Where absent is the wretched dweller now?..
Neoptolemus
Philoctetes. Sophocles. Robert Potter (Translator). London. 1820.
Philoctetes. Sophocles. Robert Potter (Translator). London. 1820.
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) (English) (English (Robert Potter, 1788))
Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.
mvp-comment-32-1 τὸν … παρόντα 1
mvp-comment-33-1 μὴ καὶ 2
mvp-comment-33-2 προσπεσών 3
mvp-comment-34-1 ἕλοιτό μ’ 4 με 5 λαβεῖν 6 μολεῖν 7 μ’ ἑλεῖν 8 βαλεῖν 9
mvp-comment-35-1 ἀλλ’ 10
mvp-comment-35-2 ἔρχεται 11 τε καὶ 12
mvp-comment-35-3 φυλάξεται 13
mvp-comment-35-4 δευτέρῳ λόγῳ 14
mvp-comment-36-1 ἐφ’ οἷς 15 ὑπουργεῖν 16
mvp-comment-36-2 γενναῖον 17
mvp-comment-36-3 τῷ σώματι 18
mvp-comment-36-4 καινόν 19
mvp-comment-36-5 ὧν 20 πρὶν οὐκ ἀκήκοας 21
mvp-comment-37-1 ὑπηρέτης 22
mvp-comment-38-1 τί δῆτ’ ἄνωγας 23
mvp-comment-38-2 σε δεῖ 24 λέγων 25 λέγων 26
mvp-comment-38-3 ἐκκλέψεις 27
mvp-comment-39-1 λέγειν 28
mvp-comment-39-2 τόδ’ οὐχὶ κλεπτέον 29
mvp-comment-40-1 πλεῖς 30 πλεῖν 31
mvp-comment-40-2 ὡς πρὸς οἶκον 32
mvp-comment-40-3 ἔχθος ἐχθήρας μέγα 33
mvp-comment-41-1 οἵ 34
mvp-comment-41-2 ἐν λιταῖς 35 στείλαντες … μολεῖν 36
mvp-comment-42-1 μόνην 37
mvp-comment-42-2 ἅλωσιν 38
mvp-comment-43-1 τῶν Ἀχιλλείων ὅπλων 39 ἠξίωσαν 40 δοῦναι 41 δοῦναι 42 κυρίως 43
mvp-comment-44-1 παρέδοσαν 44
mvp-comment-44-2 λέγων 45
mvp-comment-44-3 καθ’ ἡμῶν 46 με 47
mvp-comment-44-4 ἔσχατ’ ἐσχάτων 48
mvp-comment-44-5
66 *
mvp-comment-45-1 μὴ 55 βαλεῖς 56
mvp-comment-46-1 εἰ 57 μὴ ληφθήσεται, οὐκ ἔστι 58
mvp-comment-46-2 οὐκ ἔστι πέρσαι σοι 59 σοι 60 σοὶ 61 σοὶ 62 σοι 63
mvp-comment-46-3 τὸ Δαρδάνου πέδον 64
mvp-comment-47-1 ὡς δ’ ἔστ’ ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐχί 65
mvp-comment-47-2 ὁμιλία 66
mvp-comment-47-3 πιστὴ 67 βέβαιος 68
mvp-comment-48-1 ἔνορκος 69
mvp-comment-48-2 ἐξ ἀνάγκης 70
mvp-comment-49-1 ἐγκρατὴς 71
mvp-comment-49-2 ὄλωλα 72
mvp-comment-49-3 προσδιαφθερῶ 73 προσδιαφθείρω 74
mvp-comment-50-1 αὐτὸ τοῦτο 75 κλοπεὺς 76
mvp-comment-50-2 σοφισθῆναι 77
mvp-comment-50-3 κλοπεὺς … γενήσει 78
mvp-comment-51-1 ἔξοιδα, Παῖ 79 καὶ 80 παῖ 81 καὶ 82
mvp-comment-51-2 φύσει 83 πεφυκότα 84
mvp-comment-51-3 φωνεῖν 85
mvp-comment-52-1 ἡδὺ γάρ τι κτῆμα 86 τῆς νίκης λαβεῖν 87 τι 88 τι 89 τοι 90 τι 91 τι 92 τῆς vίκης 93
mvp-comment-52-2 λαβεῖν 94 λαχεῖν 95
mvp-comment-53-1 τόλμα 96
mvp-comment-53-2 δίκαιοι … ἐκφανούμεθα 97
mvp-comment-53-3 αὖθις 98
mvp-comment-54-1 νῦν δ’ 99 αὖθις 100
mvp-comment-54-2 εἰς ἀναιδὲς ἡμέρας μέρος βραχὺ 101 μέρος 102 ἀναιδὲς 103 εἰς 104 εἰς ἀναιδὲς 105 εἰς ἀναιδὲς 106
mvp-comment-55-1 δός μοι σεαυτόν 107
mvp-comment-55-2 κἐκλησο 108
mvp-comment-56-1 μὲν 109
mvp-comment-56-2 Λαερτίου 110 α 111
mvp-comment-56-3 τούσδε 112 οὓς ἂν 113 τοὺς δὲ 114
mvp-comment-56-4
mvp-comment-57-1 ἐκ τέχνης 115
mvp-comment-57-2 πράσσειν 116
mvp-comment-57-3 οὔτ’ αὐτὸς 117
mvp-comment-57-4 οὔθ’, ὡς φασίν, οὑκφύσας 118
mvp-comment-58-1 πρὸς βίαν 119 ἄγειν 120
mvp-comment-58-2 οὐ γὰρ 121 ἐξ ἑνὸς ποδὸς 122
mvp-comment-58-3 τοσούσδε 123
mvp-comment-59-1 πεμφθείς γε μέντοι 124
mvp-comment-59-2 προδότης 125
mvp-comment-59-3 ἐξαμαρτεῖν 126 νικᾶν 127
mvp-comment-60-1 ἀργόν 128
mvp-comment-61-1 εἰς ἔλεγχον ἐξιὼν 129
mvp-comment-61-2 βροτοῖς 130 πάνθ’ ἡγουμένην 131
mvp-comment-62-1 τί μ’ οὖν 132 τί οὖν μ’ 133
mvp-comment-62-2 τί … ἄλλο 134
mvp-comment-63-1 λέγω σ’ … λαβεῖν 135
mvp-comment-64-1 ἐν δόλῳ 136
mvp-comment-64-2 πείσαντ’ 137
mvp-comment-65-1 οὐ μὴ πίθηται 138
mvp-comment-65-2 πρὸς βίαν δ’ 139
mvp-comment-66-1 οὕτως 140 τι δεινὸν 141
mvp-comment-66-2 ἰσχύος θράσος 142 κράτος 143 οὐ μὴ πίθηται 144
mvp-comment-67-1 ἰοὺς 145 ἰούς γ’ 146 τι 147 τί 148 γ’ 149 γ’ 150
mvp-comment-68-1 ἐκείνῳ γ’ 151
mvp-comment-68-2 προσμεῖξαι 152
mvp-comment-68-3 θρασύ 153
mvp-comment-69-1 μὴ δόλῳ λαβόντα 154
mvp-comment-70-1 τὰ ψευδῆ 155 δῆτα τὰ 156 δηλαδὴ 157
mvp-comment-71-1 τὸ σωθῆναι 158
mvp-comment-72-1 πῶς οὖν βλέπων 159 πῶς οὖν 160 πῶς … βλέπων 161
mvp-comment-72-2 λακεῖν 162
mvp-comment-73-1 εἰς κέρδος 163
mvp-comment-74-1 αἱρεῖ 164
mvp-comment-75-1 ὡς ἐφάσκετ’ 165
mvp-comment-76-1 οὔτ’ ἂν 166
mvp-comment-77-1 θηρατἔ οὖν γίγνοιτ’ ἄν 167 γίγνοιτ’ 168 γένοιτ’ 169
mvp-comment-77-2 οὖν 170
mvp-comment-78-1 ὡς … φέρει 171
mvp-comment-78-2 φέρει 172
mvp-comment-79-1 τὸ δρᾶν 173
mvp-comment-80-1 σοφός τ|) … κἀγαθός 174
mvp-comment-80-2 αὑτὸς 175
mvp-comment-80-3 κεκλᾖ 176
mvp-comment-81-1 ἴτω 177
mvp-comment-81-2 ποήσω 178 ι 179 ι 180 ποήσω 181
mvp-comment-81-3 πᾶσαν αἰσχύνην ἀφείς 182
mvp-comment-82-1 μνημονεύεις 183 μνημονεύσεις 184 σάφ’ ἴσθ’ 185
mvp-comment-82-2 ἅ … παρῄνεσα 186
mvp-comment-82-3 συνῄνεσα 187
mvp-comment-83-1 ἐκδέχου 188
mvp-comment-84-1 κατοπτευθῶ 189
mvp-comment-84-2 καὶ τὸν σκοπὸν 190 ναῦν 191
mvp-comment-85-1 καὶ δεῦῤ 192
mvp-comment-85-2 τοῦ χρόνου … τι κατασχολάζειν 193
mvp-comment-85-3 ἐκπέμψω 194
mvp-comment-86-1 ναυκλήρου 195
mvp-comment-86-2 τρόποις 196 τρόπον 197
mvp-comment-87-1 ἀγνοία 198 προσῇ 199 ἀγνοίᾳ 200
mvp-comment-88-1 οὗ δῆτα 201 οὗ δὴ σύ 202 οὗ 203 δέχου 204
mvp-comment-88-2 ποικίλως 205
mvp-comment-88-3 αὐδωμένου 206
mvp-comment-88-4 τὰ συμφέροντα 207 τῶν ἀεὶ λόγων 208
mvp-comment-88-5 σοὶ παρεὶς τάδε 209
mvp-comment-89-1 Ἑρμῆς ὁ πέμπων δόλιος 210
mvp-comment-89-2 ὁ πέμπων 211
mvp-comment-89-3 δόλιος 212
mvp-comment-89-4 νῷν 213
mvp-comment-90-1 Νίκη τ’ Ἀθάνα Πολιάς 214
mvp-comment-90-2 The same remark applies to the name Πολιάς 215
mvp-comment-90-3 ἣ σῴζει μ’ ἀεί 216
mvp-comment-91-1 ἐν ξένᾳ ξένον 217
mvp-comment-91-2 στέγειν … λέγειν 218
mvp-comment-91-3 ὑπόπταν 219
mvp-comment-92-1 τέχνα 220
mvp-comment-92-2 ἑτέρας 221
mvp-comment-92-3 γνώμα 222 γνώμας 223
mvp-comment-92-4 παρ’ ὅτῳ 224
mvp-comment-92-5 τὸ θεῖον Διὸς σκῆπτρον 225
mvp-comment-92-6 ἀνάσσεται 226
mvp-comment-93-1 σὲ … ἐλήλυθεν 227 σοὶ δ’ 228 σὲ δ’ 229
mvp-comment-93-2 πᾶν κράτος 230
mvp-comment-93-3 ὠγύγιον 231
mvp-comment-93-4 τὸ 232
mvp-comment-93-5
144 f. The Chorus has asked, How are we to help? He replies, in effect, ‘The moment for you to help has not come yet. Meanwhile you can approach, and look at the cave. When Philoctetes returns, then you must be guided by the signs that I shall give you.’ The Chorus are supposed to be on the shore, below the cave, and at a point from which they have not a clear view of it. Invited by Neoptolemus, they now advance nearer. The word
mvp-comment-93-6 ἐσχατιαῖς 233
mvp-comment-93-7 ὅντινα κεῖται 234
mvp-comment-94-1 τῶνδ’ Οὑκ μελάθρων 235 ὁδίτης 236 μόλῃ 237 τῶνδε ὁ ἐκ μελάθρων 238 ἐκ 239 ἐκ 240 μόλῃ 241 ἐκ 242 προχωρῶν 243
mvp-comment-95-1 πρὸς ἐμὴν αἰεὶ χεῖρα προχωρῶν 244 προχωρῶν 245 πρὸς ἐμὴν … χεῖρα 246
mvp-comment-96-1 τὸ παρὸν θεραπεύειν 247
mvp-comment-97-1 μέλον … μέλημα 248 ὄμμα 249 φρουρεῖν 250
mvp-comment-97-2 ἐπὶ σῷ καιρῷ 251
mvp-comment-98-1 αὐλὰς ποίας 252
mvp-comment-98-2 ἔνεδρος 253 ναίει 254
mvp-comment-98-3 χῶρον τίν’ ἔχει 255
mvp-comment-98-4 τὸ γὰρ οὐκ ἀποκ. μοί 256 μαθεῖν 257 προσπεσών 258
mvp-comment-99-1 τίς τόπος … θυραῖον 259
mvp-comment-99-2 ἔχει στίβον 260 ἔναυλον 261
mvp-comment-100-1 οἶκον … κοίτης 262
mvp-comment-100-2 ἀμφίθυρον 263 μὲν 264 ποῦ γὰρ 265
mvp-comment-101-1 φορβῆς 266
mvp-comment-101-2 τῇδε 267 τόνδε 268
mvp-comment-102-1 ταύτην 269
mvp-comment-102-2 φύσιν 270
mvp-comment-103-1 στυγερὸν στυγερῶς 271 σμυγερὸν σμυγερῶς 272
mvp-comment-104-1 ἐπινωμᾶν 273
mvp-comment-105-1 οἰκτίρω 274
mvp-comment-105-2 ὅπως 275
mvp-comment-106-1 μή του 276
mvp-comment-106-2 μηδὲ 277 σύντροφον 278 ξύντροφον 279
mvp-comment-106-3 ξυντρ. ὄμμ’ 280
45. mvp-comment-33-1 Hereupon the one attendant, the Έμπορος of 542 foll., withdraws to a distance, and Odysseus and Neoptolemus are left alone. For τὸν παρόντα, cp. Εl. 424, τοῦ παρόντος, ἡνίχ᾽ Ἠλίῳ | δείκνυσι τοὔναρ.
47. mvp-comment-34-1 ἕλοιτό ἕλοιτο ἕλοιτό λαβεῖν μολεῖν ἕλοιτό μ] It is unnecessary to read ἔλοιτ᾽ ἔμ', although this is suggested by the first hand of L. The meaning is, He would rather get me than the whole Argive host into his hands.' μᾶλλον ἕλοιτο is an imperfect expression for βούλοιτο ἑλεῖν. See E. on L. § 36. p. 63. That is to say, the meaning 'choose' is suggested, while the other meaning, 'Take for his own,' is chiefly meant. Hence λαβεῖν is added with the second clause for the sake of clearness.
48. mvp-comment-35-1 φυλάξεται στίβος] 'The approach (of Philoctetes) shall be watched.' φυλάξεται is fut. mid. with passive meaning. Οη στίβos, see above, note on l. 28.
49. mvp-comment-36-1 Χρήζεις] Sc. γενέσθαι. δευτέρῳ λόγῳ] 'Renewing thy discourse,' according to the promise in 24, 25. Gedike conjectured ἐλευθέρῳ λ.
50-54. mvp-comment-37-1 τῷ σώματι follows γενναῖος εἶναι, κατὰ σύνεσιν, as if it were ὑπουργεῖν, for which it has been substituted as more pleasing. ἤν is equivalent to κἄν (see Essay on L. § 28. p. 47). Nauck thinks that ὑπηρέτης is too low a word for the position of Neoptolemus, who only acknowledges himself to have been sent as ξυνεργάτης to Odysseus (l.93). But ὑπηρέτης is applied by Xenophon to officers in attendance on a general as aides-de-camp, and Odysseus may think it necessary at the end of his speech to assert his authority in its full strength, adding fortiter to suaviter. Neoptolemus shows his sense of this in the brief question τί δῆτ᾽ ἄνωγας?
55. mvp-comment-38-1 λόγοισιν . . λέγων] The pleonasm helps to emphasize the unwelcome lesson that words and not deeds are required of Neoptolemus. Cp. infr. 90, 1. 'You must wrest to your purpose, by deceitful words, the mind of Philoctetes.' Neoptolemus is to wind himself into the very soul of Philoctetes and deceive him there.
56. mvp-comment-39-1 ὅταν . . παῖς] These words are in apposition to ὅπως . . λέγων.
57. mvp-comment-40-1 τόδ᾽ οὐχὶ κλεπτέον] ‘This is not to be dissembled.' κλέπτειν is repeated in a slightly different sense. The change to κρυπτέον, proposed by some edd., is unnecessary.
58. mvp-comment-41-1 πλεῖς] Sc. ὡς φήσεις λέγων. Odysseus puts before Neoptolemus the situation which he is to assume. This is more vivid than πλεῖν, which in some edd. has been substituted for πλεῖς as more grammatical. But cp. Trach. 1137, δρᾷ, and note. The whole speech is purposely cast in an easy conversational style. Cp. λέγων, infr. 64. Hence also the frequent asyndeta, 56, 72, 79. πλεῖς ὡς πρὸς οἶκον] ‘Your voyage is homeward-bound.' For ὡs, cp. Thuc. 5.3, περιέπλει τὸν᾿ Αθων ὡς ἐπὶ τὴν ᾿Αμφίπολιν : Trach. 532, ὡς ἐπ᾿ ἐξόδῳ.
59. mvp-comment-42-1 ἔχθος ἐχθήρας μέγα] For the effect to be produced by this part of the lie, cp. infr. 322 foll., 403 foll.
60. mvp-comment-43-1 οἵ] The antecedent (αὐτούς) is suppressed, as elsewhere, in expressing indignation. Cp. esp. O. C. 263 foll., οἵτινες βάθρων, κ.τ.λ. ἐν λιταῖς] For ἐν of the instrument, see Essay on L. § 19. p. 28, and cp. ἐν δόλῳ, infr. 103. 'Ita ut vis adducendi in precibus sita esset,' Dind.
61. mvp-comment-44-1 μόνην] Essay on L. § 51. p. 96. 'Having no way but this for taking Troy.'
62. mvp-comment-45-1 οὐκ ἠξίωσαν.. αἰτουμένῳ] 'Refused to grace thee with Achilles' arms, or give them to thee, when thou didst come to Troy and claim them with full right.' 'Conflata oratio ex duabus locutionibus, una οὐκ ἠξίωσάν σε τῶν ᾿Αχιλλείων ὅπλων, et altera, οὐκ ἠξίωσάν σοι δοῦναι τὰ ὅπλα.' (Herm.) The imperfect expression is supplemented by epexegesis. See Essay on L. § 36. p. 67. For κυρίως, cp. Αj. 734, τοῖς κυρίοις γὰρ πάντα χρὴ δηλοῦν λόγον.
64. mvp-comment-46-1 Ὀδυσσεῖ] The name, so hateful to Philoctetes, must not be omitted. παρέδοσαν] ‘Gave away. On comparing infr. 399, it appears that παρά in composition has here the special meaning of 'wrongly,' as in παραγιγνώσκειν. λέγων] λέγειν in l. 57 was equivalent to an imperative, and parallel to ὅπως ἐκκλέψεις, supr. λέγων agrees with the general subject of these verbs. For the detached participle, cp. Ο. Τ. 1289, τὸν μητρός, αὐδῶν ἀνόσι᾽ οὐδὲ ῥητά μοι.
65. mvp-comment-47-1 ἡμῶν = ἐμοῦ.
66. mvp-comment-48-1 τούτων.. οὐδέν] In nought of this.' Sc. λέγων or ποιῶν. Cp. infr. 1021, 2, ἐγὼ δ᾽ ἀλγύνομαι | τοῦτ᾽ αὐτό, where the accusative similarly expresses the cause.
66-67. mvp-comment-49-1 For μή emphatically postponed, see Essay on L. § 41. p. 78. βαλεῖς = προσβαλεῖς. See Essay on L. § 55. p. 101, 4, and cp. Eur. Phoen. 1535, σκότον ὄμμασι βαλών.
69. mvp-comment-50-1 σοί] This (σοί, not σοι) is the reading of L., and agrees with the emphatic pleading of Odysseus.
71. mvp-comment-51-1 πιστή] «With mutual confidence.' βέβαιος] Without danger.'
72-74. mvp-comment-52-1 Odysseus anticipates the reproaches which Philoctetes would cast on him; which would be inapplicable to Neoptolemus, as he had not made one of the original expedition.
72. mvp-comment-53-1 πέπλευκας] πλεῖν is used here and elsewhere without further definition to denote the voyage to Troy. ἔνορκος] All those chiefs who took part in the war at its commencement had been bound to each other by an oath: Aj. 1113. Odysseus, in casting Philoctetes forth, was therefore guilty of perjury against him.
73. mvp-comment-54-1 For ἐξ ἀνάγκης, cp. infr. 1025, 6, καίτοι σὺ μὲν κλοπῇ τε κἀνάγκῃ ζυγεὶς ἔπλεις ἅμ᾽ αὐτοῖς: Aesch. Ag. 841.
74. mvp-comment-55-1 οὐδέν οὐδέν
77. mvp-comment-56-1 αὐτὸ τοῦτο] This very point is to be gained by craft,' viz. that suggested in the words τόξων ἐγκρατής.
78. mvp-comment-57-1 κλοπεύς] This word has no such mean associations as κλέπτης; and ἀνικήτων, which follows, is calculated to stir Neoptolemus' ambition.
79. mvp-comment-58-1 ἔξοιδα καί] 'I am well aware.' καί, which Linwood rightly defends, has a reassuring emphasis. • In urging this on you, I know all the while.' Cp. Thuc. 8. 91, ἦν δέ τι καὶ τοιοῦτον ἀπὸ τῶν τὴν κατηγορίαν ἐχόντων, καὶ οὐ πάνυ διαβολὴ μόνον τοῦ λόγου, and 5. 43, ᾧ ἐδόκει μὲν καὶ ἄμεινον εἶναι. The same idiomatic use occurs in Electra 1251, ἔξοιδα καὶ ταῦτ', where see note. The conjectures, παῖ, μέν, δή, τοι are unnecessary; but if a change were required, ἔξοιδά τοι would be the most probable emendation. For the meaning of 79, 80, cp. infr. 88, 9, Il. 9. 312, where Achilles says, ἐχθρὸς γάρ μοι κεῖνος ὁμῶς ᾿Αΐδαο πύλησιν, κ.τ.λ.
81. mvp-comment-59-1 ἀλλ᾽ ἡδὺ λαβεῖν] The construction is analogous to that so frequent with χρήμα, e.g. Eur. Andr. 181, ἐπίφθονόν τι χρῆμα θηλειῶν ἔφυ. - (Sc. τὸ τῆς νίκης, or the genitive of definition takes the place of the nominative ἡ νίκη.) λαβεῖν is added to define ἡδύ. γάρ τοι (see v. rr.) is plausible, but cp. Eur. l. c.
82. mvp-comment-60-1 ἐκφανούμεθα] i. e. Our justice shall shine forth, as from a passing cloud. αὖθις, 'another day.'
83. mvp-comment-61-1 εἰς ἀναιδές] 'To shamelessness.' For the abstract neuter without the article, cp. Plat. Gorg. 504 C, ταῖς μὲν τοῦ σώματος τάξεσιν ὄνομα εἶναι ὑγιεινόν.. ταῖς δὲ τῆς ψυχῆς τάξεσι.. νόμιμόν τε καὶ νόμος: Thuc. 5. 18. § 4, δικαίῳ χρήσθων καὶ ὅρκοις.
86. mvp-comment-62-1 κλύων] (1) i. e. ὀνειδιζόμενος. So Musgrave. This agrees well with κέκλησο, supr., -' I hate to be called false, and I hate to act falsely.' (2) Others take the words to mean, 'As I hate to hear lies told, so I hate to tell them;' or (3) As it irks me to be practised on with lies, so I hate to practise them."
87. mvp-comment-63-1 τούσδε .. στυγῶ] 'I abhor the same in action.' τούσδε sc. τοὺς λόγους. For λόγος, implying πρᾶξις, cp.eg. Trach. 78, τὸν λόγον γὰρ ἁγνός: ib. 250, 1, τοῦ λόγου.. Ζεὺς ὅτου πράκτωρ φανῇ. And for the expressed antecedent, cp. Ant. 463, 4, ὅστις γὰρ ἐν πολλοῖσιν, ὡς ἐγὼ, κακοῖς ζῇ, πῶς ὅδ' οὐχὶ κατθανὼν κέρδος φέρει;
88. mvp-comment-64-1 ἔφυν.. πράσσειν] 'It is not in my nature to do anything through base artifice.'
89. mvp-comment-65-1 οὔτ᾽ αὐτός, κ.τ.λ.] For this frequent form of expression, cp. especially Plat. Prot. 324 B. ἵνα μὴ αὖθις ἀδικήσῃ μήτε αὐτὸς μήτε ἄλλος ὁ τοῦτον ἰδών.
91. mvp-comment-66-1 δόλοισιν] Οdysseus, supr. 55, had said λόγοισιν. Neoptolemus is more plain-spoken. ἐξ ἑνὸς ποδός] 'With only one foot to rely on.' Neoptolemus argues a fortiori. Philoctetes is not only one against many, but a lame man against strong men.
92. mvp-comment-67-1 τοσούσδε] i. e. not only the three who have advanced, but the whole crew. Infr. 549, 50.
93-94. mvp-comment-68-1 'It is true indeed that having been sent to be your adjutant I shrink from the imputation of disloyalty, but I would rather, my lord, offend in acting nobly than basely win.'
94. mvp-comment-69-1 προδότης καλεῖσθαι] 'To be accused of treason towards the Argives who have sent me to assist you). Cp. infr. 1250, ΟΔ. στρατὸν δ' Ἀχαιῶν οὐ φοβεῖ, πρασσων τάδε; ΝΕ. σὺν τῷ δικαίῳ τὸν σὸν οὐ ταρβῶ φόβον. καλεῖσθαι] Cp. supr. 85, κέκλησο: infr. 119, κεκλῇς: Trach. 453, 4. ὡς ἐλευθέρῳ ψευδεῖ καλεῖσθαι κὴρ πρόσεστιν οὐ καλή. The Greek sensitiveness to praise and blame is perceptible in this idiom.
95. mvp-comment-70-1 ἐξαμαρτεῖν] (1) To fail: opposed to νικᾶν; or (2) To be in the wrong' = προδότης καλεῖσθαι. Cp. Ant. 1024, κοινόν ἐστι τοὐξαμαρτάνειν. νικᾶν κακῶς] To win a base victory;' i.e. v. κακῶς δρῶν.
96. mvp-comment-71-1 ἐσθλοῦ πατρὸς παῖ] Cp supr. 3. 89.
98. mvp-comment-72-1 εἰς ἔλεγχον ἐξιὼν] i e. in proving the world, and bringing words and actions to the test of experience.
98-99. mvp-comment-73-1 ὁρῶ ... ἡγουμένην] I find that wherever mortals are concerned words and not actions have always the chief influence.' βροτοῖς is dative of reference not βροτοὺς ἡγουμένην = Leading mankind').
100. mvp-comment-74-1 τί οὖν . . λέγειν] Neoptolemus says curtly, I see you want me to tell a lie: have you any further commands?' He is indignant; but his curiosity is awakened. Cp. Ant. 497, θέλεις τι μεῖζον ἢ κατακτεῖναί μ᾽ ἑλών.
101. mvp-comment-75-1 λέγω σ] 'I repeat that you must.' λέγω resumes the force of ἄνωγας. Odysseus repeats his first command.
104. mvp-comment-76-1 Join οὕτως with δεινόν. ἰσχύος θράσος] · Boldness consisting in strength; i.e. an emboldening strength. Cp. Thuc. 5. 14, οὐκ ἔχοντες τὴν ἐλπίδα τῆς ῥώμης πιστὴν ἔτι.
106. mvp-comment-77-1 θρασύ] i. e. θαρσάλεον, ἄνευ φόβου. Cp. Pind. Nem. 7. 50, θρασύ μοι τόδ' εἰπεῖν,
110. mvp-comment-78-1 πῶς.. βλέπων] 'With what countenance?' i. e. How shall I look him in the face while saying it? Cp. О. Т. 1371, ἐγὼ γὰρ οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὄμμασιν ποίοις βλέπων, κ.τ.λ. λακεῖν] This is a more curious, but also a more forcible reading than λαλεῖν, expressing Neoptolemus' abhorrence of the sound of a lie.
112. mvp-comment-79-1 There is a certain inconsistency (as Cavallin remarks) in Neoptolemus' ignorance of that which in l.69 Odysseus had mentioned as well known. We must imagine him to have been passive hitherto, and only now to have his attention roused to the object that is to work on his ambition. This makes the change of mind in him more conceivable.
113-115. mvp-comment-80-1 Odysseus speaks of the bow, but not of Philoctetes' share in the victory.
116. mvp-comment-81-1 οὖν, the Triclinian reading, is possibly right. Some change from the reading of L is necessary. Hermann read, as in the text, θηρατέ᾽ ἄν, explaining the second ἄν as belonging to εἴπερ, κ.τ.λ., -in other words, as emphasizing Neoptolemus' hesitation and doubtfulness.
117. mvp-comment-82-1 δύο .. δωρήματα] Cp. El. 1088, δύο φέρειν ἐν ἑνὶ λόγῳ, σόφα τ' ἀρίστα τε παῖς κεκλῆσθαι.
119. mvp-comment-83-1 αὑτός] This seems better here than αὐτός, ‘In your own person.' But cp. Ο. Τ. 458, ἀδελφὸς αὐτὸς καὶ πατήρ, i. e. Your taking Troy will be a proof of bravery, and your having first obtained the bow, of wisdom.
122. mvp-comment-84-1 Neoptolemus makes the decision with sudden impulsiveness, and having once taken his course, continues it with apparent firmness to infr. 810.
125. mvp-comment-85-1 τὸν σκοπόν] The attendant who has been set to watch for Philoctetes, supr. 45. This guard is no longer necessary when Odysseus withdraws.
126-127. mvp-comment-86-1 ἐάν μοι.. κατασχολάζειν] If I find at all that you are wasting time.' τοῦ χρόνου τι is put by λιτότης for τὸν χρόνον ας τούτων τι for ταῦτα in Ant. 35, and κατασχολάζειν is used actively like other compounds of κατά, e.g. καταρ γυροῦν, κατοκνεῖν, καταστασιάζειν, καταυλεῖν, καταστρατηγεῖν, κατασιωπᾶν, καταληρεῖν, κατακερδαίνειν, καταδαπανᾶν.
128-129. mvp-comment-87-1 ναυκλήρου τρόποις .. προσῇ] Having craftily disguised him after the fashion of a sea-captain, that he may not be known.' Cp. El. 654, Trach. 350.
130. mvp-comment-88-1 From whose mouth, my son, I pray thee, as he utters cunningly-devised words, thou shalt be ready to take whatever in his speech from time to time is profitable.' 'The genitive οὗ is (a) genitive after δέχου, (b) after λόγων, (c) genitive absolute. αὐδᾶσθαι is mid. not passive here and in Aj. 772. δέχεσθαι implies attentive expectation.
132. mvp-comment-89-1 σοὶ παρεὶς τάδε] · Leaving matters here under thy charge.'
133. mvp-comment-90-1 'But may secret Hermes,' (1) 'the conductor,' or (2), 'who speeds us hither, be our good guide, and Athena, protectress of cities, goddess of Victory, she who is evermore my saviour.' Cp. Od. 13. 300, ἥτε τοι αἰὲν | ἐν πάντεσσι πόνοισι παρίσταμαι ἠδὲ φυλάσσω: Αj. 14 foll., ib. 34, 5, πάντα γὰρ .. σῇ κυβερνῶμαι χερί. For Νίκη ᾿Αθάνα, cp. Eur. Ion 1529. The goddess of cities is rightly invoked by Odysseus, whose motive is the public good. For the general meaning of ὁ πέμπων = ὁ πομπός, in (1), see Essay on L. § 32. p. 55, 4.
135-218. mvp-comment-91-1 We have here a commatic parados (cp. El., O. C.), in which Neoptolemus responds in anapaests to lyric measures chanted apparently by single members of the Chorus, as they take their places in the orchestra. Their entrance must be subsequent to l. 134, for the conversation in ll. 50 foll. would lose its effect if Odysseus and Philoctetes were not alone. The anapaests of Neoptolemus and l. 161, chanted by the coryphaeus, accompany movements of the Chorus, who at l. 169 have already taken up their position. The metres of the lyric part are as follows:- α΄. Glyc. β'. Glyc. γ. Glyc. It is evident that the lyric strains were accompanied with gesticulation, especially in στρ. and ἀντ. γ'. The fact that the Chorus at entering have some knowledge of that which has just been made known upon the stage, is not a sufficient reason for supposing them to have been present during any part of the previous scene. Similarly, in the O. T. the Chorus have been gathered by the news of the arrival of Creon from Delphi, which happens in the midst of the prologos, l. 87; and in the Ajax, the mariners speak of the slanders of Ulysses, which could only be disseminated after his exit. It is best, therefore, to suppose, as above, that the Chorus enter as usual after the prologos, and that the first strophe is begun as soon as they are well within hearing of the stage. The whole passage is meant to interest the spectator in Philoctetes, and to prepare for the effect to be produced by his entrance, infr. 219. Cp. Aj. 201-332.
135. mvp-comment-92-1 The correction of this line by Triclinius has been retained by most editors.
136. mvp-comment-93-1 στέγειν] 'To keep close.' Cp. Ο. Τ. 341, κἂν ἐγὼ σιγῇ στέγω. πρὸς ἄνδρ᾽ ὑπόπταν ἁποπταν] 'In my intercourse with one who is full of suspicion.' They feel that he must have been made so by ill-treatment and solitude.
138. mvp-comment-94-1 τέχνα . . ἀνάσσεται] ‘For the skill and wisdom of him who holds the sceptre divine given by Zeus surpasses that of another.' Cp. O. T. 380, καὶ τέχνη τέχνης | ὑπερφέρουσα: ib. 398, γνώμῃ κυρήσας, where τέχνη and γνώμη are used of practical wisdom. The reading γνώμας is probably due to an interlinear explanation of γνώμα.
139. mvp-comment-95-1 γνώμα] γνώμασ γνώμας γνώμα παρ᾿ ὅτῳ] Sc. παρ' ἐκείνῳ, παρ᾿ ᾧ (or simply ᾧ).
140. mvp-comment-96-1 For σκῆπτρον ἀνάσσεται ἀνά·::· σσεται ἀνάσσεται, cp. Ο. C. 449, σκῆπτρα κραίνειν. The expression Διὸς σκῆπτρον recalls the monarchical feeling of heroic times.
141. mvp-comment-97-1 σὲ δ᾽ ὦ Wunder and others have conjectured σοί, which agrees better with the antistrophe (l. 156); but the Attic accusative is more expressive = Hath descended on thee,' viz. through the death of Achilles. τόδ'.. ὠγύγιον] This absolute power with immemorial right.'
142. mvp-comment-98-1 πᾶν is intensive, as often in composition: cp. πᾶσα ἀνάγκη, and similar expressions. See especially Plat. Legg. 6. 762 C, ἢ πάσης τινὸς ἀνάγκης ἐμπεσούσης. ὠγύγιον is attributive, not predicative. See Essay on L. § 23. p. 38. τό] 'Wherefore.' Epicè. Cp. Il. 17. 404, τό μιν οὔποτε ἔλπετο θυμῷ | τεθνάμεν. See Essay on L. § 21. 3, p. 32. ἔννεπε] ἔννεπε(ν?) ἔννεπε
143. mvp-comment-99-1 ὑπουργεῖν υπουργεῖν
144-146. mvp-comment-100-1 νῦν.. θαρσών] Some editors insert a comma after μέν, but although νῦν is not to be separated from δέρκου, it belongs to both clauses. Cp. infr. 1020, 1, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ γὰρ οὐδὲν θεοὶ νέμουσιν ἡδύ μοι, κ.τ.λ., where a comma after ἀλλ' would be obviously inconvenient. τόπον . . ὅντινα κεῖται] 'What place he makes his lair.' The relative follows the case of τόπον, which is accusative after προσιδεῖν. But the construction of ὅντινα κεῖται may also be explained as cognate, like αὐτάρκη θέσιν κειμένη in Thuc. 1. 37. ἐσχατιαῖς] Cp. Od. 9. 182, ἐπ᾿ ἐσχατιῇ σπέος εἴδομεν ἄγχι θαλάσσης. The dative of place is perhaps assisted by the neighbourhood of πρός in προσιδεῖν (Essay on L. § 54. p. 99. and also p. 62). For the plural, cp. τρόποις, supr. 128: infr. 153, αὐλάς: Pind. Isthm. 6. 12, ἐσχατιαῖς ἤδη πρὸς ὄλβου.
147. mvp-comment-101-1 δεινός] Dread,' reflecting the impression produced on Neoptolemus by 75, 6, 105, and the timid expressions of the Chorus in 135 foll. Philoctetes is terrible because of his bow, and the fear of him is enhanced by the mystery of his solitude.
147-148. mvp-comment-102-1 ὁδίτης] Cp. supr. 43, 4, infr. 162, 3. τῶνδ᾽ ἐκ μελάθρων] Who inhabits here.' Sc. ὁρμώμενος. The form of expression is suggested by the verbal notion in ὁδίτης. Some, including the διορθωτής of L, have wrongly connected τ. ἐ. μ. with προχωρῶν, Avoiding this habitation.' τῶν μελάθρων ἀποστάς, Schol. For μέλαθρον of the cave, cp infr. 1262, ἀμείψας τάσδε πετρήρεις στέγας. πρὸς ἐμὴν.. χεῖρα] ‘At my hand;' i. e. At the signals which I shall give, as to a hound in approaching game. Cp. infr. 865, and note; also Aesch. Suppl. 507, καὶ δή σφε λείπω χειρὶ καὶ λόγοις σέθεν (' At your signal and behest').
149. mvp-comment-103-1 τὸ παρὸν θεραπεύειν] (1) Το meet each occasion duly.' Cp. Thuc. 3.56, τὸ δὲ ξυμφέρον μᾶλλον θεραπεύοντες: Εl. 1305, 6, οὐ γὰρ ἂν καλῶς | ὑπηρετοίην τῷ παρόντι δαίμονι. Or rather, (2) To do the service immediately required.'
150. mvp-comment-104-1 The MS. reading here has two syllables too many. Hermann dropped μέλον and retained τὸ σόν, connecting πάλαι with the verbal notion in μέλημα. But it is more probable that τὸ σόν is a mistaken gloss on ὄμμα. μοι] om.
151. mvp-comment-105-1 φρουρεῖν . . καιρῷ] 'That I should fix a watchful glance on what is most opportune for thee.' For the use of the adverb in σῷ μ. καιρῷ τῷ μάλιστα ἐν καιρῷ ὄντι σοί, see Essay on L. § 24. p. 41. And for φρουρεῖν ὄμμα, cp. Τr. 914, κἀγὼ λαθραῖον ὄμμ᾽ ἐπεσκιασμένη | φρούρουν (where ὄμμα has the verbal meaning and in part at least depends on φρούρουν).
153. mvp-comment-106-1 αὐλὰς .. ἔχει] What home does he inhabit, and where is the place of his abode?' The Chorus, through the coryphaeus, ask two questions in one. Neoptolemus replies to either separately.
157. mvp-comment-107-1 τίς τόπος, ἢ τίς ἕδρα] Sc. ἐστὴν αὐτῷ. στίβον] Cp. supr. 29.
159-161. mvp-comment-108-1 These lines break the antistrophic effect. Cp O C. 197 foll., El. 1403-5, and notes.
159. mvp-comment-109-1 οἶκον.. κοίτης] 'Thou seest the home with a door either way where he makes his bed upon the rock.' For the genitive, see Essay on L. § 10. p. 15.
160. mvp-comment-110-1 The coryphaeus, with one or more of the other choreutae, has mounted to the stage during the recitation of 144-9. He advances further while his companion recites 150-8, and Neoptolemus points out the cave to him. He turns to Neoptolemus with this question and then rejoins his comrades. While Neoptolemus recites 162-68, the Chorus take up their regular position in the orchestra in front of the stage.
161. mvp-comment-111-1 ὁ τλήμων] This expression is prompted by the sight of Philoctetes' 'homeless dwelling-place.'
163. mvp-comment-112-1 στίβον ὀγμεύει] • He tracks his way.' The metaphor is taken from ploughing, and expresses the difficult motion of the lame man dragging his foot, and as it were harrowing the ground. For ὄγμος, ‘A furrow, cp. Il. 18. 546, Archil. 115. τόνδε πέλας που] 'This way, somewhere not far off.' With τόνδε Neoptolemus points to the way which Philoctetes must have taken. In πέλας he echoes what Odysseus had said in 41.
166. mvp-comment-113-1 στυγερὸν στυγερώς] The gloss ἐπιπόνως, compared with Hesych. σμυγερών : ἐπίπονον, οἰκτρών, μοχθηρόν, σμυγερῶς: ἐπιπόνως, certainly favours Brunck's emendation, σμυγερὸν σμυγε- ρῶς. But σμυγερός occurs nowhere else in Tragedy, μογερός being the form regularly used. And in iterative phrases like μόνος μόνοις, Αj. 467 : καινῷ καινὸν ἐν πεπλώματι, Τr. 613, it often happens that both words are not equally significant. Neoptolemus, in his horror of the solitary life, may also feel beforehand a natural horror of the solitary man. Philoctetes himself apprehends this, infr. 225, 6, καὶ μή μ᾿ ὀκνῳ | δείσαντες ἐκπλαγῆτ᾽ ἀπηγριωμένον. Cp. Od. 13. 399, 400, ἀμφὶ δὲ λαίφος | ἕσσω, ὅ κεν στυγέῃσιν ἰδῶν ἄνθρωπος ἔχοντα: ib. 11. 81, νῶῖ μὲν ὡς ἐπέεσσιν ἀμειβομένω στυγεροῖσιν | ἥμεθα.
167-168. mvp-comment-114-1 οὐδέ τιν᾿ αὐτῷ . . ἐπινωμᾶν] (1) Nor brings to his relief any healer of his woe;' so the Scholiast: i.e. 'No healer comes to him.' See E. on L. §30. p. 52, d. Or (2) reading αὑτῷ. • Nor does any healer of his woes approach him. But there is no clear instance in early Greek of νωμᾶν being used absolutely = To move.' See note on infr. 717. (3) Linwood prefers, 'Nor does any man bring him a healer.'
169. mvp-comment-115-1 ὅπως] As after θαυμάζω.
170. mvp-comment-116-1 The reading of the first hand of L, τοὺς κηδομένους, admits of a possible construction with ἔχων, but is probably an error arising from the change of construction.
171. mvp-comment-117-1 μηδὲ σύντροφον ὄμμα] Nor any soul to live with him.' ὄμμα is the act of eye meeting eye, and so is transferred to the object of affectionate intercourse. See E. on L. § 54, a. p. 99. σύντροφον, i. e. Partaking of the same circumstances and means of life.' For μή, see E. on L. p. 48, 2, 6.