[34] An imperfect allusion to the Thyestean banquet.  Cf.  Seneca Thyest. 774.  “O Phoebe patiens, fugeris retro licet, medioque ruptum merseris coelo diem, sero occidisti—­” vs. 787 sqq.

[35] Cf.  AEsch.  Ag. 1501 sqq.  Seneca, Ag. 57 sqq.

[36] i.e. the demon allotted to me at my birth (cf. notes on AEsch. 1341, p. 135, ed.  Bohn).  Statius, Theb. i. 60, makes Oedipus invoke Tisiphone under the same character.—­“Si me de matre cadentem Fovisti gremio.”

[37] See the note of the Cambridge editor.

[38] [Greek:  ebesan] is active.

[39] The Cambridge editor aptly refers to Hecub. 464.

[40] These participles refer to the preceding [Greek:  aimorranton xeinon].

[41] See on Heracl. 721.

[42] The Cambridge editor would omit these two lines.

[43] Cf. vs. 107. [Greek:  kat’ antr’, ha pontios notidi diaklyzei melas].  On [Greek:  agmos] (Brodaeus’ happy correction for [Greek:  harmos]) the Cambridge editor quotes Nicander Ther. 146. [Greek:  koile te pharanx, kai trechees agmoi], and other passages.  The manner of hunting the purple fish is thus described by Pollux, i. 4, p. 24.  They plat a long rope, to which they fasten, like bells, a number of hempen baskets, with an open entrance to admit the animal, but which does not allow of its egress.  This they let down into the sea, the baskets being filled with such food as the murex delights in, and, having fastened the end of the rope to the rock, they leave it, and returning to the place, draw up the baskets full of the fish.  Having broken the shells, they pound the flesh to form the dye.

[44] [Greek:  ephtharmenous].  Cf.  Cycl. 300.  Hel. 783.  Ed. Camb.

[45] Compare Orest. 255 sqq.

[46] [Greek:  chitonon] is probably corrupt.

[47] Cf.  Lobeck on Aj. 17.  Hesych. [Greek:  kochlos tois thalattiois] (i.e. [Greek:  kochlois]) [Greek:  echronto, pro tes ton salpingon eureseos].  Virg.  AEn. vi. 171.  “Sed tum forte cava dum personat aequora concha.”

[48] “Moriamur, et in media arma ruamus.”  Virg.  AEn. ii.

[49] Such seems to be the sense, but [Greek:  exeklepsamen] is ridiculous, and Hermann’s emendation more so.  Bothe reads [Greek:  exekopsamen], which is better.  The Cambridge editor thinks that the difficulty lies in [Greek:  petroisi].

[50] I would omit this line as an evident gloss.

[51] See the Cambridge editor.

[52] Reiske’s emendation, [Greek:  hosia] for [Greek:  hoia], seems deserving of admission.

[53] The Cambridge editor would omit these lines.

[54] This line also the Cambridge editor trusts “will never hereafter be reckoned among the verses of Euripides.”

[55] Such is the proper sense of [Greek:  antitheisa].

[56] [Greek:  nin] is [Greek:  nympheumata].

[57] Read [Greek:  kasignetei].

[58] I read [Greek:  tois men] and [Greek:  tois d’] with the Cambridge editor.  Hermann’s emendation is unheard of.