Classic Greek Drama_ 10 Plays by Euripides in a Single File [NOOK Book] - Euripides [182]
CHOR. Atrides, rejoicing go thou to the land of the Phrygians, and rejoicing return, having obtained for me most glorious spoils from Troy.
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NOTES ON IPHIGENIA IN AULIS
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[1] From the answer of the old man, Porson's conjecture, [Greek: speude], seems very probable.
[2] See Hermann's note. The passage has been thus rendered by Ennius:
AG. "Quid nocti" videtur in altisono Coeli clupeo? SEN. Temo superat stellas, cogens Sublime etiam atque etiam noctis Itiner.
See Scaliger on Varr. de L.L. vi. p.143, and on Festus s.v. Septemtriones. All the editors have overlooked the following passage of Apuleius de Deo Socr. p. 42, ed. Elm. "Suspicientes in hoc perfectissimo mundi, ut ait Ennius, clypeo," whence, as I have already observed in my notes on the passage, there is little doubt that Ennius wrote "in altisono mundi clypeo," of which _coeli_ was a gloss, naturally introduced by those who were ignorant of the use of _mundus_ in the same sense. The same error has taken place in some of the MSS. of Virg. Georg. i. 5, 6. Compare the commentators on Pompon. Mela. i. 1, ed. Gronov.
[3] Such seems the force of [Greek: epi pasin agathois]. The Cambridge editor aptly compares Hipp. 461. [Greek: chren s' epi rhetois ara Patera phyteuein].
[4] The [Greek: synnymphokomos] was probably a kind of gentleman usher, but we have no correlative either to the custom or the word.
[5] Hermann rightly regards this as a hendiadys.
[6] [Greek: dromoi] for [Greek: moroi] is Markland's, and, doubtless, the correct, reading. [Greek: monos] is merely a correction of the Aldine edition.
[7] But read [Greek: tas--deltous] with the Cambridge editor, = "in relation to my former dispatches."
[8] [Greek: tan] should probably be erased before [Greek: kolpode], with the Cambridge editor. He remarks, "the sea-port, although separated from the island by the narrow strait of Euripus, is styled its _wing_." On the metrical difficulties and corruptions throughout this chorus, I must refer the reader to the same critic.
[9] But [Greek: lektron], _uxorem_, is better, with ed. Camb.
[10] It is impossible to get a satisfactory sense as these lines now stand. I have translated [Greek: exorma]. There seems to be a lacuna. The following are the readings of the Camb. ed. [Greek: en gar p. anteseis, palin ex. s. chalinous, epi kyklopon nin hieis thym.]
[11] But [Greek: anchialon] is better, with ed. Camb. from the Homeric [Greek: chalkida t' anchialon]. He remarks that this word, in tragedy, is always the epithet of a place.
[12] i.e. to exact satisfaction for her abduction.
[13] i.e. the tents containing the armed soldiers.
[14] [Greek: hedomenous] refers both to [Greek: Protesilaon] and [Greek: Palamedea], divided by the schema Alcmanicum. See Markland.
[15] Cf. Homer, Il. [Greek: B]. 763 sqq.
[16] Cf. Monk on Hippol. 1229. I have translated [Greek: syringas] according to the figure of a part for the whole. The whole of the remainder of this chorus has been condemned as spurious by the Cambridge editor. See his remarks, p. 219 sqq.
[17] Can [Greek: theton] refer to [Greek: agalma] understood?
[18] This part of the chorus is hopeless, as it is evidently imperfect. See Herm.
[19] The Cambridge editor would assign this line to Menelaus.
[20] I read [Greek: eu kekompseusai], with Ruhnken. The Cambridge editor also reads [Greek: ponera], which is better suited to the style of Euripides.
[21] The same scholar has anticipated my conjecture, [Greek: saphes] for [Greek: saphes].
[22] Compare the similar conduct of Pausanias in Thucyd. i. 130, Dejoces in Herodot. i., with Livy, iii. 36, and Apul. de Deo Socr. p. 44, ed. Elm.
[23] I read [Greek: to Priamou] with Elmsley. See the Camb. ed.
[24] With the Cambridge editor I have restored the old reading [Greek: echontes].
[25] But see ed. Camb.
[26] [Greek: au] is a better reading. See Markland and ed. Camb.
[27] There is little hope of this passage, unless we adopt the readings of the Cambridge