с oar, while those upon the middle bench of the vessel bear sway? Thou shalt know, old as thou art, how bitter it is for a man of thy years to be schooled in discretion when it is prescribed him. But bondage and the pangs of starvation are the best physicians of the soul to school even old age. Having eyes seest thou not this? Kick not against the pricks, lest thou suffer by a stumble. CHORUS.-Woman! didst thou, guardian of the house of this man just arrived from battle, having at the same time defiled his bed, resolve on the destruction of this warrior-chief here? ÆGIS.-These words too are the originators of weeping. Thou hast a tongue the direct opposite to that of Orpheus; for he, indeed, led all things along in rapture at his voice, whereas thou, having provoked even the gentle by thy yelpings, shalt be dragged away: but when overpowered thou wilt show thyself more tame. CHORUS. As if thou forsooth shouldst be sovereign of the Argives, thou, that when thou hadst resolved on his c Dr. Blomfield proposes a very ingenious explanation of this, and tells in brief almost all that is known of the different classes of rowers in the galleys. How they were arranged seems likely long to remain a matter of dispute. d I have endeavoured to express the explanation given by Dr. Blomfield and Wellauer. Mr. Symmons concludes his note by saying, "I consider owppovεiv sipnμévov as the genuine reading, and render it to be discreet in what thou sayest." What can this mean? e I follow Wellauer and Mr. Symmons, who both agree in this sense. Schutz translated it hæc cum videas, nonne vides, sc. quid tibi prosit? This proverbial form occurs in the Acts, ix. 5. xxvi. 14. in Pindar, Pyth. ii. 173. in Eurip. Bacchæ, v. 794. and in the Prometheus, v. 331. (ed. Blomf.) g Wellauer reads roùç кovтaç, domi expectans eos qui ex pugna rediissent. Of the passage altogether he takes a view which I have never seen in any other commentator: "Interpretes omnes Chorum hæc Clytemnestræ dicere putarunt; sed Clytemnestra non est in scena, et perspicuum est Chorum acerbe Ægisthum γύναι alloqui, cui deinde pulcherrime opponitur ἀνδρὸς et ἀνδρί.” Translated literally, the speech will bear to be considered either in this way, or as addressed to Clytemnestra directly, or as an apostrophe to her behind the scenes. For the passive use of the future middle, see Matthiæ's Gr. Gr. §. 496. 8. destruction, hadst not the courage to do this deed by a stroke of thine own hand! ÆGIS.-True, for to lay a stratagem was plainly a woman's part; and I was an object of suspicion inasmuch as I was an ancient foe. By means of this man's wealth I will do my best to rule the citizens; and the over-fed colt that is unruly, and draws not as I direct, I will yoke in heavy harness; but hateful famine, that dwells along with darkness, shall see him gentle. CHORUS.-Oh why didst not thou thyself with thy dastard heart slay this man here? but his wife, a pollution of her country and her country's gods, killed him. Does then Orestes anywhere behold the light, so that, returning hither under the guidance of gracious Fortune, he may become an all-potent slayer of these twain? ÆGIS.-Well, since thou art determined to act thus and use this language, thou shalt know presently CHORUS.-Come on, comrades dear, this business is not CHORUS.-Come on, let each man have his drawn sword in readiness. AGIS. I'faith I refuse not to die with hand on hilt. CHORUS.-Thou talkest of dying1 to those who, welcome the omen, and let us submit the question to fortune. CLYT."-By no means, dearest of men, let us perpetrate See other instances of the double negative in Erfurdt, and Hermann's note on Sophocles, Antigone, v. 5, 6. So Mr. Symmons seems to have supplied the ellipse. The various methods adopted for so doing are thus enumerated by Wellauer : “ Ad βαρείαις subaudiunt σείραις Abresch. et Dorvill. ad Charit. p. 323. ἀνάγκαις, ἄταις vel πηpovaïç Elmsl. ad Heracl. 886. πλŋyaïç Рauw, quod vero similius est, si cogitamus, Ægisthum hæc dicentem simul manum movisse, tanquam ferientem." 1 Compare with Dr. Elmsley's note on the Ajax of Sophocles, 1082. in the fourth number of the Museum Criticum, that of Hermann on v. 1061. as it stands in his edition. m Wellauer, of course, must consider Clytemnestra as coming on the stage at this point, called out of the palace by the rising clamour of the reproofs any further horrors. Even to reap these is in many respects a wretched harvest. And enough of misery assuredly is ours: let us not at all stain ourselves with blood. Repair, old men, forthwith to your homes, before that you suffer by being wounded": we must take these things and be contented with them since we did them; and if any one has a share of troubles, we at all events shall have enough of these, miserably smitten by the dæmon in his fell wrath. Such is a woman's advice, if any one condescends to heed it. EGIS. But that these men should thus cull the flower of a foolish tongue in my presence, and give utterance to such expressions, tempting their fate, and miss sobriety of judgment, and [insult] the ruler * * * * * CHORUS.-This can never be the conduct of Argives to fawn on the base°. ÆGIS.-Yet some future day I will track thee hereafter. CHORUS.-Not so, if the divinity shall guide aright Orestes to come hither. ÆGIS.-I know that exiles feed themselves on hopes. CHORUS.-Do thy pleasure! batten! while thou pollutest justice; since it is permitted thee. EGIS. Rest assured that thou shalt make me satisfaction because of this folly. CHORUS. Boast away boldly like chanticleer beside his mate. CLYT.-Make not thou any account of these vain yelpings: I and thou ruling in this house will order things aright P. valiant, and retorts courteous, which were passing between the Chorus and her paramour. Certainly if she had continued on the stage it would have little consisted with her character to remain quiet. " In this very difficult passage I have read τετρωμένους πρὶν παθειν· στέρξαντας αἴρειν, κ. τ. λ. as proposed in the Quarterly Review. • "With this feeling of free-born defiance to tyrannic crime the piece concludes, leaving the mind a generous sentiment to repose on, after the awful events unfolded." Encycl. Metr. (art. Æschylus.) "Clytemnestra," it is well remarked by the writer in the Encyclopedia, "does not appear a low or mean criminal. The true motive of her crime is kept carefully from the view, as though a mere selfish and human aim would have disgraced the whole. Yet, after all, how inferior is she to the mighty murderess of Shakspeare! She does not stalk on to a glorious aim, reckless merely of means, like lady Macbeth, who sees glittering visions before her, and only forgets or overlooks the horrors of assassination in her grasping eagerness for the crown' the golden round that fate and metaphysical aid do seem to have her crowned withal.' It is impossible, after all, to avoid feeling that the Grecian fiend's revenge is a mere pretext to cover a more ignoble end; but that the avowed aim of Shakspeare's heroine is real as well as grand and heroic, and removes her far from disgust and scorn. The former is an object not of contempt, indeed, but of hatred; the latter belongs not to the feeling but the imagination, and overpowers all other sensations by those of wonder and awe." |