Sophocles, Electra, ed. Lewis Campbell, 369

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μηδὲν πρὸς ὀργὴν πρὸς θεῶν· ὡς τοῖς λόγοις

ἔνεστιν ἀμφοῖν κέρδος, εἰ σὺ μὲν μάθοις
370

τοῖς τῆσδε χρῆσθαι, τοῖς δὲ σοῖς αὕτη αὐτὴ LAF. αὕτη Pal. πάλιν.

ΧΡ.

ἐγὼ μέν, ὦ γυναῖκες, ἠθάς εἰμί εἰμή L. πως

τῶν τῆσδε μύθων· οὐδ᾽ ἂν ἐμνήσθην ποτέ,

εἰ μὴ κακὸν μέγιστον εἰς αὐτὴν ἰὸν

ἤκουσ᾽, ὃ ταύτην τῶν μακρῶν σχήσει γόων.
375

ΗΛ.

φέρ᾽ εἰπὲ δὴ τὸ δεινόν. εἰ γὰρ τῶνδέ μοι

μεῖζόν τι λέξεις, οὐκ ἂν ἀντείποιμ᾽ ἔτι.

ΧΡ.

ἀλλ᾽ ἐξερῶ σοι σοι C. τοι AΓ. πᾶν ὅσον κάτοιδ᾽ ἐγώ.

μέλλουσι γάρ σ᾽, εἰ τῶνδε μὴ λήξῃς γόων γρ. καὶ λόγων C².,

ἐνταῦθα πέμψειν, ἔνθα μή ποθ᾽ ἡλίου
380

φέγγος προσόψει, ζῶσα δ᾽ ἐν κατηρεφεῖ

στέγῃ χθονὸς τῆσδ᾽ ἐκτὸς ὑμνήσεις κακά.

πρὸς ταῦτα φράζου, καί με μή ποθ᾽ ὕστερον

παθοῦσα μέμψῃ. νῦν γὰρ ἐν καλῷ φρονεῖν.

ΗΛ.

Electra. Sophocles. ed. Lewis Campbell. Oxford. 1879.

Current edition Experimental

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Greek) (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (1)

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 369 focus

Χορός

μηδὲν πρὸς ὀργήν, πρὸς θεῶν· ὡς τοῖς λόγοις

ἔνεστιν ἀμφοῖν κέρδος, εἰ σὺ μὲν μάθοις
370

τοῖς τῆσδε χρῆσθαι, τοῖς δὲ σοῖς αὕτη πάλιν.

Χρυσόθεμις

ἐγὼ μέν, ὦ γυναῖκες, ἠθάς εἰμί πως

τῶν τῆσδε μύθων· οὐδʼ ἂν ἐμνήσθην ποτέ,

εἰ μὴ κακὸν μέγιστον εἰς αὐτὴν ἰὸν

ἤκουσʼ, ὃ ταύτην τῶν μακρῶν σχήσει γόων.
375

Ἠλέκτρα

φέρʼ εἰπὲ δὴ τὸ δεινόν· εἰ γὰρ τῶνδέ μοι

μεῖζόν τι λέξεις, οὐκ ἂν ἀντείποιμʼ ἔτι.

Χρυσόθεμις

ἀλλʼ ἐξερῶ σοι πᾶν ὅσον κάτοιδʼ ἐγώ.

μέλλουσι γάρ σʼ, εἰ τῶνδε μὴ λήξεις γόων,

ἐνταῦθα πέμψειν ἔνθα μή ποθʼ ἡλίου
380

φέγγος προσόψει, ζῶσα δʼ ἐν κατηρεφεῖ

στέγῃ χθονὸς τῆσδʼ ἐκτὸς ὑμνήσεις κακά.

πρὸς ταῦτα φράζου καί με μή ποθʼ ὕστερον

παθοῦσα μέμψῃ· νῦν γὰρ ἐν καλῷ φρονεῖν.

Translations (5)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 369 focus

No anger, we entreat. Both have said well,

If each would learn of other, and so do.

CHR

For my part, women, use hath seasoned me

To her discourse. Nor had I spoken of this,

Had I not heard a horror coming on

That will restrain her from her endless moan.
375

EL

Come speak it forth, this terror! I will yield,

If thou canst tell me worse than I endure.

CHR

I’ll tell thee all I know. If thou persist

In these thy wailings, they will send thee far

From thine own land, and close thee from the day,
380

Where in a rock-hewn chamber thou may’st chant

Thine evil orisons in darkness drear.

Think of it, while there ’s leisure to reflect;

Or if thou suffer, henceforth blame me not.

EL

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 369 focus

Laß, bei den Göttern, keinem Zorne Naum; es ist

Gewinn in Beider Worten, wenn nur ihre du

Zu nüzen wüßtest und sie selbst die deinigen.

Chrysothemis.

Ich bin an ihre Reden, traun, so ziemlich schon

Gewöhnt, o Frauen, und ich hätte Nichts erwähnt,
365

Wenn nicht ein großes Uebel sie der Sage nach

Bedrohte, das ihr langes Jammern enden soll.

Elektra.

Auf, nenne mir das Grause; wenn es schlimmer ist,

Als meine Leiden, widersprech' ich fürder nicht.

Chrysothemis.

Ich will dir Alles sagen, was ich selber weiß.
370

Sie wollen, wenn du deinen Klagen nicht entsagst,

Dorthin dich senden, wo du nie der Sonne Strahl

Mehr schau'n und lebend im gewölbten Felsengrab,

Fern diesem Lande, dein Geschick bejammern sollst.

Dies denn bedenkend, klage nicht hernach mich an
375

In deinem Unglück. Werde klug, noch ist es Zeit.

Elektra.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 369 focus

But soft^ behold the fair Chrysothemis

Advance this way, and in her hand she bears
370

Sepulchral offerings to the shades below.

Chrysothemis
Scene IV.

Still, my Electra, pouring forth thy giiefs?

Art thou not yet by sad experience taught

How little they avail ? I too must feel

And could resent, as, were thy sister's power

But equal to her will, our foes should know.

Meantime with lowered sail to bear the storm

Befits us best, nor, helpless as we are,

With idle hopes to meditate revenge ;

Yield then with me, and though impartial justice

Plead on thy side, remember, if we prize
375

Or hfe or liberty, we must obey.
375

Electra

It ill becomes great Agamemnon's daughter

Thus to forget her noble father's worth.

And take a base unworthy mother's part ;

For well I see from whom thy counsels flow ;

Nought from thyself thou sayst but all from her X

/^l^ther thy reason 's lost, or if thou hast it,

» Tliou hast forgot thy friends who should be dear

And precious to thee. Of thy boasted hate

Again^i our foes, and what thou vauntst to do

If thou i^adst power I reck not, whilst with me

Thou wilt not join in great revenge, but still

Dissuadsfc nie from it ; is 't not cowardly

To leave me Mius? Tell me, I beg thee, tell me

"What mighty gain awaits my tame submission,

Should I suppress my griefs. I can but live ;

That I do now — aN:jvretched life indeed !

But 'tis enough for\ie, and I am happy

Whilst I can torture ^em, and to the dead

Pay grateful honours — If^tp them such care

Aught grateful can bestov^ij Thy hate, I fear me,

Is but in word : thou dost ibefriend the murderers :

For me, not all the wealth they could bestow,

Not all the gifts which they have poured on thee.

Should bind me to 'em. Take thy costly banquets,

And let thy days with ease and pleasure flow ;

Crive me but focxl, and I am satisfied.

1 wish not for thy houours, nor wouldst

If thou wert wise, receive them at their hands.

Thou mightst be daughter to the best of fathers,

And art thy mother's only. Take that name,

And henceforth all shall mark thee as a wretch

Who hath betrayed her father and her friends.

Choii. 1 do entreat you, let not anger come

Between you thus ; you both have reasoned well,

And much of mutual benefit may flow

If each to other lend a patient ear.

Chrysothemis

Custom, niy noble friends, hath made re-

proach

Familiar to me, and, so well I know
380

Her haughty mind, 1 had been silent still.

But that I saw the danger ^immiuent,

And came to warn her of the fatal stroke

Which soon must end her and her griefs together.

Electra

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 369 focus

Forgive me then. How can a woman, sprung

Chrysothemis

From noble blood, who sees her father's wrongs,

Not mourn as I do, who each day, each night,

Behold those wrongs increasing with fresh force?

My mother, she who bore me, is the first
380

In all despiteful treatment. Then I live

In mine own house with those, whose impious hands

Murder'd my father; these I feel my lords,

And at their pleasure I receive, or want.

Electra

and weep, and waste away

At a vile feast, that bears my father's name,

In secret mourning, for I dare not pour

My tears to sooth the anguish of my soul;

For soon this woman, to her noble name

A foul disgrace, calls out, and with harsh words
370

Reviles me, "Wretch, detested by the gods,
370

"To thee alone then did thy father die?
370

"Dost none but thou lament him? Get thee hence,
370

"And perish: never may th' infernal gods

"Soften the sorrows which now rend thy heart!"

Thus she reviles me; but if one she hears

Speak of Orestes as returning, wild

Chrysothemis

With rage she comes, and thunders in my ears,

"Thou art the cause of this; this is thy work;

"By thee Orestes from my hand was snatch'd,

"By thee in secret hence convey'd: but know

"Thou shalt be punish'd as thy deeds deserve."

Then to her savage menace adding flames

Comes her illustrious husband, that disgrace

To manhood, who his coward battles fights,

Polluted monster, with a woman leagued.

Whilst expectation always prompts my hopes

That, arm'd with vengeance to repress these ills,

Orestes will return, I pine with grief.

Still he delays to act; and this delay

Sinks all my present, and my future hopes.

In such a state, my friends, the human mind
375

But ill preserves a calm well-temper'd frame,
375

And holy reverence; but, oppress'd with ills,
375

By sad constraint turns all its thoughts to ill.
375

Chorus

But tell us, is Ægisthus, while we hoid

This converse, near, or distant from this place?

Electra

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 369 focus

Chorus

Away with anger, for the gods’ sake! There is

advantage for both of you in what is urged, if you, Electra, would learn to implement her advice, and she, again, yours.
370

Chrysothemis

For my part, friends, I am not at all unaccustomed to her insults, nor would I have mentioned this, if I had not heard that the greatest disaster is now rushing down on her,

one which will restrain her from her long mourning.
375

Electra

Come then, name this terror! If you can tell me of anything worse than my present condition, I would resist no more.

Chrysothemis

I will tell you all that I know. If you will not cease from your mourning, they intend

to send you where you will never look upon the sun’s brilliance, but passing your life in a covered chamber beyond this land’s borders you will make hymns of your calamity. Think on this, and do not blame me later, when you suffer. Now is the time to think wisely.
380

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-96-1 δέξεται εὐπατρίδαν ¹

mvp-comment-96-2 Διὸς εὔφρονι ² βήματι ³

mvp-comment-96-3 γᾶν ⁴ γᾶ ⁵

mvp-comment-96-4 Ὀρέσταν ⁶ ὃν ⁷

mvp-comment-97-1 ἀκάματα ⁸

mvp-comment-97-2 ἀνύμφευτος ⁹ ἄτεκνος ¹⁰

mvp-comment-97-3 οἰχνῶ ¹¹

mvp-comment-98-1 δάκρυσι μυδαλέα ¹²

mvp-comment-98-2 τὸν ἀνήνυτον ¹³

mvp-comment-98-3 οἶτον ἔχουσα ¹⁴

mvp-comment-99-1 ὧν τ’ ἔπαθ’ ¹⁵ ὧν τ’ ἐδάη ¹⁶

mvp-comment-99-2 Wecklein, reading

ἐδάην

, explains,— ‘what I have heard from him,’—viz., his promises of coming.

mvp-comment-99-3 τί γὰρ … ἀγγελίας ¹⁷

mvp-comment-99-4 ἀπατώμενον ¹⁸ τί … οὐκ ¹⁹

mvp-comment-99-5 Herwerden's οὐχί μοι ²⁰ οὐκ ἐμοί ²¹ ὁ δέ ²²

mvp-comment-100-1 ποθεῖ, ποθῶν δ’ ²³

mvp-comment-101-1 ἔτι μέγας οὐρανῷ ²⁴ ἐν ²⁵

mvp-comment-102-1 τὸν ὑπεραλγῆ ²⁶

mvp-comment-102-2 νέμουσα ²⁷

mvp-comment-103-1 μήτε ὑπεράχθεο ²⁸ οἷς ²⁹

mvp-comment-104-1 εὐμαρὴς θεός ³⁰ θεός ³¹

mvp-comment-105-1 οὔτε γὰρ ³²

mvp-comment-105-2 Κρῖσαν ³³

mvp-comment-105-3 Crisa stood about two miles W.S.W. of Delphi, on a spur of Parnassus, at the lower outlet of the gorge through which the river Pleistus issues into the plain. The Iliad mentions ‘sacred Crisa’ (

ζαθέην

, 2. 520). But the Homeric Hymn to the Pythian Apollo is the best witness to its ancient power. There, just as here, the name

Κρῖσα

includes the land which stretches southward from the town to its harbour on the ‘wide gulf’ (vv. 253— 261). We need not, then, read

Κρίσᾳ

Κρίσας

. Crisa was the earliest seat of trade on the western sea; Delphi, when first founded, was merely a sanctuary in its territory. Pindar recalls the old prominence of its name when he describes a Pythian victory as won

Κρισαίαις ἐνὶ πτυχαῖς

( P. 6. 18).

mvp-comment-105-4 Cirrha, a town of much later date, was the port of Crisa on the gulf. About 585 B.C., the Delphians, aided by Cleisthenes of Sicyon and his allies, succeeded, after a long struggle, in humbling Crisa and destroying Cirrha. The Crisaean plain was then devoted to Apollo, whose domain was thus extended from his temple to the coast. When Sophocles wrote, that ground was still a

βούνομος ἀκτή

, inviolable by plough or spade. It was not till the middle of the next century that the alleged encroachments of Amphissa on the

ἱερὰ χώρα

gave a pretext for war to the Amphictyons (355 B.C.).

mvp-comment-105-5 Ulrichs ( Reisen in Griechenland) was the first to place the relations of Crisa and Cirrha in a clear light. Strabo correctly describes the site of Cirrha, but erroneously places Crisa to the east of it (9. p. 418).

mvp-comment-106-1 βούνομον ³⁴ βουνόμον ³⁵

mvp-comment-106-2 βούνομον ἀκτὰν ³⁶ Κρῖσαν ³⁷

mvp-comment-107-1 ἀπερίτροπος ³⁸

mvp-comment-108-1 παρὰ τὸν Ἀχέροντα ³⁹ ἀνάσσων ⁴⁰ θεὸς ⁴¹

mvp-comment-109-1 μὲν ⁴²

mvp-comment-109-2 ὁ πολὺς … βίοτος ⁴³

mvp-comment-109-3 ἀνέλπιστος ⁴⁴

mvp-comment-109-4 187 *

τεκέων

. I am now satisfied that this is a true correction of τοκέων ⁴⁵ ἅτις ⁴⁶ τοκέων ⁴⁷

mvp-comment-110-1 ἁπερεί ⁴⁸

mvp-comment-110-2 ἔποικος ⁴⁹

mvp-comment-111-1 οἰκονομῶ θαλάμους ⁵⁰

mvp-comment-112-1 ἀεικεῖ σὺν στολᾷ ⁵¹

mvp-comment-113-1 κεναῖς δ’ ἀμφίσταμαι τραπέζαις ⁵² ἀμφίσταμαι ⁵³

mvp-comment-113-2 Hartung, reading

κενὰ δ’ ἀμφίσταμαι τραπέζαις

, takes the sense to be that she stands ‘hungry’ by the tables at which the others feast. But

κενή

as=

νῆστις

would be neither usual nor elegant.

mvp-comment-114-1 Hitherto the Chorus have offered consolation or counsel. At v. 213 they return to that strain. But here, moved by Electra's misery, they join with her in bewailing its cause.

mvp-comment-114-2 οἰκτρὰ μὲν … πλαγά ⁵⁴ κοίταις ⁵⁵ οἰκτρὰ … αὐδὰ ⁵⁶

mvp-comment-114-3 Sophocles, who follows the Homeric story as to the banquet, could not but remember the

οἰκτροτάτην ὄπα

of the dying Cassandra. And this might naturally suggest to him that other

οἰκτρὰ αὐδή

which she had uttered at an earlier moment, immediately after Agamemnon's return,—her presage of his fate, and her own: Aesch. Ag. 1072 —1314.

mvp-comment-114-4 The sense then is:—‘There was a voice of lamentation at the return from Troy’; alluding especially to Cassandra's laments, but also, perhaps, to forebodings in the mouth of the people at Mycenae. ‘And there was a voice of lamentation

ἐν κοίταις πατρῴαις

, when thy father lay on the couch at the fatal banquet.’ The ‘voice’ at the banquet is, first, that of the dying Agamemnon; but Sophocles may have thought also of Cassandra's death-cry, which was sounding in the king's ears as he fell.—For other interpretations, see Appendix.

mvp-comment-114-5 νόστοις ⁵⁷ ἐν ⁵⁸

mvp-comment-114-6 κοίταις ⁵⁹

mvp-comment-114-7 ὅτε οἱ ⁶⁰ σοι ⁶¹ ἀνταία ⁶²

mvp-comment-114-8 γενύων ⁶³

mvp-comment-115-1 δόλος … ἔρος ⁶⁴

mvp-comment-116-1 δεινὰν δεινῶς ⁶⁵ δεινὰν … μορφάν ⁶⁶

mvp-comment-116-2 εἴτ’ οὖν … εἴτε ⁶⁷ βροτῶν ⁶⁸

mvp-comment-117-1 πλέον … ἐχθίστα ⁶⁹

mvp-comment-117-2 δὴ ⁷⁰

mvp-comment-118-1 νὺξ ⁷¹

mvp-comment-118-2 δείπνων ⁷²

mvp-comment-119-1 ἄχθη ⁷³ τοῖς ⁷⁴ θανάτους ⁷⁵

mvp-comment-119-2 διδύμαιν χειροῖν ⁷⁶ διδύμοιν ⁷⁷

mvp-comment-120-1 εἷλον … πρόδοτον ⁷⁸

mvp-comment-121-1 οἷς ⁷⁹

mvp-comment-121-2 Ὀλύμπιος ⁸⁰

mvp-comment-122-1 ποίνιμα ⁸¹

mvp-comment-123-1 ἀγλαΐας ⁸²

mvp-comment-123-2 ἀποναίατο ⁸³

mvp-comment-124-1 πόρσω ⁸⁴

mvp-comment-125-1 γνώμαν ἴσχεις ⁸⁵

mvp-comment-125-2 ἐξ οἵων ⁸⁶

mvp-comment-125-3 τὰ παρόντ’ ⁸⁷

mvp-comment-125-4 οἰκείας ⁸⁸

mvp-comment-126-1 πολύ … τι κακῶν ⁸⁹

mvp-comment-126-2 ὑπερεκτήσω ⁹⁰

mvp-comment-127-1 τὰ δὲ ⁹¹ οὐκ ἐριστὰ τοῖς δυνατοῖς ⁹² πλάθειν ⁹³

mvp-comment-127-2 ἐριστά ⁹⁴

mvp-comment-127-3 πλάθειν ⁹⁵

mvp-comment-128-1 δεινοῖς ἠναγκάσθην ⁹⁶

mvp-comment-129-1 ὀργά ⁹⁷ ἔξοιδ’ ⁹⁸

mvp-comment-130-1 ἀλλὰ … γὰρ ⁹⁹

mvp-comment-130-2 ἐν … δεινοῖς ¹⁰⁰

mvp-comment-130-3 σχήσω ¹⁰¹

mvp-comment-130-4 ταύτας ἄτας ¹⁰²

mvp-comment-131-1 ὄφρα ¹⁰³

mvp-comment-131-2 βίος ἔχῃ με ¹⁰⁴ σχήσω ¹⁰⁵

mvp-comment-132-1 τίνι γάρ … τίνι φρονοῦντι καίρια ¹⁰⁶ ἀκούσαιμ’ ἂν πρόσφορον ἔπος ¹⁰⁷ τίνι ¹⁰⁸ πρόσφορον ¹⁰⁹

mvp-comment-132-2 Other explanations are:—(1) Taking the dative with

πρόσφορον

:—‘To what person who feels aright would that word be suitable which I should hear (=which would be said of me)?’ That is: Should I not deserve to incur a censure from which every right-minded person would shrink? Should I not deserve to be called

δυσσεβής

? This seems forced; and it does not well suit

ἔπος

. (2) Taking the dative with

ἀκούσαιμι

:—‘At whose mouth (= from whom), that thinks aright, could I hear a suitable word of comfort?’ But such a dative seems impossible. In Il. 16. 515

δύνασαι δὲ σὺ πάντοσ’ ἀκούειν

ἀνέρι κηδομένῳ

, the dat. is one of interest, denoting the person whose prayer is heard (‘ for him’); cp. Il. 5. 115

κλῦθί μοι

: 24. 335

ἔκλυες ᾧ κ’ ἐθέλῃσθα

mvp-comment-133-1 ἄνετε ¹¹⁰

mvp-comment-133-2 ἄλυτα ¹¹¹

mvp-comment-133-3 κεκλήσεται ¹¹²

mvp-comment-133-4 231 f. For ἐκ ¹¹³

mvp-comment-133-5 ἀνάριθμος ¹¹⁴ θρήνων ¹¹⁵

mvp-comment-134-1 ἀλλ’ οὖν ¹¹⁶ γε ¹¹⁷ εὐνοίᾳ ¹¹⁸

mvp-comment-135-1 μάτηρ ὡσεί τις ¹¹⁹

mvp-comment-136-1 μὴ τίκτειν ¹²⁰

mvp-comment-136-2 ἄταν ἄταις ¹²¹

mvp-comment-137-1 καὶ τί μέτρον ¹²² κακότατος ¹²³

mvp-comment-137-2 φέρε ¹²⁴

mvp-comment-137-3 ἐπὶ τοῖς φθ. ¹²⁵

mvp-comment-138-1 ἔβλαστ’ ¹²⁶

mvp-comment-139-1 τούτοις ¹²⁷

mvp-comment-140-1 εἴ τῳ πρόσκειμαι χρηστῷ ¹²⁸

mvp-comment-141-1 ξυνναίοιμ’ ¹²⁹

mvp-comment-141-2 εὔκηλος ¹³⁰

mvp-comment-141-3 γονέων ¹³¹ ἐκτίμους ¹³²

mvp-comment-141-4 ἐκτίμους ἵσχουσα ¹³³

mvp-comment-141-5 πτέρυγας … γόων ¹³⁴

mvp-comment-141-6 ὀξυτόνων ¹³⁵

mvp-comment-142-1 εἰ γὰρ ¹³⁶

mvp-comment-142-2 γᾶ ¹³⁷

mvp-comment-142-3 οὐδὲν ¹³⁸ ὢν ¹³⁹ εἰ ¹⁴⁰

mvp-comment-142-4 Electra is contrasting her father, whose earthly life has been cut short, with his murderers, who survive. But she believes that his spirit lives in the world below, and will be active in aiding the vengeance (453 ff.).

mvp-comment-142-5 πάλιν ¹⁴¹

mvp-comment-142-6 ἀντιφόνους δίκας ¹⁴²

mvp-comment-143-1 ἔρροι τ’ ¹⁴³

mvp-comment-143-2 αἰδὼς ¹⁴⁴ εὐσέβεια ¹⁴⁵

mvp-comment-144-1 ἐγὼ μὲν ¹⁴⁶

mvp-comment-144-2 καὶ ¹⁴⁷ τὸ σὸν … καὶ τοὐμὸν ¹⁴⁸

mvp-comment-145-1 νίκα ¹⁴⁹

mvp-comment-145-2 ἅμα ¹⁵⁰

mvp-comment-146-1 πολλοῖσι θρήνοις ¹⁵¹

mvp-comment-147-1 ἀλλὰ … γὰρ ¹⁵²

mvp-comment-148-1 ἥτις εὐγενὴς γυνή ¹⁵³

mvp-comment-149-1 πατρῷα … πήματα ¹⁵⁴

mvp-comment-150-1 κατ’ εὐφρόνην ¹⁵⁵

mvp-comment-150-2 θάλλοντα ¹⁵⁶

mvp-comment-151-1 ᾗ ¹⁵⁷

mvp-comment-151-2 πρῶτα μὲν … εἶτα … ἔπειτα ¹⁵⁸ ᾗ ¹⁵⁹

mvp-comment-151-3 τὰ μητρὸς ¹⁶⁰

mvp-comment-151-4 ἔχθιστα συμβέβηκεν ¹⁶¹

mvp-comment-152-1 κἀκ τῶνδ’ ἄρχομαι ¹⁶²

mvp-comment-153-1 λαβεῖν … τὸ τητᾶσθαι ¹⁶³

mvp-comment-154-1 ποίας ¹⁶⁴ δοκεῖς ¹⁶⁵

mvp-comment-155-1 ἴδω ¹⁶⁶ εἰσίδω δ’ ¹⁶⁷ ἴδω δὲ ¹⁶⁸

mvp-comment-155-2 μὲν ¹⁶⁹

mvp-comment-156-1 ἐσθήματα ¹⁷⁰

mvp-comment-156-2 ἐκείνῳ ¹⁷¹

mvp-comment-156-3 παρεστίους … λοιβάς ¹⁷² ἔνθ’ ἐκεῖνον ὤλεσεν ¹⁷³

mvp-comment-156-4 Acc. to Homer. Hymn. 29. 4 ff., feasts began and ended with libations to Hestia:

οὐ γὰρ ἄτερ σοῦ

εἰλαπίναι θνητοῖσιν, ἵν’ οὐ πρώτῃ πυμάτῃ τε

Ἱστίῃ ἀρχόμενος σπένδει μελιηδέα οἶνον

. Soph. fr. 658

<*> πρῷρα λοιβῆς Ἑστία

. Other divinities, including Zeus

σωτήρ

, were similarly honoured; then the paean was sung, and the

πότος

began ( Plat. Symp.p. 176 A).

mvp-comment-157-1 τούτων ¹⁷⁴

mvp-comment-158-1 αὐτοέντην ¹⁷⁵

mvp-comment-158-2 Brunck first adopted αὐτοέντην ¹⁷⁶ αὐτοφόντην ¹⁷⁷

mvp-comment-158-3 ἡμὶν ¹⁷⁸

mvp-comment-159-1 ταλαίνῃ ¹⁷⁹

mvp-comment-160-1 ταύτην … τῷδε ¹⁸⁰

mvp-comment-161-1 μιάστορι ¹⁸¹ Ἐρινὺν ¹⁸²

mvp-comment-162-1 ἐγγελῶσα τοῖς ποιουμένοις ¹⁸³

mvp-comment-163-1 εὑροῦς’ ¹⁸⁴ τότε ¹⁸⁵

mvp-comment-163-2 The conjecture φρουροῦς’ ¹⁸⁶ τηροῦς’ ¹⁸⁷

mvp-comment-164-1 χοροὺς ἵστησι ¹⁸⁸

mvp-comment-164-2 μηλοσφαγεῖ … ἱερὰ ¹⁸⁹

mvp-comment-164-3 ἔμμην’ ἱερά ¹⁹⁰

mvp-comment-164-4 τοῖς σωτηρίοις ¹⁹¹

mvp-comment-164-5 Argive tradition placed Agamemnon's death on the 13th of Gamelion (about the end of January). So said ‘the Argive historians’ (

οἱ Ἀργολικοὶ συγγραφεῖς

),— according to an Argive writer named Deinias, who lived about 225 B.C. (Schol. here: Müller, Frag. Hist. vol. III. p. 25.) Possibly, then, the idea of Clytaemnestra's hideous festival may have been suggested to the poet by some actual commemoration of the event in Argolis. There was a cult of Agamemnon in various places,—notably in Laconia. (Cp. Roscher's Lexicon, p. 96.)

mvp-comment-165-1 ἡ δύσμορος ¹⁹² κατὰ στέγας ¹⁹³

mvp-comment-166-1 τέτηκα ¹⁹⁴

mvp-comment-166-2 πατρὸς ¹⁹⁵

mvp-comment-166-3 The

δαίς

is the feast which, in Homeric fashion ( Il. 1. 467 ), would follow the sacrifice (281). Acc. to Eustathius p. 1507. 61 (on Hom. Od. 4. 524 ff.),

Ἀγαμεμνόνειος δαὶς

(or

τράπεζα

) was a proverb

ἐπὶ τῶν ἐπ’ ὀλέθρῳ εὐωχουμένων

. The poet may mean that Clytaemnestra called the festival

Ἀγαμεμνόνειος δαίς

, in direct allusion to

δεῖπνα ἄρρητα

(203): and this would give a special point to

ἐγγελῶσα

(277). Cp. Eur. Or. 1008

τά τ’ ἐπώνυμα δεῖπνα Θυέστου

. But the words do not necessarily imply more than that she called it

Ἀγαμεμνόνεια

mvp-comment-167-1 αὐτὴ πρὸς αὑτήν ¹⁹⁶ αὑτήν ¹⁹⁷

mvp-comment-167-2 κλαῦσαι ¹⁹⁸

mvp-comment-167-3 ἡδονὴν φέρει ¹⁹⁹

mvp-comment-168-1 ἡ λόγοισι γενναία ²⁰⁰

mvp-comment-169-1 φωνοῦσα ²⁰¹

mvp-comment-170-1 δύσθεον ²⁰²

mvp-comment-170-2 μίσημα ²⁰³

mvp-comment-170-3 σοὶ μόνῃ ²⁰⁴

mvp-comment-170-4 τέθνηκεν ²⁰⁵

mvp-comment-170-5 ἐν πένθει ²⁰⁶

mvp-comment-171-1 ἐκ γόων ²⁰⁷

mvp-comment-171-2 οἱ κάτω θεοί ²⁰⁸

mvp-comment-172-1 τάδ’ ²⁰⁹

mvp-comment-172-2 ἥξοντ’ Ὀρέστην ²¹⁰

mvp-comment-173-1 παραστᾶς’ ²¹¹

mvp-comment-174-1 ἥτις ²¹²

mvp-comment-174-2 ὑπεξέθου ²¹³

mvp-comment-175-1 ἀλλ’ ἴσθι τοι τείσουσά γ’ ²¹⁴

mvp-comment-176-1 ὑλακτεῖ ²¹⁵

mvp-comment-176-2 σὺν ²¹⁶

mvp-comment-176-3 πέλας ²¹⁷ παρών ²¹⁸

mvp-comment-176-4 301 The adv. πάντα ²¹⁹

mvp-comment-176-5 ἄναλκις ²²⁰

mvp-comment-176-6 ἡ πᾶσα βλάβη ²²¹

mvp-comment-177-1 σὺν γυναιξὶ ²²²

mvp-comment-177-2 τὰς μάχας ²²³

mvp-comment-178-1 ἐφήξειν ²²⁴

mvp-comment-179-1 μέλλων … δρᾶν τι ²²⁵

mvp-comment-179-2 τὰς οὔσας τε … καὶ τὰς ἀπούσας ²²⁶

mvp-comment-179-3 μου ²²⁷ μοι ²²⁸

mvp-comment-179-4 διέφθορεν ²²⁹

mvp-comment-180-1 σωφρονεῖν ²³⁰ εὐσεβεῖν ²³¹

mvp-comment-180-2 ἔν τοι κακοῖς ²³²

mvp-comment-180-3 πολλή )στ’ ἀνάγκη ²³³ κἀπιτηδεύειν κακά ²³⁴

mvp-comment-180-4 I place only a comma, not a colon, after πάρεστιν ²³⁵

mvp-comment-181-1 ὄντος … βεβῶτος ²³⁶

mvp-comment-182-1 ἦ κάρτα ²³⁷

mvp-comment-182-2 θυραῖον ²³⁸

mvp-comment-182-3 οἰχνεῖν ²³⁹

mvp-comment-182-4 ἀγροῖσι ²⁴⁰

mvp-comment-182-5 τυγχάνει ²⁴¹

mvp-comment-183-1 ἦ κἂν … ἱκοίμην ²⁴² ἦ τ<*>ν ²⁴³ ἦ δἂν ²⁴⁴

mvp-comment-183-2 ἐς λόγους τοὺς σοὺς ἱκοίμην ²⁴⁵

mvp-comment-184-1 ὡς νῦν ²⁴⁶ ὥς νυν ²⁴⁷

mvp-comment-184-2 ἱστόρει· τί σοι φίλον ²⁴⁸ τό ²⁴⁹ τά ²⁵⁰

mvp-comment-184-3 With the other punctuation, ἱστόρει τί σοι φίλον ²⁵¹

mvp-comment-185-1 καὶ δὴ ²⁵²

mvp-comment-185-2 τοῦ κασιγνήτου τί φής ²⁵³

mvp-comment-185-3 ἥξοντος ²⁵⁴ ἢ μέλλοντος ²⁵⁵

mvp-comment-186-1 φησίν γε ²⁵⁶

mvp-comment-186-2 ποεῖ ²⁵⁷

mvp-comment-187-1 καὶ μὴν ἔγωγ’ ²⁵⁸ γε ²⁵⁹

mvp-comment-187-2 οὐκ ὄκνῳ ²⁶⁰

mvp-comment-188-1 ἀρκεῖν ²⁶¹

mvp-comment-189-1 ἐπεί ²⁶²

mvp-comment-189-2 μακρὰν ²⁶³

mvp-comment-189-3 324 Here, as in 316, νῦν ²⁶⁴ νυν ²⁶⁵

mvp-comment-189-4 δόμων ²⁶⁶ φέρουσαν ²⁶⁷

mvp-comment-190-1 ὅμαιμον ²⁶⁸

mvp-comment-190-2 φύσιν ²⁶⁹

mvp-comment-191-1 Χρυσόθεμιν ²⁷⁰

mvp-comment-192-1 οἷα ²⁷¹ νομίζεται ²⁷²

mvp-comment-193-1 πρὸς θυρῶνος ἐξόδοις ²⁷³ φωνεῖς ²⁷⁴ ἐλθοῦσα ²⁷⁵ αὖ ²⁷⁶

mvp-comment-193-2 330 For the absence of caesura, cp. Ph. 101 n.

mvp-comment-194-1 θυμῷ … χαρίζεσθαι ²⁷⁷

mvp-comment-195-1 καίτοι τοσοῦτόν γ’ οἶδα ²⁷⁸

mvp-comment-195-2 κἀμαυτήν, ὅτι ²⁷⁹

mvp-comment-195-3 333 f. For the repeated ἄν ²⁸⁰

mvp-comment-195-4 οἶ) αὐτοῖς φρονῶ ²⁸¹

mvp-comment-196-1 ὑφειμένῃ ²⁸² πλεῖν ²⁸³

mvp-comment-196-2 For the image, cp. Eur. Med. 524

ἄκροισι λαίφους κρασπέδοις

(with close-reefed sails)

ὑπεκφυγεῖν

τὴν σὴν στόμαργον, ὦ γύναι, γλωσσαλγίαν

: Ar. Ran. 997

ἀλλ’ ὅπως, ὦ γεννάδα

, |

μὴ πρὸς ὀργὴν ἀντιλέξεις

, |

ἀλλὰ συστείλας, ἄκροισι

χρώμενος τοῖς ἱστίοις κ.τ.λ.

: and conversely Soph. Ant. 715

ναὸς ὅστις ἐγκρατῆ πόδα

τείνας ὑπείκει μηδέν

. Ovid Epist. 1. 8. 71

moderatius opta, | Et voti, quaeso, contrahe vela tui.

Shakesp. Henry VI., pt. iii, act 3 sc. 3. 5

‘Now Margaret | Must strike her sail, and learn awhile to serve | Where kings command.’

mvp-comment-197-1 καὶ μὴ δοκεῖν ²⁸⁴

mvp-comment-198-1 τοιαῦτα δ’ ἄλλα ²⁸⁵ ἀλλὰ ²⁸⁶ ἄλλα ²⁸⁷

mvp-comment-199-1 καίτοι τὸ μὲν δίκαιον ²⁸⁸

mvp-comment-199-2 κρίνεις ²⁸⁹

mvp-comment-199-3 εἰ … με δεῖ ²⁹⁰

mvp-comment-199-4 ἐλευθέραν ²⁹¹

mvp-comment-199-5 ζῆν ²⁹²

mvp-comment-199-6 πάντ’ ²⁹³

mvp-comment-199-7 ἀκουστέα ²⁹⁴

mvp-comment-200-1 δεινόν γε ²⁹⁵

mvp-comment-201-1 τῆς … τικτούσης ²⁹⁶

mvp-comment-201-2 μέλειν ²⁹⁷

mvp-comment-202-1 τἀμὰ νουθετήματα ²⁹⁸

mvp-comment-202-2 κείνης διδακτά ²⁹⁹

mvp-comment-202-3 ἐκ σαυτῆς ³⁰⁰

mvp-comment-203-1 The text, which has been suspected (cr. n.), is sound; but the train of thought is somewhat obscured by compression.

mvp-comment-203-2 ‘You forget your father, and care only for your mother. All your counsels to me come from her. Then (

ἔπειτα

),—that being so,—give up the attempt at a compromise. Make a choice (

ἑλοῦ γε

). You can be imprudent (

φρονεῖν κακῶς

),—as you say that I am,—and loyal to your dead father. Or you can be prudent (

φρονοῦσα

), and forgetful of him,—as you actually are; you who (

ἥτις

) say, indeed, that you would show your hatred of the murderers if you could; and yet, when I do resist them, you try to turn me from my purpose. You merely add the shame of cowardice to our woes.’

mvp-comment-203-3 ἔπειθ’ ³⁰¹

mvp-comment-203-4 ἑλοῦ γε ³⁰²

mvp-comment-203-5 φρονεῖν κακῶς ³⁰³

mvp-comment-203-6 Other explanations are:—(1) ‘Choose to be thought either lost to right feeling, or, if you have such feeling, then at least forgetful of your duty.’ (2) ‘Choose to seem either unintelligent (if you are merely the blind instrument of our rulers); or, if you act with clear understanding (

φρονοῦσα

),—thinking to benefit me,—at least forgetful of your father.’ Both these views assume that the question is merely between two interpretations which might be placed on the present conduct of Chrysothemis. But Electra is putting the dilemma between imprudent loyalty and prudent disloyalty.

mvp-comment-204-1 τῶν φίλων ³⁰⁴

mvp-comment-205-1 ἥτις ³⁰⁵ φρονοῦσα ³⁰⁶ μῖσος ³⁰⁷

mvp-comment-206-1 πάντα ³⁰⁸

mvp-comment-206-2 τιμωρουμένης ³⁰⁹

mvp-comment-207-1 οὔτε … τε ³¹⁰

mvp-comment-207-2 τήν τε δρῶσαν ³¹¹

mvp-comment-208-1 πρὸς κακοῖσι ³¹²

mvp-comment-208-2 δειλίαν ἔχει ³¹³

mvp-comment-209-1 ἐπεὶ ³¹⁴

mvp-comment-209-2 ἢ μάθ’ ἐξ ἐμοῦ ³¹⁵

mvp-comment-210-1 ἐπαρκούντως ³¹⁶

mvp-comment-211-1 προσάπτειν ³¹⁷

mvp-comment-211-2 εἴ τις ἔστ’ ἐκεῖ χάρις ³¹⁸

mvp-comment-212-1 ἡμὶν ³¹⁹ ξύνει ³²⁰

mvp-comment-213-1 τὰ σὰ … δῶῤ ³²¹

mvp-comment-213-2 ἐφ’ οἶσι ³²²

mvp-comment-213-3 χλιδᾷς ³²³

mvp-comment-214-1 ὑπεικάθοιμι ³²⁴

mvp-comment-214-2 πλουσία ³²⁵

mvp-comment-214-3 περιρρείτω ³²⁶

mvp-comment-215-1 τοὐμὲ μὴ λυπεῖν ³²⁷

mvp-comment-215-2 Remark the resemblance to the passage where Antigone—summing up her position—compares the moral pain of neglecting her duty with those penalties which she contemns:—

κείνοις ἂν ἤλγουν· τοῖσδε δ’ οὐκ ἀλγύνομαι

( Ant. 468 ). There, too, we have a Sophoclean triad of clauses, the third echoing the first,—as

τῆς σῆς δ’ οὐκ ἐρῶ τιμῆς τυχεῖν

here reiterates the sense of

σοὶ δὲ πλουσία... βίος

(n. on Ant. 465 ff.).

mvp-comment-215-3 One of the scholia recognises the traditional reading, and explains it correctly: —

τοῦτο μόνον ἐμὲ βοσκέτω, τὸ μὴ λυπεῖν ἐμὲ αὐτήν, εἰ

(‘as I should do, if’)

τοῖς φονεῦσι τοῦ πατρὸς πείθεσθαι ἀναγκασθήσομαι

.—The conjectures have been numerous: see Appendix.

mvp-comment-216-1 οὐδ’ ἂν σὺ ³²⁸

mvp-comment-217-1 παῖδα ³²⁹

mvp-comment-217-2 κεκλῆσθαι ³³⁰

mvp-comment-218-1 πλείστοις ³³¹

mvp-comment-219-1 μηδὲν ³³² πρὸς ὀργὴν ³³³

mvp-comment-220-1 ἀμφοῖν ³³⁴ τοῖς λόγοις ³³⁵

mvp-comment-221-1 τῆσδε … αὕτη ³³⁶ πάλιν ³³⁷

mvp-comment-222-1 ἐγὼ μὲν ³³⁸

mvp-comment-222-2 πως ³³⁹

mvp-comment-222-3 μύθων ³⁴⁰

mvp-comment-223-1 οὐδ’ ³⁴¹ κοὐδ’ ³⁴² ποτέ ³⁴³

mvp-comment-224-1 ἰὸν ³⁴⁴

mvp-comment-224-2 σχήσει ³⁴⁵

mvp-comment-225-1 τὸ δεινὸν ³⁴⁶

mvp-comment-225-2 εἰ γὰρ τῶνδέ μοι ³⁴⁷ εἰ ³⁴⁸

mvp-comment-226-1 γὰρ ³⁴⁹

mvp-comment-226-2 γόων ³⁵⁰ λόγων ³⁵¹

mvp-comment-227-1 ἐνταῦθα ³⁵²

mvp-comment-227-2 ἔνθα μή ποτε … προσόψει ³⁵³

mvp-comment-227-3 ζῶσα ³⁵⁴

mvp-comment-227-4 κατηρεφεῖ ³⁵⁵

mvp-comment-227-5 χθονὸς τῆσδ’ ἐκτὸς ³⁵⁶

mvp-comment-227-6 ὑμνήσεις ³⁵⁷

mvp-comment-228-1 πρὸς ταῦτα ³⁵⁸

mvp-comment-228-2 Nauck reads κοὔ ³⁵⁹ καί ³⁶⁰

mvp-comment-228-3

ἐν καλῷ, εὔκαιρον

schol.: H. 4. 3. 5

νομίσαντες οὐκ ἐν καλῷ εἶναι πρὸς τοὺς ὁπλίτας ἱππομαχεῖν

: so, too, Eur. Heracl. 971 , etc. Cp.

καλόν

(

ἐστι

καίριον

in Soph. Ph. 1155 ; and

εἰς καλόν

καιρίως

in O.T. 78.

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

86-250. mvp-comment-59-1 In this long lament there are two principal movements, each of which admits of subdivision. First, the monody of Electra, consisting of two anapaestic systems, of which one (ll. 86-102) is retrospective, and the other (ll. 103-120) is prospective. Secondly, there is the commatic parodos :-the chorus on their entrance address Electra with lyric strains, to which she responds also in lyric measures. This movement consists of three strophes and antistrophes. In στρ. and ἀντ. α' (ll. 121-152), the chorus gently, but gloomily, expostulate with Electra, who is inconsolable. In στρ. and ἀντ. β΄ (ll. 153-192), they vainly try to cheer her. In στρ. and ἀντ. γ΄ (ll. 193- 232), they remind her of her past and present troubles, and exhort her not to add to them. All this is followed by a ῥῆσις of Electra (ll. 254-309) in reply to the coryphaeus, who, at l. 324, again speaks to call attention to Chrysothemis' approach.

86-250. mvp-comment-59-2 Metres. The anapaests in 86-120, although for the most part regular are in so far of the freer kind which belong to laments as to admit the spondaic paroemiacs near the commencement of each system in ll. 88, 9, 105, 6, which, with the opening half line, have a strange effect of heaviness and of struggle and pain. The two systems so nearly correspond, both in this respect and in the number of the lines, that one is tempted to believe that the half line that would complete the antistrophic effect has been lost somewhere between 113 and 117. But anapaestic systems are seldom exactly antistrophic, and the pause after the (dactylic) invocation in l. 115 may be intentional.

160-163. mvp-comment-96-1 'Orestes, whom the land of this people, with her glory unimpaired, shall receive as the successor of his father's fame, sped hither by the kind will of Zeus.'

162. mvp-comment-97-1 Διὸς εὔφρονι βήματι] ί.ε. Διὸς εὐφρόνως βήσαντος αὐτόν. The verbal has a causative meaning. See Essay on L. § 53 b. p. 98; or else a causal meaning is contained in the genitive. Ibid. § 9. p. 12 a. There is a correlation between κλεινά and εὐπατρίδαν, both being proleptic and denoting the consequence of the return of Orestes.

164-165. mvp-comment-98-1 The mention of her brother gives a new direction to Electra's complaint. Cp. supr. 119, 20.

165. mvp-comment-99-1 Cp. Ant. 815, 917-8.

166-167. mvp-comment-100-1 τὸν . . πόνων] Oppressed with my troublous destiny that has no good issue.' The article as in O. T. 1153, τὸν γέροντά μ' αἰκίσῃ, -equivalent to a relative clause, ὅς ἐστιν ἀνήνυτος, ἀνήνυτον, Accomplishing nothing,' i. e. Suffered in vain. Cp. O. C. 1565, 6, πολλῶν γὰρ ἂν καὶ μάταν | πημάτων ἱκνουμένων, κ.τ.λ., and note.

169. mvp-comment-101-1 ὧν τ᾽ ἔπαθ', ὧν τ᾽ ἐδάη] 'His wrongs, and the lesson he has been taught,' viz. by the Paedagogus ( supr. 3. 13. 14) and by the messages from Electra.

169-170. mvp-comment-102-1 (1) For what missive that I send doth not return (ἔρχεται) discomfited? Others take the words to mean, (2) What message' (from Orestes) 'comes to me, whose promise does not fail?'

171-172. mvp-comment-103-1 i e. in reply to my messages I always hear of his longing to come but never of his coming.

174. mvp-comment-104-1 This line (see v. rr.) seems to have been interpolated so as to supplement the locative dative and the ellipse of ἐστίν. μέγας is the predicate. 'Zeus is still great in heaven.'

176-177. mvp-comment-105-1 'Committing unto him thine exceeding indignation, be neither overburdened with enmity against thy foes, nor yet forget them;' i.e. Let the thought that Zeus will some day avenge thee serve to calm and moderate thy rage. The structure is paratactic (Essay on L. § 36. p. 68), for Without forgetting your enemies. be moderate in assailing them, and trust in the Divine vengeance.'

179. mvp-comment-106-1 For Time is a god of easiness,' i.e. a god who makes things easy or possible. The meaning is, not that Time assuages sorrow, but that what at one time seems impossible may prove easily possible in the course of years. Cp. Plat. Rep. 6. 502 B, ὡς μὲν γὰρ χαλεπὸν σωθῆναι, καὶ ἡμεῖς ξυγχωροῦμεν, ὡς δὲ ἐν παντὶ τῷ χρόνῳ . . οὐδ᾽ ἂν εἶς σωθείη, ἔσθ' ὅστις ἀμφισβητήσει; Shak. Cor. 5. 3.61, Murdering impossibility, to make What cannot be slight work. For the personification, cp. Phil. 837, καιρὸς.. πάντων γνώμαν ἴσχων: supr. 76: and esp. Eur. Ion, 337, ἀργὸς ἡ θεός, sc. αἰδώς.

180-181. mvp-comment-107-1 τὰν Κρῖσαν.. ἀκτάν] · Who dwells in Crisa, that pastoral shore-ward land. So Hermann. Others would read Κρίσας, οι Κρίσᾳ. 'Who dwells amid the shoreward-pastures of Crisa.'

182. mvp-comment-108-1 He, Agamemnon's heir.. will yet turn unto his own, and so will he that reigns, a God, by Acheron.' ἀπερίτροπος is to be taken in a different sense with παῖς ᾿Αγαμεμνονίδας and with what follows. Or, what comes to the same thing, another verb must be supplied in thought with the second clause. Orestes shall return: Agamemnon shall regard his house and offspring. The derivation from περιτρέπω suggests the idea of a coming revolution, (1) in the action of Orestes, (2) in the awakening from apparent slumber and forgetfulness of the gods below, or of the spirit of Agamemnon.

184. mvp-comment-109-1 Nor he who ruleth as a god beside the ghostly river.' Cp. supr. 110. (1) The subject of this line has commonly been supposed to be Hades. Another interpretation has occurred independently to Mr. Blaydes, Prof. Paley, and the present editor, viz. (2) that θεὸς may refer to Agamemnon as a δαίμων. In support of this, cp. supr. 150 Νιόβα, σὲ δ' ἔγωγε νέμω θεόν, infr. 839-41 (of Amphiaraus), νῦν ὑπὸ γαίας . . ἀνάσσει, and note; and the following places of the Choephori:-157, σέβας, ὦ δέσποτ᾽: 356, 7, κατὰ χθονὸς ἐμπρέπων | σεμνότιμος ἀνάκτωρ : 475-8, θεῶν τῶν κατὰ γᾶς ὅδ᾽ ὕμνος. ΧΟ. ἀλλὰ κλύοντες, μάκαρες χθόνιοι, | τήσδε κατευχῆς πέμπετ᾿ ἀρωγὴν | παισὶν προφρόνως ἐπὶ νίκῃ : also Persae, 157, θεοῦ μὲν εὐνάτειρα Περσῶν, θεοῦ δὲ καὶ μήτηρ ἔφυς: 644, Περσᾶν Σουσιγενή θεόν, -although the analogy in these two instances is weakened by the words being put into the mouths of Persians; but see also Ag. 1548, ἐπ᾿ ἀνδρὶ θείῳ. Agamemnon, in Aesch. Ag. 925, says to Clytemnestra, λέγω κατ᾿ ἄνδρα, μὴ θεόν, σέβειν ἐμέ. But that is in his lifetime. And considering the honours that are paid at his tomb, and the tone in which he is spoken of by Electra throughout, the chorus may speak of him to her as θεός by an allowable hyperbole, especially if the word is taken, not with the article as subject of the sentence, but as supplementary predicate with ἀνάσσων. If this hypothesis is not admissible, the god intended is probably not Pluto, but (3) Hermes. Cp. supr. 111.

185-186. mvp-comment-110-1 But my life hath in great part already passed from me and left me hopeless and forlorn.' The life is separable from the person, cp. О. Т. 612, τὸν παρ᾽ αὑτῷ βίοτον. ἀνέλπιστος is proleptic, and in idea belongs, by hypallage, to ἐμέ, -' is passed without bringing me any hope.' The exact sense of ὁ πολύς is not to be pressed. The article is deictic, as in Aj. 1149, τὴν πολλὴν βοήν: infr. 931.

186. mvp-comment-111-1 οὐδ᾽ ἔτ᾿ ἀρκῶ] 'And I am no longer of any avail. Cp. Thuc. 2. 47. § 5, οὔτε γὰρ ἰατροὶ ἤρκουν.

187. mvp-comment-112-1 ἄνευ τοκέων] Her father is dead, and her mother is worse than lost to her.

187. mvp-comment-112-2 τοκέων occurs in one MS. (Vind. 281) and is adopted by Nauck. Cp. supr. 164, ἄτεκνος. It may be thought more suited to Electra's age to feel the want of children than of parents. But her filial piety is the chief motive of the play.

189-190. mvp-comment-113-1 ἁπερεί τις .. πατρός] ‘Like some despised sojourner, I tend the chambers of my father's house." Cp. Aesch. Cho. 84, δμωαὶ γυναῖκες, δωμάτων εὐθήμονες. For the absolute use of ἀνάξιος, cp. Phil. 439, ἀναξίου.. φωτός, 'A fellow of no esteem.' Hermann joined this word with what follows it ('I am undeservedly made to do menial service'), on the ground that an ἔποικος was ἀναξία as a matter of course. But, on the other hand, the addition of ἀναξία to the bare statement οἰκονομῶ θαλάμους πατρός, certainly weakens the expression, while the pleonasm in ἔποικος ἀναξία is rather emphatic, and is supported, as Ellendt pointed out, by the Homeric expression, ὡσεί τιν᾿ ἀτίμητον μετανάστην, ΙΙ. 9. 648, 16. 59.

190-191. mvp-comment-114-1 ὧδε . . ἀεικεῖ . . στολᾷ] Electra is a woman speaking to women. Cp. Aesch. Pers. 846-8, (῎Ατοσσα.) μάλιστα δ᾽ ἥδε συμφορὰ δάκνει, | ἀτιμίαν γε παιδὸς ἀμφὶ σώματι | ἐσθημάτων κλύουσαν, ἥ νιν ἀμπέχει.

192. mvp-comment-115-1 κεναῖς δ᾽ ἀμφίσταμαι τραπέζαις] And the table at which I stand is bare.' Hermann had conjectured ἀμφίσταμαι, which restores the metre, before he observed that it was quoted by Eustathius. Cp. Pind. Ol. 1. 80, τραπέζαισι .. ἀμφί, and, for the thought, Od. 20. 259, δίφρον ἀεικέλιον καταθεὶς ὀλίγην τε τράπεζαν : infr. 361, 2, σοὶ δὲ πλουσία | τράπεζα κείσθω καὶ περιρρείτω βίος : Pind. Ο1. 2. 116, κεινὰν παρὰ δίαιταν.

194. mvp-comment-116-1 οἰκτρὰ μὲν νόστοις αὐδά] 'Piteous were thy tones at the time of thy father's return.' In the Agamemnon of Aeschylus, the Watchman and the Chorus, i. e. the household and the people, express a vague misgiving, which is not sufficiently definite to enable them to warn Agamemnon. Sophocles here, as elsewhere, concentrates in an individual what in Aeschylus was general. It is quite consistent with his conception of the character of Electra, that, young as she then was, and totally unable, both from her inexperience ( infr. 1024) and her dependent position, of averting the harm which she may have vaguely foreseen, she had a sufficiently clear perception of the situation to be sad instead of joyful on the occasion of her father's coming home, and her sadness would be aggravated by her helplessness :-ἐπεὶ ἐχθίστη ὀδύνη πολλὰ φρονέοντα μηδενὸς κρατέειν. Her friends, of the same age with her, observed this, and in recollecting it, now understand the cause. ooi is easily supplied, both because the whole of Electra's last speech refers to herself, and because σοί occurs immediately afterwards as an ethical' dative. πατρός is no less easily supplied with νόστοις for a similar reason, both because the word occurs three lines above, and because it is implied in πατρώαις in the following line. νόστοις is dative of the occasion, E. on L. § 11. p. 18. For the sense, cp. Aesch. Pers. 935, 6, πρόσφθογγόν σοι νόστου τὰν | κακοφάτιδα βοάν, κακομέλετον ἰὰν | Μαριανδυνοῦ θρηνητῆρος | πέμψω πολύδακρυν ἰακχάν.

195-197. mvp-comment-117-1 οἰκτρὰ δ'.. πλαγά] 'And piteous was thy crying where thy father lay, when thou hadst seen launched the death-stroke of the solid brazen axe.' If Sophocles (see Introduction) follows the form of the legend known to us from Homer, according to which Agamemnon was slain at a feast given in honour of his return, ἐν κοίταις probably means, (1) 'Where he lay in death.' And this is supported by 203. The poet might, no doubt, have so far modified the legend as to suppose Agamemnon after the feast to have been lured by Clytemnestra to his chamber and there slain. ἐν κοίταις might then belong to the relative clause (ὅτε ἐν κ.), and mean 'in his chamber. But this is inconsistent with 203 and 270. For (1) cp. Aesch. Ag. 1494, 1518, Eur. Med. 437, O. C. 1707. The bath, and the entangling garment, which are so prominent in the Agamemnon and Choephori, are in any case not thought of here. Some (including Wecklein) understand aὐδά in both clauses of the death-shriek of the king. σοι (Ε. on L. § 13. p. 19 f.) marks that Electra was the chief sufferer from all that happened. This explanation is rightly defended by Triclinius. Cp. Tennyson's Elaine, -Through her own side she felt the sharp lance go.' Hermann, understanding aὐδά of the people's voice, rejects σοι and reads οἱ instead. The hiatus, which he defends from Trach. 650, ὁ δὲ οἱ φίλα δάμαρ (cp. supr. 157), is still exceptional, but a stronger objection to the removal of σοί is that the connection between this speech and Electra's is thus destroyed.

197-200. mvp-comment-118-1 Sophocles seems here to have in his mind the passage of the Agamemnon where Clytemnestra impersonates the Alastor of Atreus, Aesch. Agam. 1500-1504: Craft pointed out the way, lust murdered him. Between them they produced a monstrous birth, whether he who did this thing were a god or one of mortal mould.' μορφάν the immediate agent and the act itself, as an embodied horror, seem to be confused. See E. on L. § 48. p. 92.

201-212. mvp-comment-119-1 In supr. 185-92, Electra refused consolation and drew attention to her hopeless misery. The women then call to mind how they had pitied her at the time of her father's death. This opens anew the flood-gates of her sorrow. Cp. Ant. 857 foll., ἔψαυσας ἀλγεινοτάτας ἐμοὶ μερίμνας, κ.τ.λ.

203. mvp-comment-120-1 δείπνων] The feast which preceded the murder, according to Od. 4. 535. Agamemnon (see next note) is supposed to have been murdered at table : ὡσεί τε κατέκτανε βοῦν ἐπὶ φάτνῃ (Od. 1. c.).

205. mvp-comment-121-1 For ἄχθη, the grammatical antecedent, the more definite θάνατοι is substituted and taken into the relative clause. The horror of that feast-I mean the death which followed it.'

206. mvp-comment-122-1 διδύμαιν χειροῖν] ‘Effected by joint violence' of Aegisthus and Clytemnestra.

207-208. mvp-comment-123-1 αΐ.. πρόδοτον] 'That wrought treason on my life and ruined me.'

209. mvp-comment-124-1 ois refers to the antecedent implied in χειροῖν, viz. Aegisthus and Clytemnestra.

211. mvp-comment-125-1 'And never may they have any good of their magnificence.' Cp. infr. 267-281: Od. 17. 244, 5, τῷ κέ τοι ἀγλαΐας γε διασκεδάσειεν ἁπάσας, | τὰς νῦν ὑβρίζων φορέεις.

214-216. mvp-comment-126-1 'Seest thou not through what courses thou hast fallen thus cruelly into calamities that come home to thee?' or, with a slightly different shade of meaning, 'which thou hast brought upon thyself.' Cp. Aj. 260: Pind. Nem. 1. 81, τὸ γὰρ οἰκεῖον πιέζει πάνθ᾽ ὁμῶς. ἐξ οἵων is otherwise explained by one Scholiast :-ἐξ οἴων ἀγαθῶν εἰς τί ἀνιαρὸν ἐλήλυθας. Cp. infr. 392. But it is more natural that the Chorus should remind her of the cause of the persecution she is undergoing.

218-219. mvp-comment-127-1 σᾷ . . πολέμους] Ever creating new conflicts for thy burdened soul.'

219-220. mvp-comment-128-1 τὰ δὲ.. πλάθειν] ‘But strife with the powerful is hopeless.' The vague rá is to be supplemented from what precedes and follows,- sc. τὰ πολεμούμενα, οι τὰ ἐρίδος ἐχόμενα. Cp. Plat. Symp. 206 C, ταῦτα δ᾽ ἐν τῷ ἀναρμόστῳ, -sc. κυούμενα καὶ γεννώμενα, - Pind. Nem. 10. 135, χαλεπὰ δ' ἔρις ἀνθρώποις ὁμιλεῖν κρεσσόνων: ΟΙ. 11. 48, νεῖκος δὲ κρεσσόνων ἀποθέσθ᾽ ἄπορον. πλάθειν, sc. τοῖς δυνατοῖς, is epexegetic infinitive.

221. mvp-comment-129-1 The Chorus (l. 214) have reminded Electra of the violent words by which she has earned her present misery. She replies that such words were wrung from her by a fearful cause, viz. by the murder of her father and the subsequent conduct of the murderers. Cp. infr. 271 foll.

222. mvp-comment-130-1 'I know, I am conscious of my passion, viz. that it is inordinate. Cp. infr. 617, 8, μανθάνω δ᾽ ὁθούνεκα | ἔξωρα πράσσω κοὐκ ἐμοὶ προσεικότα : 1011, κατάσχες ὀργήν.

223-224. mvp-comment-131-1 But amid deeds of horror I will not curb or moderate these my calamitous ways' (as ye call them). She echoes the words of the Chorus (l. 215) in a different sense. They meant by οἰκείας ἄτας, 'self-caused calamities:' -she means by ταύτας άτας, 'this infatuate,' or 'fatal,' course,' of which by implication they have accused her.

226-228. mvp-comment-132-1 Electra relapses into despair. If even these Argive women, who know her so well, cannot give her a word of comfort, whence is it to come? 'At whose mouth, then, kind band of friends, can I hope to hear a word of comfort, prompted by seasonable thought?' For the uncommon dative, see E. on L. § 13. p. 20.

229. mvp-comment-133-1 'Press not on me with your consolations,' and cp. Eur. El. 1182, διὰ πυρὸς ἔμολον ἁ τάλαινα ματρὶ τᾷδ᾽.

230. mvp-comment-134-1 For ye shall find this sorrow irremoveable.'

234. mvp-comment-135-1 Like a true-hearted mother.' For this form of expressing sympathy from one woman to another, cp. Trach. 526, ἐγὼ δὲ μάτηρ μὲν οἷα φράζω.

235. mvp-comment-136-1 ἄταν ἄταις] Cp. Αj. 866, πόνῳ πόνον, and note.

236. mvp-comment-137-1 καὶ τί μέτρον κακότατος ἔφυ;] 'And is not my trouble infinite?' (So the Scholiast, -πρὸς γὰρ ἄμετρον κακὸν καὶ ἀμέτρων δεῖται θρήνων.) Cp. infr. 1249, 50, ἁμέτερον οἷον ἔφυ κακόν. For the meaning, cp. Shak. Ant. and Cleo. 4. 15. 4, But comforts we despise; our size of sorrow, Proportioned to our cause, must be as great As that which makes it.'

237. mvp-comment-138-1 ἐπὶ τοῖς φθιμένοις ἀμελεῖν] To treat the dead with forgetfulness.' E. on L. § 19. p. 27.

238. mvp-comment-139-1 ἐν τίνι . . ἀνθρώπων] 'Where amongst men hath such a mind sprung up?'

239. mvp-comment-140-1 τούτοις] Sc. ἐν οἷς τοῦτο ἔβλαστε, the indefinite plural taking the place of the indefinite singular. E. on L. § 20. p. 31. 3. Cp. Hdt. 9. 79. § 3. ἐγὼ δ᾽ οὖν τούτου εἵνεκα μήτε Αἰγινήτῃσι ἅδοιμι, μήτε τοῖσι ταῦτα ἀρέσκεται· ἀποχρᾷ δ᾽ ἐμοί, Σπαρτιήτῃσι ἀρεσκόμενον, ὅσια μὲν ποιέειν, ὅσια δὲ καὶ λέγειν.

240. mvp-comment-141-1 εἴ τῳ πρόσκειμαι χρηστῷ] · If I have near me any good,' = εἴ τι χρηστὸν πρόσκειταί μοι : Ε. on L. § 42. p. 80 β. Cp. infr. 1040, ᾧ σὺ πρόσκεισαι κακῷ.

241-243. mvp-comment-142-1 γονέων .. γόων] • Holding back the wings of my shrill wailings from doing honour to my sire.' Each fresh utterance of the unabating sorrow is imagined as a bird that is eager to fly. ἐκτίμους is predicative and proleptic, = ὥστε ἔξω εἶναι τοῦ τιμᾶν. See E. on L. $ 54. p. 100 d, § 10. p. 16 f., § 23. p. 38 81, § 38. p. 71.

244. mvp-comment-143-1 ya] Prof. Jebb reads ya, i.e. 'buried,' adding, 'it is difficult to believe that yῆ could stand for σποδός.' But the expression is hyperbolical-' mere clay.' Cp. ψήγμα in Aesch. Ag. 442.

251-252. mvp-comment-144-1 καὶ τὸ σὸν.. καὶ τοὐμὸν αὐτῆς] 'More in care for thee than for myself. This is really the meaning, although, by the usual Greek litotes, 'as much as' is put for more than.' The most important matter is put first. E. on L. § 41. p. 78.

253. mvp-comment-145-1 ἑψόμεσθ'] Cp. infr. 1052.

254-255. mvp-comment-146-1 I am ashamed of seeming to you, as I must seem, to be too impatient in multiplying lamentations.' δοκῶ is indicative.

258. mvp-comment-147-1 πατρῷ᾽ ὁρῶσα πήματ'] 'Seeing woful things performed against her sire.' Electra's filial affection for Agamemnon is kept prominently before us as her chief motive; and every insult to his memory, including her own sufferings, is regarded by her as part of the wrong done to him. πατρῷα is at first general, but in the antecedent to a it becomes individual, -' of my father.'

260. mvp-comment-148-1 θάλλοντα .. καταφθίνονθ'] “Not lessening but increasing.'

260-261. mvp-comment-149-1 ᾖ.. συμβέβηκεν] 'Since, first of all, I have found in my own mother the deepest cause for hatred.' This (Paley, etc.) is better than my mother is my enemy.'

264. mvp-comment-150-1 κἀκ τῶνδ᾽ ἄρχομαι] ‘And I am in subjection to them. Cp. O. C. 67, ἐκ τοῦ κατ᾿ ἄστυ βασιλέως τάδ' ἄρχεται.

270. mvp-comment-151-1 ἔνθ᾽ ἐκεῖνον ὤλεσεν] Here again Sophocles seems to follow the account that is given in the fourth book of the Odyssey, ll. 529 foll., according to which Aegisthus murdered Agamemnon at or after a banquet. Hence he is said to have destroyed him beside the hearth. Cp. infr. 1495.

271-274. mvp-comment-152-1 Further, when I see their crowning insult, when I see, forsooth, the author of his death reclining on my father's couch, beside my wretched mother, if so I must call this woman, when cohabiting with him!' The clause τὸν αὐτοφόντην κ.τ.λ. is in the same construction with ὕβριν, governed by ἴδω. ἡμίν is ethical dative, and has a sarcastic force; i.e. That is what I am compelled to look upon.' The participle (κείμενον) which should have gone with ἐν κοίτῃ is absorbed and resumed in συγκοιμωμένην.

363-364. mvp-comment-153-1 ἐμοὶ γὰρ . . βόσκημα] (1) ‘For I would have such maintenance alone as will not cause me pain:' i. e. through compliance with my father's enemies. The reading λυποῦν is implied in the first scholion here, which, although giving a wrong explanation, deserves for this reason to be transcribed:-ἐμοί, φησίν, ἔστω τροφή, ἡ τῇ ἀνάγκῃ μόνον ἁρμόζουσα, καὶ τὴν πείνην ἀπελαύνουσα· οὐ δέομαι γὰρ τοιαύτης τροφῆς ἀφ᾿ ἧς ἡδονὴν σχήσω. (2) The MS. reading, which is also acknowledged in the scholia, -τοὐμὲ μὴ λυπεῖν (Schol. τοῦτο μόνον ἐμὲ βοσκέτω, τὸ μὴ λυπεῖν ἐμὲ αὐτήν, εἰ τοῖς φονεῦσι τοῦ πατρὸς πείθεσθαι ἀναγκασθήσομαι) is possibly right, but the use of ἐμέ for ἐμαυτήν is hardly justified, and the expression seems forced. Ср., however, Eur. Cycl. 336-8, ὡς τοὐμπιεῖν γε καὶ φαγεῖν τοὐφ᾽ ἡμέραν, | Ζεὺς οὗτος ἀνθρώποισι τοῖσι σώφροσι, | λυπεῖν δὲ μηδὲν αὐτόν.

364. mvp-comment-154-1 The genitive, after ἐρῶ, is to be resumed with τυχεῖν, which is epexegetic infinitive.

365-367. mvp-comment-155-1 νῦν δ᾽ ἐξὸν .. τῆς μητρός] But now, when you might be called the daughter of the noblest of all sires, be called your mother's child.' Here, and in supr. 341, 2, there is a reminiscence of that depreciation of the maternal relationship, which is more fully expressed in the Eumenides of Aeschylus. For another trace of this, cp. Eur. Fr. 1048, στέργω δὲ τὸν φύσαντα τῶν πάντων βροτῶν | μάλισθ'· ὁρίζω τοῦτο, καὶ σὺ μὴ φθώνει· | κείνου γὰρ ἐξέβλαστον. οὐδ᾽ ἂν εἰς ἀνὴρ | γυναικὸς αὐδήσειεν, ἀλλὰ τοῦ πατρός.

369. mvp-comment-156-1 μηδὲν πρὸς ὀργήν] Sc. λέξης. Say nothing in anger,'-lit. 'tending that way. Cp. infr. 464.

373. mvp-comment-157-1 οὐδ᾽ ἂν ἐμνήσθην ποτέ) 'And would never have mentioned the subject. This refers to supr. 330, 1.

376. mvp-comment-158-1 Exceptions to the rule of the Porsonic pause are not infrequent where γάρ comes in the first place of the fifth foot: e.g. O. C. 115, ἐν γὰρ τῷ μαθεῖν.

376-377. mvp-comment-159-1 Electra will not admit that any trouble can be greater than what she endures already in seeing the insults that are heaped upon her father.

382. mvp-comment-160-1 χθονὸς τῆσδ᾽ ἐκτός] Beyond the Argive boundary, so as not to bring pollution upon the state. Cp. Ant. 773, ἄγων ἔρημος ἔνθ᾽ ἂν ᾖ βροτῶν στίβος κρύψω πετρώδει ζῶσαν ἐν κατώρυχι : Ο. C. 399, 400, ὥς σ' ἄγχι γῆς στήσωσι Καδμείας, ὅπως | κρατῶσι μέν σου, γῆς δὲ μὴ ᾿μβαίνῃς ὅρων. ὑμνήσεις κακά] 'You shall chant your song of woe.' Cp. infr. 802, 3, τήνδε δ᾽ ἔκτοθεν βοᾶν | ἔα τά θ᾽ αὐτῆς καὶ τὰ τῶν φίλων κακά.

383-384. mvp-comment-161-1 καί με . μέμψῃ] Being warned, Electra will have no cause to blame Chrysothemis. Cp. infr. 1056, 7, ὅταν γὰρ ἐν κακοῖς | ἤδη βεβήκῃς, τἄμ᾽ ἐπαινέσεις ἔπη.

384. mvp-comment-162-1 νῦν γὰρ .. φρονεῖν] ‘For now you have a good opportunity of adopting the wiser course.' Cp. Plat. Rep. Β. 9. p. 571 Β, τὸ τῶν ἐπιθυμιῶν .. οὔ μοι δοκοῦμεν ἱκανῶς διῃρῆσθαι. . οὐκοῦν, ἢ δ᾽ ὅς, ἔτ᾽ ἐν καλῷ;

Sophocles Electra 369

ed. Lewis Campbell

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μηδὲν πρὸς ὀργὴν πρὸς θεῶν· ὡς τοῖς λόγοις

ἔνεστιν ἀμφοῖν κέρδος, εἰ σὺ μὲν μάθοις
370

τοῖς τῆσδε χρῆσθαι, τοῖς δὲ σοῖς αὕτη αὐτὴ LAF. αὕτη Pal. πάλιν.

ΗΛ.

φέρ᾽ εἰπὲ δὴ τὸ δεινόν. εἰ γὰρ τῶνδέ μοι

μεῖζόν τι λέξεις, οὐκ ἂν ἀντείποιμ᾽ ἔτι.

ΗΛ.

Current edition Experimental

Χορός

μηδὲν πρὸς ὀργήν, πρὸς θεῶν· ὡς τοῖς λόγοις

ἔνεστιν ἀμφοῖν κέρδος, εἰ σὺ μὲν μάθοις
370

τοῖς τῆσδε χρῆσθαι, τοῖς δὲ σοῖς αὕτη πάλιν.

Ἠλέκτρα

φέρʼ εἰπὲ δὴ τὸ δεινόν· εἰ γὰρ τῶνδέ μοι

μεῖζόν τι λέξεις, οὐκ ἂν ἀντείποιμʼ ἔτι.

No anger, we entreat. Both have said well,

If each would learn of other, and so do.

CHR

For my part, women, use hath seasoned me

To her discourse. Nor had I spoken of this,

Had I not heard a horror coming on

That will restrain her from her endless moan.
375

EL

Come speak it forth, this terror! I will yield,

If thou canst tell me worse than I endure.

EL

Laß, bei den Göttern, keinem Zorne Naum; es ist

Gewinn in Beider Worten, wenn nur ihre du

Zu nüzen wüßtest und sie selbst die deinigen.

Chrysothemis.

Ich bin an ihre Reden, traun, so ziemlich schon

Gewöhnt, o Frauen, und ich hätte Nichts erwähnt,
365

Wenn nicht ein großes Uebel sie der Sage nach

Bedrohte, das ihr langes Jammern enden soll.

Elektra.

Auf, nenne mir das Grause; wenn es schlimmer ist,

Als meine Leiden, widersprech' ich fürder nicht.

Elektra.

But soft^ behold the fair Chrysothemis

Advance this way, and in her hand she bears
370

Sepulchral offerings to the shades below.

Chrysothemis

Custom, niy noble friends, hath made re-

proach

Familiar to me, and, so well I know
380

Her haughty mind, 1 had been silent still.

But that I saw the danger ^immiuent,

And came to warn her of the fatal stroke

Which soon must end her and her griefs together.

Electra

Forgive me then. How can a woman, sprung

Electra

Chorus

But tell us, is Ægisthus, while we hoid

This converse, near, or distant from this place?

Electra

Chorus

Away with anger, for the gods’ sake! There is

advantage for both of you in what is urged, if you, Electra, would learn to implement her advice, and she, again, yours.
370

Chrysothemis

For my part, friends, I am not at all unaccustomed to her insults, nor would I have mentioned this, if I had not heard that the greatest disaster is now rushing down on her,

one which will restrain her from her long mourning.
375

Electra

Come then, name this terror! If you can tell me of anything worse than my present condition, I would resist no more.

Commentary

Stable identifiers

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μηδὲν πρὸς ὀργὴν πρὸς θεῶν· ὡς τοῖς λόγοις ἔνεστιν ἀμφοῖν κέρδος, εἰ σὺ μὲν μάθοις 370 τοῖς τῆσδε χρῆσθαι, τοῖς δὲ σοῖς αὕτη αὐτὴ LAF. αὕτη Pal. πάλιν.

ΗΛ. φέρ᾽ εἰπὲ δὴ τὸ δεινόν. εἰ γὰρ τῶνδέ μοι

μεῖζόν τι λέξεις, οὐκ ἂν ἀντείποιμ᾽ ἔτι.

ΗΛ.

Current edition Experimental

Χορός μηδὲν πρὸς ὀργήν, πρὸς θεῶν· ὡς τοῖς λόγοις ἔνεστιν ἀμφοῖν κέρδος, εἰ σὺ μὲν μάθοις 370 τοῖς τῆσδε χρῆσθαι, τοῖς δὲ σοῖς αὕτη πάλιν.

Ἠλέκτρα φέρʼ εἰπὲ δὴ τὸ δεινόν· εἰ γὰρ τῶνδέ μοι μεῖζόν τι λέξεις, οὐκ ἂν ἀντείποιμʼ ἔτι.

No anger, we entreat. Both have said well, If each would learn of other, and so do.

CHR For my part, women, use hath seasoned me To her discourse. Nor had I spoken of this, Had I not heard a horror coming on That will restrain her from her endless moan. 375

EL Come speak it forth, this terror! I will yield, If thou canst tell me worse than I endure.

EL

Laß, bei den Göttern, keinem Zorne Naum; es ist Gewinn in Beider Worten, wenn nur ihre du Zu nüzen wüßtest und sie selbst die deinigen.

Chrysothemis. Ich bin an ihre Reden, traun, so ziemlich schon Gewöhnt, o Frauen, und ich hätte Nichts erwähnt, 365 Wenn nicht ein großes Uebel sie der Sage nach Bedrohte, das ihr langes Jammern enden soll.

Elektra. Auf, nenne mir das Grause; wenn es schlimmer ist, Als meine Leiden, widersprech' ich fürder nicht.

Elektra.

But soft^ behold the fair Chrysothemis Advance this way, and in her hand she bears 370 Sepulchral offerings to the shades below.

Chrysothemis Custom, niy noble friends, hath made re- proach Familiar to me, and, so well I know 380 Her haughty mind, 1 had been silent still. But that I saw the danger ^immiuent, And came to warn her of the fatal stroke Which soon must end her and her griefs together.

Electra

Forgive me then. How can a woman, sprung

Electra

Chorus But tell us, is Ægisthus, while we hoid This converse, near, or distant from this place?

Electra

Chorus Away with anger, for the gods’ sake! There is advantage for both of you in what is urged, if you, Electra, would learn to implement her advice, and she, again, yours. 370

Chrysothemis For my part, friends, I am not at all unaccustomed to her insults, nor would I have mentioned this, if I had not heard that the greatest disaster is now rushing down on her, one which will restrain her from her long mourning. 375

Electra Come then, name this terror! If you can tell me of anything worse than my present condition, I would resist no more.

Commentary

Stable identifiers

μηδὲν πρὸς ὀργὴν πρὸς θεῶν· ὡς τοῖς λόγοις

ἔνεστιν ἀμφοῖν κέρδος, εἰ σὺ μὲν μάθοις
370

τοῖς τῆσδε χρῆσθαι, τοῖς δὲ σοῖς αὕτη αὐτὴ LAF. αὕτη Pal. πάλιν.

ΗΛ.

φέρ᾽ εἰπὲ δὴ τὸ δεινόν. εἰ γὰρ τῶνδέ μοι

Χορός

μηδὲν πρὸς ὀργήν, πρὸς θεῶν· ὡς τοῖς λόγοις

ἔνεστιν ἀμφοῖν κέρδος, εἰ σὺ μὲν μάθοις
370

τοῖς τῆσδε χρῆσθαι, τοῖς δὲ σοῖς αὕτη πάλιν.

Ἠλέκτρα

φέρʼ εἰπὲ δὴ τὸ δεινόν· εἰ γὰρ τῶνδέ μοι

μεῖζόν τι λέξεις, οὐκ ἂν ἀντείποιμʼ ἔτι.

No anger, we entreat. Both have said well,

If each would learn of other, and so do.

CHR

For my part, women, use hath seasoned me

To her discourse. Nor had I spoken of this,

Had I not heard a horror coming on

That will restrain her from her endless moan.
375

EL

Come speak it forth, this terror! I will yield,

If thou canst tell me worse than I endure.

Laß, bei den Göttern, keinem Zorne Naum; es ist

Gewinn in Beider Worten, wenn nur ihre du

Zu nüzen wüßtest und sie selbst die deinigen.

Chrysothemis.

Ich bin an ihre Reden, traun, so ziemlich schon

Gewöhnt, o Frauen, und ich hätte Nichts erwähnt,
365

Wenn nicht ein großes Uebel sie der Sage nach

Bedrohte, das ihr langes Jammern enden soll.

Elektra.

Auf, nenne mir das Grause; wenn es schlimmer ist,

Als meine Leiden, widersprech' ich fürder nicht.

But soft^ behold the fair Chrysothemis

Advance this way, and in her hand she bears
370

Sepulchral offerings to the shades below.

Chrysothemis

Custom, niy noble friends, hath made re-

proach

Familiar to me, and, so well I know
380

Her haughty mind, 1 had been silent still.

But that I saw the danger ^immiuent,

And came to warn her of the fatal stroke

Which soon must end her and her griefs together.

Chorus

But tell us, is Ægisthus, while we hoid

This converse, near, or distant from this place?

Chorus

Away with anger, for the gods’ sake! There is

advantage for both of you in what is urged, if you, Electra, would learn to implement her advice, and she, again, yours.
370

Chrysothemis

For my part, friends, I am not at all unaccustomed to her insults, nor would I have mentioned this, if I had not heard that the greatest disaster is now rushing down on her,

one which will restrain her from her long mourning.
375

Electra

Come then, name this terror! If you can tell me of anything worse than my present condition, I would resist no more.