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121-250

Following the

θρῆνος ἀπὸ σκηνῆς

, the Parodos takes the form of a

κομμός

, in which the lyric laments of the Chorus are answered by those of the actor. It consists of three strophes, three antistrophes, and an epode. Each of the seven parts is divided between the Chorus and Electra. 1st str., 121—136,=1st antistr., 137—152. 2nd str., 153—172, =2nd antistr., 173—192. 3rd str., 193 —212,=3rd antistr., 213—232. Epode, 233—250. For the metres, see Metrical Analysis.

This lyric dialogue strikes the key-note of the play by illustrating Electra's constancy. The Chorus, while sympathising with her, reminds her that grief is unavailing. Let her be calm, trusting in the gods, and hoping for the return of Orestes. Let her be more conciliatory towards Clytaemnestra and Aegisthus. She replies that such a change would be disloyalty towards the dead. The character which she exhibits here is that which wins the praise of the Chorus in the latter song (1058—1097).

The general idea of this

κομμός

may have been suggested by that of the

κομμός

in the Choephori between the Chorus, Electra, and Orestes (306—478). As regards the use of a kommatic Parodos to bring out the leading motive of a drama, another example is afforded by the Oedipus Coloneus (117—253).

δυστανοτάτας , of guilt, as in 806: so 273

ταλαίνῃ

, 275

τλήμων

(and 439): O. T. 888

δύσποτμος

: Ant. 1026

ἄνολβος

τάκεις … οἰμωγὰν =

ποιεῖ τακερὰν οἰμωγάν

, makest a languishing lament. Cp. Tr. 848

τέγγει δακρύων ἄχναν

(n.): Ai. 55

ἔκειρε...φόνον

. For

τήκομαι

, said of pining in grief, cp. 283 , Eur. Med. 158

μὴ λίαν τάκου δυρομένα σὸν εὐνάταν.

ἀκόρεστον : cp. Aesch. Ag. 1143 (of the nightingale)

ἀκόρετος βοᾶς.

τὸν πάλαι κ.τ.λ., acc. depending on

τάκεις οἰμωγάν

as=

οἰμώζεις

: cp. 556 , 710 : O. C. 223

δέος ἴσχετε μηδὲν ὅσ’ αὐδῶ

(n.).

πάλαι , some seven or eight years ago (13 f., n.).— ἐκ , here no more than

ὑπό

( Ph. 335

ἐκ Φοίβου δαμείς

, n.).

ἀθεώτατα : cp. 1181 (n.).

κακᾷ … χειρὶ πρόδοτον , betrayed (to death) by a dastardly hand. χειρὶ , following

ἀπάταις

, denotes the violent deed. Sophocles thinks of both Clytaemnestra and Aegisthus as active agents in the murder (99

σχίζουσι

). This is against understanding, ‘betrayed (by her) to (his) hand.’

ὡς is properly an exclamation (‘how!’), as in

ὡς ὤφελον

: here it stands, like utinam, with the optat. There are Homeric examples, as Il. 18. 107

ὡς ἔρις... ἀπόλοιτο

: ib. 22. 286

ὡς δή μιν σῷ ἐνὶ χροῒ πᾶν κομίσαιο

: Od. 17. 243

ὡς ἔλθοι

: which must be distinguished from instances of

ὥς

(‘thus’) with optat., as Il. 14. 142

ἀλλ’ ὁ μὲν ὣς ἀπόλοιτο

: Od. 1. 47

ὣς ἀπόλοιτο καὶ ἄλλος

. In Attic this

ὡς

with optat. is rare: Eur. Hipp. 407

ὡς ὄλοιτο παγκάκως.

ὁ τάδε πορὼν might refer to Clytaemnestra (for the masc., cp. Ant. 464 n.), but is rather general, including both the authors of the crime.

εἴ μοι θέμις , like Tr. 809

εἰ θέμις δ’, ἐπεύχομαι

: Aegisthus and Clytaemnestra are the rulers of Mycenae. Cp. Eur. Med. 83

ὄλοιτο μὲν μή· δεσπότης γάρ ἐστ’ ἐμός

. And the Chorus might shrink from imprecations on the mother in her daughter's presence.

γενέθλα (fem. sing.), as 226: but

γένεθλα

(neut. pl.) O. T. 180.

γενναίων , in disposition (cp. O. C. 1636 ).

παραμύθ‐ ιον might be nomin. in appos. with the subject of the verb, but is better taken as acc. in appos. with the sentence: cp. 564 (

ποινὰς

), 966 (

πημονὴν

): O. T. 603 (n.): Eur. Or. 1105

Ἑλένην κτάνωμεν, Μενελέῳ λύπην πικράν

ξυνίημι (

ι^

): as Ar. Av. 946 begins a trimeter with

ξυνίημ’ ὅτι βούλει

. The initial

ἵημι

is properly long in pres. (and impf.) indic., imper., infin., and partic. This is the regular quantity in Attic: cp. 596 . In Homeric verse the pres. indic. and imper., and the pres. part., (act. and midd.,) have

ι—

in arsis (and once, even in thesis, Il. 12. 274

ἀλλὰ πρόσωἵεσθε

): but

ι^

in thesis, as when

ἵενται

closes a verse. The impf., too, has

ι^

in thesis, as Il. 1. 479 (

ἵει

). The Tragoedians, following epic precedent, sometimes shorten

in these parts of

ἵημι

: thus

ἵησιν

(

ι^

) in lyrics, Aesch. Th. 310. But it is noteworthy that in tragic dialogue the examples of

ι^

seem to be confined to the pres. part.; thus Aesch. Th. 493

ἱέντα

: Eur. Hec. 338 and I. A. 1101

ἱεῖσα

: I. T. 298

ἱείς

τάδ’ : your kindly purpose.

φυγγάνει . This by-form of

φεύγω

occurs first in Aesch. P. V. 513. Greek presents in

‐ανω

are of two classes,—those in which the stem remains unchanged, as

ἁμαρτ‐άνω

; and those in which a nasal is added to it, as

φυγγάνω, θιγγάνω, λαμβάνω

, etc. (Curtius, Greek Verb, ch. IX, p. 174, Eng. tr.). In its compound forms,

φυγγάνω

was familiar to Attic prose: thus Dem. or. 23 has § 74

ἀποφυγγάνει

: Aeschin. or. 3 § 208

καταφυγγάνῃ

οὐδ’ ἐθέλω =

ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἐθέλω

: cp. Ai. 222

ἀγγελίαν ἄτλατον οὐδὲ φευκτάν

: Il. 24. 25

ἔνθ’ ἄλλοις μὲν πᾶσιν ἑήνδανεν, οὐδέ ποθ’ Ἥρῃ

. So

δέ

ἀλλά

, Ant. 85 n.

μὴ οὐ : 107 n.

τὸν ἐμὸν … πατέρ’ ἄθλιον : an adj., though not a predicate, is sometimes thus placed; cp. 1144 : Ph. 393

τὸν μέγαν Πακτωλὸν εὔχρυσον

: O. T. 1199 f.

τὰν γαμψώνυχα παρθένον

χρησμῳδόν

(n.).

παντοίας , perh. a reminiscence of Od. 15. 245

ὃν περὶ κῆρι φίλει Ζεύς τ’ αἰγίοχος καὶ Ἀπόλλων

παντοίην φιλότητα

. Literally: ‘reciprocating the graciousness (kindliness) of friendship in every form,’ —bound to me by a mutual friendship, which is sympathetic with every mood. (Not: ‘replacing’ kindliness in every relation,—as though these friends compensated her for the absence of paternal or fraternal sympathy.)

Electra's lyrics contain some Doricisms (129, 146 f., etc.): but it is best to retain

φιλότητος

, with the MSS. The form in

was so familiar through Homer that it may have been preferred to

φιλότατος

even in lyrics. Cp. 236 .

ἀλύειν , to ‘wander’ in mind; to be wild with grief: cp. Ph. 1194

ἀλύοντα χειμερίῳ

λύπᾳ

: and n. ib. 174.

αἰαῖ, ἱκνοῦμαι =152

αἰεὶ δακρύεις

. The pause after

αἰαῖ

excuses the hiatus: cp. Ant. 1276

φεῦ φεῦ, ὦ πόνοι

τόν γ’ ἐξ Ἀΐδα … λίμνας : cp. Dem. or. 9 § 42

τὸν χρυσὸν τὸν ἐκ Μήδων εἰς Πελοπόννησον ἤγαγεν

: Soph. Ph. 1076

τά τ’ ἐκ νεὼς

στείλωσι

(n.). As to the

Ἀχερουσία λίμνη

, cp. fr. 480 (where the

ψυχή

of Achilles speaks),

ἀκτὰς ἀπαίωνάς τε καὶ μελαμβαθεῖς

λιποῦσαλίμνης ἦλθον.

παγκοίνου : so Ai. 1193

τὸν πολύκοινον Ἅιδαν

: Aesch. Th. 860

πάνδοκον εἰς ἀφανῆ τε χέρσον.

ἀνστάσεις : for the apocopè of

ἀνά

, cp. Tr. 335 n.

οὔτε †γόοις οὔτε λιταῖσιν . The strophic verse (123) probably represents the true metre:

τάκεις ὧδ’ ἀκόρεστον οἰμωγάν

. On this point most modern critics are agreed, though they differ as to whether the verse should be considered glyconic or dactylic. But the correction of v. 139 remains quite uncertain. Many edd. have received Hermann's ingenious emendation,

οὔτε γόοισιν οὔτ’ ἄνταις

. Doubtless

ΑΝΤΑΙΣ

could easily have generated

ΛΙΤΑΙΣ

. But the form

ἄντη

is most dubious. Hermann relies solely on Hesychius,

ἀντήσει, λιτανείαις, ἀντήσεσιν

. He supposes that

ἀντήσει

was corrupted from

ἄντῃσι

: though it might also have come from

ἀντήσε

(

)

,—the second

ἀντήσεσιν

being a later addition. There is no other vestige of

ἄντη

. Erfurdt's οὔτε γόοισιν οὔτ’ εὐχαῖς would be satisfactory; but then we should have to assume that

οὔτε λιταῖσιν

arose from a perverse view of the metre. See Appendix.

For the repetition of ἀλλά , so soon after the

ἀλλά

in 137, see 879—882: Ph. 524 n.

ἀπὸ τῶν μετρίων : deserting moderation (

τὰ μέτρια

ἀμήχανον , admitting of no alleviation, like

νόσων ἀμηχάνων

Ant. 363 (n.).

ο=ιόλλυσαι here =

προβαίνεις διολλυμένη

: cp. Dem. or. 21 § 139

φθείρεσθαι πρὸς τοὺς πλουσίους

. With the help given by

ἀπό

and

εἰς

, such a sense for the verb is not forced. It would be harsher to evolve the idea of motion from

στενάχουσα

ἐν οἷς , referring to the general sense of what precedes, ‘in which course.’

ἀνάλυσις … κακῶν , properly, a ‘dissolution,’ a ‘cancelling,’ of troubles. They are not dissipated by grieving. The parallel sense of

ἀναλύειν

is common.

τί μοι κ.τ.λ.: the ethic dat. nearly=‘I pray thee’ (887: O. C. 1475 n.).

νήπιος : for the general masc., cp. 771 : Tr. 151 (n.).

γονέων , meaning

πατρός

: for the plur., cp. 346 , 498 , 594 : O. T. 366 n.

ἐμέ γ’ … ἄραρεν , suits, is congenial to, me. In this intrans. sense

ἤραρον

would naturally take a dat.; as in Od. 4. 777

μῦθον, ὃ δὴ καὶ πᾶσιν ἐνὶ φρεσὶν ἤραρεν ἡμῖν

. For the acc. here, cp. Ai. 584

οὐ γάρ μ’ ἀρέσκει

. It may have been suggested by the acc. which follows this aor. when transitive;

ἤραρε θυμὸν ἐδωδῇ

( Od. 5. 95 ), ‘satisfied.’ Simonides has

ἀραρεῖν

(fr. 41), but the form is otherwise epic only.

φρένας , defining

ἐμέ

: cp. 99

κάρα

, n.

αἰὲν Ἴτυν . The

υ—

need not be explained by ictus, for it was originally long in these words, though in ordinary Attic usage it had become shortened. In Od. 5. 470

ἐς κλιτὺν ἀναβάς

, and a few passages of Tragedy (as Eur. H. F. 5

στάχυς

, El. 1214

γένυν

), the

υ—

remains. Aristophanes, too, has

Ἴτυ—ν ἐλελιζομένη

( Av. 212 ). On the other hand

κλιτὺν

(

υ^

) in Tr. 271 represents the later practice. (For the varied quantity here, cp. Ph. 296

πέτροισι πέτρον

, n.) The reiterated

Ἴτυν

was heard in the nightingale's note; cp. Eur. fr. 773. 25

ὀρθρευομένα γόοις

Ἴτυν Ἴτυν πολύθρηνον

, and Aesch. Ag. 1144.

ὄρνις with

ι^

, as in Ant. 1021 (n.).

ἀτυζομένα , bewildered, distraught with grief: cp. 135

ἀλύειν.

Διὸς ἄγγελος , as the harbinger of spring. The nightingale appears in Attica about the end of March, or early in April ( O. C., Introd. p. xii, n. 2). Cp. Od. 24. 344

Διὸς ὧραι

Νιόβα, σὲ δ’ ,

κ.τ.λ.

: for this

δέ

, cp. O. T. 1097 (

Φοῖβε, σοὶ δὲ

). By θεόν Electra means

μακαρτάτην

: cp. Sappho's

φαίνεταί μοι κῆνος ἴσος θεοῖσιν

. Niobe is happy in the highest, the divine, sense, because, by her perennial grief, she is true to the memory of those whom she has lost.

ἅτ’ , fem. of the epic relat.

ὅς τε

: so the neut.

ὅ τε

in Tr. 824.

ἐν τάφῳ πετραίῳ : the stone into which Niobe was turned on Mount Sipylus is her ‘rocky tomb’: see nn. on Ant. 825 f.

τὰν κισσὸς ὡς ἀτενὴς

πετραία βλάστα δάμασεν

αἰεὶ is the best reading, since the point is that Niobe's grief is perpetual.

αἰαῖ

would be an interjection by Electra, an echo of the

αἰαῖ

in 136.

οὔτοι σοὶ μούνᾳ : cp. 289 . Cic. Tusc. 3. 33 § 79

Ne illa quidem consolatio firmissima est, quanquam et usitata est et saepe prodest: Non tibi hoc soli.

πρὸς ὅ τι , ‘in respect to whatever (grief).’

τῶν ἔνδον εἶ περισσά , ‘you are more excessive than those in the house,’— i.e., less moderate in showing sorrow: the gen., as after

περιγίγνομαι, περιεῖναι, περισσεύω

( Xen. An. 4. 8. 11

περιττεύσουσιν ἡμῶν οἱ πολέμιοι

). ‘They are equally affected by every one of those troubles which you lament so much more vehemently than they do.’

οἷς , the masc. of general reference (145 n.), should be retained, though τῶν ἔνδον (also masc.) alludes to the two sisters only.

ὁμόθεν , of the same stock, is more closely defined by γονᾷ ξύναιμος , which denotes the fraternal tie.

οἵα Χρ. ζώει . These words, explanatory of

τῶν ἔνδον

, seem to mean simply, ‘such as Chrysothemis, who is living,’ etc. (For

οἵα Χρ. ζώει

οἵα Χρ. ἐστίν, ἣ ζώει

, cp. O. T. 1451 n.).

Acc. to the version followed by Sophocles, Agamemnon had four daughters, Iphigeneia, Electra, Chrysothemis, Iphianassa. This was the account given in the cyclic

Κύπρια ἔπη

, as the schol. here mentions; a poem of which there is another trace in this play (566 ff.). Sophocles wrote an

Ἰφιγένεια

( Nauck, frag. Soph. 284—292 ); but her name is not mentioned in the reference to her death below (530—594). In Il. 9. 145 Agamemnon has three daughters, Chrysothemis, Laodicè, Iphianassa: Homer does not mention Iphigeneia. Lucretius gives the name of Iphianassa to the victim at Aulis ( 1. 85 ).

ζώει has more point when it is remembered that one sister had perished. The Ionic form occurs also in O. C. 1213. —Others understand: ‘considering the manner in which Chr.lives’ etc.;— i.e., Electra is found to be

περισσά

relatively to the standard of moderation which her sisters set. This seems to strain

οἵα...ζώει

καὶ Ἰφιάνασσα : so in Il. 9. 145

Χρυσόθεμις καὶ Λαοδίκη καὶ Ἰφιάνασσα

, the name having the digamma.

ἀχέων is unquestionably the participle, familiar from the Homeric poems ( Il. 2. 724 , Il. 5. 399 , Il. 18. 446 : Od. 11. 195 ). Orestes is conceived as pining in exile for the moment when he shall return as an avenger. Cp. 171

ἀεὶ μὲν γὰρ ποθεῖ

: 602

δυστυχῆ τρίβει βίον

. The mention of his present sorrow prompts the augury of his future triumph (160).

Hermann, taking ἀχέων as gen. pl. of

ἄχος

, joined it with κρυπτᾷ : semota a doloribus in iuventa felix. But ( a) it seems impossible that

κρυπτᾷ ἀχέων

should mean, ‘secluded from sorrows,’ as if the idea of separation (or exemption) were sufficiently expressed by ‘hidden.’ And ( b) in this context, where Electra is reminded that others suffer with her, a reference to the sorrow of the exile is evidently more fitting than an allusion to his immunity from her particular troubles.

ὄλβιος, ὃν

κ.τ.λ.

The respect in which he is ‘happy’ is defined by the following clause, according to a frequent poetical idiom. Hes. Th. 954

ὄλβιος, ὃς μέγα ἔργον ἐν ἀθανάτοισιν ἀνύσσας

ναίει ἀπήμαντος

. Hom. Od. 11. 450

ὄλβιος· ἦ γὰρ τόν γε πατὴρ φίλος ὄψεται ἐλθών

. And so with other words: Hom. Od. 1. 8

νήπιοι, οἳ κατὰ βοῦς Ὑπερίονος ἠελίοιο

ησθιον

: ib. 3. 161

σχέτλιος, ὅς ῥ) ἔριν ὦρσε κ.τ.λ.

For the simple

ὅς

, instead of

ὅς γε

ὅστις

, with causal force, cp. below, 188, 261, 959; O.T. 817.

δέξεται εὐπατρίδαν , i.e., will receive him, so that he shall be once more a noble of the land, instead of an exile; for the proleptic force, cp. 68

δέξασθέ μ’ εὐτυχοῦντα

(n.). So Orestes exultingly imagines how men will say of him ( Aesch. Eum. 757 ),

Ἀργεῖος ἁνὴρ αὖθις, ἔν τε χρήμασιν

οἰκεῖ πατρῴοις

Διὸς εὔφρονι | βήματι , by the kindly guidance of Zeus;

βῆμα

here having a sense parallel with that of the causal tenses,

βήσω, ἔβησα

. Schol.

βήματι· ἀντὶ ὁδῷ, πομπῇ

. This is certainly bold, though not too much so (I think) for Sophocles. No correction seems probable (see cr. n.). The most ingenious, perhaps, is Mekler's

εὐπατριδᾶν ἕδος

(in appos. with

γᾶ...Μυκηναίων

). It is, however, somewhat weak; and the rhythm seems to favour the slight pause after

εὐπατρίδαν.

γᾶν , notwithstanding γᾶ in 161: cp. 375 , 379 (

γόων

): 511, 515 (

αἰκίαις, αἰκία

): 871, 873 (

ἡδονῆς, ἡδονὰς

): O. C. 554 n.

Ὀρέσταν , emphatically placed at the end, is drawn into the case of the relative ὃν : cp. Od. 1. 69

Κύκλωπος κεχόλωται, ὃν ὀφθαλμοῦ ἀλάωσεν

, |

ἀντίθεον Πολύφημον

. Aesch. Th. 553

τῷδ’, ὃν λέγεις τὸν Ἀρκάδα

ἀκάματα with initial

α^

: but in Ant. 339

ἀκαμάταν

with

α—

(n.). For the neut. plur. as adv., cp. 786 : O. T. 883

ὑπέροπτα

(n.).

ἀνύμφευτος is merely a rhetorical amplification of the thought expressed by ἄτεκνος , and hence the poet is indifferent to the order of the words; just as in 962

ἄλεκτρα

precedes

ἀνυμέναια

, and as Oedipus forebodes the fate of his daughters,

χέρσους φθαρῆναι κἀγάμους

( O.T. 1502). Antigone makes a similar lament ( Ant. 813 ff., Ant. 917 f.).

οἰχνῶ , simply ‘go about’ (

περιέρχομαι

, schol.), here implying her loneliness. Not =

οἴχομαι

(‘I am lost’), as some take it.

οἰχνέω

is, indeed, a poetical by-form of

οἴχομαι

, but does not share this sense. Cp. 313 , Ai. 564. This verb is not extant in Eur. ; Aesch. uses compounds of it, but only in lyrics (

εἰς‐

, Aesch. P. V. 122 ;

δι‐

, Aesch. Eum. 315 ).

δάκρυσι μυδαλέα : as Scut. 270 (

κόνις

)

δάκρυσι μυδαλέη

. The

is properly short, as in

μυδάω

( O. T. 1278 , Ant. 410 ).

τὸν ἀνήνυτον : the art. means, ‘ that endless doom of mine’; cp. 176

τὸν ὑπεραλγῆ

: Ai. 1187

τὰν ἄπαυστον

... | ...

μόχθων ἄταν

. (Cp. Tr. 476 ,

ὁ δεινὸς ἵμερος

, with n. in appendix there.)

οἶτον ἔχουσα : Il. 9. 559

ἀλκυόνος πολυπενθέος οἶτον ἔχουσα

ὧν τ’ ἔπαθ’ . The schol. understands, ‘the benefits which he has received’ at Electra's hands, who saved him from perishing with his father (12, 1128, 1350). And it might be said that she is here thinking of his ingratitude. But it seems worthier of her heroic nature that she should mean,—‘he forgets his wrongs—those great wrongs which he is bound to avenge.’ This agrees, too, with ὧν τ’ ἐδάη , ‘what he has learned’ by the messages which she has sent from Mycenae to Phocis, as to the subsequent conduct of the partners in crime. ‘He forgets his father's murder, and his sister's misery.’

Wecklein, reading

ἐδάην

, explains,— ‘what I have heard from him,’—viz., his promises of coming.

τί γὰρ … ἀγγελίας : cp. Ant. 1229

ἐν τῷ συμφορᾶς

(n.).

ἀπατώμενον , ‘disappointed’ by the result. The message is poetically identified with the hope which it inspires. Cp. Ant. 630

ἀπάτας λεχέων

, a cheating (of his hope), a disappointment, concerning marriage. The partic. here expresses the leading idea of the sentence: ‘what comforting message comes to me that is not belied?’ (The pres. part., because the thought is,

ἀεὶ ἀπατᾶται

.) Cp. O. C. 1038

χωρῶν ἀπείλει νῦν

(n.): Tr. 592

ἀλλ’ εἰδέναι χρὴ δρῶσαν

. For τί … οὐκ as=

πᾶν τι

, cp. O.T. 1526 (n.).

Herwerden's οὐχί μοι , for οὐκ ἐμοί , is specious; but

ἐμοί

may be defended by the antithesis with ὁ δέ .

ποθεῖ, ποθῶν δ’ : cp. 319

φησίν γε· φάσκων δ’ οὐδὲν ὧν λέγει ποεῖ

. There, as here, there is a touch of mournful bitterness, which

οὐκ ἀξιοῖ

brings out. As to the frequent messages sent to Electra by Orestes, cp. 1154 .

ἔτι μέγας οὐρανῷ =154

ἄχος ἐφάνη βροτῶν

. Hermann saves the ἐν of the MSS. by reading

μέγας ἔτ’ ἐν

etc.; but the simple dat. of place seems warranted by such instances as 313 (

ἀγροῖσι

), O. T. 1451

ναίειν ὄρεσιν

, Hes. Op. 8

αἰθέρι ναίειν

, Pind. N. 10. 58

θεὸς ἔμμεναι οἰκεῖν τ’ οὐρανῷ

τὸν ὑπεραλγῆ : for the art.,

νέμουσα , ‘assigning,’ or ‘committing,’ it to Zeus. The verb is used as in

νέμειν μοῖραν

( Tr. 1238 ) or

νέμειν γέρα

( O. C. 1396 )

τινί

. Wrath against evildoers is an attribute and a prerogative of Zeus, to whom the injured should leave the task of inflicting retribution. As the avenger of blood, Zeus was styled

ἀλάστωρ, ἀλιτήριος, παλαμναῖος, τιμωρός

μήτε ὑπεράχθεο (

τούτοις

)

οὓς ἐχθαίρεις μήτε ἐπιλάθου

(

αὐτῶν

). For οἷς (by attraction, for

οὕς

), cp. H. 3. 5. 18

σὺν οἷς εἶχεν ᾔει

. The clauses are co-ordinate, but the emphasis is upon

μὴ ὑπεράχθεο

. ‘Without forgetting thy foes, refrain from excess of wrath against them.’ The Chorus allow that, as Electra has said (145), she cannot forget the murder of her father. They only counsel moderation of behaviour.

εὐμαρὴς θεός , a god who brings ease,—soothing difficulties, and making burdens tolerable (cp. O. C. 7 , O. C. 437 ).

εὐμαρής

has here an active sense: cp. Ph. 44

φύλλον...νώδυνον

, a herb that soothes pain. Eur. H. F. 17

συμφορὰς δὲ τὰς ἐμὰς

ἐξευμαρίζων

. Philon vol. 2. p. 43 ( ap. Nauck) describes

χρόνος

ἱκανὸς καὶ πένθος ἀνελεῖν καὶ θυμὸν σβέσαι καὶ φόβον θεραπεῦσαι· πάντα γὰρ ἐξευμαρίζει

. For this use of θεός , cp. Soph. O. T. 27 n.

οὔτε γὰρ , after

χρόνος γὰρ

in 179: Sophocles often thus uses

γάρ

in two successive clauses ( Ai. 20 f., Ai. 215 f., Ai. 514 f., Ai. 1262 f.; Ph. 1158 f.; Ant. 1255 f.). Here the second

γάρ

introduces a reason for thinking that, in this instance, Time will bring a remedy.

Κρῖσαν . Most MSS. have

Κρίσαν

: Triclinius wrote

Κρίσσαν

. But in favour of

Κρῖσαν

Hermann appeals to a grammarian of Hadrian's age, Dracon of Stratonicea, in his treatise

περὶ μέτρων

(p. 21, 4).

Crisa stood about two miles W.S.W. of Delphi, on a spur of Parnassus, at the lower outlet of the gorge through which the river Pleistus issues into the plain. The Iliad mentions ‘sacred Crisa’ (

ζαθέην

, 2. 520). But the Homeric Hymn to the Pythian Apollo is the best witness to its ancient power. There, just as here, the name

Κρῖσα

includes the land which stretches southward from the town to its harbour on the ‘wide gulf’ (vv. 253— 261). We need not, then, read

Κρίσᾳ

Κρίσας

. Crisa was the earliest seat of trade on the western sea; Delphi, when first founded, was merely a sanctuary in its territory. Pindar recalls the old prominence of its name when he describes a Pythian victory as won

Κρισαίαις ἐνὶ πτυχαῖς

( P. 6. 18).

Cirrha, a town of much later date, was the port of Crisa on the gulf. About 585 B.C., the Delphians, aided by Cleisthenes of Sicyon and his allies, succeeded, after a long struggle, in humbling Crisa and destroying Cirrha. The Crisaean plain was then devoted to Apollo, whose domain was thus extended from his temple to the coast. When Sophocles wrote, that ground was still a

βούνομος ἀκτή

, inviolable by plough or spade. It was not till the middle of the next century that the alleged encroachments of Amphissa on the

ἱερὰ χώρα

gave a pretext for war to the Amphictyons (355 B.C.).

Ulrichs ( Reisen in Griechenland) was the first to place the relations of Crisa and Cirrha in a clear light. Strabo correctly describes the site of Cirrha, but erroneously places Crisa to the east of it (9. p. 418).

βούνομον , ‘grazed over by oxen,’ seems fitter here than βουνόμον , ‘giving pasture to oxen’: but there is little to choose. Cp. Aesch. fr. 249

βούνομοί τ’ ἐπιστροφαί

: and Soph. O. T. 26 (n.).

βούνομον ἀκτὰν is in appos. with Κρῖσαν : see last n.

ἀπερίτροπος , ‘regardless.’ The word occurs only here; and

περιτρέπομαι

does not occur in a corresponding sense. But the poet has followed the analogy of

ἐντρέπομαι

and the epic

μετατρέπομαί τινος

as=‘to regard.’ With a somewhat similar boldness, he has elsewhere used

στραφείην

with a gen. as=

ἐπιστραφείην

( Ai. 1117 ). The meaning is rightly given by Suidas s. v.

ἀπερίτροπος,—ἔχει ἐπιστροφὴν καὶ ἐπιμέλειαν ποιεῖται

. In the quotation of the verse by Suidas there, the word

ἀνεπίτροπος

(which would mean ‘without a guardian’) has accidentally been substituted for

ἀπερίτροπος

. Suidas, like the schol., explains

ἀπερίτροπος

ἀνεπίστροφος

. They both notice a second, but clearly erroneous, view, acc. to which

ἀπερίτροπος

has a twofold sense here:— (1) in relation to Orestes, ‘ not returning,’

ἀνεπέλευστος

: (2) in relation to Hades, ‘regardless.’

παρὰ τὸν Ἀχέροντα , because his realm extends along its banks: see n. on Ant. 1123 f. For the place of ἀνάσσων after θεὸς , cp. 695 : Ph. 1316

τὰς...ἐκ θεῶν

τύχας δοθείσας

: O. T. 1245 (n.). The ‘god’ is, of course, Hades; the King of the Dead is their avenger: cp110: Ant. 1075

Ἅιδου...Ἐρινύες

. Some suppose, however, that the

θεός

meant is the spirit of Agamemnon. Prof. Campbell, who inclines to that view, thinks that the next best course is to refer the words to Hermes

χθόνιος

(111).

μὲν merely emphasises

ἐμέ

: there is no corresponding clause with

δέ

: cp. Ant. 11 (

ἐμοὶ μὲν

) n.

ὁ πολὺς … βίοτος , the best part of it: , where she speaks of her sister as

γηράσκουσαν

. When

ὁ πολύς

thus means

ὁ πλείων

, the noun (with art.) usu. precedes it; as Her. 1. 102

ὁ στρατὸς...ὁ πολλός

, Thuc. 1. 24

τῆς δυνάμεως τῆς πολλῆς.

ἀνέλπιστος , predic., has passed away from me without leaving me any hopes.

187 *

τεκέων

. I am now satisfied that this is a true correction of τοκέων , for these reasons. (1) She is saying that the best days of her life have gone by without giving her anything to hope for. It would be inappropriate to justify this (as the causal ἅτις does) by saying that she is pining away ‘without parents,’ or a husband's care, while the mention of children is perfectly in place. (2) The very order of the words,

τεκέων...ἀνήρ

, is confirmed by vv. 164 f.,

ἄτεκνος...ἀνύμ‐

φευτος

. (3) If τοκέων be right, it means that, while Agamemnon is dead, the living Clytaemnestra is a

μήτηρ ἀμήτωρ

(1154): but this is forced.

ἁπερεί , like the common

ὡσπερεί

( O. T. 264 ).

ἔποικος ..., an immigrant, an alien: cp. Legg. 742 A

μισθωτοῖς, δούλοις καὶ ἐποίκοις

, ‘hirelings, slaves or immigrants.’ Il. 9. 648

ὡσεί τιν’ ἀτίμητον μετανάστην

, ‘like some worthless sojourner’ (or ‘alien’).

οἰκονομῶ θαλάμους : for the verb compounded with a noun similar in sense to

θαλάμους

, cp. Tr. 760

ταυροκτονεῖ...βοῦς

: Il. 4. 3

νέκταρ ἐῳνοχόει

. By

οἰκονομῶ

was meant properly the ‘management’ of a household, either by the master, or by a domestic of the higher grade, a

ταμίας

οἰκονόμος

, ‘house-steward.’ But here

οἰκονομῶ θαλάμους

denotes the discharge of humbler duties, in attending to the daily service of the house: as in Aesch. Ch. 84 the

δμωαὶ

are

δωμάτων εὐθήμονες

. Electra describes her own condition by the word

δουλεύω

in 814, Aesch. Ch. 1192 : as in Aesch. Ch. 135 she says

κἀγὼ μὲν ἀντίδουλος

ἀεικεῖ σὺν στολᾷ : cp. the reference to her

ζῶμα

in 452; and the comments of Orestes on her whole appearance (1177, 1181).

κεναῖς δ’ ἀμφίσταμαι τραπέζαις .

κενὴ τράπεζα

, a ‘bare,’ or scantily furnished, table, is opposed to

τράπεζα πλήρης

( Eur. Hipp. 110 ): it would be prosaic to insist that it must mean a table with nothing on it. While the docile Chrysothemis fares sumptuously (361), the rebel Electra is treated like a halfstarved slave. In v. 265 there is another hint of her privations (

τὸ τητᾶσθαι

).— ἀμφίσταμαι , because to lie at meals on a

κλίνη

was a luxury refused to the

δούλη

: such food as she receives must be taken standing. This touch seems quite in keeping with what she says below as to the treatment inflicted upon her (1196

λύμαισι

). The plur.

τραπέζαις

refers to her experience from day to day.

Hartung, reading

κενὰ δ’ ἀμφίσταμαι τραπέζαις

, takes the sense to be that she stands ‘hungry’ by the tables at which the others feast. But

κενή

as=

νῆστις

would be neither usual nor elegant.

193-196

Hitherto the Chorus have offered consolation or counsel. At v. 213 they return to that strain. But here, moved by Electra's misery, they join with her in bewailing its cause.

οἰκτρὰ μὲν … πλαγά . At v. 95 it was noticed that verses 95—99 clearly show a reminiscence of Od. 11. 406 —411,— the earlier part of the passage in which the departed Agamemnon relates his death to Odysseus. I believe that an instructive light on these verses is gained by observing that a later portion of the same passage was here present to the poet's mind,—viz., Od. vv. 418 —424, where Agamemnon goes on to describe the scene at the murderous banquet:—

ἀλλά κε κεῖνα μάλιστα ἰδὼν ὀλοφύραο θυμῷ

, |

ὡς ἀμφὶ κρητῆρα τραπέζας τε πληθούσας

κείμεθ’ ἐνὶ μεγάρῳ

[cp. κοίταις here],

δάπεδον δ’ ἅπαν αἵματι θῦεν

. |

οἰκτροτάτην δ’ ἤκουσα ὄπα

[cp. οἰκτρὰ … αὐδὰ ]

Πριάμοιο θυγατρός

, |

Κασσάνδρης, τὴν κτεῖνε Κλυταιμνήστρη δολόμητις

ἀμφ’ ἐμοί· αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ ποτὶ γαίῃ χεῖρας ἀείρων

βάλλον, ἀποθνῄσκων περὶ φασγάνῳ

Sophocles, who follows the Homeric story as to the banquet, could not but remember the

οἰκτροτάτην ὄπα

of the dying Cassandra. And this might naturally suggest to him that other

οἰκτρὰ αὐδή

which she had uttered at an earlier moment, immediately after Agamemnon's return,—her presage of his fate, and her own: Aesch. Ag. 1072 —1314.

The sense then is:—‘There was a voice of lamentation at the return from Troy’; alluding especially to Cassandra's laments, but also, perhaps, to forebodings in the mouth of the people at Mycenae. ‘And there was a voice of lamentation

ἐν κοίταις πατρῴαις

, when thy father lay on the couch at the fatal banquet.’ The ‘voice’ at the banquet is, first, that of the dying Agamemnon; but Sophocles may have thought also of Cassandra's death-cry, which was sounding in the king's ears as he fell.—For other interpretations, see Appendix.

νόστοις might be governed by ἐν (cp. O. T. 734 n.), but is more simply taken as a temporal dat., denoting the occasion, like

τοῖς ἐπινικίοις

( Plat. Symp. 174 A ), etc.: cp. n. on Ant. 691. For the poet. plur., cp. Ai. 900

ὤμοι ἐμῶν νόστων

. The plural was familiar in relation to the return from Troy; thus the poem ascribed to Agias ( c. 750 B.C.) was entitled

Νόστοι.

κοίταις , ‘couch,’ here of feasting, as

δείπνων

(203) shows. This may be the sense, as Neue suggests, in Eur. Hipp. 748 f.

κρῆναί τ’ ἀμβρόσιαι χέονται

Ζηνὸς μελάθρων παρὰ κοίταις

. The word

κοίτη

(from stem

κει

) implies merely reclining, and does not necessarily involve the notion of sleeping.

ὅτε οἱ : for the hiatus cp. Tr. 650

ἁ δέ οἱ

(n.). The MS. σοι is certainly wrong (see Appendix).— ἀνταία , striking full: cp. 89

ἀντήρεις

(n.).

γενύων , the blades of the two-edged

πέλεκυς

(99 n.): cp. 485 . Hence a pickaxe is

γενῄς

( Ant. 249 n.).

δόλος … ἔρος : guile planned the deed,— i.e., devised the means of doing it: lust was ‘the slayer,’ as having supplied the motive. Some would transpose, reading

ἔρος ἦν ὁ φράσας, δόλος ὁ κτείνας

: i.e., lust prompted the deed, and guile executed it. But this is tamer and more prosaic. There is a higher tragic force in the old reading.—The epic form

ἔρος

is not used by Aesch. , and by Soph. only here; by Eur. , in dialogue also, as Eur. Hipp. 337

ο<*>ον, μῆτερ, ἠράσθης ἔρον

δεινὰν δεινῶς : cp. 989 : Ph. 166 n.—The phrase δεινὰν … μορφάν must be viewed in the light of the following words,

εἴτ’ οὖν θεὸς εἴτε βροτῶν

ἦν ὁ ταῦτα πράσσων

. The Chorus doubt whether the agency in the terrible crime was merely human. Perchance an evil

δαίμων

was there, wor<*>ng out the curse upon the line of Pelops (504—515). The

δεινὴ μορφή

, offspring of

δόλος

and

ἔρος

, is the act of murder, embodied in the image of a supernatural

ἀλάστωρ

. Sophocles may have had in mind the words of the Aeschylean Clytaemnestra ( Ag. 1500 f.); the slayer of Agamemnon, she says, was in truth the Avenger of the house, who took her form:—

φανταζόμενος δὲ γυναικὶ νεκροῦ

τοῦδ’ ὁ παλαιὸς δριμὺς ἀλάστωρ

Ἀτρέως, χαλεποῦ θοινατῆρος

, |

τόνδ’ ἀπέτεισεν

, |

τέλεον νεαροῖς ἐπιθύσας

εἴτ’ οὖν … εἴτε : cp. 560 : O.T. 1049 n.— βροτῶν , partitive gen.: M. 1. 3. 9

ε<*>ναι τῶν σωφρονικῶν ἀνθρώπων

.—Cp. O. T. 1258

λυσσῶντι δ’ αὐτῷ δαιμόνων δείκνυσί τις·

οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἀνδρῶν

. Ai. 243

κακὰ δεννάζων ῥήμαθ’, ἃ δαίμων

κοὐδεὶς ἀνδρῶν ἐδίδαξεν

πλέον … ἐχθίστα (instead of

ἐχθρά

), by redundant emphasis: cp. O.C. 743

πλεῖστον ἀνθρώπων

.. |

κάκιστος.

δὴ with the superl., as Ai. 858

πανύστατον δή

: Thuc. 1. 50

μεγίστη δή

νὺξ , because the banquet was prolonged into the night; cp. Od. 7. 102

φαίνοντες νύκτας κατὰ δώματα δαιτυμόνεσσι.

δείπνων , a poet. plur. ( Tr. 268

δείπνοις

), like

γάμοι

( Ant. 575 ),

αὐλαί

( Tr. 901 ).

ἄχθη (a nomin., like

νύξ

) is defined by the following words. But instead of saying

ἄχθη, θάνατοι αἰκεῖς, τοὺς ἴδε κ.τ.λ.

, the poet has drawn

θάνατοι αἰκεῖς

into the relative clause. He thus gains more prominence for

τοὺς ἐμὸς ἴδε πατήρ

. The conjecture τοῖς (neut., ‘by which’) would enfeeble the passage. For the tragic plur. θανάτους , cp. Tr. 1276 (Deianeira's death), O.T. 497 (that of Laïus): so below, 779

φόνους

: Ant. 1313

μόρων

: Eur. El. 137

αἱμάτων

διδύμαιν χειροῖν , the hand of Clytaemnestra and the hand of Aegisthus. Cp. 1080

διδύμαν..Ἐρινύν

. Nauck wishes to write διδύμοιν . But Meisterhans ( Gramm. d. Att. Inschr. p. 49) quotes

λιθίναιν

from an Attic inscr. of 439 B.C. Cp. 1133 .

εἷλον … πρόδοτον . The murderous hands ‘took her life captive,’ since the crime placed her wholly in their power (264); and this was done by treachery.

πρόδοτον

is predicative, expressing the mode of capture; cp. Thuc. 6. 102

ἡγούμενοι

(

τὸν κύκλον

)

ἐρῆμον αἱρήσειν

. But in Soph. Tr. 240 ,

ᾕρει...ἀνάστατον

.. |

χώραν

, the adj. is proleptic.

οἷς , not

αἷς

, since

χειροῖν

(206) implies the persons; cp. O.C. 730

τῆς ἐμῆς ἐπεισόδου·

ὃν μήτ’ ὀκνεῖτε.

Ὀλύμπιος : cp. 176 n.: Ph. 315

οἷ’ Ὀλύμπιοι θεοὶ

δοῖέν ποτ’ αὐτοῖς ἀντίποιν’ ἐμοῦ παθεῖν

ποίνιμα

κ.τ.λ.

: the alliteration (

παρήχησις

) adds bitter emphasis: for other examples, see O.T. 370 n.

ἀγλαΐας , the external splendour of their life ( cp. 268 f., 280); as in Od. 17. 310 it is said of dogs whose value consists only in their beauty,

ἀγλαΐης δ’ ἕνεκεν κομέουσιν ἄνακτες

(‘for ornament’). The word is especially fitting here, as suggesting triumph, for

Ἀγλαΐα

was especially the Grace of victory; cp. Pind. O. 14. 13 (with Gildersleeve's note): and Pind. O. 13. 14

νικαφόρον ἀγλαΐαν.

ἀποναίατο : for the Ionic form, cp. O.T. 1274 n.

πόρσω , restored by conjecture, in place of

πρόσω

, to O.C. 178, 181, 226, is here supported by L and other MSS. It is used by Pindar and by Eur. ( Eur. Tro. 189 ). The Homeric form, where a spondee is required, is

πρόσσω

: the Attic prose form,

πόρρω

γνώμαν ἴσχεις =

γιγνώσκεις

( Ph. 837 , Ph. 853 ).

ἐξ οἵων , ‘by what kind of conduct.’ (Not, ‘from what a position’ of possible comfort,—like that of her more prudent sisters.)

τὰ παρόντ’ , ‘in respect to present circumstances,’—‘as matters stand’; i.e., already they are bad enough (217, 235). Cp. Thuc. 4. 17

ἀεὶ γὰρ τοῦ πλέονος ἐλπίδι ὀρέγονται διὰ τὸ καὶ τὰ παρόντα ἀδοκήτως εὐτυχῆσαι

: where, as here,

τὰ παρόντα

is acc. of respect, not subj. of the inf. Groundless objections to

τὰ παρόν<*>)

have prompted conjectures (cr. n.).

οἰκείας , ‘caused by thyself’: Ai. 260

οἰκεῖα πάθη

, |

μηδενὸς ἄλλου παραπράξαντος

πολύ … τι κακῶν , a large measure of trouble; cp. Tr. 497

μέγα τι σθένος

. After

πολύς, τις

has usually a limiting force, and occurs chiefly in negative phrases, such as

οὐκ ἐν πολλῷ τινι ἔλασσον

( Thuc. 6. 1 ),

οὐ πολύ τι διαφέρει

( Plat. Rep. 484 D ),

οὐ πολλοί τινες

, etc.

ὑπερεκτήσω (a compound found only here), above what was necessary.

τὰ δὲ , ‘but those things’ (referring to

πολέμους

), i.e. ‘such contests,’ οὐκ ἐριστὰ τοῖς δυνατοῖς , ‘cannot be waged with the powerful,’ (

ὥστε

) πλάθειν (

αὐτοῖς

), ‘so that one should come into conflict with them.’ The epexegetic inf. further explains the meaning of

ἐριστά

. Such contentions must not be pushed to an actual trial of force with those who are stronger than ourselves. For the inf. thus defining an adj., cp. Il. 21. 482

χαλεπή τοι ἐγὼ μένος ἀντιφέρεσθαι

(for thee to encounter): Pind. N. 10. 72

χαλεπὰ δ’ ἔρις ἀνθρώποις ὁμιλεῖν κρεσσόνων

( how hard, they know only when they are fairly engaged in it).

ἐριστά (only here)=‘contested,’ then, ‘what can be contested’ (cp. O.T., append. p. 225).

πλάθειν ( Ph. 728 ), in a hostile sense; cp. Her. 9. 74

ὅκως πελάσειε..τοῖσι πολεμίοισι

: Soph. Tr. 1093

λέοντ’, ἄπλατον θρέμμα

δεινοῖς ἠναγκάσθην : dread causes forced her (at the first) to adopt this course; and they are still valid. For the reiteration, cp. Ph. 1101

ὦ τλάμων τλάμων ἄρ’ ἐγώ

: ib. 1462

λείπομεν ὑμᾶς, λείπομεν ἤδη

ὀργά alludes to

δυσθύμῳ..ψυχᾷ

(218 f.). She knows that her resentment is shown with passion. The schol.'s paraphrase,

τοῦτο τὸ ἔπος, φησίν, οὐ λανθάνε<*> με ἀλλ’ οἶδα τὸ ἀσφαλὲς καὶ συμφέρον

, might seem to suggest a different reading, such as

οὐ λάθει μ’ <*>ν δεῖ

. But probably it was meant to explain ἔξοιδ’ only.

ἀλλὰ … γὰρ is here elliptical; ‘but (ye speak in vain), for,’ etc. Cp. Ai. 167. In 256 there is no ellipse. Cp. Ant. 148 n.

ἐν … δεινοῖς : cp. Ph. 185

ἔν τ’ ὀδύναις

.. |

λιμῷ τ’ οἰκτρός.

σχήσω : this form occurs also in 375 and Ai. 684.

ταύτας ἄτας , these infatuated laments. (Others understand, ‘I will not put an end to these miseries which I suffer’: but

σχήσω

is then less fitting.)

ὄφρα is not elsewhere used by Sophocles: Aesch. has it twice in lyrics ( Aesch. Ch. 360 , Aesch. Eum. 340 ): Eur. never. For the omission of

ἄν

, cp. Soph. Ph. 764

ἕως ἀνῇ.

βίος ἔχῃ με is simply, ‘while life is in me’: there is no reference to σχήσω , such as Nauck assumes (‘I will not check these laments while life detains me’).

τίνι γάρ … τίνι φρονοῦντι καίρια , ‘for in the judgment of what person who thinks aright,’ ἀκούσαιμ’ ἂν πρόσφορον ἔπος , ‘could I possibly hear a word of comfort suited to my case?’ That is: What reason for desisting from these lamentations could possibly be suggested to me, which a right-minded person would think satisfactory? For the ethic dat. τίνι κ.τ.λ., cp. O.C. 1446

ἀνάξιαι γὰρ πᾶσίν ἐστε δυστυχεῖν

, and ib. 810 (n.). For πρόσφορον , ‘suitable,’ and hence ‘suited to one's needs,’ ‘profitable,’ cp. O.C. 1774

πρόσφορά θ’ ὑμῖν

καὶ τῷ κατὰ γῆς

Other explanations are:—(1) Taking the dative with

πρόσφορον

:—‘To what person who feels aright would that word be suitable which I should hear (=which would be said of me)?’ That is: Should I not deserve to incur a censure from which every right-minded person would shrink? Should I not deserve to be called

δυσσεβής

? This seems forced; and it does not well suit

ἔπος

. (2) Taking the dative with

ἀκούσαιμι

:—‘At whose mouth (= from whom), that thinks aright, could I hear a suitable word of comfort?’ But such a dative seems impossible. In Il. 16. 515

δύνασαι δὲ σὺ πάντοσ’ ἀκούειν

ἀνέρι κηδομένῳ

, the dat. is one of interest, denoting the person whose prayer is heard (‘ for him’); cp. Il. 5. 115

κλῦθί μοι

: 24. 335

ἔκλυες ᾧ κ’ ἐθέλῃσθα

ἄνετε is more than

ἐᾶτε

, since it implies relaxing a strain; cp. 721 : Ant. 1101

ἄνες

(

κόρην

), release her.

ἄλυτα , irremediable; cp. 939 : so

λύσις

, of a remedy ( Ant. 598 n.).

κεκλήσεται : they must be permanently accounted such: cp. Ai. 1368

σὸν ἆρα τοὔργον, οὐκ ἐμόν, κεκλήσεται

. So

κεκλήσομαι

, O.T. 522.

231 f. For ἐκ , where the simple gen. would suffice, cp. 291 , 987.

ἀνάριθμος has the second

short (as in Aesch. Pers. 40 , etc.). For the form of the word, and also for the gen. θρήνων , cp. Soph. Tr. 247

ἡμερῶν ἀνήριθμον

(n.).

ἀλλ’ οὖν =‘well, at any rate (though I speak in vain)’: γε emphasises εὐνοίᾳ : ‘it is with good-will that I speak’: cp. 1035 : Ant. 84 n.

μάτηρ ὡσεί τις : these words have been taken as indicating that the Chorus was composed (in part, at least) of women older than Electra. Her own tone to them rather suggests

ὁμήλικες

(134). (In Tr. 526 the words

ἐγὼ δὲ μάτηρ μὲν οἷα φράζω

are corrupt.)

μὴ τίκτειν , since a command is implied by

αὐδῶ

here, as elsewhere by

λέγω, φωνῶ, ἐννέπω

( Ph. 101 n.).

ἄταν ἄταις : the mere iteration suggests the notion of adding; but this is developed by the sense of the verb: cp. Helen. 195

δάκρυα δάκρυσί μοι φέρων

: and n. on O.T. 175

ἄλλον δ’ ἂν ἄλλῳ προσίδοις

καὶ τί μέτρον ...; for this

καί

prefixed to an indignant question, cp. O.C. 263 (n.): Ph. 1247 : Ai. 462. — κακότατος is better attested than

κακότητος

here. In O.C. 521, too, the MSS. give

κακότατ’

. Cp. 134 n.

φέρε in the sense of

φέρ’ εἰπέ

: so Ar. Ach. 541 ff.

φέῤ, εἰ Λακεδαιμονίων τις κ.τ.λ.

καθῆσθ’ ἂν ἐν δόμοισιν;

ἐπὶ τοῖς φθ. , in their case: for the prep., cp. O.T. 829 n.

ἔβλαστ’ : in what human being has such impiety ever been inborn? Cp. 440 : Ant. 563

οὐδ’ ὃς ἂν βλάστῃ μένει

νοῦς τοῖς κακῶς πράσσουσιν

. The gloss

ἐνομοθετήθη

points to another interpretation of

ἔβλαστ’

, viz., ‘has become usual’ (cp. Ant. 296

κακὸν νόμισμ’ ἔβλαστε

): and to this the conjecture

τίσι

for

τίνι

(cr. n.) was adapted.

τούτοις , the persons who approve such forgetfulness of the dead: cp. Ph. 456

ὅπου θ’ ὁ χείρων τἀγαθοῦ μεῖζον σθένει

,... |

τούτους ἐγὼ τοὺς ἄνδρας οὐ στέρξω ποτέ

(n.).

εἴ τῳ πρόσκειμαι χρηστῷ : prosperity is here conceived as a region of comfort, close to which the person is securely established. ‘When my lot is cast in pleasant places.’ Cp. 1040 : Eur. fr. 418

κακοῖς γὰρ οὐ σὺ πρόσκεισαι μόνη

. Conversely, Soph. Ant. 1243

ἀνδρὶ πρόσκειται κακόν

. (See n. on Soph. Ant. 94. )

ξυνναίοιμ’ : cp. O.T. 1205

τίς ἄταις..τίς ἐν πόνοις

ξύνοικος

: Plat. Rep. 587C

ἡδοναῖς ξυνοικεῖ

: conversely, O.C. 1134

κηλὶς κακῶν ξύνοικος

: Ph. 1168

ἄχθος ὃ ξυνοικει—.

εὔκηλος : the only instance of this Homeric form in Tragedy (for in Eur. I.A. 644 Blomfield restored

ἕκηλον

). The stem of

ἕκηλος

being

vεκ, εὔκηλος

is perh. for

ἐvέκηλος, ἔvκηλος

(Curt. Etym. § 19).

γονέων | ἐκτίμους , not paying honour to parents: the gen. as with adjectives compounded with

privative (36). For this negative sense of

ἐκ

in composition, cp.

ἔκδικος, ἐξαίσιος, ἔξωρος.

ἐκτίμους ἵσχουσα , restraining so that they shall not honour: for the proleptic adj., cp. Aesch. Pers. 298

ἄνανδρον τάξιν ἠρήμου θανών.

πτέρυγας … γόων , as Pind. I. 1. 64

πτερύγεσσιν ἀερθέντ’ ἀγλααῖς

Πιερίδων

: cp. Eur. Andr. 93 (

γόους

)

πρὸς αἰθέρ’ ἐκτενοῦμεν.

ὀξυτόνων , as Ai. 630

ὀξυτόνους...ᾠδὰς

θρηνήσει

: ib. 321

ὀξέων κωκυμάτων

εἰ γὰρ

κ.τ.λ.

She says:— ‘I will not cease to lament, and to invoke retribution on the murderers (209 f.). For, if they are not to pay with their blood for the blood which they have shed, there will be an end to regard for man and to fear of heaven.’

γᾶ here=

σποδός

, of the dead: Eur. fr. 522

κατθανὼν δὲ πᾶς ἀνὴρ

γῆ καὶ σκιά· τὸ μηδὲν εἰς οὐδὲν ῥέπει.

οὐδὲν (not

μηδὲν

) ὢν , though εἰ precedes: cp. O. C. 935

βίᾳ τε κοὐχ ἑκών

(after

εἰ μή

): Ai. 1131

εἰ...οὐκ ἐᾷς

. Here the parataxis affords a special excuse for

οὐδέν

,—viz., that this first clause, though formally dependent on

εἰ

, is not really hypothetical: he is dead. In the second clause (

εἰ..μὴ.. δώσουσ’

), a real hypothesis, the negative is

μή

. Cp. Lys. or. 10 § 13

οὐκ οὖν δεινόν, εἰ ὅταν μὲν δέῃ σε..τοὺς ἐχθροὺς τιμωρεῖσθαι, οὕτω τοὺς νόμους...λαμβάνεις, ὅταν δ’ ἕτερον παρὰ τοὺς νόμους εἴπῃς κακῶς, οὐκ ἀξιοῖς δοῦναι δίκην;

Electra is contrasting her father, whose earthly life has been cut short, with his murderers, who survive. But she believes that his spirit lives in the world below, and will be active in aiding the vengeance (453 ff.).

πάλιν , in recompense: O. T. 100

φόνῳ φόνον πάλιν

λύοντας.

ἀντιφόνους δίκας , a penalty which exacts blood for blood: cp. Ph. 1156

ἀντίφονον...στόμα

: Aesch. Eum. 464

ἀντικτόνοις ποιναῖσι φιλτάτου πατρός

ἔρροι τ’ : the

τε

should properly. follow

αἰδώς

: cp. O. T. 258

κυρῶ τ’ ἐγὼ

instead of

ἐγώ τε κυρῶ.

αἰδὼς is respect for those opinions and feelings of mankind which condemn wrong-doing; as εὐσέβεια is reverence for the gods. Cp. Od. 2. 65

ἄλλους τ’ αἰδέσθητε περικτίονας ἀνθρώπους

οἳ περιναιετάουσι· θεῶν δ’ ὑποδείσατε μῆνιν

Commentary on Sophocles: Electra. Sir Richard C. Jebb. Cambridge. 1907.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Experimental

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

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (2)

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 121 focus

*ὦ ἰὼ MSS. Turn. corr. παῖ, παῖ δυστανοτάτας

Ηλέκτρα ματρός, τίν' ἀεὶ

τάκεις ὧδ᾽ ἀκόρεστον οἰμωγὰν

τὸν πάλαι ἐκ δολερᾶς *ἀθεώτατα ἀθεωτάτας MSS. Porson corr.

ματρὸς ἁλόντ᾽ ἀπάταις Ἀγαμέμνονα
125

κακᾷ τε χειρὶ πρόδοτον; ὡς ὡσ LA. ὡς C5. ὁ τάδε πορὼν

ὄλοιτ', εἴ μοι θέμις τάδ᾽ αὐδᾶν.

ΗΛ.

ὦ γενέθλα γένεθλα LV Pal. γενέθλα CA. γενναίων γενναίων πατέρων LAFL2V3, γενναίων πρῶν Vat. ac. γενναίων τοκέων VM. Monk corr.,

ἥκετ᾿ ἐμῶν καμάτων παραμύθιον.
130

οἶδά τε καὶ ξυνίημι τάδ', οὔ τί με

φυγγάνει· οὐδ᾽ ἐθέλω οὐδ᾽ αὖ θέλω LFL2 Pal. οὐδ᾽ ἔθελω A. οὐδὲ θέλω C7. προλιπεῖν τόδε,

μὴ οὐ τὸν ἐμὸν στοναχεῖν πατέρ᾽ ἄθλιον.

ἀλλ᾽ ὦ, παντοίας φιλότητος ἀμειβόμεναι χάριν,

ἐᾶτέ μ᾽ ὧδ᾽ ἀλύειν,
135

αἰαῖ αἱ αἱ L from αἱ αἱ. αἰ αἳ A., ἱκνοῦμαι.

ΧΟ.
ἀντ. α΄.

ἀλλ᾽ οὔτοι τόν γ᾽ ἐξ Ἀΐδα

παγκοίνου λίμνας πατέρα πατέρ' L Pal. Vat. ac V.

θρήνοις θρήνοις οὔτε λιταῖσιν ἀνστάσεις] ἀνστάσεις οὔτε γύοισιν (γοόισ V3) οὔτε λιταῖσι MSS. (ἀναστ. ΜΜ²). οὔτε λιταῖσιν ἀνστάσεις.

ἀλλ᾽ ἀπὸ τῶν μετρίων ἐπ᾿ ἀμήχανον
140

ἄλγος ἀεὶ στενάχουσα διόλλυσαι,

ἐν οἷς ἀνάλυσίς ἐστιν οὐδεμία κακῶν.

τί μοι τῶν δυσφόρων ἐφίει;

ΗΛ.

νήπιος ὃς τῶν οἰκτρῶς
145

οἰχομένων γονέων ἐπιλάθεται.

ἀλλ᾽ ἐμέ γ᾽ ἁ στονόεσσ᾽ ἄραρεν φρένας,

ἃ ῎Ἴτυν, αἰὲν "Ιτυν ὀλοφύρεται,

ὄρνις ἀτυζομένα, Διὸς ἄγγελος.

ἰὼ παντλάμων Νιόβα, σὲ δ᾽ ἔγωγε νέμω θεόν,
150

ἅτ᾽ ἐν τάφῳ πετραίῳ,

αἰαῖ ai aἳ C6 or 7 Pal. ai ai A Vat. ac. αἰὲν V., δακρύεις.

ΧΟ.
στρ. β.

οὔτοι σοὶ μούνᾳ, τέκνον,

ἄχος ἐφάνη βροτῶν,

πρὸς †ὅ τι σὺ τῶν ἔνδον εἶ περισσά,
155

οἷς ὁμόθεν εἶ καὶ γονᾷ ξύναιμος,

οἷα Χρυσόθεμις ζώει καὶ ᾿Ιφιάνασσα,

κρυπτᾷ τ᾿ ἀχέων ἐν ἥβᾳ

ὄλβιος, ὃν ὁ κλεινὰ à in litura of 2 or 3 letters, L. ἀκλεινά A.

γᾶ (α)γαῖ L. ποτὲ Μυκηναίων
160

δέξεται εὐπατρίδαν, Διὸς εὔφρονι

βήματι μολόντα τάνδε γᾶν Ὀρέσταν.

ΗΛ.

ὅν γ' ἐγὼ ὃν ἔγωγ' L. ὃν ἐγὼ Pal. Herm. corr. ἀκάματα προσμένουσ᾽, ἄτεκνος,

τάλαιν' ἀνύμφευτος αἰὲν οἰχνῶ,
165

δάκρυσι μυδαλέα, τὸν ἀνήνυτον

οἶτον ἔχουσα κακῶν· ὁ δὲ λάθεται ὧδ᾽ ἐλάθεται LL2 pr. ὁ δὲ λάθεται A. ὁ δ᾽ ἐλάθετο Γ.

ὧν τ᾽ ἔπαθ᾽ ἔπαθεν L pr. L²T Pal. ἔπαθ' CA. ὧν τ᾽ ἐδάη. τί γὰρ οὐκ ἐμοὶ

ἔρχεται ἀγγελίας ἀπατώμενον ;

ἀεὶ αἰεί MSS. Brunck corr. μὲν γὰρ ποθεῖ,

ποθῶν δ᾽ οὐκ ἀξιοῖ φανῆναι.

ΧΟ.
ἀντ. β΄.

θάρσει μοι, θάρσει, τέκνον.

ἔτι ἔστι CAFL² Pal. μέγας οὐρανῷ ἐν οὐρανῷ MSS. Heath corr.

Ζεύς, ὃς ἐφορᾷ πάντα καὶ κρατύνει·
175

ᾧ τὸν ὑπεραλγῆ χόλον νέμουσα

μήθ᾽ οἷς ἐχθαίρεις ὑπεράχθεο μήτ᾽ ἐπιλάθου.

χρόνος γὰρ εὐμαρὴς θεός.

οὔτε γὰρ ὁ τὰν Κρῖσαν
180

βουνόμον βούνομον L. βουνόμον C2A. βουνόμενον L2. ἔχων ἀκτὰν

παῖς Ἀγαμεμνονίδας ἀγαμεμνίδας L. ἀπερίτροπος,

οὔθ᾽ ὁ παρὰ τὸν Ἀχέροντα θεὸς ἀνάσσων.

ΗΛ,

ἀλλ᾿ ἐμὲ μὲν ὁ πολὺς ἀπολέλοιπεν ἤδη

βίοτος ἀνέλπιστος, οὐδ᾽ ἔτ᾿ ἀρκῶ·
185

ἅτις ἄνευ τοκέων κατατάκομαι,

ἃς φίλος οὔτις ἀνὴρ ὑπερίσταται,

ἀλλ᾽ ἁπερεί τις ἔποικος ἀναξία

οἰκονομῶ οἰκονομῶ(ν) L. θαλάμους πατρός, ὧδε μὲν
190

ἀεικεῖ σὺν στολᾷ συστολαι L. συστολαί C2 or 3.,

κεναῖς δ᾽ ἀμφίσταμαι ἀφίσταμαι L. ἀμφίσταμαι L2 Pal. V M. Eustath. ἐφίσταμαι V3. ἐφίσταμαι Cor7 Ar Vat. ac M². τραπέζαις.

ΧΟ.
στρ. γ΄.

οἰκτρὰ μὲν νόστοις αὐδά,

οἰκτρὰ δ᾽ ἐν κοίταις πατρώαις

ὅτε σοι παγχάλκων ἀνταία
195

γενύων ὡρμάθη πλαγά.

δόλος ἦν ὁ φράσας, ἔρος ἔρως LFL2 Pal. V. ἔpos A Vat. ac. ὁ κτείνας,

δεινὰν δεινῶς προφυτεύσαντες προφητεύσαντες LF Pal. (gl. προβουλεύσαντες) προφυτεύσαντες C.

μορφάν, εἴτ᾿ οὖν θεὸς εἴτε βροτῶν

ἦν ὁ ταῦτα πράσσων.
200

ΗΛ.

ὦ πασᾶν κείνα πλέον ἁμέρα ἁμερᾶν L. ἁμέρα A.

ἐλθοῦσ᾽ ἐχθίστα δή μοι·

ὦ νύξ, ὦ δείπνων ἀρρήτων

ἔκπαγλ᾽ ἄχθη·

τοὺς ἐμὸς ἴδε εἶδε LAL Pal. οἶδε Γ. Brunck corr. πατὴρ
205

θανάτους αἰκεῖς ἀϊκεῖς L. Herm. corr. αξικεῖσ AFL² Pal. διδύμαιν χειροῖν χεροῖν LA Pal.,

αἳ τὸν ἐμὸν εἶλον βίον

πρόδοτον, αἵ μ᾿ αἴ μ᾿ ἐμὲ? pr. L. Brunck corr. ἀπώλεσαν ἀπώλεσαν L.·

οἷς θεὸς ὁ μέγας Ὀλύμπιος

ποίνιμα πάθεα παθεῖν πόροι,
210

μηδέ ποτ᾿ ἀγλαΐας ἀποναίατο

τοιάδ᾽ ἀνύσαντες ἔργα.

ΧΟ.
ἀντ. γ΄.

φράζου μὴ πόρσω φωνεῖν.

οὐ γνώμαν ἴσχεις ἐξ οἵων

τὰ παρόντ᾽ οἰκείας εἰς ἄτας
215

ἐμπίπτεις οὕτως αἰκῶς ἀεικῶς LA Brunck corr.;

πολὺ γάρ τι κακῶν ὑπερεκτήσω,

σᾷ δυσθύμῳ τίκτουσ᾽ αἰεὶ ἀεὶ LΓ. αἰεὶ A.

ψυχᾷ πολέμους· τὰ δὲ τοῖς δυνατοῖς

οὐκ ἐριστὰ πλάθειν.
220

ΗΛ.

δεινοῖς ἠναγκάσθην, δεινοῖς ἐνδεινοῖς . . ἐνδεινοῖς MSS. Brunck corr.·

ἔξοιδ', οὐ λάθει μ᾽ ὀργά ὀργᾶι L pr. οὐργὰ Γ..

ἀλλ᾽ ἐν γὰρ δεινοῖς οὐ σχήσω

ταύτας ἄτας ταύτας ἄτας C².,

ὄφρα με βίος ἔχῃ.
225

τίνι γάρ ποτ' ἄν om. LL. ἂν AΓ., ὦ φιλία γενέθλα γένεθλα L Pal. γενέθλα CA.,

πρόσφορον ἀκούσαιμ᾽ ἔπος,

τίνι φρονοῦντι καίρια;

ἄνετέ μ', ἄνετε, παράγοροι.

τάδε γὰρ ἄλυτα κεκλήσεται.
230

οὐδέ ποτ᾿ ἐκ καμάτων ἀποπαύσομαι

ἀνάριθμος ὧδε θρήνων.

ΧΟ.
ἐπ.

ἀλλ᾽ οὖν εὐνοίᾳ εὔνοιάν L pr. εὐνοίαι C2A. εὐνοία Pal. γ' αὐδῶ,

μάτηρ ὡσεί τις πιστά,

μὴ τίκτειν σ᾽ ἄταν ἄταις.
235

ΗΛ.

καὶ τί μέτρον κακότατος ἔφυ; φέρε,

πῶς ἐπὶ τοῖς φθιμένοις ἀμελεῖν καλόν;

ἐν τίνι τοῦτ᾽ ἔβλαστ᾽ ἔβλαστεν LFL². ἔβλαστ᾽ A Pal. (gl. ἐνομοθετήθη). ἀνθρώπων ;

μήτ' εἴην ἔντιμος τούτοις,

μήτ', εἴ τῳ πρόσκειμαι χρηστῷ,
240

ξυνναίοιμ' ξυναίοιμι LF. ξυνναίοιμι C2. ξυνναίοιμ' A. ξυνέοιμι gl. συνδιάγω Pal. εὔκηλος, γονέων

ἐκτίμους ἴσχουσα ἴσχυουσα? C. ἴσχουσα C2. πτέρυγας

ὀξυτόνων γόων.

εἰ γὰρ ὁ μὲν θανὼν γᾶ τε καὶ οὐδὲν ὢν

κείσεται τάλας,
245

οἱ δὲ μὴ πάλιν

δώσουσ᾽ ἀντιφόνους δίκας,

ἔρροι τ᾽ ἂν αἰδὼς

ἁπάντων τ᾽ εὐσέβεια σέβεια, εὐσεβεία L Pal. εὐσεβεία CA. θνατῶν.

ΧΟ.

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 121-250 focus

Χορός

ὦ παῖ, παῖ δυστανοτάτας

Ἠλέκτρα ματρός, τίνʼ ἀεὶ

τάκεις ὧδʼ ἀκόρεστον οἰμωγὰν

τὸν πάλαι ἐκ δολερᾶς ἀθεώτατα

ματρὸς ἁλόντʼ ἀπάταις Ἀγαμέμνονα
125

κακᾷ τε χειρὶ πρόδοτον; ὡς ὁ τάδε πορὼν

ὄλοιτʼ, εἴ μοι θέμις τάδʼ αὐδᾶν.

Ἠλέκτρα

ὦ γενέθλα γενναίων,

ἥκετʼ ἐμῶν καμάτων παραμύθιον.
130

οἶδά τε καὶ ξυνίημι τάδʼ, οὔ τί με

φυγγάνει, οὐδʼ ἐθέλω προλιπεῖν τόδε,

μὴ οὐ τὸν ἐμὸν στενάχειν πατέρʼ ἄθλιον.

ἀλλʼ ὦ παντοίας φιλότητος ἀμειβόμεναι χάριν,

ἐᾶτέ μʼ ὧδʼ ἀλύειν,
135

αἰαῖ, ἱκνοῦμαι.

137

Χορός

ἀλλʼ οὔτοι τόν γʼ ἐξ Ἀΐδα

παγκοίνου λίμνας πατέρʼ ἀν-

στάσεις οὔτε γόοισιν οὔτʼ εὐχαῖς.

ἀλλʼ ἀπὸ τῶν μετρίων ἐπʼ ἀμήχανον
140

ἄλγος ἀεὶ στενάχουσα διόλλυσαι,

ἐν οἷς ἀνάλυσίς ἐστιν οὐδεμία κακῶν.

τί μοι τῶν δυσφόρων ἐφίει;

Ἠλέκτρα

νήπιος ὃς τῶν οἰκτρῶς

οἰχομένων γονέων ἐπιλάθεται.
145

ἀλλʼ ἐμέ γʼ ἁ στονόεσσʼ ἄραρεν φρένας,

ἃ Ἴτυν, αἰὲν Ἴτυν ὀλοφύρεται,

ὄρνις ἀτυζομένα, Διὸς ἄγγελος.

ἰὼ παντλάμων Νιόβα, σὲ δʼ ἔγωγε νέμω θεόν,
150

ἅτʼ ἐν τάφῳ πετραίῳ

αἰεὶ δακρύεις.

154

Χορός

οὔτοι σοὶ μούνᾳ, τέκνον,

ἄχος ἐφάνη βροτῶν,
155

πρὸς ὅ τι σὺ τῶν ἔνδον εἶ περισσά,

οἷς ὁμόθεν εἶ καὶ γονᾷ ξύναιμος,

οἵα Χρυσόθεμις ζώει καὶ Ἰφιάνασσα,

κρυπτᾷ τʼ ἀχέων ἐν ἥβᾳ,

ὄλβιος, ὃν ἁ κλεινὰ
160

γᾶ ποτε Μυκηναίων

δέξεται εὐπατρίδαν, Διὸς εὔφρονι

βήματι μολόντα τάνδε γᾶν Ὀρέσταν.

Ἠλέκτρα

ὅν γʼ ἐγὼ ἀκάματα προσμένουσʼ, ἄτεκνος,

τάλαινʼ, ἀνύμφευτος αἰὲν οἰχνῶ,
165

δάκρυσι μυδαλέα, τὸν ἀνήνυτον

οἶτον ἔχουσα κακῶν· ὁ δὲ λάθεται

ὧν τʼ ἔπαθʼ ὧν τʼ ἐδάη. τί γὰρ οὐκ ἐμοὶ

ἔρχεται ἀγγελίας ἀπατώμενον;
170

ἀεὶ μὲν γὰρ ποθεῖ,

ποθῶν δʼ οὐκ ἀξιοῖ φανῆναι.

174

Χορός

θάρσει μοι, θάρσει, τέκνον.

ἔτι μέγας οὐρανῷ
175

Ζεύς, ὃς ἐφορᾷ πάντα καὶ κρατύνει·

ᾧ τὸν ὑπεραλγῆ χόλον νέμουσα

μήθʼ οἷς ἐχθαίρεις ὑπεράχθεο μήτʼ ἐπιλάθου·

χρόνος γὰρ εὐμαρὴς θεός.

οὔτε γὰρ ὁ τὰν Κρῖσαν
180

βούνομον ἔχων ἀκτὰν

παῖς Ἀγαμεμνονίδας ἀπερίτροπος

οὔθʼ ὁ παρὰ τὸν Ἀχέροντα θεὸς ἀνάσσων.

Ἠλέκτρα

ἀλλʼ ἐμὲ μὲν ὁ πολὺς ἀπολέλοιπεν ἤδη
185

βίοτος ἀνέλπιστος, οὐδʼ ἔτʼ ἀρκῶ·

ἅτις ἄνευ τεκέων κατατάκομαι,

ἇς φίλος οὔτις ἀνὴρ ὑπερίσταται,

ἀλλʼ ἁπερεί τις ἔποικος ἀναξία

οἰκονομῶ θαλάμους πατρός, ὧδε μὲν
190

ἀεικεῖ σὺν στολᾷ,

κεναῖς δʼ ἀμφίσταμαι τραπέζαις.

193

Χορός

οἰκτρὰ μὲν νόστοις αὐδά,

οἰκτρὰ δʼ ἐν κοίταις πατρῴαις

ὅτε οἱ παγχάλκων ἀνταία
195

γενύων ὡρμάθη πλαγά.

δόλος ἦν ὁ φράσας, ἔρος ὁ κτείνας,

δεινὰν δεινῶς προφυτεύσαντες

μορφάν, εἴτʼ οὖν θεὸς εἴτε βροτῶν

ἦν ὁ ταῦτα πράσσων.
200

Ἠλέκτρα

ὦ πασᾶν κείνα πλέον ἁμέρα

ἐλθοῦσʼ ἐχθίστα δή μοι·

ὦ νύξ, ὦ δείπνων ἀρρήτων

ἔκπαγλʼ ἄχθη,

τοὺς ἐμὸς ἴδε πατὴρ
205

θανάτους αἰκεῖς διδύμαιν χειροῖν,

αἳ τὸν ἐμὸν εἷλον βίον πρόδοτον, αἵ μʼ ἀπώλεσαν·

οἷς θεὸς ὁ μέγας Ὀλύμπιος

ποίνιμα πάθεα παθεῖν πόροι,
210

μηδέ ποτʼ ἀγλαΐας ἀποναίατο

τοιάδʼ ἀνύσαντες ἔργα.

213

Χορός

φράζου μὴ πόρσω φωνεῖν.

οὐ γνώμαν ἴσχεις ἐξ οἵων

τὰ παρόντʼ οἰκείας εἰς ἄτας
215

ἐμπίπτεις οὕτως αἰκῶς;

πολὺ γάρ τι κακῶν ὑπερεκτήσω,

σᾷ δυσθύμῳ τίκτουσʼ ἀεὶ

ψυχᾷ πολέμους· τὰ δὲ τοῖς δυνατοῖς

οὐκ ἐριστὰ πλάθειν.
220

Ἠλέκτρα

δεινοῖς ἠναγκάσθην, δεινοῖς·

ἔξοιδʼ, οὐ λάθει μʼ ὀργά.

ἀλλʼ ἐν γὰρ δεινοῖς οὐ σχήσω

ταύτας ἄτας,

ὄφρα με βίος ἔχῃ.
225

τίνι γάρ ποτʼ ἄν, ὦ φιλία γενέθλα,

πρόσφορον ἀκούσαιμʼ ἔπος, τίνι φρονοῦντι καίρια;

ἄνετέ μʼ ἄνετε, παράγοροι·

τάδε γὰρ ἄλυτα κεκλήσεται,

οὐδέ ποτʼ ἐκ καμάτων ἀποπαύσομαι
230

ἀνάριθμος ὧδε θρήνων.

233

Χορός

ἀλλʼ οὖν εὐνοίᾳ γʼ αὐδῶ,

μάτηρ ὡσεί τις πιστά,

μὴ τίκτειν σʼ ἄταν ἄταις.
235

Ἠλέκτρα

καὶ τί μέτρον κακότατος ἔφυ; φέρε,

πῶς ἐπὶ τοῖς φθιμένοις ἀμελεῖν καλόν;

ἐν τίνι τοῦτʼ ἔβλαστʼ ἀνθρώπων;

μήτʼ εἴην ἔντιμος τούτοις

μήτʼ, εἴ τῳ πρόσκειμαι χρηστῷ,
240

ξυνναίοιμʼ εὔκηλος, γονέων

ἐκτίμους ἴσχουσα πτέρυγας

ὀξυτόνων γόων.

εἰ γὰρ ὁ μὲν θανὼν γᾶ τε καὶ οὐδὲν ὢν
245

κείσεται τάλας,

οἱ δὲ μὴ πάλιν

δώσουσʼ ἀντιφόνους δίκας,

ἔρροι τʼ ἂν αἰδὼς

ἁπάντων τʼ εὐσέβεια θνατῶν.
250

Translations (5)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 121 focus

With kind intent

Full tenderly my words are meant;

Like a true mother pressing heart to heart,

I pray thee, do not aggravate thy smart.

EL

But have my miseries a measure? Tell.

Can it be well

To pour forgetfulness upon the dead?
130

Hath mortal head
130

Conceived a wickedness so bold?

O never may such brightness shine for me,

Nor let me peaceful be

With aught of good my life may still enfold,

If from wide echoing of my father’s name

The wings of keen lament I must withhold.

Sure holy shame

And pious care would vanish among men,

If he, mere earth and nothingness, must lie
135

In darkness, and his foes shall not again
135

Render him blood for blood in amplest penalty.

LEADER OF CH

Less from our own desires, my child, we came,

Than for thy sake. But, if we speak amiss,

Take thine own course. We still will side with thee.

EL

Full well I feel that too impatiently
145

I seem to multiply the sounds of woe.
145

Yet suffer me, dear women! Mighty force
145

Compels me. Who that had a noble heart
145

And saw her father’s cause, as I have done,
145

By day and night more outraged, could refrain?
145

Are my woes lessening? Are they not in bloom?—
145

My mother full of hate and hateful proved,
145

Whilst I in my own home must dwell with these,

My father’s murderers, and by them be ruled,

Dependent on their bounty even for bread.

And then what days suppose you I must pass,

When I behold Aegisthus on the throne

That was my father’s; when I see him wear

Such robes, and pour libations by the hearth

Where he destroyed him; lastly, when I see

Their crowning insolence,—our regicide

Laid in my father’s chamber beside her,

My mother—if she still must bear the name

When resting in those arms? Her shame is dead.

She harbours with blood-guiltiness, and fears

No vengeance, but, as laughing at the wrong,

She watches for the hour wherein with guile

She killed our sire, and orders dance and mirth

That day o’ the month, and joyful sacrifice

Of thanksgiving. But I within the house

Beholding, weep and pine, and mourn that feast

Of infamy, called by my father’s name,

All to myself; for not even grief may flow

As largely as my spirit would desire.

That so-called princess of a noble race

O’ercrows my wailing with loud obloquy:

‘Hilding! are you alone in grief? Are none

Mourning for loss of fathers but yourself?

‘Fore the blest Gods! ill may you thrive, and ne’er

Find cure of sorrow from the powers below!’

So she insults: unless she hear one say

‘Orestes will arrive’: then standing close,

She shouts like one possessed into mine ear,

‘These are your doings, this your work, I trow.
150

You stole Orestes from my gripe, and placed
150

His life with fosterers; but you shall pay
150

Full penalty.’ So harsh is her exclaim.
150

And he at hand, the husband she extols,
150

Hounds on the cry, that prince of cowardice,
150

From head to foot one mass of pestilent harm.
150

Tongue-doughty champion of this women’s-war.
150

I, for Orestes ever languishing

To end this, am undone. For evermore

Intending, still delaying, he wears out

All hope, both here and yonder. How, then, friends,

Can I be moderate, or feel the touch

Of holy resignation? Evil fruit

Cannot but follow on a life of ill.

CH

Say, is Aegisthus near while thus you speak?

Or hath he left the palace? We would know.

EL

Most surely. Never think, if he were by,

I could stray out of door. He is abroad.

CH

Then with less fear I may converse with thee.

EL

Ask what you will, for he is nowhere near.

CH

First of thy brother I beseech thee tell,

How deem’st thou? Will he come, or still delay?

EL

His promise comes, but still performance sleeps.

CH

Well may he pause who plans a dreadful deed.

EL

I paused not in his rescue from the sword.

CH

Fear not. He will bestead you. He is true.

EL

But for that faith my life had soon gone by.

CH

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 121 focus

Ha, Kind, Kind des entsezlichen Weibs,
120

Was, Elektra, strömest du stets

Niegesättigte Klagen aus um ihu,

Den schon lange die Mutter, die Frevlerin,

Trüglich verstrickt in dem Neze der Täuschungen,

Mit schnöder Hand erschlagen? Sterbe, wer die That
125

Vollbracht, wenn mir ein solches Wort ziemt!

Elektra.

Töchter der edelsten Väter,

Mich in dem Leide zu trösten erschienet ihr:

Deutlich erkenn' ich, versteh' ich und fühl ich es;

Aber ich lasse nicht ab, zu bejammern ihu,
130

Meinen gemordeten Vater, den Armen. O,

Die ihr jegliche Liebe mit freundlichem Sinn mir erwidertet,

laßt mich also trauern:

Ach, ach, ich fleh' euch!

Erste Gegenstrophe.

Der Chor.

Doch ihn, den der Hades empfing,
135

Nuft vom allaufnehmenden Schlund

Nie dein Jammern empor noch dein Gebet;

Nein, aus erträglichem Leid in unendliche

Trauer versenkt dich die stete Bekümmerniß.

Wo keine Rettung aus der Noth, kein Trost sich beut,
140

Warum nachhängen solchem Harme?

Elektra.

Thörichter, wer die geschied'nen

Eltern vergißt, die so kläglich gemordeten!

Aber im Innersten lieb' ich die klagende,

Ewig den Itys, den Itys bejammernde,¹
145

Bang umflatternde Botin des Frühlinges.

Ha, schmerzreichste der Mütter, du bist mir Göttin, o Niobe,²

Die stets im Felsengrabmal

Noch Thränen ausströmt!

Zweite Strophe.

Der Chor.

Nicht dir, o Tochter, allein ward
150

Auf Erden Leid verhängt,

Um das du mehr klagst als jene drinnen,

Die dir verwandt sind durch Blut und Ursprung,

Wie Chrysothemis hier, wie hier lebt Iphianassa,

Und trauernd in stiller Jugend,
155

Doch glücklich, wann einst ihn

Das stolze Land Argos

Feiernd empfängt und mit Huld der Olympier

Zurück in diese Gauen führt, - Orestes.

Elektra.

Ich harre sein, ich Arme, nicht ermattend,
160

Und wandle hin, ohne Kind und Gatten,

Ewig in Thränen mich badend, dem ewigen

Jammer zum Raub; doch Alles vergaß er mir,

Unsere Lieb' und die Kunden von uns. Stets

Täuschend erscholl mir das Wort der Verkündigung;
165

Denn Sehnsucht treibt ihn stets;

Doch sehnsuchtvoll, erscheint er niemals.

Zweite Gegenstrophe.

Der Chor.

Nur muthig, o Kind, nur muthig!

Noch lebt im Himmel Zeus,

Der große, der Alles sieht und ordnet:
170

Dem Gott befiehl deines Grolles Schmerzen,

Nicht der Gehaßten vergessend und nicht zu sehr sie befeindend.

Allwaltend herrscht der Zeitgott,

Und weder auf Krisa's³

Stierweiden säumt ewig,
175

Nimmer zu kehren, der Sohn Agamemnons,

Noch Hades, der am Acheron gebietet.

Elektra.

Doch mir zerrann schon lange sonder Hoffnung

Mein Leben hülflos, nicht länger trag' ich's:

Eine verlassene Waise, verzehr' ich mich,
180

Nicht von dem liebenden Gatten vertheidiget,

Nein, wie die Fremde, verhöhnt und erniedriget,

Fröhn' ich im Vaterpalast als Schaffnerin

In solch armsel'gem Kleid,

Muß darbend steh'n an leeren Tischen.
185
Dritte Strophe.

Der Chor.

Wehruf scholl, als er zurückkam,

Wehruf scholl, als auf gastlichem Pfühl

Scharfzielend auf ihn einstürmte der Schlag,

Von dem ehernen Beile geschwungen.

Arglist sann's aus, Lust übte den Mord,
190

Und sie zeugten vereint graunvolle Gestalt

Graunvoll an das Licht, ob ein Gott, ob ein Mensch

Solche That verübt hat.

Elektra.

Overhaßtester Tag, der jemals mir

Von feindlichen Tagen erschienen!
195

Weh, Nacht voll Grau'n und des gräßlichen Mahls

Unnennbares Leid,

Wo er den Tod der Schmach,

Mein Vater, geseh'n von den Händen der Zwei,

Die schnöde mein Leben auch
200

Mir Verrath'nen mordeten!

O send' Olympos' großer Gott

Der Nache Fluch auf sie herab!

Nimmer bekränze das Glück und die Freude ſie,

Die solchen Frevel übten!
205
Dritte Gegenstrophe.

Der Chor.

Halt' ein, halt' ein! Nicht weiter!

Sieht nicht dein Herz, daß also nur

Von den Höhen des Glücks in entehrende Schmach

Dein heftiger Sinn dich hinabstürzt?

Denn größeres Leid noch schufest du dir,
210

Weil rastlos dein mißmuthiger Geist

Sich Fehden gebar: mit den Mächtigen, Kind,

Darfst du so nicht hadern.

Elektra.

Mein Unheil zwang, mein Unheil mich:

Das weiß ich, ich kenne den Unmuth.
215

Doch wird in dem Unheil niemals auch

Mein Klaglied ruh'n,

Während ich leb' im Licht.

Wer böte mir denn, ihr Geliebten, ein Wort

Zum Frommen auch, weisen Rath,
220

Wer, begabt mit klugem Sinn?

Schont mein, o Trösterinnen, schont!

Des Grames Bande lös' ich nie;

Nimmer beschwichtiget sich die Bekümmerniß,

Und nie versiegt die Zähre.
225
Schlußgesang.

Der Chor.

Ich red' aus freundlichem Antheil,

Wie die treuvorsorgende Mutter:

Zeug' Unheil nicht aus Unheil!

Elektra.

Hat denn der Sammer ein Maß, der unendliche?

Und zu vergessen der Todten, geziemt es mir?
230

Wer artet in diese Gesinnung aus?

Nie werde mir Ruhm von Solchen zum Lohn!

Nie will ich, erblüht mir irgend ein Glück,

Es in Ruhe genießen, wofern ich, zur Schmach

Den Geschiedenen, je kalt hemme den Flug
235

Jammernden Klagerufs!

Wenn der Geliebte todt unten im Erdenschooß

Ruht, ein vergess'nes Nichts,

Und die Rache nicht

Sie, Mord fordernd um Mord, ereilt;
240

Ist alle Scham hin,

Hin alle Götterfurcht der Menschen.

Der Chor.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 121 focus

Thy tears can ne'er recall him

From the dark mansions of the common grave —

No, nor thy prayers ; they can but make thee wretched,

And sink thee deeper in calamity.

Why art thou then so fond of misery?

Electra

Devoid of sense and feeling is the heart

That can forget an injured parent's wrongs.
130

I love the airy messenger of Jove,

The mournful bird that weeps her Ity's fate,

And every night repeats the tender tale ;

Thee, too, I reverence as a goddess — thee,

Unhappy Niobe ! for still thou weepst,
135

And from the marble tears eternal flow.

Chorus

But oh ! reflect, that not to thee alone

Misfortune comes — that comes to all. ,• Behold

Iphianassa, and Chrysotliemis,

And him who hides his grief, illustrious youth,;

The loved Orestes — these' have suffered too. "

Electra

Orestes ! Yes, Mycense shall receive
145

In happy hour her great avenger ; Jove,
145

With smiles auspicious, shall conduct him, to me j

For him alone 1 wait — for him, a wretch

ss

ifo is gone !

Despised, of children and of nuptial rites

Hopeless I wander. lie remembers not

What I luvve done for him, what suffered ; stil
150

With airy promises he mocks my hopes,
150

And yet he comes not to me.

Chorus

But he will.
145

Despair not, daughter ; Jo^ejsj^et^n heaven,
145

ITahe god who sees, and knows, and governs all
145

f \ Patient to him submit, nor let thy rage

Too far transport thee, nor oblivion drown

The just remembrance of thy matchless woes ;

Time is a kind indulgent deity,

And he shall givt* thee succour ; he shall send

The god of Acheron, from Chrysa's shores.

To bring Orestes and avenge thy wrongs.

Elfx'. Oh ! but the while how much of

And I a hapless wretched orphan still,
150

Without a friend to guard or to protect me —
150

Disgraced, dishonoured,' like a stranger clad

In base attire, and fed with homeliest fare.

Chorus

Sad news indepd the hapless messenger

To Argos brought, that\spoke the wished return

Of thy loved father to his native soil ;

Fatal the night when Agamemnon fell
155

Or by a mortal or immortal hand ;

The w^ork of fraud and lust, a horrid deed !

Whoe'er performed it.

Eleo. O detested feast !

0,jCfe;y, the bitt'rest sure; that ever rose !

With him I perished then. . But may the gods

Repay the murderers ; never may they hear
160

The voice of joy, or taste of comfort more !

Chorus

Cease thy complaints; already hast thou suffered

For thy loud discontents and threatened vengeance.

'Tis folly to contend with power superior.

Electra

Folly indeed, and madness ! But my griefs

Will force their way, and whilst Electra breathes

She must lament ; for who will bring me comfort,

Or soothe my sorrows ? Let me — let me go,

And weep for ever. ^

Chorus

/ 'Tis my love entreats j

Trust me, 1 feel a mother's fondness for thee,

And fain would save thee from redoubled woes.

Electra

And wouldst thou have me then neglect the

dead?

Forget my father ! Can there be such guilt?

When I do so, may infamy pursue me !
185

And if I wed, may all the joys of love
185

Be far removed ! If vengeance doth not fall
185

On crimes like these, for ever farewell, justice —

Shame, honour, truth, and piety, farewell !

Chorus

Pardon me, daughter ; if my warmth oileud,

Glad I submit. We'll follow, and obey thee.

Electra

I am myself to blame, and blush to think

How much unfit I seem to liear the weight

Imposed upon me ; but indeed 'tis great.

Forgive me, friends, a woman born as I am,

Must she not grieve to see each added minute

Fraught with new mis'ries? Thus to be a slave

E'en in my father's house, and from those hands

Which shed his blood to ask the means of life !

Think what my soul must sufter to behold

The cursed Aigisthus seated on the throne

Of Agamemnon, in the very robes

Which once were his — to see the tyrant pour

Libations forth e'en on the fat;d spot

Where the sad deed was done. But, worst of all.

To see the murderer usurp his bed.

Embrace my mother (by that honoured name

If I may call a guilty wretch like her).

Who, pleased, returns his love, and, of her crimes i

I Unconscious, smiles, nor fears th' avenging Furies U

I But ever as the bloody day returns ' 1

Which gave the royal victim to her wiles, j ^

Annual the dance and choral song proclaim

A solemn feast, nor impious sacrifice

Forgets she then to her protecting gods.

Shocked at the cruel banquet I letire,

And in some corner hide my griefs, denied

E'en the sad comfort to indulge my sorrows,

For Clytemnestra in opprobrious terms

lleviles me oft ; *' To thee alone," she cries,

" Is Agamemnon lost, detested maid !

Perdition on thee ! May th' infernal gods

J^efuse thee succour, and protract thy pains ! "

Thus rails she bitter, and if chance she hear

Orestes is approaching, stung with rage

Wild she exclaims, " Thou art th' accursed cause ;

This is thy deed, who stole Orestes from mo.

And hid him from my rage ; but be assured

Ere long my vengeance shall o'ertake thee for it

These threats her noble lord still urges on —

That vile adulterei", that abandoned coward,

Whose fearful soul called in a woman's aid

To execute his bloody purposes.

Her wished avenger ; his unkind delay

Destroys my hopes. Alas ! my gentle friends,

Who can bear this, and keep an equal mind?

To suffer ills like mine, and not to err

From wild distraction, would be strange indeed.

Or may we speak our thoughts unblamed ?

Electra

Thou mayst ;

I had not else beyond the palace dai-ed

To wander hither.

Chorus

I would fain have asked thee

Electra

Ask what thou wilt, ^gisthus is far off.

""Chor. Touching thy brother then, inform me quick

If aught thou knowst that merits firm belief.

Electra

He promises, but comes not.

Chorus

Things of moment

Require deliberation and delay.

Electra

Oh ! but did I delay to save Orestes ?

Chorus

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 121 focus

Why, poor Electra, in thy mother's crimes

For ever wretched, wilt thou pine away

In never-ceasing grief? Why still lament,

The royal Agamemnon, long since caught

In that most impious woman's treacherous wiles,

And basely to a murderer's hands betray'd ?

Perish the wretch, if I may form that wish,

So perish he, who dared the bloody deed!

Electra

Ye virgins, who from noble parents boast

Your generous blood, you come amidst my woes

To bring me consolation. Well I know

Theseus

I understand them well; no part

Escapes me; yet I will not cease to grieve;
130

No; I will never cease to mourn, and wail

My murder'd father's fate. But, O my friends,

Dear to my heart by every tender tie

Of mutual love, permit me thus to pour,...

Ah me! I pray you, my unceasing griefs...

Chorus

Yet neither will thy griefs or pray'rs récal

Thy father o'er that lake, whose sullen stream

All, sprung from mortal race, are doom'd to pass.

Why then not moderate thy sorrows? Why

Thus waste away in wild excess of grief,

Which from thy ills gives no redemption? Why

This fondness for intolerable woe?"

Electra

He to all sense is lost, who can forget
145

A parent's cruel death. The mournful bird,
145

The messenger of Jove, that always wails!//

Her Itys, her lost Itys, sooths my soul

With all the tender sympathy of grief.

And thee, unhappy Niobe, Lhold =

In reverence as divine, who pour'st thy tears
150

Fix'd in a rock, the monument of woed af

Chorus

Yet not by thee alone of all that breathe

Is sorrow felt. What share is thine, beyond

Those in this house by blood to thee allied?

Such is the life Chrysothemis endures;

Such Iphianassa's sufferings; such the Youth's,

Who in concealment and in silence mourns.

Electra

Him blest and glorious this illustrious land

Of rich Mycenæ shall again receive,

The nobly-born Orestes, to these realms
165

Returning by the favouring pow'r of Jove.

With ardent expectation his return

I look for, wretched, childless, unespoused,

Restless, for ever bath'd in tears that flow

In anguish for my never-ceasing ills.

Yet all my kindness he mean-time forgets,

All my instructions. How have I been mock'd

With messages? He wishes to return,

But to his wish he deigns not to appear.

Chorus

Sink not, Ah sink not in despair. In heav'n

From his high throne Almighty Jove beholds

And governs all things: to his pow'r resign

Thy flaming indignation; let not hate
175

Too far transport thee; nor forget these wrongs.
175

Time is a lenient god. Nor will the son

Of Agamemnon on the pastured beach...

Of Chrisa linger, never to return,

Nor the dread god that reigns o'er Acheron.

Electra

But of my life how much to me is lost

Already? And, by hope not cheer'd, my ills

No longer can I bear, but waste away;

My parents lost, and by no worthy friend
185

Protected, like a foreign slave I serve,
185

Disgraceful task! within my father's house,

My table scanty, and my vestments mean.

Chorus

Mournful at his return the voice of woe,

Through all the chambers of thy father's house

Mournful the voice, when the relentless axe

In tempest fell. Fraud first devised, Lust struck

The murderous blow, with horrid thought of old

Forming the horrid image, were these deeds

Or by some god, or daring mortals, wrought.

Electra

O day, how hateful to me were thy beams!

O fatal night, and all the hideous woes

Of that nefarious supper! O vile death,

Which closed my father's eyes, how basely slain,

Slain by the hands of two! Those hands destroy'd

My life, betray'd, abandon'd, and undone.

Oh may the mighty god, that holds his seat

On high Olympus, on their heads repay

Avenging sufferings! Never may they taste
205

The sweet delights of joy, who did these things!
205

Chorus

Let prudence teach thee caution: curb thy speech.

Dost thou not see from what a splendid state

Already thou art sunk, disgraced with wrongs
215

Suffer'd by thee alone? And greater wrongs

Still shalt thou suffer, if thy mourning heart

With wars is always pregnant. To contend

With potent sovereigns is unequal strife.

Electra

I am compell'd by miseries: yet I know

My madness; yes, my friends, I know it well;

But, in the anguish of such deep-felt griefs,

I will not check it whilst my life remains.

For who with lenient words can sooth my soul?

What now can sage advice? Forbear, forbear

To comfort me. These griefs shall have no end;

No; from my sorrows I will never cease,

But with eternal wailings mourn my fate.

Chorus

I speak through pure benevolence of heart,

As a fond mother anxious for her child,

Let not thy ills give birth to other ills.
235

Electra

Have then my ills a bound? Say, can the heart

Feel a just sense of virtue, and forget

A murder'd parent? Nature at the thought

Is shock'd. From them no honour would I have;

Nor, were I wedded to some worthy man,

Would I live with him hushing all my griefs

To peace, and checking their shrill-sounding flight,

My father so disgracing. If the dead,

As earth, and nothing more, neglected lies,

And if no vengeance waits their crimes, farewell

To shame, farewell to piety 'mongst men.

Chorus

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 121-250 focus

Chorus

Ah, Electra, child of a most wretched mother, why are you always wasting away in this unsated mourning for Agamemnon, who long ago was godlessly

ensnared in your false mother’s wiles and betrayed by her corrupt hand? May the one who did that perish, if I may speak such a curse without breaking the gods’ laws.
125

Electra

Ah, noble-hearted girls,

you have come to relieve me in my troubles. I know and feel it: it does not escape me. Still I cannot leave this task undone, nor abandon this mourning for my poor father. Ah, friends whose love responds to mine in every mood,
130

allow me to rave as I am, oh, please, I beg you!
135

137

Chorus

But never by weeping nor by prayer will you resurrect your father from the pool of Hades which receives all men.

No, by grieving without end and beyond due limits you will find cureless misery and your own ruin; in these actions there is no deliverance from evils. Tell us, why do you pursue such suffering?
140

Electra

Foolish is the child who forgets a parent’s piteous death. No, closer to my heart is the mourner who eternally wails, Itys, Itys, that bird mad with grief, the messenger of Zeus.
145

Ah, all-suffering Niobe, you I count divine, since you weep forever in your rocky tomb!
150

154

Chorus

Not to you alone of mortals, my daughter, has sorrow come,

though you face it with less restraint than those girls inside, Chrysothemis and Iphianassa, whose parents and blood you share. They still live, as he, too, lives, sorrowing in his secluded youth,
155

yet happy in that this famous realm of the Mycenaeans shall one day receive him as a noble lord, if with the blessing of Zeus’s escort he, Orestes, returns to this land.
160

Electra

Yes, I await him with unwearied longing,

as I walk my sad path from day to day childless and unwed, bathed in tears, bearing that endless doom of evils. But he forgets all that he has suffered and learned.
165

What message comes to me that is not proven false? He constantly desires to be with us, but though he desires it, he does not choose to appear.
170

174

Chorus

Courage, my daughter, courage; Zeus in the sky

is still mighty, and he sees and rules all. Leave your oversharp anger to him; be neither excessively hostile to those you hate, nor forgetful of them, since Time is a god who brings ease.
175

Neither the son of Agamemnon, who dwells by Crisa ’s cattle-feeding shore nor the god who reigns beside Acheron is unmindful of you.
180

Electra

But the best part of life has passed away leaving me in hopelessness, and I have no strength left. I waste away without children and have no loving husband to champion me, but like some despised foreign slave,
185

I serve in the halls of my father, wrapped in shabby garments and standing to eat scanty meals.
190

193

Chorus

Mournful was the voice heard at his return, and mournful the voice amidst your father’s reclining banquet

when the straight, swift blow of the bronze-jawed axe was sped against him. Deceit was the plotter, Lust the slayer, two dread parents of a dreadful
195

phantom, whether it was god or mortal that did this deed.
200

Electra

O that hated day, hated beyond all that have come to me; O that night, the terrible grief of that unutterable feast, the shameless death-strokes

my father saw from their twin hands, hands which took my life captive by treachery, which cast me to ruin! May the great god of Olympus
205

create for them sufferings in penalty, and may they never have enjoyment of their splendor since they have committed such crimes!
210

213

Chorus

Be advised to say no more; do you not see by what actions

under the present circumstances you plunge so shamefully into self-made miseries? You have far excelled in achieving misfortune, ever breeding wars in your hardhearted soul. But such strife
215

should not be pushed into a conflict with the powerful.
220

Electra

I have been forced to it, forced by a terrible compulsion. I know my own passion; it does not escape me; but, under such terrible compulsion, I will not restrain these disastrous cries of frenzy,

so long as life is in me. Who indeed, my noble friends, who that keeps what is appropriate in mind, would think any word of comfort right for my ears? Let me be, let me be, my comforters!
225

For these ills will be reckoned with those which have no cure; I will never know a respite from my pains, or the sum of this wailing.
230

233

Chorus

It is nevertheless with goodwill, like a true-hearted mother,

that I dissuade you from begetting misery upon miseries.
235

Electra

But what limit has nature begot for my affliction? Tell me, how can it be right to neglect the dead? Has such a seed been sown in any mortal? May I never have such men’s esteem;

never, when I am close to prosperity, may I dwell in ease, hindering the wings of shrill lamentation so as to deprive my begetter of his honors!
For if the dead is to lie a wretch, merely dust and nothingness,
240

while his slayers do not pay back to him blood for blood in penalty,
245

then shame and reverence will vanish from all humanity.
250

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Current edition Experimental

*ὦ ἰὼ MSS. Turn. corr. παῖ, παῖ δυστανοτάτας

ΧΟ. ἀντ. α΄.

ἀλλ᾽ ἀπὸ τῶν μετρίων ἐπ᾿ ἀμήχανον 140 ἄλγος ἀεὶ στενάχουσα διόλλυσαι, ἐν οἷς ἀνάλυσίς ἐστιν οὐδεμία κακῶν. τί μοι τῶν δυσφόρων ἐφίει;

αἰαῖ ai aἳ C6 or 7 Pal. ai ai A Vat. ac. αἰὲν V., δακρύεις.

ΧΟ. στρ. β. οὔτοι σοὶ μούνᾳ, τέκνον,

βήματι μολόντα τάνδε γᾶν Ὀρέσταν.

ΧΟ. ἀντ. β΄. θάρσει μοι, θάρσει, τέκνον.

ΗΛ, ἀλλ᾿ ἐμὲ μὲν ὁ πολὺς ἀπολέλοιπεν ἤδη βίοτος ἀνέλπιστος, οὐδ᾽ ἔτ᾿ ἀρκῶ· 185 ἅτις ἄνευ τοκέων κατατάκομαι,

ΧΟ. στρ. γ΄.

οἰκτρὰ μὲν νόστοις αὐδά, οἰκτρὰ δ᾽ ἐν κοίταις πατρώαις

ΧΟ. ἀντ. γ΄.

ΗΛ. δεινοῖς ἠναγκάσθην, δεινοῖς ἐνδεινοῖς . . ἐνδεινοῖς MSS. Brunck corr.·

ΧΟ. ἐπ. ἀλλ᾽ οὖν εὐνοίᾳ εὔνοιάν L pr. εὐνοίαι C2A. εὐνοία Pal. γ' αὐδῶ,

μάτηρ ὡσεί τις πιστά, μὴ τίκτειν σ᾽ ἄταν ἄταις. 235

ΗΛ. καὶ τί μέτρον κακότατος ἔφυ; φέρε, πῶς ἐπὶ τοῖς φθιμένοις ἀμελεῖν καλόν;

ΧΟ.

Χορός ἀλλʼ οὖν εὐνοίᾳ γʼ αὐδῶ, μάτηρ ὡσεί τις πιστά, μὴ τίκτειν σʼ ἄταν ἄταις. 235

With kind intent Full tenderly my words are meant; Like a true mother pressing heart to heart, I pray thee, do not aggravate thy smart.

LEADER OF CH

Less from our own desires, my child, we came, Than for thy sake. But, if we speak amiss, Take thine own course. We still will side with thee.

CH

Say, is Aegisthus near while thus you speak? Or hath he left the palace? We would know.

EL Most surely. Never think, if he were by, I could stray out of door. He is abroad.

CH

Then with less fear I may converse with thee.

EL Ask what you will, for he is nowhere near.

CH

First of thy brother I beseech thee tell, How deem’st thou? Will he come, or still delay?

EL His promise comes, but still performance sleeps.

CH

Well may he pause who plans a dreadful deed.

EL I paused not in his rescue from the sword.

CH

Fear not. He will bestead you. He is true.

EL But for that faith my life had soon gone by.

CH

Der Chor.

Doch ihn, den der Hades empfing, 135 Nuft vom allaufnehmenden Schlund Nie dein Jammern empor noch dein Gebet; Nein, aus erträglichem Leid in unendliche Trauer versenkt dich die stete Bekümmerniß. Wo keine Rettung aus der Noth, kein Trost sich beut, 140 Warum nachhängen solchem Harme?

Der Chor.

Der Chor.

Der Chor.

Der Chor.

Der Chor.

Ich red' aus freundlichem Antheil, Wie die treuvorsorgende Mutter: Zeug' Unheil nicht aus Unheil!

Der Chor.

Thy tears can ne'er recall him From the dark mansions of the common grave — No, nor thy prayers ; they can but make thee wretched, And sink thee deeper in calamity. Why art thou then so fond of misery?

Chorus

But oh ! reflect, that not to thee alone Misfortune comes — that comes to all. ,• Behold Iphianassa, and Chrysotliemis, And him who hides his grief, illustrious youth,; The loved Orestes — these' have suffered too. "

Chorus

Chorus Cease thy complaints; already hast thou suffered For thy loud discontents and threatened vengeance. 'Tis folly to contend with power superior.

Electra Folly indeed, and madness ! But my griefs Will force their way, and whilst Electra breathes She must lament ; for who will bring me comfort, Or soothe my sorrows ? Let me — let me go, And weep for ever. ^

Chorus

/ 'Tis my love entreats j Trust me, 1 feel a mother's fondness for thee, And fain would save thee from redoubled woes.

Chorus

Pardon me, daughter ; if my warmth oileud, Glad I submit. We'll follow, and obey thee.

Electra Thou mayst ; I had not else beyond the palace dai-ed To wander hither.

Chorus

I would fain have asked thee

Electra Ask what thou wilt, ^gisthus is far off. ""Chor. Touching thy brother then, inform me quick If aught thou knowst that merits firm belief.

Electra He promises, but comes not.

Chorus

Things of moment Require deliberation and delay.

Electra Oh ! but did I delay to save Orestes ?

Chorus

Electra Ye virgins, who from noble parents boast Your generous blood, you come amidst my woes To bring me consolation. Well I know

Theseus I understand them well; no part Escapes me; yet I will not cease to grieve; 130 No; I will never cease to mourn, and wail My murder'd father's fate. But, O my friends, Dear to my heart by every tender tie Of mutual love, permit me thus to pour,... Ah me! I pray you, my unceasing griefs...

Chorus

Chorus

Yet not by thee alone of all that breathe Is sorrow felt. What share is thine, beyond Those in this house by blood to thee allied? Such is the life Chrysothemis endures; Such Iphianassa's sufferings; such the Youth's, Who in concealment and in silence mourns.

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus

Chorus

I speak through pure benevolence of heart, As a fond mother anxious for her child, Let not thy ills give birth to other ills. 235

Chorus

ΧΟ.
ἀντ. α΄.

ἀλλ᾽ ἀπὸ τῶν μετρίων ἐπ᾿ ἀμήχανον
140

ἄλγος ἀεὶ στενάχουσα διόλλυσαι,

ἐν οἷς ἀνάλυσίς ἐστιν οὐδεμία κακῶν.

τί μοι τῶν δυσφόρων ἐφίει;

ΧΟ.
στρ. β.

οὔτοι σοὶ μούνᾳ, τέκνον,

ΧΟ.
ἀντ. β΄.

θάρσει μοι, θάρσει, τέκνον.

ΗΛ,

ἀλλ᾿ ἐμὲ μὲν ὁ πολὺς ἀπολέλοιπεν ἤδη

βίοτος ἀνέλπιστος, οὐδ᾽ ἔτ᾿ ἀρκῶ·
185

ἅτις ἄνευ τοκέων κατατάκομαι,

ΧΟ.
στρ. γ΄.

οἰκτρὰ μὲν νόστοις αὐδά,

οἰκτρὰ δ᾽ ἐν κοίταις πατρώαις

ΧΟ.
ἀντ. γ΄.

ΗΛ.

δεινοῖς ἠναγκάσθην, δεινοῖς ἐνδεινοῖς . . ἐνδεινοῖς MSS. Brunck corr.·

ΧΟ.
ἐπ.

ἀλλ᾽ οὖν εὐνοίᾳ εὔνοιάν L pr. εὐνοίαι C2A. εὐνοία Pal. γ' αὐδῶ,

μάτηρ ὡσεί τις πιστά,

μὴ τίκτειν σ᾽ ἄταν ἄταις.
235

ΗΛ.

καὶ τί μέτρον κακότατος ἔφυ; φέρε,

πῶς ἐπὶ τοῖς φθιμένοις ἀμελεῖν καλόν;

Χορός

ἀλλʼ οὖν εὐνοίᾳ γʼ αὐδῶ,

μάτηρ ὡσεί τις πιστά,

μὴ τίκτειν σʼ ἄταν ἄταις.
235

With kind intent

Full tenderly my words are meant;

Like a true mother pressing heart to heart,

I pray thee, do not aggravate thy smart.

Less from our own desires, my child, we came,

Than for thy sake. But, if we speak amiss,

Take thine own course. We still will side with thee.

Say, is Aegisthus near while thus you speak?

Or hath he left the palace? We would know.

EL

Most surely. Never think, if he were by,

I could stray out of door. He is abroad.

EL

Ask what you will, for he is nowhere near.

First of thy brother I beseech thee tell,

How deem’st thou? Will he come, or still delay?

EL

His promise comes, but still performance sleeps.

EL

I paused not in his rescue from the sword.

EL

But for that faith my life had soon gone by.

Doch ihn, den der Hades empfing,
135

Nuft vom allaufnehmenden Schlund

Nie dein Jammern empor noch dein Gebet;

Nein, aus erträglichem Leid in unendliche

Trauer versenkt dich die stete Bekümmerniß.

Wo keine Rettung aus der Noth, kein Trost sich beut,
140

Warum nachhängen solchem Harme?

Ich red' aus freundlichem Antheil,

Wie die treuvorsorgende Mutter:

Zeug' Unheil nicht aus Unheil!

Thy tears can ne'er recall him

From the dark mansions of the common grave —

No, nor thy prayers ; they can but make thee wretched,

And sink thee deeper in calamity.

Why art thou then so fond of misery?

But oh ! reflect, that not to thee alone

Misfortune comes — that comes to all. ,• Behold

Iphianassa, and Chrysotliemis,

And him who hides his grief, illustrious youth,;

The loved Orestes — these' have suffered too. "

Chorus

Cease thy complaints; already hast thou suffered

For thy loud discontents and threatened vengeance.

'Tis folly to contend with power superior.

Electra

Folly indeed, and madness ! But my griefs

Will force their way, and whilst Electra breathes

She must lament ; for who will bring me comfort,

Or soothe my sorrows ? Let me — let me go,

And weep for ever. ^

/ 'Tis my love entreats j

Trust me, 1 feel a mother's fondness for thee,

And fain would save thee from redoubled woes.

Pardon me, daughter ; if my warmth oileud,

Glad I submit. We'll follow, and obey thee.

Electra

Thou mayst ;

I had not else beyond the palace dai-ed

To wander hither.

Electra

Ask what thou wilt, ^gisthus is far off.

""Chor. Touching thy brother then, inform me quick

If aught thou knowst that merits firm belief.

Electra

He promises, but comes not.

Things of moment

Require deliberation and delay.

Electra

Oh ! but did I delay to save Orestes ?

Electra

Ye virgins, who from noble parents boast

Your generous blood, you come amidst my woes

To bring me consolation. Well I know

Yet not by thee alone of all that breathe

Is sorrow felt. What share is thine, beyond

Those in this house by blood to thee allied?

Such is the life Chrysothemis endures;

Such Iphianassa's sufferings; such the Youth's,

Who in concealment and in silence mourns.

I speak through pure benevolence of heart,

As a fond mother anxious for her child,

Let not thy ills give birth to other ills.
235

Electra

Foolish is the child who forgets a parent’s piteous death. No, closer to my heart is the mourner who eternally wails, Itys, Itys, that bird mad with grief, the messenger of Zeus.
145

Ah, all-suffering Niobe, you I count divine, since you weep forever in your rocky tomb!
150