1200.
mvp-comment-574-1
μόνος ποτέ]
i.e. οὐδείς ποτε ἄλλος ἐπῴκτειρεν.
1201.
mvp-comment-575-1
(1) 'I am the only one who brings with him a feeling of the same misfortunes.'
τοῖς ἴσοις, like
τῶν ἴσων, supr. 1168, implies rather 'identity' than 'equality.' Orestes does not mean that his personal sufferings have been like Electra's, but first that in the essential point,
viz. that their father has been murdered and is unavenged, they share equally in the same sorrow, and also that her sorrows are felt by him as his own.
Cp. Aesch. Cho. 222, 3,
ΗΛ. ἀλλ᾽ ἐν κακοῖσι τοῖς ἐμοῖς γελᾶν θέλεις. ΟΡ. κἀν τοῖς ἐμοῖς ἄρ᾽, εἴπερ ἔν γε τοῖσι σοῖς (
ubi τοῖς ἴσοις M. pr.). This parallel favours the other reading here, (2)
τοῖσι σοῖς, which, as Prof. Paley argues, gives a simpler meaning, and may also be thought more pathetic. But it is less in keeping with the subtle gradations of this recognition-scene.
1206.
mvp-comment-576-1
μὴ.. τοῦτό μ' ἐργάσῃ] Orestes has reached forth his hand to take the urn from her.
1209.
mvp-comment-577-1
Orestes again offers to take away the urn.
1210.
mvp-comment-578-1
ὦ.. σέθεν]
Cp. especially Trach. 972,
ὤμοι ἐγὼ σοῦ μέλεος.
1211.
mvp-comment-579-1
εὔφημα φώνει] 'Speak no such ill-omened words,'—as to mention a tomb in connection with the living:
infr. 1219.
1213-1214.
mvp-comment-580-1
The language by which Orestes tries to undeceive his sister is so worded as to seem cruel to her, as if she were unworthy to hold her brother's urn.
1215.
mvp-comment-581-1
οὐδενός] The pronoun (masc.) has a strong pathetic emphasis. 'Dishonoured in no way!'
See Essay on L. § 22. p. 36 fin.
1218.
mvp-comment-582-1
At this point Electra is more than ever forlorn. But at the word
ζῶντος in 1219 a ray of hope strikes her in spite of herself.
1220.
mvp-comment-583-1
ὦ παῖ;] Electra's bewilderment, and the contrast of appearance and fact, are equally marked by her thus artlessly addressing the Stranger as if he were her younger brother.
Cp. O. T. 1030; Aj. 339, and notes.
1223-1224.
mvp-comment-584-1
There is a pause here, during which Electra examines the seal.
1225.
mvp-comment-585-1
ὦ φθέγμ᾽]
Essay on L. § 50. p. 94.
1226.
mvp-comment-586-1
ὡς . . ἔχοις] ‘As I would that you may have me evermore.’
1231.
mvp-comment-587-1
γεγηθὸς .. δάκρυον]
Essay on L. § 42. p. 8ο γ.
1232.
mvp-comment-588-1
In the following passage Electra in her ecstasy utters lyric (chiefly dochmiac) strains, to which Orestes, who is trying to calm her, replies in senarii. The lyric metres may be arranged (though, as the text stands, not perfectly) in a scheme of strophe, antistrophe, and epode, as follows:—
στρ. (ll. 1232-1252).
- u - - - | - u - -
- u u - u - | - u - -
u - u - u - -
1 Senarius.
1 Senarius.
- u - u - | - u - -
u - u - | u - -
1 Senarius.
1 Senarius.
- u - u - | - u u | - u u | u - -
- u - - | u - - -
u - u - u - | u - u -
- u - -
2 Senarii.
ἀντ. (ll. 1253-1263).
- u - | u - -
u u - u - | u u - u - -
u - - u u -
1 Senarius.
1 Senarius.
u u - u - u u -
u - u - | u - u - u - -
2 Senarii.
ἐπ. (ll. 1273-1287).
u u - u - u - -
- - - u -
u u - | u u - | u u - | u u -
- u - | - u -
1 Senarius.
2 - - u u - -
2 Senarii.
1
2
1232.
mvp-comment-588-2
1 The correspondence of στρ. and ἀντ. here is doubtful.
1232.
mvp-comment-588-3
2 In the Epode Orestes also for a moment becomes lyrical.
1232-1233.
mvp-comment-589-1
γοναὶ .. φιλτάτων] 'Offspring of one most dear to me;'
i.e. of Agamemnon. Poetical plural.
E. on L. § 20. p. 30.
1234-1235.
mvp-comment-590-1
For the aorists, see
Essay on L. § 32. p. 55
, and for the feeling in
οὓς ἐχρήζετε,
cp. O. T. 1274,
οὓς δ᾽ ἔχρῃζεν οὐ γνωσοίατο.
1236.
mvp-comment-591-1
'We are here. Only abide the event in silence.' In
πάρεσμεν Orestes probably includes Pylades, but not necessarily.
Cp. the doubt in Trach. 390.
1239.
mvp-comment-592-1
This line as in L, which is followed in the text, has an iambic rhythm which in so far corresponds to 1260. In a passage of so much wildness there may have been a special motive for using long syllables in the strophe where in the antistrophe the iambics are 'pure.' Wecklein reads in στρ.,
μὰ τὰν ᾿Αρτεμιν | τὰν ἀδμῆτ᾽ ἀεί, and in ἀντ.,
τίς οὖν ἀξίαν | σοῦ γε πεφηνότος?
1240-1242.
mvp-comment-593-1
τόδε.. ἀεί] 'Never will I account as worthy of my fear this unprofitable burden of womankind that never stirs abroad.' Electra does not remember that she is a woman. She is one with Orestes, who is come to vindicate the man. She might say with Athena in the Eumenides 738,
κάρτα δ᾽ εἰμὶ τοῦ πατρός. Orestes reminds her that Clytemnestra is not an enemy to be despised.
