Sophocles, Philoctetes, Robert Potter (Translator), 108

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Chorus

Restrain your steps awhile: two men advance, , . ,

One to thy bark belongs, a stranger oneli

es podt of IC

First hear their tidings; visit then the cave.)

MERC. Son of Achilles, to this mariner,

Who with two others guarded thy tall bark,

I made request that he would show me where

Philoctetes. Sophocles. Robert Potter (Translator). London. 1820.

Current edition Experimental

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) (English) (English (Robert Potter, 1788))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (2)

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 108 focus

οὐκ αἰσχρὸν ἡγεῖ δῆτα τὰ δη τάδε δῆτα τὰ ψευδῆ λέγειν ;

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 135-217 focus

Χορός

τί χρὴ τί χρή με, δέσποτʼ, ἐν ξένᾳ ξένον
135

στέγειν ἢ τί λέγειν πρὸς ἄνδρʼ ὑπόπταν;

φράζε μοι. τέχνα γὰρ

τέχνας ἑτέρας προύχει

καὶ γνώμα παρʼ ὅτῳ τὸ θεῖον

Διὸς σκῆπτρον ἀνάσσεται.
140

σὲ δʼ, ὦ τέκνον, τόδʼ ἐλήλυθεν

πᾶν κράτος ὠγύγιον· τό μοι ἔννεπε

τί σοι χρεὼν ὑπουργεῖν.

144

Νεοπτόλεμος

νῦν μέν, ἴσως γὰρ τόπον ἐσχατιαῖς

προσιδεῖν ἐθέλεις ὅντινα κεῖται,
145

δέρκου θαρσῶν· ὁπόταν δὲ μόλῃ

δεινὸς ὁδίτης, τῶνδʼ οὑκ μελάθρων

πρὸς ἐμὴν αἰεὶ χεῖρα προχωρῶν

πειρῶ τὸ παρὸν θεραπεύειν.

150

Χορός

μέλον πάλαι μέλημά μοι λέγεις, ἄναξ,
150

φρουρεῖν ὄμμʼ ἐπὶ σῷ μάλιστα καιρῷ·

νῦν δέ μοι λέγʼ, αὐλὰς

ποίας ἔνεδρος ναίει

καὶ χῶρον τίνʼ ἔχει. τὸ γάρ μοι

μαθεῖν οὐκ ἀποκαίριον,
155

μὴ προσπεσών με λάθῃ ποθέν·

τίς τόπος ἢ τίς ἕδρα; τίνʼ ἔχει στίβον,

ἔναυλον ἢ θυραῖον;

159

Νεοπτόλεμος

οἶκον μὲν ὁρᾷς τόνδʼ ἀμφίθυρον

πετρίνης κοίτης.
160

Χορός

ποῦ γὰρ ὁ τλήμων αὐτὸς ἄπεστιν;

Νεοπτόλεμος

δῆλον ἔμοιγʼ ὡς φορβῆς χρείᾳ

στίβον ὀγμεύει τῇδε πέλας που.

ταύτην γὰρ ἔχειν βιοτῆς αὐτὸν

λόγος ἐστὶ φύσιν, θηροβολοῦντα
165

πτηνοῖς ἰοῖς στυγερὸν στυγερῶς,

οὐδέ τινʼ αὐτῷ

παιῶνα κακῶν ἐπινωμᾶν.

169

Χορός

οἰκτίρω νιν ἔγωγʼ, ὅπως,

μή του κηδομένου βροτῶν
170

μηδὲ ξύντροφον ὄμμʼ ἔχων,

δύστανος, μόνος ἀεί,

νοσεῖ μὲν νόσον ἀγρίαν,

ἀλύει δʼ ἐπὶ παντί τῳ

χρείας ἱσταμένῳ. πῶς ποτε πῶς δύσμορος ἀντέχει;
175

ὦ παλάμαι θεῶν,

ὦ δύστανα γένη βροτῶν,

οἷς μὴ μέτριος αἰών.

180

Χορός

οὗτος πρωτογόνων ἴσως
180

οἴκων οὐδενὸς ὕστερος,

πάντων ἄμμορος ἐν βίῳ

κεῖται μοῦνος ἀπʼ ἄλλων,

στικτῶν ἢ λασίων μετὰ

θηρῶν, ἔν τʼ ὀδύναις ὁμοῦ
185

λιμῷ τʼ οἰκτρός, ἀνήκεστα μεριμνήματʼ ἔχων· ὀρεί-

α δʼ ἀθυρόστομος

Ἀχὼ τηλεφανὴς πικραῖς

οἰμωγαῖς ὑπακούει.
190

191

Νεοπτόλεμος

οὐδὲν τούτων θαυμαστὸν ἐμοί·

θεῖα γάρ, εἴπερ κἀγώ τι φρονῶ,

καὶ τὰ παθήματα κεῖνα πρὸς αὐτὸν

τῆς ὠμόφρονος Χρύσης ἐπέβη,

καὶ νῦν ἃ πονεῖ δίχα κηδεμόνων,
195

οὐκ ἔσθʼ ὡς οὐ θεῶν του μελέτῃ

τοῦ μὴ πρότερον τόνδʼ ἐπὶ Τροίᾳ

τεῖναι τὰ θεῶν ἀμάχητα βέλη,

πρὶν ὅδʼ ἐξήκοι χρόνος, ᾧ λέγεται

χρῆναί σφʼ ὑπὸ τῶνδε δαμῆναι.
200

201

Χορός

εὔστομʼ ἔχε, παῖ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί τόδε;

Χορός

προυφάνη κτύπος,

φωτὸς σύντροφος ὡς τειρομένου του,

ἤ που τῇδʼ ἢ τῇδε τόπων.

βάλλει βάλλει μʼ ἐτύμα
205

φθογγά του στίβον κατʼ ἀνάγκαν

ἕρποντος, οὐδέ με λάθει

βαρεῖα τηλόθεν αὐδὰ τρυσάνωρ· διάσημα γὰρ θρηνεῖ.

210

Χορός

ἀλλʼ ἔχε, τέκνον,
210

Νεοπτόλεμος

λέγʼ ὅ τι.

Χορός

φροντίδας νέας.

ὡς οὐκ ἔξεδρος, ἀλλʼ ἔντοπος ἁνήρ,

οὐ μολπὰν σύριγγος ἔχων,

ὡς ποιμὴν ἀγροβότας, ἀλλʼ ἤ που πταίων ὑπʼ ἀνάγκας
215

βοᾷ τηλωπὸν ἰωάν,

ἢ ναὸς ἄξενον αὐγάζων ὅρμον· προβοᾷ τι γὰρ δεινόν.

Translations (4)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 108 focus

NEO
557

Well, stranger, for the kindness thou hast shown,—
550

Else were I base,—my heart must thank thee still.

But tell me what thou meanest, that I may learn

What new-laid plot thou bring’st me from the camp.

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 123 focus

So bleibe hier und harre, bis der Mann erscheint;

Ich aber gehe, daß er mich nicht hier erspürt,

Und sende wieder an das Schiff den Späher hin.
125

Und später will ich, wenn ihr allzulange mir

Zu säumen scheinet, wiederum denselben Mann

Hieher dir senden, trügerisch in falsche Tracht

Gehüllt als Schiffsherr, daß er nicht erkennbar sei.

Wenn dieser dann verschmizte Neden führt, o Sohn,
130

So greife davon immer auf, was taugen mag.

Ich, nun zum Schiffe gehend, stell' es dir auheim.

Führ' uns, o schlauer Hermes und Athene du,¹

Siegsgöttin, Hort der Städte, die mich stets beschirmt!

(Odysseus geht ab. Der Chor der Schiffsleute, der Gefährten des Neoptolemos, tritt auf.) Neoptolemos. Der Chor. Erste Strophe.

Der Chor.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 108 focus

Philoctetes
[Whispering him.

What do these dark mysterious whispers mean ?

Concern they me, my son ?

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 135-215 focus

Chorus

I am a stranger in a strange land, Master. What must I hide, what must I reveal to a man who will be swift to suspicion? Show me the way! His skill excels all other skill, his wisdom has no equal, whose hands govern the godlike
135

scepter given by Zeus. To you, my son, that sovereign power has descended from the dawn of time. Therefore tell me how I must serve you.
140

144

Neoptolemus

For the present—since perhaps you wish to see the place

on the island’s edge where he resides—survey it without fear. But when the dread traveler, who has left this dwelling, returns, step forward at my signal from time to time, and try to help as the moment may require.
145

150

Chorus

Long have I been careful of this care, my prince: that my eyes should be watchful for your good above all else. And now tell me, in what manner of shelter does he keep his dwelling? In what region is he now? It is not inopportune for
150

me to learn so that he may not come upon me unawares from somewhere. In what place does he wander, or rest? Does he plant his steps within his shelter, or abroad?
155

159

Neoptolemus

Well, here you see his home with its two portals,

his rocky cell.
160

Chorus

And its wretched occupant, where is he gone to?

Neoptolemus

It seems clear to me, anyway, that he is plowing his way along somewhere near here in search of food. For I know of a report that

this is his means of sustenance—a wretch wretchedly shooting prey with his feathered shafts—and that no one comes near to him to heal his misery.
165

169

Chorus

For my part, I pity him when I think how,

with no one to care for him, and seeing no companion’s face, but suffering eternally alone, he is plagued by fierce disease and bewildered by each need as it arises.
170

How, how does he endure his bitter fate? Ah, contrivances of the gods! Ah, unhappy tribes of mortals, whose life-portion exceeds due measure!
175

180

Chorus

That man—inferior in no way, probably, to any man belonging to the oldest families—lies alone without companions and stripped of all life’s gifts
180

among the dappled or shaggy beasts. He is a man to be pitied for his torments and his hunger alike, enduring anguish that has no cure. But to his bitter cries the mountain nymph, babbling Echo, coming from afar,
185

gives answer.
190

191

Neoptolemus

No part of this is a marvel to me. God-sent—if a man such as I may judge—are both those sufferings which attacked him from savage Chryse ,

and those with which he now toils untended. Surely he toils by the plan of some god so that he may not bend against Troy the invincible arrows divine, until the time be fulfilled at which, men say,
195

by those arrows Troy is fated to fall.
200

201

Chorus

Hush,boy!

Neoptolemus

What is it?

Chorus

I heard a sudden thud, one that might naturally come from a man worn by pain. From there it came, I think—or there.

It strikes, strikes hard on my ear, the sure sound of someone creeping along his way as if tortured. I cannot miss that grievous cry of a man hard-pressed, even from afar—its tone is too clear.
205

210

Chorus

But listen, son—
210

Neoptolemus

To what? Tell me.

Chorus

To my latest thoughts. For he is not far from his home, but nearby. And not with music of the flute, like a shepherd pasturing his flocks, does he come,—

no—but crying out a far-sounding howl as he stumbles, perhaps, from tortuous pain, or as he scans the haven unvisited by any ship. His cries are loud, and terrible.
215

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-294-1 ἴωμεν ¹ ἴωμεν ² ἴωμεν ³ εἰσοίκησιν ⁴ προσκύσαντε ⁵ εἰς οἴκησιν ⁶ προσκύσαντε ⁷

mvp-comment-294-2 ὡς … καὶ ⁸

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

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

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

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

Sophocles Philoctetes 108

Robert Potter (Translator)

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Chorus

Restrain your steps awhile: two men advance, , . ,

One to thy bark belongs, a stranger oneli

es podt of IC

First hear their tidings; visit then the cave.)

MERC. Son of Achilles, to this mariner,

Who with two others guarded thy tall bark,

I made request that he would show me where

Current edition Experimental

Νεοπτόλεμος

οἶκον μὲν ὁρᾷς τόνδʼ ἀμφίθυρον

πετρίνης κοίτης.
160

Χορός

ποῦ γὰρ ὁ τλήμων αὐτὸς ἄπεστιν;

Χορός

εὔστομʼ ἔχε, παῖ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί τόδε;

Χορός

ἀλλʼ ἔχε, τέκνον,
210

Νεοπτόλεμος

λέγʼ ὅ τι.

NEO
557

Well, stranger, for the kindness thou hast shown,—
550

Else were I base,—my heart must thank thee still.

But tell me what thou meanest, that I may learn

What new-laid plot thou bring’st me from the camp.

Der Chor.

Philoctetes
[Whispering him.

What do these dark mysterious whispers mean ?

Concern they me, my son ?

Neoptolemus

For the present—since perhaps you wish to see the place

on the island’s edge where he resides—survey it without fear. But when the dread traveler, who has left this dwelling, returns, step forward at my signal from time to time, and try to help as the moment may require.
145

Neoptolemus

Well, here you see his home with its two portals,

his rocky cell.
160

Chorus

And its wretched occupant, where is he gone to?

Neoptolemus

It seems clear to me, anyway, that he is plowing his way along somewhere near here in search of food. For I know of a report that

this is his means of sustenance—a wretch wretchedly shooting prey with his feathered shafts—and that no one comes near to him to heal his misery.
165

Chorus

Hush,boy!

Neoptolemus

What is it?

Chorus

But listen, son—
210

Neoptolemus

To what? Tell me.

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Chorus Restrain your steps awhile: two men advance, , . , One to thy bark belongs, a stranger oneli es podt of IC First hear their tidings; visit then the cave.) MERC. Son of Achilles, to this mariner, Who with two others guarded thy tall bark, I made request that he would show me where

Current edition Experimental

Νεοπτόλεμος οἶκον μὲν ὁρᾷς τόνδʼ ἀμφίθυρον πετρίνης κοίτης. 160

Χορός ποῦ γὰρ ὁ τλήμων αὐτὸς ἄπεστιν;

Χορός εὔστομʼ ἔχε, παῖ.

Νεοπτόλεμος τί τόδε;

Χορός ἀλλʼ ἔχε, τέκνον, 210

Νεοπτόλεμος λέγʼ ὅ τι.

NEO 557 Well, stranger, for the kindness thou hast shown,— 550 Else were I base,—my heart must thank thee still. But tell me what thou meanest, that I may learn What new-laid plot thou bring’st me from the camp.

Der Chor.

Philoctetes [Whispering him. What do these dark mysterious whispers mean ? Concern they me, my son ?

Neoptolemus For the present—since perhaps you wish to see the place on the island’s edge where he resides—survey it without fear. But when the dread traveler, who has left this dwelling, returns, step forward at my signal from time to time, and try to help as the moment may require. 145

Neoptolemus Well, here you see his home with its two portals, his rocky cell. 160

Chorus And its wretched occupant, where is he gone to?

Neoptolemus It seems clear to me, anyway, that he is plowing his way along somewhere near here in search of food. For I know of a report that this is his means of sustenance—a wretch wretchedly shooting prey with his feathered shafts—and that no one comes near to him to heal his misery. 165

Chorus Hush,boy!

Neoptolemus What is it?

Chorus But listen, son— 210

Neoptolemus To what? Tell me.

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Chorus

Restrain your steps awhile: two men advance, , . ,

One to thy bark belongs, a stranger oneli

es podt of IC

First hear their tidings; visit then the cave.)

MERC. Son of Achilles, to this mariner,

Who with two others guarded thy tall bark,

I made request that he would show me where

Νεοπτόλεμος

οἶκον μὲν ὁρᾷς τόνδʼ ἀμφίθυρον

πετρίνης κοίτης.
160

Χορός

ποῦ γὰρ ὁ τλήμων αὐτὸς ἄπεστιν;

Χορός

εὔστομʼ ἔχε, παῖ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί τόδε;

Χορός

ἀλλʼ ἔχε, τέκνον,
210

Νεοπτόλεμος

λέγʼ ὅ τι.

NEO
557

Well, stranger, for the kindness thou hast shown,—
550

Else were I base,—my heart must thank thee still.

But tell me what thou meanest, that I may learn

What new-laid plot thou bring’st me from the camp.

Philoctetes
[Whispering him.

What do these dark mysterious whispers mean ?

Concern they me, my son ?

Neoptolemus

For the present—since perhaps you wish to see the place

on the island’s edge where he resides—survey it without fear. But when the dread traveler, who has left this dwelling, returns, step forward at my signal from time to time, and try to help as the moment may require.
145

Neoptolemus

Well, here you see his home with its two portals,

his rocky cell.
160

Chorus

And its wretched occupant, where is he gone to?

Neoptolemus

It seems clear to me, anyway, that he is plowing his way along somewhere near here in search of food. For I know of a report that

this is his means of sustenance—a wretch wretchedly shooting prey with his feathered shafts—and that no one comes near to him to heal his misery.
165

Chorus

Hush,boy!

Neoptolemus

What is it?

Chorus

But listen, son—
210

Neoptolemus

To what? Tell me.