protecting their altars. For which I pray, prophesying benevolently, that the bright ray of the sun cause to spring from the earth goods useful for life in abundance. MIN. I willingly do these things for these my citizens, having settled in this place these mighty deities, and hard to be appeased: for they have obtained by lot to administer all things regarding men. But he who has not found them gentle, knows not whence come the ills of life: for the sins of his forefathers lead him away to these, and silent destruction with hostile wrath lays him low even while talking big. CH. And let not the tree-destroying blight breathe-I speak my kindness-and let [not there be] the scorching heat that blasts the buds of plants, preventing them from passing the bounds of their places; nor let the fruit-spoiling black disease creep on; and may this country rear at the appointed time flocks very plenteous with double increase: let the race of men that enjoys the riches of the earth, adore the gainful gift of the deities. MIN. Do you hear these things, guardians of the city, what she accomplishes? for the awful Erinnys has great power both with the immortals, and with those beneath the earth, and with respect to men they manifestly and powerfully bring about to some indeed the song, but to others on the contrary affording a life dimmed with tears. CH. And I deprecate youth-destroying untimely events; and do ye2 grant wedded lives to lovely maids, ye supreme ruling goddesses, and fates, sisters born of the same mother as we, deities of strict laws, common to every house, and in all time heavy in your just visitations in all things the most honoured of the gods. MIN. I rejoice therefore, [these goddesses] willingly accomplishing these things to my country; but I love the eyes of Persuasion, because she has watched over my tongue and mouth against these fiercely refusing. But Jove of the forum has conquered, and our strife to do good3 prevails for ever. CH. And I pray that sedition, insatiate of ills, may never I cannot make up my mind respecting the reading. See Dindorf and Paley. " See Paley. I should prefer νεανίδων δ ̓ ἐπ. i. e. which shall benefit the city most. roar in this city: nor that the dust having drunk the black blood of the citizens, bear away from the city the curse of slaughter for slaughter, through the rage for vengeance'. But may they render to each other in turn joyful offices with thoughts for common weal, and hate with one mind: for this is a remedy for many things among mortals. MIN. Do you then, returning to right thoughts, find the way of a good tongue? From these dread faces I see great gain to these citizens. For you ever benevolent greatly honouring these benevolent, with respect to your rightly-just land and city shall all be illustrious while you lives. CH. Farewell, in the prosperity of wealth, farewell people of the city, sitting near to Jove, dear to the dear virgin, wise in time: and you being under the wings of Pallas does father Jove regard. MIN. Farewell you too: but it behoves me first to go to assign your abodes. To the sacred light of these conductors go, and while these dread victims are sacrificed to you, rushing beneath the earth, keep back from the country what is hurtful, but send what is advantageous for the victory of the city. And do you sons of Cranaus inhabiting the city, conduct these new settlers. And may the good recollection of benefits remain to the citizens. But CH. Farewell, farewell again, I repeat it, all you in the city, deities and mortals, inhabiting the city of Pallas. honouring duly my settling among you, in no respect shall you blame the events of life. MIN. I approve the words of these your vows, and I will send the light of blazing torches to the infernal and nether regions, with ministers who guard my image justly. For let the eye of all the land of Theseus come forth, an illustrious band of youths, women, and a train of aged women; and clothed in purple-dyed garments honour [these deities,] and 1 Dindorf and Linwood read Trovãs with Pauw. Paley defends the common reading. 2 Read opovovoa with Herm. Dind. Paley. 3 See Paley. Dindorf approves of Hermann's conjecture yñ kai módig ὀρθοδίκαιοι—πάντως. 4 Hermann thinks there is a lacuna. On the conclusion of this play, cf. Muller, p. 191, sqq., 205, sqq. But the whole work is essential to a Complete undertaking of this most religious of Athenian dramas. let the light of the torches flash forth: that new fellowship received into your land hereafter, may show their good will by events that prosper men. AT. Depart home, ye mighty honoured virgin daughters of Night, with a friendly escort. (But do you speak wellomened words, inhabitants), in the ancient caves beneath the earth highly honoured with honours and burnt victims, and in your happy lot. But applaud all ye people! And propitious and benevolent to this land come hither, ye dread powers, and delighted with the blazing torch: and on the way now break forth into songs. But libations shall be ever in your temples accompanied by torches: to the citizens of Pallas all-seeing Jove and the favouring Fate descend together. Break forth now into songs. P THE SUPPLIANTS1. 1-24 ARGUMENT. The flight of the Danaides from Egypt, accompanied by their father to Argos, and their supplication for protection against the lawless nuptials threatened them by the sons of Ægyptus. CHORUS. May Jove, indeed, the god of suppliants benevolently regard our naval train having set sail from the mouths of the Nile with its fine sands. But having left the divine land bordering on Syria we fled, sentenced to no banishment by the vote of the city, on account of bloodshed, but abhorring the man-shunning and impious nuptials of the sons of Ægyptus our kindred. But our father Danaus both our prime counsellor and leader of our flight, arranging these things, determined on the best of two evils (viz., the nuptials, or flight,) that we should fly with all speed over the billow of the deep, and put to at the land of Argos, from whence, indeed, our lineage, from the heifer rendered frantic by the gadfly, and from the touch and inspiration of Jove, boasts to be derived. To what country therefore more friendly than this can we come with these wool-wreathed branches of suppliants in our hands? O2 city, and land, and limpid water, and you 1 In translating this very corrupt play, I shall adhere as closely to Dindorf as is possible. As it is seldom read, and as the text is so uncertain, I shall not burthen the text with much illustrative annotation. Paley's edition is the only one that will give the student much assistance. To enumerate all the various readings, would fill half a volume, but I shall notice such as seem to furnish an easy clue to the sense. 2 I follow Robortelli. See Paley. heavenly gods, and you dire-punishing infernal deities possess ing temples, and third [called upon] preserver Jove, receive this suppliant female train with a merciful spirit of the country: but the male-abounding insolent swarm, sprung from Ægyptus, before placing their foot in this marshy land, send thou into the deep with their swift ship, and there having met with a furious whirlwind, with thunder, lightning, and with the shower-bearing winds of the fell sea, let them perish, before at any time ascending our unwilling beds, from which Justice restrains them, having made their own1 us here their kindred. But now invoking the divine calf, my avenger beyond the sea, and the son of the flower-cropping heifer, our progenitor, from the breathing of Jove. But the fated time rightly confirmed the touch [of Jove] in the name [of her son,] and brought forth Epaphus; whom mentioning now in the fertile regions of his ancient mother, calling to mind her former troubles, partly now will I shew creditable proofs, and partly some things will appear, I know, unlikely, although being unexpected. But one will ken words [when I have spoken at length. But if any augur chances to be near in the land, hearing our mournful wail, he will think that he hears the wife of Tereus wretched of device; and the hawk chased nightingale; who driven from her haunts and the rivers laments with new wail on account of her accustomed haunts; and trills a song on the fate of the boy, how he perished by the very hand of his cruel mother, having met with her wrath. So I, too, lamenting in Ionian strains rend my tender cheek that was cherished beside the Nile, and my heart unacquainted with tears. And I crop the flower of sad complaints, fearing my friends, if there is any one who has regard for this flight of ours from the land of Aeria. But ye gods, authors of our race, hear, duly regarding justice, or if ye do not grant success in obtaining what is contrary to right, but hating insolence in your souls, you should be just in regard to nuptials But there is even to those who fly from war, being hard 1 But see Paley. 2 There is no finite verb. 3 This is reasoning with a vengeance. See Paley. |