Wednesday, September 06, 2017

 

Pacifistic Sentiments

Euripides, Helen 1151-1157 (tr. David Kovacs):
All men are fools who by war
and the spear of stout-heart battle
acquire renown for valor, foolishly winning release from toil in death.
If contests of blood shall always decide, never will strife
cease among the cities of men.

ἄφρονες ὅσοι τὰς ἀρετὰς πολέμῳ
λόγχαισί τ᾿ ἀλκαίου δορὸς
κτᾶσθ᾿, ἀμαθῶς θανάτῳ πόνους καταλυόμενοι.
εἰ γὰρ ἅμιλλα κρινεῖ νιν αἵματος, οὔποτ᾿ ἔρις        1155
λείψει κατ᾿ ἀνθρώπων πόλεις.


1152-1153 λόγχαισί τ᾿ ἀλκαίου δορὸς κτᾶσθε Headlam: κτᾶσθε δορός τ᾿ ἀλκαίου λόγχαισι L
1153-1154 ἀ- θανάτῳ πόνους κατα- Willink: κατα- πόνους θνατῶν ἀ- L: πόνους ἀ- θνατῶν κατα- Headlam | ἀμαθῶς Tyrwhitt: ἀπ- L | καταλυόμενοι Herwerden: -παυόμενοι L
1155-1156 κρινεῖ Heath: κρίνει L
A.C. Pearson ad loc.:


I don't have access to William Allan's commentary (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008).

In line 1152, λόγχαισι are literally spear heads, δορός a spear shaft.



<< Home
Newer›  ‹Older

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?