Friday, August 30, 2024
Vengeance
Homer, Odyssey 24.433-436 (Eupeithes speaking; tr. A.T. Murray):
See Hubert J. Treston, Poine: A Study in Ancient Greek Blood-Vengeance (London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1923).
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For a shame is this even for men that are yet to be to hear of, if we shall not take vengeance on the slayers of our sons and our brothers. To me surely life would then no more be sweet; rather would I die at once and be among the dead.Murray omitted μετὰ φρεσὶν (435) in his translation, a rare slip.
λώβη γὰρ τάδε γ᾽ ἐστὶ καὶ ἐσσομένοισι πυθέσθαι,
εἰ δὴ μὴ παίδων τε κασιγνήτων τε φονῆας
τισόμεθ᾽. οὐκ ἂν ἐμοί γε μετὰ φρεσὶν ἡδὺ γένοιτο 435
ζωέμεν, ἀλλὰ τάχιστα θανὼν φθιμένοισι μετείην.
See Hubert J. Treston, Poine: A Study in Ancient Greek Blood-Vengeance (London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1923).
