ποθουμένᾳ γὰρ φρενὶ πυνθάνομαι
Trachiniae. Sophocles. ed. Lewis Campbell. Oxford. 1879.
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Current edition Experimental
Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Greek) (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879))
Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.
Editions (1)
Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 94-140 focus
Χορός
ὃν αἰόλα νὺξ ἐναριζομένα
τίκτει κατευνάζει τε, φλογιζόμενον
95
Ἅλιον Ἅλιον αἰτῶ
τοῦτο καρῦξαι, τὸν Ἀλκμήνας πόθι μοι πόθι παῖς
ναίει ποτʼ, ὦ λαμπρᾷ στεροπᾷ φλεγέθων,
ἢ ποντίας αὐλῶνος ἢ δισσαῖσιν ἀπείροις κλιθείς,
100
εἴπʼ, ὦ κρατιστεύων κατʼ ὄμμα.
ὃν αἰόλα νὺξ ἐναριζομένα
τίκτει κατευνάζει τε, φλογιζόμενον
95
Ἅλιον Ἅλιον αἰτῶ
τοῦτο καρῦξαι, τὸν Ἀλκμήνας πόθι μοι πόθι παῖς
ναίει ποτʼ, ὦ λαμπρᾷ στεροπᾷ φλεγέθων,
ἢ ποντίας αὐλῶνος ἢ δισσαῖσιν ἀπείροις κλιθείς,
100
εἴπʼ, ὦ κρατιστεύων κατʼ ὄμμα.
Χορός
ποθουμένᾳ γὰρ φρενὶ πυνθάνομαι
τὰν ἀμφινεικῆ Δηιάνειραν ἀεί,
οἷά τινʼ ἄθλιον ὄρνιν,
105
οὔποτʼ εὐνάζειν ἀδακρύτων βλεφάρων πόθον, ἀλλʼ
εὔμναστον ἀνδρὸς δεῖμα τρέφουσαν ὁδοῦ
ἐνθυμίοις εὐναῖς ἀνανδρώτοισι τρύχεσθαι, κακὰν
110
δύστανον ἐλπίζουσαν αἶσαν.
ποθουμένᾳ γὰρ φρενὶ πυνθάνομαι
τὰν ἀμφινεικῆ Δηιάνειραν ἀεί,
οἷά τινʼ ἄθλιον ὄρνιν,
105
οὔποτʼ εὐνάζειν ἀδακρύτων βλεφάρων πόθον, ἀλλʼ
εὔμναστον ἀνδρὸς δεῖμα τρέφουσαν ὁδοῦ
ἐνθυμίοις εὐναῖς ἀνανδρώτοισι τρύχεσθαι, κακὰν
110
δύστανον ἐλπίζουσαν αἶσαν.
Χορός
πολλὰ γὰρ ὥστʼ ἀκάμαντος ἢ νότου ἢ βορέα τις
κύματʼ ἂν εὐρέϊ πόντῳ βάντʼ ἐπιόντα τʼ ἴδοι,
οὕτῶ δὲ τὸν Καδμογενῆ στρέφει, τὸ δʼ αὔξει,
βιότου πολύπονον ὥσπερ πέλαγος
115
Κρήσιον. ἀλλά τις θεῶν αἰὲν ἀναμπλάκητον Ἅιδα
120
σφε δόμων ἐρύκει.
πολλὰ γὰρ ὥστʼ ἀκάμαντος ἢ νότου ἢ βορέα τις
κύματʼ ἂν εὐρέϊ πόντῳ βάντʼ ἐπιόντα τʼ ἴδοι,
οὕτῶ δὲ τὸν Καδμογενῆ στρέφει, τὸ δʼ αὔξει,
βιότου πολύπονον ὥσπερ πέλαγος
115
Κρήσιον. ἀλλά τις θεῶν αἰὲν ἀναμπλάκητον Ἅιδα
120
σφε δόμων ἐρύκει.
Χορός
ὧν ἐπιμεμφομένα σʼ αἰδοῖα μέν, ἀντία δʼ οἴσω.
φαμὶ γὰρ οὐκ ἀποτρύειν ἐλπίδα τὰν ἀγαθὰν
125
χρῆναί σʼ· ἀνάλγητα γὰρ οὐδʼ ὁ πάντα κραίνων βασιλεὺς ἐπέβαλε θνατοῖς Κρονίδας·
ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ πῆμα καὶ χαρὰ πᾶσι κυκλοῦσιν, οἷον
ἄρκτου στροφάδες κέλευθοι.
130
μένει γὰρ οὔτʼ αἰόλα
ὧν ἐπιμεμφομένα σʼ αἰδοῖα μέν, ἀντία δʼ οἴσω.
φαμὶ γὰρ οὐκ ἀποτρύειν ἐλπίδα τὰν ἀγαθὰν
125
χρῆναί σʼ· ἀνάλγητα γὰρ οὐδʼ ὁ πάντα κραίνων βασιλεὺς ἐπέβαλε θνατοῖς Κρονίδας·
ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ πῆμα καὶ χαρὰ πᾶσι κυκλοῦσιν, οἷον
ἄρκτου στροφάδες κέλευθοι.
130
μένει γὰρ οὔτʼ αἰόλα
Χορός
νὺξ βροτοῖσιν οὔτε κῆρες
οὔτε πλοῦτος, ἀλλʼ ἄφαρ
βέβακε, τῷ δʼ ἐπέρχεται
χαίρειν τε καὶ στέρεσθαι.
135
ἃ καὶ σὲ τὰν ἄνασσαν ἐλπίσιν λέγω
τάδʼ αἰὲν ἴσχειν· ἐπεὶ τίς ὧδε
τέκνοισι Ζῆνʼ ἄβουλον εἶδεν;
140
νὺξ βροτοῖσιν οὔτε κῆρες
οὔτε πλοῦτος, ἀλλʼ ἄφαρ
βέβακε, τῷ δʼ ἐπέρχεται
χαίρειν τε καὶ στέρεσθαι.
135
ἃ καὶ σὲ τὰν ἄνασσαν ἐλπίσιν λέγω
τάδʼ αἰὲν ἴσχειν· ἐπεὶ τίς ὧδε
τέκνοισι Ζῆνʼ ἄβουλον εἶδεν;
140
Translations (5)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 102 focus
DÊ
Enter DÊANIRA .
531
Dear friends, while yonder herald in the house
Holds converse with the captives ere he go,
I have stol’n forth to you, partly to tell
The craft my hand hath compassed, and in part,
To crave your pity for my wretchedness.
For I have taken to my hearth a maid,—
And yet, methinks, no maiden any more,
Like some fond shipmaster, taking on board
A cargo fraught with treason to my heart.
And now we two are closed in one embrace
Beneath one coverlet. Such generous meed
For faith in guarding home this dreary while
Hath the kind Heracles our trusty spouse,
Sent in return! Yet, oft as he hath caught
This same distemperature, I know not how
To harbour indignation against him.
But who that is a woman could endure
To dwell with her, both married to one man?
One bloom is still advancing, one doth fade.
The budding flower is cropped, the full-blown head
Is left to wither, while love passeth by
Unheeding. Wherefore I am sore afraid
He will be called my husband, but her mate,
For she is younger. Yet no prudent wife
535
Would take this angerly, as I have said.
535
But, dear ones, I will tell you of a way,
535
Whereof I have bethought me, to prevent
535
This heart-break. I had hidden of long time
535
In a bronze urn the ancient Centaur’s gift,
535
Which I, when a mere girl, culled from the wound
Of hairy-breasted Nessus in his death.
He o’er Evenus’ rolling depths, for hire,
Ferried wayfarers on his arm, not plying
Or rowing-boat, or canvas-wingèd bark.
Who, when with Heracles, a new-made bride,
I followed by my father’s sending forth,
Shouldering me too, in the mid-stream, annoyed
With wanton touch. And I cried out; and he,
Zeus’ son, turned suddenly, and from his bow
Sent a wing’d shaft, that whizzed into his chest
To the lungs. Then the weird Thing, with dying voice
Spake to me:—‘Child of aged Oeneüs,
Since thou wert my last burden, thou shalt win
Some profit from mine act, if thou wilt do
What now I bid thee. With a careful hand
Collect and bear away the clotted gore
That clogs my wound, e’en where the monster snake
Had dyed the arrow with dark tinct of gall;
And thou shalt have this as a charm of soul
For Heracles, that never through the eye
Shall he receive another love than thine.’
Whereof bethinking me, for since his death
I kept it in a closet locked with care,
540
I have applied it to this robe, with such
540
Addition as his living voice ordained.—
540
The thing is done. No criminal attempts
540
Could e’er be mine. Far be they from my thought,
540
As I abhor the woman who conceives them!
540
But if by any means through gentle spells
And bonds on Heracles’ affection, we
May triumph o’er this maiden in his heart,
My scheme is perfected. Unless you deem
Mine action wild. If so, I will desist.
Dear friends, while yonder herald in the house
Holds converse with the captives ere he go,
I have stol’n forth to you, partly to tell
The craft my hand hath compassed, and in part,
To crave your pity for my wretchedness.
For I have taken to my hearth a maid,—
And yet, methinks, no maiden any more,
Like some fond shipmaster, taking on board
A cargo fraught with treason to my heart.
And now we two are closed in one embrace
Beneath one coverlet. Such generous meed
For faith in guarding home this dreary while
Hath the kind Heracles our trusty spouse,
Sent in return! Yet, oft as he hath caught
This same distemperature, I know not how
To harbour indignation against him.
But who that is a woman could endure
To dwell with her, both married to one man?
One bloom is still advancing, one doth fade.
The budding flower is cropped, the full-blown head
Is left to wither, while love passeth by
Unheeding. Wherefore I am sore afraid
He will be called my husband, but her mate,
For she is younger. Yet no prudent wife
535
Would take this angerly, as I have said.
535
But, dear ones, I will tell you of a way,
535
Whereof I have bethought me, to prevent
535
This heart-break. I had hidden of long time
535
In a bronze urn the ancient Centaur’s gift,
535
Which I, when a mere girl, culled from the wound
Of hairy-breasted Nessus in his death.
He o’er Evenus’ rolling depths, for hire,
Ferried wayfarers on his arm, not plying
Or rowing-boat, or canvas-wingèd bark.
Who, when with Heracles, a new-made bride,
I followed by my father’s sending forth,
Shouldering me too, in the mid-stream, annoyed
With wanton touch. And I cried out; and he,
Zeus’ son, turned suddenly, and from his bow
Sent a wing’d shaft, that whizzed into his chest
To the lungs. Then the weird Thing, with dying voice
Spake to me:—‘Child of aged Oeneüs,
Since thou wert my last burden, thou shalt win
Some profit from mine act, if thou wilt do
What now I bid thee. With a careful hand
Collect and bear away the clotted gore
That clogs my wound, e’en where the monster snake
Had dyed the arrow with dark tinct of gall;
And thou shalt have this as a charm of soul
For Heracles, that never through the eye
Shall he receive another love than thine.’
Whereof bethinking me, for since his death
I kept it in a closet locked with care,
540
I have applied it to this robe, with such
540
Addition as his living voice ordained.—
540
The thing is done. No criminal attempts
540
Could e’er be mine. Far be they from my thought,
540
As I abhor the woman who conceives them!
540
But if by any means through gentle spells
And bonds on Heracles’ affection, we
May triumph o’er this maiden in his heart,
My scheme is perfected. Unless you deem
Mine action wild. If so, I will desist.
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 103 focus
Denn lange schon seh' ich in sehnendem Gram
100
Der Deianeira, die er im Kampf sich erstritt,
Gleich dem geängsteten Vogel,
Nimmer ruh'n des Auges Sehnsucht, welchem die Thräne versiegt.
Stets denkt sie angstvoll, ach! des entfernten Gemahls,
Und härmt sich, daß sie sonder ihn im öden Lager schmachten muß,
105
Ein jammervolles Loos erharrend.
Zweite Strophe.
Denn lange schon seh' ich in sehnendem Gram
100
Der Deianeira, die er im Kampf sich erstritt,
Gleich dem geängsteten Vogel,
Nimmer ruh'n des Auges Sehnsucht, welchem die Thräne versiegt.
Stets denkt sie angstvoll, ach! des entfernten Gemahls,
Und härmt sich, daß sie sonder ihn im öden Lager schmachten muß,
105
Ein jammervolles Loos erharrend.
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 102 focus
Hyllus
Oh ! would that thou wert dead !
Would I were not thy son ! or, being so,
Would I could change thy wicked heart !
740
Oh ! would that thou wert dead !
Would I were not thy son ! or, being so,
Would I could change thy wicked heart !
740
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 102 focus
Chorus
ANTIS.
EPOD.
DEIANIRA, CHORUS.
588
If thou hast aught of confidence in deeds
Like this, we judge that thou hast purposed well.
If thou hast aught of confidence in deeds
Like this, we judge that thou hast purposed well.
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 94-140 focus
Enter the Chorus on the other side.
103
Chorus
You, to whom Night gives birth when she is vanquished and despoiled of her starry crown,
and whom, as you blaze, she lays to rest, I pray you, O Sun, Sun, tell me, where is Alcmena’s son, where dwells her child? O Shining god with your bright flash,
95
is he on the straits of the sea, or does he lean upon the twin continents? Speak, you who surpass all in sight!
100
You, to whom Night gives birth when she is vanquished and despoiled of her starry crown,
and whom, as you blaze, she lays to rest, I pray you, O Sun, Sun, tell me, where is Alcmena’s son, where dwells her child? O Shining god with your bright flash,
95
is he on the straits of the sea, or does he lean upon the twin continents? Speak, you who surpass all in sight!
100
Chorus
For with longing heart, as I hear, Deianeira, the battle-prize, now,
like some mournful bird, never rests her eyes’ longing that they might be without tears, but nourishing a well-remembered fear for her husband’s travels she is constantly afflicted
105
by her anxious, widowed marriage-bed and in her misery anticipates misfortune.
110
For with longing heart, as I hear, Deianeira, the battle-prize, now,
like some mournful bird, never rests her eyes’ longing that they might be without tears, but nourishing a well-remembered fear for her husband’s travels she is constantly afflicted
105
by her anxious, widowed marriage-bed and in her misery anticipates misfortune.
110
Chorus
For just as one may see billow after billow
advancing and passing over the wide deep before the tireless south-wind, or the north, so the great toil of his life, stormy as the Cretan sea, now whirls back the heir of Cadmus, now exalts him. But some god always
115
keeps him unerring from the house of Hades.
120
For just as one may see billow after billow
advancing and passing over the wide deep before the tireless south-wind, or the north, so the great toil of his life, stormy as the Cretan sea, now whirls back the heir of Cadmus, now exalts him. But some god always
115
keeps him unerring from the house of Hades.
120
To Deianeira.
132
Chorus
With respect I reproach you for your weeping, but still I will speak in dissent.
You must not, I say, wear away fair hope. Remember that the all-accomplishing king, the son of Cronus, does not appoint a painless lot for mortals. Sorrow and joy revolve to all, as the stars of the Bear
125
move in their circling paths.
130
With respect I reproach you for your weeping, but still I will speak in dissent.
You must not, I say, wear away fair hope. Remember that the all-accomplishing king, the son of Cronus, does not appoint a painless lot for mortals. Sorrow and joy revolve to all, as the stars of the Bear
125
move in their circling paths.
130
Chorus
Starry night does not remain constant with men, nor does tribulation, nor wealth; in a moment it is gone from us, and to another in his turn come both
gladness and bereavement. So I urge even you, our Queen, to keep these matters firmly in your outlook. You must, for who has
135
known Zeus to be so without care for his children?
140
Starry night does not remain constant with men, nor does tribulation, nor wealth; in a moment it is gone from us, and to another in his turn come both
gladness and bereavement. So I urge even you, our Queen, to keep these matters firmly in your outlook. You must, for who has
135
known Zeus to be so without care for his children?
140
Commentary
Commentary (R. C. Jebb) (OCR draft) (Commentary (R. C. Jebb))
Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) focus
94-140. mvp-comment-81-1 Parodos. Where in the wide world is Heracles, reposing in what continent, or by what narrow sea? Tell us, bright, all-beholding Sun! For our Deianira, for whose hand he fought, wears out her soul in thinking of him on her lonely couch; so ceaseless are the toils that crowd upon him like stormy billows. But God hath hitherto protected him; wherefore let not hope weary, O my queen. No life is without pain, but, by Divine ordinance, grief succeeds to joy and joy to grief. Remember this and hope the best. Zeus cannot leave his offspring to destruction.' The metre beginning with an iambic rhythm passes quickly into dactylo-trochaic, changing again in the epode to iambo-trochaic (with occasional syncope), then to pure iambics, ending with a bacchius followed by three trochees.