Sophocles, Electra, ed. Lewis Campbell, 1226b

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ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ.
ἔχω σε χερσίν χεροῖν γρ. χερσὶ χερσίν ;

ΟΡΕΣΤΗΣ.
ὡς ω from ο τὰ λοίπ᾽ ἔχοις ἔχεις ἄχοις ἀεί.

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)) — 1232-1287 focus

Ἠλέκτρα

ἰὼ γοναί,

γοναὶ σωμάτων ἐμοὶ φιλτάτων,

ἐμόλετʼ ἀρτίως,

ἐφηύρετʼ, ἤλθετʼ, εἴδεθʼ οὓς ἐχρῄζετε.
1235

Ὀρέστης

πάρεσμεν· ἀλλὰ σῖγʼ ἔχουσα πρόσμενε.

Ἠλέκτρα

τί δʼ ἔστιν;

Ὀρέστης

σιγᾶν ἄμεινον, μή τις ἔνδοθεν κλύῃ.

Ἠλέκτρα

ἀλλʼ οὐ μὰ τὴν ἄδμητον αἰὲν Ἄρτεμιν,

τόδε μὲν οὔ ποτʼ ἀξιώσω τρέσαι,
1240

περισσὸν ἄχθος ἔνδον

γυναικῶν ὂν αἰεί.

Ὀρέστης

ὅρα γε μὲν δὴ κἀν γυναιξὶν ὡς Ἄρης

ἔνεστιν· εὖ δʼ ἔξοισθα πειραθεῖσά που.

Ἠλέκτρα

ὀτοτοτοτοῖ τοτοῖ,
1245

ἀνέφελον ἐνέβαλες οὔ ποτε καταλύσιμον,

οὐδέ ποτε λησόμενον ἁμέτερον

οἷον ἔφυ κακόν.
1250

Ὀρέστης

ἔξοιδα, παῖ, ταῦτʼ· ἀλλʼ ὅταν παρουσία

φράζῃ, τότʼ ἔργων τῶνδε μεμνῆσθαι χρεών.

1253

Ἠλέκτρα

ὁ πᾶς ἐμοί,

ὁ πᾶς ἂν πρέποι παρὼν ἐννέπειν

τάδε δίκᾳ χρόνος·
1255

μόλις γὰρ ἔσχον νῦν ἐλεύθερον στόμα.

Ὀρέστης

ξύμφημι κἀγώ· τοιγαροῦν σῴζου τόδε.

Ἠλέκτρα

τί δρῶσα;

Ὀρέστης

οὗ μή ʼστι καιρὸς μὴ μακρὰν βούλου λέγειν.

Ἠλέκτρα

τίς οὖν ἂν ἀξίαν γε σοῦ πεφηνότος
1260

μεταβάλοιτʼ ἂν ὧδε σιγὰν λόγων;

ἐπεί σε νῦν ἀφράστως

ἀέλπτως τʼ ἐσεῖδον.

Ὀρέστης

τότʼ εἶδες, εὖτε θεοί μʼ ἐπώτρυναν μολεῖν

1265

Ἠλέκτρα

ἔφρασας ὑπερτέραν

τᾶς πάρος ἔτι χάριτος, εἴ σε θεὸς ἐπόρισεν

ἁμέτερα πρὸς μέλαθρα· δαιμόνιον

αὐτὸ τίθημʼ ἐγώ.
1270

Ὀρέστης

τὰ μέν σʼ ὀκνῶ χαίρουσαν εἰργαθεῖν, τὰ δὲ

δέδοικα λίαν ἡδονῇ νικωμένην.

1273

Ἠλέκτρα

ἰὼ χρόνῳ μακρῷ φιλτάταν ὁδὸν

ἐπαξιώσας ὧδέ μοι φανῆναι,

μή τί με, πολύπονον ὧδʼ ἰδὼν
1275

Ὀρέστης

τί μὴ ποήσω;

Ἠλέκτρα

μή μʼ ἀποστερήσῃς

τῶν σῶν προσώπων ἁδονὰν μεθέσθαι.

Ὀρέστης

ἦ κάρτα κἂν ἄλλοισι θυμοίμην ἰδών.

Ἠλέκτρα

ξυναινεῖς;
1280

Ὀρέστης

τί μὴν οὔ;

Ἠλέκτρα

ὦ φίλαι, ἔκλυον ἃν ἐγὼ οὐδʼ ἂν ἤλπισʼ αὐδάν,

οὐδʼ ἂν ἔσχον ὁρμὰν

ἄναυδον οὐδὲ σὺν βοᾷ κλύουσα,

τάλαινα. νῦν δʼ ἔχω σε· προυφάνης δὲ
1285

φιλτάταν ἔχων πρόσοψιν,

ἇς ἐγὼ οὐδʼ ἂν ἐν κακοῖς λαθοίμαν.

Translations (2)

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 1232 focus

Otheurer Sproß,

Strophe.

Elektra.

Sproß jenes uns, ach, so geliebten Manns,

Du kamst endlich, ja,

Du kamest, fandest, sahest, die dein Herz ersehnt!
1210

Orestes.

Ich bin gekommen; aber schweigend harre noch.

Warum das?

Wohl ziemt zu schweigen, eh man uns im Haus vernimmt.

Elektra.

Nein, bei der ewig unbezwungnen Artemis!¹

Wahrlich, ich fürchte nicht die nuzlose Last,
1215

Dies Volk der Weiber mehr, das im Haus stets sich umtreibt.

Orestes.

Doch sei behutsam, auch in Weiberseelen glüht

Kampfmuth: du weißt es; denn Erfahrung lehrte dich's.

Elektra.

Oweh, o Graun, o Graun!

Du nennst unverhüllt das unvertilgbare,
1220

In der Erinnerung nie zu verschmerzende,

Das Leid, das ich litt!

Orestes.

Wohl weiß ich das; doch dieses Jammers mußt du mir

Dann erst gedenken, wann die rechte Zeit erscheint.

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 1232-1285 focus

Electra

O seed, seed of the person to me most dear, you have just now come,

you have come, and have found and seen her whom your heart desired!
1235

Orestes

I am with you; but keep silence and wait.

Electra

What do you mean?

Orestes

It is better to be silent so that no one inside may hear.

Electra

No, by ever-virgin Artemis,

I will never think it right to tremble before eternally house-bound women, that useless burden on the ground!
1240

Orestes

Yes, but remember that Ares dwells in women, too. You know this well by experience, I believe.

Electra

oh, no! ah, me! You have reminded me of my sorrow, one which by its nature cannot be veiled,
1245

cannot be done away with, cannot be forgotten!
1250

Orestes

I know this, too; but when occasion prompts, we must recall those crimes.

1253

Electra

Each moment of all time, as it comes, would be a proper occasion

for me to make these just complaints. Scarcely now have I had my lips set free.
1255

Orestes

Yes, I agree; therefore guard your freedom.

Electra

What must I do?

Orestes

When it is inopportune, do not want to speak too much.

Electra

No, who could exchange due silence for speech, when you have appeared? For now my eyes have seen you, beyond all thought and hope!
1260

Orestes

You saw me when the gods moved me to come.

Electra

You have told me of a grace higher still than the first, if a god brought you to our house;
1265

I acknowledge in it the work of the divine.
1270

Orestes

On the one hand I hesitate to curb your gladness, but on the other I fear that you may be overwhelmed by too much joy.

1273

Electra

O you who, after such a long time, saw fit to make your most happy journey and appear to me,

do not, now that you have seen me in all my misery—
1275

Orestes

What should I not do?—

Electra

—Do not rob me of the comfort of your face; do not force me to forego it!

Orestes

I would be angry, indeed, if I saw another attempt it.

Electra

You give your consent?

Orestes

Why would I not?
1280

Electra

My friends, I heard a voice that I could never have hoped to hear; nor could I have restrained my emotion in silence and without a cry, when I heard it.

ah, me! But now I have you. You have appeared with that dear face, which I could never, even in misery, forget.
1285

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-688-1 ἔχω … ἔχοις ἀεί ¹

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

1226. mvp-comment-586-1 ὡς . . ἔχοις] ‘As I would that you may have me evermore.’

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ. ἔχω σε χερσίν χεροῖν γρ. χερσὶ χερσίν ;

ΟΡΕΣΤΗΣ. ὡς ω from ο τὰ λοίπ᾽ ἔχοις ἔχεις ἄχοις ἀεί.

Current edition Experimental

Ἠλέκτρα ἰὼ γοναί, γοναὶ σωμάτων ἐμοὶ φιλτάτων, ἐμόλετʼ ἀρτίως, ἐφηύρετʼ, ἤλθετʼ, εἴδεθʼ οὓς ἐχρῄζετε. 1235

Ὀρέστης πάρεσμεν· ἀλλὰ σῖγʼ ἔχουσα πρόσμενε.

Ἠλέκτρα τί δʼ ἔστιν;

Ὀρέστης σιγᾶν ἄμεινον, μή τις ἔνδοθεν κλύῃ.

Ἠλέκτρα ἀλλʼ οὐ μὰ τὴν ἄδμητον αἰὲν Ἄρτεμιν, τόδε μὲν οὔ ποτʼ ἀξιώσω τρέσαι, 1240 περισσὸν ἄχθος ἔνδον γυναικῶν ὂν αἰεί.

Ὀρέστης ὅρα γε μὲν δὴ κἀν γυναιξὶν ὡς Ἄρης ἔνεστιν· εὖ δʼ ἔξοισθα πειραθεῖσά που.

Ἠλέκτρα ὀτοτοτοτοῖ τοτοῖ, 1245 ἀνέφελον ἐνέβαλες οὔ ποτε καταλύσιμον, οὐδέ ποτε λησόμενον ἁμέτερον οἷον ἔφυ κακόν. 1250

Ὀρέστης ἔξοιδα, παῖ, ταῦτʼ· ἀλλʼ ὅταν παρουσία φράζῃ, τότʼ ἔργων τῶνδε μεμνῆσθαι χρεών.

Ἠλέκτρα ὁ πᾶς ἐμοί, ὁ πᾶς ἂν πρέποι παρὼν ἐννέπειν τάδε δίκᾳ χρόνος· 1255 μόλις γὰρ ἔσχον νῦν ἐλεύθερον στόμα.

Ὀρέστης ξύμφημι κἀγώ· τοιγαροῦν σῴζου τόδε.

Ἠλέκτρα τί δρῶσα;

Ὀρέστης οὗ μή ʼστι καιρὸς μὴ μακρὰν βούλου λέγειν.

Ἠλέκτρα τίς οὖν ἂν ἀξίαν γε σοῦ πεφηνότος 1260 μεταβάλοιτʼ ἂν ὧδε σιγὰν λόγων; ἐπεί σε νῦν ἀφράστως ἀέλπτως τʼ ἐσεῖδον.

Ὀρέστης τότʼ εἶδες, εὖτε θεοί μʼ ἐπώτρυναν μολεῖν 1265

Ἠλέκτρα ἔφρασας ὑπερτέραν τᾶς πάρος ἔτι χάριτος, εἴ σε θεὸς ἐπόρισεν ἁμέτερα πρὸς μέλαθρα· δαιμόνιον αὐτὸ τίθημʼ ἐγώ. 1270

Ὀρέστης τὰ μέν σʼ ὀκνῶ χαίρουσαν εἰργαθεῖν, τὰ δὲ δέδοικα λίαν ἡδονῇ νικωμένην.

Ἠλέκτρα ἰὼ χρόνῳ μακρῷ φιλτάταν ὁδὸν ἐπαξιώσας ὧδέ μοι φανῆναι, μή τί με, πολύπονον ὧδʼ ἰδὼν 1275

Ὀρέστης τί μὴ ποήσω;

Ἠλέκτρα μή μʼ ἀποστερήσῃς τῶν σῶν προσώπων ἁδονὰν μεθέσθαι.

Ὀρέστης ἦ κάρτα κἂν ἄλλοισι θυμοίμην ἰδών.

Ἠλέκτρα ξυναινεῖς; 1280

Ὀρέστης τί μὴν οὔ;

Otheurer Sproß, Strophe.

Elektra. Sproß jenes uns, ach, so geliebten Manns, Du kamst endlich, ja, Du kamest, fandest, sahest, die dein Herz ersehnt! 1210

Orestes. Ich bin gekommen; aber schweigend harre noch. Warum das? Wohl ziemt zu schweigen, eh man uns im Haus vernimmt.

Elektra. Nein, bei der ewig unbezwungnen Artemis! 1 Wahrlich, ich fürchte nicht die nuzlose Last, 1215 Dies Volk der Weiber mehr, das im Haus stets sich umtreibt.

Orestes. Doch sei behutsam, auch in Weiberseelen glüht Kampfmuth: du weißt es; denn Erfahrung lehrte dich's.

Elektra. Oweh, o Graun, o Graun! Du nennst unverhüllt das unvertilgbare, 1220 In der Erinnerung nie zu verschmerzende, Das Leid, das ich litt!

Orestes. Wohl weiß ich das; doch dieses Jammers mußt du mir Dann erst gedenken, wann die rechte Zeit erscheint.

Electra O seed, seed of the person to me most dear, you have just now come, you have come, and have found and seen her whom your heart desired! 1235

Orestes I am with you; but keep silence and wait.

Electra What do you mean?

Orestes It is better to be silent so that no one inside may hear.

Electra No, by ever-virgin Artemis, I will never think it right to tremble before eternally house-bound women, that useless burden on the ground! 1240

Orestes Yes, but remember that Ares dwells in women, too. You know this well by experience, I believe.

Electra oh, no! ah, me! You have reminded me of my sorrow, one which by its nature cannot be veiled, 1245 cannot be done away with, cannot be forgotten! 1250

Orestes I know this, too; but when occasion prompts, we must recall those crimes.

Electra Each moment of all time, as it comes, would be a proper occasion for me to make these just complaints. Scarcely now have I had my lips set free. 1255

Orestes Yes, I agree; therefore guard your freedom.

Electra What must I do?

Orestes When it is inopportune, do not want to speak too much.

Electra No, who could exchange due silence for speech, when you have appeared? For now my eyes have seen you, beyond all thought and hope! 1260

Orestes You saw me when the gods moved me to come.

Electra You have told me of a grace higher still than the first, if a god brought you to our house; 1265 I acknowledge in it the work of the divine. 1270

Orestes On the one hand I hesitate to curb your gladness, but on the other I fear that you may be overwhelmed by too much joy.

Electra O you who, after such a long time, saw fit to make your most happy journey and appear to me, do not, now that you have seen me in all my misery— 1275

Orestes What should I not do?—

Electra —Do not rob me of the comfort of your face; do not force me to forego it!

Orestes I would be angry, indeed, if I saw another attempt it.

Electra You give your consent?

Orestes Why would I not? 1280

Electra My friends, I heard a voice that I could never have hoped to hear; nor could I have restrained my emotion in silence and without a cry, when I heard it. ah, me! But now I have you. You have appeared with that dear face, which I could never, even in misery, forget. 1285

Commentary

Stable identifiers

ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ.
ἔχω σε χερσίν χεροῖν γρ. χερσὶ χερσίν ;

ΟΡΕΣΤΗΣ.
ὡς ω from ο τὰ λοίπ᾽ ἔχοις ἔχεις ἄχοις ἀεί.

Ἠλέκτρα

ἰὼ γοναί,

γοναὶ σωμάτων ἐμοὶ φιλτάτων,

ἐμόλετʼ ἀρτίως,

ἐφηύρετʼ, ἤλθετʼ, εἴδεθʼ οὓς ἐχρῄζετε.
1235

Ὀρέστης

πάρεσμεν· ἀλλὰ σῖγʼ ἔχουσα πρόσμενε.

Ἠλέκτρα

τί δʼ ἔστιν;

Ὀρέστης

σιγᾶν ἄμεινον, μή τις ἔνδοθεν κλύῃ.

Ἠλέκτρα

ἀλλʼ οὐ μὰ τὴν ἄδμητον αἰὲν Ἄρτεμιν,

τόδε μὲν οὔ ποτʼ ἀξιώσω τρέσαι,
1240

περισσὸν ἄχθος ἔνδον

γυναικῶν ὂν αἰεί.

Ὀρέστης

ὅρα γε μὲν δὴ κἀν γυναιξὶν ὡς Ἄρης

ἔνεστιν· εὖ δʼ ἔξοισθα πειραθεῖσά που.

Ἠλέκτρα

ὀτοτοτοτοῖ τοτοῖ,
1245

ἀνέφελον ἐνέβαλες οὔ ποτε καταλύσιμον,

οὐδέ ποτε λησόμενον ἁμέτερον

οἷον ἔφυ κακόν.
1250

Ὀρέστης

ἔξοιδα, παῖ, ταῦτʼ· ἀλλʼ ὅταν παρουσία

φράζῃ, τότʼ ἔργων τῶνδε μεμνῆσθαι χρεών.

Ἠλέκτρα

ὁ πᾶς ἐμοί,

ὁ πᾶς ἂν πρέποι παρὼν ἐννέπειν

τάδε δίκᾳ χρόνος·
1255

μόλις γὰρ ἔσχον νῦν ἐλεύθερον στόμα.

Ὀρέστης

ξύμφημι κἀγώ· τοιγαροῦν σῴζου τόδε.

Ἠλέκτρα

τί δρῶσα;

Ὀρέστης

οὗ μή ʼστι καιρὸς μὴ μακρὰν βούλου λέγειν.

Ἠλέκτρα

τίς οὖν ἂν ἀξίαν γε σοῦ πεφηνότος
1260

μεταβάλοιτʼ ἂν ὧδε σιγὰν λόγων;

ἐπεί σε νῦν ἀφράστως

ἀέλπτως τʼ ἐσεῖδον.

Ὀρέστης

τότʼ εἶδες, εὖτε θεοί μʼ ἐπώτρυναν μολεῖν

1265

Ἠλέκτρα

ἔφρασας ὑπερτέραν

τᾶς πάρος ἔτι χάριτος, εἴ σε θεὸς ἐπόρισεν

ἁμέτερα πρὸς μέλαθρα· δαιμόνιον

αὐτὸ τίθημʼ ἐγώ.
1270

Ὀρέστης

τὰ μέν σʼ ὀκνῶ χαίρουσαν εἰργαθεῖν, τὰ δὲ

δέδοικα λίαν ἡδονῇ νικωμένην.

Ἠλέκτρα

ἰὼ χρόνῳ μακρῷ φιλτάταν ὁδὸν

ἐπαξιώσας ὧδέ μοι φανῆναι,

μή τί με, πολύπονον ὧδʼ ἰδὼν
1275

Ὀρέστης

τί μὴ ποήσω;

Ἠλέκτρα

μή μʼ ἀποστερήσῃς

τῶν σῶν προσώπων ἁδονὰν μεθέσθαι.

Ὀρέστης

ἦ κάρτα κἂν ἄλλοισι θυμοίμην ἰδών.

Ἠλέκτρα

ξυναινεῖς;
1280

Ὀρέστης

τί μὴν οὔ;

Otheurer Sproß,

Strophe.

Elektra.

Sproß jenes uns, ach, so geliebten Manns,

Du kamst endlich, ja,

Du kamest, fandest, sahest, die dein Herz ersehnt!
1210

Orestes.

Ich bin gekommen; aber schweigend harre noch.

Warum das?

Wohl ziemt zu schweigen, eh man uns im Haus vernimmt.

Elektra.

Nein, bei der ewig unbezwungnen Artemis!¹

Wahrlich, ich fürchte nicht die nuzlose Last,
1215

Dies Volk der Weiber mehr, das im Haus stets sich umtreibt.

Orestes.

Doch sei behutsam, auch in Weiberseelen glüht

Kampfmuth: du weißt es; denn Erfahrung lehrte dich's.

Elektra.

Oweh, o Graun, o Graun!

Du nennst unverhüllt das unvertilgbare,
1220

In der Erinnerung nie zu verschmerzende,

Das Leid, das ich litt!

Orestes.

Wohl weiß ich das; doch dieses Jammers mußt du mir

Dann erst gedenken, wann die rechte Zeit erscheint.

Electra

O seed, seed of the person to me most dear, you have just now come,

you have come, and have found and seen her whom your heart desired!
1235

Orestes

I am with you; but keep silence and wait.

Electra

What do you mean?

Orestes

It is better to be silent so that no one inside may hear.

Electra

No, by ever-virgin Artemis,

I will never think it right to tremble before eternally house-bound women, that useless burden on the ground!
1240

Orestes

Yes, but remember that Ares dwells in women, too. You know this well by experience, I believe.

Electra

oh, no! ah, me! You have reminded me of my sorrow, one which by its nature cannot be veiled,
1245

cannot be done away with, cannot be forgotten!
1250

Orestes

I know this, too; but when occasion prompts, we must recall those crimes.

Electra

Each moment of all time, as it comes, would be a proper occasion

for me to make these just complaints. Scarcely now have I had my lips set free.
1255

Orestes

Yes, I agree; therefore guard your freedom.

Electra

What must I do?

Orestes

When it is inopportune, do not want to speak too much.

Electra

No, who could exchange due silence for speech, when you have appeared? For now my eyes have seen you, beyond all thought and hope!
1260

Orestes

You saw me when the gods moved me to come.

Electra

You have told me of a grace higher still than the first, if a god brought you to our house;
1265

I acknowledge in it the work of the divine.
1270

Orestes

On the one hand I hesitate to curb your gladness, but on the other I fear that you may be overwhelmed by too much joy.

Electra

O you who, after such a long time, saw fit to make your most happy journey and appear to me,

do not, now that you have seen me in all my misery—
1275

Orestes

What should I not do?—

Electra

—Do not rob me of the comfort of your face; do not force me to forego it!

Orestes

I would be angry, indeed, if I saw another attempt it.

Electra

You give your consent?

Orestes

Why would I not?
1280

Electra

My friends, I heard a voice that I could never have hoped to hear; nor could I have restrained my emotion in silence and without a cry, when I heard it.

ah, me! But now I have you. You have appeared with that dear face, which I could never, even in misery, forget.
1285