Sophocles Electra 1397cont2

mvp-comment-777-1 αἰαῖ· ἰὼ στέγαι ¹

mvp-comment-778-1 ἀνήκουστα ²

mvp-comment-779-1 ἰδού ³

mvp-comment-779-2 μάλ’ αὖ ⁴

mvp-comment-780-1 ἐκ σέθεν ⁵

mvp-comment-780-2 ὁ γεννήσας πατήρ ⁶

mvp-comment-780-3 1413 f. The traditional reading φθίνει φθίνει ⁷ σε ⁸ σοι ⁹ μοῖρα καθαμερία ¹⁰ φθίνει ¹¹

mvp-comment-780-4 Others explain as follows. (1) Keeping both σε ¹² φθίνει φθίνει ¹³ σε ¹⁴ φθίνειν φθίνειν ¹⁵

mvp-comment-780-5 Nor is the objection to these interpretations merely verbal. They represent the Chorus as deploring that doom of the race which entails yet another deed of bloodshed. But, as Whitelaw well observes, this commits Sophocles to the Aeschylean view of the vengeance ‘as a new crime in the series of crimes’ (Translation, p. 437). The Chorus are in the fullest sympathy with the avengers. They regard the slaying of Clytaemnestra not as a new calamity, but as a welcome retribution: cp. 1434

, and 1508 ff. The words express the feeling of these (1227) that the cause of the house is that of the city. They hail the approaching deliverance of Mycenae from the tyrants. The change of into (cr. n.) is equally rash and infelicitous.

mvp-comment-780-6 1415 f. Cp. Aesch. Ag. 1343

... 1345

mvp-comment-780-7 διπλῆν ¹⁶

mvp-comment-780-8 εἰ γὰρ Αἰγίσθῳ γ’ ὁμοῦ ¹⁷

mvp-comment-781-1 τελοῦς ἀραί ¹⁸

mvp-comment-781-2 οἱ … κείμενοι ¹⁹

mvp-comment-781-3 ὑπαὶ ²⁰

mvp-comment-782-1 παλίρρυτον ²¹

mvp-comment-782-2 ὑπεξαιροῦσι ²²

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.

1407. mvp-comment-663-1 ἀνήκουστα] ‘What is horrible to hear,-as ἄρρητα are 'things horrible to tell.'

1411-1412. mvp-comment-664-1 ἀλλ᾽.. οὗτος] Cp. supr. 296, 7,601.

1413-1414. mvp-comment-665-1 If the text is sound, φθίνει is transitive here. καθαμερία is predicative and adverbial, Is destroying thee this very day.' This brief lyrical utterance fills the moment of dread suspense before the falling of the blow.

1417. mvp-comment-666-1 εἰ γὰρ Αἰγίσθῳ *γ᾿ ὁμοῦ] ‘Ay, would that you were crying "Oh!" for Aegisthus too.' Αἰγίσθῳ follows the construction of μοί in ὤμοι. The reading of the MSS., θ', can only be defended on the questionable ground that Te may be used in tragedy, as in Homer, as an expletive adverb. But on the other hand γε following γάρ is awkward.

1419. mvp-comment-667-1 τελοῦσι] 'Are finishing,' i. e. are accomplishing their end.