τῷ Λημνίῳ τῷδ᾽ ἀνακαλουμένῳ πυρὶ
800
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)) — 827-864 focus
Χορός
Ὕπνʼ ὀδύνας ἀδαής, Ὕπνε δʼ ἀλγέων,
εὐαὲς ἡμῖν ἔλθοις,
εὐαίων εὐαίων, ὦναξ·
ὄμμασι δʼ ἀντίσχοις
830
τάνδʼ αἴγλαν, ἃ τέταται τανῦν.
ἴθι ἴθι μοι παιών.
ὦ τέκνον, ὅρα ποῦ στάσει,
ποῖ δέ μοι τἀνθένδε βάσει,
φροντίδος. ὁρᾷς ἤδη.
835
πρὸς τί μενοῦμεν πράσσειν;
καιρός τοι πάντων γνώμαν ἴσχων
πολύ τι πολὺ παρὰ πόδα κράτος ἄρνυται.
Ὕπνʼ ὀδύνας ἀδαής, Ὕπνε δʼ ἀλγέων,
εὐαὲς ἡμῖν ἔλθοις,
εὐαίων εὐαίων, ὦναξ·
ὄμμασι δʼ ἀντίσχοις
830
τάνδʼ αἴγλαν, ἃ τέταται τανῦν.
ἴθι ἴθι μοι παιών.
ὦ τέκνον, ὅρα ποῦ στάσει,
ποῖ δέ μοι τἀνθένδε βάσει,
φροντίδος. ὁρᾷς ἤδη.
835
πρὸς τί μενοῦμεν πράσσειν;
καιρός τοι πάντων γνώμαν ἴσχων
πολύ τι πολὺ παρὰ πόδα κράτος ἄρνυται.
Νεοπτόλεμος
ἀλλʼ ὅδε μὲν κλύει οὐδέν, ἐγὼ δʼ ὁρῶ οὕνεκα θήραν
τήνδʼ ἁλίως ἔχομεν τόξων, δίχα τοῦδε πλέοντες.
840
τοῦδε γὰρ ὁ στέφανος, τοῦτον θεὸς εἶπε κομίζειν.
κομπεῖν δʼ ἔστʼ ἀτελῆ σὺν ψεύδεσιν αἰσχρὸν ὄνειδος.
ἀλλʼ ὅδε μὲν κλύει οὐδέν, ἐγὼ δʼ ὁρῶ οὕνεκα θήραν
τήνδʼ ἁλίως ἔχομεν τόξων, δίχα τοῦδε πλέοντες.
840
τοῦδε γὰρ ὁ στέφανος, τοῦτον θεὸς εἶπε κομίζειν.
κομπεῖν δʼ ἔστʼ ἀτελῆ σὺν ψεύδεσιν αἰσχρὸν ὄνειδος.
Χορός
ἀλλά, τέκνον, τάδε μὲν θεὸς ὄψεται·
ὧν δʼ ἂν ἀμείβῃ μʼ αὖθις,
βαιάν μοι, βαιάν, ὦ τέκνον,
845
πέμπε λόγων φάμαν·
ὡς πάντων ἐν νόσῳ εὐδρακὴς
ὕπνος ἄϋπνος λεύσσειν.
ἀλλʼ ὅτι δύνᾳ μάκιστον
κεῖνο δή μοι κεῖνο λάθρᾳ
850
ἐξιδοῦ ὅπᾳ πράξεις.
οἶσθα γὰρ ἃν αὐδῶμαι,
εἰ ταύταν τούτων γνώμαν ἴσχεις,
μάλα τοι ἄπορα πυκινοῖς ἐνιδεῖν πάθη.
ἀλλά, τέκνον, τάδε μὲν θεὸς ὄψεται·
ὧν δʼ ἂν ἀμείβῃ μʼ αὖθις,
βαιάν μοι, βαιάν, ὦ τέκνον,
845
πέμπε λόγων φάμαν·
ὡς πάντων ἐν νόσῳ εὐδρακὴς
ὕπνος ἄϋπνος λεύσσειν.
ἀλλʼ ὅτι δύνᾳ μάκιστον
κεῖνο δή μοι κεῖνο λάθρᾳ
850
ἐξιδοῦ ὅπᾳ πράξεις.
οἶσθα γὰρ ἃν αὐδῶμαι,
εἰ ταύταν τούτων γνώμαν ἴσχεις,
μάλα τοι ἄπορα πυκινοῖς ἐνιδεῖν πάθη.
Χορός
οὖρός τοι, τέκνον, οὖρος·
855
ἁνὴρ δʼ ἀνόμματος οὐδʼ ἔχων
ἀρωγὰν ἐκτέταται νύχιος,
ʽἁ̓λεὴς ὕπνος ἐσθλός,ʼ
οὐ χερός, οὐ ποδός, οὔ τινος ἄρχων,
860
ἀλλά τις ὡς Ἀΐδᾳ παρακείμενος.
ὅρα, βλέπʼ εἰ καίρια
φθέγγει· τὸ δʼ ἁλώσιμον
ἐμᾷ φροντίδι, παῖ,
πόνος ὁ μὴ φοβῶν κράτιστος.
οὖρός τοι, τέκνον, οὖρος·
855
ἁνὴρ δʼ ἀνόμματος οὐδʼ ἔχων
ἀρωγὰν ἐκτέταται νύχιος,
ʽἁ̓λεὴς ὕπνος ἐσθλός,ʼ
οὐ χερός, οὐ ποδός, οὔ τινος ἄρχων,
860
ἀλλά τις ὡς Ἀΐδᾳ παρακείμενος.
ὅρα, βλέπʼ εἰ καίρια
φθέγγει· τὸ δʼ ἁλώσιμον
ἐμᾷ φροντίδι, παῖ,
πόνος ὁ μὴ φοβῶν κράτιστος.
Translations (2)
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 806 focus
Schon lange leid' ich und bejammre dein Geschick.
Schon lange leid' ich und bejammre dein Geschick.
Philoktetes.
Doch sei getrost auch, theures Kind; denn diese Qual
Ist immer heftig, wenn sie kommt, und scheidet schnell.
Nur Eines bitt' ich, laß allein mich nicht zurück.
780
Getrost! Ich bleibe.
Bleibst du?
Doch sei getrost auch, theures Kind; denn diese Qual
Ist immer heftig, wenn sie kommt, und scheidet schnell.
Nur Eines bitt' ich, laß allein mich nicht zurück.
780
Getrost! Ich bleibe.
Bleibst du?
Neoptolemos.
Traue meinem Wort.
Traue meinem Wort.
Philoktetes.
Durch einen Eidschwur will ich dich nicht binden, Sohn.
Durch einen Eidschwur will ich dich nicht binden, Sohn.
Neoptolemos.
Ist, ohne dich zu kommen, mir doch nicht erlaubt.
Ist, ohne dich zu kommen, mir doch nicht erlaubt.
Philoktetes.
Gib mir die Hand zum Pfande.
(ihm die Hand reichend)
Gib mir die Hand zum Pfande.
Neoptolemos.
Nimm! Ich bleibe hier.
(seine Hand haltend, und nach der höher liegenden Felsenhöhle deutend)
Nimm! Ich bleibe hier.
Philoktetes.
Dorthin
785
ja dorthin
785
Dorthin
785
ja dorthin
785
Neoptolemos.
Wie? Wohin?
785
Wie? Wohin?
785
Philoktetes.
Nach oben dort
785
Nach oben dort
785
Neoptolemos.
Wie sprichst du sinnlos, schaust die Sonne droben an?
Wie sprichst du sinnlos, schaust die Sonne droben an?
Philoktetes.
laß mich, laß mich -
laß mich, laß mich -
Neoptolemos.
Und wohin?
Und wohin?
Philoktetes.
laß mich doch!
laß mich doch!
Neoptolemos.
Ich muß dich halten.
Ich muß dich halten.
Philoktetes.
Dein Berühren tödtet mich.
(läßt seine Hand los)
Dein Berühren tödtet mich.
Neoptolemos.
Nun, bist du deiner mehr bewußt, so lass' ich dich.
Nun, bist du deiner mehr bewußt, so lass' ich dich.
Philoktetes.
nimm mich, Erde, wie ich bin, den Sterbenden!
790
Denn nimmer aufrecht stehen läßt mich diese Qual.
(er sinkt zurück und entschlummert.)
nimm mich, Erde, wie ich bin, den Sterbenden!
790
Denn nimmer aufrecht stehen läßt mich diese Qual.
Neoptolemos.
In kurzer Zeit, so scheint es, wird der Schlaf den Mann
Befallen: auf den Nacken sinkt sein Haupt zurück;
Herab in Tropfen quillt der Schweiß am ganzen Leib,
Und unterhalb am Fuße brach die Ader auf,
795
Das schwarze Blut ausströmend. Laßt, o Freunde, denn
Ihn ruhig liegen, daß er sinkt in süßen Schlaf.
Strophe.
In kurzer Zeit, so scheint es, wird der Schlaf den Mann
Befallen: auf den Nacken sinkt sein Haupt zurück;
Herab in Tropfen quillt der Schweiß am ganzen Leib,
Und unterhalb am Fuße brach die Ader auf,
795
Das schwarze Blut ausströmend. Laßt, o Freunde, denn
Ihn ruhig liegen, daß er sinkt in süßen Schlaf.
Der Chor.
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 827-860 focus
Chorus
Divine Sleep, god who knows no pain, Sleep, stranger to anguish, come in favor to us, come happy, and giving happiness, great King!
Keep before his eyes such light as is spread before them now. Come to him, I pray you, come with power to heal! Son, consider what position you will take, and to what strategy you will next direct our course.
830
You see his condition now! Why should we hesitate to act? Opportunity, the umpire of all contests, often wins a great victory by one swift stroke.
835
839
Divine Sleep, god who knows no pain, Sleep, stranger to anguish, come in favor to us, come happy, and giving happiness, great King!
Keep before his eyes such light as is spread before them now. Come to him, I pray you, come with power to heal! Son, consider what position you will take, and to what strategy you will next direct our course.
830
You see his condition now! Why should we hesitate to act? Opportunity, the umpire of all contests, often wins a great victory by one swift stroke.
835
Neoptolemus
No, even though he hears nothing, I see that
we have made this bow our quarry to no end, if we sail without him. His must be the victor’s crown. It is he that the god commanded we bring. It would be a foul disgrace upon us to boast of deeds in which failure and fraud had equal parts.
840
No, even though he hears nothing, I see that
we have made this bow our quarry to no end, if we sail without him. His must be the victor’s crown. It is he that the god commanded we bring. It would be a foul disgrace upon us to boast of deeds in which failure and fraud had equal parts.
840
Chorus
Well, the god must look to that, son. But when you answer me again,
softly, please, softly whisper your words. For sick men’s restless sleep is quick to vision. But, please, use your utmost care to win that prize,
845
that great prize, by stealth. For if you maintain your present purpose towards this man—you know what purpose I mean—then truly there are irremediable troubles in store, which a shrewd mind can foresee.
850
Well, the god must look to that, son. But when you answer me again,
softly, please, softly whisper your words. For sick men’s restless sleep is quick to vision. But, please, use your utmost care to win that prize,
845
that great prize, by stealth. For if you maintain your present purpose towards this man—you know what purpose I mean—then truly there are irremediable troubles in store, which a shrewd mind can foresee.
850
Chorus
Now, son, a fair wind blows you on your way: sightless and helpless, the man lies stretched in darkness—sleep in the heat is sound—
855
with no command of hands or feet, but stripped of all his powers, like one who rests with Hades. Take note, see if your pronouncements are seasonable. So far as my thoughts can seize the truth, boy, the best strategy is that which stirs no alarm.
860
Now, son, a fair wind blows you on your way: sightless and helpless, the man lies stretched in darkness—sleep in the heat is sound—
855
with no command of hands or feet, but stripped of all his powers, like one who rests with Hades. Take note, see if your pronouncements are seasonable. So far as my thoughts can seize the truth, boy, the best strategy is that which stirs no alarm.
860
Commentary
Commentary (R. C. Jebb) (OCR draft) (Commentary (R. C. Jebb))
mvp-comment-433-1 τῷ Λ. τῷδ’ ἀνακ. πυρὶ 1
mvp-comment-433-2
The volcanic mountain called
Μόσυχλος appears to have been on the east coast of Lemnos, south of the rocky promontory (
Ἑρμαῖον ὄρος, v. 1459) to which the cave of Philoctetes was adjacent. No volcanic crater can now be traced in Lemnos; and it is probable that the ancient Mosychlus has been submerged. See Appendix.
Λήμνιον πῦρ was proverbial for ‘a
fierce fire’ (
Ar.
Lys. 299
). Lycophron (227) has
τεφρώσας γυῖα Λημναίῳ πυρί in this sense, and calls Ajax
ὁ Λήμνιος |
πρηστὴρ Ἐνυοῦς (462), ‘Lemnian thunderbolt of war.’ Cp. Hesych.
Λήμνιον βλέπειν· ἐπειδὴ τὸ πῦρ Λήμνιον. The legendary association of Lemnos with fierce crime (
Λήμνια κακά) may have helped to suggest such phrases.
Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) focus
800. mvp-comment-563-1 ἀνακαλουμένῳ] (1) ‘Generally invoked,' or (2) 'Celebrated by this name.' Cp. Ar. Lys. 299. The volcano on Mount Mosychlos would be a god-prepared pyre for Philoctetes, whose end would then resemble that of his master Heracles.