Sophocles, Trachiniae, ed. Francis Storr, 896

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Τροφός

ἄγαν γε· μᾶλλον δʼ, εἰ παροῦσα πλησία

ἔλευσσες οἷʼ ἔδρασε, κάρτʼ ἂν ᾤκτισας.

Χορός

καὶ ταῦτʼ ἔτλη τις χεὶρ γυναικεία κτίσαι;

Τροφός

δεινῶς γε· πεύσει δʼ, ὥστε μαρτυρεῖν ἐμοί.

ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἦλθε δωμάτων εἴσω μόνη
900

καὶ παῖδʼ ἐν αὐλαῖς εἶδε κοῖλα δέμνια

στορνύνθʼ, ὅπως ἄψορρον ἀντῴη πατρί,

κρύψασʼ ἑαυτὴν ἔνθα μή τις εἰσίδοι,

βρυχᾶτο μὲν βωμοῖσι προσπίπτουσʼ ὅτι

γένοιντʼ ἔρημοι, ʼκλαιε δʼ ὀργάνων ὅτου
905

ψαύσειεν οἷς ἐχρῆτο δειλαία πάρος·

ἄλλῃ δὲ κἄλλῃ δωμάτων στρωφωμένη,

εἴ του φίλων βλέψειεν οἰκετῶν δέμας,

ἔκλαιεν ἡ δύστηνος εἰσορωμένη,

αὐτὴ τὸν αὑτῆς δαίμονʼ ἀνακαλουμένη
910

καὶ τὰς ἄπαιδας ἐς τὸ λοιπὸν οὐσίας.

ἐπεὶ δὲ τῶνδʼ ἔληξεν, ἐξαίφνης σφʼ ὁρῶ

τὸν Ἡράκλειον θάλαμον εἰσορμωμένην.

κἀγὼ λαθραῖον ὄμμʼ ἐπεσκιασμένη

φρούρουν· ὁρῶ δὲ τὴν γυναῖκα δεμνίοις
915

τοῖς Ἡρακλείοις στρωτὰ βάλλουσαν φάρη.

ὅπως δʼ ἐτέλεσε τοῦτʼ, ἐπενθοροῦσʼ ἄνω

καθέζετʼ ἐν μέσοισιν εὐνατηρίοις,

καὶ δακρύων ῥήξασα θερμὰ νάματα

ἔλεξεν· ὦ λέχη τε καὶ νυμφεῖʼ ἐμά,
920

τὸ λοιπὸν ἤδη χαίρεθʼ, ὡς ἔμʼ οὔποτε

δέξεσθʼ ἔτʼ ἐν κοίταισι ταῖσδʼ εὐνάτριαν.

τοσαῦτα φωνήσασα συντόνῳ χερὶ

λύει τὸν αὑτῆς πέπλον, ᾗ χρυσήλατος

προύκειτο μαστῶν περονίς, ἐκ δʼ ἐλώπισεν
925

πλευρὰν ἅπασαν ὠλένην τʼ εὐώνυμον.

κἀγὼ δρομαία βᾶσʼ, ὅσονπερ ἔσθενον,

τῷ παιδὶ φράζω τῆς τεχνωμένης τάδε.

κἀν ᾧ τὸ κεῖσε δεῦρό τʼ ἐξορμώμεθα,

ὁρῶμεν αὐτὴν ἀμφιπλῆγι φασγάνῳ
930

πλευρὰν ὑφʼ ἧπαρ καὶ φρένας πεπληγμένην.

ἰδὼν δʼ ὁ παῖς ᾤμωξεν· ἔγνω γὰρ τάλας

τοὔργον κατʼ ὀργὴν ὡς ἐφάψειεν τόδε,

ὄψʼ ἐκδιδαχθεὶς τῶν κατʼ οἶκον οὕνεκα

ἄκουσα πρὸς τοῦ θηρὸς ἔρξειεν τάδε.
935

κἀνταῦθʼ ὁ παῖς δύστηνος οὔτʼ ὀδυρμάτων

ἐλείπετʼ οὐδέν, ἀμφί νιν γοώμενος,

οὔτʼ ἀμφιπίπτων στόμασιν, ἀλλὰ πλευρόθεν

πλευρὰν παρεὶς ἔκειτο πόλλʼ ἀναστένων,

ὥς νιν ματαίως αἰτίᾳ βάλοι κακῇ,
940

κλαίων ὁθούνεκʼ ἐκ δυοῖν ἔσοιθʼ ἅμα,

πατρός τʼ ἐκείνης τʼ, ὠρφανισμένος βίον.

τοιαῦτα τἀνθάδʼ ἐστίν· ὥστʼ εἴ τις δύο

ἢ καί τι πλείους ἡμέρας λογίζεται,

μάταιός ἐστιν· οὐ γὰρ ἔσθʼ ἥ γʼ αὔριον,
945

πρὶν εὖ πάθῃ τις τὴν παροῦσαν ἡμέραν.

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)) — 896 focus

ἄγαν γε· μᾶλλον δ᾽ om. add, εἰ η δ' εἰ παροῦσα πλησία

ἔλευσσες ἔλευσες ἔλευσσες οἷ᾽ ἔδρασε ἔδρασε(ν) ἔδρασε, κάρτ᾽ ἂν ᾤκτισας.

ΧΟ.

καὶ ταῦτ᾽ ἔτλη τις χεὶρ γυναικεία κτίσαι κτίσαϊ .. κτίσαι?

ΤΡ.

δεινῶς γε· πεύσει δ᾽, ὥστε μαρτυρεῖν ἐμοί.

ἐπεὶ παρῆλθε δωμάτων εἴσω μόνη,
900

καὶ παῖδ᾽ ἐν αὐλαῖς αυλαῖς εἶδε κοῖλα δέμνια

στορνύνθ᾽, ὅπως ἄψορρον ἀντῴη ἀντοίη πατρί,

κρύψασ᾽ ἑαυτὴν ἔνθα μή τις εἰσίδοι,

βρυχᾶτο μὲν βωμοῖσι προσπίπτουσ᾽ ὅτι

γένοιτ' ἐρήμη, κλαῖε δ᾽ ὀργάνων ὅτου
905

ψαύσειεν οἷς ἐχρῆτο δειλαία δειλαία πάρος·

ἄλλῃ δὲ κἄλλῃ δωμάτων στρωφωμένη,

εἴ του φίλων βλέψειεν οἰκετῶν δέμας,

ἔκλαιεν ἡ δύστηνος εἰσορωμένη,

αὐτὴ τὸν αὐτῆς δαίμον' ἀνακαλουμένη
910

καὶ τὰς ἄπαιδας ἐς τὸ λοιπὸν οὐσίας.

ἐπεὶ δὲ τῶνδ᾽ ἔληξεν, ἐξαίφνης σφ᾽ ὁρῶ

τὸν ῾Ηράκλειον θάλαμον εἰσορμωμένην ν.

κἀγὼ λαθραῖον ὄμμ᾽ ἐπεσκιασμένη

φρούρουν· ὁρῶ δὲ τὴν γυναῖκα δεμνίοις
915

τοῖς ῾Ηρακλείοις στρωτὰ βάλλουσαν φάρη.

ὅπως δ᾽ ἐτέλεσε τοῦτ᾽, ἐπενθοροῦσ᾽ ἄνω

καθέζετ᾽ ἐν μέσοισιν εὐναστηρίοις,

καὶ δακρύων ῥήξασα θερμὰ νάματα

ἔλεξεν, ὦ λέχη τε καὶ νυμφεῖ νυμφεῖ’ ἐμά,
920

τὸ λοιπὸν ἤδη χαίρεθ᾽, ὡς ἔμ᾽ οὔποτε

δέξεσθ᾽ ἔτ᾽ δέξεσθ’ ετ’ ἐν κοίταισι ταῖσδ᾽ εὐνήτριαν.

τοσαῦτα φωνήσασα, συντόνῳ χερὶ

λύει τὸν αὑτῆς αὐτῆσ αὑτῆς πέπλον, ᾧ χρυσήλατος

προὔκειτο μαστῶν περονίς, ἐκ δ᾽ ἐλώπισεν
925

πλευρὰν ἅπασαν ὠλένην τ᾽ εὐώνυμον.

κἀγὼ δρομαία βᾶσ᾽, ὅσονπερ ἔσθενον,

τῷ παιδὶ φράζω τῆς τεχνωμένης τάδε.

κἀν ᾧ τὸ κεῖσε δεῦρό τ᾽ ἐξορμώμεθα,

ὁρῶμεν αὐτὴν ἀμφιπλῆγι φασγάνῳ
930

πλευρὰν ὑφ᾽ ἡπαρ καὶ φρένας πεπληγμένην.

ἰδὼν δ᾽ ὁ παῖς om. add ᾤμωξεν· ἔγνω ἔγνω γὰρ τάλας

τοὔργον κατ᾿ ὀργὴν ὡς ἐφάψειεν τόδε,

ὄψ᾽ ἐκδιδαχθείς εκδιδαχθεὶς τῶν κατ᾿ οἶκον οὕνεκα ὁθ' οὔνεκ'

ἄκουσα πρὸς τοῦ θηρὸς ἔρξειεν ἔρξεν τάδε.
935

κἀνταῦθ᾽ ὁ παῖς δύστηνος οὔτ᾽ ὀδυρμάτων

ἐλείπετ᾽ οὐδέν, ἀμφί νιν γοώμενος,

οὔτ᾽ ἀμφιπίπτων στόμασιν, ἀλλὰ πλευρόθεν

πλευρὰν παρεὶς ἔκειτο πόλλ᾽ ἀναστένων,

ὥς νιν ματαίως αἰτίᾳ βάλοι κακῇ,
940

κλαίων ὁθούνεκ᾽ ὁθούνεκ' ἐκ δυοῖν ἔσοιθ᾽ ἅμα,

πατρός τ᾽ ἐκείνης τ᾽, ὠρφανισμένος ω from ο ὠρφανισμένος βίου.

τοιαῦτα τἀνθάδ᾽ ἐστίν. ὥστ᾽ εἴ τις δύο

ἢ καὶ πλέους τις ἢ καὶ πλείους τις πλεους ἡμέρας λογίζεται,

μάταιός ἐστιν· οὐ γὰρ ἔσθ᾽ ἤ γ' αὔριον,
945

πρὶν εὖ εὖ πάθῃ τις τὴν παροῦσαν ἡμέραν.

ΧΟ.

Translations (5)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 896 focus

Too true. But hadst thou been at hand to see

Her action, pity would have wrung thy soul.

CH

Could this be ventured by a woman’s hand?

NUR

Ay, and in dreadful wise, as thou shalt hear.

When all alone she had gone within the gate,

And passing through the court beheld her boy

Spreading the couch that should receive his sire,

Ere he returned to meet him,—out of sight

She hid herself, and fell at the altar’s foot,

And loudly cried that she was left forlorn;

And, taking in her touch each household thing

That formerly she used, poor lady, wept

O’er all; and then went ranging through the rooms,
900

Where, if there caught her eye the well-loved form
900

Of any of her household, she would gaze
900

And weep aloud, accusing her own fate
900

And her abandoned lot, childless henceforth!
900

When this was ended, suddenly I see her
900

Fly to the hero’s room of genial rest.
900

With unsuspected gaze o’ershadowed near,
900

I watched, and saw her casting on the bed
900

The finest sheets of all. When that was done,

She leapt upon the couch where they had lain

And sat there in the midst. And the hot flood

Burst from her eyes before she spake:—‘Farewell,

My bridal bed, for never more shalt thou

Give me the comfort I have known thee give.’

Then with tight fingers she undid her robe,

Where the brooch lay before the breast, and bared

All her left arm and side. I, with what speed

Strength ministered, ran forth to tell her son

The act she was preparing. But meanwhile,

Ere we could come again, the fatal blow

Fell, and we saw the wound. And he, her boy,

Seeing, wept aloud. For now the hapless youth

Knew that himself had done this in his wrath,

Told all too late i’ the house, how she had wrought

Most innocently, from the Centaur’s wit.

So now the unhappy one, with passionate words

And cries and wild embracings of the dead,

Groaned forth that he had slain her with false breath

Of evil accusation, and was left

Orphaned of both, his mother and his sire.

Such is the state within. What fool is he

That counts one day, or two, or more to come?

To-morrow is not, till the present day

In fair prosperity have passed away.

CHORUS
CHORUS . MONODY .

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 896 focus

Gewiß; und größer, wenn du gegenwärtig dort
880

Die That gesehen, wäre dein Bedauern noch.

Der Chor.

Und das zu thun, hat eine Frauenhand vermocht?

Die Amme.

Entsezlich! Höre, daß du selbst es mir bezeugst.

Sobald die Herrin, einsam heimgekehrt in's Haus,

Den Sohn im Hofe breiten sah ein Lagerbett,
885

Bevor er seinem Vater wollt' entgegengeh'n:

Da floh sie, sich zu bergen, wo Niemand sie sah,

Und warf sich nieder am Altar, und schluchzte laut,

Sie sei verwaist nun, weinte, welch Geräthe sie

Berühren mochte, dessen sie sich sonst bedient;
890

Dann durch die Wohnung überall umhergestürmt,

Vergoß die Arme Thränen, wann ein liebes Bild

Von Hausgenossen ihrem Blick entgegentrat,

Und klagt ihr eignes Schicksal an und jammert, daß

Ihr Haus in Zukunft erbenlos verblühen soll.
895

Drauf als verstummt ihr Iammer, seh' ich sie sofort

Hinein sich stürzen in's Gemach des Herakles.

Und ich, in Dunkel eingehüllt, stand unbemerkt

Und lauschte, sah dann, wie die Herrin Teppiche

Dort auf Herakles' Lagerstatt ausbreitend warf.
900

Und als sie das vollendet, sprang sie selbst hinauf,

Und ließ sich nieder mitten auf dem Ruhebett,

Und ruft, in heiße Thränenström' ergossen, aus:

mein geliebtes Lager, o mein Brautgemach,

Nun lebet wohl auf ewig, denn nie nehmt ihr mich
905

Hinfort in diesen Räumen auf in seinem Arm!

So rief die Herrin, löste dann mit rascher Hand

Ihr Leibgewand, wo goldgetriebne Spangen es

Zuschlossen vorn am Busen, und entkleidete

Die ganze linke Seite samt des Armes Bug.
910

Und ich, so schnell ich konnte, rannt' in jähem Lauf,

Und that dem Sohne dieses ihr Beginnen kund.

Indeß wir dorthin und zurück in Eile geh'n,

Da seh'n wir, wie der doppelschneidig scharfe Stahl

Schon bis in Herz und Leber ihr die Brust durchbohrt.
915

Der Sohn gewahrt's und jammert; er erkannte wohl,

Daß er im Zorn hervorgerufen solche That,

Zu spät belehrt von seinen Dienern, daß sie nur

Nach Nessos' Rathe willenlos das Werk verübt.

Und nun verstummte nimmermehr der Klageruf
920

Des armen Sohnes, der um sie laut jammerte,

Den Mund an ihre Lippen schloß, und festgeschmiegt

Die Seit' an ihre Seite, viel aufseufzend rief,

Er habe fälschlich böse Schuld auf sie gewälzt,

Und weinte, daß sein Leben nun zwiefach verwaist
925

Hinschwinden werde, vaterlos und mutterlos.

So steht es dort im Hause. Drum wenn Einer sich

Im Geiste zwei, ja mehre Tage noch verheißt,

Den nenn' ich albern; dem gehört das Morgen nicht,

Der nicht das Heute glücklich schon zurückgelegt.
930
(ab in das Haus.) (allein.) Erste Strophe.

Der Chor.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 896 focus

'Twas most dreadful,

As thou shalt hear, for I will tell thee all :

Soon as she entered at the palace gate

And saw her son prepare the funeral bed.

To th' inmovst chamber silent she retired

From every eye, there, at the altar's feet

Falling, lamented loud her widowed state ;

And ever as she lit on aught her hands

Had used in happier days, the tears would flow ;

From room to room she wandered, and if chance

A loved domestic crossed her she would weep

And mourn her fate, for ever now deprived

Of converse sweet, and hymeneal joys ;

Then would she strew her garments on the bed

Of her Alcides (for, concealed, I watched

Her every motion), throw herself upon it,

And as the tears in a warm flood burst forth,
900

" Farewell ! " she cried, " for ever farewell now,
900

My nuptial couch ! for never shalt thou more
900

Keceive this wretched burthen." Thus she spake,
900

And with quick hand the golden button loosed,
900

Then cast her robe aside, her bosom bared
900

And seemed prepared to strike. I ran and told

The dreadful purpose to her son ; too late

We came, and saw her wounded to the heart.

The pious son beheld his bleeding mother,

And wept ; for well he knew, by anger fired,

And the fell centaur's cruel fraud betrayed,

Unweeting she had done the dreadful deed.

Close to her side he laid him down, and joined

His lips to hers, lamenting sore that thus

He had accused her guiltless ; then deplored

His own sad fate, thus suddenly bereaved

Of both his parents. You have heard my tale.

Who to himself shall promise length of life ?

None but the fool. For, oh ! to day alone

Is ours. We are not certain of to-morrow.

Chorus

Which shall I weep ? which most our hefli'ts

should fill

With grief, the present or the future ill?

The dying or the dead? 'Tis equal woe

To feel the stroke, or fear th' impending blow.

Oh ! for a breeze to waft us o'er

Propitious to some distant shore !

To sliield our souls from sore affright,

And save us from the dreadful sight :

That sight the hardest heart would move

In his last pangs the son of Jove ;

To see the poison run through every vein,

And limbs convulsed with agonising pain.

Behold th' attendant train is nigh,

I hear the voice of misery ;

E'en ;is the plaintive nightingale,

That warbles sweet her mournful tale ;

Silent and slow they lead him on ;

Hark ! 1 hear Alcides groan !

Again 'tis silence all ! This way they tread ;

Or sleeps he now, or rests he with the dead ?

Hercules
Strophe. Antiatrophe. Scene III.

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 896 focus

The dreadful act against herself perform'd.

Chorus
MAT.

This Nymph, this fatal stranger hath giv'n birth,

Nurse

Birth to a Fury dreadful to this house.,

Dreadful indeed! But more, hadst thou been near,
900

Hadst thou, as I, been present to behold.

Her conduct, more thy pity had been moved.

Chorus
MAT.

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 896 focus

Nurse

Too true. And had you been close at hand and seen her do it, you would have pitied her even more.

Chorus

And could a woman’s hand dare to carry out such deeds?

Nurse

Yes, with fierce daring. You shall hear, and then you will bear me witness.

When she came alone into the house and saw her son preparing a deep litter in the court, with which to go back and meet his father, she hid herself where none would see. Falling before the altars, she moaned that
900

they were left desolate, and whenever she touched any household thing that she, poor lady, had habitually used in the past, her tears would flow. If, as she roamed hither and thither through the house, she beheld the form of any well-loved servant, she wept in misery at the sight,
905

crying aloud upon her own fate, and her childless existence thereafter.
But when she finished this, I saw her suddenly rush into the bedchamber of Heracles. I hid in the shadows to keep my observation secret and was watching over her
910

when I saw her spread coverings on the bedstead of Heracles. When she had done this, she sprang up on them and sat in the middle of the bed. Then she broke out in warm streams of tears
915

and said: “Ah, my bridal bed and bridal chamber, farewell now and for ever, since you will never more receive me in these covers as his wife.” She says no more, but with a vehement hand she loosens her robe where the brooch of beaten gold
920

lies above her breasts and bares all her left side and arm. Then I run with all my strength, and warn her son of her intent. But even in the space between my going and our return,
925

we find that she has driven a two-edged sword up through her side to the heart. At that sight, her son gave a great cry. For he knew, poor boy, that in his anger he had driven her to that action. He had learned too late from the servants in the house
930

that she had acted without knowledge and at the will of the monster. Then and there the youth in his misery left no cry of grief unmade as he lamented over her, nor as he fell to kiss her lips; he threw himself at her side, loudly moaning
935

that he had rashly attacked her with a false accusation and weeping that he must now live orphaned of both alike, of his father and of her.
Such are the fortunes of this house. Rash, indeed, is he who reckons on tomorrow, or perchance on days beyond it.
940

There is no tomorrow, until today is safely past. Exit the Nurse.
945

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-463-1 ἄγαν γε ¹

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

mvp-comment-464-1 καὶ ταῦτ’ ἔτλη τις ³

mvp-comment-464-2 κτίσαι ⁴

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 ⁵ γὰρ ἦλθε ⁶

mvp-comment-466-1 αὐλαῖς ⁷

mvp-comment-466-2 κοῖλα ⁸

mvp-comment-466-3 στορνύνθ’ ⁹

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 ¹⁰

mvp-comment-467-2 ἔνθα μή τις εἰσίδοι ¹¹

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 ¹²

mvp-comment-468-2 βωμοῖσι ¹³

mvp-comment-468-3 γένοιντ’ ἔρημοι ¹⁴ γένοιτ’ ἐρήμη ¹⁵

mvp-comment-468-4 ὀργάνων ὅτου ψαύσειεν ¹⁶

mvp-comment-469-1 ἄλλῃ … δωμάτων ¹⁷

mvp-comment-469-2 φίλων … οἰκετῶν ¹⁸

mvp-comment-470-1 ἀνακαλουμένη ¹⁹

mvp-comment-470-2 911 The MS. text, καὶ τὰς ἄπαιδας ἐς τὸ λοιπὸν οὐσίας ²⁰

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 ²¹ ἑστίας ²²

mvp-comment-471-1 τὸν Ἡράκλ. ²³

mvp-comment-471-2 θάλαμον ²⁴

mvp-comment-472-1 λαθραῖον ὄμμ’ ²⁵ ἐπεσκιασμένη ²⁶

mvp-comment-473-1 βάλλουσαν ²⁷ στρωτὰ ²⁸

mvp-comment-474-1 εὐνατηρίοις ²⁹

mvp-comment-475-1 ῥήξασα ³⁰

mvp-comment-475-2 νυμφεῖα ³¹

mvp-comment-475-3 εὐνάτριαν ³²

mvp-comment-476-1 συντόνῳ ³³

mvp-comment-477-1 ᾗ ³⁴ ᾧ ³⁵

mvp-comment-477-2 προὔκειτο μαστῶν ³⁶

mvp-comment-477-3 ἐκ δ’ ἐλώπισεν ³⁷

mvp-comment-478-1 δρομαία ³⁸ φράζω ³⁹ τάδε ⁴⁰ τεχνωμένης ⁴¹

mvp-comment-479-1 τὸ κεῖσε δεῦρό τ’ ⁴²

mvp-comment-479-2 ἐξορμώμεθα ⁴³

mvp-comment-479-3 ὁρῶμεν αὐτὴν … πεπληγμένην ⁴⁴

mvp-comment-479-4 ὑφ’ ἧπαρ καὶ φρένας ⁴⁵

mvp-comment-480-1 τοὔργον … ὡς ἐφάψειεν ⁴⁶

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 ⁴⁷

mvp-comment-481-1 τῶν κατ’ οἶκον ⁴⁸ ἐκδ. ⁴⁹

mvp-comment-482-1 δύστηνος ⁵⁰ ἐλείπετ’ οὐδέν ⁵¹ ὀδυρμάτων ⁵² ἀμφιπίπτων ⁵³

mvp-comment-482-2 ἀμφί νιν ⁵⁴

mvp-comment-482-3 ἀμφιπίπτων στόμασιν ⁵⁵

mvp-comment-482-4 πλευρόθεν ⁵⁶ παρείς ⁵⁷

mvp-comment-483-1 αἰτίᾳ βάλοι ⁵⁸

mvp-comment-484-1 ἐκ δυοῖν … ὠρφανισμένος βίον ⁵⁹ βίου ⁶⁰ βίου ⁶¹ ἐκ ⁶² εἷς ⁶³

mvp-comment-485-1 δύο ⁶⁴

mvp-comment-485-2 ἢ καί τι πλείους ⁶⁵ ἢ καὶ πλείους τις ⁶⁶ τι ⁶⁷ ἢ καὶ πλέους τις ⁶⁸

mvp-comment-485-3 The sense is:—‘Men often reckon on the morrow, or even, perchance ( τι ⁶⁹

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

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.'

Sophocles Trachiniae 896

ed. Francis Storr

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Τροφός

ἄγαν γε· μᾶλλον δʼ, εἰ παροῦσα πλησία

ἔλευσσες οἷʼ ἔδρασε, κάρτʼ ἂν ᾤκτισας.

Χορός

καὶ ταῦτʼ ἔτλη τις χεὶρ γυναικεία κτίσαι;

Current edition Experimental

ἄγαν γε· μᾶλλον δ᾽ om. add, εἰ η δ' εἰ παροῦσα πλησία

ἔλευσσες ἔλευσες ἔλευσσες οἷ᾽ ἔδρασε ἔδρασε(ν) ἔδρασε, κάρτ᾽ ἂν ᾤκτισας.

ΧΟ.

καὶ ταῦτ᾽ ἔτλη τις χεὶρ γυναικεία κτίσαι κτίσαϊ .. κτίσαι?

ΧΟ.

Too true. But hadst thou been at hand to see

Her action, pity would have wrung thy soul.

CH

Could this be ventured by a woman’s hand?

CHORUS
CHORUS . MONODY .

Gewiß; und größer, wenn du gegenwärtig dort
880

Die That gesehen, wäre dein Bedauern noch.

Der Chor.

Und das zu thun, hat eine Frauenhand vermocht?

Der Chor.

Hercules
Strophe. Antiatrophe. Scene III.

The dreadful act against herself perform'd.

Chorus
MAT.

This Nymph, this fatal stranger hath giv'n birth,

Nurse

Birth to a Fury dreadful to this house.,

Dreadful indeed! But more, hadst thou been near,
900

Hadst thou, as I, been present to behold.

Her conduct, more thy pity had been moved.

Chorus
MAT.

Nurse

Too true. And had you been close at hand and seen her do it, you would have pitied her even more.

Chorus

And could a woman’s hand dare to carry out such deeds?

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Τροφός ἄγαν γε· μᾶλλον δʼ, εἰ παροῦσα πλησία ἔλευσσες οἷʼ ἔδρασε, κάρτʼ ἂν ᾤκτισας.

Χορός καὶ ταῦτʼ ἔτλη τις χεὶρ γυναικεία κτίσαι;

Current edition Experimental

ἄγαν γε· μᾶλλον δ᾽ om. add, εἰ η δ' εἰ παροῦσα πλησία ἔλευσσες ἔλευσες ἔλευσσες οἷ᾽ ἔδρασε ἔδρασε(ν) ἔδρασε, κάρτ᾽ ἂν ᾤκτισας.

ΧΟ. καὶ ταῦτ᾽ ἔτλη τις χεὶρ γυναικεία κτίσαι κτίσαϊ .. κτίσαι?

ΧΟ.

Too true. But hadst thou been at hand to see Her action, pity would have wrung thy soul.

CH Could this be ventured by a woman’s hand?

CHORUS CHORUS . MONODY .

Gewiß; und größer, wenn du gegenwärtig dort 880 Die That gesehen, wäre dein Bedauern noch.

Der Chor. Und das zu thun, hat eine Frauenhand vermocht?

Der Chor.

Hercules Strophe. Antiatrophe. Scene III.

The dreadful act against herself perform'd.

Chorus MAT. This Nymph, this fatal stranger hath giv'n birth,

Nurse Birth to a Fury dreadful to this house., Dreadful indeed! But more, hadst thou been near, 900 Hadst thou, as I, been present to behold. Her conduct, more thy pity had been moved.

Chorus MAT.

Nurse Too true. And had you been close at hand and seen her do it, you would have pitied her even more.

Chorus And could a woman’s hand dare to carry out such deeds?

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Τροφός

ἄγαν γε· μᾶλλον δʼ, εἰ παροῦσα πλησία

ἔλευσσες οἷʼ ἔδρασε, κάρτʼ ἂν ᾤκτισας.

Χορός

καὶ ταῦτʼ ἔτλη τις χεὶρ γυναικεία κτίσαι;

ἄγαν γε· μᾶλλον δ᾽ om. add, εἰ η δ' εἰ παροῦσα πλησία

ἔλευσσες ἔλευσες ἔλευσσες οἷ᾽ ἔδρασε ἔδρασε(ν) ἔδρασε, κάρτ᾽ ἂν ᾤκτισας.

ΧΟ.

καὶ ταῦτ᾽ ἔτλη τις χεὶρ γυναικεία κτίσαι κτίσαϊ .. κτίσαι?

Too true. But hadst thou been at hand to see

Her action, pity would have wrung thy soul.

CH

Could this be ventured by a woman’s hand?

CHORUS
CHORUS . MONODY .

Gewiß; und größer, wenn du gegenwärtig dort
880

Die That gesehen, wäre dein Bedauern noch.

Der Chor.

Und das zu thun, hat eine Frauenhand vermocht?

Hercules
Strophe. Antiatrophe. Scene III.

Chorus
MAT.

This Nymph, this fatal stranger hath giv'n birth,

Nurse

Birth to a Fury dreadful to this house.,

Dreadful indeed! But more, hadst thou been near,
900

Hadst thou, as I, been present to behold.

Her conduct, more thy pity had been moved.

Chorus
MAT.

Nurse

Too true. And had you been close at hand and seen her do it, you would have pitied her even more.

Chorus

And could a woman’s hand dare to carry out such deeds?