Sophocles, Electra, Richard Jebb (Translator), 1160

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ah, me, ah, me! O pitiable body! Alas, dear one sent on a most dire journey, how you have destroyed me, destroyed me indeed, my brother!
1160

Therefore accept me into this abode of yours—me, a nothing, into your nothingness,—so that I may dwell with you hereafter below. For when you were on earth, we shared equally, and now I wish to die and not to be left out of your grave,
1165

since I see that the dead are relieved of pain.
1170

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)) — 1160 focus

οἴμοι μοι οἴ μοι μοί L..
1160

ὦ δέμας οἰκτρόν.

φεῦ φεῦ.

ὦ δεινοτάτας,

οἴμοι μοι,

πεμφθεὶς κελεύθους κελεύθου LA. κελεύθους C., φίλταθ', ὥς μ᾿ ἀπώλεσας·
1165

ἀπώλεσας δῆτ᾽, ὦ κασίγνητον κάρα.

τοιγὰρ σὺ δέξαι μ᾽ ἐς τὸ σὸν τόδε στέγος,

τὴν μηδὲν εἰς τὸ μηδέν, ὡς σὺν σοὶ κάτω

ναίω τὸ λοιπόν, καὶ γὰρ ἡνίκ᾽ ἦσθ᾽ ἄνω,

ξὺν σοὶ μετεῖχον κατείχον L. μετεῖχον C6. τῶν ἴσων· καὶ νῦν ποθῶ
1170

τοῦ σοῦ θανοῦσα μἀπολείπεσθαι μὴ ἀπολείπεσθαι L. μὴ ᾿πολείπεσθαι A Vat. ac. μὴ ἐξαπολείπεσθαι L2 Pal. μὴ ἐκλείπεσθαι Γ. τάφου.

τοὺς γὰρ θανόντας οὐχ ὁρῶ λυπουμένους.

ΧΟ.

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 1160 focus

Ἠλέκτρα

οἴμοι μοι.
1160

ὦ δέμας οἰκτρόν. φεῦ φεῦ.

ὦ δεινοτάτας, οἴμοι μοι,

πεμφθεὶς κελεύθους, φίλταθʼ, ὥς μʼ ἀπώλεσας·

ἀπώλεσας δῆτʼ, ὦ κασίγνητον κάρα.

τοιγὰρ σὺ δέξαι μʼ ἐς τὸ σὸν τόδε στέγος,
1165

τὴν μηδὲν εἰς τὸ μηδέν, ὡς σὺν σοὶ κάτω

ναίω τὸ λοιπόν· καὶ γὰρ ἡνίκʼ ἦσθʼ ἄνω,

ξὺν σοὶ μετεῖχον τῶν ἴσων, καὶ νῦν ποθῶ

τοῦ σοῦ θανοῦσα μὴ ἀπολείπεσθαι τάφου.

τοὺς γὰρ θανόντας οὐχ ὁρῶ λυπουμένους.
1170

Translations (4)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 1171 focus

Electra, think! Thou hadst a mortal sire,

And mortal was thy brother. Grieve not far.

OR

O me! What shall I speak, or which way turn

The desperate word? I cannot hold my tongue.

EL

What pain o’ercomes thee? Wherefore speak’st thou so?

OR

Can this be famed Electra I behold?

EL

No other. In sad case, as you may see
1180

OR

Ah! deep indeed was this calamity!

EL

Is’t possible that thou shouldst grieve for me?

OR

O ruined form! abandoned to disgrace!

EL

’Tis me you mean, stranger, I feel it now.

OR

Woe ’s me! Untrimmed for bridal, hapless maid!
1185

EL

Why this fixed gaze, O stranger! that deep groan?

OR

How all unknowing was I of mine ill!

EL

What thing hath passed to make it known to thee?

OR

The sight of thee attired with boundless woe.

EL

And yet thine eye sees little of my pain.
1190

OR

Can aught be still more hateful to be seen?

EL

I have my dwelling with the murderers—

OR

Of whom? What evil would thy words disclose?

EL

Of him who gave me birth. I am their slave.

OR

Whose power compels thee to this sufferance?

EL

One called my mother, most unmotherly.

OR

How? by main force, or by degrading shames?
1195

EL

By force and shames, and every kind of evil.

OR

And is there none to succour or prevent?

EL

None. Him I had, you give me here in dust.

OR

How mine eye pities thee this while, poor maid!

EL

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 1160 focus

klägliches Bild!
1135

Weh, weh!

Auf Pfaden des Grau'ns

(Weh, weh mir!)

Gesendet, o mein Trauter, gabst du mir den Tod,

Sa, gabst den Tod mir, mein geliebtes Bruderhaupt!
1140

So nimm mich auf in dieses enge Haus zu dir,

Zum Staub die Staubgewordne, daß ich drunten dir

Fortan gesellt sei! Als du noch hier oben warst,

Da theilt' ich gleiches Loos mit dir; mun drängt es mich,

Im Tode nicht von deinem Grabe fern zu sein.
1145

Denn nur die Todten, seh' ich, rührt kein Kummer mehr.

Der Chor.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 1171 focus

Whom bound by Nature's ties it best befits.

Orestes

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 1171 focus

Thou from a mortal father drew'st thy birth;

Thence be admonish'd: thy Orestes too

Was mortal; let that thought assuage thy grief.

Death is the debt of nature all must pay.
1175

Orestes

Oh, I must speak; to my distracted thoughts

I must give utterance; struggling in my breast

These strong emotions will break forth in words.

Electra

What grief is thine? Why this impassion'd speech?

Orestes

See I in thee Electra's honour'd form?

Electra

I am Electra, and a very wretch.
1180

Orestes

Ah, my heart bleeds to see thee thus.

Electra

For me

Why, stranger, dost thou grieve ?

Orestes

Oh, how disgraced

With foul and impious treatment!

Electra

Such my state,

Such as by thee deplored.

Orestes

Of nuptial rites
1185

Deprived, and train'd to misery!
1185

Electra

Thus on me

Why dost thou gaze, and sigh?

Orestes

I till this hour

Knew nothing of my ills.

Electra

How from my words

Dost thou now know them?

Orestes

I behold thee now

In many ills conspicuous.

Electra

Of my ills
1190

Thou seest but few.
1190

Orestes

How more abhorr'd than these

Can I behold?

Electra

With murderers that I dwell

By sad constraint.

Orestes

Murderers of whom? What ill

Doth this denote?

Electra

My father: and to them

I live perforce a slave.

Orestes

By whom compell'd

To this necessity?

Electra

A mother's name

She bears; a mother's tenderness for me

She never felt.

Orestes

How? Cruel is her hand?
1195

Or doth she feed thee 'mongst her slaves?
1195

Electra

E'en thus

She treats me, and with every barbarous ill.

Orestes

Has thou no friend to aid thee? From such wrongs

None to protect thee?

Electra

None; I had a friend,

His ashes thou hast brought.

Orestes

Thy wretched state

With pity I behold.

Electra

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-652-1 οἴμοι μοί ¹

mvp-comment-653-1 κελεύθους ²

mvp-comment-653-2 ἀπώλεσας ³

mvp-comment-653-3 δῆτ’ ⁴

mvp-comment-654-1 τοιγὰρ σὺ δέξαι μ’ ⁵

mvp-comment-654-2 τὴν μηδὲν ⁶

mvp-comment-654-3 τὸ μηδὲν ⁷

mvp-comment-655-1 μετεῖχον τῶν ἴσων ⁸

mvp-comment-655-2 μὴ ἀπολείπεσθαι ⁹

mvp-comment-656-1 τοὺς ¹⁰ θανόντας ¹¹

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

1160-1162. mvp-comment-552-1 For this short lyric (anapaestic) outburst, cp. especially Trach. 1085, 6, ὦναξ ᾿Αίδη, κ.τ.λ.

1161. mvp-comment-553-1 ὦ δέμας οἰκτρόν] ‘Poor form!' She sees in imagination the mangled body of Orestes: supr. 756.

1162-1163. mvp-comment-554-1 δεινοτάτας κελεύθους] Sent on a terrible journey;' i.e. dismissed from life by a calamitous death. Cp. Trach. 874, 5, βέβηκε Δῃάνειρα τὴν πανυστάτην | ὁδῶν ἁπασῶν ἐξ ἀκινήτου ποδός. Others explain this of the bringing of the ashes from Phocis to Argos.

1164. mvp-comment-555-1 Still gazing at the urn, she calls her brother by the most endearing name: Ant. 899, 915.

1169. mvp-comment-556-1 To die and share thy burial.'

1170. mvp-comment-557-1 She contrasts the tranquillity of the lifeless ashes before her with her own sorrow.

1171-1173. mvp-comment-558-1 Unable to give real consolation, the Chorus fall back on the common-place that loss is common to the race.' Ср. О. Т. 1319, 20, and note. For a speech of three lines in a similar position, cp. Aj. 784-6.

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Current edition Experimental

ΧΟ.

Electra, think! Thou hadst a mortal sire, And mortal was thy brother. Grieve not far.

OR O me! What shall I speak, or which way turn The desperate word? I cannot hold my tongue.

EL What pain o’ercomes thee? Wherefore speak’st thou so?

OR Can this be famed Electra I behold?

EL No other. In sad case, as you may see 1180

OR Ah! deep indeed was this calamity!

EL Is’t possible that thou shouldst grieve for me?

OR O ruined form! abandoned to disgrace!

EL ’Tis me you mean, stranger, I feel it now.

OR Woe ’s me! Untrimmed for bridal, hapless maid! 1185

EL Why this fixed gaze, O stranger! that deep groan?

OR How all unknowing was I of mine ill!

EL What thing hath passed to make it known to thee?

OR The sight of thee attired with boundless woe.

EL And yet thine eye sees little of my pain. 1190

OR Can aught be still more hateful to be seen?

EL I have my dwelling with the murderers—

OR Of whom? What evil would thy words disclose?

EL Of him who gave me birth. I am their slave.

OR Whose power compels thee to this sufferance?

EL One called my mother, most unmotherly.

OR How? by main force, or by degrading shames? 1195

EL By force and shames, and every kind of evil.

OR And is there none to succour or prevent?

EL None. Him I had, you give me here in dust.

OR How mine eye pities thee this while, poor maid!

EL

Der Chor.

Whom bound by Nature's ties it best befits.

Orestes

Thou from a mortal father drew'st thy birth; Thence be admonish'd: thy Orestes too Was mortal; let that thought assuage thy grief. Death is the debt of nature all must pay. 1175

Orestes Oh, I must speak; to my distracted thoughts I must give utterance; struggling in my breast These strong emotions will break forth in words.

Electra What grief is thine? Why this impassion'd speech?

Orestes See I in thee Electra's honour'd form?

Electra I am Electra, and a very wretch. 1180

Orestes Ah, my heart bleeds to see thee thus.

Electra For me Why, stranger, dost thou grieve ?

Orestes Oh, how disgraced With foul and impious treatment!

Electra Such my state, Such as by thee deplored.

Orestes Of nuptial rites 1185 Deprived, and train'd to misery! 1185

Electra Thus on me Why dost thou gaze, and sigh?

Orestes I till this hour Knew nothing of my ills.

Electra How from my words Dost thou now know them?

Orestes I behold thee now In many ills conspicuous.

Electra Of my ills 1190 Thou seest but few. 1190

Orestes How more abhorr'd than these Can I behold?

Electra With murderers that I dwell By sad constraint.

Orestes Murderers of whom? What ill Doth this denote?

Electra My father: and to them I live perforce a slave.

Orestes By whom compell'd To this necessity?

Electra A mother's name She bears; a mother's tenderness for me She never felt.

Orestes How? Cruel is her hand? 1195 Or doth she feed thee 'mongst her slaves? 1195

Electra E'en thus She treats me, and with every barbarous ill.

Orestes Has thou no friend to aid thee? From such wrongs None to protect thee?

Electra None; I had a friend, His ashes thou hast brought.

Orestes Thy wretched state With pity I behold.

Electra

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Electra, think! Thou hadst a mortal sire,

And mortal was thy brother. Grieve not far.

OR

O me! What shall I speak, or which way turn

The desperate word? I cannot hold my tongue.

EL

What pain o’ercomes thee? Wherefore speak’st thou so?

OR

Can this be famed Electra I behold?

EL

No other. In sad case, as you may see
1180

OR

Ah! deep indeed was this calamity!

EL

Is’t possible that thou shouldst grieve for me?

OR

O ruined form! abandoned to disgrace!

EL

’Tis me you mean, stranger, I feel it now.

OR

Woe ’s me! Untrimmed for bridal, hapless maid!
1185

EL

Why this fixed gaze, O stranger! that deep groan?

OR

How all unknowing was I of mine ill!

EL

What thing hath passed to make it known to thee?

OR

The sight of thee attired with boundless woe.

EL

And yet thine eye sees little of my pain.
1190

OR

Can aught be still more hateful to be seen?

EL

I have my dwelling with the murderers—

OR

Of whom? What evil would thy words disclose?

EL

Of him who gave me birth. I am their slave.

OR

Whose power compels thee to this sufferance?

EL

One called my mother, most unmotherly.

OR

How? by main force, or by degrading shames?
1195

EL

By force and shames, and every kind of evil.

OR

And is there none to succour or prevent?

EL

None. Him I had, you give me here in dust.

OR

How mine eye pities thee this while, poor maid!

Thou from a mortal father drew'st thy birth;

Thence be admonish'd: thy Orestes too

Was mortal; let that thought assuage thy grief.

Death is the debt of nature all must pay.
1175

Orestes

Oh, I must speak; to my distracted thoughts

I must give utterance; struggling in my breast

These strong emotions will break forth in words.

Electra

What grief is thine? Why this impassion'd speech?

Orestes

See I in thee Electra's honour'd form?

Electra

I am Electra, and a very wretch.
1180

Orestes

Ah, my heart bleeds to see thee thus.

Electra

For me

Why, stranger, dost thou grieve ?

Orestes

Oh, how disgraced

With foul and impious treatment!

Electra

Such my state,

Such as by thee deplored.

Orestes

Of nuptial rites
1185

Deprived, and train'd to misery!
1185

Electra

Thus on me

Why dost thou gaze, and sigh?

Orestes

I till this hour

Knew nothing of my ills.

Electra

How from my words

Dost thou now know them?

Orestes

I behold thee now

In many ills conspicuous.

Electra

Of my ills
1190

Thou seest but few.
1190

Orestes

How more abhorr'd than these

Can I behold?

Electra

With murderers that I dwell

By sad constraint.

Orestes

Murderers of whom? What ill

Doth this denote?

Electra

My father: and to them

I live perforce a slave.

Orestes

By whom compell'd

To this necessity?

Electra

A mother's name

She bears; a mother's tenderness for me

She never felt.

Orestes

How? Cruel is her hand?
1195

Or doth she feed thee 'mongst her slaves?
1195

Electra

E'en thus

She treats me, and with every barbarous ill.

Orestes

Has thou no friend to aid thee? From such wrongs

None to protect thee?

Electra

None; I had a friend,

His ashes thou hast brought.

Orestes

Thy wretched state

With pity I behold.