Sophocles Electra 178

mvp-comment-235-1 βίου … τοῦ παρόντος ¹

mvp-comment-236-1 καλὸς γὰρ ²

mvp-comment-236-2 θαυμάσαι ³

mvp-comment-237-1 τοῖς φίλοις ⁴

mvp-comment-238-1 εἰκαθεῖν ⁵

mvp-comment-239-1 ταῦτα ⁶ οὐκ ἐμοὺς ⁷

mvp-comment-240-1 γε ⁸ μέντοι ⁹

mvp-comment-240-2 μὴ )ξ ¹⁰

mvp-comment-240-3 πεσεῖν ¹¹

mvp-comment-240-4 399 A woman, speaking of herself in the plur., uses the masc.: Ant. 926

.

mvp-comment-241-1 συγγνώμην ¹²

mvp-comment-242-1 τἄπη ¹³

mvp-comment-242-2 πρὸς κακῶν ¹⁴

mvp-comment-243-1 μή πω ¹⁵

mvp-comment-244-1 οἷπερ … ὁδοῦ ¹⁶

mvp-comment-245-1 τῷ φέρεις ¹⁷

mvp-comment-245-2 ἔμπυρα ¹⁸

mvp-comment-246-1 τυμβεῦσαι χοάς ¹⁹

mvp-comment-247-1 βροτῶν ²⁰

mvp-comment-248-1 ὃν ἔκταν’ αὐτή ²¹ ὅν γ’ ²²

mvp-comment-249-1 τῷ τοῦτ’ ἤρεσεν ²³

mvp-comment-250-1 δείματος ²⁴

mvp-comment-250-2 δοκεῖν ἐμοί ²⁵

mvp-comment-251-1 θεοὶ πατρῷοι ²⁶

mvp-comment-251-2 συγγένεσθέ γ’ ²⁷

mvp-comment-251-3 ἀλλὰ νῦν ²⁸

mvp-comment-252-1 εἴποιμ’ ἂν τότε ²⁹

mvp-comment-253-1 ἐπὶ σμικρὸν ³⁰ ἐπὶ σμικρῶν ³¹

mvp-comment-253-2 φράσαι ³²

mvp-comment-254-1 σμικροὶ λόγοι ³³

mvp-comment-255-1 πατρὸς … δευτέραν ὁμιλίαν ³⁴

mvp-comment-255-2 ἐφέστιον πῆξαι ³⁵

mvp-comment-255-3 This sceptre is described in the Iliad (2. 101 f.) as the work of Hephaestus, who gave it Zeus; Hermes transmitted it to Pelops, from whom it passed to Atreus and Agamemnon. The Homeric sceptre is often called

( Il. 2. 268 , etc.), prob. as being ornamented with gold foil, or studded with gold nails ( Il. 1. 246 ). Among the objects found at Mycenae are some supposed remains of such sceptres (Schliem., Myc. 201, etc.).

mvp-comment-255-4 οὑφόρει ποτέ ³⁶

mvp-comment-256-1 ἔκ τε ³⁷ ἐκ δὲ ³⁸

mvp-comment-256-2 βρύοντα ³⁹

mvp-comment-256-3 ᾧ … γενέσθαι ⁴⁰

mvp-comment-256-4 The vision resembles that of Astyages, who dreamed that a vine sprang from his daughter Mandanè, the wife of Cambyses,

. The explained this to mean that her son (Cyrus) should reign in his grandfather's stead. ( Her. 1. 108. ) The spreading branches figure also in the dream of Xerxes (7. 19): .

mvp-comment-256-5 In choosing the sceptre of Agamemnon as the stock from which the wondrous growth is put forth, Sophocles may have had in mind the words of Achilles ( Il. 1. 234 ff.);

| , | .

mvp-comment-257-1 του παρόντος ⁴¹ τοῦ ⁴² παρόντος ⁴³ του ⁴⁴

mvp-comment-257-2 Ἡλίῳ δείκνυσι τοὖναρ ⁴⁵

mvp-comment-258-1 οὐ κάτοιδα, πλὴν ⁴⁶

mvp-comment-258-2 πέμπει με κείνη ⁴⁷

mvp-comment-259-1 These three verses, which the MSS. give to Electra, and which several recent critics reject (cr. n.), clearly belong to Chrysothemis, and are genuine. Electra's exclamation of joy (411) caused Chrysothemis to ask if her sister had any ground for hope (412). Electra replied that, when she had heard the dream, she would say. This showed her sister that Electra relied merely on the fact that Clytaemnestra had seen some fearful vision. Now, therefore, instead of asking for Electra's interpretation, she merely repeats her counsel (383 f.) before proceeding on her errand. The words

(428 ff.) show the train of her thought. To Chrysothemis, the alarm of Clytaemnestra (427) is more important than the apparition of Agamemnon. The dream is only a new reason why Electra should be cautious,—not why she should hope.

mvp-comment-259-2 The current ascription of the verses to Electra was doubtless prompted by verse 413. It was supposed that the recital of Chrysothemis must be immediately followed by the comments of Electra. But, as Hermann observed, the phrase

would alone suffice to show that the verses belong to Chrysothemis ( cp. 398 ). Nor could the warning, , be fitly uttered by Electra.

mvp-comment-259-3 τῶν ἐγγενῶν ⁴⁸

mvp-comment-260-1 ἀβουλίᾳ ⁴⁹

mvp-comment-260-2 σὺν κακῷ ⁵⁰

mvp-comment-260-3 μέτει ⁵¹

mvp-comment-261-1 ἀλλ’ ⁵²

mvp-comment-261-2 ὦ φίλη ⁵³ τούτων μὲν ⁵⁴

mvp-comment-262-1 οὐ … θέμις ⁵⁵ οὐδ’ ὅσιον ⁵⁶

mvp-comment-262-2 ἐχθρᾶς ἀπὸ γυναικὸς ⁵⁷

mvp-comment-262-3 κτερίσματ’ ⁵⁸

mvp-comment-262-4 λουτρὰ ⁵⁹

mvp-comment-263-1 ἀλλ’ ἢ πνοαῖσιν ⁶⁰ ῥοαῖσιν ⁶¹

mvp-comment-263-2 κρύψον ⁶²

mvp-comment-263-3 νιν ⁶³

mvp-comment-263-4 ἔνθα μή ποτ’ ⁶⁴ ἔνθεν ⁶⁵

mvp-comment-263-5 εὐνὴν ⁶⁶

mvp-comment-264-1 ἀλλ’ ὅταν θάῃν ⁶⁷

mvp-comment-264-2 The conjecture ἔστ’ ἂν ⁶⁸ ὅταν ⁶⁹ σῳζέσθω ⁷⁰

mvp-comment-264-3 κειμήλἰ ⁷¹

mvp-comment-265-1 ἀρχὴν ⁷² τλημονεστάτη ⁷³

mvp-comment-266-1 ἔβλαστε ⁷⁴

mvp-comment-267-1 ὅν γ’ … τῷδ’ ⁷⁵

mvp-comment-267-2 ἐπέστεφε ⁷⁶

mvp-comment-267-3 442 f. The position of αὐτῇ ⁷⁷

mvp-comment-267-4 δέξεσθαι ⁷⁸

mvp-comment-267-5 It seems, then, a reasonable inference that here, where the reference is to future time, he would have written δέξεσθαι ⁷⁹ δέξασθαι ⁸⁰

mvp-comment-267-6 444 ff. Join θανὼν ἄτιμος ⁸¹

mvp-comment-267-7 ἐμασχαλίσθη ⁸²

mvp-comment-267-8 Two different motives are assigned by the Greek commentators; viz.:—(1) the desire to render the dead incapable of wreaking vengeance (

): (2) the desire to make an atonement ( ). There can be little doubt that the first of these motives was the primitive origin of the custom. If the second was afterwards blended with it, the idea may have been that of offering the severed portions to the gods below,—as a victim was devoted to death by cutting off a lock of hair ( Eur. Alc. 75 ). Apollonius Rhodius seems to present the practice in this light (4. 477): Jason, having slain a foe, . Cp. Etym. Magn.: .

mvp-comment-267-9 κἀπὶ λουτροῖσιν ⁸³

mvp-comment-267-10 ἐξέμαξ ν ⁸⁴

mvp-comment-267-11 ἆρα μὴ ⁸⁵

mvp-comment-268-1 οὐκ ἔστιν ⁸⁶

mvp-comment-268-2 ταῦτα μὲν μέθες· σὺ δὲ ⁸⁷

mvp-comment-269-1 βοστρύχων ἄκρας φόβας ⁸⁸

mvp-comment-269-2 κἀμοῦ ταλαίνης ⁸⁹

mvp-comment-270-1 †ἀλιπαρῆ ⁹⁰ λιπαρῆ ⁹¹

mvp-comment-270-2 We come, therefore, to a dilemma. (1) The words

may conceal some corruption: ought possibly to be τήνδε τ’ ⁹² ἀλίπαρον ⁹³

mvp-comment-270-3 (2) Or else, if the text be sound,

may mean . There is no doubt that , ‘fat,’ is the root both of , ‘shining,’ and of , ‘sticking’; cp. Plat. Crat. 427 B

τὸ λιπαρὸν καὶ τὸ κολλῶδες

( Curt. Etym. § 340 ). Similarly , ‘sticky,’ came to mean ‘importunate.’ It is barely possible that, in coining a new negative compound, the poet may have transferred the sense of to : but it seems improbable.

mvp-comment-271-1 ζῶμα ⁹⁴

mvp-comment-271-2 χλιδαῖς ⁹⁵

mvp-comment-272-1 προσπίτνουσα ⁹⁶ αὐτὸν ⁹⁷

mvp-comment-273-1 ἐξ ὑπερτέρας χερός ⁹⁸

mvp-comment-273-2 ζῶντ’ ⁹⁹

mvp-comment-274-1 ἀφνεωτέραις ¹⁰⁰

mvp-comment-274-2 στέφωμεν ¹⁰¹

mvp-comment-274-3 δωρούμεθα ¹⁰²

mvp-comment-275-1 οἶμαι μὲν οὖν ¹⁰³

mvp-comment-275-2 If μέλον ¹⁰⁴ μέλειν ¹⁰⁵ μέλον ¹⁰⁶

mvp-comment-276-1 σοί ¹⁰⁷

mvp-comment-277-1 βροτῶν ¹⁰⁸

mvp-comment-278-1 πρὸς εὐσέβειαν ¹⁰⁹

mvp-comment-279-1 δράσω ¹¹⁰

mvp-comment-279-2 τὸ γὰρ δίκαιον ¹¹¹

mvp-comment-279-3 (1)

is an acc. of general reference, and is impersonal. ‘With regard to what is (clearly) right, it is unreasonable for two persons to dispute; rather both should hasten on the doing (of it).’ With we supply the notion from the negative (as from in O. C. 1402 ff.; cp. O. T. 817 ff.). For the form of the sentence, cp. H. 7. 3. 7 . So here the acc. , which represents the object of , is separated from it by the parenthesis . (The first scholium gives substantially this view: .)

mvp-comment-279-4 (2) Or

might be nom.: ‘that which is clearly right does not afford any ground ( ) for two persons to dispute,’ etc. So the second schol.: . So far as the verb is concerned, this sense is quite admissible: cp. Thuc. 2. 41 ( ). The objection is that the phrases , which are very common, regularly mean, ‘to be reasonable,’ ‘to be unreasonable.’ This is so both in the personal and in the impersonal constr.; as Plat. Phaedop. 62 D : Dem. or. 36 § 54 ; The supposed sense, ‘not to afford a reason,’ is unexampled.

mvp-comment-279-5 δυοῖν ¹¹²

mvp-comment-280-1 παρ’ ὑμῶν ¹¹³

mvp-comment-281-1 πικρὰν ¹¹⁴ δοκῶ με … τολμήσειν ¹¹⁵ ἔτι ¹¹⁶

mvp-comment-282-1 εἰ μὴ )γὼ ¹¹⁷

mvp-comment-282-2 γνώμας λειπομένα ¹¹⁸

mvp-comment-283-1 ἁ πρόμαντις Δίκα ¹¹⁹

mvp-comment-283-2 δίκαια φερομένα χεροῖν κράτη ¹²⁰

mvp-comment-284-1 μέτεισιν ¹²¹

mvp-comment-284-2 οὐ μακροῦ χρόνου ¹²²

mvp-comment-285-1 ὕπεστί μοι θράσος ¹²³ κλύουσαν ¹²⁴

mvp-comment-285-2 ἁδυπνόων … ὀνειράτων ¹²⁵

mvp-comment-286-1 ἀμναστεῖ γ’ ὁ φύσας ς’ ¹²⁶

mvp-comment-287-1 χαλκόπλακτος ¹²⁷

mvp-comment-287-2 γένυς ¹²⁸

mvp-comment-287-3 The very axe (

, 99) with which the blow was dealt is imagined as nourishing a grudge against the murderers who had set it such a task. Such a personification recalls that practice of Athenian law by which inanimate objects which had caused death were brought to a formal trial in the court called , and, after sentence, cast beyond the boundaries, in the presence of the Archon Basileus and the sacrificial officers of the tribes ( ). Aeschin. or. 3 § 244 . (Cp. Dem. or. 23 § 76 .) A like conception was implied in the English law (repealed in 1846) of ‘deodands’ (Deo danda), i.e., personal chattels (whether animals or things) which, having caused the death of a human being, were forfeited to the Crown for pious uses.

mvp-comment-288-1 ἐν αἰκίαις ¹²⁹

mvp-comment-289-1 καὶ πολύπους καὶ πολύχειρ ¹³⁰

mvp-comment-290-1 λόχοις ¹³¹

mvp-comment-290-2 χαλκόπους ¹³²

mvp-comment-291-1 ἄλεκτρ’ ἄνυμφα ¹³³

mvp-comment-291-2 γάμων ἁμιλλήμαθ’ ¹³⁴

mvp-comment-291-3 ἐπέβα ¹³⁵

mvp-comment-292-1 πρὸ τῶνδέ τοι … συνδρῶσιν ¹³⁶

mvp-comment-292-2 Verses 495—497 (

) answer metrically to vv. 479—481 , where the text is certain, save for the doubt whether or should stand in 479. Here we must first decide two points.

mvp-comment-292-3 (1) Are the words πρὸ τῶνδε ¹³⁷

mvp-comment-292-4 (2) Could

(etc.) mean, ‘ the belief possesses me, that’ etc.? Surely not. No real parallel for so strange a phrase has been produced. It is irrelevant to quote those impersonal verbs which directly express the occurrence of a thought to the mind; as Xen. An. 6. 1. 17 (‘the thought came to them, how they might,’ etc.): Thuc. 6. 78. § 1 Either, then, the subject to has dropped out, or the words conceal a corruption.

mvp-comment-292-5 The following remedies are possible: I incline to the first, as involving least change. (1) Reading in 479

, we may read here | etc. (It may be remarked that is in harmony with the tone of in 479.) Another available word is (cp. Ant. 279 ). (2) Or, reading in 479 , we could read here . On either view, the of in 480 is long (as several critics have assumed). It should be noted that (1) involves a different constitution of the verses: see p. lxxxii.

mvp-comment-292-6 In those MSS. which have μή ποτε μή ποθ’ ἡμῖν ¹³⁸

mvp-comment-293-1 ἀψεγές ¹³⁹ ἀψεφές ¹⁴⁰

mvp-comment-293-2 πελᾶν ¹⁴¹

mvp-comment-294-1 τοῖς δρῶσι ¹⁴² τοῖς συνδρῶσιν ¹⁴³

mvp-comment-295-1 μαντεῖαι βροτῶν ¹⁴⁴

mvp-comment-296-1 εὖ κατασχήσει ¹⁴⁵

mvp-comment-297-1 ἱππεία ¹⁴⁶

mvp-comment-297-2 Oenomaüs, king of Pisa in Elis, had promised the hand of his daughter Hippodameia to the suitor who should defeat him in a chariot-race; the penalty of failure being death. The young Pelops, son of Tantalus, offered himself as a competitor. Myrtilus, the charioteer of Oenomaüs, was persuaded (either by Hippodameia or by Pelops) to betray his master. He did so by leaving out one or both of the linch-pins by which the naves of the chariot-wheels were secured to the axles. Tzetzes on Lycophron 156

(= , the naves) . According to another story, he substituted a linch-pin of wax for a real one ( schol. Apoll. Rh. 752 ). So Pelops won the race, and the bride. But Oenomaüs was soon avenged on the traitor; for Myrtilus insulted Hippodameia, and was thrown into the sea by Pelops; upon whose house he invoked a curse, as he sank.

mvp-comment-297-3 Euripides, too, ( Or. 990 ff., Helen. 386 f.) refers to this chariot-race as the event with which the troubles of the Pelopidae began. Apollonius Rhodius briefly describes the critical moment of the race as one of the subjects embroidered on the cloak of Jason (1. 752 ff.); there Oenomaüs was seen, ‘falling sideways, as the axle broke at the naves of the wheels,’—

| .

mvp-comment-297-4 The eastern pediment of the temple of Zeus at Olympia ( circ. 450 B.C.) was adorned with sculptures by Paeonius, representing the preparation for this contest ( Paus. 5. 10. 6 ). The fragments found on the site have sufficed for a reconstruction of the group. Zeus occupied the centre; to the right of him were Pelops and Hippodameia; to the left, Oenomaüs and his wife Steropè. On each side was a chariot drawn by four horses. Myrtilus was sitting in front of his team, with his face turned away from his master.

mvp-comment-297-5 In the older and nobler form of the myth, Pelops won, not by a fraud, but by the grace of Poseidon, who gave him winged horses (Pindar O. 1. 87

). On the chest ( ) of Cypselus, seen by Pausanias in the Heraeum at Olympia ( Paus. 5. 17. 5 ), Pelops was driving two winged horses.

mvp-comment-298-1 αἰανὴς ¹⁴⁷

mvp-comment-298-2 The form

has the best authority, and some critics hold that (Hesych.) was a Byzantine invention. But in Aesch. Eum. 416 , (so L, schol., and Tzetzes on Lycophron 406), is far less suitable.

mvp-comment-299-1 εὖτε ¹⁴⁸

mvp-comment-299-2 ὁ ποντισθεὶς Μυρτίλος ¹⁴⁹

mvp-comment-299-3 A vase found at Capua shows Pelops and Hippodameia in a ship, from which Myrtilus is falling backwards into the water. A winged Erinys hovers in the air above, brandishing a sword over the head of Pelops (Baumeister, Denkmäler p. 1204, referring to Mon. Inst. x. 25).

mvp-comment-299-4 ἐκοιμάθη ¹⁵⁰

mvp-comment-300-1 παγχρυσέων δίφρων ¹⁵¹

mvp-comment-301-1 πρόρριζος ¹⁵²

mvp-comment-301-2 ἐκριφθείς ¹⁵³

mvp-comment-302-1 ἔλειπεν ¹⁵⁴ ἔλιπεν ¹⁵⁵ οἴκου ¹⁵⁶ οἴκους ¹⁵⁷ πω ¹⁵⁸

mvp-comment-303-1 πολύπονος ¹⁵⁹ αἰκία ¹⁶⁰

mvp-comment-304-1 ἀνειμένη ¹⁶¹ μέν ¹⁶²

mvp-comment-304-2 ὡς ἔοικας ¹⁶³

mvp-comment-304-3 στρέφει ¹⁶⁴

mvp-comment-304-4 Clytaemnestra begins in the same strain as Chrysothemis, who likewise emphasised her reproof by the word αὖ ¹⁶⁵

mvp-comment-305-1 μή τοι θυραίαν γ’ ¹⁶⁶

mvp-comment-305-2 αἰσχύνειν φίλους ¹⁶⁷

mvp-comment-306-1 καίτοι ¹⁶⁸

mvp-comment-306-2 δὴ ¹⁶⁹ πολλούς ¹⁷⁰

mvp-comment-306-3 ἐξεῖπάς με … ὡς ¹⁷¹

mvp-comment-306-4 θρασεῖα ¹⁷² τραχεῖα ¹⁷³

mvp-comment-306-5 ἄρχω ¹⁷⁴

mvp-comment-307-1 ὕβριν … οὐκ ἔχω ¹⁷⁵ κακῶς κλύουσα ¹⁷⁶

mvp-comment-308-1 πατὴρ γάρ ¹⁷⁷

mvp-comment-308-2 πρόσχημα ¹⁷⁸

mvp-comment-309-1 ἡ γὰρ Δίκη ¹⁷⁹

mvp-comment-310-1 ᾗ χρῆν σ’ ἀρήγειν ¹⁸⁰

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

, is probably right; the words would then fall from her with a certain deliberate bitterness. Cp. 542 : Ant. 44 (n.): Ph. 101 .

mvp-comment-312-1 μοῦνος ¹⁸¹ Ἑλλήνων ¹⁸²

mvp-comment-312-2 Nauck requires

instead of , 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,

. But, having written , the poet explains by repeating the comparison in a new form, . (For or after , 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 would be unintelligible. Cp. Aesch. Ag. 1417 | .

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.,

| . Cp. above, Aesch. Eum. 366 n.

mvp-comment-313-1 τοῦ χάριν, τίνων ¹⁸³

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

as the participle. But there is an insuperable objection to this, which seems to have escaped notice. The words, ; 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 ; See ( e.g.) Aesch. P. V. 985 : Aesch. Ag. 821 | . Hence the question, ; could not possibly be answered by . 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 by , plainly meant, ‘showing gratitude for what?’—and his paraphrase was correct; only he overlooked the context.

mvp-comment-314-1 ἀλλ’ οὐ μετῆν ¹⁸⁴

mvp-comment-315-1 ἀλλ’ ἀντ’ ἀδελφοῦ δῆτα ¹⁸⁵ κτανὼν ¹⁸⁶

mvp-comment-315-2 ἀντὶ ἀδελφοῦ ¹⁸⁷

mvp-comment-315-3 τἄμ’ ¹⁸⁸

mvp-comment-316-1 παῖδες … διπλοῖ ¹⁸⁹

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

.

mvp-comment-317-1 ἢ ¹⁹⁰

mvp-comment-317-2 ἢ τῶν ἐμῶν Ἅιδης ¹⁹¹

mvp-comment-318-1 δαίσασθαι ¹⁹²

mvp-comment-318-2 The conj. λῄσασθαι ¹⁹³

mvp-comment-319-1 πανώλει ¹⁹⁴

mvp-comment-319-2 παρεῖτο ¹⁹⁵

mvp-comment-319-3 The sense does not absolutely require us to take Μενέλεω δ’ ¹⁹⁶

mvp-comment-320-1 ἀβούλου ¹⁹⁷

mvp-comment-320-2 κακοῦ γνώμην ¹⁹⁸

mvp-comment-321-1 δοκῶ μέν ¹⁹⁹

mvp-comment-321-2 εἰ καὶ ²⁰⁰

mvp-comment-322-1 εἰ φωνὴν λάβοι ²⁰¹

mvp-comment-323-1 τοῖς πεπραγμένοις ²⁰²

mvp-comment-324-1 γνώμην δικαίαν σχοῦσα ²⁰³

mvp-comment-325-1 ἐρεῖς μὲν οὐχὶ ²⁰⁴ ἐρεῖς ²⁰⁵ ἐρεῖς … μ’ ὡς ²⁰⁶

mvp-comment-325-2 ἄρξασά τι λυπηρὸν ²⁰⁷

mvp-comment-325-3 τάδ’ ἐξήκους’ ²⁰⁸

mvp-comment-326-1 τοῦ τεθνηκότος θ’ ὕπερ ²⁰⁹

mvp-comment-327-1 καὶ μὴν ²¹⁰

mvp-comment-327-2 λόγους ἐξῆρχές με ²¹¹

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 ²¹² πατέρα ²¹³ φὴς ²¹⁴

mvp-comment-329-1 εἴτ’ οὖν … εἴτε ²¹⁵

mvp-comment-329-2 λέξω ²¹⁶ δείξω ²¹⁷

mvp-comment-330-1 ὡς οὐ δίκῃ γ’ ²¹⁸ ἔσπασεν ²¹⁹ πειθὼ ²²⁰

mvp-comment-331-1 κυναγὸν ²²¹

mvp-comment-331-2 ποινὰς ²²²

mvp-comment-331-3 τὰ πολλὰ πνεύματ’ ἔσχ’ ²²³ τὰ πολλὰ ²²⁴ ἔσχε ²²⁵

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:

. But other authorities speak of a calm. Thus I. A. 9 ff. | | . Schol. Eur. Or. 647 . Tzetzes on Lycophron 183 . Ovid ( Met. 13. 183 ) combines both versions:

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

: 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 ( , Soph. Ant. 1145 : , Aesch. Ag. 191 ).

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

from v. 558. Nor: (2) ‘She directed those tedious winds at Aulis,’—a version which would at least require . Cp. Ph. 1119 | .

mvp-comment-331-7 The conjecture πλοῖα ²²⁶

mvp-comment-331-8 Αὐλίδι ²²⁷

mvp-comment-332-1 ἢ )γὼ φράσω ²²⁸ κείνης ²²⁹

mvp-comment-333-1 ὡς ἐγὼ κλύω ²³⁰

mvp-comment-333-2 θεᾶς … κατ’ ἄλσος ²³¹

mvp-comment-333-3 παίζων ²³²

mvp-comment-333-4 ποδοῖν ²³³

mvp-comment-334-1 ἔλαφον ²³⁴

mvp-comment-334-2 στικτὸν ²³⁵

mvp-comment-334-3 κεράστην ²³⁶

mvp-comment-334-4 οὗ κατὰ σφαγὰς ²³⁷

mvp-comment-335-1 ἐκκομπάσας ἔπος τι τυγχάνει ²³⁸ βαλών ²³⁹

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

with , as=‘he shoots and hits’; cp. Il. 15. 581 : Her. 3. 35 . The vaunt must then precede the hit.

mvp-comment-335-3 Others take βαλὼν ²⁴⁰ ἔπος ²⁴¹

mvp-comment-335-4 Monk, with Musgrave, took σφαγὰς ²⁴²

mvp-comment-336-1 ἐκ τοῦδε ²⁴³

mvp-comment-336-2 μηνίσασα ²⁴⁴

mvp-comment-336-3 Λητῴα κόρη ²⁴⁵

mvp-comment-337-1 ὡς ²⁴⁶ ἀντίσταθμον ²⁴⁷

mvp-comment-337-2 ἐκθύσειε ²⁴⁸

mvp-comment-338-1 ὧδ’ ἦν ²⁴⁹

mvp-comment-338-2 τὰ … θύματ’ ²⁵⁰

mvp-comment-338-3 λύσις ²⁵¹

mvp-comment-338-4 πρὸς οἶκον ²⁵²

mvp-comment-339-1 πολλὰ ²⁵³

mvp-comment-339-2 ἀντιβὰς ²⁵⁴

mvp-comment-339-3 μόλις ²⁵⁵

mvp-comment-340-1 εἰ δ’ οὖν ²⁵⁶

mvp-comment-340-2 ἐρῶ γὰρ καὶ τὸ σόν ²⁵⁷

mvp-comment-341-1 τούτου … οὕνεκ’ ²⁵⁸

mvp-comment-341-2 νόμῳ ²⁵⁹

mvp-comment-342-1 ὅρα ²⁶⁰ μὴ … τιθῇς ²⁶¹ τίθης ²⁶²

mvp-comment-342-2 Here, either

or would be suitable. (1) With :—‘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 : —‘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 ), against which Electra warns her. On the whole, I now prefer . Cp. 1003 | : fr. 82 .

mvp-comment-342-3 τιθεῖσα … νόμον ²⁶³

mvp-comment-343-1 εἰ γὰρ κτενοῦμεν ²⁶⁴

mvp-comment-343-2 πρώτη ²⁶⁵

mvp-comment-344-1 εἰσόρα ²⁶⁶

mvp-comment-344-2 οὐκ οὖσαν ²⁶⁷

mvp-comment-344-3 τίθης ²⁶⁸

mvp-comment-344-4 εἰ … θέλεις ²⁶⁹

mvp-comment-345-1 τῷ παλαμναίῳ ²⁷⁰

mvp-comment-345-2 πρόσθεν ἐξαπώλεσας ²⁷¹

mvp-comment-346-1 παιδοποιεῖς ²⁷²

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

. 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 ²⁷³

mvp-comment-346-4 κἀξ εὐσεβῶν ²⁷⁴

mvp-comment-346-5 By

Electra means Orestes and herself. Both are ‘cast out’ of their just rights. Cp. O.T. 611 . Eur. El. 62 |

mvp-comment-346-6 βλαστόντας ²⁷⁵

mvp-comment-346-7 ἐκβαλοῦσ’ ἔχεις ²⁷⁶

mvp-comment-347-1 πῶς ταῦτ’ ἐπαινέσαιμ’ ἄν ²⁷⁷

mvp-comment-347-2 ἢ ²⁷⁸ ἦ ²⁷⁹ καὶ τοῦτ’ ²⁸⁰ ἄποινα ²⁸¹

mvp-comment-348-1 αἰσχρῶς δ’ ²⁸² δ’ ²⁸³

mvp-comment-348-2 ἐάν περ καὶ λέγῃς ²⁸⁴

mvp-comment-348-3 ἐχθροῖς γαμεῖσθαι ²⁸⁵

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 ²⁸⁶

mvp-comment-349-2 πᾶσαν ἵης γλῶσσαν ²⁸⁷

mvp-comment-350-1 κακοστομοῦμεν ²⁸⁸

mvp-comment-350-2 καί σ’ ἔγωγε δεσπότιν ²⁸⁹

mvp-comment-350-3 εἰς ἡμᾶς ²⁹⁰ ἣ ²⁹¹

mvp-comment-351-1 βίον μοχθηρόν ²⁹²

mvp-comment-351-2 ἔκ τε σοῦ ²⁹³ κακοῖς … ξυνοῦσα ²⁹⁴

mvp-comment-351-3 συννόμου ²⁹⁵

mvp-comment-352-1 ὁ δ’ ἄλλος ²⁹⁶

mvp-comment-352-2 χεῖρα σὴν ²⁹⁷

mvp-comment-352-3 τρίβει βίον ²⁹⁸

mvp-comment-352-4 603 The reason for writing δή με σοὶ ²⁹⁹ δή μέ σοι ³⁰⁰

mvp-comment-352-5 μιάστορα ³⁰¹

mvp-comment-353-1 τοῦδέ γ’ οὕνεκα ³⁰²

mvp-comment-354-1 εἰς ἅπαντας ³⁰³

mvp-comment-354-2 χρῇς ³⁰⁴

mvp-comment-354-3 στόμαργον ³⁰⁵

mvp-comment-355-1 τῶνδε τῶν ἔ|ργων ἴδρις ³⁰⁶

mvp-comment-355-2 σχεδόν τι ³⁰⁷

mvp-comment-355-3 οὐ καταισχύνω ³⁰⁸

mvp-comment-356-1 ὁρῶ μένος πνέουσαν ³⁰⁹ μένος πνέουσαν ³¹⁰

mvp-comment-356-2 σὺν δίκῃ ξύνεστι ³¹¹

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

(612) is plainly an echo of (611). But: ( a) it does not follow that is not Electra's thought. ( b) It is surely clear that 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 ³¹² ἐμοὶ ³¹³ μοι ³¹⁴ δεῖ ³¹⁵

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 ³¹⁶

mvp-comment-358-2 τηλικοῦτος ³¹⁷

mvp-comment-358-3 ἆρα ³¹⁸

mvp-comment-358-4 χωρεῖν ἂν ³¹⁹ εἰς πᾶν ἔργον ³²⁰

mvp-comment-359-1 εὖ νυν ἐπίστω ³²¹

mvp-comment-359-2 ἔξωρα ³²²

mvp-comment-359-3 προσεικότα ³²³

mvp-comment-360-1 ἀλλὰ … γὰρ ³²⁴

mvp-comment-360-2 ἡ … ἐκ σοῦ δυσμένεια ³²⁵

mvp-comment-360-3 ἐξαναγκάζει ³²⁶ αἰσχροῖς ³²⁷

mvp-comment-360-4 622 f. The word θρέμμα ³²⁸

mvp-comment-360-5 ἦ σ’ ἐγὼ ³²⁹

mvp-comment-361-1 νιν ³³⁰

mvp-comment-361-2 εὑρίσκεται ³³¹

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 ³³²

mvp-comment-362-2 δέσποιναν ³³³

mvp-comment-362-3 Ἄρτεμιν ³³⁴

mvp-comment-362-4 θράσους τοῦδ’ οὐκ ἀλύξεις ³³⁵ μόλῃ ³³⁶

mvp-comment-363-1 ὁρᾷς ³³⁷

mvp-comment-363-2 ἐκφέρει ³³⁸

mvp-comment-363-3 The v. l. παρεῖσα ³³⁹

mvp-comment-364-1 οὐδὲ ³⁴⁰

mvp-comment-364-2 ὑπ’ εὐφήμου βοῆς ³⁴¹

mvp-comment-364-3 ἐπειδὴ σοί γ’ ³⁴²

mvp-comment-364-4 πᾶν λέγειν ³⁴³

mvp-comment-365-1 κελεύω ³⁴⁴

mvp-comment-365-2 τοὐμὸν στόμ’ ³⁴⁵

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 ³⁴⁶

mvp-comment-365-4 ἡ παροῦσά μοι ³⁴⁷

mvp-comment-365-5 θύματα … πάγκαρπα ³⁴⁸

mvp-comment-366-1 λυτηρίους … δειμάτων ³⁴⁹

mvp-comment-366-2 ἀνάσχω ³⁵⁰

mvp-comment-367-1 κλύοις ἂν ³⁵¹

mvp-comment-367-2 προστατήριε ³⁵²

mvp-comment-368-1 κεκρυμμένην ³⁵³

mvp-comment-368-2 οὐ γὰρ ἐν φίλοις ³⁵⁴

mvp-comment-369-1 πρὸς φῶς ³⁵⁵

mvp-comment-370-1 πολυγλώσσῳ ³⁵⁶

mvp-comment-370-2 σπείρῃ ³⁵⁷

mvp-comment-370-3 ματαίαν ³⁵⁸

mvp-comment-371-1 ὧδ’ ³⁵⁹

mvp-comment-372-1 γὰρ ³⁶⁰

mvp-comment-372-2 δισσῶν ὀνείρων ³⁶¹

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 ³⁶²

mvp-comment-373-1 ἐσθλά … ἐχθρά ³⁶³

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

, |

mvp-comment-373-3 ἔμπαλιν μέθες ³⁶⁴

mvp-comment-374-1 εἴ τινες ³⁶⁵

mvp-comment-375-1 ἀλλ’ ὧδε ³⁶⁶

mvp-comment-375-2 ἀβλαβεῖ βίῳ ³⁶⁷

mvp-comment-376-1 δόμους ³⁶⁸

mvp-comment-376-2 ἀμφέπειν ³⁶⁹

mvp-comment-376-3 φίλοισι ³⁷⁰

mvp-comment-377-1 εὐημεροῦσαν ³⁷¹

mvp-comment-377-2 καὶ τέκνων ³⁷² ὅσων ³⁷³

mvp-comment-377-3 We might also take

as standing, by attraction, for . When the antecedent is thus attracted, it usually comes after the relative ( O.C. 56); but sometimes precedes it, as in Tr. 151 f. ... | ... (for ) . 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 as partitive, it may be added that this suits the distinction between two groups of . By she means Chrysothemis, Iphianassa, and the offspring o<*> her union with Aegisthus (157; 589).

mvp-comment-377-4 ἐμοὶ … πρόσεστιν ³⁷⁴

mvp-comment-378-1 πᾶσιν ἡμῖν ³⁷⁵

mvp-comment-379-1 τὰ δ’ ἄλλα πάντα ³⁷⁶

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

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

mvp-comment-379-3 πῶς ἂν εἰδείην ³⁷⁷

mvp-comment-380-1 ἦ καὶ ³⁷⁸

mvp-comment-380-2 ἐπεικάζων κυρῶ ³⁷⁹

mvp-comment-380-3 πρέπ<*> γὰρ ³⁸⁰

mvp-comment-381-1 μάλιστα πάντων ³⁸¹

mvp-comment-381-2 ἥδε σοι κείνη πάρα ³⁸²

mvp-comment-381-3 666 f. The ὦ ³⁸³ χαῖρε ³⁸⁴

mvp-comment-382-1 ἐδεξάμην τὸ ῥηθέν ³⁸⁵

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

or ( Her. 9. 91 ; Ar. Pl. 63 ). But alone was enough ( Xen. An. 1. 8. 17 : cp. Aesch. Ag. 1653 ). The phrase used here recurs in Her. 8. 114 : cp. also Eur. El. 622

προσηκάμην τὸ ῥηθέν

.

mvp-comment-382-3 εἰδέναι … σου ³⁸⁶

mvp-comment-383-1 Φανοτεὺς ³⁸⁷

mvp-comment-383-2 πρᾶγμα πορσύνων μέγα ³⁸⁸

mvp-comment-384-1 τὸ ποῖον ³⁸⁹

mvp-comment-385-1 ἐν βραχεῖ ξυνθεὶς ³⁹⁰

mvp-comment-386-1 τί φής, τί φής ³⁹¹ ξεῖνε ³⁹²

mvp-comment-386-2 ταύτης ³⁹³

mvp-comment-387-1 νῦν τε καὶ πάλαι ³⁹⁴

mvp-comment-388-1 οὐδέν εἰμ’ ἔτι ³⁹⁵

mvp-comment-389-1 τὰ σαυτῆς πρᾶσς’ ³⁹⁶

mvp-comment-389-2 διόλλυται ³⁹⁷

mvp-comment-390-1 κἀπεμπόμην ³⁹⁸ καὶ … φράσω ³⁹⁹

mvp-comment-391-1 γὰρ ⁴⁰⁰

mvp-comment-392-1 πρόσχημ’ ἀγῶνος ⁴⁰¹ Ἑλλάδος ⁴⁰²

mvp-comment-392-2 πρόσχημα ⁴⁰³

mvp-comment-392-3 Δελφ. ἄθλων ⁴⁰⁴

mvp-comment-393-1 ὀρθίων ⁴⁰⁵

mvp-comment-393-2 δρόμον … οὗ πρώτη κρίσις ⁴⁰⁶

mvp-comment-394-1 εἰσῆλθε ⁴⁰⁷

mvp-comment-395-1 ἰσώσας * τἀφέσει ⁴⁰⁸ τῇ φύσει ⁴⁰⁹

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

, 2. , 3. . 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), . It would agree, then, with the words (684) if the were meant here. [As to Legg. 833 D, see Appendix.]

mvp-comment-395-3 For

as=‘starting-place,’ cp. Suidas ( s.v. ): : Paus. 6. 20. 9 : id. 5. 15. 5 —Dindorf notes that in Aristeides vol. I. p. 339 the words were corrupted to .

mvp-comment-395-4 The proposed versions of the vulgate τῇ φύσει ⁴¹⁰

mvp-comment-396-1 νίκης … γέρας ⁴¹¹

mvp-comment-397-1 χὥπως μὲν ⁴¹²

mvp-comment-397-2 Others explain:—

: ‘I do not know how to describe his deeds to you briefly, when they were so many.’ The place of 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 , or the like. And (2) is then awkward.

mvp-comment-398-1 ὅσων ⁴¹³

mvp-comment-398-2 εἰσεκήρυξαν ⁴¹⁴

mvp-comment-398-3 βραβῆς ⁴¹⁵

mvp-comment-399-1 δρομων διαύλων ⁴¹⁶

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

in 692 to .

mvp-comment-400-1 ἐνεγκὼν ⁴¹⁷

mvp-comment-400-2 τἀπινίκια ⁴¹⁸

mvp-comment-401-1 ὠλβίζετ’ ⁴¹⁹ ἀνακαλ ⁴²⁰

mvp-comment-401-2 Ἀγαμέμνονος ⁴²¹

mvp-comment-401-3 ἀγείραντος ⁴²²

mvp-comment-402-1 καὶ ταῦτα μὲν τοιαῦθ’ ⁴²³

mvp-comment-402-2 βλάπτῃ ⁴²⁴

mvp-comment-402-3 ἰσχύων ⁴²⁵

mvp-comment-403-1 ἄλλης ἡμέρας ⁴²⁶

mvp-comment-403-2 ἱππικῶν ⁴²⁷

mvp-comment-404-1 ἡλίου τέλλοντος ⁴²⁸

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 ⁴²⁹

mvp-comment-406-1 Λίβυες ⁴³⁰

mvp-comment-406-2 ζυγωτῶν ⁴³¹ ἐπιστάται ⁴³²

mvp-comment-407-1 κἀκεῖνος ⁴³³

mvp-comment-407-2 ἐν τούτοισι ⁴³⁴ ἐπὶ ⁴³⁵

mvp-comment-407-3 Θεσσαλὰς … ἵππους ⁴³⁶

mvp-comment-408-1 ξανθαῖσι ⁴³⁷

mvp-comment-408-2 πώλοις ⁴³⁸

mvp-comment-408-3 Μάγνης ⁴³⁹

mvp-comment-409-1 λεύκιππος ⁴⁴⁰

mvp-comment-409-2 Αἰνιὰν ⁴⁴¹

mvp-comment-410-1 τῶν θεοδμήτων ⁴⁴²

mvp-comment-411-1 ἄλλος ⁴⁴³ ἐκπληρῶν ⁴⁴⁴

mvp-comment-412-1 στάντες ⁴⁴⁵

mvp-comment-412-2 †ὅθ’ αὐτοὺς ⁴⁴⁶ ὅθ’ ⁴⁴⁷ ἵν’ ⁴⁴⁸ ὅτ’ ⁴⁴⁹

mvp-comment-412-3 βραβῆς ⁴⁵⁰ οἱ τεταγμένοι ⁴⁵¹

mvp-comment-412-4 710 *

. I should much prefer to read in 709: but is defensible, and I refrain from change. Two views are possible; the first is generally received, and is perhaps simplest. (1) depends on as= : cp. Ar. Eccl. 683 , ‘I will place them all by lot,’ | See above on 123, Ar. Eccl. 556. (2) = , a parenthetic construction ( ), so that is governed by only, and is a second acc., defining , as in ( Soph. Ph. 1301 ). See on 466

f.

mvp-comment-412-5 ἔπηλαν ⁴⁵²

mvp-comment-413-1 χαλκῆς ⁴⁵³

mvp-comment-413-2 ὑπαὶ ⁴⁵⁴

mvp-comment-413-3 οἱ δ’ ⁴⁵⁵

mvp-comment-414-1 ὁμοκλήσαντες ⁴⁵⁶

mvp-comment-415-1 ἐν δὲ ⁴⁵⁷

mvp-comment-415-2 κροτητῶν ⁴⁵⁸

mvp-comment-415-3 I formerly took

as=‘welded,’ ‘hammered,’ with ref. to the metal-work of the chariots: cp. Il. 23. 503 : 10. 438 : 4. 226 . (Cp. Helbig, H. E. p. 90.) For this sense of , cp. Pind. fr. 194 .

mvp-comment-416-1 φορεῖθ’ ⁴⁵⁹

mvp-comment-417-1 κέντρων ⁴⁶⁰

mvp-comment-417-2 ὡς ὑπερβάλοι ⁴⁶¹ τις ⁴⁶²

mvp-comment-417-3 χνόας ⁴⁶³

mvp-comment-417-4 φρυάγμαθ’ ἱππικά ⁴⁶⁴

mvp-comment-418-1 ὁμοῦ γὰρ ἀμφὶ νῶτα ⁴⁶⁵

mvp-comment-418-2 τροχῶν βάσεις ⁴⁶⁶

mvp-comment-418-3 εἰσέβαλλον ⁴⁶⁷

mvp-comment-419-1 ὑπ’ αὐτὴν ⁴⁶⁸

mvp-comment-419-2 ἐσχάτην στήλην ⁴⁶⁹

mvp-comment-420-1 ἔχριμπτ’ ἀεὶ σύριγγα ⁴⁷⁰ ἔχριμπτ’ ⁴⁷¹

mvp-comment-420-2 δεξιὸν δ’ ἀνεὶς κ.τ.λ. ⁴⁷²

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

| | , | | (‘so that just the nave of the well-wrought wheel may seem to graze it’).

mvp-comment-421-1 πρὶν μὲν ⁴⁷³ ἔπειτα δ’ ⁴⁷⁴

mvp-comment-421-2 ἕστασαν ⁴⁷⁵

mvp-comment-422-1 ἄστομοι ⁴⁷⁶

mvp-comment-422-2 βίᾳ φέρουσιν ⁴⁷⁷

mvp-comment-422-3 ἐκ δ’ ὑποστροφῆς ⁴⁷⁸

mvp-comment-423-1 τελοῦντες κ.τ.λ. ⁴⁷⁹

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

, 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 ( ), 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

| ( Pind. O. 3. 33 : cp. Pind. O. 2. 55 , Pind. O. 6. 75 , Pind. P. 5. 33 ). If the (=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 ⁴⁸⁰

mvp-comment-424-1 ἐξ ἑνὸς κακοῦ ⁴⁸¹ ἔθραυε καὶ ἐνέπιπτε ⁴⁸²

mvp-comment-424-2 ναυαγίων ⁴⁸³

mvp-comment-424-3 Κρισαῖον … πέδον ⁴⁸⁴

mvp-comment-425-1 γνοὺς δ’ ⁴⁸⁵

mvp-comment-425-2 κἀνοκωχεύει ⁴⁸⁶

mvp-comment-425-3 κλύδων’ ⁴⁸⁷

mvp-comment-426-1 ἔσχατος μὲν ⁴⁸⁸

mvp-comment-426-2 ὑστέρας ἔχων ⁴⁸⁹ φέρων ⁴⁹⁰ πίστιν φέρων ⁴⁹¹

mvp-comment-426-3 Those who read

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

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 ⁴⁹²

mvp-comment-428-1 ἐνσείσας. ⁴⁹³

mvp-comment-429-1 κἀξισώσαντε ζυγὰ ⁴⁹⁴

mvp-comment-429-2 τότ’ … ἄλλοθ’ ⁴⁹⁵

mvp-comment-429-3 ἄλλος … ἅτερος ⁴⁹⁶

mvp-comment-429-4 κάρα προβάλλων ⁴⁹⁷

mvp-comment-429-5 For προβάλλων ⁴⁹⁸

mvp-comment-430-1 τοὺς μὲν ἄλλους πάντας ⁴⁹⁹

mvp-comment-430-2 ἀσφαλεῖς ⁵⁰⁰

mvp-comment-430-3 ὠρθοῦθ’ ⁵⁰¹ ὀρθὸς ἐξ ὀρθῶν δί‐ ⁵⁰² φρων ⁵⁰³

mvp-comment-431-1 λύων ἡνίαν ἀριστερὰν ⁵⁰⁴

mvp-comment-432-1 χνόας ⁵⁰⁵ μέσας ⁵⁰⁶

mvp-comment-433-1 ἀντύγων ⁵⁰⁷

mvp-comment-433-2 σὺν δ’ ἑλίσσεται ⁵⁰⁸ τμητοῖς ⁵⁰⁹

mvp-comment-434-1 διεσπάρησαν εἰς μέσον δρόμον ⁵¹⁰

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

, | [ sc. ] (‘rushed out of the course’).

mvp-comment-435-1 στρατὸς ⁵¹¹

mvp-comment-435-2 δίφρων ⁵¹²

mvp-comment-435-3 ἀνωλόλυξε ⁵¹³

mvp-comment-435-4 οἷ’ … οἷα ⁵¹⁴

mvp-comment-436-1 φορούμενος πρὸς οὖδας ⁵¹⁵

mvp-comment-436-2 ἄλλοτ’ ⁵¹⁶

mvp-comment-436-3 οὐρανῷ σκέλη προφαίνων ⁵¹⁷

mvp-comment-437-1 διφρηλάται ⁵¹⁸

mvp-comment-437-2 κατασχεθόντες ⁵¹⁹

mvp-comment-438-1 κέαντες ⁵²⁰

mvp-comment-438-2 ἐν βραχεῖ χαλκῷ ⁵²¹

mvp-comment-438-3 μέγιστον ⁵²²

mvp-comment-438-4 σῶμα … σποδοῦ ⁵²³

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

| | . Suppl. 1130 | . 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 ⁵²⁴

mvp-comment-439-2 ἐκλάχῃ ⁵²⁵

mvp-comment-440-1 τοιαῦτά σοι ⁵²⁶ ταῦτ’ ἐστίν ⁵²⁷

mvp-comment-440-2 ὡς μὲν ἐν λόγῳ ⁵²⁸

mvp-comment-440-3 τοῖς δ’ ἰδ., οἵπερ εἴδομεν ⁵²⁹

mvp-comment-440-4 764 f. The word δεσπόταισι ⁵³⁰

mvp-comment-440-5 πρόρριζον ⁵³¹

mvp-comment-441-1 ὦ Ζεῦ ⁵³²

mvp-comment-441-2 λέγω ⁵³³

mvp-comment-442-1 τῷ νῦν λόγῳ ⁵³⁴

mvp-comment-443-1 δεινὸν ⁵³⁵

mvp-comment-443-2 πάσχοντι ⁵³⁶ ὧν τέκῃ ⁵³⁷

mvp-comment-444-1 μάτην ἄρ’ ἡμεῖς κ.τ.λ. ⁵³⁸

mvp-comment-445-1 μάτην λέγοις ⁵³⁹

mvp-comment-446-1 ψυχῆς ⁵⁴⁰

mvp-comment-447-1 μαστῶν κ.τ.λ. ⁵⁴¹

mvp-comment-447-2 ἀποστὰς ⁵⁴²

mvp-comment-447-3 ἀπεξενοῦτο ⁵⁴³

mvp-comment-448-1 φόνους ⁵⁴⁴

mvp-comment-449-1 ὥστ’ οὔτε … στεγάζειν ⁵⁴⁵

mvp-comment-449-2 ἐξ ἡμέρας ⁵⁴⁶

mvp-comment-449-3 στεψάζειν ⁵⁴⁷

mvp-comment-449-4 ὁ προστατῶν χρόνος ⁵⁴⁸

mvp-comment-449-5 διῆγε ⁵⁴⁹

mvp-comment-449-6 783 f. The perf. ἀπήλλαγμαι ⁵⁵⁰

mvp-comment-449-7 μείζων ⁵⁵¹

mvp-comment-450-1 τοὐμὸν ⁵⁵²

mvp-comment-450-2 ἐκπίνους’ ⁵⁵³

mvp-comment-450-3 ἄκρατον ⁵⁵⁴

mvp-comment-450-4 νῦν δ’ ⁵⁵⁵

mvp-comment-450-5 ἕκηλα ⁵⁵⁶

mvp-comment-450-6 οὕνεχ’ ⁵⁵⁷

mvp-comment-450-7 ἡμερεύσομεν ⁵⁵⁸

mvp-comment-451-1 οἴμοι τάλαινα ⁵⁵⁹

mvp-comment-451-2 οἰμῶξαι ⁵⁶⁰

mvp-comment-452-1 ἆρ’ ἔχει καλῶς ⁵⁶¹

mvp-comment-453-1 οὔτοι σὺ ⁵⁶²

mvp-comment-454-1 Νέμεσι ⁵⁶³

mvp-comment-454-2 τοῦ θανόντος ἀρτίως ⁵⁶⁴

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

, Mund. 7. p. 401 b. 13). The ‘Nemesis of the dead man’ is the avenger of wrong done to him; as the Greeks said ( Aesch. Ag. 1432 ), . Cp. Aesch. fr. 266 (‘ our Nemesis’) , | . At Athens were certain rites in honour of the dead ( Dem. or. 41 § 11 ), (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 ⁵⁶⁵

mvp-comment-455-2 κἀπεκύρωσεν ⁵⁶⁶

mvp-comment-456-1 οὔκουν … τάδε ⁵⁶⁷

mvp-comment-457-1 οὐχ ὅπως σε παύσομεν ⁵⁶⁸

mvp-comment-458-1 πολλῶν ἂν ἥκοις ⁵⁶⁹ ἔπαυσας ⁵⁷⁰ παύσαις ⁵⁷¹

mvp-comment-458-2 πολλῶν ⁵⁷² ἄξιος ⁵⁷³ τυχεῖν ⁵⁷⁴

mvp-comment-459-1 εὖ κυρεῖ ⁵⁷⁵

mvp-comment-459-2 800 f. With πράξειας ⁵⁷⁶

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

seem, then, superfluous. The change of καταξίως ⁵⁷⁷ πράξειας ⁵⁷⁸

mvp-comment-459-4 τοῦ πορεύς. ξένου ⁵⁷⁹

mvp-comment-460-1 τῶν φίλων ⁵⁸⁰

mvp-comment-461-1 ἆρ’ ὑμὶν ⁵⁸¹

mvp-comment-461-2 ὧδ’ ⁵⁸²

mvp-comment-462-1 ὥς μ’ ἀπώλεσας θανών ⁵⁸³

mvp-comment-463-1 ἀποσπάσας ⁵⁸⁴ αἵ ⁵⁸⁵

mvp-comment-464-1 μολεῖν ⁵⁸⁶

mvp-comment-465-1 δουλεύειν ⁵⁸⁷

mvp-comment-465-2 πάλιν ⁵⁸⁸

mvp-comment-466-1 ἆρά μοι καλῶς ἔχει ⁵⁸⁹

mvp-comment-467-1 τοῦ λοιποῦ χρόνου ⁵⁹⁰

mvp-comment-467-2 818 *

, Hermann's correction of , is made certain by . No dative is needed to explain ξύνοικος ⁵⁹¹

mvp-comment-468-1 παρεῖσ’ ἐμαυτὴν ⁵⁹²

mvp-comment-468-2 αὐανῶ ⁵⁹³

mvp-comment-469-1 χάρις ⁵⁹⁴

mvp-comment-470-1 Kommos. 1st strophe, 823—835, =1st antistr., 836—848: 2nd str., 849—859, =2nd antistr., 860—870. For metres see Metrical Analysis. Changes of person occur within a verse (as in 829 ff.,

; ). This indicates that the Chorus is here represented by the coryphaeus; it is, in fact, a lyric duet between the leader and Electra. Similar duets occur in O. T. 649 —697 and O. C. 510 —548, passages which further resemble this as being inserted in : also in the parodos of the O. C.(as at 178 ff.), and its exodos (as at 1677 ff.): and in Ph. 1081 —1217 (as at 1184 f.).

mvp-comment-470-2 These lyrics mark the climax of Electra's grief. The comforter vainly seeks to rouse her from despair.

mvp-comment-470-3 ποῦ ποτε ⁵⁹⁵

mvp-comment-470-4 φαέθων ⁵⁹⁶

mvp-comment-470-5 ἐφορῶντες ⁵⁹⁷

mvp-comment-470-6 κρύπτουσιν ⁵⁹⁸

mvp-comment-471-1 τί δακρύεις ⁵⁹⁹

mvp-comment-472-1 μηδὲν μέγ’ ἀΰσῃς ⁶⁰⁰

mvp-comment-472-2 ἀΰσῃς ⁶⁰¹

mvp-comment-473-1 ἀπολεῖς ⁶⁰²

mvp-comment-474-1 τῶν … οἰχομένων ⁶⁰³ φανερῶς ⁶⁰⁴ ἐλπίδα ⁶⁰⁵

mvp-comment-475-1 κατ’ ἐμοῦ τακομένας ⁶⁰⁶ ἐπεμβάσει ⁶⁰⁷ κατ’ ἐμοὶ τακομένᾳ ⁶⁰⁸

mvp-comment-476-1 οἶδα γὰρ ⁶⁰⁹

mvp-comment-476-2 Ἀμφιάρεων ⁶¹⁰ ἄνακτα ⁶¹¹

mvp-comment-477-1 χρυσοδέτοις ἕρκεσι ⁶¹² γυναικῶν ⁶¹³

mvp-comment-477-2 κρυφθέντα ⁶¹⁴

mvp-comment-477-3 Some vase-paintings, representing the departure of Amphiaraüs for Thebes, show Eriphylè carrying the bribe in her hand. In one of these, on a very ancient vase from Caere, it appears as a necklace of large white pearls (Baumeister, Denkm. p. 67): in another, on a lekythos from Cervetri (Roscher, Lex.p. 295), it is a collar, with projecting rays.

mvp-comment-478-1 ἒ ἔ· ἰώ ⁶¹⁵

mvp-comment-479-1 πάμψυχος ⁶¹⁶

mvp-comment-479-2 The cult of Amphiaraüs had its chief seat in Boeotia, but afterwards spread thence to Argos, and throughout Greece. He was a chthonian deity, like Melampus; associated with Dionysus, and then with the Apollinar

. The near Thebes, a dream-oracle, was consulted by Mardonius ( Her. 8. 134 ). In later times the shrine near Oropus was more famous ( I. Paus. 34. 2 ).

mvp-comment-480-1 φεῦ ⁶¹⁷

mvp-comment-480-2 φεῦ δῆτ’ ⁶¹⁸ ὀλοὰ γὰρ ⁶¹⁹ ἐδάμη ⁶²⁰ ὀλοὰ ⁶²¹

mvp-comment-480-3 ἐδάμη ⁶²² ναί ⁶²³

mvp-comment-481-1 μελέτωρ ⁶²⁴

mvp-comment-481-2 Amphiaraüs was avenged by his son Alcmaeon ,—the counterpart, in this story, of Orestes. Before setting out for Thebes, the seer had charged him with this duty. Eriphylè, bribed once more, prevailed upon her son to lead the Epigoni against Thebes. After its fall, he returned to Argos, and slew her. Pursued by the Erinyes, he fled to Psophis in Arcadia, and there was purified. He was the subject of a play by Sophocles, and of two by Euripides,—the first,

(produced in 438 B.C.), dealing with his absolution, and the second, , with a later episode. Acc. to a grammarian in Anecd. Oxon. II. p. 337, 4, the form of the name used by Eur. was .

mvp-comment-482-1 τὸν ἐν πένθει ⁶²⁵

mvp-comment-483-1 ἀναρπασθείς ⁶²⁶

mvp-comment-484-1 δειλαία δειλαίων ⁶²⁷

mvp-comment-485-1 ἴστωρ ⁶²⁸

mvp-comment-486-1 πανσύρτῳ … αἰῶνι ⁶²⁹ αἰῶνι ⁶³⁰

mvp-comment-486-2 The literal sense then is:—‘(I know this) by a life which, through all the months, is a turbid torrent of many things dread and horrible.’

seems rightly explained in one scholium as : i.e., it has an active sense, like (484 n.), ( Ph. 688 ), ( , Aesch. Ag. 361 ). The genitive, , may depend upon it, as in Soph. Ant. 1184 f. = . But we might also join the genitive with , as=‘a life of’ (made up of) these things. For the verb in ref. to a torrent, cp. Ar. Eq. 527 | : Plut. Mor.p. 5 F . Thus παμμήνῳ ⁶³¹

mvp-comment-486-3 This view gives

a more forcible and more poetical sense than if it be taken as=‘swept together from every side.’ The meaning then would be, ‘a life, through all the months, of many dread horrors, accumulated from every quarter,’—the epithet being transferred from the troubles to the life itself. It would still, indeed, be possible to make active; ‘a life which draws troubles together from all sides’; but such an active sense would be somewhat harsher, on this interpretation, than on that which supposes the image of a torrent.

mvp-comment-487-1 ἁθρήνεις ⁶³² ἃ θροεῖς ⁶³³ ἃ θρηνεῖς ⁶³⁴

mvp-comment-488-1 μή μέ νυν ⁶³⁵

mvp-comment-488-2 παραγάγῃς ⁶³⁶

mvp-comment-488-3 ἵν’ ⁶³⁷

mvp-comment-489-1 τί φής ⁶³⁸

mvp-comment-490-1 πάρεισιν ἐλπίδων ἔτι ⁶³⁹

mvp-comment-490-2 With the other reading,

, both epithets belong to , and mean, ‘hopes from brothers and princes,’— i.e., ‘hopes from a princely brother’: the sense is unchanged, but the phrase is more artificial.

mvp-comment-490-3 That the MSS. have

is more significant than that they also have , which might easily creep in. Suidas, who omits , has , or (in codd. A and C) : but the latter variant can hardly be said to confirm .—At 162 Orestes is called . The fem. occurs at 1081.

mvp-comment-491-1 ἔφυ ⁶⁴⁰

mvp-comment-492-1 χαλαργοῖς ⁶⁴¹

mvp-comment-493-1 τμητοῖς ⁶⁴²

mvp-comment-494-1 ἄσκοπος ⁶⁴³

mvp-comment-494-2 ἁ λώβα ⁶⁴⁴

mvp-comment-495-1 ξένος ⁶⁴⁵

mvp-comment-496-1 ἄτερ ἐμᾶν χερῶν ⁶⁴⁶

mvp-comment-497-1 κέκευθεν ⁶⁴⁷

mvp-comment-497-2 οὔτε του ⁶⁴⁸

mvp-comment-497-3 ἀντιάσας ⁶⁴⁹

mvp-comment-497-4 τάφου … γόων ⁶⁵⁰

mvp-comment-498-1 ὑφ’ ἡδονῆς τοι ⁶⁵¹ τοι ⁶⁵² σοι ⁶⁵³

mvp-comment-499-1 τὸ κόσμιον ⁶⁵⁴

mvp-comment-499-2 873 For the place of ὦν ⁶⁵⁵

mvp-comment-500-1 σὺ ⁶⁵⁶ ἴασιν οὐκ ἔνεστ’ ἰδεῖν ⁶⁵⁷

mvp-comment-501-1 ἐναργῶς ⁶⁵⁸

mvp-comment-502-1 ἀλλ’ ἦ ⁶⁵⁹

mvp-comment-502-2 τοῖς ⁶⁶⁰

mvp-comment-503-1 μὰ τὴν πατρῴαν ἑστίαν ⁶⁶¹

mvp-comment-503-2 ἀλλ’ οὐχ ὕβρει ⁶⁶²

mvp-comment-503-3 ἀλλ’ ἐκεῖνον ⁶⁶³ ὡς ⁶⁶⁴

mvp-comment-503-4 The v.l.

for νῷν ⁶⁶⁵

mvp-comment-504-1 ἐξ ἐμοῦ ⁶⁶⁶ τε καί ⁶⁶⁷

mvp-comment-505-1 ἰδοῦσα πίστιν ⁶⁶⁸

mvp-comment-505-2 εἰς τί μοι ⁶⁶⁹

mvp-comment-505-3 ἀνηκέστῳ ⁶⁷⁰

mvp-comment-505-4 πυρί ⁶⁷¹

mvp-comment-506-1 σὺ δ’ οὖν ⁶⁷²

mvp-comment-506-2 τῷ λόγῳ ⁶⁷³

mvp-comment-507-1 καὶ δὴ ⁶⁷⁴

mvp-comment-507-2 κατειδόμην ⁶⁷⁵

mvp-comment-508-1 ἀρχαῖον τάφον ⁶⁷⁶

mvp-comment-509-1 κολώνης ἐξ ἄκρας ⁶⁷⁷

mvp-comment-509-2 γάλακτος ⁶⁷⁸

mvp-comment-509-3 περιστεφῆ … ἀνθέων ⁶⁷⁹

mvp-comment-509-4 ἔστιν ⁶⁸⁰

mvp-comment-509-5 θήκην ⁶⁸¹

mvp-comment-510-1 ἔσχον θαῦμα ⁶⁸²

mvp-comment-510-2 ἐγχρίμπτῃ ⁶⁸³ ἐγχρίμπτει ⁶⁸⁴

mvp-comment-511-1 ἐν γαλήνῃ ⁶⁸⁵

mvp-comment-512-1 ἐσχάτης … πυρᾶς ⁶⁸⁶

mvp-comment-512-2 νεώρη ⁶⁸⁷

mvp-comment-513-1 ἐμπαίει κ.τ.λ. ⁶⁸⁸ ὄμμα ⁶⁸⁹

mvp-comment-513-2 σύνηθες ⁶⁹⁰ ὁρᾶν ⁶⁹¹

mvp-comment-513-3 The intrans.

(a stronger ) occurs only here; but cp. O. T. 1252 . In Aesch. Ag. 187 are ‘the fortunes which have suddenly struck him’: cp. ib. 347

mvp-comment-513-4 ψυχῇ ⁶⁹²

mvp-comment-513-5 The scholium in L runs thus:—

] : i.e., the writer took to mean ‘a sight’; a sense possible for it only when, as here, it denotes the human face or form ( Ai. 977 : ib. 1004: Aesch. Ch. 238 ). This scholium cannot be claimed, however, as indicating that the scholiast read φάσμα ⁶⁹³

mvp-comment-514-1 βαστάσασα ⁶⁹⁴

mvp-comment-514-2 δυσφηυῶ μὲν οὔ ⁶⁹⁵ οὔ ⁶⁹⁶

mvp-comment-515-1 νῦν θ’ ὁμοίως καὶ τότ’ ⁶⁹⁷

mvp-comment-515-2 μή του ⁶⁹⁸

mvp-comment-515-3 ἀγλάϊσμα ⁶⁹⁹

mvp-comment-515-4 911 f. The elliptical πῶς γὰρ ⁷⁰⁰ ᾗ γε ⁷⁰¹ μηδὲ ⁷⁰² πρὸς θεοὺς ⁷⁰³

mvp-comment-515-5 ἀκλαύστῳ ⁷⁰⁴

mvp-comment-516-1 ἀλλ’ οὐδὲ μὲν δὴ ⁷⁰⁵

mvp-comment-517-1 οὔτε δρῶσ’ ἐλάνθαν’ ἄν ⁷⁰⁶

mvp-comment-517-2 It is quite true that such elision was rare; the

more usually averted it. The mistake is to deny that it was admissible. Porson's keen observation and fine instinct led him to no such rule; he found no offence ( e.g.) in Eur. Hec. 1113 ( MSS.; Heath).

mvp-comment-517-3 But is ἐλάνθανεν ⁷⁰⁷ δρῶσα ⁷⁰⁸

mvp-comment-517-4 If ἐλάνθαν’ ἄν ⁷⁰⁹ ἔληθεν ἄν ⁷¹⁰

mvp-comment-517-5 915 *

is Dindorf's certain correction of τἀπιτίμια ⁷¹¹

mvp-comment-518-1 θάρσυνε ⁷¹²

mvp-comment-518-2 οὐχ αὑτὸς ἀεί ⁷¹³

mvp-comment-519-1 νῷν ἧν ⁷¹⁴ δ’ ⁷¹⁵

mvp-comment-519-2 κῦρος ⁷¹⁶

mvp-comment-520-1 φεῦ τῆς ἀνοίας ὥς ⁷¹⁷

mvp-comment-521-1 ὅποι γῆς … φέρει ⁷¹⁸

mvp-comment-522-1 πῶς δ’ οὐκ ἐγὼ κάτοιδ’ ⁷¹⁹

mvp-comment-523-1 τἀκείνου … σωτήρια ⁷²⁰

mvp-comment-524-1 καὶ ποῦ ⁷²¹

mvp-comment-524-2 ὑπέρχεται ⁷²²

mvp-comment-525-1 μητρὶ ⁷²³

mvp-comment-526-1 τὰ πολλὰ ⁷²⁴ πρὸς τάφον ⁷²⁵

mvp-comment-527-1 μάλιστ’ ⁷²⁶

mvp-comment-527-2 μνημεἶ ⁷²⁷

mvp-comment-528-1 ὦ δυστυχής ⁷²⁸

mvp-comment-528-2 τοιούσδ’ ⁷²⁹

mvp-comment-529-1 ἵν’ ἦμεν ἄτης ⁷³⁰

mvp-comment-530-1 λύσεις ⁷³¹

mvp-comment-531-1 οὐκ ἔσθ’ ὅ γ’ εἶπον ⁷³²

mvp-comment-532-1 φερέγγυος ⁷³³

mvp-comment-533-1 τλῆναι … δρῶσαν ⁷³⁴

mvp-comment-534-1 ὠφέλειά γ’ ⁷³⁵

mvp-comment-535-1 ὅρα ⁷³⁶

mvp-comment-535-2 πόνου … εὐτυχεῖ ⁷³⁷

mvp-comment-536-1 ξυνοίσω ⁷³⁸

mvp-comment-537-1 ποεῖν ⁷³⁹

mvp-comment-538-1 παρουσίαν ⁷⁴⁰

mvp-comment-538-2 καὶ σύ που ⁷⁴¹

mvp-comment-539-1 λελείμμεθον ⁷⁴²

mvp-comment-540-1 θάλλοντ’ ἔτ’ ⁷⁴³ βίῳ ⁷⁴⁴

mvp-comment-541-1 πράκτοῤ ⁷⁴⁵

mvp-comment-542-1 εἰς σὲ δὴ βλέπω ⁷⁴⁶

mvp-comment-543-1 κατοκνήσεις ⁷⁴⁷ κατοκνήσῃς ⁷⁴⁸

mvp-comment-543-2 Brunck's comment, ‘ soloece vulgo

,’ alludes to the rule laid down by R. Dawes (ob. 1766) in Miscellanea Critica (p. 227), and once known as the canon Davesianus, that could not be used with the first aor. subjunct. act. or midd. Among many examples that refute it are in the passage just quoted from Xen. (the fut. being ), and in 1122 (the fut. being ).

mvp-comment-544-1 κρύπτειν ⁷⁴⁹

mvp-comment-544-2 In this play the fate of Aegisthus forms the climax. Electra has already said that Clytaemnestra shared in the murderous deed (97 ff., 206), and has avowed that she would have wished Orestes to wreak vengeance on her (604). But she does not suggest that she herself or her sister should slay their mother; even the plur.

in 979 need not mean more than Aegisthus. Sophocles avoids everything that could qualify our sympathy with Electra; while it suits the different aim of Euripides to make her plan the matricide. See Introduction.

mvp-comment-545-1 ποῖ … μενεῖς ⁷⁵⁰

mvp-comment-545-2 βλέψας’ ⁷⁵¹

mvp-comment-546-1 κτῆσιν ⁷⁵² ἐστερημένῃ ⁷⁵³

mvp-comment-547-1 ἐς τοσόνδε τοῦ χρόνου ⁷⁵⁴

mvp-comment-548-1 ἄλεκτρα … ἀνυμέναια ⁷⁵⁵

mvp-comment-548-2 γηράσκουσαν ⁷⁵⁶

mvp-comment-549-1 τῶνδε ⁷⁵⁷

mvp-comment-549-2 ὅπως ⁷⁵⁸

mvp-comment-550-1 ἢ κἀμὸν ⁷⁵⁹ πημονὴν ⁷⁶⁰

mvp-comment-551-1 ἐπίσπῃ ⁷⁶¹

mvp-comment-552-1 εὐσέβειαν … οἴσει ⁷⁶² θανόντος ⁷⁶³ κάτω ⁷⁶⁴

mvp-comment-552-2 970 ff. The compound ἐξέφυς ⁷⁶⁵

mvp-comment-552-3 καλεῖ ⁷⁶⁶

mvp-comment-552-4 τὰ χρηστὰ ⁷⁶⁷

mvp-comment-553-1 λόγων γε μὴν εὔκλειαν ⁷⁶⁸ λόγων ⁷⁶⁹

mvp-comment-554-1 ἀστῶν ἢ ξένων ⁷⁷⁰

mvp-comment-554-2 δεξιώσεται ⁷⁷¹

mvp-comment-555-1 ἴδεσθε ⁷⁷²

mvp-comment-556-1 εὖ βεβηκόσιν ⁷⁷³

mvp-comment-556-2 ἀφειδήσαντε ⁷⁷⁴

mvp-comment-556-3 προὐστήτην φόνου ⁷⁷⁵ ἐχθροῖς ⁷⁷⁶ φόνου ⁷⁷⁷

mvp-comment-556-4 981 f. For τούτω … τώδε ⁷⁷⁸ ἑορταῖς ⁷⁷⁹ πανδήμῳ πόλει ⁷⁸⁰ τοι ⁷⁸¹

mvp-comment-557-1 συμπόνει ⁷⁸² σύγκαμνε ⁷⁸³

mvp-comment-557-2 Electra has already declared her faith that Agamemnon, in the nether world, is the ally of his children (454

: cp. 459 ). Orestes also, as she believes, is now there, working in the same cause. She asks her sister to aid their efforts.

mvp-comment-557-3 Nauck miserably defaces this passage by adopting the corrupt v. l. ἀδελφῇ ⁷⁸⁴ ἐμέ ⁷⁸⁵

mvp-comment-557-4 παῦσον ἐκ κακῶν ⁷⁸⁶

mvp-comment-557-5 989 In τοῖς καλῶς πεφυκόσιν ⁷⁸⁷

mvp-comment-558-1 ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις ⁷⁸⁸ καὶ κλύοντι ⁷⁸⁹ σύμμαχος ⁷⁹⁰

mvp-comment-558-2 993 For the place of μὴ ⁷⁹¹

mvp-comment-558-3 ἐσῴζετ’ ⁷⁹²

mvp-comment-559-1 ἐμβλέψασα ⁷⁹³ θράσος … ὁπλίζει ⁷⁹⁴

mvp-comment-560-1 εἰσορᾷς ⁷⁹⁵

mvp-comment-560-2 γυνὴ μὲν ⁷⁹⁶

mvp-comment-560-3 σθένεις δ’ ἔλασσον … χερί ⁷⁹⁷

mvp-comment-561-1 ἀπορρεῖ ⁷⁹⁸

mvp-comment-561-2 κἀπὶ μηδὲν ἔρχεται ⁷⁹⁹

mvp-comment-562-1 τοιοῦτον ⁸⁰⁰

mvp-comment-562-2 ἄλυπος ἄτης ⁸⁰¹

mvp-comment-563-1 κτησώμεθ’ ⁸⁰²

mvp-comment-564-1 λύει ⁸⁰³ ἡμᾶς ⁸⁰⁴ ἡμῖν ⁸⁰⁵

mvp-comment-564-2 δυσκλεῶς θανεῖν ⁸⁰⁶

mvp-comment-565-1 οὐ γἀρ θανεῖν ⁸⁰⁷ γὰρ ⁸⁰⁸

mvp-comment-566-1 κἀξερημῶσαι γένος ⁸⁰⁹

mvp-comment-567-1 ἄρρητα … κἀτελῆ ⁸¹⁰ σοι ⁸¹¹

mvp-comment-568-1 ἀλλὰ τῷ χρόνῳ ποτέ ⁸¹²

mvp-comment-569-1 The difference between πείθου ⁸¹³ πιθοῦ ⁸¹⁴

mvp-comment-570-1 καλῶς δ’ ⁸¹⁵

mvp-comment-571-1 αὐτόχειρί μοι ⁸¹⁶

mvp-comment-571-2 μόνῃ τε ⁸¹⁷

mvp-comment-571-3 οὐ γὰρ δὴ ⁸¹⁸ γε ⁸¹⁹

mvp-comment-571-4 κενόν ⁸²⁰

mvp-comment-572-1 εἴθ’ ὤφελες ⁸²¹

mvp-comment-572-2 πᾶν γὰρ ἂν κατειργάσω ⁸²²

mvp-comment-573-1 φύσιν γε ⁸²³ τότε ⁸²⁴

mvp-comment-574-1 ὡς οὐχὶ συνδράσουσα ⁸²⁵

mvp-comment-574-2 νουθετεῖς ⁸²⁶

mvp-comment-575-1 εἰκὸς γὰρ ⁸²⁷ ἐγχειροῦντα ⁸²⁸ πράσσειν ⁸²⁹

mvp-comment-576-1 ζηλῶ ⁸³⁰

mvp-comment-577-1 ἀνέξομαι ⁸³¹

mvp-comment-578-1 μὴ πάθῃς τόδε ⁸³²

mvp-comment-579-1 τὸ κρῖναι ⁸³³ μακρὸς ⁸³⁴

mvp-comment-579-2 χὡ λοιπὸς χρόνος ⁸³⁵

mvp-comment-580-1 μητρὶ … σῇ ⁸³⁶

mvp-comment-581-1 οὐδ’ αὖ ⁸³⁷ οὐδ’ ⁸³⁸

mvp-comment-581-2 ἔχθος ⁸³⁹

mvp-comment-582-1 ἀλλ’ οὖν … γ’ ⁸⁴⁰

mvp-comment-582-2 οἷ … ἀτιμίας ⁸⁴¹

mvp-comment-583-1 ἀτιμίας μὲν οὔ ⁸⁴²

mvp-comment-584-1 τῷ σῷ δικαίῳ ⁸⁴³ δῆτ’ ⁸⁴⁴

mvp-comment-585-1 ἦ δεινὸν ⁸⁴⁵

mvp-comment-585-2 εὖ λέγουσαν ⁸⁴⁶ ἐξαμαρτάνειν ⁸⁴⁷

mvp-comment-586-1 ᾧ σὺ πρόσκεισαι κακῷ ⁸⁴⁸

mvp-comment-587-1 τί δ); οὐ δοκῶ σοι ⁸⁴⁹

mvp-comment-588-1 εἰ ποήσεις ⁸⁵⁰

mvp-comment-589-1 καὶ μὴν ⁸⁵¹

mvp-comment-590-1 βουλεύσει πάλιν ⁸⁵²

mvp-comment-591-1 φρονεῖν ⁸⁵³

mvp-comment-592-1 ταῦτα ⁸⁵⁴ νεωστί ⁸⁵⁵ ι ⁸⁵⁶

mvp-comment-593-1 τολμᾷς ⁸⁵⁷

mvp-comment-594-1 οὔ σοι μὴ μεθέψομαι ⁸⁵⁸

mvp-comment-595-1 καὶ τὸ θηρᾶσθαι κενά ⁸⁵⁹ καὶ ⁸⁶⁰

mvp-comment-595-2 κενά ⁸⁶¹

mvp-comment-596-1 ὅταν γὰρ ⁸⁶²

mvp-comment-596-2 βεβήκῃς ⁸⁶³

mvp-comment-597-1 ἄνωθεν ⁸⁶⁴

mvp-comment-597-2 οἰωνοὺς ⁸⁶⁵

mvp-comment-598-1 ἐσορώμενοι ⁸⁶⁶ ἀφ’ ὧν ⁸⁶⁷

mvp-comment-599-1 εὕρωσι ⁸⁶⁸

mvp-comment-599-2 ἐπ’ ἴσας ⁸⁶⁹

mvp-comment-600-1 ἀλλ’ οὐ τὰν ⁸⁷⁰

mvp-comment-601-1 τὰν οὐρανίαν Θέμιν ⁸⁷¹

mvp-comment-602-1 ἀπόνητοι ⁸⁷²

mvp-comment-603-1 χθονία ⁸⁷³ βροτοῖσι ⁸⁷⁴

mvp-comment-603-2 φάμα ⁸⁷⁵

mvp-comment-603-3 Some write Φάμα ⁸⁷⁶

mvp-comment-604-1 κατά … βόασον ⁸⁷⁷

mvp-comment-604-2 μοι ⁸⁷⁸

mvp-comment-605-1 Ἀτρείδαις ⁸⁷⁹

mvp-comment-605-2 ἀχόρευτα ⁸⁸⁰ ὀνείδη ⁸⁸¹

mvp-comment-606-1 νοσεῖ ⁸⁸² δή ⁸⁸³

mvp-comment-607-1 τὰ δὲ πρὸς τέκνων ⁸⁸⁴

mvp-comment-607-2 διπλῆ φύλοπις ⁸⁸⁵

mvp-comment-607-3 οὐκέτ’ ἐξισοῦται ⁸⁸⁶ φιλοτασίῳ διαίτᾳ ⁸⁸⁷

mvp-comment-607-4 It is also possible, though (I think) less natural, to take the dat.

as depending on (‘is no longer compatible with friendly intercourse’).

mvp-comment-608-1 σαλεύει ⁸⁸⁸

mvp-comment-609-1 Ἠλέκτρα, †τὸν ἀεὶ πατρὸς ⁸⁸⁹

mvp-comment-609-2 Hence it is now generally held that this verse is corrupt. But no certain correction has yet been proposed. The word ἀεὶ ⁸⁹⁰ πατρὸς ⁸⁹¹

mvp-comment-609-3 Far the best conjecture is Heath's, ἁ παῖς, οἶτον ἀεὶ πατρὸς ⁸⁹²

mvp-comment-610-1 πάνδυρτος ⁸⁹³

mvp-comment-611-1 οὔτε … τε ⁸⁹⁴

mvp-comment-611-2 τὸ … μὴ βλέπειν ⁸⁹⁵

mvp-comment-612-1 διδύμαν … Ἐρινύν ⁸⁹⁶

mvp-comment-613-1 τίς ἂν εὔπατρις ⁸⁹⁷

mvp-comment-614-1 οὐδεὶς τῶν ἀγαθῶν <γὰρ> ⁸⁹⁸ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ⁸⁹⁹

mvp-comment-615-1 ζῶν κακῶς ⁹⁰⁰

mvp-comment-615-2 νώνυμος ⁹⁰¹

mvp-comment-616-1 πάγκλαυτον αἰῶνα κοινὸν ⁹⁰²

mvp-comment-616-2 εἵλου ⁹⁰³

mvp-comment-617-1 τὸ μὴ καλὸν καθοπλίσασα ⁹⁰⁴ ἀπολακτίσασα ⁹⁰⁵

mvp-comment-617-2 If καθοπλίσασα ⁹⁰⁶

mvp-comment-617-3 (1) ‘Having vanquished dishonour’ (schol.

), i.e., having overcome the temptation of ignoble ease and security. elsewhere means to ‘arm’ or ‘equip,’ never ‘to subdue by arms’; if it has the latter sense here, it follows the analogy of such compounds as .

mvp-comment-617-4 (2) ‘Having made ready an unlovely deed’: i.e., the vengeance on the murderers.—See Appendix.

mvp-comment-618-1 φέρειν ⁹⁰⁷

mvp-comment-618-2 ἐν ἑνὶ λόγῳ ⁹⁰⁸

mvp-comment-619-1 καθύπερθεν ⁹⁰⁹

mvp-comment-619-2 τεῶν ⁹¹⁰ τῶν ⁹¹¹ τοσόνδ’ ⁹¹²

mvp-comment-620-1 ὑπόχειρ ⁹¹³

mvp-comment-621-1 μοίρᾳ … οὐκ ἐν ἐσθλᾷ βεβῶσαν ⁹¹⁴

mvp-comment-622-1 μέγιστα … νόμιμα ⁹¹⁵

mvp-comment-622-2 ἔβλαστε ⁹¹⁶

mvp-comment-622-3 τῶνδε φερομέναν ἄριστα ⁹¹⁷ τῶνδε ⁹¹⁸

mvp-comment-622-4 I formerly understood:—‘in respect to these laws, prospering full well’:

being then an adv., while is used as in Thuc. 2. 60 § 3 : 5. 15 § 2 : 5. 16 § 1 . This view is recommended by the fact that then forms a clear antithesis to . But two points are against it. (1) , as a genitive of relation, is somewhat awkward; though we might compare Thuc. 3. 92 § 4 : and id. 1. 36 § 2 . (2) The poet's usage, as we have seen, favours the other sense of .

mvp-comment-623-1 τᾷ Ζηνὸς εὐσεβείᾳ ⁹¹⁹ Διὸς ⁹²⁰ Ζηνὸς ⁹²¹

mvp-comment-624-1 εἰσηκούσαμεν ⁹²²

mvp-comment-624-2 ὀρθῶς θ’ ⁹²³ δ’ ⁹²⁴ θ’ ⁹²⁵ τε ⁹²⁶ δέ ⁹²⁷

mvp-comment-624-3 ἔνθα ⁹²⁸

mvp-comment-625-1 Αἴγισθον ⁹²⁹ ᾤκηκεν ⁹³⁰

mvp-comment-626-1 ἀλλ’ ⁹³¹

mvp-comment-626-2 χὡ φράσας ⁹³²

mvp-comment-626-3 ἀζήμιος ⁹³³

mvp-comment-627-1 τίς … φράσειεν ἄν ⁹³⁴

mvp-comment-627-2 ποθεινὴν ⁹³⁵

mvp-comment-627-3 κοινόπουν ⁹³⁶

mvp-comment-628-1 τὸν ἄγχιστον ⁹³⁷

mvp-comment-629-1 ἴθ’, ὦ γύναι ⁹³⁸

mvp-comment-630-1 οὐ δή ποθ’ ⁹³⁹

mvp-comment-631-1 τὴν σὴν κληδόν’ ⁹⁴⁰

mvp-comment-631-2 Στρόφιος ⁹⁴¹

mvp-comment-632-1 φέροντες ⁹⁴² κομίζομεν ⁹⁴³

mvp-comment-633-1 τοῦτ’ ἐκεῖν’ ⁹⁴⁴

mvp-comment-633-2 πρόχειρον ⁹⁴⁵

mvp-comment-633-3 ἄχθος ⁹⁴⁶

395. mvp-comment-165-1 τοῖς φίλοις] Viz. τῷ πατρί.

397. mvp-comment-166-1 ταῦτα is an adverbial accusative. οὐκ ἐμοὺς τρόπους λέγεις] 'You speak not of my ways; i.e. Your words indicate a line of conduct that can never be mine.

399. mvp-comment-167-1 τιμωρούμενοι] Cp. supr. 349.

400. mvp-comment-168-1 τούτων.. συγγνώμην] For this genitive, see Essay on L. § 9. p. 12, d 2, and cp. esp. Trach. 250, τοῦ λόγου .. φθόνον.

401. mvp-comment-169-1 Such words are for the base to approve.' Although, grammatically speaking, ἔπη is the subject of the sentence, and ἐπαινέσαι is epexegetic infinitive, the real meaning is, πρὸς κακῶν ἐστὶ τὸ ἐπαινέσai ταῦτα τὰ ἔπη. As constantly happens in Greek, an attribute which belongs to the verb is attached to the noun.

403. mvp-comment-170-1 μή πω .. κενή] 'I trust I may not prove so void of understanding!' For this use of πω, in which the temporal meaning has disappeared, cp; Ο. Τ. 105, οὐ γὰρ εἰσεῖδόν γέ πω, and note. The adverbial use of τοσόνδε is an Epic touch; cp. Od. 21. 253, 4, ἀλλ᾽ ἐἰ δὴ τοσσόνδε βίης ἐπιδευέες εἰμὲν | ἀντιθέου Ὀδυσῆος, ὅτ᾽ οὐ δυνάμεσθα, κ.τ.λ.

404. mvp-comment-171-1 οἶπερ ἐστάλην ὁδοῦ] ‘To the place whither I was sent upon my way.' For the idiomatic partitive genitive, cp. supr. 390, ποῦ ποτ' εἶ φρενῶν ; Phil. 899, ἀλλ᾽ ἐνθάδ᾽ ἤδη τοῦδε τοῦ πάθους κυρῶ.

405. mvp-comment-172-1 τῷ] 'For whom?' i.e. 'To be offered to whom?'

406. mvp-comment-173-1 τυμβεῦσai χοάς] Το pour libation on his tomb;' i.e. ἐπιτυμβίους χέαι χοάς,-the attribute of the noun being attached to the verb. See Essay on L. § 17. p. 25 с.

409. mvp-comment-174-1 τῷ τοῦτ᾽ ἤρεσεν] 'Whose pleasure was this?' Cp. Aj. 1243, & τοῖς πολλοῖσιν ἤρεσκεν κριταῖς.

410. mvp-comment-175-1 ἐκ δείματος] Sc. πεισθεῖσα.

411. mvp-comment-176-1 At the mention of 'nightly fear,' Electra instantly rushes to the conclusion that Clytemnestra has had some Divine warning. Her hope at once revives, and she looks up to heaven. For ἀλλὰ νῦν, 'now, though not heretofore,' cp. Ant. 552, τί δῆτ᾽ ἂν ἀλλὰ νῦν σ᾽ ἔτ᾿ ὠφελοῖμ᾽ ἐγώ. And for the connection, cp. Aesch. Cho. 515, 6, ΟΡ. πόθεν χοὰς ἔπεμψεν, ἐκ τίνος λόγου | μεθύστερον τιμῶσ᾽ ἀνήκεστον πάθος; ib. 523-5, ΧΟ. οἶδ', ὦ τέκνον· παρῆ γάρ. ἔκ τ᾽ ὀνειράτων | καὶ νυκτιπλάγκτων δειμάτων πεπαλμένη | χοὰς ἔπεμψε τάσδε δύσθεος γυνή. In this line and supr. 345 γε belongs in sense to the word that follows it. Or rather, the particle emphasizes the whole sentence as a comment on the preceding words. 'Ay, now, at last, come to our aid!'

413. mvp-comment-177-1 Electra is eager to know the vision, and will not confess her hopes till she has heard it.

414. mvp-comment-178-1 ἐπὶ σμικρόν is to be resumed with φράσai, which is epexegetic infinitive.

415. mvp-comment-179-1 λέγ᾽ ἀλλὰ τοῦτο] 'Tell me but this;'-this little, if nothing more. Cp. Trach. 320, εἴπ', ὦ τάλαιν', ἀλλ᾽ ἡμὶν ἐκ σαυτῆς. πολλά τοι κ.τ.λ.] Cp. Aesch. Cho. 204, σμικροῦ γένοιτ' ἂν σπέρματος μέγας πυθμήν: Ο. Τ. 120, 1, ἓν γὰρ πόλλ᾽ ἂν ἐξεύροι μαθεῖν, | ἀρχὴν βραχεῖαν εἰ λάβοιμεν ἐλπίδος.

417. mvp-comment-180-1 λόγος τις.. ἐστιν] It is said,' viz. by the attendant who heard her tell her vision to the Sun, infr. 424, 5.

417-419. mvp-comment-181-1 πατρὸς ἐς φῶς] Our father again amongst us, revisiting the realm of light; i.e. τὸν πατέρα δεύτερον ὁμιλοῦντα (τοῖς ἐνθάδε), -abstract for concrete.

419. mvp-comment-182-1 εἶτα, κ.τ.λ.] These words depend immediately on λόγος τίς ἐστιν. Chrysothemis proceeds to narrate the vision as a matter of fact.

421. mvp-comment-183-1 τανῦν δ᾽ Αἴγισθος] Sc. φέρει.

424. mvp-comment-184-1 τοῦ παρόντος] 'The one who was present.' As a matter of course Clytemnestra was not wholly unattended in the day-time. Hence the article. Some editors have preferred the indefinite του; but the use of παρόντος = παραγενομένου is less natural in this case, and the double predicate παρόντος, ἐξηγουμένου, is awkward. A female attendant is meant, the masculine form being used, as in Trach. 151, etc. See Essay on L. § 20. p. 30. 2.

428. mvp-comment-185-1 πρὸς . . θεῶν τῶν ἐγγενῶν] · By the gods of our race,' i.e. the gods who are not only the protectors of our race, but also its progenitors, Inachus, etc. Chrysothemis in her solemn adjuration uses τὸν ἐπιχώριον ὅρκον τὸν μέγιστον (Thuc. 5. 18. § 9). Cp. Ant. 938, θεοὶ προγενεῖς, and note.

430. mvp-comment-186-1 σὺν κακῷ μέτει πάλιν] 'You will seek me another day, when the evil has overtaken you.'

431. mvp-comment-187-1 Electra scarcely hears the concluding words of Chrysothemis. Her attention is absorbed by the vision and the hopes which it has aroused in her mind, and she is determined to prevent the offering of the libation, which she represents to her sister as at once an offence to Agamemnon and useless to Clytemnestra. The former is her own feeling, the latter (ll. 446-8) occurs to her as a rhetorical argument. She also takes the opportunity of sending an offering to the tomb, as if to remind her father that the hour of vengeance for him was at hand. ὦ φίλη] 'She tries affectionate persuasion, and no longer reproaches.' Paley. Or rather, her resentment is forgotten in the revival of hope. Cp. supr. 367.

433-434. mvp-comment-188-1 ἱστάναι | κτερίσματα] Το (institute or) perform funereal rights.'

435-438. mvp-comment-189-1 Not κρύψον from l. 436, but some more general word, such as ἀφάνισον, is to be supplied with πνοαίσιν. For the form of sentence, cp. О. Т. 1410-2, ἔξω μέ που | καλύψατ', ἢ φονεύσατ', ἢ θαλάσσιον | ἐκρίψατ᾽, ἔνθα μήποτ᾽ εἰσόψεσθ᾽ ἔτι. βαθυσκαφεῖ κόνει] 'In deeply hollowed dust,' i.e. buried deep in the ground.

437-438. mvp-comment-190-1 ἀλλ᾿ ὅταν θάνῃ . . κάτω] 'But let this be treasured underground for her, against the day when she shall die.' σωζέσθω is passive, and there is an ellipse οἱ εἰς ἐκεῖνον τὸν χρόνον or the like words.

441. mvp-comment-191-1 οὐκ ἄν.. ἐπέστεφε] 'She would not have sought to give by way of honour.' Cp. Ant. 431, χοαῖσι τρισπόνδοισι τὸν νέκυν στέφει.

442-443. mvp-comment-192-1 For only think whether you can suppose the dead man in his grave will receive this gift kindly at her hand.' For αὐτῇ as dative of the remote object with προσφιλῶς δέξασθαι, cp. supr. 226, 7, τίνι . . πρόσφορον ἀκούσαιμ᾽ ἔπος; It may also be taken with προσφιλῶς separately, but rather follows both words as combined in one expression.

444. mvp-comment-193-1 'Who slew him dishonourably as a personal foe.' Cp. Aesch. Ag. 1374, ἐχθροῖς ἐχθρὰ πορσύνων: ibid. 1492-4, κεῖσαι . κοίταν τάνδ᾽ ἀνελεύθερον.

445. mvp-comment-194-1 ἐμασχαλίσθη] ‘He was mutilated' (by cutting off the extremities and placing or tieing them under the armpits). Clytemnestra had adopted this barbarous means of disabling the spirit of her enemy. Aesch. Cho. 439, ἐμασχαλίσθη δ᾽ ἔθ᾽, ὡς τόδ᾽ εἰδῇς.

445-446. mvp-comment-195-1 And his head was used to wipe the stains away in washing' (the hearth). This additional circumstance of savagery is known to us only from Sophocles, but is probably not due to his invention. See Introd. to Aj. p. 1. Interpreters have supposed a change of subject, supplying ἡ ς ἡ Κλυταιμνήστρα ας nominative to ἐξέμαξεν. But this is unnecessary if it is borne in mind that verbs active in grammar are often used in Greek to express a passive condition. Essay on L. § 30. p. 52 d. Prof. Jebb understands the construction in the same way, with a slightly different nuance of interpretation: - 'And by way of funeral ablution received the print of the sword-stains on his head.' Mr. Paley translates, And at the washing of the body she wiped off the blood-stains on his head.' But did she wash the body?

446-447. mvp-comment-196-1 Electra tries to influence Chrysothemis, not only with fear of her dead father, but also by pointing out the uselessness of the action for Clytemnestra's purpose, and so quieting her sister's conscience in this respect.

448. mvp-comment-197-1 σὺ δέ] For the introduction of the personal pronoun without real emphasis, in such antitheses, see Essay on L. § 41. p. 79.

449. mvp-comment-198-1 Clipping off a little from thy luxuriant curls.' The words call attention to the abundance of Chrysothemis' hair in comparison with Electra's. Cp- Eur. Or. 128, 9, εἴδετε παρ᾿ ἄκρας ὡς ἀπέθρισεν τρίχας, | σώζουσα κάλλος.

451. mvp-comment-199-1 τήνδε †λιπαρή τρίχα] The adjective here is puzzling, whichever reading we adopt. Hermann thought the MS. reading ἀλιπαρή might bear the sense of 'unmeet for supplication.' But λιπαρεῖν is hardly near enough in meaning to λιτανεύειν to make this possible. The Scholiast and Suidas explain the alternative reading λιπαρή, by ἱκέτιν, ἐξ ἧς αὐτὸν λιπαρήσομεν.

451. mvp-comment-199-2 But this is wanting in point. And a confusion of λιπαρής with λιπαρός (i.e. ἀλιπαρῆ = αὐχμηράν) is not to be thought of. Perhaps λιπαρή, in the sense of 'patient,' 'persistent,' may have conveyed some shade of meaning suitable to the passage. Or possibly ΛΙΠΑΡΗ may be a corruption of AYC-ΠΙΝΗ. Ср. О. С. 1597, εἶτ᾿ ἔλυσε δυσπινεῖς στολάς. I cannot think, with Mr. Paley, that this and the following line are an interpolation. The words ἄχω, δὸς αὐτῷ, are too pathetic for this.

452. mvp-comment-200-1 οὐ χλιδαῖς ἠσκημένον] 'Not elegantly neat.' The dative of manner in χλιδαῖς has an adverbial force. Essay on L. § 14. p. 20. Electra's girdle had not been beautifully got up' and 'laid in lavender,' like her sister's.

453-454. mvp-comment-201-1 The belief in the real presence of the spirits of the dead on great occasions, which is so powerful in the Oresteia of Aeschylus, still survives in the Sophoclean drama, but is much less vividly and realistically felt. It has become more ideal.

455. mvp-comment-202-1 ἐξ ὑπερτέρας χερός] • With overpowering might.'

456. mvp-comment-203-1 ζῶντ᾽ ἐπεμβῆναι ποδί] Either (1) In the fulness of life (ζῶντα) should trample with his foot' (ποδί expletive); or (2) Should trample with a foot of living power' (ζῶντι.. ποδί). The latter is rendered improbable by the unusual elision, for which, however, cp. Trach. 675, ἀργῆτ᾽ οἰὸς εὐείρῳ πόκῳ, where see note. See also Pind. Ol. 13. 114, καρταίποδ᾽ ἀναρύῃ Γαιαóχῳ. In either case ζῆν is used in the secondary sense of being vigorous. Cp. Ant. 456, 7, ἀεί ποτε | ζῇ ταῦτα: Ο. Τ. 44, 5, and note.

459-460. mvp-comment-204-1 'Indeed, I do believe some care on his part caused the appalling dream to come to her.' For the use of the neuter participle, see Essay on L. § 30. p. 51 α. Although μέλον here has not the article, it should be added to the six examples there given. μὲν οὖν interposes the incidental thought, that even without their prayers Agamemnon was minded to interfere. Then, in 461, the main drift is resumed with ὅμως. 'Still, let us not omit this offering!'

461. mvp-comment-205-1 σοί is here equivalent to σαυτῇ, but occurring here as one of several coordinate terms, can hardly be adduced to justify the use of ἐμέ for ἐμαυτήν in supr. 363, which becomes necessary if λυπεῖν is read.

466-467. mvp-comment-206-1 τὸ γὰρ .. δρᾶν] ‘For when a thing is right, people should not quarrel over it, but hasten to do it.' Two points are doubtful in the construction of these words. a. Either (1) τὸ δίκαιον is subject of ἔχει, and ἐρίζειν is epexegetic infinitive, or (2) ἐρίζειν is the subject of ἔχει, and τὸ δίκαιον an accusative loosely governed by the words that follow it. b. τὸ δρᾶν is either (1) the direct object of ἐπισπεύδειν, or (2) epexegetic infinitive after ἐπισπεύδειν (i.e. ἐπισπεύδειν τὸ δίκαιον, ὥστε δρᾶν αὐτό). For the article in this case, cp. O. T. 1416, 7, ἐς δέον πάρεσθ᾽ ὅδε | Κρέων τὸ πράσσειν καὶ τὸ βουλεύειν : infr. 1030, μακρὸς τὸ κρῖναι ταῦτα χὼ λοιπὸς χρόνος. The addition of δυοῖν belongs to the same tendency to make numbers explicit, which appears in καὶ τὸ γενναῖον τρίτον (Ο. C. 8) and the like phrases. For the sense, cp. Fr. 76, τοῖς γὰρ δικαίοις ἀντέχειν οὐ ῥάδιον. In the second clause, ἀλλ' ἐπισπεύδειν, κ.τ.λ., a positive notion is understood from the negative. Essay on L. § 36. p. 64, β, 1 а.

468-471. mvp-comment-207-1 These lines are intended to emphasize at once the timidity of Chrysothemis and the harshness of Clytemnestra.

471-515. mvp-comment-208-1 The following short ode, the first stasimon, consisting of a single strophe, antistrophe, and epode, dwells, first, on the renewal of hope which is brought to the upholders of the righteous cause by the announcement of the dream, secondly, on the guilt of those whom Vengeance will now assail, and thirdly, on the long chain of troubles, of which their crime is the continuation. The rhythm, beginning from three short glyconian lines, is chiefly iambic and trochaic, with an increasing number of long syllables toward the close of each movement. The metrical scheme is the following:-

472-473. mvp-comment-209-1 Ср. О. Τ. 1086, εἴπερ ἐγὼ μάντις εἰμὶ καὶ κατὰ γνώμην ἴδρις.

475. mvp-comment-210-1 ὁ πρόμαντις Δίκα] 'Presaging Justice,' i.e. the just Power that has warned Clytemnestra through the dream.

476. mvp-comment-211-1 δίκαια κράτη] Either (1) 'Bringing with her the victorious strength of righteous action,' or (2) And shall bear away the victory in a righteous deed.' In the latter case (2) the participle is proleptic. The former interpretation (1) is on the whole more probable. For this use of φερομένα, cp. Hdt. 7. 50. § 8, πολλὴν φορβὴν φερόμενοι πορευόμεθα.

479-481. mvp-comment-212-1 These lines echo the language of the dialogue, supr. 412, ἔχεις τι θάρσος τοῦδε τοῦ τάρβους πέρι;

480. mvp-comment-213-1 ἁδυπνόων] · Breathing of gladness,' i.e. auspicious. Cp. O. T. 151, ὦ Διὸς ἀδυεπὲς φάτι.

480. mvp-comment-213-2 κλύουσαν] For this accusative, with the dative preceding, as if after θαρρύνει or some such word, see Essay on L. $ 6. p. 23, and cp. Aesch. Cho. 410, 11, πέπαλται δ᾽ αὐτέ μοι φίλον κέαρ τόνδε κλύουσαν οἶκτον.

484. mvp-comment-214-1 ὁ φύσας] It must be borne in mind that Electra is present during the chanting of this ode. Cp. supr. 184 and note.

485. mvp-comment-215-1 'Nor that oid two-edged axe of sharpened bronze.' χαλκόπλακτος is literally, 'Smiting with bronze,' χαλκέας πληγὰς ἔχων. See Essay on L. $ 53: p. 98. χαλκόπακτος, • Of solid bronze,' is the conjecture of Kvidala. The axe is imagined as giving evidence, much as in early times a weapon might be accused of homicide. For a somewhat similar fancy, attributing feeling to an inanimate instrument, cp. Philoctetes, 1130 foll., ἢ που ἐλεινὸν ὁρᾷς, κ.τ.λ., Hab. 2, 11, The nail shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it, Woe unto him,' etc.

486. mvp-comment-216-1 αἰσχίσταις ἐν αἰκίαις] These words are an echo of supr. 444-6.

488-489. mvp-comment-217-1 καὶ πολύπους | καὶ πολύχειρ] With exceeding swiftness and might.' Like πᾶς and αὐτός in composition (E. on L. $ 55. p. 101), πολύς has here an intensive force, without having an exactly defined significance. Ср. πολύγλωσσος, infr. 798.

490. mvp-comment-218-1 Cp. infr. 1396, 7, δόλον σκότῳ κρύψας πρὸς αὐτὸ τέρμα.

491. mvp-comment-219-1 χαλκόπους] 'With adamantine,' i.e. (1) unwearying, 'footsteps.' Cp. χαλκὸς ἀτειρής. Or (2) Irresistible.'

492. mvp-comment-220-1 ἐπέβα] «There came on,' as a dangerous event (οἶσιν = τούτων οἷς).

495-498. mvp-comment-221-1 πρὸ τῶνδε .. συνδρῶσιν] ‘In the face of these things I feel assured that the portent which comes near to the doer or the abettor of the deed cannot be other than baneful.' In Sophocles, not as in Aeschylus, Aegisthus is the author, Clytemnestra the accessory, of the murder. In Aesch. Ag. 1609, he claims a greater share than the poet really attributes to him. For μήποτε, see E. on L. § 24. p. 41, y 2, and cp. Aj. 183.

499. mvp-comment-222-1 μαντεῖαι βροτῶν] 'Divination, as an art in which mortals are concerned.' Cp. Ο. Τ. 709, βρότειον οὐδὲν μαντικῆς ἔχον τέχνης, and see Essay on L. § 40. p. 75.

500. mvp-comment-223-1 οὐδ᾽ ἐν θεσφάτοις] The indication of the dream is as express and clear as any oracle. If the one fail of accomplishment, so must the other.

501. mvp-comment-224-1 εὐ κατασχήσει] 'Shall happily reach its destination,' i. e. shall have a fortunate issue. Cp. Trach. 826, 7, καὶ τάδ᾽ ὀρθῶς | ἔμπεδα κατουρίζει.

504-505. mvp-comment-225-1 'O chariot-race of Pelops in the former time, that hast caused many troubles, how pregnant was thine occurrence with sorrow for this land!' Sophocles passes over the quarrels of Atreus and Thyestes, and goes back at once to the homicide of which Pelops, the author of the whole race, was guilty. This made Hermes the father of Myrtilus send the golden ram, which led to the fatal dissension between the brothers. Eur. Or. 988-1012. The act of Orestes in the present drama is destined to put an end to the series of disasters which then began.

506. mvp-comment-226-1 On the question between αἰανής and αἰανή, cp. Aj. 672 and note.

510. mvp-comment-227-1 *παγχρυσέων] The chariot of the wealthy Pelops on his bridal journey was encrusted with gold. Cp. Pind. Ol. 1.87. παγχρύσεος is the Homeric form, and if a change is necessary, this seems to be the simplest. The metre is the same as in 512. Others read παγχρύσων ἐκ δίφρων. Μ. has πολυχρύσων.

511. mvp-comment-228-1 δυστάνοις αἰκίαις] Myrtilus,

511-512. mvp-comment-229-1 although a traitor to Oenomaus, was a benefactor to Pelops. Observe the repetition of the word from supr. 486, also infr. 515.

512. mvp-comment-230-1 πρόρριζος ἐκριφθείς] «Uprooted and flung forth.'

513-515. mvp-comment-231-1 'Never since that day has sad dishonour left the house.' Some editors read ἔλιπεν ἐκ τοῦδ᾽ οἴκου, ‘Has failed out of this house,' which is less probable. Wecklein reads οἴκους | πολυπάμονας, which is supported by the scholion on 508, οὐ διέλιπεν αἰκία τοὺς πολυκτήμονας δόμους. But see E. on L. § 44. pp. 83, 4.

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.

791. mvp-comment-372-1 οὔτοι σύ] Sc. ἔχεις καλῶς. 'You are not as I would wish you,'- viz. dead.

792. mvp-comment-373-1 Either (1) Clytemnestra takes the word Νέμεσι alone, ignoring the qualification, 'Nemesis' (the spirit of just allotment) has heard those whom she ought to hear and has nobly ratified their prayer.' Or (2) she implies a different use of the genitive, as the ἀλάστωρ ᾿Ατρέως in Aesch. Ag. 1501, 2, is the Spirit of Vengeance for the crime of Atreus; so here the Νέμεσις τοῦ θανόντος might be the Spirit which has paid him what was due. But (1) is more probable.

795. mvp-comment-374-1 Mr. Paley reads οὔκουν with a full stop after τάδε. But the reply of Electra suits better with the ironical question, 'You and Orestes will stop my insolence, will you not?'

797-798. mvp-comment-375-1 Your coming, stranger, is like to prove most worthy of reward, if you have indeed put an end to her loud outcry.' ἂν ἥκοις = ἥκεις, ὡς

798-803. mvp-comment-376-1 ἔοικαs, an objective being put for a subjective probability, as in the well. known idiom with μέλλω. Cp. Ο. Τ. 1182, τὰ πάντ᾽ ἂν ἐξήκοι σαφῆ: Aj. 186, ἥκοι γὰρ ἂν θεία νόσος, -and notes, - infr. 1372, 3. εἰ is here used with the aor. indicative (aor. of immediate past) as elsewhere with the present, to introduce a supposition that is regarded as certain. For el with aor. indicative, of that which is granted or assumed, cp. Aesch. Pers. 217, εἴ τι φλαῦρον εἶδες. (So Ellendt, 'Siquidem effecisti, etc.')

800. mvp-comment-377-1 ἐπείπερ] Ο. C. 75, 6, ἐπείπερ εἶ | γενναῖος, ὡς ἰδόντι. καταξίως] The use of the optative without av may be defended by supposing a resumption from the preceding line. Paley's ἐπεὶ τὰν .. καταξίως is preferable to Bothe's κατάξι ἄν. Another MS. reading, κατ᾿ ἀξίαν, is also possible.

803. mvp-comment-378-1 φίλων] Orestes, including perhaps the death of Agamemnon.' Paley. Rather, including the destruction of the remaining hope that Agamemnon might be avenged. At this point Clytemnestra and the Paedagogus enter the house, and Electra is left alone upon the stage.

809. mvp-comment-379-1 ἀποσπάσας . οἴχει] 'In thy departure thou hast torn away.' For the familiar phrase, cp. O. C. 866, ψιλὸν ὄμμ᾽ ἀποσπάσας . . ἐξοίχει.

811. mvp-comment-380-1 Orestes was to come to the aid both of his father and sister:-i.e. to avenge his father and reinstate his sister. But the notions are not distinguished, for vengeance is regarded as a kind of aid. Cp. infr. 1392, ἀρωγός.

812. mvp-comment-381-1 ποῖ με χρὴ μολεῖν] ‘Whither must I turn?' Cp. Aj. 1006, ποῖ γὰρ μολεῖν μοι δυνατόν, εἰς ποίους βροτούς;

814-816. mvp-comment-382-1 Cp. supr. 263 foll., infr. 1190 foll.

816. mvp-comment-383-1 ἀράμοι καλῶς ἔχει] 'Isit well with me, then?' The repetition of the words used above, 1. 790, may be accidental (Essay on L. § 44. p. 82), but may also, as Mr. Paley suggests, refer to supr. 791. This is rather confirmed by the repetition of ξύνοικος in what follows, echoing supr. 785; i.e. 'I wonder if they will be contented now I am reduced to this! But at all events I will not trouble them henceforth by dwelling with them.'

817. mvp-comment-384-1 τοῦ λοιποῦ χρόνου] ‘For any portion of the time to come.' Essay on L. § 10. p. 17, 5.

818. mvp-comment-385-1 Hermann's suggestion, adopted in the text, affords a probable, though by no means certain, emendation of this line. ξύνοικος must be taken in a slightly pregnant or proleptic sense= ὥστε ξύνοικος εἶναι.

818-819. mvp-comment-386-1 τῇδε πρὸς πύλῃ βίον] ' I will let myself drop beside the gate and, without a friend, here wither my life away. She sinks into a half-recumbent attitude and remains so until the beginning of the commos. Sappho, Fr. 17, παρ δ᾽ ἱεῖσαι πτερά: Tennyson's Elaine, 'She slipped like water to the floor.' Mr. Paley calls this sensational.' But it is not more so than the death of Ajax, than Heracles (Trach. 1079, 80) unveiling his wounds than Oedipus appearing with eyes still bleeding, etc. The question is whether 11. 820-2, being spoken in this posture, may not be appropriate to this critical moment of darkness before dawn.'

820. mvp-comment-387-1 εἰ βαρύνεται] Clytemnestra had spoken impatiently of the vexation of having Electra in the house with her, supr. 784. 5. Electra now says, 'If her lying at the gate is a vexation to any one, let them put her out of the way, and welcome!'

823-869. mvp-comment-388-1 In this short commos, in which the broken lines are expressive of intense feeling, the several members of the Chorus, with the exception of the Coryphaeus, who, having spoken in 11. 764, 5, remains in silent sympathy with Electra, attempt to rouse her from her utter despair, partly with consolation and partly with expressions of pity. But she is, if possible, more inconsolable than before. The metres are as follows:-

823-826. mvp-comment-389-1 Orestes being dead and his father unavenged, the Powers of Heaven themselves must interfere. The sun must surely see this iniquity, the lightning must descend to punish it.

826. mvp-comment-390-1 κρύπτουσιν] Either (1) sc. ἑαυτούς, 'They They hide themselves.' Cp. κεύθω. Or (2) sc. τὸ ἐφορᾶν: i.e. 'If seeing this they make as if they saw not, and remain unmoved.' Cp. Hom. H. 26. 7, where there is a similar doubt.

828-830. mvp-comment-391-1 The words intended for consolation only wring a cry from Electra, and when asked the reason, she answers with a louder cry: on which the Chorus deprecate this excess of sorrow. μηδέν is adverbial, and μέγα cognate accusative. Cp. Aj. 1066, μηδὲν δεινὸν ἐξάρῃς μένος.

831. mvp-comment-392-1 ἀπολεῖς] Electra, when asked the reason of her weeping, and told not to cry aloud, can only understand this as a suggestion that Orestes is alive.

834-836. mvp-comment-393-1 If you will suggest a hope concerning one who is manifestly gone below, you will but press with heavier weight against my pining soul.' For the genitive τῶν.. οἰχομένων, see Essay on L. § 9. p. 13, 3, and ib. p. 12, 2. In ὑποίσεις, ὑπο is used as in ὑπεῖπον, - φέρω as in προφέρω.

836. mvp-comment-394-1 ἐπεμβάσει contains a metaphor from trampling on the fallen. Cp. supr. 456: Aj. 1348, οὐ γὰρ θανόντι καὶ προσεμβῆναί σε χρή : and κατά, 'against,' gives additional point to the expression. Essay on L. § 19. p. 27.

837-838. mvp-comment-395-1 The Chorus adduce another reason for taking comfort even if Orestes be no more. The gods have not forgotten Amphiaraus, and they will not forget Agamemnon. The sudden disappearance of the prophet during the flight of the Argive host from Thebes, would naturally make a strong impression upon the Argive people.

837. mvp-comment-396-1 ἄνακτ] Cp. Ο. Τ. 284, ἄνακτ᾿ ἄνακτι ταῦθ᾽ ὁρῶντ᾽ ἐπίσταμαι, κ.τ.λ.

838-839. mvp-comment-397-1 χρυσοδέτοις . . γυναικών] 'Lost to sight through female snares depending on a golden chain.' χρυσοδέτοις ἔρκεσι is a condensed expression (Essay on L. pp. 39, 81) in which ἕρκεσι suggests both the entangling influence of Eriphyle and the necklace given to her by Adrastus. (So Wecklein.) In this case ἕρκεσι denotes that the necklace was indirectly an instrument of Adrastus' cunning. But it may be questioned whether such a complex association is possible. Perhaps ἔρμασι should be read, in the general sense of a woman's ornament. Cp. Od. 18. 297, ἔρματα δ᾽ Εὐρυδάμαντι δύω θεράποντες ἔνεικαν | τρίγληνα μορόεντα· χάρις δ' ἀπελάμπετο πολλή. See L. and S. s. v. ἔρμα ΙΙΙ.

840. mvp-comment-398-1 Here Electra thinks of both her father and Orestes.

841. mvp-comment-399-1 πάμψυχος ἀνάσσει] ‘He wields authority with mighty spirit unimpaired.' The prophet Amphiaraus is imagined as, like the prophet Teiresias, retaining all his faculties in the under-world. (So Wecklein: 'Unter der Erde aber lebte er mit vollem Leben und Bewusztsein fort und offenbarte dies durch Orakel und Heilung von Kranken. Cic. de Div. 1. 40.') From this the Chorus argue that the spirit of Agamemnon too will yet make his power to be felt.

843. mvp-comment-400-1 φεῦ δῆτ᾽.. ὀλοὰ γάρ] The connection is difficult, and Wecklein reads μάν for γάρ. If γάρ is retained, the Chorus must be supposed to give a different turn to the interjection. Electra, thinking of her father, dwells on the sadness of Amphiaraus' death. The Choreutes, who interposes, reflects on the sadness of the whole story, including the death of Eriphyle by the hand of her son Alcmaeon (which Sophocles made the subject of a tragedy). 'Woe, indeed, you may cry! For the wretched (or baneful) woman-' Electra instantly perceives the drift, and quickly interrupts, in a tone of momentary triumph, -' Was overpowered!' Then, recollecting that he who should have done Alcmaeon's part for her is now no more, she relapses into despair.

846. mvp-comment-401-1 μελέτωρ ἀμφὶ τὸν ἐν πένθει] 'One to care for him who was then mourned for.' ἐν πένθει is here used passively, not as supr. 290. Cp. ἐν λόγοις.

848. mvp-comment-402-1 φροῦδος ἀναρπασθείς] Is snatched away from the earth.' See note on Aj. 1192, ὄφελεν αἰθέρα δῦναι μέγαν, and note.

849. mvp-comment-403-1 New misery finds thee in thy misery.'

850-852. mvp-comment-404-1 I know that all too well, taught by a weight of fearful horror, that month by month accumulates.' Time is conceived as drawing in his train an ever-increasing burden of pollution and grief. For δεινῶν . . ἀχέων, which is unmetrical, Hermann proposed δεινῶν στυγνῶν τ᾽ αἰῶνι,-Prof. Lushington has suggested δεινῶν* τε στυγνῶν τ' *ἄχθει, which is adopted in the text. Hermann's reading means, 'In a life which month by month accumulates horror and pollution.'

854-855. mvp-comment-405-1 μή . . παραγάγῃς] 'Draw me not aside,' as they had done for a moment by reminding her of the fate of Eriphyle.

855. mvp-comment-406-1 ἵν'] ‘In a state of things wherein- Cp. supr. 22, ἵν᾿ οὐκέτ᾽ ὀκνεῖν καιρός.

857-858. mvp-comment-407-1 (οὐ) πάρεισιν .. ἀρωγαί] 'There is no longer within call the aid of hopes that rest on common birth from a most noble sire.' The language is much condensed: i.e. ἀρωγαὶ ἐν ἐλπίδι γιγνόμεναι ἀπὸ τοῦ εὐπατρίδου καὶ κοινοτόκου, sc. Ὀρέστου. See Essay on L. § 43. p. 81.

859. mvp-comment-408-1 ἔφυ] « Is ordained by Nature.' For φῦναι, of divine appointment, cp. Ο. C. 1443, 4, ταῦτα δ' ἐν τῷ δαίμονι | καὶ τῇδε φῦναι χἀτέρᾳ.

861-863. mvp-comment-409-1 'Is it likewise decreed by Nature to fall, as my poor brother did, on a sharp dragging-instrument amid swift-racing hoofs? For the lyrical use of the abstract word ὁλκός, cp. Eur. Ion 144, 5, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκπαύσω γὰρ μόχθους | δάφνας ὁλκοῖς. On τμητοῖς see above, note on 747.

864. mvp-comment-410-1 ἄσκοπος ὁ λώβα] ‘The ruin is beyond thought; ' i.e. either (1) 'greater than can be conceived,' or (2) 'greater than could have been imagined beforehand.' For ἄσκοπος, cp. Aj. 21, and note; and see Essay on L. § 51. p. 96. The Scholiast says ἀπροόρατος ὁ θάνατος, and with this some interpreters are satisfied.

865-870. mvp-comment-411-1 'Indeed it is unimaginable :- to think that he is hidden from the light of day, without my hands-Cho. Alas!-El. to deck his corpse and bury him, without our voices to lament for him!'

866. mvp-comment-412-1 ἄτερ ἐμᾶν χερῶν] Cp. infr. 1141, ἐν ξέναισι χερσὶ κηδευθείς: Ant. 900-3 (Antigone had the consolation which is denied to Electra).

871. mvp-comment-413-1 What seems the illusion of Chrysothemis only adds poignancy to Electra's sorrow. Sophocles here modifies the well-known incident of the curl found at the tomb. The Electra of Aeschylus is moved by seeing the hair and the other signs of Orestes, but is incredulous when he himself appears. The Electra of Sophocles has heard and believed the news of his death, and disbelieves the signs of him, which her weaker sister has seen. Chrysothemis holding the lock from Orestes' head before Electra, who believes him to be no more, makes one of those contrasts by which Sophocles impresses the situation on the mind of the spectator.

871. mvp-comment-413-2 διώκομαι] 'I am driven,' or 'impelled.' See L. and S. s. ν. διώκω, III. 1.

874. mvp-comment-414-1 εἶχες] Αj. 203, ἔχομεν στοναχάς.

875-876. mvp-comment-415-1 And where should you find relief for my woes, in which no possibility of healing is to be found?' 'σύ, always emphatic,.. with something of contemptuous incredulity.' Paley. Chrysothemis is the last person from whom Electra looks for real help.

878. mvp-comment-416-1 ἐναργῶς.. ἐμέ] 'Unmistakably, even as you see me before you.' ἐναργῶς is stronger than σαφῶς.

879. mvp-comment-417-1 For ἐπί, cp. infr. 1230, 1, ὁρῶμεν, ὦ παῖ, κἀπὶ συμφοραῖσί μοι | γεγηθός ἔρπει δάκρυον ὀμμάτων ἄπο. Electra supposes that Chrysothemis must have heard of Orestes' death. This, she reminds her sister, is a sorrow common to them both.

882. mvp-comment-418-1 ὡς παρόντα νῷν] Sc. λέγω. Cp. supr. 317, 18, and note.

883. mvp-comment-419-1 καὶ τίνος . . ἄγαν] • Who then in the world has told you this, that you believe in it so firmly?'-i.e. in spite of all that we have heard. καί introduces the question with indignant surprise, as in καὶ πῶς. Cp. Αj. 462, 3, καὶ ποῖον ὄμμα, κ.τ.λ.

885. mvp-comment-420-1 The attraction of gender in

885-886. mvp-comment-421-1 ἄλλης is no sufficient reason for rejecting the Laurentian reading here. With ἐξ ἐμοῦ in the answer of Chrysothemis ἰδοῦσα takes the place of εἰσακούσασα.

887-888. mvp-comment-422-1 ἐς τί μοι.. πυρί] 'On what object have you fixed your gaze that has infected you with this fatal fever?' (Mr. Paley doubts whether is τι.. βλέψ. means, What hope have you conceived?' or 'What object have you seen?' But, surely, both meanings are included:What have you seen that has led you to conceive hope?') For fire as an image of passionate illusion, cp. Pind. Pyth. 4. 388, 9. ὄφρα Μηδείας τοκίων ἀφέλοιτ' αἰδῶ, ποθεινὰ δ᾽ Ἑλλὰς αὐτὰν | ἐν φρεσὶ καιομέναν δονέοι μάστιγι πειθούς.

891. mvp-comment-423-1 εἴ σοι ἡδονή] i. e. εἴ πως ἥδει τῷ λέγειν. This is spoken in a tone of languid and supreme indifference.

893. mvp-comment-424-1 πατρὸς ἀρχαῖον τάφον] 'The ancient sepulchre, where our father is laid.' The word ἀρχαῖος properly applies to the burial place of the kings of Argos, in which Agamemnon was laid. Sophocles seems to conceive of this as a mound with a κρηπίς of stone, of which a certain portion (θήκη) was marked off as containing the body of Agamemnon. The libation was poured high up on the mound, so as to flow down over this portion of the πυρά, or burial-site; the flowers were arranged so as to decorate the θήκη ᾿Αγαμέμνονος; the lock of hair was placed near the edge of the πυρά. But in explaining the details of the description we are left almost entirely to conjecture.

894. mvp-comment-425-1 κολώνης ἐξ ἄκρας] Either (1) flowing from the summit, or (2) just below the summit, -cp. Ant. 411, ἄκρων ἐκ πάγων.

895. mvp-comment-426-1 For πηγάς, cp. O. C. 479,- (χέω τάδε;) τρισσάς γε πηγάς.

895-896. mvp-comment-427-1 περιστεφῆ.. ἀνθέων] Cp.О.Т. 83, πολυστεφὴς.. δάφνης, and note.

898. mvp-comment-428-1 · ἐγχρίμπτει, which has some authority, is an equally good reading.' Paley. The subjunctive is more expressive of apprehension.

899. mvp-comment-429-1 ἐν γαλήνῃ] Sc. οὖσαν. Essay on L. § 23. p. 38. For the sense, cp. Hdt. 1. 45. § 4, ἐπεί τε ἡσυχίη τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐγένετο περὶ τὸ σῆμα.

900-901. mvp-comment-430-1 ἐσχάτης.. πυρᾶς] ‘Towards the edge of the grave.' For this genitive = πρὸς .. πυρᾶς, cp. supr. 78, 324, and notes, and see Essay on L. § 10. p. 15.46. It is difficult to give a more particular explanation of its use in this passage. Either the curl showed itself from the edge, where it lay; or it lay somewhere near the edge, not exactly on it.

901. mvp-comment-431-1 νεώρη . . τετμημένον] Α fresh curl newly shorn.' The participle is added in further definition of νεώρη.

902-904. mvp-comment-432-1 ἐμπαίει.. τεκμήριον] 'A familiar sight' or 'image struck upon my soul, (and told me) that I saw in this a certain token of Orestes, dearest of mankind.' ὄμμα (see Essay on L. § 54. p. 99) is here the active impression of the object of vision. ὁρᾶν depends on the general notion, 'I felt,' implied in the preceding words.

905. mvp-comment-433-1 βαστάσασα] 'When I held it.' Cp. infr. 1129. δυσφημῶ μὲν οὔ] ‘I uttered no ill-omened cry.' Reverence dictated silence in the immediate neighbourhood of that ancient tomb.

906. mvp-comment-434-1 πίμπλημ᾽.. ὄμμα] ‘My eye was filled.' Essay on L. $ 30. p. 52 d.

908. mvp-comment-435-1 τόδ᾽ ἀγλάϊσμα] ίσμα] Cp. Aesch. Cho. 193, 4, εἶναι τόδ᾽ ἀγλάϊσμα μοι τοῦ φιλτάτου | βροτῶν Ὀρέστον. The genitive is one of possession, as in this passage of the Choephori, but is also resumed with μολεῖν as a genitive of derivation. μή, not oὐ, because that which is denied is not the fact merely, but the possibility of the fact.

909. mvp-comment-436-1 τόδε] This act of offering hair, which belongs only to the nearest relatives of the dead.

911. mvp-comment-437-1 μηδὲ πρὸς θεούς] Religious duties formed an occasional exception to the seclusion of women in Attica. See Bernhardy, Grundriss, Part i. p. 55.

914. mvp-comment-438-1 ἐλάνθανεν] Sc. ἡ μήτηρ. There is a slight change of construction. The omission of ar is rightly defended by Wecklein : 'ελάνθανεν statt ἐλάνθανεν ἄν bezeichnet die unausbleibliche Folge.'

915. mvp-comment-439-1 ἔστ᾽ Ὀρέστου ταῦτα τἀπιτίμια] 'It is Orestes who has paid these dues. ἐπιτίμια occurs nowhere else with this exact meaning, and Dindorf, following

915-916. mvp-comment-440-1 Wunder, reads τἀπιτύμβια. But such a substantive use of ἐπιτύμβιος is not found elsewhere, and ἐπιτίμια will bear the meaning required.

916. mvp-comment-441-1 This is the only place in which θαρσύνειν is intransitive. See E. on L. §53. p. 98, 9. The use of the active verb is more energetic. Cp. παθε.

916-917. mvp-comment-442-1 τοῖς αὐτοῖσί τοι, κ.τ.λ.] Cp. esp. Trach. 132-5, μένει γάρ, κ.τ.λ.

918. mvp-comment-443-1 στυγνός here is rather gloomy' than 'hateful.' Cр. О. Т. 673.

919. mvp-comment-444-1 ὑπάρξει κῦρος.. καλῶν] Either (1) Will be the consummation of much good,' or (2) Will lead the way to,' etc. i. e. ὑπάρξει καλῶν, ὥστε κῦρος ἔχειν τὰ καλά. For the accusative after ὑπάρχω, see L. and S. s. v. A 4. For (1) cp. Eur. Hec. 1229, θησαυρὸς ἄν σοι παῖς ὑπῆρχ᾽ οὔτος μέγας.

920. mvp-comment-445-1 Wecklein punctuates differently, φεῦ τῆς ἀνοίας, ὥς σ᾽ ἐποικτείρω πάλαι.

922. mvp-comment-446-1 'You know not where you are, nor what you say.' The metaphorical ὅποι γῆς is explained by the more literal ὅποι γνώμης.

923. mvp-comment-447-1 Cp. supr. 878.

927. mvp-comment-448-1 τοῦ . . παρόντος] The individualizing article, by adding a touch of ἐνάργεια, helps to mark the certainty of Electra's belief. Cp. supr. 424.

929. mvp-comment-449-1 μητρί is added with the second clause to mark the unnaturalness of Clytemnestra. A welcome messenger, not displeasing to the mother there.'

930. mvp-comment-450-1 γάρ = ' then,' asks for explanation. The death of Orestes is certain. The offerings came then from another. Who can this be? Cp. Phil. 327, 8, εὐ γ', ὦ τέκνον, τίνος γὰρ ὧδε τὸν μέγαν | χόλον κατ᾿ αὐτῶν ἐγκαλῶν ἐλήλυθas;

931. mvp-comment-451-1 πρὸς τάφον] The accusative, because of the notion of 'bringing' implied in κτερίσματα.

934. mvp-comment-452-1 ὦ δυστυχής] Sc. ἐγώ.

935. mvp-comment-453-1 τοιούσδ'] 'Such,' ie. So full of joy.

938. mvp-comment-454-1 οὕτως.. ταῦτ᾽] Electra says this with the quietness of despair.

941. mvp-comment-455-1 Electra ironically waives rejoinder to the frigid question which is ⚫ strangely distasteful to her, and makes it felt that she has something of real practical importance in her mind. γε implies, Be that as it may, it was not my meaning.' Some read ἐς τόδ' with M.

943. mvp-comment-456-1 τλῆναι.. δρῶσαν] The participle, as with πειρᾶσθαι.

945-946. mvp-comment-457-1 ὅρα.. ὁρῶ.] Consider -.' 'I see that clearly.' Cp. Phil. 589, ὅρα τί ποιεῖς, παῖ. ΝΕ. σκοπῶ κἀγὼ πάλαι : and for the γνώμη, Fr. 364, οὗτοι ποθ' ἅψει τῶν ἄκρων ἄνευ πόνου.

948. mvp-comment-458-1 The hopelessness of the present situation, which Ismene in the Antigone (Ant. 49 foll.) dwells upon as a ground of inaction, is urged by Electra as a reason for doing what ought to be done. Cp. the words of Henry V in Shakspeare, 4. 1. 1, 'Gloucester, 'tis true that we are in great danger:-The greater therefore should our courage be.'

951-952. mvp-comment-459-1 βίῳ | θάλλοντ᾽ * ἔτ'] The correction (see v. rr.) is necessary. as βίῳ for ἐν βίῳ ὄντα would be too harsh an ellipse.

954. mvp-comment-460-1 εἰς σὲ δὴ βλέπω] Electra knows this to be a forlorn hope, - infr. 1017, 8, but to speak confidently is her only chance of success.

956. mvp-comment-461-1 ξὺν τῇδ᾽ ἀδελφῇ] She adds her own claim of sisterhood to the guilt of Aegisthus, as a reason why Chrysothemis should help her.

957. mvp-comment-462-1 The motive of this line, which has been suspected by some critics, is sufficiently explained by comparing supr. 126, ὁ τάδε πορών, and note. The name which the chorus there suppressed, out of habitual fear, Electra now fearlessly pronounces. She need use no concealment with Chrysothemis, for whether with or without her help, she means to act so as to anticipate prevention.

958. mvp-comment-463-1 ποῖ μενεῖς ῥαθυμος] Το what point will you remain inert?' i.e. How far must things go before you are roused to action? See Essay on L. § 24. p. 41, and cp. esp. O. С. 383, 4, τοὺς δὲ σοὺς ὅποι θεοὶ | πόνους κατοικτιοῦσιν, οὐκ ἔχω μαθεῖν.

959. mvp-comment-464-1 ἔτ᾿ ὀρθήν] 'That is not already thrown down.'

960. mvp-comment-465-1 The accusative is probably occasioned by στένειν, i.e. στένειν κτῆσιν, ἐστερημένῃ αὐτῆς, -οι αὐτήν, -though the simple verb is not elsewhere found with the accusative.

963. mvp-comment-466-1 τῶνδε] λέκτρων ὑμεναίων τε.

968. mvp-comment-467-1 εὐσέβειαν] Cp. supr. 345, 6, and note, Ant. 924. κάτω] Sc. ὄντος, absorbed in θανόντος.

971. mvp-comment-468-1 καλεῖ] Future middle for passive.

973. mvp-comment-469-1 λόγων γε μὴν . . οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὅσην] 'Do you not see how great, at all events, will be the glory of renown?' etc. γε μήν emphasizes what is certain as distinguished from the hope last spoken of, in which there was necessarily some uncertainty.

976. mvp-comment-470-1 Will not point to us with such words of praise?' δεξιοῦσθαι is to extend the right hand towards a person in token of greeting or admiration. Cp. esp. Hom. H. 5. 15, 16, ἦγον ἐς ἀθανάτους, οἱ δ᾽ ἠσπάζοντο ἰδόντες, | χερσί τ' ἐδεξιόωντο.

977. mvp-comment-471-1 On the use of the masculine here, see Essay on L. § 20. p. 30, 2. It is dropped infr. 985, where Electra is speaking more familiarly and in her own person.

979. mvp-comment-472-1 εὐ βεβηκόσιν] 'When in high prosperity. The phrase literally means, Standing firmly." Cp. esp. Archil. Fr. 58, πολλάκις της ἀνατρέπουσι ανατο καὶ μάλ᾽ εὖ βεβηκότας | ὑπτίους κλίνουσι.

980. mvp-comment-473-1 προὐστήτην φόνου] 'Stood forth (1) to slay,' or (2) as avengers of blood.' The genitive is difficult, and is hardly explained by comparing Aj. 803, Eur. Andr. 221. Either (1) it expresses purpose, as in Thuc. 1. 36, καλῶς παράπλου κεῖται, and similar expressions, or (2) the phrase is equivalent to προστάται φόνου ἐγένοντο, 'Became ministers of the blood-feud.'

986. mvp-comment-474-1 συμπόνει πατρί] 'Labour in thy father's cause,-vindicate thy brother's name. As observed above in note on l. 811, the ideas of vengeance and of succour are inseparable. So συγκάμνειν is used of honouring the dead in Aj. 988.

987-988. mvp-comment-475-1 The wild and desperate hope on which this rests, and which has been suggested by the previous lines, is that, when Aegisthus is slain, the people will immediately rise in favor of the surviving representatives of the Atreidae.

991. mvp-comment-476-1 On the non-repetition of the article here see Essay on L. § 21. p. 33, b.

992-993. mvp-comment-477-1 εἰ φρενῶν.. μὴ κακῶν] If her thoughts had not been perverted.' μή belongs to the whole sentence, but its position emphasizes both the negation and the epithet κακῶν.

996. mvp-comment-478-1 As elsewhere, when αὐτός τε καί is introduced after the beginning of a sentence, the second clause has an independent construction. Plat. Rep. 4. Ρ. 427 C, αὐτός τε καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν παρακάλει.

999. mvp-comment-479-1 εὐτυχής is equally probable.

1000. mvp-comment-480-1 κἀπὶ μηδὲν ἔρχεται] Cp. Fr. 786. 1.8, πάλιν διαρρεῖ κἀπὶ μηδὲν ἔρχεται. The use of μή rather than oὐ is to be explained by the abstract expression, - 'nothingness' rather than 'nothing.'

1005. mvp-comment-481-1 λύει .. ἡμᾶς οὐδέν] It brings us no release.' λύειν is not here = λυσιτελεῖν, as it is sometimes in Euripides. See O. T. 316, 7, and note.

1007-1008. mvp-comment-482-1 It is conceivable, as some editors have suggested, that these two lines may have come in from elsewhere. Cp. Aj. 554 and note. If they are part of the text, the connection is somewhat as follows: We should gain nothing by doing what, although applauded for the moment, would bring us to an ignominious death. Not death merely, but the lingering misery that might precede it, is what we should have most to dread.' We may suppose that the imagination of Chrysothemis has been impressed by the threat of immurement, which she reported supr. 379-82.

1009. mvp-comment-483-1 πανωλέθρους τὸ πᾶν . . ὀλέσθαι] Perish utterly and irredeemably.' The repetition of τὸ πᾶν, already implied in πανωλέθρους, anticipates the notion which is more fully expressed by the antithesis in the succeeding verse, -'Ere we perish in an utter destruction, in which we should involve not ourselves only but our whole race'-(since Orestes is no more).

1010. mvp-comment-484-1 κἀξερημῶσαι γένος] Cp. Ant. 58, 9, νῦν αὖ μόνα δὴ νὰ λελειμμένα σκόπει | ὅσῳ κάκιστ᾽ ὀλούμεθ'. Iphianassa ( supr. 157) seems to be forgotten.

1011. mvp-comment-485-1 κατάσχες ὀργήν] Cp. Pind. Isthm. 3. 3, (εἴ τις) σθένει πλούτου κατέχει φρεσὶν αἰανῆ κόρον.

1018. mvp-comment-486-1 ἁπηγγελλόμην] The interpretation preserved by Hesychius, -ἐπηγγελλόμην· παρεκάλουν, ἐπέστελλον, – is hardly adequate. A better meaning is obtained if the word is allowed to retain its usual force, 'The offer which I made.' In proposing that they should together compass the death of Aegisthus, Electra thinks that she has given Chrysothemis a glorious opportunity.

1020. mvp-comment-487-1 κενόν] i.e. ἀργόν, 'Unperformed.'

1022. mvp-comment-488-1 πάντα γὰρ κατειργάσω] 'You had effected everything;' i.e. would have prevented the accomplishment of the murder. For the ellipse of av here, cp. esp. Thuc. 8. 86, ἐν ᾧ σαφέστατα Ἰωνίαν καὶ Ἑλλήσποντον εὐθὺς εἶχον οἱ πολέμιοι. It deserves to be considered, whether euphony may not have been sometimes consulted in the omission of av. Certainly πᾶν γὰρ ἄν has not a pleasant sound. Cp. supr. 914: Ant. 604, 5, τίς ἀνδρῶν . . κατάσχοι; Aesch. Ag. 1163, νεογνὸς ἀνθρώπων μάθοι. For πάντα = 'Anything and everything,' cp. Trach. 17, πᾶν τοίνυν . κλύοι τις ἄν: Ο. C. 1503, 4, πάντα γὰρ . . εἰκάσαι πάρα.

1026. mvp-comment-489-1 'No, for in making the attempt one is likely to have ill success.' The masculine gender of the participle and the present tense of the infinitive give generality to the expression :-i.e. εἰκός ἐστι κακῶς πράσσειν τινά, εἰ ἐγχειροίη. καί marks correlation of act and consequence.

1028. mvp-comment-490-1 'I will listen with the same equanimity when you shall praise me;' i.e. 'As I am indifferent to your censure, so I will be to your commendation, when you have learned the truth.' The slight harshness of this, to which av in infr. 1034 is opposed, shows the rising impatience of Chrysothemis. Cp. supr. 430, inf. 1044. 1057. This interpretation is confirmed by l. 1030, μακρὸς χρόνος, ‘A long time, even all the future, is in store to determine that,' where καί is used as elsewhere in adding an equivalent or explanatory phrase. For the article with the epexegetic infinitive = ὥστε, κ.τ.λ., cp. Ο. Τ. 1417, and note.

1033. mvp-comment-491-1 σῇ] i.e. ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἐμῇ. Cp. Ant. 549, Κρέοντ᾽ ἐρώτα· τοῦδε γὰρ σὺ κηδεμών.

1034. mvp-comment-492-1 Nay but I do not hate thee to that extent'-i. e. though I am vexed with you.

1035. mvp-comment-493-1 But at least you should understand into what dishonour you would bring me.' Electra's tone is softened for the moment by the affectionate tone of the previous line.

1036. mvp-comment-494-1 It is not dishonour I intend, but rather care for thee.' προμηθίας follows the case of ἀτιμίας, without having any definite construction with the preceding words. See Essay on L. $ 35. p. 60 с. The bisection of the line here and in 1038 helps to mark the earnestness of Chrysothemis, and has something of a lyric effect.

1039. mvp-comment-495-1 How strange and sad it is that she who speaks so fairly should thus err!' The phra phrase εὐ λέγουσαν refers not to any single speech of Chrysothemis, but to the general tone of complacent superiority with which she utters her sentences of prudential morality.

1040. mvp-comment-496-1 ᾧ σὺ πρόσκεισαι] Cp. supr. 240, and note.

1043. mvp-comment-497-1 Electra is revolted by the suggestion of tempering justice with expediency. Cp. supr. 397, οὐκ ἐμοὺς τρόπους λέγεις. For τούτοις.. νόμοις, cp. Ant. 191, τοιοῖσδ᾽ ἐγὼ νόμοισι τήνδ' αὔξω πόλιν.

1044. mvp-comment-498-1 Cp. infr. 1057.

1046. mvp-comment-499-1 καὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἀληθές] ‘And is this real?' i.e. an intention which you will execute. Cp. Phil. 921, καὶ ταῦτ᾽ ἀληθῆ δρᾶν νοεῖς; οὐδὲ βουλεύσει πάλιν] 'And will you not alter your resolve?' Cp. Phil. 961, εἰ καὶ πάλιν | γνώμην μετοίσεις.

1048. mvp-comment-500-1 Nothing that I say seems to make any impression on your mind.' φρονεῖν is here to be receptive of wisdom.' The prudence of Chrysothemis is more calculating than the timidity of Ismene.

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

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

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

1058-1097. mvp-comment-504-1 The Chorus lament, for Agamemnon's sake, over the quarrel between his daughters, which is added to the other troubles of his house, including the supposed death of Orestes, and express their admiration of Electra's attitude. Addressing her in the second strophe, they encourage her with words of sympathy and commendation. While Orestes lived, they bade her hope and trust. Now that they believe him to be dead, they are carried away by the heroism of her despair. That Electra remains upon the stage appears from infr. 1105.

1058-1065. mvp-comment-505-1 Agamemnon is forgotten by his daughter Chrysothemis, and by others who owed him gratitude. In this the human race shows itself inferior to the prudent stork. But though men forget, the gods remember, and will soon exact the penalty.

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

1059-1060. mvp-comment-507-1 τροφᾶς.. εὕρωσι] ‘Caring in respect of nurture for those from whom they are sprung, and from whom they have experienced good.' For the double genitive, cp. Trach. 108, ἀνδρὸς δεῖμα φέρουσαν ὁδοῦ, and for the subjunctive, cp. supr. 771, μίσος ὧν τέκῃ.

1060. mvp-comment-508-1 τάδ᾽ οὐκ ἐπ᾽ ἴσας τελοῦμεν] 'Do we not equally fulfil this duty?' For the adverbial expression (ἐπ᾽ ἴσας, sc. μοίρας), cp. Trach. 727, ἐξ ἑκουσίας.

1061. mvp-comment-509-1 ἀλλ᾽ οὐ *τάν] For the omission of μά, which the MSS. insert against the metre, cp. Ant. 758, ἀλλ᾿ οὐ, τόνδ' Ὄλυμπον : infr. 1239.

1064. mvp-comment-510-1 οὐρανίαν] Cp. Ο. Τ. 865-7, νόμοι . . οὐρανίαν | δι' αἰθέρα τεκνωθέντες.

1065. mvp-comment-511-1 δαρὸν οὐκ ἀπόνητοι] Sc. οὐ τελοῦμεν ταῦτα. The subject is ἡμεῖς, i.e. οἱ ἄνθρωποι, but the sentence, although general in form, is pointed at

1065-1066. mvp-comment-512-1 those who take part with Aegisthus. (In failing thus) 'we do not long escape from trouble.' For the passive form in ἀπόνητοι, see Essay on L. § 31. pp. 53. 4, § 53. p. 98 a, and cp. esp. Trach. 102, ποθουμένᾳ, and note.

1066. mvp-comment-513-1 ὦ χθονία.. φάμα] Ο human voice that piercest underground!' βροτοῖσι is really equivalent to a genitive, depending on the verbal notion in φάμα. More literally, Rumour on the part of mortals.' The language presupposes a communion of the living and the dead, so that the power of Rumour about things on earth is believed to extend to the world below.

1067. mvp-comment-514-1 οἰκτρὰν ὅπα] 'With lamentable sound.' ὅπα is cogn. acc. Compare with ll. 1066-8, Aesch. Pers. 639 foll. ἀχόρευτα φέρουσ᾽ ὀνείδη] · With saddening reproachful news.'

1070. mvp-comment-515-1 Various corrections of νοσεῖ have been attempted, of which Wecklein's ὀνοστά is the most ingenious. Others are νοσεῖ δή, νοσεῖται, νοσεύει, to which one more may be added, νοσώδη. The point especially indicated in this line is the supposed death of Orestes, which leaves the house of Agamemnon apparently without hope of healing or purgation.

1071-1072. mvp-comment-516-1 τὰ δὲ πρὸς τέκνων . . διαίτᾳ] (1) Most editors agree in understanding this to mean, 'While between his two children a quarrel has arisen that puts an end to the harmony of loving intercourse.' But (a) would Sophocles put φύλοπις for a private quarrel? Or (b) can φ. οὐκέτ᾽ ἐξισοῦται be construed so as to mean νείκει διίστανται? Another interpretation seems possible, if we may suppose the Chorus to have been carried away by the visionary hopes of Electra. Then (2) διπλή φύλοπις might be taken to mean the 'two-fold war-cry,' i.e. the combination of the two sisters for hostile purposes, which had seemed possible, supr. 448-71 (note esp. ll. 453-6), and which Electra had depicted in such glowing colours in supr. 967-89. This combination 'is no longer evenly maintained in concord,' since Chrysothemis has renounced her part in it. Or (3) φύλοπις may have lost its hostile association and be used etymologically (Essay on L. $ 54. p. 100 d) for 'the combined voice of the family' as a symbol of fraternal concord. The two sisters no longer 'speak the same thing.' This explanation may be further modified by taking διπλῆ τo mean 'divided.' 'The voices of their children are disparted and no longer harmoniously sustained in a life of affection.'

1072. mvp-comment-517-1 σαλεύει] 'Endures the storm.' Essay on L. § 58. p. 105.

1075-1076. mvp-comment-518-1 τὸν ἀεὶ .. στενάχουσ] Everlastingly mourning for her sire (πατρός, gen. of cause), unhappy maiden.' τὸν ἀεί, sc. χρόνον. Cp. Ο. C. 1584, 1701, and notes. If this 'idiotism' is rejected, it is necessary to have recourse to conjecture here, as well as to a forced explanation of the passages in the Oedipus Coloneus. Schndw. conjectures Ηλέκτρα πότμον ἀεὶ πατρός (retaining μá in the strophe): and this is adopted by Wecklein. Paley, Ἠλ. τὸν ἀεὶ πότμον (‘The irrevocable fate of death'). Dind., τὸν ἑὸν πότμον.

1077. mvp-comment-519-1 For the correction, *πάνδυρτος for πανόδυρτος, cp. Ο. Τ. 1219, *δύρομαι

1077-1080. mvp-comment-520-1 (MSS. ὀδύρομαι). And for the sense, cp. supr. 148 foll.

1078-1080. mvp-comment-521-1 οὔτε. Ἐρινύν] ‘Not avoiding death, but willing to die, if she may but destroy the twofold Evil Power.' Cp. supr. 399, 956, 7. Electra has only spoken of killing Aegisthus. But see note on supr. 987 foll. There is here a reminiscence of Aesch. Cho. 438, ἔπειτ' ἐγὼ νοσφίσας ὀλοίμαν.

1081. mvp-comment-522-1 τίς ἂν.. βλάστοι] When shall one' (i. e. another) arise, so worthy of a noble sire?'-i. e. Noble at once in birth and nature. Cp. Ant. 38, εἴτ᾿ εὐγενὴς πέφυκας, εἴτ᾿ ἐσθλῶν κακή. And see the strained use of the same word in supr. 858 (ἐλπίδων) εὐπατρίδων.

1082-1086. mvp-comment-523-1 οὐδεὶς.. εἵλου] (1) According to Hermann's explanation of these lines, they state with greater calmness the reason of Electra's action, for which the preceding words express unbounded admiration. It would be hard to find a parallel for Electra's conduct, and yet it is that which every noble mind would choose. The truth is (γάρ), no one of noble strain is willing to live on in misery, degradation, and oblivion. Even so thou, O my daughter, didst choose the lot which all men share and all lament' (viz. death), 'so as, arming' (against thyself acc. to Herm. acc. to Schol. 'subduing'-) 'the power of wrong, to win a twofold renown, in being celebrated for wisdom as well as for the highest filial duty.' Cp. Trach. 721, 2, ζῆν γὰρ κακῶς κλύουσαν οὐκ ἀνασχετόν, | ἥτις προτιμᾷ μὴ κακὴ πεφυκέναι : Αj. 479, 80, ἀλλ᾿ ἡ καλῶς ζῆν ἢ καλῶς τεθνηκέναι τὸν εὐγενῆ χρή. Two points in this interpretation admit of doubt, the use of αἰῶνα for the state of the dead, and the meaning given to καθοπλίσασα. For the former, cp. O. С. 1551, 2, τὸν τελευταῖον βίον κρύψων ἐς "Αιδην, and note. Hermann's explanation of καθοπλίσασα, sc. κατὰ σεαυτοῦ, was an expedient which he adopted in order to avoid that of the Scholiast, καταπολεμήσασα καὶ νικήσασα, which appeared impossible. Either (2) the Scholiast should be followed in spite of analogy, or there is some corruption. Herm. doubtfully suggested καθιππάσασα. Other conjectures are καθυπνίσασα, καταπτύσασα. Qy. καθαγνίσασα (?), i.e. ' purging away as if by fire;' cp. supr. 70, δίκῃ καθαρτὴς πρὸς θεῶν ὡρμημένος : Eur. Or. 39, 40. ἐξ ὅτου σφαγαῖς θανοῦσα μήτηρ πυρὶ καθήγνισται δέμας, According to another line of interpretation (3), the connection is to this effect :- Electra is peerless, for none amongst the nobly-born are found to allow their glory to be soiled in a life of misery, as Electra does, choosing to share the common lot of affliction, if only she may subdue the criminals, etc. But εὔκλεια cannot =ἀγλαΐα ( supr. 211), and although the sentiment that the greater number of mankind are born to trouble is not un-Greek, it is hardly Sophoclean or appropriate here. Others would read κλεινὸν for κοινόν.

1089. mvp-comment-524-1 σοφά τ᾿ ἀρίστα τε] 'Wise, as well as bravest,' or 'best, Wise, i. e. because holding fast the higher law. Cp. l. 1094.

1089. mvp-comment-524-2 Enter Orestes and Pylades, with attendants, as the ἄνδρες Φωκέων τεταγμένοι of supr. 759. The urn is carried, not by Orestes as might be expected from supr. 54. but by one of the attendants ( infr. 1123).

1090. mvp-comment-525-1 'Mayest thou live, I pray, as far superior to thy foes in wealth and might as now thou art fallen beneath them!' Cp. Hdt. 8. 60, τῶν ἐχθρῶν κατύπερθε γενέσθαι: ΙΙ. 16. 722.

1091. mvp-comment-526-1 *τεῶν is Hermann's correction of τῶν. Others (Lange, Wecklein) read τοσόνδ'.

1093. mvp-comment-527-1 ὑπὸ †χεῖρα] Hermann's conjecture, ὑπόχειρ (cp. ἐπίχειρ), has been received by subsequent editors. But, although it gives regularity to the metre, the word is not found elsewhere, and ὑπὸ χεῖρα appears idiomatic. Hermann himself (1839) read ὑπὸ χέρα.

1094-1095. mvp-comment-528-1 μοίρᾳ . . βεβῶσαν] Not placed in happy fortune.' Cр. О. С. 1358, 59, ὅτ᾽ ἐν πόνῳ | ταὐτῷ βεβηκὼς τυγχάνεις κακῶν ἐμοί.

1095-1097. mvp-comment-529-1 ἃ δὲ μέγιστ᾽ ἔβλαστε.. εὐσεβεία] Either (1) But prospering most highly, through Zeus-loved piety, in respect of those laws that are mightiest in their origin,' or (2) But endowed with the noblest gifts from those laws which are of mightiest origin, because of thy piety to Zeus.' For μέγιστ' ἔβλαστε, ср. О. Т. 865-72, Ant. 454-7. For the genitive τῶνδε in (2), see Essay on L. § 10. p. 14 b. And for τᾷ Ζηνὸς εὐσεβείᾳ in (1), cp. Phil. 1442, 3, ὡς τἄλλα πάντα δεύτερ᾽ ἡγεῖται πατὴρ | Ζεύς· ἡ γὰρ εὐσέβεια συνθνήσκει βροτοῖς. Wecklein reads ἄριστον αἶνον δι' εὐσέβειαν, Nauck, ἄριστα τὰν σὰν δι᾽ εὐσέβειαν.

1101. mvp-comment-530-1 ᾤκηκεν] Hath his abode.' The perfect tense ironically suggests the supposed permanence of Aegisthus' rule.

1104. mvp-comment-531-1 ποθεινήν] ‘Wishful, i. e. with desire to see them. It is a courteous phrase, for which cp. Shak. Mids. N. D. 1. 1, 'With duty and desire we follow you,'-but may have suggested to the spectators Orestes longing for his home and Electra's longing for him. For the active use of ποθεινός, cp. Eur. Phoen. 1737, ποθεινὰ δάκρυα.

1105. mvp-comment-532-1 τὸν ἄγχιστον] 'Nearest,' i.e. as daughter to the Queen. But the word is calculated to move Orestes, to whom Electra is indeed nearest. The masculine gives generality. Cp. supr. 1026, and note.

1110. mvp-comment-533-1 οὐκ οἶδα .. κληδόν] ‘I know not what report you speak of.' Orestes must seem ignorant of the coming of the Paedagogus, who professed to have been sent by Phanoteus, and had therefore nothing to do with Strophius, from whom Orestes is supposed to come. The evidence appears to flow through two channels, which are independent of each other.

1115. mvp-comment-534-1 Some editors punctuate after ἐκεῖνο, some do not punctuate at all between τοῦτ᾽ .. ἄχθος. The pause at σαφές seems on the whole most probable. Ah! here is that we heard of now made clear. I see the burden ready (as it would seem) to my hand.'

1116. mvp-comment-535-1 πρόχειρον may either mean (1) 'Before my hand,' i. e. ready to be taken up; or (2) Held in the hand' of another.'

1117. mvp-comment-536-1 τι .. τῶν Ὀρεστείων κακῶν] The litotes suggests not only his death, but the ruin of his house. Cp. ll. 1121, 2.