Sophocles Philoctetes 260

1081-1217. mvp-comment-740-1 Philoctetes now feels that he is left completely alone and helpless. For the shipmates of Neoptolemus are only to remain for a little while, in the vain hope that he will change his mind. The following commos may be divided into two chief portions. The first, 1081-1160, is in effect one long monody of Philoctetes from the stage, of which the pauses are filled with short recitatives addressed to him by single chorcutae. Without noticing these, he continues the strain of his lament. In the second part, 1161-1217, there is a real interchange of lyric numbers between the Chorus and the chief actor. Still chanting singly, the mariners renew their efforts to win his attention. When they succeed in this, he bids them depart. They make as if to go. Then he calls them back again and begs for means of self-destruction. The commos ends on the re-appearance of Neoptolemus followed by Odysseus. It is evident that the second part of it especially must have been accompanied with various gestures and movements to and fro in the orchestra. The 'melodramatic' character of this portion of the Philoctetes (ll. 730-1217) may be compared with the opening of the Oedipus Coloneus. The metrical scheme (in which again there are several doubtful points) is as follows :- α'.
(1.)
_ _ _ _ _UU_
__UU_U_ _
_ _
_ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _
_UU_UU_UU_UU_
(?)_U_U_U_
(2.)
_UU_UU_UU_U_ _
^{1 2}
_ Iambic.
_UU_U_ Glyconic.
Glyconic _UU_U_
Dactylic { _UU_UU_
Iambic _U_U_ _ _
β'.
(1.)
_ _ _ _
__UU_U_ _
__UU_U_ _
_UU_UU_U_
_ _
10 _UU_UU_
(2) _U_U_ _
_U_UU_U_UU__
_U__UU_U_U_U_UU_
15 _UU_U_U_UU_UU_UU_U__ ³
(2.)
__UU_U_U__
_ _ _ _ _UU_
_ _ _ _ _UU_
_U_UU__
U_ _U_UU_U_U__
^{4 5 6}

ἐπ. (ἀπολελυμένα).
(1.)
_U_U_
_ _U_U_U_U_U_U_U_
_U_U_U_
_ _ _ _
_U_UU__UU__UU__
_ _
_ _UU_UUUUUU ⁷
_U_U_ _U_U_
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _UU_U_
__UU_U_U_
20 U_U_U_
U_UU_UU_
_U_U_U_U_U_U_U_U_
_UU_U_
(2.)
_UU_UU_U_
_ _ _U_UU__
_ _ _ _ _U__
_UU_U_U_UUUUU__
_ _ _
30 U_U_U_U_
_UU_U_
_ _U_U_U_U_
_U_U__U_U_
35 U_U_U_

1081-1217. mvp-comment-740-2 In antistrophe _ _ _ _ _ _ _

1081-1217. mvp-comment-740-3 2 Or, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. Cp. β' (2), ll. 2, 3.

1081-1217. mvp-comment-740-4 3

1081-1217. mvp-comment-740-5 In antistrophe U_ _ _

1081-1217. mvp-comment-740-6 2 In antistrophe U_UU_U__

1081-1217. mvp-comment-740-7 3 In antistrophe _ _UU_U_UU_UU_U_U_

1081-1217. mvp-comment-740-8 10

1170-1172. mvp-comment-791-1 Similar astrophic passages in κομμοί occur in O. C. 207-253, Trach. 863-95. Cp. also El. 1273-87. There are three distinct changes in the rhythm, from iambo-dactylic to logaoedic at l. 1186, from this to dactylic at l. 1196, and again at l. 1210 to the iambo-dactylic. The iambics are plaintive and despairing, the logaoedic measures reflect the same feeling, contending against persuasion, while in the more energetic dactyls the contention rises to the height. For an attempt to distribute the parts amongst the various choreutae, see Chr. Muff's Chorische Technik des Sophocles, Halle, 1877.

1171. mvp-comment-792-1 ὦ λῷστε τῶν πρὶν ἐντόπων] Cp. supr. 317, 8. The παλαιὸν ἄλγημα is rather the threat of taking him to Troy ( supr. l. 915 foll.) than the wound at Chrysa.

1172. mvp-comment-793-1 'Why hast thou destroyed me? What hast thou done to me?'

1173. mvp-comment-794-1 τί τοῦτ᾽.. εἰ, κ.τ.λ.] 'Why speak you so?' '(For grief) to think that,' etc. See Essay on L. § 28. p. 46 , and cp. supr. 376.