827-862.
mvp-comment-578-1
Odysseus (
supr. 77, 115), whose words appear in some way to have reached the Chorus (
supr. 136 foll.), spoke only of the necessity of obtaining the bow. For this the Chorus now see the opportunity, and cannot understand the inaction of Neoptolemus, who is better informed (839-42,
cp. infr. 1329-43), and is moreover chained to the spot by remorseful sympathy with Philoctetes. This passage, which does the work of a stasimon in separating two episodia, is in so far of the nature of a commos that it contains a lyrical interchange between the Chorus and one of the persons on the stage. The text is imperfect in several places, and Bergk conjectures that four lines of Neoptolemus', answering to 839-42, have dropped out between 854, 5. It seems most probable that ll. 827-32 were sung by one half-chorus, and ll. 843-48 by the other, in subdued tones; that 833-8, 849-54 were recited severally by two of the chief choreutae, and that 855-64 were recited by the coryphaeus, or, possibly, sung by the whole Chorus. The metres of this irregular strain are dactylic, anapaestic, trochaic, iambic, and choriambic. The following is an approximate scheme of them :-
στρ. and ἀντ.
Logaoedic 1 _UU_UU_UU_U_
(?)
Anapaestic { __ | __
Choriambic _UU_ __
Logaoedic 5 __UU_U_
Iambic U_U_ __
Iambic U_U_U_
Trochaic
Iambic U_ U_U_ __
Iambic 10 U_ U_U_ __
Iambic U_U_U_U_
Paracelèusmatic, { _ UU _ UU _
with logaoedic close (?)
The strophe is followed by four dactylic hexameters, the antistrophe by an epode, of which this is the scheme:-
Logaoedic {: __
Dactylic {: _UU_UU__ | _UU_UU_ _ (?)
Iambo-trochaic 5 _U_U_U_ _ (?)
Dactylic _UU_UU_UU_UU_
Iambic U_U_U_
For νύχιος, l. 858,
cp. Eur. Hel. 1479, Suppl. 280.
827-829.
mvp-comment-579-1
It is seldom that we can at all realise the euphonic effects of Greek lyric verse. But the effect of the vowelly assonance of εὐαὴς .. εὐαίων, accompanied by low breathings of the flute, may be partly imagined.
827.
mvp-comment-580-1
῞Υπν'.. Ὑπνε]
Cp. supr. 663 foll. ὃς .. ὅς, κ.τ.λ., and note.
ὀδύνας] ‘Pain.'
ἀλγέων] 'Grief.' Herm. (1841) preferred ἄλγεος for the metre.
Cp. Il.14.164, ὕπνον ἀπήμονά τε λιαρόν τε: Od. 13. 92, δὴ τότε γ᾽ ἀτρέμας εὔδε, λελασμένος, ὅσσ᾽ ἐπεπόνθει.
828-829.
mvp-comment-581-1
The metre of these lines is different from that of 844, 5, which should correspond to them in the antistrophe. But the effect of the two spondaic (anapaestic) lines (
cp. 837, 853) resembles El. 88, 9, 105, 6, 153, 173, 213-6, 233-6, and the antistrophe is possibly corrupt. See note on
infr. 844. Others read εὐǎές, in which the vocative would resemble ἁλίπλαγκτε in Aj. 695. But the a is probably long.
εὐαής] The first strain of the Chorus, ll. 827-32, is intended at once to lull Philoctetes to sleep, and darkly to express their own wishes. Thus
εὐαής is at once 'With kindly breath' (
cp. supr. 18, 19, ἐν θέρει δ᾽ ὕπνον | δι᾽ ἀμφιτρῆτος αὐλίου πέμπει πνοή), and 'As with favouring gale' (to further our design).
829.
mvp-comment-582-1
εὐαίων] 'Bringing happiness.' For the repetition, which depends on the Triclinian MSS.,
cp. Eur. Or. 174, πότνια, πότνια νύξ. Sleep is invoked, as the Lord of happiest life.
Cp. Fr. 372, ὡς τοῖς κακῶς πράσσουσιν ἡδὺ καὶ βραχὺν | χρόνον λαθέσθαι τῶν παρεστώτων κακῶν: Plat. Apol. 39 D. Others explain
εὐαίων, 'Lasting,' 'Not soon over.'
830.
mvp-comment-583-1
ὄμμασι δ᾽ ἀντίσχοις τάνδ᾽ αἴγλαν .. τανῦν] 'And hold before his eyes this brightness that is now spread over them.' There is difficulty in the interpretation of
αἴγλαν. Hermann was at one time satisfied with explaining it by a simple oxymoron, 'This light' = the light the eyes now have, i.e. darkness. Lobeck, Hermann in 1841, and, I believe, Prof. E. L. Lushington, would take
αἴγλαν literally of the light of day, and explain
ὄμμασι as a dativus commodi.
ἀντέχειν then means 'To hold away, Fend off.' 'And defend his eyes from this brightness that is now spread forth.' But the explanatory clause (
ἃ τέταται τανῦν), according to this interpretation, appears weak and motiveless. Welcker's suggestion that
αἴγλη here means a head-band (
αἴγλη, χλιδών, Fr. 524), satisfies some interpreters. A modification of Hermann's first interpretation seems to afford a possible meaning. The Chorus, gazing on Philoctetes' closed eyelids, see an expression of peaceful repose in his countenance that was previously absent. They pray that this boon of sleep may be continued. 'Light' is a familiar image of relief and safety. But in speaking of repose as light, the Chorus think again of their design, and add, 'This light which his eyes now have on them,' and not the light of waking. Or
τάνδ' αἴγλαν may mean more simply, 'This soothing light:' the relief which slumber brings to Philoctetes being associated with the cheerful sunshine. (Burges conj.
ἀμπίσχοις; Auratus conj.
ἀχλύν.)
τέταται, sc.
τοῖς ὄμμασι. For a somewhat similar expression,
cp. Aj. 706, ἔλυσεν αἰνὸν ἄχος ἀπ᾿ ὀμμάτων ῎Αρης.
832.
mvp-comment-584-1
ἴθι, ἴθι] The hiatus here is one of those irregularities which suggest the doubt spoken of in the Introduction, p. 364. It may be accounted for by the ictus, U_U_ __,
Cp. 859.
Cp. with this invocation to Sleep (in its second intention), Shak. Cymb. 2, 2, 'O Sleep, thou ape of death, lie dull upon her! And be her sense but as a monument, | Thus in a chapel lying.'
833.
mvp-comment-585-1
For the frequent form of expression,
cp. especially Eur. Alc. 864, ποῖ βῶ; πᾶ στῶ; τί λέγω; τί δὲ μή;
834.
mvp-comment-586-1
πῶς δέ μοι. . φροντίδος] Sc. ἔσται. ' And how are matters from this point to proceed with me in respect of thought?' i.e. What course is my design to take?
Cp. infr. 895.
835.
mvp-comment-587-1
ὁρᾷς ἤδη] 'You see (how things are) now;' viz. that Philoctetes is fast asleep. For the short abrupt sentences,
ср. О. С. 117-22, ib. 162-5.
836.
mvp-comment-588-1
πρὸς τί . . πράσσειν] ‘For what are we waiting, to do it?' i.e. What practical advantage is to be gained by our delay?
πράσσειν is epexegetic of
πρὸς τί.
μενοῦμεν is the MS. reading, but the short vowel gives a more probable rhythm.
837.
mvp-comment-589-1
καιρός, κ.τ.λ.] 'Opportunity, which holds the clue of everything, by following closely, wins much advantage.' The Chorus hint the unwisdom of adhering to one fixed plan, when a good opportunity occurs of suddenly executing another. A conjectural reading is
ῥώμαν. But
γνώμαν is confirmed by the echo of the phrase in the antistrophe. Cavallin, comparing
πολλά in 305 supr., explains
πολύ as = πολλάκις.
γνώμαν ἴσχων nearly = γνῶμα παρέχων.
Cp. Εl. 75, καιρὸς γάρ, ὅσπερ ἄνδρασιν | μέγιστος ἔργου παντός ἐστ᾽ ἐπιστάτης: Pind. Pyth. 9. 78, ὁ δὲ καιρὸς ὁμοίως | παντὸς ἔχει κορυφάν. Others join
πάντων κράτος = 'Opportunity, combined with judgment, carries a decided superiority in all cases.' A word is lost of the quantity of αἴσιον (C.) or ἄνδρασιν (Hermann).
