εἰ γάρ σφε Κενταύρου
φονίᾳ νεφέλᾳ
φοινίᾶι νεφέλαι
φονίᾳ νεφέλα
φοινίᾳ
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)) — 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
825
τῷ Διὸς αὐτόπαιδι· καὶ τάδʼ ὀρθῶς
ἔμπεδα κατουρίζει. πῶς γὰρ ἂν ὁ μὴ λεύσσων
ἔτι ποτʼ ἔτʼ ἐπίπονον πόνων ἔχοι θανὼν λατρείαν;
830
ἴδʼ οἷον, ὦ παῖδες, προσέμιξεν ἄφαρ
τοὔπος τὸ θεοπρόπον ἡμῖν
τᾶς παλαιφάτου προνοίας,
ὅ τʼ ἔλακεν, ὁπότε τελεόμηνος ἐκφέροι
δωδέκατος ἄροτος, ἀναδοχὰν τελεῖν πόνων
825
τῷ Διὸς αὐτόπαιδι· καὶ τάδʼ ὀρθῶς
ἔμπεδα κατουρίζει. πῶς γὰρ ἂν ὁ μὴ λεύσσων
ἔτι ποτʼ ἔτʼ ἐπίπονον πόνων ἔχοι θανὼν λατρείαν;
830
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,
835
δεινοτάτῳ μὲν ὕδρας προστετακὼς
φάσματι; μελαγχαίτα δʼ ἄμμιγά νιν αἰκίζει
Νέσσου ὑποφόνια δολιόμυθα κέντρʼ ἐπιζέσαντα.
840
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,
835
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
845
ἦ που ὀλοὰ στένει,
ἦ που ἀδινῶν χλωρὰν
τέγγει δακρύων ἄχναν.
ἁ δʼ ἐρχομένα μοῖρα προφαίνει δολίαν
850
καὶ μεγάλαν ἄταν.
ὧν ἅδʼ ἁ τλάμων ἄοκνος μεγάλαν προορῶσα
δόμοισι βλάβαν νέων
ἀΐσσουσαν γάμων τὰ μὲν αὐτὰ προσέβαλε, τὰ
δʼ ἀπʼ ἀλλόθρου
γνώμας μολόντʼ ὀλεθρίαισι συναλλαγαῖς
845
ἦ που ὀλοὰ στένει,
ἦ που ἀδινῶν χλωρὰν
τέγγει δακρύων ἄχναν.
ἁ δʼ ἐρχομένα μοῖρα προφαίνει δολίαν
850
καὶ μεγάλαν ἄταν.
Χορός
ἔρρωγεν παγὰ δακρύων· κέχυται νόσος, ὦ πόποι,
οἷον ἀναρσίων
οὔπω Ἡρακλέους ἀγακλειτὸν ἐπέμολε πάθος οἰκτίσαι.
ἰὼ κελαινὰ λόγχα προμάχου δορός,
855
ἃ τότε θοὰν νύμφαν
ἄγαγες ἀπʼ αἰπεινᾶς
τάνδʼ Οἰχαλίας αἰχμᾷ·
ἁ δʼ ἀμφίπολος Κύπρις ἄναυδος φανερὰ
860
τῶνδʼ ἐφάνη πράκτωρ.
ἔρρωγεν παγὰ δακρύων· κέχυται νόσος, ὦ πόποι,
οἷον ἀναρσίων
οὔπω Ἡρακλέους ἀγακλειτὸν ἐπέμολε πάθος οἰκτίσαι.
ἰὼ κελαινὰ λόγχα προμάχου δορός,
855
ἃ τότε θοὰν νύμφαν
ἄγαγες ἀπʼ αἰπεινᾶς
τάνδʼ Οἰχαλίας αἰχμᾷ·
ἁ δʼ ἀμφίπολος Κύπρις ἄναυδος φανερὰ
860
τῶνδʼ ἐφάνη πράκτωρ.
Translations (2)
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 831 focus
Denn wenn die unabwendbare trügliche Kunst
820
Mit tödtendem Hauche des Neffos,
Mit dem Gift ihm tränkt die Glieder,
Welches erzeugte der Tod, die Drachenbrut gebar:
Wie könnt' er andere Sonnen noch als diese schau'n,
Von der Gewalt umstrickt der grausen Hydra?
825
Und zugleich in tiefer Brust
Brennen ihm des Schwarzlocki-
gen betrüglichen Worte, Stacheln gleich,
1
Den Mord vergeltend.
Zweite Strophe.
Denn wenn die unabwendbare trügliche Kunst
820
Mit tödtendem Hauche des Neffos,
Mit dem Gift ihm tränkt die Glieder,
Welches erzeugte der Tod, die Drachenbrut gebar:
Wie könnt' er andere Sonnen noch als diese schau'n,
Von der Gewalt umstrickt der grausen Hydra?
825
Und zugleich in tiefer Brust
Brennen ihm des Schwarzlocki-
gen betrüglichen Worte, Stacheln gleich,
1
Den Mord vergeltend.
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
825
ever have toilsome servitude any more in death?
830
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
825
ever have toilsome servitude any more in death?
830
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
835
by the deceptive words of black-haired Nessus, torment him with confused thrashing and seethe on his skin.
840
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
835
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.
845
And the coming fate foreshadows a great disaster, contrived by guile.
850
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.
845
And the coming fate foreshadows a great disaster, contrived by guile.
850
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!
855
But the Cyprian goddess, ministering in silence, has been plainly proved the author of these deeds.
860
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!
855
But the Cyprian goddess, ministering in silence, has been plainly proved the author of these deeds.
860
Commentary
Commentary (R. C. Jebb) (OCR draft) (Commentary (R. C. Jebb))
mvp-comment-430-1 φονίᾳ νεφέλᾳ 1
mvp-comment-430-2
Others understand: (1) ‘in the Centaur's deadly
net.’
νεφέλη was a kind of bird-net used by fowlers: in
Anthol. 6. 11. 2 it is called
λεπτόμιτος, ‘of fine texture,’ and distinguished from the hunter's
δολιχὸν δίκτυον .
Cp. 1052
ὑφαντὸν ἀμφίβληστρον, and 1057
πέδῃ. But it seems doubtful whether this use of
νεφέλη would have been suitable to Tragedy. (2) ‘The deadly envelopment,’—
i.e., the robe, compared to a cloud which obscures the sun.
mvp-comment-430-3 Κενταύρου … δολοποιὸς ἀνάγκα 2
mvp-comment-430-4 χρίει 3
mvp-comment-430-5 πλευρά 4
mvp-comment-430-6
834 The MSS. have
ὃν
τέκετο θάνατος,
ἔτεκε δ’ αἰόλος δράκων. This has been explained as if
θάνατος were the father and the
δράκων (hydra) the mother. But usage does not warrant such a pointed antithesis between
τίκτομαι (midd.) and
τίκτω. The poets apply either voice to either parent: see,
e.g.,
Il.6. 154
ὁ δ’ ἄρα Γλαῦκον τέκεθ’ υἱόν, |
αὐτὰρ Γλαῦκος ἔτικτεν ἀμύμονα Βελλεροφόντην:
ib. 2. 728
ἔτεκεν Ῥήνη, and 742
τέκετο κλυτὸς Ἱπποδάμεια. Lobeck's correction of
ἔτεκε
5
ἔτρεφε
6
αἰόλος
7
Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) focus
831. mvp-comment-613-1 σφε... χρίει δολοποιὸς ἀνάγκα] Fate working by guile is stinging him.' The craft of Nessus was the means employed by Fate. φονίᾳ νεφέλᾳ] Gory cloud,' or 'envelopment.' Some have supposed a metaphorical application of the secondary use of νεφέλη = ' A net.' (L. and S. 5. ν. νεφέλη, III). And an association from this meaning may have been present. Cp. infr. 1052. But the less definite image is more impressive.