ἢ τοῦτον ἄρας
ἆθλον
ἆθλον, εἰς τὸν ὕστερον
80
Trachiniae. Sophocles. ed. Lewis Campbell. Oxford. 1879.
Table of Contents
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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)) — 80 focus
LICH
To whom I am bound.
To whom I am bound.
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.
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.
Hylos.
Ich gehe, Mutter; wäre mir der Götterspruch
85
Bekannt gewesen, wär' ich wohl schon lange dort.
Doch ließ für unsern Vater sein gewohntes Glück
Nichts uns befürchten, noch zu sehr in Sorgen sein.
Jezt, weil ich das vernommen, unterlass' ich Nichts,
Bis ich davon die ganze Wahrheit ausgeforscht.
90
Ich gehe, Mutter; wäre mir der Götterspruch
85
Bekannt gewesen, wär' ich wohl schon lange dort.
Doch ließ für unsern Vater sein gewohntes Glück
Nichts uns befürchten, noch zu sehr in Sorgen sein.
Jezt, weil ich das vernommen, unterlass' ich Nichts,
Bis ich davon die ganze Wahrheit ausgeforscht.
90
Deianeira.
So gehe, Theurer! Wenn man auch in später Zeit
Vernimmt von einem Glücke, bringt es noch Gewinn.
(Hyllos ab. Der Chor der Jungfrauen aus der Stadt tritt auf,
und ordnet sich vor dem Palaste.)
Deianeira. Der Chor.
Erste Strophe.
So gehe, Theurer! Wenn man auch in später Zeit
Vernimmt von einem Glücke, bringt es noch Gewinn.
Der Chor.
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 80 focus
Deianira
My guest, in pity to the captive train,
590
Laments their woes, and takes his kind farewell ;
590
Meantime, my friends, in secret came I here
590
To pour forth all my miseries, and impart
590
To you my inmost thoughts — my last resolve.
590
Alas ! within these walls I have received,
590
Like the poor sailor, an unhappy freight
590
To sink me down : no virgin, but a wife —
590
The wife of my Alcides ; his loved arms
590
Now must embrace us both. My faithful lord —
590
Faithful and good I thought him — thus rewards
590
My tender cares, and all the tedious toils
590
I suffered for him ; but I will be calm,
590
For 'tis an evil I have felt before.
590
And yet to live with her ! with her to share
590
My husband's bed ! What woman can support it?
590
Her youth is stealing onward to its prime.
590
Whilst mine is withered ; and the eye which longs
590
To pluck the opening flower from the dry leaf
590
Will turn aside. Her younger charms, I fear,
590
Have conquered, and henceforth in name alone
590
Shall Deianira be Alcides' wife.
590
But ill do rage and violence become
590
The prudent matron ; therefore, mark me well,
590
And hear what I have purposed to relieve
590
My troubled heart. Within a brazen urn,
590
Concealed from every eye, I long have kept
590
That ancient gift which Nessus did bequeath me —
590
The hoary centaur, who was wont for hire
590
To bear the traveller o'er the rapid flood
590
Of deep Evenus. Not with oars or sail
He stemmed the torrent, but with nervous arm
Opposed and passed it. Me, when first a bride
I left my father's hospitable roof
With my Alcides, in his arms he bore
Athwart the current ; half way o'er, he dared
To offer vi.olence. I shrieked aloud.
When lo ! the son of Jove, his bow swift bent,
Sent forth a shaft and pierced the monster's breast,
Who with his dying voice did thus address me :
" Daughter of CEneus, listen to my words.
So shalt thou profit by the last sad journey
Which I shall ever go. If in thy hand
Thou take the drops outflowing from the wound
This arrow made, dipped in the envenomed blood
Of the Lernaean hydra, with that charm
Mayst thou subdue the heart of thy Alcides,
Nor shall another ever gain his love."
Mindful of this, my friends — for from that hour
In secret have I kept the precious gift —
Behold a garment, dipped i' th' very blood.
He gave me ; nor did I forget to add
What he enjoined, but have prepared it all.
I know no evil arts, nor would I learn them.
For they who practise such are hateful to me.
I only wish the charm may be of power
To win Alcides from this virgin's love,
And bring him back to Deianira's arms,
If he shall deem it lawful, but if not
I'll go no farther.
My guest, in pity to the captive train,
590
Laments their woes, and takes his kind farewell ;
590
Meantime, my friends, in secret came I here
590
To pour forth all my miseries, and impart
590
To you my inmost thoughts — my last resolve.
590
Alas ! within these walls I have received,
590
Like the poor sailor, an unhappy freight
590
To sink me down : no virgin, but a wife —
590
The wife of my Alcides ; his loved arms
590
Now must embrace us both. My faithful lord —
590
Faithful and good I thought him — thus rewards
590
My tender cares, and all the tedious toils
590
I suffered for him ; but I will be calm,
590
For 'tis an evil I have felt before.
590
And yet to live with her ! with her to share
590
My husband's bed ! What woman can support it?
590
Her youth is stealing onward to its prime.
590
Whilst mine is withered ; and the eye which longs
590
To pluck the opening flower from the dry leaf
590
Will turn aside. Her younger charms, I fear,
590
Have conquered, and henceforth in name alone
590
Shall Deianira be Alcides' wife.
590
But ill do rage and violence become
590
The prudent matron ; therefore, mark me well,
590
And hear what I have purposed to relieve
590
My troubled heart. Within a brazen urn,
590
Concealed from every eye, I long have kept
590
That ancient gift which Nessus did bequeath me —
590
The hoary centaur, who was wont for hire
590
To bear the traveller o'er the rapid flood
590
Of deep Evenus. Not with oars or sail
He stemmed the torrent, but with nervous arm
Opposed and passed it. Me, when first a bride
I left my father's hospitable roof
With my Alcides, in his arms he bore
Athwart the current ; half way o'er, he dared
To offer vi.olence. I shrieked aloud.
When lo ! the son of Jove, his bow swift bent,
Sent forth a shaft and pierced the monster's breast,
Who with his dying voice did thus address me :
" Daughter of CEneus, listen to my words.
So shalt thou profit by the last sad journey
Which I shall ever go. If in thy hand
Thou take the drops outflowing from the wound
This arrow made, dipped in the envenomed blood
Of the Lernaean hydra, with that charm
Mayst thou subdue the heart of thy Alcides,
Nor shall another ever gain his love."
Mindful of this, my friends — for from that hour
In secret have I kept the precious gift —
Behold a garment, dipped i' th' very blood.
He gave me ; nor did I forget to add
What he enjoined, but have prepared it all.
I know no evil arts, nor would I learn them.
For they who practise such are hateful to me.
I only wish the charm may be of power
To win Alcides from this virgin's love,
And bring him back to Deianira's arms,
If he shall deem it lawful, but if not
I'll go no farther.
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 80 focus
Lichas
With just right...
With just right...
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
80-81. mvp-comment-72-1 These lines have been much suspected, but if τὸν ἀεὶ= τὸν ἀεὶ χρόνον, in El. 1076, O. C. 1701, which there is no good reason for doubting, εἰς τὸν ὕστερον = εἰς τὸν ὕστερον χρόνον, may be allowed. ἄρας] 'When he has carried away,' i.e. Performed successfully. The notion is partly that of lifting a weight, partly of removing an obstacle (between emolitus and amolitus).