Sophocles, Trachiniae, Thomas Francklin (Translator), 947

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Hyllus, Nurse, Chorus, Attendants.

Hyllus

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)) — 947 focus

Πότερ᾽ *ἄρα πρότερ᾽ πότερ᾽ ἂν πρότερα πότερ' ἂν πότερ' ἐπιστένω, πότερα τέλεα περαιτέρω,

δύσκριτ᾽ ἔμοιγε δυστάνῳ.

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 947-971 focus

Χορός

πότερα πρότερον ἐπιστένω,

πότερα μέλεα περαιτέρω,

δύσκριτʼ ἔμοιγε δυστάνῳ.

950

Χορός

τάδε μὲν ἔχομεν ὁρᾶν δόμοις,
950

τάδε δὲ μένομεν ἐπʼ ἐλπίσιν·

κοινὰ δʼ ἔχειν τε καὶ μέλλειν.

953

Χορός

εἴθʼ ἀνεμόεσσά τις

γένοιτʼ ἔπουρος ἑστιῶτις αὔρα,
955

ἥτις μʼ ἀποικίσειεν ἐκ τόπων, ὅπως

τὸν Δῖον ἄλκιμον γόνον

μὴ ταρβαλέα θάνοιμι
960

μοῦνον εἰσιδοῦσʼ ἄφαρ·

ἐπεὶ ἐν δυσαπαλλάκτοις ὀδύναις

χωρεῖν πρὸ δόμων λέγουσιν

ἄσπετόν τι θαῦμα.

965

Χορός

ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἄρα κοὐ μακρὰν
965

προύκλαιον, ὀξύφωνος ὡς ἀηδών.

ξένων γὰρ ἐξόμιλος ἥδε τις βάσις.

πᾷ δʼ αὖ φορεῖ νιν; ὡς φίλου

προκηδομένα βαρεῖαν

ἄψοφον φέρει βάσιν.

αἰαῖ, ὅδʼ ἀναύδατος φέρεται.
970

τί χρὴ θανόντα νιν ἢ καθʼ

ὕπνον ὄντα κρῖναι;

Translations (4)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 947 focus

Which shall come first in my wail,

Which shall be last to prevail,

Is a doubt that will never be done.

Trouble at home may be seen,

Trouble is looked for with teen;

And to have and to look for are one.

Would some fair wind

But waft me forth to roam

Far from the native region of my home,

Ere death me find, oppressed with wild affright

Even at the sudden sight

Of him, the valiant son of Zeus most High!

Before the house, they tell, he fareth nigh,

A wonder beyond thought,

With torment unapproachable distraught.

Hark! ...

The cause then of my cry

Was coming all too nigh:

(Doth the clear nightingale lament for nought?)

Some step of stranger folk is this way brought.

As for a friend they love

Heavy and slow with noiseless feet they move.

Which way? which way? Ah me! behold him come.

His pallid lips are dumb.

Dead, or at rest in sleep? What shall I say?

Oh, woe is me!

My father, piteous woe for thee!

Oh, whither shall I turn my thought! Ah me!

Hush! speak not, O my child,

Lest torment fierce and wild

Rekindle in thy father’s rugged breast,

And break this rest

Where now his life is held at point to fall.

With firm lips clenched refrain thy voice through all.

Yet tell me, doth he live,

Old sir?

Wake not the slumberer,

Nor kindle and revive

The terrible recurrent power of pain,

My son!

My foolish words are done,

But my full heart sinks ’neath the heavy strain.

O Father, who are these?

What countrymen? Where am I? What far land

Holds me in pain that ceaseth not? Ah me!

Again that pest is rending me. Pain, pain!

Now thou may’st know

’Twas better to have lurked in silent shade

And not thus widely throw

The slumber from his eyelids and his head.

I could not brook

All speechless on his misery to look.

O altar on the Euboean strand,

High-heaped with offerings from my hand,

What meed for lavish gifts bestowed

From thy new sanctuary hath flowed!

Father of Gods! thy cruel power

Hath foiled me with an evil blight.

Ah! would mine eyes had closed in night

Ere madness in a fatal hour

Had burst upon them with a blaze,

No help or soothing once allays!

What hand to heal, what voice to charm,

Can e’er dispel this hideous harm?

Whose skill save thine,

Monarch Divine?

Mine eyes, if such I saw,

Would hail him from afar with trembling awe.

Ah! ah!

O vex me not, touch me not, leave me to rest,

To sleep my last sleep on Earth’s gentle breast.

You touch me, you press me, you turn me again,

You break me, you kill me! O pain! O pain!

You have kindled the pang that had slumbered still.

It comes, it hath seized me with tyrannous will!

Where are ye, men, whom over Hellas wide

This arm hath freed, and o’er the ocean-tide,

And through rough brakes, from every monstrous thing?

Yet now in mine affliction none will bring

A sword to aid, a fire to quell this fire,

O most unrighteous! nor to my desire

Will come and quench the hateful life I hold

With mortal stroke! Ah! is there none so bold?

Son of our hero, this hath mounted past

My feeble force to cope with. Take him thou!

Fresher thine eye and more the hope thou hast

Than mine to save him.

I support him now

Thus with mine arm: but neither fleshly vest

Nor inmost spirit can I lull to rest

From torture. None may dream

To wield this power, save he, the King supreme.

Son!

Where art thou to lift me and hold me aright?

It tears me, it kills me, it rushes in might,

This cruel, devouring, unconquered pain

Shoots forth to consume me. Again! again!

O Fate! O Athena!—O son, at my word

Have pity and slay me with merciful sword!

Pity thy father, boy; with sharp relief

Smite on my breast, and heal the wrathful grief

Wherewith thy mother, God-abandoned wife,

Hath wrought this ruin on her husband’s life.

O may I see her falling, even so

As she hath thrown me, to like depth of woe!

Sweet Hades, with swift death,

Brother of Zeus, release my suffering breath!

CH

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 947 focus

Bejammr' ich erst Herakles' Loos,

Und dann der Herrin leztes Leid?

Weh, wo beginn' ich Unsel'ge?

Erste Gegenstrophe.

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 947 focus

Such things how dared a woman's hand attempt ?

It was a scene of horror: thou with me

Wilt thou attest, when thou shalt know the whole.

Soon as she entering pass'd the gates alone,

And saw her son preparing in the court

A cover'd couch with purpose to return

And meet his father, she conceal'd herself

Where none might see her; then she wail'd aloud

Prostrate before the altar, that her state

Was become desolate; and if she touch'd

Aught which before her hands had used, she wept.

Then through th' apartments as her wand'ring steps

She turn’d, some lov’d domestic if she saw,

Affected at the sight she pour’d a flood

Of tears; her wretched state she then deplored,

And all the riches of her house, no more

With children to be blest. This had an end.

Then to the chamber, where the nuptial bed

Of Hercules was placed, with sudden speed

I saw her rush; conceal'd a secret eye

I kept on her, and there beheld her spread

With busy care the coverings o'er the couch

Of Hercules; this done, she sprung aloft,

And seated on the middle of the bed

Gave the warm fount of tears to gush, and said,

O thou dear couch, long since my bridal bed,

Henceforth farewell; for never shalt thou more

Receive me on thy soft down to repose.

She spoke, and with dispatchful hand unloosed

The golden clasp, which o'er her swelling breasts

Confined her robe; thus was her side laid bare,

And her left shoulder. With my utmost speed

I ran to tell her son what she design'd.

Short was the interval; yet when we came,

We saw her side deep wounded, to her heart

The sword had pierced: at that sad sight her son

Groan'd in the anguish of his soul, for well

He knew that 'gainst herself enraged this deed

She had effected, taught too late what ill

She on her house had brought, without design,

But by the Centaur's evil arts ensnared.

Nor sighs nor tears th' unhappy youth forbore,

Nor lamentations: to her cheek he join'd

His cheek, and to her bleeding side his side;

Thus lying near her many a groan he heaved,

That rashly he had charged her with a crime

Of base intent; then wept, because at once

Of hers and of his father's life deprived.

Such scenes I saw: so that if mortal man

Of one day, or of more should make account,

His thoughts were vain; to-morrow is not, ere

In safety he has pass'd the present day.

Which most shall cause my tears to flow?

Which most shall I lament?

Each is a deed of equal woe,

And dreadful each event.

Beneath this roof may one be seen,

The other comes with threat'ning mein.

The present ill, th' impending dread,

Alike their gloomy horrors spread.

Oh, would some fav'ring whirlwind rise,

Sweep from this house, and drive me through the air

From this dire scene of sorrow far,

And from these miseries spare my aching eyes!

Whilst the son of Jove sustains

Fierce and agonizing pains,

My trembling soul would sicken with affright,

And I should die at such a sight.

See, to this royal mansion near

Some prodigy of woe they bear :

No distant grief excites this mournful strain,

Taught like the thrilling Nightingale's to flow.

In solemn silence moves the stranger train,

Heedful, as friends, with gentle steps and slow :

Nor word nor sound he utters as he lies,.

And death, or sleep, hath closed the hero's eyes.

Hyllus
MAT. HERCULES WITH ATTENDANTS, HYLLUS,

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 947-970 focus

Chorus

Which disaster shall I bewail first? Which is more to be pitied? In my grief I cannot decide.

950

Chorus

One sorrow may be seen in the house; for one we wait with apprehension. To have and to await are one and the same.
950

953

Chorus

oh, that some strong breeze, a fair wind, might arise at our hearth

to bear me far from this land, so that I might not die of terror when I look but once
955

upon the mighty seed of Zeus! For they say that he is approaching the house in torments from which there is no deliverance, a wonder of unutterable woe.
960

965

Chorus

Ah, he was not far off, but close to us, he for whom I cried in advance, like the shrill nightingale! Here is a foreign procession of strange men. And in what manner, then, do they bring him? In sorrow, as for some loved one, they tread their mournful, noiseless tread. Ah, he is carried on in silence!
965

Should I think that he is dead, or just asleep?
970

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-72-1 ἃ ¹

mvp-comment-72-2 Others suppose that

ἃ

is governed by ἴσχειν ² τάδ’ ³

mvp-comment-72-3 For λέγω ⁴

mvp-comment-72-4 ἐλπίσιν ἴσχειν ⁵ ἄβουλον ⁶

mvp-comment-73-1 ἀπεικάσαι ⁷

mvp-comment-74-1 θυμοφ<*> ⁸

mvp-comment-75-1 μήτ’ <*>θοις … νῦν δ’ ἄπειρος εἶ ⁹ νῦν δ’ ¹⁰ νῦν τ’ ¹¹ νῦν δ’ ¹² τε … δέ ¹³

mvp-comment-76-1 τ<*> νεάζον ¹⁴ τοιοῖσδε ¹⁵ βόσκεται ¹⁶ αὐτοῦ ¹⁷

mvp-comment-76-2 θάλπος … ὄμβρος … πνευμάτων ¹⁸

mvp-comment-76-3 The text is as clearly sound as the passage itself is beautiful. But numerous changes have been proposed: for these, see Appendix. Here I will only remark that the genuineness of the words καί ¹⁹ νιν ²⁰

mvp-comment-77-1 ἡδοναῖς ²¹

mvp-comment-77-2 ἐξαίρει βίον ²²

mvp-comment-78-1 ἐν νυκτὶ ²³ λάβῃ ²⁴

mvp-comment-78-2 ἤτοι … ἢ ²⁵

mvp-comment-78-3 πρὸς ἀνδρὸς … φοβουμένη ²⁶

mvp-comment-79-1 αὑτοῦ ²⁷

mvp-comment-79-2 κακοῖσιν οἷς ²⁸ κακοῖσιν οἷς ²⁹

mvp-comment-80-1 μὲν οὖν δὴ ³⁰

mvp-comment-81-1 ἦμος ³¹

mvp-comment-81-2 τὴν τελευταίαν ³²

mvp-comment-82-1 δέλτον ³³

mvp-comment-82-2 ἐγγεγραμμένην ³⁴ ξυνθήμαθ’ ³⁵ ξυνθήματα ³⁶

mvp-comment-83-1 ἀγῶνας ἐξιών ³⁷ οὐ ³⁸

mvp-comment-83-2 ἔτλη ³⁹

mvp-comment-84-1 ὥς τι δράσων ⁴⁰

mvp-comment-85-1 ἔτ’ οὐκ ὤν ⁴¹

mvp-comment-85-2 εἶπε μὲν … εἶπε δ’ ⁴² προτάξας ⁴³

mvp-comment-85-3 εἶπε … ὅ τι χρείη μ’ ἑλέσθαι λέχους κτῆσιν ⁴⁴

mvp-comment-85-4 ἣν τέκνοις … νέμοι ⁴⁵

mvp-comment-85-5 διαιρετὸν ⁴⁶

mvp-comment-86-1 The constr. is:

mvp-comment-86-2 χρόνον προτάξας ⁴⁷

mvp-comment-86-3 ὡς ⁴⁸

mvp-comment-86-4 ἡνίκα χώρας ἀπείη βεβώς τρίμ. χρόνον κἀνιαύς ⁴⁹

mvp-comment-86-5 τότε χρείη σφε ἢ θανεῖν τῷδε τῷ χρ., ἢ … ζῆν ⁵⁰ ὡς ⁵¹

mvp-comment-86-6 I leave the MS. τρίμηνον … κἀνιαύσιος ⁵² κἀνιαύσιον ⁵³ χρόνον … χρόνῳ … χρόνου ⁵⁴

mvp-comment-86-7 ὑπεκδραμόντα ⁵⁵ χρόνου τέλος ⁵⁶ ὑπεκδρ ⁵⁷ ὑπερδραμόντα ⁵⁸

mvp-comment-86-8 The arguments which have been brought against vv. 166—168 are examined in the Appendix.

mvp-comment-87-1 τοιαῦτ’ ἔφραζε … πόνων ⁵⁹ τῶν Ἡρακλείων πόνων ⁶⁰

mvp-comment-87-2 (1) It is a gen. of connection, equiv. to the gen. with

περί

, and going with the whole phrase εἱμαρμένα ἐκτελευτᾶσθαι ⁶¹

mvp-comment-87-3 (2) It is also possible, though less probable, that the gen. should be taken as partitive with ἐκτελευτᾶσθαι ⁶²

mvp-comment-87-4 (3) πόνων ⁶³ πρὸς θεῶν εἱμαρμένα ⁶⁴

mvp-comment-87-5 (4) πόνων ⁶⁵ ἐκτελευτᾶσθαι ⁶⁶

mvp-comment-88-1 ὡς τὴν παλαιὰν φηγὸν ⁶⁷

mvp-comment-88-2 Others understand:—(1) ‘by the agency of two doves’: i.e., the signs from the oak were somehow combined with, or explained by, signs derived from birds. (2) ‘The oak spake from between two doves’; i.e. a symbolical dove, of stone or metal, stood on either side of the tree. The Appendix will show what can be said for or against each of these theories. Here it may be noted that neither seems to accord so well with the phrase αὐδῆσαι ἐκ ⁶⁸

mvp-comment-88-3 Δωδῶνι ⁶⁹

mvp-comment-89-1 ναμέρτεια ⁷⁰

mvp-comment-89-2 τῶνδε ⁷¹ ναμέρτεια ⁷² συμβαίνει ⁷³ ὡς ⁷⁴ τελεσθῆναι χρεών ⁷⁵ ὡς ⁷⁶ ᾧ ⁷⁷

mvp-comment-89-3 Others understand:—(1) ‘The true fulfilment of these words as (

ὡς

) they are to be accomplished’; or (2) ‘the truth of the prediction that (

ὡς

) these things are to be accomplished.’

mvp-comment-89-4 This is one of those passages in which the manner of Sophocles recalls that of Vergil. The general meaning is simple and clear<*> but a verbal analysis demands the nicest care.

mvp-comment-90-1 ἡδέως ⁷⁸

mvp-comment-90-2 φόβῳ ⁷⁹ ταρβοῦσαν ⁸⁰

mvp-comment-91-1 εὐφημίαν ⁸¹

mvp-comment-91-2 πρὸς χαρὰν λόγων ⁸²

mvp-comment-92-1 πρῶτος ἀγγέλων ⁸³

mvp-comment-93-1 γὰρ ⁸⁴

mvp-comment-93-2 κρατοῦντα ⁸⁵

mvp-comment-93-3 ἀπαρχὰς ⁸⁶ τοῖς ἐγχωρίοις ⁸⁷

mvp-comment-94-1 τίνα … τόνδε ⁸⁸

mvp-comment-95-1 πολύζηλον ⁸⁹

mvp-comment-95-2 φανέντα ⁹⁰

mvp-comment-95-3 κράτει νικηφόρῳ ⁹¹

mvp-comment-96-1 ἀστῶν ἢ ξένων ⁹²

mvp-comment-97-1 βουθερεῖ ⁹³

mvp-comment-98-1 τοι ⁹⁴

mvp-comment-99-1 εἴπερ εὐτυχεῖ ⁹⁵

mvp-comment-99-2 193 (

ἄπεστιν

), οὐκ εὐμ. χρώμενος ⁹⁶

mvp-comment-100-1 Μηλιεὺς ⁹⁷

mvp-comment-100-2 ἅπας ⁹⁸

mvp-comment-101-1 κρίνει ⁹⁹

mvp-comment-101-2 παραστάς ¹⁰⁰ κύκλῳ ¹⁰¹ περιστάς ¹⁰²

mvp-comment-101-3 βῆναι ¹⁰³

mvp-comment-102-1 τὸ γὰρ ποθοῦν ¹⁰⁴ τὸ … ποθοῦν ¹⁰⁵ τὰ γὰρ ποθείν’ ¹⁰⁶

mvp-comment-102-2 (1) If τὸ … ποθοῦν ¹⁰⁷

mvp-comment-102-3 (2) τὸ ποθοῦν ἐκμαθεῖν ¹⁰⁸ ἐκμαθεῖν ¹⁰⁹ τὸ ποθοῦν ¹¹⁰

mvp-comment-102-4 (3) It remains, then, to take τὸ ποθοῦν ¹¹¹

mvp-comment-103-1 οὐχ ἑκών, ἑκοῦσι δὲ ¹¹²

mvp-comment-104-1 τὸν Οἴτης ἄτομον … λειμῶν’ ¹¹³ ἄτομον ¹¹⁴

mvp-comment-105-1 ἀλλὰ ¹¹⁵ σὺν χρόνῳ ¹¹⁶

mvp-comment-106-1 εἴσω ¹¹⁷ ἔσω ¹¹⁸

mvp-comment-106-2 στέγης … αὐλῆς ¹¹⁹

mvp-comment-106-3 ὄμμα φήμης τῆσδε, ἄελπτον ἐμοὶ ἀνασχόν ¹²⁰

mvp-comment-106-4 The wording here, ὡς … ἀνασχόν ¹²¹ τῆσδε ¹²² τῆσδ’ ὃ ¹²³ ἄελπτον ¹²⁴

mvp-comment-107-1 This lively ‘dance-song’ (

ὑπόρχημα

) is the direct response of the Chorus to Deianeira's appeal (202

φωνήσατ’

),—expressing their delight at the good news. As Dr. W. Christ, who calls it ‘a paean to Artemis and Apollo,’ justly remarks ( Metrik § 443), its contents clearly point to a distribution of the verses between different singers. (1) The first part, down to v. 215 (

Νύμφας

), is an invitation to song and dance; this would be given either by the coryphaeus, or by the leader of one semichorus. (2) The second part, vv. 216—220 (

ἀείρομ’...ἅμιλλαν

), is the response, delivered by the leader of the other semichorus. (3) Then, at v. 221, the whole Chorus joins in with the refrain of the paean,

ἰὼ ἰὼ Παιάν

. (4) The coryphaeus then gives the last three verses, which introduce the next scene.—For the metres, see Metrical Analysis.

mvp-comment-107-2 ἀνολολυξάτω ¹²⁵ δόμοις ¹²⁶ ἁ ¹²⁷ ὁ ¹²⁸ δόμοις ¹²⁹ ἐφεστίοις ¹³⁰ ἐν δὲ κοινὸς ἀρσένων ¹³¹

mvp-comment-107-3 Hence we have to choose between these views, of which I prefer the first. (1) ἁ μελλόνυμφος ¹³² ἁ μελλόνυμφος ¹³³ δόμος … ὁ μελλόνυμφος ¹³⁴

mvp-comment-107-4 ἀνολολυξάτω ¹³⁵

mvp-comment-107-5 δόμοις ¹³⁶ ἀλαλαῖς ¹³⁷

mvp-comment-108-1 κοινὸς ¹³⁸ τὸν εὐφ. Ἀπ ¹³⁹ ἴτω κλαγγὰ ¹⁴⁰

mvp-comment-109-1 ἀνάγετ’ ¹⁴¹

mvp-comment-110-1 Ἄρτεμιν Ὀρτυγίαν ¹⁴²

mvp-comment-110-2 Artemis was worshipped on the coasts near Malis (637 n.), but we have no proof that the name

Ὀρτυγία

was specially given to her there. Perhaps the poet uses it here merely as one of her standing epithets.

mvp-comment-110-3 ἐλαφαβόλον ¹⁴³

mvp-comment-110-4 ἀμφίπυρον ¹⁴⁴

mvp-comment-110-5 Νύμφας ¹⁴⁵

mvp-comment-111-1 ἀείρομ’ ¹⁴⁶

mvp-comment-112-1 τὸν αὐλόν ¹⁴⁷ ὦ τύραννε ¹⁴⁸ τᾶς ἐμᾶς φρενός ¹⁴⁹

mvp-comment-113-1 ἰδού μ’ ¹⁵⁰ εὐοῖ ¹⁵¹ ἀναταράσσει ¹⁵²

mvp-comment-113-2 ὁ κισσός ¹⁵³

mvp-comment-113-3 βακχίαν … ἅμιλλαν ¹⁵⁴

mvp-comment-114-1 ἰὼ ἰὼ Παιάν ¹⁵⁵

mvp-comment-115-1 ἵδ’ ¹⁵⁶ ἴδε ἴδ’ ¹⁵⁷

mvp-comment-116-1 τάδ’ ¹⁵⁸

mvp-comment-116-2 ἐναργῆ ¹⁵⁹ ἀντίπρῳρα ¹⁶⁰

mvp-comment-117-1 οὐδέ μ’ ὄμματος φρουρὰν παρῇλθε ¹⁶¹ παρῆλθε ¹⁶² φρουρὰ ¹⁶³

mvp-comment-118-1 προὐννέπω ¹⁶⁴

mvp-comment-118-2 φέρεις ¹⁶⁵ καὶ ¹⁶⁶

mvp-comment-119-1 ἀλλ’ ¹⁶⁷

mvp-comment-120-1 κατ’ ἔργου κτῆσιν ¹⁶⁸

mvp-comment-120-2 ἄνδρα γὰρ ¹⁶⁹

mvp-comment-120-3 καλῶς πράσσοντ’ ¹⁷⁰ καλῶς ¹⁷¹ καλά ¹⁷²

mvp-comment-121-1 ἃ πρῶτα βούλομαι ¹⁷³ ‐εα ¹⁷⁴

mvp-comment-122-1 ἔγωγέ τοι ¹⁷⁵

mvp-comment-122-2 ἔλειπον ¹⁷⁶ ζῶντα ¹⁷⁷ τε καί ¹⁷⁸ ἰσχύοντα ¹⁷⁹ καί ¹⁸⁰ θάλλοντα ¹⁸¹

mvp-comment-123-1 ποῦ γῆς ¹⁸² πατρῴας εἴτε βαρβάρου ¹⁸³ εἴτε ¹⁸⁴ εἴτε ¹⁸⁵

mvp-comment-123-2 ποῦ γῆς; πατρῴας εἴτε βαρβάρου; λέγε ¹⁸⁶

mvp-comment-123-3 ποῦ γῆς; πατρῴας εἴτε βαρβάρου, λέγε ¹⁸⁷

mvp-comment-123-4 πατρῴας ¹⁸⁸

mvp-comment-124-1 Εὐβοίς ¹⁸⁹

mvp-comment-124-2 ὁρίζεται βωμοὺς ¹⁹⁰ βωμοὺς ¹⁹¹

mvp-comment-124-3 τέλη τ’ ἔγκαρπα ¹⁹²

mvp-comment-125-1 εὐκταῖα … ἢ )πὸ μαντείας ¹⁹³

mvp-comment-125-2 φαίνων ¹⁹⁴

mvp-comment-126-1 εὐχαῖς ¹⁹⁵

mvp-comment-126-2 ἀνάστατον ¹⁹⁶

mvp-comment-127-1 ὧν ¹⁹⁷

mvp-comment-127-2 ἐν ὄμμασιν ¹⁹⁸

mvp-comment-128-1 τοῦ ποτ’ εἰσὶ ¹⁹⁹ ἐκεῖνος ²⁰⁰

mvp-comment-129-1 οἰκτραὶ γάρ ²⁰¹

mvp-comment-129-2 ξυμφοραὶ ²⁰² ξυμφορᾷ ²⁰³

mvp-comment-130-1 ἐξείλεθ’ ²⁰⁴ αὑτῷ ²⁰⁵ θεοῖς ²⁰⁶

mvp-comment-131-1 ἦ κἀπὶ ²⁰⁷

mvp-comment-131-2 ἄσκοπον ²⁰⁸

mvp-comment-131-3 ἡμερῶν ²⁰⁹ ἀνήριθμον ²¹⁰ χρόνον ²¹¹

mvp-comment-131-4 The form

ἀνήριθμος

is of a frequent type. When the second part of a compound adj. has a disyllabic stem (usu. a verbal stem), beginning with a short vowel, this vowel may be lengthened. Such forms were oft. convenient in poetry (as

ἀνήροτος, εὐήνεμος, φιλήρετμος

), but many of them were equally current in good prose (as

ἀνήκεστος, ἀνήνυτος, ἀνηλεῶς, εὐώνυμος

). The restriction of

ἀνήριθμος

to classical poetry and late prose (as Athen. p. 253 F) is not due to 1ts form, but to the fact that classical prose preferred

ἀναρίθμητος

. Tragedy uses

ἀνάριθμος

(

α^

) where it suits the metre (as in El.225 ). In Theocr. 15. 45

ἀνάριθμοι

(

α—

) is Doric for

ἀνήριθμοι

mvp-comment-132-1 τὸν μὲν πλεῖστον … χρόνον ²¹² ὡς φήσ’ αὐτός ²¹³

mvp-comment-133-1 ἐμποληθείς ²¹⁴

mvp-comment-133-2 τοῦ λόγου … φθόνον ²¹⁵

mvp-comment-133-3 προσεῖναι ²¹⁶

mvp-comment-133-4 ὅτου ²¹⁷ ὅτου ²¹⁸ τοῦ λόγου ²¹⁹

mvp-comment-133-5 πράκτωρ φανῇ ²²⁰

mvp-comment-133-6 The meaning is:—‘You may think that the humiliation of Heracles ought not to be related by his servant to his wife. But this humiliation was imposed by Zeus himself, and can therefore be related without reflecting upon Heracles.’

mvp-comment-134-1 κεῖνος δὲ ²²¹ ἐν Λυδοῖς ²²² χρόνον ²²³

mvp-comment-134-2 πραθεὶς … Ὀμφάλῃ ²²⁴

mvp-comment-134-3 Two tragic poets of the fifth century B.C., Ionof Chios and Achaeus, had written an

Ὀμφάλη σατυρική

. Two poets of the Middle Comedy, Antiphanes (Athen. 112 C) and Cratinus jun. (id. 669 B) wrote an

Ὀμφάλη

, picturing Heracles abandoned to sensuous pleasures. Itis the more noteworthy how Sophocles, in lightly touching on this episode, has guarded his hero's dignity. For he speaks only of servile labours for the Lydian taskmistress (70 It, 356 ); and marks how the bondsman felt his disgrace (254).

mvp-comment-135-1 ἐνιαυτὸν ²²⁵

mvp-comment-136-1 λαβὼν ²²⁶

mvp-comment-137-1 ὅρκον αὑτῷ προσβαλὼν ²²⁷

mvp-comment-137-2 ἦ μὴν ²²⁸

mvp-comment-137-3 τὸν ἀγχιστῆρα τοῦδε τοῦ πάθους ²²⁹

mvp-comment-137-4 No emendation is probable. Nauck's αὐτόχειρα ²³⁰

mvp-comment-138-1 ξὺν παιδὶ καὶ γυναικὶ ²³¹ παισὶ ²³²

mvp-comment-138-2 ἔτι ²³³

mvp-comment-139-1 κοὐχ ἡλίωσε τοὔπος ²³⁴

mvp-comment-139-2 ὅθ’ ἁγνὸς ἦν ²³⁵ ἁγνός ²³⁶

mvp-comment-140-1 στρατὸν … ἐπακτὸν ²³⁷

mvp-comment-140-2 ἔρχεται ²³⁸

mvp-comment-140-3 πόλιν τὴν Εὐρυτείάν ²³⁹

mvp-comment-141-1 ἐφέστιον ²⁴⁰ ἐς δόμους ²⁴¹ ἐλθόντ’ … ἐφέστιον ²⁴²

mvp-comment-142-1 ξένον παλαιὸν ὄντα ²⁴³

mvp-comment-143-1 ἐπερρόθησε ²⁴⁴

mvp-comment-143-2 From

ἐπερρόθησε

a verb of more general sense, such as

ὕβρισε

, is to be supplied with ἀτηρᾷ φρενί ²⁴⁵ γόγοις ²⁴⁶ φρενί ²⁴⁷ δείπνοις δ’ ²⁴⁸

mvp-comment-143-3 Others understand :—‘railed against him both with (rude) words and with evil intent.’ To this there are two objections. (1) Since all the supposed affronts are then verbal, the antithesis would require an epithet for λόγοις ²⁴⁹ ἀτηρᾷ ²⁵⁰ πολλὰ μὲν … πολλὰ δέ ²⁵¹

mvp-comment-143-4 The text is clearly (I think) sound. It is unwarrantable, as it is undesirable, to strike out πολλὰ δ’ … χεροῖν μὲν ²⁵²

mvp-comment-144-1 λέγων χεροῖν μὲν ²⁵³ δὲ ²⁵⁴ λέγων ²⁵⁵

mvp-comment-144-2 τῶν ὧν τέκνων ²⁵⁶

mvp-comment-144-3 λείποιτο ²⁵⁷

mvp-comment-145-1 φωνεῖ δὲ ²⁵⁸ ῥαίοιτο ²⁵⁹

mvp-comment-145-2 ἀνδρὸς … ἐλευθέρου ²⁶⁰ δοῦλος ²⁶¹

mvp-comment-145-3 ῥαίοιτο ²⁶²

mvp-comment-145-4 The conject.

φανεὶς δὲ δοῦλος ἀνδρος ἀντ’ ἐλευθέρου

(cr. n.) has been received by several edd., who cite Ai.1020

δοῦλος λόγοισιν ἀντ’ ἐλευθέρου φανείς

. There, however, the force of

φανείς

depends on

λόγοισιν

: ‘represented,’ ‘made out,’ in his taunting words, to be a slave. Here

φανείς

would mean simply, ‘found to be.’

mvp-comment-145-5 δείπνοις ²⁶³

mvp-comment-145-6 ᾠνωμένος ²⁶⁴

mvp-comment-145-7 ἔρριψεν ἐκτὸς αὐτόν ²⁶⁵

mvp-comment-145-8 ὧν ἔχων χόλον ²⁶⁶

mvp-comment-146-1 αὖθις ²⁶⁷

mvp-comment-146-2 Τιρυνθίαν … κλιτύν ²⁶⁸ υ^ ²⁶⁹ κλιτύν ²⁷⁰

mvp-comment-146-3 ἵππους νομάδας ²⁷¹ νομάδας ²⁷²

mvp-comment-147-1 ἄλλοσ’ … ὄμμα, θατέρᾳ δὲ νοῦν ἔχοντ’ ²⁷³ θατέρᾳ ²⁷⁴ ἄλλοσε ²⁷⁵

mvp-comment-147-2 πυργώδους πλακός ²⁷⁶

mvp-comment-148-1 ὁ τῶν ἁπάντων ²⁷⁷

mvp-comment-149-1 πρατόν νιν ἐξέπεμψεν ²⁷⁸ οὐδ’ ἠνέσχετο ²⁷⁹ ὁθούνεκ’ ²⁸⁰ μοῦνον ²⁸¹

mvp-comment-150-1 ἠμύνατο ²⁸²

mvp-comment-151-1 χειρουμένῳ ²⁸³

mvp-comment-151-2 οὐδὲ δαίμονες ²⁸⁴

mvp-comment-152-1 κεῖνοι δ’ ²⁸⁵

mvp-comment-152-2 ὑπερχλίοντες ²⁸⁶

mvp-comment-152-3 ἐκ γλώσσης κακῆς ²⁸⁷

mvp-comment-152-4 282 For αὐτοὶ μὲν ²⁸⁸ κεῖνοι ²⁸⁹ πόλις δὲ ²⁹⁰

mvp-comment-152-5 οἰκήτορες ²⁹¹

mvp-comment-153-1 τάσδε ²⁹² ἅσπερ ²⁹³ ἐξ ὀλβίων ²⁹⁴

mvp-comment-154-1 χωροῦσι πρὸς σέ ²⁹⁵

mvp-comment-154-2 πόσις τε … ἐγὼ δὲ ²⁹⁶ ἐφεῖτο ²⁹⁷ τελῶ ²⁹⁸

mvp-comment-155-1 ἁγνὰ θύματα ²⁹⁹ τῆς ἁλώσεως ³⁰⁰

mvp-comment-156-1 φρόνει νιν ὡς ἥξοντα ³⁰¹ νιν ³⁰² ὡς ³⁰³

mvp-comment-157-1 καλῶς ³⁰⁴

mvp-comment-158-1 νῦν σοι τέρψις ἐμφανὴς κυρεῖ ³⁰⁵

mvp-comment-158-2 τῶν μὲν ³⁰⁶ τὰ δὲ ³⁰⁷

mvp-comment-159-1 πανδίκῳ φρενί ³⁰⁸

mvp-comment-160-1 τῇδε ³⁰⁹ τοῦτο ³¹⁰

mvp-comment-160-2 The rejection of this verse (see cr. n.) would be deplorable. Deianeira rejoices, but <*>ls a certain sadness, and knows that she cannot help showing it; all the more she wishes to assure them how real her joy is.

mvp-comment-161-1 τοῖσιν εὖ σκοπουμένοις ³¹¹

mvp-comment-161-2 ταρβεῖν τὸν εὖ πράσσοντα ³¹²

mvp-comment-161-3 This shadow which flits across Deianeira's joy is the more dramatically impressive for the spectators, because it arises so naturally out of her tender sympathy for the captives. It is a touch worthy of the greatest master.

mvp-comment-162-1 ἐμοὶ … εἰσέβη ³¹³

mvp-comment-162-2 δεινὸς ³¹⁴

mvp-comment-163-1 ἀπάτορας ³¹⁵

mvp-comment-163-2 301 f. For ἴσως ³¹⁶ ἐξ ἐλευθέρων ἀνδρῶν ³¹⁷ ἀνδρῶν ³¹⁸ ἀπάτορας ³¹⁹

mvp-comment-164-1 ὦ Ζεῦ τροπαῖε ³²⁰

mvp-comment-164-2 τοὐμὸν σπέρμα ³²¹

mvp-comment-164-3 χωρήσαντα ³²² εἰς ³²³ πρὸς ³²⁴ σε ³²⁵ που ³²⁶

mvp-comment-165-1 μηδ’, εἴ τι δράσεις ³²⁷ εἰ ³²⁸ ζώσης ³²⁹

mvp-comment-165-2 This verse is a development of μή ποτ’ εἰσίδοιμι ³³⁰

mvp-comment-165-3 The objection to the verse as illogical assumes that the

δέ

in μηδέ ³³¹

mvp-comment-166-1 τεκνοῦσσα ³³² τεκοῦσα ³³³

mvp-comment-166-2 πρὸς … φύσιν ³³⁴ πάντων … τῶνδε ³³⁵

mvp-comment-166-3 γενναία ³³⁶

mvp-comment-167-1 ὁ φιτύσας πατήρ ³³⁷

mvp-comment-167-2 ᾤκτισα ³³⁸

mvp-comment-167-3 ὅσῳπερ ³³⁹ μόνη ³⁴⁰

mvp-comment-167-4 φρονεῖν οἶδεν ³⁴¹ φρονεῖν ³⁴²

mvp-comment-167-5 314 f. For καὶ ³⁴³ κρίνοις ³⁴⁴

mvp-comment-167-6 γέννημα τῶν ἐκεῖθεν ³⁴⁵ οὐκ ἐν ὑστάτοις ³⁴⁶

mvp-comment-168-1 μὴ τῶν τυράννων ³⁴⁷

mvp-comment-168-2 Εὐρύτου σπορά τις ἦν ³⁴⁸ τις ³⁴⁹

mvp-comment-169-1 ἀνιστόρουν ³⁵⁰

mvp-comment-169-2 μακράν ³⁵¹

mvp-comment-170-1 ξυνεμπόρων ³⁵²

mvp-comment-170-2 ἔχεις ³⁵³

mvp-comment-170-3 ἤνυτον ³⁵⁴

mvp-comment-171-1 ἀλλ’ ἡμὶν ³⁵⁵

mvp-comment-172-1 καὶ ³⁵⁶ ξυμφορά ³⁵⁷

mvp-comment-173-1 οὔ τἄρα ³⁵⁸ οὐδὲν ἐξ ἴσου ³⁵⁹ τῷ γε πρόσθεν χρόνῳ ³⁶⁰ ἐξ ἴσου ³⁶¹ διοίσει ³⁶² γλῶσσαν ³⁶³ διοίσει ³⁶⁴

mvp-comment-173-2 ἤτις ³⁶⁵

mvp-comment-173-3 οὐδαμὰ ³⁶⁶

mvp-comment-174-1 οὔτε μείζον’ οὔτ’ ἐλάσσονα ³⁶⁷

mvp-comment-175-1 ὠδίνουσα … βάρος ³⁶⁸

mvp-comment-176-1 διήνεμον ³⁶⁹ πάτραν ³⁷⁰

mvp-comment-176-2 ἡ … τὐχη ³⁷¹

mvp-comment-176-3 αὐτῇ γ’ ³⁷² γ’ ³⁷³

mvp-comment-176-4 συγγνώμην ἔχει ³⁷⁴

mvp-comment-177-1 ἡ δ’ οὖν ³⁷⁵ ἡ δ’ ³⁷⁶ ἥδ’ ³⁷⁷

mvp-comment-177-2 οὕτως ὅπως ἥδιστα ³⁷⁸

mvp-comment-177-3 331 Among the attempts to amend

λύπην...λύπην

(cr. n.), the two best, I think, are, (1) ἄλλην … λύπην ³⁷⁹ λύπην … διπλῆν ³⁸⁰ διπλῆν ³⁸¹

mvp-comment-177-4 Almost all edd. retain the optat. λάβοι ³⁸² λάβῃ ³⁸³

mvp-comment-178-1 οἷ θέλεις σπεύδῃς ³⁸⁴

mvp-comment-178-2 ἐγὼ δὲ ³⁸⁵ σύ θ’ ³⁸⁶

mvp-comment-178-3 ἐξαρκῆ τιθῶ ³⁸⁷

mvp-comment-179-1 The

ἄγγελος

(180), who has listened in silence, now places himself between Deianeira and the door through which she is about to follow Lichas and the captives.

mvp-comment-179-2 αὐτοῦ γε πρῶτον βαιὸν ἀμμείνας’ ³⁸⁸ γε ³⁸⁹

mvp-comment-179-3 ἀμμείνας’ ³⁹⁰

mvp-comment-180-1 ἄνευ ³⁹¹ τ’ ³⁹² μάθῃς ³⁹³ μάθῃς ³⁹⁴ ἐκμάθῃς ³⁹⁵ οὕστινας ³⁹⁶

mvp-comment-180-2 ὧν τ’ οὐδὲν εἰσήκουσας ³⁹⁷

mvp-comment-181-1 πάντ’ ³⁹⁸

mvp-comment-182-1 τί δ’ ἔστι ³⁹⁹

mvp-comment-182-2 τοῦ ⁴⁰⁰

mvp-comment-182-3 ἐφίστασαί με ⁴⁰¹ τήνδε βάσιν ⁴⁰²

mvp-comment-182-4 The midd.

ἐφίσταμαι

does not elsewhere occur in a causal sense (except in the aor., as Xen. Cyr.8. 2. 19

φρουροὺς ἐπεστησά μην

). But the causal use of

καθίσταμαι

( Aesch. Eum.706

φρούρημα γῆς καθίσταμαι

, Thuc.2. 6

τά τ’ ἐν τῇ πόλει καθίσταντο

) appears to warrant a like use of

ἐφίσταμαι

, where, as here, the context helps to explain it. Cp. also Plat. Tim. 63 C

γεώδη γένη διϊστάμενοι

, ‘separating.’ [But we cannot properly compare O. C.916

παρίστασαι

, ‘you bring to your own side,’ ‘subjugate’: nor Plat. Rep. 565C

ἕνα τινὰ...δῆμος εἴωθε...προΐστασθαι ἑαυτοῦ

: where there is a special reason for using the midd.] The midd.

προσορωμένα

in Soph. O. C.244 is similarly unique, and has a like justification.

mvp-comment-182-5 A fact which confirms this view is that

ἐφιστάναι, ἐφίστασθαι

were regularly used with ref. to a halt. Xen. An.2. 4. 26

ἐπορεύετο δὲ ἄλλοτε καὶ ἄλλοτε ἐφιστάμενος. ὅσον δὲ χρόνον τὸ ἡγούμενον τοῦ στρατεύματος ἐπιστήσειε, τοσοῦτον ἦν ἀνάγκη χρόνον δἰ ὅλου τοῦ στρατεύματος γίγνεσθαι τὴν ἐπίστασιν

. (For

ἐπίστασις

, ‘a halt,’ cp. Soph. Ant.225 n.) Polyb. 16. 34. 2

ἐπιστήσαντες...τὴν ὁρμήν

. Diod.17. 112

τὴν ὁδὸν...ἐπιστήσας

. Plut. Cim. 1

ἐπιστήσας...τὴν πορείαν

. Arrian 5. 16. 1

ἐπέστησε τοὺς ἱππέας τοῦ πρόσω

mvp-comment-182-6 Another explanation is: τοῦ με ἐφίστασαι ⁴⁰³ τήνδε βάσιν ⁴⁰⁴ με ⁴⁰⁵ μοι ⁴⁰⁶ τοῦ ⁴⁰⁷ ἐφ’ οὗ ⁴⁰⁸ με ⁴⁰⁹

mvp-comment-183-1 οὐδὲ τὸν πάρος … οὐδὲ νῦν ⁴¹⁰ οὐδὲ ⁴¹¹ οὔτε ⁴¹²

mvp-comment-183-2 μάτην ⁴¹³

mvp-comment-183-3 δοκῶ ⁴¹⁴

mvp-comment-184-1 ἐκείνους ⁴¹⁵ τούτους δ’ ἔα ⁴¹⁶ ἄνευ τῶνδ’ ⁴¹⁷

mvp-comment-184-2 ἢ )μοὶ ταῖσδέ τ’ ⁴¹⁸

mvp-comment-185-1 σοὶ ταῖσδέ τ’ οὐδὲν εἴργεται ⁴¹⁹ οὐδὲν ⁴²⁰ σοὶ ταῖσδέ τ’ ⁴²¹

mvp-comment-186-1 καὶ δὴ ⁴²²

mvp-comment-186-2 χὡ λόγος σημαινέτω ⁴²³

mvp-comment-187-1 δίκης ἐς ὀρθόν ⁴²⁴

mvp-comment-187-2 ἢ νῦν … ἢ πρόσθεν … παρῆν ⁴²⁵ κακός ⁴²⁶

mvp-comment-188-1 ἃ μὲν γὰρ ἐξείρηκας ⁴²⁷

mvp-comment-188-2 ἀγνοία ⁴²⁸

mvp-comment-189-1 μαρτύρων ⁴²⁹

mvp-comment-189-2 Εὔρυτόν θ’ ἕλοι τήν θ’ ὑψίπ. Οἰχαλίαν ⁴³⁰

mvp-comment-189-3 τὴν ὑψίπυργον ⁴³¹

mvp-comment-189-4 Οἰχαλίαν ⁴³²

mvp-comment-190-1 μόνος θεῶν ⁴³³

mvp-comment-190-2 θέλξειεν ⁴³⁴

mvp-comment-191-1 οὐ τἀπὶ Λυδοῖς ⁴³⁵ ὑπ’ ⁴³⁶ ἐπ’ ⁴³⁷ τἀπὶ ⁴³⁸ ἐπ’ ⁴³⁹

mvp-comment-191-2 πόνων λατρεύματ’ ⁴⁴⁰

mvp-comment-191-3 ὁ ῥιπτὸς … μόρος ⁴⁴¹

mvp-comment-191-4 Heracles had really killed Iphitus. The denial here refers only to the place which the murder held in the story told by Lichas. Heracles was instigated, not by the Lydian servitude which punished his crime, or by those affronts (262 ff.) which Lichas represented as having moved him to the crime, but, in reality, by the refusal of Eurytus to give him Iolè.

mvp-comment-192-1 ὃν ⁴⁴² ὃ ⁴⁴³ ὃν … παρώσας ⁴⁴⁴

mvp-comment-193-1 ἀλλ’ ἡνίκ’ ⁴⁴⁵ οὐκ ἔπειθε ⁴⁴⁶

mvp-comment-193-2 τὸν φυτοσπόρον ⁴⁴⁷

mvp-comment-194-1 κρύφιον ὡς ἔχοι λέχος ⁴⁴⁸ αἰτίαν ⁴⁴⁹

mvp-comment-194-2 ἑτοιμάσας ⁴⁵⁰

mvp-comment-194-3 362—

mvp-comment-195-1 ἐπιστρατεύει … ἄνακτα πατέρα ⁴⁵¹ τόνδ’ ⁴⁵² τῶνδ’ ⁴⁵³

mvp-comment-195-2 (1) It was needless to say that the girl's

πατρίς

was also the realm of Eurytus: cp. 244 f.: 283 ff.: 315. The excuse must be that the Messenger himself had not yet said so; he is wordy, and anxious, in his own fashion, to be lucid. The reading τόνδ’ ⁴⁵⁴ τῶνδ’ ⁴⁵⁵

mvp-comment-195-3 (2) Heracles is subject to ἐπιστρατεύει ⁴⁵⁶ κτείνει ⁴⁵⁷ εἶπε ⁴⁵⁸ δεσπόζειν ⁴⁵⁹ εἶπε ⁴⁶⁰

mvp-comment-195-4 (3) At v. 377 Deianeira asks,

ἆρ’ ἀνώνυμος

πέφυκεν

; i.e., ‘is she of obscure birth?’—and then, for the first time, learns that the girl's father is Eurytus. So she must have understood ἄνακτα ⁴⁶¹

mvp-comment-195-5 The only course which removes all these three difficulties is Hartung's,—who brackets the words τὴν ταύτης … πατέρα ⁴⁶²

mvp-comment-195-6 Others read τῶν Εὐρύτου τόνδ’, rendering: ‘in which (Lichas) said that Heracles (

τόνδ’

) holds’ [or ‘wishes to hold’] the throne of Eurytus.’ But Heracles simply laid Oechalia waste; there was no question of his reigning there.—Wecklein ingeniously reads τὸν ἐργάτην ⁴⁶³ τῶνδ’ ⁴⁶⁴

mvp-comment-195-7 For the change of tenses, cp. Ant.406 n.

mvp-comment-196-1 ἥκει ⁴⁶⁵ ἔπερσε ⁴⁶⁶ ἐντεθέρμανται ⁴⁶⁷ ἥκει ⁴⁶⁸

mvp-comment-196-2 δόμους ὡς τούσδε ⁴⁶⁹

mvp-comment-197-1 οὐδ’ εἰκός ⁴⁷⁰

mvp-comment-197-2 ἐντεθέρμανται ⁴⁷¹ ἐν‐ ⁴⁷² ἐκ‐ ⁴⁷³

mvp-comment-198-1 πρὸς μέσῃ Τραχινίων ἀγορᾷ ⁴⁷⁴ ἐν ⁴⁷⁵

mvp-comment-198-2 ἀγορᾷ ⁴⁷⁶

mvp-comment-198-3 Join ὡσαύτως ἐμοί ⁴⁷⁷

mvp-comment-199-1 τὸ δ’ ὀρθὸν ⁴⁷⁸

mvp-comment-200-1 ποῦ … πράγματος ⁴⁷⁹

mvp-comment-200-2 ὑπόστεγον ⁴⁸⁰

mvp-comment-201-1 ὦ δὐστηνος ⁴⁸¹ πέφυκεν ⁴⁸²

mvp-comment-201-2 This question seems strange after the words κτείνει τ’ ἄνακτα πατέρα τῆσδε ⁴⁸³

mvp-comment-201-3 διώμνυτο ⁴⁸⁴

mvp-comment-202-1 ἦ κάρτα ⁴⁸⁵

mvp-comment-202-2 The conject. ὄνομα ⁴⁸⁶ ὄμμα ⁴⁸⁷ ἆρ’ ἀνώνυμος πέφυκεν ⁴⁸⁸ ὄνομα ⁴⁸⁹ φύσιν ⁴⁹⁰ κατ’ ὄμμα ⁴⁹¹

mvp-comment-202-3 φύσιν ⁴⁹²

mvp-comment-202-4 In some ancient texts this verse was given to Deianeira. Among recent editors, Paley shares that view. But: (1) If Deianeira has already answered her own question, the Messenger's speech opens weakly with v. 380. (2) It agrees best with the practice of Sophocles to suppose that ἦ κάρτα ⁴⁹³ ἢ ⁴⁹⁴ ἦ ⁴⁹⁵ φύσιν ⁴⁹⁶ διώμνυτο ⁴⁹⁷

mvp-comment-203-1 πατρὸς μὲν οὖσα ⁴⁹⁸ Ἰόλη )καλεῖτο ⁴⁹⁹ ποτέ ⁵⁰⁰ )καλεῖτο ⁵⁰¹ οὖσα ⁵⁰²

mvp-comment-203-2 Ἰόλη ⁵⁰³

mvp-comment-203-3 τῆς ⁵⁰⁴

mvp-comment-204-1 βλάστας ⁵⁰⁵

mvp-comment-204-2 οὐδὲν ἱστορῶν ⁵⁰⁶

mvp-comment-204-3 Many editors place a comma after ἐφώνει ⁵⁰⁷ δῆθεν ⁵⁰⁸ δῆθεν ⁵⁰⁹ οὐδὲν ἱστορῶν ⁵¹⁰

mvp-comment-205-1 ὄλοιντο ⁵¹¹

mvp-comment-205-2 The comment is aimed at Lichas in the first instance; but its vague form seems purposed, so that the hearers may extend it, if they please, to Heracles. Deianeira herself is in doubt whether the dissimulation practised by Lichas was prompted by her lord (449): Lichas explains that it was not so (479 f.). The schol.'s paraphrase shows that he wished to punctuate thus:

ὄλοιντο, μή τι πάντες, οἱ κακοί

, etc.: ‘perish, not all men, but the evil; and (especially) he,’ etc.

mvp-comment-205-3 τὰ δὲ ⁵¹² δὲ ⁵¹³

mvp-comment-205-4 μὴ ⁵¹⁴ πρέπονθ’ αὑτῷ ⁵¹⁵

mvp-comment-206-1 ποεῖν ⁵¹⁶

mvp-comment-207-1 πεύθου ⁵¹⁷ πυθοῦ ⁵¹⁸

mvp-comment-207-2 σαφῆ ⁵¹⁹

mvp-comment-208-1 οὐκ ἀπὸ γνώμης ⁵²⁰

mvp-comment-208-2 The accent in L here,

ἄπο γνώμης

, represents the theory that this prep. should be paroxytone when it means ‘at a distance from,’ as in the phrases cited above, and in

ἀπὸ τείχεος

( Il.9. 353 ),

ἀπὸ σεῖο

( ib. 437), etc. But this was merely a refinement due to comparatively late grammarians: see Ellendt, Lex. Soph. p. 79 a: Matthiae Gr. § 572 n. b.

mvp-comment-209-1 οὐκ ἐμῶν ὑπ’ ἀγγέλων ⁵²¹ αὐτόκλητος ⁵²²

mvp-comment-210-1 ὡς ὁρᾷς ⁵²³ εἰσορᾷς ⁵²⁴ εἰσορᾷς ⁵²⁵ ὡς ⁵²⁶ ἕρποντος ἐμοῦ, εἰσορᾷς ⁵²⁷ ὡς ἕρποντος ἐμοῦ ⁵²⁸ εἰσορᾷς ⁵²⁹ εἰσορᾷς ὡς ἕρποντος ἐμοῦ ⁵³⁰ εἰσορᾷς ⁵³¹

mvp-comment-210-2 As regards ὡς ὁρᾷς ⁵³² ὡς ⁵³³

mvp-comment-211-1 ἐκ ταχείας ⁵³⁴

mvp-comment-211-2 σὺν χρόνῳ … βραδεῖ ⁵³⁵

mvp-comment-211-3 πρὶν ἡμᾶς κἀννεώσασθαι λόγους ⁵³⁶

mvp-comment-212-1 ἦ καὶ ⁵³⁷

mvp-comment-212-2 τὸ πιστὸν τῆς ἀλη‐ ⁵³⁸ θείας ⁵³⁹

mvp-comment-212-3 νεμεῖς ⁵⁴⁰

mvp-comment-212-4 Even without the hint in the schol. (cr. n.), it would have been clear that νεμεῖς ⁵⁴¹ νέμεις ⁵⁴²

mvp-comment-213-1 As to Nauck's change in the order of these verses (cr. n.), it is enough to observe that (1) Lichas could not reply to the question of his

δέσποινα

with such a rebuff as σὺ δ’ εἰς τί δή με ⁵⁴³ τόλμησον εἰπεῖν, εἰ φρονεῖς ⁵⁴⁴

mvp-comment-214-1 οὗτος, βλέφ’ ὧδε ⁵⁴⁵

mvp-comment-215-1 σὺ δ’ ⁵⁴⁶

mvp-comment-216-1 τόλμησον ⁵⁴⁷

mvp-comment-216-2 εἰ φρονεῖς ⁵⁴⁸

mvp-comment-216-3 ἱστορῶ ⁵⁴⁹

mvp-comment-216-4 406 f. If δάμαρτα ⁵⁵⁰ δεσπότιν ⁵⁵¹ θ’ ⁵⁵² δ’ ⁵⁵³ δέ … δέ ⁵⁵⁴ τε … τε. — λεύσσων μάταια ⁵⁵⁵

mvp-comment-217-1 δίκαια ⁵⁵⁶

mvp-comment-218-1 δίκαιος ⁵⁵⁷

mvp-comment-219-1 ποικίλας ⁵⁵⁸

mvp-comment-220-1 ἱστορούμενος ⁵⁵⁹

mvp-comment-221-1 κάτοισθα ⁵⁶⁰

mvp-comment-222-1 ἣν ὑπ’ ἀγνοίας ὁρᾷς ⁵⁶¹ ὑπ’ ἀγνοίας ⁵⁶² ὑπ’ ἀγνοίας ⁵⁶³

mvp-comment-222-2 On the whole, I do not feel sure that there is a corruption. If there is, it probably lies deep. Some conjectures are noticed in the Appendix.

mvp-comment-223-1 τίς πόθεν μολὼν ⁵⁶⁴

mvp-comment-224-1 πολλοῖσιν ἀστῶν ⁵⁶⁵ ποίοις ἐν ἀνθρώποισι ⁵⁶⁶

mvp-comment-224-2 ἀγορᾷ ⁵⁶⁷

mvp-comment-224-3 ταῦτά ⁵⁶⁸ γ’ ⁵⁶⁹ γε ⁵⁷⁰

mvp-comment-224-4 425 If the MS. ναί ⁵⁷¹ γε ⁵⁷² κλύειν ⁵⁷³ ναί ⁵⁷⁴

mvp-comment-224-5 ταὐτὸ ⁵⁷⁵

mvp-comment-224-6 426 The antithesis is between the whole phrases, δόκησιν ⁵⁷⁶ ἐξακριβῶσαι ⁵⁷⁷

mvp-comment-225-1 ποίαν δόκησιν ⁵⁷⁸

mvp-comment-226-1 ἐγὼ δάμαρτα ⁵⁷⁹

mvp-comment-226-2 431 The emphatic σοῦ ⁵⁸⁰ σου ⁵⁸¹ ἤκουσεν ⁵⁸² ἤκουσα ⁵⁸³

mvp-comment-227-1 ἡ Λυδία ⁵⁸⁴ ἡ Λυδία ⁵⁸⁵ ὁ τῆσδ’ ἔρως φανείς ⁵⁸⁶ ὡς ταύτης πόθῳ ⁵⁸⁷

mvp-comment-228-1 ἀποστήτω ⁵⁸⁸

mvp-comment-229-1 πρός σε τοῦ … Διός ⁵⁸⁹

mvp-comment-229-2 νάπος ⁵⁹⁰

mvp-comment-229-3 ἐκκλέψῃς λόγον ⁵⁹¹

mvp-comment-230-1 Deianeira argues:—(1) 438 —448: he need not fear that she will feel rancour against Heracles or Iolè: (2) 449—454: falsehood would be disgraceful for him,—and, if his motive were kind, useless: (3) 455 f.: detection would be certain: (4) 457 ff.: he need not be afraid of paining her. (5) In vv. 461— 467 she returns to the first topic.

mvp-comment-230-2 κακῇ ⁵⁹²

mvp-comment-230-3 τἀνθρώπων ⁵⁹³

mvp-comment-230-4 πέφυκεν ⁵⁹⁴ πεφύκας’ ⁵⁹⁵

mvp-comment-231-1 Ἔρωτι μέν νυν ⁵⁹⁶

mvp-comment-231-2 πύκτης ὅπως ⁵⁹⁷

mvp-comment-231-3 οὐ καλῶς φρονεῖ ⁵⁹⁸

mvp-comment-232-1 ἄρχει καὶ θεῶν ⁵⁹⁹

mvp-comment-233-1 κἀμοῦ γε ⁶⁰⁰ γε ⁶⁰¹

mvp-comment-233-2 πῶς δ’ οὐ ⁶⁰²

mvp-comment-233-3 οἵας γ’ ἐμοῦ ⁶⁰³ γε ⁶⁰⁴

mvp-comment-233-4 Wunder and Nauck reject this beautiful verse, because: (1) by

κἀμοῦ γε

Deianeira implies that she is stronger than the gods; and also that she has been untrue to her husband: (2) she cannot assume that Iolè returns the passion of Heracles; nor does Iolè's feeling come into account here.

mvp-comment-234-1 τὠμῷ τ’ ἀνδρὶ ⁶⁰⁵ τε ⁶⁰⁶ ἢ ⁶⁰⁷

mvp-comment-234-2 τῇδε τῇ νόσῳ ⁶⁰⁸

mvp-comment-234-3 μεμπτός ⁶⁰⁹

mvp-comment-235-1 τοῦ μηδὲν αἰσχροῦ ⁶¹⁰ μηδ’ ἐμοὶ κακοῦ τινος ⁶¹¹ τοῦ ⁶¹²

mvp-comment-235-2 This is a remarkable passage, and it is of some moment to understand it rightly. The meaning is not merely that Iolè's relation to Heracles was excused by the omnipotence of Erôs. Concubinage (

παλλακία

) was not merely tolerated by Athenian opinion, but, in some measure, protected by law (see e.g. , Lys. or. 1 § 31 : Isae. or. 8 § 39 ). Its relation to the life of the family is illustrated by the Andromachè of Euripides; for though Andromachè is Trojan, and Hermionè Spartan, the sentiments are Athenian. A wife (

γαμετὴ γυνή

) who tolerates a

παλλακή

is there represented as proving her goodness of heart (

ἀρετή

, 226), and her wise moderation (938—942); she ought to be consoled by her higher place, and by the advantage which her children will have over the

νόθοι

mvp-comment-235-3 But is Deianeira in earnest here; or is she feigning acquiescence, to reassure Lichas? Presently she tells the Chorus that she cannot endure to share her home with Iolè (539—546). Probably Sophocles meant her to be sincere in both places. The faith in her own power to bear the trial is natural at this moment of excitement and suspense. Not less so is the reaction, when she knows the worst, and has had time to think.

mvp-comment-236-1 οὐκ ἔστι ταῦτ)· ἀλλ’ ⁶¹³ οὐκ ἔστι ταῦτα ⁶¹⁴

mvp-comment-236-2 μαθὼν … ἐκμανθάνεις ⁶¹⁵

mvp-comment-237-1 αὑτὸν ⁶¹⁶ ὀφθήσει ⁶¹⁷

mvp-comment-238-1 κὴρ ⁶¹⁸ πρόσεστιν ⁶¹⁹

mvp-comment-239-1 ὅπως δὲ λήσεις ⁶²⁰ ὅπως δὲ λήσεις ⁶²¹

mvp-comment-240-1 δέδοικας … ταρβεῖς ⁶²²

mvp-comment-240-2 τοῦτο ⁶²³

mvp-comment-241-1 πλείστας ἀνὴρ εἷς ⁶²⁴

mvp-comment-241-2 ἔγημε ⁶²⁵

mvp-comment-241-3 The legendary loves of Heracles were as numerous as the local myths which claimed Heracleid <*>escent for clans or houses. Thus his bride Megara connected him with Thebes; Astydameia, with Thessaly; Astyochè, with Epeirus; Epicastè, with Elis; Parthenopè, with Arcadia; Chalciopè, with Cos; the Thespiades, with Sardinia; and so forth. The number of his sons finally grew to about seventy, whose mothers are enumerated by Apollodorus (2. 7. 8).

mvp-comment-242-1 ἠνέγκατ’ ⁶²⁶

mvp-comment-242-2 ἥδε τε, οὐδ’ εἰ … ἐντακείῃ ⁶²⁷ ἂν ⁶²⁸ οὐδ’ ⁶²⁹ εἰ ⁶³⁰ ἂν ⁶³¹

mvp-comment-242-3 ἐντακείη τῷ φιλεῖν ⁶³²

mvp-comment-242-4 ἐντακείη ⁶³³ τῷ φιλεῖν ⁶³⁴

mvp-comment-242-5 The conject. ἐκτακείη ⁶³⁵

mvp-comment-243-1 ᾤκτιρα ⁶³⁶ δὴ ⁶³⁷

mvp-comment-244-1 ῥείτω κατ’ οὖρον ⁶³⁸ ἴτω ⁶³⁹ οὖρον ⁶⁴⁰

mvp-comment-244-2 κακὸν ⁶⁴¹

mvp-comment-244-3 πρὸς ἄλλον ⁶⁴² κακὸν ⁶⁴³ πρὸς ἄλλον εἶναι ⁶⁴⁴

mvp-comment-245-1 πιθοῦ λεγούσῃ ⁶⁴⁵ πείθου ⁶⁴⁶ πιθοῦ ⁶⁴⁷ γυναικὶ τῇδε ⁶⁴⁸

mvp-comment-246-1 ἀλλ’ ⁶⁴⁹ θνητὴν φρονοῦσαν θνητὰ ⁶⁵⁰ ἀγνώμονα ⁶⁵¹

mvp-comment-247-1 κρύψομαι ⁶⁵²

mvp-comment-248-1 ἔστιν γὰρ οὕτως ⁶⁵³

mvp-comment-249-1 ταύτης ὁ δεινὸς ἵμερος ⁶⁵⁴ ὁ δεινὸς ⁶⁵⁵

mvp-comment-249-2 ποθ’ ⁶⁵⁶

mvp-comment-249-3 διῆλθε ⁶⁵⁷ τῆσδ’ ⁶⁵⁸ ταύτης ⁶⁵⁹

mvp-comment-249-4 ἡ πολύφθορος ⁶⁶⁰

mvp-comment-249-5 πατρῷος ⁶⁶¹

mvp-comment-250-1 καὶ τὸ πρὸς κείνου ⁶⁶²

mvp-comment-251-1 εἴ τι τήνδ’ ἁμαρτ. ⁶⁶³

mvp-comment-251-2 νέμεις ⁶⁶⁴

mvp-comment-252-1 γε μὲν δὴ ⁶⁶⁵ ἐπεὶ ⁶⁶⁶

mvp-comment-253-1 στέργε ⁶⁶⁷ ἐς ⁶⁶⁸

mvp-comment-253-2 ἐμπέδως ⁶⁶⁹ ἐμπέδους ⁶⁷⁰

mvp-comment-253-3 488 f. Either τἄλλ’ ⁶⁷¹ χεροῖν ⁶⁷²

mvp-comment-254-1 καὶ ⁶⁷³ φρονοῦμεν ⁶⁷⁴

mvp-comment-255-1 νόσον γ’ ἐπακτὸν ἐξαρούμεθα ⁶⁷⁵ ἐπακτὸν ⁶⁷⁶ γε ⁶⁷⁷ ἐξαρούμεθα ⁶⁷⁸

mvp-comment-255-2 Others understand:—(1) ‘I shall not heighten the trouble already brought upon me by others’ (viz., the introduction of Iolè into the house, 376). But this sense for ἐξαρούμεθα ⁶⁷⁹ γε ⁶⁸⁰ νόσημ’ ⁶⁸¹

mvp-comment-255-3 θεοῖσι δυσμαχοῦντες ⁶⁸²

mvp-comment-256-1 λόγων τ’ ⁶⁸³

mvp-comment-256-2 λόγων … ἐπιστολὰς ⁶⁸⁴

mvp-comment-257-1 προσαρμόσαι ⁶⁸⁵

mvp-comment-257-2 This is the first mention of the fateful gift. An unobtrusive significance is given to it by two traits of expression. (1)

δῶρα

is drawn into the relative clause ( O. C.907 n.), and resumed, with a light emphasis, in

καὶ ταῦτ’

: cp. Ph.1247

ἅ γ’ ἔλαβες βουλαῖς ἐμαῖς

, |

πάλιν μεθεῖναι ταῦτα

. (2) A pause follows the second foot of the verse (

ἄγῃς

). Cp. 27 n.

mvp-comment-257-3 ἄγῃς ⁶⁸⁶ φέρῃς ⁶⁸⁷ δίκαια ⁶⁸⁸

mvp-comment-257-4 ὧδε ⁶⁸⁹ σὺν π. στόλῳ ⁶⁹⁰

mvp-comment-258-1 μέγα τι σθένος … νίκας ⁶⁹¹

mvp-comment-258-2 ἐκφέρεται ⁶⁹²

mvp-comment-259-1 θεῶν ⁶⁹³ παρέβαν ⁶⁹⁴

mvp-comment-259-2 Κρονίδαν ⁶⁹⁵

mvp-comment-260-1 τὸν ἔννυχον Ἅιδαν ⁶⁹⁶

mvp-comment-261-1 Ποσειδάωνα ⁶⁹⁷

mvp-comment-261-2 τινάκτορα γαίας ⁶⁹⁸

mvp-comment-262-1 ἐπὶ τάνδ’ … ἄκοιτιν ⁶⁹⁹

mvp-comment-262-2 Other explanations of

ἀμφίγυοι

here are these:—(1) ‘With massive limbs,’—

ἀμφί

being intensive. (2) ‘Dexterous combatants’: cp.

ἀμφιδέξιος

. (3) ‘Of dissimilar forms,’— i.e., man and bull.

mvp-comment-262-3 κατέβαν ⁷⁰⁰

mvp-comment-263-1 πάμπληκτα ⁷⁰¹

mvp-comment-263-2 παγκόνιτά τ’ ⁷⁰²

mvp-comment-263-3 ἐξῆλθον ἄεθλ’ ⁷⁰³

mvp-comment-263-4 ἄεθλα ⁷⁰⁴ ἀγώνων ⁷⁰⁵

mvp-comment-264-1 ποταμοῦ σθένος ⁷⁰⁶

mvp-comment-264-2 φάσμα ταύρου ⁷⁰⁷

mvp-comment-264-3 Acheloüs fights, then, as the

ἐναργὴς ταῦρος

,—not merely as the

ἀνδρείῳ κύτει βούπρῳρος

(12). Sophocles is here following the traditional version. The Homeric Scamander, in conflict with Achilles, roars ‘like a bull’ (

μεμυκὼς ἠΰτε ταῦρος

, Il.21. 237 ).

ἐντεῦθεν ὁρμηθέντες

(says the schol. there)

τὸν Ἀχελῷον ἐταύρωσαν Ἡρακλεῖ ἀγωνιζόμενον

. The taurine form was given to Acheloüs, in that combat, by Archilochus (schol. ib.), by Pindar (schol. Il.21. 194 ), and by the logographer Pherecydes ( Apollod.2. 6. 5 ): perhaps, too, by Panyasis, the author of an epic

Ἡράκλεια

. An engraved gem in the British Museum (King, Antique Gems II. pl. 34, fig. 3) shows Acheloüs as a bull, preparing to butt at Heracles. The gem is older than the time of Sophocles, and may, as Mr. Murray S. thinks, have followed the rendering of this subject on the still more archaic throne of Apollo at Amyclae ( Paus.3. 18. 5 ). Cp. n. on 520. This fight was a favourite theme in art: for the literature, see Roscher, Lex.p. 9.

mvp-comment-264-4 Ovid ( Met. 9. 1—100 ) departs from the old Greek version: his Acheloüs begins the fight in quasi-human form,—then turns into a serpent (63) ,—and then, as a last resource into a bull (80) .

mvp-comment-265-1 ἀπ’ Οἰνιαδᾶν ⁷⁰⁸

mvp-comment-265-2 Oeniadae was some twelve miles W.S.W. of Pleuron. As Heracles arrives from his famous home to the east, so it is fitting that the river-god should come from the western town which was a chief seat of his worship. The head of the Acheloüs appears on coins of Oeniadae.

mvp-comment-266-1 Βακχίας ⁷⁰⁹

mvp-comment-266-2 ἀπὸ ⁷¹⁰ ἄπο ⁷¹¹

mvp-comment-267-1 παλίντονα ⁷¹²

mvp-comment-267-2 λόγχας ⁷¹³

mvp-comment-267-3 ῥόπαλον ⁷¹⁴ λόγχας ⁷¹⁵ ῥόπαλον ⁷¹⁶ τόξα ⁷¹⁷

mvp-comment-268-1 ἀολλεῖς ⁷¹⁸ ἐς μέσον ⁷¹⁹

mvp-comment-269-1 μόνα δ’ ⁷²⁰

mvp-comment-269-2 ἐν μέσῳ ⁷²¹

mvp-comment-269-3 ῥαβδονόμει ⁷²²

mvp-comment-269-4 Aphroditè is here the only person near the two combatants ( ξυνοῦσα ⁷²³

mvp-comment-270-1 τότ’ ἦν χερός ⁷²⁴ χερὸς πάταγος ⁷²⁵ ἀμφίπλεκτοι κλίμακες ⁷²⁶ μετώπων πλήγματα ⁷²⁷

mvp-comment-270-2 For ἦν ⁷²⁸ ἦν δὲ ⁷²⁹

mvp-comment-271-1 ἀνάμιγδα ⁷³⁰

mvp-comment-271-2 κεράτων ⁷³¹

mvp-comment-272-1 ἦν ⁷³²

mvp-comment-272-2 ἀμφίπλεκτοι κλίμακες ⁷³³

mvp-comment-272-3 At any rate

κλιμακίζω

was a familiar term in Greek wrestling: cp. Plato comicus

Πρέσβεις

fr. 2

χαίρεις, οἶμαι, μεταπεττεύσας αὐτὸν διακλιμακίσας τε

(explained by Hesych. as

διαπαλαίσας

). For a like use of wrestling terms, cp. Ar. Eq.262 f. —One of the subjects on the archaic throne of Apollo at Amyclae was

ἡ πρὸς Ἀχελῷον Ἡρακλέους πάλη

( Paus.3. 18. 5 ).

mvp-comment-273-1 μετώπων … πλήγματα ⁷³⁴

mvp-comment-274-1 τηλαυγεῖ ⁷³⁵

mvp-comment-274-2 ὄχθῳ ⁷³⁶

mvp-comment-274-3 τὸν ὃν ⁷³⁷

mvp-comment-275-1 †ἐγὼ δὲ μάτηρ† μὲν οἷα φράζω ⁷³⁸

mvp-comment-275-2 The true key to this passage depends on observing the sequence of topics. (1) In 517—522,

τότ’ ἦν χερός...στόνος ἀμφοῖν

, we have a brief picture of the fight. (2) Then vv. 523—525,

ἁ δ’ εὐῶπις...ἀκοίταν

, mark Deianeira's suspense. (3) Next comes the obscure parenthesis,

ἐγὼ δὲ...φράζω

. (4) And then we return, at v. 527, to Deianeira's suspense,—not, however, in a form which adds anything new to vv. 523 —525, but in one which merely repeats their substance:—

τὸ δ’ ἀμφινείκητον...ἀμμένει

mvp-comment-275-3 Now, to justify such a repetition, it is manifest that (2) and (4) should be separated, not by a mere parenthesis, such as (3) now is, but by some further allusion to the fight. This inference is strengthened by the phrase,

τὸ δ’ ἀμφινείκητον ὄμμα νύμφας

, which gains point if a reference to the

νεῖκος

has immediately preceded.

mvp-comment-275-4 I believe that ἐγὼ ⁷³⁹ ἀγὼν ⁷⁴⁰ φράζω ⁷⁴¹ ἀγὼν δὲ μαργᾷ μέν, οἷα φράζω ⁷⁴² τὸ δ’ ἀμφινείκητον ⁷⁴³

mvp-comment-276-1 ὄμμα ⁷⁴⁴ ὄμμα νύμφας ⁷⁴⁵

mvp-comment-276-2 ἐλεινὸν ἀμμένει ⁷⁴⁶

mvp-comment-277-1 κἀπὸ ματρὸς ἄφαρ βέβακεν ⁷⁴⁷

mvp-comment-277-2 ἄφαρ ⁷⁴⁸

mvp-comment-278-1 ὥστε ⁷⁴⁹ ὥσπερ ⁷⁵⁰

mvp-comment-278-2 πόρτις ἐρήμα ⁷⁵¹

mvp-comment-279-1 ἦμος ⁷⁵² τῆμος ⁷⁵³

mvp-comment-279-2 ὁ ξένος ⁷⁵⁴

mvp-comment-279-3 θροεῖ ⁷⁵⁵

mvp-comment-279-4 ταῖς αἰχμ. παισὶν ⁷⁵⁶

mvp-comment-279-5 ὡς ἐπ’ ἐξόδῳ ⁷⁵⁷ ἐπ’ ἐξόδῳ ⁷⁵⁸

mvp-comment-279-6 θυραῖος ⁷⁵⁹

mvp-comment-280-1 τὰ μὲν ⁷⁶⁰ τὰ δ’ ⁷⁶¹

mvp-comment-280-2 χερσὶν ⁷⁶²

mvp-comment-280-3 συγκατοικτιουμένη ⁷⁶³

mvp-comment-281-1 κόρην ⁷⁶⁴ ἐζευγμένην ⁷⁶⁵

mvp-comment-282-1 παρεισδέδεγμαι ⁷⁶⁶ φόρ‐ ⁷⁶⁷ τον ⁷⁶⁸ παρεισδέδεγμαι ⁷⁶⁹

mvp-comment-282-2 λωβητὸν ⁷⁷⁰

mvp-comment-282-3 ἐμπόλημα ⁷⁷¹

mvp-comment-282-4 τῆς ἐμῆς φρενός ⁷⁷² λωβητὸν ⁷⁷³

mvp-comment-283-1 δὔ οὖσαι ⁷⁷⁴

mvp-comment-283-2 μιᾶς ὑπὸ χλαίνης ⁷⁷⁵

mvp-comment-283-3 ὑπαγκάλισμα ⁷⁷⁶

mvp-comment-283-4 Mr Murray S. has shown me a curious illustration of this passage. A vase of the 6th cent. B.C., now in the British Museum, depicts two women under the same

χλαῖνα

,—a symbolical representation, perhaps, of a common grief.

mvp-comment-284-1 ὁ … ἡμῖν καλούμενος ⁷⁷⁷

mvp-comment-284-2 πιστός ⁷⁷⁸

mvp-comment-285-1 οἰκούρια ⁷⁷⁹ τοῦ μακροῦ χρόνου ⁷⁸⁰

mvp-comment-286-1 οὐκ ἐπίσταμαι ⁷⁸¹

mvp-comment-286-2 τῇδε τῇ νόσῳ ⁷⁸²

mvp-comment-287-1 τὸ δ’ αὖ ξυνοικεῖν ⁷⁸³

mvp-comment-288-1 The text of this passage is, I believe, sound, though the diction is bold, and somewhat careless. The one

ἥβη

(Iolè's) is growing to the perfect flower, while the other (Deianeira's) is declining. (Cp. Ar. Lys.596

τῆς δὲ γυναικὸς σμικρὸς ὁ καιρός

.) In what follows, these points may be noted.

mvp-comment-288-2 (1) ὧν ⁷⁸⁴ ὧν ⁷⁸⁵

mvp-comment-288-3 (2) τῶν δ’ ὑπεκτρέπει πόδα ⁷⁸⁶

mvp-comment-288-4 (3) ἀφαρπάζειν ⁷⁸⁷

mvp-comment-288-5 (4) ὀφθαλμὸς ⁷⁸⁸

mvp-comment-289-1 ταῦτ’ οὖν ⁷⁸⁹

mvp-comment-289-2 καλῆται ⁷⁹⁰ καλεῖται ⁷⁹¹ καλῆται ⁷⁹²

mvp-comment-289-3 ἀνήρ ⁷⁹³

mvp-comment-290-1 ἀλλ’ οὐ γάρ ⁷⁹⁴

mvp-comment-290-2 553 f. The MSS. have ᾗ δ’ ἔχω ⁷⁹⁵ λυτήριον λύπημα ⁷⁹⁶ λύπημα ⁷⁹⁷ λώφημα ⁷⁹⁸

mvp-comment-290-3 Deianeira is here speaking of an expedient which gives her some hope, indeed, but no assured confidence (590 f.). This exactly suits the usage of

λωφᾶν

and its derivatives, which denote the alleviation of evil,—not its complete removal. Cp. Ai.61

ἐπειδὴ τοῦδ’ ἐλώφησεν πόνου

. Thuc.6. 12

ἀπὸ νόσου μεγάλης καὶ πολέμου βραχύ τι λελωφήκα<*>εν

. Plat. Legg. 854 C

ἐὰν μέν σοι δρῶντι ταῦτα λωφᾷ τι τὸ νόσημα

. Thuc. uses

λώφησις

, ‘abatement’ ( 4. 81

τοῦ πολέμου

). Deianeira, in bethinking her of the philtre, has found that which holds out a promise of deliverance, and assuages, though it does not cure, her pain,—a

λυτήριον λώφημα

mvp-comment-290-4 The attempted versions of

λυτήριον λύπημα

have been these:—(1) With a comma after

τῇδ’

: ‘a thing to grieve this girl, for my deliverance’:—a grammatically sound phrase, but wholly unsuited to Deianeira, whose aim is to be more loved than Iolè (584 ff.),—but not to pain her. (2) Taking

λυτήριον

as=

λυτόν

: ‘how I find that my pain is remediable.’ This is impossible. (3) Governing

λύπημα

λυτήριον

: ‘how I have a thing to remedy my pain.’ Also impossible.

mvp-comment-290-5 Paley, changing ἔχω ⁷⁹⁹ ἔχει ⁸⁰⁰

mvp-comment-291-1 ἦν μοι ⁸⁰¹

mvp-comment-291-2 ποτὲ ⁸⁰² δῶρον ⁸⁰³ θηρός ⁸⁰⁴

mvp-comment-291-3 παλαιὸν ⁸⁰⁵ ἀρχαίου ⁸⁰⁶

mvp-comment-291-4 θηρός ⁸⁰⁷

mvp-comment-291-5 λέβητι ⁸⁰⁸

mvp-comment-292-1 δασυστέρνου ⁸⁰⁹

mvp-comment-292-2 παρὰ Νέσσου ⁸¹⁰ ἐκ φονῶν ⁸¹¹ φόνων ⁸¹²

mvp-comment-292-3 The name Νέσσος ⁸¹³

mvp-comment-293-1 τὸν βαθύρρουν … Εὔηνον ⁸¹⁴

mvp-comment-293-2 The association of Nessus with the Evenus well illustrates the significance of the Centaur as a personification of a ravaging torrent. (Cp. Mr Sidney Colvin in Journ. of Hellen. Stud. vol. I. p. 160: also Mure, Tour in Greece, I. 170.) In Ov. Met.2. 638 a daughter of the Centaur Cheiron is called Ocyroe (

Ὠκυρόη

), because born

‘Fluminis in rapidi ripis.’

mvp-comment-293-3 ποταμὸν … βροτοὺς … )πόρευε ⁸¹⁵ )πόρευε ⁸¹⁶ θοῦ ⁸¹⁷

mvp-comment-294-1 τὸν πατρῷον … στόλον ⁸¹⁸ ἑσπόμην ⁸¹⁹

mvp-comment-294-2 The soundness of the words is confirmed by their dramatic fitness. There is a tacit contrast in her thoughts between herself and the new paramour; she thinks of the long-past day when her father gave her to her husband, and sent her forth with him. The words also accord with that tone of passivity in which she has already spoken of her marriage (6—27). She welcomed Heracles as a deliverer, and has learned to love him; but she had no voice in the bestowal of her hand.— Cp. fr. 521 (the young girl is happy at home, but the bride is sent forth by her parents to a doubtful fate):

αἳ νέαι μὲν ἐν πατρὸς

ἥδιστον, οἶμαι, ζῶμεν ἀνθρώπων βίον·

| ... |

ὅταν δ’ ἐς ἥβην ἐξικώμεθ’ ἔμφρονες

, |

ὠθούμεθ’ ἔξω

.—See Appendix.

mvp-comment-294-3 εὖνις ⁸²⁰

mvp-comment-295-1 φέρων ἐπ’ ὤμοις ⁸²¹

mvp-comment-295-2 ἦ ⁸²² ἦν ⁸²³

mvp-comment-295-3 μέσῳ πόρῳ ⁸²⁴

mvp-comment-295-4 ἐκ δ’ ἤϋσ’ ἐγώ ⁸²⁵

mvp-comment-296-1 ἐπιστρέψας ⁸²⁶

mvp-comment-296-2 κομήτην ⁸²⁷

mvp-comment-296-3 πλεύμονας ⁸²⁸ ν ⁸²⁹ λ ⁸³⁰ λ ⁸³¹ λ ⁸³² ν ⁸³³

mvp-comment-296-4 ἐκθνῄσκων ⁸³⁴

mvp-comment-296-5 569 ff. For τοσοῦτον ⁸³⁵

mvp-comment-296-6 τῶν ἐμῶν … πορθμῶν ⁸³⁶

mvp-comment-297-1 ἐὰν γὰρ … ὕδρας ⁸³⁷ τῶν ἐμῶν σφαγῶν ⁸³⁸ ἀμφίθρεπτον ⁸³⁹ ἐνέγκῃ χερσίν ⁸⁴⁰ ᾗ μελαγχόλους ⁸⁴¹ μελαγχόλους ⁸⁴² ἰούς ⁸⁴³

mvp-comment-297-2 θρέμμα … ὕδρας ⁸⁴⁴

mvp-comment-297-3 Others explain thus:—‘If thou gather the blood from my wound, clotted around ( the arrow), at the place where the hydra has tinged it,’ etc., i.e., at the arrow's head. This is quite possible, but is open to objections. (1) The language in 557 f. (

παρὰ Νέσσου...ἐκ φονῶν

) implies that she obtained the blood directly from the body, not from the arrow-head. (2) The phrase ἐνέγκῃ χερσίν ⁸⁴⁵

mvp-comment-297-4 If we adopted the conjecture μελάγχολος … ἰός ⁸⁴⁶ θρέμμα ⁸⁴⁷ ἔβαψεν ⁸⁴⁸

mvp-comment-297-5 Ovid describes the incident thus:—The arrow is withdrawn, and the blood flows from the wound,

mixtus Lernaei tabe veneni:

Nessus then presents Deianeira with a garment steeped in the blood (

velamina tincta cruore

): Met.9. 129 ff.

mvp-comment-298-1 ὥστε μήτιν’ εἰσιδὼν στέρξει ⁸⁴⁹

mvp-comment-298-2 ἀντὶ σοῦ ⁸⁵⁰

mvp-comment-299-1 ἐννοήσας’ ⁸⁵¹

mvp-comment-299-2 δόμοις ⁸⁵² ἐγκεκλῃμένον ⁸⁵³

mvp-comment-300-1 χιτῶνα τόνδ’ ⁸⁵⁴

mvp-comment-300-2 ἔβαψα ⁸⁵⁵

mvp-comment-300-3 προσβαλοῦς’ ⁸⁵⁶

mvp-comment-301-1 πεπείρανται ⁸⁵⁷

mvp-comment-302-1 κακὰς δὲ τόλμας ⁸⁵⁸

mvp-comment-302-2 μήτ’ ἐπισταίμην …, μήτ’ ἐκμάθοιμι ⁸⁵⁹

mvp-comment-302-3 στυγῶ ⁸⁶⁰

mvp-comment-303-1 φίλτροις δ’ ἐάν πως ⁸⁶¹ μεμηχάνηται τοὔργον ⁸⁶²

mvp-comment-303-2 ὑπερβαλώμεθα ⁸⁶³

mvp-comment-303-3 τὴν παῖδα ⁸⁶⁴ θέλκτροισι ⁸⁶⁵

mvp-comment-303-4 εἴ τι μὴ ⁸⁶⁶

mvp-comment-303-5 μάταιον ⁸⁶⁷

mvp-comment-303-6 εἰ δὲ μή ⁸⁶⁸

mvp-comment-304-1 πίστις ⁸⁶⁹

mvp-comment-304-2 590 f. The whole phrase οὕτως ἔχει ⁸⁷⁰ γε ⁸⁷¹ πίστις ⁸⁷²

mvp-comment-304-3 ὡς ⁸⁷³ οὕτως ⁸⁷⁴

mvp-comment-304-4 τὸ μὲν δοκεῖν ⁸⁷⁵

mvp-comment-304-5 πείρᾳ δ’ οὐ προσωμίλησα ⁸⁷⁶

mvp-comment-305-1 δρῶσαν ⁸⁷⁷ γνῶμα ⁸⁷⁸

mvp-comment-306-1 ἀλλ’ αὐτίκ’ ⁸⁷⁹ ἐλεύσεται ⁸⁸⁰

mvp-comment-307-1 μόνον ⁸⁸¹

mvp-comment-307-2 παρ’ ὑμῶν ⁸⁸² παρ’ ὑμῖν ⁸⁸³ στεγώμεθ’ ⁸⁸⁴

mvp-comment-307-3 αἰσχύνῃ πεσεῖ ⁸⁸⁵

mvp-comment-308-1 τῷ μακρῷ χρόνῳ ⁸⁸⁶

mvp-comment-309-1 αὐτὰ … ταῦτα ⁸⁸⁷ καὶ ⁸⁸⁸ πράσσω ⁸⁸⁹ ἠγορῶ ⁸⁹⁰

mvp-comment-309-2 ταναϋφῆ ⁸⁹¹ τόνδε γ’ εὐϋφῆ ⁸⁹² ἀϋφῆ ⁸⁹³ ταναϋφῆ ⁸⁹⁴ γε ⁸⁹⁵

mvp-comment-309-3 πέπλον ⁸⁹⁶ τόνδε ⁸⁹⁷

mvp-comment-310-1 φράζ’ ὅπως μηδεὶς … ἀμφιδύσεται ⁸⁹⁸

mvp-comment-311-1 ἕρκος ἱερὸν ⁸⁹⁹ ἐφέστιον σέλας ⁹⁰⁰

mvp-comment-312-1 φανερὸς ⁹⁰¹ ἐμφανῶς ⁹⁰² σταθεὶς ⁹⁰³

mvp-comment-313-1 ηὔγμην ⁹⁰⁴

mvp-comment-314-1 πανδίκως ⁹⁰⁵ στελεῖν ⁹⁰⁶ σωθέντ’ ⁹⁰⁷ πανδίκως ⁹⁰⁸

mvp-comment-315-1 καινῷ καινὸν ⁹⁰⁹

mvp-comment-315-2 As to the wearing of new, or freshly washed, garments on such occasions, cp. Od.4. 750 (Penelope is to pray to Athena)

καθαρὰ χροῒ εἵμαθ’ ἑλοῦσα

mvp-comment-316-1 καὶ τῶνδ’ ἀποίσεις ⁹¹⁰

mvp-comment-316-2 ἐπὸν μαθήσεται ⁹¹¹ ἐπ’ ὄμμα θήσεται ⁹¹² ν ⁹¹³ μ ⁹¹⁴ εὐμαθὲς … μαθήσεται ⁹¹⁵ ὃ ⁹¹⁶ ἐπιθήσεται ὄμμα ⁹¹⁷

mvp-comment-317-1 νόμον ⁹¹⁸

mvp-comment-317-2 τὸ μὴ )πιθυμεῖν πομπὸς ὢν ⁹¹⁹

mvp-comment-318-1 ὅπως ἂν ⁹²⁰ χάρις ⁹²¹ ἁπλῆ ⁹²² διπλῆ ⁹²³ κείνου τε κἀμοῦ ⁹²⁴ ξυνελθοῦς’ ⁹²⁵

mvp-comment-319-1 εἴπερ Ἑρμοῦ ⁹²⁶

mvp-comment-319-2 πομπεύω ⁹²⁷ τέχνην ⁹²⁸ βέβαιον ⁹²⁹

mvp-comment-319-3 οὔ τι μὴ ⁹³⁰ οὔ τοι μὴ ⁹³¹

mvp-comment-319-4 τὸ μὴ οὐ ⁹³²

mvp-comment-319-5 ἄγγος ⁹³³

mvp-comment-319-6 ὡς ἔχει ⁹³⁴

mvp-comment-320-1 λόγων … πίστιν ⁹³⁵

mvp-comment-320-2 ἐφαρμόσαι ⁹³⁶

mvp-comment-320-3 λέγεις ⁹³⁷ ἔχεις ⁹³⁸ ἔχει ⁹³⁹ ἐφεῖς’ ⁹⁴⁰

mvp-comment-321-1 στείχοις ἂν ἤδη ⁹⁴¹

mvp-comment-322-1 σεσωσμένα ⁹⁴²

mvp-comment-322-2 627 f. For ἀλλὰ … μὲν δὴ ⁹⁴³ αὐτὴν ⁹⁴⁴ αὐτήν θ’ ⁹⁴⁵ τὰ τῆς ξένης προσδέγματα ⁹⁴⁶ αὐτὴν ὡς ἐδεξάμην φίλως ⁹⁴⁷ οἶσθα ⁹⁴⁸ τὰ τῆς ξένης προσδέγματα ⁹⁴⁹ φίλως ⁹⁵⁰ αὐτήν θ’ ⁹⁵¹ θ’ ⁹⁵²

mvp-comment-323-1 ἐκπλαγῆναι ⁹⁵³

mvp-comment-324-1 πρὼ| ⁹⁵⁴

mvp-comment-324-2 μὴ … λέγοις ἂν ⁹⁵⁵

mvp-comment-324-3 τὸν ἐξ ἐμοῦ ⁹⁵⁶

mvp-comment-325-1 τἀκεῖθεν ⁹⁵⁷ εἰδέναι ⁹⁵⁸ εἰ ποθούμεθα ⁹⁵⁹ δέδοικα ⁹⁶⁰ ἐμοῦ ⁹⁶¹

mvp-comment-326-1 <*> ναύλοχα ⁹⁶²

mvp-comment-326-2 θερμὰ λουτρὰ ⁹⁶³ να<*>λοχα ⁹⁶⁴ πετραῖα ⁹⁶⁵

mvp-comment-326-3 ναύλοχα ⁹⁶⁶

mvp-comment-326-4 πάγους Οἴτας ⁹⁶⁷

mvp-comment-326-5 παραναιετάοντες ⁹⁶⁸

mvp-comment-326-6 οἵ ⁹⁶⁹ τε ⁹⁷⁰

mvp-comment-326-7 χρυσαλακάτου τ’ ἀκτὰν κόρας ⁹⁷¹

mvp-comment-326-8 χρυσαλακάτου ⁹⁷²

mvp-comment-327-1 ἔνθ’ Ἑλλάνων ⁹⁷³

mvp-comment-327-2 Ἑλλάνων ⁹⁷⁴

mvp-comment-327-3 ἀγοραὶ Πυλάτιδες ⁹⁷⁵

mvp-comment-327-4 κλέονται ⁹⁷⁶

mvp-comment-328-1 ἀναρσίαν ⁹⁷⁷

mvp-comment-328-2 ἐπάνεισιν ⁹⁷⁸

mvp-comment-328-3 θείας … μούσας ⁹⁷⁹ ἀντίλυρον ⁹⁸⁰

mvp-comment-328-4 ἀχῶν ⁹⁸¹ ἰάχων ⁹⁸²

mvp-comment-329-1 ὁ Διὸς … Ἀλκμήνας κόρος ⁹⁸³

mvp-comment-330-1 σοῦται ⁹⁸⁴ σεῦται ⁹⁸⁵

mvp-comment-330-2 πάσας ⁹⁸⁶

mvp-comment-331-1 ὃν ἀπόπτολιν εἴχομεν ⁹⁸⁷

mvp-comment-331-2 παντᾷ ⁹⁸⁸ ἀπόπτολιν ⁹⁸⁹

mvp-comment-331-3 δυοκαιδεκάμηνον … χρόνον ⁹⁹⁰

mvp-comment-331-4 πελάγιον ⁹⁹¹

mvp-comment-332-1 ἁ δέ οἱ … δάμαρ ⁹⁹² οἱ ⁹⁹³

mvp-comment-333-1 τάλαιναν ⁹⁹⁴ τάλαινα ⁹⁹⁵

mvp-comment-333-2 ὤλλυτο ⁹⁹⁶

mvp-comment-334-1 Ἄρης ⁹⁹⁷

mvp-comment-334-2 οἰστρηθεὶς ⁹⁹⁸ αὖ ⁹⁹⁹ οἱ ¹⁰⁰⁰ στρωθεὶς ¹⁰⁰¹

mvp-comment-334-3 ἐξέλυσ’ ἐπίπονονἁμέραν ¹⁰⁰² ἐπίπονον ἁμέραν ¹⁰⁰³

mvp-comment-335-1 ὄχημα ναὸς ¹⁰⁰⁴

mvp-comment-336-1 πρὶν … ἀνύσειε ¹⁰⁰⁵

mvp-comment-337-1 ἑστίαν ¹⁰⁰⁶

mvp-comment-337-2 ἀμείψας ¹⁰⁰⁷

mvp-comment-337-3 κλῄζεται θυτήρ ¹⁰⁰⁸

mvp-comment-338-1 πανίμερος ¹⁰⁰⁹ πανάμερος ¹⁰¹⁰

mvp-comment-339-1 τᾶς πειθοῦς παγχρίστῳ ¹⁰¹¹

mvp-comment-339-2 Let us now examine the text in detail.

mvp-comment-339-3 (1) παγχρίστῳ ¹⁰¹²

mvp-comment-339-4 (2) The words ἐπὶ προφάσει θηρός ¹⁰¹³ φάρους ¹⁰¹⁴

mvp-comment-339-5 (3) For συγκραθεὶς ¹⁰¹⁵

mvp-comment-339-6 There remains, however, the metrical discrepancy between συγκραθεὶς ¹⁰¹⁶ ἐξέλυς’ ¹⁰¹⁷ ἐξείλυς’ ¹⁰¹⁸ συντακεὶς ¹⁰¹⁹

mvp-comment-339-7 Either

συγκραθείς

συντακείς

would here admit a secondary sense, unconsciously prophetic of the dire event (833

προστακέντος ἰοῦ

: 836

προστετακώς

),— like

προσαρμόσαι

in 494.—For other views, see Appendix.

mvp-comment-340-1 περαιτέρω ¹⁰²⁰

mvp-comment-341-1 Δῃάνειρα, τέκνον Οἰνέως ¹⁰²¹

mvp-comment-342-1 ἀθυμῶ δ’, εἰ φανήσομαι ¹⁰²²

mvp-comment-343-1 οὐ δή ¹⁰²³ τι ¹⁰²⁴ ἐλπίδος ¹⁰²⁵ τι ¹⁰²⁶ δωρημάτων ¹⁰²⁷

mvp-comment-344-1 ὥστε μήποτ’ ἂν παραινέσαι ¹⁰²⁸ προθυμίαν … ἔργου ¹⁰²⁹ ἄδηλον ¹⁰³⁰ λαβεῖν ¹⁰³¹

mvp-comment-345-1 εἰ διδακτόν ¹⁰³²

mvp-comment-346-1 οἷον, ἢν φράσω ¹⁰³³

mvp-comment-346-2 (1) To retain ὑμῖν ¹⁰³⁴ μαθεῖν ¹⁰³⁵

mvp-comment-346-3 (2) To read ὑμᾶς ¹⁰³⁶ ὑμῖν ¹⁰³⁷ φράσω ¹⁰³⁸

mvp-comment-346-4 Others, taking μαθεῖν ¹⁰³⁹ θαῦμ’ ἀνέλπιστον ¹⁰⁴⁰ ἂν φράσαι ¹⁰⁴¹

mvp-comment-347-1 τὸν ἐνδυτῆρα πέπλον ¹⁰⁴²

mvp-comment-348-1 ἀργὴς … πόκος ¹⁰⁴³ ἀργῆτ’ … πόκῳ ¹⁰⁴⁴ ἀργῆτ’ ¹⁰⁴⁵ ἀργῆτα ¹⁰⁴⁶ τὸν ἐνδυτῆρα πέπλον ¹⁰⁴⁷

mvp-comment-348-2 Blaydes suggests

ἀργῆς οἰὸς εὐέρου πόκῳ

: but the usage of

ἀργός

precludes this. A change of ἀργὴς … πόκος ¹⁰⁴⁸ ἀργῆτ’ ¹⁰⁴⁹ πόκῳ ¹⁰⁵⁰ ᾧ ¹⁰⁵¹ εὐέρου ¹⁰⁵²

mvp-comment-349-1 πρὸς οὐδενὸς ¹⁰⁵³ τῶν ἔνδον ¹⁰⁵⁴ τῶν ἐκτός ¹⁰⁵⁵ φθίνει ¹⁰⁵⁶

mvp-comment-350-1 ψῇ ¹⁰⁵⁷

mvp-comment-350-2 Such is the only sense which the words will bear. They are perhaps corrupt. Sophocles has the dat. plur.

σπιλάδεσσι

, in the ordinary sense, ‘sea-rocks,’ in fr. 341; but the sense of the sing. here is peculiar. And vv. 695—698 would naturally suggest that she had thrown the tuft at once on the ground, rather than on a stone from which it afterwards crumbled down.

mvp-comment-350-3 Possibly the true reading is κατ’ ἄκρας σπόδιον ¹⁰⁵⁸ σπιλάδος ¹⁰⁵⁹ σπ ¹⁰⁶⁰

mvp-comment-351-1 ἐκτενῶ ¹⁰⁶¹

mvp-comment-352-1 γὰρ ¹⁰⁶²

mvp-comment-352-2 ὧν ¹⁰⁶³ θεσμῶν ¹⁰⁶⁴

mvp-comment-352-3 ὁ θὴρ Κένταυρος ¹⁰⁶⁵

mvp-comment-352-4 πονῶν πλευρὰν ¹⁰⁶⁶

mvp-comment-352-5 πικρᾷ ¹⁰⁶⁷

mvp-comment-352-6 προὐδιδάξατο ¹⁰⁶⁸

mvp-comment-353-1 θεσμῶν οὐδέν ¹⁰⁶⁹ ἐσῳζόμην ¹⁰⁷⁰

mvp-comment-354-1 χαλκῆς … δέλτου ¹⁰⁷¹ θεσμῶν ¹⁰⁷²

mvp-comment-355-1 καίμοι ¹⁰⁷³ σῴζειν ¹⁰⁷⁴ προὐδιδάξατο ¹⁰⁷⁵ κἄδρων τοιαῦτα ¹⁰⁷⁶ τοιαῦτ’ ἔδρων ¹⁰⁷⁷

mvp-comment-356-1 ἄπυρον ¹⁰⁷⁸ ἄθικτον ¹⁰⁷⁹

mvp-comment-357-1 ἕως νιν ¹⁰⁸⁰

mvp-comment-357-2 που ¹⁰⁸¹

mvp-comment-358-1 ἔχρισα μὲν ¹⁰⁸² κἄθηκα ¹⁰⁸³ εἴσω δ’ ¹⁰⁸⁴ κατ’ οἶκον ¹⁰⁸⁵ ἐν δόμοις ¹⁰⁸⁶

mvp-comment-359-1 κτησίου ¹⁰⁸⁷

mvp-comment-360-1 ἀλαμπὲς ἡλίου ¹⁰⁸⁸

mvp-comment-361-1 ζυγάστρῳ ¹⁰⁸⁹

mvp-comment-361-2 κοίλῳ ¹⁰⁹⁰

mvp-comment-362-1 εἴσω δ’ ἀποστείχουσα ¹⁰⁹¹

mvp-comment-362-2 φάτιν ¹⁰⁹² ἄφραστον ¹⁰⁹³ ἀξύμβλητον ¹⁰⁹⁴ ἀνθρώπῳ μαθεῖν ¹⁰⁹⁵ ἀξύμβλητον ¹⁰⁹⁶

mvp-comment-363-1 κάταγμα ¹⁰⁹⁷

mvp-comment-363-2 προὔχριον ¹⁰⁹⁸ ἀκτῖν’ ἐς ἡλιῶτιν ¹⁰⁹⁹

mvp-comment-363-3 Wunder rashly rejects the verse. Dobree's objection to it seems to have been the repeated ἐς ¹¹⁰⁰

mvp-comment-364-1 ῥεῖ ¹¹⁰¹

mvp-comment-364-2 κατέψηκται ¹¹⁰²

mvp-comment-365-1 μορφῇ ¹¹⁰³ μάλιστ’ εἰκαστὸν ¹¹⁰⁴ ὥστε ¹¹⁰⁵

mvp-comment-365-2 πρίονος ἐκβρώματ’ ¹¹⁰⁶

mvp-comment-366-1 προπετές ¹¹⁰⁷ προὔκειτ’, ἀναζέουσι ¹¹⁰⁸ θρομβώδεις ἀφροί ¹¹⁰⁹

mvp-comment-367-1 πίονος ποτοῦ γλ. ὀπώρας ἀπὸ Β. ἀμπέλου ¹¹¹⁰

mvp-comment-367-2 χυθέντος ¹¹¹¹ Β. ἀπ’ ἀμπέλου ¹¹¹²

mvp-comment-367-3 For ὀπώρας ¹¹¹³ Βακχίας ¹¹¹⁴ πίονος ¹¹¹⁵

mvp-comment-368-1 ποῖ γνώμης πέσω ¹¹¹⁶

mvp-comment-369-1 ὁρῶ δέ μ’ … ἐξειργασμένην ¹¹¹⁷

mvp-comment-370-1 πόθεν ¹¹¹⁸ ἀντὶ τοῦ ¹¹¹⁹

mvp-comment-370-2 ἂν … παρέσχ’ ¹¹²⁰

mvp-comment-370-3 ἧς … ὕπερ ¹¹²¹

mvp-comment-371-1 ἀποφθίσαι ¹¹²²

mvp-comment-372-1 ἀρκεῖ ¹¹²³

mvp-comment-372-2 ἄρνυμαι ¹¹²⁴

mvp-comment-373-1 εἴ τι μὴ ¹¹²⁵

mvp-comment-373-2 ψευσθήσομαι γνώμης ¹¹²⁶

mvp-comment-374-1 ἄτρακτον ¹¹²⁷

mvp-comment-374-2 θεὸν Χείρωνα ¹¹²⁸

mvp-comment-374-3 πημήναντα ¹¹²⁹

mvp-comment-374-4 Ovid varies the story. Heracles visited Cheiron on Mount Pelion; a poisoned arrow chanced to fall from the hero's quiver on the left foot of the Centaur.

Virus edax superabat opem...Nona dies aderat, cum tu, iustissime Chiron, | Bis septem stellis corpore cinctus eras.

( Fast. 5. 387—414.)

mvp-comment-374-5 χὧνπερ ¹¹³⁰ χὥσπερ ¹¹³¹

mvp-comment-375-1 ἐκ … σφαγῶν τοῦδε διελθὼν ¹¹³²

mvp-comment-375-2 ἰὸς αἵματος ¹¹³³

mvp-comment-375-3 τόνδε ¹¹³⁴

mvp-comment-375-4 Others take ἐκ … τοῦδε ¹¹³⁵ ὅδε ¹¹³⁶ τοῦδ’ ¹¹³⁷

mvp-comment-375-5 δόξῃ γοῦν ἐμῇ ¹¹³⁸

mvp-comment-376-1 σφαλήσεται ¹¹³⁹

mvp-comment-376-2 For σὺν ¹¹⁴⁰

mvp-comment-377-1 προτιμᾷ ¹¹⁴¹ κακὴ ¹¹⁴²

mvp-comment-378-1 ἔργα δείν’ ¹¹⁴³

mvp-comment-378-2 ἐλπίδ’ ¹¹⁴⁴

mvp-comment-379-1 τοῖς μὴ καλοῖς β. ¹¹⁴⁵ προξενεῖ ¹¹⁴⁶

mvp-comment-380-1 ἀμφὶ ¹¹⁴⁷

mvp-comment-380-2 μὴ )ξ ἑκουσίας ¹¹⁴⁸

mvp-comment-380-3 πέπειρα ¹¹⁴⁹

mvp-comment-381-1 τοιαῦτα δ’ ¹¹⁵⁰

mvp-comment-381-2 οἴκοι ¹¹⁵¹

mvp-comment-382-1 ἂν ἁρμόζοι ¹¹⁵²

mvp-comment-382-2 τὸν πλείω λόγον ¹¹⁵³ λέξεις ¹¹⁵⁴

mvp-comment-382-3 μαστὴρ πατρὸς ¹¹⁵⁵

mvp-comment-383-1 ἂν … εἱλόμην ¹¹⁵⁶

mvp-comment-383-2 σε ¹¹⁵⁷ ἓν ¹¹⁵⁸ σε ἢ μηκέτ’ εἶναι ¹¹⁵⁹ σε ¹¹⁶⁰

mvp-comment-383-3 ἐκ τριῶν ἓν ¹¹⁶¹

mvp-comment-383-4 κεκλῆσθαι ¹¹⁶²

mvp-comment-384-1 τί δ’ ἔστιν … πρός γ’ ἐμοῦ στυγού‐ ¹¹⁶³ μενον ¹¹⁶⁴ πρός γ’ ἐμοῦ ¹¹⁶⁵

mvp-comment-385-1 τὸν δ’ ἐμὸν ¹¹⁶⁶ δέ ¹¹⁶⁷ λέγω ¹¹⁶⁸ λέγω ¹¹⁶⁹

mvp-comment-386-1 ἐξήνεγκας ¹¹⁷⁰

mvp-comment-387-1 δν οὐχ ο<*>όν τε ¹¹⁷¹ μὴ οὐ ¹¹⁷² μὴ ¹¹⁷³

mvp-comment-387-2 τὸ … φανθὲν ¹¹⁷⁴ τὸ γὰρ ¹¹⁷⁵

mvp-comment-387-3 τίς ἂν δύναιτ’ ἂν ¹¹⁷⁶

mvp-comment-387-4 ἀγένητον ¹¹⁷⁷

mvp-comment-387-5 744 f. For ἀνθρώπων ¹¹⁷⁸

mvp-comment-387-6 ἄζηλον ¹¹⁷⁹

mvp-comment-388-1 ἐν ὄμμασιν ¹¹⁸⁰

mvp-comment-388-2 κατὰ γλῶσσαν ¹¹⁸¹

mvp-comment-389-1 ἐμπελάζεις … καὶ παρίστασαι ¹¹⁸²

mvp-comment-390-1 εἰ χρὴ μαθεῖν σε ¹¹⁸³

mvp-comment-391-1 ὅθ’ εἷρπε ¹¹⁸⁴

mvp-comment-392-1 τροπαῖα ¹¹⁸⁵ ἀκροθίνια ¹¹⁸⁶

mvp-comment-393-1 ἀκτή … ἔστιν ¹¹⁸⁷

mvp-comment-393-2 Κήναιον ¹¹⁸⁸

mvp-comment-393-3 πατρῴῳ ¹¹⁸⁹ βωμοὺς ὁρίζει ¹¹⁹⁰

mvp-comment-393-4 τεμενίαν … φυλλάδα ¹¹⁹¹ ἄσμενος πόθῳ ¹¹⁹²

mvp-comment-394-1 πολυθύτους … σφαγὰς ¹¹⁹³

mvp-comment-395-1 κῆρυξ ἀπ’ οἴκων … οἰκεῖος ¹¹⁹⁴ οἰκεῖος ¹¹⁹⁵

mvp-comment-396-1 προὐξεφίεσο ¹¹⁹⁶

mvp-comment-397-1 ταυροκτονεῖ ¹¹⁹⁷ συμμιγῆ βοσκήματα ¹¹⁹⁸

mvp-comment-397-2 ἐντελεῖς ¹¹⁹⁹

mvp-comment-397-3 βοῦς ¹²⁰⁰ ταυροκτονεῖ ¹²⁰¹

mvp-comment-397-4 προσῆγε ¹²⁰²

mvp-comment-398-1 ἵλεῳ ¹²⁰³

mvp-comment-399-1 κόσμῳ τε … καὶ στολῇ ¹²⁰⁴

mvp-comment-399-2 Several critics alter κατηύχετο ¹²⁰⁵ κατήρχετο ¹²⁰⁶

mvp-comment-399-3 But κατηύχετο ¹²⁰⁷

mvp-comment-400-1 σεμνῶν ὀργίων … φλὸξ ¹²⁰⁸

mvp-comment-400-2 πιείρας δρυός ¹²⁰⁹

mvp-comment-401-1 ἱδρὼς ¹²¹⁰ ἀρτίκολλος, ὥστε τέκτονος ¹²¹¹

mvp-comment-401-2 Some have supposed that the

χιτών

is compared to (stone or bronze) drapery on a statue.

τέκτων

could certainly mean a sculptor: Eur. Alc.348

σοφῇ δὲ χειρὶ τεκτόνων τὸ σὸν δέμας

εἰκασθέν

. But: (1) There would be little point in comparing a real robe to an imitation in art. (2) Cp. fr. 430. 4, where Pelops is responding, with his eyes, to the glance of Hippodameia, and the discreet limit which the lover's instinct observes is compared to the line traced by a craftsman's rule;—

ἴσον μετρῶν ὀφθαλμόν, ὥστε τέκτονος

παρὰ στάθμην ἰόντος ὀρθοῦται κανών

. There, then, as here, the simile is from a mechanical process: the

τέκτων

is suggested there by

ἴσον μετρῶν

, as here by

ἀρτίκολλος

mvp-comment-401-3 ἅπαν κατ’ ἄρθρον ¹²¹²

mvp-comment-401-4 ὀστέων ¹²¹³ ἀντίσπαστος ¹²¹⁴ ἀδαγμός ¹²¹⁵

mvp-comment-402-1 ἐχίδνης … ὣς ¹²¹⁶

mvp-comment-402-2 ἐδαίνυτο ¹²¹⁷

mvp-comment-403-1 )βόησε ¹²¹⁸

mvp-comment-403-2 μηχαναῖς ¹²¹⁹

mvp-comment-404-1 ἔλεξεν ¹²²⁰

mvp-comment-405-1 πλευμόνων ¹²²¹

mvp-comment-406-1 ἄρθρον ᾗ λυγίζεται ¹²²²

mvp-comment-407-1 ἐκ πόντου ¹²²³

mvp-comment-407-2 The name ‘Lichades’ was given to some rocky islets just S. of C. Cenaeum, in the narrow strait dividing it from the promontory of Cnemīdes on the Locrian coast. Strabo 9. p. 426

ἐνταῦθα καὶ αἱ Λιχάδες καλούμεναι τρεῖς νῆσοι πρόκεινται, ἀπὸ Λίχα τοὔνομα ἔχουσαι

. Cp. Aesch. fr. 29, quoted on 237 f. Ovid Met. 9. 226

Nunc quoque in Euboico scopulus brevis emicat alte | Gurgite, et humanae servat vestigia formae; | Quem quasi sensurum nautae calcare verentur, | Appellantque Lichan.

—

Λίχας

perh.=

λίθος

: cp.

ὄρνιχος, ὄρνιθος

(Preller 2. 255 n. 2).

mvp-comment-408-1 κόμης … μυελὸν ἐκραίνει ¹²²⁴

mvp-comment-408-2 μυελὸν ¹²²⁵

mvp-comment-408-3 διασπαρέντος ¹²²⁶ μέσου ¹²²⁷

mvp-comment-409-1 ἀνηυφήμησεν οἰμωγῇ ¹²²⁸

mvp-comment-410-1 ἰύζων ¹²²⁹

mvp-comment-411-1 Λοκρῶν τ’ ὄρειοι πρῶνες ¹²³⁰ τ’ ¹²³¹ Λοκρῶν ¹²³² ἄκραι ¹²³³ ἄκρα ¹²³⁴

mvp-comment-411-2 Seneca's equivalent for this passage is curious: he describes the hero's cries as re-echoed from Chalcis (50 miles off), from Cape Caphareus (upwards of 100), and from ‘all the Cyclades’! ( Herc. Oet. 803 ff.)

mvp-comment-412-1 ἀπεῖπε … ῥίπτων ¹²³⁵

mvp-comment-413-1 δυσπάρευνον ¹²³⁶ λέκτρον ¹²³⁷

mvp-comment-413-2 ἐνδατούμενος ¹²³⁸

mvp-comment-413-3 τὸν Οἰνέως γάμον ¹²³⁹

mvp-comment-414-1 προσέδρου ¹²⁴⁰

mvp-comment-414-2 λιγνύος ¹²⁴¹

mvp-comment-414-3 διάστροφον ¹²⁴²

mvp-comment-415-1 συνθανεῖν ¹²⁴³

mvp-comment-416-1 ἔξω ¹²⁴⁴ ἆρον ¹²⁴⁵

mvp-comment-416-2 The reasons for preferring Wakefield's με θὲς ¹²⁴⁶ μέθες ¹²⁴⁷ μέθες ¹²⁴⁸

mvp-comment-416-3 ὅπου … μή τις ὄψεται ¹²⁴⁹

mvp-comment-417-1 εἰ δ’ οἶκτον ἴσχεις ¹²⁵⁰ εἰ δ’ οἶκτος ἴσχει ς’. ¹²⁵¹

mvp-comment-417-2 ἀλλά ¹²⁵² αὐτοῦ ¹²⁵³

mvp-comment-417-3 θάνω ¹²⁵⁴

mvp-comment-418-1 τοσαῦτ’ ¹²⁵⁵

mvp-comment-418-2 ἐπισκήψαντος ¹²⁵⁶

mvp-comment-419-1 σφε ¹²⁵⁷ ἐκέλσαμεν ¹²⁵⁸ θέντες ¹²⁵⁹

mvp-comment-420-1 ἢ ζῶντ’ … ἢ τεθνηκότ’ ¹²⁶⁰

mvp-comment-421-1 βουλεύσας’ ¹²⁶¹

mvp-comment-421-2 δρῶς’ ¹²⁶²

mvp-comment-421-3 ποίνιμος ¹²⁶³

mvp-comment-421-4 Δίκη ¹²⁶⁴

mvp-comment-421-5 ἐπεύχομαι ¹²⁶⁵

mvp-comment-421-6 εἰ θέμις … θέμις δ’ ¹²⁶⁶

mvp-comment-421-7 προὔβαλες ¹²⁶⁷

mvp-comment-421-8 μοι ¹²⁶⁸

mvp-comment-421-9 Others understand: (1) ‘you have thrown this very justice as a shield (

πρόβλημα

) over my action’ (Paley); i.e., ‘have made it right for me to do so.’ (2) ‘You have given me the right to do so’ (lit., ‘placed’ that right ‘at my disposal’).—Wunder, changing θέμιν ¹²⁶⁹ ἔριν ¹²⁷⁰

mvp-comment-422-1 σῖγ’ ¹²⁷¹

mvp-comment-422-2 815 f. The place of ὀφθαλμῶν ἐμῶν ¹²⁷² οὖρος ¹²⁷³

mvp-comment-422-3 αὐτῇ ¹²⁷⁴

mvp-comment-422-4 καλός ¹²⁷⁵

mvp-comment-423-1 γὰρ ¹²⁷⁶

mvp-comment-423-2 ὄγκον ¹²⁷⁷

mvp-comment-423-3 τρέφειν ¹²⁷⁸

mvp-comment-423-4 μηδὲν ¹²⁷⁹ ἥτις ¹²⁸⁰

mvp-comment-424-1 ἀλλ’ ἑρπ. χαίρουσα ¹²⁸¹

mvp-comment-424-2 τήνδ’ ¹²⁸²

mvp-comment-425-1 ἴδ’ ¹²⁸³

mvp-comment-425-2 προσέμειξεν ¹²⁸⁴ παλαιφάτου ¹²⁸⁵

mvp-comment-426-1 θεοπρόπον ¹²⁸⁶

mvp-comment-426-2 τᾶς παλαιφάτου προνοίας ¹²⁸⁷

mvp-comment-427-1 ὅ τ’ ¹²⁸⁸ ἅ τ’ ¹²⁸⁹ ὃν ¹²⁹⁰

mvp-comment-427-2 ἔλακεν ¹²⁹¹

mvp-comment-427-3 ἐκφέροι ¹²⁹²

mvp-comment-427-4 δωδέκατος ἄροτος ¹²⁹³

mvp-comment-427-5 This is the only passage of the play which mentions the period of twelve years. In 44 f. and 164 f., the reference is merely to the fifteen months which, when Heracles left home, were still wanting to those twelve years. It may be asked, then, whence the Chorus derive their knowledge of the twelve years; for Deianeira, in 155 ff., speaks as if they had not then heard of the oracle. The answer is simply that this inconsistency of detail was overlooked by the poet; the term of twelve years was in his mind, as a familiar part of the story; and he forgot that, if the Chorus were to know it, Deianeira ought to have mentioned it.

mvp-comment-427-6 Needless difficulties have been made by assuming that the allusion here must be to the fifteen months of 44 f. and 164 f. Even then, however, it has to be supposed that ‘twelve months’ are put loosely for ‘fifteen.’

mvp-comment-427-7 ἄροτος ¹²⁹⁴

mvp-comment-427-8 ἀναδοχὰν τελεῖν ¹²⁹⁵ πόνων ¹²⁹⁶ τελεῖν ¹²⁹⁷

mvp-comment-428-1 αὐτόπαιδι ¹²⁹⁸

mvp-comment-428-2 ἔμπεδα ¹²⁹⁹

mvp-comment-428-3 κατουρίζει ¹³⁰⁰

mvp-comment-429-1 ὁ μὴ λεύσσων ¹³⁰¹

mvp-comment-429-2 ἐπίπονον … λατρείαν ¹³⁰² πόνων ¹³⁰³

mvp-comment-430-1 φονίᾳ νεφέλᾳ ¹³⁰⁴

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 ¹³⁰⁵

mvp-comment-430-4 χρίει ¹³⁰⁶

mvp-comment-430-5 πλευρά ¹³⁰⁷

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 ¹³⁰⁸ ἔτρεφε ¹³⁰⁹ αἰόλος ¹³¹⁰

mvp-comment-431-1 ἀέλιον ¹³¹¹ α^ ¹³¹²

mvp-comment-432-1 ὕδρας … φάσματι ¹³¹³ προστετακὼς ¹³¹⁴ μελαγχαίτα δ’ ¹³¹⁵ φάσματι ¹³¹⁶

mvp-comment-432-2 μελαγχαίτα ¹³¹⁷

mvp-comment-433-1 ἄμμιγα ¹³¹⁸

mvp-comment-434-1 It has long been the general belief that the words νέσου ¹³¹⁹ νέσσου ¹³²⁰ θ’ ὕπο ¹³²¹ μελαγχαίτα ¹³²²

mvp-comment-434-2 Here I may briefly state my own conclusions. (1) μελαγχαίτα ¹³²³

mvp-comment-434-3 (2) Comparing v. 830 with v. 840, we see that the words

ἔχοι θανὼν λατρείαν

in 830 correspond metrically with

‐α^ κέντρ’ ἐπιζέσαντα

. The words

ἔτι ποτ’ ἔτ’ ἐπίπονον

in 830 ought therefore to correspond with what stands between

αἰκίζει

in 839 and the

α^

before

κέντῤ

in 840: viz., acc. to the MSS.,

νέσου

(or

νέσσου

)

θ’ ὕπο φοίνια δολόμυθ‐

mvp-comment-434-4 (3) Now, if νέσου θ’ ὕπο ¹³²⁴ ὑπόφονα ¹³²⁵ δολόμυθα ¹³²⁶ φόνια δολιόμυθα ¹³²⁷ ὕπο ¹³²⁸

mvp-comment-434-5 (4) But a closer adherence to the MS. text becomes possible, if, with Gleditsch, we read Νέσσου ὑποφόνια δολιόμυθα κέντρ’ ἐπιζέσαντα ¹³²⁹ ἔτι ποτ’ ἔτ’ ἐπίπονον <πόνων> ἔχοι θανὼν λατρείαν ¹³³⁰

mvp-comment-435-1 ὧν … ἄοκνος ¹³³¹ ἄοκνον ¹³³²

mvp-comment-436-1 προσορῶσα ¹³³³ προορῶσα ¹³³⁴

mvp-comment-437-1 ἀΐσσουσαν ¹³³⁵ ἀϊσσόντων ¹³³⁶ γάμων ¹³³⁷

mvp-comment-438-1 τὰ μὲν αὐτὰ προσέβαλε ¹³³⁸

mvp-comment-438-2 The MS. reading,

τὰ μὲν οὔ τι προσέβαλε

, is explained to mean, ‘part she did not comprehend’ (schol.

οὐκ ἔγνω, οὐ συνῆκεν

): i.e., she had, indeed, a secret purpose, but she did not know the deadly nature of the unguent. To this there are two objections. (1) The supposed sense of

προσέβαλε

is unexampled: cp. 580 n. (2) The proper antithesis is lost; for

τὰ ἀπ’ ἀλλόθρου γνώμας μολόν<*>)

<*>ought to be opposed to her own designs or acts; but those things which she ‘did not comprehend’ were just those which ‘came from the alien will.’

mvp-comment-438-3 ἀλλόθρου ¹³³⁹

mvp-comment-438-4 ὀλεθρίαισι συναλλαγαῖς ¹³⁴⁰

mvp-comment-438-5 ὀλεθρίαισι ¹³⁴¹ ὀλεθρίαις ¹³⁴²

mvp-comment-439-1 ἦ που ¹³⁴³

mvp-comment-439-2 ὀλοὰ ¹³⁴⁴

mvp-comment-439-3 στένει ¹³⁴⁵ ἦ που ἄρ’ ἀλασταίνει ¹³⁴⁶ αἰάζει ¹³⁴⁷ στένει ¹³⁴⁸

mvp-comment-440-1 χλωρὰν … ἄχναν ¹³⁴⁹

mvp-comment-440-2 τέγγει … ἄχναν ¹³⁵⁰

mvp-comment-440-3 850 f. The μοῖρα ¹³⁵¹ ἐρχομένα ¹³⁵² ἄταν ¹³⁵³

mvp-comment-440-4 δολίαν ¹³⁵⁴

mvp-comment-440-5 προφαίνει ¹³⁵⁵

mvp-comment-441-1 ἔρρωγεν παγὰ δακρύων ¹³⁵⁶

mvp-comment-442-1 κέχυται νόσος ¹³⁵⁷

mvp-comment-442-2 ὦ πόποι ¹³⁵⁸

mvp-comment-442-3 ἀναρσίων ¹³⁵⁹

mvp-comment-442-4 The doubt as to the reading here is confined to the words between πόποι ¹³⁶⁰ ἐπέμολε ¹³⁶¹

mvp-comment-442-5 It seems almost certain that Ἡρακλέους ¹³⁶² δόμοις ¹³⁶³ δόμοισι ¹³⁶⁴ <ὕπ)> οὔπω <τοῦδε σῶμ)> ἀγακλειτόν ¹³⁶⁵

mvp-comment-442-6 οἰκτίσαι ¹³⁶⁶

mvp-comment-443-1 κελαινὰ ¹³⁶⁷

mvp-comment-443-2 προμάχου ¹³⁶⁸

mvp-comment-443-3 αἰχμᾷ ¹³⁶⁹

mvp-comment-443-4 θοὰν ¹³⁷⁰

mvp-comment-443-5 αἰπεινᾶς ¹³⁷¹

mvp-comment-444-1 ἀμφίπολος ¹³⁷² ἄναυδος ¹³⁷³ α ¹³⁷⁴

mvp-comment-444-2 The ‘silence’ of Aphroditè means that the passion of Heracles had not been avowed as his motive for the war ( cp. 358 ). She has been revealed as the φανερὰ πράκτωρ ¹³⁷⁵

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

παραστάται

, or leaders of

ἡμιχόρια

(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

τροφός

. 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

ῥῆσις

. 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 ¹³⁷⁶

mvp-comment-446-1 τί φημί ¹³⁷⁷ τὶ φημί ¹³⁷⁸

mvp-comment-447-1 οὐκ ἄσημον ¹³⁷⁹ ἀλλὰ δυστυχῆ ¹³⁸⁰

mvp-comment-447-2 καινίζει ¹³⁸¹

mvp-comment-447-3 869 The MS. reading, ἀήθης ¹³⁸²

mvp-comment-447-4 The conjecture ἀηδὴς ¹³⁸³

mvp-comment-447-5 Surely ἀήθης ¹³⁸⁴ ἀ ¹³⁸⁵ γ ¹³⁸⁶ ηθής ¹³⁸⁷

mvp-comment-448-1 σημανοῦσα ¹³⁸⁸ σημαίνουσα ¹³⁸⁹

mvp-comment-449-1 Ἡρακλεῖ τὸ πόμπιμον ¹³⁹⁰

mvp-comment-450-1 καινοποιηθὲν ¹³⁹¹

mvp-comment-451-1 ἐξ ἀκινήτου ποδός ¹³⁹²

mvp-comment-452-1 οὐ δή ποθ’ ¹³⁹³

mvp-comment-452-2 πάντ’ ἀκήκοας ¹³⁹⁴

mvp-comment-452-3 τέθνηκεν ¹³⁹⁵

mvp-comment-452-4 878 For the metres of this

κομμός

(878—895), see Analysis.

mvp-comment-452-5 ὀλεθρία ¹³⁹⁶

mvp-comment-452-6 879 The MS. reading, σχετλιώτατα πρός γε πρᾶξιν ¹³⁹⁷ σχετλίῳ τὰ πρός γε πρᾶξιν ¹³⁹⁸

mvp-comment-452-7 Heinrich Schmidt, whose view of the metre will be seen in the Metrical Analysis, merely transposes

πρός

and

γε

, writing σχετλιώτατά γε πρὸς πρᾶξιν ¹³⁹⁹ γε ¹⁴⁰⁰

mvp-comment-452-8 By

πρᾶξιν

must be meant here the mode of ‘doing’ the deed, rather than the victim's ‘fortune’; though the latter is the usual sense of the singular ( Ant.1305 n.). After the question, τίνι τρόπῳ ¹⁴⁰¹ πρᾶξιν ¹⁴⁰²

mvp-comment-453-1 ξυντρέχει ¹⁴⁰³

mvp-comment-454-1 διηΐστωσε ¹⁴⁰⁴

mvp-comment-455-1 τίς θυμός ¹⁴⁰⁵

mvp-comment-455-2 τίνες νόσοι ¹⁴⁰⁶ ξυνεῖλε ¹⁴⁰⁷

mvp-comment-456-1 μόνα ¹⁴⁰⁸

mvp-comment-457-1 στονόεντος ¹⁴⁰⁹

mvp-comment-457-2 ἐν τομᾷ ¹⁴¹⁰

mvp-comment-458-1 ὦ ματαία ¹⁴¹¹

mvp-comment-458-2 τάνδ’ ὕβριν ¹⁴¹²

mvp-comment-459-1 ὡς δὴ … παραστάτις ¹⁴¹³

mvp-comment-460-1 τίς ἦν ¹⁴¹⁴ πῶς ¹⁴¹⁵

mvp-comment-461-1 αὐτὴ πρὸς αὑτῆς ¹⁴¹⁶

mvp-comment-462-1 ἔτεκεν ἔτεκε δὴ ¹⁴¹⁷

mvp-comment-462-2 νέορτος ¹⁴¹⁸

mvp-comment-463-1 ἄγαν γε ¹⁴¹⁹

mvp-comment-463-2 κάρτα μᾶλλον ἂν ᾤκτισας ¹⁴²⁰

mvp-comment-464-1 καὶ ταῦτ’ ἔτλη τις ¹⁴²¹

mvp-comment-464-2 κτίσαι ¹⁴²²

mvp-comment-464-3 Hermann rejects this v. and the next, because the Chorus, not knowing the nature of the deeds (

οἷ’ ἔδρασε

), ought not yet to marvel at them. The verses were inserted, he thinks, to soften the abruptness of

ἐπεὶ παρῆλθε

(900) after

κάρτ’ ἂν ᾤκτισας

(897). It may be granted that they are not very forcible; but they seem genuine. The Nurse has hitherto been led from point to point by questions. A direct question (898) is needed to prompt her narrative. It would be less like her to begin it spontaneously.

mvp-comment-465-1 παρῆλθε ¹⁴²³ γὰρ ἦλθε ¹⁴²⁴

mvp-comment-466-1 αὐλαῖς ¹⁴²⁵

mvp-comment-466-2 κοῖλα ¹⁴²⁶

mvp-comment-466-3 στορνύνθ’ ¹⁴²⁷

mvp-comment-466-4 Hyllus had entered the house immediately after his mother (820). His occupation reminded her that Heracles would soon arrive, and decided her to act at once.

mvp-comment-467-1 κρύψασ’ ἑαυτὴν ¹⁴²⁸

mvp-comment-467-2 ἔνθα μή τις εἰσίδοι ¹⁴²⁹

mvp-comment-467-3 In Homeric Greek, a final relat. clause can take the subjunct. (usu. with

κε

) after a primary tense, and the optat. (without

κε

) after a secondary tense. But this is not an Attic construction. Thus the Homeric

ἄγγελον ἧκαν ὃς ἀγγείλειε

( Od.15. 458 ) would in Attic be

ἄγγελον ἔπεμψαν ὃς ἀγγελεῖ

: it could not be,

ὃς ἀγγείλειε

. The constr.

ἔνθα μή τις εἰσίδοι

—a very rare one in Attic—has grown out of the ‘deliberative’ constr.

οὐκ οἶδεν ἔνθα μή τις εἰσίδῃ

, by steps which have changed the interrogative clause into a final relative clause. A like instance is Ph.281

οὐχ ὅστις ἀρκέσειεν

, (seeing no one) to aid. See Appendix.

mvp-comment-468-1 βρυχᾶτο ¹⁴³⁰

mvp-comment-468-2 βωμοῖσι ¹⁴³¹

mvp-comment-468-3 γένοιντ’ ἔρημοι ¹⁴³² γένοιτ’ ἐρήμη ¹⁴³³

mvp-comment-468-4 ὀργάνων ὅτου ψαύσειεν ¹⁴³⁴

mvp-comment-469-1 ἄλλῃ … δωμάτων ¹⁴³⁵

mvp-comment-469-2 φίλων … οἰκετῶν ¹⁴³⁶

mvp-comment-470-1 ἀνακαλουμένη ¹⁴³⁷

mvp-comment-470-2 911 The MS. text, καὶ τὰς ἄπαιδας ἐς τὸ λοιπὸν οὐσίας ¹⁴³⁸

mvp-comment-470-3 The genuine verse must have had some direct reference to the context. She is weeping at the sight of attached servants whom she is about to leave. The general sense ought to be, ‘bewailing her own fate, and that of the household over which a change was impending’; since, when master and mistress were dead, the household would be dissolved, and the faithful slaves would pass into other hands. After the death of Heracles, Ceÿx, the king of Trachis (40 n.), was deterred by Eurystheus from continuing to protect the Heracleidae; who sought refuge at Athens. ( Apollod.2. 8. 1. )

mvp-comment-470-4 I believe that

ΑΠΑΙΔΑΣ

arose from

ΕΠΑΛΛΟΙΣ

when the E had been accidentally lost or obscured. A similar interchange of initial

and

, combined with fusion of two words into one, occurs in O. C.550 , where

ἐφ’ ἁστάλη

was corrupted into

ἀπεστάλη

. I would read, καὶ τῆς ἐπ’ ἄλλοις ἐς τὸ λοιπὸν οὐσίας ¹⁴³⁹ ἑστίας ¹⁴⁴⁰

mvp-comment-471-1 τὸν Ἡράκλ. ¹⁴⁴¹

mvp-comment-471-2 θάλαμον ¹⁴⁴²

mvp-comment-472-1 λαθραῖον ὄμμ’ ¹⁴⁴³ ἐπεσκιασμένη ¹⁴⁴⁴

mvp-comment-473-1 βάλλουσαν ¹⁴⁴⁵ στρωτὰ ¹⁴⁴⁶

mvp-comment-474-1 εὐνατηρίοις ¹⁴⁴⁷

mvp-comment-475-1 ῥήξασα ¹⁴⁴⁸

mvp-comment-475-2 νυμφεῖα ¹⁴⁴⁹

mvp-comment-475-3 εὐνάτριαν ¹⁴⁵⁰

mvp-comment-476-1 συντόνῳ ¹⁴⁵¹

mvp-comment-477-1 ᾗ ¹⁴⁵² ᾧ ¹⁴⁵³

mvp-comment-477-2 προὔκειτο μαστῶν ¹⁴⁵⁴

mvp-comment-477-3 ἐκ δ’ ἐλώπισεν ¹⁴⁵⁵

mvp-comment-478-1 δρομαία ¹⁴⁵⁶ φράζω ¹⁴⁵⁷ τάδε ¹⁴⁵⁸ τεχνωμένης ¹⁴⁵⁹

mvp-comment-479-1 τὸ κεῖσε δεῦρό τ’ ¹⁴⁶⁰

mvp-comment-479-2 ἐξορμώμεθα ¹⁴⁶¹

mvp-comment-479-3 ὁρῶμεν αὐτὴν … πεπληγμένην ¹⁴⁶²

mvp-comment-479-4 ὑφ’ ἧπαρ καὶ φρένας ¹⁴⁶³

mvp-comment-480-1 τοὔργον … ὡς ἐφάψειεν ¹⁴⁶⁴

mvp-comment-480-2 Others explain: (1) ‘that he had kindled the deed.’ But

ἐφάπτειν

never has the sense of

ὑφάπτειν

. In Eur. Bacch.778 our only MS. for that part of the play has, indeed,

ἤδη τόδ’ ἐγγὺς ὥστε πῦρ ἐφάπτεται

ὕβρισμα

: but the true

ὑφάπτεται

is attested by the Christus Patiens 2227. (2) ‘That she had made fast the deed,’— i.e. done the irrevocable deed. But κατ’ ὀργὴν ¹⁴⁶⁵

mvp-comment-481-1 τῶν κατ’ οἶκον ¹⁴⁶⁶ ἐκδ. ¹⁴⁶⁷

mvp-comment-482-1 δύστηνος ¹⁴⁶⁸ ἐλείπετ’ οὐδέν ¹⁴⁶⁹ ὀδυρμάτων ¹⁴⁷⁰ ἀμφιπίπτων ¹⁴⁷¹

mvp-comment-482-2 ἀμφί νιν ¹⁴⁷²

mvp-comment-482-3 ἀμφιπίπτων στόμασιν ¹⁴⁷³

mvp-comment-482-4 πλευρόθεν ¹⁴⁷⁴ παρείς ¹⁴⁷⁵

mvp-comment-483-1 αἰτίᾳ βάλοι ¹⁴⁷⁶

mvp-comment-484-1 ἐκ δυοῖν … ὠρφανισμένος βίον ¹⁴⁷⁷ βίου ¹⁴⁷⁸ βίου ¹⁴⁷⁹ ἐκ ¹⁴⁸⁰ εἷς ¹⁴⁸¹

mvp-comment-485-1 δύο ¹⁴⁸²

mvp-comment-485-2 ἢ καί τι πλείους ¹⁴⁸³ ἢ καὶ πλείους τις ¹⁴⁸⁴ τι ¹⁴⁸⁵ ἢ καὶ πλέους τις ¹⁴⁸⁶

mvp-comment-485-3 The sense is:—‘Men often reckon on the morrow, or even, perchance ( τι ¹⁴⁸⁷

mvp-comment-486-1 πότερα πρότερον ¹⁴⁸⁸

mvp-comment-486-2 μέλεα ¹⁴⁸⁹ τέλεα ¹⁴⁹⁰

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

94-140. mvp-comment-81-1 Parodos. Where in the wide world is Heracles, reposing in what continent, or by what narrow sea? Tell us, bright, all-beholding Sun! For our Deianira, for whose hand he fought, wears out her soul in thinking of him on her lonely couch; so ceaseless are the toils that crowd upon him like stormy billows. But God hath hitherto protected him; wherefore let not hope weary, O my queen. No life is without pain, but, by Divine ordinance, grief succeeds to joy and joy to grief. Remember this and hope the best. Zeus cannot leave his offspring to destruction.' The metre beginning with an iambic rhythm passes quickly into dactylo-trochaic, changing again in the epode to iambo-trochaic (with occasional syncope), then to pure iambics, ending with a bacchius followed by three trochees.

127. mvp-comment-103-1 ἐπέβαλε] Gnomic aorist = 'Doth not send. ἐπιβάλλειν is used as in ἐπιβάλλειν ζημίαν. “The lot which Zeus imposes on mortals is never exempt from grief.' ἐπὶ . . κυκλοῦσιν] Grief and joy come circling round to all, i.e. Grief succeeds to joy and joy to grief. For the tmesis, see Essay on L. § 18. p. 27. ἐπί marks succession in time, as in ἐπήλυθον ὧραι. οἷον . . κέλευθοι] 'Like the circling course of the Bear, i. e. As the constellation now is high in heaven, and now all but touches the horizon, so man's life is elevated and depressed. Others, without the comma, read χαράν, 'A circling course like that of the Bear brings round joy and grief to all.'

133. mvp-comment-104-1 αἰόλα] Glimmering,' or 'Palpitating,' rather than Spangled.' Cp. Εl. 106, ἄστρων ῥιπάς. For the repetition of the same word with some difference of meaning, see Essay on L. § 44. pp. 83. 4.

135. mvp-comment-105-1 βέβακε] Sc. ὁ πλοῦτος ἢ αἱ κῆρες. τῷ δ'] (1) ‘And to him,' viz. from whom the sorrow or the wealth has departed, 'comes in turn either rejoicing or loss.' Or (2) To another man.' In this case χαίρειν τε καὶ στέρεσθαι means, 'To be glad and again (afterwards) 'to lose.' The point, however, is not that sorrow passes from one to another, but rather that sorrows and joys alternate in the same life.

136. mvp-comment-106-1 ἃ (1) is resumed by apposition in τάδε, cp. Eur. Andr. 1115, ὧν Κλυταιμνήστρας τόκος εἷς ἦν ἁπάντων τῶνδε μηχανορράφος. 'Which truths I bid thee also, who art a Queen, to hold fast in looking forward.' Or (2), with Hermann, 'In respect of which truths (ἃ) I bid thee ever be hopeful regarding this' (τάδε), viz. the fortune and return of Heracles. Cp. Ant. 897, κάρτ᾽ ἐν ἐλπίσιν τρέφω, κ.τ.λ.

140. mvp-comment-107-1 τέκνοισι .. ἄβουλον] ‘Without providence for his children.' 'Filiis male consulentem.' For the vague plural, cp. 1268, οἱ φύσαντες καὶ κλῃζόμενοι πατέρες, κ.τ.λ. Hermann has remarked that the images chosen in the beginning of this ode all harmonize with the mood of Deianira (the vanishing of beauteous night, the fiery death of day, etc.), just as all cheering topics are suggested towards the end.

141. mvp-comment-108-1 ὡς ἀπεικάσαι] ‘Το hazard a conjecture.' Hermann lays down the rule that ἀπεικάζω always implies comparison, and he therefore reads ἐπεικάσαι here. But ἀπο- in ἀπεικάζω may have the same force as in ἀπομαντεύομαι, ἀποκινδυνεύω, ἀποδείκνυμαι, of something done (as we say 'right off') on the spur of the moment.

142. mvp-comment-109-1 πάθημα.. θυμοφθορῶ] There is an opposition between the outward accident and the inward feeling. The one the maidens know, but not the other.

143. mvp-comment-110-1 μήτ᾽ . . νῦν δ'] The antithesis is strengthened as the sentence grows. 'I would not have you learn by experience, but, as yet, you know nothing of it.' Hence δέ answering τε. Essay on L. § 36. p. 65 f.

144-145. mvp-comment-111-1 τὸ γὰρ . . αὑτοῦ, κ.τ.λ.] ‘For youth is nurtured in places of its own where no experience of sorrow reaches.' τοιοίσδε] Hermann missed the correlative of τοιοίσδε, and thought he had found it in the conjectural emendation χώροις, ἵν᾽ αὑτοῦ. Of this and many other attempted changes of this passage, it may be said that they are either too abrupt or destroy simplicity. τοιύσδε, like ὅδε, often in Sophocles refers to what has preceded, and may here be easily referred to ἄπειρος εἶ, 'Such,' i. e. as I see in you. You are ignorant of my sorrow, for youth is so placed' (as to be ignorant of sorrow). Essay on L. § 22. pp. 35, 6 , and for the emphasis on αὑτοῦ, see Essay on L. § 9. p. 12 b , and ср. О. С. 659, 60, ὁ νοῦς ὅταν αὑτοῦ γένηται. For the possessive following a descriptive adjective, cp. O. T. 1462, ταῖν δ᾽ ἀθλίαιν οἰκτραῖν τε παρθένοιν ἐμαῖν. βόσκεται] The image is that of a young plant, as in Aj. 558, τέως δὲ κούφοις πνεύμασιν βόσκου.

145. mvp-comment-112-1 θεοῦ] Of the sun. Cp. Eur. Alc. 722, φίλον τὸ φέγγος τοῦτο τοῦ θεοῦ, φίλον : Med. 352, εἴ σ' ἡ ᾿πιοῦσα λαμπὰς ὄψεται θεοῦ. The whole passage recalls Od. 4. 566, 5. 478 foll., 6. 43.

146. mvp-comment-113-1 πνευμάτων οὐδέν] The emphatic repetition of the negative immediately before the verb is idiomatic. Cp. infr. 1013, οὐ πῦρ, οὐκ ἔγχος τις ὀνήσιμον οὐκ ἀποτρέψει. κλονεῖ] The verb is adapted to the nearest subject. No heat offends, no rain disturbs, no wind ruffles it.' οὐδέν is substantive, i. e. πνεῦμα is not to be supplied. No breath of winds, not, No wind of all the winds.' Cp. Ant. 499, 500, τῶν σῶν λόγων . . οὐδέν.

147-148. mvp-comment-114-1 ἡδοναῖς ἄμοχθον ἐξαίρει βίον ἐς τοῦθ'] 'But it grows up' (lit. rears its life) 'amid delights, knowing not pain, even (f) to that point.' For ἐξαίρει = ἔχει ἐξαιρόμενον, αρ. ἀποτρύειν supr. 125 and note. The word suits with the simile from a young plant, for which, cp. Il. 18. 56, ὁ δ᾽ ἀνέδραμεν ἔρνεϊ ἴσος.

148. mvp-comment-115-1 γυνή] ‘A woman.' The word refers less here to the marriage-relationship than to the position of a matron.

149. mvp-comment-116-1 ἐν νυκτί] 'In a night,' i. e. the night of marriage. Cp. Fr. 521. 11, ἐπειδὰν εὐφρόνη ζεύξῃ μία : Eur. Fr. 660, λέγουσιν ὡς μί' εὐφρόνη χαλᾷ | τὸ δυσμενὲς γυναικὸς εἰς ἀνδρὸς λέχος. Musgrave and Hermann join ἐν νυκτὶ φροντίδων, 'Anxiety by night.'

150. mvp-comment-117-1 ἤτοι . . φοβουμένη] 'Being in fear either on her husband's account or for her children.' This verse has been unnecessarily suspected. The language is not quite accurate, but the meaning is clear, the sentence being continued as if λάβῃ were ἄρξηται ἔχειν.

151. mvp-comment-118-1 τις] The indefinite pronoun here in the apodosis refers more pointedly to the persons addressed than supr. 148. See Essay on L. § 22. p. 36. 4. εἰσίδοιτο] The middle has some such force as 'might see of himself.' αὑτοῦ] The masculine is often used where women are spoken of in a general way Essay on L § 20. p. 30.

152. mvp-comment-119-1 κακοῖσιν οἷς] i. e, τὰ κακὰ οἷς. For the attraction, see Essay on L. § 35. p. 59 , and cp. O. C. 1150, 1, λόγος δ᾽ ὃς ἐμπέπτωκεν ἀρτίως ἐμοὶ .. συμβαλοῦ γνώμην.

153. mvp-comment-120-1 δή] 'As you well know.'

154. mvp-comment-121-1 οἷον οὔπω πρόσθεν] Sc. εἶπον, implied in ἐκλαυσάμην.

157. mvp-comment-122-1 The δέλτος mentioned above (l. 47) contained Heracles' memorandum of the oracle received at Dodona, infr. 1165. In giving this to Deianira before leaving home, he also told her by word of mouth what disposition of his property he desired in case of his death. ἐγγεγραμμένην ξυνθήμαθ'] Having notes inscribed on it. The word ξύνθημα occurs in two places of the O. C., (1) in the singular, of a sign, l. 46, (2) of the record of an agreement, l. 1594. Neither of these meanings exactly suits the context here. A closer parallel is the expression ξυνθήματα κρυπτὰ χαράξας, which appears on an altar in the Museum at Athens, on which certain hierophantic symbols are inscribed. Here it clearly refers to the oracular indication of the doom of Heracles as inscribed on the tablet. The testamentary instructions which are further mentioned were given orally. For the construction of the accusative with the passive verb, see Essay on L. § 16. p. 236. Heracles might be said ἐγγράψαι τὴν δέλτον (οι τῇ δέλτῳ) ξυνθήματα.

159. mvp-comment-123-1 πολλοὺς ἀγῶνας ἐξιών] ‘Though he had gone forth on many labours,' ἀγῶνας is in a similar construction with ὁδύν in l. 155: the labour and the journey to meet the labour being included in one conception. The resumption of πρόσθεν οὐ . . ποτέ in οὔπω, after the intermediate clause, helps to point the antithesis in the following line. Cp. the emphatic repetition in Shaks. Jul. Caesar, 1. 3, 'But never till to-night, never till now, Did I go through a tempest dropping fire." φράσαι in what follows is (1) To show,' (2) 'To explain.'

160. mvp-comment-124-1 ὡς . . . εἶρπε] 'He went with the mien of one.' ἕρπω is a picturesque word, calling up the act of motion to the eye.

161. mvp-comment-125-1 ἔτ᾿ οὐκ ὤν] Already doomed.' Cp. Phil. 1217, ἔτ᾿ οὐδέν εἰμι (where there is the same inversion of οὐκέτι).

161-162. mvp-comment-126-1 ὅ τι κτῆσιν] 'What I must appropriate as my marriage portion; lit. Possession having to do with my marriage.' The MSS. read ὅτι, which may be right, implying that Deianira (knowing the amount of her marriage portion) was to select from the property of Heracles to that amount before dividing the remainder. But ὅ τι agrees better with ἣν in the next clause, and with the situation.

162. mvp-comment-127-1 ἣν τέκνοις] This may refer, as Schndw. supposes, to the partition of the Peloponnese among the Heracleidae. Cp. the anonymous mention of Eurystheus and Ceyx above, ll. 35, 40, and see Eur. H. F. 462 foll., σοὶ μὲν γὰρ ῎Αργος ἔνεμ᾽ ὁ κατθανὼν πατήρ, κ.τ.λ.

163. mvp-comment-128-1 ἣν .. νέμοι] What share of their father's land he assigned for distribution to his children (severally). τέκνοις is short for ἑκάστῳ τέκνων. The scribe who wrote μένειν seems to have understood, The part that remained after the marriage portion was taken out.'

164. mvp-comment-129-1 χρόνον] Víz. a time when it would be known whether the will was to be at once executed or not. τρίμηνον] Sc. χρόνον, to be repeated as accus. of duration with ἀπείη.

165. mvp-comment-130-1 The nom. ἐνιαύσιος, if right, is occasioned by the addition of βεβώς, and is to be explained, after the analogy of χρόνιος, τριταῖος, etc., like Aj. 217, νύκτερος ἀπελωβήθη: ib. 602, μηνῶν ἀνήριθμος .. τρυχόμενος. E. on L. § 23. p. 39 €. Deianira quotes Heracles as telling her what conclusion to draw, if he were absent more than fifteen months. These lines have been suspected, chiefly on account of their tautology, which may be excused by the all-importance of the time to Deianira, and the difficulty which the Greeks felt in defining notions of time. Essay on L. § 48. p. 91. τότε belongs to the whole sentence, τῷδε τῷ χρόνῳ to θανεῖν only. Then the decree of fate should take effect either for him to die within that time,' etc.

167. mvp-comment-131-1 τοῦτο · τοῦ χρόνου τέλος] 'This appointed period of time;' lit. 'This completion in respect of the time.' The conjecture τοῦδε for τοῦτο rather weakens the expression. ὑπεκδραμόντα] 'Having escaped from,' i.e. 'Having passed the danger of.' Burges conj. ὑπερδραμόντα. But the text is more expressive, dimly suggesting the image of a danger to be escaped.

169. mvp-comment-132-1 τοιαῦτα.. πόνων] 'Such he said was the Heaven-appointed issue of the labours of Heracles.' τοιαῦτα, to which εἱμαρμένα adheres, is the 'cognate subject' of ἐкτελευτᾶσθαι ( Essay on L. § 17. p. 25 c ); i. e. if the expression were turned actively, it would stand thus, τὸν Ἡρακλῆ τελευτᾷν τοιαῦτα (= τοιαύτην τελευτὴν) τῶν πόνων, ' That Heracles should find such an end of his labours.' Cp. Thuc. 2. 13, τὰ δὲ πολλὰ τοῦ πολέμου γνώμῃ καὶ χρημάτων περιουσίᾳ κρατεῖσθαι. The genitive may be taken as one of respect, but is assisted by ἐκ in ἐκτελευτᾶσθαι ('Such issue from his labours'). The present tense is often used in prophecies. Aesch. Prom. 848, ἐνταῦθα δή σε Ζεὺς τίθησιν ἔμφρονα. The wording of the oracle may have been τοιαύτην τελευτὴν ἐκτελευτᾷ Ἡρακλῆς τῶν ἑαυτοῦ πόνων. This is another example of Sophocles' fondness for the passive voice. See Essay on L. § 31. p. 54. There is no reason for doubting the genuineness of these two lines, which is confirmed by the Sophoclean character of the construction. ἔφραζε . . ἔφασκε] Sc. ὁ Ἡρακλῆς.

172. mvp-comment-133-1 δισσῶν ἐκ πελειάδων] Sophocles does not explain the manner in which the oracle at Dodona had been given: but vaguely combines the talking oak (Aesch. Prom. 832) with the prophetic pigeons (Hdt. 2. 55, where, however, of the two birds only one comes to Dodona).

173. mvp-comment-134-1 ναμέρτεια] 'The true fulfilment of these words as predestined (ὡς χρεών) comes to pass about this time.' τῶνδε ναμέρτεια almost = τάδε ναμερτῆ ὄντα, with some thought of the etymological meaning (νη, ἁμαρτάνω). For τάδε of the prophecy and event in one, cp. Ο. Τ. 901, εἰ μὴ τάδε χειρόδεικτα πᾶσιν ἁρμόσει βροτοῖς. συμβαίνει] For συμβαίνειν of the issue or fulfilment of an oracle, cp. Thuc. 2. 17, καί μοι δοκεῖ τὸ μαντεῖον τοὐναντίον ξυμβῆναι ἡ προσεδέχοντο.

173-174. mvp-comment-135-1 χρόνου | τοῦ νῦν παρόντος] The dative of time would be too precise and matter-of-fact to express Deianira's meaning, with reference to an emergency, which had not actually arisen. But in using the genitive she does not mean to be indefinite. The fulfilment belongs to the hour that now is here.'

175. mvp-comment-136-1 So that in the midst of a sweet slumber, I start up in fear and dread.' Cp. Plat. Rep. 1. 330 Ε. καὶ ἐκ τῶν ὕπνων, ὥσπερ οἱ παῖδες, θαμὰ ἐγειρόμενος, δειμαίνει. φόβῳ is a causal dative (with ἐκπηδᾶν). ταρβοῦσαν is added in explanation of φόβῳ. εἰ] To think that it is possible,' cp. infr. 666, ἀθυμῶ δ᾽ εἰ φανήσομαι. For this ethical use of ci, which is frequent in Greek (Od. 21. 253) see Essay on L. § 28. p. 46 5.

176. mvp-comment-137-1 εἴ με χρὴ μένειν] 'That I may have to live on.' μένειν has a pathetic force, i.e. to endure, when he is gone. Cp. Phil. 1368, καὐτὸς ἐν Σκύρῳ μένων | ἔα κακῶς αὐτοὺς ἀπόλλυσθαι κακούς.

177. mvp-comment-138-1 φωτός] φώς appears for the most part to have two senses in Sophocles, (1) rather depreciatory, An inconsiderable person,' eg. O. C. 1018, ἀμαυρῷ φωτί : (2) here and in Aj. 807, ἔγνωκα γὰρ δὴ φωτὸς ἠπατημένη, ‘Α husband.

178. mvp-comment-139-1 εὐφημίαν νῦν ἴσχε] 'Say now no more.' Deianira's last words were not auspicious, and the Chorus warn her not to continue them for fear of crossing with an evil omen one who seemed to be a messenger of good tidings. εὐφήμει is an injunction to silence, but generally with reference to some unlucky word that has been or is likely to be said. For the form of expression, cp. Phil. 807, ἀλλ᾽, ὦ τέκνον, καὶ θάρσος ἴσχ᾽, κ.τ.λ. Others would explain, 'Speak no more sadly,' for you will now have cause for joy.

179. mvp-comment-140-1 καταστεφή] O. T. 83, Aesch. Ag. 493. πρὸς χαρὰν λόγων] To be joined with καταστεφή στείχοντα in one phrase. Coming garlanded, like a messenger of joy.' πρὸς χάριν λόγων would merely mean, 'To do the office of a messenger.'

180. mvp-comment-141-1 πρῶτος ἀγγέλων] This busy-body, who is somewhat like the Φύλαξ in the Antigone, though not quite so mean, has rushed in before Lichas in the hope of getting some reward (infr. 191).

183. mvp-comment-142-1 ἀπαρχάς] Including the captives, see below, l. 245.

184. mvp-comment-143-1 Deianira is too much overcome by the announcement to realise it at once. Cp. Phil. 917-19, ib. 1380, where an unwelcome statement is received in the same vacant way: O. Τ. 359, λέγ᾽ αὖθις, ὡς μᾶλλον μάθω : Aesch. Ag. 268, πῶς φής; πέφευγε τοὔπος ἐξ ἀπιστίας.

186. mvp-comment-144-1 σὺν κράτει νικηφόρῳ] · Bringing with him triumphant conquest.'

188. mvp-comment-145-1 βουθερεῖ] 'Where the oxen in summer feed.' The summer grass is the harvest (θέρος) of the cattle. This is more picturesque (esp. with ἄτομον λειμώνα following, infr. 200) than Bovθόρῳ, 'Where the oxen leap.'

189. mvp-comment-146-1 τοῦ] (a) With κλύων, (b) with ἀπῇξα.

190. mvp-comment-147-1 τοι] 'Το say sooth.' The particle introduces the avowal of his motive. Cp. esp. El. 1468, 9. ὅπως | τὸ συγγενές τοι κἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ θρήνων τύχῃ. The candour of the messenger here resembles that of the Corinthian in O. T. 1005, καὶ μὴν μάλιστα τοῦτ᾽ ἀφικόμην, ὅπως | σοῦ πρὸς δόμους ἐλθόντος εὖ πράξαιμί τι. Cp. also the Old Man in the Electra, when assuming a similar character, 772, μάτην ἄρ᾽ ἡμεῖς, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἥκομεν.

192. mvp-comment-148-1 αὐτός] 'Lichas himself.' εἴπερ εὐτυχεῖ] Sc. ὁ Λίχας. If all is well with him.'

193. mvp-comment-149-1 οὐκ εὐμαρείᾳ χρώμενος πολλῇ] 'Being not altogether his own master; i. e. he is detained, not quite of his own free will.

194. mvp-comment-150-1 Μηλιεύς .. λεώς] The Melian people and the Trachinians are the same in the mind of Sophocles. Cp. his indifference about Calydon and Pleuron in l. 7. The gentile substantive is used for the adjective, as often elsewhere. 'All the Melian folk press round and question him (cp. infr. 314), nor can he advance a step.'

195. mvp-comment-151-1 κρίνει . . ἔχει] There is no difficulty in the change of subject. See Essay on L. § 36. p. 65.

196. mvp-comment-152-1 τὸ . . ποθοῦν.. ἐκμαθεῖν] Το satisfy his longing with full information.' For this use of the active neuter participle, see Essay on L. § 30. p. 51. The abstract notion is here put for the object, the desire of knowledge, for the knowledge desired. Cp. Shak. Temp. 1. 2. 176, For still 'tis beating in my mind.'

197. mvp-comment-153-1 οὐκ ἂν μεθεῖτο] (1) 'Refuse to let him go. The third person is used as the first might have been, οὐκ ἂν μεθείμην σε, 'I will not let thee go.' See Aristophanes, Ran. 830, οὐκ ἂν μεθείμην τοῦ θρόνου: Αj. 313, εἰ μὴ φανοίην, and note. Or (2), 'He is not likely to be let go.' καθ' ἡδονήν] ‘To their heart's content.' κατά, as in κατὰ νοῦν.

198. mvp-comment-154-1 οὐχ ἑκών, ἑκοῦσι δέ] 'Not of his will, but by theirs.' Cp. Odyss. 5. 155, παρ᾿ οὐκ ἐθέλων ἐθελούσῃ.

200. mvp-comment-155-1 foll. The mention of the precinct on Mount Oeta, which was sacred to Zeus (infr. 436, 1191), is preparatory to the death of Heracles on that spot. ἄτομον, * Inviolate.' Cp. Hymn Merc. 72, where the oxen of the gods are λειμῶνες ἀκηράσιοι, a Cretan inscription (Corp. Inscr. 2. 1103), ἵνα μηθεὶς ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ τοῦ Διὸς τοῦ Δικταίου μήτε ἐννέμῃ μήτε ἐναυλοστατῇ μήτε σπείρῃ μήτε ξυλεύῃ : Eur. Hipp. 73, σοὶ τόνδε πλεκτὸν στέφανον ἐξ ἀκηράτου, κ.τ.λ.: Hom H. Ven. 269, 70, ἑστᾶσ᾽ ἠλίβατοι· τεμένη δέ ἑ κικλήσκουσιν | ἀθανάτων· τὰς δ᾽ οὔτι βροτοὶ κείρουσι σιδήρῳ.

201. mvp-comment-156-1 ἀλλὰ σὺν χρόνῳ] 'At length, though late.' Cp. Ant. 552, τί δῆτ᾽ ἂν ἀλλὰ νῦν σ᾽ ἔτ᾿ ὠφελοῖμ᾽ ἐγώ ;

202-203. mvp-comment-157-1 αἵ τ᾿ εἴσω στέγης.. αἵ τ᾿ ἐκτὸς αὐλῆς] The variety of expression has little or no significance. Deianira addresses herself to the women who belong to the house, as well as to the Chorus who have come to visit her, and are standing before the gates.

203-204. mvp-comment-158-1 We now reap the gladness of a vision of hope that has arisen unexpectedly on me in the utterance of this auspicious word.' On the mixed metaphor, see Essay on L. § 58. p. 105. ὄμμα] The notions of an act and of an object of vision, as well as of the instrument, are contained in this word. See Essay on L. § 54. p. 99. Hence it comes to mean anything which suddenly affects (1) the eye, or (2) (metaphorically) the mind. Cp. esp. El. 902, 3, ἐμπαίει τί μοι | ψυχῇ ξύνηθες ὄμμα. ἐμοί is in construction with ἀνασχόν, and also with ἄελπτον. φήμης is genitive of origin. The news is regarded as a star or sun from which the new light proceeds. For ἀνασχεῖν of a sudden event, cp. Hdt. 7. 14, τάδε τοι ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀνασχήσειν.

205-224. mvp-comment-159-1 The Chorus in response to Deianira raise this strain, accompanied, at least in the latter part of it (216 foll.), with dancing, or some rapid motion to and fro. Cp. Aj. 693-717, О. Т. 1086–1109, Ant. 1115-1152, for similar expressions of hope before some catastrophe. See also O. C. 1044 foll., El. 1384-1397. The maidens who are come to visit Deianira (1) challenge the maidens within the house to shout for joy, and (2) invite the young men to accompany them; (3) they encourage each other to raise the hymn to Artemis, (4) they dance under the excitement of the flute and the thyrsus, (5) they call attention to the coming of Lichas with the captives. These quick changes mark the feeling of trepidation which the situation is calculated to produce.

205. mvp-comment-160-1 ἀνολολύξατε δόμοις] There is no cause for changing the MS. reading of this line, which, as Hermann pointed out, has the same metre as El. 1384, ἴδεθ᾽ ὅπου προνέμεται. The plur. imperative is addressed to all within the house (young men and maidens), who are mentioned separately afterwards.

206. mvp-comment-161-1 ὁ μελλόνυμφος is either (1) used collectively-the indefinite singular for the indefinite plural ( Essay on L. § 20. p. 31 )-or (2) there is an ellipse of χόρος (κατὰ σύνεσιν). The former (1) is more probable, and the gender is to be accounted for, as in l. 151 supr., τὴν αὑτοῦ σκοπῶν πρᾶξιν. The word μελλόνυμφος may be suggested by Deianira's description in ll. 144-150. Those to whom marriage is in futurity. Such echoes of the dialogue are frequent in the choric songs. ἐν δέ] · And therewith.' Essay on L. § 18. p. 26. κοινός] Mingling' with the voices of the maidens. Cp. O. C. 1500, τίς αὖ παρ᾽ ὑμῶν κοινὸς ἠχεῖται κτύπος; κοινὸς feminine occurs only here.

207. mvp-comment-162-1 ἴτω] Nauck well quotes Fr. 435, ἴτω δὲ Πυθιὰς βοὰ θεῷ : Eur. Fr. Phaeth. 775, l. 52, ἴτω τελεία γάμων ἀοιδά. τὸν .. προστάταν] The accusative is governed by the general notion of celebrating' implied in the preceding words. See E. on L. § 16. p. 23. εὐφαρέτραν] ‘Lord of the quiver,' an epithet which either (1) simply brings the figure of the god vividly before the eye, cp. ἀργυρότοξος, or (2) implies his propitious power.

209. mvp-comment-163-1 προστάταν] “The protector,' Apollo προστάτης οι προστατήριος, is rightly invoked by those within the house, as having his altar at the gate. El. 637-

210. mvp-comment-164-1 παιᾶνα παιᾶν] The repetition imitates the hymn itself, in which the same sounds would be often renewed. ἀνάγετε] Cp. Eur. Phoen. 1350, ἀνάγετε κωκυτόν. ὦ παρθένοι] The Chorus now address themselves, as below l. 821, ἴδ᾽ οἷον, ὦ παῖδες, προσέμιξεν ἄφαρ, κ τ.λ.

211. mvp-comment-165-1 βοᾶτε τὰν .. "Αρτεμιν] ‘Call aloud the name of Artemis.' Cp. supr. 207. ὁμόσπορον] ‘His sister. See the Homeric Hymn to Apollo, ll. 14 foll., and the Hymn to Artemis, l. 2.

212. mvp-comment-166-1 Ὀρτυγίαν] Two accounts are given of the use of this epithet: (1) that as, according to the Scholiast of Apollonius Rhodius, the name Ortygia primarily belonged to Artemis as worshipped in Aetolia, she is so named here in compliment to Deianira: (2) that Artemis Ortygia was believed to haunt some place in the neighbourhood of Trachis. The latter is confirmed by l. 637, and by the most natural meaning of γείτονας in this passage, viz. 'in our neighbourhood.' The comparison of the Syracusan Ortygia (Pind. Pyth. 2. 10, 11, 'Ορτυγίαν ποταμίας ἕδος᾿ Αρτέμιδος) may suggest that the goddess was imagined to haunt wooded promontories or peninsulas, which had been left wild from being difficult of access. The quail (ὄρτυξ) may have been peculiarly abundant in such places. For γείτονας, i.e. Μηλιάδας, cp. Phil. 725, Μηλιάδων νυμφᾶν, κ.τ.λ.

214. mvp-comment-167-1 ἀμφίπυρον] Artemis is commonly represented with a torch in either hand. Cр. О. Т. 207, 8, τάς τε πυρφόρους | ᾿Αρτέμιδος αἴγλας ξὺν αἷς | Λύκι᾿ ὄρεα διάσσει.

216. mvp-comment-168-1 This line seems to mark the point where the dance, or the rapid movement of the Chorus, begins. The elision of the termination in ἀείρομαι is very unusual.

216. mvp-comment-168-2 ἀείρομ᾽ οὐδ᾽ ἀπώσομαι τὸν αὐλόν] 'I am uplifted, and will not repel the flute;' i.e. I will yield to its power. The following words are not addressed to Deianira, but are an apostrophe to the power of the flute, 'The sovran of the willing soul' (as Gray calls the lyre, in summing up the first Pythian), which is compelling them to the dance. Cp. Αj. 693, περιχαρής δ᾽ ἀνεπτάμαν.

219-220. mvp-comment-169-1 ἰδοὺἅμιλλαν] • Behold even now (glory to Iacchos), the ivy stirs up my soul, and makes me quick to turn in' (or 'into') 'the Bacchic course!' The ivy upon their brows, or wound about the thyrsus, with which they incite each other to the dance. βακχίαν .. ἅμιλλαν is probably acc. in app. with the action of ὑποστρέφων. Turning me' either in,' or 'into the Bacchic course.' Others, with the Scholiast, would render, Converting my soul (from sorrow) to the Bacchic dance.'

222. mvp-comment-170-1 ἰὼ, ἰὼ Παιάν] The Chorus are just leading up the Paean, which from its monotony could not have been continued with dramatic effect, when Lichas arrives, and they break off. The correction of the text is due to Dindorf, who also reads γυναικῶν. But there is no reason to assume that the three lines must be alike. The iambic tripody with a pause makes a good transition to the other form, CICIC!!. (Qy. ἰδέ· | ἴδ᾽ ὦ φ. γ.?)

223-224. mvp-comment-171-1 τάδ' .. ἐναργῆ] ‘Here is the thing face to face, present and palpable to sight.' ἐναργῆ] 'Beyond the possibility of mistake.'

225-226. mvp-comment-172-1 ὄμματος .. στόλον] The subject of παρῆλθε is the vague τάδε (l.223) resumed with more distinctness in τόνδε .. στόλον : i. e. οὐ παρῆλθέ μ' ὅδε ὁ στόλος, μὴ λεύσσειν αὐτόν. παρῆλθε, 'Escaped,' as in Dem. 550. 26, τουτὶ .. μικροῦ παρῆλθέ με εἰπεῖν, 'I see it, dear friends, nor hath this escaped the vigilance of my eye.' τόνδε, sc. ὄντα τοιόνδε. For the second acc. (με governed by ὀμμ. Φ. π. = ἔλαθε) see Essay on L. § 16. p. 23 , and cp. Ο. C. 113, καὶ σύ μ᾿ ἐξ ὁδοῦ πόδα | κρύψον. While Musgrave's correction is adopted in the text, as having a high degree of probability, the MS. reading may be defended as meaning, 'Vigilance has not (so) passed from my eye.' But such a meaning of παρῆλθε is questionable.

226. mvp-comment-173-1 μὴ λεύσσειν] Although μὴ οὐ would be in place here, we are not in a position to say that μή by itself is wrong.

227-228. mvp-comment-174-1 χρόνῳ | πολλῷ] Cp. Phil. 715, δεκέτει χρόνῳ: Aesch. Ag. 521, δέξασθε κύσμῳ βασιλέα πολλῷ χρόνῳ. χαρτὸν φέρεις] For the direct address following the third person, cp. Ο. Τ. 162, καὶ Φοῖβον ἑκαβόλον .. προφάνητε. There is an obvious play of words, to which καί gives emphasis, Joy to thee, herald, if thou bringest joyful news. For the order of words, ср. О. С. 665, Φοῖβος εἰ προϋπεμψέ σε.

229. mvp-comment-175-1 ἀλλ᾽ εὐ μὲν ἵγμεθ᾽] ἀλλά sets aside the doubt expressed in εἰ . . φέρεις. Cp. Phil. 232, ἀλλ᾽, ὦ ξέν᾽, ἴσθι τοῦτο πρῶτον, κ.τ.λ., ‘Our coming is happy, be assured, and happily are we addressed, lady, as the deed which has been achieved is happy.'

230. mvp-comment-176-1 κατ᾿ ἔργου κτῆσιν = ὥσπερ ἔργῳ ἐκτησάμεθα, sc. ἀγαθά implied in ev. ἄνδρα.. ἔπη] 'He who is fortunate cannot fail to win good words.' For ἀνάγκη, which may seem rather abrupt, cp. 295, πολλή ᾿στ᾿ ἀνάγκη τῇδε τοῦτο συντρέχειν, where, as here, the expression is stronger than the thought, 'It cannot be otherwise,' meaning only, 'It is but natural.'

232. mvp-comment-177-1 φίλτατ᾿ ἀνδρῶν] For the affectionate address arising simply from the effusion of joy, cp. Εl. 1227, ὦ φίλταται γυναῖκες, ὦ πολίτιδες, κ.τ.λ. Lichas has also, of course, a claim on Deianira's gratitude for having brought the news. βούλομαι] Sc. διδαχθῆναι.

233. mvp-comment-178-1 προσδέξομαι] Deianira, in her eager questioning, goes beyond what Lichas could possibly tell.

234. mvp-comment-179-1 ἔλειπον] For the tense, see on l. 47. When I took leave of him he was, etc. ἰσχύοντά τε | καὶ ζῶντα] i. e. 'Not only alive but strong.' See Essay on L. § 41. p. 78 b.

235. mvp-comment-180-1 θάλλοντα] Flourishing,' as one who has lately done great things.

236. mvp-comment-181-1 Where in the world either of his own land or of lands beyond?' Cp. supr. 73 for a similar condensed question. Like the Chorus, Deianira is all uncertainty as to Heracles' whereabouts, and her imagination wanders far. In supr. 163 the words πατρώας γῆς denoted the Peloponnese, as the inheritance of the sons of Heracles. Here (γῆς) πατρώας refers to Hellas generally, either (1) simply as the native land of Heracles, or (2) as the land which was under the especial protection of his father Zeus. Cp. Aesch. Fr. 157-

237. mvp-comment-182-1 ἀκτή τις ἔστ᾽ Εὐβοιΐς, ἔνθ'] The usual formula in describing the place where anything occurred (l. 752, Ant. 966, Homer passim). ὁρίζεται] «He consecrates.' The word is literally applicable to the τέμενος, whose bounds were marked out, but is extended to the altar and what is placed on it.

238. mvp-comment-183-1 τέλη τ' ἔγκαρπα] The 'tribute of fruitful things' is (1) that proportion of the produce of the τέμενος which was to be devoted to the immediate service of the god. Or (2) more generally, 'Offerings of the fruits of the earth.'

239. mvp-comment-184-1 εὐκταῖα φαίνων] Το fulfil a vow.' For φαίνειν of the practical manifestation of an intention, cp. O. C. 721, νῦν σοὶ τὰ λαμπρὰ ταῦτα δὴ φαίνειν ἔπη: Hdt. 3. 36, εὔνοιαν φαίνων.

240. mvp-comment-185-1 εὐχαῖς] ‘By reason of the vow he vowed.' For the dative of the reason, cp. infr. 1127, τοῖς γε πρόσθεν ἡμαρτημένοις. This is the reading of L supported by the lemma of the Scholiast, and is also the harder reading. On these accounts it is preferred to εὐκταῖ', the reading of Par. A, although the latter is equally good in point of sense. ἀνάστατον] Proleptic. 'He conquered and made homeless.

243. mvp-comment-186-1 ξυμφορᾷ] 'Unless they deceive me by their misfortune,' i.e. Unless I am led by their unhappy looks to pity them more than they deserve. This, the reading of the diorthotes of L, which Schndw. adopted, is better than ξυμφορα, which is found in other MSS., because Deianira's feeling is better expressed by making the maidens the subject of the sentence, than if ξυμφοραὶ = αἱ ξυμφοραὶ αὐτῶν were the nominative.

245. mvp-comment-187-1 καὶ θεοῖς] Cp. Eur. Ion 309, 10, τοῦ θεοῦ καλοῦμαι δοῦλος, εἰμί τ', ὦ γύναι. ΚΡ. ἀνάθημα πόλεως, ἤ, κ.τ.λ.: Phoen. 220, 1, ἴσα δ᾽ ἀγάλμασι χρυσοτεύκτοις Φοίβῳ λάτρις γενόμαν. κριτόν] Choice.' Cp. Pind. Pyth. 4. 89, κριτὸν εὑρήσει . . γένος, but the word here retains more of the verbal meaning = ἔκκριτον.

246. mvp-comment-188-1 And was it by that city that he was absent during the vast time of which the days could not be numbered?' ἄσκοπον] That cannot be taken into the eye (or the mind). Essay on L. § 51. p. 96.

247. mvp-comment-189-1 For βεβώς here, see on l. 41. ἡμερῶν ἀνήριθμον] For the gen., cp. Ο. Τ. 178, ὧν πόλις ἀνάριθμος ὄλλυται, and note.

248ff. mvp-comment-190-1 The falsehood of Lichas consists, not in the story of the servitude of Heracles to Omphale, which, whether true or false, was matter of common rumour (ll. 67 foll.), but in his assigning this as the reason for the conquest of Oechalia.

248. mvp-comment-191-1 τὸν.. πλεῖστον] Viz. twelve months out of the fifteen (l. 253).

249. mvp-comment-192-1 ὥς φησ᾿ αὐτός 253 ὡς αὐτὸς λέγει] The word of Heracles himself is required to confirm a statement so degrading to him.

250-251. mvp-comment-193-1 τοῦ λόγου δ᾽ οὐ χρὴ φθόνον .. προσεῖναι] 'And, lady, this must be heard without offence, as all things must in which the hand of Zeus is seen.' The expression is generalized in the relative clause. Hence the subjunctive.

251. mvp-comment-194-1 τοῦ λόγου is an objective genitive, - 'Envy at the word' or 'tale.' Ζεύς, κ.τ.λ.] Infr. 275.

252. mvp-comment-195-1 πραθείς repeats ἐμποληθείς with less attempt at softening the harsh fact. Cp. 276. Lichas purposely enlarges on the trouble that is past in order to lighten by contrast the effect of the discovery which must soon be made.

254. mvp-comment-196-1 He was so stung by incurring this dishonour.' For ὄνειδος = Disgrace,' cp. O. C. 967, 984, О. Т. 1035, 1494.

255. mvp-comment-197-1 Cp. with ὅρκον.. προσβαλών the expressions ὅρκον ἐπελαύνειν and προσάγειν τινί in Hdt. 1. 146, 6. 62.

256. mvp-comment-198-1 τὸν ἀγχιστῆρα] 'The causer.' This being a verbal form cannot be the equivalent of ἀγχιστεύς, which is from ἄγχιστος, ας ἀριστεύς from ἄριστος. Whether a verb ἀγχίζω existed or not, it is presupposed in the formation of ἀγχιστήρ, which can only mean, 'Him who brought on' (Seidler). 'He expressly swore that he would reduce to slavery the man who brought this trouble.' αὐτόχειρα has been conjectured, but this word could hardly be applied to Eurytus with reference to the bondage of Heracles. There Eurytus was only μεταίτιος, an accomplice before the fact, which was the work of Zeus.

257. mvp-comment-199-1 ξὺν παιδί] In Odyss. 9. 199, οὖνεκά μιν σὺν παιδὶ περισχόμεθ' ἠδὲ γυναικί, there is a various reading παισί, but there is nothing improbable in the collective use of the singular here. Essay on L. § 20. p. 31, 2.

258. mvp-comment-200-1 οὐχ ἡλίωσε] 'He made not void;' i. e, amply fulfilled. ἁγνός] 'Clean,' i. e. free. The bondage was a pollution incurred by the murder of Iphitus and at the same time an expiation of it. There may also have been some formal expiation not expressly mentioned. When this was over, he was pure, and might therefore look for success.

259. mvp-comment-201-1 ‘στρατὸν .. ἐπακτόν, quem dicit Sophocles, Arcades fuisse et Malienses et Locros Epicnemidios perhibet Apollodorus, 2. 7, 7; solos Arcades nominat Diodorus, 4. 37.' Herm. The point is one of no importance to the action. πόλιν] Accusative of motion to. Essay on L. § 16. p. 22.

260. mvp-comment-202-1 τόνδε] Sc. τὸν Εύρυτον. Α simple instance of the construction κατὰ σύνεσιν. Essay on L. § 36. p. 64. μεταίτιον] Alone partner with Zeus in the blame of this calamity.' Cp. Aesch. Eum. 199, 200, αὐτὸς σὺ τούτων οὐ μεταίτιος πέλει, | ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὸ πᾶν ἔπραξας ὢν παναίτιος.

261. mvp-comment-203-1 μόνον βροτῶν] Cp. 355, μόνος θεῶν.

262. mvp-comment-204-1 ἐφέστιον, | ξένον παλαιὸν ὄντα] Coming to be received at his hearth, having been a friend of old.'

263-264. mvp-comment-205-1 πολλὰ μὲν πολλὰ δέ] 'Brake forth against him with rude words and with evil intent.' The antithetical repetition adds emphasis. Eurytus not only spoke badly, but meant badly. See Essay on L. § 40. p. 76. ἀτηρᾷ φρενί] 'With mischief-meaning mind.' Cp. Phil. 1272, πιστός, ἀτηρὸς λάθρᾳ.

265. mvp-comment-206-1 ἄφυκτα.. βέλη] The bow and arrows afterwards bequeathed to Philoctetes. Cp. Phil. 105.

266. mvp-comment-207-1 τῶν ὧν.. κρίσιν] ‘He came behind his (Eurytus') sons in fitness to compete with the bow;' (i.e. πρὸς τὸ τόξῳ κρίνεσθαι.)

267. mvp-comment-208-1 φωνεῖ δέ] 'And he utters the word.' This emphatic resumption of λέγων may be justified by the extraordinary nature of the reproach. Such a use of φωνεῖν is rare, but cp. O. Τ. 780, καλεῖ παρ᾿ οἶνῳ, κ.τ.λ.: Αj. 1047, οὗτος, σὲ φωνῶ, κ.τ.λ., and see above, λόγοις ἐπερρόθησε. The word suggests the loud tones in which the reproach was uttered. For the 'return to the indicative,' see Essay on L. § 36. p. 64 b. Most MSS. have φώνει, the imperfect without augment. Brunck substituted for this the vivid present. Hermann suspected the word, and conjectured φανείς. I formerly suggested φύσει (ΙΙ. 19. 95 foll., O. С. 1295).

268. mvp-comment-209-1 ῥαίοιτο] 'Was being crushed,' viz. by Eurystheus. Cp. Aesch. Prom. 189, ὅταν ταύτῃ ῥαισθῇ. δείπνοις] ‘At a feast. O. Τ. 779 and note. ἦν οἰνώμενος] Sc. ὁ Ἡρακλῆς. Ας Epic and Ionic forms are sometimes employed in narration, it is not worth while to alter the MS. reading to ᾠνώμενος here. Cp. μοῦνον, l. 277.

270. mvp-comment-210-1 αὖθις] ‘Again,' on another occasion. Τιρυνθίαν πρὸς κλιτύν] Το the Tirynthian height.'

271. mvp-comment-211-1 ἵππους νομάδας] ‘His horses, which had been loose at pasture.' His mind was following the horses, wondering where they were. This gave Heracles the opportunity for his single act of guile.

273. mvp-comment-212-1 Hurled him from the towering cliff.' ἀπ᾿ ἄκρας . . πυργώδους πλακός, From the tower-like crown of the cliff,' is an expression which recalls the appearance of Tiryns as seen from below.

275. mvp-comment-213-1 τῶν ἁπάντων] Of all, and not only of Heracles, to whom therefore he could not forgive this wrong.

276-277. mvp-comment-214-1 οὐδ᾽ ἠνέσχετο, | ὁθούνεκ'] 'And would not endure it, that-.' μοῦνον ἀνθρώπων] Unlike the rest of those whom he had slain. See the story of Iphitus told in Od. 21. 14-41.

278. mvp-comment-215-1 εἰ . . ἠμύνατο] ‘If he had made requital openly.'

279. mvp-comment-216-1 Zeus manifestly would have consented' either (1) to his being justly punished,' or (2) 'to his justly punishing him.' In the former case, (1) χειρουμένῳ used passively involves a change of subject. In the latter, (2) the same word used actively is without an object. τοι gives a note of preparation for what follows, in which the connection, though not fully expressed, is obvious; viz. 'Zeus punished Heracles for his guile, certainly not out of any love for Eurytus' proud race, who for their over-weening insolence have now been destroyed.' So Lichas returns from the digression, with which he laboured to assign a motive for the siege of Oechalia. His prolixity in doing this (which has brought the passage under suspicion), is really a stroke of art, by which the poet reminds the spectators of the simplicity of the real motive.

280. mvp-comment-217-1 'It is not to be supposed that the gods any more than men favour the proud.' Of this the ruin of Oechalia is a proof.

281. mvp-comment-218-1 κεῖνοι] 'And they too'-Eurytus and his sons, who must be supposed to have joined with him in his transgression. ἐκ γλώσσης κακῆς] 'With reviling words.' ἐκ here denotes rather the manner than the origin of the offence. ὑπερχλίοντες is in the imperfect tense. See Essay on L. § 32. p. 54 , and cp. Thuc. 3. 9. § 3, ἐν τῇ εἰμήνῃ τιμώμενοι.

282. mvp-comment-219-1 ῞Αιδου οἰκήτορες] Cp. infr. 1161, ὅστις "Αιδου φθίμενος οἰκήτωρ πέλοι.

283. mvp-comment-220-1 τάσδε] For this attraction of the antecedent, see Essay on L. § 35. p. 59, and cp. supr. 152.

284. mvp-comment-221-1 ἐξ ὀλβίων] Sc. οὐσῶν. As if the sentence were ἐξ ὀλβίων ἄζηλοι γενόμενοι.

286. mvp-comment-222-1 πιστὸς ὢν κείνῳ] Deianira remembers this afterwards, ll. 617-20.

287. mvp-comment-223-1 αὐτὸν . . ἐκεῖνον] Resumed in νιν, l. 289, where Hense unnecessarily conjectures φρόνησον. ἁγνὰ θύματα] ‘'Pure sacrifices,' consecrating the victory by acknowledging the help of the gods.

288. mvp-comment-224-1 τῆς ἁλώσεως] For the capture,' as a thank-offering. To be joined with θύματα. Essay on L. § 10. p. 15 d. πατρῴῳ Ζηνί] Schndw. says that although Zeus was the father of Heracles he was here worshipped by him as the god of the whole race (of Amphitryon?). But Zeus was πατρῷος to Heracles in a peculiar sense-'The Zeus of fatherhood,' i e. 'The author of being.' Cp. infr. 753. Qy. φρονεῖν (see v. rr.)?

290. mvp-comment-225-1 καλῶς λεχθέντος] ‘Of many words fair to hear this is the fairest.' πολλοῦ has been questioned and ὅλου conjectured by Otto Hense. But ὅλου is inexact. For the account of Heracles' bondage to Omphale (ll. 248-53) was not fair to hear.'

292. mvp-comment-226-1 i. e. You have not only the words of Lichas, but the presence of the captives, to vouch for the coming of Heracles. That which assures the joy of Deianira is to be the cause of her misery. So little does the 'coming event cast its shadow before.' Cp. 862.

294. mvp-comment-227-1 πανδίκῳ φρενί] 'With a heart that has every reason to rejoice':-πανδίκως τῇ φρενί.

295. mvp-comment-228-1 'This cannot fail' either (1) 'to coincide with that' (the joy with the news), or (2) 'to coincide in this way.' In (1) τῇδε = τῇ πράξει. In (2) τῇδε is adverbial and τοῦτο is the news and the rejoicing in one. The former (1) is best. Such news must needs be met by such rejoicing.' This line, with many others that could be dropped without ruining the connection, has been needlessly suspected as an interpolation.

296. mvp-comment-229-1 ἔνεστι τοῖσιν εὖ σκοπουμένοις] Either (1) There is occasion in the eyes of those who consider well' (the middle voice occurs in O. Τ. 964, τί δῆτ᾽ ἄν, ὦ γύναι, σκοποῖτό τις, κ.τ.λ.): -the dative, as in O. T. 616, καλῶς ἔλεξεν εὐλαβουμένῳ πεσεῖν : -or (2), 'There is room, when things are well considered.' In this case the dative is governed by ἐν in ἔνεστι.

298. mvp-comment-230-1 For οἶκτος of pity mixed with apprehension, cp. Eur. Med. 931, εἰσῆλθέ μ' οἶκτος εἰ γενήσεται τάδε. δεινός] Overpowering,' of strong feeling. Cp. infr. 476, ταύτης ὁ δεινὸς ἵμερος: Plat. Theaet. 169 Β, οὕτω τις ἔρως δεινὸς ἐνδέδυκε τῆς περὶ ταῦτα γυμνασίας.

300. mvp-comment-231-1 Homeless, because Oechalia was destroyed; Fatherless,' because its chief men had been slain in battle.

301. mvp-comment-232-1 πρίν] In their former life, when they had a home.

302. mvp-comment-233-1 δοῦλον) The adjectival use of δοῦλος, which occurs here and supr. l. 53, is not found in earlier Greek.

303. mvp-comment-234-1 τροπαῖε] 'Giver of victory." Deianira has been commonly understood to address Zeus thus as the averter of evil (ἀποτρόπαιος). But elsewhere τροπαίος means the god who turns armies in battle. On this occasion Zeus has driven the army of Oechalia before Heracles and his allies. Deianira apprehends the possibility of some descendant of the Heracleidae being similarly defeated and made captive through the same god favouring another race.

304. mvp-comment-235-1 ποι after the verb of motion = που.

305. mvp-comment-236-1 τῆσδέ γε ζώσης ἔτι, Sc. δράσειας

306. mvp-comment-237-1 ὁρωμένη) The middle adds a touch of feeling, like the ethical dative, Le Looking at them with reflection. Cp. Ο. Τ. 1487, νοούμενος τὰ λοιπὰ τοῦ πικροῦ βίου.

307. mvp-comment-238-1 Iole is naturally silent and downcast in the presence of Deianira, who in her quick sympathy interprets this as an expression of sorrow. The foremost captive, she observes, shows more feeling than the rest (312).

308. mvp-comment-239-1 τεκνοῦσσα (see v. rr.) is obtained from the lemma of the Scholiast. φύσιν] 'Appearance.' Cp. O. Т. 740, 1, φύσιν τιν εἶχε, φράζε.

309. mvp-comment-240-1 πάντων. . τῶνδε] Sc. τοῦ ἄνδρα τε καὶ τέκνα σχεῖν.

313. mvp-comment-241-1 φρονεῖν οἶδεν] 'Has the sense to feel her position." See note on 307. For this pleonastic use of οἶδεν = ἐπίσταται. cp. Hom. Il. 7. 238, οἶδ᾽ ἐπὶ δεξιά, εἶδ' ἐπ᾿ ἀριστερὰ νωμῆσαι βῶν: Phil. 1010, ὃς οὐδὲν ἤδη πλὴν τὸ προσ ταχθὲν ποιεῖν: Arist. Vesp. 376, ν᾽ εἰδῇ μὴ πατεῖν τὰ τῶν θεῶν ψηφίσματα.

314. mvp-comment-242-1 τί δ' ἄν με καὶ κρίνοις; καὶ opposes the question to the reply. I cannot answer, and why should you ask??

315. mvp-comment-243-1 τῶν ἐκεῖθεν] Sc. γεννημάτων. Ср. О. Т. 1167, τῶν Λαΐου τοίνυν τις ἦν γεννημάτων. οὐκ ἐν ὑστάτοις] 'Not far down.' The phrase is equivalent to an attributive adjective agreeing with γέννημα.

316. mvp-comment-244-1 μὴ τῶν τυράννων] Sc. γέννημα. 'Can she have been of the royal stock?' Εὐρύτου σπορά τις ἦν] Either (1) 'Is it possible she is Eurytus' offspring?' τις = πως. See Essay on L. § 22. p. 36, sub fin., and cp. Ó. T. 1167, quoted above. Or (2) Had Eurytus any offspring?" So Hermann.

317. mvp-comment-245-1 οὐδ᾽ ἀνιστόρουν μακράν] 'I did not carry my inquiries far.'

318. mvp-comment-246-1 τῶν ξυνεμπόρων] Of those travelling with her and you,' viz. the other captives. ἔχεις = πέπυσαι. Cp. Phil. 789, ἔχετε τὸ πρᾶγμα.

319. mvp-comment-247-1 τοὐμὸν ἔργον] The herald's task of bringing the captives home.

320. mvp-comment-248-1 Deianira, baffled in her compassionate eagerness, now turns to Iole herself in a tone of entreaty. ἀλλά belongs to ἐκ σαυτῆς or to the whole sentence, not to ἡμίν. (Cр. О. С. 238, ὦ ξένοι, . . ἀλλ᾽ ἐπεί, κ.τ.λ.)

321. mvp-comment-249-1 καὶ ξυμφορά τοι] These words express Deianira's strong sympathy. 'Verily, I am distressed not to know who thou art.' A narrator might say of her in the language of Herodotus, καὶ συμφορὴν ἐποιέετο, τὸ μὴ εἰδέναι τὴν ξείνην ἥ τις εἴη. It has been observed that the particles ἐπεὶ καί τοι are not found together elsewhere. But each of the three words has a distinct and apposite meaning. 'For' (ἐπεί) ‘I tell you' (τοι) 'I am even' (καί) ' distressed.' γε simply emphasizes σé, i. e. 'You, who have awakened such an interest in me.'

322ff. mvp-comment-250-1 Lichas hurriedly interposes to prevent disclosure with a significant warning to Iole to hold her peace. The first Scholiast's explanation of these words gives a rational meaning: ἐὰν αἰδουμένη σε φθέγξηται, κατ᾿ οὐδὲν ἄρα ἐξίσου τῷ πρόσθεν χρόνῳ προκομίσειεν (ἂν ?) αὐτῆς τὴν γλῶσσαν· τὸν γὰρ πρὸ τοῦ χρόνου ἐσιώπα: i.e. he understands the stress of the sentence to be on the words οὐδὲν ἐξ ἴσου τῷ γε πρόσθεν χρόνῳ ( Essay on L. § 24. p. 40 ). It will not be in accordance with (her demeanour in) the previous time that she will bring out her tongue (if she does so).' The doubt is whether διαφέρειν can mean, 'To bring between the lips,' and so answer the προκομίζειν of the Scholiast. Wakefield's conjecture διήσει, ' Will let pass through her lips,' is supported by Ο. C. 963 (ὅστις φόνους . .) τοῦ σοῦ διῆκας στόματος. Hermann explained the words to mean, Just as hitherto (τῷ γε πρόσθεν ἐξ ἴσου χρόνῳ) she will maintain an even tenour (οὐδὲν διοίσει) as to her tongue.' Dindorf (agreeing with the second Scholiast), 'She will not employ her tongue' (οὐ.. διοίσει οι διήσει γλῶσσαν) 'inconsistently with what she has done hitherto.'

323-324. mvp-comment-251-1 οὐδαμὰ | προὔφηνεν] ‘Made no sign.

325. mvp-comment-252-1 But travailing with the weight of her calamity she has wept over it ever since.' The accusative is to be joined both with ὠδίνουσα and δακρυρροεῖ. Cp. Shak. Pericles, 5. 1, 'I am great with woe and shall deliver weeping.'

327. mvp-comment-253-1 διήνεμον] It is difficult to determine whether this is (1) a mere epithet, 'Wind-swept,' like the Homeric ἠνεμόεσσα, descriptive of a city on a hill, or (2) a supplem. pred. = διήνεμον οὖσαν, ‘Desolate,' 'Open to the winds.' The first (1) may be supported by comparing several picturesque touches in this play, but the other (2) is more dramatic. Both are given in the scholia, ἔρημον (2), ὕψηλον (1). ἡ δέ τοι] This is better than ἥδε τοι, which leaves an unmeaning asyndeton. Her case is unfortunate, I mean for herself, but suggests a reason for indulgence' (on our part); i. e. 'Her misfortune may excuse her silence.'

328. mvp-comment-254-1 For ἔχει, cp. Thuc. 2. 41. § 3, ἀγανάκτησιν ἔχει ('Gives cause for complaint'): Eur. Phoen. 995, τοὐμὸν δ᾽ οὐχὶ συγγνώμην ἔχει.

329. mvp-comment-255-1 ἥδ᾽ οὖν] ἡ δ' οὖν is sometimes read here, as in O. T. 669. But while δέ is unnecessary, the opposition of πάντες in what follows is enough to justify the use of the demonstrative ἥδε. στέγας] For the accus. cp. 58, δύμους.

330. mvp-comment-256-1 ἥδιστα] For this sense of ἡδύς, ср. О. C. 639, 40, εἰ δ᾽ ἐμοῦ στείχειν μέτα | τόδ᾽ ἡδύ.

331. mvp-comment-257-1 This line in LA (see v. rr.) has manifestly suffered from corruption, some other word being replaced either by the first or the second λύπην. The Triclinian reading which is adopted in the text, although possibly due to conjecture, is more probable than any other of the various changes which have been proposed. It is not necessary to change λάβοι το λάβῃ. The optative slightly varies the expression, I would not have her,' etc.

333. mvp-comment-258-1 For τε.. δέ, see Essay on L. §36. p. 65 f , and cp. supr. 143. The antithesis is introduced after the sentence is begun. οἱ θέλεις] Viz. to rejoin Heracles.

334. mvp-comment-259-1 ἐξαρκή] ‘As they should be.' Cp. infr. 625.

335. mvp-comment-260-1 ἀμμείνασα] Sc. χωροῖς ἄν. Ср. Phil. 645, χωρῶμεν, ἔνδοθεν λαβών. For the use of the participle with ye = 'Not until,' cp. Plat. Phaedr. 228 D, δείξας γε πρῶτον, ὦ φιλότης, κ.τ.λ. The "Αγγελος is rude, and something of a busy-body, but honest and well-meaning.

336. mvp-comment-261-1 ἄνευ τῶνδε] When Lichas and the captives are not present.'

337. mvp-comment-262-1 ἐκμάθῃς θ' ἃ δεῖ] The change from τε to γε in AVR is an attempt to simplify the sentence, but still leaves an awkward resumption. The Αγγελος, full of the importance of his message, and yet afraid to speak it too soon, hurries over the latter part of the sentence, 'That you may learn, first who they are whom you are taking within, and then what else is hidden from you, and (in short) that you may learn fully what you ought to know.'

338. mvp-comment-263-1 l. 338 is characteristic of the man's self-importance. There is a certain ὄγκος in the postponement of γάρ (Aj. 522, El. 492); and the expression πάντ᾽ ἐπιστήμη, 'Knowledge as to all things, Absolute knowledge,' has also a mockheroic (almost 'Pistol'-like) air.

339. mvp-comment-264-1 τί δ᾽ ἐστί] 'What is the matter? Why do you stay my footsteps here with your interruption?" τοῦ for τίνος = τίνος ἕνεκα. See Essay on L. § 10. p. 15 d. The punctuation (that of L) is rendered probable by comparing Ο. Τ. 938, τί δ᾽ ἔστι; ποίαν δύναμιν ὧδ᾽ ἔχει διπλῆν ; ἐφίστασαι] The present middle of ἵστημι is used transitively in Hdt. 7. 9, πολέμους ἵστανται, 'They set up wars amongst themselves.' παρίστασθαι is so used by Sophocles, O. C. 916, ἄγεις θ' ἃ χρήζεις καὶ παρίστασαι βίᾳ, and by other writers: καθίσταμαι by Eur. Suppl. 522, πόλεμον οὐ καθίσταμαι: προίστασθαι by Plato and Demosthenes : διίστασθαι by Plato, Tim. 63 C. It is therefore possible that ἐφίστασθαι here and in Aj. 869 (ἐπίσταται MSS.) may mean, 'To arrest.' τήνδε . . βάσιν] The second accusative expresses the respect in which Deianira was stopped: 'In this going,' i.e. in going, as I have just begun to do. The above interpretation, which is that of the Scholiast, agrees better with the context than if ἐφίστασαι were taken intransitively: Why do you stand before me in this your coming?' See esp. l. 335, αὐτοῦ. . ἀμμείνασα, and 340, σταθεῖσα.

341. mvp-comment-265-1 μάτην] 'Without result,' i.e. without the event proving the truth of my words. δοκῶ] Sc. τὸν μῦθον μάτην ἀκούσεσθαί σε,

342. mvp-comment-266-1 ἐκείνους] Those other people, who were here a little while ago. It may be remarked, as exemplifying the dramatic manner of Sophocles, that the words ἄνευ τῶνδε in l. 336 are unobserved by Deianira. Cp. O.Т. 360, and note.

344. mvp-comment-267-1 οὐδὲν εἴργεται] Sc. τάδε λεχθῆναι. For the passive, cp. Thuc. 8. 54, ὥστε μηκέτι διαμέλλεσθαι. τούτους] Though further off than the Chorus, Lichas and the captives are still imagined as within sight through the open door, and within call.

345. mvp-comment-268-1 χώ λόγος σημαινέτω] ‘Now then let your speech declare your meaning.' Deianira is impatient of the air of mystery which the man has hitherto assumed. For λόγος personified, ср. О. С. 574, χώ λόγος διέρχεται: Fr. inc. 782, διχοστατῶν λόγος. σημαίνειν, without an expressed object, occurs several times in Sophocles and Thucydides; and in Xenophon, Mem. 1. 1. § 4, τὸ δαιμόνιον γὰρ ἔφη σημαίνειν.

346. mvp-comment-269-1 ἀνὴρ ὅδ'] 'Lichas here' (pointing indoors). Cp. τούτους, supr. 344.

347. mvp-comment-270-1 δίκης ἐς ὀρθόν] Truly and uprightly. For δίκη in this sense, cp. Ant. 538, οὐκ ἐάσει τοῦτό σ᾽ ἡ δίκη. κακός] Sc. ἐστί. 'He is behaving badly.'

348. mvp-comment-271-1 δίκαιος] Honest.'

349. mvp-comment-272-1 πᾶν ὅσον νοεῖς] ‘All that thou knowest.'

353. mvp-comment-273-1 ἕλοι] 'Subdued,' viz. killed Eurytus and destroyed Oechalia. For a similar double use of εἶλον, cp Pind. Οl. 1. 142, ἕλεν δ' Οἰνομάου βίαν | παρθένον τε σύνευνον.

354-355. mvp-comment-274-1 Ἔρως.. μόνος θεῶν, κ.τ.λ.] The god of love, and no other, had moved him to this feat of arms.' αἰχμάσαι τάδε] 'Το enter on this warlike enterprise.’ τάδε, cognate accusative.

356-357. mvp-comment-275-1 τἀπὶ . . λατρεύματα] (1) 'Not the toilsome service at the bidding of the Lydians or of Omphale.' Or (2) the preposition may have the merely locative sense in the first instance, and the different meaning, 'In the power of,' with the second word. The labours which he performed among the Lydians and in the service of Omphale.' ἐπί = ' In the power of.' Cp. О. С. 66, ἄρχει τις αὐτῶν, ἢ ἐπὶ τῷ πλήθει λόγος;

357. mvp-comment-276-1 ὁ ῥιπτὸς.. μόρος] ‘The death by hurling from the rock. For a use of the passive of ῥίπτω (with cognate subject) corresponding to this use of the verbal adj.. cp. the oracle in Hdt. 1. 62, ἔρριπται δ᾽ ὁ βόλος (‘Now the cast is made'), τὸ δὲ δίκτυον ἐκπεπέτασται. Cp. also Eur. Or. 990, 1, Μυρτίλου φόνον | δικών, and see Essay on L. § 53. p. 98.

358. mvp-comment-277-1 ov] Referring to "Έρως, the most important subject in the preceding lines. Cp. Ο. C. 86, 7, Φοίβῳ τε καμοί, κ.τ.λ., ὅς, κ.τ.λ. The conjectures ἅ and ὅ are quite unnecessary. παρώσας] « Having thrust aside,' cp. Eur. El. 1037, τἄνδον παρώσας λέκτρα: Plat. Rep. 5. p. 471 C, δ.. παρωσάμενος .. πάντα ταῦτα εἴρηκας. ἔμπαλιν λέγει] 'Tells a different (lit. opposite) tale.'

359. mvp-comment-278-1 οὐκ ἔπειθε] 'He could not persuade.' The imperfect implies that his suit was continued for some time. φυτοσπόρος is originally ὁ σπείρας τὸ φυτόν,

360. mvp-comment-279-1 κρύφιον . . λέχος] ‘In secret marriage,' - accusative in apposition with the action.

362-363. mvp-comment-280-1 These lines have been censured for their tautology, and justly enough; but they are in character with the speaker, who, like the Φύλαξ in the Antigone, has already shown a fondness for false emphasis and superfluous words. The words ἄνακτα πατέρα τῆσδε in l. 364 are in the same manner. ἐν ἡ τὸν Εὔρυτον τόνδ' εἶπε δεσπόζειν θρόνων] 'The same wherein he told us that Eurytus of whom he spake was master of the throne.' The Messenger wants to impress on Deianira that this part of what she has heard need not be unsaid. The reading τῶνδε (see v. rr.) involves a still more superfluous use of the demonstrative.

365. mvp-comment-281-1 ὡς] Hermann's note in defence of ὡς shows a wise caution. He thinks that the rule of grammarians that ὡς for πρός can only be used with persons may be extended so as to cover a case of this kind where the house includes the inmates of the house. It is certainly better to retain a reading which, for anything we know, may be specially suited to express an authorized mission, such as that of Iole under charge of Lichas. ἥκει] 'Heracles is come.' After the words of Lichas in supr. 289, the arrival of Heracles is regarded as an accomplished fact.

366. mvp-comment-282-1 ἀφροντίστως] 'Without special care,' as he would have done, if she had merely fallen to his lot as part of the spoil. Cp. supr. 283-6.

367. mvp-comment-283-1 μηδὲ προσδόκα τόδε] ‘Nay, do not look for that.' μηδέ is rather adversative to Deianira's previous impression than to the preceding words. Others have taken it to mean, 'As it is not the fact, so neither must you think it.' Cp. Aesch. Ag. 879, μηδὲ θαυμάσῃς τόδε, where there is a similar doubt.

368. mvp-comment-284-1 ἐντεθέρμανται] ἐνθερμαίνειν may surely mean ἐντὸς θερμαίνειν, ας ἐμπιμπλάναι means ἐντὸς πιμπλάναι, and unless we are to get rid of all ἅπαξ λεγόμενα, there is no good reason for exchanging this, at some one's suggestion, for ἐκτεθέρμανται, because the Scholiast explains the word by ἐκκέκανται and ἐκθερμαίνειν means somewhere, 'To chafe the limbs.' The addition of this line is suited to the character of the Messenger, whose garrulity unconsciously rubs the sore.

371. mvp-comment-285-1 πρὸς μέσῃ.. ἀγορᾷ] ‘Near the midst of the Trachinians' public place.' Lichas was standing in the midst of the ἀγορά, his audience were standing near. The expression is varied infr. 423. The word μέσῃ marks the publicity of Lichas' statement. See note on O. T. 808.

373. mvp-comment-286-1 ἐξελέγχειν] Sc. αὐτόν. · Clearly to convict him.' εἰ δὲ μὴ λέγω φίλα] From the signs of emotion which she shows, and perhaps instructed by the gestures of the Chorus, the man perceives at last how Deianira is wounded. Ср. О. Т. 746, and note. For φίλα, cp. Phil. 1178, φίλα μοι, φίλα ταῦτα παρήγγειλας.

374. mvp-comment-287-1 οὐχ ἥδομαι] ‘I am sorry.' Cp. Eur. Med. 136, οὐδὲ συνήδομαι, ὦ γύναι, ἄλγεσι δώματος, ἐπεί μοι φίλον κέκρανται.

375. mvp-comment-288-1 ποῦ . . πράγματος] ‘Where am 1?' Cp. Αj. 314, κἀνήρετ᾽, ἐν τῷ πράγματος κυροί ποτέ.

376-377. mvp-comment-289-1 What undermining trouble have I welcomed in beneath my roof?' Cp. Ant. 531, σὺ δ᾽, ἢ κατ᾿ οἴκους ὡς ἔχιδν᾽ ὑφειμένη | λήθουσά μ᾽ ἐξέπινες. ὦ δύστηνος] Sc. ἐγώ. Cp. 375, 1143, 1243, О. Т. 1155, О. С. 318. ἆρ᾿ ἀνώνυμος] Deianira thus dwells bitterly on the deceit of Lichas, whereupon the literal Messenger proclaims Iole's name.

379. mvp-comment-290-1 καὶ κατ᾿ ὄμμα καὶ φύσιν] ‘In birth, as in appearance.'

380. mvp-comment-291-1 πατρός.. Εὐρύτου] 'Taking lineage from Eurytus for her sire.' Ср. Phil. 260, ὦ παῖ πατρὸς ἐξ ᾿Αχιλλέως : Εl. 365, νῦν δ᾽ ἐξὸν πατρὸς .. παῖδα κεκλῆσθαι, καλοῦ τῆς μητρός: Ο. C. 215, τίνος εἶ σπέρματος, ὦ ξένε, φώνει, πατρόθεν. ποτέ] Once.' Cp. supr. 301, and the Homeric εἴ ποτ᾽ ἔην γε (Il. 3. 180).

381. mvp-comment-292-1 'Of whose origin he had not a word to say, pretending forsooth to have made no inquiry.' Cp. supr. 317.

382. mvp-comment-293-1 οὐδὲν ἱστορῶν] 'Because he did not inquire' at that former time. ὅτι (τότε) οὐδὲν ἱστόρει. Cp. supr. 281, ὑπερχλίοντες, and note.

383. mvp-comment-294-1 ὅλοιντο μή τι πάντες οἱ κακοί] The Chorus in a sort of aside, which Deianira is too absorbed to perceive (see infr. 386, ἐκπεπληγμένη), thus covertly direct their indignation at some one. Is this Lichas or Heracles? The prevarication of Lichas is hardly a sufficient cause for such an outburst, and the phrase 'unbecoming to himself' has no significance in relation to him. It is more probable that the Trachinian women, unheard by Deianira, thus breathe a curse on the unfaithfulness of Heracles. It should be remembered that he is not their master, so that the analogy of Medea, 83, 4, ὅλοιτο μὲν μή, δεσπότης γάρ ἐστ᾽ ἐμός, | ἀτὰρ κακός γ᾽ ὧν ἐς φίλους ἁλίσκεται, is rather in favour of this interpretation than against it. Cp. Phil. 451, 2, ποῦ χρὴ τίθεσθαι ταῦτα, ποῦ δ' αἰνεῖν, ὅταν | τὰ θεῖ᾽ ἐπαινῶν τοὺς θεοὺς εὕρω κακούς ;

386. mvp-comment-295-1 (I ask you because) ' I am struck dumb by what is now reported.'

387. mvp-comment-296-1 σαφῆ] ‘Clear truth.'

388. mvp-comment-297-1 εἰ . . θέλοις] 'If you chose to press him hard with questioning.'

389. mvp-comment-298-1 καὶ γὰρ. λέγεις] ‘For your words are not unwise.' οὐκ ἄπο γνώμης = πρὸς γνώμης. 'Thought' in such expressions = ' Wise thought,' or 'Wisdom.'

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.

391. mvp-comment-300-1 οὐκ . . ἀγγέλων] Sc. κλητός, which is suggested by αὐτόκλητος following.

394. mvp-comment-301-1 εἰσορᾷς] Wunder conjectures ὡς ὁρᾷς. Dindorf, on the other hand, suggests that Sophocles may have used εἰσορᾷς here for the parenthetical opas to avoid the repetition of ὡs. But the parenthetical opas is interrogative, and that is unsuitable here. The best explanation of the words as they stand is to suppose that they are a confusion of two constructions, (1) ὡς εἰσορᾶς ἐμὲ ἕρποντα, (2) ὡς ἕρποντος ἐμοῦ.

395. mvp-comment-302-1 ἐκ ταχείας] For this adverbial expression, cp. infr. 727, ἐξ ἑκουσίας : Plat. Soph. p. 231 C, τὰς ἁπάσας μὴ ῥάδιον εἶναι διαφεύγειν. ὁρμῆς, or some such word, can easily be supplied. But the ellipse has become idiomatic.

395. mvp-comment-302-2 σὺν χρόνῳ βραδεῖ] 'So tardily.' Cp. Ο. С. 1602, ταχεῖ ξὺν χρόνῳ. For the meaning, cp. supr. 44, 5, χρόνον γὰρ οὐχὶ βαιόν, ἀλλ᾽ ἤδη δέκα | μῆνας πρὸς ἄλλοις πέντ᾽ ἀκήρυκτος μένει

396. mvp-comment-303-1 καὶ νεώσασθαι] ‘Before I have conversed again with you.' Hermann conjectures κάννεώσασθαι, - i. e. καὶ ἀνανεώσασθαι, cp. Od. 10. 192, ἀννεῖται. But he was hardly justified in condemning νεώσασθαι. See Essay on L. § 55. p. 101, 4. The meaning is, 'Before we can have fresh interchange of talk,' rather than, 'Before we have renewed the talk we had with you just now.'

398. mvp-comment-304-1 ἢ καὶ . . νέμεις] ‘And dost thou maintain the faithful spirit of truth?" For νέμεις, 'Dost possess, wield, use,' cp. Aesch. Ag. 685, γλῶσσαν ἐν τύχᾳ νέμων. For τὸ πιστὸν τῆς ἀληθείας, cp. Thuc. 2. 40, ἐλευθερίας τῷ πιστῷ: ib. 6. 72, τὸ πιστὸν τῆς ἐπιστήμης.

399. mvp-comment-305-1 ὧν γε = (νέμω ἀλήθειαν) τούτων ἅ.

402. mvp-comment-306-1 Ср. О. Τ. 1121, δεῦρό μοι φώνει βλέπων, The Messenger rudely calls Lichas' attention to himself. Here and elsewhere in this scene (see v. rr.) the traditional reading confuses the persons of Lichas and the Messenger.

403. mvp-comment-307-1 The reading ἐρωτήσασ' (cp. 412) has suggested to some editors a transposition of the lines, which is quite unnecessary. Thus Dindorf (Oxford, 1869) reads ΔΗ. 400, ΛΙ. 403, ΔΗ. 404, ΛΙ. 401, ΑΓ. 402. But Lichas is too courteous to Deianira and too self-possessed to have addressed so rude a question to her, instead of answering at once, and if he had done so would not have emphasized the pronoun σύ: whereas it is quite natural that he should turn abruptly on the Messenger without giving him a direct answer. And 404 suits better with the peremptoriness of the "Αγγελος than with the character of Deianira.

404. mvp-comment-308-1 τόλμησον εἰπεῖν] ‘Say frankly.' τολμᾶν is one of those words which, like ἐπιχειρεῖν, are not to be pressed too closely when used as auxiliaries. Cp. Ο. C. 184, τόλμα . . ἀποστυγεῖν: Εl. 1051, οὔτε γὰρ σὺ τἄμ᾽ ἔπη τολμᾶς ἐπαινεῖν, κ.τ.λ : Aesch. Prom. 999, 1000, τόλμησον . . ὀρθῶς φρονεῖν. εἰ φρονεῖς] «If you have the sense to know it; i.e. If your lie has not 'made such a sinner of your memory' as to make you forget to whom you spoke. Hermann strangely understands the "Αγγελος to speak ironically, as if the Messenger thought that Lichas would not dare to answer the question if he were in his right mind.

406. mvp-comment-309-1 δάμαρτά θ' Ηρακλέους] Several editors propose to read δ' for θ'.

407. mvp-comment-310-1 λεύσσων μάταια] ‘If I have not lost the sight of my eyes.' Cp. infr. 863, πότερον ἐγὼ μάταιος. Lichas professes to be shaken by the rudeness of the question, so as for the moment almost to doubt his eyesight. For the adverbial use of the accusative plural, cp. Eur. Alc. 413, ἀνόνατ᾽ ἐνύμφευσας.

408. mvp-comment-311-1 For the repetition of τοῦτο, see on supr. 362, and cp. O. T. 1013, τοῦτ᾽ αὐτὸ . . τοῦτό μ᾽ εἰσαεὶ φοβεῖ. σου μαθεῖν] ‘To understand from you.' Cp. O. Τ. 575, ἐγὼ δὲ σου | μαθεῖν δικαιῶ ταὔθ᾽ ἅπερ κἀμοῦ σὺ νῦν.

409. mvp-comment-312-1 δίκαια γάρ] 'Yes, for it is right,' that I should acknowledge this. δίκαιος only means 'true' in this indirect way, viz. because it is right to speak the truth. Cp. supr. 347.

410. mvp-comment-313-1 What punishment would you accept? i.e. do you allow that you deserve?' Cp. Ο.Τ. 944, εἰ μὴ λέγω τἀληθές, ἀξιῶ θανεῖν.

412. mvp-comment-314-1 τί ποτε ποικίλας ἔχεις ;] · What riddle have you devised?' Cp. infr. 1121, οὐδὲν ξυνίημ᾽ ὧν σὺ ποικίλλεις πάλαι,

413. mvp-comment-315-1 τοῦτο δρῶν] Sc. ποικίλλων, 'Keeping up a mystery.'

414. mvp-comment-316-1 μῶρος .. σέθεν] ‘I have been a fool in listening to you for so long.'

415. mvp-comment-317-1 ού] Sc. οὐκ ἄπει. Not until being asked you have answered one little word.' See note on O. Т. 360.

416. mvp-comment-318-1 Speak what you will-indeed you have enough to say.'

418. mvp-comment-319-1 κάτοισθα δήπου ;] 'You know, I presume?' Cp. infr. 1219, τὴν Εὐρυτείαν οἶσθα δῆτα παρθένον ;

419. mvp-comment-320-1 ἣν ὑπ᾿ ἀγνοίας ὁρᾷς] 'Whom you regard with strangeness. For ὑπό with the genitive, where (as in some uses of the dative, Essay on L. § 14. p. 20, 1 ) the notion of cause passes into that of manner, or accompaniment, cp. Εl. 630, ὑπ᾿ εὐφήμου βοῆς : Εur. Hipp. 1299, ὑπ᾿ εὐκλείας θανεῖν. Iole is not present; therefore ὁρᾷς must refer to the behaviour of Lichas in the former scene. Schndw. conjectured ἧς σύ γ᾽ ἀγνοεῖς γονάς.

423. mvp-comment-321-1 πολλοῖσιν ἀστῶν] The dative answers ποίοις ἐν ἀνθρώποισι in l. 421, so that ev is easily supplied. Essay on L. §35. p. 60.

424. mvp-comment-322-1 ταῦτά γ'] 'This, ay, this!' γε adds emphasis to ταῦτα, but also qualifies the whole sentence as affirming what Lichas denies.

425. mvp-comment-323-1 ναί has sometimes been omitted, as a gloss on ye in this line. But the pause, with the interjection extra metrum, expresses very naturally the momentary confusion of Lichas. ταὐτὸ δ᾽ οὐχί] The negative is emphasized by being postponed. Essay on L. § 41. p. 78, γ.

426. mvp-comment-324-1 δόκησιν εἰπεῖν] ‘Το state an impression and to speak with exactness.'

427. mvp-comment-325-1 ποίαν δόκησιν] 'Impression quotha!' The only example of this idiom in tragedy. Cp. O. T. 1145, ὦ τάν in the mouth of the Corinthian messenger in where see note.

430. mvp-comment-326-1 τόνδε.. ξένοs] Cp. supr. 98, and note.

432. mvp-comment-327-1 πόλις .. πᾶσα] (1) i. e. πᾶσα ἡ πόλις, i.e. Oechalia. πᾶσα marks that the whole city was ruined for one maid. Cp. infr. 466. Or (2) the expression is at first general, 'A whole city,' and passes on to the particular (433, αὐτήν), as often happens in Thucydides. κοὐχ ἡ Λυδία] The sense is here improved by adopting the reading of Paris A. and other MSS., involving a very slight and probable change from κουχί, the reading of L.

433. mvp-comment-328-1 φανείς] «Having arisen; i. e 'Having proved to be a fact in the life of Heracles. (Not, 'Having been disclosed.')

435. mvp-comment-329-1 νοσοῦντι.. σώφρονος] • Το talk idly to a madman is unworthy of a man in his senses.'

436ff. mvp-comment-330-1 In this speech of Deianira, although she dissembles her jealousy in order to draw the truth from Lichas, yet the real gentleness of her character is also expressed. Cр. l. 445 with infr. 543-4.

436. mvp-comment-331-1 πρός σε τοῦ, κ.τ.λ.] This peculiar inversion seems to belong to the later manner of Sophocles. Cр. О. С. 250, 1333, Phil. 468.

437. mvp-comment-332-1 ἐκκλέψῃς λόγον] Cheat me of the truth.' ἐκκλέπτειν here is to deprive by falsehood. λόγον, ‘The true account.' Cp. Aesch. Prom. 783, μηδ' ἀτιμάσῃς λόγους.

439. mvp-comment-333-1 Either (1) To be always glad is not granted by Nature to the same person,' or (2) 'He' (man, ἄνθρωπος, implied in τὰ ἀνθρώπων) ‘is not of a nature to delight always in the same things.' For (1) cp. Thuc. 2. 64, πάντα γὰρ πέφυκε καὶ ἐλασσοῦσθαι: El. 859, πᾶσι θνατοῖς ἔφυ μόρος. And, for (2), Phil. 88, ἔφυν γὰρ οὐδὲν ἐκ τέχνης πράσσειν κακῆς. The first meaning is more pathetic, and on the whole preferable, although the second may be thought to suit better with Deianira's present purpose (see especially l. 448). For the indefinite or collective singular alternating with the plural in (2), see Essay on L. § 20. p. 31, 3.

441. mvp-comment-334-1 μέν has no distinct antithesis, but prepares for ἀλλὰ . . ἀλλά in ll. 449, 453. Cp. with εἰς χεῖρας ἰέναι the old English expression, To go to buffets.'

443-444. mvp-comment-335-1 καὶ θεῶν. . κἀμοῦ γε] 'Even over the gods, and certainly over me.'

444ff. mvp-comment-336-1 The following quotation from La Fameuse Comédienne is believed to record the personal experience of Molière: My passion has risen to such a height that it goes the length of entering with sympathy into her concerns; and when I consider how impossible it is for me to overcome my love for her, I say to myself that she may have the same difficulty in subduing her inclinations, and I feel accordingly more disposed to pity her than to blame her.' -See Molière, in Blackwood's Foreign Classics, p. 106. οἷας γ᾽ ἐμοῦ] 'I mean one who is a woman as I am.' Cp. infr. 447. For the attraction (= οῖα ἐγώ εἰμι), see Essay on L. § 35. p. 59 , and cp. Plato, Soph. 237 C, χαλεπὸν ἥρου καὶ οἴῳ γε ἐμοὶ παντάπασιν ἄπορον.

445. mvp-comment-337-1 τε.. 447. ἤ ἤ is substituted for the second τε as the disjunctive nature of the sentence becomes more prominent. See Essay on L. § 36. p. 65 f , and cp. Plat. Theaet. 143 C, περὶ αὐτοῦ τε .. ἢ αὖ περὶ τοῦ ἀποκρινομένου . .

446. mvp-comment-338-1 μεμπτός εἰμι] 'Feel reproachfully. For this use of the verbal adjective, cp. supr. 357, ὁ ῥιπτὸς Ἰφίτου μόρος, and note. The force of the verbal here is, 'Touched with a feeling of blame,' 'Affected with displeasure' = μομφὴν ἔχων (Αj. 180). μαίνομαι] Cp. Aj. 1330, ἡ γὰρ εἴην οὐκ ἂν εὐ φρονῶν: Aesch. Ag. 1064, ἦ μαίνεταί γε καὶ κακῶν κλύει φρενῶν, κ.τ.λ.

447. mvp-comment-339-1 μεταιτίᾳ] ‘Of that which is in no way disgraceful '-because shared by so many. ἐρᾷς· τί τοῦτο θαῦμα; σὺν πολλοῖς βροτῶν, Eur. Hipp. 439.

448. mvp-comment-340-1 μηδ᾽ ἐμοὶ κακοῦ τινος] ‘Nor at all involving mischief to me.' The indefinite pronoun has an adverbial force. Essay on L. § 22. p. 36, sub fin. From the point of view which she is trying to put before Lichas, Deianira still holds her position as the wife of Heracles. See below, l. 550.

449. mvp-comment-341-1 οὐκ ἔστι ταῦτα] 'There is no such thing,' as this jealous feeling you are afraid to wound.

450. mvp-comment-342-1 ἐκμανθάνεις] ἐκ is repeated from ἐκ κείνου, without adding to the meaning. Essay on L. § 55. p. 101.

451. mvp-comment-343-1 If you are your own instructor in this,' i. e. if you are not acting on instructions from another.

452. mvp-comment-344-1 γενέσθαι χρηστός] ‘Το prove yourself good.' Cp. Thuc. 3. 14. § 2, γίγνεσθε.. ἄνδρες οἴουσπερ ὑμᾶς οἵ τε Ἕλληνες ἀξιοῦσι, κ.τ.λ. ὀφθήσει] Cp. Ant. 709, ὤφθησαν κενοί.

453. mvp-comment-345-1 ἐλευθέρῳ . . καλή] i. e. εἰ ἐλεύθερός τις ὢν ψευδὴs καλεῖται, πρόσεστιν αὐτῷ οὐ καλὴ αὕτη ἡ κήρ. For προσεῖναι of a moral attribute, cp. Isocr. Panathen. p. 250, ἣν περὶ ἀνδρὸς τοιούτου διαλεγόμενος παραλίπω τι τῶν ἐκείνῳ τε προσόντων ἀγαθῶν κἀμοὶ προσηκόντων εἰπεῖν : ib. 256 C.

455. mvp-comment-346-1 The same inverted style, occasioned by Deianira's earnestness, is continued in ll. 458, 9. As to any way of concluding detection, neither is that feasible for you.'

457. mvp-comment-347-1 κεἰ μὲν δέδοικας] A suppressed antithesis is slightly hinted in μέν : viz. 'And if you are not afraid, why not have told me?' Ср. О. Т. 227, κεί μὲν φοβεῖται, κ.τ.λ. οὐ καλῶς] «Unworthily, because groundlessly. For the variation in δέδοικας .. ταρβεῖς. cp. Ο. Τ. 54.

458. mvp-comment-348-1 τὸ μὴ πυθέσθαι] i. e. Τo remain in suspense, when the doubt has once been suggested.

460. mvp-comment-349-1 For ἀνὴρ εἷς, cp. Ο. Τ. 1380, and note.

462. mvp-comment-350-1 ἠνέγκατο] 'Has obtained.' φέρεσθαι is to carry away with oneself either good or evil. Cp Plat. Legg. 6. 762 Α, ἀνείδη φερέσθωσαν: Rep. 3. 406 Β, καλὸν (ironical) .. τὸ γέρας .. ἠνέγκατο. ἥδε τ'] We should rather have expected δέ, but te may have been preferred for the sake of euphony. There are already four d's in the line.

463. mvp-comment-351-1 ἐντακείη τῷ φιλεῖν] The subject may be (1) Iole. Hermann defends this by referring to l. 444. But, taking into account the whole connection, and also the meaning of φιλεῖν, which implies active rather than passive affection (cp. O. C. 1617 foll., τὸ γὰρ φιλεῖν οὐκ ἔστιν ἐξ ὅτου πλέον, κ.τ.λ.), it is better to suppose (2) a change of subject, or rather a reversion to the main subject, with the Scholiast and Mr. Blaydes. 'And she shall not, though he were irrevocably steeped in his affection' (for her). ἐντακῆναι is used of that which adheres indissolubly. Cp. El. 1311, μισός τε γὰρ παλαιὸν ἐντέτηκέ μοι, and especially Plat. Symp. 183 E, ὁ δὲ τοῦ ἤθους χρηστοῦ ὄντος ἐραστὴς διὰ βίου μένει, ἅτε μονίμῳ συντακείς.

468. mvp-comment-352-1 ῥείτω κατ᾿ οὗρον] 'Drift down the wind.' Nauck and Blaydes conjecture ἴτω, which is the more ordinary expression (Aesch. S. c. T. 690, ἴτω κατ' οὗρον κῦμα Κωκυτοῦ λάχον . . πᾶν τὸ Λαΐου γένος. Cp. Ο. Τ. 1458, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ μὲν ἡμῶν μοῖρ᾽, ὅποιπερ εἶσ', ἴτω). But it may be urged that ταῦτα suggests not the image of a vessel, but rather of things drifting along a surface-current made by the wind. The expression is thus more suggestive of a passive and insensible motion.

469. mvp-comment-353-1 'Though you may be false to others yet be ever true to me.' The structure is paratactic. Essay on L. § 36. p. 68. Blaydes conjectures εἶναι πρὸς ἄλλους, which removes the emphatic word from the first place in the line. Essay on L. § 41. p. 77

470-471. mvp-comment-354-1 Yield to her good persuasion, so hereafter you will find no fault with her, while you will have gained our gratitude.' For οὐ μέμψει, cp. Aesch. S. c. Τ. 560, ἢ ἐξωθεν εἴσω τῷ φέροντι μέμψεται. γυναικὶ τῇδε is governed by μέμψει and is opposed to ἐμοῦ.

473. mvp-comment-355-1 θνητὴν φρονοῦσαν θνητά] 'Having mortal thoughts, as becomes a mortal.' Cp. esp. Fr. 320, καλὸν φρονεῖν τὸν θνητὸν ἀνθρώποις ἴσα. κοὐκ ἀγνώμονα] (1) 'And not perverse' (thoughts). Neuter plural. Cp. Αj. 1236, ποίου κέκραγας ἀνδρὸς ὧδ᾽ ὑπέρφρονα. Or (2) sc. οὖσαν, ‘And not perversely disposed.'

474. mvp-comment-356-1 οὐδὲ κρύψομαι] ‘And will not hide what I know.' οὐ κρύψω τὸ ἐμόν. Cp. the use of the middle voice in ἀγγέλλομαι, Αj. 1376. Essay on L. § 31. p. 53 d.

476. mvp-comment-357-1 ταύτης] What follows is epexegetic of οὕτως, κ.τ.λ. Hence the asyndeton. ὁ δεινὸς ἵμερος] The article is not to be explained by mere emphasis (Schndw.), but by reference to that which is already before the mind, viz. the strange fit of passion which led Heracles to destroy Oechalia. Hence ταύτης is the real predicate. The strong feeling which moved him was the desire for her.'

477. mvp-comment-358-1 διῆλθε, καί] Cp. supr. 469, and note. ἡ πολύφθορος] 'That ill-starred city,' whose fate is known to us. πολύφθορος, 'Abounding in ruin,' hints comprehensively at the condition of a conquered town.

478. mvp-comment-359-1 πατρῷος] 'Of her sires.'

479. mvp-comment-360-1 δεῖ γάρ, κ.τ.λ.] Cp. supr. 449. i.e. While telling the truth, I must also (καί) clear him as far as I can.

480. mvp-comment-361-1 εἶπε] i. e. ἐκέλευσε.

481-482. mvp-comment-362-1 τὸ σὸν.. στέρνον is to be taken after δειμαίνων, as well as after ἀλγύνοιμι.

483. mvp-comment-363-1 εἴ τι τήνδ᾽ ἁμαρτίαν νέμεις] ‘If at all you reckon this a sin.' τήνδε = τόδε, attracted to the predicate ἁμαρτίαν.

484. mvp-comment-364-1 ἐπεί γε μὲν δή] 'However, since you are now made acquainted with all.' For the collocation of particles, cp. Eur. Hel. 1259, διδούς γε μὲν δὴ δυσγενές μηδὲν δίδου.

485. mvp-comment-365-1 'Alike for his sake and your own. For κοινήν, cp. Pind. O1. 2. 89, Πυθῶνι .. Ἰσθμοῖ τε κοιναὶ χάριτες: Pyth. 5. 137, σφὸν ὄλβον νἱῷ τε κοινὰν χάριν.

486. mvp-comment-366-1 στέργε τὴν γυναῖκα] "Take kindly to the woman.'

487. mvp-comment-367-1 ἐμπέδως] Nauck's correction, ἐμπέδους, is not necessary.

488-489. mvp-comment-368-1 It is strange that these lines should have been suspected by some modern critics. A ῥῆσις often ends with a couplet not much in point. Cp. Aj. 1038, 9, 1089, 90, 1262, 3, Ant. 506, 7, 679, 80, Ó. C. 798, 9, 935, 6, 1153. But these lines are not pointless, for it is the complete and irresistible strength of the passion for Iole, which, as Lichas views the matter, clinches the necessity for Deianira's prudent acquiescence.

489. mvp-comment-369-1 εἰς ἅπαντα] 'Utterly.' ἔφυ] Cp. Phil. 1052, νικᾶν γε μέντοι πανταχοῦ χρήζων ἔφυν. The word here implies the argument, 'It was in his nature,' and therefore not to be avoided.

490. mvp-comment-370-1 καί marks the correspondence between Lichas' advice and Deianira's state of mind. 'So am I minded.' Cp. Plat. Theaet. 166 D, ἀλλ᾿ αὐτὸν τοῦτον καὶ λέγω σοφόν.

491. mvp-comment-371-1 κοὔτοι.. γε] 'Yea, and I certainly will not.' νόσον . . ἐπακτὸν ἐξαρούμεθα] This may be taken in one of three ways: (1) 'I will not cause to arise for myself a self-sought mischief,' (2) 'I will not aggravate the trouble, which then would be (in so far) of my own seeking' (ἐπακτόν, proleptic = ὥστε ἐπακτὸν ἔχειν αὐτήν), (3) ‘I will not aggravate the mischief thus brought in from without.' For (3), cp. infr. 536 foll., Eur. Phoen. 343, γάμων ἐπακτὸν ἄταν. But (2) agrees better with the intention of Deianira's present speech.

493-494. mvp-comment-372-1 And that thou mayest also carry gifts, wherewith it is meet to make return for what is given.' For ταῦτα supplying the antecedent, see Essay on L. § 40. p. 75, 2. προσαρμόσαι contains no allusion to the dress fitting the frame of Heracles (Blaydes, cp. infr. 768, ἀρτίκολλοs), but to the imagined adaptation of the love-charm to its purpose. To Lichas the phrase only means, 'To make a suitable return.' And possibly no more is intended by the poet. Cp. infr. 687, and note. The irony of ll. 495, 6 is brought out by comparing infr. ll. 540-2, τοιάδ᾽ Ἡρακλῆς . . οἰκούρι᾽ ἀντέπεμψε τοῦ μακροῦ χρόνου.

498-530. mvp-comment-373-1 The power of Aphrodite here, as in Ant. 781 foll., is regarded more with awe than with delight. It has been now exemplified in Iole's conquest of Heracles, so cruel to Deianira, and destined to be so calamitous to all concerned (infr. l.872). The maidens in their sympathy with Deianira recall the time when the same power had driven heroes to do battle for her, and when she was carried triumphantly from her mother's side. There is a close correspondence, as elsewhere, between this lyric strain and passages in the preceding senarii. Cp. esp. ll. 4-40, 142-150, 441-3,465-7. The ode consists of a strophe, antistrophe, and epode, in which logaoedic rhythms are varied with anapaestic and iambic metres. The anapaests (cp. O. T. 469, 470, 479, 480) indicate the coming on of the combatants; the interrupted rhythms of the epode help to express the struggle between them, while the happy issue is marked by the trochaics and glyconics at the close.

498. mvp-comment-374-1 (1) 'Aphrodite ever advances unchecked in mighty conquering force' (ἐκφέρεται, passive; cp. the intransitive use of the active in Il. 23. 759, ἔκφερ᾿ Οϊλιάδης : σθένος, adverbial accusative); (2) Aphrodite ever exhibits mighty conquering force' (ἐκφέρεται, subjective middle, σθένος, accusative in regimen); or (3) Aphrodite ever wins great might of victory' (σθένος, accusative in regimen ; ἐκφέρεται, 'dative-like' middle). (2) may be rejected as bad Greek, though it pleased Hermann; (1) is preferable to (3), as more poetical, and in better keeping with the style of the ode, and also because (3) seems to require κράτος (which Mr. Blaydes proposes) instead of σθένος, which denotes rather the act than the result of victory. For a similar doubt, cp. Hdt. 4. 129, ταῦτα μέν νυν ἐπὶ σμικρόν τι ἐφέροντο τοῦ πολέμου.

499. mvp-comment-375-1 τὰ μὲν θεῶν] Supr. 443: Ant. 786, οὔτ᾽ ἀθανάτων φύξιμος οὐδείς.

500. mvp-comment-376-1 παρέβαν] In Greek, a thought or feeling which is made the subject of reflection is often spoken of in the aorist, and not, as in English, in the present tense. Cp. Αj. 693. ἔφριξ᾽ ἔρωτι, κ.τ.λ. This idiom is analogous to the aorist of the immediate past (τί εἶπας, etc.). Essay on L. § 32. p. 55. So in Pindar we have κατέβαν, Οl. 7. 23: ἔμολον, Ο1. 14. 26 : ἐπέβαν, ἔσταν, Nem. 1. 26-9: and μετέσταν in Aesch. Suppl. 538. οὐ λέγω] The words imply a dislike for myths that are lowering to the gods. Cp. Pind. Pyth. 1, and, for the expression, El. 1467, εἰ δ᾽ ἔπεστι Νέμεσις, οὐ λέγω.

502-503. mvp-comment-377-1 The love of Hades for Persephone, of Poseidon for Amymone, Tyro, etc.

504. mvp-comment-378-1 ἐπὶ τάνδ᾽.. ἄκοιτιν] It makes little difference whether ἄκοιτιν is taken as predicate or, better, as a proleptic expression: - To win this bride,' rather than, 'To win this lady as a wife.' Cp. infr. 525.

505. mvp-comment-379-1 * τίνες] This word was added by Hermann, who observes that it may have been lost from the repetition of the letters τιν (άκοιτιν, τίνες). λέγω οι ἐρῶ is understood from οὐ λέγω supr., the positive elicited from the negative.

505. mvp-comment-379-2 κατέβαν] Sc. ἐς μέσον (l. 514). Cp. Hdt. 5. 22, ᾿Αλεξάνδρου . ἀεθλεύειν ἑλομένου, καὶ καταβάντος ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸ τοῦτο.

503. mvp-comment-380-1 Essay on L. § 36. p. 64. This is better than with Schndw. to suppose a transition to direct interrogation, which is too abrupt. *τίνες ἀμφίγυοι] (1) 'What all-accomplished champions.' ἀμφίγυοι has been differently explained. (2) 'Diversely armed,' Herm. (3) 'Both strong of limb,' Schndw., who compares such compounds as δικρατεῖς, δισσάρχας, etc. The more obvious meaning given by Liddell and Scott suits better with the description which follows. Each combatant was able every way, like a spear sharpened at both ends, ready to make and to parry various forms of attack: infr. 516-9. There is an etymological reference to γυῖον, 'Active in every limb.' This interpretation agrees also with πάμπληκτα, which signifies, 'Carried on with blows of every kind.'

506. mvp-comment-381-1 παγκόνιτα] Either (1) Amidst clouds of dust,' the force of παν- in composition being slightly different in this and the preceding word. See E. on L. § 55. p. 101, 6, and § 53. p. 98 , or (2) With various stirrings of the dust,' i.e. With various kinds of contest.' Cp. παγκράτιον. Blaydes reads παγκόνιτ᾽ ἐπεξῆλθον, needlessly substituting a prosaic for a poetical word. For the accusative, cp. supr. 159, πολλοὺς ἀγῶνας ἐξιών, infr. 562, τὸν πατρῷον.. στόλον . . ἑσπόμην. ἄεθλα] This word in the plural is sometimes equivalent to ἆθλος, e.g. Phil. 507, δυσοίστων πόνων ἆθλα, which also illustrates the periphrasis here. See L. and S. s. v. ἆθλον. The addition of a nearly synonymous word in the genitive is a not uncommon way of expanding and so emphasizing an idea. Essay on L. § 10. p. 17, 6.

507. mvp-comment-382-1 ποταμοῦ σθένος] An Epic expression. Cp. Il. 18. 607, ποταμοῖο μέγα σθένος Ὠκεανοῖο : ib. 486, τό τε σθένος Ωρίωνος : ib. 13. 248, σθένος Ἰδομενῆος. It is also used by Pindar and Aeschylus.

507-508. mvp-comment-383-1 ὑψίκερω τετραόρου | φάσμα ταύρου] Eustathius, p. 573, 27, reads τετράορον, but he quotes elsewhere as in the text, and the epithets redoubled about the same word are more impressive in this connection. τετράοροι ἵπποι in Od. 13. 81 are τέσσαρες ὁμοῦ ἀείροντες ἅρμα. Sophocles here employs the word in a new sense, = ἐπὶ τέσσαρσιν ἀειρόμενος, 'Upborne by fourfold means,' = 'four-footed.' This gives the Achelõus an advantage against his biped antagonist, and so lends additional terror to the description. φάσμα is in apposition with ποταμοῦ σθένος, ί.ε. σθεναρὸς ποταμός, ταῦρος παραφαινόμενος. The word φάσμα, like our 'apparition,' implies something which produces a strange impression through the eye. Cp. infr. 836, 7, δεινοτάτῳ ὕδρας . . φάσματι. Achelous enters the contest ἐναργὴς ταῦρος, supr. l. 11. Ср. Il. 21. 237, 8, τοὺς ἔκβαλλε θύραζε, μεμυκὼς ἠὔτε ταῦρος, | χέρσονδε.

510. mvp-comment-384-1 ἀπ᾿ Οἰνιαδᾶν] According to Hellenic notions each of the competitors for a prize must have a city. Achelous hails from Oeniadae, the city at his mouth, where he was probably worshipped, and had a τέμενος βωμός τε θυήεις.

510. mvp-comment-384-2 Βακχίας . . Θήβας] For Thebes as the city of Heracles, see above, l. 116, Καδμογενή. The word Bακχίας commends him to the favour of the Dionysiac worshippers. Cp. Ant. 1135 foll., Θηβαίας ἐπισκοποῦντ᾽ ἀγυιάς· | τὰν ἐκ πασᾶν τιμᾶς | ὑπερτάταν πόλεων. The emphasis on Θήβας is strengthened by the order of words, παλίντονα being interposed. This epithet has been explained as specially descriptive of a bow like the Scythian, whose ends turned outwards. But it is rather = 'elastic,' as a general epithet of the bow: i. e. Drawing against that which draws it. Cp. Heracl. Fr. 56, ed. Byw. παλίντονος ἁρμονίη κόσμου, ὅκωσπερ λύρης καὶ τόξου : ΙΙ. 8. 266, παλίντονα τόξα τιταίνων,

513. mvp-comment-385-1 παῖς Διός] The name is not required after this full description of the hero who is always in our thoughts. ἀολλεῖς] 'With collected might.' The Scholiast drily says, καταχρηστικῶς εἶπεν ἐπὶ δύο τὸ ἀολλεῖς. But the word is graphically descriptive of the confused contest as it appeared to an awe-stricken spectator. The meeting of the hero and the monster was as if two armies clashed. There is the same straining of language as in τετραόρου, supra. Cp. Milton, Par. Lost, Bk. 2. ll. 636 foll., where Satan is compared to a fleet at sea: ib. 714, 18, 'As when two black Clouds, | With Heaven's Artillery fraught, come rattling on | Over the Caspian, then stand front to front| Hovering a space, till winds the signal blow | To join their dark encounter in mid air.'

514. mvp-comment-386-1 ἱέμενοι λεχέων] 'Eager for the bridal.' See Essay on L. § 56. p. 102 , and cp. Il. 23. 371, πάτασσε δὲ θυμὸς ἑκάστου | νίκης ἱεμένων. μόνα] The combat was manifold, but one power, that of the Goddess of Love (supr.497-506), presided over the whole.

515. mvp-comment-387-1 εὔλεκτρος.. Κύπρις] ‘Aphrodite, the giver of desired marriage.' So εύχλοος Δημήτηρ is Demeter who gives abundant herbage. ῥαβδονόμει ξυνοῦσα] 'Was there directing all. The ῥαβδονόμος, οι ῥαβδοῦχος, was not the βραβευτής οι βραβεύς (in this case Ζεὺς ἀγώνιος) who awarded the prize, but the regulator of the contest, who was not necessarily the same person. Cp. Plat. Prot. 338 A (Hippias loq.), πείθεσθέ μοι ῥαβδοῦχον καὶ ἐπιστάτην καὶ πρύτανιν ἑλέσθαι, ὃς ὑμῖν φυλάξει τὸ μέτριον μῆκος τῶν λέγων ἑκατέρου.

517. mvp-comment-388-1 Schndw. regards this line as a hendiadys describing the noise made by hand and bow together, 'There was the sound of the hand, the sound of the bow, i. e. the sound of the hand upon the bow. But χερός rather means, Of blows with the fist,' and in τόξων πάταγος is included, besides the twang of the bow, the whizz and loud impact of the arrow. Musgrave objects to τόξων as unsuited for close fighting (cp. Hdt. 3.78. § 3), and absurdly suggests ταρσῶν. The arrows might be delivered before closing, or Heracles might retire a few paces. But it is needless to press the details of the description, which is meant to suggest in a few words the incidents of a varied encounter. Cp. the meeting of Satan and Death in Milton, or of Christian and Apollyon in the Pilgrim's Progress.

519. mvp-comment-389-1 ἀνάμιγδα] Therewithal.' The crashing blows of the bull's horns were mingled with the twanging of the bow, etc., in a confused noise. The more usual form is ἄμμιγα.

520. mvp-comment-390-1 ἦν] This, the so-called 'schema Pindaricum,' does not occur elsewhere in Sophocles. Cp. Eur. Ion 1146, ἐνῆν δ'.. ὑφαί: Hes. Theog. 321, τῆς δ᾽ ἦν τρεῖς κεφαλαί. It only happens where the verb precedes the noun, and it is here used for the sake of the emphatic repetition of ἦν ἦν-ἦν. Recent philology inclines to consider ἦν in such cases not as the 3rd person singular, but as a dialectical form of ἦσαν.

520. mvp-comment-390-2 ἀμφίπλεκτοι κλίμακες] Twistings and mountings on the back. The κλίμαξ was a trick in wrestling. Hermann conjectures the nature of it to have been that mentioned by Ovid, Met. 9. 51, in describing this very contest, viz. the act of giving the adversary a sudden push so as to turn him round, and then trying to throw him by mounting on his back. For the use of the verbal ἀμφίπλεκτοι, cp. supr. 357, ῥιπτός and note, and see Hdt. 3. 78, συμπλακέντος Γωβρύεω τῷ Μάγῳ.

521. mvp-comment-391-1 μετώπων.. πλήγματα] 'Blows given with the forehead-of Achelous. Cp. Ovid, Met. 9. 44, 5, Totoque ego pectore pronus | Et digitos digitis, et frontem fronte premebam.'

522. mvp-comment-392-1 στόνος] 'Groanings'-not from pain, but from the extremity of effort.

523. mvp-comment-393-1 foll. Cp. supr. 24, ἐγὼ γὰρ ἥμην ἐκπεπληγμένη φόβῳ. ὁ δ᾽ εὐῶπις ἁβρά] The Chorus, who have only seen Deianira as a careworn matron, delight in imagining her tender beauty as a girl.

524. mvp-comment-394-1 τηλαυγεῖ] 'Far-glancing.' Explained by τηλεσκόπῳ; ἱ.ε. τῆλε πέμπουσα τὰς αὐγὰς τῶν ὀμμάτων. Where a rising-ground gave a distinct view of the fight.' Paley.

526. mvp-comment-395-1 ἐγὼ δὲ μάτηρ μὲν οἷα φράζω] The interpretation of one Scholiast, ἐγὼ παρεῖσα τὰ πολλά, τὰ τέλη λέγω τῶν πραγμάτων, seems to point to a lost various reading, in which τὰ τερμόνια, or something of the kind, was written for μάτηρ μὲν οἷa. It is another question whether the conjecture founded upon this, τὰ τέρματ᾽ οἷα, gives better sense than the reading in the text, which is explained in the first scholion: ἐγώ, φησὶν ἐνδιαθέτως, ὡσεὶ μήτηρ λέγω. The Chorus had not been present at that distant scene, but in imagining it they feel a mother's tenderness for her, who 'with much, much more dismay Beheld the fight than those who made the fray.' (Shak. Merchant of Venice, 3. 2. 61, 2.)

527. mvp-comment-396-1 τὸ δ᾽.. ἀμμένει] 'And she for whom they fought, with anxious looks awaits her lord.' δé, as in prose δ' οὖν, here resumes the clause τὸν ὂν. ἀκοίταν after the parenthesis. This makes easier the omission of the object after ἀμμένει, which has been felt as a difficulty:-i.e. ἡ νύμφη, περιμάχητος οὖσα ἀμφοῖν, ἐλεινῶς θεωμένη ἀναμένει τὸν νικῶντα. Her eye' or 'gaze' ( Essay on L. § 54. p. 99 ) is made the subject because she is intently looking on, and not merely, as the Scholiast says, because the most beautiful part is put for the whole. Cp. Aj. 140, πτηνῆς ὡς ὄμμα πελείας.

528. mvp-comment-397-1 ἐλεινόν] 'Deserving pity,' because distracted with doubt and fear. Cp. O. C. 317, 8, καὶ φημὶ κἀπύφημι, κοὐκ ἔχω τί φῶ, | τάλαινα.

529. mvp-comment-398-1 κἀπὸ ματρός, κ.τ.λ.] 'And all at once she leaves her mother's side.' In the manner of this brief and rapid lyric strain, the Chorus pass from the midst of the contest to its final issue.

530. mvp-comment-399-1 ὥστε πόρτις ἐρήμα] ‘Like a heifer taken from the mother' whom she often misses; with an allusion to the solitary and wandering life which Deianira has led since her marriage day.

531-632. mvp-comment-400-1 Deianira, who has already prepared the charmed robe, confides her intention to the Trachinian maidens, and, on Lichas' coming forth, entrusts the gift to him, with the appropriate commands.

532. mvp-comment-401-1 ὡς ἐπ᾿ ἐξόδῳ] 'With his departure in view.' Cp. El. 1322.

533. mvp-comment-402-1 θυραῖος] The masc. for the fem. form occurs more readily where a woman is speaking to women. Cp. supr. 151; El. 313; Essay on L. § 20. p. 30.

534. mvp-comment-403-1 χερσὶν ἄ] For the postponement of the initial word, see Essay on L. § 41. p. 78. τὰ μὲν . . τὰ δέ are adverbial accusatives = 'Partly,' not antecedents to the relatives. Cp. infr. 843, 4.

535. mvp-comment-404-1 οἷα πάσχω] 'For the treatment I receive.' In what follows she takes up the latter topic first. συγκατοικτιουμένη] 'To implore commiseration.' For the effect of the middle voice, cp. Hdt. 1. 114, ἀποικτίζετο τῶν ὑπὸ Κύρου ἤντησε.

536. mvp-comment-405-1 οἶμαι δ᾽ οὐκέτι] Sc. κόρην εἶναι.

537. mvp-comment-406-1 παρεισδέδεγμαι] παρα- implies, * At unawares,' (as we say, 'By a side wind.')

538. mvp-comment-407-1 'A piece of merchandize which inflicts an outrage on me.' As in supr. 33, the expression is adapted to the simile. The figure is not that of overloading, which could have no meaning here, but simply that of a cargo which in some way proves disastrous. There is a play on the word ἐμπόλημα, which is an accusative in apposition, not to φόρτον, but to the action of παρεισδέδεγμαι. The line may be thus paraphrased: ὥστε τούτῳ τῷ ἐμπολήματι ἐμπολᾶσθαι καὶ λελωβῆσθαι καὶ τὴν ἐμὴν Φρένα. λωβητόν is the verbal of the cognate passive, = ἐπὶ λωβῇ πραττόμενον. Essay on L. § 53. p. 98. Hermann and others explain the words to mean, A cruel return for my faithfulness of soul. But τῆς ἐμῆς φρενός is merely a periphrasis like ἡ ἐμὴ ψυχή in Ant. 559. Cp. Phil. 1281, and especially Ant. 1063, ὡς μὴ ᾿μπολήσων ἴσθι τὴν ἐμὴν φρένα.

540. mvp-comment-408-1 ὑπαγκάλισμα] 'Clasped in one embrace.' Cp. Ant. 650, ψυχρὸν παραγκάλισμα τοῦτο γίγνεται. The sense of μιᾶς is continued : i. e. μ. ΰ. χ. ἐν ὑπαγκάλισμα. τοιάδ᾽ Ἡρακλῆς, κ.τ.λ.] This, the single expression of bitterness on Deianira's part, tends to confirm the interpretation given supr. of ll. 383, 4. Ср. Shak. Othello, 4. 2. 107, Des. 'Tis meet I should be used so, very meet.'

541. mvp-comment-409-1 ἡμῖν is to be taken with πιστὸς κἀγαθός, rather than with καλούμενος (which is added to complete the sense). ἡμῖν is also resumed with ἀντέπεμψε, 'Heracles, so faithful and kind to me (as he was reputed), has sent me such wages in return for my long service in keeping the house.'

542. mvp-comment-410-1 τοῦ μακροῦ χρόνου] A genitive like that in μηνὸς μίσθον. τοῦ μ. χρ. sc. τῆς οἰκουρίας. For the sense, cp. Eur. H. F. 1371-3, σε τ᾽ οὐχ ὁμοίως, ὦ τάλαιν', ἀπώλεσα, | ὥσπερ σὺ τἀμὰ λέκτρ᾽ ἔσωζες ἀσφαλῶς | μακρὰς διαντλοῦσ᾽ ἐν δόμοις οἰκουρίας.

543. mvp-comment-411-1 οὐκ ἐπίσταμαι] 'I cannot.' Cp. Ant. 686, μήτ' ἐπισταίμην λέγειν.

544. mvp-comment-412-1 νοσοῦντι, κ.τ.λ.] ‘Though often taken with this malady:' viz. with love. Cp. supr. 445 and note. The clause is concessive.

545. mvp-comment-413-1 τὸ δ᾽ αὖ ξυνοικεῖν] The article, for which cp. Ant. 78, τὸ δὲ | βίᾳ πολιτῶν δρᾶν ἔφυν ἀμήχανος, gives indignant emphasis to the antithesis. That Heracles' affections should go forth to others is something to bear that the rival should have a position in the household is intolerable. For τίς ἂν δύναιτο, cp. Eur. Med. 1044, οὐκ ἂν δυναίμην· χαιρέτω βουλεύματα | τὰ πρόσθεν.

546. mvp-comment-414-1 γάμων] γάμος is not strictly reserved for the κουριδίη ἄλοχος. Cp. Eur. Hel. 190.

547. mvp-comment-415-1 ἥβην, κ.τ.λ.] The contrast is developed as the sentence proceeds. Cp. O. C. 1649, ἄνδρα, τὸν μέν, κ.τ.λ. τὴν μέν] i.e. τῆσδε μέν. Cp. Aj. 114, τέρψις ἥδε, and note.

548. mvp-comment-416-1 ὧν, κ.τ.λ.] 'From which' (viz. from those whose youth advances) 'the eye is wont to cull the bloom; but from the other,' etc. The expression is not clear, but the meaning is obvious, and the text is not corrupt. For the relative referring to the former of two expressions, see Essay on L. § 41. p. 78 , and cp. O. C. 86, 7, Φοίβῳ τε κἀμοὶ .. ὅς μοι. And, for the generic relative plural with a singular antecedent, cp. Thuc. 6. 12, 13, νεωτέρῳ.. | οὓς ἐγὼ ὁρῶν νῦν ἐνθάδε.

549. mvp-comment-417-1 ὑπεκτρέπει πόδα] Sc. ὁ ἵμερος understood in the personified ὀφθαλμός. The crowding of images is certainly rather bold. For the general sense, cp. Plato, Symp. 195, 6, especially the words ἀνανθεῖ γὰρ καὶ ἀπηνθηκότι καὶ σώματι καὶ ψυχῇ καὶ ἄλλῳ ὅτῳοῦν οὐκ ἐνίζει ἔρως.

550. mvp-comment-418-1 ταῦτ᾽ οὖν φοβοῦμαι] 'This then is my fear;' i, e. τοῦτον τὸν φόβον φοβοῦμαι, ταῦτα refers to what precedes, and is further explained by what follows. The distinction between πόσις and ἀνήρ, 'husband' or 'lord,' and 'mate,' is readily intelligible.

554. mvp-comment-419-1 λυτήριον] Cp. Ο. Τ. 392, ἠύδας ἐκλυτήριον. †λύπημα] The MS. reading, λυτήριον λύπημα, has not been successfully explained. λυτήριον cannot be taken as a verbal noun governing an accusative. Nor is it satisfactory to postpone the comma and render, 'A vexation for Iole that will deliver me.' Herm. conjectures λ. κήλημα, which may be right, but anticipates too much. A more general word seems to be required. νόημα is suggested by the resumption in l. 578, and the first syllable may have been lost from or preceding or νοῦν coming in the line above. Other conjectures are λυτήριόν τι πημονῆς (Ziel), and Mr. Paley's ἢ δ᾽ ἔχει . . λυτήριον λύπημα. To this last it may be objected that the use of the first person (ἔχω) is more expressive of Deianira's sanguine mood. A third way of interpreting the words as they stand may be suggested, viz. taking λυτήριον passively, agreeing with λύπημα: 'I will tell you a way in which I find the grief remediable.' For the passive use, see Essay on L. § 53. p. 99 , and for the redundant antecedent, ib. § 40. p. 75, 2.

555. mvp-comment-420-1 ἦν κεκρυμμένον] I had, hidden in an urn of bronze, the gift I once long ago received from the old Centaur.' ποτέ is to be taken closely with δῶρον. Cp. Ο. Τ. 1043, ἢ τοῦ τυράννου τῆσδε γῆς πάλαι ποτέ; For ἀρχαῖος in the sense of old,' cp. Ο. C. 112, χρόνῳ παλαιοί. παλαιός and ἀρχαῖος convey more of a sense of awe or wonder as attaching to old age, than γέρων οι γεραιός. The Centaur is thought of as an old-world creature belonging to a state of things that is passed away.

557. mvp-comment-421-1 παρά = from a person = (i.e. by his will), ἐκ = out of a place.

558. mvp-comment-422-1 φόνων] Bergk conjectures φονῶν. Cp infr. l. 573, σφαγῶν.

559. mvp-comment-423-1 τὸν . . ποταμόν.. πόρευε] Cp. Plat. Theaet. 199 E, ὁ τὸν ποταμὸν καθηγούμενος. The epithet βαθύρρουν accounts for mortals needing the Centaur's help.

561. mvp-comment-424-1 ἐρέσσων, which is added to explain the instrumental dative κώπαις, is of course not resumed with λαίφεσιν.

562. mvp-comment-425-1 τὸν πατρῷον.. στόλον] 'On that journey on which my father sent me forth.' viz. When he gave me in marriage. The expression is more natural if we imagine Oeneus as having accompanied them part of the way. This accusative is in a loose construction with the sentence (in apposition to the action). Cp. Ο. C. 1400, 1401, οἷον ἆρ᾽ ὁδοῦ τέλος |῎Αργους ἀφωρμήθημεν.

563. mvp-comment-426-1 ξὺν Ἡρακλεῖ] · With Heracles at my side.' The preposition is not required with ἑσπόμην following, but the fulness of expression marks the closeness of her relation to Heracles.

564. mvp-comment-427-1 ἡνίκ᾽ ἦν μέσῳ πόρῳ] 'When he was at the middle of the crossing.' Cobet would read ἢ 'v ('I was in'). Dindorf and Nauck also prefer the first person. But there is no sufficient reason for this, and the locative dative presents no difficulty.

565. mvp-comment-428-1 ματαίαις] · Wanton' Cp. Aesch. Suppl. 229, and the use of ματάζων in Ο. Τ. 891.

566. mvp-comment-429-1 ἐπιστρέψας] The middle voice is more usual. Here τόξον οι βέλος may be supplied in thought. The word always implies a sudden movement. χεροῖν] Either (1) From' (gen.), or (2) With' (dat.) his hands.'

567. mvp-comment-430-1 κομήτην] The feather of the arrow which is elsewhere imagined as a swift wing, is here figured as its hair.

568. mvp-comment-431-1 στέρνων] Governed of δια- in διερροίζησεν. ἐκθνήσκων] Αs he breathed his last.' This compound is elsewhere used figuratively, as in γέλῳ ἔκθανον, Od. 18. 100, (' died outright [as it were] with laughter'); and from Plato onwards, To faint or fall into a trance,' is the accepted meaning of the word.

570-571. mvp-comment-432-1 τῶν ἐμῶν.. πορθμῶν] For this use of the possessive adjective, cp. Ο. Τ. 572, 3, τὰς ἐμὰς . . Λαΐου διαφθοράς.

572. mvp-comment-433-1 γάρ introduces the explanatory statement, answering τοσόνδε. τῶν ἐμῶν σφαγῶν is (a) possessive genitive with αΐμα, and also (b) ablative genitive with ἐνέγκῃ, 'Bear from my wound the clotted gore of my wound.'

573-574. mvp-comment-434-1 ᾗ.. ὕδρας] 'At the place where the arrows had been tinged with black venom from the Lernaean hydra,' i.e. From that part of the wound where a dark tinge shows a trace of the hydra's venom in which the arrows were dipped.' The blood would be more clotted about the wound because of the venom, and the part of the blood most affected by the venom would be preternaturally dark. Observe the unconscious tautology in θρέμμα after ἀμφίθρεπτον, and for the periphrasis, cp. the uses of φάσμα in ll. 509,837. θρέμμα is merely expletive. See Essay on L. § 10. p. 17. Madvig's reading, adopted by Paley, is μελάγχολος. ἰός. θρέμμα is then the issue.'

577. mvp-comment-435-1 στέρξει] The future indicative after ὥστε μή is curious. Ср. О. Т. 411, ὥστ᾽ οὐ Κρέοντος προστάτου γεγράψομαι. Several MSS. and Hermann read στέρξαι; but the nominative is then unaccountable. If the text is right, we must suppose a return to the indicative from the infinitive which should have followed ὥστε μή. ἀντὶ σοῦ πλέον] 'Before thee:' a twofold expression including 'Instead of thee' and 'More than thee.' Cp. Ant. 182, 3, μείζον᾽ . . ἀντὶ τῆς αὑτοῦ πάτρας.

578. mvp-comment-436-1 τοῦτ᾽ ἐννοήσασ'] 'Bethinking me of this.' See the conjectural reading νόημα supr. l. 554, note, which this would seem to resume. δόμοις] Probably a cabinet or closet, which would exclude the light. Cp. Eur. Alc. 160, 1, ἐκ δ᾽ ἑλοῦσα κεδρίνων δόμων | ἐσθῆτα κόσμον τ᾽ εὐπρεπῶς ἠσκήσατο, where the 'cedarn habitation' of the dress is a sort of wardrobe.

580. mvp-comment-437-1 ἔβαψα] Sc. τούτῳ from τοῦτο supr. προσβαλοῦσ᾽ ὅσα | ζῶν κεῖνος εἶπε] 'With such addition as the Centaur, while yet alive, enjoined.' This refers to the manner of application, or of preparation for immediate use - cp. infr. ll. 680-7-and not (as Schndw. supposes) to something added to or mingled with the blood. The words need not include more than the precautions on which she afterwards lays such stress:-infr. 684-92. Others take προσβαλοῦσα (sc. τὸν νοῦν) to mean, 'Giving careful heed to. Cp. infr. 844, and note.

581. mvp-comment-438-1 πεπείρανται] An Epic word. Cp. Od. 12. 37, 8, ταῦτα μὲν οὕτω πάντα πεπείρανται.

582-584. mvp-comment-439-1 κακὰς δὲ .. φίλτροις δὲ..] The repetition of dé indicates the contention of opposing thoughts. Cp. O. С. 1014, 5, ὁ ξεῖνος, ὦναξ, χρηστός, αἱ δὲ συμφοραὶ | αὐτοῦ πανώλεις, ἄξιαι δ᾽ ἀμυναθεῖν. τάς τε τολμώσας] Sc. τὰς τοιαύτας τόλμας.

585. mvp-comment-440-1 ἐφ' Ἡρακλεῖ] 'Upon Heracles;' i.e. used with the view of influencing him. Cp. Eur. Hipp. 32, Ἱππολύτῳ δ᾽ ἔπι, κ.τ.λ.

586. mvp-comment-441-1 μεμηχάνηται τούργον] The means have been contrived.'

587. mvp-comment-442-1 εἰ δὲ μή] But if otherwise, I will proceed no further,' i.e. εἰ δοκῶ πράσσειν ματαιόν τι. τι in the preceding clause is to be taken, not with δοκώ, but with πράσσειν. Cp. Εl. 31, εἰ μή τι καιροῦ τυγχάνω. Deianira promises to desist, if the Chorus think her unwise. But when Lichas appears, she forgets everything in the eagerness of her purpose, and their faltering dissuasion is lost upon her.

588. mvp-comment-443-1 πίστις . . 590. ἡ πίστις] The πίστις of which the Chorus speaks is more objective = Ground of confidence; that which Deianira means is more subjective, = 'The confidence I have.'

589. mvp-comment-444-1 οὐ . . κακῶς expresses a cautious approval. Cp. Fr. 154, ἔχοιμ᾽ ἂν αὐτὸ μὴ κακῶς ἀπεικάσαι.

590. mvp-comment-445-1 γ' marks the limitation under which she assents to εἴ τις ἐστὶ πίστις supra.

591. mvp-comment-446-1 ἔνεστι] Sc. τῇ πίστει or τῷ βουλεύματι. πείρᾳ δ᾽ οὐ προσωμίλησά πω.] - But I have not yet made acquaintance with the proof of it; i.e. My plan has not been tested by experience.

593. mvp-comment-447-1 γνῶμα] The meaning of words signifying mental processes or results is not yet fixed in tragic diction, and is still relative to the several meanings of the corresponding verb. Thus γνῶμα = ἐγνωσμένον τι, which in the present context would signify, Anything clearly discerned or determined.' μὴ πειρωμένη = εἰ μὴ πεῖραν λάβοις.

594. mvp-comment-448-1 αὐτίκ᾽ εἰσόμεσθα] Deianira, in her eagerness, under-estimates the time that must still pass before Heracles' arrival. It is thus that tragic feeling helps the conventional abridgment of time that is necessary to the composition of tragedy : πόνου γὰρ ἄκρον οὐκ ἔχει χρόνον. τόνδε] Lichas, whom she does not care to name, and who is treated slightingly throughout. His fate 'is but a trifle here' (Shak. K. Lear, 5. 3. 295).

595. mvp-comment-449-1 ἐλεύσεται] 'He will make his way' to Cenaeum, where his master is.

596. mvp-comment-450-1 στεγοίμεθ'] She expresses a wish and not a command, and this in the passive voice, not only as a gentler, but also as a more earnest way of speaking. Might I only have my secret well kept by you.' σκότῳ] i. e. ἐν σκότῳ, 'Under covert of darkness:' the dative of place passing into a dative of circumstance. Essay on L. § 11. p. 18, § 14. p. 20.

597. mvp-comment-451-1 The dative αἰσχύνῃ is either (1) causal By reason of shame,' or (2) = ès αἰσχύνην: cp. Ο. C. 483, αὐτῇ . . τιθείς : infr. 789, χθονὶ ῥίπτων ἑαυτόν: probably the former (1). E. on L. § 11. p. 18, 3 a.

599. mvp-comment-452-1 ὡς .. βραδείς] 'Since we are belated by reason of the length of time,' viz. which we are spending in the fulfilment of our mission.

600. mvp-comment-453-1 αὐτὰ δὴ.. πράσσω] ‘I have been arranging this very thing,' viz. what Lichas is to do.

601. mvp-comment-454-1 ἠγορῶ] You have been talking.' Lichas has done talking to the women, but Deianira's act, for which this gave time, is still in progress. Hence the pres. and imperf. tenses.

602. mvp-comment-455-1 τόνδε γ᾽ εὐϋφῆ] 'Just this carefully woven garment.' Wunder's conjecture, ταναϋφῆ, has been very generally received by recent editors. But (α) γε, although postponed in the sentence ( Essay on L. § 26. p. 44; § 41. p. 77 ), bears a good meaning, complying with Lichas' σήμαινε, and particularizing: (β) εὐφῆ, “Carefully woven,' is exactly in point; the value of the gift was enhanced by the care which Deianira had spent on it: (c) ταναϋφῆ (for which, cp. 674, ἐνδυτῆρα) occurs nowhere in any extant writing, and though Hesychius mentions the word, there is nothing in his manner of doing so to show that he is quoting from Sophocles.

607. mvp-comment-456-1 μήθ᾽ ἔρκος ἱερὸν μήτ' ἐφέστιον σέλας] 'Nor sacred enclosure' (because there would be fire upon the hearth or altar there), 'nor hearth-lit flame.' ἐφέστιον has generally been referred to the private hearth as distinguished from the public altar. But a doubt is thrown on this distinction by the use of ἑστίαν in l. 658.

608. mvp-comment-457-1 φανερὸν ἐμφανής] The reading of Triclinius (also according to Blaydes of Par. A), is here better than that of L, φανερὸς ἐμφανής.

609. mvp-comment-458-1 ἡμέρᾳ ταυροσφάγῳ] For the gladness implied in this phrase, cp. the Biblical expression, 'As in a day of slaughter,' and Pind. Nem. 6. 69, ἐν ἀμφικτιύνων | ταυροφόνῳ τριετηρίδι. The meaning of the phrase, 'A day when the greatest victims are sacrificed,' is illustrated by infr. 760 foll.

611. mvp-comment-459-1 πανδίκως] This word is rightly taken by Mr. Paley and Otto Hense with the following line:-'I would array him rightly in this robe.' On πανδίκως see above, l. 294.

612. mvp-comment-460-1 στελεῖν] That I would array him.' Cp. Eur. Bacch. 827, 8, ΔΙ. ἐγὼ στελῶ σε δωμάτων εἴσω μολών. | ΠΕ. τίνα στολήν; ἢ θῆλυν; ἀλλ᾽ αἰδώς μ' ἔχει.

613. mvp-comment-461-1 The words καινῷ καινόν, as Dindorf observes, are thrown together according to a very frequent idiom, for which, cp. especially Αj. 467, μόνος μόνοις. The meaning of καινόν is therefore not to be pressed. But it may hint the appropriateness of the new robe to Heracles' first appearance after his long absence.

614. mvp-comment-462-1 εὐμαθὲς ἐπ᾿ ὄμμα θήσεται] 'Which his eye, that lights on this firm seal, will easily discern.' Against the conjecture of Billerbeck, ἐπὸν μαθήσεται, it may be urged that the tautology εὐμαθές μαθήσεται is singularly ungraceful (Dindorf has accordingly introduced the further conjecture εὐθέως, and Mr. Paley that of ὄμμα θείς, for εὐμαθές) and that ἐπών adds nothing to the sense. On the other hand the reading in the text requires εὐμαθές to have an active meaning, and ő to be governed κατὰ σύνεσιν by the whole clause. The expression ἐπιθήσεται ὄμμα also appears strange. But for the two former objections, see Essay on L. § 53. p. 99, supr. 136, and note; and for the last-mentioned expression, cp. Il 10. 46, ῾Εκτορέοις ἄρα μᾶλλον ἐπὶ φρένα θῆχ᾽ ἱεροῖσιν. σφραγίδος ἕρκος is simply A safeguard consisting of a seal,' without any reference to the rim of the seal. Cp. Pind. Nem. 10. 66, ἐν ἀγγέων ἕρκεσιν παμποικίλοις.

616. mvp-comment-463-1 νόμον] Rule of conduct,' as in Ant. 191, τοιοῖσδ᾽ ἐγὼ νόμοισι τήνδ' αὔξω πόλιν. See Essay on L. p. 88 , and cp. infr. 1177, 8, νόμον . . πειθαρχεῖν πατρί.

617. mvp-comment-464-1 περισσὰ δρᾶν] Το act beyond thine office.' The meaning of περισσός is relative to the circumstances in question. Here it conveys a rebuke for Lichas' previous conduct, rather than a warning not to break the seal, etc. Cp. περισσὰ πράσσειν in Ant. 68.

619. mvp-comment-465-1 ἐξ ἁπλῆς διπλῆ] The favour which Lichas has hitherto sought is 'single,' being that of Heracles alone. Cp. supr. 286, πιστὸς ὢν κείνῳ, and note.

620. mvp-comment-466-1 πομπεύω τέχνην = χρῶμαι πομπίμῳ τέχνῃ, just as τυμβεῦσαι χοάς in Εl. 406 = χέαι ἐπιτυμβίους χοάς. The chief stress is on βέβαιον. If this art of Hermes which I practise be securely mine; i. e. 'May I lose it, if I play false.'

621. mvp-comment-467-1 οὗ τι μὴ σφαλῶ γ᾽ ἐν σοί] i. e. οὐ μὴ τι σφαλῶ ἐν σοί γε. “I will not offend in anything concerning thee.

622. mvp-comment-468-1 τόδ᾽ ἄγγος] 'This casket.' ἄγγος here is the κοῖλον ζύγαστρον (infr. 692) in which Deianira had enclosed the robe. ὡς ἔχει] • As it is,' ie. With the seal unbroken.

623. mvp-comment-469-1 λόγων τε πίστιν ὧν ἔχεις ἐφαρμόσαι] ‘And add thereto the fitting assurance of thy very words.' The Scholiasts misinterpret this passage, taking ἐφαρμόσαι (which they must have read ἐφάρμοσαι) for an imperative. The use of the word ἁρμόζω, cp. supr. l. 494, προσαρμόσαι, has no reference (as Schndw. supposes) to the closely-fitting robe (πλευραῖσιν ἀρτίκολλος, infr. l. 768). ἔχεις has been suspected: but cp. El. 934, 5, λόγους τοιούσδ᾽ ἔχουσ': Ant. 635,6, σύ μοι γνώμας ἔχων | χρηστὰς ἀπορθοῖς. ἔχω has a wide range of meaning in Sophocles. Thus explained, the line may be translated, And adding therewith faithfully the words you use,' referring to ll. 604-613. The words λόγων πίστιν may be explained as = λόγους πιστῶς λεχθέντας (abstract for concrete), cp. supr. l. 173, τῶνδε ναμέρτεια= τάδε νημερτῶς γενησόμενα. But λόγων πίστιν may also mean, 'A verbal confirmation,' and the words of Deianira, including ll. 614.5, may be regarded as the proof that Lichas is to give of the reality of his mission from her. The seal would be enough, but the repetition of her vow, and the injunction not to display the robe too soon (of which Lichas did not know the real reason) may have been felt by him to add likelihood to his assertion that this was Deianira's gift. Cp. infr. ll. 775, 6, τὸ σὸν μόνης δώρημ᾽ ἔλεξεν. ἔχεις then = παρέχεις, and, possibly, ἥν should be read for ὧν.

628. mvp-comment-470-1 αὐτήν θ] The opposition between Iole and her reception is merely verbal, but it justifies the position of αὐτήν. See v. rr.

631. mvp-comment-471-1 πρώ] «Τoo soon.' λέγοις ἄν] Sc. εἰ λέγοις. The construction remains unaffected by μή. • I fear it is too soon for you to speak of my affection, before I know if on his side there is affection for me.' εἰδέναι τἀκεῖθεν, εἰ ποθούμεθα, sc. ἐκεῖ, is said by the same idiom as εἰδέναι τινά, εἰ κάμνει, and the like. γάρ gives the reason for not adding more, the assurance of her love being that which in other circumstances she would have added.

633. mvp-comment-472-1 foll. The Chorus invite all the countries around Trachis to rejoice with them at the approach of Heracles, whose triumph the welcome flute will soon proclaim. He comes, long-waited for, to her who pined in thought for him. His own right arm hath freed him from toil. Let not the oars of his vessel tarry! Let him leave the sacrifice; and let the charm of Nessus draw him gently home.' The ode consists of two strophes and antistrophes of logaoedic verse, in which the alternation of quick and slow movements reflects the alternate eagerness and patience of expectancy.

633-635. mvp-comment-473-1 'Ye dwellers by the hot springs near the haven and the rock, and by the Oetean heights.' Hot springs were sacred to Heracles (Aristoph. Nub. 1047, etc.). Hence Thermopylae (where there was an altar to him, Hdt. 7. 176) had a special interest in his return. ναύλοχα καὶ πετραῖα] ‘By the roadstead and the rocks.' For the use of adjectives in general indications of place, see Essay on L. § 23. p. 39. Others take ναύλοχα substantively, but this makes an awkward division of the sentence. λουτρά no less than πάγους is governed of παραναιετάοντες: The word πάγος is used of the summit of Mount Oeta, infr. l. 1191, but πάγοι here include the rocky region to the north and east of the mountain. See Hdt. 7.198.

635. mvp-comment-474-1 μέσσαν] i. e. Surrounded by the lands of Euboea, Trachis, and Phthiotis.

636. mvp-comment-475-1 λίμναν is here descriptive of a land-locked sea, like the Gulf of Volo, although in the Homeric use, of which this is a reminiscence, it is sometimes applied to more open waters, as also in Soph. Fr. 432, ἐπ᾿ οἶδμα λίμνας, a phrase which is ridiculed as an affectation by Aristophanes, Av. 1337, 8.

637. mvp-comment-476-1 χρυσηλάκατος is the Homeric epithet of Artemis, χρυσηλακάτου κελαδεινῆς. In whatever sense the word was originally used, Sophocles is thinking here of the bright arrows of the goddess, for which, cp. O. T. 207, ᾿Αρτέμιδος αἴγλας, κ.τ.λ., and note. ἀκτάν] The word signifies a jutting foreland, or cliff, such as elsewhere, as in Salamis and at Artemisium in Euboea, was dedicated to the divine huntress. Cp. supr. l. 212, Ορτυγίαν, and note.

638-639. mvp-comment-477-1 Where are the famous gatherings of Hellenes in the Council of Pylae.' Ἑλλάνων ἀγοραὶ Πυλάτιδες are the meetings of the Amphictyonic Council at Pylae.' Cp. Hdt. 7. 200, 201. *κλέονται (cp. infr. l. 659, ἔνθα κλήζεται θυτήρ : Eur. Οr. 331, ἵνα μεσόμφαλοι λέγονται μυχοί), although a conjectural reading, is more probable, because more poetical, than καλεῦνται, which in this connection could hardly mean anything but are summoned.'

640. mvp-comment-478-1 καλλιβόαs] With delightful sound.' Cp. Simon. Fr. 46, ἐπείπερ ἄρξατο τερπνοτάτων μελέων ὁ καλλιβίας πολύχορδος αὐλός: Aristoph. Av. 682, καλλιβύαν . . αὐλόν. βοή is used of musical sounds in Il. 18. 495, αὐλοὶ φόρμιγγές τε βοὴν ἔχον. ὑμῖν . . ἐπάνεισιν] • Will arise over you.' The sound will travel far and high.

641. mvp-comment-479-1 ἀναρσίαν] 'Unwelcome.' Cp. Herod. 3. 10, ἀνάρσιον πρῆγμα, and the use of δάϊος in Aesch. Pers. 257, νεόκοτα καὶ δάϊα.

642-643. mvp-comment-480-1 θείας | ἀντίλυρον μούσας] Sweet as the lyre of Heavenly Muse.' The flute was commonly associated, not with Apollo and the Muses, but with ruder powers. But the joy which it now proclaimed would make it as musical as the lyre.

644. mvp-comment-481-1 ὁ γὰρ Διὸς ᾿Αλκμήνας κόρος] 'Alcmena's man-child begotten of Zeus.' The Triclinian reading omitting τε is adopted on the ground of metre.

645-646. mvp-comment-482-1 πάσας ἀρετᾶς | λάφυρα] 'Spoils, such as are the meed of supreme valour.' wâs is here intensive- not 'All' but 'Uttermost.'

647. mvp-comment-483-1 ὃν ἀπόπτολιν εἴχομεν] ie. ὃς ἦν ἀπόπτολις ἡμῖν. 'Whose absence we endured.'

648. mvp-comment-484-1 πάντα.. χρόνον] 'All a twelve-month's time.' πάντα has been changed to παντᾶ for the sake of the metre; but, as Linwood observes, this adverb is nowhere used of time. It is better therefore to retain πάντα and to divide the lines as above, unless we suspect some deeper corruption. Or, if παντᾶ is read, it may be possibly explained of direction, 'Looking all ways for him.' Cp. supr. 96 foll. δυοκαιδεκάμηνον] Heracles had been absent fifteen months. The Chorus are less precise than Deianira in counting the days. They know that a full twelve-month has elapsed. And the time of chief anxiety had been the last year, on which the issue of Heracles' fortune hung. See especially infr. ll. 824-6, ὁπότε τελεόμηνος ἐκφέροι δωδέκατος ἄροτος, ἀναδοχὰν τελεῖν πόνων τῷ Διὸς αὐτόπαιδι.

649. mvp-comment-485-1 πελάγιον] 'Far at sea.' The expression is metaphorical, as in O. C. 662, 3, φανήσεται | μακρὸν τὸ δεῦρο πέλαγος. The meaning is that the place of his abode was as unknown as that of a vessel which, after leaving the shore, has passed beyond the horizon.

650. mvp-comment-486-1 ὁ δὲ οἱ] In Lyric poetry the habit of allowing a hiatus before of is retained from the Epic style.

651. mvp-comment-487-1 * τάλαιναν, Dindorf's correction of τάλαινα, removes an unpleasing tautology, and improves at once the metre and the sense.

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.

661-662. mvp-comment-495-1 τᾶς πειθοῦς παγχρίστῳ συγκεραθείς] «Steeped in the full anointing of persuasion: i. e. penetrated with the virtue of the charm through which persuasion works. Cp. Pind. Pyth. 5. 24, τεᾷ τοῦτο μιγνύμενον φρενί: Hdt. 4. 152, φιλίαι . . συνεκρήθησαν. Prof. Paley, metri gratia, conjectures συντακείς. παγχρίστῳ has been suspected. But such a substantival use of the adjective does not seem impossible here. Cp. Εl. 851 foll. πανσύρτῳ παμμήνῳ, κ.τ.λ., where, however, the text is probably corrupt.

662. mvp-comment-496-1 ἐπὶ προφάσει θηρός] · By the Centaur's precept.' πρόφασις here may mean 'Fore-telling, just as πρόφατος in Pind. Olymp. 8. 16 means 'Proclaimed.' Or if πρόφατον be, as some allege, = πρόφαντον, then προφάσει may have the meaning of προφάνσει. Cp. ἔμφασις, and Hdt. 6. 129, ἐκφάσιος. In either case it is quite unnecessary to adopt an inferior reading (ἐπιπόνων ἁμερᾶν) in the strophe (l. 655). The proscenium having been vacant during the preceding ode, Deianira- with changed countenance (?) - comes forth from the house.

663. mvp-comment-497-1 περαιτέρω] · Too far,' = περαιτέρω (l. e. πέρα) τοῦ δέοντος. The comparative form strengthens the notion already contained in πέρα.

665. mvp-comment-498-1 τέκνον Οἰνέως] The formality of address reflects the solemnity of Deianira's tone.

666. mvp-comment-499-1 εἰ, κ.τ.λ.] Cp. supr. 176, and note.

668. mvp-comment-500-1 οὐ δή introduces a question about something which is suspected to be true, but is either too strange, or too good, or, as here, too bad, to be at once believed. τι] Sc. λέγεις. τῶν δωρημάτων is a vague genitive, as if with the ellipse of περί. Essay on L. § 9. р. 13. 3. Ср. О. Т. 701, Κρέοντος, οἷά μοι βεβουλευκὼς ἔχει. For the dative Ἡρακλεῖ governed by the verbal noun, cp. supr. 603, δώρημ᾽ ἐκείνῳ τἀνδρί.

669-670. mvp-comment-501-1 προθυμίαν | ἄδηλον, κ.τ.λ.] To have zeal where they have not certainty in anything which they do.' The adjective belongs in sense rather to ἔργου. Cp. infr. 817, 8, ὄγκον . . ὀνόματος μητρῷον. For προθυμίαν ἔργου λαβεῖν = προθύμως ἔργου ἅπτεσθαι, cp. Ant. 301, παντὸς ἔργου δυσσέβειαν εἰδέναι.

672. mvp-comment-502-1 οἷον.. μαθεῖν] For the construction, cp. Aristoph. Plut. 349, ποῖός τις; -Οἷος -ἣν μὲν κατορθώσωμεν, εὖ πράττειν ἀεί.

673. mvp-comment-503-1 ὑμῖν] We must suppose an ellipse of ἂν γενέσθαι οἱ ἂν γένοιτο, to which μαθεῖν is epexegetic.

674. mvp-comment-504-1 ἐνδυτῆρα] Cp. Aesch. Eum. 1028, φοινικοβάπτοις ἐνδυτοῖς ἐσθήμασιν. Ενδυτός non simpliciter quod induitur significat, sed quod ornatus causa'-Hermann, who compares Eur. Iph. Aul. 1073, 4. ἐνδύτ᾽ ἐκ θεᾶς ματρὸς δωρήματα (the arms of Achilles), Troad. 258, ἐνδυτῶν στεφέων ἱεροὺς στολμούς. The word has acquired from early use a solemn association, in addition to the original simple meaning of 'put on.' Cp. the word 'vestment' in English.

675. mvp-comment-505-1 ἀργῆτ] i. e. ἀργῆτι. The elision of ι of the dative, although rare, certainly occurs in Epic Greek, and it is therefore not irrational to admit the licence here and in O. C. 1435, and also in Aesch. Pers. 855, ὑπαντιάζειν παίδ' ἐμῷ, which there is no ground for altering. ἀργῆτα, agreeing with πέπλον, could only mean, I made the garment bright with anointing,'-a poor and ridiculous sense. The synizesis supposed by Hermann (ἀργῆτι οἷos) is practically equivalent to the elision. εὐείρῳ] For the twofold epithet, see Essay on L. § 23. p. 37. The brightness and freshness of the piece of wool increased the marvel of its rapid disappearance.

676. mvp-comment-506-1 πρὸς οὐδενὸς τῶν ἔνδον] 'Not by anything in the house' (οὐδενός, neut.). The conjecture τῶν ἐκτός (Of things foreign to it') is quite unnecessary.

677. mvp-comment-507-1 φθίνει] For the return to the indicative, see Essay on L. § 36. p. 64.

678. mvp-comment-508-1 Several editors have objected to Ψῇ having an intransitive meaning = καταψήχεται, and have accordingly suspected the reading. But the intransitive use of the active verb (see Essay on L. § 53. p. 98 ), however singular, is more probable than any conjecture that has been made. The word, so understood, naturally prepares the way for the description in ll. 698-700. κατ᾿ ἄκρας σπιλάδος] «Upon the stones.' We are to imagine the courtyard, where Deianira had flung down the flock of wool, to have been paved with small round stones.

680-681. mvp-comment-509-1 πονῶν πλευρὰν πικρᾷ γλωχίνι] 'When suffering in his side from the cruel barb.' The alliteration is suggestive of struggle and difficulty. Although πικρὸς ὀϊστός (according to Buttmann) is The sharp arrow, the meaning is different in Sophocles, - viz. 'Bitter,' i. e. 'Painful.'

682. mvp-comment-510-1 θεσμών] The awe which attended his dying moments gave to the Centaur's precepts the force of a Divine ordinance. Hence they had remained fixed in Deianira's memory.

683. mvp-comment-511-1 i.e. ὅπως ἐν χαλκῇ δέλτῳ δύσνιπτον γραφήν.

684. mvp-comment-512-1 This verse has been condemned by critics since Wunder, -unnecessarily. Although it repeats and expands what is already said, this is expressive of the perturbation of Deianira's mind, and of her effort in collecting her thoughts. She returns upon her steps several times in telling her story. See ll. 678, 698; 675, 690, 695; 685, 691.

687. mvp-comment-513-1 ἕως .. που] Until, having laid it freshly on, I should apply it to some use.' The retention of av in oblique narrative, although singular, is not indefensible, and was defended by Hermann on l. 3. See also l. 164 and v. rr. Elmsley conjectured ἕως νιν.

689. mvp-comment-514-1 ἔχρισα] 'I applied the unguent.' The object (πέπλον) is easily supplied. Cp. inf. 696, ᾧ προὔχριον. μέν prepares for the contrast between the care taken with the robe and the neglect of the bit of wool. But Deianira's speech is not logically coherent, and d' in l. 693 does not answer to μέν here. κατ᾿ οἶκον ἐν δόμοις] ‘In a chamber of the house." Another instance of redundancy arising from the same cause- the intentness of Deianira's thought. She is showing how closely she had observed the precept ἐν μυχοῖς σώζειν ἕως . . ἀρμόσαιμί που.

690. mvp-comment-515-1 κτησίου βοτοῦ] Either (1) one of the home flock, as distinguished from those in distant pastures, or (2) simply a sheep from the flock.' λάχνῃ, Wool,' is a more general word than μαλλῷ, 'Sheep's-wool.'

692. mvp-comment-516-1 ζυγάστρῳ] The ἄγγος mentioned above. l.622. It was a box with strong fastenings. See L. and S. s. v.

693. mvp-comment-517-1 ἀποστείχουσα] ‘Returning,' from before the gate.

693-694. mvp-comment-518-1 φάτιν μαθεῖν] Α thing beyond the hearer's thought, beyond the guess of man to understand.' φάτιν .. ἄφραστον = οἷον θαῦμ᾽ ἀνέλπιστον μαθεῖν, supr. ll. 672, 3. ἄφραστος is that 'which from its strangeness escapes or baffles the mind,' as ἄσκοπος is, 'What from its vastness escapes or baffles the eye.' For the infin. cp. Aesch. Suppl. 94, κατιδεῖν ἄφραστοι.

695. mvp-comment-519-1 κάταγμα] 'The bit of wool that I had pulled.' κατάγειν is properly, To pull out before spinning, so as to be ready for the distaff. See Plat. Polit. 282 E. πως] Nescio quo modo; indicating the carelessness of the act.

696. mvp-comment-520-1 προὔχριον] Prepared (the robe) by anointing.' Supr. 675, 689.

697. mvp-comment-521-1 ἀκτῖν᾽ ἐς ἡλιῶτιν] 'Into the bright sunshine.' Added to explain φλόγα.

698. mvp-comment-522-1 ῥεῖ.. ἄδηλον] It melts all out of sight,' i. e. dissolves and disappears. καὶ κατέψηκται χθονί] And is crumbled on the ground; i.e. The shrunken morsels that remain appear like a crumbling substance.

699. mvp-comment-523-1 εἰκαστὸν ὥστε] The comparison begins afresh with ὥστε, as if εἰκαστόν had not preceded. See Essay on L. § 40. p. 75, 5. ὥστε.. ξύλου] 'As, where wood is severed, you may see the morsels bitten out by the saw; i.e. it had the appearance of sawdust,

701. mvp-comment-524-1 προπετές] This has been commonly explained, 'On the ground,' or 'Thrown away:' as if κεῖται προπετές were simply = προκεῖται. But the radical meaning of προπετής is rather, 'Ready to fall' than Having fallen.' See L. and S. s. v. And on comparing infr. l.976, Menand. Παρακ. 2, Eur. Alc. 909, Hec. 152, a more probable explanation seems to be, On the point of dissolution,' 'About to perish,' or 'disappear.' The wool has all but crumbled away when the froth exudes from the ground. ὅθεν] The adverb of place being added to particularize ἐκ γῆς, ὅθεν takes the case of its antecedent (= κεῖθεν οὗ), just as ὧν is often = τούτων ἅ.

702. mvp-comment-525-1 προὔκειτο] 'It lay exposed.' θρομβώδεις ἀφροί] Clots of foam.'

703. mvp-comment-526-1 γλαυκῆς .. ἀμπέλου] · As when in bloomy vintage-time the rich liquor pressed from Bacchus' vine is spilt upon the ground.' γλαυκῆς ὀπώρας is to be taken (1) with the whole sentence, as a genitive of time or circumstance, rather than (2) in regimen with ποτοῦ. On the other hand, Βακχίας ἀπ᾿ ἀμπέλου is to be joined with ποτοῦ rather than with χυθέντος. The venom frothed like the spilth of new-made wine.

705. mvp-comment-527-1 ποῖ γνώμης πέσω] «Whither finally to rush in thought.' πέσω (more than μόλω) expresses the violence of the disturbance in Deianira's mind. Cp. the Homeric use of ὁρμαίνειν.

706. mvp-comment-528-1 ὁρῶ δέ μ'.. ἐξειργασμένην] She sees her error as clearly as if it were the act of another. Hence the accusative.

707. mvp-comment-529-1 πόθεν.. ἀντὶ τοῦ] 'Whence? From what motive?' The abruptly repeated question is quite in keeping with the rest of the speech, and there is no reason for any change in the reading.

708. mvp-comment-530-1 ἧς.. ὕπερ.] On whose account.' He was slain in vindication of Deianira's honour.

714. mvp-comment-531-1 τὸν . . ἄτρακτον] The arrows of Heracles, all alike dipped in the poison of the Hydra, are poetically spoken of as one. βαλόντ'] Sc. τὸν Νέσσον. θεόν] Chiron was a son of Cronus.

715. mvp-comment-532-1 χώσπερ ἄν is more forcible than Wakefield's conjecture χὧνπερ ἄν. • Even as it touches, even so it destroys;' i.e. As sure as it touches, so surely it kills.' Cp. Ar. Pax, 24.

716. mvp-comment-533-1 ἐκ δὲ τοῦδ᾽ ὅδε, κ.τ.λ.] 'And must not the dark gory venom from his (Nessus') wound be fatal to him (Heracles) too?' τοῦδε, sc. τοῦ Νέσσου, from the implied object of βαλόντα, supra. For the repetition of the same pronoun, ср. О. С. 1405-1413.

717. mvp-comment-534-1 ἰὸς αἵματος is the 'poison consisting of the (envenomed) blood.'

719. mvp-comment-535-1 δέδοκται] Sc. ἐμοί from ἐμé in l. 720. Observe the unconscious tautology in δόξῃ (718).. δέδοκται. σφαλήσεται] i. e. πείσεταί τι. 'If he shall come to harm.' A euphemism for θανεῖται.

720. mvp-comment-536-1 ταύτῃ σὺν ὁρμῇ] 'Together with that fall, I too shall die with him.' ὁρμή is 'sudden departure,' the impetus which carries Heracles away. Ср. Aesch. Ag. 1388, θυμὸν ὁρμαίνει: Eur. Alc. 901, 2, ὁμοῦ χθονίαν λίμνην διαβάντε. She will not follow, she will rush from life together with him. The conjecture ταὐτῇ makes no difference to the sense. Cp. Aj. 497. Others understand the words to mean, 'The same impulse which made me do the deed, shall make me die with him.'

721-722. mvp-comment-537-1 'She who cares to live nobly cannot endure ill fame.'

723. mvp-comment-538-1 ἔργα δεινά] (1) ‘A terrible fact,' such as the portent of the crumbling piece of wool. Or (2) 'Actions which are fearful,' as the sending of the robe now proves to have been.

724. mvp-comment-539-1 τὴν δ᾽ ἐλπίδ᾽ οὐ χρὴ .. κρίνειν] This has been explained in two different ways: (1) 'One ought not to judge of a hope,' and (2) One ought not to decide one's judgment of the future.' The first suits the context best. The 'hope' is that with which Deianira had sent the robe (cp. supr. l. 667), and the Chorus urge that it is too soon to condemn that hope as having been ill-founded.

726. mvp-comment-540-1 ἥ τις .. προξενεῖ] Mr. Blaydes unnecessarily questions the indicative here. It makes the reference to the actual circumstances more pointed.

727. mvp-comment-541-1 ἐξ ἑκουσίας] For this adverbial expression, cp. supr. l. 395.

728. mvp-comment-542-1 Cp. Thuc. 3. 40, ξύγγνωμον δ' ἐστὶ τὸ ἀκούσιον, πέπειρα is (a) predicative, (b) attributive, as part of the antecedent of τῆς.

729-730. mvp-comment-543-1 i. e. That is for you to say, who have no share in the crime, but not for me, who have committed it.' *οἴκοι] At home,' i. e. within the sphere of his own life. The MS. reading οἴκοις is indefensible. For the figure, cp. O. T. 1390, τὴν φροντίδ᾽ ἔξω τῶν κακῶν οἰκεῖν γλυκύ.

731-733. mvp-comment-544-1 These quiet words precede the climax of horror. Cp. O. T. 1110, and note. ἁρμόζοι, sc. τῷ καιρῷ, i.e. καιρὸς εἴη. τὸν πλείω λόγον] 'Anything more which you have to say.' Cp. Eur. Med. 609, ὡς οὐ κρινοῦμαι τώνδέ σοι τὰ πλείονα.

732. mvp-comment-545-1 εἰ μή τι λέξεις] · Unless you mean to speak.'

733. mvp-comment-546-1 μαστὴρ . . ᾤχετο] Cp. O. C. 35, σκοπὸς προσήκεις: ib. 70, πομπὸς μόλοι.

734. mvp-comment-547-1 The pronominal phrase, ἐκ τριῶν ἓν, takes the place of an infinitive, of which σε is the subject. Cp. similar constructions with δυοῖν θάτερον, οὐδὲν ἄλλο ἤ, τί ἄλλο ἤ, and the like expressions.

738. mvp-comment-548-1 τί.. στυγούμενον] These words have been needlessly suspected. The abstract use of the neuter participle is more easily explained in the passive than in the active voice (e.g. τὸ .. ποθοῦν, supra 196). 'What cause of dislike is there that proceeds from me?' i.e. 'What cause have I given for your abhorrence?' See E. on L. § 31. p. 54.

739-740. mvp-comment-549-1 τὸν δ᾽ ἐμὸν λέγω | πατέρα] Hyllus corrects himself, as if he had admitted too much in speaking of his father as Deianira's husband. Thy husband? no, I mean my father.' Cp. infr. 807. τῇδ᾽ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ] This shows that the action is imagined as lasting only for a day. Cp. supr. 660, πανάμερος, and note.

741. mvp-comment-550-1 τίν᾿ ἐξήνεγκας.. λόγον] ‘What hast thou uttered?" Deianira, stunned by her anguish, falters this out half-consciously. τίνα is nearly = οἷον. Cp. Εl. 388, τίν', ὦ τάλαινα, τόνδ᾽ ἐπηράσω λόγον ; ἐξήνεγκας] ἐκφέρειν is literally to produce that which one has in possession.

742-743. mvp-comment-551-1 τὸ.. φανθέν] 'That which has come into existence,' superasque evasit in auras.

743. mvp-comment-552-1 τίς ἂν δύναιτ' ἄν] For a similar reduplication of av in an emphatic passage, cp. O. T. 339, 40, τίς γὰρ τοιαῦτ᾽ ἂν οὐκ ἂν ὀργίζοιτ᾽ ἔπη | κλύων; Suidas (s. v. rr.) has preserved the true reading, for ἀγέννητον is unsuitable here.

745. mvp-comment-553-1 ἄζηλον = ἀνόλβιον. So horrible a deed.' Cp. Εl. 1455, ἄζηλος θέα.

746-747. mvp-comment-554-1 αὐτὸς .. πατρός] Nauck's inversion of these words injures the effect. αὐτός is made much stronger by being separated from δεδορκώς and put first in the sentence.

748. mvp-comment-555-1 ἐμπελάζεις .. παρίστασαι] Historical present. τἀνδρί is pronominal = 'to him.' These words are said in a subdued tone. Though heart-broken, she still wishes to hear more of Heracles.

749. mvp-comment-556-1 If you must know, then I must tell all.' εἰ χρὴ μαθεῖν σε] Wunder explained this: Dignane sit cui rem exponat, iratus Hyllus dubitat.' The words may also convey his feeling of horror in telling her the consequence of her crime. πάντα] 'All,' and not merely the answer to Deianira's last question. Hyllus is in too impatient a mood to tell his story piecemeal.

750-753. mvp-comment-557-1 ὅθ᾽ εἶρπε.. ἀκτή τις . . ἐστίν] Cp. supr. 237, and especially Eur. Hippol. 1198, ἐπεὶ δ᾽ ἔρημον χῶρον εἰσεβάλλομεν, ἀκτή τίς ἐστι, .. . . ἔνθεν τις ἠχὼ .. .. βρόμον μεθῆκεν. See also Aesch. Fr. 29, Εὐβοΐδα καμπὴν ἀμφὶ Κηναίου Διὸς | ἀκτήν, κατ᾿ αὐτὸν τύμβον ἀθλίου Λίχα.

752. mvp-comment-558-1 Εὐβοίας ἄκρον] 'At the extreme end of Euboea.' ἄκρον is an adjective, rather than a substantive='A point of Euboea.'

754. mvp-comment-559-1 By a slight variation of expression ὁρίζει is here active, whereas ὁρίζεται in l. 237 is in the middle voice. See Essay on L. § 30. p. 516. τεμενίαν τε φυλλάδα] τέμενος πολύφυλλον, Schol.

755. mvp-comment-560-1 ἄσμενος πόθῳ] 'Rejoicing, for I longed to see him. The joy of Hyllus at finding his father was in proportion to his longing for him; hence the latter is represented as occasioning the former.

756. mvp-comment-561-1 πολυθύτους τεύχειν σφαγάς] To commence the slaying of many victims.' πολυθύτους = πολλῶν θυμάτων.

757. mvp-comment-562-1 οἰκεῖος] «His own,' i. e. attached to his person. This word denotes the relation of Lichas to Heracles. Deianira, to the Trachinian maidens, supr. l. 531, speaks of him as ὁ ξένος, i. e, as not belonging to Trachis.

759. mvp-comment-563-1 ὡς σὺ προὐξεφίεσο] Supr. ll. 608, 9, 623, and note. Hyllus heard Deianira's charge repeated by Lichas.

760. mvp-comment-564-1 ταυροκτονεῖ.. βοῦς] «Was engaged in sacrificing twelve entire (or perfect) cattle, the firstlings of the spoil. For the redundant expression, see Essay on L. § 40. p. 75; § 55. p. 101 , and cp. El. 190, οἰκονομῶ θαλάμους. ἔχων marks the continuity of the act = ἐπέχων, ἐντελεῖς is either (1) Unblemished,' or (2) ‘Entire' =ἐνόρχους, so that ἐντελεῖς βοῦς = ταύρους.

762. mvp-comment-565-1 προσῆγε] Sc. τοῖς βώμοις.

764. mvp-comment-566-1 κόσμῳ τε καὶ στολῇ is either (1) a hendiadys for κόσμῳ στολῆς. “The ornate raiment,' or (2) implies that the dress was accompanied with ornaments, such as a brooch, etc.

765. mvp-comment-567-1 σεμνῶν ὀργίων] 'From the solemn sacrifices.' Abl. gen. assisted by ἀπό in what follows.

766. mvp-comment-568-1 πιείρας δρυός] Hermann, following a suggestion of the Scholiast, imagines δρῦς here to be the pine, or rather a general word for tree. This is disproved by comparing infr. 1195. The oak is naturally preferred in sacrificing to Zeus. πιείρας then refers not to the special peculiarity of the wood, but generally to the sap, or essential oil, or whatever the flame is supposed to feed on, as R. Browning says, 'Tasting some richness caked in the core of the tree.' (Balaustion).

767. mvp-comment-569-1 ἱδρὼς ἀνῄει] We may either read thus, or ἱδρῶτ᾽ ἀνίει. See v. rr. The breaking forth of the sweat is the first symptom of the activity of the poison. προσπτύσσετο] 'Was clinging.' This is the reading of the MSS., and was retained by Hermann. See on O. C. 1624, θώϋξεν. Musgrave conj. προσπτύσσεται.

768. mvp-comment-570-1 ἀρτίκολλος] Fast-glued,' not, 'Lately glued,' as the Scholiast supposed. ὥστε τέκτονος] Sc. κολλήσαντος, Like the work of a carpenter.' τέκτονος is a genitive absolute passing into the genitive of cause. Essay on L. § 9. pp. 13, 14.

769. mvp-comment-571-1 ἅπαν κατ' ἄρθρον] ‘At every joint,' i. e, showing every curve of the body. ἦλθε] 'Came on.' Cp. O. T. 681, δόκησις ἄγνως λόγων ἦλθε. ὀστέων ἀδαγμὸς ἀντίσπαστος] ‘Racking pains in the bones.' ὀστέων ἀδαγμός is, A shooting pain in the bones,' just as ὀμμάτων φόβον is, 'A fear in the eyes,' O. C. 729, 30.

770. mvp-comment-572-1 ἀντίσπαστος] ‘In contrarium vellens.' Wakefield.

771. mvp-comment-573-1 ἐδαίνυτο] 'It began devouring.' Sc. ὁ ἰός, to be supplied from ἰὸς ὥς. The thing compared is again absorbed in the comparison (cp. supr. 32, 3, 537,8) Hyllus infers the presence of poison from the effect.

772. mvp-comment-574-1 βόησε] The absence of the augment in a narrative passage may be justified by many examples, but it is a point of little importance whether we read βόησε or ᾿βόησε.

773. mvp-comment-575-1 τοῦ σοῦ κακοῦ] Cp. Ο. Τ. 572, 3, τὰς ἐμὰς | οὐκ ἄν ποτ' εἶπε Λαΐου διαφθοράς.

774. mvp-comment-576-1 For ποίαις, κ.τ.λ., depending on βόησε, cp. Ο. Τ. 780, καλεῖ.. ὡς εἴην, κ.τ.λ., supr. 267.

775. mvp-comment-577-1 μόνης] · And of no other,' a form of asseveration. Cp. O. C. μύνης τάδ' ἐστὶ δῆλον Ἰσμήνης κάρα,

776. mvp-comment-578-1 ἔλεξεν] Sc. εἶναι. Cp. infr. 1128, ἐρεῖς (SC. πρέπειν). ὥσπερ ἦν ἐσταλμένον] Either (1) ‘As had been given him in charge.' Or (2) taking δώρημα as the subject, - Even as it had been sent forth. The robe had been sent expressly as Deianira's gift, supr. l. 603.

779. mvp-comment-579-1 μάρψας ποδός] Cp. Eur. Cycl. 400, τὸν δ᾽ αὖ τένοντος ἁρπάσας ἄκρου ποδός. ἄρθρον ᾗ λυγίζεται] 'Where the joint moves about.'-At the ankle-socket.

780. mvp-comment-580-1 ῥιπτεῖ] Editors have changed this to ῥίπτει. Cp. Αj. 239. The derivative is more emphatic. Cp. φορῶ and φέρω. πρὸς ἀμφίκλυστον ἐκ πόντου πέτραν] (1) 'On a spray-washed island-rock that jutted from the sea.' ἐκ πόντου, SC. προφαινόμενov, -a descriptive phrase to be taken with the whole clause. Or (2) On a rock washed all around with waves from the sea.' The 'rock' is one of those known in historical times ας Λιχάδες νῆσοι.

781-782. mvp-comment-581-1 κόμης.. ὁμοῦ.] ‘And out through the hair he sprinkles a grey pulp, the brain being scattered about and blood therewith.' μέσον κάρα is a periphrasis for ἐγκέφαλος. κόμης is ablative genitive assisted by ἐκ in ἐκραίνει. Cp. supr. 765. There remains the question whether the subject of ἐκραίνει is (1) Lichas, or (2) Heracles. The latter (2) is stronger and more probable, the consequence of the action being identified in the rapid narrative with the action itself. For the former (1), cp. Aj. 918, 9, φυσῶντ᾽ ἄνω .. αἷμ᾿ ἀπ᾿ οἰκείας σφαγῆς.

784. mvp-comment-582-1 'For the frenzy of the one and for the violent end of the other.'

785. mvp-comment-583-1 τἀνδρὸς μολείν] • To approach my father.' That the pronominal use of ἀνήρ implies no coldness or indifference is clear from this passage, and from supr. l. 748.

786. mvp-comment-584-1 ἐσπᾶτο.. μετάρσιος] « For the convulsion pulled him to the ground, then threw him up into the air.'

787. mvp-comment-585-1 ἐκτύπουν] Diog. L. 10. 137, in quoting the passage, gives ἔστενον,

788. mvp-comment-586-1 Cp. II. 2. 528, Λοκρῶν, οἱ ναίουσι πέρην ἱερῆς Εὐβοίας.

789. mvp-comment-587-1 χθονί] For this 'pregnant' use of the locative dative = is χθόνα, CP. Εl. 747, τοῦ δὲ πίπτοντος πέδῳ.

791. mvp-comment-588-1 τὸ δυσπάρευνον .. ταλαίνης] 'Harping bitterly on his ill-assorted marriage with you, the wretched woman.' ἐνδατούμενος is more literally, Reproachfully dilating upon.' See L. and S. s. v. Heracles, in his half-articulate outcry (infr. 1031-1111), continually introduces Deianira, and his fatal marriage with her.

792. mvp-comment-589-1 τὸν Οἰνέως γάμον] ‘His alliance with the house of Oeneus,' which had seemed a prize worth the contest with Achelous.

794. mvp-comment-590-1 ἐκ προσέδρου λιγνύος] From the clinging smoke.' This has been interpreted to mean the dimness of vision induced by the disease, metaphorically spoken of as a blinding smoke. Schndw, rightly explains it to mean the smoke from the hecatomb, clinging about the place of sacrifice, and perhaps parted for the moment by a puff of wind. As Heracles had been standing by the sacrifices, the smoke would be most dense immediately around him, and would aggravate his torment. His distraction is calmed for the moment when the thick cloud which enveloped him is parted, and his eye rests upon his son.

795. mvp-comment-591-1 στρατῷ] 'Multitude' = λεώς, supr. l. 783. Cp. El. 749, στρατὸς δ' ὅπως ὁρᾷ νιν ἐκπεπτωκότα,

799. mvp-comment-592-1 Hermann rightly prefers μέθες to the conjecture με θές. The notion of 'removing out of the way,' which is contained in μέθες, suits the context here. The case is different in infr. l. 1254, ἐς πυράν με θῇς.

800. mvp-comment-593-1 Ср. О. Т. 1410-12, ἔξω μέ που ἐκρίψατ᾽, ἔνθα μήποτ᾽ εἰσόψεσθ᾽ ἔτι.

801. mvp-comment-594-1 εἰ δ᾽ οἶκτον ἴσχεις] ‘But if your feelings will not allow of that.' οἶκτος is' weak emotion,' as in O. C. 1636, οὐκ οἴκτου μέτα. If Hyllus is too soft-hearted to leave Heracles in a desert place, he is at least to remove him from Euboea, where his enemies would rejoice over his sufferings (Schndw.).

802. mvp-comment-595-1 πόρθμευσον] 'Ferry me' across the strait.

803. mvp-comment-596-1 ἐν μέσῳ σκάφει] ‘In the hollow of the ship.'

807. mvp-comment-597-1 πατρὶ.. ἐμῷ] The dative of reference, instead of the more regular ἐς τὸν πατέρα.

809. mvp-comment-598-1 εἰ θέμις δ', ἐπεύχομαι] For similar hesitation in uttering a curse, cp. Phil. 961, 2, ὄλοιο μή πω, πρὶν μαθοιμ᾽ εἰ καὶ πάλιν | γνώμην μετοίσεις· εἰ δὲ μή, θάνοις κακῶς. Hyllus' hesitation, however, is only momentary, and is overcome by the apparently overwhelming evidence of his mother's guilt.

810. mvp-comment-599-1 τὴν θέμιν σὺ προὔβαλες] 'You have given me this right,' i.e. have made this lawful for me by your crime.

813-814. mvp-comment-600-1 Deianira has no words wherewith to answer the reproaches of her son. She goes silently and undefended to her death, already heart-broken by having done what she greatly feared to do, and rendered yet more desolate by the rebuke of her child. She enters the house by the central door.

815-816. mvp-comment-601-1 οὗρος καλός] 'Fair be the wind that carries her away out of my sight!' καλός, which is the better reading, is sufficiently supported by the Scholiast. For οὗρος, cp. Ο. Τ. 195, ἔπουρον, and note. Join ἄπωθεν ὀφθαλμῶν ἐμῶν. The inversion gives greater force both to ἐμῶν and to καλός.

816. mvp-comment-602-1 foll. Why vainly keep the high-sounding name of mother for one whose deeds are all unmotherly?' Although ὄγκον ἄλλως might stand alone='A solemn mockery, it is better here to join ἄλλως with τρέφειν. μητρῷον ὄγκον ὀνόματος = ὀγκῶδες ὄνομα μητρός. See Essay on L. § 42. p. 8ο γ.

818. mvp-comment-603-1 ἥτις] For the implied antecedent, cp. O. C. 263 foll. κάμοιγε ποῦ ταῦτ᾽ ἐστιν, οἵτινες βάθρων, κ.τ.λ.

819. mvp-comment-604-1 χαίρουσα] ‘And joy go with her,' said ironically, like oὗpos, supr.; i. e. I willingly give her leave to go. τὴν δὲ τέρψιν, κ.τ.λ.] « And may that joy be hers, -even that, which she gives to my father!' ἥν] The careless rhythm, with the monosyllable in synaphea, suits with the mood of Hyllus, in which, wrought upon by strong passion, he lightly casts off his mother. Exit Hyllus to the courtyard (L).

821ff. mvp-comment-605-1 The Chorus, in an ode which marks the chief peripeteia, (a) pronounce that the doom of Heracles is now inevitable; (b) express their pity for Deianira, who is the unconscious instrument of the calamity, and whom they imagine as 'shedding tender tears;' (c) look apprehensively for what is still to come; (d) hint darkly at the love of Iole, which has been the silent but effectual cause of all this ruin.

821ff. mvp-comment-605-2 The chief metrical peculiarities of the ode are, (1) the frequency of resolutions, and (2) the accumulation of long syllables. The former (1), denoting excitement, is more prominent in the first strophe and antistrophe (a'), the latter (2), expressing sadness, in the second (β΄). In ll. 3-5 of ß' there are corruptions of the text both in strophe and antistrophe, and the metre is consequently uncertain.

821. mvp-comment-606-1 ἴδ᾽.. ὦ παῖδες] 'See, children, in what strange wise the prophetic word comes suddenly to pass.' So close a combination of singular and plural is unusual even in a chorus, but ἴδε, being virtually an interjection, loses the meaning of the inflection, and is used here, like the Homeric ἰδé, as = ἰδού. προσέμιξεν] • Has arrived;' i.e. is come to its fulfilment, and has touched our life. ὦ παῖδες] Cp. infr. l. 871. ἄφαρ] This Epic and Lyric word occurs four times in the Trachiniae, and nowhere else in Sophocles. See Essay on L. § 57. p. 104.

822. mvp-comment-607-1 θεοπρόπον] 'Prophetic, or Inspired.' θεοπρόπος is more commonly used of persons; but cp. O. C. 239, 40, ἔργων | ἀκόντων : ib. 977.

823. mvp-comment-608-1 τᾶς παλαιφάτου προνοίας] 'Of the prescience that revealed itself of old.'

824. mvp-comment-609-1 *ἅ τ᾽ ἔλακεν) The MS. reading, ὅ τ' ἔλακεν, has been variously explained: (1) (ὅ, neuter) Which sounded to this effect, viz. τὸ ἔπος; (2) (ὅ, neuter) Which he uttered,' viz. θεός, implied in θεοπρόπον; (3) (ὅ, masc.) • Who declared,' again referring to θεός; (4) (ὅτε) When he (θεός) declared.' The conjectural reading ἅ τε, already adopted by some editors, gives a clearer sense and also secures perfect metrical correspondence to the antistrophe. 'Which' (sc. ἡ πρόνοια) ‘declared.' If ὅ is read, the first (1) of the above-mentioned interpretations should be adopted. ὁπότε . . ἄροτος] 'When the twelfth year, with its full tale of months, should come to an end.' For ἐκφέροι, ср. О. С. 1424, ὡς ἐς ὀρθὸν ἐκφέρει, and note. And for ἄροτοs, cp. supr. 69, τὸν παρελθόντ᾽ ἄροτον.

825. mvp-comment-610-1 ἀναδοχὰν τελεῖν πόνων] (The undertaking' (rather than the succession') 'of labours should terminate.' τελεῖν (fut.), (1) like ἐκφέροι, is used absolutely, for which, cp. El. 1419, τελοῦσ᾽ ἀραί, or (2) = 'The year should end his toils.' For the meaning, cp. ll. 164-172. And for ἀναδοχὴ πόνων, cp. supr. ll. 27-35- τῷ . . αὐτόπαιδι] 'For the very son of Zeus.'

826. mvp-comment-611-1 ὀρθῶς | ἔμπεδα κατουρίζει] (1) 'Comes safely into harbour with straight course; i.e. attains fulfilment without failure. For the image, cp. Aesch. Suppl. 432, ἐξοκέλλεται: Ο.Τ. 1315, δυσούριστον, and note: El. 502, and note. τάδε implies that the fulfilment is already visible. 'Lo, where the foretold event is sailing into port!' Or (2) taking κατουρίζει actively, and supplying either τὸ ἔπος οι ἡ πρόνοια as the subject, And it brings this safely into haven, certainly fulfilled.'

830. mvp-comment-612-1 θανών, ‘After death,' is not a mere resumption of μὴ λεύσσων, but contains a pathetic argument, 'Seeing that he is dead and gone.' σφε] Sc. τὸν Ἡρακλῆ, implied in ὁ μὴ λεύσσων supr. l. 828.

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.

833. mvp-comment-614-1 πλευρά] Hermann's authority is in favour of connecting this word with χρίει. But on the whole, although the construction of the accusative is unusual, it seems better to take it with προστακέντος. Cp. infr. ll. 1053 foll. πλευραῖσι γὰρ προσμαχθέν, κ.τ.λ. Sc. προστακέντος αὐτῷ πλευρά.

834. mvp-comment-615-1 ὃν τέκετο.. δράκων] 'Which Death begat upon the spotted snake.' Hermann says here, ῎Ετρεφε δ' Lobeckius ad Aj. p. 327. Injuriâ, ut puto, haerent interpretes in verbis τέκετο et ἔτεκε: quae etsi promiscuè usurpantur, tamen proprie medii verbi potestas patri magis quam matri convenit: et sic videtur hic Sophocles distinxisse: quem generit mors, peperit autem draco.' The a of ἀέλιος is made short here and in Euripides, Med. 1252, Ion 122.

835. mvp-comment-616-1 ἕτερον ἢ τανῦν] Cp. Ant. 808-10, νέατον . . φέγγος .. κοῦποτ᾽ αὖθις, and note.

836. mvp-comment-617-1 προστετακώς. Sc. εἰ προστέτακε. See note on θανών, in supr. l. 830. φάσματι] Heracles 'cleaves to the Hydra, that terrible shape.' The meaning is that the evil nature of the poison is of the essence of the Hydra. But the word for 'essence' was not yet invented, and the terrible 'aspect' of the Hydra is used to symbolize this idea. Cp. supr. ll. 508, 9, ὑψίκερω τετραόρου | φάσμα ταύρου. For the whole expression, cp. Plat. Symp. 183 Ε, ἅτε μονίμῳ συντακείς.

837-840. mvp-comment-618-1 'And therewithal break forth upon him to torment him the piercing wounds of the dark-haired one, envenomed through crafty speech and secret thoughts of blood.' In the plague now afflicting Heracles, there was present the venom of the Lernaean Hydra, and there was also another element, inseparably mingled with this, viz. the murderous will of Nessus, operating through his crafty speech. Although the adjective ὑποφόνιος is not found elsewhere (see L. and S. s. v. ὑποφόνια), it is rightly retained here by Hermann, and helps to emphasize the combination of craft and cruelty in the Centaur. (There may also be an allusion to the blood of Nessus, which cried for revenge. See Essay on L. p. 103, 4. ) The words Νέσου θ', which occur in the MSS., may be a corruption of Νέσσου θηρός, a double gloss on μελαγχαίτα. As Hermann observes, this epithet is used for the proper name by a sort of Epic liberty, which is the more excusable with Κενταύρου preceding in l.831. μελαγχαίτης is an epithet of the Centaur Mimas in Hes. Scut. 186. μελαγχαίτα κέντρα are the stinging wounds inflicted by Nessus. They are called ὑποφόνια because stealthily destroying life, (and also because imbued with the blood of one who was slain;) δολόμυθα, because they were inflicted through crafty words; and they are said to have broken forth' upon him, because of the malady which they produced. Cp. supr. ll. 767 foll., also Aesch. S. c. Τ. 709, ἐξέζεσεν γὰρ Οἰδίπου κατεύγματα. See Essay on L. § 56. pp. 102, 3.

841. mvp-comment-619-1 foll. In places like this, where there is reason to suspect error both in the strophe and antistrophe, emendation must be more than ever uncertain. A reading of ll. 853, 4 consistent with the metre is obtained in the text by omitting πω and altering the position of οὐκ and of ἀγακλειτόν. The reconciliation of ll. 845, 855, is more difficult. Either (1) the line is a lyrical senarius (without caesura), in which case the corruption is in the antistrophe (qy. ἰὼ κελαινὸν αἰμ᾿ ἀπροσμάχου δορός?), or (2) the metre of l.855 is to be followed, and ὀλεθρίαις is corrupt (qy. ἀτηραῖσι συναλλαγαῖς?).

841-850. mvp-comment-620-1 "Which this poor lady, seeing great calamity fast coming upon her house, a strange new marriage being imminent, in one way did not understand at all (844. note), but for the unwitting act which arose from an alien will in consequence of a fatal meeting, over that methinks she groans in her misery, over that methinks she drops the fresh dew of abundant tears." ἄοκνον] Not shrinking,' i.e. Pressing on.

842. mvp-comment-621-1 προσορῶσα δόμοις = ὁρῶσα πρὸς δόμοις. Cp. supr. ll. 376, 7, τίν' εἰσδέδεγμαι πημονὴν ὑπόστεγον | λαθραῖον ; νέων] Not merely new, but also 'strange,' or 'unprecedented.' Cp. Phil. 784, καί τι προσδοκῶ νέον. ἀἴσσόντων] Cp. for the personification, Εl. 492, ἄλεκτρ᾽ ἄνυμφα γὰρ ἐπέβα μιαιφόνων | γάμων ἁμιλλήμαθ' οἶσιν οὐ θέμις, Ant. 10, πρὸς τοὺς φίλους στείχοντα τῶν ἐχθρῶν κακά.

844. mvp-comment-622-1 οὗ τι προσέβαλε] (1) 'Had no perception.' Schol. συνῆκεν, and so Herm. This assumes that προσβάλλειν τι (γνώμῃ) = προσβάλλειν γνώμην τινί. (2) Αnother meaning is, however, not to be rejected, viz. οὗ τι πρ. 'Had no part in bringing to pass.' In one aspect the deed was not hers at all, in another aspect it was hers, but done unwittingly. And she repents bitterly of her unwitting crime. Cp. infr. l. 1051, καθῆψεν, κ.τ.λ., and especially Aesch. Pers. 781, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ κακὸν τοσόνδε προσέβαλον πόλει: Eur. Med. 637 foll. μηδέποτ᾽ ἀμφιλόγους ὀργὰς ἀκόρεστά τε νείκη | προσβάλοι δεινὰ Κυπρίς. In either case, the words τὰ μὲν .. τὰ δ' are added by an afterthought. The Chorus intend to speak of Deianira's repentance, but cannot do so without first declaring her innocence. τὰ μὲν . . τὰ δέ are not really different parts of the action, but the action regarded in different points of view. ἀλλόθρου] - Alien,' not merely as of another race of men, but of a race different from man, viz. of the Centaur.

845. mvp-comment-623-1 γνώμας] «Intention,' or 'Determination.' Cp. esp. Aj. 744, Phil. 962, 1192. ὀλεθρίαις ξυναλλαγαῖς Hermann follows Triclinius in reading ὀλεθρίαισι συναλλαγαῖς. But the text remains uncertain. See above, note on 841 foll. The dative is that of the cause. For the meaning of ξυναλλαγαῖς, cp. Ο. Т. 1130, ἢ ξυνήλλαξάς τί πω;

846-847. mvp-comment-624-1 ἢ που.. ἢ που] This is more forcible than ή που.. ή που, the MS. reading. The accents are not clear in L. ὀλοά] This word may be either (1) fem. sing., ' undone,' as in El. 843, or (2) neut. plur. adv. 'despairingly,' (so Schndw.). For the latter, cp. Il. 23. 10, ἐπεί κ᾿ ὀλοοῖο τεταρπώμεσθα γόοιο. But the former is more poetical, because fixing attention on the person of Deianira. Cp. supr. 111, δύστανον, and note; and, for the meaning of the adjective in this case, infr. 878, τάλαιν ὀλεθρία.

849. mvp-comment-625-1 χλωρὰν.. ἄχναν] Tender dew.' χλωρός is a difficult word in Sophocles, because, as Bacon observes, words like 'hard,' 'soft,' moist,' 'dry,' being imperfectly abstracted from experience, have many secondary meanings. Tears are 'soft, 'tender,' 'moist, because 'the melting mood' does not suit the 'hard' temper, and dry eyes' give evidence of a dry,' unsympathizing soul. Again, χλωρὸν αἷμα, infr. l. 1055, is 'the blood which keeps the body flexible and fresh; while χλωρὰ ψάμαθος, in Aj. 1064, is literally the 'moist,' 'dank,' 'clammy' sand.

850. mvp-comment-626-1 τέγγει.. ἄχναν] The cognate accusative is substituted for the accusative in regimen after τέγγω. So Pind. Nem. 10. 75, has τέγγων δάκρυα.

851. mvp-comment-627-1 προφαίνει] 'Portends.' Cp. Hdt. 1. 210, τῷ δὲ ὁ δαίμων προέφαινε, ὡς αὐτὸς μὲν τελευτήσειν αὐτοῦ ταύτῃ μέλλοι, ἡ δὲ βασιληΐη αὐτοῦ περιχωρέοι ἐς Δαρεῖον : ib. 3.65; 7. 37, εἴρετο τοὺς μάγους τὸ θέλει προφαίνειν τὸ φάσμα. δολίαν] (1) The calamity is the more cruel because of the bright hopes out of which it springs. Cp. El. 489-91, ἃ δεινοῖς | κρυπτομένα λόχοις | χαλκόπους ᾿Ερινύς. This is better than (2) to suppose a reference to the fraud of Nessus, repeating the notion of δολόμυθα above.

852. mvp-comment-628-1 ἔρρωγεν παγὰ δακρύων] The Scholiast, Hermann. and Schndw. suppose the Chorus to be speaking of their own tears, and to say in effect, 'I begin to weep.' But this would come tamely in the midst of a lofty and condensed lyric strain. It seems better to take these words as parallel to those which follow, and to understand them to mean, A flood-gate of tears is burst open,' i.e. 'A calamity has arisen, for which tears will flow in large measure.'

853. mvp-comment-629-1 κέχυται νόσος] 'A trouble has begun to flow.' νόσος, as elsewhere in Sophocles, is to be taken in the general sense of Trouble,' 'Calamity.' The meaning is the same as that expressed by Heracles himself, infr. ll. 1046-1053. The words are immediately suggested by the 'diffused malady' induced by the poisoned robe, but much more than this is included in the thought.

854-855. mvp-comment-630-1 ἀναρσίων.. οἰκτίσαι] ‘Greater than any of the famous woes that from enemies of Heracles came erewhile against him so as to move compassion.' ἀναρσίων, genitive of origin: Ἡρακλέα, as object of ἐπέμολε, to be supplied from 'Ηρακλέους: οἰκτίσαι, an active infinitive added epexegetically, like εὐδαιμονίσαι in O. C. 144. In speaking of 'pity' the Chorus are thinking more of the present trouble than of those with which they compare it.

856. mvp-comment-631-1 κελαινά] 'Dark point of the champion spear.' Cp. Αj. 231, κελαινοῖς ξίφεσι. There is probably an association (as the Scholiast observes) between dark and deadly, the hue of the metal bearing some relation to the nether gloom to which its victims were despatched. But there is also the notion of a weapon which has been dulled and darkened by frequent use in war.

857. mvp-comment-632-1 προμάχου δορός] (1) 'Spear that fought for men. For this sense of πρόμαχος, cp. Aesch. S. c. T. 419, 482, and, for the general meaning, infr. 1010-2. There was a statue of 'Hρακλῆς Πρόμαχος in the 'Ηράκλειον at Thebes, Paus. 9. 11, 4. (2) Others prefer the meaning 'foremost in fight.'

858. mvp-comment-633-1 τότε) At the time of the capture of Oechalia, before the sacrifices at Cenaeum. θοάν, 'Swiftly borne away,' = ταχέως φερομένην. The word expresses not only the rapidity of Heracles' movements and of Iole's, who accompanied him, but the sudden change in the life of the young creature which such a marriage must have made. Cp. supr. 144 foll 529, 30, κἀπὸ ματρὸς ἄφαρ βέβακεν ώστε πόρτις ερήμα.

859. mvp-comment-634-1 αἰχμᾷ. At the point of the spear; ie. Having achieved her in war

860. mvp-comment-635-1 ἀμφίπολος.. άναυδος" (1) But the silent though manifest minister and agent of all this was the Goddess of Love herself' Cp. supr. 355 foll. 475 foll. Or (2) supposing the words ἀμφίπολος άναυδος to contain an allusion to Iole. But 'tis manifest that the agent in all this has been the Goddess of Love under the guise of a silent hand-maid. The attributes assigned to the goddess are suggested by the circumstances. Iole came as a hand-maiden, and remained obstinately silent supr. ll. 283, 4, 322 foll., 532). But under the deceptive appearance of this mute hand-maid there lurked the terrible destructive power of Aphrodite, who busied herself in silence to work the will of Fate that is now clearly revealed. Such is probably the meaning of this obscure expression which need not, however, be suspected because it is obscure.

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.

873. mvp-comment-646-1 καινοποιηθέν] Freshly wrought,' i.e. since the news of Heracles' agony were brought by Hyllus.

875. mvp-comment-647-1 ἐξ ἀκινήτου ποδός] «Without stirring foot. Cp. the figurative language of the Watchman in the Antigone, 317, etc.

876. mvp-comment-648-1 οὐ δή ποθ᾿ ὡς θανοῦσα (sc. βέβηκε)] 'You cannot mean the way of death! Cp. supr. 668, and note. πάντ᾿ ἀκήκοας] She insists that her first words have told them all; but the Chorus, with the eagerness of sorrow, demand a more explicit statement. Cp. Εl. 676, θανόντ᾽ Ορέστην νῦν τε καὶ πάλαι λέγω.

878. mvp-comment-649-1 τάλαιν᾿ ὀλεθρία] ‘Poor ruined one!' ὀλέθριος implies guilt added to calamity. Cp. Ο. Τ. 1341, τὸν μέγ᾿ ὀλέθριον, according to one reading. The resolved feet mark the trepidation of the speaker.

879. mvp-comment-650-1 σχετλιώτατα + πρός γε πρᾶξιν] Most ruthlessly, as for the execution; i. e. Whatever else the deed was, it was cruelly determined. Cp. infr. 923-931. The anapaest in the second place is hardly possible even in a passage where the usual rules of the senarius are otherwise relaxed. A possible correction would be to substitute és for πρός.

879. mvp-comment-650-2 A certain approach to an antistrophic structure appears in the near correspondence of ll. 10, 18; 13, 15; 1, 2, 11, 12; 9. 16. εἰπὲ τῷ μόρφ] The Chorus still press the old woman, who is too horror-stricken to speak clearly, to be more explicit.

880. mvp-comment-651-1 ξυντρέχει] Deianira's fate had rushed to meet her when she left the scene (supr. 813).

882. mvp-comment-652-1 What rage, what madness, prompted her in seizing this evil-pointed weapon?' ξυνεῖλε (= μεταίτιος ἦν τοῦ έλειν) agrees with θυμός, which is the chief nominative. ἢ τίνες νόσοι being added διὰ μέσουν. and possibly spoken by a different member of the Chorus. Cp. Fr. 789. Passion is personified as the author of the deed. Cp. El. 198, δύλος ἦν ὁ φράσας, ἔρος ὁ κτείνας. Several editors have read τάνδ' αἰχμᾷ βέλεος κακοῦ ξυνεῖλε; = 'What rage snatched her away with the point of an evil weapon?' But there is something cold and inappropriate in the demonstrative pronoun thus applied to Deianira here, -as if those present could suppose anyone else to be meant.

884. mvp-comment-653-1 πῶς ἐμήσατο.. ἀνύσασα] How did she meditate and carry into effect?' For the proleptic use of the participle, cp. Αj. 185, ἐν ποίμναις πίτνων, and note.

887. mvp-comment-654-1 στονοέντος¹ 'Deadly;' like βέλεα στονοέντα, στονοέντες δϊστοί, πολύστονος ίύς, in Epic Greek. ἐν τομᾷ] For ev of the means or instrument, cp. Ant. 961, ἐν κερτομίοις γλώσσαις. Essay on L. § 19. p. 28.

888. mvp-comment-655-1 ματαία has been changed to μάταιε, making an iambic pentapody. As the text stands, the line is a combination of two iambi, a bacchius, and a cretic. ματαία (οι μάταιε) conveys the reproach of helplessness, - You saw, and could do nothing!' τάνδ᾽ ὕβριν) «This violent deed.' The use of ύβρις, as applied to suicide, must be allowed to be catachrestic;' but the Chorus are at a loss for a word corresponding to their impression, and take up the strongest which occurs to them. See Essay on L. (Specific use of General Words) § 51. p. 95.

890. mvp-comment-656-1 τίς ἦν; πῶς;] τις = ποῖος. Cp. Ο. C. 775, τις αὕτη τέρψις; The language here becomes very abrupt and irregular.

891. mvp-comment-657-1 She did and suffered this herself from her own hand. So the force of the middle voice may be rendered. χειροποιεῖται ἐς ἅπαξ λεγόμενον.

892. mvp-comment-658-1 foll. The ruin of Heracles and the death of Deianira are the first-born offspring of his union with Iole. For the iteration, which is rare in Sophocles, cp. Ο. C. 1670, ἔστιν, ἔστι νῷν δή, κ.τ.λ.

898-899. mvp-comment-659-1 Cho. And had a woman's hand the firmness for this act?' Nurse. The manner too was dreadful, as you will agree when you have heard me tell it.' Hermann condemned these lines as spurious, and it must be admitted that they are tame for Sophocles. They have the merit, however, of preparing by a further pause for the narration which follows. Cp. supr. 748, where the otherwise feeble line, ποῦ δ᾽ ἐμπελάζεις τὰνδρὶ καὶ παρίστασαι; has the same excuse of being there to give time for the stream to burst forth. τις in 898 (any woman's hand) can hardly be defended, but there are many ways in which this blemish may be removed, e.g. καὶ ταῦτ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ἔτλη Χ., κ.τ.λ.

900. mvp-comment-660-1 ἐπεὶ παρῆλθε] The conjecture ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἦλθε is unnecessary. Whether ll. 898, 9 are retained or not, the asyndeton is forcible and good. For παρῆλθε, cp. Ο. Τ. 1241. Compare with the following narration Virg. Aen. 4. 642 foll.

901. mvp-comment-661-1 κοῖλα] ‘Yielding.' κοῖλος is a favourite epithet. Essay on L. § 56. p. 103. The bed is hollowed in the middle where the person lies.

902. mvp-comment-662-1 ἄψορρον] Sc. lών, implied in ἀντῴη. 'That he might return and meet his father.' The language is slightly condensed. Hyllus was busied in preparing the litter, that so (viz. having prepared it) he might go and meet his father. Some critics have been influenced by Wunder's objection that Hyllus only meets Heracles at the gate. But this is not proved, and, if it were so, he has been hindered from his intention by what has happened since (927 foll.). The mention of his purpose, even if not fulfilled, is quite natural here.

903. mvp-comment-663-1 Deianira avoided the eye of her son.

904. mvp-comment-664-1 Several verbs in this narrative are without the augment. Cp. supr. 767, and note.

905. mvp-comment-665-1 γένειτ᾽ ἐρήμη] Nauck has changed this to γένοιντ' ἔρημοι, on the ground that ἐρήμη is not properly applied to a widow, and also that, as she meant to die first, her widowhood could not be in question. It is not of widowhood that she complains, but of the loss of all that made her life worth having, - the love of her husband and of her son. Even in the other world these blessings could not be restored to her. This is well expressed by ἐρήμη. κλαῖε, κ.τ.λ.] Wunder needlessly supposes a lacuna here. The tears start to Deianira's eyes at sight of the instruments of her tranquil industry in happier days.

908. mvp-comment-666-1 οἰκετῶν is not to be taken in the larger sense that would include her children (whom she would avoid), but, as Schndw. observes, the tender relation subsisting between Deianira and her domestics is made a point in the delineation of her character (cp. supr. 49-63). Euripides as usual dwells more on the details of the situation in Alc. 193 foll, ἡ δὲ δεξιὰν | προὔτειν᾿ ἑκάστῳ, κ.τ.λ.

911. mvp-comment-667-1 καὶ τὰς ἄπαιδας ἐς τὸ λοιπὸν οὐσίας] (Cp. Ο. C. 552, τὰς αἱματηρὰς ὀμμάτων διαφθοράς.) This is a strong case of the poetical plural, but the words may be understood to mean to εἶναι αὐτὴν ἄπαιδα ἐς τὸ λοιπόν, not in the absurd sense that she could have no more children, but that her children as well as her husband were lost to her. It is objected that, as she was going to the other world, this topic was not likely to occur to her. But (a) the loss of Hyllus' affection was certainly weighing on her mind, and, as she imagined, would not be repaired after her death, and (b) she is speaking to the servants, who know nothing of her intended death, but are ready to sympathize with her in her desolation. She may be imagined saying to them, 'Behold, I am a childless woman for evermore!'

912-913. mvp-comment-668-1 The house is a large palatial mansion, with passages, etc., unlike the simple house of Homeric times. Cp. supr. 907. ἐξαίφνης] Cp. the sudden movement of Oedipus, O. Τ. 1260 foll., δεινὸν δ᾽ ἀΐσας ὡς ὑφηγητοῦ τινὸς | πύλαις διπλαῖς ἐνήλατ᾽, κ.τ.λ.

914. mvp-comment-669-1 λαθραῖον ὄμμ᾽ ἐπεσκιασμένη] With shadowed and unseen gaze,' lit. 'With an eye overshadowed so as to be unobserved.' The accusative ὄμμα is to be repeated as cogn. acc. with Φρούρουν. Cp. Phil. 151, φρουρεῖν ὅμμ᾽ ἐπὶ σῷ μάλιστα καίρῳ.

915. mvp-comment-670-1 δεμνίοις = ἐς δέμνια. Cp. supr. 789, and note.

917. mvp-comment-671-1 ἐπενθοροῦσ᾽ ἄνω] The language suggests the sudden and violent movements of passionate grief. The words λέχη, νυμφεῖα, εὐνήτριαν, show that (like Jocasta, O. T. 1246) she returns in thought to her early married life. The plural νυμφεῖα adds a pathetic vagueness, including with the bridal chamber all the associations connected. with espousal and marriage.

923. mvp-comment-672-1 συντόνῳ χερί] With strong, impulsive hand. The words mean that the hand was in a state of tension, as in the determination of excited action.

924. mvp-comment-673-1 ᾧ) Whose clasp of beaten gold lay before her breast.' For ᾧ some would read οὗ, others ᾗ, unnecessarily.

928. mvp-comment-674-1 τῆς τεχνωμένης τάδε] These words are needlessly joined by some editors with φράζω. The passages which Mr. Blaydes cites in support of this all differ from it in one important respect, that the genitive does not contain the predicate, as would be the case, for instance, if in infr. 1122, 3, οὔσης.. ἁμαρτούσης were substituted for ἐστί.. ἥμαρτε. The object of φράζειν is, however, to be supplied from τεχνωμένης, ‘I told the son of her who was contriving thus,- that she was so contriving.' The word τεχνωμένης is chosen with reference to Deianira's elaborate preparation for her last act.

929-931. mvp-comment-675-1 The narrative is condensed, ср. О. С. 1647-52. And our eyes told us that in the time of my running thither and our return she had smitten herself with two-edged knife upon the side beneath the diaphragm and liver.' δεύρο, like the present ὁρῶ, is said with reference to the chamber of Deianira, as the chief point of interest which is brought before the mind's eye. πεπληγμένην is middle voice, and directly reflexive. It is somewhat strange that the left side should have been bared for a wound directed at the liver.

932. mvp-comment-676-1 ἔγνω γὰρ τάλας] An exception to the law of the cretic ending. Cp. Ο. C. 115, ἐν γὰρ τῷ μαθεῖν.

933. mvp-comment-677-1 ὡς ἐφάψειεν] (1) 'That she had set on foot. But κατ᾿ ὀργήν is hardly an appropriate expression for the impulse under which Deianira acted. Better (2) 'That he had caused.' The metaphor implied in this use of ἐφάπτειν is probably, as L. and S. have observed, taken from tying a knot, rather than from kindling a fire. Cp. Ant. 40, λύουσ᾽ ἂν ἡ 'φάπτουσα.

934. mvp-comment-678-1 τῶν κατ᾿ οἶκον] (1) Genitive of the agent (assisted by ἐκ?). Or (2) κατὰ σύνεσιν, because ἐκδιδαχθείς = πυθόμενος.

935. mvp-comment-679-1 πρὸς τοῦ θηρός] 'Induced by the Centaur.' The construction is κατὰ σύνεσιν, the feeling of the place being, as is implied in ἄκουσα, that Deianira was a passive agent, and that her act was πεπονθὸς μᾶλλον ἢ δεδρακός (Ο. C. 267.)

936. mvp-comment-680-1 ὁ παῖς δύστηνος] The position of the adjective is emphatic. Ср. О. Т. 58, ὦ παῖδες οἰκτροί. Essay on L. § 23. p. 37. B 2.

937. mvp-comment-681-1 ἐλείπετ᾽ οὐδέν] 'Showed every sign of grief.' This general statement is particularized in γοώμενος. ἀμφιπίπτων. For the expression, cp. Phil. 375, οὐδὲν ἐνδεὲς ποιούμενος.

938. mvp-comment-682-1 πλευρόθεν = ἐκ πλευρᾶς. 'Close by her side.'

940. mvp-comment-683-1 ματαίως] 'Falsely.' βάλοι] 'He had smitten her,' as with an arrow. Cp. Αj. 1244, 5, ἀλλ᾽ αἰὲν ἡμᾶς ἡ κακοῖς βαλεῖτέ που | ἢ σὺν δόλῳ κεντήσεθ' οἱ λελειμμένοι.

942. mvp-comment-684-1 βίου] It makes little difference whether we read βίῳ with Wakefield or βίου with the MSS. ὠ. βίου is, 'Orphaned in respect of his life;' ὠ. βίον, Having his life orphaned. The latter certainly has the advantage of being free from ambiguity. But the genitive, though not precisely exact, comes naturally after the privative word.

943. mvp-comment-685-1 ὥστ᾽ εἴ τις δύο, κ.τ.λ.] δύο .. ἡμέρας = δευτέραν ἡμέραν: ie. to-morrow in addition to to-day. Cp. Ant. 1156 foll.

945-946. mvp-comment-686-1 The simple expression would have been, There is no to-morrow until to-day is past. But this is amplified so as to suggest, Man has no hold upon to-morrow, but should secure his happiness for the day.'

947. mvp-comment-687-1 foll. The Nurse goes into the house to lay out the body of Deianira. The Chorus, who, down to l. 862, had been lamenting the imminent fate of Heracles, are doubting whether they should not mourn for Deianira first, when Heracles is brought in, and awakes in agony. The following is the scheme of metres from 947-970...

947. mvp-comment-687-2 πότερ' *ἄρα] This reading is as near to the MSS. as the vulgate πότερα. and secures a more exact metrical correspondence with l.950. For the sense, cp Phil. 337, 8, ἀμηχανῶ δὲ πότερον, ὦ τέκνον, τὸ σὸν | πάθημ᾽ ἐλέγχω πρῶτον, ἢ κεῖνον στένω.

Sophocles Trachiniae 947

Thomas Francklin (Translator)

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Hyllus, Nurse, Chorus, Attendants.

Hyllus

Current edition Experimental

Πότερ᾽ *ἄρα πρότερ᾽ πότερ᾽ ἂν πρότερα πότερ' ἂν πότερ' ἐπιστένω, πότερα τέλεα περαιτέρω,

δύσκριτ᾽ ἔμοιγε δυστάνῳ.

Χορός

πότερα πρότερον ἐπιστένω,

πότερα μέλεα περαιτέρω,

δύσκριτʼ ἔμοιγε δυστάνῳ.

Χορός

τάδε μὲν ἔχομεν ὁρᾶν δόμοις,
950

τάδε δὲ μένομεν ἐπʼ ἐλπίσιν·

κοινὰ δʼ ἔχειν τε καὶ μέλλειν.

CH

Bejammr' ich erst Herakles' Loos,

Und dann der Herrin leztes Leid?

Weh, wo beginn' ich Unsel'ge?

Erste Gegenstrophe.

Hyllus
MAT. HERCULES WITH ATTENDANTS, HYLLUS,

Chorus

Which disaster shall I bewail first? Which is more to be pitied? In my grief I cannot decide.

Chorus

One sorrow may be seen in the house; for one we wait with apprehension. To have and to await are one and the same.
950

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Hyllus, Nurse, Chorus, Attendants.

Hyllus

Current edition Experimental

Πότερ᾽ *ἄρα πρότερ᾽ πότερ᾽ ἂν πρότερα πότερ' ἂν πότερ' ἐπιστένω, πότερα τέλεα περαιτέρω, δύσκριτ᾽ ἔμοιγε δυστάνῳ.

Χορός πότερα πρότερον ἐπιστένω, πότερα μέλεα περαιτέρω, δύσκριτʼ ἔμοιγε δυστάνῳ.

Χορός τάδε μὲν ἔχομεν ὁρᾶν δόμοις, 950 τάδε δὲ μένομεν ἐπʼ ἐλπίσιν· κοινὰ δʼ ἔχειν τε καὶ μέλλειν.

CH

Bejammr' ich erst Herakles' Loos, Und dann der Herrin leztes Leid? Weh, wo beginn' ich Unsel'ge? Erste Gegenstrophe.

Hyllus MAT. HERCULES WITH ATTENDANTS, HYLLUS,

Chorus Which disaster shall I bewail first? Which is more to be pitied? In my grief I cannot decide.

Chorus One sorrow may be seen in the house; for one we wait with apprehension. To have and to await are one and the same. 950

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Πότερ᾽ *ἄρα πρότερ᾽ πότερ᾽ ἂν πρότερα πότερ' ἂν πότερ' ἐπιστένω, πότερα τέλεα περαιτέρω,

δύσκριτ᾽ ἔμοιγε δυστάνῳ.

Χορός

πότερα πρότερον ἐπιστένω,

πότερα μέλεα περαιτέρω,

δύσκριτʼ ἔμοιγε δυστάνῳ.

Χορός

τάδε μὲν ἔχομεν ὁρᾶν δόμοις,
950

τάδε δὲ μένομεν ἐπʼ ἐλπίσιν·

κοινὰ δʼ ἔχειν τε καὶ μέλλειν.

Bejammr' ich erst Herakles' Loos,

Und dann der Herrin leztes Leid?

Weh, wo beginn' ich Unsel'ge?

Erste Gegenstrophe.

Hyllus
MAT. HERCULES WITH ATTENDANTS, HYLLUS,

Chorus

Which disaster shall I bewail first? Which is more to be pitied? In my grief I cannot decide.

Chorus

One sorrow may be seen in the house; for one we wait with apprehension. To have and to await are one and the same.
950