1. Euripides, Phoenician Women, 1090-1199 (5th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE) Tagged with subjects: • Capaneus
Found in books: Augoustakis (2014) 206; Verhagen (2022) 206
1090. ἐπεὶ Κρέοντος παῖς ὁ γῆς ὑπερθανὼν'1091. πύργων ἐπ' ἄκρων στὰς μελάνδετον ξίφος" '1092. λαιμῶν διῆκε τῇδε γῇ σωτήριον, 1093. λόχους ἔνειμεν ἑπτὰ καὶ λοχαγέτας' "1094. πύλας ἐφ' ἑπτά, φύλακας ̓Αργείου δορός," "1095. σὸς παῖς, ἐφέδρους δ' ἱππότας μὲν ἱππόταις" "1096. ἔταξ', ὁπλίτας δ' ἀσπιδηφόροις ἔπι," '1097. ὡς τῷ νοσοῦντι τειχέων εἴη δορὸς' "1098. ἀλκὴ δι' ὀλίγου. περγάμων δ' ἀπ' ὀρθίων" '1099. λεύκασπιν εἰσορῶμεν ̓Αργείων στρατὸν 1100. Τευμησὸν ἐκλιπόντα, καὶ τάφρου πέλας 1101. δρόμῳ ξυνῆψαν ἄστυ Καδμείας χθονός. 1102. παιὰν δὲ καὶ σάλπιγγες ἐκελάδουν ὁμοῦ 1103. ἐκεῖθεν ἔκ τε τειχέων ἡμῶν πάρα. 1104. καὶ πρῶτα μὲν προσῆγε Νηίταις πύλαις 1105. λόχον πυκναῖσιν ἀσπίσιν πεφρικότα 1106. ὁ τῆς κυναγοῦ Παρθενοπαῖος ἔκγονος,' "1107. ἐπίσημ' ἔχων οἰκεῖον ἐν μέσῳ σάκει," '1108. ἑκηβόλοις τόξοισιν ̓Αταλάντην κάπρον 1109. χειρουμένην Αἰτωλόν. ἐς δὲ Προιτίδας' "1110. πύλας ἐχώρει σφάγι' ἔχων ἐφ' ἅρματι" "1111. ὁ μάντις ̓Αμφιάραος, οὐ σημεῖ' ἔχων" "1112. ὑβρισμέν', ἀλλὰ σωφρόνως ἄσημ' ὅπλα." "1113. ̓Ωγύγια δ' ἐς πυλώμαθ' ̔Ιππομέδων ἄναξ" "1114. ἔστειχ' ἔχων σημεῖον ἐν μέσῳ σάκει" '1115. στικτοῖς Πανόπτην ὄμμασιν δεδορκότα, 1116. τὰ μὲν σὺν ἄστρων ἐπιτολαῖσιν ὄμματα 1117. βλέποντα, τὰ δὲ κρύπτοντα δυνόντων μέτα, 1118. ὡς ὕστερον θανόντος εἰσορᾶν παρῆν. 1119. ̔Ομολωίσιν δὲ τάξιν εἶχε πρὸς πύλαις' "1120. Τυδεύς, λέοντος δέρος ἔχων ἐπ' ἀσπίδι" '1121. χαίτῃ πεφρικός: δεξιᾷ δὲ λαμπάδα 1122. Τιτὰν Προμηθεὺς ἔφερεν ὡς πρήσων πόλιν. 1123. ὁ σὸς δὲ Κρηναίαισι Πολυνείκης πύλαις' "1124. ̓́Αρη προσῆγε: Ποτνιάδες δ' ἐπ' ἀσπίδι" '1125. ἐπίσημα πῶλοι δρομάδες ἐσκίρτων φόβῳ, 1126. εὖ πως στρόφιγξιν ἔνδοθεν κυκλούμεναι' "1127. πόρπαχ' ὑπ' αὐτόν, ὥστε μαίνεσθαι δοκεῖν." "1128. ὁ δ' οὐκ ἔλασσον ̓́Αρεος ἐς μάχην φρονῶν" "1129. Καπανεὺς προσῆγε λόχον ἐπ' ̓Ηλέκτραις πύλαις:" "1130. σιδηρονώτοις δ' ἀσπίδος τύποις ἐπῆν" "1131. γίγας ἐπ' ὤμοις γηγενὴς ὅλην πόλιν" '1132. φέρων μοχλοῖσιν ἐξανασπάσας βάθρων, 1133. ὑπόνοιαν ἡμῖν οἷα πείσεται πόλις.' "1134. ταῖς δ' ἑβδόμαις ̓́Αδραστος ἐν πύλαισιν ἦν," "1135. ἑκατὸν ἐχίδναις ἀσπίδ' ἐκπληρῶν γραφῇ," '1136. ὕδρας ἔχων λαιοῖσιν ἐν βραχίοσιν' "1137. ̓Αργεῖον αὔχημ': ἐκ δὲ τειχέων μέσων" '1138. δράκοντες ἔφερον τέκνα Καδμείων γνάθοις.' "1139. παρῆν δ' ἑκάστου τῶνδέ μοι θεάματα" '1140. ξύνθημα παρφέροντι ποιμέσιν λόχων. 1141. καὶ πρῶτα μὲν τόξοισι καὶ μεσαγκύλοις' "1142. ἐμαρνάμεσθα σφενδόναις θ' ἑκηβόλοις" "1143. πετρῶν τ' ἀραγμοῖς: ὡς δ' ἐνικῶμεν μάχῃ," '1144. ἔκλαγξε Τυδεὺς καὶ σὸς ἐξαίφνης γόνος: 1145. ὦ τέκνα Δαναῶν, πρὶν κατεξάνθαι βολαῖς,' "1146. τί μέλλετ' ἄρδην πάντες ἐμπίπτειν πύλαις," "1147. γυμνῆτες ἱππῆς ἁρμάτων τ' ἐπιστάται;" "1148. ἠχῆς δ' ὅπως ἤκουσαν, οὔτις ἀργὸς ἦν:" "1149. πολλοὶ δ' ἔπιπτον κρᾶτας αἱματούμενοι," "1150. ἡμῶν τ' ἐς οὖδας εἶδες ἂν πρὸ τειχέων" '1151. πυκνοὺς κυβιστητῆρας ἐκπεπνευκότας:' "1152. ξηρὰν δ' ἔδευον γαῖαν αἵματος ῥοαῖς." "1153. ὁ δ' ̓Αρκάς, οὐκ ̓Αργεῖος, ̓Αταλάντης γόνος" '1154. τυφὼς πύλαισιν ὥς τις ἐμπεσὼν βοᾷ 1155. πῦρ καὶ δικέλλας, ὡς κατασκάψων πόλιν:' "1156. ἀλλ' ἔσχε μαργῶντ' αὐτὸν ἐναλίου θεοῦ" '1157. Περικλύμενος παῖς λᾶαν ἐμβαλὼν κάρᾳ' "1158. ἁμαξοπληθῆ, γεῖς' ἐπάλξεων ἄπο:" '1159. ξανθὸν δὲ κρᾶτα διεπάλυνε καὶ ῥαφὰς' "1160. ἔρρηξεν ὀστέων, ἄρτι δ' οἰνωπὸν γένυν" "1161. καθῃμάτωσεν: οὐδ' ἀποίσεται βίον" '1162. τῇ καλλιτόξῳ μητρὶ Μαινάλου κόρῃ.' "1163. ἐπεὶ δὲ τάσδ' ἐσεῖδεν εὐτυχεῖς πύλας," "1164. ἄλλας ἐπῄει παῖς σός, εἱπόμην δ' ἐγώ." '1165. ὁρῶ δὲ Τυδέα καὶ παρασπιστὰς πυκνοὺς 1166. Αἰτωλίσιν λόγχαισιν εἰς ἄκρον στόμα' "1167. πύργων ἀκοντίζοντας, ὥστ' ἐπάλξεων" '1168. λιπεῖν ἐρίπνας φυγάδας: ἀλλά νιν πάλιν 1169. κυναγὸς ὡσεὶ παῖς σὸς ἐξαθροίζεται,' "1170. πύργοις δ' ἐπέστης' αὖθις. ἐς δ' ἄλλας πύλας" '1171. ἠπειγόμεσθα, τοῦτο παύσαντες νοσοῦν.' "1172. Καπανεὺς δὲ πῶς εἴποιμ' ἂν ὡς ἐμαίνετο;" '1173. μακραύχενος γὰρ κλίμακος προσαμβάσεις' "1174. ἔχων ἐχώρει, καὶ τοσόνδ' ἐκόμπασε," "1175. μηδ' ἂν τὸ σεμνὸν πῦρ νιν εἰργαθεῖν Διὸς" "1176. τὸ μὴ οὐ κατ' ἄκρων περγάμων ἑλεῖν πόλιν." "1177. καὶ ταῦθ' ἅμ' ἠγόρευε καὶ πετρούμενος" "1178. ἀνεῖρφ' ὑπ' αὐτὴν ἀσπίδ' εἱλίξας δέμας," "1179. κλίμακος ἀμείβων ξέστ' ἐνηλάτων βάθρα." "1180. ἤδη δ' ὑπερβαίνοντα γεῖσα τειχέων" '1181. βάλλει κεραυνῷ Ζεύς νιν: ἐκτύπησε δὲ 1182. χθών, ὥστε δεῖσαι πάντας: ἐκ δὲ κλιμάκων 1183. ἐσφενδονᾶτο χωρὶς ἀλλήλων μέλη,' "1184. κόμαι μὲν εἰς ̓́Ολυμπον, αἷμα δ' ἐς χθόνα," "1185. χεῖρες δὲ καὶ κῶλ' ὡς κύκλωμ' ̓Ιξίονος" "1186. εἱλίσσετ': ἐς γῆν δ' ἔμπυρος πίπτει νεκρός." "1187. ὡς δ' εἶδ' ̓́Αδραστος Ζῆνα πολέμιον στρατῷ," '1188. ἔξω τάφρου καθῖσεν ̓Αργείων στρατόν.' "1189. οἱ δ' αὖ παρ' ἡμῶν δεξιὸν Διὸς τέρας" '1190. ἰδόντες ἐξήλαυνον ἁρμάτων ὄχους' "1191. ἱππῆς ὁπλῖται, κἀς μές' ̓Αργείων ὅπλα" "1192. συνῆψαν ἔγχη: πάντα δ' ἦν ὁμοῦ κακά:" '1193. ἔθνῃσκον ἐξέπιπτον ἀντύγων ἄπο,' "1194. τροχοί τ' ἐπήδων ἄξονές τ' ἐπ' ἄξοσι," "1195. νεκροὶ δὲ νεκροῖς ἐξεσωρεύονθ' ὁμοῦ." '1196. πύργων μὲν οὖν γῆς ἔσχομεν κατασκαφὰς' "1197. ἐς τὴν παροῦσαν ἡμέραν: εἰ δ' εὐτυχὴς" '1198. ἔσται τὸ λοιπὸν ἥδε γῆ, θεοῖς μέλει: 1199. καὶ νῦν γὰρ αὐτὴν δαιμόνων ἔσῳσέ τις. ". None | 1090. After Creon’s son, who gave up his life for his country, had taken his stand on the turret’s top and plunged a dark-hilted sword through his throat to save this land, your son told off seven companies with their captains to the seven gates to keep watch on the Argive warriors,'1091. After Creon’s son, who gave up his life for his country, had taken his stand on the turret’s top and plunged a dark-hilted sword through his throat to save this land, your son told off seven companies with their captains to the seven gates to keep watch on the Argive warriors, 1095. and stationed cavalry to cover cavalry, and infantry to support infantry, so that assistance might be close at hand for any weak point in the walls. Then from our lofty towers we saw the Argive army with their white shields leaving 1100. Teumesus, and, when near the trench, they charged up to our Theban city at a run. In one loud burst from their ranks and from our walls rang out the battle-cry and trumpet-call. 1104. First to the Neitian gate, Parthenopaeus, son of the huntress, 1105. led a company bristling with thick rows of shields, and he had his own device in the centre of his shield: Atalanta slaying the Aetolian boar with an arrow shot from far. To the gates of Proetu 1110. came the prophet Amphiaraus, bringing the victims on a chariot; he had no boastful sign, but weapons chastely plain. 1113. Next lord Hippomedon came marching to the Ogygian gates with this device in the middle of his shield: 1115. Argus the all-seeing dappled with eyes on the watch, some open with the rising stars, others hiding when they set, as could be seen after he was slain. 1119. At the Homoloian gates Tydeus had his post, 1120. a lion’s skin with shaggy mane upon his shield, while the Titan Prometheus bore a torch in his right hand, to fire the town. 1123. Your own Polyneices led the battle against the Fountain gate; upon his shield for a device 1125. were the colts of Potniae galloping at frantic speed, revolving by some clever contrivance on pivots by the handle, so as to appear distraught. 1128. At Electra’s gate Capaneus brought up his company, bold as Ares for the battle; 1130. this device his shield bore upon its iron back: an earth-born giant carrying on his shoulders a whole city which he had wrenched from its base, a hint to us of the fate in store for Thebes . 1134. Adrastus was at the seventh gate; 1135. a hundred vipers engraved on his shield, as he bore on his left arm the hydra the boast of Argos , and serpents were carrying off in their jaws the sons of Thebes from within our very walls. Now I was able to see each of them, 1140. as I carried the watch-word along to the leaders of our companies. 1141. To begin with, we fought with bows and thonged javelins, with slings that shoot from far and crashing stones; and as we were conquering, Tydeus and your son suddenly cried aloud: 1145. You sons of Danaus, before you are torn to pieces by their attack, why delay to fall upon the gates with all your might, light-armed and cavalry and charioteers? No loitering then, soon as they heard that call; and many fell with bloody head, 1150. and many of us you could have seen thrown to the earth like tumblers before the walls, breathing their last, bedewing the dry ground with streams of blood. 1153. Then Atalanta’s son, who was not an Argive but an Arcadian, hurling himself like a hurricane at the gates, called for 1155. fire and picks to raze the town; but Periclymenus, son of the ocean-god, stayed his wild career, heaving on his head a wagon-load of stone, the coping from the battlements; and it shattered his head with yellow hair and 1160. crashed through the seams of the skull, dabbling with blood his fresh cheek; and he will never go back alive to his mother with her lovely bow, the maid of Maenalus. 1163. Your son then, seeing these gates secure, went on to the next, and I followed him. 1165. I saw Tydeus and his thick rows of targeteers hurling their Aetolian spears into the opening at the top of the turrets, so that our men fled and left the battlements; but your son rallied them once more, as a huntsman cheers his hounds, 1170. and stationed them at the towers again. And then we hastened to other gates, after stopping the affliction there. As for the madness of Capaneus, how can I describe it? He was going about with a long scaling-ladder, and boasting 1175. that even the holy fire of Zeus would not hold him back from giving the city to utter destruction. And even as he spoke, he climbed up beneath the hail of stones, crouched under the shelter of his shield, rung by smooth rung going up the ladder. 1180. But, just as he was scaling the parapet of the wall, Zeus smote him with a thunderbolt; the earth re-echoed, and fear seized everyone; for from the ladder his limbs were slung far apart, his head toward Olympus , his blood toward earth, 1185. while his legs and arms went spinning round like Ixion’s wheel he was hurled, spinnning; his burning corpse fell to the ground. 1187. But when Adrastus saw that Zeus was hostile to his army, he drew the Argive troops outside the trench. Meanwhile our armed cavalry, seeing the lucky omen of Zeus before us, 1190. were driving forth their chariots, and the armed men charged with spears into the middle of the Argives, and all troubles happened at once: men were dying, hurled headlong from chariots, wheels flew off, axles crashed together, 1195. while the dead were heaped up on the dead. So for to-day we have prevented destruction of the towers of our land; but if this land will be fortunate for the future, that rests with the gods; for even now it owes its safety to some deity. Chorus Leader '. None |
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2. Euripides, Suppliant Women, 498-499, 980-1113 (5th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE) Tagged with subjects: • Capaneus • Capaneus (Suppliant Women) • Zeus Capaneus in Suppliant Women challenging
Found in books: Augoustakis (2014) 206, 207, 208; Pucci (2016) 133; Sommerstein and Torrance (2014) 298, 307; Verhagen (2022) 206, 207, 208
498. ὃς προσβαλὼν πύλῃσιν ὤμοσεν πόλιν 499. πέρσειν θεοῦ θέλοντος ἤν τε μὴ θέλῃ;' " 980. καὶ μὴν θαλάμας τάσδ' ἐσορῶ δὴ" "981. Καπανέως ἤδη τύμβον θ' ἱερὸν" "982. μελάθρων τ' ἐκτὸς" '983. Θησέως ἀναθήματα νεκροῖς,' "984. κλεινήν τ' ἄλοχον τοῦ καπφθιμένου" '985. τοῦδε κεραυνῷ πέλας Εὐάδνην, 986. ἣν ̓͂Ιφις ἄναξ παῖδα φυτεύει.' "987. τί ποτ' αἰθερίαν ἕστηκε πέτραν," '988. ἣ τῶνδε δόμων ὑπερακρίζει,' "989. τήνδ' ἐμβαίνουσα κέλευθον;" "990. τί φέγγος, τίν' αἴγλαν" "991. ἐδίφρευε τόθ' ἅλιος" "992. σελάνα τε κατ' αἰθέρα," "993. †λαμπάδ' ἵν' ὠκυθόαι νύμφαι†," "994. ἱππεύουσι δι' ὀρφναίας," '995. ἁνίκα γάμων γάμων 996. τῶν ἐμῶν πόλις ̓́Αργους 997. ἀοιδάς, εὐδαιμονίας, 998. ἐπύργωσε καὶ γαμέτα 999. χαλκεοτευχοῦς, αἰαῖ, Καπανέως.' "1000. πρός ς' ἔβαν δρομὰς ἐξ ἐμῶν"1001. οἴκων ἐκβακχευσαμένα, 1002. πυρᾶς φῶς τάφον τε 1003. βατεύσουσα τὸν αὐτόν,' "1004. ἐς ̔́Αιδαν καταλύσους' ἔμμοχθον" '1005. βίοτον αἰῶνός τε πόνους: 1006. ἥδιστος γάρ τοι θάνατος 1007. συνθνῄσκειν θνῄσκουσι φίλοις, 1008. εἰ δαίμων τάδε κραίνοι.' "1009. καὶ μὴν ὁρᾷς τήνδ' ἧς ἐφέστηκας πέλας" "1010. πυράν, Διὸς θησαυρόν, ἔνθ' ἔνεστι σὸς" '1011. πόσις δαμασθεὶς λαμπάσιν κεραυνίοις. 1012. ὁρῶ δὴ τελευτάν,' "1013. ἵν' ἕστακα: τύχα δέ μοι" '1014. ξυνάπτοι ποδός: ἀλλὰ τᾶς 1015. εὐκλεί̈ας χάριν ἔνθεν ὁρ-' "1016. μάσω τᾶσδ' ἀπὸ πέτρας πη-" '1017. δήσασα πυρὸς ἔσω,' "1018. σῶμά τ' αἴθοπι φλογμῷ" '1020. πόσει συμμείξασα, φίλον 1021. χρῶτα χρωτὶ πέλας θεμένα, 1022. Φερσεφονείας ἥξω θαλάμους,' "1023. σὲ τὸν θανόντ' οὔποτ' ἐμᾷ" '1024. προδοῦσα ψυχᾷ κατὰ γᾶς. 1025. ἴτω φῶς γάμοι τε:' "1026. ἴθ' αἵτινες εὐναὶ" '1027. δικαίων ὑμεναίων ἐν ̓́Αργει' "1028. φανῶσιν τέκνοις: ὅσιος δ'" '1029. ὅσιος εὐναῖος γαμέτας 1030. συντηχθεὶς αὔραις ἀδόλοις' "1031. καὶ μὴν ὅδ' αὐτὸς σὸς πατὴρ βαίνει πέλας" '1032. γεραιὸς ̓͂Ιφις ἐς νεωτέρους λόγους, 1033. οὓς οὐ κατειδὼς πρόσθεν ἀλγήσει κλύων.' "1034. ὦ δυστάλαιναι, δυστάλας δ' ἐγὼ γέρων," "1035. ἥκω διπλοῦν πένθημ' ὁμαιμόνων ἔχων," '1036. τὸν μὲν θανόντα παῖδα Καδμείων δορὶ 1037. ̓Ετέοκλον ἐς γῆν πατρίδα ναυσθλώσων νεκρόν,' "1038. ζητῶν τ' ἐμὴν παῖδ', ἣ δόμων ἐξώπιος" '1039. βέβηκε πηδήσασα Καπανέως δάμαρ, 1040. θανεῖν ἐρῶσα σὺν πόσει. χρόνον μὲν οὖν' "1041. τὸν πρόσθ' ἐφρουρεῖτ' ἐν δόμοις: ἐπεὶ δ' ἐγὼ" '1042. φυλακὰς ἀνῆκα τοῖς παρεστῶσιν κακοῖς, 1043. βέβηκεν. ἀλλὰ τῇδέ νιν δοξάζομεν' "1044. μάλιστ' ἂν εἶναι: φράζετ' εἰ κατείδετε." "1045. τί τάσδ' ἐρωτᾷς; ἥδ' ἐγὼ πέτρας ἔπι" '1046. ὄρνις τις ὡσεὶ Καπανέως ὑπὲρ πυρᾶς 1047. δύστηνον αἰώρημα κουφίζω, πάτερ. 1048. τέκνον, τίς αὔρα; τίς στόλος; τίνος χάριν' "1049. δόμων ὑπεκβᾶς' ἦλθες ἐς τήνδε χθόνα;" '1050. ὀργὴν λάβοις ἂν τῶν ἐμῶν βουλευμάτων' "1051. κλύων: ἀκοῦσαι δ' οὔ σε βούλομαι, πάτερ." "1052. τί δ'; οὐ δίκαιον πατέρα τὸν σὸν εἰδέναι;" '1053. κριτὴς ἂν εἴης οὐ σοφὸς γνώμης ἐμῆς. 1054. σκευῇ δὲ τῇδε τοῦ χάριν κοσμεῖς δέμας; 1055. θέλει τι κλεινὸν οὗτος ὁ στολμός, πάτερ.' "1056. ὡς οὐκ ἐπ' ἀνδρὶ πένθιμος πρέπεις ὁρᾶν." '1057. ἐς γάρ τι πρᾶγμα νεοχμὸν ἐσκευάσμεθα. 1058. κἄπειτα τύμβῳ καὶ πυρᾷ φαίνῃ πέλας; 1059. ἐνταῦθα γὰρ δὴ καλλίνικος ἔρχομαι. 1060. νικῶσα νίκην τίνα; μαθεῖν χρῄζω σέθεν. 1061. πάσας γυναῖκας ἃς δέδορκεν ἥλιος. 1062. ἔργοις ̓Αθάνας ἢ φρενῶν εὐβουλίᾳ; 1063. ἀρετῇ: πόσει γὰρ συνθανοῦσα κείσομαι.' "1064. τί φῄς; τί τοῦτ' αἴνιγμα σημαίνεις σαθρόν;" "1065. ᾄσσω θανόντος Καπανέως τήνδ' ἐς πυράν." '1066. ὦ θύγατερ, οὐ μὴ μῦθον ἐς πολλοὺς ἐρεῖς.' "1067. τοῦτ' αὐτὸ χρῄζω, πάντας ̓Αργείους μαθεῖν." "1068. ἀλλ' οὐδέ τοί σοι πείσομαι δρώσῃ τάδε." "1069. ὅμοιον: οὐ γὰρ μὴ κίχῃς μ' ἑλὼν χερί." '1070. καὶ δὴ παρεῖται σῶμα — σοὶ μὲν οὐ φίλον, 1071. ἡμῖν δὲ καὶ τῷ συμπυρουμένῳ πόσει. 1072. ἰώ, γύναι, δεινὸν ἔργον ἐξειργάσω. 1073. ἀπωλόμην δύστηνος, ̓Αργείων κόραι. 1074. ἒ ἔ, σχέτλια τάδε παθών, 1075. τὸ πάντολμον ἔργον ὄψῃ τάλας.' "1076. οὐκ ἄν τιν' εὕροιτ' ἄλλον ἀθλιώτερον." '1077. ἰὼ τάλας: 1078. μετέλαχες τύχας Οἰδιπόδα, γέρον, 1079. μέρος καὶ σὺ καὶ πόλις ἐμὰ τλάμων. 1080. οἴμοι: τί δὴ βροτοῖσιν οὐκ ἔστιν τόδε, 1081. νέους δὶς εἶναι καὶ γέροντας αὖ πάλιν;' "1082. ἀλλ' ἐν δόμοις μὲν ἤν τι μὴ καλῶς ἔχῃ," '1083. γνώμαισιν ὑστέραισιν ἐξορθούμεθα,' "1084. αἰῶνα δ' οὐκ ἔξεστιν. εἰ δ' ἦμεν νέοι" '1085. δὶς καὶ γέροντες, εἴ τις ἐξημάρτανε,' "1086. διπλοῦ βίου λαχόντες ἐξωρθούμεθ' ἄν." '1087. ἐγὼ γὰρ ἄλλους εἰσορῶν τεκνουμένους' "1088. παίδων ἐραστὴς ἦ πόθῳ τ' ἀπωλλύμην." "1089. †εἰ δ' ἐς τόδ' ἦλθον κἀξεπειράθην τέκνων" '1090. οἷον στέρεσθαι πατέρα γίγνεται τέκνων,' "1091. οὐκ ἄν ποτ' ἐς τόδ' ἦλθον εἰς ὃ νῦν κακόν:†" '1092. ὅστις φυτεύσας καὶ νεανίαν τεκὼν 1093. ἄριστον, εἶτα τοῦδε νῦν στερίσκομαι. 1094. εἶἑν: τί δὴ χρὴ τὸν ταλαίπωρόν με δρᾶν;' "1095. στείχειν πρὸς οἴκους; κᾆτ' ἐρημίαν ἴδω" "1096. πολλῶν μελάθρων, ἀπορίαν τ' ἐμῷ βίῳ;" '1097. ἢ πρὸς μέλαθρα τοῦδε Καπανέως μόλω;' "1098. ἥδιστα πρίν γε δῆθ', ὅτ' ἦν παῖς ἥδε μοι." "1099. ἀλλ' οὐκέτ' ἔστιν, ἥ γ' ἐμὴν γενειάδα" "1100. προσήγετ' αἰεὶ στόματι καὶ κάρα τόδε" "1101. κατεῖχε χειρί: πατρὶ δ' οὐδὲν †ἥδιον†" '1102. γέροντι θυγατρός: ἀρσένων δὲ μείζονες' "1103. ψυχαί, γλυκεῖαι δ' ἧσσον ἐς θωπεύματα." "1104. οὐχ ὡς τάχιστα δῆτά μ' ἄξετ' ἐς δόμους;" "1105. σκότῳ δὲ δώσετ': ἔνθ' ἀσιτίαις ἐμὸν" '1106. δέμας γεραιὸν συντακεὶς ἀποφθερῶ.' "1107. τί μ' ὠφελήσει παιδὸς ὀστέων θιγεῖν;" "1108. ὦ δυσπάλαιστον γῆρας, ὡς μισῶ ς' ἔχων," "1109. μισῶ δ' ὅσοι χρῄζουσιν ἐκτείνειν βίον," '1110. βρωτοῖσι καὶ ποτοῖσι καὶ μαγεύμασι 1111. παρεκτρέποντες ὀχετὸν ὥστε μὴ θανεῖν: 1112. οὓς χρῆν, ἐπειδὰν μηδὲν ὠφελῶσι γῆν, 1113. θανόντας ἔρρειν κἀκποδὼν εἶναι νέοις. '. None | 498. trying to rescue and bury those whom their own acts of insolence haye ruined. Verily then it would seem Capaneus was unjustly blasted by the thunderbolt and charred upon the ladder he had raised against our gates, swearing he would sack our town, whether the god would or no; 980. Ah! there I see the sepulchre ready e’en now for Capaneus, his consecrated tomb, and the votive offerings Theseus gives unto the dead outside the shrine, and nigh yon lightning-smitten chief 985. I see his noble bride, Evadne, daughter of King Iphis. Wherefore stands she on the towering rock, which o’ertops this temple, advancing along yon path? Evadne 990. What light, what radiancy did the sun-god’s car dart forth, and the moon athwart the firmament, while round her in the gloom swift stars None of the proposed emendations of this corrupt passage are convincing. Hermann’s λάμπαι δ’ ὠκύθοοί νιν ἀμφιππεύουσι is here followed. Nauck has λαμπαδ’ ἱν’ ὠκυθόαι νύμφαι ἱππεύουσι . careered, 995. in the day that the city of Argos raised the stately chant of joy at my wedding, in honour of my marriage with mail-clad Capaneus? 1000. Now from my home in frantic haste with frenzied mind I rush to join thee, seeking to share with thee the fire’s bright flame and the self-same tomb, to rid me of my weary'1001. Now from my home in frantic haste with frenzied mind I rush to join thee, seeking to share with thee the fire’s bright flame and the self-same tomb, to rid me of my weary 1005. life in Hades’ halls, and of the pains of existence; yea, for ’tis the sweetest end to share the death of those we love, if only fate will sanction it. Choru 1009. Behold yon pyre, which thou art overlooking, nigh thereto, 1010. et apart for Zeus! There is thy husband’s body, vanquished by the blazing bolt. Evadne 1012. Life’s goal I now behold from my station here; may fortune aid me in my headlong leap from this rock 1015. in honour’s cause, down into the fire below, to mix my ashes in the ruddy blaze 1020. with my husband’s, to lay me side by side with him, there in the couch of Persephone; for ne’er will I, to save my life, prove untrue to thee where thou liest in thy grave. 1025. Away with life and marriage too! Oh! The following verses are corrupt almost beyond hope of emendation, nor is it quite clear what the poet intended. By reading φανεῖεν , as Paley suggests, with τέκνοισιν ἐμοῖς and supplying the hiatus by εἴη δ’ , it is possible to extract an intelligible sense, somewhat different, however, from that proposed by Hermann or Hartung, and only offered here for want of a better. may my children live to see the dawn of a fairer, happier wedding-day in Argos! May loyalty inspire the husband’s heart, 1030. his nature fusing with his wife’s! Choru 1031. Lo! the aged Iphis, thy father, draweth nigh to hear thy startling scheme, which yet he knows not and will grieve to learn. Iphi 1034. Unhappy child! lo! I am come, a poor old man, 1035. with twofold sorrow in my house to mourn, that I may carry to his native land the corpse of my son Eteocles, slain by the Theban spear, and further in quest of my daughter who rushed headlong from the house, for she was the wife of Capaneu 1040. and longed with him to die. Ere this she was well guarded in my house, but, when I took the watch away in the present troubles, she escaped. But I feel sure that she is here; tell me if ye have seen her. Evadne 1045. Why question them? Lo, here upon the rock, father, o’er the pyre of Capaneus, like some bird I hover lightly, in my wretchedness. Iphi 1048. What wind hath blown thee hither, child? Whither away? Why didst thou pass the threshold of my house and seek this land? Evadne 1050. It would but anger thee to hear what I intend, and so I fain would keep thee ignorant, my father. Iphi 1052. What! hath not thy own father a right to know? Evadne 1053. Thou wouldst not wisely judge my intention. Iphi 1054. Why dost thou deck thyself in that apparel? Evadne 1055. A purport strange this robe conveys, father. Iphi 1056. Thou hast no look of mourning for thy lord. Evadne 1057. No, the reason why I thus am decked is strange, maybe. Iphi 1058. Dost thou in such garb appear before a funeral-pyre? Evadne 1059. Yea, for hither it is I come to take the meed of victory. Iphi 1060. Victory! what victory? This would I learn of thee. Evadne 1061. A victory o’er all women on whom the sun looks down. Iphi 1062. In Athena’s handiwork or in prudent counsel? Evadne 1063. In bravery; for I will lay me down and die with my lord. Iphi 1064. What dost thou say? What is this silly riddle thou propoundest? Evadne 1065. To yonder pyre where lies dead Capaneus, I will leap down. Iphi 1066. My daughter, speak not thus before the multitude! Evadne 1067. The very thing I wish, that every Argive should learn it. Iphi 1068. Nay, I will ne’er consent to let thee do this deed. Evadne 1069. (as she is throwing herself). ’Tis all one; thou shalt never catch me in thy grasp. 1070. Lo! I cast me down, no joy to thee, but to myself and to my husband blazing on the pyre with me. Choru 1072. O lady, what a fearful deed! Iphi 1073. Ah me! I am undone, ye dames of Argos! Chorus chanting 1074. Alack, alack! a cruel blow is this to thee, 1075. but thou must yet witness, poor wretch, the full horror of this deed. Iphi 1076. A more unhappy wretch than me ye could not find. Choru 1077. Woe for thee, unhappy man! Thou, old sir, hast been made partaker in the fortune of Oedipus, thou and my poor city too. Iphi 1080. Ah, why are mortal men denied this boon, to live their youth twice o’er, and twice in turn to reach old age? If aught goes wrong within our homes, we set it right by judgment more maturely formed, but our life we may not so correct. Now if we had a second spell of youth 1085. and age, this double term of life would let us then correct each previous slip. I, for instance, seeing others blest with children, longed to have them too, and found my ruin in that wish. Whereas if I had had my present experience, 1090. and by a father’s light Following Paley’s τεκών for the MSS. τέκνων . had learnt how cruel a thing it is to be bereft of children, never should I have fallen on such evil days as these,—I who did beget a brave young son, proud parent that I was, and after all am now bereft of him. Enough of this. What remains for such a hapless wretch as me? 1095. Shall I to my home, there to see its utter desolation and the blank within my life? or shall I to the halls of that dead Capaneus?—halls I smiled to see in days gone by, when yet my daughter was alive. But she is lost and gone, she that would ever draw down my cheek 1100. to her lips, and take my head between her hands; for naught is there more sweet unto an aged sire than a daughter’s love; our sons are made of sterner stuff, but less winning are their caresses. Oh! take me to my house at once, 1105. in darkness hide me there, to waste and fret this aged frame with fasting! What shall it avail me to touch my daughter’s bones? Old age, resistless foe, how do I loathe thy presence! Them too I hate, whoso desire to lengthen out the span of life, 1110. eeking to turn the tide of death aside by philtres, Reading βρωτοῖσι καὶ βοτοῖσι καῖ μαγεύμασι , as restored from Plutarch’s quotation of the passage. drugs, and magic spells,—folk that death should take away to leave the young their place, when they no more can benefit the world. Choru '. None |
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