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Merchant
\EnteT a Spy in the habit of a Merchant, (^ OF THE ^ Scene II.

Philoctetes. Sophocles. Thomas Francklin (Translator). London. 1758–1759.

Current edition Experimental

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) (English) (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (2)

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 718 focus

Νῦν δ᾽ ἀνδρῶν ἀγαθῶν παιδὸς ὑπαντήσας

εὐδαίμων ἀνύσει καὶ μέγας ἐκ κείνων·

ὅς νιν ποντοπόρῳ δούρατι, πλήθει

πολλῶν μηνῶν, πατρῴαν ἄγει πρὸς αὐλάν,

710

Μηλιάδων νυμφᾶν

Σπερχειοῦ τε παρ᾽ ὄχθαις ὄχθας, ἵν᾽ ὁ χάλκασπις ἀνὴρ θεοῖς

πλάθει πᾶσιν, θείῳ πυρὶ παμφαής,

Οἴτας ὄντας ὑπὲρ ὄχθων.

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

ΝΕ.

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 730-826 focus

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἕρπʼ, εἰ θέλεις. τί δή ποθʼ ὧδʼ ἐξ οὐδενὸς
730

λόγου σιωπᾷς κἀπόπληκτος ὧδʼ ἔχει;

Φιλοκτήτης

ἀᾶ, ἀᾶ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί δʼ ἔστιν;

Φιλοκτήτης

οὐδὲν δεινόν· ἀλλʼ ἴθʼ, ὦ τέκνον.

Νεοπτόλεμος

μῶν ἄλγος ἴσχεις τῆς παρεστώσης νόσου;

Φιλοκτήτης

οὐ δῆτʼ ἔγωγʼ, ἀλλʼ ἄρτι κουφίζειν δοκῶ. ὦ θεοί.
735

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί τοὺς θεοὺς ὧδʼ ἀναστένων καλεῖς;

Φιλοκτήτης

σωτῆρας αὐτοὺς ἠπίους θʼ ἡμῖν μολεῖν. ἀᾶ, ἀᾶ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί ποτε πέπονθας; οὐκ ἐρεῖς, ἀλλʼ ὧδʼ ἔσει
740

σιγηλός; ἐν κακῷ δέ τῳ φαίνει κυρῶν.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἀπόλωλα, τέκνον, κοὐ δυνήσομαι κακὸν

κρύψαι παρʼ ὑμῖν, ἀτταταῖ· διέρχεται

διέρχεται. δύστηνος, ὦ τάλας ἐγώ.

ἀπόλωλα, τέκνον· βρύκομαι, τέκνον· παπαῖ,
745

ἀπαππαπαῖ, παπαππαπαππαπαππαπαῖ.

πρὸς θεῶν, πρόχειρον εἴ τί σοι, τέκνον, πάρα

ξίφος χεροῖν, πάταξον εἰς ἄκρον πόδα·

ἀπάμησον ὡς τάχιστα· μὴ φείσῃ βίου. ἴθʼ, ὦ παῖ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί δʼ ἔστιν οὕτω νεοχμὸν ἐξαίφνης, ὅτου

τοσήνδʼ ἰυγὴν καὶ στόνον σαυτοῦ ποεῖ;

Φιλοκτήτης

οἶσθʼ, ὦ τέκνον;

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί δʼ ἔστιν;

Φιλοκτήτης

οἶσθʼ, ὦ παῖ;

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί σοί;

οὐκ οἶδα.

Φιλοκτήτης

πῶς οὐκ οἶσθα; παππαπαππαπαῖ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

δεινόν γε τοὐπίσαγμα τοῦ νοσήματος.
755

Φιλοκτήτης

δεινὸν γὰρ οὐδὲ ῥητόν· ἀλλʼ οἴκτιρέ με.

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί δῆτα δράσω;

Φιλοκτήτης

μή με ταρβήσας προδῷς·

ἥκει γὰρ αὕτη διὰ χρόνου πλάνοις ἴσως

ὡς ἐξεπλήσθη.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἰὼ ἰὼ δύστηνε σύ,

δύστηνε δῆτα διὰ πόνων πάντων φανείς.
760

βούλει λάβωμαι δῆτα καὶ θίγω τί σου;

Φιλοκτήτης

μὴ δῆτα τοῦτό γʼ· ἀλλά μοι τὰ τόξʼ ἑλὼν

τάδʼ, ὥσπερ ᾐτοῦ μʼ ἀρτίως, ἕως ἀνῇ

τὸ πῆμα τοῦτο τῆς νόσου τὸ νῦν παρόν,
765

σῷζʼ αὐτὰ καὶ φύλασσε. λαμβάνει γὰρ οὖν

ὕπνος μʼ, ὅταν περ τὸ κακὸν ἐξίῃ τόδε·

κοὐκ ἔστι λῆξαι πρότερον· ἀλλʼ ἐᾶν χρεὼν

ἕκηλον εὕδειν. ἢν δὲ τῷδε τῷ χρόνῳ

μόλωσʼ ἐκεῖνοι, πρὸς θεῶν ἐφίεμαι
770

ἑκόντα μηδʼ ἄκοντα μηδέ τῳ τέχνῃ

κείνοις μεθεῖναι ταῦτα, μὴ σαυτόν θʼ ἅμα

κἄμʼ, ὄντα σαυτοῦ πρόστροπον, κτείνας γένῃ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

θάρσει προνοίας οὕνεκʼ· οὐ δοθήσεται

πλὴν σοί τε κἀμοί· ξὺν τύχῃ δὲ πρόσφερε.
775

Φιλοκτήτης

ἰδοὺ δέχου, παῖ· τὸν φθόνον δὲ πρόσκυσον

μή σοι γενέσθαι πολύπονʼ αὐτὰ μηδʼ ὅπως

ἐμοί τε καὶ τῷ πρόσθʼ ἐμοῦ κεκτημένῳ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ὦ θεοί, γένοιτο ταῦτα νῷν· γένοιτο δὲ

πλοῦς οὔριός τε κεὐσταλὴς ὅποι ποτὲ
780

θεὸς δικαιοῖ χὠ στόλος πορσύνεται.

782

Φιλοκτήτης

ἀλλʼ οὖν δέδοικα μὴ ἀτέλεστʼ εὔχῃ, τέκνον.

στάζει γὰρ αὖ μοι φοίνιον τόδʼ ἐκ βυθοῦ

κηκῖον αἷμα, καί τι προσδοκῶ νέον.

παπαῖ, φεῦ.
785

παπαῖ μάλʼ, ὦ πούς, οἷά μʼ ἐργάσει κακά.

προσέρπει,

προσέρχεται τόδʼ ἐγγύς. οἴμοι μοι τάλας.

ἔχετε τὸ πρᾶγμα· μὴ φύγητε μηδαμῇ.

ἀτταταῖ.
790

ὦ ξένε Κεφαλλήν, εἴθε σου διαμπερὲς

στέρνων ἔχοιτʼ ἄλγησις ἥδε. φεῦ, παπαῖ,

παπαῖ μάλʼ αὖθις. ὦ διπλοῖ στρατηλάται,

Ἀγάμεμνον, ὦ Μενέλαε, πῶς ἂν ἀντʼ ἐμοῦ

τὸν ἴσον χρόνον τρέφοιτε τήνδε τὴν νόσον; ἰώ μοι.
795

ὦ Θάνατε Θάνατε, πῶς ἀεὶ καλούμενος

οὕτω κατʼ ἦμαρ, οὐ δύνᾳ μολεῖν ποτε;

ὦ τέκνον ὦ γενναῖον, ἀλλὰ συλλαβὼν

τῷ Λημνίῳ τῷδʼ ἀνακαλουμένῳ πυρὶ
800

ἔμπρησον, ὦ γενναῖε· κἀγώ τοί ποτε

τὸν τοῦ Διὸς παῖδʼ ἀντὶ τῶνδε τῶν ὅπλων,

ἃ νῦν σὺ σῴζεις, τοῦτʼ ἐπηξίωσα δρᾶν. τί φής, παῖ;

τί φής; τί σιγᾷς; ποῦ ποτʼ ὤν, τέκνον, κυρεῖς;
805

806

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἀλγῶ πάλαι δὴ τἀπὶ σοὶ στένων κακά.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἀλλʼ, ὦ τέκνον, καὶ θάρσος ἴσχʼ· ὡς ἥδε μοι

ὀξεῖα φοιτᾷ καὶ ταχεῖʼ ἀπέρχεται.

ἀλλʼ ἀντιάζω, μή με καταλίπῃς μόνον.

Νεοπτόλεμος

θάρσει, μενοῦμεν.
810

Φιλοκτήτης

ἦ μενεῖς;

Νεοπτόλεμος

σαφῶς φρόνει.

Φιλοκτήτης

οὐ μήν σʼ ἔνορκόν γʼ ἀξιῶ θέσθαι, τέκνον.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ὡς οὐ θέμις γʼ ἐμοὔστι σοῦ μολεῖν ἄτερ.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἔμβαλλε χειρὸς πίστιν.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἐμβάλλω μενεῖν.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἐκεῖσε νῦν μʼ, ἐκεῖσε

Νεοπτόλεμος

ποῖ λέγεις;

Φιλοκτήτης

ἄνω

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί παραφρονεῖς αὖ; τί τὸν ἄνω λεύσσεις κύκλον;
815

Φιλοκτήτης

μέθες μέθες με.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ποῖ μεθῶ;

Φιλοκτήτης

μέθες ποτέ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

οὔ φημʼ ἐάσειν.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἀπό μʼ ὀλεῖς, ἢν προσθίγῃς.

Νεοπτόλεμος

καὶ δὴ μεθίημʼ, εἴ τι δὴ πλέον φρονεῖς.

Φιλοκτήτης

ὦ γαῖα, δέξαι θανάσιμόν μʼ ὅπως ἔχω

τὸ γὰρ κακὸν τόδʼ οὐκέτʼ ὀρθοῦσθαί μʼ ἐᾷ.
820

Νεοπτόλεμος

τὸν ἄνδρʼ ἔοικεν ὕπνος οὐ μακροῦ χρόνου

ἕξειν· κάρα γὰρ ὑπτιάζεται τόδε·

ἱδρώς γέ τοί νιν πᾶν καταστάζει δέμας,

μέλαινά τʼ ἄκρου τις παρέρρωγεν ποδὸς

αἱμορραγὴς φλέψ. ἀλλʼ ἐάσωμεν, φίλοι,
825

ἕκηλον αὐτόν, ὡς ἂν εἰς ὕπνον πέσῃ.

Translations (4)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 718 focus

But now, consorted with the hero’s child,

He winneth greatness and a joyful change;

Over the water wild

Borne by a friendly bark beneath the range

Of Oeta, where Spercheius fills
710

Wide channels winding among lovely hills

Haunted of Melian nymphs, till he espies

The roof-tree of his father’s hall,

And high o’er all

Shines the bronze shield of him, whose home is in the skies.

NEO

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 718 focus

Doch nun, weil er den Sohn rühmlicher Ahnherrn fand,

Wird er glücklich und groß aus dem Geschick ersteh'n:
695

Auf meerwandelndem Boot führt ihn der Retter heim,

Nach viel Monden, zum vaterländ'schen Wohnsiz

Melischer Meerjungfrau'n,

An Spercheios' Gestad, wo sich der Held, prangend in eh'rnem Schild,¹

Zum Göttersiz aus göttlicher Glut empor
700

Hob über dem Deta.

(Neoptolemos und Philoktetes treten aus der Höhle.) Neoptolemos. Philoktetes. Der Chor.

Neoptolemos.

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 718 focus

A noble youth he now hath found,

Who with his father's virtues glows;

By fortune now his patience crown'd,

He rises greater from his woes.

The bark shall waft him, after these sad hours,
710

To thy loved banks, Sperchius, where their bow'rs

The Melian Nymphs delight to twine;

Where Eta blazed with flames divine,

Whence glorious to the blest abodes

The hero rose a god among the gods.

Neoptolemus
STRO. 2. ANTIS. 2.

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 730-825 focus

Neoptolemus

Please, come on. Why so silent with no apparent cause? And why are you paralyzed?
730

Philoctetes

Ai, ai!

Neoptolemus

What is the matter?

Philoctetes

Nothing serious—go on, son.

Neoptolemus

Are you in pain from the disease that frequents you?

Philoctetes

No, indeed no. I think it is better now.—Gods, oh!
735

Neoptolemus

Why do you groan like this and call on the gods?

Philoctetes

That they may come to me with power to save and soothe.—Ai! Ai!

Neoptolemus

What troubles you? Speak, do not keep so silent. It is plain enough that you are suffering somehow.
740

Philoctetes

I am destroyed, boy—I can never conceal my suffering when you are close. Ah! Ah! It shoots through me, shoots straight through! Oh, the pain,the misery!

I am destroyed, boy—I am devoured! Ah, by the gods I beg you, if you have a sword ready to hand, strike at my ankle—cut it off now! Do not spare my life!
745

Quick, boy, quick!
750

Neoptolemus

What new thing has come on you so suddenly that you wail for yourself with these loud shrieks?

Philoctetes

You know, son.

Neoptolemus

What is it?

Philoctetes

You know, boy.

Neoptolemus

What ails you? I do not know.

Philoctetes

How could you not know? Oh, oh!

Neoptolemus

Yes, terrible is the burden of your disease.
755

Philoctetes

Terrible beyond telling! Oh, pity me!

Neoptolemus

What shall I do?

Philoctetes

Do not betray me because of fear. This plague comes only now and then,—perhaps when she has been sated with her roamings elsewhere.

Neoptolemus

Ah, poor wretch! Poor man, truly for all your sufferings! Shall I support you, or somehow offer a helping hand?

Philoctetes

No, no. But take this bow of mine—as you earlier asked of me—and keep it in your care and safe

until this present bout with my disease is past. For indeed sleep takes me as soon as this pain passes away, nor can it cease before then. But you must allow me to sleep in peace. And if
765

those men come in the meantime, then by the gods I forbid you willingly or unwillingly, or by any skilled trickery, to give up this bow to them, lest you bring destruction at once on yourself and on me, who am your suppliant.
770

Neoptolemus

Have no fears as to my caution. The bow shall pass

into no hands but yours and mine. Give it to me, and may good luck accompany it!
775

Philoctetes

There, take it boy. And humble yourself before the jealous gods, so that the bow may not prove baneful for you, as it did for me and for him who owned it before me.

Neoptolemus

O gods, grant this to the two of us! And grant us a voyage

prosperous and unimpeded, to whatever goal the god may deem right and that our mission provides!
780

782

Philoctetes

Futile, I fear, are your prayers, boy. Look, once again the dark blood is oozing drop by drop from deep in the wound, and I look for worse to come.

Ah, me, oh, oh! Cursed foot, what torment you cause me! It creeps on me, it is coming near! Ah, misery! Now you know my condition. Do not flee, no!
785

Oh, alas! Odysseus of Cephallene, once my friend, would that this anguish might stick to you, and pierce your chest! Ah, me! Ah, me! O you twin marshalls, Agamemnon, and you, Menelaus, may your flesh instead of mine
790

nourish this plague, and for as long! Oh, Ah, me! O Death, Death, though I am always summoning you day after day, why do you never come? O son, noble youth, seize me,
795

burn me up, true friend, in that fire famed as Lemnian. I, too, once deemed it lawful to do that very service for the son of Zeus, in return for which I received these same arms, which are now in your keeping. What do you say, boy, what do you say?
800

Why this silence? Where are your thoughts, son?
805

806

Neoptolemus

My heart has long been aching for your load of pain.

Philoctetes

Stop, then, and take courage; this visitor comes sharply, but goes quickly. Yet, I beg you, do not leave me alone.

Neoptolemus

Take heart, we will remain.
810

Philoctetes

Will you?

Neoptolemus

Be sure of it.

Philoctetes

Indeed, I do not think it right to put you under oath.

Neoptolemus

Rest assured; it is not lawful for me to leave without you.

Philoctetes

Give me your hand in pledge!

Neoptolemus

I give it—to stay.

Philoctetes

Now take me there, over there!

Neoptolemus

Where do you mean?

Philoctetes

Up there!

Neoptolemus

What is this new delirium? Why do you gaze at the dome above us?
815

Philoctetes

Let me go, let me go!

Neoptolemus

Where will you go, if I do so?

Philoctetes

Let me go, I say!

Neoptolemus

I will not.

Philoctetes

You will kill me, if you touch me further.

Neoptolemus

There, then, I release you—if in fact you believe it is for the better.

Philoctetes

Wide Earth, embrace me now on the verge of death!

This pain no longer lets me stand up.
820

Neoptolemus

Sleep, I think, will take him before long. See, his head sinks backward. Yes, a sweat runs over his whole body, and a dark, hemorrhaging vein has burst from his heel.

Come, friends, let us leave him in quietness, so that he may fall asleep.
825

Commentary

Commentary (R. C. Jebb) (OCR draft) (Commentary (R. C. Jebb))

mvp-comment-60-1 ἀργόν ¹

mvp-comment-61-1 εἰς ἔλεγχον ἐξιὼν ²

mvp-comment-61-2 βροτοῖς ³ πάνθ’ ἡγουμένην ⁴

mvp-comment-62-1 τί μ’ οὖν ⁵ τί οὖν μ’ ⁶

mvp-comment-62-2 τί … ἄλλο ⁷

mvp-comment-63-1 λέγω σ’ … λαβεῖν ⁸

mvp-comment-64-1 ἐν δόλῳ ⁹

mvp-comment-64-2 πείσαντ’ ¹⁰

mvp-comment-65-1 οὐ μὴ πίθηται ¹¹

mvp-comment-65-2 πρὸς βίαν δ’ ¹²

mvp-comment-66-1 οὕτως ¹³ τι δεινὸν ¹⁴

mvp-comment-66-2 ἰσχύος θράσος ¹⁵ κράτος ¹⁶ οὐ μὴ πίθηται ¹⁷

mvp-comment-67-1 ἰοὺς ¹⁸ ἰούς γ’ ¹⁹ τι ²⁰ τί ²¹ γ’ ²² γ’ ²³

mvp-comment-68-1 ἐκείνῳ γ’ ²⁴

mvp-comment-68-2 προσμεῖξαι ²⁵

mvp-comment-68-3 θρασύ ²⁶

mvp-comment-69-1 μὴ δόλῳ λαβόντα ²⁷

mvp-comment-70-1 τὰ ψευδῆ ²⁸ δῆτα τὰ ²⁹ δηλαδὴ ³⁰

mvp-comment-71-1 τὸ σωθῆναι ³¹

mvp-comment-72-1 πῶς οὖν βλέπων ³² πῶς οὖν ³³ πῶς … βλέπων ³⁴

mvp-comment-72-2 λακεῖν ³⁵

mvp-comment-73-1 εἰς κέρδος ³⁶

mvp-comment-74-1 αἱρεῖ ³⁷

mvp-comment-75-1 ὡς ἐφάσκετ’ ³⁸

mvp-comment-76-1 οὔτ’ ἂν ³⁹

mvp-comment-77-1 θηρατἔ οὖν γίγνοιτ’ ἄν ⁴⁰ γίγνοιτ’ ⁴¹ γένοιτ’ ⁴²

mvp-comment-77-2 οὖν ⁴³

mvp-comment-78-1 ὡς … φέρει ⁴⁴

mvp-comment-78-2 φέρει ⁴⁵

mvp-comment-79-1 τὸ δρᾶν ⁴⁶

mvp-comment-80-1 σοφός τ|) … κἀγαθός ⁴⁷

mvp-comment-80-2 αὑτὸς ⁴⁸

mvp-comment-80-3 κεκλᾖ ⁴⁹

mvp-comment-81-1 ἴτω ⁵⁰

mvp-comment-81-2 ποήσω ⁵¹ ι ⁵² ι ⁵³ ποήσω ⁵⁴

mvp-comment-81-3 πᾶσαν αἰσχύνην ἀφείς ⁵⁵

mvp-comment-82-1 μνημονεύεις ⁵⁶ μνημονεύσεις ⁵⁷ σάφ’ ἴσθ’ ⁵⁸

mvp-comment-82-2 ἅ … παρῄνεσα ⁵⁹

mvp-comment-82-3 συνῄνεσα ⁶⁰

mvp-comment-83-1 ἐκδέχου ⁶¹

mvp-comment-84-1 κατοπτευθῶ ⁶²

mvp-comment-84-2 καὶ τὸν σκοπὸν ⁶³ ναῦν ⁶⁴

mvp-comment-85-1 καὶ δεῦῤ ⁶⁵

mvp-comment-85-2 τοῦ χρόνου … τι κατασχολάζειν ⁶⁶

mvp-comment-85-3 ἐκπέμψω ⁶⁷

mvp-comment-86-1 ναυκλήρου ⁶⁸

mvp-comment-86-2 τρόποις ⁶⁹ τρόπον ⁷⁰

mvp-comment-87-1 ἀγνοία ⁷¹ προσῇ ⁷² ἀγνοίᾳ ⁷³

mvp-comment-88-1 οὗ δῆτα ⁷⁴ οὗ δὴ σύ ⁷⁵ οὗ ⁷⁶ δέχου ⁷⁷

mvp-comment-88-2 ποικίλως ⁷⁸

mvp-comment-88-3 αὐδωμένου ⁷⁹

mvp-comment-88-4 τὰ συμφέροντα ⁸⁰ τῶν ἀεὶ λόγων ⁸¹

mvp-comment-88-5 σοὶ παρεὶς τάδε ⁸²

mvp-comment-89-1 Ἑρμῆς ὁ πέμπων δόλιος ⁸³

mvp-comment-89-2 ὁ πέμπων ⁸⁴

mvp-comment-89-3 δόλιος ⁸⁵

mvp-comment-89-4 νῷν ⁸⁶

mvp-comment-90-1 Νίκη τ’ Ἀθάνα Πολιάς ⁸⁷

mvp-comment-90-2 The same remark applies to the name Πολιάς ⁸⁸

mvp-comment-90-3 ἣ σῴζει μ’ ἀεί ⁸⁹

mvp-comment-91-1 ἐν ξένᾳ ξένον ⁹⁰

mvp-comment-91-2 στέγειν … λέγειν ⁹¹

mvp-comment-91-3 ὑπόπταν ⁹²

mvp-comment-92-1 τέχνα ⁹³

mvp-comment-92-2 ἑτέρας ⁹⁴

mvp-comment-92-3 γνώμα ⁹⁵ γνώμας ⁹⁶

mvp-comment-92-4 παρ’ ὅτῳ ⁹⁷

mvp-comment-92-5 τὸ θεῖον Διὸς σκῆπτρον ⁹⁸

mvp-comment-92-6 ἀνάσσεται ⁹⁹

mvp-comment-93-1 σὲ … ἐλήλυθεν ¹⁰⁰ σοὶ δ’ ¹⁰¹ σὲ δ’ ¹⁰²

mvp-comment-93-2 πᾶν κράτος ¹⁰³

mvp-comment-93-3 ὠγύγιον ¹⁰⁴

mvp-comment-93-4 τὸ ¹⁰⁵

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 ¹⁰⁶

mvp-comment-93-7 ὅντινα κεῖται ¹⁰⁷

mvp-comment-94-1 τῶνδ’ Οὑκ μελάθρων ¹⁰⁸ ὁδίτης ¹⁰⁹ μόλῃ ¹¹⁰ τῶνδε ὁ ἐκ μελάθρων ¹¹¹ ἐκ ¹¹² ἐκ ¹¹³ μόλῃ ¹¹⁴ ἐκ ¹¹⁵ προχωρῶν ¹¹⁶

mvp-comment-95-1 πρὸς ἐμὴν αἰεὶ χεῖρα προχωρῶν ¹¹⁷ προχωρῶν ¹¹⁸ πρὸς ἐμὴν … χεῖρα ¹¹⁹

mvp-comment-96-1 τὸ παρὸν θεραπεύειν ¹²⁰

mvp-comment-97-1 μέλον … μέλημα ¹²¹ ὄμμα ¹²² φρουρεῖν ¹²³

mvp-comment-97-2 ἐπὶ σῷ καιρῷ ¹²⁴

mvp-comment-98-1 αὐλὰς ποίας ¹²⁵

mvp-comment-98-2 ἔνεδρος ¹²⁶ ναίει ¹²⁷

mvp-comment-98-3 χῶρον τίν’ ἔχει ¹²⁸

mvp-comment-98-4 τὸ γὰρ οὐκ ἀποκ. μοί ¹²⁹ μαθεῖν ¹³⁰ προσπεσών ¹³¹

mvp-comment-99-1 τίς τόπος … θυραῖον ¹³²

mvp-comment-99-2 ἔχει στίβον ¹³³ ἔναυλον ¹³⁴

mvp-comment-100-1 οἶκον … κοίτης ¹³⁵

mvp-comment-100-2 ἀμφίθυρον ¹³⁶ μὲν ¹³⁷ ποῦ γὰρ ¹³⁸

mvp-comment-101-1 φορβῆς ¹³⁹

mvp-comment-101-2 τῇδε ¹⁴⁰ τόνδε ¹⁴¹

mvp-comment-102-1 ταύτην ¹⁴²

mvp-comment-102-2 φύσιν ¹⁴³

mvp-comment-103-1 στυγερὸν στυγερῶς ¹⁴⁴ σμυγερὸν σμυγερῶς ¹⁴⁵

mvp-comment-104-1 ἐπινωμᾶν ¹⁴⁶

mvp-comment-105-1 οἰκτίρω ¹⁴⁷

mvp-comment-105-2 ὅπως ¹⁴⁸

mvp-comment-106-1 μή του ¹⁴⁹

mvp-comment-106-2 μηδὲ ¹⁵⁰ σύντροφον ¹⁵¹ ξύντροφον ¹⁵²

mvp-comment-106-3 ξυντρ. ὄμμ’ ¹⁵³

mvp-comment-107-1 ἀλύει ¹⁵⁴

mvp-comment-107-2 παντί τῳ χρείας ¹⁵⁵ ἱσταμένῳ ¹⁵⁶

mvp-comment-108-1 ὦ παλάμαι Θεῶν ¹⁵⁷ θεῶν ¹⁵⁸ θνητῶν ¹⁵⁹ θνητῶν ¹⁶⁰

mvp-comment-109-1 γένη ¹⁶¹

mvp-comment-110-1 οἷς μὴ μέτριος αἰών ¹⁶² μὴ ¹⁶³ μὴ μέτριος ¹⁶⁴ γένη ¹⁶⁵

mvp-comment-111-1 πρωτογόνων ¹⁶⁶ εὐγενῶν ¹⁶⁷

mvp-comment-111-2 ἴσως ¹⁶⁸ ἴσως ¹⁶⁹ γεγὼς ¹⁷⁰

mvp-comment-111-3 οὐδενὸς ¹⁷¹ ἥκων ¹⁷² οἴκων ¹⁷³ οἴκων ¹⁷⁴ οὐδενὸς ὕστερος ¹⁷⁵

mvp-comment-112-1 ἐν βίῳ ¹⁷⁶ ἄμμορος ¹⁷⁷ πάντων ¹⁷⁸

mvp-comment-113-1 μοῦνος ἀπ’ ἄλλων ¹⁷⁹

mvp-comment-113-2 στικτῶν ¹⁸⁰ ἔλαφος ¹⁸¹ λασίων ¹⁸² στικτῶν ¹⁸³

mvp-comment-113-3 μετὰ ¹⁸⁴

mvp-comment-113-4 ἔν τ’ ὀδύναις ¹⁸⁵

mvp-comment-114-1 Ὀρεία δ’ ¹⁸⁶ βαρεῖα δ’ ¹⁸⁷ ὀρεία ¹⁸⁸

mvp-comment-114-2 ἀθυρόστομος ¹⁸⁹ ἀθυροστομοῦς’ ¹⁹⁰

mvp-comment-115-1 Ἀχὼ τηλεφανὴς ¹⁹¹

mvp-comment-115-2 πικραῖς | οἰμωγαῖς ὑπακούει ¹⁹² πικρᾶς οἰμωγᾶς ὑπόκειται ¹⁹³ ὑπακούει ¹⁹⁴

mvp-comment-116-1 θεῖα ¹⁹⁵

mvp-comment-116-2 κἀγώ ¹⁹⁶

mvp-comment-116-3 καὶ τὰ παθήμ. κεῖνα ¹⁹⁷

mvp-comment-116-4 τῆς ὠμόφρ. Χρύσης ¹⁹⁸ ἐπέβη ¹⁹⁹ παθήματα … Χρύσης ²⁰⁰

mvp-comment-116-5 ὠμόφρονος ²⁰¹

mvp-comment-117-1 οὐκ ἔσθ’ ὡς οὐ ²⁰²

mvp-comment-118-1 τοῦ μὴ … τεῖναι ²⁰³

mvp-comment-118-2 τεῖναι … βέλη ²⁰⁴ τὰ θεῶν ²⁰⁵

mvp-comment-119-1 πρὶν...ἐξήκοι ²⁰⁶ πρὶν ἂν ἐξήκῃ ²⁰⁷

mvp-comment-119-2 λέγεται ²⁰⁸

mvp-comment-120-1 εὔστομ’ ἔχε ²⁰⁹

mvp-comment-120-2 τί τόδε ²¹⁰

mvp-comment-120-3 προὐφάνη ²¹¹

mvp-comment-121-1 σύντροφος ²¹² φωτὸς ²¹³

mvp-comment-122-1 ἤ που ²¹⁴ ἦ που ²¹⁵ τῇδ’ … τῇδε ²¹⁶ τόπων ²¹⁷

mvp-comment-122-2 βάλλει ²¹⁸

mvp-comment-122-3 ἐτύμα ²¹⁹

mvp-comment-123-1 στίβον … ἕρποντος ²²⁰

mvp-comment-123-2 κατ’ ἀνάγκαν ²²¹ στίβου κατ’ ἀνάγκαν ²²² στίβον ²²³

mvp-comment-124-1 οὐδέ με λάθει ²²⁴

mvp-comment-124-2 βαρεῖα ²²⁵ τρυσάνωρ ²²⁶

mvp-comment-124-3 διάσημα γὰρ θροεῖ ²²⁷

mvp-comment-125-1 ἀλλ’ ἔχε ²²⁸

mvp-comment-125-2 ἀλλ’ ²²⁹ ἔχε … φροντίδας vέας ²³⁰ λέγ’ ὅ τι ²³¹

mvp-comment-126-1 οὐκ ἔξεδρος ²³²

mvp-comment-126-2 μολπὰν … ἔχων ²³³

mvp-comment-126-3 σύριγγος ²³⁴

mvp-comment-126-4 ποιμὰν ²³⁵

mvp-comment-126-5 ἀγροβότας, ἐν ἀγρῷ βόσκων ²³⁶

mvp-comment-127-1 ἀλλ’ ἤ που ²³⁷ βοᾷ ²³⁸ ὑπ’ ἀνάγκας ²³⁹ πταίων ²⁴⁰ βοᾷ ²⁴¹

mvp-comment-127-2 τηλωπὸν ἰωάν ²⁴²

mvp-comment-128-1 ναὸς ἄξενον … ὅρμον ²⁴³

mvp-comment-128-2 προβοᾷ τι γἀρ δεινόν ²⁴⁴ δεινόν ²⁴⁵ θροεῖ ²⁴⁶

mvp-comment-129-1 ἰὼ ξένοι ²⁴⁷

mvp-comment-130-1 κἀκ ποίας πάτρας ²⁴⁸ ναυτίλῳ πλάτῃ ²⁴⁹ κατέσχετ’ ²⁵⁰

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’ ²⁵¹

mvp-comment-131-2 222 On the grounds given in n. on 220, I conjecture πόλεως ²⁵² πάτρας ²⁵³

mvp-comment-132-1 τύχοιμ’ ἂν εἰπών ²⁵⁴

mvp-comment-132-2 σχῆμα ²⁵⁵ σχῆμα ὑπάρχει ²⁵⁶ Ἑλλάδος στολῆς ²⁵⁷

mvp-comment-133-1 ὄκνῳ ²⁵⁸

mvp-comment-133-2 ἀπηγριωμένον ²⁵⁹

mvp-comment-134-1 κακούμενον ²⁶⁰ καλούμενον ²⁶¹

mvp-comment-135-1 ἀλλ’ ²⁶²

mvp-comment-135-2 ὑμῶν ἁμαρτεῖν τοῦτό γ’ ²⁶³ ὑμῶν ²⁶⁴ τοῦτο ²⁶⁵ τοῦτό γ’ ²⁶⁶ τοῦδέ γ’ ²⁶⁷

mvp-comment-136-1 ἀλλ’ ²⁶⁸

mvp-comment-136-2 οὕνεκα ²⁶⁹

mvp-comment-137-1 φεῦ ²⁷⁰

mvp-comment-137-2 τὸ καὶ λαβεῖν ²⁷¹

mvp-comment-137-3 τοιοῦδ’ ἀνδρὸς ²⁷²

mvp-comment-137-4 ἐν χρόνῳ μακρῷ ²⁷³

mvp-comment-138-1 προσέσχε ²⁷⁴ προσήγαγεν ²⁷⁵ προσέσχε ²⁷⁶

mvp-comment-139-1 τίς ἀνέμων ὁ φίλτατος ²⁷⁷

mvp-comment-139-2 γέγωνε ²⁷⁸

mvp-comment-139-3 ὅπως εἰδῶ ²⁷⁹

mvp-comment-140-1 γένος ²⁸⁰

mvp-comment-141-1 Σκύρου ²⁸¹

mvp-comment-142-1 Νεοπτόλεμος ²⁸² οἶσθα δὴ τὸ πᾶν ²⁸³

mvp-comment-143-1 ὦ φίλης χθονός ²⁸⁴ παῖ ²⁸⁵

mvp-comment-144-1 θρέμμα Λυκομήδους ²⁸⁶ στόλῳ ²⁸⁷ προσέσχες … γῆν ²⁸⁸

mvp-comment-145-1 ἐξ Ἰλίου τοι δὴ ²⁸⁹ τοι ²⁹⁰ δὴ ²⁹¹ τοι δὴ ²⁹² )γὼ δὴ ²⁹³

mvp-comment-146-1 οὐ γὰρ δὴ σύ γ’ ²⁹⁴ κατ’ ἀρχὴν τοῦ … στόλου ²⁹⁵

mvp-comment-147-1 ἦ γὰρ ²⁹⁶

mvp-comment-147-2 πόνου ²⁹⁷

mvp-comment-148-1 οὐ γὰρ ²⁹⁸

mvp-comment-148-2 οἶσθα κάτοιδ’ ²⁹⁹

mvp-comment-148-3 πῶς … κάτοιδ’ ³⁰⁰

mvp-comment-149-1 ὄνοὐ ἄῤ ³⁰¹ οὐ τοὔνομ’ ³⁰² οὐδ’ ³⁰³

mvp-comment-149-2 διωλλύμην ³⁰⁴

mvp-comment-150-1 ἴσθι με ὡς μηδὲν εἰδότ’ ³⁰⁵ ὡς ³⁰⁶ μηδὲν ³⁰⁷ ὡς ³⁰⁸

mvp-comment-151-1 πόλλ’ ³⁰⁹

mvp-comment-151-2 πικρὸς ³¹⁰ στυγνὸς ³¹¹

mvp-comment-152-1 οὗ μηδὲ ³¹²

mvp-comment-152-2 οἴκαδε ³¹³ μηδ’ Ἑλλάδος γῆς μηδαμοῦ ³¹⁴ ὧδ’ ἔχοντος ³¹⁵

mvp-comment-152-3 μηδαμοῦ ³¹⁶

mvp-comment-152-4 πω ³¹⁷ που ³¹⁸ πω ³¹⁹ που ³²⁰

mvp-comment-153-1 σῖγ’ ἔχοντες ³²¹

mvp-comment-153-2 τέθηλε ³²²

mvp-comment-153-3 κἀπὶ μεῖζον ἔρχεται ³²³

mvp-comment-154-1 ἐξ ³²⁴

mvp-comment-154-2 ὅδ’ εἴμ’ ἐγώ σοι ³²⁵ κεῖνος ³²⁶ κλύεις ³²⁷

mvp-comment-154-3 τῶν Ἡρ ³²⁸ ὅπλων ³²⁹

mvp-comment-154-4 δεσπότην ³³⁰

mvp-comment-155-1 ὃν οἱ ³³¹

mvp-comment-155-2 χὡ Κεφαλλήνων ἄναξ ³³²

mvp-comment-156-1 ἀγρίᾳ ³³³ ἀγρίῳ ³³⁴ φοινίῳ ³³⁵ ἔρημον ³³⁶

mvp-comment-157-1 τῆς … ἐχίδνης ³³⁷ χαράγματι ³³⁸

mvp-comment-158-1 ξὺν ᾗ ³³⁹

mvp-comment-158-2 ᾤχοντ’ ³⁴⁰ ἔρημον ³⁴¹

mvp-comment-158-3 τῆς ποντίας Χρύσης ³⁴² κατέσχον ³⁴³

mvp-comment-159-1 ἄσμενοι ³⁴⁴ ἄσμενον ³⁴⁵

mvp-comment-159-2 ἐκ πολλοῦ σάλου ³⁴⁶

mvp-comment-159-3 κατηρεφεῖ ³⁴⁷

mvp-comment-159-4 πέτρᾳ ³⁴⁸ πέτρῳ ³⁴⁹

mvp-comment-160-1 οἷα ³⁵⁰ φωτὶ δυσμόρῳ ³⁵¹

mvp-comment-161-1 καί τι καὶ ³⁵²

mvp-comment-161-2 βορᾶς ³⁵³

mvp-comment-161-3 οἷ’ αὐτοῖς τύχοι ³⁵⁴

mvp-comment-162-1 σὺ δὴ ³⁵⁵

mvp-comment-162-2 ἀνάστασιν ³⁵⁶ στῆναι ³⁵⁷

mvp-comment-163-1 ποἶ ἐκδακρῦσαι ³⁵⁸

mvp-comment-163-2 ποἶ ἀποιμῶξαι κακά ³⁵⁹

mvp-comment-164-1 ὁρῶντα ³⁶⁰

mvp-comment-165-1 οὐχ ³⁶¹ ὅστις ἀρκέσειεν ³⁶²

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 ³⁶³

mvp-comment-165-4 πάντα δὲ σκοπῶν ³⁶⁴

mvp-comment-166-1 πλὴν ἀνιᾶσθαι ³⁶⁵ παρόν ³⁶⁶

mvp-comment-166-2 εὐμάρειαν ³⁶⁷ τούτου δὲ ³⁶⁸

mvp-comment-167-1 ὁ μὲν χρόνος δὴ διὰ χρόνου ³⁶⁹ διὰ χρόνου ³⁷⁰ ὁ χρόνος προὔβαινέ μοι ³⁷¹ διὰ χρόνου ³⁷² προὔβαινε ³⁷³

mvp-comment-168-1 κἄδει τι ³⁷⁴ τι ³⁷⁵ ἔδει ³⁷⁶ βαιᾷ ³⁷⁷

mvp-comment-168-2 διακονεῖσθαι ³⁷⁸

mvp-comment-169-1 ὑποπτέρους ³⁷⁹

mvp-comment-170-1 ὅ μοι βάλοι ³⁸⁰

mvp-comment-170-2 νευροσπαδὴς ³⁸¹

mvp-comment-170-3 ἄτρακτος ³⁸²

mvp-comment-170-4 αὐτὸς ³⁸³

mvp-comment-171-1 εἰλυόμην ³⁸⁴

mvp-comment-171-2 ἂν ³⁸⁵

mvp-comment-171-3 δύστηνον ³⁸⁶

mvp-comment-171-4 ἐξέλκων ³⁸⁷

mvp-comment-171-5 πρὸς τοῦτ ἄν ³⁸⁸

mvp-comment-172-1 πάγου χυθέντος ³⁸⁹

mvp-comment-172-2 οἷα ³⁹⁰

mvp-comment-172-3 ξύλον τι ³⁹¹ ἄν ³⁹²

mvp-comment-173-1 ἐν πέτροισι πέτρον ³⁹³

mvp-comment-173-2 ἐκτρίβων ³⁹⁴ ἐκτρίβων ³⁹⁵

mvp-comment-173-3 ἔφην’ ἄφαντον φῶς ³⁹⁶

mvp-comment-173-4 ἄφαντον ³⁹⁷

mvp-comment-174-1 οἰκουμένη γὰρ οὖν ³⁹⁸

mvp-comment-174-2 ἐμέ ³⁹⁹

mvp-comment-175-1 φέρε … μάθῃς ⁴⁰⁰

mvp-comment-175-2 Several recent editors (see cr. n.) cut the knot by reading μάθε ⁴⁰¹ μάθε ⁴⁰² μάθῃς ⁴⁰³ κἂν … μάθοις ⁴⁰⁴ κἂν ⁴⁰⁵ καὶ ⁴⁰⁶ μάθοις ⁴⁰⁷ μάθῃς ⁴⁰⁸

mvp-comment-175-3 τὸ τῆς νήσου ⁴⁰⁹ τὰ ⁴¹⁰

mvp-comment-176-1 οὐ γάρ τις ὅρμος ἐστίν ⁴¹¹

mvp-comment-176-2 οὐδ’ ὅποι πλέων ⁴¹² ἐξεμπολήσει κέρδος ⁴¹³

mvp-comment-176-3 ξενώσεται ⁴¹⁴

mvp-comment-177-1 ἐνθάδ’ ⁴¹⁵

mvp-comment-177-2 πλοῖ ⁴¹⁶ σώφροσι ⁴¹⁷

mvp-comment-177-3 βροτῶν ⁴¹⁸

mvp-comment-178-1 τάχ’ οὖν τις … ἔσχε ⁴¹⁹

mvp-comment-178-2 ἔσχε ⁴²⁰

mvp-comment-178-3 πολλὰ γὰρ ⁴²¹

mvp-comment-179-1 οὗτοι ⁴²²

mvp-comment-179-2 λόγοις ἐλεοῦσι … οἰκτίραντες ⁴²³

mvp-comment-179-3 καί πού τι ⁴²⁴

mvp-comment-179-4 στολήν ⁴²⁵

mvp-comment-179-5 ἐκεῖνο … θέλει ⁴²⁶

mvp-comment-180-1 σῶσαί μ’ ἐς οἴκους ⁴²⁷

mvp-comment-180-2 ἐν λιμῷ τε καὶ κακοῖσι ⁴²⁸ καί ⁴²⁹

mvp-comment-180-3 βόσκων ⁴³⁰ ἀδηφάγον ⁴³¹

mvp-comment-181-1 βία ⁴³²

mvp-comment-181-2 οἷ’ ⁴³³ οἷς ⁴³⁴

mvp-comment-181-3 ἐμοῦ ⁴³⁵

mvp-comment-182-1 ἴσα ⁴³⁶

mvp-comment-182-2 ἐποικτίρειν ⁴³⁷ ἐποικτιρεῖν ⁴³⁸

mvp-comment-183-1 ἐν λόγοις ⁴³⁹ ὢν ⁴⁴⁰

mvp-comment-183-2 συντυχὼν ⁴⁴¹

mvp-comment-184-1 ἦ γάρ ⁴⁴²

mvp-comment-184-2 τοῖς πανωλέθροις ⁴⁴³

mvp-comment-184-3 παθών ⁴⁴⁴

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 ⁴⁴⁵ Σπάρτη ⁴⁴⁶ γνοῖεν ⁴⁴⁷

mvp-comment-185-1 εὖ γ’ ⁴⁴⁸

mvp-comment-185-2 τίνος γὰρ ⁴⁴⁹ τίνος ⁴⁵⁰

mvp-comment-185-3 ὧδε ⁴⁵¹ τίνος ⁴⁵²

mvp-comment-186-1 ἐξερῶ, μόλις δ’ ἐρῶ ⁴⁵³

mvp-comment-186-2 μολών ⁴⁵⁴

mvp-comment-187-1 ἔσχε ⁴⁵⁵

mvp-comment-188-1 φράσῃς … μὴ πέρα ⁴⁵⁶

mvp-comment-189-1 τοξευτὸς … δαμείς ⁴⁵⁷

mvp-comment-189-2 ὡς λέγουσιν ⁴⁵⁸ ἐκ ⁴⁵⁹ ὑπό ⁴⁶⁰

mvp-comment-190-1 ἀλλ’ εὐγενὴς μὲν ⁴⁶¹ δέ ⁴⁶² κτανών … θανών ⁴⁶³

mvp-comment-191-1 ἐλέγχω … στένω ⁴⁶⁴

mvp-comment-192-1 οἶμαι μὲν ⁴⁶⁵

mvp-comment-192-2 καὶ τὰ ς’ ⁴⁶⁶

mvp-comment-193-1 τοιγαροῦν ⁴⁶⁷ αὖθις πάλιν ⁴⁶⁸

mvp-comment-193-2 ὅτῳ ⁴⁶⁹

mvp-comment-194-1 ποικιλοστόλῳ ⁴⁷⁰ ποικιλοστόμῳ ⁴⁷¹

mvp-comment-195-1 δῖός τ’ Ὀδυσσεὺς ⁴⁷²

mvp-comment-195-2 χὡ τροφεὺς ⁴⁷³

mvp-comment-196-1 εἴτ’ ἄρ’ οὖν ⁴⁷⁴

mvp-comment-196-2 ἀληθὲς ⁴⁷⁵ λέγοντες ⁴⁷⁶

mvp-comment-196-3 γίγνοιτ’ ⁴⁷⁷

mvp-comment-197-1 ἄλλον ἢ )μ’ ⁴⁷⁸ ἢ )μ’ ⁴⁷⁹

mvp-comment-198-1 οὐ πολὺν ⁴⁸⁰

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 ⁴⁸¹

mvp-comment-199-1 οὐ γὰρ εἰδόμην ⁴⁸² εἰδόμην ⁴⁸³

mvp-comment-200-1 ἔπειτα μέντοι ⁴⁸⁴

mvp-comment-200-2 χὡ λόγος καλὸς προσῆν ⁴⁸⁵ ὁ λόγος ⁴⁸⁶ προσῆν ⁴⁸⁷

mvp-comment-200-3 εἰ … αἱρήσοιμ’ ⁴⁸⁸

mvp-comment-200-4 τἀπὶ Τροίᾳ πέργαμ’ ⁴⁸⁹ ἐπί ⁴⁹⁰

mvp-comment-200-5 ἰών ⁴⁹¹

mvp-comment-201-1 πλέοντί μοι ⁴⁹²

mvp-comment-201-2 κἀγὼ ⁴⁹³

mvp-comment-201-3 πικρὸν Σίγειον ⁴⁹⁴

mvp-comment-201-4 οὐρίῳ πλάτῃ ⁴⁹⁵

mvp-comment-201-5 κατηγόμην ⁴⁹⁶

mvp-comment-202-1 ὀμνύντες ⁴⁹⁷ στρατός ⁴⁹⁸

mvp-comment-202-2 ζῶντ’ Ἀχ. πάλιν ⁴⁹⁹

mvp-comment-203-1 ἔκειτ’ ⁵⁰⁰

mvp-comment-203-2 )δάκρυσα ⁵⁰¹

mvp-comment-203-3 οὐ μακρῷ χρόνῳ ⁵⁰²

mvp-comment-204-1 ὡς εἰκὸς ἦν ⁵⁰³ φίλους ⁵⁰⁴

mvp-comment-204-2 τά τ’ ἄλλ’ ὅσ’ ἦν ⁵⁰⁵

mvp-comment-205-1 τλημονέστατον λόγον ⁵⁰⁶

mvp-comment-206-1 πάρεστί σοι ⁵⁰⁷

mvp-comment-206-2 Λαέρτου ⁵⁰⁸

mvp-comment-207-1 δακρύσας ⁵⁰⁹

mvp-comment-207-2 ἐξανίσταμαι ⁵¹⁰

mvp-comment-207-3 ὀργῇ ⁵¹¹ βαρείᾳ ⁵¹²

mvp-comment-207-4 κᾳταλγήσας ⁵¹³

mvp-comment-208-1 ὦ σχέτλἰ ⁵¹⁴ ἦ )τολμήσατ’ ⁵¹⁵

mvp-comment-208-2 πρὶν μαθεῖν ἐμοῦ ⁵¹⁶

mvp-comment-209-1 ὁ δ’ εἶπ’ Ὀδυσσεύς ⁵¹⁷

mvp-comment-209-2 ὢν κυρεῖ ⁵¹⁸ ἦν κυρῶν ⁵¹⁹

mvp-comment-209-3 τάδε ⁵²⁰ δεδράκας’ ⁵²¹

mvp-comment-210-1 παρών ⁵²²

mvp-comment-211-1 ἤρασσον ⁵²³

mvp-comment-211-2 κακοῖς τοῖς πᾶσιν ⁵²⁴

mvp-comment-211-3 οὐδὲν ἐνδεὲς ποιούμενος ⁵²⁵

mvp-comment-211-4 εἰ … ἀφαιρήσοιτο ⁵²⁶

mvp-comment-212-1 ἐνθάδ’ ἥκων ⁵²⁷

mvp-comment-212-2 οὐ δύσοργος ⁵²⁸

mvp-comment-212-3 πρὸς ἁξήκουσεν ⁵²⁹ δηχθείς ⁵³⁰ ἠμείψατο ⁵³¹

mvp-comment-212-4 ἃ ἐξήκουσεν ⁵³²

mvp-comment-213-1 ἐπειδὴ καὶ λέγεις ⁵³³

mvp-comment-213-2 οὐ μήποτ’ ⁵³⁴ τὴν Σκῦρον ⁵³⁵

mvp-comment-213-3 ἐκπλεύσῃς ⁵³⁶

mvp-comment-213-4 382 ff. The words ἀκούσας κἀξονειδισθείς ⁵³⁷ κακά ⁵³⁸ κἀξονειδίσας ⁵³⁹

mvp-comment-213-5 πρὸς οἴκους ⁵⁴⁰

mvp-comment-213-6 τητώμενος ⁵⁴¹

mvp-comment-213-7 κἀκ κακῶν ⁵⁴²

mvp-comment-214-1 τοὺς ἐν τέλει ⁵⁴³

mvp-comment-214-2 πᾶσα ⁵⁴⁴ σύμπας ⁵⁴⁵

mvp-comment-214-3 ἔστι … τῶν ἡγουμένων ⁵⁴⁶

mvp-comment-214-4 στρατός ⁵⁴⁷

mvp-comment-214-5 οἱ δ’ ἀκοσμοῦντες βροτῶν ⁵⁴⁸

mvp-comment-214-6 διδασκάλων λόγοισι ⁵⁴⁹

mvp-comment-215-1 λόγος λέλεκται πᾶς ⁵⁵⁰

mvp-comment-215-2 Ἀτρείδας ⁵⁵¹

mvp-comment-215-3 φίλος ⁵⁵²

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 ⁵⁵³ παμβῶτι ⁵⁵⁴

mvp-comment-217-2 μᾶτερ αὐτοῦ Διός ⁵⁵⁵

mvp-comment-218-1 Πακτωλὸν ⁵⁵⁶

mvp-comment-218-2 εὔχρυσον ⁵⁵⁷

mvp-comment-219-1 κἀκεῖ ⁵⁵⁸

mvp-comment-219-2 ἐπηυδώμαν ⁵⁵⁹

mvp-comment-219-3 Ἀτρειδᾶν ὕβρις πᾶς’ ⁵⁶⁰

mvp-comment-220-1 τὰ πάτρια ⁵⁶¹

mvp-comment-221-1 ἰὼ ⁵⁶² μάκαιρα ⁵⁶³

mvp-comment-221-2 ταυροκτόνων ⁵⁶⁴

mvp-comment-221-3 λεόντων ἔφεδρε ⁵⁶⁵

mvp-comment-222-1 σέβας ⁵⁶⁶

mvp-comment-222-2 We should not, then, change σέβας ⁵⁶⁷ γέρας ⁵⁶⁸

mvp-comment-223-1 σύμβολον … λύπης ⁵⁶⁹

mvp-comment-224-1 προσᾴδεθ’ ⁵⁷⁰

mvp-comment-224-2 ταῦτ’ … ἔργα ⁵⁷¹

mvp-comment-225-1 ἂν … θιγόντα ⁵⁷² πανουργίας ⁵⁷³

mvp-comment-225-2 ἀφ’ ἧς μηδὲν … ποεῖν ⁵⁷⁴ μέλλοι ⁵⁷⁵

mvp-comment-225-3 μηδὲν ⁵⁷⁶

mvp-comment-225-4 ἐς τέλος ⁵⁷⁷

mvp-comment-225-5 ποεῖν ⁵⁷⁸

mvp-comment-226-1 ὁ μείζων ⁵⁷⁹ οὐκ ἦν ἔτι ζῶν ⁵⁸⁰

mvp-comment-227-1 ἀλλ’ ἦ ⁵⁸¹ ἦ γάρ ⁵⁸² πῶς εἶπας ⁵⁸³

mvp-comment-228-1 ὡς μηκέτ’ ὄντα ⁵⁸⁴

mvp-comment-229-1 οἴμοι τάλας ⁵⁸⁵ ἀλλ’ οὐχ ⁵⁸⁶

mvp-comment-230-1 οὑμπολητὸς Σισύφου Λαερτίῳ ⁵⁸⁷

mvp-comment-230-2 The legend is not Homeric, but is already known to Aesch. (fr. 169), and is congenial to the spirit in which the dramatists often conceive Odysseus; cp. Soph. Ai. 190 , fr. 143 (

ὡς ὁ Σίσυφος πολὺς

ἔνδηλος ἐν σοί

): I. A. 524, Cycl. 104 : Lycophron 344 (

τῆς Σισυφείας δ’ ἀγκύλης λαμπουρίδος

, ‘crafty fox’): Ov. Met. 13. 31

sanguine cretus | Sisyphio, furtisque et fraude simillimus illi.

mvp-comment-230-3 With regard to the order of words, note:—(1)

ὁ ἐμπολητὸς Σισύφου

ὁ ἐμπ. Σισυφίδης

, the simple gen. of origin being placed as

Σισύφου παῖς

would have been; though usually such a simple gen. comes immediately after the art. (as Ai. 450

ἡ Διὸς γοργῶπις ἀδάματος θεά

). (2)

Λαερτίῳ

merely supplements

ἐμπολητός

, and hence can be placed as though it were an afterthought; the principle is the same as in O. C. 1514

αἱ πολλὰ βρονταὶ διατελεῖς

: cp. n. on O. T. 1245. —The genit. Λαερτίου ⁵⁸⁸

mvp-comment-231-1 ἔδει ⁵⁸⁹

mvp-comment-232-1 καὶ μέγα θάλλοντες ⁵⁹⁰

mvp-comment-233-1 τί δ’ ⁵⁹¹ ὠ ⁵⁹² οὐ ⁵⁹³ αὖ ⁵⁹⁴ οὐ ⁵⁹⁵ τί δ’ ⁵⁹⁶ τί δ’ ὃς ⁵⁹⁷ ὃς ⁵⁹⁸ ὁ ⁵⁹⁹

mvp-comment-233-2 παλαιός ⁶⁰⁰ καί … τε ⁶⁰¹

mvp-comment-233-3 τά γε κείνων κακά ⁶⁰² γε ⁶⁰³

mvp-comment-233-4 ἐξήρυκε ⁶⁰⁴

mvp-comment-234-1 Ἀντίλοχος ⁶⁰⁵

mvp-comment-234-2 ὃς παρῆν γόνος ⁶⁰⁶ ὅσπερ ἦν γόνος ⁶⁰⁷ ὅς γ’ ἔτ’ ἦν ⁶⁰⁸ ὅς ποτ’ ἦν ⁶⁰⁹

mvp-comment-235-1 δὔ αὖ τώδ’ ἄνδρ’ ἔλεξας ⁶¹⁰ δὔ αὖ τώδ’ ἐξέδειξας ⁶¹¹ ἔλεξας ⁶¹² δὔ αὔτως δείν’ ἔλεξας ⁶¹³

mvp-comment-235-2 As to the reading δὔ αὕτως δείν’ ἔλεξας ⁶¹⁴

mvp-comment-235-3 δὔ … ἄνδρε ⁶¹⁵ ὀλωλότοιν ⁶¹⁶ οἵδε ⁶¹⁷

mvp-comment-235-4 ἂν ἠθέλης’ ⁶¹⁸

mvp-comment-236-1 σκοπεῖν ⁶¹⁹

mvp-comment-236-2 οἵδε ⁶²⁰

mvp-comment-237-1 Ὀδυσσεὺς δ’ ἔστιν αὖ κἀνταῦθ’ ⁶²¹

mvp-comment-238-1 αὐτὸν ⁶²² αὐδᾶσθαι ⁶²³

mvp-comment-239-1 παλαιστὴς ⁶²⁴

mvp-comment-239-2 ἐμποδίζονται ⁶²⁵

mvp-comment-240-1 θεῶν ⁶²⁶

mvp-comment-240-2 ποῦ γὰρ ⁶²⁷

mvp-comment-240-3 σοι ⁶²⁸

mvp-comment-240-4 τὰ φίλτατα ⁶²⁹

mvp-comment-241-1 λόγῳ … ἐν βραχεῖ ⁶³⁰

mvp-comment-241-2 τοῦτ’ ⁶³¹

mvp-comment-241-3 πόλεμος ⁶³²

mvp-comment-241-4 ἑκὼν ⁶³³

mvp-comment-242-1 κατ’ αὐτὸ τοῦτό γε ⁶³⁴

mvp-comment-243-1 φωτὸς ⁶³⁵ κυρεῖ ⁶³⁶ τί ⁶³⁷

mvp-comment-244-1 ποίου δὲ τούτου ⁶³⁸

mvp-comment-244-2 ἐρεῖς ⁶³⁹

mvp-comment-244-3 Brunck's conjecture, τοῦτο ⁶⁴⁰ τούτου ⁶⁴¹

mvp-comment-245-1 Θερσίτης ⁶⁴²

mvp-comment-246-1 ὃς οὐκ ἂν εἵλετ’ ⁶⁴³ ὅπου μηδεὶς ἐῴη ⁶⁴⁴

mvp-comment-246-2 Sophocles here reproduces the two salient traits of the Homeric Thersites: (1) he is irrepressible: Il. 2. 212

Θερσίτης δ’ ἔτι μοῦνος ἀμετροεπὴς ἐκολῴα

, |

ὅς ῥ) ἔπεα φρεσὶν ᾗσιν ἄκοσμά τε πολλά τε ᾔδη

: (2) he disgusts those whom his bluster was intended to amuse or flatter; ib. 222

τῷ δ’ ἄρ’ Ἀχαιοὶ

ἐκπάγλως κοτέοντο

.— τοῦτον οἶσθ’ ⁶⁴⁵

mvp-comment-247-1 αὐτόν ⁶⁴⁶ αὐτός ⁶⁴⁷ νιν ⁶⁴⁸

mvp-comment-248-1 ἔμελλ’ ⁶⁴⁹

mvp-comment-248-2 ἐπεὶ οὐδέν ⁶⁵⁰

mvp-comment-248-3 περιστέλλουσιν ⁶⁵¹

mvp-comment-249-1 τὰ πανοῦργα ⁶⁵²

mvp-comment-249-2 παλιντριβῆ ⁶⁵³

mvp-comment-249-3 ἀναστρέφοντες ⁶⁵⁴

mvp-comment-249-4 τὰ δὲ ⁶⁵⁵ τὰ χρήστ’ ⁶⁵⁶ ἀποστέλλους’ ⁶⁵⁷ προυσελοῦς’ ⁶⁵⁸

mvp-comment-250-1 ποῦ χρὴ τίθεσθαι ⁶⁵⁹

mvp-comment-250-2 ποῦ δ’ αἰνεῖν ⁶⁶⁰

mvp-comment-250-3 ὅταν ⁶⁶¹ ἐπαινῶν ⁶⁶²

mvp-comment-250-4 Theognis, in a similar strain, asks how a mortal is to revere the gods when he sees good men afflicted and bad men prosperous (743—752).

mvp-comment-251-1 ἐγὼ μὲν ⁶⁶³

mvp-comment-251-2 Οἰταίου ⁶⁶⁴

mvp-comment-252-1 τηλόθεν … εἰσορῶν ⁶⁶⁵

mvp-comment-252-2 φυλάξομαι ⁶⁶⁶

mvp-comment-253-1 ὅπου ⁶⁶⁷ τούτους ⁶⁶⁸

mvp-comment-253-2 δειλὸς ⁶⁶⁹ δεινὸς ⁶⁷⁰ δεινός ⁶⁷¹

mvp-comment-254-1 Σκῦρος ⁶⁷²

mvp-comment-254-2 ἐξαρκοῦσά μοι … ὥστε ⁶⁷³ τέρπεσθαι δόμῳ ⁶⁷⁴

mvp-comment-255-1 χαῖρε ⁶⁷⁵ ὡς μέγιστα ⁶⁷⁶

mvp-comment-255-2 μεταστήσειαν ⁶⁷⁷

mvp-comment-255-3 ὡς αὐτὸς θέλεις ⁶⁷⁸

mvp-comment-256-1 πλοῦν ἡμὶν εἴκῃ ⁶⁷⁹ πλοῦν ⁶⁸⁰ πλεῖν ⁶⁸¹

mvp-comment-257-1 καιρὸς ⁶⁸² καλεῖ ⁶⁸³

mvp-comment-258-1 πλοῦν … σκοπεῖν ⁶⁸⁴

mvp-comment-258-2 μὴ )ξ ἀπόπτου ⁶⁸⁵

mvp-comment-259-1 πρός νύν σε πατρὸς ⁶⁸⁶ πρός τ’ εἴ τι ⁶⁸⁷

mvp-comment-260-1 ἱκέτης ⁶⁸⁸ ἱκνοῦμαι ⁶⁸⁹

mvp-comment-261-1 οἵοις ὁρᾷς … ἐνναίοντα ⁶⁹⁰ ὅσοισί τ’ ἐξήκουσας ⁶⁹¹

mvp-comment-262-1 ἐν παρέργῳ θοῦ με ⁶⁹²

mvp-comment-262-2 ἐν παρέργῳ ⁶⁹³

mvp-comment-262-3 δυσχέρεια ⁶⁹⁴

mvp-comment-263-1 ἔξοιδα ⁶⁹⁵

mvp-comment-263-2 φορήματος ⁶⁹⁶

mvp-comment-264-1 τό τ’ αἰσχρὸν ⁶⁹⁷ εὐκλεές ⁶⁹⁸ εὐκλεές ⁶⁹⁹ τοῖσι γενναίοισι ⁷⁰⁰

mvp-comment-265-1 ἐκλιπόντι τοῦτ’ ⁷⁰¹

mvp-comment-265-2 ὄνειδος ⁷⁰² οὐ καλόν ⁷⁰³

mvp-comment-266-1 πλεῖστον ⁷⁰⁴

mvp-comment-266-2 μόλω )γὼ ⁷⁰⁵

mvp-comment-267-1 ἴθ’ ⁷⁰⁶

mvp-comment-267-2 ἡμέρας … μιᾶς ⁷⁰⁷

mvp-comment-268-1 τόλμησον ⁷⁰⁸

mvp-comment-268-2 ὅπῃ ⁷⁰⁹ ὅποι ⁷¹⁰ ἐμβαλοῦ ⁷¹¹ ἄγων ⁷¹²

mvp-comment-269-1 ἀντλίαν ⁷¹³

mvp-comment-269-2 πρῷραν … πρύμνην ⁷¹⁴

mvp-comment-269-3 ὅπου ⁷¹⁵ ὅποι ⁷¹⁶ υ ⁷¹⁷ ι ⁷¹⁸

mvp-comment-269-4 μέλλω … ἀλγυνεῖν ⁷¹⁹

mvp-comment-270-1 ἱκεσίου ⁷²⁰

mvp-comment-270-2 γόνασι ⁷²¹

mvp-comment-271-1 ἀκράτωρ ⁷²²

mvp-comment-272-1 ἢ πρὸς οἶκον τὸν σὸν ⁷²³

mvp-comment-272-2 τὰ Χαλκώδοντος Εὐβοίας σταθμά ⁷²⁴

mvp-comment-272-3 Schneidewin remarks that Philoctetes, the former comrade of Heracles, might naturally name Chalcodon, who had been the companion of Heracles in an expedition against the Eleans ( Paus. 8. 15. 6 ). But that was merely a local Arcadian myth; and Pausanias finds it inconsistent with the better-known Theban tradition, according to which Chalcodon was slain by Amphitryon in a war between the Euboeans and Thebans (9. 19. 3). At any rate the Attic poet might think of the Attic legend, according to which Theseus had sent his sons for protection to Chalcodon's son Elephenor, before retiring from Athens to Scyros ( Plut. Thes. 35 ).

mvp-comment-273-1 εἰς Οἴτην ⁷²⁵

mvp-comment-274-1 Τραχινίαν … δειράδα ⁷²⁶

mvp-comment-274-2 All MSS. have δειράδα καὶ τὸν ⁷²⁷ δεράδα ⁷²⁸

mvp-comment-274-3 I am more disposed to think that δειράδα ⁷²⁹ καὶ τὸν ⁷³⁰

mvp-comment-274-4 εὔροον ⁷³¹

mvp-comment-274-5 Like the Homeric

ἐΰρροος, ἐυ·ρρείτης

, the epithet refers simply to the beauty of the river, not to that swiftness (

σπέρχομαι

) from which it takes its name ( Il. 16. 176

Σπερχειῷ ἀκάμαντι

: Lucan 6. 366 Ferit amne citato | Maliacas Spercheus aquas). Rising at the foot of Typhrestus, and fed by affluents from Othrys and Oeta, the Spercheius has a considerable volume of water even in the hot season (Tozer, Geo. of Greece, p. 81).

mvp-comment-275-1 ὃν ⁷³² δέδοικ’ ⁷³³

mvp-comment-275-2 παλαιὸν ⁷³⁴ ἐξ ὅτου ⁷³⁵ παλαἴ ἂν ⁷³⁶

mvp-comment-276-1 μή μοι βεβήκῃ ⁷³⁷

mvp-comment-276-2 τοῖς ἱγμένοις ⁷³⁸ ἔστελλον ⁷³⁹

mvp-comment-277-1 αὐτόστολον πέμψαντα ⁷⁴⁰ αὐτόστολον ⁷⁴¹ πέμψαντα ⁷⁴² ἐκσῶσαι ⁷⁴³ πλεύσαντα ⁷⁴⁴

mvp-comment-277-2 δόμους ⁷⁴⁵ δόμοις ⁷⁴⁶

mvp-comment-277-3 497 ff. After τὰ τῶν διακόνων ⁷⁴⁷ ποιούμενοι ⁷⁴⁸ τὸ ⁷⁴⁹ τὰ ⁷⁵⁰

mvp-comment-277-4 ὡς εἰκός ⁷⁵¹ οἶμαι ⁷⁵² οἴμοι ⁷⁵³

mvp-comment-277-5 ἐν σμικρῷ ⁷⁵⁴

mvp-comment-277-6 μέρος ⁷⁵⁵ μέρει ⁷⁵⁶

mvp-comment-277-7 ἤπειγον ⁷⁵⁷

mvp-comment-278-1 πομπόν τε καὐτὸν ἄγγελον ⁷⁵⁸

mvp-comment-278-2 ἥκω ⁷⁵⁹

mvp-comment-279-1 δεινὰ κἀπικινδύνως … κεῖται ⁷⁶⁰ παθεῖν ⁷⁶¹ παθεῖν μὲν εὖ, παθεῖν δὲ θάτερα ⁷⁶²

mvp-comment-279-2 θάτερα ⁷⁶³

mvp-comment-280-1 ἐκτὸς ὄντα ⁷⁶⁴ τὰ δείν’ ὁρᾶν ⁷⁶⁵

mvp-comment-281-1 εὖ ζῇ ⁷⁶⁶

mvp-comment-281-2 τὸν βίον ⁷⁶⁷ λάθῃ ⁷⁶⁸

mvp-comment-282-1 : antistrophe to 391—402. The pity expressed by the Chorus may well be sincere; but in this utterance of it, their first aim is to aid their master's design. Verse 510 shows this.

mvp-comment-282-2 πόνων ἆθλα ⁷⁶⁹

mvp-comment-282-3 οἷα ⁷⁷⁰ οἷα ⁷⁷¹ ἅσσα ⁷⁷² τύχοι ⁷⁷³ λάχοι ⁷⁷⁴

mvp-comment-283-1 πικρούς ⁷⁷⁵

mvp-comment-284-1 ἐγὼ μὲν ⁷⁷⁶ πορεύσαιμ’ ἂν ⁷⁷⁷

mvp-comment-284-2 τὸ κείνων κακὸν ⁷⁷⁸

mvp-comment-284-3 μετατιθέμενος ⁷⁷⁹

mvp-comment-284-4 ἐπιμέμονεν ⁷⁸⁰

mvp-comment-285-1 εὐστόλου ⁷⁸¹

mvp-comment-286-1 τὰν θεῶν νέμεσιν ⁷⁸²

mvp-comment-287-1 νῦν μὲν … ὅταν δὲ ⁷⁸³

mvp-comment-287-2 εὐχερὴς ⁷⁸⁴ τις ⁷⁸⁵ παρῇς ⁷⁸⁶

mvp-comment-288-1 τῆς νόσου ⁷⁸⁷ πλησθῇς· ξυνουσίᾳ ⁷⁸⁸

mvp-comment-288-2 αὑτὸς τοῖς λόγοις τούτοις ⁷⁸⁹

mvp-comment-289-1 οὐκ ἔσθ’ ὅπως ⁷⁹⁰

mvp-comment-290-1 ἀλλὰ … μέντοι ⁷⁹¹

mvp-comment-290-2 αἰσχρὰ ⁷⁹²

mvp-comment-290-3 σοῦ γέ μ’ ⁷⁹³ σοῦ γ’ ἔμ’ ⁷⁹⁴

mvp-comment-290-4 πρὸς τὸ καίριον ⁷⁹⁵

mvp-comment-290-5 πονεῖν ⁷⁹⁶

mvp-comment-291-1 ὁρμάσθω ⁷⁹⁷ ταχύς ⁷⁹⁸ χἡ ναῦς ⁷⁹⁹

mvp-comment-291-2 ἀπαρνηθήσεται ⁸⁰⁰

mvp-comment-292-1 μόνον ⁸⁰¹

mvp-comment-292-2 βουλοίμεσθα ⁸⁰²

mvp-comment-293-1 ὦ φίλτατον μὲν ⁸⁰³

mvp-comment-293-2 πῶς ἂν … γενοίμην ⁸⁰⁴

mvp-comment-294-1 ἴωμεν ⁸⁰⁵ ἴωμεν ⁸⁰⁶ ἴωμεν ⁸⁰⁷ εἰσοίκησιν ⁸⁰⁸ προσκύσαντε ⁸⁰⁹ εἰς οἴκησιν ⁸¹⁰ προσκύσαντε ⁸¹¹

mvp-comment-294-2 ὡς … καὶ ⁸¹²

mvp-comment-295-1 ἀφ’ ὧν ⁸¹³

mvp-comment-295-2 διέζων ⁸¹⁴

mvp-comment-296-1 οἶμαι γὰρ ⁸¹⁵

mvp-comment-296-2 μόνην ⁸¹⁶ μόνον ⁸¹⁷ τάδε ⁸¹⁸ θέαν λαβόντα ⁸¹⁹ τλῆναι ⁸²⁰

mvp-comment-297-1 προὔμαθον ⁸²¹

mvp-comment-298-1 ἐπίσχετον ⁸²² μάθωμεν ⁸²³

mvp-comment-298-2 ἀλλόθρους ⁸²⁴

mvp-comment-298-3 ὧν μαθόντες ⁸²⁵

mvp-comment-298-4 αὖθις ⁸²⁶ εἴσιτον ⁸²⁷

mvp-comment-298-5 542 Odysseus said that he would send back the

σκοπός

, disguised as a merchant captain, if N. seemed to be tarrying too long (126 ff.). The actor who now comes on as

ἔμπορος

would not, however, be the same who played the

σκοπός

(a mute person), but the tritagonist, who played Odysseus. The sailor who accompanies him is a mute person; and that part may have been taken by the former representative of the

σκοπός

mvp-comment-298-6 As N. has already ensnared Ph. , and is on the point of starting with him, there is no actual need for the intervention of the

ἔμπορος

. But Odysseus, at the ship, could not know this; and we are to suppose that he had become impatient. The scene which follows heightens the dramatic interest by bringing out the horror with which Ph. regards the idea of returning to Troy.

mvp-comment-298-7 ξυνέμπορον ⁸²⁸

mvp-comment-299-1 φράσαι σε, ποῦ ⁸²⁹

mvp-comment-299-2 κυρῶν εἴης ⁸³⁰

mvp-comment-300-1 δοξάζων μὲν οὔ ⁸³¹

mvp-comment-300-2 ὁρμισθεὶς ⁸³² ταὐτὸν … πέδον ⁸³³

mvp-comment-301-1 οὐ πολλῷ στόλῳ ⁸³⁴

mvp-comment-302-1 Πεπάρηθον ⁸³⁵ εὔβοτρυν ⁸³⁶

mvp-comment-302-2 ἤκουσα τοὺς ναύτας ὅτι ⁸³⁷ πάντες ⁸³⁸ συννεναυστοληκότες ⁸³⁹ οἱ νεναυστοληκότες ⁸⁴⁰ σοὶ ⁸⁴¹

mvp-comment-303-1 ἔδοξέ μοι ⁸⁴² προστυχόντι ⁸⁴³ ποεῖσθαι ⁸⁴⁴ μὴ σῖγα, πρὶν φράσαιμι ⁸⁴⁵ προστυχόντι ⁸⁴⁶ προστυχόντι ⁸⁴⁷

mvp-comment-303-2 τῶν ἴσων ⁸⁴⁸ προστυχόντι ⁸⁴⁹ σοι ⁸⁵⁰

mvp-comment-304-1 ἃ τοῖσιν ⁸⁵¹

mvp-comment-304-2 vέα ⁸⁵²

mvp-comment-305-1 οὐκέτ’ ἐξαργούμενα ⁸⁵³ ἔργα ⁸⁵⁴ δρώμενα ⁸⁵⁵

mvp-comment-306-1 ἀλλ’ ⁸⁵⁶ ἡ χάρις … τῆς προμηθίας ⁸⁵⁷ προμηθίας ⁸⁵⁸

mvp-comment-306-2 εἰ μὴ κακὸς πέφυκα ⁸⁵⁹

mvp-comment-306-3 προσφιλὴς ⁸⁶⁰ χάρις ⁸⁶¹

mvp-comment-307-1 ἅπερ γ’ ⁸⁶² ἅπερ κἄλεξας ⁸⁶³ γε ⁸⁶⁴ ἅπερ ⁸⁶⁵

mvp-comment-308-1 νεώτερον ⁸⁶⁶

mvp-comment-308-2 ἀπ’ Ἀργείων ⁸⁶⁷ βούλευμα ⁸⁶⁸ ἔχεις ⁸⁶⁹ μοι ⁸⁷⁰

mvp-comment-309-1 φοῖνιξ ⁸⁷¹

mvp-comment-309-2 οἵ τε Θησέως κόροι ⁸⁷²

mvp-comment-310-1 ἐκ βίας ⁸⁷³

mvp-comment-310-2 λόγοις ⁸⁷⁴ δόλοις ⁸⁷⁵

mvp-comment-311-1 καθ’ ὁρμὴν ⁸⁷⁶

mvp-comment-312-1 ὡς ταῦτ’ ἐπίστω δρώμεν’ ⁸⁷⁷

mvp-comment-313-1 πρὸς τάδ’ ⁸⁷⁸

mvp-comment-313-2 αὐτάγγελος ⁸⁷⁹

mvp-comment-314-1 κεῖνός γ’ ⁸⁸⁰

mvp-comment-314-2 ὁ Τυδέως παῖς ⁸⁸¹ ἔστελλον ⁸⁸²

mvp-comment-315-1 πρὸς ποῖον αὖ τόνδ’ … ἔπλει ⁸⁸³ αὖ ⁸⁸⁴ αὖ ⁸⁸⁵ ἂν ⁸⁸⁶

mvp-comment-315-2 If ἂν ⁸⁸⁷

mvp-comment-316-1 σοι ⁸⁸⁸

mvp-comment-317-1 τὰ πλείον’ ⁸⁸⁹

mvp-comment-317-2 σεαυτὸν ξυλλαβὼν ⁸⁹⁰

mvp-comment-318-1 τί με ⁸⁹¹ διεμπολᾷ … πρός σε ⁸⁹² τί με ⁸⁹³ τί δὲ ⁸⁹⁴ διεμπολᾷ ⁸⁹⁵

mvp-comment-319-1 εἰς φῶς ⁸⁹⁶ καί … τε ⁸⁹⁷

mvp-comment-320-1 σπέρμ’ ⁸⁹⁸

mvp-comment-320-2 στρατῷ ⁸⁹⁹

mvp-comment-320-3 ἃ μὴ δεῖ ⁹⁰⁰

mvp-comment-320-4 δρῶν ἀντιπάσχω ⁹⁰¹ οἷ’ ἀνὴρ πένης ⁹⁰²

mvp-comment-320-5 χρηστά θ’ ⁹⁰³

mvp-comment-321-1 ἐγώ εἰμ’ ⁹⁰⁴

mvp-comment-321-2 φίλος μέγιστος ⁹⁰⁵

mvp-comment-322-1 λόγων ⁹⁰⁶ λόγον ⁹⁰⁷ ὧν ⁹⁰⁸

mvp-comment-323-1 ὅρα ⁹⁰⁹

mvp-comment-323-2 πάλαι ⁹¹⁰

mvp-comment-324-1 ποιοῦ ⁹¹¹

mvp-comment-324-2 λέγων ⁹¹²

mvp-comment-325-1 λέγω ⁹¹³

mvp-comment-325-2 )πὶ τοῦτον ⁹¹⁴

mvp-comment-325-3 τοῦτον ⁹¹⁵

mvp-comment-325-4 592 Although Odysseus and Diomedes had been named in 570, it is obviously natural that their names should be repeated in this more explicit statement.

mvp-comment-326-1 διώμοτοι ⁹¹⁶

mvp-comment-326-2 ἦ μὴν ⁹¹⁷

mvp-comment-327-1 πείσαντες ⁹¹⁸ πρὸς ⁹¹⁹

mvp-comment-328-1 πλέον ⁹²⁰

mvp-comment-328-2 θατέρου ⁹²¹

mvp-comment-329-1 τίνος … πράγματος χάριν ⁹²²

mvp-comment-329-2 χρόνῳ τοσῷδε ⁹²³

mvp-comment-329-3 ἐπεστρέφοντο ⁹²⁴

mvp-comment-329-4 ἄγαν οὕτω ⁹²⁵

mvp-comment-329-5 The order of the words is remarkable, not only because τίνος ⁹²⁶ πράγματος ⁹²⁷ τοῦδ’ ⁹²⁸

mvp-comment-330-1 εἶχον … ἐκβεβληκότες ⁹²⁹

mvp-comment-330-2 χρόνιον ⁹³⁰

mvp-comment-331-1 τίς ὁ πόθος ⁹³¹

mvp-comment-331-2 ἵκετ’ ⁹³²

mvp-comment-331-3 θεῶν βία ⁹³³

mvp-comment-331-4 νέμεσις ⁹³⁴

mvp-comment-331-5 ἀμύνουσιν ⁹³⁵

mvp-comment-332-1 ὄνομα δ’ ὠνομάζετο ⁹³⁶

mvp-comment-333-1 Ἕλενος ⁹³⁷

mvp-comment-333-2 The statement of the

ἔμπορος

is only part of the truth. Helenus had indeed been captured, and had said that Troy could not be taken without Philoctetes. But he had also said that Troy was destined to be taken that summer,—as if he knew that fate had decreed the return of Philoctetes,—who was then to be healed by the Asclepiadae, and to share with Neoptolemus the glory of the victory (1329—1342). Odysseus, however, believed that Philoctetes would not listen to persuasion, but must be brought back by a stratagem (103). And so the object of the

ἔμπορος

in referring to Helenus is merely to convince Philoctetes that Odysseus is coming, in order that the sufferer may become still more anxious to depart with Neoptolemus for Greece, as he supposes.

mvp-comment-334-1 ἀκούων ⁹³⁸

mvp-comment-334-2 λωβητὰ ἔπη ⁹³⁹

mvp-comment-335-1 ἐς μέσον ⁹⁴⁰ ἔδειξ’ ⁹⁴¹

mvp-comment-336-1 τά τ’ ἄλλα … πάντα ⁹⁴² καὶ ⁹⁴³

mvp-comment-337-1 τἀπὶ Τροίᾳ πέργαμ’ ⁹⁴⁴

mvp-comment-337-2 οὐ μή ποτε πέρσοιεν ⁹⁴⁵ οὐ μή ⁹⁴⁶

mvp-comment-337-3 οὐ δηποτε πέρσοιεν ⁹⁴⁷

mvp-comment-338-1 ἄγοιντο ⁹⁴⁸ ἀγάγοιντο ⁹⁴⁹ ἄξοιντο ⁹⁵⁰ ἄγοιντο ⁹⁵¹

mvp-comment-338-2 νήσου ⁹⁵²

mvp-comment-338-3 617 The words οἴοιτο μὲν μάλιστα ⁹⁵³

mvp-comment-338-4 μάλιστα ⁹⁵⁵ οἴοιτο ⁹⁵⁶

mvp-comment-339-1 τούτων ⁹⁵⁷ μὴ τυχών ⁹⁵⁸

mvp-comment-339-2 κάρα τέμνειν ⁹⁵⁹ ἐφεῖτο ⁹⁶⁰

mvp-comment-340-1 τὸ σπεύδειν ⁹⁶¹

mvp-comment-340-2 σοι καὐτῷ ⁹⁶² πέρι ⁹⁶³

mvp-comment-341-1 ἡ πασα βλάβη ⁹⁶⁴

mvp-comment-342-1 πεισθήσομαι ⁹⁶⁵

mvp-comment-342-2 γὰρ ⁹⁶⁶

mvp-comment-342-3 ὧδε ⁹⁶⁷

mvp-comment-342-4 πρὸς φῶς ἀνελθεῖν ⁹⁶⁸

mvp-comment-342-5 οὑκείνου πατήρ ⁹⁶⁹

mvp-comment-343-1 συμφέροι ⁹⁷⁰

mvp-comment-344-1 τάδε ⁹⁷¹

mvp-comment-345-1 ἂν ⁹⁷² δεῖξαι ⁹⁷³

mvp-comment-345-2 νεὼς ἄγοντ’ ⁹⁷⁴

mvp-comment-346-1 οὔ· ⁹⁷⁵

mvp-comment-346-2 πλεῖστον ἐχθίστης ⁹⁷⁶

mvp-comment-347-1 ἄπουν ⁹⁷⁷

mvp-comment-348-1 πάντα λεκτά ⁹⁷⁸

mvp-comment-349-1 ὡς … ὁρίζῃ ⁹⁷⁹ ὁρίζει ⁹⁸⁰

mvp-comment-350-1 τοὐκ πρῴρας ⁹⁸¹

mvp-comment-350-2 ἀνῇ ⁹⁸²

mvp-comment-350-3 στελοῦμεν ⁹⁸³

mvp-comment-351-1 οὔκ, ἀλλὰ ⁹⁸⁴ οὐκ ⁹⁸⁵ οἶδ)· ⁹⁸⁶ ἀλλ’ οὐχὶ ⁹⁸⁷

mvp-comment-352-1 ἀλλ’ ⁹⁸⁸

mvp-comment-352-2 χωρῶμεν … λαβὼν ⁹⁸⁹ λαβόνθ’ ⁹⁹⁰

mvp-comment-353-1 καίπερ οὐ πολλῶν ἄπο ⁹⁹¹

mvp-comment-354-1 νεώς γε τῆς ἐμῆς ἔπι ⁹⁹² ἔνι ⁹⁹³ ἔπι ⁹⁹⁴ ἔνι ⁹⁹⁵ νεώς ⁹⁹⁶ ἔνι ⁹⁹⁷ ἔνι ⁹⁹⁸

mvp-comment-355-1 πάνυ ⁹⁹⁹

mvp-comment-356-1 τί γὰρ ἔτ’ ¹⁰⁰⁰

mvp-comment-356-2 γάρ ¹⁰⁰¹

mvp-comment-357-1 εἴ μοί τι τόξων ¹⁰⁰² τόξα ¹⁰⁰³

mvp-comment-357-2 ἀπημελημένον ¹⁰⁰⁴

mvp-comment-357-3 παρερρύηκεν ¹⁰⁰⁵

mvp-comment-357-4 ὡς λίπω μή ¹⁰⁰⁶ λαβεῖν ¹⁰⁰⁷

mvp-comment-358-1 οὐ γὰρ ἄλλ’ ἔστ’, ἀλλ’ ἃ κ.τ.λ. ¹⁰⁰⁸ ἀλλ’ ¹⁰⁰⁹ ἄλλ’ ¹⁰¹⁰ ἄλλος ¹⁰¹¹ ἃ βαστάζω ¹⁰¹² ταῦτ’ ¹⁰¹³ ἄλλα γ’ ἔσθ’ ἃ ¹⁰¹⁴

mvp-comment-359-1 ὥστε ¹⁰¹⁵ ἔστιν ¹⁰¹⁶

mvp-comment-359-2 θεόν ¹⁰¹⁷ θεός ¹⁰¹⁸

mvp-comment-360-1 ξυμφέρῃ ¹⁰¹⁹ ἐρῶ ¹⁰²⁰

mvp-comment-361-1 καὶ μὴν … γε ¹⁰²¹ πάρες ¹⁰²²

mvp-comment-362-1 ὅσια … θέμις ¹⁰²³

mvp-comment-363-1 ὅς γ’ ¹⁰²⁴

mvp-comment-363-2 φάος ¹⁰²⁵

mvp-comment-363-3 δέδωκας ¹⁰²⁶

mvp-comment-363-4 χθόν’ Οἰταίαν ¹⁰²⁷

mvp-comment-364-1 ἀνέστησας πέρα ¹⁰²⁸ πέρα ¹⁰²⁹ πέρα ¹⁰³⁰ ἔνερθεν ¹⁰³¹ πέρα ¹⁰³² μ’ ὕ ¹⁰³³ περ ¹⁰³⁴ ἀναστήσας πάρει ¹⁰³⁵ πέρα ¹⁰³⁶

mvp-comment-365-1 ταῦτα ¹⁰³⁷ παρέσται σοι ¹⁰³⁸ καὶ θιγγάνειν ¹⁰³⁹

mvp-comment-366-1 καὶ δόντι δοῦναι ¹⁰⁴⁰ δοῦναι ¹⁰⁴¹ ἐπεύξασθαι ¹⁰⁴² θιγγάνειν ¹⁰⁴³

mvp-comment-366-2 669 The acc. μόνον ¹⁰⁴⁴ δόντι ¹⁰⁴⁵ μόνῳ ¹⁰⁴⁶ μόνον ¹⁰⁴⁷ ς’ ¹⁰⁴⁸ ἀρετῆς ¹⁰⁴⁹

mvp-comment-367-1 εὐεργετῶν ¹⁰⁵⁰

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

χωροῖς ἂν εἴσω

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

εὖ παθών

dici possit.’ Blaydes, though he does not bracket the verses, assents to this argument:—‘Certainly

εὖ παθὼν

cannot well apply to Neoptolemus.’ But

εὖ παθών

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 ¹⁰⁵¹

mvp-comment-369-2 κτήματος ¹⁰⁵²

mvp-comment-370-1 χωροῖς ἂν εἴσω ¹⁰⁵³ καὶ σέ γ’ εἰσάξω ¹⁰⁵⁴ γε ¹⁰⁵⁵ σέ ¹⁰⁵⁶ χωροῖς ἂν εἴσω ¹⁰⁵⁷

mvp-comment-370-2 τὸ γὰρ ¹⁰⁵⁸ νοσοῦν ¹⁰⁵⁹ τὸ … νοσοῦν ¹⁰⁶⁰

mvp-comment-371-1 ἐξήκους’ ¹⁰⁶¹

mvp-comment-371-2 ὄπωπα δ’ οὐ μάλα ¹⁰⁶²

mvp-comment-372-1 τὸν πελάταν ¹⁰⁶³

mvp-comment-372-2 The comparison with Ixion is the more forcible here, since reference has just been made to the gratitude shown by Philoctetes (672). Ixion was the great example of ingratitude. Cp. Pind. P. 2. 21

θεῶν δ’ ἐφετμαῖς Ἰξίονα φαντὶ ταῦτα βροτοῖς

λέγειν ἐν πτερόεντι τροχῷ

παντᾷ κυλινδόμενον·

τὸν εὐεργέταν ἀγαναῖς ἀμοιβαῖς ἐποιχομένους τίνεσθαι

mvp-comment-372-3 λέκτρων … τῶν Διὸς ¹⁰⁶⁴ τῶν ¹⁰⁶⁵

mvp-comment-373-1 κατὰ δρομάδ’ ἄμπυκα … Κρόνου παῖς ¹⁰⁶⁶ Ἰξίονα ¹⁰⁶⁷ δέσμιον ¹⁰⁶⁸ Ἰξίονα ¹⁰⁶⁹ δέσμιον ¹⁰⁷⁰ Ἰξίονα ¹⁰⁷¹

mvp-comment-373-2 (1) The poet's tendency to omit the proper name in mythical allusion, when the context made his meaning clear, might be illustrated from Ant, 133, where Capaneus is described, yet not named; and from 966—987 of the same play, where Cleopatra—whose fate is being compared with Antigone's—is only indicated as the mother of the Phineidae (980) and the daughter of Boreas (985).

mvp-comment-373-3 (2) δέσμιον ¹⁰⁷² κατ’ ἄμπυκα … ἔβαλεν ¹⁰⁷³ δέσμιον ¹⁰⁷⁴ κατ’ ¹⁰⁷⁵ ἀν’ ¹⁰⁷⁶

mvp-comment-373-4 Ἰξίον’ ἀν’ ἄμπυκα δὴ δρομάδ’ ὡς ἔβαλεν ¹⁰⁷⁷ δέσμιον ¹⁰⁷⁸

mvp-comment-373-5 ἄμπυκα ¹⁰⁷⁹ δρομάδα ¹⁰⁸⁰

mvp-comment-373-6 Cp. Hesych.,

ἄμπυκες, τροχοί· οὕτω Σοφοκλῆς ἐν Φιλοκτήτη

. Musgrave's ἄντυγα ¹⁰⁸¹

mvp-comment-374-1 τοῦδ’ ¹⁰⁸²

mvp-comment-375-1 οὔτ’ ἔρξας τιν’, οὔ τι νοσφίσας ¹⁰⁸³ οὔ τι ¹⁰⁸⁴ οὔτε ¹⁰⁸⁵ οὐκ ¹⁰⁸⁶ νοσφίσας ¹⁰⁸⁷ ἔρξας ¹⁰⁸⁸ νοσφίσας ¹⁰⁸⁹

mvp-comment-376-1 ἴσος ὢν ἴσοις ¹⁰⁹⁰ ἴσος ὢν ἴσοις ¹⁰⁹¹ ἴσος ¹⁰⁹²

mvp-comment-376-2 L has ἴσως ¹⁰⁹³ ἐν ἴσοις ¹⁰⁹⁴ ἔν γ’ ¹⁰⁹⁵

mvp-comment-377-1 ὤλλυθ’ ¹⁰⁹⁶

mvp-comment-377-2 The MS. text here is ὤλλυθ’ ὧδ’ ἀναξίως· τόδε θαῦμ’ ἔχει με ¹⁰⁹⁷ τόδε τοι θαῦμά μ’ ἔχει ¹⁰⁹⁸ τότ’ ἂν εἰλυόμενος ¹⁰⁹⁹ ὤλλυθ’ ὧδ’ ἀναξίως ¹¹⁰⁰ εἷρπε γὰρ ¹¹⁰¹ εἷρπε δ’ ¹¹⁰² ὤλλυθ’ ¹¹⁰³ ὠλέκεθ’ ¹¹⁰⁴ ὤλλυτο τῇδ’ ¹¹⁰⁵ ἀναξίως ¹¹⁰⁶ ἄλλᾳ ¹¹⁰⁷ ἀλλ ¹¹⁰⁸ αχ ¹¹⁰⁹ ᾷ ¹¹¹⁰

mvp-comment-378-1 ἀμφιπλάκτων ¹¹¹¹ κλύζων ¹¹¹²

mvp-comment-379-1 βιοτὰν κατέσχεν ¹¹¹³

mvp-comment-380-1 ἵν’ αὐτὸς ἦν πρόσουρος ¹¹¹⁴ ἦν ¹¹¹⁵ οἱ ¹¹¹⁶ πρόσουρος ¹¹¹⁷

mvp-comment-380-2 οὐκ ἔχων βάσιν ¹¹¹⁸ πρόσουρον οὐκ ἔχων βάσιν ¹¹¹⁹ πρόδουλον … βάσιν ¹¹²⁰ οὔτιν’ ἐς ἔγχωρον ¹¹²¹

mvp-comment-381-1 κακογείτονα ¹¹²²

mvp-comment-381-2 Compounds to which

κακός

gives the first part are of two classes, according as the

κακο‐

element is (1) adj. or (2) subst. In class (1) there are again two types. ( a) The commonest is that of

κακόβιος

, =

κακὸν βίον ἔχων

: i.e., the compound denotes ‘possessing’ the subst. as qualified by

κακός

. ( b) A rarer, chiefly poet., type is that of

Κακοΐλιος

as simply=

κακὴ Ἴλιος

. In class (2) ( a) the

κακο‐

is most often equiv. to the subst.

κακόν

κακά

in the acc., governed by a verb: as

κακοποιός

κακὰ ποιῶν

. ( b) But sometimes this

κακο‐

represents a gen. or dat., depending on another noun: thus

κακόμαντις

, ‘prophet of evil’ ( Aesch. Pers. 10 etc.)=

κακῶν μάντις

. Cratinus used

κακόδουλος

as =

κακὸς δούλοις

(‘cruel to slaves’),

Θρᾷτται

fr. 7. And so

κακογείτων

could belong either to (1) b,=

κακὸς γείτων

: or, as it actually does here, to (2) b,

κακῶν γείτων

. Cp.

ἁλιγείτων, ἀστρογείτων, ἀστυγείτων

mvp-comment-381-3 The schol. joined κακογείτονα ¹¹²³ στόνον ¹¹²⁴ κακογείτονα ¹¹²⁵

mvp-comment-382-1 παρ’ ᾧ ¹¹²⁶ ἀποκλαύσειεν ¹¹²⁷

mvp-comment-382-2 ἀντίτυπον ¹¹²⁸

mvp-comment-382-3 βαρυβρῶτα … αἱματηρόν ¹¹²⁹ στόνον ¹¹³⁰

mvp-comment-383-1 ὃς τὰν ¹¹³¹ οὐδ’ ὃς τὰν ¹¹³² οὐδ’ ¹¹³³ τὰν ¹¹³⁴ ὃς τὰν ¹¹³⁵ οὐδ’ ὃς ¹¹³⁶

mvp-comment-383-2 αἱμάδα ¹¹³⁷ κηκι—ομέναν ¹¹³⁸

mvp-comment-383-3 ἑλκέων ¹¹³⁹

mvp-comment-383-4 ἐνθήρου ¹¹⁴⁰

mvp-comment-384-1 εἴ τις ἐμπέσοι ¹¹⁴¹ ἑλών ¹¹⁴² ἑλεῖν ¹¹⁴³

mvp-comment-384-2 Some read εἴ τιν’ ἐμπέσοι ¹¹⁴⁴ εἵ τι ¹¹⁴⁵ συμπέσοι ¹¹⁴⁶ ἑλεῖν ¹¹⁴⁷

mvp-comment-384-3 φορβάδος ¹¹⁴⁸

mvp-comment-385-1 εἷρπε ¹¹⁴⁹ ἂν ¹¹⁵⁰ εἷρπε ¹¹⁵¹ εἰλυόμενος ¹¹⁵²

mvp-comment-386-1 παῖς … ὡς ¹¹⁵³

mvp-comment-387-1 ὅθεν ¹¹⁵⁴ ὅθεν ὑπάρχοι ¹¹⁵⁵

mvp-comment-387-2 εὐμάρεια … πόρου ¹¹⁵⁶ πόρων ¹¹⁵⁷ πόρον ¹¹⁵⁸

mvp-comment-387-3 ἐξανείη ¹¹⁵⁹

mvp-comment-387-4 δακέθυμος ¹¹⁶⁰

mvp-comment-388-1 ἱερᾶς ¹¹⁶¹

mvp-comment-388-2 αἴρων ¹¹⁶²

mvp-comment-388-3 ἄλλων ¹¹⁶³ φορβὰν ¹¹⁶⁴ τῶν ¹¹⁶⁵

mvp-comment-388-4 ἀλφησταί ¹¹⁶⁶

mvp-comment-388-5 ἀνέρες ¹¹⁶⁷ α— ¹¹⁶⁸

mvp-comment-389-1 πτανοῖς ¹¹⁶⁹

mvp-comment-389-2 ἰοῖς ¹¹⁷⁰

mvp-comment-390-1 ψυχά, ὃς ¹¹⁷¹

mvp-comment-390-2 ὃς μηδ’ ¹¹⁷²

mvp-comment-390-3 ἥσθη ¹¹⁷³

mvp-comment-390-4 οἰνοχύτου ¹¹⁷⁴

mvp-comment-390-5 δεκέτει χρόνῳ ¹¹⁷⁵ δεκέτη χρόνον ¹¹⁷⁶

Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) focus

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.'

396. mvp-comment-284-1 ὕβρις πᾶσα] 'The boundless insolence.' For πᾶς intensive, see E. on L. § 55. p. 101, 6. The bacchic rhythm shows that πᾶσα is not to be taken predicatively with ἐχώρει.

397. mvp-comment-285-1 παρεδίδοσαν] 'They were wrongfully giving away from him.' Cp. supr. 64, παρέδοσαν, and note.

400. mvp-comment-286-1 ἰὼ . . ἔφεδρε] This long parenthesis belongs to the wild nature of the strain, and would be assisted with significant gestures. λεόντων ἔφεδρε, 'Thou that sittest above the lions,' that draw thy car. Cp. the use of ἵπποι as equivalent to ἅρμα in Epic Greek.

401. mvp-comment-287-1 τῷ Λαρτίου . . ὑπέρτατον] 'Investing the son of Laertes with supreme glory.' The accusative, σέβας ὑπέρτατον, is in apposition either (1) to τεύχεα, or (2) to the action of παρεδίδοσαν. The dative is not to be taken with παρεδίδοσαν, but with σέβας ὑπέρτατον, sc. γενέσθαι, i. e. ὥστε τὸν Λ. ὑπέρτατον σέβας ἔχειν, (Ant. 304.)

402ff. mvp-comment-288-1 A point of rest has now been gained, and the action remains stationary for a little while. Neoptolemus has completely won the friendship of Philoctetes, and is confident of the attainment of his purpose. Cp. О. С. 631, 667.

402-403. mvp-comment-289-1 ἔχοντες σύμβολον σαφές | λύπης . . πεπλεύκατε] 'The grief ye have brought with you in sailing forth is a token which clearly commends itself to me.' Cp. Aristid. vol. 1. p. 416, ἱκανόν ἐστι πρὸς αὐτήν, ὥσπερ ἄλλο τι σύμβολον, αὐτὸ τὸ σχῆμα τῆς ἀτυχίας, a passage which shows that πρὸς ἡμᾶς should be taken with ἔχοντες σύμβολον rather than with πεπλεύκατε. The participle has the chief emphasis: see Essay on L. § 41. p. 77. β.

405. mvp-comment-290-1 καί μοι προσᾴδεθ'] 'And your words strike on a note that is in unison with my experience.' For a similar metaphor, cp O. T. 1112, 3, ἔν τε γὰρ μακρῷ γήρᾳ ξυνάδει τῷδε τἀνδρὶ σύμμετρος.

407. mvp-comment-291-1 ἂν . . θιγόντα] I know that he would not refrain his tongue from any mischievous word or from any villany.' The effect of ἄν here is to mark that the supposed fact is in accordance with general probability.

408. mvp-comment-292-1 ἀφ᾿ ἧς . . ποιεῖν] 'Whereof the issue in his hands was likely to be some great iniquity.' For the indirect form of expression, see E. on L. § 42. p. 79.

409. mvp-comment-293-1 δίκαιον δὲ βαιον δίκαιον μηδέν] μή, because of the hypothetical nature of the sentence implied in ἂν θιγόντα. ἐς τέλος] 'In the end.' Cp. Eur. Ion 1615, χρόνια μὲν τὰ τῶν θεῶν πως, εἰς τέλος δ᾽ οὐκ ἀσθενῆ. μέλλοι] The optative because ἂν θιγόντα = ὅτι ἂν θίγοι.

410-411. mvp-comment-294-1 ἀλλ᾽ εἰ . . ἠνείχετο] Sc. θαυμάζω. 'But' (it does seem marvellous) 'if the taller Ajax, being there, endured to see this done.' παρών] i. e. supposing him to be at Troy, and not absent on some expedition. ὁ μείζων] The son of Telamon is so distinguished from the Ὀϊλῆος ταχὺς Αἴας.

412. mvp-comment-295-1 Editors have raised the question whether the award of the arms and the death of Ajax are supposed to precede or follow the arrival of Neoptolemus at Troy. But the Greek drama is not careful of such minute adjustments of time, especially in what the audience know to be a fictitious tale. The true story about Ajax in relation to the arms was not suited for Neoptolemus' purpose. The supposition which best suits the context is that, according to Neoptolemus, the award of the arms took place immediately after the funeral of Achilles, while he, the chief mourner, was still absorbed in his grief; and that the death of Ajax is not connected by him with the arms at all.

415. mvp-comment-296-1 νόει κεῖνον ὡς μηκέτ' ὄντα ἐν φάει] μή, because of the subjective meaning of νόει.

417. mvp-comment-297-1 'Nor the son whom Laertes bought of Sisyphus.' (The other reading, Λαερτίου, would mean, Laertes' son whom he bought from Sisyphus.' But the two genitives are here extremely improbable).

421-422. mvp-comment-298-1 τί δ᾽ ὃς.. ἔστιν] ‘But what of him who was an old man, and a good man, and a friend of mine, Nestor the Pylian? Is he yet alive?' ὃς has been much questioned, but appears sound.

422-423. mvp-comment-299-1 Here the question is raised, whether Philoctetes had been at all at Troy. But this point also is ἔξω τοῦ μυθεύματος, and is not necessarily determined by the poet. Philoctetes had been long enough with the host, at Tenedos or elsewhere, to know the characteristics of the chief men.

424. mvp-comment-300-1 κεῖνός γε ‘Ay, he.' γε gives a modified assent to the meaning of the question.

425. mvp-comment-301-1 The words ὅσπερ ἦν γόνος, '(The son whom he had') are slightly wanting in point, but they are commended by their simplicity, and no thoroughly satisfactory alternative has been proposed. The Scholiast mentions μόνος as having been read for γόνος. But although this reading, ὅσπερ ἦν μόνος, 'His only son,' affords a possible context (supposing the ellipse of υἱός), it involves (as the Scholiast felt) too great a departure from the common tradition, according to which Nestor had other sons remaining when Antilochus was no more. The conjectures most deserving mention are ὃς παρῆν γόνος, Herm. ('His son who was with him,') ὃς παρῆν μόνος, Musgr., and ὃς παρῆν πόνοις, Arndt., ('Who supported him in toils of war').

426. mvp-comment-302-1 δύ᾽ αὕτως δείν᾽ ἔλεξας] (1) In those few words (αὕτως), you have told me a twofold calamity, (affecting those) of whom, etc.' Or, (2) 'In those few words you tell me sad news of two, of whose misfortune, etc.' (δεινά being cognate and almost adverbial, as if it were δεινῶς ἔχοντε). The alternative reading, δύ' αὖ τώδ' ἐξέδειξας (inferred by Porson from the Scholia, see v. rr.), although more plausible than some others recorded by the διορθωτής of L, is not really better. It is slightly improved upon by Prof. Jebb and Mr. Blaydes, who propose to read, δύ᾽ αὖ τώδ᾽ ἄνδρ᾽ ἔλεξας: (the letters erased after δεὶν' in L. were said by Dübner to be ἄν).-It has been commonly assumed that Ajax and Antilochus are the persons meant. But line 415 is too remote to allow of this, whether αὕτως or αὖ τώδ' is the reading chosen. The meaning is that the death of Antilochus is a twofold calamity, destroying the life of one good man (Antilochus) and the happiness of another (Nestor). But οἵδε in l. 428 infr. includes not only Ajax and Antilochus, but also Achilles. The doubt remains, whether δεινά is not too strong a word for the connection. (Qu. δύ᾽ αὐτ᾿ ἀλγείν᾽ ἔλεξας?)

427. mvp-comment-303-1 For ὀλωλότοιν, including Nestor's desolation, cp. Aj. 896, El. 674.

428. mvp-comment-304-1 τί δῆτα δεῖ σκοπεῖν] i. e. ποῖ βλέπωμεν εἰς σωτηρίαν; Το what must we look, when Providence so manifestly fails us?' Cp. Ant. 922, 3, τί χρή με τὴν δύστηνον εἰς θεοὺς ἔτι | βλέπειν; Ο. Τ. 964, El. 924, 5, τἀκείνου δέ σοι | σωτήρι ἔρρει· μηδὲν εἰς κεῖνών γ᾽ ὅρα. Ὀδυσσεὺς δ᾽ ἔστιν αὖ] But Odysseus, on the contrary, is alive.'

429. mvp-comment-305-1 κἀνταῦθ᾽] 'And in such a juncture of affairs.' The crisis implied in the narrative of Neoptolemus (viz. the exigency which led to his being brought from Scyros) required that the mischievous Odysseus should be replaced by better men. Philoctetes again involuntarily shows his interest in the success of the army. Hermann's way of joining the words, Ulysses is found to be alive, as in other emergencies, so again in this,' is not satisfactory. Nor is there any real ground for his objection to Buttmann's rendering of αὖ, - Av si, ut Buttmanno videtur, ex altera parte significaret, deberet statim post Ὀδυσσεύς positum esse. As if there were not also an antithesis between τεθνᾶσιν and ἔστιν! The notion of Odysseus always turning up at critical moments, as lively as ever, is pleasant enough, but αὖ should have something to refer to, and ἵνα must be correlative to ἐνταῦθα, and cannot mean 'whereas.'

430. mvp-comment-306-1 αὐτόν = eum, not ipsum, though with a certain emphasis. αὐδᾶσθαι indicates the desire of Philoctetes to hear of Odysseus' death.

431-432. mvp-comment-307-1 Neoptolemus says this to humour Philoctetes, and encourage him to hope that his wish may be some day realized. But to the audience the words also suggest an anticipation of the complications which follow.

433. mvp-comment-308-1 γάρ is used with conversational freedom. ποῦ . . ἐνταῦθα] 'Where, then, in the circumstances which you describe?'

436. mvp-comment-309-1 τοῦτ᾽] 'This truth: i. e. the general truth of which these facts are instances. πόλεμος, κ.τ.λ.] This, like the preceding τί δεῖ σκοπεῖν, is a bit of commonplace pessimism. Cp. Aesch. Fr. 94, ἀλλ᾿ ῎Αρης φιλεῖ | ἀεὶ τὰ λῷστα πάντα τἀνθρώπων στρατοῦ: Soph. fr. 652, ῎Αρης γὰρ οὐδὲν τῶν κακῶν *λωτίζεται. ἑκὼν αἱρεῖ = φιλεῖ αἱρεῖν.

438. mvp-comment-310-1 κατ' αὐτὸ τοῦτο] ‘In connection with this very point,' viz. Your observation that the bad survive.

439. mvp-comment-311-1 ἀναξίου .. φωτός] Sc. πέρι. For this genitive, see E. on L. § 8. p. 13, 3. ἀναξίου = οὐδενὸς ἀξίου.

440. mvp-comment-312-1 τί= πῶς : cp. Εl. 1424, πῶς κυρεῖτε, E. on L. § 22. p. 36.

441. mvp-comment-313-1 'Ay? Who may that be, if you can mean any one but Odysseus?' The syntax of the previous sentence is continued. E. on L. § 35. p. 60.

442. mvp-comment-314-1 οὐ τοῦτον εἶπον] In the spirit of ll. 64, 5, supr. Neoptolemus professes to be impatient of the very name of Odysseus. Cp. infr. 1400, 1.

442-444. mvp-comment-315-1 'I meant not him. But there was one Thersites, who would never be content with speaking once, where all cried, Silence.' This, like supr. 348, 9, is a strong instance of ironical indirectness of expression. For ὅπου μηδεὶς ἐψη, cp. esp. Plat. Symp. 175 Β, ἐπειδάν τις ὑμῖν μὴ ἐφεστήκῃ. Also Aj. 1184, κἂν μηδεὶς ἐᾷ, 'Though all say, You shall not.'

443. mvp-comment-316-1 ἂν εἴλετο is a singular instance of ἄν with the aor. ' of custom.' Cp. the curious use of the imperfect with ἄν, Ant. 260, κἂν ἐγίγνετο | πληγὴτελευτῶσ᾽, and note. Dobree conjectured ἀνείχετ'.

445. mvp-comment-317-1 αὐτόν] Burges conjectured αὐτός. ἔτ᾿ ὄντα νιν] The Scholiast, whose account agrees in the main with that of Quintus Smyrnaeus (1. 741, foll.), finds here another departure from the Epic tradition, according to which Thersites had been killed by Achilles with a blow of his fist.

446. mvp-comment-318-1 'I was sure of it. For never evil perished yet.' The reading οὐδέπω κακόν may be defended by comparing supr. 83, εἰς ἀναιδές, and note. The correction οὐδέν πω (Herm.) has been generally adopted.

447. mvp-comment-319-1 εὐ περιστέλλουσιν αὐτά] ‘Carefully defend them from harm.' αὐτά] Sc. τὰ κακά, which, like τὰ .. πανούργα καὶ παλιντριβῆ refers to persons. Cp. τὰ μέσα τῶν πολιτῶν and similar expressions.

448. mvp-comment-320-1 καί πως] Cp. Eur. Med. 119. παλιντριβή] • Froward.' The notion in παλιντριβής is that of something which resists treatment: cp. ἀντίτυπος.

449. mvp-comment-321-1 ἀναστρέφοντες ἐξ "Αιδου] “In turning back, i. e. when on their way thither. Like his father Sisyphus, who intrigued himself out of Hades (infr. 625), Odysseus bears a charmed life.

451. mvp-comment-322-1 ποῦ χρὴ τίθεσθαι ταῦτα] · What is one to make of these things? What place assign to them in thought?' i. e. how bring them into harmony with our other thoughts? ποῦ δ᾽ αἰνεῖν] ποῦ is used for πῶς by attraction, or the tendency to repeat the same expression (οἷον ῥυμή τις τοῦ λόγου), for which, see E. on L. § 35. p 60. What place can we find for their approval? i. e. How can we acquiesce in them? Cp. Eur. Heracl. 369, ποῦ ταῦτα καλῶς ἂν εἴη;

452. mvp-comment-323-1 Since, in seeking to approve the doings of the gods, I find that the gods are evil doers; i. e. In praising the gods I must call them wise and good, but this experience shows them to be either malignant or weak. The tense in ἐπαινῶν has an inceptive or conative force.

453-465. mvp-comment-324-1 Neoptolemus, while still professing hatred of Troy, uses language that is calculated to excite to the utmost the desire of Philoctetes to be taken home. He addresses him with reference to his father and the sacred hill (infr. 729), where he saw the last of Heracles. He speaks of his own isle of Scyros by name, and affects to look forward to the happiness of an unambitious home. He points to the departure of his vessel as imminent.

454-455. mvp-comment-325-1 τηλόθεν εἰσορῶν φυλάξομαι] Will avoid, beholding afar off.' For the indirect expression, see E. on L. § 42. p. 79, and cp. esp. Ο. Τ. 795. ἄστροις. . ἐκμετρούμενος χθόνα, and note: Eur. Hippol. 102, πρόσωθεν αὐτὴν ἁγνὸς ὢν ἀσπάζομαι.

457. mvp-comment-326-1 χώ δεινὸς κρατεῖ] 'And power is in the hands of clever rogues.' For this dislike of δεινότης, cp. Thuc. 8. 68, ὑπόπτως τῷ πλήθει διὰ δόξαν δεινότητος διακείμενος: Isocr. Panathen. p. 242, C, ἐπαινεῖν μὲν . . τὴν . . ἀγαθῶν αἰτίαν γεγενημένην, δεινὴν δὲ νομίζειν τὴν αὑτῇ τὰ συμφέροντα διαπραττομένην. Many have preferred δειλός, which involves a very slight change.

460. mvp-comment-327-1 ὥστε τέρπεσθαι δόμῳ] ‘And I shall have full contentment in my home.' Cp. Od. 13. 61, σὺ δὲ τέρπεο τῷδ᾽ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ, | παισί τε καὶ λαοῖσι καὶ ᾿Αλκινόῳ βασιλῆϊ.

461. mvp-comment-328-1 He again reminds Philoctetes of his father, this time by name.

462. mvp-comment-329-1 ὡς μέγιστα] The slight exaggeration shows Neoptolemus' feeling of the hollowness of this farewell.

463. mvp-comment-330-1 ὡς αὐτὸς θέλεις] Cp. Od. 6. 180, σοὶ δὲ θεοὶ τόσα δοῖεν, ὅσα φρεσὶ σῇσι μενοινᾷς.

464-465. mvp-comment-331-1 ὡς .. ὁρμώμεθα] 'That we may sail at whatever moment Heaven vouchsafes to yield us a fair voyage.' Cp. Od. 9. 138, 9, εἰσόκε ναυτέων | θυμὸς ἐποτρύνῃ καὶ ἐπιπνεύσωσιν ἀῆται. The wind is favourable for the voyage to Troy, but not for that to Scyros. Cp. infr. 639, 40, 855, 1450, 1.

466. mvp-comment-332-1 καιρός] 'The moment calls upon us,' cp. infr. 1450; καιρός here probably refers to the time of day. Should the wind now shift, he might hope to reach Scyros before night-fall. It cannot mean, 'The chance of a favouring breeze invites us.' Cp. infr. 639, 40.

467. mvp-comment-333-1 πλοῦν.. σκοπεῖν] ‘Τo watch the opportunity of sailing not from far off but close at hand.' Cp. Thuc. 4. 23, σκοποῦντες καιρόν, εἴ τις παραπέσοι, ὥστε τοὺς ἄνδρας σῶσαι: Eur. Hec. 901, μένειν ἀνάγκη πλοῦν ὁρῶντας ἡσύχους. We have here another instance of indirect expression. See Essay on L. § 42. p. 79. Οη ἐξ ἀπόπτου, see Aj. 15, and note.

468ff. mvp-comment-334-1 The moment, for which the preceding scene has prepared the spectator, is now come. Philoctetes' agony of supplication is made more pathetic by our knowledge that he is 'working against his own desire,' and running thus eagerly 'to meet what he would most avoid.' πρός ... προσφιλές] Cp. О. С. 250, πρός σ' ὅ τι σοι φίλον ἐκ σέθεν ἄντομαι, and note: Od. 10. 66, πατρίδα σὴν καὶ δῶμα καὶ εἴ πού τοι φίλον ἐστίν.

472. mvp-comment-335-1 ὅσοισί τ᾽ ἐξήκουσας] Viz. supr. 263-313; cp. infr. 591, ἅπερ κλύεις.

473. mvp-comment-336-1 ἀλλ᾽ ἐν παρέργῳ θοῦ με] (1) 'But stow me away' (or 'dispose of me') * as a supernumerary. θοῦ, sc. ἐν τῇ νηΐ: cp. infr. 481, ἐμβαλοῦ μ᾿ ὅπῃ θέλεις (sc. τῆς νεώς). ἐν παρέργῳ, sc. τῶν φορουμένων: cp. Eur. El. 63, πάρεργ Ορέστην κἀμὲ ποιεῖται δόμων.

474. mvp-comment-337-1 'Indeed, as I well know, much annoyance is involved in such a freight.' δυσχέρεια contains the chief predicate. For the genitive, see E. on L. § 9. p. 12, 1a. This line is strangely suspected by Nauck, It exactly expresses the humbleness of Philoctetes in his extreme need.

475-476. mvp-comment-338-1 τοῖσι . . εὐκλεές] Surely the noble heart hates what is base, and appreciates the glory of kindness.' εὐκλεές, while opposed to ἐχθρόν, is partly suggested by αἰσχρόν, so that the whole argument, if drawn out at length, would be τὸ μὲν αἰσχρὸν ἐχθρόν, τὸ δὲ εὐκλεὲς φίλον, τὸ δέ γε χρηστὸν εὐκλεές. Philoctetes perceives that a noble youth like Neoptolemus must be ambitious of the purest renown.

477. mvp-comment-339-1 οὐ καλόν] Full of disgrace.' Cp. Trach. 454, κὴρ πρόσεστιν οὐ καλή.

478. mvp-comment-340-1 πλεῖστον εὐκλείας γέρας] 'An abundant meed of fair renown.' πλεῖστον rather than μέγιστον, which would agree better with γέρας, because πλεῖστον γέρας εὐκλείας = γέρας πλείστης εὐκλείας. See E. on L. § 42. γ. p. 80. Philoctetes thinks of the gratitude of Poeas and his Melian friends as enough to satisfy any man's ambition.

480. mvp-comment-341-1 The expression is modified as the sentence proceeds: "Tis the labour of a day, nay, not of one whole day.'

481. mvp-comment-342-1 τόλμησον] 'Take heart to do it.' Cp. Ο. C. 184, τόλμα, κ.τ.λ., and note.

478-481. mvp-comment-343-1 ὅπῃ θέλεις] In what part (of the ship) you will.' ἄγων] 'If you will but take me.' Cp. infr. 590, ποιοῦ λέγων. And see E. on L. § 36. р. 63.

482. mvp-comment-344-1 ὅποι, sc. βεβλημένος, or = ἐκεῖσε ὅπου. The construction is attracted to that of the preceding words. See Essay on L. § 35, a. p. 59.

483. mvp-comment-345-1 ξυνόντας] Cp. infr. 520, τῆς νόσου ξυνουσίᾳ.

484. mvp-comment-346-1 πρὸς αὐτοῦ Ζηνός] Wishing to add something to his previous adjuration, supr. 468, 9, he can only think of Ζεὺς ἱκέσιος himself, whom he now brings forward, ὡς ἐπὶ τούτοις τὸν κολοφῶνα.

485. mvp-comment-347-1 γόνασι] (1) 'By falling on my knees,' (instrum. dat.). Or, (2) 'On my knees,' (locative). Cp. γονυπετής. Philoctetes kneels as far as his lameness will allow, and in the same act calls attention to the pitiable weakness which hinders even the posture of supplication.

487. mvp-comment-348-1 χωρὶς ἀνθρώπων στίβου] 'Apart from track of men,' i. e. where no man comes. Cp. Ant. 773, ἔρημος ἔνθ᾽ ἂν ᾖ βροτῶν στίβος.

488-489. mvp-comment-349-1 Philoctetes longs to be taken home (492), but, in order to obtain his petition, he limits it to what is easiest of performance. ἄγων is here unemphatic; not as supr. 481.

489. mvp-comment-350-1 Χαλκώδοντος Εὐβοίας σταθμά] To the Euboean dwelling of Chalcodon, i. e. Chalcis. Chalcodon is the father of Elephenor, who led the Euboeans to Troy; Il. 2. 536-541, οἱ δ' Εὔβοιαν ἔχον ... | τῶν αὖθ᾽ ἡγεμόνευ Ελεφήνωρ όζος ῎Αρηος | Χαλκωδοντιάδης, μεγαθύμων ἀρχὸς ᾿Αβάντων. The thoughts of Philoctetes are with the older generation (Poeas, Peleus, Telamon, Lycomedes, Chalcodon), who had known Heracles, and were still vigorous when Philoctetes left home for Troy. According to a tradition, which is here ignored, Chalchodon had long since been slain by Amphitryon.

491. mvp-comment-351-1 The correction of δειράδα καί (see v.rr.) is very uncertain. δεράς does not occur elsewhere. Other corrections are δειράδ᾽ ἤ (Porson), πρῶνα καί (Wunder), δειράδ' ἐπί (Hermann in one edition), δειράδ' ἀνά (Seyffert). Philoctetes imagines the features of his native land as they would successively disclose themselves in the homeward voyage in l. 488.

492. mvp-comment-352-1 πατρὶ . . φίλῳ] 'That so thou mayest give me to my dear father's sight.' ὡς δείξῃς depends on ἔκσωσον in l. 488.

493. mvp-comment-353-1 παλαί᾽ ἂν ἐξότου = παλαιὸς χρόνος ἂν εἴη ἐξ ὅτον, is to be joined as an adverbial expression with βεβήκῃ. Cp. Thuc. 1. 6, where οὐ πολὺς χρόνος ἐπειδὴ ἐπαύσαντο φοροῦντες = ἔναγχος ἐφόρουν καὶ οὐ πολὺς χρόνος γέγονεν ἐπειδὴ ἐπαύσαντο. Others read παλαιὸν ἐξ ὅτου. If this is adopted, the phrase is still to be joined to βεβήκη, and not το δέδοικα.

494. mvp-comment-354-1 μὴ . · βεβήκη] 'Who, my fears tell me, may be long since gone.' Βεβήκοι might be defended as continuing the construction with ἄν; but this is improbable. μοι is ethical dative. πολλά, adv. τοῖς ἱγμένοις] 'By means of those who had come,' (supr. 301 fol.). Cp. Ant. 164, 5, πομποῖσιν . . ἔστειλα.

495. mvp-comment-355-1 ἔστελλον] 'I urged him.' Cp. infr. 623. The imperfect tense represents an endeavour.

496. mvp-comment-356-1 αὐτόστολον] 'With a ship and crew of his own providing.' Agreeing with αὐτόν. δόμοις] Wund. conjectured δόμους, perhaps rightly; but for the dative, see Essay on L. § 11. p. 18, 3.

497-499. mvp-comment-357-1 τὰ τῶν διακόνων .. ποιούμενοι] Either (1) τὰ τῶν διακόνων simply = οἱ διάκονοι, with which ποιούμενοι agrees. Or (2) the mode of expression is altered from 'the service of my messengers failed me' (ἐξαπώλετο ἤ τι τοιοῦτον), to 'my messengers cared little for what concerned me, but pushed their homeward voyage, etc.'

498. mvp-comment-358-1 ὡς εἰκός] Philoctetes attributes to such involuntary visitants the homesickness which he himself feels. τοὐμὸν . . ποιούμενοι] He says this as feeling bitterly his insignificance. Cp. supr. 254,5.

500. mvp-comment-359-1 Seyffert rightly omits the comma after νῦν δ'. Cp. supr. 144, 5. εἰς σὲ .. ἥκω) · I am come to thee,' i e. My fate has brought me to you in the succession of those who come. For the transference of words of place to time, see E. on L. § 24. p. 41, 7. πομπόν τε καὐτὸν ἄγγελον] Who wilt be my guide at the same time that thou dost thyself report concerning me.' αὐτόν belongs to both nouns, i. e. not only to transmit news of me, but to announce me yourself in person; not only to announce me, but to take me home. Philoctetes still clings to the hope that Neoptolemus will bring him all the way to Trachis.

501. mvp-comment-360-1 εἰσορῶν] 'Seeing,' in the example now present before you.

502-503. mvp-comment-361-1 δεινά] Sc. ἐστί. How to mortals all things are beset with peril and hazard; there is a chance of good and a chance of the opposite.' Philoctetes has deeply learnt the lesson: 'It is the bright day that brings forth the adder, And that craves wary walking. Neoptolemus must show mercy, and thus avoid provoking the gods. For πάντα δεινά, Wakefield conjectured πάντ' ἄδηλα.

504. mvp-comment-362-1 ὁρᾶν] Το be ware of. Schol. εὐλαβεῖσθαι. Cp. Aj. 1313, ὅρα μὴ τοὐμόν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ σόν.

506. mvp-comment-363-1 διαφθαρείς] Sc. ὁ βίος. Cp. Thuc. 8. 91, λήσειν διαφθαρέντας (sc. ἔφη Θηραμένης τοὺς τειχίζοντας τὴν Ἠετιώνειαν τοῖς ᾿Αθηναίοις).

507-518. mvp-comment-364-1 In the strophe supr. 391-402, the one half-chorus echoed the falsehood of Neoptolemus. The other half-chorus now in similar measures professedly responds to the appeal of Philoctetes, and recommends him to the kindness of Neoptolemus. L. 510 is equivalent, although not identical in metre, with l. 395: Each consists of two dochmiacs.

508-509. mvp-comment-365-1 πόνων ἆθλ'] Cp. Trach. 506, ἄεθλ᾽ ἀγώνων. ὅσσα] Porson's conjecture, οἷα, has been adopted by several editors. Other proposed corrections are ἄσσα and ἄθλους ἅ (Dobree). ὅσσα is at once, So many as,' and 'So great as.' τύχοι] λάχοι, which Nauck reads, would be in a more usual construction. But the change is unnecessary.

510. mvp-comment-366-1 πικρούς] Cp. supr. 320-3, 363, 369, 396.

511. mvp-comment-367-1 τὸ κείνων μετατιθέμενος] Converting their evil deed into a benefit for him.' According to the pretended situation, the same iniquity which cast Philoctetes forth has sent Neoptolemus from Troy, and Neoptolemus has now the opportunity of taking Philoctetes home. Thus evil may be made the occasion of good. The middle voice in μετατιθέμενος is subjective='On your own part.'

515. mvp-comment-368-1 ἐπιμέμονεν] Sc. πορεύεσθαι. Cp. Εl. 1435, ᾗ νοεῖς ἔπειγέ νυν.

516. mvp-comment-369-1 ἐπ᾿ εὐστόλου ταχείας νεώς] Οn your trim swift bark.' For the double epithet, see Essay on L. § 23. P. 37.

517. mvp-comment-370-1 τὰν *θεῶν] ἐκ (see v.rr.) is required by the same metrical reason which led to Λαερτίου being changed το Λαρτίου in l. 401.

518. mvp-comment-371-1 νέμεσιν] The possibility of some Divine retribution following refusal was gently hinted at the conclusion of Philoctetes' speech, ll 501-506.

519. mvp-comment-372-1 Consider, lest you who now stand there so goodnaturedly, may show a different spirit from your present words when you are wearied through contact with the disease.' For the 'paratactic' structure, see Essay on L. § 36. p. 68. τις is added to a predicative word as in Ο. Τ. 618, 9, ὅταν ταχύς τις οὑπιβουλεύων λάθρα χωρῇ. The slight redundancy of the expression, for which, cp. Εl. 506, ὡς ἔμολες αἰανή, κ.τ.λ., has suggested an unnecessary doubt whether παρῆς may not be from παρίημι (‘You grant permission').

521. mvp-comment-373-1 For αὑτὸς τοῖς λόγοις τούτοις, ср. О. Т. 557, καὶ νῦν ἔθ᾽ αὑτός εἰμι τῷ βουλεύματι, and note.

522-523. mvp-comment-374-1 are spoken by the coryphaeus.

524-525. mvp-comment-375-1 'It were shame if I were found more backward than you are to serve a stranger in his need.' ξένῳ either = τῷ ξένῳ, i. e. ‘Τo Philoctetes,' or, with a slight difference, (2) more generally, 'To a stranger-friend,' -as Philoctetes is. The dative depends on ἐνδεέστερον φανῆναι (= γενέσθαι) and is to be resumed with πονεῖν.

525. mvp-comment-376-1 πρὸς τὸ καίριον is an adverbial expression, like πρὸς τὸ κάρτερον, πρὸς τὸ λιπαρές, etc., and the infinitive depends on ἐνδεέστερον.

527. mvp-comment-377-1 οὐκ ἀπαρνηθήσεται] (1) He shall not be denied.' This suits the feeling of the passage better than (2) the impersonal sense (The favour shall not be denied'), which, however, is also possible.

529. mvp-comment-378-1 The emphatic position of ἡμᾶς at the beginning of the line shows that Neoptolemus deliberately includes Philoctetes in his prayer. βουλοίμεσθα is optative because of the preceding optative (cp. 325, 961) and partakes of the indefiniteness of the wish. Neoptolemus feels that when they leave the shore the intention of his voyage will not be that which he now professes, and he trusts that by that time the wish of Philoctetes may be the same with his own.

533. mvp-comment-379-1 *προσκύσαντε εἰσοίκησιν] Schndw. threw suspicion on these words because of the ἅπαξ λεγόμενον εἰσοίκησις, and various modes of alteration have been suggested. But it is idle to object to every ἅπαξ λεγόμενον. And these words give an excellent sense. If ἐξοικεῖν, a rare word, means ἔξω οἰκεῖν (Lys. 187. 29, Dem. 845. 19), why may not εἰσοικεῖν mean ἔσω οἰκεῖν? (It is so used in Anth. P. 7. 320, according to the MS. reading.) Cp. εἰσίδρυμαι, εἰσίζομαι, εἰσοικίζω. In that case ἡ εἰσοίκησις is ἡ ἔσω οἴκησις, and τὴν ἔσω.. εἰσοίκλησιν is merely a common instance of pleonasm, much as when we speak of the interior of a cave. If εἰς οἴκησιν is read, it becomes necessary to suppose a lacuna, for ἴωμεν here can only mean, 'Let us depart.' For the participial expression (προσκύσαντε = ' but first let us pay a farewell visit to'), ср. О. Т. 680, μαθοῦσά γ' ἥτις ἡ τύχη. Philoctetes'attachment to his bare and comfortless dwelling-place shows itself here, together with the longing expressed supr. 251 foll, that the extent of his misery and endurance might be known.

535. mvp-comment-380-1 ἀφ᾽ ὧν] ἀπο- as in ἀποζῆν. διέζων] 'I kept life afoot.' δια- of a persevering effort, as in διαμάχεσθαι.

536. mvp-comment-381-1 μόνην θέαν] 'Even the mere sight.' The adjective has the force of the adverb μόνον.

538. mvp-comment-382-1 προὔμαθον] Either (1) ‘I long since learned,' or (2) 'I learnt by degrees,' i.e. conquering each evil as it met me. Cp. προδιδάσκειν.

539-541. mvp-comment-383-1 These lines are spoken by the coryphaeus. The Σκοπός of supr. 125 is seen approaching, disguised as a ship-master, and accompanied by another of Neoptolemus's crew.

540. mvp-comment-384-1 ἀλλόθρους is simply a stranger, 'Not one of ourselves.' The word ξένος (infr. 557) would not apply to the man until they knew whether he was of Scyros or not. He professes afterwards to come from Peparethus.

541. mvp-comment-385-1 αὖθις] Blaydes conjectures αὐτίκ'. But αὖθις is 'afterwards,' as αὖτις in Il. 1. 140, ταῦτα μεταφρασόμεσθα καὶ αὖτις. After that, ye shall go in'

542. mvp-comment-386-1 τόνδε τὸν ξυνέμπορον] 'This companion of my way,' viz. from the mooring place to before the cave.

544. mvp-comment-387-1 ποῦ κυρῶν εἴης] • Where you were at this moment to be found.' A conversational pleonasm.

545. mvp-comment-388-1 ἀντέκυρσα] Sc. σοί. ‘Our paths have crossed.' δοξάζων μὲν οὔ] 'Not that I had any thought of such a thing.' For the combination of aorist and imperfect (δοξάζων = ὅτε ἐδόξαζον), cp. Ο. Τ. 1457, θνήσκων ἐσώθην.

546. mvp-comment-389-1 ὁρμισθείς] 'Brought to anchor.' He has been baffled by the headwind mentioned infr. 639.

547. mvp-comment-390-1 ὡς ναύκληρος, οὐ πολλῷ στόλῳ] 'With the modest outfit of a merchant-man.' This accounts for his approach not having been descried. He is supposed to be a purveyor (infr. 583, 4) of provisions to the army, perhaps of wine from his own vine-clad (εὔβοτρυν) island. Cp. ΙΙ. 7. 467, νῆες δ᾽ ἐκ Λήμνοιο παρέστασαν οἶνον ἄγουσαι. Peparethus is midway between Scyros and the entrance to the Maliac gulf. The same wind that is pretended to have detained Neoptolemus would also delay the merchantman on his homeward voyage.

549-550. mvp-comment-391-1 ὡς νεναυστοληκότες] 'When I had ascertained in the course of conversation that the mariners who had manned the vessel were one and all your men' (σοί, possessive pronoun). So Hermann, Opusc. 8. p. 190, rightly, although the reason which he gives ('Nam sic demum nauclerus tuto referre poterat, quae erat narraturus'), is not required. Dobree conjectured συννεναυστοληκότες (‘That they had all accompanied you in your voyage').

552. mvp-comment-392-1 προστυχόντι τῶν ἴσων depends οη τὸν πλοῦν ποιεῖσθαι as an affirmative expression: i. e. ἔδοξέ μοι, φράσαντι καὶ τῶν ἴσων προστυχόντι, οὕτω τὸν πλοῦν ποιεῖσθαι. · When first I had received fair recompense.' For the naiveté of this parenthetical demand, as not unbefitting the relations of the sea-captain to Neoptolemus (who is no less careful to assure him of his gratitude, infr. 557, 8), ср. О. Τ. 1005, 6, καὶ μὴν μάλιστα τοῦτ᾽ ἀφικόμην ὅπως | σοῦ πρὸς δόμους ἐλθόντος εὖ πράξαιμί τι: Trach. 190, 1, ὅπως τοι πρῶτος ἀγγείλας τάδε πρὸς σοῦ τι κερδάναιμι.

553. mvp-comment-393-1 οὐδὲν σύ που] The asyndeton marks the urgency of the intelligence.

554. mvp-comment-394-1 ἀμφὶ σοῦ * νέα] This emendation of Auratus has been generally received. And although the MS. reading may be possibly defended by the comparison of such phrases as τίνος δὴ χάριν ἕνεκα, etc. (see especially Thuc. 8. 92, ὅσον καὶ ἀπὸ βοῆς ἕνεκα), the meaning as well as the grammar is distinctly improved by the change.

556. mvp-comment-395-1 δρώμεν', οὐκέτ᾽ ἐξαργούμενα] Ιn act, no longer left undone.' Cp. Aesch. Ag. 1359, τοῦ δρῶντός ἐστι καὶ τὸ βουλεῦσαι πέρι.

559. mvp-comment-396-1 φράσον . . ἔλεξας] Declare at full what you have now mentioned.'

560. mvp-comment-397-1 ἀπ᾿ ᾿Αργείων] Sc. φαινόμενον. ἔχεις] Cp. Trach. 318, οὐδ᾽ ὄνομα πρὸς του τῶν ξυνεμπόρων ἔχεις; Ο. C. 1451, μάτην γὰρ οὐδὲν ἀξίωμα δαιμόνων ἔχω φράσαι.

562. mvp-comment-398-1 οἱ.. Θησέως κόροι] Acamas and Demophon, said to have been first mentioned in the Ἰλίου πέρσις of Arctinus. These names help to commend the lie to the fancy of the Athenian audience.

563. mvp-comment-399-1 λόγοις] By persuasion.' Cp. infr. 612, 623 foll., 629, 30.

563,565. mvp-comment-400-1 These vague replies show that Neoptolemus has not yet seized his cue. Cp. 570, 1 foll.

566. mvp-comment-401-1 οὕτω καθ' ὁρμήν] ‘Thus incontinently' (in the old sense); referring to supr. 555. 6.

567. mvp-comment-402-1 ὡς ταῦτ᾽ ἐπίστω δρώμεν] i. e. ἐπίστασο, ὡς ταῦτα δρώμενα (sc. ἐστίν). For ἐπίστασο ταῦτα ὡς δρώμενα this would be too violent an inversion.

568. mvp-comment-403-1 πρὸς τάδε] 'Hereupon,' i. e. 'When such was the counsel of the Argives.' αὐτάγγελος] ‘'Bringing the message in person;' i. e. αὐτὸς καὶ μὴ δι᾽ ἄλλων ἀγγέλων. Phoenix and the Theseidae were ἄγγελοι of the resolution of the chieftains to Neoptolemus.

569. mvp-comment-404-1 ἢ.. νιν] Neoptolemus assumes a spirited tone, and suggests a mean motive in Odysseus, in order to gratify Philoctetes.

570. mvp-comment-405-1 ἐπ᾿ ἄλλον ἄνδρα] ‘With designs upon another person.'

571. mvp-comment-406-1 When I left the harbour, they were making ready.'

572. mvp-comment-407-1 'Who could this be. with a view to whom Odysseus himself was setting forth?' i e. ποῖος ἂν εἴη πρὸς ὃν ἔπλει; So the unusual insertion of ἄν may be explained. See Essay on L. § 27. p. 45. And the meaning is so appropriate, that it seems better to retain the particle, although πρὸς ποῖον αὖ τόν δ' is a conjectural reading involving only a slight change.

575. mvp-comment-408-1 'Sir, you have the privilege of seeing here the famous Philoctetes.' Thus Neoptolemus humours the feeling which Philoctetes had shown supra 261, 2, ὅδ᾽ εἴμ᾽ ἐγώ σοι κεῖνος, ὃν κλύεις ἴσως | τῶν Ἡρακλείων ὄντα δεσπότην ὅπλων.

576. mvp-comment-409-1 τὰ πλείον'] For the article, cp. Trach. 731, and note.

577. mvp-comment-410-1 ἔκπλει σεαυτὸν ξυλλαβών] 'Snatch yourself up and sail away.' Cp. Eur. H. F. 833 foll., ἄλλ' εἶ', ἄτεγκτον ξυλλαβοῦσα καρδίαν . . ἔλαυνε, κίνει, κ.τ.λ.: also Plat. Rep. 1. 336 В, συστρέψας ἑαυτὸν ἧκεν ἐφ' ἡμᾶς. The Ἔμπορος speaks low, as he had charged Neoptolemus to do. This awakens the lively suspicion of Philoctetes, who hears enough to understand that there is a danger of his being left behind. Mr. Paley conjectures, ἔκπλευσον αὐτὸν συλλαβών, comparing infr. 621. But there the case is altered by Neoptolemus having avowed his friendship for Philoctetes in ll. 585, 6.

578. mvp-comment-411-1 κατὰ σκότον] 'In secret.' So infr. 581, εἰς φῶς, Openly."

579. mvp-comment-412-1 διεμπολᾷ λόγοισι πρός σε] Is treating me dishonestly in his talk with thee.' Cp. Ant. 1036, ἐξημπόλημαι κἀκπεφόρτισμαι.

581. mvp-comment-413-1 εἰς φῶς = 'Openly.' Cp. О. Т. 93, ἐς πάντας αύδα. τούσδε τε] The Chorus.

582-583. mvp-comment-414-1 μή με.. ἃ μὴ δεῖ] 'Bring me not into discredit with the army, through my telling what I should keep close; i. e. Do not make me tell, and so make them angry with me. λέγοντα = διὰ τὸ λέγειν, cp. Thuc. 8.87, ἣν εἶπε πρόφασιν οὐ κομίσας (i. e. δι᾽ ὅ, τι οὐκ ἐκόμισεν).

583-584. mvp-comment-415-1 'I. being poor, receive much kindness from them for service which I do.' For γε, which modifies the sentence, to which it gives a pleading tone, see Essay on L. § 26. p. 41. οἱ᾿ ἀνὴρ πένης] (1) As is natural in the case of one who is poor: rather than, (2) 'Such service as a poor man may do.' Cp. supr. 273, and note.

585ff. mvp-comment-416-1 Neoptolemus professes to demand that, if there is danger, the Ἔμπορος should risk it for his and Philoctetes' sake. The Ἔμπορος in his reply insinuates that the danger, if he is made to speak, is common to them all three, and that Neoptolemus will be responsible for the consequences.

589. mvp-comment-417-1 καί belongs in meaning to the whole sentence = καὶ δὴ σκοπῶ. ἐγώ] 'Of myself,' without this caution from you.

590. mvp-comment-418-1 ποιοῦ λέγων] 'Make me so, if you will but speak. For this emphatic use of the participle, cp. especially O. C. 1038, χωρῶν ἀπείλει νυν, -also supr. 481, and note.

591. mvp-comment-419-1 ἅπερ κλύεις] Supr. 570, 1.

592. mvp-comment-420-1 ἥ τ᾿ Ὀδυσσέως βία] Cp. supr. 314, 321.

593. mvp-comment-421-1 διώμοτοι] 'Expressly sworn.' Cp. Trach. 378, ὥσπερ οὑπάγων διώμνυτο: Ο. Τ. 834, διεῖπε χρῆναι, κ.τ.λ. For the meaning, cp. infr. 618, 9, 623.

594. mvp-comment-422-1 ἢ . . κράτος] Or were they to prevail by force.'

597. mvp-comment-423-1 δράσειν τάδε is added as a resumption of ταῦτα, depending on λέγοντος (not on θάρσος εἶχε).

598-599. mvp-comment-424-1 i. ε. τίνος δὲ πράγματος χάριν ᾿Ατρείδαι, χρόνῳ τοσῷδε, οὕτως ἄγαν ἐπεστρέφοντο τοῦδε. For the order of the words, see Essay on L. § 41. p. 78, 8.

600. mvp-comment-425-1 εἶχον . . *ἐκβεβληκότες] Cp. El. 590, ἐκβαλοῦσ᾽ ἔχεις. The periphrasis serves to fix on the agent the responsibility of the consequences of his act.

601-602. mvp-comment-426-1 'Whence came they thus to wish him back again? Or were they moved by a mighty impulse from the angry gods: the gods, who requite evil deeds?' For θεῶν βία, cp. Aesch. Suppl. 97, βίαν . . τὰν ἄπονον δαιμονίαν (?).

603. mvp-comment-427-1 ἴσως . . ἀκήκοας] 'For I dare say you have not heard of it.' The important share of Neoptolemus in the prophecy of Helenus is studiously concealed, and it is assumed that in his short stay at Troy the circumstance may have escaped him altogether. The true account is given by Neoptolemus afterwards, infr. 1337 foll. He himself in supr. 344 foll. had professed to attach slight importance to the assertion that he was destined to take Troy.

607. mvp-comment-428-1 ἀκούων] 'Called by,' i.e. deserving. αἰσχρὰ.. ἔπη] 'Names of disgrace and contumely.' On the meaning of the verbal adjective, see Essay on L. § 53. p. 98.

609. mvp-comment-429-1 ἔδειξ᾽.. ἐς μέσον] Displayed publicly to the Achaeans. ἔδειξε marks Odysseus' pride at bringing in his captive. Cp. infr. 616, δηλώσειν : 630, δεῖξαι: 944, φήνασθαι.

610. mvp-comment-430-1 The part of the prophecy which relates to Neoptolemus is thus slurred over.

611. mvp-comment-431-1 τἀπὶ Τροίᾳ πέργαμα] Cp.supr. 353.

612. mvp-comment-432-1 πέρσοιεν (as being the oratio obliqua of πέρσετε) seems to be an exception to the rule that οὐ μή takes after it not the future indicative, but the aorist subjunctive. But this is not a sufficient ground for altering the reading. Paley compares Plat. Crito, p. 44 B, οὐδένα μήποτε εὑρήσω.

613. mvp-comment-433-1 ἄγοιντο] The middle voice implies, 'Should bring for their purpose.' νήσου τῆσδ'] For the genitive of place, see Essay on L. § 8. p. 11, a. Observe the alliteration in νήσου .. ναίει .. νῦν.

614. mvp-comment-434-1 ταῦτα] Governed of ἤκουσε and resumed with τὸν μάντιν εἰπόντα, which is added to complete the sentence.

615ff. mvp-comment-435-1 The statement in supr. 593-7 is here repeated with some additional circumstances.

617. mvp-comment-436-1 οἴοιτο] The optative is used in turning the parenthetical οἴομαι into the oratio obliqua, as if ὅτι had preceded. Cp. Lys p. 130, Θηραμένης ἀναστὰς λέγει ὅτι ποιήσει ὥστε τὴν πόλιν ἐλαττῶσαι μηδέν· οἴοιτο δὲ καὶ ἄλλο τι ἀγαθὸν εὑρήσεσθαι.

618-619. mvp-comment-437-1 'And if he failed in this, he offered his head to any who chose, to cut it off.' For the order of words, see Essay on L. § 41, α. p. 77. κάρα governed (1) of ἐφεῖτο, and (2) οἱ τέμνειν, which is epexegetic inf. μὴ τυχών = εἰ μὴ τύχοι. For the sense, cp. II. 2. 259, μηκέτ᾽ ἔπειτ᾽ Ὀδυσῆϊ κάρη ὤμοισιν ἐπείη, κ.τ.λ.: Od. 16. 102 αὐτίκ᾽ ἔπειτ' ἀπ᾿ ἐμεῖο κάρη τάμοι ἀλλότριος φώς, εἰ μή, κ.τ.λ. τέμνειν = ἀποτέμνειν. Cp. καράτομος.

620. mvp-comment-438-1 τὸ σπεύδειν] The article probably refers to supr. 576, 7.

621. mvp-comment-439-1 κεἴ τινος κήδει πέρι] Sc. παραινῶ ἐκείνῳ τὸ αὐτό. The supposed stranger does not venture to compromise himself by giving this advice directly to Philoctetes. He alludes to supr. 585, 6.

622. mvp-comment-440-1 Οι ἡ πᾶσα βλάβη, ‘That utter pest.' see Essay on L. § 51. p. 95; and cp. El. 301.

624-625. mvp-comment-441-1 'The persuasion that has force to bring me back to Troy, would fetch me from the dead.'

626. mvp-comment-442-1 οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ἐγὼ ταῦτ] The professed Ἔμπορος is too discreet to mix further than he can help in such a hazardous business. Cp. O. Τ. 530, οὐκ οἶδ᾽· ὁ γὰρ δρῶσ᾽ οἱ κρατοῦντες οὐχ ὁρῶ. The purpose of his coming has been accomplished, and he retires. For the synaphea, cp. especially O. T. 555, ὡς χρείη μ᾽ ἐπὶ | τὸν σεμνόμαντιν, κ.τ.λ.

627. mvp-comment-443-1 σφῶν.. θεός] 'May heaven be with you both for your best good!' συμφέρειν is used nearly as συμφέρεσθαι in O. C. 641, τῇδε γὰρ ξυνοίσομαι (‘Your choice shall have my concurrence').

628ff. mvp-comment-444-1 Should have imagined it possible ever with cajoling words to bring and show me on his ship amongst the Argives.' Philoctetes has hitherto had his attention fixed on the Ἔμπορος, and has said ll. 622-5 half to himself. But as the stranger departs he turns to Neoptolemus with these indignant words.

629. mvp-comment-445-1 ποτ᾿ ἄν with δεῖξαι = ὅτι δείξειεν ἄν ποτε. λόγοισι μαλθακοῖς] Cp. O. С. 774, σκληρὰ μαλθακῶς λέγων.

630. mvp-comment-446-1 δείξαι] Cp. supr. 616, δηλώσειν. δεῖξαι νεὼς ἄγοντα = δεῖξαι ἐκ νεὰς ἄγοντα ἐπὶ νηΐ. Or, in other words, the phrase, On ship-board,' which should depend on ἄγοντα, is attracted into a new construction with δεῖξαι. See Essay on L. § 35. p. 60, and cp. О. Т. 808, ὄχου . . τηρήσας. κ.τ.λ. : Εl. 900. Herm. and Schndw. take νεὼς ἄγοντα to mean, 'Bringing ashore.' Cp. supr. 355-7. But ἄγειν is continually used elsewhere in the play for conveyance by sea; and the instrumental dative λόγοισι μαλθακοῖς connects more naturally with ἄγοντα than with δεῖξαι. Moreover, the meaning obtained by so joining νεὼς ἄγοντ' is wanting in simplicity.

631. mvp-comment-447-1 οὔ] Those who have suspected this reading have not observed the frequency of asyndeton in the language of Philoctetes (Essay on L. § 34. p. 58). The proposed readings, οὗ θᾶσσον (Welcker), ἢ θᾶσσον (Schndw.), are less forcible than the MS. text. Schndw. imagined οὔ to be a marginal gloss on ἢ. For the double superlative in πλεῖστον ἐχθίστης, see Essay on L. § 40. p. 76.

632. mvp-comment-448-1 ἄπουν = οὐκ ἔχοντα βάσιν, infr. 692.

633. mvp-comment-449-1 ἐκείνῳ.. λεκτά] 'He is capable of saying anything.' Cp. O. С. 495, ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐχ ὁδωτά : ibid. 1000, 1, εἶ γὰρ οὐ δίκαιος, ἀλλ᾽ ἅπαν καλὸν | λέγειν νομίζων, ῥητὸν ἄρρητόν τ᾽ ἔπος.

635-636. mvp-comment-450-1 ὡς.. ὁρίζῃ] • That wide seas may part us.'

637. mvp-comment-451-1 ἥ τοι.. ἤγαγεν] Cp. Aj. 674,5, ἐκοίμισε . . πόντον, and note.

639. mvp-comment-452-1 ἐπειδὰν πνεῦμα τοὐκ πρώρας ἀνῇ] When this head wind (1) ceases' (ἀνῇ absolute), or (2) 'lets us go' (ἀνῇ ἡμᾶς, sc.). The same doubt occurs in Hdt. 2. 113, οὐ γὰρ ἀνίει τὰ πνεύματα (sc. μιν?) Cp. Od. 19. 199, ἔνθα δυώδεκα μὲν μένον ἤματα δίοι ᾿Αχαιοί, | εἴλει γὰρ βορέης ἄνεμος μέγας, κ.τ.λ. | τῇ τρισκαιδεκάτῃ δ' ἄνεμος πέσε, τοὶ δ᾽ ἀνάγοντο. The correction of Pierson here is all but certain.

641. mvp-comment-453-1 Cp. Il. 14. 80, οὐ γάρ τις νέμεσις φυγέειν κακόν, οὐδ᾽ ἀνὰ νύκτα,

642. mvp-comment-454-1 οὔκ· ἀλλά] 'Nay, but -.' οὐ denies the general drift of the preceding line; i. e. The evil is not so imminent that you need fly from it with such haste. Cp. Plat. Rep. 6. 491 Ε, οὔκ, ἀλλά, ἢ δ᾽ ὅς, οὕτως, where there is a nearly similar inexactness of response. There is no sufficient ground for transposing 643, 4, 2, 1, with Prof. Paley. The order is far more natural as it stands.

643-644. mvp-comment-455-1 'Robbers feel not any contrary wind when it is a time to steal and take by force.'

645. mvp-comment-456-1 χωρῶμεν, ἔνδοθεν λαβών] 'Let us depart, when you have taken from within.' The participle agrees with part of the subject, and the second person has been implied in εἰ δοκεῖ, SC. σοι. For the limitation of subject, see Essay on L. § 33. p. 56, and cp. Trach. 205, ὀλολύξατε δόμοις, | ὁ μελλόνυμφος, ἐν δὲ κοινὸς ἀρσένων | ἴτω κλάγγα, κ.τ.λ. : ib. 333: Aesch. Eum. 141.

648. mvp-comment-457-1 What, that is not somewhere on board my ship?' νεώς, partitive genitive. Essay on L. § 10. p. 15. Ср. Αj. 659, γαίας ὀρύξας ἔνθα, κ.τ.λ.: Ο. C. 694, γᾶς ᾿Ασίας οὐκ ἐπακούω. τοῦθ᾽ ὅ is singular, though ὧν in 647 is plural. Essay on L. § 20, B. p. 31.

649. mvp-comment-458-1 φύλλον . . πάρεστιν] 'There is a leaf which I have.' Cp. infr. 704, ὅθεν εὐμάρει᾽ ὑπάρχοι: supr. 44: Ο.Τ. 766.

650. mvp-comment-459-1 πραΰνειν] 'To assuage its violence.' There is no example of πραΰνειν being used intransitively. πρᾷος is opposed to ἄγριος, cp. supr. 265. Philoctetes is eager to assure Neoptolemus that the evil is not intractable. Cp. infr. 733 foll.

651. mvp-comment-460-1 τί γὰρ ἔτ᾽ ἄλλ᾽ ἐρᾷς λαβεῖν] Philoctetes shows by his manner that the herb is not the only thing that he requires. To this look of longing hesitation γάρ refers.

652. mvp-comment-461-1 εἰ.. παρερρύηκεν] This is said to explain his unsatisfied look (' I would make search,' implied in ἐρᾷς λαβεῖν), * in case some of these my arrows may have slipped from my side.' Cp. Il. 13. 256, ἔρχομαι, εἴ τί τοι ἔγχος ἐνὶ κλισίῃσι λέλειπται, | οἰσόμενος.

653. mvp-comment-462-1 ὡς λίπω μή] For the order, see Essay on L. § 41, γ. p. 78.

655. mvp-comment-463-1 οὐ γὰρ ἄλλα γ᾽ ἔσθ'] 'For indeed there is no other.' These words have been commonly taken as equivalent to ἐκεῖνα καὶ οὐκ ἄλλα: whence Blaydes conjectures ταῦτ᾽ οὐ γὰρ οὖν ἔστ᾿ ἄλλ'. But the meaning given above is more in point. Cp. Morris' Story of Sigurd, That hath not the like in the heavens, nor hath earth of its fellow told.'

656. mvp-comment-464-1 ἆρ᾿ ἔστιν ὥστε] 'Is it possible that one might?' ὥστε as after verbs of permission asked or obtained. The periphrasis is expressive of modesty. κἀγγύθεν] From close at hand, as well as from a distance. For με added in the second clause, cp. supr. 257.

657. mvp-comment-465-1 For the sacredness of the bow, cp. infr. 943.

658. mvp-comment-466-1 τῶν ἐμῶν] Of things within my power.'

659. mvp-comment-467-1 ὁποῖον. ξυμφέρῃ] 'That is of a nature to accord with your desires.' Cp. supr. 627, and note. γενήσεται] 'Shall be granted.'

661. mvp-comment-468-1 πάρες] 'Let it go by;' i.e. Take no more notice of my wish.

662. mvp-comment-469-1 ὅσια .. φωνεῖς] 'Your words are blameless.' 'You speak innocently.'

663. mvp-comment-470-1 For the suppressed antecedent in the expression of strong feeling, see Essay on L. § 39. p. 72, 2. And for the emphatic repetition of ὅς, cp. O. C. 610, φθίνει μὲν ἰσχὺς γῆς, φθίνει δὲ σώματος, and see E. on L. § 44. p. 83.

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.

675-714. mvp-comment-477-1 The preceding scene was calculated to deepen the feeling of compassion for Philoctetes, which had already been awakened both in Neoptolemus and in the Chorus. His generous willingness to trust them with his all, contrasted with their felt dissimulation, has intensified the sympathy which Neoptolemus afterwards avows, 905, 965, 6. Yet the Chorus do not imagine for a moment that their master will relinquish his purpose. Hence, while sincerely pouring forth their lament over Philoctetes' innocent sufferings (which they can only compare with the torment of the guilty Ixion), and really rejoicing in the prospect of his deliverance, they maintain, as in duty bound (since they are within hearing of the cave), the deceptive notion of the voyage to Trachis, and make no mention of Troy. But it must be borne in mind that from the prophecy of Helenus, of which they knew, they had every reason to suppose that the return to Troy, though Philoctetes was averse to it, would be for his good. While this stasimon is being sung (whether by half-choruses or by the whole together), Neoptolemus is with Philoctetes in the cave, and is finding still more cogent evidence of his misery. This stasimon consists of two strophes and antistrophes, of which the first are chiefly logaoedic, the second chiefly choriambic.

675-714. mvp-comment-477-2 α'.
1 _uu_u_u_
_uu__uu_u_
_uu_uu_
_uu_u_u_u_
5 _u_u_u_
10 __u_u_u__
_u_u_

1 Cp. Aesch. Suppl. 550. 2 Ion. anacl., infr. p. 451, β' 15 and note 3.

β'.
_uu_u_ _
_uu_u_ _
_uu_u_uu__
_uu_uu__
5 __u_ _
_uu_u_uu_u_uu_u_
_u_uu___u_uu_u_
_uu__

675. mvp-comment-478-1 ὄπωπα δ᾽ οὐ μάλα] ‘Though I never actually saw.' μάλα emphasizes οὐκ ὄπωπα, because seeing is more than hearing. The sorrow of Philoctetes is patent to the eye.

676. mvp-comment-479-1 ποτέ belongs to the verbal notion in πελάταν. Cp. supr. 147.

677. mvp-comment-480-1 Ιξίονα (see v. rr.) is omitted in the text as possibly arising from a gloss. Cp. Trach. 840.

678. mvp-comment-481-1 ἄμπυξ is (a) a frontlet; hence (b) may be here understood to mean the convex external surface of a wheel. ἄμπυκα δρομάδα = 'A rolling rim.' A conjectural reading, ἄντυγα, was proposed by Musgrave. But ἄντυξ, in the literal sense, is no more 'a wheel' than ἄμπυξ.

679. mvp-comment-482-1 ἔβαλεν] Although ἔλαβε, the MS. reading, is not impossible, if we suppose δέσμιον proleptic ('seized bound' for 'seized and bound'), ἔβαλεν gives a better sense. Cp. O. C. 475. Mr. Paley reads, κατ᾿ ἄμπυκα δὴ δρομάδ᾽ ὡς βάλε δέσμιον ὁ π. Κ. π. For the metre of this, cp. infr. 863, 4, 1114, 5; О. С. 253, 4.

680. mvp-comment-483-1 For ἐσίδον, which is the reading of the first hand of L. and of Par. A, cp. El. 205.

681. mvp-comment-484-1 τοῦδ᾽ ἐχθίονι] See Essay on L. § 10. p. 15, 2 a.

682. mvp-comment-485-1 'Who having neither harmed nor defrauded any.' Cp. Od. 4. 690, οὔτε τινὰ ῥέξας ἐξαίσιον, οὔτε τι εἰπών. The use of ἔρδειν absolutely for ἔρδειν τι κακόν is singular, but is assisted by νοσφίσας following. Cp. the frequent use of παθεῖν τι for παθεῖν τι κακόν. Mr. Paley strangely interprets, 'Having imprisoned any' (as if from ἔργω).

683. mvp-comment-486-1 ἔν *γ᾽ ἴσοις] This, Hermann's, emendation of ἐν ἴσοις is adopted as the most probable. 'Just, at least amongst the just; i.e. One sure to have been esteemed righteous, if he had lived amongst righteous men. Cp. (for the form of expression, not for the meaning οἱ ἴσος) O. T. 677, ἐν δὲ τοῖσδ᾽ ἴσος. The force of ye is to throw blame by implication on the Argives at Troy, who treated Philoctetes as if he had been a malefactor.

684. mvp-comment-487-1 The metre requires some change. Dindorf reads ὠλέκεθ᾽ ὧδ᾽. But τῇδε has more point than ὧδε, and connects better with what follows.

685. mvp-comment-488-1 τόδε. . ἔχει] 'At this I marvel.' τόδε is accusative after θαῦμ᾽ ἔχει με = θαυμάζω. Cp. Od. 20. 217, αὐτὰρ ἐμοὶ τόδε θυμὸς .. πόλλ᾽ ἐπιδινεῖται.

686. mvp-comment-489-1 'How then he retained his hold of a life so steeped in tears.' Cp. supr. 535, διέζων and note, infr. 1158-60.

687. mvp-comment-490-1 ἵν᾿ αὐτὸς ἦν πρόσουρος] Sc. ἑαυτῷ. Schndw. cp. Lucian. Timon. θεοῖς θυέτω καὶ εὐωχείσθω μόνος ἑαυτῷ γείτων καὶ ὅμορος. The phrase is an oxymoron. Cp. Aesch. Cho. 866, μόνος ὢν ἔφεδρος, (‘Having none to second him'). οὐκ ἔχων βάσιν] 'Without power of movement.' Cp. supr. 632, ἄπουν, and, for the meaning of the verbal noun, supr. 18, ἐνθάκησις, and note. Bothe's ingenious correction, ἵν᾽ αὐτὸς ἦν, πρόσουρον οὐκ ἔχων βάσιν ( cp. supr. 171, μηδὲ σύντροφον ὄμμ᾽ ἔχων), is inadmissible, (1) as too diffuse, and (2) because αὐτός εἶμι, “I am by myself,' is not a poetical expression for the misery of solitude. This and the following lines are an echo and expansion of Philoctetes' complaint, supr. 280 foll. ἄνδρα δ᾽ οὐδέν᾽ ἔντοπον, | οὐχ ὅστις ἀρκέσειεν, οὐδ᾽ ὅστις νόσου | κάμνοντι συλλάβοιτο. Lambinus gives an odd explanation of πρόσ-ουρος, 'expositus ventis.'

688. mvp-comment-491-1 κακογείτονα] ‘To be a neighbour to his misery.’ This, as Lessing saw (Laoc. p. 37), = γείτονα κακῶν οἱ ἐν κακοῖς.

689-691. mvp-comment-492-1 By bringing *τάν from before θερμοτάταν, where it injures the metre, to before βαρυβρῶτ', where a syllable is required, we obtain a possible construction for these lines. In whose ear he might lament, with groaning that had response (ἀντίτυπον), the disease (τάν, sc. νόσον) so cruelly gnawing, so dripping with gore.

689. mvp-comment-493-1 στόνον ἀντίτυπον is thus cognate accusative with ἀποκλαύσειεν, i.e. So as to receive groan for groan.' Cp. Ant. 592, ἀντιπλῆγες ἀκταί.

692. mvp-comment-494-1 ἐνθήρου] ( Cp. supr. 226, ἀπηγριωμένον) 'That has lost the human shape,' no longer recognizable as that of a human being. Cp. Aesch. Ag. 562, τιθέντες ἔνθηρον τρίχα. The etymological analysis of the word is difficult, perhaps = θηρσὶν ἐναριθμούμενος.

693. mvp-comment-495-1 εἴ τις ἐμπέσοι (sc. αἱμάς)] 'If any attacked him;' i.e. If the bleeding at any time came on.

694. mvp-comment-496-1 φορβάδος.. ἑλεῖν] ‘Or to take them' (the herbs) 'from the sustaining earth.' There is a slight change of construction; i. e ἑλεῖν = ὅστις ἕλοι, and the order of language, as elsewhere ( Essay on L. § 41, B. p. 77 ) reverses the order of fact. This passage has given needless trouble. Mr. Paley reads ἕλοι.

695. mvp-comment-497-1 *εἶρπε.. ἄν] Cp. supr. 290 foll. *ἀλλαχά] This is the simplest change (see v.rr.), which restores correspondence of strophe and antistrophe. Others read ἀτίμως for ἀναξίως in supr. 686. So τότε is antecedent to ἁνίκα in 704.

696. mvp-comment-498-1 εἰλυόμενος . . τιθήνας] 'Crawling, like a child without the kindly nurse.' So the Chorus expand the suggestive word εἰλυόμην in 291; i.e. He needed the support of hands as well as feet in the rocky paths.

697. mvp-comment-499-1 ὅθεν εὐμάρει᾽ ὑπάρχοι] 'To the place where a supply for his wants (the herb for his pain, the birds for his hunger) was to be found.' πόρον.. ἐξανείη] 'Left him the power of motion; i. e. Allowed him to move again. As the pain might be said ἐμποδίζειν πόρον, so when it ceases it is said ἐξανιέναι πόρον. Cp. Aj.674-6. This seems the most likely interpretation of a difficult passage. For other suggestions, see Herm., Schndw., Nauck, Dindorf, Paley.

699-700. mvp-comment-500-1 (1) 'Not lifting for his sustenance the sown-produce' ( cp. Hdt. 4.53) 'of the sacred earth, nor sustenance afforded by other things which we, industrious men, enjoy.' If this is right, φορβάν, which in l. 706 is in apposition to σπόρον ( cp. Plat. Legg. 12. 958 E, ὅσα τροφὴν μήτηρ οὖσα ἡ γῆ πέφυκε βούλεσθαι φέρειν), is to be resumed in l. 707 as the immediate object of αἴρων. (2) Another way is to take σπορόν (sic) as an adjective. Cp. τορός, τομός. 'Not taking up the sown sustenance afforded by the sacred earth, nor the sustenance afforded by other things, etc.'

702. mvp-comment-501-1 πτανῶν πτανοῖς] (1) 'From his winged arrows by means of winged birds' (ὀρνέοις, Scholiast). Cp. supr. 288, 9, τὰς ὑποπτέρους | βάλλον πελείας. Or (2) 'With winged shafts (instrum. dat.) he contrived a sustenance consisting of winged birds' (gen. of material). There is no sufficient ground for suspecting the reading. Perhaps, however, πτανάν, agreeing with φορβάν, would be better than πτανῶν. Cp. infr. 1146, πταναὶ θῆραι. For the tautology in φορβάδος, φορβάν, φορβάν, see Essay on L. § 44. pp. 83, 4.

703. mvp-comment-502-1 ψυχά] Cp. supr. 55 and note.

704. mvp-comment-503-1 For the genitive with ἥσθη, see Essay on L. § 10. p. 16, 5 , and, for the dative χρόνῳ, ibid. § 11. p. 18, b.

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Hi

Merchant \EnteT a Spy in the habit of a Merchant, (^ OF THE ^ Scene II.

Current edition Experimental

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

ΝΕ.

Νεοπτόλεμος ἕρπʼ, εἰ θέλεις. τί δή ποθʼ ὧδʼ ἐξ οὐδενὸς 730 λόγου σιωπᾷς κἀπόπληκτος ὧδʼ ἔχει;

Φιλοκτήτης ἀᾶ, ἀᾶ.

Νεοπτόλεμος τί δʼ ἔστιν;

Φιλοκτήτης οὐδὲν δεινόν· ἀλλʼ ἴθʼ, ὦ τέκνον.

Νεοπτόλεμος μῶν ἄλγος ἴσχεις τῆς παρεστώσης νόσου;

Φιλοκτήτης οὐ δῆτʼ ἔγωγʼ, ἀλλʼ ἄρτι κουφίζειν δοκῶ. ὦ θεοί. 735

Νεοπτόλεμος τί τοὺς θεοὺς ὧδʼ ἀναστένων καλεῖς;

Φιλοκτήτης σωτῆρας αὐτοὺς ἠπίους θʼ ἡμῖν μολεῖν. ἀᾶ, ἀᾶ.

Νεοπτόλεμος τί ποτε πέπονθας; οὐκ ἐρεῖς, ἀλλʼ ὧδʼ ἔσει 740 σιγηλός; ἐν κακῷ δέ τῳ φαίνει κυρῶν.

Νεοπτόλεμος τί δʼ ἔστιν οὕτω νεοχμὸν ἐξαίφνης, ὅτου τοσήνδʼ ἰυγὴν καὶ στόνον σαυτοῦ ποεῖ;

Φιλοκτήτης οἶσθʼ, ὦ τέκνον;

Νεοπτόλεμος τί δʼ ἔστιν;

Φιλοκτήτης οἶσθʼ, ὦ παῖ;

Νεοπτόλεμος τί σοί; οὐκ οἶδα.

Φιλοκτήτης πῶς οὐκ οἶσθα; παππαπαππαπαῖ.

Νεοπτόλεμος δεινόν γε τοὐπίσαγμα τοῦ νοσήματος. 755

Φιλοκτήτης δεινὸν γὰρ οὐδὲ ῥητόν· ἀλλʼ οἴκτιρέ με.

Νεοπτόλεμος τί δῆτα δράσω;

Φιλοκτήτης μή με ταρβήσας προδῷς· ἥκει γὰρ αὕτη διὰ χρόνου πλάνοις ἴσως ὡς ἐξεπλήσθη.

Νεοπτόλεμος ἰὼ ἰὼ δύστηνε σύ, δύστηνε δῆτα διὰ πόνων πάντων φανείς. 760 βούλει λάβωμαι δῆτα καὶ θίγω τί σου;

Νεοπτόλεμος θάρσει προνοίας οὕνεκʼ· οὐ δοθήσεται πλὴν σοί τε κἀμοί· ξὺν τύχῃ δὲ πρόσφερε. 775

Φιλοκτήτης ἰδοὺ δέχου, παῖ· τὸν φθόνον δὲ πρόσκυσον μή σοι γενέσθαι πολύπονʼ αὐτὰ μηδʼ ὅπως ἐμοί τε καὶ τῷ πρόσθʼ ἐμοῦ κεκτημένῳ.

Νεοπτόλεμος ὦ θεοί, γένοιτο ταῦτα νῷν· γένοιτο δὲ πλοῦς οὔριός τε κεὐσταλὴς ὅποι ποτὲ 780 θεὸς δικαιοῖ χὠ στόλος πορσύνεται.

Νεοπτόλεμος ἀλγῶ πάλαι δὴ τἀπὶ σοὶ στένων κακά.

Φιλοκτήτης ἀλλʼ, ὦ τέκνον, καὶ θάρσος ἴσχʼ· ὡς ἥδε μοι ὀξεῖα φοιτᾷ καὶ ταχεῖʼ ἀπέρχεται. ἀλλʼ ἀντιάζω, μή με καταλίπῃς μόνον.

Νεοπτόλεμος θάρσει, μενοῦμεν. 810

Φιλοκτήτης ἦ μενεῖς;

Νεοπτόλεμος σαφῶς φρόνει.

Φιλοκτήτης οὐ μήν σʼ ἔνορκόν γʼ ἀξιῶ θέσθαι, τέκνον.

Νεοπτόλεμος ὡς οὐ θέμις γʼ ἐμοὔστι σοῦ μολεῖν ἄτερ.

Φιλοκτήτης ἔμβαλλε χειρὸς πίστιν.

Νεοπτόλεμος ἐμβάλλω μενεῖν.

Φιλοκτήτης ἐκεῖσε νῦν μʼ, ἐκεῖσε

Νεοπτόλεμος ποῖ λέγεις;

Φιλοκτήτης ἄνω

Νεοπτόλεμος τί παραφρονεῖς αὖ; τί τὸν ἄνω λεύσσεις κύκλον; 815

Φιλοκτήτης μέθες μέθες με.

Νεοπτόλεμος ποῖ μεθῶ;

Φιλοκτήτης μέθες ποτέ.

Νεοπτόλεμος οὔ φημʼ ἐάσειν.

Φιλοκτήτης ἀπό μʼ ὀλεῖς, ἢν προσθίγῃς.

Νεοπτόλεμος καὶ δὴ μεθίημʼ, εἴ τι δὴ πλέον φρονεῖς.

Φιλοκτήτης ὦ γαῖα, δέξαι θανάσιμόν μʼ ὅπως ἔχω τὸ γὰρ κακὸν τόδʼ οὐκέτʼ ὀρθοῦσθαί μʼ ἐᾷ. 820

NEO

Neoptolemos.

Neoptolemus STRO. 2. ANTIS. 2.

Neoptolemus Please, come on. Why so silent with no apparent cause? And why are you paralyzed? 730

Philoctetes Ai, ai!

Neoptolemus What is the matter?

Philoctetes Nothing serious—go on, son.

Neoptolemus Are you in pain from the disease that frequents you?

Philoctetes No, indeed no. I think it is better now.—Gods, oh! 735

Neoptolemus Why do you groan like this and call on the gods?

Philoctetes That they may come to me with power to save and soothe.—Ai! Ai!

Neoptolemus What troubles you? Speak, do not keep so silent. It is plain enough that you are suffering somehow. 740

Neoptolemus What new thing has come on you so suddenly that you wail for yourself with these loud shrieks?

Philoctetes You know, son.

Neoptolemus What is it?

Philoctetes You know, boy.

Neoptolemus What ails you? I do not know.

Philoctetes How could you not know? Oh, oh!

Neoptolemus Yes, terrible is the burden of your disease. 755

Philoctetes Terrible beyond telling! Oh, pity me!

Neoptolemus What shall I do?

Philoctetes Do not betray me because of fear. This plague comes only now and then,—perhaps when she has been sated with her roamings elsewhere.

Neoptolemus Ah, poor wretch! Poor man, truly for all your sufferings! Shall I support you, or somehow offer a helping hand?

Neoptolemus Have no fears as to my caution. The bow shall pass into no hands but yours and mine. Give it to me, and may good luck accompany it! 775

Philoctetes There, take it boy. And humble yourself before the jealous gods, so that the bow may not prove baneful for you, as it did for me and for him who owned it before me.

Neoptolemus O gods, grant this to the two of us! And grant us a voyage prosperous and unimpeded, to whatever goal the god may deem right and that our mission provides! 780

Neoptolemus My heart has long been aching for your load of pain.

Philoctetes Stop, then, and take courage; this visitor comes sharply, but goes quickly. Yet, I beg you, do not leave me alone.

Neoptolemus Take heart, we will remain. 810

Philoctetes Will you?

Merchant
\EnteT a Spy in the habit of a Merchant, (^ OF THE ^ Scene II.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἕρπʼ, εἰ θέλεις. τί δή ποθʼ ὧδʼ ἐξ οὐδενὸς
730

λόγου σιωπᾷς κἀπόπληκτος ὧδʼ ἔχει;

Φιλοκτήτης

ἀᾶ, ἀᾶ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί δʼ ἔστιν;

Φιλοκτήτης

οὐδὲν δεινόν· ἀλλʼ ἴθʼ, ὦ τέκνον.

Νεοπτόλεμος

μῶν ἄλγος ἴσχεις τῆς παρεστώσης νόσου;

Φιλοκτήτης

οὐ δῆτʼ ἔγωγʼ, ἀλλʼ ἄρτι κουφίζειν δοκῶ. ὦ θεοί.
735

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί τοὺς θεοὺς ὧδʼ ἀναστένων καλεῖς;

Φιλοκτήτης

σωτῆρας αὐτοὺς ἠπίους θʼ ἡμῖν μολεῖν. ἀᾶ, ἀᾶ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί ποτε πέπονθας; οὐκ ἐρεῖς, ἀλλʼ ὧδʼ ἔσει
740

σιγηλός; ἐν κακῷ δέ τῳ φαίνει κυρῶν.

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί δʼ ἔστιν οὕτω νεοχμὸν ἐξαίφνης, ὅτου

τοσήνδʼ ἰυγὴν καὶ στόνον σαυτοῦ ποεῖ;

Φιλοκτήτης

οἶσθʼ, ὦ τέκνον;

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί δʼ ἔστιν;

Φιλοκτήτης

οἶσθʼ, ὦ παῖ;

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί σοί;

οὐκ οἶδα.

Φιλοκτήτης

πῶς οὐκ οἶσθα; παππαπαππαπαῖ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

δεινόν γε τοὐπίσαγμα τοῦ νοσήματος.
755

Φιλοκτήτης

δεινὸν γὰρ οὐδὲ ῥητόν· ἀλλʼ οἴκτιρέ με.

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί δῆτα δράσω;

Φιλοκτήτης

μή με ταρβήσας προδῷς·

ἥκει γὰρ αὕτη διὰ χρόνου πλάνοις ἴσως

ὡς ἐξεπλήσθη.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἰὼ ἰὼ δύστηνε σύ,

δύστηνε δῆτα διὰ πόνων πάντων φανείς.
760

βούλει λάβωμαι δῆτα καὶ θίγω τί σου;

Νεοπτόλεμος

θάρσει προνοίας οὕνεκʼ· οὐ δοθήσεται

πλὴν σοί τε κἀμοί· ξὺν τύχῃ δὲ πρόσφερε.
775

Φιλοκτήτης

ἰδοὺ δέχου, παῖ· τὸν φθόνον δὲ πρόσκυσον

μή σοι γενέσθαι πολύπονʼ αὐτὰ μηδʼ ὅπως

ἐμοί τε καὶ τῷ πρόσθʼ ἐμοῦ κεκτημένῳ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ὦ θεοί, γένοιτο ταῦτα νῷν· γένοιτο δὲ

πλοῦς οὔριός τε κεὐσταλὴς ὅποι ποτὲ
780

θεὸς δικαιοῖ χὠ στόλος πορσύνεται.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἀλγῶ πάλαι δὴ τἀπὶ σοὶ στένων κακά.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἀλλʼ, ὦ τέκνον, καὶ θάρσος ἴσχʼ· ὡς ἥδε μοι

ὀξεῖα φοιτᾷ καὶ ταχεῖʼ ἀπέρχεται.

ἀλλʼ ἀντιάζω, μή με καταλίπῃς μόνον.

Νεοπτόλεμος

θάρσει, μενοῦμεν.
810

Φιλοκτήτης

ἦ μενεῖς;

Νεοπτόλεμος

σαφῶς φρόνει.

Φιλοκτήτης

οὐ μήν σʼ ἔνορκόν γʼ ἀξιῶ θέσθαι, τέκνον.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ὡς οὐ θέμις γʼ ἐμοὔστι σοῦ μολεῖν ἄτερ.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἔμβαλλε χειρὸς πίστιν.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἐμβάλλω μενεῖν.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἐκεῖσε νῦν μʼ, ἐκεῖσε

Νεοπτόλεμος

ποῖ λέγεις;

Φιλοκτήτης

ἄνω

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί παραφρονεῖς αὖ; τί τὸν ἄνω λεύσσεις κύκλον;
815

Φιλοκτήτης

μέθες μέθες με.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ποῖ μεθῶ;

Φιλοκτήτης

μέθες ποτέ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

οὔ φημʼ ἐάσειν.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἀπό μʼ ὀλεῖς, ἢν προσθίγῃς.

Νεοπτόλεμος

καὶ δὴ μεθίημʼ, εἴ τι δὴ πλέον φρονεῖς.

Φιλοκτήτης

ὦ γαῖα, δέξαι θανάσιμόν μʼ ὅπως ἔχω

τὸ γὰρ κακὸν τόδʼ οὐκέτʼ ὀρθοῦσθαί μʼ ἐᾷ.
820

Neoptolemus
STRO. 2. ANTIS. 2.

Neoptolemus

Please, come on. Why so silent with no apparent cause? And why are you paralyzed?
730

Philoctetes

Ai, ai!

Neoptolemus

What is the matter?

Philoctetes

Nothing serious—go on, son.

Neoptolemus

Are you in pain from the disease that frequents you?

Philoctetes

No, indeed no. I think it is better now.—Gods, oh!
735

Neoptolemus

Why do you groan like this and call on the gods?

Philoctetes

That they may come to me with power to save and soothe.—Ai! Ai!

Neoptolemus

What troubles you? Speak, do not keep so silent. It is plain enough that you are suffering somehow.
740

Neoptolemus

What new thing has come on you so suddenly that you wail for yourself with these loud shrieks?

Philoctetes

You know, son.

Neoptolemus

What is it?

Philoctetes

You know, boy.

Neoptolemus

What ails you? I do not know.

Philoctetes

How could you not know? Oh, oh!

Neoptolemus

Yes, terrible is the burden of your disease.
755

Philoctetes

Terrible beyond telling! Oh, pity me!

Neoptolemus

What shall I do?

Philoctetes

Do not betray me because of fear. This plague comes only now and then,—perhaps when she has been sated with her roamings elsewhere.

Neoptolemus

Ah, poor wretch! Poor man, truly for all your sufferings! Shall I support you, or somehow offer a helping hand?

Neoptolemus

Have no fears as to my caution. The bow shall pass

into no hands but yours and mine. Give it to me, and may good luck accompany it!
775

Philoctetes

There, take it boy. And humble yourself before the jealous gods, so that the bow may not prove baneful for you, as it did for me and for him who owned it before me.

Neoptolemus

O gods, grant this to the two of us! And grant us a voyage

prosperous and unimpeded, to whatever goal the god may deem right and that our mission provides!
780

Neoptolemus

My heart has long been aching for your load of pain.

Philoctetes

Stop, then, and take courage; this visitor comes sharply, but goes quickly. Yet, I beg you, do not leave me alone.

Neoptolemus

Take heart, we will remain.
810

Philoctetes

Will you?

Neoptolemus

Be sure of it.

Philoctetes

Indeed, I do not think it right to put you under oath.

Neoptolemus

Rest assured; it is not lawful for me to leave without you.

Philoctetes

Give me your hand in pledge!

Neoptolemus

I give it—to stay.

Philoctetes

Now take me there, over there!

Neoptolemus

Where do you mean?

Philoctetes

Up there!