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251-471

The first

ἐπεισόδιον

falls into two parts. In the earlier, Electra further justifies her behaviour, and the Chorus comforts her with the hope that Orestes will return. The second part (328—471) brings the character of Electra into contrast with that of Chrysothemis.

ἐγὼ μὲν : here

μέν

merely emphasises the pron.: cp. Ant. 11 n.

καὶ τὸ σὸν … καὶ τοὐμὸν : cp. Ai. 1313

ὅρα μὴ τοὐμὸν ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ σόν

. The chief stress is upon

τὸ σόν

: but the meaning is not merely that her interests are to them as their own. These women, representing the people of Mycenae, desire the downfall of the usurper whose unpunished crime lays an

ἄγος

upon the land. Their attitude is, so far, like that of the Argive elders in the Agamemnon. They wish Electra, not to renounce her purpose, but quietly to await her opportunity (177 ff.).

νίκα : cp. Ai. 1353

παῦσαι· κρα<*>εῖς τοι τῶν φίλων νικώμενος.

ἅμα is best taken as an adv. (cp. Ai. 814

ἅμ’ ἕψεται

: O. T. 471

ἅμ’ ἕπονται

). It might, however, be a prep.; cp. Tr. 563

ξὺν Ἡρακλεῖ... εσπόμην

πολλοῖσι θρήνοις , causal dat.; cp. 42 n.

ἀλλὰ … γὰρ : cp. 223 n.

ἥτις εὐγενὴς γυνή , sc.

εἴη

: cp. Il. 5. 481

τά τ’ ἔλδεται, ὅς κ’ ἐπιδευής

( sc.

<*>ησι

): and id. 14. 376. Here the adj. combines the ideas of birth and character: cp. 989 : Ph. 874

ἀλλ’ εὐγενὴς γὰρ ἡ φύσις κἀξ εὐγενῶν

: Ant. 38

εἴτ’ εὐγενὴς πέφυκας εἴτ’ ἐσθλῶν κακή

πατρῷα … πήματα , the woes arising from her father's murder; and so, here, the woes of her father's house. For this large sense of the adj., cp. O. C. 1196

πατρῷα καὶ μητρῷα πήμαθ’ ἅπαθες

: Ant. 856

πατρῷον...ἆθλον

, an ordeal bequeathed by him.

κατ’ εὐφρόνην is illustrated by 271 f.

θάλλοντα : cp. Ph. 258

ἡ δ’ ἐμὴ νόσος

ἀεὶ τέθηλε

. Shakesp. Much Ado 5. 1. 76,

‘His May of youth and bloom of lustihood.’

ᾗ , causal: cp. 160 n.

πρῶτα μὲν … εἶτα … ἔπειτα (266). The influence of the relat. pronoun ᾗ is confined to the first clause, as in O. C. 632 ff.:

ὅτῳ πρῶτον μὲν...ἔπειτα δ’ ἱκέτης κ.τ.λ.

τὰ μητρὸς is not a mere synonym for

ἡ μήτηρ

, but rather denotes her mother's relations with her: O. C. 268

τὰ μητρὸς καὶ πατρός.

ἔχθιστα συμβέβηκεν , have come to be such. This verb, though often joined with the participles of

εἰμί

and

γίγνομαι

, is rarely construed with a simple adj.: cp. however Plat. Rep. 329D

νεότης χαλεπὴ τῷ τοιούτῳ ξυμβαίνει

κἀκ τῶνδ’ ἄρχομαι . Cp. Ant. 63

ἀρχόμεσθ’ ἐκ κρεισσόνων

: O. C. 67

ἐκ τοῦ κατ’ ἄστυ βασιλέως τάδ’ ἄρχεται

. Hellen. 3. 1. 6

ἐκείνῳ δ’ αὕτη ἡ χώρα δῶρον ἐκ βασιλέως ἐδόθη

. In such phrases

ἐκ

is somewhat more than a mere equivalent for

ὑπό

(124). It suggests the head and fount of authority; a sense fitting here.

λαβεῖν … τὸ τητᾶσθαι . The aor. inf. expresses the act of receiving; the pres. inf., the state of privation. Cp. Ph. 95

ἐξαμαρτεῖν...νικᾶν

. For

λαβεῖν

(without art.) as subject of

πέλει

, cp. Tr. 134 f.

ἐπέρχεται

χαίρειν τε καὶ στέρεσθαι

: for the use of the art. with

τητᾶσθαι

only, Soph. Ph. 495

καὶ σοφοῖς

καὶ τοῖσι φαύλοις

. Somewhat similar is Soph. O. C. 808

χωρὶς τό τ’ εἰπεῖν πολλὰ καὶ τὰ καίρια

, unless

τὸ καίρια

be read. For

τητᾶσθαι

, cp. 1326 : O. C. 1200 n.

ποίας ... δοκεῖς κ.τ.λ.: cp. Ph. 276

σὺ δή, τέκνον, ποίαν μ’ ἀναστασιν δοκεῖς

αὐτῶν βεβώτων ἐξ ὕπνου στῆναι τότε

;

ἴδω is followed by εἰσίδω δ’ and ἴδω δὲ (271). For such change of the word in ‘epanaphora,’ cp. Ant. 898 f.

φίλη μὲν .. προσφιλὴς δὲ .. φίλη δὲ

: Ph. 530 f.

φίλτατον μὲν...ἥδιστος δ’...φίλοι δὲ.

μὲν is omitted in the first clause; cp. 105 n.

ἐσθήματα , the royal robes. He carried Agamemnon's sceptre (420). Cp. Eur. El. 319

ὃς δ’ ἐκεῖνον ἔκτανεν, | ἐς ταὐτὰ βαίνων ἅρματ’ ἐκφοιτᾷ πατρί, | καὶ σκῆπτρ’ ἐν οἷς Ἕλλησιν ἐστρατηλάτει, | μιαιφόνοισι χερσὶ γαυροῦται λαβών.

ἐκείνῳ =

τῷ πατρί

, implied in

πατρῴοις

: so O. C. 942

αὐτοὺς

refers to

πόλιν

( ib. 939), and Tr. 260

τόνδε

π<*>λιν Εὐρυτείαν

παρεστίους … λοιβάς (52 n.). In v. 1495 the words

ἔνθαπερ κατέκτανες

denote the place within the palace where Agamemnon was slain at the banquet (203). The words ἔνθ’ ἐκεῖνον ὤλεσεν here similarly denote the banqueting-hall. At the daily meals in the

μέγαρον

, Aegisthus, as master of the house, pours the libations to Hestia and other deities. Eustathius (on Od. 22. 335 ) rightly observes that the Homeric

βωμὸς Ἑρκείου Διὸς

in the open

αὐλὴ

( Il. 11. 774 ) is distinct from the

ἑστία

proper in the megaron. His remark is illustrated by the phrase

ξενίη τε τράπεζα

ἱστίη τ’ Ὀδυσῆος

( Od. 14. 158 , etc.). See below, Od. 419 n.

Acc. to Homer. Hymn. 29. 4 ff., feasts began and ended with libations to Hestia:

οὐ γὰρ ἄτερ σοῦ

εἰλαπίναι θνητοῖσιν, ἵν’ οὐ πρώτῃ πυμάτῃ τε

Ἱστίῃ ἀρχόμενος σπένδει μελιηδέα οἶνον

. Soph. fr. 658

<*> πρῷρα λοιβῆς Ἑστία

. Other divinities, including Zeus

σωτήρ

, were similarly honoured; then the paean was sung, and the

πότος

began ( Plat. Symp.p. 176 A).

τούτων (neut.), partitive gen.: ‘the crowning outrage in all this.’ Others make it fem., sc.

τῶν ὕβρεων

: or masc. (Clytaemnestra and Aegisthus). The last seems weaker.

αὐτοέντην , the form in O. T. 107.

αὐθέντης

, u<*>ed by Aesch. and Eur. , does not occur in Sophocles. The second part of the compound is akin to

ἔντεα, ἐντύνω

: cp. Hesych.

συνέντης· συνεργός

. Phrynichus explains it by

αὐτόχειρ φονεύς

(Lobeck, p. 120). Wilamowitz on Eur. H. F. 839 strangely holds that the post-classical sense of

αὐθέντης

, ‘master’ (whence effendi), was the primary one, quoting Suppl. 442

ὅπου γε δῆμος αὐθέντης χθονός

: but there Markland's correction,

εὐθυντής

, seems certain.

Brunck first adopted αὐτοέντην from the schol., in place of αὐτοφόντην , the reading of all the MSS. The latter word occurs only in Eur. Med. 1269. Most editors have followed Brunck. Bergk and Campbell retain

αὐτοφόντην

, as Monk wished to do ( Mus. Crit. 1. 73). They may be right. But

αὐτοέντην

is exquisitius dictum, and also distinctively Sophoclean.

ἡμὶν , ethic dat., expressing indignant horror.

ταλαίνῃ , like

τλήμων

(275), refers to infatuated guilt; cp. 121

δυστανοτάτας

(n.).

ταύτην … τῷδε : cp. Ph. 1437

οὗτος σὲ καὶ σὺ τόνδ’

: and ib. 841 , 1331 .

μιάστορι , one who defiles by bloodshed, as O. T. 353 : but below, 603 , one who punishes the blood-guilty.— Ἐρινὺν :

ἐγγελῶσα τοῖς ποιουμένοις , with mocking exultation in her course of conduct ( cp. 85

τῶν δρωμένων

, n.). So

ἐγγελῶσα

in 807 .

ἐγγελᾶν τινι

properly=to laugh at a person or thing; and that is strictly the sense here, since Clytaemnestra's deeds are Electra's misfortunes. Cp. Ar. Ach. 1197

κᾆτ’ ἐγχανεῖται ταῖς ἐμαῖς τύχαισιν

. Sophocles uses also the simple

γελᾶν

in this sense, Soph. Ai. 957 (

ἄχεσιν

), ib. 1042 (

κακοῖς

εὑροῦς’ , if sound, means simply, ‘having ascertained.’ We may suppose that at least some interval had elapsed between the murder and the institution of these rites. The usurper could not at first feel secure. Having resolved to institute such a festival, Clytaemnestra was careful to see that the day of the month chosen should be precisely that on which the crime was committed. The word τότε , implying some lapse of time, confirms this view: cp. Ai. 650. For

εὑρίσκειν

as=‘to discover by reflection’ cp. Tr. 1178 n.—Others take

εὑροῦσα

as=

ἐπειδὰν εὕρῃ

, i.e., ‘when she has found that day’ by its coming to her in the course of each successive month (Bellermann). So, too, Wecklein, who suggests that

εὑροῦσα

expresses joy at the happy

εὕρημα

The conjecture φρουροῦς’ (cr. n.) is, from a palaeographical point of view, slightly preferable to the rival conjecture τηροῦς’ , and is supported by Eur. Alc. 27

φρουρῶν τόδ’ ἦμαρ

. But no change seems necessary.

χοροὺς ἵστησι , the regular phrase ( Her. 3. 48 , Dem. or. 21 § 51 , etc.): whence

Στησίχορος.

μηλοσφαγεῖ … ἱερὰ : cp. 190

οἰκονομῶ θαλάμους

(n.).

ἔμμην’ ἱερά . Every month, on the date of Agamemnon's death, choruses sang paeans, victims were sacrificed to the saving gods, and a banquet (284) followed. Monthly celebrations were frequent in Greece. Thus offerings were made on the Athenian acropolis at each

νουμηνία

( Her. 8. 41 : [Dem. ] or. 25 § 99). There were also

ἐπιμήνια

to Heracles at the Cynosarges (Athen. p. 234 E). At Sparta Apollo was propitiated on the first and the seventh of each month ( Her. 6. 57 ). Cp. Legg. 828 C

θύοντας τούτων

(

τῶν θεῶν

)

ἑκάστοις ἔμμηνα ἱερὰ χορούς τε καὶ ἀγῶνας μουσικούς

. Lucian Parasit. 15

αἱ πόλεις...τὰς μὲν δἰ ἔτους τὰς δὲ ἐμμήνους ἑορτὰς ἐπιτελοῦσι

τοῖς σωτηρίοις : especially to Zeus

Σωτήρ

, and to Apollo

προστατήριος

(637). Artemis, too, was often worshipped as

σώτειρα

σωσίπολις

: but indeed all the greater Olympian deities shared this attribute. Cp. Xen. An. 3. 2. 9

τῷ θεῷ τούτῳ

(Zeus Sôter)

θύσειν σωτήρια..συνεπεύξασθαι δὲ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις θεοῖς θύσειν κατὰ δύναμιν

Argive tradition placed Agamemnon's death on the 13th of Gamelion (about the end of January). So said ‘the Argive historians’ (

οἱ Ἀργολικοὶ συγγραφεῖς

),— according to an Argive writer named Deinias, who lived about 225 B.C. (Schol. here: Müller, Frag. Hist. vol. III. p. 25.) Possibly, then, the idea of Clytaemnestra's hideous festival may have been suggested to the poet by some actual commemoration of the event in Argolis. There was a cult of Agamemnon in various places,—notably in Laconia. (Cp. Roscher's Lexicon, p. 96.)

ἡ δύσμορος . The article is omitted by Nauck (cr. n.). It is not necessary, but it adds emphasis.

δύσμορος

, referring to the speaker, takes the article in Ph. 951 , Ph. 1352 , Ant. 919. Cp.

ἡ τάλαιν’

below, Ant. 304 , Ant. 1138. For the place of the art., as 1st syll. of 3rd foot, cp. O. C. 257 , O. C. 280 , Ant. 95. — κατὰ στέγας goes with

κλαίω

rather than with

ὁρῶσα

. Seeing the festivities in front of the palace, she retires to weep in secret (285).

τέτηκα has the force of an intensive present, like

γέγηθα, δέδοικα, κέκηδα

(Tyrtaeus fr. 12. 38),

μέμηνα

, etc. (Cp. Curtius, Gk. Verb, ch. XVI., p. 378 Eng. transl.) So Il. 3. 176

τὸ καὶ κλαίουσα τέτηκα

.—Cp. Ant. 977

κατὰ δὲ τακόμενοι

... |

κλαῖον

πατρὸς κ.τ.λ. The normal order would be,

τὴν πατρὸς ἐπωνομασμένην δυστάλαιναν δαῖτα

. (As the words stand, the partic. would properly be predicative; ‘I lament that the feast has been called after him.’) Cp. Thuc. 7. 23

αἱ πρὸ τοῦ στόματος νῆες ναυμαχοῦσαι

, and n. on Soph. O. T. 1245. For the gen., Eur. H. F. 1329 (

τεμένη

)

ἐπωνομασμένα σέθεν

The

δαίς

is the feast which, in Homeric fashion ( Il. 1. 467 ), would follow the sacrifice (281). Acc. to Eustathius p. 1507. 61 (on Hom. Od. 4. 524 ff.),

Ἀγαμεμνόνειος δαὶς

(or

τράπεζα

) was a proverb

ἐπὶ τῶν ἐπ’ ὀλέθρῳ εὐωχουμένων

. The poet may mean that Clytaemnestra called the festival

Ἀγαμεμνόνειος δαίς

, in direct allusion to

δεῖπνα ἄρρητα

(203): and this would give a special point to

ἐγγελῶσα

(277). Cp. Eur. Or. 1008

τά τ’ ἐπώνυμα δεῖπνα Θυέστου

. But the words do not necessarily imply more than that she called it

Ἀγαμεμνόνεια

αὐτὴ πρὸς αὑτήν . For αὑτήν (=

ἐμαυτήν

) cp. Ai. 1132 , O. T. 138 (n.).

κλαῦσαι , rather than

κλαίειν

, since the thought is that she is not allowed to complete the indulgence of her grief. Cp. 788

οἴμοι τάλαινα· νῦν γὰρ οἰμῶξαι πάρα

. Ph. 360

ἐπεὶ )δάκρυσα κεῖνον.

ἡδονὴν φέρει : lit., ‘as much as my inclination makes it pleasant (to weep).’

φέρειν ἡδ

.=‘to afford pleasure’ (but

ἔχειν

, ‘to feel’ it): O. C. 779

ὅτ’ οὐδὲν ἡ χάρις χάριν φέροι

: O. T. 1094

ἐπὶ ἦρα φέροντα

. For

θυμός

, cp. Her. 8. 116

ἢ ἄλλως σφι θυμὸς ἐγένετο θεήσασθαι τὸν πόλεμον

ἡ λόγοισι γενναία , noble in her professions (though not in her deeds), inasmuch as she claimed to be the instrument of heaven in avenging her daughter:

ἡ γὰρ Δίκη νιν εἷλεν, οὐκ ἐγὼ μόνη

(528). The Aeschylean Clytaemnestra speaks in the same lofty strain ( Ag. 1431 ff.).— Others understand, ‘this so-called noble woman,’ as if

λόγοισι

denoted words said of (not by) her.

φωνοῦσα expresses the loud tone in which the taunts are uttered: cp. Tr. 267 (Eurytus taunting Heracles),

φωνεῖ δέ, δοῦλος κ.τ.λ.

δύσθεον =

ἄθεον, ἀσεβές

: properly, ‘having untoward gods,’ as

δυσδαίμων

= ‘having evil fortune.’ The only other examples of

δύσθεος

are Suppl. 421, Ag. 1590 , Ch. 46 , Ch. 191 , Ch. 525.

μίσημα , like

στύγημα, δούλευμα

, etc. ( Ant. 320 n.). Cp. Ph. 991

ὦ μῖσος.

σοὶ μόνῃ : cp. 153 n.

τέθνηκεν , euphemistic for

ἀνῃρέθη

(schol.).

ἐν πένθει , as 847

τὸν ἐν πένθει

: Plat. Rep. 605D

ἐν πένθει ὄντα

ἐκ γόων , instead of the simple gen.; cp. 231 , 987.

οἱ κάτω θεοί . Electra has invoked these deities as avengers (110). The prayer is that they may leave her in her present wretchedness. (Not, that, after death, she may lament for ever in the shades.)

τάδ’ , instead of

ταῦτ’

, referring to the words just quoted: cp. Ph. 1045

βαρύς τε καὶ βαρεῖαν ὁ ξένος φάτιν

τήνδ’ εἶπ’

ἥξοντ’ Ὀρέστην . In vv. 778 ff. Clytaemnestra speaks as if this threat, which kept her in constant alarm, was made by Orestes himself. But his messages to Electra were secret (1155). The meaning is that rumours of his purpose reached her from friends in Phocis, such as Phanoteus (45).

παραστᾶς’ , coming up to her in a threatening manner: cp. O. C. 992

εἴ τίς σε

... |

κτείνοι παραστάς

ἥτις after

σόν

, as in O. C. 731

ὃν

after

τῆς ἐμῆς.

ὑπεξέθου , to Strophius at Crisa (180). Cp. 1350

ὑπεξεπέμφθην

. Thuc. 1. 89

διεκουίζοντο εὐθὺς ὅθεν ὑπεξέθεντο

(from Aegina)

παῖδας καὶ γυναῖκας

: ib. 137

ἦλθε...καὶ ἐξ Ἄργους ἃ ὑπεξέκειτο

ἀλλ’ ἴσθι τοι τείσουσά γ’ . Though

τείσουσ’ ἔτ’

(cr. n.) is a specious conjecture, the text is confirmed by other examples of

γε

combined with

ἀλλά τοι

in threats: Ant. 1064

ἀλλ’ εὖ γέ τοι κάτισθι

: Tr. 1107

ἀλλ’ εὖ γέ τοι τόδ’ ἴστε

. For the spelling of

τείσουσα

, cp. O. T. 810 n.

ὑλακτεῖ , the word used of a dog's bark, here describes a yell of rage, as in Eur. Alc. 760

ἄμουσ’ ὑλακτῶν

is said of the drunken Heracles.

σὺν is here an adv. (and not, as in 746, a case of tmesis): cp. Ai. 1288

ὅδ’ ἦν ὁ πράσσων ταῦτα, σὺν δ’ ἐγὼ παρών.

πέλας is combined with

παρών

as in Ai. 83 : so with

παρέστατε

, ib. 1183: and

παραστατήσειν

, O. T. 400. — παρών implies support and aid; cp. Ph. 373 , Ph. 1405.

301 The adv. πάντα often thus strengthens an adj., as Ai. 911

ὁ πάντα κωφός, ὁ πάντ’ ἄϊδρις.

ἄναλκις : Od. 3. 310

ἀνάλκιδος Αἰγίσθοιο

: Aesch. Ag. 1224

λέοντ’ ἄναλκιν.

ἡ πᾶσα βλάβη , equiv. in sense to

ὁ πᾶς βλάβη ὤν

: see on Ph. 622 , where this phrase is applied to Odysseus: and cp. ib. 927

ὦ πῦρ σὺ καὶ πᾶν δεῖμα

σὺν γυναιξὶ , i.e. with Clytaemnestra for his ally.

τὰς μάχας , such fights as he wages: for the art., cp. Ant. 190

τοὺς φίλους ποιούμεθα

ἐφήξειν : cp. Ai. 34 (Ajax to Athena)

καιρὸν δ’ ἐφήκεις

(come to my aid).

μέλλων … δρᾶν τι , intending to do something great,—as his frequent messages promised (1155). For this sense of

δρᾶν τι

, cp. Tr. 160

ἀλλ’ ὥς τι δράσων εἷρπε

, and O. C. 732 (n.): for

μέλλων

with pres. inf., O. T. 967 n.

τὰς οὔσας τε … καὶ τὰς ἀπούσας , simply, ‘all possible’ hopes; (not, ‘present, or more distant’:) cp. Ant. 1108

ἴτ’ ἴτ’ ὀπάονες

, |

οἵ τ’ ὄντες οἵ τ’ ἀπόντες

(n.).

μου is unobjectionable, though I should prefer μοι (cr. n.). In O. C. 355

μοι

is a probable correction of

μου.

διέφθορεν . The perf.

διέφθορα

has always this act. sense where it occurs in Attic writers (Eur. , and the Comic poets). In Il. 15. 128 (

φρένας ἠλέ, διέφθορας

) it has a pass. sense; so, too, with Hippocrates (8. 246), and with later writers, as Plutarch and Lucian.

σωφρονεῖν , to observe such moderation as the Chorus recommend; εὐσεβεῖν , to abstain from the unfilial behaviour which Clytaemnestra resents (596), and which Electra herself deplores as a cruel necessity (616—621). The passage is grievously marred by changing

εὐσεβεῖν

, as some do, to

εὐστομεῖν

(cr. n.). In Aesch. Ch. 140 Electra says,

αὐτῇ τέ μοι δὸς σωφρονεστέραν πολὺ

μητρὸς γενέσθαι χεῖρά τ’ εὐσεβεστέραν

ἔν τοι κακοῖς : similarly

τοι

can separate the art. from its noun ( O. C. 880 , etc.). The vulg.

ἐν τοῖς κακοῖς

is not unmetrical (since not only

τοῖς

, but also

ἐν

, coheres with

κακοῖς

), but is weak. In Ai. 776 , too,

τοι

was corrupted to

τοῖς.

πολλή )στ’ ἀνάγκη , as O. C. 293 , Tr. 295. — κἀπιτηδεύειν κακά : i.e., as her circumstances are evil, so, on her own part (

καί

, 1026 ), she is driven to an evil behaviour, — i.e., to defying her mother: as she says in 621

αἰσχροῖς γὰρ αἰσχρὰ πράγματ’ ἐκδιδάσκεται

I place only a comma, not a colon, after πάρεστιν , as the context requires; for the opposition expressed by

ἀλλά

is merely to the negative form of the preceding clause, not to its sense.

ὄντος … βεβῶτος . The leading idea of the sentence is here expressed by the gen. absol., as so often by the participle in other cases ( O.C. 1038 n.).—It was necessary for the plot that the absence of Aegisthus should be notified to the spectators at some early moment; Clytaemnestra reminds them of it at v. 517.

ἦ κάρτα recurs below, 1278; Tr. 379 ; Ai. 1359 : but only here as an independent affirmative, which is elsewhere

καὶ κάρτα

( O. C. 65 , O. C. 301 ).

θυραῖον , fem., as is

θυραῖος

in Tr. 533 (n.).

οἰχνεῖν : 165 n.

ἀγροῖσι , like 174

οὐρανῷ

τυγχάνει , without

ὤν

, 46 n.

ἦ κἂν … ἱκοίμην ..; The force of

ἦ καί

, which inquires with a certain eagerness (663, O.T. 368, 757), seems exactly in place here. The leader of the Chorus, not without trepidation, approaches the subject which is uppermost in their thoughts. With ἦ τ<*>ν , or ἦ δἂν (a crasis for which

ἐπειδὰν

is quoted), there would be no interrogation. But neither seems nearly so fitting as

ἦ κᾄν.

ἐς λόγους τοὺς σοὺς ἱκοίμην instead of

ἐς λόγους ἱκοίμην σοι

: cp. Her. 2. 28

τῶν ἐμοὶ ἀπικομένων ἐς λόγους

ὡς νῦν is better here than ὥς νυν .

ἱστόρει· τί σοι φίλον ; This punctuation is necessary unless the text is to be altered. It has been called ‘harsh.’ But it is not more abrupt than

εἰδέναι θέλω

in 318, and it suits the slight surprise with which Electra hears the question. The conjecture τό (or τά )

σοι φίλον

throws an awkward stress on the enclitic

σοι

: and

σοὶ

would be inappropriate.

With the other punctuation, ἱστόρει τί σοι φίλον , the words could mean only, ‘ask what it is that you wish’; not, ‘ask whatever you wish.’ Classical Greek writers use

τίς

instead of

ὅστις

only where there is an indirect question (as

λέγε τί χρῄζεις

). In the Appendix I have examined the alleged exceptions to this rule. It will be found that, when they are real, they are post-classical.

καὶ δὴ , i.e., without further preface: cp. 892 : Ant. 245

καὶ δὴ λέγω σοι

: O. C. 31 n.

τοῦ κασιγνήτου τί φής ...; Cp. Od. 11. 174

εἰπὲ δέ μοι πατρός τε καὶ υἱέος

: Ph. 439

ἀναξίου μὲν φωτὸς ἐξερήσομαι

(n.).

ἥξοντος , about to come (soon), ἢ μέλλοντος , or delaying? Do his messages indicate zeal, or do they not? Cp. O. C. 1627

τί μέλλομεν

χωρεῖν

; The words could also mean, ‘about to come soon, or (at least) purposing to do so’ (cp. Tr. 75

ἐπιστρατεύειν..ἢ μέλλειν ἔτι

): but the antithesis recommends the former view.— The participles explain

τί

, being equiv. to

ὅτι ἥξει, ἢ μέλλει

; cp. Aesch. Ag. 271

εὖ γὰρ φρονοῦντος ὄμμα σοῦ κατηγορεῖ

φησίν γε , sc.

ἥξειν

: cp. 171 f.

ποεῖ : for the spelling, cp. Ph. 120 n.

καὶ μὴν ἔγωγ’ . It depends on the context in each case whether

καὶ μήν

signifies (1) ‘and indeed,’ as in 556; or (2) ‘and yet,’ as here, and' in 1045, 1188. For the addition of γε , cp. 1045 n.

οὐκ ὄκνῳ , a dat. of manner (=

οὐκ ὀκνοῦσα

). The emphasis is upon this phrase.

ἀρκεῖν =

ἐπαρκεῖν

, as in O. C. 262.

ἐπεί , ‘for else’; i.e.,

εἰ μὴ ἐπεποίθη

. So in O.T. 433

ἐπεὶ

implies

εἰ ᾔδη.

μακρὰν means, ‘so long as I actually have lived.’ ‘If I had not (hitherto) been confident, I should not have continued to live so long.’

324 Here, as in 316, νῦν is better than νυν . The Chorus wish Electra to cease speaking of Orestes, because they regard Chrysothemis as a partisan of Clytaemnestra and Aegisthus.

δόμων , gen. of the place whence, with φέρουσαν : cp. Ph. 613

ἄγοιντο νήσου

: O. T. 152

Πυθῶνος..ἔβας

ὅμαιμον is further defined, as in 12: cp. 156 . Lys. or. 32 § 4

ἀδελφοὶ...ὁμοπάτριοι καὶ ὁμομήτριοι.

φύσιν , adverbial acc., ‘by birth’: cp. 1125 :— Tr. 380

πατρὸς μὲν οὖσα γένεσιν Εὐρύτου

Χρυσόθεμιν : the name occurs nowhere else in the play, except in v. 158. Eur. uses it once, Eur. Or. 23

Χρυσόθεμις Ἰφιγένειά τ’ Ἠλέκτρα τ’ ἐγώ

. For the place of the name in the sentence, cp. 695 .—

ἐντάφια, ἐναγίσματα

, offerings for the grave of Agamemnon, viz., (1) libations,

χοαί

, and (2) some other articles, such as flowers, and perhaps cakes, described at v. 434 by the word

κτερίσματα

, as distinct from

λουτρά

. Cp. v. 405

ἔμπυρα

(n.). It is evident that, even if she is attended by a

πρόσπολος

, Chrysothemis carries some, at least, of the gifts in her own hands: cp. 431

ὧν ἔχεις χεροῖν

.—For the tribrach in the 5th foot, cp. O.T. 719 n.

οἷα is nom. to νομίζεται , not acc., as though

φέρειν

were understood: cp. 691 . To pay funeral rites was

τὰ νομιζόμενα ποιεῖν

( Aeschin. or. 1 § 14) or

φέρειν

( Dem. or. 18 § 243 ). Isae. or. 2 § 46

ἐναγίζῃ αὐτῷ καθ’ ἕκαστον ἐνιαυτόν

πρὸς θυρῶνος ἐξόδοις , close to the thoroughfare of the

θυρών

or vestibule ( O. T. 1242 ): cp. Aesch. Th. 33

πυλῶν ἐπ’ ἐξόδοις

. These words go with φωνεῖς , while ἐλθοῦσα emphasises her boldness in seeking such publicity. As αὖ implies, she has often done so before; cp. 517

ὅς σ’ ἐπεῖχ’ ἀεὶ

μή τοι θυραίαν γ’ οὖσαν αἰσχύνειν φίλους

330 For the absence of caesura, cp. Ph. 101 n.

θυμῷ … χαρίζεσθαι : cp. Antiphon

τετρ.Γ. γ.

§ 2 (

μέθη

)

ἐπαίρει τῷ θυμῷ χαρίζεσθαι

: Eur. fr. 31

ὀργῇ γὰρ ὅστις εὐθέως χαρίζεται

κακῶς τελευτᾷ

. So Soph. O. C. 855

ὀργῇ χάριν δούς

. The verb

χαρίζομαι

is nowhere else used by Sophocles.

καίτοι τοσοῦτόν γ’ οἶδα , as in O. T. 1455 : cp. Ai. 441

καίτοι τοσοῦτόν γ’ ἐξεπίστασθαι δοκῶ.

κἀμαυτήν, ὅτι , instead of

ὅτι κἀγὼ

: cp. 520 f.: Ph. 444

τοῦτον οἶσθ’ εἰ ζῶν κυρεῖ

; (n.).

333 f. For the repeated ἄν , cp. O. T. 339 n.

οἶ) αὐτοῖς φρονῶ : cp. Ar. Ach. 446

Τηλέφῳ δ’ ἁγὼ φρονῶ

ὑφειμένῃ , submisse: cp. Eur. Alc. 524

κατθανεῖν ὑφειμένην

, ‘resigned to die.’ Here the figurative πλεῖν gives a special sense to the partic., viz., ‘with lowered sail.’ So Ar. Ran. 1220

ὑφέσθαι μοι δοκεῖ·

τὸ ληκύθιον γὰρ τοῦτο πνευσεῖται πολύ

. Plut. Luc. 3

μεθ’ ἡμέραν μὲν ὑφειμένοις πλέων τοῖς ἱστίοις καὶ ταπεινοῖς, νύκτωρ δὲ ἐπαιρομένοις

For the image, cp. Eur. Med. 524

ἄκροισι λαίφους κρασπέδοις

(with close-reefed sails)

ὑπεκφυγεῖν

τὴν σὴν στόμαργον, ὦ γύναι, γλωσσαλγίαν

: Ar. Ran. 997

ἀλλ’ ὅπως, ὦ γεννάδα

, |

μὴ πρὸς ὀργὴν ἀντιλέξεις

, |

ἀλλὰ συστείλας, ἄκροισι

χρώμενος τοῖς ἱστίοις κ.τ.λ.

: and conversely Soph. Ant. 715

ναὸς ὅστις ἐγκρατῆ πόδα

τείνας ὑπείκει μηδέν

. Ovid Epist. 1. 8. 71

moderatius opta, | Et voti, quaeso, contrahe vela tui.

Shakesp. Henry VI., pt. iii, act 3 sc. 3. 5

‘Now Margaret | Must strike her sail, and learn awhile to serve | Where kings command.’

καὶ μὴ δοκεῖν

κ.τ.λ.

Her thought is,

δοκεῖς μὲν δρᾶν τι, πημαίνεις δὲ οὔ

: ‘you have merely the semblance of being active against our foes, without really harming them. I will not imitate you.’ The first

μὴ

affects all that follows it. Such a combination of independent negatives is especially frequent in denials of illogical conduct; since Greek idiom loved to bring out a want of consistency by a parataxis with

μέν

and

δέ

. Thus Alcib. I. p. 124 C

ἐγὼ γάρ τοι οὐ περὶ μὲν σοῦ λέγω ὡς χρὴ παιδευθῆναι, περὶ δ’ ἐμοῦ οὔ

. Dem. or. 18 § 179

οὐκ εἶπον μὲν ταῦτα, οὐκ ἔγραψα δέ

(‘I did not say these things and then fail to propose them’). Similar is Soph. O. C. 277

καὶ μὴ θεοὺς τιμῶντες εἶτα τοὺς θεοὺς

†μοίραις†ποεῖσθε μηδαμῶς

τοιαῦτα δ’ ἄλλα . She wishes Electra's behaviour to be a faithful copy of her own. Cp. Her. 1. 191

τά περ ἡ τῶν Βαβυλωνίων βασίλεια ἐποίησε..., ἐποίεε καὶ ὁ Κῦρος ἕτερα τοιαῦτα

. Plat. Rep. 372D

γηραιοὶ τελευτῶντες ἄλλον τοιοῦτον βίον τοῖς ἐκγόνοις παραδώσουσιν

.—The MS. ἀλλὰ is impossible. Thus placed, it could not have the ‘appealing’ force claimed for it by Schneidewin (‘ Come, thus do thou also’): cp. 411 n. It is strange that any doubts should be felt as to ἄλλα (cr. n.).

καίτοι τὸ μὲν δίκαιον

κ.τ.λ.

Chrysothemis, like Ismene ( Ant. 65 ), recognises the duty from which she shrinks. The poet's object is not to contrast a good with a base nature, but the heroic with the commonplace.

κρίνεις , decide, choose. The contrast is between the pronouns rather than between the verbs: thus the sense would be the same, if we had,

οὐχ ᾗ ἐγὼ κρίνω, ἀλλ’ ᾗ σύ

. (Cp. O. T. 54 n.)

εἰ … με δεῖ =

εἰ μέλλω

: cp. O. T. 1110

εἰ χρή τι κἀμέ κ.τ.λ.

: Tr. 749

εἰ χρὴ μαθεῖν σε.

ἐλευθέραν , whereas Electra is a slave (1192).

ζῆν . A monosyllable, followed by a pause, can begin the verse even when, as here, it is non-emphatic: so O. T. 1448

θοῦ

. But more often it has emphasis, as O. T. 546

σοῦ

, ib. 986

ζῇ.

πάντ’ , adv. (301).

ἀκουστέα : for the plur., cp. Ant. 677 f.

ἀμυντέα...ἡσσητέα

(n.).

δεινόν γε . For this

γε

in comment, cp. Ph. 1225

δεινόν γε φωνεῖς

(n.).

τῆς … τικτούσης , as O. T. 1247 , the pres. part. expressing the permanent relationship; cp. Eur. Ion 1560

ἥδε τίκτει σ’

(‘is thy mother’), and Soph. O. T. 437 n.

μέλειν : schol.

φροντίζειν

. The personal use of

μέλειν

was admitted by Aesch. ( Aesch. Ag. 370

θεοὺς βροτῶν ἀξιοῦσθαι μέλειν

), and Eur. ( Eur. H. F. 772

θεοὶ τῶν ἀδίκων

μέλουσι

). We are not obliged to assume it here, nor in Soph. Ai. 688 ,

Τεύκρῳ τ’, ἢν μόλῃ, σημήνατε

μέλειν μὲν ἡμῶν, εὐνοεῖν δ’ ὑμῖν ἅμα

: but in both places it gives the simplest construction.

τἀμὰ νουθετήματα : the possessive pron.=an objective gen.,

ἐμοῦ

: cp. O. T. 969

τὠμῷ πόθῳ

: O. C. 332

σῇ... προμηθίᾳ.

κείνης διδακτά : cp. Tr. 934

ἐκδιδαχθεὶς τῶν κατ’ οἶκον

: O. T. 1437

μηδενὸς προσήγορος.

ἐκ σαυτῆς : cp. 885 .

345-351

The text, which has been suspected (cr. n.), is sound; but the train of thought is somewhat obscured by compression.

‘You forget your father, and care only for your mother. All your counsels to me come from her. Then (

ἔπειτα

),—that being so,—give up the attempt at a compromise. Make a choice (

ἑλοῦ γε

). You can be imprudent (

φρονεῖν κακῶς

),—as you say that I am,—and loyal to your dead father. Or you can be prudent (

φρονοῦσα

), and forgetful of him,—as you actually are; you who (

ἥτις

) say, indeed, that you would show your hatred of the murderers if you could; and yet, when I do resist them, you try to turn me from my purpose. You merely add the shame of cowardice to our woes.’

ἔπειθ’ , ‘then,’ ‘after that’; i.e., ‘such being the case,’—that you side with Clytaemnestra. This use of the word in logical inference is not rare (cp. Il. 5. 812 , Il. 10. 243 ). Others render it: (1) ‘Further’—which does not fit the context: or (2) ‘And yet,’ ‘nevertheless,’—a sense which

ἔπειτα

seldom bears except in a question; e.g., Eur. Alc. 821 f.

ΘΕ. γυνὴ μὲν οὖν ὄλωλεν Ἀδμήτου, ξένε. ΗΡ. τί φής; ἔπειτα δῆτά μ’ ἐξενίζετε

; Nor is that sense so suitable here.

ἑλοῦ γε . The effect of

γε

is merely to emphasise the verb,—opposing a definite choice to a compromise. Cp. 411

συγγένεσθέ γ’

: 1035

ἐπίστω γ’

. When

γε

is thus added to the imperative, it is more often in such combinations as

ὅρα γε μήν

( O. C. 587 ), or

παῦσαί γε μέντοι

( Ai. 483 ).

φρονεῖν κακῶς , to be imprudent. The chief theme of the timid sister's speech (328—340) has been prudence; as in 994 she insists on

τὴν εὐλάβειαν

, and Electra says (1027)

ζηλῶ σε τοῦ νοῦ, τῆς δὲ δειλίας στυγῶ

Other explanations are:—(1) ‘Choose to be thought either lost to right feeling, or, if you have such feeling, then at least forgetful of your duty.’ (2) ‘Choose to seem either unintelligent (if you are merely the blind instrument of our rulers); or, if you act with clear understanding (

φρονοῦσα

),—thinking to benefit me,—at least forgetful of your father.’ Both these views assume that the question is merely between two interpretations which might be placed on the present conduct of Chrysothemis. But Electra is putting the dilemma between imprudent loyalty and prudent disloyalty.

τῶν φίλων , meaning esp. her father: cp. 241

γονέων

: 652

φίλοισι

. (In 368, however,

φίλους

=Electra and Orestes.)

ἥτις , causal, because v. 346 describes the course which she is actually taking. The words

λέγεις μὲν..ἐκδείξειας ἄν

correspond with φρονοῦσα , as illustrating her prudence; while 349 f. explain the sense in which she forgets her father.— μῖσος : Electra puts bluntly what Chrysothemis veiled by the euphemism

οἷ’ αὐτοῖς φρονῶ

(334).

πάντα , adv.

τιμωρουμένης : the midd., as in 399, where the active would be normal. ‘To avenge one’ is usu.

τιμωρεῖν τινι

(the accus., denoting the person chastised, being often omitted), as O. T. 136

γῇ τῇδε τιμωροῦντα

. ‘To punish a person’ is usu.

τιμωρεῖσθαί τινα

(to which a dat. of the person avenged can be added): Ph. 1258

ὅς σε τιμωρήσεται

. Conversely in O. T. 107 , O. T. 140

τιμωρεῖν

τιμωρεῖσθαι

οὔτε … τε : cp. O. C. 1397 n.: Ph. 1321 f., Ph. 1363.

τήν τε δρῶσαν : more pointed here than

ἐμέ τε δρῶσαν

: ‘ her who does act.’

πρὸς κακοῖσι , ‘in addition to the miseries’ of the family.—Not:—‘Do not these things involve cowardice in addition to being base?’ That would require

πρὸς τῷ κακῷ

, as Plat. Critop. 46 A

μὴ ἅμα τῷ κακῷ καὶ αἰσχρὰ ᾖ

ἅμα τῷ κακὰ εἶναι

δειλίαν ἔχει , cp. Dem. or. 18 § 279

τὸ δὲ δὴ καὶ τοὺς πρὸς ἐμὲ αὐτὸν ἀγῶνας ἐάσαντα νῦν ἐπὶ τόνδ’ ἥκειν καὶ πᾶσαν ἔχει κακίαν

ἐπεὶ , i.e., if there be indeed any good in such counsels. Cp. 323 . For this controversial

ἐπεί

with the imperat., see O. T. 390 , O. C. 969.

ἢ μάθ’ ἐξ ἐμοῦ : cp. 565

ἢ )γὼ φράσω

. For the parenthesis, Schneid. cp. Eur. Cycl. 121

σπείρουσι δ’, ἢ τῷ ζῶσι, Δήμητρος στάχυν

ἐπαρκούντως occurs nowhere else in classical Greek: though, as Dindorf notes, it is cited by the grammarian Joannes Philoponus (7th cent. A.D. ) in his

τονικὰ παραγγέλματα

, p. 39. 17 . But the corresponding sense of

ἐπαρκεῖν

, though rare, is well-attested: Solon fr. 5, 1

τόσον κράτος, ὅσσον ἐπαρκεῖ

. It seems unnecessary, then, to read

ἀπαρκούντως

προσάπτειν , render as a tribute: cp. Il. 24. 110

τόδε κῦδος Ἀχιλλῆι προτιάπτω

. Pind. N. 8. 36

ὡς παισὶ κλέος

μὴ τὸ δύσφαμον προσάψω

. Plat. Soph. 231A

μὴ μεῖζον αὐτοῖς προσάπτωμεν γέρας

εἴ τις ἔστ’ ἐκεῖ χάρις , if any gratification can be felt in the nether world,—

ὅπου τὸ χαίρειν μηδαμοῦ νομίζεται

( Aesch. Eum. 423 ). For

ἐκεῖ

ἐν Ἅιδου

, cp. Soph. Ai. 855 , Soph. Ant. 76.

ἡμὶν , ethic dat., (thou, whom I am asked to regard as hating,) 272.— ξύνει , here=‘art their ally’: whereas in 263 the same phrase, applied to Electra, means merely that she dwells in the same house.

τὰ σὰ … δῶῤ , the privileges (in regard to soft living) which the rulers confer upon her.

ἐφ’ οἶσι , as in 333, instead of the simple dat.

χλιδᾷς , superbis. Eur. fr. 986

πλούτῳ χλιδῶσα θνητὰ δή, γύναι, φρόνει

ὑπεικάθοιμι : on these forms, see O. T. 651 n.

πλουσία : in contrast with the

κεναὶ τράπεζαι

of 192.

περιρρείτω , be superabundant; a sense of

περιρρεῖν

not elsewhere found in Greek of this age; but cp. Plut. Per. 16 (referring to the domestic economy of Pericles),

οὐδενὸς οἷον

(as is usual)

ἐν οἰκίᾳ μεγάλῃ καὶ πράγμασιν ἀφθόνοις περιρρέοντος

τοὐμὲ μὴ λυπεῖν : ‘For me, let it be food enough that I do not pain myself (by a base compliance with the murderers)’:

ἐμὲ

for

ἐμαυτήν

, as

ἐμοί

for

ἐμαυτῷ

in Ant. 736

ἄλλῳ γὰρ ἢ )μοὶ χρή με τῆσδ’ ἄρχειν χθονός

; For the figurative sense of

βόσκημα

, cp. Aesch. Ch. 26

δἰ αἰῶνος δ’ ἰυγμοῖσι βόσκεται κέαρ

. The phrase

λυπεῖν ἑαυτόν

seems to have been familiar: Eur. Cycl. 336

ὡς τοὐμπιεῖν γε καὶ φαγεῖν τοὐφ’ ἡμέραν

, |

Ζεὺς οὗτος ἀν‐

θρώποισι τοῖσι σώφροσι

, |

λυπεῖν δὲ μηδὲν α<*>τόν

: Eur. (?) fr. 174 (Nauck)

μὴ οὖν ἔθελε λυπεῖν σαυτόν

(where Hermann conjectured

μή νυν θέλε

λυπεῖν σεαυτόν

). The tone of the phrase here is explained by the context. In the preceding verses Electra has fully set forth her view: now she is summing it up, in words suited to a hearer of whose sympathy she despairs. ‘Enough for me if I do not offend my own sense of right’; i.e., ‘I must obey my own instincts,—as you follow yours.’

Remark the resemblance to the passage where Antigone—summing up her position—compares the moral pain of neglecting her duty with those penalties which she contemns:—

κείνοις ἂν ἤλγουν· τοῖσδε δ’ οὐκ ἀλγύνομαι

( Ant. 468 ). There, too, we have a Sophoclean triad of clauses, the third echoing the first,—as

τῆς σῆς δ’ οὐκ ἐρῶ τιμῆς τυχεῖν

here reiterates the sense of

σοὶ δὲ πλουσία... βίος

(n. on Ant. 465 ff.).

One of the scholia recognises the traditional reading, and explains it correctly: —

τοῦτο μόνον ἐμὲ βοσκέτω, τὸ μὴ λυπεῖν ἐμὲ αὐτήν, εἰ

(‘as I should do, if’)

τοῖς φονεῦσι τοῦ πατρὸς πείθεσθαι ἀναγκασθήσομαι

.—The conjectures have been numerous: see Appendix.

οὐδ’ ἂν σὺ

κ.τ.λ.

, sc.

ἐρῴης

(or

ἤρας

), as

οὖσα

εἰ εἴης

(or

ἦσθα

): for the ellipse of a verb after

ἄν

, cp. Tr. 462 , Ph. 115.

παῖδα , where the dat.

παιδὶ

is also admissible: cp. Ant. 838 n.

κεκλῆσθαι : cp. fr. 83

καταρκεῖ τοῦδε κεκλῆσθαι πατρός

. By forgetting her duty to her father, she as it were repudiates him, and will be known only as Clytaemnestra's daughter. Here (as in 341 f.) it is implied that the paternal claim on filial piety is naturally stronger than the maternal ( Aesch. Eum. 658 ff.: Eur. Or. 552 f.). In the case of a son,

τὸ μητρὸς καλεῖσθαι

conveyed a reproach of effeminacy: thus in Soph. fr. 139 (from a satyrplay) a boy is described as now too old

μητρὸς καλεῖσθαι παῖσα, τοῦ πατρὸς παρόν

. (See, too, Eur. El. 933 ff. )

πλείστοις : as below, in vv. 975— 985, she imagines how she and her sister, if they act nobly, will be praised by all.

μηδὲν , sc.

εἴπῃς

: πρὸς ὀργὴν , ‘angrily’; like

πρὸς βίαν, πρὸς ἡδονήν

, etc. ( Ph. 90 n.): Ar. Ran. 856

σὺ δὲ μὴ πρὸς ὀργήν, Αἰσχύλ’, ἀλλὰ πραόνως

ἔλεγχ’

ἀμφοῖν is best taken as dat. fem., ‘for both of you,’ ‘on both your parts’: though (notwithstanding its position) it could be also gen. fem. The objection to taking it as dat. masc. with τοῖς λόγοις is that the noun or pron. joined to

ἄμφω

ἀμφοτέρω

is usu. dual, as O. C. 483

ἐξ ἀμφοῖν χεροῖν

, O. T. 683

ἀμφοῖν ἀπ’ αὐτοῖν

. Similarly

ἀμφότεροι

usu. takes a plur.; for Il. 21. 115

χεῖρε πετάσσας

ἀμφοτέρας

is exceptional. A discrepancy in the number of the verb is more frequent, as Plat. Rep. 478A

δυνάμεις δὲ ἀμφότεραί ἐστον

τῆσδε … αὕτη , referring to the same person, as Ph. 841

τοῦδε...τοῦτον

(n.). Electra is in need of caution, and Chrysothemis of loyalty. For πάλιν , cp. 1434 .

ἐγὼ μὲν : 251 n.

πως , fere: Ai. 327

τοιαῦτα γάρ πως καὶ λέγει κὠδύρεται.

μύθων , in a disparaging sense, as Eur. Andr. 744

τοὺς σοὺς δὲ μύθους ῥᾳδίως ἐγὼ φέρω

οὐδ’ , ‘nor.’ Brunck wrote κοὐδ’ , wishing

οὐδέ

to mean ‘not even’ (cp. O. C. 1429

οὐδ’ ἀγγελοῦμεν φλαῦρα

). But this is unnecessary, esp. as ποτέ follows.

ἰὸν : cp. O. C. 1771

ἰόντα φόνον

τοῖσιν ὁμαίμοις.

σχήσει : 223.

τὸ δεινὸν : so Antigone to Ismene, Ant. 95

ἔα με

.. |

παθεῖν τὸ δεινὸν τοῦτο.

εἰ γὰρ τῶνδέ μοι . Elmsley proposed

δὲ

instead of

γάρ

. But the spondee can stand in the 5th foot, since εἰ coheres with the following words (the metrical effect being as that of one word, e.g.

ἐξαιρούμενον

): so O. C. 115

ἐν γὰρ τῷ μαθεῖν

γὰρ , prefatory: 32.

γόων , though v. 375 ends with the same word: cp. 161 , 163 (

γᾶ...γᾶν

). This may have prompted the weak v.l. λόγων .

ἐνταῦθα =

ἐνταυθοῖ

, as in Tr. 1193.

ἔνθα μή ποτε … προσόψει : cp. 436 : O.T. 1412

ἐκρίψατ’, ἔνθα μήποτ’ εἰσόψεσθ’ ἔτι

: Tr. 800 , Ai. 659.

ζῶσα , implying that it will be a living death; cp. Ant. 888

ζῶσα τυμβεύειν

κατηρεφεῖ , lit. ‘roofed over’; the

στέγη

meant is a vault or dungeon, not a natural cavern (though the adj. would suit that also). So the sepulchral chamber of Antigone is a

κατηρεφὴς τύμβος

( Ant. 885 , n.: cp. ib. 774, and 891).

χθονὸς τῆσδ’ ἐκτὸς , because the usurpers might well fear the sympathy which disaffected Mycenaeans (like the women of the Chorus) would feel with Electra. Some critics seek to alter the text (cr. n.), thinking that the prison ought to be either in or near the house, or at least in Argolis. But they have overlooked Electra's own words in 391, referring to this threat—

ὅπως ἀφ’ ὑμῶν ὡς προσώτατ’ ἐκφύγω

ὑμνήσεις , decantabis: cp. Ant. 658

πρὸς ταῦτ’ ἐφυμνείτω Δία

ξύναιμον

. Ai. 292

βαἴ, ἀεὶ δ’ ὑμνούμενα

πρὸς ταῦτα is often joined to the imperat. in warning or menace; cp. 820 ; O. T. 426 ; O. C. 455 ; Ant. 658 ; Ai. 971 , Ai. 1066 , Ai. 1115.

Nauck reads κοὔ , the conjecture of Blaydes. But καί is right. She says, ‘reflect (now), and do not blame me after the event.’ This is manifestly fitter than, ‘reflect, and you will not blame me,’ etc.

ἐν καλῷ, εὔκαιρον

schol.: H. 4. 3. 5

νομίσαντες οὐκ ἐν καλῷ εἶναι πρὸς τοὺς ὁπλίτας ἱππομαχεῖν

: so, too, Eur. Heracl. 971 , etc. Cp.

καλόν

(

ἐστι

καίριον

in Soph. Ph. 1155 ; and

εἰς καλόν

καιρίως

in O.T. 78.

ἦ ταῦτα δὴ

κ.τ.λ.

The formula ἦ … δὴ expresses lively surprise, just as in Ph. 565

η<*> ταῦτα δὴ Φοῖνίξ τε χοἱ ξυνναυβάται

| ..

δρῶσιν

..; There is no reason for preferring ἦ … γὰρ (cr. n.), which is slightly less animated. It may be noticed that

ἦ γάρ

, as used by Sophocles, usually asks whether an inference from the previous speaker's words is correct (‘am I to understand that...’): see e.g. O. T. 1000 , O. T. 1039 , O. T. 1173 ; Ph. 248 , Ph. 322 , Ph. 654. But here the question is virtually no more than an astonished comment.

καὶ βεβούλευνται :

καί

emphasises the verb: cp. Ant. 726

οἱ τηλικοίδε καὶ διδαξόμεσθα δή

..; O. T. 772 n. For the perf. pass. with middle force, cp. 947 .

ἀλλ’ ἐξίκοιτο : cp. O. C. 44

ἀλλ’ ἵλεῳ...δεξαίατο.

τοῦδέ γ’ οὕνεκ’ , ‘for that matter,’ ‘if that is all’; cp. 605 , 787: O. C. 22 n.

τίνα … τόνδ’ <*> cp. Tr. 184

τίν’

εἶπας, <*> γεραιέ, τόνδε μοι λόγον

; O. C. 68 n.

τάλαινα , ‘misguided,’ as Ismene says to Antigone,

οἴμοι ταλαίνης

( Ant. 82 ).

εἴ τι τῶνδε , with a shade of irony, ‘anything of this kind’: O. C. 1034

νοεῖς τι τούτων

; O. T. 1140

λέγω τι τούτων κ.τ.λ.

ποῦ ποτ’ εἶ φρενῶν ; Cp. Ant. 42

ποῦ γνώμης ποτ’ εἶ

; (n.).

ὅπως without

ἄν

, as in 688.— ὑμῶν , bitterly identifying her sister with her foes, whom she has hitherto called ‘ them’ (348, 355, 361).

προσώτατ’ . Several recent editions read προσωτάτω φύγω with L. Dindorf, on the ground that this was the correct form of the superl. adv. It is certainly the only form which elsewhere occurs in classical But HerodotusAttic. , at least, could say

προσώτατα ἀπικέσθαι

(2. 103); as also

τὰ ἀνώτατα

(2. 125),

οἱ...κατώτατα ἑστεῶτες

(7. 23), where an Attic writer would have used

ἀνωτάτω, κατωτάτω

. Pindar has

περαίτερον ἄλλων

( O. 8. 63), instead of

περαιτέρω

. Thucydides uses

ἐγγύτατα

(1. 13 etc.) even more frequently than

ἐγγυτάτω

(3. 38 etc.). It seems rash, then, to asser<*> that Sophocles could not possibly have used

προσώτατα

, especially when it is so decidedly commended by euphony.

βίου … τοῦ παρόντος , as compared with the life in the vault (3<*>1). Electra herself had said that it sufficed for her (354).

καλὸς γὰρ

κ.τ.λ.

For this use of

γὰρ

in a sarcastic retort, cp. Ar. Ach. 71 , where the

πρέσβυς

has described himself and his colleagues as

ἀπολλύμενοι

, and Dicaeopolis rejoins,

σφόδρα γὰρ ἐσῳζόμην ἐγώ κ.τ.λ.

θαυμάσαι : cp. Thuc. 1. 138

ἄξιος θαυμάσαι

τοῖς φίλοις , i.e.

τῷ πατρί

, as in 346.

εἰκαθεῖν : cp. 361 n.

ταῦτα , cogn. acc.,

ταύτην τὴν θωπείαν

. For the verb, cp. O. C. 1336. — οὐκ ἐμοὺς κ.τ.λ.:

ἐμοὺς

is predicative, like

τίν’

in 388 (n.).

γε emphasises

καλόν

: μέντοι = ‘however’: O. T. 442 n.

μὴ )ξ . The crasis of

μή

with

ἐκ

occurs also in Ai. 278 , O. T. 1075 , Ph. 467 , Tr. 727 , Tr. 1235.

πεσεῖν , to be ruined; as O. T. 50 , O. T. 146 , O. T. 376 : O. C. 395.

399 A woman, speaking of herself in the plur., uses the masc.: Ant. 926

παθόντες ἂν ξυγγνοῖμεν ἡμαρτηκότες

συγγνώμην . Ismene defends herself by a like excuse,—

αἰτοῦσα τοὺς ὑπὸ χθονὸς

ξύγγνοιαν ἴσχειν

( Ant. 65 ).

τἄπη , maxims, sentiments: cp. Aesch. Th. 717

οὐκ ἄνδρ’ ὁπλίτην τοῦτο χρὴ στέργειν ἔπος.

πρὸς κακῶν , it befits them: for this use of

πρός

, cp. Ai. 319 , Ai. 581 , Ai. 1071.

μή πω , ironical; cp. Eur. Hec. 1278

μή πω μανείη Τυνδαρὶς τοσόνδε παῖς

: id. Eur. Med. 365

ἀλλ’ οὔ τι ταύτῃ ταῦτα· μὴ δοκεῖτέ πω

οἷπερ … ὁδοῦ . The gen. is partitive, just as in 1035

οἷ..ἀτιμίας

. The only peculiarity is that

ὁδοῦ

is used in an abstract sense,—‘to that point of journeying’;—as we might have

οἷ πορείας

, or

οἷ πλανημάτων

τῷ φέρεις .

ποῖ

has better authority than

τῷ

(cr. n.), but the latter is certainly to be preferred here.

ἔμπυρα probably refers to some articles of food, perhaps cakes, which she (or a handmaid) was carrying to be burned at the grave ( cp. 326 n.). Thus Lucian, speaking of offerings to the dead, says ( Charon 22),

καίουσί τε τὰ πολυτελῆ δεῖπνα, καὶ ἐς τὰ ὀρύγματα ο<*>=νον καὶ μελίκρατον, ὡς γοῦν εἰκάσαι, ἐκχέουσιν

. Chrysothemis, in her reply, naturally speaks of the

χοαί

, since they formed the most characteristic part of the rite. But it seems impossible that the word

ἔμπυρα

should directly denote the libations, as was supposed by the schol. (

τάδ’ ἔμπυρα· ταύτας τὰς σπονδάς

), and by Triclinius. There is nothing to show that the term

ἔμπυρα

, ‘burnt offerings,’ was ever extended to offerings generally; or that

ἔμπυρα

could mean, ‘offerings at a

πυρά

’ (as the grave is called in 901). In the only other place where Sophocles uses the word

ἔμπυρα

, it has its ordinary sense ( Ant. 1005 ).

τυμβεῦσαι χοάς , to offer them at the tomb; cp. Ai. 1063

σῶμα τυμβεῦσαι τάφῳ

βροτῶν , though referring to the dead; cp. 462 : Aesch. Ch. 129

χέουσα τάσδε χέρνιβας βροτοῖς

(to Agamemnon). But in Soph. Ant. 851

βροτοί

are opposed to

νεκροί

ὃν ἔκταν’ αὐτή . Not ὅν γ’ : she is finishing Electra's sentence for her. Cp. Ph. 105 , Ph. 985.

τῷ τοῦτ’ ἤρεσεν ; The spondee in the 5th foot is correct, since

τοῦτ’

coheres with its verb, giving the effect of a single word. ( Cp. 376 .)

δείματος , a word often used of a terrifying dream: Aesch. Ch. 523

ἔκ τ ὀνειράτων

καὶ νυκτιπλάγκτων δειμάτων πεπαλμένη

χοὰς ἔπεμψε τάσδε δύσθεος γυνή

. Eur. Hec. 69

τί ποτ’ αἴρομαι ἔννυχος οὕτω

δείμασι, φάσμασιν

; Lycophion 225

ἀπῶσαι νυκτίφοιτα δείματα

δοκεῖν ἐμοί : cp. O. T. 82

ἀλλ’ εἰκάσαι μέν, ἡδύς

(n.). At v. 426 she speaks positively; as if the recital of the dream had raised her surmise into certainty.

θεοὶ πατρῷοι , the gods of the Pelopid house: see on O. C. 756

πρὸς θεῶν πατρῴων

: and for the synizesis in

θεοί

, also ib. 964 n.

συγγένεσθέ γ’ : cp. O. T. 275

εὖ ξυνεῖεν εἰσαεὶ θεοί

: Aesch. Ch. 460 (the Chorus invoking Agamemnon)

ξὺν δὲ γενοῦ πρὸς ἐχθρούς

. For

γε

, cp. 345 n.

ἀλλὰ νῦν , ‘now at least,’—though not sooner. Cp. O. C. 1276

πειράσατ’ ἀλλ’ ὑμεῖς γε

(n.). She hails the dream as a sign from the nether world that vengeance is imminent, and invokes the gods of her house to co-operate with the

χθόνιοι

εἴποιμ’ ἂν τότε . When

ἄν

is the second syllable of the 5th foot, it is usually preceded by an elision; as in Eur. Andr. 935 , Eur. Andr. 1184 ; Eur. Phoen. 1619 , Eur. Phoen. 1626 ; Eur. Heracl. 456 ; Eur. fr. 362

κἀποσώσαἰ ἂν πατρός

(Pors. Suppl. Praefat. p. xxxiv).

ἐπὶ σμικρὸν , lit. ‘to a small extent,’ like

ἐπὶ πολύ, ἐπὶ μέγα, ἐπὶ μακρόν

, etc. Cp. Plat. Soph. 254B

κοινωνεῖν..τὰ μὲν ἐπ’ ὀλίγον, τὰ δ’ ἐπὶ πολλά

. G. Wolff's reading, ἐπὶ σμικρῶν , could mean, ‘in a few words,’ but is less natural here.

φράσαι is almost redundant, as in O.C. 35, 50, 1582.

σμικροὶ λόγοι , here in the sense of ‘few,’ ‘brief,’ rather than trivial. Cp. O.T. 120

ἓν γὰρ πόλλ’ ἃν ἐξεύροι μαθεῖν

. O.C. 443

ἔπους σμικροῦ χάριν

πατρὸς … δευτέραν ὁμιλίαν =

πατέρα αὖθις ὁμιλοῦντα

: cp. Ai. 872

ναὸς κοινόπλουν ὁμιλίαν

: Eur. Heracl. 581

ὑμεῖς δ’, ἀδελφῶν ἡ παροῦσ’ ὁμιλία

, |

εὐδαιμονοῖτε

. So Soph. Ph. 868

οἰκούρημα...ξένων

(n.).

ἐφέστιον πῆξαι : cp. O. T. 1411

θαλάσσιον ἐκρίψατ’

(n.). The floor of the Homeric megaron was not of wood or stone, but merely of earth trodden hard; Odysseus, when he sets up the axes, digs a trench in it ( Od. 21. 120 ).

πῆξαι

, then, affords no reason against referring

ἐφέστιον

to the hearth in the megaron (270 n.). But the vision of the tree becomes more intelligible if we imagine the sceptre planted at the altar of Zeus Herkeios in the open

αὐλή

of the house ( Ant. 487 ). The suppliants at the household altars of Oedipus can say of themselves,

ἑζόμεσθ’ ἐφέστιοι

( O.T. 32).

This sceptre is described in the Iliad (2. 101 f.) as the work of Hephaestus, who gave it Zeus; Hermes transmitted it to Pelops, from whom it passed to Atreus and Agamemnon. The Homeric sceptre is often called

χρύσεον

( Il. 2. 268 , etc.), prob. as being ornamented with gold foil, or studded with gold nails ( Il. 1. 246

χρυσείοις ἥλοισι πεπαρμένον

). Among the objects found at Mycenae are some supposed remains of such sceptres (Schliem., Myc. 201, etc.).

οὑφόρει ποτέ κ.τ.λ.: cp. 268 n.

ἔκ τε may have been preferred by the poet to ἐκ δὲ on account of

τανῦν δ’.

βρύοντα , luxuriant (with foliage): cp. Il. 17. 56 (

ἔρνος

)

βρύει ἄνθεϊ

: O. C. 16 n.

ᾧ … γενέσθαι : for the inf. in a relative clause of oratio obliqua, cp. Her. 6. 117

ἄνδρα οἱ δοκέειν ὁπλίτην ἀντιστῆναι μέγαν, τοῦ τὸ γένειον τὴν ἀσπίδα πᾶσαν σκιάζειν

. Thuc. 2. 102

λέγεται δὲ καὶ Ἀλκμαίωνι..., ὅτε δὴ ἀλᾶσθαι αὐτὸν..., τὸν Ἀπόλλω...χρῆσαι κ.τ.λ.

The vision resembles that of Astyages, who dreamed that a vine sprang from his daughter Mandanè, the wife of Cambyses,

τὴν δὲ ἄμπελον ἐπισχεῖν τὴν Ἀσίην πᾶσαν

. The

ὀνειροπόλοι

explained this to mean that her son (Cyrus) should reign in his grandfather's stead. ( Her. 1. 108. ) The spreading branches figure also in the dream of Xerxes (7. 19):

ἐδόκεε...ἐστεφανῶσθαι ἐλαίης θαλλῷ, ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς ἐλαίης τοὺς κλάδους γῆν πᾶσαν ἐπισχεῖν

In choosing the sceptre of Agamemnon as the stock from which the wondrous growth is put forth, Sophocles may have had in mind the words of Achilles ( Il. 1. 234 ff.);

ναὶ μὰ τόδε σκῆπτρον· τὸ μὲν οὔποτε φύλλα καὶ ὄζους

φύσει, ἐπεὶ δὴ πρῶτα τομὴν ἐν ὄρεσσι λέλοιπεν

, |

οὐδ’ ἀναθηλήσει

του παρόντος has better MS. authority than

τοῦ παρόντος

, and is preferred by most editors; but the choice is nicely balanced. (1) τοῦ gives the simplest construction for παρόντος , and the better rhythm. But it is also somewhat strange, as implying that the presence of one person, and no more, was to be expected on such an occasion. In 927,

τοῦ πλησίον παρόντος ἡνίκ’ ὤλλυτο

, the reference is definitely to the paedagogus. (2) του is strongly recommended by Eur. Med. 67

ἤκουσά του λέγοντος, οὐ δοκῶν κλύειν

. The constr. then is

τοιαῦτα ἐξηγουμένου ἔκλυόν του, παρόντος ἡνίκα ἡλίῳ δείκνυσι τὸ ὄναρ

: and

παρόντος

is properly predicative,=‘inasmuch as he was present’ (and therefore able to tell). On the whole, I now prefer

του

. Hartung, to show the constr., points thus,

τοιαῦτά του, παρόντος ἡνίχ’ κ.τ.λ.

: needlessly, I think.

Ἡλίῳ δείκνυσι τοὖναρ . Cp. I. T. 42

ἃ καινὰ δ’ ἥκει νὺξ φέρουσα φάσματα

, |

λέξω πρὸς αἰθέῤ, εἴ τι δὴ τόδ’ ἔστ’ ἄκος

. Schol.:

τοῖς γὰρ παλαιοῖς ἔθος ἦν ἀποτροπιαζομένους

(by way of expiation)

τῷ ἡλίῳ διηγεῖσθαι τὰ ὀνείρατα

. The popular attributes of

Ἥλιος

suggest more than one reason for such a custom. 1. He is the god of light and purity,

ἁγνὸς θεός

( Pind. O. 7. 60 ), who dispels the terrors of darkness. 2. As the all-seeing god,

πανόπτης

, he is especially the detector of guilt ( Hom. Od. 8. 270 ), able to reveal the lurking danger which an evil dream might foreshadow. 3. And, generally, he is a saving power (

σωτήρ

, Paus. 8. 31. 7 ): cp. Suppl. 213

καλοῦμεν αὐγὰς Ἡλίου σωτηρίους

οὐ κάτοιδα, πλὴν

κ.τ.λ.

: cp. 410 n.

πέμπει με κείνη . Ellendt agrees with Brunck in writing

μ’ ἐκείνη

, on the ground that the demonstrative pron. gains emphasis by the elision. But there is really nothing to choose. The fact that the best MS. (L) has the rarer form may be allowed to turn the scale. (Cp. Tr. 1091. )

428-430

These three verses, which the MSS. give to Electra, and which several recent critics reject (cr. n.), clearly belong to Chrysothemis, and are genuine. Electra's exclamation of joy (411) caused Chrysothemis to ask if her sister had any ground for hope (412). Electra replied that, when she had heard the dream, she would say. This showed her sister that Electra relied merely on the fact that Clytaemnestra had seen some fearful vision. Now, therefore, instead of asking for Electra's interpretation, she merely repeats her counsel (383 f.) before proceeding on her errand. The words

πρός νυν θεῶν κ.τ.λ.

(428 ff.) show the train of her thought. To Chrysothemis, the alarm of Clytaemnestra (427) is more important than the apparition of Agamemnon. The dream is only a new reason why Electra should be cautious,—not why she should hope.

The current ascription of the verses to Electra was doubtless prompted by verse 413. It was supposed that the recital of Chrysothemis must be immediately followed by the comments of Electra. But, as Hermann observed, the phrase

ἀβουλίᾳ πεσεῖν

would alone suffice to show that the verses belong to Chrysothemis ( cp. 398 ). Nor could the warning,

σὺν κακῷ μέτει πάλιν

, be fitly uttered by Electra.

τῶν ἐγγενῶν , ‘the gods of our race’: cp. Ant. 199

γῆν πατρῴαν καὶ θεοὺς τοὺς ἐγγενεῖς

(n.). The phrase of Electra,

θεοὶ πατρῷοι

(411),—recalling the memory of her father,—would be less fitting for Chrysothemis.

ἀβουλίᾳ , causal dat.; cp. 398

ἐξ ἀβουλίας

. (In Tr. 597 ,

αἰσχύνῃ πεσεῖ

, the dat. is one of manner.)

σὺν κακῷ ,=

κακὸν παθοῦσα

(383 f.). Cp. 61

σὺν κέρδει.

μέτει , sc.

με

, ‘thou wilt come in search of me,’ to help thee: schol.

αὐτὴ μετελεύσῃ με καὶ ἀξιώσεις μετὰ σοῦ γενέσθαι

ἀλλ’ , beginning the appeal: O.T. 14, O. C. 238 f.

ὦ φίλη . The bitter feeling seen in vv. 391 and 403 has passed away before the new hope, and she speaks with affectionate earnestness. — τούτων μὲν , as opposed to the offerings recommended in 449.

οὐ … θέμις , it is not sanctioned by usage, οὐδ’ ὅσιον , nor is it pious towards the gods: ius fasque vetant. Cp. Ant. 74 n.: Plat. Phaedop. 108 A

τῶν ὁσίων τε καὶ νομίμων

(meaning rites in honour of the dead): Ar. Th. 676

ὅσια καὶ νόμιμα

ἐχθρᾶς ἀπὸ γυναικὸς : for

ἀπό

, ‘on the part of,’ cp. 1469 : O.C. 1289

καὶ ταῦτ’ ἀφ’ ὑμῶν ... βουλήσομαι

| ..

κυρεῖν ἐμοί

. The prep., emphasising the quarter from which the offerings come, is suitable here.

κτερίσματ’ , used at 931 as including libations (894), but here distinguished from them. See on O. C. 1410

ἀλλ’ ἐν τάφοισι θέσθε κἀν κτερίσμασιν

. The verb

κτερίζειν

occurs in Ant. 204 (n.).

λουτρὰ =

χοάς

: 84 n.

ἀλλ’ ἢ πνοαῖσιν

κ.τ.λ.

, ‘cast them to the winds—or bury them deep in the earth.’ The first thought is a passionate utterance of scorn and loathing. Cp. Eur. Bacch. 350 , where Pentheus, in his rage against Teiresias, cries,

καὶ στέμματ’ ἀνέμοις καὶ θυέλλαισιν μέθες

. Eur. Tro. 418

Ἀργεἶ ὀνείδη καὶ Φρυγῶν ἐπαινέσεις

ἀνέμοις φέρεσθαι

παραδίδωμ’

. Ap. Rhod. 1. 1334

ἀλλ’ ἀνέμοισι | δώομεν ἀμπλακίην

. Theocr. 22. 167

ἴσκον

( dicebam)

τοιάδε πολλά· τὰ δ’ εἰς ὑγρὸν ᾤχετο κῦμα

πνοιὴ ἔχοισ’ ἀνέμοιο

. (So, too, the Latin poets: Verg. Aen. 11. 795 : Hor. C. 1. 26. 1 : Ov. Trist. 1. 2. 15 : Tibull. 1. 5. 35 , etc.) The passage is wretchedly enfeebled by the conjecture ῥοαῖσιν (as if she were to sink them in a river).

κρύψον adapts the general notion (

ἀφάνισον

) to

κόνει

: with

πνοαῖσιν

we supply

παράδος

, or the like. The zeugma is of a common type: Od. 9. 166

ἐς γαῖαν ἐλεύσσομεν …

καπνόν τ’ αὐτῶν τε φθογγὴν ὀΐων τε καὶ αἰγῶν

: 15. 374

οὐ μείλιχον ἔστιν ἀκοῦσαι | οὔτ’ ἔπος οὔτε τι ἔργον

: 20. 312

οἴνοιό τε πινομένοιο | καὶ σίτου

: Pind. P. 4. 104

οὔτε ἔργον

οὔτ’ ἔπος εὐτράπελον κείνοισιν εἰπών

: Aesch. P. V. 21

ἵν’ οὔτε φωνὴν οὔτε του μορφὴν βροτῶν

ὄψει

νιν here and in 624=

αὐτά

: it stands for the masc. pl. in O. T. 868 , and for the fem. in O. C. 43.

ἔνθα μή ποτ’ , with fut.: cp. 380 n. The conjecture ἔνθεν is specious, but needless; the meaning is, ‘in a place where they will have no access’ to his tomb, i.e., where they will be remote from it.

εὐνὴν is peculiarly fitting here, since the offerings are those of a false wife. Cp. Aesch. Ch. 318

ἔνθα σ’ ἔχουσιν εὐναί

. Anthol. Pal. append. 260

κεῖμαι ἐς αὐχμηροὺς καὶ ἀλαμπέας Ἄϊδος εὐνάς

ἀλλ’ ὅταν θάῃν . If the offerings are buried deep in the ground, they will thereby be committed to the care of the

νέρτεροι

: cp. Ai. 658 ff.

κρύψω τόδ’ ἔγχος τοὐμόν, ἔχθιστον βελῶν

, |

γαίας ὀρύξας ἔνθα μή τις ὄψεται

, |

ἀλλ’ αὐτὸ νὺξ Ἅιδης τε σῳζόντων κάτω

. When Clytaemnestra passes to the nether world, let her find these treasures laid up for her there. They will be witnesses to her conscious guilt.

The conjecture ἔστ’ ἂν for ὅταν is unnecessary, since σῳζέσθω =

σῳζόμενα <*>.

κειμήλἰ : cp. Il. 23. 618 (of a cup),

τῆ νῦν, καὶ σοὶ τοῦτο, γέρον, κειμήλιον ἔστω

ἀρχὴν , omnino, preceding the negative, as in Ant. 92 (n.), Ph. 1239. — τλημονεστάτη : cp. 275 .

ἔβλαστε , with initial

ε^

, as in 1095, Ph. 1311

ἐξ ἧς ἔβλαστες

(n.): but above, in 238, this

is long.

ὅν γ’ … τῷδ’ : for

ὅδε

after a relat., cp. O. C. 1332

οἷς ἂν σὺ προσθῇ, τοῖσδ’ ἔφασκ’ εἶναι κράτος

: Ph. 86 f.: Tr. 23 , Tr. 820.

ἐπέστεφε : 53 n.

442 f. The position of αὐτῇ shows that the dat. must be influenced by

προς‐

φιλῶς

, though it would be sufficiently explained by

δέξασθαι

: cp. Eur. Hec. 535

δέξαι χοάς μοι τάσδε

δέξεσθαι . Sophocles has joined

δοκῶ

(1) with the future infinitive in at least nine places:— O. T. 355 , O. T. 368 , O. T. 399 , O. T. 401 : Ph. 14 : Tr. 1138 , Tr. 1171 : Ai. 1086 : El. 471. (2) With the infin. ( pres. or aor.) and

ἄν

in O. T. 584 : O. C. 748 : Ai. 263 , Ai. 1078 : El. 312 , El. 614. (3) With the simple aor. inf. in El. 805 , and Ph. 276 : in both of which places the reference is to past time.

It seems, then, a reasonable inference that here, where the reference is to future time, he would have written δέξεσθαι rather than δέξασθαι , or else would have added

ἄν

to the aor. inf. In three of those passages which have the fut. inf., the aor. inf. would have suited the metre equally well ( O. T. 368

λέξειν

: ib. 399

παραστατήσειν

: Tr. 1171

πράξειν

). It is a different question whether

δοκεῖ δέξασθαι

could, or could not, refer to the future: see Appendix.

444 ff. Join θανὼν ἄτιμος , ruthlessly slain: cp. 98 : 1181: Ant. 1069

ψυχήν τ’ ἀτίμως ἐν τάφῳ κατῴκισας

ἐμασχαλίσθη . The verb occurs only here and in Aesch. Ch. 439

ἐμασχαλίσθη δέ γ’, ὡς τόδ’ εἰδῇς

. In his Troilus Sophocles used the phrase

πλήρη μασχαλισμάτων

, and probably also

τὸν μασχαλισμόν

(fr. 566). The explanation given by the scholiasts and the lexicographers dates at least from Aristophanes of Byzantium (see Appendix). Murderers used to cut off the extremities of their victim, and suspend these at his arm-pits (

μασχάλαι

) and from his neck. Hence

μασχαλίζω

is paraphrased by

ἀκρωτηριάζω

Two different motives are assigned by the Greek commentators; viz.:—(1) the desire to render the dead incapable of wreaking vengeance (

ὥσπερ τὴν δύναμιν ἐκείνων ἀφαιρούμενοι

): (2) the desire to make an atonement (

ἐξιλάσασθαι τὴν δολοφονίαν—ἀφοσιοῦσθαι τὸν φόνον

). There can be little doubt that the first of these motives was the primitive origin of the custom. If the second was afterwards blended with it, the idea may have been that of offering the severed portions to the gods below,—as a victim was devoted to death by cutting off a lock of hair ( Eur. Alc. 75 ). Apollonius Rhodius seems to present the practice in this light (4. 477): Jason, having slain a foe,

ἐξάργματα τάμνε θανόντος

. Cp. Etym. Magn.:

ἀπάργματα λέγεται τὰ ὑπὸ τῶν τραγῳδῶν λεγόμενα μασχαλίσματα

κἀπὶ λουτροῖσιν κ.τ.λ.: ‘and, for ablution, she wiped off the blood-stains (from her sword) on his head.’

ἐπὶ

here= ‘with a view to’ (cp. Ant. 792

ἐπὶ λώβᾳ

, O. T. 1457

ἐπὶ...κακῷ

), and

ἐπὶ λουτροῖς

ἐπὶ καθάρσει

. The action was a symbolical way of saying, ‘on thy head, not mine, be the guilt,’—as though the victim had provoked his own fate (thus Clytaemnestra claimed to be the avenger of Iphigeneia). So the Greek commentators explain; see schol. on 446,

ὥσπερ τὰς ἐπὶ τῷ μύσει κηλῖδας ἀποτρεπόμενοι

: and Eustathius p. 1857. 7

ὡς εἰς κεφαλὴν δῆθεν ἐκείνοις

(the victims)

τρεπομένου τοῦ

κακοῦ

. Cp. Od. 19. 92

ἔρδουσα μέγα ἔργον, ὃ σῇ κεφαλῇ <*>ναμάξεις

, ‘of which thou shalt take the stain on thine own head,’ i.e. ‘of which the guilt shall rest upon thy head’: imitated by Her. 1. 155

τὰ μὲν γὰρ πρότερον ἐγώ τε ἔπρηξα καὶ ἐγὼ ἐμῇ κεφαλῇ ἀναμάξας φέρω

. Besides the proverbial

εἰς κεφαλὴν σοί

( Ar. Pax 1063 etc.), cp. Dem. or. 18 § 294

οἷς ἂν εἰκότως..τὴν τῶν γεγενημένων αἰτίαν ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀναθεῖεν ἅπαντες

.—This is better than to take

ἐπὶ λουτροῖς

as=‘for washing (of the corpse),’— i.e., in lieu of the

λουτρά

which it was the duty of relatives to give the dead ( Ai. 1405

λουτρῶν ὁσίων

: O. C. 1602 n.: Ant. 901 ).

ἐξέμαξ ν , sc.

ἡ Κλυταιμνήστρα

: not

ὁ νέκυς

, which would require

ἐξεμάξατ’

. The change of subject is softened by the transition from a relative clause (

ὑφ’ ἧς κ.τ.λ.

) to an independent sentence ( cp. 188 ff., O. C. 424 , note in Appendix, p. 278); and Greek idiom was tolerant in this matter: see on Tr. 362 ff.

ἆρα μὴ ( Ant. 632 ), like

μῶν

(‘can it be that..?’).

οὐκ ἔστιν , finally rejecting the supposition, like

οὐκ ἔστι ταῦτα

( Tr. 449 : Ai. 470 ).

ταῦτα μὲν μέθες· σὺ δὲ κ.τ.λ. Here

σὺ δὲ

marks an antithesis, not of persons, but of clauses, and serves merely to emphasise the second clause. This is a peculiarly Ionic usage. Il. 9. 300

εἰ δέ τοι

σοι

)

Ἀτρείδης μὲν ἀπήχθετο

.. | ..

σὺ δ’ ἄλλους περ Παναχαιοὺς

τειρομένους ἐλέαιρε

: 6. 46

ζώγρει, Ἀτρέος υἱέ, σὺ δ’ ἄξια δέξαι ἄποινα

[

ζώγρει

μὴ κτεῖνε

]: 4. 491

τοῦ μὲν ἅμαρθ)· ὁ δὲ Λεῦκον, Ὀδυσσέος ἐσθλὸν ἑταῖρον

, |

βεβλήκει

. Her. 3. 68

εἰ μὴ αὐτὴ Σμέρδιν..γινώσκεις, σὺ δὲ παρὰ Ἀτόσσης πύυευ

: 7. 159

εἰ δ’ ἄρα μὴ δικαιοῖς ἄρχεσθαι, σὺ δὲ μηδὲ βοήθεε

. The Attic poets took the idiom from the Ionians: Aesch. Ag. 1060

εἰ δ’ ἀξυνήμων οὖσα μὴ δέχει λόγον

, |

σὺ δ’ ἀντὶ φωνῆς φράζε καρβάνῳ χερί

. It is rarer in Attic prose: Xen. An. 4. 2. §§ 5, Xen. An. 6 :

αὐτοὶ ἐνταῦθ’ ἔμενον, ὡς τὸ ἄκρον κατέχοντες· οἱ δ’ οὐ κατεῖχον

βοστρύχων ἄκρας φόβας , since the offering at the grave was to be merely a lock of hair (

πλόκαμος πενθητήριος

, Aesch. Ch. 8 ), in token of grief. The hair is not now to be cut short, as for a recent death ( Helen. 1053

γυναικείοις ἂν οἰκτισαίμεθα

κουραῖσι καὶ θρήνοισι

). The censure of Helen in Eur. Or. 128 ,

εἴδετε παρ’ ἄκρας ὡς ἀπέθρισεν τρίχας

, |

σῴζουσα κάλλος

, refers to the time of her mother's death.

κἀμοῦ ταλαίνης is a possessive genitive, going with

τήνδ’ ἀλιπ. τρίχα

. It is so placed in the sentence as to heighten the pathos:—‘give him a lock cut from (thine own head),—and (give) on my part..this hair,’ etc.

†ἀλιπαρῆ . The schol.'s paraphrase

αὐχμηράν

, gives the sense which we require. Cp. Eur. El. 183

σκέψαι μου πιναρὰν κόμαν | καὶ πέπλων τρύχη τάδ’ ἐμῶν

. But

ἀλιπαρής

, the negative of

λιπαρής

, could mean only, ‘not earnest,’ ‘not persevering.’ In v. 1378 Electra says (to Apollo),

ἥ σε πολλὰ δὴ

ἀφ’ ὧν ἔχοιμι λιπαρεῖ προὔστην χερί

, i.e., ‘with a zealous, a devout, hand.’ And we learn from the scholiast here that a variant, probably as old as Didymus ( circ. 30 C.B. ), for

ἀλιπαρῆ

was λιπαρῆ :

ὅ ἐστιν, ἐξ ἧς αὐτὸν λιπαρήσομεν, ὡς εἰ ἔλεγεν ἱκέτιν τρίχα

, ‘a suppliant lock.’ It is surely manifest, however, that

λιπαρὴς θρίξ

could not mean, ‘a lock of hair offered by a suppliant.’ We may safely, then, reject Hermann's corresponding interpretation of

ἀλιπαρῆ

, comam non accommodatam supplicationi. Nor do I now think that

ἀλιπαρὴς θρίξ

could mean ‘not cared for,’ ‘neglected.’

We come, therefore, to a dilemma. (1) The words

τήνδ’ ἀλιπαρῆ τρίχα

may conceal some corruption:

τήνδ’

ought possibly to be τήνδε τ’ (which is preferable to

τήνδε γ’

here), followed by ἀλίπαρον (cr. n.), ‘not sleek or glossy,’ as with unguents. I incline to this view. The genuine word was in any case probably negative, parallel with

οὐ χλιδαῖς ἠσκημένον

in 452.

(2) Or else, if the text be sound,

ἀλιπαρῆ

may mean

οὐ λιπαράν

. There is no doubt that

λιπ

, ‘fat,’ is the root both of

λι^παρός

, ‘shining,’ and of

λι—παρής

, ‘sticking’; cp. Plat. Crat. 427 B

τὸ λιπαρὸν καὶ τὸ κολλῶδες

( Curt. Etym. § 340 ). Similarly

γλίσχρος

, ‘sticky,’ came to mean ‘importunate.’ It is barely possible that, in coining a new negative compound, the poet may have transferred the sense of

λιπαρός

λιπαρής

: but it seems improbable.

ζῶμα here =

ζώνην

, a sense which recurs only in later Greek; as in Anth. Pal. 6. 272 a woman dedicates her

ζῶμα

to Artemis. (As to the

ζῶμα

of the Homeric warrior, see Introd. to Homer, p. 65, n. 3.)

χλιδαῖς ( cp. 52 , 360), such as embroidery, or metal work.

ζῶναι

were often elaborate and costly. A golden girdle, found in Ithaca, has as clasp a knot of metal ornamented with garnets, etc. ( Dict. of Ant., 2nd ed., vol. 1. p. 427).—The

ζῶμα

is to be laid on the grave, as ribands etc. sometimes were: cp. schol. Ar. Lys. 603

τὰς ταινίας ἃς τοῖς νεκροῖς ἔπεμπον οἱ φίλοι

προσπίτνουσα , at the tomb.— αὐτὸν , ‘himself’ (rather than merely ‘him’), as the next verse shows.

ἐξ ὑπερτέρας χερός :

ἐκ

ex presses the condition: cp. Tr. 875

ἐξ ἀκινήτου ποδός

: Ph. 91 n.

ζῶντ’ , instead of dying first, as his foes hope. The thought is, ‘may he live to do it.’

ἀφνεωτέραις .

ἀφνεός

is used by Pindar, Theognis, and Aesch. (though only in lyrics, Aesch. Pers. 3 and fr. 96):

ἀφνειός

is the only Homeric form.

στέφωμεν : cp. 53 , 441.

δωρούμεθα : cp. Pind. O. 6. 78

ἐδώρησαν θεῶν κάρυκα λιταῖς θυσίαις

οἶμαι μὲν οὖν : ‘Now (

οὖν

) I think (

οἶμαι μὲν

) that our father is already aiding us of his own accord; but still (

ὅμως δέ

, 461) pray for his help.’ Here the particles

μὲν οὖν

have each their separate force, as in O. T. 483 , O. C. 664 , Ant. 65 : not their compound force, ‘nay rather’ (1503).

If μέλον be kept, we must supply

ἦν

, and take

οἶμαι

as parenthetic. This is possible, but harsh.

οἶμαι

cannot govern

μέλον

, as though it were

οἶδα

. (Nor can

μέλον τι

be the subject to

πέμψαι

, as Paley takes it: ‘I think that some concern affecting him also sent these dreams.’) Probably μέλειν was corrupted to μέλον through a misunderstanding of the construction. The sense is,

νομίζω ὅτι καὶ ἐκείνῳ ἔμελέ τι

(adv., ‘in some degree’)

πέμψαι κ.τ.λ.

She means that, though the gods below are the primary authors of the vision, the spirit of the dead was also in some measure active.

σοί =

σεαυτῇ

: cp. 363 (

ἐμέ

ἐμαυτήν

), n.

βροτῶν : cp. 407 n.

πρὸς εὐσέβειαν =

εὐσεβῶς

: cp. 369

πρὸς ὀργὴν

(n.).

δράσω . Chrysothemis here accepts the lock of hair and the girdle which Electra offers to her. We must suppose that, after leaving the scene, she puts Clytaemnestra's gifts somewhere out of sight.

τὸ γὰρ δίκαιον κ.τ.λ. The sense is, ‘When a duty has once become clear, there is no more room for disputing,— one should act forthwith.’ Two constructions are possible; I prefer the first.

(1)

τὸ δίκαιον

is an acc. of general reference, and

οὐκ ἔχει λόγον

is impersonal. ‘With regard to what is (clearly) right, it is unreasonable for two persons to dispute; rather both should hasten on the doing (of it).’ With

ἀλλ’ ἐπισπεύδειν

we supply the notion

δεῖ

from the negative

οὐκ ἔχει λόγον

(as from

οὐκ ἔξεστι

in O. C. 1402 ff.; cp. O. T. 817 ff.). For the form of the sentence, cp. H. 7. 3. 7

τοὺς περὶ Ἀρχίαν...οὐ ψῆφον ἀνεμείνατε, ἀλλὰ ὁπότε πρῶτον ἐδυνάσθητε ἐτιμωρήσασθε

. So here the acc.

τὸ δίκαιον

, which represents the object of

δρᾶν

, is separated from it by the parenthesis

οὐκ

ἔχει λόγον δυοῖν ἐρίζειν

. (The first scholium gives substantially this view:

οὐκ ἔχει λόγον φιλονεικεῖν περὶ τοῦ δικαίου, ὥστε περὶ αὐτοῦ δύο ὄντας ἐρίζειν

(2) Or

τὸ δίκαιον

might be nom.: ‘that which is clearly right does not afford any ground (

οὐκ ἔχει λόγον

) for two persons to dispute,’ etc. So the second schol.:

ἢ τὸ οὐκ ἔχει λόγον ἀντὶ τοῦ οὐ παρέχει πρόφασιν

. So far as the verb

ἔχει

is concerned, this sense is quite admissible: cp. Thuc. 2. 41

οὔτε τῷ πολεμίῳ ἐπελθόντι ἀγανάκτησιν ἔχει

(

ἡ πόλις

). The objection is that the phrases

ἔχειν λόγον, οὐκ ἔχειν λόγον

, which are very common, regularly mean, ‘to be reasonable,’ ‘to be unreasonable.’ This is so both in the personal and in the impersonal constr.; as Plat. Phaedop. 62 D

τὸ γὰρ μὴ ἀγανακτεῖν...οὐκ ἔχει λόγον

: Dem. or. 36 § 54

πῶς ἔχει λόγον σὲ...δίκην ἀξιοῦν λαμβάνειν

; The supposed sense, ‘not to afford a reason,’ is unexampled.

δυοῖν is taken by Hermann and others to mean Electra and the Chorus. ‘The right view (of the matter) affords no ground for me to contend against you both.’ But the controversy of Chrysothemis has been with Electra only. She is yielding to a new perception of her duty, not to a majority of voices.

παρ’ ὑμῶν , on your part: cp. Tr. 596

μόνον παρ’ ὑμῶν εὖ στεγοίμεθ’

πικρὰν , to my cost: Eur. Bacch. 356

ὡς ἂν λευσίμου δίκης τυχὼν

θάνῃ, πικρὰν βάκχευσιν ἐν Θήβαις ἰδών

. I. A. 1315

πικράν

, |

πικρὰν ἰδοῦσα δυσελέναν

.— For δοκῶ με … τολμήσειν , cp. Tr. 706

ὁρῶ δέ μ’ ἔργον δεινὸν ἐξειργασμένην

(n.).—For ἔτι , cp. 66 .

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)) — 251 focus

ἐγὼ μέν, ὦ παῖ, καὶ τὸ σὸν σπεύδουσ᾽ ἅμα

καὶ τοὐμὸν αὐτῆς ἦλθον· εἰ δὲ μὴ καλῶς

λέγω, σὺ νίκα· σοὶ γὰρ ἐψόμεσθ᾽ ἅμα.

ΗΛ.

αἰσχύνομαι μέν, ὦ γυναῖκες, εἰ δοκῶ

πολλοῖσι θρήνοις δυσφορεῖν ὑμῖν ἄγαν.
255

ἀλλ᾽ ἡ βία γὰρ ταῦτ᾽ ἀναγκάζει με δρᾶν,

σύγγνωτε, πῶς γὰρ ἥτις εὐγενὴς γυνή,

πατρῷ ὁρῶσα πήματ', οὐ δρῴη τάδ᾽ ἄν,

ἁγὼ κατ᾿ ἡμαρ καὶ κατ᾿ εὐφρόνην ἀεὶ

θάλλοντα μᾶλλον ἢ καταφθíνονθ᾽ ὁρῶ;
260

ᾗ πρῶτα μὲν τὰ om. L add C². μητρός, ἥ μ᾿ ἐγείνατο,

ἔχθιστα συμβέβηκεν· εἶτα δώμασιν

ἐν τοῖς ἐμαυτῆς τοῖς φονεῦσι τοῦ πατρὸς

ξύνειμι, κἀκ τῶνδ᾽ ἄρχομαι κἀκ τῶνδέ μοι

λαβεῖν β from θ L pr. λαθεῖν Pal. pr. θ' ὁμοίως καὶ τὸ τητᾶσθαι πέλει.
265

ἔπειτα ποίας ἡμέρας δοκεῖς μ' ἄγειν,

ὅταν θρόνοις Αἴγισθον ἐνθακοῦντ᾽ ἴδω

τοῖσιν πατρῴοις, εἰσίδω δ᾽ ἐσθήματα

φοροῦντ᾽ ἐκείνῳ ταὐτά, καὶ παρεστίους

σπένδοντα λοιβὰς ἔνθ᾽ ἐκεῖνον ὤλεσεν,
270

ἴδω δὲ τούτων τὴν τελευταίαν ὕβριν,

τὸν αὐτοφόντην γρ. αὐτοέντην C3. ἡμὶν ἐν κοίτῃ πατρὸς

ξὺν τῇ ταλαίνῃ μητρί, μητέρ' εἰ χρεὼν χρεῶν L. χρεὼν A.

ταύτην προσαυδᾶν τῷδε συγκοιμωμένην·

ἡ δ᾽ ἤδ' L Pal. Schaef. corr. ἡ δ' A. ὧδε τλήμων ὥστε τῷ μιάστορι
275

τράπεζα κείσθω καὶ περιρρείτω βίος.

ἐμοὶ γὰρ ἔστω τοὐμὲ μὴ τοῦ με μὴ L pr. FL2 pr. τοὐμὲ C² AV3. τοὔμε μὴ V. *λυποῦν λυπεῖν MSS. but see Scholia. μόνον

βόσκημα· τῆς σῆς δ᾽ οὐκ ἐρῶ τιμῆς τυχεῖν τυχεῖν C1 or 4. τυχεῖν ΑΓΙ2. λαχεῖν Pal..

οὐδ᾽ ἂν σύ, σώφρων γ' οὖσα. νῦν δ' om. L add C². ἐξὸν πατρὸς
365

πάντων ἀρίστου παῖδα κεκλῆσθαι, καλοῦ

τῆς μητρός. οὕτω γὰρ φανεῖ πλείστοις κακή,

θανόντα πατέρα καὶ φίλους προδοῦσα σούς.

ΧΟ.

μηδὲν πρὸς ὀργὴν πρὸς θεῶν· ὡς τοῖς λόγοις

ἔνεστιν ἀμφοῖν κέρδος, εἰ σὺ μὲν μάθοις
370

τοῖς τῆσδε χρῆσθαι, τοῖς δὲ σοῖς αὕτη αὐτὴ LAF. αὕτη Pal. πάλιν.

ΧΡ.

ἐγὼ μέν, ὦ γυναῖκες, ἠθάς εἰμί εἰμή L. πως

τῶν τῆσδε μύθων· οὐδ᾽ ἂν ἐμνήσθην ποτέ,

εἰ μὴ κακὸν μέγιστον εἰς αὐτὴν ἰὸν

ἤκουσ᾽, ὃ ταύτην τῶν μακρῶν σχήσει γόων.
375

ΗΛ.

φέρ᾽ εἰπὲ δὴ τὸ δεινόν. εἰ γὰρ τῶνδέ μοι

μεῖζόν τι λέξεις, οὐκ ἂν ἀντείποιμ᾽ ἔτι.

ΧΡ.

ἀλλ᾽ ἐξερῶ σοι σοι C. τοι AΓ. πᾶν ὅσον κάτοιδ᾽ ἐγώ.

μέλλουσι γάρ σ᾽, εἰ τῶνδε μὴ λήξῃς γόων γρ. καὶ λόγων C².,

ἐνταῦθα πέμψειν, ἔνθα μή ποθ᾽ ἡλίου
380

φέγγος προσόψει, ζῶσα δ᾽ ἐν κατηρεφεῖ

στέγῃ χθονὸς τῆσδ᾽ ἐκτὸς ὑμνήσεις κακά.

πρὸς ταῦτα φράζου, καί με μή ποθ᾽ ὕστερον

παθοῦσα μέμψῃ. νῦν γὰρ ἐν καλῷ φρονεῖν.

ΗΛ.

ἢ ταῦτα δή με καὶ βεβούλευνται ποιεῖν πο(ι)εῖν ? L. ;
385

ΧΡ.

μάλισθ'· ὅταν περ οἴκαδ᾽ Αἴγισθος μόλῃ.

ΗΛ.

ἀλλ᾽ ἐξίκοιτο τοῦδέ γ' οἵνεκ᾽ ἐν τάχει.

ΧΡ.

τίν, ὦ τάλαινα, τόνδ᾽ ἐπηράσω λόγον;

ΗΛ.

ἐλθεῖν ἐκεῖνον, εἴ τι τῶνδε δρᾶν νοεῖ.

ΧΡ.

ὅπως πάθῃς τί χρῆμα; ποῦ ποτ᾽ εἶ φρενῶν ;
390

ΗΛ.

ὅπως ἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν ὡς προσώτατ᾽ ἐκφύγω.

ΧΡ.

βίου δὲ τοῦ παρόντος οὐ μνείαν ἔχεις;

ΗΛ.

καλὸς γὰρ οὑμὸς βίοτος ὥστε θαυμάσαι.

ΧΡ.

ἀλλ᾽ ἦν ἄν, εἰ σύ γ' εὖ φρονεῖν ἠπίστασο.

ΗΛ.

μή μ᾽ ἐκδίδασκε τοῖς φίλοις εἶναι κακήν.
395

ΧΡ.

ἀλλ᾽ οὐ διδάσκω· τοῖς κρατοῦσι δ᾽ εἰκαθεῖν εἰκάθειν LA Pal. (gl. ὑποτάσσεσθαι) Elms. corr..

ΗΛ.

σὺ ταῦτα θώπευ· οὐκ ἐμοὺς τρόπους λέγεις.

ΧΡ.

καλόν γε μέντοι μὴ ἐξ ἀβουλίας πεσεῖν.

ΗΛ.

πεσούμεθ᾽, εἰ χρή, πατρὶ τιμωρούμενοι.

ΧΡ.

πατὴρ δὲ τούτων, οἶδα, συγγνώμην ἔχει.
400

ΗΛ.

ταῦτ᾽ ἐστὶ τἄπη πρὸς κακῶν ἐπαινέσαι.

ΧΡ.

σὺ δ᾽ οὐχὶ πείσει καὶ συναινέσεις ἐμοί;

ΗΛ.

οὐ δῆτα, μή πω νοῦ τοσόνδ᾽ εἴην κενή.

ΧΡ.

χωρήσομαί ο from a L. τἄρ᾽ οἶπερ ἐστάλην ὁδοῦ.

ΗΛ.

ποῖ δ᾽ ἐμπορεύει ἐμπορεύηι L (μ from v C¹) A Pal.; τῷ φέρεις τάδ᾽ ἔμπυρα ;
405

ΧΡ.

μήτηρ με πέμπει πατρὶ τυμβεῦσαι χοάς.

ΗΛ.

πῶς εἶπας; ἢ ἡ εἰ L. 7 C5 or 8 A. L2. τῷ δυσμενεστάτῳ βροτῶν;

ΧΡ.

ὃν ἔκταν᾿ αὐτή, τοῦτο γὰρ λέξαι θέλεις.

ΗΛ͵

ἐκ τοῦ φίλων πεισθεῖσα; τῷ τοῦτ᾽ ἤρεσεν ;

ΧΡ.

ἐκ δείματός του νυκτέρου, δοκεῖν ἐμοί.
410

ΗΛ.

ὦ θεοὶ πατρῷοι, συγγένεσθέ γ᾽ ἀλλὰ νῦν.

ΧΡ.

ἔχεις τι θάρσος τοῦδε τοῦ τάρβους πέρι;

ΗΛ.

εἴ μοι λέγοις λέγεις LAΓ. λέγεις Pal. Tricl. corr. τὴν ὄψιν, εἴποιμ᾽ ἂν τότε.

ΧΡ.

ἀλλ᾽ οὐ κάτοιδα πλὴν ἐπὶ σμικρὸν σμικροῦ, ων L pr. v into v and ων C5. σμικρῶι AL2. σμικρὸν Γ. φράσαι.

ΗΛ.

λέγ᾿ ἀλλὰ τοῦτο, πολλά τοι σμικροὶ λόγοι
415

ἔσφηλαν ἤδη καὶ κατώρθωσαν βροτούς.

ΧΡ.

λόγος τις αὐτήν ἐστιν εἰσιδεῖν πατρὸς

τοῦ σοῦ τε κἀμοῦ δευτέραν ὁμιλίαν

ἐλθόντος εἰς φῶς· εἶτα τόνδ᾽ ἐφέστιον

πῆξαι λαβόντα σκῆπτρον, οὑφόρει ποτὲ
420

αὐτός, τανῦν δ᾽ Αἴγισθος· ἔκ τε τοῦδ᾽ ἄνω

βλαστεῖν βρύοντα θαλλόν, ᾧ τῶι L (γρ. C6 mg.). τῷ I (mg. 4). τῶι L² pr. τῶ V pr. & V. V. A Vat. ac M². κατάσκιον

πᾶσαν γενέσθαι τὴν Μυκηναίων χθόνα.

τοιαῦτα τοῦ παρόντος, ἡνίχ᾽ ῾Ηλίῳ

δείκνυσι τοὔναρ, ἔκλυον ἐξηγουμένου.
425

πλείω δὲ τούτων οὐ κάτοιδα, πλὴν ὅτι

πέμπει μ' ἐκείνη με κείνη LAL2. τοῦδε τοῦ φόβου χάριν.

πρός νυν πρὸσ νῦν LA Pal. θεῶν σε λίσσομαι τῶν ἐγγενῶν

ἐμοὶ πιθέσθαι μηδ᾽ ἀβουλίᾳ πεσεῖν·

εἰ γάρ μ' ἀπώσει, σὺν κακῷ μέτει πάλιν.
430

ΗΛ.

ἀλλ᾽, ὦ φίλη, τούτων μὲν ὧν ἔχεις χεροῖν

τύμβῳ προσάψῃς μηδέν· οὐ γάρ σοι θέμις

οὐδ᾽ ὅσιον ἐχθρᾶς ἀπὸ om. LFL2 add C7 or 6A. γυναικὸς ἱστάναι

κτερίσματ᾽ οὐδὲ λουτρὰ προσφέρειν πατρί·

ἀλλ᾽ ἢ πνοαῖσιν ἢ βαθυσκαφεῖ κόνει
435

κρύψον κρύψο L. κρύψον C². κρύψόν. gl. τὰ ἐνταφιάσματα Pal. νιν, ἔνθα μή ποτ᾽ εἰς εὐνὴν πατρὸς

τούτων πρόσεισι μηδέν· ἀλλ᾽ ὅταν θάνῃ,

κειμήλι αὐτῇ ταῦτα σωζέσθω κάτω.

ἀρχὴν δ᾽ ἄν δ᾽ ἂν L pr. δ' ἂν A. γὰρ Pal., εἰ μὴ τλημονεστάτη γυνὴ

πασῶν ἔβλαστε, τάσδε δυσμενεῖς χοὰς
440

οὐκ ἄν ποθ᾽, ὅν γ᾽ ἔκτεινε, τῷδ᾽ ἐπέστεφε.

σκέψαι γὰρ εἴ σοι προσφιλῶς αὐτῇ δοκεῖ

γέρα γέρᾶ L. γέρατα δ᾽ Γ. τάδ᾽ οὖν τάφοισι δέξασθαι νέκυς νέκυς in erasure of two words, Co. νέκυν Γ. νέκυς Pal.,

ὑφ᾽᾿ ἧς θανὼν ἄτιμος, ὥστε δυσμενής,

ἐμασχαλίσθη κἀπὶ λουτροῖσιν κάρᾳ κάρα LA Vat. c. κάρᾳ Vat. a.
445

κηλίδας ἐξέμαξεν ἐξαίμαξεν LL2. ἐξέμαξεν C ΑΓ Pal. (gl. ἐκάθαρεν).. ἆρα μὴ δοκεῖς

λυτήρι αὐτῇ αὐτὴ L pr. αὐτῆι C. ταῦτα τοῦ φόνου φέρειν;

οὐκ ἔστιν, ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν μέθες· σὺ δὲ

τεμοῦσα κρατὸς βοστρύχων ἄκρας φόβας φόβας L. κόμας Γ.

κἀμοῦ ταλαίνης, - σμικρὰ μὲν τάδ', ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως
450

ἄχω αχω L. ἄχω C. ἄχω Α., δὸς αὐτῷ, τήνδε †λιπαρῆ τήνδ᾽ ἀλιπαρή MSS. τήνδε λιπαρή Schol.. τρίχα

καὶ ζῶμα τοὐμὸν οὐ χλιδαῖς ἠσκημένον.

αἰτοῦ δὲ προσπίτνουσα προσπίτνοῦσα C. προσπίτνουσα L2. γῆθεν εὐμενῆ

ἡμῖν ἀρωγὸν αὐτὸν εἰς ἐχθροὺς μολεῖν,

καὶ παῖδ᾽ Ορέστην ἐξ ὑπερτέρας χερὸς
455

ἐχθροῖσιν αὐτοῦ ζῶντ᾽ ἐπεμβῆναι ἐπιβῆναι L. ἐπεμβῆναι C°A Pal. (gl. ἐπελθεῖν) Vat. ac. ποδί,

ὅπως τὸ λοιπὸν αὐτὸν ἀφνεωτέραις

χερσὶ στέφωμεν ἢ τανῦν δωρούμεθα.

οἶμαι μὲν οὖν, οἶμαί τι κἀκείνῳ μέλον

πέμψαι τάδ᾽ αὐτῇ δυσπρόσοπτ᾽ ὀνείρατα.
460

ὅμως δ᾽, ἀδελφή, σοί θ' ὑπούργησον τάδε

ἐμοί τ' ἀρωγά, τῷ τε φιλτάτῳ βροτῶν

πάντων, ἐν "Αιδου κειμένῳ κοινῷ πατρί.

ΧΟ.

πρὸς εὐσέβειαν ἡ κόρη λέγει· σὺ δέ,

εἰ σωφρονήσεις, ὦ φίλη, δράσεις τάδε.
465

ΧΡ.

δράσω· τὸ γὰρ δίκαιον οὐκ ἔχει λόγον

δυοῖν ἐρίζειν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπισπεύδειν τὸ δρᾶν.

πειρωμένῃ δὲ τῶνδε τῶν ἔργων ἐμοὶ

σιγὴ παρ᾽ ὑμῶν πρὸς θεῶν ἔστω, φίλαι·

ὡς εἰ τάδ᾽ ἡ τεκοῦσα πεύσεται, πικρὰν
470

δοκῶ με πεῖραν τήνδε τολμήσειν ἔτι.

ΧΟ.
στρ.

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 251-471 focus

Χορός

ἐγὼ μέν, ὦ παῖ, καὶ τὸ σὸν σπεύδουσʼ ἅμα

καὶ τοὐμὸν αὐτῆς ἦλθον· εἰ δὲ μὴ καλῶς

λέγω, σὺ νίκα· σοὶ γὰρ ἑψόμεσθʼ ἅμα.

Ἠλέκτρα

αἰσχύνομαι μέν, ὦ γυναῖκες, εἰ δοκῶ

πολλοῖσι θρήνοις δυσφορεῖν ὑμῖν ἄγαν.
255

ἀλλʼ ἡ βία γὰρ ταῦτʼ ἀναγκάζει με δρᾶν,

σύγγνωτε· πῶς γὰρ ἥτις εὐγενὴς γυνή,

πατρῷʼ ὁρῶσα πήματʼ, οὐ δρῴη τάδʼ ἄν;

ἁγὼ κατʼ ἦμαρ καὶ κατʼ εὐφρόνην ἀεὶ

θάλλοντα μᾶλλον ἢ καταφθίνονθʼ ὁρῶ·
260

ᾗ πρῶτα μὲν τὰ μητρός, ἥ μʼ ἐγείνατο,

ἔχθιστα συμβέβηκεν· εἶτα δώμασιν

ἐν τοῖς ἐμαυτῆς τοῖς φονεῦσι τοῦ πατρὸς

ξύνειμι, κἀκ τῶνδʼ ἄρχομαι κἀκ τῶνδέ μοι

λαβεῖν θʼ ὁμοίως καὶ τὸ τητᾶσθαι πέλει.
265

ἔπειτα ποίας ἡμέρας δοκεῖς μʼ ἄγειν,

ὅταν θρόνοις Αἴγισθον ἐνθακοῦντʼ ἴδω

τοῖσιν πατρῴοις, εἰσίδω δʼ ἐσθήματα

φοροῦντʼ ἐκείνῳ ταὐτὰ καὶ παρεστίους

σπένδοντα λοιβὰς ἔνθʼ ἐκεῖνον ὤλεσεν,
270

ἴδω δὲ τούτων τὴν τελευταίαν ὕβριν,

τὸν αὐτοέντην ἡμὶν ἐν κοίτῃ πατρὸς

ξὺν τῇ ταλαίνῃ μητρί, μητέρʼ εἰ χρεὼν

ταύτην προσαυδᾶν τῷδε συγκοιμωμένην·

ἡ δʼ ὧδε τλήμων ὥστε τῷ μιάστορι
275

ξύνεστʼ, ἐρινὺν οὔτινʼ ἐκφοβουμένη·

ἀλλʼ ὥσπερ ἐγγελῶσα τοῖς ποιουμένοις,

εὑροῦσʼ ἐκείνην ἡμέραν, ἐν ᾗ τότε

πατέρα τὸν ἀμὸν ἐκ δόλου κατέκτανεν,

ταύτῃ χοροὺς ἵστησι καὶ μηλοσφαγεῖ
280

θεοῖσιν ἔμμηνʼ ἱερὰ τοῖς σωτηρίοις.

282

Ἠλέκτρα

ἐγὼ δʼ ὁρῶσʼ ἡ δύσμορος κατὰ στέγας

κλαίω, τέτηκα, κἀπικωκύω πατρὸς

τὴν δυστάλαιναν δαῖτʼ ἐπωνομασμένην

αὐτὴ πρὸς αὑτήν. οὐδὲ γὰρ κλαῦσαι πάρα
285

τοσόνδʼ ὅσον μοι θυμὸς ἡδονὴν φέρει.

αὕτη γὰρ ἡ λόγοισι γενναία γυνὴ

φωνοῦσα τοιάδʼ ἐξονειδίζει κακά·

ὦ δύσθεον μίσημα, σοὶ μόνῃ πατὴρ

τέθνηκεν; ἄλλος δʼ οὔτις ἐν πένθει βροτῶν;
290

κακῶς ὄλοιο, μηδέ σʼ ἐκ γόων ποτὲ

τῶν νῦν ἀπαλλάξειαν οἱ κάτω θεοί.

τάδʼ ἐξυβρίζει· πλὴν ὅταν κλύῃ τινὸς

ἥξοντʼ Ὀρέστην· τηνικαῦτα δʼ ἐμμανὴς

βοᾷ παραστᾶσʼ· οὐ σύ μοι τῶνδʼ αἰτία;
295

οὐ σὸν τόδʼ ἐστὶ τοὔργον, ἥτις ἐκ χερῶν

κλέψασʼ Ὀρέστην τῶν ἐμῶν ὑπεξέθου;

ἀλλʼ ἴσθι τοι τίσουσά γʼ ἀξίαν δίκην.

τοιαῦθʼ ὑλακτεῖ, σὺν δʼ ἐποτρύνει πέλας

ὁ κλεινὸς αὐτῇ ταὐτὰ νυμφίος παρών,
300

ὁ πάντʼ ἄναλκις οὗτος, ἡ πᾶσα βλάβη,

ὁ σὺν γυναιξὶ τὰς μάχας ποιούμενος.

ἐγὼ δʼ Ὀρέστην τῶνδε προσμένουσʼ ἀεὶ

παυστῆρʼ ἐφήξειν ἡ τάλαινʼ ἀπόλλυμαι.

μέλλων γὰρ ἀεὶ δρᾶν τι τὰς οὔσας τέ μου
305

καὶ τὰς ἀπούσας ἐλπίδας διέφθορεν.

ἐν οὖν τοιούτοις οὔτε σωφρονεῖν, φίλαι,

οὔτʼ εὐσεβεῖν πάρεστιν· ἀλλʼ ἔν τοι κακοῖς

πολλή ʼστʼ ἀνάγκη κἀπιτηδεύειν κακά.

310

Χορός

φέρʼ εἰπέ, πότερον ὄντος Αἰγίσθου πέλας
310

λέγεις τάδʼ ἡμῖν ἢ βεβῶτος ἐκ δόμων;

Ἠλέκτρα

ἦ κάρτα· μὴ δόκει μʼ ἄν, εἴπερ ἦν πέλας,

θυραῖον οἰχνεῖν· νῦν δʼ ἀγροῖσι τυγχάνει.

Χορός

ἦ κἂν ἐγὼ θαρσοῦσα μᾶλλον ἐς λόγους

τοὺς σοὺς ἱκοίμην, εἴπερ ὧδε ταῦτʼ ἔχει;
315

Ἠλέκτρα

ὡς νῦν ἀπόντος ἱστόρει· τί σοι φίλον;

Χορός

καὶ δή σʼ ἐρωτῶ· τοῦ κασιγνήτου τί φής,

ἥξοντος ἢ μέλλοντος; εἰδέναι θέλω.

Ἠλέκτρα

φησίν γε· φάσκων δʼ οὐδὲν ὧν λέγει ποεῖ.

Χορός

φιλεῖ γὰρ ὀκνεῖν πρᾶγμʼ ἀνὴρ πράσσων μέγα.
320

Ἠλέκτρα

καὶ μὴν ἔγωγʼ ἔσωσʼ ἐκεῖνον οὐκ ὄκνῳ.

Χορός

θάρσει· πέφυκεν ἐσθλός, ὥστʼ ἀρκεῖν φίλοις.

Ἠλέκτρα

πέποιθʼ, ἐπεί τἂν οὐ μακρὰν ἔζων ἐγώ.

Χορός

μὴ νῦν ἔτʼ εἴπῃς μηδέν· ὡς δόμων ὁρῶ

τὴν σὴν ὅμαιμον ἐκ πατρὸς ταὐτοῦ φύσιν,
325

Χρυσόθεμιν, ἔκ τε μητρός, ἐντάφια χεροῖν

φέρουσαν, οἷα τοῖς κάτω νομίζεται.

Χρυσόθεμις

τίνʼ αὖ σὺ τήνδε πρὸς θυρῶνος ἐξόδοις

ἐλθοῦσα φωνεῖς, ὦ κασιγνήτη, φάτιν,

κοὐδʼ ἐν χρόνῳ μακρῷ διδαχθῆναι θέλεις
330

θυμῷ ματαίῳ μὴ χαρίζεσθαι κενά;

καίτοι τοσοῦτόν γʼ οἶδα κἀμαυτήν, ὅτι

ἀλγῶ ʼπὶ τοῖς παροῦσιν· ὥστʼ ἄν, εἰ σθένος

λάβοιμι, δηλώσαιμʼ ἂν οἷʼ αὐτοῖς φρονῶ.

νῦν δʼ ἐν κακοῖς μοι πλεῖν ὑφειμένῃ δοκεῖ,
335

καὶ μὴ δοκεῖν μὲν δρᾶν τι, πημαίνειν δὲ μή·

τοιαῦτα δʼ ἄλλα καὶ σὲ βούλομαι ποεῖν.

καίτοι τὸ μὲν δίκαιον οὐχ ᾗ ʼγὼ λέγω,

ἀλλʼ ᾗ σὺ κρίνεις· εἰ δʼ ἐλευθέραν με δεῖ

ζῆν, τῶν κρατούντων ἐστὶ πάντʼ ἀκουστέα.
340

341

Ἠλέκτρα

δεινόν γέ σʼ οὖσαν πατρὸς οὗ σὺ παῖς ἔφυς,

κείνου λελῆσθαι, τῆς δὲ τικτούσης μέλειν.

ἅπαντα γάρ σοι τἀμὰ νουθετήματα

κείνης διδακτά, κοὐδὲν ἐκ σαυτῆς λέγεις.

ἔπειθʼ ἑλοῦ γε θάτερʼ, ἢ φρονεῖν κακῶς
345

ἢ τῶν φίλων φρονοῦσα μὴ μνήμην ἔχειν·

ἥτις λέγεις μὲν ἀρτίως ὡς, εἰ λάβοις

σθένος, τὸ τούτων μῖσος ἐκδείξειας ἄν,

ἐμοῦ δὲ πατρὶ πάντα τιμωρουμένης

οὔτε ξυνέρδεις τήν τε δρῶσαν ἐκτρέπεις.
350

οὐ ταῦτα πρὸς κακοῖσι δειλίαν ἔχει;

ἐπεὶ δίδαξον, ἢ μάθʼ ἐξ ἐμοῦ, τί μοι

κέρδος γένοιτʼ ἂν τῶνδε ληξάσῃ γόων.

οὐ ζῶ; κακῶς μέν, οἶδʼ, ἐπαρκούντως δʼ ἐμοί.

λυπῶ δὲ τούτους, ὥστε τῷ τεθνηκότι
355

τιμὰς προσάπτειν, εἴ τις ἔστʼ ἐκεῖ χάρις.

σὺ δʼ ἡμὶν ἡ μισοῦσα μισεῖς μὲν λόγῳ,

ἔργῳ δὲ τοῖς φονεῦσι τοῦ πατρὸς ξύνει.

ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν οὐκ ἄν ποτʼ, οὐδʼ εἴ μοι τὰ σὰ

μέλλοι τις οἴσειν δῶρʼ, ἐφʼ οἷσι νῦν χλιδᾷς,
360

τούτοις ὑπεικάθοιμι· σοὶ δὲ πλουσία

τράπεζα κείσθω καὶ περιρρείτω βίος.

ἐμοὶ γὰρ ἔστω τοὐμὲ μὴ λυπεῖν μόνον

βόσκημα· τῆς σῆς δʼ οὐκ ἐρῶ τιμῆς τυχεῖν,

οὐδʼ ἂν σύ, σώφρων γʼ οὖσα. νῦν δʼ ἐξὸν πατρὸς
365

πάντων ἀρίστου παῖδα κεκλῆσθαι, καλοῦ

τῆς μητρός· οὕτω γὰρ φανεῖ πλείστοις κακή,

θανόντα πατέρα καὶ φίλους προδοῦσα σούς.

369

Χορός

μηδὲν πρὸς ὀργήν, πρὸς θεῶν· ὡς τοῖς λόγοις

ἔνεστιν ἀμφοῖν κέρδος, εἰ σὺ μὲν μάθοις
370

τοῖς τῆσδε χρῆσθαι, τοῖς δὲ σοῖς αὕτη πάλιν.

Χρυσόθεμις

ἐγὼ μέν, ὦ γυναῖκες, ἠθάς εἰμί πως

τῶν τῆσδε μύθων· οὐδʼ ἂν ἐμνήσθην ποτέ,

εἰ μὴ κακὸν μέγιστον εἰς αὐτὴν ἰὸν

ἤκουσʼ, ὃ ταύτην τῶν μακρῶν σχήσει γόων.
375

Ἠλέκτρα

φέρʼ εἰπὲ δὴ τὸ δεινόν· εἰ γὰρ τῶνδέ μοι

μεῖζόν τι λέξεις, οὐκ ἂν ἀντείποιμʼ ἔτι.

Χρυσόθεμις

ἀλλʼ ἐξερῶ σοι πᾶν ὅσον κάτοιδʼ ἐγώ.

μέλλουσι γάρ σʼ, εἰ τῶνδε μὴ λήξεις γόων,

ἐνταῦθα πέμψειν ἔνθα μή ποθʼ ἡλίου
380

φέγγος προσόψει, ζῶσα δʼ ἐν κατηρεφεῖ

στέγῃ χθονὸς τῆσδʼ ἐκτὸς ὑμνήσεις κακά.

πρὸς ταῦτα φράζου καί με μή ποθʼ ὕστερον

παθοῦσα μέμψῃ· νῦν γὰρ ἐν καλῷ φρονεῖν.

385

Ἠλέκτρα

ἦ ταῦτα δή με καὶ βεβούλευνται ποεῖν;
385

Χρυσόθεμις

μάλισθʼ· ὅταν περ οἴκαδʼ Αἴγισθος μόλῃ.

Ἠλέκτρα

ἀλλʼ ἐξίκοιτο τοῦδέ γʼ οὕνεκʼ ἐν τάχει.

Χρυσόθεμις

τίνʼ, ὦ τάλαινα, τόνδʼ ἐπηράσω λόγον;

Ἠλέκτρα

ἐλθεῖν ἐκεῖνον, εἴ τι τῶνδε δρᾶν νοεῖ.

Χρυσόθεμις

ὅπως πάθῃς τί χρῆμα; ποῦ ποτʼ εἶ φρενῶν;
390

Ἠλέκτρα

ὅπως ἀφʼ ὑμῶν ὡς προσωτάτω φύγω.

Χρυσόθεμις

βίου δὲ τοῦ παρόντος οὐ μνείαν ἔχεις;

Ἠλέκτρα

καλὸς γὰρ οὑμὸς βίοτος ὥστε θαυμάσαι.

Χρυσόθεμις

ἀλλʼ ἦν ἄν, εἰ σύ γʼ εὖ φρονεῖν ἠπίστασο.

Ἠλέκτρα

μή μʼ ἐκδίδασκε τοῖς φίλοις εἶναι κακήν.
395

Χρυσόθεμις

ἀλλʼ οὐ διδάσκω· τοῖς κρατοῦσι δʼ εἰκαθεῖν.

Ἠλέκτρα

σὺ ταῦτα θώπευʼ· οὐκ ἐμοὺς τρόπους λέγεις.

Χρυσόθεμις

καλόν γε μέντοι μὴ ʼξ ἀβουλίας πεσεῖν.

Ἠλέκτρα

πεσούμεθʼ, εἰ χρή, πατρὶ τιμωρούμενοι.

Χρυσόθεμις

πατὴρ δὲ τούτων, οἶδα, συγγνώμην ἔχει.
400

Ἠλέκτρα

ταῦτʼ ἐστὶ τἄπη πρὸς κακῶν ἐπαινέσαι.

Χρυσόθεμις

σὺ δʼ οὐχὶ πείσει καὶ συναινέσεις ἐμοί;

Ἠλέκτρα

οὐ δῆτα· μή πω νοῦ τοσόνδʼ εἴην κενή.

Χρυσόθεμις

χωρήσομαί τἄρʼ οἷπερ ἐστάλην ὁδοῦ.

Ἠλέκτρα

ποῖ δʼ ἐμπορεύει; τῷ φέρεις τάδʼ ἔμπυρα;
405

Χρυσόθεμις

μήτηρ με πέμπει πατρὶ τυμβεῦσαι χοάς.

Ἠλέκτρα

πῶς εἶπας; ἦ τῷ δυσμενεστάτῳ βροτῶν;

Χρυσόθεμις

ὃν ἔκτανʼ αὐτή· τοῦτο γὰρ λέξαι θέλεις.

Ἠλέκτρα

ἐκ τοῦ φίλων πεισθεῖσα; τῷ τοῦτʼ ἤρεσεν;

Χρυσόθεμις

ἐκ δείματός του νυκτέρου, δοκεῖν ἐμοί;
410

Ἠλέκτρα

ὦ θεοὶ πατρῷοι, συγγένεσθέ γʼ ἀλλὰ νῦν.

Χρυσόθεμις

ἔχεις τι θάρσος τοῦδε τοῦ τάρβους πέρι;

Ἠλέκτρα

εἴ μοι λέγοις τὴν ὄψιν, εἴποιμʼ ἂν τότε.

Χρυσόθεμις

ἀλλʼ οὐ κάτοιδα πλὴν ἐπὶ σμικρὸν φράσαι.

415

Ἠλέκτρα

λέγʼ ἀλλὰ τοῦτο· πολλά τοι σμικροὶ λόγοι
415

ἔσφηλαν ἤδη καὶ κατώρθωσαν βροτούς.

Χρυσόθεμις

λόγος τις αὐτήν ἐστιν εἰσιδεῖν πατρὸς

τοῦ σοῦ τε κἀμοῦ δευτέραν ὁμιλίαν

ἐλθόντος ἐς φῶς· εἶτα τόνδʼ ἐφέστιον

πῆξαι λαβόντα σκῆπτρον οὑφόρει ποτὲ
420

αὐτός, τανῦν δʼ Αἴγισθος· ἐκ δὲ τοῦδʼ ἄνω

βλαστεῖν βρύοντα θαλλόν, ᾧ κατάσκιον

πᾶσαν γενέσθαι τὴν Μυκηναίων χθόνα.

τοιαῦτά του παρόντος, ἡνίχʼ Ἡλίῳ

δείκνυσι τοὔναρ, ἔκλυον ἐξηγουμένου.
425

πλείω δὲ τούτων οὐ κάτοιδα, πλὴν ὅτι

πέμπει με κείνη τοῦδε τοῦ φόβου χάριν.

πρός νυν θεῶν σε λίσσομαι τῶν ἐγγενῶν

ἐμοὶ πιθέσθαι μηδʼ ἀβουλίᾳ πεσεῖν·

εἰ γάρ μʼ ἀπώσει, σὺν κακῷ μέτει πάλιν.
430

431

Ἠλέκτρα

ἀλλʼ, ὦ φίλη, τούτων μὲν ὧν ἔχεις χεροῖν

τύμβῳ προσάψῃς μηδέν· οὐ γάρ σοι θέμις

οὐδʼ ὅσιον ἐχθρᾶς ἀπὸ γυναικὸς ἱστάναι

κτερίσματʼ οὐδὲ λουτρὰ προσφέρειν πατρί·

ἀλλʼ ἢ πνοαῖσιν ἢ βαθυσκαφεῖ κόνει
435

κρύψον νιν, ἔνθα μή ποτʼ εἰς εὐνὴν πατρὸς

τούτων πρόσεισι μηδέν· ἀλλʼ ὅταν θάνῃ

κειμήλιʼ αὐτῇ ταῦτα σῳζέσθω κάτω.

ἀρχὴν δʼ ἄν, εἰ μὴ τλημονεστάτη γυνὴ

πασῶν ἔβλαστε, τάσδε δυσμενεῖς χοὰς
440

οὐκ ἄν ποθʼ ὅν γʼ ἔκτεινε, τῷδʼ ἐπέστεφε.

σκέψαι γὰρ εἴ σοι προσφιλῶς αὐτῇ δοκεῖ

γέρα τάδʼ οὑν τάφοισι δέξεσθαι νέκυς,

ὑφʼ ἧς θανὼν ἄτιμος, ὥστε δυσμενής,

ἐμασχαλίσθη, κἀπὶ λουτροῖσιν κάρᾳ
445

κηλῖδας ἐξέμαξεν. ἆρα μὴ δοκεῖς

λυτήριʼ αὐτῇ ταῦτα τοῦ φόνου φέρειν;

οὐχ ἔστιν. ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν μέθες· σὺ δὲ

τεμοῦσα κρατὸς βοστρύχων ἄκρας φόβας

κἀμοῦ ταλαίνης, σμικρὰ μὲν τάδʼ, ἀλλʼ ὅμως
450

ἅχω, δὸς αὐτῷ, τήνδʼ ἀλιπαρῆ τρίχα

καὶ ζῶμα τοὐμὸν οὐ χλιδαῖς ἠσκημένον.

αἰτοῦ δὲ προσπίτνουσα γῆθεν εὐμενῆ

ἡμῖν ἀρωγὸν αὐτὸν εἰς ἐχθροὺς μολεῖν,

καὶ παῖδʼ Ὀρέστην ἐξ ὑπερτέρας χερὸς
455

ἐχθροῖσιν αὐτοῦ ζῶντʼ ἐπεμβῆναι ποδί,

ὅπως τὸ λοιπὸν αὐτὸν ἀφνεωτέραις

χερσὶν στέφωμεν ἢ τανῦν δωρούμεθα.

οἶμαι μὲν οὖν, οἶμαί τι κἀκείνῳ μέλον

πέμψαι τάδʼ αὐτῇ δυσπρόσοπτʼ ὀνείρατα·
460

ὅμως δʼ, ἀδελφή, σοί θʼ ὑπούργησον τάδε

ἐμοί τʼ ἀρωγὰ τῷ τε φιλτάτῳ βροτῶν

πάντων, ἐν Ἅιδου κειμένῳ κοινῷ πατρί.

464

Χορός

πρὸς εὐσέβειαν ἡ κόρη λέγει· σὺ δέ,

εἰ σωφρονήσεις, ὦ φίλη, δράσεις τάδε.
465

Χρυσόθεμις

δράσω· τὸ γὰρ δίκαιον οὐχ ἔχει λόγον

δυοῖν ἐρίζειν, ἀλλʼ ἐπισπεύδειν τὸ δρᾶν.

πειρωμένῃ δὲ τῶνδε τῶν ἔργων ἐμοὶ

σιγὴ παρʼ ὑμῶν, πρὸς θεῶν, ἔστω, φίλαι·

ὡς εἰ τάδʼ ἡ τεκοῦσα πεύσεται, πικρὰν
470

δοκῶ με πεῖραν τήνδε τολμήσειν ἔτι.

Translations (5)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 251 focus

No more! I see approaching from the house

Thy sister by both parents of thy blood,

Chrysothemis; in her hand an offering,

Such as old custom yields to those below.

CHRYSOTHEMIS
Enter CHRYSOTHEMIS .

What converse keeps thee now beyond the gates,

Dear sister? why this talk in the open day?

Wilt thou not learn after so long to cease

From vain indulgence of a bootless rage?

I know in my own breast that I am pained

By what thou griev’st at, and if I had power,

My censure of their deeds would soon be known.

But in misfortune I have chosen to sail

With lowered canvas, rather than provoke

With puny strokes invulnerable foes.

I would thou didst the like: though I must own

The right is on thy side, and not on mine.

But if I mean to dwell at liberty,

I must obey in all the stronger will.

EL

’Tis strange and pitiful, thy father’s child

Can leave him in oblivion and subserve

The mother. All thy schooling of me springs

From her suggestion, not of thine own wit.

Sure, either thou art senseless, or thy sense

Deserts thy friends. Treason or dulness then?

Choose!—You declared but now, if you had strength,

You would display your hatred of this pair.

Yet, when I plan full vengeance for my sire,

You aid me not, but turn me from the attempt.

What’s this but adding cowardice to evil?
255

For tell me, or be patient till I show,
255

What should I gain by ceasing this my moan?
255

I live to vex them:—though my life be poor,
255

Yet that suffices, for I honour him,
255

My father,—if affection touch the dead.
255

You say you hate them, but belie your word,
255

Consorting with our father’s murderers.
255

I then, were all the gifts in which you glory
255

Laid at my feet, will never more obey
255

This tyrant power. I leave you your rich board

And life of luxury. Ne’er be it mine to feed

On dainties that would poison my heart’s peace!

I care not for such honour as thou hast.

Nor wouldst thou care if thou wert wise. But now,

Having the noblest of all men for sire,

Be called thy mother’s offspring; so shall most

Discern thine infamy and traitorous mind

To thy dead father and thy dearest kin.

CH

No anger, we entreat. Both have said well,

If each would learn of other, and so do.

CHR

For my part, women, use hath seasoned me

To her discourse. Nor had I spoken of this,

Had I not heard a horror coming on

That will restrain her from her endless moan.
375

EL

Come speak it forth, this terror! I will yield,

If thou canst tell me worse than I endure.

CHR

I’ll tell thee all I know. If thou persist

In these thy wailings, they will send thee far

From thine own land, and close thee from the day,
380

Where in a rock-hewn chamber thou may’st chant

Thine evil orisons in darkness drear.

Think of it, while there ’s leisure to reflect;

Or if thou suffer, henceforth blame me not.

EL

And have they so determined on my life?
385

CHR

’Tis certain; when Aegisthus comes again.

EL

If that be all, let him return with speed!

CHR

Unhappy! why this curse upon thyself?

EL

If this be their intent, why, let him come!

CHR

To work such harm on thee! What thought is this!
390

EL

Far from mine eye to banish all your brood.

CHR

Art not more tender of the life thou hast?

EL

Fair, to a marvel, is my life, I trow!

CHR

It would be, couldst thou be advised for good.

EL

Never advise me to forsake my kin.
395

CHR

I do not: only to give place to power.

EL

Thine be such flattery. ’Tis not my way.

CHR

Sure, to be wrecked by rashness is not well.

EL

Let me be wrecked in ’venging my own sire.

CHR

I trust his pardon for my helplessness.
400

EL

Such talk hath commendation from the vile.

CHR

Wilt thou not listen? Wilt thou ne’er be ruled?

EL

No; not by thee! Let me not sink so low.

CHR

Then I will hie me on mine errand straight.

EL

Stay; whither art bound? For whom to spend those gifts?
405

CHR

Sent by my mother to my father’s tomb

To pour libations to him.

EL

How? To him?

Most hostile to her of all souls that are?

CHR

Who perished by her hand—so thou wouldst say.

EL

What friend hath moved her? Who hath cared for this?

CHR

Methinks ’twas some dread vision, seen by night.
410

EL

Gods of my father, O be with me now!

CHR

What? art thou hopeful from the fear I spake of?

EL

Tell me the dream, and I will answer thee.

CHR

I know but little of it.

EL

Speak but that.
415

A little word hath ofttimes been the cause
415

Of ruin or salvation unto men.

CHR

’Tis said she saw our father’s spirit come

Once more to visit the abodes of light;

Then take and firmly plant upon the hearth

The sceptre which he bore of old, and now

Aegisthus bears: and out of this upsprang

A burgeoned shoot, that shadowed all the ground
420

Of loved Mycenae. So I heard the tale
420

Told by a maid who listened when the Queen

Made known her vision to the God of Day.

But more than this I know not, save that I

Am sent by her through terror of the dream.

And I beseech thee by the Gods we serve

To take my counsel and not rashly fall.

If thou repel me now, the time may come

When suffering shall have brought thee to my side.
425

EL

Now, dear Chrysothemis, of what thou bearest

Let nothing touch his tomb. ’Tis impious

And criminal to offer to thy sire

Rites and libations from a hateful wife.

Then cast them to the winds, or deep in dust

Conceal them, where no particle may reach

His resting-place: but lie in store for her

When she goes underground. Sure, were she not

Most hardened of all women that have been,

She ne’er had sent those loveless offerings

To grace the sepulchre of him she slew.

For think how likely is the buried king

To take such present kindly from her hand,

Who slew him like an alien enemy,

Dishonoured even in death, and mangled him,
435

And wiped the death-stain with his flowing locks—
435

Sinful purgation! Think you that you bear
435

In those cold gifts atonement for her guilt?

It is not possible. Wherefore let be.

But take a ringlet from thy comely head,

And this from mine, that lingers on my brow

Longing to shade his tomb. Ah, give it to him,

All I can give, and this my maiden-zone,

Not daintily adorned, as once erewhile.

Then, humbly kneeling, pray that from the ground

He would arise to help us ’gainst his foes,

And grant his son Orestes with high hand

Strongly to trample on his enemies;

That in our time to come from ampler stores

We may endow him, than are ours to-day.

I cannot but imagine that his will
440

Hath part in visiting her sleep with fears.
440

But howsoe’er, I pray thee, sister mine,
440

Do me this service, and thyself, and him,

Dearest of all the world to me and thee,

The father of us both, who rests below.

CH

She counsels piously; and thou, dear maid,

If thou art wise, wilt do her bidding here.
465

CHR

Yea, when a thing is right, it is not well

Idly to wrangle, but to act with speed.

Only, dear friends, in this mine enterprise,

Let me have silence from your lips, I pray;

For should my mother know of it, sharp pain
470

Will follow yet my bold adventurous feat.

CHORUS
CHORUS .

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 251 focus

Ich bin gekommen, Tochter, um dein Wohl zugleich

Und meins bekümmert. Sprech' ich denn das Rechte nicht,

So möge dein Wort gelten; denn dir folgen wir.
245

Elektra.

Erröthen muß ich, Frauen, schein' ich euch zu sehr

Von meines Jammers Uebermaß bewältiget.

Doch weil Gewaltthat also mich zu handeln zwingt,

Vergebt mir: denn wie möchte wohl ein edles Weib

Des Hauses Unglück sehen und nicht also thun?
250

Und dieses muß ich jeden Tag und jede Nacht

In neuer Fülle mehr erblüh'n als welken sehn.

Mir wird von meiner Mutter, ihr, die mich gebar,

Gelohnt mit bitterm Hasse nur; im eignen Haus

Wohn' ich mit ihnen, die den Vater mordeten,
255

Zusammen, ihnen unterthan, und sie allein

Bestimmen, ob ich darben, ob empfangen soll.

Und welche Tage glaubet ihr, verleb' ich wohl,

Wenn ich Aegisthos sizen seh' auf jenem Thron,

Dem Thron des Vaters, sehe mit Gewanden ihn,
260

Die dieser trug, bekleidet, und am Hausaltar

Trankopfer spenden, wo er ihn ermordete?

Und wenn ich dann der Frevel höchsten sehen muß,

Im Lager meines Vaters ihn, den Mörder selbst,

Mit meiner Unglücksmutter, darf ich Mutter noch
265

Die Freche nennen, die mit ihm das Lager theilt,

Die sonder Scham dem fluchbeladnen Manne sich

Verband, von keiner Rachegöttin Zorn geschreckt,

Nein, wie zum Hohne dessen, was sie frevelte,

Bei jenes Tages Wiederkehr, an welchem einst¹
270

Sie meinen Vater tückevoll gemordet hat,

Festreigentänze feiert und den rettenden

Gottheiten Lämmer jeden Mond als Opfer weiht.

Ich Kind des Unglücks, muß ich das im Hause seh'n,

Vergehe, weine, schluchze laut zu diesem Mahl
275

Des Jammers, das sie meines Vaters Mahl benennt,

Allein für mich; denn auch zu weinen ist mir nicht

So viel vergönnt, als meines Herzens Drang genügt.

Denn diese nach dem Namen hochgesinnte Frau²

Rust höhnend dann mir diese bösen Worte zu:
280

Gottloses Scheusal, ist der Vater dir allein

Gestorben? Trauert außer dir kein Mensch um ihn?

Stirb hin in Elend, und von diesem Fammer soll

Dich auch der Todesgötter Macht niemals befrein!³

So ruft sie trozend. Aber hört sie dann einmal,
285

Orestes komme, rennt sie flugs auf mich daher,

Und schreit und wüthet: dir allein, dir dank' ich das!

Es war ja dein Werk; hast du doch aus meinem Arm

Entwandt Oresten, und geheim ihn fortgeschafft!

Doch wisse: büßen sollst du mir verdienten Lohn!
290

So bellt sie tobend, und an ihrer Seite reizt

Ihr hochgerühmter Buhle sie noch mehr dazu,

Der überall feigherzig Allverderbliche,

Der im Verein mit Frauen seine Schlachten schlägt.

Ich, ewig harrend, daß Orestes mein Geschick
295

Zu wenden komme, schwinde hin in meinem Gram.

Denn ewig zaudernd hat er meine Hoffnungen,

Die nahen, wie die fernen, mir in Nichts verkehrt.

In solcher Noth, ihr Lieben, wer mag Mäßigung,

Wer fromme Tugend üben? Traun, im Uebel drängt
300

Es uns gewaltsam, auch zu thun, was übel ist.

Der Chor.

Auf, sage, weilt Aegisthos hier, indeß du so

Mir redest, oder ging er aus dem Hause fort?

Elektra.

Ja freilich. Wär' er nahe, traun, ich würde nicht

Hier außen umgeh'n! Nein, er ging auf's Feld hinaus.
305

Der Chor.

So darf auch ich beherzter, darf mich freier wohl

Mit dir ergeh'n in Reden, wenn es also steht.

Elektra.

Sezt ist er ferne; frage denn, was dir beliebt.

Der Chor.

Nun wohl, ich frage: was du mir vom Bruder sagst,

Ob er zurückkehrt oder säumt, das wüßt' ich gern.
310

Elektra.

Er sagt es, aber was er sagt, vollbringt er nicht.

Der Chor.

Zu säumen liebt ja, wer ein großes Werk beginnt,

Elektra.

Und ich gerettet hab' ich ihn und säume nicht.

Der Chor.

Sei ruhig; edel denkt er, hilft den Seinen gern.

Elektra.

Ich glaub' es; denn ich lebte sonst nicht lange mehr.
315

Der Chor.

Nun rede mir nicht weiter: denn Chrysothemis

Tritt aus dem Hause, seh' ich, die vom Vater und

Der Mutter deine Schwester ist, in ihrer Hand

Die Grabesopfer, wie man sie den Schatten weiht.

Chrysothemis. Die Vorigen.

Chrysothemis.

Geliebte Schwester, was erhebst du wiederum,
320

Zum Thor des Hofes kommend, solchen Klageruf?

Und willst du noch nicht lernen in der langen Zeit,

Machtlosem Unmuth nicht umsonst zu huldigen?

Wohl fühl ich selbst auch dieses Leid, das uns betraf,

Bin tief davon ergriffen, und, o würde mir
325

Die Macht, ich zeigte, wie gesinnt ich ihnen sei!

Nun aber zieh' ich in der Noth die Segel ein,

Vor Schein mich hütend, wo die Macht zu schaden fehlt,⁴

Und wünsche, Schwester, daß du selbst ein Gleiches thust.

Zwar immer sei das Rechte nicht wo mir's gefällt,
330

Nein dort, wo du dich hingewandt; doch wenn ich frei

Soll leben, muß ich hören auf die Herrscher mur.

Elektra.

Schmach dir, des Mannes Tochter, der dir Leben gab,

Daß du, vergessend seiner, nur der Mutter denkst!

Denn alle Lehren, welche du mir eben gabst,
335

Hat sie dir eingegeben, nicht dein eigner Sinn.

Wähl' Eines denn von Zweien, ob du thöricht sein,

Ob, klug, der liebsten Freunde nicht gedenken willst.

Denn eben sagst du, würde dir die Macht geliehn,

Du zeigtest ihnen, welcher Haß dein Herz erfüllt;
340

Mir aber, die den Vater rächen will, versagst

Du deine Hülfe, ja verwehrst die Rache mir.

Verräthst du hier nur bösen, nicht auch seigen Sinn?

Denn lehre du mich, oder lerne du von mir,

Was ich gewönne, ſtellt' ich meine Klagen ein.
345

Ich lebe, zwar unglücklich, doch ich lebe ja;

Und ihnen thu' ich wehe, daß ich Ehre so

Dem Todten zolle, wenn es dort noch Freude gibt.

Doch du, sie hassend, hassest nur in Worten sie,

Und bist des Vaters Mördern durch die That gesellt.
350

Ich würde niemals, ob man auch in Fülle mir

Die Gaben böte, deren Frucht dich üppig labt,

Mich ihnen unterwerfen; sei der volle Tisch

Dir zubereitet, ström' um dich das Leben reich:

Mir sei es einzig Labe, daß ich keine Qual
355

Mir selbst bereite; deines Glücks begehr' ich nicht;

Auch du verschmähtest's, wärst du klug. Wohl könntest du

Das Kind des besten Vaters heißen, heiße nun

Das Kind der Mutter; so erscheinst du Allen schlecht,

Den Freunden, wie dem todten Vater, ungetreu.
360

Der Chor:

Laß, bei den Göttern, keinem Zorne Naum; es ist

Gewinn in Beider Worten, wenn nur ihre du

Zu nüzen wüßtest und sie selbst die deinigen.

Chrysothemis.

Ich bin an ihre Reden, traun, so ziemlich schon

Gewöhnt, o Frauen, und ich hätte Nichts erwähnt,
365

Wenn nicht ein großes Uebel sie der Sage nach

Bedrohte, das ihr langes Jammern enden soll.

Elektra.

Auf, nenne mir das Grause; wenn es schlimmer ist,

Als meine Leiden, widersprech' ich fürder nicht.

Chrysothemis.

Ich will dir Alles sagen, was ich selber weiß.
370

Sie wollen, wenn du deinen Klagen nicht entsagst,

Dorthin dich senden, wo du nie der Sonne Strahl

Mehr schau'n und lebend im gewölbten Felsengrab,

Fern diesem Lande, dein Geschick bejammern sollst.

Dies denn bedenkend, klage nicht hernach mich an
375

In deinem Unglück. Werde klug, noch ist es Zeit.

Elektra.

So hätten sie beschlossen, das mir anzuthun?

Chrysothemis.

Gewiß, sobald Aegisthos wieder heimgekehrt.

Elektra.

Er komme deßhalb immerhin sogleich zurück!

Chrysothemis.

Unsel'ge, was erflehst du dir mit diesem Wort?
380

Elektra.

Er möge kommen, wenn er so zu thun gedenkt.

Chrysothemis.

Nach welchem Leid verlangt dich? Wo geräthst du hin?

Elektra.

In fernste Fernen wünsch' ich wegzuflieh'n von euch.

Chrysothemis.

Und dieses Leben, das dir blüht, Nichts achtest du's?

Elektra.

Traun, herrlich ist mein Leben, zum Bewundern schön.
385

Chrysothemis.

Wohl wär' es also, kenntest du Besonnenheit.

Elektra.

Mich lehre nicht, den Meinen ungetreu zu sein.

Chrysothemis.

Das lehr' ich nicht; doch vor den Mächtigen beuge dich!

Elektra.

So schmiege du dich; meiner Art ist dieses fremd.

Chrysothemis.

Doch rus' ich: Heil dir, fällst du nicht durch Unbedacht.
390

Elektra.

Den Vater rächend fall' ich, wenn ich fallen muß.

Chrysothemis.

Der Vater, weiß ich, er vergibt mir dieses wohl.

Elektra.

Ein solches Wort zu loben, steht nur Feigen an.

Chrysothemis.

Du willst auf mich nicht hören, ſtimmst nicht ein mit mir?

Elektra.

Nein, wahrlich! Nimmer sei ich so von Sinne leer!
395

Chrysothemis.

So werd' ich gehen, wo ich hingesendet ward.

Elektra.

Wo gehst du hin? Wem bringst du dieses Opfer hier?

Chrysothemis.

Des Vaters Grab zu weihen, schickt die Mutter mich.

Elektra.

Wie sagst du? Solches thäte sie dem ärgsten Feind?

Chrysothemis.

Ihm, den sie selbst erschlagen: denn dies meinst du doch.
400

Elektra.

Durch welches Freundes Nath bestimmt? Wer hieß ihr das?

Chrysothemis.

Ein nächtlich Graunbild ängstet sie, so scheint es mir.

Ihr Ahnengötter, nun gewährt uns Hülfe doch!

Hat diese Furcht der Mutter deinen Muth geweckt?

Elektra.

Erzählst dy, was ihr träumte, dann erklär' ich mich.
405

Chrysothemis.

Doch was ich anzugeben weiß, ist wenig nur.

Elektra.

So sage dies. Wohl haben wenig Worte ja

Schon oft erhoben und gestürzt die Sterblichen.

Chrysothemis.

Es geht die Sage, daß sie deinen Vater und

Den meinen, welcher wiederum an's Licht gekehrt,
410

Sich zugesellt sah. Der ergriff den Herrscherstab,

Den er geführt einst, aber jezt Aegisthos führt,

Und pflanzt' in unsern Herd ihn ein; alsbald entsproß

Dem Stab ein üppig blüh'nder Zweig, der über ganz

Mykene seinen Schatten weit verbreitete.
415

So hört' ich Einen melden, der zugegen war,

Als sie der Sonne diesen Traum verkündete.⁵

Doch mehr wie dieses weiß ich nicht, nur daß sie mich

Hierher gesendet, aufgeschreckt von dieser Angst.

Bei unsers Hauses Göttern fleh' ich nun dich an:
420

Mir folge Schwester, falle nicht durch Unbedacht;

Mich jezt verschmähend, suchst du mich im Leid dereinst.

Elektra.

Von dem, o Traute, was du trägst in deiner Hand,

Laß Nichts das Grab berühren! Unrecht wär' es ja,

Ja, Frevel wär' es, brächtest du vom Feindesweib
425

Trankopfer oder Grabesweih'n dem Vater dar.

Nein, gib's den Winden, oder tief in öden Staub

Vergrab' es, wo kein Theil davon zur Ruhestatt

Des Vaters je gelange; mög' es aufbewahrt

Dort unten bleiben, ihr ein Kleinod, wenn sie stirbt!
430

Ja, wäre sie nicht aller Frauen frechste, traun,

Dann kränzte sie mit diesen haßerfüllten Weih'n

Niemals die Gruft des Mannes, den sie mordete.

Erwäge selbst nur, ob der Todte dort im Grab

Von ihr mit Liebe dies Geschenk aufnehmen kann,
435

Die schmählich ihn gemordet und gleich einem Feind

Graunvoll verstümmelt, die zur Sühn' an seinem Haupt⁶

Ihr Schwert vom Blut gereinigt! Wähnst du gar vielleicht,

Daß solche Spende sühnen mag die Mörderin?

Nicht also! Laß dies Opfer sein, und schneide dir
440

Die lezten Spizen von des Hauptes Locken ab

Und mir, der Armen; gib ihm dies, zwar Weniges,

Doch Alles, was ich habe, dies kunstlose Haar

Und meinen Gürtel, nicht geschmückt mit eitlem Prunk,

Und niederfallend fleh' ihn an, vom Grabe her
445

Huldreich ein Retter uns zu nah'n vor Feindesmacht,

Bis dann Orestes lebend und in Siegeskraft

Auf seiner Feinde Nacken tritt mit stolzem Fuß,

Damit wir ihm mit vollern Händen künftig einst

Das Grab bekränzen, als wir jezt ihm Gaben weih'n.
450

Ich glaube, ja ich glaub' es, ihm lag selbst daran,

Zu senden ihr dies grauenvolle Traumgesicht.

Gleichwohl, o Schwester, hilf mit solchem Dienst dir selbst

Und mir und ihm, dem liebsten aller Sterblichen,

Der, uns gemeinsam Vater, ruh in Hades' Haus.
455

Der Chor.

Ein frommes Wort wohl, das die Jungfrau sprach, und du

Folgst ihrem Rath, o Liebe, wenn du weise bist.

Chrysothemis.

Ich will es thun. Das Rechte bietet keinen Grund⁷

Für Zwei, zu streiten, sondern rasch an's Werk zu gehn.

Doch wenn ich, theure Frauen, dies versuchen soll,
460

Müßt ihr, um alle Götter, mir verschwiegen sein!

Denn hört davon die Mutter, dann wird sicher noch

Aus diesem Wagniß bittre Frucht für mich erblüh'n.

(Sie schneidet von ihren Haaren ab, empfängt Haar und Gürtel der Elektra, und entfernt sich.) Elektra. Der Chor. Strophe.

Der Chor.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 251 focus

He boasts a noble nature, and will ne'er

Forget his friends : be confident.

Electra

I am,

Were I not so I had not lived till now.

Chorus

But soft^ behold the fair Chrysothemis

Advance this way, and in her hand she bears
370

Sepulchral offerings to the shades below.

Chrysothemis
Scene IV.

Still, my Electra, pouring forth thy giiefs?

Art thou not yet by sad experience taught

How little they avail ? I too must feel

And could resent, as, were thy sister's power

But equal to her will, our foes should know.

Meantime with lowered sail to bear the storm

Befits us best, nor, helpless as we are,

With idle hopes to meditate revenge ;

Yield then with me, and though impartial justice

Plead on thy side, remember, if we prize
375

Or hfe or liberty, we must obey.
375

Electra

It ill becomes great Agamemnon's daughter

Thus to forget her noble father's worth.

And take a base unworthy mother's part ;

For well I see from whom thy counsels flow ;

Nought from thyself thou sayst but all from her X

/^l^ther thy reason 's lost, or if thou hast it,

» Tliou hast forgot thy friends who should be dear

And precious to thee. Of thy boasted hate

Again^i our foes, and what thou vauntst to do

If thou i^adst power I reck not, whilst with me

Thou wilt not join in great revenge, but still

Dissuadsfc nie from it ; is 't not cowardly

To leave me Mius? Tell me, I beg thee, tell me

"What mighty gain awaits my tame submission,

Should I suppress my griefs. I can but live ;

That I do now — aN:jvretched life indeed !

But 'tis enough for\ie, and I am happy

Whilst I can torture ^em, and to the dead

Pay grateful honours — If^tp them such care

Aught grateful can bestov^ij Thy hate, I fear me,

Is but in word : thou dost ibefriend the murderers :

For me, not all the wealth they could bestow,

Not all the gifts which they have poured on thee.

Should bind me to 'em. Take thy costly banquets,

And let thy days with ease and pleasure flow ;

Crive me but focxl, and I am satisfied.

1 wish not for thy houours, nor wouldst

If thou wert wise, receive them at their hands.

Thou mightst be daughter to the best of fathers,

And art thy mother's only. Take that name,

And henceforth all shall mark thee as a wretch

Who hath betrayed her father and her friends.

Choii. 1 do entreat you, let not anger come

Between you thus ; you both have reasoned well,

And much of mutual benefit may flow

If each to other lend a patient ear.

Chrysothemis

Custom, niy noble friends, hath made re-

proach

Familiar to me, and, so well I know
380

Her haughty mind, 1 had been silent still.

But that I saw the danger ^immiuent,

And came to warn her of the fatal stroke

Which soon must end her and her griefs together.

Electra

Tell me this mighty danger ; if aught more
385

T yield me to thy counsels.
385

Chrysothemis

Hear me then :

Know, thou art doomed, unless thou dost refrain

Tiiy clamorous griefs, far from the light of day

And this thy native soil, within a cell

Dismal and dark, to spend the poor remains

Of thy sad life, and tliere lament thy fate.

Electra

Is it decreed ? Must it in truth be so ?

Chrysothemis

Soon as ^Egisthus shall return, it must.

Electra

Quick let him come : I long to see him here.

Chrysothemis

Alas ! what dreadful imprecations these !
390

Electra

Would he were present, if foi' this he comes !

Chrysothemis

What ! to destroy thee ! Is thy mind dis-

turbed i

Electra

That I might fly for ever from thy sight.

Chrysothemis

Wilt thou not think how to preserve thy life ;

Electra

Mine is a blessed hfe indeed to think of.
395

Chrysothemis

It might be blest, if thou wouldst have it so.

Electra

Teach me not basely to betray my friends.

Chrysothemis

I do not ; all I ask thee is to yield

To powers superior.

Electra

Fawn on them thyself ;

Chrysothemis

Sure it better
400

Deserves the name of wisdom to avoid
400

Than hasten thy destruction.
400

Electra

N'o, to die

Were pleasure, could I but avenge my father.

Chrysothemis

Our father, doubt it not, will pardon thee.

Electra

'Tis mean to think so.

Chrysothemis

Wilt thou not consent 1

Electra

Never, oh never, be my soul so weak !
405

Chrysothemis

Then to my errand : fare thee well.

Electra

To whom,

Chrysothemis

and whither dost thou bear

Those sacred ofF'rings ?

Chrysothemis

To our father's tomb.
410

From Clytemnestra.
410

Electra

To the man she hated ?

The man, my sister

Chrysothemis

Thou would have said^,,,—
410

Electra
(^ Chry. Whom she killed, I know,

Why, what shou'd move her to it?

Chrysothemis

If I mistake not, horrors late impressed jl

From a sad vision. '^

Electra

O my country's gods !

Succour me now !

Chrysothemis

- What hopes dost thou conceive

From this ?

Electra

The dream : and I will tell thee all.

Chrysothemis

I know but little of it.
415

Elec Tell me that :
415

Oftimes to words, how few soe'er they be.

Is given the power to save or to destroy.

Chrysothemis

Once more to light returned (so fame reports)

Before her our loved father did appear.

The royal sceptre wielded in his hand

Which now -^gisthus bears, whence seemed to spring

A green and leafy branch, whose wide extent
420

O'er all Mycenae spread its verdant shade :

This did I learn, and this alone, from one

Who listened long: attentive while she told

ELFXTRA,

Her vision to tlie sun ; hence all her fears,

And hence my destined journey, i
425

Electra

-^ By the gods

Let mo conjure thee, hear me. If thou dost not,

Too late shall thou repent, when for thy guilt

Evil o'ertako thee. O Chr}'sothemis !

Never, I heg theo, to our father's tomb

Bear thou those offerings ; 'twere a horrid deed

From such a woman. Give 'em to the winds ;

And not the smallest grain escape to reach

That hallawcfd place ; let 'em remain for her,

Safe in the earth tiH she shall meet 'fittTthere^

None but this shameless, tins abandoned woman,

Would e'er with impious oft'rings thus adorn

The tomb of him she murdered./^ By the dead

Thinkst thou such gifts can be with joy received ?

Gifts from that hand which from his mangled corse
435

Severed his lifeless limbs, and on the head
435

Of the poor victim wiped her bloody sword ?
435

I (Madness to think that offerings and ablutions

Could purge such crimes, or wash her stains away;

Never, oh never \J But of this no more.

Instant, my sister, thy devoted hair

With these dishevelled locks and this my zone,

Plain as it is and unadorned, shalt thou

Bear to our father. Wretched offerings these !

Bear them, and suppliant on thy knees implore

him

To smile propitious and assist his children ;

Pray for Orestes, too, tlmt soon with power

He may return, and trample on our foes ;

So shall a fairer tribute one day grace

His honoured tomb, than now we can bestow.

Trust me, my sister, we are still his care —
440

I know we are. S^rom him the vision came,
440

The horrid dream that shook her guilty soul :
440

Now then, I beg thee^be a friend to me,

Be to thyself a friend^ a friend to him

Of all mankind the dearest, our dead father.

Chorus
(Ijet them he hid, deep buried in the sands,

Well doth the pious virgin speak, and thou

And so I will.

"Where reason dictates, strife should never come ;

But quick, despatch ! fulfil her just commands.

Yet, O my friends I remember, our attempt

Is full of danger, and let nought escape

That may betray me to my cruel mother ;

For if it reach her ear, this daring act,

I fear me much, shall one day cost us dear.

Or my prophetic mind is now no more

Attentive as of old to wisdom's lore,

Or justice comes, with speedy vengeance fraught ;

Behold ! the goddess armed with power appears-

It must be so, by Clytemnestra's fears.

And the dire dream that on her fancy wrought :

Thy father, not unmindful of his fate.

Shall hither come his wrongs to vindicate ;

And, in his gore imbrued.

The fatal axe with him shall rise,

Shall ask another sacrifice,

And drink with him the cruel tyrant's blood.

Lo ! with unnumbered hands and countless feet,

The fury comes her destined prey to meet ;

Deep in the covert hid she glides unseen,

Hangs o'er the trembUng murderer's head,

Or steals to the adultrous bed,

An awful witness of the guilty scene ;

ELKCTRA.

Doubtless the dream with all its terrors meant

For crimes like these Bome dreadful punishment,
470

I f mortals aught from nightly visions know,
470

If truth from great Apollo's shrine
470

Appears in oracles divine,
470

1 *resagiug bliss to come, or threat'ning future woe.
470

J""'
470

C) Pelops ; to thy countiy and to thco
470

The fatal course brought woe and misery ;

For since the time v/hen, from his chariot thi'own,

For thee the guilty wreath to gain,

The hapless Myrtihis was slain,

Nought has thy wretched race but grief and sorrow

known.

Clytemnestra
\Exit Ohrysothemis. Scene Y. Antistro'phe. Act II. Scene I.

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 251 focus

Our duty, by our zeal for thee enforced,

Induced us hither: if our friendly words

Offend thy sense of honour, we desist;

Thine be the conquest, and to follow, ours,

Electra

I am ashamed, my friends, if deem'd by you

Indulging an excess of grief and tears;
255

But they are wrung from me by bitter force;

Electra

Forgive me then. How can a woman, sprung

Chrysothemis

From noble blood, who sees her father's wrongs,

Not mourn as I do, who each day, each night,

Behold those wrongs increasing with fresh force?

My mother, she who bore me, is the first
380

In all despiteful treatment. Then I live

In mine own house with those, whose impious hands

Murder'd my father; these I feel my lords,

And at their pleasure I receive, or want.

Electra

Think then what grief-embitter'd days I pass,
385

Chrysothemis

When seated on my father's throne I see

Aegisthus

see him in my father's robes

Array'd, and pouring to the household gods

Libations on the spot where his curs'd hand

Shed the king's blood. And (oh that blackest stain !)

I see the murderer in my father's bed

With my abandon'd mother, if the name
255

Of mother be her due, who shares this bed
255

With him, unblushing with this man of blood
255

Cohabits, and no vengeful Fury fears;
255

But, as exulting in her horrid deeds,
255

Oft as the month leads round the welcome day

In which my father by her wiles she slew,

She forms the festal dance, and to the gods,

As guardians of her house, the victims slays.

Chorus

and weep, and waste away

At a vile feast, that bears my father's name,

In secret mourning, for I dare not pour

My tears to sooth the anguish of my soul;

For soon this woman, to her noble name

A foul disgrace, calls out, and with harsh words
370

Reviles me, "Wretch, detested by the gods,
370

"To thee alone then did thy father die?
370

"Dost none but thou lament him? Get thee hence,
370

"And perish: never may th' infernal gods

"Soften the sorrows which now rend thy heart!"

Thus she reviles me; but if one she hears

Speak of Orestes as returning, wild

Chrysothemis

With rage she comes, and thunders in my ears,

"Thou art the cause of this; this is thy work;

"By thee Orestes from my hand was snatch'd,

"By thee in secret hence convey'd: but know

"Thou shalt be punish'd as thy deeds deserve."

Then to her savage menace adding flames

Comes her illustrious husband, that disgrace

To manhood, who his coward battles fights,

Polluted monster, with a woman leagued.

Whilst expectation always prompts my hopes

That, arm'd with vengeance to repress these ills,

Orestes will return, I pine with grief.

Still he delays to act; and this delay

Sinks all my present, and my future hopes.

In such a state, my friends, the human mind
375

But ill preserves a calm well-temper'd frame,
375

And holy reverence; but, oppress'd with ills,
375

By sad constraint turns all its thoughts to ill.
375

Chorus

But tell us, is Ægisthus, while we hoid

This converse, near, or distant from this place?

Electra

Far distant in the country: were he near,

Think not I thus might walk before the gates.

Chorus

If it be so, more freely may we hold

Discourse, and unrestrain'd inquiry make.

Electra

What thy mind prompts thee, ask, from him secure.

Chorus

First of thy brother then it is my wish
390

To know. Returns he, or delays he still?
390

Electra

Oft hath he promised; nothing he performs.

Chorus

In arduous actions men must oft delay.

Electra

But him without delay I fondly saved.

Chorus

But of his noble nature be assured;

This will impel him to protect his friends.

Electra

Of this my soul hath ever been assured;
395

Else in this state I had not lived so long.!!
395

Chorus

Speak now no more; for from the gates I see

Chrysothemis advance, thy sister sprung

From the same parents: in her hands she bears

Sepulchral offerings, honours to the dead.

CHRY. Why, O my sister, is thy voice thus raised

Before the portal? Will no length of time

Teach thee no more to feed thy feeble rage

With thoughts as vain? I feel these present ills,

And, if I know myself, had I the pow'r,

Would show my thoughts: but while the storm is high,

I deem it prudent to let down my sails,

Nor dream of mighty deeds, while void of force

I cannot hurt. Thus would I thou shou'dst act.

Yet what I say perhaps hath not such strength

Of reason as thy firmer conduct shows;

But, as becomes my birth if I would live,

The potent must in all things be obey'd.

Electra

How shameful this, descended as thou art

From such a father, to forget his worth,

And court thy mother's favour! For by her

All thy monitions to me were enjoin'd,

Her teaching, not the dictates of thy heart.

What should I think? Thy nature must be base;

Or, if not base, no memory of thy friends

Dost thou retain. Thou said'st, hadst thou the pow'r,

Chrysothemis

Thy hate thou soon wou'dst show them: yet with me,

On vengeance for my father always bent,

Thou wilt not act, but rather wish to check

My purpose. Is not this to add to ills

Base cowardice? But tell me, or learn thou

From me, what good should I obtain, my griefs

Should I command to cease? Do I not live?

But ill, I know; yet I am satisfied.

I grieve their hearts in paying to the dead.

Theseus

if the dead have yet a sense

Of honours. Thou dost hate them: but thy hate

Is in words only; thou canst bear to live

Amidst thy father's murderers. But my soul

Would never bend, would never yield to them,

No, should they bring me all those gorgeous gifts

With which thou now art deck'd. To thee be placed

A table richly spread, with dishes piled;

But let my homely fare be only such

As nature loaths not. I have not a wish

To gain thy honours; nor indeed wou'dst thou,

Did reason rule thee. Now thou might'st he call'd

The daughter of a father first in fame;

Be call'd thy mother's: so shalt thou appear,

To all that judge aright, of nature base,

False to thy murder'd father, and his friends.

Chorus

Now, by the gods, let nothing pass in wrath.
400

Much mutual good your reasonings might produce,
400

Wert thou to hers attentive, she to thine.
400

CHRY. I have been long accustom'd to such words
400

From her, my friends; and never had I touch'd
400

This tender point, but that some dreadful ill
400

Advances on her, which will check her griefs.
400

Electra

What dreadful ill is this? If more severe

Than these, thy counsel I no more oppose.

CHRY. Far as I know it I will tell thee all.

They purpose, if thou cease not thy loud griefs,

Chrysothemis

To send thee where no more thou shalt behold

The sun's bright radiance, in some cheerless vault

To live, far distant, there to chant thy woes.

Reflect; nor henceforth blame me when these ills

Fall heavy on thee: this is wisdom's hour.

Electra

Thus will they treat me? Is their purpose fix'd?..

CHRY. Soon as Ægisthus shall return.

And soon

May he for this return.

What dreadful wish

Hast thou thus rashly form'd?

That he may come,

If thus he thinks to act.

That thou may'st feel

Chrysothemis

Their vengeance! What thy meaning?

Far from you

That I may fly.

And hast thou for thy life

No care, no thought?

Mine is a glorious life,

Exciting admiration!

Wou'dst thou take

Calm prudence for thy guide, it might be such.

Electra
CHRY. CHRY. CHRY. CHRY.

Teach me not baseness to my friends.
405

I teach
405

No baseness, but submission to the great,
405

Who hold the sovereign pow'r.
405

Cringe to them thou;
405

I scorn to cringe.
405

Well were it not to fall
405

Through wayward wilfulness.
405

If I must fall,
405

My father's death avenging let me fall.
405

CHRY. Of us our father, well am I assured,
405

Requires not this.
405

Chrysothemis

Such words the base alone

Can e'er applaud.

Will no persuasions move

Thy heart to yield assent?

None: from my heart

Far be such weakness.

Hence then will I go,

And execute my charge.

What charge? To whom

Bear'st thou those offerings?

By my mother sent

She most abhorr'd!

To pour libations at my father's tomb.

Electra
CHRY. CHRY. CHRY. CHRY. CHRY. CHRY.

What say'st thou? Sent to him whom, when he lived,

And with her own hand slew,

So wou'dst thou say.

Persuaded by her friends?

Chrysothemis

Who thus advised her ?

She was moved, I think,

By dreadful visions, terrors of the night.

Electra
CHRY.

Gods of my fathers, give us now your aid !

Chrysothemis

CHRY. What from these terrors animates thy hope ?
410

Electra

Tell me the vision, thou shalt know my hopes.

Chrysothemis

CHRY. I know not all; but little can I speak.

Electra

Tell me that little: oft imperfect words

Sink mortals low, or raise their spirits high.

Chorus

This is the voice of rumour, that she saw

Thine and my father, to the light return'd,

Once more her husband; in the earth he fix'd

The sceptre of his ancestors, which once

He bore, but now Ægisthus; from its top

Sprouted a vigorous branch, and spread its shade

Wide o'er Mycenæ and its ample realms...

This from one present, when she told her dream

To the bright Sun, I heard. No more than this

I know, but that she sent me to the tomb

Struck with this fear. Now by our country's gods

I pray thee, be persuaded; do not rush、

On ruin through perverseness: shou'dst thou now

Reject me, thou wilt seek me in thy ills.

Electra

But nothing, my loved sister, of these gifts
415

Affix thou to the tomb; it is not meet,
415

It is not holy, that such offerings, sent
415

By this malignant woman, should be placed;
415

Or such libations to our father's shade

Be pour'd: no: give them to the winds, or dig

Deep in the covering earth, and hide them there;

Chrysothemis

That nothing of them where our father rests

May ever come, but lie a precious store

For her when dead, and in the realms below..

For were not she, of all her sex, most lost lo

To shame, this hateful globlet to the manort I

Her own hands murder'd never had she crownd.

For canst thou think the dead within his tomb,

His indignation soften'd, will, receiver

These offerings from the hand by which he died

Dishonour'd, mangled with relentless hate,(

Amidst th' ablutions all the stains of bloodT
420

Wiped on his head And canst thou think these things
420

Will make atonement for the murderous deed?
420

It may not be; then think of them no more.

But cut thou off thy fair and crisped, curls,

And from my wretched head (small gift indeed,

But all I have to give) these squalid locks;

Lo With them present my zone, not richly wrought

With bright embroidery: bow before the tomb,

And pour thy prayers that from beneath the earth

Propitious he would come, against our foes

A strong protector; that with potent hand

His son, Orestes, may return, and live,

And trample those, that hate him, in the dust :

Then will we crown his tomb with richer gifts

Than now we can present. These things I think,

Yes, I will think he makes these things his care,
425

And therefore with these dreams appals her soul.
425

Do thou, my sister, in this hope perform
425

Theseus

for my sake, for thine own, for his,

Dearest of all that breath'd this vital air,

Our father, laid in the unsparing tomb.

Chorus

This from a pious heart the virgin speaks :

Chrysothemis

Our love exhorts thee discharge the trust.

CHRY. Yes, I will do it: for when justice bids,

Reason disputes not, but makes haste to act.

But by the gods, my friends, whilst I attempt

Theseus
STRO: ANTIS.

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 251-470 focus

Chorus

I came, my child, mindful of your interests no less than my own. But if what I say is wrong, let your way prevail; for united we will follow you.

Electra

I am ashamed, my friends, if you judge me

too intolerant with my many laments; but, since rough compulsion forces me to act this way, forgive me. How indeed could any woman of noble nature not act, when she sees her father’s sufferings as I see them day and night continually,
255

and flourishing rather than fading? First, everything to do with the mother who bore me has become most hateful towards me; next, in my own home I live with my father’s murderers; they rule over me and from them
260

equally I either have or do without.
And then think what manner of days I pass, when I see Aegisthus sitting on my father’s throne; when I look on him wearing the very robes which my father wore and
265

pouring libations at the hearth where he killed him; and when I see the chief outrage of them all, the murderer in my father’s bed at my wretched mother’s side, if I must call her mother, even though she shares her bed with that man.
270

So hardened is she that she joins with this polluter, fearing no Erinys. No, as if laughing at her deeds, having found the day on which in the past she treacherously killed my father,
275

she celebrates it with dance and song, and in monthly rites she sacrifices sheep to the gods who worked her deliverance.
280

282

But I, as I joylessly witness it, cry out, waste away in the house and bewail the unholy feast named after my father,

in solitary weeping. For I cannot even grieve to the full extent which would please my heart, since this lady, who is in fact no lady, loudly reproaches me with such shameless taunts as these: Wicked and hateful girl, have you alone lost your father,and is no one else in the world grieving? May your death be harsh, and may the gods below never free you from your current mourning. Just so she abuses me, except when she gets word that Orestes is coming. Then, infuriated,
285

she comes up to me and cries;— Have you not brought this upon me? Is this not your doing, since you stole Orestes from my hands and secretly sent him away? Yes—but rest assured that you will be justly punished. Like this she barks, and in agreement
295

her glorious bridegroom by her side urges her on—that total impotent, that utter plague who fights his battles with the help of women. But my heart is broken by my suffering as I constantly wait for Orestes to come and end these troubles.

300

For the perpetual imminence of his actions has eradicated every hope that I could conceive. In such a state of affairs, then, friends, there is no room for self-restraint or for reverence. Rather, in these dire straits there is much need to pursue a dire course.
305

310

Chorus

Tell me, is Aegisthus nearby as you speak these words to us, or has he left the house?
310

Electra

He is gone, to be sure. Do not think that I would have come to the doors, if he were nearby. He happens now to be in the country.

Chorus

Might I converse with you

more boldly, if this is so?
315

Electra

He is not here, so question me. What is it you want?

Chorus

I ask you, then, what report can you give of your brother? Will he come soon, or is he delaying? I wish to know.

Electra

He says he will come, but although he promises he never does what he says.

Chorus

True, a man will hesitate on the verge of a great undertaking.
320

Electra

And yet I saved him with no hesitation.

Chorus

Take heart: he is noble enough to stand by his friends.

Electra

I believe it; otherwise I would not have remained alive so long.

Chorus

Say no more now, since I see your sister

coming from the house, Chrysothemis, offspring of the same father and mother. In her hands are sepulchral offerings, such as are customary for those in the world below.
325

Enter Chrysothemis, from the house.

Chrysothemis

What is this speech of yours, sister, which you have come forth yet again to speak at the public doors?

Will you not learn with any lapse of time to end your vain indulgence in futile anger? Yet this much I know—that I myself am saddened by our present circumstances; indeed so much so that, could I find the strength, I would bare my feelings towards them.
330

But now, in these evil times I think it best to navigate with shortened sail so that I may not seem to be on the attack, when I am unable to cause harm. I wish that your own conduct were the same! Nevertheless, right is on the side which you favor, not on that which I advise. But if I am to live the life of the freeborn,
335

those in power must be obeyed in all things.
340

341

Electra

It is strange, indeed, that you, the daughter of our father from whom you grew, should forget him and instead show concern for your mother! All your admonitions to me have been taught by her; you speak no word of your own.

So now take your choice: be imprudent, or be prudent, but forgetful of your friends. You have just said that if could you find the strength, you would show your hatred of them; yet, when I am doing my utmost to avenge our father,
345

you do not work with me, but seek to deflect your sister from her deed.
Does this not add cowardice to our miseries? Therefore instruct me, or rather learn from me what gain there might be for me if I ended my lamentation. Am I not now alive? Miserably so, I know, but well enough for me.
350

And I hurt them, and thereby affix an honorable tribute to the dead, in case those in that world can enjoy it and feel gratitude. But you, who tell me of your hatred, hate in word alone, while by your behavior you unite with the murderers of our father. I, however, would never yield to them, not even if
355

one of them were to bring to me the gifts in which you now glory. Let yours be the richly-spread table and superabundant lifestyle. As for me, let my sustenance be only that I do not wound my own conscience—I do not covet such privilege as yours and
360

neither would you, if you had self-control. But now, when you could be called the child of the noblest father among men, be called instead your mother’s daughter, for in this way your corruptness will be evident to the greatest number as you betray your dead father and your true friends.
365

369

Chorus

Away with anger, for the gods’ sake! There is

advantage for both of you in what is urged, if you, Electra, would learn to implement her advice, and she, again, yours.
370

Chrysothemis

For my part, friends, I am not at all unaccustomed to her insults, nor would I have mentioned this, if I had not heard that the greatest disaster is now rushing down on her,

one which will restrain her from her long mourning.
375

Electra

Come then, name this terror! If you can tell me of anything worse than my present condition, I would resist no more.

Chrysothemis

I will tell you all that I know. If you will not cease from your mourning, they intend

to send you where you will never look upon the sun’s brilliance, but passing your life in a covered chamber beyond this land’s borders you will make hymns of your calamity. Think on this, and do not blame me later, when you suffer. Now is the time to think wisely.
380

385

Electra

Have they in fact decided to do this to me?
385

Chrysothemis

They certainly have, as soon as Aegisthus comes home.

Electra

Then for this, may he arrive quickly!

Chrysothemis

Troubled girl, what curse are you laying on yourself?

Electra

That he may come, if he plans to do any of what you said.

Chrysothemis

So that you may suffer? In what way? Where are your wits?
390

Electra

So that I may fly as far as possible from you all.

Chrysothemis

Have you no care for the life you lead now?

Electra

oh, yes, my life is so wondrously fine.

Chrysothemis

It would be, if only you learned good sense.

Electra

Do not teach me to betray my friends.
395

Chrysothemis

I do not, but to bend before the strong.

Electra

Keep your flattery to yourself; it is not in my character.

Chrysothemis

Regardless, it brings no honor to fall through senselessness.

Electra

I will fall, if need be, while honoring my father.

Chrysothemis

But our father, I know, pardons me for this.
400

Electra

It is for cowards to commend such sentiments.

Chrysothemis

So you will not be persuaded to agree with me?

Electra

No, indeed; may I not yet be so devoid of intelligence.

Chrysothemis

Then I will move on to where I was sent.

Electra

And where is it that you go? For whom do you take these offerings to be burned?
405

Chrysothemis

Mother sends me with funeral libations for our father.

Electra

What are you saying? For her deadliest enemy?

Chrysothemis

Whom she herself killed, no doubt you wanted to say this as well.

Electra

What friend persuaded her? Whose idea was it?

Chrysothemis

The cause, I think, was fear induced by some vision in the night.
410

Electra

My father’s Gods! Stand with me now at last!

Chrysothemis

Do you find something heartening in this terror?

Electra

If you would tell me the vision, then I could answer.

Chrysothemis

I know no more than a small part of the story.

415

Electra

Tell me that, anyway; a small tale has often before now tripped men up, or set them upright.
415

Chrysothemis

It is said that she saw the father of you and of me restored to the sunlight and to her company once more. Then he took the scepter—

once his own, but now carried by Aegisthus—and planted it at the hearth. From it branched upward a flourishing limb, by which the whole land of the Mycenaeans was overshadowed. Such was the tale that I heard told by one who was present
420

when she revealed her dream to the Sun-god. More than this I do not know, except that she sent me by reason of this fear of hers. Now, I beg you by our ancestral gods, obey me, and do not fall in your senselessness!
425

If you reject me now, it is in misery that you will next seek me out.
430

431

Electra

Dear sister, let none of these offerings in your hands touch the tomb. For neither divine law nor piety allows you to dedicate funeral gifts or bring libations to our father from his hateful wife.

No! To the winds with them! Or cover them in a deep, dusty hole, where not one of them will ever come near our father’s resting place. Rather let these treasures be preserved for her below when she dies. Were she not by nature the most audacious
435

of all women, she would never at all have tried to pour these ill-willed offerings to the man she killed. Consider whether you believe that the dead in his tomb will welcome this tribute with affection towards her, by whose hand he died dishonored and was mutilated
440

like an enemy? She, who, as if to wash herself clean, wiped off the bloodstains on his head? Surely you do not believe that your bringing these things will absolve her of the murder?
It is not possible. No, be rid of them. Give him instead a lock of your hair’s ends, cut from your own head,
445

and from wretched me, too, give these gifts, poor as they are, though all I have. Take this hair, not glossy with unguents, and this girdle, decked with no rich ornament. Then fall down and pray that he himself may come in kindness to us from the world below, a helper against our enemies;
450

and that young Orestes may live to set his foot upon our enemies in superior might, so that hereafter we may crown our father’s tomb with wealthier hands than those with which we honor him now.
I think, yes, I think that he too had some part
455

in sending her these appalling dreams. Still, sister, do yourself this service and help me, and him, too, that most beloved of all men, who rests in Hades’ domain, our shared father.
460

464

Chorus

The girl’s advice is pious; you,

dear friend, will do what she says, if you are wise.
465

Chrysothemis

I will. In regard to a just deed, it is unreasonable for two people to argue, but reasonable to jump to action. But, by the gods, my friends, when I attempt this task, let me have your silence,

since if my mother hears of it, I believe that this attempt which I will dare shall in the end cause me bitterness. Exit Chrysothemis on the spectators’ right.
470

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251-471

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ἐγὼ μέν, ὦ παῖ, καὶ τὸ σὸν σπεύδουσ᾽ ἅμα καὶ τοὐμὸν αὐτῆς ἦλθον· εἰ δὲ μὴ καλῶς λέγω, σὺ νίκα· σοὶ γὰρ ἐψόμεσθ᾽ ἅμα.

ΗΛ. αἰσχύνομαι μέν, ὦ γυναῖκες, εἰ δοκῶ πολλοῖσι θρήνοις δυσφορεῖν ὑμῖν ἄγαν. 255 ἀλλ᾽ ἡ βία γὰρ ταῦτ᾽ ἀναγκάζει με δρᾶν,

ἡ δ᾽ ἤδ' L Pal. Schaef. corr. ἡ δ' A. ὧδε τλήμων ὥστε τῷ μιάστορι 275

ΧΟ.

μηδὲν πρὸς ὀργὴν πρὸς θεῶν· ὡς τοῖς λόγοις ἔνεστιν ἀμφοῖν κέρδος, εἰ σὺ μὲν μάθοις 370 τοῖς τῆσδε χρῆσθαι, τοῖς δὲ σοῖς αὕτη αὐτὴ LAF. αὕτη Pal. πάλιν.

ΗΛ. φέρ᾽ εἰπὲ δὴ τὸ δεινόν. εἰ γὰρ τῶνδέ μοι

μεῖζόν τι λέξεις, οὐκ ἂν ἀντείποιμ᾽ ἔτι.

ΗΛ.

ἢ ταῦτα δή με καὶ βεβούλευνται ποιεῖν πο(ι)εῖν ? L. ; 385

ΧΡ. μάλισθ'· ὅταν περ οἴκαδ᾽ Αἴγισθος μόλῃ.

ΗΛ. ἀλλ᾽ ἐξίκοιτο τοῦδέ γ' οἵνεκ᾽ ἐν τάχει.

ΧΡ. τίν, ὦ τάλαινα, τόνδ᾽ ἐπηράσω λόγον;

ΗΛ. ἐλθεῖν ἐκεῖνον, εἴ τι τῶνδε δρᾶν νοεῖ.

ΧΡ. ὅπως πάθῃς τί χρῆμα; ποῦ ποτ᾽ εἶ φρενῶν ; 390

ΗΛ. ὅπως ἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν ὡς προσώτατ᾽ ἐκφύγω.

ΧΡ. βίου δὲ τοῦ παρόντος οὐ μνείαν ἔχεις;

ΗΛ. καλὸς γὰρ οὑμὸς βίοτος ὥστε θαυμάσαι.

ΧΡ. ἀλλ᾽ ἦν ἄν, εἰ σύ γ' εὖ φρονεῖν ἠπίστασο.

ΗΛ. μή μ᾽ ἐκδίδασκε τοῖς φίλοις εἶναι κακήν. 395

ΧΡ. ἀλλ᾽ οὐ διδάσκω· τοῖς κρατοῦσι δ᾽ εἰκαθεῖν εἰκάθειν LA Pal. (gl. ὑποτάσσεσθαι) Elms. corr..

ΗΛ. σὺ ταῦτα θώπευ· οὐκ ἐμοὺς τρόπους λέγεις.

ΧΡ. καλόν γε μέντοι μὴ ἐξ ἀβουλίας πεσεῖν.

ΗΛ. πεσούμεθ᾽, εἰ χρή, πατρὶ τιμωρούμενοι.

ΧΡ. πατὴρ δὲ τούτων, οἶδα, συγγνώμην ἔχει. 400

ΗΛ. ταῦτ᾽ ἐστὶ τἄπη πρὸς κακῶν ἐπαινέσαι.

ΧΡ. σὺ δ᾽ οὐχὶ πείσει καὶ συναινέσεις ἐμοί;

ΗΛ. οὐ δῆτα, μή πω νοῦ τοσόνδ᾽ εἴην κενή.

ΧΡ. χωρήσομαί ο from a L. τἄρ᾽ οἶπερ ἐστάλην ὁδοῦ.

ΗΛ. ποῖ δ᾽ ἐμπορεύει ἐμπορεύηι L (μ from v C¹) A Pal.; τῷ φέρεις τάδ᾽ ἔμπυρα ; 405

ΧΡ. μήτηρ με πέμπει πατρὶ τυμβεῦσαι χοάς.

ΗΛ. πῶς εἶπας; ἢ ἡ εἰ L. 7 C5 or 8 A. L2. τῷ δυσμενεστάτῳ βροτῶν;

ΧΡ. ὃν ἔκταν᾿ αὐτή, τοῦτο γὰρ λέξαι θέλεις.

ΗΛ͵ ἐκ τοῦ φίλων πεισθεῖσα; τῷ τοῦτ᾽ ἤρεσεν ;

ΧΡ. ἐκ δείματός του νυκτέρου, δοκεῖν ἐμοί. 410

ΗΛ. ὦ θεοὶ πατρῷοι, συγγένεσθέ γ᾽ ἀλλὰ νῦν.

ΧΡ. ἔχεις τι θάρσος τοῦδε τοῦ τάρβους πέρι;

ΗΛ. εἴ μοι λέγοις λέγεις LAΓ. λέγεις Pal. Tricl. corr. τὴν ὄψιν, εἴποιμ᾽ ἂν τότε.

ΧΡ. ἀλλ᾽ οὐ κάτοιδα πλὴν ἐπὶ σμικρὸν σμικροῦ, ων L pr. v into v and ων C5. σμικρῶι AL2. σμικρὸν Γ. φράσαι.

ΗΛ.

λέγ᾿ ἀλλὰ τοῦτο, πολλά τοι σμικροὶ λόγοι 415 ἔσφηλαν ἤδη καὶ κατώρθωσαν βροτούς.

ΗΛ.

ΧΟ.

πρὸς εὐσέβειαν ἡ κόρη λέγει· σὺ δέ, εἰ σωφρονήσεις, ὦ φίλη, δράσεις τάδε. 465

ΧΟ. στρ.

Χορός ἐγὼ μέν, ὦ παῖ, καὶ τὸ σὸν σπεύδουσʼ ἅμα καὶ τοὐμὸν αὐτῆς ἦλθον· εἰ δὲ μὴ καλῶς λέγω, σὺ νίκα· σοὶ γὰρ ἑψόμεσθʼ ἅμα.

Χορός φέρʼ εἰπέ, πότερον ὄντος Αἰγίσθου πέλας 310 λέγεις τάδʼ ἡμῖν ἢ βεβῶτος ἐκ δόμων;

Ἠλέκτρα ἦ κάρτα· μὴ δόκει μʼ ἄν, εἴπερ ἦν πέλας, θυραῖον οἰχνεῖν· νῦν δʼ ἀγροῖσι τυγχάνει.

Χορός ἦ κἂν ἐγὼ θαρσοῦσα μᾶλλον ἐς λόγους τοὺς σοὺς ἱκοίμην, εἴπερ ὧδε ταῦτʼ ἔχει; 315

Ἠλέκτρα ὡς νῦν ἀπόντος ἱστόρει· τί σοι φίλον;

Χορός καὶ δή σʼ ἐρωτῶ· τοῦ κασιγνήτου τί φής, ἥξοντος ἢ μέλλοντος; εἰδέναι θέλω.

Ἠλέκτρα φησίν γε· φάσκων δʼ οὐδὲν ὧν λέγει ποεῖ.

Χορός φιλεῖ γὰρ ὀκνεῖν πρᾶγμʼ ἀνὴρ πράσσων μέγα. 320

Ἠλέκτρα καὶ μὴν ἔγωγʼ ἔσωσʼ ἐκεῖνον οὐκ ὄκνῳ.

Χορός θάρσει· πέφυκεν ἐσθλός, ὥστʼ ἀρκεῖν φίλοις.

Ἠλέκτρα πέποιθʼ, ἐπεί τἂν οὐ μακρὰν ἔζων ἐγώ.

Χορός μηδὲν πρὸς ὀργήν, πρὸς θεῶν· ὡς τοῖς λόγοις ἔνεστιν ἀμφοῖν κέρδος, εἰ σὺ μὲν μάθοις 370 τοῖς τῆσδε χρῆσθαι, τοῖς δὲ σοῖς αὕτη πάλιν.

Ἠλέκτρα φέρʼ εἰπὲ δὴ τὸ δεινόν· εἰ γὰρ τῶνδέ μοι μεῖζόν τι λέξεις, οὐκ ἂν ἀντείποιμʼ ἔτι.

Ἠλέκτρα ἦ ταῦτα δή με καὶ βεβούλευνται ποεῖν; 385

Χρυσόθεμις μάλισθʼ· ὅταν περ οἴκαδʼ Αἴγισθος μόλῃ.

Ἠλέκτρα ἀλλʼ ἐξίκοιτο τοῦδέ γʼ οὕνεκʼ ἐν τάχει.

Χρυσόθεμις τίνʼ, ὦ τάλαινα, τόνδʼ ἐπηράσω λόγον;

Ἠλέκτρα ἐλθεῖν ἐκεῖνον, εἴ τι τῶνδε δρᾶν νοεῖ.

Χρυσόθεμις ὅπως πάθῃς τί χρῆμα; ποῦ ποτʼ εἶ φρενῶν; 390

Ἠλέκτρα ὅπως ἀφʼ ὑμῶν ὡς προσωτάτω φύγω.

Χρυσόθεμις βίου δὲ τοῦ παρόντος οὐ μνείαν ἔχεις;

Ἠλέκτρα καλὸς γὰρ οὑμὸς βίοτος ὥστε θαυμάσαι.

Χρυσόθεμις ἀλλʼ ἦν ἄν, εἰ σύ γʼ εὖ φρονεῖν ἠπίστασο.

Ἠλέκτρα μή μʼ ἐκδίδασκε τοῖς φίλοις εἶναι κακήν. 395

Χρυσόθεμις ἀλλʼ οὐ διδάσκω· τοῖς κρατοῦσι δʼ εἰκαθεῖν.

Ἠλέκτρα σὺ ταῦτα θώπευʼ· οὐκ ἐμοὺς τρόπους λέγεις.

Χρυσόθεμις καλόν γε μέντοι μὴ ʼξ ἀβουλίας πεσεῖν.

Ἠλέκτρα πεσούμεθʼ, εἰ χρή, πατρὶ τιμωρούμενοι.

Χρυσόθεμις πατὴρ δὲ τούτων, οἶδα, συγγνώμην ἔχει. 400

Ἠλέκτρα ταῦτʼ ἐστὶ τἄπη πρὸς κακῶν ἐπαινέσαι.

ἐγὼ μέν, ὦ παῖ, καὶ τὸ σὸν σπεύδουσ᾽ ἅμα

καὶ τοὐμὸν αὐτῆς ἦλθον· εἰ δὲ μὴ καλῶς

λέγω, σὺ νίκα· σοὶ γὰρ ἐψόμεσθ᾽ ἅμα.

ΗΛ.

αἰσχύνομαι μέν, ὦ γυναῖκες, εἰ δοκῶ

πολλοῖσι θρήνοις δυσφορεῖν ὑμῖν ἄγαν.
255

ἀλλ᾽ ἡ βία γὰρ ταῦτ᾽ ἀναγκάζει με δρᾶν,

ἡ δ᾽ ἤδ' L Pal. Schaef. corr. ἡ δ' A. ὧδε τλήμων ὥστε τῷ μιάστορι
275

μηδὲν πρὸς ὀργὴν πρὸς θεῶν· ὡς τοῖς λόγοις

ἔνεστιν ἀμφοῖν κέρδος, εἰ σὺ μὲν μάθοις
370

τοῖς τῆσδε χρῆσθαι, τοῖς δὲ σοῖς αὕτη αὐτὴ LAF. αὕτη Pal. πάλιν.

ΗΛ.

φέρ᾽ εἰπὲ δὴ τὸ δεινόν. εἰ γὰρ τῶνδέ μοι

ἢ ταῦτα δή με καὶ βεβούλευνται ποιεῖν πο(ι)εῖν ? L. ;
385

ΧΡ.

μάλισθ'· ὅταν περ οἴκαδ᾽ Αἴγισθος μόλῃ.

ΗΛ.

ἀλλ᾽ ἐξίκοιτο τοῦδέ γ' οἵνεκ᾽ ἐν τάχει.

ΧΡ.

τίν, ὦ τάλαινα, τόνδ᾽ ἐπηράσω λόγον;

ΗΛ.

ἐλθεῖν ἐκεῖνον, εἴ τι τῶνδε δρᾶν νοεῖ.

ΧΡ.

ὅπως πάθῃς τί χρῆμα; ποῦ ποτ᾽ εἶ φρενῶν ;
390

ΗΛ.

ὅπως ἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν ὡς προσώτατ᾽ ἐκφύγω.

ΧΡ.

βίου δὲ τοῦ παρόντος οὐ μνείαν ἔχεις;

ΗΛ.

καλὸς γὰρ οὑμὸς βίοτος ὥστε θαυμάσαι.

ΧΡ.

ἀλλ᾽ ἦν ἄν, εἰ σύ γ' εὖ φρονεῖν ἠπίστασο.

ΗΛ.

μή μ᾽ ἐκδίδασκε τοῖς φίλοις εἶναι κακήν.
395

ΧΡ.

ἀλλ᾽ οὐ διδάσκω· τοῖς κρατοῦσι δ᾽ εἰκαθεῖν εἰκάθειν LA Pal. (gl. ὑποτάσσεσθαι) Elms. corr..

ΗΛ.

σὺ ταῦτα θώπευ· οὐκ ἐμοὺς τρόπους λέγεις.

ΧΡ.

καλόν γε μέντοι μὴ ἐξ ἀβουλίας πεσεῖν.

ΗΛ.

πεσούμεθ᾽, εἰ χρή, πατρὶ τιμωρούμενοι.

ΧΡ.

πατὴρ δὲ τούτων, οἶδα, συγγνώμην ἔχει.
400

ΗΛ.

ταῦτ᾽ ἐστὶ τἄπη πρὸς κακῶν ἐπαινέσαι.

ΧΡ.

σὺ δ᾽ οὐχὶ πείσει καὶ συναινέσεις ἐμοί;

ΗΛ.

οὐ δῆτα, μή πω νοῦ τοσόνδ᾽ εἴην κενή.

ΧΡ.

χωρήσομαί ο from a L. τἄρ᾽ οἶπερ ἐστάλην ὁδοῦ.

ΗΛ.

ποῖ δ᾽ ἐμπορεύει ἐμπορεύηι L (μ from v C¹) A Pal.; τῷ φέρεις τάδ᾽ ἔμπυρα ;
405

ΧΡ.

μήτηρ με πέμπει πατρὶ τυμβεῦσαι χοάς.

ΗΛ.

πῶς εἶπας; ἢ ἡ εἰ L. 7 C5 or 8 A. L2. τῷ δυσμενεστάτῳ βροτῶν;

ΧΡ.

ὃν ἔκταν᾿ αὐτή, τοῦτο γὰρ λέξαι θέλεις.

ΗΛ͵

ἐκ τοῦ φίλων πεισθεῖσα; τῷ τοῦτ᾽ ἤρεσεν ;

ΧΡ.

ἐκ δείματός του νυκτέρου, δοκεῖν ἐμοί.
410

ΗΛ.

ὦ θεοὶ πατρῷοι, συγγένεσθέ γ᾽ ἀλλὰ νῦν.

ΧΡ.

ἔχεις τι θάρσος τοῦδε τοῦ τάρβους πέρι;

ΗΛ.

εἴ μοι λέγοις λέγεις LAΓ. λέγεις Pal. Tricl. corr. τὴν ὄψιν, εἴποιμ᾽ ἂν τότε.

ΧΡ.

ἀλλ᾽ οὐ κάτοιδα πλὴν ἐπὶ σμικρὸν σμικροῦ, ων L pr. v into v and ων C5. σμικρῶι AL2. σμικρὸν Γ. φράσαι.

λέγ᾿ ἀλλὰ τοῦτο, πολλά τοι σμικροὶ λόγοι
415

ἔσφηλαν ἤδη καὶ κατώρθωσαν βροτούς.

πρὸς εὐσέβειαν ἡ κόρη λέγει· σὺ δέ,

εἰ σωφρονήσεις, ὦ φίλη, δράσεις τάδε.
465

ΧΟ.
στρ.

Χορός

ἐγὼ μέν, ὦ παῖ, καὶ τὸ σὸν σπεύδουσʼ ἅμα

καὶ τοὐμὸν αὐτῆς ἦλθον· εἰ δὲ μὴ καλῶς

λέγω, σὺ νίκα· σοὶ γὰρ ἑψόμεσθʼ ἅμα.

Χορός

φέρʼ εἰπέ, πότερον ὄντος Αἰγίσθου πέλας
310

λέγεις τάδʼ ἡμῖν ἢ βεβῶτος ἐκ δόμων;

Ἠλέκτρα

ἦ κάρτα· μὴ δόκει μʼ ἄν, εἴπερ ἦν πέλας,

θυραῖον οἰχνεῖν· νῦν δʼ ἀγροῖσι τυγχάνει.

Χορός

ἦ κἂν ἐγὼ θαρσοῦσα μᾶλλον ἐς λόγους

τοὺς σοὺς ἱκοίμην, εἴπερ ὧδε ταῦτʼ ἔχει;
315

Ἠλέκτρα

ὡς νῦν ἀπόντος ἱστόρει· τί σοι φίλον;

Χορός

καὶ δή σʼ ἐρωτῶ· τοῦ κασιγνήτου τί φής,

ἥξοντος ἢ μέλλοντος; εἰδέναι θέλω.

Ἠλέκτρα

φησίν γε· φάσκων δʼ οὐδὲν ὧν λέγει ποεῖ.

Χορός

φιλεῖ γὰρ ὀκνεῖν πρᾶγμʼ ἀνὴρ πράσσων μέγα.
320

Ἠλέκτρα

καὶ μὴν ἔγωγʼ ἔσωσʼ ἐκεῖνον οὐκ ὄκνῳ.

Χορός

θάρσει· πέφυκεν ἐσθλός, ὥστʼ ἀρκεῖν φίλοις.

Ἠλέκτρα

πέποιθʼ, ἐπεί τἂν οὐ μακρὰν ἔζων ἐγώ.

Χορός

μηδὲν πρὸς ὀργήν, πρὸς θεῶν· ὡς τοῖς λόγοις

ἔνεστιν ἀμφοῖν κέρδος, εἰ σὺ μὲν μάθοις
370

τοῖς τῆσδε χρῆσθαι, τοῖς δὲ σοῖς αὕτη πάλιν.

Ἠλέκτρα

φέρʼ εἰπὲ δὴ τὸ δεινόν· εἰ γὰρ τῶνδέ μοι

μεῖζόν τι λέξεις, οὐκ ἂν ἀντείποιμʼ ἔτι.

Ἠλέκτρα

ἦ ταῦτα δή με καὶ βεβούλευνται ποεῖν;
385

Χρυσόθεμις

μάλισθʼ· ὅταν περ οἴκαδʼ Αἴγισθος μόλῃ.

Ἠλέκτρα

ἀλλʼ ἐξίκοιτο τοῦδέ γʼ οὕνεκʼ ἐν τάχει.

Χρυσόθεμις

τίνʼ, ὦ τάλαινα, τόνδʼ ἐπηράσω λόγον;

Ἠλέκτρα

ἐλθεῖν ἐκεῖνον, εἴ τι τῶνδε δρᾶν νοεῖ.

Χρυσόθεμις

ὅπως πάθῃς τί χρῆμα; ποῦ ποτʼ εἶ φρενῶν;
390

Ἠλέκτρα

ὅπως ἀφʼ ὑμῶν ὡς προσωτάτω φύγω.

Χρυσόθεμις

βίου δὲ τοῦ παρόντος οὐ μνείαν ἔχεις;

Ἠλέκτρα

καλὸς γὰρ οὑμὸς βίοτος ὥστε θαυμάσαι.

Χρυσόθεμις

ἀλλʼ ἦν ἄν, εἰ σύ γʼ εὖ φρονεῖν ἠπίστασο.

Ἠλέκτρα

μή μʼ ἐκδίδασκε τοῖς φίλοις εἶναι κακήν.
395

Χρυσόθεμις

ἀλλʼ οὐ διδάσκω· τοῖς κρατοῦσι δʼ εἰκαθεῖν.

Ἠλέκτρα

σὺ ταῦτα θώπευʼ· οὐκ ἐμοὺς τρόπους λέγεις.

Χρυσόθεμις

καλόν γε μέντοι μὴ ʼξ ἀβουλίας πεσεῖν.

Ἠλέκτρα

πεσούμεθʼ, εἰ χρή, πατρὶ τιμωρούμενοι.

Χρυσόθεμις

πατὴρ δὲ τούτων, οἶδα, συγγνώμην ἔχει.
400

Ἠλέκτρα

ταῦτʼ ἐστὶ τἄπη πρὸς κακῶν ἐπαινέσαι.

Χρυσόθεμις

σὺ δʼ οὐχὶ πείσει καὶ συναινέσεις ἐμοί;

Ἠλέκτρα

οὐ δῆτα· μή πω νοῦ τοσόνδʼ εἴην κενή.

Χρυσόθεμις

χωρήσομαί τἄρʼ οἷπερ ἐστάλην ὁδοῦ.

Ἠλέκτρα

ποῖ δʼ ἐμπορεύει; τῷ φέρεις τάδʼ ἔμπυρα;
405

Χρυσόθεμις

μήτηρ με πέμπει πατρὶ τυμβεῦσαι χοάς.

Ἠλέκτρα

πῶς εἶπας; ἦ τῷ δυσμενεστάτῳ βροτῶν;

Χρυσόθεμις

ὃν ἔκτανʼ αὐτή· τοῦτο γὰρ λέξαι θέλεις.

Ἠλέκτρα

ἐκ τοῦ φίλων πεισθεῖσα; τῷ τοῦτʼ ἤρεσεν;

Χρυσόθεμις

ἐκ δείματός του νυκτέρου, δοκεῖν ἐμοί;
410

Ἠλέκτρα

ὦ θεοὶ πατρῷοι, συγγένεσθέ γʼ ἀλλὰ νῦν.

Χρυσόθεμις

ἔχεις τι θάρσος τοῦδε τοῦ τάρβους πέρι;

Ἠλέκτρα

εἴ μοι λέγοις τὴν ὄψιν, εἴποιμʼ ἂν τότε.