Sophocles, Electra, ed. Francis Storr, 51

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Ὀρέστης

ἡμεῖς δὲ πατρὸς τύμβον, ὡς ἐφίετο,

λοιβαῖσι πρῶτον καὶ καρατόμοις χλιδαῖς

στέψαντες εἶτʼ ἄψορρον ἥξομεν πάλιν,

τύπωμα χαλκόπλευρον ἠρμένοι χεροῖν,

ὃ καὶ σὺ θάμνοις οἶσθά που κεκρυμμένον,
55

ὅπως λόγῳ κλέπτοντες ἡδεῖαν φάτιν

φέρωμεν αὐτοῖς, τοὐμὸν ὡς ἔρρει δέμας

φλογιστὸν ἤδη καὶ κατηνθρακωμένον.

τί γάρ με λυπεῖ τοῦθʼ, ὅταν λόγῳ θανὼν

ἔργοισι σωθῶ κἀξενέγκωμαι κλέος;
60

δοκῶ μέν, οὐδὲν ῥῆμα σὺν κέρδει κακόν.

ἤδη γὰρ εἶδον πολλάκις καὶ τοὺς σοφοὺς

λόγῳ μάτην θνῄσκοντας· εἶθʼ, ὅταν δόμους

ἔλθωσιν αὖθις, ἐκτετίμηνται πλέον·

ὡς κἄμʼ ἐπαυχῶ τῆσδε τῆς φήμης ἄπο
65

δεδορκότʼ ἐχθροῖς ἄστρον ὣς λάμψειν ἔτι.

ἀλλʼ, ὦ πατρῴα γῆ θεοί τʼ ἐγχώριοι,

δέξασθέ μʼ εὐτυχοῦντα ταῖσδε ταῖς ὁδοῖς,

σύ τʼ, ὦ πατρῷον δῶμα· σοῦ γὰρ ἔρχομαι

δίκῃ καθαρτὴς πρὸς θεῶν ὡρμημένος·
70

καὶ μή μʼ ἄτιμον τῆσδʼ ἀποστείλητε γῆς,

ἀλλʼ ἀρχέπλουτον καὶ καταστάτην δόμων.

εἴρηκα μέν νυν ταῦτα· σοὶ δʼ ἤδη, γέρον,

τὸ σὸν μελέσθω βάντι φρουρῆσαι χρέος.

νὼ δʼ ἔξιμεν· καιρὸς γάρ, ὅσπερ ἀνδράσιν
75

μέγιστος ἔργου παντός ἐστʼ ἐπιστάτης.

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)) — 51 focus

ἡμεῖς δὲ πατρὸς πρὸς τύμβον, ὡς ἐφίετο,

λοιβαῖσι λοιβαῖσ τε AΓ. λοιβαῖσι C. πρῶτον καὶ καρατόμοις χλιδαῖς

στέψαντες, εἶτ᾿ ἄψορρον ἥξομεν πάλιν,

τύπωμα χαλκόπλευρον ᾐρμένοι χεροῖν,
55

ὃ καὶ σὺ θάμνοις οἶσθά μοι που ποῦ κεκρυμμένον,

ὅπως λόγῳ κλέπτοντες ἡδεῖαν φάτιν

φέρωμεν φέροιμεν φέρωμεν αὐτοῖς, τοὐμὸν ὡς ἔρρει δέμας

φλογιστὸν ἤδη καὶ κατηνθρακωμένον.

τί γάρ με λυπεῖ τοῦθ᾽, ὅταν λόγῳ θανὼν
60

ἔργοισι σωθῶ κἀξενέγκωμαι κλέος;

δοκῶ μέν, οὐδὲν ὡσ οὐδὲν L. μὲ οὐδὲν A. ῥῆμα σὺν κέρδει συγκέρδει κακόν.

ἤδη γὰρ εἶδον πολλάκις καὶ τοὺς σοφοὺς

λόγῳ μάτην θνήσκοντας· εἶθ᾽, ὅταν δόμους

ἔλθωσιν αὖθις, ἐκτετίμηνται πλέον·
65

ὡς κἄμ᾽ ἐπαυχῶ τῆσδε τῆς φήμης ἄπο ο from ει L.

δεδορκότ᾽ ἐχθροῖς ἄστρον ὣς λάμψειν ἔτι.

ἀλλ᾽, ὦ πατρώα γῆ θεοί τ᾽ ἐγχώριοι,

δέξασθέ μ᾿ εὐτυχοῦντα ταῖσδε ταῖς ὁδοῖς,

σύ τ᾽, ὦ πατρῷον δῶμα· σοῦ γὰρ ἔρχομαι
70

δίκῃ καθαρτὴς πρὸς θεῶν ὡρμημένος·

καὶ μή μ᾽ ἄτιμον τῆσδ᾽ ἀποστείλητε γῆς,

ἀλλ᾽ ἀρχέπλουτον καὶ καταστάτην δόμων.

εἴρηκα μέν νυν μὲν νῦν L. μὲν (νῦν om.) ΑΓ. ταῦτα· σοὶ δ᾽ ἤδη, γέρον,

τὸ σὸν μελέσθω βάντι φρουρῆσαι χρέος.
75

νὰ δ᾽ ἔξιμεν· καιρὸς γάρ, ὅσπερ ἀνδράσιν ἀνδράσι LA. ἀνδράσιν Γ.

μέγιστος ἔργου παντός ἐστ᾽ ἐπιστάτης.

ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ.

Translations (5)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 77 focus

(). Woe for my hapless lot!

OLD M

Hark! from the doors, my son, methought there came

A moaning cry, as of some maid within.
80

OR

Can it be poor Electra? Shall we stay,

And list again the lamentable sound?

OLD M

Not so. Before all else begin the attempt

To execute Apollo’s sovereign will,

Pouring libation to thy sire: this makes
85

Victory ours, and our success assured.

EL
Enter ELECTRA . MONODY .

O purest light!

And air by earth alone

Measured and limitable, how oft have ye

Heard many a piercing moan,

Many a blow full on my bleeding breast,

When gloomy night

Hath slackened pace and yielded to the day!

And through the hours of rest,

Ah! well ’tis known

To my sad pillow in yon house of woe,

What vigil of scant joyance keeping,

Whiles all within are sleeping,

For my dear father without stint I groan,

Whom not in bloody fray

The War-god in the stranger-land

Received with hospitable hand,

But she that is my mother, and her groom,

As woodmen fell the oak,

Cleft through the skull with murdering stroke.

And o’er this gloom

No ray of pity, save from only me,

Goes forth on thee,
85

My father, who didst die
85

A cruel death of piteous agony.
85

But ne’er will I
85

Cease from my crying and sad mourning lay,
85

While I behold the sky,
85

Glancing with myriad fires, or this fair day.
85

But, like some brood-bereavèd nightingale,
85

With far-heard wail,
85

Here at my father’s door my voice shall sound.
85

O home beneath the ground!
85

Hades unseen, and dread Persephonè,

And darkling Hermes, and the Curse revered,

And ye, Erinyës, of mortals feared,

Daughters of Heaven, that ever see

Who die unjustly, who are wronged i’ the bed

Of those they wed,

Avenge our father’s murder on his foe!

Aid us, and send my brother to my side;

Alone I cannot longer bide

The oppressive strain of strength-o’ermastering woe.

CHORUS
CHORUS (entering).

O sad Electra, child Of a lost mother, why still flow

Unceasingly with lamentation wild

For him who through her treachery beguiled,

Inveigled by a wife’s deceit,

Fallen at the foul adulterer’s feet,
85

Most impiously was quelled long years ago?
85

Perish the cause! if I may lawfully pray so.

EL

O daughters of a noble line,

Ye come to soothe me from my troublous woe.

I see, I know:

Your love is not unrecognized of mine.

But yet I will not seem as I forgot,

Or cease to mourn my hapless father’s lot.
85

Oh, of all love
85

That ever may you move,
85

This only boon I crave—

Leave me to rave!

CH

Lament, nor praying breath

Will raise thy sire, our honoured chief,

From that dim multitudinous gulf of death.

Beyond the mark, due grief that measureth,

Still pining with excess of pain
85

Thou urgest lamentation vain,
85

That from thy woes can bring thee no relief.

Why hast thou set thy heart on unavailing grief?

EL

Senseless were he who lost from thought

A noble father, lamentably slain!

I love thy strain,

Bewildered mourner, bird divinely taught,

For ‘Itys,’ ‘Itys,’ ever heard to pine.

O Niobè, I hold thee all divine,
85

Of sorrows queen,
85

Who with all tearful mien
85

Insepulchred in stone

Aye makest moan.

CH

Not unto thee alone hath sorrow come,

Daughter, that thou shouldst carry grief so far

Beyond those dwellers in the palace-home

Who of thy kindred are

And own one source with thee.

What life hath she,

Chrysothemis, and Iphianassa bright,

And he whose light
85

Is hidden afar from taste of horrid doom,
85

Youthful Orestes, who shall come
85

To fair Mycenae’s glorious town,
85

Welcomed as worthy of his sire’s renown,

Sped by great Zeus with kindly thought,

And to this land with happiest omen brought?

EL

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 51 focus

Wir aber kränzen, wie der Gott befahl, zuerst

Mit Spenden und des Hauptes abgeschnitt'ner Zier¹

Des Vaters Hügel, kehren dann hieher zurück,

Den erzgeformten Aschenkrug in meinem Arm,

Den ich im Busch verborgen, wie dir wohlbekannt,
55

Auf daß, in Worten täuschend, wir den Argen hier

Die frohe Botschaft bringen, wie mein Körper schon

Verbrannt zur Asche, schon in Staub zerfallen sei.

Was kann mich's härmen, wenn ich, todt dem Worte nach,²

In Thaten lebe, strahlend in des Ruhmes Glanz?
60

Kein Wort ja dünkt mir übel, wenn es Nuzen bringt.

Auch weise Männer hört' ich durch ein falsch Gerücht

Schon oft als todt verkünden; wenn sie dann zurück

Nach Hause kehrten, waren sie noch mehr geehrt.

So hoff' ich auch nach dieser Botschaft lebend noch
65

Gleich einem Stern zu leuchten vor den Feinden dort.

Vatererd' und meiner Heimat Götter ihr,

Empfanget segenbringet mich auf diesem Pfad,

Und meiner Ahnen Schwelle du: dich komm' ich ja

Zu rächen, dich zu sühnen, durch den Gott erweckt:
70

Stoßt nicht, bedeckt mit Schande, mich aus diesem Land,

Nein, laßt des Vaters Macht und Haus mich neu erbau'n!

Nun sagt' ich Alles; du bereite dich sofort

Zu geh'n und deines Amtes treu zu wahren, Greis.

(zu Pylades)

Wir zieh'n hinaus; die mächtige Stunde fordert uns,
75

Die ordnend über jede That der Menschen wacht.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 77 focus

Of vile usurpers, and avenge thy wrongs —

Drive me not from thee an abandoned exile

With infamy, but grant me to possess

My father's throne, and fix his injured race.

Thus far 'tis well. My faithful minister,

Thou to thy office, we to ours with speed ;

So time and opportunity require

On whom the fate of mortals must depend.

Governor

Methought a mournful voice

Spake from within.

Shall we not stay and hearken to it ?
80

Governor

No :

First be Apollo's great behests obeyed

Before thy father's tomb. That pious deed

Performed shall fire our souls with nobler wariuih,

And crown our bold attempt with fair success. [ExucuL

Eleotra.

O hJicred light I and O thou ambient aii' !

Her sighs and groans, and witnessed to her woes,

Which ever as each hateful morn appeared

T poured befoi-e you : what at eve retired

I felt of anguish my sad couch alone

Can tell, which watered nightly with my tears

Received me sorrowing — tliat best can tell

What pangs I suffered for a hapless father,

Whom not tlie god of war with ruthless hand

Struck nobly fighting in a distant soil.

But my fell mother, and the cursed ^gisthus,

The partner of her bed, remorseless slew.

Untimely didst thou fall, lamented shade,
85

Nor shall she ce;ise to mourn thee, while these eyes
85

View the fair heavens or behold the sun !
85

Never ! oh, never ! Like the nightingale.
85

Whose plaintive song bewails her ravished brood,
85

Here will I still lament my father's wrongs,
85

And teach the echo to repeat my moan.
85

O ye infernal deities ! and thou
85

Terrestrial Hermes ! and thou, Nemesis,
85

Replete with curses ! and ye vengeful Furies,

Offspring of gods, the ministers of wrath

To vile adulterers, who with pity view

The slaughtered innocent— behold this deed !

Oh ! come, assist, revenge my father's murder ;

Quickly, oh, quickly bring me my Orestes ;

For lo ! 1 sink beneath oppressive woe,

And can no longer bear the weight alone.

Chorus
Scene II. Scene III.

O wretched daughter of an impious mother !

'^I'ilt thou for ever mourn, for ever thus,

With unavailing tears and endless sorrow,

Lament the royal Agamemnon's fate,

By a vile woman's wicked arts betrayed?
85

Perish the hand (forgive the pious curse.
85

Ye heavenly powers !) that gave the deadly blow I

Electra

My noble friends and partners in affliction,

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 77 focus

O miserable me!

Attendant

Some female servant with the voice of grief

Methinks I hear lamenting in the house.
80

Orestes

Is it not rather poor Electra's voice?

Attendant
[within.

Wilt thou we stay and listen to her moans?

That must not be: no deed may we attempt

Ere we perform the mandates of the god.

Begin with these; and at thy father's tomb
85

Pour the libations: that will give us strength
85

To act, and conquest to our toils ensure.

Electra

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 77 focus

Within.

Electra

ah, me, ah, joyless me!

Paedagogus

Listen, my son; from the doors of the house, I think, came the sound of some serving girl moaning inside.

Orestes

Can it be my joyless Electra? Shall we remain here and listen to her cries?
80

Paedagogus

No, no; before all else, let us strive to obey the commands of Loxias and from them make a fair beginning by pouring libations to your father. For such actions bring

victory within our grasp and give us mastery in all our doings. Exeunt Paedagogus on the spectators left, Orestes and Pylades on the right.
85

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-30-1 ἐφίετο ¹

mvp-comment-30-2 λοιβαῖσι ²

mvp-comment-30-3 καρατόμοις χλιδαῖς ³

mvp-comment-30-4 στέψαντες ⁴

mvp-comment-30-5 ἄψορρον … πάλιν ⁵

mvp-comment-31-1 τύπωμα ⁶ χαλκόπλευρον ⁷

mvp-comment-31-2 ἠρμένοι ⁸

mvp-comment-31-3 Others take

ἠρμένοι

as middle. This use of

ἦρμαι

is not unknown to later Greek; e.g. Strabo 3. p. 150 has

νίκην ἠρμένοι

ἀράμενοι

. But there is no example of it in the classical period.

mvp-comment-32-1 Join που ⁹ καὶ σὺ ¹⁰

mvp-comment-32-2 The v.l. μοι ¹¹

mvp-comment-33-1 λόγῳ κλέπτοντες ¹²

mvp-comment-33-2 φέρωμεν ¹³

mvp-comment-33-3 ἔρρει ¹⁴

mvp-comment-33-4 δέμας ¹⁵

mvp-comment-34-1 τί γάρ με λυπεῖ ¹⁶

mvp-comment-34-2 ἔργοισι ¹⁷

mvp-comment-34-3 κἀξενέγκωμαι ¹⁸

mvp-comment-35-1 δοκῶ μέν ¹⁹ σὺν κέρδει ²⁰

mvp-comment-35-2 κακόν ²¹

mvp-comment-36-1 πολλάκις ²²

mvp-comment-36-2 λόγῳ μάτην θνῄσκοντας ²³

mvp-comment-36-3 ἐκτετίμηνται ²⁴

mvp-comment-37-1 ὡς ²⁵

mvp-comment-37-2 κἄμ’ ἐπαυχῶ ²⁶

mvp-comment-37-3 ἄπο ²⁷

mvp-comment-37-4 δεδορκότ’ ²⁸

mvp-comment-37-5 ἐχθροῖς ²⁹ λάμψειν ³⁰

mvp-comment-37-6 ἄστρον ³¹

mvp-comment-37-7 ἔτι ³²

mvp-comment-38-1 πατρῴα γῆ ³³

mvp-comment-38-2 εὐτυχοῦντα ³⁴

mvp-comment-38-3 ὁδοῖς ³⁵

mvp-comment-39-1 καθαρτής ³⁶

mvp-comment-39-2 πρὸς θεῶν ὡρμημένος ³⁷

mvp-comment-40-1 ἀλλ’ ἀρχέπλουτον ³⁸

mvp-comment-40-2 ἀρχέπλουτον ³⁹

mvp-comment-40-3 καταστάτην ⁴⁰

mvp-comment-41-1 εἴρηκα μέν νυν ταῦτα ⁴¹

mvp-comment-41-2 μελέσθω ⁴²

mvp-comment-42-1 ἐπιστάτης ⁴³

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

52. mvp-comment-34-1 καρατόμοις χλιδαῖς] ‘With shorn locks luxuriant.' Cp. infr. 901, νεώρη βόστρυχον. The word χλιδή perhaps marks the luxuriance of the youthful Orestes' locks. Cp. Plat. Phaedo, 89 B, αὔριον δή, ἔφη, ἴσως, ὦ Φαίδων, τὰς καλὰς ταύτας κόμας ἀποκερεῖ.

54. mvp-comment-35-1 'Holding uplifted in our hands the shapely urn with sides of brass.' The Scholiast rightly compares the construction of τύπωμα with ᾐρμένοι to such expressions as πώγωνα καθειμένος, – ἀντὶ τοῦ κεχαλασμένον ἔχων. But he does not observe that in both cases the verb is in the middle voice. τύπωμα is literally, A moulded form.' Cp. Ant. 430, ἐκ δ' εὐκροτήτου .. πρόχου, κ.τ.λ. For χαλκόπλευρον, cp. Aesch. Cho. 686, λέβητος χαλκέου πλευρώματα.

55. mvp-comment-36-1 (1) Which, as I believe (που) you know, is hidden in the brake.' For οἰσθά που, cp. infr. 948, 9, παρουσίαν μὲν λέγων, | οἶσθα καὶ σὺ που φίλων | ὡς. κ.τ.λ. (2) The v. r. μοι for που is also possible. Which I have, as you know, hidden in the brake.' μοι, if genuine, is not dative of the agent, but of remote reference not I have hidden it, but 'I have it hidden.'

56. mvp-comment-37-1 λόγῳ κλέπτοντες] 'Stealing our advance through feigned words.' The participle is equally emphatic with the verb.

57. mvp-comment-38-1 φέρωμεν] The optative cannot be defended here.

59-60. mvp-comment-39-1 The precise construction would be either λυπεῖ.. ὅτε σώζομαι, or λυπήσει . . ὅταν σωθῶ. But as the sentence proceeds the mind of Orestes dwells more than at first on the futurity of the event.

60. mvp-comment-40-1 κἀξενέγκωμαι κλέος] ‘And win renown.' Cp. Od. 1. 298, οἷον κλέος ἔλλαβε δῖος Ορέστης.

61. mvp-comment-41-1 δοκῶ μέν] Cp. infr. 547: О. С. 995, δοκῶ μέν, εἴπερ ζῆν φιλεῖς, κ.τ.λ.: Fr. 83, δοκῶ μέν, οὐδείς: Plato, Meno, 94 C, δοκῶ μέν, ἐβούλετο, Methinks, no word is inauspicious that is accompanied with gain.' Cp. Eur. Hel. 1050 foll. (quoted by Brunck), ΕΛ. βούλει λέγεσθαι, μὴ θανών, τεθνηκέναι; ΜΕΝ. κακὸς μὲν ὄρνις· εἰ δὲ κερδανῶ λέγων, | ἕτοιμός εἰμι μὴ θανών λόγῳ θανείν.

62-66. mvp-comment-42-1 Some such story as that of Aristeas of Proconnesus, Hdt. 4. 13-16, is probably in the mind of the poet, who need not however be accused of the anachronism of making Orestes refer to this or any similar story (as of Pythagoras, Epimenides, Solon, Zaleucus, or Zamolxis). Hermann finds here an allusion to some banished Athenian citizen, who (like the late Lord Brougham) may have ambitiously spread the rumour of his own death.

63. mvp-comment-43-1 μάτην] ‘Without reality. For the pleonasm, see E. on L. § 40. p. 75.

64. mvp-comment-44-1 ἐκτετίμηνται πλέον] ‘Their name stands higher than before.' For this intensive use of the perfect, cp. ἐσπούδακα, τετεύτακα, and similar words.

65-66. mvp-comment-45-1 Even so I, having indeed come to life in consequence of this report, shall yet, I trust, flash like a comet on my foes.' δεδορκότα is used intensively for βλέποντα = ζῶντα, but this natural use of language is assisted by the image of the star. (See L. and S. s. ν. δέρκομαι.) The star of Orestes in the ascendant will be of evil omen to his enemies. Cp. Il. 22. 30, λαμπρότατος μὲν ὅδ᾽ ἐστί, κακὸν δὲ τε σῆμα τέτυκται. For ἔτι meaning 'Hereafter, though not now, cp. infr. 471: Trach. 256, 7, ἢ μὴν τὸν ἀγχιστῆρα τοῦδε τοῦ πάθους | ξὺν παιδὶ καὶ γυναικὶ δουλώσειν ἔτι: Ant. 69: Phil. 1359. Compare with ll. 59-66 the comic words of Falstaff, Shak. I Hen. 4. 5. 4. 120, 'To counterfeit dying, when a man thereby liveth, is to be no counterfeit, but the true and perfect image of life indeed.'

68. mvp-comment-46-1 Receive me and let me prosper in this my coming. The participle is proleptic. For ταῖσδε ταῖς ὁδοῖς, cp. Ὁ. C. 553, τανῦν θ᾽ ὁδοῖς | ἐν ταῖσδ᾽ ἀκούων μᾶλλον ἐξεπίσταμαι.

70. mvp-comment-47-1 δίκῃ καθαρτής] ‘A rightful purifier.' See E. on L. § 14. р. 20. Ср. Shak. J. C. 2. 1. 180, We shall be called purgers, not murderers.'

72. mvp-comment-48-1 ἀλλ᾽ ἀρχέπλουτον] Sc. καταστήσατε, the positive notion elicited from the negative, -E. on L. § 36. p. 64. (1) But make me the founder of a wealthy line.' This would seem to be the meaning of the compound, according to the analogy of ἀρχέκακος. The word in this sense may possibly be construed with δόμων, 'Beginner of wealth to the house. Others explain it as equal to ἀρχαιόπλουτος, (2) ‘Enjoying ancient wealth. For this, cp. ἀρχεδίκης, Pind. Pyth. 4. 189-195, ἀρχαίαν κομίζων πατρὸς ἐμοῦ βασιλευομέναν | οὐ κατ' αἶσαν .... τιμάν. | πεύθομαι γάρ νιν Πελίαν . . | ἁμετέρων ἀποσυλᾶσαι βιαίως ἀρχεδικᾶν τοκέων.

74. mvp-comment-49-1 τὸ σὸν .. φρουρῆσαι χρέος] 'Go thy way and watchfully execute thy duty.' Lit. Watch thy service,' i. e. perform thy service which requires watchfulness. τὸ σὸν . . χρέος is cognate acc. after φρουρῆσαι, but also in the first instance the subject of μελέσθω, to which φρουρῆσαι is added as an explanatory infinitive.

75. mvp-comment-50-1 καιρὸς γάρ] Sc. ἐστί. For the occasion is here. See E. on L. § 39. p. 72, 1 α.

75-76. mvp-comment-51-1 ὅσπερ, κ.τ.λ.] 'And of all powers that direct men's enterprises, Occasion is chief.'

77-86. mvp-comment-52-1 As the function of the chorus, see Introduction, is to respond to Electra, who gives the principal interest to the play, their entrance is preceded by a monody from her, which draws the sympathy of the spectators to the chief person, and prepares them to enter more fully into the spirit of the action. And-less to whet the purpose of Orestes, than to show his firmness- he is allowed to hear her wailing from within. It is easy to see how this must excite him. But it does not alter his determination to rely upon himself alone. And thus, although for the moment eager to hear more, he yields at once to the counsel of the old man, that nothing should delay the action for which the moment is come. After l. 85, exeunt Orestes, the Paedagogus, and Pylades, leaving the proscenium vacant.

77. mvp-comment-53-1 -------. A paroemiac, consisting wholly of long syllables, like infr. 88, 89, 105, and other lines in the following lament. See the scheme of metres below.

Sophocles Electra 51

ed. Francis Storr

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νὰ δ᾽ ἔξιμεν· καιρὸς γάρ, ὅσπερ ἀνδράσιν ἀνδράσι LA. ἀνδράσιν Γ.

μέγιστος ἔργου παντός ἐστ᾽ ἐπιστάτης.

ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ.

(). Woe for my hapless lot!

OLD M

Hark! from the doors, my son, methought there came

A moaning cry, as of some maid within.
80

OR

Can it be poor Electra? Shall we stay,

And list again the lamentable sound?

OLD M

Not so. Before all else begin the attempt

To execute Apollo’s sovereign will,

Pouring libation to thy sire: this makes
85

Victory ours, and our success assured.

EL

Governor

Methought a mournful voice

Spake from within.

Shall we not stay and hearken to it ?
80

Electra

My noble friends and partners in affliction,

O miserable me!

Attendant

Some female servant with the voice of grief

Methinks I hear lamenting in the house.
80

Orestes

Is it not rather poor Electra's voice?

Attendant
[within.

Wilt thou we stay and listen to her moans?

That must not be: no deed may we attempt

Ere we perform the mandates of the god.

Begin with these; and at thy father's tomb
85

Pour the libations: that will give us strength
85

To act, and conquest to our toils ensure.

Electra

Electra

ah, me, ah, joyless me!

Paedagogus

Listen, my son; from the doors of the house, I think, came the sound of some serving girl moaning inside.

Orestes

Can it be my joyless Electra? Shall we remain here and listen to her cries?
80

Commentary

Stable identifiers

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Current edition Experimental

νὰ δ᾽ ἔξιμεν· καιρὸς γάρ, ὅσπερ ἀνδράσιν ἀνδράσι LA. ἀνδράσιν Γ. μέγιστος ἔργου παντός ἐστ᾽ ἐπιστάτης.

ΗΛΕΚΤΡΑ.

(). Woe for my hapless lot!

OLD M Hark! from the doors, my son, methought there came A moaning cry, as of some maid within. 80

OR Can it be poor Electra? Shall we stay, And list again the lamentable sound?

OLD M Not so. Before all else begin the attempt To execute Apollo’s sovereign will, Pouring libation to thy sire: this makes 85 Victory ours, and our success assured.

EL

Governor Methought a mournful voice Spake from within. Shall we not stay and hearken to it ? 80

Electra My noble friends and partners in affliction,

O miserable me!

Attendant Some female servant with the voice of grief Methinks I hear lamenting in the house. 80

Orestes Is it not rather poor Electra's voice?

Attendant [within. Wilt thou we stay and listen to her moans? That must not be: no deed may we attempt Ere we perform the mandates of the god. Begin with these; and at thy father's tomb 85 Pour the libations: that will give us strength 85 To act, and conquest to our toils ensure.

Electra

Electra ah, me, ah, joyless me!

Paedagogus Listen, my son; from the doors of the house, I think, came the sound of some serving girl moaning inside.

Orestes Can it be my joyless Electra? Shall we remain here and listen to her cries? 80

Commentary

Stable identifiers

νὰ δ᾽ ἔξιμεν· καιρὸς γάρ, ὅσπερ ἀνδράσιν ἀνδράσι LA. ἀνδράσιν Γ.

μέγιστος ἔργου παντός ἐστ᾽ ἐπιστάτης.

OLD M

Hark! from the doors, my son, methought there came

A moaning cry, as of some maid within.
80

OR

Can it be poor Electra? Shall we stay,

And list again the lamentable sound?

OLD M

Not so. Before all else begin the attempt

To execute Apollo’s sovereign will,

Pouring libation to thy sire: this makes
85

Victory ours, and our success assured.

Governor

Methought a mournful voice

Spake from within.

Shall we not stay and hearken to it ?
80

Electra

My noble friends and partners in affliction,

Attendant

Some female servant with the voice of grief

Methinks I hear lamenting in the house.
80

Orestes

Is it not rather poor Electra's voice?

Attendant
[within.

Wilt thou we stay and listen to her moans?

That must not be: no deed may we attempt

Ere we perform the mandates of the god.

Begin with these; and at thy father's tomb
85

Pour the libations: that will give us strength
85

To act, and conquest to our toils ensure.

Electra

ah, me, ah, joyless me!

Paedagogus

Listen, my son; from the doors of the house, I think, came the sound of some serving girl moaning inside.

Orestes

Can it be my joyless Electra? Shall we remain here and listen to her cries?
80