Sophocles, Electra, ed. Francis Storr, 634

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Κλυταιμνήστρα

ἔπαιρε δὴ σὺ θύμαθʼ ἡ παροῦσά μοι

πάγκαρπʼ, ἄνακτι τῷδʼ ὅπως λυτηρίους
635

εὐχὰς ἀνάσχω δειμάτων, ἃ νῦν ἔχω.

κλύοις ἂν ἤδη, Φοῖβε προστατήριε,

κεκρυμμένην μου βάξιν· οὐ γὰρ ἐν φίλοις

ὁ μῦθος, οὐδὲ πᾶν ἀναπτύξαι πρέπει

πρὸς φῶς παρούσης τῆσδε πλησίας ἐμοί,
640

μὴ σὺν φθόνῳ τε καὶ πολυγλώσσῳ βοῇ

σπείρῃ ματαίαν βάξιν εἰς πᾶσαν πόλιν.

ἀλλʼ ὧδʼ ἄκουε· τῇδε γὰρ κἀγὼ φράσω.

ἃ γὰρ προσεῖδον νυκτὶ τῇδε φάσματα

δισσῶν ὀνείρων, ταῦτά μοι, Λύκειʼ ἄναξ,
645

εἰ μὲν πέφηνεν ἐσθλά, δὸς τελεσφόρα,

εἰ δʼ ἐχθρά, τοῖς ἐχθροῖσιν ἔμπαλιν μέθες·

καὶ μή με πλούτου τοῦ παρόντος εἴ τινες

δόλοισι βουλεύουσιν ἐκβαλεῖν, ἐφῇς,

ἀλλʼ ὧδέ μʼ αἰεὶ ζῶσαν ἀβλαβεῖ βίῳ
650

δόμους Ἀτρειδῶν σκῆπτρά τʼ ἀμφέπειν τάδε,

φίλοισί τε ξυνοῦσαν οἷς ξύνειμι νῦν

εὐημεροῦσαν καὶ τέκνων ὅσων ἐμοὶ

δύσνοια μὴ πρόσεστιν ἢ λύπη πικρά.

ταῦτʼ, ὦ Λύκειʼ Ἄπολλον, ἵλεως κλύων
655

δὸς πᾶσιν ἡμῖν ὥσπερ ἐξαιτούμεθα.

τὰ δʼ ἄλλα πάντα καὶ σιωπώσης ἐμοῦ

ἐπαξιῶ σε δαίμονʼ ὄντʼ ἐξειδέναι·

τοὺς ἐκ Διὸς γὰρ εἰκός ἐστι πάνθʼ ὁρᾶν.

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)) — 634 focus

ἔπαιρε δὴ σὺ θύμαθ᾽ ἡ παροῦσά μοι

πάγκαρπ᾽, ἄνακτι τῷδ᾽ ὅπως λυτηρίους
635

εὐχὰς ἀνάσχω δειμάτων, ἃ νῦν ἔχω.

κλύοις ἂν ἤδη, Φοῖβε προστατήριε,

κεκρυμμένην μου βάξιν. οὐ γὰρ ἐν φίλοις

ὁ μῦθος, οὐδὲ πᾶν ἀναπτύξαι πρέπει

πρὸς φῶς παρούσης τῆσδε πλησίας ἐμοί,
640

μὴ σὺν φθόνῳ τε καὶ πολυγλώσσῳ ποιγλώσσαι or πουγλώσσωι or παγγλώσσῳ L. πολυγλώσσω A. βοῇ

σπείρῃ ματαίαν βάξιν εἰς πᾶσαν πόλιν.

ἀλλ᾽ ὧδ᾽ ἄκουε· τῇδε γὰρ κἀγὼ φράσω.

ἃ γὰρ προσεῖδον νυκτὶ τῇδε φάσματα

δισσῶν ὀνείρων, ταῦτά μοι, Λύκει ἄναξ,
645

εἰ μὲν πέφηνεν ἐσθλά, δὸς τελεσφόρα,

εἰ δ᾽ ἐχθρά, τοῖς ἐχθροῖσιν ἔμπαλιν μέθες·

καὶ μή με πλούτου τοῦ παρόντος εἴ τινες

δόλοισι βουλεύουσιν ἐκβαλεῖν, ἐφῇς ἐφ..ς L. ἐφῇς AΓ. ἐφεὶς L' ἐφῆς gl. παραχωρήσης Pal.,

ἀλλ᾽ ὧδε μ' αἰεὶ ζῶσαν ἀβλαβεῖ εὐλαβεῖ M. βίῳ
650

δόμους Ἀτρειδῶν σκῆπτρά τ᾿ ἀμφέπειν ἀμφ᾿ ἕπειν L. τάδε,

φίλοισί τε ξυνοῦσαν οἷς ξύνειμι νῦν

εὐημεροῦσαν εὐημεροῦσάν C5. καὶ τέκνων ὅσων ἐμοὶ

δύσνοια μὴ πρόσεστιν πρόεστιν L. πρόσεστιν C2. ἢ λύπη πικρά.

ταῦτ᾽, ὦ Λύκει Ἄπολλον, ἵλεως κλύων
655

δὸς πᾶσιν ἡμῖν ὥσπερ ἐξαιτούμεθα.

τὰ δ᾽ ἄλλα πάντα καὶ σιωπώσης ἐμοῦ

ἐπαξιῶ σε δαίμον ὄντ᾽ ἐξειδέναι.

τοὺς ἐκ Διὸς γὰρ εἰκός ἐστι πάνθ᾽ πᾶνθ᾽ L. ὁρᾶν ὁραῖν LA..

ΠΑΙΔΑΓΩΓΟΣ.

Translations (5)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 634 focus

().

Then lift for me those fruitful offerings,

While to Apollo, before whom we stand,

I raise my supplication for release

From doubts and fears that shake my bosom now.

And, O defender of our house! attend
635

My secret utterance. No friendly ear
635

Is that which hearkens for my voice. My thought
635

Must not be blazoned with her standing by,
635

Lest through her envious and wide-babbling tongue

She fill the city full of wild surmise.

List, then, as I shall speak: and grant the dreams

Whose two-fold apparition I to-night

Have seen, if good their bodement, be fulfilled:

If hostile, turn their influence on my foes.

And yield not them their wish that would by guile

Thrust me from this high fortune, but vouchsafe

That ever thus exempt from harms I rule

The Atridae’s home and kingdom, in full life,

Partaking with the friends I live with now

All fair prosperity, and with my children,

Save those who hate and vex me bitterly.

Lykeian Phoebus, favourably hear

My prayer, and grant to all of us our need!

More is there, which, though I be silent here,

A God should understand. No secret thing

Is hidden from the all-seeing sons of Heaven.

OLD M
Enter the Old Man .

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 634 focus

Du hebe denn das Opfer, du die Nächste mir,

Die Früchte, daß ich mein Gebet zu diesem Gott

Entsende, mich zu retten aus der schweren Angst.
620
(sie tritt vor den Altar des Apollon)

Wohl hörst du jezt, o Phöbos, unsers Hauses Hort,¹

Auf mein verborgnes Beten. Nicht vor Freunden wird's

Gesprochen, und nicht Alles darf dem Lichte sich

Entfalten, da mir diese nah zur Seite steht,

Daß nicht in tausendfachem Ruf aus Tücke sie
625

Ein leer Gered' aussprenge durch die ganze Stadt.

Nein, so vernimm mich, sprech' ich's aus in dieser Art.

Des Doppeltraumes Bilder, die in dieser Nacht²

An mir vorübergingen, laß, Lykeierfürst,

Wofern sie günstig nahten, sich bestätigen,
630

Wenn feindlich, wend' auf unsre Feinde sie zurück!

Und nicht gestatt' es, wenn mich Einer ränkevoll

Herab von meines Glückes Höh'n zu stürzen sinnt!

Nein laß mich also lebend, nie von Gram getrübt,

Im Haus des Atreus walten mit dem Herrscherstab,
635

Vereint den Lieben, die mir jezt verbunden sind,

In heitern Tagen, und umringt von Kindern, die

Kein bittrer Unmuth gegen mich, kein Haß erfüllt!

Dies, o Lykeier Phöbos, hör' in Gnaden an,

Und dies gewähr' uns allen, wie wir's fleh'n von dir;
640

Doch alles Andre, hüllt es auch mein Schweigen ein,

Das ist, eracht' ich, dir dem Gott nicht unbekannt:

Denn die von Zeus sind, müssen wohl allsehend sein.

Der Pfleger des Orestes. Die Vorigen.

Der Pfleger.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 634 focus

Why might not they have died ? Their parent's guilt,

Source of the war, more justly had deserved it.
635

Or thinkst thou death with keener appetite

Could feast on mine, and Helen's not aflbrd

As sweet a banquet? Whv was all the lo_ve,

To me and to my child so justly dUe,

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 634 focus

Thou, my attendant, the oblations bring

Of the earth's various fruits, that I may pour

My pray'rs to royal Phoebus, from my soul
635

To chase the terrors that appal me now.
635

O thou, who hold'st thy guardian station here,

Now, Phoebus, hear the whispers of my voice:

I am not 'mongst my friends; nor to the light,

While she is near, behoves me all unfold.

By envy moved her ever-clamorous tongue

Through all the city wild reports would spread.

Hear me e'en thus; thus low must be my voice.

The nightly visions of this doubtful dream,

Attendant

If they portend me good, Lycæan king,

Bring thou to good effect: if ill, avert

That ill from me, and turn it on my foes!

From this high state if treacherous malice works
635

To sink me, crush, oh crush the close design,
635

Protect me always in this life of bliss,
635

To sway the sceptre, and to rule the house

Of the Atridæ, happy in those friends

Whose pleasing converse daily I enjoy,

And in those children, who ne'er grieve my heart

With wayward clamours and malignant hate.

Hear me, Lycæan Phœbus, favouring hear,

Grant to us all, as we implore thy grace:

All other things, though silence chains my tongue,

Thou, as a god, my soul confides, must know:

Nought from the sons of Jove can be conceal'd.

Chorus
ATTENDANT, CLYTEMNESTRA, ELECTRA,

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 634 focus

Clytaemnestra

Raise then, my attendant, the offerings

of many fruits, so that I may uplift my prayers for release from my present fears to this image of our King. Please, O Phoebus our defender, may you now listen to my prayer, though it is muffled; for I do not make my plea among friends, nor does it suit me to unfold it all
635

to the light while she stands near me, lest by her malice and a cry of her clamorous tongue she sow reckless rumors through the whole city. Nevertheless, hear me thus, since in this way I will speak. That vision which I saw last night
640

in ambiguous dreams—if its appearance was to my good, grant, Lycean king, that it be fulfilled; but if to my harm, then hurl it back upon those who would harm me. And if any are plotting to eject me by treachery from my present prosperity, do not permit them.
645

Rather grant that living forever unharmed as I am I may govern the house of the sons of Atreus and their throne, sharing prosperous days with the friends who share them now, and with those of my children who feel no enmity or bitterness towards me.
650

O Lycean Apollo, hear these prayers with favor, and grant them to us all just as we ask! As for all my other prayers, though I am silent, I judge that you, a god, must know them, since it is appropriate that Zeus’s children see all.
655

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-366-1 λυτηρίους … δειμάτων ¹

mvp-comment-366-2 ἀνάσχω ²

mvp-comment-367-1 κλύοις ἂν ³

mvp-comment-367-2 προστατήριε ⁴

mvp-comment-368-1 κεκρυμμένην ⁵

mvp-comment-368-2 οὐ γὰρ ἐν φίλοις ⁶

mvp-comment-369-1 πρὸς φῶς ⁷

mvp-comment-370-1 πολυγλώσσῳ ⁸

mvp-comment-370-2 σπείρῃ ⁹

mvp-comment-370-3 ματαίαν ¹⁰

mvp-comment-371-1 ὧδ’ ¹¹

mvp-comment-372-1 γὰρ ¹²

mvp-comment-372-2 δισσῶν ὀνείρων ¹³

mvp-comment-372-3 Jacobs Fr.( ap. Wunder) understood, ‘ two dreams,’—as if Clyt.'s vision consisted of two parts,—the return of Agamemnon, and the growth from the sceptre (417—423). This seems forced. Still less can we assume that there was some second dream which Clyt. did not relate even to the Sun-god (425).

mvp-comment-372-4 Λύκεἰ ἄναξ ¹⁴

mvp-comment-373-1 ἐσθλά … ἐχθρά ¹⁵

mvp-comment-373-2 Cp. Aesch. Pers. 217 , where the Chorus are advising Atossa how to propitiate the gods after her dream:

εἴ τι φλαῦρον εἶδες, αἰτοῦ τῶνδ’ ἀποτροπὴν τελεῖν

, |

τὰ δ’ ἀγάθ’ ἐκτελῆ γενέσθαι σοί τε καὶ τέκνῳ σέθεν κ.τ.λ.

mvp-comment-373-3 ἔμπαλιν μέθες ¹⁶

mvp-comment-374-1 εἴ τινες ¹⁷

mvp-comment-375-1 ἀλλ’ ὧδε ¹⁸

mvp-comment-375-2 ἀβλαβεῖ βίῳ ¹⁹

mvp-comment-376-1 δόμους ²⁰

mvp-comment-376-2 ἀμφέπειν ²¹

mvp-comment-376-3 φίλοισι ²²

mvp-comment-377-1 εὐημεροῦσαν ²³

mvp-comment-377-2 καὶ τέκνων ²⁴ ὅσων ²⁵

mvp-comment-377-3 We might also take

τέκνων

as standing, by attraction, for

τέκνοις

. When the antecedent is thus attracted, it usually comes after the relative ( O.C. 56); but sometimes precedes it, as in Tr. 151 f.

τότ’ ἄν τις εἰσίδοιτο

... | ...

κακοῖσιν

(for

κακά

)

ο<*>ς ἐγὼ βαρύνομαι

. In examples of the latter kind, however, the acc. (and not, as it would be here, the dat.) is elsewhere the case attracted. In favour of taking

τέκνων

as partitive, it may be added that this suits the distinction between two groups of

τέκνα

. By

ὅσων

she means Chrysothemis, Iphianassa, and the offspring o<*> her union with Aegisthus (157; 589).

mvp-comment-377-4 ἐμοὶ … πρόσεστιν ²⁶

mvp-comment-378-1 πᾶσιν ἡμῖν ²⁷

mvp-comment-379-1 τὰ δ’ ἄλλα πάντα ²⁸

mvp-comment-379-2 660 Following the directions given in vv. 39 ff., the Paedagogus now appears as a

ξένος Φωκεύς

. Cp. O.T. 924 ff., where the messenger from Corinth presents himself to Iocasta and the Chorus.

mvp-comment-379-3 πῶς ἂν εἰδείην ²⁹

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

634. mvp-comment-285-1 ἡ παροῦσά μοι] ‘Thou that art with me.' Cp. supr. 424. In Sophocles the attendants are never called by name, -as the Nurse is in Aesch. Cho. 732.

634-635. mvp-comment-286-1 θύμαθ᾽.. πάγκαρπ'] 'Rich offerings of various produce.'

635. mvp-comment-287-1 ἄνακτι . . τῷδ'] 'The king in presence here; '-Apollo Lyceius, infr. 645: ср. О. Т. 919, supr. l. 7.

635-636. mvp-comment-288-1 ὅπως.. ἔχω] 'That I may offer up a prayer for release from the terrors which are now haunting me.' The words, δειμάτων & νῦν ἔχω, are added in construction with λυτηρίους. For the sense, cp. O. Τ. 921, ὅπως λύσιν τιν' ἡμὶν εὐαγῆ πόρῃς.

639-640. mvp-comment-289-1 οὐδὲ πᾶν . . ἐμοί] 'Nor is it fitting that I unfold everything to light while she is near me.' In listening to these words the spectator recollects

640-642. mvp-comment-290-1 that Electra is already in possession of the whole truth about the dream. Cp. supr. 417 foll.

641-642. mvp-comment-291-1 'Lest with inauspicious and noisy outcry she disseminate a lewd report throughout the city.' φθόνῳ is lit. *odium.' ματ ματαίαν is not merely 'causeless,' but 'wanton,' conveying the notion of positive mischief. In πολυγλώσσῳ the first part of the compound is intensive. Cp. supr. 488, 9, infr. 798.

643. mvp-comment-292-1 But hear it, even in the (vague) form in which I will make it known.' Cp. O. C. 484, for the importance attached to the form of words used in prayer.

644. mvp-comment-293-1 γάρ introduces the promised statement.

645. mvp-comment-294-1 δισσῶν is supposed by some to mean, 'Ambiguous; but it is simpler and more natural to understand it either of two different dreams, or of the same dream repeated. Cp. Plat. Phaedo, 60 E, πολλάκις μοι φοιτῶν τὸ αὐτὸ ἐνύπνιον ἐν τῷ παρελθόντι βίῳ, ἄλλοτ᾽ ἐν ἄλλῃ ὄψει φαινόμενον, τὰ αὐτὰ δὲ λέγον, κ.τ.λ.

647. mvp-comment-295-1 ἔμπαλιν] 'On the contrary,'- because ἐμοί is understood with τελεσφόρα in l. 646. μέθες] 'Let it fall instead.'

648-649. mvp-comment-296-1 'And if there is one who plans to cast me forth by guile from my present high estate, do not permit it to him.' Though τινες is plural, Orestes is meant, just as Aegisthus is indicated by the vague φίλοισι in infr. 652. Cp. supr. 590. The spectator knows that the will of Apollo is directly opposed to this petition. For it is difficult to suppose either here or in O. Τ. 908, 919, an entire separation of the Lyceian from the Pythian Apollo. See Introduction.

653. mvp-comment-297-1 καὶ τέκνων ὅσων] ‘And with the children from whom." τέκνοις, the antecedent to ὅσων, is attracted into the case of the relative. Essay on L. § 35. p. 59. She is thinking of Chrysothemis and Iphianassa ( supr. 157) to the exclusion of Electra.

654. mvp-comment-298-1 λύπη] ‘Vexation,' in an active sense.

655. mvp-comment-299-1 This part of the prayer is merely formal, and is uttered in a loud voice, the rest having been spoken aside.

655. mvp-comment-299-2 This part of the prayer is merely formal, and is uttered in a loud voice, the rest having been spoken aside.

Sophocles Electra 634

ed. Francis Storr

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Current edition Experimental

ΠΑΙΔΑΓΩΓΟΣ.

OLD M
Enter the Old Man .

Der Pfleger.

Why might not they have died ? Their parent's guilt,

Source of the war, more justly had deserved it.
635

Or thinkst thou death with keener appetite

Could feast on mine, and Helen's not aflbrd

As sweet a banquet? Whv was all the lo_ve,

To me and to my child so justly dUe,

Chorus
ATTENDANT, CLYTEMNESTRA, ELECTRA,

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Current edition Experimental

ΠΑΙΔΑΓΩΓΟΣ.

OLD M Enter the Old Man .

Der Pfleger.

Why might not they have died ? Their parent's guilt, Source of the war, more justly had deserved it. 635 Or thinkst thou death with keener appetite Could feast on mine, and Helen's not aflbrd As sweet a banquet? Whv was all the lo_ve, To me and to my child so justly dUe,

Chorus ATTENDANT, CLYTEMNESTRA, ELECTRA,

Commentary

Stable identifiers

OLD M
Enter the Old Man .

Why might not they have died ? Their parent's guilt,

Source of the war, more justly had deserved it.
635

Or thinkst thou death with keener appetite

Could feast on mine, and Helen's not aflbrd

As sweet a banquet? Whv was all the lo_ve,

To me and to my child so justly dUe,

Chorus
ATTENDANT, CLYTEMNESTRA, ELECTRA,