Philoctetes. Sophocles. Lewis Campbell (Translator). London, New York and Toronto. 1906.
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) (English) (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906))
Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.
mvp-comment-47-1 ὡς δ’ ἔστ’ ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐχί 1
mvp-comment-47-2 ὁμιλία 2
mvp-comment-47-3 πιστὴ 3 βέβαιος 4
mvp-comment-48-1 ἔνορκος 5
mvp-comment-48-2 ἐξ ἀνάγκης 6
mvp-comment-49-1 ἐγκρατὴς 7
mvp-comment-49-2 ὄλωλα 8
mvp-comment-49-3 προσδιαφθερῶ 9 προσδιαφθείρω 10
mvp-comment-50-1 αὐτὸ τοῦτο 11 κλοπεὺς 12
mvp-comment-50-2 σοφισθῆναι 13
mvp-comment-50-3 κλοπεὺς … γενήσει 14
mvp-comment-51-1 ἔξοιδα, Παῖ 15 καὶ 16 παῖ 17 καὶ 18
mvp-comment-51-2 φύσει 19 πεφυκότα 20
mvp-comment-51-3 φωνεῖν 21
mvp-comment-52-1 ἡδὺ γάρ τι κτῆμα 22 τῆς νίκης λαβεῖν 23 τι 24 τι 25 τοι 26 τι 27 τι 28 τῆς vίκης 29
mvp-comment-52-2 λαβεῖν 30 λαχεῖν 31
mvp-comment-53-1 τόλμα 32
mvp-comment-53-2 δίκαιοι … ἐκφανούμεθα 33
mvp-comment-53-3 αὖθις 34
mvp-comment-54-1 νῦν δ’ 35 αὖθις 36
mvp-comment-54-2 εἰς ἀναιδὲς ἡμέρας μέρος βραχὺ 37 μέρος 38 ἀναιδὲς 39 εἰς 40 εἰς ἀναιδὲς 41 εἰς ἀναιδὲς 42
mvp-comment-55-1 δός μοι σεαυτόν 43
mvp-comment-55-2 κἐκλησο 44
mvp-comment-56-1 μὲν 45
mvp-comment-56-2 Λαερτίου 46 α 47
mvp-comment-56-3 τούσδε 48 οὓς ἂν 49 τοὺς δὲ 50
mvp-comment-56-4
πράσσειν λόγους, as meaning, ‘to
put words
into acts,’ is not a strictly correct phrase, but the verb is used here, with some poetical freedom, as if
οὓς ἂν τῶν λόγων...τούσδε were
ἃ ἂν λεγόμενα...τάδε:
i.e.
λόγοι are virtually ‘proposed deeds.’ The prose equivalent of this
πράσσειν would be
ἔργῳ ἐπιτελεῖν (
Thuc. 1. 70
). Distinguish
Eur.
H. F. 1305
ἔπραξε γὰρ βούλησιν ἣν ἐβούλετο, where the verb=
ἐξέπραξε, ‘effected.’—
Isocr. or. 1 § 15
has the converse maxim,
ἃ ποιεῖν αἰσχρόν, ταῦτα νόμιζε μηδὲ λέγειν εἶναι καλόν (cp.
Soph.
O. T. 1409
).
mvp-comment-57-1 ἐκ τέχνης 51
mvp-comment-57-2 πράσσειν 52
mvp-comment-57-3 οὔτ’ αὐτὸς 53
mvp-comment-57-4 οὔθ’, ὡς φασίν, οὑκφύσας 54
mvp-comment-58-1 πρὸς βίαν 55 ἄγειν 56
mvp-comment-58-2 οὐ γὰρ 57 ἐξ ἑνὸς ποδὸς 58
mvp-comment-58-3 τοσούσδε 59
mvp-comment-59-1 πεμφθείς γε μέντοι 60
mvp-comment-59-2 προδότης 61
mvp-comment-59-3 ἐξαμαρτεῖν 62 νικᾶν 63
mvp-comment-60-1 ἀργόν 64
mvp-comment-61-1 εἰς ἔλεγχον ἐξιὼν 65
mvp-comment-61-2 βροτοῖς 66 πάνθ’ ἡγουμένην 67
mvp-comment-62-1 τί μ’ οὖν 68 τί οὖν μ’ 69
mvp-comment-62-2 τί … ἄλλο 70
mvp-comment-63-1 λέγω σ’ … λαβεῖν 71
mvp-comment-64-1 ἐν δόλῳ 72
mvp-comment-64-2 πείσαντ’ 73
mvp-comment-65-1 οὐ μὴ πίθηται 74
mvp-comment-65-2 πρὸς βίαν δ’ 75
mvp-comment-66-1 οὕτως 76 τι δεινὸν 77
mvp-comment-66-2 ἰσχύος θράσος 78 κράτος 79 οὐ μὴ πίθηται 80
mvp-comment-67-1 ἰοὺς 81 ἰούς γ’ 82 τι 83 τί 84 γ’ 85 γ’ 86
mvp-comment-68-1 ἐκείνῳ γ’ 87
mvp-comment-68-2 προσμεῖξαι 88
mvp-comment-68-3 θρασύ 89
mvp-comment-69-1 μὴ δόλῳ λαβόντα 90
mvp-comment-70-1 τὰ ψευδῆ 91 δῆτα τὰ 92 δηλαδὴ 93
mvp-comment-71-1 τὸ σωθῆναι 94
mvp-comment-72-1 πῶς οὖν βλέπων 95 πῶς οὖν 96 πῶς … βλέπων 97
mvp-comment-72-2 λακεῖν 98
mvp-comment-73-1 εἰς κέρδος 99
mvp-comment-74-1 αἱρεῖ 100
mvp-comment-75-1 ὡς ἐφάσκετ’ 101
mvp-comment-76-1 οὔτ’ ἂν 102
mvp-comment-77-1 θηρατἔ οὖν γίγνοιτ’ ἄν 103 γίγνοιτ’ 104 γένοιτ’ 105
mvp-comment-77-2 οὖν 106
mvp-comment-78-1 ὡς … φέρει 107
mvp-comment-78-2 φέρει 108
mvp-comment-79-1 τὸ δρᾶν 109
mvp-comment-80-1 σοφός τ|) … κἀγαθός 110
mvp-comment-80-2 αὑτὸς 111
mvp-comment-80-3 κεκλᾖ 112
mvp-comment-81-1 ἴτω 113
mvp-comment-81-2 ποήσω 114 ι 115 ι 116 ποήσω 117
mvp-comment-81-3 πᾶσαν αἰσχύνην ἀφείς 118
mvp-comment-82-1 μνημονεύεις 119 μνημονεύσεις 120 σάφ’ ἴσθ’ 121
mvp-comment-82-2 ἅ … παρῄνεσα 122
mvp-comment-82-3 συνῄνεσα 123
mvp-comment-83-1 ἐκδέχου 124
mvp-comment-84-1 κατοπτευθῶ 125
mvp-comment-84-2 καὶ τὸν σκοπὸν 126 ναῦν 127
mvp-comment-85-1 καὶ δεῦῤ 128
mvp-comment-85-2 τοῦ χρόνου … τι κατασχολάζειν 129
mvp-comment-85-3 ἐκπέμψω 130
mvp-comment-86-1 ναυκλήρου 131
mvp-comment-86-2 τρόποις 132 τρόπον 133
mvp-comment-87-1 ἀγνοία 134 προσῇ 135 ἀγνοίᾳ 136
mvp-comment-88-1 οὗ δῆτα 137 οὗ δὴ σύ 138 οὗ 139 δέχου 140
mvp-comment-88-2 ποικίλως 141
mvp-comment-88-3 αὐδωμένου 142
mvp-comment-88-4 τὰ συμφέροντα 143 τῶν ἀεὶ λόγων 144
mvp-comment-88-5 σοὶ παρεὶς τάδε 145
mvp-comment-89-1 Ἑρμῆς ὁ πέμπων δόλιος 146
mvp-comment-89-2 ὁ πέμπων 147
mvp-comment-89-3 δόλιος 148
mvp-comment-89-4 νῷν 149
mvp-comment-90-1 Νίκη τ’ Ἀθάνα Πολιάς 150
mvp-comment-90-2 The same remark applies to the name Πολιάς 151
mvp-comment-90-3 ἣ σῴζει μ’ ἀεί 152
mvp-comment-91-1 ἐν ξένᾳ ξένον 153
mvp-comment-91-2 στέγειν … λέγειν 154
mvp-comment-91-3 ὑπόπταν 155
mvp-comment-92-1 τέχνα 156
mvp-comment-92-2 ἑτέρας 157
mvp-comment-92-3 γνώμα 158 γνώμας 159
mvp-comment-92-4 παρ’ ὅτῳ 160
mvp-comment-92-5 τὸ θεῖον Διὸς σκῆπτρον 161
mvp-comment-92-6 ἀνάσσεται 162
mvp-comment-93-1 σὲ … ἐλήλυθεν 163 σοὶ δ’ 164 σὲ δ’ 165
mvp-comment-93-2 πᾶν κράτος 166
mvp-comment-93-3 ὠγύγιον 167
mvp-comment-93-4 τὸ 168
mvp-comment-93-5
144 f. The Chorus has asked, How are we to help? He replies, in effect, ‘The moment for you to help has not come yet. Meanwhile you can approach, and look at the cave. When Philoctetes returns, then you must be guided by the signs that I shall give you.’ The Chorus are supposed to be on the shore, below the cave, and at a point from which they have not a clear view of it. Invited by Neoptolemus, they now advance nearer. The word
ἀμφίθυρον (159) implies that, having approached the seaward mouth of the cave, they can see right through it; and v. 161 (
ποῦ γὰρ ὁ τλήμων...;) confirms this; their own eyes now assure them that the cave is empty. But nothing indicates that they actually enter it.
mvp-comment-93-6 ἐσχατιαῖς 169
mvp-comment-93-7 ὅντινα κεῖται 170
mvp-comment-94-1 τῶνδ’ Οὑκ μελάθρων 171 ὁδίτης 172 μόλῃ 173 τῶνδε ὁ ἐκ μελάθρων 174 ἐκ 175 ἐκ 176 μόλῃ 177 ἐκ 178 προχωρῶν 179
mvp-comment-95-1 πρὸς ἐμὴν αἰεὶ χεῖρα προχωρῶν 180 προχωρῶν 181 πρὸς ἐμὴν … χεῖρα 182
mvp-comment-96-1 τὸ παρὸν θεραπεύειν 183
mvp-comment-97-1 μέλον … μέλημα 184 ὄμμα 185 φρουρεῖν 186
mvp-comment-97-2 ἐπὶ σῷ καιρῷ 187
mvp-comment-98-1 αὐλὰς ποίας 188
mvp-comment-98-2 ἔνεδρος 189 ναίει 190
mvp-comment-98-3 χῶρον τίν’ ἔχει 191
mvp-comment-98-4 τὸ γὰρ οὐκ ἀποκ. μοί 192 μαθεῖν 193 προσπεσών 194
mvp-comment-99-1 τίς τόπος … θυραῖον 195
mvp-comment-99-2 ἔχει στίβον 196 ἔναυλον 197
mvp-comment-100-1 οἶκον … κοίτης 198
mvp-comment-100-2 ἀμφίθυρον 199 μὲν 200 ποῦ γὰρ 201
mvp-comment-101-1 φορβῆς 202
mvp-comment-101-2 τῇδε 203 τόνδε 204
mvp-comment-102-1 ταύτην 205
mvp-comment-102-2 φύσιν 206
mvp-comment-103-1 στυγερὸν στυγερῶς 207 σμυγερὸν σμυγερῶς 208
mvp-comment-104-1 ἐπινωμᾶν 209
mvp-comment-105-1 οἰκτίρω 210
mvp-comment-105-2 ὅπως 211
mvp-comment-106-1 μή του 212
mvp-comment-106-2 μηδὲ 213 σύντροφον 214 ξύντροφον 215
mvp-comment-106-3 ξυντρ. ὄμμ’ 216
mvp-comment-107-1 ἀλύει 217
mvp-comment-107-2 παντί τῳ χρείας 218 ἱσταμένῳ 219
mvp-comment-108-1 ὦ παλάμαι Θεῶν 220 θεῶν 221 θνητῶν 222 θνητῶν 223
mvp-comment-109-1 γένη 224
mvp-comment-110-1 οἷς μὴ μέτριος αἰών 225 μὴ 226 μὴ μέτριος 227 γένη 228
mvp-comment-111-1 πρωτογόνων 229 εὐγενῶν 230
mvp-comment-111-2 ἴσως 231 ἴσως 232 γεγὼς 233
mvp-comment-111-3 οὐδενὸς 234 ἥκων 235 οἴκων 236 οἴκων 237 οὐδενὸς ὕστερος 238
mvp-comment-112-1 ἐν βίῳ 239 ἄμμορος 240 πάντων 241
mvp-comment-113-1 μοῦνος ἀπ’ ἄλλων 242
mvp-comment-113-2 στικτῶν 243 ἔλαφος 244 λασίων 245 στικτῶν 246
mvp-comment-113-3 μετὰ 247
mvp-comment-113-4 ἔν τ’ ὀδύναις 248
mvp-comment-114-1 Ὀρεία δ’ 249 βαρεῖα δ’ 250 ὀρεία 251
mvp-comment-114-2 ἀθυρόστομος 252 ἀθυροστομοῦς’ 253
mvp-comment-115-1 Ἀχὼ τηλεφανὴς 254
mvp-comment-115-2 πικραῖς | οἰμωγαῖς ὑπακούει 255 πικρᾶς οἰμωγᾶς ὑπόκειται 256 ὑπακούει 257
mvp-comment-116-1 θεῖα 258
mvp-comment-116-2 κἀγώ 259
mvp-comment-116-3 καὶ τὰ παθήμ. κεῖνα 260
mvp-comment-116-4 τῆς ὠμόφρ. Χρύσης 261 ἐπέβη 262 παθήματα … Χρύσης 263
mvp-comment-116-5 ὠμόφρονος 264
mvp-comment-117-1 οὐκ ἔσθ’ ὡς οὐ 265
mvp-comment-118-1 τοῦ μὴ … τεῖναι 266
mvp-comment-118-2 τεῖναι … βέλη 267 τὰ θεῶν 268
mvp-comment-119-1 πρὶν...ἐξήκοι 269 πρὶν ἂν ἐξήκῃ 270
mvp-comment-119-2 λέγεται 271
mvp-comment-120-1 εὔστομ’ ἔχε 272
mvp-comment-120-2 τί τόδε 273
mvp-comment-120-3 προὐφάνη 274
mvp-comment-121-1 σύντροφος 275 φωτὸς 276
mvp-comment-122-1 ἤ που 277 ἦ που 278 τῇδ’ … τῇδε 279 τόπων 280
mvp-comment-122-2 βάλλει 281
mvp-comment-122-3 ἐτύμα 282
mvp-comment-123-1 στίβον … ἕρποντος 283
mvp-comment-123-2 κατ’ ἀνάγκαν 284 στίβου κατ’ ἀνάγκαν 285 στίβον 286
mvp-comment-124-1 οὐδέ με λάθει 287
mvp-comment-124-2 βαρεῖα 288 τρυσάνωρ 289
mvp-comment-124-3 διάσημα γὰρ θροεῖ 290
mvp-comment-125-1 ἀλλ’ ἔχε 291
mvp-comment-125-2 ἀλλ’ 292 ἔχε … φροντίδας vέας 293 λέγ’ ὅ τι 294
mvp-comment-126-1 οὐκ ἔξεδρος 295
mvp-comment-126-2 μολπὰν … ἔχων 296
mvp-comment-126-3 σύριγγος 297
mvp-comment-126-4 ποιμὰν 298
mvp-comment-126-5 ἀγροβότας, ἐν ἀγρῷ βόσκων 299
mvp-comment-127-1 ἀλλ’ ἤ που 300 βοᾷ 301 ὑπ’ ἀνάγκας 302 πταίων 303 βοᾷ 304
mvp-comment-127-2 τηλωπὸν ἰωάν 305
mvp-comment-128-1 ναὸς ἄξενον … ὅρμον 306
mvp-comment-128-2 προβοᾷ τι γἀρ δεινόν 307 δεινόν 308 θροεῖ 309
mvp-comment-129-1 ἰὼ ξένοι 310
mvp-comment-130-1 κἀκ ποίας πάτρας 311 ναυτίλῳ πλάτῃ 312 κατέσχετ’ 313
mvp-comment-130-2
But
κἀκ ποίας πάτρας in v. 220 and
ποίας πάτρας in 222 cannot both be wholly sound. The first
πάτρας might easily be corrected to
χθονὸς (with Wecklein). It is slightly more probable, how ever, that the second
πάτρας arose from the eye glancing back. Thus in
Ant. 831
L has
τάκει (for
τέγγει), due to
τακομέναν in 828. In v. 222 we might conjecture
ποίας
πόλεως. (For
πόλεως in the 2nd place of the senarius, cp.
O. T. 630.
) The series of questions in vv. 220— 222 would then correspond with the Homeric
τίς πόθεν ε<*>ς ἀνδρῶν; πόθι τοι πόλις ἠδὲ τοκῆες; (
Od. 1. 170.
)
mvp-comment-131-1 κατέσχετ’ 314
mvp-comment-131-2 222 On the grounds given in n. on 220, I conjecture πόλεως 315 πάτρας 316
mvp-comment-132-1 τύχοιμ’ ἂν εἰπών 317
mvp-comment-132-2 σχῆμα 318 σχῆμα ὑπάρχει 319 Ἑλλάδος στολῆς 320
mvp-comment-133-1 ὄκνῳ 321
mvp-comment-133-2 ἀπηγριωμένον 322
mvp-comment-134-1 κακούμενον 323 καλούμενον 324
mvp-comment-135-1 ἀλλ’ 325
mvp-comment-135-2 ὑμῶν ἁμαρτεῖν τοῦτό γ’ 326 ὑμῶν 327 τοῦτο 328 τοῦτό γ’ 329 τοῦδέ γ’ 330
mvp-comment-136-1 ἀλλ’ 331
mvp-comment-136-2 οὕνεκα 332
mvp-comment-137-1 φεῦ 333
mvp-comment-137-2 τὸ καὶ λαβεῖν 334
mvp-comment-137-3 τοιοῦδ’ ἀνδρὸς 335
mvp-comment-137-4 ἐν χρόνῳ μακρῷ 336
mvp-comment-138-1 προσέσχε 337 προσήγαγεν 338 προσέσχε 339
mvp-comment-139-1 τίς ἀνέμων ὁ φίλτατος 340
mvp-comment-139-2 γέγωνε 341
mvp-comment-139-3 ὅπως εἰδῶ 342
mvp-comment-140-1 γένος 343
mvp-comment-141-1 Σκύρου 344
mvp-comment-142-1 Νεοπτόλεμος 345 οἶσθα δὴ τὸ πᾶν 346
mvp-comment-143-1 ὦ φίλης χθονός 347 παῖ 348
mvp-comment-144-1 θρέμμα Λυκομήδους 349 στόλῳ 350 προσέσχες … γῆν 351
mvp-comment-145-1 ἐξ Ἰλίου τοι δὴ 352 τοι 353 δὴ 354 τοι δὴ 355 )γὼ δὴ 356
mvp-comment-146-1 οὐ γὰρ δὴ σύ γ’ 357 κατ’ ἀρχὴν τοῦ … στόλου 358
mvp-comment-147-1 ἦ γὰρ 359
mvp-comment-147-2 πόνου 360
mvp-comment-148-1 οὐ γὰρ 361
mvp-comment-148-2 οἶσθα κάτοιδ’ 362
mvp-comment-148-3 πῶς … κάτοιδ’ 363
mvp-comment-149-1 ὄνοὐ ἄῤ 364 οὐ τοὔνομ’ 365 οὐδ’ 366
mvp-comment-149-2 διωλλύμην 367
mvp-comment-150-1 ἴσθι με ὡς μηδὲν εἰδότ’ 368 ὡς 369 μηδὲν 370 ὡς 371
mvp-comment-151-1 πόλλ’ 372
mvp-comment-151-2 πικρὸς 373 στυγνὸς 374
mvp-comment-152-1 οὗ μηδὲ 375
mvp-comment-152-2 οἴκαδε 376 μηδ’ Ἑλλάδος γῆς μηδαμοῦ 377 ὧδ’ ἔχοντος 378
mvp-comment-152-3 μηδαμοῦ 379
mvp-comment-152-4 πω 380 που 381 πω 382 που 383
mvp-comment-153-1 σῖγ’ ἔχοντες 384
mvp-comment-153-2 τέθηλε 385
mvp-comment-153-3 κἀπὶ μεῖζον ἔρχεται 386
mvp-comment-154-1 ἐξ 387
mvp-comment-154-2 ὅδ’ εἴμ’ ἐγώ σοι 388 κεῖνος 389 κλύεις 390
mvp-comment-154-3 τῶν Ἡρ 391 ὅπλων 392
mvp-comment-154-4 δεσπότην 393
mvp-comment-155-1 ὃν οἱ 394
mvp-comment-155-2 χὡ Κεφαλλήνων ἄναξ 395
mvp-comment-156-1 ἀγρίᾳ 396 ἀγρίῳ 397 φοινίῳ 398 ἔρημον 399
mvp-comment-157-1 τῆς … ἐχίδνης 400 χαράγματι 401
mvp-comment-158-1 ξὺν ᾗ 402
mvp-comment-158-2 ᾤχοντ’ 403 ἔρημον 404
mvp-comment-158-3 τῆς ποντίας Χρύσης 405 κατέσχον 406
mvp-comment-159-1 ἄσμενοι 407 ἄσμενον 408
mvp-comment-159-2 ἐκ πολλοῦ σάλου 409
mvp-comment-159-3 κατηρεφεῖ 410
mvp-comment-159-4 πέτρᾳ 411 πέτρῳ 412
mvp-comment-160-1 οἷα 413 φωτὶ δυσμόρῳ 414
mvp-comment-161-1 καί τι καὶ 415
mvp-comment-161-2 βορᾶς 416
mvp-comment-161-3 οἷ’ αὐτοῖς τύχοι 417
mvp-comment-162-1 σὺ δὴ 418
mvp-comment-162-2 ἀνάστασιν 419 στῆναι 420
mvp-comment-163-1 ποἶ ἐκδακρῦσαι 421
mvp-comment-163-2 ποἶ ἀποιμῶξαι κακά 422
mvp-comment-164-1 ὁρῶντα 423
mvp-comment-165-1 οὐχ 424 ὅστις ἀρκέσειεν 425
mvp-comment-165-2
The
origin of this use of the optative is disputed. (1) According to one view, it is an extension of the
deliberative use. From the direct question,
τίς ἀρκέσῃ; comes the indirect
ἀπορῶ ὅστις ἀρκέσῃ: and, after a secondary tense,
ἠπόρουν ὅστις ἀρκέσειεν. (
H. 7. 4. 39
ἠπόρει ὅ τι χρήσαιτο τῷ πράγματι.) In
οὐδένα εἶχον ὅστις ἀρκέσειεν the interrogative sense of
ὅστις has passed into a purely relative sense, and the clause has become final. For this view, see Sidgwick A. in
Classical Review, vol. v. p. 148, 1891. (2) Others hold that this optative is simply a
potential, equivalent to the optative with
ἄν. Prof. W. G. Hale, after a full discussion, decides for this view: see
Transactions of American Phil. Assoc., vol. XXIV. pp. 156—205, 1894.
mvp-comment-165-3 νόσου κάμνοντι συλλάβοιτο 426
mvp-comment-165-4 πάντα δὲ σκοπῶν 427
mvp-comment-166-1 πλὴν ἀνιᾶσθαι 428 παρόν 429
mvp-comment-166-2 εὐμάρειαν 430 τούτου δὲ 431
mvp-comment-167-1 ὁ μὲν χρόνος δὴ διὰ χρόνου 432 διὰ χρόνου 433 ὁ χρόνος προὔβαινέ μοι 434 διὰ χρόνου 435 προὔβαινε 436
mvp-comment-168-1 κἄδει τι 437 τι 438 ἔδει 439 βαιᾷ 440
mvp-comment-168-2 διακονεῖσθαι 441
mvp-comment-169-1 ὑποπτέρους 442
mvp-comment-170-1 ὅ μοι βάλοι 443
mvp-comment-170-2 νευροσπαδὴς 444
mvp-comment-170-3 ἄτρακτος 445
mvp-comment-170-4 αὐτὸς 446
mvp-comment-171-1 εἰλυόμην 447
mvp-comment-171-2 ἂν 448
mvp-comment-171-3 δύστηνον 449
mvp-comment-171-4 ἐξέλκων 450
mvp-comment-171-5 πρὸς τοῦτ ἄν 451
mvp-comment-172-1 πάγου χυθέντος 452
mvp-comment-172-2 οἷα 453
mvp-comment-172-3 ξύλον τι 454 ἄν 455
mvp-comment-173-1 ἐν πέτροισι πέτρον 456
mvp-comment-173-2 ἐκτρίβων 457 ἐκτρίβων 458
mvp-comment-173-3 ἔφην’ ἄφαντον φῶς 459
mvp-comment-173-4 ἄφαντον 460
mvp-comment-174-1 οἰκουμένη γὰρ οὖν 461
mvp-comment-174-2 ἐμέ 462
mvp-comment-175-1 φέρε … μάθῃς 463
mvp-comment-175-2 Several recent editors (see cr. n.) cut the knot by reading μάθε 464 μάθε 465 μάθῃς 466 κἂν … μάθοις 467 κἂν 468 καὶ 469 μάθοις 470 μάθῃς 471
mvp-comment-175-3 τὸ τῆς νήσου 472 τὰ 473
mvp-comment-176-1 οὐ γάρ τις ὅρμος ἐστίν 474
mvp-comment-176-2 οὐδ’ ὅποι πλέων 475 ἐξεμπολήσει κέρδος 476
mvp-comment-176-3 ξενώσεται 477
mvp-comment-177-1 ἐνθάδ’ 478
mvp-comment-177-2 πλοῖ 479 σώφροσι 480
mvp-comment-177-3 βροτῶν 481
mvp-comment-178-1 τάχ’ οὖν τις … ἔσχε 482
mvp-comment-178-2 ἔσχε 483
mvp-comment-178-3 πολλὰ γὰρ 484
mvp-comment-179-1 οὗτοι 485
mvp-comment-179-2 λόγοις ἐλεοῦσι … οἰκτίραντες 486
mvp-comment-179-3 καί πού τι 487
mvp-comment-179-4 στολήν 488
mvp-comment-179-5 ἐκεῖνο … θέλει 489
mvp-comment-180-1 σῶσαί μ’ ἐς οἴκους 490
mvp-comment-180-2 ἐν λιμῷ τε καὶ κακοῖσι 491 καί 492
mvp-comment-180-3 βόσκων 493 ἀδηφάγον 494
mvp-comment-181-1 βία 495
mvp-comment-181-2 οἷ’ 496 οἷς 497
mvp-comment-181-3 ἐμοῦ 498
mvp-comment-182-1 ἴσα 499
mvp-comment-182-2 ἐποικτίρειν 500 ἐποικτιρεῖν 501
mvp-comment-183-1 ἐν λόγοις 502 ὢν 503
mvp-comment-183-2 συντυχὼν 504
mvp-comment-184-1 ἦ γάρ 505
mvp-comment-184-2 τοῖς πανωλέθροις 506
mvp-comment-184-3 παθών 507
mvp-comment-184-4
324 f. The corruption in the MSS.,
θυμῷ...χεῖρα, is of the same nature as that in
O. T. 376
(
με...σοῦ for
σε ἐμοῦ). Cp.
Plat.
Rep. 465A
εἴ πού τίς τῳ θυμοῖτο, ἐν τῷ τοιούτῳ πληρῶν τὸν θυμὸν (sating his wrath)
ἧττον ἐπὶ μείζους ἂν ἴοι στάσεις.
mvp-comment-184-5 Μυκῆναι 508 Σπάρτη 509 γνοῖεν 510
mvp-comment-185-1 εὖ γ’ 511
mvp-comment-185-2 τίνος γὰρ 512 τίνος 513
mvp-comment-185-3 ὧδε 514 τίνος 515
mvp-comment-186-1 ἐξερῶ, μόλις δ’ ἐρῶ 516
mvp-comment-186-2 μολών 517
mvp-comment-187-1 ἔσχε 518
mvp-comment-188-1 φράσῃς … μὴ πέρα 519
mvp-comment-189-1 τοξευτὸς … δαμείς 520
mvp-comment-189-2 ὡς λέγουσιν 521 ἐκ 522 ὑπό 523
mvp-comment-190-1 ἀλλ’ εὐγενὴς μὲν 524 δέ 525 κτανών … θανών 526
mvp-comment-191-1 ἐλέγχω … στένω 527
mvp-comment-192-1 οἶμαι μὲν 528
mvp-comment-192-2 καὶ τὰ ς’ 529
mvp-comment-193-1 τοιγαροῦν 530 αὖθις πάλιν 531
mvp-comment-193-2 ὅτῳ 532
mvp-comment-194-1 ποικιλοστόλῳ 533 ποικιλοστόμῳ 534
mvp-comment-195-1 δῖός τ’ Ὀδυσσεὺς 535
mvp-comment-195-2 χὡ τροφεὺς 536
mvp-comment-196-1 εἴτ’ ἄρ’ οὖν 537
mvp-comment-196-2 ἀληθὲς 538 λέγοντες 539
mvp-comment-196-3 γίγνοιτ’ 540
mvp-comment-197-1 ἄλλον ἢ )μ’ 541 ἢ )μ’ 542
mvp-comment-198-1 οὐ πολὺν 543
mvp-comment-198-2
Instead of
μή με ναυστολεῖν, we might well prefer, with Blaydes,
μὴ οὐχὶ ναυστολεῖν, were it not that palaeographically it is so improbable. And for
μή where
μὴ οὐ might be expected, cp.
O. T. 1387
οὐκ ἂν ἐσχόμην |
τὸ μὴ )ποκλῇσαι, n. The repetition of
με
544
mvp-comment-199-1 οὐ γὰρ εἰδόμην 545 εἰδόμην 546
mvp-comment-200-1 ἔπειτα μέντοι 547
mvp-comment-200-2 χὡ λόγος καλὸς προσῆν 548 ὁ λόγος 549 προσῆν 550
mvp-comment-200-3 εἰ … αἱρήσοιμ’ 551
mvp-comment-200-4 τἀπὶ Τροίᾳ πέργαμ’ 552 ἐπί 553
mvp-comment-200-5 ἰών 554
mvp-comment-201-1 πλέοντί μοι 555
mvp-comment-201-2 κἀγὼ 556
mvp-comment-201-3 πικρὸν Σίγειον 557
mvp-comment-201-4 οὐρίῳ πλάτῃ 558
mvp-comment-201-5 κατηγόμην 559
mvp-comment-202-1 ὀμνύντες 560 στρατός 561
mvp-comment-202-2 ζῶντ’ Ἀχ. πάλιν 562
mvp-comment-203-1 ἔκειτ’ 563
mvp-comment-203-2 )δάκρυσα 564
mvp-comment-203-3 οὐ μακρῷ χρόνῳ 565
mvp-comment-204-1 ὡς εἰκὸς ἦν 566 φίλους 567
mvp-comment-204-2 τά τ’ ἄλλ’ ὅσ’ ἦν 568
mvp-comment-205-1 τλημονέστατον λόγον 569
mvp-comment-206-1 πάρεστί σοι 570
mvp-comment-206-2 Λαέρτου 571
mvp-comment-207-1 δακρύσας 572
mvp-comment-207-2 ἐξανίσταμαι 573
mvp-comment-207-3 ὀργῇ 574 βαρείᾳ 575
mvp-comment-207-4 κᾳταλγήσας 576
mvp-comment-208-1 ὦ σχέτλἰ 577 ἦ )τολμήσατ’ 578
mvp-comment-208-2 πρὶν μαθεῖν ἐμοῦ 579
mvp-comment-209-1 ὁ δ’ εἶπ’ Ὀδυσσεύς 580
mvp-comment-209-2 ὢν κυρεῖ 581 ἦν κυρῶν 582
mvp-comment-209-3 τάδε 583 δεδράκας’ 584
mvp-comment-210-1 παρών 585
mvp-comment-211-1 ἤρασσον 586
mvp-comment-211-2 κακοῖς τοῖς πᾶσιν 587
mvp-comment-211-3 οὐδὲν ἐνδεὲς ποιούμενος 588
mvp-comment-211-4 εἰ … ἀφαιρήσοιτο 589
mvp-comment-212-1 ἐνθάδ’ ἥκων 590
mvp-comment-212-2 οὐ δύσοργος 591
mvp-comment-212-3 πρὸς ἁξήκουσεν 592 δηχθείς 593 ἠμείψατο 594
mvp-comment-212-4 ἃ ἐξήκουσεν 595
mvp-comment-213-1 ἐπειδὴ καὶ λέγεις 596
mvp-comment-213-2 οὐ μήποτ’ 597 τὴν Σκῦρον 598
mvp-comment-213-3 ἐκπλεύσῃς 599
mvp-comment-213-4 382 ff. The words ἀκούσας κἀξονειδισθείς 600 κακά 601 κἀξονειδίσας 602
mvp-comment-213-5 πρὸς οἴκους 603
mvp-comment-213-6 τητώμενος 604
mvp-comment-213-7 κἀκ κακῶν 605
mvp-comment-214-1 τοὺς ἐν τέλει 606
mvp-comment-214-2 πᾶσα 607 σύμπας 608
mvp-comment-214-3 ἔστι … τῶν ἡγουμένων 609
mvp-comment-214-4 στρατός 610
mvp-comment-214-5 οἱ δ’ ἀκοσμοῦντες βροτῶν 611
mvp-comment-214-6 διδασκάλων λόγοισι 612
mvp-comment-215-1 λόγος λέλεκται πᾶς 613
mvp-comment-215-2 Ἀτρείδας 614
mvp-comment-215-3 φίλος 615
mvp-comment-216-1
Mindful of their young chief's precept—
πειρῶ τὸ παρὸν θεραπεύειν (149)—the Chorus seize this moment in order to deepen the impression left on the mind of Philoctetes. It was in the land of the Trojans—often called ‘Phrygians’ —that Neoptolemus was wronged by the Atreidae. ‘Then and there’—say the Chorus—‘we invoked the most awful deity of the land, the great Earth Mother, the Phrygian Cybele—to punish our prince's wrong.’ The interposition of the Chorus is admirably effective for the purpose of making their master's indignation appear genuine.
mvp-comment-216-2
This strophe, to which vv. 507—518 form the antistrophe, is a
ὑπόρχημα, or ‘dance-song’ (
O. T. 1086
n.). The dochmiacs of which it is mainly composed (see Metrical Analysis) are accompanied by animated movement, expressive of the lively resentment which these memories suggest.
mvp-comment-216-3
From a mythological point of view the verses are of singular interest. The attributes given to the goddess belong to three groups. (1)
παμβῶτι Γᾶ recognises her in the primary character of an Elemental power. (2)
μᾶτερ...Διός identifies her with Rhea. (3)
ὀρεστέρα, λεόντων ἔφεδρε, and the mention of the Pactolus, present her as the specially Phrygian Cybele. But these three characters are completely fused in the unity of the
μάτηρ πότνια.
mvp-comment-217-1 ὀρεστέρα 616 παμβῶτι 617
mvp-comment-217-2 μᾶτερ αὐτοῦ Διός 618
mvp-comment-218-1 Πακτωλὸν 619
mvp-comment-218-2 εὔχρυσον 620
mvp-comment-219-1 κἀκεῖ 621
mvp-comment-219-2 ἐπηυδώμαν 622
mvp-comment-219-3 Ἀτρειδᾶν ὕβρις πᾶς’ 623
mvp-comment-220-1 τὰ πάτρια 624
71. mvp-comment-51-1 πιστή] «With mutual confidence.' βέβαιος] Without danger.'
72-74. mvp-comment-52-1 Odysseus anticipates the reproaches which Philoctetes would cast on him; which would be inapplicable to Neoptolemus, as he had not made one of the original expedition.
72. mvp-comment-53-1 πέπλευκας] πλεῖν is used here and elsewhere without further definition to denote the voyage to Troy. ἔνορκος] All those chiefs who took part in the war at its commencement had been bound to each other by an oath: Aj. 1113. Odysseus, in casting Philoctetes forth, was therefore guilty of perjury against him.
73. mvp-comment-54-1 For ἐξ ἀνάγκης, cp. infr. 1025, 6, καίτοι σὺ μὲν κλοπῇ τε κἀνάγκῃ ζυγεὶς ἔπλεις ἅμ᾽ αὐτοῖς: Aesch. Ag. 841.
74. mvp-comment-55-1 οὐδέν οὐδέν
77. mvp-comment-56-1 αὐτὸ τοῦτο] This very point is to be gained by craft,' viz. that suggested in the words τόξων ἐγκρατής.
78. mvp-comment-57-1 κλοπεύς] This word has no such mean associations as κλέπτης; and ἀνικήτων, which follows, is calculated to stir Neoptolemus' ambition.
79. mvp-comment-58-1 ἔξοιδα καί] 'I am well aware.' καί, which Linwood rightly defends, has a reassuring emphasis. • In urging this on you, I know all the while.' Cp. Thuc. 8. 91, ἦν δέ τι καὶ τοιοῦτον ἀπὸ τῶν τὴν κατηγορίαν ἐχόντων, καὶ οὐ πάνυ διαβολὴ μόνον τοῦ λόγου, and 5. 43, ᾧ ἐδόκει μὲν καὶ ἄμεινον εἶναι. The same idiomatic use occurs in Electra 1251, ἔξοιδα καὶ ταῦτ', where see note. The conjectures, παῖ, μέν, δή, τοι are unnecessary; but if a change were required, ἔξοιδά τοι would be the most probable emendation. For the meaning of 79, 80, cp. infr. 88, 9, Il. 9. 312, where Achilles says, ἐχθρὸς γάρ μοι κεῖνος ὁμῶς ᾿Αΐδαο πύλησιν, κ.τ.λ.
81. mvp-comment-59-1 ἀλλ᾽ ἡδὺ λαβεῖν] The construction is analogous to that so frequent with χρήμα, e.g. Eur. Andr. 181, ἐπίφθονόν τι χρῆμα θηλειῶν ἔφυ. - (Sc. τὸ τῆς νίκης, or the genitive of definition takes the place of the nominative ἡ νίκη.) λαβεῖν is added to define ἡδύ. γάρ τοι (see v. rr.) is plausible, but cp. Eur. l. c.
82. mvp-comment-60-1 ἐκφανούμεθα] i. e. Our justice shall shine forth, as from a passing cloud. αὖθις, 'another day.'
83. mvp-comment-61-1 εἰς ἀναιδές] 'To shamelessness.' For the abstract neuter without the article, cp. Plat. Gorg. 504 C, ταῖς μὲν τοῦ σώματος τάξεσιν ὄνομα εἶναι ὑγιεινόν.. ταῖς δὲ τῆς ψυχῆς τάξεσι.. νόμιμόν τε καὶ νόμος: Thuc. 5. 18. § 4, δικαίῳ χρήσθων καὶ ὅρκοις.
86. mvp-comment-62-1 κλύων] (1) i. e. ὀνειδιζόμενος. So Musgrave. This agrees well with κέκλησο, supr., -' I hate to be called false, and I hate to act falsely.' (2) Others take the words to mean, 'As I hate to hear lies told, so I hate to tell them;' or (3) As it irks me to be practised on with lies, so I hate to practise them."
87. mvp-comment-63-1 τούσδε .. στυγῶ] 'I abhor the same in action.' τούσδε sc. τοὺς λόγους. For λόγος, implying πρᾶξις, cp.eg. Trach. 78, τὸν λόγον γὰρ ἁγνός: ib. 250, 1, τοῦ λόγου.. Ζεὺς ὅτου πράκτωρ φανῇ. And for the expressed antecedent, cp. Ant. 463, 4, ὅστις γὰρ ἐν πολλοῖσιν, ὡς ἐγὼ, κακοῖς ζῇ, πῶς ὅδ' οὐχὶ κατθανὼν κέρδος φέρει;
88. mvp-comment-64-1 ἔφυν.. πράσσειν] 'It is not in my nature to do anything through base artifice.'
89. mvp-comment-65-1 οὔτ᾽ αὐτός, κ.τ.λ.] For this frequent form of expression, cp. especially Plat. Prot. 324 B. ἵνα μὴ αὖθις ἀδικήσῃ μήτε αὐτὸς μήτε ἄλλος ὁ τοῦτον ἰδών.
91. mvp-comment-66-1 δόλοισιν] Οdysseus, supr. 55, had said λόγοισιν. Neoptolemus is more plain-spoken. ἐξ ἑνὸς ποδός] 'With only one foot to rely on.' Neoptolemus argues a fortiori. Philoctetes is not only one against many, but a lame man against strong men.
92. mvp-comment-67-1 τοσούσδε] i. e. not only the three who have advanced, but the whole crew. Infr. 549, 50.
93-94. mvp-comment-68-1 'It is true indeed that having been sent to be your adjutant I shrink from the imputation of disloyalty, but I would rather, my lord, offend in acting nobly than basely win.'
94. mvp-comment-69-1 προδότης καλεῖσθαι] 'To be accused of treason towards the Argives who have sent me to assist you). Cp. infr. 1250, ΟΔ. στρατὸν δ' Ἀχαιῶν οὐ φοβεῖ, πρασσων τάδε; ΝΕ. σὺν τῷ δικαίῳ τὸν σὸν οὐ ταρβῶ φόβον. καλεῖσθαι] Cp. supr. 85, κέκλησο: infr. 119, κεκλῇς: Trach. 453, 4. ὡς ἐλευθέρῳ ψευδεῖ καλεῖσθαι κὴρ πρόσεστιν οὐ καλή. The Greek sensitiveness to praise and blame is perceptible in this idiom.
95. mvp-comment-70-1 ἐξαμαρτεῖν] (1) To fail: opposed to νικᾶν; or (2) To be in the wrong' = προδότης καλεῖσθαι. Cp. Ant. 1024, κοινόν ἐστι τοὐξαμαρτάνειν. νικᾶν κακῶς] To win a base victory;' i.e. v. κακῶς δρῶν.
96. mvp-comment-71-1 ἐσθλοῦ πατρὸς παῖ] Cp supr. 3. 89.
98. mvp-comment-72-1 εἰς ἔλεγχον ἐξιὼν] i e. in proving the world, and bringing words and actions to the test of experience.
98-99. mvp-comment-73-1 ὁρῶ ... ἡγουμένην] I find that wherever mortals are concerned words and not actions have always the chief influence.' βροτοῖς is dative of reference not βροτοὺς ἡγουμένην = Leading mankind').
100. mvp-comment-74-1 τί οὖν . . λέγειν] Neoptolemus says curtly, I see you want me to tell a lie: have you any further commands?' He is indignant; but his curiosity is awakened. Cp. Ant. 497, θέλεις τι μεῖζον ἢ κατακτεῖναί μ᾽ ἑλών.
101. mvp-comment-75-1 λέγω σ] 'I repeat that you must.' λέγω resumes the force of ἄνωγας. Odysseus repeats his first command.
104. mvp-comment-76-1 Join οὕτως with δεινόν. ἰσχύος θράσος] · Boldness consisting in strength; i.e. an emboldening strength. Cp. Thuc. 5. 14, οὐκ ἔχοντες τὴν ἐλπίδα τῆς ῥώμης πιστὴν ἔτι.
106. mvp-comment-77-1 θρασύ] i. e. θαρσάλεον, ἄνευ φόβου. Cp. Pind. Nem. 7. 50, θρασύ μοι τόδ' εἰπεῖν,
110. mvp-comment-78-1 πῶς.. βλέπων] 'With what countenance?' i. e. How shall I look him in the face while saying it? Cp. О. Т. 1371, ἐγὼ γὰρ οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὄμμασιν ποίοις βλέπων, κ.τ.λ. λακεῖν] This is a more curious, but also a more forcible reading than λαλεῖν, expressing Neoptolemus' abhorrence of the sound of a lie.
112. mvp-comment-79-1 There is a certain inconsistency (as Cavallin remarks) in Neoptolemus' ignorance of that which in l.69 Odysseus had mentioned as well known. We must imagine him to have been passive hitherto, and only now to have his attention roused to the object that is to work on his ambition. This makes the change of mind in him more conceivable.
113-115. mvp-comment-80-1 Odysseus speaks of the bow, but not of Philoctetes' share in the victory.
116. mvp-comment-81-1 οὖν, the Triclinian reading, is possibly right. Some change from the reading of L is necessary. Hermann read, as in the text, θηρατέ᾽ ἄν, explaining the second ἄν as belonging to εἴπερ, κ.τ.λ., -in other words, as emphasizing Neoptolemus' hesitation and doubtfulness.
117. mvp-comment-82-1 δύο .. δωρήματα] Cp. El. 1088, δύο φέρειν ἐν ἑνὶ λόγῳ, σόφα τ' ἀρίστα τε παῖς κεκλῆσθαι.
119. mvp-comment-83-1 αὑτός] This seems better here than αὐτός, ‘In your own person.' But cp. Ο. Τ. 458, ἀδελφὸς αὐτὸς καὶ πατήρ, i. e. Your taking Troy will be a proof of bravery, and your having first obtained the bow, of wisdom.
122. mvp-comment-84-1 Neoptolemus makes the decision with sudden impulsiveness, and having once taken his course, continues it with apparent firmness to infr. 810.
125. mvp-comment-85-1 τὸν σκοπόν] The attendant who has been set to watch for Philoctetes, supr. 45. This guard is no longer necessary when Odysseus withdraws.
126-127. mvp-comment-86-1 ἐάν μοι.. κατασχολάζειν] If I find at all that you are wasting time.' τοῦ χρόνου τι is put by λιτότης for τὸν χρόνον ας τούτων τι for ταῦτα in Ant. 35, and κατασχολάζειν is used actively like other compounds of κατά, e.g. καταρ γυροῦν, κατοκνεῖν, καταστασιάζειν, καταυλεῖν, καταστρατηγεῖν, κατασιωπᾶν, καταληρεῖν, κατακερδαίνειν, καταδαπανᾶν.
128-129. mvp-comment-87-1 ναυκλήρου τρόποις .. προσῇ] Having craftily disguised him after the fashion of a sea-captain, that he may not be known.' Cp. El. 654, Trach. 350.
130. mvp-comment-88-1 From whose mouth, my son, I pray thee, as he utters cunningly-devised words, thou shalt be ready to take whatever in his speech from time to time is profitable.' 'The genitive οὗ is (a) genitive after δέχου, (b) after λόγων, (c) genitive absolute. αὐδᾶσθαι is mid. not passive here and in Aj. 772. δέχεσθαι implies attentive expectation.
132. mvp-comment-89-1 σοὶ παρεὶς τάδε] · Leaving matters here under thy charge.'
133. mvp-comment-90-1 'But may secret Hermes,' (1) 'the conductor,' or (2), 'who speeds us hither, be our good guide, and Athena, protectress of cities, goddess of Victory, she who is evermore my saviour.' Cp. Od. 13. 300, ἥτε τοι αἰὲν | ἐν πάντεσσι πόνοισι παρίσταμαι ἠδὲ φυλάσσω: Αj. 14 foll., ib. 34, 5, πάντα γὰρ .. σῇ κυβερνῶμαι χερί. For Νίκη ᾿Αθάνα, cp. Eur. Ion 1529. The goddess of cities is rightly invoked by Odysseus, whose motive is the public good. For the general meaning of ὁ πέμπων = ὁ πομπός, in (1), see Essay on L. § 32. p. 55, 4.
135-218. mvp-comment-91-1 We have here a commatic parados (cp. El., O. C.), in which Neoptolemus responds in anapaests to lyric measures chanted apparently by single members of the Chorus, as they take their places in the orchestra. Their entrance must be subsequent to l. 134, for the conversation in ll. 50 foll. would lose its effect if Odysseus and Philoctetes were not alone. The anapaests of Neoptolemus and l. 161, chanted by the coryphaeus, accompany movements of the Chorus, who at l. 169 have already taken up their position. The metres of the lyric part are as follows:- α΄. Glyc. β'. Glyc. γ. Glyc. It is evident that the lyric strains were accompanied with gesticulation, especially in στρ. and ἀντ. γ'. The fact that the Chorus at entering have some knowledge of that which has just been made known upon the stage, is not a sufficient reason for supposing them to have been present during any part of the previous scene. Similarly, in the O. T. the Chorus have been gathered by the news of the arrival of Creon from Delphi, which happens in the midst of the prologos, l. 87; and in the Ajax, the mariners speak of the slanders of Ulysses, which could only be disseminated after his exit. It is best, therefore, to suppose, as above, that the Chorus enter as usual after the prologos, and that the first strophe is begun as soon as they are well within hearing of the stage. The whole passage is meant to interest the spectator in Philoctetes, and to prepare for the effect to be produced by his entrance, infr. 219. Cp. Aj. 201-332.
135. mvp-comment-92-1 The correction of this line by Triclinius has been retained by most editors.
136. mvp-comment-93-1 στέγειν] 'To keep close.' Cp. Ο. Τ. 341, κἂν ἐγὼ σιγῇ στέγω. πρὸς ἄνδρ᾽ ὑπόπταν ἁποπταν] 'In my intercourse with one who is full of suspicion.' They feel that he must have been made so by ill-treatment and solitude.
138. mvp-comment-94-1 τέχνα . . ἀνάσσεται] ‘For the skill and wisdom of him who holds the sceptre divine given by Zeus surpasses that of another.' Cp. O. T. 380, καὶ τέχνη τέχνης | ὑπερφέρουσα: ib. 398, γνώμῃ κυρήσας, where τέχνη and γνώμη are used of practical wisdom. The reading γνώμας is probably due to an interlinear explanation of γνώμα.
139. mvp-comment-95-1 γνώμα] γνώμασ γνώμας γνώμα παρ᾿ ὅτῳ] Sc. παρ' ἐκείνῳ, παρ᾿ ᾧ (or simply ᾧ).
140. mvp-comment-96-1 For σκῆπτρον ἀνάσσεται ἀνά·::· σσεται ἀνάσσεται, cp. Ο. C. 449, σκῆπτρα κραίνειν. The expression Διὸς σκῆπτρον recalls the monarchical feeling of heroic times.
141. mvp-comment-97-1 σὲ δ᾽ ὦ Wunder and others have conjectured σοί, which agrees better with the antistrophe (l. 156); but the Attic accusative is more expressive = Hath descended on thee,' viz. through the death of Achilles. τόδ'.. ὠγύγιον] This absolute power with immemorial right.'
142. mvp-comment-98-1 πᾶν is intensive, as often in composition: cp. πᾶσα ἀνάγκη, and similar expressions. See especially Plat. Legg. 6. 762 C, ἢ πάσης τινὸς ἀνάγκης ἐμπεσούσης. ὠγύγιον is attributive, not predicative. See Essay on L. § 23. p. 38. τό] 'Wherefore.' Epicè. Cp. Il. 17. 404, τό μιν οὔποτε ἔλπετο θυμῷ | τεθνάμεν. See Essay on L. § 21. 3, p. 32. ἔννεπε] ἔννεπε(ν?) ἔννεπε
143. mvp-comment-99-1 ὑπουργεῖν υπουργεῖν
144-146. mvp-comment-100-1 νῦν.. θαρσών] Some editors insert a comma after μέν, but although νῦν is not to be separated from δέρκου, it belongs to both clauses. Cp. infr. 1020, 1, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ γὰρ οὐδὲν θεοὶ νέμουσιν ἡδύ μοι, κ.τ.λ., where a comma after ἀλλ' would be obviously inconvenient. τόπον . . ὅντινα κεῖται] 'What place he makes his lair.' The relative follows the case of τόπον, which is accusative after προσιδεῖν. But the construction of ὅντινα κεῖται may also be explained as cognate, like αὐτάρκη θέσιν κειμένη in Thuc. 1. 37. ἐσχατιαῖς] Cp. Od. 9. 182, ἐπ᾿ ἐσχατιῇ σπέος εἴδομεν ἄγχι θαλάσσης. The dative of place is perhaps assisted by the neighbourhood of πρός in προσιδεῖν (Essay on L. § 54. p. 99. and also p. 62). For the plural, cp. τρόποις, supr. 128: infr. 153, αὐλάς: Pind. Isthm. 6. 12, ἐσχατιαῖς ἤδη πρὸς ὄλβου.
147. mvp-comment-101-1 δεινός] Dread,' reflecting the impression produced on Neoptolemus by 75, 6, 105, and the timid expressions of the Chorus in 135 foll. Philoctetes is terrible because of his bow, and the fear of him is enhanced by the mystery of his solitude.
147-148. mvp-comment-102-1 ὁδίτης] Cp. supr. 43, 4, infr. 162, 3. τῶνδ᾽ ἐκ μελάθρων] Who inhabits here.' Sc. ὁρμώμενος. The form of expression is suggested by the verbal notion in ὁδίτης. Some, including the διορθωτής of L, have wrongly connected τ. ἐ. μ. with προχωρῶν, Avoiding this habitation.' τῶν μελάθρων ἀποστάς, Schol. For μέλαθρον of the cave, cp infr. 1262, ἀμείψας τάσδε πετρήρεις στέγας. πρὸς ἐμὴν.. χεῖρα] ‘At my hand;' i. e. At the signals which I shall give, as to a hound in approaching game. Cp. infr. 865, and note; also Aesch. Suppl. 507, καὶ δή σφε λείπω χειρὶ καὶ λόγοις σέθεν (' At your signal and behest').
149. mvp-comment-103-1 τὸ παρὸν θεραπεύειν] (1) Το meet each occasion duly.' Cp. Thuc. 3.56, τὸ δὲ ξυμφέρον μᾶλλον θεραπεύοντες: Εl. 1305, 6, οὐ γὰρ ἂν καλῶς | ὑπηρετοίην τῷ παρόντι δαίμονι. Or rather, (2) To do the service immediately required.'
150. mvp-comment-104-1 The MS. reading here has two syllables too many. Hermann dropped μέλον and retained τὸ σόν, connecting πάλαι with the verbal notion in μέλημα. But it is more probable that τὸ σόν is a mistaken gloss on ὄμμα. μοι] om.
151. mvp-comment-105-1 φρουρεῖν . . καιρῷ] 'That I should fix a watchful glance on what is most opportune for thee.' For the use of the adverb in σῷ μ. καιρῷ τῷ μάλιστα ἐν καιρῷ ὄντι σοί, see Essay on L. § 24. p. 41. And for φρουρεῖν ὄμμα, cp. Τr. 914, κἀγὼ λαθραῖον ὄμμ᾽ ἐπεσκιασμένη | φρούρουν (where ὄμμα has the verbal meaning and in part at least depends on φρούρουν).
153. mvp-comment-106-1 αὐλὰς .. ἔχει] What home does he inhabit, and where is the place of his abode?' The Chorus, through the coryphaeus, ask two questions in one. Neoptolemus replies to either separately.
157. mvp-comment-107-1 τίς τόπος, ἢ τίς ἕδρα] Sc. ἐστὴν αὐτῷ. στίβον] Cp. supr. 29.
159-161. mvp-comment-108-1 These lines break the antistrophic effect. Cp O C. 197 foll., El. 1403-5, and notes.
159. mvp-comment-109-1 οἶκον.. κοίτης] 'Thou seest the home with a door either way where he makes his bed upon the rock.' For the genitive, see Essay on L. § 10. p. 15.
160. mvp-comment-110-1 The coryphaeus, with one or more of the other choreutae, has mounted to the stage during the recitation of 144-9. He advances further while his companion recites 150-8, and Neoptolemus points out the cave to him. He turns to Neoptolemus with this question and then rejoins his comrades. While Neoptolemus recites 162-68, the Chorus take up their regular position in the orchestra in front of the stage.
161. mvp-comment-111-1 ὁ τλήμων] This expression is prompted by the sight of Philoctetes' 'homeless dwelling-place.'
163. mvp-comment-112-1 στίβον ὀγμεύει] • He tracks his way.' The metaphor is taken from ploughing, and expresses the difficult motion of the lame man dragging his foot, and as it were harrowing the ground. For ὄγμος, ‘A furrow, cp. Il. 18. 546, Archil. 115. τόνδε πέλας που] 'This way, somewhere not far off.' With τόνδε Neoptolemus points to the way which Philoctetes must have taken. In πέλας he echoes what Odysseus had said in 41.
166. mvp-comment-113-1 στυγερὸν στυγερώς] The gloss ἐπιπόνως, compared with Hesych. σμυγερών : ἐπίπονον, οἰκτρών, μοχθηρόν, σμυγερῶς: ἐπιπόνως, certainly favours Brunck's emendation, σμυγερὸν σμυγε- ρῶς. But σμυγερός occurs nowhere else in Tragedy, μογερός being the form regularly used. And in iterative phrases like μόνος μόνοις, Αj. 467 : καινῷ καινὸν ἐν πεπλώματι, Τr. 613, it often happens that both words are not equally significant. Neoptolemus, in his horror of the solitary life, may also feel beforehand a natural horror of the solitary man. Philoctetes himself apprehends this, infr. 225, 6, καὶ μή μ᾿ ὀκνῳ | δείσαντες ἐκπλαγῆτ᾽ ἀπηγριωμένον. Cp. Od. 13. 399, 400, ἀμφὶ δὲ λαίφος | ἕσσω, ὅ κεν στυγέῃσιν ἰδῶν ἄνθρωπος ἔχοντα: ib. 11. 81, νῶῖ μὲν ὡς ἐπέεσσιν ἀμειβομένω στυγεροῖσιν | ἥμεθα.
167-168. mvp-comment-114-1 οὐδέ τιν᾿ αὐτῷ . . ἐπινωμᾶν] (1) Nor brings to his relief any healer of his woe;' so the Scholiast: i.e. 'No healer comes to him.' See E. on L. §30. p. 52, d. Or (2) reading αὑτῷ. • Nor does any healer of his woes approach him. But there is no clear instance in early Greek of νωμᾶν being used absolutely = To move.' See note on infr. 717. (3) Linwood prefers, 'Nor does any man bring him a healer.'
169. mvp-comment-115-1 ὅπως] As after θαυμάζω.
170. mvp-comment-116-1 The reading of the first hand of L, τοὺς κηδομένους, admits of a possible construction with ἔχων, but is probably an error arising from the change of construction.
171. mvp-comment-117-1 μηδὲ σύντροφον ὄμμα] Nor any soul to live with him.' ὄμμα is the act of eye meeting eye, and so is transferred to the object of affectionate intercourse. See E. on L. § 54, a. p. 99. σύντροφον, i. e. Partaking of the same circumstances and means of life.' For μή, see E. on L. p. 48, 2, 6.
173. mvp-comment-118-1 ἀγρίαν] 'Cruel,' 'intractable.' The disease is personified, as elsewhere throughout the play. There may also be an association from the medical use of the word as applied to a wound 'Angry.' See L. and S.s. v. ἄγριος, II. 4.
174. mvp-comment-119-1 ἀλύει . . ἱσταμένῳ] And is distracted at each need, as it arises.' τῳ, 'Whatever it be,' is better than τῷ, for the article would come awkwardly at the end of the line.
176. mvp-comment-120-1 ὦ παλάμαι θνητῶν] 'O strange devices of men,' that can produce such misery. Hermann and others have defended the long syllable here. But Lachmann's conjecture, θεῶν, has been widely accepted. Cp. Pind. Ol. 11. 21, θεοῦ σὺν παλάμᾳ : Pyth. 1. 48, εὑρίσκοντο θεῶν παλάμαις τιμάν: Nem. 10. 65, καὶ πάθον δεινὸν παλάμαις Ἀφαρητίδαι Διός. The Scholiast and others interpret ὦ παλάμαι θνητῶν as said in admiration of the power of resource shown by Philoctetes.
178. mvp-comment-121-1 οἷς μὴ μέτριος αἰών] Το whom life is not tolerable.' Cp. Ant. 582, εὐδαίμονες οἷσι κακῶν ἄγευστος αἰών: ib. 584, 5, ἄτας οὐδὲν ἐλλείπει γενεᾶς ἐπὶ πλῆθος ἕρπον. It is assumed that misfortune runs in families. Others take μέτριος αἰών to be the life that is 'seated in the mean,' as if all who rose to distinction must be unfortunate. But the lot of Philoctetes in receiving the bow of Heracles is not alluded to here, and without this such a statement of the doctrine of Νέμεσις would be too crude.
180. mvp-comment-122-1 πρωτογόνων . . ὕστερος] Inferior to no man of noblest family." ἥκων is a curious variant in some MSS. of Suidas. Cp. Aj. 636. ἴσως] 'I imagine.' The Scyriote sailors know of Philoctetes only by report. πρωτογόνων οἴκων is partitive gen. with οὐδενός.
181. mvp-comment-123-1 ἐν βίῳ is joined with κεῖται, as if it were κείται ἐν βίῳ πάντων ἀμμόρῳ.
183. mvp-comment-124-1 μοῦνος ἀπ' ἄλλων] Hom. H. Merc. 193, ὁ δὲ ταῦρος ἐβόσκετο μοῦνος ἀπ᾿ ἄλλων. This line responds in meaning as well as metre to l. 172.
184. mvp-comment-125-1 στικτῶν] As the deer. λασίων] As the wolf and boar.
185. mvp-comment-126-1 ἔν τ᾽ ὀδύναις.. οἰκτρός] 'Pitiable for the hunger and also for the pain in which he lives.' For the addition of ἐν, see Essay on L. § 19, 1. p. 27.
186. mvp-comment-127-1 ἀνήκεστα.. *βάρει] 'Thoughts irremediable in their oppressive weight.' The dative appears to drag a little, but affords the simplest and best emendation of a corrupt place. Others read βάρη.
187. mvp-comment-128-1 ὁ δ᾽ ἀθυρόστομος,] For the article, cp. O. C. 670 2, ἔνθ' | ἁ λίγεια .. ἀηδών. For ἀθυρόστομος, ‘Irrepressible,' cp. ἀθυρόγλωσσος, Eur. Or. 903, and Theogn. 421, πολλοῖς ἀνθρώπων γλώσσῃ θύραι οὐκ ἐπίκεινται | ἁρμόδιαι. Echo is personified, as in Ar. Thesm. 1059.
189. mvp-comment-129-1 τηλεφανής] 'Coming from afar.' Cp. infr. 202, προὐφάνη κτύπος: 216, τηλωπὸν ἰωάν.
189-190. mvp-comment-130-1 πικρᾶς.. ὑπόκειται ὑπὸ κειται ὑπόκειται ὑποκεῖται] ὑπόκειται, if genuine, means, Lies close to,' i. e. Keeps following upon.' Cp. Plat. Gorg. 465 Α, τῇ μὲν οὖν ἰατρικῇ.. ἡ ὀψοποιικὴ κολακεία ὑπόκειται. Brunck conjectured ὑπακούει, ' Answers,' as it were a summons. Hermann, ὕπ᾿ ὀχεῖται. And ἐποχεῖται seems possible, though too uncertain an emendation to be admitted into the text.
192. mvp-comment-131-1 θεῖα is predicative. Ant. 593.
193. mvp-comment-132-1 τὰ παθήματα κεῖνα] 'His troubles in that former time.'
194. mvp-comment-133-1 τῆς ὠμόφρονος Χρύσης] Genitive of the cause. It was the nymph Chrysa, whose shrine was guarded by the serpent who bit Philoctetes. Sophocles conceives of the offence as accidental: infr. 1326, 7.
195-196. mvp-comment-134-1 καὶ νῦν . . μελέτῃ] Sc. πονεῖ. Neoptolemus here shows himself better informed than supr. 112, where Odysseus in his reply does not say more than that the bow of Philoctetes is necessary for the taking of Troy. Cp. also infr. 1326 foll. See Introd. p. 363.
197. mvp-comment-135-1 τοῦ = ἕνεκα τοῦ, explaining μελέτῃ. Cp. Thuc. 1. 23, τὰς αἰτίας προέγραψα πρῶτον καὶ τὰς διαφοράς, τοῦ μή τινα ζητῆσαί ποτε ἐξ ὅτου τοσοῦτος πόλεμος τοῖς Ἕλλησι κατέστη.
197-200. mvp-comment-136-1 Ср. О. C. 1405 foll., and for ὅδε.., supr. 87.
198. mvp-comment-137-1 τὰ θεῶν] “The divine.' Cp. Ant. 607, θεῶν μῆνες, and note. The bow of Heracles, now himself a god, was an instrument of the divine purposes.
201. mvp-comment-138-1 εὔστομ᾽ ἔχε] 'Speak no rash words.' Cp. Hdt. 2. 171, καὶ ταύτης εἰδότι μοι πέρι εὔστομα κείσθω: infr. 258, γελῶσι σῖγ᾽ ἔχοντες. For the metre of 201, 210, cp. Aj. 905, 951. In the present case the pause is probably in the fourth foot, thus:-
204. mvp-comment-139-1 σύντροφος] 'Habitual.' A cry which tells of misery in the being from whose breast it issues.
206. mvp-comment-140-1 ἐτύμα] «Unmistakable.' Expanded in οὐδὲ με λάθει, infr. 208. The cry when repeated leaves no doubt as to the quarter from whence it comes.
207. mvp-comment-141-1 στίβου κατ᾿ ἀνάγκαν ἕρποντος] 'Moving with extreme difficulty of gait.' A similar adverbial expression is καθ' ὁρμήν, infr. 566: cp. Thuc. 7.57, κατὰ ξυμφορὰν ἐμάχοντο. στίβου κατ᾿ ἀνάγκαν = ἀναγκαίῳ στίβῳ. βαρεῖα is not 'deep,' but rather grievous,' causing painful feelings.
208. mvp-comment-142-1 τηλόθεν] Heard from afar.'
209. mvp-comment-143-1 τρυσάνωρ] 'Of a man in pain;' ἀνδρὸς τρυχομένου. For this unusual force of the compound adjective, see Essay on L. § 23. p. 39, S.
211ff. mvp-comment-144-1 There are echoes of the strophe in the words ἔχε, τέκνον, πταίων, ὑπ᾿ ἀνάγκας, τηλωπὸν ἰωάν, προβοᾷ γάρ.
212. mvp-comment-145-1 ἔξεδρος] Cp. Ar. Av. 275, ἔξεδρον χώραν ἔχων, where the phrase is imitated, according to the Scholiast, from the Tyro of Sophocles.
213. mvp-comment-146-1 ἔχων] Cp. Aj. 320 and note: Il. 18. 495, αὐλοὶ φόρμιγγές τε βοὴν ἔχον.
215. mvp-comment-147-1 ὑπ᾿ ἀνάγκας is to be joined with Boᾷ. He cries aloud because of the pain.' The cry is forced from him in stumbling. Not, Stumbling by reason of difficulty, he cries out.'
216. mvp-comment-148-1 ἰωάν] Cp. infr. 219, ἰώ, ξένοι.
217-218. mvp-comment-149-1 ἢ . . αὐγάζων] 'Or eyeing the inhospitable moorage of our ship,' i.e. seeing a vessel moored on so inhospitable a coast. The moorage was only possible because of the S. W. wind, infr. 639, 1450, 1. The transposition of ὅρμον αὐγάζων is a slight change, and secures an exact correspondence of rhythm.
218. mvp-comment-150-1 προβοᾷ] 'Shouts forth' = Sends a shout before him. His cry rings terribly forth. After all this preparation the entrance of Philoctetes has a thrilling effect.
219. mvp-comment-151-1 ἰὼ ξένοι] Cp. the short lines in Aj. 333, 336, 339; Ο. Τ. 1468, 1471, 1475; О. С. 315, 318; Aesch. Ag. 1214, 1315.
220. mvp-comment-152-1 ναυτίλῳ πλάτῃ] The gloss in L2, in which this reading is mixed up with an explanation of πλάτῃ, viz. τῇ κώπῃ, tends to confirm the evidence of A. Cp. Hom. Od. 1. 171, ὁπποίης δ᾽ ἐπὶ νηὸς ἀφίκεο, πῶς δέ σε ναῦται | ἤγαγον εἰς Ἰθάκην ; Fr. 394, ναύκληρον πλάτην.
222. mvp-comment-153-1 The transposition of ὑμᾶς is necessary for the rhythm.
223. mvp-comment-154-1 τύχοιμ᾽ ἂν εἰπών] 'Shall I be right in naming you? Cp. El. 663, ἐπεικάζων κυρῶ, and note.
224. mvp-comment-155-1 This beautiful line is bracketed by Nauck, on the ground that Philoctetes would not be so imprudent as to reveal his Hellenic sympathies at once! ὑπάρχει] 'Is to begin with, i. e. This affords a presumption that ye are Hellenes.
225. mvp-comment-156-1 ὄκνῳ is to be taken with the whole sentence, and not with δείσαντες only.
228. mvp-comment-157-1 * κακούμενον] For the added participle, see Essay on L. § 36, 5. καλούμενον may be explained to mean, 'Imploring you.' So Herm. Cp. infr. 1264, τί μ᾽ ἐκκαλεῖσθε; Aesch. Ch. 216, καὶ τίνα σύνοισθά μοι καλουμένῃ βροτῶν; But the slight correction κακούμενον is on the whole more probable. Cp. infr. 471, ἔρημον ἐν κακοῖσι τοῖσδ᾽, οἷοῖς ὁρᾷς. Many other changes have been proposed, of which Seyffert's, καὶ φίλων τητώμενον, most deserves mention.
230-231. mvp-comment-158-1 'For it is not meet that I should fail to receive this from you or you from me.' The strangers have a claim on Philoctetes as well as he on them.
233. mvp-comment-159-1 τοῦτο .. μαθεῖν] The words of Philoctetes in 222-4 had clearly indicated this desire.
234. mvp-comment-160-1 φώνημα] Cp. supr. φωνήσατ'. No utterance could be more welcome. φεῦ .. μακρῷ] 'Ah me! the bliss of being spoken to by one who is a Greek this once in all that length of time.' φεῦ is not merely the interjection of astonishment, but rather expresses a mingled feeling that is too deep for words, the effect of joy coming in suddenly upon sorrow and weariness. The momentariness of the aor. λαβεῖν is expressive.
235. mvp-comment-161-1 τοιοῦδε] Sc. Ἕλληνος. For the vagueness of this, cp. Aj. 330, οἱ τοιοίδε (sc. οἱ μανικῶς διακείμενοι).
236ff. mvp-comment-162-1 Cp. Pind. Pyth. 4. 70, τίς γὰρ ἀρχὰ δέξατο ναυτιλίας; For the Greek manner of putting first what is last in time, see Essay on L. § 41. p. 78, B, b. The exuberant speech of Philoctetes, in his delight at seeing Greeks after ten years' silence, is well contrasted with the embarrassed reserve of Neoptolemus. Cp. El. 1232 foll. He shows, in the address ὦ τέκνον, that his confidence is already won.
236. mvp-comment-163-1 προσέσχε is causative. See Essay on L. § 53. p. 98. προσήγαγε, 'Drew you this way;' προσέσχε, 'Brought you to the shore.'
237. mvp-comment-164-1 ὁρμή] 'Cause of departure,' nearly = στόλος, infr. 244. τίς ἀνέμων ὁ φίλτατος] 'What wind, of all most dear?' For the extravagant language, cp. Shak. Cymb. 3. 2, 'Say, and speak thick,.. how far it is To this same blessed Milford, and, by the way, Tell me how Wales was made so happy as To inherit such a haven but first of all,' etc.
239. mvp-comment-165-1 Cp. Plat. Soph. 216 A, τὸ μὲν γένος ἐξ Ἐλέας.
240. mvp-comment-166-1 αὐδῶμαι] 'I am named.' Cp. Trach. 1106, ὁ τοῦ κατ᾿ ἄστρα Ζηνὸς αὐδηθεὶς γόνος; Tennyson's Elaine, Whence comest thou, my guest, and by what name Livest between the lips?'
241. mvp-comment-167-1 Some editors prefer οἶσθ᾽ ἤδη. But the emphatic word of time is out of place. οἶσθα δή is simpler and better. There, you know all.'
242. mvp-comment-168-1 φίλης χθονός] The genitive, as τῆς περιρρύτου Σκύρου, supr. 239. In the absence of Achilles, Neoptolemus was brought up in the house of his maternal grandfather Lycomedes, in the island of Scyros, where Deidameia, Lycomedes' daughter, had borne him to Achilles. Scyros was near Euboea and the Melian country, and it is imagined that there had been frequent intercourse between them.
243. mvp-comment-169-1 τίνι στόλῳ] 'On what enterprise or expedition?' Cp. Xen. Anab. 3. 2, ὁ στόλος ἐλέγετο εἶναι εἰς Πισίδας.
245. mvp-comment-170-1 τοι δή] · Well, then, if you wish to know' (δή), 'I tell you' (τοι). Neoptolemus affects surprise at the question.
246-247. mvp-comment-171-1 Surely we had not you with us on board the fleet when we first set out on the expedition to Troy.'
248. mvp-comment-172-1 τοῦδε τοῦ πόνου] ‘This labour, in which I and others have been engaged.' For the pronominal expression, cp. El. 541, ἧς ὁ πλοῦς ὅδ᾽ ἦν χάριν.
249. mvp-comment-173-1 The craving for sympathy, so prominently shown in this and the following lines, is the point in Philoctetes' character which most lays him open to the design of Neoptolemus, and is also most calculated to move his pity and that of the spectators.
250. mvp-comment-174-1 ὅν γ᾽ εἶδον] 'One whom I never yet beheld.' For this use of γε, cp. Εl. 923, πῶς δ᾽ οὐκ ἐγὼ κάτοιδ᾽, ἅ γ᾽ εἶδον ἐμφανῶς;
251. mvp-comment-175-1 οὐδ᾽ ὄνομά *γ'] It is uncertain whether this correction should be admitted (Erf. conjectured οὐδ᾽ ὄνομ᾽ ἄρ᾽) or οὐδ᾽ οὔνομ' should be read from the inferior MSS. The latter is rhythmically smoother, but contains an Ionicism which does not occur elsewhere. The addition of τῶν ἐμῶν with the second word has a pathetic emphasis.
252. mvp-comment-176-1 διωλλύμην] The imperfect means, 'I have been perishing all this while.'
254. mvp-comment-177-1 ὦ.. ἐγώ] Cp. Trach. 1046, 7, ὦ πολλὰ δὴ . . μοχθήσας ἐγώ. πολλά μοχθηρός] Afflicted in many ways, i. e. In more ways than I knew, since to suffer unknown is worse than to suffer. πικρὸς θεοῖς] Abhorred by the gods.' Else they would not permit such misery. πικρός, Utterly offensive.' Cp. Hdt. 7. 35. where Xerxes thus addresses the Hellespont, ὦ πικρὸν ὕδωρ.
255. mvp-comment-178-1 ὧδ᾽ ἔχοντος] This adds a touch of pathos to Philoctetes' complaint. He is not only forgotten, but forgotten in his extreme misery.
255-256. mvp-comment-179-1 οἴκαδε.. Ἑλλάδος γῆς] The thoughts of Philoctetes naturally fly home to Trachis, and he has no desire of his state being known beyond the world of Hellas. For the more particular preceding the more general expression, see E. on L. § 41. p. 78, β, b.
256. mvp-comment-180-1 μηδαμοῦ has been changed to μηδαμοῖ, which may seem to be required by the verb of motion. But the latter form is doubtful, and ἐνταῦθα is similarly used for ἐνταυθοῖ. Cp. Εl. 380, Trach. 1193. που] 'Methinks.' He conjectures, from his case being unknown to Neoptolemus, that it has been heard of nowhere in Hellas, nor, bitterest of all, at his own home.
258. mvp-comment-181-1 Though my name is forgotten, my affliction endures and grows.'
259. mvp-comment-182-1 For κἀπὶ μεῖζον ἔρχεται, cp. Fr. 786, Εl. 1000, κἀπὶ μηδὲν ἔρχεται.
261. mvp-comment-183-1 Know that I whom you behold am he.' The fulness of expression marks the importance of the announcement. Philoctetes still believes that, even if his misfortune is forgotten, he must still be remembered as the possessor of the famous bow. ὃν κλύεις ἴσως] 'Of whom surely you have heard.' For the present tense, cp. Ο. Τ. 305, εἰ καὶ μὴ κλύεις, infr. 591. ἴσως expresses confident assumption.
262. mvp-comment-184-1 τῶν Ἡρ... 263. τοῦ Π... ib. οἱ δ. .. 264. χώ Κ... 266. τῆς ἀ... 269. τῆς π.] These articles show the vividness with which Philoctetes conceives his own situation. So does the emphatic position of οἱ at the end of 263. For this synaphea, cp. Ant. 409.
263. mvp-comment-185-1 Ποίαντος] οι. But οἳ, infr. 461.
264. mvp-comment-186-1 δισσοὶ στρατηγοί] Αj. 49, etc. Κεφαλλήνων] Cp. Il. 2. 631-5, αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς ἦγε Κεφαλλῆνας μεγαθύμους, | οἳ δ' Ἰθάκην εἶχον καὶ Νήριτον εἰνοσίφυλλον, | καὶ Κροκύλει᾽ ἐνέμοντο καὶ Αἰγίλιπα τρηχεῖαν, | οἵ τε Ζάκυνθον ἔχον ἠδ' οἳ Σάμον ἀμφενέμοντο, | οἵ τ᾽ ἤπειρον ἔχον ἠδ᾽ ἀντιπέραι' ἐνέμοντο. The expression here and infr. 791, ὦ ξένε Κεφαλλήν, may have been taken from the Ilias Minor. (Cp. Quint. Smyrn. 5. 429, Κεφαλλήνων βασιλῆϊ.) It is unnecessary to assume, with Buttmann, that Cephallenian was a word of abuse, because the inhabitants of the Western Isles were given to piracy.
266. mvp-comment-187-1 τῆς] Musgrave conjectured τῇδ', which is equally near the MSS. But cp supr. note on 262. Moreover such a direct reference to his present state makes an unpleasing interruption in the description of his original misfortune.
267. mvp-comment-188-1 φοινίῳ] The reading of Eustathius is adopted against the MSS., not because the tautology of ἀγρίᾳ . . ἀγρίῳ is impossible, but because φοινίῳ is the more appropriate epithet, and ἀγρίῳ with ἀγρίᾳ preceding is a natural corruption. Cp. Trach. 770, 1, εἶτα φοινίας | . . ἐχίδνης ἰὸς ὡς ἐδαίνυτο,
268. mvp-comment-189-1 ξὺν ᾗ] Sc. νόσῳ. The relative points to the prior antecedent, the words τῆς . . χαράγματι being epexegetic.
268-269. mvp-comment-190-1 προθέντες.. ᾤχοντ] 'Cast forth and departed.' Cp. Hdt. 1. 112, τοῦτο μὲν φέρων πρόθες. The word implies the helplessness of his condition. 'Thus afflicted was I when they cast me forth here companionless and left me.'
269. mvp-comment-191-1 ἐκ τῆς ποντίας Χρύσης] The island of Chrysa, distinguished by the epithet ποντία from the sea-coast town of that name mentioned in the first Iliad as sacred to Apollo. Cp. Fr. 352, ὦ Λήμνε Χρύσης τ' ἀγχιτέρμονες πάγοι.
270. mvp-comment-192-1 κατέσχον] (1) They had put in.' The whole Achaean fleet is imagined as having been at Chrysa and again at Lemnos. Thus only can this passage be reconciled with the narrative of Odysseus, supr. 4-11. Otherwise (2) it might seem natural to suppose that Philoctetes was the leader of the expedition to Chrysa, and that κατέσχον, like ἐναυστόλουν, infr. 279, was in the first person singular.
271. mvp-comment-193-1 ἄσμενοι .. εἶδον] ‘They saw with delight.' The sleep of Philoctetes favoured their purpose and also relieved them from his crying. ἄσμενον, which Dindorf reads, is not in point. They did not leave him when they saw how glad he was to rest, but when, to their great relief, they saw him asleep. ἐκ πολλοῦ σάλου] (1) 'After much tossing.' He slept the more soundly because of the previous discomfort on-board-ship. (2) Hermann understands these words metaphorically, After my long trouble.'
273. mvp-comment-194-1 οἷα φωτὶ δυσμόρῳ] 'Such as accorded with my wretched state.' Cp. Thuc. 8. 84. οἷα δὴ ναῦται.
274. mvp-comment-195-1 προθέντες] Ср. Ant. 775, φορβῆς τοσοῦτον, ὡς ἄγος, μόνον προθείς.
275. mvp-comment-196-1 οἳ αὐτοῖς τύχοι] 'May the like provision be their own some day!' The Scholiast rightly says καταρᾶται. Cp. infr. 315.
276-277. mvp-comment-197-1 'And when they were gone, you may imagine, my son, to what agony I awoke.'
278. mvp-comment-198-1 ποῖ᾽ ἀποιμώξαι κακά] 'What lamentation do you think I made over my woe?' 'ποῖα hic bis dictum πῶς' (Hermann). Cp. Ο. Τ. 421, ποῖος Κιθαιρών : 1467, κάποκλαύσασθαι κακά.
279. mvp-comment-199-1 Philoctetes naturally looked to see if his own vessels were there.
281-282. mvp-comment-200-1 νόσου κάμνοντι συλλάβοιτο] Cp. Ar. Vesp. 733, σοὶ δὲ νῦν τις θεῶν παρὼν ἐμφανὴς | συλλαμβάνει τοῦ πράγματος. The expression νόσου συλλαμβάνεσθαί τινι is nearly analogous to πόνου συλλ. τινι.
284. mvp-comment-201-1 But of this I found sufficient store, my son:' (more literally, 'Abundant opportunity'). This is said with a bitter smile.
284. mvp-comment-201-2 But of this I found sufficient store, my son:' (more literally, 'Abundant opportunity'). This is said with a bitter smile.
285. mvp-comment-202-1 Well, after a while I found the time advancing.' Cp. Hdt. 3. 140, τοῦ χρόνου προβαίνοντος. διὰ χρόνου implies that a certain interval elapsed before Philoctetes completely realised his situation.
285. mvp-comment-202-2 Well, after a while I found the time advancing.' Cp. Hdt. 3. 140, τοῦ χρόνου προβαίνοντος. διὰ χρόνου implies that a certain interval elapsed before Philoctetes completely realised his situation.
286. mvp-comment-203-1 τι] 'More or less.' For this modest expression, or litotes, cp. Ant. 35, ὃς ἂν τούτων τι δρᾷ. βαιῇ] So the best MSS. But B. and others have βαίᾳ, the more regular form.
286. mvp-comment-203-2 τι] 'More or less.' For this modest expression, or litotes, cp. Ant. 35, ὃς ἂν τούτων τι δρᾷ. βαιῇ] So the best MSS. But B. and others have βαίᾳ, the more regular form.
287. mvp-comment-204-1 διακονεῖσθαι] Το minister to myself.' For this direct middle, see Essay on L. § 31. p. 52.
287. mvp-comment-204-2 διακονεῖσθαι] Το minister to myself.' For this direct middle, see Essay on L. § 31. p. 52.
288. mvp-comment-205-1 ἐξεύρισκε 'Procured.' Cp. Trach. 25, μή μοι τὸ κάλλος ἄλγος ἐξεύροι ποτέ.
288. mvp-comment-205-2 ἐξεύρισκε 'Procured.' Cp. Trach. 25, μή μοι τὸ κάλλος ἄλγος ἐξεύροι ποτέ.
289. mvp-comment-206-1 For τοῦτο used of a general antecedent, cp. Ant. 709, οὗτοι, κ.τ.λ.
289. mvp-comment-206-2 For τοῦτο used of a general antecedent, cp. Ant. 709, οὗτοι, κ.τ.λ.
290. mvp-comment-207-1 νευροσπαδὴς ἄτρακτος] · The shaft drawn back with the string,' i. e. The arrow from my bow.
290. mvp-comment-207-2 νευροσπαδὴς ἄτρακτος] · The shaft drawn back with the string,' i. e. The arrow from my bow.
291. mvp-comment-208-1 δύστηνος] Schaefer and Hermann defend δύστηνος on the ground that τάλας is a mere exclamation and δύστηνος a predicate. I myself (unhappy one!) would writhe distressfully dragging my foot up to this.' And the broken language suits the situation well. But Canter's conjecture, δύστηνον, is not improbable. Cp. infr. 1377, τῷδε δυστήνῳ ποδί. εἰλύομαι describes a wriggling, uneven motion, like that of a worm.
291. mvp-comment-208-2 δύστηνος] Schaefer and Hermann defend δύστηνος on the ground that τάλας is a mere exclamation and δύστηνος a predicate. I myself (unhappy one!) would writhe distressfully dragging my foot up to this.' And the broken language suits the situation well. But Canter's conjecture, δύστηνον, is not improbable. Cp. infr. 1377, τῷδε δυστήνῳ ποδί. εἰλύομαι describes a wriggling, uneven motion, like that of a worm.
292. mvp-comment-209-1 πρὸς τοῦτ᾽ ἄν] This resumption is in keeping with the somewhat disjointed tenour of the whole speech, and the 'dragging phrase' has also a descriptive effect. ἄν here and in ll. 290, 294, 295, indicates that which happened repeatedly, and therefore might be expected to happen on any particular occasion. Cp. Hdt. 3. 19; 4. 128, 130. εἴ τ᾽ ἔδει] ‘Or if there was need to get some fresh water.' Bergk (with L²) altered εἴ τ' τo εἶτ' (cp. 295), but this introduces an awkward asyndeton at ταῦτ᾽ ἄν in 294.
292. mvp-comment-209-2 πρὸς τοῦτ᾽ ἄν] This resumption is in keeping with the somewhat disjointed tenour of the whole speech, and the 'dragging phrase' has also a descriptive effect. ἄν here and in ll. 290, 294, 295, indicates that which happened repeatedly, and therefore might be expected to happen on any particular occasion. Cp. Hdt. 3. 19; 4. 128, 130. εἴ τ᾽ ἔδει] ‘Or if there was need to get some fresh water.' Bergk (with L²) altered εἴ τ' τo εἶτ' (cp. 295), but this introduces an awkward asyndeton at ταῦτ᾽ ἄν in 294.
293. mvp-comment-210-1 καί που] ‘And perchance.' πάγου χυθέντος] This circumstance suggests not only the necessity of gathering wood, but the discomfort of doing so.
293. mvp-comment-210-2 καί που] ‘And perchance.' πάγου χυθέντος] This circumstance suggests not only the necessity of gathering wood, but the discomfort of doing so.
294. mvp-comment-211-1 θραῦσαι] ‘Το break.' Philoctetes had no axe or other implement and must break the firewood with his hands. He could not do much of this at one time, and hence might well be overtaken by the want of firewood in a time of frost. Nor could he afford much fire. Infr. 297, and note.
294. mvp-comment-211-2 θραῦσαι] ‘Το break.' Philoctetes had no axe or other implement and must break the firewood with his hands. He could not do much of this at one time, and hence might well be overtaken by the want of firewood in a time of frost. Nor could he afford much fire. Infr. 297, and note.
295. mvp-comment-212-1 εἶτα .. παρῆν] 'And then (when I had got the wood) there would be no fire (to kindle it with).' ἄν is still descriptive, not inferential (as if ἀλλά were εἰ μή).
295. mvp-comment-212-2 εἶτα .. παρῆν] 'And then (when I had got the wood) there would be no fire (to kindle it with).' ἄν is still descriptive, not inferential (as if ἀλλά were εἰ μή).
296. mvp-comment-213-1 ἐκτρίβων] Seyffert defends ἐκθλίβων (see v. rr). But although this is the less obvious word, it is also less descriptive of a lengthened process. And the use of θλίβω is more frequent in later Greek. The compound with ἐκ denotes more effort than the simple verb. μόλις is to be joined with ἔφηνα.
296. mvp-comment-213-2 ἐκτρίβων] Seyffert defends ἐκθλίβων (see v. rr). But although this is the less obvious word, it is also less descriptive of a lengthened process. And the use of θλίβω is more frequent in later Greek. The compound with ἐκ denotes more effort than the simple verb. μόλις is to be joined with ἔφηνα.
297. mvp-comment-214-1 ἔφην'] The aorist here denotes a momentary action in uncertain time, viz. whenever the need arose. ἄφαντον has been taken to mean simply 'hidden,' and Wakefield compared Virg. Georg. 1.155, 'ut silicis venis abstrusum excuderet ignem.' 'I produced the hidden light.' But the verbal opposition ἔφην' ἄφαντον is then without much point. Either (1) (α = δυσ-) 'I made appear the light that would not appear, i. e. That seemed as if it would never kindle;' or, rather, (2) 'I lighted a dim spark.' Ср. infr. 534, ἄοικον εἰσοίκησιν. The fire was but a poor business, a makeshift for a fire. The words then indicate either (1) the difficulty of kindling the fire, or (2) the smallness of the fire when kindled.
297. mvp-comment-214-2 ἔφην'] The aorist here denotes a momentary action in uncertain time, viz. whenever the need arose. ἄφαντον has been taken to mean simply 'hidden,' and Wakefield compared Virg. Georg. 1.155, 'ut silicis venis abstrusum excuderet ignem.' 'I produced the hidden light.' But the verbal opposition ἔφην' ἄφαντον is then without much point. Either (1) (α = δυσ-) 'I made appear the light that would not appear, i. e. That seemed as if it would never kindle;' or, rather, (2) 'I lighted a dim spark.' Ср. infr. 534, ἄοικον εἰσοίκησιν. The fire was but a poor business, a makeshift for a fire. The words then indicate either (1) the difficulty of kindling the fire, or (2) the smallness of the fire when kindled.
298. mvp-comment-215-1 Philoctetes here states his own experience. It is unnecessary to suppose, with some editors, that he is making a general observation.
298. mvp-comment-215-2 Philoctetes here states his own experience. It is unnecessary to suppose, with some editors, that he is making a general observation.
300ff. mvp-comment-216-1 Neoptolemus as a Greek (234), a neighbour (242), and above all as the son of Achilles (260), has completely won the confidence of Philoctetes, whose misery and isolation, while embittering his sense of wrong, have left unimpaired the open trustfulness of his nature. After pouring out his troubles, he begins to describe the island, his rugged nurse, for which he has formed such an affection (936 foll. 1452 foll.). But this soon brings him back to the main theme, his homeless and hopeless state.
300ff. mvp-comment-216-2 Neoptolemus as a Greek (234), a neighbour (242), and above all as the son of Achilles (260), has completely won the confidence of Philoctetes, whose misery and isolation, while embittering his sense of wrong, have left unimpaired the open trustfulness of his nature. After pouring out his troubles, he begins to describe the island, his rugged nurse, for which he has formed such an affection (936 foll. 1452 foll.). But this soon brings him back to the main theme, his homeless and hopeless state.
300. mvp-comment-217-1 φέρ᾽.. μάθῃς] The construction is the same that is usual in the first person, because φέρε.. μάθῃς is a courteous equivalent for φέρε διδάξω σε. Cp. Ar. Plut. 1027, τί γὰρ ποιήσῃ ; In what follows Philoctetes speaks of Lemnos as he knows it. Cp. supr. l. 2 and note. In some traditions Philoctetes was said to have been cast forth on a desert islet in the neighbourhood of Lemnos. At best Lemnos (Λήμνος ἠγαθέη) was imagined as a wild, uncultivated region in the early times.
300. mvp-comment-217-2 φέρ᾽.. μάθῃς] The construction is the same that is usual in the first person, because φέρε.. μάθῃς is a courteous equivalent for φέρε διδάξω σε. Cp. Ar. Plut. 1027, τί γὰρ ποιήσῃ ; In what follows Philoctetes speaks of Lemnos as he knows it. Cp. supr. l. 2 and note. In some traditions Philoctetes was said to have been cast forth on a desert islet in the neighbourhood of Lemnos. At best Lemnos (Λήμνος ἠγαθέη) was imagined as a wild, uncultivated region in the early times.
302. mvp-comment-218-1 ὅρμος] Cp. Aesch. Phil. fr. 246, ἔνθ᾽ οὔτε μίμνειν ἄνεμος οὔτε πλεῖν ἐᾷ, where, however, the language may be metaphorical.
302. mvp-comment-218-2 ὅρμος] Cp. Aesch. Phil. fr. 246, ἔνθ᾽ οὔτε μίμνειν ἄνεμος οὔτε πλεῖν ἐᾷ, where, however, the language may be metaphorical.
303. mvp-comment-219-1 ἐξεμπολήσει] Sc. ἐκεῖθεν. ἢ ξενώσεται] «Or be well received.' Fut. mid. with passive meaning.
303. mvp-comment-219-2 ἐξεμπολήσει] Sc. ἐκεῖθεν. ἢ ξενώσεται] «Or be well received.' Fut. mid. with passive meaning.
305. mvp-comment-220-1 †τάχ᾽ οὖν τις ἄκων ἔσχε] 'Well, it may be, one did put in here against his will.' τάχα used as in τάχ᾽ ἄν. Cp. Plat. Legg. B. 4. 711 Α, ὑμεῖς δὲ τάχα οὐδὲ τεθέασθε τυραννουμένην πόλιν. οὖν introduces a modification or admission. 'No one puts in here willingly; unwillingly. however, some one may have brought his ship this way.' ἔσχε] For the aor., cp. supr. 297, ἔφην. ἔσχε = κατέσχε, the simple verb for the compound. But query *κατ᾽ οὖν τις ἄκων ἔσχε (i. e. κατέσχε τις οὖν ἄκων)? (For a case of tmesis in the senarii, cp. infr. 817). πολλὰ γὰρ . . χρόνῳ] 'Such incidents might happen many times in the long course of human history.' πολλά is predicative and τάδε = τοιάδε. For this, cp. Aj. 1246, ἐκ τῶνδε μέντοι τῶν τρόπων οὐκ ἄν ποτε | κατάστασις γένοιτ᾽ ἂν οὐδενὸς νόμου. It may be doubted whether ἀνθρώπων is to be taken with τάδε = 'Such human accidents,' or with χρόνῳ = ' The time during which men have existed.' For the latter, cp. Hdt. 6. 109, μνημόσυνα λιπέσθαι ἐς τὸν ἅπαντα ἀνθρώπων βίον. And for the idea, cp. Hdt. 5. 9, γένοιτο δ᾽ ἂν πᾶν ἐν τῷ μακρῷ χρόνῳ: Agathon, Fr. 9. τάχ᾿ ἄν τις εἰκὸς αὐτὸ τοῦτ᾽ εἶναι λέγοι | βροτοῖσι πολλὰ τυγχάνειν οὐκ εἰκότα.
305. mvp-comment-220-2 †τάχ᾽ οὖν τις ἄκων ἔσχε] 'Well, it may be, one did put in here against his will.' τάχα used as in τάχ᾽ ἄν. Cp. Plat. Legg. B. 4. 711 Α, ὑμεῖς δὲ τάχα οὐδὲ τεθέασθε τυραννουμένην πόλιν. οὖν introduces a modification or admission. 'No one puts in here willingly; unwillingly. however, some one may have brought his ship this way.' ἔσχε] For the aor., cp. supr. 297, ἔφην. ἔσχε = κατέσχε, the simple verb for the compound. But query *κατ᾽ οὖν τις ἄκων ἔσχε (i. e. κατέσχε τις οὖν ἄκων)? (For a case of tmesis in the senarii, cp. infr. 817). πολλὰ γὰρ . . χρόνῳ] 'Such incidents might happen many times in the long course of human history.' πολλά is predicative and τάδε = τοιάδε. For this, cp. Aj. 1246, ἐκ τῶνδε μέντοι τῶν τρόπων οὐκ ἄν ποτε | κατάστασις γένοιτ᾽ ἂν οὐδενὸς νόμου. It may be doubted whether ἀνθρώπων is to be taken with τάδε = 'Such human accidents,' or with χρόνῳ = ' The time during which men have existed.' For the latter, cp. Hdt. 6. 109, μνημόσυνα λιπέσθαι ἐς τὸν ἅπαντα ἀνθρώπων βίον. And for the idea, cp. Hdt. 5. 9, γένοιτο δ᾽ ἂν πᾶν ἐν τῷ μακρῷ χρόνῳ: Agathon, Fr. 9. τάχ᾿ ἄν τις εἰκὸς αὐτὸ τοῦτ᾽ εἶναι λέγοι | βροτοῖσι πολλὰ τυγχάνειν οὐκ εἰκότα.
306. mvp-comment-221-1 ἄν om add
306. mvp-comment-221-2 ἄν om add
308. mvp-comment-222-1 μέν] Νo doubt,' belonging in sense rather to λόγοις than to ἐλεοῦσι. καί που .. προσέδοσαν] ‘And perchance have gone so far (προσ-) as to impart to me some portion of food.' The gnomic aorist is used of that which happens now and again. 'They always express pity, they sometimes give.'
308. mvp-comment-222-2 μέν] Νo doubt,' belonging in sense rather to λόγοις than to ἐλεοῦσι. καί που .. προσέδοσαν] ‘And perchance have gone so far (προσ-) as to impart to me some portion of food.' The gnomic aorist is used of that which happens now and again. 'They always express pity, they sometimes give.'
309. mvp-comment-223-1 οἰκτείραντες, Touched with compassion, 'is also in the 'momentary' tense.
309. mvp-comment-223-2 οἰκτείραντες, Touched with compassion, 'is also in the 'momentary' tense.
310. mvp-comment-224-1 ἐκεῖνο] «That which is always in my thoughts.' Cp. Ar. Nub. 657, ἐκεῖν, ἐκεῖνο, τὸν ἀδικώτερον λόγον. The pronoun here stands in the place of an infinitive.
310. mvp-comment-224-2 ἐκεῖνο] «That which is always in my thoughts.' Cp. Ar. Nub. 657, ἐκεῖν, ἐκεῖνο, τὸν ἀδικώτερον λόγον. The pronoun here stands in the place of an infinitive.
311. mvp-comment-225-1 σῶσαι] Cp. infr. 488, 496.
311. mvp-comment-225-2 σῶσαι] Cp. infr. 488, 496.
312. mvp-comment-226-1 ἔτος .. δέκατον] These words are to be joined with ἀπόλλυμαι and resumed with βόσκων.
312. mvp-comment-226-2 ἔτος .. δέκατον] These words are to be joined with ἀπόλλυμαι and resumed with βόσκων.
313. mvp-comment-227-1 βόσκων] 'Supporting.' Philoctetes only lived to suffer. Cp. infr. 795, 1167. ἀδηφάγον] Cp. infr. 756-8.
313. mvp-comment-227-2 βόσκων] 'Supporting.' Philoctetes only lived to suffer. Cp. infr. 795, 1167. ἀδηφάγον] Cp. infr. 756-8.
314. mvp-comment-228-1 ἤ τ᾿ Οδυσσέως βία] ‘And great Odysseus.' Cp. infr. 321, 344. The Epic phrase is used with a touch of sarcastic irony, but probably (unlike Virgil's 'violentia Turni') without direct reference to the violence of the act.
314. mvp-comment-228-2 ἤ τ᾿ Οδυσσέως βία] ‘And great Odysseus.' Cp. infr. 321, 344. The Epic phrase is used with a touch of sarcastic irony, but probably (unlike Virgil's 'violentia Turni') without direct reference to the violence of the act.
315. mvp-comment-229-1 Whom may the Olympian gods some day cause to suffer in their own persons (αὐτοῖς) full requital for my wrong!' So Brunck, Linwood, Paley, rightly. For the emphatic αὐτοῖς here opposed to ἐμοῦ, cp. supr. 275. In order to avoid this Porson conjectured οἱ Ὀλύμπιοι θεοί.
315. mvp-comment-229-2 Whom may the Olympian gods some day cause to suffer in their own persons (αὐτοῖς) full requital for my wrong!' So Brunck, Linwood, Paley, rightly. For the emphatic αὐτοῖς here opposed to ἐμοῦ, cp. supr. 275. In order to avoid this Porson conjectured οἱ Ὀλύμπιοι θεοί.
317. mvp-comment-230-1 ἔοικα] It would seem that I.' Cp. Aesch. Prom. 1007, λέγων ἔοικα πολλὰ καὶ μάτην ἐρεῖν.
317. mvp-comment-230-2 ἔοικα] It would seem that I.' Cp. Aesch. Prom. 1007, λέγων ἔοικα πολλὰ καὶ μάτην ἐρεῖν.
317-318. mvp-comment-231-1 The Chorus express pity for Philoctetes, but tacitly remind themselves that their pity will not be shown in action.
317-318. mvp-comment-231-2 The Chorus express pity for Philoctetes, but tacitly remind themselves that their pity will not be shown in action.
319. mvp-comment-232-1 Neoptolemus. But I do more than pity him, for I am a witness on his side.' καί with the whole sentence. For ἐν, ὢν has been conjectured. But ἐν may well express that Neoptolemus enters into the cause of Philoctetes, and is not merely an auditor of his case. Myself a witness in this plea, I know it to be well-founded.'
319. mvp-comment-232-2 Neoptolemus. But I do more than pity him, for I am a witness on his side.' καί with the whole sentence. For ἐν, ὢν has been conjectured. But ἐν may well express that Neoptolemus enters into the cause of Philoctetes, and is not merely an auditor of his case. Myself a witness in this plea, I know it to be well-founded.'
320. mvp-comment-233-1 συντυχών] συντυχεῖν is generally construed with a dative, and the preposition has therefore here a separate meaning. Having in like manner found. So the Scholiast and Nauck.
320. mvp-comment-233-2 συντυχών] συντυχεῖν is generally construed with a dative, and the preposition has therefore here a separate meaning. Having in like manner found. So the Scholiast and Nauck.
324. mvp-comment-234-1 May it be mine one day to satiate my wrathful soul with violent action!' There can be little doubt that the correction is right. For a similar confusion in all the MSS., cp. O. Т. 376.
324. mvp-comment-234-2 May it be mine one day to satiate my wrathful soul with violent action!' There can be little doubt that the correction is right. For a similar confusion in all the MSS., cp. O. Т. 376.
327. mvp-comment-235-1 εὖ γ᾽, ὦ τέκνον] 'Well said, my son!' Philoctetes' delight in Neoptolemus is further heightened by this supposed discovery of a common resentment. τίνος . . ἐλήλυθας] ‘For what cause do you thus bring against them the accusation of your violent anger?' τίνος, genitive of the reason (Essay on L. § 10. p. 15). Cp. Ο. Τ. 698, ὅτου μῆνιν τοσήνδε πράγματος στήσας ἔχεις. γάρ asks for explanation. ἐλήλυθας is redundant (Essay on L. § 40. p. 75). τὸν μέγαν χόλον] The mighty anger which you now evince.' For the slight inexactness in ἐγκαλεῖν χόλον, cp. О. Т. 702, λέγ', εἰ σαφῶς τὸ νεῖκος ἐγκαλῶν ἐρεῖς.
327. mvp-comment-235-2 εὖ γ᾽, ὦ τέκνον] 'Well said, my son!' Philoctetes' delight in Neoptolemus is further heightened by this supposed discovery of a common resentment. τίνος . . ἐλήλυθας] ‘For what cause do you thus bring against them the accusation of your violent anger?' τίνος, genitive of the reason (Essay on L. § 10. p. 15). Cp. Ο. Τ. 698, ὅτου μῆνιν τοσήνδε πράγματος στήσας ἔχεις. γάρ asks for explanation. ἐλήλυθας is redundant (Essay on L. § 40. p. 75). τὸν μέγαν χόλον] The mighty anger which you now evince.' For the slight inexactness in ἐγκαλεῖν χόλον, cp. О. Т. 702, λέγ', εἰ σαφῶς τὸ νεῖκος ἐγκαλῶν ἐρεῖς.
329. mvp-comment-236-1 μόλις δ᾽ ἐρῶ] 'Though I shall find it hard to speak of it, i.e. To command myself sufficiently to do so. Schol. ὑπὸ τῆς ὀργῆς. Cp. Ο. C. 326, λύπῃ . . μόλις βλέπω.
329. mvp-comment-236-2 μόλις δ᾽ ἐρῶ] 'Though I shall find it hard to speak of it, i.e. To command myself sufficiently to do so. Schol. ὑπὸ τῆς ὀργῆς. Cp. Ο. C. 326, λύπῃ . . μόλις βλέπω.
331. mvp-comment-237-1 ἐπεὶ γάρ] These words introduce the occasion of his coming, in explanation of μολών. ἔσχε.. θανεῖν] 'The fate of death overtook Achilles.' θανεῖν, epexegetic inf. For ἔσχε, cp. Eur. Hec. 5, ἐπεὶ Φρυγῶν πόλιν | κίνδυνος ἔσχε δορὶ πεσεῖν Ἑλληνικῷ.
331. mvp-comment-237-2 ἐπεὶ γάρ] These words introduce the occasion of his coming, in explanation of μολών. ἔσχε.. θανεῖν] 'The fate of death overtook Achilles.' θανεῖν, epexegetic inf. For ἔσχε, cp. Eur. Hec. 5, ἐπεὶ Φρυγῶν πόλιν | κίνδυνος ἔσχε δορὶ πεσεῖν Ἑλληνικῷ.
332-339. mvp-comment-238-1 This brief digression and the longer one below (410-460), have the effect (a) of showing the generous nature of Philoctetes, who, beneath his apparently obdurate resentment, really retains an unabated interest in the affairs of the army, and (b) of giving opportunity for the growth of friendly feeling between him and Neoptolemus. The news of Achilles' death so affects him as to make him for a moment forget his own suffering (339-40).
332-339. mvp-comment-238-2 This brief digression and the longer one below (410-460), have the effect (a) of showing the generous nature of Philoctetes, who, beneath his apparently obdurate resentment, really retains an unabated interest in the affairs of the army, and (b) of giving opportunity for the growth of friendly feeling between him and Neoptolemus. The news of Achilles' death so affects him as to make him for a moment forget his own suffering (339-40).
334. mvp-comment-239-1 ἀνδρός is genitive of cause, for which ὕπο afterwards supplies a more distinct construction.
334. mvp-comment-239-2 ἀνδρός is genitive of cause, for which ὕπο afterwards supplies a more distinct construction.
335. mvp-comment-240-1 τοξευτὸς .. δαμείς] Subdued, so they tell the tale, with an arrow from the bow of Phoebus.' τοξευτός is a subsidiary predicate to δαμείς, for which word in this connection, cp. Il. 19. 417, θεῷ τε καὶ ἀνέρι ἶφι δαμῆναι. ἐκ rather than ὑπό, because the arrow came from the hand of Apollo. Cp. Il. 21. 277, 8, ἥ μ᾿ ἔφατο Τρώων ὑπὸ τείχεϊ θωρηκτάων | λαιψηροῖς ὀλέεσθαι᾿ Απόλλωνος βελέεσσιν. Or, if the arrow were that of Paris, ἐκ denotes the remote agent, and Neoptolemus must be supposed to avoid mentioning the slight man' who had been the immediate author of Achilles' death.
335. mvp-comment-240-2 τοξευτὸς .. δαμείς] Subdued, so they tell the tale, with an arrow from the bow of Phoebus.' τοξευτός is a subsidiary predicate to δαμείς, for which word in this connection, cp. Il. 19. 417, θεῷ τε καὶ ἀνέρι ἶφι δαμῆναι. ἐκ rather than ὑπό, because the arrow came from the hand of Apollo. Cp. Il. 21. 277, 8, ἥ μ᾿ ἔφατο Τρώων ὑπὸ τείχεϊ θωρηκτάων | λαιψηροῖς ὀλέεσθαι᾿ Απόλλωνος βελέεσσιν. Or, if the arrow were that of Paris, ἐκ denotes the remote agent, and Neoptolemus must be supposed to avoid mentioning the slight man' who had been the immediate author of Achilles' death.
336. mvp-comment-241-1 Cp. Il. 21. 280, τῷ κ᾿ ἀγαθὸς μὲν ἔπεφν᾽, ἀγαθὸν δέ κεν ἐξενάριξεν.
336. mvp-comment-241-2 Cp. Il. 21. 280, τῷ κ᾿ ἀγαθὸς μὲν ἔπεφν᾽, ἀγαθὸν δέ κεν ἐξενάριξεν.
337-338. mvp-comment-242-1 The delicate courtesy of these lines is no less obvious than their self-forgetfulness.
337-338. mvp-comment-242-2 The delicate courtesy of these lines is no less obvious than their self-forgetfulness.
342. mvp-comment-243-1 ὅτῳ σ᾽ ἐνύβρισαν] ὅτῳ (governed by ἐν in ἐνύβρισαν) is best taken separate from τὸ σὸν πρᾶγμα. ‘Tell me your own affair; what was the point in which they insulted you?'
342. mvp-comment-243-2 ὅτῳ σ᾽ ἐνύβρισαν] ὅτῳ (governed by ἐν in ἐνύβρισαν) is best taken separate from τὸ σὸν πρᾶγμα. ‘Tell me your own affair; what was the point in which they insulted you?'
343. mvp-comment-244-1 ἦλθον.. μέτα = μετῆλθον. ποικιλοστόλῳ] = σὺν ποικιλίαις ἐσταλμένῃ, 'Decked out with ornament,' as being sent on an honorific mission. Others, With variegated prow' (στόλος); but in this less poetical sense it would be better to read ποικιλοστόμῳ. See v. rr.
343. mvp-comment-244-2 ἦλθον.. μέτα = μετῆλθον. ποικιλοστόλῳ] = σὺν ποικιλίαις ἐσταλμένῃ, 'Decked out with ornament,' as being sent on an honorific mission. Others, With variegated prow' (στόλος); but in this less poetical sense it would be better to read ποικιλοστόμῳ. See v. rr.
344. mvp-comment-245-1 δῖος] The constant Homeric title, which Neoptolemus uses out of habit. χώ τροφεύς] Phoenix.
344. mvp-comment-245-2 δῖος] The constant Homeric title, which Neoptolemus uses out of habit. χώ τροφεύς] Phoenix.
345. mvp-comment-246-1 μάτην] 'Groundlessly.'
345. mvp-comment-246-2 μάτην] 'Groundlessly.'
346. mvp-comment-247-1 ὡς . . γίγνοιτ'] 'That it came to be a thing irreconcileable with destiny.' Cp. Ant. 260, κἂν ἐγίγνετο, and note.
346. mvp-comment-247-2 ὡς . . γίγνοιτ'] 'That it came to be a thing irreconcileable with destiny.' Cp. Ant. 260, κἂν ἐγίγνετο, and note.
348-349. mvp-comment-248-1 οὐ πολὺν .. ταχύ] · They did not long restrain me, but that I set forth with speed.' On the indirectness of this way of saying, 'Their words were like a goad inciting me,' see Essay on L. § 42, a. p. 79. For μή we should rather expect μὴ οὐ. But though the addition of οὐ is permissible in such cases, there is no absolute rule. And ὦ ξένε, by suggesting 'You may imagine,' gives an hypothetical turn to the expression.
348-349. mvp-comment-248-2 οὐ πολὺν .. ταχύ] · They did not long restrain me, but that I set forth with speed.' On the indirectness of this way of saying, 'Their words were like a goad inciting me,' see Essay on L. § 42, a. p. 79. For μή we should rather expect μὴ οὐ. But though the addition of οὐ is permissible in such cases, there is no absolute rule. And ὦ ξένε, by suggesting 'You may imagine,' gives an hypothetical turn to the expression.
351. mvp-comment-249-1 οὐ γὰρ εἰδόμην] 'For I had not seen my father.' Schol. ζῶντα. It is objected to this that when Achilles went to Troy from Scyros, Neoptolemus must have been old enough to remember him. But this is one of those improbabilities which are external to the action and were it otherwise, there is no proof that Sophocles in the Philoctetes follows the version of the story which made Scyros Achilles' starting-point for Troy. Nor would there be anything unnatural in Neoptolemus saying, 'I had not seen him,' without adding, for so long.' Cp. Aj. 570, εἰσαεί, and note; Eur. Troad. 377, οὐ παῖδας εἶδον, sc. πάλιν. Seyffert reads, οὐδ᾽ ἄρ᾽ εἰδόμην, and Prof. Jebb has suggested εἰ γὰρ εἰδόμην. But (a), as Mr. Blaydes remarks, it is natural to infer from 359 that Neoptolemus did see the body of Achilles: and (b) does not such an ejaculation unduly interrupt the flow of the narrative? Neoptolemus is not speaking from real feeling, and there is no occasion for him to 'daub it so far, nor for the poet to invent the circumstance of his failing to see the body. The language resembles that of Od. 4. 200, 1, οὐ γὰρ ἔγωγε | ἤντησ᾽ οὐδὲ ἴδον, said by Peisistratus of his eldest brother Antilochus. But Peisistratus (Od. 3. 401) would be a mere infant at the time of the departure for Troy.
351. mvp-comment-249-2 οὐ γὰρ εἰδόμην] 'For I had not seen my father.' Schol. ζῶντα. It is objected to this that when Achilles went to Troy from Scyros, Neoptolemus must have been old enough to remember him. But this is one of those improbabilities which are external to the action and were it otherwise, there is no proof that Sophocles in the Philoctetes follows the version of the story which made Scyros Achilles' starting-point for Troy. Nor would there be anything unnatural in Neoptolemus saying, 'I had not seen him,' without adding, for so long.' Cp. Aj. 570, εἰσαεί, and note; Eur. Troad. 377, οὐ παῖδας εἶδον, sc. πάλιν. Seyffert reads, οὐδ᾽ ἄρ᾽ εἰδόμην, and Prof. Jebb has suggested εἰ γὰρ εἰδόμην. But (a), as Mr. Blaydes remarks, it is natural to infer from 359 that Neoptolemus did see the body of Achilles: and (b) does not such an ejaculation unduly interrupt the flow of the narrative? Neoptolemus is not speaking from real feeling, and there is no occasion for him to 'daub it so far, nor for the poet to invent the circumstance of his failing to see the body. The language resembles that of Od. 4. 200, 1, οὐ γὰρ ἔγωγε | ἤντησ᾽ οὐδὲ ἴδον, said by Peisistratus of his eldest brother Antilochus. But Peisistratus (Od. 3. 401) would be a mere infant at the time of the departure for Troy.
352-353. mvp-comment-250-1 However, besides this, the proposal had a fair colour given to it in their declaration that, if I came (ἰών), Ι should take the citadel that commanded Troy.' For ὁ λόγος, cp. supr. 345-7. προσῆν] Cp. supr. 129, ὡς ἂν ἀγνοία προσῇ.
352-353. mvp-comment-250-2 However, besides this, the proposal had a fair colour given to it in their declaration that, if I came (ἰών), Ι should take the citadel that commanded Troy.' For ὁ λόγος, cp. supr. 345-7. προσῆν] Cp. supr. 129, ὡς ἂν ἀγνοία προσῇ.
353. mvp-comment-251-1 For εἰ.. αἱρήσοιμι, see Essay on L. § 28. p. 46.
353. mvp-comment-251-2 For εἰ.. αἱρήσοιμι, see Essay on L. § 28. p. 46.
355. mvp-comment-252-1 πικρὸν Σίγειον] 'Cruel Sigeum,' i. e. where I was destined to find so much vexation: the mourning for his father, who was buried there, being embittered by the refusal of the arms. Cp. Rhes. 734, ὦ στυγνοτάτην Τροίαν ἐσιδών. To this, however, some editors prefer the conjecture of Burges, 'π' ἄκρον Σίγειον ! οὐρίῳ πλάτῃ] · With favourable voyage.' This is objected to, apparently because oars would not be used under a fair wind. But πλάτη often occurs in Tragedy in the general sense of making way at sea. Cp. Eur. Hel. 192, Ι. Τ. 242. And as the vessel drew near shore the sail would of course be lowered, and the oars brought into play.
355. mvp-comment-252-2 πικρὸν Σίγειον] 'Cruel Sigeum,' i. e. where I was destined to find so much vexation: the mourning for his father, who was buried there, being embittered by the refusal of the arms. Cp. Rhes. 734, ὦ στυγνοτάτην Τροίαν ἐσιδών. To this, however, some editors prefer the conjecture of Burges, 'π' ἄκρον Σίγειον ! οὐρίῳ πλάτῃ] · With favourable voyage.' This is objected to, apparently because oars would not be used under a fair wind. But πλάτη often occurs in Tragedy in the general sense of making way at sea. Cp. Eur. Hel. 192, Ι. Τ. 242. And as the vessel drew near shore the sail would of course be lowered, and the oars brought into play.
356-357. mvp-comment-253-1 κατηγόμην, | καὶ καὶ . . εὐθὺς .. ἐκβάντα] The narrative is condensed.
356-357. mvp-comment-253-2 κατηγόμην, | καὶ καὶ . . εὐθὺς .. ἐκβάντα] The narrative is condensed.
358. mvp-comment-254-1 'Achilles, who no longer lived, alive again.' Cp. the Trag. fr. quoted by Plutarch, Alc. 203 D, οὐ παῖς ᾿Αχιλλέως ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνος αὐτὸς εἶ.
359. mvp-comment-255-1 ἔκειτ'] 'Lay low.' The most natural way of understanding this is to suppose that Neoptolemus saw his father laid out and buried, without being burned. Cp. Aj. sub fin. (from 1402). It might also mean that Achilles was already buried when Neoptolemus arrived. But, as Hermann observes, there is nothing to indicate that the hope expressed in supr. 351 was thus disappointed. The fiction of Neoptolemus is rather that after the funeral the question of the arms was quickly disposed of whilst he was absorbed in his grief.
360. mvp-comment-256-1 οὐ μακρῷ χρόνῳ] • Before long.' These words are connected with what follows, and imply that the mourning did not long detain him from the object of his ambition.
361. mvp-comment-257-1 πρὸς φίλους, ὡς εἰκὸς ἦν] i. e. πρὸς ᾿Ατρ. ὡς πρὸς φίλους, ὥσπερ εἰκὸς ἦν αὐτοὺς εἶναι φίλους. For the omission of ὡς with ὡς following, see Essay on L. § 39. p. 73, 5, a. 'Assuming their friendship, as I had reason to do.'
362. mvp-comment-258-1 ὅσ᾽ ἦν] Sc. τοῦ πατρός.
363. mvp-comment-259-1 οἴμοι expresses not only personal disappointment (infr. 368, καταλγήσας), but also grieved astonishment that men could be so hardened.
364-365. mvp-comment-260-1 τἄλλα .. πατρῷ᾽ ἑλέσθαι] Cp. Αj. 572, μήθ᾽ ὁ λυμεὼν ἐμός. In ordinary Greek the article would be repeated with πατρῷα, which, however, is here resumed in close connection with ἑλέσθαι. 'To take in right of your father the other things:' i. e. To take the other things which are yours in right of your father.
365. mvp-comment-261-1 κείνων] "Those well-known arms,' viz. τῶν Ἡφαιστοτεύκτων.
367-368. mvp-comment-262-1 Then tears burst from me, and I straightway rose in grievous wrath, and broke forth on them indignantly, and said.' καταλγήσας, sc. κατ᾿ αὐτῶν.
369. mvp-comment-263-1 ὦ σχέτλι', ἢ τολμήσατ᾽] The voc. sing. σχέτλιε is addressed to Agamemnon, or whichever was the spokesman of the Atreidae. It is unnecessary to suppose a crasis of σχέτλιοι ἦ. For ἀντ' ἐμοῦ, cp. Αj. 444, οὐκ ἄν τις αὔτ᾽ ἔμαρψεν ἄλλος ἀντ᾿ ἐμοῦ.
370. mvp-comment-264-1 τὰ τεύχη τἀμά] The repeated article here emphasizes both words. 'Those arms, my arms, without consulting me!' πρὶν μαθεῖν ἐμοῦ] 'Before understanding from me,' sc. my will concerning them.
371. mvp-comment-265-1 ὁ δ᾽ εἰπ᾿ Ὀδυσσεύς] The order of words is in the Epic manner (see Essay on L. § 21. p. 33, 5), the noun being placed in apposition to the article as a demonstrative pronoun. 'Then spake that other, Odysseus, for he was at hand.' ὢν κύρει] The omission of the augment, Epicè, in narrative ῥήσεις is proved by the crucial instance τινὸς | θώϋξεν in O. C. 1623, 4. It was therefore unnecessary to resort to conjectural emendation here. (ἦν κυρῶν, Brunck.)
372. mvp-comment-266-1 ναί, παῖ] 'Yea, child!' Odysseus is supposed to treat the youth with insolent condescension.
373. mvp-comment-267-1 This achievement of Odysseus is alluded to in Od. 5. 309, ἤματι τῷ ὅτε μοι πλεῖστοι χαλκήρεα δοῦρα | Τρώες ἐπέρριψαν περὶ Πηλείωνι θανόντι. It was doubtless fully narrated in the Ilias Minor, from which Ovid probably derived it, Met. 13. 284, (quoted by Gedike): 'His humeris, his, inquam, humeris ego corpus Achillis | Et simul arma tuli, quae nunc quoque ferre laboro.' παρών hints the reproach which comes out afterwards, l. 379.
374. mvp-comment-268-1 ἤρασσον] 'I laid it on ;' ἀράσσω is here used absolutely. Cp. Ar. Nub. 1373, ἐξαράττω. And for the meaning, 'To assail with violent words,' cp. also Aj. 725, (αὐτὸν . . ὀνείδεσιν) ἤρασσον ἔνθεν κἄνθεν.
375. mvp-comment-269-1 οὐδὲν ἐνδεὲς ποιούμενος, εἰ] The clause with εἰ (for which see Essay on L. § 28, 1. p. 46), depends on the notion of the middle voice in ποιούμενος. Not caring to make any omission' (sparing no abuse) 'when I thought how my arms were to be taken from me by Odysseus.' Cp. Od. 21. 170, (νεμεσσῶμαι δέ τ᾽ ἀκούων) εἰ δὴ τοῦτό γε τόξον ἀριστῆας κεκαδήσει | θυμοῦ καὶ ψυχῆς. ποιούμενος is subj. middle, - for my part.'
376. mvp-comment-270-1 κεῖνος] i. e. ὁ κακὸς κἀκ κακῶν Ὀδυσσεύς, infr. 384.
377. mvp-comment-271-1 ἐνθάδ᾽ ἥκων] 'At this pass,' i. e. when he found himself resisted by a boy.
378. mvp-comment-272-1 δηχθεὶς πρὸς ἁξήκουσεν] ‘Stung at what he heard.' πρός with accusative, as in πρὸς ταῦτα. πρὸς ἀξ. should be joined in the first instance with δηχθείς, and resumed with ἠμείψατο.
379. mvp-comment-273-1 ἵν᾿ οὐ σ᾽ ἔδει] Sc. ἀπεῖναι. 'Where you ought to have been present.' The reproach is not that Neoptolemus was at Scyros, but that he was not in the battle field at Troy at the time when his father fell. Schol., οὐ παρῆς, ἔνθα ἔδει σε παρεῖναι. Infr. 429.
380. mvp-comment-274-1 The language is not perfectly exact; ταῦτα is primarily the object of ἔχων, but is to be resumed with λέγεις in a different sense. For such ellipse, see E. on L. § 39. p. 73, and cp. supr. 361, and note.
384. mvp-comment-275-1 κἀκ κακῶν] Alluding to the supposed Sisyphian parentage, which threw suspicion on the nobility of δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς. To this extent Neoptolemus follows the suggestion of Odysseus, supr. 64, 5.
385. mvp-comment-276-1 ὡς = τοσοῦτον ὅσον, cp. Aj. 679, 80, Ant. 775.
386-387. mvp-comment-277-1 'For a city or army depends wholly upon those who govern.' ἔστι with the genitive here means, 'Is determined by,' i. e. Takes its character from.' πᾶσα = σύμπασα, Wholly, rather than 'Every city.'
388. mvp-comment-278-1 διδασκάλων.. κακοί] Have teachers from whose instruction their badness flows.' This remark is not immediately relevant to Odysseus, but rather to the vote of the army by which the arms were awarded to him, and which is supposed to have been instigated by the Atreidae. Schndw. conjectured δ. τρόποισι.
390. mvp-comment-279-1 ἐμοί θ᾽ ὁμοίως... φίλος] The sentence in being expanded is changed from an assertion to a wish; i.e. ἐμοί τέ ἐστι φίλος καὶ ὁμοίως εἴη καὶ τοῖς θεοῖς φίλος. Cp. Ant. 686, οὔτ᾽ ἂν δυναίμην, μήτ' ἐπισταίμην λέγειν.
391-402;507-518. mvp-comment-280-1 The Chorus show their interest and support Neoptolemus by these strains, which are interwoven with the action, like those in O. T. 660 foll., 689 foll., О. С. 1447-1456, 1477-1485. They wish to assist their master by simulating hatred of the Atreidae and sympathy with Philoctetes. That both feelings are merely assumed, and that the Chorus really understand the situation, is obvious from the exaggerated strength of expression in 510, εἰ δὲ πικρούς, ἄναξ, ἔχθεις ᾿Ατρείδας. Their feigned excitement, to which the mixture of dochmiac and iambo-bacchic metre is well suited, was no doubt expressed with gestures accompanying the recitation, by the two half-choruses, of strophe and antistrophe severally.
391. mvp-comment-281-1 The Great Mother, who is here invoked, is said to have been worshipped at Lemnos as well as in Phrygia Steph. Byz. s. ν. Λήμνος, quoted by Gedike). And there is besides a special appropriateness in the invocation of this primal power of nature upon a desert shore, where no temples were to be seen. Bernhardy's remark, that the invocation of Rhea confirms the late date of the Philoctetes, is hardly warranted.
392. mvp-comment-282-1 ἃ . . νέμεις) 'That givest the mighty river Pactolus to be rich in gold.' For νέμω, meaning, 'To dispense or give forth,' cp. O. C. 687, Κηφισοῦ νομάδες ῥεέθρων. εὔχρυσον is a supplementary predicate = ὥστε εὔχρυσον εἶναι οἱ ῥεῖν. μέγας is, 'Deserving awe and reverence.' Cp. Plato, Phaedo, 62 Β, ὁ . . ἐν ἀπορρήτοις λόγος . . μέγας τέ τίς μοι φαίνεται καὶ οὐ ῥάδιος διϊδεῖν. The Pactolus comes from the mountains of Phrygia, and its peculiar virtue is attributed to the bounty of the universal mother, whose home was there.
395. mvp-comment-283-1 ἐπηυδώμαν ἐπηυδώμαν The middle voice expresses, 'I invoked for my behoof.'