Database of Byzantine Book Epigrams

Poet

John Tzetzes (12th c.) - PBW: Ioannes/459/

• Aeschylus
• Prometheus

• O wee, Prometheus, roep maar luid: o wee o wee!
  Omwille van de mensen heb je Zeus bedrogen,
  en zonder dat hij ’t wist heb je het vuur gestolen.
  En dan, al hing je aan het kruis, heb je geweigerd
  te zeggen wie de troon van Zeus omver zou stoten.
  Daarom trof jou een bliksem uit de hoge hemel,
  en maakte jou, ellendeling, tot één brok puin.
  Dus huil nu maar, want dat is al wat je nog kunt.

  Language

  Dutch

  Source(s)

  K. Demoen 2019, Ioannes Tzetzes en anoniem, Poëtische reacties op Aischylos’ Prometheus, in J. Papy (ed.), In Vestigiis Magistri. Verjaardagsboek ter ere van professor Andries Welkenhuysen, Leuven, 28-29: 29

• Woe, Prometheus, cry out, woe you, cry out loud,
  since you cheated on Zeus for the sake of mankind;
  and how, without him knowing, you stole the fire,
  and after that were you not persuaded, even though crucified,
  to speak of the one who would dethrone Zeus?
  That is why lightning brought down from heaven,
  turns you, poor wretch, into a piece of ruin.
  Now keep groaning, since that is in your power.

  Language

  English

  Source(s)

  M. Tomadaki, Emilie M. van Opstall 2019, The Tragedians from a Byzantine Perspective: Book Epigrams on Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides, Medioevo Greco. Rivista di storia e filologia bizantina. (MEG), 19, 193-220: 198-199

• Vae, Prometheu garriens, vae tibi magnum dico:
  mortalium causa nempe decepisti Jovem,
  et clam eum quodam modo ignem surripueras:
  deinde non credidisti, quamvis esses crucificus,
  eum qui detruserat solio Jovem, dicere:
  Cui sane fulmen jam pridem redditum
  opificium facit contritionis te miserum.
  Lamentare ergo, hoc enim tibi datur.

  Language

  Latin

  Source(s)

  E. Cougny, 1890, Epigrammatum Anthologia Palatina cum Planudeis et Appendice nova epigrammatum veterum ex libris et marmoribus ductorum (vol. 3), Paris: 414

• [3434] Ἀνθ’ ὧν τὸ πῦρ δέδωκας ἀνθρώπων γένει (5 verses) (Same cycle)
• [3436] Αἰσχύλε, τί φῄς; τοὺς θεούς σου προσφέρεις (5 verses) (Same cycle)
• [6213] Κλέψας τὸ πῦρ παρέσχε τοῖς θνητοῖς γέρα (4 verses) (Same cycle)

The credits system has been implemented in 2019. Credits from before the new system was in use might be incomplete.

• Anthologia Graeca Appendix, III.IV.83, vv.11-18
• Vassis ICB 2005, 560: "In Prometheum"