mvp-comment-590-1 ἰοὺ ἰοὺ ¹

mvp-comment-590-2 δύστηνος ²

mvp-comment-590-3 οἴχομαι ³

mvp-comment-591-1 φέγγος οὐκέτ’ ἔστι μοι ⁴

mvp-comment-592-1 κάλει … κάλει δὲ ⁵

mvp-comment-592-2 ὁμαιμόνων ⁶

mvp-comment-592-3 Ἀλκμήνην ⁷

mvp-comment-592-4 μάτην ⁸

mvp-comment-592-5 τελευταίαν … φήμην … θεσφάτων ⁹ πύθησθε ¹⁰

mvp-comment-592-6 The oracles can be only the two which are told to Hyllus (1159—1171). If there had been others, they also must have been confided to him, as representing the absent kinsfolk. Heracles wishes to gather his family around him at a solemn farewell,—to convince them, by the

, that he is in the hand of Zeus,—and, with that sanction, to lay his last commands upon them all.

mvp-comment-593-1 ἀλλ’ … ἀλλ’ ¹¹

mvp-comment-593-2 οὔτε ¹² δὲ ¹³

mvp-comment-593-3 ἐπακτίᾳ Τίρυνθι ¹⁴

mvp-comment-593-4 συμβέβηκεν ¹⁵ ἔχειν ¹⁶ ὥστε ¹⁷

mvp-comment-593-5 Sophocles glances here at parts of the story which do not come within the scope of the play. Alcmena, daughter of Electryon king of Mycenae, had been betrothed to her first cousin, Amphitryon, son of Alcaeus king of Tiryns. Amphitryon accidentally killed his uncle, Electryon, and then fled from Tiryns to Thebes with his betrothed. At Thebes Alcmena bore Heracles to Zeus. Heracles afterwards went to Argolis and served Eurystheus,—with the hope that his toils would purchase a return to Tiryns for the exiled Amphitryon and Alcmena ( Eur. H. F.19 ). When these toils were over, Heracles dwelt in freedom at Tiryns with his family, including Alcmena,—Amphitryon being dead ( Diod.4. 33 ). He afterwards slew Iphitus, and then sought a refuge for his household at Trachis (39). But, in the course of the fifteen months since he departed for Lydia, Alcmena had returned to Tiryns, (Eurystheus having no cause to fear the aged widow,)—and had taken some of her grandchildren with her, in order to lighten the burden on the hospitality of Ceÿx.— ξυλλαβοῦς’ ¹⁸

mvp-comment-594-1 τὸ Θήβης ἄστυ ¹⁹

mvp-comment-595-1 ὅσοι πάρεσμεν ²⁰

mvp-comment-595-2 ἐξυπηρετήσομεν ²¹

1143-1145. mvp-comment-809-1 The three single lines, each followed by an asyndeton, have a striking effect in expressing the mood of Heracles, who by the mention of Nessus is brought to a sudden pause.

1143. mvp-comment-810-1 The situation here may be compared with that in the ninth book of the Odyssey (507), where Odysseus has revealed his name to the Cyclops, who is thus reminded of the ancient prophecy concerning himself.

1145. mvp-comment-811-1 φρονῶ.. ἕσταμεν] ‘I know now whither Fate has brought me.'

1149. mvp-comment-812-1 μάτην] Because Zeus appears to have forsaken her son.

1149-1150. mvp-comment-813-1 ὡς ... ἐγώ] · That you may hear from me in my last moments the utterance of what prophecies I know.' The Scholiast explains τελευταίαν ἐμοῦ φήμην differently: 'The final voice concerning me,' i. e. The oracle concerning my end.' For φήμην, cp. О. Т. 43, 86, etc. ὅσ᾽ οἶδ᾽ ἐγώ is added to limit the expression, according to a usual idiom, but may remind us that Heracles did not know all.

1151. mvp-comment-814-1 For οὔτε followed by δέ (l. 1153), see Essay on L. § 36. p. 65f.

1151-1152. mvp-comment-815-1 ἀλλ' ἐπακτίᾳ.. ἕδραν] (1) 'But she has obtained leave to dwell at Tiryns by the shore.' συμβέβηκεν = σύμβασιν ἐποιήσατο, SC. τῷ Εὐρυσθεῖ. Or (2), She happens to be dwelling.'

1153. mvp-comment-816-1 παίδων] 'Of thy sons.' Alcmena had taken some of her grandchildren with her to live at Tiryns. Cp. σῶν ὁμαιμόνων, supr. 1147. If we are further to suppose consistency with supr. l. 54, other sons besides Hyllus must be imagined as present, and included in the phrase ὅσοι πάρεσμεν in l. 1155. The general meaning is, 'All your sons are not here, but those who are will execute your will.'

1154. mvp-comment-817-1 ἂν.. μάθοις] Sc. εἰ πυνθάνοιο.

1156. mvp-comment-818-1 ἐξυπηρετήσομεν] 'Will obediently carry out.' ἐκ as in ἐκπονεῖν.