NOTES ON HIPPOLYTUS
[1] The construction in the original furnishes a remarkable example of the "nominativus pendens."
[2] Or, that posterity might know it. TR. Dindorf would omit these words. B.
[3] Dindorf would omit these lines. I think the difficulty in the structure may be removed by reading ‛οστις instead of ‛οσοις. The enallage, ‛οστις ... τουτοις, is by no means unusual. B.
[4] Cf. Soph. Œd. Col. 121, sqq. B.
[5] Which at present you do not appear to have.
[6] Monk would join ωκεανου with πετρα, as in the translation, but other commentators prefer, which is certainly more simple, to join it with ‛υδωρ. Then the difficulty occurs of sea-water being unfit for washing vests. This difficulty Beck obviates, by saying that ‛υδωρ ωκεανου may be applied to fresh water, Ocean being the parent of all streams, the word ωκεανου being here, in a manner, redundant. TR. Matthiæ is very wrath with the "all on a washing day" manner in which the Chorus learned Phædra's indisposition. The "Bothie of Toper na Fuosich" will furnish some similar simplicities, such as the meeting a lassie "digging potatoes." But we might as well object to the whole story of Nausicaa. It must be recollected that the duties of the laundry were considered more aristocratic by the ancients, than in modern times. B.
[7] Cf. Æsch. Pr. 23. Χροιας αμειψεις ανθος. B.
[8] Literally a speech mounted on madness. A similar expression occurs, Odyssey Α. 297. Νηπιαας οχεειν.
[9] Plutarch in explanation of this line says, "καθαπερ ποδα νεως, επιδιδοντα και προσαγοντα ταις χρειαις την φιλιαν."
[10] I have followed the elegant interpretation of L. Dindorf, who observes that ου δηθ ‛εκουσα refers to Phædra's assertion, ου γαρ ες σ' αμαρτανω, and that the meaning is, "non quidem consilio in me peccas, sed si tu peribis, ego quoque occidero." He compares Alcest. 389. B.
[11] See Matthiæ's note. I prefer, however, ολεις, with Musgrave. B.
[12] Matthiæ considers this as briefly expressed for τι τουτο, το εραν, ‛α λεγουσι ποιειν ανθρωπους. Still I can not help thinking ανθρωπων a better reading. B.
[13] Phædra struggles between shame and uncertainty, before she can pronounce the name. It should be read as if ‛οστις ποθ'—‛ουτος—‛ο της Αμαζονος. B.
[14] Matthiæ takes παναμεριος as = εν τηιδε τηι ‛ημεραι, i.e. up to this very time. I think the passage is corrupt. B.
[15] This passage, like many others in the play, is admirably burlesqued by Aristoph., Ran. 962. B.
[16] Or, this is a second favor thou mayst grant me.
[17] On the numberless references to this impious sophism, see the learned notes of Valckenaer and Monk. Compare more particularly Aristoph. Ran. 102, 1471. Thesmoph. 275. Arist. Rhet. iii. 15. B.
[18] Literally, "spurious coined race." B.
[19] The MSS. reading, φυτον, is preferable. B.
[20] The syntax appears to be δυσεκπερατον βιου, such as my like can scarcely get over. Musgrave has followed the other explanation of the Scholiast, which makes βιου depend on παθος. TR. I have followed the Scholiast and Dindorf. B.
[21] προτρεπουσα, αντι του ζητουσα και εξερευνωσα. Schol. Dindorf acknowledges the strangeness of the usage, and seems to prefer προσκοπουσ', with Monk. B.
[22] Cf. Soph. Ant. 751. ‛ηδ' ουν θανειται, και θανουσ' ολει τινα. B.
[23] For the meaning and derivation of αλιβατοις, see Monk's note.
[24] ‛αλικτυπον seems to be an awkward epithet of κυμα, unless it mean "dashed [against the shore] by the waves." Perhaps αλικτυπον would be less forced. B.
[25] ‛Υπεραντλος ουσα συμφοραι, a metaphor taken from a ship which can no longer keep out water.
[26] See the note on my Translation of Æsch. Agam., p. 121, note 1. ed. Bonn. B.
[27] Read ωμοι εγω πονων: επαθον ω ταλας with cod. Hav. See Dindorf. B.
[28] Cf. Matth. apud Dindorf. B.
[29] In the same manner the chorus in the Alcestis comforts Admetus. v.
Ου γαρ τι πρωτος, ουδε λοισθιος βροτων
γυναικος εσθλης ημπλακες.
[30] ‛Υπερ is here to be understood. VALK.
[31] Σφενδονη, literally, the setting of the seal, which embraces the gem as a sling its stone.
[32] See a similar expression in Æsch. Eum. 254,
Οσμη βροτειων ‛αιματων με προσγελαι.
[33] The construction is, ειη αν εμοι αβιωτος τυχα βιου, ‛οστε τυχειν αυτης. MONK.
[34] η, which land, together with the present earth.
[35] On the Orphic abstinence from animal food, see Matth. apud Dind. Compare Porphyr. de Abst. ii. 3 sqq. B.
[36] Αθικτος appears here to have an active sense. So in Soph. Œd. c. 1521. αθικτος ‛ηγητηρος. It is used in its more frequent sense (a passive) in v. 648, of this play. TR. Compare my note on Æsch. Prom. 110, p. 6, n. I. B.
[37] Cf. Med. 169. Ζηνα θ' ‛ος ορκων θνατοις ταμιας νενομισται. B.
[38] There are various interpretations of this passage. The Scholiast puts this sense upon it, Phædra was chaste (in your eyes), who had not the power of being chaste, I had the power, and is it likely that I did not exert it to good purpose? Others translate the former part of the passage with the Scholiast, but make ου καλως εχρωμεθα refer to the present time, had it to no good purpose, i.e. am not now able to persuade you of my innocence. Some translate εσωφροησεν, acted like a chaste woman. TR. There is evidently a double meaning, which is almost lost by translation. Theseus is not intended to understand this. B.
[39] Cf. vs. 3. B.
[40] Κληροι were the notes the augurs took of their observations, and wrote down on tablets. See Phœn. 852.
[41] ξυνοικουρους appears to be metaphorically used, but I think the sense would be greatly improved by reading κακους, and taking ξυνοικουρους to mean "to dwell with him," referring it to ‛οστις. B.
[42] But we must read γυμναδος ‛ιππου with Reiske, Brunot, and Dindorf. See his notes. ποδι must be joined with γυμ. ‛ιππου. B.
[43] ποτμον αποτμον. B.
[44] Αυταισιν αρβυλαισιν. Some have supposed αρβυλη to mean a part of the chariot, but this seems at variance with the best authorities (see Monk's note); perhaps the expression may mean what is implied in the translation; that Hippolytus did not wait to change any part of his dress. TR. But I agree with Dindorf, that αυταισιν is then utterly absurd and useless. The Scholiast seems correct in saying, ταις τον ‛αρματος περι την αντυγα, ενθα την οτασιν εχει ‛ο ‛ηνιοχος. B.
[45] "Adeo ut deficerent a visu, ne cernere possem, Scironis alta." B.
[46] Καχλαζω, a word formed from the noise of the sea—‛ο γαρ ηχος του κυματος εν τοις κοιλωμασι των πετρων γινομενος, δοκει μιμεισθαι το καχλα, καχλα.—Etym. Mag.
[47] Τρικυμιαι. See Blomfield's Glossary to the Prometheus, 1051.
[48] Musgrave supposes that Hippolytus wound the reins round his body; but on this supposition, not to mention other objections, the comparison with the sailor does not hold so well. It is more natural to suppose that he leaned back in order to get a purchase: in this attitude he is made to describe himself in Ov. Met. xv. 519, Et retro lentas tendo resupinus habenas. If there be any doubt of εις τουμισθεν ‛ιμασιν being Greek, this objection is obviated by putting a stop after ‛ιμασιν, and making it depend on ‛ελκει.
[49] i.e. in Crete. See Dindorf's note. B.
[50] Εξοριζεται, valde prorumpit, liberat terminos, quibus hactenus septum fuit. REISKE.
[51] Heath translates ανεκουφισθην adtollebam corpus, honoris scilicet gratia. Compare Iliad, Ο. 241. αταρ ασθμα και ‛ιδρως παυετ', επει μιν εγειρε Διος νοος αιγιοχοιο, which Pope translates,
"Jove thinking of his pains, they pass'd away:"
in which the idea is much more sublime; for there the thought of a Deity effects what the presence of one does here.
[52] Probably meaning Adonis. See Monk. B.