Sophocles Electra 326

Lewis Campbell (Translator)

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EL
O King Apollo! hear them graciously,
And hear me too, that with incessant hand
Honoured thee richly from my former store!
And now, fierce slayer, I importune thee,
And woo thee with such gifts as I can give,
Be kindly aidant to this enterprise,
And make the world take note, what meed of bane
Heaven still bestows on man’s iniquity.
Lo, where the War-god moves
With soft, sure footstep, on to his design,
Breathing hot slaughter of an evil feud!
Even now the inevitable hounds that track
1380
Dark deeds of hideous crime
1380
Are gone beneath the covert of the domes.
1380
Not long in wavering suspense shall hang
The dreaming presage of my wistful soul.
For lo! within is led
With crafty tread the avenger of the shades,
Even to his father’s throne of ancient power,
And in his hand the bright new-sharpened death!
And Hermes, Maia’s son,
Is leading him, and hath concealed the guile
1397
Even to the fatal end in clouds of night.
His time of weary waiting all is o’er.

Electra. Sophocles. Lewis Campbell (Translator). London, New York and Toronto. 1906.

Current edition Experimental

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) (English) (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (2)
Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 362 focus
τράπεζα κείσθω καὶ περιρρείτω βίος.
Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 251-471 focus
Translations (4)
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 341 focus
Schmach dir, des Mannes Tochter, der dir Leben gab,
Daß du, vergessend seiner, nur der Mutter denkst!
Denn alle Lehren, welche du mir eben gabst,
335
Hat sie dir eingegeben, nicht dein eigner Sinn.
Wähl' Eines denn von Zweien, ob du thöricht sein,
Ob, klug, der liebsten Freunde nicht gedenken willst.
Denn eben sagst du, würde dir die Macht geliehn,
Du zeigtest ihnen, welcher Haß dein Herz erfüllt;
340
Mir aber, die den Vater rächen will, versagst
Du deine Hülfe, ja verwehrst die Rache mir.
Verräthst du hier nur bösen, nicht auch seigen Sinn?
Denn lehre du mich, oder lerne du von mir,
Was ich gewönne, ſtellt' ich meine Klagen ein.
345
Ich lebe, zwar unglücklich, doch ich lebe ja;
Und ihnen thu' ich wehe, daß ich Ehre so
Dem Todten zolle, wenn es dort noch Freude gibt.
Doch du, sie hassend, hassest nur in Worten sie,
Und bist des Vaters Mördern durch die That gesellt.
350
Ich würde niemals, ob man auch in Fülle mir
Die Gaben böte, deren Frucht dich üppig labt,
Mich ihnen unterwerfen; sei der volle Tisch
Dir zubereitet, ström' um dich das Leben reich:
Mir sei es einzig Labe, daß ich keine Qual
355
Mir selbst bereite; deines Glücks begehr' ich nicht;
Auch du verschmähtest's, wärst du klug. Wohl könntest du
Das Kind des besten Vaters heißen, heiße nun
Das Kind der Mutter; so erscheinst du Allen schlecht,
Den Freunden, wie dem todten Vater, ungetreu.
360
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 326 focus
Aegisthus
^Gis. Ha ! what do I see 1
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 326 focus
Orestes
1491
Enter the gates this instant; for not words
Must now decide the contest, but thy life.
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 251-470 focus

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-761-1 ἀφ’ ὧν 1

mvp-comment-761-2 ἔχοιμι 2

mvp-comment-761-3 λιπαρεῖ 3

mvp-comment-761-4 Blaydes and Wecklein read )πέστην 4

mvp-comment-762-1 ἐξ οἵων ἔχω 5 αἰτῶ 6

mvp-comment-762-2 1380 I read προπίπτω 7 προπίτνω 8 ι^ 9 ι— 10

mvp-comment-763-1 τἀπιτίμια 11

mvp-comment-764-1 ἴδεθ’ 12 ὅπου 13

mvp-comment-764-2 προνέμεται 14

mvp-comment-764-3 Campbell suggests that the image in

προνέμεται
is from fire ‘eating its way’ forward, and compares Her. 5. 101
ἀπ’ οἰκίης ἐς οἰκίην ἰὸν τὸ πῦρ ἐπενέμετο τὸ ἄστυ
. This hardly agrees so well with the idea of a stealthy advance.

mvp-comment-765-1 τὸ δυσέριστον αἷμα 15

mvp-comment-765-2 φυσῶν 16

mvp-comment-766-1 δωμάτων ὑπόστεγοι 17

mvp-comment-767-1 μετάδρομοι … κύνες 18

mvp-comment-768-1 ἀμμενεῖ 19

mvp-comment-769-1 τοὐμὸν φρενῶν ὄνειρον 20

mvp-comment-769-2 αἰωρούμενον 21

mvp-comment-770-1 ἐνέρων … ἀρωγός 22

mvp-comment-771-1 ἀρχαιόπλουτα 23

mvp-comment-772-1 νεακόνητον αἷμα χειροῖν ἔχων 24

mvp-comment-772-2 The bold use of αἷμα 25 χειροῖν ἔχων 26 αἷμα 27

mvp-comment-772-3 If νεάκονητον 28 α 29

mvp-comment-773-1 ὁ Μαίας δὲ παῖς 30

mvp-comment-773-2 Ἑρμῆς σφ’ ἄγει 31 ς 32 σφ’ 33

mvp-comment-774-1 A kommos. It falls into two principal parts. (1) 1398—1421; the death of Clytaemnestra. (2) 1422— 1441; Orestes and Pylades re-enter; Aegisthus approaches; and they prepare to receive him.

mvp-comment-774-2 The general structure of this kommos is clearly strophic; but critics differ on details. The simplest view is that of Dindorf and others, that vv. 1398—1421 form a single strophe,=antistr. 1422— 1441. The lyric verses 1407, 1413—4, and 1419—1421, correspond respectively with 1428, 1433—4, and 1439—1441: for these, see Metrical Analysis. It is usually held, with Hermann, that the correspondence of the iambic trimeters also must be exact. This makes it necessary to assume a gap in our text after v. 1427 (n.), and a second after 1429 (n.), besides the defect in 1432. See Appendix.

mvp-comment-774-3 Electra hastens out of the house. She performs the part of an

<*>ξάγγελος
, so far as to describe the situation at this moment in the house: then Clytaemnestra's cry is heard, like that of the dying king in Aesch. Ag. 1343 ff. In the Orestes (408 B.C.) Electra has a similar part, perhaps suggested by this. Helen's cry is heard within, and Electra says to the Chorus (1297),
ἠκούσαθ); ἅνδρες χεῖρ’ ἔχουσιν ἐν φόνῳ
.

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

1377. mvp-comment-648-1 σε is governed by λιπαρεῖ προὔστην χερί = ἱκέτευσά σε.

1378. mvp-comment-649-1 λιπαρεῖ . . χερί] 'Came before thee with ever-instant hand.' The gloss of Suidas, λιπαρεῖ· ἀφθόνῳ, πλουσίᾳ, must be attributed to misapprehension.

1379. mvp-comment-650-1 ἐξ οἴων ἔχω] Sc. εὐχομένη, 'Vowing of such things as I have.' Cp. Aesch. Cho. 486-8, ΗΛ. κἀγὼ χοάς σοι τῆς ἐμῆς παγκληρίας | οἴσω πατρῳων ἐκ δόμων γαμηλίους· | πάντων δὲ πρῶτον τόνδε πρεσβεύσω τάφον. This and the following lines are said by Electra in an attitude of prayer, and fitly prepare the spectator for the solemn strain which is raised by the Chorus after she has entered the palace at l. 1383.

1382-1383. mvp-comment-651-1 τἀπιτίμια.. θεοί] ‘What reward the gods bestow upon impiety.'

1384ff. mvp-comment-652-1 In a single strophe and antistrophe (cp. O. C. 1556-1578) the Chorus (1) augur the success of the dreadful enterprize, and (2) recognise the presence of Hermes, who is conducting it. Beginning with a resolved cretic (the fourth paeon) the rhythm becomes first dochmiac and then iambic.

1384-1385. mvp-comment-653-1 'Behold ye, where the God of Strife advances panting forth the eager blood-drops of a fatal feud;' i. e. full of his slaughterous intent. προνέμεσθαι is said to mean literally, To go forward in grazing' (L. and S.). But the image immediately suggested is rather that of a fire, which may also be said 'to eat its way.' Cp. Aj. 197 foll., and notes: Hdt. 5. 101, αὐτίκα ἀπ᾿ οἰκίης ἐς οἰκίην ἰὸν τὸ πῦρ, ἐπενέμετο τὸ ἄστυ ἅπαν : ib. τὰ περιέσχατα νεμομένου τοῦ πυρός : Thuc. 2. 54, ἡ νόσος . . ἐπενείματο ᾿Αθήνας μὲν μάλιστα, ἔπειτα δέ, κ.τ.λ. δυσέριστον is either (1) as the Scholiast explains it, δι' ἔριν γινόμενον κακόν, Instinct with the evil of contention;' or (2) Irresistible; ' ' ineluctabilem caedem spirans' (Jacobs). αἷμα is here the spirit of bloodshed. See Essay on L. § 42. p. 80 β, and for a similar confusion, cp. Aesch. Ag. 1428, λίπος ἐπ᾿ ὀμμάτων αἵματος ἐμπρέπει,

1387-1388. mvp-comment-654-1 Clytemnestra and Aegisthus were above spoken of as an embodiment of the Alastor (supr. 198-200). Similarly, Orestes and Pylades are here identified with the Erinyes. In the antistrophe, ll. 1391, 2, Orestes is described in vaguely impressive language as the ‘ helper of the powers below,’ ἐνέρων .. ἀρωγές. For 'help' = 'vengeance,' cp. supr. 811, and note.

1389. mvp-comment-655-1 The emendation suggested by Wunder, consisting only in the change of an accent (see v. rr.), seems to be required by the sense. 'My soul's-vision (supr. 479-81) has not long to linger unaccomplished' (lit. in suspense, cp. supr. 501).

1392. mvp-comment-656-1 εἴσω στέγας] The construction is Homeric, cp. Il. 21. 124, 5, ἀλλὰ Σκάμανδρος | οἴσει δινήεις εἴσω ἁλὸς εὐρέα κόλπον.

1395. mvp-comment-657-1 νεακόνητον.. ἔχων] ‘Holding with his hands the newly - whetted Death.' In αἷμα the effect is put by metonymy for the cause. Essay on L. § 42. p. 81. For νεακόνητον, cp. Aesch. Ag. 1535, 6, δίκην δ᾽ ἐπ᾿ ἄλλο πρᾶγμα θηγάνει βλάβης | πρὸς ἄλλαις θηγάναισι Μοῖρα. The quantity probably, though not certainly, follows the analogy of νεᾶκονής (Doric for νεηκονής). Hermann's νεο-κόνητον involves an awkward prolepsis.

1396. mvp-comment-658-1 δόλον σκότῳ κρύψας] Cp. Aesch. Cho. 812-8. The words πρὸς αὐτὸ τέρμα, though joined primarily with ἄγει, are to be resumed with κρύψας ('Concealing the guile till close upon the goal ').

1397. mvp-comment-659-1 After this line there is a pause, in which Electra comes forth to watch for Aegisthus. In tones of suppressed excitement she tells what is going on within.

1398-1441. mvp-comment-660-1 The following passage (1398-1441), although consisting largely of senarii, appears to be antistrophic, nearly corresponding even in the division of the lines. According to this view ll. 1404-1406 are either (1) not to be counted in the strophe, or (2) lines answering to them after l. 1427 must be supposed to have been lost. As the lines in question relate to the sudden cry of Clytemnestra from within, the former supposition is sufficiently probable. Cp. note on O. C. 117 foll., vol. i. p. 298 (Ist column). In the 'strophe,' ll. 1398-1421, Clytemnestra is put to death, -in the 'antistrophe,' ll. 1422-41, the bleeding sword is displayed, and Aegisthus is descried. The young men then retire into the palace, and Electra waits outside.

1399. mvp-comment-661-1 τελοῦσι is future. πρόσμενε] Addressed to the Coryphaeus.