THE SUPPLIANTS'. 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 possessing 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 Egyptus, 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 own' 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, nearing 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. 5 See Paley. pressed, an altar, a defence from calamity, honoured by the deities. Would that [the will] of Jove would bring to pass all things truly. The counsel of Jove is not easily traced out, yet in all things it shines forth, even in darkness, with black calamity to articulate-voiced men. But it falls firmly not upon its back, if a thing be perfected by the head of Jove: for the ways of the [divine] breast stretch thick and shady, difficult to discover. But he smites abandoned mortals, looking down from his high-towered heights, and no one arms violence unpunished by the deity: the [divine] mind sitting aloft upon holy seats, nevertheless from that place takes vengeance on it. But let him look to the insolence of mortal men, how a youthful stock shoots anew, blooming on account of my nuptials, with ill-advised purpose, and having furious thoughts, an inevitable sting, and having resolved on an infatuated deed through disappointment. Such wretched sufferings I lamenting recount, mournful, grievous, drawing tears, ah! ah! suited to funeral strains: I alive honour myself with lamentations. I suppliant beseech the Apian land, and may you hear kindly my barbarian voice. But oft I fall upon my linen garments with rendings, and my Sidonian headdress. But to the gods just and perfect rites, matters having happened fortunately, shall be abundantly afforded, when death is absent. Ah! ah! ah! troubles difficult to be judged! where will this billow carry us? I suppliant beseech the Apian land, and may you hear kindly my barbarian voice. But oft I fall upon my linen garments with rendings. The ar indeed and the wooden house with flaxen sails, keepng out the sea, has wafted me with the breezes untroubled 1 apãç. See Dindorf. 2 i. e. it is not thrown prostrate. The ingenious author of the last Oxford translation, who certainly knew more about English than Greek, has got through this chorus, indeed through the whole play, without the slightest perception of the corruptions of the original, re-writing the play in English, not rendering the Greek. 3 Hermann reads λπídwv, and so Dindorf and Paley. But see Paley, whose edition is indispensable to any one who attempts to read the Supplices. I read reaλws with Bothe, Dindorf, and Paley. • So Paley. 7 Tμ. See Dindorf. 8 See Paley. • dóμos, dopòs, trabis fabrica, pro navis, ut Hor. trabe Cypria. Paley. by tempests: nor do I blame it: but hereafter may the allseeing father bring to pass a propitious end', that the mighty seed of our venerable mother escape, alas! from the beds of men unwedded, virgin. But again may the chaste daughter of Jove willingly regard me willing, keeping fixed upon me her dread countenance: and with all her might let her a virgin defending virgins from persecutions, he our deliverer2 But if not, a blackened sun-burnt race to Zagreus, the manyguest-receiving Jove of the dead will we approach with these suppliant boughs, dying by the noose, not having obtained [the favour] of the Olympian gods. O Jove, O wrath from the deities pursuing Io! But I ken the vengeance of the wife [of Jove] which overcomes heaven: for a tempest will come from a fell blast. And then Jove will be subject to unjust rumours, having slighted the son of the heifer, whom he himself once begot, now keeping his eyes averted from our prayers; but may he favourable hear us from above when invoked. O Jove, O wrath from the deities pursuing Io! But I ken the vengeance of the wife [of Jove, which overcomes heaven: for a tempest will come from a fell blast. DANAUS. My children, it behoves us to be prudent: and ye have come with me your prudent faithful aged father conductor of your voyage. And with respect to your behaviour on land now I bid you assume prudence to observe my words, engraving them on your minds. I see dust, the voiceless messenger of an army; the axle-driven naves are not silent, and I behold a bucklered and spear-brandishing crowd, with 1 Dindorf follows the emendation of Burges. 2 Such should be the sense. But neither that, nor any other meaning can be elicited from the words as they stand. Heath reads σ0ével. Paley, σθένουσ ̓ ἰωχμῷ ̓Ασφαλέως ἀδμῆτος, with much ingenuity. See his note. Perhaps, however, the fault lies in the verses being wrongly distinguished, and the true reading is simply ἀσφαλὲς, Παντί τὲ σθένει. Διωγμοῖσι δ ̓ ἀσφαλέως, κτλ. But in such passages, hariolari licet, at nil præterea. 3 I follow Wellauer's óкTUTTOV with Dindorf and Paley. The con junction could not possibly stand. 4 This is Blomfield's splendid emendation, learnedly supported by Burges, Gaisford, and Paley. Wellauer's ròv yaïov is preferred by Dia. dorf. τοὔγγαιον must be corrected. 5 I read à Zav, 'Iouç iù with Bamberger. See Dindorf. • λaßwv, Wordsworth, with the approbation of Dindorf and Paley. horses, and curved chariots. Perhaps the rulers of this land may be advancing to us as spies, having heard [of us] from messengers. But whether harmless, or enraged1 with fell wrath, they are rushing on this train, it is better, on every account, O virgins, to sit down at this mound of the gods who preside over assemblies. But an altar is better than a tower, an unbroken shield. But as quickly as possible go, and holding reverently in your left hands the white-wreathed suppliant boughs, ornaments of awful Jove, reply to the strangers with modest and sad and fitting words, as becomes those in a strange land, clearly relating these your bloodless flights. But first indeed let not boldness of voice follow, and let no vain look proceed from your modest foreheads, and quiet eye. And be not first to speak nor tedious in your talk: the people in this country greatly dislike it. But be sure to yield: you are a needy stranger exile; for it becomes not the lowly to be bold of speech. CH. Father, prudently to the prudent do you speak. But we mindful will observe these your wise injunctions; and may Jove the author of our race regard us. DAN. Delay not now, but let there be an accomplishment of your plan3. CH. I would now have my seat beside you. DAN. O Jove, pity us not utterly consumed by troubles. CH. Let him regard us in truth with favouring eye: he willing it, these things will turn out well. DAN. Invoke now also this bird of Jove. CH. We invoke the preserving rays of the sun, and holy Apollo, a god once exiled from heaven. Knowing this fate, let him be propitious to mortals. DAN. Let him be propitious indeed, and readily afford succour. CH. Whom then of these deities shall I yet invoke ? 1 There is much uncertainty about the reading, TεOnyμivos, Pearson Burges, TOνμμsvoç, Abresch. Dindorf, relvμévoç, Steph. Turn. Paley. 2 Evovýμov, Pearson, Dind. Paley. 3 In Rob. the dramatis personæ are differently arranged. See Burges and Paley. 4 Burges and Scholefield rightly place v. 210 after 206. See the notes of Paley. The whole passage, as it now stands, in fact, the whole play, is a mass of hopeless absurdity. |