Sophocles Electra 84

ed. Lewis Campbell

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πειρώμεθ᾽ ἔρδειν κἀπὸ τῶνδ᾽ ἀρχηγετεῖν η from a L.,

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)) — 121-250 focus
Translations (5)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 84 focus
CLY
Brazen thing!
Too true it is that words and deeds of mine
Are evermore informing thy harsh tongue.
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 86 focus
Oheiliges Licht 1
(Sie gehen ab. Elektra tritt aus dem Palaste.) (allein)
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 84 focus
Governor
[to the Governor.
For that I came, and I will tell thee all.
Know then, Orestes at the Pythian games,
Eager for glory, met assembled Greece.
Soon as the herald's far-resounding voice
Proclaimed the course, the p^racpfnt ynnth appeared^
And was by all admired. Successful soon
He reached the goal, and bore his prize away.
Ne'er did these eyes behold such feats performed
By mortal strength ; in every course superior,
He rose victorious. Theme of every tongue
Was the brave Argive, great Atrides' son,
Who led the Grecian host. But oh ! in vain
Doth human valour strive when power divine
Pursues vindictive ! The succeeding morn
Uprose the sun, and with him all the train
Of youthful rivals in the chariot race :
One from Achaia, one from Sparta came,
Of Afric's sons advanced a noble pair.
And joined the throng. With these Orestes drove
His swift Thessalian steeds ; ^tolia next,
ELECTl
For yellow coursers famed ; and next Magnesin ;
And Athens, built by hands divine, sent forth
Her skilful charioteer ; an .^nian next
Drove his white liorses through the field ; and last
A brave Bieotian closed the warrior train.
And now in order ran/^ed, as each by lot
Determined stood, forth at the trumpet's sound
They rushed together, shook their gUttering reins,
And lashed their foaming coursers o'er the plain.
Loud was the din of rattling cars involved
In dusty clouds ; close on each other pressed
Tlie rival youths, together stopped, and turned
Together all, the hapless ^nian first :
His fiery steeds impatient of subjection,
Entangled on the Lybian chariot hung.
Confusion soon and terror through the crowd
Disastrous spread ; the jarring axles rung ;
Wheel within wheel now cracked, till Chrysa's field
Was with the scattered ruins quite o'erspread.
Th' Athenian cautious viewed the distant danger,
Drew in the rein, and turned his car aside,
Then passed them all. Orestes, who, secure
Of conquest, lagged behind, with eager pace
Now urged his rapid course, and swift pursued.
Sharp was the contest : now th' Athenian first,
And now Orestes o'er his coursers hung.
Now side by tide they ran. When to the last
And fatal goal, they came, Atrides' son,
As chance with slackened rein he turned the car,
Full on the pillar struck, tore from the wheel
Its brittle spokes, and from his seat down dropped
Precipitate. Entangled in the reins
His fiery coursers dragged him o'er the field,
Whilst shrieking crowds with pity viewed the
youth.
Whose gallant deeds deserved a better fate.
Scarce could they stop the rapid car, or loose
His mangled corse, so drenched in blood, so changed,
That scarce a friend could say it was Orestes.
Straight on the pile they burnt his sad remains,
And, in an urn enclosed, a chosen few
From Phocis sent have brought his ashes home,
To reap due honours in his native land.
Thus have I told thee all, a dreadful tale !
But, oh ! how far more dreadful to behold it.
And be like me a witness of the scene !
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 84 focus
Chorus
ATTENDANT, CLYTEMNESTRA, ELECTRA, 660
From you, ye female Argives, may I learn,
660
Is this the mansion of Mycenæ's king?
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 121-250 focus

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-47-1 πατρὸς 1

mvp-comment-47-2 λουτρά 2

mvp-comment-47-3 φέρει … ἐφ’ ἡμῖν 3

mvp-comment-47-4 νίκην 4 κράτος τῶν δρωμένων 5

mvp-comment-47-5 All three actors now leave the scene. Orestes and Pylades go to Agamemnon's grave,—departing, probably, by the entrance on the spectators' right. The Paedagogus leaves by the entrance on the left,—to await the moment for seeking admission to the house (v. 660).—It might, indeed, be inferred from

πειρώμεθ’
(83) that the old man goes with the youths to their task; but the word need not imply more than his participation in the plan. while verses 73—75 seem clearly to indicate that he separates from his companions. When they have gone, Electra enters from the house.

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

77-86. mvp-comment-52-1 As the function of the chorus, see Introduction, is to respond to Electra, who gives the principal interest to the play, their entrance is preceded by a monody from her, which draws the sympathy of the spectators to the chief person, and prepares them to enter more fully into the spirit of the action. And-less to whet the purpose of Orestes, than to show his firmness- he is allowed to hear her wailing from within. It is easy to see how this must excite him. But it does not alter his determination to rely upon himself alone. And thus, although for the moment eager to hear more, he yields at once to the counsel of the old man, that nothing should delay the action for which the moment is come. After l. 85, exeunt Orestes, the Paedagogus, and Pylades, leaving the proscenium vacant.

84-85. mvp-comment-57-1 ταῦτα γὰρ . . δρωμένων] 'For this brings victory within our grasp, and gives us command over our exploit.' φέρει (sc. ἡμῖν) is to be resumed with κράτος, but ἐφ' ἡμῖν is to be joined to νίκην, as a supplementary predicate. See E. on L. $ 19. p. 29. 4, and § 24. p. 40, 2.

85-86. mvp-comment-58-1 They go all together to perform the libation at the tomb, after which the old man will return to the palace, and Orestes and Pylades will go to the place where they have hidden the urn ( supr. 55). Orestes, in supr. 73, 4, spoke as if the old man was at once to begin his part. But the time is not yet come for this, and, by going to join in the solemn rite at the grave of his old master, he leaves the proscenium vacant for the scenes from l. 86 to l. 659. If we are inclined to quarrel with this long delay, our scruple is pacified by the words ὅταν σε καιρὸς εἰσάγῃ in supr. 39.