Sophocles Philoctetes 1217-1471

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)) — 1217 focus
ἐγὼ μὲν ἤδη καὶ πάλαι νεὼς νεως νεῶς νεὼς ὁμοῦ ὁμοῦ ἐγγὺς
στείχων ἂν ἦ ἄνην ἂν ἦν σοι τῆς ἐμῆς, εἰ μὴ πέλας
Ὀδυσσέα στείχοντα τόν τ᾿ ᾿Αχιλλέως
γόνον πρὸς ἡμᾶς δεῦρ᾿ ἰόντ᾽ ἐλεύσσομεν ἐλεύσομεν ἐλεύσσομεν.
καίτοι σ᾽ ἐάσω· τῷ δὲ σύμπαντι στρατῷ
λέξω τάδ᾽ ἐλθών, ὅς σε τιμωρήσεται.
πῶς εἶπας; ἆρα οὐκ ἆρα οὐκ ἄρα δεύτερον δολούμεθα δουλούμεθα δολούμεθα ;
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.
ὦ στυγνὸς αἰών, τί με, τί δῆτ᾽ ἔχεις ἄνω
βλέποντα κοὐκ ἀφῆκας εἰς "Αιδου μολεῖν;
οἴμοι, τί δράσω; πῶς ἀπιστήσω λόγοις
τοῖς τοῦδ᾽, ὃς εὔνους ὢν ἐμοὶ παρῄνεσεν;
1350
ἀλλ᾽ εἰκάθω δῆτ'; εἶτα πῶς ὁ δύσμορος
εἰς φῶς τάδ᾽ ἔρξας εἶμι; τῷ προσήγορος;
πῶς, ὦ τὰ πάντ᾿ ἰδόντες ἀμφ᾿ ἐμοῦ κύκλοι,·

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

ταῦτ᾽ ἐξανασχήσεσθε, τοῖσιν ᾿Ατρέως
ἐμὲ ξυνόντα παισίν πασὶν παισὶν, οἵ μ᾿ ἀπώλεσαν ;
1355
πῶς τῷ πανώλει παιδὶ τῷ Λαερτίου ;
οὐ γάρ με τἄλγος μ' ἔτ' αλγοσ μετάλγος τῶν παρελθόντων δάκνει,
ἀλλ᾽ οἷα χρὴ παθεῖν με πρὸς τούτων ἔτι
δοκῶ προλεύσσειν. οἷς γὰρ ἡ γνώμη κακῶν κακὸν κακῶν
μήτηρ γένηται, τἄλλα παιδεύει κακά.
1360
καὶ σοῦ δ᾽ γ' ἔγωγε θαυμάσας ἔχω τόδε.
χρῆν γάρ σε μήτ' αὐτόν ποτ' εἰς Τροίαν μολεῖν,
ἡμᾶς τ᾿ ἀπείργειν· οἵ γέ τε σου καθύβρισαν καθ᾽ ὕβρισαν καθύβρισαν,
πατρὸς γέρας συλῶντες, [οἳ τὸν ἄθλιον
Αἴανθ᾽ ὅπλων σοῦ πατρὸς ὕστερον δίκῃ
1365
᾿Ὀδυσσέως ἔκριναν,] εἶτα τοῖσδε σὺ
εἶ ξυμμαχήσων, κἄμ᾿ καί μ' ἀναγκάζεις τάδε τόδε, ο from a τάδε τόδε γρ. τάδε?
μὴ δῆτα, τέκνον· ἀλλ᾽, ἅ μοι ξυνώμοσας,
πέμψον πρὸς οἴκους· καὐτὸς ἐν Σκύρῳ μένων
ἔα κακῶς αὐτοὺς ἀπόλλυσθαι ἀπόλλυσθε κακούς.
1370
χοὔτω διπλῆν μὲν ἐξ ἐμοῦ κτήσει χάριν χάριν
διπλῆν δὲ πατρός· κοὐ κακοὺς κακῶς κακοὺς κακοὺς ἐπωφελῶν
δόξεις ὁμοῖος τοῖς κακοῖς πεφυκέναι.
ὦ δεινὸν αἶνον αἰνέσας, τί φής ποτε;
εἰ δοκεῖ, στείχωμεν στίχωμεν στείχωμεν στείχω μὲν.
μήπω γε, πρὶν πρὶ πρὶν ἂν τῶν ἡμετέρων
ἀΐῃς ἀΐεισ ἀΐῃς μύθων, παῖ Ποίαντος·
1410
φάσκειν δ᾽ αὐδὴν τὴν ῾Ηρακλέους
ἀκοῇ τ' τε τ' κλύειν λεύσσειν τ᾿ ὄψιν.
τὴν σὴν δ᾽ ἥκω χάριν οὐρανίας
ἕδρας προλιπών,
τὰ Διός τε φράσων βουλεύματά σοι,
1415
κατερητύσων κατηρετύσων κατερητυσών θ᾽ ὁδὸν ἣν στέλλει·
σὺ δ᾽ ἐμῶν μύθων ἐπάκουσον.
καὶ πρῶτα μέν σοι τὰς ἐμὰς λέξω τύχας,

ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

ὅσους πονήσας καὶ διεξελθὼν πόνους
ἀθάνατον ἀρετὴν ἔσχον, ὡς πάρεσθ᾽ ὁρᾶν.
1420
καὶ σοί, σάφ᾽ ἴσθι, τοῦτ᾽ ὀφείλεται παθεῖν,
ἐκ τῶν πόνων τῶνδ᾽ τῶν τῶνδ᾽ εὐκλεᾶ εὐκλέα εὐκλεᾶ θέσθαι βίον.
ἐλθὼν δὲ σὺν τῷδ᾽ ἀνδρὶ πρὸς τὸ Τρωϊκὸν
πόλισμα, πρῶτον μὲν νόσου παύσει λυγρᾶς,
ἀρετῇ τε πρῶτος ἐκκριθεὶς στρατεύματος,
1425
Πάριν μέν, ὃς τῶνδ᾽ αἴτιος κακῶν ἔφυ,
τόξοισι τοῖς ἐμοῖσι νοσφιεῖς νοσφίσεισ νοσφιεῖς βίου,
πέρσεις τε Τροίαν, σκυλά τ᾽ εἰς μέλαθρα σὰ
πέμψεις, ἀριστεῖ᾽ ἐκλαβὼν ἐκβαλών στρατεύματος,
Ποίαντι πατρὶ πρὸς πάτρας Οἴτης πλάκα.
1430
ἃ δ᾽ ἂν λάβῃς σὺ σκῦλα τοῦδε τοῦ στρατοῦ,
τόξων ἐμῶν μνημεῖα πρὸς πυρὰν ἐμὴν

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

κόμιζε. καὶ σοὶ ταῦτ᾽, ᾿Αχιλλέως τέκνον,
παρῄνεσ· οὔτε γὰρ σὺ τοῦδ᾽ ἄτερ σθένεις
ἑλεῖν τὸ Τροίας πεδίον οὔθ᾽ οὗτος σέθεν.
1435
ἀλλ᾿ ὡς λέοντε συννόμω φυλάσσετον
οὗτος σὲ καὶ σὺ τόνδ'. ἐγὼ δ᾽ ᾿Ασκληπιὸν
παυστῆρα πέμψω σῆς νόσου πρὸς Ιλιον.
τὸ δεύτερον γὰρ τοῖς ἐμοῖς αὐτὴν χρεὼν
τόξοις ἁλῶναι. τοῦτο δ᾽ ἐννοεῖσθ᾽, ὅταν
1440
πορθῆτε πορθεῖτε πορθήτε ? γαῖαν, εὐσεβεῖν τὰ πρὸς θεούς.
ὡς τἄλλα πάντα δεύτερ᾽ ἡγεῖται πατὴρ
Ζεύς· ἡ γὰρ εὐσέβεια συνθνήσκει βροτοῖς,

ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

κἂν ζῶσι κἂν θάνωσιν, οὐκ ἀπόλλυται.
ὦ φθέγμα ποθεινὸν ἐμοὶ πέμψας,
1445
χρόνιός τε φανείς,
οὐκ ἀπιθήσω ι from ει ἀπιθήσω τοῖς σοῖς μύθοις.
Translations (5)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 1217 focus
Long since thou hadst seen me nearing yonder ship,
Had I not spied Odysseus and the son
Of great Achilles hastening to our side.
And me thou soon shalt see
Doing the like and dallying not!—And yet
I will not touch thee, but will go and tell
The army, that shall wreak this on thy head.
What words are these? Am I again deceived?
Well, now the bow is thine. Thou hast no cause
For blame or anger any more ’gainst me.
None. Thou hast proved thy birthright, dearest boy.
Not from the loins of Sisyphus thou earnest,
But from Achilles, who in life was held
Noblest of men alive, and now o’ the dead.
Mean’st thou to Troy, and to the hateful sons
Of Atreus, me, with this distressful limb?
Hard is my fortune, then, if by no sleight
Of reasoning I can draw thee to my mind.
For me, ’twere easiest to end speech, that thou
Might’st live on as thou livest in hopeless pain.
First, son of Poeas, wait till thou hast heard
The voice of Heracles, and weighed his word.
1410
Him thou beholdest from the Heavenly seat
Come down, for thee leaving the blest retreat,
To tell thee all high Zeus intends, and stay
Thy purpose in the journey of to-day.
Then hear me, first how after my long toils
1415
By strange adventure I have found and won
Immortal glory, which thine eyes perceive;
And the like lot, I tell thee, shall be thine,
After these pains to rise to glorious fame.
Sailing with this thy comrade to Troy-town,
First thou shalt heal thee from thy grievous sore,
And then, being singled forth from all the host
As noblest, thou shalt conquer with that bow
Paris, prime author of these years of harm,
1425
And capture Troy, and bear back to thy hall
The choicest guerdon, for thy valour’s meed,
To Oeta’s vale and thine own father’s home.
But every prize thou tak’st be sure thou bear
Unto my pyre, in memory of my bow.
1430
This word, Achilles’ offspring, is for thee
No less. For, as thou could’st not without him,
So, without thee, he cannot conquer Troy.
Then, like twin lions hunting the same hill,
1435
Guard thou him, and he thee! and I will send
Asclepius Troyward to relieve thy pain.
For Ilion now a second time must fall
Before the Herculean bow. But, take good heed,
Midst all your spoil to hold the gods in awe.
1440
For our great Father counteth piety
Far above all. This follows men in death,
And fails them not when they resign their breath.
Thou whom I have longed to see,
1445
Thy dear voice is law to me.
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 1217 focus
Als Helfer, und jezt ein Nichts ist!
(er geht in die Höhle.)
Doch nein, ich will dich lassen und dem ganzen Heer
Die Sache kundthun: dieses wird dich züchtigen.
(geht ab.)
Wie sagst du? Werd' ich abermals durch List berückt?
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, 2
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, 3
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.
Verhaßtes Leben, was erhältst du mich im Licht
Noch oben, sendest in die Gruft mich nicht hinab?
Weh, was beginn' ich? Kann ich dieses Mannes Wort
1310
Mißtrauen, der so wohlgesinnt mir Rath ertheilt?
So folg' ich also? Doch wie soll ich Armer dann
An's Licht der Sonne treten? Wen, wen red' ich an?
Ihr Augen, die ihr Alles saht, was mir geschah,
Wie könntet ihr es tragen, daß ich wieder mich
1315
Gesellt des Atreus Söhnen, die mich mordeten,
Gesellt dem Alverderber dort, Laertes' Sohn?
Denn Schmerz um's überstandne Leid nagt nicht an mir;
Doch was ich noch von diesen dulden muß, ich kann
Es wohl voraussehn. Denn ein Sinn, der Einmal nur
1320
Gebar den Frevel, mehr gebiert er Frevel noch.
Und voll Verwund'rung seh' ich, was auch du beginnst.
Denn weder selber solltest du nach Troja zieh'n,
Noch uns an jene fesseln, die dich höhnten, dir
Des Vaters Kleinod raubten. Dennoch willst du geh'n,
1325
Für sie zu kämpfen, ja du drängst auch mich dazu?
Nicht also, Jüngling; sondern wie du mir's beschworst,
Geleite mich nach Hause, bleib' in Skyros selbst,
Und laß die Bösen untergeh'n in böser Noth.
So nimmst du zwiefach einen Dank von mir zum Lohn,
1330
Zwiefach vom Vater, und erscheinst, indem du dich
Entziehst dem Bösen, nimmerdar den Bösen gleich.
schnöder, unheilvoller Rath! Was denkst du doch?
1340
Sohn, du sprachst ein edles Wort.
Nicht ehe, bevor aus unserem Mund
Du die Worte gehört, o Pöas' Sohn!
Denn wisse, dir tönt in die Ohren der Laut
1370
Von Herakles' Stimme, du siehst sein Bild.
Ich komm' aus Liebe zu dir und verließ
Der Unsterblichen Siz,
Zu verkündigen dir die Beschlüsse des Zeus
Und zu wehren den Weg, zu dem du dich schickst:
1375
So vernimm denn meine Gebote!
Vor Allem ruf' ich dir zurück mein eignes Loos,
Die Mühen alle, deren Bahn durchkämpfend ich
Errang unsterblich Wesen, wie du schauen kannst. 5
Auch dir, vernimm es, ist bestimmt dasselbe Ziel,
1380
Aus solchen Mühen ruhmgekrönt hervorzugehn.
Du ziehst mit diesem Manne vor die Troerstadt,
Und wirst zuerst von deiner bittern Qual erlöst;
Dann, als der Helden erster auserseh'n im Heer,
Vertilgst du Paris, dieses Leids Urheber einst,
1385
Mit meinem Bogen aus der Zahl der Lebenden,
Und stürzest Troja, wählst des Raubes besten Preis
Dir aus vom Heere, sendest ihn dem Vater heim,
Dem Pöas, in des Deta heimatliche Flur.
Doch andre Beute, welche du vom Heer gewinnst,
1390
Die trage hin, als meines Bogens Ehrenmal,
Zu meinem Scheiterhausen. Dich auch mahn' ich nun,
O Sohn Achillens. Denn du kannst nicht ohne Den
Die Troerveste stürzen, er nicht ohne dich:
Ein treugeselltes Löwenpaar, behütet euch,
1395
Er dich, du ihn! Doch um zu stillen deine Qual,
Send' ich zu Troja's Veste dir Asklepios.
Zum zweitenmale muß die Stadt durch mein Geschoß 6
Gewonnen werden. Wenn ihr dann das Land verheert,
Bedenket fromm zu scheuen, was der Götter ist. 7
1400
Zeus achtet alles Andre ja für niedriger;
Die Götterfurcht stirbt mit den Menschen nicht dahin; 8
Sie leben oder sterben, sie blüht unverwelkt.
Du, der willkommenen Ruf mir gesandt
Und endlich erscheint,
1405
Wie freudig gehorch' ich deinem Gebot!
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 1217 focus
Ere now we should have taken thee to our
ships,
But that advancing this way I behold
But I will let thee go ;
Greece shall know all thy guilt, and shall revenge it.
A second time
Wouldst thou deceive me ?
I know it ; but remember, I restored
Thy arrows to thee, and thou hast no cause
For rage or for complaint against thy friend.
I own thy goodness. Thou hast shown thyself
Worthy thy birth ; no son of Sisyphus,
But of Achilles, who on earth preserved
A fame unspotted, and amongst the dead
Still shines superior, an illustrious shade.
Leave it ! For whom ? Foi- Troy and the
Atridse ?
These wounds forbid it.
What 's to be done ?
Since I can ne'er persuade thee, I submit ;
Live on in misery.
[descends and speaks]. Stay, son of Pean! Lo
to thee 'tis given
1410
Once more to see and hear thy loved Alcides,
Who for thy sake hath left yon heavenly mansions.
And comes to tell thee the decrees of Jove ;
To turn thee from the paths thou meanst to tread,
rffFLOCrETES.
1415
Ami guide thy footsteps right. Therefore attend.
Thou knowst what toils, what labours I endured,
Ere I by virtue gained immortal fame ;
Thou too like me by toils must lise to glory —
Thou too must suffer, ere thou canst be happy;
Hence with thy friend to Troy, where honour calls,
Where health awaits thee — where, by virtue raised
To highest rank, and leader of the war,
Paris, its hateful author, shalt thou slay,
1425
Lay waste proud Troy, and send thy trophies home,
Thy valour's due reward, to glad thy sire
On QCta's top. The gifts which Greece bestows
Must thou reserve to grace my funeral pile.
And be a monument to after-ages
1430
Of these all-conquering arms. Son of Achilles
Without his aid thou canst not conquer Troy,
Go then, and, like two lions in the field
Roaming for prey, guard ye each other well ;
1435
My ^sculapius will I send e'en now
To heal thy wounds. Then go, and conquer Troy ;
But when you lay the vanquished city waste,
Be careful that you venerate the gods ;
For far above all other gifts doth Jove,
1440
Th' almighty father, hold true piety ;
Whether we live or die, that still survives
Beyond the reach of fate, and is immortal.
Once more to let me hear that wished-for voice,
To see thee after so long time, was bliss
I could not hope for. Oh ! I will obey
Thy great commands most willingly.
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 1217 focus
Hence to our bark we all long since had gone,
But that I saw Ulysses and our lord
This way advancing to us; they are nigh.
Philoctetes retires into the cave.
I now forbear thee to the host of Greece
This will I tell; their vengeance thou shalt feel.
What, am I then a second time deceived?
Well, let that pass: thou hast thy bow; no cause
Hast thou of anger, or to blame me more.
I own it; thou hast shown thy generous blood
Nobly descended, not from Sisyphus
But from Achilles, of illustrious fame
When living, and illustrious 'mongst the dead.
What, to Sigæum, and the hated son
Of Atreus, with the anguish of this wound?
What can I do, since all that I can urge
Moves not thy mind? An easier part remains,
To urge my plea no more, but let thee live,
As now thou livest, thy disease unheal'd.
Not yet, O son of Peas: to my words
First be attentive. Know thou hear'st the voice
1410
Of Hercules, thine eyes behold his form.
Leaving the heav'nly mansions for thy sake
I come, announcing the decrees of Jove,
And charge thee not to steer thy purposed course.
Do thou with fix'd attention mark my words.
My fortunes to thy memory I recal,
What dangers I subdued, what toils achieved,
1420
By virtue made immortal, as thine eyes
Behold. And know, thou too must suffer thus,
And by such toils a life of glory gain.
Go with this leader to the walls of Troy;
There first thy fell disease shall be relieved:
There 'midst the host of Greece in valour rank'd
The noblest of her heroes, with thy bow
Paris, the guilty cause of all these ills,
Thou shalt deprive of life, lay waste the state
Of Troy, and send triumphant to thy house,
To Eta, to thy father, the rich spoils,
Selected by the host, thy glorious prize.
But bear thou to my funeral pyre these spoils,
The trophies of my bow.---My mandates now,
Son of Achilles, I to thee address;
For without him thou hast not pow'r to waste
The fields of Troy; nor he without thy arms;
1445
But, like two lions that together range,
1445
Guard each the other. I to Troy will send
1445
Sage Esculapius; he shall heal thy wound;
1445
For Ilium by my shafts again must fall.
1445
But 'midst the ravages of conquest spare,
With reverence spare things sacred to the gods:
This holy awe is pleasing to high Jove:
For piety with mortals doth not die;
Live they or die, that never perishes.
With joy once more beyond my hopes I hear
That voice, with joy that long lost form behold.
Thy mandates unreluctant I obey.
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 1218-1470 focus

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-641-1 Much suspicion has fallen upon these verses. Some critics, indeed, hold that the only resource is to write them anew (see cr. n.). The points to which objection is made are the following.

mvp-comment-641-2 (1) ὁμοῦ 1

mvp-comment-641-3 (2) στείχων 2

mvp-comment-641-4 (3) στείχοντα 3

mvp-comment-641-5 (4) πρὸς ἡμᾶς δεῦρ’ ἰόντ’ 4 ἰόντ’ 5

mvp-comment-641-6 On the whole, I incline to think that these four vv. are sound, though (like vv. 265 ff.) they are somewhat carelessly written.

mvp-comment-642-1 στείχων ἂν ἦ σοι 6

mvp-comment-643-1 ἐλεύσσομεν 7 ἦ 8

mvp-comment-644-1 οὐκ ἂν φράσειας 9

mvp-comment-644-2 παλίντροπος 10

mvp-comment-644-3 κέλευθον 11

mvp-comment-644-4 σὺν σπουδῇ ταχύς 12

mvp-comment-645-1 λύσων 13

mvp-comment-646-1 δεινόν γε φωνεῖς 14

mvp-comment-647-1 ἣν σοὶ πιθόμενος 15

mvp-comment-648-1 ὧν οὔ σοι πρέπον 16

mvp-comment-649-1 ἑλών 17 ποῖον 18 ἣν 19 ἑλών 20

mvp-comment-650-1 νέον 21

mvp-comment-651-1 ὥς μ’ ὑπῆλθέ τις φόβος 22 ὡς 23 τοι 24 ὑπήλυθεν 25

mvp-comment-652-1 παρ’ οὗπερ ἔλαβον 26

mvp-comment-653-1 τί λέξεις 27 οὔ τί που 28

mvp-comment-654-1 πότερα δὴ 29 δὲ 30 πότερα 31

mvp-comment-654-2 κερτομῶν 32

mvp-comment-655-1 εἰ κερτόμησις 33 γ’ 34

mvp-comment-656-1 ἀναπολεῖν 35

mvp-comment-657-1 ἀρχὴν 36

mvp-comment-657-2 ἂν 37 ἐβουλόμην 38

mvp-comment-658-1 εὖ νῦν 39

mvp-comment-658-2 ἀκηκοὼς 40 ἀκήκοας 41

mvp-comment-659-1 τὸ δρᾶν 42

mvp-comment-659-2 τίς ἔσται μ’ οὑπικωλύσων τάδε 43 μ’ 44 ἐπικωλύσων 45 κωλύσει 46 τάδε 47

mvp-comment-660-1 ἐν δὲ τοῖς 48 τοῖσδ’ 49

mvp-comment-661-1 δρασείεις 50

mvp-comment-661-2 σοφά 51 δίκαια 52 σοφόν 53

mvp-comment-662-1 ἅ γ’ ἔλαβες 54

mvp-comment-663-1 τὴν ἁμαρτίαν 55

mvp-comment-663-2 ἀναλαβεῖν 56

mvp-comment-664-1 ξὺν τῷ δικαίῳ 57

mvp-comment-664-2 τὸν σὸν οὐ ταρβῶ φόβον 58 τὸν σὸν 59

mvp-comment-665-1 Hermann's earlier view (see cr. n.) seems clearly the true one. Verse 1252, ἀλλ’ οὐδέ τοι 60

mvp-comment-665-2 (1) To transpose vv. 1252 and 1253. This was Hermann's later theory. The objection to it is that N. then says,

ἀλλ’ οὐδέ τοι σῇ χειρὶ πείθομαι τὸ δρᾶν
. |
ἔστω τὸ μέλλον
,—when the last three words lose the force which they now possess as a short and direct reply to a threat. Further, the verbal echoes in this dialogue (
τῶν σοφῶν
in 1246,
δίκαιον
in 1247,
φόβον
in 1251) make it probable that σῇ χειρὶ 61 μαχούμεθα 62

mvp-comment-665-3 (2) To remove v. 1252. Wunder proposes to delete it: Todt, to place it after v. 1290. Neither course is warrantable.

mvp-comment-665-4 (3) To assume that vv. 1251, 1252 were spoken consecutively by N., and that v. 1252 alludes to a menacing gesture of Odysseus. This is Wecklein's view. But it appears scarcely consonant with the character and practice of Greek Tragedy that words spoken by one person should require the dumb action of another to make them clear.

mvp-comment-665-5 If, then—as seems hardly doubtful—a verse has dropped out, its loss may have been due to the fact that it began with the same words as one of its next neighbours. In dialogue of this kind, anger is sometimes marked by derisive repetition: cp. O. T. 547

ΚΡ. τοῦτ’ αὐτὸ νῦν μου πρῶτ’ ἄκουσον ὡς ἐρῶ
. |
ΟΙ. τοῦτ’ αὐτὸ μή μοι φράζ’
etc. (with n. there). Odysseus—who asserts a
δίκαιον
of his own (1247)—may have replied to N.'s words, ξὺν τῷ δικαίῳ τὸν σὸν οὐ ταρβῶ φόβον 63 ἀλλ’ 64 οὐδέ τοι 65

mvp-comment-665-6 The textual history of this passage is parallel with that of O. T. 622 —626, where the loss of one verse led to a similar confusion of persons in the MSS.

mvp-comment-665-7 ἀλλ’ οὐδέ τοι 66 οὐδέ 67 σῇ χειρὶ 68 τὸ δρᾶν 69 πείθομαι 70

mvp-comment-666-1 ἔστω 71

mvp-comment-667-1 κοὐ μέλλοντ’ ἔτι 72

mvp-comment-668-1 καίτοι 73

mvp-comment-668-2 ἐλθών 74

mvp-comment-669-1 ἐσωφρόνησας 75

mvp-comment-669-2 κλαυμάτων 76 πόδα 77

mvp-comment-670-1 Φιλοκτήτην λέγω 78 Φιλοκτήτης 79

mvp-comment-671-1 ἀμείψας 80

mvp-comment-671-2 πετρήρεις 81

mvp-comment-672-1 τίς αὖ 82

mvp-comment-672-2 ἄντροις 83

mvp-comment-672-3 ἵσταται 84

mvp-comment-672-4 ἐκκαλεῖσθε 85 κεχρημένοι 86

mvp-comment-673-1 ὤμοι· κακὸν τὸ χρῆμα 87 χρῆμα 88

mvp-comment-673-2 μῶν τί μοι vέα … κακά 89 vέα 90 μέγα 91 τι 92

mvp-comment-673-3 πέμποντες 93

mvp-comment-674-1 ἐκ λόγων 94

mvp-comment-674-2 λόγοις 95

mvp-comment-675-1 τοιοῦτος 96 πιστός 97

mvp-comment-675-2 πιστός 98

mvp-comment-676-1 ἀλλ’ οὔ τι μὴν 99 μὴ 100

mvp-comment-677-1 παῦε 101

mvp-comment-677-2 ἃν εἴπῃς γε 102 γε 103 σὺ 104 γε 105

mvp-comment-678-1 καὶ πέρα γ’, ἴσθ’, ἢ λέγω 106 ἴσθ’ 107 ἢ λέγω 108

mvp-comment-679-1 ἀλλ’ ἤθελον μὲν ἄν 109 πρὸς καιρὸν 110 πέπαυμαι 111 πάντα γὰρ 112

mvp-comment-680-1 κτήσει 113

mvp-comment-681-1 ὅστις γ’ 114 ὅστις 115 γε 116

mvp-comment-681-2 ἀπεστέρηκας 117

mvp-comment-682-1 ἐλθών 118

mvp-comment-682-2 ἔχθιστος γεγώς 119

mvp-comment-682-3 The force of this passage will not be fully appreciated unless we remember that N. is now completely identified, in Ph. 's mind, with the action of Odysseus. Ph. was ready to allow that N.'s better instincts had been warped by evil guidance ( 971 , 1014 ). But then he hoped that N. would restore the bow. Odysseus prevented this: N. made no direct reply to the last appeal (1066 f.), and carried off his prize.

mvp-comment-682-4 Pierson's conjecture αἴσχιστος 120

mvp-comment-683-1 ἆρα 121 ἆρ’ οὐ 122 οὐ γὰρ 123 πῶς εἶπας 124

mvp-comment-684-1 ἀπώμος’ 125

mvp-comment-684-2 ἁγνοῦ 126 ἁγνὸν … ὑψίστου 127

mvp-comment-685-1 παρέσται 128 φανερόν 129 ἐναργεῖς 130

mvp-comment-686-1 ἐγὼ δ’ ἀπαυδῶ γ’ 131

mvp-comment-686-2 ὡς θεοὶ ξυνίστορες 132

mvp-comment-686-3 ὑπέρ τ’ 133

mvp-comment-687-1 τέκνον 134

mvp-comment-687-2 τίνος φώνημα 135 ἐπῃσθόμην 136 Ὀδυσσέως 137

mvp-comment-688-1 ἀποστελῶ 138

mvp-comment-689-1 ἀλλ’ οὔ τι χαίρων 139

mvp-comment-689-2 ὀρθωθῇ 140

mvp-comment-690-1 ἆ 141

mvp-comment-690-2 μεθῇς 142 ἀφῇς 143

mvp-comment-691-1 μέθες με … χεῖρα 144

mvp-comment-692-1 τί μ’ ἄνδρα πολέμιον κ.τ.λ. 145 ἀφείλου 146 μὴ κτανεῖν 147 τί ἀφείλου με μὴ κτανεῖν ἄνδρα πολέμιον 148 πολέμιον 149

mvp-comment-692-2 ἐχθρόν τ’ 150

mvp-comment-693-1 ἀλλ’ οὖν … γε 151

mvp-comment-693-2 τοὺς πρ. στρατοῦ 152

mvp-comment-693-3 ψευδοκήρυκας 153 ἐν δὲ τοῖς λόγοις θρασεῖς 154

mvp-comment-693-4 πρὸς αἰχμήν 155

mvp-comment-694-1 εἶεν 156

mvp-comment-694-2 ὅτου 157 ὅπου 158

mvp-comment-694-3 εἰς ἐμέ 159

mvp-comment-695-1 τὴν φύσιν δ’ 160 ἐξ ἧς 161

mvp-comment-695-2 ἔβλαστες 162 ε^ 163

mvp-comment-695-3 οὐχὶ Σισύφου πατρός 164 πατρός 165

mvp-comment-695-4 μετὰ ζώντων θ’ 166 τεθνηκότων 167

mvp-comment-696-1 ἥσθην 168

mvp-comment-696-2 ἀμὸν 169 γε 170

mvp-comment-697-1 ὧν … σου τυχεῖν 171

mvp-comment-697-2 ἐφίεμαι 172

mvp-comment-698-1 τὰς μὲν ἐκ θεῶν τύχας δοθείσας 173 ἐκ 174

mvp-comment-699-1 ἑκουσίοισιν 175

mvp-comment-699-2 ἔγκεινται 176

mvp-comment-700-1 ἠγρίωσαι 177 οὔτε … τε 178

mvp-comment-701-1 εὐνοίᾳ 179 εὔνοιάν σοι λέγων 180

mvp-comment-701-2 δυσμενῆ θ’ 181

mvp-comment-702-1 Ζῆνα … ὅρκιον 182

mvp-comment-703-1 γράφου φρενῶν ἔσω 183

mvp-comment-703-2 γράφου 184

mvp-comment-704-1 σὺ γὰρ 185

mvp-comment-704-2 ἐκ θείας τύχης 186

mvp-comment-705-1 τὸν ἀκαλυφῆ σηκὸν 187

mvp-comment-705-2 κρύφιος οἰκουρῶν ὄφις 188 οἰκουρῶν 189

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 190 τυχεῖν 191 ἐντυχεῖν 192 ἂν τυχεῖν 193

mvp-comment-706-2 μήποτ’ 194

mvp-comment-707-1 ἕως ἂν 195 ὡς ἂν 196

mvp-comment-707-2 αὑτὸς ἥλιος 197 αὑτὸς 198 οὗτος 199 οὗτος 200 ταύτῃ, τῇδε 201

mvp-comment-707-3 αἴρῃ 202

mvp-comment-708-1 ἑκὼν αὐτὸς 203

mvp-comment-709-1 ἐντυχὼν 204

mvp-comment-709-2 τῶν παρ’ ἡμῖν … Ἀσκληπιδῶν 205

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 206 λωφᾶν 207

mvp-comment-710-2 ξὺν τοῖσδε τόξοις 208 ἔχων 209

mvp-comment-710-3 πέρσυς φανῇς 210

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 211

mvp-comment-712-1 γὰρ 212

mvp-comment-712-2 ἡμῖν ἔστιν 213

mvp-comment-712-3 Ἕλενος 214 ἀριστόμαντις 215

mvp-comment-713-1 ὡς δεῖ γενέσθαι ταῦτα 216 δεῖ 217 χρὴ 218

mvp-comment-714-1 θέρους 219 πᾶσαν 220

mvp-comment-714-2 δίδωσ’ … ἑαυτόν 221 κτείνειν 222

mvp-comment-715-1 καλὴ γὰρ ἡ )πίκτησις 223 Ἑλλήνων ἕνα 224 κριθέντ’ ἄριστον 225 τοῦτο μὲν 226 εἶτα 227 εἶτα 228

mvp-comment-716-1 ω στυγνὸς αἰών 229

mvp-comment-716-2 ἄνω 230

mvp-comment-716-3 ἀφῆκας … μολεῖν 231

mvp-comment-716-4 The one feeling which now makes Ph. waver is reluctance to repel the kindly entreaties of Neoptolemus. His hatred of the Greek chiefs is undiminished by the knowledge that they were unconscious instruments of destiny. Nor is he moved by the assurance of health and fame.

mvp-comment-717-1 εἰκάθω 232 εἰς φῶς … εἶμι 233

mvp-comment-717-2 τῷ προσήγορος 234

mvp-comment-718-1 ὦ τὰ πάντ’ ἰδόντες … κύκλοι 235 ἰδόντες 236 ἀμφ’ ἐμοὶ 237

mvp-comment-718-2 κύκλοι 238

mvp-comment-718-3 Instead of saying,

ποίοις ὄμμασι βλέπων
( O. T. 1371 n.)
ξυνέσομαι τοῖσ’ Ἀτρέως παισίν
, he asks how his own eyes could endure to see it. These are the words of one who has brooded for years on every aspect of his own wrongs,—wrestling with misery in solitude. His own faculties are his comrades. Compare 1004
ὦ χεῖρες
: Tr. 1090 (Heracles in his agony),
ὦ νῶτα καὶ στέρν’, ὦ φίλοι βραχίονες
, |
ὑμεῖς ἐκεῖνοι δὴ καθέστατ’, κ.τ.λ.

mvp-comment-719-1 οὐ γάρ με τἄλγος 239

mvp-comment-720-1 οἷς γὰρ … κακούς 240 κακούς 241

mvp-comment-720-2 A decision between the conject. κακούς 242 κακά 243 κακούς 244 κακά 245 κακούς 246 τἄλλα 247 κακῶν 248 μήτηρ γένηται 249 μήτηρ γένηται 250 κακούς 251 κακά 252 τἄλλα 253

mvp-comment-721-1 καὶ σοῦ δ’ 254

mvp-comment-721-2 θαυμάσας ἔχω 255

mvp-comment-721-3 τόδε 256

mvp-comment-722-1 χρῆν 257 μήτε … τε 258

mvp-comment-722-2 καθύβρισαν 259

mvp-comment-723-1 πατρὸς γέρας 260

mvp-comment-723-2 [ οἳ τὸν ἄθλιον … ἔκριναν 261

mvp-comment-724-1 ἀναγκάζεις 262 εἶ 263

mvp-comment-724-2 τόδε 264

mvp-comment-725-1 ξυνώμοσας 265

mvp-comment-726-1 πέμψον 266

mvp-comment-727-1 ἔα κακῶς 267 ἀπόλλυσθαι 268 κακῶς … κακούς 269

mvp-comment-728-1 διπλῆν μὲν … διπλῆν δὲ 270

mvp-comment-729-1 πιστεύσαντα 271

mvp-comment-729-2 1377 The words τῷδε δυστήνῳ ποδί 272

mvp-comment-730-1 μὲν οὖν 273

mvp-comment-730-2 σε τήνδε τ’ ἔμπυον βάσιν 274

mvp-comment-730-3 κἀποσώσοντας 275

mvp-comment-731-1 αἶνον αἰνέσας 276

mvp-comment-732-1 ἃ … λῷσθ’ ὁρῶ τελούμενα 277 τελούμενα 278

mvp-comment-733-1 καὶ ταῦτα λέξας 279 καταισχύνει 280 ὠφελούμενος 281 ὠφελούμενος 282

mvp-comment-733-2 Of emendations, Heath's ὠφελουμένους 283 θεούς 284 ὠφελουμένων 285

mvp-comment-733-3 I am persuaded, then, that the fault in ὠφελούμενος 286 ὠφελῶν φίλους 287

mvp-comment-734-1 λέγεις δ’ 288

mvp-comment-734-2 ἐπ’ ἐμοὶ 289 Ἀτρείδαις 290 τάδε 291 τόδε 292

mvp-comment-735-1 σοί που 293 που 294

mvp-comment-736-1 πῶς 295 ὅς γε 296

mvp-comment-737-1 ὦ τᾶν 297

mvp-comment-737-2 θρασύνεσθαι κακοῖς 298

mvp-comment-738-1 ὀλεῖς με 299 σε 300 γιγνώσκω 301 τοῖσδε τοῖς λ. 302

mvp-comment-739-1 οὔκουν ἔγωγε 303

mvp-comment-740-1 ἐγὼ οὐκ 304

mvp-comment-741-1 οὐδέποθ’, ἑκόντα γ’ 305 σώσους’ 306

mvp-comment-741-2 ὥστε 307

mvp-comment-741-3 ἰδεῖν 308 ἑλεῖν 309 μολεῖν 310

mvp-comment-742-1 δρῷμεν 311

mvp-comment-742-2 ἐν λόγοις 312

mvp-comment-743-1 πείσειν δυνησόμεσθα 313 πείσειν 314 πεῖσαι 315 πείθειν 316

mvp-comment-743-2 δυνησόμεσθα … λέγω 317

mvp-comment-744-1 ὡς 318

mvp-comment-744-2 ῥᾷστ’ ἐμοὶ μὲν 319

mvp-comment-745-1 πάσχειν 320 παθεῖν 321

mvp-comment-745-2 δεῖ 322

mvp-comment-746-1 ᾔνεσας 323

mvp-comment-746-2 θιγών 324

mvp-comment-746-3 πέμπειν 325 ἃ 326

mvp-comment-747-1 βράδυνε 327

mvp-comment-747-2 τεθρήνηται 328

mvp-comment-747-3 γόοις 329 λογοις 330 τεθρύληται 331

mvp-comment-748-1 εἰ δοκεῖ, στείχωμεν 332 στείχωμεν 333

mvp-comment-748-2 A reference to the critical note will show how unsatisfactory have been the attempts to alter the words, ὦ γενναῖον εἰρηκὼς ἔπος 334 εἰ δοκεῖ 335

mvp-comment-748-3 But the real difficulty in Porson's view arises from a consideration of the whole context. The transition from iambic to trochaic metre marks, as usual, a stirring moment,—here, the moment of setting out for the ship. I<*> seems clear, then, that the words which first announce the departure should open the trochaics, rather than close the iambics. So in Eur. Phoen. 588 , after the iambic dialogue between Iocasta and Eteocles, the first trochaic verse spoken by the latter is the sign that his fatal resolve is taken,—

μῆτερ, οὐ λόγων ἔθ’ ἁγών κ.τ.λ.
Cp. also Soph. O. T. 1515 ff.

mvp-comment-749-1 ἀντέρειδε 336

mvp-comment-750-1 τί γάρ, ἐὰν 337

mvp-comment-750-2 ἐγὼ παρὼν 338

mvp-comment-751-1 προσωφέλησιν 339

mvp-comment-751-2 ἔρξεις 340

mvp-comment-751-3 1407 After πελάζειν 341 στεῖχε 342

mvp-comment-751-4 προσκύσας χθόνα 343

mvp-comment-752-1 μήπω γε 344

mvp-comment-753-1 φάσκειν δ’ 345

mvp-comment-753-2 ἀκοῇ τε κλύειν 346

mvp-comment-754-1 τὴν σὴν … χάριν 347

mvp-comment-755-1 τὰ Διός τε φράσων 348

mvp-comment-755-2 ἣν στέλλει 349

mvp-comment-756-1 καὶ πρῶτα μέν 350 τὰς ἐμὰς λέξω τύχας 351

mvp-comment-757-1 ἀθάνατον ἀρετὴν 352 ὡς πάρεσθ’ ὁρᾶν 353

mvp-comment-757-2 (1) The use of

ἀρετή
as=‘reputation won by merit’ was familiar: e.g., Lycurgus In Leocr. § 49 (quoted by Cavallin)
τὰ γὰρ ἆθλα τοῦ πολέμου τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς ἀνδράσιν ἐστὶν ἐλευθερία καὶ ἀρετή
. By an easy transition, this idea of fame won by deeds passed into that of ‘distinction’: cp. Theog. 29
μηδ’ αἰσχροῖσιν ἐπ’ ἔργμασι μηδ’ ἀδίκοισιν
|
τιμὰς μηδ’ ἀρετὰς ἕλκεο μηδ’ ἄφενος
: ‘and do not, by shameful deeds or unjust, grasp at honours, or distinctions, or wealth’; where the
τιμαί
refer to office or rank, and the
ἀρεταί
, as the context shows, also denote pre-eminence recognised in some external form.

mvp-comment-757-3 (2) The force of the epithet should be observed. When Plato says,

ὑπὲρ ἀρετῆς ἀθανάτου...πάντες πάντα ποιοῦσιν
( Symp. 208 D), the
ἀθάνατος ἀρετή
is the reputation which survives on earth. But here
ἀθάνατος ἀρετή
is ‘the distinction of one who has been made immortal’: i.e., ‘deathless glory’ here means ‘glorious immortality.’ Thus the peculiar sense of
ἀρετήν
is helped by that sense which the context gives to
ἀθάνατον
.

mvp-comment-757-4 ἔσχον 354

mvp-comment-757-5 ὡς πάρεσθ’ ὁρᾶν 355

mvp-comment-758-1 τοῦτ’ 356

mvp-comment-758-2 ἐκ 357

mvp-comment-758-3 εὐκλεᾶ θέσθαι 358

mvp-comment-759-1 πρῶτον μ<*> … ἀρετῇ τε 359 τε 360

mvp-comment-759-2 ἐκκρ<*>εὶς 361

mvp-comment-760-1 Ηάριν 362

mvp-comment-760-2 αἴτιος κακῶν 363

mvp-comment-761-1 σκῦλά τ’ 364

mvp-comment-761-2 ἐκλαβὼν 365 ἐκβαλὼν 366

mvp-comment-761-3 πέμψεις 367 Ποίαντι 368

mvp-comment-762-1 ἃ δ’ ἂν λάβῃς 369

mvp-comment-762-2 After the relative clause,

ἃ δ’ ἂν λάβῃς
, we understand, not
ταῦτα
(in apposition with
μνημεῖα
), but a partitive gen.,
τούτων
. This construction is a simple and natural one. For the partitive gen. thus understood, cp. n. on 1161 f., and Xen. Cyr. 8. 1. 20 quoted there. The sentence could have no ambiguity for a Greek audience, familiar with the custom that, after a victory, a part of the spoil (usually a
δεκάτη
) should be dedicated to the gods. Cp. Her. 8. 121 (after the battle of Salamis)
διεδάσαντο τὴν ληίην καὶ τὰ ἀκροθίνια ἀπέπεμψαν ἐς Δελφούς
. Xen. Anab. 5. 3. 4
τὴν δεκάτην ἣν τῷ Ἀπόλλωνι ἐξεῖλον καὶ τῇ Ἐφεσίᾳ Ἀρτέμιδι διέλαβον οἱ στρατηγοί, τὸ μέρος ἕκαστος, φυλάττειν τοῖς θεοῖς
. As Cavallin remarks, the passage was rightly understood by the schol. on 1432,
ἐκ τῶν ἀριστείων κἀμὲ τίμησον
. For the simple gen., τοῦδε τοῦ στρατοῦ 370 λάβῃς 371

mvp-comment-763-1 καὶ σοὶ ταῦτ’ 372 ἐγὼ δ’ 373

mvp-comment-763-2 (1) ταῦτ’ 374 καὶ σοὶ 375 ταῦτ’ 376 ταὔτ’ 377 ταῦτ’ 378

mvp-comment-763-3 (2) ταῦτ’ 379 παρῄνεσα 380 γὰρ 381 καὶ σοὶ 382 σοὶ δὲ 383

mvp-comment-763-4 Heracles confirms what Odysseus had said (115). In glorifying Philoctetes, it was necessary to respect the legend which ascribed the capture of Troy to Neoptolemus (who was the hero of the

Ἰλίου πέρσις
, by Arctînus).

mvp-comment-763-5 For τὸ Τρ. πεδίον 384

mvp-comment-764-1 συννόμω 385

mvp-comment-764-2 φυλάσσετον 386

mvp-comment-765-1 Ἀσκληπιὸν 387

mvp-comment-765-2 Tradition placed Sophocles in a near relation to the cult of Asclepius. The poet is said to have been invested with the ‘priesthood’ (

ἱερωσύνη
, Vit. Soph. § 6) of the hero Alcon, a healing-god akin to Asclepius; indeed, the name
Ἄλκ‐ων
is cognate, if
Ἀσκληπιός
be
Ἀλεξ‐ήπιος
, by metathesis of
σκ
=
ξ
: cp. Preller I. 423 n. 2. A paean to Asclepius by Sophocles was extant in antiquity (Lucian Enc. Dem. 27 etc.), and legend declared that the god had visited the poet's hearth ( Plut. Num. 4 § 6).

mvp-comment-766-1 τὸ δεύτερον 388 αὐτὴν 389 Ἴλιον 390

mvp-comment-767-1 ἐννοεῖθ’ 391 ἐννοεῖσθ’ 392

mvp-comment-767-2 εὐσεβεῖν 393

mvp-comment-768-1 ὡς τἄλλα πάντα 394 ὡς 395 δεύτερ’ ἡγεῖται 396 γάρ 397

mvp-comment-768-2 In v. 1443 the old emendation οὐ 398 ἡ 399 ἡ γὰρ εὐσέβεια συνθνῄσκει βροτοῖς 400 οὐ γὰρ ηὑσέβεια συνθνῄσκει βροτοῖς 401

mvp-comment-768-3 A further objection to the MS. reading arises from the sense given to συνθνῄσκει 402

mvp-comment-768-4 Two objections have been made to the emendation οὐ 403 ἡ 404 τἄλλα πάντα 405 οὐ … συνθνῄσκει 406 οὐκ ἀπόλλυται 407

mvp-comment-768-5 Dindorf rejects all three verses (1442— 1444). But the conclusion, at v. 1441, would then be too abrupt. Schneidewin formerly spared v. 1442, rejecting only the two next vv. He supposed ( a) that Ζεύς 408 πατήρ 409

mvp-comment-769-1 ποθεινὸν ἐμοὶ 410

mvp-comment-769-2 πέμψας 411

mvp-comment-769-3 χρόνιος 412

mvp-comment-770-1 γνώμην ταύτῃ τίθεμαι 413 γνώμην ταύτην 414

mvp-comment-770-2 The chief reason for preferring γνώμην ταύτῃ 415 γνώμῃ ταύτῃ τίθεμαι 416

mvp-comment-771-1 μέλλετε πράσσειν 417

mvp-comment-771-2 καιρὸς καὶ πλοῦς 418 ὅδ’ 419 κατὰ πρύμναν 420

mvp-comment-771-3 The place of γὰρ 421 γὰρ 422 ὅδ’ 423

mvp-comment-771-4 1452 The preceding anapaests 1445 ff.) indicated that the moment of departure was at hand; and now, as στείχων 424

mvp-comment-771-5 καλέσω 425

mvp-comment-772-1 χαῖῤ, ὦ μέλαθρον 426

mvp-comment-772-2 ξύμφρουρον 427

mvp-comment-773-1 Νύμφαι τ’ 428

mvp-comment-774-1 ἄρσην 429

mvp-comment-774-2 The MS. προβλής 430 θ’ 431 κτύπος 432 προβολῆς 433 προβλής θ’ 434 θ’ 435 πόντου 436 προβλής 437 κτύπος 438 προβολῆς 439

mvp-comment-775-1 οὗ 440

mvp-comment-775-2 πολλάκι 441

mvp-comment-775-3 ἐνδόμυχον 442

mvp-comment-775-4 πληγαῖσι 443

mvp-comment-775-5 1459 This Ἑρμαῖον ὄρος 444

mvp-comment-775-6 The only rival claim is that of Mount Skopia, near Cape Murzephlo (the N.W. promontory), which has greatly the advantage of Plaka in height. But two points are in favour of Plaka. (1) It was a fitting place for the beacon; for it is in a direct line between Ida and Athos; it is the nearest point to the Troad; and it runs out far into the sea. (2) The cave of Philoctetes commanded a view of the volcano Mosychlus (v. 800), and his cries were re-echoed from Mount Hermaeum. The two hills were therefore at no very great distance from each other. But there is no reason to suppose that a volcano ever existed near Cape Murzephlo, while there is some ground for thinking that one may have existed on the eastern coast (cp. Appendix on v. 800). See Tozer, Islands of the Aegean, pp. 273 f. (1890).

mvp-comment-775-7 Hermaeum occurs elsewhere also as the ancient name of a promontory,— e.g., in Sardinia (=C. Marrargiu, on the W. coast), and on the European shore of the Bosporus (=Rumili Hissar).

mvp-comment-775-8 The MSS. give the accent Ἕρμαιον 445 Ἑρμαῖον 446

mvp-comment-776-1 ἀντίτυπον 447 χειμαζομένῳ 448

mvp-comment-777-1 Λύκιόν τε ποτόν 449 Λύκιον 450 γλύκιον 451

mvp-comment-777-2 Traces of Apollo

Λύκιος
in Lemnos are not surprising. From early times he had been worshipped under that title, not only in the valley of the Xanthus, but also in the Troad (cp. Il. 4. 101 , with Leaf's note). A gloss in Hesychius (s.v.
Λυκαῖον
) points to a cognate worship of Apollo in the neighbouring islet of Chrysè.
Λύκιος
and
Λύκειος
may both alike be referred to
λυκ
, as designating the god of light. In actual Greek usage, while
Λύκειος
was usually connected with the idea of
λυκοκτόνος
( O. T. 203 n.),
Λύκιος
was chiefly associated with Lycia. But, instead of the title
Λύκιος
being derived thence, it is more likely that the country of the people once called Tremǐlae took its name from the cult of the
Λύκιος
. (Cp. Preller, I. 202.)

mvp-comment-777-3 It has been objected to the mention of

κρῆναι
that at v. 717 Ph. was described as having only
στατὸν ὕδωρ
: but that was merely the conjecture of the Chorus. Cp. 21
ποτὸν κρηναῖον
.

mvp-comment-778-1 λείπομεν ὑμᾶς, λείπομεν ἤδη 452 ἤδη 453 οὐ δὴ 454 λείπομεν 455

mvp-comment-778-2 ἐπιβάντες 456

mvp-comment-779-1 καί μ’ εὐπλοίᾳ πέμψον 457

mvp-comment-779-2 ἀμέμπτως 458

mvp-comment-780-1 ἔνθ’ 459

mvp-comment-780-2 Μοῖρα 460

mvp-comment-780-3 φίλων 461 πανδαμάτωρ δαίμων 462

mvp-comment-781-1 Νύμφαις ἁλίαισιν ἐπευξάμενοι 463

mvp-comment-782-1 νόστου 464

mvp-comment-782-2 σωτῆρας 465

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

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

For the substitution of − ᴗ – for ᴗ ᴗ in Ionic verse, which is allowed by some writers on metre, see Christ's Metrik, § 521.
ἐπ. (ἀπολελυμένα).
(1.)
_U_U_
_ _U_U_U_U_U_U_U_
_U_U_U_
_ _ _ _
_U_UU__UU__UU__
_ _
_ _UU_UUUUUU 7
_U_U_ _U_U_
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _UU_U_
__UU_U_U_
20 U_U_U_
U_UU_UU_
_U_U_U_U_U_U_U_U_
_UU_U_
(2.)
_UU_UU_U_
_ _ _U_UU__
_ _ _ _ _U__
_UU_U_U_UUUUU__
_ _ _
30 U_U_U_U_
_UU_U_
_ _U_U_U_U_
_U_U__U_U_
35 U_U_U_
If the irregularities of the above scheme are compared with those noticed in the note on O. C. 117-254, in vol. 1. p. 298, it will be found that they cannot be adequately accounted for by supposing extensive corruptions of the text. For (a) they are similar in kind to those in O. C., (b) they do not as a rule in either case violate the general laws of metre. While admitting some corruptions, it is reasonable also to suppose that in these later plays of Sophocles the severity of rhythm is relaxed in the lyric dialogue as well as in the senarii. This may be partly accounted for by the 'melodramatic' element encroaching on tragedy, and partly by contemporary innovations in the art of music.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1215-1216. mvp-comment-811-1 σὰν .. ἱερὰν λιβάδ] The waters of Trachis had a peculiar sanctity. Cp. supr. 725,6, Μηλιάδων νυμφᾶν | Σπερχειού τε παρ' ὄχθαις.

1217. mvp-comment-812-1 ἔτ᾿ οὐδέν εἰμι] For the order of words, cp. Trach. 161, ὡς ἔτ᾽ οὐκ ὤν, and see E. on L. § 41. p. 78, γ. The Chorus have made but little way with Philoctetes, when Neoptolemus reappears. No sooner has he come in sight of the vessel than his repentance becomes complete, and he desires only to restore the bow.

1218-1219. mvp-comment-813-1 ἐγὼ .. ἐμῆς] 'Long since you would have seen me' ( σοι, Essay on L. § 13. p. 19 ) 'moving off to rejoin my vessel, had we not descried the advance this way of Odysseus and Achilles' son approaching us.' For στείχοντα with στείχων, supr., see Essay on L. § 44. p. 84. For ὁμοῦ after the verb of motion, cp. supr. 256, μηδαμοῦ, and note.

1221. mvp-comment-814-1 δεῦρ᾿ ἰόντ'] Viz. ἰόντα. There is a slight difference between πέλας στείχοντα and δεῦρ᾿ ἰόντα. Odysseus is seen moving not far off, within hearing. Neoptolemus is manifestly directing his steps towards Philoctetes. On being told of their approach, Philoctetes withdraws into his cave.

1222. mvp-comment-815-1 οὐκ ἂν φράσειας is slightly less peremptory than οὐ φράσεις. ‘Do you not mean to tell me?'

1223. mvp-comment-816-1 ὧδε .. ταχύς] 'With such eager haste.' The youth has outstripped Odysseus.

1225. mvp-comment-817-1 δεινόν γε φωνεῖς] 'That sounds alarmingly indeed!' Cp. O. С. 860, 1, ΚΡ. τόνδ᾽ ἀπάξομαι λαβών. ΧΟ. δεινὸν λέγεις.

1227. mvp-comment-818-1 ὧν οὐ σοι πρέπον] i.e. τῶν ἅπερ οὔ σοι πρέπον ἐστὶ πρᾶξαι.

1228. mvp-comment-819-1 ἑλών] Sc. ἐξήμαρτον.

1230. mvp-comment-820-1 νέον μὲν οὐδέν] Cp. supr. 966, οὐ νῦν πρῶτον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάλαι.

1233. mvp-comment-821-1 οὐ τί που] Cp. supr. 900: Trach. 668 οὐ δή τι, and note.

1238. mvp-comment-822-1 δίς.. ἔπη] 'Would you have me go over and over the same ground in speaking?' ἀναπολεῖν, literally = 'novare agros.' Cp. Pind. Nem. 7. 104, ταὐτὰ δὲ τρὶς τετράκι τ᾽ ἀμπολεῖν ἀπορία τελέθει.

1239. mvp-comment-823-1 ἀρχήν] 'At all.' Cp. Ant. 92, El. 439, and note.

1240. mvp-comment-824-1 Here the Laurentian and Triclinian MSS. agree in reading ἀκηκοώς, while the rest give ἀκήκοας, with Par. A. The difference of meaning is slight, but the reading of L. is at once smoother and more forcible.

1242. mvp-comment-825-1 οὑπικωλύσων] Post futurum ἔσται satis erat οὑπικωλύων dicere, sed praetulit οὑπικωλύσων, ut argute responderet precedenti κωλύσει.' Dindorf. For the variation of simple and compound, ср. O. T. 566, 7, ἔσχετε; | παρέσχομεν. ἐπικωλύειν is, “To interfere to prevent.'

1243. mvp-comment-826-1 ἐν δὲ τοῖς is read in a recent MS. (Lc. of Dindorf: Laur. 31. 1).

1244. mvp-comment-827-1 'Though you are wise, there is no wisdom in what you have now said.' For the force of the pronoun here, see Essay on L. § 22. p. 36.

1245. mvp-comment-828-1 σοφά] Although the change is not absolutely necessary, σοφά agrees best with the context, and the reading σοφόν here may be due to σοφόν in the preceding line. Cp. infr. 1266.

1246. mvp-comment-829-1 τάδε] τὰ δίκαια.

1247. mvp-comment-830-1 καὶ πῶς δίκαιον] Not only the opposition between justice and expediency, but also that between conflicting principles of justice, appears in the age of Sophocles and Thucydides. Odysseus claims obedience to his own commands and those of the army. Against this Neoptolemus sets up the higher claims of sincerity and faithfulness. Cp. El. 1037, τῷ σῷ δικαίῳ δῆτ᾽ ἐπισπέσθαι με δεῖ; ἅ γ᾽ ἔλαβες] On the metrical irregularities of which this division of the tribrach is an example, see above, note on l. 795.

1248. mvp-comment-831-1 ταῦτα] The antecedent is emphatically resumed. E. on L. § 40. p. 75.

1251. mvp-comment-832-1 τὸν.. φόβον] ‘I fear not the intimidation with which you threaten me.' The possessive pronoun of the second person has a sarcastic force. Cp. Eur. Heracl. 284, τὸ σὸν γὰρ ᾿Αργος οὐ δέδοικ᾽ ἐγώ. For φόβον, Hermann conjectures στρατόν, Fröhlich, ψόφον.

1252-1257. mvp-comment-833-1 In the text this line is given to Neoptolemus, and follows a threat of personal violence from Odysseus. Some editors would omit it altogether. χειρί is opposed to φόβον, supra. Either therefore (1) a line is dropped after 1251 ( cp. O. T. 624); and the sense runs as follows: 'Ne. I tremble not before your intimidation. (Od. But I will compel you on the spot.) Ne. Neither do I yield to your compulsion to do this. Od. Then you, and not the Trojans, will be our adversary. Ne. Let come what will. Od. You see my hand upon the hilt. Ne. Nor will mine linger long, as you will see. Od. And yet I will leave you.' Or (2) 1252, 3 may be inverted, and ἔστω τὸ μέλλον given to Odysseus, together with the following words. Or (3) inverting 1252, 3 as before, we may read as follows: ΟΔ. ἔστω τὸ μέλλον. ΝΕ. χεῖρα .. ἐπιψαύουσαν. ΟΔ. ἀλλὰ .. τιμωρήσεται. It is hardly worth while to suggest a fourth alternative, (4) to leave the lines as they stand, and to suppose l. 1252 in Odysseus' mouth to mean, 'But, on the other hand, I do not credit you with force enough to effect your object.' That (1) is right appears from this, that Odysseus is in this case the aggressor throughout, and Neoptolemus stands wholly on the defensive. Cp. infr. 1300-4. The Scholiast on l. 1252 explains ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ πεισθήσομαι, whence Bothe conjectures πείσομαι. For the unintentional tautology in τὸ μέλλον.. κοὐ μέλλοντ᾽ ἔτι, see Essay on L. § 44. p. 83.

1254. mvp-comment-834-1 ἔστω, Wecklein conjectures ἴτω.

1257. mvp-comment-835-1 καίτοι . . ἐάσω] For καίτοι after a pause. cp. Ant. 904, καίτοι σ᾽ ἐγὼ ἐτίμησα: Trach. 719, καίτοι δέδοκται, κ.τ.λ. Odysseus is pursuing his own thoughts without appearing to notice the words of Neoptolemus. Odysseus exit, but is supposed still to lurk somewhere within hearing.

1263-1265. mvp-comment-836-1 The tone of these lines is that of one utterly broken by misery, and desirous only to be left alone. Cp. Αj. 787, 8, τί μ᾽ αὖ τάλαιναν, ἀρτίως πεπαυμένην | κακῶν ἀτρύτων, ἐξ ἕδρας ἀνίστατε;

1263. mvp-comment-837-1 τίς. βοῆς] 'What loud disturbance is again taking place before my cave?' For ἵσταται, ср. O. C. 1478, μαλ᾽ αὖθις ἀμφίσταται διαπρύσιος ὅτοβος: Aesch. Cho. 885, τίνα βοὴν ἵστης δόμοις; Eur. Iph. T. 1307, τις ἀμφὶ δῶμα θεᾶς τόδ᾽ ἴστησιν βοήν ;

1264. mvp-comment-838-1 ἐκκαλεῖσθε] Cp. Hdt. 8.79 (of Aristeides), στὰς ἐπὶ τὸ συνέδριον, ἐξεκαλέετο Θεμιστοκλέα.

1265. mvp-comment-839-1 ὤμοι... χρήμα] 'Ah! mischief is afoot.' Philoctetes, who had at first only heard the sound of his own name, now starts on seeing Neoptolemus approaching him with the bow. He at once concludes that some harm is intended him. μέγα] 'It is certain that some evil is meant, where Neoptolemus is employed. 'Is it a mighty evil?' this is all Philoctetes asks. 'Mala res, qua opus sit vobis. Dicit autem haec verba conspecto Neoptolemo. Nam quae precedent, nondum viso dicuntur. Hinc non interrogat, quod aliter expectari poterat, μῶν τί μοι νέον, sed μῶν τί μοι μέγα κακὸν πέμποντες πάρεστε.' Herm. The echo of κεχρημένοι in χρήμα is probably unintentional.

1266. mvp-comment-840-1 πέμποντες] 'Bringing.' Cp. supr. 19, 1161. Neoptolemus is followed by two of the crew. Philoctetes sees in them the emissaries of Odysseus.

1268. mvp-comment-841-1 δέδοικ᾽ ἔγωγε] 'I fear you, I.' Said in reply to θάρσει supra.

1268-1269. mvp-comment-842-1 ἐκ λόγων .. λόγοις] ‘I found harsh fortune following on fair speeches, through yielding to your words.' ἐκ λόγων. λόγοις] For this tautology, see Essay on L. § 44. p. 83.

1270. mvp-comment-843-1 οὔκουν.. πάλιν] 'Is there not a possibility of changing one's mind again?'

1272. mvp-comment-844-1 πιστός] 'Seemingly trustworthy.' τοῖς λόγοισι is to be resumed, and to this λάθρα is opposed.

1273. mvp-comment-845-1 ἀλλ᾽ οὐ τι μὴν νῦν. μήν, calling attention to a new fact, is exactly in point here. Cp. El. 817, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ τι μὴν ἔγωγε τοῦ λοίπου χρόνου ξύνοικος ἔσειμ'. Some MSS. have οὔ τι μή: cp. O. T. 870.

1275. mvp-comment-846-1 παῦε] This differs from παῦσαι, as in English, 'Stop that!' differs from 'Stop!' The two words are apt to be confused through itacism ( παῦε, παῦαι, παῦσαι).

1276. mvp-comment-847-1 πέρα] Sc. δεδόχθαι.

1279-1280. mvp-comment-848-1 εἰ δὲ μὴ.. πέπαυμαι] 'But, as my words are unacceptable, I have done.' For εἰ.. μή τι = εἴ τι μή, cp. El. 31, εἰ μή τι καιροῦ τυγχάνω, μεθάρμοσον. πρὸς καιρὸν λέγειν is, 'To speak to the point,' (1) really, (2) in the estimation of the person addressed, as here. Cp. πρὸς τρόπου, e.g. Plat. Rep. 5. 470 C.

1280. mvp-comment-849-1 γάρ] 'And rightly, for-.'

1281. mvp-comment-850-1 οὐ γὰρ. φρένα] 'For you will never win my heart to feel kindly towards you.' For examples of the repetition of γάρ, see Ellendt. Lex. Soph. s. v. γάρ, 7, d. and cp. 1158, 9. For κτήσει, Wakefield proposed θήσει (for which, cp. supr. 532), but for uses of κτᾶσθαι, cp. Aj. 1360, κτᾶσθαι φίλους: El. 1303, τὰς ἡδόνας ἐκτησάμην : Trach. 191, κτῴμην χάριν : ib. 470: infr. 1370, ἐξ ἐμοῦ κτήσει χάριν. The word expresses Philoctetes' sense of the value of his own friendship. Cp. supr. 478, and note.

1282-1283. mvp-comment-851-1 τὸν βίον .. ἀπεστέρηκας] Cp. supr. 931.

1283-1284. mvp-comment-852-1 νουθετεῖς ἐμὲ | ἐλθών] ‘You come and give me advice.' That he should come at all, after what he has done, is an offence. ἔχθιστος] αἴσχιστος, the conjecture of Pierson, has been accepted by recent editors. It certainly makes the antithesis more exact, and ἔχθιστος and αἴσχιστος are confounded in MSS. of Aj. 658, and elsewhere. But for inexact antithesis, see Essay on L. § 41. p. 78, €, and for ἐχθρός simply expressing abhorrence, cp. supr. 928, τέχνημ᾽ ἔχθιστον, and many other places in Sophocles. Translate, 'Most abhorred son of a father whom I most admired.' Cp. supr. 242, ὦ φιλτάτου παῖ πατρός.

1288. mvp-comment-853-1 ἆρα] οὐκ (see v. rr.) has probably crept into the MSS. from an interlinear gloss.

1289. mvp-comment-854-1 ἀπώμοσ᾽] For the aorist, see E. on L. § 32. p. 55, 6 , and cp. Aj. 536. ἁγνοῦ . . σέβας] 'The highest worship of holy Zeus.' ὕψιστον is rightly the attribute of σέβας, as that which is sworn by. Some conjecture ἁγνὸν ὑψίστου.

1291. mvp-comment-855-1 τοὔργον . . φανερόν] ‘The deed shall be openly made good.' τοὔργον = 'the reality corresponding to the word'. παρέσται, 'Shall be given.' Cp. O. C. 726, θάρσει, παρέσται. φανερόν, 'Beyond the possibility of doubt.'

1292. mvp-comment-856-1 κράτει] 'Be master of.' Cp. Aj. 1337, ἐξ οὗ κράτησα τῶν ᾿Αχιλλείων ὅπλων.

1293-1294. mvp-comment-857-1 Odysseus reappears from his concealment at the critical moment, to protest with all his might against what is being done. But when Philoctetes has taken the bow, and points an arrow at him, he is compelled to retire. ὑπέρ τ'] Cp. O. C. 33, 4, ὑπέρ τ᾿ ἐμοῦ | αὐτῆς θ' ὁρώσης.

1295. mvp-comment-858-1 τέκνον] This address marks the perfect restoration of confidence. Cp. supr. 923, 4, ὦ ξένε, and note.

1295. mvp-comment-858-2 τίνος . . ἐπῃσθόμην] Some editors connect φώνημα with ἐπῃσθόμην, but it seems more natural to take τίνος φώνημά (ἐστιν) as a separate sentence, although φώνημα may be resumed after ἐπῃσθόμην. ἐπῃσθόμην is omitted in Par. B, which in so far favours Nauck's conjecture, ΦΙ. τέκνον, τίνος φώνημα; μῶν Ὀδυσσέως; ΟΔ Ὀδυσσέως, σάφ' ἴσθι, καὶ πέλας γ᾽ ὁρᾷς.

1299. mvp-comment-859-1 ὀρθωθῇ] 'Carry to its aim' = ὀρθῶς ἠνεχθῇ. Neoptolemus here lays his hand firmly on Philoctetes' arm.

1301-1302. mvp-comment-860-1 For the construction, cp. Eur. Tro. 1146, ἀφείλετ᾿ αὐτὴν παῖδα μὴ δοῦναι τάφῳ.

1303. mvp-comment-861-1 τόξοις ἐμοῖς] Philoctetes' pride returns to him with his weapon.

1304. mvp-comment-862-1 The order seems more in favour of Wakefield's correction than of the mere substitution of τόδε for τοῦτο, with Brunck and Seyffert, though this is also possible, viz. ἀλλ᾽ οὔτ᾽ ἐμοὶ καλὸν * τόδ' ἐστίν, οὔτε σοί. - Philoctetes has at least the triumph of seeing the retreat of Odysseus.

1305. mvp-comment-863-1 ἀλλ᾽ οὖν] 'However this may be;' whether the deed were honourable or no. τοὺς πρώτους στρατοῦ] 'The prime men of the host.'

1306. mvp-comment-864-1 τοὺς . . ψευδοκήρυκας] 'The false intelligencers of the Achaeans.' Sc. τοὺς διὰ ψευδῶν κηρύσσοντας τὰ ἀπὸ τῶν ᾿Αχαιῶν. Philoctetes sees through the whole stratagem, and perceives that not only the employment of Neoptolemus, but the news of the pretended ῎Εμπορος, were the invention of Odysseus.

1307. mvp-comment-865-1 ἐν δὲ .. θρασεῖς] See Essay on L. § 19. p. 27.

1308. mvp-comment-866-1 κοὐκ ἔσθ᾽ ὅπου .. ἐμέ] 'And there is no place for anger or discontent on your part towards me.' Turnebus, by a slight change, read ὅτου, and this has been generally adopted. For the use of ὅπου, however, cp. Aj. 1103, οὐδ᾽ ἔσθ᾽ ὅπου σοὶ τόνδε κοσμῆσαι πλέον | ἀρχῆς ἔκειτο θεσμὸς ἢ καὶ τῷδε σέ.

1311. mvp-comment-867-1 οὐχὶ Σισύφου πατρός] Sc. βλαστών. Cp. supr. 417.

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.

1348. mvp-comment-891-1 ὦ στυγνός αἰών] 'Ο hateful light of day!' As 'the life,' αἰών, in Homer is said to leave the man, e. g. Il. 5. 685, ἔπειτά με καὶ λίποι αἰών, so here it is said to refuse to let him go.

1350. mvp-comment-892-1 πῶς ἀπιστήσω] 'How shall I refuse compliance?' I aor. conjunctive. Cp. Trac 1240, θεῶν ἀρὰ | μενεῖ σ' ἀπιστήσαντα τοῖς ἐμοῖς λόγοις.

1353. mvp-comment-893-1 τῷ προσήγορος] 'Who is there that will speak to me?' The predication is continued from the previous sentence. προσήγορος is elsewhere construed with the genitive. But for the dative, see E. on L. § 13. p. 19, b.

1354-1355. mvp-comment-894-1 'O eyes that have seen all that has been done concerning me!' It is doubted whether κύκλοι means, (1) 'Eyes,' or (2) 'The orbs of day and night,' or (3) 'The heavenly bodies.' Philoctetes more than once appeals to the powers of Nature. Cp. supr. 986-8. But such an invocation would be too hyperbolical here. The case is different in O. T. 1425-8, O. C. 1654, 5. On the other hand, it is characteristic of this lonely man that he has an exaggerated consciousness of what immediately belongs to him. Cp. supr. 291, 533 8,757-9, 786, 795,807, 1004, 1085, 1130-9, 1187, 1348, infr. 1377. Hence, instead of saying, 'How shall I bear to look upon the sons of Atreus?' ( cp. O. T. 1371 foll.), he cries out, 'O eyes! how will you endure that I should be with them?' It is also said that ἀμφ᾿ ἐμοῦ requires the article. But this phrase has been attracted into construction with the nearer word, i. e. τὰ πάντα ἰδόντες ἀμφ᾿ ἐμοῦ = ἰδόντες ἀμφ᾿ ἐμοῦ πάντα τὰ ἀμφ' ἐμοῦ (γεγενημένα). For the genitive, cp. supr. 554.

1355. mvp-comment-895-1 ἐξανασχήσεσθε] The compound with ἐξ- marks that endurance will here reach its furthest point. τοῖσιν.. παισίν] For this apposition of a clause to a demonstrative pronoun, see Essay on L. § 33. p. 57, d.

1357. mvp-comment-896-1 πῶς] Sc. ἐξανασχήσεσθε ἐμὲ ξυνόντα.

1358. mvp-comment-897-1 οὐ γάρ] Sc. τοσοῦτον.

1360. mvp-comment-898-1 οἷς .. κακά] 'For men's thoughts, when they have once brought forth an evil progeny, rear nothing but mischief afterwards.' γνώμη, 'Thought,' or 'Mind,' is imagined as the mother of results for which man is responsible. The mind that has once had bad children will go on, and will bring up an evil brood. The figure is lost if κακούς (Dobree) is read for κακά. For παιδεύει, cp. Fr. 443, λευκὸν αὐτὴν ὧδ ἐπαίδευσεν γάλα: Plat. Theaet. p. 150 E, τὰ ὑπ᾿ ἐμοῦ μαιευθέντα κακῶς τρέφοντες ἀπώλεσαν, ψευδῆ καὶ εἴδωλα περὶ πλείονος ποιησάμενοι τοῦ ἀληθοῦς.

1362. mvp-comment-899-1 καὶ σοῦ δ᾽ ἔγωγε.. τόδε] 'Ay, and for my part I wonder too at thee for this.' θαυμάζω often expresses gentle expostulation.

1364. mvp-comment-900-1 οἵ * γε] The antecedent (of ἐν Τροίᾳ) is to be supplied from εἰς Τροίαν, Essay on L. § 39. p. 72.

1365-1367. mvp-comment-901-1 οἱ . . ἔκριναν] It must be admitted that this allusion to what Philoctetes could not know is unlike Sophocles. For, although some things that are necessary to the action may be here and there assumed without explicit statement, this observation cannot apply to such a striking fact as the repulse of Ajax, which is moreover irrelevant to the action. And, as Nauck observes, Philoctetes could not thus ignore the claim of Neoptolemus to have his father's arms. The clause was therefore rightly condemned by Brunck. But the interpolation is probably an ancient one, as is shown by the construction of ὅπλων, which is a 'genitive of respect.' Cp. Aj. 839 foll.

1366. mvp-comment-902-1 τάδε] Sc. ξυμμαχήσοντα ἰέναι.

1367. mvp-comment-903-1 ἃ μοι ξυνώμοσας] The antecedent to ἃ is accusative in opposition to the clause, πέμψον πρὸς οἴκους. Hence the apparent ellipse of ποιεῖν.

1368. mvp-comment-904-1 ἐν Σκύρῳ μένων] Cp. supr. 459, 60.

1369. mvp-comment-905-1 κακῶς.. κακούς] For this common idiom, cp. especially O. T. 261, Trach. 613. The line, which has no caesura, is perhaps intentionally harsh.

1370. mvp-comment-906-1 διπλῆν] Both Philoctetes and his father would be doubly grateful to Neoptolemus, (a) for the return to Trachis, (b) for the desertion of the Atreidae, as an act of vengeance. (But the repetition of διπλῆν may be simply emphatic. See Essay on L. § 44. p. 83. )

1374. mvp-comment-907-1 πιστεύσαντα is (1) 'Believing.' (2) 'Obeying.' 'Believing the gods (who speak through Helenus) and yielding to my words."

1375. mvp-comment-908-1 ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε = ἐμοῦ. φίλου is strongly emphatic, as appears from its position in the line.

1377. mvp-comment-909-1 τῷδε.. ποδί] The dative of accompanying circumstance, nearly = σύν. ‘Do you mean that I, thus afflicted, am to go to Troy, to Agamemnon?'

1380. mvp-comment-910-1 δεινόν] Cp. supr. 1225. αἶνον is here correlative to αἰνέσας, “Having recommended,' and is therefore rather 'counsel' than simply 'speech'. Or, possibly, the exactness of meaning is sacrificed to the repetition of the same sound. Cp. Aj. 467, συμπεσών μόνος μόνοις.

1381. mvp-comment-911-1 * λῷσθ'] The correction of Dindorf here (see v. rr.) is right and necessary. κάλ' is a manifest MS. conjecture, based on imperfect knowledge. See L. and S. s. v. καλός, λῷστα is supplementary predicate with τελούμενα, and λῷστα τελούμενα = λῷστα ἐσόμενα εἰ τελοῖτο.

1384. mvp-comment-912-1 In speaking of the taking of Troy as an advantage gained, Neoptolemus appears to Philoctetes to take part with the Atreidae, whose glory he accounted loss. Cp. Aj. 469, 70, ἀλλ' ὧδέ γ' ᾿Ατρείδας ἂν εὐφράναιμί που. | οὐκ ἔστι ταῦτα. The expression is slightly varied. 'Do you mean advantage to the Atreidae, or do you say this with reference to me?'

1385. mvp-comment-913-1 φίλος γ' ὤν] For the nominative, see Essay on L. § 15. p. 21; i. e. σοί που φίλος γ᾽ ὤν, φίλον σοι ἔχω καὶ τὸν λόγον.

1386. mvp-comment-914-1 The change from ἐχθροίσιν to ἐχθροῖσί μ', which Dindorf adopts from Brunck, is certainly a very slight one, but the text is sufficiently clear as it stands. Cp. O. T. 461, κἂν λάβῃς ἐψευσμένον, and note, supr. 769.

1387. mvp-comment-915-1 ὦ τάν] Ср. O. T. 1145, and note. Neoptolemus has earned the right to address Philoctetes with familiar confidence. θρασύνεσθαι κακοῖς] 'To be hardened by misfortune,' so as to be unreasonably obdurate in resentment.

1388. mvp-comment-916-1 γιγνώσκω σε] Sc. ὅτι ὀλεῖς με.

1389. mvp-comment-917-1 οὔκουν] 'Not I, assure thee!' For οὖν, in giving assurance, cp. Ant. 741, σοῦ γὰρ οὖν προκήδομαι : O.T. 565, οὔκουν ἐμοῦ γ᾽ ἑστῶτος οὐδαμοῦ πέλας : O. C. 651, οὔκουν πέρα γ᾽ ἂν οὐδὲν ἢ λόγῳ φέροις. φημὶ δ᾽ οὔ σε μανθάνειν] 'But I declare that you do not understand the case:'-the fact, namely, that the voyage to Troy will be for the advantage and renown of Philoctetes himself, and that the generals now mean well to him.

1390. mvp-comment-918-1 ἐγὼ οὐκ ᾿Ατρείδας] This (see v. rr.) is Dindorf's very probable correction. The reading of L has arisen, as he observes, from the confusion of ἐγὼ οὐκ and ἐγ᾽ οὐκ, two ways of writing the same thing. Cp. O. T. 1002, and v. rr.

1391. mvp-comment-919-1 Ср. O. C. 394, νῦν γὰρ θεοί σ᾽ ὀρθοῦσι, πρόσθε δ᾽ ὤλλυσαν.

1392. mvp-comment-920-1 The reading Τροίαν γ' deserves some consideration, notwithstanding the repetition of γε. Cp. O. C. 977, and v. rr.

1394. mvp-comment-921-1 πείσειν] For the assimilation of the tense of the infinitive to that of the principal verb, cp. 1242. But qy. πεῖσαι? μηδὲν ὧν λέγω] 'In nothing of what I say.' For this accusative, cp. O. C. 797, ἀλλ᾽ οἶδα γάρ σε ταῦτα μὴ πείθων, ἴθι.

1395-1396. mvp-comment-922-1 'Since the easiest course for me were that I should cease from speech, and that you should live on as you now live and get no relief.' The antithesis becomes clearer as the sentence proceeds. The full expression would be, ὡς ἔμοι μὲν ῥᾷστόν ἐστιν, ἐμὲ μέν, κ.τ.λ. See Essay on L. § 41. p. 78. In this speech Neoptolemus casts 'one last lingering look' at the cherished object of his ambition. But before Philoctetes has again ceased speaking, his resignation is complete.

1397. mvp-comment-923-1 Ср. O. C. 1432 foll., Πολυνείκης. καὶ μὴ μ' ἐπίσχῃς γ'. ἀλλ᾿ ἐμοὶ μὲν ἤδ᾽ ὁδός, κ.τ.λ.

1398-1399. mvp-comment-924-1 ἃ.. πέμπειν] For this apposition or epexegesis, cp. supr. 1355, 6. δεξιᾶς.. θιγών] This was Philoctetes' understanding of supr. 813; cp. 941, 2.

1400. mvp-comment-925-1 βράδυνε] Sc. τὸ πρᾶγμα.

1401. mvp-comment-926-1 ἅλις .. γόοις] 'That name has been enough sounded in my complaints and cries.' The other reading, which is to be gathered from L and A (see v. rr.) τεθρύλληται λόγοις, although somewhat more prosaic, is not impossible.

1402. mvp-comment-927-1 At this point, before the commencement of the trochaic movement, which indicates departure ( cp. O. T. 1515 foll.), there must have been some by-play, signifying the act of renunciation on the part of Neoptolemus. Porson thought this verse defective in rhythm. But it has not been improved by conjectural alteration. Cp. supr. 526, 645.

1403. mvp-comment-928-1 ἀντέρειδε.. σήν] (1) 'Lean now thy steps on mine.' Sc. τῇ ἐμῇ βάσει. Neoptolemus gives his arm to the lame man. Cp. supr. 893, καὐτὸς ἀντέχου, and note. Others (2) explain ἀντέρειδε, sc. πρὸς τὸ οὖδας, ‘Press thy foot against the ground,' i.e. 'Step firmly.' But although this accords more exactly with the response of Philoctetes, εἰς ὅσον γ᾽ ἐγὼ σθένω, the expression itself in this sense is hardly natural here, and the interpretation given above agrees better with the situation. The idiomatic uses of ἐρείδω, however, are such as to leave it doubtful whether Neoptolemus bids Philoctetes lean upon him, or simply encourages him to move. εἰς ὅσον .. σθένω] If the former interpretation of the first part of the line (1) is right, Philoctetes takes only the general sense, as if it were βάδιζε ἀντερειδόμενος (ἐμοί).

1407. mvp-comment-929-1 The superfluous words in the MSS. (see v. rr.) are probably the remains of an early interpolation, viz. [ σῆς πάτρας *πορθήτορας. ΝΕ. εἰ δὲ δρᾷς ταῦθ᾽, ὥσπερ αὐδᾷς,].

1409. mvp-comment-930-1 Heracles now appears on the θεολογεῖον. His approach (on the μηχανή) is marked by the anapaestic movement, ll. 1409-1417, at the end of which he is seen in full view.

1413. mvp-comment-931-1 ἀκοῇ τε] For the position of Te, see Essay on L. § 36. p. 65.

1414. mvp-comment-932-1 οὐρανίας ἕδρας] ‘My abode in heaven.' Cp. Aj. 460, ναυλόχους λιπὼν ἕδρας.

1418. mvp-comment-933-1 λέξω] Dindorf says that λέγω would be preferable, presumably because the recital which the future tense seems to promise is not given. But the whole of this speech has the appearance of a hasty sketch. The real knot of the drama has been solved, and the action hastens to a close.

1419-1420. mvp-comment-934-1 Philoctetes knew the labours of Heracles, but not the glory which is now revealed to him. The emphasis conveyed by ὅσους therefore belongs rather to the main predication than to the relative clause: 'How, after all that course of labour, I attained immortal renown.' ἀρετή is 'Glory of virtue,' as δυσσέβεια, in Ant. 924, is 'Meed of impiety.' For ἔσχον = κάτέσχον, ‘I won,' see Essay on L. § 55. p. 101, and § 32. p. 55 , and cp. Aj. 465, ὧν αὐτὸς ἔσχε στέφανον εὐκλείας μέγαν. The aor. ἔσχον = 'I came to have,' as ἐβασίλευσε = 'He came to reign.' See many instances of this use in Ast's Lexicon Platonicum, s. v. ἔχειν.

1420. mvp-comment-935-1 ὡς πάρεσθ' ὁρᾶν] This implies some more elaborate stage effect than is commonly supposed to have belonged to the Greek theatre.

1421. mvp-comment-936-1 τοῦτ᾽ ὀφείλεται παθεῖν] 'This fate is destined.' Cp. El. 1173, πᾶσιν γὰρ ἡμῖν τοῦτ᾽ ὀφείλεται παθεῖν.

1422. mvp-comment-937-1 ἐκ.. βίον] In apposition with τοῦτο. For this epexegesis, cp. supr. 1355,6.

1423. mvp-comment-938-1 τῷδ᾽ ἀνδρί] τῷ Νεοπτολέμῳ.

1425. mvp-comment-939-1 For μέν followed by τε, see Essay on L. § 36. p. 65. And, for ἀρετῇ, κ.τ.λ., supr. 997, 1062, 1344, 5.

1428-1430. mvp-comment-940-1 σκύλα] The spoils which Philoctetes is to send home are those which he receives as the prize of valour; those which he is to carry to the place of Heracles' pyre are the trophies taken by him in battle with the bow. (Unless we are to suppose an annual procession to Mount Oeta with the σκύλα Τρωϊκά.)

1429. mvp-comment-941-1 ἐκλαβών] Cp. Hdt. 8. 11, καὶ τὸ ἀριστήϊον ἔλαβε οὗτος: ib. 123.

1430. mvp-comment-942-1 Οἴτης] For Oeta, as a name for the country of Trachis, cp. supr. 453, ὦ γένεθλον Οἰταίου πατρός. This word in the mouth of Heracles appeals more than all else to the heart of Philoctetes.

1431. mvp-comment-943-1 τοῦδε τοῦ στρατοῦ] Sc. τοῦ Τρωϊκοῦ. For this vague use of the pronoun ὅδε, see Essay on L. § 22. p. 34 , and cp. supr. 1426, ὃς τῶνδ᾽ αἴτιος κακῶν ἔφυ, τοῦδε τοῦ πόνου. Schndw. conj. τοῦ δῄου στρατοῦ.

1432. mvp-comment-944-1 μνημεῖα] Accusative in apposition to κόμιζε: “An act commemorative of my bow.' πυρὰν ἐμήν] It is evident that the high-place on Mount Oeta, where Heracles was supposed to have been glorified, after having been laid upon the pyre, was kept sacred in the time of Sophocles; and, like the place of Oedipus' disappearance, it is imagined to have been a place of worship in heroic times. Hyllus had often stood there sacrificing, Trach. 1192. Perhaps some well-known image of the hero there, with a brazen shield, may have occasioned the expression in supr. 727.

1433-1437. mvp-comment-945-1 καὶ σοὶ τόνδ'] These words are διὰ μέσου. Heracles turns for a moment to Neoptolemus, and then resumes his address to Philoctetes. ταῦτα refers generally to all that precedes. Neoptolemus must aid Philoctetes and not forget his obligation to the bow of Heracles.

1434-1435. mvp-comment-946-1 Cp. supr. 112-115.

1435. mvp-comment-947-1 τὸ Τροίας πεδίον] Supr. 69.

1436. mvp-comment-948-1 λέοντε συννόμω] 'Two lions, who share one hunting-ground.'

1437. mvp-comment-949-1 ἐγὼ δ' ᾿Ασκληπιόν] Having so far broken ground with the supernatural, the poet carries the celestial machinery one step further. Machaon was the healer of Philoctetes, according to the common story which is followed supr. 1333. in the anticipation of Neoptolemus. Here it is Asclepius himself.

1439. mvp-comment-950-1 τὸ δεύτερον] For the taking of Troy by Heracles in the former time, cp. II. 5.638-642: Pindar, Nem. 4.25: Aj. 1300 foll.

1440. mvp-comment-951-1 ἐννοεῖσθ᾽] 'Keep this in your thoughts.' For ἐννοεῖν, of an intention or design, cp. O. T. 330, ἀλλ' ἐννοεῖς ἡμᾶς προδοῦναι, κ.τ.λ. The force of the middle voice is, 'Be careful to bear in mind.' Cp. supr. 375. 'His non paruit Neoptolemus.' Lambinus.

1441. mvp-comment-952-1 τὰ πρός] 'As towards.' Cp. O. C. 617, καὶ ταῖσι Θήβαις εἰ τανῦν εὐημερεῖ | καλῶς *τὸ πρὸς σέ.

1442. mvp-comment-953-1 δεύτερ᾽ ἡγεῖται] O. C. 351.

1443. mvp-comment-954-1 συνθνήσκει βροτοῖς] ‘Follows men in death.' Of the pious only can it be said that their works do follow them. A confused expression, arising from haste or inadvertence like many that might be quoted from Shakspeare. The whole of this speech of Heracles, as compared with the rest of Sophocles, is a careless piece of work. Did the poet leave the ῥῆσις ἀπὸ μηχανῆς to Iophon or to some pupil, being unheedful of the celestial machinery, like Shakspeare in Cymbeline? Or is this a case, like that of Iphigeneia in Aulide, where a later interpolation has taken the place of the original text? Nothing is to be gained here by conjectural emendation (see for example that of Hermann suggested by Ellendt, ἡ γὰρ εὐσέβεια συνθνήσκειν βρότοις, | κἂν ζῶσι, κἂν θάνωσιν, οὐκ ἐπίσταται: or that of Cavallin, ἡ γ. εὐσ. συμφέρει βροτοῖς, | καὶ ζῶσι καὶ θανοῦσιν, οὐδ᾽ ἀπόλλυται), nor by obelizing particular lines. In ll. 1452-1471, the master's hand is again apparent. For the sentiment, cp. Pind. Isthm. 4. 41, καὶ πάγ καρπον ἐπὶ χθόνα καὶ διὰ πόντου βέβακεν | ἐργμάτων ἀκτὶς καλῶν, ἄσβεστος αἰεί : Thuc. 2. 43.

1445. mvp-comment-955-1 πέμψας] Cp. supr. 846, and for φθέγμα, of a Divine utterance, Aj. 14: Aristoph. Nub. 320, 364, ὦ γῆ τοῦ φθέγματος, ὡς ἱερὸν καὶ σεμνὸν καὶ τερατώδες.

1446. mvp-comment-956-1 χρόνιος] 'At last, after so long' (adjective). Cp. O. C. 441, ἤλαυνέ μ᾽ ἐκ γῆς χρόνιον. See Essay on L. § 23, €. p. 39.

1448. mvp-comment-957-1 γνώμῃ ταύτῃ τίθεμαι] ‘Determine likewise in my thought.' Various changes have been needlessly proposed, of which the most plausible is γνώμην ταὐτῇ τίθεμαι, 'Give my vote the selfsame way,' quoted by Lamb. as a v. r.

1449. mvp-comment-958-1 For χρόνιοι with χρόνιος preceding in a different sense, see Essay on L. § 44. pp. 83, 84.

1450. mvp-comment-959-1 καιρός] 'The right moment.' Cp. supr. 466, καιρὸς γὰρ καλεῖ. πλοῦς] Here nearly = οὗρος. Cp. supr. 464, 5, ὁπηνίκ᾽ ἂν θεὸς | πλοῦν ἡμὶν εἴκῃ.

1451. mvp-comment-960-1 ἐπείγει] 'Counsels you to haste.' Cp. καλεῖ, supr. 466: O. C. 1540, ἐπείγει γάρ με τοὐκ θεοῦ παρόν. For the position of γάρ, see Essay on L. § 26. p. 44. κατὰ πρύμναν] Cp. Thuc. 2. 97, ἦν ἀεὶ κατὰ πρύμναν ἱστῆται τὸ πνεῦμα. Heracles is now withdrawn.

1452. mvp-comment-961-1 στείχων] In departing.' Cp. supr. 1408: O. T. 1521, στεῖχέ νυν, τέκνων δ᾽ ἀφοῦ. καλέσω] · Let me address.' The word is used with some association from the frequent use of 'addressing a deity,' as in O. C. 1389 foll. Another somewhat singular use of καλεῖν occurs in O. T. 780, καλεῖ.. πλαστὸς ὡς εἴην, κ.τ.λ.

1453. mvp-comment-962-1 ξύμφρουρον ἐμοί] 'Sole comrade of my watch.' In the absence of companionship, the homeless cave was more than a dwelling-place to Philoctetes, supr. 298, 9, 533, 952, 1081 foll. The low roof of rock (his μέλαθρον) reflecting the feeble light of his fire, was all the society that cheered him through the watches of the night.

1454. mvp-comment-963-1 'And water-nymphs of the green meadow.' The bit of moist ground about his spring ( supr. 21), or the standing-pool ( supr. 716, 7), was peculiarly sacred to Philoctetes.

1455. mvp-comment-964-1 ἄρσην] ‘Bass.' Cp. the use of ἀνδρεῖος and γυναικεῖος for bass and treble in Hdt. 1.17,-and Shak. Tempest, 3. 3, 'Methought the billows spoke, and told me of it; | The winds did sing it to me; and the thunder, | That deep and dreadful organ-pipe, pronounced | The name of Prosper: it did bass my trespass.' πόντου *προβολῆς] ‘Of the bluff that juts into the deep.' This conjectural emendation of Hermann is more probable than πόντου προβλής θ'. For, though the latter involves a slighter change, it leaves κτύπος ἄρσην too indistinct. πόντου is objective genitive: sc. εἰς τὸν πόντον προβεβλημένου.

1456. mvp-comment-965-1 οὗ refers either generally to the whole region described in the preceding lines, or to the last word only, the 'jutting foreland' being no other than the ἀκτή of l. 1, in which the cave was situated.

1456-1457. mvp-comment-966-1 'My head withdrawn into the deepest nook was (notwithstanding) wetted by the lashing wind.' νότος is here the south-east. See Introduction.

1458. mvp-comment-967-1 φωνῆς .. ἡμετέρας] The genitive follows ἀντίτυπον, for which word, cp. supr. 693.

1459. mvp-comment-968-1 Ἑρμαῖον] Cp. Aesch. Ag. 283, Ἑρμαῖον λέπας | Λήμνου.

1460. mvp-comment-969-1 χειμαζομένῳ] 'In tempest of my woe.' If there were storms without, so too was there a storm within. For a metaphorical use of χειμάζεσθαι, cp. esp. Aesch. Prom. 562, τόνδε χαλινοῖς ἐν πετρίνοισιν | χειμαζόμενον. Cp. also Shak. Lear, 3. 4, 'Thou think'st it much that this contentious storm | Invades us to the skin: so 'tis to thee; But where the greater malady is fixed, The lesser is scarce felt... When the mind's free, The body 's delicate: the tempest in my mind | Doth from my senses take all feeling else Save what beats there.'

1461. mvp-comment-970-1 Λύκιον] This, like ' Ἑρμαῖον supr., is probably a name actually associated with Lemnos, though we cannot pretend to know more than the Scholiast respecting its origin: ἢ οὕτω καλουμένη κρήνη ἐν Λήμνῳ Λυκίου ᾿Απόλλωνος, ἢ οἷον ἐν ἐρημίᾳ ὑπὸ λύκων πινόμενον. Possibly Sophocles himself could not have determined this.

1463. mvp-comment-971-1 δόξης. ἐπιβάντες] 'Though we never embarked upon this thought,' i. e. 'never entertained it, never thought of doing so.' He refers partly to his steady refusal to go to Troy, and partly to his abnegation of all hope. For the expression, cp. O. C. 189, and note: Hdt. 3. 67, ἐπιβατεύων τοῦ ὁμωνύμου Σμέρδιος τοῦ Κύρου: Plat. Legg. 3.699 B. ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς ἐλπίδος ὀχούμενοι ταύτης εὕρισκον καταφυγὴν αὑτοῖς εἰς αὐτοὺς μόνους εἶναι καὶ τοὺς θεούς.

1464. mvp-comment-972-1 ὦ.. ἀμφίαλον] He sums up the preceding invocations in one expression.

1465. mvp-comment-973-1 καὶ.. ἀμέμπτως] ‘And speed me with good voyage to heart's content.' The fair wind, blowing off-shore, is regarded as the breath of the land. Seyffert takes ἀμέμπτως to mean, 'Without grudging,' as if Philoctetes apprehended that the isle might resent his leaving it. But this fancy is too finely spun.

1466. mvp-comment-974-1 ἡ μεγάλη Μοίρα] Referring to supr. 1337-47.

1467. mvp-comment-975-1 γνώμη τε φίλων] Supr. 1374, 1381, 1389. χώ πανδαμάτωρ | δαίμων] This refers to the intervention of Heracles, to whom the epithet πανδαμάτωρ is, in the mouth of Philoctetes at least, sufficiently appropriate. Cp. Trach. 1102, κοὐδεὶς τροπαῖ᾽ ἔστησε τῶν ἐμῶν χερῶν.

1468. mvp-comment-976-1 The compound ἐπέκρανεν, ‘Consummated,' exactly describes the action of Heracles here. Others understand the words of Zeus. But it is very unlikely both that Zeus should be alluded to in Sophocles and not named, and that the word δαίμων should be applied to Zeus in Attic Greek of this period.

1469. mvp-comment-977-1 πάντες ἀολλεῖς] ‘All, viz. Neoptolemus, Philoctetes, Odysseus, and mariners.' The language implies that the peace has been made.

1470. mvp-comment-978-1 Philoctetes had invoked the 'Genius of the shore.' The mariners now invoke the nymphs of the sea.

1471. mvp-comment-979-1 σωτήρας] (1) 'To come and aid us in our return.' There is no reason why this word should not be feminine. Cp. O. T. 80, 81, τύχῃ.. σωτῆρι, and see Essay on L. § 20. p. 30. But possibly (2) σωτῆρες should be read, 'That we may arrive and make safe our return;' cp. Trach. 85, κείνου βίον σώσαντος : Od. 23. 68, ὤλεσε τηλοῦ νόστον.