πτανῶν πτανοῖς ἀνύσειε γαστρὶ φορβάν.
πτανοῖς ἀνύσειε
πτανῶν πτανοῖς ἀνύσειε
πτανῶν ἀνύσει πτανοῖς γαστρὶ φορβὰν
Philoctetes. Sophocles. ed. Lewis Campbell. Oxford. 1879.
Table of Contents
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Current edition Experimental
Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Greek) (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879))
Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.
Editions (1)
Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 676-728 focus
Χορός
λόγῳ μὲν ἐξήκουσʼ, ὄπωπα δʼ οὐ μάλα,
τὸν πελάταν λέκτρων ποτὲ τῶν Διὸς
κατὰ δρομάδʼ ἄμπυκα δέσμιον ὡς ἔβαλεν παγκρατὴς Κρόνου παῖς·
680
ἄλλον δʼ οὔτινʼ ἔγωγʼ οἶδα κλύων οὐδʼ ἐσιδὼν μοίρᾳ
τοῦδʼ ἐχθίονι συντυχόντα
θνατῶν, ὃς οὔτʼ ἔρξας τινʼ οὔ τι νοσφίσας,
ἀλλʼ ἴσος ὢν ἴσοις ἀνήρ,
685
ὤλλυθʼ ὧδʼ ἀναξίως.
τόδε τοι θαῦμά μʼ ἔχει,
πῶς ποτε πῶς ποτʼ ἀμφιπλάκτων ῥοθίων μόνος κλύων,
πῶς ἄρα πανδάκρυτον οὕτω βιοτὰν κατέσχεν·
690
λόγῳ μὲν ἐξήκουσʼ, ὄπωπα δʼ οὐ μάλα,
τὸν πελάταν λέκτρων ποτὲ τῶν Διὸς
κατὰ δρομάδʼ ἄμπυκα δέσμιον ὡς ἔβαλεν παγκρατὴς Κρόνου παῖς·
680
ἄλλον δʼ οὔτινʼ ἔγωγʼ οἶδα κλύων οὐδʼ ἐσιδὼν μοίρᾳ
τοῦδʼ ἐχθίονι συντυχόντα
θνατῶν, ὃς οὔτʼ ἔρξας τινʼ οὔ τι νοσφίσας,
ἀλλʼ ἴσος ὢν ἴσοις ἀνήρ,
685
ὤλλυθʼ ὧδʼ ἀναξίως.
τόδε τοι θαῦμά μʼ ἔχει,
πῶς ποτε πῶς ποτʼ ἀμφιπλάκτων ῥοθίων μόνος κλύων,
πῶς ἄρα πανδάκρυτον οὕτω βιοτὰν κατέσχεν·
690
Χορός
ἵνʼ αὐτὸς ἦν πρόσουρος, οὐκ ἔχων βάσιν,
οὐδέ τινʼ ἐγχώρων κακογείτονα,
παρʼ ᾧ στόνον ἀντίτυπον βαρυβρῶτʼ ἀποκλαύσειεν αἱματηρόν·
ὃς τὰν θερμοτάταν αἱμάδα κηκιομέναν ἑλκέων
ἐνθήρου ποδὸς ἠπίοισι
φύλλοις κατευνάσειεν, εἴ τις ἐμπέσοι,
φορβάδος ἐκ γαίας ἑλών·
700
εἷρπε γὰρ ἄλλοτʼ ἀλλαχᾷ
τότʼ ἂν εἰλυόμενος
παῖς ἄτερ ὡς φίλας τιθήνας ὅθεν εὐμάρειʼ ὑπάρ-
χοι πόρου, ἁνίκʼ ἐξανείη δακέθυμος ἄτα·
705
ἵνʼ αὐτὸς ἦν πρόσουρος, οὐκ ἔχων βάσιν,
οὐδέ τινʼ ἐγχώρων κακογείτονα,
παρʼ ᾧ στόνον ἀντίτυπον βαρυβρῶτʼ ἀποκλαύσειεν αἱματηρόν·
ὃς τὰν θερμοτάταν αἱμάδα κηκιομέναν ἑλκέων
ἐνθήρου ποδὸς ἠπίοισι
φύλλοις κατευνάσειεν, εἴ τις ἐμπέσοι,
φορβάδος ἐκ γαίας ἑλών·
700
εἷρπε γὰρ ἄλλοτʼ ἀλλαχᾷ
τότʼ ἂν εἰλυόμενος
παῖς ἄτερ ὡς φίλας τιθήνας ὅθεν εὐμάρειʼ ὑπάρ-
χοι πόρου, ἁνίκʼ ἐξανείη δακέθυμος ἄτα·
705
Χορός
οὐ φορβὰν ἱερᾶς γᾶς σπόρον, οὐκ ἄλλων
αἴρων τῶν νεμόμεσθʼ ἀνέρες ἀλφησταί,
πλὴν ἐξ ὠκυβόλων εἴ ποτε τόξων
710
πτανοῖς ἰοῖς ἀνύσειε γαστρὶ φορβάν.
ὦ μελέα ψυχά,
ὃς μηδʼ οἰνοχύτου πώματος ἥσθη δεκέτει χρόνῳ,
λεύσσων δʼ ὅπου γνοίη στατὸν εἰς ὕδωρ,
ἀεὶ προσενώμα.
οὐ φορβὰν ἱερᾶς γᾶς σπόρον, οὐκ ἄλλων
αἴρων τῶν νεμόμεσθʼ ἀνέρες ἀλφησταί,
πλὴν ἐξ ὠκυβόλων εἴ ποτε τόξων
710
πτανοῖς ἰοῖς ἀνύσειε γαστρὶ φορβάν.
ὦ μελέα ψυχά,
ὃς μηδʼ οἰνοχύτου πώματος ἥσθη δεκέτει χρόνῳ,
λεύσσων δʼ ὅπου γνοίη στατὸν εἰς ὕδωρ,
ἀεὶ προσενώμα.
Χορός
νῦν δʼ ἀνδρῶν ἀγαθῶν παιδὸς ὑπαντήσας
εὐδαίμων ἀνύσει καὶ μέγας ἐκ κείνων·
720
ὅς νιν ποντοπόρῳ δούρατι, πλήθει
πολλῶν μηνῶν, πατρίαν ἄγει πρὸς αὐλὰν
Μαλιάδων νυμφᾶν
725
Σπερχειοῦ τε παρʼ ὄχθας, ἵνʼ ὁ χάλκασπις ἀνὴρ θεοῖς
πλάθει πατρὸς θείῳ πυρὶ παμφαής,
Οἴτας ὑπὲρ ὄχθων.
νῦν δʼ ἀνδρῶν ἀγαθῶν παιδὸς ὑπαντήσας
εὐδαίμων ἀνύσει καὶ μέγας ἐκ κείνων·
720
ὅς νιν ποντοπόρῳ δούρατι, πλήθει
πολλῶν μηνῶν, πατρίαν ἄγει πρὸς αὐλὰν
Μαλιάδων νυμφᾶν
725
Σπερχειοῦ τε παρʼ ὄχθας, ἵνʼ ὁ χάλκασπις ἀνὴρ θεοῖς
πλάθει πατρὸς θείῳ πυρὶ παμφαής,
Οἴτας ὑπὲρ ὄχθων.
Translations (2)
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 707 focus
Nimmer stärkt ihn die Frucht heiliger Erd' oder
Was der Sterblichen sinnreiches Geschlecht sonst nährt,
Wenn nicht etwa mit schnelltreffender Pfeilschwinge
Ihm sein Flügelgeschoß errang die Nahrung.
Wehe dir, Unglückssohn,
690
Der am lieblichen Wein nicht sich gelabt schon in das zehnte Jahr,
Nein, immer, wo er sumpsendes Wasser sah,
Sehnsüchtig hinankroch!
Zweite Gegenstrophe.
Nimmer stärkt ihn die Frucht heiliger Erd' oder
Was der Sterblichen sinnreiches Geschlecht sonst nährt,
Wenn nicht etwa mit schnelltreffender Pfeilschwinge
Ihm sein Flügelgeschoß errang die Nahrung.
Wehe dir, Unglückssohn,
690
Der am lieblichen Wein nicht sich gelabt schon in das zehnte Jahr,
Nein, immer, wo er sumpsendes Wasser sah,
Sehnsüchtig hinankroch!
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 676-725 focus
Chorus
I have heard a rumor, but never seen with my eyes, how the man who once approached the bed of Zeus was bound upon a
swift wheel by the almighty son of Cronus. But of no other mortal do I know, either by hearsay or by sight, that has encountered a doom so repugnant as this of Philoctetes. For though he had wronged no one by force or thievery,
680
but conducted himself fairly towards the fair, he was left to perish so undeservedly. I truly marvel how—how in the world—as he listened in solitude to the breakers rushing around him,
685
he kept his hold upon a life so full of grief.
690
I have heard a rumor, but never seen with my eyes, how the man who once approached the bed of Zeus was bound upon a
swift wheel by the almighty son of Cronus. But of no other mortal do I know, either by hearsay or by sight, that has encountered a doom so repugnant as this of Philoctetes. For though he had wronged no one by force or thievery,
680
but conducted himself fairly towards the fair, he was left to perish so undeservedly. I truly marvel how—how in the world—as he listened in solitude to the breakers rushing around him,
685
he kept his hold upon a life so full of grief.
690
Chorus
Here, he alone was his own neighbor, powerless to walk, with no one in the land to be his companion while he suffered—no one to whom he could cry out a lament that would be answered
for the plague that gnawed his flesh and drained his blood—no one to lull with healing herbs gathered from the nourishing earth the burning blood which oozed from the ulcers of his
695
envenomed foot, whenever the torment attacked him. Instead he would then creep this way or that, stumbling like a child without his kind nurse, to any place from where his needs
700
might be supplied, whenever the devouring anguish withdrew.
705
Here, he alone was his own neighbor, powerless to walk, with no one in the land to be his companion while he suffered—no one to whom he could cry out a lament that would be answered
for the plague that gnawed his flesh and drained his blood—no one to lull with healing herbs gathered from the nourishing earth the burning blood which oozed from the ulcers of his
695
envenomed foot, whenever the torment attacked him. Instead he would then creep this way or that, stumbling like a child without his kind nurse, to any place from where his needs
700
might be supplied, whenever the devouring anguish withdrew.
705
Chorus
For food he did not gather the fruit of holy Earth, nor anything else that we mortals feed on by our labor,
except when on occasion he obtained food to ease his hunger by means of feathered shafts from his swift-striking bow. Ah, joyless was his life, who for ten years never knew the delight of wine,
710
but ever directed his path towards any stagnant pool that he could find as he gazed around him.
715
For food he did not gather the fruit of holy Earth, nor anything else that we mortals feed on by our labor,
except when on occasion he obtained food to ease his hunger by means of feathered shafts from his swift-striking bow. Ah, joyless was his life, who for ten years never knew the delight of wine,
710
but ever directed his path towards any stagnant pool that he could find as he gazed around him.
715
Chorus
But now, after those troubles, he will attain happiness and heartiness in the end
because of his meeting with this son of a noble race, who after the fullness of many months carries him aboard our sea-crossing hull to his ancestral home,
720
the haunt of Malian nymphs, and to the banks of the Spercheius in that very land where, above Oeta’s heights, the hero of the brazen shield approached the gods, illuminated by his father’s divine fire.
725
But now, after those troubles, he will attain happiness and heartiness in the end
because of his meeting with this son of a noble race, who after the fullness of many months carries him aboard our sea-crossing hull to his ancestral home,
720
the haunt of Malian nymphs, and to the banks of the Spercheius in that very land where, above Oeta’s heights, the hero of the brazen shield approached the gods, illuminated by his father’s divine fire.
725
Commentary
Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) focus
675-714. mvp-comment-477-1 The preceding scene was calculated to deepen the feeling of compassion for Philoctetes, which had already been awakened both in Neoptolemus and in the Chorus. His generous willingness to trust them with his all, contrasted with their felt dissimulation, has intensified the sympathy which Neoptolemus afterwards avows, 905, 965, 6. Yet the Chorus do not imagine for a moment that their master will relinquish his purpose. Hence, while sincerely pouring forth their lament over Philoctetes' innocent sufferings (which they can only compare with the torment of the guilty Ixion), and really rejoicing in the prospect of his deliverance, they maintain, as in duty bound (since they are within hearing of the cave), the deceptive notion of the voyage to Trachis, and make no mention of Troy. But it must be borne in mind that from the prophecy of Helenus, of which they knew, they had every reason to suppose that the return to Troy, though Philoctetes was averse to it, would be for his good. While this stasimon is being sung (whether by half-choruses or by the whole together), Neoptolemus is with Philoctetes in the cave, and is finding still more cogent evidence of his misery. This stasimon consists of two strophes and antistrophes, of which the first are chiefly logaoedic, the second chiefly choriambic.
675-714.
mvp-comment-477-2
α'.
1 _uu_u_u_
_uu__uu_u_
_uu_uu_
_uu_u_u_u_
5 _u_u_u_
10 __u_u_u__
_u_u_
β'.
1
Cp. Aesch. Suppl. 550. 2 Ion. anacl.,
infr. p. 451, β' 15 and note 3.
_uu_u_ _
_uu_u_ _
_uu_u_uu__
_uu_uu__
5 __u_ _
_uu_u_uu_u_uu_u_
_u_uu___u_uu_u_
_uu__
696. mvp-comment-498-1 εἰλυόμενος . . τιθήνας] 'Crawling, like a child without the kindly nurse.' So the Chorus expand the suggestive word εἰλυόμην in 291; i.e. He needed the support of hands as well as feet in the rocky paths.