THE l AGAMEMNON' AND TRACHINI& 9 



to paint. We shall not on this account quarrel with Mr. Fitz- 

 gerald, who frankly warns us in his preface that he has poured 

 away some of the wine of ^Eschylus and mixed some water with 

 what is left. On the contrary, we are grateful to him for some 

 well-turned phrases, and for the part of Clytemnestra, which is 

 well translated. We do quarrel with him because his work is 

 unequal and slovenly even in respect of grammar. 



An amusing comparison of the various translations may be 

 made by the help of two words. There is a refrain in the hymn 

 concerning Iphigenia, 



QjXlVOV aiX.il/OV 17T, TO 8* V VtKCtTtO, 



of which the first three words may be baldly translated as c say 

 alas, alas.' 



Potter paraphrases the whole thus : 



Sound high the strain, the according notes prolong, 

 Till conquest listens to the raptured song. 



The proportion of Potter to ./Eschylus here is really over- 

 whelming. 

 Milman : 

 Ring out the dolorous hymn, yet triumph still the good. 



We see that the translator felt bound to elevate the style of 

 ^Eschylus. 

 Conington : 



Sing Sorrow 1 sing Sorrow ! but triumph the good 



conscientious, but not poetical. 

 Swan wick : 

 Chant the dirge, uplift the wail, but may the right prevail 



a fair paraphrase. 

 Morshead : 



Ah, woe and well-a-day ! but be the issue fair. 



A scrap of old ballad is here made to do new duty. 

 Fitzgerald : Leaves out the refrain. 

 Browning : 



Ah, Linos say Ah, Linos, song of wail, 

 But may the good prevail. 



