Sophocles Trachiniae 59

Thomas Francklin (Translator)

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Chorus
Shall we attend you ?
390

Trachiniae. Sophocles. Thomas Francklin (Translator). London. 1758–1759.

Current edition Experimental

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) (English) (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (2)
Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 59 focus
ὥστ᾽ εἴ τί σοι πρὸς καιρὸν ἐννέπειν δοκῶ,
Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 94-140 focus
Translations (4)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 59 focus
MESS
351
I heard this herald say, while many thronged
To hearken, that this maiden was the cause,
Why lofty-towered Oechalia and her lord
Fell before Heracles, whom Love alone
Of heavenly powers had warmed to this emprise,
And not the Lydian thraldom or the tasks
Of rigorous Omphalè, nor that wild fate
Of rock-thrown Iphitus. Now he thrusts aside
The Love-god, contradicting his first tale.
When he that was her sire could not be brought
To yield the maid for Heracles to hold
In love unrecognized, he framed erelong
A feud about some trifle, and set forth
355
In arms against this damsel’s fatherland
355
(Where Eurytus, the herald said, was king)
355
And slew the chief her father; yea, and sacked
Their city. Now returning, as you see,
He sends her hither to his halls, no slave,
Nor unregarded, lady,—dream not so!
Since all his heart is kindled with desire.
I, O my Queen! thought meet to show thee all
The tale I chanced to gather from his mouth,
Which many heard as well as I, i’ the midst
Of Trachis’ market-place, and can confirm
My witness. I am pained if my plain speech
Sound harshly, but the honest truth I tell.
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 61 focus
Sohn, Geliebter, aus dem Mund Unedler auch
Fällt oft ein Rath zum Guten; so sprach dieses Weib,
Zwar eine Magd nur, doch ein hochgesinntes Wort.
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 59 focus
Messenger
351
And the high-tower'd Echalia. Love alone
Of all the gods incited him to arms;
And not his Lydian slavery, and base tasks
By Omphale commanded, nor the death
Of Iphitus hurl'd headlong from the rock.
This love conceal'd, the herald other pleas
Devised. But when his lord had urged in vain
The sire to give the daughter to his bed
In secret nuptials, he assign'd some cause
Of slight and trivial charge to march in arms
Against her country, where the royal throne
Was held by Eurytus; he slew the king
355
Her father, and his wasted city razed.
355
Her, as thou seest, returning he now sends
355
Thus, lady, not without peculiar care,
- Not as a slave; admit not such an hope;
It is not to be thought, since love inflames
His soul. By duty prompted I to thee
What was my chance to learn from him disclose :
And this, not I alone, but many heard;
Assembled he declared it; and to these
I make appeal. Unwelcome to thy ear
If what I tell thee, I have no delight
In speaking it, but what I speak is truth.
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 94-140 focus

Commentary

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

390. mvp-comment-299-1 This line, which in the Laurentian MS. is expressly given to the Chorus, has been transferred by Hermann and recent editors to the Messenger (cp. El. 772, μάτην ἄρ᾽ ἡμεῖς, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἥκομεν), on the ground that the Chorus were bound in any case to stay where they were, and moreover were helpless in this matter. But (a) τί χρὴ ποιεῖν ; does not mean, 'How shall we help you?' but, What shall we do about staying where we are?' (b) The Ajax and Eumenides show that the Chorus sometimes left the scene, and the objection is irrelevant, for the illusion of the theatre may be carried so far as to ignore stage necessities in imagination. Cp. Aesch. Prom. 1058 foll., where Hermes advises the ocean-nymphs to fly, and El. 1399, ἀλλὰ σῖγα πρόσμενε. (c) The answer of Deianira is perfectly consistent with the coryphaeus having asked, Shall we some of us accompany you, or all wait till you come back?' but is unmeaning as a reply to the question, 'Shall I wait here while you go in, or shall I go away?' which is the only sense the line will bear if given to the Messenger.