Sophocles Electra 516-822

ed. Francis Storr

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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)) — 516 focus
ἀνειμένη μέν, ὡς ἔοικας, αὖ στρέφει στρέφηι LL3. στρέφῃ AΓ..
οὐ γὰρ πάρεστ᾽ Αἴγισθος, ὅς σ᾽ added AC', om. Pal. ἐπεῖχ᾽ ἀεὶ
μή τοι θυραίαν γ' οὖσαν αἰσχύνειν φίλους·
νῦν δ᾽ ὡς ἄπεστ᾽ ἐκεῖνος, οὐδὲν ἐντρέπει
ἐμοῦ γε· καίτοι πολλὰ πρὸς πολλούς με δὴ
520
ἐξεῖπας ὡς θρασεῖα καὶ πέρα πέραι LL2. δίκης
ἄρχω, καθυβρίζουσα καὶ σὲ καὶ τὰ σά.
ἐγὼ δ᾽ ὕβριν μὲν οὐκ ἔχω, κακῶς δέ σε
λέγω, κακῶς κλύουσα πρὸς σέθεν θαμά.
πατὴρ γάρ, οὐδὲν ἄλλο σοὶ τοὶ L pr. πρόσχημ᾽ ἀεί,
525
ὡς ἐξ ἐμοῦ τέθνηκεν. ἐξ ἐμοῦ· καλῶς
ἔξοιδα, τῶνδ᾽ ἄρνησις οὐκ ἔνεστί μοι.
ἡ γὰρ Δίκη νιν εἶλε κοὐκ μιν εἶλεν κ᾿ οὐκ L pr. Corr. C2. εἶλεν οὐκ A. εἶλε κοὐκ ΓL2 Pal. ἐγὼ μόνη,
ἐρεῖς μὲν οὐχὶ νῦν γέ μ᾿ ὡς ἄρξασά τι
λυπηρόν, εἶτα σοῦ τάδ' ἐξήκουσ᾽ ὕπο·
ἀλλ᾽ ἦν ἣν L. ἐφῇς ἐφῆσ L. ἐφῆς AFL2 Pal. (c. gl. συγχωρήσεις). μοι, τοῦ τεθνηκότος θ᾽ om. LFL². γ' A. ὕπερ
λέξαιμ᾽ ἂν ὀρθῶς τῆς κασιγνήτης θ᾽ ὁμοῦ.
555
καὶ δὴ λέγω σοι, πατέρα φὴς κτεῖναι. τίς ἂν
τούτου λόγος γένοιτ' ἂν αἰσχίων ἔτι ἐτ΄...? ἔτ᾽ ἂν L. ἔτι AFL2.,
εἴτ᾿ οὖν δικαίως εἴτε μή; λέξω δέ σοι,
560
ὡς οὐ οὖν L. δίκῃ γ᾽ ἔκτεινας, ἀλλά σ᾽ ἔσπασεν
πειθὼ πιθὼ L Pal. κακοῦ πρὸς ἀνδρός, ᾧ τανῦν ξύνει.
ἐροῦ δὲ τὴν κυναγὸν Ἄρτεμιν, τίνος
ποινὰς ποινῆς A. ποινὰς 13. ποινᾶς Γ Pal. V. τὰ πολλὰ πνεύματ᾽ ἔσχεν gl. ἀντὶ τοῦ ἐπέσχεν ἐν τῇ V'. Αὐλίδι ηὐδίωι L. αὐλίδι C.·
ὁρῶ μένος πνέουσαν· εἰ δὲ σὺν δίκῃ
610
ξύνεστι, τοῦδε φροντίδ᾽ οὐκέτ᾽ εἰσορῶ.
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
ξέναι γυναῖκες, πῶς ἂν εἰδείην σαφῶς
660
εἰ τοῦ τυράννου δώματ᾿ Αἰγίσθου τάδε;
κἀπεμπόμην πρὸς ταῦτα καὶ τὸ πᾶν φράσω.
680
κεῖνος γὰρ ἐλθὼν εἰς τὸ κοινὸν ῾Ελλάδος
πρόσχημ᾽ ἀγῶνος Δελφικῶν ἄθλων χάριν,
ὅτ᾽ ᾔσθετ᾽ ἀνδρὸς ὀρθίων κηρυγμάτων
δρόμον δρόμου LA. δρόμον ΓL² Pal. προκηρύξαντος, οὗ πρώτη κρίσις,
εἰσῆλθε λαμπρός, πᾶσι τοῖς ἐκεῖ σέβας·
685
δρόμου δρομω L. δρόμου C3 or 6. δ᾽ ἰσώσας τῇ φύσει τὰ τέρματα,
νίκης ἔχων ἐξῆλθε πάντιμον γέρας.
χὤπως μὲν ἐν πολλοῖσι παῦρά σοι λέγω
γνοὺς δ᾽ οὐξ Ἀθηνῶν δεινὸς ἡνιοστρόφος
ἔξω παρασπᾷ κἀνακωχεύει παρεὶς
κλύδων᾽ ἔφιππον έφιππων L. ἔφιππον C². ἐν μέσῳ κυκώμενον.
ἤλαυνε δ᾽ ἔσχατος μέν, ὑστέρας ὑστέρας δ' AC7 or 8 F Vat. ac V³MM². ἔχων
πώλους Ὀρέστης, τῷ τέλει πίστιν φέρων·
735
Translations (5)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 516 focus
Again you are let loose and range at will.
Ay, for Aegisthus is not here, who barred
Your rashness from defaming your own kin
Beyond the gates. But now he’s gone from home,
You heed not me: though you have noised abroad
That I am bold in crime, and domineer
Outrageously, oppressing thee and thine.
I am no oppressor, but I speak thee ill,
For thou art ever speaking ill of me—
Still holding forth thy father’s death, that I
Have done it. So I did: I know it well:
That I deny not; for not I alone
But Justice slew him; and if you had sense,
520
To side with Justice ought to be your part.
520
For who but he of all the Greeks, your sire,
520
For whom you whine and cry, who else but he
Took heart to sacrifice unto the Gods
Thy sister?—having less of pain, I trow,
In getting her, than I, that bore her, knew!
Come, let me question thee! On whose behalf
Slew he my child? Was ’t for the Argive host?
What right had they to traffic in my flesh?—
Menelaüs was his brother. Wilt thou say
He slew my daughter for his brother’s sake?
How then should he escape me? Had not he,
Menelaüs, children twain, begotten of her
Whom to reclaim that army sailed to Troy?
525
Was Death then so enamoured of my seed,
525
That he must feast thereon and let theirs live?
525
Or was the God-abandoned father’s heart
Tender toward them and cruel to my child?
Doth this not argue an insensate sire?
I think so, though your wisdom may demur.
And could my lost one speak, she would confirm it.
For my part, I can dwell on what I have done
Without regret. You, if you think me wrong,
Bring reasons forth and blame me to my face!
Thou canst not say this time that I began
And brought this on me by some taunting word.
But, so you’d suffer me, I would declare
The right both for my sister and my sire.
555
Then I will speak. You say you slew him. Where
Could there be found confession more depraved,
Even though the cause were righteous? But I’ll prove
No rightful vengeance drew thee to the deed,
But the vile bands of him you dwell with now.
Or ask the huntress Artemis, what sin
She punished, when she tied up all the winds
Round Aulis.—I will tell thee, for her voice
Thou ne’er may’st hear! ’Tis rumoured that my sire,
Sporting within the goddess’ holy ground,
His foot disturbed a dappled hart, whose death
Drew from his lips some rash and boastful word.
Wherefore Latona’s daughter in fell wrath
Stayed the army, that in quittance for the deer
My sire should slay at the altar his own child.
So came her sacrifice. The Achaean fleet
Had else no hope of being launched to Troy
560
Nor to their homes. Wherefore, with much constraint
560
And painful urging of his backward will,
560
Hardly he yielded;—not for his brother’s sake.
560
But grant thy speech were sooth, and all were done
560
In aid of Menelaüs; for this cause
560
Hadst thou the right to slay him? What high law
560
Ordaining? Look to it, in establishing
560
Such precedent thou dost not lay in store
Repentance for thyself. For if by right
One die for one, thou first wilt be destroyed
If Justice find thee.—But again observe
The hollowness of thy pretended plea.
Tell me, I pray, what cause thou dost uphold
In doing now the basest deed of all,
Chambered with the blood-guilty, with whose aid
Thou slewest our father in that day. For him
You now bear children—ousting from their right
The stainless offspring of a holy sire.
How should this plead for pardon? Wilt thou say
Thus thou dost ’venge thy daughter’s injury?
O shameful plea? Where is the thought of honour,
If foes are married for a daughter’s sake?—
Enough. No words can move thee. Thy rash tongue
With checkless clamour cries that we revile
Our mother. Nay, no mother, but the chief
Of tyrants to us! For my life is full
Of weariness and misery from thee
And from thy paramour. While he abroad,
Orestes, our one brother, who escaped
Hardly from thy attempt, unhappy boy!
Wears out his life, victim of cross mischance.
Oft hast thou taunted me with fostering him
To be thy punisher. And this, be sure,
Had I but strength, I had done. Now for this word,
Proclaim me what thou wilt,—evil in soul,
Or loud in cursing, or devoid of shame:
For if I am infected with such guilt,
Methinks my nature is not fallen from thine.
().
610
I see her fuming with fresh wrath: the thought
610
Of justice enters not her bosom now.
().
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.
Kind dames and damsels, may I clearly know
660
If these be King Aegisthus’ palace-halls?
Then it should seem our coming was in vain.
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 516 focus
Du treibst dich, scheint es, wieder los und ledig um.
500
Denn ferne weilt Aegisthos, der dir stets gewehrt,
Die Deinen schmähend vor das Thor herauszugehn.
Nun dieser fortgegangen, kümmerst du dich Nichts
Um mich; und viel doch hast du mich vor Vielen schon
Gescholten, daß ich ohne Recht, voll Uebermuth,
505
Hier schalte, dich verhöhnend und was du beginnst.
Ich aber übe keinen Hohn, ich schmähe nur
Auf dich, nachdem du fort und fort auf mich geschmäht.
Dein Vater einen andern Vorwand hast du nie
Er sei durch mich gestorben. Ja, durch mich: ich weiß
510
Dies wohl, und nicht abläugnen will ich diese That.
Denn Dike hat ihn weggerafft, ich nicht allein; 1
Ihr hätt'st du helfen sollen, wenn du weise warst,
Denn dieser Mann, dein Vater, den du stets beweinst,
Ließ herzlos deine Schwester, er allein im Heer,
515
Den Göttern opfern, ob er wohl nicht gleichen Schmerz
Sie zeugend fühlte, wie gebärend ich empfand.
Wohlan, so laß mich hören, wem zulieb, warum
Er sie geopfert: war's vielleicht für Argos' Heer?
Mein Kind zu tödten aber stand bei diesen nicht.
520
Doch hätt' er statt des Bruders, statt Menelaos' auch
Mein Kind getödtet: büßt' er da mir nicht gerecht?
Und hatte nicht Menelaos selbst zwei Kinder, die 2
Zu tödten mehr geziemte, denn das meine, weil
Von Eltern stammend, derenthalb auszog das Heer?
525
Empfand der Hades größre Lust nach meinem Kind,
Zum Mahl es wegzuraffen, als die ihrigen?
Und regt' im Unglücksvater denn sich kein Gefühl
Für meine Kinder, liebt' er mehr Menelaos' Stamm?
Ist solch ein Vater nicht verrückt und schlechtgesinnt?
530
Ich mein' es, red' ich anders auch, als dir's gefällt.
Wohl sagt' es auch die Todte, würd' ihr Sprache noch.
Ich also kann nicht Reue wegen dieser That
Empfinden; wenn dir's aber dünkt, ich irrte mich,
Wo ich gerecht urtheilte, schilt auf Andere!
535
Jezt kannst du doch nicht sagen, daß ich dich zuerst
Gekränkt und solche Reden dann von dir gehört.
Doch wenn du mir's gestattest, sagt' ich gerne wohl
Vom Todten und der Schwester dir ein offnes Wort.
Und wohl gestatt' ich's. Wenn du so mich allezeit
540
Angingst in Worten, hört' ich ohne Groll dich an.
Wohlan, so red' ich. Du bekennst des Vaters Mord.
Wo gibt's ein grauenvoll'res Wort, als dieses ist,
Du möchtest Recht thun oder nicht? Doch sag' ich dir,
Es war ein Unrecht, dieser Mord! Dich hat verlockt,
545
Beschwazt der Frevler, dem du jezt als Weib gehörst.
Frag' Artemis, die Jägerin, um welche Schuld
Sie zürnend aller Winde Macht in Aulis band.
Nein, sag' ich's selbst; denn sie zu fragen ziemt sich nicht.
Mein Vater (also ward mir kund) erging sich einst
550
Im Hain der Göttin und erjagt' in raschem Lauf
Den bunten hochgehörnten Hirsch, und als er ihn
Erlegt, entfiel ihm prahlerisch ein stolzes Wort.
Drob zürnte Leto's Tochter ihm und hielt zurück 3
Das Heer Achäa's, bis der Vater als Ersaz
555
Des Wildes ihr die eigne Tochter opferte.
So wurde sie das Opfer; Nichts vermochte sonst
Heimwärts das Heer zu fördern oder Troja zu.
Hiefür, nach vielem Sträuben und gezwungen, gab
Er sie zum Opfer, aber für Menelaos nicht.
560
Doch wenn er denn nun red' ich auch in deinem Sinn -
Um ihm zu helfen, solches that: verdient' er wohl
Deßhalb den Tod von deiner Hand? Nach welchem Recht?
Bedenke, wenn du dies Gesez den Menschen gibst,
Ob du dir selbst nicht herbes Leid und Reue schaffst.
565
Denn wenn der Mord des Einen büßt des Andern Mord,
Stirbst du zuerst wohl, wenn es nach dem Rechte geht.
Doch siehe nur: welch eitlen Vorwand schaffst du dir!
Denn sage, (wenn es dir gefällt) warum du jezt
Der grauenvollsten Thaten dich erkühnen magst,
570
Du, die des Mörders Lager theilt, mit welchem du
Verbunden meinen Vater mir vordem erschlugst,
Mit dem du Kinder zeugest, und die ächten, einst 4
Aus ächter Eh' entspross'nen, ausgetrieben hast.
Wie könnt' ich dieses loben? Oder wirst du hier
575
Auch sagen, daß du Rache für die Tochter nahmst?
Schmach, es nur zu sagen! Denn nie ziemt es sich,
Der Tochter wegen einem Feind sich anzutrau'n.
Doch dich zurechtzuweisen ist mir nicht vergönnt;
Denn tausendfältig russt du, daß wir ungescheut
580
Die Mutter lästern; freilich dünkt es mich, du seist
Viel mehr die Herrin, als die Mutter, gegen uns:
In solcher Mühsal leb' ich, so durch deine Schuld
Und deines Buhlen duld' ich stets vielfache Noth.
So schleppt Orestes, deinen Händen kaum entfloh'n,
585
Auswärts in Jammer ein verlor'nes Leben hin,
Er, welchen ich dir, wie du mich schon oft gezieh'n,
Als Rachegeist erziehe: traun, vermöcht' ich das,
Ich thät' es, sei versichert! So verrufe mich
Vor aller Welt denn immerhin als arggesinnt,
590
Als zungenfrech, als ledig alles Schamgefühls.
Denn wenn ich dieser Laster wohlerfahren bin,
Gereich' ich deinem Stamme doch zur Schande nicht.
Ich sehe sie Zorn athmen; aber ob mit Recht
Sie zürne, dieses, seh' ich, wird nicht mehr bedacht.
595
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, 5
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 Nacht 6
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.
Ihr fremden Frauen, ich vernähme gern von euch,
Ob dies das Haus Aegisthos', eures Herrschers, ist.
645
Dazu bin ich gesendet; Alles meld' ich denn.
Er war gekommen zu der stolzen Feste Glanz 7
665
Von Hellas, kühn zu ringen um den Delpherpreis;
Und als er Heroldsrufe nun mit hellem Schall
Zum Laufe rufen hörte, der den Kampf beginnt:
Da trat er strahlend, Allen dort ein Wunder, ein.
Drauf als er stolzen Fluges stolz erreicht das Ziel,
670
Verließ er, hoch mit Siegesruhm gekrönt, die Bahu.
Und bei so Vielem sag' ich dir nur Weniges:
Nie sah ich solches Mannes Kraft und Thaten noch.
In allen fünf Wettkämpfen auf der Doppelbahn,
(Dies Eine meld' ich,) die das Kampfgericht entbot,
675
In allen trug er jeden Siegespreis davon:
Man pries ihn selig, rief ihn als Argeier aus,
Genannt Orestes, Agamemnons Heldensohn,
Der einst Achäa's stolzes Heer versammelte.
So war der Anfang: aber wenn Unglück ein Gott
680
Verhängt, entrinnen mag ihm auch der Starke nicht.
Des andern Tages, als begann der Rosse Kampf,
Der raschen Renner, mit der Sonne frühstem Strahl,
Trat jener auch mit vielen Wagenführern ein.
Es kam ein Sparter, Einer aus Achäa, Zwei,
685
Im Wagenrennen wohlgeübt, aus Libya;
Er unter ihnen folgte mit thessalischem
Gespann, der fünfte; sechstens ein Aetolier
Mit braunen Füllen; siebtens ein Magnesier;
Sodann mit weißen Rossen kam ein Aenier;
690
Der neunte war aus Pallas' gotterbauter Stadt, 8
Und ein Böoter schloß den Zug im zehnten Siz.
Und als sie standen, wie des Kampfes Richter dort
Die Loose schwangen und die Wagen ordneten,
Da schmettert' Erzdrommetenschall, fort stürmten sie,
695
Befeu'rten ihrer Rosse Muth, und schüttelten
Die Zügel; weithin füllte da den ganzen Plan
Der Wagen dumpfes Nasseln; hochauf wölkte sich
Der Staub, und alle rannten durch einander hin,
Und schonten nicht der Geißeln, an des Andern Rad
700
Und schnaubend wildem Roßgespann vorbeizufliehn.
Denn wie der Männer Schultern, so der Räder Spur
Benezte dampfend Schaum und Hauch der Rosse rings.
Schon lenkt' Orestes um die lezte Säul' herum,
Ließ stets die Nabe streifen, und dem rechten Roß
705
Den Zügel laffend, zog er mehr sein linkes an.
Anfänglich fuhren regelrecht die Wagen all,
Bis jene Renner Aenia's mit hartem Maul
In Sturmeseil' ausrissen, und rechtshin gewandt,
Den sechsten Lauf vollendend und den siebenten,
710
Die Stirne ranmuten auf die Wagen Libya's.
Und nun zerschmettert' einer durch den Einen Fehl
Den andern, stürzte nieder, und zerbrochener
Rennwagen Trümmer deckten rings das Phokerfeld.
Das nimmt Athens gewandter Zügellenker wahr;
715
Drum lenkt er auswärts, hemmt der Rosse Lauf, und läßt
Vorbei der Wagen Strudel, der die Bahn durchwogt.
Am lezten fuhr Orestes, der wohlkundig sein
Gespann zurückhielt, banend auf des Kampfes Schluß.
Als aber jener ihn allein noch übrig sah,
720
Da jagt' er, hell aufdröhnend traf sein Ruf das Ohr
Der schnellen Renner; Soch an Soch, in gleichem Schritt,
Flog hin das Paar, nun Einer, nun der Andere
Der Wagenrosse stolzes Haupt vorangestreckt.
Und aller andern Bahnen Lauf vollendete
725
Der Arme sonder Fährde, fest auf festem Siz:
Da ließ er nach den Zügel, als das linke Roß
Sich wendend umbog, und den Rand der Säule traf
Er unversehens; mitten brach die Nabe durch;
Er glitt vom Kranz des Wagens und verwirrte sich
730
Im langen Riemzeug; als er dann zu Boden sank,
Floh'n seine Nosse durch die Bahn in wilder Flucht.
Und wie das Volk den Jüngling so vom Wagensiz
Herabgestürzt sah, schrie es jammernd auf um ihn,
Der, solcher Thaten Meister, solches Leid erfuhr,
735
Am Boden bald hinschleifend, bald zum Himmel hoch
Die Füße kehrend, bis die Wagenführer selbst,
Kaum hemmend seiner Rosse Lauf, ablösten ihn,
Den so mit Blut bedeckten, daß kein Freund ihn mehr
Erkennen mochte, wenn er sah die Schmerzgestalt.
740
Die Glut verzehrt' ihn schleunig, und es bringen nun
In kleinem Erz des großen Körpers Aschenrest
Erles'ne Männer aus dem Phokervolk hieher,
Auf daß in seiner Väter Land ihm werd' ein Grab.
So hat sich das begeben, selbst in Worten schon
745
Betrübend, doch für Alle, die's mit angeseh'n,
Wie wir, der Uebel größtes, das mein Auge sah.
Ach! Also liegt denn unsrer Fürsten alter Stamm,
So scheint es, ganz, mit allen Wurzeln ausgetilgt!
Weh, weh mir Armen! Jezt, Crestes, muß ich wohl
Dein Mißgeschick bejammern, da bei solchem Loos
Dich noch verhöhnt die Mutter. Ist so recht geschehn?
Dir nicht; dem Andern, wie's geschah, ist recht geschehu.
775
Dünkt euch, o Frauen, daß das unheilvolle Weib,
Von Schmerz erfüllt, wie eine trostlos trauernde,
Den Sohn bejammre, der so kläglich unterging?
790
Nein, lachend ging sie weiter! Ich Unselige!
O mein Orestes, sterbend gabst du mir den Tod!
Denn weggerissen aus der Brust entführst du mir
Die lezte Hoffnung, welche noch mir Armen blieb,
Du würdest lebend kommen einst, des Vaters Tod
795
Und mich zu rächen. Nun - wohin flieh'n soll ich nun?
Denn einsam steh' ich und allein, bin dein beraubt,
Beraubt des Vaters. Sklavin muß ich wieder sein
Von diesen Menschen, die mein Herz vor Allen haßt,
Des Vaters Mördern. Wäre mir das recht gescheh'n?
800
Doch wahrlich fortan will ich nicht in Einem Haus
Mit ihnen wohnen, nein, hinaus vor dieses Thor
Mich werfend, schmacht' ich ohne Freund mein Leben hin.
Dann möge mich ermorden, wer im Hause sich
Hievon beschwert hält: Wonne wird der Tod mir sein,
805
Wie Qual das Leben; beut es mir doch keine Lust.
Erste Strophe.
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 516 focus
^gisthus absent, who alone could curb
Thy haughty spirit and licentious tongue.
At large, it seems, thou rov'st, and unrestrained,
No deference paid to my authority.
But on thy mother ever pouring forth
Bitter invectives, while the listening crowd
520
Are taught to hold me proud and fierce of soul,
A lawless tyrant slandering thee and thine
I am no slanderer — I abhor the name ;
But oft reviled, of force I must reply,
And send thy foul reproaches back upon thee.
525
I Thou sayst I slew thy father ; that alone
RIs left to plead for all thy insolence.
I I do confess the deed, and glory in it. ,
T slew thy father ; yet not I alone,
I had the hand of justice to assist m(
And should have had Electra's. Well thou knowst
That cruel father, for whom thus thy tears
Incessant flow, that father slew his child :
He, he alone of all the Grecian host
615
Gave up his daughter — horrid sacrifice —
To the offended gods : he never felt
A mother's pangs, and therefore thought not of them,
Or, if he did, why slay the innocent?
For Greece, thou tellst me ! Greece could never claim
A right to what was mine. Or did she fall
630
For Menelaus? He had children too :
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,
With lavish hand bestowed on Menelaus?
Was he not then a base inhuman father \
Thou hast no plea for bitterness like this ;
Thou canst not say that I provoked thee to it.
I have been silent : had I leave to speak
I could defend an injured father's cause,
And tell thee wherefore Iphigenia fell.
Cly. I do permit thee ; and if modest thus
Thou hadst addressed me always thy free speech
555
Had ne'er offended.
555
Hast thou not confessed
That thou didst slay my father ? Whether justice
Approve or not, 'twas horrid to confess it :
But justice never could persuade thee — no !
I'll tell thee who it was, it was ^gisthus.
The wretch wdth whom thou liv'st. Go ask the goddess.
The immortal huntress, why the winds were stayed
So long at Aiilis. But thou must not ask
The chaste Diana ! Take it, then, from me.
My father once, as for the chase prepared,
Cai'eless he wandered through her wecret grove,
Forth from its covert roused a spotted hind
Of fairest form, with towering antlers graced,
Pursued and slew her. Of the deity
Something with pride elate he uttered then
Disdainful. Quick resenting the affront,
Latona's daughter stayed the Grecian fleet,
Nor would forgive, till for her slaughtered beast
560
Th' offending father sacrificed his child.
560
Thus Iphigenia fell ; and but for her
560
Greece ne'er had seen or Ilion's lofty towers,
560
Or her own native soil. The father strove
560
In vain to save, and not for Menelaus
560
He gave her up at last, but for his country.
560
Suppose a brother's fondness had prevailed,
560
And she was given for him, would that excuse
560
Thy horrid deed? What laAv required it of thee ?
That law alone by w^hich thyself must fall ;
If blood for blood be due, thy doom is fixed.
Plead not so poorly then, but tell me why
Thou liv'st adultrous thus with a vile ruflian,
Thy base assistant ? Why are those who sprung
From thy first nuptials cast unkindly forth
For his new race ? Was this thy piety ?
Was this, too, to revenge thy daughter's death ?
In pure revenge to wed her deadhest foe
Was noble, was it not ? But I forget :
You are my mother — so it seems you say —
And I must hold my peace. But I deny it ;
I say your are my mistress, not my mother —
A cruel mistress that afliicts my soul,
And makes this weary life a burthen to me.
Orestes too, the hapless fugitive.
Who once escaped thy fatal hand, now drags
A loathsome being. Him, thou sayst, I looked for
To join in my revenge, and so I did ;
T would have been revenged, I tell thee so.
Say, I am base, malicious, impudent,
Abusive, what thou wilt ; for if I am
It speaks my birth, and I resemble thee.
Chob. Kesentment deep hath fired the virgin's
breast ;
Whether with truth and justice on her side
She speak, I know not.
Cly. Can they plead for her ?
What care, what love, or tenderness is due
To an abandoned child, who shameless thus
Keviles a pai-ent ? I*-tttere, iifteF^isT^
A criTQft in nature shajgould blush to act ?
I am not base, nor shameless, as thou callst
me,
For know, even now I blush for what is past —
Indecent warmth, and words that ill became
My tender years and virgin modesty ;
But 'twas thy guilt, thy malice urged me to it :
From bad examples bad alone we learn —
I only erred because I followed thee.
620
Cly. Impudent wretch ! And am I then the cause
620
Of all thy clamorous insolence?
Is this the royal palace of ^gisthus ?
My task performed, permit me to retire.
680
Cly. No, stranger, that were an aftront to thee,
And to our friend who sent thee here. Go in,
And leave that noisy wretch to bellow forth
Her sorrows, and bewail her lost Orestes. [Exeunt.
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 516 focus
At large then thou art ranging, I perceive,
Thou wilt not say this harshness was provoked
Now by my harsh reproach. But, grant me leave,
Of my dead father, and my sister's death,
As truth and reason prompt me, I will speak.
555
Then I will speak. My father by thy hand
Was slain: thou freely dost avow the deed.
And can there be a deed of blacker stain,
E'en though he justly died? But I will say
That not with justice didst thou strike the blow.
No: the persuasions of that wicked man,
Thy base compeer in guilt, allured thee. Ask
The huntress queen Diana, why so long
At Aulis vengeful she restrain'd the winds;
Or I will tell thee; her thou may'st not ask!
My father, sporting in her sacred grove,
Once roused a dappled Hart, that bore aloft.
His branching horns; and glorying in the prize
Utter'd some vaunting words: at these incensed
The daughter of Latona in that port
Detain'd the fleet of Greece, that for her Hart,
A recompense my father might present...
His daughter: to the goddess thus she fell
A victim; else the fleet had been detain'd
560
Moor'd in that bay, and not a gale had 'swell'd
560
Their sails for Troy, or to the ports of Greece.
560
For this, reluctant and by sad constraint,
560
He sacrificed his daughter, just to Greece,
560
Not for his brother's sake. But (to allow
560
Thy plea) to grace the Spartan had his wille
560
Been to the deed assenting, for that cause
560
Behoved it thee to slay him? By what fight?
Take heed thou givest not sanction to a law
'Mongst mortals, which with vengeance will recoil
On thine own head. If blood must be repaid
With blood, if justice doth her office, thou: A
The first must die. Take heed, nor urge a plea
Of no avail. But tell me, if thy will
Assents to tell me, why dost thou persist
In actions most disgraceful to thy fame?
Why with a blood-stain'd murderer share thy couch,
Thy vile associate in my father's death?
How canst thou bear him children, and expose .TYD
As outcasts those, who from an hallow'd bed
Sprung hallow'd? How can I approve these things?
Or wilt thou say that for thy daughter's death/
These deeds are done to satiate thy revenge?
Shame on thee if thou say'st so; for to wedi
An hostile ruffian for a daughter's sake, d
Throws a foul stain on honour. But thy soul
Rejects monition: ever on thy tongue
Is this complaint, that we with rudé reproach({
Insult our mother: Am I then thy child?
Rather thy slave, and lead a servile life, fina
Ever beneath the yoke of ills oppress'd TI
By thee and thy compeer. Thy other child,
The poor Orestes, scarce escaped thy handjofT TVD
With misery, exiled from his country, lives
Oft dost thou taunt me that I train the Youth
To vengeance on thee: be thou well assured
This I had done, had I the pow'r. Now go,
Proclaim me to the world as base of soul, O
As insolent of tongue, as lost to shamed wo
If in these arts I am expert, they showlon is
That nor thy nature I disgrace, nor thee.
I see she burns with anger: whether justas
610
That anger, no regard, I see, is paid.
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,
From you, ye female Argives, may I learn,
660
Is this the mansion of Mycenæ's king?
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 516-820 focus

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-304-1 ἀνειμένη 1 μέν 2

mvp-comment-304-2 ὡς ἔοικας 3

mvp-comment-304-3 στρέφει 4

mvp-comment-304-4 Clytaemnestra begins in the same strain as Chrysothemis, who likewise emphasised her reproof by the word αὖ 5

mvp-comment-305-1 μή τοι θυραίαν γ’ 6

mvp-comment-305-2 αἰσχύνειν φίλους 7

mvp-comment-306-1 καίτοι 8

mvp-comment-306-2 δὴ 9 πολλούς 10

mvp-comment-306-3 ἐξεῖπάς με … ὡς 11

mvp-comment-306-4 θρασεῖα 12 τραχεῖα 13

mvp-comment-306-5 ἄρχω 14

mvp-comment-307-1 ὕβριν … οὐκ ἔχω 15 κακῶς κλύουσα 16

mvp-comment-308-1 πατὴρ γάρ 17

mvp-comment-308-2 πρόσχημα 18

mvp-comment-309-1 ἡ γὰρ Δίκη 19

mvp-comment-310-1 ᾗ χρῆν σ’ ἀρήγειν 20

mvp-comment-311-1 The order of words in the MSS.,

ἐπεὶ πατὴρ οὗτος σός
, is probably right; the words would then fall from her with a certain deliberate bitterness. Cp. 542 : Ant. 44
ἦ γὰρ νοεῖς θάπτειν σθ’
(n.): Ph. 101
λέγω σ’ ἐγὼ δόλῳ Φιλοκτήτην λαβεῖν
.

mvp-comment-312-1 μοῦνος 21 Ἑλλήνων 22

mvp-comment-312-2 Nauck requires

τὴν αὐτὸς αὑτοῦ
instead of
τὴν σὴν ὅμαιμον
, because Agamemnon's unique crime was the slaughter of his own child: as if the text did not convey this. Clytaemnestra means, ‘while mourning a father, you forget a sister.’

mvp-comment-312-3 532 f. The regular mode of expression would be,

οὐκ ἴσον λύπης καμὼν ἐμοί, ὁ σπείρας τῇ τικτούσῃ
. But, having written
ὅτ’ ἔσπειρε
, the poet explains
ἐμοί
by repeating the comparison in a new form,
ὥσπερ ἡ τίκτουσ’ ἐγώ
. (For
ὡς
or
ὥσπερ
after
ἴσος
, cp. Lys. or. 19 § 36
ἡγοῦντο... τὰ ἐκεῖ...εἶναι ἴσα ὥσπερ τὰ ἐνθάδε
.) Those who reject v. 533 omit to notice that, without it, the words
οὐκ ἴσον καμὼν ἐμοί
would be unintelligible. Cp. Aesch. Ag. 1417
ἔθυσεν αὑτοῦ παῖδα, φιλτάτην ἐμοὶ
|
ὠδῖν’
.

mvp-comment-312-4 This assertion of the mother's superior claim is a counterpart to the doctrine of Athena in Aesch. Eum. 658 f.,

οὐκ ἔστι μήτηρ ἡ κεκλημένου τέκνου
|
τοκεύς, τροφὸς δὲ κύματος νεοσπόρου
. Cp. above, Aesch. Eum. 366 n.

mvp-comment-313-1 τοῦ χάριν, τίνων 23

mvp-comment-313-2 The alternative, which most editors have preferred, is to take

τίνων
as the participle. But there is an insuperable objection to this, which seems to have escaped notice. The words,
τοῦ χάριν τίνων
; could mean only, ‘paying a debt of gratitude for what?’ They could not mean, ‘paying a debt of gratitude to whom?’ The latter would be
τῷ χάριν τίνων
; See ( e.g.) Aesch. P. V. 985
καὶ μὴν ὀφείλων ἂν τίνοιμ’ αὐτῷ χάριν
: Aesch. Ag. 821
τούτων θεοῖσι χρὴ πολύμνηστον χάριν
|
τίνειν
. Hence the question,
τοῦ χάριν τίνων
; could not possibly be answered by
Ἀργείων
. For, evidently, the latter word could not mean, (‘for a benefit conferred by) the Greeks.’ A scholiast in the Baroccian MS. (cr. n. on 545), who explains
τοῦ χάριν τίνων
by
τίνος χάριν ἀποδιδούς
, plainly meant, ‘showing gratitude for what?’—and his paraphrase was correct; only he overlooked the context.

mvp-comment-314-1 ἀλλ’ οὐ μετῆν 24

mvp-comment-315-1 ἀλλ’ ἀντ’ ἀδελφοῦ δῆτα 25 κτανὼν 26

mvp-comment-315-2 ἀντὶ ἀδελφοῦ 27

mvp-comment-315-3 τἄμ’ 28

mvp-comment-316-1 παῖδες … διπλοῖ 29

mvp-comment-316-2 540 f. Nauck would prefer a single verse in place of these two, viz.

οὓς Ἰφιγενείας εἰκὸς ἦν θνῄσκειν πάρος
.

mvp-comment-317-1 ἢ 30

mvp-comment-317-2 ἢ τῶν ἐμῶν Ἅιδης 31

mvp-comment-318-1 δαίσασθαι 32

mvp-comment-318-2 The conj. λῄσασθαι 33

mvp-comment-319-1 πανώλει 34

mvp-comment-319-2 παρεῖτο 35

mvp-comment-319-3 The sense does not absolutely require us to take Μενέλεω δ’ 36

mvp-comment-320-1 ἀβούλου 37

mvp-comment-320-2 κακοῦ γνώμην 38

mvp-comment-321-1 δοκῶ μέν 39

mvp-comment-321-2 εἰ καὶ 40

mvp-comment-322-1 εἰ φωνὴν λάβοι 41

mvp-comment-323-1 τοῖς πεπραγμένοις 42

mvp-comment-324-1 γνώμην δικαίαν σχοῦσα 43

mvp-comment-325-1 ἐρεῖς μὲν οὐχὶ 44 ἐρεῖς 45 ἐρεῖς … μ’ ὡς 46

mvp-comment-325-2 ἄρξασά τι λυπηρὸν 47

mvp-comment-325-3 τάδ’ ἐξήκους’ 48

mvp-comment-326-1 τοῦ τεθνηκότος θ’ ὕπερ 49

mvp-comment-327-1 καὶ μὴν 50

mvp-comment-327-2 λόγους ἐξῆρχές με 51

mvp-comment-328-1 Clytaemnestra has argued that she was justified in slaying Agamemnon, because he had slain Iphigeneia. The topics of Electra's reply are as follows.

mvp-comment-328-2 (1) 558—562. The wife who slew her husband would be a criminal, even if the motive had been just retribution; but the real motive was her love for Aegisthus. (2) 563—576. Agamemnon was not a free agent in slaying Iphigeneia; the act was forced upon him by Artemis. (3) 577—583. Suppose, however, that he was a free agent, and wished to please his brother; still she was not justified in taking his life. (4) 584—594. And in any case her plea does not excuse her for living with the man who helped to slay her husband.—The speech then closes in a strain of reproach and defiance (595 —609).

mvp-comment-328-3 καὶ δὴ λέγω σοι 52 πατέρα 53 φὴς 54

mvp-comment-329-1 εἴτ’ οὖν … εἴτε 55

mvp-comment-329-2 λέξω 56 δείξω 57

mvp-comment-330-1 ὡς οὐ δίκῃ γ’ 58 ἔσπασεν 59 πειθὼ 60

mvp-comment-331-1 κυναγὸν 61

mvp-comment-331-2 ποινὰς 62

mvp-comment-331-3 τὰ πολλὰ πνεύματ’ ἔσχ’ 63 τὰ πολλὰ 64 ἔσχε 65

mvp-comment-331-4 Acc. to Aesch. ( Aesch. Ag. 149 f., Aesch. Ag. 192 ), the Greeks were detained by adverse winds, blowing from the N.E. : and this seems to have been the account given in the Cypria ( c. 776 B.C.), Proclus Chrest. p. 455:

ἐπέσχεν αὐτοὺς τοῦ πλοῦ χειμῶνας ἐπιπέμπουσα
. But other authorities speak of a calm. Thus I. A. 9 ff.
οὔκουν φθόγγος γ’ οὔτ’ ὀρνίθων
|
οὔτε θαλάσσης· σιγαὶ δ’ ἀνέμων
|
τόνδε κατ’ Εὔριπον ἔχουσιν
. Schol. Eur. Or. 647
ἐπειράθη τῆς θεοῦ ὀργιζομένης καὶ κατεχούσης τοὺς ἀνέμους
. Tzetzes on Lycophron 183
χολωθεῖσα δ’ ἐπὶ τούτῳ ἡ θεὸς τοὺς ἀνέμους κατέσχεν
. Ovid ( Met. 13. 183 ) combines both versions:
exspectata diu, nulla aut contraria classi | Flamina sunt.

mvp-comment-331-5 It has been objected that vessels provided with oars need not have been detained by a calm. But the ships of the Greek fleet were not light craft. Each carried from 50 to 120 armed men, besides

σκεύη πολεμικά
: and the warriors were also the rowers (cp. Thuc. 1. 10 ). It is intelligible, then, that they should await the aid of wind before attempting the passage of the Aegaean. We must remember, too, the strong and shifting currents in the Euripus (
στονόεντα πορθμόν
, Soph. Ant. 1145 :
παλιρρόχθοις ἐν Αὐλίδος τόποις
, Aesch. Ag. 191 ).

mvp-comment-331-6 We cannot well render:—(1)‘He suffered those tedious winds,’—supplying

ὁ πατήρ
from v. 558. Nor: (2) ‘She directed those tedious winds at Aulis,’—a version which would at least require
ἐπ’ Αὐλίδι
. Cp. Ph. 1119
ἔχε
|
δύσποτμον ἀρὰν ἐπ’ ἄλλοις
.

mvp-comment-331-7 The conjecture πλοῖα 66

mvp-comment-331-8 Αὐλίδι 67

mvp-comment-332-1 ἢ )γὼ φράσω 68 κείνης 69

mvp-comment-333-1 ὡς ἐγὼ κλύω 70

mvp-comment-333-2 θεᾶς … κατ’ ἄλσος 71

mvp-comment-333-3 παίζων 72

mvp-comment-333-4 ποδοῖν 73

mvp-comment-334-1 ἔλαφον 74

mvp-comment-334-2 στικτὸν 75

mvp-comment-334-3 κεράστην 76

mvp-comment-334-4 οὗ κατὰ σφαγὰς 77

mvp-comment-335-1 ἐκκομπάσας ἔπος τι τυγχάνει 78 βαλών 79

mvp-comment-335-2 This is the reason against taking

τυγχάνει
with
βαλών
, as=‘he shoots and hits’; cp. Il. 15. 581
θηρητὴρ ἐτύχησε βαλών
: Her. 3. 35
εἰ...τοῦ παιδὸς...βαλὼν τύχοιμι
. The vaunt must then precede the hit.

mvp-comment-335-3 Others take βαλὼν 80 ἔπος 81

mvp-comment-335-4 Monk, with Musgrave, took σφαγὰς 82

mvp-comment-336-1 ἐκ τοῦδε 83

mvp-comment-336-2 μηνίσασα 84

mvp-comment-336-3 Λητῴα κόρη 85

mvp-comment-337-1 ὡς 86 ἀντίσταθμον 87

mvp-comment-337-2 ἐκθύσειε 88

mvp-comment-338-1 ὧδ’ ἦν 89

mvp-comment-338-2 τὰ … θύματ’ 90

mvp-comment-338-3 λύσις 91

mvp-comment-338-4 πρὸς οἶκον 92

mvp-comment-339-1 πολλὰ 93

mvp-comment-339-2 ἀντιβὰς 94

mvp-comment-339-3 μόλις 95

mvp-comment-340-1 εἰ δ’ οὖν 96

mvp-comment-340-2 ἐρῶ γὰρ καὶ τὸ σόν 97

mvp-comment-341-1 τούτου … οὕνεκ’ 98

mvp-comment-341-2 νόμῳ 99

mvp-comment-342-1 ὅρα 100 μὴ … τιθῇς 101 τίθης 102

mvp-comment-342-2 Here, either

τίθης
or
τιθῇς
would be suitable. (1) With
τίθης
:—‘See that, in making this rule, you are not making woe for yourself.’ This means that to make the rule (as she is doing) is at once (logically) to make the woe. (2) With
τιθῇς
: —‘See lest, in making this rule, you make woe for yourself’: i.e., the rule may have the woe as a consequence. The woe is a future contingency (583
εἰ δίκης γε τυγχάνοις
), against which Electra warns her. On the whole, I now prefer
τιθῇς
. Cp. 1003
ὅρα κακῶς πράσσοντε μὴ μείζω κακὰ
|
κτησώμεθ’
: fr. 82
ἀλλ’ ὅρα μὴ κρεῖσσον ᾖ
.

mvp-comment-342-3 τιθεῖσα … νόμον 103

mvp-comment-343-1 εἰ γὰρ κτενοῦμεν 104

mvp-comment-343-2 πρώτη 105

mvp-comment-344-1 εἰσόρα 106

mvp-comment-344-2 οὐκ οὖσαν 107

mvp-comment-344-3 τίθης 108

mvp-comment-344-4 εἰ … θέλεις 109

mvp-comment-345-1 τῷ παλαμναίῳ 110

mvp-comment-345-2 πρόσθεν ἐξαπώλεσας 111

mvp-comment-346-1 παιδοποιεῖς 112

mvp-comment-346-2 Erigonè, daughter of Aegisthus and Clytaemnestra (Tzetzes on Lyc. 1374 ), was mentioned by the early cyclic poet Cinaethon ( Paus. 2. 18. 6 ), and was the theme of Sophocles in his

Ἠριγόνη
. Hyginus ( Hyg. Fab. 122 ) notices a son of Aegisthus named Aletes, who gives his name to a play by Sophocles, but does not record the mother: see p. xliii note 4.

mvp-comment-346-3 εὐσεβεῖς 113

mvp-comment-346-4 κἀξ εὐσεβῶν 114

mvp-comment-346-5 By

τοὺς...πρόσθεν εὐσεβεῖς
Electra means Orestes and herself. Both are ‘cast out’ of their just rights. Cp. O.T. 611
φίλον ...ἐσθλὸν ἐκβαλεῖν
. Eur. El. 62
τεκοῦσα δ’ ἄλλους παῖδας Αἰγίσθῳ πάρα
|
πάρεργ’ Ὀρέστην κἀμὲ ποιεῖται δόμων.

mvp-comment-346-6 βλαστόντας 115

mvp-comment-346-7 ἐκβαλοῦσ’ ἔχεις 116

mvp-comment-347-1 πῶς ταῦτ’ ἐπαινέσαιμ’ ἄν 117

mvp-comment-347-2 ἢ 118 ἦ 119 καὶ τοῦτ’ 120 ἄποινα 121

mvp-comment-348-1 αἰσχρῶς δ’ 122 δ’ 123

mvp-comment-348-2 ἐάν περ καὶ λέγῃς 124

mvp-comment-348-3 ἐχθροῖς γαμεῖσθαι 125

mvp-comment-348-4 These two verses, though not indispensable, seem genuine. Were they omitted, the transition from 592 to 595 would be somewhat abrupt.

mvp-comment-349-1 ἀλλ’ οὐ γὰρ 126

mvp-comment-349-2 πᾶσαν ἵης γλῶσσαν 127

mvp-comment-350-1 κακοστομοῦμεν 128

mvp-comment-350-2 καί σ’ ἔγωγε δεσπότιν 129

mvp-comment-350-3 εἰς ἡμᾶς 130 ἣ 131

mvp-comment-351-1 βίον μοχθηρόν 132

mvp-comment-351-2 ἔκ τε σοῦ 133 κακοῖς … ξυνοῦσα 134

mvp-comment-351-3 συννόμου 135

mvp-comment-352-1 ὁ δ’ ἄλλος 136

mvp-comment-352-2 χεῖρα σὴν 137

mvp-comment-352-3 τρίβει βίον 138

mvp-comment-352-4 603 The reason for writing δή με σοὶ 139 δή μέ σοι 140

mvp-comment-352-5 μιάστορα 141

mvp-comment-353-1 τοῦδέ γ’ οὕνεκα 142

mvp-comment-354-1 εἰς ἅπαντας 143

mvp-comment-354-2 χρῇς 144

mvp-comment-354-3 στόμαργον 145

mvp-comment-355-1 τῶνδε τῶν ἔ|ργων ἴδρις 146

mvp-comment-355-2 σχεδόν τι 147

mvp-comment-355-3 οὐ καταισχύνω 148

mvp-comment-356-1 ὁρῶ μένος πνέουσαν 149 μένος πνέουσαν 150

mvp-comment-356-2 σὺν δίκῃ ξύνεστι 151

mvp-comment-356-3 Other interpretations are:—(1) ‘I see that Electra is wroth; but as to whether she is in the right, I see no concern (anywhere),’—a timid way of saying that Clytaemnestra shows no such concern. So the schol. (2) ‘I see that Clytaemnestra is angry, but not that she cares whether she is right’:—an inference from some gesture. Both these versions rely on the fact that

φροντίδος
(612) is plainly an echo of
φροντίδ’
(611). But: ( a) it does not follow that
φροντίδ’
is not Electra's thought. ( b) It is surely clear that
πνέουσαν
must be Electra; and ( c) as in Ant. 471 f., the second clause naturally refers to the same person.

mvp-comment-357-1 ποίας δ’ ἐμοὶ δεῖ 152 ἐμοὶ 153 μοι 154 δεῖ 155

mvp-comment-357-2 Others understand: (1) ‘If Electra has no consideration for justice, why should I have any consideration for her,— i.e., show her any tenderness?’ Or: (2) ‘If she heeds not justice, why should I heed her?’ Neither view seems well suited to the context.

mvp-comment-358-1 καὶ ταῦτα 156

mvp-comment-358-2 τηλικοῦτος 157

mvp-comment-358-3 ἆρα 158

mvp-comment-358-4 χωρεῖν ἂν 159 εἰς πᾶν ἔργον 160

mvp-comment-359-1 εὖ νυν ἐπίστω 161

mvp-comment-359-2 ἔξωρα 162

mvp-comment-359-3 προσεικότα 163

mvp-comment-360-1 ἀλλὰ … γὰρ 164

mvp-comment-360-2 ἡ … ἐκ σοῦ δυσμένεια 165

mvp-comment-360-3 ἐξαναγκάζει 166 αἰσχροῖς 167

mvp-comment-360-4 622 f. The word θρέμμα 168

mvp-comment-360-5 ἦ σ’ ἐγὼ 169

mvp-comment-361-1 νιν 170

mvp-comment-361-2 εὑρίσκεται 171

mvp-comment-361-3 Cp. Milton, Apology for Smectymnuus (in his Prose Works, ed. Symmons, vol. I. p. 236): ‘I might also tell them [the prelates], what Electra in Sophocles, a wise virgin, answered her wicked mother, who thought herself too violently reproved by her the daughter: ‘' Tis you that say it, not I; you do the deeds, | And your ungodly deeds find me the words.’’

mvp-comment-362-1 οὐ μὰ 172

mvp-comment-362-2 δέσποιναν 173

mvp-comment-362-3 Ἄρτεμιν 174

mvp-comment-362-4 θράσους τοῦδ’ οὐκ ἀλύξεις 175 μόλῃ 176

mvp-comment-363-1 ὁρᾷς 177

mvp-comment-363-2 ἐκφέρει 178

mvp-comment-363-3 The v. l. παρεῖσα 179

mvp-comment-364-1 οὐδὲ 180

mvp-comment-364-2 ὑπ’ εὐφήμου βοῆς 181

mvp-comment-364-3 ἐπειδὴ σοί γ’ 182

mvp-comment-364-4 πᾶν λέγειν 183

mvp-comment-365-1 κελεύω 184

mvp-comment-365-2 τοὐμὸν στόμ’ 185

mvp-comment-365-3 634 f. An altar, and probably an image, of Apollo stand before the palace. The attendant of Clytaemnestra carries offerings of various fruits, which she is now commanded to raise, as with a gesture of solemn oblation ( ἔπαιρε 186

mvp-comment-365-4 ἡ παροῦσά μοι 187

mvp-comment-365-5 θύματα … πάγκαρπα 188

mvp-comment-366-1 λυτηρίους … δειμάτων 189

mvp-comment-366-2 ἀνάσχω 190

mvp-comment-367-1 κλύοις ἂν 191

mvp-comment-367-2 προστατήριε 192

mvp-comment-368-1 κεκρυμμένην 193

mvp-comment-368-2 οὐ γὰρ ἐν φίλοις 194

mvp-comment-369-1 πρὸς φῶς 195

mvp-comment-370-1 πολυγλώσσῳ 196

mvp-comment-370-2 σπείρῃ 197

mvp-comment-370-3 ματαίαν 198

mvp-comment-371-1 ὧδ’ 199

mvp-comment-372-1 γὰρ 200

mvp-comment-372-2 δισσῶν ὀνείρων 201

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 202

mvp-comment-373-1 ἐσθλά … ἐχθρά 203

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 204

mvp-comment-374-1 εἴ τινες 205

mvp-comment-375-1 ἀλλ’ ὧδε 206

mvp-comment-375-2 ἀβλαβεῖ βίῳ 207

mvp-comment-376-1 δόμους 208

mvp-comment-376-2 ἀμφέπειν 209

mvp-comment-376-3 φίλοισι 210

mvp-comment-377-1 εὐημεροῦσαν 211

mvp-comment-377-2 καὶ τέκνων 212 ὅσων 213

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 214

mvp-comment-378-1 πᾶσιν ἡμῖν 215

mvp-comment-379-1 τὰ δ’ ἄλλα πάντα 216

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 217

mvp-comment-380-1 ἦ καὶ 218

mvp-comment-380-2 ἐπεικάζων κυρῶ 219

mvp-comment-380-3 πρέπ<*> γὰρ 220

mvp-comment-381-1 μάλιστα πάντων 221

mvp-comment-381-2 ἥδε σοι κείνη πάρα 222

mvp-comment-381-3 666 f. The ὦ 223 χαῖρε 224

mvp-comment-382-1 ἐδεξάμην τὸ ῥηθέν 225

mvp-comment-382-2 Instant recognition of an utterance as well-omened was a way of appropriating the omen. The proper formula was

δέχομαι τὸν οἰωνόν
or
τὸν ὄρνιν
( Her. 9. 91 ; Ar. Pl. 63 ). But
δέχομαι
alone was enough ( Xen. An. 1. 8. 17 : cp. Aesch. Ag. 1653
δεχομένοις λέγεις θανεῖν σε
). The phrase used here recurs in Her. 8. 114
δεξάμενος τὸ ῥηθὲν ἀπαλλάσσετο
: cp. also Eur. El. 622
προσηκάμην τὸ ῥηθέν
.

mvp-comment-382-3 εἰδέναι … σου 226

mvp-comment-383-1 Φανοτεὺς 227

mvp-comment-383-2 πρᾶγμα πορσύνων μέγα 228

mvp-comment-384-1 τὸ ποῖον 229

mvp-comment-385-1 ἐν βραχεῖ ξυνθεὶς 230

mvp-comment-386-1 τί φής, τί φής 231 ξεῖνε 232

mvp-comment-386-2 ταύτης 233

mvp-comment-387-1 νῦν τε καὶ πάλαι 234

mvp-comment-388-1 οὐδέν εἰμ’ ἔτι 235

mvp-comment-389-1 τὰ σαυτῆς πρᾶσς’ 236

mvp-comment-389-2 διόλλυται 237

mvp-comment-390-1 κἀπεμπόμην 238 καὶ … φράσω 239

mvp-comment-391-1 γὰρ 240

mvp-comment-392-1 πρόσχημ’ ἀγῶνος 241 Ἑλλάδος 242

mvp-comment-392-2 πρόσχημα 243

mvp-comment-392-3 Δελφ. ἄθλων 244

mvp-comment-393-1 ὀρθίων 245

mvp-comment-393-2 δρόμον … οὗ πρώτη κρίσις 246

mvp-comment-394-1 εἰσῆλθε 247

mvp-comment-395-1 ἰσώσας * τἀφέσει 248 τῇ φύσει 249

mvp-comment-395-2 Now there is evidence that the customary order for the foot-races was, 1.

δόλιχος
, 2.
στάδιον
, 3.
δίαυλος
. See Boeckh C. I. G. no. 1590 and 1591 (referring to games at Thespiae, circ. 240 B.C.): also no. 2214 (games at Chios, circ. 100—80 B.C.). Paus. 6. 13. 3 (of the athlete Polites at Olympia),
δολίχου τε ἐν ἡμέρᾳ τῇ αὐτῇ καὶ παραυτίκα σταδίου λαβὼν νίκην προσέθηκε διαύλου σφίσι τὴν τρίτην
. It would agree, then, with the words
οὗ πρώτη κρίσις
(684) if the
δόλιχος
were meant here. [As to Legg. 833 D, see Appendix.]

mvp-comment-395-3 For

ἄφεσις
as=‘starting-place,’ cp. Suidas ( s.v.
ἀπὸ γραμμῆς
):
γραμμῆς, ἣν ἄφεσιν καὶ βαλβῖδα καλοῦσιν
: Paus. 6. 20. 9
ᾗ τοῖς σταδιοδρόμοις ἄφεσις πεποίηται
: id. 5. 15. 5
ἐν δὲ τῶν ἵππων τῇ
ἀφέσει, ἐν μὲν τῷ ὑπαίθρῳ τῆς ἀφέσεως κ.τ.λ.
—Dindorf notes that in Aristeides vol. I. p. 339 the words
τῆς ἀφέσεως
were corrupted to
τῆς φύσεως
.

mvp-comment-395-4 The proposed versions of the vulgate τῇ φύσει 250

mvp-comment-396-1 νίκης … γέρας 251

mvp-comment-397-1 χὥπως μὲν 252

mvp-comment-397-2 Others explain:—

οὐκ οἶδα δὲ ὅπως τοιοῦδ’ ἀνδρὸς ἔργα καὶ κράτη λέγω σοι παῦρα ἐν πολλοῖς
: ‘I do not know how to describe his deeds to you briefly, when they were so many.’ The place of
οἶδα
can be justified by O.T. 1251. But: (1) thus construed, the words ought to mean, ‘I do not know how to describe his deeds as few.’ The other meaning would require
ἐν παύροις
, or the like. And (2)
ἐν πολλοῖσι
is then awkward.

mvp-comment-398-1 ὅσων 253

mvp-comment-398-2 εἰσεκήρυξαν 254

mvp-comment-398-3 βραβῆς 255

mvp-comment-399-1 δρομων διαύλων 256

mvp-comment-399-2 On the whole, I should incline to delete 691, and alter

τούτων
in 692 to
ἄθλων
.

mvp-comment-400-1 ἐνεγκὼν 257

mvp-comment-400-2 τἀπινίκια 258

mvp-comment-401-1 ὠλβίζετ’ 259 ἀνακαλ 260

mvp-comment-401-2 Ἀγαμέμνονος 261

mvp-comment-401-3 ἀγείραντος 262

mvp-comment-402-1 καὶ ταῦτα μὲν τοιαῦθ’ 263

mvp-comment-402-2 βλάπτῃ 264

mvp-comment-402-3 ἰσχύων 265

mvp-comment-403-1 ἄλλης ἡμέρας 266

mvp-comment-403-2 ἱππικῶν 267

mvp-comment-404-1 ἡλίου τέλλοντος 268

mvp-comment-404-2 The Pythian hippodrome was in the Crisaean plain (180 n.), near its upper or northern end, where the rocky gorge of the river Pleistus opens upon a level tract. The site of Crisa, on a spur of Parnassus, overlooked it from the north, and Delphi from the north-east. Beautiful as was Olympia, the scene of the Pythian festival was unrivalled in the grandeur of its natural surroundings.

mvp-comment-405-1 Ἀχαιός 269

mvp-comment-406-1 Λίβυες 270

mvp-comment-406-2 ζυγωτῶν 271 ἐπιστάται 272

mvp-comment-407-1 κἀκεῖνος 273

mvp-comment-407-2 ἐν τούτοισι 274 ἐπὶ 275

mvp-comment-407-3 Θεσσαλὰς … ἵππους 276

mvp-comment-408-1 ξανθαῖσι 277

mvp-comment-408-2 πώλοις 278

mvp-comment-408-3 Μάγνης 279

mvp-comment-409-1 λεύκιππος 280

mvp-comment-409-2 Αἰνιὰν 281

mvp-comment-410-1 τῶν θεοδμήτων 282

mvp-comment-411-1 ἄλλος 283 ἐκπληρῶν 284

mvp-comment-412-1 στάντες 285

mvp-comment-412-2 †ὅθ’ αὐτοὺς 286 ὅθ’ 287 ἵν’ 288 ὅτ’ 289

mvp-comment-412-3 βραβῆς 290 οἱ τεταγμένοι 291

mvp-comment-412-4 710 *

κλήρους ἔπηλαν
. I should much prefer to read
αὐτοῖς
in 709: but
αὐτοὺς
is defensible, and I refrain from change. Two views are possible; the first is generally received, and is perhaps simplest. (1)
αὐτοὺς
depends on
κλήρους ἔπηλαν
as=
ἐκλήρωσαν
: cp. Ar. Eccl. 683
κληρώσω πάντας
, ‘I will place them all by lot,’
ἕως ἂν
|
εἰδὼς ὁ λαχὼν ἀπίῃ κ.τ.λ.
See above on 123, Ar. Eccl. 556. (2)
κλήρους ἔπηλαν καὶ
=
κλήρους πήλαντες
, a parenthetic construction (
διὰ μέσου
), so that
αὐτοὺς
is governed by
κατέστησαν
only, and
δίφρους
is a second acc., defining
αὐτούς
, as in
μέθες με...χεῖρα
( Soph. Ph. 1301 ). See on 466
f.

mvp-comment-412-5 ἔπηλαν 292

mvp-comment-413-1 χαλκῆς 293

mvp-comment-413-2 ὑπαὶ 294

mvp-comment-413-3 οἱ δ’ 295

mvp-comment-414-1 ὁμοκλήσαντες 296

mvp-comment-415-1 ἐν δὲ 297

mvp-comment-415-2 κροτητῶν 298

mvp-comment-415-3 I formerly took

κροτητῶν
as=‘welded,’ ‘hammered,’ with ref. to the metal-work of the chariots: cp. Il. 23. 503
ἅρματα δὲ χρυσῷ πεπυκασμένα κασσιτέρῳ τε
: 10. 438
ἅρμα δέ οἱ χρυσῷ τε καὶ ἀργύρῳ εὖ ἤσκηται
: 4. 226
ἅρματα ποικίλα χαλκῷ
. (Cp. Helbig, H. E. p. 90.) For this sense of
κροτεῖν
, cp. Pind. fr. 194
κεκρότηται χρυσέα κρηπὶς...ἀοιδαῖς
.

mvp-comment-416-1 φορεῖθ’ 299

mvp-comment-417-1 κέντρων 300

mvp-comment-417-2 ὡς ὑπερβάλοι 301 τις 302

mvp-comment-417-3 χνόας 303

mvp-comment-417-4 φρυάγμαθ’ ἱππικά 304

mvp-comment-418-1 ὁμοῦ γὰρ ἀμφὶ νῶτα 305

mvp-comment-418-2 τροχῶν βάσεις 306

mvp-comment-418-3 εἰσέβαλλον 307

mvp-comment-419-1 ὑπ’ αὐτὴν 308

mvp-comment-419-2 ἐσχάτην στήλην 309

mvp-comment-420-1 ἔχριμπτ’ ἀεὶ σύριγγα 310 ἔχριμπτ’ 311

mvp-comment-420-2 δεξιὸν δ’ ἀνεὶς κ.τ.λ. 312

mvp-comment-420-3 Sophocles has in mind the words of Nestor to Antilochus, Il. 23. 336

τὸν δεξιὸν ἵππον
|
κένσαι ὁμοκλήσας, εἶξαί τέ οἱ ἡνία χερσίν·
|
ἐν νύσσῃ δέ τοι ἵππος ἀριστερὸς ἐγχριμφθήτω
, |
ὡς ἄν τοι πλήμνη γε δοάσσεται ἄκρον ἱκέσθαι
|
κύκλου ποιητοῖο
(‘so that just the nave of the well-wrought wheel may seem to graze it’).

mvp-comment-421-1 πρὶν μὲν 313 ἔπειτα δ’ 314

mvp-comment-421-2 ἕστασαν 315

mvp-comment-422-1 ἄστομοι 316

mvp-comment-422-2 βίᾳ φέρουσιν 317

mvp-comment-422-3 ἐκ δ’ ὑποστροφῆς 318

mvp-comment-423-1 τελοῦντες κ.τ.λ. 319

mvp-comment-423-2 The Aenian, closely followed by the others, had just completed his sixth

δίαυλος
, or double course, in the hippodrome: i.e., he had just passed, for the sixth time, round the goal nearest to the starting-place, and was on the point of beginning his seventh course. Just as he was passing the goal, his horses bolted. Hence he could not work them quite round into the track. They turned out of the left-ward curve (
ἐξ ὑποστροφῆς
), and ran straight on. Meanwhile, one of the two Libyan chariots had swept round the goal in a wider circle, on the Aenian's right. The Aenian's horses dashed head-foremost into the Libyan's team, striking it on the left side.

mvp-comment-423-3 In the four - horse chariot - race at Olympia the number of double courses was twelve. Hence the goal farthest from the starting-place is

δωδεκάγναμπτον... τέρμα δρόμου
|
ἵππων
( Pind. O. 3. 33 : cp. Pind. O. 2. 55 , Pind. O. 6. 75 , Pind. P. 5. 33 ). If the
ἱππικὸν
(=4 stadia) be taken as the length of one double course in the hippodrome, twelve such courses give about 51/2 English miles. (Cp. art. Hippodromus in Smith's Dict. Ant., 3rd ed., p. 965 a.)

mvp-comment-423-4 Βαρκαίοις ὄχοις 320

mvp-comment-424-1 ἐξ ἑνὸς κακοῦ 321 ἔθραυε καὶ ἐνέπιπτε 322

mvp-comment-424-2 ναυαγίων 323

mvp-comment-424-3 Κρισαῖον … πέδον 324

mvp-comment-425-1 γνοὺς δ’ 325

mvp-comment-425-2 κἀνοκωχεύει 326

mvp-comment-425-3 κλύδων’ 327

mvp-comment-426-1 ἔσχατος μὲν 328

mvp-comment-426-2 ὑστέρας ἔχων 329 φέρων 330 πίστιν φέρων 331

mvp-comment-426-3 Those who read

ὑστέρας δ’
understand, ‘last, indeed, but last by his own choice.’ This is possible, but less simple. The
μὲν
after
ἔσχατος
probably led to the insertion of
δ’
.

mvp-comment-426-4 Wunder cp. Acad. Pr. 2. 29. 94 Ego enim, ut agitator callidus, prius quam ad finem veniam, equos sustinebo.

mvp-comment-427-1 ὅπως δ’ ὁρᾷ 332

mvp-comment-428-1 ἐνσείσας. 333

mvp-comment-429-1 κἀξισώσαντε ζυγὰ 334

mvp-comment-429-2 τότ’ … ἄλλοθ’ 335

mvp-comment-429-3 ἄλλος … ἅτερος 336

mvp-comment-429-4 κάρα προβάλλων 337

mvp-comment-429-5 For προβάλλων 338

mvp-comment-430-1 τοὺς μὲν ἄλλους πάντας 339

mvp-comment-430-2 ἀσφαλεῖς 340

mvp-comment-430-3 ὠρθοῦθ’ 341 ὀρθὸς ἐξ ὀρθῶν δί‐ 342 φρων 343

mvp-comment-431-1 λύων ἡνίαν ἀριστερὰν 344

mvp-comment-432-1 χνόας 345 μέσας 346

mvp-comment-433-1 ἀντύγων 347

mvp-comment-433-2 σὺν δ’ ἑλίσσεται 348 τμητοῖς 349

mvp-comment-434-1 διεσπάρησαν εἰς μέσον δρόμον 350

mvp-comment-434-2 Cp. Il. 23. 467

ἔνθα μιν ἐκπεσέειν ὀΐω σύν θ’ ἅρματα ἆξαι
, |
αἱ δ’
[ sc.
ἵπποι
]
ἐξηρώησαν, ἐπεὶ μένος ἔλλαβε θυμόν
(‘rushed out of the course’).

mvp-comment-435-1 στρατὸς 351

mvp-comment-435-2 δίφρων 352

mvp-comment-435-3 ἀνωλόλυξε 353

mvp-comment-435-4 οἷ’ … οἷα 354

mvp-comment-436-1 φορούμενος πρὸς οὖδας 355

mvp-comment-436-2 ἄλλοτ’ 356

mvp-comment-436-3 οὐρανῷ σκέλη προφαίνων 357

mvp-comment-437-1 διφρηλάται 358

mvp-comment-437-2 κατασχεθόντες 359

mvp-comment-438-1 κέαντες 360

mvp-comment-438-2 ἐν βραχεῖ χαλκῷ 361

mvp-comment-438-3 μέγιστον 362

mvp-comment-438-4 σῶμα … σποδοῦ 363

mvp-comment-438-5 Cp. Aesch. Ag. 440 (Ares)

πυρωθὲν ἐξ Ἰλίου
|
φίλοισι πέμπει βραχὺ
|
ψῆγμα δυσδάκρυτον, ἀντήνορος σποδοῦ γεμίζων λέβητας εὐθέτου
. Suppl. 1130
σποδοῦ τε πλῆθος ὀλίγον ἀντὶ σωμάτων
|
εὐδοκίμων
. Propert. 2. 9. 13 (Briseïs with the ashes of Achilles), et tanti corpus Achillei | Maximaque in parva sustulit ossa manu.

mvp-comment-439-1 ἄνδρες Φωκέων 364

mvp-comment-439-2 ἐκλάχῃ 365

mvp-comment-440-1 τοιαῦτά σοι 366 ταῦτ’ ἐστίν 367

mvp-comment-440-2 ὡς μὲν ἐν λόγῳ 368

mvp-comment-440-3 τοῖς δ’ ἰδ., οἵπερ εἴδομεν 369

mvp-comment-440-4 764 f. The word δεσπόταισι 370

mvp-comment-440-5 πρόρριζον 371

mvp-comment-441-1 ὦ Ζεῦ 372

mvp-comment-441-2 λέγω 373

mvp-comment-442-1 τῷ νῦν λόγῳ 374

mvp-comment-443-1 δεινὸν 375

mvp-comment-443-2 πάσχοντι 376 ὧν τέκῃ 377

mvp-comment-444-1 μάτην ἄρ’ ἡμεῖς κ.τ.λ. 378

mvp-comment-445-1 μάτην λέγοις 379

mvp-comment-446-1 ψυχῆς 380

mvp-comment-447-1 μαστῶν κ.τ.λ. 381

mvp-comment-447-2 ἀποστὰς 382

mvp-comment-447-3 ἀπεξενοῦτο 383

mvp-comment-448-1 φόνους 384

mvp-comment-449-1 ὥστ’ οὔτε … στεγάζειν 385

mvp-comment-449-2 ἐξ ἡμέρας 386

mvp-comment-449-3 στεψάζειν 387

mvp-comment-449-4 ὁ προστατῶν χρόνος 388

mvp-comment-449-5 διῆγε 389

mvp-comment-449-6 783 f. The perf. ἀπήλλαγμαι 390

mvp-comment-449-7 μείζων 391

mvp-comment-450-1 τοὐμὸν 392

mvp-comment-450-2 ἐκπίνους’ 393

mvp-comment-450-3 ἄκρατον 394

mvp-comment-450-4 νῦν δ’ 395

mvp-comment-450-5 ἕκηλα 396

mvp-comment-450-6 οὕνεχ’ 397

mvp-comment-450-7 ἡμερεύσομεν 398

mvp-comment-451-1 οἴμοι τάλαινα 399

mvp-comment-451-2 οἰμῶξαι 400

mvp-comment-452-1 ἆρ’ ἔχει καλῶς 401

mvp-comment-453-1 οὔτοι σὺ 402

mvp-comment-454-1 Νέμεσι 403

mvp-comment-454-2 τοῦ θανόντος ἀρτίως 404

mvp-comment-454-3 Nemesis is the goddess who requires that each man should receive his due (

Νέμεσιν ἀπὸ τῆς ἑκάστῳ διανεμήσεως
, Mund. 7. p. 401 b. 13). The ‘Nemesis of the dead man’ is the avenger of wrong done to him; as the Greeks said
Δίκη τινός
( Aesch. Ag. 1432 ),
Ἐρινύς τινος
. Cp. Aesch. fr. 266
ἡμῶν γε μέντοι Νέμεσις
(‘ our Nemesis’)
ἔσθ’ ὑπερτέρα
, |
καὶ τοῦ θανόντος ἡ Δίκη πράσσει κότον
. At Athens
Νεμέσεια
were certain rites in honour of the dead ( Dem. or. 41 § 11 ),
ἐπεὶ ἡ Νέμεσις ἐπὶ τῶν ἀποθανόντων τέτακται
(Bekker Anecd. I. 282). Nemesis appears in art, too, as a goddess of the dead (Baumeister, Denkm., p. 1008).

mvp-comment-455-1 ἤκουσεν ὧν δεῖ 405

mvp-comment-455-2 κἀπεκύρωσεν 406

mvp-comment-456-1 οὔκουν … τάδε 407

mvp-comment-457-1 οὐχ ὅπως σε παύσομεν 408

mvp-comment-458-1 πολλῶν ἂν ἥκοις 409 ἔπαυσας 410 παύσαις 411

mvp-comment-458-2 πολλῶν 412 ἄξιος 413 τυχεῖν 414

mvp-comment-459-1 εὖ κυρεῖ 415

mvp-comment-459-2 800 f. With πράξειας 416

mvp-comment-459-3 The emendations which aim at introducing

ἄν
seem, then, superfluous. The change of καταξίως 417 πράξειας 418

mvp-comment-459-4 τοῦ πορεύς. ξένου 419

mvp-comment-460-1 τῶν φίλων 420

mvp-comment-461-1 ἆρ’ ὑμὶν 421

mvp-comment-461-2 ὧδ’ 422

mvp-comment-462-1 ὥς μ’ ἀπώλεσας θανών 423

mvp-comment-463-1 ἀποσπάσας 424 αἵ 425

mvp-comment-464-1 μολεῖν 426

mvp-comment-465-1 δουλεύειν 427

mvp-comment-465-2 πάλιν 428

mvp-comment-466-1 ἆρά μοι καλῶς ἔχει 429

mvp-comment-467-1 τοῦ λοιποῦ χρόνου 430

mvp-comment-467-2 818 *

εἴσειμ’
, Hermann's correction of
ἔσσομ’
, is made certain by
ἀλλὰ τῇδε πρὸς πύλῃ
. No dative is needed to explain ξύνοικος 431

mvp-comment-468-1 παρεῖσ’ ἐμαυτὴν 432

mvp-comment-468-2 αὐανῶ 433

mvp-comment-469-1 χάρις 434

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

516. mvp-comment-232-1 The dialectic of the following scene may be compared with Aj. 1047 foll., Ant. 632 foll.

517. mvp-comment-233-1 The spectator is a second time informed of Aegisthus' absence, which is so necessary to the plot. Supr. 310 foll.

518. mvp-comment-234-1 θυραίαν γ'.. φίλους] ‘To go out of doors and bring disgrace upon your relatives:'-i.e. your appearance and conduct in the house are a sufficient disgrace to them. Cp. supr. 312, 3.

521. mvp-comment-235-1 ὡς θρασεῖα] Sc. εἰμί.

522. mvp-comment-236-1 σὲ καὶ τὰ σά] • Thee and thine.' Clytemnestra thus acknowledges that Electra's complaints were never for herself alone, but for her father.

525-526. mvp-comment-237-1 πατήρ .. τέθνηκεν] Your father, that is what you are always holding forth, (how that he) died by my act. By a kind of attraction, the main sentence, as it proceeds, becomes subordinated to the parenthesis.

529. mvp-comment-238-1 ᾖ] Sc. τῇ Δίκῃ.

531. mvp-comment-239-1 μοῦνος Ἑλλήνων] i. e. either (1) he did what no other Greek could have had the heart to do, in sacrificing his child, or (2) while the army consented to the sacrifice, he had the sole responsibility, as commander-in-chief, or (3) when all shrank from the sacrificial act, he himself took the knife to slay his daughter. For (3) cp. Aesch. Ag. 225, ἔτλη δ᾽ οὖν θυτὴρ γενέσθαι θυγατρός, κ.τ.λ., ib. 210, 231 foll.

534. mvp-comment-240-1 τοῦ χάριν τίνων] 'On whose account?' lit. Absolving an obligation to whom?' Others read τοῦ χάριν, τίνων; 'Wherefore, on whose account?'

536. mvp-comment-241-1 1.ε. ἀλλ᾽ οὐ μετὴν αὐτοῖσι τῆς γ' ἐμῆς, ὥστε τὴν ἐμὴν κτανεῖν.

537-538. mvp-comment-242-1 But if for his brother Menelaus' sake he slew my child, was it to be expected that I should not requite him for this?'

539. mvp-comment-243-1 παῖδες.. διπλοῖ] Megapenthes and Hermione, the children of Menelaus and Helen.

542-543. mvp-comment-244-1 Or had Death somehow a greater longing to devour my offspring than Helen's?' δαίσασθαι is epexegetic infinitive, sc. τἀμὰ τέκνα δαίσασθαι.

544-545. mvp-comment-245-1 Or had that accursed father given up all care for his children by me, while preserving his affection for Menelaus' offspring?"

548. mvp-comment-246-1 Contrast with this the feeling of Antigone, Ant. 515, οὐ μαρτυρήσει ταῦθ᾽ ὁ κατθανὼν νεκύς.

549-550. mvp-comment-247-1 ἐγὼ. .δύσθυμος] ‘For my part, then, the past causes me no misgiving. She will not confess her alarm before Electra. τοῖς πεπραγμένοις is dative of the reason: Essay on L. § 14. p. 21. Cp. Thuc. 3. 98. § 6, τοῖς πεπραγμένοις φοβούμενος τοὺς ᾿Αθηναίους.

551. mvp-comment-248-1 If you must blame others, do so on just grounds,' lit. Having got hold of a just notion of the case.' These words are a challenge to Electra to show cause why Agamemnon should not have been slain, as the mere fact of his death ( supr. 525, 6) was no sufficient reason for her continued abuse. The stress is on the participial clause, or rather on the word δικαίαν.

552-553. mvp-comment-249-1 έρε ἐρεῖς . . λυπηρόν] The death of Iphigenia was a painful subject to Electra.

556-557. mvp-comment-250-1 εἰ δὲ μ᾿ ὧδ' ἀεὶ λόγους | ἐξήρχες] 'If your speeches to me were always tuned in that key.' με is governed κατὰ σύνεσιν by the whole phrase, as equivalent to ὧδε προσηγόρευες, ἐξάρχειν is used as in ἐξάρχειν μέλος. Electra is imagined as sounding the note to which Clytemnestra responds.

561. mvp-comment-251-1 δίκῃ] 'As moved thereto by Justice:'-dative of the cause.

563-564. mvp-comment-252-1 τίνος .. Αὐλίδι] ‘In requital for what' either (1) He endured that mighty wind at Aulis?' or (2) That great tempest fell upon Aulis?' or (3) She directed (ἐπέσχεν) that mighty wind at Aulis? It may be objected to (1), that if Agamemnon is the subject of ἔσχε, the words πατὴρ οὐμός in 566 are unnecessary. For (3) requiring ἔσχεν to be equivalent to ἐπέσχεν, see Essay on L. § 55. p. 101, 4, and L. and S., s. v. ἔχω, Α. ii. 7, and cp. Il. 14. 57, οἱ δ᾽ ἐπὶ νηυσὶ θοῇσι μάχην ἀλίαστον ἔχουσιν: 11.271, (εἰλειθυῖαι) πικρὰς ὠδῖνας ἔχουσai.

565. mvp-comment-253-1 κείνης.. μαθεῖν] ‘For you may not learn from her;' i. e. Artemis will not hold communication with one so polluted. Clytemnestra notwithstanding appeals to Artemis, infr. 626.

566-569. mvp-comment-254-1 Electra's point is that Agamemnon's fault which provoked Artemis was a light and all but involuntary offence.

567. mvp-comment-255-1 ἐξεκίνησεν ποδοῖν] ‘Startled by his tread.' The language is softened so as to convey the impression that Agamemnon put up the stag accidentally.

569. mvp-comment-256-1 He chanced to let fall some word of boasting.' There is a stress on the participle ἐκκομπάσας.

571-572. mvp-comment-257-1 Electra does not raise the question whether the will of Artemis was just or not. She is contented with shifting the responsibility from Agamemnon.

575. mvp-comment-258-1 The words πολλὰ καὶ ἀντιβάς form a separate clause, unless πολλά be joined to βιασθείς, which is improbable. For which cause, and not for Menelaus'sake, under compulsion, -ay, after many a struggle, he reluctantly sacrificed her.' After making this elaborate statement of the immediate cause, it occurs to Electra that everything connected with the expedition was in one sense done on Menelaus' account. Hence she resumes, with εἰ δ' οὖν, by admitting this, as if for the sake of argument.

579. mvp-comment-259-1 ποίῳ νόμῳ] 'On what principle?' Cp. Ant. 908, τίνος νόμου δὴ ταῦτα πρὸς χάριν λέγω;

584. mvp-comment-260-1 οὐκ οὖσαν] 'Unreal;' i.e. οὐκ ἀληθῆ. Cp. Τhuc. 6. 16, προσποίησίν τε ξυγγενείας .. καὶ μὴ οὖσαν.

589. mvp-comment-261-1 τοὺς δὲ πρόσθεν] Sc. παΐδας, understood πρὸς τὸ σημαινόμενον from παιδοποιεῖς. Essay on L. § 36. p. 64.

590. mvp-comment-262-1 εὐσεβῶν] i. e. ᾿Αγαμέμνονος. Poetical plural. ἐκβαλοῦσ᾽ ἔχεις] «You have cast out from favour. Electra is virtually an outcast, and Orestes, although not banished by his mother's act, durst not return openly to his home.

591. mvp-comment-263-1 πῶς.. ἄν] «Do you expect me to approve of this?'-referring to supr. 550.

591-592. mvp-comment-264-1 ἢ.. λαμβάνεις] « Or will you say that in this, too, you are vindicating your daughter?' τοῦτο, accusative in apposition with τῆς θ. α. λ.

593. mvp-comment-265-1 αἰσχρῶς] Sc. ἐρεῖς. οὐ γὰρ καλόν, κ. τ. λ.]. There is little virtue in,' etc. See on Aj. 1132, 1349.

595-597. mvp-comment-266-1 ἀλλ᾽ οὐ γὰρ . . κακοστομοῦμεν 'But then one may not even reason with you, since you reply with all your vehemence that I am reviling my mother.' For ἀλλ᾽ οὐ .. γάρ without apodosis, cp. O. C. 988 foll., ἀλλ᾽ οὐ γὰρ οὔτ᾽ ἐν τοῖσδ᾽ ἀκούσομαι κακὸς | γάμοισιν, κ.τ.λ. πᾶσαν ἵης γλῶσσαν = πᾶσαν γλῶσσαν ἱεῖσα λέγεις. Cp. Plat. Legg. 10. p. 890 D, ἀλλὰ πᾶσαν, τὸ λεγόμενον, φωνὴν ἱέντα τῷ παλαιῷ νόμῳ ἐπίκουρον γίγνεσθαι λόγῳ.

597. mvp-comment-267-1 νέμω] ·And truly I account thee rather my mistress than my mother.' καί has a sarcastic tone as in interrogation, and is nearly = καί τοι, - as in Aj. 92 it may be said to have the force of καὶ μήν.

601. mvp-comment-268-1 ὁ δ᾽ ἄλλος ἔξω] 'And he, moreover, in a foreign land. The article is demonstrative, and ἄλλοs is predicative or adverbial. See Essay on L. § 21. pp. 33, 5. χεῖρα . . φυγών] Electra implies that Clytemnestra would have killed Orestes

601-602. mvp-comment-269-1 if she could, either at the time of Agamemnon's murder, or afterwards.

603. mvp-comment-270-1 σοὶ .. μιάστορα] ‘An avenger of blood against thee.' μιάστωρ is properly one who stains others with his own guilt; here it is one who fixes the stain of guilt by executing vengeance for it. Compare the use of the verb 'to stain' in Elizabethan English: e.g. Shaksp. Ant. and Cleo. 3. 4, 'I'll raise the preparation of a War | Shall stain your brother.'

606. mvp-comment-271-1 εἴτε † χρή) ‘Whether you must call me,' etc. Here, as in Aj. 1373, the reading of the MSS, which is possibly idiomatic, is preferred το χρῇς = χρήζεις, which is a doubtful emendation.

608. mvp-comment-272-1 τῶνδε τῶν ἔργων] ‘Of actions which have this character.' Cp. O. T. 864, 5, τὰν εὔσεπτον ἁγνείαν λόγων ἔργων τε πάντων, ὧν, κ.τ.λ., and note.

609. mvp-comment-273-1 καταισχύνω] Cp. Aj. 1304, 5. ἆρ᾽ ὧδ᾽ ἄριστος ἐξ ἀριστέοιν δυοῖν | βλαστὼν ἂν αἰσχύνοιμι τοὺς πρὺς αἵματος;

610. mvp-comment-274-1 ὁρῶ μένος πνέουσαν] Sc. τὴν Κλυταιμνήστραν. This appears from her reply, and also from the comparison οἱ εἰ δὲ σὺν δίκῃ, κ.τ.λ, with supr. 528. Here, as in O. T. 746, Aesch. Ag. 1306, τί δ' ἐστὶ χρῆμα; τίς σ᾽ ἀποστρέφει φόβος; -the dialogue contains a reference to by-play.

614. mvp-comment-275-1 τηλικοῦτος] 'At her age.' Cp. infr. 961, 2:-i.e. Her words are not those of a petulant girl, which might be safely disregarded.

616-619. mvp-comment-276-1 The harshness of Electra is not native to her character, but superinduced, and she is painfully conscious of this.

623. mvp-comment-277-1 πόλλ᾽ ἄγαν λέγειν ποιεῖ] 'Make you to say too much: '-i.e. Are too much the theme of your discourse, in which you say much that you should not.

624. mvp-comment-278-1 viv is here neuter plural = αὐτά.

624-625. mvp-comment-279-1 Translated by Milton:-''Tis you that say it, not I; you do the deeds, And your ungodly deeds find me the words.'

626. mvp-comment-280-1 μὰ τὴν .. "Αρτεμιν] Cp. supr. 565, and note. θράσους is genitive of cause.

627. mvp-comment-281-1 For the repetition of οὐκ, see Essay on L. § 29. p. 48. We are again reminded that Aegisthus is from home. Cp. supr. 517.

628-629. mvp-comment-282-1 μεθεῖσά μοι χρήζοιμ 'After giving me leave to say what I chose.' Supr. 556.

630. mvp-comment-283-1 οὐδ᾽ ὑπ᾿ εὐφήμου βοῆς], 'Not even in silence from clamour:' - i. e. Not even without being pestered by your noise.

632. mvp-comment-284-1 κελεύω] 'I urge it on you:'- i.e. as knowing what need you have to propitiate the gods.

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.

660. mvp-comment-300-1 The coming-in of the Old Man prepares the way for the peripeteia by obtaining entrance for the disguised Orestes. It also brings out the heroic character of Electra, by reducing her to a position of despair, and makes more effective her subsequent recognition of Orestes.

660. mvp-comment-300-2 ξέναι] He speaks as a Phocian.

660. mvp-comment-300-3 The coming-in of the Old Man prepares the way for the peripeteia by obtaining entrance for the disguised Orestes. It also brings out the heroic character of Electra, by reducing her to a position of despair, and makes more effective her subsequent recognition of Orestes.

660. mvp-comment-300-4 ξέναι] He speaks as a Phocian.

663. mvp-comment-301-1 δάμαρτα] Sc. οὖσαν.

663. mvp-comment-301-2 δάμαρτα] Sc. οὖσαν.

664. mvp-comment-302-1 πρέπει . . εἰσορᾶν] Though no longer Queen of Agamemnon, the daughter of Tyndareus still wears a royal mien.

664. mvp-comment-302-2 πρέπει . . εἰσορᾶν] Though no longer Queen of Agamemnon, the daughter of Tyndareus still wears a royal mien.

667. mvp-comment-303-1 φίλου παρ᾿ ἀνδρός] Phanoteus, as the enemy of Strophius, Agamemnon's friend, is imagined to be the close ally of Aegisthus. Cp. supr. 45, and note.

667. mvp-comment-303-2 φίλου παρ᾽ ἀνδρός] Phanoteus, as the enemy of Strophius, Agamemnon's friend, is imagined to be the close ally of Aegisthus. Cp. supr. 45, and note.

668. mvp-comment-304-1 ἐδεξάμην τὸ ῥηθέν] I accept the omen.' For this customary mode of appropriating auspicious words, cp. Hdt. 1. 63, Πεισίστρατος δέ, συλλαβὼν τὸ χρηστήριον, καὶ φὰς δέκεσθαι τὸ χρησθέν, ἐπῆγε τὴν στρατιήν: Aesch. Ag. 1652, 3, ΑΙ. .. πρόκωπος οὐκ ἀναίνομαι θανεῖν. | ΧΟ. δεχομένοις λέγεις θανεῖν σε.

668. mvp-comment-304-2 ἐδεξάμην τὸ ῥηθέν] I accept the omen.' For this customary mode of appropriating auspicious words, cp. Hdt. 1. 63, Πεισίστρατος δέ, συλλαβὼν τὸ χρηστήριον, καὶ φὰς δέκεσθαι τὸ χρησθέν, ἐπῆγε τὴν στρατιήν: Aesch. Ag. 1652, 3, ΑΙ. .. πρόκωπος οὐκ ἀναίνομαι θανεῖν. | ΧΟ. δεχομένοις λέγεις θανεῖν σε.

670. mvp-comment-305-1 πρᾶγμα.. μέγα] 'Having on his hands the care of a great matter.' The report is identified with the event.

670. mvp-comment-305-2 πρᾶγμα.. μέγα] 'Having on his hands the care of a great matter.' The report is identified with the event.

675. mvp-comment-306-1 τί φής, τί φής...] For this eager repetition, cp. O. C. 1099, ΟΙ. ποῦ ποῦ; τί φής; πῶς εἶπας; ΑΝ. ὦ πάτερ, πάτερ, κ.τ.λ.

675. mvp-comment-306-2 τί φής, τί φής...] For this eager repetition, cp. O. C. 1099, ΟΙ. ποῦ ποῦ; τί φής; πῶς εἶπας; ΑΝ. ὦ πάτερ, πάτερ, κ.τ.λ.

676. mvp-comment-307-1 I have been saying all this while, and now repeat, that Orestes is dead.' For the participial construction, ср. О. Т. 463-5, and note.

676. mvp-comment-307-2 I have been saying all this while, and now repeat, that Orestes is dead.' For the participial construction, ср. О. Т. 463-5, and note.

678. mvp-comment-308-1 σὺ μὲν . . πρᾶσσ'] 'You, mind your own affairs!' i. e. Do not interrupt us.

678. mvp-comment-308-2 σὺ μὲν . . πρᾶσσ'] 'You, mind your own affairs!' i. e. Do not interrupt us.

680. mvp-comment-309-1 The Old Man now fills up with great spirit (though without an 'oath') the outline which Orestes gave him, supr. 48-50. This narrative, while directly pertinent to the action, also helps to relieve it at a point where it was becoming monotonous. The ornate and exaggerated diction (especially in 730-3) is suited to a fabricated account. Contrast in this respect the speech of Hyllus in Trach. 749 foll.

680. mvp-comment-309-2 The Old Man now fills up with great spirit (though without an 'oath') the outline which Orestes gave him, supr. 48-50. This narrative, while directly pertinent to the action, also helps to relieve it at a point where it was becoming monotonous. The ornate and exaggerated diction (especially in 730-3) is suited to a fabricated account. Contrast in this respect the speech of Hyllus in Trach. 749 foll.

681-682. mvp-comment-310-1 εἰς τὸ κοινὸν . . ἀγῶνος] ‘Το that contest which is the universal pride of Hellas.' ἀγῶνος is to be taken closely with πρόσχημα, as a genitive of definition. Essay on L. § 10. p. 17, 6.

681-682. mvp-comment-310-2 εἰς τὸ κοινὸν . . ἀγῶνος] ‘Το that contest which is the universal pride of Hellas.' ἀγῶνος is to be taken closely with πρόσχημα, as a genitive of definition. Essay on L. § 10. p. 17, 6.

685. mvp-comment-311-1 He entered the arena, glorious to behold, and drew all men's eyes towards him.' For λαμπρός, cp. Plat. Rep. 8. 560 E, λαμπρὰς μετὰ πολλοῦ χοροῦ κατάγουσιν : Aeschin. 34. 40.

685. mvp-comment-311-2 He entered the arena, glorious to behold, and drew all men's eyes towards him.' For λαμπρός, cp. Plat. Rep. 8. 560 E, λαμπρὰς μετὰ πολλοῦ χοροῦ κατάγουσιν : Aeschin. 34. 40.

686. mvp-comment-312-1 And having finished his courses in a manner worthy of his looks.' Lit. 'Having made the completion of his courses adequate to his personal appearance.' This line has been needlessly and mistakenly altered. φύσις, the outward promise of the man, is an abridgment or resumption of εἰσῆλθε λαμπρός. Cp. Trach. 308, where πρὸς μὲν . . φύσιν is To judge from her appearance:' Pind. Isthm. 6. 30, φέρει γὰρ Ἰσθμοῖ νίκαν παγκρατίου· σθένει τ' ἔκπαγλος ἰδεῖν τε μορφάεις· ἄγει δ' ἀρετὰν οὐκ αἴσχιον φυᾶς: Nem. 3. 32, ἐὼν καλὸς ἔρδων τ' ἐοικότα μορφᾷ. The conjecture of Musgr. (ἰσώσας τἀφέσει τὰ τέρματα, Having finished at the starting-place') is forced and meaningless. On the verb ἰσόω, see E. on L. § 51. p. 96.

686. mvp-comment-312-2 And having finished his courses in a manner worthy of his looks.' Lit. 'Having made the completion of his courses adequate to his personal appearance.' This line has been needlessly and mistakenly altered. φύσις, the outward promise of the man, is an abridgment or resumption of εἰσῆλθε λαμπρός. Cp. Trach. 308, where πρὸς μὲν . . φύσιν is To judge from her appearance:' Pind. Isthm. 6. 30, φέρει γὰρ Ἰσθμοῖ νίκαν παγκρατίου· σθένει τ' ἔκπαγλος ἰδεῖν τε μορφάεις· ἄγει δ' ἀρετὰν οὐκ αἴσχιον φυᾶς: Nem. 3. 32, ἐὼν καλὸς ἔρδων τ' ἐοικότα μορφᾷ. The conjecture of Musgr. (ἰσώσας τἀφέσει τὰ τέρματα, Having finished at the starting-place') is forced and meaningless. On the verb ἰσόω, see E. on L. § 51. p. 96.

688-689. mvp-comment-313-1 And I know not, indeed, how to tell you a few out of the many successful exploits of such a hero.' This is naturally opposed to what follows, where, instead of selecting particular feats, the Old Man sums up all in a single statement. A slight

688-689. mvp-comment-313-2 And I know not, indeed, how to tell you a few out of the many successful exploits of such a hero.' This is naturally opposed to what follows, where, instead of selecting particular feats, the Old Man sums up all in a single statement. A slight

688-691. mvp-comment-314-1 emendation of l. 688, χὤπως μὲν ἐν παύροισι πολλά, κ.τ.λ., Το tell you much in few, I know of no such (other) hero's achievements and victories,' would make the line clearer in itself, but would destroy the connection with ἓν δ᾽ ἴσθι. But see the end of note on l. 691.

688-691. mvp-comment-314-2 emendation of 1. 688, χὤπως μὲν ἐν παύροισι πολλά, κ.τ.λ., Το tell you much in few, I know of no such (other) hero's achievements and victories,' would make the line clearer in itself, but would destroy the connection with ἓν δ᾽ ἴσθι. But see the end of note on 1. 691.

691. mvp-comment-315-1 Porson's emendation of this line is extremely probable. If the letters περ were displaced, πεν(τ)άθλα might easily be suggested. The relation of ll. 686, 7, to 688- 695, may be questioned. He is describing the first day's performances, and in ll. 686, 7, either (1) states generally what is expanded afterwards, or (2) describes the first race, and then in what follows sums up the remaining contests of the same day. The plural τέρματα, and the structure of the whole passage, decide the point in favour of (1), making each of the two sentences refer to all the foot-races together. Otherwise (3), supposing the language to be more than usually inexact, the lines may be taken to mean, To tell only a little when there is much to tell, I know no feats to be compared with his. One thing you may know,' etc.

691. mvp-comment-315-2 Porson's emendation of this line is extremely probable. If the letters περ were displaced, πεν(τ)άθλα might easily be suggested. The relation of 11. 686, 7, to 688- 695, may be questioned. He is describing the first day's performances, and in 11.686, 7, either (1) states generally what is expanded afterwards, or (2) describes the first race, and then in what follows sums up the remaining contests of the same day. The plural τέρματα, and the structure of the whole passage, decide the point in favour of (1), making each of the two sentences refer to all the foot-races together. Otherwise (3), supposing the language to be more than usually inexact, the lines may be taken to mean, To tell only a little when there is much to tell, I know no feats to be compared with his. One thing you may know,' etc.

693-695. mvp-comment-316-1 He received the congratulations of the crowd, being known by proclamation as an Argive, named Orestes, son of Agamemnon, who levied once the famous armament of Hellas.'

693-695. mvp-comment-316-2 He received the congratulations of the crowd, being known by proclamation as an Argive, named Orestes, son of Agamemnon, who levied once the famous armament of Hellas.'

696-697. mvp-comment-317-1 ὅταν . . βλάπτῃ] 'But when some god is thwarting.'

696-697. mvp-comment-317-2 ὅταν . . βλάπτῃ] 'But when some god is thwarting.'

699. mvp-comment-318-1 ἡλίου τέλλοντος] “At sunrise:' i.e. beginning then.

699. mvp-comment-318-2 ἡλίου τέλλοντος] “At sunrise:' i.e. beginning then.

702. mvp-comment-319-1 ζυγωτῶν ἁρμάτων ἐπιστάται] Masters of yoked cars.' Hdt. 4. 189, τέσσερας ἵππους συζευγνύναι παρὰ Λιβύων οἱ Ἕλληνες μεμαθήκασι. Hence, possibly, the position of this general epithet. The fame of Cyrene in chariot-racing is known to us from Pindar.

702. mvp-comment-319-2 ζυγωτῶν ἁρμάτων ἐπιστάται] Masters of yoked cars.' Hdt. 4. 189, τέσσερας ἵππους συζευγνύναι παρὰ Λιβύων οἱ Ἕλληνες μεμαθήκασι. Hence, possibly, the position of this general epithet. The fame of Cyrene in chariot-racing is known to us from Pindar.

703. mvp-comment-320-1 Θεσσαλάς] Orestes was exiled from the plain of ῎Αργος ἱππόβοτον, and Phocis was too mountainous for horse-breeding.' The Athenian spectator might here be reminded of his faithful allies, the Thessalian horsemen. The five first mentioned come from Dorian states, the rest being either Ionic or Aeolian. ἐν τούτοισι, ' Enter-

703. mvp-comment-320-2 Θεσσαλάς] Orestes was exiled from the plain of ῎Αργος ἱππόβοτον, and Phocis was too mountainous for horse-breeding.' The Athenian spectator might here be reminded of his faithful allies, the Thessalian horsemen. The five first mentioned come from Dorian states, the rest being either Ionic or Aeolian. ἐν τούτοισι, 'Enter-

703-706. mvp-comment-321-1 ing himself with the foregoing,' calls attention to this difference.

703-706. mvp-comment-321-2 ing himself with the foregoing,' calls attention to this difference.

705-706. mvp-comment-322-1 The descriptive epithets in this and the next line, while adding vividness to the picture, may have had some special appropriateness that would be felt by the Greek hearer.

705-706. mvp-comment-322-2 The descriptive epithets in this and the next line, while adding vividness to the picture, may have had some special appropriateness that would be felt by the Greek hearer.

706. mvp-comment-323-1 Αἰνιάν] Hdt. 7. 132, 198.

706. mvp-comment-323-2 Αἰνιάν] Hdt. 7. 132, 198.

707. mvp-comment-324-1 The ornate epithet is reserved for Athens.

707. mvp-comment-324-2 The ornate epithet is reserved for Athens.

708. mvp-comment-325-1 δέκατον ἐκπληρῶν ὄχον] ‘Making ten chariots in all.' Cp. Hdt. 9. 30, σὺν δὲ Θεσπιέων τοῖσι παρεοῦσι ἐξεπληροῦντο αἱ ἕνδεκα μυριάδες, -and, for the use of the ordinal numeral, ib. 1. 51, ἕλκων σταθμὸν ἔννατον ἡμιτάλαντον, and the like expressions. There is a slight confusion or condensation of δέκατον ὄχον ἐλαύνων and ἐκπληρῶν τοὺς δέκα ὄχους.

708. mvp-comment-325-2 δέκατον ἐκπληρῶν ὄχον] ‘Making ten chariots in all.' Cp. Hdt. 9. 30, σὺν δὲ Θεσπιέων τοῖσι παρεοῦσι ἐξεπληροῦντο αἱ ἕνδεκα μυριάδες, -and, for the use of the ordinal numeral, ib. 1. 51, ἕλκων σταθμὸν ἔννατον ἡμιτάλαντον, and the like expressions. There is a slight confusion or condensation of δέκατον ὄχον ἐλαύνων and ἐκπληρῶν τοὺς δέκα ὄχους.

710. mvp-comment-326-1 'Had set the chariots in order after sorting them with lots.' κλήρους ἔπηλαν would have been a simpler construction, but πάλλειν is used absolutely of casting lots, and then receives the addition of an instrumental dative. Cp. supr. l. 21, and note. The construction of the whole line is paratactic for πήλαντες κατέστησαν. Essay on L. § 36. p. 68. αὐτούς in the previous line is in a general construction with what follows.

710. mvp-comment-326-2 'Had set the chariots in order after sorting them with lots.' κλήρους ἔπηλαν would have been a simpler construction, but πάλλειν is used absolutely of casting lots, and then receives the addition of an instrumental dative. Cp. supr. l. 21, and note. The construction of the whole line is paratactic for πήλαντες κατέστησαν. Essay on L. § 36. p. 68. αὐτούς in the previous line is in a general construction with what follows.

711. mvp-comment-327-1 ήξαν] 'The start was made.' The verb has a vague subject in which horses, charioteers, and chariots, are included in one notion. Off they went!' Hence in what follows the charioteers are particularized with the demonstrative οἱ.

711. mvp-comment-327-2 ήξαν] 'The start was made.' The verb has a vague subject in which horses, charioteers, and chariots, are included in one notion. Off they went!' Hence in what follows the charioteers are particularized with the demonstrative οἱ. ἅμα] 'At the same moment;' i. e. All together at the moment of the start.

711-712. mvp-comment-328-1 ἅμα] 'At the same moment;' i. e. All together at the moment of the start.

714. mvp-comment-329-1 κροτητῶν] 'Rattling along:' i.e. the parts of each chariot being rattled against each other, and all against the ground, made a din which filled the place. On the use of the verbal adj., see E. on L. § 53. p. 98.

714. mvp-comment-329-2 κροτητῶν] 'Rattling along:' i.e. the parts of each chariot being rattled against each other, and all against the ground, made a din which filled the place. On the use of the verbal adj., see E. on L. § 53. p. 98.

716-717. mvp-comment-330-1 ὡς .. ἱππικά] Either (1) Whenever any one of them shot ahead of the axle-ends (of the others) and the snorting of the steeds;' i.e. For the most part they were mingled in a confused throng; but when one drew before the rest, then was the moment of excitement, -for the breath of the foaming steeds immediately behind him was an incentive to make him drive faster still. Or (2) Each of them that he might get away from the wheel-naves and the snorting of the steeds :'- each was eager to escape from the neighbourhood of the rest, so as to have free course. But the following lines, which speak of a rival pursuing

716-717. mvp-comment-330-2 ὡς .. ἱππικά] Either (1) Whenever any one of them shot ahead of the axle-ends (of the others) and the snorting of the steeds;' i.e. For the most part they were mingled in a confused throng; but when one drew before the rest, then was the moment of excitement, -for the breath of the foaming steeds immediately behind him was an incentive to make him drive faster still. Or (2) Each of them that he might get away from the wheel-naves and the snorting of the steeds :'- each was eager to escape from the neighbourhood of the rest, so as to have free course. But the following lines, which speak of a rival pursuing

717-719. mvp-comment-331-1 closely in the rear, cannot be equally applicable to all the ten. For the phraseology, cp. Eur. Iph. A. 228-30, οἷς παρεπάλλετο | Πηλείδας σὺν ὅπλοισι παρ᾿ ἄντυγα | καὶ σύριγγας ἁρματείους. (3) Supposing the general sense to be as in (1), χνόας and φρυάγματα may possibly be accusatives of 'limitation,' 'drew ahead with car and team.'

717-719. mvp-comment-331-2 closely in the rear, cannot be equally applicable to all the ten. For the phraseology, cp. Eur. Iph. A. 228-30, οἷς παρεπάλλετο | Πηλείδας σὺν ὅπλοισι παρ᾿ ἄντυγα | καὶ σύριγγας ἁρματείους. (3) Supposing the general sense to be as in (1), χνόας and φρυάγματα may possibly be accusatives of 'limitation,' 'drew ahead with car and team.'

718-719. mvp-comment-332-1 For close about his back and whirling wheels the breath of horses cast its foam.' Cp. Il. 23.373- 81, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτε δὴ πύματον τέλεον δρόμον ὠκέες ἵπποι | .. τότε δὴ ἀρετή γε ἑκάστου | φαίνετ᾽, ἄφαρ δ' ἵπποισι τάθη δρόμος· ὦκα δ' ἔπειτα | αἱ Φηρητιάδαο ποδώκεες ἔκφερον ἵπποι. | τὰς δὲ μετ᾿ ἐξέφερον Διομήδεος ἄρσενες ἵπποι, | Τρώϊοι, οὐδέ τι πολλὸν ἄνευθ᾽ ἔσαν, ἀλλὰ μάλ᾽ ἐγγύς· αἰεὶ γὰρ δίφρου ἐπιβησομένοισιν ἐἰκτην, | πνοιῇ τ᾿ Εὐμήλοιο μετάφρενον εὐρέε τ᾿ ὤμα | θέρμετ᾽· ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ γὰρ κεφαλὰς καταθέντε πετέσθην.

718-719. mvp-comment-332-2 For close about his back and whirling wheels the breath of horses cast its foam.' Cp. Il. 23.373- 81, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτε δὴ πύματον τέλεον δρόμον ὠκέες ἵπποι | .. τότε δὴ ἀρετή γε ἑκάστου | φαίνετ᾽, ἄφαρ δ' ἵπποισι τάθη δρόμος· ὦκα δ' ἔπειτα | αἱ Φηρητιάδαο ποδώκεες ἔκφερον ἵπποι. | τὰς δὲ μετ᾿ ἐξέφερον Διομήδεος ἄρσενες ἵπποι, | Τρώϊοι, οὐδέ τι πολλὸν ἄνευθ᾽ ἔσαν, ἀλλὰ μάλ᾽ ἐγγύς· αἰεὶ γὰρ δίφρου ἐπιβησομένοισιν ἐἰκτην, | πνοιῇ τ᾿ Εὐμήλοιο μετάφρενον εὐρέε τ᾿ ὤμα | θέρμετ᾽· ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ γὰρ κεφαλὰς καταθέντε πετέσθην.

720. mvp-comment-333-1 κεῖνος] Orestes. ὑπ᾿ αὐτὴν . . ἔχων] 'Driving close under the last pillar.' ἐσχάτην, i. e. at the extreme end of the spina. ἔχων] Sc. τοὺς ἵππους.

720. mvp-comment-333-2 κεῖνος] Orestes. ὑπ᾿ αὐτὴν . . ἔχων] 'Driving close under the last pillar.' ἐσχάτην, i. e. at the extreme end of the spina. ἔχων] Sc. τοὺς ἵππους.

721. mvp-comment-334-1 ἔχριμπτ᾿ ἀεὶ σύριγγα] ‘Grazed the nave of his wheel every time:' i.e. all but made it touch, or seemed to graze-real contact is of course not meant.

721. mvp-comment-334-2 ἔχριμπτ᾿ ἀεὶ σύριγγα] ‘Grazed the nave of his wheel every time:' i.e. all but made it touch, or seemed to graze-real contact is of course not meant.

721-722. mvp-comment-335-1 δεξιὸν .. προσκείμενον] 'And, letting go the trace-horse on the right, held in the one that was nearest to the inside of the course.' The two σειραῖοι ἵπποι, so called because not harnessed to the yoke but attached by traces right and left, were practically the leaders of the τέθριππον, or team; and their movements at the critical moment of turning the goal were of the greatest consequence. Cp. Eur. Iph. A. 221-4, τοὺς μὲν μέσους ζυγίους, | .. τοὺς δ᾽ ἔξω σειροφόρους, | ἀντήρεις καμπαῖσι δρόμων. They must be supposed to know their duty, and only to need a reminder from the charioteer, who holds each of them by a single rein (single, i.e. in his hand). The language of the present passage proves that the direction of the running was from right to left, and the δεξιός σειραῖος had consequently to describe a larger semicircle while the 'near' horse was making the turn. That the right hand horse may perform this movement successfully and thus swing the chariot round without mishap, the charioteer gives him the rein, and at the same time holds in the left-hand trace-horse, who, as nearest to the goal, is called προσκείμενος. As soon as this evolution is accomplished, however, the driver must slacken again the left-hand rein, so that both steeds may cover the θάτερον κῶλον of the race-course with equal strides. And if from over-eagerness he does this an instant too soon, he is obviously in great danger of striking the nave of the left-hand wheel against the goal, because the horse when let go will instinctively 'cut off a corner' and pull the car along a chord of the circle instead of completing the arc. This is what is supposed to happen to Orestes, infr. 743-5. (So Wecklein also explains.)

721-722. mvp-comment-335-2 δεξιὸν .. προσκείμενον] 'And, letting go the trace-horse on the right, held in the one that was nearest to the inside of the course.' The two σειραῖοι ἵπποι, so called because not harnessed to the yoke but attached by traces right and left, were practically the leaders of the τέθριππον, or team; and their movements at the critical moment of turning the goal were of the greatest consequence. Cp. Eur. Iph. A. 221-4, τοὺς μὲν μέσους ζυγίους, | .. τοὺς δ᾽ ἔξω σειροφόρους, | ἀντήρεις καμπαῖσι δρόμων. They must be supposed to know their duty, and only to need a reminder from the charioteer, who holds each of them by a single rein (single, i.e. in his hand). The language of the present passage proves that the direction of the running was from right to left, and the δεξιός σειραῖος had consequently to describe a larger semicircle while the 'near' horse was making the turn. That the right hand horse may perform this movement successfully and thus swing the chariot round without mishap, the charioteer gives him the rein, and at the same time holds in the left-hand trace-horse, who, as nearest to the goal, is called προσκείμενος. As soon as this evolution is accomplished, however, the driver must slacken again the left-hand rein, so that both steeds may cover the θάτερον κῶλον of the race-course with equal strides. And if from over-eagerness he does this an instant too soon, he is obviously in great danger of striking the nave of the left-hand wheel against the goal, because the horse when let go will instinctively 'cut off a corner' and pull the car along a chord of the circle instead of completing the arc. This is what is supposed to happen to Orestes, infr. 743-5. (So Wecklein also explains.)

725. mvp-comment-336-1 βίᾳ φέρουσιν] Sc. τὸ ἅρμα, 'Became unmanageable.' Essay on L. §53. p. 98. Cp. Eur. Hipp. 1224.

725. mvp-comment-336-2 βίᾳ φέρουσιν] Sc. τὸ ἅρμα, 'Became unmanageable.' Essay on L. §53. p. 98. Cp. Eur. Hipp. 1224.

725-726. mvp-comment-337-1 ἐκ δ᾽ ὑποστροφῆς] Either (1) 'After turning the goal,' or (2) 'Having turned sharply aside.' See next note.

725-726. mvp-comment-337-2 ἐκ δ᾽ ὑποστροφῆς] Either (1) 'After turning the goal,' or (2) 'Having turned sharply aside.' See next note.

726. mvp-comment-338-1 When finishing the sixth and now (running) the seventh course.' Not τελοῦντες, but a more general word, e.g. θέοντες, is to be supplied with ἔβδομον. Essay on L. § 36. pp. 65, 6, 2. The grammatical irregularity assists the graphic effect. The scene changes while it is being described. Ср. О. С. 1648-50, ἐξαπείδομεν | τὸν ἄνδρα, τὸν μὲν οὐδαμοῦ παρόντ᾽ ἔτι, | ἄνακτα δ᾽ αὐτόν, κ.τ.λ., and note. The masculine τελοῦντες either (1) implies that the white horses of the Aenian were, like those of Diomede in Il. 23 (1. c. supr. 718, 9), ἄρσενες ἵπποι, - which may part account for their behaviour; or (2) τελοῦντες is a nominative absolute having for subject the charioteers collectively. This line seems at first sight to support the former interpretation (1) of l. 725, ἐκ δ᾽ ὑποστροφής. But the point in the course is sufficiently indicated without such an addition; and in the other sense (2) the phrase forms a suitable preparation for l. 727. The imagination is assisted if we suppose these chariots to be somewhat wide of the goal, so that one of them might face about without striking the στήλη. In μέτωπα, as in κάρα infr. 740, the chariot and horses are thought of together as a single object. The accident happens just when the race is half finished, -six of the twelve customary courses having being run. Cp. Pind. O1. 2. 88-90, Πυθῶνι . . Χάριτες ἄνθεα τεθρίππων δυωκαιδεκαδρόμων | ἄγαγον.

726. mvp-comment-338-2 When finishing the sixth and now (running) the seventh course.' Not τελοῦντες, but a more general word, e.g. θέοντες, is to be supplied with ἔβδομον. Essay on L. § 36. pp. 65, 6, 2. The grammatical irregularity assists the graphic effect. The scene changes while it is being described. Ср. О. С. 1648-50, ἐξαπείδομεν | τὸν ἄνδρα, τὸν μὲν οὐδαμοῦ παρόντ᾽ ἔτι, | ἄνακτα δ᾽ αὐτόν, κ.τ.λ., and note. The masculine τελοῦντες either (1) implies that the white horses of the Aenian were, like those of Diomede in Il. 23 (1. c. supr. 718, 9), ἄρσενες ἵπποι, - which may part account for their behaviour; or (2) τελοῦντες is a nominative absolute having for subject the charioteers collectively. This line seems at first sight to support the former interpretation (1) of 1. 725, ἐκ δ᾽ ὑποστροφής. But the point in the course is sufficiently indicated without such an addition; and in the other sense (2) the phrase forms a suitable preparation for 1. 727. The imagination is assisted if we suppose these chariots to be somewhat wide of the goal, so that one of them might face about without striking the στήλη. In μέτωπα, as in κάρα infr. 740, the chariot and horses are thought of together as a single object. The accident happens just when the race is half finished, -six of the twelve customary courses having being run. Cp. Pind. O1. 2. 88-90, Πυθῶνι . . Χάριτες ἄνθεα τεθρίππων δυωκαιδεκαδρόμων | ἄγαγον.

731. mvp-comment-339-1 The Athenian charioteer is represented as the most skilful. It is obvious how this is calculated to sustain the interest of the audience. See also ll. 738-40.

731. mvp-comment-339-2 The Athenian charioteer is represented as the most skilful. It is obvious how this is calculated to sustain the interest of the audience. See also 11. 738-40.

732-733. mvp-comment-340-1 Pulls aside out of the way and heaves to, letting go by the surge of horses and their riders that was boiling there.' Not content with the hyperbole in supr. 730, the Old Man adds this yet stronger expression. See above, note on 680 foll.

732-733. mvp-comment-340-2 Pulls aside out of the way and heaves to, letting go by the surge of horses and their riders that was boiling there.' Not content with the hyperbole in supr. 730, the Old Man adds this yet stronger expression. See above, note on 680 foll.

734-735. mvp-comment-341-1 'Now Orestes was driving last, holding his horses back, relying on the finish.' There were six courses yet to be. See note on 726, supr. According to this reading the participial clause is explanatory of ἤλαυνε, and μέν points forward, opposing the position of Orestes before and after he saw that the Athenian alone was left. Some MSS. read ὑστέρας δ', opposing ἔσχατος to ὑστέρας ἔχων πώλους. He was last, indeed, but was holding back.'

734-735. mvp-comment-341-2 'Now Orestes was driving last, holding his horses back, relying on the finish.' There were six courses yet to be. See note on 726, supr. According to this reading the participial clause is explanatory of ἤλαυνε, and μέν points forward, opposing the position of Orestes before and after he saw that the Athenian alone was left. Some MSS. read ὑστέρας δ', opposing ἔσχατος to ὑστέρας ἔχων πώλους. He was last, indeed, but was holding back.'

736. mvp-comment-342-1 When Orestes saw that the Athenian remained alone.' So Mr. Paley, rightly.

737-738. mvp-comment-343-1 ὀξὺν . . διώκει] • He urged his swift steeds vehemently with shouts that pierced their ears, and makes for him.' ἐνσείειν is a vivid word (Essay on L. § 56. p. 102) which is more properly applicable to hurling hounds at game, throwing an attacking force into a town, etc. Cp. Eur. Or. 255, 6, ὦ μῆτερ, ἱκετεύω σε, μὴ πίσειε μοι | τὰς αἱματωποὺς καὶ δρακοντώδεις κόρας.

738-739. mvp-comment-344-1 κἀξισώσαντε ζυγὰ | ἠλαυνέτην] 'And now they were yoke by yoke, and on they drave.'

739-740. mvp-comment-345-1 τότ᾿ ἄλλος . . ὀχημάτων] 'Now one, and then the other drawing ahead.' κάρα is used analogically of man, car, and steeds, considered as one object; and the genitive ἱππικῶν ὀχημάτων is added to make this clear. (Not 'Putting his head forth from the car.') For the variation of the language in τότε-ἄλλοτε, ἄλλος - ἅτερος, cp. Trach. 457, δέδοικας . . ταρβεῖς.

741. mvp-comment-346-1 It is implied that Orestes' fall took place in the middle of the twelfth and last course.

742. mvp-comment-347-1 The ill-starred youth stood safely on a steady car.'

743-745. mvp-comment-348-1 Then in slackening the left-hand rein while the horse was making the turn, unawares he struck the edge of the goal and splintered the end of his axle-tree.' Cp. supr. 721, 2, and note. The horse making the turn is ὁ προσκείμενος.

746-747. mvp-comment-349-1 κἀξ ἀντύγων .. τμητοῖς ἱμᾶσι] And in a moment he had slipped over the rim of the chariot, and was rolled along together with it by means of the sharp-cut thongs.' Here it must be borne in mind that the reins were passed round the body of the charioteer, as, for instance, in the marble reliefs in the 'Sala della Biga' in the Vatican. Cp. Eur. Hipp. 1221, 2. This point has not escaped Mr. Browning :-' The prince around his body flung the rein.' Artemis Prologizes. Hence, when the body of the chariot was arrested by some sudden obstacle, instead of being jerked from his grasp, they would pull him over the ἄντυξ, and would drag him when the car was again in motion. σύν, sc. ταῖς ἵπποις οι τῷ ἅρματι. ἱμᾶσι is dative of the instrument. τμητοῖς, lit. 'cut,' is suggestive of the sharp edges of the reins. Cp. infr. 862, τμητοῖς ὁλκοῖς ἐγκύρσαι.

748. mvp-comment-350-1 διεσπάρησαν ἐς μέσον δρόμον]

748. mvp-comment-350-2 'Plunged wildly about the course.' μέσον, SC. ἐν μέσῳ τῶν θεατῶν, vaguely distinguishes the field generally from the line of running. διεσπάρησαν, lit. 'were scattered,' is used inaccurately to suggest aimless movement.

749. mvp-comment-351-1 στρατός] 'The assembly.' Cp. Aesch. Eum. 762, χώρᾳ τῇδε καὶ τῷ σῷ στρατῷ.

752-753. mvp-comment-352-1 φορούμενος προφαίνων] 'As he was dragged upon the ground, and now and then his legs were pointed to the sky.' The opposition with ἄλλοτε is suggested as the description proceeds. Hence not ἄλλοτε ἄλλοτε.

753. mvp-comment-353-1 διφρηλάται] Some of the charioteers from the other chariots, who had been thrown, but not seriously hurt.

758. mvp-comment-354-1 μέγιστον σῶμα δειλαίας σποδοῦ] His mighty frame reduced to' (lit. consisting of) hapless dust.' See E. on L. § 10. p. 17, 6. On the supposed great stature of Orestes, see Hdt. 1. 68, where his bones are found at Tegea :-ἐπέτυχον σόρῳ ἑπταπήχεϊ .. καὶ εἶδον τὸν νεκρὸν μήκεϊ ἴσον ἔοντα τῷ σόρῳ.

760. mvp-comment-355-1 ἐκλάχοι] The mood depends on the idea of past time contained either in φέρουσι . . τεταγμένοι, i.e. ἐτάχθησαν φέρειν, or in the whole of the previous sentence.

761. mvp-comment-356-1 τοιαῦτα . . ἐστίν] Cp. Ant. 37, οὕτως ἔχει σοι ταῦτα, and note. ὡς μὲν ἐν λόγῳ] 'In description, indeed;' ὡς is pleonastic. Cp. О. С. 15, ὡς ἀπ᾿ ὀμμάτων.

764. mvp-comment-357-1 δεσπόταισι] δεσπότης is not used elsewhere of an Hellenic ruler. Can Sophocles have forgotten for a moment that the Chorus were freewomen ( infr. 1227)? Or should the speech be given to an οἰκέτης?

765. mvp-comment-358-1 Cp. Hdt. 6. 86, Γλαύκου νῦν οὔτε ἀπόγονόν ἐστι οὐδέν,.. ἐκτέτριπταί τε πρόρριζος ἐκ Σπάρτης.

766-768. mvp-comment-359-1 Clytemnestra is awed for the moment, and her profound relief is mingled with a pang of sorrow.

770. mvp-comment-360-1 δεινὸν . . ἐστίν] 'Motherhood has strange power.'

770-771. mvp-comment-361-1 κακῶς | πάσχοντι] She regards herself as ill-treated by Orestes, because she knew that he would avenge his father if he could. Cp. supr. 293 foll., 603 foll., infr. 779.

771. mvp-comment-362-1 ὧν τέκῃ] ἄv is omitted. See Essay on L. § 27. P. 45.

772. mvp-comment-363-1 μάτην .. ἥκομεν] 'I have made a mistake in coming;' i.e. I see that I have given no satisfaction, and therefore shall receive no reward.

775. mvp-comment-364-1 τῆς ἐμῆς ψυχῆς γεγώς] 'Sprung from my very life.' For this pathetic use of ψυχή, cp. Aesch. Cho. 749, τῆς ἐμῆς ψυχῆς τριβήν. Το mark the horror of the situation she expresses Orestes' original nearness to her in the strongest manner. Cp. Shak. Macbeth, 2. 3, 'The near in blood, The nearer bloody.'

776. mvp-comment-365-1 μαστῶν . . ἐμῆς] 'Going aloof from my breast that gave him suck.' The words μαστῶν καὶ τροφῆς are used figuratively for the debt of obligation due from a son to his mother. Orestes at the time of Agamemnon's death must have been at least ten years old.

780-781. mvp-comment-366-1 ὥστ᾽ οὔτε νυκτός. . ἡδύν] 'So that I have no rest by night, nor can I snatch from the day a sweet moment of repose to enfold me.' στεγάζειν is adapted to ἐξ ἡμέρας-some more general word, such as ἴσχειν, being understood with νυκτός. ἐξ implies that the time is taken from the day, and would not naturally be given to sleep. ἡδύν means, if I do fall asleep, I am terrified with dreams;' i.e. I can neither sleep comfortably at night, nor take a quiet nap in the day-time.

781-782. mvp-comment-367-1 ἀλλ᾽ ὁ προστατῶν.. θανουμένην] But Time ever standing over me was a jailor who conducted me to death. The inversion (for χρόνον διῆ-

782-784. mvp-comment-368-1 yov, see Essay on L. § 42. p. 80 ß) is here forcible in personifying χρόνος. For προστατῶν, instans, cp. Aesch. Agam. 976, δείγμα προστατήριον.

783-784. mvp-comment-369-1 But then, to-day's event has rid me once for all of fears from him and her.' The suppressed or deferred apodosis is resumed in 1. 786. In τῆσδ᾽ ἐκείνου θ' the more emphatic pronoun is put first.

784-785. mvp-comment-370-1 ἥδε γὰρ . . ἦν μοι] For she, dwelling under the same roof, has been a greater bane to me.' οὖσα must be supplied either with βλάβη or with ξύνοικος, and μοι belongs to both.

785-786. mvp-comment-371-1 τοὐμὸν αἷμα] 'Incessantly draining my very life-blood.' ἄκρατον πιεῖν, 'to drink wine unqualified,' seems to have become a synonym for hard drinking. Cp. Od. 9. 297, ἀνδρόμεα κρέ᾽ ἔδων καὶ ἐπ᾿ ἄκρητον γάλα πίνων: Aesch. Cho. 577, 8, φόνου δ' Ἐρινὺς οὐχ ὑπεσπανισμένη | ἄκρατον αἷμα πίεται, τρίτην πόσιν. The force of the adjective here is simply intensive. The addition of ψυχῆς marks the figurative nature of the expression.