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)) — 821-861 focus
Χορός
ἴδʼ οἷον, ὦ παῖδες, προσέμιξεν ἄφαρ
τοὔπος τὸ θεοπρόπον ἡμῖν
τᾶς παλαιφάτου προνοίας,
ὅ τʼ ἔλακεν, ὁπότε τελεόμηνος ἐκφέροι
δωδέκατος ἄροτος, ἀναδοχὰν τελεῖν πόνων
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τῷ Διὸς αὐτόπαιδι· καὶ τάδʼ ὀρθῶς
ἔμπεδα κατουρίζει. πῶς γὰρ ἂν ὁ μὴ λεύσσων
ἔτι ποτʼ ἔτʼ ἐπίπονον πόνων ἔχοι θανὼν λατρείαν;
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Χορός
εἰ γάρ σφε Κενταύρου φονίᾳ νεφέλᾳ
χρίει δολοποιὸς ἀνάγκα
πλευρά, προστακέντος ἰοῦ,
ὃν τέκετο θάνατος, ἔτρεφε δʼ αἰόλος δράκων,
πῶς ὅδʼ ἂν ἀέλιον ἕτερον ἢ τανῦν ἴδοι,
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δεινοτάτῳ μὲν ὕδρας προστετακὼς
φάσματι; μελαγχαίτα δʼ ἄμμιγά νιν αἰκίζει
Νέσσου ὑποφόνια δολιόμυθα κέντρʼ ἐπιζέσαντα.
840
Χορός
ὧν ἅδʼ ἁ τλάμων ἄοκνος μεγάλαν προορῶσα
δόμοισι βλάβαν νέων
ἀΐσσουσαν γάμων τὰ μὲν αὐτὰ προσέβαλε, τὰ
δʼ ἀπʼ ἀλλόθρου
γνώμας μολόντʼ ὀλεθρίαισι συναλλαγαῖς
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ἦ που ὀλοὰ στένει,
ἦ που ἀδινῶν χλωρὰν
τέγγει δακρύων ἄχναν.
ἁ δʼ ἐρχομένα μοῖρα προφαίνει δολίαν
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καὶ μεγάλαν ἄταν.
Χορός
ἔρρωγεν παγὰ δακρύων· κέχυται νόσος, ὦ πόποι,
οἷον ἀναρσίων
οὔπω Ἡρακλέους ἀγακλειτὸν ἐπέμολε πάθος οἰκτίσαι.
ἰὼ κελαινὰ λόγχα προμάχου δορός,
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ἃ τότε θοὰν νύμφαν
ἄγαγες ἀπʼ αἰπεινᾶς
τάνδʼ Οἰχαλίας αἰχμᾷ·
ἁ δʼ ἀμφίπολος Κύπρις ἄναυδος φανερὰ
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τῶνδʼ ἐφάνη πράκτωρ.
Translations (2)
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 813 focus
Was gehst du schweigend? Weißt du nicht, indem du schweigst,
Bekennst du dem dich schuldig, der dich schuldig fand?
Hylos.
laßt sie geh'n! Ein frischer Fahrwind trage sie
Aus meinen Augen fern' hinweg, die Fliehende !
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Was soll sie grundlos mit des Mutternamens Glanz
Sich brüsten, wenn sie keine Pflicht der Mutter übt?
Nein, mag sie geh'n in Freuden, und die Wonne, die
Sie meinem Vater gönnte, werd' ihr selbst zu Theil!
(ab in das Haus.)
(allein.)
Erste Strophe.
Der Chor.
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 821-860 focus
Chorus
See, maidens, how suddenly the divine word of the old prophecy has closed upon us, which allotted this destiny: that when the twelfth year
with its full complement of months should have come to an end, it would complete the undertaking of toils for the true-born son of Zeus! And that promise rides before a steady wind to sure fulfillment. For how shall he who does not see the light of day
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ever have toilsome servitude any more in death?
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Chorus
For if the Centaur’s deceitful torture smears his sides with a murderous net, where clings the venom which Death birthed and the gleaming serpent nourished,
how can he look upon tomorrow’s sun, when that appalling Hydra-shape grasps him? Those murderous goads, prepared
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by the deceptive words of black-haired Nessus, torment him with confused thrashing and seethe on his skin.
840
Chorus
In these matters this miserable lady had no apprehension, when she foresaw in the new marriage a great plague swiftly rushing upon her household. Her own hand applied the drug. But no doubt for the results yielded by a stranger’s
counsel, given at a fatal meeting—for these she despairingly groans and sheds a tender dew of thickly-falling tears.
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And the coming fate foreshadows a great disaster, contrived by guile.
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Chorus
Our streaming tears break forth. Ah, no! An infection pours over him, an illness more to be pitied
than any suffering that adversaries ever brought upon that glorious hero. Ah, you dark head of the spear foremost in battle, who by your mighty point recently led that swift bride from
Oechalia
’s heights!
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But the Cyprian goddess, ministering in silence, has been plainly proved the author of these deeds.
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Commentary
Commentary (R. C. Jebb) (OCR draft) (Commentary (R. C. Jebb))
Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) focus
813-814. mvp-comment-600-1 Deianira has no words wherewith to answer the reproaches of her son. She goes silently and undefended to her death, already heart-broken by having done what she greatly feared to do, and rendered yet more desolate by the rebuke of her child. She enters the house by the central door.