Sophocles, Trachiniae, Richard Jebb (Translator), 705

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

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

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

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

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)) — 705 focus

ὥστ᾽ οὐκ ἔχω τάλαινα ποῖ γνώμης πέσω·
705

ὁρῶ δέ μ᾽ ἔργον δεινὸν ἐξειργασμένην.

πόθεν γὰρ ἄν μ ἄν ποτ᾿ ἀντὶ τοῦ θνήσκων ὁ θὴρ

ἐμοὶ παρέσχ᾽ εὔνοιαν, ἧς ἔθνησχ᾽ ὕπερ;

οὐκ ἔστιν, ἀλλὰ τὸν βαλόντ᾽ ἀποφθίσαι

χρήζων ἔθελγέ μ ἔθελγεν· ὧν ἐγὼ μεθύστερον μεθ' ὕστερον μεθύστερον,
710

ὅτ᾽ οὐκέτ᾽ ἀρκεῖ, τὴν μάθησιν ἄρνυμαι.

μόνη γὰρ αὐτόν, εἴ τι μὴ ψευσθήσομαι ψευσθήσομαι

γνώμης, ἐγὼ δύστηνος ἐξαποφθερῶ·

τὸν γὰρ βαλόντ᾽ ἄτρακτον οἶδα καὶ θεὸν

Χείρωνα πημήναντα, χώσπερ χ' ὥσπερ χώσα περ ἂν χώσπερ ἂν θίγῃ
715

φθείρει τὰ πάντα κνώδαλ᾽· ἐκ δὲ τοῦδ᾽ ὅδε

σφαγῶν διελθὼν ἰὸς αἵματος μέλας

πῶς οὐκ ὀλεῖ καὶ τόνδε; δόξῃ γοῦν ἐμῇ δοξηιγοῦν καὶ. δόξει.. ἐμοὶ δόξῃ .. ἐμῇ.

καίτοι δέδοκται, κεῖνος εἰ σφαλήσεται,

ταύτῃ σὺν ὁρμῇ ὁρμῆι ὀργῇ ὁρμῇ κἀμὲ συνθανεῖν ἅμα.
720

ζῆν γὰρ κακῶς κλύουσαν οὐκ ἀνασχετόν,

ἥτις προτιμᾷ μὴ κακὴ πεφυκέναι.

ΧΟ.

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 705 focus

Δηιάνειρα

ὥστʼ οὐκ ἔχω τάλαινα ποῖ γνώμης πέσω·
705

ὁρῶ δέ μʼ ἔργον δεινὸν ἐξειργασμένην.

πόθεν γὰρ ἄν ποτʼ, ἀντὶ τοῦ θνῄσκων ὁ θὴρ

ἐμοὶ παρέσχʼ εὔνοιαν, ἧς ἔθνῃσχʼ ὕπερ;

οὐκ ἔστιν, ἀλλὰ τὸν βαλόντʼ ἀποφθίσαι

χρῄζων ἔθελγέ μʼ· ὧν ἐγὼ μεθύστερον,
710

ὅτʼ οὐκέτʼ ἀρκεῖ, τὴν μάθησιν ἄρνυμαι.

μόνη γὰρ αὐτόν, εἴ τι μὴ ψευσθήσομαι

γνώμης, ἐγὼ δύστηνος ἐξαποφθερῶ·

τὸν γὰρ βαλόντʼ ἄτρακτον οἶδα καὶ θεὸν

Χείρωνα πημήναντα, χὦνπερ ἂν θίγῃ,
715

φθείρει τὰ πάντα κνώδαλʼ· ἐκ δὲ τοῦδʼ ὅδε

σφαγῶν διελθὼν ἰὸς αἵματος μέλας

πῶς οὐκ ὀλεῖ καὶ τόνδε; δόξῃ γοῦν ἐμῇ.

καίτοι δέδοκται, κεῖνος εἰ σφαλήσεται,

ταύτῃ σὺν ὁρμῇ κἀμὲ συνθανεῖν ἅμα·
720

ζῆν γὰρ κακῶς κλύουσαν οὐκ ἀνασχετόν,

ἥτις προτιμᾷ μὴ κακὴ πεφυκέναι.

Translations (4)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 723 focus

Horrid mischance must needs occasion fear.

But Hope is not condemned before the event.

DÊ

In ill-advised proceeding not even Hope
725

Remains to minister a cheerful mind.

CH

Yet to have erred unwittingly abates

The fire of wrath; and thou art in this case.

DÊ

So speaks not he who hath a share of sin,

But who is clear of all offence at home.
730

CH

’Twere well to say no more, unless thou hast aught

To impart to thine own son: for he is here,

Who went erewhile to find his father forth.

HYLLUS
HYLLUS (re-entering).

O mother, mother! I would to heaven one of three things were true:

Either that thou wert dead, or, living, wert

No mother to me, or hadst gained a mind
735

Furnished with better thoughts than thou hast now!
735

DÊ

My son! what canst thou so mislike in me?

HYL

I tell thee thou this day hast been the death

Of him that was thy husband and my sire.
740

DÊ

What word hath passed thy lips? my child, my child!

HYL

A word that must be verified. For who

Can make the accomplished fact as things undone?

DÊ

Alas, my son! what saidst thou? Who hath told

That I have wrought a deed so full of woe?
745

HYL

’Twas I myself that saw with these mine eyes

My father’s heavy state:—no hearsay word.

DÊ

And where didst thou come near him and stand by?

HYL

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 705 focus

Nun weiß ich nicht, ich Arme, was ich denken soll;

Denn Grauenvolles, seh' ich, ist durch mich gescheh'n.
695

Warum, wofür denn sollte sterbend auch das Thier

Wohlwollen mir erweisen, die ihm Tod gebracht?

Nein, nein! Vertilgen wollt' es seinen Mörder nur,

Und mich betrog es: allzuspät gewinn' ich jezt

Davon die Kunde, wo sie nicht mehr frommen kann.
700

Denn ich allein ja, wenn ein Wahn mich nicht berückt,

Ich werd' allein ihn tödten, ich Unselige.

Ich weiß, dem Gotte Cheiron auch schlug dies Geschoß¹

Die Todeswunde, jedes Wild, das dieser Pfeil

Berührte, findet seinen Tod: wie sollte nun
705

Das schwarze Blutgift, das in Nessos' Wunde trof,

Nicht auch Herakles tödten? Sicher, dünkt es mir.

Doch fest bin ich entschlossen: trifft den Gatten Tod,

Sterb' ich zugleich getroffen durch denselben Schlag.

Denn niedern Rufs zu leben, trägt die Freie nicht,
710

Die groß es achtet, nicht von niedrer Art zu sein.

Der Chor.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 723 focus

'Tis fit we tremble at a deed of horror ;

But 'tis not fitting, ere we know th' event,

To give up hope, and yield us to despair.

Deianira

There is no hope where evil counsel 's ta'en.

Chorus

But when we err from ignorance alone,

Small is the crime and slight tjie punishment ;

Such is thy fault.

Deianira

The guiltless may talk thus,

Who know no ill ; not those who are unhappy.
730

Chorus

No more ; unless thou meanst thy son should

hear thee,

Who now returns in search of thy Alcides ;

Behold him here.

Hyllus
Scene IT.

Deianira, Chorus.

Hyllus

Oh ! would that thou wert dead !

Would I were not thy son ! or, being so,

Would I could change thy wicked heart !
740

Deianira

My son,

What means this passion?

Hyllus

Thou hast slain thy husband ;

This very day my father hast thou slain.

Deianira

Alas I luy eliild, wliat sayst tlioii

And therefore must be ; who can e'er undo

The deed tliat's done ?

Deianira
\V1lMt W

But who could say I did it \

Hyllus

1 saw it with these eyes ; 1 heaid it all

From his own lips.

Deianira

Where didst thou see him tlien ?

Tell me, oh ! quickly tell me.

Hyllus

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 723 focus

Horror at dreadful deeds must seize the soul;

But ere th' event hope should not be renounced.

Deianira

But in designs, which honour does not own,
725

There is no hope that harbours confidence.

Chorus

To those who err in judgment, not in will,

Anger is gentle: Lady, such be thine.

Deianira

The stranger to affliction thus may speak;

But not the wretch who shares the dreadful ill.
730

Chorus

The time now calls for silence; on this theme

Unless thou wou'dst hold converse with thy son,

Who went to seek his father; he is here.

Hyllus
HYLLUS, DEIANIRA, CHORUS.

My mother, oh that thou wert now no more;

Or, if alive, that to some other son

Thou wert a mother; or to holier thoughts
735

The present temper of thy mind were changed.
735

Deianira

What have I done that merits this rebuke?

Hyllus

Know then the dire event: this fatal day

Thy husband and my father thou hast slain.

DEIA: Ah wretched me ! What hast thou said, my son?
740

Hyllus

What cannot be recall'd: the deed once done,

Where is the pow'r can render it not done?

Deianira

What may this mean, my son? By whom inform'd

Say'st thou that I have done this hateful deed?
745

Hyllus

I saw my father's suff'rings, with these eyes

I saw them, nor by others was inform'd.

Deianira

Where didst thou see him? where attend him? say.

Hyllus

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-368-1 ποῖ γνώμης πέσω ¹

mvp-comment-369-1 ὁρῶ δέ μ’ … ἐξειργασμένην ²

mvp-comment-370-1 πόθεν ³ ἀντὶ τοῦ ⁴

mvp-comment-370-2 ἂν … παρέσχ’ ⁵

mvp-comment-370-3 ἧς … ὕπερ ⁶

mvp-comment-371-1 ἀποφθίσαι ⁷

mvp-comment-372-1 ἀρκεῖ ⁸

mvp-comment-372-2 ἄρνυμαι ⁹

mvp-comment-373-1 εἴ τι μὴ ¹⁰

mvp-comment-373-2 ψευσθήσομαι γνώμης ¹¹

mvp-comment-374-1 ἄτρακτον ¹²

mvp-comment-374-2 θεὸν Χείρωνα ¹³

mvp-comment-374-3 πημήναντα ¹⁴

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 ¹⁵ χὥσπερ ¹⁶

mvp-comment-375-1 ἐκ … σφαγῶν τοῦδε διελθὼν ¹⁷

mvp-comment-375-2 ἰὸς αἵματος ¹⁸

mvp-comment-375-3 τόνδε ¹⁹

mvp-comment-375-4 Others take ἐκ … τοῦδε ²⁰ ὅδε ²¹ τοῦδ’ ²²

mvp-comment-375-5 δόξῃ γοῦν ἐμῇ ²³

mvp-comment-376-1 σφαλήσεται ²⁴

mvp-comment-376-2 For σὺν ²⁵

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

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.'

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Current edition Experimental

ὥστ᾽ οὐκ ἔχω τάλαινα ποῖ γνώμης πέσω· 705

ζῆν γὰρ κακῶς κλύουσαν οὐκ ἀνασχετόν, ἥτις προτιμᾷ μὴ κακὴ πεφυκέναι.

ΧΟ.

Horrid mischance must needs occasion fear. But Hope is not condemned before the event.

DÊ In ill-advised proceeding not even Hope 725 Remains to minister a cheerful mind.

CH Yet to have erred unwittingly abates The fire of wrath; and thou art in this case.

DÊ So speaks not he who hath a share of sin, But who is clear of all offence at home. 730

CH ’Twere well to say no more, unless thou hast aught To impart to thine own son: for he is here, Who went erewhile to find his father forth.

HYLLUS HYLLUS (re-entering). O mother, mother! I would to heaven one of three things were true: Either that thou wert dead, or, living, wert No mother to me, or hadst gained a mind 735 Furnished with better thoughts than thou hast now! 735

DÊ My son! what canst thou so mislike in me?

HYL I tell thee thou this day hast been the death Of him that was thy husband and my sire. 740

DÊ What word hath passed thy lips? my child, my child!

HYL A word that must be verified. For who Can make the accomplished fact as things undone?

DÊ Alas, my son! what saidst thou? Who hath told That I have wrought a deed so full of woe? 745

HYL ’Twas I myself that saw with these mine eyes My father’s heavy state:—no hearsay word.

DÊ And where didst thou come near him and stand by?

HYL

Der Chor.

'Tis fit we tremble at a deed of horror ; But 'tis not fitting, ere we know th' event, To give up hope, and yield us to despair.

Deianira There is no hope where evil counsel 's ta'en.

Chorus But when we err from ignorance alone, Small is the crime and slight tjie punishment ; Such is thy fault.

Deianira The guiltless may talk thus, Who know no ill ; not those who are unhappy. 730

Chorus No more ; unless thou meanst thy son should hear thee, Who now returns in search of thy Alcides ; Behold him here.

Hyllus Scene IT. Deianira, Chorus.

Hyllus Oh ! would that thou wert dead ! Would I were not thy son ! or, being so, Would I could change thy wicked heart ! 740

Deianira My son, What means this passion?

Hyllus Thou hast slain thy husband ; This very day my father hast thou slain.

Deianira Alas I luy eliild, wliat sayst tlioii And therefore must be ; who can e'er undo The deed tliat's done ?

Deianira \V1lMt W But who could say I did it \

Hyllus 1 saw it with these eyes ; 1 heaid it all From his own lips.

Deianira Where didst thou see him tlien ? Tell me, oh ! quickly tell me.

Hyllus

Horror at dreadful deeds must seize the soul; But ere th' event hope should not be renounced.

Deianira But in designs, which honour does not own, 725 There is no hope that harbours confidence.

Chorus To those who err in judgment, not in will, Anger is gentle: Lady, such be thine.

Deianira The stranger to affliction thus may speak; But not the wretch who shares the dreadful ill. 730

Chorus The time now calls for silence; on this theme Unless thou wou'dst hold converse with thy son, Who went to seek his father; he is here.

Hyllus HYLLUS, DEIANIRA, CHORUS. My mother, oh that thou wert now no more; Or, if alive, that to some other son Thou wert a mother; or to holier thoughts 735 The present temper of thy mind were changed. 735

Deianira What have I done that merits this rebuke?

Hyllus Know then the dire event: this fatal day Thy husband and my father thou hast slain. DEIA: Ah wretched me ! What hast thou said, my son? 740

Hyllus What cannot be recall'd: the deed once done, Where is the pow'r can render it not done?

Deianira What may this mean, my son? By whom inform'd Say'st thou that I have done this hateful deed? 745

Hyllus I saw my father's suff'rings, with these eyes I saw them, nor by others was inform'd.

Deianira Where didst thou see him? where attend him? say.

Hyllus

Commentary

Stable identifiers

ὥστ᾽ οὐκ ἔχω τάλαινα ποῖ γνώμης πέσω·
705

ζῆν γὰρ κακῶς κλύουσαν οὐκ ἀνασχετόν,

ἥτις προτιμᾷ μὴ κακὴ πεφυκέναι.

Horrid mischance must needs occasion fear.

But Hope is not condemned before the event.

DÊ

In ill-advised proceeding not even Hope
725

Remains to minister a cheerful mind.

CH

Yet to have erred unwittingly abates

The fire of wrath; and thou art in this case.

DÊ

So speaks not he who hath a share of sin,

But who is clear of all offence at home.
730

CH

’Twere well to say no more, unless thou hast aught

To impart to thine own son: for he is here,

Who went erewhile to find his father forth.

HYLLUS
HYLLUS (re-entering).

O mother, mother! I would to heaven one of three things were true:

Either that thou wert dead, or, living, wert

No mother to me, or hadst gained a mind
735

Furnished with better thoughts than thou hast now!
735

DÊ

My son! what canst thou so mislike in me?

HYL

I tell thee thou this day hast been the death

Of him that was thy husband and my sire.
740

DÊ

What word hath passed thy lips? my child, my child!

HYL

A word that must be verified. For who

Can make the accomplished fact as things undone?

DÊ

Alas, my son! what saidst thou? Who hath told

That I have wrought a deed so full of woe?
745

HYL

’Twas I myself that saw with these mine eyes

My father’s heavy state:—no hearsay word.

DÊ

And where didst thou come near him and stand by?

'Tis fit we tremble at a deed of horror ;

But 'tis not fitting, ere we know th' event,

To give up hope, and yield us to despair.

Deianira

There is no hope where evil counsel 's ta'en.

Chorus

But when we err from ignorance alone,

Small is the crime and slight tjie punishment ;

Such is thy fault.

Deianira

The guiltless may talk thus,

Who know no ill ; not those who are unhappy.
730

Chorus

No more ; unless thou meanst thy son should

hear thee,

Who now returns in search of thy Alcides ;

Behold him here.

Hyllus
Scene IT.

Deianira, Chorus.

Hyllus

Oh ! would that thou wert dead !

Would I were not thy son ! or, being so,

Would I could change thy wicked heart !
740

Deianira

My son,

What means this passion?

Hyllus

Thou hast slain thy husband ;

This very day my father hast thou slain.

Deianira

Alas I luy eliild, wliat sayst tlioii

And therefore must be ; who can e'er undo

The deed tliat's done ?

Deianira
\V1lMt W

But who could say I did it \

Hyllus

1 saw it with these eyes ; 1 heaid it all

From his own lips.

Deianira

Where didst thou see him tlien ?

Tell me, oh ! quickly tell me.

Horror at dreadful deeds must seize the soul;

But ere th' event hope should not be renounced.

Deianira

But in designs, which honour does not own,
725

There is no hope that harbours confidence.

Chorus

To those who err in judgment, not in will,

Anger is gentle: Lady, such be thine.

Deianira

The stranger to affliction thus may speak;

But not the wretch who shares the dreadful ill.
730

Chorus

The time now calls for silence; on this theme

Unless thou wou'dst hold converse with thy son,

Who went to seek his father; he is here.

Hyllus
HYLLUS, DEIANIRA, CHORUS.

My mother, oh that thou wert now no more;

Or, if alive, that to some other son

Thou wert a mother; or to holier thoughts
735

The present temper of thy mind were changed.
735

Deianira

What have I done that merits this rebuke?

Hyllus

Know then the dire event: this fatal day

Thy husband and my father thou hast slain.

DEIA: Ah wretched me ! What hast thou said, my son?
740

Hyllus

What cannot be recall'd: the deed once done,

Where is the pow'r can render it not done?

Deianira

What may this mean, my son? By whom inform'd

Say'st thou that I have done this hateful deed?
745

Hyllus

I saw my father's suff'rings, with these eyes

I saw them, nor by others was inform'd.

Deianira

Where didst thou see him? where attend him? say.