The Lyrical Dramas of Aeschylus Translated into English VerseAeschylus
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The Lyrical Dramas of Aeschylus Translated into English Verse
Aeschylus
Aeschylus -- Translations into English; Mythology, Greek -- Drama
I am afraid I stand alone, among the translators, in translating δαῖμον
in this and similar places, by the English word _god_; but persuaded as
I am that the English words _Fiend_ and _Demon_ are steeped in modern
partly Gothic, partly Christian associations of a character essentially
opposed to the character and genius of the Greek theology, I choose
rather to offend the taste than to confound the judgment of my reader in
so important a matter. The Greeks habitually attributed to their _gods_
actions and sentiments, which we attribute only to devils and demons.
Such beings (in the English sense) were, in fact, altogether unknown to
the Greeks. Their gods, as occasion required, performed all the
functions of our Devil; so that, to use a familiar illustration, instead
of the phrase, _what the devil are you about?_ so familiar to a genuine
English ear, the Athenians would have said, _what the god are you
about?_ Hence the use of δαιμόνιε in Homer.
Note 94 (p. 86).
"The unrelenting old Alastor."
Along with SYM. and CON. I retain the Greek word here, partly from
the reason given in the previous note with regard to δαίμων, partly
because the word is familiar to many poetical ears from Shelley's
poetry, partly, also, because I take care so to explain it in the
context, that it cannot be misunderstood by the English reader. The
Greek word ἀλάστωρ means an _evil genius_. Clement of Alexandria, in a
passage quoted by SYM. (Protrept c. II.) classes the Alastors of the
ancient tragedy with the Furies and other terrible ministers of heaven's
avenging justice. About the etymology of the word the lexicographers
and critics are not agreed. Would there be any harm in connecting it
with ἀλαστέω (Il. XII. 163), and ἐπαλαστέω (Odys. I. 252), so that it
should signify _an angry or wrathful spirit_.
Note 95 (p. 88).
"Falling he fell, and dying died."
I have here taken advantage of a Hebraism familiar, through the pages
of the Bible, to the English ear, in order to give somewhat of the
force of the fine alliteration in the original κάππεσε, κάτθανε. καὶ
καταθάψομεν. In the next three lines I have filled up a blank in the
text, by what must obviously have been the import of the lost lines,
if, indeed, PALEY, KLAUSEN, and CON. are not rather right in not
insisting on an exact response of stanza to stanza in the anapæstic
systems of the musical dialogue.
{357}
Note 96 (p. 88).
"While great Jove lives."
μίμνοντος ὲν χρόνῳΔιὸς. "The meaning is sufficiently plain, if we do
not disturb it by any philosophical notions about the difference
between time and eternity."--CON. The reader will note here the grand
idea of retributive justice pursuing a devoted family from generation
to generation, and, as it were, entailing misery upon them, concerning
which see Sewell's remarks above, p. 349. Sophocles strikes the same
keynote in the choric chaunt of the Antigone, ἀρχαῖα τα Δαβδακιδᾶν
ὄικων ὁρῶμαι.
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