Sophocles Trachiniae 52

mvp-comment-179-1 The

(180), who has listened in silence, now places himself between Deianeira and the door through which she is about to follow Lichas and the captives.

mvp-comment-179-2 αὐτοῦ γε πρῶτον βαιὸν ἀμμείνας’ ¹ γε ²

mvp-comment-179-3 ἀμμείνας’ ³

mvp-comment-180-1 ἄνευ ⁴ τ’ ⁵ μάθῃς ⁶ μάθῃς ⁷ ἐκμάθῃς ⁸ οὕστινας ⁹

mvp-comment-180-2 ὧν τ’ οὐδὲν εἰσήκουσας ¹⁰

mvp-comment-181-1 πάντ’ ¹¹

mvp-comment-182-1 τί δ’ ἔστι ¹²

mvp-comment-182-2 τοῦ ¹³

mvp-comment-182-3 ἐφίστασαί με ¹⁴ τήνδε βάσιν ¹⁵

mvp-comment-182-4 The midd.

does not elsewhere occur in a causal sense (except in the aor., as Xen. Cyr.8. 2. 19 ). But the causal use of ( Aesch. Eum.706 , Thuc.2. 6 ) appears to warrant a like use of , where, as here, the context helps to explain it. Cp. also Plat. Tim. 63 C

γεώδη γένη διϊστάμενοι

, ‘separating.’ [But we cannot properly compare O. C.916 , ‘you bring to your own side,’ ‘subjugate’: nor Plat. Rep. 565C : where there is a special reason for using the midd.] The midd. in Soph. O. C.244 is similarly unique, and has a like justification.

mvp-comment-182-5 A fact which confirms this view is that

were regularly used with ref. to a halt. Xen. An.2. 4. 26 . (For , ‘a halt,’ cp. Soph. Ant.225 n.) Polyb. 16. 34. 2 . Diod.17. 112 . Plut. Cim. 1 . Arrian 5. 16. 1 .

mvp-comment-182-6 Another explanation is: τοῦ με ἐφίστασαι ¹⁶ τήνδε βάσιν ¹⁷ με ¹⁸ μοι ¹⁹ τοῦ ²⁰ ἐφ’ οὗ ²¹ με ²²

335. mvp-comment-260-1 ἀμμείνασα] Sc. χωροῖς ἄν. Ср. Phil. 645, χωρῶμεν, ἔνδοθεν λαβών. For the use of the participle with ye = 'Not until,' cp. Plat. Phaedr. 228 D, δείξας γε πρῶτον, ὦ φιλότης, κ.τ.λ. The "Αγγελος is rude, and something of a busy-body, but honest and well-meaning.

336. mvp-comment-261-1 ἄνευ τῶνδε] When Lichas and the captives are not present.'

337. mvp-comment-262-1 ἐκμάθῃς θ' ἃ δεῖ] The change from τε to γε in AVR is an attempt to simplify the sentence, but still leaves an awkward resumption. The Αγγελος, full of the importance of his message, and yet afraid to speak it too soon, hurries over the latter part of the sentence, 'That you may learn, first who they are whom you are taking within, and then what else is hidden from you, and (in short) that you may learn fully what you ought to know.'

338. mvp-comment-263-1 l. 338 is characteristic of the man's self-importance. There is a certain ὄγκος in the postponement of γάρ (Aj. 522, El. 492); and the expression πάντ᾽ ἐπιστήμη, 'Knowledge as to all things, Absolute knowledge,' has also a mockheroic (almost 'Pistol'-like) air.

339. mvp-comment-264-1 τί δ᾽ ἐστί] 'What is the matter? Why do you stay my footsteps here with your interruption?" τοῦ for τίνος = τίνος ἕνεκα. See Essay on L. § 10. p. 15 d. The punctuation (that of L) is rendered probable by comparing Ο. Τ. 938, τί δ᾽ ἔστι; ποίαν δύναμιν ὧδ᾽ ἔχει διπλῆν ; ἐφίστασαι] The present middle of ἵστημι is used transitively in Hdt. 7. 9, πολέμους ἵστανται, 'They set up wars amongst themselves.' παρίστασθαι is so used by Sophocles, O. C. 916, ἄγεις θ' ἃ χρήζεις καὶ παρίστασαι βίᾳ, and by other writers: καθίσταμαι by Eur. Suppl. 522, πόλεμον οὐ καθίσταμαι: προίστασθαι by Plato and Demosthenes : διίστασθαι by Plato, Tim. 63 C. It is therefore possible that ἐφίστασθαι here and in Aj. 869 (ἐπίσταται MSS.) may mean, 'To arrest.' τήνδε . . βάσιν] The second accusative expresses the respect in which Deianira was stopped: 'In this going,' i.e. in going, as I have just begun to do. The above interpretation, which is that of the Scholiast, agrees better with the context than if ἐφίστασαι were taken intransitively: Why do you stand before me in this your coming?' See esp. l. 335, αὐτοῦ. . ἀμμείνασα, and 340, σταθεῖσα.