Sophocles Electra 1058

Richard Jebb (Translator)

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Electra. Sophocles. Richard Jebb (Translator). Cambridge. 1894.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Experimental

Electra (English) (Sophocles the plays and fragments, Part 6: The Electra. Jebb, Richard Claverhouse, Sir, translator. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1894. (Modernized by Perseus.))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (2)
Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 1058 focus
τί τοὺς ἄνωθεν φρονιμωτάτους οἰωνοὺς
Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 1058 focus
Translations (4)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 1058 focus
Wise are the birds of air
That with true filial care
For those provide convenient food
Who gave them birth, who wrought their good.
Why will not men the like perfection prove?
Else, by the fires above,
And heavenly Rectitude,
Fierce recompense they shall not long elude.
O darkling rumour, world-o’er-wandering voice
That piercest to the shades beneath the ground,
To dead Atrides waft a sound
Of sad reproach, not bidding him rejoice.
Stained is the ancestral hall,
Broken the battle-call,
That heretofore his children twain
In loving concord did sustain.
Alone, deserted, vexed, Electra sails,
Storm-tossed with rugged gales,
Lamenting evermore
Like piteous Philomel, and pining sore
For her lost father;—might she but bring down
That two-fold Fury, caring not for death,
But ready to resign her breath,
What maid so worthy of a sire’s renown?
None who inherit from a noble race,
Complying with things base
Will let their ancient glory be defiled.
So ’twas thy choice, dear child,
Through homeless misery to win a two-fold prize,
Purging the sin and shame
That cloud the Argive name,
So to be called most noble and most wise.
May’st thou surpass thy foes in wealth and power
As o’er thee now they tower!
Since I have found thee, not in bright estate,
Nor blessed by wayward fate,
But through thy loyalty to Heaven’s eternal cause
Wearing the stainless crown
Of perfectest renown,
And richly dowered by the mightiest laws.
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 1058 focus
Wir sehen wohl sinnige Vögel droben sich
Treulich um jener Pflege müh'n,
Denen sie Leben, denen sie
Nahrung verdanken: sollten wir
Menschen das Gleiche zu thun verschmähen?
1040
Doch, bei'm Donnergeschoß des Zeus,
Bei der himmlischen Themis, nicht
Lange säumt die Vergeltung! 1
Die du das Grab hinunter dringst,
Phama, den Jammerruf hinab 2
1045
Dröhne, des Atreus Söhnen dort
Meldend die Schmach und die bittre Trauer:
Erste Gegenstrophe.
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 1058 focus
Pi lades {with Attendant), Electra, Chorus.
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 1058 focus
Mark you the birds that skim the air,
O'er their full nests they wave the busy wing,
By nature taught with pious care
Food to their callow young to bring,
To swell their plumes, and fit them for the skies.
Is man in nature's lore thus wise?
But, by the Thunderer's angry flame,
By Themis on her heavenly throne sublime,
Vengeance shall soon o'ertake the crime.
O thou, who fill'st this world, wide Fame,
Bear hence thy joyless voice of woe,
And fill with accents dread the world below!
ANTIS. 1. There 'midst the dead th' Atridæ tell
That guilt triumphant in their house remains;
That there the screaming Furies dwell;
That Discord 'twixt the sisters reigns.
Toss'd in the storms of fate, alone, betray'd,
Electra sighs in vain for aid;
Still for her father pours her tears,
Still in wild, melancholy notes complains,
Like Philomela's mournful strains:
No rage of tyrant pow'r she fears :
Content in death to close her eyes
These furies might her vengeful hand surprise.
Thus low sinks one of high-born race?
Thou art not sunk; to rise be thine :
The noble soul will ne'er disgrace
The glories of its ancient line;
Nor, when misfortune darkens round,
Obscure and dead to fame be found.
O'er thee, unhappy, generous maid,
Hath misery cast her baleful shade;
That shade thy choice, through high disdain,
Of guilt and all her gorgeous train,
Aspiring to enrich thy name
With wisdom's and with virtue's fame.
Oh may'st thou live in royal state,
Triumphant o'er thy prostrate foes,
As now beneath their hand thy fate
Hath sunk thee in disgrace and woes!
For I have seen thy generous soul
Burst from misfortune's harsh control;
Have seen thee with a fix'd disdain
Advance against her threat'ning train,
Bearing the high heroic thought
By heav'n-descended justice taught,
And all the firm mind's holy fires
Which piety to Jove inspires.

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-597-1 ἄνωθεν 1

mvp-comment-597-2 οἰωνοὺς 2

mvp-comment-598-1 ἐσορώμενοι 3 ἀφ’ ὧν 4

mvp-comment-599-1 εὕρωσι 5

mvp-comment-599-2 ἐπ’ ἴσας 6

mvp-comment-600-1 ἀλλ’ οὐ τὰν 7

mvp-comment-601-1 τὰν οὐρανίαν Θέμιν 8

mvp-comment-602-1 ἀπόνητοι 9

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

1058-1097. mvp-comment-504-1 The Chorus lament, for Agamemnon's sake, over the quarrel between his daughters, which is added to the other troubles of his house, including the supposed death of Orestes, and express their admiration of Electra's attitude. Addressing her in the second strophe, they encourage her with words of sympathy and commendation. While Orestes lived, they bade her hope and trust. Now that they believe him to be dead, they are carried away by the heroism of her despair. That Electra remains upon the stage appears from infr. 1105.

1058-1065. mvp-comment-505-1 Agamemnon is forgotten by his daughter Chrysothemis, and by others who owed him gratitude. In this the human race shows itself inferior to the prudent stork. But though men forget, the gods remember, and will soon exact the penalty.

1059-1060. mvp-comment-507-1 τροφᾶς.. εὕρωσι] ‘Caring in respect of nurture for those from whom they are sprung, and from whom they have experienced good.' For the double genitive, cp. Trach. 108, ἀνδρὸς δεῖμα φέρουσαν ὁδοῦ, and for the subjunctive, cp. supr. 771, μίσος ὧν τέκῃ.

1060. mvp-comment-508-1 τάδ᾽ οὐκ ἐπ᾽ ἴσας τελοῦμεν] 'Do we not equally fulfil this duty?' For the adverbial expression (ἐπ᾽ ἴσας, sc. μοίρας), cp. Trach. 727, ἐξ ἑκουσίας.

1061. mvp-comment-509-1 ἀλλ᾽ οὐ *τάν] For the omission of μά, which the MSS. insert against the metre, cp. Ant. 758, ἀλλ᾿ οὐ, τόνδ' Ὄλυμπον : infr. 1239.

1064. mvp-comment-510-1 οὐρανίαν] Cp. Ο. Τ. 865-7, νόμοι . . οὐρανίαν | δι' αἰθέρα τεκνωθέντες.

1065. mvp-comment-511-1 δαρὸν οὐκ ἀπόνητοι] Sc. οὐ τελοῦμεν ταῦτα. The subject is ἡμεῖς, i.e. οἱ ἄνθρωποι, but the sentence, although general in form, is pointed at

1065-1066. mvp-comment-512-1 those who take part with Aegisthus. (In failing thus) 'we do not long escape from trouble.' For the passive form in ἀπόνητοι, see Essay on L. § 31. pp. 53. 4, § 53. p. 98 a, and cp. esp. Trach. 102, ποθουμένᾳ, and note.