mvp-comment-399-1 εἰ θέλεις ¹

mvp-comment-400-1 ἀπόπληκτος ἔχει ²

mvp-comment-401-1 τί δ’ ἔστιν ³ τί ἔστιν ⁴

mvp-comment-402-1 τῆς παρεστώσης ⁵

mvp-comment-402-2 735 The intrans. κουφίζειν ⁶

mvp-comment-402-3 736 f. I follow A here (see cr. n.), for a reason which was felt by Hermann, but which has not been sufficiently considered by some other editors,—viz., that ἰὼ θεοί ⁷ ἰὼ θεοί ⁸

mvp-comment-402-4 τί θεοὺς ἀναστένων καλεῖς ⁹ θεοὺς ¹⁰

mvp-comment-403-1 κυρῶν ¹¹

mvp-comment-404-1 διέρχεται ¹²

mvp-comment-404-2 βρύκομαι ¹³

mvp-comment-404-3 746 Written as above, the exclamations represent three successive cries of pain, each longer than the last, as the agony becomes sharper; they seem to suggest the convulsive movement of the lips from which the sounds are wrung.

mvp-comment-405-1 εἴ τί σοι ξίφος πρόχειρον ¹⁴ χεροῖν ¹⁵

mvp-comment-405-2 πάταξον εἰς ἄκρον πόδα ¹⁶

mvp-comment-406-1 ἴθ’ ὦ παῖ ¹⁷

mvp-comment-407-1 νεοχμὸν ἐξαίφνης ¹⁸ σαυτοῦ ¹⁹ ἰυγήν ²⁰ ποεῖ ²¹

mvp-comment-408-1 τί σοί ²² ἔστιν ²³

mvp-comment-409-1 τοὐπίσαγμα ²⁴ τοὐπείσαγμα ²⁵ τοὐπίσιγμα ²⁶

mvp-comment-410-1 γὰρ ²⁷

mvp-comment-410-2 δράσω ²⁸

mvp-comment-411-1 ἥκει … ἐξεπλήσθη ²⁹ αὕτη ³⁰ διὰ χρόνου ³¹ ἥκει ³² διὰ χρόνου ³³ πλάνοις ³⁴ ἥκει ³⁵ πλάνοις ³⁶

mvp-comment-411-2 ἐξεπλήσθη. — ἰώ ³⁷ φεῦ ³⁸ ἰώ ³⁹ ἐξέπλης ⁴⁰ πλάνους ⁴¹

mvp-comment-411-3 760 There is an error in the traditional numbering here, as the fourth verse after this is called 765. The origin of this error is explained in the Appendix. To avoid changing the usual numeration throughout the rest of the play, I designate the next verse as 762.

mvp-comment-411-4 δῆτα ⁴²

mvp-comment-411-5 δύστηνε … φανείς ⁴³

mvp-comment-411-6 διὰ πόνων πάντων ⁴⁴

mvp-comment-412-1 βούλει λάβωμαι ⁴⁵ δῆτα ⁴⁶

mvp-comment-413-1 μοι ⁴⁷

mvp-comment-414-1 ἕως ⁴⁸

mvp-comment-414-2 ἀνῇ ⁴⁹

mvp-comment-415-1 τὸ πῆμα … τῆς νόσου ⁵⁰

mvp-comment-416-1 γὰρ οὖν ⁵¹

mvp-comment-416-2 ἐξίῃ ⁵²

mvp-comment-417-1 λῆξαι ⁵³

mvp-comment-418-1 ἕκηλον εὕδειν ⁵⁴ τῷδε τῷ χρόνῳ ⁵⁵

mvp-comment-418-2 ἐκεῖνοι ⁵⁶

mvp-comment-419-1 ἑκόντα μήτ’ ἄκοντα ⁵⁷ μήτ’ ⁵⁸ μηδ’ ⁵⁹

mvp-comment-419-2 μήτε τῳ τέχνῃ ⁶⁰ μηδέ ⁶¹ μήτε ⁶² τέχνῃ ⁶³

mvp-comment-420-1 πρόστροπον ⁶⁴

mvp-comment-420-2 κτείνας γένῃ ⁶⁵

mvp-comment-421-1 προνοίας οὕνεκ’ ⁶⁶ γ’ ⁶⁷ οὕνεκα ⁶⁸ γε ⁶⁹

mvp-comment-421-2 πλὴν σοί τε κἀμοί ⁷⁰

mvp-comment-421-3 ξὺν τύχῃ ⁷¹

mvp-comment-422-1 τὸν φθόνον δὲ πρόσκυσον ⁷²

mvp-comment-423-1 μή … γενέσθαι ⁷³

mvp-comment-423-2 πολύπονα ⁷⁴

mvp-comment-423-3 μηδ’ ὅπως ⁷⁵

mvp-comment-424-1 θεοί ⁷⁶

mvp-comment-424-2 γένοιτο … γένοιτο δὲ ⁷⁷ ταῦτα νῷν ⁷⁸

mvp-comment-424-3 κεὐσταλής ⁷⁹

mvp-comment-424-4 ὅποι ποτὲ ⁸⁰

mvp-comment-425-1 ἀλλ’ Ὄκνος ⁸¹ ἀλλὰ δέδοικ’, ὦ παῖ, μή μ’ ἀτελὴς εὐχή ⁸² ὦ παῖ ⁸³ ἀλλὰ ⁸⁴ δέδοικ’ ⁸⁵ μ’ ⁸⁶ με ⁸⁷ εὔχῃ, μή μ’ ἀτελὴς ⁸⁸ ἀτελῶς ⁸⁹ εὔχῃ ⁹⁰ ἔχει ⁹¹ ἀτέλεστ’ ⁹²

mvp-comment-425-2 For μὴ ⁹³ α ⁹⁴

mvp-comment-426-1 κηκῖον ⁹⁵ νέον ⁹⁶

mvp-comment-427-1 ἐργάσει ⁹⁷ προσέρπει ⁹⁸

mvp-comment-428-1 τάλας ⁹⁹

mvp-comment-428-2 ἔχετε ¹⁰⁰

mvp-comment-428-3 μηδαμῇ ¹⁰¹

mvp-comment-429-1 Κεφαλλήν ¹⁰²

mvp-comment-429-2 σοῦ ¹⁰³ ἔχοιτο ¹⁰⁴ διαμπερὲς στέρνων ¹⁰⁵ σου ¹⁰⁶

mvp-comment-430-1 μάλ’ αὖθις ¹⁰⁷

mvp-comment-430-2 ὦ διπλοῖ στρ. ¹⁰⁸

mvp-comment-430-3 Ἀγάμεμνον, ὦ Μενέλαε ¹⁰⁹ Μενέλαέ τ’ Ἀγάμεμνόν τε ¹¹⁰ πῶς ἄν ¹¹¹ τρέφοιτε ¹¹²

mvp-comment-430-4 τὸν ἴσον χρόνον ¹¹³

mvp-comment-431-1 ὦ Θάνατε ¹¹⁴

mvp-comment-431-2 ἀεὶ … κατ’ ἦμαρ ¹¹⁵

mvp-comment-431-3 δύνᾳ ¹¹⁶

mvp-comment-432-1 ὦ τέκνον, ὦ γενναῖον ¹¹⁷

mvp-comment-432-2 ἀλλὰ ¹¹⁸

mvp-comment-433-1 τῷ Λ. τῷδ’ ἀνακ. πυρὶ ¹¹⁹

mvp-comment-433-2 The volcanic mountain called

appears to have been on the east coast of Lemnos, south of the rocky promontory ( , v. 1459) to which the cave of Philoctetes was adjacent. No volcanic crater can now be traced in Lemnos; and it is probable that the ancient Mosychlus has been submerged. See Appendix. was proverbial for ‘a fierce fire’ ( Ar. Lys. 299 ). Lycophron (227) has in this sense, and calls Ajax | (462), ‘Lemnian thunderbolt of war.’ Cp. Hesych. . The legendary association of Lemnos with fierce crime ( ) may have helped to suggest such phrases.

mvp-comment-434-1 ἔμπρησον ¹²⁰ πυρί μ’ ¹²¹ συλλαβὼν ¹²²

mvp-comment-435-1 τὸν τοῦ Διὸς παῖδ’ ¹²³

mvp-comment-435-2 σῴζεις ¹²⁴

mvp-comment-435-3 τοῦτ’ ¹²⁵

mvp-comment-435-4 ἐπηξίωσα ¹²⁶

mvp-comment-435-5 δρᾶν ¹²⁷

mvp-comment-436-1 τί φής, παῖ ¹²⁸

mvp-comment-436-2 ποῦ ποτ’ ὤν ¹²⁹

mvp-comment-437-1 πάλαι δὴ ¹³⁰

mvp-comment-437-2 τἀπὶ σοὶ … κακά ¹³¹

mvp-comment-438-1 καὶ θάρσος ἴσχε ¹³² καὶ ¹³³ μοι. ¹³⁴

mvp-comment-438-2 φοιτᾷ ¹³⁵

mvp-comment-438-3 ὀξεῖα, ταχεῖα ¹³⁶

mvp-comment-439-1 οὐ μήν ¹³⁷

mvp-comment-439-2 ἔνορκον … θέσθαι ¹³⁸

mvp-comment-440-1 ὡς ¹³⁹ θέμις ¹⁴⁰ γε ¹⁴¹ θέμις ¹⁴²

mvp-comment-440-2 ἐμοὔστι ¹⁴³

mvp-comment-441-1 ἔμβαλλε ¹⁴⁴

mvp-comment-442-1 ἐκεῖσε νῦν μ’ ¹⁴⁵ ἐκεῖσε ¹⁴⁶ ἐκεῖσε ¹⁴⁷ ἄνω ¹⁴⁸ παραφρονεῖς αὖ ¹⁴⁹ τὸν ἄνω λεύσσεις κύκλον ¹⁵⁰ εἴ τι δὴ πλέον φρονεῖς ¹⁵¹

mvp-comment-443-1 αὖ ¹⁵²

mvp-comment-443-2 τὸν ἄνω κύκλον ¹⁵³

mvp-comment-444-1 ποτέ ¹⁵⁴

mvp-comment-444-2 ἀπό μ’ ὀλεῖς ¹⁵⁵

mvp-comment-445-1 καὶ δὴ μεθίημ’ ¹⁵⁶

mvp-comment-445-2 εἴ τι δὴ ¹⁵⁷

mvp-comment-445-3 πλέον φρονεῖς ¹⁵⁸ εἰ ¹⁵⁹

mvp-comment-446-1 θανάσιμον ¹⁶⁰

mvp-comment-446-2 ὅπως ἔχω ¹⁶¹

mvp-comment-446-3 ὀρθοῦσθαι ¹⁶²

mvp-comment-447-1 οὐ μακροῦ χρόνου ¹⁶³

mvp-comment-448-1 γέ τοι ¹⁶⁴

mvp-comment-449-1 ἄκρον … ποδὸς ¹⁶⁵ φλέψ ¹⁶⁶

715-716. mvp-comment-513-1 The last antistrophe was intended for the hearing of Philoctetes, and it is probable that, before it ended, he and Neoptolemus had already appeared from the cave. He now suddenly becomes motionless and speechless. εἰ θέλεις] 'Will you?' Neoptolemus professes unconsciousness of the cause of Philoctetes' apparent change of purpose. ἐξ οὐδενὸς λόγου] 'With no apparent cause.' 'Without assigning a reason.' Cp. O. C. 620, ἐκ σμικροῦ λόγου.

716. mvp-comment-514-1 ἀπόπληκτος . . ἔχει] 'Stand stupefied and caught.' Cp. Aj. 1144, 5, ἡνίκ᾽ ἐν κακῷ | χειμῶνος εἴχετο.

717. mvp-comment-515-1 The agony which he has in vain endeavoured to suppress forces a cry from Philoctetes against his will. Presently (ll. 733-5), he again assumes indifference, but is again overpowered, and cries to the gods for help.

719. mvp-comment-516-1 οὐδὲν δεινόν] 'No matter for alarm.' Cp. Trach. 459, τὸ δ᾽ εἰδέναι τί δεινόν; and cp. esp. O. C. 1200.

720. mvp-comment-517-1 τῆς παρεστώσης νόσου] i. e. τῆς νόσου παρεστώσης σοι. Cp. infr. 765.

721. mvp-comment-518-1 κουφίζειν] Sc. τὴν νόσον.

723. mvp-comment-519-1 In some MSS. οὕτως is read after θεούς, and Seidler and others have suggested that ὦ θεοί· τί τοὺς θεοὺς ὧδ᾽ ἀναστένων καλεῖς; should be read. But cp. Aj. 588, 9. It must be admitted however that the want of caesura is a reason for suspecting something wrong.

724. mvp-comment-520-1 'That they should interpose mercifully to save us.' (αὐτούς unemphatic.) Even here the suffering of Philoctetes is not merely physical. This attack of pain is threatening him with the frustration of his hopes.

727. mvp-comment-521-1 This passage, like El. 610, 1, O. T. 746, indicates the use of significant action by the person who is not speaking.

728. mvp-comment-522-1 For the omission of the article before κακόν, cp. supr. 83, and note, and see E. on L. § 21. p. 33, b.

729. mvp-comment-523-1 διέρχεται] 'It pierces.' Cp. infr. 791, 2.

731. mvp-comment-524-1 βρύκομαι] 'I am torn as with teeth.' Cp. Trach. 987, ἡ δ᾽ αὖ μιαρὰ βρύκει.

732. mvp-comment-525-1 παπαῖ] This exclamation of pain expresses the effort to close the lips alternating with the utterance of an involuntary cry.

733. mvp-comment-526-1 πρόχειρον] 'Ready to your hand.' πρόχειρος is one of the words which are used etymologically' in tragedy. ( Essay on L. § 54. pp. 99, 100. ) Cp. Eur. Hel. 1563, 4, φάσγανόν θ᾽ ἅμα | πρόχειρον ὤθει.

734. mvp-comment-527-1 εἰς ἄκρον πόδα] The force of ἄκρος in such phrases is not to be pressed. But cp. infr. 824.

736. mvp-comment-528-1 ἴθ᾽, ὦ παῖ] 'Do so, I pray thee, my son.' (Not, as supr. 733, where ἴθι is, 'Go on.')

737. mvp-comment-529-1 ἐξαίφνης is joined with veοχμόν as = νεωστί γενόμενον. ὅτου] «Wherefore.' Genitive of cause. Essay on L. § 10. p. 14.

738. mvp-comment-530-1 σαυτοῦ] 'Over thyself,' is genitive of the object after στόνον.

743. mvp-comment-531-1 Hermann in 1841 defended the MS. distribution of the persons (see v. rr.), supposing Philoctetes to evade inquiry first by saying οἶσθα, ‘You know as well as I do,' and then οὐκ οἶδα, ‘I do not know,' with the inconsistency of one distracted by pain and avoiding question. And there is nothing unnatural in this. But the words πῶς οὐκ οἶσθα are very clumsy in the mouth of Neoptolemus, whereas, if uttered by Philoctetes, they convey a touching expostulation against the cruelty of pressing him with questions when the case is so obvious. According to Bothe's arrangement, which is here retained, Neoptolemus at first affects ignorance, but is presently overcome with pity. For τί σοί, · What is the matter with you?' Hermann conjectured τί τοι;

745. mvp-comment-532-1 ἀλλ᾽ οἴκτειρέ με] The mental anxiety of the sufferer is greater than his pain.

747. mvp-comment-533-1 ταρβήσας] According to the story of the supposed Έμπορος, Neoptolemus was in twofold danger in Lemnos, both from Phoenix and the Theseidae, who were pursuing himself ( supr. 561,2), and still more from Odysseus and Diomed, who were on their way to fetch Philoctetes, and if they fled together would pursue them both.

748-749. mvp-comment-534-1 ἥκει.. ἐξεπλήσθη] (1) ‘For this plague in its wanderings is come after an interval in no less strength than when it sated itself.' A recurrent malady is imagined as going out of a man, making a circuit, and returning. Cp. infr. 808: Tennyson, Aylmer's field, p. 80. For ἥκειν in a somewhat similar connection, cp. Plat. Gorg 518 D, ὅταν δὴ αὐτοῖς ἥκῃ ἡ τότε πλησμονὴ νόσον φέρουσα συχνῷ ὕστερον χρόνῳ. For the dative πλάνοις (almost = πλανωμένη, Aesch. Prom. 275), see Essay on L. § 14. p. 20, 2 . ἴσως = οὐχ ἧττον ἰσχυρῶς. See Essay on L. § 24, α. p. 40 . ὡς ἐξεπλήσθη, i. e. ὡς τὸ πρὶν ἥκουσα ἐξεπλήσθη. It might be thought to have exhausted itself, or to have satisfied its hunger; but no, it returns with all its former violence. (2) The Scholiast explains, π. ἴ. ὡ. ἐ., 'I suppose when it has had enough of wandering. For other interpretations, see Ellendt's Lexicon, and Blaydes and Paley in loco. Arndt's emendation, ὡς ἐξεπλήσθη φλέψ. ΝΕ. ἰὼ δ. σ., is worth recording for its prosaic oddity.

751. mvp-comment-535-1 διὰ πόνων πάντων] ‘In passing through all (i. e. extreme) woe.' πάντων is virtually intensive. Others would render, 'Beyond all sufferings' that have been.

754. mvp-comment-536-1 ἕως ἀνῇ] For the omission of av, see Essay on L. § 27, 1. p. 45.

755. mvp-comment-537-1 τὸ πῆμα .. παρόν] ‘This present fit of pain.’ Cp. O. C. 78, 9, for the epexegesis.

756-757. mvp-comment-538-1 λαμβάνει γὰρ οὖν | ὕπνος μ᾽] 'For, you must know, sleep is wont to seize me.' For the present tense, cp. supr. 308, ἐλεοῦσι μέν.

757. mvp-comment-539-1 ἐξίῃ] · Is passing off.'

758. mvp-comment-540-1 λῆξαι] Sc. τὸ κακόν.

758-759. mvp-comment-541-1 ἀλλ᾽ . . εὕδειν] με is easily supplied: see v. rr. Cp. infr. 801: О. Т. 461, κἂν λάβῃς ἐψευσμένον.

759. mvp-comment-542-1 τῷδε τῷ χρόνῳ] 'While I am asleep.' Essay on L. § 11. pp. 17, 18.

761. mvp-comment-543-1 Several editors prefer μηδ' ἄκοντα. μηδέ τῳ τέχνη] Hdt. 1. 112, έχρῇζε μηδεμιῇ τέχνῃ ἐκθεῖναί μιν.

763. mvp-comment-544-1 πρόστροπον] This word has an especially sacred and compelling force. Cp. O. Τ. 41, ἱκετεύομέν σε πάντες οἵδε πρόστροποι. κτείνας γένῃ] Cp. especially Aj. 588, μὴ προδοὺς ἡμᾶς γένῃ.

765. mvp-comment-545-1 οὐ δοθήσεται .. κάμοί] 'They shall be given to no one (and no one shall have them) besides us two.' Neoptolemus has in mind the real ground for this. Supr. 115.

766. mvp-comment-546-1 Philoctetes, even amidst his pain, feels the gravity of the moment when he gives the bow out of his hands. The common feeling about the Divine envy appears also in El. 1466.

767. mvp-comment-547-1 μηδ' ὅπως] For the disjunctive form of expression, cp. supr. 80, τοιαῦτα φωνεῖν, μηδὲ τεχνᾶσθαι κακά.

768. mvp-comment-548-1 Heracles and Philoctetes, both owners of the bow, had both had more than the usual share of trouble. The troubles of Heracles might even be traced to the weapon with which he had slain Nessus and provoked the sons of Eurytus to strife.

769-771. mvp-comment-549-1 Neoptolemus also feels the gravity of the moment, but dissembles his gladness under the cover of a heart-felt though ambiguous prayer.

770. mvp-comment-550-1 εὐσταλής] 'Happily conducted' = εὐτυχῶς ἐσταλμένος : said with reference to other dangers than those of winds and waves; e. g. a mutiny arising from Philoctetes' malady. Cp. supr. 520, 1, infr. 890 foll.

771. mvp-comment-551-1 ὅποι ποτέ, κ.τ.λ.] The formality of the prayer renders its ambiguous vagueness less suspicious. Neoptolemus trusts that, in spite of apparent difficulties, the will of the gods, as expressed in prophecy, is on the side of his ambition.

772. mvp-comment-552-1 The appearance of a single dochmiac line amongst the senarii is not of itself a sufficient reason for suspicion in a passage which is naturally interrupted by physical as well as by mental suffering. Cp. Trach. 1185, 6. Indeed the regularity of the dochmiac structure is rather in favour of the verse. But, in the vulgate reading (see v. rr.), the ellipse of the subjunctive mood and the accusative με-μ' cannot = μοι-are difficult to explain. The former objection may be removed by conjecturing μή μ' ἀτελὴς (οι ἀτελῶς) εὔχῃ, and the accusative may then be defended. See Essay on L. § 16. p. 23.

783. mvp-comment-553-1 ἐκ βυθοῦ] 'From hidden depths.' Men in pain naturally exaggerate the dimensions of the part affected.

784. mvp-comment-554-1 τι.. νέον] 'Some violent change.' Ср. O. С. 1447, and note.

786. mvp-comment-555-1 παπαῖ μάλ] Cp. O. C. 1462, ἴδε μάλα, and note. ἐργάσει] 'A great evil perpetually recurrent is most in apprehension.' But Philoctetes is also thinking of the danger to his new-found hopes.

789. mvp-comment-556-1 ἔχετε τὸ πρᾶγμα] 'You know all now.' He has made known to them what he had sought to hide, l. 742 foll. and they are aware both of his need and his danger, 776 foll. He implores them therefore to stand by him. μηδαμή = μηδεμιᾷ τέχνῃ. Cp. supr. 771.

790. mvp-comment-557-1 ἀτταταῖ] Perhaps *ἰατταταῖ should be read so as to keep up the iambic rhythm.

791-792. mvp-comment-558-1 εἴθε.. ἥδε] 'Would that this pang might pierce thy breast and cling there!' For ξένε, cp. Aj.817. Philoctetes and Odysseus had been bound by a common oath,

793-795. mvp-comment-559-1 For the repeated interjection, cp. Eur. Alc. 235, βόασον ὦ, στέναξον ὦ Φεραία χθών: ib. 460, ὦ μόνα, ὦ φίλα γυναικῶν : Cycl. 266.

794. mvp-comment-560-1 ὦ Μενέλαε: 795, τὸν ἴσον: 797, ὦ θάνατε, θάνατε. The freeer handling of the senarius, which marks the Philoctetes, and which belongs to the later manner of Greek tragedy, is most observable in this speech, where it expresses agitation ( cp. O. T. 967). For other instances, see ll. 651, 665, 879, 923, 4, 950, 1029, 1315, 1327, mostly in speeches of Philoctetes.

797-798. mvp-comment-561-1 Cp. Aj. 854, ὦ θάνατε, θάνατε, νῦν μ᾿ ἐπίσκεψαι μολών: Aesch. Phil. fr. 250, ὦ θάνατε Παιάν, μή μ' ἀτιμάσῃς μολεῖν.

798. mvp-comment-562-1 οὐ δύνᾳ μολεῖν] 'Why can you not come?' i. e. 'Why is it impossible to bring you?” πῶς οὐ δυνατόν ἐστί σε μολεῖν;

800. mvp-comment-563-1 ἀνακαλουμένῳ] (1) ‘Generally invoked,' or (2) 'Celebrated by this name.' Cp. Ar. Lys. 299. The volcano on Mount Mosychlos would be a god-prepared pyre for Philoctetes, whose end would then resemble that of his master Heracles.

803. mvp-comment-564-1 After l. 803 there is a pause, during which Neoptolemus is lost in thought. Philoctetes, who is already losing consciousness, is visited with a sudden fear lest his friend may have left him. Every word which he utters gives him a fresh hold on Neoptolemus' compassion.

806. mvp-comment-565-1 τἀπὶ σοί] 'That afflict thee.' Cp. Trach. 981, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπί μοι μελέῳ βάρος ἄπλετον ἐμμέμονε φρήν.

807. mvp-comment-566-1 The tripartite division of this line is very unusual. But it is modified by the elision in ἴσχ' for ἴσχε, and the rhythm of this whole passage is broken.

808. mvp-comment-567-1 'As it comes impetuously, so it leaves me speedily.' For the paratactic structure, cp. Ant. 1112, αὐτός τ᾽ ἔδησα καὶ παρὼν ἐκλύσομαι.

809. mvp-comment-568-1 θάρσει, μενούμεν] Neoptolemus says this with mingled feelings, and the eagerness of Philoctetes is made pathetic by his unconsciousness of the situation.

810. mvp-comment-569-1 σαφῶς φρόνει] Sc. με ὡς μενοῦντα.

811. mvp-comment-570-1 Ср. О. C. 650, 1, and note. Philoctetes desires the confirmation for which he will not ask. Neoptolemus makes a solemn asseveration (ὡς .. γε = 'At any rate be assured that'), in which the hidden intention of fate ( cp. ξυμφορᾶς ξύνθημα, Ο. C. 46) is again ambiguously conveyed. Philoctetes still requires the assurance of the right hand. Cр. О. С. 1632, δός μοι χερὸς σῆς πίστιν ἀρχαίαν, and note: Trach. 1181. Neoptolemus gives it with the safe promise of remaining, which to Philoctetes at the moment is quite sufficient. (He afterwards, infr. 1398, interprets the promise differently, as a confirmation of the original engagement, supr. 527). On receiving this satisfaction, he relapses into a semi-conscious state, and dreaming apparently of Oeta, Olympus, and the Lemnian fire in one, begs to be carried 'yonder,' 'upwards.' But immediately afterwards, when Neoptolemus comes near to hold him, he cries out to be let alone. (Prof. Paley interprets 813, 4, ἐκεῖσε.. ἄνω, as referring to the cave. But the vagueness of 815 is against this.)

815. mvp-comment-571-1 τὸν ἄνω κύκλον] 'The circle of the heavens.' Cp. Aj. 672, νυκτὸς αἰανῆς κύκλος.

817. mvp-comment-572-1 The tmesis of ἀπό occurs again infr. 1158, 1177.

818. mvp-comment-573-1 *εἴ τι δὴ πλέον φρονεῖς] 'Supposing that you must know best.' πλέον, sc. ἐμοῦ. Cp. Plat. Hipp. Min. 371 A, τοῦ Ὀδυσσέως φαίνεται φρονεῖν πλέον πρὸς τὸ ῥᾳδίως λανθάνειν: Thuc. 5. 29. § 2, νομίσαντες πλέον τέ τι εἰδότας μεταστῆναι αὐτούς, κ.τ.λ. Neoptolemus feels like an inexperienced nurse, and perceives that the sickness is beyond his treatment. He begins to think that the sick man must know what is best for his own state. Cp. Trach. 1017-22.

820. mvp-comment-574-1 Philoctetes throws himself on the ground.

822. mvp-comment-575-1 τόδε] See Essay on L. § 22, 1. P.34.

823. mvp-comment-576-1 'Sweat certainly is bathing him over all his frame.' γέ τοι calls attention to the sign which helps to confirm supr. 821, 2.

824. mvp-comment-577-1 ἄκρου.. ποδός] Cp. supr. 748, and note. παρέρρωγεν] 'Has burst from the side of (i. e. from the place of the wound)'. For the repetition of the same root in the compound, see Essay on L. § 40. p. 75, § 55. p. 101.