1081-1217.
mvp-comment-740-1
Philoctetes now feels that he is left completely alone and helpless. For the shipmates of Neoptolemus are only to remain for a little while, in the vain hope that he will change his mind. The following commos may be divided into two chief portions. The first, 1081-1160, is in effect one long monody of Philoctetes from the stage, of which the pauses are filled with short recitatives addressed to him by single chorcutae. Without noticing these, he continues the strain of his lament. In the second part, 1161-1217, there is a real interchange of lyric numbers between the Chorus and the chief actor. Still chanting singly, the mariners renew their efforts to win his attention. When they succeed in this, he bids them depart. They make as if to go. Then he calls them back again and begs for means of self-destruction. The commos ends on the re-appearance of Neoptolemus followed by Odysseus. It is evident that the second part of it especially must have been accompanied with various gestures and movements to and fro in the orchestra. The 'melodramatic' character of this portion of the Philoctetes (ll. 730-1217) may be compared with the opening of the Oedipus Coloneus. The metrical scheme (in which again there are several doubtful points) is as follows :-
α'.
(1.)
_ _ _ _ _UU_
__UU_U_ _
_ _
_ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _
_UU_UU_UU_UU_
(?)_U_U_U_
(2.)
_UU_UU_UU_U_ _
1
2
_ Iambic.
_UU_U_ Glyconic.
Glyconic _UU_U_
Dactylic { _UU_UU_
Iambic _U_U_ _ _
β'.
(1.)
_ _ _ _
__UU_U_ _
__UU_U_ _
_UU_UU_U_
_ _
10 _UU_UU_
(2) _U_U_ _
_U_UU_U_UU__
_U__UU_U_U_U_UU_
15 _UU_U_U_UU_UU_UU_U__
3
(2.)
__UU_U_U__
_ _ _ _ _UU_
_ _ _ _ _UU_
_U_UU__
U_ _U_UU_U_U__
4
5
6
For the substitution of − ᴗ – for ᴗ ᴗ in Ionic verse, which is allowed by some writers on metre, see Christ's Metrik, § 521.
ἐπ. (ἀπολελυμένα).
(1.)
_U_U_
_ _U_U_U_U_U_U_U_
_U_U_U_
_ _ _ _
_U_UU__UU__UU__
_ _
_ _UU_UUUUUU
7
_U_U_ _U_U_
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _UU_U_
__UU_U_U_
20 U_U_U_
U_UU_UU_
_U_U_U_U_U_U_U_U_
_UU_U_
(2.)
_UU_UU_U_
_ _ _U_UU__
_ _ _ _ _U__
_UU_U_U_UUUUU__
_ _ _
30 U_U_U_U_
_UU_U_
_ _U_U_U_U_
_U_U__U_U_
35 U_U_U_
If the irregularities of the above scheme are compared with those noticed in the note on O. C. 117-254, in vol. 1. p. 298, it will be found that they cannot be adequately accounted for by supposing extensive corruptions of the text. For (a) they are similar in kind to those in O. C., (b) they do not as a rule in either case violate the general laws of metre. While admitting some corruptions, it is reasonable also to suppose that in these later plays of Sophocles the severity of rhythm is relaxed in the lyric dialogue as well as in the senarii. This may be partly accounted for by the 'melodramatic' element encroaching on tragedy, and partly by contemporary innovations in the art of music.
1081-1217.
mvp-comment-740-2
In antistrophe _ _ _ _ _ _ _
1081-1217.
mvp-comment-740-3
2 Or, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. Cp. β' (2), ll. 2, 3.
1081-1217.
mvp-comment-740-4
3
1081-1217.
mvp-comment-740-5
In antistrophe U_ _ _
1081-1217.
mvp-comment-740-6
2 In antistrophe U_UU_U__
1081-1217.
mvp-comment-740-7
3 In antistrophe _ _UU_U_UU_UU_U_U_
1081-1217.
mvp-comment-740-8
10
1130.
mvp-comment-767-1
ἐλεινόν is an adverbial (or cognate) accusative neuter, meaning, 'With looks deserving pity' (not 'With compassionate gaze.') 'Piteous must be thy look, as thou beholdest me.'
1131-1132.
mvp-comment-768-1
τὸν.. μεθύστερον] 'Me thus destined no more to use thee in the Heraclean exercise.' The MS. reading affords no satisfactory meaning, and the alternative reading of the diorthotes of L is therefore adopted, with the addition of
ἔμ', which makes the sense clearer, and may have dropped out after the preceding syllable (
ομεμ). The scholion
τὸν Ἡρακλέους διάδοχον refers merely to
τὸν Ἡράκλειον in the received reading.
1134-1135.
mvp-comment-769-1
'But thou art transferred to the different service of a man of many wiles, who wields thee now.'
ἐν μεταλλαγᾷ = ἐν μετηλλαγμένῃ χρείᾳ. See
Essay on L. § 43. p. 82.
And, for the metaphorical use of
ἐρέσσει,
ib. § 58. p. 105.
Something is amiss either here or in the corresponding line of the antistrophe, 1157. Hermann conjectures
ἄλλου δ' ἐν μεταλλαγᾷ: Paley reads, with Dindorf,
ἔτ', ἀλλ᾽ ἐν μεταλλαγᾷ: Cavallin conjectures
ἀλλ᾽ αἰὲν μετ᾿ ἀγκάλαις.
1136.
mvp-comment-770-1
φῶτ']
Cp. O. C. 1018, and note.
1138-1139.
mvp-comment-771-1
'Making countless issues to arise from all the shameful ills that he has devised against me.' In all the events that happened after this at Troy, the results of the present action would be conspicuous; all, in Philoctetes' view, would be evil, and Odysseus would be known as the author of all.
Cp. 1061, 4. The word
Ὀδυσσεύς in the text is a manifest instance of a gloss having been substituted for the true reading, which is consequently lost.
Cp. supr. 1095. Perhaps
ἐμήσαθ' οὗτος (the pronoun spoken with bitter emphasis) may be the true reading. That Odysseus is the subject appears both from the gloss in question, and from
supr. 1114,
τὸν τάδε μησάμενον. Others would read,
ἐμήσατ᾽, ὦ Ζεῦ.
1140.
mvp-comment-772-1
ἀνδρός τοι.. εἰπεῖν] ‘Truly, it is a man's part heedfully to assert what is right.' For
δίκαιον without the article,
cp. supr. 83,
ἀναιδές: Thuc. 5. 18. § 4,
δικαίῳ χρήσθων καὶ ὅρκοις. And for
εὖ, modifying the whole clause, Plat. Legg. 9. 855 Α,
ὡς εὖ τε καὶ ἀνδρείως εἰς ἀγαθὸν ἐκ κακοῦ διαπεφευγότων, and especially Aesch. Suppl. 78,
εὖ τὸ δίκαιον ἰδόντες: Eum. 517.
εἰπόντος δέ] · 'But having done so,'- agreeing with
ἀνδρός. See
Essay on L. § 35. p. 60.
1141.
mvp-comment-773-1
μὴ φθονερὰν .. ὀδύναν] 'To abstain from thrusting forth malignant mischief from the tongue.'
ὀδύναν, literally, 'Pain,' effect for cause. See
Essay on L. § 42. p. 80, B.
The poison of serpents was supposed to issue not only from the fang, but from the tongue. Ps. 140. 3, 'They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent, adders' poison is under their lips.' Shak. Mids. N. Dr. 3. 2, 'With doubler tongue | Than thine, thou serpent, never adder stung.' The soundness of the text here has been much questioned. But the three lines yield a good meaning, and the metres correspond exactly to those in the antistrophe. The former speaker (l. 1116 foll.) had cleared the Chorus from blame. He is followed by another, who defends Odysseus.
