πώλους Ὀρέστης, τῷ τέλει πίστιν φέρων·
735
Electra. Sophocles. ed. Lewis Campbell. Oxford. 1879.
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Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 823-870 focus
Χορός
ποῦ ποτε κεραυνοὶ Διὸς ἢ ποῦ φαέθων
Ἅλιος, εἰ ταῦτʼ ἐφορῶντες κρύπτουσιν ἕκηλοι;
825
ποῦ ποτε κεραυνοὶ Διὸς ἢ ποῦ φαέθων
Ἅλιος, εἰ ταῦτʼ ἐφορῶντες κρύπτουσιν ἕκηλοι;
825
Ἠλέκτρα
ἒ ἔ, αἰαῖ.
ἒ ἔ, αἰαῖ.
Χορός
ὦ παῖ, τί δακρύεις;
ὦ παῖ, τί δακρύεις;
Ἠλέκτρα
φεῦ.
φεῦ.
Χορός
μηδὲν μέγʼ ἀΰσῃς.
830
μηδὲν μέγʼ ἀΰσῃς.
830
Ἠλέκτρα
ἀπολεῖς.
ἀπολεῖς.
Χορός
πῶς;
πῶς;
Ἠλέκτρα
εἰ τῶν φανερῶς οἰχομένων
εἰς Ἀΐδαν ἐλπίδʼ ὑποίσεις, κατʼ ἐμοῦ τακομένας
μᾶλλον ἐπεμβάσει.
835
εἰ τῶν φανερῶς οἰχομένων
εἰς Ἀΐδαν ἐλπίδʼ ὑποίσεις, κατʼ ἐμοῦ τακομένας
μᾶλλον ἐπεμβάσει.
835
Χορός
οἶδα γὰρ ἄνακτʼ Ἀμφιάρεων χρυσοδέτοις
ἕρκεσι κρυφθέντα γυναικῶν· καὶ νῦν ὑπὸ γαίας
οἶδα γὰρ ἄνακτʼ Ἀμφιάρεων χρυσοδέτοις
ἕρκεσι κρυφθέντα γυναικῶν· καὶ νῦν ὑπὸ γαίας
Ἠλέκτρα
ἒ ἔ, ἰώ.
840
ἒ ἔ, ἰώ.
840
Χορός
πάμψυχος ἀνάσσει.
πάμψυχος ἀνάσσει.
Ἠλέκτρα
φεῦ.
φεῦ.
Χορός
φεῦ δῆτʼ· ὀλοὰ γὰρ
φεῦ δῆτʼ· ὀλοὰ γὰρ
Ἠλέκτρα
ἐδάμη.
ἐδάμη.
Χορός
ναί.
845
ναί.
845
Ἠλέκτρα
οἶδʼ οἶδʼ· ἐφάνη γὰρ μελέτωρ
ἀμφὶ τὸν ἐν πένθει· ἐμοὶ δʼ οὔτις ἔτʼ ἔσθʼ· ὃς γὰρ ἔτʼ ἦν,
φροῦδος ἀναρπασθείς.
οἶδʼ οἶδʼ· ἐφάνη γὰρ μελέτωρ
ἀμφὶ τὸν ἐν πένθει· ἐμοὶ δʼ οὔτις ἔτʼ ἔσθʼ· ὃς γὰρ ἔτʼ ἦν,
φροῦδος ἀναρπασθείς.
Χορός
δειλαία δειλαίων κυρεῖς.
δειλαία δειλαίων κυρεῖς.
Ἠλέκτρα
κἀγὼ τοῦδʼ ἴστωρ, ὑπερίστωρ,
850
πανσύρτῳ παμμήνῳ πολλῶν
δεινῶν στυγνῶν τʼ αἰῶνι.
κἀγὼ τοῦδʼ ἴστωρ, ὑπερίστωρ,
850
πανσύρτῳ παμμήνῳ πολλῶν
δεινῶν στυγνῶν τʼ αἰῶνι.
Χορός
εἴδομεν ἁθρήνεις.
εἴδομεν ἁθρήνεις.
Ἠλέκτρα
μή μέ νυν μηκέτι
855
παραγάγῃς, ἵνʼ οὐ
μή μέ νυν μηκέτι
855
παραγάγῃς, ἵνʼ οὐ
Χορός
τί φής;
τί φής;
Ἠλέκτρα
πάρεισιν ἐλπίδων ἔτι κοινοτόκων
εὐπατριδᾶν ἀρωγαί.
πάρεισιν ἐλπίδων ἔτι κοινοτόκων
εὐπατριδᾶν ἀρωγαί.
Χορός
πᾶσι θνατοῖς ἔφυ μόρος.
860
πᾶσι θνατοῖς ἔφυ μόρος.
860
Ἠλέκτρα
ἦ καὶ χαλάργοις ἐν ἁμίλλαις
οὕτως, ὡς κείνῳ δυστάνῳ,
τμητοῖς ὁλκοῖς ἐγκῦρσαι;
ἦ καὶ χαλάργοις ἐν ἁμίλλαις
οὕτως, ὡς κείνῳ δυστάνῳ,
τμητοῖς ὁλκοῖς ἐγκῦρσαι;
Χορός
ἄσκοπος ἁ λώβα.
ἄσκοπος ἁ λώβα.
Ἠλέκτρα
πῶς γὰρ οὔκ; εἰ ξένος
865
ἄτερ ἐμᾶν χερῶν
πῶς γὰρ οὔκ; εἰ ξένος
865
ἄτερ ἐμᾶν χερῶν
Χορός
παπαῖ.
παπαῖ.
Ἠλέκτρα
κέκευθεν, οὔτε του τάφου ἀντιάσας
οὔτε γόων παρʼ ἡμῶν.
870
κέκευθεν, οὔτε του τάφου ἀντιάσας
οὔτε γόων παρʼ ἡμῶν.
870
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.
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.
Der Chor.
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 823-870 focus
Chorus
Where are the thunderbolts of Zeus, or where the
shining Sun, if they look upon these things and quietly cover them over?
825
Where are the thunderbolts of Zeus, or where the
shining Sun, if they look upon these things and quietly cover them over?
825
Electra
Ah, me, ah, me!
Ah, me, ah, me!
Chorus
My child, why do you weep?
My child, why do you weep?
Electra
Oh!
Oh!
Chorus
Give no cry of bad omen!
830
Give no cry of bad omen!
830
Electra
You will break my heart!
You will break my heart!
Chorus
How do you mean?
How do you mean?
Electra
If you suggest that I keep hope for those who have surely passed to Hades,
you will trample even harder upon me as I waste away.
835
If you suggest that I keep hope for those who have surely passed to Hades,
you will trample even harder upon me as I waste away.
835
Chorus
No, for I know that the prince Amphiaraus was ensnared by a woman’s chain of gold and swallowed up. And now beneath the earth—
No, for I know that the prince Amphiaraus was ensnared by a woman’s chain of gold and swallowed up. And now beneath the earth—
Electra
ah, me, ah, me!
840
ah, me, ah, me!
840
Chorus
—He reigns supreme with the wits of the living.
—He reigns supreme with the wits of the living.
Electra
ah, me!
ah, me!
Chorus
ah, me, indeed! For the murderess—
ah, me, indeed! For the murderess—
Electra
Was slain.
Was slain.
Chorus
Yes.
845
Yes.
845
Electra
I know it; I know it. For a champion arose to avenge the grieving dead. But for me no champion remains: he who yet remained has been snatched clean away.
I know it; I know it. For a champion arose to avenge the grieving dead. But for me no champion remains: he who yet remained has been snatched clean away.
Chorus
Unhappy are you, unhappy your destiny!
Unhappy are you, unhappy your destiny!
Electra
How well I know that, all too well, with my life swept through all the months by abundant terrors and horrors!
850
How well I know that, all too well, with my life swept through all the months by abundant terrors and horrors!
850
Chorus
We have witnessed the events for which you mourn.
We have witnessed the events for which you mourn.
Electra
Cease, then, to divert me from it, since no longer—
855
Cease, then, to divert me from it, since no longer—
855
Chorus
What do you say?
What do you say?
Electra
—Since I no longer have hope in my brother, the seed of our shared noble line, to aid me.
—Since I no longer have hope in my brother, the seed of our shared noble line, to aid me.
Chorus
Nature ordains death as the destiny of all mortals.
860
Nature ordains death as the destiny of all mortals.
860
Electra
What, a death like the one which that ill-fated one died beneath a race of swift hooves, entangled in the cutting, dragging reins?
What, a death like the one which that ill-fated one died beneath a race of swift hooves, entangled in the cutting, dragging reins?
Chorus
The mutilation is beyond thought!
The mutilation is beyond thought!
Electra
Yes, so it is, when in foreign soil, without being tended by my hands—
865
Yes, so it is, when in foreign soil, without being tended by my hands—
865
Chorus
Ah, no!
Ah, no!
Electra
—he has been buried not receiving from me either burial
or lamentation.
870
—he has been buried not receiving from me either burial
or lamentation.
870
Commentary
Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) focus
734-735. mvp-comment-341-1 'Now Orestes was driving last, holding his horses back, relying on the finish.' There were six courses yet to be. See note on 726, supr. According to this reading the participial clause is explanatory of ἤλαυνε, and μέν points forward, opposing the position of Orestes before and after he saw that the Athenian alone was left. Some MSS. read ὑστέρας δ', opposing ἔσχατος to ὑστέρας ἔχων πώλους. He was last, indeed, but was holding back.'
734-735. mvp-comment-341-2 'Now Orestes was driving last, holding his horses back, relying on the finish.' There were six courses yet to be. See note on 726, supr. According to this reading the participial clause is explanatory of ἤλαυνε, and μέν points forward, opposing the position of Orestes before and after he saw that the Athenian alone was left. Some MSS. read ὑστέρας δ', opposing ἔσχατος to ὑστέρας ἔχων πώλους. He was last, indeed, but was holding back.'
736. mvp-comment-342-1 When Orestes saw that the Athenian remained alone.' So Mr. Paley, rightly.
737-738. mvp-comment-343-1 ὀξὺν . . διώκει] • He urged his swift steeds vehemently with shouts that pierced their ears, and makes for him.' ἐνσείειν is a vivid word (Essay on L. § 56. p. 102) which is more properly applicable to hurling hounds at game, throwing an attacking force into a town, etc. Cp. Eur. Or. 255, 6, ὦ μῆτερ, ἱκετεύω σε, μὴ πίσειε μοι | τὰς αἱματωποὺς καὶ δρακοντώδεις κόρας.
738-739. mvp-comment-344-1 κἀξισώσαντε ζυγὰ | ἠλαυνέτην] 'And now they were yoke by yoke, and on they drave.'
739-740. mvp-comment-345-1 τότ᾿ ἄλλος . . ὀχημάτων] 'Now one, and then the other drawing ahead.' κάρα is used analogically of man, car, and steeds, considered as one object; and the genitive ἱππικῶν ὀχημάτων is added to make this clear. (Not 'Putting his head forth from the car.') For the variation of the language in τότε-ἄλλοτε, ἄλλος - ἅτερος, cp. Trach. 457, δέδοικας . . ταρβεῖς.
741. mvp-comment-346-1 It is implied that Orestes' fall took place in the middle of the twelfth and last course.
742. mvp-comment-347-1 The ill-starred youth stood safely on a steady car.'
743-745. mvp-comment-348-1 Then in slackening the left-hand rein while the horse was making the turn, unawares he struck the edge of the goal and splintered the end of his axle-tree.' Cp. supr. 721, 2, and note. The horse making the turn is ὁ προσκείμενος.
746-747. mvp-comment-349-1 κἀξ ἀντύγων .. τμητοῖς ἱμᾶσι] And in a moment he had slipped over the rim of the chariot, and was rolled along together with it by means of the sharp-cut thongs.' Here it must be borne in mind that the reins were passed round the body of the charioteer, as, for instance, in the marble reliefs in the 'Sala della Biga' in the Vatican. Cp. Eur. Hipp. 1221, 2. This point has not escaped Mr. Browning :-' The prince around his body flung the rein.' Artemis Prologizes. Hence, when the body of the chariot was arrested by some sudden obstacle, instead of being jerked from his grasp, they would pull him over the ἄντυξ, and would drag him when the car was again in motion. σύν, sc. ταῖς ἵπποις οι τῷ ἅρματι. ἱμᾶσι is dative of the instrument. τμητοῖς, lit. 'cut,' is suggestive of the sharp edges of the reins. Cp. infr. 862, τμητοῖς ὁλκοῖς ἐγκύρσαι.
748. mvp-comment-350-1 διεσπάρησαν ἐς μέσον δρόμον]
748. mvp-comment-350-2 'Plunged wildly about the course.' μέσον, SC. ἐν μέσῳ τῶν θεατῶν, vaguely distinguishes the field generally from the line of running. διεσπάρησαν, lit. 'were scattered,' is used inaccurately to suggest aimless movement.
749. mvp-comment-351-1 στρατός] 'The assembly.' Cp. Aesch. Eum. 762, χώρᾳ τῇδε καὶ τῷ σῷ στρατῷ.
752-753. mvp-comment-352-1 φορούμενος προφαίνων] 'As he was dragged upon the ground, and now and then his legs were pointed to the sky.' The opposition with ἄλλοτε is suggested as the description proceeds. Hence not ἄλλοτε ἄλλοτε.
753. mvp-comment-353-1 διφρηλάται] Some of the charioteers from the other chariots, who had been thrown, but not seriously hurt.
758. mvp-comment-354-1 μέγιστον σῶμα δειλαίας σποδοῦ] His mighty frame reduced to' (lit. consisting of) hapless dust.' See E. on L. § 10. p. 17, 6. On the supposed great stature of Orestes, see Hdt. 1. 68, where his bones are found at Tegea :-ἐπέτυχον σόρῳ ἑπταπήχεϊ .. καὶ εἶδον τὸν νεκρὸν μήκεϊ ἴσον ἔοντα τῷ σόρῳ.
760. mvp-comment-355-1 ἐκλάχοι] The mood depends on the idea of past time contained either in φέρουσι . . τεταγμένοι, i.e. ἐτάχθησαν φέρειν, or in the whole of the previous sentence.
761. mvp-comment-356-1 τοιαῦτα . . ἐστίν] Cp. Ant. 37, οὕτως ἔχει σοι ταῦτα, and note. ὡς μὲν ἐν λόγῳ] 'In description, indeed;' ὡς is pleonastic. Cp. О. С. 15, ὡς ἀπ᾿ ὀμμάτων.
764. mvp-comment-357-1 δεσπόταισι] δεσπότης is not used elsewhere of an Hellenic ruler. Can Sophocles have forgotten for a moment that the Chorus were freewomen ( infr. 1227)? Or should the speech be given to an οἰκέτης?
765. mvp-comment-358-1 Cp. Hdt. 6. 86, Γλαύκου νῦν οὔτε ἀπόγονόν ἐστι οὐδέν,.. ἐκτέτριπταί τε πρόρριζος ἐκ Σπάρτης.
766-768. mvp-comment-359-1 Clytemnestra is awed for the moment, and her profound relief is mingled with a pang of sorrow.
770. mvp-comment-360-1 δεινὸν . . ἐστίν] 'Motherhood has strange power.'
770-771. mvp-comment-361-1 κακῶς | πάσχοντι] She regards herself as ill-treated by Orestes, because she knew that he would avenge his father if he could. Cp. supr. 293 foll., 603 foll., infr. 779.
771. mvp-comment-362-1 ὧν τέκῃ] ἄv is omitted. See Essay on L. § 27. P. 45.
772. mvp-comment-363-1 μάτην .. ἥκομεν] 'I have made a mistake in coming;' i.e. I see that I have given no satisfaction, and therefore shall receive no reward.
775. mvp-comment-364-1 τῆς ἐμῆς ψυχῆς γεγώς] 'Sprung from my very life.' For this pathetic use of ψυχή, cp. Aesch. Cho. 749, τῆς ἐμῆς ψυχῆς τριβήν. Το mark the horror of the situation she expresses Orestes' original nearness to her in the strongest manner. Cp. Shak. Macbeth, 2. 3, 'The near in blood, The nearer bloody.'
776. mvp-comment-365-1 μαστῶν . . ἐμῆς] 'Going aloof from my breast that gave him suck.' The words μαστῶν καὶ τροφῆς are used figuratively for the debt of obligation due from a son to his mother. Orestes at the time of Agamemnon's death must have been at least ten years old.
780-781. mvp-comment-366-1 ὥστ᾽ οὔτε νυκτός. . ἡδύν] 'So that I have no rest by night, nor can I snatch from the day a sweet moment of repose to enfold me.' στεγάζειν is adapted to ἐξ ἡμέρας-some more general word, such as ἴσχειν, being understood with νυκτός. ἐξ implies that the time is taken from the day, and would not naturally be given to sleep. ἡδύν means, if I do fall asleep, I am terrified with dreams;' i.e. I can neither sleep comfortably at night, nor take a quiet nap in the day-time.
781-782. mvp-comment-367-1 ἀλλ᾽ ὁ προστατῶν.. θανουμένην] But Time ever standing over me was a jailor who conducted me to death. The inversion (for χρόνον διῆ-
782-784. mvp-comment-368-1 yov, see Essay on L. § 42. p. 80 ß) is here forcible in personifying χρόνος. For προστατῶν, instans, cp. Aesch. Agam. 976, δείγμα προστατήριον.
783-784. mvp-comment-369-1 But then, to-day's event has rid me once for all of fears from him and her.' The suppressed or deferred apodosis is resumed in 1. 786. In τῆσδ᾽ ἐκείνου θ' the more emphatic pronoun is put first.
784-785. mvp-comment-370-1 ἥδε γὰρ . . ἦν μοι] For she, dwelling under the same roof, has been a greater bane to me.' οὖσα must be supplied either with βλάβη or with ξύνοικος, and μοι belongs to both.
785-786. mvp-comment-371-1 τοὐμὸν αἷμα] 'Incessantly draining my very life-blood.' ἄκρατον πιεῖν, 'to drink wine unqualified,' seems to have become a synonym for hard drinking. Cp. Od. 9. 297, ἀνδρόμεα κρέ᾽ ἔδων καὶ ἐπ᾿ ἄκρητον γάλα πίνων: Aesch. Cho. 577, 8, φόνου δ' Ἐρινὺς οὐχ ὑπεσπανισμένη | ἄκρατον αἷμα πίεται, τρίτην πόσιν. The force of the adjective here is simply intensive. The addition of ψυχῆς marks the figurative nature of the expression.