Sophocles, Electra, Richard Jebb (Translator), 1322

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Orestes

Silence! I hear someone walking inside as if to come out.

Electra
To Orestes and Pylades.

Go in, strangers, especially since you bring a thing which no one

could either turn away from these doors, or rejoice at receiving.
1325

Enter the Paedagogus.

Paedagogus

Utterly foolish and senseless children! Are you weary of your lives, or is there no wit inborn in you, that you do not see how you stand not on the brink, but in the very midst

of immense danger? Had I not long kept watch at these doors, your doings would have been in the house before your bodies. But as it was, I put myself the task of averting that.
1330

Be done now with your long speeches and this insatiable shouting for joy, and go inside. In dealings of this sort delay is harmful, but the time is ripe for being done.
1335

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)) — 1322 focus

σιγᾶν ἐπῄνεσ᾽· ὡς ἐπ᾿ ἐξόδῳ κλύω

τῶν ἔνδοθεν χωροῦντος.

ΗΛ.

εἴσιτ᾽, ὦ ξένοι,

ἄλλως τε καὶ φέροντες οἱ᾽ ἂν οὔτε τις

δόμων ἀπώσαιτ᾽ ἀπώσετ' ἀπώσαιτ᾿ οὔτ᾽ ἂν ἡσθείη ἠισθείη λαβών.
1325

ΠΑ.

ὦ πλεῖστα μῶροι καὶ φρενῶν τητώμενοι,

πότερα παρ᾿ οὐδὲν τοῦ βίου κήδεσθ᾽ ἔτι,

ἢ νοῦς ἔνεστιν οὔτις ὑμὶν ἐγγενής ἐκγενὴς ἐγγενὴσ εὐγενὴσ γρ. ἐκγενής ἐνγενής,

ὅτ᾽ οὐ παρ᾿ αὐτοῖς, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν αὐτοῖσιν κακοῖς

τοῖσιν μεγίστοις ὄντες οὐ γιγνώσκετε γινώσκετε ;
1330

ἀλλ᾽ εἰ σταθμοῖσι σταθμοῖσιν τοῖσδε μὴ ᾿κύρουν ἐγὼ

πάλαι φυλάσσων, ἣν ἂν ὑμὶν ἐν δόμοις

τὰ δρώμεν ὑμῶν πρόσθεν ἢ τὰ σώματα·

νῦν δ᾽ εὐλάβειαν τῶνδε προὐθέμην ἐγώ.

καὶ νῦν ἀπαλλαχθέντε τῶν μακρῶν λόγων
1335

καὶ τῆς ἀπλήστου ἀπλείστου τῆσδε σὺν χαρᾷ συγχαρᾶι βοῆς

εἴσω παρέλθεθ᾽, ὡς τὸ μὲν μέλλειν μέλειν μέλλειν κακὸν

ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις ἔστ᾽, ἀπηλλάχθαι δ᾽ ἀκμή.

ΟΡ.

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 1322 focus

Ὀρέστης

σιγᾶν ἐπῄνεσʼ ὡς ἐπʼ ἐξόδῳ κλύω τῶν ἔνδοθεν χωροῦντος.

Ἠλέκτρα

εἴσιτʼ, ὦ ξένοι,

ἄλλως τε καὶ φέροντες οἷʼ ἂν οὔτε τις

δόμων ἀπώσαιτʼ οὔτʼ ἂν ἡσθείη λαβών.
1325

Παιδαγωγός

ὦ πλεῖστα μῶροι καὶ φρενῶν τητώμενοι,

πότερα παρʼ οὐδὲν τοῦ βίου κήδεσθʼ ἔτι

ἢ νοῦς ἔνεστιν οὔτις ὑμὶν ἐγγενής,

ὅτʼ οὐ παρʼ αὐτοῖς, ἀλλʼ ἐν αὐτοῖσιν κακοῖς

τοῖσιν μεγίστοις ὄντες οὐ γιγνώσκετε;
1330

ἀλλʼ εἰ σταθμοῖσι τοῖσδε μὴ ʼκύρουν ἐγὼ

πάλαι φυλάσσων, ἦν ἂν ὑμὶν ἐν δόμοις

τὰ δρώμενʼ ὑμῶν πρόσθεν ἢ τὰ σώματα·

νῦν δʼ εὐλάβειαν τῶνδε προυθέμην ἐγώ.

καὶ νῦν ἀπαλλαχθέντε τῶν μακρῶν λόγων
1335

καὶ τῆς ἀπλήστου τῆσδε σὺν χαρᾷ βοῆς

εἴσω παρέλθεθʼ, ὡς τὸ μὲν μέλλειν κακὸν

ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις ἔστʼ, ἀπηλλάχθαι δʼ ἀκμή.

Translations (4)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 1322 focus

Be silent; for I hear within the house

A footstep coming forth.

EL

(). Strangers, go in!

For none within the palace will reject

Your burden, nor be gladdened by the event.
1325

OLD M
Enter the Old Man .

O lost in folly and bereft of soul!

Is’t that your care for life hath ebbed away,

Or were you born without intelligence,

When fallen, not near, but in the midst of ill,

And that the greatest, ye perceive it not?
1330

Had I not watched the doors this while, your deeds

Had gone within the palace ere yourselves.

But, as things are, my care hath fenced you round.

Now, then, have done with long-protracted talk,

And this insatiable outburst of joy,
1335

And enter, for in such attempts as these

Delay is harmful: and ’tis more than time.

OR

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 1322 focus

Sei still, ich bitte; denn heran zur Pforte naht Jemand von innen.
1290
(sich verstellend)

Elektra.

Geht hinein, ihr Fremdlinge,

Zumal ihr bringet, was im Hause Keiner wohl

Verschmähend abweist, noch empfängt in frohem Muth.

Der Pfleger. Die Vorigen.

Der Pfleger.

Ihr argen Thoren, ihr an Sinn Verblendeten!

Drängt euch um euer Leben nicht die Sorge mehr?
1295

Wie? Oder lebt kein angeborner Geist in euch,

Daß ihr dem Leid nicht nahe, nein, im Leide selbst,

Dem größten, euch befindet, und es nicht erkennt?

Hätt' ich an dieser Pforte nicht schon lang gewacht,

So wären eure Plane wohl im Hause dort
1300

Ruchbar geworden, eh' ihr selbst hineingelangt:

Ich habe dies durch meine Vorsicht abgewandt.

Und mun erspart die langen Reden euch und laßt

Von diesem Freudenlärme, der nicht enden will,

Und tretet ein, da Zaudern unheilbringend ist
1305

Bei solchen Dingen und die Zeit zum Ende drängt.

Orestes.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 1322 focus

No more. I hear the footsteps as of one

Coming this way.

Electra

Strangers, go in, and bear

That which with joy they cannot but receive.

But which with joy they will not long possess.

Governor of Orestes, Electra, Orestes, Chorus.
1325

Governor
Scene II.

Madness and folly thus to linger here !

Have ye no thought ? Is life not worth your care ?

Do ye not know the dangers that surround you ?

Had I not watched myself before the palace.

Ere ye had entered, all your secret plan

Had been discovered to our foes within.

Wherefore no more of this tumultuous joy.

And lengthened converse ; 'tis not fitting now.
1335

Go in ; away, delays are dangerous

At such an hour ; cur fate depends upon it.

Orestes

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 1322 focus

Strangers, go in: you bear what in the house:il!

Old Man

None will reject, nor will receive with joy.

Attendant

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-732-1 σιγᾶν … χωροῦντος ¹

mvp-comment-732-2 ἐπῄνες’ ²

mvp-comment-732-3 ἐπ’ ἐξόδῳ ³

mvp-comment-732-4 τῶν ἔνδοθεν ⁴

mvp-comment-733-1 ἄλλως τε καὶ φέροντες ⁵

mvp-comment-733-2 οἷ’ ἂν … ἀπώσαιτ’ ⁶

mvp-comment-734-1 τητώμενοι ⁷

mvp-comment-734-2 παρ’ οὐδὲν ⁸

mvp-comment-735-1 οὐ παρ’ αὐτοῖς ⁹ αὐτοῖς ¹⁰

mvp-comment-736-1 σταθμοῖσι ¹¹

mvp-comment-737-1 ὑμὶν … ὑμῶν ¹²

mvp-comment-737-2 τὰ δρώμεν’ ¹³ τὰ σώματα ¹⁴

mvp-comment-738-1 νῦν δ’ … καὶ νῦν ¹⁵

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

1322-1323. mvp-comment-620-1 σιγᾶν.. χωροῦντος] The Scholiast says, τινὲς τὸν Χορὸν φασὶ λέγειν ταῦτα. And this opinion is adopted by Mr. Paley. The point is doubtful, but there is no reason why Orestes, who is naturally on his guard, should not be the first to perceive an approaching footstep. And the broken line, 1323, as Schndw. observes, is in favour of the MS. reading. ὡς here is 'since,'-not as in Trach. Eur. Ion 515, 6.

1323. mvp-comment-621-1 Electra, supposing one of the household to be approaching, begins to speak in the ambiguous, ironical vein which she continues when Aegisthus comes, infr. 1448-57. It has the effect of relieving her feelings while concealing her thought. She intends to be understood, 'You bear the ashes of Orestes, which will be well received here, although not with joy.' But in her own mind she means, The vengeance which Orestes brings shall not be repulsed from hence, nor will it give joy to those within.'

1325. mvp-comment-622-1 δόμων is ablative genitive with ἀπώσαιτ', but may also be joined with τις as partitive genitive.

1326ff. mvp-comment-623-1 The action, which has been suspended by the emotion of Electra, must now be precipitated. Yet her recognition of the Paedagogus (infr. 1354-63) breaks the suddenness of the transition.

1331. mvp-comment-624-1 σταθμοῖσι τοῖσδε] Either (1), 'At the door-post here,' or (2) figuratively, 'Here by the homestead '-as a watch-dog. Cp. Aesch. Ag. 896, λέγοιμ᾽ ἂν ἄνδρα τόνδε τῶν σταθμῶν κύνα.

1334. mvp-comment-625-1 εὐλάβειαν προὐθέμην] Ι made a point of attending to that.' Cp. Hdt. 6. 21, πένθος μέγα προεθήκαντο : Plat. Phaedr. 259 E.

Sophocles Electra 1322

Richard Jebb (Translator)

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Orestes

Silence! I hear someone walking inside as if to come out.

Electra
To Orestes and Pylades.

Go in, strangers, especially since you bring a thing which no one

could either turn away from these doors, or rejoice at receiving.
1325

Current edition Experimental

σιγᾶν ἐπῄνεσ᾽· ὡς ἐπ᾿ ἐξόδῳ κλύω

τῶν ἔνδοθεν χωροῦντος.

ΗΛ.

εἴσιτ᾽, ὦ ξένοι,

ἄλλως τε καὶ φέροντες οἱ᾽ ἂν οὔτε τις

δόμων ἀπώσαιτ᾽ ἀπώσετ' ἀπώσαιτ᾿ οὔτ᾽ ἂν ἡσθείη ἠισθείη λαβών.
1325

ΟΡ.

Ὀρέστης

σιγᾶν ἐπῄνεσʼ ὡς ἐπʼ ἐξόδῳ κλύω τῶν ἔνδοθεν χωροῦντος.

Ἠλέκτρα

εἴσιτʼ, ὦ ξένοι,

ἄλλως τε καὶ φέροντες οἷʼ ἂν οὔτε τις

δόμων ἀπώσαιτʼ οὔτʼ ἂν ἡσθείη λαβών.
1325

Be silent; for I hear within the house

A footstep coming forth.

EL

(). Strangers, go in!

For none within the palace will reject

Your burden, nor be gladdened by the event.
1325

OR

Sei still, ich bitte; denn heran zur Pforte naht Jemand von innen.
1290
(sich verstellend)

Elektra.

Geht hinein, ihr Fremdlinge,

Zumal ihr bringet, was im Hause Keiner wohl

Verschmähend abweist, noch empfängt in frohem Muth.

Der Pfleger. Die Vorigen.

Orestes.

No more. I hear the footsteps as of one

Coming this way.

Electra

Strangers, go in, and bear

That which with joy they cannot but receive.

But which with joy they will not long possess.

Governor of Orestes, Electra, Orestes, Chorus.
1325

Orestes

Strangers, go in: you bear what in the house:il!

Old Man

None will reject, nor will receive with joy.

Attendant

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Orestes Silence! I hear someone walking inside as if to come out.

Electra To Orestes and Pylades. Go in, strangers, especially since you bring a thing which no one could either turn away from these doors, or rejoice at receiving. 1325

Current edition Experimental

σιγᾶν ἐπῄνεσ᾽· ὡς ἐπ᾿ ἐξόδῳ κλύω

τῶν ἔνδοθεν χωροῦντος.

ΗΛ. εἴσιτ᾽, ὦ ξένοι, ἄλλως τε καὶ φέροντες οἱ᾽ ἂν οὔτε τις δόμων ἀπώσαιτ᾽ ἀπώσετ' ἀπώσαιτ᾿ οὔτ᾽ ἂν ἡσθείη ἠισθείη λαβών. 1325

ΟΡ.

Ὀρέστης σιγᾶν ἐπῄνεσʼ ὡς ἐπʼ ἐξόδῳ κλύω τῶν ἔνδοθεν χωροῦντος.

Ἠλέκτρα εἴσιτʼ, ὦ ξένοι, ἄλλως τε καὶ φέροντες οἷʼ ἂν οὔτε τις δόμων ἀπώσαιτʼ οὔτʼ ἂν ἡσθείη λαβών. 1325

Be silent; for I hear within the house A footstep coming forth.

EL (). Strangers, go in! For none within the palace will reject Your burden, nor be gladdened by the event. 1325

OR

Sei still, ich bitte; denn heran zur Pforte naht Jemand von innen. 1290 (sich verstellend)

Elektra. Geht hinein, ihr Fremdlinge, Zumal ihr bringet, was im Hause Keiner wohl Verschmähend abweist, noch empfängt in frohem Muth. Der Pfleger. Die Vorigen.

Orestes.

No more. I hear the footsteps as of one Coming this way.

Electra Strangers, go in, and bear That which with joy they cannot but receive. But which with joy they will not long possess. Governor of Orestes, Electra, Orestes, Chorus. 1325

Orestes

Strangers, go in: you bear what in the house:il!

Old Man None will reject, nor will receive with joy.

Attendant

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Orestes

Silence! I hear someone walking inside as if to come out.

Electra
To Orestes and Pylades.

Go in, strangers, especially since you bring a thing which no one

could either turn away from these doors, or rejoice at receiving.
1325

ΗΛ.

εἴσιτ᾽, ὦ ξένοι,

ἄλλως τε καὶ φέροντες οἱ᾽ ἂν οὔτε τις

δόμων ἀπώσαιτ᾽ ἀπώσετ' ἀπώσαιτ᾿ οὔτ᾽ ἂν ἡσθείη ἠισθείη λαβών.
1325

Ὀρέστης

σιγᾶν ἐπῄνεσʼ ὡς ἐπʼ ἐξόδῳ κλύω τῶν ἔνδοθεν χωροῦντος.

Ἠλέκτρα

εἴσιτʼ, ὦ ξένοι,

ἄλλως τε καὶ φέροντες οἷʼ ἂν οὔτε τις

δόμων ἀπώσαιτʼ οὔτʼ ἂν ἡσθείη λαβών.
1325

Be silent; for I hear within the house

A footstep coming forth.

EL

(). Strangers, go in!

For none within the palace will reject

Your burden, nor be gladdened by the event.
1325

Sei still, ich bitte; denn heran zur Pforte naht Jemand von innen.
1290
(sich verstellend)

Elektra.

Geht hinein, ihr Fremdlinge,

Zumal ihr bringet, was im Hause Keiner wohl

Verschmähend abweist, noch empfängt in frohem Muth.

Der Pfleger. Die Vorigen.

No more. I hear the footsteps as of one

Coming this way.

Electra

Strangers, go in, and bear

That which with joy they cannot but receive.

But which with joy they will not long possess.

Governor of Orestes, Electra, Orestes, Chorus.
1325

Old Man

None will reject, nor will receive with joy.