2. Euripides, Bacchae, 99-104, 140-145, 353, 439, 443-450, 576-641, 667, 698, 724-774, 918-924, 1017-1023, 1026, 1078-1147 (5th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
Tagged with subjects: • Dionysos, Dionysos as bull • bull • bull, Dionysos as • rhombos (bull-roarer)
Found in books: Bernabe et al (2013) 52, 126, 141, 177, 279, 280, 319, 323, 333, 334, 336, 340, 341, 342, 344; Lipka (2021) 112, 113; Seaford (2018) 171, 335
99. ἔτεκεν δʼ, ἁνίκα Μοῖραι 100. τέλεσαν, ταυρόκερων θεὸν'101. στεφάνωσέν τε δρακόντων' '102. στεφάνοις, ἔνθεν ἄγραν θηροτρόφον 140. ἐς ὄρεα Φρύγια, Λύδιʼ, ὁ δʼ ἔξαρχος Βρόμιος, 141. εὐοἷ. 142. ῥεῖ δὲ γάλακτι πέδον, ῥεῖ δʼ οἴνῳ, ῥεῖ δὲ μελισσᾶν 143. νέκταρι. 144. Συρίας δʼ ὡς λιβάνου καπνὸν 353. τὸν θηλύμορφον ξένον, ὃς ἐσφέρει νόσον
439. γελῶν δὲ καὶ δεῖν κἀπάγειν ἐφίετο 444. κἄδησας ἐν δεσμοῖσι πανδήμου στέγης, 445. φροῦδαί γʼ ἐκεῖναι λελυμέναι πρὸς ὀργάδας 446. σκιρτῶσι Βρόμιον ἀνακαλούμεναι θεόν· 447. αὐτόματα δʼ αὐταῖς δεσμὰ διελύθη ποδῶν 448. κλῇδές τʼ ἀνῆκαν θύρετρʼ ἄνευ θνητῆς χερός. 449. πολλῶν δʼ ὅδʼ ἁνὴρ θαυμάτων ἥκει πλέως 450. ἐς τάσδε Θήβας. σοὶ δὲ τἄλλα χρὴ μέλειν. Πενθεύς
576. ἰώ,
576. κλύετʼ ἐμᾶς κλύετʼ αὐδᾶς, 577. ἰὼ βάκχαι, ἰὼ βάκχαι. Χορός 578. τίς ὅδε, τίς ὅδε πόθεν ὁ κέλαδος 579. ἀνά μʼ ἐκάλεσεν Εὐίου; Διόνυσος 580. ἰὼ ἰώ, πάλιν αὐδῶ, 581. ὁ Σεμέλας, ὁ Διὸς παῖς. Χορός 582. ἰὼ ἰὼ δέσποτα δέσποτα, 583. μόλε νυν ἡμέτερον ἐς 584. θίασον, ὦ Βρόμιε Βρόμιε. Διόνυσος 585. σεῖε πέδον χθονὸς Ἔννοσι πότνια. Χορός 586. ἆ ἆ, 587. τάχα τὰ Πενθέως μέλαθρα διατινάξεται word split in text 99. Δίου βροντᾶς; 600. δίκετε πεδόσε τρομερὰ σώματα 601. δίκετε, Μαινάδες· ὁ γὰρ ἄναξ 602. ἄνω κάτω τιθεὶς ἔπεισι 603. μέλαθρα τάδε Διὸς γόνος. Διόνυσος 604. βάρβαροι γυναῖκες, οὕτως ἐκπεπληγμέναι φόβῳ 605. πρὸς πέδῳ πεπτώκατʼ; ᾔσθησθʼ, ὡς ἔοικε, Βακχίου 606. διατινάξαντος δῶμα Πενθέως· ἀλλʼ ἐξανίστατε 607. σῶμα καὶ θαρσεῖτε σαρκὸς ἐξαμείψασαι τρόμον. Χορός 608. ὦ φάος μέγιστον ἡμῖν εὐίου βακχεύματος, 609. ὡς ἐσεῖδον ἀσμένη σε, μονάδʼ ἔχουσʼ ἐρημίαν. Διόνυσος 610. εἰς ἀθυμίαν ἀφίκεσθʼ, ἡνίκʼ εἰσεπεμπόμην, 611. Πενθέως ὡς ἐς σκοτεινὰς ὁρκάνας πεσούμενος; Χορός 612. πῶς γὰρ οὔ; τίς μοι φύλαξ ἦν, εἰ σὺ συμφορᾶς τύχοις; 613. ἀλλὰ πῶς ἠλευθερώθης ἀνδρὸς ἀνοσίου τυχών; Διόνυσος 614. αὐτὸς ἐξέσῳσʼ ἐμαυτὸν ῥᾳδίως ἄνευ πόνου. Χορός 615. οὐδέ σου συνῆψε χεῖρε δεσμίοισιν ἐν βρόχοις; Διόνυσος 616. ταῦτα καὶ καθύβρισʼ αὐτόν, ὅτι με δεσμεύειν δοκῶν 617. οὔτʼ ἔθιγεν οὔθʼ ἥψαθʼ ἡμῶν, ἐλπίσιν δʼ ἐβόσκετο. 618. πρὸς φάτναις δὲ ταῦρον εὑρών, οὗ καθεῖρξʼ ἡμᾶς ἄγων, 619. τῷδε περὶ βρόχους ἔβαλλε γόνασι καὶ χηλαῖς ποδῶν, 620. θυμὸν ἐκπνέων, ἱδρῶτα σώματος στάζων ἄπο, 621. χείλεσιν διδοὺς ὀδόντας· πλησίον δʼ ἐγὼ παρὼν 622. ἥσυχος θάσσων ἔλευσσον. ἐν δὲ τῷδε τῷ χρόνῳ 623. ἀνετίναξʼ ἐλθὼν ὁ Βάκχος δῶμα καὶ μητρὸς τάφῳ 624. πῦρ ἀνῆψʼ· ὃ δʼ ὡς ἐσεῖδε, δώματʼ αἴθεσθαι δοκῶν, 625. ᾖσσʼ ἐκεῖσε κᾆτʼ ἐκεῖσε, δμωσὶν Ἀχελῷον φέρειν 626. ἐννέπων, ἅπας δʼ ἐν ἔργῳ δοῦλος ἦν, μάτην πονῶν. 627. διαμεθεὶς δὲ τόνδε μόχθον, ὡς ἐμοῦ πεφευγότος, 628. ἵεται ξίφος κελαινὸν ἁρπάσας δόμων ἔσω. 629. κᾆθʼ ὁ Βρόμιος, ὡς ἔμοιγε φαίνεται, δόξαν λέγω, 630. φάσμʼ ἐποίησεν κατʼ αὐλήν· ὃ δʼ ἐπὶ τοῦθʼ ὡρμημένος 631. ᾖσσε κἀκέντει φαεννὸν αἰθέρʼ, ὡς σφάζων ἐμέ. 632. πρὸς δὲ τοῖσδʼ αὐτῷ τάδʼ ἄλλα Βάκχιος λυμαίνεται· 633. δώματʼ ἔρρηξεν χαμᾶζε· συντεθράνωται δʼ ἅπαν 634. πικροτάτους ἰδόντι δεσμοὺς τοὺς ἐμούς· κόπου δʼ ὕπο 635. διαμεθεὶς ξίφος παρεῖται· πρὸς θεὸν γὰρ ὢν ἀνὴρ 636. ἐς μάχην ἐλθεῖν ἐτόλμησε. ἥσυχος δʼ ἐκβὰς ἐγὼ 637. δωμάτων ἥκω πρὸς ὑμᾶς, Πενθέως οὐ φροντίσας. 639. ἐς προνώπιʼ αὐτίχʼ ἥξει. τί ποτʼ ἄρʼ ἐκ τούτων ἐρεῖ; 640. ῥᾳδίως γὰρ αὐτὸν οἴσω, κἂν πνέων ἔλθῃ μέγα. 641. πρὸς σοφοῦ γὰρ ἀνδρὸς ἀσκεῖν σώφρονʼ εὐοργησίαν. Πενθεύς
667. ὡς δεινὰ δρῶσι θαυμάτων τε κρείσσονα.
698. ὄφεσι κατεζώσαντο λιχμῶσιν γένυν.
724. ὥραν ἐκίνουν θύρσον ἐς βακχεύματα, 725. Ἴακχον ἀθρόῳ στόματι τὸν Διὸς γόνον 726. Βρόμιον καλοῦσαι· πᾶν δὲ συνεβάκχευʼ ὄρος 727. καὶ θῆρες, οὐδὲν δʼ ἦν ἀκίνητον δρόμῳ. 729. κἀγὼ ʼξεπήδησʼ ὡς συναρπάσαι θέλων, 730. λόχμην κενώσας ἔνθʼ ἐκρυπτόμην δέμας. 731. ἣ δʼ ἀνεβόησεν· Ὦ δρομάδες ἐμαὶ κύνες, 732. θηρώμεθʼ ἀνδρῶν τῶνδʼ ὕπʼ· ἀλλʼ ἕπεσθέ μοι, 733. ἕπεσθε θύρσοις διὰ χερῶν ὡπλισμέναι. 735. βακχῶν σπαραγμόν, αἳ δὲ νεμομέναις χλόην 736. μόσχοις ἐπῆλθον χειρὸς ἀσιδήρου μέτα. 737. καὶ τὴν μὲν ἂν προσεῖδες εὔθηλον πόριν 738. μυκωμένην ἔχουσαν ἐν χεροῖν δίχα, 739. ἄλλαι δὲ δαμάλας διεφόρουν σπαράγμασιν. 740. εἶδες δʼ ἂν ἢ πλεύρʼ ἢ δίχηλον ἔμβασιν 741. ῥιπτόμενʼ ἄνω τε καὶ κάτω· κρεμαστὰ δὲ 742. ἔσταζʼ ὑπʼ ἐλάταις ἀναπεφυρμένʼ αἵματι. 743. ταῦροι δʼ ὑβρισταὶ κἀς κέρας θυμούμενοι 744. τὸ πρόσθεν ἐσφάλλοντο πρὸς γαῖαν δέμας, 745. μυριάσι χειρῶν ἀγόμενοι νεανίδων. 746. θᾶσσον δὲ διεφοροῦντο σαρκὸς ἐνδυτὰ 747. ἢ σὲ ξυνάψαι βλέφαρα βασιλείοις κόραις. 748. χωροῦσι δʼ ὥστʼ ὄρνιθες ἀρθεῖσαι δρόμῳ 749. πεδίων ὑποτάσεις, αἳ παρʼ Ἀσωποῦ ῥοαῖς 750. εὔκαρπον ἐκβάλλουσι Θηβαίων στάχυν· 751. Ὑσιάς τʼ Ἐρυθράς θʼ, αἳ Κιθαιρῶνος λέπας 752. νέρθεν κατῳκήκασιν, ὥστε πολέμιοι, 753. ἐπεσπεσοῦσαι πάντʼ ἄνω τε καὶ κάτω 754. διέφερον· ἥρπαζον μὲν ἐκ δόμων τέκνα· 755. ὁπόσα δʼ ἐπʼ ὤμοις ἔθεσαν, οὐ δεσμῶν ὕπο 756. προσείχετʼ οὐδʼ ἔπιπτεν ἐς μέλαν πέδον, 757. οὐ χαλκός, οὐ σίδηρος· ἐπὶ δὲ βοστρύχοις 758. πῦρ ἔφερον, οὐδʼ ἔκαιεν. οἳ δʼ ὀργῆς ὕπο 759. ἐς ὅπλʼ ἐχώρουν φερόμενοι βακχῶν ὕπο· 760. οὗπερ τὸ δεινὸν ἦν θέαμʼ ἰδεῖν, ἄναξ. 761. τοῖς μὲν γὰρ οὐχ ᾕμασσε λογχωτὸν βέλος, 762. κεῖναι δὲ θύρσους ἐξανιεῖσαι χερῶν 763. ἐτραυμάτιζον κἀπενώτιζον φυγῇ 764. γυναῖκες ἄνδρας, οὐκ ἄνευ θεῶν τινος. 765. πάλιν δʼ ἐχώρουν ὅθεν ἐκίνησαν πόδα, 766. κρήνας ἐπʼ αὐτὰς ἃς ἀνῆκʼ αὐταῖς θεός. 767. νίψαντο δʼ αἷμα, σταγόνα δʼ ἐκ παρηίδων 768. γλώσσῃ δράκοντες ἐξεφαίδρυνον χροός. 770. δέχου πόλει τῇδʼ· ὡς τά τʼ ἄλλʼ ἐστὶν μέγας, 771. κἀκεῖνό φασιν αὐτόν, ὡς ἐγὼ κλύω, 772. τὴν παυσίλυπον ἄμπελον δοῦναι βροτοῖς. 773. οἴνου δὲ μηκέτʼ ὄντος οὐκ ἔστιν Κύπρις 774. οὐδʼ ἄλλο τερπνὸν οὐδὲν ἀνθρώποις ἔτι. Χορός
918. καὶ μὴν ὁρᾶν μοι δύο μὲν ἡλίους δοκῶ, 919. δισσὰς δὲ Θήβας καὶ πόλισμʼ ἑπτάστομον· 920. καὶ ταῦρος ἡμῖν πρόσθεν ἡγεῖσθαι δοκεῖς 921. καὶ σῷ κέρατα κρατὶ προσπεφυκέναι. 922. ἀλλʼ ἦ ποτʼ ἦσθα θήρ; τεταύρωσαι γὰρ οὖν. Διόνυσος 923. ὁ θεὸς ὁμαρτεῖ, πρόσθεν ὢν οὐκ εὐμενής, 924. ἔνσπονδος ἡμῖν· νῦν δʼ ὁρᾷς ἃ χρή σʼ ὁρᾶν. Πενθεύς 1018. φάνηθι ταῦρος ἢ πολύκρανος ἰδεῖν 1019. δράκων ἢ πυριφλέγων ὁρᾶσθαι λέων. 1020. ἴθʼ, ὦ Βάκχε, θηραγρευτᾷ βακχᾶν 1021. γελῶντι προσώπῳ περίβαλε βρόχον 1022. θανάσιμον ὑπʼ ἀγέλαν πεσόντι word split in text 1026. δράκοντος ἔσπειρʼ Ὄφεος ἐν γαίᾳ θέρος,
1078. ἐκ δʼ αἰθέρος φωνή τις, ὡς μὲν εἰκάσαι 1079. Διόνυσος, ἀνεβόησεν· Ὦ νεάνιδες, 1080. ἄγω τὸν ὑμᾶς κἀμὲ τἀμά τʼ ὄργια 1081. γέλων τιθέμενον· ἀλλὰ τιμωρεῖσθέ νιν. 1082. καὶ ταῦθʼ ἅμʼ ἠγόρευε καὶ πρὸς οὐρανὸν 1083. καὶ γαῖαν ἐστήριξε φῶς σεμνοῦ πυρός. 1084. 1085. φύλλʼ εἶχε, θηρῶν δʼ οὐκ ἂν ἤκουσας βοήν. 1086. αἳ δʼ ὠσὶν ἠχὴν οὐ σαφῶς δεδεγμέναι 1087. ἔστησαν ὀρθαὶ καὶ διήνεγκαν κόρας. 1088. ὃ δʼ αὖθις ἐπεκέλευσεν· ὡς δʼ ἐγνώρισαν 1089. σαφῆ κελευσμὸν Βακχίου Κάδμου κόραι, 1090. ᾖξαν πελείας ὠκύτητʼ οὐχ ἥσσονες 1091. ποδῶν τρέχουσαι συντόνοις δραμήμασι, 1092. μήτηρ Ἀγαύη σύγγονοί θʼ ὁμόσποροι 1093. πᾶσαί τε βάκχαι· διὰ δὲ χειμάρρου νάπης 1094. ἀγμῶν τʼ ἐπήδων θεοῦ πνοαῖσιν ἐμμανεῖς. 1095. ὡς δʼ εἶδον ἐλάτῃ δεσπότην ἐφήμενον, 1096. πρῶτον μὲν αὐτοῦ χερμάδας κραταιβόλους 1097. ἔρριπτον, ἀντίπυργον ἐπιβᾶσαι πέτραν, 1098. ὄζοισί τʼ ἐλατίνοισιν ἠκοντίζετο. 10
99. ἄλλαι δὲ θύρσους ἵεσαν διʼ αἰθέρος 1100. Πενθέως, στόχον δύστηνον· ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἤνυτον. 1101. κρεῖσσον γὰρ ὕψος τῆς προθυμίας ἔχων 1102. καθῆσθʼ ὁ τλήμων, ἀπορίᾳ λελημμένος. 1103. τέλος δὲ δρυΐνους συγκεραυνοῦσαι κλάδους 1104. ῥίζας ἀνεσπάρασσον ἀσιδήροις μοχλοῖς. 1105. ἐπεὶ δὲ μόχθων τέρματʼ οὐκ ἐξήνυτον, 1106. ἔλεξʼ Ἀγαύη· Φέρε, περιστᾶσαι κύκλῳ 1107. πτόρθου λάβεσθε, μαινάδες, τὸν ἀμβάτην 1108. θῆρʼ ὡς ἕλωμεν, μηδʼ ἀπαγγείλῃ θεοῦ 1109. χοροὺς κρυφαίους. αἳ δὲ μυρίαν χέρα 1110. προσέθεσαν ἐλάτῃ κἀξανέσπασαν χθονός· 1111. ὑψοῦ δὲ θάσσων ὑψόθεν χαμαιριφὴς 1112. πίπτει πρὸς οὖδας μυρίοις οἰμώγμασιν 1113. Πενθεύς· κακοῦ γὰρ ἐγγὺς ὢν ἐμάνθανεν. 1115. καὶ προσπίτνει νιν· ὃ δὲ μίτραν κόμης ἄπο 1116. ἔρριψεν, ὥς νιν γνωρίσασα μὴ κτάνοι 1117. τλήμων Ἀγαύη, καὶ λέγει, παρηίδος 1118. ψαύων· Ἐγώ τοι, μῆτερ, εἰμί, παῖς σέθεν 1119. Πενθεύς, ὃν ἔτεκες ἐν δόμοις Ἐχίονος· 1120. οἴκτιρε δʼ ὦ μῆτέρ με, μηδὲ ταῖς ἐμαῖς 1121. ἁμαρτίαισι παῖδα σὸν κατακτάνῃς. 1123. κόρας ἑλίσσουσʼ, οὐ φρονοῦσʼ ἃ χρὴ φρονεῖν, 1124. ἐκ Βακχίου κατείχετʼ, οὐδʼ ἔπειθέ νιν. 1125. λαβοῦσα δʼ ὠλένης ἀριστερὰν χέρα, 1126. πλευραῖσιν ἀντιβᾶσα τοῦ δυσδαίμονος 1127. ἀπεσπάραξεν ὦμον, οὐχ ὑπὸ σθένους, 1128. ἀλλʼ ὁ θεὸς εὐμάρειαν ἐπεδίδου χεροῖν· 1129. Ἰνὼ δὲ τἀπὶ θάτερʼ ἐξειργάζετο, 1130. ῥηγνῦσα σάρκας, Αὐτονόη τʼ ὄχλος τε πᾶς 1131. ἐπεῖχε βακχῶν· ἦν δὲ πᾶσʼ ὁμοῦ βοή, 1132. ὃ μὲν στενάζων ὅσον ἐτύγχανʼ ἐμπνέων, 1133. αἳ δʼ ἠλάλαζον. ἔφερε δʼ ἣ μὲν ὠλένην, 1134. ἣ δʼ ἴχνος αὐταῖς ἀρβύλαις· γυμνοῦντο δὲ 1135. πλευραὶ σπαραγμοῖς· πᾶσα δʼ ᾑματωμένη 1136. χεῖρας διεσφαίριζε σάρκα Πενθέως. 1138. πέτραις, τὸ δʼ ὕλης ἐν βαθυξύλῳ φόβῃ, 1139. οὐ ῥᾴδιον ζήτημα· κρᾶτα δʼ ἄθλιον, 1
140. ὅπερ λαβοῦσα τυγχάνει μήτηρ χεροῖν, 1141. πήξασʼ ἐπʼ ἄκρον θύρσον ὡς ὀρεστέρου 1142. φέρει λέοντος διὰ Κιθαιρῶνος μέσου, 1143. λιποῦσʼ ἀδελφὰς ἐν χοροῖσι μαινάδων. 1144. χωρεῖ δὲ θήρᾳ δυσπότμῳ γαυρουμένη 1145. τειχέων ἔσω τῶνδʼ, ἀνακαλοῦσα Βάκχιον 1146. τὸν ξυγκύναγον, τὸν ξυνεργάτην ἄγρας, 1147. τὸν καλλίνικον, ᾧ δάκρυα νικηφορεῖ. '. None | 99. received him in a chamber fit for birth, and having covered him in his thigh shut him up with golden clasps, hidden from Hera.And he brought forth, when the Fate 100. had perfected him, the bull-horned god, and he crowned him with crowns of snakes, for which reason Maenads cloak their wild prey over their locks. Choru'101. had perfected him, the bull-horned god, and he crowned him with crowns of snakes, for which reason Maenads cloak their wild prey over their locks. Choru
140. Phrygian, the Lydian mountains, and the leader of the dance is Bromius, evoe! A ritual cry of delight. The plain flows with milk, it flows with wine, it flows with the nectar of bees. 145. The Bacchic one, raising the flaming torch of pine on his thyrsos, like the smoke of Syrian incense, darts about, arousing the wanderers with his racing and dancing, agitating them with his shouts,
353. and release his garlands to the winds and storms. In this way I will especially wound him. And some of you hunt throughout the city for this effeminate stranger, who introduces a new disease to women and pollutes our beds.
439. for which you sent us, nor have we set out in vain. This beast was docile in our hands and did not withdraw in flight, but yielded not unwillingly. He did not turn pale or change the wine-dark complexion of his cheek, but laughed and allowed us to bind him and lead him away.
443. He remained still, making my work easy, and I in shame said: Stranger, I do not lead you away willingly, but by order of Pentheus, who sent me. And the Bacchae whom you shut up, whom you carried off and bound in the chains of the public prison, 445. are set loose and gone, and are gamboling in the meadows, invoking Bromius as their god. of their own accord, the chains were loosed from their feet and keys opened the doors without human hand. This man has come to Thebe 450. full of many wonders. You must take care of the rest. Pentheu
576. within Io! Hear my voice, hear it, Io Bacchae, Io Bacchae! Choru 578. Who is here, who? From what quarter did the voice of the Joyful one summon me? Dionysu 580. Io! Io! I say again; it is I, the child of Zeus and Semele. Choru 582. Io! Io! Master, master! Come now to our company, Bromius. Dionysu 585. Shake the world’s plain, lady Earthquake! Choru 586. Oh! Oh! Soon the palace of Pentheus will be shaken in ruin. The following lines are probably delivered by individual chorus members. —Dionysus is in the halls. 590. Revere him.—We revere him!—Did you see these stone lintels on the pillars falling apart? Bromius cries out in victory indoors. Dionysu 594. Light the fiery lamp of lightning! 595. Burn, burn Pentheus’ home! Choru 596. Oh! Oh! Do you not see the the fire, do you not perceive, about the sacred tomb of Semele, the flame that Zeus’ thunderbolt left? 600. Cast on the ground your trembling bodies, Maenads, cast them down, for our lord, Zeus’ son, is coming against this palace, turning everything upside down. Enter Dionysus Dionysu 604. Barbarian women, have you fallen on the ground 605. o stricken with fear? You have, so it seems, felt Bacchus shaking the house of Pentheus. But get up and take courage, putting a stop to your trembling. Chorus Leader 608. Oh greatest light for us in our joyful revelry, how happy I am to see you—I who was alone and desolate before. Dionysu 610. Did you despair when I was sent to fall into Pentheus’ dark dungeon? Chorus Leader 612. How not? Who was my guardian, if you met with misfortune? But how were you freed, having met with an impious man? Dionysu 614. By myself I saved myself easily, without trouble. Chorus Leader 615. Did he not tie your hands in binding knots? Dionysu 616. In this too I mocked him, for, thinking to bind me, he neither touched nor handled me, but fed on hope. He found a bull by the stable where he took and shut me up, and threw shackles around its knees and hooves, 620. breathing out fury, dripping sweat from his body, gnashing his teeth in his lips. But I, being near, sitting quietly, looked on. Meanwhile, Bacchus came and shook the house and kindled a flame on his mother’s tomb. When Pentheus saw this, thinking that the house was burning, 625. he ran here and there, calling to the slaves to bring water, and every servant was at work, toiling in vain.Then he let this labor drop, as I had escaped, and snatching a dark sword rushed into the house. Then Bromius, so it seems to me—I speak my opinion— 630. created a phantom in the courtyard. Pentheus rushed at it headlong, stabbing at the shining air, as though slaughtering me. Besides this, Bacchus inflicted other damage on him: he knocked his house to the ground, and everything was shattered into pieces, while he saw my bitter chains. From fatigue, 635. dropping his sword, he is exhausted. For he, a man, dared to join battle with a god. Now I have quietly left the house and come to you, with no thought of Pentheus.But I think—at any rate I hear the tramping of feet inside—he will soon come to the front of the house. What will he say after this? 640. I shall easily bear him, even if he comes boasting greatly. For it is the part of a wise man to practice restrained good temper. Enter Pentheus Pentheu
667. goaded to madness have darted from this land with their fair feet, I have come to tell you and the city, lord, that they are doing terrible things, beyond marvel. I wish to hear whether I should tell you in free speech the situation there or whether I should repress my report,
698. First they let their hair loose over their shoulders, and secured their fawn-skins, as many of them as had released the fastenings of their knots, girding the dappled hides with serpents licking their jaws. And some, holding in their arms a gazelle or wild
724. Pentheus’ mother Agave out from the Bacchic revelry and do the king a favor? We thought he spoke well, and lay down in ambush, hiding ourselves in the foliage of bushes. They, at the appointed hour, began to wave the thyrsos in their revelries, 725. calling on Iacchus, the son of Zeus, Bromius, with united voice. The whole mountain revelled along with them and the beasts, and nothing was unmoved by their running. Agave happened to be leaping near me, and I sprang forth, wanting to snatch her, 730. abandoning the ambush where I had hidden myself. But she cried out: O my fleet hounds, we are hunted by these men; but follow me! follow armed with your thyrsoi in your hands! We fled and escaped 735. from being torn apart by the Bacchae, but they, with unarmed hands, sprang on the heifers browsing the grass. and you might see one rending asunder a fatted lowing calf, while others tore apart cows. 740. You might see ribs or cloven hooves tossed here and there; caught in the trees they dripped, dabbled in gore. Bulls who before were fierce, and showed their fury with their horns, stumbled to the ground, 745. dragged down by countless young hands. The garment of flesh was torn apart faster then you could blink your royal eyes. And like birds raised in their course, they proceeded along the level plains, which by the streams of the Asopu 750. produce the bountiful Theban crop. And falling like soldiers upon Hysiae and Erythrae, towns situated below the rock of Kithairon, they turned everything upside down. They were snatching children from their homes; 755. and whatever they put on their shoulders, whether bronze or iron, was not held on by bonds, nor did it fall to the ground. They carried fire on their locks, but it did not burn them. Some people in rage took up arms, being plundered by the Bacchae, 760. and the sight of this was terrible to behold, lord. For their pointed spears drew no blood, but the women, hurling the thyrsoi from their hands, kept wounding them and turned them to flight—women did this to men, not without the help of some god. 765. And they returned where they had come from, to the very fountains which the god had sent forth for them, and washed off the blood, and snakes cleaned the drops from the women’s cheeks with their tongues.Receive this god then, whoever he is, 770. into this city, master. For he is great in other respects, and they say this too of him, as I hear, that he gives to mortals the vine that puts an end to grief. Without wine there is no longer Aphrodite or any other pleasant thing for men. Chorus Leader
918. Oh look! I think I see two suns, and twin Thebes , the seven-gated city. 920. And you seem to lead me, being like a bull and horns seem to grow on your head. But were you ever before a beast? For you have certainly now become a bull. Dionysu 923. The god accompanies us, now at truce with us, though formerly not propitious. Now you see what you should see. Pentheu
1017. Appear as a bull or many-headed serpent or raging lion to see. 1020. Go, Bacchus, with smiling face throw a deadly noose around the hunter of the Bacchae as he falls beneath the flock of Maenads. Second Messenger
1026. house of the Sidonian old man who once sowed in the ground the earth-born harvest of the serpent Ophis, how I groan for you, though I am a slave, but still the masters’ affairs are a concern to good servants . This line is most likely interpolated from Eur. Med. 54 . Chorus Leader
1078. He was seen by the Maenads more than he saw them, for sitting on high he was all but apparent, and the stranger was no longer anywhere to be seen, when a voice, Dionysus as I guess, cried out from the air: Young women, 1080. I bring the one who has made you and me and my rites a laughing-stock. Now punish him! And as he said this a light of holy fire was placed between heaven and earth. The air became quiet and the woody glen 1085. kept its leaves silent, nor would you have heard the sounds of animals. But they, not having heard the sound clearly, stood upright and looked all around. He repeated his order, and when the daughters of Kadmos recognized the clear command of Bacchus, 1090. they rushed forth, swift as a dove, running with eager speed of feet, his mother Agave, and her sisters, and all the Bacchae. They leapt through the torrent-streaming valley and mountain cliffs, frantic with the inspiration of the god. 1095. When they saw my master sitting in the pine, first they climbed a rock towering opposite the tree and began to hurl at him boulders violently thrown. Some aimed with pine branches and other women hurled their thyrsoi through the air 1100. at Pentheus, a sad target indeed. But they did not reach him, for the wretched man, caught with no way out, sat at a height too great for their eagerness. Finally like lightning they smashed oak branches and began to tear up the roots of the tree with ironless levers. 1105. When they did not succeed in their toils, Agave said: Come, standing round in a circle, each seize a branch, Maenads, so that we may catch the beast who has climbed aloft, and so that he does not make public the secret dances of the god. They applied countless hand 1110. to the pine and dragged it up from the earth. Pentheus fell crashing to the ground from his lofty seat, wailing greatly: for he knew he was in terrible trouble. His mother, as priestess, began the slaughter, 1115. and fell upon him. He threw the headband from his head so that the wretched Agave might recognize and not kill him. Touching her cheek, he said: It is I, mother, your son, Pentheus, whom you bore in the house of Echion. 1120. Pity me, mother, and do not kill me, your child, for my sins. But she, foaming at the mouth and twisting her eyes all about, not thinking as she ought, was possessed by Bacchus, and he did not persuade her. 1125. Seizing his left arm at the elbow and propping her foot against the unfortunate man’s side, she tore out his shoulder, not by her own strength, but the god gave facility to her hands. Ino began to work on the other side, 1130. tearing his flesh, while Autonoe and the whole crowd of the Bacchae pressed on. All were making noise together, he groaning as much as he had life left in him, while they shouted in victory. One of them bore his arm, another a foot, boot and all. His ribs were stripped bare 1135. from their tearings. The whole band, hands bloodied, were playing a game of catch with Pentheus’ flesh.His body lies in different places, part under the rugged rocks, part in the deep foliage of the woods, not easy to be sought. His miserable head, 1
140. which his mother happened to take in her hands, she fixed on the end of a thyrsos and carries through the midst of Kithairon like that of a savage lion, leaving her sisters among the Maenads’ dances. She is coming inside these walls, preening herself 1145. on the ill-fated prey, calling Bacchus her fellow hunter, her accomplice in the chase, the glorious victor—in whose service she wins a triumph of tears.And as for me, I will depart out of the way of this calamity before Agave reaches the house. '. None |
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3. Herodotus, Histories, 2.38-2.39, 2.42 (5th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
Tagged with subjects: • Cambyses, Persian king, attacks the Apis bull • Dionysos, Dionysos as bull • bull • bull's blood, in Egyptian religion • bull,Apis
Found in books: Bernabe et al (2013) 422, 423; Hitch (2017) 259; Manolaraki (2012) 204
2.38. τοὺς δὲ βοῦς τοὺς ἔρσενας τοῦ Ἐπάφου εἶναι νομίζουσι, καὶ τούτου εἵνεκα δοκιμάζουσι αὐτοὺς ὧδε· τρίχα ἢν καὶ μίαν ἴδηται ἐπεοῦσαν μέλαιναν, οὐ καθαρὸν εἶναι νομίζει. δίζηται δὲ ταῦτα ἐπὶ τούτῳ τεταγμένος τῶν τις ἱρέων καὶ ὀρθοῦ ἑστεῶτος τοῦ κτήνεος καὶ ὑπτίου, καὶ τὴν γλῶσσαν ἐξειρύσας, εἰ καθαρὴ τῶν προκειμένων σημηίων, τὰ ἐγὼ ἐν ἄλλῳ λόγῳ ἐρέω· κατορᾷ δὲ καὶ τὰς τρίχας τῆς οὐρῆς εἰ κατὰ φύσιν ἔχει πεφυκυίας. ἢν δὲ τούτων πάντων ᾖ καθαρός, σημαίνεται βύβλῳ περὶ τὰ κέρεα εἱλίσσων καὶ ἔπειτα γῆν σημαντρίδα ἐπιπλάσας ἐπιβάλλει τὸν δακτύλιον, καὶ οὕτω ἀπάγουσι. ἀσήμαντον δὲ θύσαντι θάνατος ἡ ζημίη ἐπικέεται. δοκιμάζεται μέν νυν τὸ κτῆνος τρόπῳ τοιῷδε, θυσίη δέ σφι ἥδε κατέστηκε. 2.39. ἀγαγόντες τὸ σεσημασμένον κτῆνος πρὸς τὸν βωμὸν ὅκου ἂν θύωσι, πῦρ ἀνακαίουσι, ἔπειτα δὲ ἐπʼ αὐτοῦ οἶνον κατὰ τοῦ ἱρηίου ἐπισπείσαντες καὶ ἐπικαλέσαντες τὸν θεὸν σφάζουσι, σφάξαντες δὲ ἀποτάμνουσι τὴν κεφαλήν. σῶμα μὲν δὴ τοῦ κτήνεος δείρουσι, κεφαλῇ δὲ κείνῃ πολλὰ καταρησάμενοι φέρουσι, τοῖσι μὲν ἂν ᾖ ἀγορὴ καὶ Ἕλληνές σφι ἔωσι ἐπιδήμιοι ἔμποροι, οἳ δὲ φέροντες ἐς τὴν ἀγορὴν ἀπʼ ὦν ἔδοντο, τοῖσι δὲ ἂν μὴ παρέωσι Ἕλληνες, οἳ δʼ ἐκβάλλουσι ἐς τὸν ποταμόν· καταρῶνται δὲ τάδε λέγοντες τῇσι κεφαλῇσι, εἴ τι μέλλοι ἢ σφίσι τοῖσι θύουσι ἢ Αἰγύπτῳ τῇ συναπάσῃ κακὸν γενέσθαι, ἐς κεφαλὴν ταύτην τραπέσθαι. κατὰ μέν νυν τὰς κεφαλὰς τῶν θυομένων κτηνέων καὶ τὴν ἐπίσπεισιν τοῦ οἴνου πάντες Αἰγύπτιοι νόμοισι τοῖσι αὐτοῖσι χρέωνται ὁμοίως ἐς πάντα τὰ ἱρά, καὶ ἀπὸ τούτου τοῦ νόμου οὐδὲ ἄλλου οὐδενὸς ἐμψύχου κεφαλῆς γεύσεται Αἰγυπτίων οὐδείς.
2.42. ὅσοι μὲν δὴ Διὸς Θηβαιέος ἵδρυνται ἱρὸν ἤ νομοῦ τοῦ Θηβαίου εἰσί, οὗτοι μέν νυν πάντες ὀίων ἀπεχόμενοι αἶγας θύουσι. θεοὺς γὰρ δὴ οὐ τοὺς αὐτοὺς ἅπαντες ὁμοίως Αἰγύπτιοι σέβονται, πλὴν Ἴσιός τε καὶ Ὀσίριος, τὸν δὴ Διόνυσον εἶναι λέγουσι· τούτους δὲ ὁμοίως ἅπαντες σέβονται. ὅσοι δὲ τοῦ Μένδητος ἔκτηνται ἱρὸν ἢ νομοῦ τοῦ Μενδησίου εἰσί, οὗτοι δὲ αἰγῶν ἀπεχόμενοι ὄις θύουσι. Θηβαῖοι μέν νυν καὶ ὅσοι διὰ τούτους ὀίων ἀπέχονται, διὰ τάδε λέγουσι τὸν νόμον τόνδε σφίσι τεθῆναι. Ἡρακλέα θελῆσαι πάντως ἰδέσθαι τὸν Δία, καὶ τὸν οὐκ ἐθέλειν ὀφθῆναι ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ· τέλος δέ, ἐπείτε λιπαρέειν τὸν Ἡρακλέα, τάδε τὸν Δία μηχανήσασθαι· κριὸν ἐκδείραντα προσχέσθαι τε τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀποταμόντα τοῦ κριοῦ καὶ ἐνδύντα τὸ νάκος οὕτω οἱ ἑωυτὸν ἐπιδέξαι. ἀπὸ τούτου κριοπρόσωπον τοῦ Διὸς τὤγαλμα ποιεῦσι Αἰγύπτιοι, ἀπὸ δὲ Αἰγυπτίων Ἀμμώνιοι, ἐόντες Αἰγυπτίων τε καὶ Αἰθιόπων ἄποικοι καὶ φωνὴν μεταξὺ ἀμφοτέρων νομίζοντες. δοκέειν δέ μοι, καὶ τὸ οὔνομα Ἀμμώνιοι ἀπὸ τοῦδε σφίσι τὴν ἐπωνυμίην ἐποιήσαντο· Ἀμοῦν γὰρ Αἰγύπτιοι καλέουσι τὸν Δία. τοὺς δὲ κριοὺς οὐ θύουσι Θηβαῖοι, ἀλλʼ εἰσί σφι ἱροὶ διὰ τοῦτο. μιῇ δὲ ἡμέρῃ τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ, ἐν ὁρτῇ τοῦ Διός, κριὸν ἕνα κατακόψαντες καὶ ἀποδείραντες κατὰ τὠυτὸ ἐνδύουσι τὤγαλμα τοῦ Διός, καὶ ἔπειτα ἄλλο ἄγαλμα Ἡρακλέος προσάγουσι πρὸς αὐτό. ταῦτα δὲ ποιήσαντες τύπτονται οἱ περὶ τὸ ἱρὸν ἅπαντες τὸν κριὸν καὶ ἔπειτα ἐν ἱρῇ θήκῃ θάπτουσι αὐτόν.''. None | 2.38. They believe that bulls belong to Epaphus, and for this reason scrutinize them as follows; if they see even one black hair on them, the bull is considered impure. ,One of the priests, appointed to the task, examines the beast, making it stand and lie, and drawing out its tongue, to determine whether it is clean of the stated signs which I shall indicate hereafter. He looks also to the hairs of the tail, to see if they grow naturally. ,If it is clean in all these respects, the priest marks it by wrapping papyrus around the horns, then smears it with sealing-earth and stamps it with his ring; and after this they lead the bull away. But the penalty is death for sacrificing a bull that the priest has not marked. Such is the manner of approving the beast; I will now describe how it is sacrificed. 2.39. After leading the marked beast to the altar where they will sacrifice it, they kindle a fire; then they pour wine on the altar over the victim and call upon the god; then they cut its throat, and having done so sever the head from the body. ,They flay the carcass of the victim, then invoke many curses on its head, which they carry away. Where there is a market, and Greek traders in it, the head is taken to the market and sold; where there are no Greeks, it is thrown into the river. ,The imprecation which they utter over the heads is that whatever ill threatens those who sacrifice, or the whole of Egypt, fall upon that head. ,In respect of the heads of sacrificed beasts and the libation of wine, the practice of all Egyptians is the same in all sacrifices; and from this ordice no Egyptian will taste of the head of anything that had life. ' "
2.42. All that have a temple of Zeus of Thebes or are of the Theban district sacrifice goats, but will not touch sheep. ,For no gods are worshipped by all Egyptians in common except Isis and Osiris, who they say is Dionysus; these are worshipped by all alike. Those who have a temple of Mendes or are of the Mendesian district sacrifice sheep, but will not touch goats. ,The Thebans, and those who by the Theban example will not touch sheep, give the following reason for their ordice: they say that Heracles wanted very much to see Zeus and that Zeus did not want to be seen by him, but that finally, when Heracles prayed, Zeus contrived ,to show himself displaying the head and wearing the fleece of a ram which he had flayed and beheaded. It is from this that the Egyptian images of Zeus have a ram's head; and in this, the Egyptians are imitated by the Ammonians, who are colonists from Egypt and Ethiopia and speak a language compounded of the tongues of both countries. ,It was from this, I think, that the Ammonians got their name, too; for the Egyptians call Zeus “Amon”. The Thebans, then, consider rams sacred for this reason, and do not sacrifice them. ,But one day a year, at the festival of Zeus, they cut in pieces and flay a single ram and put the fleece on the image of Zeus, as in the story; then they bring an image of Heracles near it. Having done this, all that are at the temple mourn for the ram, and then bury it in a sacred coffin. "'. None |
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