Sophocles, Trachiniae, ed. Francis Storr, 470

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Χορός

πείθου λεγούσῃ χρηστά, κοὐ μέμψει χρόνῳ
470

γυναικὶ τῇδε κἀπʼ ἐμοῦ κτήσει χάριν.

Λίχας

ἀλλʼ, ὦ φίλη δέσποινʼ, ἐπεί σε μανθάνω

θνητὴν φρονοῦσαν θνητὰ κοὐκ ἀγνώμονα,

πᾶν σοι φράσω τἀληθὲς οὐδὲ κρύψομαι.

ἔστιν γὰρ οὕτως ὥσπερ οὗτος ἐννέπει.
475

ταύτης ὁ δεινὸς ἵμερός ποθʼ Ἡρακλῆ

διῆλθε, καὶ τῆσδʼ εἵνεχʼ ἡ πολύφθορος

καθῃρέθη πατρῷος Οἰχαλία δόρει.

καὶ ταῦτα, δεῖ γὰρ καὶ τὸ πρὸς κείνου λέγειν,

οὔτʼ εἶπε κρύπτειν οὔτʼ ἀπηρνήθη ποτέ,
480

ἀλλʼ αὐτός, ὦ δέσποινα, δειμαίνων τὸ σὸν

μὴ στέρνον ἀλγύνοιμι τοῖσδε τοῖς λόγοις,

ἥμαρτον, εἴ τι τήνδʼ ἁμαρτίαν νέμεις.

ἐπεί γε μὲν δὴ πάντʼ ἐπίστασαι λόγον,

κείνου τε καὶ σὴν ἐξ ἴσου κοινὴν χάριν
485

καὶ στέργε τὴν γυναῖκα καὶ βούλου λόγους,

οὓς εἶπας ἐς τήνδʼ, ἐμπέδως εἰρηκέναι·

ὡς τἄλλʼ ἐκεῖνος πάντʼ ἀριστεύων χεροῖν

τοῦ τῆσδʼ ἔρωτος εἰς ἅπανθʼ ἥσσων ἔφυ.

Δηιάνειρα

ἀλλʼ ὧδε καὶ φρονοῦμεν ὥστε ταῦτα δρᾶν,
490

κοὔτοι νόσον γʼ ἐπακτὸν ἐξαρούμεθα,

θεοῖσι δυσμαχοῦντες. ἀλλʼ εἴσω στέγης

χωρῶμεν, ὡς λόγων τʼ ἐπιστολὰς φέρῃς,

ἅ τʼ ἀντὶ δώρων δῶρα χρὴ προσαρμόσαι,

καὶ ταῦτʼ ἄγῃς· κενὸν γὰρ οὐ δίκαιά σε
495

χωρεῖν προσελθόνθʼ ὧδε σὺν πολλῷ στόλῳ.

Trachiniae. Sophocles. ed. Francis Storr. London. 1913.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Experimental

Τραχίνιαι (Greek) (Sophocles, Volume 2. Storr, Francis, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann Ltd.; The Macmillan Company, 1913.)

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (1)

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 470 focus

πείθου λεγούσῃ λέγουσι λεγούσῃ χρηστά, κοὐ μέμψει χρόνῳ
470

γυναικὶ τῇδε τῇδε τῆδε, κἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ κτήσει χάριν.

ΛΙ.

ἀλλ᾽, ὦ φίλη δέσποιν', ἐπεί σε μανθάνω

θνητὴν φρονοῦσαν θνητὰ κοὐκ ἀγνώμονα,

πᾶν σοι φράσω τἀληθὲς οὐδὲ κρύψομαι.

ἔστιν γὰρ οὕτως οὗτος οὕτως ὥσπερ οὗτος ἐννέπει.
475

ταύτης ὁ δεινὸς ἵμερός ποθ᾽ ῾Ἡρακλῆ Ἡρακλεῖ Ἡρακλῆ

διῆλθε, καὶ τῆσδ᾽ οὕνεχ᾽ οὔχ᾽ ἡ πολύφθορος

καθῃρέθη πατρῷος Οἰχαλία δορί.

καὶ ταῦτα, δεῖ γὰρ καὶ τὸ πρὸς κείνου λέγειν,

οὔτ᾽ εἶπε κρύπτειν οὔτ᾽ ἀπηρνήθη ποτέ,
480

ἀλλ᾽ αὐτός, ὦ δέσποινα, δειμαίνων τὸ σὸν

μὴ στέρνον ἀλγύνοιμι τοῖσδε τοῖς λόγοις,

ἥμαρτον, εἴ τι τήνδ᾽ ἁμαρτίαν νέμεις.

ἐπεί γε μὲν δὴ πάντ' ἐπίστασαι λόγον,

κείνου τε καὶ σὴν ἐξ ἴσου κοινὴν χάριν χάρην χάριν
485

καὶ στέργε τὴν γυναῖκα καὶ βούλου λόγους

οὓς εἶπας ἐς τήνδ᾽ ἐμπέδως εἰρηκέναι.

ὡς τἄλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνος πάντ᾽ ἀριστεύων χεροῖν

τοῦ τῆσδ᾽ ἔρωτος εἰς ἅπανθ᾽ ἥσσων ἔφυ.

ΔΗ.

ἀλλ᾽ ὧδε καὶ φρονοῦμεν ὥστε ταῦτα δρᾶν,
490

κοὔτοι νόσον γ᾽ om. add ἐπακτὸν ἐξαρούμεθα ἐξαιρούμεθα ἐξαρούμεθα,

θεοῖσι δυσμαχοῦντες. ἀλλ᾽ εἴσω στέγης

χωρῶμεν, ὡς λόγων τ᾽ ἐπιστολὰς φέρῃς,

ἅ τ᾽ ἀντὶ ἅτἀντί ἄντ᾽ ἀντὶ δώρων δῶρα χρὴ προσαρμόσαι,

καὶ ταῦτ᾽ ἄγῃς. κενὸν κεῖνον κεινὸν κεῖνον κοινὸν γὰρ οὐ δίκαιά σε
495

χωρεῖν, προσελθόνθ᾽ ὧδε σὺν πολλῷ στόλῳ.

ΧΟ.

Translations (5)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 470 focus

’Tis fairly said. Comply. Thou ne’er wilt blame
470

Her faithfulness, and thou wilt earn our loves.

LICH

Yea, dear my Queen, now I have seen thee hold

Thy mortal wishes within mortal bound

So meekly, I will freely tell thee all.

It is as he avers. This maiden’s love,

Piercing through Heracles, was the sole cause,

Why her Oechalia, land of plenteous woe,

Was made the conquest of his spear. And he—

For I dare so far clear him—never bade

Concealment or denial. But myself,

Fearing the word might wound thy queenly heart,

Sinned, if thou count such tenderness a sin.

But now that all is known, for both your sakes,

His, and thine own no less, look favouringly

Upon the woman, and confirm the word

Thou here hast spoken in regard to her:—

For he, whose might is in all else supreme,

Is wholly overmastered by her love.

DÊ

Yea, so my mind is bent. I will do so.
490

I will not, in a bootless strife ’gainst Heaven,
490

Augment my misery with self-sought ill.

Come, go we in, that thou may’st bear from me

Such message as is meet, and also carry

Gifts, such as are befitting to return

For gifts new-given. Thou ought’st not to depart
495

Unladen, having brought so much with thee.

CHORUS
CHORUS .

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 470 focus

Sie sprach die Wahrheit, folge denn; nie wirst du dann
465

Die Herrin tadeln, und von mir erwirbst du Dank.

Lichas.

Geliebte Fürstin, weil ich denn erkannt, wie du,

Voll edler Nachsicht, menschlich fühlst mit Menschensinn,

So sag' ich Alles lauter dir und berge Nichts.

Ia, wohl verhält sich's also, wie der Bote sagt.
470

Von namenlosem Sehnen ward Herakles einst

Nach ihr ergriffen, und um sie verwüstete

Sein Speer ihr armes Vaterland Dechalia.

Und das ich muß auch sagen, was ihm günstig ist

Gebot er nicht zu bergen, noch verhehlt' er's je.
475

Nein, ich, o Fürstin, fehlte, weil ich fürchtete,

Durch solche Worte dein Gemüth zu kränken; ja,

Ich fehlte, wenn dir anders dies ein Fehler dünkt.

Und nun, nachdem ich Alles dir geoffenbart,

So bitt' ich, ihm zuliebe, so wie dir zugleich:
480

Sei dieser Jungfrau freundlich, und laß jedes Wort,

Das du für sie gesprochen, ohne Wanken steh'n!

Denn jenen, der sonst überall den Sieg gewann,

Besiegte völlig seine Lieb' um dieses Weib.

Deianeira.

So treibt's im eignen Herzen mich, das will ich thun,
485

Und nicht auf mich herziehen und erhöh'n die Noth,

Fruchtlos mit Göttern kämpfend. Laßt in's Haus hinein

Uns geh'n, damit du meine Botschaft überbringst,

Und Gegengaben, welche wir ihm schuldig sind,

Für ihn empfängst. Denn leer zu gehen ziemt dir nicht,
490

Nachdem du hierher kamest mit so großem Zug.

(ab in's Haus mit Lichas; der Bote geht in die Stadt zurück.) (allein) Strophe.

Der Chor.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 470 focus

Seem "? Didst thou not swear
470

That thou hadst brought this woman to partake
470

The bed of my Alcides ?
470

Lie. Did I say so?

But tell me who this stranger is.

Deianira

The man

Who heard thee say, Alcides' love for her,

And not the Lydian, laid the city waste.

Lie. Let him come forth and prove it. 'Tis no mark

Of wisdom thus to trifle with th' unhappy.

Deianira

Oh ! do not, I beseech thee by that power
490

Whose thunders roll o'er CEta's lofty grove,
490

Do not conceal the truth. Thou speakst to one
490

Not unexperienced in the ways of men —
490

To one who knows we cannot always joy
490

In the same object. 'Tis an idle task
490

To take up arms against all-powerful love :

Love which commands the gods. Love conquered me,

And wherefore should it not subdue another,

Whose nature and whose passions are the same?

If my Alcides is indeed oppressed

With this sad malady, I blame him not ;

That were a folly. Nor this hapless maid,

Who meant no ill, no injury to me.

'Tis not for this I speak. But, mark me well ;

If thou wert taught by him to utter falsehood,

A vile and shameful lesson didst thou learn ;

And if thou art thy own instructor, know

Thou shalt seem wicked e'en when most sincere,

And never be believed. Speak then the truth ;

For to be branded with the name of liar

Is ignominy fit for slaves alone.

And not for thee. Nor think thou canst conceal it ;

Those who have heard the tale will tell it nie.

If fear deters thee, thou hast little cause ;

For to susi>ect his falsehood is my grief —

To know it, none. Already have I seen

Alcides' heart estranged to other loves,

Yet did no rival ever hear from me
495

One bitter word, nor will 1 now reproach
495

This wretched slave, e'en though she pines for him
495

With strongest love. Alas ! I pity her.
495

Whose beauty thus hath been the fatal cause
495

Of all her misery, laid her country waste,

And brought her here, far from her native land,

A helpless captive. But no more of this;

Only remember, if thou must be false,

Be false to others, but be true to me.

Chorus

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 470 focus

This is for thine advantage; be advised:
470

The time will come when thou wilt not repent
470

So doing; my esteem too thou wilt gain.

Lichas

My honour'd mistress, since I see thee moved

By soft humanity, and not unlearn'd

In human nature, I no more will hide

Aught from thy knowledge, but disclose the truth.

It is as this man said; with love of her

Was Hercules inflamed; and for her sake

Her father's realm, Echalia, by the spear

Was wasted wide. These things (for of my lord

Thus I must speak) he gave me not in charge

To hide, nor were they by himself disown'd:

This fault was mine, if it be deem'd a fault;

For I was fearful, lady, lest thy breast

By tidings so unwelcome I should wound.

And now, since all the truth to thee is known,

For his sake, for thine own, with kindness treat

This woman; be thy promised courtesy

Confirm'd; for he, who glorious in his might

Triumph'd o'er all, is by her love subdued.

Deianira

Such is my purpose; no augmented load

Of ills spontaneous on myself to draw,

Contending with the gods. Retire we now

Beneath this royal roof, thou shalt receive

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 470 focus

Chorus

Obey her good and kind advice, and hereafter you will neither have cause to complain of this lady, nor lack my thanks.
470

Lichas

Indeed, then, dear mistress. Since I see that you think as mortals should think and not without good judgment, I will tell you the whole truth, and not hide it.

Yes, it is just as this one says. That terrible longing for the girl long ago shot through Heracles, and for her sake the desolate Oechalia , her father’s land, was leveled by his spear. But he—I must say what is in his favor—
475

he never ordered me to conceal the fact and never denied it. Instead I, lady, fearing to wound your heart by such news, erred—if you regard this in any way an error.
Since, however, you now know the whole story,
480

for his sake and for yours equally bear with the woman, and be willing that the gentle words which you spoke about her have been spoken unalterably. For though by the strength of his hands he is victorious in all else, Heracles has been utterly subdued by his passion for this girl.
485

Deianeira

My own thoughts move me to act as you advise. Rest assured that I will not earn another affliction for myself by waging a fruitless fight against the gods. But let us go into the house, so that you may carry him my messages and since gifts should be given in due recompense for gifts received,
490

so that you may take these also. It would not be right that you should go back with empty hands, after coming with such a rich cargo. Exit Lichas, the Messenger and Deianeira into the house.
495

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-245-1 πιθοῦ λεγούσῃ ¹ πείθου ² πιθοῦ ³ γυναικὶ τῇδε ⁴

mvp-comment-246-1 ἀλλ’ ⁵ θνητὴν φρονοῦσαν θνητὰ ⁶ ἀγνώμονα ⁷

mvp-comment-247-1 κρύψομαι ⁸

mvp-comment-248-1 ἔστιν γὰρ οὕτως ⁹

mvp-comment-249-1 ταύτης ὁ δεινὸς ἵμερος ¹⁰ ὁ δεινὸς ¹¹

mvp-comment-249-2 ποθ’ ¹²

mvp-comment-249-3 διῆλθε ¹³ τῆσδ’ ¹⁴ ταύτης ¹⁵

mvp-comment-249-4 ἡ πολύφθορος ¹⁶

mvp-comment-249-5 πατρῷος ¹⁷

mvp-comment-250-1 καὶ τὸ πρὸς κείνου ¹⁸

mvp-comment-251-1 εἴ τι τήνδ’ ἁμαρτ. ¹⁹

mvp-comment-251-2 νέμεις ²⁰

mvp-comment-252-1 γε μὲν δὴ ²¹ ἐπεὶ ²²

mvp-comment-253-1 στέργε ²³ ἐς ²⁴

mvp-comment-253-2 ἐμπέδως ²⁵ ἐμπέδους ²⁶

mvp-comment-253-3 488 f. Either τἄλλ’ ²⁷ χεροῖν ²⁸

mvp-comment-254-1 καὶ ²⁹ φρονοῦμεν ³⁰

mvp-comment-255-1 νόσον γ’ ἐπακτὸν ἐξαρούμεθα ³¹ ἐπακτὸν ³² γε ³³ ἐξαρούμεθα ³⁴

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 ³⁵ γε ³⁶ νόσημ’ ³⁷

mvp-comment-255-3 θεοῖσι δυσμαχοῦντες ³⁸

mvp-comment-256-1 λόγων τ’ ³⁹

mvp-comment-256-2 λόγων … ἐπιστολὰς ⁴⁰

mvp-comment-257-1 προσαρμόσαι ⁴¹

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 ⁴² φέρῃς ⁴³ δίκαια ⁴⁴

mvp-comment-257-4 ὧδε ⁴⁵ σὺν π. στόλῳ ⁴⁶

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

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.

Sophocles Trachiniae 470

ed. Francis Storr

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Χορός

πείθου λεγούσῃ χρηστά, κοὐ μέμψει χρόνῳ
470

γυναικὶ τῇδε κἀπʼ ἐμοῦ κτήσει χάριν.

Current edition Experimental

πείθου λεγούσῃ λέγουσι λεγούσῃ χρηστά, κοὐ μέμψει χρόνῳ
470

γυναικὶ τῇδε τῇδε τῆδε, κἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ κτήσει χάριν.

ΛΙ.

ἀλλ᾽, ὦ φίλη δέσποιν', ἐπεί σε μανθάνω

θνητὴν φρονοῦσαν θνητὰ κοὐκ ἀγνώμονα,

τοῦ τῆσδ᾽ ἔρωτος εἰς ἅπανθ᾽ ἥσσων ἔφυ.

ΧΟ.

’Tis fairly said. Comply. Thou ne’er wilt blame
470

Her faithfulness, and thou wilt earn our loves.

CHORUS
CHORUS .

Sie sprach die Wahrheit, folge denn; nie wirst du dann
465

Die Herrin tadeln, und von mir erwirbst du Dank.

Der Chor.

Seem "? Didst thou not swear
470

That thou hadst brought this woman to partake
470

The bed of my Alcides ?
470

Lie. Did I say so?

But tell me who this stranger is.

Deianira

The man

Who heard thee say, Alcides' love for her,

And not the Lydian, laid the city waste.

Lie. Let him come forth and prove it. 'Tis no mark

Of wisdom thus to trifle with th' unhappy.

Chorus

This is for thine advantage; be advised:
470

The time will come when thou wilt not repent
470

So doing; my esteem too thou wilt gain.

Deianira

Such is my purpose; no augmented load

Of ills spontaneous on myself to draw,

Contending with the gods. Retire we now

Beneath this royal roof, thou shalt receive

Chorus

Obey her good and kind advice, and hereafter you will neither have cause to complain of this lady, nor lack my thanks.
470

Commentary

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Χορός πείθου λεγούσῃ χρηστά, κοὐ μέμψει χρόνῳ 470 γυναικὶ τῇδε κἀπʼ ἐμοῦ κτήσει χάριν.

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πείθου λεγούσῃ λέγουσι λεγούσῃ χρηστά, κοὐ μέμψει χρόνῳ 470 γυναικὶ τῇδε τῇδε τῆδε, κἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ κτήσει χάριν.

ΛΙ. ἀλλ᾽, ὦ φίλη δέσποιν', ἐπεί σε μανθάνω θνητὴν φρονοῦσαν θνητὰ κοὐκ ἀγνώμονα,

τοῦ τῆσδ᾽ ἔρωτος εἰς ἅπανθ᾽ ἥσσων ἔφυ.

ΧΟ.

’Tis fairly said. Comply. Thou ne’er wilt blame 470 Her faithfulness, and thou wilt earn our loves.

CHORUS CHORUS .

Sie sprach die Wahrheit, folge denn; nie wirst du dann 465 Die Herrin tadeln, und von mir erwirbst du Dank.

Der Chor.

Seem "? Didst thou not swear 470 That thou hadst brought this woman to partake 470 The bed of my Alcides ? 470 Lie. Did I say so? But tell me who this stranger is.

Deianira The man Who heard thee say, Alcides' love for her, And not the Lydian, laid the city waste. Lie. Let him come forth and prove it. 'Tis no mark Of wisdom thus to trifle with th' unhappy.

Chorus

This is for thine advantage; be advised: 470 The time will come when thou wilt not repent 470 So doing; my esteem too thou wilt gain.

Deianira Such is my purpose; no augmented load Of ills spontaneous on myself to draw, Contending with the gods. Retire we now Beneath this royal roof, thou shalt receive

Chorus Obey her good and kind advice, and hereafter you will neither have cause to complain of this lady, nor lack my thanks. 470

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Χορός

πείθου λεγούσῃ χρηστά, κοὐ μέμψει χρόνῳ
470

γυναικὶ τῇδε κἀπʼ ἐμοῦ κτήσει χάριν.

πείθου λεγούσῃ λέγουσι λεγούσῃ χρηστά, κοὐ μέμψει χρόνῳ
470

γυναικὶ τῇδε τῇδε τῆδε, κἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ κτήσει χάριν.

ΛΙ.

ἀλλ᾽, ὦ φίλη δέσποιν', ἐπεί σε μανθάνω

θνητὴν φρονοῦσαν θνητὰ κοὐκ ἀγνώμονα,

’Tis fairly said. Comply. Thou ne’er wilt blame
470

Her faithfulness, and thou wilt earn our loves.

CHORUS
CHORUS .

Sie sprach die Wahrheit, folge denn; nie wirst du dann
465

Die Herrin tadeln, und von mir erwirbst du Dank.

Seem "? Didst thou not swear
470

That thou hadst brought this woman to partake
470

The bed of my Alcides ?
470

Lie. Did I say so?

But tell me who this stranger is.

Deianira

The man

Who heard thee say, Alcides' love for her,

And not the Lydian, laid the city waste.

Lie. Let him come forth and prove it. 'Tis no mark

Of wisdom thus to trifle with th' unhappy.

This is for thine advantage; be advised:
470

The time will come when thou wilt not repent
470

So doing; my esteem too thou wilt gain.

Deianira

Such is my purpose; no augmented load

Of ills spontaneous on myself to draw,

Contending with the gods. Retire we now

Beneath this royal roof, thou shalt receive

Chorus

Obey her good and kind advice, and hereafter you will neither have cause to complain of this lady, nor lack my thanks.
470