THE AGAMEMNON OF ESCHYLUS.

1877.

MAY I be permitted to chat a little, by way of recreation, at the end of a somewhat toilsome and perhaps fruitless adventure?

ing about for an example of the truly
obscure for the benefit of those who found
obscurity in the sacred bocks, he protested
that this particular play leaves them all
behind in this respect, with their "He- 60
braisms, Syriasms, Hellenisms, and the
whole of such bag and baggage." For,
over and above the purposed ambiguity
of the Chorus, the text is sadly corrupt,
probably interpolated, and certainly mu-
lated; and no unlearned person enjoys
the scholar's privilege of trying his fancy
upon each obstacle when he comes to
a stoppage, and effectually claring the way
by suppressing what seems to lie in it.

70

If, because of the immense fame of the following Tragedy, I wished to acquaint myself with it, and could only do so by the help of a translator, I should require him to be literal at every cost save that of 10 absolute violence to our language. The use of certain allowable constructions which, happening to be out of daily favour, are all the more appropriate to archaic workmanship, is no violence: but I would be tolerant for once, in the case of so immensely famous an original, All I can say for the present performance of even a clumsy attempt to furnish me is, that I have done as I would be done by, with the very turn of each phrase in if need were. Should anybody, without as Greek a fashion as English will bear: need, honour my translation by a com20 while, with respect to amplifications and parison with the original, I beg him to embellishments, - anything rather than, observe that, following no editcr excluwith the good farmer, experience that sively, I keep to the earlier readings so long most signal of mortifications, "to gape for as sense can be made out of them, but disEschylus and get Theognis." I should regard, I hope, little of importance in reespecially decline, what may appear cent criticism so far as I have fallen in with 80 to brighten up a passage, the employ-it. Fortunately, the poorest translation, ment of a new word for some old one provided only it be faithful, though it ·wóvos, or μéyas, or réλos, with its con- reproduce all the artistic confusion of geners, recurring four times in three lines: tenses, moods, and persons, with which 30 for though such substitution may be in the original teems, will not only suffice itself perfectly justifiable, yet this exercise to display what an eloquent friend mainof ingenuity ought to be within the com- tains to be the all-in-all of poetry — “the petence of the unaided English reader if action of the piece" but may help to he likes to show himself ingenious. Learn- illustrate his assurance that "the Greeks ing Greek teaches Greek, and nothing else: are the highest modeis of expression, the go certainly not common sense, if that have unapproached masters of the grand style: failed to precede the teaching. Further, their expression is so excellent because it is - if I obtained a mere strict bald version so admirably kept in its right degree of of thing by thing, or at least word preg- prominence, because it is so simple and 40 nant with thing, I should hardly look so well subordinated, because it draws for an impossible transmission of the its force directly from the pregnancy of the reputed magniloquence and sonority of matter which it conveys... not a word the Greek; and this with the less regret, wasted, not a sentiment capriciously inasmuch as there is abundant musicality thrown in, stroke on stroke!" 2 So may elsewhere, but nowhere else than in his all happen! poem the ideas of the poet. And lastly, when presented with these ideas, I should expect the result to prove very hard reading indeed if it were meant to resemble 50 Eschylus, Evμßaλeir où padios, "not easy to understand," in the opinion of his stoutest advocate among the ancients; while, I suppose, even modern scholarship sympathises with that early declaration of the redoubtable Salmasius, when, look

Just a word more on the subject of my

I "Quis Eschylum possit affirmare Græce nunc scienti magis patere explicabilem quam Evangelia aut Epistolas Apostolicas? Unus ejus Agamemnon obscuritate superat quantum est librorum sacrorum cum suis Hebraismis et Syriasmis et tota Hellenisticæ supellectili vel farragine." SALMASIUS de Hellenistica, Epist. Dedic.

Poems by Matthew Arnold, Preface.

10

spelling in a transcript from the Greek deplore, that much detriment Was and there exclusively -- Greek names and done to that excellent piece "The Recog places precisely as does the Greek author. nition of Achilles," by Rubens, through the began this practice, with great innocency perversity of Old Muytens, "who must of intention, some six-and-thirty years ago. needs take on him to beautify every Leigh Hunt, I remember, was accustomed nymph of the twenty by the bestowment of to speak of his gratitude, when ignorant of a widened eye and an enlarged mouth." Greek, to those writers (like Goldsmith) I, at least, have left eyes and mouths who had obliged him by using English everywhere as I found them, and this 70 10 characters, so that he might relish, for conservatism is all that claims praise for instance, the smooth quality of such what is, after all ἀκέλευστος άμισθος a phrase as "hapalunetai galené;" he doidá. No, neither "uncommanded" nor said also that Shelley was indignant at "unrewarded": since it was commanded "Firenze" having displaced the Dan- of me by my venerated friend Thomas tesque "Fiorenza," and would contemptu- Carlyle, and rewarded will it indeed be ously English the intruder "Firence." come if I am permitted to dignify it by I supposed I was doing a simple thing the prefatory insertion of his dear and enough: but there has been till lately noble name. R. B. much astonishment at os and us, ai and oi, 20 representing the same letters in Greek. Of a sudden, however, whether in translation or out of it, everybody seems committing the offence, although the adoption THE AGAMEMNON OF ÆSCHY

LONDON: October 1st, 1877

LUS.

PERSONS.

Warder.

Choros of Old Men.
KLUTAIMNESTRA.
TALTHUBIOS, Herald.
AGAMEMNON.

KASSANDRA.

AIGISTHOS.

WARDER.

of u for v still presents such difficulty that it is a wonder how we have hitherto escaped "Eyripides." But there existed a sturdy Briton who, Ben Jonson_informs us, wrote "The Life of the Emperor Anthony Pie"-whom we now acquiesce 30 in as Antoninus Pius: for "with time and patience the mulberry leaf becomes satin." Yet there is, on all sides, much profession of respect for what Keats called "vowelled Greek" "consonanted," one would expect; and, in a criticism upon a late admirable translation of something of my own, it was deplored that, in a certain verse corresponding in measure to the fourteenth of the sixth Pythian Ode, 40 "neither Professor Jebb in his Greek, nor Mr. Browning in his English, could emulate that matchlessly musical γόνον ἰδὼν κάλλιστον ἀνδρῶν.” Now, undoubtedly, "Seeing her son the fairest of ment "has more sense than sound to boast of: but then, would not an Italian roll us out "Rimirando il figliuolo bellissimo degli uomini!" whereat Pindar, no less than Professor Jebb and Mr. Browning, Tpia-Stars, when they wither, and the up50 κτῆρος οίχεται τυχών.

It is recorded in the annals of Art that there was once upon a time, practising so far north as Stockholm, a painter and picture-cleaner-sire of a less unhappy son Old Muytens: and the annalist, Baron de Tessé, has not concealed his profound dissatisfaction at Old Muytens' conceit "to have himself had something to do with the work of whatever master of 60 eminence might pass through his hands." Whence it the Baron goes on to was,

1. Lettres à un jeune Prince, traduites du Suédois.

THE gods I ask deliverance from these & labours,

Watch of a year's length whereby, slumbering through it

On the Atreidai's roofs on elbow, doglike

I know of nightly star-groups the assemblage,

And those that bring to men winter and

summer

Bright dynasts, as they pride them in the æther

risings of them.

And now on ward I wait the torch's token,
The glow of fire, shall bring from Troia

message

And word of capture: so prevails audacious

The man's-way-planning hoping heart of

woman.

But when I, driven from night-rest, dewdrenched hold to

This couch of mine not looked upon by visions,

Since fear instead of sleep still stands beside me,

So as that fast I fix in sleep no eyelids

Flame - medicated with persuasions mild,
With foul admixture unbeguiled
Of holy unguent, from the clotted chrism
Brought from the palace, safe in its
abysm.

Of these things, speaking what may be in-
deed

Both possible and lawful to concede,
Healer do thou become!of this solici
tude

Which, now, stands plainly forth of evil
mood,
And, then

to-day

but from oblations, hope,

10 Gracious appearing, wards away
From soul the insatiate care,

The sorrow at my breast, devouring there!
Empowered am I to sing

Beforehand in the camp!
For envyingly is
The virgin Artemis

Toward her father's flying hounds -
this House

The sacrificers of the piteous
And cowering beast,

Brood and all, ere the birth: she hates the
eagles' feast.

Ah, Linos, sayah, Linos, song of wail!
But may the good prevail!

"Thus ready is the beauteous one with
help

To those small dewdrop-things fierce lions whelp,

And udder-loving litter of each brute That roams the mead; and therefore makes she suit,

The omens, what their force which, jour-The fair one, for fulfilment to the end

neying,

Rejoiced the potentates:

(For still, from God, inflates

My breast song-suasion:

age,

Born to the business, still such war can wage)

- How the fierce bird against the Teukris land

20 Dispatched, with spear and executing hand, The Achaian's two-throned empery o'er Hellas' youth

Two rulers with one mind:

The birds' king to these kings of ships, on high,

-The black sort, and the sort that's white behind,

Appearing by the palace, on the spear

throw side,

In right sky-regions, visible far and wide,Devouring a hare-creature, great with young,

Baulked of more racings they, as she from whom they sprung!

Ah, Linos,' say ah, Linos, song of wail! 30 But may the good prevail!

The prudent army-prophet seeing two
The Atreidai, two their tempers, knew
Those feasting on the hare
The armament-conductors were;

And thus he spoke, explaining signs in
view.

"In time, this outset takes the town of Priamos:

But all before its towers,

-

the people's

wealth that was, Of flocks and herds, as sure, shall booty-sharing thence

Drain to the dregs away, by battle violence. 40 Only, have care lest grudge of any god disturb

With cloud the unsullied shine of that great force, the curb

Of Troia, struck with damp

Taught Hercules music.

Of things these signs portend

Which partly smile, indeed but partly

scowl

Having in awe no husband: for remains
Wily house-keeping chronicler of wrath, 70
A frightful, backward-darting in the path,
That has to punish that old children's
fate!"

Such things did Kalchas,
dant gains

with abun

As well, vociferate,
Predictions from the birds, in journeying,
Above the abode of either king.
With these, symphonious, sing-

Ah, Linos, sayah, Linos, song of wail!
But may the good prevail!

Zeus, whosoe'er he be, if that express
Aught dear to him on whom I call-
So do I him address.

I cannot liken out, by all
Admeasurement of powers,
Any but Zeus for refuge at such hours,
If veritably needs I must

From off my soul its vague care-burthen
thrust.

Not whosoever was the great of yore,
Bursting to bloom with bravery all

round

Is in our mouths: he was, but is no more.
And who it was that after came to be,

• Apollo.