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Note 1 (p. 263).
"Which may averting Jove from me avert."
The epithet ἀλεξητηριος or ἀλεξίκακος (Pausan. Att. III.) or the
averter, applied to the gods (see Odys. III. 346, is to be noted), as
characteristic of the grand fact in the history of mind, that with rude
nations the fear of evil is the dominant religious motive; so much so,
that in the accounts which we read of some savage, or semi-savage
nations, religion seems to consist altogether in a vague, dim fear of
some unknown power, either without moral attributes altogether, or even
positively malignant. In this historical sense, the famous maxim,
_primus in orbe deos fecit timor_--however insufficient as a principle
of general theology--is quite true. In the present passage, the
phraseology is remarkable.
ὧν Ζεὺς ἀλεξητήριος
Ἐπώνυμος γένοιτο--
literally, _of which evils may Jove be the averter, and in being so,
answer to his name_. This allusion to the names and epithets of the gods
occurs in Æschylus with a frequency which marks it as a point of
devotional propriety in the worship of the Greeks. I have expressed the
same thing in the text by the repetition of _avert_. So in the
_Choephoræ_, p. 103, _Herald Hermes, herald me in this,_ &c.
Note 2 (p. 263).
"In his ear and inward sense deep-pondered truths,
By no false art, though without help from fire."
"Tiresias, the Theban seer, was blind, and could not divine by fire or
other visible signs; but he had received from Pallas a remarkably acute
hearing, and the faculty of understanding the voices of
birds."--_Apollodor_. III. 6.--STAN. WELL. objects to this, but
surely without good reason. Why are the ears--εν ὦσι--mentioned so
expressly, if not to make some contrast to the common method of
divining by the eye?
Note 3 (p. 264).
"By Mars, Enýo, and blood-loving Terror."
With Mars in Homer (Il. IV. 440) are coupled φόβος and Δ(ε)ιμος, _Fear_
and _Terror_, as in this passage of Æschylus, and Ἔρις, _Strife_.
"FEAR and TERROR went with him, and STRIFE that rages without bound,
STRIFE of Mars the man-destroyer, sister and companion dear."
And in Livy (I. 27), Tullus Hostilius being pressed in battle,
"_duodecim vovit Salios, fanaque_ PALLORI _et_ PAVORI."--Compare
Cic. de Nat. Deor. III. c. 25. ENÝO is coupled in Homer as a
war-goddess with ATHENA--
"Well Tydides knew that Venus was no goddess made for war,
Not Athena, not Eýno city-sacking."
In our language, we have naturalized her Roman counterpart BELLONA.
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Note 4 (p. 264).
". . . the chariot of Adrastus."
"Because it had been predicted that Adrastus alone should survive the
war."--SCHOLIAST.
Note 5 (p. 265).
CHORUS. This Chorus, SCHNEIDER remarks, naturally divides itself
into four, or, as I think, rather into five distinct parts, (1) The
Chorus enter the stage in great hurry and agitation, indicated by the
Dochmiac verse--σποράδην, according to the analogy of the
Eumenides--(see the βιος Αισχύλου)--in scattered array, and, perhaps
in the person of their Coryphæus, describe generally the arrival of the
Theban host, and their march against the walls of Thebes. (2) But as the
agitation increases, continuity of description becomes impossible, and a
series of broken and irregular exclamations and invocations by
individual voices follows. (3) Then a more regular prayer, or the
chaunting of the Theban litany begins, in which we must suppose the
whole band to join. (4) This is interrupted, however, by the near terror
of the assault, and the chaunt is again broken into hurried exclamations
of individual voices. (5) The litany is then wound up by the whole band.
Of course no absolute external proof of matters of this kind can be
offered; but the internal evidence is sufficiently strong to warrant the
translator in marking the peculiar character of the Chorus in some such
manner as I have done. For dramatic effect, this is of the utmost
consequence. Nothing has more hurt the dramatic character of Æschylus,
than the practice of throwing into the form of a continuous ode what was
written for a series of well-arranged individual voices. Whoever he was
among more recent scholars that first analyzed the Choruses with a
special view to separate the exclamatory parts from the continuous
chaunt deserves my best thanks.--See Note 19 to the EUMENIDES, p. 377.
Note 6 (p. 265).
"With clattering hoofs, on and on still they ride."
πεδιοπλόκτυπος. Before this word, another epithet ελεδεμνας occurs,
which the intelligent scholar will readily excuse me for having
omitted altogether.
Note 7 (p. 265).
". . . the white-shielded host."
The epithet λεύκασπις seems characteristic of the Argive host in the
Bœotian legend. SOPHOCLES, in the beautiful opening Chorus of the
_Antigone_, and EURIPIDES in the _Phœnissæ_, has it. Such traits
were of course adopted by the tragedians from the old local legends
always with conscientious fidelity. STAN. refers it to the general
white or shining aspect of the shields of the common soldiers,
distinguished by no various-coloured blazonry; which may be the true
explanation.
Note 8 (p. 265).
"With chaplet and stole."
In modern times, the mightiest monarchs have not thought it beneath
their dignity to present, and sometimes, even, to work a petticoat
to the Virgin Mary. In ancient times, the presentation of a πέπλος
to the maiden goddess of Athens was no less famous--
"Take the largest and the finest robe that in thy chamber lies--
Take the robe to thee so dear, and place it duly on the knees
Of the beautiful-haired Athena."--IL. VI. 273.
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VIRGIL has not forgotten this--_Æneid_ I. 480. The _peplos_ was a large
upper dress, often reaching to the feet. YATES, in the _Dict. Antiq._,
translates it "shawl," which may be the most accurate word, but, from
its modern associations, of course, unsuitable for poetry.--See the
article.
Note 9 (p. 265).
"O Ares, that shines in the helmet of gold."
Mars was one of the native ὲπιχώριοι gods of Thebes, as the old legend
of the dragon and the sown-teeth sufficiently testifies. The dragon
was the offspring of Mars; and the fountain which it guarded, when it
was slain by the Phœnician wanderer, was sacred to that god.
APOLLODOR. III. 4; UNGER. _de fonte Aret_. p. 103.
Note 10 (p. 266)
"And their steeds with ringing bridles."
Bells were often used on the harness of horses, and on different parts
of the armour, to increase the war-alarm--the κλαγγή τε ἐνοπή τε (Il.
III. 2), which is so essential a part of the instinct of assault. See
the description of Tydeus below, and Dict. Antiq. _tintinnabulum_,
where is represented a fragment of ancient sculpture, showing the
manner in which bells were attached to the collars of war-horses. Dio
Cassius (Lib. LXXVI. 12) mentions that "the arms of the Britons are a
shield and short spear, in the upper part whereof is an apple of
brass, which, being shaken, terrifies the enemy with the sound."
Compare κωδωνο, φαλαραπωλους. _Aristoph. Ran._ 963.
Note 11 (p. 266).
"God of pawing steeds, Poseidon."
Neptune is called equestrian or ἱππίος, no doubt, from the analogy of
the swift waves, over which his car rides, to the fleet ambling of
horses. In the mythical contest with Pallas, accordingly, while the
Athenian maid produces the olive tree, the god of waves sends forth a
war-horse.
Note 12 (p. 266).
"Save us, Cypris, mother of Thebans."
"Harmonia, whom Cadmus married, was the daughter of Mars and
Aphrodite."--SCHOLIAST.
Note 13 (p. 266).
"Save us, save us, Wolf-Apollo."
Here is one of those pious puns upon the epithets of the gods, which
were alluded to in Note 1 above. With regard to this epithet of Apollo,
who, in the Electra of SOPHOCLES, v. 6, is called distinctly
_wolf-slayer_ (λυκοκτόνος), there seems to me little doubt that the
Scholiast on that passage is right in referring this function to
Apollo, as the god of a pastoral people (νὸμιος). PASSOW (_Dict. in
voce_), compare _Pausan_. (Cor. II. 19).
Note 14 (p. 267).
"O Onca, blest Onca."
Onca, says the Scholiast, was a name of Athena, a Phœnician epithet,
brought by Cadmus from his native country. The Oncan gate was the same
as the Ogygian gate of Thebes mentioned by other writers, and the most
ancient of all the seven.--UNGER. p. 267; Pausan. IX. 8.
Note 15 (p. 267).
"The seven-gated city deliver, deliver."
The current traditional epithet of Thebes, whose seven gates were as
famous as the seven mouths of the Nile--
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"Rari quippe boni: numerus vix est totidem quot
Thebarum portæ vel divitis ostia Nili."--JUV. Sat. XIII. 26.