Sophocles Trachiniae 76

ed. Lewis Campbell

ἆρ᾽ οἶσθα δῆτ', ὦ τέκνον, ὡς ἔλειπέ μοι

Trachiniae. Sophocles. ed. Lewis Campbell. Oxford. 1879.

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
Translations (5)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 76 focus
LICH
Why such a question? What is thine intent?
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 79 focus
Entweder harre seiner dort der Tage Ziel,
So hieß es, oder wenn er sieg' in diesem Kampf,
80
Verfließ' in lautern Wonnen ihm des Lebens Rest.
Nun also seine Wage schwankt, so gehe, Kind,
Ihm beizustehen, da wir selbst gerettet sind,
Wenn er sich rettet, oder untergeh'n mit ihm.
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 76 focus
Deianira
Oh ! do not, I beseech thee by that power
490
Whose thunders roll o'er CEta's lofty grove,
490
Do not conceal the truth. Thou speakst to one
490
Not unexperienced in the ways of men —
490
To one who knows we cannot always joy
490
In the same object. 'Tis an idle task
490
To take up arms against all-powerful love :
Love which commands the gods. Love conquered me,
And wherefore should it not subdue another,
Whose nature and whose passions are the same?
If my Alcides is indeed oppressed
With this sad malady, I blame him not ;
That were a folly. Nor this hapless maid,
Who meant no ill, no injury to me.
'Tis not for this I speak. But, mark me well ;
If thou wert taught by him to utter falsehood,
A vile and shameful lesson didst thou learn ;
And if thou art thy own instructor, know
Thou shalt seem wicked e'en when most sincere,
And never be believed. Speak then the truth ;
For to be branded with the name of liar
Is ignominy fit for slaves alone.
And not for thee. Nor think thou canst conceal it ;
Those who have heard the tale will tell it nie.
If fear deters thee, thou hast little cause ;
For to susi>ect his falsehood is my grief —
To know it, none. Already have I seen
Alcides' heart estranged to other loves,
Yet did no rival ever hear from me
495
One bitter word, nor will 1 now reproach
495
This wretched slave, e'en though she pines for him
495
With strongest love. Alas ! I pity her.
495
Whose beauty thus hath been the fatal cause
495
Of all her misery, laid her country waste,
And brought her here, far from her native land,
A helpless captive. But no more of this;
Only remember, if thou must be false,
Be false to others, but be true to me.
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 76 focus
Lichas
With what intent
That question dost thou ask?
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 94-140 focus

Commentary

Commentary (R. C. Jebb) (OCR draft) (Commentary (R. C. Jebb))

mvp-comment-43-1 ἔλειπε 1

mvp-comment-43-2 τῆσδε τῆς χώρας πέρι 2

Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) focus

67-78. mvp-comment-61-1 Hyllus has only just heard the rumour which he repeats; and Deianira is prompted by his mention of the new enterprise to communicate to him the special anxiety, over which she has hitherto brooded in solitude. The objection of Dobree, that she ought to have done so before, is like that made against the ignorance of Jocasta in the Oedipus Tyrannus. If such improbabilities in things external to the immediate action are not to be allowed, the composition of any drama becomes impossible.

76. mvp-comment-68-1 ἔλειπε] The imperfect (being more descriptive) refers more pointedly to the time of Heracles' departure (sc. ὅτε ἔστειχε, cp. supr. 47), than the aorist would have done.