Search the Perseus Catalog for:

View: By Turn

← Previous Next →

What, hath this vile accurs'd deceiver sworn

To show me to the Grecians? Were I dead,

Philoctetes

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)) — 557 focus

ἀλλ᾽ ἡ χάρις μὲν τῆς προμηθίας, ξένε,
550

εἰ μὴ κακὸς πέφυκα, προσφιλὴς μενεῖ·

φράσον δ᾽ ἅπερ γ᾽ om. γ' ἔλεξας, ὡς μάθω τί μοι

νεώτερον βούλευμ᾽ βούλευμα ἀπ᾿ ᾿Αργείων ἔχεις.

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

ΕΜ.

φροῦδοι διώκοντές σε ναυτικῷ ναυστικῷ στόλῳ

Φοῖνιξ Φοίνιξ Φοῖνιξ ὁ πρέσβυς οἵ τε Θησέως κόροι.
555

ΝΕ.

ὡς ἐκ βίας μ' ἄξοντες ἢ λόγοις πάλιν ;

ΕΜ.

οὐκ οἶδ᾽. ἀκούσας δ᾽ ἄγγελος πάρειμί σοι.

ΝΕ.

ἢ ταῦτα δὴ Φοῖνίξ ἢ ταῦτα δὴ φοῖνιξ τε χοί ξυνναυβάται

οὕτω καθ᾽ ὁρμὴν δρῶσιν ᾿Ατρειδῶν χάριν;

ΕΜ.

ὡς ταῦτ᾽ ἐπίστω δρώμεν, οὐ μέλλοντ᾽ ἔτι,
560

ΝΕ.

πῶς οὖν Ὀδυσσεὺς πρὸς τάδ᾽ οὐκ αὐτάγγελος

πλεῖν ἦν ἑτοῖμος; ἢ φόβος τις εἶργέ εἶργε εἶργε νιν;

ΕΜ.

κεῖνός γ᾽ ἐπ᾿ ἄλλον ἄνδρ᾽ ὁ Τυδέως τε παῖς

ἔστελλον, ἡνίκ᾽ ἐξανηγόμην ἐγώ ἔσω.

ΝΕ.

πρὸς ποῖον ἂν ἀν ἂν τόνδ᾽ αὐτὸς οὐδυσσεὺς ὁ δυσσεὺς οὑδυσσεὺς ὀδυσσεὺς ἔπλει;
565

ΕΜ.

ἦν δή τις-ἀλλὰ τόνδε μοι πρῶτον φράσον

τίς ἐστίν εστιν· ἂν λέγῃς δὲ μὴ φώνει μέγα.

ΝΕ.

ὅδ᾽ ἔσθ᾽ ὁ κλεινός σοι Φιλοκτήτης, ξένε.

ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

ΕΜ.

μή νύν μὴ νῦν μ᾽ om. ἔρῃ τὰ πλείον, ἀλλ᾽ ὅσον τάχος

ἔκπλει σεαυτὸν ξυλλαβὼν ἐκ τῆσδε γῆς.

ΦΙ.

τί φησιν, ὦ παῖ; τί με κατὰ σκότον ποτὲ

διεμπολᾷ λόγοισι πρός πρό πρός σ᾽ ὁ ναυβάτης;

ΝΕ.

οὐκ οἶδά πω τί φησι· δεῖ δ᾽ αὐτὸν λέγειν
580

εἰς φῶς ὁ λέξει, πρὸς σὲ κἀμὲ τούσδε τε.

ΕΜ.

ὦ σπέρμ᾽ ᾿Αχιλλέως, μή με διαβάλῃς διαβάλληισ διαβάλῃς στρατῷ

λέγονθ᾽ ἃ μὴ δεῖ· πόλλ᾽ ἐγὼ κείνων ὕπο

δρῶν ἀντιπάσχω χρηστά γ', οἱ᾽ ἀνὴρ πένης.

ΝΕ.

ἐγώ εἰμ' ἐγὼ ᾿μ' ἐγώ εἰμ᾿ ἐγὼ μὲν ᾿Ατρείδαις ἀτρείδαις δυσμενής· οὗτος δέ μοι
585

φίλος μέγιστος, οἵνεκ' ᾿Ατρείδας στυγεῖ.

δεῖ δή σ᾽ ἔμοιγ' ἐλθόντα προσφιλῆ λόγον

κρύψαι πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἡμᾶσ(δε) ἡμᾶς μηδέν᾽ ὧν ἀκήκοας.

ΕΜ.

ὅρα τί ποιεῖς, παῖ.

NE.

σκοπῶ κἀγὼ πάλαι.
590

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

ΕΜ.

σὲ θήσομαι τῶνδ᾽ αἴτιον.

NE.

ποιοῦ λέγων.

ΕΜ.

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 519-675 focus

Νεοπτόλεμος

ὅρα σὺ μὴ νῦν μέν τις εὐχερὴς παρῇς,

ὅταν δὲ πλησθῇς τῆς νόσου ξυνουσίᾳ,
520

τότʼ οὐκέθʼ αὑτὸς τοῖς λόγοις τούτοις φανῇς.

Χορός

ἥκιστα· τοῦτʼ οὐκ ἔσθʼ ὅπως ποτʼ εἰς ἐμὲ

τοὔνειδος ἕξεις ἐνδίκως ὀνειδίσαι.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἀλλʼ αἰσχρὰ μέντοι σοῦ γέ μʼ ἐνδεέστερον

ξένῳ φανῆναι πρὸς τὸ καίριον πονεῖν.
525

ἀλλʼ εἰ δοκεῖ, πλέωμεν, ὁρμάσθω ταχύς·

χἠ ναῦς γὰρ ἄξει κοὐκ ἀπαρνηθήσεται.

μόνον θεοὶ σῴζοιεν ἔκ τε τῆσδε γῆς

ἡμᾶς ὅποι τʼ ἐνθένδε βουλοίμεσθα πλεῖν.

Φιλοκτήτης

ὦ φίλτατον μὲν ἦμαρ, ἥδιστος δʼ ἀνήρ,
530

φίλοι δὲ ναῦται, πῶς ἂν ὑμὶν ἐμφανὴς

ἔργῳ γενοίμην, ὥς μʼ ἔθεσθε προσφιλῆ;

ἴωμεν, ὦ παῖ, προσκύσαντε τὴν ἔσω

ἄοικον εἰσοίκησιν, ὥς με καὶ μάθῃς

ἀφʼ ὧν διέζων ὥς τʼ ἔφυν εὐκάρδιος.
535

οἶμαι γὰρ οὐδʼ ἂν ὄμμασιν μόνην θέαν

ἄλλον λαβόντα πλὴν ἐμοῦ τλῆναι τάδε·

ἐγὼ δʼ ἀνάγκῃ προύμαθον στέργειν κακά.

Χορός

ἐπίσχετον, μάθωμεν· ἄνδρε γὰρ δύο,

ὁ μὲν νεὼς σῆς ναυβάτης, ὁ δʼ ἀλλόθρους,
540

χωρεῖτον, ὧν μαθόντες αὖθις εἴσιτον.

Ἔμπορος

Ἀχιλλέως παῖ, τόνδε τὸν ξυνέμπορον,

ὃς ἦν νεὼς σῆς σὺν δυοῖν ἄλλοιν φύλαξ,

ἐκέλευσʼ ἐμοί σε ποῦ κυρῶν εἴης φράσαι,

ἐπείπερ ἀντέκυρσα, δοξάζων μὲν οὔ,
545

τύχῃ δέ πως πρὸς ταὐτὸν ὁρμισθεὶς πέδον.

πλέων γὰρ ὡς ναύκληρος οὐ πολλῷ στόλῳ

ἀπʼ Ἰλίου πρὸς οἶκον ἐς τὴν εὔβοτρυν

Πεπάρηθον, ὡς ἤκουσα τοὺς ναύτας ὅτι

σοὶ πάντες εἶεν συννεναυστοληκότες,
550

ἔδοξέ μοι μὴ σῖγα, πρὶν φράσαιμί σοι,

τὸν πλοῦν ποεῖσθαι, προστυχόντι τῶν ἴσων.

οὐδὲν σύ που κάτοισθα τῶν σαυτοῦ πέρι,

ἃ τοῖσιν Ἀργείοισιν ἀμφὶ σοῦ νέα

βουλεύματʼ ἐστί, κοὐ μόνον βουλεύματα,
555

ἀλλʼ ἔργα δρώμενʼ, οὐκέτʼ ἐξαργούμενα.

557

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἀλλʼ ἡ χάρις μὲν τῆς προμηθίας, ξένε,

εἰ μὴ κακὸς πέφυκα, προσφιλὴς μενεῖ·

φράσον δʼ ἅπερ, γʼ ἔλεξας, ὡς μάθω τί μοι

νεώτερον, βούλευμʼ ἀπʼ Ἀργείων ἔχεις.
560

Ἔμπορος

φροῦδοι διώκοντές σε ναυτικῷ στόλῳ

Φοῖνιξ ὁ πρέσβυς οἵ τε Θησέως κόροι.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ὡς ἐκ βίας μʼ ἄξοντες ἢ λόγοις πάλιν;

Ἔμπορος

οὐκ οἶδʼ· ἀκούσας δʼ ἄγγελος πάρειμί σοι.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἦ ταῦτα δὴ Φοῖνίξ τε χοἰ ξυνναυβάται
565

οὕτω καθʼ ὁρμὴν δρῶσιν Ἀτρειδῶν χάριν;

Ἔμπορος

ὡς ταῦτʼ ἐπίστω δρώμενʼ, οὐ μέλλοντʼ ἔτι.

Νεοπτόλεμος

πῶς οὖν Ὀδυσσεὺς πρὸς τάδʼ οὐκ αὐτάγγελος

πλεῖν ἦν ἕτοιμος; ἢ φόβος τις εἶργέ νιν;

Ἔμπορος

κεῖνός γʼ ἐπʼ ἄλλον ἄνδρʼ ὁ Τυδέως τε παῖς
570

ἔστελλον, ἡνίκʼ ἐξανηγόμην ἐγώ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

πρὸς ποῖον αὖ τόνδʼ αὐτὸς Οὑδυσσεὺς ἔπλει;

Ἔμπορος

ἦν δή τις—ἀλλὰ τόνδε μοι πρῶτον φράσον

τίς ἐστίν· ἃν λέγῃς δὲ μὴ φώνει μέγα.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ὅδʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ κλεινός σοι Φιλοκτήτης, ξένε.
575

Ἔμπορος

μή νύν μʼ ἔρῃ τὰ πλείονʼ, ἀλλʼ ὅσον τάχος

ἔκπλει σεαυτὸν ξυλλαβὼν ἐκ τῆσδε γῆς.

Φιλοκτήτης

τί φησιν, ὦ παῖ; τί με κατὰ σκότον ποτὲ

διεμπολᾷ λόγοισι πρός σʼ ὁ ναυβάτης;

Νεοπτόλεμος

οὐκ οἶδά πω τί φησι· δεῖ δʼ αὐτὸν λέγειν
580

εἰς φῶς ὃ λέξει, πρὸς σὲ κἀμὲ τούσδε τε.

Ἔμπορος

ὦ σπέρμʼ Ἀχιλλέως, μή με διαβάλῃς στρατῷ

λέγονθʼ ἃ μὴ δεῖ· πόλλʼ ἐγὼ κείνων ὕπο

δρῶν ἀντιπάσχω χρηστά θʼ, οἷʼ ἀνὴρ πένης.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἐγώ εἰμʼ Ἀτρείδαις δυσμενής· οὗτος δέ μοι
585

φίλος μέγιστος, οὕνεκʼ Ἀτρείδας στυγεῖ.

δεῖ δή σʼ ἔμοιγʼ ἐλθόντα προσφιλῆ, λόγων

κρύψαι πρὸς ἡμᾶς μηδένʼ ὧν ἀκήκοας.

Ἔμπορος

ὅρα τί ποιεῖς, παῖ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

σκοπῶ κἀγὼ πάλαι.

Ἔμπορος

σὲ θήσομαι τῶνδʼ αἴτιον.
590

Νεοπτόλεμος

ποιοῦ λέγων.

591

Ἔμπορος

λέγω. ʼπὶ τοῦτον ἄνδρε τώδʼ ὥπερ κλύεις,

ὁ Τυδέως παῖς ἥ τʼ Ὀδυσσέως βία,

διώμοτοι πλέουσιν ἦ μὴν ἢ λόγῳ

πείσαντες ἄξειν ἢ πρὸς ἰσχύος κράτος.

καὶ ταῦτʼ Ἀχαιοὶ πάντες ἤκουον σαφῶς
595

Ὀδυσσέως λέγοντος· οὗτος γὰρ πλέον

τὸ θάρσος εἶχε θατέρου δράσειν τάδε.

Νεοπτόλεμος

τίνος δʼ Ἀτρεῖδαι τοῦδʼ ἄγαν οὕτω χρόνῳ

τοσῷδʼ ἐπεστρέφοντο πράγματος χάριν,

ὅν γʼ εἶχον ἤδη χρόνιον ἐκβεβληκότες;
600

τίς ὁ πόθος αὐτοὺς ἵκετʼ; ἢ θεῶν βία

καὶ νέμεσις, οἵπερ ἔργʼ ἀμύνουσιν κακά;

Ἔμπορος

ἐγώ σε τοῦτʼ, ἴσως γὰρ οὐκ ἀκήκοας,

πᾶν ἐκδιδάξω. μάντις ἦν τις εὐγενής,

Πριάμου μὲν υἱός, ὄνομα δʼ ὠνομάζετο
605

Ἕλενος, ὃν οὗτος νυκτὸς ἐξελθὼν μόνος,

ὁ πάντʼ ἀκούων αἰσχρὰ καὶ λωβήτʼ ἔπη

δόλιος Ὀδυσσεὺς εἷλε· δέσμιόν τʼ ἄγων

ἔδειξʼ Ἀχαιοῖς ἐς μέσον, θήραν καλήν·

ὃς δὴ τά τʼ ἄλλʼ αὐτοῖσι πάντʼ ἐθέσπισεν
610

καὶ τἀπὶ Τροίᾳ πέργαμʼ ὡς οὐ μή ποτε

πέρσοιεν, εἰ μὴ τόνδε πείσαντες λόγῳ

ἄγοιντο νήσου τῆσδʼ ἐφʼ ἧς ναίει τανῦν.

καὶ ταῦθʼ ὅπως ἤκουσʼ ὁ Λαέρτου τόκος

τὸν μάντιν εἰπόντʼ, εὐθέως ὑπέσχετο
615

τὸν ἄνδρʼ Ἀχαιοῖς τόνδε δηλώσειν ἄγων·

οἴοιτο μὲν μάλισθʼ ἑκούσιον λαβών,

εἰ μὴ θέλοι δʼ, ἄκοντα· καὶ τούτων κάρα

τέμνειν ἐφεῖτο τῷ θέλοντι μὴ τυχών.

ἤκουσας, ὦ παῖ, πάντα· τὸ σπεύδειν δέ σοι
620

καὐτῷ παραινῶ κεἴ τινος κήδει πέρι.

Φιλοκτήτης

οἴμοι τάλας· ἦ κεῖνος, ἡ πᾶσα βλάβη,

ἔμʼ εἰς Ἀχαιοὺς ὤμοσεν πείσας στελεῖν;

πεισθήσομαι γὰρ ὧδε κἀξ Ἅιδου θανὼν

πρὸς φῶς ἀνελθεῖν, ὥσπερ οὑκείνου πατήρ.
625

Ἔμπορος

οὐκ οἶδʼ ἐγὼ ταῦτʼ· ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ μὲν εἶμʼ ἐπὶ

ναῦν, σφῷν δʼ ὅπως ἄριστα συμφέροι θεός.

628

Φιλοκτήτης

οὔκουν τάδʼ, ὦ παῖ, δεινά, τὸν Λαερτίου

ἔμʼ ἐλπίσαι ποτʼ ἂν λόγοισι μαλθακοῖς

δεῖξαι νεὼς ἄγοντʼ ἐν Ἀργείοις μέσοις;
630

οὔ· θᾶσσον ἂν τῆς πλεῖστον ἐχθίστης ἐμοὶ

κλύοιμʼ ἐχίδνης, ἥ μʼ ἔθηκεν ὧδʼ ἄπουν.

ἀλλʼ ἔστʼ ἐκείνῳ πάντα λεκτά, πάντα δὲ

τολμητά· καὶ νῦν οἶδʼ ὁθούνεχʼ ἵξεται.

ἀλλʼ, ὦ τέκνον, χωρῶμεν, ὡς ἡμᾶς πολὺ
635

πέλαγος ὁρίζῃ τῆς Ὀδυσσέως νεώς.

ἴωμεν· ἥ τοι καίριος σπουδὴ πόνου

λήξαντος ὕπνον κἀνάπαυλαν ἤγαγεν.

Νεοπτόλεμος

οὐκοῦν ἐπειδὰν πνεῦμα τοὐκ πρῴρας ἀνῇ,

τότε στελοῦμεν· νῦν γὰρ ἀντιοστατεῖ.
640

Φιλοκτήτης

ἀεὶ καλὸς πλοῦς ἔσθʼ, ὅταν φεύγῃς κακά.

Νεοπτόλεμος

οὔκ, ἀλλὰ κἀκείνοισι ταῦτʼ ἐναντία.

Φιλοκτήτης

οὐκ ἔστι λῃσταῖς πνεῦμʼ ἐναντιούμενον,

ὅταν παρῇ κλέψαι τι χἀρπάσαι βίᾳ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἀλλʼ εἰ δοκεῖ, χωρῶμεν, ἔνδοθεν λαβὼν
645

ὅτου σε χρεία καὶ πόθος μάλιστʼ ἔχει.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἀλλʼ ἔστιν ὧν δεῖ, καίπερ οὐ πολλῶν ἄπο.

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί τοῦθʼ ὃ μὴ νεώς γε τῆς ἐμῆς ἔπι;

Φιλοκτήτης

φύλλον τί μοι πάρεστιν, ᾧ μάλιστʼ ἀεὶ

κοιμῶ τόδʼ ἕλκος, ὥστε πραΰνειν πάνυ.
650

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἀλλʼ ἔκφερʼ αὐτό. τί γὰρ ἔτʼ ἄλλʼ ἐρᾷς λαβεῖν;

Φιλοκτήτης

εἴ μοί τι τόξων τῶνδʼ ἀπημελημένον

παρερρύηκεν, ὡς λίπω μή τῳ λαβεῖν.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἦ ταῦτα γὰρ τὰ κλεινὰ τόξʼ ἃ νῦν ἔχεις;

Φιλοκτήτης

ταῦτʼ, οὐ γὰρ ἄλλʼ ἔστʼ, ἀλλʼ ἃ βαστάζω χεροῖν.
655

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἆρʼ ἔστιν ὥστε κἀγγύθεν θέαν λαβεῖν

καὶ βαστάσαι με προσκύσαι θʼ ὥσπερ θεόν;

Φιλοκτήτης

σοί γʼ, ὦ τέκνον, καὶ τοῦτο κἄλλο τῶν ἐμῶν

ὁποῖον ἄν σοι ξυμφέρῃ γενήσεται.

Νεοπτόλεμος

καὶ μὴν ἐρῶ γε, τὸν δʼ ἔρωθʼ οὕτως ἔχω·
660

εἴ μοι θέμις, θέλοιμʼ ἄν· εἰ δὲ μή, πάρες.

Φιλοκτήτης

ὅσιά τε φωνεῖς ἔστι τʼ, ὦ τέκνον, θέμις,

ὅς γʼ ἡλίου τόδʼ εἰσορᾶν ἐμοὶ φάος

μόνος δέδωκας, ὃς χθόνʼ Οἰταίαν ἰδεῖν,

ὃς πατέρα πρέσβυν, ὃς φίλους, ὃς τῶν ἐμῶν
665

ἐχθρῶν μʼ ἔνερθεν ὄντʼ ἀνέστησας πέρα.

θάρσει, παρέσται ταῦτά σοι καὶ θιγγάνειν

καὶ δόντι δοῦναι κἀξεπεύξασθαι βροτῶν

ἀρετῆς ἕκατι τῶνδʼ ἐπιψαῦσαι μόνον·

εὐεργετῶν γὰρ καὐτὸς αὔτʼ ἐκτησάμην.
670

Νεοπτόλεμος

οὐκ ἄχθομαί σʼ ἰδών τε καὶ λαβὼν φίλον·

ὅστις γὰρ εὖ δρᾶν εὖ παθὼν ἐπίσταται,

παντὸς γένοιτʼ ἂν κτήματος κρείσσων φίλος. χωροῖς ἂν εἴσω.

Φιλοκτήτης

καὶ σέ γʼ εἰσάξω· τὸ γὰρ

νοσοῦν ποθεῖ σε ξυμπαραστάτην λαβεῖν.
675

Translations (4)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 557 focus

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

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

But tell me what thou meanest, that I may learn

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

MER

Old Phoenix, Acamas and Demophon

Are gone in thy pursuit with ships and men.
555

NEO

To bring me back with reasons or perforce?

MER

I know not. What I heard, I am here to tell.

NEO

How? And is this in act? Are they set forth

To please the Atridae, Phoenix and the rest?

MER

The thing is not to do, but doing now.
560

NEO

What kept Odysseus back, if this be so,

From going himself? Had he some cause for fear?

MER

He and the son of Tydeus, when our ship

Hoist sail, were gone to fetch another man.

NEO

For whom could he himself be sailing forth?
565

MER

For some one,—but first tell me, whispering low

Whate’er thou speakest,—who is this I see?

NEO

().

This, sir, is Philoctetes the renowned.

MER

().

Without more question, snatch thyself away

And sail forth from this land.

PHI

What saith he, boy?

Through what dark traffic is the mariner

Betraying me with whispering in thine ear?

NEO

I have not caught it, but whate’er he speaks
580

He must speak openly to us and thee.

MER

Seed of Achilles, let me not offend

The army by my words! Full many a boon,

Being poor, I reap from them for service done.

NEO

The Atridae are my foes; the man you see
585

Is my fast friend, because he hates them sore.

Then, if you come in kindness, you must hide

Nothing from him or me of all thou hast heard.

MER

Look what thou doest, my son!

NEO

I mark it well.
590

MER

Thou shalt be answerable.

NEO

Content: but speak.

MER

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 557 focus

Für diese Sorgfalt wartet dein liebreicher Dank,

O Freund, so wahr ich edel bin von edler Art.

Doch sage, was du meintest; denn ich wüßte gern,
545

Welch neuen Anschlag über mich das Heer gefaßt.

Der Schiffsherr.

Der greise Phönix und des Theseus Söhne sind¹

Mit Schiffen ausgezogen, dich verfolgend, Herr.

Neoptolemos.

Durch Bitten oder mit Gewalt mich fortzuzieh'n?

Der Schiffsherr.

Weiß nicht; ich komm' und melde, was ich selbst gehört.
550

Neoptolemos.

Und sollte Phönix und die Schiffsgefährten dies

Mit solchem Eifer für des Atreus Söhne thun?

Der Schiffsherr.

Schon wird's gethan von ihnen, soll nicht erst gescheh'n.

Neoptolemos.

So war Odysseus nicht bereit, selbst auszugeh'n

Auf diese Sendung? Oder hielt ihn Furcht zurück?
555

Der Schiffsherr.

Er ging mit Deneus' Enkel einen andern Mann

Zu suchen, als ich auf die Fahrt von dannen zog.

Neoptolemos.

Nach welchem Manne fuhr Odysseus selbst hinaus?

Es war

(halblaut)

Der Schiffsherr.

vor Allem sage mir, wer dieser Mann

Hier ist, und sprich nur leise, was du sagen willst.
560
(laut)

Das ist des Pöas hochgepries'ner Sohn, o Freund.

So frage mich nicht weiter, nein, in Eile dich

Zusammenraffend, segle fort aus diesem Land.

Philoktetes.

Was sagt er, Jüngling? Was verkauft im Dunkel mich

Mit seinen Neden hier an dich der Handelsherr?
565

Neoptolemos.

Noch nicht versteh' ich, was er meint; doch muß er selbst

An's Licht es sagen, dir und mir und diesen da.

Der Schiffsherr.

O Sohn Achillens, klage nicht im Heer mich an,

Sag' ich Verbot'nes. Manches Gute thun sie mir

Und thu' ich ihnen wieder, wie's ein Armer kann.
570

Neoptolemos.

Ich bin des Atreus Söhnen feind, und dieser ist

Der liebste Freund mir, weil er Atreus' Söhne haßt.

So darfst du, wenn du kamest als mein Freund, vor uns

Kein Wort von dem verhehlen, was dein Ohr vernahm.

Der Schiffsherr.

Sieh, was du thust, Kind!
575

Neoptolemos.

Ich erwog es lange schon.

Der Schiffsherr.

Die Schuld von Allem bleibe dein!

Neoptolemos.

Sei's: rede nur!

Der Schiffsherr.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 557 focus

Counsels against thee not by threats alone

Or words enforced, but now in execution.
555

Neoptolemus

Now by my virtue, stranger, for thy news
550

I am much bound to thee, and will repay

Thy service. Tell me what the Greeks have done.

Merchant

a fleet already sails to fetch thee back,

Conducted by old Phoenix, and the sons

Of valiant Theseus.

Neoptolemus

Come they then to force me ?

Oi- am I to be won by their persuasion ?

Merchant

I know not that ; you have what I could learn.
560

Neoptolemus

And did th' Atridse send them ?

Merchant

Sent they are,

And will be with you soon.

Neoptolemus

But wherefore then
565

Came not Ulysses ? Did his courage fail ?
565

Merchant

He, ere I left the camp, with Diomed^

On some important embassy sailed forth

In search —

Neoptolemus

Of whom?

Merchant

There was a man — but stay,

Who is thy friend here, tell me, but speak softly.

SpY: Ha ! begone then !

Ask me no more — away, immediately !

Philoctetes
[Whispering him.

What do these dark mysterious whispers mean ?

Concern they me, my son ?

Neoptolemus

I know not what
580

He means to say, but I would have him speak
580

Boldly before us all, whate'er it be.

Merchant

Do not betray me to the Grecian host,

Nor make me speak what I would fain conceal.

I am but poor — they have befriended me.

Neoptolemus

In me thou seest an enemy confest
585

To the Atridse. This is my best friend

Because he hates them too ; if thou art mine,

Hide nothing then.

Merchant

Consider first.

Neoptolemus

I have.
590

Merchant

The blame will be on you.

Neoptolemus

Why, let it be ;

But speak, I charge thee.

Merchant

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 519-675 focus

Neoptolemus

Though now as a casual spectator you are compliant,

beware lest later, when filled with his disease by its constant company, you prove no longer constant to these sentiments.
520

Chorus

That will not happen. You will never have just cause to rebuke me for that!

Neoptolemus

Well, then, it would shame me if the stranger were to find

me less ready than you are to toil for his good. Come, if it pleases you, let us sail. Let the man set out at once; our ship, for her part, will carry him, and will not refuse. Only may the gods give us safe passage from this land, and from here to whatever destination we choose!
525

Philoctetes

O day of joy unsurpassed! Most delightful man, and you good sailors! If only I could show you in deeds what a true friend you have made in me! Let us be going, my son, when we two have made a solemn farewell to my homeless home inside, so that you may also learn
530

by what means I sustained my life, and how stout of heart I was born. For I believe that the mere sight would have deterred any other man but me from enduring these sufferings. But I have been slowly schooled by necessity to endure misery. Neoptolemus is about to follow Philoctetes into the cave.
535

Chorus

Wait, let us listen to the two men who are coming!

One is a crewman of your ship, the other a stranger. Go in after you hear their report.
540

Enter the Merchant, on the spectators’ left, accompanied by a Sailor.

Merchant

Son of Achilles, I asked my companion here, when he was guarding your ship with two others, to tell me where you might be found,

since I have chanced upon you unexpectedly by the good fortune of coming to anchor off this very coast. With no great company I am homeward bound on my trader’s voyage from Ilium to Peparethus with its cluster-laden vines, but when I heard that the sailors
545

were all of your crew, I resolved not to continue my voyage in silence, without first giving you my news and getting the due reward. You know nothing, I suspect, of your own affairs: the new designs the Greeks
550

have regarding you, and not only designs, but deeds in progress and no longer postponed.
555

557

Neoptolemus

The service you have done me by your forethought, sir, unless I am unworthy, will remain in my grateful thoughts. But tell me just what the designs are that you mentioned, so that I may understand

what is the strange plan of the Greeks that you know.
560

Merchant

Pursuers are on the way in search of you with a fleet. They are the aged Phoenix and the sons of Theseus.

Neoptolemus

To bring me back by force, or through persuasion?

Merchant

I do not know; but I have come to tell you what I did hear.

Neoptolemus

Are Phoenix and his comrades really so eager to do this favor for the Atreids?
565

Merchant

Be sure that it is being done, and without delay.

Neoptolemus

Then why was Odysseus not ready to sail on this mission, and bring the message himself? Or did some fear hold him back?

Merchant

Oh, he and the son of Tydeus were readying for pursuit of another man, just as I was leaving port.
570

Neoptolemus

Who is this other after whom Odysseus himself was sailing?

Merchant

There was a man. . . . But tell me first who that is over there. And whatever you say, do speak quietly.

Neoptolemus

There, sir, before your eyes is the renowned Philoctetes.
575

Merchant

Then do not question me further, but get yourself out of here as quickly as possible and sail away.

Philoctetes

What is he saying, boy? Why does the sailor traffic with you about me in these dark whispers?

Neoptolemus

His meaning yet eludes me. But, whatever he will say, he must say openly—to you, me and my men here.
580

Merchant

Seed of Achilles, do not stir the army’s resentment against me for saying what I should not. I receive many benefits for what services I do them, as a poor man may.

Neoptolemus

I am the enemy of the Atreids, and this man is my closest friend precisely because he hates them. Since, then, you have come kindly disposed towards me, you must not hide from us any part of their plans that you have heard.
585

Merchant

Beware of what you are doing, boy.

Neoptolemus

I am well aware.

Merchant

I will hold you accountable.
590

Neoptolemus

Do so, but speak.

591

Merchant

I will. It is after this man that those two whom I named to you, Diomedes and forceful Odysseus, are sailing. They are oath-bound to retrieve him, either by winning words or by overpowering might.

And all the Achaeans heard this clearly from the mouth Odysseus, for his confidence of success in this action was higher than his comrade’s.
595

Neoptolemus

And for the sake of what did the Atreids after so long a time turn their thoughts so urgently towards this man,

whom they were long since keeping an outcast? What was the desire that came over them, or what force? What avenging spirit sent by the gods to exact payment for evil deeds?
600

Merchant

I will inform you of all that, since it seems that you have not heard. There was a seer of noble birth,

a son of Priam, called Helenus, whom that man, out on a solitary night raid—that deceitful Odysseus, whose repute is all shame and dishonor—captured. Leading him back in bonds, he displayed him publicly to the Achaeans as his glorious prey.
605

Helenus then prophesied for them whatever matter they asked, and, pertaining to Troy , he foretold that they would never sack its towers, unless by winning words they should bring Philoctetes here from the island where he now dwells. And, as soon as he heard the seer prophecy this, Laertes ’ son
610

immediately promised that he would bring the man and show him to the Achaeans. He thought it most likely that he would get him willingly, but, if unwilling, then by force, and he added that, were he to fail in this, whoever wished it might sever his head.
615

You have heard everything, boy, and I advise speed for you, and for any man for whom you care.
620

Philoctetes

Alas! Has he, the utter plague, sworn to fetch me back to the Achaeans by persuasion? For if that were to happen, I could be persuaded, when dead, to come back up

from Hades into the light, as his father did!
625

Merchant

I know nothing about that. But for my part I must return to ship, while for you I pray that god may help you in every possible way. Exit Merchant.

628

Philoctetes

Now is it not astounding, boy, that Odysseus would ever have expected by means of soft words

to lead me from his ship and show me in the middle of the Greeks? No! I would sooner listen to that greatest and worst of my enemies, the viper which made me crippled as I am! But there is nothing that he would not say or dare. And now I know that he is coming here.
630

Come, son, let us be moving, so that a wide sea may part us from the ship of Odysseus. Let us go! Good speed in good season brings sleep and rest when toil is finished.
635

Neoptolemus

Then as soon as the wind is not at our prow,

we will sail. At present it blows against us.
640

Philoctetes

The sailing is always fair, when you flee trouble.

Neoptolemus

Not so; this weather is against them also.

Philoctetes

No wind stands in the way of pirates who sense a chance to steal and plunder by force.

Neoptolemus

Well, if you are so resolved, let us go, once you have taken from the cave whatever you need or desire most.
645

Philoctetes

Yes, there are some things that I need, though the choice is not large.

Neoptolemus

What is there that will not be available on board my ship?

Philoctetes

I have a store of a certain herb, whereby I can always

best lull this wound, until it is wholly tamed.
650

Neoptolemus

Fetch it, then. Now, what else do you wish to take?

Philoctetes

Any of these arrows that may have been forgotten, and may have slipped away from me, so that I not leave it for another to take.

Neoptolemus

Is that indeed the famous bow which you hold?

Philoctetes

This, and no other, that I carry in my hand.
655

Neoptolemus

Is there any way that I might have a closer view of it—and handle it, and salute it as divine?

Philoctetes

To you alone, my son, this shall be granted, along with anything else in my power that is in your interest.

Neoptolemus

I do indeed crave to touch it, but my craving takes this form: if it is lawful, I would be glad. If not, think no more of it.
660

Philoctetes

Your words are reverent, son, and your wish is lawful. For you alone have given to my eyes the light of life and the hope of seeing the land of Oeta, of seeing

my aged father and my friends; and you alone, when I lay beneath the feet of my enemies, have lifted me beyond their reach. Be bold. The bow shall be yours to handle and to return to the hand that gave it, and you will be able to boast aloud that in reward for your goodness, you alone of mortals have touched it.
665

Yes, it was by a good deed that I myself won it.
670

Neoptolemus

I am not sorry that I found you and have gained your friendship, since whoever knows how to render benefit for a benefit received must prove a friend more valuable than any possession. Please, do go inside.

Philoctetes

Agreed, and I will bring you also.

My sickness craves the comfort of your presence. Philoctetes and Neoptolemus enter the cave.
675

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-87-1 ἀγνοία ¹ προσῇ ² ἀγνοίᾳ ³

mvp-comment-88-1 οὗ δῆτα ⁴ οὗ δὴ σύ ⁵ οὗ ⁶ δέχου ⁷

mvp-comment-88-2 ποικίλως ⁸

mvp-comment-88-3 αὐδωμένου ⁹

mvp-comment-88-4 τὰ συμφέροντα ¹⁰ τῶν ἀεὶ λόγων ¹¹

mvp-comment-88-5 σοὶ παρεὶς τάδε ¹²

mvp-comment-89-1 Ἑρμῆς ὁ πέμπων δόλιος ¹³

mvp-comment-89-2 ὁ πέμπων ¹⁴

mvp-comment-89-3 δόλιος ¹⁵

mvp-comment-89-4 νῷν ¹⁶

mvp-comment-90-1 Νίκη τ’ Ἀθάνα Πολιάς ¹⁷

mvp-comment-90-2 The same remark applies to the name Πολιάς ¹⁸

mvp-comment-90-3 ἣ σῴζει μ’ ἀεί ¹⁹

mvp-comment-91-1 ἐν ξένᾳ ξένον ²⁰

mvp-comment-91-2 στέγειν … λέγειν ²¹

mvp-comment-91-3 ὑπόπταν ²²

mvp-comment-92-1 τέχνα ²³

mvp-comment-92-2 ἑτέρας ²⁴

mvp-comment-92-3 γνώμα ²⁵ γνώμας ²⁶

mvp-comment-92-4 παρ’ ὅτῳ ²⁷

mvp-comment-92-5 τὸ θεῖον Διὸς σκῆπτρον ²⁸

mvp-comment-92-6 ἀνάσσεται ²⁹

mvp-comment-93-1 σὲ … ἐλήλυθεν ³⁰ σοὶ δ’ ³¹ σὲ δ’ ³²

mvp-comment-93-2 πᾶν κράτος ³³

mvp-comment-93-3 ὠγύγιον ³⁴

mvp-comment-93-4 τὸ ³⁵

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

ἀμφίθυρον

(159) implies that, having approached the seaward mouth of the cave, they can see right through it; and v. 161 (

ποῦ γὰρ ὁ τλήμων

...;) confirms this; their own eyes now assure them that the cave is empty. But nothing indicates that they actually enter it.

mvp-comment-93-6 ἐσχατιαῖς ³⁶

mvp-comment-93-7 ὅντινα κεῖται ³⁷

mvp-comment-94-1 τῶνδ’ Οὑκ μελάθρων ³⁸ ὁδίτης ³⁹ μόλῃ ⁴⁰ τῶνδε ὁ ἐκ μελάθρων ⁴¹ ἐκ ⁴² ἐκ ⁴³ μόλῃ ⁴⁴ ἐκ ⁴⁵ προχωρῶν ⁴⁶

mvp-comment-95-1 πρὸς ἐμὴν αἰεὶ χεῖρα προχωρῶν ⁴⁷ προχωρῶν ⁴⁸ πρὸς ἐμὴν … χεῖρα ⁴⁹

mvp-comment-96-1 τὸ παρὸν θεραπεύειν ⁵⁰

mvp-comment-97-1 μέλον … μέλημα ⁵¹ ὄμμα ⁵² φρουρεῖν ⁵³

mvp-comment-97-2 ἐπὶ σῷ καιρῷ ⁵⁴

mvp-comment-98-1 αὐλὰς ποίας ⁵⁵

mvp-comment-98-2 ἔνεδρος ⁵⁶ ναίει ⁵⁷

mvp-comment-98-3 χῶρον τίν’ ἔχει ⁵⁸

mvp-comment-98-4 τὸ γὰρ οὐκ ἀποκ. μοί ⁵⁹ μαθεῖν ⁶⁰ προσπεσών ⁶¹

mvp-comment-99-1 τίς τόπος … θυραῖον ⁶²

mvp-comment-99-2 ἔχει στίβον ⁶³ ἔναυλον ⁶⁴

mvp-comment-100-1 οἶκον … κοίτης ⁶⁵

mvp-comment-100-2 ἀμφίθυρον ⁶⁶ μὲν ⁶⁷ ποῦ γὰρ ⁶⁸

mvp-comment-101-1 φορβῆς ⁶⁹

mvp-comment-101-2 τῇδε ⁷⁰ τόνδε ⁷¹

mvp-comment-102-1 ταύτην ⁷²

mvp-comment-102-2 φύσιν ⁷³

mvp-comment-103-1 στυγερὸν στυγερῶς ⁷⁴ σμυγερὸν σμυγερῶς ⁷⁵

mvp-comment-104-1 ἐπινωμᾶν ⁷⁶

mvp-comment-105-1 οἰκτίρω ⁷⁷

mvp-comment-105-2 ὅπως ⁷⁸

mvp-comment-106-1 μή του ⁷⁹

mvp-comment-106-2 μηδὲ ⁸⁰ σύντροφον ⁸¹ ξύντροφον ⁸²

mvp-comment-106-3 ξυντρ. ὄμμ’ ⁸³

mvp-comment-107-1 ἀλύει ⁸⁴

mvp-comment-107-2 παντί τῳ χρείας ⁸⁵ ἱσταμένῳ ⁸⁶

mvp-comment-108-1 ὦ παλάμαι Θεῶν ⁸⁷ θεῶν ⁸⁸ θνητῶν ⁸⁹ θνητῶν ⁹⁰

mvp-comment-109-1 γένη ⁹¹

mvp-comment-110-1 οἷς μὴ μέτριος αἰών ⁹² μὴ ⁹³ μὴ μέτριος ⁹⁴ γένη ⁹⁵

mvp-comment-111-1 πρωτογόνων ⁹⁶ εὐγενῶν ⁹⁷

mvp-comment-111-2 ἴσως ⁹⁸ ἴσως ⁹⁹ γεγὼς ¹⁰⁰

mvp-comment-111-3 οὐδενὸς ¹⁰¹ ἥκων ¹⁰² οἴκων ¹⁰³ οἴκων ¹⁰⁴ οὐδενὸς ὕστερος ¹⁰⁵

mvp-comment-112-1 ἐν βίῳ ¹⁰⁶ ἄμμορος ¹⁰⁷ πάντων ¹⁰⁸

mvp-comment-113-1 μοῦνος ἀπ’ ἄλλων ¹⁰⁹

mvp-comment-113-2 στικτῶν ¹¹⁰ ἔλαφος ¹¹¹ λασίων ¹¹² στικτῶν ¹¹³

mvp-comment-113-3 μετὰ ¹¹⁴

mvp-comment-113-4 ἔν τ’ ὀδύναις ¹¹⁵

mvp-comment-114-1 Ὀρεία δ’ ¹¹⁶ βαρεῖα δ’ ¹¹⁷ ὀρεία ¹¹⁸

mvp-comment-114-2 ἀθυρόστομος ¹¹⁹ ἀθυροστομοῦς’ ¹²⁰

mvp-comment-115-1 Ἀχὼ τηλεφανὴς ¹²¹

mvp-comment-115-2 πικραῖς | οἰμωγαῖς ὑπακούει ¹²² πικρᾶς οἰμωγᾶς ὑπόκειται ¹²³ ὑπακούει ¹²⁴

mvp-comment-116-1 θεῖα ¹²⁵

mvp-comment-116-2 κἀγώ ¹²⁶

mvp-comment-116-3 καὶ τὰ παθήμ. κεῖνα ¹²⁷

mvp-comment-116-4 τῆς ὠμόφρ. Χρύσης ¹²⁸ ἐπέβη ¹²⁹ παθήματα … Χρύσης ¹³⁰

mvp-comment-116-5 ὠμόφρονος ¹³¹

mvp-comment-117-1 οὐκ ἔσθ’ ὡς οὐ ¹³²

mvp-comment-118-1 τοῦ μὴ … τεῖναι ¹³³

mvp-comment-118-2 τεῖναι … βέλη ¹³⁴ τὰ θεῶν ¹³⁵

mvp-comment-119-1 πρὶν...ἐξήκοι ¹³⁶ πρὶν ἂν ἐξήκῃ ¹³⁷

mvp-comment-119-2 λέγεται ¹³⁸

mvp-comment-120-1 εὔστομ’ ἔχε ¹³⁹

mvp-comment-120-2 τί τόδε ¹⁴⁰

mvp-comment-120-3 προὐφάνη ¹⁴¹

mvp-comment-121-1 σύντροφος ¹⁴² φωτὸς ¹⁴³

mvp-comment-122-1 ἤ που ¹⁴⁴ ἦ που ¹⁴⁵ τῇδ’ … τῇδε ¹⁴⁶ τόπων ¹⁴⁷

mvp-comment-122-2 βάλλει ¹⁴⁸

mvp-comment-122-3 ἐτύμα ¹⁴⁹

mvp-comment-123-1 στίβον … ἕρποντος ¹⁵⁰

mvp-comment-123-2 κατ’ ἀνάγκαν ¹⁵¹ στίβου κατ’ ἀνάγκαν ¹⁵² στίβον ¹⁵³

mvp-comment-124-1 οὐδέ με λάθει ¹⁵⁴

mvp-comment-124-2 βαρεῖα ¹⁵⁵ τρυσάνωρ ¹⁵⁶

mvp-comment-124-3 διάσημα γὰρ θροεῖ ¹⁵⁷

mvp-comment-125-1 ἀλλ’ ἔχε ¹⁵⁸

mvp-comment-125-2 ἀλλ’ ¹⁵⁹ ἔχε … φροντίδας vέας ¹⁶⁰ λέγ’ ὅ τι ¹⁶¹

mvp-comment-126-1 οὐκ ἔξεδρος ¹⁶²

mvp-comment-126-2 μολπὰν … ἔχων ¹⁶³

mvp-comment-126-3 σύριγγος ¹⁶⁴

mvp-comment-126-4 ποιμὰν ¹⁶⁵

mvp-comment-126-5 ἀγροβότας, ἐν ἀγρῷ βόσκων ¹⁶⁶

mvp-comment-127-1 ἀλλ’ ἤ που ¹⁶⁷ βοᾷ ¹⁶⁸ ὑπ’ ἀνάγκας ¹⁶⁹ πταίων ¹⁷⁰ βοᾷ ¹⁷¹

mvp-comment-127-2 τηλωπὸν ἰωάν ¹⁷²

mvp-comment-128-1 ναὸς ἄξενον … ὅρμον ¹⁷³

mvp-comment-128-2 προβοᾷ τι γἀρ δεινόν ¹⁷⁴ δεινόν ¹⁷⁵ θροεῖ ¹⁷⁶

mvp-comment-129-1 ἰὼ ξένοι ¹⁷⁷

mvp-comment-130-1 κἀκ ποίας πάτρας ¹⁷⁸ ναυτίλῳ πλάτῃ ¹⁷⁹ κατέσχετ’ ¹⁸⁰

mvp-comment-130-2 But

κἀκ ποίας πάτρας

in v. 220 and

ποίας πάτρας

in 222 cannot both be wholly sound. The first

πάτρας

might easily be corrected to

χθονὸς

(with Wecklein). It is slightly more probable, how ever, that the second

πάτρας

arose from the eye glancing back. Thus in Ant. 831 L has

τάκει

(for

τέγγει

), due to

τακομέναν

in 828. In v. 222 we might conjecture

ποίας πόλεως

. (For

πόλεως

in the 2nd place of the senarius, cp. O. T. 630. ) The series of questions in vv. 220— 222 would then correspond with the Homeric

τίς πόθεν ε<*>ς ἀνδρῶν; πόθι τοι πόλις ἠδὲ τοκῆες

; ( Od. 1. 170. )

mvp-comment-131-1 κατέσχετ’ ¹⁸¹

mvp-comment-131-2 222 On the grounds given in n. on 220, I conjecture πόλεως ¹⁸² πάτρας ¹⁸³

mvp-comment-132-1 τύχοιμ’ ἂν εἰπών ¹⁸⁴

mvp-comment-132-2 σχῆμα ¹⁸⁵ σχῆμα ὑπάρχει ¹⁸⁶ Ἑλλάδος στολῆς ¹⁸⁷

mvp-comment-133-1 ὄκνῳ ¹⁸⁸

mvp-comment-133-2 ἀπηγριωμένον ¹⁸⁹

mvp-comment-134-1 κακούμενον ¹⁹⁰ καλούμενον ¹⁹¹

mvp-comment-135-1 ἀλλ’ ¹⁹²

mvp-comment-135-2 ὑμῶν ἁμαρτεῖν τοῦτό γ’ ¹⁹³ ὑμῶν ¹⁹⁴ τοῦτο ¹⁹⁵ τοῦτό γ’ ¹⁹⁶ τοῦδέ γ’ ¹⁹⁷

mvp-comment-136-1 ἀλλ’ ¹⁹⁸

mvp-comment-136-2 οὕνεκα ¹⁹⁹

mvp-comment-137-1 φεῦ ²⁰⁰

mvp-comment-137-2 τὸ καὶ λαβεῖν ²⁰¹

mvp-comment-137-3 τοιοῦδ’ ἀνδρὸς ²⁰²

mvp-comment-137-4 ἐν χρόνῳ μακρῷ ²⁰³

mvp-comment-138-1 προσέσχε ²⁰⁴ προσήγαγεν ²⁰⁵ προσέσχε ²⁰⁶

mvp-comment-139-1 τίς ἀνέμων ὁ φίλτατος ²⁰⁷

mvp-comment-139-2 γέγωνε ²⁰⁸

mvp-comment-139-3 ὅπως εἰδῶ ²⁰⁹

mvp-comment-140-1 γένος ²¹⁰

mvp-comment-141-1 Σκύρου ²¹¹

mvp-comment-142-1 Νεοπτόλεμος ²¹² οἶσθα δὴ τὸ πᾶν ²¹³

mvp-comment-143-1 ὦ φίλης χθονός ²¹⁴ παῖ ²¹⁵

mvp-comment-144-1 θρέμμα Λυκομήδους ²¹⁶ στόλῳ ²¹⁷ προσέσχες … γῆν ²¹⁸

mvp-comment-145-1 ἐξ Ἰλίου τοι δὴ ²¹⁹ τοι ²²⁰ δὴ ²²¹ τοι δὴ ²²² )γὼ δὴ ²²³

mvp-comment-146-1 οὐ γὰρ δὴ σύ γ’ ²²⁴ κατ’ ἀρχὴν τοῦ … στόλου ²²⁵

mvp-comment-147-1 ἦ γὰρ ²²⁶

mvp-comment-147-2 πόνου ²²⁷

mvp-comment-148-1 οὐ γὰρ ²²⁸

mvp-comment-148-2 οἶσθα κάτοιδ’ ²²⁹

mvp-comment-148-3 πῶς … κάτοιδ’ ²³⁰

mvp-comment-149-1 ὄνοὐ ἄῤ ²³¹ οὐ τοὔνομ’ ²³² οὐδ’ ²³³

mvp-comment-149-2 διωλλύμην ²³⁴

mvp-comment-150-1 ἴσθι με ὡς μηδὲν εἰδότ’ ²³⁵ ὡς ²³⁶ μηδὲν ²³⁷ ὡς ²³⁸

mvp-comment-151-1 πόλλ’ ²³⁹

mvp-comment-151-2 πικρὸς ²⁴⁰ στυγνὸς ²⁴¹

mvp-comment-152-1 οὗ μηδὲ ²⁴²

mvp-comment-152-2 οἴκαδε ²⁴³ μηδ’ Ἑλλάδος γῆς μηδαμοῦ ²⁴⁴ ὧδ’ ἔχοντος ²⁴⁵

mvp-comment-152-3 μηδαμοῦ ²⁴⁶

mvp-comment-152-4 πω ²⁴⁷ που ²⁴⁸ πω ²⁴⁹ που ²⁵⁰

mvp-comment-153-1 σῖγ’ ἔχοντες ²⁵¹

mvp-comment-153-2 τέθηλε ²⁵²

mvp-comment-153-3 κἀπὶ μεῖζον ἔρχεται ²⁵³

mvp-comment-154-1 ἐξ ²⁵⁴

mvp-comment-154-2 ὅδ’ εἴμ’ ἐγώ σοι ²⁵⁵ κεῖνος ²⁵⁶ κλύεις ²⁵⁷

mvp-comment-154-3 τῶν Ἡρ ²⁵⁸ ὅπλων ²⁵⁹

mvp-comment-154-4 δεσπότην ²⁶⁰

mvp-comment-155-1 ὃν οἱ ²⁶¹

mvp-comment-155-2 χὡ Κεφαλλήνων ἄναξ ²⁶²

mvp-comment-156-1 ἀγρίᾳ ²⁶³ ἀγρίῳ ²⁶⁴ φοινίῳ ²⁶⁵ ἔρημον ²⁶⁶

mvp-comment-157-1 τῆς … ἐχίδνης ²⁶⁷ χαράγματι ²⁶⁸

mvp-comment-158-1 ξὺν ᾗ ²⁶⁹

mvp-comment-158-2 ᾤχοντ’ ²⁷⁰ ἔρημον ²⁷¹

mvp-comment-158-3 τῆς ποντίας Χρύσης ²⁷² κατέσχον ²⁷³

mvp-comment-159-1 ἄσμενοι ²⁷⁴ ἄσμενον ²⁷⁵

mvp-comment-159-2 ἐκ πολλοῦ σάλου ²⁷⁶

mvp-comment-159-3 κατηρεφεῖ ²⁷⁷

mvp-comment-159-4 πέτρᾳ ²⁷⁸ πέτρῳ ²⁷⁹

mvp-comment-160-1 οἷα ²⁸⁰ φωτὶ δυσμόρῳ ²⁸¹

mvp-comment-161-1 καί τι καὶ ²⁸²

mvp-comment-161-2 βορᾶς ²⁸³

mvp-comment-161-3 οἷ’ αὐτοῖς τύχοι ²⁸⁴

mvp-comment-162-1 σὺ δὴ ²⁸⁵

mvp-comment-162-2 ἀνάστασιν ²⁸⁶ στῆναι ²⁸⁷

mvp-comment-163-1 ποἶ ἐκδακρῦσαι ²⁸⁸

mvp-comment-163-2 ποἶ ἀποιμῶξαι κακά ²⁸⁹

mvp-comment-164-1 ὁρῶντα ²⁹⁰

mvp-comment-165-1 οὐχ ²⁹¹ ὅστις ἀρκέσειεν ²⁹²

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

τίς ἀρκέσῃ

; comes the indirect

ἀπορῶ ὅστις ἀρκέσῃ

: and, after a secondary tense,

ἠπόρουν ὅστις ἀρκέσειεν

. ( H. 7. 4. 39

ἠπόρει ὅ τι χρήσαιτο τῷ πράγματι

.) In

οὐδένα εἶχον ὅστις ἀρκέσειεν

the interrogative sense of

ὅστις

has passed into a purely relative sense, and the clause has become final. For this view, see Sidgwick A. in Classical Review, vol. v. p. 148, 1891. (2) Others hold that this optative is simply a potential, equivalent to the optative with

ἄν

. Prof. W. G. Hale, after a full discussion, decides for this view: see Transactions of American Phil. Assoc., vol. XXIV. pp. 156—205, 1894.

mvp-comment-165-3 νόσου κάμνοντι συλλάβοιτο ²⁹³

mvp-comment-165-4 πάντα δὲ σκοπῶν ²⁹⁴

mvp-comment-166-1 πλὴν ἀνιᾶσθαι ²⁹⁵ παρόν ²⁹⁶

mvp-comment-166-2 εὐμάρειαν ²⁹⁷ τούτου δὲ ²⁹⁸

mvp-comment-167-1 ὁ μὲν χρόνος δὴ διὰ χρόνου ²⁹⁹ διὰ χρόνου ³⁰⁰ ὁ χρόνος προὔβαινέ μοι ³⁰¹ διὰ χρόνου ³⁰² προὔβαινε ³⁰³

mvp-comment-168-1 κἄδει τι ³⁰⁴ τι ³⁰⁵ ἔδει ³⁰⁶ βαιᾷ ³⁰⁷

mvp-comment-168-2 διακονεῖσθαι ³⁰⁸

mvp-comment-169-1 ὑποπτέρους ³⁰⁹

mvp-comment-170-1 ὅ μοι βάλοι ³¹⁰

mvp-comment-170-2 νευροσπαδὴς ³¹¹

mvp-comment-170-3 ἄτρακτος ³¹²

mvp-comment-170-4 αὐτὸς ³¹³

mvp-comment-171-1 εἰλυόμην ³¹⁴

mvp-comment-171-2 ἂν ³¹⁵

mvp-comment-171-3 δύστηνον ³¹⁶

mvp-comment-171-4 ἐξέλκων ³¹⁷

mvp-comment-171-5 πρὸς τοῦτ ἄν ³¹⁸

mvp-comment-172-1 πάγου χυθέντος ³¹⁹

mvp-comment-172-2 οἷα ³²⁰

mvp-comment-172-3 ξύλον τι ³²¹ ἄν ³²²

mvp-comment-173-1 ἐν πέτροισι πέτρον ³²³

mvp-comment-173-2 ἐκτρίβων ³²⁴ ἐκτρίβων ³²⁵

mvp-comment-173-3 ἔφην’ ἄφαντον φῶς ³²⁶

mvp-comment-173-4 ἄφαντον ³²⁷

mvp-comment-174-1 οἰκουμένη γὰρ οὖν ³²⁸

mvp-comment-174-2 ἐμέ ³²⁹

mvp-comment-175-1 φέρε … μάθῃς ³³⁰

mvp-comment-175-2 Several recent editors (see cr. n.) cut the knot by reading μάθε ³³¹ μάθε ³³² μάθῃς ³³³ κἂν … μάθοις ³³⁴ κἂν ³³⁵ καὶ ³³⁶ μάθοις ³³⁷ μάθῃς ³³⁸

mvp-comment-175-3 τὸ τῆς νήσου ³³⁹ τὰ ³⁴⁰

mvp-comment-176-1 οὐ γάρ τις ὅρμος ἐστίν ³⁴¹

mvp-comment-176-2 οὐδ’ ὅποι πλέων ³⁴² ἐξεμπολήσει κέρδος ³⁴³

mvp-comment-176-3 ξενώσεται ³⁴⁴

mvp-comment-177-1 ἐνθάδ’ ³⁴⁵

mvp-comment-177-2 πλοῖ ³⁴⁶ σώφροσι ³⁴⁷

mvp-comment-177-3 βροτῶν ³⁴⁸

mvp-comment-178-1 τάχ’ οὖν τις … ἔσχε ³⁴⁹

mvp-comment-178-2 ἔσχε ³⁵⁰

mvp-comment-178-3 πολλὰ γὰρ ³⁵¹

mvp-comment-179-1 οὗτοι ³⁵²

mvp-comment-179-2 λόγοις ἐλεοῦσι … οἰκτίραντες ³⁵³

mvp-comment-179-3 καί πού τι ³⁵⁴

mvp-comment-179-4 στολήν ³⁵⁵

mvp-comment-179-5 ἐκεῖνο … θέλει ³⁵⁶

mvp-comment-180-1 σῶσαί μ’ ἐς οἴκους ³⁵⁷

mvp-comment-180-2 ἐν λιμῷ τε καὶ κακοῖσι ³⁵⁸ καί ³⁵⁹

mvp-comment-180-3 βόσκων ³⁶⁰ ἀδηφάγον ³⁶¹

mvp-comment-181-1 βία ³⁶²

mvp-comment-181-2 οἷ’ ³⁶³ οἷς ³⁶⁴

mvp-comment-181-3 ἐμοῦ ³⁶⁵

mvp-comment-182-1 ἴσα ³⁶⁶

mvp-comment-182-2 ἐποικτίρειν ³⁶⁷ ἐποικτιρεῖν ³⁶⁸

mvp-comment-183-1 ἐν λόγοις ³⁶⁹ ὢν ³⁷⁰

mvp-comment-183-2 συντυχὼν ³⁷¹

mvp-comment-184-1 ἦ γάρ ³⁷²

mvp-comment-184-2 τοῖς πανωλέθροις ³⁷³

mvp-comment-184-3 παθών ³⁷⁴

mvp-comment-184-4 324 f. The corruption in the MSS.,

θυμῷ...χεῖρα

, is of the same nature as that in O. T. 376 (

με...σοῦ

for

σε ἐμοῦ

). Cp. Plat. Rep. 465A

εἴ πού τίς τῳ θυμοῖτο, ἐν τῷ τοιούτῳ πληρῶν τὸν θυμὸν

(sating his wrath)

ἧττον ἐπὶ μείζους ἂν ἴοι στάσεις.

mvp-comment-184-5 Μυκῆναι ³⁷⁵ Σπάρτη ³⁷⁶ γνοῖεν ³⁷⁷

mvp-comment-185-1 εὖ γ’ ³⁷⁸

mvp-comment-185-2 τίνος γὰρ ³⁷⁹ τίνος ³⁸⁰

mvp-comment-185-3 ὧδε ³⁸¹ τίνος ³⁸²

mvp-comment-186-1 ἐξερῶ, μόλις δ’ ἐρῶ ³⁸³

mvp-comment-186-2 μολών ³⁸⁴

mvp-comment-187-1 ἔσχε ³⁸⁵

mvp-comment-188-1 φράσῃς … μὴ πέρα ³⁸⁶

mvp-comment-189-1 τοξευτὸς … δαμείς ³⁸⁷

mvp-comment-189-2 ὡς λέγουσιν ³⁸⁸ ἐκ ³⁸⁹ ὑπό ³⁹⁰

mvp-comment-190-1 ἀλλ’ εὐγενὴς μὲν ³⁹¹ δέ ³⁹² κτανών … θανών ³⁹³

mvp-comment-191-1 ἐλέγχω … στένω ³⁹⁴

mvp-comment-192-1 οἶμαι μὲν ³⁹⁵

mvp-comment-192-2 καὶ τὰ ς’ ³⁹⁶

mvp-comment-193-1 τοιγαροῦν ³⁹⁷ αὖθις πάλιν ³⁹⁸

mvp-comment-193-2 ὅτῳ ³⁹⁹

mvp-comment-194-1 ποικιλοστόλῳ ⁴⁰⁰ ποικιλοστόμῳ ⁴⁰¹

mvp-comment-195-1 δῖός τ’ Ὀδυσσεὺς ⁴⁰²

mvp-comment-195-2 χὡ τροφεὺς ⁴⁰³

mvp-comment-196-1 εἴτ’ ἄρ’ οὖν ⁴⁰⁴

mvp-comment-196-2 ἀληθὲς ⁴⁰⁵ λέγοντες ⁴⁰⁶

mvp-comment-196-3 γίγνοιτ’ ⁴⁰⁷

mvp-comment-197-1 ἄλλον ἢ )μ’ ⁴⁰⁸ ἢ )μ’ ⁴⁰⁹

mvp-comment-198-1 οὐ πολὺν ⁴¹⁰

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 ⁴¹¹

mvp-comment-199-1 οὐ γὰρ εἰδόμην ⁴¹² εἰδόμην ⁴¹³

mvp-comment-200-1 ἔπειτα μέντοι ⁴¹⁴

mvp-comment-200-2 χὡ λόγος καλὸς προσῆν ⁴¹⁵ ὁ λόγος ⁴¹⁶ προσῆν ⁴¹⁷

mvp-comment-200-3 εἰ … αἱρήσοιμ’ ⁴¹⁸

mvp-comment-200-4 τἀπὶ Τροίᾳ πέργαμ’ ⁴¹⁹ ἐπί ⁴²⁰

mvp-comment-200-5 ἰών ⁴²¹

mvp-comment-201-1 πλέοντί μοι ⁴²²

mvp-comment-201-2 κἀγὼ ⁴²³

mvp-comment-201-3 πικρὸν Σίγειον ⁴²⁴

mvp-comment-201-4 οὐρίῳ πλάτῃ ⁴²⁵

mvp-comment-201-5 κατηγόμην ⁴²⁶

mvp-comment-202-1 ὀμνύντες ⁴²⁷ στρατός ⁴²⁸

mvp-comment-202-2 ζῶντ’ Ἀχ. πάλιν ⁴²⁹

mvp-comment-203-1 ἔκειτ’ ⁴³⁰

mvp-comment-203-2 )δάκρυσα ⁴³¹

mvp-comment-203-3 οὐ μακρῷ χρόνῳ ⁴³²

mvp-comment-204-1 ὡς εἰκὸς ἦν ⁴³³ φίλους ⁴³⁴

mvp-comment-204-2 τά τ’ ἄλλ’ ὅσ’ ἦν ⁴³⁵

mvp-comment-205-1 τλημονέστατον λόγον ⁴³⁶

mvp-comment-206-1 πάρεστί σοι ⁴³⁷

mvp-comment-206-2 Λαέρτου ⁴³⁸

mvp-comment-207-1 δακρύσας ⁴³⁹

mvp-comment-207-2 ἐξανίσταμαι ⁴⁴⁰

mvp-comment-207-3 ὀργῇ ⁴⁴¹ βαρείᾳ ⁴⁴²

mvp-comment-207-4 κᾳταλγήσας ⁴⁴³

mvp-comment-208-1 ὦ σχέτλἰ ⁴⁴⁴ ἦ )τολμήσατ’ ⁴⁴⁵

mvp-comment-208-2 πρὶν μαθεῖν ἐμοῦ ⁴⁴⁶

mvp-comment-209-1 ὁ δ’ εἶπ’ Ὀδυσσεύς ⁴⁴⁷

mvp-comment-209-2 ὢν κυρεῖ ⁴⁴⁸ ἦν κυρῶν ⁴⁴⁹

mvp-comment-209-3 τάδε ⁴⁵⁰ δεδράκας’ ⁴⁵¹

mvp-comment-210-1 παρών ⁴⁵²

mvp-comment-211-1 ἤρασσον ⁴⁵³

mvp-comment-211-2 κακοῖς τοῖς πᾶσιν ⁴⁵⁴

mvp-comment-211-3 οὐδὲν ἐνδεὲς ποιούμενος ⁴⁵⁵

mvp-comment-211-4 εἰ … ἀφαιρήσοιτο ⁴⁵⁶

mvp-comment-212-1 ἐνθάδ’ ἥκων ⁴⁵⁷

mvp-comment-212-2 οὐ δύσοργος ⁴⁵⁸

mvp-comment-212-3 πρὸς ἁξήκουσεν ⁴⁵⁹ δηχθείς ⁴⁶⁰ ἠμείψατο ⁴⁶¹

mvp-comment-212-4 ἃ ἐξήκουσεν ⁴⁶²

mvp-comment-213-1 ἐπειδὴ καὶ λέγεις ⁴⁶³

mvp-comment-213-2 οὐ μήποτ’ ⁴⁶⁴ τὴν Σκῦρον ⁴⁶⁵

mvp-comment-213-3 ἐκπλεύσῃς ⁴⁶⁶

mvp-comment-213-4 382 ff. The words ἀκούσας κἀξονειδισθείς ⁴⁶⁷ κακά ⁴⁶⁸ κἀξονειδίσας ⁴⁶⁹

mvp-comment-213-5 πρὸς οἴκους ⁴⁷⁰

mvp-comment-213-6 τητώμενος ⁴⁷¹

mvp-comment-213-7 κἀκ κακῶν ⁴⁷²

mvp-comment-214-1 τοὺς ἐν τέλει ⁴⁷³

mvp-comment-214-2 πᾶσα ⁴⁷⁴ σύμπας ⁴⁷⁵

mvp-comment-214-3 ἔστι … τῶν ἡγουμένων ⁴⁷⁶

mvp-comment-214-4 στρατός ⁴⁷⁷

mvp-comment-214-5 οἱ δ’ ἀκοσμοῦντες βροτῶν ⁴⁷⁸

mvp-comment-214-6 διδασκάλων λόγοισι ⁴⁷⁹

mvp-comment-215-1 λόγος λέλεκται πᾶς ⁴⁸⁰

mvp-comment-215-2 Ἀτρείδας ⁴⁸¹

mvp-comment-215-3 φίλος ⁴⁸²

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 ⁴⁸³ παμβῶτι ⁴⁸⁴

mvp-comment-217-2 μᾶτερ αὐτοῦ Διός ⁴⁸⁵

mvp-comment-218-1 Πακτωλὸν ⁴⁸⁶

mvp-comment-218-2 εὔχρυσον ⁴⁸⁷

mvp-comment-219-1 κἀκεῖ ⁴⁸⁸

mvp-comment-219-2 ἐπηυδώμαν ⁴⁸⁹

mvp-comment-219-3 Ἀτρειδᾶν ὕβρις πᾶς’ ⁴⁹⁰

mvp-comment-220-1 τὰ πάτρια ⁴⁹¹

mvp-comment-221-1 ἰὼ ⁴⁹² μάκαιρα ⁴⁹³

mvp-comment-221-2 ταυροκτόνων ⁴⁹⁴

mvp-comment-221-3 λεόντων ἔφεδρε ⁴⁹⁵

mvp-comment-222-1 σέβας ⁴⁹⁶

mvp-comment-222-2 We should not, then, change σέβας ⁴⁹⁷ γέρας ⁴⁹⁸

mvp-comment-223-1 σύμβολον … λύπης ⁴⁹⁹

mvp-comment-224-1 προσᾴδεθ’ ⁵⁰⁰

mvp-comment-224-2 ταῦτ’ … ἔργα ⁵⁰¹

mvp-comment-225-1 ἂν … θιγόντα ⁵⁰² πανουργίας ⁵⁰³

mvp-comment-225-2 ἀφ’ ἧς μηδὲν … ποεῖν ⁵⁰⁴ μέλλοι ⁵⁰⁵

mvp-comment-225-3 μηδὲν ⁵⁰⁶

mvp-comment-225-4 ἐς τέλος ⁵⁰⁷

mvp-comment-225-5 ποεῖν ⁵⁰⁸

mvp-comment-226-1 ὁ μείζων ⁵⁰⁹ οὐκ ἦν ἔτι ζῶν ⁵¹⁰

mvp-comment-227-1 ἀλλ’ ἦ ⁵¹¹ ἦ γάρ ⁵¹² πῶς εἶπας ⁵¹³

mvp-comment-228-1 ὡς μηκέτ’ ὄντα ⁵¹⁴

mvp-comment-229-1 οἴμοι τάλας ⁵¹⁵ ἀλλ’ οὐχ ⁵¹⁶

mvp-comment-230-1 οὑμπολητὸς Σισύφου Λαερτίῳ ⁵¹⁷

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 ⁵¹⁸

mvp-comment-231-1 ἔδει ⁵¹⁹

mvp-comment-232-1 καὶ μέγα θάλλοντες ⁵²⁰

mvp-comment-233-1 τί δ’ ⁵²¹ ὠ ⁵²² οὐ ⁵²³ αὖ ⁵²⁴ οὐ ⁵²⁵ τί δ’ ⁵²⁶ τί δ’ ὃς ⁵²⁷ ὃς ⁵²⁸ ὁ ⁵²⁹

mvp-comment-233-2 παλαιός ⁵³⁰ καί … τε ⁵³¹

mvp-comment-233-3 τά γε κείνων κακά ⁵³² γε ⁵³³

mvp-comment-233-4 ἐξήρυκε ⁵³⁴

mvp-comment-234-1 Ἀντίλοχος ⁵³⁵

mvp-comment-234-2 ὃς παρῆν γόνος ⁵³⁶ ὅσπερ ἦν γόνος ⁵³⁷ ὅς γ’ ἔτ’ ἦν ⁵³⁸ ὅς ποτ’ ἦν ⁵³⁹

mvp-comment-235-1 δὔ αὖ τώδ’ ἄνδρ’ ἔλεξας ⁵⁴⁰ δὔ αὖ τώδ’ ἐξέδειξας ⁵⁴¹ ἔλεξας ⁵⁴² δὔ αὔτως δείν’ ἔλεξας ⁵⁴³

mvp-comment-235-2 As to the reading δὔ αὕτως δείν’ ἔλεξας ⁵⁴⁴

mvp-comment-235-3 δὔ … ἄνδρε ⁵⁴⁵ ὀλωλότοιν ⁵⁴⁶ οἵδε ⁵⁴⁷

mvp-comment-235-4 ἂν ἠθέλης’ ⁵⁴⁸

mvp-comment-236-1 σκοπεῖν ⁵⁴⁹

mvp-comment-236-2 οἵδε ⁵⁵⁰

mvp-comment-237-1 Ὀδυσσεὺς δ’ ἔστιν αὖ κἀνταῦθ’ ⁵⁵¹

mvp-comment-238-1 αὐτὸν ⁵⁵² αὐδᾶσθαι ⁵⁵³

mvp-comment-239-1 παλαιστὴς ⁵⁵⁴

mvp-comment-239-2 ἐμποδίζονται ⁵⁵⁵

mvp-comment-240-1 θεῶν ⁵⁵⁶

mvp-comment-240-2 ποῦ γὰρ ⁵⁵⁷

mvp-comment-240-3 σοι ⁵⁵⁸

mvp-comment-240-4 τὰ φίλτατα ⁵⁵⁹

mvp-comment-241-1 λόγῳ … ἐν βραχεῖ ⁵⁶⁰

mvp-comment-241-2 τοῦτ’ ⁵⁶¹

mvp-comment-241-3 πόλεμος ⁵⁶²

mvp-comment-241-4 ἑκὼν ⁵⁶³

mvp-comment-242-1 κατ’ αὐτὸ τοῦτό γε ⁵⁶⁴

mvp-comment-243-1 φωτὸς ⁵⁶⁵ κυρεῖ ⁵⁶⁶ τί ⁵⁶⁷

mvp-comment-244-1 ποίου δὲ τούτου ⁵⁶⁸

mvp-comment-244-2 ἐρεῖς ⁵⁶⁹

mvp-comment-244-3 Brunck's conjecture, τοῦτο ⁵⁷⁰ τούτου ⁵⁷¹

mvp-comment-245-1 Θερσίτης ⁵⁷²

mvp-comment-246-1 ὃς οὐκ ἂν εἵλετ’ ⁵⁷³ ὅπου μηδεὶς ἐῴη ⁵⁷⁴

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’ ⁵⁷⁵

mvp-comment-247-1 αὐτόν ⁵⁷⁶ αὐτός ⁵⁷⁷ νιν ⁵⁷⁸

mvp-comment-248-1 ἔμελλ’ ⁵⁷⁹

mvp-comment-248-2 ἐπεὶ οὐδέν ⁵⁸⁰

mvp-comment-248-3 περιστέλλουσιν ⁵⁸¹

mvp-comment-249-1 τὰ πανοῦργα ⁵⁸²

mvp-comment-249-2 παλιντριβῆ ⁵⁸³

mvp-comment-249-3 ἀναστρέφοντες ⁵⁸⁴

mvp-comment-249-4 τὰ δὲ ⁵⁸⁵ τὰ χρήστ’ ⁵⁸⁶ ἀποστέλλους’ ⁵⁸⁷ προυσελοῦς’ ⁵⁸⁸

mvp-comment-250-1 ποῦ χρὴ τίθεσθαι ⁵⁸⁹

mvp-comment-250-2 ποῦ δ’ αἰνεῖν ⁵⁹⁰

mvp-comment-250-3 ὅταν ⁵⁹¹ ἐπαινῶν ⁵⁹²

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 ⁵⁹³

mvp-comment-251-2 Οἰταίου ⁵⁹⁴

mvp-comment-252-1 τηλόθεν … εἰσορῶν ⁵⁹⁵

mvp-comment-252-2 φυλάξομαι ⁵⁹⁶

mvp-comment-253-1 ὅπου ⁵⁹⁷ τούτους ⁵⁹⁸

mvp-comment-253-2 δειλὸς ⁵⁹⁹ δεινὸς ⁶⁰⁰ δεινός ⁶⁰¹

mvp-comment-254-1 Σκῦρος ⁶⁰²

mvp-comment-254-2 ἐξαρκοῦσά μοι … ὥστε ⁶⁰³ τέρπεσθαι δόμῳ ⁶⁰⁴

mvp-comment-255-1 χαῖρε ⁶⁰⁵ ὡς μέγιστα ⁶⁰⁶

mvp-comment-255-2 μεταστήσειαν ⁶⁰⁷

mvp-comment-255-3 ὡς αὐτὸς θέλεις ⁶⁰⁸

mvp-comment-256-1 πλοῦν ἡμὶν εἴκῃ ⁶⁰⁹ πλοῦν ⁶¹⁰ πλεῖν ⁶¹¹

mvp-comment-257-1 καιρὸς ⁶¹² καλεῖ ⁶¹³

mvp-comment-258-1 πλοῦν … σκοπεῖν ⁶¹⁴

mvp-comment-258-2 μὴ )ξ ἀπόπτου ⁶¹⁵

mvp-comment-259-1 πρός νύν σε πατρὸς ⁶¹⁶ πρός τ’ εἴ τι ⁶¹⁷

mvp-comment-260-1 ἱκέτης ⁶¹⁸ ἱκνοῦμαι ⁶¹⁹

mvp-comment-261-1 οἵοις ὁρᾷς … ἐνναίοντα ⁶²⁰ ὅσοισί τ’ ἐξήκουσας ⁶²¹

mvp-comment-262-1 ἐν παρέργῳ θοῦ με ⁶²²

mvp-comment-262-2 ἐν παρέργῳ ⁶²³

mvp-comment-262-3 δυσχέρεια ⁶²⁴

mvp-comment-263-1 ἔξοιδα ⁶²⁵

mvp-comment-263-2 φορήματος ⁶²⁶

mvp-comment-264-1 τό τ’ αἰσχρὸν ⁶²⁷ εὐκλεές ⁶²⁸ εὐκλεές ⁶²⁹ τοῖσι γενναίοισι ⁶³⁰

mvp-comment-265-1 ἐκλιπόντι τοῦτ’ ⁶³¹

mvp-comment-265-2 ὄνειδος ⁶³² οὐ καλόν ⁶³³

mvp-comment-266-1 πλεῖστον ⁶³⁴

mvp-comment-266-2 μόλω )γὼ ⁶³⁵

mvp-comment-267-1 ἴθ’ ⁶³⁶

mvp-comment-267-2 ἡμέρας … μιᾶς ⁶³⁷

mvp-comment-268-1 τόλμησον ⁶³⁸

mvp-comment-268-2 ὅπῃ ⁶³⁹ ὅποι ⁶⁴⁰ ἐμβαλοῦ ⁶⁴¹ ἄγων ⁶⁴²

mvp-comment-269-1 ἀντλίαν ⁶⁴³

mvp-comment-269-2 πρῷραν … πρύμνην ⁶⁴⁴

mvp-comment-269-3 ὅπου ⁶⁴⁵ ὅποι ⁶⁴⁶ υ ⁶⁴⁷ ι ⁶⁴⁸

mvp-comment-269-4 μέλλω … ἀλγυνεῖν ⁶⁴⁹

mvp-comment-270-1 ἱκεσίου ⁶⁵⁰

mvp-comment-270-2 γόνασι ⁶⁵¹

mvp-comment-271-1 ἀκράτωρ ⁶⁵²

mvp-comment-272-1 ἢ πρὸς οἶκον τὸν σὸν ⁶⁵³

mvp-comment-272-2 τὰ Χαλκώδοντος Εὐβοίας σταθμά ⁶⁵⁴

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 ⁶⁵⁵

mvp-comment-274-1 Τραχινίαν … δειράδα ⁶⁵⁶

mvp-comment-274-2 All MSS. have δειράδα καὶ τὸν ⁶⁵⁷ δεράδα ⁶⁵⁸

mvp-comment-274-3 I am more disposed to think that δειράδα ⁶⁵⁹ καὶ τὸν ⁶⁶⁰

mvp-comment-274-4 εὔροον ⁶⁶¹

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 ⁶⁶² δέδοικ’ ⁶⁶³

mvp-comment-275-2 παλαιὸν ⁶⁶⁴ ἐξ ὅτου ⁶⁶⁵ παλαἴ ἂν ⁶⁶⁶

mvp-comment-276-1 μή μοι βεβήκῃ ⁶⁶⁷

mvp-comment-276-2 τοῖς ἱγμένοις ⁶⁶⁸ ἔστελλον ⁶⁶⁹

mvp-comment-277-1 αὐτόστολον πέμψαντα ⁶⁷⁰ αὐτόστολον ⁶⁷¹ πέμψαντα ⁶⁷² ἐκσῶσαι ⁶⁷³ πλεύσαντα ⁶⁷⁴

mvp-comment-277-2 δόμους ⁶⁷⁵ δόμοις ⁶⁷⁶

mvp-comment-277-3 497 ff. After τὰ τῶν διακόνων ⁶⁷⁷ ποιούμενοι ⁶⁷⁸ τὸ ⁶⁷⁹ τὰ ⁶⁸⁰

mvp-comment-277-4 ὡς εἰκός ⁶⁸¹ οἶμαι ⁶⁸² οἴμοι ⁶⁸³

mvp-comment-277-5 ἐν σμικρῷ ⁶⁸⁴

mvp-comment-277-6 μέρος ⁶⁸⁵ μέρει ⁶⁸⁶

mvp-comment-277-7 ἤπειγον ⁶⁸⁷

mvp-comment-278-1 πομπόν τε καὐτὸν ἄγγελον ⁶⁸⁸

mvp-comment-278-2 ἥκω ⁶⁸⁹

mvp-comment-279-1 δεινὰ κἀπικινδύνως … κεῖται ⁶⁹⁰ παθεῖν ⁶⁹¹ παθεῖν μὲν εὖ, παθεῖν δὲ θάτερα ⁶⁹²

mvp-comment-279-2 θάτερα ⁶⁹³

mvp-comment-280-1 ἐκτὸς ὄντα ⁶⁹⁴ τὰ δείν’ ὁρᾶν ⁶⁹⁵

mvp-comment-281-1 εὖ ζῇ ⁶⁹⁶

mvp-comment-281-2 τὸν βίον ⁶⁹⁷ λάθῃ ⁶⁹⁸

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 ⁶⁹⁹

mvp-comment-282-3 οἷα ⁷⁰⁰ οἷα ⁷⁰¹ ἅσσα ⁷⁰² τύχοι ⁷⁰³ λάχοι ⁷⁰⁴

mvp-comment-283-1 πικρούς ⁷⁰⁵

mvp-comment-284-1 ἐγὼ μὲν ⁷⁰⁶ πορεύσαιμ’ ἂν ⁷⁰⁷

mvp-comment-284-2 τὸ κείνων κακὸν ⁷⁰⁸

mvp-comment-284-3 μετατιθέμενος ⁷⁰⁹

mvp-comment-284-4 ἐπιμέμονεν ⁷¹⁰

mvp-comment-285-1 εὐστόλου ⁷¹¹

mvp-comment-286-1 τὰν θεῶν νέμεσιν ⁷¹²

mvp-comment-287-1 νῦν μὲν … ὅταν δὲ ⁷¹³

mvp-comment-287-2 εὐχερὴς ⁷¹⁴ τις ⁷¹⁵ παρῇς ⁷¹⁶

mvp-comment-288-1 τῆς νόσου ⁷¹⁷ πλησθῇς· ξυνουσίᾳ ⁷¹⁸

mvp-comment-288-2 αὑτὸς τοῖς λόγοις τούτοις ⁷¹⁹

mvp-comment-289-1 οὐκ ἔσθ’ ὅπως ⁷²⁰

mvp-comment-290-1 ἀλλὰ … μέντοι ⁷²¹

mvp-comment-290-2 αἰσχρὰ ⁷²²

mvp-comment-290-3 σοῦ γέ μ’ ⁷²³ σοῦ γ’ ἔμ’ ⁷²⁴

mvp-comment-290-4 πρὸς τὸ καίριον ⁷²⁵

mvp-comment-290-5 πονεῖν ⁷²⁶

mvp-comment-291-1 ὁρμάσθω ⁷²⁷ ταχύς ⁷²⁸ χἡ ναῦς ⁷²⁹

mvp-comment-291-2 ἀπαρνηθήσεται ⁷³⁰

mvp-comment-292-1 μόνον ⁷³¹

mvp-comment-292-2 βουλοίμεσθα ⁷³²

mvp-comment-293-1 ὦ φίλτατον μὲν ⁷³³

mvp-comment-293-2 πῶς ἂν … γενοίμην ⁷³⁴

mvp-comment-294-1 ἴωμεν ⁷³⁵ ἴωμεν ⁷³⁶ ἴωμεν ⁷³⁷ εἰσοίκησιν ⁷³⁸ προσκύσαντε ⁷³⁹ εἰς οἴκησιν ⁷⁴⁰ προσκύσαντε ⁷⁴¹

mvp-comment-294-2 ὡς … καὶ ⁷⁴²

mvp-comment-295-1 ἀφ’ ὧν ⁷⁴³

mvp-comment-295-2 διέζων ⁷⁴⁴

mvp-comment-296-1 οἶμαι γὰρ ⁷⁴⁵

mvp-comment-296-2 μόνην ⁷⁴⁶ μόνον ⁷⁴⁷ τάδε ⁷⁴⁸ θέαν λαβόντα ⁷⁴⁹ τλῆναι ⁷⁵⁰

mvp-comment-297-1 προὔμαθον ⁷⁵¹

mvp-comment-298-1 ἐπίσχετον ⁷⁵² μάθωμεν ⁷⁵³

mvp-comment-298-2 ἀλλόθρους ⁷⁵⁴

mvp-comment-298-3 ὧν μαθόντες ⁷⁵⁵

mvp-comment-298-4 αὖθις ⁷⁵⁶ εἴσιτον ⁷⁵⁷

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 ⁷⁵⁸

mvp-comment-299-1 φράσαι σε, ποῦ ⁷⁵⁹

mvp-comment-299-2 κυρῶν εἴης ⁷⁶⁰

mvp-comment-300-1 δοξάζων μὲν οὔ ⁷⁶¹

mvp-comment-300-2 ὁρμισθεὶς ⁷⁶² ταὐτὸν … πέδον ⁷⁶³

mvp-comment-301-1 οὐ πολλῷ στόλῳ ⁷⁶⁴

mvp-comment-302-1 Πεπάρηθον ⁷⁶⁵ εὔβοτρυν ⁷⁶⁶

mvp-comment-302-2 ἤκουσα τοὺς ναύτας ὅτι ⁷⁶⁷ πάντες ⁷⁶⁸ συννεναυστοληκότες ⁷⁶⁹ οἱ νεναυστοληκότες ⁷⁷⁰ σοὶ ⁷⁷¹

mvp-comment-303-1 ἔδοξέ μοι ⁷⁷² προστυχόντι ⁷⁷³ ποεῖσθαι ⁷⁷⁴ μὴ σῖγα, πρὶν φράσαιμι ⁷⁷⁵ προστυχόντι ⁷⁷⁶ προστυχόντι ⁷⁷⁷

mvp-comment-303-2 τῶν ἴσων ⁷⁷⁸ προστυχόντι ⁷⁷⁹ σοι ⁷⁸⁰

mvp-comment-304-1 ἃ τοῖσιν ⁷⁸¹

mvp-comment-304-2 vέα ⁷⁸²

mvp-comment-305-1 οὐκέτ’ ἐξαργούμενα ⁷⁸³ ἔργα ⁷⁸⁴ δρώμενα ⁷⁸⁵

mvp-comment-306-1 ἀλλ’ ⁷⁸⁶ ἡ χάρις … τῆς προμηθίας ⁷⁸⁷ προμηθίας ⁷⁸⁸

mvp-comment-306-2 εἰ μὴ κακὸς πέφυκα ⁷⁸⁹

mvp-comment-306-3 προσφιλὴς ⁷⁹⁰ χάρις ⁷⁹¹

mvp-comment-307-1 ἅπερ γ’ ⁷⁹² ἅπερ κἄλεξας ⁷⁹³ γε ⁷⁹⁴ ἅπερ ⁷⁹⁵

mvp-comment-308-1 νεώτερον ⁷⁹⁶

mvp-comment-308-2 ἀπ’ Ἀργείων ⁷⁹⁷ βούλευμα ⁷⁹⁸ ἔχεις ⁷⁹⁹ μοι ⁸⁰⁰

mvp-comment-309-1 φοῖνιξ ⁸⁰¹

mvp-comment-309-2 οἵ τε Θησέως κόροι ⁸⁰²

mvp-comment-310-1 ἐκ βίας ⁸⁰³

mvp-comment-310-2 λόγοις ⁸⁰⁴ δόλοις ⁸⁰⁵

mvp-comment-311-1 καθ’ ὁρμὴν ⁸⁰⁶

mvp-comment-312-1 ὡς ταῦτ’ ἐπίστω δρώμεν’ ⁸⁰⁷

mvp-comment-313-1 πρὸς τάδ’ ⁸⁰⁸

mvp-comment-313-2 αὐτάγγελος ⁸⁰⁹

mvp-comment-314-1 κεῖνός γ’ ⁸¹⁰

mvp-comment-314-2 ὁ Τυδέως παῖς ⁸¹¹ ἔστελλον ⁸¹²

mvp-comment-315-1 πρὸς ποῖον αὖ τόνδ’ … ἔπλει ⁸¹³ αὖ ⁸¹⁴ αὖ ⁸¹⁵ ἂν ⁸¹⁶

mvp-comment-315-2 If ἂν ⁸¹⁷

mvp-comment-316-1 σοι ⁸¹⁸

mvp-comment-317-1 τὰ πλείον’ ⁸¹⁹

mvp-comment-317-2 σεαυτὸν ξυλλαβὼν ⁸²⁰

mvp-comment-318-1 τί με ⁸²¹ διεμπολᾷ … πρός σε ⁸²² τί με ⁸²³ τί δὲ ⁸²⁴ διεμπολᾷ ⁸²⁵

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

143. mvp-comment-99-1 ὑπουργεῖν υπουργεῖν

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

302. mvp-comment-218-1 ὅρμος] Cp. Aesch. Phil. fr. 246, ἔνθ᾽ οὔτε μίμνειν ἄνεμος οὔτε πλεῖν ἐᾷ, where, however, the language may be metaphorical.

302. mvp-comment-218-2 ὅρμος] Cp. Aesch. Phil. fr. 246, ἔνθ᾽ οὔτε μίμνειν ἄνεμος οὔτε πλεῖν ἐᾷ, where, however, the language may be metaphorical.

303. mvp-comment-219-1 ἐξεμπολήσει] Sc. ἐκεῖθεν. ἢ ξενώσεται] «Or be well received.' Fut. mid. with passive meaning.

303. mvp-comment-219-2 ἐξεμπολήσει] Sc. ἐκεῖθεν. ἢ ξενώσεται] «Or be well received.' Fut. mid. with passive meaning.

305. mvp-comment-220-1 †τάχ᾽ οὖν τις ἄκων ἔσχε] 'Well, it may be, one did put in here against his will.' τάχα used as in τάχ᾽ ἄν. Cp. Plat. Legg. B. 4. 711 Α, ὑμεῖς δὲ τάχα οὐδὲ τεθέασθε τυραννουμένην πόλιν. οὖν introduces a modification or admission. 'No one puts in here willingly; unwillingly. however, some one may have brought his ship this way.' ἔσχε] For the aor., cp. supr. 297, ἔφην. ἔσχε = κατέσχε, the simple verb for the compound. But query *κατ᾽ οὖν τις ἄκων ἔσχε (i. e. κατέσχε τις οὖν ἄκων)? (For a case of tmesis in the senarii, cp. infr. 817). πολλὰ γὰρ . . χρόνῳ] 'Such incidents might happen many times in the long course of human history.' πολλά is predicative and τάδε = τοιάδε. For this, cp. Aj. 1246, ἐκ τῶνδε μέντοι τῶν τρόπων οὐκ ἄν ποτε | κατάστασις γένοιτ᾽ ἂν οὐδενὸς νόμου. It may be doubted whether ἀνθρώπων is to be taken with τάδε = 'Such human accidents,' or with χρόνῳ = ' The time during which men have existed.' For the latter, cp. Hdt. 6. 109, μνημόσυνα λιπέσθαι ἐς τὸν ἅπαντα ἀνθρώπων βίον. And for the idea, cp. Hdt. 5. 9, γένοιτο δ᾽ ἂν πᾶν ἐν τῷ μακρῷ χρόνῳ: Agathon, Fr. 9. τάχ᾿ ἄν τις εἰκὸς αὐτὸ τοῦτ᾽ εἶναι λέγοι | βροτοῖσι πολλὰ τυγχάνειν οὐκ εἰκότα.

305. mvp-comment-220-2 †τάχ᾽ οὖν τις ἄκων ἔσχε] 'Well, it may be, one did put in here against his will.' τάχα used as in τάχ᾽ ἄν. Cp. Plat. Legg. B. 4. 711 Α, ὑμεῖς δὲ τάχα οὐδὲ τεθέασθε τυραννουμένην πόλιν. οὖν introduces a modification or admission. 'No one puts in here willingly; unwillingly. however, some one may have brought his ship this way.' ἔσχε] For the aor., cp. supr. 297, ἔφην. ἔσχε = κατέσχε, the simple verb for the compound. But query *κατ᾽ οὖν τις ἄκων ἔσχε (i. e. κατέσχε τις οὖν ἄκων)? (For a case of tmesis in the senarii, cp. infr. 817). πολλὰ γὰρ . . χρόνῳ] 'Such incidents might happen many times in the long course of human history.' πολλά is predicative and τάδε = τοιάδε. For this, cp. Aj. 1246, ἐκ τῶνδε μέντοι τῶν τρόπων οὐκ ἄν ποτε | κατάστασις γένοιτ᾽ ἂν οὐδενὸς νόμου. It may be doubted whether ἀνθρώπων is to be taken with τάδε = 'Such human accidents,' or with χρόνῳ = ' The time during which men have existed.' For the latter, cp. Hdt. 6. 109, μνημόσυνα λιπέσθαι ἐς τὸν ἅπαντα ἀνθρώπων βίον. And for the idea, cp. Hdt. 5. 9, γένοιτο δ᾽ ἂν πᾶν ἐν τῷ μακρῷ χρόνῳ: Agathon, Fr. 9. τάχ᾿ ἄν τις εἰκὸς αὐτὸ τοῦτ᾽ εἶναι λέγοι | βροτοῖσι πολλὰ τυγχάνειν οὐκ εἰκότα.

306. mvp-comment-221-1 ἄν om add

306. mvp-comment-221-2 ἄν om add

308. mvp-comment-222-1 μέν] Νo doubt,' belonging in sense rather to λόγοις than to ἐλεοῦσι. καί που .. προσέδοσαν] ‘And perchance have gone so far (προσ-) as to impart to me some portion of food.' The gnomic aorist is used of that which happens now and again. 'They always express pity, they sometimes give.'

308. mvp-comment-222-2 μέν] Νo doubt,' belonging in sense rather to λόγοις than to ἐλεοῦσι. καί που .. προσέδοσαν] ‘And perchance have gone so far (προσ-) as to impart to me some portion of food.' The gnomic aorist is used of that which happens now and again. 'They always express pity, they sometimes give.'

309. mvp-comment-223-1 οἰκτείραντες, Touched with compassion, 'is also in the 'momentary' tense.

309. mvp-comment-223-2 οἰκτείραντες, Touched with compassion, 'is also in the 'momentary' tense.

310. mvp-comment-224-1 ἐκεῖνο] «That which is always in my thoughts.' Cp. Ar. Nub. 657, ἐκεῖν, ἐκεῖνο, τὸν ἀδικώτερον λόγον. The pronoun here stands in the place of an infinitive.

310. mvp-comment-224-2 ἐκεῖνο] «That which is always in my thoughts.' Cp. Ar. Nub. 657, ἐκεῖν, ἐκεῖνο, τὸν ἀδικώτερον λόγον. The pronoun here stands in the place of an infinitive.

311. mvp-comment-225-1 σῶσαι] Cp. infr. 488, 496.

311. mvp-comment-225-2 σῶσαι] Cp. infr. 488, 496.

312. mvp-comment-226-1 ἔτος .. δέκατον] These words are to be joined with ἀπόλλυμαι and resumed with βόσκων.

312. mvp-comment-226-2 ἔτος .. δέκατον] These words are to be joined with ἀπόλλυμαι and resumed with βόσκων.

313. mvp-comment-227-1 βόσκων] 'Supporting.' Philoctetes only lived to suffer. Cp. infr. 795, 1167. ἀδηφάγον] Cp. infr. 756-8.

313. mvp-comment-227-2 βόσκων] 'Supporting.' Philoctetes only lived to suffer. Cp. infr. 795, 1167. ἀδηφάγον] Cp. infr. 756-8.

314. mvp-comment-228-1 ἤ τ᾿ Οδυσσέως βία] ‘And great Odysseus.' Cp. infr. 321, 344. The Epic phrase is used with a touch of sarcastic irony, but probably (unlike Virgil's 'violentia Turni') without direct reference to the violence of the act.

314. mvp-comment-228-2 ἤ τ᾿ Οδυσσέως βία] ‘And great Odysseus.' Cp. infr. 321, 344. The Epic phrase is used with a touch of sarcastic irony, but probably (unlike Virgil's 'violentia Turni') without direct reference to the violence of the act.

315. mvp-comment-229-1 Whom may the Olympian gods some day cause to suffer in their own persons (αὐτοῖς) full requital for my wrong!' So Brunck, Linwood, Paley, rightly. For the emphatic αὐτοῖς here opposed to ἐμοῦ, cp. supr. 275. In order to avoid this Porson conjectured οἱ Ὀλύμπιοι θεοί.

315. mvp-comment-229-2 Whom may the Olympian gods some day cause to suffer in their own persons (αὐτοῖς) full requital for my wrong!' So Brunck, Linwood, Paley, rightly. For the emphatic αὐτοῖς here opposed to ἐμοῦ, cp. supr. 275. In order to avoid this Porson conjectured οἱ Ὀλύμπιοι θεοί.

317. mvp-comment-230-1 ἔοικα] It would seem that I.' Cp. Aesch. Prom. 1007, λέγων ἔοικα πολλὰ καὶ μάτην ἐρεῖν.

317. mvp-comment-230-2 ἔοικα] It would seem that I.' Cp. Aesch. Prom. 1007, λέγων ἔοικα πολλὰ καὶ μάτην ἐρεῖν.

317-318. mvp-comment-231-1 The Chorus express pity for Philoctetes, but tacitly remind themselves that their pity will not be shown in action.

317-318. mvp-comment-231-2 The Chorus express pity for Philoctetes, but tacitly remind themselves that their pity will not be shown in action.

319. mvp-comment-232-1 Neoptolemus. But I do more than pity him, for I am a witness on his side.' καί with the whole sentence. For ἐν, ὢν has been conjectured. But ἐν may well express that Neoptolemus enters into the cause of Philoctetes, and is not merely an auditor of his case. Myself a witness in this plea, I know it to be well-founded.'

319. mvp-comment-232-2 Neoptolemus. But I do more than pity him, for I am a witness on his side.' καί with the whole sentence. For ἐν, ὢν has been conjectured. But ἐν may well express that Neoptolemus enters into the cause of Philoctetes, and is not merely an auditor of his case. Myself a witness in this plea, I know it to be well-founded.'

320. mvp-comment-233-1 συντυχών] συντυχεῖν is generally construed with a dative, and the preposition has therefore here a separate meaning. Having in like manner found. So the Scholiast and Nauck.

320. mvp-comment-233-2 συντυχών] συντυχεῖν is generally construed with a dative, and the preposition has therefore here a separate meaning. Having in like manner found. So the Scholiast and Nauck.

324. mvp-comment-234-1 May it be mine one day to satiate my wrathful soul with violent action!' There can be little doubt that the correction is right. For a similar confusion in all the MSS., cp. O. Т. 376.

324. mvp-comment-234-2 May it be mine one day to satiate my wrathful soul with violent action!' There can be little doubt that the correction is right. For a similar confusion in all the MSS., cp. O. Т. 376.

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.

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

What, hath this vile accurs'd deceiver sworn To show me to the Grecians? Were I dead,

Philoctetes

Current edition Experimental

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

ΕΜ. φροῦδοι διώκοντές σε ναυτικῷ ναυστικῷ στόλῳ Φοῖνιξ Φοίνιξ Φοῖνιξ ὁ πρέσβυς οἵ τε Θησέως κόροι. 555

ΝΕ. ὡς ἐκ βίας μ' ἄξοντες ἢ λόγοις πάλιν ;

ΕΜ. οὐκ οἶδ᾽. ἀκούσας δ᾽ ἄγγελος πάρειμί σοι.

ΝΕ. ἢ ταῦτα δὴ Φοῖνίξ ἢ ταῦτα δὴ φοῖνιξ τε χοί ξυνναυβάται οὕτω καθ᾽ ὁρμὴν δρῶσιν ᾿Ατρειδῶν χάριν;

ΕΜ. ὡς ταῦτ᾽ ἐπίστω δρώμεν, οὐ μέλλοντ᾽ ἔτι, 560

ΝΕ. πῶς οὖν Ὀδυσσεὺς πρὸς τάδ᾽ οὐκ αὐτάγγελος πλεῖν ἦν ἑτοῖμος; ἢ φόβος τις εἶργέ εἶργε εἶργε νιν;

ΕΜ. κεῖνός γ᾽ ἐπ᾿ ἄλλον ἄνδρ᾽ ὁ Τυδέως τε παῖς ἔστελλον, ἡνίκ᾽ ἐξανηγόμην ἐγώ ἔσω.

ΝΕ. πρὸς ποῖον ἂν ἀν ἂν τόνδ᾽ αὐτὸς οὐδυσσεὺς ὁ δυσσεὺς οὑδυσσεὺς ὀδυσσεὺς ἔπλει; 565

ΕΜ. ἦν δή τις-ἀλλὰ τόνδε μοι πρῶτον φράσον τίς ἐστίν εστιν· ἂν λέγῃς δὲ μὴ φώνει μέγα.

ΝΕ. ὅδ᾽ ἔσθ᾽ ὁ κλεινός σοι Φιλοκτήτης, ξένε.

ΣΟΦΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

ΕΜ. μή νύν μὴ νῦν μ᾽ om. ἔρῃ τὰ πλείον, ἀλλ᾽ ὅσον τάχος ἔκπλει σεαυτὸν ξυλλαβὼν ἐκ τῆσδε γῆς.

ΦΙ. τί φησιν, ὦ παῖ; τί με κατὰ σκότον ποτὲ διεμπολᾷ λόγοισι πρός πρό πρός σ᾽ ὁ ναυβάτης;

ΝΕ. οὐκ οἶδά πω τί φησι· δεῖ δ᾽ αὐτὸν λέγειν 580 εἰς φῶς ὁ λέξει, πρὸς σὲ κἀμὲ τούσδε τε.

ΕΜ. ὦ σπέρμ᾽ ᾿Αχιλλέως, μή με διαβάλῃς διαβάλληισ διαβάλῃς στρατῷ λέγονθ᾽ ἃ μὴ δεῖ· πόλλ᾽ ἐγὼ κείνων ὕπο δρῶν ἀντιπάσχω χρηστά γ', οἱ᾽ ἀνὴρ πένης.

ΕΜ. ὅρα τί ποιεῖς, παῖ.

NE. σκοπῶ κἀγὼ πάλαι. 590

ΦΙΛΟΚΤΗΤΗΣ.

ΕΜ. σὲ θήσομαι τῶνδ᾽ αἴτιον.

NE. ποιοῦ λέγων.

ΕΜ.

Νεοπτόλεμος ὅρα σὺ μὴ νῦν μέν τις εὐχερὴς παρῇς, ὅταν δὲ πλησθῇς τῆς νόσου ξυνουσίᾳ, 520 τότʼ οὐκέθʼ αὑτὸς τοῖς λόγοις τούτοις φανῇς.

Χορός ἥκιστα· τοῦτʼ οὐκ ἔσθʼ ὅπως ποτʼ εἰς ἐμὲ τοὔνειδος ἕξεις ἐνδίκως ὀνειδίσαι.

Χορός ἐπίσχετον, μάθωμεν· ἄνδρε γὰρ δύο, ὁ μὲν νεὼς σῆς ναυβάτης, ὁ δʼ ἀλλόθρους, 540 χωρεῖτον, ὧν μαθόντες αὖθις εἴσιτον.

Ἔμπορος φροῦδοι διώκοντές σε ναυτικῷ στόλῳ Φοῖνιξ ὁ πρέσβυς οἵ τε Θησέως κόροι.

Νεοπτόλεμος ὡς ἐκ βίας μʼ ἄξοντες ἢ λόγοις πάλιν;

Ἔμπορος οὐκ οἶδʼ· ἀκούσας δʼ ἄγγελος πάρειμί σοι.

Νεοπτόλεμος ἦ ταῦτα δὴ Φοῖνίξ τε χοἰ ξυνναυβάται 565 οὕτω καθʼ ὁρμὴν δρῶσιν Ἀτρειδῶν χάριν;

Ἔμπορος ὡς ταῦτʼ ἐπίστω δρώμενʼ, οὐ μέλλοντʼ ἔτι.

Νεοπτόλεμος πῶς οὖν Ὀδυσσεὺς πρὸς τάδʼ οὐκ αὐτάγγελος πλεῖν ἦν ἕτοιμος; ἢ φόβος τις εἶργέ νιν;

Ἔμπορος κεῖνός γʼ ἐπʼ ἄλλον ἄνδρʼ ὁ Τυδέως τε παῖς 570 ἔστελλον, ἡνίκʼ ἐξανηγόμην ἐγώ.

Νεοπτόλεμος πρὸς ποῖον αὖ τόνδʼ αὐτὸς Οὑδυσσεὺς ἔπλει;

Ἔμπορος ἦν δή τις—ἀλλὰ τόνδε μοι πρῶτον φράσον τίς ἐστίν· ἃν λέγῃς δὲ μὴ φώνει μέγα.

Νεοπτόλεμος ὅδʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ κλεινός σοι Φιλοκτήτης, ξένε. 575

Ἔμπορος μή νύν μʼ ἔρῃ τὰ πλείονʼ, ἀλλʼ ὅσον τάχος ἔκπλει σεαυτὸν ξυλλαβὼν ἐκ τῆσδε γῆς.

Φιλοκτήτης τί φησιν, ὦ παῖ; τί με κατὰ σκότον ποτὲ διεμπολᾷ λόγοισι πρός σʼ ὁ ναυβάτης;

Νεοπτόλεμος οὐκ οἶδά πω τί φησι· δεῖ δʼ αὐτὸν λέγειν 580 εἰς φῶς ὃ λέξει, πρὸς σὲ κἀμὲ τούσδε τε.

Ἔμπορος ὦ σπέρμʼ Ἀχιλλέως, μή με διαβάλῃς στρατῷ λέγονθʼ ἃ μὴ δεῖ· πόλλʼ ἐγὼ κείνων ὕπο δρῶν ἀντιπάσχω χρηστά θʼ, οἷʼ ἀνὴρ πένης.

Ἔμπορος ὅρα τί ποιεῖς, παῖ.

Νεοπτόλεμος σκοπῶ κἀγὼ πάλαι.

Ἔμπορος σὲ θήσομαι τῶνδʼ αἴτιον. 590

Νεοπτόλεμος ποιοῦ λέγων.

Ἔμπορος οὐκ οἶδʼ ἐγὼ ταῦτʼ· ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ μὲν εἶμʼ ἐπὶ ναῦν, σφῷν δʼ ὅπως ἄριστα συμφέροι θεός.

Νεοπτόλεμος οὐκοῦν ἐπειδὰν πνεῦμα τοὐκ πρῴρας ἀνῇ, τότε στελοῦμεν· νῦν γὰρ ἀντιοστατεῖ. 640

Φιλοκτήτης ἀεὶ καλὸς πλοῦς ἔσθʼ, ὅταν φεύγῃς κακά.

Νεοπτόλεμος οὔκ, ἀλλὰ κἀκείνοισι ταῦτʼ ἐναντία.

Φιλοκτήτης οὐκ ἔστι λῃσταῖς πνεῦμʼ ἐναντιούμενον, ὅταν παρῇ κλέψαι τι χἀρπάσαι βίᾳ.

Νεοπτόλεμος ἀλλʼ εἰ δοκεῖ, χωρῶμεν, ἔνδοθεν λαβὼν 645 ὅτου σε χρεία καὶ πόθος μάλιστʼ ἔχει.

Φιλοκτήτης ἀλλʼ ἔστιν ὧν δεῖ, καίπερ οὐ πολλῶν ἄπο.

Νεοπτόλεμος τί τοῦθʼ ὃ μὴ νεώς γε τῆς ἐμῆς ἔπι;

Φιλοκτήτης φύλλον τί μοι πάρεστιν, ᾧ μάλιστʼ ἀεὶ κοιμῶ τόδʼ ἕλκος, ὥστε πραΰνειν πάνυ. 650

Νεοπτόλεμος ἀλλʼ ἔκφερʼ αὐτό. τί γὰρ ἔτʼ ἄλλʼ ἐρᾷς λαβεῖν;

Φιλοκτήτης εἴ μοί τι τόξων τῶνδʼ ἀπημελημένον παρερρύηκεν, ὡς λίπω μή τῳ λαβεῖν.

Νεοπτόλεμος ἦ ταῦτα γὰρ τὰ κλεινὰ τόξʼ ἃ νῦν ἔχεις;

Φιλοκτήτης ταῦτʼ, οὐ γὰρ ἄλλʼ ἔστʼ, ἀλλʼ ἃ βαστάζω χεροῖν. 655

Νεοπτόλεμος ἆρʼ ἔστιν ὥστε κἀγγύθεν θέαν λαβεῖν καὶ βαστάσαι με προσκύσαι θʼ ὥσπερ θεόν;

Φιλοκτήτης σοί γʼ, ὦ τέκνον, καὶ τοῦτο κἄλλο τῶν ἐμῶν ὁποῖον ἄν σοι ξυμφέρῃ γενήσεται.

Νεοπτόλεμος καὶ μὴν ἐρῶ γε, τὸν δʼ ἔρωθʼ οὕτως ἔχω· 660 εἴ μοι θέμις, θέλοιμʼ ἄν· εἰ δὲ μή, πάρες.

Νεοπτόλεμος οὐκ ἄχθομαί σʼ ἰδών τε καὶ λαβὼν φίλον· ὅστις γὰρ εὖ δρᾶν εὖ παθὼν ἐπίσταται, παντὸς γένοιτʼ ἂν κτήματος κρείσσων φίλος. χωροῖς ἂν εἴσω.

Φιλοκτήτης καὶ σέ γʼ εἰσάξω· τὸ γὰρ νοσοῦν ποθεῖ σε ξυμπαραστάτην λαβεῖν. 675

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

MER Old Phoenix, Acamas and Demophon Are gone in thy pursuit with ships and men. 555

NEO To bring me back with reasons or perforce?

MER I know not. What I heard, I am here to tell.

NEO How? And is this in act? Are they set forth To please the Atridae, Phoenix and the rest?

MER The thing is not to do, but doing now. 560

NEO What kept Odysseus back, if this be so, From going himself? Had he some cause for fear?

MER He and the son of Tydeus, when our ship Hoist sail, were gone to fetch another man.

NEO For whom could he himself be sailing forth? 565

MER For some one,—but first tell me, whispering low Whate’er thou speakest,—who is this I see?

NEO (). This, sir, is Philoctetes the renowned.

MER (). Without more question, snatch thyself away And sail forth from this land.

PHI What saith he, boy? Through what dark traffic is the mariner Betraying me with whispering in thine ear?

NEO I have not caught it, but whate’er he speaks 580 He must speak openly to us and thee.

What, hath this vile accurs'd deceiver sworn

To show me to the Grecians? Were I dead,

ΕΜ.

φροῦδοι διώκοντές σε ναυτικῷ ναυστικῷ στόλῳ

Φοῖνιξ Φοίνιξ Φοῖνιξ ὁ πρέσβυς οἵ τε Θησέως κόροι.
555

ΝΕ.

ὡς ἐκ βίας μ' ἄξοντες ἢ λόγοις πάλιν ;

ΕΜ.

οὐκ οἶδ᾽. ἀκούσας δ᾽ ἄγγελος πάρειμί σοι.

ΝΕ.

ἢ ταῦτα δὴ Φοῖνίξ ἢ ταῦτα δὴ φοῖνιξ τε χοί ξυνναυβάται

οὕτω καθ᾽ ὁρμὴν δρῶσιν ᾿Ατρειδῶν χάριν;

ΕΜ.

ὡς ταῦτ᾽ ἐπίστω δρώμεν, οὐ μέλλοντ᾽ ἔτι,
560

ΝΕ.

πῶς οὖν Ὀδυσσεὺς πρὸς τάδ᾽ οὐκ αὐτάγγελος

πλεῖν ἦν ἑτοῖμος; ἢ φόβος τις εἶργέ εἶργε εἶργε νιν;

ΕΜ.

κεῖνός γ᾽ ἐπ᾿ ἄλλον ἄνδρ᾽ ὁ Τυδέως τε παῖς

ἔστελλον, ἡνίκ᾽ ἐξανηγόμην ἐγώ ἔσω.

ΝΕ.

πρὸς ποῖον ἂν ἀν ἂν τόνδ᾽ αὐτὸς οὐδυσσεὺς ὁ δυσσεὺς οὑδυσσεὺς ὀδυσσεὺς ἔπλει;
565

ΕΜ.

ἦν δή τις-ἀλλὰ τόνδε μοι πρῶτον φράσον

τίς ἐστίν εστιν· ἂν λέγῃς δὲ μὴ φώνει μέγα.

ΝΕ.

ὅδ᾽ ἔσθ᾽ ὁ κλεινός σοι Φιλοκτήτης, ξένε.

ΕΜ.

μή νύν μὴ νῦν μ᾽ om. ἔρῃ τὰ πλείον, ἀλλ᾽ ὅσον τάχος

ἔκπλει σεαυτὸν ξυλλαβὼν ἐκ τῆσδε γῆς.

ΦΙ.

τί φησιν, ὦ παῖ; τί με κατὰ σκότον ποτὲ

διεμπολᾷ λόγοισι πρός πρό πρός σ᾽ ὁ ναυβάτης;

ΝΕ.

οὐκ οἶδά πω τί φησι· δεῖ δ᾽ αὐτὸν λέγειν
580

εἰς φῶς ὁ λέξει, πρὸς σὲ κἀμὲ τούσδε τε.

ΕΜ.

ὦ σπέρμ᾽ ᾿Αχιλλέως, μή με διαβάλῃς διαβάλληισ διαβάλῃς στρατῷ

λέγονθ᾽ ἃ μὴ δεῖ· πόλλ᾽ ἐγὼ κείνων ὕπο

δρῶν ἀντιπάσχω χρηστά γ', οἱ᾽ ἀνὴρ πένης.

ΕΜ.

ὅρα τί ποιεῖς, παῖ.

NE.

σκοπῶ κἀγὼ πάλαι.
590

ΕΜ.

σὲ θήσομαι τῶνδ᾽ αἴτιον.

NE.

ποιοῦ λέγων.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ὅρα σὺ μὴ νῦν μέν τις εὐχερὴς παρῇς,

ὅταν δὲ πλησθῇς τῆς νόσου ξυνουσίᾳ,
520

τότʼ οὐκέθʼ αὑτὸς τοῖς λόγοις τούτοις φανῇς.

Χορός

ἥκιστα· τοῦτʼ οὐκ ἔσθʼ ὅπως ποτʼ εἰς ἐμὲ

τοὔνειδος ἕξεις ἐνδίκως ὀνειδίσαι.

Χορός

ἐπίσχετον, μάθωμεν· ἄνδρε γὰρ δύο,

ὁ μὲν νεὼς σῆς ναυβάτης, ὁ δʼ ἀλλόθρους,
540

χωρεῖτον, ὧν μαθόντες αὖθις εἴσιτον.

Ἔμπορος

φροῦδοι διώκοντές σε ναυτικῷ στόλῳ

Φοῖνιξ ὁ πρέσβυς οἵ τε Θησέως κόροι.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ὡς ἐκ βίας μʼ ἄξοντες ἢ λόγοις πάλιν;

Ἔμπορος

οὐκ οἶδʼ· ἀκούσας δʼ ἄγγελος πάρειμί σοι.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἦ ταῦτα δὴ Φοῖνίξ τε χοἰ ξυνναυβάται
565

οὕτω καθʼ ὁρμὴν δρῶσιν Ἀτρειδῶν χάριν;

Ἔμπορος

ὡς ταῦτʼ ἐπίστω δρώμενʼ, οὐ μέλλοντʼ ἔτι.

Νεοπτόλεμος

πῶς οὖν Ὀδυσσεὺς πρὸς τάδʼ οὐκ αὐτάγγελος

πλεῖν ἦν ἕτοιμος; ἢ φόβος τις εἶργέ νιν;

Ἔμπορος

κεῖνός γʼ ἐπʼ ἄλλον ἄνδρʼ ὁ Τυδέως τε παῖς
570

ἔστελλον, ἡνίκʼ ἐξανηγόμην ἐγώ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

πρὸς ποῖον αὖ τόνδʼ αὐτὸς Οὑδυσσεὺς ἔπλει;

Ἔμπορος

ἦν δή τις—ἀλλὰ τόνδε μοι πρῶτον φράσον

τίς ἐστίν· ἃν λέγῃς δὲ μὴ φώνει μέγα.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ὅδʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ κλεινός σοι Φιλοκτήτης, ξένε.
575

Ἔμπορος

μή νύν μʼ ἔρῃ τὰ πλείονʼ, ἀλλʼ ὅσον τάχος

ἔκπλει σεαυτὸν ξυλλαβὼν ἐκ τῆσδε γῆς.

Φιλοκτήτης

τί φησιν, ὦ παῖ; τί με κατὰ σκότον ποτὲ

διεμπολᾷ λόγοισι πρός σʼ ὁ ναυβάτης;

Νεοπτόλεμος

οὐκ οἶδά πω τί φησι· δεῖ δʼ αὐτὸν λέγειν
580

εἰς φῶς ὃ λέξει, πρὸς σὲ κἀμὲ τούσδε τε.

Ἔμπορος

ὦ σπέρμʼ Ἀχιλλέως, μή με διαβάλῃς στρατῷ

λέγονθʼ ἃ μὴ δεῖ· πόλλʼ ἐγὼ κείνων ὕπο

δρῶν ἀντιπάσχω χρηστά θʼ, οἷʼ ἀνὴρ πένης.

Ἔμπορος

ὅρα τί ποιεῖς, παῖ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

σκοπῶ κἀγὼ πάλαι.

Ἔμπορος

σὲ θήσομαι τῶνδʼ αἴτιον.
590

Νεοπτόλεμος

ποιοῦ λέγων.

Ἔμπορος

οὐκ οἶδʼ ἐγὼ ταῦτʼ· ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ μὲν εἶμʼ ἐπὶ

ναῦν, σφῷν δʼ ὅπως ἄριστα συμφέροι θεός.

Νεοπτόλεμος

οὐκοῦν ἐπειδὰν πνεῦμα τοὐκ πρῴρας ἀνῇ,

τότε στελοῦμεν· νῦν γὰρ ἀντιοστατεῖ.
640

Φιλοκτήτης

ἀεὶ καλὸς πλοῦς ἔσθʼ, ὅταν φεύγῃς κακά.

Νεοπτόλεμος

οὔκ, ἀλλὰ κἀκείνοισι ταῦτʼ ἐναντία.

Φιλοκτήτης

οὐκ ἔστι λῃσταῖς πνεῦμʼ ἐναντιούμενον,

ὅταν παρῇ κλέψαι τι χἀρπάσαι βίᾳ.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἀλλʼ εἰ δοκεῖ, χωρῶμεν, ἔνδοθεν λαβὼν
645

ὅτου σε χρεία καὶ πόθος μάλιστʼ ἔχει.

Φιλοκτήτης

ἀλλʼ ἔστιν ὧν δεῖ, καίπερ οὐ πολλῶν ἄπο.

Νεοπτόλεμος

τί τοῦθʼ ὃ μὴ νεώς γε τῆς ἐμῆς ἔπι;

Φιλοκτήτης

φύλλον τί μοι πάρεστιν, ᾧ μάλιστʼ ἀεὶ

κοιμῶ τόδʼ ἕλκος, ὥστε πραΰνειν πάνυ.
650

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἀλλʼ ἔκφερʼ αὐτό. τί γὰρ ἔτʼ ἄλλʼ ἐρᾷς λαβεῖν;

Φιλοκτήτης

εἴ μοί τι τόξων τῶνδʼ ἀπημελημένον

παρερρύηκεν, ὡς λίπω μή τῳ λαβεῖν.

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἦ ταῦτα γὰρ τὰ κλεινὰ τόξʼ ἃ νῦν ἔχεις;

Φιλοκτήτης

ταῦτʼ, οὐ γὰρ ἄλλʼ ἔστʼ, ἀλλʼ ἃ βαστάζω χεροῖν.
655

Νεοπτόλεμος

ἆρʼ ἔστιν ὥστε κἀγγύθεν θέαν λαβεῖν

καὶ βαστάσαι με προσκύσαι θʼ ὥσπερ θεόν;

Φιλοκτήτης

σοί γʼ, ὦ τέκνον, καὶ τοῦτο κἄλλο τῶν ἐμῶν

ὁποῖον ἄν σοι ξυμφέρῃ γενήσεται.

Νεοπτόλεμος

καὶ μὴν ἐρῶ γε, τὸν δʼ ἔρωθʼ οὕτως ἔχω·
660

εἴ μοι θέμις, θέλοιμʼ ἄν· εἰ δὲ μή, πάρες.

Νεοπτόλεμος

οὐκ ἄχθομαί σʼ ἰδών τε καὶ λαβὼν φίλον·

ὅστις γὰρ εὖ δρᾶν εὖ παθὼν ἐπίσταται,

παντὸς γένοιτʼ ἂν κτήματος κρείσσων φίλος. χωροῖς ἂν εἴσω.

Φιλοκτήτης

καὶ σέ γʼ εἰσάξω· τὸ γὰρ

νοσοῦν ποθεῖ σε ξυμπαραστάτην λαβεῖν.
675

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

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

But tell me what thou meanest, that I may learn

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

MER

Old Phoenix, Acamas and Demophon

Are gone in thy pursuit with ships and men.
555

NEO

To bring me back with reasons or perforce?

MER

I know not. What I heard, I am here to tell.

NEO

How? And is this in act? Are they set forth

To please the Atridae, Phoenix and the rest?

MER

The thing is not to do, but doing now.
560

NEO

What kept Odysseus back, if this be so,

From going himself? Had he some cause for fear?

MER

He and the son of Tydeus, when our ship

Hoist sail, were gone to fetch another man.

NEO

For whom could he himself be sailing forth?
565

MER

For some one,—but first tell me, whispering low

Whate’er thou speakest,—who is this I see?

NEO

().

This, sir, is Philoctetes the renowned.

MER

().

Without more question, snatch thyself away

And sail forth from this land.

PHI

What saith he, boy?

Through what dark traffic is the mariner

Betraying me with whispering in thine ear?

NEO

I have not caught it, but whate’er he speaks
580

He must speak openly to us and thee.

MER

Seed of Achilles, let me not offend

The army by my words! Full many a boon,

Being poor, I reap from them for service done.

NEO

The Atridae are my foes; the man you see
585

Is my fast friend, because he hates them sore.

Then, if you come in kindness, you must hide

Nothing from him or me of all thou hast heard.

MER

Look what thou doest, my son!

NEO

I mark it well.
590

MER

Thou shalt be answerable.

NEO

Content: but speak.

Für diese Sorgfalt wartet dein liebreicher Dank,

O Freund, so wahr ich edel bin von edler Art.

Doch sage, was du meintest; denn ich wüßte gern,
545

Welch neuen Anschlag über mich das Heer gefaßt.

Der Schiffsherr.

Der greise Phönix und des Theseus Söhne sind¹

Mit Schiffen ausgezogen, dich verfolgend, Herr.