1. Euripides, Phoenician Women, 1090-1199 (5th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE) Tagged with subjects: • Evadne
Found in books: Augoustakis (2014), Flavian Poetry and its Greek Past, 206; Verhagen (2022), Security and Credit in Roman Law: The Historical Evolution of Pignus and Hypotheca, 206
sup> 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 | sup> 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, 980-1113 (5th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE) Tagged with subjects: • Euadne • Evadne • Evadne (in Statius Thebaid) • Suppliant Women self-immolation of Evadne in • eros, self-immolation of Evadne in Suppliant Women and • music/song, self-immolation of Evadne in Suppliant Women and • sophia, wisdom self-immolation of Evadne in Suppliant Women and
Found in books: Augoustakis (2014), Flavian Poetry and its Greek Past, 206, 207, 208; Panoussi(2019), Brides, Mourners, Bacchae: Women's Rituals in Roman Literature, 110; Pucci (2016), Euripides' Revolution Under Cover: An Essay, 67, 68, 69, 130, 135, 136, 137; Seaford (2018), Tragedy, Ritual and Money in Ancient Greece: Selected Essays, 24, 282; Verhagen (2022), Security and Credit in Roman Law: The Historical Evolution of Pignus and Hypotheca, 206, 207, 208
sup> 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 | sup> 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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