1201–1278
σε here is governed by the meaning of the sentence and not by the nearest word, Not, I shall await thee troublously with curses,' but, 'My curse shall be an abiding trouble to thee.'
For ἀραῖος, cp. Fr. 366, ὁ πρόσθεν ἐλθὼν ἦν ἀραῖός μοι νεκύς : Plat. Legg. 931 C.
τί εἶπας] The reading of A points to τί μ' εἶπας; in which με would be an Attic accusative, like σε in l. 1201. But the reading in the text is more probable. For the hiatus, which is permissible, cp. Phil. 917.
ὁποῖα δραστέ᾽ ἐστίν] Sc. εἶπον.
οἷά μ᾿ ἐκκαλεῖ] 'Το what an act do you summon me!" οἷα is cognate accusative, and the words φονέα ... σέθεν are in apposition to it. The middle voice marks the reference of the action to Heracles.
ὧν ἔχω] Sc. κακῶν. The resumption of this expression in the next line, τῶν ἐμῶν κακῶν, makes an appearance of redundancy, but cp. supr. ll. 1149, 50 and note.
Hyllus cannot at once accept the thought that death is to be the cure of his father's woes, and he still clings to the notion of a bodily healing.
πρὸς τοῦτο] Οr. γ' ἐς τοῦτο? Cp., however, Plat. Theaet. p. 154 C, τὸ δοκοῦν πρὸς τὴν νῦν ἐρώτησιν.
φθόνησις is ἅπαξ λεγόμενον.
πλήρωμα] Sc. γενήσεται (from οὐ γενήσεται supr.) = πληρώσεις, whence the construction of l. 1214. He means the exact fulfilment of ll. 1195-8.
ἄν] Sc. πράξαιμι. ποτιψαύων] It is easy by conjectural emendation to get rid of the dialectical anomaly involved in ποτι-, but in the composite tragic dialect there are many isolated uses of Epic and Lyric forms. Cp. supr. 7, ἐνὶ Πλευρῶνι, and note, Ant. 653, and see Essay on L. pp. 85, 104.
κοὐ καμεῖ τοὐμὸν μέρος] ‘And my part of the work shall not flag.' For this personification of labour, cp. Aesch. Prom. 57, οὐ ματᾷ τοὔργον τόδε.
πρόσνειμαι] The subjective middle makes a more personal appeal than πρόσνειμον. But possibly, as Paley suggests, προσνεῖμαι should be read, sc. αἰτῶ σε. Cp. supr. 289, and note.
μακροῖς] = μεγάλοις. Cp. infr. ll. 1228, 9.
ὥς γ᾽ ἐπεικάζειν] So the Scholiast. The MSS. have ὥστ᾽ ἐπεικάζειν. See on O. T. 763.
σ᾽ ἐπισκήπτω] For this 'Attic' use of the accusative where the dative is more common, cp. supr. 1201, and note. τοσοῦτον ‘This much.' Cp. supr. 1217, χάριν βραχεῖαν : Αj. 831.
πατρῴων ὁρκίων] ‘The promise exacted on oath by your father.' Cp. supr. 1185 foll. The oath there imposed is to include this promise also.
προσθοῦ δάμαρτα] So Hdt. 1. 53, εἴ τινα στρατὸν ἀνδρῶν προσθέοιτο φίλον : ib. 69, τὸν Ἕλληνα φίλον προσθέσθαι.
ἄλλος . . ἀντὶ σοῦ] 'Another and not thou.' Cp. Αj. 444, οὐκ ἄν τις αὔτ᾽ ἔμαρψεν ἄλλος ἀντ᾿ ἐμοῦ: supr. 577.
λάβοι] The conjectural reading λάβῃ is preferred by some edd.; but Heracles may be supposed to pass from the tone of command to the expression of a desire. Cp. supr. 331, and note.
κήδευσον λέχος] ‘Be thyself the maker of this marriage bond.' An instance of the cognate verb: i. e. κήδευσον is used instead of ποίησον, in order to emphasize the main idea. Hyllus was to bring about his own marriage. Cp. Eur. Med. 367, where τοῖσι κηδεύσασι refers to Creon, who had contrived the marriage between his daughter and Jason.
μεγάλα πιστεύσαντ᾿ ἐμοί] 'Having obeyed me in an important thing.' This rare use of πιστεύω (repeated below, 1251) is made clearer by the opposition of ἀπιστεῖν.
σμικροῖς ἀπιστεῖν] ‘To disobey a trivial command.' The construction is varied. συγχεῖ] ‘Obliterates.' The metaphor is taken from a waxen tablet, the writing on which could be cancelled by holding it to the fire.
One ought not to be angry with one in frenzy; but who could bear to be the witness of such a state of mind?'
τίς γάρ ποθ'] Sc. ταῦτα δρῴη ἄν, for which ταῦτ᾽ ἂν . . ἕλοιτο is substituted as the sentence proceeds.
μόνη | μεταίτιος] ‘Sole sharer of the blame' with Nessus. Cp. supr. 260, 1, τόνδε γὰρ μεταίτιον | μόνον, κ.τ.λ., and note. The form in -os is used here, although τῇ μεταιτίᾳ occurs supr. 447, where Deianira is contrasting Iole with Heracles.
σοί τ᾽ αὖθις] Sc. αἰτία. The τε here has been generally changed to δέ, and perhaps rightly.
ἐξ ἀλαστόρων] Cp. O. C. 371, νῦν δ᾽ ἐκ θεῶν του κἀξ *ἀλειτηροῦ φρενός, κ.τ.λ.: Eur. Οr. 1669, μή τινος κλύων | ἀλαστόρων δόξαιμι σὴν κλύειν ὄπα.
ὡς ἔοικεν, οὐ νέμειν] For this confusion between οὐ νέμει, ὡς ἔοικεν, and ἔοικεν οὐ νέμειν, cp. Hdt. 1. 58, ὡς .. δοκέει, οὐδὲ . . αὐξηθῆναι. For the present-future, cp. supr. 1083, and note. And for the feeling of φθίνοντι, cp. Tennyson's Morte d'Arthur, 'Authority forgets a dying king, | Laid widowed of the power in his eye | That bowed the will.'
ἀλλά τοι] These particles are usually separated. τοι means 'however,' i. e. 'Although you think so lightly of my curse.' For θεῶν ἀρά, ‘A curse having a divine sanction,' cp. Ant. 607,8, and notes.
ὡς.. φράσεις] 'You will tell us that your trouble is returned.' Hyllus observes the rising expression of pain on his father's countenance, and fears the outburst that is likely to follow.
σὺ γὰρ .. κακοῦ] 'For you rouse me from the state in which my pain was lulled' =ἀπὸ τοῦ εὐνασθῆναι τὸ κακόν. Cp. Thuc. 2. 49. § 3, μετὰ ταῦτα λωφήσαντα = μετὰ τὸ λωφῆσαι ταῦτα.
ὡς.. ἔχω] 'In how many ways am I straitened!' For τἀπορεῖν ἔχω, cp. О.С. 1617, 8, τὸ γὰρ φιλεῖν οὐκ ἔστιν ἐξ ὅτου πλέον | ἢ τοῦδε τἀνδρὸς ἔσχεθ', οὗ, κ.τ.λ.
δικαιοῖς] Cp. Hdt. 1. 89, δικαιῶ ('I think it my duty') σημαίνειν σοί.
οὐ δυσσέβεια] For this use of the abstract noun, cp. O. C. 883, ἆρ' οὐχ ὕβρις τάδ᾽;
For the position of οὖν, see note on supr. 1185. πανδίκως is to be taken with ἄνωγας, which is the chief word in the sentence. 'Do you order me outright?' i. e. Is it your full and authoritative command? Cp. O. C. 1306. Others interpret, With entire justice,' i. e. 'Is it quite right that a son should burn a father?' (Paley.)
κοὐκ ἀπώσομαι] • And will not refuse it.' Cp. supr. 216, 7 οὐδ᾽ ἀπώσομαι | τὸν αὐλόν, κ.τ.λ.: Plat. Rep. B. 4. Ρ. 437 Β, καὶ τὸ προσάγεσθαι τῷ ἀπωθεῖσθαι . . τῶν ἐναντίων ἀλλήλοις θείης.
τὸ σὸν | θεοῖσι δεικνὺς ἔργον] Showing to the gods what thou doest,' so that they may not fix the blame on me. The predicate is anticipated, and forms part of the object; i.e. Showing to the gods that it is thy doing.' Hence the article; i.e. τὸ σὸν ἔργον = τὸ ἔργον, σὸν ὄν. Cp. supr. 775, τὸ σὸν μόνης δώρημ᾽ ἔλεξεν (“ He said it was thy special and peculiar gift'), and O. T. 572, τὰς ἐμὰς | οὐκ ἄν ποτ' εἶπε Λαΐου διαφθοράς (‘He would not have spoken, as he has done, of my being Laius' destroyer'). Also Aj. 1013.
σοί γε πιστεύσας] (1) Having acted in reliance on thy word.' Cp. Ο. C. 175, σοὶ πιστεύσας καὶ μεταναστάς : Phil. 1374, θεοῖς τε πιστεύσαντα τοῖς τ᾿ ἐμοῖς λόγοις. Or simply, (2) 'Having obeyed thee;' cp. supr. 1228.
καλῶς τελευτᾷς] 'You end well, i. e. You show the right spirit at last.
κἀπὶ.. πρόσθες] ‘And let the act of kindness follow quickly upon these words.'
σπαραγμὸν ἤ τιν' οἶστρον] Some convulsion or some access of fury,' which would make it impossible to carry Heracles up the mountain. Cp. supr. 804, 5. με θῇς] Clearly not μεθῇς here, although μέθες was preferred in l. 799.
ἄγε is chiefly addressed to Hyllus, but may be said, like ἴδε, supr. 821, without any distinct reference to number. The following words are addressed to the attendants, who are to carry him with their hands while Hyllus leads the way. αἴρεσθε is subjective middle (= 'Apply your strength to raise me') and is less peremptory than αἴρετε, infr. l. 1264.
παῦλα.. ὑστάτη] ‘This is my reprieve from woe, this is the last end of my being' Heracles knows nothing of the bliss which is hereafter to be his portion.
πρὶν τήνδ᾽ ἀνακινῆσαι | νόσον] Either (1) taking ἀνακινῆσαι ας transitive, Before allowing this trouble to re awaken;' see note on Aj. 674, 5, ἐκοίμισε στένοντα πόντον, or (2) with ἀνακινῆσαι intransitive, Before this trouble re-awaken.' Other compounds of κινεῖν, ας παρακινεῖν, ὑποκινεῖν, are used intransitively, and why not ἀνακινεῖν ? Heracles thus steels himself against the possible recurrence of the pain, because ἐν εὐφημίᾳ χρὴ τελευτᾶν.
ὦ ψυχὴ σκληρά] Cp. Eur. Alc. 837, ΗΡ. ὦ πολλὰ τλᾶσα καρδία ψυχή τ' ἐμή.
χάλυβος | λιθοκόλλητον στόμιον] 'A bit of iron set with adamant.' λιθοκόλλητον is literally, Inlaid with stones.'
παρέχουσ'] Sc. τῇ βοῇ, 'Applying' as a preventive.
ὡς ἐπίχαρτον, κ.τ.λ.] i.e. τελέουσα ἔργον ἀεκούσιον ὡς ἐπίχαρτον ὄν, 'Performing an unwilling deed as a thing to rejoice at.' Not, As performing an unwilling deed that will bring joy,' which is inconsistent with l. 1256, and with the tone of the whole scene.
μεγάλην. . συγγνωμοσύνην] To me allowing great excuse for what is now being done,' because Hyllus is compelled by his father.
μεγάλην.. εἰδότες] 'But to the gods attributing great unkindness.' The antithesis is more formal than real. For the expression, cp. εἰδέναι χάριν, and for θεῶν ἀγνωμοσύνην, Ο. C. 86, μὴ γένησθ᾽ ἀγνώμονες.
οἱ.. πάθη] The plural helps to soften the rebellious utterance of Hyllus against Zeus, who now afflicts his son. Cp. Od. 20. 202, 3.
ἐφορῶσι] 'Look on' with indifference. Cp. Εl. 826, εἰ ταῦτ᾽ ἐφορῶντες κρύπτουσιν ἕκηλοι.
ἐφορᾷ] For the repetition of the same word in a different sense, see Essay on L. § 44. pp. 83. 84. This line contains the only hint in the play that the ultimate fate of Heracles is different from what he now expects.
ἐκείνοις] Sc. τοῖς θεοῖς.
ἀνδρῶν πάντων] For the masculine genitive of comparison after the neuter word, cp. Ο. Τ. 467, ἀελλάδων | ἵππων σθεναρώτερον.
τῷ . . ὑπέχοντι] Το him who undergoes this affliction.' Hyllus avoids naming both Zeus (1268) and Heracles.
λείπου μηδὲ σύ, παρθέν᾽, ἀπ᾿ οἴκων] The Chorus say this to the maidens from within the palace, the same who were addressed, in supr. 205, 6, ας ὁ μελλόνυμφος. (1) Neither fail thou, maiden, leaving the house;'i.e. Be sure to follow us and not to stay at home; ἀπ᾿ οἴκων being construed with μὴ λείπου, as = ἕπου, or some other positive verb. Or (2) deleting the comma after παρθέν', 'Ο maiden from the house, be thou, too, not left behind !'
These lines are continued to Hyllus in some MSS., but they are most probably, as above explained, the exode of the Chorus. The Laurentian MS. heads them with χο. ἢ ὑλλ. A similar doubt occurs at O. C. 1777, viz. whether the concluding lines are spoken by the Chorus or by Theseus. The procession is now formed. Cp. Aj. sub fin.
μεγάλους μὲν θανάτους] Thou that hast been witness of a dreadful and strange death' (that of Deianira).
πολλὰ καινοπαθή] · And many unheard-of sufferings' (those of Heracles).
κοὐδὲν .. Ζεύς (sc. ἔπραξεν)] 'And of all this Zeus is the doer.' For the ellipse, cp. Ο. Τ. 696, τανῦν τ᾿ εὔπομπος, εἰ δύναιο, and note: Rhesus, 861, καὶ ταῦτ᾽ Ὀδυσσεύς.
Trachiniae. Lewis Campbell. ed. Lewis Campbell. Oxford. 1879.