Part 80 (1/2)

[89] There is much doubt about the reading of this part of the chorus. See Dind. and ed. Camb.

[90] I have partly followed Abresch in translating these lines, but I do not advise the reader to rest satisfied with my translation. A reference to the notes of the elegant scholar, to whom we owe the Cambridge edition of this play, will, I trust, show that I have done as much as can well be done with such corrupted lines.

[91] Achilles is supposed to lay his hand on his sword. See however ed.

Camb.

[92] Obviously a spurious line.

[93] I have punctuated with ed. Camb.

[94] See ed. Camb.

[95] e?f??sate here governs two distinct accusatives.

[96] The Cambridge editor here takes notice of Aristotle's charge of inconsistency, ??t? ??de? e???e? ?? ???ete???sa [Iphigenia] t?? ??ste?a?.

He well remarks, that Iphigenia at first naturally gives way before the suddenness of the announcement of her fate, but that when she collects her feelings, her natural n.o.bleness prevails.

[97] Cf. Lucret. i. 88. ”Cui simul _infula_ virgineos _circ.u.mdata_ comtus, Ex utraque pari malarum parte profusa est.”

[98] Read pa?a? with Reiske, Dind. ed. Camb. There is much corruption and awkwardness in the following verses of this ode.

[99] On the sense of e??e see ed. Camb., who would exclude d?' e??

???a.

[100] Cf. Soph. Ant. 806 sqq. The whole of this pa.s.sage has been admirably ill.u.s.trated by the Cambridge editor.

[101] There is much awkwardness about this epithet pat???a?. One would expect a clearer reference to Agamemnon. I scarcely can suppose it correct, although I do not quite see my way in the Cambridge editor's readings.

[102] Porson, Praef. ad Hec. p. xxi., and the Cambridge editor (p. 228 sqq.) have concurred in fully condemning the whole of this last scene. It is certain that in the time of aelian something different must have been in existence, and equally certain that the whole abounds in repet.i.tions and inconsistencies, that seem to point either to spuriousness, or, at least, to the existence of interpolations of a serious character. In this latter opinion Matthiae and Dindorf agree.

[103] An allusion to the celebrated picture of Timanthes. See Barnes.

[104] I have done my best with this pa.s.sage, following Matthiae's explanation, which, however, I do not perfectly understand. If vs. 1567 were away, we should be less at a loss, but the same may be said of the whole scene.

IPHIGENIA IN TAURIS.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

IPHIGENIA.

ORESTES.

PYLADES.

HERDSMAN.

THOAS.

MESSENGER.

MINERVA.