Sophocles Ajax 245

Robert Potter (Translator)

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Time is it then we veil our heads, and steal
245
With secret foot away; or mount our seats, 1
245
Ply the strong oar, and to the ocean give
Our lightly-bounding bark. Such threats severe
The sons of Atreus, who command our host,
Denounce against us: crush'd with stones, I fear,
We too shall feel their vengeance, with our lord.
Now struggling in the bonds of ruthless fate.

Ajax. Sophocles. Robert Potter (Translator). London. 1820.

Current edition Experimental

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) (English) (English (Robert Potter, 1788))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (4)
Αἴας μαστιγοφόρος First1KGreek (Sophocles. Sophoclis Aiax. Lobeck Christian, editor. Berlin: Weidmann, 1866.) — 258-342 focus
Αἴας First1KGreek (Sophocles. Sophoclis Fabulae. Pearson, Alfred Chilton, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924.) — 263-347 focus
Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 245 focus
ἀντ. ὥρα τιν᾽ ἤδη τίν᾽ ἤδη τοι κρᾶτα ἤδη κράτα ἤδη τοι κράτα κάρα καλύμμασι
245
κρυψάμενον ποδοῖν κλοπὰν ἀρέσθαι,
ἢ θοὸν εἰρεσίας ζυγὸν ἑζόμενον
ποντοπόρῳ ναὶ μεθεῖναι.
Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 263-347 focus
Translations (4)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 245 focus
Ah! then ’tis time, our heads in mantles hiding,
245
Our feet on some stol’n pathway now to ply,
245
Or with swift oarage o’er the billows gliding,
245
With ordered stroke to make the good ship fly
245
Such threats the Atridae, armed with two fold power,
Launch to assail us. Oh, I sadly fear
Stones from fierce hands on us and him will shower,
Whose heavy plight no comfort may come near.
’Tis changed, his rage, like sudden blast,
Without the lightning gleam is past
And now that Reason’s light returns,
New sorrow in his spirit burns.
For when we look on self made woe,
In which no hand but ours had part,
Thought of such griefs and whence they flow
Brings aching misery to the heart.
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 245 focus
Nun ist es Zeit, unser Haupt in bergende Hüllen versteckt, 1
Verstohlen fortzuflüchten,
Oder gewandt zu den Rudern, in Eile des meer-
wandelnden Schiffs Bande zu lösen.
240
Mit solchen Drohworten bestürmt uns das Atridenpaar hier,
Die Trozvollen: mir bangt, ach, vom erhobnen Steine
Erreicht, muß ich verderben, wie er, den grauses Leiden fesselt.
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 245 focus
And wond'ring crowds repeat the dreadful tale ;
245
Alas ! I fear th' event ! I fear me much.
Lest, with their flocks and herds the shepherds slain,
Against himself he lift his murth'rous hand.
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 263-346 focus

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-163-1 ἤδη τοι κρᾶτα 1 ἀνδρὸς 2 ἀνέρος 3 τοι 4 κρᾶτα 5 κάρα 6 ἐδήλωσας 7 ἔδειξας 8 ἔφηνας 9 ἐδήλους 10 τοι 11 ἤτοι 12

mvp-comment-163-2 κρᾶτα … κρυψάμενον 13

mvp-comment-163-3 ποδοῖν κλοπὰν ἀρέσθαι 14 κλοπὰν 15

mvp-comment-164-1 θοὸν 16 εἰρεσίας 17 ζυγὸν 18

mvp-comment-164-2 ναῒ μεθεῖναι 19

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

245. mvp-comment-181-1 κάρα is the emendation of Triclinius for κρᾶτα, which is in most MSS., generally with τοι preceding: according to Hermann this was due to a mistaken metrical emendation. Reading κάρα and retaining τοι, we might read in supr. 221, οἴαν ἐδήλωσας *κατ᾿ ἀνδρὸς αἴθονος. τιν'] ἱ.ε. ἡμᾶς. Essay on L. § 22. p. 36. κάρα καλύμμασι κρυψάμενον] 'Veiling one's head,' either (1) in token of confusion and shame as well as sorrow. Cp. Od. 8.92; Plat. Phaedr. 243 В. Or (2) by way of disguise. ποδοῖν κλοπὰν ἀρέσθαι] i. e. φυγὴν ἀρέσθαι, 'to steal away on foot.' Cp. Eur. Or. 1499, ἐκκλέπτειν πόδα: Rhes. 54, αἴρεσθαι φυγήν.

247. mvp-comment-182-1 θοὸν εἰρεσίας ζυγὸν ἑζόμενον] 'Pressing the swift rowing-bench.' Cp. Aesch. Ag. 982, θάρσος . . ἵζει φρενὸς φίλον θρόνον. And for the hypallage ( =θοᾶς εἰρεσίας ζυγόν), see Essay on L. § 42. p. 80.