Sophocles Philoctetes 317

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)) — 317 focus
ἔοικα κἀγὼ τοῖς ἀφιγμένοις ἴσα
ξένοις ἐποικτείρειν σε, Ποίαντος τέκνον.
Translations (5)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 317 focus
Methinks my feeling for thee, Poeas’ child,
I, too, a witness to confirm his words,
Know them for verities, since I have found
320
The Atridae and Odysseus evil men.
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 317 focus
Auch ich beklage billig, Sohn des Pöas, dich
Gleich jenen Fremden, welche hier gelandet sind.
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 317 focus
How dreadful, thinkst thou, was that waking to me,
When from my sleep I rose and saw them not !
How did I weep ! and mourn my wretched state !
When not a ship remained of all the fleet
That brought me here — no kind companion left
To minister or needful food or balm
To my sad wounds. On every side I looked,
And nothing saw but woe ; of that indeed
Measure too fuU. For day succeeded day.
And still no comfort came ; myself alone
Could to myself the means of life afford,
In this poor grotto. On my bow I lived :
The winged dove, which my sharp arrow slew,
With pain I brought into my little hut,
And feasted there ; then from the broken ico
1 slaked my thirst, or crept into the woocl
For useful fuel ; from the stricken flint
I drew the latent spark, that warms me still
And still revives. This with my humble roof
Preserve me, son. But, oh ! my wounds remain.
Thou seest an island desolate and waste ;
No friendly port nor hopes of gain to tenjpt,
Nor host to welcome in the traveller ;
Few seek the wild inhospitable shore.
By adverse winds, sometimes th' unwilling guests,
As well thou mayst suppose, were hither driven ;
But when they came, they only pitied me.
Gave me a little food, or better garb
To shield me from the cold ; in vain 1 prayed
That they would bear me to my native soil,
For none would listen. Here for ten long years
Have 1 remained, whilst misery and famine
Keep fresh my wounds, and double my misfortune.
This have th' Atridae and Ulysses done.
And may the gods with equal woes repay them !
I can bear witness to thee, for I know
By sad experience what th' Atridae are,
And what Ulysses.
335
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 317 focus
Like others, who have visited this isle,
I too, O son of Peas, pity thee.
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 317 focus

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-182-1 ἴσα 1

mvp-comment-182-2 ἐποικτίρειν 2 ἐποικτιρεῖν 3

mvp-comment-183-1 ἐν λόγοις 4 ὢν 5

mvp-comment-183-2 συντυχὼν 6

mvp-comment-184-1 ἦ γάρ 7

mvp-comment-184-2 τοῖς πανωλέθροις 8

mvp-comment-184-3 παθών 9

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 10 Σπάρτη 11 γνοῖεν 12

mvp-comment-185-1 εὖ γ’ 13

mvp-comment-185-2 τίνος γὰρ 14 τίνος 15

mvp-comment-185-3 ὧδε 16 τίνος 17

mvp-comment-186-1 ἐξερῶ, μόλις δ’ ἐρῶ 18

mvp-comment-186-2 μολών 19

mvp-comment-187-1 ἔσχε 20

mvp-comment-188-1 φράσῃς … μὴ πέρα 21

mvp-comment-189-1 τοξευτὸς … δαμείς 22

mvp-comment-189-2 ὡς λέγουσιν 23 ἐκ 24 ὑπό 25

mvp-comment-190-1 ἀλλ’ εὐγενὴς μὲν 26 δέ 27 κτανών … θανών 28

mvp-comment-191-1 ἐλέγχω … στένω 29

mvp-comment-192-1 οἶμαι μὲν 30

mvp-comment-192-2 καὶ τὰ ς’ 31

mvp-comment-193-1 τοιγαροῦν 32 αὖθις πάλιν 33

mvp-comment-193-2 ὅτῳ 34

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

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?'