Sophocles Trachiniae 112

mvp-comment-445-1 These eight verses form an epode to the stasimon; three persons take part in the delivery, viz., the two

, or leaders of (HM. A, HM. B), and the coryphaeus (XO.). The third part (868—870) is best assigned to the coryphaeus, who usually announces a new comer, and who would naturally conduct the dialogue with the . Similar epodes to stasima are Eur. H. F. 815 —821, and Eur. Hipp. 1143 — 1152, in each of which three parts can be distinguished. (See W. Christ, Metrik, § 723, p. 653 2nd ed.)

mvp-comment-445-2 The motive of the whole passage from 863 to 898 is the dramatic necessity of making an impressive preparation for the Nurse's

. It rests with the Chorus alone to do this, since no actor is present.

mvp-comment-445-3 Hermann supposed that, after the three leading choreutae had spoken (863 —870), each of the other twelve in turn took part in the dialogue. But this seems improbable.

mvp-comment-445-4 μάταιος ¹

mvp-comment-446-1 τί φημί ² τὶ φημί ³

mvp-comment-447-1 οὐκ ἄσημον ⁴ ἀλλὰ δυστυχῆ ⁵

mvp-comment-447-2 καινίζει ⁶

mvp-comment-447-3 869 The MS. reading, ἀήθης ⁷

mvp-comment-447-4 The conjecture ἀηδὴς ⁸

mvp-comment-447-5 Surely ἀήθης ⁹ ἀ ¹⁰ γ ¹¹ ηθής ¹²

mvp-comment-448-1 σημανοῦσα ¹³ σημαίνουσα ¹⁴

mvp-comment-449-1 Ἡρακλεῖ τὸ πόμπιμον ¹⁵

863ff. mvp-comment-636-1 The proscenium has been vacant since the exit (severally) of Deianira and Hyllus. A sound of wailing is now heard from within.

863. mvp-comment-637-1 μάταιος] 'Silly,' i, e. 'Alarmed without cause. For the masc. form, cp. supr. l. 151, and note.

864. mvp-comment-638-1 οἴκτου) «Cry of sorrow. Cp. Αj. 895, οἴκτῳ τῷδε συγκεκραμένην, and for ὑρμασμένου, Springing forth, ib. 892, βοὴ . . ἐξέβη κάπους.

865. mvp-comment-639-1 τί φημί What is this?' For this expression and for the broken line here and in l. 868, cp. O. T. 1471. The three couplets are probably spoken by different members of the Chorus.

866. mvp-comment-640-1 οὐκ ἄσημον «A sound of wailing that is not ambiguous but full of sorrow. Cp. O. C. 1501, Ant. 1209. The conjectural reading, οὐκ εύσημον, ἀλλὰ δυστυχῆ, introduces a false and meaningless antithesis.

867. mvp-comment-641-1 τι καινίζει i.e. καινόν τι έχει.

869. mvp-comment-642-1 ἀήθης] This has been unnecessarily changed to ἀηδής, which should rather mean 'sullen' than 'sad,' and at all events expresses the same thing with συνοφρυωμένη. «Strange, 'Unlike herself,' is a meaning which aptly suits the place, and is properly made more definite by the addition of καὶ συνωφρυωμένη.

870. mvp-comment-643-1 σημαίνουσα] Declaring. The correction σημανοῦσα, “Το declare,' is possibly right; but the present tense may suitably call attention to the gestures of the Τροφός, before she speaks.

871. mvp-comment-644-1 οὐ σμικρών] That the gift has caused evil is already known, the extent of the evil to the house at Trachis is only now revealed.

872. mvp-comment-645-1 Ἡρακλεῖ τὸ πόμπιμον] The adj. is added to explain τὸ δῶρον, because the dative alone would have been an imperfect construction with δῶρον. For the passive meaning of πόμπιμον (which recalls the mission of Lichas, supr. ll. 600 foll.), cp. esp. supr. 822, О. С. 487, τὸν ἱκέτην σωτήριον.