Aeschylus' Prometheus Bound and the Seven Against Thebes Part 10

[19] Elmsley's reading, [Greek: petra ... tade], is preferred by Dindorf, and seems more suitable to the pa.s.sage. But if we read [Greek: taisde], it will come to the same thing, retaining [Greek: petrais].

[20] Surely we should read this sentence interrogatively, as in v. 99, [Greek: pe pote mochthon Chre termata tond'

epiteilai;] although the editions do not agree as to that pa.s.sage. So Burges.

[21] Nominativus Pendens. Soph, Antig. 259, [Greek: logoi d' en alleloisin errothoun kakoi, phylax elenchon phylaka], where see Wunder, and Elmsley on Eur. Heracl.

40. But it is probably only the [Greek: schema kath' holon kai meros], on which see Jelf, Gk. Gr. - 478, and the same thing takes place with the accusative, as in Antig. 21, sq. 561. See Erfurdt on 21.

[22] See Linwood's Lexicon, s. v. [Greek: ameibo], whose construing I have followed.

[23] Cf. Virg. aen. I. 167, "Intus aquae dulces, vivoque sedilia saxo."

"The rudest habitation, ye might think That it had sprung from earth self-raised, or grown Out of the living rock."--Wordsworth's Excursion, Book vi.

Compare a most picturesque description of Diana's cave, in Apul. Met. II. p. 116; Elm. Telemachus, Book I.; Undine, ch. viii.; Lane's Arabian Nights, vol. iii. p. 385.

[24] Although Dindorf has left [Greek: oKEANOS] before the lines beginning with [Greek: ou deta], yet as he in his notes, p. 54, approves of the opinion of Elmsley (to which the majority of critics a.s.sent), I have continued them to Prometheus. Dindorf (after Burges) remarks that the particles [Greek: ou deta] deceived the copyists, who thought that they pointed to the commencement of a new speaker's address. He quotes Soph. OEd. C. 433; Eur.

Alcest. 555; Heracl. 507, sqq., where it is used as a continuation of a previous argument, as in the present pa.s.sage.

[25] It has been remarked that aeschylus had Pindar in mind, see Pyth. I. 31, and VIII. 20. On this fate of Enceladus cf. Philostrat. de V. Apoll. V. 6; Apollodorus I.; Hygin. Fab. 152; and for poetical descriptions, Cornel. Severus aetna, 70, "Gurgite Trinacrio morientem Jupiter aetna Obruit Enceladum, vasti qui pondere montis aestuat, et patulis exspirat faucibus ignes." Virg. aen.

III. 578; Valer. Flacc. II. 24; Ovid. Met. V. Fab. V. 6; Claudian, de raptu Pros. I. 155; Orph. Arg. 1256. Strabo, I. p. 42, makes Hesiod acquainted with these eruptions.

(See Goettling on Theog. 821.) But Prometheus here utters a prophecy concerning an eruption that really took place during the life of aeschylus, Ol. 75, 2, B.C. 479. Cf.

Thucydides III. 116; Cluver, Sicil. Antig. p. 104, and Dindorf's clear and learned note. There can be little doubt but Enceladus and Typhon are only different names for the same monster. Burges has well remarked the resemblance between the Egyptian Typho and the Grecian, and considers them both as "two outward forms of one internal idea, representing the destructive principle of matter opposed to the creative." I shall refer the reader to Plutarch's entertaining treatise on Isis and Osiris; but to quote authorities from Herodotus down to the Apologetic Fathers, would be endless.

[26] I think, notwithstanding the arguments of Dindorf, that [Greek: orges nosouses] means "a mind distempered,"

and that [Greek: logoi] mean "arguments, reasonings."

Boyes, who always shows a _poetical_ appreciation of his author, aptly quotes Spenser's Fairy Queen, b. 2, c. 8, st. 26.

"Words well dispost, Have secrete powre t' appease inflamed rage."

And Samson Agonistes:

"Apt words have power to swage The tumors of a troubled mind."

The reading of Plutarch, [Greek: psyches] appears to be a mere gloss.

[27] Intellige _audaciam prudentia conjunctam_.--Blomfield.

[28] [Greek: aichma] is rendered "indoles" by Paley (see on Ag. 467). Linwood by "authority," which is much nearer the truth, as the spear was anciently used for the sceptre. Mr. Burges opportunely suggests Pindar's [Greek: enchos zakoton], which he gives to Jupiter, Nem. vi. 90.

[29] Asia is here personified.

[30] All commentators, from the scholiast downward, are naturally surprised at this mention of Arabia, when Prometheus is occupied in describing the countries bordering on the Euxine. Burges conjectures [Greek: Abarios], which he supports with considerable learning.

But although the name [Greek: Abarides] (mentioned by Suidas) might well be given to those who dwelt in unknown parts of the earth, from the legendary travels of Abaris with his arrow, yet the epithet [Greek: areion anthos]

seems to point to some really existing nation, while [Greek: Abaries] would rather seem proverbial. Till, then, we are more certain, aeschylus must still stand chargeable with geographical inconsistency.

[31] I have followed Burges and Dindorf, although the latter retains [Greek: akamantodetois] in his text.

[32] Why Dindorf should have adopted Hermann's frigid [Greek: hypostegazei], is not easily seen. The reader will, however, find Griffiths' foot-note well deserving of inspection.

[33] On [Greek: prouseloumenon], see Dindorf.

[34] Among the mythographi discovered by Maii, and subsequently edited by Bode, the reader will find some allegorical explanations of these benefits given by Prometheus. See Myth. primus I. 1, and tertius 3, 10, 9.

They are, however, little else than compilations from the commentary of Servius on Virgil, and the silly, but amusing, mythology of Fulgentius. On the endowment of speech and reason to men by Prometheus, cf. Themist. Or.

x.x.xvi. p. 323, C. D. and xxvi. p. 338, C. ed. Hard.; and for general ill.u.s.trations, the notes of Wa.s.se on Sall.u.s.t, Cat. sub init.

[35] Brick-building is first ascribed to Euryalus and Hyperbius, two brothers at Athens, by Pliny, H. N. vii.

56, quoted by Stanley. After caves, huts of beams, filled in with turf-clods, were probably the first dwellings of men. See Mallet's Northern Antiquities, p. 217, ed. Bohn.

This whole pa.s.sage has been imitated by Moschion apud Stob. Ecl. Phys. I. 11, while the early reformation of men has ever been a favorite theme for poets. Cf. Eurip.

Suppl. 200 sqq.; Manilius I. 41, sqq.; and Bronkhus, on Tibull. I. 3, 35.

[36] Cf. Apul de Deo Socr. - II. ed. meae, "quos probe callet, qui signorum ortus et obitus comprehendit,"

Catullus (in a poem imitated from Callimachus) carm. 67, 1. "Omnia qui magni dispexit lumina mundi, Qui stellarum ortus comperit atque obitus." See on Agam. 7.

[37] On the following discoveries consult the learned and entertaining notes of Stanley.

[38] [Greek: egagon philenious], i.e. [Greek: hoste philenious einai].

[39] See the elaborate notes of Blomfield and Burges, from whence all the other commentators have derived their information. [Greek: Krasis] is what Scribonius Largus calls "compositio." Cf. Rhodii Lexicon Scribon, p. 364-5; Serenus Sammonicus "synthesis." The former writer observes in his preface, p. 2, "est enim haec pars (compositio, scilicet) medicinae ut maxime necessaria, ita certe antiquissima, et ob hoc primum celebrata atque ill.u.s.trata.

Siquidem verum est, antiquos herbis ac radicibus earum corporis vitia cura.s.se."

[40] Apul. de Deo Socr. - 20, ed. meae, "ut videmus plerisque usu venire, qui nimia ominum superst.i.tione, non suopte corde, sed alterius verbo, reguntur: et per angiporta reptantes, consilia ex alienis vocibus colligunt." Such was the voice that appeared to Socrates.

See Plato Theog. p. 11. A. Xenoph. Apol. 12; Proclus in Alcib. Prim. 13, p. 41. Creuz. See also Stanley's note.

[41] On these augurial terms see Abresch.

[42] Although the Vatican mythologist above quoted observes of Prometheus, "deprehendit praeterea rationem fulminum, et hominibus indicavit--" I should nevertheless follow Stanley and Blomfield, in understanding these words to apply to the omens derived from the flame and smoke ascending from the sacrifices.

[43] Cf. Herodot. I. 91, quoted by Blomfield: [Greek: ten pepromenen moiren adynata esti apophygeein kai to theo].

On this Pythagorean notion of aeschylus see Stanley.

[44] Or, "in pleasure at the nuptials." See Linwood.

Burges: "for the one-ness of marriage."

[45] No clew is given as to the form in which Io was represented on the stage. In v. 848, the promise [Greek: entautha de se Zeus t.i.thesin emphrona] does not imply any bodily change, but that Io labored under a mental delusion. Still the mythologists are against us, who agree in making her transformation complete. Perhaps she was represented with horns, like the Egyptian figures of Isis, but in other respects as a virgin, which is somewhat confirmed by v. 592, [Greek: klyeis phthegma tas boukero parthenou].

[46] "Gad-fly" or "brize." See the commentators.

[47] On the discrepancies of reading, see Dind. With the whole pa.s.sage compare Nonnus, Dionys. III. p. 62,2.

[Greek: taurophyes hote portis ameibomenoio prosopou eis agelen agraulos elauneto synnomos Io.

kai damales agrypnon ethekato boukolon Here poikilon aplaneessi kekasmenon Argon opopais Zenos opipeutera bookrairon hymenaion.

Zenos atheetoio kai es nomon ee koure, ophthalmous tromeousa polyglenoio nomeos.

gyioboro de myopi chara.s.somene demas Io Ionies [halos] oidma kategraphe phoitadi chele.

elthe kai eis Aigypton]--

This writer, who constantly has the Athenian dramatists in view, pursues the narrative of Io's wanderings with an evident reference to aeschylus. See other ill.u.s.trations from the poets in Stanley's notes.

[48] The ghost of Argus was doubtless whimsically represented, but probably without the waste of flour that is peculiar to modern stage spectres. Perhaps, as Burges describes, "a mute in a dress resembling a peac.o.c.k's tail expanded, and with a Pan's pipe slung to his side, which ever and anon he seems to sound; and with a goad in his hand, mounted at one end with a representation of a hornet or gad-fly." But this phantom, like Macbeth's dagger, is supposed to be in the mind only. With a similar idea Apuleius, Apol. p. 315, ed. Elm. invokes upon aemilia.n.u.s in the following mild terms: "At ... semper obvias species mortuorum, quidquid umbrarum est usquam, quidquid lemurum, quidquid manium, quidquid larvarum oculis tuis oggerat: omnia noctium occursacula, omnia bustorum formidamina, omnia sepulchrorum terriculamenta, a quibus tamen aevo emerito haud longe abes."