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901–1050

ναύτην] 'On board your ship.' ναύτης here = πλωτήρ. The word is used predicatively. For both, cp. Aesch. Pers. 719, πεζὸς ἡ ναύτης δὲ πεῖραν τήνδ' ἐμώρανεν τάλας;

ἅπαντα δυσχέρεια] ‘There is nothing but unpleasantness.' For this use of the abstract noun, cp. O. C. 883, ἆρ᾽ οὐχ ὕβρις τάδ';

ὅταν is postponed to give greater emphasis to τὴν αὐτοῦ φύσιν. λιπών] Cp. supr. 865, ἀφεστάναι.

ἔξω τοῦ φυτεύσαντος] 'From (i. e. 'alien to') your father's strain.' ἔξω is suggested by λιπών and φυτεύσαντος by φύσιν. Mollweide very ingeniously conjectured τοῦ προσεικότος (which, as Nauck observes, might be corrupted to τοῦ πατρὸς εἰκότος), but his conjecture is less forcible than the text.

'There is certainly no baseness in what you are doing. But for what your speech may imply, I feel afraid.' For ὀκνῶ, describing a state of vague, but painful apprehension, cp. O. T. 746, 749. For the ellipse, ὀκνῶ (μὴ αἰσχρὸς φανῇς), see Essay on L. § 39, 6. p. 74. Nauck unnecessarily conjectured ἐφ᾽ οἷς.

δεύτερον] 'A second time.' He is already convicted of baseness in his own mind for having concealed his intention, and he foresees the reproach which the avowal of this same intention will draw down upon him.

The idea of the homeward voyage is so vividly present to Philoctetes' mind, that the only evil intention he can imagine in Neoptolemus is that of leaving him behind.

λιπών.. ἔγωγε] Sc. στελῶ τὸν πλοῦν.

μὴ | πέμπω] The position of the words has the effect of throwing a strong emphasis on πέμπω.

τί ποτε] The trisyllablic foot marks increasing agitation. Cp. infr. 923, 4.

'Ex his tantum abest ut posterior versus ejiciendus sit, ut ejus adjectione eximie ostenderit Sophocles, quam penitus perspectam haberet animi humani naturam. Nam ubi quis semel ab se impetravit ut proferat quod celare jussus erat, jam, quasi expiaturus non recte factum, non aliquid, sed omnia cupit effundere.' (Hermann.) It may be observed here that the στιχομυθίαι in the Philoctetes are, like the style generally, less severely regular than in any of the other plays.

πρὶν μάθης] 'Till you understand the case.' Neoptolemus indulges the hope, which he only abandons at the last moment ( infr. 1391), that Philoctetes may see that it is for his advantage to go to Troy.

He here states briefly that which at a more favourable moment ( infr. 1326-47) he explains at full.

τὰ .. πεδία] A periphrasis for Τροίαν. Cp. infr. 1332. The extent of the Trojan plain struck the imagination of the Greeks who lived in a broken, uneven country.

ἀληθῆ] 'In very deed.' For the adverbial predicate, see Essay on L. § 23. p. 38.

πολλή.. ἀνάγκη] ‘This is ruled by strong necessity.' κρατεῖ τούτων, sc. ὥστε οὕτω γενέσθαι. καί] 'And therefore.' καί with imperatives has often a slightly illative force. Cp. Plat. Gorg. 449 C, τούτου μὴν δεῖ, ὦ Γοργία· καί μοι ἐπίδειξιν αὐτοῦ τούτου ποίησαι.

ὦ ξένε] This change in the manner of address, from ὦ τέκνον, supr. 914, marks the transition from confidence to estrangement on the part of Philoctetes.

τό τ᾽ ἔνδικόν.. ποιεῖ] 'Duty and interest alike compel me.' Cp. supr. 50 foll., 111 foll.

In this passionate outburst Philoctetes first reproaches Neoptolemus, then appeals to his feelings of honour and compassion, then meekly supplicates him. Then (934), when Neoptolemus turns away to hide the impression thus made on him, Philoctetes, thinking him obdurate, complains to the unconscious companions of his solitude. His speech insensibly returns to Neoptolemus, with whom he again pleads, first indirectly, then with one brief direct appeal (l.950). When this is answered by silence, he yields to despair, and turns his face and his complaint towards the lonesome cave. Once more (961) his mind reverts to him who has been so cruel, but had seemed so guileless, and before cursing him, he waits to know whether Neoptolemus will even yet repent.

πῦρ] Cp. O. T. 190, 1, and note. πᾶν δεῖμα] In this and similar expressions ( supr. 622) it is doubted whether πᾶς is distributive or intensive, attributive or predicative. (1) πᾶν distributive: i. e. 'terror of every kind' (not only πῦρ). (2) πᾶν intensive, 'entire' or 'utter terror.' The latter is more probable. 'Thou that art fire and terror unrelieved.' πανουργίας . . ἔχθιστον] · 'Most hateful piece of knavish villany.' For the abstract neuter substantive applied to persons in expressing dislike, cp. λάλημα, μίσος, λῆμα, etc. So φθέγμα in expressing affection.

οὐδ᾽ ἐπαισχύνει.. σχέτλιε] This is more forcible when taken interrogatively as a separate sentence. It is otherwise with the brief clause οὐδ' ἐπαισχύνει λέγων in Αj. 1307.

The iteration and the broken rhythm (l.932 has three trisyllabic feet) are expressive of distracted feeling.

ὧδ'] 'Even so.' For the emphatic resumption of the antecedent, see E. on L. § 40. p. 75. πάλιν] 'The opposite way.' 'Avertit vultum.' Brunck. Cp. Eur. Med. 411, καὶ δίκα καὶ πάντα πάλιν στρέφεται.

προβλῆτες] The substantive is more easily omitted with πέτραι following in the next line.

ξυνουσίαι θηρῶν ὀρείων] 'Wild comrades of the hills.' Cp. supr. 184, 5, στικτῶν ἢ λασίων μετὰ θηρῶν, and for the abstract word, Eur. Alc. 606, ἀνδρῶν Φεραίων εὐμενὴς παρουσία.

ἀνακλαίομαι] 'I complain in my own behalf.' Such is the force of the middle voice. Cp. Antiphon, 119, 24, ἀποστερούμενος δὲ ὑπ᾿ αὐτῶν μηδὲ τὰς παρούσας ἀτυχίας ἀνακλαύσασθαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ἀπορῶ εἰς ἥντινα ἄλλην σωτηρίαν χρή με καταφυγεῖν, Trach. 153. εἰωθόσιν] Sc. παρεῖναι.

Cp. supr. 260, and note.

χεῖρα δεξιάν] Cp. supr. 813, and note. And for προστίθημι in a similar connection, cp. El. 47, ὅρκῳ προστιθείς: Fr. 428, ὅρκου δὲ προστεθέντος ἐπιμελεστέρα | ψυχὴ κατέστη.

For the slight transposition of the order of the words = ἱερὰ τοῦ .. Ἡρακλέους, λαβὼν ἔχει, see Essay on L. § 41. p. 77. Ιn τοῦ Ζηνὸς Ἡρακλέους the second genitive has become a sort of epithet. Cp. Ant. 154, ὁ Θήβας . Βάκχιος.

φήνασθαι] 'To show them as his own.'

ἐκ βίας μ' ἄγει] ‘He seeks to carry me away by force.' In taking the bow, Neoptolemus tries to force Philoctetes to depart. Philoctetes feels this, though he prefers to die.

Ср. О. C. 109, 10, οἰκτείρατ᾿ ἀνδρὸς Οἰδίπου τόδ᾽ ἄθλιον | εἴδωλον, οὐ γὰρ δὴ τὸ γ' ἀρχαῖον δέμας.

οὐ γὰρ.. δόλῳ] These words are especially calculated to wound the pride of Neoptolemus.

τί . . δρᾶν] He returns upon himself for a moment, but, finding no resource, makes one more effort to reach the heart of Neoptolemus. He is met with silence.

Cp. Ant. 552, τί δῆτ᾽ ἂν ἀλλὰ νῦν σ᾽ ἔτ᾿ ὠφελοῖμ᾽ ἐγώ; For ἐν σαυτῷ γενοῦ, 'Return to thy true self,' cp. Xen. An. 1. 5. 17, ἀκούσας ταῦτα ὁ Κλέαρχος ἐν ἑαυτῷ ἐγένετο : Aj. 639,40, οὐκέτι συντρόφοις ὀργαῖς ἔμπεδος. The other idiom, ἐν σαυτοῦ, read in Par. A. ('esto apud te,' Lamb.), is a humorous expression unsuited for tragedy.

σχῆμα πέτρας δίπυλον] 'Rock formed with twofold doorway,' i.e. πέτρα δίπυλος ἐσχηματισμένη. For a similar periphrasis, cp. Eur. Alc. 911, ὦ σχῆμα δύμων, πῶς εἰσέλθω ; ‘A common periphrasis for any object that presents itself to the eye in a familiar form.' Paley. αὖθις αὖ πάλιν] Supr. 930, 932.

ψιλός .. τροφήν] 'Without means of defence or sustenance.' Cp. Αj. 1123, κἂν ψιλὸς ἀρκέσαιμι σοί γ' ὡπλισμένῳ : infr. 1125, 6, χερὶ πάλλων | τὰν ἐμὰν μελέου τροφάν.

αὐανοῦμαι] There can be no doubt about this reading, though the notion of a 'second death' (see v. rr. and cp. νεκρόν, supr. 946) has infected the MSS. τῷδ᾽ ἐν αὐλίῳ] Cp. supr. 19, infr. 1087.

For the suppressed antecedent (τοῖς οἱ ἐκείνοις), cp. Εl. 1060, τροφᾶς κηδομένους ἀφ᾽ ὧν . . βλάστωσιν.

ῥύσιον] 'In requital.' ῥύσιον is (a) that which is rescued from plunder, (b) what is taken in reprisal, (c) an act of reprisal or requital.

For πρός, κ.τ.λ. after a verb in the active voice, see Essay on L. § 36. p. 64.

ὄλοιο μή πω] 'Perish-not yet!' The curse already on his lips ( ὅλοιο) is suspended by the addition of the negative and changed to ὄλοιο μή πω, κ.τ.λ. then finally resumed in θάνοις. πρὶν μάθοιμ᾽] Cp. supr. 325, and note.

καί] Cp. infr. 1270, οὔκουν ένεστι καὶ μεταγῶναι πάλιν;

δρῶμεν] Conjunctive mood.

ἤδη is to be joined with πλεῖν, 'To sail at once.' Cp. supr. 466, ἤδη · στέλλεσθε;

σαυτοῦ] Some editors prefer σαυτῷ, the reading of I, i.e. 'Do not let thy name become a reproach amongst men.' But the reading of L is sound. 'Suffer not this reproach against thee to go forth amongst men.' ἐκκλέψας ἐμέ] 'Through your deceiving me.' Cp supr. 55.

δράσω] Aor. conjunctive.

ἔοικας ἥκειν] For this conversational periphrasis, see Essay on L. § 41. p. 77, a , and cp. Ant. 1279 foll. For δούς used like ἐνδούς, ‘yielding' ( cp. the intransitive use of 'give' in English), see Essay on L. § 55. p. 101, 4. Cp. also the turn of expression in Aj. 483, 4, παῦσαί γε μέντοι καὶ δὸς ἀνδράσιν φίλοις | γνώμης κρατῆσαι, τάσδε φροντίδας μεθείς : Eur. Phoen. 21, ἡδονῇ δούς.

ξυλλαβών] Cp. supr. 945, and note.

παῖ] Cp. supr. 967. The hateful sight of Odysseus drives Philoctetes once again to throw himself on the mercy of Neoptolemus. Cp. Lear, 2. 4, 'Those wicked creatures yet do look well-favoured, When others are more wicked; not being the worst | Stands in some rank of praise. I'll go with thee.'

For the situation, cp. О. С. 858 foll.

στείχειν ἅμ᾿ αὐτοῖς] ‘Το march along with them.' The pronoun αὐτοῖς refers to Neoptolemus and his attendants. Here, as infr. 1003, the language is assisted by the scene. Others refer αὐτοῖς to the bow, but in this case some other verb than στείχειν would be required.

Cp. supr. 800, infr. 1464.

Cp. supr. 376, and note.

τῶν σῶν] Sc. χωρίων. The pron. refers to Λημνία χθών, the words καὶ.. Ἡφαιστότευκτον being διὰ μέσου.

ἵν᾽ εἰδῇς] 'I tell you!' Cp. Aesch. Cho. 439, ἐμασχαλίσθη δ᾽ ἔθ᾽ ὡς τόδ' εἰδῇς. In such expressions there is an ellipse of λέγω. τῆσδε γῆς] Lemnos.

Ср. О. С. 277. Zeus is false to Heracles if he favours the design against his friend.

The removal of Philoctetes fulfils the prophecy of Helenus, and thus establishes the truthfulness of the gods.

'I say, No! for my part.' 'But I say, Yes! you must be ruled.' Gernhard conjectured, ΦΙ. οὔ φημ'. ΟΔ. ἐγὼ δέ φημι

ἄρα is postponed because of the energy with which the first words of the sentence are spoken. See Essay on L. § 26. p. 44.

τοῖς ἀρίστοισιν] Neoptolemus.

γῆς .. βάθρον] 'This Lemnian steep.' Cp. Aj. 859, ὦ γῆς ἱερὸν οἰκείας πέδον | Σαλαμίνος. For the descriptive pleonasm of γῆς, cp. Aesch. Prom. 433, * Αϊδος.. μυχὸς γᾶς.

πέτρᾳ] 'On the rock;' i.e. ἐν πέτρα = εἰς πέτραν (rather than instrum. dat.), to be joined with αἱμάξω. πέτρας is ablative genitive with πεσών.

ξυλλάβετέ γ' αὐτόν] ‘Ay, apprehend him.' ye may be explained by supposing the attendants to have advanced of their own accord on seeing the intention of Philoctetes. Recent editors have adopted G. Bernhardy's conjecture, ξυλλάβετον αὐτόν, supposing Odysseus to address his two attendants, the usual δύ' ἀμφίπολοι of Epic poetry. But if this were right the same dual form of command would have been found elsewhere, e.g. in O. С. 840, 847.

ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε] 'Odysseus,' said with bitter emphasis. Cp. supr. 376, εἰ τἀμὰ κεῖνος ὅπλ᾽ ἀφαιρήσοιτό με. συνθηρώμεναι is at once 'caught' and 'bound.'

οἷ᾽ αὖ] This seems a more probable correction of οἷα than οἷον, which, though found in some MSS., may have arisen from a gloss. *αὖ] 'Again,' as you did ten years ago, when you took advantage of me sleeping; supr. 271 foll.

πρόβλημα σαυτοῦ] ‘As your stalking-horse.' πρόβλημα is in apposition to παῖδα. For προβάλλεσθαι, as a word of blame, cp. Thuc. 1. 37, τὸ εὐπρεπὲς ἄσπονδον . . προβέβληνται.

ἀνάξιον.. ἐμοῦ] 'Who does not deserve to be thy minister, but well deserves to be my friend.'

For the dative after ἀλγεινῶς φέρων = ἀχθόμενος, see Essay on L. § 14. p. 21, and § 36. p. 64.

διὰ μυχῶν βλέπουσ᾽] This is differently explained, (1) 'Spying into hidden places' (so Musgrave, who compares Philo J. 2. p. 78, τὸν ἀεὶ βλέποντα καὶ τὰ ἐν μυχοῖς τῆς διανοίας). For this cp. Αj. 11, καί σ᾽ οὐδὲν εἴσω τῆσδε παπταίνειν πύλης | ἔτ᾽ ἔργον ἐστίν. Or (2) 'Spying out of hiding holes' ('per latebras prospiciens,' Schndw.). The latter (2) is preferable. For the point here is, not that Philoctetes was hidden in his cave, but that Odysseus himself keeps out of sight, while he watches the proceedings of Neoptolemus. This also gives a better meaning. ‘By διά is meant looking through the intervening darkness.' (Paley.) Cp. Aj. 381, κακοπινέστατόν τ᾿ ἄλημα στρατοῦ: ib. 390, and note.

ἀφυῆ] ‘Unapt,' sc. πρὸς τὸ τοιοῦτὸν τι ποιεῖν: or, as Seyffert puts it, ἐπὶ τὸ σοφὸν εἶναι ἐν κακοῖς. Cp. supr. 79, 80, ἔξοιδα καὶ φύσει σε μὴ πεφυκότα τοιαῦτα φωνεῖν, μηδὲ τεχνᾶσθαι κακά.

προὐδίδαξεν] ‘Has instructed him.' Cp. supr. 538, προϋμαθον, and note.

δύστηνε] Cp. Aj. 1290, δύστηνε, ποῖ βλέπων ποτ' αὐτὰ καὶ θροεῖς; συνδήσας agrees with the subject of ἄγειν. The intention here mentioned is spoken of in the more passionate phrase, supr. 979, as a finished act; cp. Aj. 1126, δίκαια γὰρ τόνδ᾽ εὐτυχεῖν κτείναντά με;

ἀκτῆς] Supr. 1, 272. προὐβάλου] • You contrived to cast me forth.' The (subjective) middle throws on Odysseus the prime responsibility of the act.

ἄπολιν] 'Outcast.' Cp. the Homeric ἀφρήτωρ, ἀθέμιστος, ἀνέστιος. ἐν ζῶσιν νεκρόν] 'Among the living, but not alive.'

καί] 'And indeed.' For the stress on καί, cp. Εl. 597 ( ὡς τὴν μητέρα | κακοστομοῦμεν.) καί σ᾽ ἔγωγε δεσπότιν | ἢ μητέρ᾽ οὐκ ἔλασσον εἰς ἡμᾶς νέμω. Philoctetes adds this, not correcting himself, but as feeling painfully the impotence of his curse.

τοῦτ᾽ αὐτό is cognate accusative, expressing the cause. The pronoun refers both to ζῶν preceding, and to ὅτι following. Cp. supr. 797, Ant. 463, 4, ὅστις γὰρ ἐν πολλοῖσιν ὡς ἐγὼ κακοῖς | ζῇ, πῶς ὅδ᾽ οὐχὶ κατθανὼν κέρδος φέρει;

κλοπῇ τε κἀνάγκῃ ζυγείς] 'Through being kidnapped, and bound under compulsion.' Cp. supr. 73, and note. For the metaphor in ζυγείς, cp. Αj. 24, κἀγὼ ᾿θελοντὴς τῷδ᾽ ὑπεζύγην πόνῳ.

ἑπτὰ ναυσί] ΙΙ. 2. 718, τῶν δὲ Φιλοκτήτης ἦρχεν, τόξων εὖ εἰδώς, ἑπτὰ νεῶν.

ἄτιμον ἔβαλον] ‘Flung away dishonoured.' For the use of the simple verb = ἐξέβαλον, see E. on L. § 55. p. 101, 4. κεῖνοι δὲ σέ] Sc. ἐκβαλεῖν μέ φασιν. Dindorf wrongly quotes ἔκβαλον as the reading of L.

'And now why take me, why force me away?' For the repetition and redundancy, cp. supr. 236. and note. ἀπάγειν is the word for taking a criminal to execution, and the middle voice conveys more of personal feeling. ( Cp. supr. 613.) The agitation of Philoctetes is again marked by two tribrachs following each other. Cp. supr. 932.

τέθνηχ᾽ ὑμῖν] Cp. O. C. 1366, ἢ τὰν οὐκ ἂν ἢ τὸ σὸν μέρος. And for the dative, ib. 444, φυγάς σφιν ἔξω πτωχὸς ἠλώμην ἀεί.

πῶς θεοῖς εὔξεσθ' . . ἔτι] 'How shall ye declare to Heaven that ye will sacrifice or pour libation to the gods any more?' εὔχεσθαι is properly to say aloud in presence of a god, and so (a) 'To pray,' (b) 'To vow,' (c) 'To glory.' Here the meaning is somewhere between (c) and (b), 'To vaunt' and 'To promise.' Cp. Eur. Alc. 334, where eὔχομαι is, 'I thankfully profess.' θεοῖς is (a) dative after εὔξεσθε, (b) in a secondary construction with the infinitives αἴθειν ἱερά and σπένδειν. 'How shall ye vaunt before the gods that ye will burn sacrifice to them, or make drink-offerings?' There is no ground whatever for suspecting the reading.

αὕτη .. ἐμέ] Cp. supr. 8. It may be observed that Philoctetes here knows what he had not suspected at the time described by him, supr. 271. ἐκβαλεῖν] Sc. ὥστε ἐκβαλεῖν. See Essay on L. § 36. p. 62.

εἰ μή τι .. ἐμοῦ] 'Were ye not pricked to it by some divine power reminding you of me.' κέντρον is (a) literally, 'The prick of a goad.' (b) metaphorically, 'A sharp thought' ( θεῖον, ‘implanted by a god'); in which sense ἐμοῦ is joined to it as an objective genitive. The religious feeling of these lines is very similar to Oed. Col. 96-105. Philoctetes' hope in the gods, which at supr. 1020 had sunk very low, is revived by the reflection that some Divine Providence must have caused the wish for his return to Troy. But he appeals only in the first instance to the gods of his fatherland, and to the gods of vengeance. The θεοὶ ἐπόψιοι are either (1) the Ερινύες. Cp. Aj. 835, 6, τὰς ἀεί τε παρθένους | ἀεί θ᾽ ὁρώσας πάντα τὰν βροτοῖς πάθη Or (2), as elsewhere, Zeus and Apollo. Cp. Εl. 175, Ζεύς, ὃς ἐφορᾷ πάντα καὶ κρατύνει.

κἄμ᾽] καί belongs to the verb. Cp. Ant. 280, παῦσαι, πρὶν ὀργῆς κἀμὲ μεστῶσαι λέγων, and note.

τῆς νόσου] Sc. ἐκ. See Essay on L. § 8. p. 11. Cp. Od. 1. 18, πεφυγμένος ἦεν ἀέθλων: Ant. 488, 9, οὐκ ἀλύξετον | μόρου κακίστου. For the relief afforded by vengeance, cp. Εl. 939, τῆς νῦν παρούσης πημονῆς λύσεις βάρος: ib. 1489, 90, ὡς ἐμοὶ τύδ᾽ ἂν κακῶν | μόνον γένοιτο τῶν πάλαι λυτήριον.

Cp. Ant. 471, 2, δηλοῖ τὸ γέννημ' ὠμὸν ἐξ ὠμοῦ πατρὸς | τῆς παιδός· εἴκειν δ᾽ οὐκ ἐπίσταται κακοῖς. For the hypallage in φάτιν.. ὑπείκουσαν, cp. O. C. 977, πῶς *δἂν τὸ γ' ἶκον πρᾶγμ᾽ ἂν εἰκότως ψέγοις;

εἴ μοι παρείκοι] Sc. τὸ πρᾶγμα ὥστε πολλὰ λέγειν. 'Did but my leisure serve me.' νῦν δ᾽ ἑνὸς κρατῶ λόγου] 'But, as it is, I have only one thing to say.' This refers to infr. 1054 foll. 'All I can now say is that we need not take him, if he will not come. The bow is enough.' Odysseus means that this is not the time for justifying his act. He will do and say only what is necessary for his end. When the plea of justice is required, arguments will not fail him. κρατῶ has been suspected. The nearest parallel to it is O. T. 409, τοῦδε γὰρ κἀγὼ κρατῶ.

τοιούτων .. τοιοῦτος have here a general meaning, and τοιούτων may be either (1) neuter, or (2) masculine. (1) 'Where this or that line of conduct is required, I follow that course;' or (2) 'Where this or that character is needed, I am of that character.' Cp. Plato, Rep. 4.429 B, 437 E, Phaedr. 271 D; Eur. Or. 1680 ( ΜΕ. πείθεσθαι χρεών.) ΟΡ. κἀγὼ τοιοῦτος (sc. τῇ γνώμῃ εἰμὶ ὥστε πείθεσθαι). Others suppose a vague reference to the accusation of injustice in Philoctetes' speech.

Cp. supr. 83-5.

Philoctetes. Lewis Campbell. ed. Lewis Campbell. Oxford. 1879.

Current edition Experimental

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

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (2)

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 927 focus

ὦ πῦρ σὺ καὶ πᾶν δεῖμα δημα δεῖμα καὶ πανουργίας

ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

δεινῆς τέχνημ᾽ ἔχθιστον, οἷά μ' εἰργάσω (εἰρ)γάσω,

οἷ᾽ ἠπάτηκας· οὐδ᾽ ἐπαισχύνει μ᾽ ὁρῶν

τὸν προστρόπαιον, τὸν ἱκέτην, ὦ σχέτλιε;

930

ἀπεστέρηκας τὸν βίον τὰ τόξ᾽ ἑλών.

ἀπόδος, ἱκνοῦμαί σ᾽ ἱκνοῦμ᾽, ἀπόδος, ἱκετεύω, τέκνον.

πρὸς θεῶν πατρῴων, τὸν βίον με μἀφέλῃς μή μ' ἀφέλῃς μή μου 'φέλησ μ᾿ ἀφέλης.

ὤμοι τάλας, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ προσφωνεῖ προφωνεῖ προσφωνεῖν μ᾽. μ᾽ ἔτι,

ἀλλ᾽ ὡς μεθήσων μήποθ', ὧδ᾽ ὁρᾷ πάλιν.

935

ὦ λιμένες, ὦ προβλῆτες, ὦ ξυνουσίαι

θηρῶν ὀρείων, ὦ καταρρώγες πέτραι,

ὑμῖν τάδ', οὐ γὰρ ἄλλον οἶδ᾽ ὅτῳ λέγω,

ἀνακλαίομαι παροῦσι τοῖς εἰωθόσιν,

οἷ᾽ ἔργ᾽ ὁ παῖς μ' ἔδρασεν οὐξ ᾿Αχιλλέως·

940

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

ὀμόσας ἀπάξειν ἁπαξ οἴκαδ᾽, ἐς Τροίαν μ᾿ ἄγει·

προσθείς προθείς προσθείς τε χεῖρα δεξιάν, τὰ τόξα μου

ἱερὰ λαβὼν τοῦ Ζηνὸς ῾Ηρακλέους ἔχει,

καὶ τοῖσιν ᾿Αργείοισι φήνασθαι θέλει.

ὡς ἄνδρ᾽ ἑλὼν ἑλῶν μ' ἰσχυρὸν ἐκ βίας μ' βίασ ἄγει,
945

κοὐκ οἶδ᾽ ἐναίρων νεκρόν, ἢ καπνοῦ σκιάν,

εἴδωλον ἄλλως. οὐ γὰρ ἂν σθένοντά γε

εἰλέν μ᾿· ἐπεὶ οὐδ᾽ ἂν ὧδ᾽ ἔχοντ', εἰ μὴ δόλῳ.

νῦν δ᾽ ἠπάτημαι δύσμορος. τί χρή με δρᾶν ποιεῖν με δρᾶν;

ἀλλ᾽ ἀπόδος. ἀλλὰ νῦν ἔτ᾽ ἐν σαυτῷ σαυτοῦ σ' αὐτῶ γενοῦ.
950

τί φής; σιωπᾷς, οὐδέν εἰμ᾽ ὁ δύσμορος.

ὦ σχῆμα χρῆμα σχῆμα πέτρας δίπυλον, αὖθις αὖ πάλιν

εἴσειμι πρὸς σὲ ψιλός, οὐκ ἔχων τροφήν·

ἀλλ᾽ αὐανοῦμαι αὖ θανοῦμαι γρ. αὐανοῦμαι ἀντὶ τοῦ ξηρανθήσομαι τῷδ᾽ ἐν αὐλίῳ μόνος,

ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

οὐ πτηνὸν ὄρνιν οὐδὲ θῆρ᾽ ὀρειβάτην

955

τόξοις ἐναίρων τοισίδ᾽ ἐναίρων τοῖσιν ἐναίρων τοισίδ᾽, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς τάλας

θανὼν παρέξω δαῖθ᾽ ὑφ᾽ ὧν ἐφερβόμην,

καί μ' οὓς ἐθήρων πρόσθε πρόσθεν πρόσθε θηράσουσι νῦν·

φόνον φόνου δὲ ῥύσιον τίσω τάλας

πρὸς τοῦ δοκοῦντος οὐδὲν εἰδέναι κακόν.

960

ὄλοιο μή πω, πρὶν μάθοιμ᾽ εἰ καὶ πάλιν

γνώμην μετοίσεις· εἰ δὲ μή, θάνοις κακῶς.

ΧΟ.

τί δρῶμεν; ἐν σοὶ καὶ τὸ πλεῖν ἡμᾶς, ἄναξ,

ἤδη ἐστὶ καὶ τοῖς τοῦδε προσχωρεῖν λόγοις.

ΝΕ.

ἐμοὶ μὲν οἶκτος δεινὸς ἐμπέπτωκέ τις
965

τοῦδ᾽ ἀνδρὸς οὐ νῦν πρῶτον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάλαι πάλιν πάλαι.

ΦΙ.

ἐλέησον, ὦ παῖ, πρὸς θεῶν, καὶ μὴ παρῇς παρῆι παρῆς

σαυτοῦ βροτοῖς ὄνειδος, ἐκκλέψας ἐμέ.

ΝΕ.

οἴμοι, τί δράσω; μήποτ᾽ ὤφελον λιπεῖν

τὴν Σκῦρον· οὕτω τοῖς παροῦσιν ἄχθομαι.
970

ΦΙ.

οὐκ εἶ κακὸς σύ· πρὸς κακῶν δ᾽ ἀνδρῶν μαθὼν

ἔοικας ἥκειν αἰσχρά. νῦν δ᾽ ἄλλοισι δοὺς

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

οἷς εἰκὸς ἔκπλει, τἀμά μοι μεθεὶς ὅπλα.

ΝΕ.

τί δρῶμεν, ἄνδρες ;

ΟΔ.

ὦ κάκιστ᾽ ἀνδρῶν, τί δρᾷς;

οὐκ εἶ μεθεὶς τὰ τόξα ταῦτ᾽ ἐμοὶ πάλιν ;
975

ΦΙ.

οἴμοι, τίς ἁνήρ ἀνὴρ; ἆρ᾽ Οδυσσέως κλύω ;

ΟΔ.

᾿Οδυσσέως, σάφ᾽ ἴσθ᾽, ἐμοῦ γ᾽, ὃν εἰσορᾷς.

ΦΙ.

οἴμοι· πέπραμαι κἀπόλωλ᾽. ὅδ᾽ ὧδ' ὅδ᾽ ἦν ἄρα

ὁ ξυλλαβών με κἀπονοσφίσας ὅπλων.

ΟΔ.

ἐγώ, σάφ᾽ ἴσθ᾽, οὐκ ἄλλος· ὁμολογῶ ὁ(υ)μολογῶ ὁμολογῶ τάδε.
980

ΦΙ.

ἀπόδος, ἄφες μοι, παῖ, τὰ τόξα.

ΟΔ.

τοῦτο μέν,

οὐδ᾽ ἣν θέλῃ, δράσει δράσει ποτ'· ἀλλὰ καὶ σὲ δεῖ καί σε δὴ καὶ σὲ δεῖ

στείχειν ἅμ᾽ αὐτοῖς, ἢ ἦ ἢ βίᾳ στελοῦσί σε.

ΦΙ.

ἔμ᾽, ὦ κακῶν κάκιστε καὶ τολμήστατε,

οἵδ᾽ ἐκ βίας ἄξουσιν ;
985

ΟΔ.

ἣν μὴ ἕρπῃς μἤρπηις μἠρπης μ' ἕρπης εἴρπῃς ἑκών.

ΦΙ.

ὦ Λημνία χθὼν καὶ τὸ παγκρατὲς σέλας

῾Ηφαιστότευκτον, ταῦτα δῆτ᾽ ἀνασχετά,

εἴ μ᾿ οὗτος ἐκ τῶν σῶν ἀπάξεται βίᾳ ;

ΟΔ.

Ζεὺς ἔσθ᾽, ἵν εἰδῇς, Ζεύς, ὁ τῆσδε γῆς τῆσ γῆς κρατῶν,

ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

Ζεὺς Ζεὺς δ᾽, ᾧ δέδοκται ταῦθ᾽· ὑπηρετῶ δ᾽ ἐγώ.

990

ΦΙ.

ὦ μῖσος, οἷα κἀξανευρίσκεις κάξανευρίσκεις λέγειν·

θεοὺς προτείνων τοὺς θεοὺς ψευδεῖς τίθης τιθείς.

ΟΔ.

οὔκ, ἀλλ᾽ ἀληθεῖς. ἡ δ᾽ ὁδὸς πορευτέα.

ΦΙ.

οὔ φημ᾽ ἔγωγε.

ΟΔ.

φημί. πειστέον πιστέον πειστέον τάδε.

ΦΙ.

οἴμοι τάλας. ἡμᾶς μὲν ὡς δούλους δοῦλος δούλους σαφῶς
995

πατὴρ ἄρ᾽ ἐξέφυσεν οὐδ᾽ ἐλευθέρους.

ΟΔ.

οὔκ, ἀλλ᾽ ὁμοίους τοῖς ἀρίστοισιν, μεθ᾽ ὧν

Τροίαν σ᾽ ἑλεῖν δεῖ καὶ κατασκάψαι βίᾳ.

ΦΙ.

οὐδέποτέ γ᾽· οὐδ᾽ ἣν χρῇ χρῆ χρή με πᾶν παθεῖν παθεῖν κακόν,

ἕως γ' ἕως (γ΄) ἕως ἂν ᾖ μοι γῆς τόδ᾽ αἰπεινὸν ἐπεινὸν αἰπεινὸν βάθρον.
1000

ΟΔ.

τί δ᾽ ἐργασείεις ;

ΦΙ.

κρᾶτ᾿ ἐμὸν τόδ᾽ αὐτίκα

πέτρᾳ πέτρας ἄνωθεν αἱμάξω πεσών.

ΟΔ.

ξυλλάβετέ γ᾽ ξυλλάβετ᾽ ξυλλάβετέ γ' αὐτόν· μὴ ἐπὶ τῷδ᾽ ἔστω τάδε.

ΦΙ.

ὦ χεῖρες, οἷα πάσχετ᾽ ἐν χρείᾳ φίλης

νευρᾶς, ὑπ᾿ ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε συνθηρώμεναι.
1005

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

ὦ μηδὲν ὑγιὲς μηδ᾽ ἐλεύθερον φρονῶν,

οἷ᾽ αὖ οἷα διά οῖμ' ἀπῆλθες οἴως μ᾽ ὑπῆλθες, ὥς μ᾽ ἐθηράσω, λαβὼν

πρόβλημα σαυτοῦ παῖδα τόνδ᾽ ἀγνῶτ᾽ ἐμοί,

ἀνάξιον μὲν σοῦ, κατάξιον δ᾽ ἐμοῦ,

ὃς οὐδὲν ἤδη πλὴν τὸ προσταχθὲν ποιεῖν ποεῖν ποιεῖν·

1010

δῆλος δὲ καὶ νῦν ἐστιν ἐστὶν ἐστιν ἀλγεινῶς φέρων

οἷς τ᾿ αὐτὸς ἐξήμαρτεν οἷς τ᾽ ἐγὼ ἔπαθον.

ἀλλ᾽ ἡ κακὴ σὴ διὰ μυχῶν βλέπουσ᾽ ἀεὶ

ψυχή νιν ἀφυῆ τ᾿ ὄντα κοὐ θέλονθ᾽ θέλον θ' θέλων θ' θέλονθ' ὅμως

εὖ προὐδίδαξεν ἐν κακοῖς εἶναι σοφόν.

1015

καὶ νῦν ἔμ᾽, ὦ δύστηνε, συνδήσας νοεῖς

ἄγειν ἀπ᾿ ἀκτῆς τῆσδ', ἐν ᾗ με προὐβάλου

ἄφιλον ἔρημον ἄπολιν, ἐν ζῶσιν νεκρόν.

ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

φεῦ.

ὄλοιο· καί σοι καὶ σὺ. γρ. καί σοι πολλάκις τόδ' ηὐξάμην ἠυξάμην ἐυξάμην.

ἀλλ᾽ οὐ γὰρ οὐδὲν θεοὶ νέμουσιν ἡδύ μοι,
1020

σὺ μὲν γέγηθas ζῶν, ἐγὼ δ᾽ ἀλγύνομαι

τοῦτ᾽ αὔθ᾽ αὔθ᾽, ὅτι ζῶ σὺν κακοῖς πολλοῖς τάλας,

γελώμενος πρὸς σοῦ τε γε τε καὶ τῶν ᾿Ατρέως

διπλῶν στρατηγῶν, οἷς σὺ ταῦθ᾽ ὑπηρετεῖς.

καίτοι σὺ μὲν κλοπῇ τε κἀνάγκῃ κἀπάτῃ ζυγεὶς
1025

ἔπλεις ἅμ᾽ αὐτοῖς, ἐμὲ δὲ τὸν πανάθλιον

ἑκόντα πλεύσανθ᾽ ἑπτὰ ναυσὶ ναυβάτην

ἄτιμον ἔβαλον, ὡς σὺ φής, κεῖνοι δὲ σέ δέ σε.

καὶ νῦν τί μ᾽ ἄγετε; τί μ' ἀπάγεσθε; τοῦ χάριν ;

ὃς οὐδέν εἰμι καὶ τέθνηχ᾽ ὑμῖν πάλαι.
1030

πῶς, ὦ θεοῖς ἔχθιστε, νῦν οὐκ εἰμί σοι

χωλός, δυσώδης; πῶς θεοῖς εὔξεσθ᾽ ἔξεσθ', ἐμοῦ γρ. ὁμοῦ

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

πλεύσαντος, αἴθειν ἱερά; πῶς σπένδειν ἔτι;

αὕτη αὐτὴ γὰρ ἦν σοι πρόφασις ἐκβαλεῖν ἐμέ.

κακῶς ὄλοισθ᾽· ὀλεῖσθε ὅλοισθε ὅλοισθ᾽ ὅλοισθ᾽ δ᾽ ἠδικηκότες

1035

τὸν ἄνδρα τόνδε, θεοῖσιν εἰ δίκης μέλει.

ἔξοιδα δ᾽ ὡς μέλει γ᾽ γε· ἐπεὶ ἐπ' ἐπεὶ οὔποτ᾽ ἂν στόλον

ἐπλεύσατ᾽ ἂν τόνδ᾽ οἵνεκ᾿ ἀνδρὸς ἀθλίου,

εἰ μή τι κέντρον θεῖον ἦγ᾽ ὑμᾶς ἐμοῦ.

ἀλλ᾽, ὦ πατρώα γῆ θεοί τ'᾽ ἐπόψιοι,

1040

τίσασθε τίσασθ᾽ ἀλλὰ τῷ χρόνῳ ποτὲ

ξύμπαντας αὐτούς, εἴ τι κἄμ᾽ οἰκτείρετε.

ὡς ζῶ μὲν οἰκτρῶς, εἰ δ᾽ ἴδοιμ᾽ ὀλωλότας

τούτους, δοκοῖμ᾽ ἂν τῆς νόσου πεφευγέναι.

ΧΟ.

βαρύς τε καὶ βαρεῖαν ὁ ξένος φάτιν
1045

τήνδ᾽ εἶπ᾽, ᾿Ὀδυσσεῦ, κοὐχ ὑπείκουσαν ει from η ὑπείκουσαν κακοῖς.

ΟΔ.

πόλλ᾽ ἂν λέγειν ἔχοιμι πρὸς τὰ τοῦδ᾽ ἔπη,

εἴ μοι παρείκοι· νῦν δ᾽ ἑνὸς κρατῶ λόγου.

ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

οὗ οὐ γὰρ τοιούτων δεῖ, τοιοῦτός εἰμ' ἐγώ·

χὤπου δικαίων κἀγαθῶν ἀνδρῶν κρίσις,

1050

οὐκ ἂν λάβοις μου μου μᾶλλον οὐδέν εὐσεβῆ.

νικᾶν γε μέντοι πανταχοῦ χρήζων γρ. κρείσσων ἔφυν,

πλὴν εἰς σε· νῦν δὲ σοί γ᾽ σοῦ ἑκὼν ἐκστήσομαι.

ἄφετε γὰρ αὐτόν, μηδὲ προσψαύσητ᾽ ἔτι.

ἐᾶτε μίμνειν. οὐδὲ σοῦ προσχρήζομεν,

1055

τά γ'᾽ ὅπλ᾽ ἔχοντες ταῦτ᾽, ἐπεὶ πάρεστι μὲν

Τεύκρος παρ᾿ ἡμῖν, τήνδ᾽ ἐπιστήμην ἔχων,

ἐγώ θ', ὃς οἶμαι σοῦ κάκιον οὐδὲν ἂν

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

τούτων κρατύνειν, μηδ᾽ ἐπιθύνειν χερί.

τί δῆτα σοῦ δεῖ; χαῖρε τὴν Λήμνον λήμνον πατῶν.

1060

ἡμεῖς δ᾽ ἴωμεν. καὶ τάχ᾽ ἂν τὸ σὸν γέρας

τιμὴν ἐμοὶ νείμειεν, ἥν σ'᾽ ἐχρῆν ἔχειν. ἣν ἐχρῆν σ᾽

ΦΙ.

οἴμοι· τί δράσω δύσμορος; σὺ τοῖς ἐμοῖς

ὅπλοισι κοσμηθεὶς ἐν ᾿Αργείοις φανεῖ;

ΟΔ.

μή μ' ἀντιφώνει μηδέν, ὡς ὡ ὡς στείχοντα δή.
1065

ΦΙ.

ὦ σπέρμ᾽ ᾿Αχιλλέως, οὐδὲ σοῦ φωνῆς ἔτι

γενήσομαι προσφθεγκτός, ἀλλ᾽ οὕτως ἄπει;

ΟΔ.

χώρει σύ· μὴ πρόσλευσσε πρόσλευσε πρόσλευσσε πρόσελθε, γενναῖός περ ὤν,

ἡμῶν ὅπως μὴ τὴν τύχην διαφθερείς διαφθαρῆς.

ΦΙ.

ἢ καὶ πρὸς ὑμῶν ὧδ᾽ ἔρημος, ὦ ξένοι,
1070

λειφθήσομαι δὴ ἤδη κοὐκ ἐποικτερεῖτέ με ;

ΧΟ.

ὅδ᾽ ἐστὶν ἡμῶν ναυκράτωρ ὁ παῖς, ὅσ᾽ ἂν

οὗτος λέγῃ σοι, ταῦτά σοι χήμεῖς γ'᾽ ἡμεῖσ χ᾿ ἡμεῖσ φαμέν.

ΝΕ.

ἀκούσομαι μὲν ὡς ἔφυν οἴκτου πλέως

πρὸς τοῦδ᾽· ὅμως δὲ μείνατ', εἰ τούτῳ δοκεῖ,
1075

χρόνον τοσοῦτον, εἰς ὅσον τά τ'᾽ ἐκ νεὼς

στείλωσι ναῦται καὶ θεοῖς εὐξώμεθα.

χοὖτος τάχ᾽ ἂν φρόνησιν ἐν τούτῳ λάβοι

ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

λῴω τιν ἡμῖν. νὼ νῶ? νὼ μὲν οὖν ὁρμώμεθον ὁρμώμεθα,

ὑμεῖς δ᾽, ὅταν καλῶμεν, ὁρμᾶσθαι ταχεῖς.

1080

ΦΙ.

στρ.α΄. (1.)
ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 865-1080 focus

Νεοπτόλεμος

σιγᾶν κελεύω μηδʼ ἀφεστάναι φρενῶν·
865

κινεῖ γὰρ ἁνὴρ ὄμμα κἀνάγει κάρα.

Φιλοκτήτης

ὦ φέγγος ὕπνου διάδοχον τό τʼ ἐλπίδων

ἄπιστον οἰκούρημα τῶνδε τῶν ξένων.

οὐ γάρ ποτʼ, ὦ παῖ, τοῦτʼ ἂν ἐξηύχησʼ ἐγώ,

τλῆναί σʼ ἐλεινῶς ὧδε τἀμὰ πήματα
870

μεῖναι παρόντα καὶ ξυνωφελοῦντά μοι.

οὔκουν Ἀτρεῖδαι τοῦτʼ ἔτλησαν εὐφόρως

οὕτως ἐνεγκεῖν, ἁγαθοὶ στρατηλάται.

ἀλλʼ εὐγενὴς γὰρ ἡ φύσις κἀξ εὐγενῶν,

ὦ τέκνον, ἡ σή, πάντα ταῦτʼ ἐν εὐχερεῖ
875

ἔθου, βοῆς τε καὶ δυσοσμίας γέμων.

καὶ νῦν ἐπειδὴ τοῦδε τοῦ κακοῦ δοκεῖ

λήθη τις εἶναι κἀνάπαυλα δή, τέκνον,

σύ μʼ αὐτὸς ἆρον, σύ με κατάστησον, τέκνον,

ἵνʼ, ἡνίκʼ ἂν κόπος μʼ ἀπαλλάξῃ ποτέ,
880

ὁρμώμεθʼ ἐς ναῦν μηδʼ ἐπίσχωμεν τὸ πλεῖν.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἀλλʼ ἥδομαι μέν σʼ εἰσιδὼν παρʼ ἐλπίδα

ἀνώδυνον βλέποντα κἀμπνέοντʼ ἔτι·

ὡς οὐκέτʼ ὄντος γὰρ τὰ συμβόλαιά σου

πρὸς τὰς παρούσας ξυμφορὰς ἐφαίνετο.
885

νῦν δʼ αἶρε σαυτόν· εἰ δέ σοι μᾶλλον φίλον,

οἴσουσί σʼ οἵδε· τοῦ πόνου γὰρ οὐκ ὄκνος,

ἐπείπερ οὕτω σοί τʼ ἔδοξʼ ἐμοί τε δρᾶν.

Φιλοκτήτης

αἰνῶ τάδʼ, ὦ παῖ, καί μʼ ἔπαιρʼ, ὥσπερ νοεῖς·

τούτους δʼ ἔασον, μὴ βαρυνθῶσιν κακῇ
890

ὀσμῇ πρὸ τοῦ δέοντος· οὑπὶ νηὶ γὰρ

ἅλις πόνος τούτοισι συνναίειν ἐμοί.

893

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἔσται τάδʼ· ἀλλʼ ἵστω τε καὐτὸς ἀντέχου.

Φιλοκτήτης

θάρσει· τό τοι σύνηθες ὀρθώσει μʼ ἔθος.

Νεοπτόλεμος

παπαῖ· τί δῆτʼ ἂν δρῷμʼ ἐγὼ τοὐνθένδε γε;
895

Φιλοκτήτης

τί δʼ ἔστιν, ὦ παῖ; ποῖ ποτʼ ἐξέβης λόγῳ;

Νεοπτόλεμος

οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅποι χρὴ τἄπορον τρέπειν ἔπος.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἀπορεῖς δὲ τοῦ σύ; μὴ λέγʼ, ὦ τέκνον, τάδε.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἀλλʼ ἐνθάδʼ ἤδη τοῦδε τοῦ πάθους κυρῶ.

Φιλοκτήτης

οὐ δή σε δυσχέρεια τοῦ νοσήματος
900

ἔπεισεν ὥστε μή μʼ ἄγειν ναύτην ἔτι;

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἅπαντα δυσχέρεια, τὴν αὑτοῦ φύσιν

ὅταν λιπών τις δρᾷ τὰ μὴ προσεικότα.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν ἔξω τοῦ φυτεύσαντος σύ γε

δρᾷς οὐδὲ φωνεῖς, ἐσθλὸν ἄνδρʼ ἐπωφελῶν.
905

Νεοπτόλεμος

αἰσχρὸς φανοῦμαι· τοῦτʼ ἀνιῶμαι πάλαι.

Φιλοκτήτης

οὔκουν ἐν οἷς γε δρᾷς· ἐν οἷς δʼ αὐδᾷς ὀκνῶ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ὦ Ζεῦ, τί δράσω; δεύτερον ληφθῶ κακός,

κρύπτων θʼ ἃ μὴ δεῖ καὶ λέγων αἴσχιστʼ ἐπῶν;

Φιλοκτήτης

ἁνὴρ ὅδʼ, εἰ μὴ ʼγὼ κακὸς γνώμων ἔφυν,
910

προδούς μʼ ἔοικε κἀκλιπὼν τὸν πλοῦν στελεῖν.

Νεοπτόλεμος

λιπὼν μὲν οὐκ ἔγωγε· λυπηρῶς δὲ μὴ

πέμπω σε μᾶλλον, τοῦτʼ ἀνιῶμαι πάλαι.

Φιλοκτήτης

τί ποτε λέγεις, ὦ τέκνον; ὡς οὐ μανθάνω.

Νεοπτόλεμος

οὐδέν σε κρύψω· δεῖ γὰρ ἐς Τροίαν σε πλεῖν
915

πρὸς τοὺς Ἀχαιοὺς καὶ τὸν Ἀτρειδῶν στόλον.

Φιλοκτήτης

οἴμοι, τί εἶπας;

Νεοπτόλεμος

μὴ στέναζε, πρὶν μάθῃς.

Φιλοκτήτης

ποῖον μάθημα; τί με νοεῖς δρᾶσαί ποτε;

Νεοπτόλεμος

σῶσαι κακοῦ μὲν πρῶτα τοῦδʼ, ἔπειτα δὲ

ξὺν σοὶ τὰ Τροίας πεδία πορθῆσαι μολών.
920

Φιλοκτήτης

καὶ ταῦτʼ ἀληθῆ δρᾶν νοεῖς;

Νεοπτόλεμος

πολλὴ κρατεῖ

τούτων ἀνάγκη, καὶ σὺ μὴ θυμοῦ κλύων.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἀπόλωλα τλήμων, προδέδομαι. τί μʼ, ὦ ξένε,

δέδρακας; ἀπόδος ὡς τάχος τὰ τόξα μοι.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἀλλʼ οὐχ οἷόν τε· τῶν γὰρ ἐν τέλει κλύειν
925

τό τʼ ἔνδικόν με καὶ τὸ συμφέρον ποεῖ.

927

Φιλοκτήτης

ὦ πῦρ σὺ καὶ πᾶν δεῖμα καὶ πανουργίας

δεινῆς τέχνημʼ ἔχθιστον, οἷά μʼ εἰργάσω,

οἷʼ ἠπάτηκας· οὐδʼ ἐπαισχύνει μʼ ὁρῶν

τὸν προστρόπαιον, τὸν ἱκέτην, ὦ σχέτλιε;
930

ἀπεστέρηκας τὸν βίον τὰ τόξʼ ἑλών.

ἀπόδος, ἱκνοῦμαί σʼ, ἀπόδος, ἱκετεύω, τέκνον·

πρὸς θεῶν πατρῴων, τὸν βίον με μὴ ἀφέλῃ.

ὤμοι τάλας. ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ προσφωνεῖ μʼ ἔτι,

ἀλλʼ ὡς μεθήσων μήποθʼ, ὧδʼ ὁρᾷ πάλιν.
935

ὦ λιμένες, ὦ προβλῆτες, ὦ ξυνουσίαι

θηρῶν ὀρείων, ὦ καταρρῶγες πέτραι,

ὑμῖν τάδʼ, οὐ γὰρ ἄλλον οἶδʼ ὅτῳ λέγω,

ἀνακλαίομαι παροῦσι τοῖς εἰωθόσιν,

οἷʼ ἔργʼ ὁ παῖς μʼ ἔδρασεν οὑξ Ἀχιλλέως·
940

ὀμόσας ἀπάξειν οἴκαδʼ, ἐς Τροίαν μʼ ἄγει·

προσθείς τε χεῖρα δεξιάν, τὰ τόξα μου

ἱερὰ λαβὼν τοῦ Ζηνὸς Ἡρακλέους ἔχει,

καὶ τοῖσιν Ἀργείοισι φήνασθαι θέλει·

ὡς ἄνδρʼ ἑλὼν ἰσχυρόν ἐκ βίας μʼ ἄγει,
945

κοὐκ οἶδʼ ἐναίρων νεκρὸν ἢ καπνοῦ σκιάν,

εἴδωλον ἄλλως· οὐ γὰρ ἂν σθένοντά γε

εἷλέν μʼ· ἐπεὶ οὐδʼ ἂν ὧδʼ ἔχοντʼ, εἰ μὴ δόλῳ.

νῦν δʼ ἠπάτημαι δύσμορος. τί χρή με δρᾶν;

ἀλλʼ ἀπόδος, ἀλλὰ νῦν ἔτʼ ἐν σαυτῷ γενοῦ.
950

τί φής; σιωπᾷς; οὐδέν εἰμʼ ὁ δύσμορος.

ὦ σχῆμα πέτρας δίπυλον, αὖθις αὖ πάλιν

εἴσειμι πρὸς σὲ ψιλός, οὐκ ἔχων τροφήν·

ἀλλʼ αὐανοῦμαι τῷδʼ ἐν αὐλίῳ μόνος,

οὐ πτηνὸν ὄρνιν οὐδὲ θῆρʼ ὀρειβάτην
955

τόξοις ἐναίρων τοισίδʼ, ἀλλʼ αὐτὸς τάλας

θανὼν παρέξω δαῖθʼ ὑφʼ ὧν ἐφερβόμην,

καί μʼ οὓς ἐθήρων πρόσθε θηράσουσι νῦν·

φόνον φόνου δὲ ῥύσιον τίσω τάλας

πρὸς τοῦ δοκοῦντος οὐδὲν εἰδέναι κακόν.
960

ὄλοιο—μή πω, πρὶν μάθοιμʼ εἰ καὶ πάλιν

γνώμην μετοίσεις· εἰ δὲ μή, θάνοις κακῶς.

963

Χορός

τί δρῶμεν; ἐν σοὶ καὶ τὸ πλεῖν ἡμᾶς, ἄναξ,

ἤδη ʼστὶ καὶ τοῖς τοῦδε προσχωρεῖν λόγοις.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἐμοὶ μὲν οἶκτος δεινὸς ἐμπέπτωκέ τις
965

τοῦδʼ ἀνδρὸς οὐ νῦν πρῶτον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάλαι.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἐλέησον, ὦ παῖ, πρὸς θεῶν, καὶ μὴ παρῇς

σαυτοῦ βροτοῖς ὄνειδος, ἐκκλέψας ἐμέ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

οἴμοι, τί δράσω; μή ποτʼ ὤφελον λιπεῖν

τὴν Σκῦρον· οὕτω τοῖς παροῦσιν ἄχθομαι.
970

Φιλοκτήτης

οὐκ εἶ κακὸς σύ, πρὸς κακῶν δʼ ἀνδρῶν μαθὼν

ἔοικας ἥκειν αἰσχρά· νῦν δʼ ἄλλοισι δοὺς

οἷς εἰκὸς ἔκπλει, τἀμά μοι μεθεὶς ὅπλα.

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί δρῶμεν, ἄνδρες;

Ὀδυσσεύς

ὦ κάκιστʼ ἀνδρῶν, τί δρᾷς;

οὐκ εἶ μεθεὶς τὰ τόξα ταῦτʼ ἐμοὶ πάλιν;
975

Φιλοκτήτης

οἴμοι, τίς ἁνήρ; ἆρʼ Ὀδυσσέως κλύω;

Ὀδυσσεύς

Ὀδυσσέως, σάφʼ ἴσθʼ, ἐμοῦ γʼ, ὃν εἰσορᾷς.

Φιλοκτήτης

οἴμοι· πέπραμαι κἀπόλωλʼ· ὅδʼ ἦν ἄρα

ὁ ξυλλαβών με κἀπονοσφίσας ὅπλων.

Ὀδυσσεύς

ἐγώ, σάφʼ ἴσθʼ, οὐκ ἄλλος· ὁμολογῶ τάδε.
980

Φιλοκτήτης

ἀπόδος, ἄφες μοι, παῖ, τὰ τόξα.

Ὀδυσσεύς

τοῦτο μέν,

οὐδʼ ἢν θέλῃ, δράσει ποτʼ· ἀλλὰ καὶ σὲ δεῖ

στείχειν ἅμʼ αὐτοῖς, ἢ βίᾳ στελοῦσί σε.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἔμʼ, ὦ κακῶν κάκιστε καὶ τολμήστατε,

οἵδʼ ἐκ βίας ἄξουσιν;
985

Ὀδυσσεύς

ἢν μὴ ἕρπῃς ἑκών.

Φιλοκτήτης

ὦ Λημνία χθὼν καὶ τὸ παγκρατὲς σέλας

Ἡφαιστότευκτον, ταῦτα δῆτʼ ἀνασχετά,

εἴ μʼ οὗτος ἐκ τῶν σῶν ἀπάξεται βίᾳ;

Ὀδυσσεύς

Ζεύς ἐσθʼ, ἵνʼ εἰδῇς, Ζεύς, ὁ τῆσδε γῆς κρατῶν,

Ζεύς, ᾧ δέδοκται ταῦθʼ· ὑπηρετῶ δʼ ἐγώ.
990

Φιλοκτήτης

ὦ μῖσος, οἷα κἀξανευρίσκεις λέγειν·

θεοὺς προτείνων τοὺς θεοὺς ψευδεῖς τίθης.

Ὀδυσσεύς

οὔκ, ἀλλʼ ἀληθεῖς· ἡ δʼ ὁδὸς πορευτέα.

Φιλοκτήτης

οὔ φημʼ.

Ὀδυσσεύς

ἐγὼ δέ φημι. πειστέον τάδε.

Φιλοκτήτης

οἴμοι τάλας. ἡμᾶς μὲν ὡς δούλους σαφῶς
995

πατὴρ ἄρʼ ἐξέφυσεν οὐδʼ ἐλευθέρους.

Ὀδυσσεύς

οὔκ, ἀλλʼ ὁμοίους τοῖς ἀρίστοισιν, μεθʼ ὧν

Τροίαν σʼ ἑλεῖν δεῖ καὶ κατασκάψαι βίᾳ.

Φιλοκτήτης

οὐδέποτέ γʼ· οὐδʼ ἢν χρῇ με πᾶν παθεῖν κακόν,

ἕως ἂν ᾖ μοι γῆς τόδʼ αἰπεινὸν βάθρον.
1000

Ὀδυσσεύς

τί δʼ ἐργασείεις;

Φιλοκτήτης

κρᾶτʼ ἐμὸν τόδʼ αὐτίκα

πέτρᾳ πέτρας ἄνωθεν αἱμάξω πεσών.

Ὀδυσσεύς

ξυλλάβετον αὐτόν· μὴ ʼπὶ τῷδʼ ἔστω τάδε.

1004

Φιλοκτήτης

ὦ χεῖρες, οἷα πάσχετʼ ἐν χρείᾳ φίλης

νευρᾶς, ὑπʼ ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε συνθηρώμεναι.
1005

ὦ μηδὲν ὑγιὲς μηδʼ ἐλεύθερον φρονῶν,

οἷʼ αὖ μʼ ὑπῆλθες, ὥς μʼ ἐθηράσω, λαβὼν

πρόβλημα σαυτοῦ παῖδα τόνδʼ ἀγνῶτʼ ἐμοί,

ἀνάξιον μὲν σοῦ, κατάξιον δʼ ἐμοῦ,

ὃς οὐδὲν ᾔδει πλὴν τὸ προσταχθὲν ποεῖν,
1010

δῆλος δὲ καὶ νῦν ἐστιν ἀλγεινῶς φέρων

οἷς τʼ αὐτὸς ἐξήμαρτεν οἷς τʼ ἐγὼ ʼπαθον.

ἀλλʼ ἡ κακὴ σὴ διὰ μυχῶν βλέπουσʼ ἀεὶ

ψυχή νιν ἀφυῆ τʼ ὄντα κοὐ θέλονθʼ ὅμως

εὖ προυδίδαξεν ἐν κακοῖς εἶναι σοφόν.
1015

καὶ νῦν ἔμʼ, ὦ δύστηνε, συνδήσας νοεῖς

ἄγειν ἀπʼ ἀκτῆς τῆσδʼ, ἐν ᾗ με προυβάλου

ἄφιλον ἔρημον ἄπολιν, ἐν ζῶσιν νεκρόν. φεῦ.

ὄλοιο· καί σοι πολλάκις τόδʼ ηὐξάμην.

ἀλλʼ οὐ γὰρ οὐδὲν θεοὶ νέμουσιν ἡδύ μοι,
1020

σὺ μὲν γέγηθας ζῶν, ἐγὼ δʼ ἀλγύνομαι

τοῦτʼ αὔθʼ, ὅτι ζῶ σὺν κακοῖς πολλοῖς τάλας,

γελώμενος πρὸς σοῦ τε καὶ τῶν Ἀτρέως

διπλῶν στρατηγῶν, οἷς σὺ ταῦθʼ ὑπηρετεῖς.

καίτοι σὺ μὲν κλοπῇ τε κἀνάγκῃ ζυγεὶς
1025

ἔπλεις ἅμʼ αὐτοῖς, ἐμὲ δὲ τὸν πανάθλιον,

ἑκόντα πλεύσανθʼ ἑπτὰ ναυσὶ ναυβάτην,

ἄτιμον ἔβαλον, ὡς σὺ φής, κεῖνοι δὲ σέ.

καὶ νῦν τί μʼ ἄγετε; τί μʼ ἀπάγεσθε; τοῦ χάριν;

ὃς οὐδέν εἰμι καὶ τέθνηχʼ ὑμῖν πάλαι.
1030

πῶς, ὦ θεοῖς ἔχθιστε, νῦν οὐκ εἰμί σοι

χωλός, δυσώδης; πῶς θεοῖς ἔξεσθʼ, ὁμοῦ

πλεύσαντος αἴθειν ἱερά; πῶς σπένδειν ἔτι;

αὕτη γὰρ ἦν σοι πρόφασις ἐκβαλεῖν ἐμέ.

κακῶς ὄλοισθʼ· ὀλεῖσθε δʼ ἠδικηκότες
1035

τὸν ἄνδρα τόνδε, θεοῖσιν εἰ δίκης μέλει.

ἔξοιδα δʼ ὡς μέλει γʼ· ἐπεὶ οὔποτʼ ἂν στόλον

ἐπλεύσατʼ ἂν τόνδʼ εἵνεκʼ ἀνδρὸς ἀθλίου,

εἰ μή τι κέντρον θεῖον ἦγʼ ὑμᾶς ἐμοῦ.

ἀλλʼ, ὦ πατρῴα γῆ θεοί τʼ ἐπόψιοι,
1040

τίσασθε τίσασθʼ ἀλλὰ τῷ χρόνῳ ποτὲ

ξύμπαντας αὐτούς, εἴ τι κἄμʼ οἰκτίρετε·

ὡς ζῶ μὲν οἰκτρῶς, εἰ δʼ ἴδοιμʼ ὀλωλότας

τούτους, δοκοῖμʼ ἂν τῆς νόσου πεφευγέναι.

1045

Χορός

βαρύς τε καὶ βαρεῖαν ὁ ξένος φάτιν
1045

τήνδʼ εἶπʼ, Ὀδυσσεῦ, κοὐχ ὑπείκουσαν κακοῖς.

Ὀδυσσεύς

πόλλʼ ἂν λέγειν ἔχοιμι πρὸς τὰ τοῦδʼ ἔπη,

εἴ μοι παρείκοι· νῦν δʼ ἑνὸς κρατῶ λόγου.

οὗ γὰρ τοιούτων δεῖ, τοιοῦτός εἰμʼ ἐγώ·

χὤπου δικαίων κἀγαθῶν ἀνδρῶν κρίσις,
1050

οὐκ ἂν λάβοις μου μᾶλλον οὐδένʼ εὐσεβῆ.

νικᾶν γε μέντοι πανταχοῦ χρῄζων ἔφυν,

πλὴν εἰς σέ· νῦν δὲ σοί γʼ ἑκὼν ἐκστήσομαι.

ἄφετε γὰρ αὐτὸν μηδὲ προσψαύσητʼ ἔτι·

ἐᾶτε μίμνειν. οὐδὲ σοῦ προσχρῄζομεν,
1055

τά γʼ ὅπλʼ ἔχοντες ταῦτʼ, ἐπεὶ πάρεστι μὲν

Τεῦκρος παρʼ ἡμῖν, τήνδʼ ἐπιστήμην ἔχων,

ἐγώ θʼ, ὃς οἶμαι σοῦ κάκιον οὐδὲν ἂν

τούτων κρατύνειν, μηδʼ ἐπιθύνειν χερί.

τί δῆτα σοῦ δεῖ; χαῖρε τὴν Λῆμνον πατῶν·
1060

ἡμεῖς δʼ ἴωμεν, καὶ τάχʼ ἂν τὸ σὸν γέρας

τιμὴν ἐμοὶ νείμειεν, ἣν σὲ χρῆν ἔχειν.

Φιλοκτήτης

οἴμοι· τί δράσω δύσμορος; σὺ τοῖς ἐμοῖς

ὅπλοισι κοσμηθεὶς ἐν Ἀργείοις φανεῖ;

Ὀδυσσεύς

μή μʼ ἀντιφώνει μηδέν, ὡς στείχοντα δή.
1065

Φιλοκτήτης

ὦ σπέρμʼ Ἀχιλλέως, οὐδὲ σοῦ φωνῆς ἔτι

γενήσομαι προσφθεγκτός, ἀλλʼ οὕτως ἄπει;

Ὀδυσσεύς

χώρει σύ· μὴ πρόσλευσσε, γενναῖός περ ὤν,

ἡμῶν ὅπως μὴ τὴν τύχην διαφθερεῖς.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἦ καὶ πρὸς ὑμῶν ὧδʼ ἔρημος, ὦ ξένοι,
1070

λειφθήσομαι δὴ κοὐκ ἐποικτερεῖτέ με;

Χορός

ὅδʼ ἐστὶν ἡμῶν ναυκράτωρ ὁ παῖς· ὅσʼ ἂν

οὗτος λέγῃ σοι, ταῦτά σοι χἠμεῖς φαμέν.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἀκούσομαι μὲν ὡς ἔφυν οἴκτου πλέως

πρὸς τοῦδʼ· ὅμως δὲ μείνατʼ, εἰ τούτῳ δοκεῖ,
1075

χρόνον τοσοῦτον, εἰς ὅσον τά τʼ ἐκ νεὼς

στείλωσι ναῦται καὶ θεοῖς εὐξώμεθα.

χοὖτος τάχʼ ἂν φρόνησιν ἐν τούτῳ λάβοι

λῴω τινʼ ἡμῖν. νὼ μὲν οὖν ὁρμώμεθον,

ὑμεῖς δʼ, ὅταν καλῶμεν, ὁρμᾶσθαι ταχεῖς.
1080

Translations (5)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 927 focus

O thou fire,

Thou terror of the world! Dark instrument

Of ever-hateful guile!—What hast thou done?

How thou hast cheated me! Art not ashamed

To look on him that sued to thee for shelter?
930

O heart of stone, thou hast stolen my life away

With yonder bow!—Ah, yet I beg of thee,

Give it me back, my son, I entreat thee, give!

By all thy father worshipped, rob me not

Of life!—Ah me! Now he will speak no more,

But turns away, obdúrate to retain it.
935

O ye, my comrades in this wilderness,

Rude creatures of the rocks, O promontories,

Creeks, precipices of the hills, to you

And your familiar presence I complain

Of this foul trespass of Achilles’ son.

Sworn to convey me home, to Troy he bears me.
940

And under pledge of his right hand hath ta’en

And holds from me perforce my wondrous bow,

The sacred gift of Zeus-born Heracles,

Thinking to wave it midst the Achaean host

Triumphantly for his. In conquering me
945

He vaunts as of some valorous feat, and knows not
945

He is spoiling a mere corse, an empty dream,

The shadow of a vapour. In my strength

He ne’er had vanquished me. Even as I am,

He could not, but by guile. Now, all forlorn,

I am abused, deceived. What must I do?
950

Nay, give it me. Nay, yet be thy true self!

Thou art silent. I am lost. O misery!

Rude face of rock, back I return to thee

And thy twin gateway, robbed of arms and food,

To wither in thy cave companionless:—

No more with these mine arrows to destroy
955

Or flying bird or mountain-roving beast.

But, all unhappy! I myself must be

The feast of those on whom I fed, the chase

Of that I hunted, and shall dearly pay

In bloody quittance for their death, through one

Who seemed all ignorant of sinful guile.
960

Perish,—not till I am certain if thy heart

Will change once more,—if not, my curse on thee!

CH

What shall we do, my lord? We wait thy word

Or to sail now, or yield to his desire.

NEO

My heart is pressed with a strange pity for him,
965

Not now beginning, but long since begun.

PHI

Ay, pity me, my son! by all above,

Make not thy name a scorn by wronging me!

NEO

O! I am troubled sore. What must I do?

Would I had never left mine island home!
970

PHI

Thou art not base, but seemest to have learnt

Some baseness from base men. Now, as ’tis meet,

Be better guided—leave me mine arms, and go.

NEO

().

What shall we do?

ODYSSEUS
Enter ODYSSEUS .

What art thou doing, knave?

Give me that bow, and haste thee back again.
975

PHI

Alas! What do I hear? Odysseus’ voice?

OD

Be sure of that, Odysseus, whom thou seest.

PHI

Oh, I am bought and sold, undone! ’Twas he

That kidnapped me, and robbed me of my bow.

OD

Yea. I deny it not. Be sure, ’twas I.
980

PHI

Give back, my son, the bow; release it!

OD

That,

Though he desire it, he shall never do.

Thou too shalt march along, or these shall force thee.

PHI

They force me! O thou boldest of bad men!

They force me?
985

OD

If thou com’st not willingly.

PHI

O Lemnian earth and thou almighty flame,

Hephaestos’ workmanship, shall this be borne,

That he by force must drag me from your care?

OD

’Tis Zeus, I tell thee, monarch of this isle,

Who thus hath willed. I am his minister.
990

PHI

Wretch, what vile words thy wit hath power to say!

The gods are liars when invoked by thee.

OD

Nay, ’tis their truth compels thee to this voyage.

PHI

I will not have it so.

OD

I will. Thou shalt.

PHI

Woe for my wretchedness! My father, then,
995

Begat no freeman, but a slave in me.

OD

Nay, but the peer of noblest men, with whom

Thou art to take and ravage Troy with might.

PHI

Never,—though I must suffer direst woe,—

While this steep Lemnian ground is mine to tread!
1000

OD

What now is thine intent?

PHI

Down from the crag

This head shall plunge and stain the crag beneath.

OD

(.)

Ay, seize and bind him. Baffle him in this.

PHI

Poor hands, for lack of your beloved string,

Caught by this craven! O corrupted soul!

How thou hast undermined me, having taken
1005

To screen thy quest this youth to me unknown,

Far worthier of my friendship than of thine,

Who knew no better than to obey command.

Even now ’tis manifest he burns within

With pain for his own error and my wrong.
1010

But, though unwilling and mapt for ill,

Thy crafty, mean, and cranny spying soul

Too well hath lessoned him in sinful lore.

Now thou hast bound me, O thou wretch, and thinkest

To take me from this coast, where thou didst cast me
1015

Outlawed and desolate, a corpse ’mongst men.

Oh!

I curse thee now, as ofttimes in the past:

But since Heaven yields me nought but bitterness,

Thou livest and art blithe, while ’tis my pain

To live on in my misery, laughed to scorn
1020

By thee and Atreus’ sons, those generals twain

Whom thou art serving in this chase. But thou

With strong compulsion and deceit was driven

Troyward, whilst I, poor victim, of free will

Took my seven ships and sailed there, yet was thrown
1025

Far from all honour,—as thou sayest, by them,

But, as they turn the tale, by thee.—And now

Why fetch me hence and take me? To what end?

I am nothing, dead to you this many a year.

How, O thou Heaven-abhorred! am I not now
1030

Lame and of evil smell? how shall ye vaunt

Before the gods drink-offering or the fat

Of victims, if I sail among your crew?

For this, as ye professed, was the chief cause

Why ye disowned me. Perish!—So ye shall,
1035

For the wrong done me, if the Heavens be just.

And that they are, I know. Else had ye ne’er

Sailed on this errand for an outcast wretch,

Had they not pricked your heart with thoughts of me.

Oh, if ye pity me, chastising powers,
1040

And thou, the Genius of my land, revenge,

Revenge this crime on all their heads at once!

My life is pitiable; but if I saw

Their ruin, I would think me well and strong.

CH

How full of bitterness is his resolve,
1045

Wrathfully spoken with unbending will!

OD

I might speak long in answer, did the time

Give scope, but now one thing is mine to say.

I am known to vary with the varying need;

And when ’tis tried, who can be just and good,
1050

My peer will not be found for piety.

But though on all occasions covetous

Of victory, this once I yield to thee,

And willingly. Unhand him there. Let go!

Leave him to stay. What further use of thee,
1055

When we have ta’en these arms? Have we not Teucer,

Skilled in this mystery? Yea, I may boast

Myself thine equal both in strength and aim

To wield them. Fare thee well, then! Thou art free

To roam thy barren isle. We need thee not.
1060

Let us be going! And perchance thy gift

May bring thy destined glory to my brow.

PHI

What shall I do? Alas, shalt thou be seen

Graced with mine arms amongst Achaean men?

OD

No more! I am going.
1065

PHI

O Achilles’ child!

Wilt thou, too, vanish? Must I lose thy voice?

OD

Come on, and look not, noble though thou be,

Lest thou undo our fortune.

PHI

Mariners,
1070

Must ye, too, leave me thus disconsolate?
1070

Will ye not pity me?

CH

Our captain’s here.

Whate’er he saith to thee, that we too speak.

NEO

My chief will call me weakling, soft of heart;

But go not yet, since our friend bids you stay.
1075

Till we have prayed, and all be ready on board.

Meanwhile, perchance, he may conceive some thought

That favours our design. We two will start;

And ye, be swift to speed forth at our call.

PHI
MONODY .

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 927 focus

Du Feuerbrand, du Grauen, du feindseliges

Gewebe falscher Trügerei, wie thust du mir,

Wie hast du mich betrogen, und erröthest nicht,

Mich Schuzbefohl'nen, Fleh'nden anzuseh'n, o Schalk?
900

Den Bogen raubend, raubtest du mein Leben mir.

Ach gib, ich flehe, gib mir ihn zurück, o Kind;

Bei deiner Ahnen Göttern, nimm mein Leben nicht!

Weh, wehe! Nicht mit einem Laut entgegnet er:

Nein, wie ihn nie zu lassen, blickt der Arge weg.
905

Ihr Buchten dort, ihr schroffen Felsabhänge, du

Bergwild, Genosse meines Grams, ihr Klippen hier,

Euch klag' ich keinem Andern ja vermag ich es,

Ihr seid zugegen, hört mich stets in meinem Leid

Euch klag' ich, euch, was mir Achilleus' Sohn gethan:
910

Führt mich nach Troja, der mich heimzuführen schwur,

Gibt mir die Hand zum Pfande, raubt das heilige

Geschoß, Herakles' Bogen, mir, des Sohns von Zeus,

Und will zur Schau mich stellen vor Achäa's Heer!

Wie einen Starken führt er mit Gewalt mich fort,
915

Nicht ahnend, daß er Luftgebild' und Leiche schlägt,

Des Rauches Schatten. Hätt' ich Kraft, er sing mich nie;

Denn auch den Kraftberaubten fing er nur mit List.

Nun - so betrogen, was beginn' ich Armer nun?

Gib mir zurück ihn, werde wieder, der du warst!
920

Was ist's? Du schweigst. Ich bin vernichtet, wehe mir!

Du Fels mit deinem Doppelthor, ich schleiche nun

Nackt, ohne Nahrung, wiederum zu dir zurück;

Einsam verschmachten werd' ich hier in dieser Kluft,

Und kein beschwingter Vogel noch des Berges Wild
925

Erliegt von diesen Pfeilen mehr; selbst werd' ich todt

Ein Mahl für jene, deren Fleisch mich sättigte,

Und, die zuvor ich jagte, jagen nun mich selbst.

Mit meinem Tode büß' ich Armer ihren Tod

Durch diesen, der kein Böses mir zu kennen schien.
930

Noch lebe, stirb nicht, eh' ich weiß, ob etwa noch

Dein Sinn sich wendet; anders stirb des Bösen Tod!

Der Chor.

Was thun wir? Nun steht's, Herr, bei dir, mit uns an Bord

Zu gehen oder seinem Wunsch gerecht zu sein.

Neoptolemos.

Mich hat ein bittres Schmerzgefühl um diesen Mann
935

Ergriffen, nicht erst eben jezt, nein, lange schon.

Philoktetes.

Erbarmen, Sohn! Bei'm Himmel, biete nicht dich selbst

Der Welt zum Hohne, daß du mich betrogen hast.

Neoptolemos.

Weh, was beginn' ich? Hätt' ich doch mein Skyros nie

Verlassen! Also schmerzt mich, was ich leiden muß.
940

Philoktetes.

Kein Böser bist du; Böse nur verlockten dich

Zum Argen, scheint es; aber laß den Schlechten nun

Das Schlechte, mir gib meine Wehr und segle fort.

Neoptolemos.

Was thun wir, Männer?

Odysseus (tritt schnell hervor.) Die Vorigen.

Odysseus.

Bösewicht, was willst du thun?

Tritt gleich zurück, und gib mir diesen Bogen her.
945

Philoktetes.

Wer ist der Mann? War das Odysseus' Stimme nicht?

Odysseus.

Gewiß, Odysseus' Stimme; mich erblickst du hier.

Philoktetes.

Verkauft, verloren bin ich, ach! Der also war's,

Der mich gefangen, der die Pfeile mir entwandt!

Odysseus.

Gewiß, ich selbst, kein Andrer; frei bekenn' ich es.
950

Philoktetes.

Sohn, gib den Bogen, laß mir ihn!

Odysseus.

Das wird er nie,

Auch wenn er wollte; nein, du selbst auch mußt mit ihm

Von hinnen, oder schleppen sie mit Zwang dich fort.

Philoktetes.

Mich? Du, der Schlimmen Schlimmster und Verwegenster,

Die mich gewaltsam?
955

Odysseus.

Wenn du nicht freiwillig gehst.
955

Philoktetes.

O Infelland von Lemnos, allgewaltige

Glut aus Hephästos' Esse, das denn duldet ihr,

Daß dieser mich gewaltsam euren Höh'n entführt?

Odysseus.

Zeus, wisse das, Zeus ist es, dieses Landes Herr,

Zeus, der es so geboten, und ich führ' es aus.
960

Philoktetes.

Ruchloser, welche Reden sinnst du kecklich aus?

Vorwendend Götter, machst du Götter lügenhaft.¹

Odysseus.

Nein, sondern wahrhaft. Wandeln mußt du diesen Pfad!

Ich sage: nein!

Und ich gebiet' es, du gehorchst!

Philoktetes.

Weh, weh mir Armen! Also hat mich offenbar
965

Zum Knecht gezeugt mein Vater, nicht zum freien Mann!

Odysseus.

Nein, als den besten Männern gleich, mit welchen du

Die Zinnen Troja's stürmen und zerstören sollst.

Philoktetes.

Niemals, und müßt' ich jedes Leid erdulden auch,

So lange mir die jähe Felsenstufe bleibt!
970

Was willst du thun?

Odysseus.

Vom Felsen stürz' ich mich sofort,

Zerschmettre blutig dieses Haupt am Felsen hier.

Ergreift ihn: nimmer stehe das in seiner Macht!

(Philoktetes wird von den Knechten ergriffen und an den Händen festgehalten.)

Philoktetes.

Hände, was erduldet ihr, die nun, beraubt

Der trauten Sehne, dieser Mann gebunden hält!
975

Du, welcher nie das Reine, nie das Edle denkt,

Wie hast du mich beschlichen, wie gefangen und

Den Knaben vorgeschoben, der mir unbekannt,

Unwürdig deiner, aber mein wohl würdig war,

Der Nichts gewußt hat, als zu thun, was du befahlst,
980

Der aber jezt schon offenbar mit Schmerzen fühlt,

Was er verschuldet, und das Leid, das ich erfuhr.

Dein böser Sinn nur, welcher stets im Winkel lauscht,

Hat ihn, den arglos Blöden, Widerstrebenden

Wohl unterwiesen, klug zu sein in arger List.
985

Nun denkst du mich gebunden weg von diesem Strand

Zu führen, Frevler, wo du mich einst ausgesezt

Freundlos, verlassen, fern von Haus, im Leben todt!

Weh!

Tod dir! Ich flehte dieses oft auf dich herab;

Doch nichts Erwünschtes theilen mir die Götter zu;
990

Du lebst in Freuden, aber ich empfinde Schmerz

Darüber, daß ich lebe, leb' in schwerer Dual,

Von dir verspottet und den zwei Heerfürsten dort,

Den Söhnen Atreus', welchen du dies Werk bestellst.

Du wurdest gleichwohl mitzuzieh'n durch Zwang und List²
995

Genöthigt; mich Verlor'nen, der freiwillig zog

Mit sieben Masten, warfen sie mit Schmach hinaus,³

Wie du behauptest; jene geben dir die Schuld.

Und nun wozu, was bindet, was entführt ihr mich,

Mich, der ein Nichts ist und für euch schon lange todt?
1000

Was hältst du, Gottverhaßter, nun mich nicht für lahm,

Für übelriechend? Wie, von mir begleitet, könnt

Ihr noch den Göttern opfern, wie noch Spenden weih'n?

Mich auszustoßen, hast du dies ja vorgewandt.

Tod euch! ja, Tod wird treffen euch, die so verrucht
1005

An mir gefrevelt, wenn das Recht vor Göttern gilt.

Ich weiß, es gilt vor ihnen; niemals wärt ihr ja

Den Weg gezogen nach dem Unglückseligen,

Wenn nicht ein Götterstachel euch hertrieb zu mir.

O Vatererde, Götter, ihr allsehenden,
1010

So strafet endlich, endlich doch, o strafet sie,

Sie alle, wenn ihr meiner euch erbarmen wollt!

Wohl leb' ich elend; aber säh' ich diese nur

Vernichtet, glaubt' ich meiner Qual entfloh'n zu sein.

Der Chor.

In schwerem Zorne sprach der Mann ein schweres Wort
1015

Zu dir, Odysseus, das der Noth sich nicht gebeugt.

Odysseus.

Ich könnte Viel entgegnen auf des Mannes Wort,

Wär's mir verstattet; nun vermag ich Eines nur.

Wo mir's die Pflicht gebietet, thu' ich wie ich that;

Doch wo's gerechte, tugendhafte Männer gilt,
1020

Da wirst du keinen frömmern Mann, als mich, erseh'n.

Wohl drängt zum Sieg ein angeborner Trieb mich stets,

Nur über dich nicht; gerne weich' ich jezt vor dir.

So laßt den Mann denn, und berührt nicht weiter ihn;

Er möge bleiben! Wir bedürfen deiner nicht;
1025

Denn deine Waffen haben wir, und Teukros ist

In unserm Heere, wohlbewährt in dieser Kunst,

Auch ich, der, traun, nicht ungeschickter dies Geschoß,

Als du, zu führen und an's Ziel zu treffen meint.

Was braucht es deiner? Lebe wohl auf Lemnos' Höh'n!
1030

Wir aber gehen! Mir erringt dein Ehrenlohn

Den Ruhm vielleicht noch, welcher dir beschieden war.

Philoktetes.

Was soll ich thun, ich Armer? Weh! Du willst geschmückt

Mit meinen Waffen prangen im Achäerheer?

Odysseus.

Erwiedre mir Nichts weiter; denn ich gehe schon.
1035

Philoktetes.

Sohn Achillens, werd' ich keines Wortes mehr,

Auch nicht von dir, gewürdigt? Gehst du so von mir?

(zu Neoptolemos)

Odysseus.

Du geh und blicke nicht nach ihm aus Mitgefühl,

Auf daß du nicht, großmüthig, unser Glück zerstörst.

(zu dem Chore)

Philoktetes.

Auch ihr, o Freunde, wollt allein im öden Land
1040

Zurück mich lassen, und erbarmt euch meiner nicht?

Der Chor.

Der Jüngling hier ist unser Schiffsgebieter, und

Was er zu dir sagt, eben dies auch sagen wir.

Neoptolemos.

Wohl wird Odysseus, daß ich voll Erbarmen sei,

Mich tadeln; dennoch bleibet, wenn es dieser wünscht,
1045

So lange Zeit noch, bis die Schiffer Alles dort

Zur Fahrt bestellt und wir die Götter angefleht.

Und er besinnt sich unterdeß auf Bess'res wohl

Für unsern Vortheil. Doch wir beide brechen auf,

Und ihr, sobald wir rufen, kommt in Eile nach.
1050
(Odysseus und Neoptolemos ab.) Philoktetes. Der Chor. Erste Strophe.

Philoktetes.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 927 focus

Thou worst of men, thou vile artificer

Of fraud most infamous, what hast thou done ?

How have I been deceived? Dost thou not bhish

To look upon me, to behold me thus

Beneath thy feet imploring? Base betrayer !
930

To rob me of my bow, the means of hfe,

The only means — give 'em, restore 'em to me !

Do not take all ! Alas ! he hears me not,

Kor deigns to speak, but casts an angry look

That says I never shall be free again.

O mountains, rivers, rocks, and savage herds !
935

To you I speak — to you alone I now

Must breathe my sorrows ; you are wont to hear.

My sad complaints, and I will tell you all

That I have suffered from Achilles' son,

Who, bound by solemn oath to bear me hence

To my dear native soil, now sails for Troy.
940

The perjured wretch lii-st gave his plighted hand,

Then stole the sacred arrows of my friend,

The son of Jove, the great Alcides ; those

He means to show the Greeks, to snatch me hence

This empty shade, were worthy of his arm.
945

Had I been what I was, he ne'er had thus
945

Subdued me, and e'en now to fraud alone

He owes the conquest . I have been betiuyed !

Give me my arms again, and be thyself

Once more. Oh, speak ! Thou wilt not? Then I'm lost.

O my poor hut ! again I come to thee
950

Naked and destitute of food ; once more

Receive me, here to die ; for now, no longer

Shall my swift arrow reach the flying prey,

Or on the mountains pierce the wandering herd ;

1 shall myself afford a banquet now

To those I used to feed on — they the hunters.
955

And I their easy prey ; so shall the blood

Which I so oft have shed be paid by mine ;

And all this too fron him whom once I deemed

Stranger to fraud nor capable of ill ;

And yet I will not curse thee till I know

Whether thou still retainst thy horrid purpose,
960

Or dost repent thee of it ; if thou dost not,

Destruction wait thee !

Chorus

We attend your pleasure,

iNIy royal lord, we must be gone ; determine

To leave, or take him with us.

Neoptolemus

His distress
965

Doth move me much. Trust me, I long have felt
965

Compassion for him.

Philoctetes

Oh ! then by the gods

Pity me now, my son, nor let mankind

Reproach thee for a fraud so base.

Neoptolemus

Alas !

What shall I do? Would I were still at Scyros !

For I am most unhappy.
970

Philoctetes

O my son !

Thou art not base by nature, but misguided

By those who are, to deeds unworthy of thee.

Turn then thy fraud on them who best deserve it ;

Restore my arms, and leave me.

Neoptolemus

Speak, my friends,

What's to be done?

XJly. Ah ! dost thou hesitate?

Traitor, be gone ! Give me the arms.

Philoctetes
Scene II.

Ah me !

Ulysses here?

Ulysses

Aye ! 'tis Ulysses' self

That stands before thee.

Philoctetes

Then I'm lost, betrayed J

This was the cruel spoiler.

Ulysses

Doubt it not.
980

'Twas I ; I do confess it.
980

Philoctetes

\to Neoptolemus]. O my son !

Give me them back.

Ulysses

It must not be ; with them

Thyself must go, or we shall drag thee hence.

Philoctetes

And will they force mef O thou daring villain

XJly. They will, unless thou dost consent to go.
985

Philoctetes

Wilt thou, O Lemnos! wilt thou, mighty

Vulcan !

With thy all-conquering fire, permit me thus

To be torn from thee ?

Ulysses

Know, gi-eat Jove himself

Doth here preside. He hath decreed thy fate ;

I but perform his will.
990

Philoctetes

Detested wretch,

Mak'st thou the gods a cover for thy crime ?

Do they teach falsehood ?

Ulysses

No, they taught me truth,

And therefore, hence — that way thy journey lies.

Philoctetes
[Pointiny to the sea.

It doth not.

Ulysses

But I say it must be so.

Philoctetes

And Philoctetes then was born a slave !
995

I did not know it.

Ulysses

No; I mean to place thee

E'en with the noblest, e'en with those by whom

Proud Troy must perish.

Philoctetes

Never will I go.

Befall what may, whilst this deep cave is open

To bury all my sorrows.
1000

Ulysses

What wouldst do?

Philoctetes

Here throw me down, dash out my desperate

brains

Against this rock, and sprinkle it with my blood.

Ulysses

[to the Chorus]. Seize, and prevent him !

Philoctetes
{They seize him.

Manacled ! O hands !

How helpless are you now ! those arms, which once

Protected, thus torn from you ! [To Ulys«es.
1005

Thou abandoned,

Thou shameless wretch ! from whom nor truth nor

justice,

Naught that becomes the generous mind, can flow,

How hast thou used me ! how betrayed ! Suborned

This stranger, this poor youth, who, worthier far
1010

To be my friend than thine, was only here

Thy instrument ; he knew not what he did,

And now, thou seest, repents him of the crime

Which brought such guilt on him, such woes on me.

But thy foul soul, which from its dai-k recess

Trembling looks forth, beheld him void of art,
1015

Unwilling as he wms, instructed him.

And made him soon a master in deceit.

I am thy prisoner now ; e'en now thou meanst

To drag me hence, from this unhappy shore.

Where first thy malice left me, a poor exile,

Deserted, fiiendless, and though living, dead

To all mankind. Perish the vile betrayer !
1020

Oh ! I have cursed thee often, but the gods

Life and its joys are thine, whilst I, unhapjiy,

Am but the scorn of thee, and the Atiidie,

Thy haughty masters. Fraud and force compelled

thee.

Or thou hadst never sailed with them to Troy.
1025

I lent my willing aid ; with seven brave ships

I ploughed the main to serve them. In return

They cast me forth, disgraced me, left me here.

Thou sayst they did it ; they impute the crime

To thee. And what will you do with me now ?

And whither must I go ? What end, what purpose
1030

Could urge thee to it ? I am nothing, lost

And dead already. Wherefore — tell me, wherefore ?-

Am I not still the same detested burthen.

Disturb your holy rites ? If I am with you

How can you make libations ? That was once

Your vile j^retence for inhumanity.
1035

Oh ! may you perish for the deed ! The gods

Will grant it sure, if justice be their care —

And that it is I know. You had not left

Your native soil to seek a wretch like me

Had not some impulse from the powers above.

Spite of yourselves, ordained it. O my country !
1040

And you, O gods ! who look upon this deed,

Punish, in pity to me, punish all

The guilty band ! Could I behold them perish,

My wounds were nothing ; that would heal them all.

Chorus

\to UlyssesJ. Observe, my lord, what bitterness
1045

of soul
1045

His words express ; he bends not to misfortune,

But seems to brave it.

Ulysses

I could answer him,

Were this a time for words ; but now, no more

Than this — I act as best befits our purpose.

Where virtue, truth, and justice are required
1050

Ulysses yields to none \ I was not born

To be o'ercome, and yet submit to thee.

Let him remain. Thy arrows shall suffice ;

We want thee not ; Teucer can draw thy bow
1055

As well as thou ; myself with equal strength

Can aim the deadly shaft, with equal skill.

What could thy presence do ? Let Lemnos keep thee.

Farewell ! perhaps the honours once designed
1060

For thee may be reserved to grace Ulysses.

Philoctetes

Alas ! shall Greece then see my deadlie>;i foe

Adorned with arms which I alone should bear ]

Ulysses

No more ! 1 must be gone.
1065

Philoctetes

\to Neoptolemus]. Son of Achilles,

Thou wilt not leave me too? I must not lose

Thy converse, thy assistance,

Ulysses

\to ISTeoptolemus. Look not on him ;

Away, I charge thee ! 'Twould be fatal to us.

Philoctetes

\to the Chorus]. Will you forsake me, friends ?
1070

Dwells no compassion
1070

Within your breasts for mel

Chorus

[pomting to Neoptolemus]. He is our master ;

We speak and act but as his will directs.

Neoptolemus

I know he will upbraid me for this weakness.

But 'tis my nature, and I must consent,

Since Philoctetes asks it. Stay you with him.
1075

Till to the gods our pious prayers we offer.

And all things are prepared for our departure ;

Perhaps, meantime, to better thoughts his mind

May turn relenting. We must go. Remember,

When we shall call you, follow instantly.

laS
1080

Philoctetes
[Exit icith Ulysses Scene III.

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 927 focus

Thou wasting fire, thou every thing to sense

Most hideous, thou detested instrument

Of horrid villainy, what hast thou done?

How hast thou wrong'd me? How deceived me? Wretch,

Dost thou not blush to see me at thy knees
930

A suppliant? Thou hast robb'd me of my life,

Taking my bow. I pray thee give it back,

Restore it, I implore thee, O my son;

Ah, take not, by the gods that guard thy hearth,

Take not what yields my life support, away!

Unhappy me! He speaks not yet, but looks
935

As he would never part with it again.
935

Ye ports, ye cliffs projecting o'er the waves,

Ye herds of mountain-beasts, yecraggy rocks,

To you (none other have I to address)

To you, who oft have heard me, I complain

Of these my wrongs. He swore to me, this youth,

Son of Achilles, swore to bear me home;
940

To Troy he bears me: pledging his right hand

He took the sacred bow of Hercules,

And now detains it. To the Grecian host

Vaunting his prowess, as some manly might

He had subdued, he drags me hence by force;

Nor knows he that his conquest is obtain'd
945

O'er one long dead, the shadow of a smoke,

A flitting phantom. Had these nerves the strength

Which once they had, he would not triumph now;

Nor but by fraud this conquest hath he gain'd.

With falsehoods, wretched me! I am betray'd';

What can I do?... But give me back my bow;
950

Be thou again thyself. What dost thou say??

Still art thou silent? Ah, I am undone!..

Thou double opening of my rock, again

I enter thee, but of my arms deprived,

The means of my subsistence, in thy cave

To waste away alone, nor winged bird
955

Nor mountain-beast with these my shafts to pierce,
955

But 'midst my woes to die, to be a feast

To those on whom I feasted, and a prey

To those on whom I prey'd, and recompense

Slaughter with slaughter: thus am I betray'd

By one, whose heart, I thought, ne'er harbour'd ill.

I will not curse thee yet, till I shall learn
960

If honour once more may thy purpose change:

If not, may ruin seize thee and base death!

Chorus

What thy commands? It now is thine, O king,

To speed thy sails, assenting to his words..

Neoptolemus

I am not now first moved); my heart long since
965

Hath melted with compassion at his woes.

Philoctetes

Oh pity me, I beg thee by the gods,

Nor let thy fame be blacken'd with reproach,

That me with basest fraud thou hast deceived..

Neoptolemus

How shall I act? Would I had never sail'd

From Scyros! This employment rends my heart.
970

Philoctetes

Thou art not base, but by base men impell'd

To shameful actions hither art thou come.

On them (such recompense is just) return

Their arts, and sail; but give me back my arms.

Neoptolemus

What shall we do, my friends?

Chorus
ULYSSES, NEOPTOLEMUS, PHILOCTETES,

What wou'dst thou do,,

Ulysses

Basest of men?

Give me the bow; away.
975

Philoctetes

Ha! Who is this?

Ulysses do I hear?

Ulysses

Ay; and in me Ulysses dost thou see.

Philoctetes

Oh, I am sold, undone! This then was he,

Whose arts beguiled, and robb'd me of my arms.

Ulysses

It was my deed, I own it, mine alone.
980

Philoctetes

My son, restore them; give me back my arms.

Ulysses

That, were he willing, he shall never do;

Philoctetes
LYS.

But with them thou must go; or these by force

Shall bear thee hence.

Bear me, audacious wretch,

Thou basest of base men, me shall they bear
985

By force ?
985

If willingly thou dost not go.
985

Philoctetes

Thou land of Lemnos, ye all-conquering flames

By Vulcan kindled, must I bear these wrongs?

And shall he drag me from your coasts by force?

Ulysses

Know thou that Jove, dread sovereign of this isle,

Jove thus ordains: I execute his will.
990

Philoctetes

Thou wretch abhorr'd, what hast thou now devised,

Making the gods thy plea? Are the gods false ?

Ulysses

No; they are true, and point thee out this path.

Philoctetes

I will not go.

Ulysses

Thou must, thou shalt obey.

Philoctetes

Unhappy me! What, am I then a slave ?

Ulysses

No; but a prince 'midst princes; and with such

Thy arms must conquer Troy, and raze her walls.

Philoctetes

No, though I hear must suffer every ill,

Never, whilst I have pow'r to climb this rock.
1000

Ulysses

What wou'dst thou do?

Philoctetes

Strait throw me from its height,

And with my blood distain the rocks beneath.

Ulysses

Lay hold on him, nor let him have that pow'r.

Philoctetes

Alas, ye hands, deprived of your loved bow,

What vile indignity do you sustain !

O thou, whose soul ne'er harbour'd generous thought,

Or upright purpose, how hast thou beguiled,

With what base arts ensnared me in thy toils,
1005

Skulking behind this youth to me unknown,
1005

Not meriting to share thy fraudful guilt,
1005

But worthy of my love! He nothing knew,

He but performs his orders: see his brow

Clouded with grief for what he has misdone,

And I have suffer'd. But thy treacherous soul,

For ever peeping from its lurking-place,

Hath taught his noble nature 'gainst his will.

To be expert in mischief; and, thou wretch,

My hands thus bound, thy purpose is declared

To drag me from this shore, on which long since

Thou didst expose me with unpitying heart

Friendless, abandon'd, out-cast, whilst alive

Rank'd with the dead. Perdition seize thee ! Oft

Have I made this my pray'r; but to my pray'rs
1010

The gods grant nothing that delights my soul.
1010

To live is thine, and to exult; with grief
1010

My heart is rent, that 'midst my various ills

I am by thee derided, and the Chiefs

The sons of Atreus, who command these things,

And thou art to their lordly will a slave.

Yet didst thou join their arms compell'd by force,

Thy wiles detected. Me, unhappy me,

The willing leader of sev'n gallant ships,

They with disgrace cast out; the guilty deed

Thou on their baseness chargest, they on thine.

Why lead me now away? Why drag me hence ?

What cause impels you? I am nothing now,

To you for ten long years I have been dead.

Base and detested wretch, is not my foot
1015

Now lame? Is not its stench offensive now?.
1015

How, if I mount the bark, will you present
1015

Your victims, your libations to the gods?....

This was thy plea to leave me on these rocks!

An out-cast. May the vengeance of the gods

Pour ruin on you all who wrong'd this wretch,

If justice rules their thoughts; it does, it does,

I know it well; for never had your sails ::

Stretch'd o'er the ocean for a wretch like me,

But that remorse, heav'n-sent, hath pierced your hearts.

But, O my country, O ye gods who view

Theseus

avenge, avenge me on them all,

And pity me! Your pity I deserve.

Might I but see them perish, I should think

This burning wound would never pain me more.

Chorus

Fierce is his passion and his words are fierce ;
1045

He hath a soul that yields not to his woes.

Ulysses

I could say much in answer to his speech,

Were this fit time: one word is now enough.

Such where the general cause of Greece requires,
1050

Such I am found; but where the cause demands

The just and good, than me thou wilt not find

A man more pious. Nature prompts my wish
1055

Always to be victorious, save o'er thee:

To thee I freely yield. Unbind his hands,

Touch him no more, permit him here to stay.

We shall not want thee, since these arms are ours.

Teucer

in this art well skill'd;

Nor in this science will I yield to thee;

My hands can bend the bow, and aim the shaft:

What need of thee? Farewell, and tread the roeks

Of Lemnos: we must go: this prize perchance

Will give to me the glory thou shou'dst gain.

Philoctetes

What can I do? Ah helpless wretch! Shalt thou

Amidst the Grecians glory in my arms?

Ulysses

No more reply: I hasten to the bark.
1065

Philoctetes

Son of Achilles, wilt thou no more deign:

To speak to me, but wilt thou leave me thus ?

Ulysses

Thou art too generous, look on him no more;

Away, lest all our fortune thou o'erthrow.

Philoctetes

And will you, friendly strangers, thus depart;

He is our lord, our galley he commands;

To thee whate'er he says, the same we say .T

Neoptolemus

I shall be censured as too apt to melt

With pity: nature so hath framed my heart.
1075

Yet stay with him, if such his wish, stay here

Till all things are embark'd, and to the gods

We make our vows. Meantime perchance his mind

May take a scfter temper. We two go; of

And you with speed attend us at our call...()
1080

Philoctetes
PHILOCTETES, CHORUS.

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 865-1080 focus

Neoptolemus

Quiet, I say, and do not abandon your wits—the man is opening his eyes and lifts his head.
865

Philoctetes

Ah, light succeeding upon sleep! Ah, friendly watchers, sight unlooked for even in my dreams! I could never have expected this, son—

that you would have the patience to wait so tenderly upon my sufferings by staying close beside me and helping to relieve me. The Atreids, certainly, those valiant generals, had no heart to bear this burden so lightly. But your nature is noble and drawn of a noble line,
870

and so you have made little of all this, though loud cries and stenches afflicted you. And now, since the plague seems to allow me a space of forgetfulness and peace at last, lift me up yourself and set me on my feet,
875

so that, when the faintness releases me at length, we may set out to the ship, and not hold back our sailing.
880

Neoptolemus

It pleases me to see you living unpained and breathing still, however contrary to my expectation. For in view of your persistent sufferings,

your symptoms seemed to speak of death. But now lift yourself, or, if you prefer, these men will carry you. The labor will not be grudged, since you and I are of one mind.
885

Philoctetes

Thank you, son, and help me up, as you will.

Yet do not trouble your men, so that they may not suffer from the foul stench before it is necessary. It will be trial enough for them to live on board with me.
890

893

Neoptolemus

So be it. Now stand up, and take hold of me.

Philoctetes

Do not worry, my habitual method will help me to my feet.

Neoptolemus

God! What am I to do next?
895

Philoctetes

What is the matter? Where strays your speech?

Neoptolemus

I do not know where to turn my tongue when my thoughts are so confused.

Philoctetes

Confused? How so? No, do not say it!

Neoptolemus

My mind is indeed brought to that condition.

Philoctetes

It cannot be that offense at my sickness has persuaded you not to take me aboard your ship?
900

Neoptolemus

All is offense when a man has abandoned his true nature and does what does not suit him.

Philoctetes

But you, at least, are not departing from your begetter’s

example either in word or deed, when you help a man who is noble.
905

Neoptolemus

I shall be found to have no honor—this is the thought that long torments me.

Philoctetes

Not because of your present deeds, at least. But because of your words, I worry.

Neoptolemus

O Zeus, what shall I do? Must I be twice found base—by disloyal silence, as well as by shameful speech?

Philoctetes

Unless I am lacking in judgment, he means to betray me, leave me behind and sail away!
910

Neoptolemus

Leave you? No, not I. Rather, to your pain, I will bring you along. That is my torment.

Philoctetes

What do you mean, son? I do not understand.

Neoptolemus

I will conceal nothing. You must sail to Troy , back to the Achaeans and the forces of the Atreids.
915

Philoctetes

Ah, no! What have you said?

Neoptolemus

Do not wail in grief, before you understand!

Philoctetes

Understand what? What do you intend to do to me?

Neoptolemus

Save you, first, from this misery, and then,

together with you, go and plunder Troy ’s plains.
920

Philoctetes

And this is your true intent?

Neoptolemus

A harsh necessity governs these events, so do not be angered at hearing of them.

Philoctetes

I am destroyed—ah, misery!—betrayed! What have you done to me, stranger? Return my bow at once!

Neoptolemus

No, it is not possible. My duty and my interest alike constrain me to obey those in power.
925

927

Philoctetes

You destroying fire, you utter monster, you hateful masterpiece of astounding wickedness! What treachery you have done to me! How thoroughly you have deceived me! And are you, you wretch, unashamed to look at me,

the suppliant who turned to you for mercy? In taking my bow, you have robbed me of my life. Return it, I beg you, return it, I pray you, son! By the gods of your fathers, do not rob me of my life! Ah, me! He speaks to me no more.
930

He looks away, as if he will never give it up! O you inlets and headlands, you wild creatures of the hills who have shared my life, and you jagged cliffs, to you—for you alone hear me—to you my accustomed companions,
935

I bewail the treacherous treatment I have received from the son of Achilles. Although he swore to take me to my home, it is to Troy that he takes me. Although he gave me his right hand in pledge of his word, he has taken my bow, the sacred bow, once belonging to Zeus’s son Heracles, and he keeps it, and wants to show it to the Argives as his own.
940

By force he drags me away, as if he had captured a strong man, and does not see that he is cutting down a corpse, the shadow of smoke, a mere phantom. In my strength he could not have taken me—no!—nor even in my present condition, save by deceit. But now, because of my rotten fate, I have been tricked. What should I do?
945

Wait, give it back! Now, at least, recover your true self! What do you say? Silence! I am nothing! Double-gated cave, back, back again I return to you, but now stripped and lacking the means to live. Yes, in that chamber I will wither away alone,
950

bringing down with that bow no winged bird, no beast that roams the hills. Rather I myself shall die in misery, and supply a feast for those who fed me, becoming the prey of those on whom I preyed. Ah, in requital for blood my own blood will flow,
955

shed at the hands of a man who seemed all unknowing of evil! May destruction seize you!—but no, not yet, not before I learn whether you will change your mind. But if not, may you die a cruel death!
960

963

Chorus

What shall we do? It rests with you, my king, whether we now sail, or move forward to answer his pleas.

Neoptolemus

A startling pity for him has come upon me—and not now for the first time, but long ago.
965

Philoctetes

Show mercy, boy, for the love of the gods, and do not give men cause to reproach you for having cheated me.

Neoptolemus

Ah, no, what shall I do? I wish I had never left

Scyros, so pained am I by these doings.
970

Philoctetes

You are not in and of yourself wicked, but you seem to have come to me after learning the shameless lessons of wicked masters. Now leave such behavior to others, whom it suits, and sail from here—once you have given me back my weapons.

Neoptolemus

What shall we do, friends?

Enter Odysseus with several armed attendants.

Odysseus

Traitor, what are you doing? Come back here and surrender that bow to me!
975

Philoctetes

Who is that? Do I hear Odysseus?

Odysseus

Yes, Odysseus, be sure of it. Here I am before your eyes.

Philoctetes

Ah, me, I am sold, destroyed! It was he, then, who entrapped me and robbed me of my arms.

Odysseus

Yes, I and no other. I avow it.
980

Philoctetes

Give back my bow, boy, give it up.

Odysseus

That he shall never do, even if he wished to. And, what is more, you must come along with it, or my men will bring you by force.

Philoctetes

Me, you basest and boldest of scoundrels,

they will take me by force?
985

Odysseus

Unless you come of your own free will.

Philoctetes

O Lemnos , and you all-conquering flame kindled by Hephaestus, will you indeed endure it that this man should take me from your domain by force?

Odysseus

Zeus it is, I tell you, Zeus, who rules this land,

and it is by Zeus that these actions are decreed. I am his servant.
990

Philoctetes

Hated creature, what clever pleading you devise! By sheltering yourself behind the gods, you make the gods liars.

Odysseus

No, but true prophets. Now our march must begin.

Philoctetes

Never!

Odysseus

Now, I say. You must obey.

Philoctetes

Ah, misery! Clearly, then, my father sired me to be a slave and no free man.
995

Odysseus

Not so, but to be the peer of the best and bravest, with whom you are destined to take Troy and force it to the ground.

Philoctetes

No, never—even if I must suffer every torment,

so long as I have this island’s steep cliffs beneath me!
1000

Odysseus

What do you plan to do?

Philoctetes

Throw myself now from the rock and shatter my head on the rocks below!

Odysseus

Quick, seize him, both of you! Do not give him the chance!

1004

Philoctetes

O my arms, what shames you suffer for lack of your cherished

bow, now that you are made that man’s bound quarry! And you, who cannot think one healthy or one noble thought, how stealthily you have once more ambushed and trapped me, taking this boy for your screen, because he was a stranger to me. He is too good for your company, but worthy of mine,
1005

since he had no thought but to execute his orders, and he already shows remorse for his own errors and for the wrongs done me. But your corrupt mind, always on the lookout from some position of ambush, trained him well—unsuited and unwilling though he was—
1010

to be cunning in evil. And now, wretch, for me you plan bonds and passage from the very shore on which you had me flung away, friendless, abandoned, citiless, a corpse in the eyes of the living. Ah! Hades take you! Indeed I have often so prayed for you.
1015

But, because the gods grant me nothing that is sweet, you remain alive and you laugh, while I live miserably among countless sufferings, mocked by you and by the sons of Atreus, the two generals whom you serve on this errand.
1020

And yet you sailed with them only when brought under their yoke by trickery and compulsion. But me, when, to my utter ruin, I sailed of my own accord as their mate with seven ships, me they cast out of ship and honor, as you claim, while they say that it was your doing. And now, why would you take me? Why have me led away? For what purpose?
1025

I am nothing, and, as far as you were concerned, I have long been dead. You creature abhorred by the gods, how is it that you no longer find me crippled and foul-smelling? How, if I sail with you, can you burn sacrifices to the gods, or make libations any more? That was your pretext for casting me away in the first place.
1030

A cruel death for you!—and die you shall for your unjust treatment of me, if the gods care for justice. But I know that they do care for it, since you would never have made this voyage for one so miserable, unless some god-sent goad had driven you after me.
1035

O, fatherland, and you watchful gods, bring your vengeance, bring your vengeance on them all after so long, if at all you pity me! Yes, my life merits pity. Yet if I were to see those men overthrown, I would believe that I had escaped my plague.
1040

1045

Chorus

Bitter is the stranger, and bitter his words, Odysseus. They do not bend before the storm of his troubles.
1045

Odysseus

I could say much in answer to his claims, if time allowed; but now I can say one thing only. What kind of man the occasion demands, that kind of man am I.

And accordingly, where the judgment at hand is of just and good men, you could find no man more pious than me. Victory, however, is my inborn desire in every field—save with regard to you. To you, in this case, I will gladly give way. Yes, release him, and lay not another finger upon him.
1050

Let him stay here. We have no further need of you, now that we have these weapons. For Teucer is there among our forces, well-skilled in this craft, as am I, and I believe that I can master this bow in no way worse than you, and point it with no worse a hand.
1055

So what need is there of you? Farewell! Enjoy your strolls on Lemnos ! We must be going. And perhaps your onetime prize will bring me the honor which ought to have been your own.
1060

Philoctetes

Ah, no, what shall I do? Are you to shine before the Argives graced with my arms?

Odysseus

Argue with me no more. I am going.
1065

Philoctetes

Seed of Achilles, will you, too, grant me your voice no more, but leave without a word?

To Neoptolemus.

Odysseus

Come on! Do not look at him, kind and noble though you are. Do not obliterate our good fortune.

To the Chorus.

Philoctetes

And will you also, friends, leave me so desolate and show me no pity?
1070

Chorus

The boy commands our ship. Whatever he says to you, that is our answer also.

To the Chorus.

Neoptolemus

I shall be told by Odysseus here that I am too

soft-hearted; but remain here, if that one agrees, until the sailors have readied everything on board, and we have made our prayers to the gods. In the interval, perhaps, he will obtain a better attitude towards us. And so we two are going.
1075

And you, when we call you, be quick to come. Exeunt Odysseus and Neoptolemus.
1080

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-493-1 ἅπαντα δυσχέρεια ¹

mvp-comment-493-2 τὴν αὑτοῦ φύσιν ² λιπών ³ τὰ μὴ προσεικότα ⁴

mvp-comment-494-1 οὐδὲν ἔξω τοῦ φυτεύσαντος ⁵ φυτεύσαντος ⁶ προσεικότος ⁷ τοὐμφυτευθέντος ⁸

mvp-comment-494-2 ἐσθλὸν ⁹

mvp-comment-495-1 πάλαι ¹⁰

mvp-comment-496-1 οὔκουν ¹¹ ἐν οἷς γε δρᾷς ¹² ἐν οἷς δὲ αὐδᾷς ¹³

mvp-comment-496-2 ὀκνῶ ¹⁴ δρᾷς ¹⁵

mvp-comment-497-1 δράσω ¹⁶ λέγων αἴσχιστ’ ἐπῶν ¹⁷ κρύπτων ἃ μὴ δεῖ ¹⁸

mvp-comment-498-1 ἁνὴρ ὅδ’ ¹⁹

mvp-comment-498-2 εἰ μὴ )γὼ ²⁰ γνώμην ²¹ γνώμων ²²

mvp-comment-498-3 τὸν πλοῦν στελεῖν ²³

mvp-comment-499-1 λιπὼν ²⁴

mvp-comment-499-2 πέμπω ²⁵ πέμπων ²⁶ τοῦτ’ ²⁷ τοῦτ’ ἀνιῶμαι πάλαι ²⁸

mvp-comment-500-1 οὐδέν σε κρύψω ²⁹

mvp-comment-500-2 γὰρ ³⁰

mvp-comment-501-1 τί <δ)> εἶπας ³¹ δ’ ³² τί εἶπας ³³ τί μ’ εἶπας ³⁴ τί γ’ εἶπας ³⁵

mvp-comment-501-2 πρὶν μάθῃς ³⁶

mvp-comment-501-3 ποῖον μάθημα ³⁷

mvp-comment-501-4 δρᾶσαι ³⁸

mvp-comment-502-1 σῶσαι κακοῦ ³⁹

mvp-comment-502-2 ξὺν σοὶ ⁴⁰

mvp-comment-503-1 καὶ ταῦτ’ ⁴¹

mvp-comment-503-2 ἀληθῆ ⁴²

mvp-comment-503-3 κρατεῖ τούτων ⁴³

mvp-comment-504-1 ὦ ξένε ⁴⁴

mvp-comment-505-1 ἀλλ’ οὐχ οἷόν τε ⁴⁵

mvp-comment-505-2 τῶν ἐν τέλει ⁴⁶

mvp-comment-505-3 927 ff. While Philoctetes makes this appeal, Neoptolemus stands with averted face (935), still holding the bow. Despairing anguish could not be more pathetically expressed than by the transitions from imprecation to entreaty, and from entreaty to the half-soliloquy in which he imagines the future (952).

mvp-comment-506-1 πῦρ ⁴⁷ πῦρ ⁴⁸ δεῖμα ⁴⁹

mvp-comment-506-2 πᾶν δεῖμα ⁵⁰ δεῖμα ⁵¹

mvp-comment-506-3 πανουργίας … τέχνημα ⁵² τέχνημα ⁵³

mvp-comment-507-1 εἰργάσω ⁵⁴

mvp-comment-508-1 τὸν προστρόπαιον ⁵⁵

mvp-comment-509-1 τὸν βίον ⁵⁶

mvp-comment-509-2 932 A dactyl is here followed by a tribrach, as in 1029 we have two tribrachs. In both verses the rhythm marks agitation.

mvp-comment-510-1 θεῶν πατρῴων ⁵⁷

mvp-comment-510-2 με μὴ ἀφέλῃ ⁵⁸

mvp-comment-511-1 προσφωνεῖ ⁵⁹

mvp-comment-511-2 ὡς μεθήσων μήποθ’ ⁶⁰ ὁρᾷ πάλιν ⁶¹

mvp-comment-512-1 λιμένες ⁶² προβλῆτες ⁶³

mvp-comment-512-2 ξυνουσίαι θηρῶν ⁶⁴

mvp-comment-512-3 καταρρῶγες ⁶⁵

mvp-comment-513-1 λέγω ⁶⁶

mvp-comment-513-2 ἀνακλαίομαι ⁶⁷

mvp-comment-513-3 παροῦσι ⁶⁸ τοῖς εἰωθόσιν ⁶⁹ παροῦσι ⁷⁰

mvp-comment-514-1 ὀμόσας ⁷¹

mvp-comment-514-2 προσθείς ⁷² προθείς ⁷³

mvp-comment-515-1 ἱερὰ ⁷⁴ τοῦ Ζηνὸς Ἡρακλέους ⁷⁵ ἱερὰ ⁷⁶ τοῦ Ζ. Ἡρ ⁷⁷ τοῦ Ζ. Ἡρακλ. ⁷⁸

mvp-comment-516-1 φήνασθαι ⁷⁹ φήνασθαι ⁸⁰ φήνασθαι ⁸¹

mvp-comment-516-2 Seyffert, placing only a comma after θέλει ⁸² κοὐχ ὡς ⁸³ κοὐκ οἶδ’ ⁸⁴ ὡς ⁸⁵ κοὐχ ὡς ⁸⁶ ὡς ⁸⁷ θέλει ⁸⁸ ὡς ἑλὼν ⁸⁹

mvp-comment-517-1 κοὐκ οἶδ’ ⁹⁰

mvp-comment-517-2 ἐναίρων νεκρὸν ⁹¹

mvp-comment-517-3 καπνοῦ σκιάν ⁹²

mvp-comment-517-4 εἴδωλον ἄλλως ⁹³ ἄλλως ⁹⁴

mvp-comment-518-1 ἐπεὶ οὐδ’ ⁹⁵

mvp-comment-519-1 ἀλλ’ ⁹⁶

mvp-comment-519-2 ἀλλὰ νῦν ⁹⁷

mvp-comment-519-3 ἐν σαυτῷ γενοῦ ⁹⁸ ἔτι ⁹⁹ ἐν σαυτοῦ ¹⁰⁰

mvp-comment-520-1 σιωπᾷς ¹⁰¹ οὐδέν εἰμ’ ¹⁰²

mvp-comment-521-1 ὦ σχῆμα πέτρας δίπυλον ¹⁰³ σχῆμα ¹⁰⁴

mvp-comment-521-2 αὖθις αὖ πάλιν ¹⁰⁵

mvp-comment-521-3 953 The MSS. and edd. give πρὸς σὲ ¹⁰⁶ πρός σε ¹⁰⁷

mvp-comment-521-4 ψιλός ¹⁰⁸

mvp-comment-522-1 αὐανοῦμαι ¹⁰⁹

mvp-comment-523-1 πτηνὸν ¹¹⁰ ὀρειβάτην ¹¹¹

mvp-comment-523-2 τοισίδ’ ¹¹² τοισίδ’ ¹¹³ τοῖσδ’ ἔτ’ ¹¹⁴

mvp-comment-524-1 παρέξω δαῖτα ¹¹⁵ ὑφ’ ὧν ἐφερβ ¹¹⁶

mvp-comment-524-2 Wunder proposes

ἀφ’ ὧν

, objecting that

ὑφ’ ὧν

implies active ministration, ‘as by a nurse.’ It is true that

τρέφομαι ὑπό τινος

properly refers to the nurse, while the source of nourishment is denoted by

τινί, ἀπό τινος

, or

ἔκ τινος

( cp. 535 ). But here Ph. is poetically saying that he had forced the beasts to become his

τροφεῖς

,—as he will now be theirs; and so ὑπό ¹¹⁷ ἀπό ¹¹⁸

mvp-comment-525-1 καί μ’ ¹¹⁹ κἄμ’ ¹²⁰ ἐθήρων ¹²¹ θηράσουσι ¹²²

mvp-comment-526-1 ῥύσιον ¹²³ φόνον φόνου … ῥύσιον τείσω ¹²⁴ φόνου ¹²⁵

mvp-comment-526-2 τοῦ δοκοῦντος ¹²⁶

mvp-comment-526-3 οὐδὲν εἰδέναι κακόν ¹²⁷

mvp-comment-527-1 ὄλοιο ¹²⁸

mvp-comment-527-2 μήπω ¹²⁹ μήπω ¹³⁰

mvp-comment-527-3 πρὶν μάθοιμ’ ¹³¹

mvp-comment-527-4 εἰ καὶ πάλιν ¹³² καὶ ¹³³ εἰ ¹³⁴ καὶ ¹³⁵ εἰ καὶ πάλιν ¹³⁶

mvp-comment-527-5 καὶ ¹³⁷ πάλιν ¹³⁸ μετοίσεις ¹³⁹ πάλιν μετοίσεις ¹⁴⁰

mvp-comment-528-1 δρῶμεν ¹⁴¹

mvp-comment-528-2 ἐν σοὶ ¹⁴²

mvp-comment-528-3 προσχωρεῖν ¹⁴³

mvp-comment-529-1 ἐμοὶ μὲν ¹⁴⁴

mvp-comment-529-2 ἐμπέπτωκε ¹⁴⁵ οὐ νῦν πρῶτον ¹⁴⁶

mvp-comment-530-1 ἐλἐησον ¹⁴⁷

mvp-comment-530-2 παρῇς σαυτοῦ βρ. ὄνειδος ¹⁴⁸

mvp-comment-530-3 ἐκκλέψας ¹⁴⁹

mvp-comment-531-1 μήποτ’ ¹⁵⁰ λιπεῖν ¹⁵¹ ὤφελον ¹⁵²

mvp-comment-531-2 Σκῦρον ¹⁵³

mvp-comment-532-1 νῦν δ’ ἄλλοισι δοὺς ¹⁵⁴ οἷς εἰκός ¹⁵⁵ οὐκ εἶ κακὸς σύ ¹⁵⁶ ἄλλοισι ¹⁵⁷

mvp-comment-532-2 Other interpretations are: (1) δοὺς ¹⁵⁸ ἄλλοις σε δοὺς ¹⁵⁹ οἷα ¹⁶⁰ ἄλλοισι ¹⁶¹

mvp-comment-532-3 974 We are to suppose that Odysseus,—disquieted when he found that the

ἔμπορος

(627) was not quickly followed by N.,—had set out to inquire into the cause of the delay. From a place of concealment close to the scene he has overheard the last part of the conversation, and now, at the critical moment, he springs forward. The abruptness of his entrance is marked by the divided verse (

ἀντιλαβή

mvp-comment-532-4 975 Join εἶ … πάλιν ¹⁶²

mvp-comment-533-1 πέπραμαι ¹⁶³

mvp-comment-534-1 ἅμ’ αὐτοῖς ¹⁶⁴ στελοῦσί σε ¹⁶⁵ αὐτοῖς ¹⁶⁶

mvp-comment-535-1 τολμήστατε ¹⁶⁷

mvp-comment-536-1 οἵδ’ ¹⁶⁸

mvp-comment-536-2 μὴ ἕρπῃς ¹⁶⁹ η ¹⁷⁰ ε ¹⁷¹ α ¹⁷² γ’ ¹⁷³ ἕρπῃς ¹⁷⁴

mvp-comment-536-3 986 f. For the voc. combined with nom., cp. 867 n.

mvp-comment-536-4 τὸ παγκρατὲς σέλας Ἡφαιστότευκτον ¹⁷⁵

mvp-comment-536-5 The Lemnians had an early repute as workers in iron: Tzetzes on Lycophr. 460

Λήμνιοι, ὡς φησὶν Ἑλλάνικος, εὗρον ὁπλοποιΐαν

. The local cult and the local industry of Lemnos were both expressed by its name

Αἰθάλεια

(‘sooty’), acc. to Polybius ap. Byz. Steph. s. v.

Αἰθάλη

. The same name was given to Ilva (Elba), on account of its iron-stone.

mvp-comment-537-1 εἰ … ἀπάξεται ¹⁷⁶

mvp-comment-537-2 τῶν σῶν ¹⁷⁷

mvp-comment-538-1 Ζεύς ¹⁷⁸ ἵν’ εἰδῇς ¹⁷⁹

mvp-comment-539-1 μῖσος ¹⁸⁰

mvp-comment-539-2 καὶ ἐξανευρίσκεις ¹⁸¹ λέγειν ¹⁸² λέγων ¹⁸³

mvp-comment-540-1 προτείνων ¹⁸⁴ ψευδεῖς τίθης ¹⁸⁵

mvp-comment-541-1 ἀληθεῖς ¹⁸⁶

mvp-comment-541-2 ἡ δ’ ὁδὸς ¹⁸⁷

mvp-comment-542-1 οὐ φήμ’ ¹⁸⁸

mvp-comment-542-2 ἐγὼ δὲ φημί ¹⁸⁹

mvp-comment-542-3 πειστέον τάδε ¹⁹⁰

mvp-comment-543-1 ἡμᾶς μὲν ¹⁹¹

mvp-comment-544-1 τοῖς ἀρίστοισιν ¹⁹²

mvp-comment-544-2 κατασκάψαι ¹⁹³

mvp-comment-545-1 οὐδέποτέ γ’ ¹⁹⁴

mvp-comment-545-2 πᾶν … κακόν ¹⁹⁵

mvp-comment-545-3 γῆς τόδ’ αἰπεινὸν βάθρον ¹⁹⁶

mvp-comment-546-1 ἐργασείεις ¹⁹⁷

mvp-comment-547-1 πέτρᾳ ¹⁹⁸ αἱμάξω ¹⁹⁹

mvp-comment-547-2 πέτρας ²⁰⁰ πεσών ²⁰¹ ἄνωθεν ²⁰²

mvp-comment-548-1 ξυλλάβετον αὐτόν ²⁰³ ξυλλάβετ’ αὐτόν ²⁰⁴ γε ²⁰⁵ ξυλλάβετε ²⁰⁶

mvp-comment-548-2 μὴ )πὶ τῷδ’ ²⁰⁷

mvp-comment-549-1 ὦ χεῖρες ²⁰⁸

mvp-comment-549-2 ἐν χρείᾳ ²⁰⁹

mvp-comment-549-3 συνθηρώμεναι ²¹⁰

mvp-comment-550-1 ὦ μηδὲν ὑγιὲς … φρονῶν ²¹¹

mvp-comment-550-2 μηδὲν ὑγιές ²¹²

mvp-comment-550-3 ἐλεύθερον ²¹³

mvp-comment-551-1 οἷ’ αὖ μ’ ὑπῆλθες ²¹⁴

mvp-comment-551-2 ὑπῆλθες ²¹⁵

mvp-comment-552-1 πρόβλημα ²¹⁶

mvp-comment-553-1 ἀνάξιον μὲν σοῦ ²¹⁷ σοῦ ²¹⁸

mvp-comment-553-2 οὐδὲν ᾔδει πλὴν ²¹⁹

mvp-comment-554-1 καὶ νῦν ²²⁰

mvp-comment-554-2 οἷς ²²¹

mvp-comment-555-1 διὰ μυχῶν βλέπους’ ²²²

mvp-comment-555-2 ἀφυᾶ ²²³ ‐εα ²²⁴ ε ²²⁵ ‐εᾶ ²²⁶ ι ²²⁷ υ ²²⁸ ‐ιᾶ ²²⁹ ‐λῆ; ‐υᾶ ²³⁰ ‐υῆ ²³¹ ᾶ ²³² ῆ ²³³

mvp-comment-555-3 προὐδίδαξεν ²³⁴

mvp-comment-556-1 συνδήσας ²³⁵ ἄγειν ²³⁶

mvp-comment-556-2 προὐβάλου ²³⁷

mvp-comment-556-3 ἄπολιν ²³⁸

mvp-comment-557-1 θεοὶ ²³⁹

mvp-comment-557-2 1022 ff. Seyffert puts a comma after ζῶ ²⁴⁰ σὺν κακοῖς πολλοῖς ²⁴¹ γελώμενος ²⁴² σὺν κακοῖς πολλοῖς ²⁴³ ζῶ ²⁴⁴ σὺν κακοῖς πολλοῖς ²⁴⁵ ζῶ ²⁴⁶

mvp-comment-557-3 τῶν Ἀτρέως … στρατηγῶν ²⁴⁷

mvp-comment-558-1 κλοπῇ τε κἀνάγκῃ ζυγεὶς ²⁴⁸ ζυγεὶς ²⁴⁹

mvp-comment-559-1 ἑπτὰ ναυσὶ ²⁵⁰

mvp-comment-560-1 ἔβαλον ²⁵¹ ὡς σὺ φής ²⁵²

mvp-comment-561-1 ἄγετε ²⁵³ ἀπάγεσθε ²⁵⁴

mvp-comment-561-2 οὐδέν εἰμι ²⁵⁵ τέθνηχ’ ὑμῖν ²⁵⁶

mvp-comment-562-1 σοι ²⁵⁷

mvp-comment-562-2 δυσώδης ²⁵⁸

mvp-comment-562-3 πῶς … ἔξεσθ’, ὁμοῦ ²⁵⁹ πῶς … εὔξεσθ’, ἐμοῦ ²⁶⁰ εὔξεσθ’ ²⁶¹ εὔξεσθ’ ²⁶² ἔξεσθ’ ²⁶³ ὁμοῦ ²⁶⁴ ἐμοῦ ²⁶⁵ εὔξεσθ’ ἐμοῦ ²⁶⁶ ἔξεστ’ ἐμοῦ ²⁶⁷ ἔξεσθ’ ὁμοῦ ²⁶⁸ θ’ ²⁶⁹ θεοῖς ²⁷⁰

mvp-comment-562-4 Against ἔξεσθ’ ²⁷¹

mvp-comment-563-1 ὄλοισθ)· ὀλεῖσθε δ’ ²⁷²

mvp-comment-564-1 μέλει γ’ ²⁷³

mvp-comment-564-2 ἐπεὶ οὔποτ’ ²⁷⁴ ἀνδρὸς ἀθλίου ²⁷⁵

mvp-comment-564-3 1039 For the place of τι ²⁷⁶

mvp-comment-564-4 κέντρον … ἐμοῦ ²⁷⁷

mvp-comment-565-1 θεοί τ’ ἐπόψιοι ²⁷⁸

mvp-comment-565-2 Thus the invocation of πατρῴα γῆ ²⁷⁹ ἐπόψιοι ²⁸⁰

mvp-comment-566-1 τείσασθε ²⁸¹

mvp-comment-566-2 ἀλλὰ τῷ χρόνῳ ²⁸²

mvp-comment-567-1 κἄμ’ ²⁸³

mvp-comment-568-1 τῆς vόσου ²⁸⁴

mvp-comment-569-1 βαρύς ²⁸⁵

mvp-comment-569-2 κοὐχ ὑπείκ. ²⁸⁶

mvp-comment-570-1 παρείκοι ²⁸⁷

mvp-comment-570-2 ἑνὸς κρατῶ λόγου ²⁸⁸

mvp-comment-571-1 γὰρ ²⁸⁹

mvp-comment-571-2 τοιούτων ²⁹⁰ τοιούτων ²⁹¹ πανούργων ²⁹²

mvp-comment-571-3 κρίσις ²⁹³

mvp-comment-571-4 μου ²⁹⁴

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

901. mvp-comment-634-1 ναύτην] 'On board your ship.' ναύτης here = πλωτήρ. The word is used predicatively. For both, cp. Aesch. Pers. 719, πεζὸς ἡ ναύτης δὲ πεῖραν τήνδ' ἐμώρανεν τάλας;

902. mvp-comment-635-1 ἅπαντα δυσχέρεια] ‘There is nothing but unpleasantness.' For this use of the abstract noun, cp. O. C. 883, ἆρ᾽ οὐχ ὕβρις τάδ';

903. mvp-comment-636-1 ὅταν is postponed to give greater emphasis to τὴν αὐτοῦ φύσιν. λιπών] Cp. supr. 865, ἀφεστάναι.

904. mvp-comment-637-1 ἔξω τοῦ φυτεύσαντος] 'From (i. e. 'alien to') your father's strain.' ἔξω is suggested by λιπών and φυτεύσαντος by φύσιν. Mollweide very ingeniously conjectured τοῦ προσεικότος (which, as Nauck observes, might be corrupted to τοῦ πατρὸς εἰκότος), but his conjecture is less forcible than the text.

907. mvp-comment-638-1 'There is certainly no baseness in what you are doing. But for what your speech may imply, I feel afraid.' For ὀκνῶ, describing a state of vague, but painful apprehension, cp. O. T. 746, 749. For the ellipse, ὀκνῶ (μὴ αἰσχρὸς φανῇς), see Essay on L. § 39, 6. p. 74. Nauck unnecessarily conjectured ἐφ᾽ οἷς.

908. mvp-comment-639-1 δεύτερον] 'A second time.' He is already convicted of baseness in his own mind for having concealed his intention, and he foresees the reproach which the avowal of this same intention will draw down upon him.

910. mvp-comment-640-1 The idea of the homeward voyage is so vividly present to Philoctetes' mind, that the only evil intention he can imagine in Neoptolemus is that of leaving him behind.

912. mvp-comment-641-1 λιπών.. ἔγωγε] Sc. στελῶ τὸν πλοῦν.

912-913. mvp-comment-642-1 μὴ | πέμπω] The position of the words has the effect of throwing a strong emphasis on πέμπω.

914. mvp-comment-643-1 τί ποτε] The trisyllablic foot marks increasing agitation. Cp. infr. 923, 4.

915-916. mvp-comment-644-1 'Ex his tantum abest ut posterior versus ejiciendus sit, ut ejus adjectione eximie ostenderit Sophocles, quam penitus perspectam haberet animi humani naturam. Nam ubi quis semel ab se impetravit ut proferat quod celare jussus erat, jam, quasi expiaturus non recte factum, non aliquid, sed omnia cupit effundere.' (Hermann.) It may be observed here that the στιχομυθίαι in the Philoctetes are, like the style generally, less severely regular than in any of the other plays.

917. mvp-comment-645-1 πρὶν μάθης] 'Till you understand the case.' Neoptolemus indulges the hope, which he only abandons at the last moment ( infr. 1391), that Philoctetes may see that it is for his advantage to go to Troy.

919-920. mvp-comment-646-1 He here states briefly that which at a more favourable moment ( infr. 1326-47) he explains at full.

920. mvp-comment-647-1 τὰ .. πεδία] A periphrasis for Τροίαν. Cp. infr. 1332. The extent of the Trojan plain struck the imagination of the Greeks who lived in a broken, uneven country.

921. mvp-comment-648-1 ἀληθῆ] 'In very deed.' For the adverbial predicate, see Essay on L. § 23. p. 38.

922. mvp-comment-649-1 πολλή.. ἀνάγκη] ‘This is ruled by strong necessity.' κρατεῖ τούτων, sc. ὥστε οὕτω γενέσθαι. καί] 'And therefore.' καί with imperatives has often a slightly illative force. Cp. Plat. Gorg. 449 C, τούτου μὴν δεῖ, ὦ Γοργία· καί μοι ἐπίδειξιν αὐτοῦ τούτου ποίησαι.

923. mvp-comment-650-1 ὦ ξένε] This change in the manner of address, from ὦ τέκνον, supr. 914, marks the transition from confidence to estrangement on the part of Philoctetes.

926. mvp-comment-651-1 τό τ᾽ ἔνδικόν.. ποιεῖ] 'Duty and interest alike compel me.' Cp. supr. 50 foll., 111 foll.

927-962. mvp-comment-652-1 In this passionate outburst Philoctetes first reproaches Neoptolemus, then appeals to his feelings of honour and compassion, then meekly supplicates him. Then (934), when Neoptolemus turns away to hide the impression thus made on him, Philoctetes, thinking him obdurate, complains to the unconscious companions of his solitude. His speech insensibly returns to Neoptolemus, with whom he again pleads, first indirectly, then with one brief direct appeal (l.950). When this is answered by silence, he yields to despair, and turns his face and his complaint towards the lonesome cave. Once more (961) his mind reverts to him who has been so cruel, but had seemed so guileless, and before cursing him, he waits to know whether Neoptolemus will even yet repent.

927. mvp-comment-653-1 πῦρ] Cp. O. T. 190, 1, and note. πᾶν δεῖμα] In this and similar expressions ( supr. 622) it is doubted whether πᾶς is distributive or intensive, attributive or predicative. (1) πᾶν distributive: i. e. 'terror of every kind' (not only πῦρ). (2) πᾶν intensive, 'entire' or 'utter terror.' The latter is more probable. 'Thou that art fire and terror unrelieved.' πανουργίας . . ἔχθιστον] · 'Most hateful piece of knavish villany.' For the abstract neuter substantive applied to persons in expressing dislike, cp. λάλημα, μίσος, λῆμα, etc. So φθέγμα in expressing affection.

929-930. mvp-comment-654-1 οὐδ᾽ ἐπαισχύνει.. σχέτλιε] This is more forcible when taken interrogatively as a separate sentence. It is otherwise with the brief clause οὐδ' ἐπαισχύνει λέγων in Αj. 1307.

930-932. mvp-comment-655-1 The iteration and the broken rhythm (l.932 has three trisyllabic feet) are expressive of distracted feeling.

935. mvp-comment-656-1 ὧδ'] 'Even so.' For the emphatic resumption of the antecedent, see E. on L. § 40. p. 75. πάλιν] 'The opposite way.' 'Avertit vultum.' Brunck. Cp. Eur. Med. 411, καὶ δίκα καὶ πάντα πάλιν στρέφεται.

936. mvp-comment-657-1 προβλῆτες] The substantive is more easily omitted with πέτραι following in the next line.

936-937. mvp-comment-658-1 ξυνουσίαι θηρῶν ὀρείων] 'Wild comrades of the hills.' Cp. supr. 184, 5, στικτῶν ἢ λασίων μετὰ θηρῶν, and for the abstract word, Eur. Alc. 606, ἀνδρῶν Φεραίων εὐμενὴς παρουσία.

939. mvp-comment-659-1 ἀνακλαίομαι] 'I complain in my own behalf.' Such is the force of the middle voice. Cp. Antiphon, 119, 24, ἀποστερούμενος δὲ ὑπ᾿ αὐτῶν μηδὲ τὰς παρούσας ἀτυχίας ἀνακλαύσασθαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ἀπορῶ εἰς ἥντινα ἄλλην σωτηρίαν χρή με καταφυγεῖν, Trach. 153. εἰωθόσιν] Sc. παρεῖναι.

940. mvp-comment-660-1 Cp. supr. 260, and note.

942. mvp-comment-661-1 χεῖρα δεξιάν] Cp. supr. 813, and note. And for προστίθημι in a similar connection, cp. El. 47, ὅρκῳ προστιθείς: Fr. 428, ὅρκου δὲ προστεθέντος ἐπιμελεστέρα | ψυχὴ κατέστη.

943. mvp-comment-662-1 For the slight transposition of the order of the words = ἱερὰ τοῦ .. Ἡρακλέους, λαβὼν ἔχει, see Essay on L. § 41. p. 77. Ιn τοῦ Ζηνὸς Ἡρακλέους the second genitive has become a sort of epithet. Cp. Ant. 154, ὁ Θήβας . Βάκχιος.

944. mvp-comment-663-1 φήνασθαι] 'To show them as his own.'

945. mvp-comment-664-1 ἐκ βίας μ' ἄγει] ‘He seeks to carry me away by force.' In taking the bow, Neoptolemus tries to force Philoctetes to depart. Philoctetes feels this, though he prefers to die.

946-947. mvp-comment-665-1 Ср. О. C. 109, 10, οἰκτείρατ᾿ ἀνδρὸς Οἰδίπου τόδ᾽ ἄθλιον | εἴδωλον, οὐ γὰρ δὴ τὸ γ' ἀρχαῖον δέμας.

947-948. mvp-comment-666-1 οὐ γὰρ.. δόλῳ] These words are especially calculated to wound the pride of Neoptolemus.

949. mvp-comment-667-1 τί . . δρᾶν] He returns upon himself for a moment, but, finding no resource, makes one more effort to reach the heart of Neoptolemus. He is met with silence.

950. mvp-comment-668-1 Cp. Ant. 552, τί δῆτ᾽ ἂν ἀλλὰ νῦν σ᾽ ἔτ᾿ ὠφελοῖμ᾽ ἐγώ; For ἐν σαυτῷ γενοῦ, 'Return to thy true self,' cp. Xen. An. 1. 5. 17, ἀκούσας ταῦτα ὁ Κλέαρχος ἐν ἑαυτῷ ἐγένετο : Aj. 639,40, οὐκέτι συντρόφοις ὀργαῖς ἔμπεδος. The other idiom, ἐν σαυτοῦ, read in Par. A. ('esto apud te,' Lamb.), is a humorous expression unsuited for tragedy.

952. mvp-comment-669-1 σχῆμα πέτρας δίπυλον] 'Rock formed with twofold doorway,' i.e. πέτρα δίπυλος ἐσχηματισμένη. For a similar periphrasis, cp. Eur. Alc. 911, ὦ σχῆμα δύμων, πῶς εἰσέλθω ; ‘A common periphrasis for any object that presents itself to the eye in a familiar form.' Paley. αὖθις αὖ πάλιν] Supr. 930, 932.

953. mvp-comment-670-1 ψιλός .. τροφήν] 'Without means of defence or sustenance.' Cp. Αj. 1123, κἂν ψιλὸς ἀρκέσαιμι σοί γ' ὡπλισμένῳ : infr. 1125, 6, χερὶ πάλλων | τὰν ἐμὰν μελέου τροφάν.

954. mvp-comment-671-1 αὐανοῦμαι] There can be no doubt about this reading, though the notion of a 'second death' (see v. rr. and cp. νεκρόν, supr. 946) has infected the MSS. τῷδ᾽ ἐν αὐλίῳ] Cp. supr. 19, infr. 1087.

957. mvp-comment-672-1 For the suppressed antecedent (τοῖς οἱ ἐκείνοις), cp. Εl. 1060, τροφᾶς κηδομένους ἀφ᾽ ὧν . . βλάστωσιν.

959. mvp-comment-673-1 ῥύσιον] 'In requital.' ῥύσιον is (a) that which is rescued from plunder, (b) what is taken in reprisal, (c) an act of reprisal or requital.

960. mvp-comment-674-1 For πρός, κ.τ.λ. after a verb in the active voice, see Essay on L. § 36. p. 64.

961. mvp-comment-675-1 ὄλοιο μή πω] 'Perish-not yet!' The curse already on his lips ( ὅλοιο) is suspended by the addition of the negative and changed to ὄλοιο μή πω, κ.τ.λ. then finally resumed in θάνοις. πρὶν μάθοιμ᾽] Cp. supr. 325, and note.

962. mvp-comment-676-1 καί] Cp. infr. 1270, οὔκουν ένεστι καὶ μεταγῶναι πάλιν;

963. mvp-comment-677-1 δρῶμεν] Conjunctive mood.

964. mvp-comment-678-1 ἤδη is to be joined with πλεῖν, 'To sail at once.' Cp. supr. 466, ἤδη · στέλλεσθε;

968. mvp-comment-679-1 σαυτοῦ] Some editors prefer σαυτῷ, the reading of I, i.e. 'Do not let thy name become a reproach amongst men.' But the reading of L is sound. 'Suffer not this reproach against thee to go forth amongst men.' ἐκκλέψας ἐμέ] 'Through your deceiving me.' Cp supr. 55.

969. mvp-comment-680-1 δράσω] Aor. conjunctive.

972. mvp-comment-681-1 ἔοικας ἥκειν] For this conversational periphrasis, see Essay on L. § 41. p. 77, a , and cp. Ant. 1279 foll. For δούς used like ἐνδούς, ‘yielding' ( cp. the intransitive use of 'give' in English), see Essay on L. § 55. p. 101, 4. Cp. also the turn of expression in Aj. 483, 4, παῦσαί γε μέντοι καὶ δὸς ἀνδράσιν φίλοις | γνώμης κρατῆσαι, τάσδε φροντίδας μεθείς : Eur. Phoen. 21, ἡδονῇ δούς.

979. mvp-comment-682-1 ξυλλαβών] Cp. supr. 945, and note.

981. mvp-comment-683-1 παῖ] Cp. supr. 967. The hateful sight of Odysseus drives Philoctetes once again to throw himself on the mercy of Neoptolemus. Cp. Lear, 2. 4, 'Those wicked creatures yet do look well-favoured, When others are more wicked; not being the worst | Stands in some rank of praise. I'll go with thee.'

982. mvp-comment-684-1 For the situation, cp. О. С. 858 foll.

983. mvp-comment-685-1 στείχειν ἅμ᾿ αὐτοῖς] ‘Το march along with them.' The pronoun αὐτοῖς refers to Neoptolemus and his attendants. Here, as infr. 1003, the language is assisted by the scene. Others refer αὐτοῖς to the bow, but in this case some other verb than στείχειν would be required.

986-988. mvp-comment-686-1 Cp. supr. 800, infr. 1464.

987. mvp-comment-687-1 Cp. supr. 376, and note.

988. mvp-comment-688-1 τῶν σῶν] Sc. χωρίων. The pron. refers to Λημνία χθών, the words καὶ.. Ἡφαιστότευκτον being διὰ μέσου.

989. mvp-comment-689-1 ἵν᾽ εἰδῇς] 'I tell you!' Cp. Aesch. Cho. 439, ἐμασχαλίσθη δ᾽ ἔθ᾽ ὡς τόδ' εἰδῇς. In such expressions there is an ellipse of λέγω. τῆσδε γῆς] Lemnos.

992. mvp-comment-690-1 Ср. О. С. 277. Zeus is false to Heracles if he favours the design against his friend.

993. mvp-comment-691-1 The removal of Philoctetes fulfils the prophecy of Helenus, and thus establishes the truthfulness of the gods.

994. mvp-comment-692-1 'I say, No! for my part.' 'But I say, Yes! you must be ruled.' Gernhard conjectured, ΦΙ. οὔ φημ'. ΟΔ. ἐγὼ δέ φημι

997. mvp-comment-693-1 ἄρα is postponed because of the energy with which the first words of the sentence are spoken. See Essay on L. § 26. p. 44.

998. mvp-comment-694-1 τοῖς ἀρίστοισιν] Neoptolemus.

1000. mvp-comment-695-1 γῆς .. βάθρον] 'This Lemnian steep.' Cp. Aj. 859, ὦ γῆς ἱερὸν οἰκείας πέδον | Σαλαμίνος. For the descriptive pleonasm of γῆς, cp. Aesch. Prom. 433, * Αϊδος.. μυχὸς γᾶς.

1002. mvp-comment-696-1 πέτρᾳ] 'On the rock;' i.e. ἐν πέτρα = εἰς πέτραν (rather than instrum. dat.), to be joined with αἱμάξω. πέτρας is ablative genitive with πεσών.

1003. mvp-comment-697-1 ξυλλάβετέ γ' αὐτόν] ‘Ay, apprehend him.' ye may be explained by supposing the attendants to have advanced of their own accord on seeing the intention of Philoctetes. Recent editors have adopted G. Bernhardy's conjecture, ξυλλάβετον αὐτόν, supposing Odysseus to address his two attendants, the usual δύ' ἀμφίπολοι of Epic poetry. But if this were right the same dual form of command would have been found elsewhere, e.g. in O. С. 840, 847.

1005. mvp-comment-698-1 ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε] 'Odysseus,' said with bitter emphasis. Cp. supr. 376, εἰ τἀμὰ κεῖνος ὅπλ᾽ ἀφαιρήσοιτό με. συνθηρώμεναι is at once 'caught' and 'bound.'

1007. mvp-comment-699-1 οἷ᾽ αὖ] This seems a more probable correction of οἷα than οἷον, which, though found in some MSS., may have arisen from a gloss. *αὖ] 'Again,' as you did ten years ago, when you took advantage of me sleeping; supr. 271 foll.

1008. mvp-comment-700-1 πρόβλημα σαυτοῦ] ‘As your stalking-horse.' πρόβλημα is in apposition to παῖδα. For προβάλλεσθαι, as a word of blame, cp. Thuc. 1. 37, τὸ εὐπρεπὲς ἄσπονδον . . προβέβληνται.

1009. mvp-comment-701-1 ἀνάξιον.. ἐμοῦ] 'Who does not deserve to be thy minister, but well deserves to be my friend.'

1012. mvp-comment-702-1 For the dative after ἀλγεινῶς φέρων = ἀχθόμενος, see Essay on L. § 14. p. 21, and § 36. p. 64.

1013. mvp-comment-703-1 διὰ μυχῶν βλέπουσ᾽] This is differently explained, (1) 'Spying into hidden places' (so Musgrave, who compares Philo J. 2. p. 78, τὸν ἀεὶ βλέποντα καὶ τὰ ἐν μυχοῖς τῆς διανοίας). For this cp. Αj. 11, καί σ᾽ οὐδὲν εἴσω τῆσδε παπταίνειν πύλης | ἔτ᾽ ἔργον ἐστίν. Or (2) 'Spying out of hiding holes' ('per latebras prospiciens,' Schndw.). The latter (2) is preferable. For the point here is, not that Philoctetes was hidden in his cave, but that Odysseus himself keeps out of sight, while he watches the proceedings of Neoptolemus. This also gives a better meaning. ‘By διά is meant looking through the intervening darkness.' (Paley.) Cp. Aj. 381, κακοπινέστατόν τ᾿ ἄλημα στρατοῦ: ib. 390, and note.

1014. mvp-comment-704-1 ἀφυῆ] ‘Unapt,' sc. πρὸς τὸ τοιοῦτὸν τι ποιεῖν: or, as Seyffert puts it, ἐπὶ τὸ σοφὸν εἶναι ἐν κακοῖς. Cp. supr. 79, 80, ἔξοιδα καὶ φύσει σε μὴ πεφυκότα τοιαῦτα φωνεῖν, μηδὲ τεχνᾶσθαι κακά.

1015. mvp-comment-705-1 προὐδίδαξεν] ‘Has instructed him.' Cp. supr. 538, προϋμαθον, and note.

1016. mvp-comment-706-1 δύστηνε] Cp. Aj. 1290, δύστηνε, ποῖ βλέπων ποτ' αὐτὰ καὶ θροεῖς; συνδήσας agrees with the subject of ἄγειν. The intention here mentioned is spoken of in the more passionate phrase, supr. 979, as a finished act; cp. Aj. 1126, δίκαια γὰρ τόνδ᾽ εὐτυχεῖν κτείναντά με;

1017. mvp-comment-707-1 ἀκτῆς] Supr. 1, 272. προὐβάλου] • You contrived to cast me forth.' The (subjective) middle throws on Odysseus the prime responsibility of the act.

1018. mvp-comment-708-1 ἄπολιν] 'Outcast.' Cp. the Homeric ἀφρήτωρ, ἀθέμιστος, ἀνέστιος. ἐν ζῶσιν νεκρόν] 'Among the living, but not alive.'

1019. mvp-comment-709-1 καί] 'And indeed.' For the stress on καί, cp. Εl. 597 ( ὡς τὴν μητέρα | κακοστομοῦμεν.) καί σ᾽ ἔγωγε δεσπότιν | ἢ μητέρ᾽ οὐκ ἔλασσον εἰς ἡμᾶς νέμω. Philoctetes adds this, not correcting himself, but as feeling painfully the impotence of his curse.

1022. mvp-comment-710-1 τοῦτ᾽ αὐτό is cognate accusative, expressing the cause. The pronoun refers both to ζῶν preceding, and to ὅτι following. Cp. supr. 797, Ant. 463, 4, ὅστις γὰρ ἐν πολλοῖσιν ὡς ἐγὼ κακοῖς | ζῇ, πῶς ὅδ᾽ οὐχὶ κατθανὼν κέρδος φέρει;

1025. mvp-comment-711-1 κλοπῇ τε κἀνάγκῃ ζυγείς] 'Through being kidnapped, and bound under compulsion.' Cp. supr. 73, and note. For the metaphor in ζυγείς, cp. Αj. 24, κἀγὼ ᾿θελοντὴς τῷδ᾽ ὑπεζύγην πόνῳ.

1027. mvp-comment-712-1 ἑπτὰ ναυσί] ΙΙ. 2. 718, τῶν δὲ Φιλοκτήτης ἦρχεν, τόξων εὖ εἰδώς, ἑπτὰ νεῶν.

1028. mvp-comment-713-1 ἄτιμον ἔβαλον] ‘Flung away dishonoured.' For the use of the simple verb = ἐξέβαλον, see E. on L. § 55. p. 101, 4. κεῖνοι δὲ σέ] Sc. ἐκβαλεῖν μέ φασιν. Dindorf wrongly quotes ἔκβαλον as the reading of L.

1029. mvp-comment-714-1 'And now why take me, why force me away?' For the repetition and redundancy, cp. supr. 236. and note. ἀπάγειν is the word for taking a criminal to execution, and the middle voice conveys more of personal feeling. ( Cp. supr. 613.) The agitation of Philoctetes is again marked by two tribrachs following each other. Cp. supr. 932.

1030. mvp-comment-715-1 τέθνηχ᾽ ὑμῖν] Cp. O. C. 1366, ἢ τὰν οὐκ ἂν ἢ τὸ σὸν μέρος. And for the dative, ib. 444, φυγάς σφιν ἔξω πτωχὸς ἠλώμην ἀεί.

1032-1033. mvp-comment-716-1 πῶς θεοῖς εὔξεσθ' . . ἔτι] 'How shall ye declare to Heaven that ye will sacrifice or pour libation to the gods any more?' εὔχεσθαι is properly to say aloud in presence of a god, and so (a) 'To pray,' (b) 'To vow,' (c) 'To glory.' Here the meaning is somewhere between (c) and (b), 'To vaunt' and 'To promise.' Cp. Eur. Alc. 334, where eὔχομαι is, 'I thankfully profess.' θεοῖς is (a) dative after εὔξεσθε, (b) in a secondary construction with the infinitives αἴθειν ἱερά and σπένδειν. 'How shall ye vaunt before the gods that ye will burn sacrifice to them, or make drink-offerings?' There is no ground whatever for suspecting the reading.

1034. mvp-comment-717-1 αὕτη .. ἐμέ] Cp. supr. 8. It may be observed that Philoctetes here knows what he had not suspected at the time described by him, supr. 271. ἐκβαλεῖν] Sc. ὥστε ἐκβαλεῖν. See Essay on L. § 36. p. 62.

1039. mvp-comment-718-1 εἰ μή τι .. ἐμοῦ] 'Were ye not pricked to it by some divine power reminding you of me.' κέντρον is (a) literally, 'The prick of a goad.' (b) metaphorically, 'A sharp thought' ( θεῖον, ‘implanted by a god'); in which sense ἐμοῦ is joined to it as an objective genitive. The religious feeling of these lines is very similar to Oed. Col. 96-105. Philoctetes' hope in the gods, which at supr. 1020 had sunk very low, is revived by the reflection that some Divine Providence must have caused the wish for his return to Troy. But he appeals only in the first instance to the gods of his fatherland, and to the gods of vengeance. The θεοὶ ἐπόψιοι are either (1) the Ερινύες. Cp. Aj. 835, 6, τὰς ἀεί τε παρθένους | ἀεί θ᾽ ὁρώσας πάντα τὰν βροτοῖς πάθη Or (2), as elsewhere, Zeus and Apollo. Cp. Εl. 175, Ζεύς, ὃς ἐφορᾷ πάντα καὶ κρατύνει.

1042. mvp-comment-719-1 κἄμ᾽] καί belongs to the verb. Cp. Ant. 280, παῦσαι, πρὶν ὀργῆς κἀμὲ μεστῶσαι λέγων, and note.

1044. mvp-comment-720-1 τῆς νόσου] Sc. ἐκ. See Essay on L. § 8. p. 11. Cp. Od. 1. 18, πεφυγμένος ἦεν ἀέθλων: Ant. 488, 9, οὐκ ἀλύξετον | μόρου κακίστου. For the relief afforded by vengeance, cp. Εl. 939, τῆς νῦν παρούσης πημονῆς λύσεις βάρος: ib. 1489, 90, ὡς ἐμοὶ τύδ᾽ ἂν κακῶν | μόνον γένοιτο τῶν πάλαι λυτήριον.

1045. mvp-comment-721-1 Cp. Ant. 471, 2, δηλοῖ τὸ γέννημ' ὠμὸν ἐξ ὠμοῦ πατρὸς | τῆς παιδός· εἴκειν δ᾽ οὐκ ἐπίσταται κακοῖς. For the hypallage in φάτιν.. ὑπείκουσαν, cp. O. C. 977, πῶς *δἂν τὸ γ' ἶκον πρᾶγμ᾽ ἂν εἰκότως ψέγοις;

1048. mvp-comment-722-1 εἴ μοι παρείκοι] Sc. τὸ πρᾶγμα ὥστε πολλὰ λέγειν. 'Did but my leisure serve me.' νῦν δ᾽ ἑνὸς κρατῶ λόγου] 'But, as it is, I have only one thing to say.' This refers to infr. 1054 foll. 'All I can now say is that we need not take him, if he will not come. The bow is enough.' Odysseus means that this is not the time for justifying his act. He will do and say only what is necessary for his end. When the plea of justice is required, arguments will not fail him. κρατῶ has been suspected. The nearest parallel to it is O. T. 409, τοῦδε γὰρ κἀγὼ κρατῶ.

1049. mvp-comment-723-1 τοιούτων .. τοιοῦτος have here a general meaning, and τοιούτων may be either (1) neuter, or (2) masculine. (1) 'Where this or that line of conduct is required, I follow that course;' or (2) 'Where this or that character is needed, I am of that character.' Cp. Plato, Rep. 4.429 B, 437 E, Phaedr. 271 D; Eur. Or. 1680 ( ΜΕ. πείθεσθαι χρεών.) ΟΡ. κἀγὼ τοιοῦτος (sc. τῇ γνώμῃ εἰμὶ ὥστε πείθεσθαι). Others suppose a vague reference to the accusation of injustice in Philoctetes' speech.

1050-1051. mvp-comment-724-1 Cp. supr. 83-5.

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ὦ πῦρ σὺ καὶ πᾶν δεῖμα δημα δεῖμα καὶ πανουργίας

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τί δρῶμεν; ἐν σοὶ καὶ τὸ πλεῖν ἡμᾶς, ἄναξ, ἤδη ἐστὶ καὶ τοῖς τοῦδε προσχωρεῖν λόγοις.

ΝΕ. ἐμοὶ μὲν οἶκτος δεινὸς ἐμπέπτωκέ τις 965 τοῦδ᾽ ἀνδρὸς οὐ νῦν πρῶτον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάλαι πάλιν πάλαι.

ΦΙ. ἐλέησον, ὦ παῖ, πρὸς θεῶν, καὶ μὴ παρῇς παρῆι παρῆς σαυτοῦ βροτοῖς ὄνειδος, ἐκκλέψας ἐμέ.

ΝΕ. οἴμοι, τί δράσω; μήποτ᾽ ὤφελον λιπεῖν τὴν Σκῦρον· οὕτω τοῖς παροῦσιν ἄχθομαι. 970

ΦΙ. οὐκ εἶ κακὸς σύ· πρὸς κακῶν δ᾽ ἀνδρῶν μαθὼν ἔοικας ἥκειν αἰσχρά. νῦν δ᾽ ἄλλοισι δοὺς

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

ΝΕ. τί δρῶμεν, ἄνδρες ;

ΟΔ. ὦ κάκιστ᾽ ἀνδρῶν, τί δρᾷς; οὐκ εἶ μεθεὶς τὰ τόξα ταῦτ᾽ ἐμοὶ πάλιν ; 975

ΦΙ. οἴμοι, τίς ἁνήρ ἀνὴρ; ἆρ᾽ Οδυσσέως κλύω ;

ΟΔ. ᾿Οδυσσέως, σάφ᾽ ἴσθ᾽, ἐμοῦ γ᾽, ὃν εἰσορᾷς.

ΦΙ. οἴμοι· πέπραμαι κἀπόλωλ᾽. ὅδ᾽ ὧδ' ὅδ᾽ ἦν ἄρα ὁ ξυλλαβών με κἀπονοσφίσας ὅπλων.

ΟΔ. ἐγώ, σάφ᾽ ἴσθ᾽, οὐκ ἄλλος· ὁμολογῶ ὁ(υ)μολογῶ ὁμολογῶ τάδε. 980

ΦΙ. ἀπόδος, ἄφες μοι, παῖ, τὰ τόξα.

ΟΔ. τοῦτο μέν, οὐδ᾽ ἣν θέλῃ, δράσει δράσει ποτ'· ἀλλὰ καὶ σὲ δεῖ καί σε δὴ καὶ σὲ δεῖ στείχειν ἅμ᾽ αὐτοῖς, ἢ ἦ ἢ βίᾳ στελοῦσί σε.

ΦΙ. ἔμ᾽, ὦ κακῶν κάκιστε καὶ τολμήστατε, οἵδ᾽ ἐκ βίας ἄξουσιν ; 985

ΟΔ. ἣν μὴ ἕρπῃς μἤρπηις μἠρπης μ' ἕρπης εἴρπῃς ἑκών.

ΦΙ. ὦ Λημνία χθὼν καὶ τὸ παγκρατὲς σέλας ῾Ηφαιστότευκτον, ταῦτα δῆτ᾽ ἀνασχετά, εἴ μ᾿ οὗτος ἐκ τῶν σῶν ἀπάξεται βίᾳ ;

ΟΔ. Ζεὺς ἔσθ᾽, ἵν εἰδῇς, Ζεύς, ὁ τῆσδε γῆς τῆσ γῆς κρατῶν,

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ΦΙ. ὦ μῖσος, οἷα κἀξανευρίσκεις κάξανευρίσκεις λέγειν· θεοὺς προτείνων τοὺς θεοὺς ψευδεῖς τίθης τιθείς.

ΟΔ. οὔκ, ἀλλ᾽ ἀληθεῖς. ἡ δ᾽ ὁδὸς πορευτέα.

ΦΙ. οὔ φημ᾽ ἔγωγε.

ΟΔ. φημί. πειστέον πιστέον πειστέον τάδε.

ΦΙ. οἴμοι τάλας. ἡμᾶς μὲν ὡς δούλους δοῦλος δούλους σαφῶς 995 πατὴρ ἄρ᾽ ἐξέφυσεν οὐδ᾽ ἐλευθέρους.

ΟΔ. οὔκ, ἀλλ᾽ ὁμοίους τοῖς ἀρίστοισιν, μεθ᾽ ὧν Τροίαν σ᾽ ἑλεῖν δεῖ καὶ κατασκάψαι βίᾳ.

ΦΙ. οὐδέποτέ γ᾽· οὐδ᾽ ἣν χρῇ χρῆ χρή με πᾶν παθεῖν παθεῖν κακόν, ἕως γ' ἕως (γ΄) ἕως ἂν ᾖ μοι γῆς τόδ᾽ αἰπεινὸν ἐπεινὸν αἰπεινὸν βάθρον. 1000

ΟΔ. τί δ᾽ ἐργασείεις ;

ΦΙ. κρᾶτ᾿ ἐμὸν τόδ᾽ αὐτίκα πέτρᾳ πέτρας ἄνωθεν αἱμάξω πεσών.

ΟΔ. ξυλλάβετέ γ᾽ ξυλλάβετ᾽ ξυλλάβετέ γ' αὐτόν· μὴ ἐπὶ τῷδ᾽ ἔστω τάδε.

ΦΙ.

ὦ χεῖρες, οἷα πάσχετ᾽ ἐν χρείᾳ φίλης νευρᾶς, ὑπ᾿ ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε συνθηρώμεναι. 1005

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

ΧΟ.

βαρύς τε καὶ βαρεῖαν ὁ ξένος φάτιν 1045 τήνδ᾽ εἶπ᾽, ᾿Ὀδυσσεῦ, κοὐχ ὑπείκουσαν ει from η ὑπείκουσαν κακοῖς.

ΟΔ. πόλλ᾽ ἂν λέγειν ἔχοιμι πρὸς τὰ τοῦδ᾽ ἔπη, εἴ μοι παρείκοι· νῦν δ᾽ ἑνὸς κρατῶ λόγου.

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ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

ΦΙ. οἴμοι· τί δράσω δύσμορος; σὺ τοῖς ἐμοῖς ὅπλοισι κοσμηθεὶς ἐν ᾿Αργείοις φανεῖ;

ΟΔ. μή μ' ἀντιφώνει μηδέν, ὡς ὡ ὡς στείχοντα δή. 1065

ΦΙ. ὦ σπέρμ᾽ ᾿Αχιλλέως, οὐδὲ σοῦ φωνῆς ἔτι γενήσομαι προσφθεγκτός, ἀλλ᾽ οὕτως ἄπει;

ΟΔ. χώρει σύ· μὴ πρόσλευσσε πρόσλευσε πρόσλευσσε πρόσελθε, γενναῖός περ ὤν, ἡμῶν ὅπως μὴ τὴν τύχην διαφθερείς διαφθαρῆς.

ΦΙ. ἢ καὶ πρὸς ὑμῶν ὧδ᾽ ἔρημος, ὦ ξένοι, 1070 λειφθήσομαι δὴ ἤδη κοὐκ ἐποικτερεῖτέ με ;

ΧΟ. ὅδ᾽ ἐστὶν ἡμῶν ναυκράτωρ ὁ παῖς, ὅσ᾽ ἂν οὗτος λέγῃ σοι, ταῦτά σοι χήμεῖς γ'᾽ ἡμεῖσ χ᾿ ἡμεῖσ φαμέν.

ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

ΦΙ. στρ.α΄. (1.) ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

Νεοπτόλεμος σιγᾶν κελεύω μηδʼ ἀφεστάναι φρενῶν· 865 κινεῖ γὰρ ἁνὴρ ὄμμα κἀνάγει κάρα.

Νεοπτόλεμος ἔσται τάδʼ· ἀλλʼ ἵστω τε καὐτὸς ἀντέχου.

Φιλοκτήτης θάρσει· τό τοι σύνηθες ὀρθώσει μʼ ἔθος.

Νεοπτόλεμος παπαῖ· τί δῆτʼ ἂν δρῷμʼ ἐγὼ τοὐνθένδε γε; 895

Φιλοκτήτης τί δʼ ἔστιν, ὦ παῖ; ποῖ ποτʼ ἐξέβης λόγῳ;

Νεοπτόλεμος οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅποι χρὴ τἄπορον τρέπειν ἔπος.

Φιλοκτήτης ἀπορεῖς δὲ τοῦ σύ; μὴ λέγʼ, ὦ τέκνον, τάδε.

Νεοπτόλεμος ἀλλʼ ἐνθάδʼ ἤδη τοῦδε τοῦ πάθους κυρῶ.

Φιλοκτήτης οὐ δή σε δυσχέρεια τοῦ νοσήματος 900 ἔπεισεν ὥστε μή μʼ ἄγειν ναύτην ἔτι;

Νεοπτόλεμος ἅπαντα δυσχέρεια, τὴν αὑτοῦ φύσιν ὅταν λιπών τις δρᾷ τὰ μὴ προσεικότα.

Φιλοκτήτης ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν ἔξω τοῦ φυτεύσαντος σύ γε δρᾷς οὐδὲ φωνεῖς, ἐσθλὸν ἄνδρʼ ἐπωφελῶν. 905

Νεοπτόλεμος αἰσχρὸς φανοῦμαι· τοῦτʼ ἀνιῶμαι πάλαι.

Φιλοκτήτης οὔκουν ἐν οἷς γε δρᾷς· ἐν οἷς δʼ αὐδᾷς ὀκνῶ.

Νεοπτόλεμος ὦ Ζεῦ, τί δράσω; δεύτερον ληφθῶ κακός, κρύπτων θʼ ἃ μὴ δεῖ καὶ λέγων αἴσχιστʼ ἐπῶν;

Φιλοκτήτης ἁνὴρ ὅδʼ, εἰ μὴ ʼγὼ κακὸς γνώμων ἔφυν, 910 προδούς μʼ ἔοικε κἀκλιπὼν τὸν πλοῦν στελεῖν.

Νεοπτόλεμος λιπὼν μὲν οὐκ ἔγωγε· λυπηρῶς δὲ μὴ πέμπω σε μᾶλλον, τοῦτʼ ἀνιῶμαι πάλαι.

Φιλοκτήτης τί ποτε λέγεις, ὦ τέκνον; ὡς οὐ μανθάνω.

Νεοπτόλεμος οὐδέν σε κρύψω· δεῖ γὰρ ἐς Τροίαν σε πλεῖν 915 πρὸς τοὺς Ἀχαιοὺς καὶ τὸν Ἀτρειδῶν στόλον.

Φιλοκτήτης οἴμοι, τί εἶπας;

Νεοπτόλεμος μὴ στέναζε, πρὶν μάθῃς.

Φιλοκτήτης ποῖον μάθημα; τί με νοεῖς δρᾶσαί ποτε;

Νεοπτόλεμος σῶσαι κακοῦ μὲν πρῶτα τοῦδʼ, ἔπειτα δὲ ξὺν σοὶ τὰ Τροίας πεδία πορθῆσαι μολών. 920

Φιλοκτήτης καὶ ταῦτʼ ἀληθῆ δρᾶν νοεῖς;

τί δρῶμεν; ἐν σοὶ καὶ τὸ πλεῖν ἡμᾶς, ἄναξ,

ἤδη ἐστὶ καὶ τοῖς τοῦδε προσχωρεῖν λόγοις.

ΝΕ.

ἐμοὶ μὲν οἶκτος δεινὸς ἐμπέπτωκέ τις
965

τοῦδ᾽ ἀνδρὸς οὐ νῦν πρῶτον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάλαι πάλιν πάλαι.

ΦΙ.

ἐλέησον, ὦ παῖ, πρὸς θεῶν, καὶ μὴ παρῇς παρῆι παρῆς

σαυτοῦ βροτοῖς ὄνειδος, ἐκκλέψας ἐμέ.

ΝΕ.

οἴμοι, τί δράσω; μήποτ᾽ ὤφελον λιπεῖν

τὴν Σκῦρον· οὕτω τοῖς παροῦσιν ἄχθομαι.
970

ΦΙ.

οὐκ εἶ κακὸς σύ· πρὸς κακῶν δ᾽ ἀνδρῶν μαθὼν

ἔοικας ἥκειν αἰσχρά. νῦν δ᾽ ἄλλοισι δοὺς

ΝΕ.

τί δρῶμεν, ἄνδρες ;

ΟΔ.

ὦ κάκιστ᾽ ἀνδρῶν, τί δρᾷς;

οὐκ εἶ μεθεὶς τὰ τόξα ταῦτ᾽ ἐμοὶ πάλιν ;
975

ΦΙ.

οἴμοι, τίς ἁνήρ ἀνὴρ; ἆρ᾽ Οδυσσέως κλύω ;

ΟΔ.

᾿Οδυσσέως, σάφ᾽ ἴσθ᾽, ἐμοῦ γ᾽, ὃν εἰσορᾷς.

ΦΙ.

οἴμοι· πέπραμαι κἀπόλωλ᾽. ὅδ᾽ ὧδ' ὅδ᾽ ἦν ἄρα

ὁ ξυλλαβών με κἀπονοσφίσας ὅπλων.

ΟΔ.

ἐγώ, σάφ᾽ ἴσθ᾽, οὐκ ἄλλος· ὁμολογῶ ὁ(υ)μολογῶ ὁμολογῶ τάδε.
980

ΦΙ.

ἀπόδος, ἄφες μοι, παῖ, τὰ τόξα.

ΟΔ.

τοῦτο μέν,

οὐδ᾽ ἣν θέλῃ, δράσει δράσει ποτ'· ἀλλὰ καὶ σὲ δεῖ καί σε δὴ καὶ σὲ δεῖ

στείχειν ἅμ᾽ αὐτοῖς, ἢ ἦ ἢ βίᾳ στελοῦσί σε.

ΦΙ.

ἔμ᾽, ὦ κακῶν κάκιστε καὶ τολμήστατε,

οἵδ᾽ ἐκ βίας ἄξουσιν ;
985

ΟΔ.

ἣν μὴ ἕρπῃς μἤρπηις μἠρπης μ' ἕρπης εἴρπῃς ἑκών.

ΦΙ.

ὦ Λημνία χθὼν καὶ τὸ παγκρατὲς σέλας

῾Ηφαιστότευκτον, ταῦτα δῆτ᾽ ἀνασχετά,

εἴ μ᾿ οὗτος ἐκ τῶν σῶν ἀπάξεται βίᾳ ;

ΟΔ.

Ζεὺς ἔσθ᾽, ἵν εἰδῇς, Ζεύς, ὁ τῆσδε γῆς τῆσ γῆς κρατῶν,

ΦΙ.

ὦ μῖσος, οἷα κἀξανευρίσκεις κάξανευρίσκεις λέγειν·

θεοὺς προτείνων τοὺς θεοὺς ψευδεῖς τίθης τιθείς.

ΟΔ.

οὔκ, ἀλλ᾽ ἀληθεῖς. ἡ δ᾽ ὁδὸς πορευτέα.

ΦΙ.

οὔ φημ᾽ ἔγωγε.

ΟΔ.

φημί. πειστέον πιστέον πειστέον τάδε.

ΦΙ.

οἴμοι τάλας. ἡμᾶς μὲν ὡς δούλους δοῦλος δούλους σαφῶς
995

πατὴρ ἄρ᾽ ἐξέφυσεν οὐδ᾽ ἐλευθέρους.

ΟΔ.

οὔκ, ἀλλ᾽ ὁμοίους τοῖς ἀρίστοισιν, μεθ᾽ ὧν

Τροίαν σ᾽ ἑλεῖν δεῖ καὶ κατασκάψαι βίᾳ.

ΦΙ.

οὐδέποτέ γ᾽· οὐδ᾽ ἣν χρῇ χρῆ χρή με πᾶν παθεῖν παθεῖν κακόν,

ἕως γ' ἕως (γ΄) ἕως ἂν ᾖ μοι γῆς τόδ᾽ αἰπεινὸν ἐπεινὸν αἰπεινὸν βάθρον.
1000

ΟΔ.

τί δ᾽ ἐργασείεις ;

ΦΙ.

κρᾶτ᾿ ἐμὸν τόδ᾽ αὐτίκα

πέτρᾳ πέτρας ἄνωθεν αἱμάξω πεσών.

ΟΔ.

ξυλλάβετέ γ᾽ ξυλλάβετ᾽ ξυλλάβετέ γ' αὐτόν· μὴ ἐπὶ τῷδ᾽ ἔστω τάδε.

ὦ χεῖρες, οἷα πάσχετ᾽ ἐν χρείᾳ φίλης

νευρᾶς, ὑπ᾿ ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε συνθηρώμεναι.
1005

βαρύς τε καὶ βαρεῖαν ὁ ξένος φάτιν
1045

τήνδ᾽ εἶπ᾽, ᾿Ὀδυσσεῦ, κοὐχ ὑπείκουσαν ει from η ὑπείκουσαν κακοῖς.

ΟΔ.

πόλλ᾽ ἂν λέγειν ἔχοιμι πρὸς τὰ τοῦδ᾽ ἔπη,

εἴ μοι παρείκοι· νῦν δ᾽ ἑνὸς κρατῶ λόγου.

ΦΙ.

οἴμοι· τί δράσω δύσμορος; σὺ τοῖς ἐμοῖς

ὅπλοισι κοσμηθεὶς ἐν ᾿Αργείοις φανεῖ;

ΟΔ.

μή μ' ἀντιφώνει μηδέν, ὡς ὡ ὡς στείχοντα δή.
1065

ΦΙ.

ὦ σπέρμ᾽ ᾿Αχιλλέως, οὐδὲ σοῦ φωνῆς ἔτι

γενήσομαι προσφθεγκτός, ἀλλ᾽ οὕτως ἄπει;

ΟΔ.

χώρει σύ· μὴ πρόσλευσσε πρόσλευσε πρόσλευσσε πρόσελθε, γενναῖός περ ὤν,

ἡμῶν ὅπως μὴ τὴν τύχην διαφθερείς διαφθαρῆς.

ΦΙ.

ἢ καὶ πρὸς ὑμῶν ὧδ᾽ ἔρημος, ὦ ξένοι,
1070

λειφθήσομαι δὴ ἤδη κοὐκ ἐποικτερεῖτέ με ;

ΧΟ.

ὅδ᾽ ἐστὶν ἡμῶν ναυκράτωρ ὁ παῖς, ὅσ᾽ ἂν

οὗτος λέγῃ σοι, ταῦτά σοι χήμεῖς γ'᾽ ἡμεῖσ χ᾿ ἡμεῖσ φαμέν.

ΦΙ.

στρ.α΄. (1.)
ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

Νεοπτόλεμος

σιγᾶν κελεύω μηδʼ ἀφεστάναι φρενῶν·
865

κινεῖ γὰρ ἁνὴρ ὄμμα κἀνάγει κάρα.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἔσται τάδʼ· ἀλλʼ ἵστω τε καὐτὸς ἀντέχου.

Φιλοκτήτης

θάρσει· τό τοι σύνηθες ὀρθώσει μʼ ἔθος.

Νεοπτόλεμος

παπαῖ· τί δῆτʼ ἂν δρῷμʼ ἐγὼ τοὐνθένδε γε;
895

Φιλοκτήτης

τί δʼ ἔστιν, ὦ παῖ; ποῖ ποτʼ ἐξέβης λόγῳ;

Νεοπτόλεμος

οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅποι χρὴ τἄπορον τρέπειν ἔπος.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἀπορεῖς δὲ τοῦ σύ; μὴ λέγʼ, ὦ τέκνον, τάδε.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἀλλʼ ἐνθάδʼ ἤδη τοῦδε τοῦ πάθους κυρῶ.

Φιλοκτήτης

οὐ δή σε δυσχέρεια τοῦ νοσήματος
900

ἔπεισεν ὥστε μή μʼ ἄγειν ναύτην ἔτι;

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἅπαντα δυσχέρεια, τὴν αὑτοῦ φύσιν

ὅταν λιπών τις δρᾷ τὰ μὴ προσεικότα.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν ἔξω τοῦ φυτεύσαντος σύ γε

δρᾷς οὐδὲ φωνεῖς, ἐσθλὸν ἄνδρʼ ἐπωφελῶν.
905

Νεοπτόλεμος

αἰσχρὸς φανοῦμαι· τοῦτʼ ἀνιῶμαι πάλαι.

Φιλοκτήτης

οὔκουν ἐν οἷς γε δρᾷς· ἐν οἷς δʼ αὐδᾷς ὀκνῶ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ὦ Ζεῦ, τί δράσω; δεύτερον ληφθῶ κακός,

κρύπτων θʼ ἃ μὴ δεῖ καὶ λέγων αἴσχιστʼ ἐπῶν;

Φιλοκτήτης

ἁνὴρ ὅδʼ, εἰ μὴ ʼγὼ κακὸς γνώμων ἔφυν,
910

προδούς μʼ ἔοικε κἀκλιπὼν τὸν πλοῦν στελεῖν.

Νεοπτόλεμος

λιπὼν μὲν οὐκ ἔγωγε· λυπηρῶς δὲ μὴ

πέμπω σε μᾶλλον, τοῦτʼ ἀνιῶμαι πάλαι.

Φιλοκτήτης

τί ποτε λέγεις, ὦ τέκνον; ὡς οὐ μανθάνω.

Νεοπτόλεμος

οὐδέν σε κρύψω· δεῖ γὰρ ἐς Τροίαν σε πλεῖν
915

πρὸς τοὺς Ἀχαιοὺς καὶ τὸν Ἀτρειδῶν στόλον.

Φιλοκτήτης

οἴμοι, τί εἶπας;

Νεοπτόλεμος

μὴ στέναζε, πρὶν μάθῃς.

Φιλοκτήτης

ποῖον μάθημα; τί με νοεῖς δρᾶσαί ποτε;

Νεοπτόλεμος

σῶσαι κακοῦ μὲν πρῶτα τοῦδʼ, ἔπειτα δὲ

ξὺν σοὶ τὰ Τροίας πεδία πορθῆσαι μολών.
920

Φιλοκτήτης

καὶ ταῦτʼ ἀληθῆ δρᾶν νοεῖς;

Νεοπτόλεμος

πολλὴ κρατεῖ

τούτων ἀνάγκη, καὶ σὺ μὴ θυμοῦ κλύων.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἀπόλωλα τλήμων, προδέδομαι. τί μʼ, ὦ ξένε,

δέδρακας; ἀπόδος ὡς τάχος τὰ τόξα μοι.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἀλλʼ οὐχ οἷόν τε· τῶν γὰρ ἐν τέλει κλύειν
925

τό τʼ ἔνδικόν με καὶ τὸ συμφέρον ποεῖ.

Χορός

τί δρῶμεν; ἐν σοὶ καὶ τὸ πλεῖν ἡμᾶς, ἄναξ,

ἤδη ʼστὶ καὶ τοῖς τοῦδε προσχωρεῖν λόγοις.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἐμοὶ μὲν οἶκτος δεινὸς ἐμπέπτωκέ τις
965

τοῦδʼ ἀνδρὸς οὐ νῦν πρῶτον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάλαι.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἐλέησον, ὦ παῖ, πρὸς θεῶν, καὶ μὴ παρῇς

σαυτοῦ βροτοῖς ὄνειδος, ἐκκλέψας ἐμέ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

οἴμοι, τί δράσω; μή ποτʼ ὤφελον λιπεῖν

τὴν Σκῦρον· οὕτω τοῖς παροῦσιν ἄχθομαι.
970

Φιλοκτήτης

οὐκ εἶ κακὸς σύ, πρὸς κακῶν δʼ ἀνδρῶν μαθὼν

ἔοικας ἥκειν αἰσχρά· νῦν δʼ ἄλλοισι δοὺς

οἷς εἰκὸς ἔκπλει, τἀμά μοι μεθεὶς ὅπλα.

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί δρῶμεν, ἄνδρες;

Ὀδυσσεύς

ὦ κάκιστʼ ἀνδρῶν, τί δρᾷς;

οὐκ εἶ μεθεὶς τὰ τόξα ταῦτʼ ἐμοὶ πάλιν;
975

Φιλοκτήτης

οἴμοι, τίς ἁνήρ; ἆρʼ Ὀδυσσέως κλύω;

Ὀδυσσεύς

Ὀδυσσέως, σάφʼ ἴσθʼ, ἐμοῦ γʼ, ὃν εἰσορᾷς.

Φιλοκτήτης

οἴμοι· πέπραμαι κἀπόλωλʼ· ὅδʼ ἦν ἄρα

ὁ ξυλλαβών με κἀπονοσφίσας ὅπλων.

Ὀδυσσεύς

ἐγώ, σάφʼ ἴσθʼ, οὐκ ἄλλος· ὁμολογῶ τάδε.
980

Φιλοκτήτης

ἀπόδος, ἄφες μοι, παῖ, τὰ τόξα.

Ὀδυσσεύς

τοῦτο μέν,

οὐδʼ ἢν θέλῃ, δράσει ποτʼ· ἀλλὰ καὶ σὲ δεῖ

στείχειν ἅμʼ αὐτοῖς, ἢ βίᾳ στελοῦσί σε.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἔμʼ, ὦ κακῶν κάκιστε καὶ τολμήστατε,

οἵδʼ ἐκ βίας ἄξουσιν;
985

Ὀδυσσεύς

ἢν μὴ ἕρπῃς ἑκών.

Φιλοκτήτης

ὦ Λημνία χθὼν καὶ τὸ παγκρατὲς σέλας

Ἡφαιστότευκτον, ταῦτα δῆτʼ ἀνασχετά,

εἴ μʼ οὗτος ἐκ τῶν σῶν ἀπάξεται βίᾳ;

Ὀδυσσεύς

Ζεύς ἐσθʼ, ἵνʼ εἰδῇς, Ζεύς, ὁ τῆσδε γῆς κρατῶν,

Ζεύς, ᾧ δέδοκται ταῦθʼ· ὑπηρετῶ δʼ ἐγώ.
990