"Amphion and Zethus,
First who founded and uptowered the seat of seven-gated Thebes."
These may suffice from a whole host of citations in UNGER. Vol. I.
p. 254-6, and Pausan. IX. 8. 3.
Note 16 (p. 267).
". . . a foreign-speaking foe!"
This appears strange, as both besieged and besiegers were Greeks,
differing no more in dialect than the Prussians and the Austrians, or
we Scotch from our English neighbours. I agree with E. P. that it
is better not to be over-curious in such matters, and that Butler is
right when he says that ἐτερόφωνος is only _paullo gravius dictum ad
miserationem_--that is, only a little tragic exaggeration for
_hostile_ or _foreign_.
Note 17 (p. 268).
". . . the painted gods upon the prow."
The general practice was, that the tutelary gods were on the poop, and
only the figure-head on the prow (Dict. Antiq., _Ships_ and _Insigne_),
but, as there was nothing to prevent the figure-head being itself a
god, the case alluded to by Æschylus might often occur.--See the long
note in STAN.
Note 18 (p 268).
"Who knows not
That, when a city falls, they pass to the Victor"
The Roman custom of evoking the gods of a conquered city to come out
of the subject shrines, and take up their dwelling with the conqueror,
is well known. In LIVY, V. 21, there is a remarkable instance of
this in the case of Veii--"Tuo ductu," says CAMILLUS, "Pythice
Apollo, tuoque numine instinctus pergo ad delendam urbem Veios:
tibique hinc decumam partem prædæ voveo. Te simul, JUNO REGINA, quæ
nunc Veios colis, precor ut nos victores in nostram tuamque mox
futuram urbem sequare; ubi te dignum amplitudine tua templum
accipiat."
Note 19 (p. 269).
"For blood of mortals is the common food."
I read φόνῳ, not φόβῳ, principally for the sake of the sentiment, as
the other idea which φοβῳ gives, has been already expressed. Certainly
WELL. is too positive in saying that φόβῳ is "_prorsus necessarium_."
Both readings give an equally appropriate sense: that in the text,
which POT. also gives; or this other--
"Your fear but heaps the fuel of hot war
I' the hearts o' the foe."
Note 20 (p. 270).
"Dirce and Ismenus' sacred stream."
These were waters in Theban legend no less famous than INACHUS and
ERASINUS in that of Argos. The waters of Dirce, in particular, were
famous for their clearness and pleasantness to drink. "Dirce, flowing
with a pure and sweet stream," says AELIAN, _Var. Hist._ XII. 57,
quoted by UNGER. p. 187, and Æschylus in the Chorus immediately
following, equals its praise to that of the Nile, sung so magnificently
in the Suppliants."
{420}
Note 21 (p. 271).
"From Poseidon earth-embracing,
And from Tethys' winding sons."
Γαιήοχος--the "_Earth-holder_" or "_Earth-embracer_," is a designation
of Poseidon, stamped to the Greek ear with the familiar authority of
Homer. According to Hesiod, and the Greek mythology generally, the
fountains were the sons of Ocean either directly or indirectly,
through the rivers, who owned the same fatherhood. Tethys is the
primeval Amphitrite.--See Note 13 to Prometheus, p. 390 above.
Note 22 (p. 273).
". . . at the Prœtian portal Tydeus stands."
"A gate of doubtful parentage, from which the road went out from Thebes
direct to Chalcis in Eubœa."--UNGER. p. 297. "Here, by the wayside,
was the tomb of Melanippus, the champion of this gate, who slew his
adversary Tydeus."--PAUSAN. IX. 8. This Tydeus is the father of
Diomedes, whose exploits against men and gods are so nobly sung in Iliad
V. From the frequency of the words βοᾶν, βοὴν, βρέμειν, etc. in this
fine description, one might almost think that Æschylus had wished to
paint the father after the Homeric likeness of the son, who, like
Menelaus, was βοὴν ἀγαθός. In the heroic ages, a pair of brazen lungs
was not the least useful accomplishment of a warrior. The great fame of
the father of Diomedes as a warrior appears strikingly from that passage
of the Iliad (IV. 370), where Agamemnon uses it as a strong goad to
prick the valorous purpose of the son.
Note 23 (p. 273).
". . . the wise Oiclidan seer."
"Amphiaraus, the son of Oicles, being a prophet, and foreseeing that all
who should join in the expedition against Thebes would perish, refused
to go himself, and dissuaded others. Polynices, however, coming to
Iphis, the son of Alector, inquired how Amphiaraus might be forced to
join the expedition, and was told that this would take place if his wife
Eriphyle should obtain the necklace of Harmonia. This, accordingly,
Polynices gave her, she receiving the gift in the face of an interdict
in that matter laid on her by her husband. Induced by this bribe, she
persuaded her husband to march against his will, he having beforehand
promised to refer any matter in dispute between him and Adrastus to the
decision of his wife.--APOLLODOR. III. 6; Confr. Hor. III. 16, 11.
Note 24 (p. 273).
"The brazen bells ring fear."
A Scottish knight, in an old ballad, has these warlike bells on his
horse's mane--
"At ilk tail o' his horse's mane,
There hung a siller bell:
The wind was loud, the steed was proud,
And they gied a sindry knell."--YOUNG WATERS.