Sophocles Philoctetes 1314

ed. Francis Storr

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Philoctetes. Sophocles. ed. Francis Storr. London. 1913.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Experimental

Φιλοκτήτης (Greek) (Sophocles, Volume 2. Storr, Francis, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann Ltd.; The Macmillan Company, 1913.)

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (1)
Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 1314 focus
ἥσθην πατέρα τε τε τὸν ἐμὸν ἀμὸν εὐλογοῦντά σε
αὐτόν τέ μ· ὧν δέ σου τυχεῖν ἐφίεμαι
ἄκουσον. ἀνθρώποισι τὰς μὲν ἐκ θεῶν
1315
τύχας δοθείσας ἔστ᾽ ἀναγκαῖον φέρειν·
ὅσοι δ᾽ ἑκουσίοισιν ἔγκεινται βλάβαις,
ὥσπερ σύ, τούτοις τοτούσιν τουτοίσιν τούτοις οὔτε συγγνώμην ἔχειν
δίκαιόν ἐστιν οὔτ᾽ ἐποικτείρειν τινά.
σὺ δ᾽ ἠγρίωσαι, κοὔτε σύμβουλον δέχει,
1320
ἐάν τε νουθετῇ τις εὐνοίᾳ εὔνοιάν σοι εὐνοίᾳ εὔνοιαν λέγων,
στυγεῖς, πολέμιον δυσμενή θ᾽ ἡγούμενος.
ὅμως δὲ λέξω· Ζῆνα δ᾽ ὅρκιον καλῶ·

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

καὶ ταῦτ᾽ ἐπίστω, καὶ γράφου φρενῶν ἔσω.
σὺ γὰρ νοσεῖς τόδ' ἄλγος ἐκ θείας τύχης,
1325
Χρύσης χρυσῆσ χρύσης πελασθεὶς φύλακος, ὃς τὸν ἀκαλυφῆ
σηκὸν φυλάσσει κρύφιος οἰκουρῶν ὄφις·
καὶ παῦλαν ἴσθι τῆσδε μήποτ᾽ ἐντυχεῖν
νόσου βαρείας, ὡς ἂν αὑτὸς αὐτὸς ἥλιος
ταύτῃ ταύτηι, ι from σ ταύτῃ μὲν αἴρῃ, τῇδε δ᾽ αὖ δύνῃ πάλιν,
1330
πρὶν ἂν τὰ Τροίας πεδί᾽ ἑκὼν αὐτὸς αὐτὸσ ἑκὼν ἑκὼν αὐτὸς μόλῃς,
καὶ τῶν παρ᾿ ἡμῖν ἐντυχὼν ᾿Ασκληπιδῶν ἀσκληπι(α?)δῶν ἀσκληπιαδῶν
νόσου μαλαχθῇς μαλαχθείς τῆσδε, καὶ τὰ πέργαμα
ξὺν τοῖσδε τόξοις ξύν τ᾿ ἐμοὶ πέρσας φανῇς φ(α)νῆισ φανῇς.
ὡς δ᾽ οἶδα ταῦτα τῇδ᾽ ἔχοντ᾽ ἐγὼ ἀγὼ φράσω.
1335
ἀνὴρ γὰρ ἡμῖν ἐστιν ἐκ Τροίας ἁλούς,

ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

"Ελενος ἀριστόμαντις, ὃς λέγει σαφῶς
ὡς δεῖ γενέσθαι ταῦτα· καὶ πρὸς τοῖσδ᾽ ἔτι,
ὡς ἔστ᾽ ἀνάγκη τοῦ παρεστώτος θέρους
Τροίαν ἁλῶναι πᾶσαν· ἢ δίδωσ᾽ ἑκὼν
1340
κτείνειν ἑαυτόν, ἣν τάδε ψευσθῇ λέγων ψευδῆ λέγῃ γρ. λέγων.
ταῦτ᾽ οὖν ἐπεὶ κάτοισθα, συγχώρει sic συγχώρη θέλων.
καλὴ γὰρ ἡ ᾿πίκτησις, ῾Ελλήνων ἕνα
κριθέντ᾽ ἄριστον, τοῦτο μὲν παιωνίας
εἰς χεῖρας ἐλθεῖν, εἶτα τὴν ή from ά πολύστονον
1345
Τροίαν ἑλόντα κλέος κλέο(υ)ς κλέος ὑπέρτατον λαβεῖν.
Translations (5)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 1314 focus
Well, now the bow is thine. Thou hast no cause
For blame or anger any more ’gainst me.
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 1314 focus
Mit Freuden hör' ich, wie du meinen Vater lobst
Und mich: vernimm nun, was du mir gewähren sollst.
1275
Wohl muß der Mensch die Loose, die der Götter Rath
Auflegt, ergeben tragen als Nothwendigkeit;
Doch wer in selbsterwähltem Leid gefangen ist,
Wie du, verdient es nimmer, daß nachsichtig ihm
Verziehen werde, daß man ihm Erbarmen schenkt.
1280
Du bist erbittert, weisest ab des Freundes Rath,
Und wenn dich Einer wohlgesinnt verweisend warnt,
Dem zürnst du wie dem Gegner, siehst als Feind ihn an.
Und dennoch sag' ich's, rufe Zeus, des Eides Gott,
Und du bedenk' es, schreib' es tief in deine Brust:
1285
Dies Leiden ward von Göttern über dich verhängt,
Weil du der Schlange nahtest, Chryse's Hüterin, 1
Die dort den obdachlosen Herd geheim bewacht.
Und wisse: niemals findest du des Leides Ziel,
Der schweren Krankheit, nie, solang die Sonne hier
1290
Aufsteigt und wieder dort hinab zum Meere sinkt,
Bevor in Troja's Ebne du freiwillig ziehst,
Und auf Asklepios' Söhne triffst in unserm Heer, 2
Die deine Qual dir lindern, und die stolze Burg
Mit diesem Bogen, im Verein mit mir, zerstörst.
1295
Und wie ich solches sicher weiß, erklär' ich dir.
Ein Mann vom Troervolke fiel in unsre Hand,
Der Seher erster, Helenos, der klar bezeugt,
Es müsse so sich fügen, und noch dies dazu:
Das Schicksal wolle, daß in diesem Sommer noch
1300
Die ganze Troja falle; gerne will er sich
Dem Tode bieten, täuscht er uns in diesem Spruch.
Nun, da du dies vernommen, gib uns willig nach.
Ein schöner Lohn ja wär' es, als der Edelste
Des Heers erkoren, erst die Hand, die heilende,
1305
Zu finden, dann der Troer vielbeweinte Burg
Zu stürzen, hochgefeiert in des Ruhmes Glanz.
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 1314 focus
I know it ; but remember, I restored
Thy arrows to thee, and thou hast no cause
For rage or for complaint against thy friend.
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 1314 focus
Well, let that pass: thou hast thy bow; no cause
Hast thou of anger, or to blame me more.
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 1314 focus

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-696-1 ἥσθην 1

mvp-comment-696-2 ἀμὸν 2 γε 3

mvp-comment-697-1 ὧν … σου τυχεῖν 4

mvp-comment-697-2 ἐφίεμαι 5

mvp-comment-698-1 τὰς μὲν ἐκ θεῶν τύχας δοθείσας 6 ἐκ 7

mvp-comment-699-1 ἑκουσίοισιν 8

mvp-comment-699-2 ἔγκεινται 9

mvp-comment-700-1 ἠγρίωσαι 10 οὔτε … τε 11

mvp-comment-701-1 εὐνοίᾳ 12 εὔνοιάν σοι λέγων 13

mvp-comment-701-2 δυσμενῆ θ’ 14

mvp-comment-702-1 Ζῆνα … ὅρκιον 15

mvp-comment-703-1 γράφου φρενῶν ἔσω 16

mvp-comment-703-2 γράφου 17

mvp-comment-704-1 σὺ γὰρ 18

mvp-comment-704-2 ἐκ θείας τύχης 19

mvp-comment-705-1 τὸν ἀκαλυφῆ σηκὸν 20

mvp-comment-705-2 κρύφιος οἰκουρῶν ὄφις 21 οἰκουρῶν 22

mvp-comment-705-3 The sacred precinct of Chrysè, with the serpent, is depicted on a

στάμνος
(wine-jar) of about 400 C.B. , now in the Campana collection at the Louvre. The image of Chrysè stands in the open air on a low pedestal; just in front of it is a low and rude altar, with fire burning on it; close to this is the serpent, at which Agamemnon is striking with his sceptre, while the wounded Philoctetes lies on the ground, with Achilles and others around him. See Introd. § 21.

mvp-comment-706-1 παῦλαν 23 τυχεῖν 24 ἐντυχεῖν 25 ἂν τυχεῖν 26

mvp-comment-706-2 μήποτ’ 27

mvp-comment-707-1 ἕως ἂν 28 ὡς ἂν 29

mvp-comment-707-2 αὑτὸς ἥλιος 30 αὑτὸς 31 οὗτος 32 οὗτος 33 ταύτῃ, τῇδε 34

mvp-comment-707-3 αἴρῃ 35

mvp-comment-708-1 ἑκὼν αὐτὸς 36

mvp-comment-709-1 ἐντυχὼν 37

mvp-comment-709-2 τῶν παρ’ ἡμῖν … Ἀσκληπιδῶν 38

mvp-comment-709-3 This verse implies that both the sons of Asclepius were to have a part in the cure; and so in 1378 f. the plural is used. But, in the prevailing form of the legend, Machaon alone was the healer; probably because, in post-Homeric poetry, Machaon was the representative of surgery, as his brother was of medicine (cp. Preller, 1. p. 409). So Lesches in the Little Iliad, acc. to Proclus, p. 481 ed. Gaisford: the Orphic

Λιθικά
, 342 ff., where Machaon uses a powder made from a stone called
ὀφιῆτις
: Tzetzes, Posthom. 580 ff., where the stone is
ἐχιῆτις
: Propertius 2. 1. 59. An epic poet, Dionysius, represented Apollo as putting Ph. to sleep, when Machaon amputated the diseased part (Tzetzes on Lycophron 911: schol. Pind. P. 1. 109 ). Quintus Smyrnaeus is singular in making the healer Podaleirius (9. 463).

mvp-comment-709-4 The scene of the cure occurs on a fragment of a bronze mirror (found in south Etruria, and ascribed to the 5th or 4th cent. B.C.), now in the archaeological Museum of the University of Bologna. It bears an Etruscan legend, Pheltute (Philoctetes), Machan (Machaon). The healer is in the act of bandaging the hero's foot; a sponge and a box of ointment rest on a sort of camp-stool (

δίφρος ὀκλαδίας
) between them. (Milani, Mito di F., pl. III. 49; pp. 104 ff.)

mvp-comment-709-5 This verse has been thought inconsistent with 1437: but see n. there.

mvp-comment-710-1 νόσου μαλαχθῇς 39 λωφᾶν 40

mvp-comment-710-2 ξὺν τοῖσδε τόξοις 41 ἔχων 42

mvp-comment-710-3 πέρσυς φανῇς 43

mvp-comment-710-4 The language here is not strictly logical. It implies that, before the

παῦλα
can come, he must not only have been relieved (
μαλαχθῇς
), but also have taken Troy. The explanation seems to be simply that the writer was thinking of the victory as an event which was to follow closely on the cure. So, having used
μαλαχθῇς
, he subjoined
καὶ...πέρσας φανῇς
, instead of making the second statement independent of
πρὶν ἄν
( e.g.,
καὶ ἔπειτα πέρσας φανεῖ
). It is much as if one said, ‘You will never be cured until you find health and glory at Troy,’—instead of, ‘find health at Troy,—where you will also find glory.’ Schneidewin and others compare Ai. 106 —110:
θανεῖν γὰρ αὐτὸν οὔ τί πω θέλω...πρὶν ἂν...νῶτα φοινιχθεὶς θάνῃ
. The parallel would be closer if, there, we had
φοινιχθῇ καὶ θάνῃ
,—meaning
φοινιχθῇ· καὶ ἔπειτα θανεῖται
.

mvp-comment-710-5 We cannot remove the difficulty by supposing that

μαλαχθῇς
denotes merely alleviation, not cure; for the poet clearly thinks of the cure as preceding the victory (919 f.: 1345 ff.: 1424 ff.).

mvp-comment-711-1 ὡς δ’ οἶδα ταῦτα 44

mvp-comment-712-1 γὰρ 45

mvp-comment-712-2 ἡμῖν ἔστιν 46

mvp-comment-712-3 Ἕλενος 47 ἀριστόμαντις 48

mvp-comment-713-1 ὡς δεῖ γενέσθαι ταῦτα 49 δεῖ 50 χρὴ 51

mvp-comment-714-1 θέρους 52 πᾶσαν 53

mvp-comment-714-2 δίδωσ’ … ἑαυτόν 54 κτείνειν 55

mvp-comment-715-1 καλὴ γὰρ ἡ )πίκτησις 56 Ἑλλήνων ἕνα 57 κριθέντ’ ἄριστον 58 τοῦτο μὲν 59 εἶτα 60 εἶτα 61

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

1313. mvp-comment-868-1 ἄριστα] Sc. τῶν ζώντων.

1314-1315. mvp-comment-869-1 ἥσθην.. αὐτόν τέ μ΄] 'Your praises of my father and of myself too give me a thrill of joy.' For this accusative, see E. on L. § 16. p. 23. For the aorist, see ib. § 32. p. 55. In order to avoid the double trisyllabic foot some editors prefer τὸν ἀμόν, the reading of T, for which they compare several places of the Electra. But Electra and Orestes are speaking of Agamemnon as the father of them both. Neoptolemus stands alone as the son of Achilles. And, with αὐτόν τέ μ' immediately following, the plural word is scarcely justifiable. Nauck conjectures ἥσθην γε πατέρα.

1315. mvp-comment-870-1 Whether με or ἐμέ is preferable here is a point that can hardly be determined. ὧν δέ σου τυχεῖν ἐφιέμαι] In returning to the dangerous theme, Neoptolemus tries to avoid offence ( cp. supr. 1283, εἶτα νουθετεῖς ἐμέ) by putting his exhortation in the form of a request.

1318. mvp-comment-871-1 ἑκουσίοισιν] Cp. Eur. Suppl. 151, σοφήν γ᾽ ἔλεξας τήνδ᾽ ἑκούσιον φυγήν.

1319-1320. mvp-comment-872-1 This strain of reflection about the voluntary and involuntary reminds us that we are in the age of Socrates.

1321. mvp-comment-873-1 ἠγρίωσαι] 'Art become intractable.' Cp. the use of ἀγριαίνω in Plat. Rep. 6. 493 B, 501 E, Theaet. 151 C.

1322. mvp-comment-874-1 Schndw. has observed that the reading of L points to a v. r. εὔνοιαν λέγων. Cp. O. C. 390.

1324. mvp-comment-875-1 Ζῆνα.. καλῶ] ὄρκιον is either (1) attributive, 'And I invoke Zeus, who makes oaths binding.' Cp. Plat. Rep. 5. 451 A, προσκυνῶ δὲ ᾿Αδράστειαν, ὦ Γλαύκων, χάριν οὗ μέλλω λέγειν: Eur. Hipp. 1025, ὅρκιόν σοι Ζῆνα.. ὄμνυμι. Or (2) 'I call on Zeus to witness my solemn word.' The former (1) is probably right.

1325. mvp-comment-876-1 γράφου] The middle voice ( Essay on L. § 31. p. 53 ) is used as in Aesch. Prom. 789, ἣν ἐγγράφου σὺ μνήμοσιν δέλτοις φρενῶν.

1326. mvp-comment-877-1 νοσεῖς τόδ' ἄλγος] Cogn. acc. i. e. ἔχεις τήνδε ἀλγεινὴν νόσον.

1327. mvp-comment-878-1 πελασθείς] 'In consequence of having come near.' The participle is parallel to ἐκ θείας τύχης, which it helps to explain. Cp. the epexegetic use of λοχευθείς in O. C. 1322.

1327-1328. mvp-comment-879-1 The serpent guarded the shrine of the nymph Chrysa, who is sometimes identified with Athena. Cp. the sacred serpent of Athena Polias in the Erectheum.

1329. mvp-comment-880-1 ἐντυχεῖν] For this Auratus and Elmsley substituted ἂν τυχών, and Porson, followed by recent editors, conj. ἂν τυχεῖν. But for the aor. infin. in prophecy, cp. Aesch. Prom. 667, κεἰ μὴ θέλοι, πυρωπὸν ἐκ Διὸς μολεῖν | κεραυνόν. παῦλαν is best taken as the subject of ἐντυχεῖν, sc. σοί.

1330. mvp-comment-881-1 ὡς ἄν] 'Whilst.' Not for ἕως ἄν, but an instance of the temporal use of as being accompanied by ἄν. See Essay on L. § 28, 4. P 47.

1331. mvp-comment-882-1 ταύτῃ μὲν τῇδε δ'] He points first to the right and then to the left of the λογεῖον.

1333. mvp-comment-883-1 τῶν . . ᾿Ασκληπιδών] The genitive does not depend primarily on ἐντυχών, but is causal with μαλαχθῆς. See L. and S. s. v. ἐντυγχάνω. ' And by the sons of Asclepius in our camp. having there met with them, you shall be soothed from the pain of this disease.' For the resumption of παῦλαν in μαλαχθῇς, cp. Aj. 106-10, θανεῖν γὰρ αὐτὸν οὐ τί πω θέλω.. πρὶν ἂν .. θάνῃ. In infr. 1437, Heracles further reveals what is still unknown to Neoptolemus, that Asclepius will himself come to heal Philoctetes. μαλαχθῇς does not guarantee a complete cure, perhaps because the common story (as in Pindar) represented Philoctetes as still lame. Blaydes conjectures μεταστῆς τῆσδε But such harsh assonance is improbable here.

1335. mvp-comment-884-1 ξύν is used in two slightly different senses ( cp. Shak. Jul. C. 3. 1, 'As here by Caesar and by you cut off'). For ξύν of the instrument (literally, 'With the help of') cp. Aesch. Pers. 755, πλοῦτον ἐκτήσω ξὺν αἰχμῇ: Aj. 1245, ἢ σὺν δόλῳ κεντήσεθ' οἱ λελειμμένοι.

1336. mvp-comment-885-1 ὡς] 'How.'

1338. mvp-comment-886-1 ἀριστόμαντις] 'Prophet-prince.' On the compound, see E. on L. § 55. p. 101.

1339. mvp-comment-887-1 ὡς] 'That.'

1341-1342. mvp-comment-888-1 ἢ.. λέγων] 'Else, should this word of his be falsified, he willingly offers himself for death.' For the combination of ἤ with the hypothetical clause, cp. Plat. Rep. 6. 490 A, ἢ ἀλαζόνι ὄντι (i. e. ἐὰν ἀλάζων ᾗ) μηδαμῇ μετεῖναι φιλοσοφίας ἀληθινῆς. And for the mode of expression, cp. supr. 618, 9.

1343. mvp-comment-889-1 Philoctetes had heard some of this before (l. 604 foll.), but in a narrative which he had learned to disbelieve (l. 1306). Now he knows it on the authority of one who has given a pledge of his good faith. συγχώρει] · 'Agree.' Cp. Hdt. 3. 83, ὡς συνεχώρεον οἱ ἐξ ἐπὶ τούτοισι.

1344. mvp-comment-890-1 καλὴ γὰρ ἡ ᾿πίκτησις] «For it is a noble prospect of gain.' The compound word with ἐπι- corresponds to the cumulative statement, 'Not only to be healed but to take Troy moreover and to win this great renown.' ἕνα] 'Above all others.' Cp. Aj. 1340, ἕν᾽ ἄνδρ᾿ ἰδεῖν ἄριστον, and note.