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Classics Notes Vocabulary for Tragedy Texts Notes

Medea Vocab Notes

Updated Medea Vocab Notes

Vocabulary for Tragedy Texts Notes

Vocabulary for Tragedy Texts

Approximately 103 pages

Running vocabulary and grammatical notes for three tragedies: the Agamemnon of Aeschylus, the Oedipus Tyrannos of Sophocles and the Medea of Euripides. ...

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Medea vocab

Nurse’s Prologue
σκαφος hull of a ship
διαπετομαι fly through
κυανεος dark (blue)
Συμπληγαδες the Clashers (πληγη)
ναπη glen
ερετμοω give oar to
πυργος tower, citadel
ανδανω please
πολιτων possibly dative attracted into genitive
συμφερω fit in with
σωτηρια security
διχοστατεω stand apart
ευναζομαι go to bed
αισυμναω govern
δεξια right hand
αμοιβη exchange, return, recompense
κυρεω meet with
αλγηδων -ονος pain
υφιημι send under, submit
τηκω melt, fuse, weld together, dissolve, waste away
επει ever since
πετρος stone
νουθετεω advise
ακουει φιλων she hears her friends
η or
παλλευκος all-white
ην μη ποτε except that sometimes, unless she ever
δερη neck, throat
αποιμωζω bewail loudly
υπο + gen cause/agency
υπο συμφορας from misfortune, taught by misfortune
απολειπομαι be abandoned
οιον what a valuable thing
ευφραινω cheer, gladden
ανεχομαι out up with, endure
εγωδα εγω οιδα
δειμαινω be afraid
θηκτος sharpened, whetted
εστρωται στρωννυμι perfect passive – spread
ινα where
συμβαλων εχθραν αυτηι engaging in enmity with her, clashing in enmity with her
καλλινικον (μελος) the song of fair victory
αισεται αειδω
εκ τροχων πεπαυμενοι having finished their running
νεα φροντις a young mind, a child’s mind
Dialogue of Nurse and Tutor
ερημια solitude, desert, wilderness
κτημα slave
αγω ερημιαν be alone
θρεομαι cry aloud, speak with anguish
οπηδος attendant
χρηστος good, trusty
[to] χρηστοισι δουλοις – τα δεσποτων κακως πιτνοντα - [εστι] – ξυμφορα
ανθαπτομαι lay hold of, grapple with, engage in
μεσοω be in middle, peak
μεταγιγνωσκω change one’s mind, repent, be sorry
γενειον beard
πεσσος gaming-table
κοιρανος king, ruler, commander
κηδευμα connection, alliance by marriage
παλαια [κηδευματα] supply the noun again
εξαντλεω draw out, endure to the end, see out
προσφερω add to
ως μαλιστα as much as possible
ερημοω keep in solitude, isolate
ταυροομαι become savage as a bull
κατασκηπτω rush down, fall upon
Medea and the Nurse
μελεος unhappy, miserable
τοδε εκεινο this is just what I feared, this is just what I was saying
πελαζω approach (πελασητε = 2pl future)
φυλασσομαι beware
κινεω stir up
νεφος οιμωγης cloud of lament
δηλον it is clear that… (εστι...ως...)
αναπτω light up, kindle, inflame
μεγαλοσπλαγχνος high-spirited
δυσκαταπαυστος hard to check, restless
οδυρμος lamentation
ερρω be lost, perish, disappear
λημα mind, will, desire, purpose
χαλεπως with difficulty
μεταβαλλω here: overcome, control
αρχομαι true passive here “being ruled”
ληματα τυραννων [εστι] δεινα
εθιζω accustom; pass: be accustomed
οχυρος firm, lasting, stout
καταγηρασκω grow old
γουν at any rate
εστι + inf it is possible to do X (ειη...)
επι μη μεγαλοις in moderate circumstances, in conditions of no greatness or excess
λωστος: λωιων more desirable, more agreeable
πρωτα μεν- το ονομα των μετριων - νικαι - ειπειν
the name of what is moderate
ειπειν epexegetic after νικαι
[δευτερα] δε – χρησθαι - [εστι] λωστα μακρωι - βροτοισιν
χρησθαι [των μετριων] supply
τα υπερβαλλοντα excessive prosperity/power
δυναμαι here: “holds sway”or “is able to create”
ουδενα καιρος (with) no proper measure
απεδωκεν subject is still τα υπερβαλλοντα
Chorus A
ηπιος gentle, mild, soothed
αμφιπυλος double-gated
φιλια κεκραται a tie of friendship has been blended
λεκτρα marriage
τυραννων royal
τηκω melt, waste
παραθαλπω comfort, cheer
αιω perceive
αχα ηχη: sound, noise
μελπω sing
νυμφη here: young wife
απλατος unapproachable, terrible
ματαιος foolish
τις - [εστι]- ερως - τας απλατου κοιτας
τελευματα θανατου (subj) – σπευσει (verb, n. pl.)
χαρασσω make pointed, sharpen, be angry
δυρομαι lament, bewail
συνδικειν tech. term – action of a 3rd party who assists in a court case by delivering supportive speech “will be your advocate”
ευνητης bedfellow, husband
διακναιω scrape to nothing, grind to destruction
τολμωσι 3pl
προσθεν unprovoked (before I’ve done anything)
κασις brother
αποναιω remove, send away, depart from
ευκταιος invoked in prayer
ταμιας dispenser, controller, guardian
νενομισται = νομιζω
ουκ εστιν οπως it is not possible that…; there is no way that…
εν τινι μικρωι in some small deed
ομφη voice
ελθοι subject = “she” (Medea)
αυδαθεντων just a passive participle of αυδαω
εμον προθυμον my eager goodwill
ταδε the situation here, out attitude
κακοω maltreat, distress (aorist optative singular)
Nurse
επιδιδωμι give in addition
χαρις favour
δεργμα look, glance
τοκας having just given birth, with cubs
λεαινα lioness
αποταυροομαι be like a bull
very very literally: ‘she makes herself bull-like with respect to her gaze, so that it is the gaze of a lioness with newborn cubs’
σκαιος left, unlucky, unintelligent, misdirected
αρμαρτοις verb 2.s. optative
θαλια abundance, good cheer, festivity
ειλαπινη feast, banquet
ευρισκω invent
υμνος song not sleep!
ακοη hearing, sound
αοιδη song
ακεομαι heal, cure
κερδος [εστι] it would have been a gain for…
τεινω make tight, make shrill
πληρωμα full measure, satiety, fill, abundance
παρον at hand, being present
πολυστονος much-sighing, mournful
αιω perceive
λιγυρος clear, shrill
μογερος toiling, wretched, grievous
αχος pain, distress, grief
προδοτης betrayer, traitor
κακονυμφος ill-married, of unhappy wedlock
θεοκλυτεω call on the gods
παθουσα having suffered (αδικα παθη)
νυχιος nightly, by night, gloomy
εβασεν transitive (νιν = Medea)
αντιπορος on the opposite coast, over the sea-crossing
αλμυρος salty, briny
απειρητος without trial, untried, unattempted
κλεις gateway, closure
Ποντος the Black Sea
Medea
σεμνος haughty, pompous
απο ομματων out of the public gaze
αφ ησυχου ποδος by behaving quietly, by lack of visible public activity
θυραιος outside the door,...

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