Sophocles Philoctetes 136

mvp-comment-364-1 ἀνέστησας πέρα ¹ πέρα ² πέρα ³ ἔνερθεν ⁴ πέρα ⁵ μ’ ὕ ⁶ περ ⁷ ἀναστήσας πάρει ⁸ πέρα ⁹

mvp-comment-365-1 ταῦτα ¹⁰ παρέσται σοι ¹¹ καὶ θιγγάνειν ¹²

mvp-comment-366-1 καὶ δόντι δοῦναι ¹³ δοῦναι ¹⁴ ἐπεύξασθαι ¹⁵ θιγγάνειν ¹⁶

mvp-comment-366-2 669 The acc. μόνον ¹⁷ δόντι ¹⁸ μόνῳ ¹⁹ μόνον ²⁰ ς’ ²¹ ἀρετῆς ²²

mvp-comment-367-1 εὐεργετῶν ²³

mvp-comment-368-1 These three verses, called ‘manifesto spurii’ by Dindorf, are clearly genuine. If they are rejected, then Neoptolemus deigns no reply beyond

to the gracious and cordial speech of Philoctetes. In proof that the verses are pointless, Dindorf says:—‘Neque enim quidquam beneficii a Philocteta accepit Neoptolemus, ut dici possit.’ Blaydes, though he does not bracket the verses, assents to this argument:—‘Certainly cannot well apply to Neoptolemus.’ But refers, of course, to Philoctetes. Neoptolemus means:—‘I am not sorry that chance drove me to Lemnos, and thus enabled me to gain your friendship. One who is ready to requite a benefit (viz., conveyance to Greece) by such a kindness as this (the promised loan of the bow), must indeed prove to be a priceless friend.’

mvp-comment-369-1 εὖ δρᾶν εὖ παθὼν ²⁴

mvp-comment-369-2 κτήματος ²⁵

664. mvp-comment-471-1 μόνος] Supr. 500.

665. mvp-comment-472-1 πέρα] 'Above their reach.' 'Where they cannot come.' ἀνιστάναι here is not merely 'To raise upright,' but To set up on high.' Cр. O. С. 661-3, κείνοις δ᾽ ἴσως κεὶ δείν᾽ ἐπερρώσθη λέγειν | τῆς σῆς ἀγωγῆς, οἶδ᾽ ἐγώ, φανή- | σεται | μακρὸν τὸ δεῦρο πέλαγος, οὐδὲ πλώσιμον: Aesch. Cho. 789.

666. mvp-comment-473-1 θιγγάνειν] ‘To handle for a while.’ This word, expressing a lingering process, is rightly in the continuous tense, although δόντι . . ἐξεπεύξασθαι are aorists. Cp. Il. 6. 322, τόξ᾽ ἁφόωντα.

667. mvp-comment-474-1 καὶ δόντι δοῦναι] This illogical addition is singularly expressive of the nervous anxiety of Philoctetes at the thought of giving the bow out of his hands: 'You shall have it in your grasp; I will give it you, and you will give it me again; and then you shall freely boast, etc.' While saying this, Philoctetes does not at once give the bow to Neoptolemus. Cp. infr. 762 foll.

669. mvp-comment-475-1 Cp. infr. 801-3.

670-672. mvp-comment-476-1 These three lines seem out of place. Either there is a lacuna after 670, or they have crept into the text out of the margin, where some hand had inserted them as an apposite quotation from some other play. They have not the appearance of a deliberate interpolation, nor is the difficulty obviated by assigning them to Neoptolemus. If they are retained, they can only mean, 'I do not feel this generous action burdensome, now that I have seen and found a friend in you. For no possession can be equal to a friend who knows (as I am sure you do) how to return kindness for kindness done to him.' In other words, to secure so true a friend as Neoptolemus, even the effort of relinquishing the bow for a moment is not too much. But ἄχθομαι has no object; and the promised kindness of Neoptolemus was not conditional on his being allowed to handle the bow.