ἐν οὖν ῥοπῇ τοιᾷδε κειμένῳ, τέκνον,
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)) — 82 focus
LICH
I faithless! What dark speech
Hast thou contrived?
I faithless! What dark speech
Hast thou contrived?
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)) — 82 focus
Deianira
I cannot but believe it, tliough as yet
Experience never hath confirmed it to me.
Ciioii. Thou shouldst be certain ; thou but seemst to
595
know
If thou hast never tried.
I cannot but believe it, tliough as yet
Experience never hath confirmed it to me.
Ciioii. Thou shouldst be certain ; thou but seemst to
595
know
If thou hast never tried.
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 82 focus
Lichas
And how not just? With what insidious wiles
Wou'dst thou ensnare me?
And how not just? With what insidious wiles
Wou'dst thou ensnare me?
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))
mvp-comment-47-1 ἐν οὖν ῥοπῇ … κειμένῳ 1
mvp-comment-47-2 83—
Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) focus
82. mvp-comment-73-1 ἐν . . κειμένῳ] 'When he is at such a critical point;' lit. such a turning of the scale. ῥοπή is commonly the preponderance or determination of the balance one way; here it is the moment or crisis of a determination which is still uncertain. For κειμένῳ, cp. Aj. 323, ἐν τοιᾷδε κείμενος . . τύχῃ, where, however, there is the additional notion of being 'laid prostrate.'