. for MSS. Tredco, Dind. The locative ought prob-
ably to be restored in all such places, e.g. Ag. 1357, Eum. 263, 479,
Cho. 48, &c. In Prom. 274 the MSS. give nedoi.
433. wirXio-ntvir) : bold use where the part, is transferred from the
man to the ^orch : so navis excussa magistro, Aen. 6. 353.
435- 'Against so fierce a warrior send Who shall meet
him ? * Dramatic break of the sentence.
436. M reads Koji-irao-avro, which there is no need to alter, as it
refers to a particular boast : ' who shall await unaffrighted one that
hath uttered the boast?' [lit. ^ after boasting,' i.e. that he would
sack the city, &c., 428]. Most edd. and MSS. give KOfirrdCovTa, also
read by a late corrector of M.
437. MSS. (and schol.) read koI rabe Kepbti Ktphos aWo ytyi/frm
which has given rise to various strained interpretations. If sound, it
could only mean, ' Against this advantage too [of the enemy, that
Kapaneus' threats terrify us] another advantage is found ' [for us,
that the threats are impious and will be punished]. But the sense
is given far more clearly and forcibly by reading (with Kock,
Heimsoeth, Paley, and Wecklein) K6p,-ira>, The confusion is not
difficult, being due to * anticipation ' of Kepdos. Eteokles then says
in effect, ' This boast is as good for our side as the KOfnros (391) of
Tydeus' armour.'
438. Toi, the usual particle in lines of a gnomic or proverbial
character, e. g. dpaaavn yap toi koI naOflv ocfxiXfrai, Fr. 268 : also
Ag. 922, looi, 1014, &c.
441. ' And plying a rank tongue with vain triumph, he a mortal
hurls up to heaven boisterous and swelling words against Zeus.'
a'noyv\iva^u>, ' to exercise to the full ' a bold word.
443. The adj. -ytY^^os [formed somewhat like dycoyos] is found in
Hesych., and the correction of the meaninglessMS. yeywvq is certain.
446. This line has been quite needlessly suspected : he refers to
Kapaneus' boast (431), and says with simple irony that the thunder-
bolt (which Kapaneus had compared to the ' noon-day heat ') was
' nowise like ' thereto.
26
NOTES. Lines 429-461
447. «ir' avTw, 'against him' as frequently: eV 'AXe|ai/5pQ), Ag.
61, 363 ; eV av?>pi, Cho. 627, 999, &c. See note on 403. o-t6|jiopyos,
' braggart,' is Kapaneus.
448. aiOov XfjfAa, ' fiery in spirit.'
noXv<}>6vTov Pia : this Epic periphrasis for ' the mighty Poly-
phontes' is very common in this play ; see 569, 571, 577, 620, 641.
449-50. <j)€pt-yYvov (t>poi3pi]p,a, ' trusty guard ' : the use of the verbal
noun (though from intrans. verb) being a poetic idiom : so /xfiAty/xa,
Ag. 1439 ; KtiSevfi:!, Soph. O. T. 85 ; dovXfv/ia, Antig. 756 ; \d\j]fia,
ib. 320 ; olKovprjfia, Eur. Or. 928.
irpocrTaTijpias . . . BtSiv, ' by favour of Artemis his protectress, and
with help of the other gods.' €uvoCaio-t, plural, is an Epic use,
aiBfieirjcri vooio, jjf xmepoTiKir}ai, j/Civ dTacrdaXir/criv, &C. : see 35^* The
schol. says Polyphonies was priest of Artemis, and Thebes was
specially under her protection.
Some late MSS. have the end of this line corrected into a-Cv
T ("iXXcou deoiv, 'and likewise (a-vv adverb.) of the other gods,' which
makes a rather smoother construction. But the variation of phrase
in the reading given above is not unlike the usage of poetry : so it is
perhaps better retained, though it is certainly true that if Aeschylus
wrote (Tvv T aWav dfcou, the chances are that in our MSS. it would
have been altered to the dative. The schol. explains it as . . . rfis
'ApreniBos Kni rav i1X\a>v . . . deow : but this is in either case the
sense, and is inconclusive as to the reading.
\PolypJiontes goes oul.]
454~6. "iTcoXiKiov 6' ISwXicov ^(a'} tiirtpKoiTcp Sopi ttot' (KXaird^ai, ' and
from our maiden chambers with conquering spear drive us violently
forth.' fK\aTTu((i>, variant of the regular Epic word e^aXandCo for
' sacking ' a city, is here used by a not unnatural extension with the
spoil or captives as the object. I adopt Hermann's insertion of \t :
the phrase is too harsh without it.
457. This line is probably an addition ; though, as it is known to
the schol., it is an old one. It was added by a critic who did not
perceive that Xcfw is the direct answer to line 452, the intervening
song having misled him. The line is dubious (l) as being intoler-
ably weak, (2) as having no caesura, (3) Trpof TriiXair, construction
awkward. The caesura is occasionally absent in Aeschylus' lines
(Pers. 251, 469, Eum. 26, &c.) : but often for the sake of metrical
effect, as Prom. 6 a^a)xavT'iv(i>v Sftr/xcoj/ eV dpptjKTois iTfSais ; Prom. 113
iiTraidpioLS Sfcr/ioly TrenacraaXevfifvos.
460. irpocrPaXeiv Xoxov, ' to bring up his force.'
461. tv dp.irvKT'fipo-iv €p,Ppip,wp.«vas, ' fretting in their head-bands.'
fp^pifjL(ofitvas is usually translated ' snorting,' which it may very
well mean when applied to horses : the root-meaning seems to be
* anger,' or ' an angry noise.' The simple verb fipiixr/aaio in Ar. Eq.
27
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
855 seems to mean 'growl' (Suidas, ^pifii'](Taio opyiaddr]!' ^pifni^oiv'
rj] TOO XfovTos )(p(op.tvos (pavfj).
462. irpos iTvXais ireirTcoKc'vai, * to rush upon the gates ' : the perf.
TTf TiTcoKfVai is here vivid, ' to de at the gates,' as we might say. The
dat. TTuXatf, where prose would have ace, is really Epic usage, like
/3(iXXojUf j/os TTori yoiT], &c. See note on 403.
463. 4>i|jioi are ' mouth-bands ' fitted with hollow cylinders (alXoi),
on the nostrils apparently, through which the horses' breath
whistled : Frag. 330 cPhloIo-iu avXaroia-iv.
The MSS. reading is ^dp^apov rpotrov, ' in savage fashion,' the
strange and rich trappings of horses being like Asiatics. The
schol. however has dnrii/Ti rj)(ov, * a harsh noise,' whence Schiitz con-
jectures Ppo^ov for rpoTTov, which much improves the line, especially
as we have rponov again two lines further on. (Prien's vofiov, ' strain,'
is also worth considering, though ^pofiov is nearer the MS. and
better.)
465. c<rxti}iaTi(rTai, ' is adorned,' i. e. with a device, a better and
richer word than Weil's conjecture (recrrjixuTKTTai, which is unknown
to classical writers. M has elarifidTUTTai which a later hand has
corrected.
466. irpocra|xpda-6is : acc. of motion along, like ohhv nopfvfo-dni, &c.
-np,^- for -avati-, Epic syncope, common with this preposition in
Tragedy : cf. fVafTeXXco, dpnfpno), enap^aTTjpf avdala, &c.
468. xovTos, ' he too,' like Kapaneus.
IvXXapai, ' bands ' of letters : the word has not yet acquired its
technical meaning ' syllable.'
471. diTeCpY€iv with ^tpiyyvov (396), ' trusty to ward off.'
472. o-tpv TvxTl S€ Ttp, 'and with good hap': i.e. he is the right
man, and will win. Eteokles continues, * See, he is sent forth with
his boast in his strong hands,' i. e. not on his shield.
M reads neTrepirr ov Kopirov^ and the other MSS. also read oi,
with various corruptions of irf-ntpTTT. But, as Erfurdt pointed out,
the ov is due to a misunderstanding of the phrase, which is far finer
as above explained ; and the impossible elision of -ai is thus got
rid of. Some read VeVe/^iTj-T' (plup.) : but the tense will not suit.
474. The man is a foremost champion, being one of the native
race of cnvapToL : see 412.
477. Tpo<f)€ia : lit. ' the price of nurture,' the debt which the child
owed to his parents, and this 'sown ' warrior therefore to his mother
'earth.' 'But either he shall die, and pay the son's debt to his
native earth.'
478. ' Or shall destroy two warriors and the fortress on the shield,
and deck his father's house with the spoils.' The ' two men ' are
Eteokles, and the painted warrior, as the schol. explains. The
ordinary prose Attic would require to in da-niSos : but Aeschylus
frequently adopts the Epic fashion of omitting the article. So Ag.
59 napa^daiv for tois nopa^datv ; ib. 706 rovvpffioTipop p-fXos Tiovrag
28
NOTES. Lines 462-489
for TOWS TO wiK^oTifiov fieXo^ rioinas; ib. 324 tup dXdwcoi' Koi Kparrj-
(rdvTtov for twv KpaTrjauvTcov, &C. See 420.
\Megareus goes out.l
480. ' Now boast of another, stint me not thy words.' With a
sort of exultant playfulness, he treats the messenger's report of the
enemy, and his own prompt rejoinders, as if there were a kind of
match between the two. [The MSS. Xiyav might stand : but
Valckenaers' Xdycov is more forcible and natural, and is supported
by schol., rav aXafoveiwj'.]
481. This line does not correspond in M with 521, though there
is no obscurity or serious corruption in either. Some emend one,
some the other, some both : none convincingly. I adopt t(^€ (read
by a late MS.) for br} rdSe here ; and in 521 I have taken Robor-
teJlo's conjecture 8t| after nenoida. * I pray for him to find pros-
perity, thou champion of my home : but for my foes, disaster ! '
483. pdjovovv, regular Epic word for ' speak,' ' utter.' Trenvufieva
Pd^fiv, fv ^a^etJ/, dvffjiaXia 0d^eiv, apria ^d^fiv, &C.
485. v«|i«Twp, 'the awarder,' i.e. the judge and punisher: of. venfo-is.
cmSoi, ' look on,' i. e. ' visit ' with punishment.
486. Schol. takes it to mean ' the next gate (to Neistai), the gate
of Onka Athena ' : but it is simpler to take'Oy/cas gen. after yeirovas,
' the gate close to (the shrine of) Onka Athena,' which was just
outside the wall {dyxiTTToXis, 501) and gave its name to the nvXai
'OyKolai. Notice the Doric forms "Oyicas 'Addvas.
Onka, a Theban goddess identified with PaUas, see 164. The
schol. has a story that Kadmos was sent by his father Agenor the
Phoenician to search for Europa, and not finding her went to
Delphi to ask where he should settle. The god told him to follow
what he should find when he went out ; he found a cow and
followed her to Thebes, where she fell down. Kadmos offered the
cow to Athena, dy the Egyptian title of Onka.
487. irapio-TaTai, ' takes his post,' the verb being often used of
* standing beside to defend.'
488. 'iTT-ironeSovTos, with second syll. long metri grat. So HapBevo-
waloi, 547 ; ^aioxiTonvts, Cho. 1049 ; ' A\(f)i(Ti^niav, Soph. Frag. 785.
The licence is more easily accepted because in Epic a short vowel
is frequently lengthened before a liquid, spirant, or aspirate, e. g.
Aid Xicrat, (i/i fieydpoicri, iirl pr]yp.2vi, alokos o(f>Ls. Accordingly Porson's
fjiey 'lTr7rope8ovTos (rxw^ is quite needless, ' The form and mighty
mould of Hippomedon,' a periphrasis like the Epic ^tr^ 'Hpn/cX^et?;.
o-xrjp-^ refers to beauty, and peyas tvttos to size, as the scholiast
saw : a further objection to Porson's emendation.
489. aXw 8€ itoXX-fiv, ' the wide ring,' picturesque word for the orb
of his shield. iroWr] used as in naXXd KeXtvdos, ' a wide space to
traverse,' Soph. O. C. 162. The word (our ' halo') is the same as
the Epic dXcoTj, and is used by Xenophon in the same sense
2Q
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
* threshing-floor ' : by later writers as ' a coiled snake ' or ' a halo ' :
all coming from the vaguer sense ' ring.' The schol. is clearly wrong
in saying that ' halo ' is the oldest sense.
490. SivT|cravTos, ' as he whirled it': gen. either after the nouns, or
better absol. Others less well take it intrans.
492. uiracrev, ' added,' i. e. ' fashioned upon it.' (Epic word.)
493. Tv4)wva. Aeschylus uses both the forms Tvtfxas (gen. -co) and
Tv<l)(bv (gen. -iovos). He is a giant, in Epic Typhoeus, son of Tartaros
and Gaia (Hes. Th. 821), a fire-spitting monster with 100 heads
who fights Zeus, till the latter with lightning and thunder slays
him and hurls him into Tartaros. In Homer II. 2, 783 Zeus 'lashes
the earth that lies on Typhoeus, in Arima.' Both stories are dearly
volcanic myths.
494. aloXTiv iTvpos Kcio-iv, ' the flickering sister of fire,' imaginative
and characteristic expression, finer and less eccentric than the
similar Kaa-is Trr)\ov ^vvovpos Si\//'ta kovis, Ag. 494. See note on 351.
495-6. ' And the circling plate of the hollow-centred orb is made
fast to coiling snakes,' the ireplhpoijiov kvtos KoiKoyda-ropos kvkXov
being simply a full-mouthed and effective phrase for the solid
bulging shield itself: the middle apparently was wrought into the
Typhon-head, and the rim had open work of snakes to represent
his hair.
Trpo(Tfda(fii(a} (from e8a(f>os, ' basement,' * ground ') seems to mean
* is fastened as a basement to.'
The KVTOS will be the whole outside of the shield, itself no doubt
slightly curved, with the special bulge in the centre.
497. auTos 8' : Hippomedon.
498. PaKxa irpos dXKT|v, ' raves furious for battle.' oXkij, regular
Homeric word for the ' might ' of battle.
Qvi6.% [dii-a, ' rage '], ' a Thyiad,' lit. ' a furious woman,' always
used of Bacchanals. The MSS. read (f)6^ov pXtncov, ' looking terror,'
i. e. ' with terrible glance,' which there is perhaps no absolute need
to alter ; Canter however reads <}>6vov, to avoid the repetition, as
(t)6^os recurs line 500 ; and on the whole this is preferable. See
above, note on 45, where the origin of this confusion is given.
500. * For already at the gates the vaunt of terror is heard ' [lit.
terror is being vaunted], i. e. the foe is boasting how he will scare
the Thebans. Various emendations are proposed, but none are
needed, and all rather enfeeble the line,
501. tit", Epic rel. ' The city's neighbour, hard by the gates.'
Again there is no need to alter, the repetition being of a natural kind.
503. eipSei vfoa-a-dv, ' shall bar him as from her brood a cruel
snake,' the goddess being conceived, after the poet's abruptly
imaginative manner, as a mother eagle defending her young. The
image of the struggle between a snake and an eagle is a favourite
one in poetry ; II. 12. 201 ; Soph. Antig. 115. The word dia-xifj^os
means ' cruel,' ' rough,' ' violent,' ' wild,' and is applied to wz;/^/,
30
NOTES. Lines 490-518
floods, deserts and mountains, and here to snakes : formerly derived
from x'- (x"MajX"^'')' which suits some places, but not this passage.
Moreover -x'/lio? appears also in /xcXa-y^'M"^? which cannot be con-
nected with x^'M^-
505. Kar' uvSpa tovtov, ' to match this foe' : Kaja is literally *«/,'
and is often used of enemies facing each other in battle, KaTo. Aa*c«-
8atfjioviovi tyivovTO, Xen. Hell. 4-2. 18 ; uKTafxivuiv to Kara crCpas avrovs,
Thuc. 6. 70.
506. t^icTTopTicrai [loipav tv xpda t-ux'HS, ' wishing to learn his
doom in the stress of fortune,' a rather strained phrase but forcible.
The XP«''« f^XV^ ^s the heat of the battle where every man takes his
chance.
507. o-x€criv, * manner' : i.e. both their form and their condition.
508. 'And well hath Hermes brought them together': Hermes
is the god of Luck (called epiovpios, ' the much-profiting,' Ar. Ran.
1 144), and hence 'a stroke of luck' was called tpnalov.
509. Toi: Epic use for eJ, common in Aeschylus, e.g. Ag. 526,
642 ; Theb. 385, 1070.
«x0p6s has its regular signification here of * a private foe.'
510. iToXcftCovs 06O1JS, Zeus and Typhon, ancient foes from the time
of the quarrel between Zeus and the giants, see note on 493.
513. o-TaSaios, 'firm,' i.e. on his throne.
8ia x«P°s PtXos <|)X€Ywv '• lit- ' burning his dart in his hand,' an
effective variation for * holding a blazing dart.'
514. irow of MSS. need not be changed (with Elmsley, Dind.,
Weckl., &c.) to Tov.
515. 'Such in truth is the favour of the Powers,' i.e. to either
side, Zeus to us, Typhos to him : Sainovav covering both the god
and the monster. (Typhon, Typhos, Typhoeus, all occur in poets.)
A difficulty has been needlessly made about fifvroi, which is used
in its confirmative sense, especially common in such stimmaries
after narrative, e. g. Ag. 886 rotdSe fievroi. (r/ciji/^ts ov 86\ov (fiepei :
Soph. O. C. 997 TOiavra fiivToi kuvtos eliji^qv KOKa.
518. M reads ftxdv ye rrpa^iv, corrected by later hand to €ik6s 8«
irpu^fLv, which later MSS. have, the 8e no doubt being right. But
the line makes no sense in this place : and the editors have gener-
ally either rearranged the last four lines, or marked them spurious,
or both. Brunck, following two later MSS., inverts the order of
518-9. With this rearrangement (followed by Dindorf and others)
the sense is good, reading the lines npos tS>v ... ft Zeis . . , elKos 8e
. . . 'Ynep^iw re . . . atorijp . . . : and this I have accordingly adopted.
But another alteration is required, viz. to read irpa^ai KavSpas for
Trpd^eiv (ivdpas: for (i) Kai much improves the sense [as Zeus is
stronger than Typhoeus, ' it is likely the Jnen too who fight should
fare likewise'], (2) eiicd? always takes aorist or present infin. and
never the future : see Soph. El. 1026; Eur. Hipp. 615, 1434; Iph.
Taur. 903 : so also ehos dovXeva-m, Thuc. I. 8l, where see Classen's
31
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
collection of instances. I have therefore read irpaf ai, and adopted
Pauw's suggestion KavSpas. It must however be confessed that the
unique word irpoa(pi\eia, the phrase np6s \6yov tou (rr^fiaros, and
the diffuseness of 516-20, throw some suspicion on the lines.
519. irpos Xoyov : rather stiff phrase for 'in accordance with':
lit. ' in view of the meaning of.'
\Hyperbios goes out^
521. dvTiTutrov, 'opposed,' agrees with acf)i\ov fit/nar. The idea
of the word is probably ' striking hard against,' as in Antig. 134
avTiTvira S' eVi ya TreVf.
522. xOovlov, for Typhon like the Titans was a nether power,
sprung out of the earth.
523. MSS. read 8aifio(Tiv and ^poroia-i re, the first spoiling the
sense and the second the (dochmiac) metre. Brunck restored
8ai|xoyos and Pporots. The schol. has t6v i\6pov Ai6s Salfuiva,
showing that he read daifiovos.
525. KC({>aXdv Id^fciv, 'will Cast away his head,' bold phrase, as of
a man rushing on his doom.
526. ircji-jTTov : Parthenopaios. See 547, and note on 533.
528. AioYevovs: Amphion, son of Zeus and Antiope, with his
brother Zethos, attacked Thebes and took it, and slew the king.
They then fortified it, Amphion drawing the stones together by the
music of his lyre (inovit Amphion lapides canendo). He thus was
considered a sort of second founder of the city.
529. alxp^-qv Tiv €x«w, ' by the spear which he holds,' the regular
ace. after opwfxi.
530. o-c'Peiv •iT«iToiO(is, 'bold to revere it,' an unusual but forcible
phrase, not requiring emendation : the inf. is used as though after
ToXfiav. Paley's afjioiv irinoiBan t is at first sight easier, but not
really so effective.
6|ji|jidT(i>v : the eye was proverbially used for anything extremely
precious : Pindar calls the family of Thero 2iKeXias 6(^daKpn'ts,
01. 2. 18 ; good news is aikinov opp.a <f)r]pT)s, Soph. Tr. 203 ; wealth
is oppa (paivvorarop $fvoi(rt, Pind. Pyth. 5. 51 ; the hope of the house
is 6(j)6aXp6s oiKcov, Cho. 934.
532. Aios, repeating the general boast of line 47, with a special
and significant turn given to it by addition of Ai6s, ' in despite of
Zeus.' Some correct to 8op6s, which Robortello and afterwards
Hermann adopted from three later MSS. (G and two others) : but
this is plainly a conjecture, and a feeble one : the unexpected carry-
ing-on of the sense after ^ia is only tolerable if the word is itself
a strong and startling one. Moreover Aids is needed : the boast is
called 'impious' (551), which dopos would hardly justify.
|XT)Tp6s : Atalante, daughter of lasos, who exposed her on the
hills because he wanted a son : she was suckled by a she-bear, and
grew up the huntress maiden. Several names are mentioned as
32
NOTES. Lines 519-547
the father of Parthenopaios : but the point of Aeschylus' story is
that he was ' the maiden's son,' i. e. that his birth was mysterious,
and the father unknown.
533, KoWi-n-pcopos, 'fair of face'; the word 'prow' used with
a bold metaphor from a ship. So Soph. Trach. 12, describing the
river-god Acheloos, calls him di/Spei<» kvth Qoinrpcppoi, ' with hull of
man and prow of bull,' i. e. ' bull-headed with man's trunk.' The
nautical metaphors are the commonest of all in Greek.
uvSpoirais, ' the boy-man,' ' boy-like, yet a man.'
535. &pas <j)vovo-T)s, *as his fresh youth puts it (the hair) forth.'
Tap<j>t)s, fern., as fjdvs, 6r]Xvs, TrouXvf, are used fern, in Homer.
536. irapOtvcov (it(ovv(xov, ' true to his maiden name,' iiruiwuov mean-
ing ' rightly named after,' the rarer and more developed sense of
the adj., which more often means simply ' named after.' See 405.
538. aKoniracTTos, 'without proud device.'
539. The Sphinx is ' the reproach of the city,' because the citizens
were unable to get rid of the monster : the schol. absurdly refers
0VC180S to Oedipus' guilt.
540. ' His shield, the body's orbed defence ': in the stately grandi-
loquent style so noticeable in this speech.
541. 'npoa-^y.-i\xo,\^y.iyn\v y6y.^o\.%, 'fastened thereto with rivets,'
the ornament being separately made and rivetted on.
542. Xa|iirpov tKKpovo-Tov Scfxas, 'a bright embossed figure,' v/hat
we now call repousse work, metal hammered out.
543. v<|)' avTj] : as a beast or bird of prey with its victim.
The Egyptian Sphinx was a male monster with human head :
the Phoenician and Greek form seems to have been female, and
often with wings. So Soph. O. T. 506 calls her Trrepofcra-a Kopa ;
Eur. Phoen. 1024 describes her (f)oiraa-i nrepols ;^aXaio-i t i>no(TiTois.
And many specimens in various materials have been found in
Greece having wings. See Jebb's appendix to his edition of O. T.
544. ws irXeio-T' kit dvSpi twS' laiTT€o-0at P«Xt], ' SO that a Storm of
darts are hurled at this man ' : the only question is whether avr^p
obf is Parthenopaios or the pictured Theban. It is far simpler and
better to take it of the former : Parthenopaios' boldness in bearing
the insolent device brings a rain of spears upon him. [Hermann's
strange attempt to take as with TrKelara, instead of with the verb, is
very harsh : Verrall's SiairTtaSai is not happy where the point is the
converging missiles.] w? for wore. Epic use, common in poets.
545. ou KaiTi]X€vo-€iv n.axT)v, ' to be no huckster of the fight,' i. e.
to fight on a grand scale : a bold and effective image, finely, though
in another sense, imitated by Ennius (of Pyrrhus, Cic. Off. I. 12. 38)
nee cauponantes bellutn sed belligerantes.
546. ' Will not shame his long journey's course,' i. e. will do
some deed worthy of the long distance he has come (from Argos,
where he lived, see inf ).
547-9. ' Parthenopaios of Arcadia : and he, so noble a man,
AESCH. S.C.T. 33 ^
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
lives a stranger (at Argos), but repaying her for her fair nurture,
now threatens these ramparts such fate as I pray God may avert.'
These lines have been suspected by several comm. (Wolf, Dindorf,
Weil, Hartung, Verrall) on various grounds, e.g. (i) that 548 and
550 (repeated with slight variation from 47) are rather poor ; (2) that
fioKpaf KeXevdov refers to Arcadia, arid therefore Aeschylus is nof
adopting the story that Parthenopaios was reared in Argos, which
is found in Eur. Supp. 888 ; (3) that the long e in Parthenopaios
is unlikely.
But (i) there are in this scene many such repetitions ; (2) fiaKpa
KeXevdos simply refers to Argos ; (3) for the long e see note on 488.
Moreover, all the heroes have their names given, and it is unlikely
the poet would only hint (537) at Parthenopaios' ; and the passage
is confirmed by Euripides (Supp. 1. c), who is very unlikely to use
the licence Ti.ap6iVQT:aioi except as a direct reference to this place ;
and, lastly, ov Xiyw rov 'ApmSa (553) is unnatural unless the
ayyfXos had mentioned Arcadia.
550. el y6.p, a wish, as regularly in Epic (see note on 260).
irpos Otwv, ' from the gods,' with Tvxowev.
551. *In those very impious boasts,' with <|>povo\)<ri. ovTots,
because the point of the wish is that the very destruction Par-
thenopaios boasts may befall himself and his troop. [This is
more forcible than to put 551 after 552 and translate 'with those
impious boasts and all.'j
553. ov Xiyds Tov 'ApKdStt, 'the Arcadian of whom thou tellest,'
Tov 'ApKoBa being attracted into the relative clause (as frequently
happens), and therefore accusative.
554. * A man of no vaunt, but his hand forbodeth deeds,' a bold
but picturesque expression, like dvepa . . . Spavr oXkciv, Pind. O.
9. 165. The ace. is a kind of cognate, and the phrases literally
mean * looks energy,' * looks might,' like the commoner dtivov opav,
6^v opav, &c.
557. ' To flow within the gates and foster ills,' pe'<» and aXbalvco
containing the same metaphor.
558. MSS. read fla-afiel\lrai 6r)pbs ix&i<^Tov baKovi, where the double
genitive is very improbable, and tltrapu^ai wants an accus. The
fact is 6r}p6s is probably a gloss on baKovs, which is a favourite word
of Aeschylus for * beast,' * monster ' {^Xpyelov buKos, Ag. 824 ; 8va(f)i\es
buKos, ib. 1232; v€oyfves bciKos, Cho. 530, &c.), and the true word,
an accus. after €^a/xft\|/'ai, has been ousted. Francken proposes
reixos, which I adopt. The sense will then be ' Nor that he should
pass the rampart, bearing on his foeman's shield the hateful
monster's image.'
560. MSS. read abruptly Uadfv fXa-a k. t. X. Some suppose a lost
line : but Porson's emendation tj '^toe^v is quite satisfactory, tj re-
ferring to the €t/ca>i/ or Sphinx. ' She from without shall chide him
who would bear her in, as she meets the hail of darts by the city
34
NOTES. Lines 550-576
walls.' i^aQev, ' from without the city ' : she refuses, as it were, to
go in. €i<r(i) belongs to tw (pepovn.
562. M reads this line deZv BeXnvTav 8' au dXrjdeva-aifx iym. The
simplest alterations are rav Elms., kAv Hart. I have taken the
latter. ' If gods will, I may even prove true prophet,' where the
^ even^ is pious modesty — or irony.
[Headlam reads, most ingeniously, . . . izjoKiv, 6(S)v diKovrav' dXX*
dXrjdevaaiiJL e'^yco. Some prefer this : but 6fS>v OeXourcov at the end of
a long sentence, is less naturally placed. Cf. 614.]
[^Aktor goes out-l
563. Xoyos, * the tale,' i. e. of Parthenopaios' boasts.
564. Dindorf and Blomfield correct this to Ka\ Tfuxos opdios, to
correspond with antistrophe rjiieripas reXfW, 627 ; but the text here
makes a good dochmiac, and further correspondence is probably
needless.
565. M reads KXiavi but the /lat'r would hardly be said /o hear\
and I prefer Hermann's KXvova-a (as also his corresponding emenda-
tion in the ant. 628). KXvoixra would easily become Kkvova' (as two
late MSS. have it), while it would also easily be corrected to icXvau
(to agree with nXoKafios) as M and the rest have.
567. €v yq., * in our land ' ; the destruction is to be on the spot ;
let them die where they stand.
569. AiupJiiaraos '. see 382. He is two gates off Tydeus, as the
latter has the first, the former the sixth : and some conceive the
city as being so small that these two gates, are within speaking (or
at least shouting) distance. But there is no need for this rather
grotesque hypothesis.
571. KaKoto-u paj;«i iroXXa, ' utters many a word of reviling ' against
the mighty Tydeus. The construction is a little unusual, as noXXa
KOKOi would be more natural : KaKotcn is instrum. dat.
572. dv8po(})6vTTiv : Tydeus had fled to Argos from Kalydon in
consequence of the murder of a kinsman or kinsmen : the names
are differently reported : the schol. Med. gives them as Alkathoos
and Lykauges, sons of Melas.
574. 'Epivtios KXrjTfipa, ' summoner of the curse,' imaginative
expression for the man who brought destruction on the army
and the leaders. The schol. refers it to Oedipus' curse on his
sons, but Amphiaraos is certainly not thinking merely of Poly-
neikes' fate.
irpoo-TToXov, not merely ' servant ' but ' minister ' (schol. Upio) : the
metaphor is from the temple service, which makes the expression
far finer. So npoa-rroXoi, Eum. 1024.
576. M reads Trpoap.6pav dSeX<^edj/, all the others iTp6(rfiopov or (one)
Trpoy pLopov. The first word is clearly corrupt, and the second is
suspected, as it is the only instance of the Epic form d8eX(f)€6s in
Iambic lines. [The Doric ddeX(pe6s occurs in /juries below 976 : but
35 ^2
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
this of course is natural.] The suggestions are numerous, but follow
two main lines :
(1) Dobree suggests that npbs nopav contains narpos popov. The
contraction of narpus to Trpos is particularly common in M, and in
Soph. O. T. HOC this same MS. reads Trpoa-TrfXaa-Be'iaa where
Lachmann restored rrarpos TreXaafffla-'. Dobree accordingly reads
Koi TOP aov out' d8e\(j)6v is narpos popov, which Paley adopts :
Hermann modifying the suggestion to Ka\ t6v abv avBn is narpos
poipav Kaaiv. The real difficulty however is that the sense and
construction are so unnatural.
(2) Hermann (originally), Wellauer, Weil, Hartung, and Wecklein
take npoapopap to be a corruption of opoanopov, and dSeX<^edv a corrupt
gloss on this. The gloss was supposed to be d8eX<p6v ; then was
taken up into the text and became opoa-iropov a8fX(f)6v, and altered
to npoapopov d8fX(f>e6v, ousting the word after avdis.
There are many difficulties here : why should opoa-nopov require
a gloss ? why should it be so violently corrupted ? how could the
Attic ddfXcjiov get altered to the Epic d8eX(f)f6v?
I incline to believe d8cX(t>e6v sound, the Epic forms being so
numerous in Aeschylus. And the word before it must be a participle,
as the run of the sentence almost demands. Hartung suggests
\oi8opa>v: but Francken's irpoo-Opowv is nearer the MS., and better;
it occurs P. V. 595.
577. tgwiTTidJcov 6\x.\ia (Schiitz's correction for the impossible SvofM
of the MSS.): lit. 'throwing back his eyes,' i.e. 'uplifting' them in
scorn or horror. t
578. ev TtXtv-TQ, 'at the last,' i. e. as a final taunt.
cv8aTov|ji€vos. This word properly means ' to divide,' and is used
by Attic poets in the sense of 'to dwell upon,' 'to tell.' Thus we
have Aesch. Fr. 350 (restored from a quotation by Plato, Rep. 383 A)
6 8' iv8aTeiTai ras ipas ewratSiar, ' Apollo tells of my noble children ' :
Trach. 791 ''o 8vcnrupevvou XtKTpov iv8aTovp€vos, 'telling of his ill-
starred bridal ' : O. T. 205 ra aa ^iXea BiXoip av iv8nTe'uT6ai, ' I fain
would tell of thy shafts' [here Jebb and others take it * I would thy
shafts should be scattered,' ' go abroad ': but the deponent iv8aTei<Tdai
is very unlikely to be used passive]. In Eur. H. F. 218 Xoyovs
6vfi8iaTripas ip8aTo{)ptvos,-we have a use rather nearer to the original
meaning ' repeating taunting words.' So here the meaning is ' twice
repeating his name,' significantly calling him WoXvveiKis noXCvfiKts,
'Polyneikes tnan of strife'
580. Kai is emphatic. ' Is such a deed in truth approved by
gods?': a common use with r]'. O. T. 368 ^ Kai yfyrjOtos . . .; 1045
Tj Kaar i'ri C^v ; O. C. 299 rj Ka\ 8oK(lTe ; 406 rj Ka\ KaTaa-Kiuxri. ; &C.
KaC cannot mean ' both,' in which meaning it is never followed
by re.
584. 'The mother's spring what just vengeance shall dry up?'
a fine imaginative line much misunderstood by many editors. The
36
NOTES. Lines 577-595
mother (as Hermann said) is described as the fountain of life, and
to sack his own city is (for Polyneikes) to slay his mother, to dry up
the wellspring which gave him life : in this act can be no btKtj. The
alteration TrXrjyrju (Seidler, Weil, Wecklein) destroys the aptness of
KUTaa-^ecTfi, and reduces a powerful and poetic line to obscure prose.
For (T/Sewv/xi in the sense of ' to dry,' cf. Ag. 888 nr]yai Kirfa^i'Knaiv :
ib. 958 eo-Tif BdXacra-a' t'is Se vii> KnTaa^erra ; and Hesiod, Op. 588
atyfi (T^ivvvfifvai of 'goats that yield no milk.' No doubt this is the
earlier meaning : and the word was applied to fire in the sense of
' quench,' as though the fire was a sort of liquid which was dried up.
587. mavw, ' shall enrich ' by being buried there. The seer knows
that he is destined to die in the assault, 617.
588. viiro is clearly right, adopted by Aid. Turn, from the original
reading in G (where it was probably an accident), instead of M's
reading eVi.
589. ovic aTifjiov, because the place where he was swallowed up by
the earth became a sacred spot in Theban land, and was a famous
oracle afterwards. Eur. (Supp. 925) says * the gods extol the son
of O ikies, by carrying him off alive, chariot and all, into the chasm
of the earth.'
590. svkwkXov, the regular Homeric epithet of the shield, e. g.
aaivibas evKVKkovs Xaicrf/tVi te ■nrtpoevra, II. 5. 453« [The original
reading of M liKrfKov exa>v is a mere blunder of the scribe, coixected
at the time by the Siopdcorrji.]
591 . The word kvikXco is rather weak after (vkvkKov : and Wecklein's
KVTfL may very likely be right. But Aeschylus is not particular
about such repetitions ; e. g. 587-8 we have x^ova . . . xl^ovos : 602-5
dvTjp three times.
593. 8id <|)psv6s (like the common poetic usages dih x^^P^^f ^'«
artpvav, 8ia oro/xaTor), 'm his mind': a less commonplace way of
introducing the metaphor, instead of saying ' the deep furrow of the
mind.' These lines are referred to by Plato in a well-known passage
in the Republic (361 B, 362 A). Plato is merely illustrating the
antithesis between being and seeming, and he inserts in the two
places ayaQov and ahiKov instead of apia-ros. Some have wrongly
inferred from this (and other later quotations) that Aeschylus here
wrote StVaios (and so the scholiast quotes the line). But though
dtmuos would do, the more general word apiaros is better. Plutarch
(Aristid. 3) relates that when these lines were recited in the theatre
the whole audience looked at Aristides. This is perhaps the
origin of the false reading fitVaior, which was the popular title of
Aristides : and diKaiov 598, 610, may have helped.
595. dvTT]p€Tas. We should say 'an opponent,' but he is using
the generalized form ' Such a man must have wise and good
opponents,' where the plur. is natural.
dvTrjptTTis is literally ' one who rows against ' another : nautical
metaphors are the commonest of all in Greek, e. g. vavKXrjpuv, below,
3Z
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
line 652, opfxiCoy (Cho. 529), Kadrjcreiv, divr), tpp,n (Eum. 564 sqq.), €/)/x(t
(Ag. 1007), &C. So Ai/iij«/, ovpios, aakos, kXvScov, ji'/.nXovs, ■n'kdv,
Xfiit-uCop-aif &C.
596. Seivos, *a foe to be feared': the religious maxim is charac-
teristic.
597-8. We must read pporots with the corrector of M and all the
other MSS. ; and for the comparative dvcra-e^eaTepois, though sup-
ported by M (G, Lips.) we should take the stronger Svcrcre^ea-TdTois,
found in several later MSS., and adopted by nearly all modern
editors.
I agree with Paley that ^porols is better separated from the
adjective : ' Alas, for the ill omen that among mortals makes the
just man a partner with the impious.'
600. 'The fruit is not fit to gather,' as the scholiast rightly
explains. The abruptness is less harsh where the sense (as here)
is a summary of what goes before, and is ' gnomic ' in character.
So Setj/o? OS 6eovs (rejSei, 596 ; and see next line.
601. This splendid and characteristic line, known to the schol.
(' the soil of error bears its harvest of Death '), has been suspected on
many grounds. There is no connexion : eKKapmCerai is unlikely in
this sense, as the mid. should be used of the tiller, not of the earth :
and the sentiment is judged to be irrelevant, as it seems applicable
rather to sin producing ruin,\i\A^ this man is StKaior. But (i) the
abruptness may be explained as in 600 : (2) KapTriC<o means to ma^e
to bear, hence KapTvi^ofxai could mean ' to bear ' : and arr) means here
error, which induces the just man to join wicked company. More-
over the line is wanted to connect the next passage : oXcAiv is much
smoother after ddvarov €KKapni((Tai than after Kapnos ov Koina-Ttns.
603. depp.ois, 'rash,' 'headstrong': so of the sinner, Eum. 560
yfXa df daifjiwv eV dv8p\ deppm.
Kttl iravovpYia tivC : not abstract for concrete, which would make
it a prosaic repetition : but ' and some strange villainy ' : the crime
is personified and comes on board : much more like Aeschylus.
605. Notice the repetition dv^p . . . dp8pS)v . . . dvdpdcnv.
606. i. e. guilty of the breach of the two primary duties, kindness
to strangers and reverence to gods.
607. I have taken TauToO Kvp-qcras «k8ikois dYpewjAaTos (Prien) for
the MSS. eKdiKoas: the point is that he suffers w/Z/z t/te unjust, not
that he suffers unjustly. khL]x.-r\, gnomic aorist.
608. iraYKoivci), ' smiting all alike ' : the stroke of fate does not
distinguish the good and bad.
612. pia <})p«vtov, ' in wisdom's despite' : for he knew the end was
ruin, and warned the others in vain.
613. M here reads reivovo-t ttoixtti^v ttiv jtaKpdv irdXiv lAoXciv, and
has the obscure scholion eVl Ti]v fls "Aidriv dnoiKiav fXKvcrdrjaeTai.
fxoXtlv Trjv ivavTiav rfi €ls''Apyos. There Can be little doubt that this
scholion is a jumble of two notes with different readings : Tfjv
38
NOTES. Lines 596-619
ivavrlav rfj ds "Apyos being an explanation of iraXiv fjio\e7v, and the
other half the explanation of iroXiv fioXelv, ' he shall be dragged
down to go to ^ke distant city of Hades.' -nokiv must therefore
have been an early various reading : and it is found in all the later
MSS. This reading and explanation however, though adopted by
Wellauer, Paley, and others, is very unlikely : Tr\v fiUKpav noXiv for
Hades is a most obscure and improbable phrase : and the order of
the words makes the interpretation very harsh, since the epexegetic
inf. always follows the word it depends on, and does not, as here,
precede it.
Some with Dindorf think the line an interpolation : but its very
difficulty makes that unlikely. Wecklein reads Ka\mr\v with
Heimsoeth, ' striving to come back the long course ' (metaphor
from the h'lavKo^) : but this ingenious correction gives the wrong
suggestion : the line must give the idea of the rash attack, not of
flight : not to mention that nivovai . . . fiokeiv is a most unnatural
expression in this sense.
It is best to leave the MS. reading, and to translate : '. . . making
a march too far for returning ' : rrjv fiuKpav naXtv fioXdv being
literally ' the (march) that is far for coming back,' like the Hcmeric
ov (TXiSov ecTTiv eXeadai, II. I3. 268 ; nrnoi ovk (yyiis eaap trpocpvyiiv,
ib. II. 339. The phrase * too far for returning' is then an effective
and ironic reference to the destined destruction of the Argive
leaders. [Verrall's suggestion to put a full stop at cj)pfvS)p is open
to two objections : the first clause becomes obscure, and the second
unconnected.]
615. 'I look for him not even to attack.'
|it)5€, the negative in Or. Obi., is normally ov : but with many
verbs of thinking firj is occasionally found in Attic, even in prose,
especially where (as here) there is a feeling of confident belief or
expectation : TreVf to-fxai iXTjSt'va ahiKtiv, Plat. Apol. y] A ; ol^iai av
jXTjStva arreiTrelj/, Dem. Andr. § 597 J vop-icravTes \ii\ av eri, iKavol
yevea-dai, Thuc. 6. I02. See 37, 429.
Notice SoKto in the personalized sense ' I think '= 8oKel fioi.
616. MSS. all read a6vp.os, which some editors retain : but the
change of construction is then most harsh; and the mistake probably
arose from the following olb(v, which seemed to some copyist to be
naturally preceded by a nominative in the antithetic clause.
617. 'But he knows how he is doomed to die in the fight,' and
therefore the struggle is useless. He did not strictly ' die in the
fight ' because the earth swallowed him : but the expression is
natural enough and needs no alteration. o-4>€ must mean ' him '
not ' them ' (Verrall) : it would be harsh to have it twice in three
lines in different senses.
619. 'And he is wont to keep silence or to speak wisely,' a line
of grave irony which has been misunderstood, Amphiaraos must
die if Apollo's word is true : and if the god speaks he does not speak
39
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
folly : an effective meiosis, meaning the god's word is sure. Ritschl
and Weil defer the hne, applying it to Lasthenes !
620. op,ws 8€, ' but yet,' i. e. though he will probably not attack,
and so the opponent not be needed. The o/nwr hi really answers
hoKO) fiev, 615.
621. The fierce warrior is called ' no hospitable warder ' : another
touch of grim irony.
622. Wellauer's <|>v«i is no doubt right for the ^vaei of M and the
4>€pci of other MSS. The paratactic construction is common in
Aeschylus (as in Homer): ol8ev (617) and ^paSCverai (623) are
examples.
623. MSS. read irobayKts op.}in, ' a swift-foot ' eye, 'swift-racing'
eye : a grotesque and harsh figure, which it is difficult to believe
Aeschylus wrote, though he is unusually daring in figures. Weil's
olixa is a fine conjecture : the word is used by Homer of a lion olixa
\iovTos ex*^"} II- ^6. 752) and of an eagle, aUrov otnar tx^" ^eXawy,
ib. 21. 252 : and I have followed Wecklein in adopting it here.
The meaning is then ' swift-footed was his rush,' ' nor slow his
hand,' &c.
624. * To pluck his unsheathed sword from beside his shield,' i. e.
from the scabbard on the le/i side.
86pw here means 'a sword,' a rare use, but undoubtedly found
Ag. 1 149, where Kassandra, foreseeing her own death, says, e'/xo'i Se
n'nivei (rx^o-fxas dn<f)r]K€i Sopl. [The weapon with which the murder of
Agamemnon and Kassandra was committed was a sword (not, as
often supposed, an axe), as is plain from (fida-yavov, Ag. 1262 ;
$i4>€i, 135 1 ; ^i(})o8r]Xi]Tos, 1528 ; and particularly Alyiadov $i(l>os,
Cho. loii. Also cr;^i(r/xo? is more appropriate to a sword: and
dn(f)r)Kr)s is the regular epithet for ^Ifftos from Homer on.]
In the same way the sword with which Aias killed himself is
called by Sophokles indifferently ^icf>os (828), (fida-yavoi/ (834), eyxos
(658, 907), and even /Se'Xo? (658).
[Many take 86pv as ' spear ' : but yvfivadev suits a sword better.]
{Lasthenes goes out.]
628. M reads tKTpenovrfs yds iirinoXovs: and a late corrector
writes els over the last word. In any case a preposition is required,
and els is the right one. Cf. Ag. 1464 p,r]8' els 'EXevrjv kotov eKrpeyj/rjs;
Eur. Supp. 483 TO dvarvxes 8e tovt es aXXov (KTperrei. Some late
MSS. give nposi unmetrical, but a sign that the need of a preposi-
tion was felt. Some edd. (Wecklein, Campbell, &c.) omit yds
(reading Kkvova, 565) : but firip.6\ovs is rather harsh without
a noun, and I prefer Hermann's restoration both here and in the
strophe.
629. irvpYwv 8' tKToOev, 'from without the ramparts,' i.e. when
they are assailing the walls, and before they can enter: exactly
what happened to Kapaneus.
40
NOTES. Lines 620-642
631. t6v8' (MSS.) can hardly be right of an absent man: I take
Blomfield's tov r : the formal repetition of toj/ suits the importance
of the announcement.
633. The original reading of M oidy y is clearly a corruption, as
ye here is weak. The later alteration oias is plainly right. * What
fate he invokes with curses on the city.'
634. The prayer begins here : ' to set foot on the rampart,' &c.
Kd-iriK-qpvxOcis means simply ' and be proclaimed,' i. e. as conqueror
and restored prince : though, as the word is generally used of pro-
claiming against {davarov, C^iJ-iav, ;^pi7/Liara, the latter meaning ' to
set a price on '), there is a sinister association in its use here, which
is most appropriate to the king who is proclaimed at the point of
the sword.
635. dXcoo-i-nov TTttiav', 'a triumph-song of capture.'
There is no dislocation of the order here, as some have supposed.
Polyneikes imagines himself climbing the wall, proclaiming himself
victor, raising the paean, and meeting his brother in fight and de-
feating him, and being slain himself. The proclamation and paean
are the confident defiance before the battle.
636. ^v|X(t>cp€a-9ai, ' to close.'
637. The manuscript reading tco? dvBprjXdrriv (or tw? cr') can no
doubt be translated : * or sparing thy life, who dishonouredst and
dravest him forth, so with exile in like manner to requite thee ' [ht.
or thee, living, his dishonourer, his banisher, so to banish, &c.] :
but in this case rw? is most harshly out of place.
I therefore follow Blomfield, Paley, and Wecklein in reading
dv8pT]\aTwv : * or sparing thy life, who didst dishonour him, so to
drive thee forth and with exile in like manner to requite thee.'
Madvig's a-ws drSp/jXarj^r makes an ingenious antithesis : but the
phrasing is harsh and improbable.
640. eiroTTT-fipas Xituv t«v wv yevla-Qai irdYX'^j ' to look with all
favour on his prayers.'
641. IIoXvveiKous Pia : the formal Epic title, and the deferring
of the name, ends the passage with a certain stateliness. The line
has been suspected, but is surely genuine.
[The correction of /Si'a to /3ia in M is a pure mistake. The schol.
has the same error.]
642. M reads svkvkXov, the regular Epic epithet of aaKos, already
used 590. The scholiast of M suggests evdemv, which he explains
as 'light,' 'easily wielded,' evfiaa-TaKTov. The later MSS. are
divided between these readings, though most modern editors adopt
evderou.
It is not easy to decide : but if we read fvdtTov it will hardly bear
the schol.'s meaning, and should rather be rendered ' suitable,'
' convenient.' Moreover, as to the authority of the scholiast, it
should be observed that where he explains a different reading to the
text, and does not refer to the question of reading, he is transcribing
41
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
a note on another and frequently an older reading : where, as here,
he says Yptt<|>e evderov ('read evderov'), he shows that he is dealing
with the text before him, and his suggested reading may be only
his own conjecture : as is probably the case on lin« 222, where for
aTTToufvov the schol. says •ypa^e Tv(p6nfvov.
I therefore prefer and adopt €vkvk\ov.
643. 'jTpoo-n.€jjiifixavTj|ji€vov, ' rivetted on,' see 541.
644. IBeiv : epexegetic, lit. 'a warrior to behold.' Translate * The
form of a warrior in beaten gold.'
645. o-w<|>p6vtos TiYov|A€vitj, * with stately mien advancing.' (rwcfypav
describes anything the opposite of violent, wild, passionate, reckless :
here it refers to the ' quiet majesty ' of the figure.
Tjyovfjievr) has been suspected, and it is unusual with ayei : but the
former means that she comes first, the latter that she takes the
warrior by the hand. fjpTVfievr] or rja-Krjfievr] (Butler) would simply
mean ' soberly dressed ' : a much inferior sense.
646. TO. Ypa(Ji|JiaTa, 'the legend' or inscription.
647. Kard^w 8', 'and I will bring back': the 'and' is required
because the legend says ' I am Justice and I will bring,' &c.
Karaytiv, the regular word for bringing home an exile : the same
use of the prep, appears in KareMuv. So 660.
648. «maTpo<|>ai : lit. ' the moving about in, the dwelling in ' : so
^evoTifiovs 80/LKBj' eTTio-rpo^ay, Eum. 546, 'honourable entertainment';
^ovvofioi iiria-rpocjiai, Frag. 233, ' haunts of grazing kine ' ; baix
eTTiarpaxpcofifvov, Ag. 972, ' is at home again.' So here : ' he shall
rule his city and dwell in his father's house.'
649. €Keiv(ov : i. e. all the seven warriors : he has finished his
message now (the finding of an opponent for Polyneikes is, as he
says, Eteokles' business). iiivp-f\]s.aTa are the ' devices ' on their
shields.
650-2. These lines have been suspected of interpolation because
of the repetition. But the repetition (characteristic of Aesch., see
591) is quite natural here after the intervening remark as ovwor . . .
fifixyf/(u The general sense is : ' I have described the seven warriors
(649) : it is your office to choose an opponent for Polyneikes : my
tale you will find true : it is yours to judge how to rule your city.'
651. dv&pi T(u5€, ' myself,' as frequently.
653. Ocofjiavts : masc, 'stricken with madness by the gods.' The
word is always so used ; and the schol. is simply mistaken in trans-
lating 'raging against the gods.' The first line is of course an
apostrophe to the absent Polyneikes.
654. djxov: see 417. 'Our all-hapless stock, sprung from
Oidipous.'
657. 'Lest a more intolerable woe spring from it' ; i.e. lest his
weakness should destroy the spirit of the defenders, and so all be
lost. 760s, 'lament,' is easily used for 'woe.'
658. no\vveiK£i,, the reading of M, is probably right. A similar
42
NOTES. Lines 643-680
attraction is found e. g. Dem. 388 irepl rwv^e twv eyyvs koi fiei^ovav,
\€yu> 8e #b)Kca>v ; id. 96 Trop' o)v av eKaaroi dwcovrai, toijto)v twp rrjv
'Acriav oIkovvt<ov Xeyco ; Soph. Ai. 569 fitjTpi t 'EpiBoia Xe'yo). At the
same time, as M apparently has been corrected, and the other
MSS. have mostly JJoXweiKi], it is impossible to be confident.
661. <|)\i)ovTtt o-tiv <}>oiTa) 4)p€v«v, 'with vain and witless vaunt.*
The alliteration is contemptuous, as in O. T. 371 rvcpXos rd t Situ
TOP re voiv rd t ofiiiar et ; ib. 425 a <T e^icrwcrei <To'i re Ka\ Tois aois ;
Ai. 1 112 oi novov TToXXoO TrXew.
664. <j>ijy6vto fAT)Tp60€v o-KOTov '. 1. e. ' wlicn he escaped from the
dark womb of his mother.'
666. ' Nor when the hair thickened on his chin,' grandiose ex-
pression for manhood. Ytvtiov is gen. depending on the whole
expression ^vWoyrj TpixoypnTos.
667. KaTT)Siw(roTo, ' deemed him worthy,' i. e. worthy of her
regard.
668. KaKouxi? • a rare word, meaning ' ill-handling,' ' maltreating.'
The dictionaries quote only one other classical instance, in Plat.
Rep. 615 B, 'betraying cities or armies, bringing them into slavery,
or being guilty of any other kukovx^ci' The later verb KOKovx^oi has
a corresponding meaning.
670. iravSiKws, properly ' duly,' * rightly,' is rather a favourite
word with Aeschylus, and seems often to mean hardly more than
'completely,' 'utterly,' 'fully': iravSUais eiaf^rjs, Supp. 419; nav-
bUdjs p.ffxvrifj.€vns, Cho. 68 1. So here it means 'utterly false to her
name,' though no doubt there is a certain grim irony in the phrase
i7av8iK(os -^(vSmwiios Aikt], the Oxymoron heightening the effect.
672. ^vo-TTiCTO(jiai, * will face him ' : the verb recurs below, divided.
674. The dative here does not require a preposition, as a-varrja-o-
fiai has so lately occurred : in the next line the a-vv reappears as prep.
676. This line has been needlessly suspected and emended,
though we must restore neTpav, 'stones,' from ntTpos, instead of
TTtTpav, ' rocks,' from ntrpa.
* Quick bring my greaves, defence against the spear and stones.'
The stones are the _\<p^S' oKpioeaaav, 300.
678. Ttp KctKiaT* atiSwiAt'vtt) : taken passive by some, either * called
by the worst name (Polyneikes),' an obscure and rather ineffective
expression, or * ill spoken of,' which is still less satisfactory. Her-
mann is no doubt right in taking it middle, ' him who utters such
dread words,' referring to Polyneikes' curses, 636 sqq. [Verrall
says 'there is no authority for a deponent avdwfjLni' : but besides
Eum. 380, Cho. 151, it occurs indisputably in Soph. Ai. 772, and
most probably in Phil. 130.]
680. alfia Yclp KaOipcriov, ' for there is blood to cleanse [that
slaughter],' i.e. that is ordinary slaughter which can be purified (by
the blood of a suckling, Eum. 450) : while the murder of a brother
43
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
is nv6evTr]s (or avroKTovos) (j)6vos, which has no purification. See
note on 734.
681. The anacoluthon here {nojtiinativus pendens) is dramatic,
'but the mutual slaughter of kinsmen ! — the stain of that pollution
ne'er grows old.' The same constr. is found Ag. 1008 /cat to \t.i.v
TTpo xP^f^i'Tcov KTrja-'icou oKvas ^a\a)V ovk eSv Trponas do/ios. See 734 ri.
683. ' If a man should have trouble, let him be without shame.'
The optative is the generalizing use, idiomatic in maxims even
where the principal verb is (as here) primary. Thus Thuc. 1. 120
(TOOCppOVCOV f(TTLV, (I fjifj dSlKotvTO, f](TVX(iCflV ', Sopll. Al. 521 XP^^"
fxvrjfjLrjv Trpo(Tf'ivai, rtpnvov ei ri nov irdOoi. So with Other than con-
ditional clauses, Antig. 666, O. T. 315, 979, Trach. 93, &c.
[Most edd. stop the line at the end : then earo) means ' let it be
so,' ' well and good ' : but this is not so pointed or natural, and the
schol. clearly had the other stopping : d oXas ns drvxel, KaXop to
8ixn alaxvvTjs.^
685. * But of things at once shameful and woful there is no glory
thou canst find.' The line has been needlessly suspected : the
sentiment is simple and fine : ' if you have to bear suffering, at
least be clear of shame : that (honour) is the only gain after death :
but where disgrace is added to suffering, there is no honour ' (none,
that is, in endurance of the suffering).
fiiKKfldv, not (VKXeiav, see note on 402.
[686-719. Second Epeisodion, Part II. In a dialogue from the
stage between Eteokles and Chorus, the latter endeavour to dis-
suade the king from his resolve to meet Polyneikes at the seventh
gate. They say it is a ' fatal and evil desire ' for an ' unholy blood-
shed ': it is no shame to him to save his life : fortune and fate may
change. Eteokles all through sees that his Fate is fixed, and
flinching or escape impossible. ' The curse of Oidipous cannot but
be fulfilled ' : and so he goes out to his death.]
686. OviioirXTiOTis SoptfjiapYos dra : loaded and powerful phrase, in
the poet's manner : ' fatal fury of battle mastering thy soul.'
690. Kt)iJ.a KcoKVToi) Xaxov, ' heir to Kokytos' wave,' another fine
imaginative phrase for ' doomed to death.'
691. *oiPa> (TTvyr\Q(v I referring to the 'ancient sin swiftly avenged'
of Laios (745), who disobeyed the thrice repeated oracle of Apollo
that he should save his city by dying childless, and in spite of it
begat a son Oidipous, who slew him.
692. tonoSaKTjs, ' fierce devouring ' : the schol. says aXoyos, ' un-
reasoning,' which need not (as some suppose) point to another
original reading, but is merely a tame paraphrase of to/^ioSa/oj?.
693. The schol. says iTTi6op.in rj mKpov t6v Kapnov i'xova-a, showing
that he read TriKpoKapiros : but the ace. makes a more effective
phrase.
695. M reads alcrxpa: but the reading e'x^p" of the later MSS. is
44
NOTES. Lines 681-705
certainly right, both on account of the sense, and the antithesis
to (f)i\ov.
[e and ai are the commonest confusion in MSS.]
TfXfi' apd (MSS.) cannot be sound, as the word is reXda. and the
elision impossible. I have adopted Weil's jieXaiv' which occurs 833
with TeXet'a as epithet of dpd. [Others prefer Wordsworth's cor-
rection rdXaiv which occurs Eur. Hipp. 1236 « irarpos rdXaiv' dpd ;
but rdXaiva is not SO good with exdpd.]
697" Xtyovtra KcpSos irpoTcpov ti<rT€pov |i6pov, * telling me of gam
first, and death afterward,' i. e. ' I shall first slay him, then be slain.'
The gen. is governed by npoTepov, and the ordinary phrase would
be Kfpdot TvpoTepov pnpov.
699. pCov €v KvpT|o-as, * having found happiness in thy Hfe,' the
aor. implies the change to happiness, ^[op is best taken as ace.
of respect : Kvpt'iv usually has gen. when it is transitive. The sense
is : 'do not go : none will call you coward, the gain to you is too
great, for you will purge your house of the curse.'
(tcXdvaiYis €K S'. MSS have peXdvaiyts 8' ovk, which is (with the true
reading 86p.a)v) no sense. Moreover, it does not correspond with
the antistrophe, which has the usual dochmiac -6oi BaXeparepa.
There can be little doubt that «k 8' (Weil and Weckl.) is right.
For the displacement of 8e see Cho. 519 ra fiojpa /xeiw 8' e'cm' ; Ag.
278 TTot'ov xpo*"*^ ^f 5 Probably ex 8' was written S' eV, then
S* OVK.
The alyls is the Homeric divine shield, worn by Zeus and Athene;
it was conceived as metal made by Hephaistos. Originally it was
probably an imaginative rendering of the storm-cloud (diWu), but
was later conceived as a goat-skin {aly-). Here it has perhaps its
earlier associations and means ' black-storm-clad Erinys.'
701. i.e. if Eteokles declines the combat, the house can be
purified of the 'Eptvuj or curse by sacrifice.
703. This line is obscure, and has been variously interpreted :
but the simplest and best sense is : — ' but the boon [to my country]
from my death shall be praised,' i. e. in effect he says : ' The gods
have forgotten me — the sacrifices you speak of are vain — but my
death brings safety to the state and men will be grateful : why then
should I fawn upon death any more — why not march boldly to
face it ? '
This interpretation is substantially that of one scholiast, who says
p,ira. duvarov 'icrcos evKXeias Tfv^6ne6a. The vivid use of the present
6avpd^(TM in prophetic sense is idiomatic : xp'^"^ M*** dypfl ttoXiv,
Ag. 126 ; 01 eTTtKpati'et, Eum. 950 ; rlva ixe (firjs fx^'^ ^^P"-"' Eum. 892.
704. tC ovv. The hiatus seems to have been allowed in Attic
after rt, see 208.
o-aivoiixev : the idea is that of conciliating a fierce foe, as opposed
Xo fighting him.
705. vOv ore . . ., i.e. vvv [o-aiVots av\ ore. ' Ay, do so now, when he
45
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
(the fiopos) is at hand.' The danger is close : yield and avoid it :
soon fate may be kinder to you : now it is threatening.
SoCfitovhas been suspected (H.) because it is a spondee, while
KfK\Tj- 698 is an iambus, but this is the well-known ' irrational ' long
syllable of the dochmiac. So Eum. 266 (fxpoi^av ^oa-Kav.
706. XrijAaTOs €v Tpouaia. MSS. have ai/rponnia. The word must
be rporraia, ' shifting gale or breeze,' as we have cfiptvos Sv(rc^«^»)
rpoiraiav, Ag. 219. The previous word might be av (Heath) or iv
(Aid.). The latter is perhaps the most likely. The meaning will
then be, literally, ' In a changed breeze of spirit after long time
fortune may come, &c.' i. e. ' Fortune may change her spirit at
last, and come perchance, &c.' Some suppose XrjfiaTos to be ''your
spirit ' : but this would certainly require crow.
M reads da-Xwrepa with a single letter (no doubt X) erased : a later
hand corrects to daXepcorepa, read by the other MSS. The word in
Homer usually means ' rich,' ' big,' ' strong,' ' full ' (atCrjoi, p.r)po'i,
bciKpva, xaiV/j, yuos) : but it is applied (Od. 6. 66) to yapos apparently
in the sense of 'youthful,' 'fair,' and here it may be perhaps used to
mean ' soft,' ' gentle.' Other conjectures are deXepooTepco (Con.),
Xa\apo)T€pco (Herm.), poKaKarepa (Heimsoeth), but are less likely to
have been corrupted into daWcoTtpco. Still the word does not seem a
natural one : and of the conjectures Conington's is perhaps the best.
708. ^€1 : metaphorically, ' rages.'
709. M reads plural e^fCeaav, which Herm. retains on the ground
that Karevypara is personified. But it is more likely a mere slip for
i^ilea-iv I the neut. verbal is not easily personified. See note on 982.
This passage refers, doubtless, as Herm. suggests, to the lost
tragedy Oidipous, which preceded this play in the trilogy. What
the vision (o\^«£s) was which followed on the curse, we do not
exactly know : but it clearly foreshadowed the strife between the
brothers settled by the sword, as in 730-1, ' the cruel steel dividing
the goods.' So here the vision is called ' divider of our father's
wealth,' with the same grim irony.
713. XtYoiT* av u)v avT) Tis, ' Say aught that may be done,' i. e. don't
make a fruitless request to forbear what is resolved on. So of futile
plots awais 6' ovK. ea-crerai avrav, II. 2. 347 ; avr] means ' fulfilment.'
\eyoiT iiv is the common use of potential as mild imperative.
714. * Go not thou forth on this errand at the seventh gate ' : the
common poetic use of preposition of rest with verb of motion,
originally Epic, see note on 403.
716.' Yet victory even though base the god honours,' i. e. The thing
is to conquer, even if you do shirk personal conflict. This is quite
in harmony with their previous advice : ' Don't commit the sin of
shedding a brother's blood (682) : . . . 'tis enough for Thebans to
fight Argives (679) : retire now, presently the gods will be appeased
and the fury depart (700).'
[The schol. takes the vIkt) to be Eteokles' victory over Polyneikes,
46
NOTES. Lines 706-727
and so is forced to take the line as question, or translate rt/xa,
' punishes,' which is quite impossible. Paley and Verrall take koki)
viKX] to mean * defeat,' which is very harsh and obscure.
The Chorus are urging Eteokles to keep aloof from the fight : this
may be cowardly, but the battle will be won, which is the main thing.
So a lie told in order to succeed is similarly justified Frag. 273
{•^ivhuiv 8e Kaipbv etr^' ottov Tifia ^eos) quoted by Weil, who however
gives 716 to Eteokles.]
718. 8ptv|;ao-8at, ' to pluck ' ; a bold metaphor for 'taking a life.'
719. tKc|)tiYois : the generalizing 'you,' as in English. So Soph.
Antig. 476 nKfi(TT civ da-idois. The alteration iK(f)vyoi could only mean
' he ' (Polyn.) shall not escape : a very much inferior sense. Eteokles
treats his fight as a duty, and the impending death as a fate.
\Eteokles goes out to his death^
[720-91. Second Stasimon. I fear the fatal Curse of Oidipous :
the Sword shall divide the heritage, and leave then enough land for
a grave (720-33). Once the blood shed on earth, there is no
cleansing more. Alas, for new woes mingled with the old : for
ancient was the Sin — the curse abiding to the third generation —
the sin of Laios who disobeyed Apollo (734-49). He begat a son —
death to himself and shame to the queen : a sea of troubles surges
round the ship of state — a slender defence : I fear lest it founder
(750-65). For the curse comes to pass, yet the ill i^ still there :
our wealth is lost in the storm : for who was greater thftin Oidipous,
who slew the Sphinx ? but when he came to know of his marriage,
in frenzy he blinded his eyes, and cursed his sons, in anger for their
neglect, that one day they should divide their heritage with the
sword : and now I fear Erinys will bring it to pass ! (766-91).]
720. •nk^^y.Ko. Tclv . . .'Epivvv TeXe'trai. The sentence begins as though
^'E.pivvv was object-accus. to TvecfypiKa, and finally develops by the
addition of rtXeaai into a full-blown accus. with infinitive. So
exactly in Homer Od. 22. 40 ovre BfSav delaavres . . . | ovre nv dvdpcoTrcov
Vfp.ecriv KaroniaBtv eaea-dai. II. 5. 60I oiov Bfj 6avpdCop.€p'''EKTOpa dinv |
alxfiTjTrjv tpfvai. * I shudder at her, the power divine unlike to gods,
who lays low the house, unerring prophetess of woe, Erinys of a
father's prayer, that she should accomplish the wrathful curses of
frenzied Oidipous.'
726. iraiBoXtTwp, ' deadly to his sons.' oTpvvei, * urges * them :
the object understood out of TraiSoXerop.
727-33. The general sense is, 'The sword shall divide the
inheritance and leave to each brother land enough— for a grave ! '
This is imaginatively heightened with unusual audacity of
personification : —
' 'Tis a stranger awards the portions,
Chalybos, offshoot of Scythians,
47
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
an evil divider of the goods,
the relentless Iron : —
dealing them a lot wherein to dwell,
land they shall hold even in death,
no lords of wide estates ! '
The Chafybes i^akv^oi is the rarer form, Ale. 980) are described by
Xenophon (Anab. 5. 5. i) as being west of Mosynoikoi, i. e. just east
of Cappadocia and on the south coast of the Euxine. Strabo (549)
describes the country as a narrow strip of coast, with the ironstone
hills behind. The people are from Aeschylus' time known as iron
workers, and the word x"^^^ is used for the metal. Aeschylus
(Prom. 714), as here, connects them with the Scythians, and places
them (wrongly) on the north coast of the Euxine.
731. The construction is fiiaTrijXas, 'having allotted' them {avrois
understood), x^o"" vauiv, 'land to dwell in,' (moaav Kartxtiv, 'so
much as they can hold,' Kal cjydiixepoiai, ' even when dead.' For the
inf. (abridged consec. after onoaav for TO(ravTt)v mare) compare oaop
oTTof^j', Thuc. I. 2, and the common use with olos and inf. ^BiyLevoiai
is in strict agreement (by attraction) with the (understood) dat. after
biaTTrjKai, while afioipovs reverts to the ace. and inf. as often. So
ao\ 8e crvYyvajiT] Xeyeiv . . . firj irdcrxovcrav, Eur. Med. 814.
734. ' But when they have perished, slain by a brother's hand.'
The compounds of avros {airoKTovos, avToCJiopos, airoSaiicTOS, alroxfip,
avdfVTrjt) are used for ' the murder of kinsman by kinsman,' to the
Greek idea a far more awful pollution than mere murder of an out-
sider. So avTocjiova koko. (of the Pelopid crimes), Ag. 1091 ; avro-
KTovovvre (of these two brothers), Antig. 56 ; tUvoh npoa^aXtiv x^P
avToKTovov (of Medeia), Eur. Med. 1254 ; and in this play, 6S1, 810.
The clearest instance is Antig. 1175, where the messenger reports
Haemon's suicide with the words airoxfip alpdaa-frai, on which the
Chorus asks whether was it by his father's hand or his own :
showing that ahrox'^ip includes both.
736. MSS. read Kai xBovia, which does not metrically correspond
to aloiva S' eV, 744. x^*'*'"' ^^ no doubt corrupt ; two schol. explain
it by warpcoa kopis and narpia yrj. Weil suggests veprepa, Francken
irnTpia, Hermann yO'ia' The last is the best : for H. quotes an
(emended) note of Hesychius, yata kovis' f) yrj, which strongly con-
firms the conjecture. Accordingly I have adopted it.
The thought, ' when earth has drunk the murdered blood, there
is no cure,' is a favourite one with Aeschylus : t6 8' en), yav ireubv
ana^ . . , fieXav alp.a ris av irakiv dyKn\i(Tai.T tnatiSayV, Ag. IO19 ;
Ti yap Xvrpov Treaovros alp-aros TreSot ; Cho. 48 ^ aifia firfrpaov x^M**'
dvaayKopia-rov, Eum. 26 1.
742. TraXaiYevfj is emphatic, and connects with TroXatoTo-t, 740.
* Ay, from old was the transgression I tell of, swiftly avenged— to
the third generation the curse abides — when,' &c. Laios was
48
NOTES. Lines 731-759
warned thrice he should not beget a son : he disobeyed and
perished : his son, Oidipous, slew him and wedded his mother,
and became accursed, blind, outcast, and wretched : and now
Oidipous' sons are gone to their last battle, where they shall die by
each other's hands. Thus the curse is at once n-aXfuyevijs' and
(OKviroivof,
746. pCcj governs 'AiroXXcovos, *in despite of Apollo, albeit he
thrice declared,' &.c.
749. a-foifiv : the * prophetic ' use of the present where we should
use the future ; see note on 429. It belongs to the same gram-
matical use as the aorist examples there given. So Plat. Gorg. 520 E
fifj ({)duai av(jiPovXcv€iv eav fit] ris SiSa, &c. Translate * If he died
without issue he should save.'
[(Ittovtos might also be taken in the common sense 'ordered,'
but the participle is then less natural ; the sense is harsher if we
take it ' told him to save his city by dying without issue.']
750. KpaTT]6€ls 8'. The S' is grammatically superfluous, as iyd-
vaTo is the principal verb, but quite idiomatic, for the sense is
'though Apollo told him . . . , yet.' So Xen. Mem. 3. 7. 8 6avfjid(oy
(Tov fl sKfLvovs padims \€ipoviJ.evos toijtois 8i prjBeva rpoTTov otet, &C.
m reads d^ovXlav. Hence Dind. suggests dpovXiav, which gives
grammar and sense : * prevailed on by ill-counsel of those he loved,'
i. e. by lokaste, his wife, who wished for a son. The plural ^iXmv
veils the reference to lokaste. €k, poetic for vtt6 or dat. instr.
751. jji€v. The sense supplies the antithesis: * he begat him
indeed) but it was his ruin, and endless woes sprang from it.'
753. p,aTp6s, M, is undoubtedly the true reading. The ingenious
lif) irpos of the later MSS. was probably invented to give an easier
construction to piCav: but with fiarpos the phrase is finer and
simpler. Moreover, the regular poet, phrase is cnreipeiv SXoKa, vewv,
apovpav, &c. : * Who sowed the sacred furrow of his mother, where
he was reared — a murderous planting — and bare the ill.' The
second accusative is somewhat boldly used by a sort of extension
of cognate use, but the sense is clear and effective.
756. €TXa expresses at once the horror of the deed and the
ignorance and innocence of Oedipus. The verb is occasionally used
by poets vi\\h. participle \ raSe T€TXap,fv daopoavrfs, Od. 20. 311 ;
TXrjpai ere bpacrav, Soph. El. 943 ; but here the connexion with the
participle is less close.
' 'Twas frenzy brought together the wedded pair distraught.'
Some refer this (Schiitz, Weil, Verrall) to Latos and lokaste ; but both
the position of the sentence and the word vvpcf)iovs point clearly to
Oidipous. It was Oidipous, not Laios, whose bridal was disastrous.
758. utrirtp : adverbial as often, ' as it were.' Plat. Phaedr. 260 E
aanep aKoiifiv Sokw tivCov ■npotnovrwv ; Phaed. 88 D 6 \6yos aanep
vnepvrjae pe,
759. deipei : reverting to the nom. ddXaaaa : irregular but natural
AESCH. S.C.T. 49 •^
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
760. TpixaXov : lit. 'with three talons' (x^^^), bold expressive
word for the threefold, cruel, curving wave. So rpiKVfiia kukcov,
Prom. 1 01 5. The still common belief that the big waves come in
threes (of which the last is the largest) appears also among the
Greeks, Eur. Hipp. 1213, Tro. 83, and Plato uses it twice meta-
phorically. Rep. 472 A, Euth. 293 A. The former is the most
explicit : fioyis ytoi rw bvo Kiifxare fK<pvy6vTi vvv to /xeyiorov Ka\ ;^a\6-
TvcoTcirov rris TpiKvfjiias iirdyeis,
Kttl irepl irpvpivav, ' about the very stern.' kqI emphatic : the
city is shaken to its very helm. Cf. line 2 ev Trpvixvij noXecos otaKa
762-3. With the manuscript text these two lines are best rendered
* And betwixt, a narrow defence, stretches the rampart in the wide
space.' If this is right, he is thinking of his metaphor still, and the
wall of the city is the narrow plank of the labouring ship in the
wide sea. But fiera^v 8' oXko. does not metrically correspond to
a-TTfipas apovpav of the strophe ;• and iv evpei, ' in the width,' is a very
unusual expression : both suspicious points. There are many
suggestions, perhaps the best being fiera^v 8' otbpa bC okiyov rtivfi
TTvpyos ipvKeiv (Weil). Perhaps for fura^v we might read the
Homeric ptcra-rjyii : the metre is then right, but the whole change
too great to be certain. Wecklein ingeniously suggests that pLfra^v
is a gloss to explain 81' okiyov : but his emendation okKo. be Xaivos
oKiyo) reivfi Trvpyos fv (vpei. involves the very prosaic dXiyco iv evpei
for ' narrow.'
766. 'For 'tis brought to pass — the woful reconciliation of the
ancient curse,' i.e. the reconciliation of Death prophesied in
Oedipus' curse. So below 884 8ir[k\axQe avv criSapw. Dindorf (and
W. Headlam independently) propose Tikfiav. This makes good
sense, 'for of the ancient curse fulfilled, the reconcilement is
grievous ' ; but the nominative reXfiai is better, since ' the recon-
cilement ' is (in the imaginative and pathetic irony of the Chorus'
expression) the very death which was the point of the prophecy :
whereas in Dindorf s reading the 'reconcilement' has a far less
significant and efifective sense. It may be observed also that the
false reading of the MSS. apai confirms re'Xetai, which word was the
cause of the corruption of apuj/ to the nom.
[Verrall takes KnraiCKayai to mean ' barter,' and retains apai : but,
besides other difficulties, the meaning in fifth-century Greek of
both KaraXXacro-co and KaToiCKayr] seems to be always ' reconciliation.']
767-70. ' But the woe when it comes doth not pass away : but
the wealth of eager men too lavishly heaped up is utterly cast over-
board.'
ireXonsva, ' coming,' in the Homeric sense, like yr\pai Koi ffdvaros
TO t' fV dt/dpODTTOKTi TIfkoVTai, Od. 13- 60.
irpoirpvuva : adv. from npvp.v6s, ' last,' ' lowest,' * bottom-most ' ;
so it means literally ' forth from the very bottom,' * utterly ' ; like
npoppiCoSf also used neut. as adv. in this sense.
50
NOTES. Lines 760-772
aX<f)r](TTrj<!, the Epic epithet of ' men,' disputed in meaning : some
take it from dX<pdpa), ' to increase,' in the sense given above.
' greedy,' ' eager,' ' gainful ' ; others from (*X0t, (8- ' corn-eating,'
like the common Homeric epithet of ' men,' (t'ltov edovTfs. It would
seem from this passage as if Aeschylus' use supported the first
etymology.
The connexion of thought is then : * One woe follows another
like waves (758) ; I fear the city is doomed (764) ; for the curse is
now accomplished, and yet the evil passes not away : the heaped-
up wealth is utterly lost in the storm ' ; the last sentence giving (in
the sea-metaphor still continued) the common Greek thought how
' Prosperity is brought low : for who ' (as they continue) ' was so
great as Oidipous ? '
[The very ingenious suggestion of Buchler, adopted by Wecklein,
Ttfvofifvovs for TTfXofifv ov appears at first sight attractive : ' Ruin
strikes no^ the poo7; but 'tis overmuch wealth that is lost,' is
a thoroughly Greek and Aeschylean idea (cf. Ag. 1001-13). But
the decisive point against it is that he could not have emphasized
the escape of the poor from calamity immediately after saying
' I fear lest with the kings the city perish^ (764).]
772. MSS. read:
TiV dp8pS)V yap rocrovb fdavfiaaav
6eo\ Kai ^vveoTTioi r:o\fa>s
TToKv^oTos T alibv ^poTau . . .
UoXeas is metrically equivalent to rd 8' dXnd in the strophe, but
probably Dind. (Herm., Weckl.) is right in reading uoXeos 6, which
makes the correspondence exact.
For the meaningless and unmetrical ttoXv^otos t alav, I take
iroXvParos r (Blomf.) and (xywv (Weil). One of the interpretations
given by the scholia is 6 vno iroXXav (p.^aT(v6yLevoi dvhpSav, which
points to an old reading TroXu^aroy. dyav means ' assemblage,'
which was its earliest meaning {veav iv dyavi, Iliad 15. 428 ; ddov
dywva, 7. 298).
The whole passage then means : * For what man was so honoured
by gods, and dwellers in the city's homes, and the thronged gather-
ing of men?' i.e. by gods, and citizens, and all men. The gods'
honour must mean ' prosperity.'
But though dfol is the reading of all MSS., and is recognized in
the scholia, it is difficult to believe that Aeschylus wrote deal idav-
fj-na-av of the incestuous parricide, Oidipous. The gods at least
knew the truth.
Paley suggests $evoi koX ^wio-noi : Wecklein still better oOvetot
^vvfcmoi, which makes a simpler sense and better balanced sentence.
' For who was so honoured by strangers sharing the homes of the
city, and the thronged gathering of men ? ' i. e. by strangers and
citizens alike.
51 E 2
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
But in the absence of any confirming evidence, odvfioi is hardly
near enough to 6(oi to justify the change of the text. So I
leave it.
776. ' The deadly pest, the destroyer of men,' is the Sphinx, who
seized ((S/jtt-) and devoured those who could not answer her riddle,
and from whom Oidipous delivered Thebes.
778. dpTi<|>po)v : lit. ' sensible,' ' rightly-knowing,' i. e. ' when he
came to know.' The word is best taken with ydfiav : ' But when
the hapless man came to know his ill-starred marriage.'
784. Kp€io-o-oT«Kvwv (apparently read also by schol.) is m's cor-
rection of M, who wrote Kpfia-aco rinvuiv, which has no meaning.
It must mean * better than his children,' a sort of grim irony,
inverting the ordinary idea of 'dearer than the eyes' (see 530^,
because his children were his shame and sorrow. The word,
though of unexampled formation, makes an effective sense, and
is probably a genuine audacity of the poet.
€17X0,7x6^ '■ lit. ' went astray from,' i. e. ' lost,' a euphemism. So
Pindar (of Tantalos with the stone hanging over his head, Ol. I. 94)
ev<j)poavvas aXarai,
785. MSS. have dpalas, which is impossible with apas. Hermann
corrects reKvounv S' apas, accepted by many edd. But a better
emendation is Francken's d-ypCas for apai'as-, also hit upon by E. L.
Lushington.
786. ciriKOTovs Tpo<J!as. The phrase (which contains Aeschylus'
version of the reason for Oidipous' curse) is obscure. Two reasons
are assigned in the Cyclic poem Thebaisior the curses, given (in the
fragments which survive) as follows (see Introduction, pp. viii, xii) : —
(i) Oidipous had forbidden his sons to set before him the silver
table and golden cup of Kadmos, but one day Polyneikes did so.
Then Oidipous ' uttered grievous curses betwixt the twain, and the
Erinys heard ; that not in love should they divide their heritage,
but war and fight should be ever between them.' (Quoted by
Athenaeus, 12. 465.)
(2) The sons were accustomed to send Oidipous the shoulder of
the victim when they sacrificed : one day they sent the loin (tVxioi')
instead. Oidipous cried out ' that they had done it to insult him,
and prayed to Zeus and the other immortals that by each others'
hands they should go down to Hades.'
The scholiast on Oed. Col. 1378, who quotes this latter account,
expressly adds ' Aeschylus also in the 'Ettt' eVi Q^^as has followed
the Epic poet.' It is probable that Aeschylus had these traditions
in view, but uses rpo^^ in the more general sense of * tendance.'
We may translate then ' Wroth for their neglect.'
tiTiKOTovs : the epithet is poetically transferred from the man to the
curse : but there is no need to read eniKOTos with Heath.
[Herm., Schiitz, and others take rpot^as, 'for having reared them,'
but this is harsh, and the evidence of the Thebais is strong against
52
NOTES. Lines 776-800
it. Moreover it is far more natural that wrath (imKOTovg) and
curses (dpas) should be called forth by some ofifence on the part
of the sons.]
788. Kai is * and ' : it could not be ' even ' or ' also ' before enclitic :
it is used here (with a certain looseness, but not unnaturally) as an
explanation : * curses of bitter words, and that they should . . .,'
i. e. ' namely.'
791. Kajjiil/iiT-ovs, 'nimble.'
[As the Chorus-song ends, the messenger from the city gates comes
in, and tells the result 0/ the seven fights to the Chorus^
[792-821. Third Epeisodion. A very brief scene. The
messenger reports that the city is safe, and the defence has been
successful : all is well at six gates : the seventh Apollo took charge
of, fulfilling the fated penalty for Laios' sin. The Chorus ask what
has happened : he tells them of the death of the two brothers by
each others' hands, and the ruin of the royal race, ending with
a soothing word about the welfare of the city and the funeral of the
princes.]
792. p.T)T€p<ov TcOpap,|x.(vai, ' children of a mother's rearing,' i. e. not
trained to endurance, of true womanly timidity, a taunt for their
outpouring of terrors : he had heard them say vvv 8e rpeco, &c.
(790).
795. €v evZlcf. re : i. e. ecrrt, ' is in fair weather,' 'enjoys fair weather '
again.
797. <|>ep€YY^ois : lit. 'giving a pledge,' i.e. 'trusty.'
800. ipSoftaY(Tir]s. An obscure Doric name of Apollo, meaning
' Seventh leader ' or ' Leader of the Seventh.' Apollo was said
by Hesiod (Op. 768) to have been born on the seventh of the
month : i^86fxr] Ufjov Tjfxap, tji yap 'ATToXXcojin ;^pv(raopn yeii/aro Ajjtco.
So Herod, tells us that the Spartans offered sacrifices to Apollo on
the seventh day (6. 57). Plutarch (Quaest. Symp. 8. i. 2) repeats
the story of his birth on the seventh and says the priests called him
((:i8opayevr]s (' born on the seventh '), a word which Hartung would
restore here (esp. as the schol. here explains e^doiJuiyeTTjs as ' born
on the seventh,' a meaning which it cannot possibly have). If
Aeschylus wrote f^bopayevrjs it is very unlikely it should have been
corrupted into the obscure word in the text. The latter is far more
probably the true form of some old Doric title. Possibly as the
seventh day was lucky, being Apollo's birthday, the god may have
been invoked as ' leader of the seventh ' to bless enterprises begun
on that day ; just as he is also called dpxrjyeTrjs (Thuc. 6. 3 ; Pind.
Pyth. 5. 56) as the protector of new settlements. If so, the word
suits excellently the passage before us : Apollo, ' Leader of the
Seventh,' is the unseen director of the fight at the seventh gate. It
is well known how the Greeks felt the mysterious significance
attached to coincidence of names. So Helene was iXe-ras, Ag. 689 ;
53
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
Az'as was a fit person ald(eiv, Soph. Ai. 432 ; and the significance of
the name no\vvfiKr]s is here and elsewhere alluded to.
801. tiXtr, 'took to himself,' 'took charge of,' i.e. directed the
combat between the brothers, ending in the death of both, and
the fulfilment of his prophecy.
802. Svo-povXias, * ill counsel,' a euphemism for his sin in dis-
regarding the oracle, 742. Apollo ' accomplishes ' (KpaCvwv) the sin
by directing this fatal combat, which was a consequence of it.
803. vc6kotov, ' strange,' ' new ' ; poetic variant for commoner
prose word dWoKoros (Thuc, Plat., &c.).
804-21. The arrangement in the text is Weil's, and gives the best
sense : the figures in the text and critical notes show sufficiently the
manuscript order and the reasons for rearrangement.
804. This line, ejected by Porson, is the natural beginning for
one who wishes to break the ill news ; it recurs (almost the same)
820, where it is far less in place, and should certainly be rejected.
805. The question is dramatic: |3ao-tXeer 6/;iotr7ropoi is clear enough,
but the Chorus will have all clearly said.
806. <|>povoOo-a : emphatic, in reference to irapa^pova, * hear now
and understand'
808. 'And in truth [not doubtfully] right sorely buffeted with
blows.' ffTToSeo) is a forcible word, mostly used in comedy for
' bang,' * beat.' Aeschylus uses it again Ag. 670 of the Argive host
' battered ' by the storm at sea.
809. M gives €K€i6i. Kcio-Oov ; * do they lie there ? ' The first
corrector m gives eKtWi k^X6ov, by which he must have meant ' did
they even come to that ? ' If we adopt this we must certainly read
QKetcre: but the reading of M is better and easier sense. fKtWt is
a Homeric form.
papca 8' ovv, ' anyhow, grievous though it be, yet tell the tale.'
810. This line in MSS. comes after 804 ; but fidvTis flfii 807 shows
that the tragedy is yet untold.
811. I take Hartung's excellent correction avrois for the feeble
ovrwj of MSS., which has come from 813, where it is in place. The
middle eVaipo^m is Homeric, and is specially appropriate where the
slaughter is mutual. Also I follow A. Nauck in interchanging ayav
and ay.a at the end of this line and 813, a change which much
improves both: and with Weil I place here, after 811, the line
ireTTcoKev, &c., which in MSS, comes at the end of the scene.
Chorus. 'What? with kindred hands together they slew each
other?'
Messenger. ' Earth has drunk their blood shed by mutual
slaughter.'
Chortis. ' Thus Fate was too sorely alike to both ! '
Messenger. ' Nay, itself in sooth destroys the hapless race ! '
813. 6 SaCfiuv is not Apollo, as the schol. says, but the Fate of the
family personified as an evil Power.
54
NOTES. Lines 801-826
815. 8aKpij€o-9ai : middle, 'bewail': not found elsewhere except
in pf. BebdKpvfiai, ' I am in tears.' Cf. crrevonai 873, K'Kaiofiai 920.
816. ol 8' tmo-raTai. : rather unusual anacoluthon (parataxis), the
S«'-clause becoming independent, instead of continuing ace. and
participle, like the /^eVclause.
817. ' Parted the fullness of their wealth with hammer-wrought
Scythian iron,' a characteristic stately phrasing of the idea which
has already recurred three times, 711, 728, 788. The Scythians
were regarded as the inventors of iron-working, Prom. 303 ttjv
(TiSTjpofiTjTopa . . . aiav.
818. iraixinjo-Ca : prob. formed by mere reduplication from nas,
like iTanTrT]8r]v, TTcip.nav.
f)v \(iP(do-iv, ' whatsoe'er they get,' Epic use of indef. without av,
common in Tragg. See 257, 338.
819. x^o^os of MSS. is a mere corruption, the copyist considering
only a portion of the clause, and supposing Ta(l>ri to govern x^ovoy.
820. <j>opov(X€voi, ' swept down the stream of their father's curse ' :
the metaphor is abrupt, but fine and vivid, after the poet's manner.
[822-1009. Third Stasimon. Chorus : * Is it joyful or sad ?
Alas for the curse of Oidipous ! it chills my heart (822-39). The
curse failed not : the sin brought woe. {Seeing the procession)
Alas ! lament, sisters, speed the funeral bark on its way to the dark
shore (840-60). See the sisters come : sore will be their sorrow.
*Tis our part to follow, theirs to lead the lament : alas, hapless
ones! truly I grieve for their trouble (861-74).' Then follows the
dirge y each sister leading in turn, and the Chorus answering. The
dirge touches on the fall of the house, the reconciliation by the
sword, the grief to the city, the wealth and state they fought for
left to their descendants (875-906). 'Their portions are equal:
iron slew, and iron shall dig the grave : their lot is sadder than all.
Many a deed was theirs : most miserable their mother : they
divided the heritage like foes. Hatred is no more : dearly have
they paid for peace (907-44). Endless wealth is theirs— of earth
below them! Curses have sung the paean, and Calamity set up
the trophy, in the gates where they fell (945-56).' The wail of the
sisters then follows in alternate answering cries (957-1009).]
824. If this is a half-line, like 829, the last syllable ought to be
long. The best suggestion is Heimsoeth's
Salfiovfs ol 8rj
KddfjLov TTvpyovs ipmaBe,
as the paroemiac may end in a short syllable.
826. M reads TroXeoj? ao-im (rarripi, an unfinished line ; recc. read
the impossible a-toTj;pia, which will not scan. The general sense is
plain, 'shall I rejoice over the safety of the city.?' But the exact
phrase is irrecoverable.
55
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
[Dindorf's aarripi Tvxg. suffers from the fact that it leaves open
vowels with the next line, which is against the anapaestic practice
with a full tetrapody. Hermann's emendation a-coTfjpi noXeoos aa-iveiq,
being a paroemiac, is not open to this objection : but the phrase
seems rather too artificial.]
828. aTtKvovs, ' childless,' heightens the tragedy, because the male
line becomes thus extinct. Paley reminds us that Pindar (01. 2. 38)
speaks of a son of Polyneikes, Thersandros ; but the poets, always
dealt freely with these fluctuating myths, and Sophokles (Ant. 600)
speaks of the ' light of the last root of Oidipous' house ' as
extinguished. See Introduction, p. xvii.
829. * Perished truly according to the name, and with bitter
strife.' There is no need with Hermann, Schiitz, Meineke, and
others (following the schol.) to suppose that any reference to
Eteokles has fallen out, such as kKhvoI t ireov, eVeo/cXeley, or the
like: it sufifices for the purpose of the poet that one name suits
the incident, as in 659. The reference to the ' fame ' of the brothers
is indeed singularly out of place here, where the point is that they
are Svcrdaifioves, and da-f^eis. /cat is quite natural: it is explanatory
as in 788.
833. Y«v€os suggests the ancestral curse on the Theban family
before Oidipous. Hermann aptly quotes Phoen. 161 1 [Olbmovs]
(ipas TrapaKa^oov A.atov Kal naial ^tivs, where the schol. relates that
Pelops had cursed Laios for carrying off his son Chrysippos.
834. |x« KapSiav : the construction ' of the whole and part,' common
with persons, both in ace. and dat. (esp. in Homer, eV K upa o\ <f>i}
X^i-Ph Tpwaf Se rpofios alvos vnrjXvde yvla eKaaTOV, nolov ere enos (}>vyev
epKos 686vTo>v; &c.).
So Soph. O. C. 113 Kal a-v fi e'l 68ov ttoSo Kpvi^rov: Phil. 1301
pedes pe irpos Bewv X^^P'^j ^C*
836. 0\)ids ccts, ' like one frenzied,' see 498 : irony, because the
bacchic frenzy was naturally joyful. So the tragedy in the Argive
house is called ^oKx^ia koXtj with similar grim irony, Cho. 698.
839. JwvavXio 8op6s : again a phrase of bitter and tragic irony,
* the unison of the spear,' was the double slaughter of the brothers.
840. i^iirpa^ev : more forcible without object : the curse ' accom-
plished and failed not.'
842. Laios' sin is called here * faithless counsels.' because he
disobeyed and disbelieved the god. So they are Sva-fiovXlcu, 802.
8iTipK€(rav, ' lasted out,' * endured ' : the effect did not die out
before the fatal result,
843. jji,«pip.vo 8' a\i^i TTToXiv, ' 1 am troubled for the city,' because
the oracle was (748) that if Laios died without children he should
save the city. Laios disobeyed : so the very suggestive fear arises
that the city is not yet safe; for 'the oracles are not blunted.'
[In the schol. this clause has got mixed up, whether by corruption
or confusion, with the previous one. Any attempt to combine them
56
NOTES. Lines 828-854
makes fiepifiva Laics' care or thought for the state: a reference
wholly unmeaning.
\The procession bearing the bodies of the slain princes is seen
approaching.
The bodies themselves are seen, as the schol. points out, at line
848 rah avTodTjXa. . . .
846. amo-Tov : a deed * beyond belief : this time the word is used
passive, as active in 842. The word itself of course, like all such
compounds, admits both senses : it simply means ' without belief,'
and can be either ' unbelieving,' or ' unbelievable.'
847. ou XoYCj) : idiomatic, lit. * not in word,' i. e. * in very truth,'
epyw Kov Adyo) reK.\i.a[po\uxi, Prom. 336. So Orestes, recognizing his
sister, says rr]v f]8ovf]v -irpaT oi Xoyois alprja-oiMai, i. e. * (not with
words) but with embraces,' Eur. Iph. Taur. 794.
848-60. Hermanfi reduces this passage to two corresponding
stanzas, but only with so much alteration as to destroy the judicious-
ness of the attempt. It is best to treat it as an eoode, a dirge of
a wild and passionate sorrow (' like a Thyiad,' 837). Probably
this dirge is sung by different parts of the Chorus answering each
other, as above (78-107).
848. irpoviTTos dY-ytXov Xoyos, * plain to our eyes is the tale of the
messenger,' i. e. the double mutual slaughter.
849. M gives Sibvfx avopia, the last word being unknown, the
Epic f]vopeT] being always a noun. The compound 8iSvp,dvopa of
recc. is far more likely. * A double sorrow, twin woes of warriors
slain by kindred hands, twofold troubles accomplished, are here.'
852. 'What else (is it) but,' &c.
TTovoi 'Tr6vo)v: idiomatic poetic use, equivalent to a superlative,
found commonly with adjectives, or with such nouns as admit
naturally of it: apprjr dpptjTcov, O. T. 465 ; koku KaKau, O. C. 1237 ;
TTtora TTKTTav, Pers. 681.
854-60. The interpretation of this magnificent but difficult passage
turns partly on the reading of 857-8, which the MSS. give as
follows : Tcxv acTTOVOv p.fXdyKpoKov vaiKTToXov Secopida. The comm.
and scholl. differ as to whether decopida is * sacred ship ' or ' sacred
way': but ovpov, ipiacreT, nlrvKov, p.e\a.yKpoKov, xepcrov, all suiting
the former, are decisive for the meaning ' ship.' aa-rovov is peculiarly
unsuitable ; and vava-roXov, ' voyaging,' seems rather a weak word,
and superfluous with deapiSa, with which a noun for ' ship ' is (if
anything) rather required. On the other hand aaroXov makes a fine
sense: it is read by a fifteenth cent. MS. (Lips.), perhaps acci-
dentally : and it is recognized by a later scholiast, who explains it
not unaptly as KaKcai f(TraXp.fvr]. The reading i'kttoKov is accepted
by Schiitz, Paley, Stanley, Hartung, Verrall ; and I adopt it, merely
reading vavv for rav, as the corruption vavaroXov easily accounts for
the loss of vavv. Thus aarovov and vavuToXov are two corruptions of
57
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
aaroKov, and both have got into the text. With this simple change
we get a very fine sense as follows : —
' Nay with the wafting gale of your sighs, my sisters,
beat on your heads with your hands the stroke as of oars,
the stroke that passes ever across Acheron,
speeding on its sad way the black-robed sacred bark,
the bark Apollo entereth not,
the bark hidden from the sunlight, —
to the shore of darkness that welcomes all.'
mruXov : the regular word for the ' plash of oars,' is therefore
a sort of cogn. ace. after fpeVo-ere. OcopiSa {vavv) some take as ace.
after anei^erai (or rather fitn/ifi/Serat) : but both afielyj/ai and
aixfi-^acrOai are regularly used with ace. of the thing crossed {nvXm,
yrjv, epKos, &c.), and never have the sense 'to make to cross.'
I agree therefore with Verrall that ^ke ship is ace. after epcWfrt,
which takes both the quasi-cognate ««^the object ace. This use is
common in easier instances ; but the following are examples of
more strained applications of the same principle : ^oa Xiyvpu axea
TTpoBorav, ' calls with loud voice of woe on the traitor,' Eur. Med. 205;
ovXfjv T151' TTore fie ais rjXacre, Od. 21. 219 ! eniKeaBai nXrjyas EWfja-
TTOVTov, Hdt. y. 35 ; 8iKas fierei/ii rovdf, Eum. 23I ; aiTiaavTfs
(TKopoba Tovs akeKTpvovas, Xen. Symp. 4. 9-
do-ToXov, lit. * unequipped,' i. e. ' without pomp of equipment,' ' on
no proud mission,' ' on an evil or sad errand.'
The whole stanza is then a sad and imaginative irony, comparing
the passage of the dead to Hades with a sacred mission of the state
ship (decopia) ; the sighs are the winds, the strokes of the mourners
the beat of oars, the ship (suggesting Charon's bark) is dark,
black-sailed, going through gloom to the unseen sunless shore. An
incomparably beautiful and impressive lyric.
[Antt£one and Ismene approach to bewail the dead.]
861. The Chorus resume the marching metre (anapaests), a sort
of suggestion of funeral procession preparatory to the Kop.fi6s or lyric
lamentation.
864. «paTcov, 'fair': iparos and epamvos are regular Epic words.
PaevKoXircov, ' deep-bosomed,' also Epic epithet, of women, Tpwai
Ka\ AapBavides ^udvKoXTToi, II. 18. 339. It describes the fall of the
ample x'-''''^^ over the girdle.
865. dXyos c-irajiov : simply * due cries of sorrow,' ' due lament.'
866. irpoTspov <}>Tifi.Tis is taken by Hermann and others to mean
'before their voice is uttered,' which is decidedly harsh, and on
many grounds open to suspicion.
(i) The natural order in the dirge was for the kindred to lead
(e^dpxfi-v) and the attendant women to follow. It is so in the dirge
for Hektor, 11. 24. 723, where Andromache, Hekabe, and Helene suc-
cessively ^pxf yooio, while the attendants eVi 5e artvdxovTo. [It is true
58
NOTES. Lines 861-889
that first of all come the doibol or professional mourners, but in this
Chorus these are absent.] The same is found to be the order in
Cho. 315 sqq., where Orestes and Elektra lead, the Chorus replying
to each.
(2) The Chorus here do noi ' first sing the hymn of the Erinys,'
but (according to the ordinary arrangement) bewail the dead.
(3) The schol. has the obscure note on this line dUaiou fifias
TrpoKaTdpx«r6ai ws npoaKova-aaas, which (as Weil suggests) Strongly
points to some reading like nporepov (prjfirjs cVaKovo-dcras.
(4) The drama almost requires that the sisters after entering
should not remain silent, but at once begin the lament.
I adopt, therefore, Weil's suggestion, (only reading twvBs KXvovo-as,)
which removes at once all these misgivings. The sisters then begin
at 875.
870. TTaiav, properly a joyful hymn, to Apollo, * a triumph-song '
to the god of light : here by a sort of irony called ' a hateful
triumph-song' in honour of Death. So izaiava tov 6av6vTos, Cho. 15 1 ;
naiai'a'Epivvcciv, Ag. 645 ; crrvyvov naiava, Eur. Tro. I26.
872. o-Tp64)ov, * girdle,' unusual word.
873. 86X0S ouScis (XT| : lit. ' there is no deceit, that I should not
wail truly,' &c., i, e. ' unfeignedly from true heart do I lament.'
(jiT| would in prose be fxr} oi, but in poetry the ov is often omitted.
So ov TToXiiv p^pdvoi/ fi (iTicrxov p-rj pe vavardXeiv, Phil. 349 j ovu av
((T)(6pT]v TO pf] 'noKXrjaai, O. T. I387 ! ovk nrrapvoipai to prj, Ant. 443*
(The inf. is the common epexegetic, one use of the consecutive
inf.) P'or o-T€vonoi, see 815.
876. (t>iX(dv amo-Toi, 'hearkening not to friends' (active: see 846):
Eteokles is specially meant, 713. KaKwv dTpvp,ov€s, 'stubborn (lit.
' unworn ') in woes,' applies to both, but Polyneikes specially. The
genitives are the ordinary gen. after the negative adjective (a\//o(^j;-
Tos KoiKvudrav, prjvoav dvripidfxos, uxoKkos danidan/y &C.), used here by
a slight stretch of construction.
877-8. iXovTss, ' having destroyed,' as a foe. This is said of both;
though true in a more obvious sense of Polyneikes.
avv alxjia. Poetic use of accompaniment for instrument. So
iTvv (Tittipco, 885 ; o'iii' yrjpa ^apiis, O. T. IJ ; uvv vocrois dXyeivos,
O. C. 1663.
881-5. ' Ye have razed the walls of your home, to your sorrow
have ye held sole rule ; now ye are reconciled with the sword.'
The first clause refers to Polyneikes, the second to Eteokles.
iriKpos, emphatic and predicative, is often so used idiomatically with
irony, grave or humorous. When Odysseus (Od. 17. 448) has
told a long story about his voyage to Egypt and Cyprus, the brutal
suitor tells him to get away, prj rdxa iriKpTJv AtyvnTov kuI Kvirpov
iKTjai. So Od. I. 266 TTuvres k axvpopoi re yevouiTO iriKpOYa^oC re.
888. eb<ovvp,wv : the ' left ' side, i. e. the heart.
889. T€TVfi|jitvoi StjO", 'ay, smitten indeed !' might be, as scholiast
59
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
says, an assenting cry of another speaker (Herm., Verr., Weckl.) : but
as Dindorf points out, it is not necessarily so. We find drrmXtaas,
dTTcoXeaas dfJT, Soph. El. I163.
891. The antistrophe shows a line omitted here.
892. 8ai(i6vioi, often taken with dpai, ' heaven-sent ' : better
'heaven-afflicted,' of the fnen: Saifiovios has always three termina-
tions.
894. MSS. give flavArccv (Ipai, and in antistrophe Kal Oavdrov t<Xos.
Some insert a syllable here, some eject kul 905. But in the latter
place the sense is much better with kuI, and it is better to suppose
a monosyllable lost here, either 8t| (Weil) or an interjection w or
al (Wellauer) or ^eC. (k dnvdraiv (Lachm.) seems to give the wrong
sense, as in the lament there could hardly be a reference to the
further curse on the family.
897. dvavSarw, ' unspeakable.'
899. MSS. read Six6()>povi with a syllable wanting, and the schol.
explains ovx ofiovoovvrei, i. e. ' at variance,' ' hostile.' Hermann
supplies (Tvv, Grotefend Kai, &c. But the sense is feeble, and I have
adopted the far better emendation of Wecklein ov dixocjipovi : ' with
undivided fate brought by their father's curse,' a fine turn given to the
idea already found in 884, * that they were reconciled by the sword.'
902. <|)iXav8pov, ' loving the warriors.'
903. KTt'ava tA8\ (I take Weil's emendation for Kreavd r of M.)
'This wealth' (i.e. the TroXty, Trvpyoi, ireSov, and the sovereignty
generally) 'remains for those that come after,' alluding to the
tradition of the Epigonoi, or ' descendants ' of the Argives who
were defeated by Eteokles, who came in vengeance and sacked
Thebes and razed it to the ground ten years later.
906. ' And death at the last ' : lit. * the end or accomplishment of
death ' (gen. of equivalence like ' the city of Thebes '), a well-known
Homeric phrase.
907. The ' equal share ' was the grave, ' land enough to hold even
in death,' according to the curse, 732.
908-10. ' Yet their friends reproach the Reconciler,
and Ares finds no favour in their eyes.'
ovK d|xe)ji<{>eia, oti8' eirCxapis, are a pathetic irony or meiosis : the
general sense is, 'They have divided the substance— their share is
equal (a grave) ; but the sword that reconciled them and the god of
conflict, are hateful in the eyes of their kindred.'
8iaX\aKTf]pi is of course ' the sword ' as in 884.
[tmxapis is not, as the schol. (firjSeTipco x"-P'-^dpevov) seems to
think, ' showing favour,' but always ' pleasing.']
912. Tovs : Epic use for demonstrative, not unfrequent in tragedy.
914. Xaxai is disputed. Some take it 'share,' from Xayxdvui:
and Hesychius gives \dxn, not Xn^iy, explained as Ar;|jy. But
the schol. gives Xaxai (from Xaxaivat, ' to dig,' Homeric word,
60
NOTES. Lines 891-923
Od. 24. 241), and explains it as a-Katpal, 'digging.' This suits <ri8a-
poTrXaKToi far better : —
' With the stroke of iron they are thus laid low ;
with the stroke of iron there awaits them —
one shall ask, what? —
the digging their father's tomb/
i. e. they were slain by iron — the sword : and by iron — the spade —
shall they be buried.
[Dr. Verrall imagines a double entendre ; but the superstitious
harping on the significance of words (referred to on 800) is confined
to names and titles, and there is no ground for extending it to
common nouns. Names were felt to be important; but a double
entendre on \axai would make the conceit still more frigid.]
915. There is a difficulty in the reading of 915 and 926, as they
do not correspond. M has them as follows : —
dofiav fxaX' dxaeaaa tovs 9^5
iTpoTrefinei k.t.X. . . ,
dvabainmv (r(f)iv d reKovaa 9^6
7rp6 iraaav k.t.\. . . .
The want of a noun with a^'ieo'cn in 915 is felt by the schol., who
somewhat absurdly supplies Trponoixmi. Weil's conjecture dxa«o-o-' la
is brilliant, as the word la is rare (Pers. 934), though quite suitable:
and the corruption to axdfo-a-a is extremely easy. 926 will then be
best emended by taking Dindorf's 1(2) 8vo-aCtov and reading (with
H. Voss, Herm., Weckl., and others) <t^' d TtKoCo-a.
li is a cry, specially used in Ionic form 117 as an invocation to
Apollo Paieon or the Healer, Hence t'ljloy, epithet of the god
(Irfiov 8e Kakia Ilaidva, Ag. 1 46), and (in Tragg.) used of wails,
laments, dirges, &c., and even of Kaparoi, Soph. O. T. 174.
916. 6alKTT|p, 'piercing,' 'torturing,' 'consuming.'
917. auToo-Tovos, aviTOTTTip.wv, 'wailing, sorrowing unbidden': the
airros as in nvrofxadrjs, (WTOfxaros, avTovpyus, and Other compounds
with intransitive verb stems.
918. 8ai:64>p<ov : not 'ravaging the heart,' as schol., but 'sad-
hearted,' like dyav6<^pasv, ivcppoov, KUKi'xjipcov, &c. daios is used for
'miserable' in Trag., e.g. m 8aia TeKprjaaa, Ai. 784 ; Utpa-ais daois,
Pers. 282.
«Tt)|icos with €K 4>pev6s, ' truly from my heart.'
920. KXaio|jicvas: middle as Ag. 1096. See 815.
921. dviKToiv : gen. as frequently with verbs of feeling, e.g.
68vpoixai, d^o({>vpopai, dXyw, repTTw, aTToAauo), 6avp,d((t), &c., even
dfi(Tai (piXov, O. T. 234.
923-4. ' That they wrought, one many an exploit on his country-
men, one on all the strangers' ranks mightily slain in the fight.'
The deeds of Polyneikes are softened in expression by noXXd and
61
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
the vague ip^ar-nv : while Eteokles' are emphasized by nuvTav and
7ro\v(f)66povs. [Others take noXviidopovs less well of do/A.]
Meineke's brilliant conjecture t eVa*cr«f for t« ttclptcov is very prob-
able ; but as the MSS. reading is easy and natural, I have left it.
934. d<j>i\ots is Voss' certain correction for oi <^i\ot?, restoring the
metre (a and ov often confused in MSS.)- ' By cruel severance ' [they
perished, (TtXtiTaaav continued from 930] is again an intentionally
euphemistic expression for the death-strokes. I do not believe
there is any reference (as comm. suppose) to the division of the
land so often alluded to above, and again 943 below.
938. ' Their life is mingled in the bloodsoaked earth : verily of
one blood they are.* The life is identified (as so often) with the
blood : the two, parted in life, are made one in death by mutual
slaughter. Cutting and mixing blood was a widespread primitive
method of making * blood-brotherhood.'
941. 6 irovTios Setvos, 'the stranger from Pontus,' i.e. iron., repeat-
ing the idea of 728. iriKpos, ' to their sorrow,' see note on 882.
943- ^p^v irarpa-av : see 747'
945-8. The sense is fine and simple, requiring no change : * they
have their inheritance — of sorrow : endless wealth of land — beneath
their corpses.'
949. tiravOiJw : used by Aeschylus in two other places with a
similar irony, kwkutoI? firnvBi^dv, Cho. 150 ; aifi fnr]vdi<r<o, in a cor-
rupt passage of Ag. (1459). 'Alas ye have crowned your house
with many a flower of woe.' [Verrall refers irovoi to their exploits :
but this seems out of place.]
951. ' But at the last, the curses have uttered their shrill cry of
triumph ' (aKciKa^m being used regularly of the war-cry, Xen. An. 5.
2. 14, Cyr. 7. I. 26 : and of triumph., viktjv dXaXd^ai, Ant. 133), i.e.
the crowning woe is the triumph of the curse, the destruction of the
house. I take Hermann's reading TtXevraiai S' for TtXevra 8' al8\
953 sqq. The metaphor of the battle waged by Destiny against
the kings ('Apat,*Ara, baifjicDv) is kept up to the end : their ' race is
broken with utter rout ' : the ' trophy of Doom stands at the gates ' ;
and ' fate holds his hand only when he has conquered both.'
957. In this antiphonal dirge — broken and excited, and accom-
panied no doubt with wild gestures of lament — the changes of
speakers are marked mostly in the MSS., with occasional omissions.
The actual speakers are only given at 957 and 968, both lines
being given to Ismene, which must be wrong, as one is the first
and the other the second of ?i pair. It is however clear that Antigone
begins, and that the other sister responds, in each pair : and I have
followed most edd. in printing the passage so.
964. M has Trpo.Kfia-eTm (evidently TrpoaKfia-erai corrected).
Hermann's emendation npoKeiarai (restoring the metre) is generally
adopted and evidently right.
968. M has ipTos 8e Kapdia arevei, which does not correspond to
62
NOTES. Lines 934-985
Antigone's versicle. Lachmann corrects the first line to 17 fiaiverai :
but Burney's correction tv de napdia is better, and is adopted by
Weil, Wecklein.
969. navbaKpvre M does not fit the response. The best correction
is Ritschl's iravSvpTc, a rare word but found in Aesch. Pers. 940 ;
Soph. El. 1077 ; Eur. Hec. 212. It would be easily corrupted.
975-6. M reads here : —
d;^€<av Toicov rdS e'-yyv^ev.
Tre'Xa? 8 ai.8' adf\(f)€a\ d8e\(l)eS>v
obviously corrupt ; and the only variation of recc. is yoav for dxfoiv,
TToiav for Toiav, iyyC6i for eyyvQev, none of which help metre or
sense.
The antistrophe is unfortunately also corrupt, being read in MSS.
as follows : —
bvoTova Kijbf ofjLaywua.
8lvypa TpnraXTcov nr)p.dTa)v.
The first line of which is however a clue to the true metre. I accept
Hermann's restoration of 975-6 as follows : —
ANT, axen 8oid raS' iyyvQev.
ISM. TTfKas d8fX(Pe d8eX(f)€a>v,
only adopting Heimsoeth's improvement aSeX(^e" for Hermann's
d8€\(f)a 8\ The sense will then be : —
Anf. Here at hand are double sorrows —
Ism. Ay, kindred sorrows of kindred men.
977-9. The only question here is whether this refrain is sung
by the Chorus, or by the two sisters (as the older editors supposed).
It is more probably the former, as it would relieve the monotony
of the scene, just as the regular intervention of the Chorus does
in the preceding KOfifios, and in the long Kopnios of the Cho. 306-478.
978. I put a colon instead of a comma at oKid. The reference is,
as Hermann saw, to the ghost of Oidipous, which perhaps was the
vision in 711.
982. The MSS. fSil^aT eK ^uyaf ifioi is certainly corrupt, (pvydi
can only apply to Polyneikes, and therefore the plural ebfi^ar is
impossible : and moreover e^oi is irrelevant. I take Weil's toi/S'
eSe|oT' (K (f)vyds. Ant. ' Sorrows ill to behold ' — Ism. ' Awaited him
on his homeward return.'
983-4. [Halm's alteration oS" Tjcefl' and Stanley's avdeis have been
adopted as certain by Wecklein ; but though they make exact metrical
correspondence with strophe 971-2, the sense is not improved, and
in iambic dipody the initial spondee is possibly right.] Sense : —
Ani. 'He came back no more when he had slain ' (Eteokles).
Ism. ' He returned safe, yet he lost his life ' (Polyneikes).
985. I take the best emendation (Weil's), &\eae 8fJT ayav. Ant.
' Ay, lost it indeed too utterly.' Is?n. ' And him too he slew.'
63
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS ^ ^^o^^
989. Hermann's correction blnova for hva-rova seems very apt, in
sense and metre alike : and var in MSS. is very like m. See 1005.
If ofiavvjia is right, it must mean ' woes like to thy name,' i.e. woes
of much strife {nokv-vuK-). It is true that Antig. seems thinking
more of Polyneikes in 988, 999 : but mostly the lamentations are
vague and will suit either brother. Moreover ofxavvfia is a strange
and obscure expression if this is the meaning. Hence I have
followed Weil's suggestion ofialnova, merely changing it to the more
probable 6iJiai|ji6v(ov : the gen. suffix -av may possibly have caused
the corruption TTTifidrav in the next line.
990. This line is quite corrupt. If the views taken above are at
all correct, the metre required is v-'wv^ —<^\^ ~yj^ : and in any case
the only meaning that can be got out of the manuscript reading
divypa TpinaXrav irrjfxuTav is * Steeped with thrice-brandished woes,'
which is on every ground incredible. The schol. Med. gives ^avra
nrjuara )(f6fi(va Kai ttoXXo, and for TpiTrakrav, crcfiodpws nrjSrjadvTcov.
The first scholion at least suggests (as H. Weil, Wecklein saw) that
the old reading was nrjuara : and (covra suggests diepd (as Heimsoeth
proposes to read). May not TpimiXrav point to the Homeric eVdX-
fieva ('springing upon,' 'attacking'), so that the whole line would
run
Step" firdXpLeva Trfjfiara,
and the metaphor be from swift charge of active foes ? The two
lines would then mean
Ant. ' Sorrows of kinsmen, woful to both.'
Ism. 'Swift sufferings leaping upon us.'
In this way acpoBpas Trt]8i](rdvT(ov would be accounted for.
994. viv (Hermann's correction, confirmed by a schol. in Par. B)
refers not to Moipav (as schol. M) but rather to 'Epivvs, as a later
schol. has it, dtanepav koL 8i(pxdp.fvos Kol olovei ravTrjs neipd)ixevos.
He has 'passed through ' the curse.
997. dvrrjpCTas : see 284.
1001-2. M has
icb to) KoKo. 8d)p.a(riv — Koi x^ovi* Trpo iravrcov b ifioi,
Kai TO Trpoaat y (fioi,
to) KOKa is evidently Ismene's answer to tw novos. The remaining
words Hermann ingeniously arranges as follows : —
ANT. 8d>p.a(Ti. ISM. Kai x^ovi.
ANT. Trpo irdvrav S" ip,oL ISM. Koi to Trp6(Tco y (fioi.
The last two lines being both dochmiacs will correspond. But it is
far more likely that C. G. Haupt and Weil are right in regarding
Trpo TrdvTcov 8' ip.oi as an explanation of the rather unusual phrase Kai
TO Ttpoao) ('and farther'), the gloss having afterwards crept into the
text. The true arrangement will then be —
64
NOTES. Lines 989-1010
ANT. doifjiaai Koi x^°f^'
12M. Koi TO Trpocro) y f'/noi*
which correspond exactly.
1004. The simplest and best emendation is Wecklein's Svo-Tave
Twv for dvardvoiy. This is confirmed by a note of m on Ka<u>v, written
in the margin of M, namely 'EreoKXci? apxiTyera ; where the vocative
confirms dva-rave, and the word apxTjyira is evidently a (wrong)
attempt to explain the genitive kukwv.
1005. We must change noXvwovoiTaToi of M to TroXvarovcDTnTe
(Weil), and then the pair of lines agree in metre and sense. For
the confusion of -err and -n see 989.
1006-9. Again the arrangement in pairs, corresponding in
metre and harmonizing in sense, is the true method of correction.
The best suggestion is to transpose iw SainovSun-fs iv ara (which in
MSS. stands first of these four) to the third place. This suits best
the natural order of thought, and makes a more fitting close to the
lament, as follows : —
Ant. Where shall we lay them ?
Ism. Where honour is greatest.
Ant. Alas ! distraught, and plunged in woe !
Ism. Alas, a sorrow by their sire laid !
1007. M reads onov, which does not suit nov o-^e of the previous
line. Wecklein and Verrall read in 1006 o-0e ttoO, an unnatural
order. Hartung suggest a question in 1007, ttoO Vt* Ti/ii<oraroi» ;
which is possible, but I prefer to read evBa for onov.
1009. This line clearly implies that Oidipous is buried in Thebes.
This is the older story, cf. Iliad 23. 679, where Mekisteus * came to
Thebes, when Oidipous was slain, to his funeral (feast).' The word
for slain {bihovrroros) points to violent death. See Introd. p. vii.
The later tale, that he was expelled from Thebes, and passed
away mysteriously at Athens, is found first in Sophokles.
[Enter a herald hastily : the lamentation is interrupted^
[1010-58. Fourth Epeisodion. The herald announces the
decision of the council of Theban elders : that Eteokles who had
done his duty and bravely met his death, should be duly buried :
that Polyneikes, who but for the god's help would have destroyed
his fatherland, should be cast out unburied, without funeral rites or
lament. Antigone defies the order, and boldly declares that she
will bury her brother. A sharp dialogue ensues between the two :
but Antigone is immovable, and the herald retires.]
1010. If Antigone and Ismene remain on the stage, the herald's
part requires the presence of a third actor. Ismene does not speak
again ; but if the second actor has to change mask and dress for
KTipv^ between 1010 and ion, there must have been a pause in the
AESCH. S.C.T. 65 F
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
action, particularly inappropriate here, where the sisters have just
agreed to bury both, and the herald comes to forbid the burial of
one. Usually, moreover, in such cases there is a short choric song,
to cover the interval. But it would also rather spoil the scene for
Ismene to leave the stage and reappear shortly afterwards; and it is
more likely that here we have a third actor, though only employed in
this very subordinate part. Similarly the Prometheus, written in the
main for two actors, probably requires a third in the first scene only.
As to the questions raised about this scene, see Introd. p. xxii.
80KOVVT0 Kal 86f ovTo, ' the will and decree.' edo^e is the regular
word for fke act, the resolution duly passed : hoKii is more general,
describing the state, the feeling or opinion, just as hoKtl and €8o|e
are used below 1025 and 1030. There is no need to suspect the
phrase, though it does not occur elsewhere : the formal stiffness of
the expression is even appropriate.
loii. 8t|(ji.ov irpoPovXois, 'councillors of the people.' The sug-
gestion is that the king being dead the power falls to a council of
elders. Such political anachronism is common in the drama : e. g.
Kreon the tyrant (Antig. 666) says aXX' ov ^6X15 <rTT|<rei« Tovht. xpu
Kkveiv. But he says (174) that he succeeded as 'next of kin.'
1012. €ir' euvoiqt, '/or his love.' eVt, causal, as often: (fteiyeip e'^*
aifiari (Dem.), dXy(7v eVt TOii wapovai (Soph.), &C.
[Verrall keeps flvaiq, the reading of M : but the noun elvala is
doubtfully supported by one place in Euripides, and the repetition
eV (vpaia x^ovos and -yfjs ^iXatf KaTaaKa<f)a'is is weak. Moreover the
prep. fir( is unlikely with 6dTrTeiv.]
1014. M reads (rruyaJr. Over this m has written as a gloss etpywv
drjXovoTt, which (as Wakefield and others saw) points to the true
reading areyav, 'keeping off.' So oreyeii' noXeniov 86pv 216; trreyei
8f nvpyos 797. [A few late MSS. and some editors read etpyav : but
when the writer of the gloss says S^jXovort, he is always giving the
meaning, not the reading: e. g. on 965 there is a gloss 5i;Xoi/6ti
viKpoi, to explain Trpofceto-at.]
«iX«T , ' chose' death, emphatic and effective word : Eteokles had
resisted the pleading {687-720) of the Chorus that he should avoid
the fight, and gone forth bravely to a doom foreseen ; his last
words were Biav Sidovrav ovk hv fK<pvyois KaKa.
1015. i€puv: gen. after Sa-ios: 'and toward his fathers' gods pure
of offence, without stain hath he fallen . . . ' [lit. ' righteous in regard
to the holy rites of his fathers '].
1016. Tois v€ois, 'the young,' because their sacrifice (and so their
glory) is greater. [Verrall's ingenious olcnnp opveois is harsh and
unlikely ; the schol., who quotes ds otavos apicrroi dfivveadai ntpl
ndrprjs, is really explaining ovirtp to mean the battle.]
1018. vtKpov, ' the corpse' of Polyneikes : contemptuous antithesis
to 'EreoxXfa p.iv. Sophokles (Antig. 23-6) has imitated this point,
and indeed the whole passage : —
66
NOTES. Lines 1010-1037
ET£OK\ca ji,€V, ais ^eyovai . . .
eKpvyj/e Tails evepdfv evTifiov veKpols,
Tov S' adXias 6av6vTa noXtn/eiKovs vckvv • . .
I020-I. He was the destroyer of his land, had not some god
stayed his spear : the point is true and effective ; the guilt was his,
the act was averted. For the form of expression, cf. Aen. 2. 54,
6. 358.
1022-3. TovBe, oSe (and rovSe 1025) (which sound needless to the
reader) are dramatic : he keeps pointing to the corpse of the rebel
brother, to contrast him with the other.
a^os . . . iraTpcowv, ' and with guilt shall he be stained, even in
death, against the gods of his fathers.' 6«wv depending on a-^o^
somewhat as Upa>v (1015) on oa-ios.
1024. arparevn' «TraKTov €(jiPaXu)v : same phrase used of Poly-
neikes, 583.
■Qpn : idiomatic imperfect, ' strove to take.'
1025. SoK€i : sc. Tois npoPovXois.
1026. ra^iVT, &c., ' buried in shame by the winged birds.' For
the fierce irony of the phrase compare Kvves KaOrjyvia-av, Antig.
1081, where Jebb quotes El. 1487 irpodts Tatptxiaiv hv toVS' (Ikos fom
Tvyxaueip (i. e. to birds and dogs) ; Lucr. 5. 993 vt'vo sepeliri viscera
busto.
1027. TV|iPoxoo x^i-pwP'^To, 'the toil of piling the mound';
characteristic strained but forcible phrase, lit. ' mound-piling
handiwork.'
1028. irpoo-o-fpeiv : subject understood, ' nor shall they (the
mourners) honour him with shrill-voiced cries.'
1029. aTijtov (K<t>opas, ' reft of funeral honour,' gen. as usual with
negative adj. {a.-)(aKKos dairiBciv, a-^ocprjTos o^tav KwKVfiaTaiV, fxrjvau
avTjpi.6p.0Sf &c., common in Soph.).
1030. TcXeu, ' authority,' i. e. the rulers. So Thuc. uses to r Ajj,
I. 58, and even with masc. part. eSo^e . . . rh Ttkrj Kara^avras /3ou-
Xfvfiv, 4. 15. So the phrase ol iv reXet for 'those in authority' is
common in prose and poetry.
1033. Kdvd . . . Pa\(d [prep, separated from verb in Epic fashion,
for ava^ako), the so-called tmesis}. The regular word for ' risking'
is dvoppiiTTw, properly ' to throw,' and is found with kv^ov, p-dxrjv,
KivBvvof, and even absolute, is airav to xnrapxov dvappiTrreiv, Thuc.
5. 103. The met. is obviously from dice. So napappinTw, Soph.
O. T. 1493. [In napa^dWfadai the met. is from staking, not dicing.]
1035. Ix"^*''*' 'incurring': Ix"*" regularly so used with ^Xd^tj,
alria, pvaos, dpd, &C. So ayos KdCTrjo-erai, I022.
1036-7. i.e. "Tis a dread thought— the one womb from which
we sprang — from our wretched mother!' So when Klytaemestra
hears the false tale of Orestes' death (Soph. El. 770) she says
buvov TO TiKTfiv, 'mighty is motherhood.'
67 F 2
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
HTjTpos is gen. after (nr\dy\vov, and Kano Svctttjiiov irarpos is added
as an afterthought : i. e. * he was no half-brother ! '
1038-39. 'Therefore, my soul, take willing part in his woes with
him who wills not — thou who livest, help the dead with a sister's
heart.' okovti is pathetic — he was dead, and could give no help in
her loving deed.
x|/vxTi, voc. addressed to herself ; so ^7 hrjraf Bvfii, /17 <tv y fpydarj
TaSe, Eur. Med. 1056.
1040. ' Not even starving wolves,' i. e. I will keep off not only
dogs and birds, the ordinary defilers of a corpse, but even the
fiercest beasts. * Dogs and birds ' was the regular phrase : iXmpia
T€v)(f Kweacriv Olatvolcri re naai, II. I. 4 5 H-V^' ^i"' a>fMr](TrS>v kvvwv (lad
oXfo-dai ixr]6' VTT oia>vS>v Tii/or, Antig. 698. But one would rather
expect dogs and birds to be mentioned, and some suppose a
lacuna.
1041. Later MSS. read mostly a-nda-ovTai, 'shall tear,' which M
had originally : but the a- has been scratched out, and the gloss
ytva-ovrai written beside it. Either would do ; but ' shall not taste '
is more forcible than ' shall not tear.'
(iT^ SoK-rjo-oTw. The aor. imper. is unusual with \>.r] : we generally
have subjunctive, as prfik tw So^i/, 1045. But in 3rd pers. it is
occasionally found: fiij viKfjadro), Ai. 1334; pf] ^eX»;(raro), Prom.
332 ; and even (very rarely) in 2nd person, /lci) yj^eiaov, Soph. Frag.
450.
Note also the rare form of the aor. So Aesch. has doKrjo-a for
86ia, Prom. 387.
1042. Ta4)ov Kal KaTacrKa<j>(!Ls, a sort of hendiadys, 'the digging of
a grave for him I will myself devise.'
[MSS. read avra, i.e. 'for him' : but then rmSe has to be taken
with (coXtto), which is awkward, outti (Pierson) is clearly right.]
1044. (|>cpoua-a, 'bearing (the earth),' noun easily supplied from
KaTa<TKa(Pds.
When proper burial was impossible, it was enough to sprinkle
dust over the corpse three times.
1045. \ir\Bi Tw 86|'[i irdXiv, ' let none think otherwise ' ; nd\iv in
its old sense of * against,' * contrariwise,' as in TraXij' tpuv, ' gainsay,'
II. 9. 56, &c.
1046. * Fear not, I shall find the means to act,' Odpo-ci ironical
and defiant. [Others take it awkwardly as dat. of ddpaos.]
1047. xABe : cogn. adverbial, * thus.' aviSa (like all verbs of
saying) used for 'I bid,' with \k-l\. *I bid thee not thus defy the
state.'
1050. Tpaxvv' : lit. 'make them fierce,' i.e. 'have them as fierce
as thou wilt ' : ironical defiance again.
1052. The MSS. read fjbr] to tov8' ov HiarfTipTjrai Biois, which
Verrall ingeniously translates, ' the gods have made no difference
in his reward,' i. e. between him and his brother. But rjbt] is then
68
NOTES. Lines 1037-1059
a most unnatural word ; and the scholion ra nepl rrjs Tifirjs tovtov
ino 6eav KfKpirai is Strong evidence for the view that the ov is
a later addition, and was not in the text which the scholiast
explained.
I therefore follow Paley in ejecting the ov, and translating, * the
gods already have done with honouring him.' Paley quotes Aesch.
Fr. 265 8i.aiTf(f)povpr)Tai ^ios, ' my life's long watch is over.'
The oil might easily have been inserted by some one who thought
the line meant, ' the gods have honoured him,' which of course is
the opposite of what Antigone could say. Her plea is substantially
this : ' the gods have always been hard on him ' : he was unfairly
treated, robbed of his heritage and exiled : she feels bitterly that
he was sinned against, if sinning. This suits the reply better than
the reading of M.
1053. ' Nay, not till he cast his country into peril.' The use of
the infin. with npiv after a negative is rare : the normal use is the
indef. (subj. or opt.), or after a past tense, indie. But we have the
constr., Lys. 19. 55 "^^^ • • • ^'p^l*' ovbfiramoTe Trp\v ravrrjv rfjv <TVfx-
(fiopav yeviaOai (normally Trplv . . . eyevfro) ; Isocr. 20. 1 4 ovx olup t'
iaTiv atadeadai wplv KaKa>s riva rraSelv (normally irplv av . . . ris irddrj),
1055. €ty airavTas civ6' tvos, 'against a//, not one'; i.e. it was
offence, not against Eteokles, but the state : always an important
point in the view of Greeks.
1056. 'Strife is the last of gods to cease from words,' i.e. con-
tention leads to endless talk. Antigone is weary of wrangling, and
means to act. "Epis is one of the minor gods of Homer, and is
called (II. 4. 441) 'sister of Ares': she provokes battle. Here
Antigone speaks with scornful irony.
1058. auToPovXos 10-8', 'be thou self-willed': he can only forbid,
not prevent ; her blood be on her own head !
[T/ie herald goes out : Antigone remains?^
[1059-84. ExoDOS. 'Ah! triumphant Fury-Fates, the ruin of
the house of Oidipous ! I dare not weep for thee (Polyneikes),
nor follow thee to the tomb ! Thou (Eteokles) shalt have many to
lament thee: he (Polyneikes) his sister alone' (1059-70).
Then the Chorus divide into two bands; one follows Jsmene with
the funeral train of Eteokles ; the other follows Antigone^ escorting
the body of Polyneikes.
The first Semi-chorus sing : ' We will brave the city's wrath, and
go to bury Polyneikes : he is akin, and should be bewailed : the city
wavers in its view of Right' (1071-7). The second replies: 'We
will follow the other, Eteokles : for, after the gods, 'twas he chiefly
saved the city from the flood of foreign foes' (1078-end).]
1059. ' Proud-vaunting Fury-Fates, ruin of the house ' : the
Furies and Fates, here identified (as an imaginative way of saying
'the deadly curse') are both 'daughters of Night': the Erinyes
69
SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS
call Night their mother (Eum. 322) and the Fates their sisters
(ib. 962). Such free handling of the myths is not uncommon in
the poets, esp. Aeschylos. Thus (Eum. 3) Themis is daughter of
Earth ; (Prom. 209) the two are ' one form of many names.'
1061. irpv|iv60«v: see above 71. Notice wXeVare irpvnv66ev, the
short vowel lengthened before -np- in another word. Aeschylus
is much freer in this metrical use than Sophokles : in Epic it is
quite common.
1062. tC irdOw ; lit. * what shall befall me ? ' a regular Epic formula
of perplexity {&fioi iya, ri ndda ; ri vv /xoi firjKia-Ta ytvrjrai ;) , but in
Attic used really to mean rather ' what shall I doV than * what
shall I suffer ? ' The conclusive cases are those like Phoenissae
895 : TO jxiXXov, (I xPhi T^^'i'frop.ai,' ti ^dp -rrdOw ; Aristoph. Aves,
1431-2:
HE. peavias &U avKotfiavTt'is tovs ^evovs ',
2Y. Tt yap naOat ; aKanTfiv yap ovk eTriarafiau
So Eur. Hek, 614 ; Ar. Nub. 797.
1065. KdiroTptirojiai Set^jia itoXitwv : lit. * I turn away from the fear
of the citizens,' a bold and inexact, but not obscure expression : the
deed which involves fearing the wrath of the citizens he boldly calls
'the fear of the citizens'; it is the deed he turns away from. In
English we must paraphrase, ' I turn aside, fearing the citizens.'
1067. o-v Y« : pointing to the corpse of Eteokles.
1070. Td irCOoiTo, * can pay //ta^ service,' i. e. to bury Polyneikes.
TO is the Epic use of article as demonst., not uncommon in Tragedy,
esp. in Aeschylus. See 385, 509. The ace. is cognate.
[Ai this point the Chorus divide; see summary, 1059.]
107 1. Spdrw TV : euphemism for * punish,' just as Ti izaBtiv is used
for * be punished,' ' be slain,' ' perish.'
Spdru Kttl p,t\ Spared is idiomatic for * Let them do it or no,' vivid
for ' whether they do,' &c.
1073. Ti|A«is |ji«v, * We at any rate ' : this force comes from the
use of \3.iv when the 8e-clause is suppressed.
1075. Y€V6a Koivov t68' dxos, 'this sorrow belongs to all the race,'
i. e. to both brothers alike the lament must be paid, [yfj'eo might
also be taken * by his kinship ' he shares in this sorrow : but then
you would rather expect * to him ' to be expressed after Kotv6vI\
1076-7. A sneer at the fickleness of Athens, natural in the mouth
of the oligarchical poet, though there is no need to find an allusion
to Aristides.
1084. rd jtdXio-Ta might be taken with KaTaKXvo-GTjvai, 'to be
utterly overwhelmed ' : but it is rather wanted with 7pv|e : ' after
the gods . . . 'twas he most of all who saved,' &c. And this is
probably right, though the order of the words seems rather
awkward.
70
NOTES. Lines 1061-1084
[The two funeral trains pass out by different doors, Ismene
leading one, Antigone the other, and half the Chorus following
each.]
The play (third of the Trilogy) thus ends with the complete
fulfilment of the curse of Oidipous, given in the second play. The
last scene, however, strongly suggests that the sorrows of the
house are not over : that Antigone's ' righteous disobedience ' will
entail further tragedy. If the poet meant this, it would not be
uncharacteristic of his thought or manner: though it certainly
leaves a feeling of imperfect artistic finish. See Remarks on the
Drama, p. xx.
71
INDEX
(i) GENERAL AND GRAMMATICAL
abstract plurals 351, 450.
abstract, verbal, intrans. 449.
adjective, compound, fem. form
107.
active evTpa<pr}s 309.
— transferred, fiKaxai aifiarotaaai
348.
alliteration, contemptuous 661.
antecedent, attracted to rel. 553.
ab(\^(6s, Epic form 576, 976.
aXXoi, special use 424.
d\<pr]aTr}s 770.
a\ws 489.
an6s 417, 665.
avoid 402 [cf. evK\eid'].
airavra, with irav^oKtiv 18.
dnoTpiiroixai Sfif^a 1065.
aiSdaOai 678.
avOfVTtjs {(poyos) 680, 735-
avTo5dtKTos 735-
aVTOKTOVWS 734-
dvTw with ace. 144.
caesura absent 457, 105 1.
case, unaltered with \eyci) 273,
658.
cases : —
nominative, pendens 682.
accusative, cognate, StSopKa 53.
cognate, fiXinu 498.
cognate and object 754.
quasi cognate 406, 554.
motion along 466.
and dative, with inf. 731.
after dvrw 144.
after ^amvpiiv rdp^o^ 290.
genitive, after iTrwvvp.o's 8.
after negatives 411, 876.
genitive, after verbs of feeling
921.
ol equivalence 906.
with quasi superlatives 852.
dative, of circumstance 323.
with avv, for instrum. 878.
chorus, song divided among different
singers 78, 848.
connexion, want of 600, 601.
7€7cuj'os 443.
haip.ova.o3 1008.
Se deferred 41, 199, 699, 1014,
1029.
SfSopKa with ace. cogn. "Aprj 53,
KTVTTOv 103.
81a with ace. (poetic) hid ffTo/xa 5 1 ,
206. Si' 'AxtpovTa 856.
with gen. did <pp(v6s 592.
So/cTjaaTO) 1041,
SoKw, personalised construction 615.
5" ovv, * anyhow ' 809.
Svax^l^os 503.
Earth drinking blood of the mur-
dered 736.
Epic usage : —
forms, dn^aais 466.
dhiK(p(6s 576, 976.
dvT(\ku 535.
ai/cu 186.
eKeiBi 809.
^ demonst. 17, 560.
i] T(, rel. 501.
opofifvov 87.
Toi for of 299.
■words, I3d(a} 483.
Pa6vKoKiros 865.
72
INDEX
Epic usage {continued') : —
•words, 6^ tot' 214.
d for eWe 260, 550.
l«Aajra^cu 456-
(uaipofxai 81 1.
emppoOos 368.
fparos 864.
'Epiy 429.
tii/crjXo^ 238,
OaXfpos 707.
6«o5ei/ 324.
KTjSo/jiai. 136.
Kivvpofxai 122.
Aaxat 914.
oKpioeaaa 301.
in7Avf 136.
ffi;66(S94i.
XfpA'as 301.
constrtiction, abstract nouns plural
351.450-
article for rel. 599.
article for demonst. 197, 385,
912, 1070.
article omitted 420, 478, 703.
subjunct. indef., no av 257, 338,
819.
tmesis loi, 1033.
* whole and part ' constr. 834.
avTilv with ace. 144.
Std with ace. 51, 206, 856.
€7r<, itpos, &c. c. dat. after motion
verbs 403, 447, 462, 714.
quantity, "Aprjs (a long) 244, 344,
(vK\fia = tvKXfir] 686.
'IwiroixeSouv (o long) 488.
HapOfvoTToioi (€ long) 547.
phrase, 'Ai5a vpoidipai, 322.
no\v<p6vTov fiia 448, 569, 571,
,577.620, 641.
Te'Xoy ^avoTOto, 906.
thought. Death as a darkness 403.
epithet transferred, ojirKiffnivt) 434.
kniKOTOs 786.
Erinys 70.
euphemism 784, 800, 934.
f^SofjiayfTTjs 800.
«35o/xos = €7rrd 125.
et«oy, with pres. and aor. not fat. 518.
(Is and TToKvs 6.
iK, poetic for ' by ' 750.
ivSareiaOat 578-
efuTTTid^a. 577.
enavOi^u 949*
iwwvvnos 536.
Ixw, 'incur blame of 1035.
feminine noun with masc. verbal
225.
figures 69, 84, loi, 114, 122, 212,
229, 251, 414, 494, 584, 603,
820, 854, 953.
fttture mid. as pass. 198.
Ij ovK (one syllable) 202.
hiatus, Tt ovv 208, 704.
OojpaKila 32.
imperfect, 'tentative' 1024.
infinitive, epexegetic 15,644.
infinitive (pres. or aor.) after verbs
of confidence 37, 429, 615,
.749-
infinitive of prayer 75, 253, 417.
irony 293, 368, 402, 562, 619, 621,
670, 856, 870, 882, 949.
irregularity of structure, two clauses
in one 250, 252.
Kai, loose use 788.
KaKOVxia 668.
KanrjXfvoj, 545.
Kara, c. acc. ' to match ' 505.
Kariya) 647, 660.
line broken 217.
KeXi/xixivos-^^^, 380,
metaphors, x»'oas iroSoiv 371.
— dvTTjphrjs 693.
— vavKXrjptiv 652.
middle for act. daicpvtaOai 815.
— KKaUaOai 920.
— (TTfveaOcu 873.
fiardoi 37.
fiiv (no 5f) 751.
1X1], generic 3.
— with aor. imper. 1041.
— after verbs oi confidence, 37, 615.
— for iiT] ov 874.
73
INDEX
vvKTrjyopuv 28.
vai/xoM, ' study,' 'watch' 25.
^vWaPai 468.
j^vvTf\tia 251.
optat. (delicacy) 3-7.
— generalizing (verb primary) 683.
— oblique delib. 55.
o'lKijT^flp 19.
o/j-fia (precious) 530.
opw ('forebode') 554.
ov T( uri, subj. 38, 282.
ov fxri, fut., interrog. 250.
parataxis 816.
personification 179, 189.
plural, generalizing 595.
potential as imper. 713.
pregnant, raiv OvpaOtv 68.
preposition after noun 185.
present prophetic 703.
iraXivcrrofiS) 258.
irafivrjaia 817.
navSiKws 670.
iravdoKOVffa 18.
Trdvdvprt 969.
iTiKp6s 882, 941.
voKvi, with verbs 6.
vovoi itovaiv 852.
irpeaPiffTos 390.
npvfivoGev 'ji, 1061.
sense-construction 8, 290-1.
subjunctive, dubitative 297.
— indef. (no dv) 257, 338, 819.
— with ov fi-q 38, 281.
synizesis, t) ovk 203.
aa<pT]s, ' true ' 40.
aovadi 31.
aTtycu 1 01 4.
arkcpQ} 50, 279.
avBfis 941.
tmesis loi, 1033.
rap<pvi, fern. 535.
Taxos, adv. 58.
T€ omitted 45.
— displaced 286.
reXtioi 167.
Ti Spay 1071.
Toi, ' gnomic * 438.
verbal adj., active or passive 846.
<ppovpr]fm, 449.
(pvu (v short) 632.
Xfiporovos 171.
wyvyios 321.
ws = aiffTe 544.
ojairtp adverbial 755.
wcTT* = o;s 13.
(2) NAMES
'ASpaffTos 50, 575.
'XOdva 487.
'Ai'Sjjj 322, 869.
Pdaxvvrj 409.
'hpupiapfws 569.
^Afiipiojv 528.
'AvTiy6vi] 862.
'AnoWwv 159, 745, 801.
'A/jd 70, 952.
'Ap7eroi 120, 679.
*'A/)7os 573.
'Ap^s 45. 53» 64, 105, 115, 135. 244.
412,414,469,497,910,943.
'ApiffTapxos 79 ii-
'Apms 547.
■'ApTffiii 154, 450.
'AdTOKOS 407.
'Ato 954.
'AraA.dj'Tj; 532.
'Axatos 324-
'Axtpoiv 856.
Bop/xuac (ttvAoj) 527.
r^ 16, 69.
A'lKT) 662, 667, 671.
A(>«7j 273.
74
INDEX
'Evvda 45.
'Eniyovoi 903 n.
'Epivvi 73, 674, 700, 727, 791, 86
887, 1060.
'Epis 429,
'Epurjs 508.
'Et(ok\^s 101 3.
'ErtoKKos 458.
ZfVS 69, 116, K.T.\.
"UXfKTpai (tri5\aj) 423.
"Hpa 152.
0w«is 498, 836.
'Ifffi^vrj 862.
'lapujvos 273.
KaS/Kfof 10 IX.
KaS/xefoi 9, 679, I020, 1030, 1031.
KaSfioyevTjs 303.
Kd5/ioj I, 74, 120, 135, 823.
Kairavevs 423.
K^p€S 1060.
Kp«'«u»' 474.
Kvvpts 140.
KwKUTos 690.
Aatos 691, 745, 803, 842.
Aaadtvrji 620.
AaT07fj/6£a 148.
Ao^'tai 618.
AvKtios 145.
M€7ap«t;j 474.
McAdi'tTrTTOS, 414.
N^tffrat (7rt)Aat) 460.
"OfKa 164.
''OyKa 'ABava 487.
J Oi5»jro5ay 725, 752, 086, 1060.
I OlSiirovs 203, 372, 654, 677, 709,
775, 801,806,833, 978,992.
OlKXirjs 609.
OlK\ei5i]s 382.
OiVoi// 504.
'O^oXcutSes (TTvAat) 570.
naWAs 130, 501.
na/jSeroTraroy 547.
Uokwei/tTji 577, 641, 658, lOlS.
IloKv<l>6vTr)s 448.
nocrejSawv 1 31.
noffftSai/ 309.
TIpotTiSfs (nv\ai) 377.
npofroy 395.
IlvdlHOS 747.
2«tJSi7S 728, 818.
^<Phi 54ij 644-
TjjSv'j 311.
TvSfvs z'j'j, 380, 407.
i Tv(t>wv 49^, 511.
j Tvipws 517.
"tiripPios 504, 512, 519.
*<5^os 45.
^oT&os 691.
XdAvjt 728.
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