Electra. Sophocles. ed. Lewis Campbell. Oxford. 1879.
Table of Contents
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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
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 (5)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 836 focus
’Tis well that he is gone, not that you live.
840
’Tis well that he is gone, not that you live.
840
EL
Hear, ’venging spirits of the lately dead!
840
Hear, ’venging spirits of the lately dead!
840
CLY
The avenging spirits have heard and answered well.
The avenging spirits have heard and answered well.
EL
Insult us now, for thou art fortunate!
Insult us now, for thou art fortunate!
CLY
You and Orestes are to quench my pride.
You and Orestes are to quench my pride.
EL
Our pride is quenched. No hope of quenching thee!
Our pride is quenched. No hope of quenching thee!
CLY
A world of good is in thy coming, stranger,
Since thou hast silenced this all-clamorous tongue.
A world of good is in thy coming, stranger,
Since thou hast silenced this all-clamorous tongue.
OLD M
Then I may go my way, seeing all is well.
845
Then I may go my way, seeing all is well.
845
CLY
Nay, go not yet! That would disgrace alike
845
Me and the friend who sent you to our land.
845
But come thou in, and leave her out of door
845
To wail her own and loved ones’ overthrow.
845
Nay, go not yet! That would disgrace alike
845
Me and the friend who sent you to our land.
845
But come thou in, and leave her out of door
845
To wail her own and loved ones’ overthrow.
845
EL
Think you the wretch in heartfelt agony
Weeps inconsolably her perished son?
She left us with a laugh! O misery!
How thou hast ruined me, dear brother mine,
By dying! Thou hast torn from out my heart
The only hope I cherished yet, that thou
Living wouldst come hereafter to avenge
Thy father’s woes and mine. Where must I go?
Since I am left of thee and of my sire
Bereaved and lonely, and once more must be
The drudge and menial of my bitterest foes,
My father’s murderers. Say, is it well?
Nay, nevermore will I consort with these,
But sinking here before the palace gate,
Thus, friendless, I will wither out my life.
Hereat if any in the house be vexed,
Let them destroy me; for to take my life
Were kindness, and to live is only pain:
Life hath not kindled my desires with joy.
O ever-blazing sun!
O lightning of the eternal Sire!
Can ye behold this done
And tamely hide your all-avenging fire?
Ah me!
My daughter, why these tears?
Woe!
Weep not, calm thy fears.
You kill me.
How?
To breathe
A hope for one beneath
So clearly sunk in death,
’Tis to afflict me more
Already pining sore.
Think you the wretch in heartfelt agony
Weeps inconsolably her perished son?
She left us with a laugh! O misery!
How thou hast ruined me, dear brother mine,
By dying! Thou hast torn from out my heart
The only hope I cherished yet, that thou
Living wouldst come hereafter to avenge
Thy father’s woes and mine. Where must I go?
Since I am left of thee and of my sire
Bereaved and lonely, and once more must be
The drudge and menial of my bitterest foes,
My father’s murderers. Say, is it well?
Nay, nevermore will I consort with these,
But sinking here before the palace gate,
Thus, friendless, I will wither out my life.
Hereat if any in the house be vexed,
Let them destroy me; for to take my life
Were kindness, and to live is only pain:
Life hath not kindled my desires with joy.
O ever-blazing sun!
O lightning of the eternal Sire!
Can ye behold this done
And tamely hide your all-avenging fire?
Ah me!
My daughter, why these tears?
Woe!
Weep not, calm thy fears.
You kill me.
How?
To breathe
A hope for one beneath
So clearly sunk in death,
’Tis to afflict me more
Already pining sore.
CH. 5
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 823 focus
Wo sind des Zeus Donner und du, strahlender Gott,
Helios, wenn solches ihr schaut und
Langmüthig verberget?
Wo sind des Zeus Donner und du, strahlender Gott,
Helios, wenn solches ihr schaut und
Langmüthig verberget?
Elektra.
Ach, ach, weh, weh!
810
Ach, ach, weh, weh!
810
Der Chor.
Was weinst Du, o Jungfrau?
Was weinst Du, o Jungfrau?
Elektra.
Ho!
Ho!
Der Chor.
Nicht höhne die Götter!
Schont mein!
Wie?
Nicht höhne die Götter!
Schont mein!
Wie?
Elektra.
Wenn hoffen du mich heißest auf die,
815
Die mir der Tod sichtbar entrafft: drückst du mich noch tiefer hinab,
Mich, die der Gram aufzehrt.
Erste Gegenstrophe.
Wenn hoffen du mich heißest auf die,
815
Die mir der Tod sichtbar entrafft: drückst du mich noch tiefer hinab,
Mich, die der Gram aufzehrt.
Der Chor.
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 836 focus
Miu-ked ye, my friends, did ye observe her
840
tears ?
840
Did she lament him ? Did the mother weep
840
For her lost child ? Oh, no ; she smiled and left me.
840
Thou hast undone me ; thou wert all my hope :
840
I thought thou wouldst have lived to aid my vengeance
840
For our loved father's death ; deprived of both
840
Whither shall I betake me 'i Left at last
840
A slave to those whom most on earth I hate,
840
The cruel murderers — must it then be so ?
840
Never, oh never ! Thus bereft of all.
840
Here will I lay me down, and on this spot
840
End my sad days. If it offend the t}Tants,
840
Let 'em destroy me — 'twill be kindly done.
840
Life is a pain ; I would not wish to keep it.
840
Miu-ked ye, my friends, did ye observe her
840
tears ?
840
Did she lament him ? Did the mother weep
840
For her lost child ? Oh, no ; she smiled and left me.
840
Thou hast undone me ; thou wert all my hope :
840
I thought thou wouldst have lived to aid my vengeance
840
For our loved father's death ; deprived of both
840
Whither shall I betake me 'i Left at last
840
A slave to those whom most on earth I hate,
840
The cruel murderers — must it then be so ?
840
Never, oh never ! Thus bereft of all.
840
Here will I lay me down, and on this spot
840
End my sad days. If it offend the t}Tants,
840
Let 'em destroy me — 'twill be kindly done.
840
Life is a pain ; I would not wish to keep it.
840
Chorus
Where is thy thunder, Jove ? or where thy
power,
O Phcebus ! if thou dost behold this' deed
And not avenge it ?
Chor
Oh
Alas
Why mournst thou thus ?
Oh ! do not gi'oan thus.
How have I huit thee ?
Thou destroyst me.
Where is thy thunder, Jove ? or where thy
power,
O Phcebus ! if thou dost behold this' deed
And not avenge it ?
Chor
Oh
Alas
Why mournst thou thus ?
Oh ! do not gi'oan thus.
How have I huit thee ?
Thou destroyst me.
Electra
Why thus vainly try
To give me comfort, when I know he's dead ?
You but insult my woes.
Why thus vainly try
To give me comfort, when I know he's dead ?
You but insult my woes.
Chorus
Yet weep not thus.
Think on the golden bracelet that betrayed
Amphiaraus, who now
Yet weep not thus.
Think on the golden bracelet that betrayed
Amphiaraus, who now
Electra
Oh me !
Oh me !
Chorus
In bliss
845
Immortal reigns among the shades below.
845
In bliss
845
Immortal reigns among the shades below.
845
Electra
Alas !
Alas !
Chorus
No more ; a woman was the cause,
Th' accursed cause.
Eleo. She suffered, did she not ?
No more ; a woman was the cause,
Th' accursed cause.
Eleo. She suffered, did she not ?
Chorus
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 836 focus
Hear, Nemesis, avenger of the dead!
840
Hear, Nemesis, avenger of the dead!
840
Clytemnestra
She heard whom she should hear, and well decreed.
She heard whom she should hear, and well decreed.
Electra
Triumph, insult; for prosperous is thy state.
Triumph, insult; for prosperous is thy state.
Clytemnestra
That state wilt thou and thy Orestes sink?
That state wilt thou and thy Orestes sink?
Electra
No: we are sunk, and therefore sink not thee.
No: we are sunk, and therefore sink not thee.
Clytemnestra
Great is thy merit, stranger, great thy meed,
If thou hast check'd that ever-clamourous tongue.
Great is thy merit, stranger, great thy meed,
If thou hast check'd that ever-clamourous tongue.
Attendant
Now, if these things are well, I would depart.
845
Now, if these things are well, I would depart.
845
Clytemnestra
Not so; that would reflect disgrace on me,
845
And on the friend who sent thee. Go thou in,
845
And leave her here with clamourous grief to wail
845
The ruin which hath sunk her, and her friends.
845
Not so; that would reflect disgrace on me,
845
And on the friend who sent thee. Go thou in,
845
And leave her here with clamourous grief to wail
845
The ruin which hath sunk her, and her friends.
845
Electra
ELECTRA, CHORUS.
Did this unnatural mother show one sign
Of grief or pity? Did she shed a tear?
Or once lament a son by such a fate
Cut off? She left us with a smile of joy.
My dear Orestes, how hast thou destroy'd
Thy poor unhappy sister by thy death!
Thou hast torn from me the fond hope, which cheer'd
Alone my sinking mind, that thou wouldst live,
Live to avenge my father's death, and me,
Unhappy me. Now whither shall I go?
Did this unnatural mother show one sign
Of grief or pity? Did she shed a tear?
Or once lament a son by such a fate
Cut off? She left us with a smile of joy.
My dear Orestes, how hast thou destroy'd
Thy poor unhappy sister by thy death!
Thou hast torn from me the fond hope, which cheer'd
Alone my sinking mind, that thou wouldst live,
Live to avenge my father's death, and me,
Unhappy me. Now whither shall I go?
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 (R. C. Jebb) (OCR draft) (Commentary (R. C. Jebb))
mvp-comment-470-1
Kommos. 1st strophe, 823—835, =1st antistr., 836—848: 2nd str., 849—859, =2nd antistr., 860—870. For metres see Metrical Analysis. Changes of person occur within a verse (as in 829 ff.,
ΗΛ. φεῦ. ΧΟ. μηδὲν μέγ’ ἀΰσῃς. ΗΛ. ἀπολεῖς. ΧΟ. πῶς; ). This indicates that the Chorus is here represented by the coryphaeus; it is, in fact, a lyric duet between the leader and Electra. Similar duets occur in
O. T. 649
—697 and
O. C. 510
—548, passages which further resemble this as being
κομμοί inserted in
ἐπεισόδια: also in the parodos of the
O. C.(as at 178 ff.), and its exodos (as at 1677 ff.): and in
Ph. 1081
—1217 (as at 1184 f.).
mvp-comment-470-2 These lyrics mark the climax of Electra's grief. The comforter vainly seeks to rouse her from despair.
mvp-comment-470-3 ποῦ ποτε 1
mvp-comment-470-4 φαέθων 2
mvp-comment-470-5 ἐφορῶντες 3
mvp-comment-470-6 κρύπτουσιν 4