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Classics From the Renaissance to the nineteenth century, Latin and Greek were compulsory subjects in almost all European universities, and most early modern scholars published their research and conducted international correspondence in Latin. Latin had continued in use in Western Europe long after the fall of the Roman empire as the lingua franca of the educated classes and of law, diplomacy, religion and university teaching. The flight of Greek scholars to the West after the fall of Constantinople in 1453 gave impetus to the study of ancient Greek literature and the Greek New Testament. Eventually, just as nineteenth-century reforms of university curricula were beginning to erode this ascendancy, developments in textual criticism and linguistic analysis, and new ways of studying ancient societies, especially archaeology, led to renewed enthusiasm for the Classics. This collection offers works of criticism, interpretation and synthesis by the outstanding scholars of the nineteenth century.
Euripides Frederick Apthorp Paley (1815–1888) published Volume 1 of his English commentary on Euripides in 1857. It contains the Greek text of seven of Euripides’s most popular plays: Rhesus, Medea, Hippolytus, Alcestis, Heraclidae, Supplices and Troades, each with an introductory essay. Paley’s detailed commentary is given at the foot of each page of Greek text. It discusses Euripides’ language and style, explaining difficult grammatical structures, syntax and vocabulary; poetic form and Euripides’ innovative approach to composing tragedy; textual variation between manuscripts; the historical and literary context of each play; and their reception history. Paley’s work greatly influenced Euripidean scholarship: for over a century it was a widely used teaching tool in schools and universities. An outstanding piece of classical scholarship and a key text in the history of Euripidean interpretation, it deserves continued consideration by future generations of scholars and students.
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Euripides With an English Commentary Volume 1 E di t e d by Frederick Ap thorp Paley
C A m b R I D G E U N I V E R sI T y P R E s s Cambridge, New york, melbourne, madrid, Cape Town, singapore, são Paolo, Delhi, Dubai, Tokyo Published in the United states of America by Cambridge University Press, New york www.cambridge.org Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9781108011167 © in this compilation Cambridge University Press 2010 This edition first published 1857 This digitally printed version 2010 IsbN 978-1-108-01116-7 Paperback This book reproduces the text of the original edition. The content and language reflect the beliefs, practices and terminology of their time, and have not been updated. Cambridge University Press wishes to make clear that the book, unless originally published by Cambridge, is not being republished by, in association or collaboration with, or with the endorsement or approval of, the original publisher or its successors in title.
BIBLIOTHECA CLASSICA. EDITED BY
GEORGE LONG, M.A. FORMERLY FELLOW OF TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, AND THE
REV. A. J. MACLEANE, M.A. TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE.
EURIPIDES, WITH AN ENGLISH COMMENTAEY, BY
F. A. PALEY.
VOL. I.
LONDON: "WHITTAKEE AND CO. AVE MAEIA LANE; GEOEGE BELL, FLEET STEEET. 1857.
EURIPIDES.
WITH AN ENGLISH COMMENTARY
R A. PALEY, EDITOE OF AESCHYLUS, ETC.
IN THESE TOIitTMES.
VOL. I.
LONDON: WHITTAKER AND CO. AVE MARIA LANE; GEORGE BELL, FLEET STREET. 1857.
PREFACE. Celebrity of Euripides.—Reasons of it.—His simplicity of style.—Proofs of his popularity.—His enemies.—Unfairness of Aristophanes.—Of Schlegel.—The true province of Tragedy.—Euripides charged with having lowered it.—His familiar style.—His object in depicting woe.-—Why unpleasing to Athenians.—His common characters.— His slaves.—Political opinions.—Dislike of tyrants.—Praise of the agriculturists and the middle classes.—Whether attached to the war-party.—Alcibiades.—Passages against the demagogues.—Expedition to Sicily.—His dislike of the Spartans.—His religious views.—The soothsayers.—His scepticism. — Popular unbelief.—Socrates.— Euripides charged with atheism.—His Pantheism, and ideas of a Supreme Being.— Influence of Fortune in human affairs.—Doctrine of Necessity.—Not really an atheist.—His disbelief in the old Polytheism.—Alleged immoralities of the gods.— Their existence sometimes acknowledged.—His philosophical opinions.—Astronomy. —Pantheistic views of Ald^p.—The rotation (5iV7j) of the earth.—Doctrine of Mind, borrowed from Anaxagoras.—Al6i]p identified with Zevs.—His study of physics.—The sun a red-hot mass.—His frequent use of the word SecnrdTTjj x% Tap8*>">s XT) ypavs &i> 2 .
And it is not to be denied, that he sometimes makes such persons utter reflections which are too deep, too full of sophistry, perhaps even, of virtue, for their natural character. But in this also there is reason to believe the poet had a special object in view. His ideas of humanity were large; he saw and felt that the poor slave was a fellow man, and he could not bear to see him trampled on, despised, and as it were thrust without the social pale. He ever reminds us that a slave is still a man,—it may be, a good one,—and with the feelings, the attachments, the capabilities of a man. He delights to record their fidelity to their masters, their sympathy in the trials of life; XpTJffTOlGl So6\otS ^VfltpOpa. Tfl SefTTrOTWI/ KaKus irlrvovra, teal (ppevaiv avddirrerai5,—
their gratitude for kindness and considerate treatment, Kai ix ecpepfie v e rby vovv Se,
is the aspiration of a faithful servant of the Atridae in the Helena5. So in the Ion6, %v ydp TI TOIS SovXoia Totlvofia- T& $' &\Xa irdi/Ta -rav i\ev$€pav otiSels Kiudwv $ov\os, 'dans effd\bs $.
In the Alcestis7 he makes especial mention of the slaves 2
3 4 5 8 Ran. 949. Med. 54. Orest. 869. v. 728. v. 854. V. 193. Yet some rather severe remarks on slaves may be found in Frag. 49, 50, 53, 59, 84. Of course, many of them were bad and despicable characters. 7
XIV
SLAVES.
when the whole household is taking a sorrowful leave of their mistress. She shook hands with each of them, and not one of them was too despicable (MZKO?) to receive a kind word and to return it. " A good slave," he said in the Melanippe8, " is none the worse for the name of slave." SovXov yap iaQXbv TovvofjC ov StacpBepe?, iroWo) 5' a/j-tlvovs eteri TOIV £\evd€pay.
Similarly in the JPhrixus9,
He allows them to reason, to advise, to suggest; and he even makes them philosophize on the follies and the indiscretions of their superiors'. In thus making use of the character even of slaves, he has certainly shown much boldness in departing from the stiff proprieties of the ancient drama. It was a courageous step, for it was one that was certain to lead him into obloquy. Let us however try to dismiss from our minds the notion, inculcated from our earliest school-life, that this was so much derogation from the dignity of tragedy. Humanity itself is a dignified subject; its very frailties may be made so in the hands of a great artist; and that Euripides has done this, let us think it not unreasonable to believe. As might be expected in a man of his genius, and in one who was conscious of exercising great influence as a teacher of the people2, his philosophical, religious, and political opinions are clearly defined and plainly and fearlessly expressed. In regard to the last, he was a partisan of the moderate and constitutional party, equally opposed to the tyranny of absolute rulers, and the still worse tyranny of overbearing demagogues. His inclinations would seem to have been rather against the side of the aristocracy; for he frequently speaks of the worthlessness of mere wealth or birth (evyeveia) without sense and wisdom. 8 1
Frag. 506. E. g. in Hippol. 88 seqq.
9 Frag. 8 2 3 2 s e e Ran. j
4 2 0
POLITICAL OPINIONS.
XV
KfXKUSftXotVTOirdvTGS, O"t TvpaVfiSl Xaipovdiv, bxiyri T ' ev Tr6\ti fi TovKfiBepov yhp &vojm vavrhs
The life of a Tvpavvos he considered by no means enviable ; Cv^ av Dehoifii fiaWov $i Tvpavvos &v, § Toiis TTOVTipoiis TjSovi) eA.eiV irarpav ppaSbs (fcteeiYai, /ie-yaAa Se iSAairTeij/ T « X " S AI.
Surely such passages as these prove that in the war-question he agreed with Aristophanes. Both lived in the troublous times of the Peloponnesian war, and both were alike interested in its speedy termination. It was the demagogue, the ambitious i y . 743 VOL. I.
z v . 949.
3
Troad. 400.
i
b
Rau. 1422.
XV1U
DISLIKE OF WAR.
aspirant to office, the man of lost credit and broken fortunes, who wished for its continuance,— 6 fx\v oirws (TTpo.T7i\aTrj, 6 8' as vf3pi£r) Svfafuv tis X(Vas Aaevvy r/Xlov TrepuTTTvx>h which so curiously coincides with the views of modern astronomers, that the sun is a dense nucleus surrounded by a vast ocean of intense electric light. Either from Anaxagoras or from his other masters, Prodicus and Protagoras, Euripides derived such a passion for ia, that his use of the word crocpbs is almost wearisome. He applies it indiscriminately to such worldly wisdom as lies in cunning and craft, as well as to the true wisdom of virtue and philosophy 5. Not only his slaves, his heralds, and his messengers, but his kings and his heroes philosophise °. The son will read a lecture to a father 7 , a king to a suppliant 8 , a captive handmaid to her royal mistress 9 . He is extremely fond of sententious saws, with which he intersperses his speeches regardless 1
Ran. 100. V. 400. It was for the same purpose that Socrates appeared in his aerial crib (Kptfidepa), Nub. 218, 225. 4 3 V. 982. Ion 1516. 5 Schol. on M e d . 6 6 5 , eveiri<pop6s 4(Tai/ GITTUV KOI Oavovcrav ecrrt icov from a/Acpievcu (Frag. 180), Aavarj from ht]vaio? (Frag. 317, v. 20), BoiWTo? from /3oO? (Frag. 485), MeXeaypo? from /u,e\ea aypa (Frag. 525). I n these points (which, after all, are but trifling peculiarities of style, though absurdly magnified by Aristophanes into glaring improprieties,) Euripides was perhaps inclined to 1
2 3 V. 138. Frag. G34. Frag. 821. Ran. 1079 and 1477. This seems to have been borrowed from Heraclitus. Muller's Hist, of Greek Literature, p. 245. 5 e V. 396. V. 1443. 4
See
XXXii
HIS PATHOS—MELANCHOLY TEMPER.
pedantry. His strength as a poet lies in his power of depicting human passions, especially in their evil consequences. He knew human nature well, and he knew also how to describe and pourtray its most secret impulses and its most stormy emotions. Does he touch on the subject of Love, or married life, or the loss of children dearer than life, the lot of the slave, the captive, and the orphan, the unhappiness of violated marriage vows? On all these tender topics he carries the whole soul of the reader along with him. " In all his pieces there is the sweet human voice, the fluttering human heart 7 ." In this respect he surpassed both Aeschylus and Sophocles, that he was pre-eminently a poet of the feelings. It is probable that we, with our somewhat cold and practical habit of mind, do not enter so deeply into merely narrated, still less into merely imaginary, woes. We are not much impressed by the description of grief, unless the circumstances are very romantic, or the expectation is very highly excited. The Athenians were certainly in this respect much more susceptible; and it is well to bear this in mind in our study of the ancient tragedies. Where Aeschylus tried to scare, to strike, to impress the imagination, Euripides strove to melt, to humanize, to enlist the affections. He was, like his master Anaxagoras, by nature of a melancholy temperament. Sentimental, tender, and full of sympathy for woe, he loved to contemplate rather the dark than the bright side of human existence As our poet Moore said, " Go, let me weep ! There's bliss in tears/'
so Euripides proves his softness of heart by the very constant use of the words Bdicpv, OIKTOb 8tyr}To7s o8vp/xol Sa/cpuwz' r ' eVippoat.
a\yi]S6vas 5e ravra KOv(pi£eL ipptvwv, KaX KapZias eAutre Tobs &yav TT6VOUS. 7
Digby. Frag. 578. In reference to this temper of the poet four verses have been interpolated in v. 180 of the Suppliees. 8
HIS MELANCHOLY TEMPER.
XXXlii
And in the Hercules \ irais Uv o)S £ov66irrepos /j.4\io~(ra rb /Mzv ST) TravTaxov dpvXovfxtvov Kpa.Ti.aTov (foal }] Katc6v. ovd' hv y4voLTo ypd^fia TOIOVT' 4V ypacpfj, ovS1 &v \6yos 5€£|€iej'' et 8e rov Qzatv rdS* icrrl TrkdV laTw Kol fipoTolai 8y(7^tey^s.
Again in the Hecuba", e¥ Tts yvpcuKas TUV wplv \4yeiv, ^ vvv Aeywv ris iffTiv, % fieWet a/jvavra Ta^ui (Tvurefxiiu ey^j *ppd ' 0 ' s ^0KV!
he merely means that the standard of TO alaypov and TO KOKOV is often arbitrary, and that the moral sense of man sufficiently discriminates the good from the bad ; thereby hinting, that the over-refinements of prudery are not always the truest virtue. To custom, in fact, he attributes more weight than to conviction founded on principle; and the remark5 is a profound one. v6p.
