Sophocles, Trachiniae, Johann Jakob Christian Donner (Translator), 663

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

← Previous Next →

Ihr Frauen, ach, wie bangt mir, daß ich über Maß

Hinausgeschweist in Allem, was ich eben that!

Der Chor.

Was ist es, Deneus' Tochter, Deianeira? Sprich!

Deianeira.

Ich weiß nicht, aber fürchte, bald erweist es sich:
655

In schöner Hoffnung schuf ich mir ein großes Leid.

Der Chor.

Doch wohl mit deiner Gabe nicht an Herakles?

Deianeira.

Das eben: Keinem rath' ich mehr, vertrauensvoll

Ein Werk zu wagen, dessen Frucht im Dunkel ruht.

Der Chor.

So sage, kannst du's sagen, was dir Furcht erweckt.
660

Deianeira.

Trachiniae. Sophocles. Johann Jakob Christian Donner (Translator). . .

Current edition Experimental

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) (German) (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (2)

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 663 focus

γυναῖκες, ὡς δέδοικα μὴ περαιτέρω

πεπραγμέν' ᾖ μοι πάνθ᾽ ὅσ᾽ ἀρτίως ἔδρων.

ΧΟ.

τί δ᾽ ἔστι, Δῃάνειρα, τέκνον Οἰνέως;
665

ΔΗ.

οὐκ οἶδ᾽· ἀθυμῶ δ᾽, εἰ φανήσομαι τάχα

κακὸν μέγ᾽ ἐκπράξασ᾽ ἀπ᾿ ἐλπίδος καλῆς.

ΧΟ.

οὐ δή τι τῶν σῶν ῾Ηρακλεῖ δωρημάτων ;

ΔΗ.

μάλιστά γ'· ὥστε μήποτ᾽ ἂν προθυμίαν

ἄδηλον ἔργου τῳ τῶι παραινέσαι λαβεῖν.
670

ΧΟ.

δίδαξον, εἰ διδακτόν, ἐξ ὅτου φοβεῖ.

ΔΗ.

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 663-820 focus

Δηιάνειρα

γυναῖκες, ὡς δέδοικα μὴ περαιτέρω

πεπραγμένʼ ᾖ μοι πάνθʼ ὅσʼ ἀρτίως ἔδρων.

Χορός

τί δʼ ἔστι, Δῃάνειρα, τέκνον Οἰνέως;
665

Δηιάνειρα

οὐκ οἶδʼ· ἀθυμῶ δʼ, εἰ φανήσομαι τάχα

κακὸν μέγʼ ἐκπράξασʼ ἀπʼ ἐλπίδος καλῆς.

Χορός

οὐ δή τι τῶν σῶν Ἡρακλεῖ δωρημάτων;

Δηιάνειρα

μάλιστά γʼ, ὥστε μήποτʼ ἂν προθυμίαν

ἄδηλον ἔργου τῳ παραινέσαι λαβεῖν.
670

Χορός

δίδαξον, εἰ διδακτόν, ἐξ ὅτου φοβεῖ.

672

Δηιάνειρα

τοιοῦτον ἐκβέβηκεν οἷον, ἢν φράσω,

γυναῖκες, ὑμᾶς θαῦμʼ ἀνέλπιστον μαθεῖν.

ᾧ γὰρ τὸν ἐνδυτῆρα πέπλον ἀρτίως

ἔχριον, ἀργὴς οἰὸς εὐέρου πόκος,
675

τοῦτʼ ἠφάνισται διάβορον πρὸς οὐδενὸς

τῶν ἔνδον, ἀλλʼ ἐδεστὸν ἐξ αὑτοῦ φθίνει,

καὶ ψῇ κατʼ ἄκρας σπιλάδος· ὡς δʼ εἰδῇς ἅπαν,

ᾗ τοῦτʼ ἐπράχθη, μείζονʼ ἐκτενῶ λόγον.

ἐγὼ γὰρ ὧν ὁ θήρ με Κένταυρος, πονῶν
680

πλευρὰν πικρᾷ γλωχῖνι, προυδιδάξατο

παρῆκα θεσμῶν οὐδέν, ἀλλʼ ἐσῳζόμην

χαλκῆς ὅπως δύσνιπτον ἐκ δέλτου γραφήν.

καί μοι τάδʼ ἦν πρόρρητα καὶ τοιαῦτʼ ἔδρων·

τὸ φάρμακον τοῦτʼ ἄπυρον ἀκτῖνός τʼ ἀεὶ
685

θερμῆς ἄθικτον ἐν μυχοῖς σῴζειν ἐμέ,

ἕως νιν ἀρτίχριστον ἁρμόσαιμί που.

κἄδρων τοιαῦτα. νῦν δʼ, ὅτʼ ἦν ἐργαστέον,

ἔχρισα μὲν κατʼ οἶκον ἐν δόμοις κρυφῇ

μαλλῷ, σπάσασα κτησίου βοτοῦ λάχνην,
690

κἄθηκα συμπτύξασʼ ἀλαμπὲς ἡλίου

κοίλῳ ζυγάστρῳ δῶρον, ὥσπερ εἴδετε.

εἴσω δʼ ἀποστείχουσα δέρκομαι φάτιν

ἄφραστον, ἀξύμβλητον ἀνθρώπῳ μαθεῖν.

τὸ γὰρ κάταγμα τυγχάνω ῥίψασά πως
695

τῆς οἰός, ᾧ προύχριον, ἐς μέσην φλόγα,

ἀκτῖνʼ ἐς ἡλιῶτιν· ὡς δʼ ἐθάλπετο,

ῥεῖ πᾶν ἄδηλον καὶ κατέψηκται χθονί,

μορφῇ μάλιστʼ εἰκαστὸν ὥστε πρίονος

ἐκβρώματʼ ἂν βλέψειας ἐν τομῇ ξύλου.
700

τοιόνδε κεῖται προπετές· ἐκ δὲ γῆς, ὅθεν

προύκειτʼ, ἀναζέουσι θρομβώδεις ἀφροί,

γλαυκῆς ὀπώρας ὥστε πίονος ποτοῦ

χυθέντος εἰς γῆν Βακχίας ἀπʼ ἀμπέλου.

705

Δηιάνειρα

ὥστʼ οὐκ ἔχω τάλαινα ποῖ γνώμης πέσω·
705

ὁρῶ δέ μʼ ἔργον δεινὸν ἐξειργασμένην.

πόθεν γὰρ ἄν ποτʼ, ἀντὶ τοῦ θνῄσκων ὁ θὴρ

ἐμοὶ παρέσχʼ εὔνοιαν, ἧς ἔθνῃσχʼ ὕπερ;

οὐκ ἔστιν, ἀλλὰ τὸν βαλόντʼ ἀποφθίσαι

χρῄζων ἔθελγέ μʼ· ὧν ἐγὼ μεθύστερον,
710

ὅτʼ οὐκέτʼ ἀρκεῖ, τὴν μάθησιν ἄρνυμαι.

μόνη γὰρ αὐτόν, εἴ τι μὴ ψευσθήσομαι

γνώμης, ἐγὼ δύστηνος ἐξαποφθερῶ·

τὸν γὰρ βαλόντʼ ἄτρακτον οἶδα καὶ θεὸν

Χείρωνα πημήναντα, χὦνπερ ἂν θίγῃ,
715

φθείρει τὰ πάντα κνώδαλʼ· ἐκ δὲ τοῦδʼ ὅδε

σφαγῶν διελθὼν ἰὸς αἵματος μέλας

πῶς οὐκ ὀλεῖ καὶ τόνδε; δόξῃ γοῦν ἐμῇ.

καίτοι δέδοκται, κεῖνος εἰ σφαλήσεται,

ταύτῃ σὺν ὁρμῇ κἀμὲ συνθανεῖν ἅμα·
720

ζῆν γὰρ κακῶς κλύουσαν οὐκ ἀνασχετόν,

ἥτις προτιμᾷ μὴ κακὴ πεφυκέναι.

723

Χορός

ταρβεῖν μὲν ἔργα δείνʼ ἀναγκαίως ἔχει,

τὴν δʼ ἐλπίδʼ οὐ χρὴ τῆς τύχης κρίνειν πάρος.

Δηιάνειρα

οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν τοῖς μὴ καλοῖς βουλεύμασιν
725

οὐδʼ ἐλπίς, ἥτις καὶ θράσος τι προξενεῖ.

Χορός

ἀλλʼ ἀμφὶ τοῖς σφαλεῖσι μὴ ʼξ ἑκουσίας

ὀργὴ πέπειρα, τῆς σε τυγχάνειν πρέπει.

Δηιάνειρα

τοιαῦτα δʼ ἂν λέξειεν οὐχ ὁ τοῦ κακοῦ

κοινωνός, ἀλλʼ ᾧ μηδέν ἐστʼ οἴκοι βαρύ.
730

Χορός

σιγᾶν ἂν ἁρμόζοι σε τὸν πλείω λόγον,

εἰ μή τι λέξεις παιδὶ τῷ σαυτῆς· ἐπεὶ

πάρεστι, μαστὴρ πατρὸς ὃς πρὶν ᾤχετο.

Ὕλλος

ὦ μῆτερ, ὡς ἂν ἐκ τριῶν σʼ ἓν εἱλόμην,

ἢ μηκέτʼ εἶναι ζῶσαν, ἢ σεσωσμένην
735

ἄλλου κεκλῆσθαι μητέρʼ, ἢ λῴους φρένας

τῶν νῦν παρουσῶν τῶνδʼ ἀμείψασθαί ποθεν.

Δηιάνειρα

τί δʼ ἐστίν, ὦ παῖ, πρός γʼ ἐμοῦ στυγούμενον;

Ὕλλος

τὸν ἄνδρα τὸν σὸν ἴσθι, τὸν δʼ ἐμὸν λέγω

πατέρα, κατακτείνασα τῇδʼ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ.
740

Δηιάνειρα

οἴμοι, τινʼ ἐξήνεγκας, ὦ τέκνον, λόγον;

Ὕλλος

ὃν οὐχ οἷόν τε μὴ οὐ τελεσθῆναι· τὸ γὰρ

φανθὲν τίς ἂν δύναιτʼ ἂν ἀγένητον ποεῖν;

Δηιάνειρα

πῶς εἶπας, ὦ παῖ; τοῦ παρʼ ἀνθρώπων μαθὼν

ἄζηλον οὕτως ἔργον εἰργάσθαι με φής;
745

Ὕλλος

αὐτὸς βαρεῖαν ξυμφορὰν ἐν ὄμμασιν

πατρὸς δεδορκὼς κοὐ κατὰ γλῶσσαν κλύων.

Δηιάνειρα

ποῦ δʼ ἐμπελάζεις τἀνδρὶ καὶ παρίστασαι;

749

Ὕλλος

εἰ χρὴ μαθεῖν σε, πάντα δὴ φωνεῖν χρεών.

ὅθʼ εἷρπε κλεινὴν Εὐρύτου πέρσας πόλιν,
750

νίκης ἄγων τροπαῖα κἀκροθίνια,

ἀκτή τις ἀμφίκλυστος Εὐβοίας ἄκρον

Κήναιόν ἐστιν, ἔνθα πατρῴῳ Διὶ

βωμοὺς ὁρίζει τεμενίαν τε φυλλάδα·

οὗ νιν τὰ πρῶτʼ ἐσεῖδον ἄσμενος πόθῳ.
755

μέλλοντι δʼ αὐτῷ πολυθύτους τεύχειν σφαγὰς

κῆρυξ ἀπʼ οἴκων ἵκετʼ οἰκεῖος Λίχας,

τὸ σὸν φέρων δώρημα, θανάσιμον πέπλον·

ὃν κεῖνος ἐνδύς, ὡς σὺ προυξεφίεσο,

ταυροκτονεῖ μὲν δώδεκʼ ἐντελεῖς ἔχων
760

λείας ἀπαρχὴν βοῦς· ἀτὰρ τὰ πάνθʼ ὁμοῦ

ἑκατὸν προσῆγε συμμιγῆ βοσκήματα.

καὶ πρῶτα μὲν δείλαιος ἵλεῳ φρενί,

κόσμῳ τε χαίρων καὶ στολῇ, κατηύχετο·

ὅπως δὲ σεμνῶν ὀργίων ἐδαίετο
765

φλὸξ αἱματηρὰ κἀπὸ πιείρας δρυός,

ἱδρὼς ἀνῄει χρωτί, καὶ προσπτύσσεται

πλευραῖσιν ἀρτίκολλος, ὥστε τέκτονος,

χιτὼν ἅπαν κατʼ ἄρθρον· ἦλθε δʼ ὀστέων

ἀδαγμὸς ἀντίσπαστος· εἶτα φοινίας
770

ἐχθρᾶς ἐχίδνης ἰὸς ὣς ἐδαίνυτο.

ἐνταῦθα δὴ ʼβόησε τὸν δυσδαίμονα

Λίχαν, τὸν οὐδὲν αἴτιον τοῦ σοῦ κακοῦ,

ποίαις ἐνέγκοι τόνδε μηχαναῖς πέπλον·

ὁ δʼ οὐδὲν εἰδὼς δύσμορος τὸ σὸν μόνης
775

δώρημʼ ἔλεξεν, ὥσπερ ἦν ἐσταλμένον.

κἀκεῖνος ὡς ἤκουσε καὶ διώδυνος

σπαραγμὸς αὐτοῦ πλευμόνων ἀνθήψατο,

μάρψας ποδός νιν, ἄρθρον ᾗ λυγίζεται,

ῥιπτεῖ πρὸς ἀμφίκλυστον ἐκ πόντου πέτραν·
780

κόμης δὲ λευκὸν μυελὸν ἐκραίνει, μέσου

κρατὸς διασπαρέντος αἵματός θʼ ὁμοῦ.

783

Ὕλλος

ἅπας δʼ ἀνηυφήμησεν οἰμωγῇ λεώς,

τοῦ μὲν νοσοῦντος, τοῦ δὲ διαπεπραγμένου·

κοὐδεὶς ἐτόλμα τἀνδρὸς ἀντίον μολεῖν.
785

ἐσπᾶτο γὰρ πέδονδε καὶ μετάρσιος,

βοῶν, ἰύζων· ἀμφὶ δʼ ἐκτύπουν πέτραι,

Λοκρῶν τʼ ὄρειοι πρῶνες Εὐβοίας τʼ ἄκραι.

ἐπεὶ δʼ ἀπεῖπε, πολλὰ μὲν τάλας χθονὶ

ῥίπτων ἑαυτόν, πολλὰ δʼ οἰμωγῇ βοῶν,
790

τὸ δυσπάρευνον λέκτρον ἐνδατούμενος

σοῦ τῆς ταλαίνης, καὶ τὸν Οἰνέως γάμον

οἷον κατακτήσαιτο λυμαντὴν βίου,

τότʼ ἐκ προσέδρου λιγνύος διάστροφον

ὀφθαλμὸν ἄρας εἶδέ μʼ ἐν πολλῷ στρατῷ
795

δακρυρροοῦντα, καί με προσβλέψας καλεῖ·

ὦ παῖ, πρόσελθε, μὴ φύγῃς τοὐμὸν κακόν,

μηδʼ εἴ σε χρὴ θανόντι συνθανεῖν ἐμοί·

ἀλλʼ ἆρον ἔξω, καὶ μάλιστα μέν με θὲς

ἐνταῦθʼ ὅπου με μή τις ὄψεται βροτῶν·
800

εἰ δʼ οἶκτον ἴσχεις, ἀλλά μʼ ἔκ γε τῆσδε γῆς

πόρθμευσον ὡς τάχιστα, μηδʼ αὐτοῦ θάνω.

τοσαῦτʼ ἐπισκήψαντος, ἐν μέσῳ σκάφει

θέντες σφε πρὸς γῆν τήνδʼ ἐκέλσαμεν μόλις

βρυχώμενον σπασμοῖσι· καί νιν αὐτίκα
805

ἢ ζῶντʼ ἐσόψεσθʼ ἢ τεθνηκότʼ ἀρτίως.

τοιαῦτα, μῆτερ, πατρὶ βουλεύσασʼ ἐμῷ

καὶ δρῶσʼ ἐλήφθης, ὧν σε ποίνιμος Δίκη

τίσαιτʼ Ἐρινύς τʼ. εἰ θέμις δʼ, ἐπεύχομαι·

θέμις δʼ, ἐπεί μοι τὴν θέμιν σὺ προύβαλες,
810

πάντων ἄριστον ἄνδρα τῶν ἐπὶ χθονὶ

κτείνασʼ, ὁποῖον ἄλλον οὐκ ὄψει ποτέ.

813

Χορός

τί σῖγʼ ἀφέρπεις; οὐ κάτοισθʼ ὁθούνεκα

ξυνηγορεῖς σιγῶσα τῷ κατηγόρῳ;

Ὕλλος

ἐᾶτʼ ἀφέρπειν· οὖρος ὀφθαλμῶν ἐμῶν
815

αὐτῇ γένοιτʼ ἄπωθεν ἑρπούσῃ καλός.

ὄγκον γὰρ ἄλλως ὀνόματος τί δεῖ τρέφειν

μητρῷον, ἥτις μηδὲν ὡς τεκοῦσα δρᾷ;

ἀλλʼ ἑρπέτω χαίρουσα· τὴν δὲ τέρψιν ἣν

τὠμῷ δίδωσι πατρί, τήνδʼ αὐτὴ λάβοι.
820

Translations (4)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 663 focus

O how I fear, my friends, lest all too far

I have ventured in my action of to-day!

CH

What ails thee, Dêanira, Oeneus’ child?
665

DÊ

I know not, but am haunted by a dread,

Lest quickly I be found to have performed

A mighty mischief, through bright hopes betrayed.

CH

Thou dost not mean thy gift to Heracles?

DÊ

Indeed I do. Now I perceive how fond

Is eagerness, where actions are obscure.
670

CH

Tell, if it may be told, thy cause of fear.

DÊ

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 663 focus

Chorus.

Deianika. Alas ! my friends, I fear I've gone too far.

Chorus

Great queen, in what ?
665

Deianira

I know not what, but dread

Something to come ; lest where I had most hope

Of happiness, I meet with bitterest woe.

Chorus

Meanst thou thy gift to Hercules ?

Deianira

I do.

Nor would I henceforth counsel those I loved

To do a dark and desperate deed like this,
670

Uncertain of th' event.
670

Chorus

How was it ? Speak,

If thou canst teU us.

Deianira

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 663 focus

I fear, my female friends, that I have done

More than became me in my late attempt.

Chorus

Daughter of royal Eneus, what hath chanced ?
665

Deianira

I know not; but misgivings sink my mind,

Lest it should soon appear that I have done,

Impell'd by honest hope, some mighty ill.

Chorus

Thy presents to thy lord, cause they this fear?

Deianira

So strongly, that I never will advise

A promptness to a deed of dark event.
670

Chorus

If we may know, inform us whence thy fear.

Deianira

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 663-820 focus

Enter Deianeira from the house.

Deianeira

Friends, how I fear that I may have gone too far in all that I was doing just now!

Chorus

What has happened, Deianeira, daughter of Oeneus?
665

Deianeira

I do not know, but I despair that I will soon be found to have done a great wrong, when my hope was for good.

Chorus

Surely it is nothing that bears on your gift to Heracles?

Deianeira

Yes, it is! So much so that I would never recommend to anybody

that he be eager for action in obscurity.
670

Chorus

Tell us the cause of your fear, if it may be told.

672

Deianeira

A thing has happened, my friends, such that, if I declare it, it will be a strange marvel for you to hear. The implement with which I was just now anointing the festal robe,

a white tuft of fleecy sheep’s wool, has disappeared, eaten away by no animal in the courtyard, but self-devoured and self-destroyed it crumbled down over a stone slab. But I must tell the story at greater length, so that you may know exactly how this thing was accomplished.

675

I neglected no part of the precepts which the savage Centaur gave me when he was hurting from the bitter barb in his side; they were in my memory, like the graven words which no hand may wash from a tablet of bronze. Now this was his order to me, and I obeyed it:
680

to keep this potion hidden in inmost recesses always away from fire and untouched by the sun’s warm ray, until I should apply it, newly spread, where I wished. So I had done. And just now, when the moment for action had come, I performed the anointing secretly in the rooms of the house
685

with a tuft of soft wool which I had plucked from a sheep of our home-flock; then I folded up my gift, and laid it, unvisited by sunlight, within its hollow chest, as you saw. But as I am going back into the house, I see a thing inexplicable by words and beyond the knowledge of the human mind to understand.
690

For somehow I happened to have thrown the ball of wool, with which I had been anointing the robe, into the full blaze of the sun’s rays. As it grew warm, it ran all into confusion, and quickly crumbled to powder on the ground, like nothing in appearance so much as
695

the morsels left by a saw’s teeth when wood is cut. It lies just so, fallen. And from the earth, where it lay exposed, clotted foam seethes up, like the rich juice of the blue fruit from the vine of Bacchus when it is poured on the ground.
700

705

And so I am distraught, and I do not know to which side my thoughts should fall. I only see that I have brought a terrible deed to completion. For why or in thanks for what should the monster in his death-throes have shown good will to me, because of whom he was dying? Impossible! No, he was
705

enchanting me in order to destroy the man who had shot him. And now too late I gain the knowledge of this, when it can no longer help. Yes, I alone—unless my outlook prove mistaken—I, miserable one, shall completely destroy him! For I know that the arrow which made the wound harmed
710

even the god Cheiron, and that it kills all varieties of beasts that it touches. Since it is this same black venom in the blood that has passed out through the wound of Nessus, must it not kill Heracles also? To my mind, at least, it must. Nevertheless, I am resolved that, if he is to be brought down,
715

at the same time I too will die along with him in the selfsame fall. No woman could bear to live with a reputation for evil, if she cares above all that her nature is not evil.
720

723

Chorus

Fear is necessary when terrible deeds are done, but one should not judge one’s expectations before the outcome is known.

Deianeira

There is no room for expectation when one’s plans are bad, at least the kind of expectation which lends confidence.
725

Chorus

And yet in the case of those whose mistakes were unwitting, men’s anger is softened. So it should be for you.

Deianeira

No, such words are not for one who took part in the wrongdoing,

but only for him who has no trouble at his own door.
730

Chorus

It would suit you to refrain from saying anything more, unless you would reveal anything to your own son. For he is here, the one who earlier went to seek his father.

Hyllus

O Mother, how I wish I could choose one of three fates for you!

I wish that you no longer lived, or, if you remained, that someone else called you “Mother”, or that some new and kinder heart had been exchanged for your present one!
735

Deianeira

My son, what have I done to cause your hate?

Hyllus

Listen to me! You have killed

your husband, my father—my father!
740

Deianeira

oh, no! What is this you have blurted out, Hyllus?

Hyllus

Only what cannot but be fulfilled. For who could undo what has happened?

Deianeira

What do you mean, son? From whom did you hear this

that you charge me with a crime so awful?
745

Hyllus

I have seen my father’s overwhelming misfortune with my own eyes. I did not learn of it by hearsay.

Deianeira

Where did you find him? Where were you with him?

749

Hyllus

If you need to hear, then I must tell all.

After sacking the famous city of Eurytus, he went his way with the trophies and choice spoils of victory. There is a sea-washed headland of Euboea , Cape Cenaeum, where he marked out altars and a sacred grove to the Zeus of his fathers.
750

There I first saw him, to the gratification of my desire. He was about to make a sacrifice rich in offerings when his own herald, Lichas, came to him from home with your gift, the deadly robe, in his hands. This he put on as you prescribed
755

and then began his offering with twelve bulls, free from blemish, the prime of the spoil; but altogether he brought a hundred mixed victims to the altar. At first the miserable wretch prayed with serene soul and rejoiced in his ornate garb.
760

But when the blood-fed flame began to blaze from the holy offerings and from the resinous pine, a sweat broke out on his skin and the tunic clung to his sides close-glued at every joint, as if by a craftsman’s hand; there came
765

a convulsive, biting pain in his bones; and then the venom, like that of some deadly, cruel viper, began to devour him. At that he shouted for the ill-fated Lichas—who was in no way to blame for your crime—asking by what plots he had brought that robe.
770

But he, unfortunate one, all-unknowing, said that he had brought your gift from you alone, just as it had been sent. When Heracles heard it, just as a piercing spasm clutched his lungs, he caught him by the foot where the ankle bends in the socket
775

and threw him at a surf-beaten rock in the sea, causing the white brain to ooze from his hair, when the crown of his head had been scattered and his blood with it.
780

783

But all the people lifted up a cry of astounded grief when they saw that the one was frenzied, and the other destroyed;

and no one dared to approach the man. For he convulsed down to the ground and up into the air as he shouted and cried out. All around the cliffs resounded, both the steep headlands of Locris and the Euboean capes. But when he was exhausted with repeatedly
785

throwing himself on the ground in his anguish and repeatedly shouting with howls of grief, as he dwelled on his ill-mated marriage with miserable you and his alliance with Oeneus, which, he said, he got for himself as the ruin of his life, then from out of the shrouding altar-smoke
790

he raised his wildly-rolling eyes and saw me weeping among his many troops. He stared at me and called me: “O my son, come to me. Do not fly from my trouble, not even if you have to share my death. Come, lift me up and away and above all put me
795

in a place where no one can see me. But if you have pity, at least carry me in all speed away from this country so that I may not die here.” When he had laid this command on me, we put him onboard ship and brought him just barely to this land,
800

while he moaned in his convulsions. And you shall soon see him, either alive or freshly dead.
Such, Mother, are the designs and deeds against my father of which you have been found guilty. May Punishing Justice and the Erinys punish you for them! Yes, if it be right, that is my prayer.
805

Right it is, for to my eyes you have rejected the right by killing the best and bravest of men in all the world, whose equal you will never see again. Deianeira moves towards the house.
810

813

Chorus
To Deianeira.

Why do you leave without a word? Do you not know that your silence pleads your accuser’s case?

Hyllus

Let her leave. May a fair wind speed her far from my sight! Why should she falsely keep the dignity of the name “Mother,” when she is all unlike a mother in her deeds? No, let her go—farewell to her. May such delight as
815

she gives my father become her own! Exit Deianeira into the house, followed at a distance by Hyllus.
820

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-334-1 Ἄρης ¹

mvp-comment-334-2 οἰστρηθεὶς ² αὖ ³ οἱ ⁴ στρωθεὶς ⁵

mvp-comment-334-3 ἐξέλυσ’ ἐπίπονονἁμέραν ⁶ ἐπίπονον ἁμέραν ⁷

mvp-comment-335-1 ὄχημα ναὸς ⁸

mvp-comment-336-1 πρὶν … ἀνύσειε ⁹

mvp-comment-337-1 ἑστίαν ¹⁰

mvp-comment-337-2 ἀμείψας ¹¹

mvp-comment-337-3 κλῄζεται θυτήρ ¹²

mvp-comment-338-1 πανίμερος ¹³ πανάμερος ¹⁴

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

652. mvp-comment-488-1 πάγκλαυτος] Cp. supr. ll. 105 foll.

654-655. mvp-comment-489-1 Hoc innuit chorus: quum Hercules diu ubi esset ignoratus, longe dissitas regiones peragrasset, nunc bellum quod exarserit, sustulit labores.' Herm. The War-god stung to fury' is a lyrical condensation of ll. 359-365. in which Lichas described the sudden levying of the war against Eurytus. For the personification, cp. Aj. 706, ἔλυσεν αἰνὸν ἄχος ἀπ᾿ ὀμμάτων ᾿Αρης, and note. The conjectures αὖ στρωθείς, οἱ στρωθείς, though receiving some plausibility from a late variant οἰστρωθείς, are really worthless. ἐξέλυσ᾽ ἐπίπονον ἁμέραν] ‘Has freed him from the day of toil. The phrase ἐπίπονος ἁμέρα is formed on the analogy of δούλιον ἦμαρ, ἐλεύθερον ἦμαρ, and the like, in Epic Greek. For the accusative, cp. Ο. Τ. 35, ἐξέλυσας .. δασμόν. The day of toil' is the succession of labours, which had weighed on the life of Heracles, and through him on Deianira. Cp. infr. l.825, ἀναδοχὰν τελεῖν πόνων, κ.τ.λ.

655. mvp-comment-490-1 πολύκωπον όχημα] Literally, The many-oared car. The expression is figurative, for there is no reason to suppose that here or in Aesch. Prom. 468, ὄχημα is generalised as it is in Plato, Polit. 288 A, 289 B, to signify literally, Any means of locomotion.'

656. mvp-comment-491-1 ἀνύσειε] The optative follows the previous optative, and continues the expression of desire.

657. mvp-comment-492-1 νασιῶτιν ἑστίαν] ‘The island altar,' viz. of Zeus Cenaeus in Euboea.

659. mvp-comment-493-1 ἀμείψας] 'Passing from.' Cp. Phil. 1262. The other construction, τήνδε τὴν πόλιν ἀμείψας ἐκ νησιωτίδος ἑστίας, would have been equally possible. κλήζεται] Viz. since the report of Lichas, ll. 237, 8.

660. mvp-comment-494-1 πανάμερος] Either (1) All day long, i. e. not breaking the journey (cp. infr. 740); or (2) All docile,' from ἥμερος, i. e. cured of his passion.

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Ihr Frauen, ach, wie bangt mir, daß ich über Maß Hinausgeschweist in Allem, was ich eben that!

Der Chor. Was ist es, Deneus' Tochter, Deianeira? Sprich!

Deianeira. Ich weiß nicht, aber fürchte, bald erweist es sich: 655 In schöner Hoffnung schuf ich mir ein großes Leid.

Der Chor. Doch wohl mit deiner Gabe nicht an Herakles?

Deianeira. Das eben: Keinem rath' ich mehr, vertrauensvoll Ein Werk zu wagen, dessen Frucht im Dunkel ruht.

Der Chor. So sage, kannst du's sagen, was dir Furcht erweckt. 660

Deianeira.

Current edition Experimental

γυναῖκες, ὡς δέδοικα μὴ περαιτέρω πεπραγμέν' ᾖ μοι πάνθ᾽ ὅσ᾽ ἀρτίως ἔδρων.

ΧΟ. τί δ᾽ ἔστι, Δῃάνειρα, τέκνον Οἰνέως; 665

ΔΗ. οὐκ οἶδ᾽· ἀθυμῶ δ᾽, εἰ φανήσομαι τάχα κακὸν μέγ᾽ ἐκπράξασ᾽ ἀπ᾿ ἐλπίδος καλῆς.

ΧΟ. οὐ δή τι τῶν σῶν ῾Ηρακλεῖ δωρημάτων ;

ΔΗ. μάλιστά γ'· ὥστε μήποτ᾽ ἂν προθυμίαν ἄδηλον ἔργου τῳ τῶι παραινέσαι λαβεῖν. 670

ΧΟ. δίδαξον, εἰ διδακτόν, ἐξ ὅτου φοβεῖ.

ΔΗ.

Δηιάνειρα γυναῖκες, ὡς δέδοικα μὴ περαιτέρω πεπραγμένʼ ᾖ μοι πάνθʼ ὅσʼ ἀρτίως ἔδρων.

Χορός τί δʼ ἔστι, Δῃάνειρα, τέκνον Οἰνέως; 665

Δηιάνειρα οὐκ οἶδʼ· ἀθυμῶ δʼ, εἰ φανήσομαι τάχα κακὸν μέγʼ ἐκπράξασʼ ἀπʼ ἐλπίδος καλῆς.

Χορός οὐ δή τι τῶν σῶν Ἡρακλεῖ δωρημάτων;

Δηιάνειρα μάλιστά γʼ, ὥστε μήποτʼ ἂν προθυμίαν ἄδηλον ἔργου τῳ παραινέσαι λαβεῖν. 670

Χορός δίδαξον, εἰ διδακτόν, ἐξ ὅτου φοβεῖ.

Χορός ταρβεῖν μὲν ἔργα δείνʼ ἀναγκαίως ἔχει, τὴν δʼ ἐλπίδʼ οὐ χρὴ τῆς τύχης κρίνειν πάρος.

Δηιάνειρα οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν τοῖς μὴ καλοῖς βουλεύμασιν 725 οὐδʼ ἐλπίς, ἥτις καὶ θράσος τι προξενεῖ.

Χορός ἀλλʼ ἀμφὶ τοῖς σφαλεῖσι μὴ ʼξ ἑκουσίας ὀργὴ πέπειρα, τῆς σε τυγχάνειν πρέπει.

Δηιάνειρα τοιαῦτα δʼ ἂν λέξειεν οὐχ ὁ τοῦ κακοῦ κοινωνός, ἀλλʼ ᾧ μηδέν ἐστʼ οἴκοι βαρύ. 730

Χορός σιγᾶν ἂν ἁρμόζοι σε τὸν πλείω λόγον, εἰ μή τι λέξεις παιδὶ τῷ σαυτῆς· ἐπεὶ πάρεστι, μαστὴρ πατρὸς ὃς πρὶν ᾤχετο.

Δηιάνειρα τί δʼ ἐστίν, ὦ παῖ, πρός γʼ ἐμοῦ στυγούμενον;

Ὕλλος τὸν ἄνδρα τὸν σὸν ἴσθι, τὸν δʼ ἐμὸν λέγω πατέρα, κατακτείνασα τῇδʼ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ. 740

Δηιάνειρα οἴμοι, τινʼ ἐξήνεγκας, ὦ τέκνον, λόγον;

Ὕλλος ὃν οὐχ οἷόν τε μὴ οὐ τελεσθῆναι· τὸ γὰρ φανθὲν τίς ἂν δύναιτʼ ἂν ἀγένητον ποεῖν;

Δηιάνειρα πῶς εἶπας, ὦ παῖ; τοῦ παρʼ ἀνθρώπων μαθὼν ἄζηλον οὕτως ἔργον εἰργάσθαι με φής; 745

Ὕλλος αὐτὸς βαρεῖαν ξυμφορὰν ἐν ὄμμασιν πατρὸς δεδορκὼς κοὐ κατὰ γλῶσσαν κλύων.

Δηιάνειρα ποῦ δʼ ἐμπελάζεις τἀνδρὶ καὶ παρίστασαι;

Χορός τί σῖγʼ ἀφέρπεις; οὐ κάτοισθʼ ὁθούνεκα ξυνηγορεῖς σιγῶσα τῷ κατηγόρῳ;

O how I fear, my friends, lest all too far I have ventured in my action of to-day!

CH What ails thee, Dêanira, Oeneus’ child? 665

DÊ I know not, but am haunted by a dread, Lest quickly I be found to have performed A mighty mischief, through bright hopes betrayed.

CH Thou dost not mean thy gift to Heracles?

DÊ Indeed I do. Now I perceive how fond Is eagerness, where actions are obscure. 670

CH Tell, if it may be told, thy cause of fear.

DÊ

Chorus. Deianika. Alas ! my friends, I fear I've gone too far.

Chorus Great queen, in what ? 665

Deianira I know not what, but dread Something to come ; lest where I had most hope Of happiness, I meet with bitterest woe.

Chorus Meanst thou thy gift to Hercules ?

Deianira I do. Nor would I henceforth counsel those I loved To do a dark and desperate deed like this, 670 Uncertain of th' event. 670

Chorus How was it ? Speak, If thou canst teU us.

Deianira

I fear, my female friends, that I have done More than became me in my late attempt.

Chorus Daughter of royal Eneus, what hath chanced ? 665

Deianira I know not; but misgivings sink my mind, Lest it should soon appear that I have done, Impell'd by honest hope, some mighty ill.

Chorus Thy presents to thy lord, cause they this fear?

Deianira So strongly, that I never will advise A promptness to a deed of dark event. 670

Chorus If we may know, inform us whence thy fear.

Deianira

Deianeira Friends, how I fear that I may have gone too far in all that I was doing just now!

Chorus What has happened, Deianeira, daughter of Oeneus? 665

Deianeira I do not know, but I despair that I will soon be found to have done a great wrong, when my hope was for good.

Chorus Surely it is nothing that bears on your gift to Heracles?

Deianeira Yes, it is! So much so that I would never recommend to anybody that he be eager for action in obscurity. 670

Chorus Tell us the cause of your fear, if it may be told.

Chorus Fear is necessary when terrible deeds are done, but one should not judge one’s expectations before the outcome is known.

Deianeira There is no room for expectation when one’s plans are bad, at least the kind of expectation which lends confidence. 725

Chorus And yet in the case of those whose mistakes were unwitting, men’s anger is softened. So it should be for you.

Deianeira No, such words are not for one who took part in the wrongdoing, but only for him who has no trouble at his own door. 730

Chorus It would suit you to refrain from saying anything more, unless you would reveal anything to your own son. For he is here, the one who earlier went to seek his father.

Hyllus O Mother, how I wish I could choose one of three fates for you! I wish that you no longer lived, or, if you remained, that someone else called you “Mother”, or that some new and kinder heart had been exchanged for your present one! 735

Deianeira My son, what have I done to cause your hate?

Hyllus Listen to me! You have killed your husband, my father—my father! 740

Deianeira oh, no! What is this you have blurted out, Hyllus?

Hyllus Only what cannot but be fulfilled. For who could undo what has happened?

Deianeira What do you mean, son? From whom did you hear this that you charge me with a crime so awful? 745

Hyllus I have seen my father’s overwhelming misfortune with my own eyes. I did not learn of it by hearsay.

Deianeira Where did you find him? Where were you with him?

Chorus To Deianeira. Why do you leave without a word? Do you not know that your silence pleads your accuser’s case?

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Ihr Frauen, ach, wie bangt mir, daß ich über Maß

Hinausgeschweist in Allem, was ich eben that!

Der Chor.

Was ist es, Deneus' Tochter, Deianeira? Sprich!

Deianeira.

Ich weiß nicht, aber fürchte, bald erweist es sich:
655

In schöner Hoffnung schuf ich mir ein großes Leid.

Der Chor.

Doch wohl mit deiner Gabe nicht an Herakles?

Deianeira.

Das eben: Keinem rath' ich mehr, vertrauensvoll

Ein Werk zu wagen, dessen Frucht im Dunkel ruht.

Der Chor.

So sage, kannst du's sagen, was dir Furcht erweckt.
660

γυναῖκες, ὡς δέδοικα μὴ περαιτέρω

πεπραγμέν' ᾖ μοι πάνθ᾽ ὅσ᾽ ἀρτίως ἔδρων.

ΧΟ.

τί δ᾽ ἔστι, Δῃάνειρα, τέκνον Οἰνέως;
665

ΔΗ.

οὐκ οἶδ᾽· ἀθυμῶ δ᾽, εἰ φανήσομαι τάχα

κακὸν μέγ᾽ ἐκπράξασ᾽ ἀπ᾿ ἐλπίδος καλῆς.

ΧΟ.

οὐ δή τι τῶν σῶν ῾Ηρακλεῖ δωρημάτων ;

ΔΗ.

μάλιστά γ'· ὥστε μήποτ᾽ ἂν προθυμίαν

ἄδηλον ἔργου τῳ τῶι παραινέσαι λαβεῖν.
670

ΧΟ.

δίδαξον, εἰ διδακτόν, ἐξ ὅτου φοβεῖ.

Δηιάνειρα

γυναῖκες, ὡς δέδοικα μὴ περαιτέρω

πεπραγμένʼ ᾖ μοι πάνθʼ ὅσʼ ἀρτίως ἔδρων.

Χορός

τί δʼ ἔστι, Δῃάνειρα, τέκνον Οἰνέως;
665

Δηιάνειρα

οὐκ οἶδʼ· ἀθυμῶ δʼ, εἰ φανήσομαι τάχα

κακὸν μέγʼ ἐκπράξασʼ ἀπʼ ἐλπίδος καλῆς.

Χορός

οὐ δή τι τῶν σῶν Ἡρακλεῖ δωρημάτων;

Δηιάνειρα

μάλιστά γʼ, ὥστε μήποτʼ ἂν προθυμίαν

ἄδηλον ἔργου τῳ παραινέσαι λαβεῖν.
670

Χορός

δίδαξον, εἰ διδακτόν, ἐξ ὅτου φοβεῖ.

Χορός

ταρβεῖν μὲν ἔργα δείνʼ ἀναγκαίως ἔχει,

τὴν δʼ ἐλπίδʼ οὐ χρὴ τῆς τύχης κρίνειν πάρος.

Δηιάνειρα

οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν τοῖς μὴ καλοῖς βουλεύμασιν
725

οὐδʼ ἐλπίς, ἥτις καὶ θράσος τι προξενεῖ.

Χορός

ἀλλʼ ἀμφὶ τοῖς σφαλεῖσι μὴ ʼξ ἑκουσίας

ὀργὴ πέπειρα, τῆς σε τυγχάνειν πρέπει.

Δηιάνειρα

τοιαῦτα δʼ ἂν λέξειεν οὐχ ὁ τοῦ κακοῦ

κοινωνός, ἀλλʼ ᾧ μηδέν ἐστʼ οἴκοι βαρύ.
730

Χορός

σιγᾶν ἂν ἁρμόζοι σε τὸν πλείω λόγον,

εἰ μή τι λέξεις παιδὶ τῷ σαυτῆς· ἐπεὶ

πάρεστι, μαστὴρ πατρὸς ὃς πρὶν ᾤχετο.

Δηιάνειρα

τί δʼ ἐστίν, ὦ παῖ, πρός γʼ ἐμοῦ στυγούμενον;

Ὕλλος

τὸν ἄνδρα τὸν σὸν ἴσθι, τὸν δʼ ἐμὸν λέγω

πατέρα, κατακτείνασα τῇδʼ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ.
740

Δηιάνειρα

οἴμοι, τινʼ ἐξήνεγκας, ὦ τέκνον, λόγον;

Ὕλλος

ὃν οὐχ οἷόν τε μὴ οὐ τελεσθῆναι· τὸ γὰρ

φανθὲν τίς ἂν δύναιτʼ ἂν ἀγένητον ποεῖν;

Δηιάνειρα

πῶς εἶπας, ὦ παῖ; τοῦ παρʼ ἀνθρώπων μαθὼν

ἄζηλον οὕτως ἔργον εἰργάσθαι με φής;
745

Ὕλλος

αὐτὸς βαρεῖαν ξυμφορὰν ἐν ὄμμασιν

πατρὸς δεδορκὼς κοὐ κατὰ γλῶσσαν κλύων.

Δηιάνειρα

ποῦ δʼ ἐμπελάζεις τἀνδρὶ καὶ παρίστασαι;

Χορός

τί σῖγʼ ἀφέρπεις; οὐ κάτοισθʼ ὁθούνεκα

ξυνηγορεῖς σιγῶσα τῷ κατηγόρῳ;

O how I fear, my friends, lest all too far

I have ventured in my action of to-day!

CH

What ails thee, Dêanira, Oeneus’ child?
665

DÊ

I know not, but am haunted by a dread,

Lest quickly I be found to have performed

A mighty mischief, through bright hopes betrayed.

CH

Thou dost not mean thy gift to Heracles?

DÊ

Indeed I do. Now I perceive how fond

Is eagerness, where actions are obscure.
670

CH

Tell, if it may be told, thy cause of fear.

Chorus.

Deianika. Alas ! my friends, I fear I've gone too far.

Chorus

Great queen, in what ?
665

Deianira

I know not what, but dread

Something to come ; lest where I had most hope

Of happiness, I meet with bitterest woe.

Chorus

Meanst thou thy gift to Hercules ?

Deianira

I do.

Nor would I henceforth counsel those I loved

To do a dark and desperate deed like this,
670

Uncertain of th' event.
670

Chorus

How was it ? Speak,

If thou canst teU us.

I fear, my female friends, that I have done

More than became me in my late attempt.

Chorus

Daughter of royal Eneus, what hath chanced ?
665

Deianira

I know not; but misgivings sink my mind,

Lest it should soon appear that I have done,

Impell'd by honest hope, some mighty ill.

Chorus

Thy presents to thy lord, cause they this fear?

Deianira

So strongly, that I never will advise

A promptness to a deed of dark event.
670

Chorus

If we may know, inform us whence thy fear.

Deianeira

Friends, how I fear that I may have gone too far in all that I was doing just now!

Chorus

What has happened, Deianeira, daughter of Oeneus?
665

Deianeira

I do not know, but I despair that I will soon be found to have done a great wrong, when my hope was for good.

Chorus

Surely it is nothing that bears on your gift to Heracles?

Deianeira

Yes, it is! So much so that I would never recommend to anybody

that he be eager for action in obscurity.
670

Chorus

Tell us the cause of your fear, if it may be told.

Chorus

Fear is necessary when terrible deeds are done, but one should not judge one’s expectations before the outcome is known.

Deianeira

There is no room for expectation when one’s plans are bad, at least the kind of expectation which lends confidence.
725

Chorus

And yet in the case of those whose mistakes were unwitting, men’s anger is softened. So it should be for you.

Deianeira

No, such words are not for one who took part in the wrongdoing,

but only for him who has no trouble at his own door.
730

Chorus

It would suit you to refrain from saying anything more, unless you would reveal anything to your own son. For he is here, the one who earlier went to seek his father.

Hyllus

O Mother, how I wish I could choose one of three fates for you!

I wish that you no longer lived, or, if you remained, that someone else called you “Mother”, or that some new and kinder heart had been exchanged for your present one!
735

Deianeira

My son, what have I done to cause your hate?

Hyllus

Listen to me! You have killed

your husband, my father—my father!
740

Deianeira

oh, no! What is this you have blurted out, Hyllus?

Hyllus

Only what cannot but be fulfilled. For who could undo what has happened?

Deianeira

What do you mean, son? From whom did you hear this

that you charge me with a crime so awful?
745

Hyllus

I have seen my father’s overwhelming misfortune with my own eyes. I did not learn of it by hearsay.

Deianeira

Where did you find him? Where were you with him?

Chorus
To Deianeira.

Why do you leave without a word? Do you not know that your silence pleads your accuser’s case?