Sophocles Electra 726

ed. Lewis Campbell

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τελοῦντες ἕκτον ἔβδομόν τ᾽ ἤδη δρόμον,

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)) — 823-870 focus
Translations (2)
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 731 focus
Das nimmt Athens gewandter Zügellenker wahr;
715
Drum lenkt er auswärts, hemmt der Rosse Lauf, und läßt
Vorbei der Wagen Strudel, der die Bahn durchwogt.
Am lezten fuhr Orestes, der wohlkundig sein
Gespann zurückhielt, banend auf des Kampfes Schluß.
Als aber jener ihn allein noch übrig sah,
720
Da jagt' er, hell aufdröhnend traf sein Ruf das Ohr
Der schnellen Renner; Soch an Soch, in gleichem Schritt,
Flog hin das Paar, nun Einer, nun der Andere
Der Wagenrosse stolzes Haupt vorangestreckt.
Und aller andern Bahnen Lauf vollendete
725
Der Arme sonder Fährde, fest auf festem Siz:
Da ließ er nach den Zügel, als das linke Roß
Sich wendend umbog, und den Rand der Säule traf
Er unversehens; mitten brach die Nabe durch;
Er glitt vom Kranz des Wagens und verwirrte sich
730
Im langen Riemzeug; als er dann zu Boden sank,
Floh'n seine Nosse durch die Bahn in wilder Flucht.
Und wie das Volk den Jüngling so vom Wagensiz
Herabgestürzt sah, schrie es jammernd auf um ihn,
Der, solcher Thaten Meister, solches Leid erfuhr,
735
Am Boden bald hinschleifend, bald zum Himmel hoch
Die Füße kehrend, bis die Wagenführer selbst,
Kaum hemmend seiner Rosse Lauf, ablösten ihn,
Den so mit Blut bedeckten, daß kein Freund ihn mehr
Erkennen mochte, wenn er sah die Schmerzgestalt.
740
Die Glut verzehrt' ihn schleunig, und es bringen nun
In kleinem Erz des großen Körpers Aschenrest
Erles'ne Männer aus dem Phokervolk hieher,
Auf daß in seiner Väter Land ihm werd' ein Grab.
So hat sich das begeben, selbst in Worten schon
745
Betrübend, doch für Alle, die's mit angeseh'n,
Wie wir, der Uebel größtes, das mein Auge sah.
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 823-870 focus

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-423-1 τελοῦντες κ.τ.λ. 1

mvp-comment-423-2 The Aenian, closely followed by the others, had just completed his sixth

δίαυλος
, or double course, in the hippodrome: i.e., he had just passed, for the sixth time, round the goal nearest to the starting-place, and was on the point of beginning his seventh course. Just as he was passing the goal, his horses bolted. Hence he could not work them quite round into the track. They turned out of the left-ward curve (
ἐξ ὑποστροφῆς
), and ran straight on. Meanwhile, one of the two Libyan chariots had swept round the goal in a wider circle, on the Aenian's right. The Aenian's horses dashed head-foremost into the Libyan's team, striking it on the left side.

mvp-comment-423-3 In the four - horse chariot - race at Olympia the number of double courses was twelve. Hence the goal farthest from the starting-place is

δωδεκάγναμπτον... τέρμα δρόμου
|
ἵππων
( Pind. O. 3. 33 : cp. Pind. O. 2. 55 , Pind. O. 6. 75 , Pind. P. 5. 33 ). If the
ἱππικὸν
(=4 stadia) be taken as the length of one double course in the hippodrome, twelve such courses give about 51/2 English miles. (Cp. art. Hippodromus in Smith's Dict. Ant., 3rd ed., p. 965 a.)

mvp-comment-423-4 Βαρκαίοις ὄχοις 2

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

725-726. mvp-comment-337-1 ἐκ δ᾽ ὑποστροφῆς] Either (1) 'After turning the goal,' or (2) 'Having turned sharply aside.' See next note.

725-726. mvp-comment-337-2 ἐκ δ᾽ ὑποστροφῆς] Either (1) 'After turning the goal,' or (2) 'Having turned sharply aside.' See next note.

726. mvp-comment-338-1 When finishing the sixth and now (running) the seventh course.' Not τελοῦντες, but a more general word, e.g. θέοντες, is to be supplied with ἔβδομον. Essay on L. § 36. pp. 65, 6, 2. The grammatical irregularity assists the graphic effect. The scene changes while it is being described. Ср. О. С. 1648-50, ἐξαπείδομεν | τὸν ἄνδρα, τὸν μὲν οὐδαμοῦ παρόντ᾽ ἔτι, | ἄνακτα δ᾽ αὐτόν, κ.τ.λ., and note. The masculine τελοῦντες either (1) implies that the white horses of the Aenian were, like those of Diomede in Il. 23 (1. c. supr. 718, 9), ἄρσενες ἵπποι, - which may part account for their behaviour; or (2) τελοῦντες is a nominative absolute having for subject the charioteers collectively. This line seems at first sight to support the former interpretation (1) of l. 725, ἐκ δ᾽ ὑποστροφής. But the point in the course is sufficiently indicated without such an addition; and in the other sense (2) the phrase forms a suitable preparation for l. 727. The imagination is assisted if we suppose these chariots to be somewhat wide of the goal, so that one of them might face about without striking the στήλη. In μέτωπα, as in κάρα infr. 740, the chariot and horses are thought of together as a single object. The accident happens just when the race is half finished, -six of the twelve customary courses having being run. Cp. Pind. O1. 2. 88-90, Πυθῶνι . . Χάριτες ἄνθεα τεθρίππων δυωκαιδεκαδρόμων | ἄγαγον.

726. mvp-comment-338-2 When finishing the sixth and now (running) the seventh course.' Not τελοῦντες, but a more general word, e.g. θέοντες, is to be supplied with ἔβδομον. Essay on L. § 36. pp. 65, 6, 2. The grammatical irregularity assists the graphic effect. The scene changes while it is being described. Ср. О. С. 1648-50, ἐξαπείδομεν | τὸν ἄνδρα, τὸν μὲν οὐδαμοῦ παρόντ᾽ ἔτι, | ἄνακτα δ᾽ αὐτόν, κ.τ.λ., and note. The masculine τελοῦντες either (1) implies that the white horses of the Aenian were, like those of Diomede in Il. 23 (1. c. supr. 718, 9), ἄρσενες ἵπποι, - which may part account for their behaviour; or (2) τελοῦντες is a nominative absolute having for subject the charioteers collectively. This line seems at first sight to support the former interpretation (1) of 1. 725, ἐκ δ᾽ ὑποστροφής. But the point in the course is sufficiently indicated without such an addition; and in the other sense (2) the phrase forms a suitable preparation for 1. 727. The imagination is assisted if we suppose these chariots to be somewhat wide of the goal, so that one of them might face about without striking the στήλη. In μέτωπα, as in κάρα infr. 740, the chariot and horses are thought of together as a single object. The accident happens just when the race is half finished, -six of the twelve customary courses having being run. Cp. Pind. O1. 2. 88-90, Πυθῶνι . . Χάριτες ἄνθεα τεθρίππων δυωκαιδεκαδρόμων | ἄγαγον.