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Heracles

Come, then, before you awaken this

plague, O my hardened soul, give me a bit of steel to bind my lips like stone to stone! Stop any cry, since the task you accomplish, though by constraint, gives cause for joy.
1260

Hyllus

Lift him, attendants!

Grant me ample forgiveness for this, but also recall the great cruelty of the gods in the deeds that are being done. They beget children and are hailed as fathers, and yet they can let such sufferings pass before their eyes.

1265

No man foresees the future; the present is full of mourning for us, and of shame for the powers above, and indeed of hardship beyond compare for him who endures this disaster.
1270
To the Leader of the Chorus.

And you, maiden, do not be left at the house. You have seen immense, shocking death, with sorrows great in number and strange. And in all of them there is nothing that is not Zeus.
1275

Trachiniae. Sophocles. Richard Jebb (Translator). Cambridge. 1892.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Experimental

Trachiniae (English) (Sophocles the plays and fragments, Part 5: The Trachiniae. Jebb, Richard Claverhouse, Sir, translator. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1892. (Modernized by Perseus.))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (2)

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 1259 focus

ἄγε νυν νῦν, πρὶν τήνδ᾽ ἀνακινῆσαι

νόσον, ὦ ψυχὴ σκληρά, χάλυβος
1260

λιθοκόλλητον στόμιον παρέχουσ',

ἀνάπαυε βοήν, ὡς ἐπίχαρτον

* τελέουσ᾽ τελέως ἀεκούσιον ἔργον.

ΥΛ.

αἴρετ', ὀπαδοί, μεγάλην μὲν ἐμοὶ

τούτων θέμενοι συγγνωμοσύνην συγγνωμοσύνην,
1265

μεγάλην δὲ θεῶν τε θεῶν ἀγνωμοσύνην

εἰδότες ἔργων τῶν πρασσομένων,

οἱ φύσαντες καὶ κλῃζόμενοι

πατέρες τοιαῦτ᾽ ἐφορῶσι πάθη.

τὰ μὲν οὖν μέλλοντ᾽ οὐδεὶς ἐφορᾷ,
1270

τὰ δὲ νῦν ἑστῶτ᾽ οἰκτρὰ μὲν ἡμῖν,

αἰσχρὰ δ᾽ ἐκείνοις,

χαλεπώτατα δ' οὖν ἀνδρῶν πάντων ἁπάντων θανάτους

τῷ τήνδ᾽ ἄτην ὑπέχοντι.

ΤΡΑΧΙΝΙΑΙ.

ΧΟ. λείπου ΧΟ. ἢΥΛΛ. λείπου μηδὲ σύ, παρθέν', ἀπ᾿ οἴκων,
1275

μεγάλους μὲν ἰδοῦσα ἰδοῦσα ἰδοῦσα νέους θανάτους,

πολλὰ δὲ πήματα καὶ καινοπαθῆ καὶ καινοπαγῆ καινοπαθῆ καινοπαθῆ,

κοὐδὲν τούτων ὅ τι μὴ Ζεύς.

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 1259 focus

Ἡρακλῆς

ἄγε νυν, πρὶν τήνδʼ ἀνακινῆσαι

νόσον, ὦ ψυχὴ σκληρά, χάλυβος
1260

λιθοκόλλητον στόμιον παρέχουσʼ,

ἀνάπαυε βοήν, ὡς ἐπίχαρτον

τελέουσʼ ἀεκούσιον ἔργον.

Ὕλλος

αἴρετʼ, ὀπαδοί, μεγάλην μὲν ἐμοὶ

τούτων θέμενοι συγγνωμοσύνην,
1265

μεγάλην δὲ θεῶν ἀγνωμοσύνην

εἰδότες ἔργων τῶν πρασσομένων,

οἳ φύσαντες καὶ κλῃζόμενοι

πατέρες τοιαῦτʼ ἐφορῶσι πάθη.

τὰ μὲν οὖν μέλλοντʼ οὐδεὶς ἐφορᾷ,
1270

τὰ δὲ νῦν ἑστῶτʼ οἰκτρὰ μὲν ἡμῖν,

αἰσχρὰ δʼ ἐκείνοις,

χαλεπώτατα δʼ οὖν ἀνδρῶν πάντων

τῷ τήνδʼ ἄτην ὑπέχοντι.

λείπου μηδὲ σύ, παρθένʼ, ἀπʼ οἴκων,
1275

μεγάλους μὲν ἰδοῦσα νέους θανάτους,

πολλὰ δὲ πήματα καὶ καινοπαθῆ,

κοὐδὲν τούτων ὅ τι μὴ Ζεύς.

Translations (4)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 1259 focus

Thou endest fairly. Now, then, O my son,

Add the performance swiftly, that, before

Some spasm or furious onset of my pain
1260

Have seized me, ye may place me on the pyre.

Come, loiter not, but lift me. Now my end

Is near, the last cessation of my woe.

HYL

Since thy command is urgent, O my sire!

We tarry not, but bear thee to the pyre.

Stubborn heart, ere yet again

Wakes the fierce rebound of pain,
1265

While the evil holds aloof,
1265

Thou, with bit of diamond proof,

Curb thy cry, with forcèd will

Seeming to do gladly still!

Lift him, men, and hate not me

For the evil deeds ye see,

Since the Heavens’ relentless sway

Recks not of the righteous way.

He who gave life and doth claim

From his seed a Father’s name

Can behold this hour of blame.

Though the future none can tell,
1270

Yet the present is not well:
1270

Sore for him who bears the blow,

Sad for us who feel his woe,

Shameful to the Gods, we trow.

Maidens from the palace-hall,

Come ye forth, too, at our call!

Mighty deaths beyond belief,

Many an unknown form of grief,

Ye have seen to-day; and nought

But the power of Zeus hath wrought.

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 1259 focus

Auf, eh du die Krankheit wieder erweckst,¹

Leg' an, mein fest ausharrendes Herz,

Dir den eisernen Zaum, der Steine vereint,
1240

Und verhalte den Schrei, um mit freudigem Sinn²

Das gefürchtete Werk zu vollenden!

Hyllos.

Nun hebt ihn, Gefährten, und was ich zu thun

Mich bereite, vergebt mir nachsichtvoll:

Wohl haben in dem, was eben geschieht,
1245

Ganz nachsichtlos sich die Götter gezeigt,

Sie, die ihn erzeugt, die, Väter genannt,

Solch herbes Geschick voll Gleichmuth sehn.

In das Künftige dringt kein sterblicher Blick;

Was nun sich begibt, bringt Jammer auf uns,
1250

Bringt Schmach auf sie,

Und vor Allen wie schwer umfängt es den Mann,

Der dieses Unsägliche duldet!

(Herakles wird weggetragen.)

Der Chor.

Auch ihr, Jungfrau'n, bleibt nicht an dem Haus,

Wo den neuen gewaltigen Tod ihr geseh'n,
1255

Vielfältiges Weh, unerhörtes Geschick!

Und dies war alles des Zeus Werk!

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 1259 focus

Now, ere the dreadful malady return,

Be firm, my soul, e'en as the hardened steel;

Suspend thy ciies, and meet the fatal blow

With joy and pleasure ; bear me hence, my fnends,
1260

For you have shown yourselves my friends indeed,
1260

And prove the base ingratitude of those

From whom I sprang, the cruel gods, who saw

Unmoved the woes of their unhappy son.

'Tis not in mortal to foresee his fate ;

Mine is to them disgraceful, and to me

Most terrible — to me of all mankind

The most distressed, the poor, the lost Alcides.

Chorus

lole, come not forth, unhappy virgin,

Already hast thou seen enough of woe,

And yet fresh sorrows wait thee ; but remember,

All is decreed, and all the work of Jove.

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 1259 focus

Close up my lips, let not a cry break forth,

For this unpleasing work now gives me joy.

Hyllus

Virgin, go hence: thou hast beheld the deaths

Of the illustrious, and their recent woes;

Dreadful events, but all ordain'd by Jove.

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-658-1 As Hyllus spoke the last two verses, he gave a sign to the bearers (964) to come forward and resume their places beside the litter. These five anapaestic lines are spoken by Heracles while that order is being obeyed. Then the words of Hyllus,

αἴρετ’, ὀπαδοί

(1264), mark that the procession is about to move.

mvp-comment-658-2 ἄγε νυν ¹

mvp-comment-659-1 πρὶν ἀνακινῆσαι τήνδε νόσον ²

mvp-comment-659-2 Other views are:—(1)

ἀνακινῆσαι

is intrans., ‘be roused.’ But this use is unexampled, and cannot safely be inferred from the intrans.

ὑποκινεῖν

( Her.5. 106 , etc.), or

παρακινεῖν

as=

παρακόπτειν, παραπαίειν

, delirare. (2) The subject to the inf. is

νόσον

, and the object is

σε

understood. But

ἀνακινῆσαι

clearly refers to rousing the pain, not to troubling the mind: cp. 974

μὴ κινήσῃς...ὀδύναν

: 979

κἀκκινήσεις...νόσον

mvp-comment-659-3 ὦ ψυχὴ σκληρά ³

mvp-comment-659-4 χάλυβος λιθοκόλλητον στόμιον ⁴

mvp-comment-659-5 I take the words in a way different from any of these.

χάλυβος στόμιον

, the ‘curb of steel,’ is, as all agree, the strong selfrestraint which is to keep the lips closed. Then

λιθοκόλλητον

introduces a new image. The lips, thus firmly closed, are set as stone to stone in masonry. Thus the whole phrase means ‘A curb of steel, to keep the lips set as stone to stone.’ The use of

λιθοκόλλητον

to describe the effect of the ‘curb’ has been assisted by the suggestion, in

στόμιον

, of

στόμα

mvp-comment-659-6 ἀνάπαυε βοήν ⁵

mvp-comment-659-7 ὡς ⁶ τελέους’ ⁷ ἐπίχαρτον ⁸

mvp-comment-660-1 The unanimous tradition assigned verses 1264—1274 to Hyllus. Verses 1275—1278 were given by some to the Chorus, and by others to Hyllus. From the indication in L at v. 1275 (

χορὸς γράφεται ὕλλος

), and from the schol. there (

χορός· τινὲς ὕλλος

), it may be conjectured that the attribution of 1275—1278 to the Chorus was the prevalent one. This was only natural, as the Chorus usually closes the play. A majority of modern editors, however, give vv. 1264—1278 wholly to Hyllus; and they seem right.—See Appendix.

mvp-comment-660-2 ὀπαδοί ⁹

mvp-comment-660-3 συγγνωμοσύνην ¹⁰

mvp-comment-660-4 For Nauck's reading of this passage, see Appendix.

mvp-comment-661-1 κλῃζόμενοι ¹¹

mvp-comment-661-2 ἐφορῶσι ¹²

mvp-comment-662-1 τὰ μὲν οὖν μέλλοντ’ ¹³ ἐκείνοις ¹⁴

mvp-comment-662-2 The words

τὰ μὲν οὖν μέλλοντ’ οὐδεὶς ἐφορᾷ

unconsciously foreshadow the apotheosis of Heracles. This is the only hint of it in the play.

mvp-comment-662-3 χαλεπώτατα δ’ οὖν ¹⁵

mvp-comment-663-1 These four verses are addressed by Hyllus to the leader of the Chorus, and give the signal for moving from the orchestra. With παρθέν’ ¹⁶

mvp-comment-663-2 If the verses are given to the leader of the Chorus, then

παρθέν’

will be taken in a collective sense, as referring to the other choreutae; cp. 821

ὦ παῖδες

. Prof. Campbell understands a reference to the maidens of the household (205) ; but this seems less natural. In either case, the singular number would be unusual.

mvp-comment-663-3 Another view is that

παρθέν’

means Iolè. But she is not present: and, even if she could be thus summoned forth, her presence would be unfitting.

mvp-comment-663-4 ἐπ’ οἴκων ¹⁷

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

1259-1260. mvp-comment-892-1 πρὶν τήνδ᾽ ἀνακινῆσαι | νόσον] Either (1) taking ἀνακινῆσαι ας transitive, Before allowing this trouble to re awaken;' see note on Aj. 674, 5, ἐκοίμισε στένοντα πόντον, or (2) with ἀνακινῆσαι intransitive, Before this trouble re-awaken.' Other compounds of κινεῖν, ας παρακινεῖν, ὑποκινεῖν, are used intransitively, and why not ἀνακινεῖν ? Heracles thus steels himself against the possible recurrence of the pain, because ἐν εὐφημίᾳ χρὴ τελευτᾶν.

1260. mvp-comment-893-1 ὦ ψυχὴ σκληρά] Cp. Eur. Alc. 837, ΗΡ. ὦ πολλὰ τλᾶσα καρδία ψυχή τ' ἐμή.

1260-1261. mvp-comment-894-1 χάλυβος | λιθοκόλλητον στόμιον] 'A bit of iron set with adamant.' λιθοκόλλητον is literally, Inlaid with stones.'

1261. mvp-comment-895-1 παρέχουσ'] Sc. τῇ βοῇ, 'Applying' as a preventive.

1262. mvp-comment-896-1 ὡς ἐπίχαρτον, κ.τ.λ.] i.e. τελέουσα ἔργον ἀεκούσιον ὡς ἐπίχαρτον ὄν, 'Performing an unwilling deed as a thing to rejoice at.' Not, As performing an unwilling deed that will bring joy,' which is inconsistent with l. 1256, and with the tone of the whole scene.

1264. mvp-comment-897-1 μεγάλην. . συγγνωμοσύνην] To me allowing great excuse for what is now being done,' because Hyllus is compelled by his father.

1266. mvp-comment-898-1 μεγάλην.. εἰδότες] 'But to the gods attributing great unkindness.' The antithesis is more formal than real. For the expression, cp. εἰδέναι χάριν, and for θεῶν ἀγνωμοσύνην, Ο. C. 86, μὴ γένησθ᾽ ἀγνώμονες.

1268-1269. mvp-comment-899-1 οἱ.. πάθη] The plural helps to soften the rebellious utterance of Hyllus against Zeus, who now afflicts his son. Cp. Od. 20. 202, 3.

1269. mvp-comment-900-1 ἐφορῶσι] 'Look on' with indifference. Cp. Εl. 826, εἰ ταῦτ᾽ ἐφορῶντες κρύπτουσιν ἕκηλοι.

1270. mvp-comment-901-1 ἐφορᾷ] For the repetition of the same word in a different sense, see Essay on L. § 44. pp. 83. 84. This line contains the only hint in the play that the ultimate fate of Heracles is different from what he now expects.

1272. mvp-comment-902-1 ἐκείνοις] Sc. τοῖς θεοῖς.

1273. mvp-comment-903-1 ἀνδρῶν πάντων] For the masculine genitive of comparison after the neuter word, cp. Ο. Τ. 467, ἀελλάδων | ἵππων σθεναρώτερον.

1274. mvp-comment-904-1 τῷ . . ὑπέχοντι] Το him who undergoes this affliction.' Hyllus avoids naming both Zeus (1268) and Heracles.

1275. mvp-comment-905-1 λείπου μηδὲ σύ, παρθέν᾽, ἀπ᾿ οἴκων] The Chorus say this to the maidens from within the palace, the same who were addressed, in supr. 205, 6, ας ὁ μελλόνυμφος. (1) Neither fail thou, maiden, leaving the house;'i.e. Be sure to follow us and not to stay at home; ἀπ᾿ οἴκων being construed with μὴ λείπου, as = ἕπου, or some other positive verb. Or (2) deleting the comma after παρθέν', 'Ο maiden from the house, be thou, too, not left behind !'

1275-1278. mvp-comment-906-1 These lines are continued to Hyllus in some MSS., but they are most probably, as above explained, the exode of the Chorus. The Laurentian MS. heads them with χο. ἢ ὑλλ. A similar doubt occurs at O. C. 1777, viz. whether the concluding lines are spoken by the Chorus or by Theseus. The procession is now formed. Cp. Aj. sub fin.

Sophocles Trachiniae 1259

Richard Jebb (Translator)

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Heracles

Come, then, before you awaken this

plague, O my hardened soul, give me a bit of steel to bind my lips like stone to stone! Stop any cry, since the task you accomplish, though by constraint, gives cause for joy.
1260

Current edition Experimental

ΤΡΑΧΙΝΙΑΙ.

Thou endest fairly. Now, then, O my son,

Add the performance swiftly, that, before

Some spasm or furious onset of my pain
1260

Have seized me, ye may place me on the pyre.

Come, loiter not, but lift me. Now my end

Is near, the last cessation of my woe.

Auf, eh du die Krankheit wieder erweckst,¹

Leg' an, mein fest ausharrendes Herz,

Dir den eisernen Zaum, der Steine vereint,
1240

Und verhalte den Schrei, um mit freudigem Sinn²

Das gefürchtete Werk zu vollenden!

Der Chor.

Auch ihr, Jungfrau'n, bleibt nicht an dem Haus,

Wo den neuen gewaltigen Tod ihr geseh'n,
1255

Vielfältiges Weh, unerhörtes Geschick!

Und dies war alles des Zeus Werk!

Chorus

lole, come not forth, unhappy virgin,

Already hast thou seen enough of woe,

And yet fresh sorrows wait thee ; but remember,

All is decreed, and all the work of Jove.

Close up my lips, let not a cry break forth,

For this unpleasing work now gives me joy.

Hyllus

Virgin, go hence: thou hast beheld the deaths

Of the illustrious, and their recent woes;

Dreadful events, but all ordain'd by Jove.

Commentary

Stable identifiers

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Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Heracles Come, then, before you awaken this plague, O my hardened soul, give me a bit of steel to bind my lips like stone to stone! Stop any cry, since the task you accomplish, though by constraint, gives cause for joy. 1260

Current edition Experimental

ΤΡΑΧΙΝΙΑΙ.

Ἡρακλῆς ἄγε νυν, πρὶν τήνδʼ ἀνακινῆσαι νόσον, ὦ ψυχὴ σκληρά, χάλυβος 1260 λιθοκόλλητον στόμιον παρέχουσʼ, ἀνάπαυε βοήν, ὡς ἐπίχαρτον τελέουσʼ ἀεκούσιον ἔργον.

Thou endest fairly. Now, then, O my son, Add the performance swiftly, that, before Some spasm or furious onset of my pain 1260 Have seized me, ye may place me on the pyre. Come, loiter not, but lift me. Now my end Is near, the last cessation of my woe.

Auf, eh du die Krankheit wieder erweckst, 1 Leg' an, mein fest ausharrendes Herz, Dir den eisernen Zaum, der Steine vereint, 1240 Und verhalte den Schrei, um mit freudigem Sinn 2 Das gefürchtete Werk zu vollenden!

Der Chor. Auch ihr, Jungfrau'n, bleibt nicht an dem Haus, Wo den neuen gewaltigen Tod ihr geseh'n, 1255 Vielfältiges Weh, unerhörtes Geschick! Und dies war alles des Zeus Werk!

Chorus lole, come not forth, unhappy virgin, Already hast thou seen enough of woe, And yet fresh sorrows wait thee ; but remember, All is decreed, and all the work of Jove.

Close up my lips, let not a cry break forth, For this unpleasing work now gives me joy.

Hyllus

Virgin, go hence: thou hast beheld the deaths Of the illustrious, and their recent woes; Dreadful events, but all ordain'd by Jove.

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Heracles

Come, then, before you awaken this

plague, O my hardened soul, give me a bit of steel to bind my lips like stone to stone! Stop any cry, since the task you accomplish, though by constraint, gives cause for joy.
1260

Thou endest fairly. Now, then, O my son,

Add the performance swiftly, that, before

Some spasm or furious onset of my pain
1260

Have seized me, ye may place me on the pyre.

Come, loiter not, but lift me. Now my end

Is near, the last cessation of my woe.

Auf, eh du die Krankheit wieder erweckst,¹

Leg' an, mein fest ausharrendes Herz,

Dir den eisernen Zaum, der Steine vereint,
1240

Und verhalte den Schrei, um mit freudigem Sinn²

Das gefürchtete Werk zu vollenden!

Der Chor.

Auch ihr, Jungfrau'n, bleibt nicht an dem Haus,

Wo den neuen gewaltigen Tod ihr geseh'n,
1255

Vielfältiges Weh, unerhörtes Geschick!

Und dies war alles des Zeus Werk!

Chorus

lole, come not forth, unhappy virgin,

Already hast thou seen enough of woe,

And yet fresh sorrows wait thee ; but remember,

All is decreed, and all the work of Jove.

Close up my lips, let not a cry break forth,

For this unpleasing work now gives me joy.

Virgin, go hence: thou hast beheld the deaths

Of the illustrious, and their recent woes;

Dreadful events, but all ordain'd by Jove.