mvp-comment-1-1
314 l ff. Hunt supplies
πᾶσιν θεοῖς καὶ πᾶσιν as the opening words of Apollo's speech, comparing vv. 10 and 14: somewhat less abrupt would be
ἀκούετ᾿ ἤδη· πᾶσιω. But since the conditions seem to demand that the new clause, of which
ὐπισχνοῦμαι is the principal verb, should commence at the beginning of v. 2 (
τῷ τ᾿ ἐξιχνεντῇ Mekler). it is more likely that the object of
ἀγγέλλω (
καινὸν μῶθον or the like) found its place in v. 1. The opening of the Alcestis shows that it is not necessary to suppose that the name of Apollo appeared in v. 3, and
ἀπόπροθεν rather requires some such supplement as Mekler's
χρυσᾶ κλαπεισῶν μοι βοῦν. Rossbach, accepting v. 1 as restored in the ed. pr., supplies
τόδ᾿ ἔργον ἠδὲ δ. in 2, and
εῖτ᾿ ἐγγύθεν τις εῖδεν εἴτ᾿ in 3. But the result is unsatisfactory. It is not absolutely certain that v. 1 was the first of the play (see cr. n. on v. 94); but Hunt gives good reasons for considering it probable.
mvp-comment-2-1
4 ff. Something like
δεινὸν γὰρ ἔστ' ἐμῇ δὲ δύσλοφον may have stood in l. 4' (Hunt). But the connexion with the following line is doubtful, and the acc.
βοῦς seems to require for its government a verb of stealing or losing. The latter is perhaps the easier to work in: e.g.
δεινὸν γὰρ ἄλγος ἠδὲ δύσλοφον φρενὶ (so Mekler) |
ἔπεστ' ἀφαιρεθέντι. Hunt is probably right in supposing that the cattle are divided as 'milch-kine,' calves, and heifers, but the restoration of v. 6 is not easy. The conjectures of Wilamowitz
τε καὶ νέων νόμευμα (perhaps too long) and
νεανίευμα are condemned by their halting metre, and Mekler's
τε πίόν τ᾽ ἀγλάισμα is not convincing.
mvp-comment-3-1
7 ff. are restored by Wilamowitz thus:
ἅπαντα φροῦδα καὶ μάτην... |
λαθραῖ ἰόντα τῆλε. Murray suggests
τάφρων ὕπερθε νῦν in v. 7. I should prefer
ἔπειτ' ἀφρούρων ἁρπαγήν (cf. Ovid's incustoditae). Hunt supplies
τέχναισιν· ὡς in v. 9, but the dative is somewhat harsh without any previous mention of the agents. Perhaps we should read
λαθραΐ' ἰόντων...
τεχνάσματ'· ἀλλ', and render: 'the stealthy artifices of men who have travelled unseen far from the byre.'
ἀλλά is more suitable than
ὡς to the sequence of thought.-
ἂν ᾠόμην |
οὔτ᾽ ἂν...
πεσεῖν. It may be that the first av belongs to
ᾠόμην, and the second to
πεσεῖν, but it is certain that both do not belong to
ᾠόμην, although both may belong to
πεσεῖν. Cf.
Ar. Thesm. 524
τάδε γὰρ εἰπεῖν τὴν πανοῦργον
...
οὐκ ἂν ᾠόμην ἐν ἡμῖν |
οὐδὲ τολμησαί ποτ' ἄν. See the discussion of this question in the n. on
Eur. Hel. 1619
. In Lys. 31. 1
ἄν clearly goes with the infinitive; and
O. C. 748
, Antiph. 3 y 1, id. 5. 69,
Thuc. 8. 66
,
Xen. mem. 3. 4. 7
,
Dem. 9. 68
,
Plat. Theaet. 144 A
, as well as
Eur. Her. 1355
, seem to require a similar explanation. But I would again put forward the suggestion that in such cases the influence of äv may extend to both verbs; and this must be so in
Plat. rep. 443
Ε εἰ δέοι ἡμᾶς ἀνομολογεῖσθαι
...
τίν᾽ ἂν οἴει οἰηθῆναι τοῦτο αὐτὸν δρᾶσαι; and in
Xen. mem. 1. 5. 1
, unless we are prepared to admit that
οἴομαι may be followed by an aorist infinitive representing future time.
mvp-comment-4-1
11
τόλμαν: see cr. n. The evidence of our MSS is strongly in favour of the forms
τόλμα and
τόλμαν in tragedy, and they are confirmed by metre. On the other hand
τόλμην is unsupported, although it was recognized by Phrynichus (p. 114, 20 de B.= Bekk. anecd. p. 66, 23). -
πεσεῖν. The nearest parallel in Sophocles is
Trach. 705
ὥστ᾽ οὐκ ἔχω τάλαινα ποῖ γνώμης πέσω
. Euripides uses
πεσεῖν ἐς c. acc. more freely, generally as a periphrasis expressing somewhat more forcibly what might have been rendered by the aor. inf. of the verb corresponding to the abstract noun (
τολμῆσαι,
ἐρασθῆναι, etc.). So
εἰς ἔρωτα πίπτειν (= ' to fall in love')
Eur. fr. 138
, and c. gen.
I. T. 1172
,
Bacch. 812
;
ἐς φόβον πεσόντε
Phoen. 69
;
εἰς ἔριν πίπτειν fr. 578. Occasionally it may be held that
πεσεῖν retains the sense of to yield or give way, as in
Eur. El. 982
εἰς ἀνανδρίαν πεσεῖν οι
Or. 696
εἰς ὀργὴν πεσεῖν (contrast Tr. fr. adesp. 80).
mvp-comment-5-1
13
ζητῶ ματεύω: for the rhetorical asyndeton see on
Eur. Phoen. 1193
. Diehl, quoting
O. C. 211
, thinks that
ματεύων (cr. n.) may be right.-
παντελές is perhaps rather authoritative than universal: that is to say, it may be compared with
Ant. 1163
λαβών τε χώρας παντελή μοναρχίαν
.
κήρυγμ᾽ ἔχων =
κηρύσσων: see on fr. 210, 48. As a verb of commanding it is followed by the inf. with
μή: the form of the proclamation was
μηδεὶς ἀγνοείτω. Cf.
Ant. 192
ff.
mvp-comment-6-1
15 Wilamowitz ingeniously supplied
ἀκολουθίᾳ from fr. 990, as if
ἀκολουθία were the equivalent of
δίωξις. The use of the word in hunting may be inferred from
Xen. Cyneg. 10. 5
, where reading and interpretation are alike doubtful. So far as the sense goes, Murray's
δυσπευθίᾳ is to be preferred.
πολυμυθίᾳ might also be suggested: 'distracted by varying rumours.' 16-30 described Apollo's journey to Cyllene. Accident has preserved the geographical names which establish this, and little or nothing beyond. The remnants of vv. 18-23 are contained in two separate fragments: for their position see Hunt's note. The herds of the god which Hermes plundered were grazing in Pieria, according to
h. Herm. 70
and Apollod. 3. 112. At any rate, Thessaly was the traditional scene, and Anton. Lib. 23 describes them as being in the same pastures as the herds of Admetus. Therefore it is extremely unlikely that Sophocles put them anywhere else. If so, there does not seem to be any good reason for introducing the name of Thrace or of the Thracians into these lines, and I hesitate to accept Wilamowitz's
Θρᾳκῶν in 16
΄ with
ἀλλ' οὔτις in 17, or Hunt's alternative
Θρῃκιο- in 19 with
σπεύδων in 16. In any case, the combination
Θρακῶν φύλα τοῦ π.
στρατοῦ, 'the tribes of the whole host of Thracians,' is a clumsy one, and I should prefer to begin with
ἀνδρῶν (or
βροτῶν) and to take
τοῦ παντὸς στρατοῦ with what follows, adopting (ex. gr.) Murray's
ζητῶν τίς. For
στρατός =
λεώς see Jebb on
Trach. 795
.
mvp-comment-7-1
21 f. Hunt printed the supplements of Wilamowitz
Θεσσαλῶν τ' ἔγκαρπα πεδί' and
γῆς πολυκτήτους.
mvp-comment-8-1
28
Δωρικο- no doubt marks the passage to the Peloponnese. Similarly
mvp-comment-8-2
Anton. Lib. 23, after making Hermes pass through Boeotia (v. 22) and Megaris, brings him directly to the Peloponnese by way of Corinth. For the adjective cf.
O. C. 695
ἐν τᾷ μεγάλᾳ Δωρίδι νάσῳ Πέλοπος
. The schol. on
O. T. 775
interprets
Δωρίς as
Πελοποννησιακή.
mvp-comment-9-1
30 Mekler plausibly suggests
ξὺν τάχει.
mvp-comment-10-1
32 f. Wilamowitz was scarcely justified in altering
ἐς to
εἰ:
εἰ δ᾽ ὑληβάτης ἐνταῦθα ποιμήν. Unless, however, d' is an error for
θ', which the marginal comment (cr. n.) by no means proves, a new sentence must begin here, which it is not easy to adjust agreeably with the context. Some case or compound of
ὕλη seems inevitable, but would require a qualification. There does not seem to be enough room in 33 for
ἐς δ᾽ ὕλην μολὼν |
τήνδ' εἴτε κτέ. -It is unnecessary to omit the
σ οἱ ἀγρωστήρων, although there is no other example of the form. For
ἀγρώστης:
ἀγρώτης see on fr. 94.
mvp-comment-11-1
34
μαριλοκαυτών, a brilliant conjecture of Wilamowitz from fr. 1067.-
ἐν λόγῳ παρίσταται, 'is at hand to hear my words,' supports the soundness of the MS reading in
Phil. 319
τοῖσδε μάρτυς ἐν λόγοις
, which has been the object of some suspicion.
mvp-comment-12-1
35
νυμφογεννήτου. For the relationship between nymphs and satyrs see
Hes. fr. 44
Rz.
ἐξ ὧν (sc. the daughters of Hekateros [?] and the daughter of Phoroneus)
οὔρειαι Νύμφαι θεαὶ ἐξεγένοντο, |
καὶ γένος οὐτιδανῶν Σατύρων καὶ ἀμηχανοεργῶν. Here satyrs and nymphs are children of the same parents, but the anonymous satyr-play published in Ox. Pap. VIII 63 (fr. 1, 7) agrees with the present passage, describing the satyrs as
παῖδες δὲ νυμφῶν,
Βακχίου δ' ὑπηρέται. Silenus, the lover of the nymphs (inf. 149), is their father. Yet satyrs are sometimes themselves joined in wedlock with nymphs (Ov. Fast. 3. 409); while the Sileni are children of the Naiads (
Xen. symp. 5. 7
). In Nonn. 14. 113 the satyrs are the sons of Hermes and Iphthime, the daughter of Dorus. See further on 218 ff.
mvp-comment-13-1
37 The obvious supplement
τὸν φῶρα does not fit
τοῦ Παιῶνος, and Wilamowitz substituted
τῶν for
τοῦ in consequence. But it is not satisfactory to alter the text in order to justify even so plausible a restoration of the lost letters. Hunt suggests
τὰ δῶρα...
ἄρνυται as an alternative, but admits that
τὰ δῶρα scarcely fills the gap. It is perhaps possible that
θάλωρα (written
τὰ ἕλωρα) might stand here: cf. Hom.
Σ 93.-
Παιών as well as
Παιάν (
O. T. 154
) is a familiar
ἐπίκλησις of Apollo: for an attempt to connect it with Paeonia see C. R. XXVI 249. It is worth remarking that Usener (Götternamen, p. 154) found in Sophocles the earliest identification of Paion and Apollo. But it is curious that Apollo should refer to himself by this title, especially as the circumstances have no connexion with his functions as the Healer. ,
mvp-comment-14-1
38
τῷδ᾽ αὐτόχρημα was restored by Hunt, but
αὐτόχρημα does not mean forthwith, and is not obviously appropriate to the context. For its special use to mark a pun (like
ἐτύμως etc.) see Neil on
Ar. Eq. 78
. Probably then we should recognize another instance of
τὸ χρῆμα, used vaguely as in 44 and 136, and preceded by a participle such as
ἀνύσας or even
εὑρών.
mvp-comment-15-1
39
ἔα· τά. I have accepted Mekler's supplement (see cr. n.), since
ὦ Φοῖβε of the ed. pr. is admittedly too long, and is not required so shortly before 42. For the unusual position of the pronoun see Kuehner-Gerth § 464, 4 anm. 2.
mvp-comment-16-1
41
σπουδῇ with its relative clause belongs to
ἐπεσσύθην, and the hyperbaton of
τάδε, which of course goes with
μαθών, need cause no difficulty. There is a similar case in
O. T. 1251
χώπως μὲν ἐκ τῶνδ᾽ οὐκέτ᾽ οἶδ᾽ ἀπόλλυται
: see also on
Eur. Hel. 719
.
mvp-comment-17-1
44
κυνηγέσω : cf. 75
ἐκκυνηγέσαι. If these forms come from
κυνηγεῖν, a verb not found in any text earlier than Aristotle, the short vowel is very remarkable, and they must be added to the list which contains
αἰνέσω,
καλέσω,
ποθέσω,
πονέσω and others. Several of these are usually explained as analogical products (
ἐκάλεσα:
ἐτέλεσα) : see Weir Smyth, Ionic Dialect, p. 489 ff., Brugmann, Comp. Gr. Iv pp. 296, 380. Another suggestion, however, has been put forward by P. Maas (B. ph. W. 1912, 1075) on the strength of two statements by grammarians, which Lobeck (Paralip. p. 438) refused to credit. See Phryn. praep. soph. p. 84, I de B.
κυνηγεττεῖν (rightly, as it now seems, corrected to
κυνηγέττειν by Buttmann)·
διὰ δυοῖν το λέγουσιν. Theognost. ap. Cram. anecd. Ox. II p. 143, 20
τὰ διὰ τοῦ εσσω ῥήματα,
πυρέσσω,
ἐρέσσω,
ἀηθέσσω,
κυνηγέσσω. Maas points out the exact parallelism between
ἐρέσαι (Hom.
μ 444):
ἐρέτης,
εἰρεσίη :
ἐρέσσειν and
κυνηγέσαι :
κυνηγέτης,
κυνηγέσιον :
κυνηγέσσειν. We must, therefore, conclude that Sophocles employed the older
κυνηγέσσειν as well as the newer formation
κυνηγετεῖν (
Ai. 5
), which in its turn gave way to
κυνηγεῖν.
mvp-comment-18-1
45 ff. The sequence of thought appears to be, 'I am ready to assist; for I expect my services to be well rewarded. And my sons shall aid..., if only you will keep your promise.' The speaker's object is to bring Apollo to business. In this sense I have endeavoured to restore 45 f.;
τὸ γὰρ γέρας was admitted by Hunt to be a possible reading, but was rejected as unsuitable. For the palaeographical details his note must be consulted. 47 f. are a puzzling problem: if the elision mark in 48 is rightly deciphered, an optative (e.g.
στείλαιμ' ἄν) is possible. - Above all, your behests must be enlarged by the secure reward for me of a golden crown.'
κείμενον : the word must be understood as in
Ant. 485
εἰ ταῦτ᾽ ἀνατὶ τῇδε κείσεται κράτη
(Jebb's n.). The prize was fixed or secured for the winner:
Pind. Isth. 1. 26
ἀλλ' ἐφ᾽ ἑκάστῳ ἔργματι κεῖτο τέλος
, where
τέλος is equivalent to
γέρας here. The text of the Ms xp[.]. [..]
τεφε (and the possibility that another letter follows) perhaps represents an original
χρυσεοστεφές,
ας χρυσεοστεφάνων appears in some MSS of
Pind. Ol. 8. 1
. In that passage
χρυσο- is figurative, i.e. it expresses the supreme worth of the not intrinsically valuable prizes. Here
χρυσοῖς literal, and the second member of the compound figurative: the satyrs looked for some reward more solid than a wreath. The ironical application of the compound is well suited to the tone of the passage : cf. 72, 156, 202.-
ἐπ᾿ ἐντολαῖσι is also possible: cf.
Trach. 1253
.
mvp-comment-19-1
49
σπουδὴν ἐπαινῶ might give the sense required.--Observe the Sophoclean
μοῦνον (fr. 852 n.).
mvp-comment-20-1
50
δόσιν : H. Richards conjectures
λόγον, which would correspond to
ὅρκον ἐμπεδώσομεν in 1. T. 790. Some less obvious restoration is then required in 51.
mvp-comment-21-1
51
ἑτοῖμα, without definite reference ('everything is prepared'), is idiomatic. See
Thuc. 2. 3
, 10, 98 etc.
mvp-comment-22-1
56
ποίαν δωρεὰν ἄλλην is supplied by Hunt (ed. min.).
mvp-comment-23-1
57 For the servitude of the chorus see Introductory Note.
mvp-comment-24-1
58 ff. The remains of the choral ode are too slight to reveal the general character of the metre, but dochmiacs are clearly recognizable in 68, 69 and 72. There is a certain degree of similarity to
Eur. Cycl. 656
ff. Robert holds that the chorus entered
σποράδην before the dialogue with Apollo was completed, and that they heard his concluding directions: see on 102.
mvp-comment-25-1
61
σέ τοι is a common combination in addresses, with
λέγω or the like following:
Ai. 359
, 1228,
El. 1445
,
O. C. 1578
. The governing verb is omitted in
Ar. Av. 274
.
mvp-comment-26-1
63
ὑπόνομα seems to be used metaphorically (=cunning). The transference is attested by
Hesych. IV p. 215
ὑπονομαί· κλοπαί· ὀχετοί
.
mvp-comment-27-1
65
πατρικὰν γᾶρυν, 'our father's voice,' corresponds to
πατρικὸς λόγος in
Plat. soph. 242 A
(the argument of Parmenides). The Ms has
γῆρων here and in 290, but
ἐγάρυσε in 244. Several other instances of n where a might have been expected occur (237, 283, 321), and I have followed Hunt (ed. min.) in restoring the Doric form. The difficult question relating to the trustworthiness of our Mss in this respect is thoroughly discussed by Tucker on
Aesch. Cho. pp. 246-250
.
mvp-comment-28-1
67
ποσσί is less remarkable than
πόδεσι (fr. 240 n.). The supplement required may have been (ex. gr.)
συμπεράνας ἔχει.
mvp-comment-29-1
69 is not easily to be restored (see Hunt's n.), more particularly as it is not clear whether the words are connected with the following lines, which are themselves not altogether intelligible, and may be corrupt, as Wilamowitz thinks (p. 4555). -
βιοῦν μέτα, Diehl.
mvp-comment-30-1
70 ff. Taking the text as it stands, I would interpret as follows: 'Now that our god has displayed splendid prizes of gold, let him therewithal at our side conclude our labours.' The gold is secure, a first favour; next, let the quest be short. I write
ξὺν ἅμα (rather than
συνάμα, which belongs to the Hellenistic age) as the rough breathing of the papyrus seems to indicate, although it might, of course, be an instance of medial aspiration (fr. 582 n.).
ξύν is then adverbial, as elsewhere in Sophocles (
Ant. 85
etc.); and
ἅμα accompanies the participial clause, as in
Xen. anab. 3. 1. 47
καὶ ἅμα ταῦτ᾽ εἰπὼν ἀνέστη
and other examples quoted by Kuehner-Gerth 11 82. -
ἀρίζηλα, a, used in the larger sense of what is not merely clear, but conspicuous or striking.
θαυμαστὴ ἄγαν is Hesych.'s gloss on
ἀριζήλη (1 p. 280), perhaps in reference to
Hom. 2
319.
ἀριζήλωτος shows that the word was influenced by
ζῆλος, although etymologically distinct from it. L. and S.'s account is defective.
παραδείγματα, here simply things shown, exhibits. Strictly, we must distinguish the derived meanings (1) example, as in
O. T. 1193
, and (2) sample, as in
Ar. Pac. 65
.
mvp-comment-31-1
73
Τύχη is personified as in
O. T. 1080
ἐγὼ δ' ἐμαυτὸν παῖδα τῆς Τύχης νέμων
|
τῆς εὐ διδούσης. Fortune is not here invoked as blind chance contrasted with foresight, although the first beginnings of that sense are to be found in Attic poetry (
O. T. 977
,
Ant. 1158
). Rather, she is the divine power to which all human action is subservient, daughter of Prometheia, as Alcman calls her (fr. 62), mightiest of the fates according to Pindar (fr. 41). Cf. Tr. fr. adesp. 506
πάντων τύραννος ἡ τύχη '
στι τῶν θεῶν κτέ. Thus the vague
δαῖμον ἰθυντήριε should not be understood as referring to Apollo, but as a further description of the same guiding force. Cf. Dio Chrys. 63. 7
οἱ δὲ πηδάλιον ἔδωκαν κρατεῖν (sc.
τῇ τύχῃ)....
τὸ δὲ πηδάλιον δηλοῖ ὅτι κυβερνᾷ τὸν τῶν ἀνθρώπων βίον ἡ τύχη. id. 64. 5. Observe also that the worship of
ἀγαθὸς δαίμων was intimately associated at Athens with that of
ἀγαθὴ τύχη : see Gruppe, Gr. Myth. p. 1088, J. E. Harrison, Themis, p. 278, and cf. Pausan. 9. 39. 5. For the marginal variant see cr. n. I believe that Aristophanes wrote
εὐθυντήριε rather than
εἰθυντήριε, as restored in the ed. pr. For the constant confusion of
εὐθύνω and
ἰθύνω and of their cognates, see
Eur. Hipp. 1227
, Blomfield on
Aesch. Pers. 779
. Recent critics (e.g. Nauck on
Aesch. fr. 200
) have inclined to restore the forms in
εὐ-. on
mvp-comment-32-1
74
τυχεῖν: for the exclamatory infinitive in prayers see Goodw. § 785, Kuehner-Gerth II 19 ff., Tucker
Aesch. Theb. 239
.
οὗ: the genitive expresses the object at which an aim is directed or towards which desire moves. The connexion with
ἐπείγεσθαι is Homeric:
α 309
ἐπειγόμενός περ ὁδοῖο,
Τ 142
ἐπειγόμενός περ"
Αρηος.
mvp-comment-33-1
75
λείαν κτέ. The asyndeton is no doubt intended to emphasize the climax (Kuehner-Gerth 11 341).-It may be questioned whether
σύλησιν is here concrete, or whether
λείαν and
ἄγραν are to be taken, as is quite possible, as nomina actionis. On the whole, the idea of discovering the stolen cattle seems to be more prominent than that of punishing the theft. In fact, an abstract noun is sometimes employed, where we should require a concrete: see on
Eur. Hel. 50
, 1675.
mvp-comment-34-1
77
τῶν is demonstrative. Cf.
O. T. 200
τόν
...
ὑπὸ σῷ φθίσον κεραυνῷ.
mvp-comment-35-1
78
φράσας (see cr. n.) seems to be a necessary correction.
mvp-comment-36-1
79
προστελής (see cr. n.) does not occur elsewhere, and has no obvious meaning. It seems probable, therefore, that the preposition has been copied by mistake from the previous line. Hunt substitutes
συντελής, ‘contributory,' which may well be right, unless we should prefer the more complimentary
παντελής ('all-effective'). It may be observed that Aeschylus and Sophocles (if we include v. 13) each use the word
παντελής four times, but it is never employed by Euripides or by Pindar.
mvp-comment-37-1
80 f. The purport of these lines was to promise the informer a share of the reward.
mvp-comment-38-1
85 f. are well restored by Hunt :
φησίν τις,
ἢ οὐδείς φησιν εἰδέναι τάδε; |
ἔοικεν ἤδη καὶ πρὸς ἔργ᾽ ὁρμᾶν με δεῖν. He quotes
Eur. 1
. T. 1072.
mvp-comment-39-1
87
ἄγ' εἷα supports the reading of the Mss in
Ar. Ran. 394
, where several editors adopt Bentley's
ἀλλ' εῖα, as well as V's reading in Plut. 316. For the aspiration, which is said to be Attic, see schol. A on
Hom. I 262
τῆς δασείας᾿ Αττικῶς προσελθούσης
. Cf. 168, fr. 221, 4.
mvp-comment-40-1
89
αὔρας, evidently with the meaning scent. Cf. Antiph. fr. 217, 22 (11 105
Κ.)
ξανθαῖσιν αὔραις σῶμα πᾶν ἀγάλλεται, i.e. with the savour of roasting.
mvp-comment-41-1
90
διπλοῦς ὀκλάζων I should interpret as 'bent double.' Terzaghi supplies
πόδας with
διπλοῦς, but the chorus are not exhorted merely to bend their legs. Silenus encourages them to bend over the track, but it seems from 119 that they exaggerated his command by moving along the trail on all-fours. For
διπλοῦς in this sense cf.
Eur. El. 492
διπλῆν ἄκανθαν καὶ παλίρροπον γόνυ
. Verg. Aen. 11. 645 ۱۱
mvp-comment-41-2
duplicatque virum transfixa dolore (sc. hasta). 12. 926 incidit ictus | ingens ad terram duplicato poplite Turnus.
ὀκλάξειν signifies to crouch, although no doubt it is often applied specifically to squatting on the haunches. Wilamowitz, who reads
δίπους, thinks that
ὀκλάζων should refer to a dog sitting; but how could he then follow the trail?
mvp-comment-42-1
91
ὕποσμος ἐν χρῷ, scenting closely, i.e. with their noses close to the ground. Cf.
Arist. de an. 2. 9. 4215
11
καὶ γὰρ τούτων ἔνια (i.e. some water animals)
πόρρωθεν ἀπαντᾷ πρὸς τὴν τροφὴν ὕποσμα γινόμενα, -guided by the smell.
ὑπήκοος is exactly parallel. The gloss of
Hesych. IV p. 216
ὕποσμος· ὀσφραινόμενος
is substantially correct, and may very well, as Wilamowitz thinks, refer to this passage. Cf. Phot. lex. p. 630, 14
ὕποσμος· ὁ ὑπονοῶν τι καὶ ὑποπτεύων. For
ἐν χρῷ cf.
Thuc. 2. 84
ἐν χρῷ ἀεὶ παραπλέοντες
(
ἀντὶ τοῦ πλησίον schol.).
mvp-comment-43-1
94
θεός is repeated to mark the excitement. Wilamowitz refers to
Eur. Hel. 560
ὦ θεοί· θεὸς γὰρ καὶ τὸ γιγνώσκειν φίλους
, a passage which shows that even so impersonal a conception as the articular infinitive can be described as
θεός. So here deós is equivalent to
θεῖόν τι ἔστιν ἐνταῦθα.
mvp-comment-44-1
95
μὴ πρόσω πάτει, which I formerly suggested, is found to be too long for the gap. Robert has made the same correction independently.
mvp-comment-45-1
96 Hunt (ed. min.) accepted
βήματα from P. Maas: see cr. n. Maas also required
ἐκείνων for
ἐκεῖνα, as in 110. But
ἐκεῖνα ('here are those steps') is more forcible, and would not be precluded even if it were certain that
βήματα or
ἴχνη had not previously been mentioned. Cf.
El. 1115
τοῦτ᾽ ἐκεῖν᾽ ἤδη σαφές
|
πρόχειρον ἄχθος...
δέρκομαι, ib. 1178
τόδ' ἔστ' ἐκεῖνο. - I have followed Hunt in the distribution of these lines: Wilamowitz divides the chorus into three sections, for reasons which will be discussed in the n. on 168. Robert, who divides into
ἡμιχόρια, discovers three separate speakers in each section, and so finds an argument in favour of the view that the satyric chorus always consisted of 12 members. The tradition is against these subdivisions, but the correct apportionment of the speeches is necessarily doubtful.
mvp-comment-46-1
97 The exact allusion which is intended is probably irrecoverable. Something in the attitude of the chorus seems to have suggested to their minds the formalities observed on the occasion of the departure of a new colony. Or, as Wilamowitz suggests, they may have been thinking of Cadmus following the cow, or the Theraeans entering Cyrene behind the raven. In any case,
θεός must refer to Apollo as the god of colonization, particularly under his title of
ἀρχηγέτης. Cf.
Pind. Pyth. 5. 60
,
Thuc. 6. 3
.
mvp-comment-47-1
98 See cr. n.
O. T. 157
does not defend
ἐξήνομεν which is so unusual that Murray's reading is to be preferred. The letter before is doubtful, but there does not appear to be room for
έλαύνομεν. P. 16
mvp-comment-48-1
99
δοκεῖ πάνυ : 'I'm quite sure of it.' Cf.
Plat. Euthyd. 305 C
πρὸς δὲ τῷ εἶναι καὶ δοκεῖν πάνυ παρὰ πολλοῖς
, where it may be doubted if Stallbaum was right in connecting
πάνυ with
πολλοῖς.
mvp-comment-49-1
100 'For each actual mark, as we see them (
τάδε), is a clear proof.' For
αὔθ᾽ ἕκαστα see on
Eur. Phoen. 494
.
σημαίνει is used absolutely as in
Trach. 345
χώ λόγος σημαινέτω
.
mvp-comment-50-1
102 The occurrence of
αὐτός in 100 and 104 favours the adoption of
αὐτό rather than
αὐ τό. ‘Here is the very imprint of their hoofs.'
ἐπίσημον,
ἐπίσημα are used of the devices stamped on coins. On the other hand, it seems hardly possible that
ἐπίσιμον, if that word is to be discerned in the marginal note, could express the rolling gait of oxen. Robert, accepting
σήματα in 96, supposes that both lines refer to the mark of ownership which Apollo had branded on the hoofs of his cattle, and that this mark had been disclosed, probably in 52 f.
mvp-comment-51-1
104
ἐκμεμαγμένον: see cr. n. The tense is a serious objection to the reading
ἐκμετρούμενον: contrast
Eur. fr. 382
, 3, where the present expresses customary action (=
ὃς ἐκμετρεῖται). Tr.: 'here is a moulding of the very size.' -
μέτρον implies that the chorus measured the track with their eyes, and observed its correspondence: cf.
Ai. 5
μετρούμενον
|
ἴχνη τὰ κείνου νεοχάραχθ᾽ ὅπως κτέ.
mvp-comment-52-1
106 Perhaps
ἀκροώμενος, if 107 followed immediately, as was probably, though not certainly, the case. The lower margin is broken off, so that the end of the column cannot be fixed.
mvp-comment-53-1
107 See cr. n. Hunt's restoration is open to two objections. (1)
ῥοίβδημα is unsuitable, as applied to the lowing of cattle. It is true that Monk read
ἐν ῥοιβδήσει βουκολιῶν in
Eur. I. A. 1086
with this meaning, but none of the subsequent critics, except Paley, has agreed with him.
ῥοίβδησις there expresses the whistling of the herdsmen, just as
ῥοῖζος is attributed to shepherds in
Hom. 1
315. Following the clue which these passages suggest, I have provisionally restored as above. (2) The usage of tragedy invariably requires
δι' ώτων (
ὠτός) in the proposed context: see
Aesch. Cho. 54
, 449.
Soph. O. T. 1387
,
Ant. 1188
,
El. 737
, 1439, fr. 858.
Eur. Med. 1139
, Rhes. 294, 566.-
ῥοῖβδος is
παρεπιγραφή, and appears to refer to the sound of the lyre which the semi-chorus fails to recognize. Wilamowitz thinks the word could not be so applied: but see on 255. Robert also explains
ῥοῖβδος as the bellowing of the cattle, but objects to Hunt's restoration on the ground that, though the
παρεπιγραφή follows 107, the sound had already been heard and correctly interpreted by the first speaker.
mvp-comment-54-1
109 f. The construction is as follows:
αὐτά τε ἴχνη καὶ ὁ στίβος [i.e. the indi-
mvp-comment-54-2
vidual marks and the entire trail]
κείνων τῶν βοῶν πάρα [=
πάρεισι]
τάδε ἐναργῆ μαθεῖν. Wilamowitz at one time placed a colon after
στίβος, but subsequently preferred a full stop before
μαθεῖν. The latter alternative is the better of the two, but there is no reason why the passage should not be continuous.
mvp-comment-55-1
112 f.
ναὶ μὰ Δία occurs also in
Eur. Cycl. 555
, 558, 586. We may render: 'nay, verily, the footprints are reversed and face in the opposite direction.' vai, as Shilleto remarked (
Dem. de fals. leg. p. 285
), serves not so much 'the purpose of affirming the preceding position, as of ushering in the subsequent objection.' Cf.
Xen. Cyrop. 1. 6. 29
οὐ γιγνώσκεις ὅτι κακουργίαι τέ εἰσι καὶ
...
πλεονεξίαι;
ναὶ μὰ Δί᾽,
ἔφη,
θηρίων γε. In mem. 2. 2. 11
ναὶ μὰ Δία is a protest against the question, 'why, of course I do.' For the sense cf.
h. Herm. 344
τῇσιν μὲν γὰρ βουσὶν ἐς ἀσφοδελὸν λειμώνα
|
ἀντία βήματ᾿ ἔχουσα κόνις ἀνέφαινε μέλαινα. Hunt puts a full stop after
βήματα, and adopts the circumflex accent of the papyrus by reading
αὐ· τάδ' (see cr. n.). But the arrangement in the text is much better: in English the emphasis would be expressed by 'just look at them.' For the emphatic position of
αὐτός cf.
Eur. Hel. 421
αὐτὰ δ᾽ εἰκάσαι
|
πάρεστι ναὸς ἔκβολ᾽ οἷς ἀμπίσχομαι.
mvp-comment-56-1
114
τουτί. The colloquial form, common in Aristophanes, does not occur elsewhere in the text of the tragedians. -
τάγματος : a rare word, mostly confined to late prose. But it does not seem right to prefer the more usual and vaguer
πράγματος.
mvp-comment-57-1
115 f. 'The front marks have shifted to the back, and some again are interlaced facing in opposite directions to each other. They reach a point where the general direction of the trail appears to be reversed, so that the forward marks are now turned the wrong way: besides this, many of the hoof-marks are half obliterated by others going in the reverse direction. The language follows
h. Herm. 77
ἀντία ποιήσας ὁπλάς
,
τὰς πρόσθεν ὄπισθεν, |
τὰς δ᾽ ὅπιθεν πρόσθεν,
κατὰ δ᾽ ἔμπαλιν αὐτὸς ἔβαινε (Hermes drives the cows backwards, while he himself walks forwards). Cacus carried out the same trick differently: Verg. Aen. 8. 210 cauda in speluncam tractos versisque viarum | indiciis. Hunt supports
συμπεπλεγμένα by quoting
Xen. cyn. 5. 6
τὰ ἴχνη ὀρθά
...
τοῦ δ᾽ ἦρος συμπεπλεγμένα. One might also conjecture
συμπεφυρμένα. Robert takes an entirely different view of this passage. According to him the cunning of Hermes was much more complicated : (1) Some of the cows were driven backwards [112]; (2) others had their front hoofs twisted inwards [115
ἐς τοὐπίσω...
ἤλλακται]; (3) others again had their back hoofs twisted outwards [
ἐναντί' ἀλλήλοισι]. Since, however, this meaning cannot be extracted from the parallel passage in the hymn, Robert believes that Sophocles was a deliberate innovator. The difficulty arises from a refusal to believe that
ἀντία ποιήσας ὁπλάς in Homer, and
ἐς τοὐπίσω τὰ πρόσθεν ἤλλακται in Sophocles, can both be applied simply to the reversal of the direction of the hoofs.
mvp-comment-58-1
118 f. Hunt, reading
κεκλιμένον, places the mark of interrogation at the end of 118. This requires
πρόσπαιον (sc.
ἐστί) to be used in the sense of
θαυμαστόν, whereas
πρόσπαιος is rather new than strange. 16-2
mvp-comment-58-2
For the adverb ('so newly bowed to earth') cf. Nic. Ther. 689
εἰ δὲ σύ γε σκύλακας γαλέης ἢ μητέρα λαιδρὴν |
ἀγρεύσαις πρόσπαιον.
mvp-comment-59-1
121 Just as the proverb
μία λόχμη οὐ τρέφει δύο ἐριθάκους (Zenob. 5. 11) implies that a bush offers only limited accommodation, so here the satyrs are doubled up as completely as the hedgehog, when he is tucked into a space just large enough for him. The exîvos cunningly conceals himself for purposes of self-defence: cf. Ion Chius fr. 38, 4
στρόβιλος ἀμφάκανθον (Salmasius for
ἀμφ' ἄκανθαν)
εἰλίξας δέμας |
κεῖται θιγεῖν τε καὶ δακεῖν ἀμήχανος.
mvp-comment-60-1
122 The exact intention of the allusion is obscure.
ἀποθυμαίνεις, which, if sound, provides the only instance in the text of an irregular anapaest (see p. 230), is an unknown compound, and it is difficult to perceive the relevance of any derivative of
θυμαίνω. Wilamowitz suggested that
ἀποθυμαίνειν was used for
ἀποθυμιᾶν, and that the latter was a synonym of
ἀποπέρδεσθαι. But the double assumption is unwarrantable. Hunt, in order to secure the same meaning, conjectured
ἀπιθμαίνεις from
Hesych. 11
pp. 350, 371 s.
υν.
ἰθμαίνων and
ἰσμαίνει, -evidence which fails to prove that
ἰθμαίνειν could be used for
πέρδεσθαι. The associations of
κύβδα are different, if we may judge by
Ar. Eq. 365
, Pac. 897, Thesm. 489 (with Blaydes's n.): in other words, it alludes to
σχῆμα ἀκόλαστον καὶ ἑταιρικόν (schol.
Ar. Lys. 231
). Hence I formerly suggested
ποθομανής on the analogy of
ἐρωτομανής, but would now prefer
πόθον ἐνείς (
Eur. Bacch. 851
), as a somewhat easier change and as accounting better for
τινί.
mvp-comment-61-1
123
τί ταῦτα; see on
Eur. Hel. 991
, and Gildersleeve, Synt. § 132.
mvp-comment-62-1
125
ὕ ὖ, which recurs at 170, is an exclamation of alarm; not of admiration, as in
Ar. Plut. 895
, where schol. R remarks :
ἐπίρρημα θαυμαστικόν,
ὅπερ ἐν τῇ συνηθείᾳ λέγομεν.
mvp-comment-63-1
127
ἔχων is colloquial. It is explained by Kuehner-Gerth 11 62 (followed by Starkie on
Ar. Nub. 131
) as originally transitive (i.e.
ἔχων governs
τί). Subsequently it became intransitive, as employed in
Ar. Ran. 202
οὐ μὴ φλυαρήσεις ἔχων
, ib. 512
ληρεῖς ἔχων. It follows that in the fifth century
ἔχων was no longer considered to be transitive.
mvp-comment-64-1
128 f. The supplement of Wilamowitz
ἀγχοῦ τις ἤχει κέρχνος· was adopted by Hunt in both his editions. In that case, it would seem necessary also to accept
ἱμείρω from the same critic; for, as he says, the chorus have not shown any desire to investigate the sound. But we may very well read
ἀλλ' οὐ τίς...
ἱμείρεις μαθεῖν; as in the text, with
τί δῆτα (Hunt) in place of
τί ἦν;
τί in the following line.
ἀλλά is idiomatic in introducing a fresh question, as explained by Maetzner on Lycurg. 144. -For
κέρχνος see on fr. 279. -The reading of Theon (
σιγᾶθ' οἱ) is very much more forcible, as marking the contrast with their former loquacity.
mvp-comment-65-1
131
ἁπονοσφίζεις, an ingenious restoration of Wilamowitz, after
O. T. 480
τὰ μεσόμφαλα γᾶς ἀπονοσφίζων
|
μαντεῖα, where the verb is glossed by
φυγών.
mvp-comment-66-1
135 For the palaeographical data see Hunt's note. The received supplements are not convincing, and the retort suggests the repetition of
ἐμοί (e.g.
ἐμοὶ δ᾽ ἔρευναν).
mvp-comment-67-1
136 f.
ἄκουσον κτέ. 'Listen to the thing for a bit, and hear what a noise....' The subordinate clause introduced by
οἴῳ takes the place of the acc. rei, which is normally combined with the genitive of the personal object following
ἀκούω (audire ex aliquo aliquid). Cf. e.g.
Phil. 1273
βούλομαι δέ σου κλύειν πότερα δέδοκται
. For
αὐ τοῦ Maas conjectured
αὐτός, but surely the article is required with
χρήματος. The latter word is used colloquially, just as we say 'the thing,' with a touch of contempt. Cf. 365, and see Neil on Eq. 1219, Starkie on Vesp. 933. —
ἐξενίσμεθα is more suitable to the context than
ἐξωργίσμεθα, if that was the original reading of the papyrus; but the meaning required ('to be astounded'), which is common in Polybius, has hitherto been regarded as post-classical. M.
Ant. 8. 15
αἰσχρόν ἐστι ξενίζεσθαι
,
εἰ ἡ συκῆ σύκα φέρει.
mvp-comment-68-1
139
ψόφον φοβεῖσθε. For the proverbial
ψοφοδεής see on fr. 61. The stop which is placed after
ψόφον in the papyrus must be an error.
mvp-comment-69-1
140
μάλθης. The substance intended, which is chosen for its compressible character, is described as
κηρὸς μεμαλαγμένος (Bekk. anecd. p. 278, 23: cf. Ael. et Paus, fr. 251 a Schw.). See also Sandys on
Dem. 46. 11
. Since it appears to be necessary to admit övres in 141, I have retained
ἐκμεμαγμένοι here (see cr. n.) rather than
ἐκμεμαγμένα, which is preferred by Hunt.
mvp-comment-70-1
141 f.
κάκιστα is difficult, unless
ὄντα κάν is read, as I formerly proposed. Hunt states, however, that there is not room for this reading in the lacuna. Contrast 147
κάκιστα θηρίων, and for the grammatical principle see KuehnerGerth § 363. We can hardly carry on
σώματα, and must suppose that
κάκιστα is nominalized like
τὰ πρῶτα in
Ar. Ran. 421
. There is a formal parallel in
Thuc. 4. 76
ἔστι δὲ ἡ Χαιρώνεια ἔσχατον τῆς Βοιωτίας
. I do not add 1. 138
ἐδόκει γὰρ πολυοινότατον τῶν τότε εἶναι (sc.
ἡ Λάμψακος), for there
τῶν τότε may be neuter.
θηρί' conj. Wecklein.-For the sense cf. Shaksp. M. N. D. v. 1. 21 Or, in the night, imagining some fear, | how easy is a bush supposed a bear!
mvp-comment-71-1
143
ἄνευρα:
feeble. Cf. Theopomp. fr. 71 (1 752 K.)
ἄπνους,
ἄνευρος,
ἀσθενής,
ἀνέντατος. -
ἀκόμιστα:
slovenly.
mvp-comment-72-1
144
σώματα does not seem to be used alone in the contemptuous sense of hulks or carcases. If, therefore, the conditions permitted, I should have preferred to substitute
σχήματ', -mere shapes without substance. Cf.
Eur. fr. 25
γέροντες οὐδέν ἐσμεν ἄλλο πλὴν ψόφος καὶ σχῆμ᾽
. id. fr. 360, 27
μὴ σχήματ᾽ ἄλλως ἐν πόλει πεφυκότα. I am glad to find that Robert also is dissatisfied with
σώματ', but his conjecture
ὄμματ' is no improvement.
mvp-comment-73-1
145
φαλῆτες. Satyric choruses wore the phallus: cf.
Eur. Cycl. 439
, and see Haigh, Attic Theatre, p. 294. For the comic stage see schol.
Ar. Nub. 538
.-
εἰ..
δέῃ, at a pinch. For the subjunctive with el cf.
O. C. 1443
,
Ant. 710
,
Ar. Eq. 698
. It is not easy to recover the nuance of the construction, or to understand why it was occasionally preferred to the normal uses. Neil (on Eq. l.c.) seems to think that it was paratragoedic in Aristophanes, but it may rather have been the literary survival of an almost extinct colloquialism, like our an't please you. For other examples see KuehnerGerth II 474-
mvp-comment-74-1
147
τοιοῦδε πατρός is isolated. In order to show that it is a continuation of the address from
φαλῆτες, I have printed
εἰ...
φεύγετε as a parenthesis.
mvp-comment-75-1
148 The exploits of Silenus, his wanderings with Dionysus, and his share in the battle with the giants, are recorded in
Eur. Cycl. 2-9
. Wilamowitz (p. 455) thinks that the present passage refers rather to hunting adventures (Jagdabenteuer): see on 152.
mvp-comment-76-1
149
οἴκοις νυμφικοῖς: i.e. in the caves of the nymphs. Cf.
Hom. h. Aphr. 262
τῇσι δὲ Σιληνοί τε καὶ εὔσκοπος ᾿Αργειφόντης
|
μίσγοντ' ἐν φιλότητι μυχῷ σπείων ἐροέντων.
mvp-comment-77-1
150
ἐς φυγὴν κλίνοντος, giving way to flight. For the use of
κλίνω cf. Polyb.
Ι. 27. 8
τῶν περὶ τὰ μέσα Καρχηδονίων ἐκ παραγγέλματος κλινάντων πρὸς φυγήν. Aristid. 1 p. 178
ἐπεὶ δ᾽ ἔκλινε τὰ πράγματα. In
Eur. Suppl. 704
ἔκλινε γὰρ κέρας
|
τὸ λαιὸν ἡμῶν the verb might be intransitive, although the editors are probably right in making
κέρας the object.-
δειλουμένου (see cr. n.) is rather more pointed than
δουλουμένου, which requires to be defined (e.g. by
τῇ γνώμη). Wilamowitz compares
ἀγριοῦσθαι,
γαυριοῦσθαι, etc.
mvp-comment-78-1
152
αἰχμαῖσιν. The plural indicates different occasions, and by the use of the word the speaker does not so much refer to a definite weapon as to martial achievements in general. Thus the meaning is equivalent to vi et armis, or practically to 'in battle.' Cf.
Eur. fr. 16
λαμπροὶ δ᾽ ἐν αἰχμαῖς
"
Αρεος ἔν τε συλλόγοις.
Phoen. 1273
αἰχμὴν ἐς μίαν καθέστατον
.
Soph. Phil. 1307
κακοὺς
|
ὄντας πρὸς αἰχμήν. See also Wilamowitz on
Eur. Her. 158
. Hunt gives
ἀκμαῖσιν with a colon after
ἐξειργασμένου, though I do not understand how his reading admits of the translation 'but did deeds of strength.' But it is surely far more natural to suppose that the object of
ἐξειργασμένου is the antecedent to a (i.e. deeds which) in 153, than that the relative looks back to
μνήματα in 148. Nevertheless, Wilamowitz also takes
μνήματα to be the immediate antecedent of a. Both he and Robert infer from the text that Silenus is boasting not of his martial exploits, but of his prowess as a hunter, i.e. (I suppose) the
mvp-comment-78-2
object of
ἐξειργασμένου ‘having destroyed' is
βοτά. The removal of the colon makes this assumption unnecessary, and in my opinion clears up the whole passage. It follows, of course, that I cannot assent to Robert's conception of the character of Silenus as standing on a much loftier plane of morality than the mean-spirited sot in the Cyclops. See also on 199 ff. a
mvp-comment-79-1
153 f.
ἀπορρυπαίνεται is more emphatic and therefore better than
ὑπορρυπαίνεται (cr. n.). Wilamowitz holds that there is a lacuna after this line, on the ground that the dative
ψόφῳ is otherwise intolerably harsh, unless supported by participle like
ἐκπλαγέντων. But this is unduly to limit the sphere of the causal (instrumental) dative, which is not infrequently applied to the influence of external circumstances in the place of
διά c. acc. See
El. 549
,
Trach. 1127
,
Ant. 691
with Jebb's nn.
Eur. Hel. 79
n.,
Hclid. 474
n. Andr. 157
στυγοῦμαι δ' ἀνδρὶ φαρμάκοισι σοῖς. ib. 247
μισοῦν γε πατρίδα σὴν ᾿Αχιλλέως φόνῳ.
El. 149
χέρα δὲ κρᾶτ᾽ ἐπὶ κούριμον
|
τιθεμένα θανάτῳ σῷ. I dwell upon this the more, because the examples given by Kuehner-Gerth 1 439 are not representative of this aspect of the idiom.-
κόλακι is obscure, and, if Hunt is right in rendering it 'cheating, one does not see whom shepherds are supposed to delude. I suggest that there is a contemptuous allusion to the soothing of the shepherd's pipe:
Eur. fr. 773
, 27
σύριγγας δ᾽ οὐριβάται |
κινοῦσιν ποίμνας,
ἐλάται. Alc. 577
βοσκήμασι σοῖσι συρίζων |
ποιμνίτας ὑμεναίους. Rhes. 551
ἤδη δὲ νέμουσι κατ' Ἴδαν |
ποίμνια· νυκτιβρόμου σύριγγος ἰὰν κατακούω.
Soph. Phil. 213
οὐ μολπὰν σύριγγος ἔχων
,
ὡς ποιμὰν ἀγροβότας.
Eur. Hel. 1483
σύριγγι πειθόμεναι ποιμένος
, -transferred to the cranes. What else than the strains of the pipe can be the 'shepherds' noise'? The shepherd pipes to his flock which obeys him: i.e. the sound is intended to soothe the flock. Observe how this description of the sound confirms the interpretation given of 107. Hunt places a comma at the end of 154, and accepts ov from Wilamowitz in 155; but the multiplication of relative clauses is rather to be avoided.
mvp-comment-80-1
155 The child's fear of the unknown may be illustrated from
Plat. Phaed. 77 E
ἴσως ἔνι τις καὶ ἐν ἡμῖν παῖς ὃς τὰ τοιαῦτα φοβεῖται
.
Το be afraid before you have cause is like crying out before you are hurt (
Phil. 917
,
Ar. Plut. 477
).
mvp-comment-81-1
156
χρυσόφαντον is a new compound. Cf. 45.
mvp-comment-82-1
157
ἀνεδέξατο is a formal word for to undertake, acknowledge, become responsible for. Cf. Isae. 3. 18.
Dem. 33. 22
, 35.7, 46.7, 59.58.
mvp-comment-83-1
159
εὕδετε : ye are idle. The application to persons in the metaphorical sense is Sophoclean:
O.T. 65
ὥστ᾽ οὐχ ὕπνῳ γ᾽ εὕδοντά μ' ἐξεγείρετε
.
Ο. С. 307
κεί βραδὺς |
εὕδει.
mvp-comment-84-1
160
ἀνανοστήσαντες, not to pursue (Hunt) but to return to the path. It should be remembered that the simple verb does not primarily or chiefly mean to return. For the minatory condition see Goodwin, § 447.
mvp-comment-85-1
162 Hunt's rendering 'you shall make a noise in lamentation for your very cowardice' is not quite clear. Rather: 'your very cowardice shall end in noisy whimpering.'
αὐτῇ : i.e. so far from escaping from pain by your cowardice, it will be the cause of your chastisement. Wecklein's
αὐτοί is unnecessary. I suppose
ψοφήσετε to have been deliberately chosen instead of
βοήσεσθε in reference to the disturbing
ψόφος of 154, just as conversely ẞoâv is sometimes ironically applied to inanimate objects (e.g.
Ar. Ran. 859
). It is difficult to say whether the dative is rather causal or circumstantial, but the character of the noun distinguishes this example from the familiar type of fr. 958. Maas, however, thinks that
ψοφήσετε is a vulgarism for
ἀπολεῖσθε, on the ground that it is used with that sense in Byzantine and modern Greek. Wilamowitz calls attention to the similar development of
διαφωνεῖν (Agatharchides ap. Phot. bibl. 457,25).
mvp-comment-86-1
163
συμποδηγέτει: this is a new word beside
συμποδηγεῖν, corresponding
το ποδηγετεῖν :
ποδηγεῖν. Cf.
κυνηγετεῖν :
κυνηγεῖν.
mvp-comment-87-1
165
αὐτός appears to belong to
παρῇς, as well as to
παρών in 163 and 166. In each case it bears a considerable emphasis: 'Father, do come yourself...' and so forth.
mvp-comment-88-1
166
προσβιβῶ λόγῳ, not ‘I will urge you on by my voice' (Hunt) but 'I will win you over by argument.' The phrase is used ironically of a persuasion that will not derive its force from logical superiority. Cf.
Ar. Av. 425
προσβιβᾷ λέγων
. Eq. 35
εὐ προσβιβάζεις μ'. Aeschin. 3. 93
τῷ λόγῳ προσβιβάζων ὑμᾶς..
ὡς κτέ.
mvp-comment-89-1
167
κυνορτικὸν σύριγμα may be illustrated from the note on fr. 9
ἐπισίγματα. —
διακαλούμενος : the encouragement will be given in various (
δια-) quarters.
mvp-comment-90-1
168
ἐφίστω was adopted by Hunt and Wilamowitz, and compared with
Trach. 339
τοῦ με τήνδ᾽ ἐφίστασαι βάσιν
, which would then be interpreted 'why dost thou approach me thus?' The present passage is rendered 'take your stand at the cross-ways'; and, since the relevance of the remark to the situation is not apparent, Wilamowitz constructs an elaborate mise en scène in justification of the text. Three paths are represented on the stage, converging at the cave of Cyllene, and possibly rising towards it. The chorus in the orchestra divide themselves into three bodies, each of which follows one of the paths indicated. He points out that the wooden stage-buildings provided for each performance allowed considerable freedom to the poet for the arrangement of his stage. In conformity with the supposed conditions, he divides the chorus into three rather than two sections in the passage beginning at v. 94. This is ingenious rather than convincing, and
τριζύγης οἵμου is too slender foundation to support the superstructure. I have proposed to restore
ἀφίστω, which yields a simple and appropriate meaning. To stand at the cross-roads, i.e. at a point where the road bifurcates (as explained by Gildersleeve on
Pind. Pyth. 11. 38
κατ' ἀμευσιπόρους τριόδους ἐδινήθην
, |
ὀρθὰν κέλευθον ἰὼν τὸ πρίν), was a proverbial image typical of hesitation: Theogn. 911
ἐν τριόδῳ δ᾽ ἕστηκα· δύ᾽ εἰσὶ τὸ πρόσθεν ὁδοί μοι· |
φροντίζω τούτων ἥντιν᾽ ἴω προτέρην. Oppian Halieut. 3. 501
εἴκελος ἀνδρὶ |
ξείνῳ,
ὃς ἐν τριόδοισι πολυτρίπτοισι κυρήσας |
ἔστη ἐφορμαίνων κραδίη τε οἱ ἄλλοτε λαιήν, |
ἄλλοτε δεξιτερὴν ἐπιβάλλεται ἀτραπὸν ἐλθεῖν· |
παπταίνει δ᾽ ἑκάτερθε,
νόος δέ οἱ ἠύτε κῦμα |
εἰλεῖται,
μάλα δ᾽ ὀψὲ μιῆς ὠρέξατο βουλῆς.
Hesych. II p. 110
. Zenob. 3. 78. Suid. s.v.
ἐν τριόδῳ εἰμὶ λογισμῶν.
παροιμία.
ἐπὶ τῶν ἀδήλων καὶ a
mvp-comment-90-2
ἀμφιβόλων πραγμάτων. It is evident, then, that 'to leave the cross-road' is the same as 'to go straight on,' or, in other words, 'to hesitate no longer'; and it will be observed how well that agrees with the appearance of
ἀπευθυνῶ in the following line. Here of course we have nothing but a figure of speech directed against the trembling satyrs: there was no cross-road on the stage. It may be assumed that
ἀφίστω is intransitive in accordance with its usage, and that
βάσιν is parallel to
Ai. 42
τήνδ᾽ ἐπεμπίπτει βάσιν
, and less closely to
Eur. Hclid. 802
ἐκβὰς πόδα
(n.). -For the compound adjective with three terminations see on fr. 394. For the aspiration of
οἵμου Wilamowitz quotes Herodian 1 546 Lentz
τὸ οἷμος,
οἱμῶ δασύνεται : cf.
φροίμιον.
mvp-comment-91-1
170 ff. The chorus bustle to and fro in a series of spasmodic attempts to follow up the trail. Apparently they fall foul of each other in their clumsy and blundering movements; and there was an opportunity for a certain amount of pantomimic buffoonery. The ode should no doubt be divided between different speakers, but is too much mutilated to justify an attempt to distribute the constituent elements. There is a high degree of probability in Robert's view (p. 547) that the lyrics are a Commos between Silenus and the chorus, and that the greater part of them came from the lips of Silenus. Thus the various commands and appeals agree with his promise in 166 f., and the question of the chorus in 197 is unnatural, if supposed to refer so far back as 30 lines. The metre comprises resolved anapaests (proceleusmatics:
Ar. Av. 327
, Lys. 480, Pratinas fr. 1) combined with cretics. 173 is probably a glyconic.
ὖ ὖ ὖ: see on 125.
ψ without a vowel sound recalls the Plautine st. It is not recorded elsewhere, but is apparently a drover's cry like ó fr. 521. Wilamowitz rejects the arrangement
ὑνύψ ψαᾶ, forms which are equally devoid of authority.
mvp-comment-92-1
171 f. 'Why dost idly groan and gibber and look askance at me?'
ὑποκρίζω is used by Aelian nat. an. 6. 19 of the noise made by the locust.
κρίζω, to squeak or creak, is used also of the sound of foreign speech (
Ar. Av. 1520
) and of the chirping of a bird (Hom.
Β 314).
ὑποκλάζω does not occur elsewhere.
mvp-comment-93-1
173
ἐν πρώτῳ...
τρόπῳ: does this mean 'in the first lap (turn)'? So
τρόπος = 'direction' in Herod., e.g. 1. 189
διώρυχας ὀγδώκοντα καὶ ἑκατὸν ..
τετραμμένας πάντα τρόπον. Robert however reads
τρόπος, referring to 120.
mvp-comment-94-1
174
ἔχει :
you are caught.
mvp-comment-95-1
175
ἀνάγου: 'off with you!' i.e. consider yourself a prisoner.
ἀνάγειν, technically to arrest, is illustrated by Holden on Plut. Them. 23.
mvp-comment-96-1
176 Robert restores
δευτέρῳ τίς ὅδε τρόπος;
ἴτης κτέ., and is probably right in supposing that at this point Silenus addresses individual satyrs by name:
ἴτης ὁ Δράκις,
ὁ Γράπις,
Οὐρίας,
Μέθυσος (or
Μεθύων),
Στράτιος,
Κροκίας (cf.
κνηκίας), and lastly
Τρέχις, which is to be compared with
Δρόμις on the Brygos vase and
Πόδις (Heydemann, Satyr- u. Bakchennamen, pp. 36, 38).
mvp-comment-97-1
177
δράκις is an unknown word, but its correctness is rendered probable by the presence of
γράπις. Wilamowitz adduces
Δόρκις, which is the name of a satyr on more than one inscription (Pauly-Wissowa v 1568). For
γράπις
mvp-comment-97-2
see
Hesych. I p. 445
γράπιν· γῆρας τέττιγος
,
ἢ ὅφεως,
καὶ τῶν ἐκδυομένων.
καὶ εἶδος ὀρνέου.
καὶ ῥυσσόν,
ἀπὸ τοῦ γραμμὰς ἔχειν τὰς ῥυτίδας,
ὅθεν καὶ ἡ γραῦς ἦτυμολόγηται. Here one suspects the meaning wrinkled, which is attested also by Etym. M. p. 239, 31
γράπις· ὁ ἐρρυτιδωμένος. Similar are Aristoph.'s
στρόφις (Nub. 450),
γάστρις (
Αν. 1604).
mvp-comment-98-1
179
μεθύεις,
ἀπορεῖς, Rossbach. But see on 176.
mvp-comment-99-1
182
στίβος ὅδε νέος, Rossbach.
mvp-comment-100-1
192 The meaning is perhaps again discernible: 'I expect you will soon regain your freedom...,' spoken with irony. However,
ἢ τάχα is not ironical in Hom.
σ 73, 338, 399, but expresses a solemn warning or foreboding.
mvp-comment-101-1
194 We should expect
παραπλαγχθῇς or
παράπλαγκτος ἴσθι (
γένῃ) rather than
παράπλακτος. But
πλαγκτός itself is sometimes written
πλακτός in our MSS: see
Aesch. Pers. 280
,
Ag. 598
.
mvp-comment-102-1
197
μῶν is used ironically: 'can it be that we spoke the truth after all?' For examples see Kuehner-Gerth II 525.
mvp-comment-103-1
198
ψόφον was restored by Wilamowitz. The hyperbaton is not uncommon in tragedy: cf.
Eur. Cycl. 121
σπείρουσι δ'
,
ἢ τῷ ζῶσι,
Δήμητρος στάχυν; Rhes. 565
Διόμηδες,
οὐκ ἤκουσας,
ἢ κενὸς ψόφος |
στάζει δι᾽ ὤτων,
τευχέων τινὰ κτύπον ;
Hel. 719
n.
Hclid. 132
n.
Soph. fr. 764
. Kaibel on
El. 1358
.
mvp-comment-104-1
199 ff. The proper arrangement of these lines has been the subject of some discussion. The speeches are divided by paragraphi in the papyrus, exactly as they are printed in the text, except that
mvp-comment-104-2
a paragraphus appears after 210, which is unnecessary and unusual if the speech which follows is to be attributed to the coryphaeus. Hunt, however, considering it obvious that 200-203 belong to the chorus, and 204-206 to Silenus, corrects the division of 199 by combining
τί ἔστιν with
σίγα as a remark of Silenus, and continuing accordingly. Being also of opinion that
μέν',
εἰ θέλεις is unsuitable as addressed by Silenus to the chorus, and that the repetition of
θέλεις is awkward if
ὅπῃ θέλεις is adopted in 200though the latter contention can hardly be admitted-he accepts Wilamowitz's proposal to transfer
δύνᾳ from 200 to 199, and attributes
μέν' εἰ δύνᾳ to Silenus. By giving 211-214 to Silenus, he allows to the paragraphus after 210 its usual significance. If that view is correct, the upshot of the dialogue will be that the chorus are again alarmed by hearing the sound, and propose to withdraw from the search altogether in favour of their father, but that, after three lines spoken by Silenus, they forthwith resume their labours. I cannot help thinking that, if such was the purpose of Sophocles, his dramatic instinct was temporarily in abeyance. As against Wilamowitz, however, Hunt attributes 252 ff. as well as the subsequent dialogue with Cyllene to the chorus and not to Silenus; and he is consequently driven to suppose that Silenus runs off in alarm directly Cyllene appears. See further in this connexion on 357. It appears to me, however, not only that the Ms arrangement of 199 is susceptible of defence, but that by distributing the following speeches in accordance with its requirements we obtain a comic effect which is exactly in keeping with the character of Silenus, and avoid the necessity of accounting for his subsequent disappearance. The difficulty of the paragraphus after 210 I cannot regard as serious. We do not know enough to feel sure that it might not have been intended to divide the lyrics from the senarii; and in any case errors in its employment are frequent (cf. 68). We suppose, then, that Silenus hears the noise clearly for the first time at v. 198, and is so terrified that he resolves to depart at once and does so, although the chorus apparently attempt to keep him. On that assumption, the ironical tone of
μέν᾽ εἰ θέλεις, 'do please stay,' or 'won't you stay?' is exactly suitable to the occasion, if the chorus are now aware that Silenus is rather more frightened than the rest of them. Cf.
Phil. 730
ἕρπ᾽
,
εἰ θέλεις ('I pray thee, come on'), and
El. 585
εἰ γὰρ θέλεις
,
δίδαξον (where the tone is ironical, as here: see Jebb's n.). In 200, so far as the sense is concerned, it is indifferent whether we read
ὅπῃ θέλεις or
ὅπῃ δύνᾳ (see cr. n.), but the former is to be preferred for the reason that
δύνασθαι is a very common gloss on
θέλειν in conditions similar to the present. See schol. M
Aesch. Pers. 177
θέλῃ· ἀντὶ τοῦ δύνηται
. Schol. Ar.
Αν. 581
οὐκ ἐθελήσει· ἀντὶ τοῦ οὐ δυνήσεται. Schol. A Hom.
Φ 366
ἔθελε]
ἠδύνατο. Schol. Hom.
Α 353,
γ121. Apollon. lex.
Hom. p. 86
, 13. Greg. Cor. p. 135 Sch.
Hesych. II pp. 21
, 305. Suid. s.vv.
ἐθελήσει,
θέλειν,
οὐ θελήσει. Phot. lex. p. 82, 17. The grotesque cowardice of Silenus after his vapourings in 147 ff. may be illustrated by his similar behaviour in the Cyclops (228 ff.), as well as by the general description of the satyrs in Nonnus (14. 121):
ἐν δὲ κυδοιμοῖς |
πάντες ἀπειλητῆρες ἀεὶ φεύγοντες Ενυώ, |
νόσφι μόθοιο λέοντες ἐνὶ πτολέμοις δὲ λαγωοί. I have accordingly proposed to complete 202 f. by reading
ὡς ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ |
μὴ πλεῖστον ἔτι μένοντα διατρίβειν χρόνον, which is consistent with the indications of the papyrus. Robert's view of the character of Silenus as 'himmelweit verschieden' from the portrait given by Euripides has already been mentioned in the n. on 152. He goes so far as to claim that the speech beginning at 139 is worthy of Ajax or any other tragic hero.
mvp-comment-105-1
204 is restored by Hunt
ἀλλ' οὐ τι μή σοί μ' ἐκλιπεῖν ἐφήσομαι. For
οὔ τι μή cf.
O.C. 450
ἀλλ᾽ οὐ τι μὴ λάχωσι τοῦδε συμμάχου
.
mvp-comment-106-1
205
ἐξυπελθεῖν is a hitherto unknown compound, but see on fr. 524. The following words are restored thus by Hunt (partly after Murray):
τοῦ πόνου πρίν γ᾽ ἂν σαφῶς |
εἰδῶμεν ὅντιν᾽ ἔνδον ἥδ᾽ ἔχει στέγη.
mvp-comment-107-1
208 ff.
φθέγμ᾽ ἀφύσεις is restored by Hunt from the margin, since the text is mutilated. He gives reasons against accepting
ἃ φυσᾷς (Wilamowitz) and suggests that
ἀφύξεις may have been the reading in the text. No parallel is quoted for the phrase
φθέγμ᾽ ἀφύσσειν, but it may be illustrated by
γλῶσσαν ἐκχέας in fr. 929 (n.): the papyrus gives
φθέγγμα here, as well as in 254, 278, 292, and 320, and that form was approved by Herodian (Crönert, Mem. Gr. Hercul. p. 69).-
μισθὸν ὀλβίσῃς, if joined as produce rich pay,' would be parallel to
τυφλοῦν ἕλκος (
Ant. 973
) and the rest.
mvp-comment-108-1
211
ὅδ᾽...
ἀλλ': 'he won't show himself for that: well, then....' Hunt, who prefers
ὁ δ', makes Silenus the speaker, and treats
τοῖσιν as masculine. But, in holding that
τοῖσιν cannot be instrumental (causal), he undoubtedly goes too far: see the passages quoted on 154 and esp. Antiph. 5. 3
ἄπιστοι γενόμενοι τοῖς ἀληθέσιν αὐτοῖς τούτοις ἀπώλοντο.
mvp-comment-109-1
212
φέρων, bringing into play, applying to the case. Cf.
Eur. Tro. 333
ἕλισσε τᾷδ᾽ ἐκεῖσε μετ' ἐμέθεν ποδῶν
|
φέρουσα φιλτάταν βάσιν. —
πέδορτον is a new word, but appears to be a suitable epithet for the sound produced by feet striking against the ground. Robert however prefers Leo's
φωρῶν (for
φέρων) : i.e. tracking out the sound rising from the ground. But it is surely unnatural to dissociate
κτύπον from
εἰσακοῦσαι.
mvp-comment-110-1
213
πηδήμασιν. Cf. Vergil's saltantes Satyros (Ecl. 5. 73). Cornut. 30. p. 59
οἱ Σκιρτοὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ σκαίρειν. Robert seems to be right in rejecting Leo's view, based on Ter. Eun. 285 and other passages, that
λακτίσμασιν refers to kicks delivered against the door.
mvp-comment-111-1
214
ὥστ᾽ is actually redundant after
ἐξαναγκάσω, but is often so employed in order to emphasize the result (
Eur. Hel. 1040
n., Jebb on
Soph. O. C. 270
). -Hunt substitutes
ᾗ for ei on the ground that the third person is required. But it would not be unnatural that after
τοῖσιν in 211 the speaker should turn to address directly the unseen occupant of the cave. similarly abrupt transitions cf.
O.T. 1198
, Bacchyl. 9. 13. Robert also questions the necessity for Hunt's alteration, but thinks that the text is a conflation of two readings, one of which was
ὥστ᾽ εἰσακούσῃ..
εἶ. For
mvp-comment-112-1
215 For the description of the scenery see Introductory Note.-Hunt's suggestion that the reading of Aristophanes (cr. n.) was not
χῶρον but
χλωρόν is almost certainly correct.
mvp-comment-113-1
216
σὺν..
βοῇ. For the preposition cf.
El. 641
μὴ σὺν φθόνῳ τε καὶ πολυγλώσσῳ βοῇ
(which also illustrates the double application of
σύν in 222), ib. 1283.
mvp-comment-114-1
217
μετάστασις πόνων, change from labours: see on fr. 374. For
πόνων applied to the rites of Dionysus Robert (p. 552) well quotes
Eur. Bacch. 66
πόνον ἡδὺν κάματον τ᾽ εὐκάματον
, but his further contention that
πόνος was a technical expression for the song and dance of the tragic chorus is not established by the evidence which he cites.
mvp-comment-115-1
218 ff. This is the most puzzling passage in the text so far as it has been recovered, chiefly owing to the difficulty of identifying the master whose proceedings are here described. The general question has been discussed in the Introductory Note, but certain points of detail which arise here still require notice. (1) Hunt suggested (p. 79) that Silenus might be the
δεσπότης; and, partly no doubt for this reason, was induced to accept
παίδων from Wilamowitz in 222. Apart from other difficulties, a conclusive objection is that Silenus himself, as well as his children, was in servitude to some master (57,69). (2) The theory of Wilamowitz, who holds that the master's identity was revealed in the latter part of the play, has been already discussed. It should be added that Wilamowitz does not explain how his emendation of 222 can be reconciled with his refusal to put forward any conjecture on the main question. (3) Robert thinks that the service of Dionysus is meant. This is no doubt the first idea that suggests itself; but it cannot be made to harmonize with the text as it stands, and Robert is forced to conclude that a line has been lost after 220, containing the verb required for Dionysus (e.g.
ἡγεῖτο) and the subject of
εὐιάζετο (i.e. Silenus). (4) It has already been suggested that the
δεσπότης must have been Apollo, since the satyrs expected to receive their release at his hands; and it has been shown that there is nothing surprising in the introduction of Apollo into the Bacchic thiasus. What is then to be made of
σὺν ἐγγόνοις νύμφαισι? In answer it may be remarked that Apollo is often associated with the Nymphs, and that he bore the special title of
Νυμφηγέτης at Thasos and at Samos (Wernicke in Pauly-Wissowa II 61). That title, however, must be intimately related to, if it is not merely a substitute for, the better-known
Μουσηγέτης (Pausan. 1. 2. 5,
Pind. fr. 116
). Further, since there is respectable authority (Eumel. fr. 17 K.) for the statement that Apollo was the father of the Muses, it is not extravagant to suppose that he might also have been described-particularly in a passage to which his function as
Νυμφηγέτης is entirely relevant-as father of the Nymphs. [In C. R. XXVI 310 I enumerated the difficulties involved in these lines, and threw out certain suggestions for their removal. But Wilamowitz (Sappho u. Simonides, p. 922) has shown that
ἔν-
γονος does not exist, and that
ἔγγονος is always
ἔκ-
γονος. Besides, except as a last resource, we are not justified in disturbing the text.]
εἶχες: see cr. n.
εἶπες yields no intelligible meaning, and Wilamowitz's correction seems inevitable [eldes in ed. min. is an error]. -
νεβρίνῃ, a new word, corresponding to
φήγινος,
λάινος, and many others, where the suffix denotes material. See Brugmann, Comp. Gr. 11 p. 156 E. tr.-
καθημμένος : the
νεβρίς was fastened at one shoulder and slung across the body so that the folds were below the other. Hence
καθάπτω rather than
ἐνδύω: for that the former does not mean 'to dress' or 'clothe' may be seen by consulting the examples which L. and S. quote for
mvp-comment-115-2
that sense. Cf.
Eur. fr. 752
θύρσοισι καὶ νεβρῶν δοραῖς καθαπτός
. Nonn. 11. 233
ὑψόθεν ὤμου |
νεβρίδα καὶ ψυχροῖσιν ἐπὶ στέρνοισι καθάψας. Lucian Bacch. I
γυναῖκες...
νεβρίδας ἐνημμέναι, Strabo 719 (quoted by Hunt)
καθημμένους νεβρίδας ἢ δορκάδων δοράς,
Eur. Bacch. 24
νεβρίδ' ἐξάψας χροός
.-
εὐπαλῆ, habilem. A chief characteristic of the thyrsus was its slenderness :
ἀνὰ θύρσον τε τινάσσων
Eur. Bacch. 80
. Cf.
Lucian 1
.c.
δόρατά τινα μικρὰ ἔχουσαι.
Ον. Met. 6. 593 umero levis incubat hasta. Stat. Theb. 2. 664 nebridas et fragilis thyrsos portare.-
εὐιάζετ᾿ appears to be a Sophoclean middle, for which see on fr. 941, 16. See cr. n., from which it appears that some critic thought that the verb was or ought to be in the second person, and substituted the singular
εὐίαζες as more appropriate. The presence of
ὑμῖν may have caused him to add
ζητ.-
ποδῶν ὄχλῳ, dancing rout (concourse of feet). Cf.
Eur. fr. 322
φιλημάτων ὄχλῳ
. The phrase appears to me quite suitable to a description of the
θίασος: cf.
Eur. Bacch. 165
ἡδομένα δ᾽ ἄρα
...
κῶλον ἄγει ταχύπουν σκιρτήμασι Βάκχα. Robert thinks
ποδῶν impossible, and is inclined to acquiesce in
παίδων, though he would prefer
καὶ θηρῶν ὄχλῳ or
Μαινάδων ὄχλῳ.
mvp-comment-116-1
223 f. I have altered the punctuation: Hunt prints a comma after
χρῆμα, with colons following
στρέφουσι and
γάρ. He remarks that there is scarcely enough room for
νέων, but no other supplement seems to be possible. -
στρέφουσι, of mental agitation, as in
Plat. rep. 330 D
(the stories about Hades)
στρέφουσιν αὐτοῦ τὴν ψυχὴν μὴ ἀληθεῖς ὦσιν.-
κατέκλυον: see cr. n. Against
κατήλυθεν it may be urged that
ἤλυθον is not used elsewhere by Sophocles in dialogue, and that the meaning of the compound is far from clear. But I fail to understand why Hunt's punctuation (cr. n.) should be considered essential to the adoption of
κατέκλυον.
mvp-comment-117-1
225
πρέπον, of sound clearly heard. Cf.
Aesch. Ag. 333
οἶμαι βοὴν ἄμεικτον ἐν πόλει πρέπειν
. There is a similar transference from sight to sound in 322 f. and in 0. T. 186
παιὰν δὲ λάμπει.
mvp-comment-118-1
226
θηρὸς εὐναίου τροφῆς: the brood of a beast in its lair. For
εὐναῖος cf. fr. 174, and for the concrete sense of
τροφή Ο.
Τ. 1
ὦ τέκνα,
Κάδμου τοῦ πάλαι νέα τροφή.
Eur. Cycl. 189
μηκάδων ἀρνῶν τροφαί
. Wilamowitz, however, reading
εὐναίας, thinks that den, or lair, is the meaning required and conjectures
στροφῆς (coll.
ἐπιστροφαί,
ἀναστροφαί).
mvp-comment-119-1
227 f. are not easy to restore. The sentence appears to be constructed similarly to Rhes. 875
οὐ γὰρ ἐς σὲ τείνεται |
γλῶσσ᾽,
ὡς σὺ κομπεῖς. Hence I was inclined to read
αἰτίαι φωρῶν κάτα |
γλώσσης ἐτείνοντ' ἐς κλοπὴν ἠνιγμέναι (or
τετραμμέναι), but
αἰτίαι is impossible and
ἐτείνο[
ντ']
ἐς is barely consistent with the traces. Hunt thought that the letter before
αι was
κ (i.e.
καί), but could not find a suitable word to precede it which might be the subject of
ἐτείνετ'. He also believed that
εναι was the remnant of a perfect infinitive; but it would be difficult to accommodate one to the context.
ἂν appears to be iterative.
αὐτις, which the recurrence in 229 makes almost certain (
ἀν' αὐλήν, Murray), is proved to be Attic by the new Menander (Epitr. 362, Sam. 281, 292). See Wila-
mvp-comment-119-2
mowitz in Sitzungsb. k. Pr. Akad., 1907 p. 872. Hitherto it has been treated as Ionic by the authorities (Weir Smyth, Ionic Dialect, p. 298). L gives
αὐτις in
O. C. 234
and elsewhere, and the editors have perhaps been too hasty in rejecting it. See also fr. 599.
mvp-comment-120-1
231 The description evidently passes to the conduct initiated at 211.-
σύν, restored by Murray where the papyrus is illegible, is considered by Hunt not entirely satisfactory.
mvp-comment-121-1
232
πάμφυρτ', confusedly, is the adverbial acc. commonly found with verbs of motion. See Jebb on
Ai. 196
.
Eur. Hel. 455
(n.),
Phoen. 311
(n.).
mvp-comment-122-1
233 The meaning may be ' otherwise than in the actual circumstances' (e.g.
ἢ [or
εἰ]
κλύουσ᾽ ἐμάνθανον).
mvp-comment-123-1
234
παραπεπαισμένων, mad, foolish (from
παραπαίω, which is also used absolutely deliro). Cf. Lucian hist. conscr.
ἔλαττον γὰρ ἂν τοῦτο παρέπαιον.
Hesych. 111
pp. 271, 275 s.vv.
παράπαισμα (
παραίπαιμα),
παράπαιστος. 2
mvp-comment-124-1
235 f. Hunt states that
φαίην ἄν is more suitable to the conditions than
ἔφην ἄν, and suggests some such context as
αἰναῖσι...
φρενῶν (
δαιμόνων)...
νόσοις, adding however that
ἂν φρενῶν cannot both be read. In 236 the first five letters after the gap are doubtful, and
ἔτι ποεῖτ' is hardly satisfactory.
ἐπτοεῖτ', which Hunt reluctantly gives up, is said to be inconsistent with the remains.
mvp-comment-125-1
237 ff. The ode corresponds to 283 ff., as appears from the number of the lines and the equivalence of 244 to 290. The metre, which is quite simple, is iambic (cretic). The ithyphallic clausula may be illustrated by
Ant. 852
, 976,
El. 1089
. The ends of the lines have been admirably restored by Diehl, Murray, Hunt, and Wilamowitz.
νύμφα : see on 65.-
βαθύζωνε: the word is now generally distinguished from
βαθύκολπος, but its original (Homeric) meaning is uncertain. Helbig, who formerly explained it as 'long-waisted' from € 231, has since changed his mind and now agrees with Studniczka that the meaning is 'slender, with small waist.' (Iwan Mueller, Privatalt.2 p. 83.)
βαθύζωνος does not occur in Eur. or elsewhere - in Soph., and in Aesch. the commentators are not agreed whether it is merely an ornamental epithet applicable to any woman, or carries with it an implication of luxury and delicate nurture (see Verrall and Tucker on Theb. 850 and
Cho. 168
). In Pindar it is applied to Leda, Latona, the Graces, and the Muses (Gildersleeve on Ol. 3. 37), and it is a fair inference that Sophocles used it as a complimentary epithet to signify beautiful proportions and elegant apparel.
mvp-comment-126-1
238
ἥκω φέρων (cr. n.), as in
O.C. 357
,579,
Phil. 1267
, is better than Murray's
ἥκει σέ τοι (cf. for the acc. fr. 94).
mvp-comment-127-1
239
οὐδ᾽. If the text is right,
οὐδέ is intended to contrast the second clause instead of correlating it. That is to say, it would imply: 'no, nor yet....' Where this is intended, we often have
οὐδ' αὐ,
οὐδέ γε, etc.: Kuehner-Gerth II 290. See also Bury on
Pind. Isthm. 2. 44
. In
O.C. 1141
Jebb accepted Elmsley's
οὔτε,
mvp-comment-127-2
and it is not clear that
οὐδ' is justified here. -
ἄξενος, uncivil, as in
Plat. soph. 217
Ε τὸ δὲ αὖ σοὶ μὴ χαρίζεσθαι
...
ἄξενόν τι καταφαίνεταί μοι καὶ ἄγριον.
mvp-comment-128-1
240
μάταιος, expressing the presumption of rash folly, as (in another sphere) in
Trach. 565
ψαύει ματαίαις χερσίν
. Such recklessness of speech was exhibited by Lycurgus:
Ant. 961
ψαύων τὸν θεὸν ἐν κερτομίοις γλώσσαις
.
mvp-comment-129-1
241
προψαλάξῃς: see on fr. 550. Here the meaning is: 'don't assail me too soon with taunts.'
mvp-comment-130-1
242
εὐπετῶς: readily. So
Eur. Cycl. 526
ὅπου τιθῇ τις
,
ἐνθάδ᾽ ἐστὶν εὐπετής ('contented').
mvp-comment-131-1
243
νέρθε γᾶς is of course only a guess, although it suits the context very well. If the sound of the lyre was represented as coming from under the ground, it would agree with
κάτω δονεῖ (282). Robert thinks that is why the chorus went on all fours (119 ff.): see also on 212.
mvp-comment-132-1
244
θέσπιν αὐδάν sounds like a travesty of Homer's
θέσπιν ἀοιδήν (
θ 498), which, by a curious coincidence, is applied by Euripides to the music of the lyre (
Med. 425
).
mvp-comment-133-1
245 ff. The restorations of these lines clearly satisfy the sense, even if they do not represent the actual words of the original.
mvp-comment-134-1
247
ἀλκασμάτων might signify violent attacks,' since
ἀλκάζειν· μάχεσθαι appears in Etym. M. p. 56, 10; 66, 10. But
λακασμάτων (cr. n.), ‘howlings,' would be much more to the point. For the gen. (=
ἢ ἀλκάσμασιν) cf.
Ant. 74
ἐπεὶ πλείων χρόνος
|
ὃν δεῖ μ᾽ ἀρέσκειν τοῖς κάτω τῶν ἐνθάδε,
Ο.C. 567
τῆς ἐς αὔριον |
οὐδὲν πλέον μοι σοῦ μέτεστιν ἡμέρας. Kuehner-Gerth 11 308.
mvp-comment-135-1
249
ὀρθοψάλακτον is interpreted by Hunt as 'shrill-sounding' (as if for
ὀρθιο-). The point is obscure owing to the rarity of
ψαλάσσω, but it might be suggested that the force of
ὀρθός is the same as in fr 1077. Then the whole compound would mean 'violently roused'; but it must be admitted that this meaning would not suit 321, where see n.
mvp-comment-136-1
252 This speech is given by Hunt to the coryphaeus (see on 199 ff.), but by Wilamowitz and Robert to Silenus. Reasons have already been given for agreeing with the former view, and I cannot assent to Robert's argument that in that case
ἦλθον should have been
ἤλθομεν. -
σθένος. For the periphrasis, which is also Homeric, cf.
Trach. 507
ὃ μὲν ἦν ποταμοῦ σθένος
.
mvp-comment-137-1
254 See cr. n. Theon's variant is clearly inferior, however we interpret the text. Hunt rendered tell us of this voice which resounds'; but, if that is 1
mvp-comment-137-2
the meaning, he was well advised in the ed. min. to accept 8
περιφωνεῖ, the ingenious correction of H. Richards. The objection to this course is that
φράζω is not used by Soph. with an accusative of the direct object in the sense of 'to explain.' It is simpler therefore to regard
ὅπερ φωνεῖ as an object-clause: 'tell us what this sound means. Cf.
Phil. 559
φράσον δ' ἅπερ γ᾽ ἔλεξας
.
O.T. 655
φράζε δὴ τί φής
.
mvp-comment-138-1
255
αὐτῷ διαχαράσσεται is rendered by Hunt 'expresses himself therewith.' But that is hard to justify, and I should prefer to suppose that there is an allusion to the sound of the
πλῆκτρον as it scrapes across the strings of the lyre. Cf. Plut. de soll. an. 20 p. 974
Β ὁ δὲ δράκων τῷ μαράθρῳ τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν ἀμβλυώττοντα λεπτύνων καὶ διαχαράττων. We might render: 'who in the world is setting our teeth on edge with it?' Compare the contemptuous use of catgut-scraper and the like in English; for the humour of the situation was enhanced by the satyrs' lack of musical appreciation. Wilamowitz seems to recognize this by the reference to 'Silen, dem sie (Musik) durch Mark und Bein geht' (p. 4511), but refuses to admit that the
παρεπιγραφή (
ῥοῖβδος 107) can be used for the sound of the lyre. Rossbach's conjecture
αὐτὸ διαχαρίζεται is mistaken.
mvp-comment-139-1
257
τὸν ἐξ ἐμοῦ, an emphatic variation for
τὸν ἐμόν, occurs also in
Trach. 631
τὸν πόθον τὸν ἐξ ἐμοῦ
.
Ant. 95
τὴν ἐξ ἐμοῦ δυσβουλίαν
.
mvp-comment-140-1
258
ζημία πορίζεται: 'punishment is in store for you, in case you reveal....' The apodosis to
εἰ φανεῖτε is contained in
ζημία, and
πορίζεται is unconditional. Cf. Isocr. 4. 157
ἀρὰς ποιοῦνται,
εἴ τις ἐπικηρυκεύεται Πέρσαις, quoted by Goodwin § 490.
mvp-comment-141-1
260
ὅπως μὴ..
ἵξεται. For the future indicative with
ὅπως μή in a pure final clause see Goodwin § 324. From Sophocles is quoted
Phil. 1068
μὴ προσλεῦσσε
...
ἡμῶν ὅπως μὴ τὴν τύχην διαφθερεῖς. Another instance is
El. 954
εἰς σὲ δὴ βλέπω
, |
ὅπως τὸν αὐτόχειρα..
μὴ κατοκνήσεις κτανεῖν, where however Jebb prefers to regard
εἰς σὲ βλέπω as equivalent to a verb of entreaty, and as followed by an object clause accordingly.
mvp-comment-142-1
262 ff. Hunt supplies
τήνδ' ἧκε,
κἀξέπραξεν ἁβουλεύσατο, after Murray. Rossbach preferred
στέγην,
᾿Ατλαντίδος |
σεμνῆς ἔρωτος ὡς ἅπαξ ἐγεύσατο, |
ἔκρυψεν αὐτήν...
ἀπῆλθε λήθῃ κτέ. But Terzaghi is perhaps right in requiring that Maia's name should be mentioned here. One might guess for 263
νύμφης ἱκέσθαι πρὸς χέρας σπεύδων φίλας, |
εὐνῆς τε, in which case
θεᾶς would refer to Hera, as is suggested by
h. Herm. 6-9
.
mvp-comment-143-1
265
μόνον cannot be taken with
σπέος in the sense of
ἔρημον, but apparently belongs to
παῖδα, -'an only child.' Cf.
Eur. Andr. 1083
(Peleus refers to Neoptolemus)
παῖς μόνου παιδὸς μόνος.
mvp-comment-144-1
266 The association of Cyllene with Hermes as his nurse is mentioned also by Philostephanus (schol.
Pind. Ol. 6. 129
)
ἐν τῷ περὶ Κυλλήνης (FHG III 30), and Festus s.v. Cyllenius. Robert (p. 5533) P. 17
mvp-comment-144-2
is probably right in inferring that Sophocles was the ultimate authority for the statement, and that his object was to avoid the necessity of making Maia confess to her intrigue with Zeus.
mvp-comment-145-1
267
χειμάζεται is often applied to physical pain:
Phil. 1459
Ἑρμαῖον ὄρος παρέπεμψεν ἐμοὶ
|
στόνον ἀντίτυπον χειμαζομένῳ.
Ai. 206
Αἴας θολερῷ
|
κεῖται χειμῶνι νοσήσας. The metaphor, though strange to us, was quite familiar to the Greeks, so that
χειμών,
χειμάζεσθαι, etc. became technical in medical circles. For examples see Lobeck, Phryn. p. 387. Epicur. fr. 452 Us.
τὴν σάρκα τὸ παρὸν μόνον χειμάζειν.
mvp-comment-146-1
268
κἄδεσμα (cr. n.), as co-ordinate with the other substantives, is preferable to
ἐδεστά, which Hunt accepted.
mvp-comment-147-1
269
λικνῖτιν. The word
λίκνον comes from
h. Herm. 21. 150
, etc. Miss J. E. Harrison in J. H. S. XXIII 294 gives reproductions from art of the
λίκνον used as a cradle, in one of which Hermes is represented sitting up, and looking at the stolen cows. The liknon-cradle is a wickerwork shoe-shaped basket with two handles.'
mvp-comment-148-1
270
ἐξευθετίζω is a plausible restoration, although the compound is new.-
νύκτα καὶ καθ' ἡμέραν, night and day alike. Cf.
El. 259
κατ' ήμαρ καὶ κατ' εὐφρόνην ἀεί
, and for the absence of the prep. with the first noun ib. 780
οὔτε νυκτὸς..
οὔτ᾽ ἐξ ἡμέρας. 1009
ἦμαρ εἰς νύκτα τε. Eur. Bacch.
mvp-comment-149-1
272
ἄπαυστος: I have adopted this supplement in preference to
μέγιστος, as being more suitable to
αὔξεται.
mvp-comment-150-1
273
ἕκτον ἦμαρ. This is a deviation, prompted by dramatic conditions, from the version of the hymn (17 f.), according to which Hermes, after inventing the lyre in the morning, stole the cattle on the evening of the day of his birth. For a possible ritual significance see F. M. Cornford, Origin of Attic Comedy, p. 87. The marginal variant (see cr. n.), in Robert's opinion, implies that the alternative reading was
ἐννέ' ἡμέρας πεφασμένος, since no other numeral is adaptable to it.-
ἐκπεφασμένος, brought forth, as in Hom.
Τ 104
σήμερον ἄνδρα φόωσδε μογοστόκος εἰλείθυια |
ἐκφανεῖ.
mvp-comment-151-1
274 See cr. n. The objection to
γυίοις is not that it cannot be combined with
παιδός (which then follows
ἥβης), but that the instrumental dative, though grammatically possible, involves an unnatural harshness of expression. I formerly conjectured
μέτροις, but now prefer
τύπους, which simplifies the construction by providing
ἐρείδει with an object. With
τύπους παιδός, ‘his childish mould,' cf.
Eur. Hclid. 857
νέων βραχιόνων
..
ἡβητὴν τύπον.
Aesch. Suppl. 288
γυναικείοις τύποις
.
Soph. Trach. 12
(according to the Mss)
ἀνδρείῳ τύπῳ. So also
Aesch. Theb. 475
,
Eur. Bacch. 1331
.
mvp-comment-152-1
275 f. Athen. 62 F
᾿Αττικοὶ δ' εἰσὶν οἱ λέγοντες ὄρμενον τὸν ἀπὸ τῆς κράμβης ἐξηνθηκότα.
Σοφοκλῆς Ἰχνευταῖς '
κάξορμενίζει κοὐκ ἐπισχολάζεται βλάστη' (fr. 294 N.2). The same quotation occurs in Eustath. 11. p. 899, 17, but without the name of the play, and with the variant
κἀξορμενίζειν οὐκ. Meineke corrected
ἐπισχολάζεται to
ἔτι σχολάζεται, and his view is now confirmed by the papyrus. For the remarkable use of the middle see supr. 221.-
ἐξορμενίζει. The meaning of the word is made clear by the following evidence. Phryn. praep. soph. p. 67, 16 (Bekk. anecd. p. 38, 17)
ἐξορμεν-
mvp-comment-152-2
ἰζειν· τὸ ἐξανθεῖν,
ὅπερ οἱ πολλοὶ ἐκβάλλειν λέγουσιν.
ὄρμενα γὰρ καλεῖται ὑπὸ τῶν ᾿Αττικῶν τὰ τῶν λαχάνων ἐξανθήματα.
οἱ δὲ πολλοὶ καὶ ἀμαθεῖς ταῦτα ἀσπαράγους καλοῦσιν.
Hesych. 11
p. 127
ἐξορμενίζεις· ἐκκεκαύληκας,
ἐκκέχυσαι.
Pollux 6. 54
πᾶν δὲ τὸ ὑπερεξηνθηκός
,
ὅπερ ἐκκεκαυληκὸς καλοῦσιν,
ὄρμενον ὠνόμαζον· καὶ τὸ ὑπέρωρόν τι γενέσθαι,
ἐξορμενίσαι. From the last passage it seems that
ἐξορμενίζειν might be used for to run to seed, but here we should render simply 'sprouts forth.' Nicostr. fr. 34 (11 228
Κ.)
ῥήτορες |
ἐξωρμενικότες,
δυσχερεῖς,
παλιναίρετοι.
θησαυρός: i.e. the cavern, as a place securely protected against intrusion. Similarly in
Eur. Suppl. 10
ιο Διὸς θησαυρόν
is applied to the bidental of Capaneus (
ἄβατον). Miss Harrison (Essays to Ridgeway, p. 140), however, understands that the cavedwelling was an under-ground storehouse or granary like the
σιροί of fr. 276.
mvp-comment-153-1
277
κατάσχετος has been preferred
το δυσεύρετος on the ground that a word expressing intentional concealment is required.-
θέσει, which does not occur élsewhere in tragedy, is probably rather disposition than command.
mvp-comment-154-1
278 ff. For the palaeographical data see Hunt's n. While decisively rejecting it, he indicates a possibility that the beginnings of the lines 278-289, which are on a separate fragment, should be moved a line lower down. In 278 Hunt's
ἀφανεῖ δ᾽ ὁ πεύθῃ φθέγμα appears to suit the context; for, although
φθέγμα ἐμηχανήσατο is an odd phrase, it is justified by 320. In 280
ἐμηχανήσατο seems inevitable, but it is difficult to find a suitable supplement; for, as Hunt remarks, 'neither
κίστης,
κάλπης (Murray), nor
κόγχης is convincing.' On the other hand,
θηρὸς ἐκ θανόντος and
δονεῖ, which were proposed by Wilamowitz, are highly probable, and the same critic's
ἄγγος εὑρε (or
ηΰρε?)
καί is an attractive conjecture. -
κάτω: i.e. in the
θησαυρός. Cf. 243 n. For
δονεῖν = to make a vibrating sound, see Bury on
Pind. Nem. 7. 80
.
mvp-comment-155-1
283 f. Rossbach proposes
ἄφραστον ἦν φθέγμα μοι, but that does not fit the following words. The lines are too much mutilated to be capable of restoration.
mvp-comment-156-1
291 For the metre of this and the following lines see Introductory Note.-
νυν, long before a vowel:
Eur. Hel. 1419
n. -
πιστά κτέ. 'For true are the words wherewith a goddess thrills your ear.'-
προσγελᾷ implies that the recital has excited the emotions of the chorus. Cf.
Aesch. Prom. 861
τῶνδε προσσαίνει σε τι
; Eum. 253
ὀσμὴ βροτείων αἱμάτων με προσγελᾷ.
Soph. Ant. 1214
παιδός με σαίνει φθόγγος
.
Eur. Hipp. 862
τύποι γε
17-2
mvp-comment-156-2
σφενδόνης χρυσηλάτου...
προσσαίνουσί με. Rhes. 55
σαίνει μ' ἔννυχος φρυκτωρία (of something which demands notice). The fact that the hearer sometimes experiences pleasure is accidental: the essential point is that the signs are presented in a form which compels attention.
mvp-comment-157-1
292
τοῦ θανόντος φθέγμα : For the retention of the article-that such a sound can come from the dead '-see on fr. 870.
mvp-comment-158-1
293 See cr. n. The riddle is taken from
h. Herm. 38
ἣν δὲ θάνῃς
,
τότε κεν μάλα καλὸν ἀείδοις. Cf. Nic. Al. 560 (
χελώνην)
αὐδήεσσαν ἔθηκεν,
ἀναύδητόν περ ἐοῦσαν. Pacuv. Antiop. fr. IV quadrupes tardigrada agrestis humilis aspera, | brevi capite, cervice anguina, aspectu truci, eviscerata inanima cum animali For the bearing of the last passage on the question of the date of this play see Introductory Note, p. 230. sono.
mvp-comment-159-1
294
ἐπίκυρτος :
arched.
mvp-comment-160-1
295
χυτρώδης :
pot-shaped. Cf. schol. Theocr. 5. 58
γαυλοὶ ἀγγεῖα χυτροειδῆ γαλακτοδόχα. But it is difficult to say whether this word or
τροχώδης was the gloss (see cr. n.). –
κατερρικνωμένος : shrivelled. Cf. Callim. fr. 49
ναὶ μὰ τὸ ῥικνὸν |
σῦφαρ ἐμόν. Hunt renders it 'curved, but see Suid. s.v.
κατερρικνωμένον.
συνεστραμμένον,
κάμπυλον γενόμενον,
ἐρρυτιδωμένον, where the last gloss applies to the present passage. Fr. 316 should not be taken to be a reference to this line.
mvp-comment-161-1
296
αἰέλουρος. The form is established as Sophoclean by fr. 986.-
τως here clearly =
ὡς. This may also be the case in
Aesch. Theb. 624
, where the edd. strive to construe it as thus. See also
Ar. Ach. 762
, where the Megarian is speaking. Stahl however corrects to
χώς.
mvp-comment-162-1
298 See cr. n. The recovery of the true reading makes it unnecessary to consider Wilamowitz's
ἰχνεύμων and
κάρκινος, which were adopted in both of Hunt's editions: for the fact that
ὡς follows
πέφυκεν (
ἐστὶν...
φυήν) in 296 and 300 shows that here also it is employed in the same way: 'is he not then the very image of an ichneumon?' I now think (with Maas) that
ἰχνευτής =
ἰχνεύμων. Certainly
βραχυσκελές suits the ichneumon, and
γογγύλον might be explained by Aelian's
ἐγκυλίσας ἑαυτόν (nat. an. 3. 22).
mvp-comment-163-1
300 f. This is the climax of absurdity, and is fresh evidence (fr. 162 n.) that
mvp-comment-163-2
ludicrous 'Aetnaean beetle' was the image of an unfamiliar object. See C.R. XXVIII 224. In regard to
κεράστης Viljoen answers that horned beetles are actually found in Sicily. That is not surprising, but what we are here concerned with is the horned beetle of the Aetnaean strain. If the horned beetle is so much larger than other species, how much more terrific was the horned Aetnaean beetle which could speak after death. -Cyllene gravely assents: for
ἐγγύς see on fr. 210, 38.
mvp-comment-164-1
303
ορίνη. If this is a compound of
ῥινός, cf.
κελαινόρινος (
κελαινόρινες fr. 29
π.),
κοσκινόρινος, and for the feminine termination supr. 168.
ὀρεινή, the original reading, which seems to have been corrected, would of course be a suitable epithet of the tortoise (
ὀρεσκῴοιο χελώνης
h. Herm. 42
). For
ὀστράκων cf.
h. Herm. 32
πόθεν τόδε καλὸν ἄθυρμα
|
αἰόλον ὄστρακον ἕσσο; Wilamowitz thought that the reading of the papyrus was a fusion of
ὀστράκων and
ὀστρέων.
mvp-comment-165-1
306 Mekler pointed out that
ἥσυχος and its oblique cases were equally unsuitable to the gap. If n is rightly read it must apparently be the disjunctive ", and we might conjecture
πῶς δ᾽ ἂν γένοιτο φίλτερον τὸ κτέανον ἢ συρίγξ τινι; In that case, we should have to suppose that the stichomythia ends with this question, which gives occasion for a description by Cyllene of the remarkable qualities of the lyre.
mvp-comment-166-1
307
δέρμα is no doubt the hide of the oxen: cf. 337 ff., 366. It has been pointed out in the Introductory Note that Apollodorus represents the ox-hide as used for the construction of the strings. Sophocles clearly gave a different account, but the verses of the Homeric hymn (47 ff.), which he probably intended to follow, are unfortunately disputed :
πῆξε δ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ἐν μέτροισι ταμὼν δόνακας καλάμοιο,
πειρήνας διὰ νῶτα διὰ ῥινοῖο χελώνης,
ἀμφὶ δὲ δέρμα τάνυσσε βοὸς πραπίδεσσιν ἑῇσι. On this Allen and Sikes write: 'the reeds were cut in different lengths, and fixed in the shell; they thus served as a framework for the ox-hide which was stretched over them, to form a sounding-board.' I see nothing in the mutilated text of Sophocles, which prevents us from supposing that he interpreted Homer in this way; but Robert (p. 557) insists that the fret or bridge (cf. fr. 36 n.), the yoke, and the
πήχεις were all denominated
δόνακες, and that the ox-hide was especially employed 'to cover the ends of the bridge so as to keep it fast and prevent displacement.' Schenkl, who lays stress on the interpretation of
κόλλοψ in Eustath. Od. p. 1915, 7, holds that fresh ox-hide was wrapped round the lower fret chiefly to prevent drying and cracking, and that this process described in 312 f.-
δέρμα καὶ στέγος φέρει, Viljoen. Wilamowitz suggests
κώστρακον to follow
δέρμα. was
mvp-comment-167-1
308
κλαγγάνει: cf. fr. 959.
mvp-comment-168-1
309 Schenkl completes the line by adapting the corrupt fr. 315 so as to run:
ἐνήλατα ξύλ' ὡς τρίγομφα διατόρως ἐρείδεται. This is very ingenious, and he is entitled to appeal to the aptness of the comparison between the structure of the lyre and the framework of a bed. But, even after the necessary changes introduced by Schenkl, the words do not seem to cohere with the previous line.
mvp-comment-169-1
311
κοιλάδος was restored by Mekler, as the tortoise-shell sounding-board (
ἠχεῖον). He cited Bekk. anecd. p. 752, 11
Ἑρμῆς ἐν ᾿Αρκαδίᾳ ἀναστρεφόμενος εὗρε χελώνην καὶ διακόψας ἐποίησε κοιλίαν λύρας. Gemoll on
h. Herm. 416
. This seems better than Schenkl's
κέλαδος.
mvp-comment-170-1
312
κόλλοπες were the pegs by means of which the strings were fastened to the
ζυγόν. Cf. Hom.
φ 407
ῥηιδίως ἐτάνυσσε νέῳ περὶ κόλλοπι χορδήν.
mvp-comment-171-1
313 See cr. n. Schenkl suggests
καθαμμάτων from
Poll. 4. 60
.
mvp-comment-172-1
317 f. For the general sense cf. Shakesp. Henry VIII iii. 1. 12 In sweet music is such art, | killing care and grief of heart fall asleep, or, hearing, die. -
ἄκεστρον: fr. 480. –
παραψυκτήριον is a word hitherto unrecorded. -
ἀλύων. The unfamiliar sound is regarded as a sign of distraction. For the fact see
h. Herm. 53
πλήκτρῳ ἐπειρήτιζε κατὰ μέρος
,
ἢ δ᾽ ὑπὸ χειρὸς |
σμερδαλέον κονάβησε· θεὸς δ᾽ ὑπὸ καλὸν ἄειδεν |
ἐξ αὐτοσχεδίης πειρώμενος. Observe that
μόνον, 'he has nothing else to comfort him,' prepares the way for
ἀλύων (‘he is crazy with delight'), which in its turn is justified by
ἐξαίρει. Cf. Bekk. anecd. p. 380, 20, giving
ἐπαίρεσθαι καὶ χαίρειν as a gloss on
Hom. 333
. There is thus no need for Bucherer's
ἀθύρων.
mvp-comment-173-1
319
ἐξαίρει,
elates. Cf.
El. 1460
εἴ τις αὐτῶν ἐλπίσιν κεναῖς πάρος
|
ἐξῄρετ᾽ ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε. But a still closer parallel is to be found in
Eur. Alc. 346
οὔτ᾽ ἂν φρέν ἐξαίροιμι πρὸς Λίβυν λακεῖν
|
αὐλόν. -
αἰόλισμα τῆς λύρας, ‘the lyre's varied notes' rather than the cunning device of the lyre' (Hunt). Cf.
Eur. Ion 498
συρίγγων ὑπ᾽ αἰόλας ἰαχᾶς ὕμνων
. Carm. pop. 8 (PLG p. 657)
ἁπλοῦν ῥυθμὸν χέοντες αἰόλῳ μέλει. Oppian Hal. 728
ἀηδόνος αἰολοφώνου. For the description as especially suitable to the lyre see Pind.
Οι. 3. 8
φόρμιγγά τε ποικιλόγαρυν. 4. 2
ὑπὸ ποικιλοφόρμιγγος ἀοιδᾶς. Nem. 4. 14
ποικίλον κιθαρίζων.
Plat. legg. 812 D
τὴν δ᾽ ἑτεροφωνίαν καὶ ποικιλίαν τῆς λύρας
.
mvp-comment-174-1
321 The short ode which begins here corresponds metrically to 362 ff. The metre is similar to 237 ff. -
ὀρθοψάλακτος, 'loud': cf. 249.
οψαλακτος (see cr. n.) is meaningless, and 362 indicates that one extra syllable is required, so that I follow Hunt in adopting Murray's conjecture, but without much confidence that it is right. Wilamowitz does not explain his
ἀπροψάλακτος, which, though presumably based on
προψαλάσσω (241), is by no means perspicuous. Since
ψαλάσσω was unquestionably used for twanging the lyre (Lycophr. 139
τοίγαρ ψαλάξεις εἰς κενὸν νευρᾶς κτύπον, |
ἄσιτα κἀδώρητα φορμίζων μέλη), this meaning must surely have been the chief element in the compound (perhaps
ἀποψάλακτος after Philostr. vit. soph. 2. 1. 14
ἡ γλῶττα τὴν ἄκραν ᾿Ατθίδα ἀποψάλλει). -
κατοιχ νεῖ τόπου. The genitive resembles
πεδίων ἐπινίσσεται Ο.C. 689. It is descended from the old (partitive) genitive
mvp-comment-174-2
of place which survives in the Homeric
διώκεσθαι πεδίοιο. But in both cases the preposition assists the construction: see Kuehner-Gerth 1 404.
mvp-comment-175-1
322 f. See cr. nn.
πρεπτά in agreement with
φάσματα is supported by
Hesych. III p. 369
πρεπτά· φαντάσματα
,
εἰκόνες, which, as Wilamowitz suggests, may relate to this particular passage. Hunt gives two versions: (1) 'the song plucks local images.' Or (2) with
ἐπανθεμίζει intransitive: 'fantasies flit over the scene,' like a bird or bee from flower to flower. I prefer the latter alternative and take Theon's variant, which is against the metre, to be an acknowledgment of the intransitive use
ἐπανθεμίζει. But I should prefer to render: 'visions revealed by the straining chords are spread around us (
ἔγχωρα, predicative) like a carpet of flowers. Similarly in
Aesch. Cho. 150
, where
ἐπανθίζειν ‘to make to blossom' is transitive, there is the same comparison of sound to flowers. The variegated
ποικιλία of the lyre (319) is expressed as
ἄνθεμα. For the
τόνος of the lyre (
ἑπτάτονος) cf.
Ar. Ey. 532
. Stahl, who thinks that
ἐπανθεμίζει must be transitive, makes
ὀμφά the subject, and reads
ἔγχορδα for
ἔγχωρα.
mvp-comment-176-1
324 ff. On the assumption that the text is sound in the main, the baldness of style and clumsiness of structure are quite unlike Sophocles. Wilamowitz gives up the first line as corrupt, and holds that the sense required is
τὸ πρᾶγμα ὃ μετέρχομαι. Translate rather: 'this is the point to which I am gradually conducting my search (
τὸ πρᾶγμα =
τὸ χρῆμα in 223): whoever be the god who devised this trick, the thief is none other than he, lady, you may be sure.' (1)
οἶπερ seems indispensable here, as in
Eur. Hel. 1670
, since
οὗπερ would be scarcely intelligible. Where the verb is in the perfect tense, as in
Trach. 40
, the case may be different. (2) I understand
οἶπερ as having a personal reference, i.e. to
τὸν δαίμον' in the following clause. See on fr. 191 and cf. Hdt. 9. 1
ὅκου δὲ ἑκάστοτε γένοιτο,
τούτους παρελάμβανε,
Phil. 456
ff., and for the relative clause put first Kuehner-Gerth 11 420 Anm. 2. The extraordinary circumlocutions are due to the chorus being afraid to come to the point (cf. 328 f.). (3)
τὸν δαίμον' is an anticipated accusative, but instead of being resumed as the subject (or object) of a subordinate clause,
ἐκείνου takes its place. So
El. 1366
. For a similar looseness of connexion see on
Eur. Phoen. 101
. (4) Instead of the subordinate clause for which we are looking, there follows what now becomes the main sentence, as if
ἴσθι which precedes were as much parenthetic as
σάφ' ἴσθι which follows (
O.T. 1022
, 1117, fr. 282 n.). (5)
ὅστις ποθ᾽ ὅς is strangely substituted for
ὅστις ποτ᾽ ἦν ὅς, which is itself an unusual amplification of
ὅστις. In
Ο.
Τ. 1349
ὅλοιθ᾽ ὅστις ἦν ὃς κτέ. Hermann cut out
ἦν.
Ο.
Τ. 373
οὐδεὶς ὃς οὐχί κτέ. -
ἄλλος...
ἀντ᾽ ἐκείνου: for the pleonasm see on
Eur. Hel. 574
, Starkie on
Ar. Nub. 653
. For Hermes in the character of a thief cf. Cornut. 16 p. 25, 13 Lang
κλέπτην αὐτὸν παρέδωκαν. The evidence is collected by Gruppe, Gr. Myth. p. 1338, and by Eitrem in Pauly-Wissowa VIII 780. Stahl, reading
οὗ πέρι προνεύω, with
ὡς for ős and
τοῦτ' for
ταῦτ', makes
τὸ πρᾶγμα the anticipated object of
ἐτεχνήσατο, with
ὡς following
ἴσθι.
mvp-comment-177-1
329 See cr. n. Wilamowitz thinks that this and the preceding line are not part of the strophe, but form a tetrameter
mvp-comment-177-2
catalectic closing the preceding acatalectic series. The text is unfortunately defective at 369, where it might have decided the question.-
δυσφορηθῇς implies
δυσφορεῖσθαι, of which there is no trace except as a variant in
Xen. Cyr. 2. 2. 5
. For the passive form of the aorist see on frs. 164, 837.
mvp-comment-178-1
331
χειμάζειν, to annoy, vex, distress, -in a less severe sense than in 267 (n.). The use seems to have been colloquial (cf.
Ant. 391
), and is glossed with
ἐνοχλεῖν by Ammon. p. 146, quoting Menander
ἐν ῾Ηνιόχῳ (fr. 208, 111 60
Κ.). Cf. fr. 404, 6 (111 117
Κ.)
ἀλλ' ἐν ἀκαλύπτῳ καὶ ταλαιπώρῳ βίῳ |
χειμαζόμενος ζῇ. fr. 970 (111 248
Κ.). Philem. fr. 28, 10 (11 485
Κ.).
mvp-comment-179-1
332 Mekler's supplement is slightly preferable to Hunt's
μῶν τὸν Διὸς παῖδ᾽ ὄντα. -
φηλήτην : see cr. n. and fr. 933n. Maas (B. ph. W. 1912, 1076) reverts to the form
φιλήτης, on the ground that it is also supported by the wooden tablet of the Hecale, and by the papyrus of Hellanicus (Ox. Pap. 1084.3). It is certainly remarkable that the text of Hellanicus by affirming the derivation from
φιλεῖν seems to indicate that he employed
φιλήτης, but we cannot feel certain that the statement really goes back to the supposed original. For a similar error see 358 and fr. 171 (
ψιλαφᾷ for
ψηλαφᾷ). The word was particularly associated with Hermes from the Homeric hymn (292, 446) onwards. Besides Hellanicus, see
Eur. Rhes. 217
Ἑρμῆς
,
ὅς γε φηλητῶν ἄναξ. CIG 2299 (Kaibel, ep. 1188)
Ἑρμῆν τὸν κλέπτην τίς ὑφείλετο;
θερμὸς ὁ κλέπτης |
ὃς τῶν φηλητέων ᾤχετ᾽ ἄνακτα φέρων.
mvp-comment-180-1
333
κλοπῇ. Hunt thinks this is concrete as in
Eur. Hel. 1675
(= thing stolen), and suggests
ὅν γ' ἐντυχὼν λάβοιμ' ἄν. But we might as well have
καὶ γὰρ δοκεῖ λαθεῖν ἄν-for all his thievery (cf. 162). For the metre see p. 230.
mvp-comment-181-1
344 f. The gaps are well filled by Mekler with
πονηρέ σ' ἐγχάσκοντα and
δρᾷς δ᾽ ὑγιὲς οὐδέν. He supposes that a new sentence begins with
ἄρτι in 343.
mvp-comment-182-1
346
εἰς ἔμ᾿ εὐδίαν ἔχων : at your ease so far as I am concerned, i.e. I shan't interfere with you. Cf. Protag. fr. 9 (Diels, Vorsokr.2 p. 540, 3)
εὐδίης γὰρ εἴχετο = 'he remained undisturbed.' For eis cf.
O.C. 1121
τήνδε τὴν ἐς τάσδε μοι
|
τέρψιν. Jebb on 0.7. 706.
mvp-comment-183-1
348
κάχαζε:
Ai. 199
.
mvp-comment-184-1
350
μὴ βλάπτε κινῶν. I have preferred this to Hunt's
μὴ σκῶπτε ποιῶν, because to accuse a god of theft is fitly described as an injurious slander, and
κινῶν is somewhat more apt (see Blaydes on
Ar. Nub. 1397
) than
ποιῶν. 'Stirring up a new charge against a new-born child.' Note the careless repetition of
λόγον in a somewhat different sense, and see Jebb on
O.C. 554
. For
ἐν (= in relation to) cf.
Ant. 551
ἐν σοὶ γελῶ
.
Ai. 1092
μὴ
...
ἐν θανοῦσιν ὑβριστὴς γένῃ. ib. 1315
ἐν ἐμοὶ θρασύς.
Eur. Med. 206
τὸν ἐν λέχει προδόταν
.
mvp-comment-185-1
351
πρὸς πατρός. So
πρὸς αἵματος
El. 1125
,
Ai. 1305
.
mvp-comment-186-1
352
ἐγγενής follows
El. 1328
. Wilamowitz supplied
οὔτ᾽ αὐτις ἐν.-
κρατεῖ: prevails, i.e. maintains itself. Cf.
Thuc. 1.71
ἀνάγκη δὲ ὥσπερ τέχνης ἀεὶ τὰ ἐπιγιγνόμενα κρατεῖν
.
mvp-comment-187-1
353 Hunt's
εἰ δὴ κλοπή τίς ἐστι leaves the sentence incomplete.
ἄλλοσε was suggested by
El. 1474
μηκέτ' ἄλλοσε σκόπει
.
mvp-comment-188-1
354
καὶ γῆν ἄκαρπον: or perhaps
ἄγρον τ' ἄκαρπον. Hunt reads
ἄπορον ἄκαρπον, but
ἄκαρπον can scarcely be the epithet of a person, and the grammatical relation of the adjectives is obscure.-
τοῦδε κτέ.: see cr. n. If the disappearance of A before A was due to haplography, the reading given in the text is closer to the original than the conjecture of Wilamowitz, which Hunt adopts. The rough breathing (ov) may, of course, have been an error, but that is less likely to have occurred in a text where smooth breathings are not recorded. Lastly,
γένος, whether preceded by
ἄθρει or by
αἴνει, is undoubtedly clearer if combined with
τοῦδε than if isolated. On the other hand, Philostr. imag. 1 25.
Ι οὔ τι πω ταῦτα πενίᾳ δρῶν ὁ θεός may be quoted in favour of
πεινῇ.
mvp-comment-189-1
355
αἴνει; see cr. n. I formerly suggested
ὅκνει, but
αἴνει ‘respect' is much better, and may be recommended independently of the reading adopted in the last line. Cf.
Eur. fr. 395
τὴν μὲν γὰρ εὐγένειαν αἰνοῦσιν βροτοί
. Theodect. fr. 15 (Nauck, p. 806)
ἐγὼ μὲν οὔποτ᾽ εὐγένειαν ἤνεσα.
Aesch. fr. 300
γένος μὲν αἰνεῖν ἐκμαθὼν ἐπίσταμαι
|
Αἰθιοπίδος γῆς.
mvp-comment-190-1
356
ἥκει (=
προσήκει), comes fittingly, as in
O.C. 738
οὕνεχ᾿ ἧκέ μοι γένει
|
τὰ τοῦδε πενθεῖν πήματ᾽ ἐς πλεῖστον πόλεως, where, as Ellendt has pointed out, the passages usually quoted in illustration are not really parallel. In
Ar. Plut. 919
(quoted by Hunt)
ἥκει = 'devolves upon.' -
πρέπει : sc.
προσἀπτειν τὴν πονηρίαν.
mvp-comment-191-1
357 f. The connexion of thought appears to be as follows. But, instead of bidding you to desist, I ought to remember that this ridiculous charge is characteristic of you. You never cease your childish ways: though a full-grown man' (so
νεανίαν in fr. 210, 73) 'with a thick beard' (i.e. no longer
μειράκιον or
ἀγένειος) 'you are as wanton as a goat surfeited with thistles.' Wilamowitz, reading
κνηκῷ, understands you swagger with your yellow goat-beard'; but the simile is exactly on a line with fr. 848
σὺ δὲ σφαδάζεις πῶλος ὡς εὐφορβίᾳ, and the comparison of wanton conduct to the skittishness of an overfed animal was evidently familiar. Cf.
Ar. Vesp. 1305
ἀνήλλετ᾽
,
ἐσκίρτα, '
πεπόρδει κἀγέλα |
ὥσπερ καχρύων ὀνίδιον εὐωχημένον. Theogn. 1249
παῖ,
σὺ μὲν αὕτως ἵππος,
ἐπεὶ κριθῶν ἐκορέσθης, |
αὖθις ἐπὶ σταθμοὺς
mvp-comment-191-2
ἤλυθες ἡμετέρους. The correction
εἱ σύ seems inevitable; but Wilamowitz, who insists that Silenus is still on the stage and must be the person addressed, makes the violent alteration of véos to
πάλαι. Hunt has shown that the young satyrs are often represented as bald-headed and that the taunt may be quite well addressed to the chorus. Cf.
Eur. Cycl. 434
νεανίας γὰρ εἶ
.
mvp-comment-192-1
359 Hunt renders 'cease courting pleasure with your bald pate,' but does not explain the peculiarity of the language. No satisfactory result can be deduced from the interpretation of
πιτνάς either as spreading or strewing (
Hes. Scut. 291
). It is suggested, therefore, that
πίτνημι is used here in the figurative sense of to flutter or excite, a meaning which is perhaps justified by Hom.
σ 160
ὅπως πετάσειε μάλιστα |
θυμὸν μνηστήρων, and by
φρένας ἐκπεπετασμένος if that is read ib. 327.
mvp-comment-193-1
360 f. See cr. n. 'Take care that the gods don't punish your foolish jests, and give me cause to laugh at the tears that will follow.' The order of the words shows that considerable stress is laid on
ἐκ θεῶν, for which see n. on fr. 326. The final clause
ὡς ἐγὼ γελῶ ironically represents the natural result of an action as the purpose of the agent. Cf. e.g. Hom.
Β 359,
ἁπτέσθω ἧς νηὸς...
ὄφρα πρόσθ' ἄλλων θάνατον καὶ πότμον ἐπίσπῃ. The addition of o' improves the antithesis, and is scarcely a ponderable alteration. Hunt, putting a question after
ὕστερ', reads
ὣς ἐγὼ λέγω, and suggests that
σ' should be added after
κλαίειν. Wilamowitz alters
ἐκ θεῶν to
εἰς θεούς, and ends the sentence with
ὑστέρως,
ἐγὼ λέγω (coll.
Eur. fr. 499
). For the adverbial acc.
ὕστερα see Kuehner-Gerth 1 310.
mvp-comment-194-1
362
στρέφου, shuffle, recalls
Ar. Ach. 385
(Starkie's n.).
mvp-comment-195-1
363 f.
ἀπόψηκτον : wiped clean, and so, keen-scented, sharp, acute. The best illustration of the metaphor is Hor. Sat. 1. 4. 8 emunctae naris (of Lucilius). Cf.
Lucian navig. 45
καίτοι ἑνὸς τοῦ ἀναγκαιοτάτου προσδεῖ
,
ὃς περιθέμενόν σε παύσει μωραίνοντα,
τὴν πολλὴν ταύτην κόρυζαν ἀποξύσας.
Plat. rep. 343
Α κορυζώντα περιορᾷ καὶ οὐκ ἀπομύττει δεόμενον
. Hunt, however, prefers to understand the word, which does not occur elsewhere, as equivalent to 'well-groomed,' i.e. elaborate; and Wilamowitz gives it an active sense-removing suspicion, exculpatory. For the redundance of
ταῦτα cf.
O.T. 1058
οὐκ ἂν γένοιτο τοῦθ'
,
ὅπως ἐγὼ...
οὐ φανῶ τοὐμὸν γένος.
mvp-comment-196-1
365 ff.
τὸ χρήμα: cf. 136. -
ῥινοκόλλητον is not complementary to the verb (proleptic), but is employed in accordance with the common Greek idiom, which used to be known as the tertiary predicate. Translate: 'now, since the thing that he made was of glued hides, he could
mvp-comment-196-2
not have stolen them from any other cattle than Apollo's. Don't try to turn me from this track.'-
ἢ '
πὸ. For the preposition accompanying the second noun only cf.
Eur. Hel. 863
Τροίας δὲ σωθεὶς κἀπὸ βαρβάρου χθονός
, and see on fr. 20. -
ὁδοῦ: the metaphor of the trail is renewed from 324.
mvp-comment-197-1
375 If the sense is correctly restored, it may be illustrated by
Eur. fr. 336
ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἐσθλὸς εὐγενὴς ἔμοιγ᾽ ἀνήρ κτἑ
. Astyd. fr. 8 (Nauck, p. 780)
γένους δ' ἔπαινός ἐστιν ἀσφαλέστατος |
κατ' ἄνδρ᾽ ἐπαινεῖν ὅστις ἂν δίκαιος ᾖ |
τρόπους τ' ἄριστος,
τοῦτον εὐγενῆ καλεῖν.
mvp-comment-198-1
389 Rossbach completes the line with
τί πλείονας λέγεις; Mekler suggested
τί πλαγιάζεις πάλιν ('what new trick is this ?).'
mvp-comment-199-1
391 See cr. n.
τὸν Διός, proposed by Wilamowitz, would be in accordance with the general rule, if it is desired to lay the chief stress on the genitive. But there are many examples where the attributive genitive follows the governing noun without a repetition of its article. See Kuehner-Gerth 1 § 464, Anm. 1.
mvp-comment-200-1
392 Wilamowitz completed the line with
ἐξελᾶν θέλοι, which is adopted by Hunt. But
παύοιμ᾿ ἄν cannot be intransitive (
Eur. Hel. 1319
n.). We might of course read (e.g.,
λώβης σε χρή in 391), and take
παῦσαι as aor. inf. act. But the variant
παύου shows that
παῦσαι was regarded as an imperative, so that this expedient is improbable. Probably then we should supply
εἴ τις ἐξάγοι,
στόμα (or
λόγον) or the like. Anyhow
ἐξελᾶν as present infinitive is better avoided.
mvp-comment-201-1
393 is an echo of
Ant. 573
ἄγαν γε λυπεῖς καὶ σὺ καὶ τὸ σὸν λέχος
, with the comic tone indicated by the use of
πνίγεις.
mvp-comment-201-2
For this word see Blaydes on
Ar. Nub. 1036
, who shows that it is commonly used in the New Comedy as well as in Lucian. L. and S.'s account is incomplete. For the contemptuous pronoun (
χαἱ βόες σέθεν) see on fr. 165.
mvp-comment-202-1
394 Murray's
ἀπολεῖ σε is plausible, but it is difficult to complete the line, unless the speech of the chorus extended beyond a single verse.
mvp-comment-203-1
414 For the palaeographical data bearing on the position of this column see Hunt's note.
mvp-comment-204-1
431ff. The remains of Col. XVII appear to belong to a scene in which Apollo had returned to the stage, and had learnt from the chorus of the success of their search. Consequently he tells them that they have earned their rewards. Probably Silenus also reappeared at this point, whereas Cyllene had retired discomfited. We might suggest that the suspicions of the chorus had been confirmed by some visual evidence, which prepared the way for their triumph. Hunt concludes that a single column has been lost between 394 and 431, and so much space at least seems to be required.
mvp-comment-205-1
445
ἐλεύθεροι δ᾽ ἔσεσθε τὸν πάντα χρόνον (Rossbach), but
λοιπόν should at any rate be substituted for the unmetrical
πάντα.
