Classic Greek Drama_ 10 Plays by Euripides in a Single File [NOOK Book] - Euripides [206]
[47] Cf. Lobeck on Aj. 17. Hesych. [Greek: kochlos tois thalattiois] (i.e. [Greek: kochlois]) [Greek: echronto, pro tes ton salpingon eureseos]. Virg. AEn. vi. 171. "Sed tum forte cava dum personat aequora concha."
[48] "Moriamur, et in media arma ruamus." Virg. AEn. ii.
[49] Such seems to be the sense, but [Greek: exeklepsamen] is ridiculous, and Hermann's emendation more so. Bothe reads [Greek: exekopsamen], which is better. The Cambridge editor thinks that the difficulty lies in [Greek: petroisi].
[50] I would omit this line as an evident gloss.
[51] See the Cambridge editor.
[52] Reiske's emendation, [Greek: hosia] for [Greek: hoia], seems deserving of admission.
[53] The Cambridge editor would omit these lines.
[54] This line also the Cambridge editor trusts "will never hereafter be reckoned among the verses of Euripides."
[55] Such is the proper sense of [Greek: antitheisa].
[56] [Greek: nin] is [Greek: nympheumata].
[57] Read [Greek: kasignetei].
[58] I read [Greek: tois men] and [Greek: tois d'] with the Cambridge editor. Hermann's emendation is unheard of.
[59] This clause interrupts the construction. [Greek: dramontes] must be understood with all the following sentence, as no finite verb is expressed except [Greek: eperasan].
[60] I have partly followed Hermann, reading [Greek: epebaien ... apolauon], but, as to reading [Greek: hypnon] for [Greek: hymnon], the Cambridge editor well calls it "one of the wonders of his edition." I should prefer reading [Greek: olbou] with the same elegant scholar.
[61] I follow the Cambridge editor in reading [Greek: didymas], from Ovid, Ep. Pont. iii. 2, 71. "Protinus immitem Triviae ducuntur ad aram, Evincti geminas ad sua terga manus."
[62] "_displays while she offers_" i.e. "_presents as a public offering_" ED. CAMB.
[63] I am but half satisfied with this passage.
[64] Read [Greek: esesthe de kato] with the Cambridge editor.
[65] We must read [Greek: no] with Porson.
[66] Probably a spurious line.
[67] Read [Greek: Mykenon g'], _ay, from Mycenae_, with the Cambridge editor.
[68] Hermann seems rightly to read [Greek: hos g' en].
[69] Dindorf rightly adopts Reiske's emendation [Greek: sy toud' era].
[70] The Cambridge editor rightly reads [Greek: tina] with an accent, as Orestes obviously means himself. Compare Soph. Ant. 751. [Greek: hed' oun thaneitai, kai thanous' olei tina].
[71] Such is the force of [Greek: de].
[72] I would read [Greek: exepraxato] with Emsley, but I do not agree with him in substituting [Greek: kaken]. The oxymoron seems intentional, and by no means unlike Euripides.
[73] The Cambridge editor would read [Greek: est' outis logos].
[74] But [Greek: charin], as Matthiae remarks, is taken in two senses; as a preposition with [Greek: gynaikos], _ob improbam mulierem_, and as a substantive, with [Greek: acharin] added. Cf. AEsch. Choeph. 44. Lucretius uses a similar oxymoron respecting the same subject, i. 99. "Sed _casta inceste_ nubendi tempore in ipso Hostia concideret mactatu maesta parentis."
[75] This passage is very corrupt. The Cambridge editor supposes something lost respecting the fortunes of Orestes. Hermann reads [Greek: hen de lypeisthai monon, ho t' ouk aphron on]. But I am very doubtful.
[76] These three lines are justly condemned as an absurd interpolation by Dindorf and the Cambridge editor.
[77] This seems the easiest way of expressing [Greek: kai sy] after [Greek: sy d'].
[78] I am partly indebted to Potter's happy version. The Cambridge editor is as ingenious as usual, but he candidly allows that conjecture is scarcely requisite.
[79] i.e. thou seemest reckless of life.
[80] [Greek: prostrope], this mode of offering supplication, i.e. this duty of sacrifice.
[81] Diodorus, xx. 14. quotes this and the preceding line reading [Greek: chthonos] for [Greek: petras]. He supposes that Euripides derived the present account from the sacrifices offered to Saturn by the Carthaginians, who caused their children to fall from the hands of the