Sophocles Philoctetes 18

Robert Potter (Translator)

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Ulysses
Thou noble son of an illustrious sire,
When I was young I bade my tongue be still,
And my hands active; now by certain proof
From long experience in the world I find
Thy tongue, not actions, rules th' affairs of men.

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)) — 18 focus
πάρεστιν ἐνθάκησις, ἐν θέρει δ᾽ ὕπνον
Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 1-134 focus
Translations (4)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 18 focus
NEO
86
The thing that, being named, revolts mine ear,
Son of Laërtes, I abhor to do
’Tis not my nature, no, nor, as they tell,
My father’s, to work aught by craft and guile.
I’ll undertake to bring him in by force,
Not by deceit. For, sure, with his one foot,
He cannot be a match for all our crew
Being sent, my lord, to serve thee, I am loth
To seem rebellious. But I rather choose
To offend with honour, than to win by wrong.
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 26 focus
O Fürst Odysseus, was du suchst, ist nahe dir:
Die Höhle glaub' ich schon zu seh'n, von der du sprachst.
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 18 focus
Ulysses
He'll not listen to it ;
And force were vainer still.
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 1-130 focus

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-63-1 λέγω σ’ … λαβεῖν 1

mvp-comment-64-1 ἐν δόλῳ 2

mvp-comment-64-2 πείσαντ’ 3

mvp-comment-65-1 οὐ μὴ πίθηται 4

mvp-comment-65-2 πρὸς βίαν δ’ 5

mvp-comment-66-1 οὕτως 6 τι δεινὸν 7

mvp-comment-66-2 ἰσχύος θράσος 8 κράτος 9 οὐ μὴ πίθηται 10

mvp-comment-67-1 ἰοὺς 11 ἰούς γ’ 12 τι 13 τί 14 γ’ 15 γ’ 16

mvp-comment-68-1 ἐκείνῳ γ’ 17

mvp-comment-68-2 προσμεῖξαι 18

mvp-comment-68-3 θρασύ 19

mvp-comment-69-1 μὴ δόλῳ λαβόντα 20

mvp-comment-70-1 τὰ ψευδῆ 21 δῆτα τὰ 22 δηλαδὴ 23

mvp-comment-71-1 τὸ σωθῆναι 24

mvp-comment-72-1 πῶς οὖν βλέπων 25 πῶς οὖν 26 πῶς … βλέπων 27

mvp-comment-72-2 λακεῖν 28

mvp-comment-73-1 εἰς κέρδος 29

mvp-comment-74-1 αἱρεῖ 30

mvp-comment-75-1 ὡς ἐφάσκετ’ 31

mvp-comment-76-1 οὔτ’ ἂν 32

mvp-comment-77-1 θηρατἔ οὖν γίγνοιτ’ ἄν 33 γίγνοιτ’ 34 γένοιτ’ 35

mvp-comment-77-2 οὖν 36

mvp-comment-78-1 ὡς … φέρει 37

mvp-comment-78-2 φέρει 38

mvp-comment-79-1 τὸ δρᾶν 39

mvp-comment-80-1 σοφός τ|) … κἀγαθός 40

mvp-comment-80-2 αὑτὸς 41

mvp-comment-80-3 κεκλᾖ 42

mvp-comment-81-1 ἴτω 43

mvp-comment-81-2 ποήσω 44 ι 45 ι 46 ποήσω 47

mvp-comment-81-3 πᾶσαν αἰσχύνην ἀφείς 48

mvp-comment-82-1 μνημονεύεις 49 μνημονεύσεις 50 σάφ’ ἴσθ’ 51

mvp-comment-82-2 ἅ … παρῄνεσα 52

mvp-comment-82-3 συνῄνεσα 53

mvp-comment-83-1 ἐκδέχου 54

mvp-comment-84-1 κατοπτευθῶ 55

mvp-comment-84-2 καὶ τὸν σκοπὸν 56 ναῦν 57

mvp-comment-85-1 καὶ δεῦῤ 58

mvp-comment-85-2 τοῦ χρόνου … τι κατασχολάζειν 59

mvp-comment-85-3 ἐκπέμψω 60

mvp-comment-86-1 ναυκλήρου 61

mvp-comment-86-2 τρόποις 62 τρόπον 63

mvp-comment-87-1 ἀγνοία 64 προσῇ 65 ἀγνοίᾳ 66

mvp-comment-88-1 οὗ δῆτα 67 οὗ δὴ σύ 68 οὗ 69 δέχου 70

mvp-comment-88-2 ποικίλως 71

mvp-comment-88-3 αὐδωμένου 72

mvp-comment-88-4 τὰ συμφέροντα 73 τῶν ἀεὶ λόγων 74

mvp-comment-88-5 σοὶ παρεὶς τάδε 75

mvp-comment-89-1 Ἑρμῆς ὁ πέμπων δόλιος 76

mvp-comment-89-2 ὁ πέμπων 77

mvp-comment-89-3 δόλιος 78

mvp-comment-89-4 νῷν 79

mvp-comment-90-1 Νίκη τ’ Ἀθάνα Πολιάς 80

mvp-comment-90-2 The same remark applies to the name Πολιάς 81

mvp-comment-90-3 ἣ σῴζει μ’ ἀεί 82

mvp-comment-91-1 ἐν ξένᾳ ξένον 83

mvp-comment-91-2 στέγειν … λέγειν 84

mvp-comment-91-3 ὑπόπταν 85

mvp-comment-92-1 τέχνα 86

mvp-comment-92-2 ἑτέρας 87

mvp-comment-92-3 γνώμα 88 γνώμας 89

mvp-comment-92-4 παρ’ ὅτῳ 90

mvp-comment-92-5 τὸ θεῖον Διὸς σκῆπτρον 91

mvp-comment-92-6 ἀνάσσεται 92

mvp-comment-93-1 σὲ … ἐλήλυθεν 93 σοὶ δ’ 94 σὲ δ’ 95

mvp-comment-93-2 πᾶν κράτος 96

mvp-comment-93-3 ὠγύγιον 97

mvp-comment-93-4 τὸ 98

mvp-comment-93-5 144 f. The Chorus has asked, How are we to help? He replies, in effect, ‘The moment for you to help has not come yet. Meanwhile you can approach, and look at the cave. When Philoctetes returns, then you must be guided by the signs that I shall give you.’ The Chorus are supposed to be on the shore, below the cave, and at a point from which they have not a clear view of it. Invited by Neoptolemus, they now advance nearer. The word

ἀμφίθυρον
(159) implies that, having approached the seaward mouth of the cave, they can see right through it; and v. 161 (
ποῦ γὰρ ὁ τλήμων
...;) confirms this; their own eyes now assure them that the cave is empty. But nothing indicates that they actually enter it.

mvp-comment-93-6 ἐσχατιαῖς 99

mvp-comment-93-7 ὅντινα κεῖται 100

mvp-comment-94-1 τῶνδ’ Οὑκ μελάθρων 101 ὁδίτης 102 μόλῃ 103 τῶνδε ὁ ἐκ μελάθρων 104 ἐκ 105 ἐκ 106 μόλῃ 107 ἐκ 108 προχωρῶν 109

mvp-comment-95-1 πρὸς ἐμὴν αἰεὶ χεῖρα προχωρῶν 110 προχωρῶν 111 πρὸς ἐμὴν … χεῖρα 112

mvp-comment-96-1 τὸ παρὸν θεραπεύειν 113

mvp-comment-97-1 μέλον … μέλημα 114 ὄμμα 115 φρουρεῖν 116

mvp-comment-97-2 ἐπὶ σῷ καιρῷ 117

mvp-comment-98-1 αὐλὰς ποίας 118

mvp-comment-98-2 ἔνεδρος 119 ναίει 120

mvp-comment-98-3 χῶρον τίν’ ἔχει 121

mvp-comment-98-4 τὸ γὰρ οὐκ ἀποκ. μοί 122 μαθεῖν 123 προσπεσών 124

mvp-comment-99-1 τίς τόπος … θυραῖον 125

mvp-comment-99-2 ἔχει στίβον 126 ἔναυλον 127

mvp-comment-100-1 οἶκον … κοίτης 128

mvp-comment-100-2 ἀμφίθυρον 129 μὲν 130 ποῦ γὰρ 131

mvp-comment-101-1 φορβῆς 132

mvp-comment-101-2 τῇδε 133 τόνδε 134

mvp-comment-102-1 ταύτην 135

mvp-comment-102-2 φύσιν 136

mvp-comment-103-1 στυγερὸν στυγερῶς 137 σμυγερὸν σμυγερῶς 138

mvp-comment-104-1 ἐπινωμᾶν 139

mvp-comment-105-1 οἰκτίρω 140

mvp-comment-105-2 ὅπως 141

mvp-comment-106-1 μή του 142

mvp-comment-106-2 μηδὲ 143 σύντροφον 144 ξύντροφον 145

mvp-comment-106-3 ξυντρ. ὄμμ’ 146

mvp-comment-107-1 ἀλύει 147

mvp-comment-107-2 παντί τῳ χρείας 148 ἱσταμένῳ 149

mvp-comment-108-1 ὦ παλάμαι Θεῶν 150 θεῶν 151 θνητῶν 152 θνητῶν 153

mvp-comment-109-1 γένη 154

mvp-comment-110-1 οἷς μὴ μέτριος αἰών 155 μὴ 156 μὴ μέτριος 157 γένη 158

mvp-comment-111-1 πρωτογόνων 159 εὐγενῶν 160

mvp-comment-111-2 ἴσως 161 ἴσως 162 γεγὼς 163

mvp-comment-111-3 οὐδενὸς 164 ἥκων 165 οἴκων 166 οἴκων 167 οὐδενὸς ὕστερος 168

mvp-comment-112-1 ἐν βίῳ 169 ἄμμορος 170 πάντων 171

mvp-comment-113-1 μοῦνος ἀπ’ ἄλλων 172

mvp-comment-113-2 στικτῶν 173 ἔλαφος 174 λασίων 175 στικτῶν 176

mvp-comment-113-3 μετὰ 177

mvp-comment-113-4 ἔν τ’ ὀδύναις 178

mvp-comment-114-1 Ὀρεία δ’ 179 βαρεῖα δ’ 180 ὀρεία 181

mvp-comment-114-2 ἀθυρόστομος 182 ἀθυροστομοῦς’ 183

mvp-comment-115-1 Ἀχὼ τηλεφανὴς 184

mvp-comment-115-2 πικραῖς | οἰμωγαῖς ὑπακούει 185 πικρᾶς οἰμωγᾶς ὑπόκειται 186 ὑπακούει 187

mvp-comment-116-1 θεῖα 188

mvp-comment-116-2 κἀγώ 189

mvp-comment-116-3 καὶ τὰ παθήμ. κεῖνα 190

mvp-comment-116-4 τῆς ὠμόφρ. Χρύσης 191 ἐπέβη 192 παθήματα … Χρύσης 193

mvp-comment-116-5 ὠμόφρονος 194

mvp-comment-117-1 οὐκ ἔσθ’ ὡς οὐ 195

mvp-comment-118-1 τοῦ μὴ … τεῖναι 196

mvp-comment-118-2 τεῖναι … βέλη 197 τὰ θεῶν 198

mvp-comment-119-1 πρὶν...ἐξήκοι 199 πρὶν ἂν ἐξήκῃ 200

mvp-comment-119-2 λέγεται 201

mvp-comment-120-1 εὔστομ’ ἔχε 202

mvp-comment-120-2 τί τόδε 203

mvp-comment-120-3 προὐφάνη 204

mvp-comment-121-1 σύντροφος 205 φωτὸς 206

mvp-comment-122-1 ἤ που 207 ἦ που 208 τῇδ’ … τῇδε 209 τόπων 210

mvp-comment-122-2 βάλλει 211

mvp-comment-122-3 ἐτύμα 212

mvp-comment-123-1 στίβον … ἕρποντος 213

mvp-comment-123-2 κατ’ ἀνάγκαν 214 στίβου κατ’ ἀνάγκαν 215 στίβον 216

mvp-comment-124-1 οὐδέ με λάθει 217

mvp-comment-124-2 βαρεῖα 218 τρυσάνωρ 219

mvp-comment-124-3 διάσημα γὰρ θροεῖ 220

mvp-comment-125-1 ἀλλ’ ἔχε 221

mvp-comment-125-2 ἀλλ’ 222 ἔχε … φροντίδας vέας 223 λέγ’ ὅ τι 224

mvp-comment-126-1 οὐκ ἔξεδρος 225

mvp-comment-126-2 μολπὰν … ἔχων 226

mvp-comment-126-3 σύριγγος 227

mvp-comment-126-4 ποιμὰν 228

mvp-comment-126-5 ἀγροβότας, ἐν ἀγρῷ βόσκων 229

mvp-comment-127-1 ἀλλ’ ἤ που 230 βοᾷ 231 ὑπ’ ἀνάγκας 232 πταίων 233 βοᾷ 234

mvp-comment-127-2 τηλωπὸν ἰωάν 235

mvp-comment-128-1 ναὸς ἄξενον … ὅρμον 236

mvp-comment-128-2 προβοᾷ τι γἀρ δεινόν 237 δεινόν 238 θροεῖ 239

mvp-comment-129-1 ἰὼ ξένοι 240

mvp-comment-130-1 κἀκ ποίας πάτρας 241 ναυτίλῳ πλάτῃ 242 κατέσχετ’ 243

mvp-comment-130-2 But

κἀκ ποίας πάτρας
in v. 220 and
ποίας πάτρας
in 222 cannot both be wholly sound. The first
πάτρας
might easily be corrected to
χθονὸς
(with Wecklein). It is slightly more probable, how ever, that the second
πάτρας
arose from the eye glancing back. Thus in Ant. 831 L has
τάκει
(for
τέγγει
), due to
τακομέναν
in 828. In v. 222 we might conjecture
ποίας πόλεως
. (For
πόλεως
in the 2nd place of the senarius, cp. O. T. 630. ) The series of questions in vv. 220— 222 would then correspond with the Homeric
τίς πόθεν ε<*>ς ἀνδρῶν; πόθι τοι πόλις ἠδὲ τοκῆες
; ( Od. 1. 170. )

mvp-comment-131-1 κατέσχετ’ 244

mvp-comment-131-2 222 On the grounds given in n. on 220, I conjecture πόλεως 245 πάτρας 246

mvp-comment-132-1 τύχοιμ’ ἂν εἰπών 247

mvp-comment-132-2 σχῆμα 248 σχῆμα ὑπάρχει 249 Ἑλλάδος στολῆς 250

mvp-comment-133-1 ὄκνῳ 251

mvp-comment-133-2 ἀπηγριωμένον 252

mvp-comment-134-1 κακούμενον 253 καλούμενον 254

mvp-comment-135-1 ἀλλ’ 255

mvp-comment-135-2 ὑμῶν ἁμαρτεῖν τοῦτό γ’ 256 ὑμῶν 257 τοῦτο 258 τοῦτό γ’ 259 τοῦδέ γ’ 260

mvp-comment-136-1 ἀλλ’ 261

mvp-comment-136-2 οὕνεκα 262

mvp-comment-137-1 φεῦ 263

mvp-comment-137-2 τὸ καὶ λαβεῖν 264

mvp-comment-137-3 τοιοῦδ’ ἀνδρὸς 265

mvp-comment-137-4 ἐν χρόνῳ μακρῷ 266

mvp-comment-138-1 προσέσχε 267 προσήγαγεν 268 προσέσχε 269

mvp-comment-139-1 τίς ἀνέμων ὁ φίλτατος 270

mvp-comment-139-2 γέγωνε 271

mvp-comment-139-3 ὅπως εἰδῶ 272

mvp-comment-140-1 γένος 273

mvp-comment-141-1 Σκύρου 274

mvp-comment-142-1 Νεοπτόλεμος 275 οἶσθα δὴ τὸ πᾶν 276

mvp-comment-143-1 ὦ φίλης χθονός 277 παῖ 278

mvp-comment-144-1 θρέμμα Λυκομήδους 279 στόλῳ 280 προσέσχες … γῆν 281

mvp-comment-145-1 ἐξ Ἰλίου τοι δὴ 282 τοι 283 δὴ 284 τοι δὴ 285 )γὼ δὴ 286

mvp-comment-146-1 οὐ γὰρ δὴ σύ γ’ 287 κατ’ ἀρχὴν τοῦ … στόλου 288

mvp-comment-147-1 ἦ γὰρ 289

mvp-comment-147-2 πόνου 290

mvp-comment-148-1 οὐ γὰρ 291

mvp-comment-148-2 οἶσθα κάτοιδ’ 292

mvp-comment-148-3 πῶς … κάτοιδ’ 293

mvp-comment-149-1 ὄνοὐ ἄῤ 294 οὐ τοὔνομ’ 295 οὐδ’ 296

mvp-comment-149-2 διωλλύμην 297

mvp-comment-150-1 ἴσθι με ὡς μηδὲν εἰδότ’ 298 ὡς 299 μηδὲν 300 ὡς 301

mvp-comment-151-1 πόλλ’ 302

mvp-comment-151-2 πικρὸς 303 στυγνὸς 304

mvp-comment-152-1 οὗ μηδὲ 305

mvp-comment-152-2 οἴκαδε 306 μηδ’ Ἑλλάδος γῆς μηδαμοῦ 307 ὧδ’ ἔχοντος 308

mvp-comment-152-3 μηδαμοῦ 309

mvp-comment-152-4 πω 310 που 311 πω 312 που 313

mvp-comment-153-1 σῖγ’ ἔχοντες 314

mvp-comment-153-2 τέθηλε 315

mvp-comment-153-3 κἀπὶ μεῖζον ἔρχεται 316

mvp-comment-154-1 ἐξ 317

mvp-comment-154-2 ὅδ’ εἴμ’ ἐγώ σοι 318 κεῖνος 319 κλύεις 320

mvp-comment-154-3 τῶν Ἡρ 321 ὅπλων 322

mvp-comment-154-4 δεσπότην 323

mvp-comment-155-1 ὃν οἱ 324

mvp-comment-155-2 χὡ Κεφαλλήνων ἄναξ 325

mvp-comment-156-1 ἀγρίᾳ 326 ἀγρίῳ 327 φοινίῳ 328 ἔρημον 329

mvp-comment-157-1 τῆς … ἐχίδνης 330 χαράγματι 331

mvp-comment-158-1 ξὺν ᾗ 332

mvp-comment-158-2 ᾤχοντ’ 333 ἔρημον 334

mvp-comment-158-3 τῆς ποντίας Χρύσης 335 κατέσχον 336

mvp-comment-159-1 ἄσμενοι 337 ἄσμενον 338

mvp-comment-159-2 ἐκ πολλοῦ σάλου 339

mvp-comment-159-3 κατηρεφεῖ 340

mvp-comment-159-4 πέτρᾳ 341 πέτρῳ 342

mvp-comment-160-1 οἷα 343 φωτὶ δυσμόρῳ 344

mvp-comment-161-1 καί τι καὶ 345

mvp-comment-161-2 βορᾶς 346

mvp-comment-161-3 οἷ’ αὐτοῖς τύχοι 347

mvp-comment-162-1 σὺ δὴ 348

mvp-comment-162-2 ἀνάστασιν 349 στῆναι 350

mvp-comment-163-1 ποἶ ἐκδακρῦσαι 351

mvp-comment-163-2 ποἶ ἀποιμῶξαι κακά 352

mvp-comment-164-1 ὁρῶντα 353

mvp-comment-165-1 οὐχ 354 ὅστις ἀρκέσειεν 355

mvp-comment-165-2 The origin of this use of the optative is disputed. (1) According to one view, it is an extension of the deliberative use. From the direct question,

τίς ἀρκέσῃ
; comes the indirect
ἀπορῶ ὅστις ἀρκέσῃ
: and, after a secondary tense,
ἠπόρουν ὅστις ἀρκέσειεν
. ( H. 7. 4. 39
ἠπόρει ὅ τι χρήσαιτο τῷ πράγματι
.) In
οὐδένα εἶχον ὅστις ἀρκέσειεν
the interrogative sense of
ὅστις
has passed into a purely relative sense, and the clause has become final. For this view, see Sidgwick A. in Classical Review, vol. v. p. 148, 1891. (2) Others hold that this optative is simply a potential, equivalent to the optative with
ἄν
. Prof. W. G. Hale, after a full discussion, decides for this view: see Transactions of American Phil. Assoc., vol. XXIV. pp. 156—205, 1894.

mvp-comment-165-3 νόσου κάμνοντι συλλάβοιτο 356

mvp-comment-165-4 πάντα δὲ σκοπῶν 357

mvp-comment-166-1 πλὴν ἀνιᾶσθαι 358 παρόν 359

mvp-comment-166-2 εὐμάρειαν 360 τούτου δὲ 361

mvp-comment-167-1 ὁ μὲν χρόνος δὴ διὰ χρόνου 362 διὰ χρόνου 363 ὁ χρόνος προὔβαινέ μοι 364 διὰ χρόνου 365 προὔβαινε 366

mvp-comment-168-1 κἄδει τι 367 τι 368 ἔδει 369 βαιᾷ 370

mvp-comment-168-2 διακονεῖσθαι 371

mvp-comment-169-1 ὑποπτέρους 372

mvp-comment-170-1 ὅ μοι βάλοι 373

mvp-comment-170-2 νευροσπαδὴς 374

mvp-comment-170-3 ἄτρακτος 375

mvp-comment-170-4 αὐτὸς 376

mvp-comment-171-1 εἰλυόμην 377

mvp-comment-171-2 ἂν 378

mvp-comment-171-3 δύστηνον 379

mvp-comment-171-4 ἐξέλκων 380

mvp-comment-171-5 πρὸς τοῦτ ἄν 381

mvp-comment-172-1 πάγου χυθέντος 382

mvp-comment-172-2 οἷα 383

mvp-comment-172-3 ξύλον τι 384 ἄν 385

mvp-comment-173-1 ἐν πέτροισι πέτρον 386

mvp-comment-173-2 ἐκτρίβων 387 ἐκτρίβων 388

mvp-comment-173-3 ἔφην’ ἄφαντον φῶς 389

mvp-comment-173-4 ἄφαντον 390

mvp-comment-174-1 οἰκουμένη γὰρ οὖν 391

mvp-comment-174-2 ἐμέ 392

mvp-comment-175-1 φέρε … μάθῃς 393

mvp-comment-175-2 Several recent editors (see cr. n.) cut the knot by reading μάθε 394 μάθε 395 μάθῃς 396 κἂν … μάθοις 397 κἂν 398 καὶ 399 μάθοις 400 μάθῃς 401

mvp-comment-175-3 τὸ τῆς νήσου 402 τὰ 403

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

101. mvp-comment-75-1 λέγω σ] 'I repeat that you must.' λέγω resumes the force of ἄνωγας. Odysseus repeats his first command.

104. mvp-comment-76-1 Join οὕτως with δεινόν. ἰσχύος θράσος] · Boldness consisting in strength; i.e. an emboldening strength. Cp. Thuc. 5. 14, οὐκ ἔχοντες τὴν ἐλπίδα τῆς ῥώμης πιστὴν ἔτι.

106. mvp-comment-77-1 θρασύ] i. e. θαρσάλεον, ἄνευ φόβου. Cp. Pind. Nem. 7. 50, θρασύ μοι τόδ' εἰπεῖν,

110. mvp-comment-78-1 πῶς.. βλέπων] 'With what countenance?' i. e. How shall I look him in the face while saying it? Cp. О. Т. 1371, ἐγὼ γὰρ οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὄμμασιν ποίοις βλέπων, κ.τ.λ. λακεῖν] This is a more curious, but also a more forcible reading than λαλεῖν, expressing Neoptolemus' abhorrence of the sound of a lie.

112. mvp-comment-79-1 There is a certain inconsistency (as Cavallin remarks) in Neoptolemus' ignorance of that which in l.69 Odysseus had mentioned as well known. We must imagine him to have been passive hitherto, and only now to have his attention roused to the object that is to work on his ambition. This makes the change of mind in him more conceivable.

113-115. mvp-comment-80-1 Odysseus speaks of the bow, but not of Philoctetes' share in the victory.

116. mvp-comment-81-1 οὖν, the Triclinian reading, is possibly right. Some change from the reading of L is necessary. Hermann read, as in the text, θηρατέ᾽ ἄν, explaining the second ἄν as belonging to εἴπερ, κ.τ.λ., -in other words, as emphasizing Neoptolemus' hesitation and doubtfulness.

117. mvp-comment-82-1 δύο .. δωρήματα] Cp. El. 1088, δύο φέρειν ἐν ἑνὶ λόγῳ, σόφα τ' ἀρίστα τε παῖς κεκλῆσθαι.

119. mvp-comment-83-1 αὑτός] This seems better here than αὐτός, ‘In your own person.' But cp. Ο. Τ. 458, ἀδελφὸς αὐτὸς καὶ πατήρ, i. e. Your taking Troy will be a proof of bravery, and your having first obtained the bow, of wisdom.

122. mvp-comment-84-1 Neoptolemus makes the decision with sudden impulsiveness, and having once taken his course, continues it with apparent firmness to infr. 810.

125. mvp-comment-85-1 τὸν σκοπόν] The attendant who has been set to watch for Philoctetes, supr. 45. This guard is no longer necessary when Odysseus withdraws.

126-127. mvp-comment-86-1 ἐάν μοι.. κατασχολάζειν] If I find at all that you are wasting time.' τοῦ χρόνου τι is put by λιτότης for τὸν χρόνον ας τούτων τι for ταῦτα in Ant. 35, and κατασχολάζειν is used actively like other compounds of κατά, e.g. καταρ γυροῦν, κατοκνεῖν, καταστασιάζειν, καταυλεῖν, καταστρατηγεῖν, κατασιωπᾶν, καταληρεῖν, κατακερδαίνειν, καταδαπανᾶν.

128-129. mvp-comment-87-1 ναυκλήρου τρόποις .. προσῇ] Having craftily disguised him after the fashion of a sea-captain, that he may not be known.' Cp. El. 654, Trach. 350.

130. mvp-comment-88-1 From whose mouth, my son, I pray thee, as he utters cunningly-devised words, thou shalt be ready to take whatever in his speech from time to time is profitable.' 'The genitive οὗ is (a) genitive after δέχου, (b) after λόγων, (c) genitive absolute. αὐδᾶσθαι is mid. not passive here and in Aj. 772. δέχεσθαι implies attentive expectation.

132. mvp-comment-89-1 σοὶ παρεὶς τάδε] · Leaving matters here under thy charge.'

133. mvp-comment-90-1 'But may secret Hermes,' (1) 'the conductor,' or (2), 'who speeds us hither, be our good guide, and Athena, protectress of cities, goddess of Victory, she who is evermore my saviour.' Cp. Od. 13. 300, ἥτε τοι αἰὲν | ἐν πάντεσσι πόνοισι παρίσταμαι ἠδὲ φυλάσσω: Αj. 14 foll., ib. 34, 5, πάντα γὰρ .. σῇ κυβερνῶμαι χερί. For Νίκη ᾿Αθάνα, cp. Eur. Ion 1529. The goddess of cities is rightly invoked by Odysseus, whose motive is the public good. For the general meaning of ὁ πέμπων = ὁ πομπός, in (1), see Essay on L. § 32. p. 55, 4.

135-218. mvp-comment-91-1 We have here a commatic parados (cp. El., O. C.), in which Neoptolemus responds in anapaests to lyric measures chanted apparently by single members of the Chorus, as they take their places in the orchestra. Their entrance must be subsequent to l. 134, for the conversation in ll. 50 foll. would lose its effect if Odysseus and Philoctetes were not alone. The anapaests of Neoptolemus and l. 161, chanted by the coryphaeus, accompany movements of the Chorus, who at l. 169 have already taken up their position. The metres of the lyric part are as follows:- α΄. Glyc. β'. Glyc. γ. Glyc. It is evident that the lyric strains were accompanied with gesticulation, especially in στρ. and ἀντ. γ'. The fact that the Chorus at entering have some knowledge of that which has just been made known upon the stage, is not a sufficient reason for supposing them to have been present during any part of the previous scene. Similarly, in the O. T. the Chorus have been gathered by the news of the arrival of Creon from Delphi, which happens in the midst of the prologos, l. 87; and in the Ajax, the mariners speak of the slanders of Ulysses, which could only be disseminated after his exit. It is best, therefore, to suppose, as above, that the Chorus enter as usual after the prologos, and that the first strophe is begun as soon as they are well within hearing of the stage. The whole passage is meant to interest the spectator in Philoctetes, and to prepare for the effect to be produced by his entrance, infr. 219. Cp. Aj. 201-332.

135. mvp-comment-92-1 The correction of this line by Triclinius has been retained by most editors.

136. mvp-comment-93-1 στέγειν] 'To keep close.' Cp. Ο. Τ. 341, κἂν ἐγὼ σιγῇ στέγω. πρὸς ἄνδρ᾽ ὑπόπταν ἁποπταν] 'In my intercourse with one who is full of suspicion.' They feel that he must have been made so by ill-treatment and solitude.

138. mvp-comment-94-1 τέχνα . . ἀνάσσεται] ‘For the skill and wisdom of him who holds the sceptre divine given by Zeus surpasses that of another.' Cp. O. T. 380, καὶ τέχνη τέχνης | ὑπερφέρουσα: ib. 398, γνώμῃ κυρήσας, where τέχνη and γνώμη are used of practical wisdom. The reading γνώμας is probably due to an interlinear explanation of γνώμα.

139. mvp-comment-95-1 γνώμα] γνώμασ γνώμας γνώμα παρ᾿ ὅτῳ] Sc. παρ' ἐκείνῳ, παρ᾿ ᾧ (or simply ᾧ).

140. mvp-comment-96-1 For σκῆπτρον ἀνάσσεται ἀνά·::· σσεται ἀνάσσεται, cp. Ο. C. 449, σκῆπτρα κραίνειν. The expression Διὸς σκῆπτρον recalls the monarchical feeling of heroic times.

141. mvp-comment-97-1 σὲ δ᾽ ὦ Wunder and others have conjectured σοί, which agrees better with the antistrophe (l. 156); but the Attic accusative is more expressive = Hath descended on thee,' viz. through the death of Achilles. τόδ'.. ὠγύγιον] This absolute power with immemorial right.'

142. mvp-comment-98-1 πᾶν is intensive, as often in composition: cp. πᾶσα ἀνάγκη, and similar expressions. See especially Plat. Legg. 6. 762 C, ἢ πάσης τινὸς ἀνάγκης ἐμπεσούσης. ὠγύγιον is attributive, not predicative. See Essay on L. § 23. p. 38. τό] 'Wherefore.' Epicè. Cp. Il. 17. 404, τό μιν οὔποτε ἔλπετο θυμῷ | τεθνάμεν. See Essay on L. § 21. 3, p. 32. ἔννεπε] ἔννεπε(ν?) ἔννεπε

143. mvp-comment-99-1 ὑπουργεῖν υπουργεῖν

144-146. mvp-comment-100-1 νῦν.. θαρσών] Some editors insert a comma after μέν, but although νῦν is not to be separated from δέρκου, it belongs to both clauses. Cp. infr. 1020, 1, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ γὰρ οὐδὲν θεοὶ νέμουσιν ἡδύ μοι, κ.τ.λ., where a comma after ἀλλ' would be obviously inconvenient. τόπον . . ὅντινα κεῖται] 'What place he makes his lair.' The relative follows the case of τόπον, which is accusative after προσιδεῖν. But the construction of ὅντινα κεῖται may also be explained as cognate, like αὐτάρκη θέσιν κειμένη in Thuc. 1. 37. ἐσχατιαῖς] Cp. Od. 9. 182, ἐπ᾿ ἐσχατιῇ σπέος εἴδομεν ἄγχι θαλάσσης. The dative of place is perhaps assisted by the neighbourhood of πρός in προσιδεῖν (Essay on L. § 54. p. 99. and also p. 62). For the plural, cp. τρόποις, supr. 128: infr. 153, αὐλάς: Pind. Isthm. 6. 12, ἐσχατιαῖς ἤδη πρὸς ὄλβου.

147. mvp-comment-101-1 δεινός] Dread,' reflecting the impression produced on Neoptolemus by 75, 6, 105, and the timid expressions of the Chorus in 135 foll. Philoctetes is terrible because of his bow, and the fear of him is enhanced by the mystery of his solitude.

147-148. mvp-comment-102-1 ὁδίτης] Cp. supr. 43, 4, infr. 162, 3. τῶνδ᾽ ἐκ μελάθρων] Who inhabits here.' Sc. ὁρμώμενος. The form of expression is suggested by the verbal notion in ὁδίτης. Some, including the διορθωτής of L, have wrongly connected τ. ἐ. μ. with προχωρῶν, Avoiding this habitation.' τῶν μελάθρων ἀποστάς, Schol. For μέλαθρον of the cave, cp infr. 1262, ἀμείψας τάσδε πετρήρεις στέγας. πρὸς ἐμὴν.. χεῖρα] ‘At my hand;' i. e. At the signals which I shall give, as to a hound in approaching game. Cp. infr. 865, and note; also Aesch. Suppl. 507, καὶ δή σφε λείπω χειρὶ καὶ λόγοις σέθεν (' At your signal and behest').

149. mvp-comment-103-1 τὸ παρὸν θεραπεύειν] (1) Το meet each occasion duly.' Cp. Thuc. 3.56, τὸ δὲ ξυμφέρον μᾶλλον θεραπεύοντες: Εl. 1305, 6, οὐ γὰρ ἂν καλῶς | ὑπηρετοίην τῷ παρόντι δαίμονι. Or rather, (2) To do the service immediately required.'

150. mvp-comment-104-1 The MS. reading here has two syllables too many. Hermann dropped μέλον and retained τὸ σόν, connecting πάλαι with the verbal notion in μέλημα. But it is more probable that τὸ σόν is a mistaken gloss on ὄμμα. μοι] om.

151. mvp-comment-105-1 φρουρεῖν . . καιρῷ] 'That I should fix a watchful glance on what is most opportune for thee.' For the use of the adverb in σῷ μ. καιρῷ τῷ μάλιστα ἐν καιρῷ ὄντι σοί, see Essay on L. § 24. p. 41. And for φρουρεῖν ὄμμα, cp. Τr. 914, κἀγὼ λαθραῖον ὄμμ᾽ ἐπεσκιασμένη | φρούρουν (where ὄμμα has the verbal meaning and in part at least depends on φρούρουν).

153. mvp-comment-106-1 αὐλὰς .. ἔχει] What home does he inhabit, and where is the place of his abode?' The Chorus, through the coryphaeus, ask two questions in one. Neoptolemus replies to either separately.

157. mvp-comment-107-1 τίς τόπος, ἢ τίς ἕδρα] Sc. ἐστὴν αὐτῷ. στίβον] Cp. supr. 29.

159-161. mvp-comment-108-1 These lines break the antistrophic effect. Cp O C. 197 foll., El. 1403-5, and notes.

159. mvp-comment-109-1 οἶκον.. κοίτης] 'Thou seest the home with a door either way where he makes his bed upon the rock.' For the genitive, see Essay on L. § 10. p. 15.

160. mvp-comment-110-1 The coryphaeus, with one or more of the other choreutae, has mounted to the stage during the recitation of 144-9. He advances further while his companion recites 150-8, and Neoptolemus points out the cave to him. He turns to Neoptolemus with this question and then rejoins his comrades. While Neoptolemus recites 162-68, the Chorus take up their regular position in the orchestra in front of the stage.

161. mvp-comment-111-1 ὁ τλήμων] This expression is prompted by the sight of Philoctetes' 'homeless dwelling-place.'

163. mvp-comment-112-1 στίβον ὀγμεύει] • He tracks his way.' The metaphor is taken from ploughing, and expresses the difficult motion of the lame man dragging his foot, and as it were harrowing the ground. For ὄγμος, ‘A furrow, cp. Il. 18. 546, Archil. 115. τόνδε πέλας που] 'This way, somewhere not far off.' With τόνδε Neoptolemus points to the way which Philoctetes must have taken. In πέλας he echoes what Odysseus had said in 41.

166. mvp-comment-113-1 στυγερὸν στυγερώς] The gloss ἐπιπόνως, compared with Hesych. σμυγερών : ἐπίπονον, οἰκτρών, μοχθηρόν, σμυγερῶς: ἐπιπόνως, certainly favours Brunck's emendation, σμυγερὸν σμυγε- ρῶς. But σμυγερός occurs nowhere else in Tragedy, μογερός being the form regularly used. And in iterative phrases like μόνος μόνοις, Αj. 467 : καινῷ καινὸν ἐν πεπλώματι, Τr. 613, it often happens that both words are not equally significant. Neoptolemus, in his horror of the solitary life, may also feel beforehand a natural horror of the solitary man. Philoctetes himself apprehends this, infr. 225, 6, καὶ μή μ᾿ ὀκνῳ | δείσαντες ἐκπλαγῆτ᾽ ἀπηγριωμένον. Cp. Od. 13. 399, 400, ἀμφὶ δὲ λαίφος | ἕσσω, ὅ κεν στυγέῃσιν ἰδῶν ἄνθρωπος ἔχοντα: ib. 11. 81, νῶῖ μὲν ὡς ἐπέεσσιν ἀμειβομένω στυγεροῖσιν | ἥμεθα.

167-168. mvp-comment-114-1 οὐδέ τιν᾿ αὐτῷ . . ἐπινωμᾶν] (1) Nor brings to his relief any healer of his woe;' so the Scholiast: i.e. 'No healer comes to him.' See E. on L. §30. p. 52, d. Or (2) reading αὑτῷ. • Nor does any healer of his woes approach him. But there is no clear instance in early Greek of νωμᾶν being used absolutely = To move.' See note on infr. 717. (3) Linwood prefers, 'Nor does any man bring him a healer.'

169. mvp-comment-115-1 ὅπως] As after θαυμάζω.

170. mvp-comment-116-1 The reading of the first hand of L, τοὺς κηδομένους, admits of a possible construction with ἔχων, but is probably an error arising from the change of construction.

171. mvp-comment-117-1 μηδὲ σύντροφον ὄμμα] Nor any soul to live with him.' ὄμμα is the act of eye meeting eye, and so is transferred to the object of affectionate intercourse. See E. on L. § 54, a. p. 99. σύντροφον, i. e. Partaking of the same circumstances and means of life.' For μή, see E. on L. p. 48, 2, 6.

173. mvp-comment-118-1 ἀγρίαν] 'Cruel,' 'intractable.' The disease is personified, as elsewhere throughout the play. There may also be an association from the medical use of the word as applied to a wound 'Angry.' See L. and S.s. v. ἄγριος, II. 4.

174. mvp-comment-119-1 ἀλύει . . ἱσταμένῳ] And is distracted at each need, as it arises.' τῳ, 'Whatever it be,' is better than τῷ, for the article would come awkwardly at the end of the line.

176. mvp-comment-120-1 ὦ παλάμαι θνητῶν] 'O strange devices of men,' that can produce such misery. Hermann and others have defended the long syllable here. But Lachmann's conjecture, θεῶν, has been widely accepted. Cp. Pind. Ol. 11. 21, θεοῦ σὺν παλάμᾳ : Pyth. 1. 48, εὑρίσκοντο θεῶν παλάμαις τιμάν: Nem. 10. 65, καὶ πάθον δεινὸν παλάμαις Ἀφαρητίδαι Διός. The Scholiast and others interpret ὦ παλάμαι θνητῶν as said in admiration of the power of resource shown by Philoctetes.

178. mvp-comment-121-1 οἷς μὴ μέτριος αἰών] Το whom life is not tolerable.' Cp. Ant. 582, εὐδαίμονες οἷσι κακῶν ἄγευστος αἰών: ib. 584, 5, ἄτας οὐδὲν ἐλλείπει γενεᾶς ἐπὶ πλῆθος ἕρπον. It is assumed that misfortune runs in families. Others take μέτριος αἰών to be the life that is 'seated in the mean,' as if all who rose to distinction must be unfortunate. But the lot of Philoctetes in receiving the bow of Heracles is not alluded to here, and without this such a statement of the doctrine of Νέμεσις would be too crude.

180. mvp-comment-122-1 πρωτογόνων . . ὕστερος] Inferior to no man of noblest family." ἥκων is a curious variant in some MSS. of Suidas. Cp. Aj. 636. ἴσως] 'I imagine.' The Scyriote sailors know of Philoctetes only by report. πρωτογόνων οἴκων is partitive gen. with οὐδενός.

181. mvp-comment-123-1 ἐν βίῳ is joined with κεῖται, as if it were κείται ἐν βίῳ πάντων ἀμμόρῳ.

183. mvp-comment-124-1 μοῦνος ἀπ' ἄλλων] Hom. H. Merc. 193, ὁ δὲ ταῦρος ἐβόσκετο μοῦνος ἀπ᾿ ἄλλων. This line responds in meaning as well as metre to l. 172.

184. mvp-comment-125-1 στικτῶν] As the deer. λασίων] As the wolf and boar.

185. mvp-comment-126-1 ἔν τ᾽ ὀδύναις.. οἰκτρός] 'Pitiable for the hunger and also for the pain in which he lives.' For the addition of ἐν, see Essay on L. § 19, 1. p. 27.

186. mvp-comment-127-1 ἀνήκεστα.. *βάρει] 'Thoughts irremediable in their oppressive weight.' The dative appears to drag a little, but affords the simplest and best emendation of a corrupt place. Others read βάρη.

187. mvp-comment-128-1 ὁ δ᾽ ἀθυρόστομος,] For the article, cp. O. C. 670 2, ἔνθ' | ἁ λίγεια .. ἀηδών. For ἀθυρόστομος, ‘Irrepressible,' cp. ἀθυρόγλωσσος, Eur. Or. 903, and Theogn. 421, πολλοῖς ἀνθρώπων γλώσσῃ θύραι οὐκ ἐπίκεινται | ἁρμόδιαι. Echo is personified, as in Ar. Thesm. 1059.

189. mvp-comment-129-1 τηλεφανής] 'Coming from afar.' Cp. infr. 202, προὐφάνη κτύπος: 216, τηλωπὸν ἰωάν.

189-190. mvp-comment-130-1 πικρᾶς.. ὑπόκειται ὑπὸ κειται ὑπόκειται ὑποκεῖται] ὑπόκειται, if genuine, means, Lies close to,' i. e. Keeps following upon.' Cp. Plat. Gorg. 465 Α, τῇ μὲν οὖν ἰατρικῇ.. ἡ ὀψοποιικὴ κολακεία ὑπόκειται. Brunck conjectured ὑπακούει, ' Answers,' as it were a summons. Hermann, ὕπ᾿ ὀχεῖται. And ἐποχεῖται seems possible, though too uncertain an emendation to be admitted into the text.

192. mvp-comment-131-1 θεῖα is predicative. Ant. 593.

193. mvp-comment-132-1 τὰ παθήματα κεῖνα] 'His troubles in that former time.'

194. mvp-comment-133-1 τῆς ὠμόφρονος Χρύσης] Genitive of the cause. It was the nymph Chrysa, whose shrine was guarded by the serpent who bit Philoctetes. Sophocles conceives of the offence as accidental: infr. 1326, 7.

195-196. mvp-comment-134-1 καὶ νῦν . . μελέτῃ] Sc. πονεῖ. Neoptolemus here shows himself better informed than supr. 112, where Odysseus in his reply does not say more than that the bow of Philoctetes is necessary for the taking of Troy. Cp. also infr. 1326 foll. See Introd. p. 363.

197. mvp-comment-135-1 τοῦ = ἕνεκα τοῦ, explaining μελέτῃ. Cp. Thuc. 1. 23, τὰς αἰτίας προέγραψα πρῶτον καὶ τὰς διαφοράς, τοῦ μή τινα ζητῆσαί ποτε ἐξ ὅτου τοσοῦτος πόλεμος τοῖς Ἕλλησι κατέστη.

197-200. mvp-comment-136-1 Ср. О. C. 1405 foll., and for ὅδε.., supr. 87.

198. mvp-comment-137-1 τὰ θεῶν] “The divine.' Cp. Ant. 607, θεῶν μῆνες, and note. The bow of Heracles, now himself a god, was an instrument of the divine purposes.

201. mvp-comment-138-1 εὔστομ᾽ ἔχε] 'Speak no rash words.' Cp. Hdt. 2. 171, καὶ ταύτης εἰδότι μοι πέρι εὔστομα κείσθω: infr. 258, γελῶσι σῖγ᾽ ἔχοντες. For the metre of 201, 210, cp. Aj. 905, 951. In the present case the pause is probably in the fourth foot, thus:-

204. mvp-comment-139-1 σύντροφος] 'Habitual.' A cry which tells of misery in the being from whose breast it issues.

206. mvp-comment-140-1 ἐτύμα] «Unmistakable.' Expanded in οὐδὲ με λάθει, infr. 208. The cry when repeated leaves no doubt as to the quarter from whence it comes.

207. mvp-comment-141-1 στίβου κατ᾿ ἀνάγκαν ἕρποντος] 'Moving with extreme difficulty of gait.' A similar adverbial expression is καθ' ὁρμήν, infr. 566: cp. Thuc. 7.57, κατὰ ξυμφορὰν ἐμάχοντο. στίβου κατ᾿ ἀνάγκαν = ἀναγκαίῳ στίβῳ. βαρεῖα is not 'deep,' but rather grievous,' causing painful feelings.

208. mvp-comment-142-1 τηλόθεν] Heard from afar.'

209. mvp-comment-143-1 τρυσάνωρ] 'Of a man in pain;' ἀνδρὸς τρυχομένου. For this unusual force of the compound adjective, see Essay on L. § 23. p. 39, S.

211ff. mvp-comment-144-1 There are echoes of the strophe in the words ἔχε, τέκνον, πταίων, ὑπ᾿ ἀνάγκας, τηλωπὸν ἰωάν, προβοᾷ γάρ.

212. mvp-comment-145-1 ἔξεδρος] Cp. Ar. Av. 275, ἔξεδρον χώραν ἔχων, where the phrase is imitated, according to the Scholiast, from the Tyro of Sophocles.

213. mvp-comment-146-1 ἔχων] Cp. Aj. 320 and note: Il. 18. 495, αὐλοὶ φόρμιγγές τε βοὴν ἔχον.

215. mvp-comment-147-1 ὑπ᾿ ἀνάγκας is to be joined with Boᾷ. He cries aloud because of the pain.' The cry is forced from him in stumbling. Not, Stumbling by reason of difficulty, he cries out.'

216. mvp-comment-148-1 ἰωάν] Cp. infr. 219, ἰώ, ξένοι.

217-218. mvp-comment-149-1 ἢ . . αὐγάζων] 'Or eyeing the inhospitable moorage of our ship,' i.e. seeing a vessel moored on so inhospitable a coast. The moorage was only possible because of the S. W. wind, infr. 639, 1450, 1. The transposition of ὅρμον αὐγάζων is a slight change, and secures an exact correspondence of rhythm.

218. mvp-comment-150-1 προβοᾷ] 'Shouts forth' = Sends a shout before him. His cry rings terribly forth. After all this preparation the entrance of Philoctetes has a thrilling effect.

219. mvp-comment-151-1 ἰὼ ξένοι] Cp. the short lines in Aj. 333, 336, 339; Ο. Τ. 1468, 1471, 1475; О. С. 315, 318; Aesch. Ag. 1214, 1315.

220. mvp-comment-152-1 ναυτίλῳ πλάτῃ] The gloss in L2, in which this reading is mixed up with an explanation of πλάτῃ, viz. τῇ κώπῃ, tends to confirm the evidence of A. Cp. Hom. Od. 1. 171, ὁπποίης δ᾽ ἐπὶ νηὸς ἀφίκεο, πῶς δέ σε ναῦται | ἤγαγον εἰς Ἰθάκην ; Fr. 394, ναύκληρον πλάτην.

222. mvp-comment-153-1 The transposition of ὑμᾶς is necessary for the rhythm.

223. mvp-comment-154-1 τύχοιμ᾽ ἂν εἰπών] 'Shall I be right in naming you? Cp. El. 663, ἐπεικάζων κυρῶ, and note.

224. mvp-comment-155-1 This beautiful line is bracketed by Nauck, on the ground that Philoctetes would not be so imprudent as to reveal his Hellenic sympathies at once! ὑπάρχει] 'Is to begin with, i. e. This affords a presumption that ye are Hellenes.

225. mvp-comment-156-1 ὄκνῳ is to be taken with the whole sentence, and not with δείσαντες only.

228. mvp-comment-157-1 * κακούμενον] For the added participle, see Essay on L. § 36, 5. καλούμενον may be explained to mean, 'Imploring you.' So Herm. Cp. infr. 1264, τί μ᾽ ἐκκαλεῖσθε; Aesch. Ch. 216, καὶ τίνα σύνοισθά μοι καλουμένῃ βροτῶν; But the slight correction κακούμενον is on the whole more probable. Cp. infr. 471, ἔρημον ἐν κακοῖσι τοῖσδ᾽, οἷοῖς ὁρᾷς. Many other changes have been proposed, of which Seyffert's, καὶ φίλων τητώμενον, most deserves mention.

230-231. mvp-comment-158-1 'For it is not meet that I should fail to receive this from you or you from me.' The strangers have a claim on Philoctetes as well as he on them.

233. mvp-comment-159-1 τοῦτο .. μαθεῖν] The words of Philoctetes in 222-4 had clearly indicated this desire.

234. mvp-comment-160-1 φώνημα] Cp. supr. φωνήσατ'. No utterance could be more welcome. φεῦ .. μακρῷ] 'Ah me! the bliss of being spoken to by one who is a Greek this once in all that length of time.' φεῦ is not merely the interjection of astonishment, but rather expresses a mingled feeling that is too deep for words, the effect of joy coming in suddenly upon sorrow and weariness. The momentariness of the aor. λαβεῖν is expressive.

235. mvp-comment-161-1 τοιοῦδε] Sc. Ἕλληνος. For the vagueness of this, cp. Aj. 330, οἱ τοιοίδε (sc. οἱ μανικῶς διακείμενοι).

236ff. mvp-comment-162-1 Cp. Pind. Pyth. 4. 70, τίς γὰρ ἀρχὰ δέξατο ναυτιλίας; For the Greek manner of putting first what is last in time, see Essay on L. § 41. p. 78, B, b. The exuberant speech of Philoctetes, in his delight at seeing Greeks after ten years' silence, is well contrasted with the embarrassed reserve of Neoptolemus. Cp. El. 1232 foll. He shows, in the address ὦ τέκνον, that his confidence is already won.

236. mvp-comment-163-1 προσέσχε is causative. See Essay on L. § 53. p. 98. προσήγαγε, 'Drew you this way;' προσέσχε, 'Brought you to the shore.'

237. mvp-comment-164-1 ὁρμή] 'Cause of departure,' nearly = στόλος, infr. 244. τίς ἀνέμων ὁ φίλτατος] 'What wind, of all most dear?' For the extravagant language, cp. Shak. Cymb. 3. 2, 'Say, and speak thick,.. how far it is To this same blessed Milford, and, by the way, Tell me how Wales was made so happy as To inherit such a haven but first of all,' etc.

239. mvp-comment-165-1 Cp. Plat. Soph. 216 A, τὸ μὲν γένος ἐξ Ἐλέας.

240. mvp-comment-166-1 αὐδῶμαι] 'I am named.' Cp. Trach. 1106, ὁ τοῦ κατ᾿ ἄστρα Ζηνὸς αὐδηθεὶς γόνος; Tennyson's Elaine, Whence comest thou, my guest, and by what name Livest between the lips?'

241. mvp-comment-167-1 Some editors prefer οἶσθ᾽ ἤδη. But the emphatic word of time is out of place. οἶσθα δή is simpler and better. There, you know all.'

242. mvp-comment-168-1 φίλης χθονός] The genitive, as τῆς περιρρύτου Σκύρου, supr. 239. In the absence of Achilles, Neoptolemus was brought up in the house of his maternal grandfather Lycomedes, in the island of Scyros, where Deidameia, Lycomedes' daughter, had borne him to Achilles. Scyros was near Euboea and the Melian country, and it is imagined that there had been frequent intercourse between them.

243. mvp-comment-169-1 τίνι στόλῳ] 'On what enterprise or expedition?' Cp. Xen. Anab. 3. 2, ὁ στόλος ἐλέγετο εἶναι εἰς Πισίδας.

245. mvp-comment-170-1 τοι δή] · Well, then, if you wish to know' (δή), 'I tell you' (τοι). Neoptolemus affects surprise at the question.

246-247. mvp-comment-171-1 Surely we had not you with us on board the fleet when we first set out on the expedition to Troy.'

248. mvp-comment-172-1 τοῦδε τοῦ πόνου] ‘This labour, in which I and others have been engaged.' For the pronominal expression, cp. El. 541, ἧς ὁ πλοῦς ὅδ᾽ ἦν χάριν.

249. mvp-comment-173-1 The craving for sympathy, so prominently shown in this and the following lines, is the point in Philoctetes' character which most lays him open to the design of Neoptolemus, and is also most calculated to move his pity and that of the spectators.

250. mvp-comment-174-1 ὅν γ᾽ εἶδον] 'One whom I never yet beheld.' For this use of γε, cp. Εl. 923, πῶς δ᾽ οὐκ ἐγὼ κάτοιδ᾽, ἅ γ᾽ εἶδον ἐμφανῶς;

251. mvp-comment-175-1 οὐδ᾽ ὄνομά *γ'] It is uncertain whether this correction should be admitted (Erf. conjectured οὐδ᾽ ὄνομ᾽ ἄρ᾽) or οὐδ᾽ οὔνομ' should be read from the inferior MSS. The latter is rhythmically smoother, but contains an Ionicism which does not occur elsewhere. The addition of τῶν ἐμῶν with the second word has a pathetic emphasis.

252. mvp-comment-176-1 διωλλύμην] The imperfect means, 'I have been perishing all this while.'

254. mvp-comment-177-1 ὦ.. ἐγώ] Cp. Trach. 1046, 7, ὦ πολλὰ δὴ . . μοχθήσας ἐγώ. πολλά μοχθηρός] Afflicted in many ways, i. e. In more ways than I knew, since to suffer unknown is worse than to suffer. πικρὸς θεοῖς] Abhorred by the gods.' Else they would not permit such misery. πικρός, Utterly offensive.' Cp. Hdt. 7. 35. where Xerxes thus addresses the Hellespont, ὦ πικρὸν ὕδωρ.

255. mvp-comment-178-1 ὧδ᾽ ἔχοντος] This adds a touch of pathos to Philoctetes' complaint. He is not only forgotten, but forgotten in his extreme misery.

255-256. mvp-comment-179-1 οἴκαδε.. Ἑλλάδος γῆς] The thoughts of Philoctetes naturally fly home to Trachis, and he has no desire of his state being known beyond the world of Hellas. For the more particular preceding the more general expression, see E. on L. § 41. p. 78, β, b.

256. mvp-comment-180-1 μηδαμοῦ has been changed to μηδαμοῖ, which may seem to be required by the verb of motion. But the latter form is doubtful, and ἐνταῦθα is similarly used for ἐνταυθοῖ. Cp. Εl. 380, Trach. 1193. που] 'Methinks.' He conjectures, from his case being unknown to Neoptolemus, that it has been heard of nowhere in Hellas, nor, bitterest of all, at his own home.

258. mvp-comment-181-1 Though my name is forgotten, my affliction endures and grows.'

259. mvp-comment-182-1 For κἀπὶ μεῖζον ἔρχεται, cp. Fr. 786, Εl. 1000, κἀπὶ μηδὲν ἔρχεται.

261. mvp-comment-183-1 Know that I whom you behold am he.' The fulness of expression marks the importance of the announcement. Philoctetes still believes that, even if his misfortune is forgotten, he must still be remembered as the possessor of the famous bow. ὃν κλύεις ἴσως] 'Of whom surely you have heard.' For the present tense, cp. Ο. Τ. 305, εἰ καὶ μὴ κλύεις, infr. 591. ἴσως expresses confident assumption.

262. mvp-comment-184-1 τῶν Ἡρ... 263. τοῦ Π... ib. οἱ δ. .. 264. χώ Κ... 266. τῆς ἀ... 269. τῆς π.] These articles show the vividness with which Philoctetes conceives his own situation. So does the emphatic position of οἱ at the end of 263. For this synaphea, cp. Ant. 409.

263. mvp-comment-185-1 Ποίαντος] οι. But οἳ, infr. 461.

264. mvp-comment-186-1 δισσοὶ στρατηγοί] Αj. 49, etc. Κεφαλλήνων] Cp. Il. 2. 631-5, αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς ἦγε Κεφαλλῆνας μεγαθύμους, | οἳ δ' Ἰθάκην εἶχον καὶ Νήριτον εἰνοσίφυλλον, | καὶ Κροκύλει᾽ ἐνέμοντο καὶ Αἰγίλιπα τρηχεῖαν, | οἵ τε Ζάκυνθον ἔχον ἠδ' οἳ Σάμον ἀμφενέμοντο, | οἵ τ᾽ ἤπειρον ἔχον ἠδ᾽ ἀντιπέραι' ἐνέμοντο. The expression here and infr. 791, ὦ ξένε Κεφαλλήν, may have been taken from the Ilias Minor. (Cp. Quint. Smyrn. 5. 429, Κεφαλλήνων βασιλῆϊ.) It is unnecessary to assume, with Buttmann, that Cephallenian was a word of abuse, because the inhabitants of the Western Isles were given to piracy.

266. mvp-comment-187-1 τῆς] Musgrave conjectured τῇδ', which is equally near the MSS. But cp supr. note on 262. Moreover such a direct reference to his present state makes an unpleasing interruption in the description of his original misfortune.

267. mvp-comment-188-1 φοινίῳ] The reading of Eustathius is adopted against the MSS., not because the tautology of ἀγρίᾳ . . ἀγρίῳ is impossible, but because φοινίῳ is the more appropriate epithet, and ἀγρίῳ with ἀγρίᾳ preceding is a natural corruption. Cp. Trach. 770, 1, εἶτα φοινίας | . . ἐχίδνης ἰὸς ὡς ἐδαίνυτο,

268. mvp-comment-189-1 ξὺν ᾗ] Sc. νόσῳ. The relative points to the prior antecedent, the words τῆς . . χαράγματι being epexegetic.

268-269. mvp-comment-190-1 προθέντες.. ᾤχοντ] 'Cast forth and departed.' Cp. Hdt. 1. 112, τοῦτο μὲν φέρων πρόθες. The word implies the helplessness of his condition. 'Thus afflicted was I when they cast me forth here companionless and left me.'

269. mvp-comment-191-1 ἐκ τῆς ποντίας Χρύσης] The island of Chrysa, distinguished by the epithet ποντία from the sea-coast town of that name mentioned in the first Iliad as sacred to Apollo. Cp. Fr. 352, ὦ Λήμνε Χρύσης τ' ἀγχιτέρμονες πάγοι.

270. mvp-comment-192-1 κατέσχον] (1) They had put in.' The whole Achaean fleet is imagined as having been at Chrysa and again at Lemnos. Thus only can this passage be reconciled with the narrative of Odysseus, supr. 4-11. Otherwise (2) it might seem natural to suppose that Philoctetes was the leader of the expedition to Chrysa, and that κατέσχον, like ἐναυστόλουν, infr. 279, was in the first person singular.

271. mvp-comment-193-1 ἄσμενοι .. εἶδον] ‘They saw with delight.' The sleep of Philoctetes favoured their purpose and also relieved them from his crying. ἄσμενον, which Dindorf reads, is not in point. They did not leave him when they saw how glad he was to rest, but when, to their great relief, they saw him asleep. ἐκ πολλοῦ σάλου] (1) 'After much tossing.' He slept the more soundly because of the previous discomfort on-board-ship. (2) Hermann understands these words metaphorically, After my long trouble.'

273. mvp-comment-194-1 οἷα φωτὶ δυσμόρῳ] 'Such as accorded with my wretched state.' Cp. Thuc. 8. 84. οἷα δὴ ναῦται.

274. mvp-comment-195-1 προθέντες] Ср. Ant. 775, φορβῆς τοσοῦτον, ὡς ἄγος, μόνον προθείς.

275. mvp-comment-196-1 οἳ αὐτοῖς τύχοι] 'May the like provision be their own some day!' The Scholiast rightly says καταρᾶται. Cp. infr. 315.

276-277. mvp-comment-197-1 'And when they were gone, you may imagine, my son, to what agony I awoke.'

278. mvp-comment-198-1 ποῖ᾽ ἀποιμώξαι κακά] 'What lamentation do you think I made over my woe?' 'ποῖα hic bis dictum πῶς' (Hermann). Cp. Ο. Τ. 421, ποῖος Κιθαιρών : 1467, κάποκλαύσασθαι κακά.

279. mvp-comment-199-1 Philoctetes naturally looked to see if his own vessels were there.

281-282. mvp-comment-200-1 νόσου κάμνοντι συλλάβοιτο] Cp. Ar. Vesp. 733, σοὶ δὲ νῦν τις θεῶν παρὼν ἐμφανὴς | συλλαμβάνει τοῦ πράγματος. The expression νόσου συλλαμβάνεσθαί τινι is nearly analogous to πόνου συλλ. τινι.

284. mvp-comment-201-1 But of this I found sufficient store, my son:' (more literally, 'Abundant opportunity'). This is said with a bitter smile.

284. mvp-comment-201-2 But of this I found sufficient store, my son:' (more literally, 'Abundant opportunity'). This is said with a bitter smile.

285. mvp-comment-202-1 Well, after a while I found the time advancing.' Cp. Hdt. 3. 140, τοῦ χρόνου προβαίνοντος. διὰ χρόνου implies that a certain interval elapsed before Philoctetes completely realised his situation.

285. mvp-comment-202-2 Well, after a while I found the time advancing.' Cp. Hdt. 3. 140, τοῦ χρόνου προβαίνοντος. διὰ χρόνου implies that a certain interval elapsed before Philoctetes completely realised his situation.

286. mvp-comment-203-1 τι] 'More or less.' For this modest expression, or litotes, cp. Ant. 35, ὃς ἂν τούτων τι δρᾷ. βαιῇ] So the best MSS. But B. and others have βαίᾳ, the more regular form.

286. mvp-comment-203-2 τι] 'More or less.' For this modest expression, or litotes, cp. Ant. 35, ὃς ἂν τούτων τι δρᾷ. βαιῇ] So the best MSS. But B. and others have βαίᾳ, the more regular form.

287. mvp-comment-204-1 διακονεῖσθαι] Το minister to myself.' For this direct middle, see Essay on L. § 31. p. 52.

287. mvp-comment-204-2 διακονεῖσθαι] Το minister to myself.' For this direct middle, see Essay on L. § 31. p. 52.

288. mvp-comment-205-1 ἐξεύρισκε 'Procured.' Cp. Trach. 25, μή μοι τὸ κάλλος ἄλγος ἐξεύροι ποτέ.

288. mvp-comment-205-2 ἐξεύρισκε 'Procured.' Cp. Trach. 25, μή μοι τὸ κάλλος ἄλγος ἐξεύροι ποτέ.

289. mvp-comment-206-1 For τοῦτο used of a general antecedent, cp. Ant. 709, οὗτοι, κ.τ.λ.

289. mvp-comment-206-2 For τοῦτο used of a general antecedent, cp. Ant. 709, οὗτοι, κ.τ.λ.

290. mvp-comment-207-1 νευροσπαδὴς ἄτρακτος] · The shaft drawn back with the string,' i. e. The arrow from my bow.

290. mvp-comment-207-2 νευροσπαδὴς ἄτρακτος] · The shaft drawn back with the string,' i. e. The arrow from my bow.

291. mvp-comment-208-1 δύστηνος] Schaefer and Hermann defend δύστηνος on the ground that τάλας is a mere exclamation and δύστηνος a predicate. I myself (unhappy one!) would writhe distressfully dragging my foot up to this.' And the broken language suits the situation well. But Canter's conjecture, δύστηνον, is not improbable. Cp. infr. 1377, τῷδε δυστήνῳ ποδί. εἰλύομαι describes a wriggling, uneven motion, like that of a worm.

291. mvp-comment-208-2 δύστηνος] Schaefer and Hermann defend δύστηνος on the ground that τάλας is a mere exclamation and δύστηνος a predicate. I myself (unhappy one!) would writhe distressfully dragging my foot up to this.' And the broken language suits the situation well. But Canter's conjecture, δύστηνον, is not improbable. Cp. infr. 1377, τῷδε δυστήνῳ ποδί. εἰλύομαι describes a wriggling, uneven motion, like that of a worm.

292. mvp-comment-209-1 πρὸς τοῦτ᾽ ἄν] This resumption is in keeping with the somewhat disjointed tenour of the whole speech, and the 'dragging phrase' has also a descriptive effect. ἄν here and in ll. 290, 294, 295, indicates that which happened repeatedly, and therefore might be expected to happen on any particular occasion. Cp. Hdt. 3. 19; 4. 128, 130. εἴ τ᾽ ἔδει] ‘Or if there was need to get some fresh water.' Bergk (with L²) altered εἴ τ' τo εἶτ' (cp. 295), but this introduces an awkward asyndeton at ταῦτ᾽ ἄν in 294.

292. mvp-comment-209-2 πρὸς τοῦτ᾽ ἄν] This resumption is in keeping with the somewhat disjointed tenour of the whole speech, and the 'dragging phrase' has also a descriptive effect. ἄν here and in ll. 290, 294, 295, indicates that which happened repeatedly, and therefore might be expected to happen on any particular occasion. Cp. Hdt. 3. 19; 4. 128, 130. εἴ τ᾽ ἔδει] ‘Or if there was need to get some fresh water.' Bergk (with L²) altered εἴ τ' τo εἶτ' (cp. 295), but this introduces an awkward asyndeton at ταῦτ᾽ ἄν in 294.

293. mvp-comment-210-1 καί που] ‘And perchance.' πάγου χυθέντος] This circumstance suggests not only the necessity of gathering wood, but the discomfort of doing so.

293. mvp-comment-210-2 καί που] ‘And perchance.' πάγου χυθέντος] This circumstance suggests not only the necessity of gathering wood, but the discomfort of doing so.

294. mvp-comment-211-1 θραῦσαι] ‘Το break.' Philoctetes had no axe or other implement and must break the firewood with his hands. He could not do much of this at one time, and hence might well be overtaken by the want of firewood in a time of frost. Nor could he afford much fire. Infr. 297, and note.

294. mvp-comment-211-2 θραῦσαι] ‘Το break.' Philoctetes had no axe or other implement and must break the firewood with his hands. He could not do much of this at one time, and hence might well be overtaken by the want of firewood in a time of frost. Nor could he afford much fire. Infr. 297, and note.

295. mvp-comment-212-1 εἶτα .. παρῆν] 'And then (when I had got the wood) there would be no fire (to kindle it with).' ἄν is still descriptive, not inferential (as if ἀλλά were εἰ μή).

295. mvp-comment-212-2 εἶτα .. παρῆν] 'And then (when I had got the wood) there would be no fire (to kindle it with).' ἄν is still descriptive, not inferential (as if ἀλλά were εἰ μή).

296. mvp-comment-213-1 ἐκτρίβων] Seyffert defends ἐκθλίβων (see v. rr). But although this is the less obvious word, it is also less descriptive of a lengthened process. And the use of θλίβω is more frequent in later Greek. The compound with ἐκ denotes more effort than the simple verb. μόλις is to be joined with ἔφηνα.

296. mvp-comment-213-2 ἐκτρίβων] Seyffert defends ἐκθλίβων (see v. rr). But although this is the less obvious word, it is also less descriptive of a lengthened process. And the use of θλίβω is more frequent in later Greek. The compound with ἐκ denotes more effort than the simple verb. μόλις is to be joined with ἔφηνα.

297. mvp-comment-214-1 ἔφην'] The aorist here denotes a momentary action in uncertain time, viz. whenever the need arose. ἄφαντον has been taken to mean simply 'hidden,' and Wakefield compared Virg. Georg. 1.155, 'ut silicis venis abstrusum excuderet ignem.' 'I produced the hidden light.' But the verbal opposition ἔφην' ἄφαντον is then without much point. Either (1) (α = δυσ-) 'I made appear the light that would not appear, i. e. That seemed as if it would never kindle;' or, rather, (2) 'I lighted a dim spark.' Ср. infr. 534, ἄοικον εἰσοίκησιν. The fire was but a poor business, a makeshift for a fire. The words then indicate either (1) the difficulty of kindling the fire, or (2) the smallness of the fire when kindled.

297. mvp-comment-214-2 ἔφην'] The aorist here denotes a momentary action in uncertain time, viz. whenever the need arose. ἄφαντον has been taken to mean simply 'hidden,' and Wakefield compared Virg. Georg. 1.155, 'ut silicis venis abstrusum excuderet ignem.' 'I produced the hidden light.' But the verbal opposition ἔφην' ἄφαντον is then without much point. Either (1) (α = δυσ-) 'I made appear the light that would not appear, i. e. That seemed as if it would never kindle;' or, rather, (2) 'I lighted a dim spark.' Ср. infr. 534, ἄοικον εἰσοίκησιν. The fire was but a poor business, a makeshift for a fire. The words then indicate either (1) the difficulty of kindling the fire, or (2) the smallness of the fire when kindled.

298. mvp-comment-215-1 Philoctetes here states his own experience. It is unnecessary to suppose, with some editors, that he is making a general observation.

298. mvp-comment-215-2 Philoctetes here states his own experience. It is unnecessary to suppose, with some editors, that he is making a general observation.

300ff. mvp-comment-216-1 Neoptolemus as a Greek (234), a neighbour (242), and above all as the son of Achilles (260), has completely won the confidence of Philoctetes, whose misery and isolation, while embittering his sense of wrong, have left unimpaired the open trustfulness of his nature. After pouring out his troubles, he begins to describe the island, his rugged nurse, for which he has formed such an affection (936 foll. 1452 foll.). But this soon brings him back to the main theme, his homeless and hopeless state.

300ff. mvp-comment-216-2 Neoptolemus as a Greek (234), a neighbour (242), and above all as the son of Achilles (260), has completely won the confidence of Philoctetes, whose misery and isolation, while embittering his sense of wrong, have left unimpaired the open trustfulness of his nature. After pouring out his troubles, he begins to describe the island, his rugged nurse, for which he has formed such an affection (936 foll. 1452 foll.). But this soon brings him back to the main theme, his homeless and hopeless state.

300. mvp-comment-217-1 φέρ᾽.. μάθῃς] The construction is the same that is usual in the first person, because φέρε.. μάθῃς is a courteous equivalent for φέρε διδάξω σε. Cp. Ar. Plut. 1027, τί γὰρ ποιήσῃ ; In what follows Philoctetes speaks of Lemnos as he knows it. Cp. supr. l. 2 and note. In some traditions Philoctetes was said to have been cast forth on a desert islet in the neighbourhood of Lemnos. At best Lemnos (Λήμνος ἠγαθέη) was imagined as a wild, uncultivated region in the early times.

300. mvp-comment-217-2 φέρ᾽.. μάθῃς] The construction is the same that is usual in the first person, because φέρε.. μάθῃς is a courteous equivalent for φέρε διδάξω σε. Cp. Ar. Plut. 1027, τί γὰρ ποιήσῃ ; In what follows Philoctetes speaks of Lemnos as he knows it. Cp. supr. l. 2 and note. In some traditions Philoctetes was said to have been cast forth on a desert islet in the neighbourhood of Lemnos. At best Lemnos (Λήμνος ἠγαθέη) was imagined as a wild, uncultivated region in the early times.