Sophocles, Electra, Richard Jebb (Translator), 764

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Chorus

Oh, sorrow! It seems now that all the stock of our ancient masters

has been leveled clean down to the roots.
765

Clytaemnestra

O Zeus, how shall I name this news—fortunate? Or terrible, but beneficial? It is a bitter thing, when by my own misery I preserve my life.

Paedagogus

Why are you so despondent, lady, at my news?

Clytaemnestra

There is a terrible power in motherhood; a mother may be wronged, but she can feel no hate for those whom she bore.
770

Paedagogus

Then it seems that we have come in vain.

Clytaemnestra

No, not in vain; how can you say in vain when you have brought me sure proofs of his death?

He sprang from my own life, yet deserting my breast and my nurture he became a fugitive, completely alien from me. And me, once he left this land, he saw no more; but, charging me with the murder of his father, he made terrible threats,
775

so that neither by night nor by day could sweet sleep cover me, but the imminent moment made me live always as if I were about to die. Now, however, since today I am rid of terror of him and of this girl—that greater plague
780

who shared my home while consuming undiluted my life-blood—now, I think, for all her threats, I shall pass my days in peace.
785

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)) — 764 focus

πώλους Ὀρέστης, τῷ τέλει πίστιν φέρων·
735

ΠΑΙΔΑΓΩΓΟΣ.

ΧΟ.

ΠΑ.

ΧΟ.

ΠΑ.

ΚΛ.

ΠΑ.

ΚΛ.

ΠΑ.

ΗΛ.

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 764 focus

Χορός

φεῦ φεῦ· τὸ πᾶν δὴ δεσπόταισι τοῖς πάλαι

πρόρριζον, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἔφθαρται γένος.
765

Κλυταιμνήστρα

ὦ Ζεῦ, τί ταῦτα, πότερον εὐτυχῆ λέγω,

ἢ δεινὰ μέν, κέρδη δέ; λυπηρῶς δʼ ἔχει,

εἰ τοῖς ἐμαυτῆς τὸν βίον σῴζω κακοῖς.

Παιδαγωγός

τί δʼ ὧδʼ ἀθυμεῖς, ὦ γύναι, τῷ νῦν λόγῳ;

Κλυταιμνήστρα

δεινὸν τὸ τίκτειν ἐστίν· οὐδὲ γὰρ κακῶς
770

πάσχοντι μῖσος ὧν τέκῃ προσγίγνεται.

Παιδαγωγός

μάτην ἄρʼ ἡμεῖς, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἥκομεν.

Κλυταιμνήστρα

οὔτοι μάτην γε· πῶς γὰρ ἂν μάτην λέγοις,

εἴ μοι θανόντος πίστʼ ἔχων τεκμήρια

προσῆλθες, ὅστις τῆς ἐμῆς ψυχῆς γεγώς,
775

μαστῶν ἀποστὰς καὶ τροφῆς ἐμῆς, φυγὰς

ἀπεξενοῦτο καί μʼ, ἐπεὶ τῆσδε χθονὸς

ἐξῆλθεν, οὐκέτʼ εἶδεν, ἐγκαλῶν δέ μοι

φόνους πατρῴους δείνʼ ἐπηπείλει τελεῖν;

ὥστʼ οὔτε νυκτὸς ὕπνον οὔτʼ ἐξ ἡμέρας
780

ἐμὲ στεγάζειν ἡδύν, ἀλλʼ ὁ προστατῶν

χρόνος διῆγέ μʼ αἰὲν ὡς θανουμένην.

νῦν δʼ—ἡμέρᾳ γὰρ τῇδʼ ἀπήλλαγμαι φόβου

πρὸς τῆσδʼ ἐκείνου θʼ· ἥδε γὰρ μείζων βλάβη

ξύνοικος ἦν μοι, τοὐμὸν ἐκπίνουσʼ ἀεὶ
785

ψυχῆς ἄκρατον αἷμα—νῦν δʼ ἕκηλά που

τῶν τῆσδʼ ἀπειλῶν οὕνεχʼ ἡμερεύσομεν.

Translations (4)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 836 focus

’Tis well that he is gone, not that you live.
840

EL

Hear, ’venging spirits of the lately dead!
840

CLY

The avenging spirits have heard and answered well.

EL

Insult us now, for thou art fortunate!

CLY

You and Orestes are to quench my pride.

EL

Our pride is quenched. No hope of quenching thee!

CLY

A world of good is in thy coming, stranger,

Since thou hast silenced this all-clamorous tongue.

OLD M

Then I may go my way, seeing all is well.
845

CLY

Nay, go not yet! That would disgrace alike
845

Me and the friend who sent you to our land.
845

But come thou in, and leave her out of door
845

To wail her own and loved ones’ overthrow.
845

EL

Think you the wretch in heartfelt agony

Weeps inconsolably her perished son?

She left us with a laugh! O misery!

How thou hast ruined me, dear brother mine,

By dying! Thou hast torn from out my heart

The only hope I cherished yet, that thou

Living wouldst come hereafter to avenge

Thy father’s woes and mine. Where must I go?

Since I am left of thee and of my sire

Bereaved and lonely, and once more must be

The drudge and menial of my bitterest foes,

My father’s murderers. Say, is it well?

Nay, nevermore will I consort with these,

But sinking here before the palace gate,

Thus, friendless, I will wither out my life.

Hereat if any in the house be vexed,

Let them destroy me; for to take my life

Were kindness, and to live is only pain:

Life hath not kindled my desires with joy.

O ever-blazing sun!

O lightning of the eternal Sire!

Can ye behold this done

And tamely hide your all-avenging fire?

Ah me!

My daughter, why these tears?

Woe!

Weep not, calm thy fears.

You kill me.

How?

To breathe

A hope for one beneath

So clearly sunk in death,

’Tis to afflict me more

Already pining sore.

CH. 5

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 764 focus

Ach! Also liegt denn unsrer Fürsten alter Stamm,

So scheint es, ganz, mit allen Wurzeln ausgetilgt!

Klytämnestra.

Zeus! Was soll ich sagen? Nenn' ich dies ein Glück,
750

Neun' ich's ein Unglück, doch Gewinn? Wie schmerzlich ist's,

Wenn mir das Leben retten soll mein eignes Leid!

Der Pfleger.

Warum, o Fürstin, zagst du so bei diesem Wort?

Klytämnestra,

Der Mutter Lieb' ist mächtig; wenn ihr Böses auch

Geschah, sie kann nicht hassen, den ihr Schooß gebar.
755

Der Pfleger.

So kamen wir denn, wie es scheint, vergeblich her!

Klytämnestra.

Nein, nicht vergeblich! Denn warum vergeblich auch,

Wenn du von dessen Tode mir untrügliche

Wahrzeichen bringst, der, meinem Leben einst entstammt,

Sich meinen Brüsten, meiner Pfleg' entfremdete,
760

Zur Ferne fliehend, und nachdem er dieses Land

Verlassen, nie mich wiedersah, der mir den Mord

Des Vaters stets vorrückend grause Nache schwur,

Daß nie zur Nachtzeit oder Tags ein süßer Schlaf

Mein Aug' umhüllte, sondern daß als Sterbende
765

Ich meiner nächsten Stunde stets entgegenging?

Doch jezo, denn an diesem Tage ward ich frei

Der Furcht vor ihr und jenem; noch ein größrer Fluch

Im Hause war mir diese, die mein lauteres

Herzblut mir austrank: jezo kann ich ohne Harm,
770

Vor ihrem Drohen sicher, mich des Lebens freun.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 836 focus

Miu-ked ye, my friends, did ye observe her
840

tears ?
840

Did she lament him ? Did the mother weep
840

For her lost child ? Oh, no ; she smiled and left me.
840

Thou hast undone me ; thou wert all my hope :
840

I thought thou wouldst have lived to aid my vengeance
840

For our loved father's death ; deprived of both
840

Whither shall I betake me 'i Left at last
840

A slave to those whom most on earth I hate,
840

The cruel murderers — must it then be so ?
840

Never, oh never ! Thus bereft of all.
840

Here will I lay me down, and on this spot
840

End my sad days. If it offend the t}Tants,
840

Let 'em destroy me — 'twill be kindly done.
840

Life is a pain ; I would not wish to keep it.
840

Chorus

Where is thy thunder, Jove ? or where thy

power,

O Phcebus ! if thou dost behold this' deed

And not avenge it ?

Chor

Oh

Alas

Why mournst thou thus ?

Oh ! do not gi'oan thus.

How have I huit thee ?

Thou destroyst me.

Electra

Why thus vainly try

To give me comfort, when I know he's dead ?

You but insult my woes.

Chorus

Yet weep not thus.

Think on the golden bracelet that betrayed

Amphiaraus, who now

Electra

Oh me !

Chorus

In bliss
845

Immortal reigns among the shades below.
845

Electra

Alas !

Chorus

No more ; a woman was the cause,

Th' accursed cause.

Eleo. She suffered, did she not ?

Chorus

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 836 focus

Hear, Nemesis, avenger of the dead!
840

Clytemnestra

She heard whom she should hear, and well decreed.

Electra

Triumph, insult; for prosperous is thy state.

Clytemnestra

That state wilt thou and thy Orestes sink?

Electra

No: we are sunk, and therefore sink not thee.

Clytemnestra

Great is thy merit, stranger, great thy meed,

If thou hast check'd that ever-clamourous tongue.

Attendant

Now, if these things are well, I would depart.
845

Clytemnestra

Not so; that would reflect disgrace on me,
845

And on the friend who sent thee. Go thou in,
845

And leave her here with clamourous grief to wail
845

The ruin which hath sunk her, and her friends.
845

Electra
ELECTRA, CHORUS.

Did this unnatural mother show one sign

Of grief or pity? Did she shed a tear?

Or once lament a son by such a fate

Cut off? She left us with a smile of joy.

My dear Orestes, how hast thou destroy'd

Thy poor unhappy sister by thy death!

Thou hast torn from me the fond hope, which cheer'd

Alone my sinking mind, that thou wouldst live,

Live to avenge my father's death, and me,

Unhappy me. Now whither shall I go?

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Chorus Oh, sorrow! It seems now that all the stock of our ancient masters has been leveled clean down to the roots. 765

Clytaemnestra O Zeus, how shall I name this news—fortunate? Or terrible, but beneficial? It is a bitter thing, when by my own misery I preserve my life.

Paedagogus Why are you so despondent, lady, at my news?

Clytaemnestra There is a terrible power in motherhood; a mother may be wronged, but she can feel no hate for those whom she bore. 770

Paedagogus Then it seems that we have come in vain.

Current edition Experimental

πώλους Ὀρέστης, τῷ τέλει πίστιν φέρων· 735

ΠΑΙΔΑΓΩΓΟΣ.

ΧΟ.

ΠΑ.

ΧΟ.

ΠΑ.

ΚΛ.

ΠΑ.

ΚΛ.

ΠΑ.

ΗΛ.

ΗΛ.

Χορός φεῦ φεῦ· τὸ πᾶν δὴ δεσπόταισι τοῖς πάλαι πρόρριζον, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἔφθαρται γένος. 765

Κλυταιμνήστρα ὦ Ζεῦ, τί ταῦτα, πότερον εὐτυχῆ λέγω, ἢ δεινὰ μέν, κέρδη δέ; λυπηρῶς δʼ ἔχει, εἰ τοῖς ἐμαυτῆς τὸν βίον σῴζω κακοῖς.

Παιδαγωγός τί δʼ ὧδʼ ἀθυμεῖς, ὦ γύναι, τῷ νῦν λόγῳ;

Κλυταιμνήστρα δεινὸν τὸ τίκτειν ἐστίν· οὐδὲ γὰρ κακῶς 770 πάσχοντι μῖσος ὧν τέκῃ προσγίγνεται.

Παιδαγωγός μάτην ἄρʼ ἡμεῖς, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἥκομεν.

’Tis well that he is gone, not that you live. 840

EL Hear, ’venging spirits of the lately dead! 840

CLY The avenging spirits have heard and answered well.

EL Insult us now, for thou art fortunate!

CLY You and Orestes are to quench my pride.

EL Our pride is quenched. No hope of quenching thee!

CLY A world of good is in thy coming, stranger, Since thou hast silenced this all-clamorous tongue.

OLD M Then I may go my way, seeing all is well. 845

CLY Nay, go not yet! That would disgrace alike 845 Me and the friend who sent you to our land. 845 But come thou in, and leave her out of door 845 To wail her own and loved ones’ overthrow. 845

CH. 5

Ach! Also liegt denn unsrer Fürsten alter Stamm, So scheint es, ganz, mit allen Wurzeln ausgetilgt!

Klytämnestra. Zeus! Was soll ich sagen? Nenn' ich dies ein Glück, 750 Neun' ich's ein Unglück, doch Gewinn? Wie schmerzlich ist's, Wenn mir das Leben retten soll mein eignes Leid!

Der Pfleger. Warum, o Fürstin, zagst du so bei diesem Wort?

Klytämnestra, Der Mutter Lieb' ist mächtig; wenn ihr Böses auch Geschah, sie kann nicht hassen, den ihr Schooß gebar. 755

Der Pfleger. So kamen wir denn, wie es scheint, vergeblich her!

Chorus Where is thy thunder, Jove ? or where thy power, O Phcebus ! if thou dost behold this' deed And not avenge it ? Chor Oh Alas Why mournst thou thus ? Oh ! do not gi'oan thus. How have I huit thee ? Thou destroyst me.

Electra Why thus vainly try To give me comfort, when I know he's dead ? You but insult my woes.

Chorus Yet weep not thus. Think on the golden bracelet that betrayed Amphiaraus, who now

Electra Oh me !

Chorus In bliss 845 Immortal reigns among the shades below. 845

Electra Alas !

Chorus No more ; a woman was the cause, Th' accursed cause. Eleo. She suffered, did she not ?

Chorus

Hear, Nemesis, avenger of the dead! 840

Clytemnestra She heard whom she should hear, and well decreed.

Electra Triumph, insult; for prosperous is thy state.

Clytemnestra That state wilt thou and thy Orestes sink?

Electra No: we are sunk, and therefore sink not thee.

Clytemnestra Great is thy merit, stranger, great thy meed, If thou hast check'd that ever-clamourous tongue.

Attendant Now, if these things are well, I would depart. 845

Clytemnestra Not so; that would reflect disgrace on me, 845 And on the friend who sent thee. Go thou in, 845 And leave her here with clamourous grief to wail 845 The ruin which hath sunk her, and her friends. 845

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Chorus

Oh, sorrow! It seems now that all the stock of our ancient masters

has been leveled clean down to the roots.
765

Clytaemnestra

O Zeus, how shall I name this news—fortunate? Or terrible, but beneficial? It is a bitter thing, when by my own misery I preserve my life.

Paedagogus

Why are you so despondent, lady, at my news?

Clytaemnestra

There is a terrible power in motherhood; a mother may be wronged, but she can feel no hate for those whom she bore.
770

Paedagogus

Then it seems that we have come in vain.

πώλους Ὀρέστης, τῷ τέλει πίστιν φέρων·
735

Χορός

φεῦ φεῦ· τὸ πᾶν δὴ δεσπόταισι τοῖς πάλαι

πρόρριζον, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἔφθαρται γένος.
765

Κλυταιμνήστρα

ὦ Ζεῦ, τί ταῦτα, πότερον εὐτυχῆ λέγω,

ἢ δεινὰ μέν, κέρδη δέ; λυπηρῶς δʼ ἔχει,

εἰ τοῖς ἐμαυτῆς τὸν βίον σῴζω κακοῖς.

Παιδαγωγός

τί δʼ ὧδʼ ἀθυμεῖς, ὦ γύναι, τῷ νῦν λόγῳ;

Κλυταιμνήστρα

δεινὸν τὸ τίκτειν ἐστίν· οὐδὲ γὰρ κακῶς
770

πάσχοντι μῖσος ὧν τέκῃ προσγίγνεται.

Παιδαγωγός

μάτην ἄρʼ ἡμεῖς, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἥκομεν.

’Tis well that he is gone, not that you live.
840

EL

Hear, ’venging spirits of the lately dead!
840

CLY

The avenging spirits have heard and answered well.

EL

Insult us now, for thou art fortunate!

CLY

You and Orestes are to quench my pride.

EL

Our pride is quenched. No hope of quenching thee!

CLY

A world of good is in thy coming, stranger,

Since thou hast silenced this all-clamorous tongue.

OLD M

Then I may go my way, seeing all is well.
845

CLY

Nay, go not yet! That would disgrace alike
845

Me and the friend who sent you to our land.
845

But come thou in, and leave her out of door
845

To wail her own and loved ones’ overthrow.
845

Ach! Also liegt denn unsrer Fürsten alter Stamm,

So scheint es, ganz, mit allen Wurzeln ausgetilgt!

Klytämnestra.

Zeus! Was soll ich sagen? Nenn' ich dies ein Glück,
750

Neun' ich's ein Unglück, doch Gewinn? Wie schmerzlich ist's,

Wenn mir das Leben retten soll mein eignes Leid!

Der Pfleger.

Warum, o Fürstin, zagst du so bei diesem Wort?

Klytämnestra,

Der Mutter Lieb' ist mächtig; wenn ihr Böses auch

Geschah, sie kann nicht hassen, den ihr Schooß gebar.
755

Der Pfleger.

So kamen wir denn, wie es scheint, vergeblich her!

Chorus

Where is thy thunder, Jove ? or where thy

power,

O Phcebus ! if thou dost behold this' deed

And not avenge it ?

Chor

Oh

Alas

Why mournst thou thus ?

Oh ! do not gi'oan thus.

How have I huit thee ?

Thou destroyst me.

Electra

Why thus vainly try

To give me comfort, when I know he's dead ?

You but insult my woes.

Chorus

Yet weep not thus.

Think on the golden bracelet that betrayed

Amphiaraus, who now

Electra

Oh me !

Chorus

In bliss
845

Immortal reigns among the shades below.
845

Electra

Alas !

Chorus

No more ; a woman was the cause,

Th' accursed cause.

Eleo. She suffered, did she not ?

Hear, Nemesis, avenger of the dead!
840

Clytemnestra

She heard whom she should hear, and well decreed.

Electra

Triumph, insult; for prosperous is thy state.

Clytemnestra

That state wilt thou and thy Orestes sink?

Electra

No: we are sunk, and therefore sink not thee.

Clytemnestra

Great is thy merit, stranger, great thy meed,

If thou hast check'd that ever-clamourous tongue.

Attendant

Now, if these things are well, I would depart.
845

Clytemnestra

Not so; that would reflect disgrace on me,
845

And on the friend who sent thee. Go thou in,
845

And leave her here with clamourous grief to wail
845

The ruin which hath sunk her, and her friends.
845