* * * *
[1] The construction in the original furnishes a remarkable example of the
"nominativus pendens."
[2] Or, _that posterity might know it_. TR. Dindorf would omit these words.
B.
[3] Dindorf would omit these lines. I think the difficulty in the structure
may be removed by reading ‛οστις instead of ‛οσοις. The enallage, ‛οστις
... τουτοις, is by no means unusual. B.
[4] Cf. Soph. Œd. Col. 121, sqq. B.
[5] Which at present you do not appear to have.
[6] Monk would join ωκεανου with πετρα, as in the translation, but other
commentators prefer, which is certainly more simple, to join it with ‛υδωρ.
Then the difficulty occurs of sea-water being unfit for washing vests. This
difficulty Beck obviates, by saying that ‛υδωρ ωκεανου may be applied to
fresh water, Ocean being the parent of all streams, the word ωκεανου being
here, in a manner, redundant. TR. Matthiæ is very wrath with the "all on a
washing day" manner in which the Chorus learned Phædra's indisposition. The
"Bothie of Toper na Fuosich" will furnish some similar simplicities, such
as the meeting a lassie "digging potatoes." But we might as well object to
the whole story of Nausicaa. It must be recollected that the duties of the
laundry were considered more aristocratic by the ancients, than in modern
times. B.
[7] Cf. Æsch. Pr. 23. Χροιας αμειψεις ανθος. B.
[8] Literally _a speech mounted on madness_. A similar expression occurs,
Odyssey Α. 297. Νηπιαας οχεειν.
[9] Plutarch in explanation of this line says, "καθαπερ ποδα νεως,
επιδιδοντα και προσαγοντα ταις χρειαις την φιλιαν."
[10] I have followed the elegant interpretation of L. Dindorf, who observes
that ου δηθ ‛εκουσα refers to Phædra's assertion, ου γαρ ες σ' αμαρτανω,
and that the meaning is, "non quidem consilio in me peccas, sed si tu
peribis, ego quoque occidero." He compares Alcest. 389. B.
[11] See Matthiæ's note. I prefer, however, ολεις, with Musgrave. B.
[12] Matthiæ considers this as briefly expressed for τι τουτο, το εραν, ‛α
λεγουσι ποιειν ανθρωπους. Still I can not help thinking ανθρωπων a better
reading. B.
[13] Phædra struggles between shame and uncertainty, before she can
pronounce the name. It should be read as if ‛οστις ποθ'--‛ουτος--‛ο της
Αμαζονος. B.
[14] Matthiæ takes παναμεριος as = εν τηιδε τηι ‛ημεραι, i.e. up to this
very time. I think the passage is corrupt. B.
[15] This passage, like many others in the play, is admirably burlesqued by
Aristoph., Ran. 962. B.
[16] _Or, this is a second favor thou mayst grant me_.
[17] On the numberless references to this impious sophism, see the learned
notes of Valckenaer and Monk. Compare more particularly Aristoph. Ran. 102,
1471. Thesmoph. 275. Arist. Rhet. iii. 15. B.
[18] Literally, "spurious coined race." B.
[19] The MSS. reading, φυτον, is preferable. B.
[20] The syntax appears to be δυσεκπερατον βιου, _such as my like can
scarcely get over_. Musgrave has followed the other explanation of the
Scholiast, which makes βιου depend on παθος. TR. I have followed the
Scholiast and Dindorf. B.
[21] προτρεπουσα, αντι του ζητουσα και εξερευνωσα. Schol. Dindorf
acknowledges the strangeness of the usage, and seems to prefer προσκοπουσ',
with Monk. B.
[22] Cf. Soph. Ant. 751. ‛ηδ' ουν θανειται, και θανουσ' ολει τινα. B.
[23] For the meaning and derivation of αλιβατοις, see Monk's note.
[24] ‛αλικτυπον seems to be an awkward epithet of κυμα, unless it mean
"_dashed [against the shore] by the waves_." Perhaps αλικτυπον would be
less forced. B.
[25] ‛Υπεραντλος ουσα συμφοραι, a metaphor taken from a ship which can no
longer keep out water.
[26] See the note on my Translation of Æsch. Agam., p. 121, note 1. ed.
Bonn. B.
[27] Read ωμοι εγω πονων: επαθον ω ταλας with cod. Hav. See Dindorf. B.
[28] Cf. Matth. apud Dindorf. B.
[29] In the same manner the chorus in the Alcestis comforts Admetus. v.
Ου γαρ τι πρωτος, ουδε λοισθιος βροτων
γυναικος εσθλης ημπλακες.
[30] ‛Υπερ is here to be understood. VALK.
[31] Σφενδονη, literally, the setting of the seal, which embraces the gem
as a sling its stone.
[32] See a similar expression in Æsch. Eum. 254,
Οσμη βροτειων ‛αιματων με προσγελαι.
[33] The construction is, ειη αν εμοι αβιωτος τυχα βιου, ‛οστε τυχειν
αυτης. MONK.
[34] η, _which land, together with the present earth_.
[35] On the Orphic abstinence from animal food, see Matth. apud Dind.
Compare Porphyr. de Abst. ii. 3 sqq. B.
[36] Αθικτος appears here to have an active sense. So in Soph. Œd. c. 1521.
αθικτος ‛ηγητηρος. It is used in its more frequent sense (a passive) in v.
648, of this play. TR. Compare my note on Æsch. Prom. 110, p. 6, n. I. B.
[37] Cf. Med. 169. Ζηνα θ' ‛ος ορκων θνατοις ταμιας νενομισται. B.
[38] There are various interpretations of this passage. The Scholiast puts
this sense upon it, _Phædra was chaste (in your eyes), who had not the
power of being chaste, I had the power, and is it likely that I did not
exert it to good purpose?_ Others translate the former part of the passage
with the Scholiast, but make ου καλως εχρωμεθα refer to the present time,
_had it to no good purpose_, i.e. am not now able to persuade you of my
innocence. Some translate εσωφροησεν, _acted like a chaste woman_. TR.
There is evidently a double meaning, which is almost lost by translation.
Theseus is not intended to understand this. B.
[39] Cf. vs. 3. B.
[40] Κληροι were the notes the augurs took of their observations, and wrote
down on tablets. See Phœn. 852.
[41] ξυνοικουρους appears to be metaphorically used, but I think the sense
would be greatly improved by reading κακους, and taking ξυνοικουρους to
mean "to dwell with him," referring it to ‛οστις. B.
[42] But we must read γυμναδος ‛ιππου with Reiske, Brunot, and Dindorf. See
his notes. ποδι must be joined with γυμ. ‛ιππου. B.
[43] ποτμον αποτμον. B.
[44] Αυταισιν αρβυλαισιν. Some have supposed αρβυλη to mean a part of the
chariot, but this seems at variance with the best authorities (see Monk's
note); perhaps the expression may mean what is implied in the translation;
that Hippolytus did not wait to change any part of his dress. TR. But I
agree with Dindorf, that αυταισιν is then utterly absurd and useless. The
Scholiast seems correct in saying, ταις τον ‛αρματος περι την αντυγα, ενθα
την οτασιν εχει ‛ο ‛ηνιοχος. B.
[45] "Adeo ut deficerent a visu, ne cernere possem, Scironis alta." B.
[46] Καχλαζω, a word formed from the noise of the sea--‛ο γαρ ηχος του
κυματος εν τοις κοιλωμασι των πετρων γινομενος, δοκει μιμεισθαι το καχλα,
καχλα.--_Etym. Mag._
[47] Τρικυμιαι. See Blomfield's _Glossary to the Prometheus_, 1051.
[48] Musgrave supposes that Hippolytus wound the reins round his body; but
on this supposition, not to mention other objections, the comparison with
the sailor does not hold so well. It is more natural to suppose that he
leaned back in order to get a purchase: in this attitude he is made to
describe himself in Ov. _Met._ xv. 519, _Et retro lentas tendo resupinus
habenas._ If there be any doubt of εις τουμισθεν ‛ιμασιν being Greek, this
objection is obviated by putting a stop after ‛ιμασιν, and making it depend
on ‛ελκει.
[49] i.e. in Crete. See Dindorf's note. B.
[50] Εξοριζεται, _valde prorumpit, liberat terminos, quibus hactenus septum
fuit_. REISKE.
[51] Heath translates ανεκουφισθην _adtollebam corpus_, honoris scilicet
gratia. Compare Iliad, Ο. 241. αταρ ασθμα και ‛ιδρως παυετ', επει μιν
εγειρε Διος νοος αιγιοχοιο, which Pope translates,
"Jove thinking of his pains, they pass'd away:"
in which the idea is much more sublime; for there the thought of a Deity
effects what the presence of one does here.
[52] Probably meaning Adonis. See Monk. B.
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