Sophocles, Electra, ed. Francis Storr, 1050

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Χρυσόθεμις

ἄπειμι τοίνυν· οὔτε γὰρ σὺ τἄμʼ ἔπη
1050

τολμᾷς ἐπαινεῖν οὔτʼ ἐγὼ τοὺς σοὺς τρόπους.

Ἠλέκτρα

ἀλλʼ εἴσιθʼ. οὔ σοι μὴ μεθέψομαί ποτε,

οὐδʼ ἢν σφόδρʼ ἱμείρουσα τυγχάνῃς· ἐπεὶ

πολλῆς ἀνοίας καὶ τὸ θηρᾶσθαι κενά.

Χρυσόθεμις

ἀλλʼ εἰ σεαυτῇ τυγχάνεις δοκοῦσά τι
1055

φρονεῖν, φρόνει τοιαῦθʼ. ὅταν γὰρ ἐν κακοῖς

ἤδη βεβήκῃς, τἄμʼ ἐπαινέσεις ἔπη.

Electra. Sophocles. ed. Francis Storr. London. 1913.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Experimental

Ἠλέκτρα (Greek) (Sophocles, Volume 2. Storr, Francis, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann Ltd.; The Macmillan Company, 1913.)

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (1)

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 1050 focus

ἄπειμι τοίνυν· οὔτε γὰρ σὺ τἄμ᾽ ἔπη

τολμᾶς ἐπαινεῖν οὔτ᾽ ἐγὼ τοὺς σοὺς τρόπους.

ΗΛ.

ἀλλ᾽ εἴσιθ'. οὔ σοι οὗ σοὶ L. οὔ σοι AFL20. οὗ L2. μὴ μεθέψομαί ποτε,

οὐδ᾽ ἣν ἦν L. ἣν A. σφόδρ᾽ ἱμείρουσα τυγχάνῃς τυγχάνης L. τυγχάνης A. τυγχάνεις Γ.· ἐπεὶ

πολλῆς ἀνοίας καὶ τὸ θηρᾶσθαι κενά.
1055

ΧΡ.

ἀλλ᾽ εἰ σεαυτῇ τυγχάνεις δοκοῦσά τι

φρονεῖν, φρόνει τοιαῦθ᾽. ὅταν γὰρ ἐν κακοῖς

ἤδη βεβήκῃς, τἄμ᾽ ἐπαινέσεις ἔπη.

ΧΟ.
στρ. α.

Translations (5)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 1050 focus

Then I will go. Thy heart will ne’er be brought

To praise my words, nor I thine action here.

EL

Then go within! I will not follow thee,

Though thou desire it vehemently. None

Would be so fond to hunt on a cold trail.
1055

CHR

If this seem wisdom to thee, then be wise

Thy way: but in the hour of misery,

When it hath caught thee, thou wilt praise my words.

CHORUS
CHORUS .

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 1050 focus

So will ich gehen; du gewinnst es nie von dir,

Mein Wort zu loben, noch belob' ich deinen Sinn.

Elektra.

Ja, gehe nur: ich folge niemals deinem Pfad,
1030

Und wenn du noch so dringend mich bestürmst; es zeugt

Von großer Thorheit auch die Jagd um Nichtiges.

Chrysothemis.

Nun, wenn du selbst in stolzem Wahne klug dich dünkst,

Sei klug in solcher Weise! Wenn das Ungemach

Dereinst dich heimsucht, lobst du meine Worte noch.
1035
Elektra. Der Chor. Erste Strophe.

Der Chor.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 1050 focus

Then fare thee well ! Thou canst not bear my

words,

Nor I thy actions.

Electra

Go thy ways. Henceforth

I will not commune with thee. Nor thy prayers —

No, nor thy tears — should ever bend me to it ;

Such idle commerce were the height of folly.
1055

Chrysothemis

If thou dost think this wisdom, think so still ;

But when destruction comes, thou wilt approve

My better counsel, and be wise too late. \Exeunt.-

Man's ungrateful wretched race

Shall the birds of heaven disgrace.

Whose ever-watchful, ever-pious young

Protect the feeble parent whence they sprung ?

But if the blast of angry Jove

Hath power to strike, or justice reigns above,

Not long unpunished shall such crimes remain ;

When thou, O Fame ! the messenger of woe,

Shalt bear these tidings to the realms below,

Tidings to Grecia's chiefs of sorrow and of pain.

Bid the sad Atridnc mourn

Their house by cruel faction torn ;

Tell em, no longer, by afl'ection joined,

The tender sisters bear a friendly mind ;

]\laking her fruitless solitary moan,

Lil^e Philomela, weeps her father's fate ;

Fearless of death and every human ill,

Eesohed her steady vengeance to fultil —

Was ever cliild so good, or piety so great !

Still are the virtuous and the good

By adverse fortune unsubdued.

Nor e'er will stoop to infamy and shame ;

The war to wage with virtue's foes,

To gain the meed of never-ending fame,

Far, far above thine enemies.

In power and splendour mayst thou rise,

And future bliss compensate present woe !

For thou hast shown thy pious love,

By all that's dear to heaven above,

Or sacred held by mortals here below. [^Exeunt.

Orestes
Scene II. Strophe i. Antistrophe. Strophe 2. Antistrojyhe 2. ACT IV. Scene J.

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 1050 focus

Then shall this hand alone perform the deed,

Nor uneffected leave the glorious work.

CHRY. Oh, had this spirit, when our father died

Been thine! What deeds had then thy hand achieved!

Electra

Such was my nature then, but less confirm'd

My spirit.

May thy spirit through thy life

Remain the same!

These cold monitions show

Thou wilt not give me aid.

For ill designs

May be repaid with ills.

I must applaud

Thy prudence, but abhor thy timid mind.

CHRY. This I can bear to hear: and when to me

Thou givest applause--

Never: applause from me

Thou never shalt receive.

That in its length

Of course will time decide.

Away; in thee

I have no aid.

Thou hast, were but thy hand

Open to reason.

To thy mother go,
1055

Tell her these things.
1055

I harbour not such hate
1055

Against thee.
1055

Yet thy mind can harbour thoughts
1055

To lead me to disgrace.
1055

Not to disgrace,
1055

But prudence.
1055

Must I follow what to thee
1055

Seems right?
1055

Chrysothemis

When reason does her office, thou

Shalt be my guide.

What shame to speak so well,

And act so ill!

Thou clearly hast explain'd

Thy own disease.

What, seem I not to speak

With justice?

There are times when justice leads

To ruin.

By such laws I will not live.

CHRY. But if thou dost these things, thou wilt applaud

Me, and my prudence.

These things I will do,

Nothing appall'd by thee.

Art thou resolved?

And will no counsel move thee?

To my soul

Ill counsels are most hateful.

Much averse

Thy mind appears to all I say.

By long

Deliberate thought my purpose firm is fix'd.

CHRY. I leave thee, since thy mind with scorn rejects

My words, nor can I favour thy designs.

ELEC. Go then; and wish it with what warmth thou may'st,

I never will hold converse with thee more.

Folly alone a thing so slight would court.

CHRY. This may thy mind think wisdom; think so still:

But 'midst thy sufferings thou wilt deem me wise.

Chorus
CHRY. CHRY. CHRY. CHRY. CHRY. CHRY. CHRY, CHRY. CHRY. CHRY. CHRY. STRO. 1. ELECTRA, CHORUS.

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 1050 focus

Chrysothemis

Then I will go. You cannot be brought to approve my words, nor I your conduct.
1050

Electra

No, go inside. I will never come after you, even though you may strongly desire it, since it is great folly even to attempt a useless quest.

Chrysothemis

Well, if you seem to think straight in your own eyes, may you go on thinking so. Eventually, when you have fallen into trouble, you will approve my advice. Exit Chrysothemis into the house.
1055

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-593-1 τολμᾷς ¹

mvp-comment-594-1 οὔ σοι μὴ μεθέψομαι ²

mvp-comment-595-1 καὶ τὸ θηρᾶσθαι κενά ³ καὶ ⁴

mvp-comment-595-2 κενά ⁵

mvp-comment-596-1 ὅταν γὰρ ⁶

mvp-comment-596-2 βεβήκῃς ⁷

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

1051. mvp-comment-501-1 τολμᾷς] 'Can bring yourself.' For a similar periphrasis with τολμάω, cp. Aesch. Prom. 999, 1000, τόλμησον, ὦ μάταιε, τόλμησόν ποτε | πρὸς τὰς παρούσας πημονὰς ὀρθῶς φρονεῖν.

1053. mvp-comment-502-1 Cp. Ant. 69, 70, οὔτ᾽ ἄν, εἰ θέλοις ἔτι | πράσσειν, ἐμοῦ γ᾽ ἂν ἡδέως δρῴης μέτα.

1054. mvp-comment-503-1 θηρᾶσθαι κενά] ‘Το seek for what is vain,' as the sympathy of Chrysothemis has proved itself to be.

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.

1058. mvp-comment-506-1 φρονιμωτάτους] Cp. esp. Plat. Polit. 263 D, οἷον δοκεῖ τὸ τῶν γεράνων, where, in a similar spirit of bitterness, the stork is again preferred to man. The expression (οιωνούς) is generalized, as elsewhere in Sophocles.

Sophocles Electra 1050

ed. Francis Storr

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Χρυσόθεμις

ἄπειμι τοίνυν· οὔτε γὰρ σὺ τἄμʼ ἔπη
1050

τολμᾷς ἐπαινεῖν οὔτʼ ἐγὼ τοὺς σοὺς τρόπους.

Ἠλέκτρα

ἀλλʼ εἴσιθʼ. οὔ σοι μὴ μεθέψομαί ποτε,

οὐδʼ ἢν σφόδρʼ ἱμείρουσα τυγχάνῃς· ἐπεὶ

πολλῆς ἀνοίας καὶ τὸ θηρᾶσθαι κενά.

Χρυσόθεμις

ἀλλʼ εἰ σεαυτῇ τυγχάνεις δοκοῦσά τι
1055

φρονεῖν, φρόνει τοιαῦθʼ. ὅταν γὰρ ἐν κακοῖς

ἤδη βεβήκῃς, τἄμʼ ἐπαινέσεις ἔπη.

Current edition Experimental

ἄπειμι τοίνυν· οὔτε γὰρ σὺ τἄμ᾽ ἔπη

τολμᾶς ἐπαινεῖν οὔτ᾽ ἐγὼ τοὺς σοὺς τρόπους.

ΧΡ.

ἀλλ᾽ εἰ σεαυτῇ τυγχάνεις δοκοῦσά τι

φρονεῖν, φρόνει τοιαῦθ᾽. ὅταν γὰρ ἐν κακοῖς

ἤδη βεβήκῃς, τἄμ᾽ ἐπαινέσεις ἔπη.

ΧΟ.
στρ. α.

Then I will go. Thy heart will ne’er be brought

To praise my words, nor I thine action here.

EL

Then go within! I will not follow thee,

Though thou desire it vehemently. None

Would be so fond to hunt on a cold trail.
1055

CHR

If this seem wisdom to thee, then be wise

Thy way: but in the hour of misery,

When it hath caught thee, thou wilt praise my words.

CHORUS
CHORUS .

So will ich gehen; du gewinnst es nie von dir,

Mein Wort zu loben, noch belob' ich deinen Sinn.

Elektra.

Ja, gehe nur: ich folge niemals deinem Pfad,
1030

Und wenn du noch so dringend mich bestürmst; es zeugt

Von großer Thorheit auch die Jagd um Nichtiges.

Chrysothemis.

Nun, wenn du selbst in stolzem Wahne klug dich dünkst,

Sei klug in solcher Weise! Wenn das Ungemach

Dereinst dich heimsucht, lobst du meine Worte noch.
1035
Elektra. Der Chor. Erste Strophe.

Der Chor.

Then fare thee well ! Thou canst not bear my

words,

Nor I thy actions.

Electra

Go thy ways. Henceforth

I will not commune with thee. Nor thy prayers —

No, nor thy tears — should ever bend me to it ;

Such idle commerce were the height of folly.
1055

Orestes
Scene II. Strophe i. Antistrophe. Strophe 2. Antistrojyhe 2. ACT IV. Scene J.

Then shall this hand alone perform the deed,

Nor uneffected leave the glorious work.

CHRY. Oh, had this spirit, when our father died

Been thine! What deeds had then thy hand achieved!

Chorus
CHRY. CHRY. CHRY. CHRY. CHRY. CHRY. CHRY, CHRY. CHRY. CHRY. CHRY. STRO. 1. ELECTRA, CHORUS.

Chrysothemis

Then I will go. You cannot be brought to approve my words, nor I your conduct.
1050

Electra

No, go inside. I will never come after you, even though you may strongly desire it, since it is great folly even to attempt a useless quest.

Chrysothemis

Well, if you seem to think straight in your own eyes, may you go on thinking so. Eventually, when you have fallen into trouble, you will approve my advice. Exit Chrysothemis into the house.
1055

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Χρυσόθεμις ἄπειμι τοίνυν· οὔτε γὰρ σὺ τἄμʼ ἔπη 1050 τολμᾷς ἐπαινεῖν οὔτʼ ἐγὼ τοὺς σοὺς τρόπους.

Ἠλέκτρα ἀλλʼ εἴσιθʼ. οὔ σοι μὴ μεθέψομαί ποτε, οὐδʼ ἢν σφόδρʼ ἱμείρουσα τυγχάνῃς· ἐπεὶ πολλῆς ἀνοίας καὶ τὸ θηρᾶσθαι κενά.

Χρυσόθεμις ἀλλʼ εἰ σεαυτῇ τυγχάνεις δοκοῦσά τι 1055 φρονεῖν, φρόνει τοιαῦθʼ. ὅταν γὰρ ἐν κακοῖς ἤδη βεβήκῃς, τἄμʼ ἐπαινέσεις ἔπη.

Current edition Experimental

ἄπειμι τοίνυν· οὔτε γὰρ σὺ τἄμ᾽ ἔπη τολμᾶς ἐπαινεῖν οὔτ᾽ ἐγὼ τοὺς σοὺς τρόπους.

ΧΡ. ἀλλ᾽ εἰ σεαυτῇ τυγχάνεις δοκοῦσά τι φρονεῖν, φρόνει τοιαῦθ᾽. ὅταν γὰρ ἐν κακοῖς ἤδη βεβήκῃς, τἄμ᾽ ἐπαινέσεις ἔπη.

ΧΟ. στρ. α.

Then I will go. Thy heart will ne’er be brought To praise my words, nor I thine action here.

EL Then go within! I will not follow thee, Though thou desire it vehemently. None Would be so fond to hunt on a cold trail. 1055

CHR If this seem wisdom to thee, then be wise Thy way: but in the hour of misery, When it hath caught thee, thou wilt praise my words.

CHORUS CHORUS .

So will ich gehen; du gewinnst es nie von dir, Mein Wort zu loben, noch belob' ich deinen Sinn.

Elektra. Ja, gehe nur: ich folge niemals deinem Pfad, 1030 Und wenn du noch so dringend mich bestürmst; es zeugt Von großer Thorheit auch die Jagd um Nichtiges.

Chrysothemis. Nun, wenn du selbst in stolzem Wahne klug dich dünkst, Sei klug in solcher Weise! Wenn das Ungemach Dereinst dich heimsucht, lobst du meine Worte noch. 1035 Elektra. Der Chor. Erste Strophe.

Der Chor.

Then fare thee well ! Thou canst not bear my words, Nor I thy actions.

Electra Go thy ways. Henceforth I will not commune with thee. Nor thy prayers — No, nor thy tears — should ever bend me to it ; Such idle commerce were the height of folly. 1055

Orestes Scene II. Strophe i. Antistrophe. Strophe 2. Antistrojyhe 2. ACT IV. Scene J.

Then shall this hand alone perform the deed, Nor uneffected leave the glorious work. CHRY. Oh, had this spirit, when our father died Been thine! What deeds had then thy hand achieved!

Chorus CHRY. CHRY. CHRY. CHRY. CHRY. CHRY. CHRY, CHRY. CHRY. CHRY. CHRY. STRO. 1. ELECTRA, CHORUS.

Chrysothemis Then I will go. You cannot be brought to approve my words, nor I your conduct. 1050

Electra No, go inside. I will never come after you, even though you may strongly desire it, since it is great folly even to attempt a useless quest.

Chrysothemis Well, if you seem to think straight in your own eyes, may you go on thinking so. Eventually, when you have fallen into trouble, you will approve my advice. Exit Chrysothemis into the house. 1055

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Χρυσόθεμις

ἄπειμι τοίνυν· οὔτε γὰρ σὺ τἄμʼ ἔπη
1050

τολμᾷς ἐπαινεῖν οὔτʼ ἐγὼ τοὺς σοὺς τρόπους.

Ἠλέκτρα

ἀλλʼ εἴσιθʼ. οὔ σοι μὴ μεθέψομαί ποτε,

οὐδʼ ἢν σφόδρʼ ἱμείρουσα τυγχάνῃς· ἐπεὶ

πολλῆς ἀνοίας καὶ τὸ θηρᾶσθαι κενά.

Χρυσόθεμις

ἀλλʼ εἰ σεαυτῇ τυγχάνεις δοκοῦσά τι
1055

φρονεῖν, φρόνει τοιαῦθʼ. ὅταν γὰρ ἐν κακοῖς

ἤδη βεβήκῃς, τἄμʼ ἐπαινέσεις ἔπη.

ἄπειμι τοίνυν· οὔτε γὰρ σὺ τἄμ᾽ ἔπη

τολμᾶς ἐπαινεῖν οὔτ᾽ ἐγὼ τοὺς σοὺς τρόπους.

ΧΡ.

ἀλλ᾽ εἰ σεαυτῇ τυγχάνεις δοκοῦσά τι

φρονεῖν, φρόνει τοιαῦθ᾽. ὅταν γὰρ ἐν κακοῖς

ἤδη βεβήκῃς, τἄμ᾽ ἐπαινέσεις ἔπη.

ΧΟ.
στρ. α.

Then I will go. Thy heart will ne’er be brought

To praise my words, nor I thine action here.

EL

Then go within! I will not follow thee,

Though thou desire it vehemently. None

Would be so fond to hunt on a cold trail.
1055

CHR

If this seem wisdom to thee, then be wise

Thy way: but in the hour of misery,

When it hath caught thee, thou wilt praise my words.

CHORUS
CHORUS .

So will ich gehen; du gewinnst es nie von dir,

Mein Wort zu loben, noch belob' ich deinen Sinn.

Elektra.

Ja, gehe nur: ich folge niemals deinem Pfad,
1030

Und wenn du noch so dringend mich bestürmst; es zeugt

Von großer Thorheit auch die Jagd um Nichtiges.

Chrysothemis.

Nun, wenn du selbst in stolzem Wahne klug dich dünkst,

Sei klug in solcher Weise! Wenn das Ungemach

Dereinst dich heimsucht, lobst du meine Worte noch.
1035
Elektra. Der Chor. Erste Strophe.

Then fare thee well ! Thou canst not bear my

words,

Nor I thy actions.

Electra

Go thy ways. Henceforth

I will not commune with thee. Nor thy prayers —

No, nor thy tears — should ever bend me to it ;

Such idle commerce were the height of folly.
1055

Orestes
Scene II. Strophe i. Antistrophe. Strophe 2. Antistrojyhe 2. ACT IV. Scene J.

Then shall this hand alone perform the deed,

Nor uneffected leave the glorious work.

CHRY. Oh, had this spirit, when our father died

Been thine! What deeds had then thy hand achieved!

Chorus
CHRY. CHRY. CHRY. CHRY. CHRY. CHRY. CHRY, CHRY. CHRY. CHRY. CHRY. STRO. 1. ELECTRA, CHORUS.

Chrysothemis

Then I will go. You cannot be brought to approve my words, nor I your conduct.
1050

Electra

No, go inside. I will never come after you, even though you may strongly desire it, since it is great folly even to attempt a useless quest.

Chrysothemis

Well, if you seem to think straight in your own eyes, may you go on thinking so. Eventually, when you have fallen into trouble, you will approve my advice. Exit Chrysothemis into the house.
1055