Sophocles, Philoctetes, Robert Potter (Translator), 204

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

View: By Card

← Previous Next →

Neoptolemus

Resolve to act!
895

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)) — 204 focus

βάλλει βάλλει μ᾽ ἐτύμα ἑτοίμα ἐτύμα

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 219-390 focus

Φιλοκτήτης

ἰὼ ξένοι,

τίνες ποτʼ ἐς γῆν τήνδε κἀκ ποίας πάτρας
220

κατέσχετʼ οὔτʼ εὔορμον οὔτʼ οἰκουμένην;

ποίας ἂν ὑμᾶς πατρίδος ἢ γένους ποτὲ

τύχοιμʼ ἂν εἰπών; σχῆμα μὲν γὰρ Ἑλλάδος

στολῆς ὑπάρχει προσφιλεστάτης ἐμοί·

φωνῆς δʼ ἀκοῦσαι βούλομαι· καὶ μή μʼ ὄκνῳ
225

δείσαντες ἐκπλαγῆτʼ ἀπηγριωμένον,

ἀλλʼ οἰκτίσαντες ἄνδρα δύστηνον, μόνον,

ἔρημον ὧδε κἄφιλον κακούμενον,

φωνήσατʼ, εἴπερ ὡς φίλοι προσήκετε.

ἀλλʼ ἀνταμείψασθʼ· οὐ γὰρ εἰκὸς οὔτʼ ἐμὲ
230

ὑμῶν ἁμαρτεῖν τοῦτό γʼ οὔθʼ ὑμᾶς ἐμοῦ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἀλλʼ, ὦ ξένʼ, ἴσθι τοῦτο πρῶτον, οὕνεκα

Ἕλληνές ἐσμεν· τοῦτο γὰρ βούλει μαθεῖν.

Φιλοκτήτης

ὦ φίλτατον φώνημα· φεῦ τὸ καὶ λαβεῖν

πρόσφθεγμα τοιοῦδʼ ἀνδρὸς ἐν χρόνῳ μακρῷ.
235

τίς σʼ, ὦ τέκνον, προσέσχε, τίς προσήγαγεν

χρεία; τίς ὁρμή; τίς ἀνέμων ὁ φίλτατος;

γέγωνέ μοι πᾶν τοῦθʼ, ὅπως εἰδῶ τίς εἶ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἐγὼ γένος μέν εἰμι τῆς περιρρύτου

Σκύρου· πλέω δʼ ἐς οἶκον· αὐδῶμαι δὲ παῖς
240

Ἀχιλλέως, Νεοπτόλεμος. οἶσθα δὴ τὸ πᾶν.

Φιλοκτήτης

ὦ φιλτάτου παῖ πατρός, ὦ φίλης χθονός,

ὦ τοῦ γέροντος θρέμμα Λυκομήδους, τίνι

στόλῳ προσέσχες τήνδε γῆν πόθεν πλέων;

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἐξ Ἰλίου τοι δὴ τανῦν γε ναυστολῶ.
245

Φιλοκτήτης

πῶς εἶπας; οὐ γὰρ δὴ σύ γʼ ἦσθα ναυβάτης

ἡμῖν κατʼ ἀρχὴν τοῦ πρὸς Ἴλιον στόλου.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἦ γὰρ μετέσχες καὶ σὺ τοῦδε τοῦ πόνου;

Φιλοκτήτης

ὦ τέκνον, οὐ γὰρ οἶσθά μʼ ὅντινʼ εἰσορᾷς;

Νεοπτόλεμος

πῶς γὰρ κάτοιδʼ ὅν γʼ εἶδον οὐδεπώποτε;
250

Φιλοκτήτης

οὐδʼ ὄνομʼ ἄρʼ οὐδὲ τῶν ἐμῶν κακῶν κλέος

ᾔσθου ποτʼ οὐδέν, οἷς ἐγὼ διωλλύμην;

Νεοπτόλεμος

ὡς μηδὲν εἰδότʼ ἴσθι μʼ ὧν ἀνιστορεῖς.

254

Φιλοκτήτης

ὦ πόλλʼ ἐγὼ μοχθηρός, ὦ πικρὸς θεοῖς,

οὗ μηδὲ κληδὼν ὧδʼ ἔχοντος οἴκαδε
255

μηδʼ Ἑλλάδος γῆς μηδαμοῦ διῆλθέ που.

ἀλλʼ οἱ μὲν ἐκβαλόντες ἀνοσίως ἐμὲ

γελῶσι σῖγʼ ἔχοντες, ἡ δʼ ἐμὴ νόσος

ἀεὶ τέθηλε κἀπὶ μεῖζον ἔρχεται.

ὦ τέκνον, ὦ παῖ πατρὸς ἐξ Ἀχιλλέως,
260

ὅδʼ εἴμʼ ἐγώ σοι κεῖνος, ὃν κλύεις ἴσως

τῶν Ἡρακλείων ὄντα δεσπότην ὅπλων,

ὁ τοῦ Ποίαντος παῖς Φιλοκτήτης, ὃν οἱ

δισσοὶ στρατηγοὶ χὠ Κεφαλλήνων ἄναξ

ἔρριψαν αἰσχρῶς ὧδʼ ἔρημον, ἀγρίᾳ
265

νόσῳ καταφθίνοντα, τῆς ἀνδροφθόρου

πληγέντʼ ἐχίδνης ἀγρίῳ χαράγματι·

ξὺν ᾗ μʼ ἐκεῖνοι, παῖ, προθέντες ἐνθάδε

ᾤχοντʼ ἔρημον, ἡνίκʼ ἐκ τῆς ποντίας

Χρύσης κατέσχον δεῦρο ναυβάτῃ στόλῳ.
270

τότʼ ἄσμενοί μʼ ὡς εἶδον ἐκ πολλοῦ σάλου

εὕδοντʼ ἐπʼ ἀκτῆς ἐν κατηρεφεῖ πέτρᾳ,

λιπόντες ᾤχονθʼ, οἷα φωτὶ δυσμόρῳ

ῥάκη προθέντες βαιὰ καί τι καὶ βορᾶς

ἐπωφέλημα σμικρόν, οἷʼ αὐτοῖς τύχοι.
275

σὺ δή, τέκνον, ποίαν μʼ ἀνάστασιν δοκεῖς

αὐτῶν βεβώτων ἐξ ὕπνου στῆναι τότε;

ποῖʼ ἐκδακρῦσαι, ποῖʼ ἀποιμῶξαι κακά;

ὁρῶντα μὲν ναῦς, ἃς ἔχων ἐναυστόλουν,

πάσας βεβώσας, ἄνδρα δʼ οὐδένʼ ἔντοπον,
280

οὐχ ὅστις ἀρκέσειεν οὐδʼ ὅστις νόσου

κάμνοντι συλλάβοιτο· πάντα δὲ σκοπῶν

ηὕρισκον οὐδὲν πλὴν ἀνιᾶσθαι παρόν,

τούτου δὲ πολλὴν εὐμάρειαν, ὦ τέκνον.

285

Φιλοκτήτης

ὁ μὲν χρόνος δὴ διὰ χρόνου προύβαινέ μοι,
285

κἄδει τι βαιᾷ τῇδʼ ὑπὸ στέγῃ μόνον

διακονεῖσθαι. γαστρὶ μὲν τὰ σύμφορα

τόξον τόδʼ ἐξηύρισκε, τὰς ὑποπτέρους

βάλλον πελείας· πρὸς δὲ τοῦθʼ, ὅ μοι βάλοι

νευροσπαδὴς ἄτρακτος, αὐτὸς ἂν τάλας
290

εἰλυόμην, δύστηνον ἐξέλκων πόδα,

πρὸς τοῦτʼ ἄν· εἴ τʼ ἔδει τι καὶ ποτὸν λαβεῖν,

καί που πάγου χυθέντος, οἷα χείματι,

ξύλον τι θραῦσαι, ταῦτʼ ἂν ἐξέρπων τάλας

ἐμηχανώμην· εἶτα πῦρ ἂν οὐ παρῆν,
295

ἀλλʼ ἐν πέτροισι πέτρον ἐκτρίβων μόλις

ἔφηνʼ ἄφαντον φῶς, ὃ καὶ σῴζει μʼ ἀεί.

οἰκουμένη γὰρ οὖν στέγη πυρὸς μέτα

πάντʼ ἐκπορίζει πλὴν τὸ μὴ νοσεῖν ἐμέ.

φέρʼ, ὦ τέκνον, νῦν καὶ τὸ τῆς νήσου μάθῃς.
300

ταύτῃ πελάζει ναυβάτης οὐδεὶς ἑκών·

οὐ γάρ τις ὅρμος ἔστιν οὐδʼ ὅποι πλέων

ἐξεμπολήσει κέρδος ἢ ξενώσεται.

οὐκ ἐνθάδʼ οἱ πλοῖ τοῖσι σώφροσιν βροτῶν.

τάχʼ οὖν τις ἄκων ἔσχε· πολλὰ γὰρ τάδε
305

ἐν τῷ μακρῷ γένοιτʼ ἂν ἀνθρώπων χρόνῳ·

οὗτοί μʼ, ὅταν μόλωσιν, ὦ τέκνον, λόγοις

ἐλεοῦσι μέν, καί πού τι καὶ βορᾶς μέρος

προσέδοσαν οἰκτίραντες ἤ τινα στολήν·

ἐκεῖνο δʼ οὐδείς, ἡνίκʼ ἂν μνησθῶ, θέλει,
310

σῶσαί μʼ ἐς οἴκους, ἀλλʼ ἀπόλλυμαι τάλας

ἔτος τόδʼ ἤδη δέκατον ἐν λιμῷ τε καὶ

κακοῖσι βόσκων τὴν ἀδηφάγον νόσον.

τοιαῦτʼ Ἀτρεῖδαί μʼ ἥ τʼ Ὀδυσσέως βία,

ὦ παῖ, δεδράκασʼ, οἷʼ Ὀλύμπιοι θεοὶ
315

δοῖέν ποτʼ αὐτοῖς ἀντίποινʼ ἐμοῦ παθεῖν.

317

Χορός

ἔοικα κἀγὼ τοῖς ἀφιγμένοις ἴσα

ξένοις ἐποικτίρειν σε, Ποίαντος τέκνον.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἐγὼ δὲ καὐτὸς τοῖσδε μάρτυς ἐν λόγοις,

ὡς εἴσʼ ἀληθεῖς οἶδα, συντυχὼν κακῶν
320

ἀνδρῶν Ἀτρειδῶν τῆς τʼ Ὀδυσσέως βίας.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἦ γάρ τι καὶ σὺ τοῖς πανωλέθροις ἔχεις

ἔγκλημʼ Ἀτρείδαις, ὥστε θυμοῦσθαι παθών;

Νεοπτόλεμος

θυμὸν γένοιτο χειρὶ πληρῶσαί ποτε,

ἵνʼ αἱ Μυκῆναι γνοῖεν ἡ Σπάρτη θʼ ὅτι
325

χἠ Σκῦρος ἀνδρῶν ἀλκίμων μήτηρ ἔφυ.

Φιλοκτήτης

εὖ γʼ, ὦ τέκνον· τίνος γὰρ ὧδε τὸν μέγαν

χόλον κατʼ αὐτῶν ἐγκαλῶν ἐλήλυθας;

Νεοπτόλεμος

ὦ παῖ Ποίαντος, ἐξερῶ, μόλις δʼ ἐρῶ,

ἅγωγʼ ὑπʼ αὐτῶν ἐξελωβήθην μολών.
330

ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἔσχε μοῖρʼ Ἀχιλλέα θανεῖν,

Φιλοκτήτης

οἴμοι· φράσῃς μοι μὴ πέρα, πρὶν ἂν μάθω

πρῶτον τόδʼ, ἦ τέθνηχʼ ὁ Πηλέως γόνος;

Νεοπτόλεμος

τέθνηκεν, ἀνδρὸς οὐδενός, θεοῦ δʼ ὕπο,

τοξευτός, ὡς λέγουσιν, ἐκ Φοίβου δαμείς.
335

Φιλοκτήτης

ἀλλʼ εὐγενὴς μὲν ὁ κτανών τε χὠ θανών·

ἀμηχανῶ δὲ πότερον, ὦ τέκνον, τὸ σὸν

πάθημʼ ἐλέγχω πρῶτον ἢ κεῖνον στένω.

Νεοπτόλεμος

οἶμαι μὲν ἀρκεῖν σοί γε καὶ τὰ σʼ, ὦ τάλας,

ἀλγήμαθʼ, ὥστε μὴ τὰ τῶν πέλας στένειν.
340

Φιλοκτήτης

ὀρθῶς ἔλεξας· τοιγαροῦν τὸ σὸν φράσον

αὖθις πάλιν μοι πρᾶγμʼ, ὅτῳ σʼ ἐνύβρισαν.

343

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἦλθόν με νηὶ ποικιλοστόλῳ μέτα

δῖός τʼ Ὀδυσσεὺς χὠ τροφεὺς τοὐμοῦ πατρός,

λέγοντες, εἴτʼ ἀληθὲς εἴτʼ ἄρʼ οὖν μάτην,
345

ὡς οὐ θέμις γίγνοιτʼ, ἐπεὶ κατέφθιτο

πατὴρ ἐμός, τὰ πέργαμʼ ἄλλον ἤ μʼ ἑλεῖν.

ταῦτʼ, ὦ ξένʼ, οὕτως ἐννέποντες οὐ πολὺν

χρόνον μʼ ἐπέσχον μή με ναυστολεῖν ταχύ,

μάλιστα μὲν δὴ τοῦ θανόντος ἱμέρῳ,
350

ὅπως ἴδοιμʼ ἄθαπτον· οὐ γὰρ εἰδόμην·

ἔπειτα μέντοι χὠ λόγος καλὸς προσῆν,

εἰ τἀπὶ Τροίᾳ πέργαμʼ αἱρήσοιμʼ ἰών.

ἦν δʼ ἦμαρ ἤδη δεύτερον πλέοντί μοι,

κἀγὼ πικρὸν Σίγειον οὐρίῳ πλάτῃ
355

κατηγόμην· καί μʼ εὐθὺς ἐν κύκλῳ στρατὸς

ἐκβάντα πᾶς ἠσπάζετʼ, ὀμνύντες βλέπειν

τὸν οὐκέτʼ ὄντα ζῶντʼ Ἀχιλλέα πάλιν.

κεῖνος μὲν οὖν ἔκειτʼ· ἐγὼ δʼ ὁ δύσμορος

ἐπεὶ ʼδάκρυσα κεῖνον, οὐ μακρῷ χρόνῳ
360

ἐλθὼν Ἀτρείδας πρὸς φίλους, ὡς εἰκὸς ἦν,

τά θʼ ὅπλʼ ἀπῄτουν τοῦ πατρὸς τά τʼ ἄλλʼ ὅσʼ ἦν.

οἱ δʼ εἶπον, οἴμοι, τλημονέστατον λόγον·

ὦ σπέρμʼ Ἀχιλλέως, τἄλλα μὲν πάρεστί σοι

πατρῷʼ ἑλέσθαι, τῶν δʼ ὅπλων κείνων ἀνὴρ
365

ἄλλος κρατύνει νῦν, ὁ Λαέρτου γόνος.

κἀγὼ δακρύσας εὐθὺς ἐξανίσταμαι

ὀργῇ βαρείᾳ, καὶ καταλγήσας λέγω·

ὦ σχέτλιʼ, ἦ ʼτολμήσατʼ ἀντʼ ἐμοῦ τινι

δοῦναι τὰ τεύχη τἀμά, πρὶν μαθεῖν ἐμοῦ;
370

ὁ δʼ εἶπʼ Ὀδυσσεύς, πλησίον γὰρ ὢν κυρεῖ,

ναί, παῖ, δεδώκασʼ ἐνδίκως οὗτοι τάδε·

ἐγὼ γὰρ αὔτʼ ἔσωσα κἀκεῖνον παρών.

κἀγὼ χολωθεὶς εὐθὺς ἤρασσον κακοῖς

τοῖς πᾶσιν, οὐδὲν ἐνδεὲς ποιούμενος,
375

εἰ τἀμὰ κεῖνος ὅπλʼ ἀφαιρήσοιτό με.

ὁ δʼ ἐνθάδʼ ἥκων, καίπερ οὐ δύσοργος ὤν,

δηχθεὶς πρὸς ἁξήκουσεν ὧδʼ ἠμείψατο·

οὐκ ἦσθʼ ἵνʼ ἡμεῖς, ἀλλʼ ἀπῆσθʼ ἵνʼ οὔ σʼ ἔδει·

καὶ ταῦτʼ, ἐπειδὴ καὶ λέγεις θρασυστομῶν,
380

οὐ μήποτʼ ἐς τὴν Σκῦρον ἐκπλεύσῃς ἔχων.

τοιαῦτʼ ἀκούσας κἀξονειδισθεὶς κακὰ

πλέω πρὸς οἴκους, τῶν ἐμῶν τητώμενος

πρὸς τοῦ κακίστου κἀκ κακῶν Ὀδυσσέως.

κοὐκ αἰτιῶμαι κεῖνον ὡς τοὺς ἐν τέλει·
385

πόλις γάρ ἐστι πᾶσα τῶν ἡγουμένων

στρατός τε σύμπας· οἱ δʼ ἀκοσμοῦντες βροτῶν

διδασκάλων λόγοισι γίγνονται κακοί.

λόγος λέλεκται πᾶς· ὁ δʼ Ἀτρείδας στυγῶν

ἐμοί θʼ ὁμοίως καὶ θεοῖς εἴη φίλος.
390

Translations (4)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 204 focus

PHI

Fair daylight following sleep, and ye, dear friends,

Faithful beyond all hope in tending me!

I never could have dreamed that thou, dear youth,

Couldst thus have borne my sufferings and stood near

So full of pity to relieve my pain.
870

Not so the worthy generals of the host;—

This princely patience was not theirs to show.

Only thy noble nature, nobly sprung,

Made light of all the trouble, though oppressed

With fetid odours and unceasing cries.
875

And now, since this my plague would seem to yield

Some pause and brief forgetfulness of pain,

With thine own hand, my son, upraise me here,

And set me on my feet, that, when my strength

After exhaustion shall return again,
880

We may move shoreward and launch forth with speed.

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 201 focus

Schweige still, mein Sohn!

Neoptolemos.

Was ist's?

Der Chor.

Hell scholl ein Laut,

Der schmerzvollem Gestöhn menschlicher Brust glich,

War's von dorther oder von da.

Mir tönt deutlich an's Ohr Geräusch
200

Eines Mannes, der sich daher

Mühsam schleppt, ich erkenne klar

Eine tiefe Stimme der Dual;

Fernhin hallt laut und vernehmlich Wehklagen.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 204 focus

Philoctetes

I understand thee not ;

AVhat means my son?

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 219-390 focus

Enter Philoctetes, on the spectators’ right.

Philoctetes

O strangers!

Who can you be, and from what country, that you have put into this harborless and desolate land? What would I rightly say is your city or your ancestry? The fashion of your equipment is Greek, and most welcome to my
220

sight; but it would please me to hear your voices. And do not shrink from me in fear, or be frightened by my savage looks. No, pity one so wretched and so lonely, a castaway, so friendless and so miserable. Speak to me, if indeed you have come as friends.
225

Oh, answer! It is not right that I be disappointed by you in this request, at least, nor you by me.
230

Neoptolemus

Well, know first, stranger, that we are Greeks, since you desire to learn this.

Philoctetes

O cherished sound! Ah, that I should truly be

greeted by such a man, after so long a time! What need, young man, has made you land here and brought you to this spot? What business? What wind so kind? Speak, tell me all, so that I may know who you are.
235

Neoptolemus

My birthplace is the island Scyros, and I am sailing

homeward. I am the son of Achilles, by name Neoptolemus. Now you know everything.
240

Philoctetes

O son of a father I loved, and of soil I cherished! Ward of aged Lycomedes, on what mission have you touched this shore? From where are you sailing?

Neoptolemus

Well, since you ask, it is from Ilium that I am now guiding my ship.
245

Philoctetes

What? You were certainly not our shipmate at the beginning of the expedition there.

Neoptolemus

And did you have a part in that toil?

Philoctetes

Then you do not know who I am?

Neoptolemus

How should I know one whom I have never seen before?
250

Philoctetes

Then you have not even heard my name, or any rumor of those sufferings under which I have been perishing?

Neoptolemus

Be sure that I know nothing of what you ask.

254

Philoctetes

How cursed I must be, how abhorred by the gods,

if not a word of my miserable condition has reached my homeland, or any Greek land at all! Instead those men, who against the gods’ laws cast me away, keep their secret and laugh, while my plague has ever flourished and grows worse!
255

O my son, boy whose father was Achilles, here I am before you, the man of whom you have perhaps heard as lord of the bow of Heracles, Philoctetes the son of Poeas. I am he whom the two marshalls and the Cephallenian king
260

shamelessly hurled to this solitude which you see, when I was wasting with a fierce disease, stricken by the savage bite of the murderous serpent. With that plague for my sole companion, boy, those men put me out
265

here alone and left, after they landed here with their fleet from sea-washed Chryse . Delighted they were then, when they saw me asleep after much tossing on the waves, in the shelter of a cave upon the shore, and they abandoned me, first setting out a few rags, as though for an unfortunate beggar, and a bit of food, too—
270

a small work of charity. But may they get what they gave me! Can you imagine, boy, what kind of awakening I had when they had gone, and I rose from sleep that day?—what stinging tears I wept, and what miseries I bewailed when I saw that the ships with which I had sailed
275

were all gone, and that there was no man in the place, not one to help me, not one to ease the sickness that afflicted me, when looking all around me, I could find nothing at hand, save agony—but of that a ready store?
280

285

So time passed for me, season by season, and alone in this narrow house, I had to attend to all my wants by my own resources. For my stomach’s needs this bow provided, bringing down doves on the wing. And whatever my string-sped arrow might strike,
285

in pain I would crawl to it myself, dragging my wretched foot behind me. Or, again, if water had to be fetched, or, if when the frost had spread, as often happens in winter, a bit of firewood had to be broken, I would creep out in pain and
290

manage it. Then fire would be lacking; but by rubbing stone hard on stone I would at last reveal the hidden spark which preserves me from day to day. Indeed, a roof over my head and a fire inside provides all that I want—except release from my disease.
295

Come now, son, you must understand what sort of island this is. No mariner approaches it by choice, since there is no anchorage or port where he can find a gainful market or a kindly host. This is not a place to which prudent men voyage. But suppose that some one has put in against his will, for such things may often
300

happen in the long course of a man’s life. These visitors, then, when they come, son, have compassionate words for me, and, perhaps moved by pity, they give me a little food or some clothing.
305

But there is one thing that no one will do, whenever I mention it: take me home in safety. No, this is already the tenth year that I am wasted by misery from hunger and suffering, by feeding this gluttonous plague. This is what the Atreids and the forceful Odysseus have done to me, boy.
310

May the gods on Olympus someday give them agonies as strong in requital for mine!
315

317

Chorus

I believe that I, too, pity you, son of Poeas, as much as your former visitors.

Neoptolemus

And I myself attest your accusations,

for I know their truth through my own experience with the wickedness of the Atreids and the force of Odysseus.
320

Philoctetes

What, do you also have a grievance against the accursed sons of Atreus, a cause for anger at some mistreatment?

Neoptolemus

If only I might one day be allowed to fulfill my heart’s rage by the deeds of my hand,

so that Mycenae might learn, and Sparta , that Scyros also is a mother of brave men!
325

Philoctetes

Well said, son! Now what is the reason that you have come complaining against them with this fierce wrath?

Neoptolemus

I will tell you—and yet it is hard to tell—

the outrage that I suffered from them upon my arrival there. For when fate decreed that Achilles should die—
330

Philoctetes

Ah, me! Tell me no more, until I first know this—is the son of Peleus dead?

Neoptolemus

Dead—not by a mortal hand, but by a god’s.

He was brought down, as men say, by the arrow of Phoebus.
335

Philoctetes

Well, noble alike are the slayer and the slain. But I am at a loss to know, son, whether I should first inquire into the wrong done you, or mourn the dead.

Neoptolemus

Your own sorrows, I think, are enough

for you, unhappy man, without mourning for those of your neighbor.
340

Philoctetes

You speak the truth. Therefore tell me again what happened to you, and how they wronged you.

343

Neoptolemus

They came for me in a ship elaborately ornamented, shining Odysseus, and he who fostered my father,

and said—whether truly or falsely, I do not know—that since my father had perished, fate now forbade that anyone but I should take the towers of Troy .
Saying that this, my friend, was how things stood, they caused me no long delay before I set sail in haste,
345

chiefly because of my yearning for the dead, that I might look upon him before burial, since I had never seen him. Then, besides, theirs was a fine promise, if by accompanying them I might sack the towers of Troy .
It was now the second day of my voyage
350

when, sped by breeze and oar, I approached bitter Sigeum. When I landed, straightaway the entire army thronged around me with greetings, vowing that they saw their lost Achilles once more alive.
He, though, lay ready for burial, and I, unhappy,
355

when I had wept for him, went before long to the Atreids, to friends, as it was reasonable to suppose,—and claimed my father’s arms and all else that had been his. O, their reply was bold and shameless! Seed of Achilles, you may take all else that was your father’s. But of those arms another man now is lord, the son of Laertes .
360

The tears came quick to my eyes as I sprang up in passionate anger and said in my bitterness, Madman! Have you dared give my arms to another man in my place, without asking me? But Odysseus—for he chanced to be at hand—said, Yes, boy, they awarded them as was just, since it was I who saved the arms and their master by my presence at the crucial moment. Then immediately, in my fury, I began to lash at him with every kind of insult

and left not one unsaid, if he was indeed to rob me of my arms. At this point, stung by the abuse, though not given to anger, he answered,— You have not gone to where we have; instead you have been absent from where you were needed. And since your tongue is so arrogant, you will never sail back to Scyros with those arms in your possession. In that way rebuked, in that way insulted, I sail for home, deprived of what is my own by that worst offspring of a wicked line, Odysseus.
375

And yet I do not blame him as much as I do those in power. For a city hangs wholly on its leaders, and so does an army, but when men shatter law and order, it is the lessons of their teachers that corrupt them. My tale is told in full. May he who hates the Atreids
385

be as dear to the gods as he is to me!
390

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-185-1 εὖ γ’ ¹

mvp-comment-185-2 τίνος γὰρ ² τίνος ³

mvp-comment-185-3 ὧδε ⁴ τίνος ⁵

mvp-comment-186-1 ἐξερῶ, μόλις δ’ ἐρῶ ⁶

mvp-comment-186-2 μολών ⁷

mvp-comment-187-1 ἔσχε ⁸

mvp-comment-188-1 φράσῃς … μὴ πέρα ⁹

mvp-comment-189-1 τοξευτὸς … δαμείς ¹⁰

mvp-comment-189-2 ὡς λέγουσιν ¹¹ ἐκ ¹² ὑπό ¹³

mvp-comment-190-1 ἀλλ’ εὐγενὴς μὲν ¹⁴ δέ ¹⁵ κτανών … θανών ¹⁶

mvp-comment-191-1 ἐλέγχω … στένω ¹⁷

mvp-comment-192-1 οἶμαι μὲν ¹⁸

mvp-comment-192-2 καὶ τὰ ς’ ¹⁹

mvp-comment-193-1 τοιγαροῦν ²⁰ αὖθις πάλιν ²¹

mvp-comment-193-2 ὅτῳ ²²

mvp-comment-194-1 ποικιλοστόλῳ ²³ ποικιλοστόμῳ ²⁴

mvp-comment-195-1 δῖός τ’ Ὀδυσσεὺς ²⁵

mvp-comment-195-2 χὡ τροφεὺς ²⁶

mvp-comment-196-1 εἴτ’ ἄρ’ οὖν ²⁷

mvp-comment-196-2 ἀληθὲς ²⁸ λέγοντες ²⁹

mvp-comment-196-3 γίγνοιτ’ ³⁰

mvp-comment-197-1 ἄλλον ἢ )μ’ ³¹ ἢ )μ’ ³²

mvp-comment-198-1 οὐ πολὺν ³³

mvp-comment-198-2 Instead of

μή με ναυστολεῖν

, we might well prefer, with Blaydes,

μὴ οὐχὶ ναυστολεῖν

, were it not that palaeographically it is so improbable. And for

μή

where

μὴ οὐ

might be expected, cp. O. T. 1387

οὐκ ἂν ἐσχόμην

τὸ μὴ )ποκλῇσαι

, n. The repetition of με ³⁴

mvp-comment-199-1 οὐ γὰρ εἰδόμην ³⁵ εἰδόμην ³⁶

mvp-comment-200-1 ἔπειτα μέντοι ³⁷

mvp-comment-200-2 χὡ λόγος καλὸς προσῆν ³⁸ ὁ λόγος ³⁹ προσῆν ⁴⁰

mvp-comment-200-3 εἰ … αἱρήσοιμ’ ⁴¹

mvp-comment-200-4 τἀπὶ Τροίᾳ πέργαμ’ ⁴² ἐπί ⁴³

mvp-comment-200-5 ἰών ⁴⁴

mvp-comment-201-1 πλέοντί μοι ⁴⁵

mvp-comment-201-2 κἀγὼ ⁴⁶

mvp-comment-201-3 πικρὸν Σίγειον ⁴⁷

mvp-comment-201-4 οὐρίῳ πλάτῃ ⁴⁸

mvp-comment-201-5 κατηγόμην ⁴⁹

mvp-comment-202-1 ὀμνύντες ⁵⁰ στρατός ⁵¹

mvp-comment-202-2 ζῶντ’ Ἀχ. πάλιν ⁵²

mvp-comment-203-1 ἔκειτ’ ⁵³

mvp-comment-203-2 )δάκρυσα ⁵⁴

mvp-comment-203-3 οὐ μακρῷ χρόνῳ ⁵⁵

mvp-comment-204-1 ὡς εἰκὸς ἦν ⁵⁶ φίλους ⁵⁷

mvp-comment-204-2 τά τ’ ἄλλ’ ὅσ’ ἦν ⁵⁸

mvp-comment-205-1 τλημονέστατον λόγον ⁵⁹

mvp-comment-206-1 πάρεστί σοι ⁶⁰

mvp-comment-206-2 Λαέρτου ⁶¹

mvp-comment-207-1 δακρύσας ⁶²

mvp-comment-207-2 ἐξανίσταμαι ⁶³

mvp-comment-207-3 ὀργῇ ⁶⁴ βαρείᾳ ⁶⁵

mvp-comment-207-4 κᾳταλγήσας ⁶⁶

mvp-comment-208-1 ὦ σχέτλἰ ⁶⁷ ἦ )τολμήσατ’ ⁶⁸

mvp-comment-208-2 πρὶν μαθεῖν ἐμοῦ ⁶⁹

mvp-comment-209-1 ὁ δ’ εἶπ’ Ὀδυσσεύς ⁷⁰

mvp-comment-209-2 ὢν κυρεῖ ⁷¹ ἦν κυρῶν ⁷²

mvp-comment-209-3 τάδε ⁷³ δεδράκας’ ⁷⁴

mvp-comment-210-1 παρών ⁷⁵

mvp-comment-211-1 ἤρασσον ⁷⁶

mvp-comment-211-2 κακοῖς τοῖς πᾶσιν ⁷⁷

mvp-comment-211-3 οὐδὲν ἐνδεὲς ποιούμενος ⁷⁸

mvp-comment-211-4 εἰ … ἀφαιρήσοιτο ⁷⁹

mvp-comment-212-1 ἐνθάδ’ ἥκων ⁸⁰

mvp-comment-212-2 οὐ δύσοργος ⁸¹

mvp-comment-212-3 πρὸς ἁξήκουσεν ⁸² δηχθείς ⁸³ ἠμείψατο ⁸⁴

mvp-comment-212-4 ἃ ἐξήκουσεν ⁸⁵

mvp-comment-213-1 ἐπειδὴ καὶ λέγεις ⁸⁶

mvp-comment-213-2 οὐ μήποτ’ ⁸⁷ τὴν Σκῦρον ⁸⁸

mvp-comment-213-3 ἐκπλεύσῃς ⁸⁹

mvp-comment-213-4 382 ff. The words ἀκούσας κἀξονειδισθείς ⁹⁰ κακά ⁹¹ κἀξονειδίσας ⁹²

mvp-comment-213-5 πρὸς οἴκους ⁹³

mvp-comment-213-6 τητώμενος ⁹⁴

mvp-comment-213-7 κἀκ κακῶν ⁹⁵

mvp-comment-214-1 τοὺς ἐν τέλει ⁹⁶

mvp-comment-214-2 πᾶσα ⁹⁷ σύμπας ⁹⁸

mvp-comment-214-3 ἔστι … τῶν ἡγουμένων ⁹⁹

mvp-comment-214-4 στρατός ¹⁰⁰

mvp-comment-214-5 οἱ δ’ ἀκοσμοῦντες βροτῶν ¹⁰¹

mvp-comment-214-6 διδασκάλων λόγοισι ¹⁰²

mvp-comment-215-1 λόγος λέλεκται πᾶς ¹⁰³

mvp-comment-215-2 Ἀτρείδας ¹⁰⁴

mvp-comment-215-3 φίλος ¹⁰⁵

mvp-comment-216-1 Mindful of their young chief's precept—

πειρῶ τὸ παρὸν θεραπεύειν

(149)—the Chorus seize this moment in order to deepen the impression left on the mind of Philoctetes. It was in the land of the Trojans—often called ‘Phrygians’ —that Neoptolemus was wronged by the Atreidae. ‘Then and there’—say the Chorus—‘we invoked the most awful deity of the land, the great Earth Mother, the Phrygian Cybele—to punish our prince's wrong.’ The interposition of the Chorus is admirably effective for the purpose of making their master's indignation appear genuine.

mvp-comment-216-2 This strophe, to which vv. 507—518 form the antistrophe, is a

ὑπόρχημα

, or ‘dance-song’ ( O. T. 1086 n.). The dochmiacs of which it is mainly composed (see Metrical Analysis) are accompanied by animated movement, expressive of the lively resentment which these memories suggest.

mvp-comment-216-3 From a mythological point of view the verses are of singular interest. The attributes given to the goddess belong to three groups. (1)

παμβῶτι Γᾶ

recognises her in the primary character of an Elemental power. (2)

μᾶτερ...Διός

identifies her with Rhea. (3)

ὀρεστέρα, λεόντων ἔφεδρε

, and the mention of the Pactolus, present her as the specially Phrygian Cybele. But these three characters are completely fused in the unity of the

μάτηρ πότνια

mvp-comment-217-1 ὀρεστέρα ¹⁰⁶ παμβῶτι ¹⁰⁷

mvp-comment-217-2 μᾶτερ αὐτοῦ Διός ¹⁰⁸

mvp-comment-218-1 Πακτωλὸν ¹⁰⁹

mvp-comment-218-2 εὔχρυσον ¹¹⁰

mvp-comment-219-1 κἀκεῖ ¹¹¹

mvp-comment-219-2 ἐπηυδώμαν ¹¹²

mvp-comment-219-3 Ἀτρειδᾶν ὕβρις πᾶς’ ¹¹³

mvp-comment-220-1 τὰ πάτρια ¹¹⁴

mvp-comment-221-1 ἰὼ ¹¹⁵ μάκαιρα ¹¹⁶

mvp-comment-221-2 ταυροκτόνων ¹¹⁷

mvp-comment-221-3 λεόντων ἔφεδρε ¹¹⁸

mvp-comment-222-1 σέβας ¹¹⁹

mvp-comment-222-2 We should not, then, change σέβας ¹²⁰ γέρας ¹²¹

mvp-comment-223-1 σύμβολον … λύπης ¹²²

mvp-comment-224-1 προσᾴδεθ’ ¹²³

mvp-comment-224-2 ταῦτ’ … ἔργα ¹²⁴

mvp-comment-225-1 ἂν … θιγόντα ¹²⁵ πανουργίας ¹²⁶

mvp-comment-225-2 ἀφ’ ἧς μηδὲν … ποεῖν ¹²⁷ μέλλοι ¹²⁸

mvp-comment-225-3 μηδὲν ¹²⁹

mvp-comment-225-4 ἐς τέλος ¹³⁰

mvp-comment-225-5 ποεῖν ¹³¹

mvp-comment-226-1 ὁ μείζων ¹³² οὐκ ἦν ἔτι ζῶν ¹³³

mvp-comment-227-1 ἀλλ’ ἦ ¹³⁴ ἦ γάρ ¹³⁵ πῶς εἶπας ¹³⁶

mvp-comment-228-1 ὡς μηκέτ’ ὄντα ¹³⁷

mvp-comment-229-1 οἴμοι τάλας ¹³⁸ ἀλλ’ οὐχ ¹³⁹

mvp-comment-230-1 οὑμπολητὸς Σισύφου Λαερτίῳ ¹⁴⁰

mvp-comment-230-2 The legend is not Homeric, but is already known to Aesch. (fr. 169), and is congenial to the spirit in which the dramatists often conceive Odysseus; cp. Soph. Ai. 190 , fr. 143 (

ὡς ὁ Σίσυφος πολὺς

ἔνδηλος ἐν σοί

): I. A. 524, Cycl. 104 : Lycophron 344 (

τῆς Σισυφείας δ’ ἀγκύλης λαμπουρίδος

, ‘crafty fox’): Ov. Met. 13. 31

sanguine cretus | Sisyphio, furtisque et fraude simillimus illi.

mvp-comment-230-3 With regard to the order of words, note:—(1)

ὁ ἐμπολητὸς Σισύφου

ὁ ἐμπ. Σισυφίδης

, the simple gen. of origin being placed as

Σισύφου παῖς

would have been; though usually such a simple gen. comes immediately after the art. (as Ai. 450

ἡ Διὸς γοργῶπις ἀδάματος θεά

). (2)

Λαερτίῳ

merely supplements

ἐμπολητός

, and hence can be placed as though it were an afterthought; the principle is the same as in O. C. 1514

αἱ πολλὰ βρονταὶ διατελεῖς

: cp. n. on O. T. 1245. —The genit. Λαερτίου ¹⁴¹

mvp-comment-231-1 ἔδει ¹⁴²

mvp-comment-232-1 καὶ μέγα θάλλοντες ¹⁴³

mvp-comment-233-1 τί δ’ ¹⁴⁴ ὠ ¹⁴⁵ οὐ ¹⁴⁶ αὖ ¹⁴⁷ οὐ ¹⁴⁸ τί δ’ ¹⁴⁹ τί δ’ ὃς ¹⁵⁰ ὃς ¹⁵¹ ὁ ¹⁵²

mvp-comment-233-2 παλαιός ¹⁵³ καί … τε ¹⁵⁴

mvp-comment-233-3 τά γε κείνων κακά ¹⁵⁵ γε ¹⁵⁶

mvp-comment-233-4 ἐξήρυκε ¹⁵⁷

mvp-comment-234-1 Ἀντίλοχος ¹⁵⁸

mvp-comment-234-2 ὃς παρῆν γόνος ¹⁵⁹ ὅσπερ ἦν γόνος ¹⁶⁰ ὅς γ’ ἔτ’ ἦν ¹⁶¹ ὅς ποτ’ ἦν ¹⁶²

mvp-comment-235-1 δὔ αὖ τώδ’ ἄνδρ’ ἔλεξας ¹⁶³ δὔ αὖ τώδ’ ἐξέδειξας ¹⁶⁴ ἔλεξας ¹⁶⁵ δὔ αὔτως δείν’ ἔλεξας ¹⁶⁶

mvp-comment-235-2 As to the reading δὔ αὕτως δείν’ ἔλεξας ¹⁶⁷

mvp-comment-235-3 δὔ … ἄνδρε ¹⁶⁸ ὀλωλότοιν ¹⁶⁹ οἵδε ¹⁷⁰

mvp-comment-235-4 ἂν ἠθέλης’ ¹⁷¹

mvp-comment-236-1 σκοπεῖν ¹⁷²

mvp-comment-236-2 οἵδε ¹⁷³

mvp-comment-237-1 Ὀδυσσεὺς δ’ ἔστιν αὖ κἀνταῦθ’ ¹⁷⁴

mvp-comment-238-1 αὐτὸν ¹⁷⁵ αὐδᾶσθαι ¹⁷⁶

mvp-comment-239-1 παλαιστὴς ¹⁷⁷

mvp-comment-239-2 ἐμποδίζονται ¹⁷⁸

mvp-comment-240-1 θεῶν ¹⁷⁹

mvp-comment-240-2 ποῦ γὰρ ¹⁸⁰

mvp-comment-240-3 σοι ¹⁸¹

mvp-comment-240-4 τὰ φίλτατα ¹⁸²

mvp-comment-241-1 λόγῳ … ἐν βραχεῖ ¹⁸³

mvp-comment-241-2 τοῦτ’ ¹⁸⁴

mvp-comment-241-3 πόλεμος ¹⁸⁵

mvp-comment-241-4 ἑκὼν ¹⁸⁶

mvp-comment-242-1 κατ’ αὐτὸ τοῦτό γε ¹⁸⁷

mvp-comment-243-1 φωτὸς ¹⁸⁸ κυρεῖ ¹⁸⁹ τί ¹⁹⁰

mvp-comment-244-1 ποίου δὲ τούτου ¹⁹¹

mvp-comment-244-2 ἐρεῖς ¹⁹²

mvp-comment-244-3 Brunck's conjecture, τοῦτο ¹⁹³ τούτου ¹⁹⁴

mvp-comment-245-1 Θερσίτης ¹⁹⁵

mvp-comment-246-1 ὃς οὐκ ἂν εἵλετ’ ¹⁹⁶ ὅπου μηδεὶς ἐῴη ¹⁹⁷

mvp-comment-246-2 Sophocles here reproduces the two salient traits of the Homeric Thersites: (1) he is irrepressible: Il. 2. 212

Θερσίτης δ’ ἔτι μοῦνος ἀμετροεπὴς ἐκολῴα

, |

ὅς ῥ) ἔπεα φρεσὶν ᾗσιν ἄκοσμά τε πολλά τε ᾔδη

: (2) he disgusts those whom his bluster was intended to amuse or flatter; ib. 222

τῷ δ’ ἄρ’ Ἀχαιοὶ

ἐκπάγλως κοτέοντο

.— τοῦτον οἶσθ’ ¹⁹⁸

mvp-comment-247-1 αὐτόν ¹⁹⁹ αὐτός ²⁰⁰ νιν ²⁰¹

mvp-comment-248-1 ἔμελλ’ ²⁰²

mvp-comment-248-2 ἐπεὶ οὐδέν ²⁰³

mvp-comment-248-3 περιστέλλουσιν ²⁰⁴

mvp-comment-249-1 τὰ πανοῦργα ²⁰⁵

mvp-comment-249-2 παλιντριβῆ ²⁰⁶

mvp-comment-249-3 ἀναστρέφοντες ²⁰⁷

mvp-comment-249-4 τὰ δὲ ²⁰⁸ τὰ χρήστ’ ²⁰⁹ ἀποστέλλους’ ²¹⁰ προυσελοῦς’ ²¹¹

mvp-comment-250-1 ποῦ χρὴ τίθεσθαι ²¹²

mvp-comment-250-2 ποῦ δ’ αἰνεῖν ²¹³

mvp-comment-250-3 ὅταν ²¹⁴ ἐπαινῶν ²¹⁵

mvp-comment-250-4 Theognis, in a similar strain, asks how a mortal is to revere the gods when he sees good men afflicted and bad men prosperous (743—752).

mvp-comment-251-1 ἐγὼ μὲν ²¹⁶

mvp-comment-251-2 Οἰταίου ²¹⁷

mvp-comment-252-1 τηλόθεν … εἰσορῶν ²¹⁸

mvp-comment-252-2 φυλάξομαι ²¹⁹

mvp-comment-253-1 ὅπου ²²⁰ τούτους ²²¹

mvp-comment-253-2 δειλὸς ²²² δεινὸς ²²³ δεινός ²²⁴

mvp-comment-254-1 Σκῦρος ²²⁵

mvp-comment-254-2 ἐξαρκοῦσά μοι … ὥστε ²²⁶ τέρπεσθαι δόμῳ ²²⁷

mvp-comment-255-1 χαῖρε ²²⁸ ὡς μέγιστα ²²⁹

mvp-comment-255-2 μεταστήσειαν ²³⁰

mvp-comment-255-3 ὡς αὐτὸς θέλεις ²³¹

mvp-comment-256-1 πλοῦν ἡμὶν εἴκῃ ²³² πλοῦν ²³³ πλεῖν ²³⁴

mvp-comment-257-1 καιρὸς ²³⁵ καλεῖ ²³⁶

mvp-comment-258-1 πλοῦν … σκοπεῖν ²³⁷

mvp-comment-258-2 μὴ )ξ ἀπόπτου ²³⁸

mvp-comment-259-1 πρός νύν σε πατρὸς ²³⁹ πρός τ’ εἴ τι ²⁴⁰

mvp-comment-260-1 ἱκέτης ²⁴¹ ἱκνοῦμαι ²⁴²

mvp-comment-261-1 οἵοις ὁρᾷς … ἐνναίοντα ²⁴³ ὅσοισί τ’ ἐξήκουσας ²⁴⁴

mvp-comment-262-1 ἐν παρέργῳ θοῦ με ²⁴⁵

mvp-comment-262-2 ἐν παρέργῳ ²⁴⁶

mvp-comment-262-3 δυσχέρεια ²⁴⁷

mvp-comment-263-1 ἔξοιδα ²⁴⁸

mvp-comment-263-2 φορήματος ²⁴⁹

mvp-comment-264-1 τό τ’ αἰσχρὸν ²⁵⁰ εὐκλεές ²⁵¹ εὐκλεές ²⁵² τοῖσι γενναίοισι ²⁵³

mvp-comment-265-1 ἐκλιπόντι τοῦτ’ ²⁵⁴

mvp-comment-265-2 ὄνειδος ²⁵⁵ οὐ καλόν ²⁵⁶

mvp-comment-266-1 πλεῖστον ²⁵⁷

mvp-comment-266-2 μόλω )γὼ ²⁵⁸

mvp-comment-267-1 ἴθ’ ²⁵⁹

mvp-comment-267-2 ἡμέρας … μιᾶς ²⁶⁰

mvp-comment-268-1 τόλμησον ²⁶¹

mvp-comment-268-2 ὅπῃ ²⁶² ὅποι ²⁶³ ἐμβαλοῦ ²⁶⁴ ἄγων ²⁶⁵

mvp-comment-269-1 ἀντλίαν ²⁶⁶

mvp-comment-269-2 πρῷραν … πρύμνην ²⁶⁷

mvp-comment-269-3 ὅπου ²⁶⁸ ὅποι ²⁶⁹ υ ²⁷⁰ ι ²⁷¹

mvp-comment-269-4 μέλλω … ἀλγυνεῖν ²⁷²

mvp-comment-270-1 ἱκεσίου ²⁷³

mvp-comment-270-2 γόνασι ²⁷⁴

mvp-comment-271-1 ἀκράτωρ ²⁷⁵

mvp-comment-272-1 ἢ πρὸς οἶκον τὸν σὸν ²⁷⁶

mvp-comment-272-2 τὰ Χαλκώδοντος Εὐβοίας σταθμά ²⁷⁷

mvp-comment-272-3 Schneidewin remarks that Philoctetes, the former comrade of Heracles, might naturally name Chalcodon, who had been the companion of Heracles in an expedition against the Eleans ( Paus. 8. 15. 6 ). But that was merely a local Arcadian myth; and Pausanias finds it inconsistent with the better-known Theban tradition, according to which Chalcodon was slain by Amphitryon in a war between the Euboeans and Thebans (9. 19. 3). At any rate the Attic poet might think of the Attic legend, according to which Theseus had sent his sons for protection to Chalcodon's son Elephenor, before retiring from Athens to Scyros ( Plut. Thes. 35 ).

mvp-comment-273-1 εἰς Οἴτην ²⁷⁸

mvp-comment-274-1 Τραχινίαν … δειράδα ²⁷⁹

mvp-comment-274-2 All MSS. have δειράδα καὶ τὸν ²⁸⁰ δεράδα ²⁸¹

mvp-comment-274-3 I am more disposed to think that δειράδα ²⁸² καὶ τὸν ²⁸³

mvp-comment-274-4 εὔροον ²⁸⁴

mvp-comment-274-5 Like the Homeric

ἐΰρροος, ἐυ·ρρείτης

, the epithet refers simply to the beauty of the river, not to that swiftness (

σπέρχομαι

) from which it takes its name ( Il. 16. 176

Σπερχειῷ ἀκάμαντι

: Lucan 6. 366 Ferit amne citato | Maliacas Spercheus aquas). Rising at the foot of Typhrestus, and fed by affluents from Othrys and Oeta, the Spercheius has a considerable volume of water even in the hot season (Tozer, Geo. of Greece, p. 81).

mvp-comment-275-1 ὃν ²⁸⁵ δέδοικ’ ²⁸⁶

mvp-comment-275-2 παλαιὸν ²⁸⁷ ἐξ ὅτου ²⁸⁸ παλαἴ ἂν ²⁸⁹

mvp-comment-276-1 μή μοι βεβήκῃ ²⁹⁰

mvp-comment-276-2 τοῖς ἱγμένοις ²⁹¹ ἔστελλον ²⁹²

mvp-comment-277-1 αὐτόστολον πέμψαντα ²⁹³ αὐτόστολον ²⁹⁴ πέμψαντα ²⁹⁵ ἐκσῶσαι ²⁹⁶ πλεύσαντα ²⁹⁷

mvp-comment-277-2 δόμους ²⁹⁸ δόμοις ²⁹⁹

mvp-comment-277-3 497 ff. After τὰ τῶν διακόνων ³⁰⁰ ποιούμενοι ³⁰¹ τὸ ³⁰² τὰ ³⁰³

mvp-comment-277-4 ὡς εἰκός ³⁰⁴ οἶμαι ³⁰⁵ οἴμοι ³⁰⁶

mvp-comment-277-5 ἐν σμικρῷ ³⁰⁷

mvp-comment-277-6 μέρος ³⁰⁸ μέρει ³⁰⁹

mvp-comment-277-7 ἤπειγον ³¹⁰

mvp-comment-278-1 πομπόν τε καὐτὸν ἄγγελον ³¹¹

mvp-comment-278-2 ἥκω ³¹²

mvp-comment-279-1 δεινὰ κἀπικινδύνως … κεῖται ³¹³ παθεῖν ³¹⁴ παθεῖν μὲν εὖ, παθεῖν δὲ θάτερα ³¹⁵

mvp-comment-279-2 θάτερα ³¹⁶

mvp-comment-280-1 ἐκτὸς ὄντα ³¹⁷ τὰ δείν’ ὁρᾶν ³¹⁸

mvp-comment-281-1 εὖ ζῇ ³¹⁹

mvp-comment-281-2 τὸν βίον ³²⁰ λάθῃ ³²¹

mvp-comment-282-1 : antistrophe to 391—402. The pity expressed by the Chorus may well be sincere; but in this utterance of it, their first aim is to aid their master's design. Verse 510 shows this.

mvp-comment-282-2 πόνων ἆθλα ³²²

mvp-comment-282-3 οἷα ³²³ οἷα ³²⁴ ἅσσα ³²⁵ τύχοι ³²⁶ λάχοι ³²⁷

mvp-comment-283-1 πικρούς ³²⁸

mvp-comment-284-1 ἐγὼ μὲν ³²⁹ πορεύσαιμ’ ἂν ³³⁰

mvp-comment-284-2 τὸ κείνων κακὸν ³³¹

mvp-comment-284-3 μετατιθέμενος ³³²

mvp-comment-284-4 ἐπιμέμονεν ³³³

mvp-comment-285-1 εὐστόλου ³³⁴

mvp-comment-286-1 τὰν θεῶν νέμεσιν ³³⁵

mvp-comment-287-1 νῦν μὲν … ὅταν δὲ ³³⁶

mvp-comment-287-2 εὐχερὴς ³³⁷ τις ³³⁸ παρῇς ³³⁹

mvp-comment-288-1 τῆς νόσου ³⁴⁰ πλησθῇς· ξυνουσίᾳ ³⁴¹

mvp-comment-288-2 αὑτὸς τοῖς λόγοις τούτοις ³⁴²

mvp-comment-289-1 οὐκ ἔσθ’ ὅπως ³⁴³

mvp-comment-290-1 ἀλλὰ … μέντοι ³⁴⁴

mvp-comment-290-2 αἰσχρὰ ³⁴⁵

mvp-comment-290-3 σοῦ γέ μ’ ³⁴⁶ σοῦ γ’ ἔμ’ ³⁴⁷

mvp-comment-290-4 πρὸς τὸ καίριον ³⁴⁸

mvp-comment-290-5 πονεῖν ³⁴⁹

mvp-comment-291-1 ὁρμάσθω ³⁵⁰ ταχύς ³⁵¹ χἡ ναῦς ³⁵²

mvp-comment-291-2 ἀπαρνηθήσεται ³⁵³

mvp-comment-292-1 μόνον ³⁵⁴

mvp-comment-292-2 βουλοίμεσθα ³⁵⁵

mvp-comment-293-1 ὦ φίλτατον μὲν ³⁵⁶

mvp-comment-293-2 πῶς ἂν … γενοίμην ³⁵⁷

mvp-comment-294-1 ἴωμεν ³⁵⁸ ἴωμεν ³⁵⁹ ἴωμεν ³⁶⁰ εἰσοίκησιν ³⁶¹ προσκύσαντε ³⁶² εἰς οἴκησιν ³⁶³ προσκύσαντε ³⁶⁴

mvp-comment-294-2 ὡς … καὶ ³⁶⁵

mvp-comment-295-1 ἀφ’ ὧν ³⁶⁶

mvp-comment-295-2 διέζων ³⁶⁷

mvp-comment-296-1 οἶμαι γὰρ ³⁶⁸

mvp-comment-296-2 μόνην ³⁶⁹ μόνον ³⁷⁰ τάδε ³⁷¹ θέαν λαβόντα ³⁷² τλῆναι ³⁷³

mvp-comment-297-1 προὔμαθον ³⁷⁴

mvp-comment-298-1 ἐπίσχετον ³⁷⁵ μάθωμεν ³⁷⁶

mvp-comment-298-2 ἀλλόθρους ³⁷⁷

mvp-comment-298-3 ὧν μαθόντες ³⁷⁸

mvp-comment-298-4 αὖθις ³⁷⁹ εἴσιτον ³⁸⁰

mvp-comment-298-5 542 Odysseus said that he would send back the

σκοπός

, disguised as a merchant captain, if N. seemed to be tarrying too long (126 ff.). The actor who now comes on as

ἔμπορος

would not, however, be the same who played the

σκοπός

(a mute person), but the tritagonist, who played Odysseus. The sailor who accompanies him is a mute person; and that part may have been taken by the former representative of the

σκοπός

mvp-comment-298-6 As N. has already ensnared Ph. , and is on the point of starting with him, there is no actual need for the intervention of the

ἔμπορος

. But Odysseus, at the ship, could not know this; and we are to suppose that he had become impatient. The scene which follows heightens the dramatic interest by bringing out the horror with which Ph. regards the idea of returning to Troy.

mvp-comment-298-7 ξυνέμπορον ³⁸¹

mvp-comment-299-1 φράσαι σε, ποῦ ³⁸²

mvp-comment-299-2 κυρῶν εἴης ³⁸³

mvp-comment-300-1 δοξάζων μὲν οὔ ³⁸⁴

mvp-comment-300-2 ὁρμισθεὶς ³⁸⁵ ταὐτὸν … πέδον ³⁸⁶

mvp-comment-301-1 οὐ πολλῷ στόλῳ ³⁸⁷

mvp-comment-302-1 Πεπάρηθον ³⁸⁸ εὔβοτρυν ³⁸⁹

mvp-comment-302-2 ἤκουσα τοὺς ναύτας ὅτι ³⁹⁰ πάντες ³⁹¹ συννεναυστοληκότες ³⁹² οἱ νεναυστοληκότες ³⁹³ σοὶ ³⁹⁴

mvp-comment-303-1 ἔδοξέ μοι ³⁹⁵ προστυχόντι ³⁹⁶ ποεῖσθαι ³⁹⁷ μὴ σῖγα, πρὶν φράσαιμι ³⁹⁸ προστυχόντι ³⁹⁹ προστυχόντι ⁴⁰⁰

mvp-comment-303-2 τῶν ἴσων ⁴⁰¹ προστυχόντι ⁴⁰² σοι ⁴⁰³

mvp-comment-304-1 ἃ τοῖσιν ⁴⁰⁴

mvp-comment-304-2 vέα ⁴⁰⁵

mvp-comment-305-1 οὐκέτ’ ἐξαργούμενα ⁴⁰⁶ ἔργα ⁴⁰⁷ δρώμενα ⁴⁰⁸

mvp-comment-306-1 ἀλλ’ ⁴⁰⁹ ἡ χάρις … τῆς προμηθίας ⁴¹⁰ προμηθίας ⁴¹¹

mvp-comment-306-2 εἰ μὴ κακὸς πέφυκα ⁴¹²

mvp-comment-306-3 προσφιλὴς ⁴¹³ χάρις ⁴¹⁴

mvp-comment-307-1 ἅπερ γ’ ⁴¹⁵ ἅπερ κἄλεξας ⁴¹⁶ γε ⁴¹⁷ ἅπερ ⁴¹⁸

mvp-comment-308-1 νεώτερον ⁴¹⁹

mvp-comment-308-2 ἀπ’ Ἀργείων ⁴²⁰ βούλευμα ⁴²¹ ἔχεις ⁴²² μοι ⁴²³

mvp-comment-309-1 φοῖνιξ ⁴²⁴

mvp-comment-309-2 οἵ τε Θησέως κόροι ⁴²⁵

mvp-comment-310-1 ἐκ βίας ⁴²⁶

mvp-comment-310-2 λόγοις ⁴²⁷ δόλοις ⁴²⁸

mvp-comment-311-1 καθ’ ὁρμὴν ⁴²⁹

mvp-comment-312-1 ὡς ταῦτ’ ἐπίστω δρώμεν’ ⁴³⁰

mvp-comment-313-1 πρὸς τάδ’ ⁴³¹

mvp-comment-313-2 αὐτάγγελος ⁴³²

mvp-comment-314-1 κεῖνός γ’ ⁴³³

mvp-comment-314-2 ὁ Τυδέως παῖς ⁴³⁴ ἔστελλον ⁴³⁵

mvp-comment-315-1 πρὸς ποῖον αὖ τόνδ’ … ἔπλει ⁴³⁶ αὖ ⁴³⁷ αὖ ⁴³⁸ ἂν ⁴³⁹

mvp-comment-315-2 If ἂν ⁴⁴⁰

mvp-comment-316-1 σοι ⁴⁴¹

mvp-comment-317-1 τὰ πλείον’ ⁴⁴²

mvp-comment-317-2 σεαυτὸν ξυλλαβὼν ⁴⁴³

mvp-comment-318-1 τί με ⁴⁴⁴ διεμπολᾷ … πρός σε ⁴⁴⁵ τί με ⁴⁴⁶ τί δὲ ⁴⁴⁷ διεμπολᾷ ⁴⁴⁸

mvp-comment-319-1 εἰς φῶς ⁴⁴⁹ καί … τε ⁴⁵⁰

mvp-comment-320-1 σπέρμ’ ⁴⁵¹

mvp-comment-320-2 στρατῷ ⁴⁵²

mvp-comment-320-3 ἃ μὴ δεῖ ⁴⁵³

mvp-comment-320-4 δρῶν ἀντιπάσχω ⁴⁵⁴ οἷ’ ἀνὴρ πένης ⁴⁵⁵

mvp-comment-320-5 χρηστά θ’ ⁴⁵⁶

mvp-comment-321-1 ἐγώ εἰμ’ ⁴⁵⁷

mvp-comment-321-2 φίλος μέγιστος ⁴⁵⁸

mvp-comment-322-1 λόγων ⁴⁵⁹ λόγον ⁴⁶⁰ ὧν ⁴⁶¹

mvp-comment-323-1 ὅρα ⁴⁶²

mvp-comment-323-2 πάλαι ⁴⁶³

mvp-comment-324-1 ποιοῦ ⁴⁶⁴

mvp-comment-324-2 λέγων ⁴⁶⁵

mvp-comment-325-1 λέγω ⁴⁶⁶

mvp-comment-325-2 )πὶ τοῦτον ⁴⁶⁷

mvp-comment-325-3 τοῦτον ⁴⁶⁸

mvp-comment-325-4 592 Although Odysseus and Diomedes had been named in 570, it is obviously natural that their names should be repeated in this more explicit statement.

mvp-comment-326-1 διώμοτοι ⁴⁶⁹

mvp-comment-326-2 ἦ μὴν ⁴⁷⁰

mvp-comment-327-1 πείσαντες ⁴⁷¹ πρὸς ⁴⁷²

mvp-comment-328-1 πλέον ⁴⁷³

mvp-comment-328-2 θατέρου ⁴⁷⁴

mvp-comment-329-1 τίνος … πράγματος χάριν ⁴⁷⁵

mvp-comment-329-2 χρόνῳ τοσῷδε ⁴⁷⁶

mvp-comment-329-3 ἐπεστρέφοντο ⁴⁷⁷

mvp-comment-329-4 ἄγαν οὕτω ⁴⁷⁸

mvp-comment-329-5 The order of the words is remarkable, not only because τίνος ⁴⁷⁹ πράγματος ⁴⁸⁰ τοῦδ’ ⁴⁸¹

mvp-comment-330-1 εἶχον … ἐκβεβληκότες ⁴⁸²

mvp-comment-330-2 χρόνιον ⁴⁸³

mvp-comment-331-1 τίς ὁ πόθος ⁴⁸⁴

mvp-comment-331-2 ἵκετ’ ⁴⁸⁵

mvp-comment-331-3 θεῶν βία ⁴⁸⁶

mvp-comment-331-4 νέμεσις ⁴⁸⁷

mvp-comment-331-5 ἀμύνουσιν ⁴⁸⁸

mvp-comment-332-1 ὄνομα δ’ ὠνομάζετο ⁴⁸⁹

mvp-comment-333-1 Ἕλενος ⁴⁹⁰

mvp-comment-333-2 The statement of the

ἔμπορος

is only part of the truth. Helenus had indeed been captured, and had said that Troy could not be taken without Philoctetes. But he had also said that Troy was destined to be taken that summer,—as if he knew that fate had decreed the return of Philoctetes,—who was then to be healed by the Asclepiadae, and to share with Neoptolemus the glory of the victory (1329—1342). Odysseus, however, believed that Philoctetes would not listen to persuasion, but must be brought back by a stratagem (103). And so the object of the

ἔμπορος

in referring to Helenus is merely to convince Philoctetes that Odysseus is coming, in order that the sufferer may become still more anxious to depart with Neoptolemus for Greece, as he supposes.

mvp-comment-334-1 ἀκούων ⁴⁹¹

mvp-comment-334-2 λωβητὰ ἔπη ⁴⁹²

mvp-comment-335-1 ἐς μέσον ⁴⁹³ ἔδειξ’ ⁴⁹⁴

mvp-comment-336-1 τά τ’ ἄλλα … πάντα ⁴⁹⁵ καὶ ⁴⁹⁶

mvp-comment-337-1 τἀπὶ Τροίᾳ πέργαμ’ ⁴⁹⁷

mvp-comment-337-2 οὐ μή ποτε πέρσοιεν ⁴⁹⁸ οὐ μή ⁴⁹⁹

mvp-comment-337-3 οὐ δηποτε πέρσοιεν ⁵⁰⁰

mvp-comment-338-1 ἄγοιντο ⁵⁰¹ ἀγάγοιντο ⁵⁰² ἄξοιντο ⁵⁰³ ἄγοιντο ⁵⁰⁴

mvp-comment-338-2 νήσου ⁵⁰⁵

mvp-comment-338-3 617 The words οἴοιτο μὲν μάλιστα ⁵⁰⁶

mvp-comment-338-4 μάλιστα ⁵⁰⁸ οἴοιτο ⁵⁰⁹

mvp-comment-339-1 τούτων ⁵¹⁰ μὴ τυχών ⁵¹¹

mvp-comment-339-2 κάρα τέμνειν ⁵¹² ἐφεῖτο ⁵¹³

mvp-comment-340-1 τὸ σπεύδειν ⁵¹⁴

mvp-comment-340-2 σοι καὐτῷ ⁵¹⁵ πέρι ⁵¹⁶

mvp-comment-341-1 ἡ πασα βλάβη ⁵¹⁷

mvp-comment-342-1 πεισθήσομαι ⁵¹⁸

mvp-comment-342-2 γὰρ ⁵¹⁹

mvp-comment-342-3 ὧδε ⁵²⁰

mvp-comment-342-4 πρὸς φῶς ἀνελθεῖν ⁵²¹

mvp-comment-342-5 οὑκείνου πατήρ ⁵²²

mvp-comment-343-1 συμφέροι ⁵²³

mvp-comment-344-1 τάδε ⁵²⁴

mvp-comment-345-1 ἂν ⁵²⁵ δεῖξαι ⁵²⁶

mvp-comment-345-2 νεὼς ἄγοντ’ ⁵²⁷

mvp-comment-346-1 οὔ· ⁵²⁸

mvp-comment-346-2 πλεῖστον ἐχθίστης ⁵²⁹

mvp-comment-347-1 ἄπουν ⁵³⁰

mvp-comment-348-1 πάντα λεκτά ⁵³¹

mvp-comment-349-1 ὡς … ὁρίζῃ ⁵³² ὁρίζει ⁵³³

mvp-comment-350-1 τοὐκ πρῴρας ⁵³⁴

mvp-comment-350-2 ἀνῇ ⁵³⁵

mvp-comment-350-3 στελοῦμεν ⁵³⁶

mvp-comment-351-1 οὔκ, ἀλλὰ ⁵³⁷ οὐκ ⁵³⁸ οἶδ)· ⁵³⁹ ἀλλ’ οὐχὶ ⁵⁴⁰

mvp-comment-352-1 ἀλλ’ ⁵⁴¹

mvp-comment-352-2 χωρῶμεν … λαβὼν ⁵⁴² λαβόνθ’ ⁵⁴³

mvp-comment-353-1 καίπερ οὐ πολλῶν ἄπο ⁵⁴⁴

mvp-comment-354-1 νεώς γε τῆς ἐμῆς ἔπι ⁵⁴⁵ ἔνι ⁵⁴⁶ ἔπι ⁵⁴⁷ ἔνι ⁵⁴⁸ νεώς ⁵⁴⁹ ἔνι ⁵⁵⁰ ἔνι ⁵⁵¹

mvp-comment-355-1 πάνυ ⁵⁵²

mvp-comment-356-1 τί γὰρ ἔτ’ ⁵⁵³

mvp-comment-356-2 γάρ ⁵⁵⁴

mvp-comment-357-1 εἴ μοί τι τόξων ⁵⁵⁵ τόξα ⁵⁵⁶

mvp-comment-357-2 ἀπημελημένον ⁵⁵⁷

mvp-comment-357-3 παρερρύηκεν ⁵⁵⁸

mvp-comment-357-4 ὡς λίπω μή ⁵⁵⁹ λαβεῖν ⁵⁶⁰

mvp-comment-358-1 οὐ γὰρ ἄλλ’ ἔστ’, ἀλλ’ ἃ κ.τ.λ. ⁵⁶¹ ἀλλ’ ⁵⁶² ἄλλ’ ⁵⁶³ ἄλλος ⁵⁶⁴ ἃ βαστάζω ⁵⁶⁵ ταῦτ’ ⁵⁶⁶ ἄλλα γ’ ἔσθ’ ἃ ⁵⁶⁷

mvp-comment-359-1 ὥστε ⁵⁶⁸ ἔστιν ⁵⁶⁹

mvp-comment-359-2 θεόν ⁵⁷⁰ θεός ⁵⁷¹

mvp-comment-360-1 ξυμφέρῃ ⁵⁷² ἐρῶ ⁵⁷³

mvp-comment-361-1 καὶ μὴν … γε ⁵⁷⁴ πάρες ⁵⁷⁵

mvp-comment-362-1 ὅσια … θέμις ⁵⁷⁶

mvp-comment-363-1 ὅς γ’ ⁵⁷⁷

mvp-comment-363-2 φάος ⁵⁷⁸

mvp-comment-363-3 δέδωκας ⁵⁷⁹

mvp-comment-363-4 χθόν’ Οἰταίαν ⁵⁸⁰

mvp-comment-364-1 ἀνέστησας πέρα ⁵⁸¹ πέρα ⁵⁸² πέρα ⁵⁸³ ἔνερθεν ⁵⁸⁴ πέρα ⁵⁸⁵ μ’ ὕ ⁵⁸⁶ περ ⁵⁸⁷ ἀναστήσας πάρει ⁵⁸⁸ πέρα ⁵⁸⁹

mvp-comment-365-1 ταῦτα ⁵⁹⁰ παρέσται σοι ⁵⁹¹ καὶ θιγγάνειν ⁵⁹²

mvp-comment-366-1 καὶ δόντι δοῦναι ⁵⁹³ δοῦναι ⁵⁹⁴ ἐπεύξασθαι ⁵⁹⁵ θιγγάνειν ⁵⁹⁶

mvp-comment-366-2 669 The acc. μόνον ⁵⁹⁷ δόντι ⁵⁹⁸ μόνῳ ⁵⁹⁹ μόνον ⁶⁰⁰ ς’ ⁶⁰¹ ἀρετῆς ⁶⁰²

mvp-comment-367-1 εὐεργετῶν ⁶⁰³

mvp-comment-368-1 These three verses, called ‘manifesto spurii’ by Dindorf, are clearly genuine. If they are rejected, then Neoptolemus deigns no reply beyond

χωροῖς ἂν εἴσω

to the gracious and cordial speech of Philoctetes. In proof that the verses are pointless, Dindorf says:—‘Neque enim quidquam beneficii a Philocteta accepit Neoptolemus, ut

εὖ παθών

dici possit.’ Blaydes, though he does not bracket the verses, assents to this argument:—‘Certainly

εὖ παθὼν

cannot well apply to Neoptolemus.’ But

εὖ παθών

refers, of course, to Philoctetes. Neoptolemus means:—‘I am not sorry that chance drove me to Lemnos, and thus enabled me to gain your friendship. One who is ready to requite a benefit (viz., conveyance to Greece) by such a kindness as this (the promised loan of the bow), must indeed prove to be a priceless friend.’

mvp-comment-369-1 εὖ δρᾶν εὖ παθὼν ⁶⁰⁴

mvp-comment-369-2 κτήματος ⁶⁰⁵

mvp-comment-370-1 χωροῖς ἂν εἴσω ⁶⁰⁶ καὶ σέ γ’ εἰσάξω ⁶⁰⁷ γε ⁶⁰⁸ σέ ⁶⁰⁹ χωροῖς ἂν εἴσω ⁶¹⁰

mvp-comment-370-2 τὸ γὰρ ⁶¹¹ νοσοῦν ⁶¹² τὸ … νοσοῦν ⁶¹³

mvp-comment-371-1 ἐξήκους’ ⁶¹⁴

mvp-comment-371-2 ὄπωπα δ’ οὐ μάλα ⁶¹⁵

mvp-comment-372-1 τὸν πελάταν ⁶¹⁶

mvp-comment-372-2 The comparison with Ixion is the more forcible here, since reference has just been made to the gratitude shown by Philoctetes (672). Ixion was the great example of ingratitude. Cp. Pind. P. 2. 21

θεῶν δ’ ἐφετμαῖς Ἰξίονα φαντὶ ταῦτα βροτοῖς

λέγειν ἐν πτερόεντι τροχῷ

παντᾷ κυλινδόμενον·

τὸν εὐεργέταν ἀγαναῖς ἀμοιβαῖς ἐποιχομένους τίνεσθαι

mvp-comment-372-3 λέκτρων … τῶν Διὸς ⁶¹⁷ τῶν ⁶¹⁸

mvp-comment-373-1 κατὰ δρομάδ’ ἄμπυκα … Κρόνου παῖς ⁶¹⁹ Ἰξίονα ⁶²⁰ δέσμιον ⁶²¹ Ἰξίονα ⁶²² δέσμιον ⁶²³ Ἰξίονα ⁶²⁴

mvp-comment-373-2 (1) The poet's tendency to omit the proper name in mythical allusion, when the context made his meaning clear, might be illustrated from Ant, 133, where Capaneus is described, yet not named; and from 966—987 of the same play, where Cleopatra—whose fate is being compared with Antigone's—is only indicated as the mother of the Phineidae (980) and the daughter of Boreas (985).

mvp-comment-373-3 (2) δέσμιον ⁶²⁵ κατ’ ἄμπυκα … ἔβαλεν ⁶²⁶ δέσμιον ⁶²⁷ κατ’ ⁶²⁸ ἀν’ ⁶²⁹

mvp-comment-373-4 Ἰξίον’ ἀν’ ἄμπυκα δὴ δρομάδ’ ὡς ἔβαλεν ⁶³⁰ δέσμιον ⁶³¹

mvp-comment-373-5 ἄμπυκα ⁶³² δρομάδα ⁶³³

mvp-comment-373-6 Cp. Hesych.,

ἄμπυκες, τροχοί· οὕτω Σοφοκλῆς ἐν Φιλοκτήτη

. Musgrave's ἄντυγα ⁶³⁴

mvp-comment-374-1 τοῦδ’ ⁶³⁵

mvp-comment-375-1 οὔτ’ ἔρξας τιν’, οὔ τι νοσφίσας ⁶³⁶ οὔ τι ⁶³⁷ οὔτε ⁶³⁸ οὐκ ⁶³⁹ νοσφίσας ⁶⁴⁰ ἔρξας ⁶⁴¹ νοσφίσας ⁶⁴²

mvp-comment-376-1 ἴσος ὢν ἴσοις ⁶⁴³ ἴσος ὢν ἴσοις ⁶⁴⁴ ἴσος ⁶⁴⁵

mvp-comment-376-2 L has ἴσως ⁶⁴⁶ ἐν ἴσοις ⁶⁴⁷ ἔν γ’ ⁶⁴⁸

mvp-comment-377-1 ὤλλυθ’ ⁶⁴⁹

mvp-comment-377-2 The MS. text here is ὤλλυθ’ ὧδ’ ἀναξίως· τόδε θαῦμ’ ἔχει με ⁶⁵⁰ τόδε τοι θαῦμά μ’ ἔχει ⁶⁵¹ τότ’ ἂν εἰλυόμενος ⁶⁵² ὤλλυθ’ ὧδ’ ἀναξίως ⁶⁵³ εἷρπε γὰρ ⁶⁵⁴ εἷρπε δ’ ⁶⁵⁵ ὤλλυθ’ ⁶⁵⁶ ὠλέκεθ’ ⁶⁵⁷ ὤλλυτο τῇδ’ ⁶⁵⁸ ἀναξίως ⁶⁵⁹ ἄλλᾳ ⁶⁶⁰ ἀλλ ⁶⁶¹ αχ ⁶⁶² ᾷ ⁶⁶³

mvp-comment-378-1 ἀμφιπλάκτων ⁶⁶⁴ κλύζων ⁶⁶⁵

mvp-comment-379-1 βιοτὰν κατέσχεν ⁶⁶⁶

mvp-comment-380-1 ἵν’ αὐτὸς ἦν πρόσουρος ⁶⁶⁷ ἦν ⁶⁶⁸ οἱ ⁶⁶⁹ πρόσουρος ⁶⁷⁰

mvp-comment-380-2 οὐκ ἔχων βάσιν ⁶⁷¹ πρόσουρον οὐκ ἔχων βάσιν ⁶⁷² πρόδουλον … βάσιν ⁶⁷³ οὔτιν’ ἐς ἔγχωρον ⁶⁷⁴

mvp-comment-381-1 κακογείτονα ⁶⁷⁵

mvp-comment-381-2 Compounds to which

κακός

gives the first part are of two classes, according as the

κακο‐

element is (1) adj. or (2) subst. In class (1) there are again two types. ( a) The commonest is that of

κακόβιος

, =

κακὸν βίον ἔχων

: i.e., the compound denotes ‘possessing’ the subst. as qualified by

κακός

. ( b) A rarer, chiefly poet., type is that of

Κακοΐλιος

as simply=

κακὴ Ἴλιος

. In class (2) ( a) the

κακο‐

is most often equiv. to the subst.

κακόν

κακά

in the acc., governed by a verb: as

κακοποιός

κακὰ ποιῶν

. ( b) But sometimes this

κακο‐

represents a gen. or dat., depending on another noun: thus

κακόμαντις

, ‘prophet of evil’ ( Aesch. Pers. 10 etc.)=

κακῶν μάντις

. Cratinus used

κακόδουλος

as =

κακὸς δούλοις

(‘cruel to slaves’),

Θρᾷτται

fr. 7. And so

κακογείτων

could belong either to (1) b,=

κακὸς γείτων

: or, as it actually does here, to (2) b,

κακῶν γείτων

. Cp.

ἁλιγείτων, ἀστρογείτων, ἀστυγείτων

mvp-comment-381-3 The schol. joined κακογείτονα ⁶⁷⁶ στόνον ⁶⁷⁷ κακογείτονα ⁶⁷⁸

mvp-comment-382-1 παρ’ ᾧ ⁶⁷⁹ ἀποκλαύσειεν ⁶⁸⁰

mvp-comment-382-2 ἀντίτυπον ⁶⁸¹

mvp-comment-382-3 βαρυβρῶτα … αἱματηρόν ⁶⁸² στόνον ⁶⁸³

mvp-comment-383-1 ὃς τὰν ⁶⁸⁴ οὐδ’ ὃς τὰν ⁶⁸⁵ οὐδ’ ⁶⁸⁶ τὰν ⁶⁸⁷ ὃς τὰν ⁶⁸⁸ οὐδ’ ὃς ⁶⁸⁹

mvp-comment-383-2 αἱμάδα ⁶⁹⁰ κηκι—ομέναν ⁶⁹¹

mvp-comment-383-3 ἑλκέων ⁶⁹²

mvp-comment-383-4 ἐνθήρου ⁶⁹³

mvp-comment-384-1 εἴ τις ἐμπέσοι ⁶⁹⁴ ἑλών ⁶⁹⁵ ἑλεῖν ⁶⁹⁶

mvp-comment-384-2 Some read εἴ τιν’ ἐμπέσοι ⁶⁹⁷ εἵ τι ⁶⁹⁸ συμπέσοι ⁶⁹⁹ ἑλεῖν ⁷⁰⁰

mvp-comment-384-3 φορβάδος ⁷⁰¹

mvp-comment-385-1 εἷρπε ⁷⁰² ἂν ⁷⁰³ εἷρπε ⁷⁰⁴ εἰλυόμενος ⁷⁰⁵

mvp-comment-386-1 παῖς … ὡς ⁷⁰⁶

mvp-comment-387-1 ὅθεν ⁷⁰⁷ ὅθεν ὑπάρχοι ⁷⁰⁸

mvp-comment-387-2 εὐμάρεια … πόρου ⁷⁰⁹ πόρων ⁷¹⁰ πόρον ⁷¹¹

mvp-comment-387-3 ἐξανείη ⁷¹²

mvp-comment-387-4 δακέθυμος ⁷¹³

mvp-comment-388-1 ἱερᾶς ⁷¹⁴

mvp-comment-388-2 αἴρων ⁷¹⁵

mvp-comment-388-3 ἄλλων ⁷¹⁶ φορβὰν ⁷¹⁷ τῶν ⁷¹⁸

mvp-comment-388-4 ἀλφησταί ⁷¹⁹

mvp-comment-388-5 ἀνέρες ⁷²⁰ α— ⁷²¹

mvp-comment-389-1 πτανοῖς ⁷²²

mvp-comment-389-2 ἰοῖς ⁷²³

mvp-comment-390-1 ψυχά, ὃς ⁷²⁴

mvp-comment-390-2 ὃς μηδ’ ⁷²⁵

mvp-comment-390-3 ἥσθη ⁷²⁶

mvp-comment-390-4 οἰνοχύτου ⁷²⁷

mvp-comment-390-5 δεκέτει χρόνῳ ⁷²⁸ δεκέτη χρόνον ⁷²⁹

mvp-comment-391-1 λεύσσων ⁷³⁰ ὅπου γνοίη ⁷³¹ προσενώμα ⁷³² εἰς στατὸν ὕδωρ ⁷³³ γνοίη ⁷³⁴ προσενώμα ⁷³⁵ στατὸν … ὕδωρ ⁷³⁶

mvp-comment-392-1 ἀνδρῶν ἀγ ⁷³⁷

mvp-comment-392-2 ὑπαντήσας ⁷³⁸

mvp-comment-393-1 ἀνύσει εὐδαίμων ⁷³⁹

mvp-comment-393-2 ἐκ κείνων ⁷⁴⁰

mvp-comment-394-1 ποντοπόρῳ ⁷⁴¹

mvp-comment-394-2 δούρατι ⁷⁴²

mvp-comment-394-3 πλήθει … μηνῶν ⁷⁴³

mvp-comment-395-1 πατρίαν ⁷⁴⁴ πατρῴαν ⁷⁴⁵

mvp-comment-395-2 Μαλιάδων ⁷⁴⁶ αὐλὰν ⁷⁴⁷ ὄχθας ⁷⁴⁸

mvp-comment-395-3 παρ’ ὄχθας ⁷⁴⁹ Σπερχειοῦ τε ⁷⁵⁰ Σπερχειοῖο ⁷⁵¹ ὄχθαις ⁷⁵²

mvp-comment-396-1 ὁ χάλκασπις ἀνὴρ ⁷⁵³

mvp-comment-396-2 In this play Heracles figures especially as the former possessor of the invincible bow. Why, then, has Soph. here chosen an epithet, χάλκασπις ⁷⁵⁴

mvp-comment-397-1 πλάθει ⁷⁵⁵ πλάθη ⁷⁵⁶ θείῳ πυρὶ παμφαής ⁷⁵⁷

mvp-comment-397-2 *

πατρὸς

is my emendation of the corrupt πᾶσι ⁷⁵⁸ ὅπου ⁷⁵⁹ πᾶσι ⁷⁶⁰ πλάθει ⁷⁶¹ θείῳ ⁷⁶² πᾶσι ⁷⁶³ πατρὸς ⁷⁶⁴

mvp-comment-397-3 The burning of Heracles, and his apotheosis, are combined in some vase paintings. (1) A bowl (

κρατήρ

) of the 4th cent. B.C., now in the Collegio Rainone at Agata S. dei Goti: Milani, Mito di Filottete, p. 65: Baumeister, Denkm., p. 307, fig. 322. In the lower part of the picture is the still burning pyre, which a Nymph on the left is trying to quench by pouring water from a jug. The trunk of the hero's mortal body lies on the pyre. On the right, a bearded figure in a peaked cap is hastily receding. This is either Poeas or Philoctetes: at his side is the quiver given him by the hero for kindling the pyre. Above, a Doric portal represents the entrance to Olympus. Apollo, laurel-crowned, sits on the left of it; a four-horse chariot approaches him, preceded by Hermes. It is driven by a winged goddess (a

Νίκη

): on her left sits Heracles, crowned with laurel, his club in his left hand; a light garment (a sort of chlamys) floats round his shoulders. (2) A Lucanian vase, now at Munich: Baumeister, p. 669, fig. 734. Below is the pyre, with the trunk of Heracles on it: the fire is being quenched by two Nymphs on the right

ΑΠΕΘΟΣΑ

and

ΠΡΕΜΝΟΣΙΑ

(an Attic fountain). On the left are two Satyr figures. Above, Athena Nikè, with helmet, lance, and chequered aegis worn as a corslet, is driving Heracles to Olympus; his left hand holds the club, and round his left arm is wound his chlamys.—We notice how the participation of Nymphs in these scenes illustrates the poet's

Μαλιάδων νυμφᾶν

(v. 725).

mvp-comment-398-1 ὄχθων ⁷⁶⁵

mvp-comment-399-1 εἰ θέλεις ⁷⁶⁶

mvp-comment-400-1 ἀπόπληκτος ἔχει ⁷⁶⁷

mvp-comment-401-1 τί δ’ ἔστιν ⁷⁶⁸ τί ἔστιν ⁷⁶⁹

mvp-comment-402-1 τῆς παρεστώσης ⁷⁷⁰

mvp-comment-402-2 735 The intrans. κουφίζειν ⁷⁷¹

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 ⁷⁷² ἰὼ θεοί ⁷⁷³

mvp-comment-402-4 τί θεοὺς ἀναστένων καλεῖς ⁷⁷⁴ θεοὺς ⁷⁷⁵

mvp-comment-403-1 κυρῶν ⁷⁷⁶

mvp-comment-404-1 διέρχεται ⁷⁷⁷

mvp-comment-404-2 βρύκομαι ⁷⁷⁸

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 ⁷⁷⁹ χεροῖν ⁷⁸⁰

mvp-comment-405-2 πάταξον εἰς ἄκρον πόδα ⁷⁸¹

mvp-comment-406-1 ἴθ’ ὦ παῖ ⁷⁸²

mvp-comment-407-1 νεοχμὸν ἐξαίφνης ⁷⁸³ σαυτοῦ ⁷⁸⁴ ἰυγήν ⁷⁸⁵ ποεῖ ⁷⁸⁶

mvp-comment-408-1 τί σοί ⁷⁸⁷ ἔστιν ⁷⁸⁸

mvp-comment-409-1 τοὐπίσαγμα ⁷⁸⁹ τοὐπείσαγμα ⁷⁹⁰ τοὐπίσιγμα ⁷⁹¹

mvp-comment-410-1 γὰρ ⁷⁹²

mvp-comment-410-2 δράσω ⁷⁹³

mvp-comment-411-1 ἥκει … ἐξεπλήσθη ⁷⁹⁴ αὕτη ⁷⁹⁵ διὰ χρόνου ⁷⁹⁶ ἥκει ⁷⁹⁷ διὰ χρόνου ⁷⁹⁸ πλάνοις ⁷⁹⁹ ἥκει ⁸⁰⁰ πλάνοις ⁸⁰¹

mvp-comment-411-2 ἐξεπλήσθη. — ἰώ ⁸⁰² φεῦ ⁸⁰³ ἰώ ⁸⁰⁴ ἐξέπλης ⁸⁰⁵ πλάνους ⁸⁰⁶

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 ⁸⁰⁷

mvp-comment-411-5 δύστηνε … φανείς ⁸⁰⁸

mvp-comment-411-6 διὰ πόνων πάντων ⁸⁰⁹

mvp-comment-412-1 βούλει λάβωμαι ⁸¹⁰ δῆτα ⁸¹¹

mvp-comment-413-1 μοι ⁸¹²

mvp-comment-414-1 ἕως ⁸¹³

mvp-comment-414-2 ἀνῇ ⁸¹⁴

mvp-comment-415-1 τὸ πῆμα … τῆς νόσου ⁸¹⁵

mvp-comment-416-1 γὰρ οὖν ⁸¹⁶

mvp-comment-416-2 ἐξίῃ ⁸¹⁷

mvp-comment-417-1 λῆξαι ⁸¹⁸

mvp-comment-418-1 ἕκηλον εὕδειν ⁸¹⁹ τῷδε τῷ χρόνῳ ⁸²⁰

mvp-comment-418-2 ἐκεῖνοι ⁸²¹

mvp-comment-419-1 ἑκόντα μήτ’ ἄκοντα ⁸²² μήτ’ ⁸²³ μηδ’ ⁸²⁴

mvp-comment-419-2 μήτε τῳ τέχνῃ ⁸²⁵ μηδέ ⁸²⁶ μήτε ⁸²⁷ τέχνῃ ⁸²⁸

mvp-comment-420-1 πρόστροπον ⁸²⁹

mvp-comment-420-2 κτείνας γένῃ ⁸³⁰

mvp-comment-421-1 προνοίας οὕνεκ’ ⁸³¹ γ’ ⁸³² οὕνεκα ⁸³³ γε ⁸³⁴

mvp-comment-421-2 πλὴν σοί τε κἀμοί ⁸³⁵

mvp-comment-421-3 ξὺν τύχῃ ⁸³⁶

mvp-comment-422-1 τὸν φθόνον δὲ πρόσκυσον ⁸³⁷

mvp-comment-423-1 μή … γενέσθαι ⁸³⁸

mvp-comment-423-2 πολύπονα ⁸³⁹

mvp-comment-423-3 μηδ’ ὅπως ⁸⁴⁰

mvp-comment-424-1 θεοί ⁸⁴¹

mvp-comment-424-2 γένοιτο … γένοιτο δὲ ⁸⁴² ταῦτα νῷν ⁸⁴³

mvp-comment-424-3 κεὐσταλής ⁸⁴⁴

mvp-comment-424-4 ὅποι ποτὲ ⁸⁴⁵

mvp-comment-425-1 ἀλλ’ Ὄκνος ⁸⁴⁶ ἀλλὰ δέδοικ’, ὦ παῖ, μή μ’ ἀτελὴς εὐχή ⁸⁴⁷ ὦ παῖ ⁸⁴⁸ ἀλλὰ ⁸⁴⁹ δέδοικ’ ⁸⁵⁰ μ’ ⁸⁵¹ με ⁸⁵² εὔχῃ, μή μ’ ἀτελὴς ⁸⁵³ ἀτελῶς ⁸⁵⁴ εὔχῃ ⁸⁵⁵ ἔχει ⁸⁵⁶ ἀτέλεστ’ ⁸⁵⁷

mvp-comment-425-2 For μὴ ⁸⁵⁸ α ⁸⁵⁹

mvp-comment-426-1 κηκῖον ⁸⁶⁰ νέον ⁸⁶¹

mvp-comment-427-1 ἐργάσει ⁸⁶² προσέρπει ⁸⁶³

mvp-comment-428-1 τάλας ⁸⁶⁴

mvp-comment-428-2 ἔχετε ⁸⁶⁵

mvp-comment-428-3 μηδαμῇ ⁸⁶⁶

mvp-comment-429-1 Κεφαλλήν ⁸⁶⁷

mvp-comment-429-2 σοῦ ⁸⁶⁸ ἔχοιτο ⁸⁶⁹ διαμπερὲς στέρνων ⁸⁷⁰ σου ⁸⁷¹

mvp-comment-430-1 μάλ’ αὖθις ⁸⁷²

mvp-comment-430-2 ὦ διπλοῖ στρ. ⁸⁷³

mvp-comment-430-3 Ἀγάμεμνον, ὦ Μενέλαε ⁸⁷⁴ Μενέλαέ τ’ Ἀγάμεμνόν τε ⁸⁷⁵ πῶς ἄν ⁸⁷⁶ τρέφοιτε ⁸⁷⁷

mvp-comment-430-4 τὸν ἴσον χρόνον ⁸⁷⁸

mvp-comment-431-1 ὦ Θάνατε ⁸⁷⁹

mvp-comment-431-2 ἀεὶ … κατ’ ἦμαρ ⁸⁸⁰

mvp-comment-431-3 δύνᾳ ⁸⁸¹

mvp-comment-432-1 ὦ τέκνον, ὦ γενναῖον ⁸⁸²

mvp-comment-432-2 ἀλλὰ ⁸⁸³

mvp-comment-433-1 τῷ Λ. τῷδ’ ἀνακ. πυρὶ ⁸⁸⁴

mvp-comment-433-2 The volcanic mountain called

Μόσυχλος

appears to have been on the east coast of Lemnos, south of the rocky promontory (

Ἑρμαῖον ὄρος

, 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.

Λήμνιον πῦρ

was proverbial for ‘a fierce fire’ ( Ar. Lys. 299 ). Lycophron (227) has

τεφρώσας γυῖα Λημναίῳ πυρί

in this sense, and calls Ajax

ὁ Λήμνιος

πρηστὴρ Ἐνυοῦς

(462), ‘Lemnian thunderbolt of war.’ Cp. Hesych.

Λήμνιον βλέπειν· ἐπειδὴ τὸ πῦρ Λήμνιον

. The legendary association of Lemnos with fierce crime (

Λήμνια κακά

) may have helped to suggest such phrases.

mvp-comment-434-1 ἔμπρησον ⁸⁸⁵ πυρί μ’ ⁸⁸⁶ συλλαβὼν ⁸⁸⁷

mvp-comment-435-1 τὸν τοῦ Διὸς παῖδ’ ⁸⁸⁸

mvp-comment-435-2 σῴζεις ⁸⁸⁹

mvp-comment-435-3 τοῦτ’ ⁸⁹⁰

mvp-comment-435-4 ἐπηξίωσα ⁸⁹¹

mvp-comment-435-5 δρᾶν ⁸⁹²

mvp-comment-436-1 τί φής, παῖ ⁸⁹³

mvp-comment-436-2 ποῦ ποτ’ ὤν ⁸⁹⁴

mvp-comment-437-1 πάλαι δὴ ⁸⁹⁵

mvp-comment-437-2 τἀπὶ σοὶ … κακά ⁸⁹⁶

mvp-comment-438-1 καὶ θάρσος ἴσχε ⁸⁹⁷ καὶ ⁸⁹⁸ μοι. ⁸⁹⁹

mvp-comment-438-2 φοιτᾷ ⁹⁰⁰

mvp-comment-438-3 ὀξεῖα, ταχεῖα ⁹⁰¹

mvp-comment-439-1 οὐ μήν ⁹⁰²

mvp-comment-439-2 ἔνορκον … θέσθαι ⁹⁰³

mvp-comment-440-1 ὡς ⁹⁰⁴ θέμις ⁹⁰⁵ γε ⁹⁰⁶ θέμις ⁹⁰⁷

mvp-comment-440-2 ἐμοὔστι ⁹⁰⁸

mvp-comment-441-1 ἔμβαλλε ⁹⁰⁹

mvp-comment-442-1 ἐκεῖσε νῦν μ’ ⁹¹⁰ ἐκεῖσε ⁹¹¹ ἐκεῖσε ⁹¹² ἄνω ⁹¹³ παραφρονεῖς αὖ ⁹¹⁴ τὸν ἄνω λεύσσεις κύκλον ⁹¹⁵ εἴ τι δὴ πλέον φρονεῖς ⁹¹⁶

mvp-comment-443-1 αὖ ⁹¹⁷

mvp-comment-443-2 τὸν ἄνω κύκλον ⁹¹⁸

mvp-comment-444-1 ποτέ ⁹¹⁹

mvp-comment-444-2 ἀπό μ’ ὀλεῖς ⁹²⁰

mvp-comment-445-1 καὶ δὴ μεθίημ’ ⁹²¹

mvp-comment-445-2 εἴ τι δὴ ⁹²²

mvp-comment-445-3 πλέον φρονεῖς ⁹²³ εἰ ⁹²⁴

mvp-comment-446-1 θανάσιμον ⁹²⁵

mvp-comment-446-2 ὅπως ἔχω ⁹²⁶

mvp-comment-446-3 ὀρθοῦσθαι ⁹²⁷

mvp-comment-447-1 οὐ μακροῦ χρόνου ⁹²⁸

mvp-comment-448-1 γέ τοι ⁹²⁹

mvp-comment-449-1 ἄκρον … ποδὸς ⁹³⁰ φλέψ ⁹³¹

mvp-comment-450-1 ὄμμασι δ’ ἀντίσχοις ⁹³² τάνδ’ αἴγλαν ἃ τέταται τανῦν ⁹³³ τάνδε ⁹³⁴ αἴγλαν ⁹³⁵ τέταται ⁹³⁶

mvp-comment-450-2 The words could not mean, ‘keep off this sunlight from his eyes.’ ὄμμασι ⁹³⁷ ἀντίσχοις ⁹³⁸ αἴγλαν ⁹³⁹ ἀντίσχοις ⁹⁴⁰ τάνδ’ αἴγλαν ⁹⁴¹

mvp-comment-451-1 ἴθι ἴθι ⁹⁴²

mvp-comment-452-1 ποῦ στάσει ⁹⁴³

mvp-comment-453-1 The MSS. give here ποῖ δὲ βάσει πῶς δέ μοι τἀντεῦθεν ⁹⁴⁴ κεῖνό μοι, κεῖνο λάθρᾳ ⁹⁴⁵ ποῖ δέ μοι τἀνθένδε βάσει ⁹⁴⁶ ποῖ ⁹⁴⁷ φροντίδος ⁹⁴⁸

mvp-comment-453-2 τἀνθένδε ⁹⁴⁹

mvp-comment-454-1 ὁρᾷς ἤδη ⁹⁵⁰ ὁρᾷς, εὕδει ⁹⁵¹

mvp-comment-455-1 πρὸς τί μενοῦμεν ⁹⁵² πράσσειν ⁹⁵³

mvp-comment-456-1 καιρός ⁹⁵⁴ πάντων γνώμαν ἴσχων ⁹⁵⁵

mvp-comment-456-2 < πολύ τι > πολὺ ⁹⁵⁶

mvp-comment-456-3 παρὰ πόδα ⁹⁵⁷

mvp-comment-457-1 ἀλλ’ ὅδε μὲν ⁹⁵⁸

mvp-comment-457-2 θήραν … ἔχομεν ⁹⁵⁹

mvp-comment-458-1 τοῦδε … τοῦτον ⁹⁶⁰

mvp-comment-458-2 ὁ στέφανος ⁹⁶¹

mvp-comment-459-1 κομπεῖν δ’ ⁹⁶² ἀτελῆ σὺν ψεύδεσιν ⁹⁶³

mvp-comment-460-1 ἀλλά, τέκνον ⁹⁶⁴

mvp-comment-460-2 ὀψεται ⁹⁶⁵

mvp-comment-461-1 ὧν ⁹⁶⁶ λόγων ⁹⁶⁷ ἀμείβῃ ⁹⁶⁸

mvp-comment-462-1 πάντων ⁹⁶⁹ λεύσσειν ⁹⁷⁰ εὐδρακὴς ⁹⁷¹

mvp-comment-463-1 ἀλλ’ ὅτι δύνᾳ ⁹⁷² λάθρᾳ ⁹⁷³

mvp-comment-463-2 δύνᾳ ⁹⁷⁴

mvp-comment-463-3 κεῖνο … κεῖνο ⁹⁷⁵ δή ⁹⁷⁶

mvp-comment-463-4 μοι ⁹⁷⁷

mvp-comment-463-5 ὅτι δ. μάκιστον ⁹⁷⁸ ἐξιδοῦ ⁹⁷⁹

mvp-comment-463-6 ὅπᾳ ⁹⁸⁰ ὅπως ⁹⁸¹

mvp-comment-464-1 οἶσθα γὰρ ἃν … πάθη ⁹⁸² ἃν ⁹⁸³ ὧν ⁹⁸⁴ ὃν ⁹⁸⁵ γνώμαν ⁹⁸⁶ οἶσθα γὰρ ἃν αὐδῶμαι ⁹⁸⁷ ταύταν ⁹⁸⁸ κεῖνο ⁹⁸⁹ τούτῳ ⁹⁹⁰ πυκινοῖς ⁹⁹¹ ἐνιδεῖν ⁹⁹² ἄπορα πάθη ⁹⁹³

mvp-comment-465-1 οὖρος ⁹⁹⁴

mvp-comment-466-1 οὐδ’ ἔχων ἀρωγὰν ⁹⁹⁵ νύχιος ⁹⁹⁶

mvp-comment-467-1 ἀλεὴς ὕπνος ἐσθλός ⁹⁹⁷ ἀλεής ⁹⁹⁸ ἀλέας ⁹⁹⁹ ἀδεὴς ¹⁰⁰⁰ δ’ ¹⁰⁰¹ ἀλεὴς ¹⁰⁰²

mvp-comment-467-2 Some reject ἀλεὴς ὕπνος ἐσθλός ¹⁰⁰³ ἀδεὴς ¹⁰⁰⁴ ἀδεὴς πόνος ἐσθλός ¹⁰⁰⁵ πόνος ὁ μὴ φοβῶν κράτιστος ¹⁰⁰⁶ ἀδεὴς πόνος ἐσθλός ¹⁰⁰⁷

mvp-comment-468-1 οὔ τινος ¹⁰⁰⁸

mvp-comment-469-1 Ἀΐδᾳ πάρα κείμενος ¹⁰⁰⁹ παρακείμενος ¹⁰¹⁰

mvp-comment-470-1 ὅρα, βλέπ’ ¹⁰¹¹ ὅρα ¹⁰¹² ὁρᾷ ¹⁰¹³

mvp-comment-470-2 εἰ καίρια φθέγγει ¹⁰¹⁴

mvp-comment-471-1 τὸ δ’ ἁλώσιμον ἐμᾷ φρ. ¹⁰¹⁵

mvp-comment-471-2 πόνος ὁ μὴ φοβῶν κράτιστος ¹⁰¹⁶ ὁ μὴ φοβῶν ¹⁰¹⁷ πόνος ¹⁰¹⁸

mvp-comment-472-1 μηδ’ ἀφεστάναι φρενῶν ¹⁰¹⁹

mvp-comment-473-1 ὦ φέγγος ¹⁰²⁰ τό τ’ ¹⁰²¹

mvp-comment-473-2 ἐλπίδων ἄπιστον ¹⁰²² οἰκούρημα ¹⁰²³

mvp-comment-474-1 τοῦτ’ ¹⁰²⁴ ἐξηύχης’ ¹⁰²⁵ τλῆναι ¹⁰²⁶ ἂν ¹⁰²⁷ τλῆναι ¹⁰²⁸ ἐξηύχης’ ¹⁰²⁹

mvp-comment-474-2 μεῖναι ¹⁰³⁰ τἀμὰ πήματα ¹⁰³¹

mvp-comment-474-3 ξυνωφελοῦντά μοι ¹⁰³²

mvp-comment-475-1 οὔκουν ¹⁰³³

mvp-comment-475-2 εὐφόρως ¹⁰³⁴ εὐπόρως ¹⁰³⁵

mvp-comment-476-1 κἀξ εὐγενῶν ¹⁰³⁶ ἐν εὐχερεῖ ἔθου ¹⁰³⁷

mvp-comment-476-2 γέμων ¹⁰³⁸

mvp-comment-477-1 λήθη ¹⁰³⁹

mvp-comment-477-2 δή ¹⁰⁴⁰

mvp-comment-478-1 σύ μ’ αὐτὸς … ποτέ ¹⁰⁴¹ κόπος ¹⁰⁴² ού μ’ αὐτὸς ἆρον, σύ με κατάστησον ¹⁰⁴³

mvp-comment-478-2 νῦν δ’ αἶρε σαυτόν ¹⁰⁴⁴ ἵν’, ἡνίκ’ ἂν κόπος μ’ ἀπαλλάξῃ ποτέ ¹⁰⁴⁵

mvp-comment-478-3 ZippmannA. , whom Nauck and Cavallin follow in their texts, deletes both v. 880 and v. 889 as spurious, and transposes 879 to a place between 888 and 890. His two main objections to the traditional text are:—Why should Ph. , formerly so eager to start, now wish to wait till his

κόπος

has passed off? (880). And why should he desire to rise before that moment, instead of resting on the ground? The view of the whole situation which I have given above will show why I believe the traditional text to be sound.

mvp-comment-479-1 ἐπίσχωμεν ¹⁰⁴⁶ τὸ πλεῖν ¹⁰⁴⁷

mvp-comment-480-1 ἀλλ’ ἥδομαι μέν ¹⁰⁴⁸ μέν ¹⁰⁴⁹

mvp-comment-480-2 ἀνώδυνον ¹⁰⁵⁰

mvp-comment-480-3 βλέποντα ¹⁰⁵¹

mvp-comment-480-4 κἀμπνέοντ’ ¹⁰⁵²

mvp-comment-481-1 ὡς οὐκέτ’ ὄντος ¹⁰⁵³ συμβόλαια ¹⁰⁵⁴ τὰς παρούσας ξυμφορὰς ¹⁰⁵⁵ πρὸς ¹⁰⁵⁶ τὰς παρ. ξυμφοράς ¹⁰⁵⁷ πρὸς τὰς παρ. ξυμφορὰς ¹⁰⁵⁸

mvp-comment-481-2 συμβόλαια ¹⁰⁵⁹

mvp-comment-482-1 νῦν δ’ αἶρε σαυτόν ¹⁰⁶⁰

mvp-comment-482-2 εἰ δέ σοι μᾶλλον φίλον ¹⁰⁶¹

mvp-comment-482-3 τοῦ πόνου γὰρ ¹⁰⁶²

mvp-comment-483-1 αἰνῶ τάδ’, ὦ παῖ ¹⁰⁶³ αἰνῶ τάδε ¹⁰⁶⁴

mvp-comment-484-1 ἔασον ¹⁰⁶⁵

mvp-comment-484-2 ὀσμῇ ¹⁰⁶⁶

mvp-comment-484-3 συνναίειν ¹⁰⁶⁷

mvp-comment-485-1 ἔσται τάδ’ ¹⁰⁶⁸

mvp-comment-485-2 ἵστω ¹⁰⁶⁹

mvp-comment-485-3 καὐτὸς ἀντέχου ¹⁰⁷⁰

mvp-comment-486-1 σύνηθες … ἔθος ¹⁰⁷¹

mvp-comment-487-1 τί δῆτ’ ἂν δρῷμ’ ¹⁰⁷²

mvp-comment-487-2 δρῷμ’ ¹⁰⁷³

mvp-comment-487-3 τοὐνθένδε γε ¹⁰⁷⁴ γε ¹⁰⁷⁵

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

327. mvp-comment-235-1 εὖ γ᾽, ὦ τέκνον] 'Well said, my son!' Philoctetes' delight in Neoptolemus is further heightened by this supposed discovery of a common resentment. τίνος . . ἐλήλυθας] ‘For what cause do you thus bring against them the accusation of your violent anger?' τίνος, genitive of the reason (Essay on L. § 10. p. 15). Cp. Ο. Τ. 698, ὅτου μῆνιν τοσήνδε πράγματος στήσας ἔχεις. γάρ asks for explanation. ἐλήλυθας is redundant (Essay on L. § 40. p. 75). τὸν μέγαν χόλον] The mighty anger which you now evince.' For the slight inexactness in ἐγκαλεῖν χόλον, cp. О. Т. 702, λέγ', εἰ σαφῶς τὸ νεῖκος ἐγκαλῶν ἐρεῖς.

327. mvp-comment-235-2 εὖ γ᾽, ὦ τέκνον] 'Well said, my son!' Philoctetes' delight in Neoptolemus is further heightened by this supposed discovery of a common resentment. τίνος . . ἐλήλυθας] ‘For what cause do you thus bring against them the accusation of your violent anger?' τίνος, genitive of the reason (Essay on L. § 10. p. 15). Cp. Ο. Τ. 698, ὅτου μῆνιν τοσήνδε πράγματος στήσας ἔχεις. γάρ asks for explanation. ἐλήλυθας is redundant (Essay on L. § 40. p. 75). τὸν μέγαν χόλον] The mighty anger which you now evince.' For the slight inexactness in ἐγκαλεῖν χόλον, cp. О. Т. 702, λέγ', εἰ σαφῶς τὸ νεῖκος ἐγκαλῶν ἐρεῖς.

329. mvp-comment-236-1 μόλις δ᾽ ἐρῶ] 'Though I shall find it hard to speak of it, i.e. To command myself sufficiently to do so. Schol. ὑπὸ τῆς ὀργῆς. Cp. Ο. C. 326, λύπῃ . . μόλις βλέπω.

329. mvp-comment-236-2 μόλις δ᾽ ἐρῶ] 'Though I shall find it hard to speak of it, i.e. To command myself sufficiently to do so. Schol. ὑπὸ τῆς ὀργῆς. Cp. Ο. C. 326, λύπῃ . . μόλις βλέπω.

331. mvp-comment-237-1 ἐπεὶ γάρ] These words introduce the occasion of his coming, in explanation of μολών. ἔσχε.. θανεῖν] 'The fate of death overtook Achilles.' θανεῖν, epexegetic inf. For ἔσχε, cp. Eur. Hec. 5, ἐπεὶ Φρυγῶν πόλιν | κίνδυνος ἔσχε δορὶ πεσεῖν Ἑλληνικῷ.

331. mvp-comment-237-2 ἐπεὶ γάρ] These words introduce the occasion of his coming, in explanation of μολών. ἔσχε.. θανεῖν] 'The fate of death overtook Achilles.' θανεῖν, epexegetic inf. For ἔσχε, cp. Eur. Hec. 5, ἐπεὶ Φρυγῶν πόλιν | κίνδυνος ἔσχε δορὶ πεσεῖν Ἑλληνικῷ.

332-339. mvp-comment-238-1 This brief digression and the longer one below (410-460), have the effect (a) of showing the generous nature of Philoctetes, who, beneath his apparently obdurate resentment, really retains an unabated interest in the affairs of the army, and (b) of giving opportunity for the growth of friendly feeling between him and Neoptolemus. The news of Achilles' death so affects him as to make him for a moment forget his own suffering (339-40).

332-339. mvp-comment-238-2 This brief digression and the longer one below (410-460), have the effect (a) of showing the generous nature of Philoctetes, who, beneath his apparently obdurate resentment, really retains an unabated interest in the affairs of the army, and (b) of giving opportunity for the growth of friendly feeling between him and Neoptolemus. The news of Achilles' death so affects him as to make him for a moment forget his own suffering (339-40).

334. mvp-comment-239-1 ἀνδρός is genitive of cause, for which ὕπο afterwards supplies a more distinct construction.

334. mvp-comment-239-2 ἀνδρός is genitive of cause, for which ὕπο afterwards supplies a more distinct construction.

335. mvp-comment-240-1 τοξευτὸς .. δαμείς] Subdued, so they tell the tale, with an arrow from the bow of Phoebus.' τοξευτός is a subsidiary predicate to δαμείς, for which word in this connection, cp. Il. 19. 417, θεῷ τε καὶ ἀνέρι ἶφι δαμῆναι. ἐκ rather than ὑπό, because the arrow came from the hand of Apollo. Cp. Il. 21. 277, 8, ἥ μ᾿ ἔφατο Τρώων ὑπὸ τείχεϊ θωρηκτάων | λαιψηροῖς ὀλέεσθαι᾿ Απόλλωνος βελέεσσιν. Or, if the arrow were that of Paris, ἐκ denotes the remote agent, and Neoptolemus must be supposed to avoid mentioning the slight man' who had been the immediate author of Achilles' death.

335. mvp-comment-240-2 τοξευτὸς .. δαμείς] Subdued, so they tell the tale, with an arrow from the bow of Phoebus.' τοξευτός is a subsidiary predicate to δαμείς, for which word in this connection, cp. Il. 19. 417, θεῷ τε καὶ ἀνέρι ἶφι δαμῆναι. ἐκ rather than ὑπό, because the arrow came from the hand of Apollo. Cp. Il. 21. 277, 8, ἥ μ᾿ ἔφατο Τρώων ὑπὸ τείχεϊ θωρηκτάων | λαιψηροῖς ὀλέεσθαι᾿ Απόλλωνος βελέεσσιν. Or, if the arrow were that of Paris, ἐκ denotes the remote agent, and Neoptolemus must be supposed to avoid mentioning the slight man' who had been the immediate author of Achilles' death.

336. mvp-comment-241-1 Cp. Il. 21. 280, τῷ κ᾿ ἀγαθὸς μὲν ἔπεφν᾽, ἀγαθὸν δέ κεν ἐξενάριξεν.

336. mvp-comment-241-2 Cp. Il. 21. 280, τῷ κ᾿ ἀγαθὸς μὲν ἔπεφν᾽, ἀγαθὸν δέ κεν ἐξενάριξεν.

337-338. mvp-comment-242-1 The delicate courtesy of these lines is no less obvious than their self-forgetfulness.

337-338. mvp-comment-242-2 The delicate courtesy of these lines is no less obvious than their self-forgetfulness.

342. mvp-comment-243-1 ὅτῳ σ᾽ ἐνύβρισαν] ὅτῳ (governed by ἐν in ἐνύβρισαν) is best taken separate from τὸ σὸν πρᾶγμα. ‘Tell me your own affair; what was the point in which they insulted you?'

342. mvp-comment-243-2 ὅτῳ σ᾽ ἐνύβρισαν] ὅτῳ (governed by ἐν in ἐνύβρισαν) is best taken separate from τὸ σὸν πρᾶγμα. ‘Tell me your own affair; what was the point in which they insulted you?'

343. mvp-comment-244-1 ἦλθον.. μέτα = μετῆλθον. ποικιλοστόλῳ] = σὺν ποικιλίαις ἐσταλμένῃ, 'Decked out with ornament,' as being sent on an honorific mission. Others, With variegated prow' (στόλος); but in this less poetical sense it would be better to read ποικιλοστόμῳ. See v. rr.

343. mvp-comment-244-2 ἦλθον.. μέτα = μετῆλθον. ποικιλοστόλῳ] = σὺν ποικιλίαις ἐσταλμένῃ, 'Decked out with ornament,' as being sent on an honorific mission. Others, With variegated prow' (στόλος); but in this less poetical sense it would be better to read ποικιλοστόμῳ. See v. rr.

344. mvp-comment-245-1 δῖος] The constant Homeric title, which Neoptolemus uses out of habit. χώ τροφεύς] Phoenix.

344. mvp-comment-245-2 δῖος] The constant Homeric title, which Neoptolemus uses out of habit. χώ τροφεύς] Phoenix.

345. mvp-comment-246-1 μάτην] 'Groundlessly.'

345. mvp-comment-246-2 μάτην] 'Groundlessly.'

346. mvp-comment-247-1 ὡς . . γίγνοιτ'] 'That it came to be a thing irreconcileable with destiny.' Cp. Ant. 260, κἂν ἐγίγνετο, and note.

346. mvp-comment-247-2 ὡς . . γίγνοιτ'] 'That it came to be a thing irreconcileable with destiny.' Cp. Ant. 260, κἂν ἐγίγνετο, and note.

348-349. mvp-comment-248-1 οὐ πολὺν .. ταχύ] · They did not long restrain me, but that I set forth with speed.' On the indirectness of this way of saying, 'Their words were like a goad inciting me,' see Essay on L. § 42, a. p. 79. For μή we should rather expect μὴ οὐ. But though the addition of οὐ is permissible in such cases, there is no absolute rule. And ὦ ξένε, by suggesting 'You may imagine,' gives an hypothetical turn to the expression.

348-349. mvp-comment-248-2 οὐ πολὺν .. ταχύ] · They did not long restrain me, but that I set forth with speed.' On the indirectness of this way of saying, 'Their words were like a goad inciting me,' see Essay on L. § 42, a. p. 79. For μή we should rather expect μὴ οὐ. But though the addition of οὐ is permissible in such cases, there is no absolute rule. And ὦ ξένε, by suggesting 'You may imagine,' gives an hypothetical turn to the expression.

351. mvp-comment-249-1 οὐ γὰρ εἰδόμην] 'For I had not seen my father.' Schol. ζῶντα. It is objected to this that when Achilles went to Troy from Scyros, Neoptolemus must have been old enough to remember him. But this is one of those improbabilities which are external to the action and were it otherwise, there is no proof that Sophocles in the Philoctetes follows the version of the story which made Scyros Achilles' starting-point for Troy. Nor would there be anything unnatural in Neoptolemus saying, 'I had not seen him,' without adding, for so long.' Cp. Aj. 570, εἰσαεί, and note; Eur. Troad. 377, οὐ παῖδας εἶδον, sc. πάλιν. Seyffert reads, οὐδ᾽ ἄρ᾽ εἰδόμην, and Prof. Jebb has suggested εἰ γὰρ εἰδόμην. But (a), as Mr. Blaydes remarks, it is natural to infer from 359 that Neoptolemus did see the body of Achilles: and (b) does not such an ejaculation unduly interrupt the flow of the narrative? Neoptolemus is not speaking from real feeling, and there is no occasion for him to 'daub it so far, nor for the poet to invent the circumstance of his failing to see the body. The language resembles that of Od. 4. 200, 1, οὐ γὰρ ἔγωγε | ἤντησ᾽ οὐδὲ ἴδον, said by Peisistratus of his eldest brother Antilochus. But Peisistratus (Od. 3. 401) would be a mere infant at the time of the departure for Troy.

351. mvp-comment-249-2 οὐ γὰρ εἰδόμην] 'For I had not seen my father.' Schol. ζῶντα. It is objected to this that when Achilles went to Troy from Scyros, Neoptolemus must have been old enough to remember him. But this is one of those improbabilities which are external to the action and were it otherwise, there is no proof that Sophocles in the Philoctetes follows the version of the story which made Scyros Achilles' starting-point for Troy. Nor would there be anything unnatural in Neoptolemus saying, 'I had not seen him,' without adding, for so long.' Cp. Aj. 570, εἰσαεί, and note; Eur. Troad. 377, οὐ παῖδας εἶδον, sc. πάλιν. Seyffert reads, οὐδ᾽ ἄρ᾽ εἰδόμην, and Prof. Jebb has suggested εἰ γὰρ εἰδόμην. But (a), as Mr. Blaydes remarks, it is natural to infer from 359 that Neoptolemus did see the body of Achilles: and (b) does not such an ejaculation unduly interrupt the flow of the narrative? Neoptolemus is not speaking from real feeling, and there is no occasion for him to 'daub it so far, nor for the poet to invent the circumstance of his failing to see the body. The language resembles that of Od. 4. 200, 1, οὐ γὰρ ἔγωγε | ἤντησ᾽ οὐδὲ ἴδον, said by Peisistratus of his eldest brother Antilochus. But Peisistratus (Od. 3. 401) would be a mere infant at the time of the departure for Troy.

352-353. mvp-comment-250-1 However, besides this, the proposal had a fair colour given to it in their declaration that, if I came (ἰών), Ι should take the citadel that commanded Troy.' For ὁ λόγος, cp. supr. 345-7. προσῆν] Cp. supr. 129, ὡς ἂν ἀγνοία προσῇ.

352-353. mvp-comment-250-2 However, besides this, the proposal had a fair colour given to it in their declaration that, if I came (ἰών), Ι should take the citadel that commanded Troy.' For ὁ λόγος, cp. supr. 345-7. προσῆν] Cp. supr. 129, ὡς ἂν ἀγνοία προσῇ.

353. mvp-comment-251-1 For εἰ.. αἱρήσοιμι, see Essay on L. § 28. p. 46.

353. mvp-comment-251-2 For εἰ.. αἱρήσοιμι, see Essay on L. § 28. p. 46.

355. mvp-comment-252-1 πικρὸν Σίγειον] 'Cruel Sigeum,' i. e. where I was destined to find so much vexation: the mourning for his father, who was buried there, being embittered by the refusal of the arms. Cp. Rhes. 734, ὦ στυγνοτάτην Τροίαν ἐσιδών. To this, however, some editors prefer the conjecture of Burges, 'π' ἄκρον Σίγειον ! οὐρίῳ πλάτῃ] · With favourable voyage.' This is objected to, apparently because oars would not be used under a fair wind. But πλάτη often occurs in Tragedy in the general sense of making way at sea. Cp. Eur. Hel. 192, Ι. Τ. 242. And as the vessel drew near shore the sail would of course be lowered, and the oars brought into play.

355. mvp-comment-252-2 πικρὸν Σίγειον] 'Cruel Sigeum,' i. e. where I was destined to find so much vexation: the mourning for his father, who was buried there, being embittered by the refusal of the arms. Cp. Rhes. 734, ὦ στυγνοτάτην Τροίαν ἐσιδών. To this, however, some editors prefer the conjecture of Burges, 'π' ἄκρον Σίγειον ! οὐρίῳ πλάτῃ] · With favourable voyage.' This is objected to, apparently because oars would not be used under a fair wind. But πλάτη often occurs in Tragedy in the general sense of making way at sea. Cp. Eur. Hel. 192, Ι. Τ. 242. And as the vessel drew near shore the sail would of course be lowered, and the oars brought into play.

356-357. mvp-comment-253-1 κατηγόμην, | καὶ καὶ . . εὐθὺς .. ἐκβάντα] The narrative is condensed.

356-357. mvp-comment-253-2 κατηγόμην, | καὶ καὶ . . εὐθὺς .. ἐκβάντα] The narrative is condensed.

358. mvp-comment-254-1 'Achilles, who no longer lived, alive again.' Cp. the Trag. fr. quoted by Plutarch, Alc. 203 D, οὐ παῖς ᾿Αχιλλέως ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνος αὐτὸς εἶ.

359. mvp-comment-255-1 ἔκειτ'] 'Lay low.' The most natural way of understanding this is to suppose that Neoptolemus saw his father laid out and buried, without being burned. Cp. Aj. sub fin. (from 1402). It might also mean that Achilles was already buried when Neoptolemus arrived. But, as Hermann observes, there is nothing to indicate that the hope expressed in supr. 351 was thus disappointed. The fiction of Neoptolemus is rather that after the funeral the question of the arms was quickly disposed of whilst he was absorbed in his grief.

360. mvp-comment-256-1 οὐ μακρῷ χρόνῳ] • Before long.' These words are connected with what follows, and imply that the mourning did not long detain him from the object of his ambition.

361. mvp-comment-257-1 πρὸς φίλους, ὡς εἰκὸς ἦν] i. e. πρὸς ᾿Ατρ. ὡς πρὸς φίλους, ὥσπερ εἰκὸς ἦν αὐτοὺς εἶναι φίλους. For the omission of ὡς with ὡς following, see Essay on L. § 39. p. 73, 5, a. 'Assuming their friendship, as I had reason to do.'

362. mvp-comment-258-1 ὅσ᾽ ἦν] Sc. τοῦ πατρός.

363. mvp-comment-259-1 οἴμοι expresses not only personal disappointment (infr. 368, καταλγήσας), but also grieved astonishment that men could be so hardened.

364-365. mvp-comment-260-1 τἄλλα .. πατρῷ᾽ ἑλέσθαι] Cp. Αj. 572, μήθ᾽ ὁ λυμεὼν ἐμός. In ordinary Greek the article would be repeated with πατρῷα, which, however, is here resumed in close connection with ἑλέσθαι. 'To take in right of your father the other things:' i. e. To take the other things which are yours in right of your father.

365. mvp-comment-261-1 κείνων] "Those well-known arms,' viz. τῶν Ἡφαιστοτεύκτων.

367-368. mvp-comment-262-1 Then tears burst from me, and I straightway rose in grievous wrath, and broke forth on them indignantly, and said.' καταλγήσας, sc. κατ᾿ αὐτῶν.

369. mvp-comment-263-1 ὦ σχέτλι', ἢ τολμήσατ᾽] The voc. sing. σχέτλιε is addressed to Agamemnon, or whichever was the spokesman of the Atreidae. It is unnecessary to suppose a crasis of σχέτλιοι ἦ. For ἀντ' ἐμοῦ, cp. Αj. 444, οὐκ ἄν τις αὔτ᾽ ἔμαρψεν ἄλλος ἀντ᾿ ἐμοῦ.

370. mvp-comment-264-1 τὰ τεύχη τἀμά] The repeated article here emphasizes both words. 'Those arms, my arms, without consulting me!' πρὶν μαθεῖν ἐμοῦ] 'Before understanding from me,' sc. my will concerning them.

371. mvp-comment-265-1 ὁ δ᾽ εἰπ᾿ Ὀδυσσεύς] The order of words is in the Epic manner (see Essay on L. § 21. p. 33, 5), the noun being placed in apposition to the article as a demonstrative pronoun. 'Then spake that other, Odysseus, for he was at hand.' ὢν κύρει] The omission of the augment, Epicè, in narrative ῥήσεις is proved by the crucial instance τινὸς | θώϋξεν in O. C. 1623, 4. It was therefore unnecessary to resort to conjectural emendation here. (ἦν κυρῶν, Brunck.)

372. mvp-comment-266-1 ναί, παῖ] 'Yea, child!' Odysseus is supposed to treat the youth with insolent condescension.

373. mvp-comment-267-1 This achievement of Odysseus is alluded to in Od. 5. 309, ἤματι τῷ ὅτε μοι πλεῖστοι χαλκήρεα δοῦρα | Τρώες ἐπέρριψαν περὶ Πηλείωνι θανόντι. It was doubtless fully narrated in the Ilias Minor, from which Ovid probably derived it, Met. 13. 284, (quoted by Gedike): 'His humeris, his, inquam, humeris ego corpus Achillis | Et simul arma tuli, quae nunc quoque ferre laboro.' παρών hints the reproach which comes out afterwards, l. 379.

374. mvp-comment-268-1 ἤρασσον] 'I laid it on ;' ἀράσσω is here used absolutely. Cp. Ar. Nub. 1373, ἐξαράττω. And for the meaning, 'To assail with violent words,' cp. also Aj. 725, (αὐτὸν . . ὀνείδεσιν) ἤρασσον ἔνθεν κἄνθεν.

375. mvp-comment-269-1 οὐδὲν ἐνδεὲς ποιούμενος, εἰ] The clause with εἰ (for which see Essay on L. § 28, 1. p. 46), depends on the notion of the middle voice in ποιούμενος. Not caring to make any omission' (sparing no abuse) 'when I thought how my arms were to be taken from me by Odysseus.' Cp. Od. 21. 170, (νεμεσσῶμαι δέ τ᾽ ἀκούων) εἰ δὴ τοῦτό γε τόξον ἀριστῆας κεκαδήσει | θυμοῦ καὶ ψυχῆς. ποιούμενος is subj. middle, - for my part.'

376. mvp-comment-270-1 κεῖνος] i. e. ὁ κακὸς κἀκ κακῶν Ὀδυσσεύς, infr. 384.

377. mvp-comment-271-1 ἐνθάδ᾽ ἥκων] 'At this pass,' i. e. when he found himself resisted by a boy.

378. mvp-comment-272-1 δηχθεὶς πρὸς ἁξήκουσεν] ‘Stung at what he heard.' πρός with accusative, as in πρὸς ταῦτα. πρὸς ἀξ. should be joined in the first instance with δηχθείς, and resumed with ἠμείψατο.

379. mvp-comment-273-1 ἵν᾿ οὐ σ᾽ ἔδει] Sc. ἀπεῖναι. 'Where you ought to have been present.' The reproach is not that Neoptolemus was at Scyros, but that he was not in the battle field at Troy at the time when his father fell. Schol., οὐ παρῆς, ἔνθα ἔδει σε παρεῖναι. Infr. 429.

380. mvp-comment-274-1 The language is not perfectly exact; ταῦτα is primarily the object of ἔχων, but is to be resumed with λέγεις in a different sense. For such ellipse, see E. on L. § 39. p. 73, and cp. supr. 361, and note.

384. mvp-comment-275-1 κἀκ κακῶν] Alluding to the supposed Sisyphian parentage, which threw suspicion on the nobility of δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς. To this extent Neoptolemus follows the suggestion of Odysseus, supr. 64, 5.

385. mvp-comment-276-1 ὡς = τοσοῦτον ὅσον, cp. Aj. 679, 80, Ant. 775.

386-387. mvp-comment-277-1 'For a city or army depends wholly upon those who govern.' ἔστι with the genitive here means, 'Is determined by,' i. e. Takes its character from.' πᾶσα = σύμπασα, Wholly, rather than 'Every city.'

388. mvp-comment-278-1 διδασκάλων.. κακοί] Have teachers from whose instruction their badness flows.' This remark is not immediately relevant to Odysseus, but rather to the vote of the army by which the arms were awarded to him, and which is supposed to have been instigated by the Atreidae. Schndw. conjectured δ. τρόποισι.

390. mvp-comment-279-1 ἐμοί θ᾽ ὁμοίως... φίλος] The sentence in being expanded is changed from an assertion to a wish; i.e. ἐμοί τέ ἐστι φίλος καὶ ὁμοίως εἴη καὶ τοῖς θεοῖς φίλος. Cp. Ant. 686, οὔτ᾽ ἂν δυναίμην, μήτ' ἐπισταίμην λέγειν.

391-402;507-518. mvp-comment-280-1 The Chorus show their interest and support Neoptolemus by these strains, which are interwoven with the action, like those in O. T. 660 foll., 689 foll., О. С. 1447-1456, 1477-1485. They wish to assist their master by simulating hatred of the Atreidae and sympathy with Philoctetes. That both feelings are merely assumed, and that the Chorus really understand the situation, is obvious from the exaggerated strength of expression in 510, εἰ δὲ πικρούς, ἄναξ, ἔχθεις ᾿Ατρείδας. Their feigned excitement, to which the mixture of dochmiac and iambo-bacchic metre is well suited, was no doubt expressed with gestures accompanying the recitation, by the two half-choruses, of strophe and antistrophe severally.

391. mvp-comment-281-1 The Great Mother, who is here invoked, is said to have been worshipped at Lemnos as well as in Phrygia Steph. Byz. s. ν. Λήμνος, quoted by Gedike). And there is besides a special appropriateness in the invocation of this primal power of nature upon a desert shore, where no temples were to be seen. Bernhardy's remark, that the invocation of Rhea confirms the late date of the Philoctetes, is hardly warranted.

392. mvp-comment-282-1 ἃ . . νέμεις) 'That givest the mighty river Pactolus to be rich in gold.' For νέμω, meaning, 'To dispense or give forth,' cp. O. C. 687, Κηφισοῦ νομάδες ῥεέθρων. εὔχρυσον is a supplementary predicate = ὥστε εὔχρυσον εἶναι οἱ ῥεῖν. μέγας is, 'Deserving awe and reverence.' Cp. Plato, Phaedo, 62 Β, ὁ . . ἐν ἀπορρήτοις λόγος . . μέγας τέ τίς μοι φαίνεται καὶ οὐ ῥάδιος διϊδεῖν. The Pactolus comes from the mountains of Phrygia, and its peculiar virtue is attributed to the bounty of the universal mother, whose home was there.

395. mvp-comment-283-1 ἐπηυδώμαν ἐπηυδώμαν The middle voice expresses, 'I invoked for my behoof.'

396. mvp-comment-284-1 ὕβρις πᾶσα] 'The boundless insolence.' For πᾶς intensive, see E. on L. § 55. p. 101, 6. The bacchic rhythm shows that πᾶσα is not to be taken predicatively with ἐχώρει.

397. mvp-comment-285-1 παρεδίδοσαν] 'They were wrongfully giving away from him.' Cp. supr. 64, παρέδοσαν, and note.

400. mvp-comment-286-1 ἰὼ . . ἔφεδρε] This long parenthesis belongs to the wild nature of the strain, and would be assisted with significant gestures. λεόντων ἔφεδρε, 'Thou that sittest above the lions,' that draw thy car. Cp. the use of ἵπποι as equivalent to ἅρμα in Epic Greek.

401. mvp-comment-287-1 τῷ Λαρτίου . . ὑπέρτατον] 'Investing the son of Laertes with supreme glory.' The accusative, σέβας ὑπέρτατον, is in apposition either (1) to τεύχεα, or (2) to the action of παρεδίδοσαν. The dative is not to be taken with παρεδίδοσαν, but with σέβας ὑπέρτατον, sc. γενέσθαι, i. e. ὥστε τὸν Λ. ὑπέρτατον σέβας ἔχειν, (Ant. 304.)

402ff. mvp-comment-288-1 A point of rest has now been gained, and the action remains stationary for a little while. Neoptolemus has completely won the friendship of Philoctetes, and is confident of the attainment of his purpose. Cp. О. С. 631, 667.

402-403. mvp-comment-289-1 ἔχοντες σύμβολον σαφές | λύπης . . πεπλεύκατε] 'The grief ye have brought with you in sailing forth is a token which clearly commends itself to me.' Cp. Aristid. vol. 1. p. 416, ἱκανόν ἐστι πρὸς αὐτήν, ὥσπερ ἄλλο τι σύμβολον, αὐτὸ τὸ σχῆμα τῆς ἀτυχίας, a passage which shows that πρὸς ἡμᾶς should be taken with ἔχοντες σύμβολον rather than with πεπλεύκατε. The participle has the chief emphasis: see Essay on L. § 41. p. 77. β.

405. mvp-comment-290-1 καί μοι προσᾴδεθ'] 'And your words strike on a note that is in unison with my experience.' For a similar metaphor, cp O. T. 1112, 3, ἔν τε γὰρ μακρῷ γήρᾳ ξυνάδει τῷδε τἀνδρὶ σύμμετρος.

407. mvp-comment-291-1 ἂν . . θιγόντα] I know that he would not refrain his tongue from any mischievous word or from any villany.' The effect of ἄν here is to mark that the supposed fact is in accordance with general probability.

408. mvp-comment-292-1 ἀφ᾿ ἧς . . ποιεῖν] 'Whereof the issue in his hands was likely to be some great iniquity.' For the indirect form of expression, see E. on L. § 42. p. 79.

409. mvp-comment-293-1 δίκαιον δὲ βαιον δίκαιον μηδέν] μή, because of the hypothetical nature of the sentence implied in ἂν θιγόντα. ἐς τέλος] 'In the end.' Cp. Eur. Ion 1615, χρόνια μὲν τὰ τῶν θεῶν πως, εἰς τέλος δ᾽ οὐκ ἀσθενῆ. μέλλοι] The optative because ἂν θιγόντα = ὅτι ἂν θίγοι.

410-411. mvp-comment-294-1 ἀλλ᾽ εἰ . . ἠνείχετο] Sc. θαυμάζω. 'But' (it does seem marvellous) 'if the taller Ajax, being there, endured to see this done.' παρών] i. e. supposing him to be at Troy, and not absent on some expedition. ὁ μείζων] The son of Telamon is so distinguished from the Ὀϊλῆος ταχὺς Αἴας.

412. mvp-comment-295-1 Editors have raised the question whether the award of the arms and the death of Ajax are supposed to precede or follow the arrival of Neoptolemus at Troy. But the Greek drama is not careful of such minute adjustments of time, especially in what the audience know to be a fictitious tale. The true story about Ajax in relation to the arms was not suited for Neoptolemus' purpose. The supposition which best suits the context is that, according to Neoptolemus, the award of the arms took place immediately after the funeral of Achilles, while he, the chief mourner, was still absorbed in his grief; and that the death of Ajax is not connected by him with the arms at all.

415. mvp-comment-296-1 νόει κεῖνον ὡς μηκέτ' ὄντα ἐν φάει] μή, because of the subjective meaning of νόει.

417. mvp-comment-297-1 'Nor the son whom Laertes bought of Sisyphus.' (The other reading, Λαερτίου, would mean, Laertes' son whom he bought from Sisyphus.' But the two genitives are here extremely improbable).

421-422. mvp-comment-298-1 τί δ᾽ ὃς.. ἔστιν] ‘But what of him who was an old man, and a good man, and a friend of mine, Nestor the Pylian? Is he yet alive?' ὃς has been much questioned, but appears sound.

422-423. mvp-comment-299-1 Here the question is raised, whether Philoctetes had been at all at Troy. But this point also is ἔξω τοῦ μυθεύματος, and is not necessarily determined by the poet. Philoctetes had been long enough with the host, at Tenedos or elsewhere, to know the characteristics of the chief men.

424. mvp-comment-300-1 κεῖνός γε ‘Ay, he.' γε gives a modified assent to the meaning of the question.

425. mvp-comment-301-1 The words ὅσπερ ἦν γόνος, '(The son whom he had') are slightly wanting in point, but they are commended by their simplicity, and no thoroughly satisfactory alternative has been proposed. The Scholiast mentions μόνος as having been read for γόνος. But although this reading, ὅσπερ ἦν μόνος, 'His only son,' affords a possible context (supposing the ellipse of υἱός), it involves (as the Scholiast felt) too great a departure from the common tradition, according to which Nestor had other sons remaining when Antilochus was no more. The conjectures most deserving mention are ὃς παρῆν γόνος, Herm. ('His son who was with him,') ὃς παρῆν μόνος, Musgr., and ὃς παρῆν πόνοις, Arndt., ('Who supported him in toils of war').

426. mvp-comment-302-1 δύ᾽ αὕτως δείν᾽ ἔλεξας] (1) In those few words (αὕτως), you have told me a twofold calamity, (affecting those) of whom, etc.' Or, (2) 'In those few words you tell me sad news of two, of whose misfortune, etc.' (δεινά being cognate and almost adverbial, as if it were δεινῶς ἔχοντε). The alternative reading, δύ' αὖ τώδ' ἐξέδειξας (inferred by Porson from the Scholia, see v. rr.), although more plausible than some others recorded by the διορθωτής of L, is not really better. It is slightly improved upon by Prof. Jebb and Mr. Blaydes, who propose to read, δύ᾽ αὖ τώδ᾽ ἄνδρ᾽ ἔλεξας: (the letters erased after δεὶν' in L. were said by Dübner to be ἄν).-It has been commonly assumed that Ajax and Antilochus are the persons meant. But line 415 is too remote to allow of this, whether αὕτως or αὖ τώδ' is the reading chosen. The meaning is that the death of Antilochus is a twofold calamity, destroying the life of one good man (Antilochus) and the happiness of another (Nestor). But οἵδε in l. 428 infr. includes not only Ajax and Antilochus, but also Achilles. The doubt remains, whether δεινά is not too strong a word for the connection. (Qu. δύ᾽ αὐτ᾿ ἀλγείν᾽ ἔλεξας?)

427. mvp-comment-303-1 For ὀλωλότοιν, including Nestor's desolation, cp. Aj. 896, El. 674.

428. mvp-comment-304-1 τί δῆτα δεῖ σκοπεῖν] i. e. ποῖ βλέπωμεν εἰς σωτηρίαν; Το what must we look, when Providence so manifestly fails us?' Cp. Ant. 922, 3, τί χρή με τὴν δύστηνον εἰς θεοὺς ἔτι | βλέπειν; Ο. Τ. 964, El. 924, 5, τἀκείνου δέ σοι | σωτήρι ἔρρει· μηδὲν εἰς κεῖνών γ᾽ ὅρα. Ὀδυσσεὺς δ᾽ ἔστιν αὖ] But Odysseus, on the contrary, is alive.'

429. mvp-comment-305-1 κἀνταῦθ᾽] 'And in such a juncture of affairs.' The crisis implied in the narrative of Neoptolemus (viz. the exigency which led to his being brought from Scyros) required that the mischievous Odysseus should be replaced by better men. Philoctetes again involuntarily shows his interest in the success of the army. Hermann's way of joining the words, Ulysses is found to be alive, as in other emergencies, so again in this,' is not satisfactory. Nor is there any real ground for his objection to Buttmann's rendering of αὖ, - Av si, ut Buttmanno videtur, ex altera parte significaret, deberet statim post Ὀδυσσεύς positum esse. As if there were not also an antithesis between τεθνᾶσιν and ἔστιν! The notion of Odysseus always turning up at critical moments, as lively as ever, is pleasant enough, but αὖ should have something to refer to, and ἵνα must be correlative to ἐνταῦθα, and cannot mean 'whereas.'

430. mvp-comment-306-1 αὐτόν = eum, not ipsum, though with a certain emphasis. αὐδᾶσθαι indicates the desire of Philoctetes to hear of Odysseus' death.

431-432. mvp-comment-307-1 Neoptolemus says this to humour Philoctetes, and encourage him to hope that his wish may be some day realized. But to the audience the words also suggest an anticipation of the complications which follow.

433. mvp-comment-308-1 γάρ is used with conversational freedom. ποῦ . . ἐνταῦθα] 'Where, then, in the circumstances which you describe?'

436. mvp-comment-309-1 τοῦτ᾽] 'This truth: i. e. the general truth of which these facts are instances. πόλεμος, κ.τ.λ.] This, like the preceding τί δεῖ σκοπεῖν, is a bit of commonplace pessimism. Cp. Aesch. Fr. 94, ἀλλ᾿ ῎Αρης φιλεῖ | ἀεὶ τὰ λῷστα πάντα τἀνθρώπων στρατοῦ: Soph. fr. 652, ῎Αρης γὰρ οὐδὲν τῶν κακῶν *λωτίζεται. ἑκὼν αἱρεῖ = φιλεῖ αἱρεῖν.

438. mvp-comment-310-1 κατ' αὐτὸ τοῦτο] ‘In connection with this very point,' viz. Your observation that the bad survive.

439. mvp-comment-311-1 ἀναξίου .. φωτός] Sc. πέρι. For this genitive, see E. on L. § 8. p. 13, 3. ἀναξίου = οὐδενὸς ἀξίου.

440. mvp-comment-312-1 τί= πῶς : cp. Εl. 1424, πῶς κυρεῖτε, E. on L. § 22. p. 36.

441. mvp-comment-313-1 'Ay? Who may that be, if you can mean any one but Odysseus?' The syntax of the previous sentence is continued. E. on L. § 35. p. 60.

442. mvp-comment-314-1 οὐ τοῦτον εἶπον] In the spirit of ll. 64, 5, supr. Neoptolemus professes to be impatient of the very name of Odysseus. Cp. infr. 1400, 1.

442-444. mvp-comment-315-1 'I meant not him. But there was one Thersites, who would never be content with speaking once, where all cried, Silence.' This, like supr. 348, 9, is a strong instance of ironical indirectness of expression. For ὅπου μηδεὶς ἐψη, cp. esp. Plat. Symp. 175 Β, ἐπειδάν τις ὑμῖν μὴ ἐφεστήκῃ. Also Aj. 1184, κἂν μηδεὶς ἐᾷ, 'Though all say, You shall not.'

443. mvp-comment-316-1 ἂν εἴλετο is a singular instance of ἄν with the aor. ' of custom.' Cp. the curious use of the imperfect with ἄν, Ant. 260, κἂν ἐγίγνετο | πληγὴτελευτῶσ᾽, and note. Dobree conjectured ἀνείχετ'.

445. mvp-comment-317-1 αὐτόν] Burges conjectured αὐτός. ἔτ᾿ ὄντα νιν] The Scholiast, whose account agrees in the main with that of Quintus Smyrnaeus (1. 741, foll.), finds here another departure from the Epic tradition, according to which Thersites had been killed by Achilles with a blow of his fist.

446. mvp-comment-318-1 'I was sure of it. For never evil perished yet.' The reading οὐδέπω κακόν may be defended by comparing supr. 83, εἰς ἀναιδές, and note. The correction οὐδέν πω (Herm.) has been generally adopted.

447. mvp-comment-319-1 εὐ περιστέλλουσιν αὐτά] ‘Carefully defend them from harm.' αὐτά] Sc. τὰ κακά, which, like τὰ .. πανούργα καὶ παλιντριβῆ refers to persons. Cp. τὰ μέσα τῶν πολιτῶν and similar expressions.

448. mvp-comment-320-1 καί πως] Cp. Eur. Med. 119. παλιντριβή] • Froward.' The notion in παλιντριβής is that of something which resists treatment: cp. ἀντίτυπος.

449. mvp-comment-321-1 ἀναστρέφοντες ἐξ "Αιδου] “In turning back, i. e. when on their way thither. Like his father Sisyphus, who intrigued himself out of Hades (infr. 625), Odysseus bears a charmed life.

451. mvp-comment-322-1 ποῦ χρὴ τίθεσθαι ταῦτα] · What is one to make of these things? What place assign to them in thought?' i. e. how bring them into harmony with our other thoughts? ποῦ δ᾽ αἰνεῖν] ποῦ is used for πῶς by attraction, or the tendency to repeat the same expression (οἷον ῥυμή τις τοῦ λόγου), for which, see E. on L. § 35. p 60. What place can we find for their approval? i. e. How can we acquiesce in them? Cp. Eur. Heracl. 369, ποῦ ταῦτα καλῶς ἂν εἴη;

452. mvp-comment-323-1 Since, in seeking to approve the doings of the gods, I find that the gods are evil doers; i. e. In praising the gods I must call them wise and good, but this experience shows them to be either malignant or weak. The tense in ἐπαινῶν has an inceptive or conative force.

453-465. mvp-comment-324-1 Neoptolemus, while still professing hatred of Troy, uses language that is calculated to excite to the utmost the desire of Philoctetes to be taken home. He addresses him with reference to his father and the sacred hill (infr. 729), where he saw the last of Heracles. He speaks of his own isle of Scyros by name, and affects to look forward to the happiness of an unambitious home. He points to the departure of his vessel as imminent.

454-455. mvp-comment-325-1 τηλόθεν εἰσορῶν φυλάξομαι] Will avoid, beholding afar off.' For the indirect expression, see E. on L. § 42. p. 79, and cp. esp. Ο. Τ. 795. ἄστροις. . ἐκμετρούμενος χθόνα, and note: Eur. Hippol. 102, πρόσωθεν αὐτὴν ἁγνὸς ὢν ἀσπάζομαι.

457. mvp-comment-326-1 χώ δεινὸς κρατεῖ] 'And power is in the hands of clever rogues.' For this dislike of δεινότης, cp. Thuc. 8. 68, ὑπόπτως τῷ πλήθει διὰ δόξαν δεινότητος διακείμενος: Isocr. Panathen. p. 242, C, ἐπαινεῖν μὲν . . τὴν . . ἀγαθῶν αἰτίαν γεγενημένην, δεινὴν δὲ νομίζειν τὴν αὑτῇ τὰ συμφέροντα διαπραττομένην. Many have preferred δειλός, which involves a very slight change.

460. mvp-comment-327-1 ὥστε τέρπεσθαι δόμῳ] ‘And I shall have full contentment in my home.' Cp. Od. 13. 61, σὺ δὲ τέρπεο τῷδ᾽ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ, | παισί τε καὶ λαοῖσι καὶ ᾿Αλκινόῳ βασιλῆϊ.

461. mvp-comment-328-1 He again reminds Philoctetes of his father, this time by name.

462. mvp-comment-329-1 ὡς μέγιστα] The slight exaggeration shows Neoptolemus' feeling of the hollowness of this farewell.

463. mvp-comment-330-1 ὡς αὐτὸς θέλεις] Cp. Od. 6. 180, σοὶ δὲ θεοὶ τόσα δοῖεν, ὅσα φρεσὶ σῇσι μενοινᾷς.

464-465. mvp-comment-331-1 ὡς .. ὁρμώμεθα] 'That we may sail at whatever moment Heaven vouchsafes to yield us a fair voyage.' Cp. Od. 9. 138, 9, εἰσόκε ναυτέων | θυμὸς ἐποτρύνῃ καὶ ἐπιπνεύσωσιν ἀῆται. The wind is favourable for the voyage to Troy, but not for that to Scyros. Cp. infr. 639, 40, 855, 1450, 1.

466. mvp-comment-332-1 καιρός] 'The moment calls upon us,' cp. infr. 1450; καιρός here probably refers to the time of day. Should the wind now shift, he might hope to reach Scyros before night-fall. It cannot mean, 'The chance of a favouring breeze invites us.' Cp. infr. 639, 40.

467. mvp-comment-333-1 πλοῦν.. σκοπεῖν] ‘Τo watch the opportunity of sailing not from far off but close at hand.' Cp. Thuc. 4. 23, σκοποῦντες καιρόν, εἴ τις παραπέσοι, ὥστε τοὺς ἄνδρας σῶσαι: Eur. Hec. 901, μένειν ἀνάγκη πλοῦν ὁρῶντας ἡσύχους. We have here another instance of indirect expression. See Essay on L. § 42. p. 79. Οη ἐξ ἀπόπτου, see Aj. 15, and note.

468ff. mvp-comment-334-1 The moment, for which the preceding scene has prepared the spectator, is now come. Philoctetes' agony of supplication is made more pathetic by our knowledge that he is 'working against his own desire,' and running thus eagerly 'to meet what he would most avoid.' πρός ... προσφιλές] Cp. О. С. 250, πρός σ' ὅ τι σοι φίλον ἐκ σέθεν ἄντομαι, and note: Od. 10. 66, πατρίδα σὴν καὶ δῶμα καὶ εἴ πού τοι φίλον ἐστίν.

472. mvp-comment-335-1 ὅσοισί τ᾽ ἐξήκουσας] Viz. supr. 263-313; cp. infr. 591, ἅπερ κλύεις.

473. mvp-comment-336-1 ἀλλ᾽ ἐν παρέργῳ θοῦ με] (1) 'But stow me away' (or 'dispose of me') * as a supernumerary. θοῦ, sc. ἐν τῇ νηΐ: cp. infr. 481, ἐμβαλοῦ μ᾿ ὅπῃ θέλεις (sc. τῆς νεώς). ἐν παρέργῳ, sc. τῶν φορουμένων: cp. Eur. El. 63, πάρεργ Ορέστην κἀμὲ ποιεῖται δόμων.

474. mvp-comment-337-1 'Indeed, as I well know, much annoyance is involved in such a freight.' δυσχέρεια contains the chief predicate. For the genitive, see E. on L. § 9. p. 12, 1a. This line is strangely suspected by Nauck, It exactly expresses the humbleness of Philoctetes in his extreme need.

475-476. mvp-comment-338-1 τοῖσι . . εὐκλεές] Surely the noble heart hates what is base, and appreciates the glory of kindness.' εὐκλεές, while opposed to ἐχθρόν, is partly suggested by αἰσχρόν, so that the whole argument, if drawn out at length, would be τὸ μὲν αἰσχρὸν ἐχθρόν, τὸ δὲ εὐκλεὲς φίλον, τὸ δέ γε χρηστὸν εὐκλεές. Philoctetes perceives that a noble youth like Neoptolemus must be ambitious of the purest renown.

477. mvp-comment-339-1 οὐ καλόν] Full of disgrace.' Cp. Trach. 454, κὴρ πρόσεστιν οὐ καλή.

478. mvp-comment-340-1 πλεῖστον εὐκλείας γέρας] 'An abundant meed of fair renown.' πλεῖστον rather than μέγιστον, which would agree better with γέρας, because πλεῖστον γέρας εὐκλείας = γέρας πλείστης εὐκλείας. See E. on L. § 42. γ. p. 80. Philoctetes thinks of the gratitude of Poeas and his Melian friends as enough to satisfy any man's ambition.

480. mvp-comment-341-1 The expression is modified as the sentence proceeds: "Tis the labour of a day, nay, not of one whole day.'

481. mvp-comment-342-1 τόλμησον] 'Take heart to do it.' Cp. Ο. C. 184, τόλμα, κ.τ.λ., and note.

478-481. mvp-comment-343-1 ὅπῃ θέλεις] In what part (of the ship) you will.' ἄγων] 'If you will but take me.' Cp. infr. 590, ποιοῦ λέγων. And see E. on L. § 36. р. 63.

482. mvp-comment-344-1 ὅποι, sc. βεβλημένος, or = ἐκεῖσε ὅπου. The construction is attracted to that of the preceding words. See Essay on L. § 35, a. p. 59.

483. mvp-comment-345-1 ξυνόντας] Cp. infr. 520, τῆς νόσου ξυνουσίᾳ.

484. mvp-comment-346-1 πρὸς αὐτοῦ Ζηνός] Wishing to add something to his previous adjuration, supr. 468, 9, he can only think of Ζεὺς ἱκέσιος himself, whom he now brings forward, ὡς ἐπὶ τούτοις τὸν κολοφῶνα.

485. mvp-comment-347-1 γόνασι] (1) 'By falling on my knees,' (instrum. dat.). Or, (2) 'On my knees,' (locative). Cp. γονυπετής. Philoctetes kneels as far as his lameness will allow, and in the same act calls attention to the pitiable weakness which hinders even the posture of supplication.

487. mvp-comment-348-1 χωρὶς ἀνθρώπων στίβου] 'Apart from track of men,' i. e. where no man comes. Cp. Ant. 773, ἔρημος ἔνθ᾽ ἂν ᾖ βροτῶν στίβος.

488-489. mvp-comment-349-1 Philoctetes longs to be taken home (492), but, in order to obtain his petition, he limits it to what is easiest of performance. ἄγων is here unemphatic; not as supr. 481.

489. mvp-comment-350-1 Χαλκώδοντος Εὐβοίας σταθμά] To the Euboean dwelling of Chalcodon, i. e. Chalcis. Chalcodon is the father of Elephenor, who led the Euboeans to Troy; Il. 2. 536-541, οἱ δ' Εὔβοιαν ἔχον ... | τῶν αὖθ᾽ ἡγεμόνευ Ελεφήνωρ όζος ῎Αρηος | Χαλκωδοντιάδης, μεγαθύμων ἀρχὸς ᾿Αβάντων. The thoughts of Philoctetes are with the older generation (Poeas, Peleus, Telamon, Lycomedes, Chalcodon), who had known Heracles, and were still vigorous when Philoctetes left home for Troy. According to a tradition, which is here ignored, Chalchodon had long since been slain by Amphitryon.

491. mvp-comment-351-1 The correction of δειράδα καί (see v.rr.) is very uncertain. δεράς does not occur elsewhere. Other corrections are δειράδ᾽ ἤ (Porson), πρῶνα καί (Wunder), δειράδ' ἐπί (Hermann in one edition), δειράδ' ἀνά (Seyffert). Philoctetes imagines the features of his native land as they would successively disclose themselves in the homeward voyage in l. 488.

492. mvp-comment-352-1 πατρὶ . . φίλῳ] 'That so thou mayest give me to my dear father's sight.' ὡς δείξῃς depends on ἔκσωσον in l. 488.

493. mvp-comment-353-1 παλαί᾽ ἂν ἐξότου = παλαιὸς χρόνος ἂν εἴη ἐξ ὅτον, is to be joined as an adverbial expression with βεβήκῃ. Cp. Thuc. 1. 6, where οὐ πολὺς χρόνος ἐπειδὴ ἐπαύσαντο φοροῦντες = ἔναγχος ἐφόρουν καὶ οὐ πολὺς χρόνος γέγονεν ἐπειδὴ ἐπαύσαντο. Others read παλαιὸν ἐξ ὅτου. If this is adopted, the phrase is still to be joined to βεβήκη, and not το δέδοικα.

494. mvp-comment-354-1 μὴ . · βεβήκη] 'Who, my fears tell me, may be long since gone.' Βεβήκοι might be defended as continuing the construction with ἄν; but this is improbable. μοι is ethical dative. πολλά, adv. τοῖς ἱγμένοις] 'By means of those who had come,' (supr. 301 fol.). Cp. Ant. 164, 5, πομποῖσιν . . ἔστειλα.

495. mvp-comment-355-1 ἔστελλον] 'I urged him.' Cp. infr. 623. The imperfect tense represents an endeavour.

496. mvp-comment-356-1 αὐτόστολον] 'With a ship and crew of his own providing.' Agreeing with αὐτόν. δόμοις] Wund. conjectured δόμους, perhaps rightly; but for the dative, see Essay on L. § 11. p. 18, 3.

497-499. mvp-comment-357-1 τὰ τῶν διακόνων .. ποιούμενοι] Either (1) τὰ τῶν διακόνων simply = οἱ διάκονοι, with which ποιούμενοι agrees. Or (2) the mode of expression is altered from 'the service of my messengers failed me' (ἐξαπώλετο ἤ τι τοιοῦτον), to 'my messengers cared little for what concerned me, but pushed their homeward voyage, etc.'

498. mvp-comment-358-1 ὡς εἰκός] Philoctetes attributes to such involuntary visitants the homesickness which he himself feels. τοὐμὸν . . ποιούμενοι] He says this as feeling bitterly his insignificance. Cp. supr. 254,5.

500. mvp-comment-359-1 Seyffert rightly omits the comma after νῦν δ'. Cp. supr. 144, 5. εἰς σὲ .. ἥκω) · I am come to thee,' i e. My fate has brought me to you in the succession of those who come. For the transference of words of place to time, see E. on L. § 24. p. 41, 7. πομπόν τε καὐτὸν ἄγγελον] Who wilt be my guide at the same time that thou dost thyself report concerning me.' αὐτόν belongs to both nouns, i. e. not only to transmit news of me, but to announce me yourself in person; not only to announce me, but to take me home. Philoctetes still clings to the hope that Neoptolemus will bring him all the way to Trachis.

501. mvp-comment-360-1 εἰσορῶν] 'Seeing,' in the example now present before you.

502-503. mvp-comment-361-1 δεινά] Sc. ἐστί. How to mortals all things are beset with peril and hazard; there is a chance of good and a chance of the opposite.' Philoctetes has deeply learnt the lesson: 'It is the bright day that brings forth the adder, And that craves wary walking. Neoptolemus must show mercy, and thus avoid provoking the gods. For πάντα δεινά, Wakefield conjectured πάντ' ἄδηλα.

504. mvp-comment-362-1 ὁρᾶν] Το be ware of. Schol. εὐλαβεῖσθαι. Cp. Aj. 1313, ὅρα μὴ τοὐμόν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ σόν.

506. mvp-comment-363-1 διαφθαρείς] Sc. ὁ βίος. Cp. Thuc. 8. 91, λήσειν διαφθαρέντας (sc. ἔφη Θηραμένης τοὺς τειχίζοντας τὴν Ἠετιώνειαν τοῖς ᾿Αθηναίοις).

507-518. mvp-comment-364-1 In the strophe supr. 391-402, the one half-chorus echoed the falsehood of Neoptolemus. The other half-chorus now in similar measures professedly responds to the appeal of Philoctetes, and recommends him to the kindness of Neoptolemus. L. 510 is equivalent, although not identical in metre, with l. 395: Each consists of two dochmiacs.

508-509. mvp-comment-365-1 πόνων ἆθλ'] Cp. Trach. 506, ἄεθλ᾽ ἀγώνων. ὅσσα] Porson's conjecture, οἷα, has been adopted by several editors. Other proposed corrections are ἄσσα and ἄθλους ἅ (Dobree). ὅσσα is at once, So many as,' and 'So great as.' τύχοι] λάχοι, which Nauck reads, would be in a more usual construction. But the change is unnecessary.

510. mvp-comment-366-1 πικρούς] Cp. supr. 320-3, 363, 369, 396.

511. mvp-comment-367-1 τὸ κείνων μετατιθέμενος] Converting their evil deed into a benefit for him.' According to the pretended situation, the same iniquity which cast Philoctetes forth has sent Neoptolemus from Troy, and Neoptolemus has now the opportunity of taking Philoctetes home. Thus evil may be made the occasion of good. The middle voice in μετατιθέμενος is subjective='On your own part.'

515. mvp-comment-368-1 ἐπιμέμονεν] Sc. πορεύεσθαι. Cp. Εl. 1435, ᾗ νοεῖς ἔπειγέ νυν.

516. mvp-comment-369-1 ἐπ᾿ εὐστόλου ταχείας νεώς] Οn your trim swift bark.' For the double epithet, see Essay on L. § 23. P. 37.

517. mvp-comment-370-1 τὰν *θεῶν] ἐκ (see v.rr.) is required by the same metrical reason which led to Λαερτίου being changed το Λαρτίου in l. 401.

518. mvp-comment-371-1 νέμεσιν] The possibility of some Divine retribution following refusal was gently hinted at the conclusion of Philoctetes' speech, ll 501-506.

519. mvp-comment-372-1 Consider, lest you who now stand there so goodnaturedly, may show a different spirit from your present words when you are wearied through contact with the disease.' For the 'paratactic' structure, see Essay on L. § 36. p. 68. τις is added to a predicative word as in Ο. Τ. 618, 9, ὅταν ταχύς τις οὑπιβουλεύων λάθρα χωρῇ. The slight redundancy of the expression, for which, cp. Εl. 506, ὡς ἔμολες αἰανή, κ.τ.λ., has suggested an unnecessary doubt whether παρῆς may not be from παρίημι (‘You grant permission').

521. mvp-comment-373-1 For αὑτὸς τοῖς λόγοις τούτοις, ср. О. Т. 557, καὶ νῦν ἔθ᾽ αὑτός εἰμι τῷ βουλεύματι, and note.

522-523. mvp-comment-374-1 are spoken by the coryphaeus.

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.

529. mvp-comment-378-1 The emphatic position of ἡμᾶς at the beginning of the line shows that Neoptolemus deliberately includes Philoctetes in his prayer. βουλοίμεσθα is optative because of the preceding optative (cp. 325, 961) and partakes of the indefiniteness of the wish. Neoptolemus feels that when they leave the shore the intention of his voyage will not be that which he now professes, and he trusts that by that time the wish of Philoctetes may be the same with his own.

533. mvp-comment-379-1 *προσκύσαντε εἰσοίκησιν] Schndw. threw suspicion on these words because of the ἅπαξ λεγόμενον εἰσοίκησις, and various modes of alteration have been suggested. But it is idle to object to every ἅπαξ λεγόμενον. And these words give an excellent sense. If ἐξοικεῖν, a rare word, means ἔξω οἰκεῖν (Lys. 187. 29, Dem. 845. 19), why may not εἰσοικεῖν mean ἔσω οἰκεῖν? (It is so used in Anth. P. 7. 320, according to the MS. reading.) Cp. εἰσίδρυμαι, εἰσίζομαι, εἰσοικίζω. In that case ἡ εἰσοίκησις is ἡ ἔσω οἴκησις, and τὴν ἔσω.. εἰσοίκλησιν is merely a common instance of pleonasm, much as when we speak of the interior of a cave. If εἰς οἴκησιν is read, it becomes necessary to suppose a lacuna, for ἴωμεν here can only mean, 'Let us depart.' For the participial expression (προσκύσαντε = ' but first let us pay a farewell visit to'), ср. О. Т. 680, μαθοῦσά γ' ἥτις ἡ τύχη. Philoctetes'attachment to his bare and comfortless dwelling-place shows itself here, together with the longing expressed supr. 251 foll, that the extent of his misery and endurance might be known.

535. mvp-comment-380-1 ἀφ᾽ ὧν] ἀπο- as in ἀποζῆν. διέζων] 'I kept life afoot.' δια- of a persevering effort, as in διαμάχεσθαι.

536. mvp-comment-381-1 μόνην θέαν] 'Even the mere sight.' The adjective has the force of the adverb μόνον.

538. mvp-comment-382-1 προὔμαθον] Either (1) ‘I long since learned,' or (2) 'I learnt by degrees,' i.e. conquering each evil as it met me. Cp. προδιδάσκειν.

539-541. mvp-comment-383-1 These lines are spoken by the coryphaeus. The Σκοπός of supr. 125 is seen approaching, disguised as a ship-master, and accompanied by another of Neoptolemus's crew.

540. mvp-comment-384-1 ἀλλόθρους is simply a stranger, 'Not one of ourselves.' The word ξένος (infr. 557) would not apply to the man until they knew whether he was of Scyros or not. He professes afterwards to come from Peparethus.

541. mvp-comment-385-1 αὖθις] Blaydes conjectures αὐτίκ'. But αὖθις is 'afterwards,' as αὖτις in Il. 1. 140, ταῦτα μεταφρασόμεσθα καὶ αὖτις. After that, ye shall go in'

542. mvp-comment-386-1 τόνδε τὸν ξυνέμπορον] 'This companion of my way,' viz. from the mooring place to before the cave.

544. mvp-comment-387-1 ποῦ κυρῶν εἴης] • Where you were at this moment to be found.' A conversational pleonasm.

545. mvp-comment-388-1 ἀντέκυρσα] Sc. σοί. ‘Our paths have crossed.' δοξάζων μὲν οὔ] 'Not that I had any thought of such a thing.' For the combination of aorist and imperfect (δοξάζων = ὅτε ἐδόξαζον), cp. Ο. Τ. 1457, θνήσκων ἐσώθην.

546. mvp-comment-389-1 ὁρμισθείς] 'Brought to anchor.' He has been baffled by the headwind mentioned infr. 639.

547. mvp-comment-390-1 ὡς ναύκληρος, οὐ πολλῷ στόλῳ] 'With the modest outfit of a merchant-man.' This accounts for his approach not having been descried. He is supposed to be a purveyor (infr. 583, 4) of provisions to the army, perhaps of wine from his own vine-clad (εὔβοτρυν) island. Cp. ΙΙ. 7. 467, νῆες δ᾽ ἐκ Λήμνοιο παρέστασαν οἶνον ἄγουσαι. Peparethus is midway between Scyros and the entrance to the Maliac gulf. The same wind that is pretended to have detained Neoptolemus would also delay the merchantman on his homeward voyage.

549-550. mvp-comment-391-1 ὡς νεναυστοληκότες] 'When I had ascertained in the course of conversation that the mariners who had manned the vessel were one and all your men' (σοί, possessive pronoun). So Hermann, Opusc. 8. p. 190, rightly, although the reason which he gives ('Nam sic demum nauclerus tuto referre poterat, quae erat narraturus'), is not required. Dobree conjectured συννεναυστοληκότες (‘That they had all accompanied you in your voyage').

552. mvp-comment-392-1 προστυχόντι τῶν ἴσων depends οη τὸν πλοῦν ποιεῖσθαι as an affirmative expression: i. e. ἔδοξέ μοι, φράσαντι καὶ τῶν ἴσων προστυχόντι, οὕτω τὸν πλοῦν ποιεῖσθαι. · When first I had received fair recompense.' For the naiveté of this parenthetical demand, as not unbefitting the relations of the sea-captain to Neoptolemus (who is no less careful to assure him of his gratitude, infr. 557, 8), ср. О. Τ. 1005, 6, καὶ μὴν μάλιστα τοῦτ᾽ ἀφικόμην ὅπως | σοῦ πρὸς δόμους ἐλθόντος εὖ πράξαιμί τι: Trach. 190, 1, ὅπως τοι πρῶτος ἀγγείλας τάδε πρὸς σοῦ τι κερδάναιμι.

553. mvp-comment-393-1 οὐδὲν σύ που] The asyndeton marks the urgency of the intelligence.

554. mvp-comment-394-1 ἀμφὶ σοῦ * νέα] This emendation of Auratus has been generally received. And although the MS. reading may be possibly defended by the comparison of such phrases as τίνος δὴ χάριν ἕνεκα, etc. (see especially Thuc. 8. 92, ὅσον καὶ ἀπὸ βοῆς ἕνεκα), the meaning as well as the grammar is distinctly improved by the change.

556. mvp-comment-395-1 δρώμεν', οὐκέτ᾽ ἐξαργούμενα] Ιn act, no longer left undone.' Cp. Aesch. Ag. 1359, τοῦ δρῶντός ἐστι καὶ τὸ βουλεῦσαι πέρι.

559. mvp-comment-396-1 φράσον . . ἔλεξας] Declare at full what you have now mentioned.'

560. mvp-comment-397-1 ἀπ᾿ ᾿Αργείων] Sc. φαινόμενον. ἔχεις] Cp. Trach. 318, οὐδ᾽ ὄνομα πρὸς του τῶν ξυνεμπόρων ἔχεις; Ο. C. 1451, μάτην γὰρ οὐδὲν ἀξίωμα δαιμόνων ἔχω φράσαι.

562. mvp-comment-398-1 οἱ.. Θησέως κόροι] Acamas and Demophon, said to have been first mentioned in the Ἰλίου πέρσις of Arctinus. These names help to commend the lie to the fancy of the Athenian audience.

563. mvp-comment-399-1 λόγοις] By persuasion.' Cp. infr. 612, 623 foll., 629, 30.

563,565. mvp-comment-400-1 These vague replies show that Neoptolemus has not yet seized his cue. Cp. 570, 1 foll.

566. mvp-comment-401-1 οὕτω καθ' ὁρμήν] ‘Thus incontinently' (in the old sense); referring to supr. 555. 6.

567. mvp-comment-402-1 ὡς ταῦτ᾽ ἐπίστω δρώμεν] i. e. ἐπίστασο, ὡς ταῦτα δρώμενα (sc. ἐστίν). For ἐπίστασο ταῦτα ὡς δρώμενα this would be too violent an inversion.

568. mvp-comment-403-1 πρὸς τάδε] 'Hereupon,' i. e. 'When such was the counsel of the Argives.' αὐτάγγελος] ‘'Bringing the message in person;' i. e. αὐτὸς καὶ μὴ δι᾽ ἄλλων ἀγγέλων. Phoenix and the Theseidae were ἄγγελοι of the resolution of the chieftains to Neoptolemus.

569. mvp-comment-404-1 ἢ.. νιν] Neoptolemus assumes a spirited tone, and suggests a mean motive in Odysseus, in order to gratify Philoctetes.

570. mvp-comment-405-1 ἐπ᾿ ἄλλον ἄνδρα] ‘With designs upon another person.'

571. mvp-comment-406-1 When I left the harbour, they were making ready.'

572. mvp-comment-407-1 'Who could this be. with a view to whom Odysseus himself was setting forth?' i e. ποῖος ἂν εἴη πρὸς ὃν ἔπλει; So the unusual insertion of ἄν may be explained. See Essay on L. § 27. p. 45. And the meaning is so appropriate, that it seems better to retain the particle, although πρὸς ποῖον αὖ τόν δ' is a conjectural reading involving only a slight change.

575. mvp-comment-408-1 'Sir, you have the privilege of seeing here the famous Philoctetes.' Thus Neoptolemus humours the feeling which Philoctetes had shown supra 261, 2, ὅδ᾽ εἴμ᾽ ἐγώ σοι κεῖνος, ὃν κλύεις ἴσως | τῶν Ἡρακλείων ὄντα δεσπότην ὅπλων.

576. mvp-comment-409-1 τὰ πλείον'] For the article, cp. Trach. 731, and note.

577. mvp-comment-410-1 ἔκπλει σεαυτὸν ξυλλαβών] 'Snatch yourself up and sail away.' Cp. Eur. H. F. 833 foll., ἄλλ' εἶ', ἄτεγκτον ξυλλαβοῦσα καρδίαν . . ἔλαυνε, κίνει, κ.τ.λ.: also Plat. Rep. 1. 336 В, συστρέψας ἑαυτὸν ἧκεν ἐφ' ἡμᾶς. The Ἔμπορος speaks low, as he had charged Neoptolemus to do. This awakens the lively suspicion of Philoctetes, who hears enough to understand that there is a danger of his being left behind. Mr. Paley conjectures, ἔκπλευσον αὐτὸν συλλαβών, comparing infr. 621. But there the case is altered by Neoptolemus having avowed his friendship for Philoctetes in ll. 585, 6.

578. mvp-comment-411-1 κατὰ σκότον] 'In secret.' So infr. 581, εἰς φῶς, Openly."

579. mvp-comment-412-1 διεμπολᾷ λόγοισι πρός σε] Is treating me dishonestly in his talk with thee.' Cp. Ant. 1036, ἐξημπόλημαι κἀκπεφόρτισμαι.

581. mvp-comment-413-1 εἰς φῶς = 'Openly.' Cp. О. Т. 93, ἐς πάντας αύδα. τούσδε τε] The Chorus.

582-583. mvp-comment-414-1 μή με.. ἃ μὴ δεῖ] 'Bring me not into discredit with the army, through my telling what I should keep close; i. e. Do not make me tell, and so make them angry with me. λέγοντα = διὰ τὸ λέγειν, cp. Thuc. 8.87, ἣν εἶπε πρόφασιν οὐ κομίσας (i. e. δι᾽ ὅ, τι οὐκ ἐκόμισεν).

583-584. mvp-comment-415-1 'I. being poor, receive much kindness from them for service which I do.' For γε, which modifies the sentence, to which it gives a pleading tone, see Essay on L. § 26. p. 41. οἱ᾿ ἀνὴρ πένης] (1) As is natural in the case of one who is poor: rather than, (2) 'Such service as a poor man may do.' Cp. supr. 273, and note.

585ff. mvp-comment-416-1 Neoptolemus professes to demand that, if there is danger, the Ἔμπορος should risk it for his and Philoctetes' sake. The Ἔμπορος in his reply insinuates that the danger, if he is made to speak, is common to them all three, and that Neoptolemus will be responsible for the consequences.

589. mvp-comment-417-1 καί belongs in meaning to the whole sentence = καὶ δὴ σκοπῶ. ἐγώ] 'Of myself,' without this caution from you.

590. mvp-comment-418-1 ποιοῦ λέγων] 'Make me so, if you will but speak. For this emphatic use of the participle, cp. especially O. C. 1038, χωρῶν ἀπείλει νυν, -also supr. 481, and note.

591. mvp-comment-419-1 ἅπερ κλύεις] Supr. 570, 1.

592. mvp-comment-420-1 ἥ τ᾿ Ὀδυσσέως βία] Cp. supr. 314, 321.

593. mvp-comment-421-1 διώμοτοι] 'Expressly sworn.' Cp. Trach. 378, ὥσπερ οὑπάγων διώμνυτο: Ο. Τ. 834, διεῖπε χρῆναι, κ.τ.λ. For the meaning, cp. infr. 618, 9, 623.

594. mvp-comment-422-1 ἢ . . κράτος] Or were they to prevail by force.'

597. mvp-comment-423-1 δράσειν τάδε is added as a resumption of ταῦτα, depending on λέγοντος (not on θάρσος εἶχε).

598-599. mvp-comment-424-1 i. ε. τίνος δὲ πράγματος χάριν ᾿Ατρείδαι, χρόνῳ τοσῷδε, οὕτως ἄγαν ἐπεστρέφοντο τοῦδε. For the order of the words, see Essay on L. § 41. p. 78, 8.

600. mvp-comment-425-1 εἶχον . . *ἐκβεβληκότες] Cp. El. 590, ἐκβαλοῦσ᾽ ἔχεις. The periphrasis serves to fix on the agent the responsibility of the consequences of his act.

601-602. mvp-comment-426-1 'Whence came they thus to wish him back again? Or were they moved by a mighty impulse from the angry gods: the gods, who requite evil deeds?' For θεῶν βία, cp. Aesch. Suppl. 97, βίαν . . τὰν ἄπονον δαιμονίαν (?).

603. mvp-comment-427-1 ἴσως . . ἀκήκοας] 'For I dare say you have not heard of it.' The important share of Neoptolemus in the prophecy of Helenus is studiously concealed, and it is assumed that in his short stay at Troy the circumstance may have escaped him altogether. The true account is given by Neoptolemus afterwards, infr. 1337 foll. He himself in supr. 344 foll. had professed to attach slight importance to the assertion that he was destined to take Troy.

607. mvp-comment-428-1 ἀκούων] 'Called by,' i.e. deserving. αἰσχρὰ.. ἔπη] 'Names of disgrace and contumely.' On the meaning of the verbal adjective, see Essay on L. § 53. p. 98.

609. mvp-comment-429-1 ἔδειξ᾽.. ἐς μέσον] Displayed publicly to the Achaeans. ἔδειξε marks Odysseus' pride at bringing in his captive. Cp. infr. 616, δηλώσειν : 630, δεῖξαι: 944, φήνασθαι.

610. mvp-comment-430-1 The part of the prophecy which relates to Neoptolemus is thus slurred over.

611. mvp-comment-431-1 τἀπὶ Τροίᾳ πέργαμα] Cp.supr. 353.

612. mvp-comment-432-1 πέρσοιεν (as being the oratio obliqua of πέρσετε) seems to be an exception to the rule that οὐ μή takes after it not the future indicative, but the aorist subjunctive. But this is not a sufficient ground for altering the reading. Paley compares Plat. Crito, p. 44 B, οὐδένα μήποτε εὑρήσω.

613. mvp-comment-433-1 ἄγοιντο] The middle voice implies, 'Should bring for their purpose.' νήσου τῆσδ'] For the genitive of place, see Essay on L. § 8. p. 11, a. Observe the alliteration in νήσου .. ναίει .. νῦν.

614. mvp-comment-434-1 ταῦτα] Governed of ἤκουσε and resumed with τὸν μάντιν εἰπόντα, which is added to complete the sentence.

615ff. mvp-comment-435-1 The statement in supr. 593-7 is here repeated with some additional circumstances.

617. mvp-comment-436-1 οἴοιτο] The optative is used in turning the parenthetical οἴομαι into the oratio obliqua, as if ὅτι had preceded. Cp. Lys p. 130, Θηραμένης ἀναστὰς λέγει ὅτι ποιήσει ὥστε τὴν πόλιν ἐλαττῶσαι μηδέν· οἴοιτο δὲ καὶ ἄλλο τι ἀγαθὸν εὑρήσεσθαι.

618-619. mvp-comment-437-1 'And if he failed in this, he offered his head to any who chose, to cut it off.' For the order of words, see Essay on L. § 41, α. p. 77. κάρα governed (1) of ἐφεῖτο, and (2) οἱ τέμνειν, which is epexegetic inf. μὴ τυχών = εἰ μὴ τύχοι. For the sense, cp. II. 2. 259, μηκέτ᾽ ἔπειτ᾽ Ὀδυσῆϊ κάρη ὤμοισιν ἐπείη, κ.τ.λ.: Od. 16. 102 αὐτίκ᾽ ἔπειτ' ἀπ᾿ ἐμεῖο κάρη τάμοι ἀλλότριος φώς, εἰ μή, κ.τ.λ. τέμνειν = ἀποτέμνειν. Cp. καράτομος.

620. mvp-comment-438-1 τὸ σπεύδειν] The article probably refers to supr. 576, 7.

621. mvp-comment-439-1 κεἴ τινος κήδει πέρι] Sc. παραινῶ ἐκείνῳ τὸ αὐτό. The supposed stranger does not venture to compromise himself by giving this advice directly to Philoctetes. He alludes to supr. 585, 6.

622. mvp-comment-440-1 Οι ἡ πᾶσα βλάβη, ‘That utter pest.' see Essay on L. § 51. p. 95; and cp. El. 301.

624-625. mvp-comment-441-1 'The persuasion that has force to bring me back to Troy, would fetch me from the dead.'

626. mvp-comment-442-1 οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ἐγὼ ταῦτ] The professed Ἔμπορος is too discreet to mix further than he can help in such a hazardous business. Cp. O. Τ. 530, οὐκ οἶδ᾽· ὁ γὰρ δρῶσ᾽ οἱ κρατοῦντες οὐχ ὁρῶ. The purpose of his coming has been accomplished, and he retires. For the synaphea, cp. especially O. T. 555, ὡς χρείη μ᾽ ἐπὶ | τὸν σεμνόμαντιν, κ.τ.λ.

627. mvp-comment-443-1 σφῶν.. θεός] 'May heaven be with you both for your best good!' συμφέρειν is used nearly as συμφέρεσθαι in O. C. 641, τῇδε γὰρ ξυνοίσομαι (‘Your choice shall have my concurrence').

628ff. mvp-comment-444-1 Should have imagined it possible ever with cajoling words to bring and show me on his ship amongst the Argives.' Philoctetes has hitherto had his attention fixed on the Ἔμπορος, and has said ll. 622-5 half to himself. But as the stranger departs he turns to Neoptolemus with these indignant words.

629. mvp-comment-445-1 ποτ᾿ ἄν with δεῖξαι = ὅτι δείξειεν ἄν ποτε. λόγοισι μαλθακοῖς] Cp. O. С. 774, σκληρὰ μαλθακῶς λέγων.

630. mvp-comment-446-1 δείξαι] Cp. supr. 616, δηλώσειν. δεῖξαι νεὼς ἄγοντα = δεῖξαι ἐκ νεὰς ἄγοντα ἐπὶ νηΐ. Or, in other words, the phrase, On ship-board,' which should depend on ἄγοντα, is attracted into a new construction with δεῖξαι. See Essay on L. § 35. p. 60, and cp. О. Т. 808, ὄχου . . τηρήσας. κ.τ.λ. : Εl. 900. Herm. and Schndw. take νεὼς ἄγοντα to mean, 'Bringing ashore.' Cp. supr. 355-7. But ἄγειν is continually used elsewhere in the play for conveyance by sea; and the instrumental dative λόγοισι μαλθακοῖς connects more naturally with ἄγοντα than with δεῖξαι. Moreover, the meaning obtained by so joining νεὼς ἄγοντ' is wanting in simplicity.

631. mvp-comment-447-1 οὔ] Those who have suspected this reading have not observed the frequency of asyndeton in the language of Philoctetes (Essay on L. § 34. p. 58). The proposed readings, οὗ θᾶσσον (Welcker), ἢ θᾶσσον (Schndw.), are less forcible than the MS. text. Schndw. imagined οὔ to be a marginal gloss on ἢ. For the double superlative in πλεῖστον ἐχθίστης, see Essay on L. § 40. p. 76.

632. mvp-comment-448-1 ἄπουν = οὐκ ἔχοντα βάσιν, infr. 692.

633. mvp-comment-449-1 ἐκείνῳ.. λεκτά] 'He is capable of saying anything.' Cp. O. С. 495, ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐχ ὁδωτά : ibid. 1000, 1, εἶ γὰρ οὐ δίκαιος, ἀλλ᾽ ἅπαν καλὸν | λέγειν νομίζων, ῥητὸν ἄρρητόν τ᾽ ἔπος.

635-636. mvp-comment-450-1 ὡς.. ὁρίζῃ] • That wide seas may part us.'

637. mvp-comment-451-1 ἥ τοι.. ἤγαγεν] Cp. Aj. 674,5, ἐκοίμισε . . πόντον, and note.

639. mvp-comment-452-1 ἐπειδὰν πνεῦμα τοὐκ πρώρας ἀνῇ] When this head wind (1) ceases' (ἀνῇ absolute), or (2) 'lets us go' (ἀνῇ ἡμᾶς, sc.). The same doubt occurs in Hdt. 2. 113, οὐ γὰρ ἀνίει τὰ πνεύματα (sc. μιν?) Cp. Od. 19. 199, ἔνθα δυώδεκα μὲν μένον ἤματα δίοι ᾿Αχαιοί, | εἴλει γὰρ βορέης ἄνεμος μέγας, κ.τ.λ. | τῇ τρισκαιδεκάτῃ δ' ἄνεμος πέσε, τοὶ δ᾽ ἀνάγοντο. The correction of Pierson here is all but certain.

641. mvp-comment-453-1 Cp. Il. 14. 80, οὐ γάρ τις νέμεσις φυγέειν κακόν, οὐδ᾽ ἀνὰ νύκτα,

642. mvp-comment-454-1 οὔκ· ἀλλά] 'Nay, but -.' οὐ denies the general drift of the preceding line; i. e. The evil is not so imminent that you need fly from it with such haste. Cp. Plat. Rep. 6. 491 Ε, οὔκ, ἀλλά, ἢ δ᾽ ὅς, οὕτως, where there is a nearly similar inexactness of response. There is no sufficient ground for transposing 643, 4, 2, 1, with Prof. Paley. The order is far more natural as it stands.

643-644. mvp-comment-455-1 'Robbers feel not any contrary wind when it is a time to steal and take by force.'

645. mvp-comment-456-1 χωρῶμεν, ἔνδοθεν λαβών] 'Let us depart, when you have taken from within.' The participle agrees with part of the subject, and the second person has been implied in εἰ δοκεῖ, SC. σοι. For the limitation of subject, see Essay on L. § 33. p. 56, and cp. Trach. 205, ὀλολύξατε δόμοις, | ὁ μελλόνυμφος, ἐν δὲ κοινὸς ἀρσένων | ἴτω κλάγγα, κ.τ.λ. : ib. 333: Aesch. Eum. 141.

648. mvp-comment-457-1 What, that is not somewhere on board my ship?' νεώς, partitive genitive. Essay on L. § 10. p. 15. Ср. Αj. 659, γαίας ὀρύξας ἔνθα, κ.τ.λ.: Ο. C. 694, γᾶς ᾿Ασίας οὐκ ἐπακούω. τοῦθ᾽ ὅ is singular, though ὧν in 647 is plural. Essay on L. § 20, B. p. 31.

649. mvp-comment-458-1 φύλλον . . πάρεστιν] 'There is a leaf which I have.' Cp. infr. 704, ὅθεν εὐμάρει᾽ ὑπάρχοι: supr. 44: Ο.Τ. 766.

650. mvp-comment-459-1 πραΰνειν] 'To assuage its violence.' There is no example of πραΰνειν being used intransitively. πρᾷος is opposed to ἄγριος, cp. supr. 265. Philoctetes is eager to assure Neoptolemus that the evil is not intractable. Cp. infr. 733 foll.

651. mvp-comment-460-1 τί γὰρ ἔτ᾽ ἄλλ᾽ ἐρᾷς λαβεῖν] Philoctetes shows by his manner that the herb is not the only thing that he requires. To this look of longing hesitation γάρ refers.

652. mvp-comment-461-1 εἰ.. παρερρύηκεν] This is said to explain his unsatisfied look (' I would make search,' implied in ἐρᾷς λαβεῖν), * in case some of these my arrows may have slipped from my side.' Cp. Il. 13. 256, ἔρχομαι, εἴ τί τοι ἔγχος ἐνὶ κλισίῃσι λέλειπται, | οἰσόμενος.

653. mvp-comment-462-1 ὡς λίπω μή] For the order, see Essay on L. § 41, γ. p. 78.

655. mvp-comment-463-1 οὐ γὰρ ἄλλα γ᾽ ἔσθ'] 'For indeed there is no other.' These words have been commonly taken as equivalent to ἐκεῖνα καὶ οὐκ ἄλλα: whence Blaydes conjectures ταῦτ᾽ οὐ γὰρ οὖν ἔστ᾿ ἄλλ'. But the meaning given above is more in point. Cp. Morris' Story of Sigurd, That hath not the like in the heavens, nor hath earth of its fellow told.'

656. mvp-comment-464-1 ἆρ᾿ ἔστιν ὥστε] 'Is it possible that one might?' ὥστε as after verbs of permission asked or obtained. The periphrasis is expressive of modesty. κἀγγύθεν] From close at hand, as well as from a distance. For με added in the second clause, cp. supr. 257.

657. mvp-comment-465-1 For the sacredness of the bow, cp. infr. 943.

658. mvp-comment-466-1 τῶν ἐμῶν] Of things within my power.'

659. mvp-comment-467-1 ὁποῖον. ξυμφέρῃ] 'That is of a nature to accord with your desires.' Cp. supr. 627, and note. γενήσεται] 'Shall be granted.'

661. mvp-comment-468-1 πάρες] 'Let it go by;' i.e. Take no more notice of my wish.

662. mvp-comment-469-1 ὅσια .. φωνεῖς] 'Your words are blameless.' 'You speak innocently.'

663. mvp-comment-470-1 For the suppressed antecedent in the expression of strong feeling, see Essay on L. § 39. p. 72, 2. And for the emphatic repetition of ὅς, cp. O. C. 610, φθίνει μὲν ἰσχὺς γῆς, φθίνει δὲ σώματος, and see E. on L. § 44. p. 83.

664. mvp-comment-471-1 μόνος] Supr. 500.

665. mvp-comment-472-1 πέρα] 'Above their reach.' 'Where they cannot come.' ἀνιστάναι here is not merely 'To raise upright,' but To set up on high.' Cр. O. С. 661-3, κείνοις δ᾽ ἴσως κεὶ δείν᾽ ἐπερρώσθη λέγειν | τῆς σῆς ἀγωγῆς, οἶδ᾽ ἐγώ, φανή- | σεται | μακρὸν τὸ δεῦρο πέλαγος, οὐδὲ πλώσιμον: Aesch. Cho. 789.

666. mvp-comment-473-1 θιγγάνειν] ‘To handle for a while.’ This word, expressing a lingering process, is rightly in the continuous tense, although δόντι . . ἐξεπεύξασθαι are aorists. Cp. Il. 6. 322, τόξ᾽ ἁφόωντα.

667. mvp-comment-474-1 καὶ δόντι δοῦναι] This illogical addition is singularly expressive of the nervous anxiety of Philoctetes at the thought of giving the bow out of his hands: 'You shall have it in your grasp; I will give it you, and you will give it me again; and then you shall freely boast, etc.' While saying this, Philoctetes does not at once give the bow to Neoptolemus. Cp. infr. 762 foll.

669. mvp-comment-475-1 Cp. infr. 801-3.

670-672. mvp-comment-476-1 These three lines seem out of place. Either there is a lacuna after 670, or they have crept into the text out of the margin, where some hand had inserted them as an apposite quotation from some other play. They have not the appearance of a deliberate interpolation, nor is the difficulty obviated by assigning them to Neoptolemus. If they are retained, they can only mean, 'I do not feel this generous action burdensome, now that I have seen and found a friend in you. For no possession can be equal to a friend who knows (as I am sure you do) how to return kindness for kindness done to him.' In other words, to secure so true a friend as Neoptolemus, even the effort of relinquishing the bow for a moment is not too much. But ἄχθομαι has no object; and the promised kindness of Neoptolemus was not conditional on his being allowed to handle the bow.

675-714. mvp-comment-477-1 The preceding scene was calculated to deepen the feeling of compassion for Philoctetes, which had already been awakened both in Neoptolemus and in the Chorus. His generous willingness to trust them with his all, contrasted with their felt dissimulation, has intensified the sympathy which Neoptolemus afterwards avows, 905, 965, 6. Yet the Chorus do not imagine for a moment that their master will relinquish his purpose. Hence, while sincerely pouring forth their lament over Philoctetes' innocent sufferings (which they can only compare with the torment of the guilty Ixion), and really rejoicing in the prospect of his deliverance, they maintain, as in duty bound (since they are within hearing of the cave), the deceptive notion of the voyage to Trachis, and make no mention of Troy. But it must be borne in mind that from the prophecy of Helenus, of which they knew, they had every reason to suppose that the return to Troy, though Philoctetes was averse to it, would be for his good. While this stasimon is being sung (whether by half-choruses or by the whole together), Neoptolemus is with Philoctetes in the cave, and is finding still more cogent evidence of his misery. This stasimon consists of two strophes and antistrophes, of which the first are chiefly logaoedic, the second chiefly choriambic.

675-714. mvp-comment-477-2 α'.
1 _uu_u_u_
_uu__uu_u_
_uu_uu_
_uu_u_u_u_
5 _u_u_u_
10 __u_u_u__
_u_u_

1 Cp. Aesch. Suppl. 550. 2 Ion. anacl., infr. p. 451, β' 15 and note 3.

β'.
_uu_u_ _
_uu_u_ _
_uu_u_uu__
_uu_uu__
5 __u_ _
_uu_u_uu_u_uu_u_
_u_uu___u_uu_u_
_uu__

675. mvp-comment-478-1 ὄπωπα δ᾽ οὐ μάλα] ‘Though I never actually saw.' μάλα emphasizes οὐκ ὄπωπα, because seeing is more than hearing. The sorrow of Philoctetes is patent to the eye.

676. mvp-comment-479-1 ποτέ belongs to the verbal notion in πελάταν. Cp. supr. 147.

677. mvp-comment-480-1 Ιξίονα (see v. rr.) is omitted in the text as possibly arising from a gloss. Cp. Trach. 840.

678. mvp-comment-481-1 ἄμπυξ is (a) a frontlet; hence (b) may be here understood to mean the convex external surface of a wheel. ἄμπυκα δρομάδα = 'A rolling rim.' A conjectural reading, ἄντυγα, was proposed by Musgrave. But ἄντυξ, in the literal sense, is no more 'a wheel' than ἄμπυξ.

679. mvp-comment-482-1 ἔβαλεν] Although ἔλαβε, the MS. reading, is not impossible, if we suppose δέσμιον proleptic ('seized bound' for 'seized and bound'), ἔβαλεν gives a better sense. Cp. O. C. 475. Mr. Paley reads, κατ᾿ ἄμπυκα δὴ δρομάδ᾽ ὡς βάλε δέσμιον ὁ π. Κ. π. For the metre of this, cp. infr. 863, 4, 1114, 5; О. С. 253, 4.

680. mvp-comment-483-1 For ἐσίδον, which is the reading of the first hand of L. and of Par. A, cp. El. 205.

681. mvp-comment-484-1 τοῦδ᾽ ἐχθίονι] See Essay on L. § 10. p. 15, 2 a.

682. mvp-comment-485-1 'Who having neither harmed nor defrauded any.' Cp. Od. 4. 690, οὔτε τινὰ ῥέξας ἐξαίσιον, οὔτε τι εἰπών. The use of ἔρδειν absolutely for ἔρδειν τι κακόν is singular, but is assisted by νοσφίσας following. Cp. the frequent use of παθεῖν τι for παθεῖν τι κακόν. Mr. Paley strangely interprets, 'Having imprisoned any' (as if from ἔργω).

683. mvp-comment-486-1 ἔν *γ᾽ ἴσοις] This, Hermann's, emendation of ἐν ἴσοις is adopted as the most probable. 'Just, at least amongst the just; i.e. One sure to have been esteemed righteous, if he had lived amongst righteous men. Cp. (for the form of expression, not for the meaning οἱ ἴσος) O. T. 677, ἐν δὲ τοῖσδ᾽ ἴσος. The force of ye is to throw blame by implication on the Argives at Troy, who treated Philoctetes as if he had been a malefactor.

684. mvp-comment-487-1 The metre requires some change. Dindorf reads ὠλέκεθ᾽ ὧδ᾽. But τῇδε has more point than ὧδε, and connects better with what follows.

685. mvp-comment-488-1 τόδε. . ἔχει] 'At this I marvel.' τόδε is accusative after θαῦμ᾽ ἔχει με = θαυμάζω. Cp. Od. 20. 217, αὐτὰρ ἐμοὶ τόδε θυμὸς .. πόλλ᾽ ἐπιδινεῖται.

686. mvp-comment-489-1 'How then he retained his hold of a life so steeped in tears.' Cp. supr. 535, διέζων and note, infr. 1158-60.

687. mvp-comment-490-1 ἵν᾿ αὐτὸς ἦν πρόσουρος] Sc. ἑαυτῷ. Schndw. cp. Lucian. Timon. θεοῖς θυέτω καὶ εὐωχείσθω μόνος ἑαυτῷ γείτων καὶ ὅμορος. The phrase is an oxymoron. Cp. Aesch. Cho. 866, μόνος ὢν ἔφεδρος, (‘Having none to second him'). οὐκ ἔχων βάσιν] 'Without power of movement.' Cp. supr. 632, ἄπουν, and, for the meaning of the verbal noun, supr. 18, ἐνθάκησις, and note. Bothe's ingenious correction, ἵν᾽ αὐτὸς ἦν, πρόσουρον οὐκ ἔχων βάσιν ( cp. supr. 171, μηδὲ σύντροφον ὄμμ᾽ ἔχων), is inadmissible, (1) as too diffuse, and (2) because αὐτός εἶμι, “I am by myself,' is not a poetical expression for the misery of solitude. This and the following lines are an echo and expansion of Philoctetes' complaint, supr. 280 foll. ἄνδρα δ᾽ οὐδέν᾽ ἔντοπον, | οὐχ ὅστις ἀρκέσειεν, οὐδ᾽ ὅστις νόσου | κάμνοντι συλλάβοιτο. Lambinus gives an odd explanation of πρόσ-ουρος, 'expositus ventis.'

688. mvp-comment-491-1 κακογείτονα] ‘To be a neighbour to his misery.’ This, as Lessing saw (Laoc. p. 37), = γείτονα κακῶν οἱ ἐν κακοῖς.

689-691. mvp-comment-492-1 By bringing *τάν from before θερμοτάταν, where it injures the metre, to before βαρυβρῶτ', where a syllable is required, we obtain a possible construction for these lines. In whose ear he might lament, with groaning that had response (ἀντίτυπον), the disease (τάν, sc. νόσον) so cruelly gnawing, so dripping with gore.

689. mvp-comment-493-1 στόνον ἀντίτυπον is thus cognate accusative with ἀποκλαύσειεν, i.e. So as to receive groan for groan.' Cp. Ant. 592, ἀντιπλῆγες ἀκταί.

692. mvp-comment-494-1 ἐνθήρου] ( Cp. supr. 226, ἀπηγριωμένον) 'That has lost the human shape,' no longer recognizable as that of a human being. Cp. Aesch. Ag. 562, τιθέντες ἔνθηρον τρίχα. The etymological analysis of the word is difficult, perhaps = θηρσὶν ἐναριθμούμενος.

693. mvp-comment-495-1 εἴ τις ἐμπέσοι (sc. αἱμάς)] 'If any attacked him;' i.e. If the bleeding at any time came on.

694. mvp-comment-496-1 φορβάδος.. ἑλεῖν] ‘Or to take them' (the herbs) 'from the sustaining earth.' There is a slight change of construction; i. e ἑλεῖν = ὅστις ἕλοι, and the order of language, as elsewhere ( Essay on L. § 41, B. p. 77 ) reverses the order of fact. This passage has given needless trouble. Mr. Paley reads ἕλοι.

695. mvp-comment-497-1 *εἶρπε.. ἄν] Cp. supr. 290 foll. *ἀλλαχά] This is the simplest change (see v.rr.), which restores correspondence of strophe and antistrophe. Others read ἀτίμως for ἀναξίως in supr. 686. So τότε is antecedent to ἁνίκα in 704.

696. mvp-comment-498-1 εἰλυόμενος . . τιθήνας] 'Crawling, like a child without the kindly nurse.' So the Chorus expand the suggestive word εἰλυόμην in 291; i.e. He needed the support of hands as well as feet in the rocky paths.

697. mvp-comment-499-1 ὅθεν εὐμάρει᾽ ὑπάρχοι] 'To the place where a supply for his wants (the herb for his pain, the birds for his hunger) was to be found.' πόρον.. ἐξανείη] 'Left him the power of motion; i. e. Allowed him to move again. As the pain might be said ἐμποδίζειν πόρον, so when it ceases it is said ἐξανιέναι πόρον. Cp. Aj.674-6. This seems the most likely interpretation of a difficult passage. For other suggestions, see Herm., Schndw., Nauck, Dindorf, Paley.

699-700. mvp-comment-500-1 (1) 'Not lifting for his sustenance the sown-produce' ( cp. Hdt. 4.53) 'of the sacred earth, nor sustenance afforded by other things which we, industrious men, enjoy.' If this is right, φορβάν, which in l. 706 is in apposition to σπόρον ( cp. Plat. Legg. 12. 958 E, ὅσα τροφὴν μήτηρ οὖσα ἡ γῆ πέφυκε βούλεσθαι φέρειν), is to be resumed in l. 707 as the immediate object of αἴρων. (2) Another way is to take σπορόν (sic) as an adjective. Cp. τορός, τομός. 'Not taking up the sown sustenance afforded by the sacred earth, nor the sustenance afforded by other things, etc.'

702. mvp-comment-501-1 πτανῶν πτανοῖς] (1) 'From his winged arrows by means of winged birds' (ὀρνέοις, Scholiast). Cp. supr. 288, 9, τὰς ὑποπτέρους | βάλλον πελείας. Or (2) 'With winged shafts (instrum. dat.) he contrived a sustenance consisting of winged birds' (gen. of material). There is no sufficient ground for suspecting the reading. Perhaps, however, πτανάν, agreeing with φορβάν, would be better than πτανῶν. Cp. infr. 1146, πταναὶ θῆραι. For the tautology in φορβάδος, φορβάν, φορβάν, see Essay on L. § 44. pp. 83, 4.

703. mvp-comment-502-1 ψυχά] Cp. supr. 55 and note.

704. mvp-comment-503-1 For the genitive with ἥσθη, see Essay on L. § 10. p. 16, 5 , and, for the dative χρόνῳ, ibid. § 11. p. 18, b.

705. mvp-comment-504-1 λεύσσων . . εἰς] 'Looking to,' in dependence. Cp. El. 925, μηδὲν ἐς κεῖνόν γ᾽ ὅρα. στατόν] The remark of Odysseus, supr. 21, εἴπερ ἐστὶ σῶν, showed that the fountain was not an abundant one, such as would afford a perennial stream of living water.

706. mvp-comment-505-1 αἰεὶ προσενώμα] 'Fetched it for his daily need.' He had the labour of fetching it continually as he required it.

707. mvp-comment-506-1 ἀνδρῶν ἀγαθῶν] ‘Of a brave hero,' i. e. Achilles. Poetical plural. παιδὶ συναντήσας is a good conjecture of Fröhlich.

708. mvp-comment-507-1 'He shall win happiness and glory after being so low.' εὐδαίμων is predicative and proleptic-ἐς τὸ εὐδαίμων εἶναι. Cp. Ο. Τ. 166, ἠνύσατ' ἐκτοπίαν φλόγα πήματος, i. e. ὥστε ἐκτοπίαν γενέσθαι. κείνων refers to 691-718.

709. mvp-comment-508-1 πλήθει πολλῶν μηνῶν] 'In the fulness of many months.' Cр. О. Т. 156, περιτελλομέναις ὥραις : Aesch. Ag. 504, δεκάτῳ σε φέγγει τῷδ᾽ ἀφικόμην ἔτους: Trach. 824, 5, ὁπότε τελεόμηνος ἐκφέροι | δωδέκατος ἄροτος.

710. mvp-comment-509-1 πατρώαν.. αὐλάν] ‘Τo his father's hall.’ The change to πατρίαν, adopted by most editors- cp. supr. τὰ πάτρια τεύχεα seems to be required for the metre, _uu_u_uu_u_uu_u_ (ἀνύσειε γαστρὶ φορβάν, supr. 712). But see l. 1100, λῳονος.

711-712. mvp-comment-510-1 'Beside the banks of the Spercheius, that are haunted by the Melian nymphs' (literally, 'Belonging to the Melian nymphs and (the river-god) Spercheius'). This is a more natural connection for the words Μηλιάδων νυμφᾶν than when they are joined with the preceding line.

712. mvp-comment-511-1 ὁ χάλκασπις ἀνήρ] Heracles. The epithet is picturesque. The orbed shield reflecting the sunlight from the top of Oeta suggests the glory which the hero has amongst the gods, and the fire which consumed his mortality.

713. mvp-comment-512-1 †πᾶσιν] If this is retained, it is necessary to read εἴ που for ὅπου in the strophe, with Brunck. But Hermann's correction, πάλαι, is not improbable. The passage is to be differently interpreted according as πλάθει is regarded: whether as a literal, or as an historical present. If the latter is correct, then θείῳ πυρί may refer to the golden cloud that descended to take up Heracles from the pyre. If the former, we must suppose a natural confusion between Heracles on Oeta and Heracles in Olympus.

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.

827-862. mvp-comment-578-1 Odysseus ( supr. 77, 115), whose words appear in some way to have reached the Chorus ( supr. 136 foll.), spoke only of the necessity of obtaining the bow. For this the Chorus now see the opportunity, and cannot understand the inaction of Neoptolemus, who is better informed (839-42, cp. infr. 1329-43), and is moreover chained to the spot by remorseful sympathy with Philoctetes. This passage, which does the work of a stasimon in separating two episodia, is in so far of the nature of a commos that it contains a lyrical interchange between the Chorus and one of the persons on the stage. The text is imperfect in several places, and Bergk conjectures that four lines of Neoptolemus', answering to 839-42, have dropped out between 854, 5. It seems most probable that ll. 827-32 were sung by one half-chorus, and ll. 843-48 by the other, in subdued tones; that 833-8, 849-54 were recited severally by two of the chief choreutae, and that 855-64 were recited by the coryphaeus, or, possibly, sung by the whole Chorus. The metres of this irregular strain are dactylic, anapaestic, trochaic, iambic, and choriambic. The following is an approximate scheme of them :- στρ. and ἀντ.
Logaoedic 1 _UU_UU_UU_U_
(?)
Anapaestic { __ | __
Choriambic _UU_ __
Logaoedic 5 __UU_U_
Iambic U_U_ __
Iambic U_U_U_
Trochaic
Iambic U_ U_U_ __
Iambic 10 U_ U_U_ __
Iambic U_U_U_U_
Paracelèusmatic, { _ UU _ UU _
with logaoedic close (?)

The strophe is followed by four dactylic hexameters, the antistrophe by an epode, of which this is the scheme:-

Logaoedic {: __
Dactylic {: _UU_UU__ | _UU_UU_ _ (?)
Iambo-trochaic 5 _U_U_U_ _ (?)
Dactylic _UU_UU_UU_UU_
Iambic U_U_U_

For νύχιος, l. 858, cp. Eur. Hel. 1479, Suppl. 280.

827-829. mvp-comment-579-1 It is seldom that we can at all realise the euphonic effects of Greek lyric verse. But the effect of the vowelly assonance of εὐαὴς .. εὐαίων, accompanied by low breathings of the flute, may be partly imagined.

827. mvp-comment-580-1 ῞Υπν'.. Ὑπνε] Cp. supr. 663 foll. ὃς .. ὅς, κ.τ.λ., and note. ὀδύνας] ‘Pain.' ἀλγέων] 'Grief.' Herm. (1841) preferred ἄλγεος for the metre. Cp. Il.14.164, ὕπνον ἀπήμονά τε λιαρόν τε: Od. 13. 92, δὴ τότε γ᾽ ἀτρέμας εὔδε, λελασμένος, ὅσσ᾽ ἐπεπόνθει.

828-829. mvp-comment-581-1 The metre of these lines is different from that of 844, 5, which should correspond to them in the antistrophe. But the effect of the two spondaic (anapaestic) lines ( cp. 837, 853) resembles El. 88, 9, 105, 6, 153, 173, 213-6, 233-6, and the antistrophe is possibly corrupt. See note on infr. 844. Others read εὐǎές, in which the vocative would resemble ἁλίπλαγκτε in Aj. 695. But the a is probably long. εὐαής] The first strain of the Chorus, ll. 827-32, is intended at once to lull Philoctetes to sleep, and darkly to express their own wishes. Thus εὐαής is at once 'With kindly breath' ( cp. supr. 18, 19, ἐν θέρει δ᾽ ὕπνον | δι᾽ ἀμφιτρῆτος αὐλίου πέμπει πνοή), and 'As with favouring gale' (to further our design).

829. mvp-comment-582-1 εὐαίων] 'Bringing happiness.' For the repetition, which depends on the Triclinian MSS., cp. Eur. Or. 174, πότνια, πότνια νύξ. Sleep is invoked, as the Lord of happiest life. Cp. Fr. 372, ὡς τοῖς κακῶς πράσσουσιν ἡδὺ καὶ βραχὺν | χρόνον λαθέσθαι τῶν παρεστώτων κακῶν: Plat. Apol. 39 D. Others explain εὐαίων, 'Lasting,' 'Not soon over.'

830. mvp-comment-583-1 ὄμμασι δ᾽ ἀντίσχοις τάνδ᾽ αἴγλαν .. τανῦν] 'And hold before his eyes this brightness that is now spread over them.' There is difficulty in the interpretation of αἴγλαν. Hermann was at one time satisfied with explaining it by a simple oxymoron, 'This light' = the light the eyes now have, i.e. darkness. Lobeck, Hermann in 1841, and, I believe, Prof. E. L. Lushington, would take αἴγλαν literally of the light of day, and explain ὄμμασι as a dativus commodi. ἀντέχειν then means 'To hold away, Fend off.' 'And defend his eyes from this brightness that is now spread forth.' But the explanatory clause ( ἃ τέταται τανῦν), according to this interpretation, appears weak and motiveless. Welcker's suggestion that αἴγλη here means a head-band ( αἴγλη, χλιδών, Fr. 524), satisfies some interpreters. A modification of Hermann's first interpretation seems to afford a possible meaning. The Chorus, gazing on Philoctetes' closed eyelids, see an expression of peaceful repose in his countenance that was previously absent. They pray that this boon of sleep may be continued. 'Light' is a familiar image of relief and safety. But in speaking of repose as light, the Chorus think again of their design, and add, 'This light which his eyes now have on them,' and not the light of waking. Or τάνδ' αἴγλαν may mean more simply, 'This soothing light:' the relief which slumber brings to Philoctetes being associated with the cheerful sunshine. (Burges conj. ἀμπίσχοις; Auratus conj. ἀχλύν.) τέταται, sc. τοῖς ὄμμασι. For a somewhat similar expression, cp. Aj. 706, ἔλυσεν αἰνὸν ἄχος ἀπ᾿ ὀμμάτων ῎Αρης.

832. mvp-comment-584-1 ἴθι, ἴθι] The hiatus here is one of those irregularities which suggest the doubt spoken of in the Introduction, p. 364. It may be accounted for by the ictus, U_U_ __, Cp. 859. Cp. with this invocation to Sleep (in its second intention), Shak. Cymb. 2, 2, 'O Sleep, thou ape of death, lie dull upon her! And be her sense but as a monument, | Thus in a chapel lying.'

833. mvp-comment-585-1 For the frequent form of expression, cp. especially Eur. Alc. 864, ποῖ βῶ; πᾶ στῶ; τί λέγω; τί δὲ μή;

834. mvp-comment-586-1 πῶς δέ μοι. . φροντίδος] Sc. ἔσται. ' And how are matters from this point to proceed with me in respect of thought?' i.e. What course is my design to take? Cp. infr. 895.

835. mvp-comment-587-1 ὁρᾷς ἤδη] 'You see (how things are) now;' viz. that Philoctetes is fast asleep. For the short abrupt sentences, ср. О. С. 117-22, ib. 162-5.

836. mvp-comment-588-1 πρὸς τί . . πράσσειν] ‘For what are we waiting, to do it?' i.e. What practical advantage is to be gained by our delay? πράσσειν is epexegetic of πρὸς τί. μενοῦμεν is the MS. reading, but the short vowel gives a more probable rhythm.

837. mvp-comment-589-1 καιρός, κ.τ.λ.] 'Opportunity, which holds the clue of everything, by following closely, wins much advantage.' The Chorus hint the unwisdom of adhering to one fixed plan, when a good opportunity occurs of suddenly executing another. A conjectural reading is ῥώμαν. But γνώμαν is confirmed by the echo of the phrase in the antistrophe. Cavallin, comparing πολλά in 305 supr., explains πολύ as = πολλάκις. γνώμαν ἴσχων nearly = γνῶμα παρέχων. Cp. Εl. 75, καιρὸς γάρ, ὅσπερ ἄνδρασιν | μέγιστος ἔργου παντός ἐστ᾽ ἐπιστάτης: Pind. Pyth. 9. 78, ὁ δὲ καιρὸς ὁμοίως | παντὸς ἔχει κορυφάν. Others join πάντων κράτος = 'Opportunity, combined with judgment, carries a decided superiority in all cases.' A word is lost of the quantity of αἴσιον (C.) or ἄνδρασιν (Hermann).

839-842. mvp-comment-590-1 Hexameters occur similarly in the commos of Trachiniae, ll. 1017-23, where solemn reflections are intermingled with the more excited lyric strains. Cp. also ib. 1009-13, 1031-1040.

839. mvp-comment-591-1 θήραν | τήνδ'] 'This capture,' accomplished supr. 779.

841. mvp-comment-592-1 τοῦδε γὰρ ὁ στέφανος] Cp. infr. 1344-7, Ἑλλήνων ἕνα | κριθέντ᾽ ἄριστον.. κλέος ὑπέρτατον λαβεῖν. ‘The prize was to be his.' Others (Paley) render, 'In him was the prize.' εἶπε] Sc. δεῖν.

842. mvp-comment-593-1 'To have an unaccomplished work to boast of, and that with the help of falsehood, is a reproach that carries deep disgrace.' To bring away the bow, as if performing a great feat, would only expose them to the reproach of not having brought Philoctetes. And this, when Neoptolemus had lied for the purpose.

843. mvp-comment-594-1 τάδε.. θεὸς ὄψεται] The completion of the work achieved so far may be left to Divine providence, notwithstanding what is mysterious in the oracle. Cp. Aj. 1165, κοίλην κάπετόν τιν᾿ ἰδεῖν, and note: O. C. 1454, ὁρᾷ, ὁρᾷ ταῦτ᾽ ἀεὶ χρόνος : Thuc. 5. 27, ὁρᾶν τοὺς ᾿Αργείους ὅπως σωθήσεται ἡ Πελοπόννησος.

844. mvp-comment-595-1 ὧν .. αὖθις] The metre of the MS. reading ὧν δ᾽ ἂν ἀμείβῃ μ᾽ αὖθις (U_U_U_U) does not correspond to the strophe, and is not very probable. Possibly ἀμείβῃ was a gloss explaining προσφωνῇ.. αὖθις, and we might read, ὧν δ᾽ ἂν προσφωνῇ μ᾽ αὖθις. Cp. ll. 1. 223, Πηλείδης δ᾽ ἐξαῦτις ἀταρτηροῖς ἐπέεσσιν | ᾿Ατρείδην προσέειπε, κ.τ.λ. Hermann's conjecture is provisionally adopted in the text.

847. mvp-comment-596-1 ὡς .. λεύσσειν] 'Since ever in disease Sleep, which slumbers not, is quick to perceive.' πάντων ἐν νόσῳ, sc. ὄντων. ' Of all men, when they are sick.' (Others join πάντων εὐδρακής, ‘Having quick sight of all things.") λεύσσειν is epexegetic of εὐδρακής. Sleep is personified, and 'sight' used for perception in general. Cp. Trach. 1019.

850. mvp-comment-597-1 The text is defective, as the metre shows. κεῖνο is opposed to τάδε in 843, and means, therefore, not the abduction of Philoctetes, but the carrying away of the bow and arrows. The Chorus urge Neoptolemus not to be absorbed in gazing on Philoctetes, but to take a wider survey of the situation, that he may secure the object set before him by Odysseus. For λάθρα, σκοπῶν λαθραίως might be substituted to complete the line, which answers to supr. 834.

852. mvp-comment-598-1 The reading ὧν, which would answer to μενοῦμεν in 836, gives no satisfactory meaning. For the comparison of supr. 240, 1, αὐδῶμαι.. παῖς Ἀχιλλέως ('I call Achilles father') does not justify ὧν αὐδῶμαι = ' Whom I call master,' even if this were clearly in point. And if ὃν is read, the metre is the same as that of ll. 6 and 9. In this case αὐδῶμαι is active, as in Ο. Τ. 846. The question remains whether Philoctetes or Odysseus is the antecedent to ὃν. It seems necessary that τούτῳ in 853 should be the antecedent, and τούτῳ is Philoctetes. The Chorus may be supposed to speak vaguely of him, in order to avoid the possibility of awakening his suspicions, should he overhear them. 'If this be your mind towards him you wot of;' i. e. 'If you allow yourself to be so affected with pity, as you manifestly are, towards Philoctetes.' The Chorus thus gently warn their master of what follows in the ensuing scene. Prof. Jebb conjectures ὃν αἰδοῦμαι, 'Whose fear is before my eyes,' viz. Odysseus'. Others read ταὐτὸν . . γνώμας.

854. mvp-comment-599-1 ἐνιδεῖν = SC. ἐστὶν or ἔνεστιν, (1) 'The prudent may see therein inextricable harm.' Or, possibly, (2) 'One may see therein perplexing trouble for the wise' (i. e. for Odysseus).

855-862. mvp-comment-600-1 It is probable that Neoptolemus answered here; and to this the words βλέπ᾽ εἰ καίρια φθέγγει may be referred :- 'Whether you speak seasonably,' viz. in hinting that we must take him away. Else they must allude to supr. 826, 6, which is far off. οὖρος, κ.τ.λ.] This is to be taken literally, not figuratively with the Scholiast. Cp. supr. 639, 40, and note. Schndw. quotes Theocr. 13. 52, κουφότερ', ὦ παῖδες, ποιεῖσθ᾽ ὅπλα· πλευστικὸς οὖρος.

856. mvp-comment-601-1 οὐκ ἔχων ἀρωγάν] ‘Helpless, in sleep, disease and solitude, and in the loss of his arms.' For ἀνόμματος, 'Without use of eyes,' cp. supr. 632, ἄπουν, 'Lame.'

859. mvp-comment-602-1 νύχιος resumes ἀνόμματος with greater intensity. 'Sightless, as if steeped in night.' ἐκτέταται, ' Lies prostrate,' is stronger than κεῖται. ἀλεὴς ὕπνος ἐσθλός] ‘How kind is sleep, warm sleep!' A parenthesis like supr. 400, 1. To suppose a commonplace γνώμη, 'A man sleeps soundly in the sun,' is hardly adequate in feeling. It is rather an exclamation of joy that their invocation ( supr. 827 foll.) has been heard by the God of Sleep. For ἐσθλός, meaning propitious, cp. Od. 24. 311, ἢ τέ οἱ ἐσθλοὶ ἔσαν ὄρνιθες ἰόντι: ib. 19. 547, οὐκ ὄναρ, ἀλλ᾽ ὕπαρ ἐσθλόν: Ελ. 1093, μοίρᾳ μὲν οὐκ ἐν ἐσθλᾷ βεβῶσαν. If ἀλεής is suspected, ἀδαής rather than ἀδεής should be read, although the latter might be connected with l. 864. But it is rash to reject ἀλεής, when λιαρός is an Homeric epithet of ὕπνος: ΙΙ. 14. 164, ὕπνον ἀπήμονά τε λιαρόν τε. The notion of 'Sleep in the sun' agrees with αἴγλαν, supr. 831.

860. mvp-comment-603-1 οὔ τινος] An enumeration of this kind often ends with a general expression. Cp. O. Τ. 1284, 5. They are perhaps thinking of the bow, which they dare not name.

861. mvp-comment-604-1 'But sees no more than the dead.' Cp. O. Τ. 972, κεῖται παρ' "Αιδῃ Πόλυβος, and see Essay on L. § 54. P 99. Dindorf reads ἀλλ' ὡς τίς τ', 'formula epica.' But cp. l. 859.

862. mvp-comment-605-1 βλέπ᾽ εἰ] This is the easiest correction of a faulty text, and affords a possible meaning. Cp. supr. note on 855 foll. But it is doubtful whether βλέπε can mean 'See to it,' in classical Greek; and βλέπει may be a gloss on ὁρᾷ. φθέγγει is also open to suspicion.

862. mvp-comment-605-2 Blaydes conjectures βλέπει· καίρια φώνει. But Neoptolemus is the first to perceive the signs of waking in Philoctetes. Others, βλέπ᾽ εἰ καίρια φωνῶ.

863-864. mvp-comment-606-1 τὸ δ᾽ ἁλώσιμον *ἀμᾷ.. κράτιστος] 'So far as our minds can grasp, young sir, the toil that frightens not is best.' Cp. O. Τ. 1234, 5, ὃ μὲν τάχιστος τῶν λόγων εἰπεῖν τε καὶ μαθεῖν, τέθνηκε θεῖον Ἰοκάστης κάρα : Plat. Rep. 7.517 B, τὰ δ᾽ οὖν ἐμοὶ φαινόμενα οὕτω φαίνεται, ἐν τῷ γνωστῷ τελευταία ἡ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ ἰδέα καὶ μόγις ὁρᾶσθαι. ἀμᾷ seems to be required by the indications of the metre (dactylic with anacrusis.) πόνος ὁ μὴ φοβῶν] The Chorus are probably using the language of fishermen, meaning that if Philoctetes is once alarmed, the capture of the bow will be more difficult. See above, l. 839, θήραν, and cp. Plato, Lys. 206 B, ποιός τις οὖν ἄν σοι δοκοί θηρευτὴς εἶναι, εἰ ἀνασοβοῖ θηρεύων καὶ δυσαλωτοτέραν τὴν ἄγραν ποιοῖ; Δῆλον ὅτι φαῦλος. For πόνος in this connection, cp. Pind. Pyth. 2. 79, ἅτε γὰρ εἰνάλιον πόνον ἐχοίσας βαθὺ | σκευᾶς ἑτέρας, ἀβάπτιστός εἰμι, φελλὸς ὡς ὑπὲρ ἕρκος, ἅλμας : Theocr. 21. 14, οὗτος τοῖς ἁλιεῦσιν ὁ πᾶς πόνος. The common interpretation, from the Scholiast downwards, has been, 'The labour that causes no fear,' i.e. that is not attended with danger.

865. mvp-comment-607-1 μηδ᾽ ἀφεστάναι φρενών] ‘And not take leave of your senses.' Cp. El. 1326, ὦ πλεῖστα μῶροι καὶ φρενῶν τητώμενοι, κ.τ.λ.

866. mvp-comment-608-1 For ἀνάγει, ‘Uplifts again,' cp. Αj. 131, κλίνει τε κἀνάγει πάλιν,

867-871. mvp-comment-609-1 Just when the plot against his peace is being urged most vehemently, Philoctetes awakes, and pours out touching words of unsuspecting thankfulness for the patient care, of which he little knows the motive. He throws himself afresh on Neoptolemus, and will have no support but his.

867-868. mvp-comment-610-1 ὦ φέγγος.. ξένων] 'Light after sleep, how welcome! And how surpassing fondest hope, the patient tendance of these friends!" For the construction of φέγγος and οἰκούρημα, cp. Trach. 1046, 7, ὦ πολλὰ . . μοχθήσας ἐγώ. διάδοχον] 'Succeeding, taking the place of (in my experience). ἐλπίδων ἄπιστον] 'Beyond the belief of expectation,' i.e. which I could not have believed beforehand. οἰκούρημα] More concrete than οἰκουρία = 'Act of keeping watch.' οἰκουρεῖν is, ‘Το keep watch over a person's property and interests in his absence.' So Neoptolemus has guarded the bow and the person of Philoctetes during his prostration, from the thievish attempt which he most feared.

869. mvp-comment-611-1 οὐκ ἂν ἐξηύχησα] 'I could not once have vaunted.' The aorist implies 'for a single moment,' and is thus more forcible here than the imperfect would have been.

871. mvp-comment-612-1 μεῖναι has been unreasonably suspected. Cavallin conjectures ἰδεῖν.

872. mvp-comment-613-1 οὔκουν ᾿Ατρείδαι] 'It was not the Atreidae, who-.' οὖν marks the reasonableness of Philoctetes' doubt, which was in accordance with the conduct of the Atreidae. *εὐφόρως] This seems the simplest correction of εὐπόρως. See Essay on L. § 55. p. 101. Others prefer εὐπετῶς, comparing Fr. 523, χρεὼν | τὰ θειᾶ θνητοὺς ὄντας εὐπετῶς φέρειν. Οr, εὐλόφως. Paley retains εὐπόρως.

874. mvp-comment-614-1 κἀξ εὐγενῶν] The frequent allusions to his father have a constraining power over the heart of Neoptolemus.

875. mvp-comment-615-1 ἐν εὐχερεῖ ἔθου] ‘Took as a light burden.'

876. mvp-comment-616-1 βοῆς] This reference of Philoctetes to his own cries makes us feel how involuntary they were. He knew them as an inseparable accompaniment of his presence anywhere.

877. mvp-comment-617-1 καὶ νῦν] Cp. O. T. 52, 3, ὄρνιθι γὰρ καὶ τὴν τότ᾽ αἰσίῳ τύχην | παρέσχες ἡμῖν, καὶ τανῦν ἴσος γενοῦ.

879. mvp-comment-618-1 Nauck, following A. Zippmann, transposes this line to before 890 and rejects 880 and 889. The apparent coldness of Neoptolemus, who in 886 ignores this appeal of Philoctetes to him, may, however, be accounted for by supposing that his consciousness of acting a part makes him less forward with the show of sympathy, now that his emotions are really stirred.

880. mvp-comment-619-1 Philoctetes is not yet confident that his powers are fully returned. The habit of lying perdu after each attack makes him less prompt to move. But he feels that he must be ready to start as soon as he can. (But qy. ἡ. ἀ. τὸ πνεῦμ᾽ ἀπ. ποτέ? Cp. supr. 639, 40.)

882. mvp-comment-620-1 μέν prepares for the narrative in νῦν δ᾽ αἷρε σαὐτόν.

883. mvp-comment-621-1 ἀνώδυνον βλέποντα] 'Opening thine eyes without the look of pain.' βλέποντα is sometimes put simply as an equivalent for ζῶντα, e.g. Aesch. Ag. 677, καὶ ζῶντα καὶ βλέποντα. But here the expression is modified by the addition of ἀνώδυνον as an adverbial accusative (i. e. not only seeing the light but free from the look of pain). Others take ἀνώδυνον as a masculine adjective, and make ἀνώδυνον βλέποντα = 'Living in freedom from pain.'

884. mvp-comment-622-1 τὰ συμβόλαιά σοι. . ἐφαίνετο] Either (1) 'Your commerce with the circumstances surrounding you: i.e. Your behaviour in the present juncture:' a figurative use of the ordinary meaning of συμβόλαια: or (2) 'Your symptoms, when regarded in the light of your affliction:' i. e. 'Considering your peculiar case your appearance suggested the inference that you were dead.' The latter meaning (2) receives some confirmation from Hdt. 5. 92, 7, and, more doubtfully, from Eur. Ion 411, quoted by L. and S. But the former is better on the whole, and agrees with σοι, the reading of the chief MS. See v. rr.

887-888. mvp-comment-623-1 Cp. supr. 522, 3. Neoptolemus professes to be encouraged by these words of the Chorus to assume that they will not spare pains in helping Philoctetes, whose wishes are seconded by their prince.

889. mvp-comment-624-1 ὥσπερ νοεῖς] 'As you really mean.' Philoctetes does not take the refusal of Neoptolemus to lift him with his own hands. He is too much impressed with his actual kindness to be at once affected by the coldness and reserve of his language.

892. mvp-comment-625-1 συνναίειν] For the infinitive, see Essay on L. § 33. p. 57 , and cp. especially O. C. 1211, 2, ὅστις τοῦ πλέονος μέρους χρήζει . . ζώειν.

893. mvp-comment-626-1 Neoptolemus gives Philoctetes his hand, but bids him exert himself, and put forth his strength in using the support. He is roused by this and makes the necessary exertion.

894. mvp-comment-627-1 'Fear not. Long habit will enable me to rise.'

895. mvp-comment-628-1 If Neoptolemus had followed the course marked out for him, he would have taken Philoctetes on board, and only when out at sea have let him discover the destination of the voyage. But now that the decisive moment is arrived, he cannot deceive the unfortunate who has trusted him. For the optative (potential) without av, see E. on L. § 27. p. 45. Others read δῆτ᾽ ἄν.

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Neoptolemus Resolve to act! 895

Current edition Experimental

Νεοπτόλεμος ἀλλʼ, ὦ ξένʼ, ἴσθι τοῦτο πρῶτον, οὕνεκα Ἕλληνές ἐσμεν· τοῦτο γὰρ βούλει μαθεῖν.

Νεοπτόλεμος ἐγὼ γένος μέν εἰμι τῆς περιρρύτου Σκύρου· πλέω δʼ ἐς οἶκον· αὐδῶμαι δὲ παῖς 240 Ἀχιλλέως, Νεοπτόλεμος. οἶσθα δὴ τὸ πᾶν.

Φιλοκτήτης ὦ φιλτάτου παῖ πατρός, ὦ φίλης χθονός, ὦ τοῦ γέροντος θρέμμα Λυκομήδους, τίνι στόλῳ προσέσχες τήνδε γῆν πόθεν πλέων;

Νεοπτόλεμος ἐξ Ἰλίου τοι δὴ τανῦν γε ναυστολῶ. 245

Φιλοκτήτης πῶς εἶπας; οὐ γὰρ δὴ σύ γʼ ἦσθα ναυβάτης ἡμῖν κατʼ ἀρχὴν τοῦ πρὸς Ἴλιον στόλου.

Νεοπτόλεμος ἦ γὰρ μετέσχες καὶ σὺ τοῦδε τοῦ πόνου;

Φιλοκτήτης ὦ τέκνον, οὐ γὰρ οἶσθά μʼ ὅντινʼ εἰσορᾷς;

Νεοπτόλεμος πῶς γὰρ κάτοιδʼ ὅν γʼ εἶδον οὐδεπώποτε; 250

Φιλοκτήτης οὐδʼ ὄνομʼ ἄρʼ οὐδὲ τῶν ἐμῶν κακῶν κλέος ᾔσθου ποτʼ οὐδέν, οἷς ἐγὼ διωλλύμην;

Νεοπτόλεμος ὡς μηδὲν εἰδότʼ ἴσθι μʼ ὧν ἀνιστορεῖς.

Χορός ἔοικα κἀγὼ τοῖς ἀφιγμένοις ἴσα ξένοις ἐποικτίρειν σε, Ποίαντος τέκνον.

Νεοπτόλεμος ἐγὼ δὲ καὐτὸς τοῖσδε μάρτυς ἐν λόγοις, ὡς εἴσʼ ἀληθεῖς οἶδα, συντυχὼν κακῶν 320 ἀνδρῶν Ἀτρειδῶν τῆς τʼ Ὀδυσσέως βίας.

Φιλοκτήτης ἦ γάρ τι καὶ σὺ τοῖς πανωλέθροις ἔχεις ἔγκλημʼ Ἀτρείδαις, ὥστε θυμοῦσθαι παθών;

Νεοπτόλεμος θυμὸν γένοιτο χειρὶ πληρῶσαί ποτε, ἵνʼ αἱ Μυκῆναι γνοῖεν ἡ Σπάρτη θʼ ὅτι 325 χἠ Σκῦρος ἀνδρῶν ἀλκίμων μήτηρ ἔφυ.

Φιλοκτήτης εὖ γʼ, ὦ τέκνον· τίνος γὰρ ὧδε τὸν μέγαν χόλον κατʼ αὐτῶν ἐγκαλῶν ἐλήλυθας;

Νεοπτόλεμος ὦ παῖ Ποίαντος, ἐξερῶ, μόλις δʼ ἐρῶ, ἅγωγʼ ὑπʼ αὐτῶν ἐξελωβήθην μολών. 330 ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἔσχε μοῖρʼ Ἀχιλλέα θανεῖν,

Φιλοκτήτης οἴμοι· φράσῃς μοι μὴ πέρα, πρὶν ἂν μάθω πρῶτον τόδʼ, ἦ τέθνηχʼ ὁ Πηλέως γόνος;

Νεοπτόλεμος τέθνηκεν, ἀνδρὸς οὐδενός, θεοῦ δʼ ὕπο, τοξευτός, ὡς λέγουσιν, ἐκ Φοίβου δαμείς. 335

Φιλοκτήτης ἀλλʼ εὐγενὴς μὲν ὁ κτανών τε χὠ θανών· ἀμηχανῶ δὲ πότερον, ὦ τέκνον, τὸ σὸν πάθημʼ ἐλέγχω πρῶτον ἢ κεῖνον στένω.

Νεοπτόλεμος οἶμαι μὲν ἀρκεῖν σοί γε καὶ τὰ σʼ, ὦ τάλας, ἀλγήμαθʼ, ὥστε μὴ τὰ τῶν πέλας στένειν. 340

Φιλοκτήτης ὀρθῶς ἔλεξας· τοιγαροῦν τὸ σὸν φράσον αὖθις πάλιν μοι πρᾶγμʼ, ὅτῳ σʼ ἐνύβρισαν.

Schweige still, mein Sohn!

Neoptolemos. Was ist's?

Der Chor. Hell scholl ein Laut, Der schmerzvollem Gestöhn menschlicher Brust glich, War's von dorther oder von da. Mir tönt deutlich an's Ohr Geräusch 200 Eines Mannes, der sich daher Mühsam schleppt, ich erkenne klar Eine tiefe Stimme der Dual; Fernhin hallt laut und vernehmlich Wehklagen.

Philoctetes I understand thee not ; AVhat means my son?

Neoptolemus Well, know first, stranger, that we are Greeks, since you desire to learn this.

Philoctetes O cherished sound! Ah, that I should truly be greeted by such a man, after so long a time! What need, young man, has made you land here and brought you to this spot? What business? What wind so kind? Speak, tell me all, so that I may know who you are. 235

Neoptolemus My birthplace is the island Scyros, and I am sailing homeward. I am the son of Achilles, by name Neoptolemus. Now you know everything. 240

Philoctetes O son of a father I loved, and of soil I cherished! Ward of aged Lycomedes, on what mission have you touched this shore? From where are you sailing?

Neoptolemus Well, since you ask, it is from Ilium that I am now guiding my ship. 245

Philoctetes What? You were certainly not our shipmate at the beginning of the expedition there.

Neoptolemus And did you have a part in that toil?

Philoctetes Then you do not know who I am?

Neoptolemus How should I know one whom I have never seen before? 250

Philoctetes Then you have not even heard my name, or any rumor of those sufferings under which I have been perishing?

Neoptolemus Be sure that I know nothing of what you ask.

Chorus I believe that I, too, pity you, son of Poeas, as much as your former visitors.

Neoptolemus And I myself attest your accusations, for I know their truth through my own experience with the wickedness of the Atreids and the force of Odysseus. 320

Philoctetes What, do you also have a grievance against the accursed sons of Atreus, a cause for anger at some mistreatment?

Neoptolemus If only I might one day be allowed to fulfill my heart’s rage by the deeds of my hand, so that Mycenae might learn, and Sparta , that Scyros also is a mother of brave men! 325

Philoctetes Well said, son! Now what is the reason that you have come complaining against them with this fierce wrath?

Neoptolemus I will tell you—and yet it is hard to tell— the outrage that I suffered from them upon my arrival there. For when fate decreed that Achilles should die— 330

Philoctetes Ah, me! Tell me no more, until I first know this—is the son of Peleus dead?

Neoptolemus Dead—not by a mortal hand, but by a god’s. He was brought down, as men say, by the arrow of Phoebus. 335

Philoctetes Well, noble alike are the slayer and the slain. But I am at a loss to know, son, whether I should first inquire into the wrong done you, or mourn the dead.

Neoptolemus Your own sorrows, I think, are enough for you, unhappy man, without mourning for those of your neighbor. 340

Philoctetes You speak the truth. Therefore tell me again what happened to you, and how they wronged you.

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Neoptolemus

Resolve to act!
895

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἀλλʼ, ὦ ξένʼ, ἴσθι τοῦτο πρῶτον, οὕνεκα

Ἕλληνές ἐσμεν· τοῦτο γὰρ βούλει μαθεῖν.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἐγὼ γένος μέν εἰμι τῆς περιρρύτου

Σκύρου· πλέω δʼ ἐς οἶκον· αὐδῶμαι δὲ παῖς
240

Ἀχιλλέως, Νεοπτόλεμος. οἶσθα δὴ τὸ πᾶν.

Φιλοκτήτης

ὦ φιλτάτου παῖ πατρός, ὦ φίλης χθονός,

ὦ τοῦ γέροντος θρέμμα Λυκομήδους, τίνι

στόλῳ προσέσχες τήνδε γῆν πόθεν πλέων;

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἐξ Ἰλίου τοι δὴ τανῦν γε ναυστολῶ.
245

Φιλοκτήτης

πῶς εἶπας; οὐ γὰρ δὴ σύ γʼ ἦσθα ναυβάτης

ἡμῖν κατʼ ἀρχὴν τοῦ πρὸς Ἴλιον στόλου.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἦ γὰρ μετέσχες καὶ σὺ τοῦδε τοῦ πόνου;

Φιλοκτήτης

ὦ τέκνον, οὐ γὰρ οἶσθά μʼ ὅντινʼ εἰσορᾷς;

Νεοπτόλεμος

πῶς γὰρ κάτοιδʼ ὅν γʼ εἶδον οὐδεπώποτε;
250

Φιλοκτήτης

οὐδʼ ὄνομʼ ἄρʼ οὐδὲ τῶν ἐμῶν κακῶν κλέος

ᾔσθου ποτʼ οὐδέν, οἷς ἐγὼ διωλλύμην;

Νεοπτόλεμος

ὡς μηδὲν εἰδότʼ ἴσθι μʼ ὧν ἀνιστορεῖς.

Χορός

ἔοικα κἀγὼ τοῖς ἀφιγμένοις ἴσα

ξένοις ἐποικτίρειν σε, Ποίαντος τέκνον.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἐγὼ δὲ καὐτὸς τοῖσδε μάρτυς ἐν λόγοις,

ὡς εἴσʼ ἀληθεῖς οἶδα, συντυχὼν κακῶν
320

ἀνδρῶν Ἀτρειδῶν τῆς τʼ Ὀδυσσέως βίας.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἦ γάρ τι καὶ σὺ τοῖς πανωλέθροις ἔχεις

ἔγκλημʼ Ἀτρείδαις, ὥστε θυμοῦσθαι παθών;

Νεοπτόλεμος

θυμὸν γένοιτο χειρὶ πληρῶσαί ποτε,

ἵνʼ αἱ Μυκῆναι γνοῖεν ἡ Σπάρτη θʼ ὅτι
325

χἠ Σκῦρος ἀνδρῶν ἀλκίμων μήτηρ ἔφυ.

Φιλοκτήτης

εὖ γʼ, ὦ τέκνον· τίνος γὰρ ὧδε τὸν μέγαν

χόλον κατʼ αὐτῶν ἐγκαλῶν ἐλήλυθας;

Νεοπτόλεμος

ὦ παῖ Ποίαντος, ἐξερῶ, μόλις δʼ ἐρῶ,

ἅγωγʼ ὑπʼ αὐτῶν ἐξελωβήθην μολών.
330

ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἔσχε μοῖρʼ Ἀχιλλέα θανεῖν,

Φιλοκτήτης

οἴμοι· φράσῃς μοι μὴ πέρα, πρὶν ἂν μάθω

πρῶτον τόδʼ, ἦ τέθνηχʼ ὁ Πηλέως γόνος;

Νεοπτόλεμος

τέθνηκεν, ἀνδρὸς οὐδενός, θεοῦ δʼ ὕπο,

τοξευτός, ὡς λέγουσιν, ἐκ Φοίβου δαμείς.
335

Φιλοκτήτης

ἀλλʼ εὐγενὴς μὲν ὁ κτανών τε χὠ θανών·

ἀμηχανῶ δὲ πότερον, ὦ τέκνον, τὸ σὸν

πάθημʼ ἐλέγχω πρῶτον ἢ κεῖνον στένω.

Νεοπτόλεμος

οἶμαι μὲν ἀρκεῖν σοί γε καὶ τὰ σʼ, ὦ τάλας,

ἀλγήμαθʼ, ὥστε μὴ τὰ τῶν πέλας στένειν.
340

Φιλοκτήτης

ὀρθῶς ἔλεξας· τοιγαροῦν τὸ σὸν φράσον

αὖθις πάλιν μοι πρᾶγμʼ, ὅτῳ σʼ ἐνύβρισαν.

Neoptolemos.

Was ist's?

Philoctetes

I understand thee not ;

AVhat means my son?

Neoptolemus

Well, know first, stranger, that we are Greeks, since you desire to learn this.

Philoctetes

O cherished sound! Ah, that I should truly be

greeted by such a man, after so long a time! What need, young man, has made you land here and brought you to this spot? What business? What wind so kind? Speak, tell me all, so that I may know who you are.
235

Neoptolemus

My birthplace is the island Scyros, and I am sailing

homeward. I am the son of Achilles, by name Neoptolemus. Now you know everything.
240

Philoctetes

O son of a father I loved, and of soil I cherished! Ward of aged Lycomedes, on what mission have you touched this shore? From where are you sailing?

Neoptolemus

Well, since you ask, it is from Ilium that I am now guiding my ship.
245

Philoctetes

What? You were certainly not our shipmate at the beginning of the expedition there.

Neoptolemus

And did you have a part in that toil?

Philoctetes

Then you do not know who I am?

Neoptolemus

How should I know one whom I have never seen before?
250

Philoctetes

Then you have not even heard my name, or any rumor of those sufferings under which I have been perishing?

Neoptolemus

Be sure that I know nothing of what you ask.

Chorus

I believe that I, too, pity you, son of Poeas, as much as your former visitors.

Neoptolemus

And I myself attest your accusations,

for I know their truth through my own experience with the wickedness of the Atreids and the force of Odysseus.
320

Philoctetes

What, do you also have a grievance against the accursed sons of Atreus, a cause for anger at some mistreatment?

Neoptolemus

If only I might one day be allowed to fulfill my heart’s rage by the deeds of my hand,

so that Mycenae might learn, and Sparta , that Scyros also is a mother of brave men!
325

Philoctetes

Well said, son! Now what is the reason that you have come complaining against them with this fierce wrath?

Neoptolemus

I will tell you—and yet it is hard to tell—

the outrage that I suffered from them upon my arrival there. For when fate decreed that Achilles should die—
330

Philoctetes

Ah, me! Tell me no more, until I first know this—is the son of Peleus dead?

Neoptolemus

Dead—not by a mortal hand, but by a god’s.

He was brought down, as men say, by the arrow of Phoebus.
335

Philoctetes

Well, noble alike are the slayer and the slain. But I am at a loss to know, son, whether I should first inquire into the wrong done you, or mourn the dead.

Neoptolemus

Your own sorrows, I think, are enough

for you, unhappy man, without mourning for those of your neighbor.
340

Philoctetes

You speak the truth. Therefore tell me again what happened to you, and how they wronged you.