The Agamemnon of Aeschylus: Translated into English Rhyming Verse with Explanatory NotesAeschylus
General
The Agamemnon of Aeschylus: Translated into English Rhyming Verse with Explanatory Notes
Aeschylus
Agamemnon, King of Mycenae (Mythological character) -- Drama
[P. 41, l. 950, This princess.]—This is the first time that the
attention of the audience is drawn to Cassandra. She too is one of
Aeschylus’ silent figures. I imagine her pale, staring in front of
her, almost as if in a trance, until terror seizes her at
Clytemnestra’s greeting in l. 1035, p. 45.
[P. 41, l. 964, The cry.]—i.e. the cry of the possessed prophetess
which rang from the inner sanctuary at Delphi and was interpreted by
the priests.—The last two lines of the speech are plain in their
meaning but hard to translate. Literally: “when the full, or
fulfilled, man walketh his home,—O Zeus the Fulfiller, fulfil my
prayers.”
[P. 42, l. 976.]—The victim has been drawn into the house; the Chorus
sing a low boding song: every audience at a Greek tragedy would expect
next to hear a death cry from within, or to see a horrified messenger
rush out. Instead of which the door opens and there is Clytemnestra:
what does she want? “Come thou also!” One victim is not enough.—In the
next scene we must understand the cause of Clytemnestra’s impatience.
If she stays too long outside, some one will warn Agamemnon; if she
leaves Cassandra, she with her second sight will warn the Chorus. If
Cassandra could only be got inside all would be safe!
[P. 44, l. 1022, “One there was of old.”]—Asklêpios, the physician,
restored Hippolytus to life, and Zeus blasted him for so oversetting
the laws of nature.
[P. 45, l. 1040, Alcmêna’s son.]—Heracles was made a slave to Omphalê,
Queen of Lydia. His grumbles at his insufficient food were a theme of
comedy.
[P. 45, l. 1049, Belike thou canst not yet.]—Cf. below, ll. 1066 ff.
The Elder speaks in sympathy. “Very likely you cannot yet bring
yourself to submit.”
[P. 46, l. 1061, Thou show her.]—It seems odd to think that this
passage has for centuries been translated as if it was all addressed
to Cassandra: “But if you do not understand what I say, please
indicate the same with your barbarous hand!”—What makes Cassandra at
last speak? I think that the Elder probably touches her, and the touch
as it were breaks the spell.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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